GORAKHPUR, INDIAIt was around 6 a.m. last Friday, said Mohamed Jahid  the father of a very sick little girl being treated at a government hospital  when the oxygen stopped. The situation was desperate, but the parents of children in the intensive care unit did not panic, because they had no idea what was going on.

Most were villagers like Mr. Jahid, who said they all thought it was normal procedure when the nurses unhooked the ventilators that had been helping keep their children alive, handed out small plastic hand-operated resuscitators and quickly showed the parents how to use them.

With his daughter gasping for air, Mr. Jahid got right to work.

I pumped and pumped, he said. He looked around the ward. All the parents were pumping and pumping. Unbeknown to them, the hospitals supplies of oxygen had been steadily dwindling, after the supplier cut off shipments of liquid oxygen for lack of payment. On Friday, despite repeated warnings from the supplier and hospital technicians, the oxygen ran out.

By the time the flow was stabilized, more than 60 children had died. Many were sick with Japanese encephalitis and other tropical diseases and may have died from other causes, but doctors admitted that the oxygen interruption is likely to have claimed at least several lives.

The childrens deaths have become a national outrage, headlining front pages of all the major newspapers and marring celebrations this week of Indias 70th anniversary of independence.

The government hospital, part of the larger Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur, was considered the areas best, a beacon to millions of people. It is now a symbol of Indias swamped, mismanaged and often corrupt public health care system. As this episode underscored, the system is so enormous and has so many people moving through it that mistakes are often not corrected until many lives are lost.

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The medical college is a monument to that sense of scale. It is a hulking, sprawling network of buildings with nearly 1,000 beds and 3-metre-wide corridors a city block long. With such a deluge of patients, some coming from hundreds of miles away, doctors sometimes work 36-hour double shifts with just a six-hour break, and children are crammed two or three to a bed. Families are camped out everywhere, their bedrolls, blankets, water jugs and round steel food tins clogging the hallways.

The case has cast a glare on the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in no small part because Gorakhpur is the home turf of one of Mr. Modis most contentious allies, Yogi Adityanath. A divisive politician and Hindu ascetic, Adityanath recently became chief minister of Indias most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, which, at 200 million, has more people than all but a handful of the worlds nations.

The state governments initial response to the oxygen fiasco was to imply that it was perfectly normal for 10 children to die every day at the Gorakhpur hospital, especially at this time of year, the rainy season, when swarms of mosquitoes spread deadly Japanese encephalitis, a virus that causes brain swelling and seizures.

That explanation was widely criticized as the height of insensitivity. Who have we become? asked Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a leading commentator, in a recent column. In our republic, poor children are fated to die.

The government response continues to be confused. Adityanaths administration is adamant that the oxygen problem was not responsible for any deaths, even though no autopsies were performed. At the same time, it has suspended the head of the medical college and called for a full investigation.

Lying just south of the India-Nepal border, Gorakhpur is very lush, especially now, during the monsoon. Some parts of it are beautiful, with dripping banyan trees, brightly painted houses and new shops. Theres even a Dominos pizza place. But in other areas, stagnant water covers the roads and garbage is stuffed into every nook and cranny  between houses, along riverbanks, heaped up in vacant lots. Entire neighbourhoods seem to be sinking under piles of their own waste.

The town is surrounded by wet green rice fields that during the rainy season are infested with mosquitoes.

Brahamdev Yadav, a rice farmer, had never heard of Japanese encephalitis. But by putting his hand to the foreheads of his newborn twins, he could tell they were sick.

He checked them into the hospital on Aug. 3, around the same time that the hospitals oxygen supplier was issuing increasingly urgent pleas for payment. In a string of letters to the medical college, the Indian news media reported, the supplier insisted it had its own bills to cover and could not keep delivering liquid oxygen for the hospitals central oxygen system unless a $100,000 bill was settled.

In India, public officials often squeeze their vendors for commissions. It is widely acknowledged that even after public contracts are awarded, vendors have to grovel for payment, and that the best way to lubricate the bureaucracy is to give the officials in charge a 2 to 5 per cent cut. When asked whom they blamed for the tragedy, several parents of children who died in the oxygen shortage said simply, corruption.

The head of the medical college, R.K. Mishra, who has resigned, was already under suspicion for misusing public money, Indian news outlets reported. In this same part of India, millions of dollars have vanished in other public health corruption scandals.

The medical college clearly needs all the funds it can get. While a new Japanese encephalitis wing is state of the art, with its plate glass windows and beeping machines, other parts of the hospital are in chaotic disrepair. Giant holes have been punched in the walls, the wide corridors reek of urine, many lights have burned out and water drips from the ceiling, pooling on the floor.

The hospital is overburdened 10 times, said Dr. K. P. Kushwaha, the former head of the medical college.

Doctors said that many Indian hospitals are like this, often with deadly consequences. In 2011, 16 new mothers died at one crowded hospital in Jodhpur before it was discovered that many intravenous fluid bags were contaminated with bacteria. That same year, 22 babies died at another hospital over a four-day period, though the cause remains unclear.

On Thursday night, Mr. Jahid arrived at the medical college with his 5-year-old daughter burning with fever and struggling to breathe. This was just hours after the Gorakhpur Newsline, a website featuring local news, published an article warning that the hospitals oxygen supply was about to run out.

Mr. Jahid, a jewelry salesman, had not seen that report. Like most others with children at the hospital, he had passed through several smaller facilities before getting there.

They told me, Take her to the medical college, where there are good doctors and machines, and shell be O.K., he recalled. He said the oxygen cut out five times on Friday.

Around this time, Mr. Yadavs newborn twins died. Both of them had been on ventilators. They were 10 days old, and did not even have names. I thought about killing myself, Mr. Yadav said.

As news of the childrens deaths spread, the hospital scrambled to make a partial payment. Liquid oxygen was delivered on Saturday morning and hospital officials insist there was only a two-hour gap between 11:30 p.m. Thursday and 1:30 a.m. Friday without a central oxygen supply.

They say they brought in cylinders of compressed oxygen during the shortage and kept the oxygen flowing to crucial areas, like the intensive care unit. But several parents disputed that, saying the oxygen flow had not been restored until Friday evening, when journalists with video cameras showed up.

Several pediatricians interviewed at the hospital said it would be difficult to pinpoint a cause for each of the more than 60 child deaths last week, but that the oxygen cutoff by itself claimed at least two or three lives.

Mr. Jahid is haunted by thoughts about what he could have done differently. Sitting at home, holding a picture of his daughter, Khushi, he said he had squeezed the manual resuscitator as best he could.

She was so affectionate, said her grandfather, Ilahi. She would bring me tea, she would bring me food, she would bring me water.

He gazed into the alleyway in front of the family home, seeming to see her out there again, walking toward him, and said softly, She was like my hand.

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Dozens of children died last week in a decrepit government hospital in northeastern India, prompting public outcry over whether an oxygen shortage was to blame. Answers remain unclear, but doctors who have spent decades treating sick kids in the area say the incident is a symptom of a greater problem: Chronic mismanagement, corruption and outright negligence are worsening encephalitis outbreaks that sicken thousands of children every year.

Thirty-three children died Aug. 10 and 11 at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, around the time there was a disruption in the oxygen supply. A team of experts sent from New Delhi concluded that the interruption was not responsible for the deaths, but that has failed to quell national fury in India over how the hospital allowed oxygen to run out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi even expressed sympathy to the childrens families this week during his Independence Day speech.

Doctors say they hope the national spotlight will force officials to focus on another hugely neglected problem: encephalitis, which has killed more than 4,000 children and sickened nearly 25,000 since 2010 in Uttar Pradesh, where the hospital is located. Some of the children who died had the brain-swelling condition.

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In our republic, poor children are fated to die. The night the oxygen ran out in an Indian hospital

Acute encephalitis syndrome is a catch-all term to describe patients suffering fever, vomiting, headaches and brain function issues such as confusion, trouble speaking and coma along with seizures. The condition can leave surviving children paralyzed and mentally impaired.

Outbreaks can be timed every year to the monsoon rains that leave swaths of coffee-colored flood waters standing in fields and licking at roadways in impoverished parts of the countrys major rice-growing region. Yet much about the disease remains a mystery or a matter of debate.

If there is more rain, the cases are more, said Dr. K.P. Kushwaha, the Gorakhpur hospitals former head who retired two years ago after working more than three decades as a pediatrician there. If there is less rain, the cases are less.

Though its not proven, Kushwaha suspects germs spread through fecal matter in dirty water may be related to the outbreaks, along with overall poor sanitation and improper toilet facilities and practices in the countrys most populous state. But he insists the root cause is empty government promises and neglect in an area where health infrastructure and funding are poor and medical understaffing is high.

We are just treating the fire, but we are not doing anything to prevent the fire and extinguish the fire, he said. In India, the corruption is so rampant that it has become a normal routine.

A lack of testing capabilities makes it impossible for doctors to diagnose the cause of many encephalitis cases. Often, children with other identifiable diseases get lumped into the category simply because the symptoms are similar, said Dr. V. Ravi, of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences. He has been studying encephalitis for 30 years and is currently researching the problem with a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the past three years, he has tested nearly 7,000 encephalitis patients in three Indian states and found that Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever, both spread by mosquitoes, along with scrub typhus, a bacterial infection spread by mites, account for about 40 per cent of identifiable encephalitis causes. The rest remain a question.

Dengue fever has no specific treatment other than supportive care, and India has not approved a newly released vaccine. Scrub typhus can be treated effectively with a cheap antibiotic if caught early.

Japanese encephalitis has been wiped out in many Asian countries, but has plagued parts of India for decades, especially near the Nepal border in the northeast corner around Gorakhpur. It is closely related to West Nile virus and attacks the brain and spinal cord. It typically spreads from pigs to people via mosquitoes, is easily identified through testing and can be prevented by vaccination. It infects many people in childhood, but only a small percentage end up experiencing severe symptoms. Up to a third of those who are sickened develop problems ranging from paralysis to mental disabilities.

In 2005, thousands of children were rushed to the BRD Medical College with Japanese encephalitis, the same hospital at the centre of the current oxygen scandal. Small sweaty bodies, some convulsing, others lying unconscious with their eyes rolled back in their heads, were packed two-to-a-bed in the large, open-air ward. Death was announced over and over again by the wailing howl of mothers collapsing on the filthy floor.

It was the largest outbreak in recent memory, ultimately killing more than 1,000 children around Gorakhpur. All those deaths could have been prevented with a cheap vaccine that was eventually rolled out in mass campaigns and is now part of the routine schedule. Coverage rates remain low in some areas, but the number of Japanese encephalitis deaths in Uttar Pradesh has fallen to double digits in recent years.

However, overall rates of the broader acute encephalitis syndrome have not changed. More than 3,000 cases are logged each year in the state thats home to some 200 million people.

The monsoon rains have just started, and already more than 1,200 cases have been recorded along with 152 deaths. That number will climb until peaking in October.

Hopefully, the government after this will wake up now and will start listening to us, said Dr. Ravi, the researcher, referring to the hospital oxygen shortage. Hopefully, something will happen.

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HENGDIAN, CHINAThe woman who has become one of Chinas most-read poets  even hailed as its Emily Dickinson  spent most of her 41 years in a brick farmhouse tucked away behind trees and surrounded by wheat fields.

Most days she would limp down a dirt lane to a pond to feed the fish. She cut grass, grasping a sickle with hands that did not always obey her, to feed her rabbits. In the shade near the house she wrote at a low table, struggling to control her shaking body  a symptom of the cerebral palsy that she has lived with since she was born in this village in the central province of Hubei.

Then, in 2014, her life changed.

Across China, everything is happening: volcanoes erupting, rivers running dry, prisoners and exiles are abandoned, elk and red-crowned cranes are under fire.

I brave a hail of bullets to sleep with you. I compress countless dark nights into one dawn to sleep with you.

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That year, Yu Xiuhua posted these lines from her poem Crossing More Than Half of China to Sleep With You on her blog and created a sensation. Her poems were discovered by Liu Nian, an editor at Poetry, a leading Chinese literary journal. Liu wrote about her and reprinted some of her works, and by February 2015 two volumes of her poetry had been published: In Such a Staggering World and Moonlight Drops on My Left Hand. The latter became the bestselling book of poetry in China in 30 years.

Swarms of journalists descended on her farmhouse, eager to see for themselves the disabled peasant woman who wrote of erotic longing with such startling vividness. She was appointed deputy chairwoman of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles in the nearby city of Zhongxiang. Liu invited Yu to a poetry reading at Renmin University of China in Beijing, where she was interviewed by Peoples Daily, CCTV and other national news outlets.

Last year saw the release of a documentary about her, Still Tomorrow, by filmmaker Fan Jian, and the publication of another volume of poetry, We Forget That We Loved. This year she left China for the first time, appearing at Stanford University and other U.S. universities for film showings and seminars.

I think Yu Xiuhua is Chinas Emily Dickinson: extraordinary imagination and a striking power with language, Shen Rui, a professor at Morehouse College in Atlanta specializing in Chinese literature and feminism, wrote in the preface to Moonlight Drops on My Left Hand.

For the record, Yu says she dislikes being compared with Dickinson, whom she has never read. In fact, her grounding in world literature is somewhat lacking, she said on a recent afternoon at her home in Hengdian.

Before she began writing poetry in her late 20s, she said, I rarely read literature. I only started to read more famous works on my mobile phone after 2006. But I knew how to write before I read.

I like writing poems, because theyre simple and dont have many words, she said, speaking haltingly as her mouth twitched. This suits me because Im lazy.

She now lives with her father in a newly built two-story house, a short walk from their old farmhouse. A recent village renovation razed most of the old buildings and moved residents into new housing, but her family home has been preserved as a tribute to a local celebrity.

She shrugs off the fame and the labels usually applied to her as a writer: female, peasant, disabled. She claims to be indifferent to readers reactions.

Writing poems means facing myself, first and foremost, not facing others, she said. Its to express myself. Its other peoples business whether they respond to my poems. It has nothing to do with me.

And they have responded. In her Crossing More Than Half of China to Sleep With You, she goes on to say:

There is little difference between me sleeping with you, and you sleeping with me.

Its no more than a collision of two bodies, composing a force under which the flowers blossom.

The poem was widely discussed online, with some condemning it as lewd, while others praised it for channelling the feminist voice of a woman taking the initiative to sleep with others.

Born in 1976 in Hengdian, Yu never finished high school. At 19 she married a construction worker 12 years older, in a wedding arranged by her parents, who were concerned that she would never be able to care for herself. At 27, she began writing poetry.

I needed to do something to keep my spirit up, she said. Each day, I wrote one or two poems, and I felt I had accomplished something.

Many of her writings centred on life in her village. In a poem about the wheat her father grew, she wrote: Your happiness is the brown wheat hull, your pain the white wheat core.

And often she writes about love and its turmoils. From her poem I Am Not Alone:

I believe what he has with others is love. Its only with me that its not.

Fan, the filmmaker, said: You can read in her poems that she has to suppress her desires. She longs for it, but shes afraid. Shes never really experienced true love.

Yu concedes her marriage was not successful. I was too young and didnt understand it, she said. I didnt love him. He didnt love me. Our characters werent at all compatible.

For years, she wanted a divorce, but her husband refused. One factor, she said, was that her husband, who often lived far from home as a migrant worker, had nowhere else to return to.

Last year, after Yu received about $90,000 (U.S.) in royalties from her books, she bought a house for him, and the two divorced. Their son attends a university in Wuhan, Hebeis capital.

My mother wasnt happy at first, but she was all right later, because she saw I was really happy, Yu said. Not long afterward, her mother died of cancer.

Yu said of life after her divorce: This is my best time. I feel great. She is still scathingly self-critical, though.

Im really ugly, she said, so I cant find a boyfriend.

For the moment, she has her poems.

What is poetry? she wrote in an epilogue to Moonlight. I dont know and cant tell. Its when my heart roars, it emerges like a newborn. Its like a crutch when one walks unsteadily in this unsteady world. Only when I write poetry do I feel complete, at peace and content.

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The New Yorker has gone after U.S. President Donald Trump with withering satire all year, so the magazine wasnt going to pull any punches after the commander in chiefs on many sides rhetoric in the wake of last weekends violence in Charlottesville.

Trump and KKK on the cover of the New Yorker? It has come to that, New Yorker art editor Francoise Mouly told The Post of the magazines latest cover art, Blowhard.

We cant let the images be too timid, she continued. When the president of the United States equivocates on matters of hate and xenophobia, artists should not.

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The unequivocating person behind the new piece is first-time New Yorker cover artist David Plunkert, who notes that he seldoms draws political subject matter, but was moved to do so given the White Houses response to the protest and tragedy.

Transforming and twisting recognizable objects into visual ideas is my favourite kind of imagery to work on, the Baltimore-based Plunkert told The Post. That said, the actual story being illustrated is a bit of a national tragedy and an embarrassment.

In recent months, Trump has appeared on the magazines cover as a gear-grinding clown in Barry Blitts spoof of Charlie Chaplins Modern Times and in Blitts Putin spoof of the magazines iconic cartoon dandy, Eustace Vladimirovich Tilley.

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WASHINGTONSteve Bannon, the polarizing nationalist whose race-baiting tactics have been an incendiary hallmark of U.S. President Donald Trumps flailing young administration, was ousted on Friday in another indication of the White House chaos that shows no sign of abating.

Bannon was the fourth top Trump aide to be fired or to resign in less than a month, an alarming rate of turnover for a presidency just seven months old. He was the second aide, after Anthony Scaramucci, to be forced out after calling up a journalist and ranting about his colleagues.

The departure of Bannon, described by the White House as a mutual decision, comes as Trumps new chief of staff, former Marine Gen. John Kelly, tries to find a way to impose discipline on a dysfunctional organization mired in infighting, policy confusion and a race-related confidence crisis.

The move pleased, though did not satisfy, leaders of minority communities who had been aghast at the elevation of a person with Bannons views to a position of power. On the other side, some nationalist conservatives were alarmed that Trumps inner circle is now nearly devoid of aides who subscribe to his racially inflammatory, economically protectionist populism.

The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over, Bannon told the Weekly Standard magazine. We still have a huge movement, and we will make something of this Trump presidency. But that presidency is over. Itll be something else.

Bannon blamed the Republican establishment for the failure of Trumps attempts at unorthodoxy.

The Republican establishment has no interest in Trumps success on this. Theyre not populists, theyre not nationalists, they had no interest in his program. Zero, he said.

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Bannon was beloved by segments of the presidents base, including trade hawks, opponents of immigration and anti-Muslim bigots. His take-no-prisoners attitude toward Trumps critics and the media, which he gleefully labelled the opposition party, made him a symbol and a proponent of Trumps unusually antagonistic public message.

It was far from clear Bannons exit would change anything about Trumps behaviour. The president, resistant to advice of all kinds, has sounded Bannon-like notes on race and trade for decades.

Steve Bannons firing is welcome news, but it doesnt disguise where President Trump himself stands on white supremacists and the bigoted beliefs they advance, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

Scaramucci, press secretary Sean Spicer and chief of staff Reince Priebus all preceded Bannon in leaving the White House over the past 30 days, a period during which Trump has threatened North Korea with nuclear war and triggered global condemnation by defending participants in a white supremacist demonstration in which a woman was allegedly murdered by an alleged racist.

As Trumps campaign CEO for the last three months before Novembers election, Bannon helped engineer one of the most improbable triumphs in American political history. As a presidential strategist, he had few victories.

He was a leading proponent of the base-first, outreach-last strategy has kept Trump in the good graces of Republicans but also kept his overall approval rating stuck at historically low levels. And though he cultivated a reputation as a Machiavellian mastermind, he was often outmanoeuvred by aides with more liberal and more conventional views.

Bannon is now free to scheme as he wishes. Sources close to him told various U.S. outlets that he would wage a fierce battle from the outside against the former internal rivals, such as Jared Kushner and Gary Cohn, he believes are establishment globalists insufficiently committed to Trumps America First campaign agenda.

Joshua Green, author of a book on Bannon, said Bannon was returning immediately to Breitbart News, the website he had once turned into a platform for the white supremacist alt-right  leaving the White House to chair the websites evening editorial meeting.

Bannon told Green that he would be fighting on Trumps behalf, not against him.

If theres any confusion out there, let me clear it up: Im leaving the White House and going to war for Trump against his opponents  on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in corporate America, Bannon said.

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Bannons history of bigotry, including years of unconcealed anti-Muslim sentiment and Breitbart fearmongering about Black people and Hispanic immigrants, had made him the most controversial adviser to Trump. Democrats had demanded Trump remove him in the wake of the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Va. on Saturday.

But this is probably not why Bannon was shuffled out. Trump defended Bannon at a press conference on Tuesday, saying he was not a racist. Ominously, he added: Well see what happens with Mr. Bannon.

Among the people pushing for Bannon to be fired, according to the New York Times, was conservative media titan Rupert Murdoch, an informal Trump adviser. Politico reported that Kelly did not understand what Bannon was actually doing, or why he was so disliked by the rest of the team.

Bannon had feuded with several of his colleagues, including Trumps son-in-law, Kushner, and was suspected to have irked Trump by appearing to orchestrate a campaign to discredit national security adviser H.R. McMaster. He had angered Trump and others this week by phoning a left-leaning journalist, unprompted, and sharing candid thoughts about North Korea policy and about other administration figures.

Bannons remarks on North Korea, in which he said the idea of a military strike was unrealistic given the regimes ability to devastate Seoul, were seen as undercutting the presidents own threat of fire and fury, confusing Asian allies.

Some of Trumps irritation with Bannon was not about policy at all. U.S. media outlets have reported that Trump resented the credit Bannon has received for election success that Trump sees as his own.

Trump was said to be especially annoyed by a Time magazine cover of Bannon in February that labelled the strategist The Great Manipulator and by Greens Bannon-focused book on the campaign, DevilsBargain.

Mr. Bannon came on very late  you know that, Trump said Tuesday when asked if he still had confidence in Bannon. I went through 17 senators, governors and I won all the primaries. Mr. Bannon came on very much later than that, and I like him, hes a good man.

Bannon, who has pushed Trump to take an aggressive stand on NAFTA, was even the subject of controversy in Canada. This week, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair called on Gerald Butts, Bannons counterpart in the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to immediately disavow the supposed friendship the New Yorker magazine reported Butts had developed with Bannon.

In addition to encouraging Trump to embrace race-baiting, Bannon also served as a resident skeptic of military action and advocate of left-leaning economic proposals like hiking taxes on millionaires. The New Yorker suggested Bannon was partly inspired by Buttss account of Trudeaus success with such a tax hike.

New York Stock Exchange traders were heard on television cheering when the Bannon news broke.

In a rare public appearance, at a conservative conference in Washington in February, Bannon drew cheers by advocating the deconstruction of the administrative state, by urging a focus on sovereignty and by railing against the corporatist, globalist media.

Bannon had sounded confident in his standing in the administration as recently as Tuesday, when he boasted of his plans to get some of his rivals fired.

Theyre wetting themselves, he said.

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Why are people on Facebook? The question is personal  the massive online spiderweb swallows up leisure time  but its also industrial. Facebook is actively destroying journalism and thus democracy.

As founder Mark Zuckerberg boasts, the network has two billion active monthly users. Why do people paste themselves into this structure that spies on them, pesters them and distorts their vision of the way we live now?

Even Twitter is getting easier to monitor and control  it will now alert you to online swarming and let you head it off at the pass  but Facebook forces itself on its users.

It starts with your Aunt Fanny, moves on to co-workers then and now, then everyone youve ever met or mentioned and confronts you with a ribbon of photos of People You May Know, in my case, People I Forgot But Cant Now. This morning it includes a photo of myself (do I not resemble me?), the worst editor and human Ive ever worked for, a stalkers ex-wife and more.

My complaints are minor. But British novelist and financial journalist John Lanchester, at his brilliant best in the London Review of Books this month, has taken an axe to the very premise on which Facebook was built, that the world should be connected.

Only connect, E.M. Forster said. But why is connection inherently good, Lanchester asks. Flaubert was skeptical about trains, Lanchester writes, because he thought (in Julian Barnes paraphrase) that the railway could merely permit more people to move about, meet and be stupid.

You Are the Product is the headline of his LRB review. Its a great catchphrase, a reminder of Facebooks deep shoals. Im not sure people quite grasp how their personal lives, quiet links and the faces of their babies are being monetized not just for profit but for unseeable purposes.

Zuckerberg will run for the U.S. presidency. The worlds richest man doesnt visit Iowa and Nebraska in June for no reason. No one does.

It makes sense. Zuckerberg has global power. As Lanchester lists, WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram have 1.2 billion, 1.2 billion and 700 million users respectively. Facebook owns them all.

If you dont mind Facebook having a piece of your soul, you should worry that it has your data. For instance, it has more data on Americans than their voting system does, and its free to sell/use it as it pleases.

Americans who think things cant get worse should consider President Pence as the more-acceptable face of authoritarianism. Try President Zuckerberg as the prize for digitizing your life from stem to stern, from birth to expiry.

Lanchester calls Facebook, with its tiny staff, the purest example of a company whose business is the capture and sale of attention. It started out as the equivalent of the Hi, My Name Is... badge at a convention.

Now its the equivalent of the apparat worn by New Yorkers in Gary Shteyngarts 2010 novelSuper Sad True Love Story, that lets everyone know your net worth, hotness rating, medical history and political affiliation. And you know theirs. Facebook is a constant comparison service.

The notorious Peter Thiel, one of Facebooks original investors in 2004, was drawn to the philosopher Rene Girards idea of mimetic desire. We copy other people the way a baby copies adults holding a spoon, saying a word or drinking from a glass. Lanchester says Thiels conclusion was that imitation is at the root of all behaviour.

And this is why fake news became a problem, amplified by Donald Trumps constant allegation of same. News  actual verified news  took a beating. Today for example, people are taking as real a fake Onion photo of Steve Bannon with hideous facial blood welts. Its tamer than the Onion photo of him slurping a still-twitching rat tail into his mouth, but still.

We donate to the Guardian to keep it free for everyone, but remember that we do this because former editor Alan Rusbridger made the numbers clear. In 2016, Facebook sucked up $27 million (U.S.) of the newspapers projected ad revenue that year.

Facebook was the interlocutor, the middleman who slipped between readers and journalists and siphoned off the money. When I step onto the thing for even a moment, I make money for Zuckerberg. I work for him, not the Toronto Star.

I wouldnt mind being followed for weeks by ads for the hand vacuum (designed in England, made in Malaysia, which is why I despise Dyson) I ordered five minutes ago from an online retailer with no discernible connection to Facebook.

But I do mind that my salary was effectively lower this year because Facebook knew this, its targeting having destroyed the print and online ads on which the Star itself relied.

I take a dim view. With less money, Ill buy fewer things advertised on Facebook, but it doesnt care. Its in the business of attention, not retailing. Its hands are clean.

Of course theyre not. Theyre loaded with lucre, and theyre taunting people individually and en masse, damaging quality of life and eating freedom. You are owned.

In Alabama  where else?  deranged hunters can pre-pay to have their cremation ashes packed into bullets to shoot living things after theyre dead.

In a sense, Facebook does this with your personal data. It shoots you with bullets made of you.

hmallick@thestar.ca

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I am a recently graduated anesthesiologist and I have deep concerns regarding the federal Liberal governments proposed changes to taxation of private corporations.

The governments position paper compares a salaried employee to a self-employed consultant. The government is proposing eliminating many of the tax benefits doctors have by incorporating. If the government wishes to treat salaried employees and self-employed physicians more equally, are there plans to give physicians a pension, paid vacation, paid sick days, parental leave, extended health benefits and to pay for physicians overhead? When will the position paper with these changes be released?

The government has portrayed incorporated professionals as unfairly taking advantage of tax loopholes. As you know, the right for physicians to incorporate was awarded to physicians by the Ontario government in 2006 in lieu of a fee increase. Professional corporations are being used exactly as they were intended and not as a loophole. If the government strips the benefits of incorporating, will physicians receive a fee increase in lieu of this?

Canada, and Ontario particularly, are becoming increasingly toxic environments to practise medicine. The provincial government has unjustifiably withheld fees earned by dedicated doctors and now the federal government is effectively increasing the tax rate paid by professionals.

Such an environment, where doctors have a complete sense of uncertainty and feel utterly unappreciated by the system that they are forced to work in, will inevitably have a negative impact on patient care and on all citizens of this great province and country.

Dr. Joseph Koval, Humber River Hospital

Time to end secret billings, Editorial, Aug. 17

As a family doctor, I understand the need for increased accountability in the health system. However, your editorial suggests that without public scrutiny of physician personal billings, oversight is lacking. Publishing billing data in a newspaper linked to a list of names hardly qualifies as an audit process. More like a salacious exercise in blame and shame.

Perhaps if alongside this list, you published how much each patient in Ontario charged the system last year for total costs of all visits to emergency, walk-ins, specialists and blood tests/scans etc., we would truly increase accountability and transparency.

Dr. Silvia Orsini, London, Ont.

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Re: Time to shame white supremacists, Teitel, Aug. 16

Time to shame white supremacists, Teitel, Aug. 16

White nationalists march in Virginia with racist chants and with a goal of taking their country back. Their ignorance is stunning.

The fact is that the majority of African-Americans can trace their ancestry in the United States back more than 200 years, after which the importation of slaves was finally abolished. And most have lineage even longer.

The same cannot be said for the white population and, for that matter, President Donald Trumps family, who most African-Americans could consider johnnies-come-lately. Who has a greater claim to an American heritage?

For whatever reason, it seems that within a generation or two after immigrating to either the United States or Canada, too many try to claim ownership of their country and want to deny others the same, particularly those of different colours or creeds.

Mike Brown, Burlington

Trumps presidency a descent into darkness, Opinion, Aug. 16

Thank you, Bob Rae, for reminding us of Donald Trumps past racist and racial political history. What is interesting is that Trumps xenophobic behaviour is well-publicized and yet he doesnt fail to surprise us every time he speaks.

This is the person who became president because of  not in spite of  his expressed dislike of immigrants, foreigners and minorities. In fact, Trump has stubbornly attacked foreigners and minorities in order to tap into the economic and psychological insecurities of his base. This has been his main rallying cry.

It would be unfair to blame all of Trump supporters for his actions. Trump does what any right-wing, xenophobic populist would do in difficult economic times, and has brought out the worst in people.

In the absence of a popular progressive leader, it is not surprising that many ordinary people in tough economic times are following him. Trump gives his supporters a (wrong) sense of hope and meaning in their lives.

Ali Orang, Richmond Hill

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Don't worry, Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Report , President Donald J. Trump is full of empty, baseless threats. Shocking.

While it should come as no surprise that Trumpperhaps too bitter about his own business failings to acknowledge successis hammering away at Amazon, his reasoning has some holes in it.

That Amazonthe poster child of retail disruptionis, in fact, disrupting retail, is not news. Plus, Trump's insinuation, made via a tweet on Wednesday, Aug. 16, that the e-commerce conglomerate does not collect sales taxes in every state that requires it to is, to use his own words, "fake news."

This Is Why Investors Must Now Fear President Trump: Market Recon

Trump Fires Off, Says Amazon Doing 'Great Damage' to Retailers

"If you look at earnings this season, you'll see that Amazon is absolutely hurting retailers," said Michael Pachter, managing director of the Los Angeles-based financial firm Wedbush Securities in an interview with TheStreet, Wednesday. But Trump, he told TheStreet, is a "master of misdirection."

The denunciation, in which the president claimed the e-commerce behemoth is responsible for job loss across America, was followed by a slight dip in Amazon's shares: nearly 1% initially, closing down 0.5% on Wednesday. By Friday morning, Amazon shares traded flat around $960.60.

"While this is not his first tweet about Amazon and taxes (and of course, the Washington Post), we do find it interesting that he is now linking Amazon and job losses in traditional retail," KeyBanc Capital Markets analysts said in a research note Wednesday in response to Trump's tweet.

This narrative, the KeyBanc analysts said, has gained traction in the press recently as Amazon continues to see a rise in its share price. The blame could lead to "greater regulatory scrutiny" in the future-or at the very least, "more unfavorable headlines."

Still, Trump "seems generally confused" about Amazon's sales tax policy, said Pachter, a self-proclaimed recovering tax lawyer. Amazon started collecting sales tax voluntarily in 2011, he noted.

In April, Amazon began collecting sales taxes in the last four states that require companies to but where it previously had not, which is in Hawaii, Idaho, Maine and New Mexico.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But it's not the first time Trump called out the e-retailer for evading taxes. In July, he called it a "no-tax monopoly."

Amazon takes advantage of certain tax loopholes (S&P Global Market Intelligence found that 13% of Amazon's profits went to federal, state, local and foreign taxes between 2007 and 2015, according to a New York Times op-ed from Oct. 18 of last year).

And earlier this summer, the state of South Carolina filed suit against the company for failing to collect $12.5 million in taxes from third-party sellers between January and March of 2016.

The pending South Carolina issue sparks a larger discussion on whether e-commerce businesses are responsible for collecting sales taxes from third-party sales not fulfilled by the platform itself, according to Richard Litwin, an Atlanta-based tax lawyer.

"As far as I know, Amazon isn't doing anything wrong," Litwin said. "The real question is, can states require websites like Amazon to collect taxes on behalf of other sellers?"

And as for the dip in shares, it's dirt off billionaire Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' shoulders.

"Half a percent?" Pachter said. "Facebook Inc. (FB) - Get Free Report is down more than that today."

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Amazon bought Whole Foods for $16 Billion. That could've bought a lot of brick-and-mortar.

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Editors' pick: Originally published Aug. 17.
Amid the current tenuous political climate, co-workers face many hurdles as they discuss the reactions of elected officials and CEOs to recent incidences of racism and violence.

Heated discussions and arguments have emerged when co-workers are unable to provide their viewpoints in a constructive manner. These actions can have severe consequences, especially if the comments are racist or splashed all over social media.

In the aftermath of the violence in Charlottesville, Va., Merck (MRK) - Get Free Report CEO Ken Frazier was the first executive to exit President Trump's manufacturing council due to the commander-in-chief's failure to condemn the racism. Frazier announced his resignation on Monday morning, and slowly other CEOs followed suit as public sentiment appeared to encourage taking a strong stand against hate. While some of the CEOs expressed their concerns, the majority only resigned after the two councils were disbanded on Wednesday via a tweet from Trump. The behavior of these CEOs has been criticized by people who believe they were acting out of fear of alienating their shareholders or customers if they challenged the president.

It became clear that public political discourse -- especially in so far as it seeps into business life -- is not divorced from office life. But is it incumbent upon employees to stand up for what they believe, or should they be prudent and stay silent in the separation of work life and state?

Some experts have cautioned employees to take a step back or simply refrain from commenting on divisive issues that express hateful ideology such as white supremacy, while others have said that speaking up is crucial. Ensuring that a workplace does not manifest into a hostile work environment is the responsibility of employers, said Adia Harvey Wingfield, a sociologist who studies women and minorities in the workplace at Washington University in St. Louis.

"This is a challenge that many workplaces grapple with today," she said. "Workers must be mindful when airing viewpoints, particularly those that could be controversial."

Topics, jokes and comments which may have been "perfectly acceptable in the workplaces of yesteryear are no longer suitable" and employees need to be aware, Wingfield said.

"Employees are going to express personal viewpoints at workthis is simply inevitable," she said. "Organizations can play a proactive role in helping workers understand how to do this in ways that do not create an inhospitable culture for groups who are already socially disadvantaged."

Remaining silent is not the right strategy and taking a stance against hatred, white supremacy and racism is paramount because even people divided by their viewpoints can discuss the issues rationally, said Thomas Nguyen, a partner and co-founder of Peli Peli, a Houston-based South African restaurant group.

"I think as evidenced by restaurateur and author Eddie Huang's now viral video conversation with a white nationalist, it's not only possible but necessary to have open dialogue about racist or offensive views," he said. "His piece is educational and very enlightening as it allowed the nationalist to share a viewpoint that I don't think most people are aware of and certain not a viewpoint openly admitted."

Speaking up is even more crucial for marginalized groups who are not viewed by society as individuals who typically take a stance.

"Especially for Asians who are stereotypically quiet about controversial topics, it is critical that we aggressively engage in dialogue and discussions," said Nguyen. "It's easy to yell or argue, but much more difficult to have a conversation."

Holding back on expressing your opinion is not always akin to being complicit, said Wingfield. Some employees may hold back for the fear that they will lose their jobs or will face other consequences.

"It depends on the person involved and the position they're in," she said. "If you're in a privileged position and choose to be silent when you see something unjust or wrong happening, then that's a little different than if you're in a subordinate or oppressed role and are silent to maintain your safety or health."

Employees who have a position of power should "never be silent if they see mistreatment happening to someone who has lower status than they do," Wingfield said.

When racial issues emerge, it is even more important for white workers to speak up when they observe their "colleagues of color being discriminated against, marginalized, or otherwise treated unequally," she said.

When conversations become intense and spirited, remaining calm while practicing active listening is a good strategy. Employees can say thing such as, "I hear you saying X, Y, and Z. Is that correct?"

Employees who believe their statements might be surprising to someone should deliver it with facts, said Joel Klein, a haredi or ultra-Orthodox Jewish business consultant who founded BizTank, a New York-based Jewish version of Shark Tank who has advised CEOs about workplace issues. Crossing that fine line can have severe consequences such as the case of Google's ex-employee, James Damore.

"It's not always the right decision to keep an opinion to yourself, even in the workplace," he said. "Always back up what you are saying because no one will respect someone who just bluntly rants their opinion with no evidence or reasoning. When you are genuine and can back up your statements, things tend to go over more smoothly, leaving the other person with something to consider rather than just a disagreement."

Walking away can be a powerful statement and speaks volumes when it is done correctly, said April Masini, a New York-based relationship and etiquette expert and author.

"Consider the option of just leaving and remember, to be effective, this isn't pretending you have a call coming in on another line or being late for a fictitious appointment," she said. "This is a silent beat, where you acknowledge the other person with a small nod and a turn to leave."

When you hear an employee make an inappropriate and harmful comment, report the incident to human resources in writing and let them deal with the offensive person.

"If the conversation becomes heated, diffuse it," Masini said. "You can say something like, 'We're not going to agree on this one, so let's call it a day," and then do just that."

While bigotry and racism will never dissipate, the voracious rate of digital communications has compounded the ability for people to express their beliefs without having to confront their audience, said Chris Roberts, chief security architect at Acalvio, a Santa Clara, Calif.-based provider of advanced threat detection and defense solutions.

"In the old days, you had to stand on your soapbox and face your audience, which would occasionally contain a smattering of individuals you were campaigning against," he said.

The proliferation of social media has allowed people to detach themselves from their hateful, incendiary comments, which is why many are comfortable expressing hatred, violence and racial slurs without fears of consequence.

Too many people are only expressing opinions and not facts when they are conversing on social media.

"You should also check Snopes and other sites to ensure the facts you present are accurate because you know that your opposition is going to be very well-informed," Roberts said. "The power of self expression is one that should not be taken lightly and we should all be able to articulate our position and be able to understand and comprehend others based on equal footings when it comes to delivery of a respectful message."

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According to a report by TDM, the Indonesian tourism department announced that it will enhance tourism cooperation with Macau. Despite the prevailing impression in Indonesia that Macau is little more than gaming, Indonesian tourism authorities hope that their Macau counterparts can further promote Macaus world heritage and Portuguese culture. At the same time, the Indonesian tourism department revealed that one million mainland Chinese tourists visited Indonesia in the first half of 2017, and expressed hopes that the number will reach ten million in 2019. Chinas tourism department has agreed to help train 6,000 Indonesian tour guides to speak Chinese.

HKZMB shuttle bus to cost less than HKD100

The shuttle bus running across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge will reportedly cost less than HKD100 to ride. A report by On. Cc (Oriental Daily) states that the three regions governments have required the shuttle bus company to be ready to commence operations in November. The shuttle bus operator is required to provide between 90 and 140 shuttle buses daily, with 30 buses on standby. The operators plan indicates that even after including the bridge toll fee (estimated to cost between MOP5 and MOP12), the fare for a single shuttle bus ride will be less than HKD100.
This column has been updated from Aug. 18 to include details about BMW's Frankfurt Motor Show announcements and Nissan's unveiling of a second-gen Leaf electric car.

No matter how one feels about Tesla Inc. (TSLA) - Get Free Report as an investment, the company deserves a lot of credit for how much it has motivated one auto giant after another to get serious about bringing reasonably-priced electric cars with acceptable performance and range to market. As Tesla's recently-launched Model 3 sedan has moved closer to mass production, the drumbeat of automakers unveiling plans to challenge Tesla has grown with it.

Some of these would-be rivals are much closer to launching credible challengers to the Model 3 than others. But all of them have to contend with the fact that Elon Musk's company won't be standing still while they act, and that some of the selling points for its EV lineup could be much stronger in 2 or 3 years.

On Sept. 7, BMW announced at the Frankfurt Motor Show it will start mass-producing electric cars in 2020, and that it plans to offer a dozen electric models by 2025. The company is also sharing some details about a concept car for its electric i-series line that aims to take on the Model 3; a launch date and pricing info haven't been given yet.

In addition, BMW's Mini unit plans to launch a small electric hatchback in 2019, and an electric version of the BMW X3 crossover is due in 2020. The company's small i3 electric car (114-mile range) has been around since 2013, and its i8 plug-in hybrid sports coupe since 2014.

BMW's announcement came just after Nissan announced a second-gen version of its Leaf electric hatchback. The new Leaf's 150-mile range tops the 107-mile range of its predecessor, but is still much lower than the 220-mile range of the base version of the Model 3. Nissan is eager to tout the new Leaf's regenerative braking abilities, which eliminate the need for a brake pedal, and an advanced driver-assistance system called ProPilot.

Hyundai is also among the big-name automakers to recently announce it's going after Tesla: The South Korean firm says it plans to launch an electric version of its small Kona SUV that has a range of 390km (242 miles), well above the modest 124 miles of Hyundai's recently-launched Ioniq Electric. Pricing hasn't been disclosed, but one report pegs the electric Kona's price at 35,000 euros ($39,000) -- about $4,000 more than the Model 3's base price.

What a Nissan exec just told TheStreet about the 2018 Leaf.

Hyundai also wants to launch an electric car for its premium Genesis brand in 2021 that has a 500km (310-mile) range. And affiliate Kia, which launched a subcompact electric SUV (the Soul) with a 105-mile range in 2014, plans to bring an electric version of its Niro crossover to market in 2018.

Toyota Motor Co. (TM) - Get Free Report reportedly wants to mass-produce an electric car based on its C-HR subcompact SUV in China in 2019. And in 2022, the company reportedly wants to field an EV with a new kind of battery that both improves range and cuts charging times.

General Motors Co. (GM) - Get Free Report , whose Chevy Bolt hatchback is the closest thing the Model 3 currently has to a direct rival, has said it wants to launch an EV based on a brand-new architecture before 2020, as well as launch a slew of EVs and hybrid cars in China by 2020. Ford Motor Co. (F) - Get Free Report , which has sold an electric version of its Focus hatchback since 2011 -- the latest model has just a 115-mile range -- says it wants to launch an electric crossover with a 300-plus mile range by 2020.

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Audi, for its part, has begun taking reservations for the E-tron Quattro, a luxury electric crossover due in 2018 that appears to have about a 275-mile real-world range; pricing hasn't been announced yet. The company is also working on all-electric version of its E-tron Sportback crossover said to have similar range and a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds.

Volkswagen plans to launch a line of EVs between 2019 and 2022 with ranges that it promises will match or beat those of Tesla's cars. The first car to arrive, a small hatchback called the I.D., will only sell in Europe; a crossover called the I.D. Lounge is due in the U.S. around 2020. Mercedes, which had been a little slow to embrace EVs, said earlier this year it wants to launch its EQ electric SUV in 2019, and field 10 EV models by 2022.

As an aside, all of these EV launches are good news for major auto chip suppliers such as NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) - Get Free Report (due to be acquired by Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) - Get Free Report ), Texas Instruments Inc. (TXN) - Get Free Report and Microchip Technology Inc. (MCHP) - Get Free Report . Infineon estimates both hybrid and fully electric cars require over $700 in chip content, well above what the average mid-range car with a gasoline engine needs. And that's before accounting for the hundreds of dollars worth of chips that will be needed for the autonomous driving systems some of these vehicles will have.

How much does Tesla have to worry about Big Auto's pending EV launches? I think it should be a little concerned about BMW and Audi, but probably doesn't need to worry about the others a ton in the short-to-intermediate term,

To be clear, many incumbent automakers seem perfectly capable of launching EVs priced between $30,000 and $40,000 and with ranges comparable to the 220 miles delivered by the Model 3's $35,000 base model. And in time, some should match the 310 miles provided by the $44,000 version. But that doesn't mean they can match the Model 3's performance, handling, space and -- if a $5,000 "premium package" is bought -- luxury-car interior.

Many of the EVs being prepped by incumbents, such as Hyundai's Kona and Volkswagen's I.D., are effectively electric alternatives to mid-market and low-end hatchbacks and crossovers on the market today. In addition to having limited interior space, their 0-60 times likely won't come near the 5.6 seconds claimed by the base Model 3, and chances are that reviewers won't be gushing about their "scalpel-like" handling the way that Motor Trend did for the Model 3 after a test drive. These are advantages made possible by the decade-plus of R&D work Tesla's top-notch engineering teams have done to bring costlier, high-performance EVs to market.

On the other hand, BMW and Audi, which have been making substantial EV R&D investments of their, might ship cars that are competitive with the Model 3 in such areas, as well as in their range and interiors, in a reasonable amount of time. But there are still a lot of question marks. Especially for pricing, an area where Tesla's battery Gigafactory investments have helped the company move downmarket.

There are also several other advantages Tesla can claim. Its in-dash touchscreen is arguably best-in-class in terms of both software quality and functionality. Its second-gen Autopilot system (fully activating it costs $5,000) is ahead of the pack in terms of the number of situations where it can take over for drivers. And its Supercharger network, which now has over 900 stations globally, has no peer for now.

Fast-forward a few years, and it's possible that Mercedes, Toyota, GM and others will have joined BMW and Audi in fielding cars that in some core respects at least are competitive with the Model 3. And with most big automakers now making autonomous driving investments, some might be able to match or exceed what Autopilot does today. And just maybe some of them will have teamed to support a common high-speed charging network.

But by then, Tesla will presumably have made battery and powertrain investments to improve the range and performance its mass-market models can provide. It will also have better economies of scale for vehicle and battery production, and (though it's not a given that full autonomy will be achieved) Autopilot should be much more advanced than it is right now. And the Supercharger network should have well over 2,000 stations. The mass-market Model Y crossover will also have launched by then.

That's the challenge Big Auto is facing. Not just simply taking the Model 3 and its value-added features head-on, but contending with what the Tesla of 2020 or 2021 will look like. Maybe some incumbents will be up to the challenge, but they all still have a lot to prove.
Airlines and hotel shares have been badly hit in Friday's sell off after a terror attack in the Spanish city of Barcelona.

The Euro Stoxx 600 Travel & Leisure index was down 1.13% Friday at 8:49 am in London, compared with a year-to-date rise of 4.78%.

Low-cost airline Ryanair (RYAAY) - Get Free Report was marked 4.21% lower in London, changing hands at 18.48 pence a share, after gaining almost 10% over the past three months.

International Airlines Group (ICAGY) , the parent company of British Airways and Spanish airline Iberia, fell 2.46% to 609 pence. Easyjet (ESYJY) was down 2.38%, Lufthansa (DLAKY) lost 1.74% and Air France KLM (AFLYY) lost 3.19%.

The tourist industry have been hit by a string of terrorist attacks across Europe, including London, Paris, Nice and now Barcelona, as people have been put off by repeat attacks.

French hotel chain Accor (ACCYY) shares fell 1.5% in Paris to 38.78. InterContential Hotels (IHG) - Get Free Report were marked 1.63% lower in London, changing hands at 3,921 pence.

Spanish airport operator Aena and hotel chain Melia were down 1.76% and 1.70% respectively.

At least 13 people have died and more than 100 were injured after a van drove at speed down Las Ramblas in the Barcelona. A manhunt is underway for the driver of the van. Police have confirmed it was a terrorist attack and Isis have claimed responsibility.

Police have now arrested three men. It is unclear if the driver, last seen escaping on foot, is one of the three.

In Cambrils, Spain attackers ran police over in a car, before being shot dead by officers. Police say it was related to the earlier attack in Barcelona and that the five attackers wore explosive belts. These belts have now been confirmed as fake.

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With the stock market looking a little shaky right now, perhaps it's time to expect the worst.

At least that's what best-selling author and investor Jim Rogers expects -- he thinks the next financial crisis will be the "worst" he has ever seen.

"We've had economic problems in the U.S. or in North America every four to eight years since the beginning of the Republic so to say that we're going to have a problem is not unusual," he told Kitco News recently.

"I would expect it to start this year or the next...and it's going to be the worst in your lifetime and my lifetime."

But, even as Rogers expects gold prices to be "explosive" once this crisis hits, he said he is still not accumulating the yellow metal.

"I'm not buying gold and have not bought gold. I own gold and have owned gold for years but I'm not buying or selling it at the moment."

"If and when gold goes down a lot, or under $1,000, I hope I'm smart enough to buy more gold because in the end, gold is going to go up a lot because when people lose confidence in governments and paper money, they always put their money in gold and silver."

Rogers cautioned investors to be "very careful" as they look for ways of protecting themselves ahead of the next financial downturn.

"There are a few ways to protect yourself but it's going to be a mess," he said. "People should invest only in what they themselves know a lot about."

What are Rogers' investments of choice right now?

"A lot" of U.S. dollars and agriculture, he said.

As for cryptocurrencies, Rogers said they seem to be topping out and he would prefer to stick to the sidelines.

"It looks bubble-ish when you see the kind of price action in bitcoin and now you're having new ICOs [initial coin offerings] at least one a week now and exploding when they come out - that's bubble action," he said.

This expert take on gold and the markets is brought to you by www.kitco.com.

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Google parent company Alphabet (GOOGL) - Get Free Report has regained the title of hedge-fund favorite in the second quarter, breaking a tie with Facebook (FB) - Get Free Report , Citi Research analyst Tobias Levkovich said in a note.

In a rating of hedge funds' top 10 holdings, 16 held Alphabet and 15 held Facebook in their top 10 during the three months ended June 30. The two had been tied in the first quarter of 2017, when 13 firms held both Alphabet and Facebook in their top 10 holdings.

Most recently, Facebook has lost some share of hedge fund prestige to Time Warner Inc. (TWX) and NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) - Get Free Report . But tech companies continue to reign supreme. "Six of the top seven names owned by hedge funds are in the Information Technology sector," Levkovich wrote.

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) - Get Free Report is the overwhelming favorite for mutual funds, where it's held the top spot for the last five quarters. Microsoft doesn't get much love from hedge funds with only eight firms placing it in their top 10. That's better than Apple Inc (AAPL) - Get Free Report , though, which is only a top-10 holding at five hedge funds.

Alphabet, Facebook, NXP and Apple are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells GOOGL, FB, NXPI and AAPL? Learn more now.

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Editors' pick: Originally published Aug. 18.
Power-generation company Calpine Corp. (CPN) is nearing a deal to sell itself to private equity firm Energy Capital Partners for $5.5 billion, or $15.25 per share in cash, sources told the Wall Street Journal Friday.

Calpine has a market value of $4.9 billion, and the purchase price would be a premium of 51% over the stock's closing price the day before the Wall Street Journal first reported a potential deal in May.

Calpine shares were up 10.23% to $14.87 in premarket trading Friday.

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Cigarette-maker Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) - Get Free Report has been threatened with punitive action from the Indian government for allegedly violating the country's anti-smoking laws, Reuters reports.

The company was notified of the action in a letter from India's federal health ministry. The letter calls into question Phillip Morris' cigarette advertisements, the free distribution of Marlboro cigarettes at nightclubs and bars, and marketing its products on TV screens.

These actions are in violation of the country's tobacco control law and are subject to punishment under the act.

"You are requested to clarify your position and to show cause why appropriate punitive action be not initiated against the company and its directors," the letter to Philip Morris said.

The letter follows a previous investigation into Philip Morris' marketing tactics in India launched by Reuters. The letter from the country cites that probe.

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Glenview Capital Management LLC on Friday, Aug. 18 took a step that could lead to an activist campaign at Tenet Healthcare Corp. (THC) - Get Free Report the resignation of the hedge fund's two designated appointees from the hospital operator's board.

Tenet announced in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that Randy Simpson and Matt Ripperger would step down from Tenet's board. In a letter disclosed with the filing, the pair said they were leaving "due to irreconcilable differences regarding significant matters impacting Tenet and its stakeholders."

The filing contained a letter from Simpson and Ripperger. The two said their resignation signals that efforts to find a mutually agreeable path to improving Tenet have been "fully exhausted."

In January 2016, Tenet, the nation's third-largest investor-owned hospital chain, agreed to add Simpson and Ripperger to its board. Simpson and Ripperger are Glenview partners and co-leaders of healthcare research for the fund.

As part of the agreement that put the two on Tenet's board, Glenview agreed not to raise its stake in Tenet beyond 25% or join any other investor seeking to oust management or force a sale or merger of the company.

Prior to that deal, Glenview had become the largest shareholder in Dallas-based Tenet and announced that it was trying to influence change at the struggling company. Glenview continues as the top stakeholder with a nearly 18% position.

The agreement also allowed Glenview to nominate two additional board directors as long as it maintained at least a 10% stake in the company. In November Tenet agreed to add former Lincare Holdings CEO John Byrnes and Peter Wilver, chief administrative officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific, as directors.

A Tenet spokesperson said the company had no comment beyond the SEC filing announcing the resignations. But Byrnes and Wilver, the other Glenview appointees, continue on Tenet's board, according to Tenet's Web site. Simpson and Ripperger have already been removed form the list of directors.

Glenview is led by Larry Robbins while Tenet is led by CEO Trevor Fetter.

Tenet, like some other hospital operators, has been plagued by losses as they grapple with pricing pressure and uncertainty over the fate of Obamacare.

Tenet shares traded as high as $59.43 per share in July 2015 but had dropped to $24 a share when the standstill with Glenview was reached at the beginning of 2016. Through mid-morning trading Friday, Aug. 18, they were at $13.95, up $1.30 or 10.28% so far for the day.

On Aug. 7 Tenet reported a net loss from continuing operations attributable of $56 million during the second quarter. That compared to a $44 million net loss from continuing operations in the second quarter of 2016. The larger than expected second-quarter loss led Tenet to cut its guidance for the rest of 2017.

In explaining their reasons for leaving the board, Simpson and Ripperger stated: "We joined the board 19 months ago as nominees of our employer, Glenview Capital Management, in the interests of serving all of Tenet's stakeholders and with a view toward building value for all shareholders. Both we as individuals, and Glenview as an owner, have determined that the most effective way forward to promote strong patient satisfaction and long-term value creation for Tenet is to step off this board, which also triggers the expiration of Glenview's restrictive 'standstill' agreement in 15 days."

When the standstill expires, they said "Glenview may evaluate other avenues to be a constructive owner of Tenet."

They stressed that "Glenview remains fully committed to its ownership stake in Tenet and its desire to drive improved performance, culture and value."

The pair also appealed to their former co-directors, by saying they hoped their Tenet colleagues had "come to respect and appreciate our methodical approach and our genuine desire to work constructively and cooperatively . . . to enhance Tenet."

Editors' pick: Originally published Aug. 18.
Nestle SA (NSRGY) - Get Free Report is facing a lawsuit alleging the company committed "colossal fraud" by selling "common groundwater" through its Poland Spring brand, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Nestle, which is the world's biggest packaged foods company, made $8.2 billion from its Poland Spring brand last year. The bottled water is marketed as "100% natural spring water," but 11 consumers who filed a suit in Connecticut district court claim the Nestle has been "breaching and exploiting its customers' trust to reap massive undue sales and profits."

Nestle's markets Poland Spring using images of pristine mountains, forest and fields, but the water allegedly doesn't meet the federal definition of spring water, according to the suit. The complainants contend that Poland Spring water is "collected from wells it drilled in saturated plains or valleys where the water table is within a few feet of the earth's surface."

Nestle said the suit is "without merit and an obvious attempt to manipulate the legal system for personal gain." This suit comes 14 years after Nestle reached a $12 million settlement in a previous class action lawsuit claiming Poland Spring water didn't come from bubbling springs.

Nestle stock traded flat early Friday afternoon.

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If one wants to understand why Infosys Ltd's (INFY) - Get Free Report shares are down over 7% in response to news CEO Vishal Sikka is resigning, a good place to start would be the lengthy Knowledge@Wharton interview he gave in March.

There, Sikka talked at length about his attempts to shake up Infosys' culture as the Indian IT outsourcing giant deals with intensifying competition and some big secular challenges. He talked about Infosys' Zero Distance initiative, which prods every software team at the company to "do something innovative" with a project, as well as its Design Thinking initiative, which aims to improve the problem-solving abilities of workers. And about his attempts to differentiate Infosys' offerings via investments in areas such as AI/machine learning and automated IT services.

Sikka's departure doesn't necessarily spell an end to these efforts. But it does introduce a big dose of uncertainty, especially since the circumstances surrounding his exit pave the way for a bitter fight between Infosys' board and its founders.

In a letter to Infosys' board announcing his resignation, Sikka, originally appointed in 2014, asserts he and the board have been "besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks" that have "been repeatedly proven false and baseless by multiple independent investigations." He adds this "continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity" has impacted his attempts to remake Infosys, and that "hundreds of hours" of his time have been recently devoted to dealing with it.

The remarks are a reference to criticism of Sikka by Infosys' founders, including chairman Narayana Murthy. The founders, who collectively still own 12.75% of Infosys, had previously questioned Sikka's compensation, as well as that of COO Pravin Rao (now Infosys' interim CEO). In a July letter to the board that Murthy released following Sikka's resignation, he raised perceived governance problems surrounding Infosys' $200 million 2015 purchase of Panaya, an Israeli provider of testing and quality-management tools for enterprise apps.

A whistleblower had alleged Infosys overpaid for Panaya and suggested some Infosys execs may have financially benefited from the deal, which was opposed by now-departed CFO Rajiv Bansal. However, a probe of the deal led by law firm Gibson Dunn had cleared Infosys of wrongdoing in June. In his letter, Murthy insists he's not questioning "[Sikka's] strategy or its execution," and is only worried about governance. But Murthy is also reported to have sent an e-mail quoting some Infosys directors as saying Sikka is "CTO material" rather than "CEO material."

This morning, Infosys' board released a strongly-worded statement defending Sikka's track record and asserting Murthy's letter "contains factual inaccuracies, already-disproved rumours, and statements extracted out of context" from conversations with directors. It adds "dialogues" with Murthy over the last year that were meant to legally address his concerns without compromising the board's independence have been unsuccessful.

The board also accuses Murthy of threatening to publicly attack the board unless it carries out "certain changes in policy," "[appoints] specific individuals" and carries out "operational and management changes." It also declares Murthy might be in the process of holding talks with "certain key [Infosys] stakeholders" to further his attacks on the board and management. Needless to say, this dispute is shaping up to be a messy one.

Cultural differences appear to have played a role in the falling out between Sikka and Infosys' founders. Though born in India, Sikka went to college in the U.S., worked for several American software firms and later joined German software giant SAP, where he eventually became CTO. In dress and demeanor, his style contrasted with that of Infosys' original management. And while Infosys' headquarters remain in the Indian city of Bengaluru, Sikka and the company's "Office of the CEO" were stationed in Silicon Valley.

More of What's Trending on TheStreet:

All of that was bound to add to tensions with Infosys' old guard as Sikka tried to overhaul its corporate culture and made a string of acquisitions. In addition to Panaya, Sikka oversaw the purchase of a pair of e-commerce services firms -- Kallidus Technologies and Skava -- for $120 million apiece, and the purchase of oil/gas IT consulting firm Noah Consulting for $70 million. In addition, two startups -- Skytree, a provider of machine learning-based software for analyzing corporate data, and Brilliant Basics, a provider of design services for apps and websites -- were bought for undisclosed sums.

All of these acquisitions, of course, fit with Sikka's broader efforts to transform Infosys, a firm that started out as a provider of basic, low-cost, app outsourcing solutions, into a company that also provides a variety of differentiated, value-added services. A look at the broader IT outsourcing landscape drives home the need to make such moves.

Soaring enterprise spending on cloud infrastructure (IaaS) and app development (PaaS) platforms, such as those provided by Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Report , Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) - Get Free Report and Alphabet Inc./Google (GOOGL) - Get Free Report , is doing a number on traditional, on-premise, outsourcing work. As is, to some degree, the adoption of third-party cloud apps (SaaS). Moreover, less of the money that enterprises are still allocating to outsourcing work is related to large-scale "digital transformation" projects compared with smaller department-specific projects. And as spending on traditional work has dropped, competition between outsourcing firms for large deals has intensified.

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Against this backdrop, Infosys has been performing reasonably well during Sikka's tenure. Revenue rose 7.4% in fiscal 2017 (it ended in March) to $10.2 billion, and is forecast on average by analysts to rise 8.7% this year to $11.1 billion. In its defense of Sikka, the board noted Infosys' base $100 million-plus clients has grown by 6 to 18 over the last three years, and that the employee attrition rate has dropped to 16.9% from 23.4%.

Some peers have had a rougher time. HP Enterprise Inc.'s (HPE) - Get Free Report Enterprise Services business, recently spun off and merged with Computer Sciences, saw revenue drop 6% in fiscal 2016 (ended last October). IBM Corp.'s (IBM) - Get Free Report Global Business Services revenue fell 2% annually in Q2 to $4.1 billion, and its Technology Services & Cloud Platforms revenue fell 4% to $8.4 billion. Others, such as Accenture Plc (ACN) - Get Free Report , Wipro Limited (WIT) - Get Free Report and Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (CTSH) - Get Free Report , are still seeing positive outsourcing growth.

There's clearly a fear right now that if Infosys' founders win their battle with the board, a lot of Sikka's transformation efforts will be undone. There's probably also concern that even if the board wins, the dispute will distract the board and management amid a search for Sikka's successor. And markets, as always, hate uncertainty.
The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) may have breached the law by implementing a new, mandatory form for the notification of assemblies and protests, a local activist informed the media yesterday.

Jason Chao claims that the new requirement for organizing assemblies and protests threatens the right to freedom of assembly as enshrined in the Basic Law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Chao, who runs an independent, unofficial election-monitoring platform, wrote in a statement yesterday that imposing a new requirement without any legal basis is worrying.

Under the previous law, residents were required to make a bespoke written declaration addressed to the chair of the Administration Committee of IACM, in order to organize a demonstration or public assembly. Now, they will have to fill out a particular form and deliver it to the bureau.

Chao claims to have stumbled upon the new requirement  which he claims was not publicized by the bureau  while he was delivering a bespoke document to IACM on Monday.

In the statement, the activist recalls IACM staff reluctantly accepting his letter and notifying him of a change in the procedure. Chao says he requested a written reply on what legal ground the use of the form could be mandatory.

The request was referred to an unnamed senior official at the bureau but, according to the activist, no further clarification from the bureau was communicated as of yesterday.

Chao is now considering legal action against the bureau for what he sees as a violation of Law No. 2/93/M.

Law No. 2/93/M decrees that all residents have the right to assemble under peaceful circumstances, without the need for any pre-authorization. It also states that authorities are required to inform citizens in writing should a notification of assembly or protest be rejected. Citizens may appeal against such decisions directly at the Court of Final Instance (TUI).

The Times contacted IACM to ascertain its position on the mandatory form and the legal basis for its introduction.

The bureau defended the new requirement stating that it does not alter the information that must be provided to IACM before a protest or demonstration, rather it standardizes how that information must be presented.

Persons wishing to hold meetings and demonstrations, exercising their rights, must, in accordance with the law, submit a prior notice to the IACM. The content of this notice must follow what is stipulated by said law, IACM stated in a written response to the Times.

In order to standardize the content of the notice and to avoid errors, and for the IACM and its services to be able to process, monitor and coordinate the request as soon as possible, the IACM has developed a specific notice form. [] It should be noted that the information required in this form does not overstep the content defined by [Law No. 2/93/M].

Chao considers that the alleged failure of IACM to notify him in writing of the bureaus decision to reject his demonstration may also be grounds for legal action.

He claims that IACMs refusal to put the rejection of his document in writing may potentially circumvent the mechanism of review by the judiciary.

A mere verbal rejection of an assembly declaration [] and a subsequent denial of a giving a written reply may [make] it hard to present the case for a judiciary review, said the local activist.

Nevertheless, Chao says he may still take the case to the TUI.
A court yesterday overturned sentences that the prosecution said were too light and sent young Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong and two other student leaders of huge pro-democracy protests in 2014 to prison.

The three were immediately taken to serve their sentences of up to eight months. Wong pumped his fist in air as he walked out of the dock into custody.

The three were found guilty of leading or encouraging an illegal rally in September 2014 that kicked off the demonstrations known as the Umbrella Movement. Youthful activists brought major thoroughfares to a standstill for 11 weeks to protest Beijings plan to restrict elections in the Chinese-ruled former British colony.

Last year, a lower court sentenced Wong and Nathan Law, a student leader who was later elected to the legislature, to community service and gave a third activist, Alex Chow, a suspended three-week prison sentence.

A three-judge panel yesterday decided to stiffen those sentences following a prosecution request and send all three to prison. Law was sentenced to eight months, Chow to seven and Wong to six.

Before their hearing, Wong, who became famous for his role in the protests because he was just 17 and still in high school at the time, was defiant in a speech to the media.

People united will never be defeated, Wong said outside the courthouse flanked by his co-convicted. He vowed they would continue this long battle for freedom and democracy.

Time is on our side and one day Hong Kong will be a place we can determine our own future. We love Hong Kong, he said into a microphone as a rival, pro-Beijing protester chanted, also on a microphone, nearby.

The appeal judges at the High Court had been expected to send them to prison, following their decision in a similar case this week involving 13 activists given eight to 13 months jail time after their original community service sentences were overturned.

Wong had been girding for such a possibility and tweeted to his followers that they shouldnt abandon the movement.

When those of us who face jail time have yet to give up, how can the rest of you give up? he wrote, and also tweeted that he promised to keep up with his studies.

The case is the latest to raise fears that Hong Kongs independent judiciary is under threat as the citys Beijing-backed government uses the courts to clamp down on the opposition. Since legislative elections in September, the courts have disqualified from office half a dozen pro-democracy lawmakers, including Law, for having turned their oath-taking into apparent protests against Beijing. Kelvin Chan, Hong Kong, AP
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Williams-Sonoma, Inc. operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand. The company also provides home decor products under the West Elm brand; kids accessories under the Pottery Barn Kids brand; and an organic bedding to multi-purpose furniture under the Pottery Barn Teen brand. In addition, it offers made-to-order lighting, hardware, furniture, and home decors inspired by history under the Rejuvenation brand; and women's and men's accessories, travel, entertaining and bar, home decor, and seasonal items under the Mark and Graham brand, as well as operates a 3-D imaging and augmented reality platform for the home furnishings and decor industry. The company markets its products through e-commerce websites, direct-mail catalogs, and retail stores. It operates 544 stores comprising 502 stores in 41states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico; 20 stores in Canada; 19 stores in Australia; 3 stores in the United Kingdom; and 139 franchised stores, as well as e-commerce websites in various countries in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea, and India. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Japans exports and imports rose at a fast clip in July, reflecting a recovery in demand in China, Southeast Asia and the U.S., though export prices rose faster than volumes for many products.

Exports rose more than 13 percent from a year earlier to 6.5 trillion yen (USD59 billion) while imports jumped 16 percent to 6.1 trillion yen ($55 billion), helped by a surge in oil and coal shipments, according to data released yesterday.

The resulting trade surplus slipped 17 percent from a year earlier to 419 billion yen ($3.8 billion).

Trade actually dragged on growth in the worlds third-largest economy in the April-June quarter but likely will provide a slight boost for the year, Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economic said in a commentary.

He is forecasting a 6 percent rise in export volumes, while import volumes will increase by about 3 percent. The upshot is that we expect net exports to lift 2017 GDP growth by around 0.5 percentage points, he said.

Japan reported earlier this week that its economy expanded at a 4.0 percent annual pace April-June. The rate of expansion for the year is expected to be much lower, at below 2 percent.

In July, Japans exports to the U.S., mainly of cars, car parts and machinery, jumped 11.5 percent to 1.3 trillion yen ($12 billion). Imports climbed 14 percent to 671.7 billion ($6.1 billion), as fish and meat shipments surged.

Oil imports, half of which came from the Middle East, jumped 26 percent year-on-year to 1.2 trillion yen ($11 billion). Japans imports of liquefied natural gas surged 47 percent from a year earlier and coal imports jumped 68 percent.

Chinas imports from Japan surged 18 percent to 1.2 trillion yen. Japans exports to ASEAN, 10 countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also jumped 18 percent, to 1.0 trillion yen ($9 billion), with strong growth in appliances and other devices.

Much of Japans trade with other Asian countries is components and machinery used in manufacturing. Strong exports of machinery and electrical machinery suggest a recovery in activity in those countries. AP
Lawmakers Lam Heong Sang, Kwan Tsui Hang and Lei Cheng I organized a press conference to summarize the works of the fifth Legislative Assembly (AL). Together, they have expressed the hope that the governments new laws will improve Macaus labour policies.

Lei summarized nine laws relating to Macaus labor force that were passed during the fifth AL. Lei highlighted several areas of reform, including public housing applications, paid paternity leave, local workers employment rights, tobacco control, and environmental protection.

On the issue of non-resident workers, Lam remarked that the problem is not non-local workers; there must be non-local workers in Macau.

He described the citys employment policy as a little bit unfair to the local workers in some aspects.

According to Lam, salaries within some industries remain unchanged from the 2008 salary level.

Is it fair? It is the governments problem, said Lam, adding that it is not a matter of whether we are diligent or not, there must be policies [to regulate salaries].

Kwan, agreeing with Lam, said We do not completely oppose non- local workers. Macaus economy needs them, and Macaus laws should protect non-local workers rights.

However, regarding local workers, she asserted that their wages and treatment should not be affected by non-local workers, clarifying that many people say we are xenophobic. We [represent] the interests of a particular sector, and this is our natural duty [to protect workers rights].

In Kwans opinion, Macau locals should be given opportunities for further education and training in order to be promoted into more advanced jobs.

Macau has been talking about the platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries for so many years. How much can the government do for Portuguese-[speaking] people? asked Kwan.

Shouldnt we train human resources for the management of the Light Rapid Transit [LRT]? asked Kwan, adding that employers should not look for non-local workers [when the LRT project needs staff].

Lam said Macau locals should not just work for the government or casinos. The lawmaker, who is approaching retirement from the AL, said that he will continue to work for the Macau Federation of Trade Unions and will remain the president of the Choi In Tong San Association.

Lam added that he will push his association to work with local schools to hear students opinions on the citys areas for improvement.

Above all, Lam noted that Macau has to push itself to be [a] walking city [ and] the public transportation [network] needs to be upgraded.

When asked whether he would become a lawmaker again if appointed by the Chief Executive (CE), Lam replied: I will not refuse if the CE appoints me, but the chance is smaller than 0.1 percent.
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- Joho has emulated his two other colleagues and drastically cut down his Inauguration budget

- The Mombasa Governor slashed the amount to be used in his swearing in ceremony by 80%

- Governors Sonko and Ngilu have directed the money to other uses

Mombasa governor Hassan Joho has emulated three of his colleagues and rejected a huge budget set for his swearing in ceremony.

The governor's move comes hot in heels of a similar move by Governors Mike Sonko,Charity Ngilu and Wahome Gakuru who have directed the cash to more noble use.

According to the committee organising Joho's Inauguration, the budget had been set at KSh 15 million but has now been slashed drastically.

Joho has slashed his swearing in budget by 80%.

READ ALSO: Leaked photo of high-tech gadgets bought by NTSA to combat drunk driving

Initially the committee was looking at a maximum of KSh 15 million but the governor has given instructions that the budget should be cut down. The budget that has been approved is KSh 3 million," the committee's chairman and County Secretary Francis Thoya is quoted by Business Daily.

While Joho has had the budget reduced, Sonko ordered KSh 25 million which was to be used in the ceremony be used to clear salary arrears for county workers.

READ ALSO: Uhuru flies out as Raila files petition against him and Tuko.co.ke has every detail

Ngilu followed suit and also had KSh 6 million inauguration money be used to provide water for Kitui county residents while Nyeri governor-elect Wahome Gakuru also rejected KSh 5 million which was meant for his inauguration ceremony and directed it be used to pay electricity bills for Karatina District hospital.

READ ALSO: Fireworks at NTV as Larry Madowo and Miguna Miguna engage

Sonko rejected KSh 25 million meant for his swearing in.

The sudden show of frugality comes as a surprise given that politicians in Kenya and their hanger-ons love to waste and steal public funds at every opportunity.

But others think the move by the governors is just a public relations show meant to curry favour with the unforgiving voters who 'punished' many politicians by voting them out after they failed to live up to expectations.

I got rid of two men but made peace with God

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- Mt Kenya leaders have asked Raila to move on and drop the appeal at the Supreme Court saying that he is not likely to win

- The leaders advised Raila to make peace with Uhuru Kenyatta which might secure him a position in the government in the coming days

- The delegation of leaders was led by Kieni MP Kanini Kega, outgoing MP Dennis Waweru (Dagoretti) , Ann Nyokabi, and politician Ann Kirima

- Their advise comes just days after Raila revealed that he will challenge Uhuru Kenyatta's win at the Supreme court

According to a delegation of leaders drawn from the Mt Kenya region, Raila should focus on smaller seats if he is to win any elective seat.

READ ALSO: All you need to know about the cost of the presidential petition to be filed by Raila

Led by Kieni MP Kanini Kega, outgoing MP Dennis Waweru (Dagoretti) , Ann Nyokabi, and politician Ann Kirima, the leaders asked Raila to drop the impending case at the Supreme court.

They advised that Kenya needs to move forward without leaders who will try to drag the country through court cases.

In every election, there is a number two. You either win or lose. Since there will be no coalition government, it is good for the presidential candidate to accept defeat, Kanini Kega said.

Raila Odinga casts his vote on Tuesday, August 8 in Kibra. Photo: Raila Odinga/Facebook

READ ALSO: 15 interesting facts every Kenyan must know about presidential petition Raila is taking to the Supreme Court

Kega also spoke of the possibility of Raila getting any available post under the Jubilee government should he drop the appeal.

Waweru on the other hand asked the NASA flag-bearer to accept the verdict of the IEBC and consider the 45 million Kenyans instead of holding them ransom.

Dont continue holding 45 million Kenyans ransom Concede and relax so that many Kenyans can respect you more. The results were credible since the observers also okayed them, Waweru stated

He also asked Raila to try for a smaller elective post in Kibra where he is very popular.

Raila has contested the outcome of the General Election saying that it was computer generated and did not reflect the will of the people.

READ ALSO: Kenyas top lawyer reveals why NASA might lose the case against Uhuru Kenyatta

With a battery of lawyers in tow, Raila will take his case to the Supreme Court to challenge Uhuru's win.

Kenyan line up to vote on the morning of Tuesday, August 8. Photo: Facebook/Dennis Itumbi

Part of the key evidence that Raila will present to the court will the unavailability of the form 34A as at the time IEBC declared Uhuru president.

Then there is the mystery of the increasing number of votes on the IEBC online portal long after Uhuru had been declared the victor.

NASA now claims to have evidence of Raila's victory from IEBC sources:

Have anything to add to this article? Let us know on news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The port of Tripoli in northern Lebanon wants the world to know its ready for business.

British safety managers are training local hires to operate heavy machinery and Chinese technicians are running diagnostics on two new container cranes that tower over the harbor, just 28 kilometers from the Syrian border.

After six years of civil war in Syria, markets across the Middle East are anticipating a mammoth reconstruction boom that could stimulate billions of dollars in economic activity. Lebanon, as Syrias neighbor, is in prime position to capture a share of that windfall and revive its own sluggish economy.

Battles still rage in Syrias north and east, and in pockets around the capital, Damascus, but the survival of President Bashar Assads government now appears beyond doubt.

That is introducing an element of stability into forecasts not seen since 2011, when the war broke out. The Damascus International Fair, a high-profile annual business event before the war, is to open for the first time since war broke out, with participants from 43 countries. The World Bank estimates the cost to rebuild Syria at USD200 billion.

For Lebanon, that could be just the stimulus it needs  the tiny Mediterranean countrys growth rate has hovered around 1.5 percent since 2013. And though the capital, Beirut, has grown visibly richer over the years, Tripoli and the impoverished north have lagged behind.

Lebanon is in front of an opportunity that it needs to take very seriously, said Raya al-Hassan, a former finance minister from northern Lebanon who now directs the Tripoli Special Economic Zone project thats planned to be built adjacent to the port.

Ahmad Tamer, the port manager, estimates Syrias reconstruction will create a demand for 30 million tons of cargo capacity annually.

Syrias chief ports, Tartous and Latakia, also on the Mediterranean Sea, have a combined capacity of 10 to 15 million tons, he says. He wants Tripoli port to be ready to step in for a portion of the rest.

We could provide up to 5 or 6 or 7 million tons, he says.

The port is nearing the completion of the first phase of an expansion project first drawn up in 2009, then revised with an eye on Syria in 2016. Capital investment has reached around $400 million, according to the port manager.

On a map, Tamer pointed to a vacant quadrant where 7/8 preparations are underway to build silos to hold grain destined for regional markets.

Syrias conflict has decimated its food production, which included an average of 4.1 million tons of wheat annually before the war, according to the U.N.s Food and Agriculture Organization.

In 2017, it managed to produce just 1.8 million tons.

Lebanons businessmen and politicians have always maintained close relations with Syrian counterparts. Syria is among Lebanons largest trade partners, and arguably its most reliable supplier of cheap labor. Lebanon, in exchange, is the banker to many of Syrias enterprises and its wealthy elites.

These ties give Lebanon  and Tripoli in particular  an edge over competitors vying for the Syrian market.

The citys location is also attracting foreign investment. Tripoli port signed a 25-year lease with the Emirati port operator Gulftainer in 2013, to manage and invest in the terminal.

Our aim was to invest here in anticipation of Syrias reconstruction, said Ibrahim Hermes, the CEO of Lebanons subsidiary of Gulftainer.

Lebanon is now a fixture on itineraries of prospective investors. Hermes said he has seen delegations arriving from Europe, Asia and especially China, to scope out trade opportunities.

Before the war in Syria, goods coming through Lebanons ports used to transit as far afield as Iraq  saving ships from having to take the sea journey through the Suez Canal and around the Arabian Peninsula.

There is talk now that Tripoli could even be a terminal in Chinas trillion-dollar new Silk Road project, carving a trade route from east Asia to Europe.

The Chinese firm Qingdao Haixi Heavy-Duty Machinery Co. sold the two 28-story container cranes now at the port. Safety signs inside the structures are posted in English and Mandarin.

Tripoli can be a main transshipment hub for the eastern Mediterranean, said Ira Hare, a sunburned Briton with 31 years of industry experience who was brought by Gulftainer to manage the terminal.

Lebanon has officially sought dissociation from the Syrian war so as not to fuel rancor among political parties split between those aligned with Damascus and those against it.

But there is also an air of inevitability about the re-normalization of relations, as Assad looks, for the short-term at least, to stay on in power.

Syrias chief champion in Lebanon, the militant Hezbollah group, which is fighting alongside Assads forces, evinces little doubt.

Our national interest is for the border between Lebanon and Syria to be open [] because, tomorrow the routes will open to Iraq and to Jordan and we want to be able to transport Lebanese goods, Hezbollahs leader, Hassan Nasrallah, said in a speech this week.

A Hezbollah minister, Hussein Hajj Hussein, is one of two Cabinet ministers headed to Syria this week in a highly controversial visit, the first since the start of the war. Prime Minister Saad Hariri, an Assad critic, said the visit did not have government backing.

Damascus also knows it will be brought back in from the cold.

The Damascus International Fair, which promises to attract investors from Russia, China, Iran, and other places, is a telling indicator of the mood in the Syrian capital.

Europe and the United States are hesitant to finance the reconstruction projects so long as Assad, a pariah to the West, remains in power. But Russia, China, and Iran, as well as investors in Lebanon and the Middle East, are showing no signs of hesitation.

As soon as there is a political agreement to end the war, we will be among the first countries to play a role in reconstruction, said al-Hassan, the former finance minister. Philip Issa, AP
- IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba has been grabbing headlines, with politicians and women discussing him in equal measure

- NASA believes he masterminded a rigging process that gave Uhuru victory while Kenyan women believe is the most gorgeous man they have met yet

- Chiloba opened up about the just concluded polls and the lust from women

- He indicated that coincidentally he has been using the nickname Chilobae in his private email- a nickname that many ladies have been using on social media to refer to him

"Oh boy. Can I tell you something? Do you know what my private e-mail address has always been? Its Chiloba with an e at the end. So I guess I have always been Chilobae," IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba told Jackson Biko in an interview published on Business Daily.

Since Kenyans went to the polls on August 8, 2017, Chiloba is one of the few individuals who has been on the lips of most of them.

He has been at the centre of everything that the electoral body has been doing. Opposition politicians and their supporters have been on his case, accusing him of colluding with the ruling Jubilee administration to hand President Uhuru Kenyatta the win.

IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba has been grabbing headlines lately Photo: Star

READ ALSO: Top lawyers who will likely represent NASA, Jubilee and IEBC in grueling Supreme Court battle

But Chiloba is unfazed and says he does not regret for what IEBC has done so far.

"Im 200 per cent confident. At my age why would I want to mess up systems? I have children who I want to grow in a country that I can be proud of and this was an opportunity to try and demonstrate that the right things can be done. I remain undeterred by the propaganda flying around," he said as quoted by Business Daily.

He, however, admits he has lost many friends because of his job. He no longer has a private life.

Kenyan ladies have been literally drooling over him especially after he appeared at the Bomas of Kenya where he gave updates on the tallying process.

IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba has been accused by NASA of masterminding 'rigging' Photo: Standard

READ ALSO: Why Raila changed mind over mass action and chose to go to court

They think he is the most handsome man around with a good mastery of the queen's language. But Chiloba had a word for them too.

"Im not the type of guy who goes out searching for fame. I just focus on my job. This is some sort of brief national infatuation. On the flip side, its a good thing because it drew attention to elections with the younger demographic. They paid attention," Chiloba said.

He denied rumours that he is married from the Kenyatta family and said he has never met anyone from the family.

NASA leaders do not have faith with Chiloba Photo: Facebook/Kalonzo Musyoka

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On presiding another election, Chiloba was non-committal but indicated that he may never be around as IEBC CEO when the net election calls.

"Would I do this again? I think thats gone. Its passed," he said.

Chiloba says now he wants to go on leave and spend time with his wife and two kids as he has been busy for two and half years without leave.

I got rid of two men but made peace with God

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Source: TUKO.co.ke
- The NASA brigade are running out of time as far as filing a petition against the Presidential results are concerned

- One of their lawyers has however explained why there were delays in filing the petition

- Constitutionally, anyone who is dissatisfied with the results has 7 days to dispute the results in court from the time the winner is announced

- According to the lawyer, NASA were getting all their evidence ready to present their case strongly

A lawyer affiliated to the National Super Alliance has shed some light on why the opposition outfit are filing their petition only hours before the deadline.

According to the lawyer, the National Super Alliance had been buying time so that they could petition a water tight case against the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

A petition contesting the election results must be filed within 7 days from the time the IEBC announced the winner.

NASA leader Raila Odinga announcing NASA's next move on Wednesday, August 16. PHOTO: Courtesy

READ ALSO: Presidential candidate who conceded defeat ready to join NASA to contest elections

Supreme court registrar Esther Nyaiyaki issued a notice on when the registry would be receiving petitions.

"In order to adhere to the statutory deadlines governing the hearing and determination of the presidential election petition, the Supreme Court Registry will be open upto midnight," The August 14 notice read.

NASA leaders at a past function:FILE

READ ALSO: Mganga predicts doom for Raila's court case

NASA, has however kept their supporters In limbo on the issue since they made the announcement that they would take their case to court on Wednesday, August 16.

By Friday, August 18 midday, no NASA representatives had made their way to the Supreme court.

TUKO.co.ke however understands that NASA leader Raila Odinga indicated that his team would arrive at the Supreme court by 2 pm on Friday.

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The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is recording the intensified activity of Russian intelligence groups on Ukrainian territory.

SBU Chief Vasyl Hrytsak said this at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"SBU is recording the intensified activity of Russian special services on Ukrainian territory. Their subversive activities are manifested in the work of sabotage reconnaissance groups, attempts to commit acts of sabotage, terrorist attacks, and to organize pseudo protests on ethnic grounds. Fake news are systemically spun, and the assassinations of certain public figures and famous personalities are plotted," he said.

According to him, the information received points to the escalation of intelligence terrorist activities of Russian special groups on Ukrainian territory.

"Russia's FSB deploys sabotage groups to carry out terrorist attacks on our territory," Hrytsak said.

According to him, among their main targets are strategic infrastructure facilities, and another goal is the killing of people, regardless of their political affiliation, "so as to yield the public outcry."

Hrytsak said that a number of terrorist attacks had already been prevented.

"SBU exposed three of such sabotage groups over the last month," he said.

op
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine will deploy tomorrow its monitors at its patrol base in Stanytsia Luhanska on a permanent 24/7 basis.

OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said this at a press briefing in Lviv on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Tomorrow, for instance, the OSCE SMM will deploy monitors on a permanent 24/7 basis at its forward patrol base in Stanytsia Luhanska. We already have a camera there since October 2016 and plan to install others," Hug said.

According to him, Stanytsia Luhanska is the only exit-entry checkpoint in the entire Luhansk region, where people must cross a bridge in a dangerous condition every day. Therefore, he said, it is necessary to continue monitoring the situation in the area.

op
In the summer of 2016, as WikiLeaks was publishing documents from Democratic operatives allegedly obtained by Kremlin-directed hackers, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange turned down a large cache of documents related to the Russian government, U.S. news publication Foreign Policy has reported.

"WikiLeaks declined to publish a wide-ranging trove of documents - at least 68 gigabytes of data - that came from inside the Russian Interior Ministry," reads the statement.

It says that in 2014, the BBC and other news outlets reported on the cache, which revealed details about Russian military and intelligence involvement in Ukraine. However, the information from that hack was less than half the data that later became available in 2016, when Assange turned it down.

The Russian cache was eventually quietly published online elsewhere, to almost no attention or scrutiny.

The logs, which were provided to FP, only included WikiLeaks's side of the conversation.

"As far as we recall these are already public," WikiLeaks wrote at the time.

"WikiLeaks rejects all submissions that it cannot verify. WikiLeaks rejects submissions that have already been published elsewhere or which are likely to be considered insignificant. WikiLeaks has never rejected a submission due to its country of origin," the organization wrote in a Twitter direct message when contacted by FP about the Russian cache.

WikiLeaks's relationship with Russia started out as adversarial. In October 2010, Assange and WikiLeaks teased a massive dump of documents that would expose wrongdoing in the Kremlin, teaming up with a Russian news site for the rollout.

In November 2010, WikiLeaks began to release documents from its cache provided by Chelsea Manning, which included cables from U.S. diplomats around the world, including Russia.

WikiLeaks also partnered with the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, but only a handful of stories were published out of almost a quarter of a million files from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.

According to the report, meanwhile, Assange's position on Russia was evolving. Assange in 2012 had his own show on the Kremlin-funded news network RT, and that same year, he produced episodes for the network where he interviewed opposition thinkers like Noam Chomsky and so-called "cypherpunks."

Questions about Assange's links to Russia were raised last year, when the Daily Dot reported that WikiLeaks failed to publish documents that revealed a 2 billion euro transaction between the Syrian regime and a government-owned Russian bank in 2012.

op
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has ordered an investigation into a New York Times report regarding the alleged shipment of Ukrainian rocket components to North Korea.

"No matter how absurd accusations of Ukraine are, we, as responsible partners, should carefully check the information published by The New York Times regarding the alleged supply of rocket engines or related technology to North Korea," the head of state wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

Poroshenko said that he had ordered "a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the situation" and that the report was expected within three days. He said that the probe would be led by the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, with the involvement of the interagency commission for military-technical cooperation and export control, as well as the state-run Yuzhmash missile factory and the Yuznoye design bureau.

Poroshenko said he was confident that the investigation would allow Ukraine to confirm reliably the true source and purpose of this groundless fake.

"Ukraine values its business reputation as a reliable partner in the field of protection and non-proliferation of rocket-space technologies," he said.

Earlier, The New York Times, citing Michael Elleman, a missile expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and referring to classified assessments by American intelligence agencies, wrote that North Korea's success in testing an intercontinental ballistic missile that appears able to reach the United States was made possible by black-market purchases of powerful rocket engines probably from a Ukrainian factory with historical ties to Russia's missile program.

In this regard, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov said that this information did not have any grounds, was provocative and, most likely, "provoked by the Russian special services to cover up their own crimes."

Elleman said later that journalists had made incorrect conclusions from his words. He said that he had not blamed Ukraine for such actions and that he himself was not a supporter of Russia, although his wife was born there. After that, he deleted his accounts on social networks.

op
Another rehearsal of a parade on the Independence Day of Ukraine has been held in the center of Kyiv.

Journalists managed to film the evening rehearsal from the sky. The video was made public by Ukraine's Apostrophe news site.

The parade, which will be held on August 24, will be attended not only by Ukrainian servicemen. According to Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak, ten divisions from different countries, including nine NATO countries and one country seeking to join the alliance, will participate in the celebrations.

Eleven defense ministers will arrive in Ukraine on Independence Day.
The lawmakers elected on the New Hope (Nova Esperanca) list, Jose Pereira Coutinho and Leong Veng Chai, say that the Legislative Assembly (AL) has failed to comply with its duties in at least four areas.

The two lawmakers asserted the claim yesterday during a press conference at the Macau Civil Servants Association (ATFPM). At the conference, Coutinho and Leong provided an annual review of the ALs accomplishments, now that the legislative year has ended.

Coutinho stated at the conference that one of the ALs major problems is its lack of transparency and credibility, stating that the majority of the works developed by the AL are still the secret of all secrets.

The remark refers to a topic that Coutinho has been concerned with for a long time, namely that work conducted by lawmakers inside the standing committees is arranged in closed-door meetings. The press has only indirect access to legislative proceedings.

Coutinho also referred to the issue of the radical change of opinion by some lawmakers, which affects the credibility and trust [of people in the legislature].

He cited the example of last weeks events at the Assembly regarding the bill to promote changes on the so-called Rental Law. In this case, lawmakers were tenderers of the bill [ but] in the very end, [when it came to the vote] they abstained he said.

In Coutinhos opinion, such rapid changes in opinion have to do with the lack of a Declaration of Interests from all legislators in Macau. Coutinho has repeatedly called for declarations of conflicts of interest to be made mandatory.

If next door in Hong Kong they have this [declaration of interests] for lawmakers, [I ask the] members of the government and judges why we in Macau cannot have it too?

According to Coutinho, such an instrument should be included and [made] public on the ALs webpage, accessible to everyone.

Im not saying that it is wrong to have professional interests; Im just saying that everyone should be able to know clearly which particular interests are held by this or that person.

Coutinho also asserted that legislators need to be full-time lawmakers to have enough time to perform their job well and serve the population.

As an example, he mentioned Leongs record-breaking result as the ALs most active lawmaker in the latest legislative year, noting that he was only capable of achieving such results because he [dedicates] the totality of his time to his lawmaking duties.

Finally, Coutinho called for a liability regime for main government officials.

Replying to media questions on the positive and negative aspects of the concluded legislatures works, the lawmaker said there were many bills and topics that we went through, and they were all important.

He referred specifically to the laws on heritage protection, urban planning and the land law, which he said demanded a lot of focus and consideration for the outcomes [of such laws].

He remarked on the special sensibility of the two New Hope-listed lawmakers to address these issues as we both had a long career in the public sector as law enforcers.

Coutinho concluded that their shared practical experience had equipped them with special expertise whenever a bill relating to heritage protection, urban planning and land law was discussed.
New education standards will be implemented at 100 elementary schools in Ukraine from September 1, 2017.

Education and Science Minister Lilia Hrynevych stated this at the All-Ukrainian pedagogical conference on August 18, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"We are developing a new pilot standard for 100 schools from the beginning of the new academic year. And all first graders in 2018 will go to a new Ukrainian school," Hrynevych said.

According to her, the introduction of new education standards will stimulate learning process and improve teaching methods.

"The target of new standards and key principles are recognizing and promoting the development of talents of each child. It is important for us that the child can be at the center of educational process," the minister stressed.

iy
A conversation with the Russian lawyer defending Ukrainian political prisoners, journalist Roman Sushchenko, and deputy head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Ilmi Umerov, began quite traditionally. But in the end it went far beyond the limits of the respective investigative actions or trials. And it was inevitable, because politically motivated justice, adopted in Russia, generously spills into all related spheres - international policy; domestic policy, both Russian and Ukrainian; and information war.

PROBE INTO SUSHCHENKO CASE MAY END IN SEPTEMBER

- On Monday I will go to Lefortovo to visit Roman Sushchenko. While I was in Crimea at the trial on "the Umerov case" (deputy head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Ilmi Umerov is being tried in the Russian-controlled court of Simferopol for not recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea), there was an involuntary break. Now I'm going to clarify the timing of Roman's call to his son, Maksym. Let me remind you that he turned 10 on July 15, but his father could not call him. Now the investigators allowed them to talk. It is also necessary to agree on the date of arrival to Sushchenko of his wife Anzhelika and daughter Yulia for a meeting in prison.

- Is there any movement in the investigation into the "Sushchenko case"? What is the forecast for the terms of its completion?

- Last week we were familiarized with the conclusions of a number of examinations. The psychiatric examination expectedly confirmed the sanity of Sushchenko. I cannot speak about another examination because of the secrecy of the case. So if this case does not start to slow, then I can make a preliminary forecast that we will come to the end of investigative actions in September. There is also political dynamics in the discussion of this issue at the international level.

- You went to Kyiv and talked to Ukrainian Information Policy Minister Yuriy Stets.

- Yes, I received some additional information in Ukraine. But in addition to that, there is news on other topics. It's no secret that we addressed the leaders of the participating countries of the "Normandy format." I have recently received a response from Germany to our address. According to it, the case of journalist Sushchenko is a matter of concern for the German leadership. This is significant. So at the next meeting of the leaders of the "Normandy format" countries the issue of the release of Roman Sushchenko will be definitely raised, by many sides. There is also hope that U.S. State Department's Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker will also join the discussion on the release of journalist Sushchenko.

- So it means there is a substantial probability of resumption of exchanges, the return of Ukrainian political prisoners from Russia to Ukraine.

- Yes, there is. And in these conditions Moscow is taking some new actions. So to say, it is looking for its interests - besides the interests of those whom the Ukrainian side will present for exchange. The late Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky said in such cases: "Give me money! And something else." You see, the Russian leadership is of little concern about the fate of people to be given by Ukraine as a result of the exchange. They agree to the exchange itself only under international pressure. Therefore, it seems quite natural for them to get some extra bonuses in something else.

- The OSCE saw a reshuffle in the leadership in an important unit, whom you contacted in connection with the Sushchenko case. In mid-July, French Harlem Desir replaced Dunja Mijatovic as OSCE representative on freedom of the media.

- This is an important circumstance for us. Mr. Desir can personally remember Sushchenko as a journalist. Roman spoke with him in France while preparing some article. Sushchenko has now prepared an appeal to him. In the near future we hope to transfer it to the office in Vienna.

'HEAD-ON' PROPAGANDA

- You have recently said that a defamation campaign was organized against you. What is the situation at the moment?

- Well, as you can see, they failed to deprive me of my lawyer status. However, it was a large-scale campaign. But it was generally unprecedented. A person can be stripped of lawyer status for serious offenses, minor offenses, and crimes. But here were had a banal squabble in social networks. However, it did not end here. This campaign continued through blogger Anatoly Shariy. I was sure before, and I convince everyone now, that this is a person who has long been working against Ukraine. However, his masters have recently pulled him up to the Russian platform.

- Yes. It was a strange debut of Shariy in a popular program aired on the Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy. They usually invite well-publicized people, but here they had to explain to the audience for five to seven minutes who it was.

- But we know well who he is, for whom he works and from whom he gets money. Shariy has recently been working hard on two objects: me and Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. By the way, Roman Sushchenko, even in the period of journalistic work in Paris, also dealt with Shariy. Do you remember the story with Charlie Hebdo? Then there was a popular slogan "I'm Charlie!" Roman wrote that its author was a French journalist of Ukrainian origin. It was normal journalistic work. But Shariy then began to assert completely groundlessly that these are all fictions, insinuations. He insulted and soiled Sushchenko's work. The word "blogger" is now widely interpreted, but it fact Shariy cannot be considered a journalist, he is rather Putin's propagandist. Roman said that he might also write about him and the experience of encountering him... The late Boris Nemtsov told me how he came to the Ekho Moskvy radio station, how he agreed on his participation in programs, and how hard it was sometimes. But here it is not clear who gets the right to speak. And before that, the editor-in-chief of Ekho Moskvy, Alexei Venediktov, said that in the "dispute between Shariy and Feygin" he was on the side of Shariy. It is very interesting  then why will Venediktov not give the floor to Feygin, according to journalistic principles? Or why won't he say honestly that I'm in his stop list? I have already told the Ukrainian audience many times about the principles of Ekho Moskvy's work, and why the Kremlin needs it. There are crude propaganda tools, like the First Channel - this is for the great mass of the population. But Ekho Moskvy is an instrument of fine-tuning, focused on intellectuals. They give the content that attracts them, and the rest is a sophisticated editorial censorship in the interests of the Kremlin's propaganda. Shariy is no exception.

- You said that this campaign is organized personally by presidential aide Vladislav Surkov and his team?

- Yes. And the "blogger," about whom we speak more than he deserves, was also in the hacked correspondence of Surkov's reception office. Look at all these campaigns against me. As they say, "there never was such a thing, and then again." The Pussy Riot case, the case of Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko - when the situation reaches a certain level, an attack on the lawyer begins. Now it is exactly the same. Again, there are conversations that were at the very beginning: in the case of Sushchenko it is necessary to replace lawyer Feygin, and it is easy to guess with whom.

KREMLIN'S 'WORKBOOKS' IN UKRAINE'S INFORMATION SPACE

- With what it can be connected? When the situation reaches the level that the prospects of exchange are already visible, they do not want the bonuses to come to one lawyer, but to the other?

- It's not just that. Only my presence prevents them to agree on the conditions favorable to the Kremlin. Now there is a conditional prospect for the exchange of Sushchenko with Russian serviceman Viktor Ageyev, who was detained in Luhansk region. Ageyev's fault is quite obvious, acknowledged. Well, but Sushchenko should then (in Moscow's opinion) acknowledge his guilt.

- However, Nadia Savchenko did not plead guilty, but the exchange took place.

- Yes, there was a precedent. But they will still say so. Pay attention to how few people are among Ukrainian political prisoners who, in principle, did not admit their guilt. Now these are film director Oleh Sentsov (in August 2015, he was sentenced by a Russian court to 20 years in prison for trumped-up charges of "terrorist" activities) and Roman Sushchenko (he has been illegally held in the Lefortovo detention center since late September 20116 on suspicion of espionage). I understand there were different situations - abduction of detainees, torture. But also the personality of a lawyer is very important - his intransigence, adherence to principle in defending the interests and rights of the defendant. Sorry, but I again remember the statements of Shariy - just take Feygin away and he will pay for another lawyer of Roman Sushchenko. Quite eloquently! It looks like he reads it from his workbook. However, greater generalization is also relevant here, with the spread of the influence of such "workbooks" on the entire Ukrainian media space.

- I cannot understand. Could you please specify what you mean?

- You know my principle - not to talk about Ukrainian political cases and not to allow myself to interfere in Ukraine's internal policy. But the fact is that as a lawyer for Ukrainian political prisoners I find myself inscribed in the Ukrainian information agenda. I do not exaggerate my significance - I'm not so important there, but I occupy some peripheral place. And therefore I see a commonality of approaches, to me and my work in particular and to the whole situation in Ukraine... Surkov's position is the following  tanks are not needed to seize Ukraine. The seat of war has already been created - that's enough. And then it is necessary to give everybody a chance to quarrel within the country itself (especially when presidential elections in Ukraine will be held in less than two years). And everything is done for this - through informational influence, through political agents. I do not call them by their names, but I give a clear criterion for defining the Ukrainian media, which somehow work in favor of the Kremlin. This is the case if conversations about Russian aggression in Ukraine are not welcome, if the words about the "hand of Moscow" are ridiculed as a meaningless truism, and if they do not say about Russian domestic and foreign policy problems, shortcomings and about Putin's fault... In short, if the main thesis is "Why do you talk again about the Kremlin and Putin, we should not pay attention to them, but should deal with each other in our own affairs," then such a media outlet has a high probability of Moscow's engagement. This is not demonization, it's an information war. Of course, it's necessary to sort the things out and bring order to the country. But the external threat is the main reason for the destruction of order. Those who are stirring up the situation inside Ukraine, so that everyone quarrels with each other, and at the same time are trying not to say bad words about Putin work in favor of the Kremlin.

- The hearing of the Umerov case is continuing. Your Crimean colleagues report a lot about this. But what is your opinion on the current situation?

- In my opinion, we have recently had several undeniable achievements. Those who follow the Crimean processes know that Russian law enforcers have the so-called "expert" Ivanova who provides the necessary conclusions. We received a qualified, independent examination from reputable experts - a review of her conclusion on Ilmi Umerov's speech on the ATR television channel, for which he is being tried. The fact that the court did not deny us, but added this expertise to the case is very important. There is no doubt that the verdict will eventually be accusatory. It cannot be otherwise in the Russian justice in terms of political cases. But we will struggle to ensure that the sentence is suspended or, maybe, the case is limited to a fine. There are chances for this.

Oleh Kudrin, Riga
KAPOETA, South Sudan, 15 August 2017  It started around 6 p.m. one evening, shortly after supper. Regina Lotem had been warned about it for weeks and even though she tried to prevent it, she knew it might happen. Her five-year-old son Juma had been vomiting and had severe diarrhoea for several hours. If not treated properly, she knew his life could be at risk.

And so Regina rushed little Juma to the cholera treatment centre in her town of Na Pot Pot, South Sudan.

When I thought my child was going to die I wanted to die. I was so scared, says Regina holding little Juma close to her.

What followed were several grueling days of treatment for Juma and little sleep for Regina, who stayed with him as much as she could. Juma managed to recover, but he was one of the lucky ones.

South Sudan is in the middle of the most severe and protracted cholera outbreak in its history. Since the outbreak began in June 2016, a total of 17,242 cases and 320 deaths have been reported. In 2017 alone there have been 13,880 cases and 243 deaths. Nearly half of all reported cases are children aged up to 14 years.

The outbreak hit Reginas village and the surrounding Greater Kapoeta region in May this year, and has since escalated to over 4,042 reported cases as of 21 July.

In a country with malnutrition rates at an all-time high, a cholera outbreak poses a particularly dire threat to children. Malnourished children are highly susceptible to cholera and other diseases because of their weakened immune systems, and those who do contract cholera can quickly become even more malnourished. This creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition that is deadly for children.

UNICEF is working with partners to provide training and support for activities that engage and educate communities about cholera prevention and treatment. Trained staff go to affected areas to spread the word through community theatre, door-to-door visits and meetings with community leaders. Radio jingles and interviews on stations across the country have already reached 1.4 million people, and a telephone hotline helps answer individual concerns and queries about cholera.
German customs officers say they have found and destroyed 20 rotten snake heads found in a package that had arrived from Nigeria.

A spokeswoman for Munichs main customs office said Wednesday that officers discovered the snake parts when they X-rayed a three-kilogram package last week.

Marie Mueller said that when officers then opened the parcel the stench of the rotten snake heads was simply overwhelming and unbearable.

Mueller said the snake heads were immediately burned to prevent the spread of possible diseases.

She said the customs office has repeatedly intercepted packages from western Africa with snake heads which are sent to Germany as a delicacy.
At a graduation ceremony held earlier this month, Prime Minister Hun Sen launched into a tirade against his opponents, whom he accused of longing for his death. He issued a warning: people hoping for his end would be targeted by the armed forces and the country, in his absence, would fall into a state of social unrest.

If the prime minister dies, there will be no government; everything will be dissolved. There will be no deputy prime ministers, ministers, meaning that the Kingdom will have no leader. If theres no leader, what will happen? It will be very dangerous, he said.

The armed forces are ready to take action and do what they want to do. It is better for Hun Sen to stay alive. If you pray for Hun Sens death, you will also easily die.

Man of power

Human rights observers, however, say that while Hun Sens more than 30-year grip on Cambodia may seem unshakable, his rule cannot last forever.

The moment that a politician believes that he is indispensable to the effective running of the country, red flags should go up, said Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Asia division. What this shows is the mindset of the leader who forgotten the idea that governments are supposed to help people and make their lives better, not prey upon them through extortion a duplicity.

What we have seen from Hun Sen is that he believes that only he can maintain security and stability and he's prepared to abuse whatever rights he needs to in order to keep control, he added.

Robertson declined to comment on whether Hun Sens government was on shaky ground, the premiers comments seem to indicate concerns over the outcome of Cambodias political future.

The profit you gain from Hun Sens death is smaller than keeping Hun Sen alive, he said. I want to be clear about this. At the moment, Hun Sen is in control of all armed forces.

The comments come after rumors the prime minister was suffering from an unspecified health condition, prompting discussion over the ruling Cambodian Peoples Partys plans for the eventuality that he should pass away.

Grip on power

Sebastian Strangio, an author of Hun Sens Cambodia, said Hun Sen thought of himself as indispensable to the nation and he could not say whether the premier would accept a peaceful transfer of power if the opposition won next years general election.

It's true there's not really any independent institution ... that can pick up from Hun Sen if he would step down from power. [H]is authority remains central to the preservation of ... political stability in the country at the moment. And this is one of the weaknesses of his legacy ... that for all the prime minister's achievements over the last 20 or 30 years, there's no guarantee that his achievements will outlive the prime minister himself, he said.

Hun Sen has been careful not to reveal a potential successor, while Strangio said the structure of the CPP ensures that he cannot make the decision himself. His insistence that he is necessary to prevent conflict could be an attempt to lay the groundwork to transfer power to one of his sons, Strangio said.

I think that you know that ultimately he wants to hand power to probably one of his children but the question is whether they're ready and whether the other powerful people in the CPP will accept them as the leaders, he added.

Potential successors

Sophal Ear, associate professor of diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said in an email that it was possible technocrats from the CPP could replace Hun Sen when the time came, which could include his son, Hun Manet, education minister Hang Chuon Naron and Sun Chanthol, public works minister.

Sar Kheng, the interior minister, and Tea Banh, the defense minister, were also possible candidates to rule in the event of Hun Sens death, he said, with Kheng the most likely successor.

The natural interim (if not permanent) choice is Interior Minister Sar Kheng. This would be seen as a move to protect the late Chea Sims faction, with implicit agreement to keep in place the dominant faction currently in control of much of the government, he wrote.
More than 130,000 Cambodian students will sit the high school exams next week, three years after the government tightened anti-cheating rules.

In the first year, the rules were changed, just a quarter of students passed the exam, but rather than seeking new ways to beat the system, students concerned they will fail are now seeking out private tutors online.

While private tutoring has been available for many years, online learning has only recently started to take off with the spread of cheap technology.

Mao Sereyvitou, 19, a high school student from Hun Sen Trapaing Prasat in Oddor Meanchey province, has taken up online learning for the first time to prepare for his upcoming math exam.

The reason I take online learning classes is that I can learn new techniques. I can broaden my knowledge for the high school exams, he said, adding that he started the online classes, which cost $10 per month, after seeing an advertisement on Facebook.

I think this online learning course is great, as students can get the same lessons, teaching techniques, and exercises as people in the city.

Though patchy Internet connections can be a problem for rural students, they supplement them with face-to-face lessons to fill in the gaps.

Sim Sereivuth, 19, from Phnom Penhs Boeung Trabek high school, said even for students in the city, the classes were helpful.

I have enough time to take online classes as I take them in the evening and its better than going to learn at school.

Social media, particularly Facebook, has become a tool for young Cambodians to entertain themselves, interact with friends, but also a way to expand their knowledge. Some 2 million 18 to 24-year-olds now use Facebook in the country.

One entrepreneur who is hoping to move into this market is Choeurn Saron, who works for Globalive, a popular online learning website for students preparing for their math and chemistry exams.

Students can use the app on their computers or smartphones anywhere with an Internet connection.

Some 200 students have signed up so far, and can also use the app to live video chat with instructors.

Online learning is a very effective way of learning because they can listen to the teacher very well, he said.

They can interact immediately when they have questions.

Neang Bo, 46, an online math teacher, said taking the classes online was not so different from extracurricular classes at school.

I think the online courses will help Cambodian students get access to education from renowned teachers and they can learn similar lessons as students in Phnom Penh, he said.

Additional Report by Sun Narin
US READY TO TALK WITH NORTH KOREA US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson suggests Washington is open to talks between Washington and Pyongyang. VOA State Department Correspondent Nike Ching and VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin discuss the military threat against Guam by North Korea, the status of the standoff and diplomatic efforts to end the crisis.
Auto industry groups from Canada, Mexico and the United States are pushing back against the Trump administration's demand for higher U.S. automotive content in a modernized North American Free Trade Agreement.

At talks underway this week in Washington, automaker and parts groups from all three countries were urging negotiators against tighter rules of origin, said Eduardo Solis, president of the Mexican Automotive Industry Association.

But U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer confirmed the industry's fears that the administration of President Donald Trump was seeking major changes to these rules to try to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico.

Rules of origin, particularly on autos and auto parts, must require higher NAFTA content and substantial U.S. content. Country of origin should be verified, not deemed, Lighthizer said on Wednesday in opening remarks.

Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM represented

Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland both said they were not in favor of specific national rules of origin within NAFTA  a position that the industry agrees with.

We certainly think a U.S.-specific requirement would greatly complicate the ability of companies, particularly small- and medium-size enterprises, to take advantage of the benefits of NAFTA, said Matt Blunt, president of the American Automotive Policy Council.

The trade group represents Detroit automakers General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler.

His comments were echoed by Flavio Volpe, president of Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association.

Anytime you say this list or a part of this list has to come from one specific country you're going to hurt all three countries, he said.

Deficits can't continue to grow

The United States had an autos and auto parts trade deficits of $74 billion with Mexico and $5.6 billion with Canada, both major components of overall U.S. goods trade deficits with its North American neighbors  deficits that Lighthizer said could no longer continue.

Lighthizer's mention of tightening verification requirements is a reference to expanding the parts tracing list, which is used to determine whether companies meet the 62.5 percent North American content requirement for autos and 60 percent for components.

Devised in the early 1990s, the tracing list covers almost none of the sophisticated electronics found in today's cars and trucks, most of which come from Asia. Putting these on the tracing list could force suppliers to source these components from North America or pay tariffs on them.

Software content a new issue

Volpe said any changes to this must also capture the North American system design work and software content for these components that is not currently included.

A car today probably has 25 to 30 percent advanced electronics, software content in it. In 1994, it had zero or 1 percent, Volpe said. Could you address the tracing to help you get to NAFTA compliance level by capturing some of the work that's being done in Silicon Valley or Waterloo, Canada? Yes.

John Bozzella CEO of the Association of Global Automakers, which represents international-brand carmakers, said NAFTA has allowed a major expansion of auto exports, with more than 1 million more vehicles built annually in the United States than in 1993.

Negotiators should be mindful of this success as they work to modernize the agreement, Bozzella said, whose organization represents international brand carmakers with U.S. plants, including Toyota, Honda and BMW.
Britain said on Thursday it was "confident" talks with the European Union would move toward discussing their future relationship by October, in contrast to warnings from the top EU negotiator that the target is receding.

Prime Minister Theresa May's government wants to push the discussion beyond the divorce settlement soon, to offer companies some assurance of what to expect after Britain leaves the EU in March 2019.

But the bloc has repeated that until there is "sufficient progress" in the first stage of talks on the rights of expatriates, Britain's border with EU member Ireland and a financial settlement, officials cannot consider future ties.

Last month, the EU's top Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said talks on future relations had become less likely to start in October because of a lack of progress on the "divorce."

"Government officials are working at pace and we are confident we will have made sufficient progress by October to advance the talks to the next phase," a spokeswoman for Britain's Department for Exiting the European Union said in a statement Thursday.

"As the Secretary of State [Brexit minister David Davis] has said, it is important that both sides demonstrate a dynamic and flexible approach to each round of the negotiations."

A spokesperson for the European Commission, the EU's executive, said the two sides had agreed on the talks' structure: "The next round will be in the week of 28 August."

On Wednesday, unidentified sources were quoted by Britain's Sky News as saying the two sides might have to delay talks on their post-Brexit relationship until December because they would not make the progress required by the EU.

Future certainty

British businesses have demanded more certainty from the government over how a relationship with the EU will work after Brexit, saying they cannot make investment decisions otherwise.

According to a survey of 200 chief financial officers across Britain and other parts of Europe by Reuters, a majority of businesses are yet to change their strategic planning because of Brexit.

While 69 percent of businesses said they had not seen an impact from the vote on their strategic planning, 21 percent of the CFOs reported they had held off from expanding in Britain.

Confidence among CFOs in May's ability to secure a positive deal for business is 3.5 out of 10, the survey showed.

Possibly responding to criticism that it is not prepared for the talks, May's government this week published proposals for a future customs arrangement and for the border between Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland.

Both suggested that Britain wanted to mirror much of what is already in place, to reduce friction at borders, and said there should be no border posts or immigration checks between Ireland and the north.

But this would mean EU citizens wishing to enter Britain could do so by traveling to Ireland and crossing the border unchecked  something that is likely to antagonize many Britons who said that controlling immigration was a major reason for their referendum vote last year in favor of Brexit.

The EU is also likely to balk at the proposal, as it would be unlikely to accept the possibility of a free flow of non-EU standard goods into member state Ireland if Britain left the bloc's customs union and single market.

An even more difficult part of the talks might be how much Britain should pay the EU when it leaves in March 2019. While saying it will meet its responsibilities on the "Brexit bill," Britain has questioned suggestions from the EU that it must pay around 60 billion euros.
The number of asylum seekers who illegally crossed the U.S. border into Canada more than tripled last month, according to Canadian government data released Thursday, as migrants worried about the U.S. administration's immigration crackdown head north.

More than 3,100 people walked across the border illegally in July to file refugee claims and were arrested, up from 884 in June, the federal government said.

Ninety-six percent of them went to Quebec, where an influx of asylum seekers, primarily Haitians, is sparking a backlash from opposition politicians and anti-immigrant groups in the primarily French-speaking province.

In the first 15 days of August, an additional 3,800 asylum seekers were arrested crossing the U.S. border into Quebec, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. More than 1,000 people are living in tents and government facilities at a Lacolle, Quebec border crossing across from upstate New York.

"It's not a crisis. It's a situation that is extraordinary. But it's well-managed," Transport Minister Marc Garneau told reporters in Lacolle on Thursday.

Canada is struggling to house and provide social assistance for the influx of asylum seekers as its refugee system faces the worst delays in years.

The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), which is responsible for hearing all asylum claims, has redeployed resources to deal with the Quebec arrivals.

"The IRB had to make adjustments to be in a position to respond to the current situation that is clearly unsustainable," spokeswoman Anna Pape said in an email.

Canada has launched a campaign to counter misinformation about the country's refugee policy, which is believed to be one reason for the influx of refugees.

"Asking for asylum in Canada is not a guarantee for permanent residence in Canada, and it's extremely important we stress that," immigration ministry spokesman Louis Dumas told reporters.

Criticism of Trudeau

Conservative parliamentarian Michelle Rempel, her party's immigration critic, said the government steps are a "Band-Aid" solution.

"This situation started with Prime Minister Trudeau's irresponsible tweets and he has a responsibility to fix it," Rempel said in a statement, referring to January tweets Trudeau sent touting Canada's welcome of refugees after a U.S. travel ban was unveiled.

A Trudeau spokesman said the government has been consistent on the issue of refugees: "Canada welcomes immigrants ... that said, there are laws and processes in place for people seeking asylum and our government is sending a clear message."

Many of the most recent asylum seekers arriving in Quebec have been Haitians who face looming deportation from the United States when their temporary protected status expires in January 2018.

Canada ended its own ban on deportations to Haiti last summer. In the first quarter of this year, almost two-thirds of Haitian refugee claims were rejected, according to government figures.

The spike in asylum seekers has sparked protests by anti-migrant groups who say Canada is being soft on law-breakers.

The Montreal suburb of Boucherville has received dozens of messages on social media denouncing the asylum seekers, some of whom are being housed at a former seniors' home in the quiet suburb, according to local media reports. Montreal, Quebec's biggest city, opened its Olympic Stadium to house the arrivals.

Sylvain Brouillette, a spokesman for right-wing extremist group La Meute, which is organizing a Quebec City protest on Sunday, said his group is protesting the "policies of the Trudeau government toward illegal immigration."
The mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia, has called for the removal of Confederate monuments like the statue at the center of a white nationalist rally last week that turned violent.

Mayor Mike Signer called for a special session of the Virginia General Assembly to let Virginias cities and towns decide the fate of their Confederate monuments.

However, a spokesman for the states governor, Democrat Terry McAuliffe, said he would not call a special session while the issue is being decided in court.

Signer said recent clashes over race and the monuments had turned equestrian statues into lightning rods.

We can, and we must, respond by denying the Nazis and the KKK and the so-called alt-right the twisted totem they seek,'' Signer said in a statement.

"Whether they go to museums, cemeteries, or other willing institutions, it is clear that they no longer can be celebrated in shared civic areas," he added.

Charlottesvilles plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee was at the center of last Saturdays white supremacist rally in Charlottesville that left three people dead and 19 others injured. One woman was killed when a car plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters.

The city council voted in February to remove the statue of Lee, but opponents sued in March, saying the city didnt have that power under state law.

Following last weeks violence, U.S. President Donald Trump drew criticism for initially addressing the violence in broad terms and not singling out the white nationalists. He also was sharply rebuked, including by fellow Republicans, for blaming the violence on both sides not just the white nationalist rally organizers, but also the activists who opposed them.

On Thursday, President Trump said it is "so foolish" for American cities to be removing statues commemorating Confederate generals and soldiers who fought on the losing side of the country's 19th century Civil War.

The Civil War is a seminal event in American history, fought from 1861 to 1865. Eleven states left the union in part over Southern landowners' demands to own slaves. It ended with Union troops prevailing but with 620,000 lives lost, many more injured and much of the South devastated.
Seafood importers in northeastern China took to the streets as they watched frozen product melt in trucks blocked from crossing the countrys border with North Korea, after Beijing began enforcing a new round of economic sanctions.

In spite of the public outcry at home, calls from abroad are urging China to play a bigger role in sanctioning Pyongyang amid escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula.

But analysts say Beijing does not want to become a target of retaliation and lacks influence in North Korea - despite its longstanding ties with the isolated country.

Outcry from seafood importers

China issued a notice Tuesday evening to stop imports of iron, lead, coal and seafood from Pyongyang, effective the next day.

That caught seafood importers in Jilin province off guard, causing them to rush truckloads of frozen seafood from Pyongyang before midnight.

A video clip from Chinese social media showed that a bridge along the border was jam-packed with dozens of truck containers stuffed with crabs, shrimp and squid, which were melting and risked being spoiled within those final hours.

Images online further showed that a protest ensued.

Traders in the small city of Hunchun, where North Korean imports had long underpinned a thriving business, held out banners demanding compensation for their losses  signs that China has acted on the U.N. resolution to toughen up against Pyongyang.

Theres nothing we can do but await words from the government, said Lang Yulin, sales vice president of a local trader. Our company has suffered more than 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) in losses 4 million yuan losses from frozen product and another 6 million yuan in investment losses, he said, adding that 70 percent of company sales used to come from North Korean seafood.

Chinas leadership role

Analysts in Beijing say China deserves credit for paying a price to enforce tougher sanctions that have, they say, to some extent forced Pyongyang to call off this weeks plan to launch missiles toward Guam.

And they say that while China has demonstrated its leadership, its proposal of double suspension  a halt to Pyongyangs nuclear development and U.S.-South Korea military drills  has failed to garner support from the relevant countries.

China is pushing for a certain [level of] compromise. This is leadership [although] Chinas leadership role is not welcomed by both North Korea and the U.S., said Shen Dingli, dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University.

The professor lauded China for being more pragmatic than Pyongyang and Washington, both of which he said have gone from one extreme to the other with no middle ground.

The U.S. has long accused Beijing of doing too little to curb its nuclear-armed neighbor, whose recent advance in testing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S. mainland has sent shockwaves around the world.



Declining influence

In face of growing calls for China to contain North Korea, many observers in Beijing argue the world may have overestimated Chinas influence over Kim Jong Un, leader of the North.

In recent years, Sino-North Korea relations have deteriorated over many issues and hit a new low. Its getting more and more difficult for the Chinese government to influence the North, said Cai Jian of Fudan University.

What we [China] can do now is to work as a go-between, urging self-restraint from both parties, he added.

Zhao Tong, a fellow researcher with CarnegieTsinghua Center for Global Policy, agreed, saying China cannot afford to get too entangled in the mess triggered by the U.S. to invite retaliation from Kim.

Possible retaliation

If China takes the initiative in exerting economic pressures that threaten the fate of the North Korea regime, it is highly likely that Pyongyang will turn hostile against China as it is toward the U.S., Zhao said.

Pyongyang is likely to use its nuclear and missile capabilities to threaten China once the Norths regime feels insecure and begins to see China as a threat, he said.

The researcher added that Kim is quick in stamping out any potential rivalry from within that he suspects may collaborate with foreign powers, including China, to topple him, as evidenced by his ruthless execution of his own uncle and other officials believed to be pro-Beijing.

Crisis far from over

Both Cai and Zhao warned the Korean peninsula crisis is far from over, as the planned U.S.-South Korea war games next week may give Kim another excuse to resume his missile tests.

While holding the U.S. responsible for the crisis, China is, however, beginning to see Pyongyang as a liability, according to Sun Zhe, a professor of international studies at Tsinghua University.

If the crisis gets out of control, China cant avoid its share of consequences, which include a possible flood of North Korean refugees - reasons that it cannot afford to sit on the sidelines.

However, the professor said China hasnt yet adjusted its policy toward Pyongyang for fear of tilting the strategic balance of power in the region.

As a result of traditional inclination, China isnt ready to give up its longstanding ties with Pyongyang, Sun said. That combines with many other complexities, including Chinas concerns over the [deployment of] Terminal High Altitude Area Defense [in South Korea] and mounting pressures from the U.S. Hence, Chinas policy toward Pyongyang hasnt factored in its growing anxiety, discontent and complaints about the North as a result of its considerations to maintain a strategic balance, he added.

Brian Kopczynski contributed to this report.
As U.S.-backed forces continue to make slow progress in their offensive to oust Islamic State (IS) from its self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa, thousands of civilians who are trapped in the city face an increasing danger of getting caught in crossfire, rights organizations and local activists warn.

Officials from the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) say their battle against IS has entered a fierce and grueling phase in the densely populated neighborhoods of the city, as the terrorist group tries various tactics to keep its stronghold.

"This fight has become a matter of life and death for both sides," Mustafa Bali, a spokesperson for the SDF, told VOA.

Bali said IS militants are increasingly using suicide car bombs, snipers, drones and tunnels to hinder SDF advances.

"But what distinguishes the operation for Raqqa from all other cities is the degree to which IS thugs use civilians as human shields," he said.

He added that IS has forced civilians to remain in their homes so coalition forces avoid airstrikes in those areas.

Despite IS tactics, the SDF was able to advance slightly from the southeast of the city, Bali said. As the forces marched forward, SDF's special units rescued nearly 250 civilians early Thursday.

Claims of civilians killed in airstrikes

Meanwhile, rights organizations and activists continue to express concerns about the rising death tolls among civilians in the besieged city.

Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Wednesday said an escalated shelling of Raqqa by the U.S.-led coalition warplanes since Monday has left nearly 60 residents dead, including 30 children and women.

The group said it expects the death toll to rise as recovery units continue to find missing bodies under the rubble.

Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, told reporters on Wednesday that coalition jets have conducted more than 200 airstrikes against IS positions in Raqqa this week alone. He did not directly comment on the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights' findings.

Speaking with reporters during a phone briefing from Baghdad, Dillon talked about the stiff resistance the SDF forces are facing from about 2,500 IS fighters who still hold about 45 percent of the city.

He added that the jihadist group has centralized much of its operations and many of its fighters in densely populated areas and high-rise buildings, including the city's main hospital, in an effort to slow down the ongoing siege.

"They have fortified the complex, created tunnels for access, and are hiding among women and children who have nowhere else to go," Dillon said.

The United Nations estimates there are still nearly 25,000 civilians trapped inside the city. The agency has called upon the U.S.-led coalition and the SDF to increase their efforts to open safe corridors for the remaining civilians to flee.

"The worst place probably today in Syria is the part of Raqqa that is still held by the so-called Islamic state," Jan Egeland, the U.N.'s humanitarian adviser for Syria, told reporters on Thursday.

IS landmines

Hussam Eesa, a founder of the anti-IS monitoring group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, told VOA that many residents who escape airstrikes and IS snipers fall victim to the landmines planted by IS.

Eesa said about 350,000 residents have managed to escape the city, making it to nearby towns and villages under SDF control. But he said they continue to suffer from lack of basic services.

"The SDF areas are safer off course," Eesa said. "But there is a lack of aid and increased restriction on civilian movement in refugee camps."
Kenyan electoral officials should release local result forms from last week's disputed presidential election, says the head of the European Union mission that monitored the vote.

More than a week after the election, Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has yet to release all the vote totals from individual polling stations and constituency-level tallying centers.

The issue has taken on urgency, as opposition leader Raila Odinga said the election was rigged to favor the official winner, President Uhuru Kenyatta, and the opposition is expected to file a challenge with the Supreme Court.

Marietje Schaake, chief observer of the European Union mission that monitored the vote, said the IEBC needs to act.

We are still looking to get publicized all the official forms indicating the outcome per polling stations and per tallying center. So we are looking to the election commission for that, she told VOA in a phone interview Thursday.

Schaake's mission said that releasing results forms at all levels would give Kenyans greater confidence in the election process.

"Online availability of the ... forms, would enable all stakeholders to examine the accuracy of the announced results and point to any possible anomalies. Provision of information and statistics would also help promote confidence through transparency, the EU mission said in a statement this week.



Timely release critical

The statement said the timely release of the information is critical, given that petitions relating to the presidential race must be filed within seven days of the results announcement. Friday marks one week since the IEBC announced election results.

Schaake said the EU mission cannot examine Odinga's allegations on its own.



We as election observers are not investigators. We cant look into all the systems and assess all the claims. What we can do is look at whether the Kenyan competent authorities are addressing these kinds of complaints or challenges properly, she said.

However, she said the EU mission is concerned about possible intimidation of rights groups, two of which have had their licenses threatened by government bodies since the election.



Those NGOs were very important in democratization in Kenya and they were seen as possible challengers of the result before the court," she said.

The official results showed Kenyatta defeating Odinga 54 percent to 45 percent in the August 8 election. The EU team and other observers have called on Kenyans to refrain from violence while the election process continues.

Political and ethnic violence after the disputed 2007 election killed some 1,100 Kenyans.

Schaake declined to say whether this year's election was credible but said, "Conceding gracefully is part of the democratic process. I believe in it."
Operating since 1875, the Kraemer family is one of the biggest names in the antique dealing world. Based in Paris, the family business specializes in 17th and 18th century French antiques, with a particular focus on the reigns of King Louis XIV through XVI.

Mikael Kraemer, a fifth generation art expert who serves as the familys international ambassador, has found himself increasingly based in Asia over the past five years and in particular in Macau. Speaking to the Times this month, the specialist said that he has a great admiration for the territory and the lure of the city keeps drawing him back.

This is partly why he is involved, behind the scenes, in art and antiques exhibitions in Macau.

Currently, Kraemer Gallery is loaning several French antiques to the A Golden Way of Life  TresOrs exhibition at MGM Macau.

The exhibition celebrates gold in art, jewellery and antiques throughout recent European history. Though the pieces on display date from the past several hundred years, the yellow, precious metal has held a special place in the hearts of countless ancient civilizations.

For Kraemer, gold is the most precious material in the world and his family knows its value better than most.

To give you an example, he told the Times in an interview, my family is Jewish and had to hide during World War II and take refuge in the south of France. They needed some help and had gold coins with them that they could give to those people [who helped them]. I can tell you: A gold coin at the time of the war would have been very appreciated by those people.

While the Kraemer family used their wealth to escape persecution, national governments were acting similarly. Enormous quantities of gold were evacuated by several countries ahead of the Nazi advance in World War II, so as to prevent it falling into the invaders possession. The scale of these gold evacuation operations is testament to the important of the material even in the present day.

Kraemer sat down with the Times to talk about his involvement in and fascination with Macau, how the art world is maturing in the city, and why golds value is seemingly eternal.

Macau Daily Times (MDT)  Your family has operated out of the French capital for nearly 150 years. Why did you choose to venture into the East?

Mikael Kraemer (MK)  I started [working in Asia] five years ago in Singapore with Marina Bay Sands ArtScience Museum, then at the 1881 Heritage in Kowloon, and later at the IFC in Pudong, Shanghai.

I remember that when I was training in the art industry, people always used to look at me like Kraemer Junior, the fifth generation. But when I started to live in Asia, I really became Mikael Kraemer, and expanded our company presence here, when nobody knew about us five years ago.

I see it like I am living the Asian dream; when everyone used to [want] the American one. I thought it was a smarter move to start from the East.

MDT  In the past five years, you have found yourself spending more and more time in Macau. What is the lure of this city for you?

MK  I have a very strong affection for Macau and its cultural history. Macau is developing itself into a real cultural hub in Asia. And they know how to do it because the Macanese are really in love with their city. And this will come for sure  very easily  because Macau is sitting on a heritage gold mine. The gold is still here, I can tell. Its like a holy land of Asia.

I am not able to mention the names of my clients  for confidentiality reasons  but my family has been operating for over 142 years in the art business in Paris and our first two Asian clients were Macanese. Thats Macanese from Macau. Only later did we have clients in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo, Singapore, and Thailand.

There is also a quality of life in Macau that you dont find in that many cities in Asia. After you have been traveling, you are always happy to return to Macau.

MDT  There are many cultural hubs in Asia. Why Macau?

MK  My first time in Asia was in 2002 and I was travelling together with my parents and a friend of mine. We arrived at The Peninsula in Hong Kong and I said to the concierge: Its our first time here, we are looking to visit the city and we are interested in art and exhibitions. We are here for three days. What can you recommend?

The concierge looked at me very surprised and said: Mr Kraemer Jr., you are in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, there are no museums. There are only two things I can advise you on: shopping and restaurants.

That was our first contact with Asia and we couldnt believe it. In fact, we thought it was a joke. So instead we travelled to Macau and visited some of museums here.

The Macau Museum of Art is one of the best museums in Asia  after Beijing and Shanghai  its one of the best, but people dont know about it. And there are others. The MGM ArtSpace team, managed by Christina Kuok, is the most professional team Ive met in Asia.

MDT  Tell us about your involvement in the exhibition at MGM, A Golden Way of Life  TresOrs, and why it is all about gold.

MK  Gold is the most precious material in the world. From the Incas to the Greeks to the present day, gold has always been considered [precious].

Paper currencies go up and down. The deutsche mark or the French franc; how many currencies from the 18th century are still with us today? My parents were born in the time of the old French francs, then it became the new francs, and then about 16 years ago it became the euro.

At the end of the day, gold might be the only thing with real trade value. Gold has eternal value and so to have a lot of gold in art makes sense. For a long time, weve had gold sculptures, some artefacts gilded in gold leaf.

Even though when you sell gold you have to pay a tax  it doesnt matter  because you know this has real value that anyone in the world will be looking to buy. At a time of war or uncertainty, the price of gold will always rise.

MDT  The Kraemer Gallery lent some antiques to a recent exhibition at the Macau Museum of Art for Russian-born, local artist Konstantin Bessmertny. What is your connection with the artist?

MK  Konstantin and I met three years ago through [mutual] Russian friends in Hong Kong and since then we have always talked about doing something together. I really like his way of speaking about art as well as his talent. Everybody told me: If you go to Macau, you need to meet with Konstantin Bessmertny. He is the best artist in town.

Konstantin asked me if he could borrow some of the French antiques related to gambling from my familys collection. I said I was more than happy to help with this. We had gaming cards, chairs and some [miscellaneous] artefacts like candlesticks.

When I arrived and saw the installation, all the pieces were put on top of each other like a pyramid. He didnt ask me, can I use it like this or like that, he was given a carte blanche, meaning that I closed my eyes, letting him do whatever he wants. I loved it, I really thought that his creativity and imagination was perfect.

I like Konstantins way of dealing [art]. He is not after the speculative investment that most collectors look for today. I think he has a philosophy or view about the world and about art and I have admired [that] for a long time now.

MDT  From your experience working in Macau, is there a market for antiques here?

MK  Yes, there is a market, and we need museum directors, art curators, art historians, interior designers, brokers, and many others that make up the art family. Auctions are doing very well here and they bring new record prices. This is good for us because we can sell at higher prices.

So, there is a market, but I am afraid there are too many speculators [in it], and those speculators may face sooner or later a nasty surprise.

A good friend of mine, from a very old dealer family, once said: On the day your painting isnt worth anything, you dont love it anymore. And its true.

This is why I always advise that if you buy a piece of art, buy it because you love it.

Most of the Chinese art collectors do not resell [their purchases]. They buy with the idea of transmission to their children and their grandchildren. This is the best way.

MDT  How does working with an Asian or Chinese customer base differ from your experience in the West?

MK  It is a great time to be a French [person] living in Asia.

I would not have been able to do in Paris what I have been doing here. Everything in France takes more time and has to go through so many processes of validation.

Of course, its also very important when you sell to a Chinese collector that you have all the proper documentation to import into China. One day they may need to bring the piece to Hong Kong [] and they will need the documents.

[But] in Asia, I have direct access to the top people  the owners or CEOs  and they make the decision. Then the people below them executive it. So things result from a drink, or dinner or conversation. We shake hands  often not even signing a contract  because there is trust [between us]. So far, I have not had a single disappointment here.

Kraemer collection loaning antiques to MGM

A Golden Way of Life  TresOrs is showing at the MGM Art Space until September 3, as part of the Le French May Silver Jubilee Celebrations. The exhibition invites the public to explore a collection of over 250 gold creations and artifacts, all of which were made between the 17th century and the present day.

Mikael Kraemer and the Kraemer Gallery have contributed several historical pieces to the exhibition, including an original edition of the worlds first Chinese-Latin dictionary, a personal travel box of King Louis XIII, and a sedan chair that most likely belonged to an aristocratic family in 18th century France.

Positioned by the entrance to the exhibition is the sedan chair  a portable covered chair powered by human labor  which dates from the 1770s. It was created to transport high-ranking individuals such as royalty and high aristocracy.

Kraemer said that the original coat of arms of the family would have been printed in the middle of the sedan chair.

During the French revolution, they wanted to stay more discreet and so removed the family crest, he told the Times. You can tell it was a [wealthy] family because the piece is so beautiful, but we still dont know which [family].

Another gold-adorned, historical item from the Kraemer collection is a personal travel box that once belonged to King Louis XIII.

Made almost entirely of leather and stamped with the coat of arms of France, with the L [for Louis] surrounded by the crown, the necklace of the holy spirit and the cross of the Order of Saint Michael Only the king himself could use this piece.

According to historians who worked to identify the piece and connect it to the French king, it was probably used for carrying writing equipment.

Louis XIII liked to write himself, and we know of many letters written by him, said Kraemer. I like to say that this was like his personal laptop computer.

A third piece, the Chinese-Latin dictionary, belonged to a 19th century Jesuit who traveled from France to China and learned the Chinese language along the way.

The very first of its kind, according to Kraemer, the dictionary was published in 1742 and is divided into three columns for the ease of its users. The middle column contains the Chinese ideograms, with the left column providing an accompanying guide to their pronunciation. The column on the right shows the Latin translation.

Although work on it was started in 1702 under the patronage of King Louis XIV, its 400 pages took around 40 years to compile at an astronomical cost of 16,000 gold coins.

This would be a lot of money [in todays terms], but three hundred years ago this might correspond to the price of building the Eiffel Tower or something similar, said Kraemer.

There are just 12 known copies of the book in the world, down from the 200 copies made at the end of the 18th century. One is held in the French National Library, another in the Vatican Library, two or three in private collections and the rest with universities in Britain and the U.S.

This piece belongs to me personally, and I am currently looking for a museum in China to welcome it as a permanent donation.

Kraemer says he is looking for the most appropriate museum to donate it to, probably in Beijing or Shanghai.

No Chinese museum has a copy which is nonsense, said the antiques collector. Daniel Beitler
A group of Cambodian girls who recently traveled to California to compete in a mobile app competition offered inspiration for other girls worldwide to consider careers in technology.

Their pitch in Silicon Valley wasn't a bid to be the next billion-dollar company. Instead, they want to help their country with a mobile phone application to address poverty.

"Let's fight poverty by using our app. Don't find customers for your product, find products for your customers," said Lorn Dara Soucheng, 12, who led the team that created the app, Cambodian Identity Product.

"We want to increase employment for Cambodians, so there will be a reduction of Cambodian migrants to work at other countries, reducing poverty through making income and providing charity to local Cambodians," Chea Sopheata, 11, told the judges at Google's headquarters. Google was one of the program's sponsors.

To participate in the Aug. 7-11 Technovation global competition, girls around the world had to build a mobile app  and a business plan  that addressed a U.N. development goal. The Cambodian girls picked poverty.

While globalization has boosted Cambodia's economic growth, especially its tourism industry, it has also created greater economic inequality and competition. The girls think their app can help.

"We want to promote our culture to people from all over the world," said Lorn Dara Soucheng.

At their young age, no one expects these girls to be able to solve their country's most pressing issues quite yet. But their presence here highlighted another issue: girls in tech fields.

In the U.S. and worldwide, the number of women in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) remains low or even has dropped.

In Cambodia, just 14 percent of students in information technology were women as of 2010. It's a situation some attribute to a lack of equal access to education and a lack of female role models.

It's hoped that programs like Technovation can reverse that trend.

"For the first time in history, technology can really help girls have a strong voice and help us have a society that has equality," said Tara Chklovski, founder and CEO of Iridescent, the nonprofit organization behind Technovation.

These young Cambodian girls have proved how far they can go with technology. Most come from underprivileged backgrounds but had support from teachers, mentors and family.

Cambodian American Pauline Seng, a program manager at Google, said the young coders have become role models for many other Cambodians, including herself. She didn't get into technology until she was 23.

"There's going to be so many people who aspire to reach this stage and also inspire other people to get involved in technology," she said.

Although the Cambodian girls did not win the grand prize, which went to a team from Hong Kong, they were proud to have made it to Google and Silicon Valley.

After watching the male CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai, speak at the closing ceremony, the girls said they believed the tech giant would one day have a female leader.

"Yes!" they said, in unison.

Whether that will come true or not, they have themselves already become the youngest role models to inspire others, one girl at a time.

Deana Mitchell contributed to this report, which originated on VOA Khmer.
A radical Islamic cleric granted an early release from prison to mark Indonesias Independence Day has been re-arrested for alleged involvement in several militant attacks.



Aman Abdurrahman, who has led an Islamic State group-affiliated militant network from prison, was among more than 90,000 inmates granted sentence reductions for Thursdays national holiday.



Ibnu Chuldun, who heads the Justice Ministrys provincial office in Central Java, said Friday that Abdurrahman was transferred from Nusa Kambangan prison island to a paramilitary police detention center near Jakarta.



Chuldun said the cleric is being questioned about his role in attacks including a January 2016 suicide bombing in central Jakarta that killed four civilians and four attackers.



Abdurrahman was serving a nine-year sentence for helping set up a jihadi training camp in a remote mountainous area of Aceh in 2010. He was released on parole in 2008 from a seven-year sentence for a failed plot that involved a bomb prematurely detonating at his home.



Police say the 45-year-old, whose real name is Oman Rochman, was the main Indonesian translator for IS propaganda and led Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a network of almost two dozen Indonesian extremist groups that formed in 2015.



Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on militants since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, but a new threat has emerged from IS sympathizers.



Twin suicide bombings in May killed three police officers in the deadliest militant attack in Jakarta in a year.
The late American entertainer Johnny Cash was a country music legend who embraced all races and religions.

His children say they were sickened to see his name on the T-shirt of a white supremacist who marched through Charlottesville last Saturday.

In a message posted on social media, Cashs five children call their father a man whose heart beat with the rhythm of love and social justice.

Humanitarian awards

They say Cash would have been horrified at even a casual use of his name or image for an idea or a cause founded in persecution and hatred.

The Cashes say their father was the proud recipient of humanitarian awards from groups including the Jewish National Fund and United Nations. He was a champion for the rights of Native Americans, protested the Vietnam War, and stood up for the poor.

They said Cash chose love over hate and asked that his name be kept away from destructive and hateful ideology.

Deep bass, shy manner

Cash was known for his deep bass voice, black stage outfits, and a somewhat shy manner.

His signature songs include I Walk the Line, Folsom Prison Blues, Ring of Fire, and the humorous A Boy Named Sue.

Cash sold tens of millions of records before he died in 2003.
Kenya's opposition coalition went to the Supreme Court late on Friday to challenge the results of a presidential election that it said was rigged

Election authorities have said President Uhuru Kenyatta won the August 8 election by 1.4 million votes, but opposition leader Raila Odinga said the results were false. He has not yet presented evidence of fraud.

Kenyans who remember the violence that followed the disputed 2007 election, when about 1,200 people were killed, were relieved when Odinga announced this week he would turn back to the courts, rather than the streets, to make his case.

Odinga also went to court to challenge the 2013 election result, and his decision to turn to the judiciary helped quell violence then.

Lawyers for Odinga's National Super Alliance did not speak to reporters as they entered the court just 90 minutes before it closed for the weekend and the deadline for delivering their petition would expire.

But a statement from Dennis Onyango, a spokesman for Odinga, gave details of the petition, saying votes for the opposition had been removed from the some of the totals. The statement also accused election officials of faking documentation.

"NASA [party] agents ... were removed from polling stations and replaced by impostors who were caused to sign fictitious names and sign blank result forms," the statement said.

"Data analysts have examined over 25,000 results forms for vote declarations and detected 14,000 of them that had errors ranging from statutory documents not signed by returning officers, others not authenticated by an official rubber stamp, and yet others that do not have agent names or signatures."

He did not give any specific examples.

The paper forms, which should have been signed by an agent for each part supervising the polling station, were designed to be an additional check against the possibility of rigging.

The electoral commission had been slow to publish scanned copies of papers detailing results from each of the country's 40,883 polling stations.

"The nature and extent of the flaws and irregularities so significantly affected the results that the [election commission] cannot accurately and verifiably determine the number of votes any of the candidates received," the petition concluded.

The Supreme Court has 14 days to review the petition, a constitutional requirement designed to minimize the period of uncertainty in case of an electoral dispute.

If the court upholds the election, Kenyatta will be sworn in. If Odinga can prove that rigging took place to an extent that would overturn the result, then Kenya must hold another presidential election in 60 days.

At least 28 people have been killed in election-related violence since polling day, many of them shot by police. But while there have been scattered protests in Odinga strongholds, the demonstrations were relatively muted.

International and domestic observers have said the election was largely free and fair.
The United Nations said Friday the death toll from mudslides in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown has surpassed 400.

Another 600 people remain unaccounted for as workers seek to recover more bodies from the thick mud and debris of smashed homes. Those efforts are hampered by rain, which remains in the forecast in coming days.

The International Red Cross Federation says while it is unlikely anyone will be found alive, the search for survivors continues.

"There is hope that some people are missing because, maybe, they were not around exactly in the place where it happens and their families are still looking for them and will be lucky to find them," IFRC Secretary-General Elhadj As Sy said. "Some may be stranded in remote areas that are not accessible right away, but we may find [them] alive."

The government began burying bodies Thursday.

Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma offered his condolences and support during a burial ceremony.

"As we mourn, let me assure you that we all support the bereaved families and the injured. We will continue to stand by you and share with you your grief and help those of you that are traumatized and depressed, and in the process we all are committed that even with this difficulty Sierra Leone will rise again. May the God and the good Lord have mercy on the souls of our compatriots that have departed. May they be granted eternal rest. Thank you."

The government warned of a new danger from a large crack that has opened on a mountainside where residents were told to evacuate.

The mudslide occurred after hours of heavy rains early Monday, while many Freetown residents were still sleeping. Witnesses described a particularly hard-hit area in the Regent district, saying roads became "churning rivers of mud."

International assistance

Sierra Leone has asked for international assistance and said its doing all it can to stem the outbreak of deadly disease, while human rights organization Amnesty International issued a statement accusing the government of failing to learn from similar past incidents.

The U.N. is sending a team of seven experts to assess the damage and coordinate relief.

UNICEF called the scale of damage from the mudslides "unprecedented" and said its teams have been providing safe drinking water and sanitation to the large number of children affected by the disaster.

"Children have been left homeless, vulnerable and terrified. We must do all we can to protect them from disease and exploitation," said UNICEF Representative Hamid El-Bashir Ibrahim.

The Red Cross is launching an emergency appeal for more than $4.5 million to help 4,600 people over the next 10 months.

People affected by the mudslides and flooding are vulnerable to outbreaks of cholera and other water-borne diseases, warns a World Health Organization spokesman.

"Flooding has damaged or can damage or cause overflow to sanitation facilities increasing the risk of water-borne diseases," said WHO's Christian Lindemeier. "Flooding creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes and can cause  or most likely does cause  an increase in malaria and other vector-borne diseases."
A state senator in the Midwest is refusing to resign after hoping for the assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump, despite being roundly criticized by top members of her own party.

On Thursday morning, Missouri State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal wrote on Facebook, "I hope Trump is assassinated!"

She deleted the comment, but a screenshot of the post quickly went viral on social media, and by the afternoon, leading Missouri Democrats were calling for her to resign.

Missouri Democratic Party Chair Stephen Webber said the party would "absolutely not tolerate calls for the assassination of the president," and asked Chappelle-Nadal to resign.

Missouri Congressman Lacy Clay noted that Chapelle-Nadal "has a long and troubled history of making vulgar, obscene and completely irresponsible statements."

"Calling for the assassination of the president is a federal crime.  She should resign immediately," he said.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill called the comments "outrageous" and called on Chappelle-Nadal to resign.

Missouri's Republican governor, Eric Greitens, and lieutenant governor, Mike Parson, similarly called for Chappelle-Nadal's resignation.

But Chappelle-Nadal is remaining defiant in the face of overwhelming criticism. She told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch she made a mistake, though she is refusing calls to resign.

I am not resigning," she told the newspaper. "What I said was wrong, but I am not going to stop talking about what led to that, which is the frustration and anger that many people across America are feeling right now."

She said her call for the president's assassination was a result of her frustration with Trump's response to events Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which a white supremacist allegedly used his car to run over a group of protesters, leaving one woman dead.

In response to the events in Charlottesville, Trump condemned the white supremacists, but insisted repeatedly that "both sides" shared blame in the violence that led up to the car ramming.

Chappelle-Nadal told the Kansas City Star she thinks comments like those made by Trump "make it easier for racists to be racists."

"As long as I have a voice, I'm going to talk about the damage he is creating in this nation," she said.

The U.S. Secret Service, which protects the president, said it is "looking into the comments" made by Chappelle-Nadal, as it does with all threats made against the president.
Former U.S. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney criticized President Donald Trump on Friday for his handling of last Saturday's violent white supremacist rally in the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, that left three people dead and 19 others injured.

Romney's comments were in response to Trump's comments Tuesday that "both sides" were to blame for the violence at the rally.

In a posting on Facebook, Romney warned Trump to change his approach or face the possibility of further national unrest.

"Whether he intended to or not, what he communicated causes racists to rejoice, minorities to weep and the vast heart of America to mourn," Romney said.

His post also warned that if Trump does not take "remedial action in the extreme," there could be "an unraveling of our national fabric."

The former Massachusetts governor said Trump should admit he was wrong when he equated the actions of counterprotesters with those of the white supremacists who organized the rally.

"Testify that there is no conceivable comparison or moral equivalency between the Nazis  who brutally murdered millions of Jews and who hundreds of thousands of Americans gave their lives to defeat  and the counter-protesters who were outraged to see fools parading the Nazi flag, Nazi armbands and Nazi salute," he wrote.

Romney's comments are the latest indication of a growing rift between Trump and his own political party.

Trump's comments Tuesday, in which he said demonstrators from hate groups and counterprotesters shared the blame for the violence, unleashed unprecedented criticism of the president by Republican lawmakers. Some admonished Trump by name. Most released comments rejecting bigotry, though the timing of their messages indicated they were clearly responding to the president's remarks.

On Thursday, Trump publicly attacked Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina for criticizing additional charged remarks in the days following the racially motivated protests.

Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona also incurred Trump's wrath Thursday for writing in a recently-published book that Republicans abandoned their principles by surrendering to Trump's "politics of anger."

'Radical change'

Speaking to the Chattanooga Rotary Club on Thursday in his home state of Tennessee, Republican Senator Bob Corker called for "radical change" in the White House to avoid "great peril."

"The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability, nor some of the competence, that he needs to demonstrate in order for him to be successful," Corker said.

No Republican lawmakers have appeared on television to defend Trump's stance, and there has been silence from the White House.

Some political observers contend Trump cannot and will not change, and that could lead to serious consequences for Trump, as well as the party.

"This is who Trump is, what he believes and what is natural. The more people see that, the more it shapes the picture of who Trump is," Georgetown University Assistant Professor Hans Noel said.

The political scientist told VOA this "may have electoral consequences in the future if things continue down this road."
Steps away from this weeks NAFTA trade negotiations, business unified in hopes of sending a singular message: do no harm.

Representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico convened behind closed doors at a Washington hotel in an effort to strike a new North American Free Trade Agreement. And not far away, industry representatives from all three nations sat waiting and hoping to influence the talks.

After two days of meetings, lobbyists admitted privately that they remained mostly in the dark, swapping rumors about dates and times of future meetings but unsure what progress was being made in the first round of discussions. The meetings were largely expected to be procedural, with little discussion on substance in the early days.

The decision to renegotiate NAFTA has largely been driven by politics, chiefly U.S. President Donald Trump, who earlier this year threatened to withdraw entirely.

Business, on the other hand, has largely praised the agreement and hopes to persuade all three governments to make minimal changes to the pact.

More than $1 trillion in trade

U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade has quadrupled since NAFTA took effect in 1994, surpassing $1 trillion in 2015.

Were all in the same boat, said Flavio Volpe, president of the Canadas Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association. In the end we all serve primarily the U.S. consumer. So if youre going to raise the cost structure, or if youre going to change the dynamic flow of goods or people in those three countries, youre really hurting the cost to market for the U.S. customer.

The U.S. had an autos and auto parts trade deficit of $74 billion with Mexico last year, without which, there would have been a U.S. trade surplus

The United States had a much smaller $5.6 billion automotive trade deficit with Canada last year, but autos was the still a major component of an $11.8 billion overall U.S. goods trade deficit with Canada last year. But including services trade, the United States ran an overall surplus with Canada.

Volpes counterparts from the United States and Mexico were also on hand, with hopes of presenting a united front not to see a disruption to the auto industry.

Matt Blunt, president of the American Automotive Policy Council, which represents General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, stopped by the talks hotel to chat with negotiators, answer questions and glean information about U.S. negotiating objectives.

However, he said insights into the talks were hard to come by, as negotiating teams had not yet revealed details of their proposals to each other.

There are a lot of poker-faces around here, he said.

Lobbyists always nearby

He wasnt the only American lobbyist floating in and out of the hotel. Some held lunch meetings in the hotel restaurants and then returned to their downtown offices. From mining, to textiles to dairy farmers, various groups held sideline meetings.

About 100 business representatives from Mexican companies waited in a meeting room to see if there were any questions negotiators might have for them. And Canadian industry groups mostly worked on their own.

For the most part, the business groups presented a united front.

Juan Pablo Castanon, president of the Mexican business group Consejo Coordinador Empresarial, said his group has been working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for three years. After the November U.S. elections, they began working to tout the benefits of NAFTA.

The level of contact and communication is intense and one of collaboration, Castanon said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest business lobby in Washington that represents companies big and small across the country, confirmed they plan to attend all the sessions, where they expect to hold sideline meetings with other business groups and government officials. The Chamber may also hold sideline events or briefings during future discussions.

Even industry groups who werent in agreement with their North American counterparts found other stakeholders to discuss common ground.

The Canadian Dairy Farmers are at odds with their American counterparts, but still found a chance to talk, said the Canadian groups spokeswoman Isabelle Bouchard.

To have discussions with counterparts within our own industry and even different industries who are in similar situations than us, its important, and we have seen though past trade negotiations how important it is, Bouchard said.


The United Nations should name and shame countries that fail to protect health workers in war zones and audit what steps they take to keep medics safe, an aid expert said on Thursday.

International law bounds all warring parties to respect and protect medical personnel, but the provision is largely disregarded, with hospital and medics often deliberately targeted in conflict areas, aid agencies say.

Last year, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for an end to impunity for perpetrators, but little has been done to implement it, said Leonard Rubenstein, head of Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, a network of aid groups.

Since 2016, we have had complete international paralysis, he told an event in London, blaming the stalemate on divisions between Russia and other members of the Security Council.

At least 80 people were killed in attacks on health facilities in 14 countries in the first three months of 2017, according to the World Health Organization.

More than half the attacks were in Syria.

Rubenstein said impartial investigations and reforming both military training and practice could improve safety for health workers  but nations had to be pushed into adopting them.

The only way to get them to do it is to shame them, he told a panel at the Overseas Development Institute via video link, ahead of World Humanitarian Day on Aug 19.

In order to do so, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights should issue annual reports highlighting what steps countries have taken to implement resolutions made the year before, Rubenstein said.

It's not the most powerful mechanism that we have  but it is the only one that we (have) really got at the moment, and I think that would go a long way to forcing the states to take the actions that they have committed to do, he said.
NASA launched the last of its longtime tracking and communication satellites Friday, a vital link to astronauts in orbit as well as the Hubble Space Telescope.

The end of the era came with a morning liftoff of TDRS-M, the 13th satellite in the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite network. It rode to orbit aboard an unmanned Atlas V rocket. There were handshakes all around two hours later, when the satellite successfully separated from the rocket's upper stage.

"We're going to really celebrate this one," said launch director Tim Dunn.

NASA has been launching TDRS satellites since 1983. The 22,300-mile-high constellation links ground controllers with the International Space Station and other low-orbiting craft including Hubble.

"It's like our baby," said NASA's Badri Younes, deputy associate administrator for space communications and navigation.

"People have invested their soul and their sweat into making it happen" over the decades, Younes said on the eve of launch. "This spacecraft has served us so well."

This latest flight from Cape Canaveral was delayed two weeks after a crane hit one of the satellite's antennas last month. Satellite maker Boeing replaced the damaged antenna and took corrective action to prevent future accidents. Worker error was blamed.

The rocket and satellite cost $540 million.

Space shuttles hoisted the first-generation TDRS satellites. The second in the series was aboard Challenger's doomed flight in 1986. It was the only loss in the entire TDRS series.

TDRS-M is third generation. NASA's next-generation tracking network will rely on lasers. This more advanced and robust method of relaying data was demonstrated a few years ago during the moon-orbiting mission LADEE. NASA hopes to start launching these high-tech satellites by 2024. Until then, the space agency will rely on the current network.

NASA needs seven active TDRS satellites at any given time, six for real-time support and one as a spare. The newest one will remain in reserve, until needed to replace aging craft.

Besides serving other spacecraft, the satellites help provide communication to outposts at the South Pole. In 1998, the network provided critical medical help to a doctor diagnosed with breast cancer.
In an effort to jumpstart diplomacy, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said yesterday he would consider sending a special envoy to North Korea for talks if the North stops its missile and nuclear tests.

He also declared, amid fears in South Korea that threats from President Donald Trump to unleash fire and fury on Pyongyang could lead to real fighting, that there would be no second war on the Korean Peninsula.

The people worked together to rebuild the country from the Korean War, and we cannot lose everything again because of a war, Moon said in a nationally televised news conference. I can confidently say there will not be a war again on the Korean Peninsula.

Moons comments follow a spike in animosity generated by North Koreas warning that it might send missiles into waters near the U.S. territory of Guam, and Trumps warlike language. Both Koreas and the United States have signaled in recent days, however, a willingness to avert a deepening crisis, with each suggesting a path toward negotiations.

Trump tweeted early Wednesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had made a very wise and well reasoned decision, amid indications North Korea doesnt immediately plan to fire multiple missiles toward Guam.

The alternative would have been both catastrophic and unacceptable! Trump wrote.

Next weeks start of annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises that enrage the North each year could make diplomacy even more difficult.

Moon said he believes dialogue with North Korea can happen when North Korea halts missile and nuclear tests.

Moon was elected in May after a near-decade of conservative rule that saw animosity deepen between the rival Koreas. Moon wants to engage the North. But his efforts have so far been met with a string of threats and missile tests as the North works to build nuclear-armed missiles that can reach the U.S. mainland.

A dialogue between South and North Korea must resume. But we dont need to be impatient, Moon said. I think lots of effort and time could be necessary to overcome a decade of severed ties and to reopen a dialogue.

Moon said Washington and Seoul are closely communicating over the North Korean nuclear problem and share the view that strong sanctions and pressure are needed against Pyongyang to stop its provocations and force it into negotiations to give up its nukes. Moon said he thinks Trumps belligerent words are intended to show a strong resolve for pressuring the North and dont necessarily display the willingness for military strikes.

The United States and President Trump have already promised to sufficiently consult with South Korea and get our approval for whatever option they will take against North Korea. Its a firm agreement between South Korea and the United States, Moon said.

North Koreas threats against Guam and its advancing missile capabilities, highlighted by a pair of intercontinental ballistic missile flight tests in July, have raised security jitters among many South Korean who worry that a fully functional ICBM in Pyongyang would force the United States to rethink whether to trade New York or Washington for Seoul in the event of a war on the peninsula.

Lobbing missiles toward Guam, a major U.S. military hub in the Pacific, would be deeply provocative from the U.S. perspective. A miscalculation on either side could lead to military confrontation.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, earlier this week that the two countries should work together to contain tensions and permit no one to stir up an incident on their doorstep, according to a statement posted on the Chinese foreign ministrys website.

The most important task at hand is for the U.S. and North Korea to hit the brakes on their mutual needling of each other with words and actions, to lower the temperature of the tense situation and prevent the emergence of an August crisis, Wang was quoted as saying in the Tuesday conversation. AP
As national parks traveler Mikah Meyer wrapped up the last leg of his journey across the western state of Utah, he appears to have saved the best for last -- with visits to Bryce and Zion national parks -- the last two of the five national parks that make up the Mighty 5.

Hoodoo! Who knew?

Mikah was one of millions of visitors who are drawn to Bryce Canyon National Park each year. The park is home to the worlds largest collection of hoodoos -- giant pillars of rock that were sculpted by erosion millions of years ago.

What makes this place unique is that it's not just like one, or two, or three, like youll see in many places, Mikah noted. Its thousands!

Native Americans believe the hoodoos were former humans that were turned into rock, Mikah explained. I don't know the whole story, he added, but that was one explanation provided about the ancient formations that rise from the earth seemingly out of nowhere.

Observing the odd-shaped pillars from one of the many overlooks was special, Mikah said, but even better was "hiking down into them and exploring the hoodoos up close." He especially liked looking up at some of the hoodoos that were supporting massive rocks on top of their thin pillars 

You wonder at what moment that giant rock is going to come tumbling down and will I be underneath it when it does?

Mikah had arrived at the park just in time for the sunset, which gave the surreal landscape a warm, golden glow.

Man, am I glad I did! he gushed. I parked the car ran out to the overlook and looked at the view and said to myself this is a 10 -- it's a 10 park. I mean the view was just so incredible at sunset or not it is one of the most other worldly places I've seen in the United States.

During his visit to Bryce Canyon, Mikah encountered an unexpected obstacle: a group of cows standing in the middle of the road, refusing to give way. At one point, he was worried one of the animals was going to charge his van, but instead, it took off, leading away the rest of the herd.

Utahs first national park

The bovine roadblock was just a momentary distraction as Mikah made his way to Zion National Park, which welcomed almost 5 million visitors last year, making it the fifth-most visited national park in the United States.

Many consider Zion the granddaddy of all the Utah parks.

I think what makes Zion so spectacular is this combination of red and orange rock, and lush green forests and plants, Mikah said. So many places are either lush greenery or stark canyons in orange and reds, but Zion National Park has both.

Zion Canyon is the main focus of the park, Mikah explained, where on every side you look, there is another peak that looks like a mountain in its own right, except theyre all together, all lined up on each side of the canyon.

Angels Landing  a devilish climb

One of the most popular hikes is up Angels Landing, a 454 meter (1,488-foot) tall rock formation thats considered by many to be the most challenging and dangerous trail in the park.

What makes it so popular and so well-known is that for the last portion -- maybe the last half mile -- you are up on a very thin strip of rock; and it's thin enough that the park service puts a bunch of chains that people can hold onto because since 2004, six people have fallen and died.

It does look intimidating, Mikah admitted, because youre going along this thin strip of rock and either side you look, theres very quick, dramatic drops all the way to the canyon floor and you see the shuttles driving by and the river passing through, so I think it's popular because of this risk element that's added into these dramatic views.

But Mikah was undaunted, and described his four-hour roundtrip hike as a very cool experience."

Patriotic hike

On his second day of his visit, Mikah was invited by a group of experienced hikers on a 4-hour, back-country hike up a high plateau made up of sheer rock face, which had no trail.

To get there, it was climbing on all fours, it was sliding down sheer rock faces, some of the guys cut their legs and they said, oh, you know, it happens. Now that just proves that I was out here today.

When he reached the peak, his fellow hikers asked him to sing, which he agreed to belting out the National Anthem over the canyon.

"These gentlemen I was hiking with, most of them have never heard a Countertenor -- which is a male Alto or Soprano -- so I think they were shocked and surprised by that, Mikah said, adding that he was surprised by the echo of his voice bouncing off the canyon walls, so we all got something unexpected!

The Mighty 5

As Mikah wrapped up his journey across Utah, he observed that the Mighty 5 parks -- Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks -- are especially popular among foreign tourists.

Its an incredibly international audience at all these five sites, he explained. More so than any other site I've been to, tenfold.

After spending time in those magical places himself, Mikah can understand why.

The concept of how long nature and animal life has survived on its own without any human interference creating these majestic spaces that have changed by centimeters every year, and were witnessing this one speck of time in its marvelousness its definitely a lot to wrap your mind around.

Mikah invites you to follow him on his epic journey by visiting him on his website MikahMeyer.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
They are being booted off or locked out of their websites. Some can no longer blog. Their electronic payment systems are being canceled. Even their music can't be heard.

For some white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups, operating online has become much harder in the wake of last week's "Unite the Right" protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, that resulted in violent clashes between extremist groups and counterprotesters.

On Thursday, the Daily Stormer, a neo-Nazi and white supremacist news site and one of the organizers of last weekend's demonstrations, was ejected from a Russian internet domain provider that was hosting its site.

The French news agency AFP quoted a statement from Alexander Zharov, the head of Russia's telecommunications watchdog Roskomnador, calling on the domain provider to stop hosting Daily Stormer.

The Daily Stormer had recently turned to the Russian firm after being knocked offline by its U.S. providers, first GoDaddy, then Google.

As of Thursday night, the Daily Stormer was not online.

Resisting the role of censor

While tech firms have been under government pressure to crack down on state-sponsored terrorist groups, they have mostly resisted efforts to play the censor when it comes to who uses their services. Their terms of use guidelines often outline restrictions, but they have traditionally declined to police offensive content.

In recent years, Facebook and other social media companies have cracked down on violations of their terms of service.

"We've seen the companies, particularly social media companies, really strengthening their terms of service against hate groups and terrorist propaganda in different ways," said Emma Llanso, director of the Free Expression Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology, a digital civil liberties organization. "There's a pressure coming from European governments to police this kind of material."

Still, Silicon Valley's general laissez-faire approach appeared to be changing after last weekend's demonstrations prompted by the rally's violence and the recognition that extremist groups rely on a host of digital services to organize.

But the shift comes with great ambivalence.

Potentially dangerous moves

CloudFlare, which makes websites secure and fast, decided to stop serving the Daily Stormer. But it wasn't an easy decision, wrote Matthew Prince, the firm's chief executive.

"Someone on our team asked after I announced we were going to terminate the Daily Stormer: 'Is this the day the internet dies?'"

On Thursday, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit that advocates for civil liberties in the digital world and one that has stood with tech companies in its battles with the U.S. government on surveillance, criticized the tech companies' actions.

"We strongly believe that what GoDaddy, Google and Cloudflare did here was dangerous," the organization wrote in a statement on its blog.

Tech companies, with few competitors, increasingly have more power to control online speech, EFF wrote, and "the consequences of their decisions have far-reaching impacts on speech around the world."

"Every time a company throws a vile neo-Nazi site off the Net, thousands of less visible decisions are made by companies with little oversight or transparency," EFF added.

Cutting off financial services

While Google, GoDaddy and Cloudflare refused to host the Daily Stormer site, other extremist groups and supporters were affected in other ways, such as where they could stay, how they exchanged money and the music they listened to.

Ahead of the protests, Airbnb banned users from staying in Charlottesville if it appeared they were coming for the protests.

PayPal said it does not allow groups such as the Ku Klux Klan or neo-Nazi groups engaged in "activities that promote hate, violence or racial intolerance" to use its service for processing payments. Apple Pay also pulled its services for groups selling far-right merchandise.

Spotify removed "hate bands" from its service.

WordPress, the blogging platform, cut off access to its site for Vanguard America, a group associated with James Fields, who allegedly drove his vehicle into a crowd of counterprotesters. He is charged with second-degree murder in the death of one woman and injuring nearly two dozen other people.

GoFundMe, a crowdfunding site, took down campaigns for assisting in Fields' legal defense.

Prince, of CloudFlare, wrote that making the decision to boot the Daily Stormer could change how the firm handles other takedown requests.

"Make no mistake, it will be a little bit harder for us to argue against a government somewhere pressuring us into taking down a site they don't like," he said.
A new cocaine-producing hot spot is taking root in Peru near its border with Colombia and Brazil, and local authorities worry that dissident FARC guerillas may join forces with drug traffickers there, Peru's defense minister said Thursday.

Coca growing and cocaine production is expanding in the triple border region mainly because Peru stepped up efforts to crack down on drug-traffickers in the Vraem, a bundle of jungle valleys where more than half of Peruvian cocaine is now made, said Defense Minister Jorge Nieto.

"If we're successful in one place, they go elsewhere," Nieto told a news conference with foreign media, lamenting what he called the "cockroach effect."

Peru and Colombia are the world's top two cocaine producers and coca growing in the Colombia-Brazil border region has tripled to about 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres) in recent years, according to a report this year by Peru's drug agency Devida.

"We have a very complicated situation there," Nieto said.

Cocaine production in the region is not yet on the scale of the Vraem, Nieto said, but Peru worries that fighters with the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who have refused to turn in their weapons may venture into the growing drug trade there.

Nearly 7,000 FARC rebels have demobilized as part of a peace deal with Colombia's government. But some units have refused to lay down their arms and are expected to remain involved in illegal activities.

"These are people who were trained to use weapons and have been doing so for 20-30 years. It's a way of life, and that's why we're worried," said Nieto. "We have to strengthen our mechanisms on that border."

Peru has struggled with its own dissident band of rebels, which refused to heed the Maoist-inspired Shining Path's order to down arms in the 1990s and now helps drug traffickers control the Vraem.

Nieto declined to estimate how many dissident Shining Path fighters operate in the Vraem. The previous government put their numbers at between 200 and 500 in 2014.

Nearly 10,000 military officers in the Vraem are seeking to wrest control of the region from rebels and drug traffickers, said Nieto.

Nieto said Peru is also evaluating restoring civil liberties in eight out of 46 districts in the Vraem where a state of emergency has been in force for years. But residents who fear an end to emergency funding have opposed the move.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said Thursday that a unit of the security forces committed "abuses" against civilians during the offensive to oust Islamic State insurgents from Mosul.

His government began an investigation in May into a report by German news magazine Der Spiegel that included images of apparent torture taken by a freelance photographer embedded with the Interior Ministry's elite Emergency Response Division (ERD).

"The committee has concluded ... that clear abuses and violations were committed by members of the ERD," a statement from Abadi's office said. It added that the perpetrators would be prosecuted.

Spiegel's photos showed detainees accused of affiliation with IS hanging from a ceiling with their arms bent behind them, and the journalist wrote of prisoners being tortured to death, raped and stabbed with knives.

The ERD was one of several government security forces backed by a U.S.-led coalition that drove IS out of Mosul, the northern city the jihadists seized in 2014 and proclaimed their "capital," in a nine-month campaign that ended in July.

The ERD initially denied the Der Spiegel report and accused the German weekly of publishing "fabricated and unreal images."

The photographer said he had initially intended to document the heroism of Iraqi forces fighting IS but that a darker side of the war had gradually been revealed to him.

The soldiers with whom he was embedded allowed him to witness and photograph the alleged torture scenes, he said. He has now fled Iraq with his family, fearing for his safety.

IS's self-proclaimed "caliphate" effectively collapsed with the fall of Mosul, but parts of Iraq and Syria remain under its control, especially in border areas.
South Africa is planning to grant diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe's first lady Grace Mugabe, allowing her to return to Harare and avoid prosecution for the alleged assault of a 20-year-old model, a government source said Friday.

Police have put border posts on "red alert" to prevent Mugabe fleeing and indicated she will receive no special treatment in the case involving Gabriella Engels, who says Mugabe whipped her with an electric extension cable.

Engels said she was assaulted by Mugabe on Sunday evening as she waited with two friends in a luxury Johannesburg hotel suite to meet one of Mugabe's adult sons.

A senior government source said there was "no way" Mugabe, 52, would be arrested because of the diplomatic fallout that would ensue from Zimbabwe, which has been led for nearly four decades by 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe.

Other countries in southern Africa that supported South Africa's ruling ANC in the long struggle against apartheid would also see Grace Mugabe's prosecution as a betrayal, the source said.

"There would obviously be implications for our relations with Zimbabwe. Sadly, the other countries in the region are watching us and how we are going to act," the source said, asking not to be named.

"What is likely to happen is that she will be allowed to go back home, and then we announce that we've granted diplomatic immunity and wait for somebody to challenge us."

South Africa's foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

Immunity expected to be challenged in court

South Africa is home to an estimated 3 million Zimbabweans, but it has been powerless to prevent Zimbabwe's economic and political decline over the last two decades.

Enraging Mugabe by hauling his wife before the courts would only reduce its influence further, analysts say.

The source accepted the view widely held by legal experts that Mugabe was not entitled to diplomatic immunity because she was in South Africa for medical treatment, and said the government was expecting her immunity to be challenged in court.

Engels' mother, Debbie, who released photographs of her daughter with gashes to her head requiring 14 stitches, said it would be "very sad" if Grace Mugabe was allowed to leave.

However, her daughter's legal team  which includes Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor who secured a murder conviction against Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius  would counter such a move, she said.

"Gerrie Nel and the team have contingency plans," she told Reuters, without elaborating. "They will run with it."

Afriforum, an Afrikaans rights group that Nel joined in January after quitting as a state prosecutor, said it would be illegal for Pretoria to give Mugabe immunity and branded the plans a "disgrace."

"The government has two responsibilities: one, to protect its own citizens and two, to act according to the law. And the granting of diplomatic immunity would transgress the law," chief executive Kallie Kriel said.

President Mugabe's role

Harare has made no official comment on the saga and requests for comment from Zimbabwean government officials have gone unanswered. The South African government has restricted all official comment to the police ministry.

Robert Mugabe arrived two days early in Pretoria for a regional southern African summit this week to help resolve his wife's legal problems, the source said.

Justice minister Michael Masutha told Reuters this week he was involved in discussions over the issue.

A lawyer for Mugabe identified by Reuters refused to comment.

The Engels incident is not the first time Grace Mugabe  who is lauded in official Zimbabwean media as "Mother of the Nation"  has been in legal hot water.

In 2009, a newspaper photographer in Hong Kong said the first lady and her bodyguard had assaulted him. Police said the incident was reported but no charges were brought.
The driver in Thursday's van attack in Barcelona, Spain, may still be alive, and Spanish police are searching for him.

Moroccan-born Younes Abouyaaquob, 22, is now suspected to be the driver, Spanish media report. Abouyaaqoub lived in Ripoll, north of Barcelona, where three people were arrested.

On Friday, Moussa Oukabir, who was one of five men killed in Cambrils in a shootout with police, was said to be a key suspect in the Barcelona terrorist attack in Spain, perhaps the drive of the van.

Reports said Friday that 17-year-old Oukabir was on a list of five suspects killed in the seaside town of Cambrils, hours after a van plowed into a crowd in Barcelona Thursday, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens more.

After speeding along a pedestrian section of Las Ramblas, Barcelonas most famous street, the driver got out of the vehicle and fled the scene.

Later, in Cambrils, the suspects drove a car into pedestrians, killing one woman and injuring at least six other people. The attackers exited their vehicle and were fired upon by police. The men were wearing what appeared to be explosive belts, but they turned out to be fake.

Other suspects slain

In addition to Oukabir, police identified two other suspects killed in Cambrils as 18-year-old Said Aallaa and 24-year-old Mohamed Hychami. Police said they were searching for other suspects, including Abouyaaquob.

Oukabir is suspected of using his brother Drisss identification to rent two vehicles for the attack  the van used in the attack and another, found later in the nearby town of Vic, that is believed to have been intended as a getaway vehicle.

Driss Oukabir was arrested Thursday about 100 kilometers north of Barcelona, in the town of Ripoll.

Spains royal family has released a statement expressing support for the people targeted in the attacks.

They are assassins, criminals who wont terrorize us. All of Spain is Barcelona, Spains royal family said in statement.

Other incidents

Police believe the attacks also are connected to an explosion Wednesday in a house in Catalonia that killed one person. Authorities suspect the people in the house were building an explosive device to be used in a terrorist attack.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the deadly Barcelona rampage.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the van attack jihadist terrorism.

Today, the fight against terrorism is the principal priority for free and open societies like ours. It is a global threat and the response has to be global, Rajoy told reporters.

Thousands observed a minute of silence Friday in Barcelonas main square for the victims of the two vehicular attacks.

Spains king and prime minister attended the observance at Barcelonas Placa de Catalunya. Rajoy also declared three days of national mourning.

Victims from across Europe, US

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Friday that 26 French citizens were among those injured in Barcelona. He said 11 are in serious condition. French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, however, said in a radio interview that the number of those who have been seriously injured may perhaps be even higher at around 17.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed that at least one American citizen was killed in the attacks, though he noted that Washington is still confirming the deaths and injuries.

We offer our thoughts and prayers to their families, Tillerson said.

The State Department later confirmed that another American was injured in the attack but did not release details.

Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said two Italians were killed in the van attack.

Italy remembers Bruno Gulotta and Luca Russo and gathers tight around their families. Freedom will conquer the barbarianism of terrorism, he said.

Van Runs Over People in Barcelona
The top U.S. general and his Japanese counterpart have agreed to work together to strengthen missile defenses for Japan, as Tokyo announced that they will introduce the land-based Aegis Ashore system for additional protection against the North Korean missile threat.

General Joe Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a small group of reporters in Tokyo that his meetings with Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirmed the "extraordinarily healthy military-to-military relationship" between Japan and the United States.

Watch: Top US General Commits to Work With Tokyo to Strengthen Missile Defense

"I think this is probably about as important a place that I could be  in the wake of recent activity by Kim Jong Un, making sure our allies have no confusion at all about where we are in our overall policy [and] where we are with regards to the military dimension of that policy," Dunford said Friday.

Dunford was visiting Japan after talks with Chinese and South Korean leaders in Beijing and Seoul earlier in the week. He said he offered Abe some of the perspectives picked up during his time in China, while also focusing on the challenge of North Korea and the trilateral efforts that the U.S., Japanese and South Korean militaries needed to deal with the threat.

"I think it's important that allies and friends have complete transparency, so I wanted him to know the nature of my conversations in China," Dunford explained.

New defense system

The Aegis Ashore will provide an additional land-based missile defense system on the archipelago nation.

Japans current ballistic missile defense system uses Aegis warships equipped with Standard Missile-3 interceptors that are used to stop missiles in the outer atmosphere. If those SM-3 interceptors miss, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 surface-to-air guided interceptor missiles can be launched from Japan to defend against missile attacks.

Watch: Dunford in Japan Reaffirms Commitment to Region

The U.S. is bound by treaty to defend Japan from outside attacks against the allied country.

Japans Defense Ministry says it will seek funding in the next fiscal year to cover system-design costs, after expediting the decision to deploy the Aegis Ashore amid the latest series of ballistic missile launches by Pyongyang. North Korea test-launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, each of which landed in Japans exclusive economic zone.
The top U.S. general has wrapped up his visit to China as tensions on the Korean peninsula are expected to increase. On Monday, U.S. and South Korea are expected to conduct joint military exercises. VOAs Carla Babb is traveling with General Joe Dunford and has the latest from Beijing.]]
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon vowed Friday that he would be "going to war" for President Donald Trump as he returns to Breitbart News, the ultra-conservative publication he chaired before taking part in Trump's campaign and presidential administration.

Bannon spoke to Bloomberg News just hours after news broke that he was leaving his job as the president's most controversial adviser.

"If there's any confusion out there, let me clear it up: I'm leaving the White House and going to war for Trump against his opponents  on Capitol Hill, in the media and in corporate America," Bannon said to Bloomberg.

Bannon also spoke with The Weekly Standard on Friday.

"The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over," he said, shortly after confirming his departure. "We still have a huge movement, and we will make something of this Trump presidency. But that presidency is over. It'll be something else. And there'll be all kinds of fights, and there'll be good days and bad days, but that presidency is over."

Breitbart News confirmed that Bannon would return to the publication as executive chairman.

Departure

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Chief of Staff John Kelly had signed off on Bannon's departure.

The two men "mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day," she said in a statement. "We are grateful for his service and wish him the best."

Bannon, who is credited with helping Trump get elected on his "America First" and "Make America Great Again" slogans, had clashed for months with other powerful West Wing figures.

Bannon, according to The New York Times, insisted the parting of ways was his idea and that he submitted his resignation to the president 11 days ago in preparation for an announcement at the start of this week. The announcement was delayed, however, in the wake of the violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Opposing factions

The West Wing of the White House, from the first day of the Trump administration, has been plagued by fighting between two camps.

Bannon led the faction that embraced Trump's populist and isolationist messaging. That pitted him against a more traditional cadre of Republicans who wanted to focus on improving the U.S. economy and boosting America's strength overseas  a group that Bannon derided as the "globalists."

Trump, not seen as ideological, let the two opposing factions battle it out.

"The Bannon wing has had significant policy successes but also was associated with President Trump's greater policy failures and communications missteps," Duke University political science professor Peter Feaver said.

Traders at the New York Stock Exchange loudly cheered the news of Bannon's dismissal, and stock prices on the exchange immediately rebounded.

Bannon was parodied on satirical American TV programs as a puppetmaster controlling Trump, or even as a towering Grim Reaper, the personification of death.

Criticism, praise

For many Democrats, Bannon was viewed as the one swaying Trump to his worst instincts.

"Bannon finally gone. Now he can march w/ the whole crowd: neo-Nazis, white supremacists, Klan while knowing it will still find favor in Oval" Office, tweeted U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat, minutes after the top official's ouster was announced.

Trump, on Tuesday, had praised Bannon as "a good person," saying the strategist was not racist.

"The anti-globalist wing of the Republican Party will most certainly view Bannon's firing as a betrayal by Trump," political strategist Evan Siegfried predicted.

"I would not be surprised to see Breitbart ramp up attacks on White House officials like Gary Cohn, Dina Powell, General [H.R.] McMaster and, perhaps, even the president himself," said Seigfried, author of the book GOP GPS: How to Find the Millennials and Urban Voters the Republican Party Needs to Survive.

Cohn is the president's chief economic adviser; Powell is the deputy national security adviser for strategy; McMaster is the national security adviser.

"The GOP civil war is about to get much louder," Seigfried told VOA.

Bannon, a former investment banker, is widely expected to return to Breitbart News.

"If he goes back to Breitbart, he will have a very large megaphone that will amplify his voice," Feaver, a former National Security Council special adviser for strategic planning and institutional reform, told VOA. "But it is much harder to influence policy from the outside than it is from the inside. And when you're outside criticizing the administration, it sounds like your criticizing President Trump, and President Trump doesn't respond well to that."

Travel ban architect

Bannon was a key architect of the administration's travel ban on people from several Muslim-majority nations.

In an interview published Wednesday in The American Prospect magazine, Bannon cheered Trump's widely criticized remarks on the Charlottesville violence as a political plus for the president. He argued the president's response was enmeshing Democrats in identity politics, making it easier for the White House to pursue economic nationalism.

However, with the exception of the far right, there has been unanimous criticism of Trump's defense of white nationalists rallying against removal of a Confederate statue as a disaster for the administration and a possible inflection point that could cripple his presidency.

During the interview, Bannon said the United States was in an economic war with China and called for the country to be "maniacally focused on that."

He also said that "there is no military solution" to the nuclear crisis with North Korea.

That comment prompted a repudiation the following day from Secretary of Defense James Mattis. Bannon's effacing of Trump's own threats to Pyongyang may have been the final act of insubordination for both Chief of Staff Kelly, who is a former Marine Corps general, and the president himself.
U.S. officials said the United States remains unwavering in its commitment to Asian allies in the wake of threats from North Korea, while indicating diplomacy "has to be backed by a strong military consequence."

During a visit to Japan, the top U.S. general restated Washington's "ironclad commitment" to the security of its closest ally in Asia.

Joseph Dunford, Charmain of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Japans Chief of Staff of Self-Defense Forces, Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano Friday "I think we made it clear to North Korea and anyone else in the region that an attack on one is an attack on both of us."

"And that's very, very important for deterrence," said Dunford, who visited South Korea and China before arriving in Japan.

Also Friday, Dunford said during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo that the military level of the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Japan was "rock-solid."

At that meeting Abe once again expressed his appreciation to U.S. President Donald Trump for stating all options were "on the table" in regard to North Korean hostility.

WATCH: US to North Korea: US Stands Ready to Defend Itself and Allies

Tokyo remains on alert as fears about North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programs have increased in recent weeks, after Pyongyang threatened to fire missiles towards the Pacific U.S. territory of Guam, which would have flown over Japan.



Talks in Washington

In U.S.-Japan defense and diplomatic talks in Washington Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Washington would take immediate and specific actions to take down any missile launched by North Korea toward the territory of the U.S. or its allies.

Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in "two-plus-two" meetings with Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and Foreign Minister Taro Kono, reaffirmed Washington's commitment to protecting Tokyo as Pyongyang intensifies its threats.

"Together, we will deter and, if necessary, defeat any threat. Any initiation of hostilities will be met with an effective and overwhelming response. Our two nations will demonstrate the strength of our alliance by continuing those bilateral activities and by enhancing cooperation with the Republic of Korea," said Mattis.

Military option 'prudent'

As the top U.S. diplomat, Tillerson said Washington would continue diplomatic efforts "first and foremost," but "it is only prudent" that military action remains a choice.

"Obviously, any diplomatic effort in any situation where you have this level of threat that we're confronted with  a threat of proportions that none of us like to contemplate  has to be backed by a strong military consequence if North Korea chooses wrongly," Tillerson said.

The meetings came amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea threatened to fire missiles into the waters close to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. The missiles would have to fly over Japan to reach their target, worrying Tokyo that warheads or missile debris could fall on its territory.

On Wednesday, two Japanese F-15 jet fighters conducted air maneuvers with two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers over the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula. The exercise was meant to improve interoperability and bolster combat skills, Japan's Air Self Defense Force said in a news release.

Japan's Kono said talks with Pyongyang would not be possible until it stopped its nuclear provocation.

"There's no sense to dialogue for the sake of dialogue," Kono said via a translator, adding that "the international community will continue to apply maximum pressure to North Korea."
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday that tensions on the Korean peninsula are at their highest level in decades and said its important to dial down the rhetoric and to dial up diplomacy.

The U.N. chief told reporters the world needs to heed the lessons of history and not repeat the mistakes that led to the Korean War, which started 67 years ago and killed more than three million people.

The United States and North Korea are in a tense standoff sparked by Pyongyangs recent missile tests and threats to fire them toward Guam. President Donald Trump last week declared the U.S. military locked and loaded and said he was ready to unleash fire and fury if North Korea continued to threaten the United States.

Guterres warned that as tensions rise, so does the risk of misunderstanding, miscalculation or escalation.

The solution to this crisis must be political, he added. The potential consequences of military action are too horrific to even contemplate.

Guterres said the recently adopted U.N. Security Council resolution imposing the toughest sanctions yet on North Korea also represents an opportunity for diplomatic engagement and renewed dialogue to solve this crisis.

The secretary-general said there are many possible avenues for this dialogue including bilateral talks and reviving the six-party negotiations on North Koreas nuclear program that have been stalled since 2009 when Pyongyang pulled out.

Guterres said that on Tuesday he told representatives of the countries in the six-party talks  North Korea, South Korea, the United States, Russia, China and Japan  that he will remain in close contact with all concerned parties and stand ready to assist in any way.

He also said the international community must send a clear message to North Koreas leadership to fully comply with its international obligations, reopen communication channels and deescalate the situation.

The U.N. chief said he supports South Koreas call on North Korea to engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue.

This includes through confidence-building measures to defuse tension and to enable steps aimed at the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, Guterres said. Edith M. Lederer, AP
As communities across the United States redouble efforts to remove Confederate monuments from public spaces after a far-right rally in Virginia turned deadly, city leaders now face another conundrum: what to do with the statues.

President Donald Trump described them on Thursday as "beautiful statues and monuments," part of the history and culture of the country that will be "greatly missed."

But they are seen by many Americans as symbols of racism and glorifications of the Confederate defense of slavery in the Civil War, fueling the debate over race and politics in America.

Cities are speeding up their removal since Saturday's rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a suspected white supremacist crashed a car into a crowd, killing one woman, during protests against the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, who headed the Confederate army in the American Civil War.

Since Monday, officials in Baltimore and Gainesville, Florida, have taken down statues, while another was torn from its plinth by protesters in Durham, North Carolina.

Calls for more to be removed have grown louder.

This has created an additional headache for cities and spurred another debate: how to dispose of the statues once they are taken down.

Some have suggested putting them in museums or Confederate cemeteries. One city councilman proposed using their metal to make likenesses of civil rights leaders.

"Melting them down and using the materials to make monuments for Frederick Douglass, Thurgood Marshall, Harriet Tubman would be powerful!" Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott wrote on Twitter this week. The mayor's office said that was unlikely.

Unlike Eastern Europe

The debate contrasts sharply with how Eastern Europe handled thousands of statues following the collapse of communism in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Often pulled down by angry mobs, some of the statues ended up in dumpsters and others in museums to teach people the evils of totalitarian regimes. In Budapest, a for-profit park hosts about 40 statues of communist heroes such as Karl Marx.

In the U.S. South, the debate still rages between those nostalgic for the past and those who view the monuments as painful reminders of slavery.

There are more than 700 Confederate statues in the United States according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, most of them created in the 1910s and 1920s, decades after the Civil War ended. They were intended to reassert the power of white people, said Jonathan Leib, chair of political science and geography at Old Dominion University in Virginia.

"They're visible, tangible expressions of power," he said Thursday.

In Birmingham, Alabama, Mayor William Bell ordered workers to hide a Confederate statue behind plywood boards, while the city challenges a state law banning the removal of such monuments.

"They represent acts of sedition against the United States of America and treason against the United States of America," he told Reuters on Wednesday.

But sympathies persist, as both lawmakers and citizens resist plans to remove them.

"I absolutely disagree with this sanitization of history," Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, a Republican, told WVHU radio on Tuesday.

Proper context

For now, many of the removed statues gather dust in warehouses or, as in the case of New Orleans, sit disassembled in a city scrap yard, where two were found by local reporters.

In Baltimore, statues are now in storage, according to the mayor's spokesman Anthony McCarthy, who said they would most likely end up in a Confederate cemetery or a museum.

Many city legislators have expressed interest in relocating statues to museums, where they might be viewed as historical artifacts and not rallying points for racism.

Anna Lopez Brosche, City Council president in Jacksonville, Florida, encouraged the removal of Confederate statues from public property on Monday and proposed placing them where they will be "historically contextualized."

In Lexington, Kentucky, Mayor Jim Gray has proposed removing statues from one city park, formerly the site of a slave auction block and whipping post.

Meanwhile, a statue removed in Gainesville, Florida, on Monday is being returned to a local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which erected it in 1904.

The group, founded in 1894 by women descended from Confederate soldiers, put up many of the statues as part of their goal to display what they call "a truthful history" of the Civil War and mark places "made historic by Confederate valor."

Some historians argue that, as in Eastern Europe, the Confederate monuments should be preserved, but in the proper context.

"A slave whipping post isn't something we want up, just out in public without interpretation," said W. Fitzhugh Brundage, American history professor at the University of North Carolina. "But on the other hand, if you have it in the Smithsonian where people can see it and it can be properly interpreted, it's a valuable teaching tool."
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will travel to Jordan, Turkey and Ukraine next week for talks with the leaders of all three nations.

Pentagon officials said Friday that Mattis aims to reaffirm Washington's commitments to each of the countries.

Mattis will begin his trip by meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah as well as top defense officials. Jordan has been a key partner in the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State terror group.

From Jordan, Mattis will head to Turkey for meetings with top officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"Secretary Mattis will emphasize the steadfast commitment of the United States to Turkey as a NATO ally and strategic partner, seek to collaborate on efforts to advance regional stability, and look for ways to help Turkey address its legitimate security concerns  including the fight against the PKK," the Pentagon said in a statement.

The PKK, also known as the Kurdistan Workers' Party, has been leading an insurgency against the Turkish government since 1984. It is listed as a terrorist group by the U.S. and many European nations.

In Kyiv, Mattis is expected to meet with Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak and President Petro Poroshenko.

His visit comes amid reports the Trump administration is considering providing lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine in its fight against Russian-backed separatists.

"During these engagements, the secretary will reassure our Ukrainian partners that the U.S. remains firmly committed to the goal of restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Pentagon statement said.

The visits to Jordan and Ukraine will be Mattis' first as defense secretary.
The wires protruding from the small, misshapen stuffed animal revealed the deadly booby trap tucked inside.

For the people of Mosul, the sophisticated bomb was a reminder of how difficult it will be to return to homes littered with explosives hidden by Islamic State militants and dotted with the remnants of undetonated bombs dropped by the U.S.-led coalition that still could blow up.

Washington at least is trying to ease a bit of the massive cleanup burden.

On Thursday, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said for the first time that the American military will help contractors and other officials locate unexploded bombs dropped by the coalition. U.S. Embassy officials have asked the coalition to declassify grid coordinates for bombs dropped in Iraq to help clear the explosives.

It may not be that simple, Gen. Stephen Townsend told a small group of reporters, "but we'll find a way through that."

"We'll find a way to help them," he said.

The coalition's unexploded bombs are only a small part of Mosul's problems. The bulk of the explosives have been hidden by IS fighters to be triggered by the slightest movement, even picking up a seemingly innocent children's toy, lifting a vacuum cleaner, or opening an oven door. The effort could continue wreaking destruction on Iraq's second-largest city even as IS was defeated after a nine-month battle.

Decadeslong problem

U.S. Embassy officials and contractors hired to root out the hidden explosives use the same words to describe the devastation in western Mosul: Historic. Unprecedented. Exponentially worse than any other place.

"We use broad terms like historic because when you enter a dwelling, everything is suspect," said the team leader in northern Iraq for Janus Global Operations, a contracting company hired to find and remove hidden explosive devices and unexploded bombs from Iraqi cities recaptured from the Islamic State group. "You can't take anything at face value."

The team leader asked that he not be identified by name because he and his teams continue working in Mosul and the company fears for their safety.

Some estimates suggest it may take 25 years to clear west Mosul of explosives. The bomb-removing team leader said those estimates understate what is sure to be a long, enduring problem.

Normalcy may return to parts of west Mosul in a year, and perhaps after a decade many of the obvious explosives will be found. But other unexploded bombs and hidden devices will surface at construction sites and other locations for years and likely decades to come, he said.

As much as 90 percent of west Mosul's old city has been reduced to ruins, destroyed by the IS militants who occupied it for nearly three years and by the campaign of airstrikes and ground combat needed to retake the city.

Booby traps

For Muhammed Mustafa, a restaurant owner from west Mosul, the disaster is very personal.

"In the beginning we thanked God we had been liberated from our oppressor," said Mustafa, 54, who had lived in Mosul's old city.

Mustafa escaped IS territory as Iraqi forces pushed through western Mosul earlier this year and is now living with extended family in the city's east.

"When my neighborhood was liberated, I wanted to return and gather some belongings. On my street all I saw was destruction, except my home, thank God, but I found a written statement on the wall warning it was booby-trapped," he told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "When I saw it, I couldn't stand. I fell to the ground."

Security forces in the area barred him from entering due to the risk.

"They said there were many houses like it and many people had already died trying to inspect their homes when a bomb inside exploded," he said. "Can you imagine, the house I grew up in, now I can no longer enter?"

David Johnson, vice president for the Washington office of Janus Global Operations, said his workers are finding explosives where local residents would be most likely to trigger them, and are "seeing a level of sophistication and a number of improvised explosive devices that is literally without parallel."

'Something we've never seen before'

Over time, the officials said, the improvised explosive devices  or IEDs  have become far more innovative and sophisticated. They range from basic pressure plates in the roads or doorways to small devices, similar to ones that turn on a refrigerator light when the door is opened. They're tucked into dresser drawers or smoke detectors, or buried under large piles of rubble that were pushed aside as Iraqi forces cleared roads to move through the city.

The devastation is so extensive and the danger so high that government and humanitarian agencies have been unable to get a full assessment of the explosives threat or a solid estimate of how much money and effort is needed to make the city safe and livable again.

The team leader painted a grim picture of the city where his workers have spent the last two weeks trying to clear explosives from critical infrastructure, including the electric grid.

A retired Navy explosives specialist who served multiple tours in Iraq and Syria, he said his team is "facing something we've never seen before."

In the Navy, he said, his worst day involved finding 18 explosive devices. On Wednesday, on the outskirts of Mosul, his team cleared 50 explosive devices out of a pipeline. He estimated as many as 300 in that one area alone.

There are five such teams, totaling 130 people, working in Mosul. So far, no one has been injured. In Ramadi, however, company workers were killed and injured as they tried to eliminate explosives. Janus wouldn't provide details.
The United States has condemned what it calls a "terror attack" in Barcelona Thursday and is offering assistance to Spain. At least 13 people have died and about 100 others were left injured after a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona's popular Las Ramblas area. Two people have been arrested in the case but the driver has fled. Terrorist group Islamic State has claimed the attack was performed by one of its "soldiers", without offering any proof. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports.
U.S. officials say the United States remains unwavering in its commitment to Asian allies in the wake of threats from North Korea. In the U.S.-Japan defense and diplomatic talks Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Washington would take immediate and specific actions to take down any missile launched by North Korea toward the territory of the U.S. and its allies. State Department correspondent Nike Ching has more.
Amid a tidal wave of public indignation over last weekends deadly protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, organizers of the white nationalist rally have taken to social media to argue that they  not the one woman killed and nearly two dozen counterdemonstrators injured  should be seen as the real victims.

The police allowed (the counterprotesters) to rough me up because they wanted them to kill me, rally organizer Jason Kessler said in an online video. Im a normal guy, and the people who went to Unite the Right rally are normal people.

That simple notion  that we should be able to advocate for our own interests  was so offensive to the powers that be that they orchestrated a coordinated hit job, Kessler said.

Other supporters of the white nationalist, neo-Nazi and other far-right groups that descended on Charlottesville last weekend to protest the planned removal of a statue of a U.S. Civil War general have sounded a similar theme.

But few outside the movement are buying it.

The narrative is were victimized, were persecuted, were not allowed to express ourselves, even express our fundamental constitutional rights, said Peter Simi, a sociology professor at Chapman University who studies extremist groups and violence.

Cross section of group

In truth, this narrative, employed by a cross section of white nationalist groups that are often at odds with each other, belies an ideology of ethno-nationalism that portrays whites as increasingly dispossessed and sees no place for non-whites in American society.

Im here to spread ideas, talk in the hopes that somebody more capable will come along and do that ... somebody a lot more racist than Donald Trump, Christopher Cantwell, one of the scheduled speakers at the rally, told Vice News in Charlottesville.

Not everyone protesting the removal of Robert E. Lees statute was a neo-Nazi, and the anti-fascist  also known as antifa  counterprotesters were witnessed attacking rallygoers.

Yet despite near universal condemnation of the hatred and violence on display at Charlottesville, the white nationalist groups remain unrepentant.

Were not going anywhere, Richard Spencer, a prominent white nationalist activist who was scheduled to speak at the rally, said at a press conference Monday.

Spencer has popularized the term alt-right, short for alternative right, to describe a broad swath of white nationalist strands.

But if you look at him and what his beliefs represent, its clear that it represents white supremacy, Simi said.

Socio-political force

Once seen as a ragtag of fringe groups, the alt-right has developed into a socio-political force in recent years, increasingly energized by the election of a U.S. president many see as an ally.

After Trumps Nov. 8 victory, Andrew Anglin, the founder of the Daily Stormer, a white supremacist website, wrote: Our Glorious Leader has ascended to God Emperor. Make no mistake about it: We did this. If it were not for us, it wouldnt have been possible.

But Stephen Bannon, Trumps chief strategist and a former editor of the right-wing website Breitbart, dismissed the importance of the alt-right movement.

Ethno-nationalism  its losers, Bannon said in an interview with the American Prospect magazine. Its a fringe element. I think the media plays it up too much, and we gotta help crush it, you know, uh, help crush it more.

It is unknown just how many members the white nationalist groups have, but all indicators  from the proliferation of right wing groups to an increase in the number of mega hate rallies to a rise in hate crimes  point to a substantial increase in recent years.

According to a Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) tally, there were 100 white nationalist groups, 130 Ku Klux Klan groups and 99 neo-Nazi groups in the United States last year.

Counting anti-government militia groups and white supremacist prison and street gangs, the movement boasts hundreds and hundreds of thousands of members, Simi said.

The Charlottesville rally was the largest of its kind in more than a decade and required an unprecedented level of planning and coordination among right wing groups, SPLC said.

Kessler appeared on right wing podcasts to hype the rally while other organizers used PayPal to raise funds.

Were going to do things differently in the future, no doubt, but we are going to be back in Charlottesville. One-hundred percent, Spencer said.

Future rallies

Charlottesville officials say they dont want the protesters back. Neither do a number of other cities where white nationalist rallies are planned for the coming days.

But small white nationalist rallies are set to take place in at least nine major cities this weekend and other cities later in August and September.

The planned rallies are going to galvanize them, Simi said. Canceling them, he added, is only going to feed into the white nationalist narrative of victimization, he added.

Statues a cause celebre

The removal of Confederate statues has become a cause celebre for white nationalists. While African-Americans see them as monuments to defenders of slavery, white nationalists view their removal as an assault on their cultural heritage.

Trump, who has faced criticism for vacillating in his reaction to the violence in Charlottesville, said Thursday it is so foolish for American cities to be removing the monuments.

The remove of the Lee statute in Charlottesville is on hold, pending litigation. But several other cities, including Baltimore, Maryland, and Gainesville, Florida, have quietly removed confederate monuments while others have announced plans to do so.

But will the white nationalists emerge empowered from the publicity-generating violence or pull back to the margins of society amid growing condemnation?

That is difficult to say, said George Hawley, author of Making Sense of the Alt-Right and a professor at the University of Alabama. The images from Charlottesville were probably quite alienating to a lot of people who might have otherwise been sympathetic to the alt-right.

On the other hand, people have declared the alt-right a dead brand before, and it has survived, Hawley said.
Parts of Portugal, beset by its deadliest summer of wildfires in living memory, were declared in a state of public calamity on Thursday as the government put emergency services on alert for further outbreaks.

It has borne the brunt of a heatwave that has settled over much of southern Europe, and more than three times as much forest has burned down in the country this summer as in an average year.

Since a single blaze killed 64 people in June, the government has been under pressure to come up with a strategic plan to limit the damage.

It said on Thursday the state of calamity would trigger "preventative effects" in the central and northern interior and parts of the southern Algarve region, while the meteorological office forecast temperatures would top 40 degrees centigrade in some places by Sunday.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa would also meet with military, police and rescue service commanders "for the maximum mobilization and pre-positioning of personnel in the areas of greatest risk," the government said in a statement.

Since June's tragedy, emergency services have made far greater efforts to evacuate villages and shut roads early in affected areas.

Still, nearly 80 people have been hurt in wildfires in the past week alone, according to the civil protection service.

Last Saturday, when a record 268 fires blazed countrywide, the government requested water planes and firemen from other European countries.

On Thursday, over 130 people were evacuated from villages in the Santarem district around 170 km (110 miles) northeast of Lisbon, where over 1,000 firefighters were battling flames.

With just over 2 percent of the EU landmass, Portugal accounts for almost a third of burnt areas in the union this year.

More than 163,000 hectares of forest have been lost there, more than three times higher than the average of the last 10 years, according to EU data.
Zimbabwe's government has announced that President Robert Mugabe's birthday will now be a public holiday. The announcement is the latest in a series of efforts to secure the longtime leaders legacy.

Most cities and towns in Zimbabwe have a road named after President Robert Mugabe. In Harare, the public square that most political parties use for rallies also bears his name.

Earlier this month, Zimbabwes cash-strapped government announced that it is setting aside $1 billion to establish the Robert Gabriel Mugabe University.

It seems that is not all.

Home Affairs Minister Ignatious Chombo announced Friday that every February 21st, the birthday of Mugabe, will now be a public holiday.



President Mugabe has exhibited the following values that any fair-minded Zimbabwean would want their youths to emulate: self-sacrifice, selflessness, patriotism, hard work, principled leadership, respect for others, compassion and empathy, among others, he said.

However, analysts see the move as more of the political jostling that began in earnest last year over Mugabes succession.

Rejoice Ngwenya, a political analyst and opposition supporter in Harare, said "we have always been expecting it because the degree of drooling and praise-singing in ZANU-PF has reached unprecedented proportion."

"And I feel that citizens need to be given an opportunity to discuss this before it is legislated," he continued. "... The disadvantage of an authoritarian regime is decisions are taken unilaterally. So it means that very soon we are going to be having a Robert Mugabe everything.

The 93-year-old leader has said he will run for another term next year. However, he has made at least three trips abroad for medical reasons this year and there has been concern about his health.



One faction of the ruling Zanu-PF is backing first lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband. The other faction led by Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa seems to have lost steam this month when its leader was airlifted to neighboring South Africa for medical treatment following suspected food poisoning.



Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF has sought to further consolidate power in the executive with parliament passing a constitutional amendment in late July allowing the president to hand pick all top judges. This would include the chief justice of the Supreme Court who rules on any election disputes.



The new amendment reversed a provision of the constitution passed in 2013 by popular referendum that required all top judges to be selected through public interviews conducted by Zimbabwes judiciary service commission.
President Trumps tepid condemnation of white supremacists who demonstrated in Charlottesville gave chief executives  usually ready to answer any presidents call to public service  all they needed to take a stand. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Courage is not a currency companies trade in very often.

But there wasnt much needed this past week. President Trumps tepid condemnation of white supremacists who demonstrated in Charlottesville gave chief executives  usually ready to answer any presidents call to public service  all they needed to take a stand. After a series of Wednesday morning conference calls, they abandoned his economic advisory groups, leaving with an unprecedented volley of disparaging comments about the nations first businessman president.

Their job is not to be political, but Tuesday was just so deeply disconcerting, said one participant in a conference call between nearly 20 members of the Strategic and Policy Forum. Since Saturday this has just gone beyond the bounds, and I think we were reacting to what had happened not only as corporate leaders but as citizens and as people. And we could not continue in this role on the advisory forum.

There is a certain irony in expecting moral compass from Corporate America. In 2010, Stephen Schwarzman, head of the Blackstone private-equity group and of the Trump advisory forum, told a nonprofit organization that President Barack Obamas efforts to increase taxes on private-equity firms were like when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939. He quickly apologized after a report in Newsweek.

[In Trumps White House, a plum appointment for CEOs is now a reputational risk]

And in 2000, Merck disregarded its own studies showing substantial risk of heart attacks from the painkiller Vioxx and continued to market the drug for another four years. (That was before the tenure of the companys current, well-respected chief executive.)

In earlier generations, businesses have been slow to join in defending rights, from segregated lunch counters in the United States in the 1950s to multinationals such as General Motors, Mobil, IBM and others that kept doing business in apartheid South Africa through the mid- to late 1980s, a quarter-century after the main black political force, the African National Congress, was banned. At least in that case, GM created, with the help of the Rev. Leon Sullivan, a code of conduct to nudge South Africa forward.

So the businessman in chief has managed a rare achievement by rattling the members of Americas business elite who have been hoping Trump would bring tax cuts and regulatory relief and who now see a president who is morally and politically bankrupt.

One by one, led by Mercks chief executive, Kenneth C. Frazier, they found their own moral backbone, criticized the president and headed for the doors. Among the many impassioned notes to employees and the public was that of Apple chief executive Tim Cook, who wrote, Hate is a cancer, and left unchecked it destroys everything in its path.

For the general public, looking to American business executives to take a principled stand shows what a dire crisis we find ourselves in. A Gallup poll in early June found that only 21 percent of Americans have confidence in big business and only 32 percent have confidence in banks (while Congress gets 12 percent, newspapers 27 percent and the military 72 percent). Yet the institutions of government are quaking, and traditional checks and balances are providing few checks and little balance. Americans are turning anywhere  retired military officers in civilian posts, or the once-mistrusted intelligence agencies  for someone who might help save American democracy from itself.

U.S. business leaders have played many roles in the countrys past, but savior hasnt been one of them. In the Revolutionary era, business leaders were merchants, landed gentry and Benjamin Franklin-style entrepreneurs and inventors. Later tycoons advised presidents; financier Bernard Baruch, for example, provided counsel for presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

[Where CEOs could really hit Trump]

Members of the business elite still fancy themselves as pragmatic and experienced in the ways of the real world, but they are now more likely to be risk-averse managers of large organizations. More Jack Welch than Averell Harriman or even George H.W. Bush.

Moreover, American business leaders have retreated from the center of the political spectrum and moved further to the conservative end. From World War II through the 1960s, big business negotiated with organized labor without questioning its legitimacy, supported tax increases when needed, and accepted a degree of increased regulation. But in recent years, the business community has turned on unions and fought back against environmental and workplace regulations, while paying executives ever more lucrative salaries.

Now when they come to Washington to dabble in politics, corporate executives often come with their velvet hats in hand, seeking a favorable cut in taxes or rollback of regulations. Companies, as part of our civil society, are entitled to a voice in policymaking as long as they dont seek an unfair advantage and as long as corporate money doesnt inappropriately tip the scales in their favor. But this isnt the stuff of courage or principle.

John Flannery, the incoming chief executive of General Electric, on Wednesday tried to make sense of the Trump phenomenon and GEs role.

I am a believer that GE is a company that needs to be  and will continue to be  constructively engaged in dialogues regarding any matter that could impact our employees, our customers and our investors, Flannery said, using the phrase constructive engagement that President Ronald Reagans assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Chester Crocker, once used to justify continued American involvement in apartheid-era South Africa.

GE operates in 180 countries, and these countries have different challenges and viewpoints, some of which do not always align with our core values as a company, Flannery added, in a letter to employees. Sometimes it is necessary to take a stand in public. Often, we advocate around the world privately.

When is it necessary for a corporation to take a stand in public?

The participant in the Wednesday conference call said that the members of the Strategy and Policy Forum had heard from relatives, employees and customers who believed that remaining even a distant adviser to Trump could not be countenanced any longer.

The customers are a key element in that coalition. Companies can be immoral or amoral or very moral. But its the bottom line that usually speaks loudest.

A lot of CEOs are afraid to stand out. Their boards of directors dont encourage them. And there are no rewards for this corporate citizenship, said Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, a senior associate dean at Yales School of Organization and Management.

Plus, he said, being out of step with Trump carries the risk of being humiliated with Twitter storms or caught in the middle of a mud fight like TV personality Rosie ODonnell. The CEOs dont want to be the next Rosie ODonnell, Sonnenfeld said.

Yet in just a few months since Trump took office, the executives largely empty gesture of giving the president advice while seated awkwardly around a giant conference table had taken on the character of a financially risky activity with potentially heavy reputational damage to companies brands. And in the Internet era, customers can organize quickly, as some did through the online petition #QuitTheCouncil.

Quitting the councils was made easy because they had rarely gathered. The Strategic and Policy Forum, which was supposed to tackle education, job creation and investment, hadnt met since April. The participant in the call said that the Charlottesville uproar was destructive to that agenda.

In the end, no one on that call even broached the idea of sticking with the advisory councils. As the participant put it, there was no mast to hold onto in this storm.

Read more:

What the voters were telling the GOP on health care

On GE and the myth of the CEO superhero

Now is the time for business leaders to dump Trump  for the good of the country
In a ritual of summer, Chinas leaders have been holding an unofficial retreat at a beach resort ahead of a key fall Communist Party congress at which President Xi Jinping will launch his second five-year term as party chief and move to cement his status as Chinas most powerful leader in decades.

The absence of top leaders from state media reports is a general indication that the secretive Beidaihe retreat is underway. In a hint that leaders have gathered at the resorts quiet beaches and closely guarded guest houses, the official Xinhua News Agency last week carried an account of a meeting at the resort between party propaganda boss Liu Yunshan and a group of vacationing technical experts.

The strength of Xis position likely means the goings-on this year on the coast east of Beijing will be even tamer than usual, analysts say.

Xi, 64, has been shoring up his authority and sidelining rivals, leaving him primed to install allies in top positions and press his agenda of tightened state control and muscular diplomacy. That appears to include a push to insert his thoughts on theoretical matters into the party constitution and further cultivate a burgeoning cult of personality that could allow him to hold on to power beyond his second term.

The nuance this time is that there is much less trading among various factions and more obsequious affirmation of the supreme leaders supremacy, said Miles Yu Maochun, an expert on Chinese politics at the U.S. Naval Academy.

At the fall party congress, Xi is expected to deliver a keynote address as a prelude to having his take on theory written into the party constitution during the event, analysts believe. If indeed the case, the moves significance would be that predecessor Hu Jintao was able to insert his theory only upon leaving office.

A government spokesman, State Council Information Office Director Jiang Jianguo, seemed to talk up that likelihood with fulsome praise for Xis theories in recent comments to reporters.

It is a narrative that has been mastered by the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people and become familiar to every ordinary Chinese. It has also become a force that can change the world, Jiang said. It is only natural for us to summarize this system of thought in a more accurate and scientific way.

Jiang also sought to quash talk of a cult of personality around Xi, calling him a modest and prudent man.

In the face of issues, hed like to be the student first and learn from the people, Jiang said.

The son of a famed communist elder, Xi rose through the ranks to the position of Shanghais party leader before being promoted to the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee in 2007.

When Xi did assume the top spot in 2012, it was as head of a reduced seven-member committee on which he had only one reliable ally, veteran Wang Qishan. He put Wang in charge of a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown that helped Xi eliminate challengers, both serving and retired, and cow potential opponents.

Xi, whose titles include head of the armed forces, has lavished attention on the military with parades and defense budget increases. But hes also led a crackdown on abuses and a push to cut 300,000 personnel from the 2.3 million-member Peoples Liberation Army, underscoring his ability to prevail against entrenched interests.

At the same time, Xi has added to his resume additional titles as leader of more than a half dozen special commissions overseeing areas from national security to foreign policy. In a move carrying enormous symbolic weight, Xi last year took on the mantle of core of the party leadership, elevating him above his peers in a manner redolent of communist Chinas founder, Mao Zedong.

Whether deliberate or not, moves by Xi seem designed to minimalize predecessor Hus place in history. Xi has already presided over three major military parades, as opposed to Hus one over his entire tenure as president. Even the newest generation of Chinas high-speed rail trains are now called rejuvenation  a term that features prominently in Xis calls to realize the Chinese Dream of prosperity and strength. Older trains were named harmonious  a key Hu byword.

Xi has also succeeded in constricting Premier Li Keqiangs traditional role of overseeing the economy through the appointment of his own advisers, while gutting the power of the China Youth League faction to which both Li and Hu belong.

Such moves are a sign that no one in the party can challenge Xis authority, said Chen Daoyin, a political scientist at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law. Those who fail to pledge themselves to Xis leadership do so at their peril, Chen said.

That ensures Xi a free hand in making new appointments to the Politburo Standing Committee.

Chief among his allies are Chen Miner, who last month was appointed to run the mega-city of Chongqing after predecessor Sun Zhengcai  previously seen as a top leader in waiting  was placed under investigation for corruption. Chen could be joined on the standing committee by Beijing party chief Cai Qi, who has also enjoyed rapid promotion under Xi. Key aides within the party, most notably chief of staff Li Zhanshu, are also tipped for higher office, while there is speculation that Wang, the corruption-buster, will be retained.

In several cases, those moves would defy loosely defined party norms regarding necessary work experience. Retaining Wang, who is due for retirement under existing precedents, would also be a break from tradition.

That has fueled speculation that Xi may be eyeing a third term as party chief, breaking with the two-term limit roughly established by Hu and his predecessor, Jiang Zemin.

Those moves have cast Xi as a disruptor, not afraid to disregard precedent and do things his own way, while keeping rivals off balance with a lack of clarity about promotions and processes. Thats likely to disappoint those hoping for a stronger, rules-based system and greater transparency.

The message to be delivered at Beidaihe regarding personnel arrangements is just a notice to tell everyone what Xi has decided, regardless of whether youre in agreement or not, Chen said. Christopher Bodeen, AP
The Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and Susan G. Komen on Friday joined a growing exodus of organizations canceling plans to hold fundraising events at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, deepening the financial impact to President Trumps private business amid furor over his comments on Charlottesville.

The major exits now mean more than eight of the clubs biggest event customers have abandoned it this week, likely costing the Trump business hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue or more.

Susan G. Komen, the nations largest breast-cancer fundraising group, said it would seek another venue after hosting its Perfect Pink Party gala at Mar-a-Lago every year since 2011.

The Salvation Army, which has held a gala at the club every year since 2014, said in a statement that it would not hold its event there because the conversation has shifted away from its mission of helping those in need.

And the American Red Cross said it would cancel its annual fundraiser at the club because it has increasingly become a source of controversy and pain for many of our volunteers, employees and supporters, the charity said in a statement.

In a letter to staff Friday, chief executive Gail McGovern said, The Red Cross provides assistance without discrimination to all people in need  regardless of nationality, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or political opinions  and we must be clear and unequivocal in our defense of that principle.

[Three fundraising giants cancel plans for galas at Mar-a-Lago]

The cancellations hit at one of the private Florida clubs top moneymakers: The club earned between $100,000 and $275,000 each from similar-sized events in the past during Palm Beachs glitzy social seasons.

But they also reveal a widening vulnerability for Trump, who, unlike past presidents, refused to divest from his business interests when he joined the White House.

The Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment.

The charitable groups joined three other large event cancellations Thursday: the Cleveland Clinic, the American Friends of Magen David Adom and the American Cancer Society, which cited its values and commitment to diversity in its decision to abandon the club.

Some of the clubs most notable local boosters, with long fundraising histories and deep Palm Beach roots, were also in outright rebellion Friday against the club. Lois Pope, a Mar-a-Lago member and philanthropist who heads the Lois Pope Life Foundation and Leaders In Furthering Education, said she had told her foundations board to move its well-known December gala from the club.

President Trump's two major CEO councils disbanded Aug. 16 after Trump was slow to condemn white supremacy groups. (Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

The hatred, vitriol and Anti-Semitic and racist views being spewed by Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists are repugnant and repulsive, Pope wrote in a statement. And anyone who would demonstrate even a modicum of support for them by insisting that there are good people among them is not deserving of my personal patronage or that of my foundations.

One of the cancellations cut close to home for the Trumps. Big Dog Ranch Rescue said Friday it would no longer hold an upcoming event at the club and would instead move it to the groups facility nearby. Trumps daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, was scheduled to co-chair the event.

The Autism Project of Palm Beach County also said Friday that it is not planning on hosting an event at the club, President Richard Busto told The Post Friday. The local group has held Renaissance Dinner galas at Mar-a-Lago every year since at least 2008.

The Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation on Friday also announced it had canceled its annual medical briefing luncheon at the club and will move it to another venue.

We stand with the community, the foundations co-founder, Dusty Sang, told The Post Friday. I think people are standing up for what they believe.

Another group, the Unicorn Childrens Foundation, said it is currently exploring other options for a previously planned luncheon at Mar-a-Lago and would make its final decision next month.

The groups cancellations follow rebukes from business executives this week, who heavily criticized Trumps comments that white supremacists and counterprotesters equally shared the blame for a deadly weekend in Charlottesville.
Across the country, consumers and retailers have been struggling to identify fradulent eclipse glasses, viewers and filters, which could cause irreversible damage to users eyes. (Scott G Winterton/AP)

The order of 7,500 solar eclipse glasses arrived late last month. But before Peru State College could began distributing them to students, officials at the Nebraska school realized there was a problem: The glasses were fakes.

Although the paper-framed eyewear appeared to be made for safe eclipse viewing, a spokesman for the college said they did not meet the criteria outlined by NASA. Handing them out could have put thousands of students at risk of serious eye damage and permanent blindness.

We had so many questions, but after talking to experts, we ultimately decided we werent comfortable giving those to students, said Jason Hogue, the schools marketing director. It was an obvious decision once we had the facts. (The school later ordered glasses from a reputable manufacturer in Arizona.)

Across the country, consumers and retailers have been struggling to identify fraudulent eclipse glasses, viewers and filters, which could cause irreversible damage to users eyes. NASA and the American Astronomical Society (AAS) have assembled a list of reputable manufacturers, but they said it has been difficult to guard against copycats, especially on third-party websites. As a result, many say unsafe products abound online ahead of Mondays widely publicized solar eclipse.

The market has been overrun with counterfeits and fakes, and many of them were being sold on Amazon, said Richard Fienberg, a spokesman for the AAS. Its become a complete freaking mess.

He added, If you dont have proper glasses, the infrared radiation can literally cook your retina.

[The biggest astronomical event of a generation will hit offices everywhere on Monday]

Amazon says it has begun requiring third-party sellers to provide documentation showing that their glasses are compliant with safety standards. A spokeswoman said the company did so out of an abundance of caution and in the interests of our customers. (Jeffrey P. Bezos, the founder and chief executive of Amazon.com, owns The Washington Post.)

Part of the challenge, experts say, is that the industry standard has long been to label eclipse-safe glasses with text on the inside of the frame. But now fraudsters are printing that same text into glasses that do not meet international safety standards.

And as demand heats up for the solar eclipse  an event that will be visible to half a billion people  so has the temptation to cash in.

Its a simple motivation: greed, Fienberg said as he prepared to leave for Madras, Ore., to view the eclipse. Greed combined with a total lack of concern for public safety.

But, Fienberg said, most of the companies approved by the AAS have run out of inventory.

The recalls also have had far-reaching effects on the makers of legitimate eclipse glasses and filters, who say they are now dealing with extra-anxious customers.

There is a lot of doubt in the water, said Jen Winter, owner of DayStar Filters in Warrensburg, Mo. Our product is quality  we sell to NASA; our filters are in space  but everyone is terrified and questioning absolutely everything. This will have an enormous financial impact, not just on us but our entire industry.

[Still need a pair of solar eclipse glasses? Heres where to find them. (Maybe.)]

Winter added that her company has been blocked from selling on Amazon, resulting in more than $250,000 in losses for the company, even though its products are approved by the AAS and NASA. (Fienberg of the AAS confirmed that legitimate sellers have been barred from the site. A spokeswoman for Amazon said simply that listings from sellers who did not provide appropriate documentation have been removed.)

In all, Winter says she expects the fallout of these recalls to cost her company upward of $1 million.

As of Friday afternoon, most listings on Amazon were sold out, and others were on back order until Aug. 25, four days after the eclipse. (The next solar eclipse in the nation isnt expected until 2024.)

On eBay, solar glasses  which typically cost 99 cents to $30  are selling for as much as $24,000 a pair, plus $38 for shipping. A spokesman for the site said employees have been actively monitoring listings for unsafe items.

Among eclipse glasses that have been flagged as unsafe are 1,600 pairs distributed by the University of Utahs John A. Moran Eye Center.

At the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the physics department handed out nearly 500 pairs of eclipse glasses before being notified Thursday that the items might not be safe.

Obviously were devastated, said Michelle Johnson, a spokeswoman for the university. Our students had every reason to believe they were safe. I dont know what you can do if somebody else acts fraudulently.

Winter, the owner of DayStar Filters, said it will be difficult to rebuild the industrys reputation.

Its easy to lose trust, she said. But its really, really hard to rebuild it.

Read more:

Everything you need to know about the Aug. 21 solar eclipse

The unlikely reason Americans are shopping at Target again

Applebees is done trying to win over millennials

Sequined sneakers and millennial pink: 5 back-to-school trends to watch
On a host of issues on which the Trump agenda is wrongheaded, chief executives have been silent. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

Government often played the savior with Business. Harry Truman seized control of the rail industry to avoid a crippling strike; John F. Kennedy exploded when U.S. Steel announced a major price hike, fuming, My father always told me that all businessmen were sons of b----es, but I never believed it till now.

Now the demon is in politics, and hope is in the land that Business can be the savior. The presidents Strategic and Policy Forum, a group of prominent chief executives, disbanded in protest over President Trumps ambivalent response to a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

When a trickle of chief executives resigned from the Manufacturing Council, a similar panel, the president responded with a shiv in the side. Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from Presidents Manufacturing Council, Trump tweeted, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES! That council was also disbanded.

Merck will be back, and so will the bankers. They all want to be in the room when tax cuts are on the table and to push on deregulation.

[White House corporate advisory groups disband amid Charlottesville fallout]

President Trump's two major CEO councils disbanded Aug. 16 after Trump was slow to condemn white supremacy groups. (Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

And denouncing racism is easy. Nobody is for it, and quitting a panel is not the same as leading. Saviors have to do more than refuse to associate.

Once we had business leaders such as Citicorps Walter Wriston, who seemed to legitimately straddle the interests of business and society, at least until he lent too much of his banks equity to Argentina. And we had financiers who moved between the public and private good, Bernard Baruch in an earlier time, Arthur Levitt or Richard Ravitch in our own.

They commanded respect and followership, which leaders do. No such leader has emerged today, and on a host of issues on which the Trump agenda is wrongheaded, chief executives have been silent.

Doug McMillon, the CEO of Walmart, forcefully denounced white supremacists, by that term, but he has not, in similar language, denounced the presidents trade agenda. Walmart is arguably the largest anti-poverty program in the United States. It sells the most goods at the lowest prices, particularly to the poor.

It would be nice to hear McMillon speak frankly about his international supply chain, and what Trumps threatened actions against China and Mexico would do to prices on the floor. But retail executives  not just at Walmart  are cowering.

Similarly on immigration, economists are shouting the news that the United States needs immigrant workers. Wisconsin cannot produce milk without them; Silicon Valley is starved for engineers; the health-care industry needs technicians.

[Inside the call where CEOs found their moral compass and steered away from Trump]

Trumps mind is fixed in a win-lose world, which is an adequate representation of the two industries he knows: casino gaming and shaking down local authorities for tax breaks. Some CEO should remind him that for society at large, business is not win-lose. Individual firms compete and prosper or die, but the economic ecosystem is enriched by new entrants, new products, new accents.

As Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune elegantly observed, immigrant workers are a plus. When farmers can find workers, they grow food and fiber that have to be processed, packaged, transported and sold  all of which boosts employment.

The template for chief executives has been: Avoid saying anything that lands you on the presidents Twitter feed. I have a sneaking suspicion that many  most?  are too thirsty for tax cuts to risk calling him out.

Early in the year, Trump put the arm on Gregory Hayes, chief executive of United Technologies, which owns Carrier  which promptly decided to retain 1,000 workers in Indianapolis rather than move them to Mexico. Similarly, Ford Motor canceled plans for a project in Mexico that Trump had called an absolute disgrace.

No matter whether Trump was responsible for these moves, as he claimed. The CEOs should say unashamedly that they hire workers to suit not the political purposes of the White House but, as is proper, the long-term interests of their shareholders.

A few chief executives took issue with Trump on climate change. It would be good to hear from them  not just faceless industry lobbyists  on the ill wisdom of Trumpcare and on the employer model of health care generally. Ditto, McDonalds could add, meaningfully, to the discussion on the minimum wage, for instance by pointing out there is no single minimum that can be effective in both, say, Arlington, Va., and Ashland, Ky. They could say that the federal government could accomplish more by enlarging the EITC. (But I forgot: Trump is well informed; he knows that.)

[In Trumps White House, a plum appointment for CEOs is now a reputational risk]

This may seem like small-bore stuff, economic policy as opposed to fighting racism. But few CEOs have the moral authority to lead on transcendent social issues. And Trumps signature character flaw isnt racism, its dishonesty.

Chief executives wont be the remedy, because they preside over commercially correct cultures that reflexively shrink from frankness. In a pinch, they obfuscate. (Just once I would like to hear a commercial airline skip the blather about willing and able to assist. Just tell us your lawyers are putting us on notice, okay?)

The odd John Mackey or Mark Cuban speak their minds. Jamie Dimon is frank but, as if burned by his scrapes with the Obama administration, no longer so visible. The age of the public financier is gone.

Blackstone chief executive Steve Schwarzman, who chaired the Strategic and Policy Forum, is in high dudgeon over Trumps taking credit for disbanding the council. Schwarzman, a man of great wealth and greater self-regard, would better channel his sense of aggrievement into an issue he could do something about, such as the shameful and unwarranted tax break, known as carried interest, that allows private-equity moguls such as Schwarzman to pay a lower rate than schoolteachers. During the campaign, Trump promised to eliminate the tax break; since then, with people like Schwarzman cooing in his ear, he hasnt addressed the issue.

I have a fantasy that Howard Schultz, of Starbucks fame, will challenge Trump (privately he has rebuffed such suggestions). Picture a chief executive who marketed an American brand around the world taking on a three-time deadbeat whose idea of competition is build a wall. Schultz has a moral compass; he also understands profit.

Then again, Schultz may prefer hawking lattes. Regardless, there is a vacuum in the center and CEOs could fill it. Opposing Trump shouldnt mean opposing business, nor should enlightened apostles of business consider him an ally. For executives, that would be a good message to start with. Finding a savior will have to wait.

Read more:

What the voters were telling the GOP on health care

On GE and the myth of the CEO superhero

Now is the time for business leaders to dump Trump  for the good of the country


Paul Short, Loiter Here (2016), on view through Aug. 27 in Create/Change, a politically themed exhibition at Hillyer Art Space. (Paul Short/Hillyer Art Space)

Politically themed exhibitions were once rare in Washington galleries, but that seems so long ago  way back in the first half of 2016. Now theyre common, and mostly keyed to the current president. Create/Change, at Hillyer Art Space, is a little different. Katie Hargrave offers a text piece that spotlights words spoken by 16 players in last years Republican presidential-nomination sweepstakes. But most of the work is political in a broader sense of the term.

The 17-artist show was juried by Mary Early, director of Hemphill Fine Arts, and recalls that gallerys 2013 Artist-Citizen, Washington, D.C. Yet half of the contributors are from outside the region, so local references are rarer. A few pieces use D.C. sites but arent specific to the city.

Sobia Ahmads black-and-white video depicts a woman praying in the Islamic manner on local sidewalks; it can be seen as a commentary on the status of Muslims in the United States, or just on the gap between secular life and spirituality of all sorts. Michal Gavishs Pennsylvania Avenue stacks photos of architectural facades on long sheets of paper, overlaid with ghostly likenesses of the same structures on gauzy fabric. The buildings are recognizable, but the effect is to make them unfamiliar.

The most direct pieces address violence against African Americans. Kamal Al Mansours photo collage puts recent events inside a blue triangle that separates them  visually, but not morally  from depictions of horrors during the slavery and Jim Crow eras. Ann Stoddards video piece uses a live camera to put the viewers face on screens inside six small hoodies. It makes every gallery visitor a potential target.

Lauren Petersons found-object sculpture is made of something thats become nearly omnipresent: plastic. The fantastically cheap, diabolically durable material is knotted into strands and piled on the floor, offhand yet ominous. Equally universal is Paul Shortts set of signs, all of which mark a place thats reserved for loitering. Just hanging out can be a political statement, as well as an artistic activity.

Create/Change On view through Aug. 27 at Hillyer Art Space, 9 Hillyer Ct. NW. 202-338-0325. hillyerartspace.org.



Hyang Yeon Lees "Untitled 11," mixed media on canvas, is on view at the Korean Cultural Center. (Hyang Yeon Lee/Korean Cultural Center)

From Nature

The six artists in the Korean Cultural Centers From Nature are divided between two galleries and two media. One room is devoted to painting; the other selection, while more diverse in material, all involves carved wood.

The realist of the group is Yurim Seong, whose renderings of tree trunks are exceptionally detailed. These might stand alone, but the artist sometimes places them amid fields of soft pointillist color that suggests leaves and diffused light. The vibrant black strokes in Bukang Kims red, white and blue abstractions could be trees but also resemble calligraphy. The densest paintings are by Hyang Yeon Lee, whose compositions include text and industrial colors. Her Untitled 11, one of the shows highlights, sets electric yellow amid black and gray, so the effect is more urban than sylvan.

Although Hyun Jeung works in a traditional form, her woodblock prints of flowers have a contemporary sensibility. She uses the same matrix to create a variety of results, and exhibits the cut blocks alongside the prints they made. Soo il Chois relief sculptures of animals are akin to woodblocks, but his painted pieces, incised across several irregularly shaped planks, are the finished product. A former stone carver whos turned to installations, Jung Woo Cho conjures an underwater experience with dozens of dangling red-and-white orbs. It could be an interstellar or subatomic scene, if not for two deftly sculpted wooden fish that swim through the simulated sea.

From Nature On view through Aug. 31 at the Korean Cultural Center, 2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 202-939-5688. koreaculturedc.org.



Gray Lyons "Night Swim" is currently on view at VisArts at Rockville. (Gray Lyons/VisArts at Rockville)

Gray Lyons

Shes based in Indiana, but Gray Lyons is present in Lexicon, her show at VisArts. Thats the artists full-size body in the multi-panel photo-based pictures, often afloat horizontally as if in water. Lyons uses the cyanotype process, employed for more than a century to make architectural blueprints, so the results are ghostly white on midnight-blue backgrounds. The photosensitive paper renders the figures soft and indistinct, suggesting motion and mutability.

Lyons writes that these are narrative-based self-portraits, and that the use of her own body allows for a physical resolution rather than an intellectual one. Aside from the blue-white vestiges of her form, the artist includes a large installation of cutout model butterflies, pinned to the wall in a swarm that segues into a mini-galaxy of stars. These, in turn, echo the stars in one of the four-panel pictures.

Exactly what story Lyons is telling is unclear. But the haziness of these images is part of their appeal. They appear to have aquatic depths, and whatever bobbles beneath the surface remains out of reach.

Gray Lyons: Lexicon On view through Aug. 27 at Gibbs St. Gallery, VisArts, 155 Gibbs St., Rockville. 301-315-8200. visartscenter.org.

Ric Garcia & Fierce Sonia

Mid-20th-century superheroes and movie stars socialize with figures from Renaissance paintings in Foundry Gallerys Dynamic Duos: Power and Form. Ric Garcias oils and prints feature DC and Marvel Comics characters, while Fierce Sonias collage-paintings incorporate Marilyn Monroe and add a comic-book Zing! to Botticellis Venus. Both artists take a crack at Wonder Woman, although only Garcia dares portray a transgender Thor.

Garcia reproduces the bold colors and elementary outlines of comics from a simpler era, and even the Ben-Day dots used in cheap four-color printing, just as Roy Lichtenstein began doing in the early 1960s. Fierce Sonias work is denser and more varied, but also looks back to the period when Marshall McLuhan first explained that commercial imagery was a form of mythology.

Theres an element of nostalgia to Dynamic Duos, and not just because its subjects include Superman and Jackie Kennedy. When Lichtenstein and Warhol made art that appeared rough and plain, they were emulating the print media of their time. When Garcia and Fierce Sonia do something similar, it seems an intentional rejection of todays crisp digital imaging. The 50s and 60s were more open, Dynamic Duos seems to say, because the pictures were less precise.

Dynamic Duos: Power and Form On view through Aug. 27 at Foundry Gallery, 2118 Eighth St. NW. 202-232-0203. foundrygallery.org.
Hi, Carolyn: Im wondering if it would be productive to try and resolve some decades-old issues with my mom. My sibling, a problem child since childhood, is still dealing with a lot of issues  drug addiction, joblessness, mooching off my parents, etc. When I visited my parents a few months ago, my mother brought up my canceling a visit last year; I refused to go because my mom had, for the umpteenth time, let my sibling move in, who then began doing drugs again. She said that I shouldnt be meddling in her business and that how she handles my siblings issues has nothing to do with me.

It feels as though my being a part of the family is conditional on my agreeing with her, or at the least just not making any difference of opinion known. Is it worth it to try and explore these issues with her? As shes gotten older, shes gotten more unreasonable about anyone voicing opposition to her insistence on continuing to support my sibling, despite the fact that her efforts have done no good. Ive worked on resolving my own feelings with therapy, and know that I cant change her and can only change how I react to her. What would you advise for talking this out?

 Revisiting Old Wound With Mom

Revisiting Old Wound With Mom: I would advise not talking this out.

The talking is (potentially) just fine; its the out that concerns me, the idea that youd go into a conversation with Mom with a goal to resolve anything.

Make peace with it, sure. Set a boundary. Develop a strategy for not reacting. Find a way to understand your mom better so you can respond to her better.

Those are all goals for you. To resolve this or talk this out, though, your mom would have to at least see your point of view, yes?

Going into any situation with a goal for someone else is a tough sell under the best of conditions, and by your description, the conditions here are an intractable, umpteenth time-kind of dynamic that your mom digs into only more deeply with time.

Especially given your familys history of dysfunction dating roughly to its origin, you dont want this to become your area of insistence on continuing where your efforts have done no good.

So I suggest you limit your goal to having an honest, productive response to your moms accusations  one that accurately represents your views. Thats your minimum, though done right it can have the bonus consequence of erasing the (need for the) battle.

To start: Agree with your mother in a limited and highly specific way. Youre right, Mom. I shouldnt be meddling in your business, and how you handle Sibs issues has nothing to do with me. Because shes right. You shouldnt and it doesnt.

And then: Likewise, how I deal with the situation is my business, including whether I cancel my plans to visit.

Youre worried about your family, of course. But think of it as putting your oxygen mask on first. You cant help if youre not healthy yourself, and that means opposition to her insistence on continuing to support my sibling is not an act of correction but of conscience. Its an outcome unto itself.
President Trump asked if statues of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson should be removed since they owned slaves while speaking in New York on Aug. 15. (The Washington Post)

President Trump asked if statues of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson should be removed since they owned slaves while speaking in New York on Aug. 15. (The Washington Post)

What about antifa? What about free speech? What about the guy who shot Steve Scalise? What about the mosque in Minnesota that got bombed? What about North Korea? What about murders in Chicago? What about Ivanka at the G-20? What about Vince Foster? If white pride is bad, then what about gay pride? What about the stock market? What about those 33,000 deleted emails? What about Hitler? What about the Crusades? What about the asteroid that may one day kill us all? What about Benghazi?

What about what about what about.

Weve gotten very good at what-abouting.

The president has led the way.

His campaign may or may not have conspired with Moscow, but President Trump has routinely employed a durable old Soviet propaganda tactic. Tuesdays bonkers news conference in New York was Trumps latest act of whataboutism, the practice of short-circuiting an argument by asserting moral equivalency between two things that arent necessarily comparable. In this case, the president wondered whether the removal of a statue of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville  where white supremacists clashed this weekend with counterprotesters  would lead to the teardown of others.

Donald Trumps news conference on Tuesday offered a crash course in whataboutism. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

Robert E. Lee? What about George Washington?

George Washington was a slave owner, Trump said to journalists in the lobby of his corporate headquarters. Are we going to take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson?

Using the literal what about construction, Trump then went on to blame both sides for the violence in Charlottesville.

What about the alt-left that came charging at the, as you say, the alt-right? the president said. Do they have any semblance of guilt?

For a nanosecond, especially to an uncritical listener, this stab at logic might seem interesting, even thought-provoking, and thats why its a useful political tool. Whataboutism appears to broaden context, to offer a counterpoint, when really its diverting blame, muddying the waters and confusing the hell out of rational listeners.

Not only does it help to deflect your original argument but it also throws you off balance, says Alexey Kovalev, an independent Russian journalist, on the phone from Moscow. Youre expecting to be in a civilized argument that doesnt use cheap tricks like that. You are playing chess and your opponent  while making a lousy move  he just punches you on the nose.

[There are no fine people marching with Nazis: Seth Meyers on Trumps Charlottesville response]

Vladimir Putin has made a national sport of what-abouting. In 2014, when a journalist challenged him on his annexation of Crimea, Putin brought up the U.S. annexation of Texas. The American invasion of Iraq is constantly what-abouted on state television, to excuse all kinds of Russian behavior.

In Edward Snowden, Russia has found the ultimate whataboutism mascot, the Atlantics Olga Khazan wrote in 2013. By granting him asylum, Russia casts itself, even if momentarily, as a defender of human rights, and the U.S. as the oppressor.

The term was first coined as whataboutery and the whatabouts, in stories about the Irish Republican Army in the 1970s, according to linguist Ben Zimmer. But the practice goes back to the chilly depths of the Cold War.

An old joke 50 years ago was that if you went to a Stalinist and criticized the Soviet slave-labor camps, the Stalinist would say, Well what about the lynchings in the American South? philosopher Noam Chomsky once said.

In 1970, as the Soviet Union made headlines for imprisoning dissidents, Ukrainian artist Viktor Koretsky created a propaganda lithograph titled American Politics at home and abroad. It depicted U.S. police beating a black man and a U.S. soldier standing over a dead body, presumably in Vietnam.

In May 1985 the U.S. State Department funded a conference at the Madison Hotel on the fallacy of moral equivalence, a philosophical cousin of whataboutism. The goal was to tamp down comparisons of the 1983 U.S. invasion of Grenada with the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, among other instances. The actions may be comparable, the State Department implied, but the intentions were not.

If it is no longer possible to distinguish between freedom and despotism, said Jeane Kirkpatrick, Ronald Reagans ambassador to the United Nations, then the erosion of the foundation of a distinctively Western, democratic civilization is already far advanced and the situation serious indeed.

[Clinically insane, 7th circle of hell: Late-night hosts process Trumps news conference]

Flash forward 30 years. President Trumps Twitter feed has been a whataboutism showcase, with Hillary Clinton as the usual target.

April 3: Did Hillary Clinton ever apologize for receiving the answers to the debate? Just asking!

June 26: The real story is that President Obama did NOTHING after being informed in August about Russian meddling.

July 22: . . . What about all of the Clinton ties to Russia . . .

Googling of Whataboutism began to climb sharply in November of last year; this week, with Charlottesville, it reached an all-time high. You look at both sides, Trump said Tuesday, after saying what about three times. I think there is blame on both sides . . . and nobody wants to say that.

Some people saw this as brave truth-telling, and as exposing double standards in the media.

Trump-haters on both sides of the aisle simply cry whataboutism, as if it were a magic spell to ward off rational thought, wrote Joel B. Pollak on the right-wing site Breitbart.com, in an article headlined The attack on whataboutism is a defense of hypocrisy.

Trumps most flagrant what-about, though, was used not in defense of himself, but in defense of Russia.

Putins a killer, Bill OReilly said to Trump in a February interview.

There are a lot of killers, Trump whatabouted. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think  our countrys so innocent?

Thats exactly the kind of argument that Russian propagandists have used for years to justify some of Putins most brutal policies, wrote Michael McFaul, former ambassador to Russia during the Obama administration.

Moral relativism  whataboutism  has always been a favorite weapon of illiberal regimes, Russian chessmaster and activist Garry Kasparov told the Columbia Journalism Review in March. For a U.S. president to employ it against his own country is tragic.
Lynnhill Condominiums in Temple Hills, shown Friday, could be rendered uninhabitable because of fire-code violations. (Rachel Siegel/The Washington Post)

A long-troubled condominium complex in Prince Georges County could be declared unsafe and about 100 residents displaced if the property management company does not fix numerous fire-code violations in coming days.

Officials from the Prince Georges County fire department posted notices Friday at Lynnhill Condominiums in Temple Hills saying that significant fire code violations are jeopardizing residents safety.

Failure to fix the violations by 8 a.m. Tuesday would render the building unsafe, the notices said, and residents would have 24 hours to vacate.

Of the roughly 210 units spread between two buildings in the 3100 block of Good Hope Avenue, not far from the District border, 36 are occupied, Fire Chief Benjamin M. Barksdale said. The number of people staying at the complex may be higher, officials said, given the propertys history of squatters.

We are here to prevent a tragedy, Barksdale said.

Prince Georges County Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale discusses the fire-code violations at the complex. (Rachel Siegel/The Washington Post)

The buildings fire-alarm system works only intermittently, he said, and many of the doors do not properly close and latch. Neither building is equipped with sprinkler systems, having been built in the early 1970s before regulations on residential systems were put in place, Barksdale said.

The department is calling on Lynnhill to remove all trash and debris left in vacant units where people are just coming in off the street and taking up residence, Barksdale said.

James Braxton, a property manager with Lynnhill Condominiums, said the company was working on the violations at this point and would hold a news conference Saturday morning at the property.

This would not be the first time residents would have to vacate the Lynnhill condos. Last October, residents were forced out because of unpaid utility bills that prompted Pepco and Washington Gas to shut off service.

And on Thanksgiving Day in 2014, a three-alarm fire at the complex displaced more than two dozen residents.

Last year, the department placed the complex under fire watch because of the dysfunctional alarm system, which meant someone from the property had to regularly report the buildings safety status to the countys public-safety communications line.

But in the past few weeks, the department was made aware of further code violations that, if not attended to, will officially render the property as an unsafe building, the notices said.

Video footage of the property collected by the fire department and sent to reporters Friday showed dire conditions inside. Trash filled abandoned apartments, and drywall and paint peeled off ceilings and hallways.

Assistant Fire Chief James V. Reilly said that even among livable units equipped with power and air conditioning, there are lots of missing pieces in terms of fire safety. Hallways lack exit signage and proper lighting, and stair enclosures do not always shut properly.

Kai Boggess-deBruin of the countys social-services division said there are elderly and disabled residents living at Lynnhill.

She said staffers would be on site starting Monday to assess what benefits residents are eligible for should they need to seek emergency housing.

Barksdale said the managers of the complex should be able to address the code violations by the Tuesday deadline.

Were not asking something thats impossible, he said.
D.C.-based artist and filmmaker Robin Bell drove his van to Trump International Hotel and projected slides with words criticizing the president on the night of Aug. 17. (Twitter/bellvisuals)

D.C.s resident projection protest artist did not mince words Thursday night in his latest rebuke to President Trump.

Robin Bell drove his van to Trump International Hotel and projected several slides on the facade of the presidents eponymous hotel that said in all capital letters, The president of the United States is a known racist and a nazi sympathizer.

This is not a drill, the message continued. We are all responsible to stand up and end white supremacy. #Resist.

The message gained traction on social media as passersby took photos and posted them online.

[Pay Trump Bribes Here: How an activist pulled off projecting messages onto the Trump International Hotel]

Bell, a D.C.-based artist and filmmaker, also projected images Thursday night on the Newseum and on a Confederate statue near D.C.s Judiciary Square.

The image on the Newseum was in honor of Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old woman killed at the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville after a man drove a car through a crowd of counterprotesters.

Heather Heyer, the projection read. 1985-2017.

The animated image at the statue of Albert Pike, a Confederate soldier, in the nations capital showed a dotted line at the base of the statue with the words Remove racism above line written beneath it.

Animated scissors then mimics cutting the line.

The D.C. Council has called for the statue, which is on federal property, to be removed.

In a separate incident Friday morning in Washington, a small group of protesters draped a banner around the statue, calling Chief of Staff John Kelly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Chief Economic Advisor Gary Cohn modern confederates.

Anthony Torres, a D.C. resident and community organizer who helped to make the banner, said he singled out those names because it is not just the usual suspects in the administration who support an agenda of white supremacy.

Its been reported that these men have been uncomfortable and upset about Trumps rhetoric, yet theyve done nothing, Torres said. If they were serious about their discomfort with Trumps overt supremacy, then they would resign from their posts.

As for the projection on Trumps hotel, Bell has been using his art to protest throughout the Trump presidency.

Hes projected an animated version of Attorney General Jeff Sessionss face outside the Justice Department headquarters with a magnifying glass, saying investigate Trump, investigate Russia, in English and Russian.

In May, his protest focused on the emoluments clause of the Constitution and projected images on the Trump International Hotel, one of which said Pay Bribes Here with arrows pointing to the hotel entrance.

[A D.C. neighborhood and its emoji-filled, anti-Subway protest]

He has said that projection art is an effective form of protest because it sends a message without vandalizing property.

That is one of the big things that Im trying to do  using our artwork to explain these stories that are tricky, Bell said about his emolument clause projections. If someone can laugh and look at something, and then talk about it.
A crane lifts the statue of former U.S. chief justice Roger Taney from its perch early Friday at the State House in Annapolis. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

Gov. Larry Hogan said Friday that it is not his place to tell cities across Maryland how to deal with statues of historical figures who, for many, represent a legacy of slavery and racism.

Were not going to tell every jurisdiction what to do, said Hogan (R). They have to make the decision for themselves.

Before dawn Friday, the 145-year-old statue of former U.S. chief justice Roger B. Taney, author of the Dred Scott decision supporting slavery, was hoisted from its perch outside the State House in Annapolis. Hogan and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) had called for its removal after the deadly violence in Charlottesville last weekend.

The Maryland State House Trust, a panel that oversees the capitol grounds, voted to take it down. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert), who sits on the board with Hogan and Busch and was opposed to the removal of the statue, did not cast a vote.

Earlier this week, Ben Jealous, the former NAACP president and a candidate for the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nomination, called on Hogan to push for the removal of all Confederate statues across the state. Hogan said that as a member of the Maryland State House Trust, he has a role in what stands on the public grounds of the capitol, but that it is not up to him to decide whether other monuments should be removed.

Hogan said earlier this week that he changed his mind about the Taney statue after he watched white nationalists rally in Charlottesville against the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee there. The demonstrators chanted racist and anti-Semitic slogans, and one of them is accused of fatally striking a counterprotester with his vehicle.
A statue of Roger B. Taney, the U.S. Supreme Court Justice who wrote the Dred Scott decision that upheld slavery and denied citizenship to African Americans, was removed from the Maryland State House in the early morning of Aug. 18. (Facebook/Jolene Ivey)

A statue of Roger B. Taney, the U.S. Supreme Court Justice who wrote the Dred Scott decision that upheld slavery and denied citizenship to African Americans, was removed from the Maryland State House in the early morning of Aug. 18. (Facebook/Jolene Ivey)

Workers came to the Maryland State House grounds after midnight on Friday to dismantle a controversial statue of Supreme Court justice and segregationist Roger B. Taney, the latest ripple effect from the deadly violence at a rally of white supremacists in Charlottesville.

Activists had sought for years to remove the 145-year-old statue from the State House complex in Annapolis, saying that to honor Taney  the chief justice whose 1857 Dred Scott decision defended slavery and said blacks could never be U.S. citizens  was hurtful and wrong.

But top state politicians, including Gov. Larry Hogan (R), defended the memorial as an important piece of Maryland history. Until Charlottesville.

Hogan said his revulsion at the demonstration in Virginia, purportedly in defense of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, prompted him to change his mind about the Taney statute and push for its removal.

We cant wipe out all of our history, nor should we try to, the governor said Thursday. But when it reaches the point where some of these symbols, whether they have historical significance or not, when they become a focal point for racism and violence, then its time to do something about it.

1 of 8 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  The scene as a statue dedicated to former U.S. chief justice Robert Taney is removed View Photos Workers dismantled the statue outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis. Caption Workers dismantled a statue outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis. Aug. 18, 2017 A worker begins to remove the monument to Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis. Jose Luis Magana/AP Wait 1 second to continue.

[Trump embraces culture war with call to preserve Confederate statues]

The State House Trust board, which Hogan chairs, voted Wednesday to remove the statue. Thursday night, police blocked off the streets around the State House complex. Soon, a crane and two flatbed trucks arrived.

More than two dozen bystanders looked on as a crew began removing the memorial from its base. Among them was Jolene Ivey, an African American former state delegate from Prince Georges County who began advocating a decade ago for the state to take down the statue. She said that when the legislature voted to erect the statue, a few years after the Civil War, lawmakers were quoted calling the Dred Scott decision just, righteous and right.

How in the world could we continue to have it at the doors of the State House? Ivey said. Not at this time.

As the cranes arm extended toward the monument shortly after 1 a.m., sprinklers were activated on the State House lawn, briefly disrupting the effort. After work resumed, the crane lifted the statue and maneuvered it to a flatbed truck, where it was wrapped in a tarp and driven away around 2:20 a.m.

The onlookers, who had been largely quiet, chanted Na, na, na, na, hey, hey, hey, goodbye. Some said Taneys likeness appeared to be bowing its head in shame as workers pulled straps around the frame.

Its just a bad statue overall, said Robb Tufts, 43, of Annapolis. We deserve to celebrate the heroes of Maryland, not the villains of history.

[Roger B. Taney wrote one of Supreme Courts worst rulings]

Cookie Washington, an African American who turned 59 on Friday and has lived in Annapolis since childhood, said the demise of the statue felt like a birthday treat.

With whats happening in this country lately, it doesnt feel welcoming for everyone, she said. Im glad to see this.

The monument was to be placed in an undisclosed state storage facility, Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer said. Its base remained on the lawn, covered by a wooden box.

A different statue of Taney and three Confederate memorials were taken down in Baltimore early Wednesday.

President Trump, who has made conflicting statements about who is to blame for the violence in Charlottesville, has decried such removals, saying Thursday that the history and culture of our great country was being ripped apart.

Hogan countered that the president probably should stop talking about the issue because not very many people are agreeing with him these days.

Not everyone agreed with Hogan, either. Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) lashed out at the governor in a letter Thursday for not holding a public hearing on whether to remove the statue.

Miller, an avid reader of history who also sits on the State House Trust board, said the memorial should stay put to help educate people about the past. He credited Taney for anti-slavery words and actions, saying that unlike George Washington who freed his slaves upon his death, Taney freed his slaves early in his life. He also noted Taneys many roles in public service, including state lawmaker and attorney general, U.S. secretary of war, U.S. attorney general and U.S. treasury secretary.

Voting by email  the boards traditional way of doing business  was just plain wrong, Miller wrote, adding that the matter was of such consequence that the transparency of a public meeting and public conversation should have occurred.

House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel), who is also on the board and voted to remove the statue, said he was pleased it was gone. One hundred and fifty two years after the end of the Civil War, we dont need a symbol on the front of the Maryland State House that continues to divide people, he said in a statement.

Conservative blogger Greg Kline, describing himself as a proud and unabashed apologist for Hogan, wrote on RedMaryland.com that for once he could not support the governor. Here are words I thought I would never write: Senate President Mike Miller is exactly right on this issue and Governor Hogan is lamentably wrong, Kline wrote.

The governor also received some critical comments on his Facebook page. I voted for Hogan once, Pat Rollins wrote. Fool me once. He is a coward for removing that statue of Taney in the middle of the night.

Maryland placed the Taney statue on the lawn of the capitol complex in 1872. Since then, it has added interpretive plaques explaining the Dred Scott opinion and erected a statue of Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native who was the first African American Supreme Court justice, on the opposite side of the State House. The trust agreed last year to erect statues in the State House honoring abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass.

Benjamin Jealous, the former NAACP president who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Hogan in 2018, says he would push to take down all Confederate statues in the state if he is elected.Theres no room for symbols of hate in our state, he said.

But Hogan said Friday that choice is up to localities. Were not going to tell every jurisdiction what to do, he said. They have to make the decision for themselves.
D.C. Det Sgt. Q Wallace speaks to reporters minutes before a vigil for her teenaged daughter who was killed last week in Northeast. (Clarence Williams/The Washington Post)

D.C. police Detective Sgt. Q Wallace waded through a crowd of more than 300 people, and in each direction she turned, a new person offered her a hug of condolence and support.

Hugs were offered by her family members, Wilson High School students and graduates and fellow police officers, who gathered Thursday night at a vigil in the Saratoga neighborhood in Northeast to honor Wallaces daughter, Jamahri Sydnor.

A single bullet ended the 17-year-olds life as she drove a younger relative home in a white Nissan sedan through the 1400 block of Saratoga Avenue NE about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 10.

Jamahri was a good girl, Wallace said. She was perfect. She was smart, she was articulate. She was going places, Wallace told reporters and the crowd moments before a candlelight vigil near the scene where she was fatally wounded.

Hundreds encircled the family of Jamahri Sydnor at a candlight vigil in the Saratoga neighborhood Thursday night. (Clarence Williams/The Washington Post)

She had dreams. Somebody just shot at my babys head and snatched the breath out of her, Wallace said.

[College-bound Wilson High School student hit by stray bullet dies]

Sydnor was about 10 days from enrolling as a freshman at Florida A&M University when gunfire came from two assailants who hid in bushes and emerged to fire on a group across the street. Those bullets also wounded another unintended victim, a man who was wounded in the buttocks as he walked from an apartment building.

One day after the shooting, investigators arrested Philip Carlos McDaniel, 21, of Northeast Washington and charged him with assault with intent to kill. In court records, McDaniel denied firing a gun but told detectives that he drove two men to the area about the time Sydnor was shot.

Family and close friends wore pink T-shirts that showed the pictures of a smiling teen graduating from high school or as a football and basketball cheerleader and the phrase She is light. She is life.

Sydnor graduated from Wilson High School, where she was captain of the cheerleading squad, sang in an award-winning jazz choir and served as a peer counselor to struggling classmates.

Members of the school choir sang a gospel song of praise and another singer gave a rendition of Change is Gonna Come.

As loved ones remembered the smiles she brought them, there also were many calls and prayers for justice, which were led by her father.

We need you alls help in finding our childs murderer, Jerome Sydnor, Jamahris father, told the crowd before he warned those responsible that they would be caught and face punishment because the crowd gathered would see to it.

All these people out here are on our side. Dig that, he said. In his remarks he shared that his family faced deep pain, but that he didnt get mad until arriving at the scene of her killing.

Im mad too! a man yelled from the crowd, which encircled the family.

Everybody is mad! another voice rang out.

Several pastors offered prayers and there was a scripture reading from Isaiah 40: 28-31, which said that the everlasting God gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Wallace has spent 30 years working District streets as a D.C. police officer, including a stint as a homicide detective. She is currently investigating sexual abuse cases at the departments youth division.

The crowd was filled with dozens of active and retired D.C. police officers, many in uniform or wearing badges around their necks.

Asst. Chief Lamar Greene said the MPD family was committed to closing the case and to keep working with the community to end violent acts. Police have said they believe there are at least two other suspects.

We are going to bring closure to this case. Thats our promise to her, Greene said in an interview. She knows we are here for her and her family. And we are here for the duration.

Two other officers also joined the crowd and made a powerful presentation. The Upper Darby Township police in Pennsylvania dispatched Sgt. Scott Lewis to thank Sydnors family for donating her liver to one of their own.

Patrol Officer Arty Erle has struggled with health issues, in part with a battle with colon cancer, and has been out of work as he awaited a liver transplant.

The family donated about a half dozen of Sydnors organs to patients in need. Doctors replaced Erles liver with Sydnors and two officers arrived in the District in dress blue uniforms to say thank you for the incredible gift at a time of incredible grief and sorrow, Lewis said.

We just came to show our appreciation. Jammi now lives on. Arty is one of the people she has saved, Lewis said in an interview.

After about two hours, the vigil ended with the release of pink balloons and a roar of We love you Jammi! Wallace filed out as she entered, with an escort by police officials and more hugs.

Her last words to reporters had been a plea to help police close the case.

I promise you the great men and women I have worked with are not going to stop until they get the person that killed my baby.

She asked for her baby to not be forgotten.

Please keep her name out there, Wallace said.
A man was killed Thursday night when he apparently jumped from a pedestrian overpass onto the Anacostia Freeway in Northeast Washington and was then struck by a vehicle whose driver did not stop, D.C. police said.

The incident forced police to close a mile-long stretch of the northbound lanes of the highway from Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue to the Maryland line for nearly five hours.

Police said investigators are trying to sort out exactly what happened shortly before 10 p.m. when, they said, the man apparently leapt off the overpass near Polk Street. Police had no description the vehicle that struck the man.

Authorities were awaiting an autopsy to determine how the man died. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was not yet made public.
(Lee Powell/The Washington Post)

In HEART MOUNTAIN, Wyo.  When they are together, its not hard to see the Boy Scouts they were when they met seven decades ago, in the barbed-wire Japanese internment camp that sprawled over desolate fields. One was imprisoned here; one belonged to the only troop that agreed to a jamboree on the inside.

Norman Mineta went on to become a mayor, a Democratic congressman and a Cabinet secretary to two presidents. Alan K. Simpson went on to serve Wyoming as its Republican senator for 18 years. And they have returned to speak out against the racism that led to Heart Mountains opening 75 years ago this month.

On this day, they are goofing around after dinner on the front porch of one of Simpsons favorite haunts in Cody, where storefront signs once read No Japs Allowed.

They rib each other relentlessly. Simpson, almost a foot taller, bends down to plant a goodbye kiss on Minetas head. When they hug, Minetas face is squashed into Simpsons chest.

You need to shave, Mineta quips.

Simpson rubs his chin and grins.

Nearby, their wives shake their heads and roll their eyes. Theyve seen this show before. Its like theyre 12 years old again, says Deni Mineta. Look at the two of them.

The men, who are 85, take a cruise most years with their wives, but the trip they treasure most is this annual pilgrimage. Their personal story is a highlight for the former internees and their descendants, who visit and reflect on a particularly dark chapter in American history.



Former congressman Norman Mineta (D-Calif.) and former senator Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.) share a moment after dinner in Cody, Wyo., near the preserved site of the Heart Mountain internment camp. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

Leaving everything behind

Two months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt signed an order ordering all Japanese Americans away from the Pacific Coast.

Mineta and his family were among 120,000 who were relocated inland to one of 10 internment camps that opened amid the wartime hysteria. The majority were citizens, forced to leave behind their homes, jobs, belongings and crops. Families lost everything. Mineta remembers tears streaming down his fathers face as they left San Jose and headed first for a way station at the Santa Anita Racetrack, then to the Heart Mountain camp, 15 miles outside of Simpsons home town of Cody.

Simpson remembered how the rows of tar-paper barracks appeared almost overnight on a sagebrush flat. There was nothing near the camp but the railroad tracks that transported the internees. With more than 10,000 usually there, the camp dwarfed the population of Cody, then at just more than 2,500.



At the site of the camp where more than 14,000 people were confined, just a few old buildings remain. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

The townspeople in Cody were not thrilled, Simpson said. We didnt know who was in there except it must have been a pretty bad group with all that activity.

I remember the day we got there in November [1942], Mineta said. The wind was blowing, all this silt was hitting our faces, cold as blazes. . . . The restrooms were quite a ways away, so when it would get cold and either raining or the snow, you had to go to the bathroom at 11 or 12 at night and trudge through all that mud and muck and mire.

And then each of the units had one single globe in the middle of the room and a potbelly stove in the middle. My job was to get the coal from the bin and then bring it  and thats what kept us warm.

He was 11.



Detainees gather coal from a bin at the Heart Mountain camp. It was Minetas job to lug a basketful back to his unit each day so his family could stay warm. (Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation Okumoto Collection)

No schools had been built for the thousands of children who were among the internees, so to keep the children occupied, camp elders decided to form Boy Scout troops.

Long before internment, scouting had deep roots in the Japanese community. Immigrant parents viewed it as a very American tradition and admired the organizations values of good citizenship, loyalty and service. When Minetas family left their house for the train ride to the assembly center in Southern California, young Norman wore his Cub Scout uniform.

So Heart Mountain troop leaders wrote to troops in nearby towns, inviting them to participate in Boy Scout jamborees. All refused. They were afraid of the armed guards and uneasy about the unfamiliar faces inside.

It was a confusing time, Simpson said. As a young boy, You were sorting out your world when nobody was there to teach you what the hell was going on, but you knew it was mess.

But his troops leader, Glenn Livingston, was a scoutmaster ahead of his time, Simpson said. He told his young scouts that the boys behind the barbed-wire fence were just like them, and he was right: The Heart Mountain scouts, Simpson said, read the same comics and earned the same merit badges.

Even as a young kid, Simpson said: You knew these were Americans, especially when you met the Scouts. They didnt even know where Japan was.

By chance, he was matched up with Mineta, who remembers Simpson as a roly-poly kid with lots of hair.

Among their tasks that day was pitching a tent.



From left, Pete Simpson, Houston Simpson (no relation) and Ralph Gill with the senator-to-be during his Scouting days in about 1941, in Jackson, Wyo. (American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming)

Mineta, the youngest child of his family, in 1936 in California. (Mineta family)

There is some dispute between the two, as usual, as they recount what happened next. Mineta claimed that when it came time to build a small moat around the tent, Simpson suggested routing it so that it would flow toward the tent of another Scout  one known as a bully.

It was no skin off my nose, so I said Sure,  Mineta recalled. By chance it rained, and the moat worked perfectly to flood the kids tent.

Oh, he laughed, hee hee hee, haw haw haw, hee hee hee,  Mineta said. I had to say, Alan, stop laughing so we can get some rest. 

Said Simpson: He said I laughed hideously at the event. I dont recall any cackling, but it was fun.

They spent a day together. Then Simpson went back to a comfortable life as the son of a prominent family in Cody. Mineta stayed behind the barbed wire for a year.

Two roads converge

That might have been that, had it not been for a small news item that ran in the Cody Enterprise in 1971.

Like the thousands of other Japanese families, Mineta and his family had returned home after the war to rebuild their lives. Minetas family was among the fortunate: A friend had taken care of their property, so they had a home. But prejudice persisted, and his father struggled to restart his insurance business.



Mineta walks past a re-creation of a guard tower at the Heart Mountain camp. After his time there as a child, he went on to a long congressional career and served twice as a Cabinet secretary. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

Mineta got a business administration degree at the University of California at Berkeley, joined the Army and fought in Korea. In 1971, he was elected mayor of San Jose and became the first Japanese American to lead a major U.S. city.

Simpson, by then a young lawyer practicing in Cody, spotted an Associated Press story in the local paper about that election. Buried deep in the text was a mention that Mineta and his family had been interned at the Heart Mountain camp.

Simpson, realizing this was the same pesky kid, dashed off a note.

Dear Norm, congratulations on being elected mayor  I have been wondering what youve been up to all these years . . . Mineta recalled. He still complains, to this day, that I never responded to him.

Did he?

You know, I dont remember that I did  so I fall silent whenever hes talking about that, he said with a sheepish grin.

Three years later, Mineta was elected to Congress, and Simpson wrote again. This time, the newly minted congressman wrote back.

After Simpson was elected to the Senate from Wyoming in 1978, the two former Boy Scouts finally were reunited face-to-face  35 years after they met on the sagebrush flat.

Politically, they were opposites. Simpson is a Republican. Mineta is a Democrat.

Once, when Mineta signed on to support a gun control bill, Simpson called him up. He said, You know what gun control is in my state?  Mineta recalled. Its how steady you hold the gun. That argument didnt persuade Mineta, but it did make him laugh.

The two were in Congress at the same time for 16 years. Outsiders thought their bipartisan friendship was curious.

Mineta, again: One time this guy asked Alan, I dont understand. Youre a conservative Republican, and hes a liberal Democrat, so whats the big difference between you and Mineta? And Alan said, Well, I wear a 17 shoe and he wears 8. 

In 1995, when Simpson decided he would not run for reelection, Mineta was among the first people he called. The exchange was trademark Simpson.



At his home in Cody, Wyo., Simpson is surrounded by photos and mementos from his similarly long political career. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

He said, I want to talk to you, and I said, Why dont you come on over Wednesday at 2 p.m.,  Mineta said. And then he said, May I remind you that Im a U.S. senator, and you are a mere representative of the House? So I said, Okay you imperial so-and-so, Ill come over to your side. 

Perhaps their most memorable legislative collaboration came on the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, in which the government formally apologized to the Japanese American internees and created a $1.25 billion trust fund to provide reparations to those who were interned. Mineta and his colleagues, including Sens. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Spark M. Matsunaga (D-Hawaii), worked with many others for more than a decade to get the bill passed.

Simpson plays down his role in the bills passage, but Mineta insists his friend was a key supporter despite Simpsons opposition to the provision providing $20,000 payments to living internees. The cash payments, said Simpson on the Senate floor, would establish the wrong precedent, and, as importantly, take away from the sincerity of the apology.

I think that that somehow is unbecoming, he said. It is a troubling aspect to me.

In the same speech, however, Simpson recounted how his trip with the Boy Scouts into the Heart Mountain detention camp had put a new twist on his own wartime perception of Japanese Americans because we thought of them as something else  as aliens, we thought of them as spies, we thought of them as people who were behind wire because of what they were trying to do in our country.

Instead, he said, they were Boy Scouts from California, wearing the same merit badges, same Scout sashes, same clothing. . . . But in my mind you had to see it, you had to have it etched on the back of the rim of your eye, to understand that these people were put in an extraordinary situation where they lost their constitutional rights in the United States of America. They were not, as I say, aliens. They were U.S. citizens.

Still standing

At the site of the camp where more than 14,000 people were confined, just a few old buildings remain. They have been preserved by a nonprofit foundation as part of the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, which aims to remind visitors of the need for tolerance and upholding basic civil rights when protecting national security.



Weeds sway near one of the preserved camp buildings, which Simpson remembers as having appeared almost overnight after President Franklin D. Roosevelts 1942 internment order. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

Simpson and Mineta helped raise millions of dollars for the center, much of it by telling the story of their friendship. Mineta always tells people how much he treasures Simpsons humor and loyalty. Simpson always expresses his admiration for how Mineta moved on after Heart Mountain to do good, for refusing to give in to bitterness.

In an interview in Simpsons living room, he and Mineta reflected on their long bond.

It wasnt anything mystical, Simpson said. It was just two boys  just two curious, inquisitive kids  pesky, good-humored, full of fun, who met each other and who remembered  at least I remembered.

Said Mineta: He is a great friend all around. Even though hes a conservative Republican, and Im a liberal Democrat, were just the best of friends.

That makes them rare specimens of a nearly extinct species, as they well know.

People may like the aspects . . . of bipartisanship. . . . And certainly an Asian and a Caucasian, theres another blend, Simpson said. And maybe they pine for that, I dont know.

Up the hill from the center, an American flag flaps in the wind. At the flagpoles base sits a plaque with the names of 800 who were drafted or enlisted from Heart Mountain. It includes 15 internees who died fighting for the United States, two of whom were awarded the Medal of Honor.

This is not about the past, Mineta said at the centers opening in 2011. This is about the future . . . because history already has the ability to repeat itself, and what you are doing here is drawing that line in the sand, to say that never again will there be something like what happened here.



Simpson kisses Mineta, his friend of nearly 75 years, on the forehead during a late-July ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Heart Mountain camp. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

This summer, a record number of people made the pilgrimage, boarding yellow school buses that took them through fertile farmland. First-timers such as Mitch Homma, whose parents and grandparents were interned here, joined Bacon Sakatani, now in his 80s, who has made 30 trips to Heart Mountain since his confinement there as an eighth-grader. Raymond Uno, a judge, led 50 members of his family to see where he had been interned.

For many, the trips are a contemplation of family history that is both painful and prideful. John S. Toyama, who was born at Heart Mountain, said that one of the first times he returned to the camp as an adult, he cried.

It was very emotional, he said. Now, he is more at peace when he sees the mountain and wanders through the center.

There is good energy here, Toyama said, energies that he thinks helped the Japanese Americans interned at Heart Mountain survive.

Same old dust

The visitors also see the durability of the unlikely Boy Scout friendship as a powerful energy, a testament to resilience and mutual respect. When Mineta and Simpson arrive, they are greeted like favorite uncles and dear friends. Instead of handshakes, there are hugs and kisses and, among the younger members of the crowd, plenty of selfies.

Every year [the crowd] gets bigger, and Norm and I get smaller, Simpson jokes to the crowd. Thanks for keeping [Heart Mountain] alive.

Later that afternoon, Mineta grips a cane and climbs slowly up the stairs to a refurbished barracks like the one he lived in for a year. Internment was a bad memory, he had said in a previous interview. Its something you dont forget, but you dont let that become a chain around your neck.

Now, he looks out the window.

Same old dust is still here, he says while picking at dirt in the windowsill. His wife takes a picture.

Smile, she says.

Lee Powell in Heart Mountain, Wyo., contributed to this report.
The memorial to Confederate war dead in Section 16 of Arlington National Cemetery commemorates the soldiers who died in the Civil War. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

On the western edge of Arlington National Cemetery stands a 32-foot-tall bronze hymn to soldiers of a bygone past. Such monuments are common on the hallowed ground where more than 400,000 are buried and honored for service to the country.

But the one in Section 16 commemorates those who fought for another cause. It is the Confederate Memorial. A soaring testament to Southern pride, placed in Arlington nearly 50 years after the Civil War ended, the monument features a frieze depicting Rebels shouldering rifles, a black slave following his master and an enslaved woman  described on the cemeterys website as a mammy  cradling a Confederate officers infant.

Across the country, monuments to the Confederacy and slavery defenders in the antebellum South have come under fresh scrutiny after white nationalists and white supremacists protested plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a Charlottesville park. Their protests spiraled into a weekend of chaos in the college town as a counterdemonstrator was killed and two state troopers who had been monitoring the protest died when their helicopter crashed.

[Mayors taking swift action to avoid becoming the next Charlottesville]

There are many Rebel monuments on federal property  in battlefields, cemeteries and parks. The Confederate Memorial stands out, opponents say, for its location on sacred space in Arlington and its offensive depiction of slaves. But it seems unlikely President Trump would agree to remove it: He has pronounced himself a skeptic of monument movers, pointing out that Founding Fathers owned slaves.

The Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments, Trump tweeted on Thursday. You . . . . . . cant change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson  whos next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!

This week, one Confederate statue was toppled in Durham, N.C., and others were yanked overnight from pedestals in Baltimore. The mayor of Lexington, Ky., announced plans to move Confederate memorials. The Congressional Black Caucus chairman called for the removal of Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol. Democratic state lawmakers from Alexandria, Va., previously reluctant to propose a bill to take down the Confederate statue Appomattox in Old Town, now say they intend to do so when the legislature reconvenes.

In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced support for removing from the State House grounds in Annapolis a statue of a 19th century Supreme Court justice, Roger B. Taney, known for the infamous proslavery Dred Scott decision. The right thing to do, Hogan said.

The Arlington cemetery, occupying what was once Lees estate, is on property administered by the Department of the Army. The Confederate Memorial, erected in the early 20th century, is encircled by 482 graves of Rebel officers, enlisted men and others affiliated with their cause. Plenty of critics support its removal, including the NAACP, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Association of Black Veterans.

[McAuliffe has change of heart on Confederate statues]

Many local and state officials opposed to Confederate monuments say that all those gallant Southern generals astride horses represent efforts to promote white supremacy. The Confederate Memorial features slavery outright, rendering them under the command of masters in perpetuity.

Its a memorial that says the people who fought to keep a boot on your neck and to keep you as property are heroes, said Jeffery Robinson, director of the Trone Center for Justice and Equality with the American Civil Liberties Union. Robinson, who is black, called it a monument to men who fought for the proposition that they own people who looked like me and then treat them as less than human.

But there is little evidence of any public campaign to remove the memorial. Even if there were, it is unclear what legal path exists for it to be taken down.

Courtney Dock, a spokeswoman at the cemetery, said its leadership would not answer questions about the issue.

We cannot comment on a hypothetical matter that would require actions outside the purview of the Secretary of the Army, Dock said. Due to the complex nature of the history of the monument and the fact that it is a contributing element to a historic district, the Secretary of the Army cannot unilaterally remove the monument.

[Hogan calls for removing statue of Taney, saying its right thing to do]

Acting Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did Patricia M. Bryson, president general of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the group that funded and commissioned the monument.

Frank Earnest, heritage defense coordinator for the Virginia division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said the public is largely unaware of the memorial.

One little corner is not too much to ask, said Earnest, of Virginia Beach. They didnt know about it until someone told them to be offended by it. So how is that just ripping peoples hearts out when most people dont even know its there?

Early in President Barack Obamas first term, a group of professors urged him to abandon a presidential tradition of sending a wreath to the monument for Memorial Day. The professors described the memorial as a symbol of white nationalism that emboldens the modern neo-Confederate movement.

But Obama continued the tradition while starting a new one: sending a wreath to the African American Civil War Memorial in the District, which honors the 200,000 blacks who fought for the Union.

Slavery is woven deep into the history of Arlington. At the beginning of the Civil War, as many as 63 slaves worked on the Lee family plantation and inside the columned mansion that still stands on the grounds.

After Virginia seceded in May 1861, Union forces took over the property across the Potomac River from Washington. After President Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation, former slaves flocked to the capital. Many settled in what became known as Freedmans Village on Lees old estate.

One sees more than poetic justice in the fact that its rich lands, so long the domain of the great general of the rebellion, now afford labor and support to hundreds of enfranchised slaves, a journalist wrote in the Washington Independent in January 1867, according to Robert M. Pooles 2009 history of the cemetery, On Hallowed Ground.

Union graves also proliferated on the estate in the final year of the war as casualties mounted, the genesis of the national cemetery. In 1900, Congress authorized a separate burial area for the Confederate dead as a gesture of national reconciliation.

Soon after, the United Daughters of the Confederacy petitioned the government to allow a new monument for what is now called Section 16. William Howard Taft, then secretary of war, approved the request in 1906. The work was designed by sculptor Moses Ezekiel, a Confederate veteran whose works include a statue of Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia. Atop the monument in Arlington is a figure of a woman holding a laurel wreath, facing south. Beneath her is a plinth with symbols of the Confederate states and the frieze depicting Southern scenes.

On June 4, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson led a dedication ceremony for the finished monument. He called it an emblem of a reunited people. The event was held the day after the birthday of the late Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

My privilege is this, ladies and gentlemen: To declare this chapter in the history of the United States closed and ended, Wilson said, and I bid you turn with me with your faces to the future, quickened by the memories of the past, but with nothing to do with the contests of the past, knowing, as we have shed our blood upon opposite sides, we now face and admire one another.

Wilson made no mention of slavery.

Nowadays, the issue is given scant attention at the cemetery, beyond a dim and musty room in a former slave quarters behind the mansion. There is also no physical trace of Freedmans Village, which at its peak was home to 1,500 former slaves. The government razed the settlement in 1900.

Tamara Moore, 66, a retiree who lives in Arlington, is a descendant of slaves owned by Lee. She said that regardless of what the future holds for the Confederate Memorial, the cemetery should do more to recognize the role of her ancestors on the estate.

There should be more inclusion in terms of talking about their contributions there, said Moore. Her great-grandfather James Parks was born into slavery at Arlington in about 1843 and died there Aug. 21, 1929. His grave lies in Section 15, within sight of the shining bronze memorial to those who fought in vain to preserve slavery.
Various descendants of Confederate generals  including those who claim Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson as their ancestors  have called for Rebel monuments and statues to be removed in the aftermath of violence in Charlottesville.

Now a group claiming ancestry from a Confederate veteran named Moses Jacob Ezekiel, who was a renowned sculptor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is asking that one of his most prominent works be taken down. It is the Confederate Memorial, a 32-foot-tall monument that stands in Arlington National Cemetery and is notable for its depiction of Rebel soldiers and two enslaved blacks, including a woman described on the cemeterys website as a mammy.

[Confederate Memorial in Arlington: Honoring Rebels on nations sacred ground]

On Thursday night, The Washington Post published a story about the monument. The group critical of the monument includes nearly two dozen people from the extended Ezekiel family who attached their names to a letter sent to The Post.

The group wrote the letter in light of the death of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old Charlottesville woman. She was killed Saturday while taking part in a counter-demonstration, opposing white nationalists who had come to the city to rally in support of a statue of Lee in a public park. Twenty-two people in the Ezekiel family  ages 20 to 90  from across the country signed the letter calling for the Confederate Memorials removal from Arlington.

Detail from the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. (Calla Kessler/The Washington Post)

We were all horrified at the Nazi and white supremacist demonstration in Charlottesville, said Judith Ezekiel, a visiting professor of womens studies and African American studies at Wright State University in Ohio.

All of us agree that monuments to the Confederacy are racist justifications of slavery, of owning people, she said Friday in a telephone interview. We wanted to say that although Ezekiel is a relative of ours, we still believe its a relic of a racist past.

Historians say Moses Ezekiel was the first Jewish graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. After he died, he was buried at the foot of the Confederate Memorial.

Ezekiel had a studio in Italy and was considered one of the most prominent artists to come out of the South. Two of his statues, depicting Homer and Thomas Jefferson, stand at the University of Virginia. Hundreds of white nationalists surrounded the Jefferson statue last Friday night after marching in a torchlight parade across campus and chanting You will not replace us and Jews will not replace us. At the statue, they clashed with a small group of U-Va. students who had locked arms in a counterdemonstration.

The Confederate Memorial was placed in Arlington in 1914. It was commissioned and funded by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which gave the monument as a gift to the United States. President Woodrow Wilson accepted it during a ceremony at Arlington, describing the memorial as an emblem of a reunited people.

But Judith Ezekiel said the family wrote the letter because it felt the monument was in reality a veiled attempt to rewrite the narrative of the Confederacy . . . as noble and not racist.

Below is the full Ezekiel family letter provided to The Post:

One of the most important memorials to the Confederacy is the statue at Arlington National Cemetery, unveiled in 1914. It was sculpted by Moses Jacob Ezekiel, a former Confederate soldier and a prominent sculptor of his time. Ezekiel was our relative.

Like most such monuments, this statue intended to rewrite history to justify the Confederacy and the subsequent racist Jim Crow laws. It glorifies the fight to own human beings, and, in its portrayal of African Americans, implies their collusion. As proud as our family may be of Mosess artistic prowess, we  some twenty Ezekiels  say remove that statue. Take it out of its honored spot in Arlington National Cemetery and put it in a museum that makes clear its oppressive history.
FILE -The statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that stands in the middle of a traffic circle on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Va. Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued an executive order on Friday temporarily barring protests at the monument. (Steve Helber/AP)

Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) on Friday temporarily blocked protests at the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in a residential neighborhood in Richmond, following violent clashes in Charlottesville that led to three fatalities.

In an executive order issued at about 5 p.m., he suspended the issuance of permits for protests until a task force lead by Brian Moran, the states secretary of public safety and homeland security, writes new emergency regulations.

Those regulations will be issued in three months, he said.

The action is needed to give state and local officials breathing room to make thoughtful and informed decisions on managing the new reality of the potential for civil unrest, according to a statement released by his office.

State and local officials need to get ahead of this problem, so that we have the proper legal protections in place to allow for peaceful demonstrations, but without putting citizens and property at risk, McAuliffe said.

The order is not intended to violate First Amendments rights to speech and assemble peacefully, he said.

Let me be clear, this executive order has nothing to do with infringing upon first amendment rights. This is a temporary suspension, issued with the singular purpose of creating failsafe regulations to preserve the health and well-being of our citizens and ensuring that nothing like what occurred in Charlottesville happens again.

Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Weeks of preparation could not protect Charlottesville from domestic terrorism that killed one woman and indirectly caused the deaths of two state troopers, McAuliffe said.

Several groups have requested permits to hold similar events at the Lee monument in Richmond, his office said.

Current regulations allow demonstrations for up to 5,000 people to gather from sunrise to 11 p.m., outside the statue, which features Lee on horseback in a traffic circle in a historic neighborhood known as The Fan, and could cause safety concerns, he said.

[Charlottesville tries to wash away the stains of hate]

McAuliffe on Friday spoke at the funeral of Berke Bates, a state trooper-pilot who died while on patrol over the protests and was previously assigned to the unit protecting McAuliffe and his family.

[In a tragic first, governor presides over funeral for member of his security detail ]
Oregon has become the fifth state to raise the legal age to buy cigarettes to 21.

Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, signed the bill into law early this month. It bars the sale of tobacco products to people younger than 21, effective Jan. 1, 2018.

Hawaii and California were the first two states to pass such a law. In July, New Jersey joined them, and last week, Maine enacted a law after legislators overruled a veto by Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican who called the bill an attempt at social engineering.

In most states, the legal age to buy tobacco products is 18; in a few, it is 19.

Supporters of a stricter standard say raising the legal age to 21 would save lives as well as cut medical costs for states. They point to a 2015 Institute of Medicine report that predicted that raising the age to 21 would reduce smoking by 12 percent by the time todays teenagers are adults. It also would result in about 223,000 fewer premature deaths.

But opponents say a change would hurt small businesses, reduce tax revenue and violate the personal freedom of young adults who are legally able to vote and join the military.

In the past several years, a growing number of local governments have taken action on their own to boost the legal age to 21.

Stateline is an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Read more

Health leaders call for immediate action to curb smoking in the U.S.

Americas new tobacco crisis: The rich stopped smoking, the poor didnt

Big Tobaccos new cigarette is sleek, smokeless  but is it any better for you?
FINLAND

2 dead, 6 wounded in stabbings, police say

Two people were killed and six others wounded in a stabbing attack Friday in a city in southwest Finland, police said.

The attack unfolded in Turku, about 100 miles west of Helsinki, jolting a continent still reeling from a deadly terrorist strike in Spain.

Police in Finland said the stabbings were not being investigated as terrorism. However, Finlands National Bureau of Investigation is also involved in the case, with the assistance of the countrys intelligence services.

A suspect was arrested at the scene in central Turku and was being treated for his wounds in a nearby hospital after being shot in the thigh by police. Finnish Interior Minister Paula Risikko said that the suspects identity was unclear and that authorities were contacting immigration officials to learn more.

Finlands prime minister, Juha Sipila, offered condolences to relatives of the victims and called the days events tragic.

Security was tightened across the country, including at airports and train stations. National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen warned civilians that they might see armed security personnel in the streets.

 Isaac Stanley-Becker

SIERRA LEONE

Death toll climbs to 450 after mudslides

Rescue officials in Sierra Leone warned Friday that the chances of finding survivors in the debris of this weeks mudslides are getting smaller every day, as bereaved and homeless survivors faced the magnitude of all they have lost.

Burials and rescue efforts pressed on amid the threat of further disaster. As many as 450 bodies have been recovered in and around the capital, Freetown, after Mondays mudslides and flooding, according to Simeon Owiss Koroma, the governments chief consultant forensic pathologist. Some 600 others are missing and feared dead.

At least 122 of the victims are children, and a similar number have been orphaned by the disaster, the aid group Save the Children said.

Burials have begun in a cemetery that holds victims of the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak that killed thousands in the West African country.

The death toll is climbing by the day, said Elhadj As Sy, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

 Associated Press

KENYA

Opposition to file petition against vote

Dozens of supporters of Kenyas opposition coalition gathered Friday around the Supreme Court building where lawyers are expected to file a petition contesting President Uhuru Kenyattas reelection.

Police said they prevented the supporters from accessing the Supreme Court. Nairobi Police Chief Japheth Koome said authorities want to ensure that the court building is secure.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has rejected official results from Kenyas electoral commission, which says Kenyatta won by roughly 1.4 million votes.

Odinga has claimed, without proof, that hackers used the identity of a slain election official to manipulate the result.

 Associated Press

South Africa grants Grace Mugabe immunity: South Africa has granted diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwes first lady, Grace Mugabe, allowing her to return to Harare and avoid prosecution for an alleged assault on a 20-year-old model, a security source said Friday. South African police had put border posts on red alert to prevent Mugabe from fleeing and indicated that she would receive no special treatment in the case involving Gabriella Engels, who alleges that Mugabe whipped her with an electric extension cable.

Rwanda leader Kagame inaugurated: Rwandan President Paul Kagame was sworn in for a third term Friday after winning reelection with nearly 99 percent of the vote. Many African leaders attended the ceremony in the capital, Kigali. The longtime president had described the Aug. 4 election as a formality while campaigning. The East African nation has virtually no political opposition, and critics accuse Kagame of being intolerant of dissent, which he denies.

Jailed Mexican ex-governor starts hunger strike: Mexico City prison officials say a former Mexican governor jailed on corruption charges has started a hunger strike to protest the way his case is being handled. A statement by the penitentiary system said Javier Duarte, former governor of the state of Veracruz, informed it that he would start his protest Thursday evening. Duartes main complaint seems to be the way the case is proceeding in Veracruz. The prison system said it will monitor his health. Mexicos attorney generals office announced last month that a federal judge ordered Duarte be tried on organized crime and money laundering charges.

 From news services
Post opinion writer Jonathan Capehart says President Trump's white nationalist tirade came from fertile ground expertly tilled by Steve Bannon. That won't stop now that Bannon is out. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post)

Post opinion writer Jonathan Capehart says President Trump's white nationalist tirade came from fertile ground expertly tilled by Steve Bannon. That won't stop now that Bannon is out. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post)

Is President Trump a populist or a corporatist?

Is he appealing to white supremacists as a form of political opportunism  or because, deep down, he sympathizes with their views? Is he the hard-core fire and fury hawk of his North Korea statements? Or is he actually a non-interventionist who disdains foreign engagement?

The answer to all these questions is: Who knows? There is absolutely no way of establishing what Trump believes. He says whatever he feels he has to say at any given moment to get attention, strike back at foes or advance his personal (especially economic) interests.

But Trumps decision to let go of his right-wing-populist-in-chief Stephen K. Bannon sends a clear signal that the presidents populism has always been a ruse. And Bannon committed the cardinal sins of dishing to a liberal journalist and dissing his own base within the Republican Party.

One reason Bannon has always inspired fascination is that he has a set of beliefs that, while not always coherent, are strongly held. Faced with a president whose ideology verges on nihilism, here was someone in the Trump orbit who cared about certain things passionately. Bannon was allowed to fill in the blanks left by an empty man.

Only Vice President Pence remains. (Adriana Usero,William Neff/The Washington Post)

This explains Bannons seemingly fatal decision to call my friend Robert Kuttner, a left-of-center economic populist who disagrees with Trump on all manner of issues but does share Bannons skepticism about Chinas role in the global economic system. Bannon seemed to think that he could strengthen his position by seeking allies on the left. This, we have learned conclusively, is not how this fundamentally right-wing White House works.

Kuttners account of the conversation, published in the American Prospect, was striking because (1) Bannon declared, against Trumps bellicose public bloviating, that theres no military solution to the North Korea problem; (2) Bannon sees the United States facing an economic war with China that we have to be maniacally focused on; (3) hes been in a fight . . . every day on these matters with the Treasury Department and Trumps chief economic adviser Gary Cohn; and (4) he called the ethno-nationalists with whom he is often associated a collection of clowns.

Yet Bannon also seemed to welcome the public battles that Trumps moral equivalency toward neo-Nazis and their foes in Charlottesville has unleashed. The Democrats, Bannon told Kuttner, the longer they talk about identity politics, I got em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.

Well. Bannons last point, despite his departure, could be a Rosetta stone for Trumps shameful handling of Charlottesville: The president may figure that dividing Americans along racial lines while fueling a fight on the left over identity vs. class politics will leave him a winner.

But Bannon made all of this way too explicit. He also overlooked the large national consensus against neo-Nazis, Klansmen and white supremacists. Trump cant admit that hes playing politics with race, and ethno-nationalism is, fortunately, being challenged more forcefully than ever.

Bannon got into trouble for other reasons as well, notably by directly contradicting Trumps posture on North Korea. His dismissal is a triumph for Cohn, White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and national security adviser H.R. McMaster. Friends of a steadier foreign policy will cheer Bannons fall  although who knew that doves had a secret ally in the former head of Breitbart News?

Bannons ouster will no doubt be described as a victory for moderation. But it also underscores that for all of Trumps talk about workers and jobs, his administrations substantive actions have mainly benefited corporate interests. This is especially true of its rolling back of rules around the environment, Wall Street and various worker and consumer protections.

President Trump decided to dismiss Stephen K. Bannon, after weeks of White House upheaval and racial unrest. The ousted chief strategist returned to Breitbart News on Aug. 18. (Peter Stevenson,Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

As political scientists Matt Grossmann and David Hopkins observed this month on The Posts Monkey Cage blog, Trumps actual behavior, including his regulatory retrenchment, suggests he is likely to compile the most conservative policy record of any recent administration.

Trump carried the crucial states of the Midwest because he was not a conventional conservative. Bannon, for all his disturbing inclinations, understood this. Does Trump?

The presidents defenders will cheer this decision as an effort to create a more orderly and predictable administration. Just as likely, we are witnessing yet another erratic move from a leader who doesnt know what he believes and was uneasy with an aide who dared imagine that there was a point to his presidency.

Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
President Trump first asked reporters to define the "alt-right," before saying members of the "alt-left" were also to blame for violence in Charlottesville, while taking questions from reporters on Aug. 15 at Trump Tower in New York. (The Washington Post)

President Trump first asked reporters to define the "alt-right," before saying members of the "alt-left" were also to blame for violence in Charlottesville, while taking questions from reporters on Aug. 15 at Trump Tower in New York. (The Washington Post)

The truly shocking thing, looking back at what has been written and said since the events in Charlottesville, is that anybody is shocked. Donald Trumps first appearance on the front page of the New York Times was in 1973, when President Richard Nixons Justice Department sued his familys real estate company for discriminating against black would-be tenants. In the 4 decades since, he has used racial smears and stereotypes  Mexican rapists, sly Jews, lazy blacks  over and over again, in public, including during last years election campaign.

During that campaign, he, his sons and his campaign advisers tweeted and passed on anti-Semitic and racist memes, sometimes deleting them later and sometimes defending them. He was signaling constantly to those who held anti-Semitic and racist views, implying that he understood them, that he was on their side. But his grandchildren are Jewish has always been a pretty thin defense, right up there with But some of his best friends are black. And it doesnt matter anyway: It makes no difference what this president (or any president) thinks privately about black or brown people, or which churches or synagogues his friends and family attend. What matters is something different: how the president uses racism in politics  and whether it works.

To date, Trump has used bigotry mainly as an electoral tool, to excite a relatively small group of supporters  lets call them the alt-right because its a useful shorthand  and to persuade them to attend his rallies, to donate money, and above all to coordinate and staff (I suspect both as volunteers and professionals) his online campaign. This tactic was successful largely because the rest of his voters, mainstream Republicans, were not bothered by the tactics that Trump used to win the election. Either they didnt see the online racism  not everyone uses social media, especially Twitter  or they found compelling reasons, such as hatred of Hillary Clinton or desire for a conservative Supreme Court, to overlook it.

The question now is whether Trump will go further, manipulating racism for political ends as others have done in other countries. Open, ongoing presidential support for the alt-right could, for example, radicalize more people on both the right and the left, leading to more violent clashes of the kind that took place in Berkeley, Calif., as well as Charlottesville. Similar language has inspired individuals in other countries to use violence, too. The anti-immigration rhetoric used during the Brexit referendum in Britain led to increased physical attacks on immigrants there; the same thing has happened after victories by anti-immigrant or racist parties elsewhere. Individual acts of violence may increase in the United States. Remember, along with group violence, individual acts are very useful to Trump: He can crack down on the violence, he can call for more police, he can present himself as the candidate of law and order. The more chaos, the stronger he will seem.

By encouraging the alt-right, Trump can also change our definition of what it means to be a moderate or a centrist. This tactic has been used successfully in Hungary, where the center-right ruling party, Fidesz, turned a neo-fascist alt-right party, Jobbik, into an electoral asset. Officially, Fidesz always kept its distance from Jobbik, at one point banning its uniformed marches. But Fidesz borrowed some of Jobbiks ideas and language, moved its own constituency in a racist and anti-Semitic direction and, while repressing center and left-wing parties  contriving to close left-leaning or centrist newspapers, for example  let Jobbik grow. Now that Jobbik is Hungarys second-largest political party, Fidesz positions itself as the center. Heres the paradox: Vote for us or else you get the far-right is an argument that the farthest-right ruling party in Europe uses to win elections.

President Donald Trumps reluctance to condemn bigotry suggests he does not want to heal the wounds of racism and white supremacy. Fred Hiatt, head of The Washington Post editorial board, says Americans still have reason to hope. (Adriana Usero,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

In America, tacit approval for the white-supremacist minority will not lead to a new party  our voting system doesnt allow it. But it isnt hard to imagine reaching a point at which Trump, or one of his successors, can argue to his Republican Party colleagues that they, like Hungarians, need to support mildly racist moderates such as himself in order to avoid violently racist extremists on the fringes. The more madness swirls around him, the more sane he will seem.

The lesson? Dont be shocked. Instead, watch how Trump uses racism in politics  and find a political response. Build up the centrist majorities of both political parties. Argue back against violence. Dont let Trumps extremism create more extremism. Look at whats happened in other places, and dont let it happen here.

Read more from Anne Applebaums archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook.
IN FEBRUARY, the United Nations released a report detailing the Burmese governments human rights abuses against the long-suffering Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state  abuses that likely amounted to crimes against humanity. Burma should have responded by allowing U.N. investigators into the country and creating accountability mechanisms to prevent further violations. Instead, a government inquiry has concluded that there is no evidence of crimes and that people from abroad have fabricated news claiming genocide had occurred.

On the contrary, there is considerable evidence to suggest that systematic human rights violations have occurred in Rakhine. The Rohingya have long been denied citizenship and pushed into ghetto-like conditions. This persecution escalated last year, when Burmese security forces conducted a scorched-earth campaign in the state amid widespread reports of mass rape, torture, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings. The government has also restricted the movements of Rohingya people, imposing curfews and contributing to extreme food shortages. Nearly 90 people have died since the violence erupted last year, while an estimated 65,000 have fled Rakhine.

Burmas response was to establish an investigative commission that lacked credibility from the outset. The 13-member committee was headed by former military leader and current Vice President Myint Swe and included no Rohingya representatives. According to reports from civil society, its investigators used sloppy research methods, browbeat villagers and ignored complaints.

The commission made a few common-sense recommendations. It rightly acknowledged that imposing restrictions on Rohingya and the media in Rakhine could create conditions for violence and extremism, and it suggested relaxing limitations on humanitarian assistance. Yet these proposals are overshadowed by the commissions denial of any systematic wrongdoing. Along with new calls to expand security measures against Muslim insurgents and reports of a troop surge in Rakhine, this essentially gives the military the green light to continue using excessive force.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Burmas partially democratic government bears many similarities to its autocratic predecessor: It is overly sensitive to criticism, repressive toward minorities and willing to go to great lengths to protect the military. The international community should take note and renew calls to allow a U.N. fact-finding mission to visit the country. Congress should rethink the idea of expanding American military ties with Burma or, at the very least, consider imposing a vetting process and human rights benchmarks for any further military engagement. The United States has long championed democracy in Burma; the commissions announcement proves this fight is not over yet.
Intelligence officers sometimes talk about blowback, when covert actions go bad and end up damaging the country that initiated them. A year later, that is surely the case with Russias secret attempt to meddle in the U.S. presidential election, which has brought a string of adverse unintended consequences for Moscow.

The Kremlin is still issuing cocky statements accusing the United States of political schizophrenia in its response to Russian hacking. And there are vestiges of the triumphal tone I encountered in Moscow this summer  a sense that the United States is in decline and that a mistreated but resurgent Russia is in the drivers seat. But Russias confidence must be flagging.

Interference in the U.S. election has created antibodies to Russian power: America is angry, Europe is newly vigilant, and Syria and Ukraine are becoming quagmires. Moscow remains a dangerously ambitious revanchist power, but its geopolitical goals look harder to achieve now than they did a year ago.

The basics of Russias covert operations were best summarized in a Jan. 6 report by the U.S. intelligence community: President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election. Russias goals were to denigrate Hillary Clinton and help . . . when possible Donald Trump. A broader aim was to undermine the U.S.-led liberal democratic order.

So, hows it going for the folks at Lubyanka Square? Well, Trump was certainly elected, though the factors driving the U.S. vote were much deeper than Russian trolls and bots. And theres definitely disarray in the global order. But since Trumps inauguration, the world has begun moving in reverse from what Moscows active-measures specialists must have hoped.

President Trump dismissed allegations of collusion between his campaign and Russia at a rally in Huntington, W. Va., on Aug. 3. (The Washington Post)

Lets take a brief inventory of this global resilience:

Russian meddling has produced a strong bipartisan counter-reaction from Congress. Last months overwhelming passage of new sanctions against Russia showed how Putins assault on U.S. politics has united otherwise polarized legislators. Russia is once again a toxic word in U.S. politics, as Russian commentators are lamenting. It may take years to recover. And Putin has nobody to blame but himself.

European politics similarly has been galvanized by Russias attempt to manipulate debate. The populist firestorm the Russians were secretly fanning  which engulfed Britain in the Brexit vote  has been dampened. The moderate center has held in the Netherlands, France and Germany. Russias covert support for right-wing nationalists has partially deflated those movements. To be credible, European politicians left and right are voicing their independence from Moscow.

Russias Internet manipulations have spawned a new push by companies and civil society groups to combat such fake news. One example is the online dashboard created by the German Marshall Funds Alliance for Securing Democracy. It monitors 600 Twitter accounts linked to Russian influence operations to collect a regular summary of trending hashtags, topics and URLs. (Note: Im a GMF trustee.) The world is forewarned now, and partially forearmed.

Internet and social-media companies are seeking technology solutions to bots, trolls and fake news. Facebook plans to identify dubious articles and steer them to independent fact-checking organizations, which will warn users if supporting evidence cant be found. Google is creating algorithms to identify reliable sources from the billions of pages it indexes. Such private-sector efforts are the best hope for sustaining a fact-based electronic environment.

Investigations have exposed groups and companies with alleged links to Russias hacking campaign, such as WikiLeaks. The Russia-WikiLeaks connection is explored in a new edition this month of The Red Web, the superb book by Russian investigative journalists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan. Among their claims is that WikiLeaks moved at least part of its Web hosting to Russia in August 2016.

More heat: A New Yorker piece this week by Raffi Khatchadourian challenges WikiLeaks founder Julian Assanges denials of Russian involvement in the release of hacked documents. And the New York Times reports that a Ukrainian hacker known as Profexer, who may have helped write code used by the Russian covert operators, may now be talking to the FBI. The active-measures structure is weakening.

One of the few positives for Putin is his new support from Republicans. According to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center, the percentage of Republicans who say they trust the Russian leader has nearly doubled since 2015, although to just 34 percent.

Putins problem is that he overreached. His dislike of Clinton and enthusiasm for Trump led him to violate the cardinal rule of covert action  namely, make sure it stays covert. As Putin discovers anew every day, secret influence operations backfire if theyre exposed. Revelations compromise sources and methods, including the cutouts who masked Russias hand.

Putin, the ex-KGB officer, should appreciate the paradoxical lesson of this spy story: In the Internet era, deception may be amplified. But eventually the truth will out.

Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Artist and activist Bree Newsome, who rose to national fame when she removed the Confederate flag from the capitol building in Columbia, S.C., says the debate about Confederate monuments is really about justifying systemic racism. (Gillian Brockell,Kate Woodsome,Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)

Artist and activist Bree Newsome, who rose to national fame when she removed the Confederate flag from the capitol building in Columbia, S.C., says the debate about Confederate monuments is really about justifying systemic racism. (Gillian Brockell,Kate Woodsome,Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)

The fall of a regime is often marked by the falling of monuments. On July 9, 1776, upon hearing the Declaration of Independence read for the first time, a mob of American colonists descended upon a statue of King George III in Bowling Green park in Lower Manhattan, tied ropes around the sculpture and pulled it to the ground. The lead from the statue was then turned into bullets and muskets in preparation for the Revolutionary War.

Nearly 250 years later, the nation born from that revolution is embroiled in controversy over the toppling of a different set of statues. More than 700 monuments honoring the Confederacy, a failed attempt to secede from the United States for the purpose of maintaining chattel slavery, are scattered across the nation. Most were built in the early 20th century, when the terroristic practice of lynching was at its peak and the burgeoning civil rights movement was met with fierce resistance that would be maintained until federal intervention decades later.

The era of mandated racial segregation came to an end more than 50 years ago, yet symbols memorializing that era still haunt many public squares and have increasingly becoming the site of public clashes. Images from Charlottesville last weekend of white supremacists carrying Confederate banners, shouting racist slogans and beating counterprotesters in the street, resembled archive footage from the civil rights movement. The tragic death of Heather Heyer is part of a long history of white allies to the cause of racial justice murdered by white supremacists while protesting for equal rights. But unlike in 1964, there is no Lyndon B. Johnson in the White House who can push legislation to address these issues. The current occupant is more like George Wallace, failing to condemn the actions of white supremacist terrorists and in many ways openly defending them. Leaders who have largely been complicit in the rise of President Trump to this point are finally offering words of condemnation but little in the way of action.

Artist and activist Bree Newsome says that, like the rise of the Ku Klux Klan after the Reconstruction era, we're seeing a "peak moment" in racist backlash to the first black president. (Gillian Brockell,Kate Woodsome,Jesse Mesner-Hage/The Washington Post)

We were confronted by a similar moment more than two years ago when the state of South Carolina refused to lower the Confederate battle flag on its statehouse grounds in the wake of a white supremacist terror attack at a church in Charleston. For several days, the flag flew above the national and state flags even as the casket of a slain black state representative was paraded through the state capitol. The flag remained at full-staff until I scaled the pole to remove it on June 27, 2015.

The image of me holding the unhooked flag went viral, and my name appeared in news stories across the world, but I was actually one of several activists and organizers who worked together to make the flag removal possible. Five days before the action, we huddled in a small living room. Half of us in the room had never met the other half before that evening and were brought together by a mutual friend. A small collective of people from various backgrounds and walks of life, we were multiracial with different gender and sexual identities, different faiths and varying political beliefs. What united us was a moral calling and a commitment to doing the right thing, recognizing the power we had as individuals coming together to act as one. With awareness of history and belief in a better future, we decided to attack a symbol of systemic racism with a direct action that symbolized its dismantling. We almost immediately settled on removing the flag, both as an act of civil disobedience and as a demonstration of the power people have when we work together.

Similar actions are being taken across the nation today. On Monday, activists in Durham, N.C.,toppled a Confederate statue outside of a former courthouse. When warrants were issued for the arrests of activists, more than a hundred people marched with the activists to the courthouse demanding they be arrested, too.

Our nation faces a fork in the road and a decision to either continue down the same path of systemic racism or to confront our past honestly. It will increasingly fall upon everyday people to do the right thing. With the same spirit of those New Yorkers who toppled the statue of King George, recognizing that people had the power and ability to rule themselves without a king, we should topple all monuments to the Confederacy. And as debate intensifies over dismantling monuments and systems of white supremacy, there must be equal energy and attention given to discussion of what we are actively building in their place, recognizing that this nation isnt free unless and until all who reside here are free and have equal rights  not as an ideal, but as a lived reality.
President Trump first asked reporters to define the "alt-right," before saying members of the "alt-left" were also to blame for violence in Charlottesville, while taking questions from reporters on Aug. 15 at Trump Tower in New York. (The Washington Post)

President Trump first asked reporters to define the "alt-right," before saying members of the "alt-left" were also to blame for violence in Charlottesville, while taking questions from reporters on Aug. 15 at Trump Tower in New York. (The Washington Post)

President Trump has dropped all pretense and proudly raised the banner of white racial grievance. The time has come for Republicans in Congress to decide whether this is what they signed up for.

Business leaders decided Wednesday that theyd had enough, quitting two presidential advisory councils before Trump quickly dissolved the panels. Military leaders made their call as well, issuing statements  in the wake of Charlottesville  making clear that they embrace diversity and reject bigotry.

With only a few exceptions, however, GOP political leaders have been too timid to denounce the president and the reprehensible game of racial politics hes playing. I think the corporate chief executives who bailed are making the right bet: History will remember who spoke out, who was complicit and who stood idly by.

On Twitter (where else?), Trump poured salt in the nations wounds Thursday by coming out firmly against the removal of public monuments to the Confederacy  the issue that brought white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan to Charlottesville and led to the death of Heather Heyer.

Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments, he wrote. You cant change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson  whos next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!

President Donald Trumps reluctance to condemn bigotry suggests he does not want to heal the wounds of racism and white supremacy. Fred Hiatt, head of The Washington Post editorial board, says Americans still have reason to hope. (Adriana Usero,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

Some slippery-slope arguments are valid, but the one Trump makes is absurd. He cant possibly be so dense that he doesnt see a clear distinction between the men who founded this nation and those who tried to rip it apart.

Trump may indeed not know that most of those Confederate monuments were erected not in the years right after the Civil War but around the turn of the 20th century, when the Jim Crow system of state-enforced racial oppression was being established. They symbolize not history but the defiance of history; they celebrate not defeat on the battlefield but victory in putting uppity African Americans back in their place.

But even if someone explained all of this to Trump  perhaps in a one-page memo with lots of pictures  he wouldnt care. For him, the important thing is to tell the white voters who constitute his base that they are being disrespected and dispossessed. Its a cynical and dangerous ploy.

We know this is Trumps game because White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon told us so. In an interview with journalist Robert Kuttner of the American Prospect, published Wednesday, Bannon is quoted as saying: The Democrats, the longer they talk about identity politics, I got em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.

But Trumps base wont identify with Nazis and the KKK. Thats why Trump maintained  falsely  that among the torch-bearing Charlottesville white supremacists there were also plenty of very fine people. And its why he now seeks to broaden the issue to encompass Confederate monuments nationwide, abandoning his earlier position that the question should be left to local jurisdictions.

Thats probably also why Bannon, in the interview with Kuttner, referred to the white-power clowns as, well, clowns. Hes smart enough to reassure Trump supporters that theyre not like those racists and that all the racial game-playing is on the other side.

Trumps desperation is palpable. His approval ratings have slid perilously close to the danger zone where Republican officeholders no longer fear crossing him.

For titans of the business community, the tipping point came Wednesday. The chief executives of General Electric, Campbell Soup, Johnson & Johnson and 3M decided they could no longer serve on Trumps advisory Manufacturing Council or his Strategy & Policy Forum.

Why stick around? Prospects that Trump can actually follow through on a business-friendly agenda, including tax reform, look increasingly dim. And Trumps many sides reaction to Charlottesville wasnt going over at all well with employees, customers or the executives themselves.

Constructive economic and regulatory policies are not enough and will not matter if we do not address the divisions in our country, JPMorgan Chase chief Jamie Dimon wrote in a message to his employees. It is a leaders role, in business or government, to bring people together, not tear them apart.

The chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard also publicly condemned hate groups in the wake of Charlottesville. They, of course, could not mention the commander in chief by name.

But politicians can. And they must.

Read more from Eugene Robinsons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. You can also join him Tuesdays at 1 p.m. for a live Q&A.
Kingston Reif is director of disarmament and threat-reduction policy at the Arms Control Association. Tom Countryman is a former acting undersecretary for arms control and international security with the State Department and former assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation.

As U.S.-Russia relations continue to sour, President Trump has taken to Twitter to blame Congress for the continuing deterioration.

Trumps finger-pointing may not pass the laugh test, but the fact that Congress is not to blame for our troubles with Moscow does not mean that it cant make matters worse. And when it comes to nuclear weapons, Congress appears determined to do just that.

Republicans have urged the Pentagon to begin developing a new, potentially nuclear missile prohibited by the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Construction of the missile would be a gift to Putin, increase the risks of destabilizing nuclear competition and further alienate allies in Europe already unsettled by Trumps wavering commitment to their security.

The INF Treaty, negotiated by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, required the United States and the Soviet Union to eliminate and permanently forswear all of their nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 300 to 3,500 miles. The treaty is a cornerstone of the U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control architecture, having helped to halt and reverse the Cold War-era nuclear arms race.

Unfortunately, the accord is under tremendous strain. The United States has accused Russia of testing and deploying cruise missiles in violation of the treaty (which Russia denies).

In an effort to up the pressure on Russia over its violation, both the House and Senate versions of this years defense authorization bills would establish research and development programs on a new road-mobile ground-launched cruise missile with a range prohibited by the treaty. The House bill requires development of a conventional missile, whereas the Senate bill would authorize a nuclear-capable missile. The House approved its version of the legislation last month, and the Senate is to debate its measure next month.

Although proponents argue that the INF Treaty does not prohibit research or development, going down this road sets the stage for Washington to violate the agreement and would take the focus off Russias violation. Russia could respond by publicly repudiating the treaty and deploying large numbers of noncompliant missiles without any constraints.

A new missile is also militarily unnecessary. The Pentagon, which is conducting a review of the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy, has not asked for one. The United States can legally deploy air- and sea-launched systems that can threaten the same Russian targets. There is no reason to believe that a new missile, which would take years to develop and drain funding from other military programs, would persuade Russia to return to compliance.

Most importantly, NATO does not support a new missile, and no country has offered to host it. Attempting to force the alliance to accept a new, potentially nuclear missile would be incredibly divisive and no doubt prompt much high-fiving in Moscow.

As it seeks to respond Russias breach of the treaty, the Trump administration and Congress should keep three guiding principles in mind.

First, we should seek to preserve and strengthen the existing bilateral arms control architecture, including the INF Treaty and the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. These agreements constrain Russias nuclear forces and provide stability, predictability and transparency. They have only increased in value as the U.S.-Russia relationship has deteriorated.

Second, if the INF Treaty does collapse, we must ensure that Russia shoulders the blame. This means avoiding steps  such as building a noncompliant missile  that would allow Russia to claim that the United States is increasing nuclear instability in Europe.

Third, our approach must have support from European allies, who are most directly threatened by Russias illegal missiles. Response options that divide our allies would signal Russia that it could continue to violate the treaty without facing a unified response by NATO.

In keeping with these principles, Congress should encourage the Trump administration to confront Russia in direct talks focused on securing the removal of its noncompliant INF missile systems. Congress should also urge the Trump administration, in consultation with our allies, to pursue firm but measured steps to ensure that Russia does not gain a military advantage by violating the treaty. This could require further augmenting U.S. conventional offensive and defensive capabilities in Europe if Russias noncompliance persists and becomes a military threat.

Russias violation of the INF Treaty is a serious matter. But a tit-for-tat response  developing our own new nuclear missile  wont make us safer and will only make the problem worse.
The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee sits at the center of the park formerly dedicated to him, the site of recent violent demonstrations, in Charlottesville. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Lawrence A. Kuznar is a professor of anthropology at Indiana UniversityPurdue University Fort Wayne.

As an anthropologist who has studied the meaning of monuments and sacred spaces in other cultures, the recent controversy and violence surrounding Confederate monuments has been ethically challenging. I love my country, and part of my professional responsibility is to foster tolerance. I have also worked with our military to help thwart the Islamic State, an organization that instituted slavery in our time. As such, I detest the legacy of division, bigotry and slavery these monuments represent. But I think they should remain.

In the 1980s, I worked as an archaeologist at ancient Mayan ruins in Central America and saw how monuments to their rulers were defaced during the tumultuous fall of their civilization. The Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten similarly defaced and destroyed statues of earlier Egyptian gods in his religious reform 3,300 years ago, and Spanish conquistadors destroyed Aztec and Inca monuments and statuary in their war on idolatry in the New World.

And there are plenty of examples of the desecration of monuments in the 21st century. The Taliban blew up the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan in 2001; we aided Iraqis in toppling the statue of Saddam Hussein in Firdos Square in 2003; and nothing can compare to the scale of destruction of monuments at the hands of the Islamic State.

Simply removing monuments and moving them so they are out of sight is likewise not new, either. The Inca Empire of South America removed icons of conquered peoples gods and effectively held them hostage in a temple in the Incan capital of Cuzco. In our time, the post-Soviet Russian government removed many statues of Lenin and others, which now reside in Muzeon Arts Park in Moscow.

People effectively act as though destruction of a monument exorcises its power and removal banishes the power from their midst. But these pieces of metal and stone only have the meaning we assign to them, and that meaning can take any form we like. They can be revered or reviled; honored or ridiculed; or co-opted for a new purpose.

I understand the affront that Confederate monuments are to those whose ancestors were held as slaves or died preserving our country, and to those who suffer and oppose racism today. However, destroying monuments takes a page out of the playbook of mobs across the centuries, lowering ones self to that moral plane.

Further, removing Confederate statues amounts to whitewashing our history, turning our heads away from the inconvenient truths of our past. We should let them stand and use them to remind ourselves of what we are and are not, the cost our forebears paid for our freedom and to educate our children.

And the facts are plain: The South seceded from the United States over the issue of slavery. Many Americans believed in the superiority of Europeans over Africans at that time. Slave owners used that belief to justify the owning and abuse of millions of human beings. In the late 1800s, the era of Jim Crow disenfranchisement of blacks was ushered in and continued until the 1950s. This period witnessed the greatest spike (especially from 1900 to 1930) in monument building honoring the Confederacy. A smaller spike occurred from 1954 to 1968, in reaction to the civil rights movement.

The Civil War was the single most devastating war our nation ever fought. Nearly as many Americans died in that war than all of our other wars combined. Americans never paid so dearly for their country and what it was to be. With regard to fighting against racist ideology, World War II claimed 400,000 American lives. These two wars may account for 80 percent of the blood spilled for our country.

Civil War monuments bear a constant testimony to all of this history, none of which should be forgotten. The monuments should remain, and we should constantly remind ourselves of what they represent.

When racists revere these monuments, those of us who oppose racism should double our efforts to use these monuments as tools for education. Auschwitz and Dachau stand as mute testimonials to a past that Europeans would never want to forget or repeat. Why not our Confederate monuments?

Destroying or removing monuments is the easy way out of our obligation to understand our past and improve our future. Monuments to our nations racism can be as much a tool to counter it as they can be a tool to foment it. The choice and obligation is ours.
Laura Dolci-Kanaan lives in Geneva and has written a book about the consequences of terrorism for victims.

The terrorist attack on the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad on Aug. 19, 2003, is mostly remembered for taking the life of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the agencys head of mission in Iraq. For me, that was the day I lost my husband, Jean-Selim Kanaan, and our 28-day-old son lost his father. Twenty-two people were killed in the bombing, and more than 100 were injured. Jean-Selim was 33 years old, and a month later we would have celebrated our first wedding anniversary.

That day, our family was shattered and my baby son and I were thrown into unknown territory  terrorism. We benefited from Jean-Selims French citizenship, but the vast majority of countries do not recognize the needs of terrorism victims (long-term medical or psychological treatment, financial compensation) or have measures in place to assist victims. Their governments lack awareness and knowhow or are simply more interested in the competing, and politically more appealing, nature of terrorism-prevention programs. Furthermore, recognizing victims of terrorism may be seen as a public admission that the terrorists pose a genuine challenge to the state. And responding to the needs of such victims of terrorism may generate costs that many countries dont want to bear.

Since that tragic day, I have encountered far too many people whose struggle in the aftermath of a terrorist attack has been exceedingly painful.

Victims of terrorism often suffer in ways that victims of ordinary crimes do not. Unlike with most crimes, the terrorists and their victims are not two dots linked by a straight line, but part of a triangle whose third angle is the ultimate target of the attack  a community, a government or an institution. The terrorists have no interest in their victims  they hit a crowded street or cafe in Paris, Istanbul, London, Bali, Berlin, Tunis or Barcelona because of what it represents, not for who the victims are.

For the victims, this intentional dehumanization can be very hard to understand and accept. Fourteen years on, I still dont have much of an explanation for my son, Mattia-Selim, about who planted two tons of TNT in a suicide truck targeting U.N. officials, and why. And I have never had the opportunity to find solace in attending the trials of those responsible.

Victims of terrorism are often left with an unhealed sense of abandonment and injustice. Yet the severe degree of suffering  physical and psychological  inflicted on victims, the public dimension of terrorism and its deliberate dehumanizing effect, as well as the failings of national justice systems to deal with an increasingly transnational crime, all call for a new response to victims of terrorism from governments and the United Nations.

Terrorism victims should no longer be an afterthought, but rather included in counterterrorism strategies and programs, at the national and international levels. Because today every country is a potential target of terrorism, every country should establish a national support program to assist victims and their families.

At the same time, the United Nations should create an international fund to complement national programs, particularly for countries with limited resources. The fund should assist the delivery of specialized medical, psychological, legal and humanitarian assistance. Building on precedents such as the U.N. Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, this fund should be financed through voluntary contributions from U.N. member countries and, possibly, from the assets seized from terrorist groups.

Mattia-Selim knows all too well that transnational terrorism is complex, kills many and is not limited to a particular nationality. He, like so many other victims of terrorism, has also come to understand that victims are not considered central to the issue, and that all the counterterrorism talk we hear daily on radio and TV is not primarily intended to bring truth and comfort to the victims. We should all try harder: Anyone can become a victim of terrorism. And the victims deserve recognition and support.
Michael Saltsman is managing director at the Employment Policies Institute, which receives support from businesses, foundations and individuals.

A new report finding substantial job loss from a proposed $15 minimum wage in Montgomery County has drawn scorn rather than self-reflection from the policys supporters.

The backlash came primarily from the proposals champion, County Council member Marc Elrich (D-At Large), who was none too pleased to see a neutral third party identify the negative consequences. Its not a valid study, he huffed in an interview with The Post. The Montgomery County report was conducted by Philadelphia-based consultancy PFM, which has performed work for both Democratic- and Republican-controlled states and other localities. PFM surveyed employers in the county to estimate their reactions should a $15 minimum be enacted. Based on these responses, PFM estimated that roughly 45,000 jobs would be lost in the county by 2022.

Every research design has potential flaws; in this case, some businesses surveyed by PFM might overstate the policys harm  just as union-commissioned surveys of employees might overstate complaints about working conditions. The consultancy gave a boost to its critics a few days ago when it informed the county it had inadvertently omitted some employer responses. In its forthcoming study revision, predicted job losses are expected to be closer to 20,000.

PFMs original estimate of proposed job losses is high, but an impact this large is possible. A 2015 report, based on the work of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, and economists at the University of California at San Diego, on the impact of a federal $15 minimum wage estimated job losses of 3.3 million to more than 16 million. A quick calculation suggests Montgomery County could shoulder roughly 11,000 to 56,000 of those lost jobs; PFMs original estimate and its expected revision fall in this range.

Given the lack of a historical precedent for a $15 minimum wage it, its not unreasonable to think that an extreme increase would lead to extreme consequences. But even if the consequences of the policy were half as large as PFMs original study predicts, it would still leave thousands of employees worse off.

Dont tell that to the fighters for $15. The Economic Policy Institute, the D.C.-based research arm of the countrys largest labor unions, seized on PFMs decision to survey employers in a commentary now clutched by PFMs critics. The institute researcher dismissed its findings because it was based on feedback from affected business owners.

His preferred methodology is based on zero feedback from employers  in fact, its based on little empirical evidence. Rather, the institute simply calculates the number of people who earn less than $15 an hour and assumes theyd all see a pay increase when the wage floor rose. Using this approach, a $25 or $50 minimum wage would appear to provide even greater benefits to the county and the country.

In the real world, new mandates carry costs and force employers to cut back on staffing when they cant offset those costs through higher prices. Empirical research on minimum-wage experiments in Seattle and San Francisco finds that an even higher wage mandate leads to even larger consequences.

Theres a playbook for responding to studies that are critical of higher minimum wages, and advocates are following it page by page. In 2011, when then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg commissioned a study from a highly lauded research team, a union-backed advocacy coalition launched a public relations campaign to convince legislators that it was fundamentally flawed.

In 2014, when the CBO estimated that a $10.10 minimum wage would cost the country a half-million jobs, some of the same players marshaled PR efforts to falsely describe it as an outlier that flies in the face of overwhelming empirical evidence. And more recently in Seattle, when a city-funded research team produced a report that was critical of the citys minimum-wage experiment, the mayors office and advocates for $15 worked to undermine it by requesting a less credible competing study. The same advocates who were active in New York in 2011 dismissed it as  you guessed it  fundamentally flawed.

Advocates for $15 arent interested in what the people who would pay for the policy have to say about it. Thats why Elrich reintroduced his $15 proposal, vetoed in January by County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), before the countys impact study had even been released. In Seattle and San Francisco, advocates for $15 asked the public to take their word for it on the policys benefits; subsequent research has shown the folly of that decision.

Those debating PFMs methodology shouldnt lose focus on the well-documented consequences of a higher minimum wage.
Republican candidate for Virginia governor Ed Gillespie in Sterling in March. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post)

Mark J. Rozell is dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.

The success of any great moral enterprise does not depend upon numbers.

 William Lloyd Garrison, 19th-century American

abolitionist and social reformer

Not many contemporary Americans would mistake either of the nations major political parties as a great moral enterprise. The pursuit of individual or collective political ambition is all about numbers.

The quest for power leads politicians to study numbers, cultivate numbers, obey and elevate numbers over principle, never mind pols claims to moral convictions.

It must be sobering these days for Virginia Republicans to look at the numbers. In the short term and long term, the numbers do not line up in their favor.

For Ed Gillespie, the Republican nominee for governor this year, there are some numbers that could cause sleepless nights:

542,816  The number of Virginians who voted June 13 in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, compared with the 365,782 who voted in the Republican one. The record Democratic turnout is a clear indicator that Virginia Democrats go into the fall campaign with an enthusiasm advantage over Republicans.

155,466  The number of Virginians who voted for Corey A. Stewart, not Gillespie, in the Republican primary.

Everyone expected Gillespie, the favorite of the GOP establishment, to cruise to an easy nomination victory. After all, he had led the Republican National Committee and became a GOP hero when he nearly defeated the seemingly unbeatable Mark R. Warner in Virginias 2014 U.S. Senate race.

But Gillespie beat back Stewarts challenge by only 4,320 votes.

Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, is a disciple of President Trump and gleefully embraces the presidents brand of bare-knuckle politics. Stewart mobilized Trump Republicans in Virginia with harsh rhetoric on illegal immigration and political correctness, as well as an unapologetic defense of Virginias Confederate heritage.

Gillespie needs Trump Republicans support to have a chance in the general election in November. Winning their loyalty will be a challenge given that Gillespie has always kept Trump at arms length.

Stewart is doing Gillespie no favors. In post-primary interviews, Stewart called Gillespie boring and only grudgingly acknowledged he will vote for the GOP nominee. Stewart says party unity is not his highest priority.

36 percent  Heres where it gets even trickier for Gillespie. Thirty-six percent is Trumps approval rating in Virginia in the most recent Washington Post-Schar School statewide poll.

With Trump so unpopular, Gillespie runs the risk of alienating Virginia moderates and independents if he appeals too openly to Trump voters.

5 percentage points Hillary Clintons margin of victory over Trump in Virginia last fall. The Old Dominion was the only Southern state to support Clinton. And remember that Barack Obama carried Virginia in 2008 and 2012.

2009  The last time a Republican won statewide in Virginia. Today, Virginias governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and U.S. senators are all Democrats, thanks to blue-voting majorities in urban and suburban eastern Virginia, especially the Northern Virginia suburbs, where government programs and government workers are not considered dirty words.

2018  As if he hadnt done enough to undermine Gillespie, Stewart launched a bid for the U.S. Senate next year that will somewhat upstage Gillespies campaign for governor this year.

The brash Stewart attracts and revels in media coverage. (Remind you of anyone?) Ask yourself, whos more attractive to the evening news: the guy talking calmly about income tax cuts or the loud fellow posing with the Confederate battle flag?

2020 to 2040  Gillespie wont necessarily worry about these numbers, but other Republicans will. The University of Virginias Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service predicts the commonwealths population will top 10 million by 2040 (up from the current estimate of 8.4 million.)

Population growth will be strongest in Virginias largest urban areas, particularly Democratic Northern Virginia. Our urban population will become younger and more racially diverse  good demographics for Democrats. In Republican rural Virginia, meanwhile, growth will be slower, and in many cases rural counties will lose population.

Now, you knew thered be a caveat in these musings over numbers. Recall the confidence last fall of the media and pundit community. The numbers overwhelmingly favored Clinton for president; just about everyone was convinced Trump couldnt win. Howd that turn out?

As American humorist and observer James Thurber noted, There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else.
Much of the United States has reacted swiftly and strongly to President Trumps grotesque suggestion that there is a moral equivalence between the white supremacists who converged last weekend on Charlottesville and those who protested against them. But the delayed, qualified and mealy-mouthed reactions of many in Americas leadership class tell a disturbing story about the countrys elites  and the reason we are living in an age of populist rebellion.

The least respected of todays leaders are, of course, politicians. The public largely views them as craven and cowardly, pandering to polls and focus groups. And that is how too many Republican officials have behaved in the face of Trumps words and actions. With some honorable exceptions, men and women who usually cannot stop pontificating on every topic on live TV have suddenly gone mute on the biggest political subject of the day.

I know. They worry about the base, about primaries, about right-wing donors. But shouldnt they also worry about their country and their conscience? Shouldnt they ask themselves why they went into public service in the first place? And if they see someone at the highest level trampling on the values of the country, shouldnt they speak up  directly, forcefully and without qualification?

Business leaders, meanwhile, are still among the most respected and envied people in the United States. They run vast organizations, get paid on a scale that makes their predecessors from just 25 years ago look middle-class, and live in a bubble of private planes, helicopters and limousines. In other words, they have all the wealth, power and security that should allow them to set standards and lead.

Again, with some honorable exceptions, business leaders have been cowards. Most of them surely think Trump is a charlatan, a snake-oil salesman. In the past, some chose not to do business with him because they believed he was unethical. Others were initially amused by his candidacy but regarded his rhetoric on trade, immigration and refugees as loathsome. And yet, almost none spoke out against him. Few even distanced themselves after Trump blamed many sides for the violence in Charlottesville. Had Merck chief executive Kenneth Frazier not resigned from one of Trumps advisory boards and Trump not doubled down on his initial comments, it is unclear how many other CEOs would have spoken out. And even then, some jumped ship from the advisory councils only when it became clear that there was really no alternative.

President Trump's two major CEO councils disbanded Aug. 16 after Trump was slow to condemn white supremacy groups. (Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

The United States technology pioneers might be the most admired people on the planet. They are viewed as smart, innovative and successful. Many are not just rich but also claim to be wise beyond words, prophets of the future who opine on space travel and artificial intelligence. Can they not see what is going on right here on Earth at the White House and condemn it?

Where are evangelical Christian leaders on a matter of basic morality? While some have made their voices heard, it is striking how many have not, or have even endorsed Trumps comments. Do they have a burning moral duty to speak out against transgender bathroom access but not neo-Nazi violence?

The United States once did have more public-minded elites. But they came from a small, clubby world, the Protestant establishment. Not all were born rich, but they knew they had a secure place atop the country. They populated the nations boardrooms, public offices and best schools. This security gave them greater comfort in exercising moral leadership.

Today we have a more merit-based elite, what is often called a meritocracy. It has allowed people from all walks of life to rise up into positions of power and influence. But these new elites are more insecure, anxious and self-centered. Politicians are likely to be solo entrepreneurs, worried about the next primary or fundraiser. CEOs live with the constant fear that they might lose their jobs or that their company might lose its customers in an instant. Religious leaders worry that they will lose congregants. These groups may not think they have the luxury to be high-minded, but they do. They are vastly more secure than most people in America, or in human history. If they cannot act out of broader interest, who can?

The public figures who deserve the most praise this week are the military brass. In a remarkable act of leadership for people who actually work under the president, the heads of five branches of the armed forces independently issued statements unequivocally denouncing racism and bigotry. Perhaps this is because the military has been the institution that has most successfully integrated the nations diverse population. Perhaps it is because the military remains an old-fashioned place, where a sense of honor, standards and values still holds. The military chiefs have shown why they still command so much respect in the country. Americas other elites should take note.

Read more from Fareed Zakarias archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
After President Trump's most recent rhetoric about Charlottesville inflamed even more criticism, a handful of GOP lawmakers, including Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), are criticizing Trump directly, while others stay silent. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

After President Trump's most recent rhetoric about Charlottesville inflamed even more criticism, a handful of GOP lawmakers, including Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), are criticizing Trump directly, while others stay silent. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Last weekend in Charlottesville, a driver mowed down peaceful protesters and killed 32-year-old Heather Heyer. The act was reminiscent of recent terrorist attacks across Europe committed in the name of the Islamic State, which has urged followers to use vehicles to kill enemies.

As far as we know, the alleged killer in Charlottesville didnt get instructions from the Islamic State. As far as we know, he didnt even receive marching orders from any of the neo-Nazi groups with which he sympathized.

But he also didnt need to turn to either of these factions for inspiration. He could just have easily have gotten the idea from a Republican state legislature.

This year, Republican lawmakers in at least six states have proposed bills designed to protect drivers who strike protesters. The first bill was introduced in North Dakota in January, and similar bills have since come under consideration in North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Texas and Rhode Island.

They were joined by other states trying to discourage protests  typically relating to Black Lives Matter, the Dakota Access Pipeline or other left-leaning causes  that sometimes obstruct traffic.

President Donald Trumps reluctance to condemn bigotry suggests he does not want to heal the wounds of racism and white supremacy. Fred Hiatt, head of The Washington Post editorial board, says Americans still have reason to hope. (Adriana Usero,Kate Woodsome/The Washington Post)

The North Dakota bill would shield drivers from civil and criminal liability. The bills sponsor, state Rep. Keith Kempenich, perversely suggested that shielding drivers who kill protesters was a necessary anti-terrorism measure.

Protesters who blocked cars were committing an intentional act of intimidation  the definition of terrorism, he told the Los Angeles Times.

Right-wing websites and at least one well-known conservative commentator more gleefully advocated running over protesters, including by sharing a viral video montage titled Heres a Reel of Cars Plowing Through Protesters Trying to Block the Road. (Tank Man didnt make the cut, alas.)

I wonder: Did the Republican politicians and pundits who backed these measures believe too few protesters were getting hit by cars?

If not, what did they think would happen when they encouraged drivers to use their vehicles as a weapon against the public?

Because thats exactly what these bills do.

The bills all include language about how drivers who injure or kill protesters must have done so unintentionally or while exercising due care if they wish to be spared liability. (Hitting protesters intentionally, as the Charlottesville driver appears to have done, could still make one subject to civil and criminal liability.) Even so, the foreseeable effect of passing laws like these would be to change the calculus for any frustrated driver considering whether to plow through a crowd of protesters.

Economists tend to think about decisions in terms of expected costs and benefits. By lowering the expected costs to the driver, these proposed laws would tilt the balance in favor of hitting people.

And not just any people. Protesters specifically.

In five of the six states where bills were introduced, the legislation would shield drivers who hit protesters or demonstrators only. Drivers who kill pedestrians who are not out exercising their First Amendment rights would still be subject to the usual criminal and civil liabilities.

In other words, the purpose of these proposals was to make acts of protest, and acts of protest alone, more lethal.

So far none of these bills has made it into law. Hopefully Heyers tragic death this past weekend destroys their chances.

Already, though, white supremacists have latched on to the rhetoric behind these bills to excuse her death. In Vice News Tonights chilling Charlottesville documentary, neo-Nazi Christopher Cantwell said her murder was more than justified because the driver was provoked by stupid animals who attacked and then couldnt just get out of the way because they werent paying attention.

Surely the whataboutists will claim the lefts angry resistance rhetoric encouraged someone to attempt to murder Republican legislators. To be clear, that act was also evil. There is, however, no comparison between mean words and changing the law to indemnify people who kill others in a highly specific way.

A fairer parallel would be if Democrats had introduced bills making it legal to shoot up batting practices. Which, to my knowledge, hasnt happened.

As Ive previously argued, theres plenty of blame to dump on President Trump for emboldening white supremacists and for encouraging violence against peaceful protesters. But to treat him as an aberration in encouraging violence against protesters  in particular, liberals and people of color  is flat wrong.

The moral rot in the Republican Party runs deep.

Maybe the state legislators who introduced these bills are malevolent, and maybe theyre just morons. In politics, I tend to err on the side of the latter explanation. Either way, they advocated reckless bills whose foreseeable consequence was increased vehicular killings.

These politicians are not fit to serve the public, in any level of government.

Residents of North Dakota, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Texas and Rhode Island: Look these goons up and vote them out.
What Gary Cohn, Steven Mnuchin and Jared Kushner did this week  or, rather, what they didnt do  is a shanda.

Theyll know what that means, but, for the uninitiated, shanda is Yiddish for shame, disgrace. The three men, the most prominent Jews in President Trumps administration, could have spoken out to say that those who march with neo-Nazis are not very fine people, as their boss claims. Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, and Cohn, the chief economic adviser, were actually standing with Trump when he said it. They said nothing.

All three let it be known through anonymous friends and colleagues that they are disturbed and distressed by what Trump said  Kushner even got out word that he and his wife, Ivanka Trump, had counseled Trump otherwise  but none is speaking publicly about an outrage that makes millions of Americans feel as though they are living a nightmare.

We have seen such a character before in Jewish history: the shtadlan. The shtadlan , or court Jew, existed to please the king, to placate the king, to loan money to the king. He would dress like other members of the court, and he would beg the king for leniency toward the Jews, but, ultimately, his loyalty was to the king.

President Trump on Aug. 15 said that theres blame on both sides for the violence that erupted in Charlottesville on Aug. 12. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

I thought we were past the age of the shtadlan. So did my rabbi, Danny Zemel. These guys are the princes of American business power, he said. If they cant find an ounce of moral fiber from their own Jewish past, were in a very sorry way. If they view themselves as court Jews, then theyll keep their mouths shut and keep their nice jobs.

That past is as ancient as the Bible. Abraham argued with God, urging the Almighty not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of the innocent. Moses, seeing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, struck the offender, buried him in the sand and fled from Pharaoh. The daily Jewish liturgy includes the 146th Psalm, praying to a God who brings justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry, who lifts up those who are bowed down, who upholds the widow and the orphan, and who brings the wicked to ruin.

Certainly, Cohn, Mnuchin and Kushner have a particular obligation as Jews, because the violent white supremacists in Charlottesville were targeting Jews with their swastikas and chants of Jews will not replace us and Sieg Heil. One of their leaders told Vice News Tonight it was objectionable that Trump would give his daughter to a Jew. A few stood outside a synagogue brandishing rifles, forcing Sabbath worshipers to slip out a back door.

But Jews, because of our recent history, know what results from silence in the face of any type of bigotry. Before Trump dabbled in anti-Semitism, he made scapegoats of immigrants, African Americans, Latinos and, especially, Muslims. Two years ago, when I described the many actions that made candidate Trump a bigot and a racist, I noted that he hadnt yet gone after Jews. That followed soon: the tweeted image of a Star of David atop paper money, and the speech and ads linking Jews to a secret global power structure.

This racist demagoguery now comes from the president of the United States. In tweets Thursday, Trump proclaimed his sadness at the removal of our beautiful Confederate statues, and he revived the bogus claim that, a century ago, Gen. John J. Pershing dipped bullets in pig blood before shooting Muslim prisoners.

Why is it so hard to condemn such filth? David Shulkin did. Trumps Veterans Affairs secretary, who is Jewish (and an Obama administration holdover), said what needed to be said: I do feel like as an American and as a member of the Cabinet, that I can speak for my own personal opinions on this, and I am outraged by the behavior that I have seen with the Nazis and the white supremacists.

Shulkin said he will continue to speak. Staying silent on these issues is not acceptable, he said.

Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin on Aug. 16 said it is a dishonor to our countrys veterans to allow the Nazis and the white supremacists to go unchallenged. (The Washington Post)

Amen.

Even the rabbi who oversaw Ivanka Trumps conversion, Haskel Lookstein, joined in a statement saying he was deeply troubled by the moral equivalency and equivocation President Trump has offered.

Amen.

Even Sheldon Adelsons Republican Jewish Coalition called for greater moral clarity from Trump, saying there are no good Nazis.

Amen.

As I write this, my 13-year-old has come into my office and said the neo-Nazis at the Charlottesville synagogue make her reluctant to return to Hebrew school. She also asks if our family will be a target because people know Im Jewish.

This is what Trump has done to America. And this is what Cohn, Mnuchin and Kushner allow with their shameful silence.

Do they prize their appointments so much? Well then, dont quit. Speak out. Let him fire you. But dont play the court Jew.

Twitter: @Milbank

Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Michael Stein is chair of health law, policy and management at the Boston University School of Public Health and author of The Addict: One Patient, One Doctor, One Year.

Im detoxing. This is the sort of news that delights the families of patients who are addicted to heroin. The promise of a seven-day detox solution is seductive.

But detoxification is actually extremely dangerous. Nearly every addict who successfully completes a week-long detox program without further treatment relapses, and in a world with increasingly powerful synthetic drugs on the market, the risk of overdosing and dying during a relapse has become ever more threatening.

So when someone says, Im detoxing, I ask, And then what are you going to do?

Detoxing refers to treatment designed to get patients off drugs that can kill them. But detox is also a place, usually a hospital-like setting where a drug user will stay for up to seven days, medically supervised, to get tapered off drugs.

Unfortunately, it is an extraordinarily rare person who uses opioids for months or years and quits it cold without a period of medication treatment  regardless of willpower, self-confidence or support from family and friends. Even with the best clinicians working with the best detoxification protocols, most patients delude themselves that detox alone is enough. The reality is that patients detox, relapse, detox and relapse again.

As fentanyl  a potent, synthetically born killer  infiltrates the drug supply, the epidemic of overdose deaths will only worsen. There were about 60,000 overdose deaths in 2016, and there will likely be more in 2017. Fetanyl now laces most heroin (and, increasingly, cocaine) bought on the street. Some 75 percent of fatal overdose victims in New England last year tested positive for fentanyl.

Detoxification programs need to change their mission and their magical promises. They should become short-term refuges where people can begin long-term treatment. They should become sites where medication is begun for all seeking to live without illicit drugs. They should offer seven cloistered days to deal with acute medical or psychological issues and to discuss treatment with any of the three well-known and effective medications for opioid users, which, if taken correctly, can reduce the risk of relapse and possibly save lives.

I often hear parents say, But medication treatment is just replacing one drug with another. This is painfully discouraging. Refusing medication treatment is essentially sentencing drug users to death. If the chance of relapse following detox is nearly guaranteed, and the chance of death by fentanyl during that relapse is high, and the evidence shows that medications protect against overdose death, then the only safe way to treat opioid users is through long-term medication.

As the White House and state leaders commit to strategies that combat opioid deaths, there must be a parallel revolution in our understanding of treatment. A detoxification program is not treatment but rather the site for the beginning of treatment. Making the best use of short-term inpatient programs is critical, but patients are best served when such programs put them on the long road of recovery with the help of a daily medication covered by all insurers and a caring prescriber.

Under the pressure of rising opioid deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has produced guidelines suggesting that chronic pain should not be treated by opioids and that chronic opioid use puts people at risk of addiction without countervailing benefit. Its time that the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services and medical professional societies also declare that opioid use disorder should be treated with medication.

Detox programs, as they currently exist, must change. Every episode of illicit drug use is now even more perilous because of fentanyl. It would be a shame if someone who has taken a step to get better believes that detox alone will save them.
Correction: An earlier version of this op-ed misattributed to Washington Examiner columnist Byron York a quote from Iowa Republican Craig Robinson. This version has been updated.

Jane Coaston is a writer and journalist based in Washington.

Nine years ago this month, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) picked Sarah Palin as his running mate for his presidential campaign. Conservatives immediately fell for the popular Alaska governor, proclaiming her the new star of the right for years to come. Less than a decade later, Palin is a political nonentity. She largely keeps her thoughts to paid speeches, the occasional interview and Facebook, where she shares links to conservative clickbait farms.

And yet Palin remains critical: to a faction of the Republican Party, and to understanding the emergence of Donald Trump and Trumpism  the ideology created by the presidents most ardent supporters, though not necessarily by the president himself. Palins popularity with the GOP and the American right as a whole wasnt based on her speeches or her conservative bona fides, her gubernatorial history or her political beliefs, but on what she could be made to mean. In his run for president, Trump was much the same. Now even as Trumps base of support shrinks, those who remain, the truest of true believers, will never renounce him.

From the moment Palin entered the national scene, the praise for her on the right was heavily tied to her image. After the 2008 vice-presidential debate, National Review editor Rich Lowry described her as so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing, [sending] little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America. In one of the earliest conservative critiques of Palin, written in September 2008, Post columnist Kathleen Parker said of her initial interest in Palin: She was the antithesis and nemesis of the hirsute, Birkenstock-wearing sisterhood  a refreshing feminist of a different order who personified the modern successful working mother. Nowhere in the piece were Palins conservative viewpoints referenced; her views on, say, health care or school choice, or even abortion, went unmentioned. Palins problem, in Parkers view, wasnt her beliefs but her tendency to ramble. What mattered about the governor was what she could reflect back to a hungry Republican base: an attractive, earnest [and] confident woman in a position of power.

And Palin said what the base was thinking. She accused Barack Obama of palling around with terrorists. She praised those willing to screw the political correctness. She cheered the birther movement promoted by one Donald Trump. As the keynote speaker at the first-ever National Tea Party Convention in February 2010, she taunted Democrats, Hows that hopey-changey stuff working out? In turn, she was greeted with a standing ovation and chants of Run, Sarah, run!

Liberals condescended to Palin. Newspapers corrected her statements on death panels. Saturday Night Live satirized her relentlessly. That treatment infuriated her supporters. And none of it changed their minds anyway, because Palin was an avatar for how her supporters felt about themselves and the world they wanted to see, one they saw rapidly slipping away from them. Sure, she might be wrong, they seemed to say, but shes like us. She is us.

Two years later, Palins influence had diminished considerably, and she didnt enter the 2012 presidential race. But she remains tremendously popular to a part of the GOP base, with nearly 5 million fans on Facebook. And her departure left an opening that was filled by Trump, whom she endorsed last year in a speech that seemed odd even to him.

Trump campaigned on the Palin model. In fact, he improved upon it. His identity was his trademark, rendering the constant shifts in policy goals and promises almost meaningless. His base saw in Trump what they wanted to see. Some saw a fighter who would stand up for them, others saw a vaunted truth-teller, and a few, truth be told, likely saw a potential white-nationalist hero. And he gave it to them: the image, the veneer, the blank slate upon which their deeply held dreams  for themselves as much as their country  could be written. His fans werent dissuaded by his past support for Democrats (including his 2016 opponent), or his lies, or his personal liberalism, or his crudeness, or his long history of mistreating small-business owners of the kind he claimed to champion, because his fans werent voting for Trump. They were voting for what Trump meant to them personally.

Actress Tina Fey slammed President Trump for his reaction to violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. This is not the first time Fey got political. (Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post)

In turn, his base will not leave him, because to abandon Trump would not be to abandon the current president but to leave behind deeply held beliefs of their own. His popularity is cultural, not political, resilient to the notions of truth and fiction and to Trumps own failures. Even after his presidency, regardless of whether it ends in impeachment or in two consecutive terms in office, the image will remain undaunted.

At the 2015 Freedom Summit in Iowa, Palin gave a 35-minute speech described as confusing at best and career-ending at worst by conservative writers and commentators in attendance. The Washington Examiners Byron York quoted Iowa Republican Craig Robinson as saying Palin made a guy like Trump look like a serious presidential candidate. How appropriate then that the student became the master.
John Austin is director of the Michigan Economic Center. Steve Tobocman is director of Global Detroit and co-chair of the Welcoming Economies Global Network.

Michigan and its sister Rust Belt states were ground zero in the 2016 election. The so-called blue wall collapsed in the face of President Trumps grandiose pledge to bring back jobs  as well as his finger-pointing at immigrants for the regions economic woes.

In his first months in office, Trump delivered on his anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric with policy decisions. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are shaking immigrant and ethnic communities throughout every corner of the Midwest. In Detroit, the administrations travel ban from six majority-Muslim countries has rocked large Arab American and Islamic communities. Local Iraqi Christians fear that they may be forcibly returned to Iraq to face persecution or death. Our Syrian American community is blocked from providing a safe harbor for refugees.

What has largely been missing from the headlines, outrage and debate, however, is a deeper understanding of the economic impact of Trumps immigration approach and how the Midwest will be affected by these policies. In fact, Trumps policies have already begun destroying one of the few  and arguably the most powerful  sources of new population, innovation, business start-ups and jobs in our region: immigrants.

This month, Trump doubled down on his anti-immigration strategy, throwing his weight behind legislation that would cut legal migration in half and utilize a merit-based point system to award visas. This announcement has made clear that his real goal is not just deporting the undocumented or fighting terrorism but significantly curbing legal immigration.

Such policies run counter to the positive stimulus immigrants have on our economy. A new report evaluating the local economic impact of Trumps immigration policies in Michigan illustrates this effect well:

Michigan was the only state in the 2010 Census to have lost population. It would still be losing population if not for the 25 percent growth among its now 650,000 foreign-born residents over the past 15 years.

Over the past two decades, immigrants started 1 in 4 high-tech firms in Michigan despite making up only 6 percent of the population. These firms generated $608 million in business income and employed another 150,000 Michiganders.

Immigrants often offer highly skilled labor that states such as Michigan need. More than 40 percent of Michigans immigrants have a bachelors degree or higher  nearly twice the rate as the rest of the states population. In fact, a startling 63 percent of immigrants arriving in Michigan since 2010 (and 50 percent of all immigrants to the United States over this period) are college-educated.

Immigrants make up approximately 25 percent of all Michigan doctors, engineers, computer software and IT specialists, as well as agricultural workers. These are all critical positions where Michigan employers face labor shortages.

Tragically, since Trump took office, our colleges and universities report a big drop in international student applications, slamming the door to the worlds best and brightest finding their way to the American heartland. Michigans 32,000 international students pump more than $1 billion annually into the states economy and, as in our sister states, comprise half of the students earning graduate STEM degrees.

Meanwhile, Michigan is losing the economic benefit of as many as 5,000 new refugee residents a year. This threatens a vital contributor to the revitalization of struggling inner-ring suburbs in Macomb County and small cities such as Lansing and Battle Creek.

Each of these policies sends a message to the international community that the United States no longer welcomes them, driving a massive decline in the number of international tourists. Analysts believe there has been a 16 percent decline in international tourism to Michigan and other states since Trump took office, a decline that will cost Michigan millions of dollars in economic activity.

At the same time, H-1B applications have fallen by about 16 percent, making it difficult for businesses to find the talent they need. Detroit and Ann Arbor rely heavily on the thousands of nurses and skilled medical personnel who travel across the border from Canada to staff hospitals. Inexplicably, these health-care workers are now facing visa challenges.

Michigans economy, as well as those of every other Midwestern community, benefits from immigration. If anything, we need all the immigrants we can get. We cannot afford to let Trumps policies undo this work and threaten our Rust Belt economic comeback.

In the early 20th century, immigrants made cities such as Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, Buffalo and Minneapolis great. They continue to do that today, and we need them to keep doing it.
Ali Wyne is a nonresident fellow with the Atlantic Councils Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, a security fellow with the Truman National Security Project, and a new leader with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States no longer confronted a major competitor on the international stage, and the values it promoted seemed irreversibly ascendant. Given the ensuing triumphalism that prevailed among many U.S. commentators  premature in retrospect, but understandable at the time  Americans who came of age during the 1990s might be forgiven for lacking interest in events beyond their borders. Nothing much mattered anymore, it seemed, except what was going on in the United States.

[Trumps radical depature from postwar foreign policy]

Growing up in a small New Jersey town, Suzy Hansen remembers that her entire experience was domestic, interior, American, lacking any sense of America being [just] one country on a planet of many countries. In 2007, she received a writing fellowship from the Institute of Current World Affairs to visit Turkey and conduct research on political trends in the Islamic world. Her award had been endowed in the 1920s by Charles Crane, the adventurous heir to a Chicago plumbing company fortune who lamented that Americans and especially American policymakers were not well enough informed about the rest of the world. Early on in Notes on a Foreign Country, Hansen relates a conversation she had with an Iraqi man in 2012. When she asked him what Iraq was like in the 1980s and 1990s, when he was growing up, he replied: I am always amazed when Americans ask me this. How is it that you know nothing about us when you had so much to do with what became of our lives?

Abounding with such anecdotes, Notes on a Foreign Country is a compelling exhortation to introspection: Hansen, a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine, urges Americans to recognize the perspectives that shape  and sometimes distort  how they understand their countrys role in the world. In the concluding stanza of his 1786 poem To a Louse, the Scottish bard Robert Burns enjoined individuals to inhabit the minds of their peers: Oh, would some Power give us the gift / To see ourselves as others see us! This undertaking is particularly challenging for citizens of the worlds superpower, who tend to presume that its values are universal and the world order it promulgates is sacrosanct.

Notes on a Foreign Country, by Suzy Hansen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Hansen spends much of her book identifying and critiquing her own preconceptions. She notes, for example, that she initially approached Turkey like some specimen I could place under a microscope, appraising its development according to Western notions of modernization. Indeed, the further her narrative progresses  winding through Istanbul (where she now resides), Athens, Cairo and Tehran  the more one senses that her reflections are as much an exercise in discovering her biases as they are in enlightening her American readers. She concedes that she had been invested in an idea of the Easts inferiority without even knowing it and cites an unassailable, perhaps unconscious faith in Americas Western way of living that accompanied her during her travels. No matter how dispassionately Americans may believe they can  or do  assess their countrys actions, Hansen observes that an objective American mind is first and foremost still an American mind.

She vividly captures the disorientation we experience when our preconceived notions collide with uncomfortable discoveries, likening that moment to a cavity filling: something drilled out, something shoved in, and afterward, a persistent, dull ache and a tooth that would never be the same. We do not easily relinquish our assumptions. Indeed, the more we believe a proposition is self-evident, the more resistant we are when it is challenged: Overcoming that inertia, Hansen writes, is akin to shedding layers of skin. Its a slow process, you break down, you open up, but you also resist, much like how the body can begin to heal, only to fall back into its sicker state.

It is rare and refreshing for an observer to exhibit this level of candor about her internal tensions. But occasionally Hansens perceptions create tensions of their own. While she premises her book on the judgment that America is in decline, she also characterizes it as an empire. Indeed, she sometimes seems to portray a country bordering on the omnipotent, wielding its wide influence in ways both evident and clandestine. It is hard to reconcile that depiction with the litany of strategic setbacks that the United States has experienced in the postwar era or with the accelerating growth of disorder in world affairs. An exaggerated appraisal of U.S. influence has proved doubly harmful: Beyond tempting the United States to embark on and persist with misguided interventions, as in Afghanistan and Iraq, it has led outsiders to implicate the United States in unfortunate outcomes for which it had little, if any, responsibility.

[How Trump is changing Americas foreign policy]

And while Hansen rightly cautions against blind acceptance of Americas foreign policy, which has often departed from its self-professed values, blanket suspicion is not warranted, either. Her narrative would be more balanced if she acknowledged some of the contributions of U.S. power. Programs such as the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Presidents Malaria Initiative, for example, have saved millions of lives. And the resurgence of the Asia-Pacific  of which Chinas post-1978 growth is the most remarkable example  has been enabled, in no small part, by the order that the United States has sustained in that region.

Still, with the U.S.-led postwar order under growing duress, and with long-standing U.S. allies increasingly questioning Americas reputation as the exemplar of openness and pluralism, Hansens principal injunction to Americans to understand how others view them and their countrys policies is timely and urgent. While Notes on a Foreign Country makes for sobering reading at times, there may be a silver lining in Hansens chronicle of widespread disillusionment with the United States: It reflects a residual hope in the power of the American example. Americans, policymakers and citizens alike, should work to sustain their country not just as a military power and an economic engine, but also as an aspirational idea.
North Koreas test launches have brought the possibility of a nuclear strike firmly back into the American consciousness. A recent survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found that three-quarters of Americans now consider North Korea to be a critical threat to the United States. U.S. intelligence analysts believe that North Korea may start deploying intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as soon as next year. And they think North Korea can fit nuclear warheads onto those missiles. How easy is it to detonate a nuclear weapon on foreign soil? Here are five myths about missiles, threats and deterrence.

Myth No. 1

For deterrence, countries must display functional weapons.

North Korean missiles may reach US, but lack effective re-entry, one Fox News article supplied soothingly this month. Serious questions remain around North Koreas ability to build vehicles to reenter the planets atmosphere through tremendous pressure and friction, a Business Insider story explained . It sounds as if North Korea cant be a threat if it hasnt launched a projectile across the ocean.

But countries have never held their enemies to this standard. Early in the Cold War, nations tested nuclear weapons in a variety of settings, including underwater and underground. The United States and the Soviet Union also launched nuclear weapons on missiles, detonating them in the upper atmosphere or in space. At least once, on Feb. 2, 1956 , the Soviets launched a nuclear weapon into space on a medium-range missile, allowing it to reenter and detonate inside the atmosphere. On May 6, 1962 , the United States did the same from a submarine.

In 1963, the United States, the Soviet Union and Britain signed the Limited Test Ban Treaty, moving all testing underground. Since then, the only nuclear missile test involving reentry was conducted by China on Oct. 27, 1966, with a medium-range missile. No country has ever attempted to demonstrate an ICBM in this fashion. Still, no one questions whether America, Britain, China, France or Russia have working nuclear missiles.

Myth No. 2

The U.S. could destroy an enemys arsenal on the ground.

In his game plan for war with North Korea, the New York Posts Ralph Peters  a retired Army lieutenant colonel  placed the following high on his to-do list: Wed go for the missile and nuke infrastructure, including scientists, technicians and the bombs themselves. Likewise, Time told readers in 2015 that, should Iran develop the ability to use nuclear weapons, they could look for the Air Forces Massive Ordnance Penetrator to get the assignment to try to destroy that capability.

But that might not be so simple. Little is known in detail about the current ability of the United States to seek out and destroy mobile missiles before they launch, but it has been a notoriously tough problem in the past. During the 1991 Gulf War, the U.S. military flew thousands of missions against Iraqs Scud missiles but could not confirm a single kill .

Capabilities have improved, but by all indications, the job remains difficult. Just last month, Gen. Paul Selva , the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told senators that the U.S. intelligence community cannot reliably track the deployment of North Korean missiles in the field. He noted that Kim Jong Un and his forces are very good at camouflage, concealment and deception.

Myth No. 3

The U.S. could shoot down enemy warheads in flight.

After North Koreas latest ICBM test, Gen. Lori Robinson, who leads U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), expressed unwavering . . . confidence that we can fully defend the United States against this ballistic missile threat. After a recent test of American anti-ICBM procedures, Vice Adm. Jim Syring, the director of the Missile Defence Agency, said the test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat. That makes it sound like the United States would have no problem knocking North Korean nuclear warheads out of the sky if it were ever necessary.

Any attempt to stop an ICBM attack would depend on the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, which the United States has built and deployed for that purpose. It successfully intercepted an ICBM-class target for the first time in a test in May. Unfortunately, its overall track record is less impressive. The Pentagons Operational Test and Evaluation office slammed GMD in its annual report for 2016 , pointing to frequent failures, insufficient testing and inadequate radar support. A detailed report from the Union of Concerned Scientists describes these results as an outcome of more than a decade of relaxed oversight. It will be a very long time before the shortcomings of the program can be corrected  if ever.

Myth No. 4

Deterrence cant work against a country like North Korea.

National security adviser H.R. McMaster recently told ABC News that classical deterrence theory doesnt apply to a regime like North Koreas, one that engages in unspeakable brutality against its own people. Likewise, former assistant defense secretary Mary Beth Long didnt seem to have high hopes for deterrence while speaking on a recent panel: We tried to deter North Korea from having a nuclear program. That didnt work. We tried to deter North Korea from having a nuclear program outside the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty]. That didnt work. We tried to deter North Korea from hiding. That didnt work.

Yet nuclear deterrence has held so far: Nuclear weapons have not been used in war since 1945, despite being in the arsenals of nine countries (with sometimes erratic leaders) today. Dogfights between the American and Soviet air forces during the Korean War, border clashes between the U.S.S.R. and China in 1969, and a small-scale war between India and Pakistan in 1999 did not trigger mushroom clouds.

North Korea itself appears to have been, at least thus far, held back by deterrence. On June 25, 1950, the North Koreans marched south in an attempt to unify the Korean Peninsula by force. The invasion failed, leading to a grinding, three-year war, untold deaths and the destruction of North Koreas infrastructure from the air. North Korea has never given up on its ambitions for reunification, but it has not tried to invade a second time.

Deterrence may fail eventually, but so far, its working.

Myth No. 5

First-generation nuclear weapons are hard to make.

That enriching uranium is notoriously hard supposedly keeps a bomb boom at bay. Manufacturing high-quality fuel  plutonium or highly enriched uranium  is the most difficult part of any nuclear program, author William Langewiesche noted in the Atlantic in 2006. The big problem in making a nuclear bomb is that you need enriched uranium, Gizmodo agreed in 2012 , and thats actually a real pain in the a-- to make.

But technology is no longer a serious barrier to making nuclear bombs. In a forthcoming article in the Nonproliferation Review, Opening a Proliferation Pandoras Box, MIT professor R. Scott Kemp describes how knowledge spread around the world about a new technique for uranium enrichment: a relatively simple and inexpensive gas centrifuge. A laboratory in the Soviet Union completed the invention in the mid-1950s, relying on the skills of German and Austrian prisoners of war. After the prisoners went home, some of them set about re-creating it, first in West Germany and then in the United States.

Word got around. Unclassified reports from the American project circulated, becoming a recipe book for simple centrifuges. In the following years, countries large and small, wealthy and poor  Australia, Brazil, Britain, China, France, India, Italy, Israel, the Netherlands and Japan  all produced versions of the Soviet technology for enriching uranium.

outlook@washpost.com

Five myths is a weekly feature challenging everything you think you know. You can check out previous myths, read more from Outlook or follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Arlie Russell Hochschilds latest book is Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right, a finalist for the National Book Award.

The country confronts an extraordinary challenge from the right. President Trumps budget proposes to cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by 31 percent, the Department of Education by 13.5 percent and the State Department by 30 percent, while boosting the military by 10 percent. Former adviser Stephen Bannon, a hero of the alt-right (a small, far-right movement that seeks a whites-only state), had whispered in the presidential ear about dismantling the administrative state, and a White House rhetorical campaign continues to delegitimize an independent judiciary and press. But are liberals in any shape to offer a compelling alternative vision? Can the myriad groups under the Democratic tent even work together? These questions have driven Mark Lilla to write his latest book, The Once and Future Liberal.

[The future of the Democratic Party could be written in upcoming gubernatorial race]

The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics, by Mark Lilla (Harper)

A professor of humanities at Columbia, and the author of five books on political philosophy including The Shipwrecked Mind: On Political Reaction, Lilla in his new book issues an important, passionate and highly critical wake-up call to liberals who, he believes, are stuck in the mud. In its early stages, his argument is illuminating but then veers seriously off course before ending up focusing on the right goal. First, he contends, the Democrats have been whipped bigly, as Trump might say, at every level of electoral politics. Second, Lilla believes that liberals havent learned from their failure to appeal to voters. Third, they now have a window of opportunity. But, fourth, though liberals believe they are seizing the moment, they are not, because they are not focusing on elections. If the steady advance of a radicalized Republican Party, over many years and in every branch and at every level of government, should teach liberals anything, Lilla writes, it is the absolute priority of winning elections today.

Resistance isnt enough, Lilla says. Liberals need to join in support of a common set of ideals and policies. Lilla compares the Republican Partys website  which features Principles of American Renewal  with that of the Democratic Party, one of whose topic areas is People. In that category are women; Hispanics; the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community; the Jewish community, Native Americans  in all, 17 separate groups, each with a unique message. Republicans reach out, make coalitions, focus on electoral office, and thats proved successful, Lilla says. If we want to protect black motorists from police abuse, or gay and lesbian couples from harassment on the street, Lilla writes, we need state attorneys general willing to prosecute such cases, and state judges willing to enforce the law. And the only way to make sure we get them is to elect liberal Democratic governors and state legislators who will make the appointments. So far, so good.

Lilla then describes liberalisms double-edged legacy from the New Left of the 1960s. As he puts it, the left spawned identity-based social movements  for affirmative action and diversity, feminism, gay liberation  that have made this country a more tolerant, more just and more inclusive place than it was fifty years ago. But it also unwittingly shifted the focus of American liberalism . . . from commonality to difference. He adds, all too briefly, that whats missing is a cogent analysis of the painful class split in America that was abundantly revealed in our recent election. Again, so far, so good.

Then Lilla wades into stormy waters. Identity politics has launched liberals into a victimhood Olympics, he asserts. Sure, Id say, we have some of that. But, he concludes, given the Republicans rage for destruction, [winning elections] is the only way to guarantee that newly won protections for African-Americans, other minorities, women and gay Americans remain in place. Workshops and university seminars will not do it. Online mobilizing and flash mobs will not do it. Protesting, acting up and acting out will not do it. The age of movement politics is over, at least for now. We need no more marchers. We need more mayors. And governors, and state legislators, and members of Congress. Here I say, wait a minute. Whoa!

What Lilla isnt seeing is that we come to electoral politics in many different ways. Some people come to it through a desire for public service, bypassing social movements altogether. Others join social movements, get stuck in identity silos and ignore elections. This book is for them. But many others  like myself  were drawn to politics by participating in social movements. When I was in high school, politics seemed very much a male realm. It was through feminism that I learned that I, too, had a voice, could join the conversation, advocate, petition, vote. Again, it was as a civil rights worker in the South that I got a frightening look at the link between race and electoral politics.

[Why the Womens March may be the start of a serious social movement]

We need social movements, and we need to move outward from them. Im reminded of a conversation I had with a young black man who approached me after a talk I gave at the University of California at Berkeley. He referred to a June front-page photo in the New York Times of black Harvard graduate students in caps and gowns at their own black graduation ceremony. On the same page, he saw a photo of a white man above a headline reading Fringe Groups Revel as Protests Turn Violent, whom he guessed not to be a college graduate. I wish some of the black graduates from the top picture could tell the white guy from the bottom picture, Hey, were not leaving you out.  Then he added, But if I drive three hours north from Berkeley, I dont feel safe as a black man. The young man felt both a need for a movement and a determination to reach common ground with others beyond it. This view is echoed by leaders such as the Rev. William Barber II, a pastor who spoke at New Yorks Riverside Morning Church on the anniversary of Martin Luther Kings Vietnam speech and who has launched an ecumenical Repairers of the Breach movement. In 2013, he led peaceful Moral Mondays demonstrations at the North Carolina General Assembly to protest restrictions on voting.

Lillas message to liberals is timely and welcome. But he might better advise them: Go on your march. Join the marches of other groups, too. And continue to protest, above all. Then come home and organize that fundraiser for your favorite candidate for governor, the state legislature or Congress.
The Post's Dan Balz says the firing of chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon simultaneously changes everything and nothing for the Trump administration. (Bastien Inzaurralde,Jhaan Elker/The Washington Post)

The Post's Dan Balz says the firing of chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon simultaneously changes everything and nothing for the Trump administration. (Bastien Inzaurralde,Jhaan Elker/The Washington Post)

The end of Stephen K. Bannons stormy White House tenure frees the investment banker turned populist messenger to expand his reach as a potent force in the media landscape, giving him an elevated platform for the nationalist movement he has long championed.

Bannon will do so in conjunction with the wealthy Mercer family, conservative mega-donors who served as his patrons in an array of enterprises before he joined the Trump campaign.

The former chief strategist for President Trump is returning as executive chairman of Mercer-backed Breitbart News, the pugilistic conservative website he helped guide before joining Trumps campaign last August, Breitbart announced.

Hours after his departure was confirmed Friday by the White House, Bannon was back in charge at the website, chairing the evening editorial meeting.

The populist-nationalist movement got a lot stronger today, Breitbart News Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow said in release with the headline  Populist Hero Stephen K. Bannon Returns Home to Breitbart.

1 of 37 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Members of President Trumps administration: Moments that made headlines View Photos White House and Cabinet officials left strong impressions during Trumps administration. Caption White House and Cabinet officials left strong impressions in the early days of the administration. Sarah Huckabee Sanders comments on slavery Things got testy when April Ryan, a White House reporter for American Urban Radio Networks, asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to comment on slavery at Wednesdays news briefing. READ THE STORY Al Drago/Bloomberg Wait 1 second to continue.

Associates said Bannon may also partner on a new venture with the Mercers  potentially another news organization.

Bannon declined to comment. But in an interview with the Weekly Standard, Bannon said he feels jacked up.

Now Im free, he said. Ive got my hands back on my weapons. Someone said, Its Bannon the Barbarian. I am definitely going to crush the opposition.

A rapid return to the media puts the former Hollywood producer and news executive back on familiar ground, allowing him to unspool his views about the threats of globalization and radical Islam, unconstrained by politics or protocol. Now he is unencumbered to go do what he thinks, said Scot Vorse, a friend of 35 years and former business colleague.

I am pretty confident that Steves job and goal will not change: to make President Trumps campaign mission come true, he added. We will see whether Steve is more helpful inside or outside.

Bannon is exiting the White House a much more prominent figure than a year ago  heralded on the right as a leading anti-elite insurgent and pilloried by critics as a purveyor of an America First philosophy that has energized white supremacists.

Look, hes a force to be reckoned with, said Pat Caddell, a veteran Democratic pollster who has worked with Bannon. Hes willing to engage in the political combat, and so I expect hell be doing that. His sense of history and the moment are very powerful. He will be in the fight, for sure.

Robert Kuttner, co-editor of the American Prospect, got an unexpected interview with White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon on Aug. 15. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

[The Mercers and Stephen Bannon: How a populist power base was funded and built]

Before he burst onto the national stage, Bannon sought to shape the countrys political landscape through a series of provocative media projects, some of them financed by the Mercers, who he met through the late conservative entrepreneur Andrew Breitbart.

Bannon directed and produced documentaries such as Generation Zero, an examination of the global economic crisis, and Battle for America, which hammered an arrogant, and ever-expanding central government. His film Clinton Cash, financed by the Mercers, argued that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was a captive of wealthy interests. And under his leadership, Breitbart News emerged as the voice of the disaffected right.

I think he really wants to change the world, said Julia Jones, who was Bannons screenwriting partner for 16 years.

Jones said she could envision Bannon setting up his own cable news network, one that he would position to challenge Fox News, which she said he complained to her was too liberal.

It would give him a much larger platform than Breitbart, she said.

Whether Bannon will use his megaphone to promote the Trump administration or to slam it remains to be seen. Inside the embattled White House, the chief strategist frequently tangled with Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and other presidential advisers over trade and foreign policy. His primary allegiance, friends said, is to the people who put Trump into office.

He views his role as the protector of the movement of the working-class coalition that elected Trump, said a person close to him, who requested anonymity to describe private conversations.

Bannon is not angry with Trump personally, the person added, but is certainly disappointed in the way the White House is going. Theres a sense its drifting toward the moderate, mushy middle.

[Trump gets rid of Stephen Bannon, a top proponent of his nationalist agenda]

Caddell said he does not expect Bannon to critique Trump personally. There is a fundamental loyalty there, he said. He said Bannons focus will be on the establishment forces that he believes are leading the president astray.

Indeed, Bannon told Bloomberg News on Friday that he is going to war for Trump against his opponents  on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in corporate America.

Still, there are signs that some Bannon allies are gearing up for battle. On Friday, Breitbart jabbed at the White House over Bannons departure, with senior editor-at-large Joel B. Pollak tweeting #WAR. He warned that losing the White House chief strategist may turn out to be the beginning of the end for the Trump administration, the moment Donald Trump became Arnold Schwarzenegger, referring to the former California governor and movie star who irked many conservatives.

Neither Pollak nor other senior Breitbart executives responded to requests for comment.

Beyond Breitbart, Bannons next moves are also expected to involve hedge fund executive Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah, who collaborated with Bannon on at least five ventures before he joined the Trump campaign. Along with his role at Breitbart, Bannon served as vice president and secretary of the Mercer-funded Cambridge Analytica, a data science company that worked for Trumps campaign.

He and Robert Mercer huddled earlier this week to discuss plans, according to someone familiar with the meeting.

They have a very strong working relationship together, and I would be shocked if we dont hear of a major initiative involving Steve and the Mercers in the next 30 and 60 days, said a person familiar with the familys views, who requested anonymity to describe the thinking of the famously private donors. They dont walk in lockstep in terms of their views, but they like the fact that Steve gets results, and they think money put into ventures hes involved in is money well spent.

Bannon earned at least $917,000 in 2016, drawing at least $545,000 of that from four Mercer-backed ventures, according to a personal financial disclosure he filed in late March.

At the time, he estimated that his assets were worth between $11.8 million and $53.8 million. Among his holdings: three rental properties and a strategic consulting firm he said was worth between $5 million and $25 million. The filing also showed that Bannon had significant cash reserves, reporting at least $1.1 million in three different U.S. bank accounts.

Robert Costa and David Weigel contributed to this report.
President Trump on Friday dismissed his embattled chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, an architect of his 2016 general-election victory and the champion of his nationalist impulses, in a major White House shake-up that follows a week of racial unrest.

With Trumps presidency floundering and his legislative agenda in shambles, administration officials said his empowered new chief of staff, John F. Kelly, moved to fire Bannon in an effort to tame warring factions and bring stability to a White House at risk of caving under its self-destructive tendencies.

A combative populist on trade and immigration, Bannon was arguably Trumps ideological id on the issues that propelled his candidacy. He served as a key liaison to the presidents conservative base and the custodian of his campaign promises.

Bannon had been a lightning rod for controversy since joining Trumps campaign last summer, but he attracted particular scorn in recent days for encouraging and amplifying the presidents divisive remarks in the wake of last weekends deadly white supremacist demonstration in Charlottesville.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, said in a Friday afternoon statement to reporters: White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steves last day. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best.

The departure is the latest jolt to a White House riven by extraordinary turnover. In Trumps first seven months in office, he has lost, to high-profile firings or resignations, a chief of staff, a chief strategist, a national security adviser, a press secretary, two communications directors and a deputy chief of staff.

The tumult could continue, as some White House officials said Friday that they expect some of Bannons internal allies to exit with him. Two such people are national security aide Sebastian Gorka and presidential assistant Julia Hahn, although both have portrayed themselves in recent talks with colleagues as Trump allies first and Bannon allies second.

Despite his ideological similarities with Bannon, senior policy adviser Stephen Miller is seen as safe. He joined the campaign long before Bannon and has his own relationships with the president and other senior advisers. He has also distanced himself from Bannon in recent weeks.

Bannon returned Friday to Breitbart News  a fiery, hard-right site that has gone to war with the Republican establishment  and resumed his previous role as executive chairman, presiding over an evening editorial meeting. An announcement on the site said Bannon informed the White House on Aug. 7 of his intention to leave, contradicting the accounts of White House officials, who said he was fired this week, as well as Bannons own statements to friends this week.

In an interview with the Weekly Standard, Bannon cast his departure as the end of an era. The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over, he said. And he described himself as liberated.

I feel jacked up, Bannon said. Now Im free. Ive got my hands back on my weapons. Someone said, its Bannon the Barbarian. . . . I built a f---ing machine at Breitbart. And now Im about to go back, knowing what I know, and were about to rev that machine up.

For months, Bannon was locked in a long and tortuous battle with senior adviser Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law, and a coterie of like-minded senior aides, many with Wall Street ties.

Robert Kuttner, co-editor of the American Prospect, got an unexpected interview with White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon on Aug. 15. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

Bannon had a mythical reputation inside the White House, but he routinely skipped important policy meetings, and his nationalist views were often absent from key White House proposals. He became fixated in recent months on trade and immigration issues, and he had a large dry-erase board in his office that served as a checklist for promises in those areas. But some of his ideas  such as a proposal to raise the top tax rate on the wealthiest Americans  were easily batted away by other senior advisers in the White House.

Bannon had been advocating internally against sending additional troops to Afghanistan, putting him at odds with national security adviser H.R. McMaster and others. Yet he was excluded from a South Asia strategy session Trump convened at Camp David on Friday with nearly two dozen senior officials.

[National security adviser attempts to reconcile Trumps competing impulses on Afghanistan]

Bannon has told associates in recent days that if he were to leave the White House, the conservative populist movement that lifted Trump in last years campaign would be at risk. One person close to him said that the coalition would amount to Democrats, bankers and hawks. Bannon also predicted that Trump would eventually turn back to him and others who share the presidents nationalist instincts, especially on trade.

Bannon allies said they expect him to remain largely loyal to the president, while training his harshest fire on those in Trumps orbit he believes bring a Democratic, globalist worldview to the administration. But with Bannon out of the West Wing, Breitbart is more likely to begin mobilizing its audience against the White House on issues such as immigration, where it thinks Trump is not keeping his campaign promises, said someone familiar with the organizations approach.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), who is close to Bannon, said Trumps base could revolt. With Steve Bannon gone, whats left of the conservative core in the West Wing? Whos going to carry out the Trump agenda? he asked in an interview.

King suggested that Trump fill Bannons political-strategist seat with former deputy campaign manager David Bossie, who has his own connections to Trumps base.

This looks like a purging of conservatives, King said. The odds of him completing his campaign promises, even to the limit of his executive authority, have been diminished by this.

Though Bannons firing is being interpreted as a victory for the cadre of more moderate White House advisers, several operatives with ties to the conservative movement remain in Trumps circle, including counselor Kellyanne Conway, deputy chief of staff Rick Dearborn and legislative affairs director Marc Short.

Still, the consequences on Capitol Hill could be wide-ranging. House and Senate Republican leaders have long been wary of Bannon, and their allies were cheering Friday at the news of his departure. But among the hard right in Congress  including Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus  there was anger and doubt that anyone left in the White House shares their appetite for political confrontation.

The decision to fire Bannon was made by Kelly, the retired four-star Marine Corps general brought in late last month as White House chief of staff, officials said. It came after exactly three weeks in a position where he has been given unilateral power to overhaul the West Wing staff in an effort to stanch warring among factions, aides and advisers going rogue, and repeated leaks to the news media.

This was without question one mans decision: Kelly. One hundred percent, one senior White House official said. Its been building for a while.

This past week, as mainstream Republicans lambasted Trump for his handling of the Charlottesville violence, many on the White House staff led a drumbeat for the president to dismiss Bannon and any other aides who have connections of any kind to the white nationalist movement, this official said.

The fevered pitch was basically outrage from dozens on the staff that anybody whos ever had a part of that has to be purged immediately, this official said.

Kelly has no personal animus toward Bannon, said people familiar with his thinking. But he was especially frustrated with Bannons tendency to try to influence policy and other matters not in his portfolio, as well as a negative media campaign he and his allies waged against McMaster.

A person close to Kelly said he was intent on making the White House not only less chaotic but also less driven by a particular ideology. He made clear to his deputies that he did not want to align with any faction but rather to shake up a culture on the staff where power seemed to drift from group to group. Kelly said he wanted power to drift from Trump to him, period. The president would be given ideas to choose from, rather than hearing a parade of whispers on the phone and in the Oval Office from competing blocs.

Trump, meanwhile, had been upset about Bannons participation in a book by Bloomberg News reporter Joshua Green, Devils Bargain  particularly a cover photo giving equal billing to Trump and his chief strategist. Every time Green was on CNN, where he is now a contributor, Trump grew unhappy with his references to Bannon as a thinker and strategist  and upset that the conversation was not instead about Trump.

Bannons critics noticed that Trump hated this narrative, and they would casually mention the book whenever they could in private conversations, slowly building a case against Bannon as a self-promoter.

This week, at a moment when even his allies and confidants agreed that his job security was as precarious as ever, Bannon further imperiled his standing by giving an interview to the liberal American Prospect magazine, in which he sniped by name at his enemies within the White House  including Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council  and publicly contradicted the administrations stance on North Korea.

Bannon confidants said he thought his conversation with the magazine was off the record, but the damage was done. Kelly, said two people familiar with his thinking, was most frustrated by Bannons comments on North Korea.

Associates said Bannon may partner on a new venture with the Mercer family, billionaire conservative mega-donors who served as his patrons in an array of enterprises before he joined the Trump campaign. One strong possibility is a new media entity.

They have a very strong working relationship together, and I would be shocked if we dont hear of a major initiative involving Steve and the Mercers in the next 30 and 60 days, said a person familiar with the familys views, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the thinking of the Mercers. They dont walk in lockstep in terms of their views, but they like the fact that Steve gets results, and they think money put into ventures hes involved in is money well spent.

[The Mercers and Bannon: How a populist power base was funded and built]

Much of Bannons time in recent days was spent in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds  as the West Wing is under renovation  where he has a spacious corner office on the first floor that is piled with books he is reading and files on trade policy and immigration policy.

Bannon closely monitored media coverage of both himself and Trump, thumbing his phone whenever associates would text or email him new articles. Whenever he read articles about rivals such as Cohn reportedly being critical of the presidents conduct, he fumed that they were undermining him as he was trying to enact what Trump promised his base voters.

Inside Trumps circle, there were two camps: those who argued that Bannon should fight to stay and be a political warrior for Trumps nationalist instincts, and those who thought his battles with the more moderate wing of the White House had reached their nadir.

The potential for Bannon to wreak havoc and mischief from outside the White House is among the reasons Trump had been skittish about firing his chief strategist. Bannon himself has used wartime metaphors to signal to friends and confidants that he will continue to pursue his nationalist, populist agenda.

At Breitbart, for instance, staffers celebrated Bannon as a pirate captain returning to his ship.

The president and his agenda have many enemies throughout Washington  on Capitol Hill, in the media, in the White House and throughout government, one Bannon friend said. There is no better person to fight back against the swamp than Stephen K. Bannon. Everybody is on notice: Anyone working against the will of the American people will be exposed and held accountable.

Matea Gold contributed to this report.
White House chief strategist Steve Bannon steps off Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. in April 2017. President Trump accepted Bannon's resignation Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, ending a turbulent seven months for his chief strategist. (Alex Brandon/Associated Press)

President Trumps firing of top strategist Stephen K. Bannon prompted celebrations Friday from congressional Democrats who had sought the controversial aides ouster since before Trump even took office.

But the jubilation was tempered by concerns that Bannons populist views attacking multiculturalism, globalization and other foundations of the modern American state had taken permanent root elsewhere in the White House  notably within Trump himself.

Its good news that hes not in the White House, said Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-R.I.), who has sought Bannons firing since November. But I dont think anyone should have any illusions that now that Stephen Bannon is gone, the president is going to take very different positions. These are the presidents positions. These are the presidents policies. They remain.

Democrats are now faced with finding another rallying point in their battle against Trump now that his most divisive aide has left his side. Cicilline suggested Democrats would continue to push for the ouster of other controversial advisers, naming national-security assistant Sebastian Gorka and senior policy adviser Stephen Miller as potential targets.

But party leaders appear to be taking steps to keep their focus on Trump himself, especially as it relates to his widely criticized response to the violent white-nationalist rally last weekend in Charlottesville.

The Post's Dan Balz says the firing of chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon simultaneously changes everything and nothing for the Trump administration. (Bastien Inzaurralde,Jhaan Elker/The Washington Post)

In the hours before Bannons firing was publicly known, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered public support for an effort to censure Trump started earlier this week by three rank-and-file House Democrats. By Friday, more than 80 Democrats had backed the effort aimed at pressuring Republicans to publicly rebuke the president.

Later, Pelosi issued a statement calling Bannons firing welcome news that doesnt disguise where President Trump himself stands on white supremacists and the bigoted beliefs they advance.

Personnel changes are worthless so long as President Trump continues to advance policies that disgrace our cherished American values, she said. The Trump Administration must not only purge itself of the remaining white supremacists on staff, but abandon the bigoted ideology that clearly governs its decisions.

Few congressional Republicans responded publicly to Bannons firing. Within the House GOP, Bannon was a divisive figure who had made common cause with the hard-right House Freedom Caucus against House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.)  whom Bannon has publicly criticized in his former, and potentially future, role as publisher of Breitbart News.

A spokesman for Ryan, Doug Andres, declined to comment on Bannons firing.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a conservative hard-liner who is close to Bannon, criticized the move, saying it appeared to be part of a purging of conservatives that could harm efforts to implement Trumps campaign agenda.

The odds of him completing his campaign promises, even to the limit of his executive authority, have been diminished by this, he said.

1 of 37 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Members of President Trumps administration: Moments that made headlines View Photos White House and Cabinet officials left strong impressions during Trumps administration. Caption White House and Cabinet officials left strong impressions in the early days of the administration. Sarah Huckabee Sanders comments on slavery Things got testy when April Ryan, a White House reporter for American Urban Radio Networks, asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to comment on slavery at Wednesdays news briefing. READ THE STORY Al Drago/Bloomberg Wait 1 second to continue.

Among Democrats, there was no such dismay Friday. Amen and hallelujah, tweeted Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.).

But there were careful efforts among most Democrats not to treat Bannons departure as an inflection point for a president they have been attacking for seven months.

Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.), for instance, said in a statement that despite Bannons firing the tone for this administration ultimately lies with the President and that Trump after Charlottesville showed a disturbing sympathy for white nationalists and extremist bigotry while failing to unite the country in a moment of tragedy and distress.

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee, said he welcomed Bannons ouster but that Trump must now show real leadership by disavowing white supremacy and he must completely rid his administration of anyone who sows hatred and bigotry in our country.

And Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said Bannons firing was good for the country but that the gravamen of the problem still exists and will not be solved by personnel changes at the dysfunctional White House.

The President demonstrated this week, yet again, the inability to bring the country together, govern effectively, or even condemn the most obvious and pernicious of ideologies, that of Nazism and white supremacy, he said.

Cicilline, who co-led a House Democratic task force to develop the partys campaign message ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, also warned that Democrats needed to remain focused on kitchen-table economic issues and urged his colleagues to connect the upheaval at the White House with the failure of Congress to deliver relief to their embattled constituents.

Theyre deeply concerned and horrified by the presidents response, and they expect Congress to say something, but they also at the same time want us to stay focused on the issues that are important in their daily lives, he said. We can do both things: We can condemn him strongly and at the same time remain relentlessly focused on a bold economic plan to improve the lives of the American people.

Read more at PowerPost
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) says the presidents leadership will be needed to enact a tax package long sought by Republicans. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

President Trumps increasing alienation from fellow Republicans and the business community is further imperiling the partys top priority for the remainder of the year: cutting taxes and simplifying the byzantine tax code.

Congressional GOP leaders are hoping to recover from their failed effort to replace the Affordable Care Act and salvage their legislative agenda by unifying the party around tax reform, but Trump has spent recent weeks publicly antagonizing key lawmakers and fanning controversy with his response to last weekends racist violence in Charlottesville.

Several key lawmakers said Trump will need to focus on selling the GOPs tax plan when Congress returns in September, and they worried that the difficult job of passing a massive tax package will be nearly impossible without the president playing a key role.

At the end of the day, President Trump will be incredibly crucial to the success of this, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) told reporters here Wednesday. Tax reform is the signature issue of this presidency.

Brady traveled to the Santa Ynez Mountains near Santa Barbara this week to borrow some inspiration from the last president to rewrite the nations tax laws, Ronald Reagan. He and other Republican Congress members stood in front of Reagans Rancho del Cielo property and promised to finish their own legislation by years end  a pledge Brady said can succeed only if Trump gets on board and stays on board.

President Trump unveiled his tax plan on April 26, after months of pledging to make drastic changes to the tax code. The Post's Damian Paletta explains why tax reform is so complicated. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

But the call for presidential support comes at a nadir of trust and cooperation between Trump and GOP members in Congress. In the hours leading up to Wednesdays event, corporate executives and Republican lawmakers were publicly distancing themselves from the president because of his controversial statements assigning blame for violent clashes at a rally in Charlottesville to both the white supremacists who organized the event and those who showed up to protest their presence.

The rush of criticism was the latest in a series of increasingly tense standoffs between Trump and his GOP colleagues. One week earlier, the president launched a multiday assault on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for failing to pass legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

In recent weeks, Republican members have been forced to decide whether they can separate the parts of Trumps presidency that offend them and their constituents from the reality that his support is likely to be key to achieving their long-sought legislative goals.

While some Republicans say they have grown accustomed to Trumps often erratic approach to politics, many others are frustrated.

Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), who along with Reps. Peter J. Roskam (R-Ill.) and David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) accompanied Brady on the trip, said that while lawmakers were used to working in a very distracting environment, the push for tax reform would require Trump to help refocus attention away from day-to-day scandal and back to policy details in a way he never did during the health-care debate.

This is on a whole different scale, Curbelo said. The committees are still going to do their work, and its not like were just going to sit around and talk about issues like this all of the time, but it certainly makes it harder to make a strong case for tax reform to the public because nobody is talking about it.

Some outside groups have attempted to step into the void left by Trump on tax reform. A number of conservative organizations, including the American Action Network, have launched public relations campaigns touting the benefits of tax reform to voters. The groups are spending millions on advertising, public polling and lobbying to help create momentum for a tax package.

On Thursday, AAN released focus-group data that it said showed GOP and independent- leaning voters in Nebraska and California want to see Republicans talk about tax reform. Those surveyed were happy with messages about simplifying the tax code and wanted lawmakers to specifically illustrate how reform would grow the economy and empower job creation, AAN said.

But lawmakers have struggled to identify concrete examples of policies that would achieve those goals, including during the event on Wednesday. From the mortgage interest deduction to charitable giving to business expense write-offs, Brady said the plan was still in development and depended on cooperation with Trump.

We continue to work with the White House, including the president, and the Senate on the details and design of this tax reform, Brady said when pressed on a plan for taxing international corporations. Well continue to do that through August and after we return as well.

But congressional Republicans and the White House have yet to agree on much other than the broad strokes of a tax plan.

Instead, Republicans spent a majority of the year locked in a battle over the few specific policies identified in a House tax reform blueprint that was released last year. White House officials and Senate leaders were deeply skeptical of a plan from House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) that would have cut taxes on exports in an effort to boost U.S. manufacturers.

Ryan and his allies said their proposal would have created more than a $1 trillion in new revenue over 10 years that could be used to offset the cost of lowering tax rates for businesses and individuals. But the plan was met with fierce resistance from key stakeholders, such as retailers, who rely on imports for their business, forcing Ryan to abandon the plan late last month when he joined with Brady, McConnell, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) to release a joint statement of unity on taxes.

Trump has failed to build on this show of unity and has instead picked fights with McConnell and other Senate Republicans while stoking public controversies over race.

Brady said Wednesday that he personally could separate Trumps controversies from the GOP-wide goal of passing a tax bill. I still think the president has the ability to refocus on tax reform, he said. I look to see him pivot to tax reform and jobs and make this case nationwide.

That pivot was further complicated when Trump was forced to dissolve a pair of corporate advisory groups after a number of CEO members resigned over the presidents comments about the Charlottesville protests.

Business leaders are distancing themselves from Trump, making their role in advancing his agenda awkward at best. They are now likely to focus even more of their efforts on working with Congress in hopes they can enact tax cuts  a desire lawmakers said could help the debate transcend the hard feelings between CEOs and the White House.

Congressional leaders also are holding out hope that the outside pressure will help keep rank-and-file Republicans focused on taxes and eager to avoid mistakes that led to the dramatic failure of their promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Im of the mind of the stumbles on health care put a lot of pressure on members to get to yes,  Roskam said, arguing Republican lawmakers see the necessity of nailing down a victory.

I think most members of Congress are going to say to themselves, I need to go back to a constituency and Ive got to deliver on health care or taxes,  Roskam said. The notion of not getting either one of those things done is not a pleasant prospect.

Brady and his colleagues who assembled in the California mountains this week said they believed the party would unite on taxes in the coming months.

Weve got a responsibility as leaders to say, Okay, lets rub some dirt on our problems and move forward and figure this out,  Roskam said. Its bigger than any president.

Read more at PowerPost
The day after an attack killed 13 people in Las Ramblas in Barcelona, locals try to make sense of the horror. (Raul Gallego Abellan/The Washington Post)

The day after an attack killed 13 people in Las Ramblas in Barcelona, locals try to make sense of the horror. (Raul Gallego Abellan/The Washington Post)

Spain was seized Friday with the realization that it had incubated a large-scale terrorist plot, as authorities across Europe mounted a manhunt following the deadliest attacks to strike the country in more than a decade: two vehicle assaults in Barcelona and a Catalan coastal town.

Investigators say they believe that at least eight people plotted the attacks, putting them at a level of sophistication comparable to major strikes in Paris and Brussels in recent years. Other more recent attacks in London, Berlin and the southern French city of Nice were perpetrated by individuals operating largely on their own.

Spanish counterterrorism officers were scrambling to untangle the terrorist network, which involved at least four Moroccan citizens under age 25, according to intelligence officials. In addition to those four, authorities have detained three Moroccan men and a Spaniard.

In a sign that the attack could have been significantly worse, police said they believed the assailants were planning to use propane and butane canisters in an explosive assault against civilians. Instead, the gas ignited prematurely, destroying a house in Alcanar, a little over 100 miles southwest of Barcelona that was being used by the suspects. The explosion killed at least two people and injured 16, including police officers and firefighters investigating the site.

Hours later, police said, one of the suspects set out for the touristy Las Ramblas area of Barcelona in a white delivery van, which he used to mow down pedestrians strolling along the tree-lined promenade.

As of Friday evening, the fate of the main suspect  the driver of the van, who fled on foot after the rampage  was unclear. Police were investigating the possibility that he was among five assailants killed early Friday in a second vehicle attack in Cambrils, a seaside town about 70 miles southwest of Barcelona.

Meanwhile, the nation began to mourn the international group of 13 victims  including at least one American  who were fatally struck in the heart of Barcelonas tourist district late Thursday afternoon. A 14th victim was killed in the second ramming attack.

The slain American was identified by his family as Jared Tucker, 42, of Lafayette, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay area, who was on a belated European vacation with his wife to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.

In Washington, the State Department said Friday that Spanish authorities still have not identified all of the casualties, so the U.S. Consulate in Barcelona is working with them to determine whether any more Americans were killed or injured.

The bloodshed prompted France to announce it was reinforcing its frontier with Spain, a sign of fears that further violence could spill beyond Spanish borders. Anti-immigrant Central European leaders seized on the suspects nationalities to call for tighter controls on migration.

[Video: Sadness, shock on Barcelonas famous Las Ramblas]

In Finland, two people were killed and six others wounded in a stabbing Friday in the southwestern city of Turku, police said. They said the incident was not being investigated as terrorism, although the motive and identity of the suspect, who was apprehended, were not immediately clear, and Finnish intelligence services joined the investigation.

1 of 23 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Photos from the scene after a van plowed into a crowd in Barcelona View Photos A white van jumped the sidewalk in Barcelonas historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists, police said. Caption A white van jumped the sidewalk in Barcelonas historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. Aug. 17, 2017 People flee the scene after a van hopped a curb and struck pedestrians. Oriol Duran/AP Wait 1 second to continue.

The Islamic State claimed that its soldiers carried out the Barcelona attack, but the level of actual involvement by the terrorist group was unclear.

Moroccan connection

Spanish intelligence officials were circulating at least four names among their European counterparts Friday, according to a Spanish intelligence official and a European intelligence official, both of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the situation.

The four men, all holding Moroccan citizenship, ranged in age from 17 to 24. Three were born in the North African country: Said Aallaa, 18; Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22; and Mohamed Hychami, 24. The fourth was identified in a Spanish police document as Moussa Oukabir, 17, but the European intelligence official said Spanish officials had flagged someone with the same family name but a different first name. All lived in or near the Catalan town of Ripoll, close to the French border.

At least three of the men were killed in the attack in Cambrils, the Spanish intelligence official said, without identifying which of them were dead.

Two Spanish security officials said police originally sought Oukabirs older brother because his identity card was found in the truck used for the Barcelona attack. The older brother, who is in custody, denies any connection to the attack and said his brother may have stolen his identity card, the official said.

We cannot rule out further attacks, Maj. Josep Lluis Trapero, a Catalan police official, told reporters in Barcelona.

Authorities were not aware of any previous connection to extremism among the detained men, he said.

All five men involved in the second attack in Cambrils were shot dead after plowing an Audi into people along the corniche at about 1 a.m., Trapero said.

[Photo gallery: Terror in Barcelona]

The nationality of the men was sure to raise alarm in European counterterrorism circles. Moroccan networks also were connected to major terrorist attacks in France and Belgium in recent years. Spain has a significant Moroccan population, and there has been a spike in arrivals of migrants from Morocco by sea this year.

Their background also prompted Europes anti-migrant politicians to condemn what they said was a connection between migration and terrorism, even though there was no evidence that the men were part of the waves of migration from Africa and the Middle East in recent years.

It is evident to everyone that there is a correlation between illegal immigration and terrorism, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told his countrys MTI news agency. Europe must protect itself, and the security of the people must be guaranteed.

Debate over meaning

In Barcelona, thousands of people gathered at midday Friday in a square at the top of Las Ramblas for a minute of silence, led by Spanish King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Afterward, they cheered, held single red roses to the sky and chanted in Catalan, I am not afraid.

The whole Las Ramblas neighborhood was eerily quiet Friday morning as heavily armed police patrolled.

Later in the day, tourists and onlookers filled the long boulevard, turning what is ordinarily a vacation hot spot into a site of mourning. Some set out candles to commemorate the victims.

Less than 24 hours after the attack  and before many details were confirmed  a fierce debate erupted in Barcelona over the meaning of what had happened. Demonstrations materialized Friday evening over the place of Islam in Europe. A small group of far-right demonstrators gathered in Barcelonas main square to protest what they called the Islamicization of Europe. They were met by thousands of counterprotesters who decried Islamophobia, waved rainbow flags and shouted slogans such as Barcelona! Anti-fascist!

In several tweets, President Trump said U.S. agencies were on alert and charged that court challenges and opposition from Democrats have made security very difficult. He gave no specifics.

Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! Trump wrote. The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!

[French mayor who witnessed carnage seek to make Europes streets safer]

The attacks Thursday and Friday marked the latest uses of vehicles in terrorist strikes against civilians, following attacks since the middle of 2016 in Britain, France, Germany and Sweden.

Spains civil protection agency said 120 people were injured in the Barcelona attack and an additional six in Cambrils. The casualties included people of at least 34 nationalities, underscoring the international draw of the cosmopolitan Las Ramblas area, which has long stood at the heart of the city. Frances Foreign Ministry said 26 of its citizens were injured, 11 of them seriously.

Residents of Barcelona said they had long feared an attack on their bustling city.

This is a huge city, and somehow we were always expecting something like this, but of course youre never prepared, said Cristina Nadal, 44, an aide for the Catalan government, who came to Fridays moment of silence.

The crowd was exactly what we wanted to show  that although the terrorists want to beat us, we can show to the world that we can still stand strong, she said.

Two longtime Muslim residents of Barcelona said they were furious about the violence.

What Islam teaches us is that killing one person is like killing all of humanity, said Nagma Jawed, 40, who moved to the city 20 years ago from her native India and runs a textile shop in the city.

First of all, we are human beings. Our religion comes after that, said Jawed, who was wearing a headscarf Friday as she stood in the square with her husband for the mourning ceremony.

Birnbaum reported from Brussels and Mekhennet from Frankfurt, Germany. William Booth and Raul Gallego Abellan in Barcelona, Paul Schemm in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

Was the Charlottesville car attack domestic terrorism, a hate crime or both?

In France, murder of a Jewish woman ignites debate over the word terrorism

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Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
The day after an attack killed 13 people in Las Ramblas in Barcelona, locals try to make sense of the horror. (Raul Gallego Abellan/The Washington Post)

The day after an attack killed 13 people in Las Ramblas in Barcelona, locals try to make sense of the horror. (Raul Gallego Abellan/The Washington Post)

It was another mellow summer afternoon on a world-renowned boulevard, a site of teeming crowds and bustling cafes. Then there was a flash of white.

A rented Fiat van swung onto La Rambla, a broad, tree-lined pedestrian thoroughfare, and the driver pressed down hard on the gas. Almost immediately, he began to maim and kill.

The van was just plowing down people, said Carlos Tena, 34, a native of the city who was leaving work with two colleagues.

He watched as the van streaked by, zigzagging right and left, and then he saw what the driver was leaving in his path.

I saw a little boy, in really, really bad shape, just lying there with his mother, Tena said. He was not moving. His mother asked me with her eyes if I could help.

Authorities in Spain have arrested four suspects after two terror attacks killed 14 people and injured dozens Aug. 17-18. (Sarah Parnass,Patrick Martin,Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)

My heart split in two, he said. I still dont understand what I saw. He said he did not know the boys fate.

The attack on Las Ramblas, as the district featuring Barcelonas scenic, belle epoque promenade is known, was the worst terrorist attack in Spain since March 2004, when 192 people were killed and nearly 2,000 were injured in a coordinated series of bombings on the Madrid rail system. Thursdays attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State, killed 13 people and injured more than 100 others from 34 countries. A separate vehicle attack south of Barcelona early Friday left another person dead and six injured.

The carnage in Barcelona on Thursday provided yet another example of a chilling new reality of urban life in Europe: ordinary vehicles suddenly transformed into weapons of mass murder.

[Spanish probe points to wider network in attacks]

For many who witnessed Thursdays carnage, it was the image of the van  even more than the image of the driver  that remains most haunting.

Jose Moya, 51, was tending to a customer in his flower shop on the avenue, where he has worked for the past three decades.

On Friday morning, he was still shaking with emotion as he recalled the moment he first sensed, and then saw, the van.

It passed so close to me, he said. It was a hands width from me. Moya paused to hold his fist a few inches from his belly. Time seemed to speed up rather than slow down, he said. It was moving so fast  really, really fast. . . . It took the people and dragged them.

The people were flying! he said.

Look at me, I am still in shock, a trembling Moya added.

Raquel Perez, 27, works at the Carrefour grocery store in Las Ramblas. She was on her break Thursday afternoon, eating in a little square at the end of a side street.

First, I saw a lot of people running from Las Ramblas, and then suddenly stop. she said. Then I saw a second wave. Police followed and yelled, Hide wherever you can!

So Perez, too, began to run.

I was just running. I didnt know what had happened. But then I started to see videos on social media, and there were all these rumors that there were guys with guns running around all over the place.

It turned out that some of those initial rumors were not true. Early news reports mentioned a possible hostage situation, with a group of men holding others in a store.

But the driver of the van appears to have vanished. Spanish authorities have detained four others, and police were investigating the possibility that the driver was among five assailants killed early Friday in a second vehicle attack in Cambrils.

Perez and others found an open door, a bar closer to the sea. She and her friends jumped over the counter, hiding behind the bottles and glasses for hours.

Today I was more afraid than yesterday, Perez said on Friday. I dont know if something might happen again. And I fear that it will.

Thousands of visitors shared the same experience.

The flash of white. The screams and confusion. The running and the hiding, often for hours, with no idea what was happening.

Many assumed that armed men were stalking more victims on the streets, as terrorist attackers did in Paris in November 2015.

[French mayor who witnessed carnage seeks to make Europes streets safer]

I was at home with doors and windows open, because of the heat. I heard a lot of shouting in the street. I thought it might have been celebration, said Xochtl Martinez, 31, who has lived in the neighborhood all her life.

It wasnt a party. It was a stampede, she said. What I remember most are the faces. They were faces of pure panic. They were running in absolute terror.

Spanish plainclothes and uniformed police shouted at the crowds to get indoors and stay in place.

Paulina Sanchez Avila, 18, was visiting from Mexico. She and a friend dashed into a Burger King at the top of the boulevard. Inside, panicking patrons tried to erect a barricade to prevent assailants from entering.

People were throwing tables and chairs. Look at my shoulder, she said, revealing a large, dark bruise. She and her friend stayed in the restaurant for five hours, then made their way to the Mexican Consulate, which kept them there until 3 a.m., when they were taken to a hostel. They went to the citys memorial service later, red roses in hand.

Marga Soler, 46, was one of many merchants and small-business owners who sheltered tourists and pedestrians in their establishments. She said as many as 30 people pressed together in a small room.

Rajesh Kumar Sadhani, 48, was another. From India originally, he has lived in Barcelona for 18 years, working for the past six in a jewelry store in Las Ramblas.

When the attack began, he was helping clients who were looking at a watch on display in a case next to a window along the boulevard, he said. He heard a loud noise, but by the time he looked up, all he could see was a mass of people running by. Then, he said, there were the bodies left behind.

He and his colleagues sheltered 15 people for roughly five hours, until police released them around 10 p.m. He insisted that he was unafraid to be back at work on Friday. I feel very well today, he said.

By Friday afternoon, that sentiment was seemingly shared by many others. By midafternoon, cars were allowed to access the street, and Las Ramblas was again teeming with tourists and locals. Except for makeshift memorials of candles and flowers  as well as armed police and camera crews and armed police  it was difficult to tell that there had been a terrorist attack on the boulevard less than 24 hours earlier.

Writing in the early 20th century, the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca wrote that Las Ramblas was the only street in the world which I wish would never end. Many of the locals here insisted that it wouldn't.

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Navy Cmdr. Jesus Cantu, converses with another officer during a deployment through the Indian Ocean in 2005. (U.S. Navy photo/M. Jeremie Yoder)

Its been four years since federal authorities made their first arrests in the worst corruption scandal in Navy history, but the criminal investigation shows no sign of ending anytime soon.

On Friday, Jesus V. Cantu, 59, a retired Navy captain and Stanford graduate, pleaded guilty in federal court in San Diego to conspiracy to commit bribery. In his plea agreement, he admitted to accepting expensive hotel rooms, fancy dinners and the services of prostitutes from Leonard Glenn Francis, a charismatic Asian defense contractor who did hundreds of millions of dollars of business with the Navy.

Cantu, of Silverdale, Wash., had not surfaced previously as part of the epic corruption case. He is the 19th defendant to be convicted. Federal prosecutors have charged 10 others whose cases are pending. Another defendant is facing charges in Singapore.

According to his plea agreement, Cantu began conspiring to commit bribery with Francis  known as Fat Leonard in Navy circles  in 2007 when Cantu was the assistant chief of staff for logistics for the Navys 7th Fleet, based in Asia.

Cantu admitted taking bribes and the services of prostitutes from Francis until 2013, when he was serving as deputy commander of the Military Sealift Commands Far East division in Singapore.

According to the plea agreement, Cantus final escapade with Francis occurred on Sept. 13, 2013, when they went to dinner in Singapore and partied with prostitutes at Franciss expense. Three days later, Francis was lured by federal authorities to San Diego and arrested in a sting operation after a years-long investigation into his company.

Cantu was questioned at the time by a Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent about his contacts with Francis and gave materially false responses, the plea agreement states. He retired from the Navy the following year.

The number of people entwined in the scandal has escalated steadily since 2015, when Francis pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy to defraud the United States and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities.

In court papers, Francis admitted to bribing scores of Navy officials with millions of dollars so they would leak him classified and confidential information about Navy operations. He then exploited the inside information to rig contracts and gouge the federal government as his firm, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, resupplied Navy vessels in Asian ports.

In addition to the 28 defendants in federal court, the Navy has opened separate investigations under military law into more than 250 active-duty and retired personnel who had contact with Francis dating to the 1990s.

Most of those investigations have occurred behind closed doors; the Navy has made its findings public in only a handful of cases.
President Trump steps out of Air Force One during his arrival at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey on Friday. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights just launched a critique of the Trump administration. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights launched a multipronged critique of the Trump administration Friday, disapproving of new stances on voting rights, transgender people in the military, and asset forfeiture.

The eight-person panel, which is chaired by an Obama appointee, met Friday to discuss a range of issues, resulting in a flurry of public statements on civil rights following a week in which issues of racism and civil liberties have dominated headlines.

The commission, an independent, bipartisan federal agency, also issued a statement about the violence at a gathering of white nationalists, white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville last weekend, which resulted in one woman being killed and more than a dozen others injured.

White supremacy and religious intolerance dishonor national commitments we have forged over time . . . and violence in the name of these ideologies must be met swiftly and forcefully with condemnation and an unwavering and unified response, the commission said in a joint statement.

[Romney calls on Trump to address the nation, apologize for Charlottesville comments]

By unanimous vote, the commission also said it strongly disagrees with the Justice Departments recent decision to expand federal involvement in civil asset forfeiture by state and local police authorities. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the move last month, reversing an Obama administration decision to rein in the practice.

In announcing the policy change in July, Sessions said asset forfeiture is a key tool that helps law enforcement defund organized crime, take back ill-gotten gains and prevent new crimes from being committed.

Critics of asset forfeiture say police and federal agencies deprive too many Americans of due process when they seize assets from individuals, some of whom are never charged with any crime. The Department of Justice should be ensuring the fair administration of justice, not engaging in practices that put this justice in question, said Commission Chair Catherine Lhamon.

The commission also criticized the department on another front  voting rights. By a majority vote, the panel said it disagreed with the Justice Departments new position on an Ohio voting rights case. In that case, the Obama administration had challenged how the state purged its voter rolls, but the Trump administration reversed position. Ohio has a policy of removing voters from the rolls if they havent voted in six years and dont respond to an address-verification request.

The commission said the administrations switch in legal position opens the door to more aggressive and inaccurate purging of voter rolls, which can lead to widespread voter disenfranchisement and suppression of low-income communities and communities of color.

The Supreme Court is due to hear arguments in the case in October.

A Justice Department spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

A majority of the commission also urged the Trump administration to reconsider a move the president announced last month that the military will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity. The president made the announcement in a tweet, and the military has not implemented any such policy because they havent received guidance on it from the White House, officials have said.
A few weeks before Thursdays attack in Barcelona, the Islamic States main online magazine posted an illustrated article with advice on acquiring a special kind of truck  specifically, the kind best suited for mowing down large numbers of pedestrians.

The ideal vehicle, the article in Rumiyah said, would be large in size, heavy in weight, and with a raised chassis that can clear curbs and barriers. It also should be fast in speed, or rate of acceleration, the magazine said, to ensure maximum momentum before striking.

Whether the men behind Thursdays attack in Barcelona saw the article is unknown, but they appear to have tried to follow the advice to the letter. The suspects sought to rent a large, heavy truck  later opting for a cargo van only because they lacked the required permits  and then drove to a plaza crowded with pedestrians, precisely as the article instructed.

Spanish authorities are still investigating whether the killings in Barcelona were directed by the Islamic State, but terrorist experts say that the groups stillformidable propaganda machine, with its detailed prescriptions on how to kill large numbers of innocent people, remains a principal driver of terrorist acts around the world, even as the militants suffer crippling losses on the battlefield.

[A battered ISIS grows ever more dependent on simple plans]

People protest against ISIS and fascism a day after a van crashed into pedestrians at Las Ramblas in Barcelona. (Susana Vera/Reuters)

Although the Islamic State has lost more than half of its former sanctuary in Iraq and Syria, its Internet presence remains strikingly robust, analysts say. In the weeks preceding the Barcelona attack, the terrorist group issued at least a dozen new videos or online articles a day, most of them aimed at rallying supporters or encouraging sympathizers to kill and maim in its name. Many of the recent postings have explicitly urged followers to turn trucks and vans into weapons of terror.

Attacks like the one in Barcelona are painful reminders that the Islamic State is more than a collection of territories  it is also a virtual network that inhabits swaths of cyber-terrain that are just as consequential as the spaces it holds in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, said Rita Katz, founder of the SITE Intelligence Group, a private company that monitors jihadist websites around the world.

It cannot be stressed enough how much ISIS needs the Internet to push its propaganda out to the world, said Katz, using another name for the Islamic State. The world can win all the military battles it wants in Iraq and Syria, [but] the group will persist until its propaganda machine is effectively blocked.

The Islamic State quickly claimed responsibility for this weeks attacks along Spains popular northeastern coast, hailing soldiers of the caliphate who killed at least 14 people in separate attacks in Barcelona and the nearby resort town of Cambrils. Operational links with the assailants, however, had not yet been independently established. Islamic State officials have occasionally sought to take credit for strikes by lone wolves who were inspired by the groups propaganda but received little or no practical support.

A new posting on Friday on a pro-Islamic State social media channel urged more such attacks, appealing to supporters to create Barcelona-like mayhem in cities around the globe.

No need to travel the world, stated the posting on the social media messaging service Telegram. Just pick the main city. Find a hub spot for tourists. Choose you (sic) weapon.

The continuing incitements defy years of efforts to silence the groups propaganda efforts online. Indeed, U.S. officials say the Islamic States information networks have suffered steep losses in recent months, because of military attacks and improved policing by social media companies to block jihadists messages.

Police in Barcelona separated nationalist demonstrators from anti-fascist marchers the day after an attack killed more than a dozen people. (The Washington Post)

With the fall of former Iraqi strongholds such as Mosul and Fallujah, the group has lost studio and production facilities as well as at least a half-dozen key officials who helped direct propaganda campaigns, U.S. counterterrorism officials say. As a result, the number of social media channels used by the militants has plummeted in the past two years, from 40 active sites in 2015 to just 19 by this past spring.

Still, even in its diminished form, the groups media arm remains remarkably prolific, producing on average about 20 unique media products every day, from videos showing executions of hostages to step-by-step instructions for building a bomb, according to an analysis this week by two scholars with the Netherlands-based International Center for Counter-Terrorism in The Hague. The analysis, published by the national security website War on the Rocks, says the volume and quality of the jihadist content is testament to an extensive, sustained investment by an organization that has long recognized the power of the Internet to attract followers and spread ideology.

The groups senior officials have been deliberately preparing for the loss of the physical caliphate by pouring still more resources into its online network, to ensure that its ideology will live on even as its territorial sway declines, the article states.

Theyve invested strategically in this capability and its paying off, in terms of longevity, said Colin Clarke, a political scientist with the nonprofit Rand Corp., who co-authored the essay with Charlie Winter, a senior research fellow at Kings College London. The crumbling of the groups physical strongholds means that the propaganda campaign is becoming more important as a way to perpetuate the caliphate as an eternal ideal, and to thus keep the drumbeat going, Clarke said in an interview.

The groups messages have shifted in recent months, experts say, reflecting changing circumstances. The heavy rotation of videos extolling the virtues of life inside its self-proclaimed caliphate in 2015 have moved to more warlike missives focused on terrorist attacks against the West, analysts say. Taken as a whole, the messages suggest that the terrorists fully expect to continue to fight, though the nature of the battle will change, said Tara Maller, a former CIA military analyst and a senior policy adviser at the Counter Extremism Project, a nonpartisan organization that promotes strategies to counter extremist ideology.

It shows that the virtual caliphate is going to continue, and actually seems to be operating at a high level, Maller said. So its not a surprise that they are continuing to try to inspire attacks overseas.

The enduring nature of the propaganda campaign should dispel any notion that the defeat of the Islamic State is at hand, now that the groups Syrian and Iraqi sanctuaries have been significantly undermined through the loss of territory, Maller said.

We need more than just a military effort, because safe havens also exist online, she said. We shouldnt assume that this group is going away just because were beating them up on the battlefield.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared on Friday that hate is not an American value in his most extended remarks on racism and bigotry since last weekends violence in Charlottesville.

In a speech announcing a new effort to expand diversity at the State Department, Tillerson did not explicitly mention either Charlottesville or President Trumps reactions to the presence of white supremacists and neo-Nazis there, but he said the events of the past week were on everyones mind.

We do honor, protect and defend freedom of speech, First Amendment rights, he said. Its what sets us apart from every other government regime in the world, in allowing people a right to expression. These are good things.

But we do not honor, nor do we promote or accept hate speech in any form. And those who embrace it poison our public discourse and they damage the very country that they claim to love. So we condemn racism, bigotry in all its forms. Racism is evil; it is antithetical to Americas values. Its antithetical to the American idea.

[Mother of woman killed in Charlottesville says she wont speak to Trump after his comments]

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson listens to a question during a news conference at the State Department on Aug. 17. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Tillerson also reached into history, quoting both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln for their words condemning bigotry and the need to heal divisions.

George Washington said in an address to the synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, that his vision for our country was, I quote, a government which to bigotry gives no sanction; to persecution, no assistance. In his second inaugural address in the middle of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln called on Americans to bind up the nations wounds.

What Lincoln knew, and that we are sadly reminded today, that painful racial tensions are part of our experience as a nation. We too today should seek to bind up the wounds. We must pursue reconciliation, understanding and respect regardless of skin color, ethnicity or religious, or political views.

Tillersons remarks on racial intolerance were part of a speech he made to students with fellowships and internships at the State Department. He announced a new initiative to increase diversity at the State Department, including the recruitment of minorities in colleges that are not Ivy League schools and an effort to get more minority ambassadors.

Tillerson noted that only 12 percent of senior Foreign Service officers are nonwhite, and a third are women

We have a great diversity gap in the State Department, he said. We need a State Department that reflects the American people, reflects who we are.

Since Tillerson arrived at the State Department six months ago, he has been looking at ways to reorganize and reform a huge bureaucracy that employs 75,000 people around the world. The diversity outreach he announced Friday is the first concrete step to come out of months of employee surveys and draft memos.

Tillerson said he has ordered that at least one minority candidate be included for every ambassador post that comes open. That will help target future leaders, he said, so their careers can be nurtured.

We need a more deliberate process to cultivate the abundance of minority talent we already have in the State Department, he said.

Tillerson said the State Department will step up recruitment of African Americans at historically black colleges and universities. Colleges in Miami and Chicago with large Hispanic populations will also be seeing State Department recruiters, he said. And he said the recruitment and promotion drive should include women and members of the LGBT community.

This enriches the quality of our work, he said. We know we are a stronger organization when we embrace, incorporate diverse points of view into our work product.

Tillerson also noted that many current diplomats and civil servants come to the State Department after completing military service, So we know this is a rich talent pool from which to fish.
Two people were killed and six others wounded in a stabbing Friday in a city in southwest Finland, police said.

The attack unfolded in Turku, about 100 miles west of Helsinki, jolting a continent still learning the full extent of a terrorist strike targeting Spain, where police were trying to piece together details of two deadly vehicular assaults and an explosion at a house that police said had been used by the attackers.

The Islamic State claimed links to the attacks in Spain, the nations worst in more than a decade.

Police in Finland said the stabbing was not being investigated as terrorism. However, Finlands National Bureau of Investigation is also involved in the case, with the assistance of Finnish intelligence services.

A suspect was apprehended at the scene in central Turku and was being treated for his wounds in a nearby hospital after being shot in the thigh by police. Finnish Interior Minister Paula Risikko said the suspects identity was unclear but described him as foreign-looking. She said authorities were contacting immigration officials to learn more.

Finlands prime minister, Juha Sipila, offered condolences to relatives of the victims and called the days events tragic. The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, also weighed in to condemn the attack, saying its gravity was heightened by the attacks in Spain hours earlier.

Security was tightened across the country, including at airports and train stations. National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen warned civilians that they might see armed security personnel in the streets.

Police asked people to clear the center of Turku as they searched for more potential suspects.

A video circulated Friday on Twitter in which users said a man could be heard crying Allahu akbar, but others replied saying that the shouts were Finnish for watch out. An eyewitness told Turun Sanomat, a Turku-based newspaper, that she was buying potatoes in the market square when she saw people running and screaming. Among the victims, she said, was a woman with a small child.

Also Friday, police in the western German city of Wuppertal were searching for one or more suspects in a stabbing that left one person dead and another wounded, though the case was being treated as a homicide and is not linked to terrorism, police said.

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Venezuelan Constituent Assembly delegate and leader of Venezuelas ruling socialist party Diosdado Cabello, center, accompanied by fellow delegate Pedro Carreno, left, leaves the General Prosecutors office in Caracas on Aug. 16. Cabello is alleging that the husband and close aides of ousted chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega ran a multimillion-dollar extortion ring. (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

Venezuelas new pro-government Constituent Assembly formally moved Friday to assume the powers of the opposition-dominated congress, completing what critics call a power grab that effectively puts all branches of government under the control of President Nicolas Maduro.

The Constituent Assembly, created in a July 30 vote decried as fraud by the opposition and a host of nations, had begun to assume the role of the National Assembly, whose members were democratically elected in 2015.

But in a move likely to spark further international condemnation, the motion Friday formalized the arrangement. The body was also poised to pass a new law that critics say could be used to punish opposition leaders and anti-government protesters with as much as 25 years in prison.

[With low turnout, Venezuelas election will create what opponents call puppet congress]

The body had invited the National Assembly to attend Fridays session  an invitation that was declined. Before the vote to assume their powers, the Constituent Assemblys president, Delcy Rodriguez  a top Maduro ally  theatrically pointed to the empty seats reserved for them.

When theyre called for national dialogue, cameras please, see? Empty seats, Theres the definition of the Venezuelan right, she said.

The opposition-led congress decried the vote as an attempt to finally close congress and said via its official Twitter account that it does not recognize the fraudulent move. It called on Venezuelans to join legislators in a session at the legislative palace, where the Constituent Assembly is convening, Saturday morning.

The Constituent Assembly is null, and its acts are illegal and unconstitutional. The National Assembly, the international community and the people will not abide by the annulment decision, the opposition tweeted.

Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States, tweeted, Fraudulent dissolution of the National Assembly by the Constituent Assembly deepens the coup detat in Venezuela.

But Diosdado Cabello, a senior member of Maduros inner circle, said that the decision had stopped short of disbanding congress and that the assembly was simply assuming congressional powers.

For those raving, the Constituent Assembly has not eliminated the National Assembly, Cabello tweeted. It is only assuming the functions of those who have placed themselves on the margins of the constitution.

Nevertheless, Venezuelas congress appeared to be left in an even more precarious legal limbo. The pro-government supreme court robbed the congress of its authority in March. Yet even after the new Constituent Assembly began to meet in its legislative palace this month, opposition lawmakers have continued to convene there in a separate chamber. It remained unclear whether opposition leaders could continue that arrangement.

Maduro  the anointed successor of Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013  has billed the Constituent Assembly as the cornerstone of his completing Chavezs socialist dream. The assemblys members  ranging from student leaders to fishermen to top government officials  are being vested with vast powers to change the constitution, and will be used to streamline efforts to funnel more power and authority to local communities. But critics say that in practice it will be used to consolidate Maduros power and ensure more political largesse in poor communities in exchange for their loyalty.

[As Maduro takes Venezuela into uncharted waters, the opposition has few options]

The U.S. Department of State condemned the move Friday evening.

The United States strongly condemns the assumption of legislative powers by the illegitimate Constituent Assembly, a State Department news release said. This power grab is designed to supplant the democratically-elected National Assembly with an authoritarian committee operating above the law. In our view, the democratically-elected National Assembly is the only legitimate legislative body.  As long as the Maduro regime continues to conduct itself as an authoritarian dictatorship, we are prepared to bring the full weight of American economic and diplomatic power to bear in support of the Venezuelan people as they seek to restore their democracy.

The moves come amid an escalating crackdown on dissent after four months of anti-government street protests have left more than 100 dead.

The Constituent Assembly moved Thursday night to strip legislative immunity from German Ferrer, a member of the elected congress. It came as he and his wife, Luisa Ortega Diaz  Venezuelas former chief prosecutor who was removed from office this month  appeared to join a rising number of dissidents fleeing the country to escape a broadening crackdown.

On Wednesday, the supreme court issued an arrest order for Ferrer. Both he and Ortega were previous government loyalists who turned against Maduro amid mounting allegations of human rights abuses and corruption. They had emerged as two of the most vocal and influential government critics.

Nicmer Evans, a political ally of the couple, told The Washington Post that they had left Venezuela.

Late Friday, Colombias immigration agency confirmed that Ortega and Ferrer had arrived in Bogota via a private flight from Aruba. In the afternoon, Ortega participated via a video call in a meeting with top prosecutors from across Latin America. She said she had proof that Maduro and his circle were involved in the Odebrecht corruption scandal, that her removal was the materialization of the systematic persecution against her and her office, and that the new chief prosecutors office would destroy any evidence that came his way.

I will not stop fighting. And I ask you to not abandon Venezuela, she said.

Since the Constituent Assemblys creation, three opposition mayors have gone into hiding, and two have fled the country.

[Venezuelas lawless regime staggers toward a coup]

Addressing the increased targeting of dissenters, opposition lawmakers said in a statement that Nicolas Maduro needs silence to consummate injustice. Any expression of the peoples voice is being criminalized.

The arrest warrant for Ferrer was connected to government charges that had used his wifes former post to extort $6 million from business executives. Ferrer has strongly denied the charges, describing them as political persecution.

In an interview with The Washington Post this month, Ortega denounced the creation of the Constituent Assembly  members of which include Maduros wife and son  as the birth of a dictatorship.

We are just a tiny sample of what comes to anyone who dares to oppose the totalitarian way of governing, she said. I will continue fighting for Venezuelans, for their liberties and rights, until my last breath.

Faiola reported from Miami.

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WITH Images Below, Chris Howes contributes the most comprehensive English language manual on underground photography to date. (Perhaps in any language. I havent gotten much past the pictures in Photographier Sous Terre or Photografia del Mundo Subterraneo).



Beginning cave photographers will easily recoup the value of Images Below within a few rolls of film and a carton of bulbs. The more experienced will delight at an insiders view into a mind that is equally creative at meeting technical challenges and at achieving a breathtaking photographic style that is simply trademark 'Chris Howes'.



The book is divided into four sections, including fourteen chapters. Section One, covering equipment, is worth the purchase price alone for circuit diagrams of various bulb-firing units and Dave Gibsons robust slave kit (the inner workings of the Firefly). Here, too, youll find innovative tips for fashioning an easily removable glass lens cap (to compose shots in wet or muddy caves) and discover a better use for chicken pot pie tins than chicken pot pie. (Overall, we get the impression that, given a bit of film, our author could craft incomparable photos from materials gleaned out of rubbish bins and second-hand shops. And why not?)



Section Two is concerned with basic technique, but even seasoned pros will want to read carefully. Appropriate emphasis is here given to exposure considerations and lighting angles. Open flash vs. slaved techniques, mixed entrance and flash light, and the use of multiple flash are well-covered. A few not-so-basic techniques, such as shifting focus for extreme depth of field (and a common pitfall of this strategy) are also discussed. Admirably, Chris reflects on some human-interest concerns of the 'much-maligned' cave photographer, as well, including good tips on communication between photographer and assistants.



Section Three delves into 'Specialist Techniques'. A full thirty pages are devoted to close-up and macro photography. The author reviews standard accessories and exposure compensation, as well as more offbeat ideas for homemade reflecting panels and a ring flash substitute. Special considerations for documenting cave archaeology, history and biology are also addressed here. A chapter on automatic cameras offers workarounds (such as outsmarting a DX sensor) for cameras that do not allow manual settings. The 'Alternative Lighting' chapter sparks our creativity with discussion of filtration, show cave lighting, 'painting with light', reciprocity failure, and modification of standard helmet lamps to create more realistic-looking models. The author even dishes up recipes for homemade flash powder, complete with guide numbers. (Danger, kids! Dont try this at home!)



A chapter on expedition photography stresses fastidious preparation, with ideas on equipment checklists and maintenance kits. Again, the author does not overlook personnel considerations; recommendations for agreements on photo teams, copyright issues and sponsor commitments are offered. A chapter on underwater, stereo and video photography admirably goes beyond the call of duty for such a book. Aficionados of such disciplines will be grateful for the rare coverage. The uninitiated just might be lured into a new endeavor.



The fourth and final section of the book explores 'Attention to Detail'. The first chapter invites photographers to transcend technical concerns and fine tune such elements as composition, 'mood', and the careful posing of models. Readers are challenged, as well, to exploit the specific strengths of color and black-and-white films. A chapter on 'Assessing Your Work' gives a comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, as well as ideas to improve images through manipulation in either the darkroom or on a computer. Exhibition of photos for a slide show, competition, or publication is also addressed. A chapter on history does not, as one might expect, summarize the development of cave photography. This topic was quite thoroughly covered in the authors earlier work: To Photograph Darkness. The history of underground and flash photography. Perhaps due to the authors experience in dredging up the past, he stresses the responsibility of the cave photographer as a creator and maintainer of historical records. We are urged and instructed on how to conserve and adequately caption our irreplaceable works.



Throughout, Images Below is generously endowed with tables, bulleted summaries, explanatory diagrams and, of course, photographs. Clearly, the book is well-suited to the visually-oriented photo-enthusiasts that will make up its audience. A particularly helpful feature is the shorthand notation that describes the type and direction of lighting for each photograph within its caption. Very clever! The author also went the extra mile by including photographs of equipment (both in the studio and the field) as well as comparative sets of images that dramatically show the effects of various techniques, problems, lighting angles, etc. The majority of the book is presented in black and white, the medium for which the author is certainly best known. An interior color section is used to good effect by highlighting special issues discussed throughout the volume. Thankfully, the superb printing reproduction does justice to the authors fine photography.



To be sure, Images Below is a technical, how-to manual, But rest assured its nothing like reading the owners manual that came with your latest photographic equipment purchase. Ive yet to unearth a single gem of British humor in my Nikon manuals, for one. Moreover, Images Below is the work of a photographer whos generous enough to allow the retelling of his countless trials and errors in hopes that his readers might avoid just a few. And twenty-nine years of experience clearly shine through in the authors relaxed, altogether readable discussions about even intimidating technical issues.



The computational conundrums of multiple flash exposures, for instance, are reduced to a rule of thumb so simple, its easy to overlook. Ratios of key and fill flashes, the author suggests, can be controlled by establishing standard aperture numbers (2.8, 4, 5.6, etc.) as flash-to-subject distances (insert favored units at will). A flash placed at 5.6 metres, therefore, will provide half the light as a flash at 4 metres, or a quarter of light from a flash at 2.8 metres. So by the inverse square law... Well, you better just get the book before I make this more complicated than Chris did.



Fortunately, Images Below makes no pretense to remove all mystery from its subject matter. Flash guide numbers, the author cautions, are not immutable standards, but rather reference points to consider in context of the particular cave environment. And the issue of 'correct' exposure is addressed more as an artistic concern than a scientific one. Repeatedly, the need for the readers own experimentation is stressed. If Images Below were a cookbook, measurements would be none too precise, and ample suggestions to 'season to taste' would be sprinkled throughout. This is a book designed as much to inspire as to educate.



If you ever even think about taking a camera underground, youll want your very own copy of Images Below. No ones going to be loaning this one out. (Unless, perhaps, you sneak a copy from a newsletter editor for 'review purposes only'.)



Read Images Below cover-to-cover first, then keep it close at hand. Its a fine read and an indispensable reference. Djuna Ivereigh (nee Bewley), NSS News, Vol 55 (12), December 1997

Secrets of an Underground Photographer WHEN Images Below arrived my wife began leafing through it, ooh-ing and aah-ing over the photos of caves. Two hours later she handed it to me and shook her head. 'I don't know how he does it. Those photos are amazing.'



'How he does it' is the subject of this magnificent volume, and the crisply-written, beautifully-organized text coupled with copious examples (all taken by the author) should make it the final word on the subject. For those of us who enjoyed his earlier To Photograph Darkness. The history of underground and flash photography, this comes as no surprise. Howes knows his subject and, just as importantly, knows how to put it across in a form that's not only readable but usable.



Two points should be emphasized: first, while this book uses cave photography as examples, it's also an excellent general text on the use of flash. Second, though he does start with the absolute basics needed by an amateur, the book is so complete and thorough as to be useful to even the most advanced worker. Beginning with selection of equipment cameras, lenses, flash and accessories), he then outlines the basics of working with flash of all types in every conceivable situation. This is followed by discussions of specialised techniques such as close-up, underwater, video, and stereo photography. Finally, he deals with artistic composition, the touch which can transform a dreary documentary photo into an esthetically memorable image, and nobody is better qualified than Chris Howes to write on this topic.



In summary, if you have aspirations of progressing beyond a point-and-shoot camera with built-in flash, buy this book. It'll not only make you a better photographer, but also give you immense visual pleasure in the process. Tex Tredwell, Stereo World Vol 24 (3), July 1997, p35

IMAGES BELOW. A manual of underground and flash photography, the latest book from Chris Howes, will be a welcome addition to the library of any cave photographer. Indeed, as the title suggests, the book is a useful manual of flash techniques for all photographers using flash, whether underground or not. Images Below is a comprehensive technical reference - illustrated throughout with relevant and beautiful photographs. It covers the subject in one accessible and well designed book, which will be of use to both experienced photographers and novices. Although the book is not intended as a 'coffee table' product, the sheer number of photographs means that it would not look out of place on any caver\'s coffee table. The reproduction of the photographs is excellent, and it is obvious that a lot of care has gone into the layout and production of the book. Chris covers his subject in depth, with plenty of practical examples and photographs of the techniques and equipment. The writing style is very readable, and the explanations clear and well thought out. Images Below is certainly no dry textbook, although Chris must have spent plenty of time on research before ever setting pen to paper. It is good to see a photography manual where the author has so obviously tried out all the equipment and techniques he discusses, and has found out the advantages and pitfalls the hard way, to the benefit of the reader who will learn from his experiences. I am relieved I don't have to find out for myself what can happen to an ammo box full of cameras when submerged in water! The first section of the book covers equipment; cameras, lenses, flash (both electronic and bulb), flash slaves, and accessories (such as tripods and bags). The second section deals with the basic techniques of underground photography, with plenty of detail on how to best position flashguns for the required effect and work out exposure. The third section covers more specialist techniques including stereo, video, underwater and close-up photography, automatic cameras, alternative lighting, and expedition photography. The final of the book section covers composition, assessing your work, and the archiving and storage of photographs. Images Below is full of surprising little details, like the way the DX coding works, flashbulb guide numbers and bulb flashgun circuitry, as well as Chris' own lighting code. A diagram of this also printed on the supplied bookmark. The bookmark is laminated, so presumably would even survive a trip underground, tucked into a camera box for reference. This book is worth having purely for the fine examples of Chris' work it contains, but if you are interested learning more about cave photography, and improving your own work, you must buy this book. Kym ap Rhys, Underground Photographer (7), Autumn 1997

IMAGES BELOW is without doubt the most comprehensive and authoritative volume on cave photography ever published, and is backed and immensely strengthened by the reputation of its author as a world class cave photographer. It is often said that those that can, do, and those that can't, teach, but in this case it seems that the master who does has also chosen to teach. In 1987 Chris produced his very popular Cave Photography. A practical guide, a seemingly comprehensive guide to the techniques of cave photography. But his new work takes this a step further, giving an even deeper look into all aspects of the art. Fourteen chapters are arranged into 4 sections covering Equipment, Basic Techniques, Specialist Techniques, and details such as composition, self criticism and history. The new volume retains Chris's innovative code system used in the first book to describe the flash positioning and settings used in each photograph. To help the reader still further the book comes with a laminated bookmark with a diagram demonstrating these code positions printed on it. Along with the code attached to each caption in the book, this makes it very easy to see how every picture was taken. And what of the photographs themselves? All too often textbooks on photography use pictures to make their point with no real thought to the quality of the image. Not in this case! The pictures are superb and plentiful (nearly 500 I believe), as is the reproduction quality, and are widely accompanied by diagrams and illustrations clarifying the specific points being made. A short colour section covers some specific colour related issues but the book's real strength lies in the black and white images which alone made the book worth buying, regardless of whether you have any interest in how they were taken. All in all a superbly comprehensive piece of work and essential reading for anyone with any interest in cave photography, or even just an interest in caves or photography for that matter. Gavin Newman, Caves & Caving (80), Summer 1998, p31

CHRIS Howes is a speleologist and a photographer of distinction. This is his third book on cave photography, and has already won an award. Images Below is, strictly, a textbook, a manual of cave photography, but, apart from presenting a great deal of information and advice for cavers, there is much to be learnt from it by those photographers who have no intention of ever entering anything more cavelike than a cathedral crypt. Cave photography demands lightweight, tough and more or less waterproof equipment. It also mandates either flash or a high-intensity light source (flashpowder and magnesium ribbon are not to be spurned). Howes discusses the equipment in detail, warning particularly against the inadequacies of automatic exposure control in these environments. He shows some sympathy with compact and even throwaway cameras, particularly the waterproof type. He goes into details over depth of field, flash guide numbers and cumulative flash exposure calculations, and reciprocity failure, things you may have thought you could forget about in these days of automation. You can for the most part forget about automatic focus too. There is plenty of information on silhouette lighting, close-up and macro work, photography of flowing water, special effects and the situations where colour is more appropriate than black and white. The photography is immaculate: Chris Howes has a Fellowship for his cave images. Cave photography is one area where black and white has always reigned, and the author is one of its acknowledged masters. He is no mean writer, too. Strongly recommended, and not just to cavers. Graham Saxby Hon FRPS, The Photographic Journal, Vol 138 (8), October 1998

IMAGES BELOW is certain to become the definitive reference for all serious cave photographers for many years to come. Even if you only dabble in the craft, or have an occasional need to photograph new discoveries, your proposed dig site or an unrepeatable caving holiday, you will find some good tricks to provide consistently clearer photos. If you want to provide better illustrations for the club journal, or to pass around a packet of prints in the cavers pub, your snaps will be greatly improved by an understanding of even half the lighting techniques demonstrated here. In short, this a deep book, but it is accessible to any caver that has ever wanted to record a cave view to share with others. The author describes  clearly, and from personal experience  all types of camera and lighting equipment, from the cheap and simple to the highly specialised. Whatever camera you already have, you can produce better cave photos if you give them a little thought. The book is richly illustrated with the authors evocative style of cave photography. Although a professional photographer and a long-standing Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, he makes the point strongly that many of his best images were made with very basic equipment. The mystery and beauty of the underground world are captured on film in a way that any caver will recognise and enjoy. It is worth owning a copy of this book for the simple pleasure of experiencing the atmosphere of the cave  without the inconvenience of having to get wet yourself; several photos made me shiver at first viewing. The writing  although of necessity technical in some parts  is clear, concise and suffused with a cavers dark humour. The cleverly set-up picture used to illustrate the throwaway comment never switch on a wet flashgun had me in hysterics for a long time. The descriptions of logistics misadventures on expedition  and the subsequent improvisations there and elsewhere  will bring a wry chuckle to any caver who has ever suffered from kit missing or failing underground. The layout and production of Images Below are to an exacting standard; a superb piece of bookmanship and printing that complements the writing and photography. The photos are reproduced with meticulous care and, even if you have seen Chris original exhibition prints, it is good to have reminders in one convenient volume. Experimental ideas for the future are also offered, and the manual is neatly rounded off by a discussion  with appropriate illustrations  of advanced digital techniques and, aptly, the preservation and conservation of our cave photographic heritage. The book  a companion volume to Chris earlier history of cave photography, To Photograph Darkness  is fully referenced and bears a glossary and comprehensive index. As a measure of its worth, Images Below won second prize in the International Speleological Congress competition [in 1997] for the most significant caving publication since the last congress, four years ago, no mean accomplishment. For myself, as a dabbler in cave photography, the book has given me several new ideas to play with. If you are thinking of buying this book as a Christmas present for another dabbler, make sure that you give it to them as a very early present; they should have opportunity to study it very thoroughly before the holiday period, which could be a good time for a leisurely underground escape to try a few photo ideas ... Paul Peppiatt, Descent (138), October 1997, p28

THE name Chris Howes, FRPS, will be familiar to many readers through the medium of his excellent cave photographs which we have published on these pages in past years. As a very experienced caving photographer he is the ideal person to write the definitive manual on the subject, which is what this is. He is an OM [Olympus camera] user and the book very much reflects this, but it is a superb book of reference on all branches of photography. The chapters on flash are masterly, covering every aspect of this essential subject (in his situation!). Close-up and macro photography are fully covered, there is nature photography, composition and a useful section on assessing work for publication. All this aside it is an interesting book to read, describing as it does a world most of us will never enter yet find fascinating. The book contains well over 450 photographs and diagrams. We warmly recommend this super book. Ian Aston, Olympuser (53), Winter 1997/98

IMAGES BELOW is Chris Howes' latest work on the subject of cave photography. Containing 280 pages, this comprehensive hardback book covers almost everything that you need to know to get involved in, or improve, your cave photography. Divided into four easy to follow sections, the book covers equipment (including how to make your own bulb flashgun, etc), basic techniques, specialist techniques and, finally, attention to detail. There is a lot of useful reference info included. The book is well laid out and will be useful for the complete beginner in the cave photography field and those who need information to improve their techniques and results. It will also keep your camera and flashes alive longer! A must have on the cave photographer's shelf. John Kelly, SUI Newsletter (41), October 1997, p3

THIS is Chris's long awaited manual of underground and flash photography, and it certainly seems to have been worth the wait. This is an authoritative work, the author being one of the world's top cave photographers, and the tips which can be gained from it should improve everyone's results, both expert and beginner alike. Images Below covers the basics of equipment and photographic techniques, working with single and multiple flash (and other, more unusual light sources), and then continues with specialised topics such as close-up, cave life, archaeology, underwater, video, and stereo photography. A final, invaluable section gives detailed advice on composition, analysing your work and identifying errors, and caring for your pictures. Nowhere else will you find such detailed advice on solving problems or pushing your creative abilities to the limit. The reproduction of the photographs is excellent and many of them have been used in comparative sets to show mistakes and successes. The book is well laid out and printed on quality non-glossy art paper. There are many well drawn diagrams and tables which make the book easy to use. If you have only a passing interest in cave photography or take your camera on every trip, if you are a beginner or a seasoned photographer, you should buy this book. There is something in it for everyone. Tim Stratford, International Caver (21), December 1997

CHRIS Howes ... has finally produced a book for the likes of me. It is a complete guide to underground photography with useful hints on composition and lighting. I have always looked at some of the photographs produced in such books and through  how is that done? What lighting? Flashbulbs or guns? Chris Howes has thoughtfully attached to every photograph a guide with position and type of flash and in many cases the stop number, the film type and even how the photo was developed. If underground photography is something you aspire to or like me occasionally dabble then this will provide a useful reference. Everything is covered from how to sort out focusing to how to deal with that annoying mist and fog that surrounds some photos  the trick apparently is to move the flash farther away from the lens! As ever there are literally hundreds of photographs to admire and dozens of diagrams. There is an interesting exploration on alternative lighting styles including the exciting use of lengths of magnesium ribbon (where can you get this stuff?). Croydon members who have lurked around S. Wales long enough will recognise our tame (if infrequent) diver in the form of bespectacled and be-bearded Malcolm Stewart in many of them. Clearly it is the offer of immortality which gave MS the patience for so many photo trips! Chris' writing style is lively, informative and as ever with a gently humorous touch that we see in Descent. This book is probably going to become the de facto standard for underground photography guides. It will in future no doubt become the reference text for those learning the art. One final word  the prize for gratuitous mention of the title goes to Wild Places Publishing for managing to squeeze the title of the book no less than six times onto the inside of the dust jacket. Simon Davies, Pelobates (Croydon CC) (75), January 1998

IN 1987 Chris wrote Cave Photography. A practical guide. This book in itself was an invaluable guide to getting started and continuing to take underground photographs. Images Below is its improved successor and not only gets you started but elaborates on many types of equipment and techniques. It gives sound advice on choices of camera, flash guns and the full range [of] accessories and consumables, some of which may be a bit esoteric and elaborate for the majority of cave photographers. Details of working with electronic flashes and bulbs to the best effect are well explained and the lavish underground photographs are complimented with good explanations. One of the most useful additions to this book is the bookmark. It helps on every pages by giving a quick reference to the way that Chris identifies his flash positioning in the [now] familiar E1, B4 system (describing electronic or bulb flashes and their position relative to the person carrying the flash). A system easier but not necessarily better than the meticulous way in which Francoise-Marie and Yan Callot detail every photograph with distance, type of flash, film and exposure in Photographie Sous Terre. The advanced photography is complimented by even the most basic systems such as automatic cameras. These are well explored, giving the advantages (and many disadvantages) of using automatic cameras but are nevertheless still worth a try if you have nothing else and you can get some good results. The only thing this book wants for is more colour. Most of the exhibitions and slide shows seen these days are composed mainly, if not solely of colour photographs. The few colour shots are only used for specific reference to certain items and in that respect are not as well composed as those in the rest of the book. It is also worth mentioning some of the other chapters, such as macro photography, alternative lighting (flash powders, carbide, etc.), multiple flash work and composition. All of these are well illustrated and show that sometimes practice, trial and error are what will give the best results. Even bad photographs are used to good effect in the book by analysing them and telling others of mistakes made, to improve their pictures, in the assessing your work section. Unless you are very good at French, when this book's small amount of information about colour photography can be enlarged by reading Photographie Sous Terre, it is without a doubt a must for the new, the keen and the experienced cave photographer. Steve Cottle, Proc. University of Bristol SS, Vol 21 (1), February 1998
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Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 18/08/2017 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As celestial events go, this one is shaping up as a really big deal.

According to online news reports, one astronomer has already predicted it will be the most photographed, most shared, most tweeted event in human history.

Unless youve been hiding in a cave, you will know on Monday a dark shadow will sweep over much of North America as millions of people are treated to a once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, casting a shadow onto the Earth and literally turning day into night in affected areas.

In the United States, its billed as the Great American Eclipse, as it will be the first total solar eclipse  when the moon entirely covers the sun  to race over the entire country, from coast to coast, since 1918.

To experience the so-called totality, you must be within a 110-kilometre-wide swath created by the moons shadow that will travel from northwest to southeast across the U.S., starting in Oregon around 10:15 a.m. local time and ending in South Carolina about an hour-and-a-half later.

Sadly, Canadians wont be able to see the total eclipse because were too far north.

In Winnipeg, sky-watchers will be able to see roughly 70 per cent of the sun covered by the moon in an event that will begin here at 11:40 a.m. and end about two hours, 36 minutes later.

But you already knew that, didnt you, stargazers? Well, in honour of Mondays big show, heres the Top Five Things You Didnt Know About Solar Eclipses:

5) Earthlings have the best view

It has been said Earth is the only planet in our solar system from which you can witness a perfect total solar eclipse. Sadly, whoever said that was wrong, but what is true is Earth is almost perfectly situated for enjoying an eclipse. This is because while the sun is 400 times the diameter of Earths moon, its also 400 times farther away, meaning both bodies appear to be the same size in the sky, and the moon is able to completely cover the sun.

If the moon were closer, it would block out both the sun and its corona; farther away and it would not cover the sun completely, exploratorium.edu points out.

Total solar eclipses can happen on other planets, provided they have moons big enough to obliterate the suns disk and orbit the planet on the same plane as the sun. To get a solar eclipse, the first thing you need is a moon, Christa Van Laerhoven, a post-doctoral fellow of astronomy at the University of British Columbia, told LiveScience.com. This immediately rules out solar eclipses on Mercury or Venus (two planets without moons).

Mars has two moons, but both are too small to create total eclipses that would be visible on the Red Planet. In contrast, the famed gas giants  Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune  have large enough moons to do the job, but astronomers note it would be impossible to stand on the surface and enjoy the sight.

So, yes, if you had a magical spaceship, you could visit Jupiter, which has up to 67 moons, and enjoy a total solar eclipse. As for the dwarf planets, such as Pluto, Van Laerhoven said: Charon (Plutos largest moon) is large enough and close enough to Pluto to produce total solar eclipses, but because the same side of Pluto and Charon always face each other, only one side of the planet can experience an eclipse. But enjoy it while you can, earthlings, because our moon is slowly moving away from the planet, meaning it will be too small to completely cover the sun in the distant future.

4) Solar eclipses have groupies

Like fans of famous rock bands, some eclipse junkies lose their minds over the prospect of watching the sun blocked by the moon.

According to BuzzFeed News, so-called eclipse chasers and professional astronomers started booking travel and reserving lodging years in advance of Mondays spectacle.

Heres what David Baron, author of American Eclipse: A Nations Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World, told the website: Experiencing a total solar eclipse is the closest most of us will ever get to space travel. During totality, the Earths blue sky draws back like a receding curtain, revealing whats above our heads but unseen at any other time: the inner reaches of our solar system Its as if you are standing on some distant world, looking back at creation. CBS reports a special Amtrak train taking passengers along the route of Mondays eclipse sold out in less than a day, with the 409-passenger express travelling to Carbondale, Ill., from Chicagos Union Station.

The Associated Press, which rarely kids around, notes eclipse chasers are giddy about Mondays event, including Utah sky-watcher Patrick Wiggins, who has collected souvenir T-shirts at five eclipses around the world. An eclipse-o-maniac, they call it, Wiggins told the AP. It gets in your blood, and the next thing you know youre spending way more money than you probably should. And youre going to far-flung places on the planet.

At least one Winnipeg couple knows exactly what hes talking about. According to CTV Winnipeg, Jay and Judy Anderson are heading to Wyoming. This one coming up will be our 30th eclipse, Jay told CTV. So, 29 of them outside of Winnipeg. When you see the eclipse you suddenly feel connected with the solar system. Chimed in Judy: Its so beautiful. The light gets silvery and kind of liquid Honestly, there is nothing like it!

But eclipses can also break hearts. A host of online sites note distinguished astronomer, Prof. J.W. Campbell of the University of Alberta, travelled the world for 50 years trying to see 12 different eclipses. He ran into overcast skies every time, the website of Discover magazine notes.

3) Animals are people, too

You might want to keep a close eye on your pets during the solar eclipse, because scientists say humans arent the only ones expected to act a little weird.

Theres not a lot of research on the matter, but what there is suggests animals react to a total solar eclipse much the way they do when night falls. For instance, bees and ants reportedly return to their nests and daytime birds return to their roosts in preparation to sleep, whereas nocturnal birds become noisy and active and bats start flying and hunting. Even cows stop grazing, because they prefer to munch during daylight hours.

During a total eclipse, the sky darkens to twilight levels and air temperatures drop, notes National Geographic magazines website. Over the centuries, people who have witnessed these effects have also noted that a variety of animals seem to change their behaviours in response. When a total eclipse turned day into night on June 3, 1239, the magazine notes, Italian monk Ristoro dArezzo wrote all the animals and birds were terrified; and the wild beasts could easily be caught.

More recently, according to National Geographic, eclipse chaser Dave Balch was in Kona, Hawaii, for the 1991 total eclipse and noticed odd bird activity as the sun vanished. We could hardly hear each other talk! Balch said. Then came totality  not a sound. It was deathly quiet.

During Mondays eclipse, the California Academy of Sciences is asking citizen-scientists to record observations of animal behaviour as part of its Life Responds project using its free iNaturalist app. Basically, they are looking to collect behavioural observations of animals (and plants) from the largest geographic area ever covered by observers during any solar eclipse so far, Forbes magazines website notes. Adds NASA on its website: You can explore this yourself with your own pets, or by watching local wildlife, especially birds. So you dont have to be human to howl at the moon.

2) The eclipse that ended a war

It seems the world might be a more peaceful place if there were solar eclipses on a more regular basis. We base that statement on the surprising historical fact that, on May 28, 585 BC, a solar eclipse ended a six-year war.

The forces of King Alyattes of Lydia were at war with soldiers of King Cyaxares of Media. Theyd been going at it hammer and tongs for six years and neither side was prevailing, online history sites note.

Their war was particularly bitter because a group of hunters working for the Medes had killed one of Cyaxaress sons and served him up as a meal (yikes). This fight was personal, notes MentalFloss.com. Just before the eclipse May 28, the two sides were going at it near the Halys River in what is now central Turkey, historical reports state.

Suddenly, the skies darkened and the sun was obliterated, explains history.com. Stunned, both armies lay down their weapons. With that, the battle  and the war  was over, thanks to an astronomical intervention. The kings of Cilicia and Babylon helped negotiate a treaty between the enemies.

It seems the warring armies viewed the eclipse as an omen indicating it was time to stop fighting, so they lay down their weapons, called a truce and sealed the peace with a royal wedding between Alyattess daughter and a living son of Cyaxares.

While it wasnt the first solar eclipse in history, it is believed to have been the first that was predicted in advance. The famed Greek historian Herodotus wrote the philosopher Thales of Miletus somehow predicted the eclipse would occur when the Medians and Lydians were at war. No one knows whether this is true, but it makes a great story. And if think otherwise, maybe its time to put up your dukes.

1) An eclipse revealed the universe

In terms of its impact on modern history and scientific thought, few events have been as significant as the solar eclipse that occurred on May 29, 1919, an astronomical event frequently referred to as Einsteins Eclipse.

The eclipse  more than six minutes of darkness along a path that stretched from South America to Africa  confirmed Einstein as the genius we know him to be, and forever altered the way humans look at their universe.

British astronomer Arthur Eddington was in Africa to photograph the eclipse, photos that proved light rays from distant stars had been wrenched off their paths by the gravitational pull of the sun. According to the New York Times, Eddingtons work affirmed the prediction of Einsteins theory of general relativity, ascribing gravity to a warp in the geometry of space-time, that gravity could bend the light beams.

According to Einsteins final version of the theory, completed in 1915, as their light rays curved around the sun during an eclipse, stars just grazing the sun should appear deflected from their normal positions by an angle of about 1.75 second of an arc, about a thousandth of the width of a full moon, Dennis Overbye wrote in the Times last month.

Eddingtons report made Einstein one of the first celebrities of the new 20th century and ushered in a new dynamic universe, a world in which space and time could jiggle, grow, warp, shrink, rip, collapse into black holes and even disappear. The ramifications of his theory are still unfolding; it was only two years ago that a rippling of space-time  gravitational waves produced by colliding black holes  was discovered.

You could say  and were just about to do it  the historic 1919 eclipse threw the world into darkness, and brought light at the same time.

* * *

DREAMSTIME Canadians  unless theyve booked a trip to a prime viewing spot in the United States  will miss out on the full force of Mondays total solar eclipse.

Before we leave you, heres an important safety reminder: do not look directly at the sun during the eclipse. You need special protective eyewear to do that. Its something your pets know intuitively, by the way.

doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES People wearing protective glasses look up at the sun to watch a solar eclipse in Jakarta, Indonesia in March.
Opinion

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This article was published 18/08/2017 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

American movies are filled with tough guys.

Few of those movies bother to scratch the surface in exploring how those guys got so tough.

In his past screenplays, Sicario and Hell or High Water, Wind River writer-director Taylor Sheridan has suggested male toughness is a hard-won byproduct of tragedy. In the case of Sicarios titular badass, played by Benicio Del Toro, the extreme nature of his personal tragedy has irrevocably twisted him.

https://youtu.be/fB8qx_JJVKY

That is not the case with Wyoming game tracker Cory Lambert, played by Jeremy Renner. In the films opening minutes, we see he is a hard-bitten man, calmly dispatching a wolf about to prey on a flock of sheep. On a subsequent hunt for a cougar, Lambert stumbles upon the dead body of a young woman, barefoot and evidently running from something when she collapsed and succumbed to the elements.

The death strikes a sad, familiar chord with Lambert: the girl, Natalie (Kelsey Asbille), was the best friend of his own daughter, also deceased. When city-based FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) arrives on the scene to investigate an apparent murder, we have a feeling Lamberts offer to assist the investigation is driven by personal motive.

WEINSTEIN COMPANY Jeremy Renner and Gil Birmingham

In any case, he proves to be a crucial ally, especially, as Banner soon learns, cops cant expect much in the way of backup on the Wind River Indian Reservation. This is the land of Youre on your own, explains wily reservation sheriff Ben (Graham Greene).

An investigation proceeds, with the inquiry leading from the girls shattered father (Gil Birmingham, House of Cards) to her brother (Martin Sensmeier), living a bleak, druggie existence on the periphery of the reserve. (Lambert proves to be an unusual kind of hero, in that he can employ either violence or tenderness as the situation requires.)

When the hunt is focused on Natalies suspiciously missing boyfriend, the value of civilized, 21st-century law enforcement methods fall away. This is a place where it pays to be good with a gun.

Wind River has been criticized in some quarters as a white-knight-on-the-rez story: Lamberts ex-wife (Julia Jones) is Indigenous but he is ultimately a white guy coming to the rescue.

There is some validity to this. But there is also some justification in Sheridans rationale for writing the script the way he did. Sheridan is also a white guy with some personal experience of reservation life, and he was more comfortable writing the hero from a perspective closer to his own.

WEINSTEIN COMPANY Elizabeth Olsen with Graham Greene

Ultimately, the important test is the overall strength of the movie. It passes on that count. Wind River is a gripping piece of work, building on themes addressed in Sicario and Hell or High Water of a 19th-century frontier ethos surviving into the 21st century.

As a first-time director, Sheridan may not have the ability to induce dread with the skill of Sicario director Denis Villeneuve. Yet he does have an undeniable talent. He raises the stakes of the films action beats by painstakingly establishing emotional connection to these characters.

That would certainly appeal to the films main stars, Renner and Olsen, who both contribute solid, mature work. But it also applies to the supporting cast, including Canadian actors Graham Greene and Tantoo Cardinal (who has just one brief but lovely scene outfitting Olsens underdressed fed). Especially notable is Birmingham as the murder victims father. His work with Renner is poignant, heartbreaking and, in the final scene, delicately funny.

The actor is 64. Is that too late to be considered a breakout star?

randall.king@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @FreepKing

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OTTAWA  Churchill Mayor Mike Spence has met with senior Ottawa officials, suggesting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is putting action behind his pledge to solve the towns 12-week rail-line issue.

Meanwhile, the transport regulator has reached out to Omnitrax after receiving a dozen complaints about whether the company has followed federal law.

The Free Press has learned Spence visited the capital this Wednesday and Thursday, and met with assistant deputy ministers, who stickhandle their departments high-priority issues.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Churchill Mayor Mike Spence says he's holding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to a promise he made about finding a solution.

Though Spence did not speak with national media, he met with officials from the Prime Ministers Office and the Privy Council (both of which advise Trudeau), the granting agency Western Economic Diversification and Transport Canada.

The mayor did not meet with deputy ministers, though a spokesman understood hes been in touch with at least one.

This weeks meetings came as Manitobans filed a dozen complaints to the federal transit regulator about the abandoned rail line to Churchill, something the mayor has resisted.

In a Thursday evening statement, Spence said he has faith in Trudeaus intervention  especially considering the maximum time a regulator probe can last.

An 80-day investigation as to whether rail service was not being properly honoured to our community was never the best approach to get the line back up and running, Spence wrote. It is obvious to all involved that Omnitrax is not living up to their obligations.

The government remains tight-lipped on how it plans to proceed. Options could include suing Omnitrax for the federal funding its received, bailing out the company, or taking over the line and transferring it to one of two First Nations groups that have asked to run it.

But Spence says hes holding Trudeau to a promise made in a July 28 phone call to find a solution for the rail line.

Our priority was securing a commitment from the highest levels of government that action would be taken to support our community, and the prime minister has done that, Spence said.

Meanwhile, the federal regulator says its looking into two areas of concern.

The dozen complaints were all filed after an Aug. 10 Free Press article reported that the agency wouldnt probe the situation until people complained.

In a Friday afternoon email, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) said its designated enforcement officer (DEO) for Manitoba has reached out to Omnitrax about its plans with respect to the matters raised in the emails.

The CTA says its possible two parts of the federal Transportation Act may have been breached.

The first involves the movement of goods, but the regulator cryptically said no ones complained about that. The CTA can adjudicate complaints that a railway company has not respected these obligations. Most of the emails received do not constitute formal complaints of this sort, but any that do will be processed accordingly, the agency wrote.

The CTA also noted that railways have to follow a strict process in order to discontinue service or transfer the rail line to another operator. The CTA can take action if there is evidence this process has not been properly followed, the regulator said, but added its DEO must first determine whether it seems that way, and then higher officials would decide how to proceed.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 18/08/2017 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The federal Conservatives Manitoba lieutenant has come out against the Rebel, saying the populist networks racist views dont fit in a modern party.

Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Bergen told the Free Press her party does not encourage far-right views.

We condemn any kind of forms of racism and violence and intolerance, Bergen said Friday. Anybody, any organization, that would in any way promote [that] is something we would reject Its not good for anybody

Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press Files Conservative MP Candice Bergen says the Rebels racist views dont fit in the modern political climate.

Last October, Bergen appeared in a Rebel interview to criticize the Liberals changes to firearm classifications. The populist network, which includes a website and YouTube channel, has since gained hundreds of thousands of followers, while ramping up its suspicion of immigrants.

Bergen said Friday she supports comments made the previous day by Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, who pledged to no longer give interviews to the Rebel until the editorial directions change.

Scheer had already condemned the outbreak of racially charged violence that occurred in Virginia last weekend, but stopped short of addressing the Rebels coverage. Many saw the network as sympathetic to the white nationalists who initially organized the event that later collapsed into clashes that killed one counter-protester and injured nearly 20 others.

I am disgusted by the vile comments made by hate groups this past weekend, Scheer said in a statement Thursday.

I believe there is fine line between reporting the facts and giving those groups a platform. I have a positive vision for Canada and I want to share that vision with Canadians and talk about issues that unite us all.

The Rebel started in 2015 following the demise of the conservative Sun News Network, courting controversy that escalated from a boycott of Tim Hortons after it pulled ads about the oilsands from its stores, to a piece by contributor Gavin McInnes originally titled, 10 things I hate about Jews.

Scheers delay in addressing the issue speaks to the delicate dance many conservatives do with the Rebel; with nearly 870,000 subscribers, it has a wide reach among conservatives and is thought to wield considerable influence.

The Conservatives will host their pre-parliamentary caucus meeting Sept. 7-8 in Winnipeg, highlighting their aim to win back the six Manitoba seats they lost in the 2015 election.

As many as 98 MPs and 38 senators (and spouses and children) will descend on the town to talk strategy for the fall session, while many plan to knock on doors and hear how Manitobans feel about federal issues.

 with files from The Canadian Press

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
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According to a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, entrepreneurs intending to start a new business should allow themselves a good 10 to 12 months to get their venture off the ground, if they have any designs on being successful.

Amelia Giesbrecht, the ebullient owner of Soft Spot Ice Cream, chuckles at that bit of news, given she welcomed her first customers July 1  a mere 14 days after she came up with the notion for her made-from-scratch, artisan ice cream biz.

This is probably going to sound super cheesy and maybe its the hippie in me talking, but when you get an idea and things start falling in place really fast with little to no resistance, I feel like its kind of meant to be, says Giesbrecht, whose 20-some flavours, which include I Choo Choo Choose You (salted caramel, brown sugar, bananas), Mystic Crystal Revelations (avocado, toasted coconut) and Strawberry Feels Forever (Manitoba strawberries, vanilla beans), are as deliciously-named as they are, well, delish.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Amelia Giesbrecht has opened up an ice cream shop in the back of her bicycle.

I mean, even on my first day when I set up in Memorial Park, near the legislature; I had just parked my bike and was still wrestling around with my umbrella when I looked up and saw this lineup of 15 or 20 people, patiently waiting for ice cream. I was like, Whoa, this is so crazy.

Giesbrecht laughs a second time when a scribe opines its one thing to want to hit the streets on a two-wheeler and pedal, err, peddle ice cream, and another thing entirely to follow through and do it. But its not as if she woke up one morning and convinced herself to be the second coming of Dickie Dee. No, theres a bit more to the story than that, she says.

Giesbrecht, 34, grew up in Victoria. Following high school, she attended the Victoria College of Art, after which she spent close to a decade traveling the world, visiting such exotic locales as Taiwan, Greece and Sicily (Best gelato, ever!).

After returning to Canada in 2012, she got a job at a fishing lodge in B.C., then at a ski lodge near Jasper, Alta., where, for the next 10 months, she learned how to cook via an apprenticeship program. In 2013, she went to work at Naden Lodge, a posh fishing site situated on the northern tip of Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands. (Although Giesbrecht signed a confidentiality agreement that prohibits her from revealing the identities of Naden Lodges A-list clientele, she did reveal she once prepared meals for a former governor of California who may or may not have uttered the immortal phrase, Ill be back, at the tail-end of his stay there.)

My main job (at Naden Lodge) was to take care of desserts and, without a doubt, the thing I enjoyed making the most was ice cream, she says. One of the first flavours I did was toasted marshmallow with a chocolate ball on top, smothered in hot fudge. I also did this peach chardonnay (ice cream) that our guests liked so much that if they didnt spot it on the menu right off, theyd approach me and say, Hey, you are serving that peach thingie, right?

Giesbrecht met her husband, Lorne Giesbrecht, a born-and-bred Winnipegger, five years ago at a Vancouver Island fishing lodge, where he was employed as a chef. Fifteen months after their October 2015 wedding, she and Lorne purchased a home in Winnipeg, primarily to be closer to his immediate family but secondly, to establish roots of their own.

For the last several years, both our lifestyles involved working at one fishing lodge or another for a few months, then moving on and picking up a contract at a different lodge, she says. It was always go, go, go and towards the end of last year, we agreed it was probably time to have a place we could call home.

In February, Giesbrecht, the mother of two Blue Heeler-crosses, Nike and Johnny, got hired at the Osborne Village dessert hot-spot Baked Expectations. Meanwhile, Lorne accepted an offer to become head chef at a restaurant scheduled to open sometime this summer. When that plan got derailed due to a series of unforeseen delays, the couple had a decision to make.

During a mid-June camping trip, they were sitting around their campfire when Lorne turned to his wife and said, So, what are we going to do? She wasnt sure how to respond but no sooner had they returned home than he fielded a message from one of his past employers, wondering if he was willing to spend the next few months cooking at a fishing lodge.

Giesbrechts reaction to her husbands job offer was along the lines of: thats great for you, but what am I supposed to do here all summer, by myself?

Giesbrecht answered her own question a day later, while chatting with one of her childhood friends on the phone. She enjoyed working at Baked Expectations, she told her pal, but because she was new to Winnipeg, she wished there was something she could do that would get her out and about, meeting people and getting to know the city.

Five minutes after their conversation ended, she turned to Lorne, who was due to leave in five days, and announced, Guess what? Im going to start my own ice cream company.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Giesbrecht sells her ice cream out of at the Manitoba Hydro Building Farmers Market.

Talk about a fast mover: on June 16, Giesbrecht coined her fledgling venture Soft Spot Ice Cream. A day later, she and Lorne began assembling her transportable unit, following a shopping trip that netted them a pistachio-coloured comfort bicycle, a small freezer and a trailer to set the freezer on. By the time she drove Lorne to the airport June 21, not only had she designed her website (www.softspoticecream.com), she had also secured space in a Wolseley-area commercial kitchen, where she could get busy, churning out her frozen treats.

(About the only thing Giesbrecht forgot to do during the whirlwind build-up was take her bike and trailer combo for a trial spin, when it was fully loaded with 150 four-ounce cups of ice cream. I was like, Omigosh, this is sooo heavy, she says, recalling her first day on the job.)

For her ice cream, Giesbrecht relies on organic ingredients, including milk from Stoney Brook Creamery and eggs from Natures Farm foodshed, as much as possible. To date, shes been averaging five new flavours a week and is forever thinking of fruits, spices  even homebaked animal crackers  that would work well together.

She has also come up with a few one-off concoctions to toast events such as Barn Hammer Brewing Companys first anniversary, as well as last weekends much-celebrated meteor shower. For the former, she created a dessert pairing the local brewerys Grandpas Sweater oatmeal stout with chocolate-covered pretzels. For the latter, she devised Party at the Moon Tower, which blends chocolate, rosemary and quinoa.

My life is food  thats my No. 1 passion  so when people ask how I even come up with out-there flavours like saskatoon, honey goat cheese and pistachio crumble, I tell them thats the easy part of the job, she says, noting because she wants everything she sells to be as fresh as possible  two weeks old, max. Shes currently producing very small batches exclusively, which means whenever shes not at farmers markets or out-of-town festivals, shes more than likely in the kitchen, making ice cream.

I feel really lucky because even though Ive only been doing this for a month-and-a-half, I already have a good handful of people who come see me, wherever I happen to have set up for the day, says Giesbrecht, who regularly posts her planned locations  and flavours of the day  on Instagram (www.instagram.com/soft.spoticecream).

Im not going to lie to you. Some days Im so exhausted that when Im on Broadway, for example, watching people in suits walk by I think, Man, life would be so much easier if I just had an office job. But then its like they say, how the grass is always greener. Because every once in a while, somebody in a suit will stop and say, Oh, I wish I could do my own thing every day and sell ice cream, like you.

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
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OTTAWA  The federal transport regulator is probing whether Omnitrax has broken the law by abandoning service along the railway to Churchill for 12 weeks, after Free Press readers complained to the agency.

The Canadian Transportation Agency said on Thursday its assigned a designated enforcement officer to investigate a dozen complaints.

To date, 12 people have gotten in touch with the CTA regarding the lack of service on the Hudson Bay Railway line, wrote spokesman Tim Hillier.

Omnitrax Handout Omnitrax has a contractual obligation to keep the rail line running under a 2008 agreement that saw the feds and Manitoba each contribute $20 million for repairs along the line, but the American company said repairing the damaged line is not economically viable following flooding (above) in May.

Thats little comfort to Susan Prentice, one of at least three Free Press readers who say theyve complained to the CTA but havent heard anything in the past week.

Im a citizen of Manitoba, and I know that Churchill plays a very important role in our province, said Prentice, who lives in Winnipeg. The economic future of Churchill is interdependent on the success of the rail line.

On July 18, Omnitrax said it wouldnt pay an estimated $20 million to $60 million to repair flooding damage along the line because it was not economically viable. The federal government has since insisted Omnitrax is obliged under a 2008 funding contract to keep the rail line running.

Earlier this month, transportation lawyers told the Free Press Omnitrax could be legally compelled to restore service to Churchill under federal laws that prohibit companies from abandoning train lines, regardless of what contracts they enter.

The CTA prescribes reasonable time limits to repair from catastrophic damage, after which companies can be fined for not keeping the line running. In February, the regulator ruled that a railway company cannot permanently relieve itself of its statutory obligations by indirect means by deciding not to rehabilitate a railway line.

The regulator said it takes 20 to 85 business days to probe a dispute, with cases categorized on a scale of four processes depending on how compliant the company seems.

But the CTA then told the Free Press it cant open investigations until citizens or businesses file complaints.

I thought that was bureaucratic irrationality at its height, said Prentice. I cannot see how any investigation will fail to find that Omnitrax has broken the terms of [the law.]

She blames the 12-week debacle on Ottawa selling the railway to a private company in 1997 and says its time the government takes it over from private hands.

Prentice says Omnitrax only answers to shareholders, while federal and provincial finger-pointing shows a failure of political will at both levels.

Premier Brian Pallister was asked Thursday whether he was growing impatient with the lack of progress in restoring rail service to the northern port.

Weve communicated our impatience at various levels and well continue to do so, he said.

Pallister said he recognizes that the federal government has a challenge in dealing with Omnitrax.

The company received a more precise damage-cost estimate on Aug. 4 through an AECOM Canada engineering assessment. The company said its presenting the report to Transport Canada next week, but wont say when it will publicly release more information.

We have encouraged them to pursue progress on this file in numerous ways, Pallister said.

While Ottawa has offered food subsidies to the northern community and helped out with tourism issues, it could be doing more, the premier said.

The ball is, to some degree, in the federal governments court. And again I would reiterate its really important that we understand what the federal governments intentions are as to the port.

Prentice, a sociology professor at the University of Manitoba, says that illustrates the problem.

This is a situation that as sociologists, we explain as a diffusion of responsibilities.

 With files from Larry Kusch

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
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Emad Mishko Tamo had three wishes: to be reunited with his mother, to be brought to Canada and to get a new bicycle.

He now has all three.

Yazidi Canadians in Winnipeg say the 12-year-old who landed in Winnipeg on Thursday to be reunited with his family three years after being captured as a hostage of the Islamic State group is getting used to his new home, quietly and privately.

David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press Emad Mishko Tamo, 12, looks on as hes reunited with friends and family at Richardson International Airport.

Apart from at least one visit to a doctor  during his ordeal, the boy was shot in the arm and cut by shrapnel on the right side of his stomach  Emad spent the last couple of days with his mother, Nofa Mihlo Rafo, his uncle and four siblings in their apartment.

Since he got home, we have given him full privacy, for him, his mom and his family. We have not reached out to them, asked them any questions or anything like that, Hadji Hesso, spokesman for the Yazidi Association of Manitoba, said Friday.

We just want him to relax and rest and have a meal from his moms hands, to be with his brother and sister. He did go see the doctor and was given some medical attention, a medical examination, because he was shot in the right-hand side.

Hes doing OK. He was traumatized, of course. We want to give him some privacy. We dont want to interfere with anything, ask him for pictures or whatever, and just to see how he does.

Shortly after reaching his mothers apartment, a snapshot on the British Broadcasting Corporation website showed the small, slight boy looking tired but proud, standing and holding the handlebars of a new mountain bike.

The boys miraculous story drew attention worldwide.

The immigrant group worked with the Kurdish Initiative for Refugees, the Winnipeg Friends of Israel and the Liberation of Christian and Yazidi Children of Iraq, to press Ottawa to expedite the boys refugee application.

The new bike was reported to be a gift from Steve Maman, the Montreal businessman who heads the group to free Yazidi and Christian children.

The next few weeks will give Emad a chance to acclimatize quietly to his new life as a boy in Canada, Hesso said.

Emad emerged at the Richardson International Airport arrivals lounge to full-court press coverage and a celebration with dozens of local members of the Yazidi community after an initial private reunion with family.

The boy entered his new life in Canada to the sound of a crowd cheering, clapping and singing, as camera shutters and lights clicked and flashed. Emad walked slowly, at times with a smile spread across his face, before saying, Thank you, Canada.

That may be his first English phrase.

Hesso said he and other Yazidi immigrants took a few moments of the private reunion to prepare Emad for the celebration and to teach him to say, Thank you, Canada.

Emad arrived here barely a month after a relative spotted a photo of the boy, frail and injured, sitting in a jeep after Iraqi troops liberated him in Mosul from his Islamic State captors. The photo flashed through social media, the relative alerted Emads mother and things moved swiftly after that.

Until that time, Emads mother and his four siblings, government-sponsored refugees living in Winnipeg, had no idea if Emad was still alive.

Rafo had been separated from her husband and two eldest boys after the Islamic State captured their town in northern Iraq in 2014 during an offensive into the region on Aug. 3, which displaced tens of thousands of Yazidis  an ethno-religious group persecuted by the Islamic State, who view them as heretics.

With the reunion now a reality, priorities turn to more prosaic concerns.

The next step, the goal, is to register him in school, Hesso said.

And, Emad has not been in school for the last three years, remember. So he is going to be trying to catch up with his age group.

We hope Emad will be an ambassador for many kids, Yazidi children who struggle to live. There are thousands of them like Emad living in refugee camps outside Iraq in Turkish camps and inside, Hesso said.

There are believed to be almost 900 children and about 3,500 women and girls in the hands of the Islamic State being used as sex slaves.

Canada has committed to bringing 1,200 vulnerable Yazidi women, children and other refugees to Canada this year. Ottawa reported 600 Yazidis are now in the country.

After the cameras trailed Emad out the door, another flight brought two more Yazidi families  14 people  to Winnipeg Thursday.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 17/08/2017 (1914 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Manitoba soldier killed in action during the First World War will be given a military burial Aug. 24 in France, just over three months since his remains were indentified and nearly 100 years to the day since he fell in battle.

Pte. Reginald Joseph Winfield Johnston of Fairford, Manitoba, will be laid to rest at Loos British Cemetery in Loos-en-Gohelle, according to the Department of National Defence.

The burial will be attended by representatives of the federal government and the Canadian Armed Forces, as well five of Johnstons relatives.

Department of National Defence Private Reginald Joseph Winfield Johnston of Fairford, Manitoba. His remains were found in northwestern France in 2011.

Among the relatives present will be his great-niece Lorraine Leniuk, 80, who says his photo was always present on her grandmothers wall when she was young. That photo, which captivated her as a child and as an adult led her to seek more information on her great uncles life, will be in her possession when she leaves for France Sunday.

What a beautiful gift after one hundred years to bring closure to this family mystery. He wont be forgotten, said Leniuk, who lives in the RM of St. Andrews.

Born to a Metis family on Aug. 10, 1895, Johnston lived the majority of his life as a homesteader in Fairford, 220 kilometres north of Winnipeg, until he enlisted on Jan. 19, 1916 at the age of 20.

He was a member of the 16th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, which was a unit perpetuated by the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Marys) of Victoria, B.C.

He took part in the first major action fought by the Canadian Corps under a Canadian commander in the war, which was known as the Battle of Hill 70.

Although the battle resulted in an Allied victory, significant casualties were suffered on both sides, with many deaths caused by heavy use of poison gas.

Johnston was killed in the battle, which was fought from Aug. 15-25, 1917, on either the first or second day of combat. He was 22 years old.

The strategic high point fought for during the battle remained in Allied control throughout the war.

Leniuk knew little about what happened to her great uncle all her life, until as an adult she began to search out whatever information she could find on his fate. In 2007, this search led her to visit the National War Memorial in Ottawa and the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.

Although she was able to scrape together bits and pieces of information, many details surrounding his death remained unknown.

It wasnt until the spring of last year that she began to hope this family mystery may one day be solved, when she was approached to participate in the casualty identification program run by the Department of National Defence.

The program aims to identify the remains of unknown soldiers so they can be buried, in the presence of their family, by their regiment.

Leniuks DNA was taken and compared to the DNA recovered from remains found at a former munitions site in northwestern France in 2011, located about 100 kilometers inland from the English Channel. Also found at the site were artifacts associated with the Battle of Hill 70.

The remains were taken by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and held at a facility in France as efforts to identify them got underway. Combining Leniuks DNA with historical context, material evidence and forensic anthropological analysis, they were able to confirm Johnstons identity.

It will be very humbling and Ill be grateful, said an emotional Leniuk, when asked what it will be like to attend the burial.

He gave up his life for our beautiful country. I just want to say thank you for your sacrifice and for your service to our country. And I will have his picture, the one that I treasure from my grandmothers wall. That will be with me.

Sgt. Harold Wilfred Shaughnessy of St. Stephen, N.B., will also be buried that day. Shaughnessy was killed on the first day of the Battle of Hill 70 at the age of 33.

Veterans Affairs Canada has been providing both families with support as the burial arrangements have been made.

Around 2,100 Canadians lost their lives in the Battle of Hill 70 and an estimated 1,300 still have no known grave.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 18/08/2017 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Editors note: Story contains graphic content

Stunning details have emerged publicly for the first time about a double-murder mystery that rocked a tiny Manitoba town and led to months of rumours, speculation and police frustration.

Payton Saari, 24, has entered a surprise guilty plea to two counts of second-degree murder for the killings of 81-year-old Elsie Steppa and her nephew, 50-year-old Clarence Thornton. The bodies of the two victims were found in January 2013 inside and outside their residence in Ethelbert, a community of 312 people located 60 kilometres north of Dauphin.

An autopsy, along with an eventual confession from Saari, revealed they had actually been killed nearly a month earlier without anyone noticing.

The Free Press reviewed an audio transcript Thursday of the hour-long sentencing hearing which occurred in late July in Dauphin, in which Saari was given a mandatory life sentence and had his parole eligibility raised to 20 years (from 10) as part of a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers. In exchange, the original first-degree murder charges were stayed. Saari had been set to begin a jury trial in early September.

Queens Bench Justice Sandra Zinchuk, upon hearing the facts of the case, called them rather shocking.

They didnt deserve to have their lives end this way, Cliff Thornton, the brother and nephew of the two victims, told court in an impact statement.

Steppa and Thornton had moved from Ontario around 1994 and settled in the Polish-Ukrainian community, where neighbours told police they essentially kept to themselves. Both had previously worked in the food and hospitality industry, court was told.

Steppa was viewed an an eccentric who was nicknamed the Cat Woman by locals for all the strays she harboured, with as many as 20 at a time.

Thornton suffered from mental-health issues and was described by police as a nuisance in town, including several issues of causing a disturbance in which he would tell people he was Jesus. As well, Thornton had legally changed his name to Harry Jones upon arriving in Manitoba  apparently because he was wanted on an arrest warrant in Hamilton which remained on file, gathering dust, until the day he died.

bill redekop / winnipeg free press files The home where the double murder took place.

On Jan. 19, 2013, RCMP got a call from concerned neighbours that Steppa and Thornton hadnt been seen for several weeks. Officers went to the residence and found a side door open. They could also hear two dogs barking from inside a locked bedroom.

Police entered what turned out to be a literal house of horrors. Steppa was dead, with an axe sticking out of her skull. All her hair had been removed. She was missing her entire right arm, and part of her left arm, along with both ears. Her throat had been slit. A bloody hammer and saw were found near her body.

As well, the walls were covered in religious and political ramblings, Crown attorney Jay Funke told court.

Police immediately suspected her nephew may be involved, given that he was also missing and had a history of bizarre behaviour. But that theory was put to rest two days later when they found his body underneath a pile of pallets in the back of his pickup truck on the sprawling rural property which had been the subject of an intensive search. His throat had also been cut, and portions of his head and skull were missing. A bloody axe was also found in the snow near the truck.

Investigators determined it was a double-murder and interviewed more than 300 people  essentially the entire community. At first, there was no clear motive and no suspects. But all of that changed when the mother of Saaris girlfriend called police about a conversation her daughter had with him.

Saari, also a resident of Ethelbert, had apparently told his girlfriend hed gone to the local garbage dump with Thornton and that the pair got into a fight which ended with Saari hitting him in the head with a two-by-four. This chat happened prior to the discovery of the bodies.

Saari was quickly brought in for questioning by police and claimed he was just joking.

He said he made it up to see how she would react if he confessed to a crazy criminal act. And that she had passed the test, Funke said of Saaris explanation.

But a major hole in his story occurred when he told investigators hed spoken to Thornton only days before he was found dead  something police knew was impossible considering hed been dead for weeks.

Police began to put more pressure on Saari but still didnt have any solid evidence linking him to the killings. They asked him to take a polygraph. He initially accepted, then changed his mind.

It was explained to him that if he passed the polygraph, the suspicions against him would be lifted and RCMP would be able to shift the focus away from him, said Funke.

Saari then flip-flopped again, agreeing to take the test in early May 2013. But just two days before he was to come down for it, he called the lead investigator and told him I think I will confess first.

 Mapbox  OpenStreetMap

Saari then presented a detailed account of what happened way back on Dec. 22, 2012. He said Thornton asked him to help him unload some pallets at the dump and would pay him $20. But once at the site, he said Thornton spazzed out and uttered a slur about his First Nations background.

Saari said he grabbed a wooden plank and swung it at Thornton at least half-a-dozen times. With Thornton still moving around on the ground, he decided to kill him because he didnt want him to go to police and tell them what happened. Saari grabbed a pocket knife and slit his throat, then described using a mafia toss to throw his dead body in the back of the truck.

Saari said he then returned to Thorntons home, where he planned to go inside and steal some items he could pawn so he could get high, as he figured he was going to get caught, said Funke.

But as he returned, Steppa emerged from the house. Saari said he panicked and grabbed an axe, which he threw at her head. He then began hitting her with a saw and hammer, then said he slit her throat to end her suffering.

He then left the womans body in the bedroom with her two dogs, locked the door and left. The missing limbs, ears and hair are believed to be caused by her dogs, court was told. No explanation was given for the religious and political writings on the wall in the home.

Saari then spent the next three weeks driving around with Thorntons vehicle  with his body still in the back underneath the pallets, court was told. He even went to Dauphin to pawn off some items he stole from the residence. Saari also put his bloody clothes in a garbage bag he stashed at his mothers house. And he hid some of the stolen items in a suitcase at his girlfriends residence.

Police eventually got a warrant and recovered all of these items. They also had Saari on surveillance video at the Dauphin pawn shop. He was arrested and has remained in custody ever since. As a result of his guilty plea, Saari will be eligible to apply for parole by 2033.

Saari was born into an unstable First Nations family, which included a mother who abused drugs and alcohol while pregnant. There was plenty of Child and Family Services involvement and he was eventually seized and then adopted by the Saari family at the age of four. He also suffered psychological issues which had gone undiagnosed until after his arrest, including paranoid schizophrenia. However, it wasnt to the point where he couldnt appreciate right from wrong and make a claim of being not criminally responsible, court was told.

They didnt deserve to have their lives end this way.  Cliff Thornton, the brother and nephew of the two victims in an impact statement

At the time of his arrest, Saari was a member of something called the Intention Experiment Community, a website that boasts of being a place where people may express their views about the New Age, science and quantum physics, spirituality, religion, healing and philosophy.

Defence lawyer Todd Bourcier told court his client has expressed remorse about his actions, which can at least partially be explained by his fragile mental health which included hearing voices and believing people were plotting against him.

In my view this undiagnosed schizophrenia contributed to this offence, said Bourcier. Saari had no prior criminal record and no history of violence.

I dont want to downplay how shocking and serious this incident is, but its very much outside the character of Mr. Saari, said Bourcier. He clearly reacted to some comments made (by Thornton) and then panicked and overreacted and did a bunch of other terrible things that compounded.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikeoncrime

Clarence Thornton's body was found in January 2013.
Biologists from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game have been researching how to improve stocking efforts in alpine lakes for decades. Recently, they have been looking into triploid trout and whether they might be useful for managing alpine lakes.

Most trout are diploid, meaning they have only 2 sets of chromosomes.

The most common trout stocked into Idaho alpine lakes is the Westslope cutthroat trout, but triploid cutthroat have not been stocked much. Triploid trout dont reproduce on their own, so they can be a good option in watersheds where we dont want hatchery cutthroat to interbreed with native trout species living downstream. Triploid trout also could potentially grow larger than their regular diploid counterparts because sterile fish do not spawn, which requires a lot of energy that can be transferred to growth in some situations. Biologists want to know if triploid cutthroat will produce the same kind of fishing experience of typical stocked cutthroats.

That means making a trial run and looking at growth, survival and catch rates across several lakes. It sounds simple, but this kind of head-to-head study in Idahos remote backcountry takes years to pull off, and it requires multiple visits by research crews hauling equipment into waters that are usually difficult to access.

Anglers who trek to Idahos alpine lakes find a unique and highly rewarding experience. These lakes offer solitude, dramatic scenery and a wild feel rarely found in other fisheries. Plus, you might catch a species you may not see anywhere else, such as grayling.

Thousands of years ago, receding glaciers carved out deep scars in the mountains. These holes in the landscape filled with snowmelt and rain but were often inaccessible to the fish downstream. As a result, most of Idahos backcountry lakes were historically fishless. Trout were first stocked into backcountry lakes as early as the late 1800s as settlers began to arrive in Idaho. However, stocking didnt become widespread until the 1920s. Over the decades Fish and Game stocking practices have been slowly refined as new information becomes available, but the tradition of providing great alpine lake fishing continues today.

After planning which lakes to include in the triploid study, the next big step was to produce some triploid Westslope cutthroat. Idahos Westslope cutthroat broodstock lives way up north at the Cabinet Gorge Fish Hatchery. In late May, biologists worked with fish culture staff to make a batch of triploid cutthroat alongside the usual annual spawning for cutthroat stocking across the state. The cutthroat broodstock provide the eggs and milt needed to spawn each years batch of new cutthroat eggs destined for stocking across Idaho.

For a very short time after fertilization, trout eggs have three sets of chromosomes (two from female, one male) before the newly fertilized egg kicks out the extra set. Using a high-water-pressure chamber, biologists can interrupt that process. The result is an egg that keeps all three sets of chromosomes  making a triploid trout egg.

After pressure treatment, the eggs are disinfected, rinsed and transferred to an incubation tray where they will sit for several weeks before hatching. In about three months, they will be almost 1.5 inches long and ready for stocking into alpine lakes.

Batches of normal diploid eggs get ready for spawning at the same time. Cutthroat hatched from normal diploid eggs will be stocked at the same time into one set of several lakes. Sterile triploid cutthroat will be stocked into a second set of lakes to compare how they survive several years later.

Since biologists wont be able to tell these fish apart from other trout already living in the study lakes, they will need to be marked. An adipose fin clip provides a clear mark that can be easily identified years after the fin is removed.

Three months after hatching, the cutthroat will be about 1.5 inches inches long. They will get an adipose fin clip (like a hatchery steelhead) before they are stocked by airplane into some carefully selected backcountry alpine lakes. Several years later, biologists collected trout from each lake, looking for those with the adipose fin clip. They can then compare the size and numbers of these marked cutthroat trout in all the study lakes. This information will show whether the fishing quality at lakes stocked with triploid cutthroat trout is the same, better or lower than lakes stocked with regular diploid trout.

Getting our hands on fish is the first step in answering stocking-related science questions. Collecting trout from mountain lakes typically means multiple days spent in the backcountry. That often includes several steep, long hikes with a heavy pack. Besides the usual camp gear and food, biologists need to pack specialized gear like nets, GPS, thermometers, weigh scales, sonar and even small boats to get the data they need.

After the hard work of getting there, biologists need to sample each lake. They hope to find several of the marked trout that were stocked years before. Using a small gill net, they collect trout to compare survival and growth of fish across the various lakes included in the study. Biologists carefully examine each trout caught, looking for those with the adipose fin clip, keeping notes on species, length, weight and age of each trout. All this information will be analyzed with statistics to make a scientific judgment on how lakes stocked with regular diploids compare to those with triploid Westslope cutthroat trout.

So what did we learn? After surveying 52 lakes and crunching all the numbers, it turns out that fishing quality was nearly identical between lakes with normal diploid cutthroat and those stocked with triploid cutthroat trout. On average, the number of fish caught per hour (catch rate) was pretty much identical between lakes with diploid and triploid trout three years after they were stocked. On average, the size of trout caught between both sets of lakes was pretty similar too. Diploid cutthroat trout were about 11.2 inches long, while triploids were 11.1 long across the board. Diploid trout weighed slightly more than triploid trout (0.06 lbs. bigger), but there was no noticeable difference between the groups. Growth rates between the two test groups were similar, and were more related to conditions (habitat) at each individual lake than whether the fish were diploid or triploid. Like several other similar studies, the potential size advantage of triploid trout didnt seem to materialize. Based on the results of this research project, Fish and Game biologists could consider using triploid cutthroat trout as a viable option for stocking alpine lakes.

Stocking triploid cutthroat could be a good option where they might pose a risk to interbreeding with native trout nearby while anglers would not notice any difference in fishing quality. These kinds of tools can help balance goals to conserving native trout while still maintaining stocking to reward anglers willing to make the hike into backcountry lakes.
Opinion

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This article was published 18/08/2017 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Brian Pallister was so close to a good, simple announcement.

The premier convened media and VIPs on Thursday to announce his first cabinet shuffle. It was a thoughtful, strategically smart move on the premiers part.

A couple of stragglers were given less stressful jobs, a couple of go-getters were given more responsibility and one new face  Gimli MLA Jeff Wharton  was added into the mix. The net impact of the shuffle was an increase in the total number of full-fledged cabinet members to 14, which includes the premier, who also serves as minister of intergovernmental affairs.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Make no mistake, Premier Brian Pallister has indeed increased his cabinet by one minister.

More importantly, Pallister blew up the unwieldy department of Indigenous and municipal relations. It was an enormous, politically perilous department that seemed to overwhelm minister Eileen Clarke at times. Now, Wharton takes over a new standalone department of municipal affairs while Clarke is left to focus on the new department of Indigenous and Northern relations.

This is a brilliant bit of strategy on the premiers part. The original decision to lump municipalities and Indigenous issues into the same portfolio was not cost-effective. As well, the decision to excise any mention of the North in departmental monikers seemed profoundly politically tone deaf. Creating two new departments out of one unwieldy one was the obvious move.

In fact, the whole idea of expanding cabinet was the right call. Pallisters original decision to cut cabinet to just 13 portfolios  trumpeted by the Tories as evidence of their devotion to fiscal prudence  was penny wise and pound foolish. The awful truth, now 16 months into the job, is that the Pallister government has demonstrated a chronic inability to keep up with the torrent of challenges that all provincial governments face.

The legislative agenda has been light and, for the most part, uninspiring. Important policy and funding decisions are routinely left in limbo and the premier seems either unwilling or unable to pull the trigger on his biggest initiatives, which include introducing some form of carbon tax, creating a regime for the legal sale and taxation of recreational cannabis and settling a bitter dispute with Ottawa over health funding.

Adding another set of hands to spread out the work was the smart, mature thing to do. It was odd, however, that Pallister refused to acknowledge that he had in fact increased the size of cabinet.

Steady yourself, because the math involved in the premiers argument is pretty tortured.

According to Pallister and his senior staff, cabinet did not grow by one minister because at the same time that Wharton was being promoted, Tory House Leader Andrew Micklefield was being punted from cabinet.

Many keen political observers will be surprised to hear that Micklefield was, in fact, in cabinet.

Governing parties rarely swear house leaders into cabinet unless those duties are assigned to another cabinet minister. It seems that the whole move was a gesture by Pallister to ease the burden on Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen, who served as house leader before Micklefield.

Last August when the announcement was made, Pallister confirmed that Micklefield would not attend cabinet meetings and would not be paid as a minister. In interviews, Pallister was insistent that even after Micklefields appointment, his cabinet was still only 13-strong.

Now, however, in a silly bid to save some political face, Pallister has elevated Micklefield to full cabinet status to cover for his decision to increase the size of cabinet. The premiers efforts are confusing and  ultimately  immature.

The decision to cut cabinet was one of the more metaphorical policy decisions made by the new Tory government when it first came into power last April. Pallister really had no idea how hard it was to govern, or how much work there was to do, when he appointed a cabinet that was one-third smaller than the last NDP cabinet.

But the savings that were produced by cutting ministers and ministries  estimated at $5 million annually  arent much of a bargain when you consider how badly the government is at getting things done. Expanding cabinet by one capable minister is a logistically, politically and fiscally defensible decision.

On the other hand, the premiers desperate efforts to disguise what he is doing is quite indefensible.

The premier suffered through a miserable spring and summer where the opposition was able to point to several instances where he had been dishonest. Pallister has never lied about anything important, but on several occasions he refused to confirm simple details about his vacation habits and personal finances. These low-level fibs have tarnished Pallisters reputation.

Make no mistake, Pallister has increased his cabinet by one minister. His decision to do that does not erode his commitment to fiscal prudence and should not be a concern for either militant supporters or the general public. But his strident efforts to deny what is so utterly obvious helps to build the theory that Manitoba is currently led by a man that cannot admit the obvious truth.

All Manitobans should wish the new, expanded Tory cabinet the best of luck in its work. There is a very long to-do list waiting for all the new ministers.

And while theyre at it, perhaps they could wish for a premier that has a greater affinity for the simple truth.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 18/08/2017 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipegs urban forest is under attack.

Dutch elm disease is on the rise, killing an average of 5,500 trees every year, according to a story in the Free Press last month. The emerald ash borer has also been busy this summer, destroying a number of mancana and black ash trees.

Making matters worse is the fact that we are removing more trees due to Dutch elm disease and other issues than we are replacing. The Free Press reported earlier this month that there were 9,419 trees removed in 2016 and only 2,757 planted.

Many Winnipeg residents have expressed concern about the loss of trees in our city, and with good reason. The elms, ash and other varieties of trees provide our city with an aesthetic charm that is hard to match.

But it is important to remember that these trees do more than add beauty to our community. They also provide us with many direct and indirect health benefits, which also contribute savings to our health-care system. In fact, a study published in 2014 suggests that trees in the United States save as much as US$6.8 billion in averted health-care costs each year by helping people live healthier, happier lives.

Direct health benefits from trees include cleaner air and water, protection from the suns UV rays and the positive mental health effects associated with the proximity to natural environments. Indirect benefits include a more active lifestyle linked to increased outdoor activity. Both the direct and indirect benefits are realized on hot summer days when people flock to our urban parks to take refuge in the shade and cooler temperatures where light physical activity is tolerable.

According to the World Health Organization, air pollution now kills around seven million people globally every year. Urban forests improve air quality by absorbing pollutants, intercepting particulate matter (e.g. dust, ash, pollen, smoke) and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis. In fact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency recognizes tree planting as a measure for reducing ozone

The health argument for investing in trees in the urban setting is even more convincing. In general, the more trees there are in an area, the more pollution those trees remove. But they also remove more pollution per tree in areas where population density is high, so the health value derived from pollution removal is highest in urban areas.

Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun leads to skin cancer and has been linked to cataracts and suppression of our immune system. In addition to protecting us from UVR, trees also help keep us cooler in the summer.

Studies have shown that urban areas devoid of trees are often hotter than those with them. This discrepancy is called the urban heat island effect. Essentially, trees help keep us cooler by providing shade and releasing moisture into the atmosphere through a process called evapotranspiration.

Trees can also help mitigate the effects of global warming. The last few years have been the warmest on record, and this trend is expected to continue. Urban areas that experience rising temperatures from climate change can also expect rising morbidity and mortality as a result. Our communities need to find options to mitigate and adapt to these changes. Maintaining and adding to our urban forests, which provide shade and absorb the greenhouse gases causing climate change, will help.

Finally, there is a growing interest in the public health benefits from the presence of nature and trees in our urban environment. Research shows that urban forests create spaces for active and passive recreation, decrease physical and emotional stress and reduce violence. In one study, patients who were recovering from gall bladder surgery in a Pennsylvania hospital did so more quickly in rooms that had a view of trees than those looking out at a building. Another study found that residents living in greener surroundings reported lower levels of fear and less violent behavior. Studies such as these demonstrate that were only beginning to understand the nature and magnitude of the possible mental health benefits of trees.

It is becoming increasingly clear that trees have the potential to help people live healthier and happier lives. Given these clear health benefits, it is well worth asking whether we should be doing more to protect and expand this critical public resource.

Dr. Lisa Richards is a medical officer of health with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 18/08/2017 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A union representing health-care support workers in southern Manitoba is pushing back against the Town of Nivervilles plan to open an MRI clinic it says is neither public nor private.

The president of CUPE local 4270 said the plan for a diagnostics centre replete with an MRI, ultrasound machine and X-ray capabilities runs contrary to the Canadian principle of universal access to health care.

Its obviously private; not everybody can use it with fees of anywhere between $1,000 and $1,300, Darrin Cook said.

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES

But Gordon Daman, a member of the non-profit Niverville Heritage Holdings Inc. (NHHI) board, which brokered the deal with the town, Liver Care Canada and two individuals, said thats not the case.

This is not private nor public, its a third way, Daman said.

Ultimately, this is similar to a P3 (public-private partnership) project.

While Liver Care Canada will finance the endeavour to the tune of between $4 million and $5 million, a legal agreement stipulates that in 25 years the land will revert to the town, leaving it as the public owner of a fully outfitted diagnostic centre.

Daman previously told the Free Press the plan was to take on the clients of third-party insurers to free up their guaranteed spots in the public system, but also to charge people who would otherwise drive south of the border for an MRI instead of waiting.

That last point, in particular, doesnt sit well with Cook.

Canadian health care isnt supposed to cost you, he said.

It doesnt matter whether youre a minimum-wage earner or a doctor where your standing is in society shouldnt matter to your health.

This isnt the solution to long wait times, Cook stressed, pointing to the scathing report the Manitoba auditor general released in April that took aim at long delays, unnecessary and inappropriate scans, as well as preferential access.

In that 43-page document, the auditor general put forward a whole host of recommendations that include standardizing requisitions and implementing better scheduling practices to maximize the number of scans being done.

I think it should be the same across the board for everybody. Thats our concern, Cook said.

But Daman said that ultimately the new Niverville centre, slated to open in the fall of 2018, will help alleviate pressure on the public system.

We are first and foremost providing an opportunity for organizations like Manitoba Public Insurance and Workers Compensation to have an option outside the current (Winnipeg) system. That would immediately open up a number of spaces to the public who are waiting, he said.

The fact the provincial government has not been involved in the project so far strikes Cook as odd.

It seems weird that some private group would go out and initiate something like this. Theres got to be all kinds of rules and regulations, he said.

No one at Liver Care Canadas London, Ont., headquarters could be reached for comment.

Regardless of whether the new diagnostics centre is owned by the town or the company, it will have to be inspected in order to receive accreditation by the Manitoba Quality Assurance Program (MANQAP), the registrar for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba said via email.

The college oversees that process, and has the authority to grant permission to open, subject to the MANQAPs findings at the opening inspection, a spokeswoman wrote.

And while the college has a committee that ensures any diagnostics centre is appropriately staffed with qualified employees, the question of regulating access to MRIs falls to the government.

A spokeswoman for the health minister and a spokeswoman for Manitoba Health both declined to comment, saying neither party has seen the proposal.

jane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

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This article was published 18/08/2017 (1913 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three recent cautionary tales from Western Canada suggest that while politicians must be wary of their opponents, its often the self-inflicted wounds that really sting.

Lets begin close to home, where Manitoba Premier Brian Pallisters trips to Costa Rica recently landed back in the headlines. Records obtained by the NDP contradicted the premiers earlier claim there is lots of contact between him and his staff while he is away. To the contrary, Pallisters staff appeared to have very little contact with him.

Perhaps most embarrassing was the finding government officials resorted to contacting Pallisters wife, Esther, over her private phone and email to get to the premier. In one case, a draft budget document was forwarded to Esther with a request to ask her husband to read it.

Bill Graveland / The Canadian Press Files 'Waste watchdog' Alberta MLA Derek Fildebrandt was forced to apologize after he was caught collecting Airbnb revenue for renting out his government-subsidized apartment.

One wonders if this story will remind millennials of the now-common experience of communicating with their parents using newer technologies  for example, by sending an email beginning with, Mom, can you please remind dad to or receiving one saying, Sweetheart, your mom asked me to write you to This is a good way to ensure you dont forget to bring a salad to dinner, but perhaps not for the premier of Manitoba to communicate with his staff.

The satirical website The Beaverton twisted the knife with its joke Pallister had registered a new work email address to clear up any confusion: brianandestherpallister@mymts.ca.

Two provinces over, Alberta MLA Derek Fildebrandt was escorted to the woodshed over revelations he had used Airbnb to rent out his Edmonton apartment, despite receiving an allowance from the government to help pay for the residence. Fildebrandt claimed $7,720 in housing expenses last year, then turned around and generated $2,555 in Airbnb revenue.

The ethical problem here is obvious: housing allowances are provided to allow politicians to maintain residences close to the legislature while away from home, not to use as seed money to turn a profit themselves.

Fildebrandts misstep is even more of a noodle-scratcher when you consider his background: he is the former director of the Alberta chapter of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, a position in which he ferociously condemned government waste and inappropriate spending by politicians.

Fildebrandt has continued in this role of waste watchdog as finance critic, first for the Wildrose party and later the United Conservative Party.

Since then, accusations surfaced he has also double-dipped on meal expenses.

Hes stepped down from the role of finance critic and, after that, the UCP caucus.

Upon learning an Alberta politician was apparently double-dipping, commentator David Moscrop fired off a sardonic tweet: Ohh, wait until Derek Fildebrandt hears about this. He hates it when government takes advantage of taxpayers.

Finally, in British Columbia, the new NDP government relied on bad information to criticize and then fire an appointee of the previous Liberal government, liquefied natural gas advocate Gordon Wilson.

Both Premier John Horgan and Jobs Minister Bruce Ralston criticized Wilsons work ethic while in the position, with Horgan summing up Wilsons output as, No reports, no briefings, no memoranda. Ralston implied Wilsons job was a favour from former premier Christy Clark: I think the previous premier took care of her friends and he was a friend of hers.

As it turned out, whoever had gone looking for Wilsons written output bungled the task and missed a substantial number of reports and briefings. Accordingly, Wilson is considering suing the government, and both Ralston and Horgan had to backtrack on their previous claims. It was clear they had recklessly rushed to condemn Wilson without the information necessary to justify the comments.

Only in the last of these three cases was there a genuine apology. Horgan and Ralston were clearly in the wrong, and so had little choice.

Pallister, in contrast, feels he has nothing to apologize for. Instead, he argued he shouldnt be held to account for not communicating regularly with his staff while in Costa Rica, appending a humorous comment about how hes not a chatty teenager who needs to be on the phone constantly.

But this doesnt change Pallister previously said he was in frequent contact with his staff while away, which now appears to have not been the case. And it certainly doesnt change how Esther Pallisters personal phone and email were used to communicate while in Costa Rica.

The ongoing emphasis on Pallisters trips to Costa Rica is partially a result of a well-co-ordinated NDP effort to keep those trips in the news. But Pallister hasnt helped himself with his shifting explanations. Increasingly, this looks like a self-inflicted wound.

Fildebrandt apologized, but in a way that leaves one wondering about his sincerity. He claimed to have done nothing wrong, but reported his constituents disapproved of his Airbnb entrepreneurship, and therefore Fildebrandt had to say sorry.

One is reminded of the eye-rolling get off my back apologies parents sometimes receive from their children. Pallister may not talk on the phone like a teenager, but Fildebrandt apologizes like one.

Royce Koop is an associate professor and head of the department of political studies at the University of Manitoba.
It may look like a painting, but this is actually what 10,000 bicycles being dumped into one space looks like.

Tens of thousands of shared bikes have been impounded by authorities, and left at a playground in the Chinese city of Hefei.

SEE ALSO: People stole nearly all of the bikes belonging to a shared-bike startup, so it had to close down

It's simply the latest chapter in the recent shared bike phenomenon, which has seen a surge of bikes scattered around cities from service providers which hope users will hop on one of theirs.

In many of these cities, the bikes tread the line between public and private good, in a way  some cities see them as littering the sidewalk, and impound them, while others have agreed to let the bikes be, in hopes of encouraging green transportation.

According to a report by Chinese state media Global Times, the playground was originally owned by a school that had later vacated the premises.

HEFEI, CHINA - AUGUST 16: An aerial view of the rental bikes detained by the local urban administration authority of Luyang district in Hefei in Anhui province on August 16, 2017 in Hefei, China. Tens of thousands of rental bikes parked at spots causing troubles to pedestrians and traffic in streets have been removed away by government authorities to the graveyards of the bikes while bike companies struggle to regulate the parking behavior of their users. PHOTOGRAPH BY Feature China / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com (Photo credit should read Feature China / Barcroft Images / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Image: Barcroft Media via Getty Images

The empty grounds later became the de facto dumping ground for authorities, who had seized discarded bikes from the main roads and had nowhere else to put them.

Bikes which were found violating parking rules were also detained and dumped into these grounds.

According to the Global Times, there are at least 10,000 bikes dumped in this bicycle graveyard.

HEFEI, CHINA - AUGUST 16: A man walks by the rental bikes detained by the local urban administration authority of Luyang district in Anhui province on August 16, 2017 in Hefei, China. Tens of thousands of rental bikes parked at spots causing troubles to pedestrians and traffic in streets have been removed away by government authorities to the graveyards of the bikes while bike companies struggle to regulate the parking behavior of their users. PHOTOGRAPH BY Feature China / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com (Photo credit should read Feature China / Barcroft Images / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Image: Barcroft Media via Getty Images

HEFEI, CHINA - AUGUST 16: An aerial view of the rental bikes detained by the local urban administration authority of Luyang district on August 16, 2017 in Hefei, China. Tens of thousands of rental bikes parked at spots causing troubles to pedestrians and traffic in streets have been removed away by government authorities to the graveyards of the bikes while bike companies struggle to regulate the parking behavior of their users. PHOTOGRAPH BY Feature China / Barcroft Images London-T:+44 207 033 1031 E:hello@barcroftmedia.com - New York-T:+1 212 796 2458 E:hello@barcroftusa.com - New Delhi-T:+91 11 4053 2429 E:hello@barcroftindia.com www.barcroftimages.com (Photo credit should read Feature China / Barcroft Images / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Image: Barcroft Media via Getty Images

People online found it pretty ironic that the shared bikes were causing so much damage.

"Shared bikes are supposed to promote sharing and save the environment, but then it's caused this instead," said one user on Weibo.

"This is a waste of resources," said another.

"No wonder I can't find any shared bikes in Hefei," one quipped.

According to the Global Times, Hefei's City Urban Management Bureau will begin returning the bikes to the respective companies.
A 10-year-old Indian girl who said she was impregnated by her uncle gave birth by Caesarean section Thursday after a court denied her request for an abortion in July.

The girl gave birth to a baby girl through a Caesarian section at the Government Medical College and Hospital in the northern city of Chandigarh, according to The Indian Express. After 35 weeks of pregnancy, she delivered a 5.5-pound baby. The girl  unnamed because of legal reasons  and her daughter are in good condition, reported BBC. The girl is unaware she gave birth.

The child is too young for a normal delivery, a doctor said. Her pelvic bones are not strong enough to push the baby and she does not have the stamina to bear labor pain.

While she was pregnant, her parents told her she had a large stone in her stomach.

Indian festival

Photo: MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/Getty Images

The girl and her family became aware of her pregnancy mid-July when she told her parents she had a stomachache and they took her to the hospital. Based on her descriptions, her parents and medical professionals concluded she was raped and was 32 weeks pregnant.

The girl said she was raped six or seven times by her uncle when he visited their house. After her uncles arrest, her family appealed to a local court to grant her an abortion. A Chandigarh district court ruled the girl was too young and too far along in her pregnancy to have an abortion. The Indian Supreme Court denied her request for an abortion July 28.

The cutoff for abortions in India is 20 weeks unless there is a threat to the life of the mother or the child. The decision sparked surprise in the medical community, with some medical professionals saying it was not safe for a girl so young to deliver a child.

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An abortion needs to be done immediately. Yes, there are risks and abortion at this stage is tough, but for the girl who is still developing, the scars will be many, Puneet Bedi, a Delhi gynecologist, said to The Quint.

The girls parents did not notice her pregnancy until she was further along, describing her as a healthy, chubby child. They also said they never thought their daughter would be pregnant at 10.

Courts have started receiving petitions from child rape victims asking to terminate pregnancies after 20 weeks. Pregnancy among children who are raped is often discovered later because the children are unaware of the rape and, in turn, the pregnancy. The 10-year-old girl was described as innocent by child welfare officials. They said she was unaware of what happened to her. Officials said she could be the youngest recorded child to give birth.

India has the world's largest population of sexually abused children. More than 10,000 children were raped in India in 2015, reported BBC.

The girls parents planned to give her newborn up for adoption.

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More than 150 years after the Civil War ended, statues memorializing the Confederacy stand in 10 states.

A nationwide discussion regarding the removal of Confederate monuments has been ongoing since mass shooter Dylann Roof killed nine black people in a Charleston, South Carolina, church in 2015. Those arguments were revived this week when a white supremacy rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, left one person dead.

In 2016, Southern Poverty Law Center noted there were 1,503 Confederate "place names and other symbols in public spaces." The study wasnt comprehensive, though.

GettyImages-832505380

Photo: Getty Images

Texas has three cities that still bare Confederate statues: Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. But they might not be there for long. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings called a meeting Tuesday regarding the fate the Confederate statues that stand in about 90 parks around the city.

The city memorialized General Robert E. Lee with a statue in Lee Park and the Confederate War Memorial in downtown Dallas, CNN affiliate KTVT reported.

"This is simple. We could remove them, the question is, how do we heal on this issue? To do that we have to talk and listen to one another," Rawlings told KTVT.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner asked his staff to list parks that held the status and note whether they wanted to remove them.

"It is my hope that we can, in a very positive and constructive way, move forward," Turner told KTVT.

New York has busts of Robert E. Lee and Confederate Lt. Gen. Stonewall Jackson in University of New York's Hall of Fame for Great Americans in the Bronx and plans to remove them, according to Governor Andrew Cuomo.

"New York stands against racism," Cuomo tweeted Wednesday. "There are many great Americans, many of them New Yorkers worthy of a spot in this great hall. These two Confederates are not among them."

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Washington, D.C., Florida, Alabama, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland and Massachusetts have all considered removing the statues that sit in parks and other public spaces.

Arizona and Pennsylvania are reportedly among the states that dont plan on removing Confederate monuments. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said he didnt have any plans to remove the Confederate statues in his town. Instead, he would leave the decision up to the residents.

"It's not my desire or mission to tear down any monuments or memorials. We have a public process for this. If the public wants to be engaged on this, I'd invite them to get engaged in it," Ducey told CNN-affiliate KTVK Tuesday.

Pennsylvania park officials reportedly had no plans to remove the 1,300 statues, markers, and plaques in The Gettysburg National Military Park. The park, which memorialized soldiers who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg, has not received any grievances or requests to remove the monuments, Katie Lawhon, park spokeswoman told USA Today Tuesday.

"These memorials, erected predominantly in the early and mid-20th century, are an important part of the cultural landscape," Lawhon told USA Today in an email.

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Two young men have been charged in the death of a Mississippi infant who cops say was shot dead in a drive-by shooting on Tuesday.

Grenada Assistant Police Chief George Douglas confirmed to CBS News that multiple shots were fired from a passing car at about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, including at least one that entered the home of 9-month-old Rashan Riley.

Read: 5-Month-Old Girl is Killed in Drive-By Shooting

Rashan was struck in the head.

"The shooting took place on the outside of the house, and to my knowledge of the preliminary investigation, no one inside the house was connected to that confrontation," Douglas said.

A description of a car seen near the shooting was given to police, who stopped a vehicle matching its description on Tuesday.

Two men in the car, 18-year-old Shaquille Chamberlain and 20-year-old John Brown III, were taken into custody.

Watch: Man Arrested for Drive-By Shooting Death of 8-Year-Old Boy Adopted from Taiwan

Police say no one inside the residence was involved in any sort of confrontation with the suspects.

They have since been charged with murder and remain held at Grenada County Jail, where no bond has been set.

Watch: Man Arrested in Drive-By Shooting of Adopted 8-Year-Old Boy

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BURLEY  Mountain View Elementary Schools teachers and staff scrambled to set up hundreds of desks and bookcases Thursday while workers rolled carts full of computer parts through the hallway after the entire school was shifted to the new John V. Evans Elementary.

The school will still be called Mountain View although it will be housed at Evans Elementary this year while Mountain View is remodeled.

Resource teacher Norell Johnson combed through filing cabinets as she made decisions on how to downsize from a several room building to one room.

The move from the old school on Monday was nothing short of spectacular, Johnson said.

Sections of roller track were laid down in the halls.

You would put the boxes on the track and just shoot them down the hall, Johnson said.

It took four semi-loads plus some private vehicles and about 175 volunteers to move all the schools belongings.

It was a long day but it was like a big party, and we came back the next morning to unload the last trailer, Johnson said.

Several teachers continued to settle into their rooms and figure out how to make the school work for their needs.

Johnson has a room full of student desks that she does not need that will have to go somewhere else.

Mundee Costley, a third-grade teacher, is new to the school, so she was unpacking items packed last spring by a previous teacher. Each box was a surprise.

Its like Christmas opening up the boxes, she said.

Michelle Richins, who teaches second grade, was decorating the walls and figuring out where to store supplies.

Im waiting for the legs to my desk, Richins said.

The furniture company did not send the legs with any of the teachers desks, but they are scheduled to arrive next week.

Principal Dustin Heath has been putting in 12-hour days for several weeks, and he started planning last spring how to smoothly accomplish the move.

The district knew moving the school would be a big process so the board pushed the start date of the school year to Aug. 28, district spokeswoman Debbie Critchfield said.

The construction company had to push hard to get the building ready for the school to make the move.

That was a good decision that the board made in the spring, Critchfield said.

It has been all-hands-on-deck at the district with everyone helping, Critchfield said.

The technology crew has been especially busy setting up the computers for Mountain View along with computers in new rooms at Oakley and Raft River.

Until we get the desks set up we cant set up the computers, District Technology Supervisor Rodney Lind said as he stood looking down a hallway lined with computers.

After ruminating on the problem for a minute Finance Manager Chris James announced they would set up the computers on student desks and shift them over when the teacher desks were assembled.

Weve really got to be flexible to make this all work, Critchfield said.

Critchfield said the districts board will be taking another look at the money allotted for the Mountain View remodel and what projects can be accomplished before that project begins and they will discuss what needs remain at Evans elementary like playground equipment, a sprinkler system and grass.
A nine-foot long alligator attacked and killed a womans 75-pound dog Wednesday in Florida, leading authorities to warn local residents about the dangers of allowing pets to wander off leash. Pinellas County police got the call regarding the attack in St. Petersburg, a coastal town near Tampa.

This afternoon, deputies responded to the womans residence after the alligator attacked her dog, a 75 lb Chow mix, and dragged the dog down into the creek, the department wrote on Facebook. Unfortunately, deputies were unable to rescue the dog. A trapper was called and the large alligator was removed from the creek.

Authorities posted a picture of the alligator in question alongside the summary of the incident. It remained unclear whether it would be put down or released. Alligators are prevalent in Florida; more than one million roam the state, so attacks are not uncommon. This particular attack led deputies to warn parents of small children and pet owners to be cautious around water. Alligators chose their prey based on size, making pets and small children prime targets, the Miami Herald reported.

The incident drew conflicting comments from residents in the area. Many were angry with the dogs owner, while others expressed sympathy that her dog had been killed.

My husband works to the left of that creek and he said the dog was unleashed and he jumped in the water and was swimming around, one commenter wrote. Then as he was climbing out of the water the gator grabbed and dragged him back in right [sic] in front of everybody.

Authorities declined to say whether the dog was leashed at the time of the attack.

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Like many dog owners, ER physician Dr. Travis Stork will do anything to make sure his beloved dog Nala is the happiest she can be and that includes getting her acupuncture treatments.

Due to Nalas severe posterior leg and hip arthritis, he has enlisted the help of Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Douthwaite of Mockingbird Veterinary Housecalls, who joins The Doctors to share how acupuncture can help your dog. She explains that the insertion of tiny needles helps to stimulate a healing response and that it is not too different than how it helps people. After the needles are inserted, the body will release endorphins, which will help to control pain.

Watch: Yoga with Goats?

Dr. Douthwaite explains that it is a great treatment option for older dogs and has very little sides effects if any.

She also says another treatment option is the electrical stimulation of the dogs muscles, which Dr. Stork had done on Nala. He says she benefited from the treatment immensely and was able to do things like climb stairs easily, something she has not done in years. The process is similar to acupuncture, but with a small electrical current attached to the needle. Dr. Douthwaite highly recommends it for older dogs.

Watch: Shocking Pet Headlines

If you are interested in acupuncture for your pet, visit the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture website to find a veterinarian trained in the practice.
Charles C. Johnson with Rep. Dana Rohrbacher, R.-Calif. (Photo: Charles C. Johnson/Facebook)

A controversial alt-right journalist and provocateur who met with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in London this week says he is refusing to turn over documents and emails requested by the Senate Intelligence Committee about any contacts he has had with Russian agents, telling Yahoo News he has no intention of cooperating with the panels investigation.

Im absolutely not going to cooperate with the committee, Charles C. Johnson said in an interview after returning from London, where he had set up a meeting this week between Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., and Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

Theyre going to have to subpoena me and then theyll be sorely disappointed, he added. Johnson said his lawyer would raise journalistic privilege issues to resist turning over any communications he might have had with Russian nationals or agents. The committee had requested the material in a July 27 letter it sent him, asking that the documents by turned over by Aug. 10. Johnson has since posted the letter on a website he runs, GotNews.

Johnsons stand would appear to make him the first figure in the Russia investigation to take such a publicly defiant position  refusing to cooperate in any way with the committee probe. Even prospective witnesses who have repeatedly derided the Russia investigations, such as longtime Donald Trump adviser Roger Stone, have said they will comply with requests from the Senate and House intelligence committees (although Stone in particular has been dodgy about whether he will respond to questions about the identity of a backchannel figure who tipped him off to material Assange was about to publish.) Another key figure, former national security adviser Michael Flynn, initially refused to respond to a committee request and requested immunity, but later turned over people sought by the panel. A spokeswoman for committee chair, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., declined any comment about Johnson.

Johnson is an intriguing figure to committee investigators for multiple reasons: He is an inflammatory alt-right journalist and entrepreneur who was banned from Twitter two years ago for appearing to threaten a Black Lives Matter activist. Despite this, he maintains apparent ties to some officials in the White House as well as Assange, whose organization, WikiLeaks, has been described by CIA Director Mike Pompeo as a nonstate hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia.

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CIA Director Mike Pompeo. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The letter Johnson got from the Senate Intelligence Committee came after a Politico article identified him as one of the figures who was in touch with the late Peter Smith, a wealthy Chicago hedge fund executive who last year sought to mobilize hackers from around the world  including Russians  in a quest to find copies of the 33,000 personal emails that Hillary Clinton had deleted from her personal server.

Johnson had told Politico that Smith, with whom he had long been friendly, had asked him last year to put him in touch with then Trump campaign chief (and later senior White House official) Steve Bannon as well as an independent hacker who he believed he could help obtain the Clinton emails. Johnson maintained he demurred on the Bannon request because he didnt believe Smiths operation was sophisticated enough.

The letter Johnson got from the committee asked that he turn over all documents, emails, text messages and any other communications he might have had with Russians or representatives of Russian government, business or media interests. This should include material about any attempt to search for electronic information that may have been stolen or compromised by cyber activity.

Johnson called the committees request a fishing expedition and laughably overbroad, adding, How am I supposed to know who was Russian who I was communicating with?  I have a friend who is supermodel who was born in Russia. Does it include her?

Aside from the Smith effort relating to the Clinton emails, Johnson could potentially be of even more interest to the committee as a result of the three-hour meeting he arranged this week (and which he attended) between Assange and Rohrabacher, a Republican who has consistently argued for closer ties to Russian President Vladimir Putins government.

Johnson said he and Rohrabacher came back from their meeting with a specific proposal that the congressman intends to present to President Trump soon: Grant a preemptive pardon to Assange (who has been under Justice Department investigation for years, although he has never been charged) and the WikiLeaks founder would, in exchange, turn over irrefutable evidence that he didnt get the Democratic National Committee emails from Russia, but from another source.

Julian Assange faces the media from the balcony of the Embassy of Ecuador, May 19, 2017, in London. (Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

Assange wants to have a deal with the president, Johnson said. He believes he should be pardoned in the same way that Chelsea Manning was pardoned. Once Assange turns his evidence over, showing the Russians were not the source of the DNC emails, then the president could put the kibosh on the whole Russia investigation being conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Johnson declined to say what Assanges supposed evidence actually is (though he did say it did not include any documents). But he insisted he has spoken to unidentified figures in the White House who have told him the president wants to hear the proposal. I know the president is interested in this, he said. There will be a meeting between Rep. Rohrabacher and President Trump.

A spokesman for Rohrabacher confirmed that Johnson had arranged the meeting between the congressman and Assange. My understanding is that there is not yet a concrete proposal, but that Dana does believe that if Assange does turn over the proof hes promised, then he deserves a pardon, the spokesman said.

A White House official with knowledge of the Russia probe, who asked not to be identified by name, said he was unfamiliar with the request for a meeting.

Read more from Yahoo News:
As an historic total solar eclipse will play out across the U.S. Monday, many Americans have concerns about how their pets and other animals may react to the phenomenon.

Read: Man, 71, Burned His Retina Looking at Eclipse as a Teen: 'Why Take a Chance With Your Eyes?'

At the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida, an animal behavior analyst will be collecting data on how the creatures inside the zoo respond to the August 21 eclipse.

We actually don't have a concrete hypothesis that our animals are going to feel uneasy or anxious or anything like that," animal behavior analyst Valerie Segura told WJAX. "We are genuinely interested in whether or not they are going to change their behavior."

According to National Geographic, humans have witnessed the effects of a total eclipse on animals for centuries and have noted bizarre behaviors that include birds falling out of the sky, giraffes running wild and elephants sleeping.

However, scientists say that because total eclipses happen so infrequently and in various parts of the world, solid evidence of animal behaviors are difficult to come by.

For the upcoming eclipse, NASA has released a list of zoos across the eclipses path of totality that will be holding events for the public, as well as a chance for humans to observe animals' behavior.

When the darkness of totality occurs, some animals may begin their nighttime routines among other reactions, NASA states on their website.

Humans are instructed not to look directly at the sun during an eclipse because it may cause permanent eye damage, and sky watchers have been instructed to wear special glasses that are darker than regular sunglasses to avoid ocular injury.

Knowing the risks, pet owners aren't taking any chances with their animals, keeping them indoors, or in the event that they accompany their owners outside, wear protective eyewear as well.

Read: Solar Glasses Factory Working Around the Clock to Keep Up With Demand Ahead of Eclipse

Dr. Kathryn Diehl, an animal optometrist at University of Georgia, told WGCL that there is really no specific precautions for pets.

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Segura told WJAX to approach the day as you normally would with your pet.

If I had to give one piece of blanket advice which I don't normally do, I would say approach this the same way a nasty storm, she said. Ways that you would normally comfort your pet."

Watch: 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' Is a Sensation Again, 34 Years Later, Thanks to Solar Event

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Tony Schwartz, co-author of Donald Trump's Art of the Deal, predicted the president would make a deal for immunity and then resign. (Photo: Damon Dahlen, Huffington Post)

Donald Trumps The Art of the Deal co-author, Tony Schwartz, is predicting that the president is getting ready to call it quits  and that the resignation will happen soon.

He tweeted Wednesday:

The circle is closing at blinding speed. Trump is going to resign and declare victory before Mueller and congress leave him no choice.  Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) August 16, 2017

Trump's presidency is effectively over. Would be amazed if he survives till end of the year. More likely resigns by fall, if not sooner.  Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) August 16, 2017

In follow-up tweets in response to questions, Schwartz predicted Trump would make a deal for immunity in the Russia investigation in exchange for his resignation.

The Russia stuff will be huge, he wrote. He doesnt want to go to jail.

He also urged Trumps opponents to keep up the pressure, and he slammed the presidents elder children.

Trump must be isolated. Resistance every day. The end is near but must keep pressure high.  Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) August 16, 2017

Eric & Donald Trump Jr., dumber versions of their father. Ivanka Trump fake human and enabler. They all suffer from Stockholm Syndrome.  Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) August 16, 2017

Schwartz has been predicting resignation as Trumps endgame, making similar comments in May.

I surely believe that at some point over the next period of time hes going to have to figure out a way to resign, Schwartz told CNN at the time.

Despite authoring a book with Trump, Schwartz advised the campaign of 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for free.

This is my penance for having created a man who has become a monster, he said in September. Ive spent 30 years feeling bad about it.

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Schwartz also said he would donate his share of the profits from The Art Of The Deal to the National Immigration Law Center, an organization that helps low-income immigrants.

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Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday condemned the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., as cowardly, hateful and just plain wrong after President Donald Trump said both sides were to blame for the violence.

There is fear, pain, anger, disappointment, discouragement and embarrassment across America, and I know, too, here within the Department, DeVos wrote in the memo, which was published by Politico.

Last weekends tragic and unthinkable events in Charlottesville, which stole three innocent lives and injured many more, were wholly unacceptable. The views of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other racist bigots are totally abhorrent to the American ideal. We all have a role to play in rejecting views that pit one group of people against another. Such views are cowardly, hateful and just plain wrong.

She criticized hate-filled conversations that have reopened hurtful wounds from shameful portions of our nations past.

DeVos did not mention Trump, who this week defended some of the participants in the white supremacist rally and said both sides were responsible for violence that left one counter-protester dead. On Thursday, Trump said it was sad to see the removal of our beautiful Confederate statues and monuments in the wake of the Charlottesville clashes.

Before Saturdays Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, torch-carrying white supremacists marched through the University of Virginia campus. Since then, Texas A&M University decided to cancel a white nationalist rally scheduled to take place on campus next month. And the University of Florida denied a request by white supremacist Richard Spencer to speak on campus.

Our own difficult history reminds us that we must confront, head-on, problems when and where they exist with moral clarity and conviction, DeVos said in the memo. Our nation is greater than what it has shown in recent days.
A man who attended the white supremacist march in Charlottesville has told how his life is over after being publicly identified.

Jarrod Kuhn was identified as a nazi after an anti-fascist group posted 250 fliers around the Honeoye Falls area of New York in the aftermath of the Virginia bloodshed that left three people dead.

The flier claimed Mr Kuhn is a leading figure with the Daily Stormer, an avowedly neo-Nazi website around which local groups have been organizing to promote anti-Semitism, white supremacy and violence against LGBTQ communities, according to the Livingston County news.

Mr Kuhn confirmed he attended the Charlottesville rally but strongly denied being a neo-nazi, claiming it was a crazy assertion.

Im not a neo-Nazi. I dont belong to a German workers party from 1933, he told the paper. ... Im a moderate Republican.

Mr Kuhn said he only travelled to Virginia to protest the removal of the Robert E Lee statue, which became the centre point of the deadly violence in the town. But he said being publicly identified has ruined his life and that his family had received death threats.

I cant live in this community anymore. Im in the process of figuring out what Im going to do, he said. Im 21 years old and now my life is over in this area.

But former friends of his took to social media to denounce him, claiming he had been bragging about his beliefs.

It comes after online vigilantes called for users to publicly identify members of the Virginia rally, the largest of its kind in over a decade.

Logan Smith, who runs the Twitter account, Yes, Youre Racist, launched a campaign to out potential nazis. But the controversial posts provoked a mixed reaction.

While some support his efforts, others have warned of the dangers of doxxing - the act of sharing someone's personal information, usually a phone number or address, online.

Story continues

He also sparked controversy after incorrectly naming a number of innocent people who were not involved in the white nationalist demonstrations.

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By Tom Perry and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - Syria's war has entered a new phase as President Bashar al-Assad extends his grip in areas being captured from Islamic State, using firepower freed by Russian-backed truces in western Syria. Backed by Russia and Iran, the government hopes to steal a march on U.S.-backed militias in the attack on Islamic State's last major Syrian stronghold, the Deir al-Zor region that extends to the Iraqi border. Damascus hailed the capture of the town of al-Sukhna on Saturday as a big step in that direction. The eastward march to Deir al-Zor, unthinkable two years ago when Assad seemed in danger, has underlined his ever more confident position and the dilemma facing Western governments that still want him to leave power in a negotiated transition. The war for western Syria, long Assad's priority, has shifted down several gears thanks to the ceasefires, including one organized by Moscow and Washington in the southwest. But there is no sign of these truces leading to a revival of peace talks aimed at putting Syria back together through a negotiated deal that would satisfy Assad's opponents and help resolve a refugee crisis of historic proportions. Instead, Assad's face has been printed on Syrian banknotes for the first time, and his quest for outright victory suggests he may retrain his guns on rebel pockets in the west once his goals in the east are accomplished. Attacks on the last rebel stronghold near Damascus have escalated this month. U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to end CIA support to rebels further weakened the insurgency in western Syria, while also depriving Western policymakers of one of their few levers of pressure. They can only watch as Iranian influence increases through a multitude of Shi'ite militias, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, that have been crucial to Assad's gains and seem likely to remain in Syria for the foreseeable future, sealing Tehran's ascendancy. Assad's opponents now hope his Russian allies will conclude he must be removed from power as the burden of stabilizing the country weighs and the West withholds reconstruction support. With hundreds of thousands of people killed and militias controlling swathes of the country, Assad's opponents say Syria can never be stable again with him in power. "There is little doubt that the Russians would like a political solution to the war. The war is costly for them, and the longer it lasts, the less it will appear to be a success for Putin," said Rolf Holmboe, Research Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and former Danish Ambassador to Syria. "But the Russians want a solution on their terms, which is one where Assad stays in power," he said. "The ceasefires do two things. They allow the Russians to take control of the political negotiations and look good internationally. But more importantly, they allow Assad and the Iranian-backed militias to free troops to grab the territory that Islamic State is about to lose." THE WAR FOR DEIR AL-ZOR The eastwards advance has on occasion brought government forces and their Iranian-backed allies into conflict with the U.S. military and the forces it is backing in a separate campaign against Islamic State. But the rival campaigns have mostly stayed out of each other's way. Government forces have skirted the area where Kurdish-led militias supported by Washington are fighting Islamic State in Raqqa. The U.S.-led coalition has stressed it is not seeking war with Assad. Bisected by the Euphrates River, Deir al-Zor and its oil resources are critical to the Syrian state. The province is entirely in the hands of IS except for a government stronghold in Deir al-Zor city and a nearby air base. It is also in the crosshairs of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). SDF spokesman Talal Silo told Reuters on Wednesday there would be an SDF campaign towards Deir al-Zor "in the near future", though the SDF was still deciding whether it would be delayed until Raqqa was fully captured from Islamic State. But questions remain over whether the government and its allies, or the U.S.-backed militias, have the required manpower. IS has rebased many of its fighters and leaders in Deir al-Zor. The Syrian army is drawing on the support of local tribal militias in its advances, local tribal figures say. A Western-backed Syrian rebel with detailed knowledge of the area said Deir al-Zor would be a tough prospect. "Deir al-Zor tribes are more intertwined with those of Iraq," the rebel said, describing them as religious hardliners. Andrew Tabler, a Syria specialist at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy think-tank, said Assad hoped to regain international legitimacy through the campaign against IS. "They believe that by doing so they can get reconstruction money, and they believe that things are going to go back to the way they were before. That's just not going to happen," he said. There has been no sign that Western states are ready to rehabilitate Assad, accused by Washington of repeatedly using chemical weapons during the war, most recently in April. Syria denies using chemical weapons. RULING "ATOP RUINS" The April attack triggered a U.S. missile strike against a Syrian airbase. But the U.S. response was calibrated to avoid confrontation with Moscow, and has not resulted in further such action. Trump's decision to shut down the CIA program of support meanwhile played to Assad's advantage and came as a blow to the opposition. Rebel sources say the program will be phased out towards the end of the year. Damascus has been pressing ahead with its strategy for pacifying western Syria, pursuing local agreements with rebellious areas that have resulted in thousands of rebel fighters being sent to insurgent areas of the north. But significant areas of western Syria remain in rebel hands, notably Idlib province in the northwest, a corner of the southwest, an area north of Homs, and the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus. In the southwestern province of Deraa, one of the areas in the U.S.-Russian truce, the government is seeking investment in reconstruction, the provincial governor told al-Watan newspaper, saying the "shelling phase" was over. Shunned by the West, the government hopes China will be a major player in the reconstruction. Seeking to project an image of recovery, Damascus this week will host a trade fair. "The regime is quite keen to imply by signals that it doesn't care, that 'we are fine, we are really utterly prepared just to sit atop ruins, and to speak to friends who will help us with our project'," said a Western diplomat. Mohanad Hage Ali, director of communications at the Carnegie Middle East Center, said the Assads have been "masters of the waiting game". Time is on their side, he said. "But they have two challenges: political normalization with the world, and the economic challenge, which is significant." (Writing by Tom Perry; editing by Giles Elgood)
Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims have crossed into Bangladesh in recent days following a fresh military build-up in Myanmar's Rakhine state, community leaders said Wednesday.

They said at least 500 Rohingya had made the difficult journey into Bangladesh, some claiming they had been abused by soldiers in Myanmar.

The latest influx follows a months-long bloody military crackdown on the mainly Muslim minority in Myanmar last year that led tens of thousands to flee across the border. The United Nations has said the violence may amount to ethnic cleansing.

Abu Toyyob said he escaped with his seven-member family as the army vandalised Rohingya houses and detained young men.

"They arrested my younger brother from home and injured my two-year-old son by kicking him with boots," the 25-year-old told AFP.

"I immediately set off with my family and crossed the Naf two nights ago," he added, referring to the river that divides the two countries.

Dhaka estimates that nearly 400,000 Rohingya refugees are living in squalid refugee camps and makeshift settlements in the resort district of Cox's Bazar, which borders Rakhine.

Their numbers swelled last October when more than 70,000 Rohingya villagers began arriving, bringing stories of systematic rape, murder and arson at the hands of Myanmar soldiers.

Bangladesh border guards said they had stepped up patrols after reports of a military build-up on the other side of the river.

Last week, the UN special rapporteur Yanghee Lee voiced alarm at reports that an army battalion had flown into Rakhine to help local authorities boost security in the region.

Buddhist-majority Myanmar has long faced criticism for its treatment of the more than one million Rohingya who live in Rakhine, who are seen as interlopers from Bangladesh, denied citizenship and access to basic rights.

But they are also increasingly unwelcome in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where police often blame them for crimes such as drug trafficking.

Story continues

Dhaka has floated the idea of relocating tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees to a remote, flood-prone island off its coast, despite opposition from rights groups.

An official with the UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which looks after settlements for unregistered Rohingya refugees, said the organisation was aware of new arrivals.

The numbers were "not as alarming as the October influx," the official said.
A huge manhunt was underway across Europe last night for at least one jihadist feared to be still at large after plotting the Barcelona terrorist attacks.

Police and security services were hunting for the remaining members of a Moroccan-born terror cell, amid fears that they could be preparing further attacks at popular tourist areas.

The 17-year-old key suspect of the Barcelona van outrage, Moussa Oukabir, was one of five terrorists shot dead by Spanish police during an attack on the coastal resort of Cambrils in the early hours of yesterday, authorities confirmed last night.

They also named Said Aalla, 18 and Mohamed Hychami, 24 as among those shot dead. Four other suspects were taken into custody.

But police were last night continuing to appeal for information on Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22. There were also reports that two further suspects were being sought.

A French security official said last night that Spanish police were looking for a Renault Kangoo van rented on Thursday in Spain by the suspects that may have crossed into France.

Security officials believe the attacks on Barcelona and Cambrils were the work of a terror cell of at least 12 people, who may have been inspired by the London Bridge outrage in June.

On Thursday afternoon, Oukabir and his associates drove a van along Barcelonas crowded Las Ramblas thoroughfare, ploughing into tourists leaving 13 dead and more than 100 injured.

Moussa Oukabir, 18, is being hunted as the suspected van driver

Among those thought to have been killed was a seven-year-old British boy, who had been visiting Barcelona for a family wedding. Julian Cadman, who was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, but later moved to Australia, had been strolling along Las Ramblas with his mother, Jumarie, when they were both mown down.

Mrs Cadman was last night understood to be still in hospital in an induced coma, unaware that her son was missing, feared dead. Her husband, Andrew Cadman, who had been unable to attend the Catalonian wedding and had stayed at home in Sydney, boarded a flight to Barcelona and was due to land late last night.

Story continues

Among the other victims was an Italian tourist, Luca Rosso, who was hit as he walked through the streets with his fiancee. Another Italian, Bruno Gulotta, 35, a father of two, was also killed in front of his wife and children.

After carrying out the attack, Oukabir is believed to have fled on foot, before hijacking a Ford Focus car, stabbing the driver, and jumping a checkpoint, in order to make his escape. It is then believed he travelled to the coastal resort of Cambrils, where he met up with four fellow jihadists.

Driving an Audi A3, they travelled at speed along the towns promenade but crashed and flipped the car.

Barcelona terror attack

The jihadists then got out of the vehicle and started to attack the terrified onlookers with knives and axes. All of the jihadists were shot dead by police who were on the scene as part of a heightened security operation following the Barcelona attack.

Despite his role as ringleader in the attacks it was not thought that Oukabir had been known previously to the security services. But social media accounts reputed to be linked to him contained a series of Islamist comments. In one post, when asked what he would do on his first day as absolute ruler of the world, Moussa replied: Kill all infidels and only allow Muslims to continue the religion.

His older brother, Driss, 28, was among four men in custody, who were being held on suspicion of involvement in the atrocities.

Police officers by the upturned car used to target civilians in a second terrorist attack in Cambrils early on Friday Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP

A huge explosion at a house in the town of Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, in which one man died, was connected with the attacks.

Police who searched the remains of the property discovered a large number of gas canisters which they believe were intended to be packed into a vehicle and driven into crowds. Police chief Josep Lluis Trapero said they were planning a much bigger atrocity than the one that took place.

Yesterday, Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, King Felipe VI and Carles Puigdemont, the president of Catalonia  where both attacks took place  held a minute of silence in Barcelona. It was followed by the crowd shouting not afraid.

Mapped: Barcelona van attack

5:09AM

Malcolm Turnbull urges Australians to pray for missing boy

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has asked people to pray for a young Australian boy who is missing after a vehicle attack on a popular Barcelona promenade that killed 13 people.

Mr Turnbull said on Saturday that the boy's mother was badly injured and is in a hospital following Friday's attack at the Las Ramblas promenade. Mr Turnbull says the boy's family is searching for him. He did not release the boy's name.

He added: "All of us as parents know the anguish his father is going through, and his whole family is going through, as they rush to seek to find him in Barcelona."

3:53AM

Security stepped up at sporting events

Security is being stepped up at major sporting events in Spain.

The country's main football competition, La Liga, returns this weekend following its three-month summer break.

Barcelona's opening match against Real Betis will go ahead as planned at the Camp Nou stadium on Sunday. Additional police will be on duty at all major sporting venues.

In addition, the Vuelta, one of cycling's three Grand Tours, enters Spain on Tuesday, with thousands of spectators expected to line the route.

The stage will finish at Tarragon, which is is only 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) along the Mediterranean coast from Cambrils.

2:13AM

Former head of anti-terrorism expert says vehicular terror attacks are difficult to stop

11:36PM

Watch how large Barcelona's Las Ramblas memorial grows over time

10:07PM

Police confirm Moussa Oukabir shot dead by police in Cambrils

Spanish police on Friday released the names of three Moroccan suspects in the deadly attacks in Spain's Catalonia region, shot dead overnight by security forces in the seaside resort of Cambrils.

Catalonia's regional police identified them as Moussa Oukabir, 17, Said Aallaa, 18, and Mohamed Hychami, 24. Police said they were searching for a fourth suspect, Younes Abouyaaqoub, aged 22.

9:21PM

American Daniel Tucker confirmed among the dead as family pays tribute

A man says his son, a California resident, is among the dead in a truck attack in Barcelona, Spain.

Daniel Tucker tells The Daily News of New York that his son Jared Tucker's body was identified by his wife at the morgue on Friday.

Tucker says, "It's just something we really just don't understand."

The couple, celebrating their first wedding anniversary, posed for this photograph just an hour before the attack

Jared Tucker and his wife, Heidi Nunes, were visiting Barcelona for their first wedding anniversary. Tucker and his father worked together installing swimming pools.

The elder Tucker tells the newspaper that "everybody loved him."

7:32PM

Spanish police 'looking for a rented Kangoo utility vehicle that may have crossed into France'

A French security official says Spanish police are looking for a Kangoo utility vehicle rented by suspects in the Barcelona attacks that may have crossed into France, AP reports.

The official said Spanish police alerted French authorities to the vehicle, rented on Thursday in Spain. The official said French police nationwide are on the lookout for the car, and were given information from Spain about four suspects believed to be on the run.

A Renault Kangoo

The official was not authorised to be publicly named speaking of an ongoing manhunt.

After two deadly vehicle attacks in Barcelona and a nearby resort, France's interior minister said his country reinforced police surveillance on Friday of what is normally an open border between Spain and France. French officials said on Friday evening that no one has been detained so far in the Spanish investigation.

6:37PM

Riot police seal off section of Las Ramblas amid protest

Riot police have cordoned off a section of Las Ramblas as a group of people, some with masks over their faces, began shouting and bottles were thrown, Hayley Dixon reports.

The group were shouting anti fascist slogans and clapping.

4:56PM

Witness tells of hiding in restaurant amid terror attack

A 22-year-old eyewitness, Raquel Doval, who was holidaying with her family at the time of the attack in Cambrils, describes how she had to hide in a restaurant to escape the terror. 

4:23PM

Are holidaymakers covered by insurance if they refuse to fly to Spain in wake of terror attacks?

Holidaymakers worried about terror attacks in Spain might not be covered if they refuse to fly, insurers have warned, reports Laura Hughes.

A tour operator is only legally obliged to offer travellers a full refund or an alternative holiday if the Foreign Office advises against visiting a destination.

Spain has not been put on the Foreign Office's "no-go" list following the two terror attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona.

Malcolm Tarling, from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), told the Telegraph: "While some travel insurance policies may cover cancellation if the Government advise against it, you may not be covered if you decide against travelling to your destination when there is no advice not to do so.

"Travel insurance will cover the costs of any emergency medical treatment needed if you are caught up in a terrorist attack.

"If you are in, or are planning to visit, an area where an attack has occurred, you should follow any advice from the UK Government and, where necessary, talk to your travel agent, tour operator, airline or other transport provider.

"If you change your travel arrangements, then your travel insurance can usually be transferred to cover the new destination."

3:56PM

Friend of arrested suspect 'very surprised' by his arrest

Pablo Romeres, a waiter at the el Punt restaurant in Ripoll, told The Telegraph that he was good friends with Driss Oukabir, and that he had been "very surprised" by his arrest last night, reports Harry Yorke.

"My friend, Driss, he is first to be accused," he added. "He lives close to the station here, I know him well. I do not know the others, apart from Moussa, his brother.

"He was here when it happened I think, so I don't think it was him. They are talking about Moussa, so maybe he is connected, who knows.

"Do I think he would do something like this? No, definitely not."

3:37PM

Donald Trump uses Barcelona tweets to have a dig at US Democrats

President Donald Trump set out to reassure Americans this morning, as they wake up to the latest news from Barcelona, Harriet Alexander in New York writes.

He said that the homeland security and law enforcement teams were "on alert and closely watching for any sign of trouble".

He then followed up with a dig at the Democrats, accusing them of threatening the country's security by their refusal to back his travel ban and their resistance to his plans to give police a free rein.

He said he is travelling from his New Jersey golf course to Camp David today to discuss "national security, the border and the military" - his favourite topics.

Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble. Our borders are far tougher than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017

The Obstructionist Democrats make Security for our country very difficult. They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017

Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017

Heading to Camp David for major meeting on National Security, the Border and the Military (which we are rapidly building to strongest ever).  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017

3:26PM

How the Barcelona attack showed all the hallmarks of new jihadi tactics

The terror attack in Barcelona that left 14 dead bore an eerie similarity to other recent attacks, showing all the hallmarks of new jihadi methods, writes Jacob Burns.

It echoed recent attacks in Nice, Berlin and London. In each of those instances, an attacker drove a vehicle into crowds at high profile locations in the city, with deadly effect.

The July 2016 Nice attack involving a lorry killed dozens Credit: ERIC GAILLARD/Reuters

In each case, Isil also claimed responsibility, saying that the attackers had answered their call to attack nations who are participating in the anti-Isil coalition. Click here to read more.

3:20PM

One American killed in Barcelona attack

The US state department has confirmed that one American citizen died in the Barcelona attack and another has suffered minor injuries, reports Harriet Alexander.

A spokesman said: "The US consulate general in Barcelona continues to work with local authorities to identify and provide assistance to US citizens affected by the terrorist attacks in Las Ramblas and Cambrils.

"At this time we can confirm that one US citizen was killed. We can also confirm that one US citizen sustained minor injuries.

"Out of respects for the familys privacy in their time of grief, we have no further comment. Spanish authorities report that there are still several casualties that are not yet identified."

Sec. Tillerson confirms death of US citizen in terrorist attacks in #Spain; expresses sympathies & offers thoughts and prayers. #Barcelonapic.twitter.com/Qslz4gKKd2  Department of State (@StateDept) August 18, 2017

Click here to read more about the victims.

3:17PM

Police 'do not rule out' other members of terror cell in Cambrils

The woman who died following the attack in Cambrils was part of a family visiting from Zaragoza, two other members of which have also been hospitalised, reports Hannah Strange. The victim has not yet been named.

Police in Cambrils said they could not be certain if the attackers had come from outside the beach town or had a base there.

Asked by The Telegraph if they believed there could still be members of a cell in the resort, an officer who declined to be named said: "I would not rule it out".

Police chiefs in the town were huddled in meetings as along the promenade tourists began to return to bars and beach chairs, some nervous, others in disbelief at the tragedy that had unfolded while many were sleeping.

Spanish police in Cambrils after the attack Credit: Cambrils /EFE

Raquel Doval, a 22-year-old student from Navarra on holiday with her family, was having dinner at a restaurant terrace on the promenade when they heard shots, which they initially mistook for fireworks.

Suddenly, the staff told them to run inside and hide, and they saw people fleeing and screaming.

"We just arrived yesterday. It was our first night," she told The Telegraph, describing the terror she felt barricaded inside the restaurant and later, as the family edged their way back to the hotel, sticking to areas off limits to vehicles for fear of further attack.

Nevertheless, her family planned to stay and finish their holiday, she said. "We do not want to let them think we are afraid. You have to go on."

2:50PM

Motorways leading out of Barcelona gridlocked due to police checks

Motorways leading out of Barcelona were gridlocked due to police checkpoints on Friday afternoon, reports James Rothwell.

Officers armed with shotguns were scrutinising every passenger in every vehicle leaving Barcelona via the C32 road, slowing the pace of traffic to a crawl.

French police officers control vehicles coming across the border from Spain Credit: RAYMOND ROIG/AFP

The road runs south along the coastline towards the small town of Alcanar, where a huge explosion took place on Wednesday.

Police say they found canisters of gas inside the house and believe it is linked to the attacks.

2:27PM

Queen condemns 'deeply upsetting' attacks in message to Spain's king

The Queen has sent a message of support to the King of Spain describing the terrorist attacks in his country as "terrible" and commenting how it is "deeply upsetting" when innocent people are put at risk.

The Queen said in her message: "Prince Philip and I send our sincere condolences to Your Majesty, and the people of Spain, following the terrible terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils which killed and seriously injured many.

"It is deeply upsetting when innocent people are put at risk in this way when going about their daily lives.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and the people who are recovering in hospital.

"Please convey our heartfelt sympathies to all who have been affected by these appalling incidents."

2:03PM

Police confirm Barcelona van driver is still not 'identified'

A police chief has told a press conference that the driver of the van used in the Barcelona attack has still not been "identified".

Josep Luis Trapero told reporters that investigators are linking the attacks on La Rambla, Cambrils and the explosion in Alcanar.

While suspect Moussa Oukabir, who remains on the run, has been named by sources as the suspected van driver, news website La Vanguardia reported that police sources said they have not ruled out the driver is one of those killed in Cambrils.

The hired van used in the Las Ramblas attack

Four of the dead men in Cambrils have been identified. They were aged 21, 27, 28 and 34. Three were Moroccan and one was Spanish and police said none of them were previously known to the security services for terror-related reasons.

But Mr Trapero, a Catalan regional police official, told reporters the fifth man had not yet been identified.

He also revealed that police had yet to identify the Barcelona driver and said: "It could be one of the people shot in Cambrils, but we don't know yet."

Mr Trapero said the suspects had been preparing even bigger attacks "for some time". He also confirmed:

the same officer killed four of the five terrorists in Cambrils: "To kill four people, even if you are a professional, is not easy to digest"

that three Moroccans and one Spaniard had been arrested

"We work with the hypothesis that the authors were preparing for some time in this building of Alcanar both attacks. It was a group, we do not know the specific number, but we do not rule out having other attacks in mind. They are all identified."

1:42PM

Spanish prime minister: Terrorism is Europe's main problem

Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish Prime Minister, has said that terrorism is "Europe's main problem right now".

He said: What makes us most effective is that we are all united. These attacks are not only against us, but against all countries that defend freedom and democratic values."

He added: "It is very important to work together and exchange everything that has to be exchanged. It is the first problem in Europe right now."

1:39PM

How to explain the horrors of terrorism to children

With terror attacks becoming an increasingly regular occurrence, who should parents explain what they are seeing on their TV screens to children.

Experts from the Royal College of Psychiatrists have advised that parents should be honest with their children about terror attacks. Click here for the full advice.

1:21PM

Floral tributes laid in Barcelona for terror attack victims

As Spain begins three days of mourning, well-wishers have laid flowers and lit candles in memory of the victims in Barcelona.

1:11PM

UK 'urgently looking into reports' of British child missing in Spain

UK authorities are "urgently looking into reports" of a British dual-nationality child believed to be missing in Spain following the terror attacks, Prime Minister Theresa May said.

This is believed to be seven-year-old Julian Cadman, who father is from Sydney, who has lived in England and has been pictured wearing a jumper from a nursery school in Kent.

Julian Cadman, seven, pictured in a UK nursery school jumper

Mrs May, who spoke to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Friday morning, added: "We must work together if we are to confront this evil of terrorism, and also to confront and deal with the perverted extremist ideology which drives it - ridding the internet of poisonous material, and ensuring that our police and security services have the powers that they need. Terrorism is the great threat that we all face, but together we will defeat it."

12:59PM

Spanish flags in Madrid fly at half-mast

In Madrid, the Spanish capital, flags are flying at half-mast to honour those who were killed and injured in the terror attacks.

12:49PM

Fourth person arrested over terror attacks

A fourth person has been arrested in connection with the Spanish terror attacks, police in Catalonia say.

The suspect, whose identity has not been revealed, was held in Ripoll, where two others had previously been arrested.

12:48PM

France strengthening border controls with Spain

France is strengthening controls on its border with Spain, the French interior minister says - amid fears that terrorist may try to enter France or has already done so, reports David Chazan.

12:44PM

Scotland Yard liaising with Spanish police over attack

Britain's most senior counter-terrorism police officer has said UK officers are liaising with their Spanish counterparts.

Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said: "Officers are at UK ports today ready to meet British holidaymakers returning to the UK from the region in order to take any witness accounts.

"Anyone who has returned from Spain can also call the confidential hotline with information on 0800 789 321.

"We are also urging people who have images or footage that may assist investigators to upload them to Ukpoliceimageappeal.com."

12:29PM

Hero police officer killed four of five terrorists in Cambrills

One Catalan police officer killed four of the five terrorists who used an Audi A3 to plough through pedestrians in the seaside city of Cambrills last night, reports James Crisp.

The officer was carrying out a spot check on a roundabout near the seafront of Cambrils, when the Audi hit four people before ramming into the police car. One officer suffered a broken tibia and a heavy blow to the head in the collision.

One of the five terrorists charges towards police with a knife in Cambrils Credit: Sky News

The terrorists car overturned in the crash. Seeing the terrorists getting out of the car and advancing towards him with machetes and axes, the hero officer shot four of the terrorists.

A fifth fled in the direction of a park, stabbing a passerby in the face with a knife before being gunned down by a police sergeant with a submachine gun, according to La Vanguardia.

12:10PM

Dead and wounded made up of 34 different nationalities

The dead and wounded from the attacks include 34 different nationalities, Catalan authorities have said.

A total of 130 people were wounded in the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.

11:40AM

'Small number' of Britons injured in Spanish terror attacks

A "small number" of Britons were injured in the terror attacks in Spain and additional staff have been sent to Barcelona to help, the Foreign Office said.

11:31AM

British skateboarder: 'Van was right next to me... just hitting people'

11:27AM

Death toll rises to 14 as woman injured in Cambrils dies

The death toll after the Spanish attacks has risen to 14, emergency services have said.

A woman who was critically injured in the town of Cambrils has died. Six other civilians, including a police officer, were also injured in that attack early today.

11:08AM

Minute's silence held in Barcelona's main square

Thousands of people have held a minute's silence in Barcelona's main square for victims of yesterday's attack. It was attended by Spain's king and premier.

The minute's silence on Plaza Catalunya ended in applause and with calls of I am not afraid" in Catalan and in Spanish.

11:04AM

First named victim is a father of two from Italy

The first named victim of the Barcelona attack is Bruno Gulotta, an Italian father of two young children, reports Helena Horton.

He was on holiday with his partner and two children - one of whom is about to start school and the other is seven months old.

Mr Gulotta was crushed to death on the Ramblas by the lorry while walking hand in hand with his 5-year-old son who his wife Martina managed to snatch to safety in the nick of time, she was quoted as telling friends.

Martina was following her husband carrying their seven-month-old baby girl Aria in a rucksack she was wearing on her chest when Bruno was run down, la Repubblica newspaper quoted her telling his workmates.

Bruno Gulotta died in the attack in Barcelona Credit: TOM'S HARDWARE

Martina grabbed their son Alessandro, aged 5, and rushed both children to safety but Mr Gulotta, 35, was killed instantly.

Mr Gulotta worked as a salesman in a computer shop in Legnano in northern Italy.

10:46AM

Witness: Terrorist shot by police 'got up again like a horror film'

A man caught in the panic of the terrorist attack in Cambrils described the scenes as like watching a "horror film".

Fitzroy Davies, who earlier told how one of the attackers smiled at police, was visiting the town for a judo camp.

He told Sky News he saw one of the attackers get back on his feet, despite suffering police gunshots. He said:

"He came running up, he had silver stuff on him, he had a thing in his hand, and then somebody shouted 'police' and then within 30 seconds the police came.

"Next thing you know, they've drawn their guns and they were shouting at the guy and then shots were fired.

"He then fell down and then within two seconds he stood back up. He then stepped over the fence, charged the police again and the police then gave some more shots and then he fell down again.

"I couldn't understand what he was saying but he was just shouting something and he was going up and down the street and the police were saying 'stop', it must have been 'stop, stop', or whatever, and he kept charging until, in the end, they shot him."

Mr Davies said the crazed attacker was behaving "like somebody who was on drugs". He said:

"He was just going up and down the street, like ranting, raving and he was - I don't know if he was all the ticket, I don't know because he was just going up and down.

"And then when he took the first round of shots he fell on the floor, and then within two seconds, I thought I was watching a film, one of them horror films, the guy just stood up.

"Just stood up, got back up, walked over the fence and started laughing at the police.

"And as he started laughing at the police, he was walking to them and the police started to step backwards and then they shot him again. And that's when he went down."

Mr Davies said the terrorist appeared to be holding some kind of device, later thought to have been a mock trigger for a fake suicide vest.

"I think it did it's job," he said. "It made everyone fearful. And I think that's what they were looking for.

"He had something in his hand and at first everybody kept on thinking he's got something. And that's why everybody was running."

10:23AM

Police seek teenager as suspected Barcelona van driver

Spanish police have named the man they are seeking as the suspected Barcelona van driver.

He is 18-year-old Moussa Oukabir, according to local media. He is the brother of Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan who is alleged to have rented the vehicle.

10:20AM

'Defiant' Las Ramblas reopens as Barcelona unites

Less than 24 hours after the Barcelona attack, Las Ramblas reopened this morning in a show of defiance as Barcelona residents united to help those affected.

Las Ramblas reopens for business following the terror attack Credit: Getty

Stallholders opened for business as usual along the main artery of the city. Click here for more reaction.

Placards with black ribbons hang on a kiosk in the area where a van crashed into pedestrians at Las Ramblas Credit: Reuters

10:04AM

12-strong terror cell behind attacks, police believe

Police in Spain have said that a terror cell of 12 people is believed to have been behind the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils as well as the explosion in Alcanar, according to local media.

9:53AM

How is the Alcanar house explosion linked to the attacks?

A gas explosion at a house in Alcanar that killed one person on Wednesday is being linked to the attacks.

The blast that killed one person and injured seven others happened at a property in the village 130 miles from Barcelona. Firefighters found an estimated 20 gas cylinders in the property.

The house that collapsed after a gas explosion in the village of Alcanar on Wednesday Credit: JAUME SELLART/EPA

Documents found in the rubble of the house established a connection with the Barcelona massacre, investigators believe.

Investigators have revealed that they believe an eight-strong terror cell could have been planning a gas canister attack.

9:35AM

At least one more terrorist still being sought after van attack

At least one more terrorist is still being sought over the Barcelona van attack, Catalan's regional president has said.

Carles Puigdemont told local radio there was at least one "terrorist still out there", but that "we don't have information regarding the capacity to do more harm".

This is thought to be the van driver, who is believed to still be on the run after fleeing unarmed.

9:31AM

Spanish and EU flags fly at half-mast in Brussels

After the twin terror attacks in Spain, both the Spanish and European Union flags are flying at half-mast outside the European Parliament in Brussels this morning.

La bandera de Espana y de la Union Europea a media asta en la sede del Parlamento Europeo. Europa de luto junto a Espana. pic.twitter.com/Nr7lSletvA  EP President Tajani (@EP_President) August 18, 2017

9:20AM

British boy, seven, missing after Barcelona attack

The family of a seven-year-old boy believed to be British has posted on Facebook begging for his safe return after he was separated from his injured mother in the Barcelona attack, reports Helena Horton.

Julian Cadman was in the Spanish city with his mother when the van struck where they were walking. The two were reportedly there to attend a wedding.

Julian Cadman is pictured wearing a jumper from a British nursery Credit: JOM CADMAN

It appears Julian is British. Although his aunt and uncle who are searching for him live in Sydney, Julian is pictured wearing a jumper from a nursery in the UK. He also has relatives who live in the UK.

Jumarie 'Jom' Cadman, the mother of Julian, was found in hospital and is in a serious but stable condition.

Click here for more details on those missing after the attack.

9:00AM

Third suspect arrested is 34-year-old Moroccan national

The Catalan police have confirmed the third person to be arrested is a 34-year-old Moroccan national who was living in Ripoll. He is believed to be an associate of Oukabir and the driver of the van remains on the run.

8:45AM

Terror cell of eight 'planning attack with gas canisters'

Authorities investigating that attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils believe that a cell of eight people might have been involved and had been planning an attack with gas canisters, according to a judicial source.

8:44AM

Man arrested in Ripoll could be driver of car that drove into police checkpoint, official says

Joaquim Form, the Catalan interior secretary, told RAC1 radio that initial indications were that the man arrested in Ripoll could be the driver of the car that yesterday drove into a police checkpoint on Avenida Diagonal before abandoning the vehicle in Sant Just Desvern, reports Hannah Strange.

The person killed in Sant Just Desvern was apparently the owner of the vehicle, who was found dead from knife wounds inside; it had previously been reported that the driver had died in a police operation.

8:25AM

Suicide belts worn by Cambrils attackers were fake, police say

The explosive belts worn by attackers killed by police in Cambrils were fake, the Spanish region's head Carles Puigdemont told local radio station RAC1. He said bomb experts had confirmed the explosive belts were duds.

8:04AM

Cambrils terrorist taunted and smiled at police as they shot him, says British witness

Fitzroy Davies, from Wolverhampton, was caught up in the second attack in Cambrils and described how police shot dead one of the attackers.

He told the BBC he was in Spain for a judo camp and was in a meeting with the coaches when the incident unfolded.

"These girls ran into the bar off the street and then people were running up the road. One of our guys stood up, looked and just said 'run', so we all ran.

"This guy came running up the road and was shouting something. I didn't know what it was, so we said call the police."

A policeman stands by the car used in a terrorist attack in Cambrils early on Friday Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP

"Within 30 seconds the police was already there, jumped out of the car, started shouting at the guy, the guy was then saying something else again.

"And then they 'pop, pop', did a couple of shots and he fell down.

"He stood back up and then he stepped over the fence and he started, he was taunting, smiling and he carried on walking to the police, and then they gave it to him again, a couple more shots and then he fell to the ground."

7:51AM

Third arrest in connection with Barcelona attack

A third person has been arrested in the Spanish city of Ripoll following the van attack in Barcelona, police and the Catalonia Interior Minister have said. It is unclear if this is the driver of the van that killed 13 people.

7:37AM

Recap: How terror returned to streets of Europe

If you are just joining our live coverage here's a recap: Terror returned to the streets of Europe on Thursday when a van ploughed into a crowd of people in Barcelona, killing at least 13 and injuring more than 100 others.

Footage of the scene showed dozens of bodies sprawled across the pavement in Las Ramblas, a street popular with tourists. Two men, one Spanish and one Moroccan, were arrested but police said the driver of the van was still at large.

In the early hours of Friday morning, in the town of Cambrils, 70 miles away, at least six people were hurt when "alleged terrorists" drove into pedestrians before being shot dead by security forces.

Police officers help the injured after the van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas Credit: David Armengou/EPA

The five attackers in the Audi A3, who were wearing bomb belts, were shot dead, police said. The bomb belts were detonated by the force's bomb squad.

Two of the injured in Cambrils were in critical condition, emergency services said. Police say the attacks were linked.

Police at the scene in Cambrils where five terrorists were killed Credit: JAUME SELLART/EPA

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack as Joaquim Forn, Catalonias police chief, warned: Unfortunately the number of fatalities will likely rise.

On Thursday night it was confirmed that a three-year-old child was among the victims and 15 people people were in a critical condition.

Police detain a possible suspect after the Barcelona attack Credit: Jason Yu/Twitter

Liam Searle, 22, from Chichester, West Sussex, said he was skateboarding along the road at around 5.15pm with his headphones on when he heard massive bangs and thuds which he thought were gunshots.

I realised it was the van next to me hitting people. he said. The van had stopped right next to me. Thats when two men got out and I ran for my life.

Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old of Moroccan origin, was suspected of having rented the van used in the assault. Spanish reports later said he had handed himself in to police, who were investigating whether his brother had stolen his documentation.

A handout photo made available by Spanish National Police shows Driss Oukabir, alleged to have rented the van which was used to crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas Credit: Spanish National Police/ HANDOUT

Two explosions at a house in the town of Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, on Wednesday night were last night linked by police to the attack. Officers said the residents had been preparing explosives. At least one person died and more than 16 were injured in what was initially thought to be a gas explosion.

Theresa May, the Prime Minister, condemned the terrible Las Ramblas assault and said Britain stood firmly with Spain against terrorism.

Pictured: the van reportedly used in the attack

Donald Trump, the US president, tweeted that the US will do whatever is necessary to help, adding: Be tough & strong, we love you!. The Spanish royal family described the attackers as assassins, criminals who wont terrorise us, while Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, said the attack was jihadist terrorism requiring a global response.

Victims of the Barcelona attack Credit: David Armengou/EFE

This was the eighth terror attack using a vehicle in Europe in the past three years, following the Nice assault in July 2016 that killed 86 and attacks on Westminster Bridge and London Bridge earlier this year that left four and eight people dead.

Earlier this year, jihadists warned that they would be seeking to take their campaign of death and destruction to popular areas in the Mediterranean.

Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain

The CIA warned Spanish police two months ago that Las Ramblas was a potential target, reports said.

Stay with us for the latest updates throughout the day.

Terror timeline - Ramming attacks involving vehicles
TWIN FALLS  Visitors can buy gifts on the canyon rim to remember their eclipse experience.

The Magic Valley Arts Council and Full Moon Gallery of Art and Contemporary Craft is extending its hours in celebration of the solar eclipse. It will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday and Monday. Regular hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

With so many people taking advantage of the canyon rim trail we want to help them buy gifts to remember their experience, said Jan Mittleider, Full Moon Gallery president.

The co-op gallery on the second floor is home to 19 local artists whose works include ceramics, encaustic, engraved gourds, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography and woodwork.

The current exhibit is Highlighting the Grain, featuring new works by Full Moon Gallery artists and woodworkers Donald Pica. In the main lobby is the Idaho Watercolor Society Regional Art Show.

For more information, go to magicvalleyartscouncil.org or call 208-734-2787.
Brussels (AFP) - Paris terror suspect Salah Abdeslam was Thursday ordered to stand trial in Belgium over a shootout with police in Brussels last year that led to his capture after a four-month hunt for Europe's most wanted man.

Abdeslam, the sole surviving alleged assailant in the November 2015 Paris massacre, was arrested three days after the shootout on March 15 last year in which several officers were wounded.

Belgian judges on Thursday ordered Abdeslam, 27, and his alleged accomplice Sofiane Ayari, 24, to stand trial in Brussels criminal court, with the date set in a few weeks, the federal prosecutor's office said.

The two will be tried for "attempted murder of several police officers in a terrorist context" and "carrying banned weapons in a terrorist context," the office said in a statement.

Abdeslam remains in custody in France where he was transferred from Belgium in April last year and where he is also to face trial over his alleged role in the Paris attacks.

A female French police officer and Belgian colleagues were wounded at the Forest neighbourhood apartment in which an Algerian Islamist suspect was killed. Abdeslam and Ayari fled the apartment that police had initially thought was empty.

After finding Abdeslam's fingerprints in the apartment, police arrested him and Ayari during a raid on March 18, 2016 in the gritty Brussels immigrant neighbourhood of Molenbeek, shooting Abdeslam in the leg.

Investigators suspect that Abdeslam's arrest precipitated the suicide bombings in Brussels four days later by jihadists who feared that they too would be captured before they could carry out their plot.

French and Belgian police believe the same cell plotted the Paris bombing and gun attacks, which left 130 people dead, and the Brussels suicide bombings, which cost the lives of 32 people at Zaventem airport and Malbeek metro station.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for both sets of attacks.

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Abdeslam was neither present nor represented by a lawyer at Thursday's court proceedings, while Ayari was absent but represented by his lawyer Laura Severin, she told AFP.

Severin said Ayari, who is of Tunisian origin and is also implicated in the Paris attacks, admits being present in Forest on the day of the shootout and "at this point does not contest the charges."

French sources say Abdeslam, a Belgian-born French national, has remained tightlipped during police interrogation in France.

- 'True fundamentalist' -

Abdeslam's exact role in the worst terror attack in French history remains unclear. Prosecutors believe he was in charge of logistics for the attacks, which were planned in Brussels.

He drove the three suicide bombers who blew themselves up outside the Stade de France to the stadium and then roamed the city before fleeing to Belgium early the next day.

He told investigators in Belgium before his transfer that he had also wanted to blow himself up at the Stade de France but had changed his mind.

His former Belgian lawyer Sven Mary told a Dutch newspaper that Abdeslam had become even more radicalised since his arrest, saying he had grown a beard and become a "true fundamentalist".

Abdeslam's brother Brahim blew himself up in a Paris cafe during the November attacks.

Salah Abdeslam is a childhood friend of Mohamed Abrini, who did not set off his suitcase bomb at Zaventem airport with the other two suicide bombers and was captured days later.

Abrini and Abdeslam, who hail from the same gritty immigrant Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek, were filmed at a service station en route to Paris just before the 2015 attacks there.

Abrini has since been charged over the Paris massacre.
By Herbert Lash

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The biotech industry is facing high rents and tight lab space in Boston, New York and San Francisco, forcing companies into the suburbs in a sign the "live, work and play" movement into big cities may have hit a roadblock.

For example, Modern Meadow, a biotech start-up poised to manufacture leather from the fermentation of natural collagen protein without using live animals, was looking at a prohibitive $200 million cost to build its own lab and manufacturing facility in New York City.

Instead, it found existing lab space at the former U.S. headquarters of Swiss drug-maker Roche in Nutley, New Jersey, a scant 12 miles (19 km) from Midtown Manhattan.

Modern Meadow also secured $32.2 million in New Jersey tax credits at ON3, as the former Hoffman-La Roche site has been named by its new owner, Prism Capital Partners.

The start-up's search for adequate facilities is shared by other biotech firms that are encountering tight lab availability in New York, San Francisco and Boston, which attract the lion's share of biotech venture capital funding.

TIGHT SPACES, BIG EXPECTATIONS

Cities, especially those with powerhouse educational institutions that excel in sciences, are attractive to biotech companies because they provide better collaboration and transition from classroom to commercial production.

The issue with lab space in these cities is that real estate is very expensive, both to build and operate, said Andras Forgacs, chief executive of Modern Meadow.

"We don't have the time and we don't have the capital to be in the real estate development business in New York City. That's not what our investors asked for," said Forgacs, whose firm has raised $53.5 million.

Leading investors include Hong Kong-based Horizon Ventures, Iconiq Capital, ARTIS Ventures, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings and Sequoia Capital, among others.

"For start-ups especially it is important to have existing inventory that is virtually move-in ready," Forgacs said.

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His firm plans to spend $20.8 million in new construction and equipment and grow its workforce from more than 60 employees to 263 at the 116-acre ON3, where Prism envisions a mixed-use "streetscape" to replace razed buildings and empty lots.

Biotech labs require costly safety features to isolate dangerous agents, exacerbating existing space and cost constraints.

Exosome Diagnostics moved to Waltham, Massachusetts from Cambridge two weeks ago, a shift that will reduce rent by three to four times, said Dan Baughman, the firm's marketing director.

"It was a no-brainer. It's infinitely less expensive," he said.

Waltham also attracted Dragonfly Therapeutics Inc, which looked at more than 40 sites in Cambridge, where it started in 2015. Demand for space was high and the quality low, said Maura McCarthy, Dragonfly's director of market development.

The lower cost of housing for employees was a benefit too, she said.

Triple net leases, where the tenant pays taxes, insurance and maintenance, are $78.50 a square foot in Cambridge and drop to $47 in Boston's inner suburbs, $31 along Route 128 north and west of Boston and then $15 in the outer ring, brokerage Cushman & Wakefield said.

Boston has outpaced the combined number of deals and funding involving pharmaceutical firms in New York, San Francisco and Silicon Valley since 2014, said tech data provider CB Insights.

Funding this year through Wednesday for pharmaceutical firms in Boston is $1.08 billion, compared to the $570.7 million raised for companies in the three other areas.

Urban real estate owners need to understand the burgeoning life sciences industry and be creative when they redevelop sites, said Bill Hartman, a commercial broker at Cushman who helped Modern Meadow relocate.

"For the foreseeable future life science start-ups and R&D organizations requiring labs will have to look far afield with a creative eye," Hartman said.

(Reporting by Herbert Lash; editing by Daniel Bases and Paul Simao)
Paris Hilton attends a movie premiere in June. (Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)

They say everything old is new again, time is a flat circle, and the same issue will appear over and over until its resolved. Which must explain why Paris Hilton is once again in the news for saying something ignorant and insensitive.

Hilton caused a furor earlier this week when journalist Irin Camron, whod interviewed the hotel heiress for a profile in Marie Claire, shared some comments that didnt make the final article. Camron asked her how she felt knowing that Trump, a family friend, had watched her sex tape. (Hes always been so respectful, she said.) Hilton was also asked about what she thought of Trumps famous grab em by the pussy comment. (Ive heard guys say some pretty crazy things, she replied. Like, worse than that.)

But when Camron asked the heiress about the boatload of women who levied claims of assault against our current POTUS, Hilton said, I think that they are just trying to get attention and fame, labeling the women as opportunists who want to get money or get paid to not say anything or get a settlement when nothing really happened.

Cue the outrage  and rightfully so. As Hilton played into the familiar tropes that dog women brave enough to stand up to men in power who abuse that power, the Internet called her out for her ignorance, prompting Hilton to issue an apology  though its not really much of an apology.

I want to apologize for my comments from an interview I did last year, Hilton said in a statement about those comments, which she gave two days after Trump was elected in November 2016. They were part of a much larger story and I am regretful that they were not delivered in the way I had intended.

I was speaking about my own experiences in life and the role of media and fame in our society and it was never my intention for my comments to be misapplied almost a year later. I always believe in helping women have their voices heard and helping create an environment where women feel empowered and believe in themselves.

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I am deeply hurt by how this has played out and also deeply sorry. Moving forward I will continue to do what I can to be an advocate for girls and women with the hopes of providing a louder voice for those who may desperately need it.

.@parishilton, who told me shes now a feminist, on women alleging her family friend @realDonaldTrump assaulted them https://t.co/bfV1lqBWIS pic.twitter.com/1RVeAM4o11  Irin Carmon (@irin) August 15, 2017

Were not sure how those comments could be taken out of context, or sound better as part of a larger story. But this is par for the course with Hilton and her apologies.

Here are some of her other most famous walk-backs:

When she apologized for making homophobic comments.

In 2012, a New York cab driver recorded a conversation Hilton was having with a friend where she said, among other things, Gay guys are the horniest people in the world  theyre disgusting. Dude, most of them probably have AIDS.

The backlash was swift, and Hilton responded quickly, issuing a statement to GLAAD. After stating that her conversation was private and not indicative of what she thought of the gay community, she said, I cannot put into words how much I wish I could take back every word. HIV/AIDS can hurt anyone, gay and straight, men and women. Its something I take very seriously and should not have been thrown around in conversation.

She also called the gay community the strongest and most inspiring people I know and begged for forgiveness, reiterating that her comments werent an accurate representation of who she is.

When she apologized for using racial slurs.

Claims of Hiltons racism have been documented throughout the years. In 2006, former friend Brandon Davis reportedly told the Enquirer that Hilton routinely uses the N word, puts down minorities, and makes anti-Semitic remarks.

Hiltons response?

Anyone who knows me knows that this is not me. I love everybody and am not a person who discriminates against anyone  ever.

Years earlier, in an an interview with journalist Neil Strauss, the then 18-year-old Hilton allegedly said she found black men to be gross, adding, I cant stand black guys. I would never touch one.

The incident gained steam with the release of Strausss 2011 book, Everyone Loves You When Youre Dead, featuring a collection of interview snippets that never made final publication. Hiltons reps responded, These allegations are absolutely untrue and ridiculous. We have sent these claims to Miss Hiltons lawyers to respond further. Its another example of someone making false claims for financial gain.

And then in 2007, there was the video of Hilton dancing to Notorious B.I.G., where she tells her sister, Were like two n*****s. The backlash was enough to prompt the following statement from her then publicist, Eliot Mintz: Each of us has used words we have regretted later. This was six years ago. She was 20 at the time. It was New Years Eve. She had been obviously drinking. She sincerely regrets using those words. She is not a racist or an anti-Semite.

She also used a racial slur in her infamous sex tape, and while we never got an Im sorry for that, we did get an exceptional skit from Saturday Night Live featuring Maya Rudolph as Hilton and Jude Law as Nicky, apologizing for using the slur, and proving her lack of racism by listing black men she found hot.

When she (sort of) apologized to animal rights activists from the United Nations.

Hilton drew ire for different reasons when she posted a video on Instagram in 2014, featuring her cuddling with an orangutan named Dior, cooing, Shes the cutest little girl in the world. This didnt make the U.N.s Great Apes Survival Partnership very happy. Great apes are neither playthings nor pets, GRASP wrote, and Ms. Hiltons lack of perspective is appalling.

In 2016, while at the 10th annual Delete Blood Cancer DKMS Gala Mary 5 in New York, Hilton responded, when she told People magazine that she agreed, with what theyre saying. She added, Im an animal lover. I have friends who actually rescue [captive] animals from these places and they cant be put back in the wild. So these are animals that have actually been rescued. I just did it because I love animals.

When she apologized to Kim Kardashian for throwing shade.

OK, so maybe its not earth-shattering and socially unconscious, but it was still a moment of girl-on-girl crime when Hilton took aim at her frenemy Kim Kardashian while on a Las Vegas radio show. It was there that she told the hosts I would not want [Kims butt]  its gross! It reminds me of cottage cheese inside a big trash bag.

But Hilton apologized to Kardashian, telling In Touch Weekly, I was just joking around and I made a stupid joke. I felt really bad afterward, so I contacted Kim and apologized. It was a silly thing to say. Kims hot! With friends like these

Maybe its time for Hilton to do less apologizing, and more self-reflection to undo all the programming that led her to say these things in the first place.

Read more from Yahoo Celebrity:
14-year old Jordans life was forever changed when he was intentionally attacked by a stranger so it could be posted on Snapchat.

The teen and his father Ed join The Doctors to share their horrifying story and how they are trying to turn Jordans horrible experience into something positive. After being sucker punched in the head by someone he had never met, Jordan had to be airlifted to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles with a brain bleed. He also suffered a fractured skull and punctured eardrum. Even more horrifying, was that the incident was set up and posted to Snapchat in the hopes of gaining internet glory.

Watch: Bullied Teen Gets Dramatic Makeover

Due to his injuries, Jordan  a longtime skateboarder  has been told he can no longer skate due to the possibility of further damaging his head.

I cant do anything. My life has flipped entirely. It used to be one way and now its the exact opposite. I cant do anything, I cant skate anymore. I cant try out for any sports, he tells The Doctors. I cant fly anymore. I wanted to be a pilot I just have to sit home and pretty much stay still.

Watch: Cyberbullying Mom?

His dad Ed pleads, We have to draw awareness to this, and tells The Doctors he has started a website to help combat cyberbullying and not glamorize violence. He hopes to establish some laws and rules when it comes to violence posted to social media.

In an effort to make life a little more enjoyable for Jordan, The Doctors arrange for a special message from skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. Jordan also loves theater and acting, and our friends at California State University Northridge have hooked Jordan up with classes at their Teenage Drama Workshop.

Help Jordan take on cyberbullying and visit JordanStrong.org!
A Missouri state senator says she has no plans to resign  despite loud calls from within her own party to do so  after she said she hoped President Donald Trump would be assassinated.

Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal made the comment on her Facebook page Thursday morning in response to a thread shed started out of frustration over the white supremacist violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

I hope Trump is assassinated! she wrote on her page, which is not open to the public. While she deleted the post soon after, a screenshot of it nevertheless quickly gained traction, earning rebukes from across the political spectrum.

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) issued a straightforward statement: I condemn it. Its outrageous. And she should resign.

That sentiment was echoed by Stephen Webber, chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party.

State Sen. Chappelle-Nadals comments are indefensible, Webber said. All sides need to agree that there is no room for suggestions of political violence in America  and the Missouri Democratic Party will absolutely not tolerate calls for the assassination of the president. I believe she should resign.

Despite the condemnations, Chappelle-Nadal said she has no plans to step down.

Out of my anger and frustration, I put up a post that I should not have put up, Chappelle-Nadal conceded in a statement to Kansas City Public Radio. That was inappropriate for me to do so.

She was less conciliatory, however, in a conversation with CBS St. Louis.

There is no way in hell that Im resigning, she said. There are legislators who have cheated on their wives, they have smoked in the Legislature, in the state Capitol. If they have not been asked to resign for those acts, which I do believe that cheating on your wife or your spouse is immoral, I am not resigning for a mistake that I made and that Im owning up to.

The U.S. Secret Service confirmed to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that it is investigating the post as a possible threat.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
A video released by Chinese state media is turning heads for all the wrong reasons.

The Xinhua News Agency, China's official press agency, on Wednesday released a video accusing India of committing several "sins."

The video features a man dressed in a turban and a fake beard, speaking in a supposed "Indian" accent.

SEE ALSO: FaceApp removes racist selfie filters

The video, titled "7 Sins of India", comes amid months of increasing tensions between China and India over a border dispute, which has become known as the Doklam standoff.

The three-minute long video sees a Chinese presenter explaining the Doklam standoff via a script chiding India, while the Indian "guest star" enacts a mock dialogue to a canned laugh soundtrack.

The host accuses India of being a "bad neighbour," saying that Doklam has been internationally recognised as a "part of China."

"Didn't your mama tell you [sic] never break the law?" she asks.

Image: xinhua/twitter

The video also sees the "Indian man"  played by a Chinese actor  chirping in to repeat what the presenter has said, speaking in a strong faux accent.

Many have criticised the video's racist angle.

This is poorly produced, racist & distasteful. No tact. Air your grievances maturely, not like a vindictive child @XHNews. You can do better  Ryan Pino (@Ryan_Pino213) August 17, 2017

China's official news agency Xinhua mocks India, (attempts to) mimic Indian accent in racist video tht parodies a turbaned Indian @htTweets https://t.co/M7xvBSaBBt  sutirtho patranobis (@spatranobis) August 16, 2017

FYI @XHNews: It's not okay in the 21st century to have someone dress up in a turban, mock an Indian accent. Shocking from official agency. pic.twitter.com/1oC0MsOG59  Ananth Krishnan (@ananthkrishnan) August 16, 2017

Yes, the Indian caricature is crude & racist. Loads of racist comments online from Indians, but not clever for @XHNews to follow this path.  Kin F. Kam (@DrKinKam) August 16, 2017

Wow, Xinhua has gone full racist! https://t.co/afUsvonTgx  Carl Zha (@CarlZha) August 16, 2017

According to Sadanand Dhume, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, the video shows that Beijing has "absolutely no intention of treating India as an equal."

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"Instead of framing the disagreement with India as a legitimate dispute, Beijing has chosen to dismiss or mock New Delhi's concerns," he says in a blogpost.

The two countries have for months been locked in a standoff after India blocked Chinese efforts to extend a border road through Doklam, a plateau that is claimed by both Bhutan and China.

India, who is one of Bhutan's biggest allies, is concerned that the road would give China greater access to parts of India and is backing Bhutan's claim over the land. It later sent troops to stop China's construction of the road.

As of now, both countries have yet to withdraw from the area.
Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona - EFE

Catalan police were warned two months ago about a possible terrorist attack on Las Ramblas, Spanish media have reported.

The CIA told Los Mossos, the Catalonian regional police force, that Barcelona was a top target for jihadist terrorists as recently as June this year, El Peridoco, a local paper, reported on Friday.

"Two months ago the Central Intelligence Agency passed a notice to the Catalan autonomous police," the paper said. "It even warned of the risk to Las Ramblas," the pedestrian thoroughfare hit by an attack on Thursday.

The Telegraph could not immediately verify the report.

Police stepped up security at Sagrada Familia last year Credit: Jason Hawkes

The reported warning followed a series of high-profile vehicle attacks in London, Stockholm, Berlin, and Nice and came amid a mounting concern amongst Spanish and foreign intelligence agencies that the Catalan capital could be next on the jihadist hit list.

The last successful Islamist terrorist attack in Spain was in March 11 2004, when a suspected al Qaeda terror cell exploded bombs on several Madrid commuter trains in a series of coordinated attacks, killing 192 and injuring more than 2,000.

Spanish and foreign intelligence agencies have long seen Catalonia as a high-risk area.

Terror in Spain: Dozens killed and injured in Barcelona and Cambrils

In 2007 the US Embassy in Madrid proposed setting up an intelligence hub in Barcelona to counter a major Mediterranean centre of radical Islamist activity.

Eduardo Aguirre, the-then US ambassador in Madrid, said in a cable published by Wikileaks in 2010 that heavy immigration from North Africa and Asia had made the region a magnet for terrorist recruiters but that Spanish authorities had little capability to penetrate potential terror cells there.

In October last year Catalan police stepped up security at the Sagrada Familia, the iconic unfinished cathedral designed by Antoni Gaudi, after an Isil-linked publication included it in an image of four key terror targets around the world.

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A policeman stands by a car involved in a terrorist attack in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona Credit: LLUIS GENE/AFP

The others the Colosseum in Rome, the Statue of Liberty in New York, and Big Ben in Westminster, where five people were killed and 49 injured in a vehicle attack in March.

According to the Spanish interior ministry, more than 180 jihadist terrorists" have been arrested since June 2015, when Spain raised the terror alert level to four out of a maximum of five.

Spanish police and intelligence services assigned an extra 3,000 officers to investigate potential threats across the country.

More than 150 combatants from Spain have travelled to Syria to fight with Isil and the whereabouts of many of those remains unknown.

Police believe the high concentration of Western tourists who flock to Spain and the fact it was once under Muslim rule also make it an attractive target for jihadist terror.

Barcelona attack key articles
Washington (AFP) - Two psychologists who helped design the CIA's post-9/11 interrogation program settled a lawsuit Thursday by detainees alleging they were illegally tortured.

The secret settlement in the suit, brought on behalf of two living ex-detainees and one who died of hypothermia after brutal questioning in US custody, avoided what would have been the first public trial of the Central Intelligence Agency's use of torture on suspected Al-Qaeda members.

But it also allowed the two psychologists who supplied the CIA with "coercive" interrogation techniques, James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, to maintain that they personally had nothing to do with the use of waterboarding, extreme stress positions and beatings on detainees.

"Neither Dr. Mitchell nor I knew about, condoned, participated in, or sanctioned the unauthorized actions that formed the basis for this lawsuit," Jessen said in a mutually agreed statement attached to the settlement.

"We served our country at a time when freedom and safety hung in the balance."

The American Civil Liberties Union brought the suit in 2015 against Mitchell and Jessen, who were recruited by the CIA in 2002 to design and help conduct interrogations of war-on-terror suspects captured in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

- CIA paid $80mn for their expertise -

The two were paid around $80 million for their work, which included helping interrogate Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks by Al-Qaeda, and Abu Zubaydah, another top Qaeda suspect.

The suit accused Mitchell and Jessen of responsibility for the CIA's use of torture methods on the three detainees, Tanzanian Suleiman Abdullah Salim, Libyan Mohamed Ahmed Ben Soud, and Gul Rahman of Afghanistan.

Rahman died of hypothermia in a CIA prison cell in November 2002, after what the ACLU says were two weeks of brutal torture.

The ACLU had sought to pin responsibility in part on the psychologists, as well as gain a significant financial award for the men and Rahman's family. The trial had been set to begin on September 5.

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The ACLU and lawyers for the defendants declined to give any details of the settlement, including whether any money would be paid as part of it.

In the settlement statement, the plaintiffs stood by their allegations that Mitchell and Jansen had responsibility for the extreme interrogation methods used on them.

However, they said afterward, "We brought this case seeking accountability and to help ensure that no one else has to endure torture and abuse, and we feel that we have achieved our goals."

"We were able to tell the world about horrific torture, the CIA had to release secret records, and the psychologists and high-level CIA officials were forced to answer our lawyers' questions," they said.

James Smith, the main lawyer for Mitchell and Jensen, said the treatment of the three, while regrettable, was not the fault of his clients.

"If this case had gone forward, the facts would have borne out that while the plaintiffs suffered mistreatment by some of their captors, none of that mistreatment was conducted, condoned or caused by Drs. Mitchell and Jessen," Smith said.
Students from San Benito High School in Hollister, California, are protesting their schools sexist dress code in a pretty awesome way.

When the students went back to school on Aug. 10, administrators reportedly began enforcing the schools dress code, which prohibits female students from wearing off-the-shoulder shirts. Around 50 female students were reprimanded for wearing the shirts and sent to the administrators office, according to Yahoo Style.

Someone find me her @  pic.twitter.com/AsZqzgwMhH  Mawrk (@Holfwailey) August 15, 2017

One female student who spoke to Yahoo said that she had worn this type of shirt to school in the past and it was never an issue.

The dress code policy hasnt been an issue the past two years I have been here, the student, who chose to remain anonymous, told Yahoo.

Fellow San Benito student Andrei Vladimirov told HuffPost that on Monday, two fellow senior students named Aydrian and Brody wore off-the-shoulder shirts in solidarity with their female peers. The next day, Vladimirov said he joined the protest as well, donning a purple off-the-shoulder top.

I felt bold and subversive, as I actually, physically oppressed something that I saw as wrong, Vladimirov said, adding, But this story isnt about me, it is about those who are actually affected by dress codes.

Take a look at some of the awesome protestors and their rather fashionable off-the-shoulder tops.

Shoutout to Brody and Adryan for supporting our protest pic.twitter.com/abkC5pJsQU  j (@ocean__avenue_) August 15, 2017

A photo provided to HuffPost by Andrei Vladimirov of Vladimirov walking with San Benito's principal, Adrian Ramirez. (Photo: Andrei Vladimirov)

thank you to everyone who participated today was v successful sbhs can suck it screw the dress code y'all ain't ready for tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/DnyIIk2l2U  chads (@chadya_acosta) August 14, 2017

One Twitter user even pointed out that in San Benitos yearbook photos all of the female students wear off-the-shoulder tops.

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San Benito is dress coding a lot of girls for showing too much shoulder, but yet for your guys senior pictures you guys show your damn shoulder, the Twitter user says in the below video.

Since they wanna dress code all girls for showing too much shoulder, EXPLAIN THIS pic.twitter.com/HubvYN3dtC  Michael Gutierrez (@helloitsmikey_) August 15, 2017

Vladimirov said that the school told students the dress code policy is to keep kids safe, but Vladimirov believes its just downright sexist.

What I find problematic about this [keep kids safe] response is that if someone did try to assault a woman, the responsibility should lie solely on the attacker, not the victim, he explained to HuffPost. A woman never asks to be objectified, assaulted or raped  and such thinking is what creates harmful consequences. Women deserve to be treated with respect  and to be treated with respect is to be given the freedom to express ones self, and hold agency as an individual.

The 17-year-old added that the idea of covering women up to keep them safe is damaging: The notion that women should clothe themselves because it is distracting to men undermines both the agency and volition of women  which has long been suppressed  and the maturity of men, and reinforces the idea that all men are only concerned with sex.

San Benito Principal Adrian Ramirez told Yahoo that the protest has been a really great way to sit down and listen to students.

Its been a really good process for me as principal to sit down and hear where issues arose, Ramirez said. We would never blame a female student for another student being distracted by something they wore. The other thing is as a school, we should be looking back and looking at how consistently we address the dress code across campus, and thats something else students have brought up.

Ramirez said that he will be discussing how best to change the schools dress code in the next faculty meeting. Hes also meeting with the Associated Student Body organization on campus to start a conversation regarding dress code.

I already have several students who are interested in being a part of it, Ramirez said. The goal is to make sure they are heard and can express their opinions and concerns.

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Related...

Teen Writes Searing Takedown Of Her Schools Sexist Dress Code

Why This 6th-Grade Girl Purposefully Broke Her School's Sexist Dress Code

Teen Called Out Her Schools Sexist Dress Code In Hilarious Yearbook Quote

Also on HuffPost

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Up to 3,000 civilians have been killed since the campaign started two years ago: AP

The Saudi military coalition  which receives logistical support, weapons and political backing from the US and UK  has been accused of killing hundreds of children in Yemen, according to a confidential UN report.

The report, which has yet to be made public and could still be changed, says that 51 per cent of all child deaths and injuries in Yemen last year were the result of the Saudi-led military operation. It says the deaths were unacceptably high. Saudi Arabia has insisted it is operating within international law.

Attacks carried out by air caused over half of all child casualties, with at least 349 killed and 333 injured, said the report, which was obtained by Reuters.

UK government will invite those leading the airstrikes to the London arms fair in Sept #StopDSEI #StopArmingSaudi https://t.co/Koq0xI7vob https://t.co/DdRufjeYXT  CAAT (@CAATuk) August 18, 2017

The United Nations was informed of measures taken by the coalition in 2016 to reduce the impact of conflict on children. However, despite these measures, grave violations against children continued at unacceptably high levels in 2016.

Saudi Arabia has always insisted that its operations follow international guidelines. Its UN mission said in a statement there was no justification whatsoever for including the coalitions name on the blacklist.

We trust that the United Nations will make the appropriate decision on this matter, and the positive exchange of information on the coalitions activities, the statement said. It declined to comment on the findings in the draft report for 2016.

Saudi Arabia is leading a nine-nation coalition in a bombing campaign that started in March 2015 to defeat Iran-allied Houthi rebels. The US and UK have offered logistical and political support.

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Britain has also continued to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia despite mounting worries over civilian deaths, believed to total around 3,000. Last month, a British court ruled that such sales could continue despite humanitarian concerns and rejected an appeal by the Campaign Against Arms Trade to stop them.

The role of the UK and US in supporting Riyadh has come under mounting scrutiny as concern about civilian deaths has grown.

Last year, the UK Government considered suspending arms sales after a strike in October 2016 killed 140 civilians attending a funeral. In the end, Britain, which has sold around $3.8bn of weapons to Saudi Arabia over the past two years and is its biggest supplies of arms, decided to continue with the sales.

In May, US President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia where he delivered a major speech before Muslim leaders and announced multiple agreements between American and Saudi companies, including between the Saudi oil giant Aramco.

That was a tremendous day. Tremendous investments in the United States, he said. Hundreds of billions of dollars of investments into the United States and jobs, jobs, jobs.

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said of the UN report: The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is among the worst in the world, and the bombardment is making it even worse. This couldn't have happened without the complicit support of governments like the UK, which have armed and supported Saudi forces every step of the way.

For decades now, the Saudi regime has had one of the worst human rights records in the world, and that brutality has been on full display in its destruction of Yemen.

Reports suggest it will be up to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to decide whether the report, which blamed the Saudi coalition for more than 680 child casualties and three-quarters of the attacks on schools and hospitals, is made public. It was written by the UN special envoy for children and armed conflict, Virginia Gamba.

Reuters said it will also be up to Mr Guterres whether to return the Saudi-led coalition to a child rights blacklist annexed to the report. The coalition was briefly added last year and then removed by then-UN chief Ban Ki-moon pending a review.

The Saudi-led coalition had been named on the blacklist last year after the UN report blamed it for 60 per cent of child deaths and injuries in Yemen in 2015 and half the attacks on schools and hospitals.

A spokesman for the UK Foreign Office said: We call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to avoid any civilian casualties, particularly that of children, and to permit humanitarian access.

Noel Clay, a spokesman for the US State Department, said: "We wouldnt comment on a draft report and would refer you to the UN for anything further."

The draft report said the Houthi rebels and affiliated forces were responsible for nearly a third of the total 1,340 child casualties verified by the United Nations.
Wayne Lotter was shot on Wednesday - Krissie Clark/pamsfoundation.org

Organized crime syndicates involved in the illegal ivory trade are targeting wildlife protection campaigners, conservationists have warned following the murder of a prominent anti-poaching activist in Tanzania.

Wayne Lotter, 51, was killed on Wednesday evening as he rode in a taxi from Dar as Salaam airport to a hotel.

Police said the car was stopped by another vehicle. Two men, one armed, then opened his car door and shot him. An investigation has been launched into the killing.

Lotter, a native of South Africa, had worked in conservation for nearly three decades.

He was a director and co-founder of the PAMS foundation, an NGO that aims to protect elephants and giraffes by providing anti-poaching support to communities and governments in Africa.

An elephant in the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania Credit: Jonathan Caramanus/WWF

The US-based NGO finances Tanzania's National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit (NTSCIU), which has arrested nearly 900 poachers and illegal ivory traders.

They include the 2015 arrests of Boniface Matthew Maliango and "ivory queen" Yang Feng Glan, two of the country's most notorious poaching and ivory trading kingpins.

Lotter said shortly before his death that the intelligence-led anti-poaching campaign he is credited with spearheading had succeeded in slowing population decline.

Fellow conservationists paying tribute to Lotter have warned his murder is symptomatic of the dangers of taking on the increasingly well armed and organized crime groups who dominate the multi-million pound trade in ivory, rhino horn, and other poached animal parts.

Jane Goodall, the famed British primatologist, said she was "profoundly shocked" and that she looked to Lotter as "a hero."

Chinese police officers examine ivory and rhino horn products seized from a criminal gang in 2016 Credit: Rex Features

""If this cowardly shooting was an attempt to bring the work of the PAMS Foundation to an end it will fail," she said in a tribute posted on the foundation's Facebook page.

Peter Carr, investigations director at the Endangered Species Protection Agency, an NGO, and a friend of Lotter, said: "The assassination of Wayne Lotter underlines the seriousness of the organized crime syndicates behind the illegal wildlife trade.

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"Wildlife custodians are putting their lives on the line on a daily basis in this current poaching crisis to protect elephants and rhinos. Our thoughts are with Wayne's wife and family, he will be badly missed in the conservation sector."

Africa has lost 30 percent of its elephants in less than a decade Credit: TONY KARUMBA/AFP

Poaching, habitat loss and a growing human population have had a catastrophic impact on wildlife across Africa in recent years, driving several species to the brink of extinction.

A census last year found that Africa's elephant population had plummeted by 30 percent between 2007 and 2014, leaving just 352,271 animals across 93 percent of their range.

Tanzania has been called the "epicentre" of the catastrophic decline, losing some 60 percent of all its elephants in just five years.

In 2014 the United Nations put the countries Selous game reserve on its list of world heritage sites in danger because of rampant poaching.
Hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the alt-right marched during the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville: CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES

The neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer has changed its hosting arrangements yet again after a brief spell on the dark net.

The site is now based in Russia, having been dropped by GoDaddy and Google following the Charlottesville, Virginia riot on Saturday.

Its editors have welcomed Donald Trump's comments in the wake of violence that saw one woman killed and dozens injured, while one article insulted the 32-year-old victim, Heather Heyer.

Mr Trump's equivocal response led to the publication of a piece specifically thanking the President.

The extra attention on far-right and white supremacist attitudes has increased visibility for the site, which has claimed that recent events are "the greatest thing thats ever happened to us".

Elsewhere online Apple has blocked its Apple Pay feature for some sites selling white supremacist apparel, while the company's CEO Tim Cook hit out at Mr Trump's comments.

Squarespace, a website-building company, said it would pull the plug on "a group of sites".
Freetown (AFP) - Aid workers in Sierra Leone warned of a humanitarian crisis on Friday as the official death toll passed 400, with more than a hundred children among the victims -- and a similar number orphaned.

Heavy rains that hit the capital Freetown on Monday triggered the partial collapse of a hillside that engulfed homes and caused massive destruction across the coastal capital.

By Friday, the rescue operation had evolved into a protracted search for 600 missing people, whom officials said were unlikely to be alive.

The uncollected corpses pose a serious risk to public health, Save the Children said on Friday.

"Two suspected cases of cholera have already been reported by rescue teams," Save the Children said in a statement.

"Dead bodies can still be found in water sources and outbreaks of diarrhoea, malaria and other deadly diseases remain a serious risk," it added.

The agency is distributing sanitary and hygiene products in Freetown.

For the first time Friday, the Red Cross confirmed an official death toll of more than 400.

According to Save The Children, 122 of the dead were children and it said that the disaster had also orphaned 123 children.

Earlier Friday the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, Elhadj As Sy, warned that many of the estimated 3,000 displaced were still sleeping outside "because there are not enough shelters for everybody."

Sy said the government of the west African country was facing a crisis "way beyond (its) capacity" and appealed to the international community to significantly ramp up its support.

The organisation has warned that smaller mudslides have occurred since Monday in eastern Freetown and in Sierra Leone's second city of Bo, with the rainy season far from over.

More than 300 victims were buried on Thursday in a ceremony in the nearby town of Waterloo to clear the overwhelmed central morgue. They were laid to rest alongside victims of the country's last crisis, Ebola.

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- 'Nothing can be enough' -

Many people in the communities hit by the disaster said the emergency response had been too slow.

"On that very day, we were told to go and register. Up until now, we havent gotten anything. No medication for my child, no food," Fatoumata Dumbuya said in the devastated hilltop community of Regent, where she shared a shack with six others.

AFP visited a school building in Regent where 350 people were living crammed together. Aid workers said survivors lacked basic necessities to stay warm.

"Nothing can be enough for now," said Rosemary Blake of the Living Water SL charity. "We need blankets, we need used clothing or even unused clothing. We need shoes on their feet."

Citizens and experts alike have questioned why the government has not done more to tackle illegal construction and deforestation on the outskirts of the overcrowded capital of Freetown.

In recent years, trees have been cut down from the Western peninsular forest on the city limits, with everything from shacks to mansions springing up haphazardly on the slopes.

The government has said that in the light of the catastrophe, relocation and a new settlement around the Freetown peninsula would be considered.

But similar measures have failed in the past as people seek to live close to the city centre for work.

- 'Step up to the plate' -

Meanwhile Britain, the former colonial power in Sierra Leone, announced 5 million ($6.45 million) in funding for several charities working on the ground.

Their funding targeting children's bedding and clothing and clean water and sanitation for all survivors, as well as medical supplies.

"Our new support will provide basic life-saving supplies like food, water, shelter and clothing to people who have lost everything," said Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel.

"The international community must follow our lead and step up to the plate," she added.

The Red Cross was preparing to launch an emergency funding appeal later Friday, while China has pledged $1 million, Togo $500,000.

Israel and several west African nations have contributed food and cash.

So far evacuations have been voluntary from affected areas, and Sy said this would remain the policy for the foreseeable future.

"Coming by force in the middle of hardship may not be the best way," he added.
The Unite the Right rally on Saturday morning in Charlottesville, Virginia, was the first time 27-year-old Nigel Krofta attended a white nationalist event. Hes been active in the movement online, but last weekend he stepped out from behind his keyboard and stood clutching a billy club alongside the neo-Nazis, white nationalists, Klansmen, and other so-called alt-right marchers.



That day, Krofta met James Alex Fields Jr., who allegedly drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters just a few hours later, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others. After the bloodshed, a photo of the two men, published by the New York Times , found its way to Twitter, where Krofta was identified by namealong with his hometown and the contact information for his employer. He was labeled an area Nazi by a journalist in Charleston, South Carolina, not far from Kroftas home in Ridgeville.

SEE ALSO: How you can take action against white supremacy after Charlottesville

On Monday, Krofta said he started to receive threats. He was also promptly fired from his job as a welder.



My employer was being called with threats on their business and persons and they responded by discharging me, the now-former metalworker told Mashable. My actions and beliefs are mine and I do not want anyone to be hurt or harmed for being associated with me.

I talked to the Ridgeville man, also a white supremacist, shown next to accused murderer James Fields at rally. https://t.co/YKv5zUWscY  Michael Majchrowicz (@mjmajchrowicz) August 14, 2017

For online activists seeking to identify the marchers at Saturdays rally, this seems like mission accomplished: A participant faced real-world consequences, outside the confines of the white nationalist movement, where having Nazi sympathies makes you a pariah. But, while activists hope the threat of shame (and unemployment) will deter racists from joining future marches, their actions could have unintended consequences: pushing neo-Nazis out of the shadows could just force them to double down.



Krofta is one of multiple marchers outed by online activists: In California, Cole White reportedly resigned from his job at a hotdog restaurant after his bosses caught wind of his involvement in Charlottesville over the weekend. In Nevada, 20-year-old University of Nevada at Reno student Peter Cvjetanovic got so much publicity he went on a local news program to explain that he is not the angry racist they see in that photo. The photo to which hes referring shows Cvjetanovicand his Hitler-esque hairstylecarrying a torch and screeching alongside other white nationalists the night before Saturdays deadly rally. In Fargo, North Dakota, the shame of seeing his son marching with known bigots prompted a father to pen a lengthy op-ed for a local newspaper essentially disowning his racist son . I, along with all of his siblings and his entire family, wish to loudly repudiate my sons vile, hateful and racist rhetoric and actions, he wrote.

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The outing of racists has been met with fanfare. The Twitter page @YesYoureARacist, dedicated to shining a light on bigoted behavior , had 60,000 followers on Saturday morningnow, it has 400,000. Identifying racists has been the goal of civil rights organizations for years, with the idea that it will create problems for them in their personal and professional lives. As Southern Poverty Law Center researcher Ryan Lenz says in the documentary Welcome to Leith about the attempted neo-Nazi takeover of a small North Dakota town, If you wanna be a Nazi, you can be a Nazi. But Im gonna make sure the world knows youre a Nazi.



Logan Smith, who founded the YesYoureARacist feed, put it similarly: "Ever since the days of the KKK burning crosses in people's yards, they depend on people remaining silent," Smith told NPR . "And no matter the risk, I'm not going away."

White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the "alt-right" march toward Emancipation Park in Charlottesville

Image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Yet, theres a problem. In a world where the President of the United States says there were very fine people on both sides of Saturdays rally, people might not care whether people know theyre aligned with white supremacists, according to several demonstrators at the rally who railed against Jews, faggots," and other groups. In fact, according to some, being exposed is only emboldening a movement they feel has essentially been endorsed by the president of the United States.

All we're doing is massively, massively growing, David Duke, the infamous former Ku Klux Klan leader who was at the rally in Charlottesville, told Mashable. Donald Trump mentioned Duke by name during a press conference on Tuesday where he defended the good people on the right who demonstrated in Charlottesville. Duke made headlines during last years presidential election when he endorsed Trump. It took the president nearly a week to disavow the endorsement of a notorious white supremacistwho is perhaps the most well-known white supremacist of the last 30 years and whom Trump initially claimed to know nothing about.



Ive gotten 15 million Twitter impressions [since the rally in Charlottesville] and 90 percent have been positive, Duke continued, adding that, the Antifa [anti-fascist activists] might think theyre making some gains on us [by outing white nationalists] but they're not...people see through it now. They see whats going on. They have the Internet. They saw what happened [in Charlottesville]. We weren't there for violence. We were there to make our point.



For white nationalists, Duke's mission was accomplished. Those I spoke with expressed few regrets about what happened in Charlottesville, though many claimed to not support violence. (This claim is belied by the events, which left one woman dead and dozens wounded. The governor of Virginia described the white nationalists as more heavily armed than the police.)



Outing a guy like Duke, or Richard Spencerthe de-facto leader of the alt-right movementis pointless; their names are synonymous with white supremacy and a simple Google search will reveal who they are. But for people like Nigel Krofta, who stepped into the world of white nationalism and ended up unemployed and publicly dubbed a Nazi, the consequences could be more severe.



Krofta, at least, doesnt care. In fact, he says, its only strengthened his resolve. Asked if he considered the potential consequences of demonstrating with a group of white nationalists before Saturday, Krofta said, Of course I did. However, it was a risk I was willing to take and I have no regrets.



Krofta said his experience in Charlottesvilleand the fallout from his activitieshas only encouraged him to do more. He said he plans on joining a formal white nationalist group and to continue attending rallies. For the next one, he said, he and his alt-right cronies will be better prepared.



I feel vindicated, he said. [Getting exposed] strengthened my resolve. He added, I have my own plans...I hope I do inspire more to be more active.

White nationalist demonstrators surrounded by counter demonstrators in Charlottesville.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

The gloating and positive spin on what happened in Charlottesville is not unexpected, says Oren Segal, director of the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, who tracks white nationalist groups like the alt-right and the National Socialist Movement, the countrys primary neo-Nazi organization.



Duke, Spencer and others will surely try to leverage this moment to double-down on their fantasies of creating a white civil rights movement, Segal said. He added, Generally, the people who show up to rallies have already taken the leap [into unabashed white nationalism]...there are some unintended consequences to [publicly name them] that can backfire. White supremacists generally dont miss an opportunity to portray themselves as the victims.



Thats exactly what happened. People like Duke and Spencer have spent the last few days playing the victim on social media and beyond. President Trump appears to be paying attention to the plight of the poor white nationalists, as evidenced by that insane press conference on Tuesday, in which Trump repeatedly emphasized that both sides had done wrong.



Krofta also doesnt have much faith in the identification tactics of the alt-rights opposition in terms of keeping people from upcoming rallies. While he concedes that people may be afraid to show [once they] realize that all it takes is one photo to ruin their life, hes quick to add that he doesnt fall into that camp. My life has not been ruined, he said.



Efforts to identify participants could still deter some. On Aug. 19, a group of free speech activists with tentacles in the alt-right sphere are planning a rally in Boston. After the chaos in Virginia, speakers began to pull out of the event in fear of being publicly linked to the alt-right. The group has publicly disavowed the rally in Charlottesville and insists that their organization is in no way affiliated with people like Duke or Spencer. But the rally is still a target for Antifa activists, who believe its an extension of what happened in Charlottesville.



"Yes, there is concern of doxxing and spreading of false information about people to cost them their careers," an unidentified administrator of the groups Facebook page said. In fact, one of our members lost his job due to this defamation already. The rally in Boston is scheduled to go forth as of this writing, despite rumors that it had been canceled.



For Krofta, his new-found infamy has only pushed him further into the world of white nationalism. As for his new buddy, alleged killer James Fields Jr., Krofta said he doesnt think his actions were premeditated. But he declined to condemn the alleged murder. Rather, Krofta excused it.



I think people have to understand that the protesters had every street blocked and we were surrounded, he said. They also had the parking garage blocked and surrounded. [He] was most likely looking for a way out of there.



He added, [Fields] did not have any plans to [slam his car through a crowd of people] to my knowledge...that is a very expensive car.
(Photo: foodandstyle via Getty Images)

A New York Times piece that deemed bubble tea to be mainstream as of, basically, Wednesday incited a Socratic seminar online about why readers found the piece problematic.

Some felt the Times was simply behind, pointing out the tea with the chewy tapioca pearls has already reached far-flung places such as Fairbanks f**king Alaska. But other readers  many Asian-American  also pointed to the less innocuous media sin of Columbus-ing, or conveying a sense of new discovery about cultural practices that arent new at all. Bubble tea was created in Taiwan 30 years ago, popularized throughout Asia and has been consumed in the U.S. for more than a decade.

The Times changed the storys headline two times following the original The Blobs In Your Tea? Theyre Supposed to Be There, and then the paper issued a statement of genuine regret. It was a process that unfolded publicly and prompted readers to point out that perhaps its a wakeup call for the entire media industry  and that a diverse newsroom can help avoid such pitfalls.

a new york times story in 4 acts pic.twitter.com/cbffD3E59Z  Wilfred Chan (@wilfredchan) August 18, 2017

This is why you need diverse newsrooms. If writing about boba is that hard, then what about systemic racism? https://t.co/5z8oJDabRW  Catherine Shu (@CatherineShu) August 17, 2017

This NYT boba piece, besides being comically late & breathtakingly stupid, is exactly why we need diverse newsrooms https://t.co/Gb5pbG0LsH  Frank Shyong (@frankshyong) August 17, 2017

Out here changing the headline three damn times when you could have just hired Asian food writershttps://t.co/8QcepOJVTj  Anne Bran  (@AnneBranigin) August 17, 2017

Nationwide, about 12.8 percent of newsroom employees are racial minorities, according to a 2015 report from the American Society of News Editors. Its a number that hasnt seen much growth compared to 11.9 percent in the year 2000.

The Times ultimately issued a statement siding with its readers and acknowledging it could have taken a different approach. The statement quoted a comment that pointed out the newspapers choice of words such as exotic, Far East and blob can make Asian-Americans feel like an other.

The reader complaints have merit. In retrospect, we wish we had approached the topic differently (if at all). There may be a story in the expansion of bubble tea businesses in the United States, but there is no denying the drink has been around for quite a while. ... This is how one reader, Bo Hee Kim, very thoughtfully put it: The language used in this article, from exotic to Far East and the unappealing nature of the word blob to describe a drink well-known to many Asians and Asian-Americans unintentionally alienates this population from reading this article. It highlights otherness rather than uniqueness, defines familiarity through a nondiverse lens, and for me evokes the unpleasant feelings of being the kid in a nondiverse neighborhood bringing weird lunches to school.

To be sure, boba-gate is a lighthearted case emblematic of much more egregious instances across the media, and the NYT is far from the only culprit.

The Commercial Appeal, a local USA Today property in Memphis, for example, splashed the headline Gunman Targeted Whites following police shootings in Dallas last summer. The paper issued an apology, stating: That front page minimized the broader refrain of whats happening in our country with anguish over the deaths of young black men at the hands of police...Too few people looked at the front page before it rolled off our presses. Weve taken steps to correct that. But the larger challenge is recruiting a diverse enough staff to better reflect the city we cover.

According to a new study, major newsrooms nationwide have failed to fulfill an almost 50-year-old pledge to increase the employment of people of color in top positions. Student reporters in the Asian American Journalists Associations Voices program released findings that ASNE pledged in 1978 to help newsrooms achieve parity with the percentage of staff of color and the nations diversity numbers.

After missing the target in 2000, ASNE set a new deadline for diversity for the year 2025.

Cheers to new goals.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Support for Donald Trump among Republicans seems to have dipped: MARK WILSON/GETTY IMAGES

Donald Trumps approval rating has hit a new low and most Americans have an unfavourable view of him, according to a new poll.

Around 55 per cent of those surveyed said they disapproved of the manner in which Mr Trump is leading the country with just 35 expressing positivity about his performance, the poll by analysts Marist found.

The clear majority of Americans - 60 per cent - had an unfavourable impression of Mr Trump generally, while just 34 per cent viewed him favourably. It marks the highest negative poll rating Mr Trump has received by Marist during his tenure as president so far.

Meanwhile around 79 per cent of people who identified as strong Republicans said they had a positive view of the presidents performance, down from 91 per cent in June.

More than six in ten Americans, including a notable proportion of Republicans, thought Mr Trump had fallen short on the global stage.

Dr Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute, said the poll indicated Mr Trump needed to acknowledge a cautionary tale about the dip in his support.

Since his numbers among Democrats and independents are weak, a crack among his most ardent Republican supporters is something Trump can ill afford, he said. They are sending a clear message to the president about his role internationally.

A separate poll, published by Gallup this week, found that Mr Trumps approval rating had sunk to 34 per cent in recent weeks, with 61 per cent of adults expressing disapproval.

In June, Mr Trump claimed his approval rating was higher than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama  despite the fact that the data to which he was referring, a poll by Rasmussen, suggested the opposite was true.

At the start of August, a survey by Quinnipiac University revealed that Mr Trumps popularity had plummeted following controversy over the Russian investigation and the failure of his bid to overturn the Obamacare health programme.

Republican support for Mr Trump is thought to have dipped in recent days following his highly controversial comments on the violence in Charlottesville, in which he said there was blame on both sides and refused to condemn white supremacists.
Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Las Vegas: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images

Donald Trump is just six Senate votes from impeachment, according to an analyst at a prominent independent think-tank.

Support for the President among Republican Senators has waned to the extent that Mr Trump is likely to only hang onto his seat by six votes, according to Elaine Kamarck of the Washington-based research group The Brookings Institution.

Ms Kamarck, who is director of the Centre for Effective Public Management, said 12 Republican Senators had "no fear of the President" and had indicated they could vote against him in a vote.

Among the Senators likely to rebel was John McCain, who delivered the killer blow to Mr Trump's replacement for Obamacare, Ms Kamarck said in an article on the think-tank's website.

The US constitution allows Congress to remove a president before they have completed their term if enough members vote to say they committed "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours".

Related:

An article of impeachment must get a majority vote in the House of Representatives before reaching the Senate. Once there, at least two-thirds of senators must find the President guilty for him to be removed.

Ms Kamarck said that 12 rebellious Republican Senators combined with 48 Democrats "who have shown no inclination to work with this President" meant Mr Trump was six votes away from a Senate conviction.

Three presidents have been subjected to impeachment proceedings in the past. Andrew Johnson in 1898 and Bill Clinton in 1998 and 1999 were impeached but acquitted, while Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 to avoid impeachment.
Hopeful Botched patient Tiffany Taylor is a huge fan of Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump. In fact, she loves them so much, she has had 13 plastic surgery procedures to look like Ivankas twin sister, Tiffany Trump.

Perhaps Taylor was unaware that Ivanka already has a sister named Tiffany Trump. Regardless, the Houston woman is determined to make her face great again through plastic surgery.

Taylor said she decided she wanted to look like Ivanka shortly after ending a 10-year relationship. She said that in less than a year, she has had 13 procedures, and was fully anesthetized for three of them.

The work she had done to look more Ivanka-like was grafting of her cheeks, liposuction on her jaw, stomach, butt and arms, breast implants, eyelid lifts  top and bottom  and, of course, a nose job.

Taylor was hoping the doctors could give her a more Trump-like nose. But the surgeons were concerned that Taylor had not given her previous procedures time to heal. Dr Terry Dubrow said, If you have more plastic surgery, the chances that you run into a significant complication are yuuuuge.'

Taylor was disappointed, and said, Im just looking to be greater, of course. Isnt everybody?

Botched airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on E!

Check out this patients amazing transformation:

Read more from Yahoo TV:

Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy will relieve the two senior officers and the senior enlisted sailor on a U.S. warship that collided with a Philippine container ship in June off the coast of Japan, the Navy said on Thursday, A separate official report released on Thursday contained dramatic accounts of what happened when the freighter hit the USS Fitzgerald, killing seven Navy sailors. Admiral Bill Moran, deputy chief of naval operations, told reporters that the USS Fitzgerald's commander, executive officer and master chief petty officer would be removed. "We've lost trust and confidence in their ability to lead," he said. Moran said about another nine sailors would face administrative punishments, and he left open the possibility of further action. While an investigation into the cause of the crash was still under way, Moran said there was enough evidence to take initial action. "Serious mistakes were made by members of the crew, and there was no benefit to waiting on taking accountability actions," Moran told reporters. Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are still under way into how the Fitzgerald, a guided missile destroyer, and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17. Under the maritime rules of the road, the commercial vessel had the right-of-way, and the Fitzgerald, which was hit on the starboard, or right, side was likely at fault. One pertinent question, said two naval officers who spoke on condition of anonymity, is what was happening at the time in the Fitzgerald's Combat Information Center, or CIC, where crew members monitor radar that should have detected the approach of a 30,000-ton cargo vessel. The Navy also released a report with new details of the crash and its aftermath. The collision tore a gash below the Fitzgerald's waterline. The death of the seven sailors was the greatest loss of life on a U.S. warship since 2000, when Islamic extremists bombed the USS Cole in Yemen's Aden harbor. The report said the collision at 1:30 a.m. local time sent water pouring into the U.S. warship. "Water on deck," sailors in a berthing started yelling. "Get out," they shouted as mattresses, furniture and even an exercise bicycle began to float. Within 60 seconds, the berthing was completely flooded. More than two dozen of the 35 sailors in it escaped. The last sailor to be rescued was in the bathroom at the time of the collision. "Lockers were floating past him, ... at one point he was pinned between the lockers and the ceiling of Berthing 2, but was able to reach for a pipe in the ceiling to pull himself free," the report said. Two sailors stayed at the foot of the ladder in the compartment to help others escape. "The choices made by these two sailors likely saved the lives of at least two of their shipmates," the report said. The commanding officer, Bryce Benson, who is one of the officers who will be relieved of his post, was trapped in his cabin, and five sailors used a sledgehammer to break through the door. "Even after the door was open, there was a large amount of debris and furniture against the door, preventing anyone from entering or exiting easily," the report said. The sailors tied themselves together with a belt and rescued Benson, who was hanging from the side of the ship. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, John Walcott and Leslie Adler)
A total solar eclipse in Indonesia last year. The US will experience the phenomenon on Monday: AP

A man who permanently damaged his eyesight by looking at a partial solar eclipse 55 years ago has warned people not to look directly at the sun during the total eclipse on Monday.

Lou Tomosoki, 70, still has a blind spot in the centre of the vision of his right eye as a result of looking at the sun for just a few seconds as the moon crossed its surface in the early 1960s.

Speaking to NBC's Today programme, he said: Millions of people out there are going to be looking out at it [Mondays eclipse].

How many of them are going to say, Something happened to my eyes? That makes me sick.

I am just so concerned that somebody isnt going to listen [to the warnings]. I am going to be out in the eclipse, but I am not going to look at the sun at any circumstances, even in the totality.

In 1962, he and a friend were walking home from high school in Bend, Oregon, when the partial eclipse began.

We both got burned at the same time. He got the left eye and I got the right eye, Mr Tomosoki said.

We were just doing it for a short time. I have a little blind spot in the centre of my right eye.

Nothing has changed. It doesnt get any worse or better.

His teachers had told the students to watch the eclipse by using a pinhole projector, which creates a reflection that is safe to view.

Professor Russell Van Gelder, an ophthalmologist at Washington University, told Today: Anyone who stares at the sun can get this blind spot. When you know that you have a problem is if that blind spot has not gone away [the next day].

It is never safe to look directly at the sun. The only way to treat solar retinopathy right now is to prevent it and not stare at the sun during the eclipse.

He said it was possible to watch the phenomenon using specialised eclipse spectacles but recommended people should use American Astronomical Associations website to find certified ones.

Taking photographs with an ordinary camera or smartphone could also be a mistake.

You can burn out your camera in the cell phone just like your retina, Professor Van Gelder said.
By Bulent Usta ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats were enemies of Turkey and called on Turks in Germany to vote against major parties in next month's elections. The comments, some of Erdogan's harshest yet against Merkel, drew a furious response from Merkel, her government and some Turkish organisations in Germany, illustrating the widening divide between the NATO allies and major trade partners. "I am calling on all my countrymen in Germany: the Christian Democrats, SDP, the Green Party are all enemies of Turkey. Support those political parties who are not enemies of Turkey," Erdogan said after Friday prayers in Istanbul, urging ethnic Turks in Germany to "teach a lesson" to those parties. Ties between Ankara and Berlin have been strained in the aftermath of last year's failed coup as Turkish authorities have sacked or suspended 150,000 people and detained more than 50,000 people, including German nationals. "We will not tolerate any kind of interference," said Merkel in response at a campaign event in the western city of Herford, while her foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel described the remarks as "unprecedented" interference with Germany's sovereignty. Germany has voiced concern that Erdogan is using the coup as a pretext to quash dissent. Erdogan, an authoritarian leader whose roots are in political Islam, has accused Germany of anti-Turkish and anti-Muslim sentiment. Gabriel urged ethnic Turks to use their vote regardless. "Let's show those who want to set us against each other that we are not playing their game," he added. Community leader Atila Karaborklu accused Erdogan of wanting to divide Germany's Turkish communikty. Germans go to the polls on Sept. 24 for elections where Merkel is running for a fourth term. Her conservatives enjoy a comfortable lead over the Social Democrats (SPD), their current coalition partner and major rival. Western governments, particularly Germany, have expressed apprehension at Erdogan's tightening grip on power. In April, Turks narrowly backed a referendum to change the constitution and grant Erdogan sweeping executive powers. In the run-up to the referendum, German authorities prevented Turkish politicians from speaking to rallies of Turkish citizens in Germany, infuriating Ankara. Turkey also blocked Berlin lawmakers from visiting their troops stationed in southern Turkey. The troops were later relocated to Jordan. Merkel has also said there would be no expansion of a customs union or deepening in EU-Turkish ties, comments which infuriated Turkey. (Additional reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu, Ece Toksabay, Thomas Escritt and Andreas Rinke; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Dominic Evans and Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday urged ethnic Turks in Germany to reject its main parties in upcoming elections, prompting a sharp warning from Berlin to stop the "unprecedented" meddling.

Erdogan called on ethnic Turks to ignore Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and their partners in the grand ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

They should also reject the Greens, he said, branding all three parties "enemies of Turkey".

The president's attack -- one of his strongest-ever tirades against any EU state -- escalated an already intensifying diplomatic crisis between two NATO allies with longstanding historical links.

Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel of the SPD was quick to react, condemning Erdogan's comments as an "unprecedented act of interference".

Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Twitter: "We expect foreign governments to not interfere in our internal affairs."

Erdogan issued his call in televised comments to reporters in Istanbul after Friday prayers.

"I tell all my kinsmen in Germany... not to vote for them. Neither the Christian Democrats nor the SPD nor the Greens. They are all enemies of Turkey," he said.

He accused the SPD and CDU of playing a game of "the more you beat up Turkey, the more votes you get" during the election campaign.

"You need to support political parties there now which do not display enmity to Turkey," he said.

- 'Teach a lesson' -

Erdogan did not make it clear which German political party he would like people to support in the polls for the Bundestag on September 24.

But he said he expected voters of Turkish origin to "teach a lesson to the parties which are disrespectful to Turkey" when they cast their votes in a "struggle for honour".

Tensions have spiralled between Germany and Turkey in recent months.

Berlin has lambasted Ankara over the magnitude of the crackdown that followed last year's failed coup, which has seen several German citizens arrested, including journalists.

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Ankara meanwhile has accused Berlin of failing to extradite suspected Kurdish militants and coup plotters who have taken refuge there.

Turkish German journalist Deniz Yucel, the Istanbul correspondent of the Die Welt daily, has been held in jail in Turkey since February ahead of trial on terror charges.

German journalist Mesale Tolu has been held on similar charges since May, while activist Peter Steudtner was arrested in a July raid.

According to German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer, there are 10 Germans, including dual nationals, in custody in Turkey.

Gabriel's SPD -- whose candidate for the chancellorship is ex-EU parliament speaker Martin Schulz -- and Merkel's CDU are rivals in the election. But they have been in broad agreement on the policy regarding Turkey within the coalition.

The opposition Greens meanwhile have pushed for an even tougher line against Ankara.

The Greens' co-leader Cem Ozdemir, who is himself of Turkish origin, said Erdogan's comments showed that people who support democracy and oppose repression and corruption in Turkey are "quite simply considered to be traitors and enemies".

- 'Lost all proportion' -

Erdogan said it was not Turkey's responsibility to reduce the tension as Germany was to blame, even accusing Berlin of being out of step with EU membership requirements.

But Gabriel denounced his comments as "an unprecedented act of interference in the sovereignty of our country". Erdogan was seeking to incite people in Germany against each other, he said.

The SPD's Schulz meanwhile, said Erdogan had "lost all sense of proportion" in a tweet.

"And all the more we stand on the side of all those who are struggling for a free and democratic Turkey," he added.

There are an estimated three million people of Turkish origin in Germany. Many of them came, or are the descendants of those who came, to West Germany as Gastarbeiter (guest workers) from the 1960s, to make up for a postwar labour shortage.

Analysts say that some 1.2 million people of Turkish origin will have the right to vote in the September polls as German citizens.

In the past, Turkish-origin Germans have inclined to the left, with most voting for the SPD.

But Erdogan is also popular with Turks living in Germany, and 59 percent of the votes cast by Turkish citizens resident in Germany went to his ruling party in November 2015 parliamentary polls.
Joshua Wong is a free man, and a very young one, when he arrives Wednesday afternoon in front of a plaza in Hong Kong that he calls Citizens Square. But he may not be free for much longer. On Thursday, the 20-year-old faces a prison sentence for kicking off massive pro-democracy protests here three years ago. I am not really ready for it, he told TIME in an exclusive interview.

On Sept. 26, 2014, Wong and a small crowd of fellow student activists stormed the forecourt of Hong Kongs government headquarters to oppose what they viewed as political and social encroachment by China. Originally an open plaza, the forecourt was fenced off in 2014 to prevent protesters, from democracy activists to land rights campaigners, from assembling there.

That night, Wong and others were pepper-sprayed amid scuffles with police, and at least a dozen students were arrested. Two days later, partly in response to clashes at the forecourt  which protesters began calling Civic Square or Citizens Square  tens of thousands of mostly young people flooded the Central and Admiralty neighborhoods, Hong Kongs seats of power. There, they vastly swelled already-planned protests against Chinese interference in Hong Kong elections, and stayed on the streets for 79 days of mostly peaceful occupation. Wongs remarkable role in the protests is the subject of the Netflix documentary Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower.

Joshua Wong, then 17 and leader of the pro-democracy group Scholarism, sits on steps alongside metal security barriers outside the Central Government Offices in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong, China, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014.

Of all the events that made the movement that was later dubbed the Umbrella Revolution, it was this first act that may haunt Wong. On Aug. 19, 2015, he and two of his peers, with whom he founded the political party Demosist?, were charged with unlawful assembly and inciting unrest for their role in storming the government forecourt. They were convicted on July 20, 2016 and sentenced to 80 hours of community service. On Thursday, Wong, along with Nathan Law, 23, and Alex Chow, 26, face a judicial panel that has been asked by prosecutors to imprison them on the grounds that their sentence was too lenient and sent the wrong message to other activists.

In September last year, Law became, at 23, the youngest lawmaker ever elected to Hong Kongs legislature, but he was ousted by pro-Beijing colleagues over claims that he disrespected China during his oath-taking ceremony. If he is imprisoned for more than three months, he will be legally disqualified from running for political office for five years  as will Wong and Chow. That the courts have even agreed to reassess the trios sentences after they have already been dealt and served has sounded alarm bells that China, of which Hong Kong is a semi-autonomous territory, may be putting pressure on what has long been cherished as an independent judiciary.

On Wednesday, an anxious but resolute Wong met with TIME outside the very same plaza he stormed three years ago. With less than 24 hours before the judges decision, he spoke candidly about his belief that he has become a target of political prosecution, his goal of a democratic and self-ruling Hong Kong, and his hopes that his hometown will stand its ground to remain what he calls the freest territory of China.

His interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The court is about to revisit its punishment for your role in the events of Sept. 26, 2014, when you and other student activists stormed the forecourt at government headquarters. Could you also revisit those events for us?

Three years ago, we organized an action to reclaim Citizens Square and to ask for free elections and democracy in Hong Kong. We were against the interference of the Communist Party of China. Today were facing a verdict that comes from the Chinese government. They will probably send me to prison for more than half a year. What I want the international community to realize is that Hong Kong is already under authoritarian rule. This is a long-term battle, and we ask for long-term support. Hong Kong is now under threat.

Looking back on that action, is there anything you would have done differently if you could do it over?

I have no regrets at all. We were against patriotic education [an attempt by local authorities to impose a pro-Beijing curriculum on local schools], which is why we took the square. Three years ago, the government set up a barrier to block our freedom of assembly. So we organized an action to reclaim the square to remind people that its time to take back their rights. This was the first place I was arrested, and its the reason I will be sent to prison, but I do not regret it at all and I will still keep fighting for democracy.

Given that youve already served a sentence for this case, and given that revising the sentence would legally derail your stated aim of running for political office, do you view the appeal on your sentencing as a political act?

Last summer I was sentenced to 80 hours of community service  tomorrow [Thursday] I will face nearly a year-long sentence with immediate imprisonment. It just proves that the Hong Kong courts just obey China. This is meant to be a threat.

If imprisoned, many will view you and your colleagues as Hong Kongs first political prisoners. What does this say about the independence of Hong Kongs judiciary, which you have referred to as one of the core values of the territory?

Judicial independence is under threat because of the Department of Justices loyalty to China. I hope people will realize that. One decade ago, people described Hong Kong as a place without democracy but with rule of law. Now Hong Kong has already transformed into an authoritarian regime.

We wont be the first political prisoners in Hong Kong [on Tuesday, the courts sentenced 13 activists to jail terms of 8 and 13 months for storming the legislature on a protest over rural development projects]. Were just the first from the Umbrella Movement. The government reviewed this case against us because they hope to send us to prison and block our chances of running in elections. I believe the Department of Justice is reviewing my sentence because they hope I dont run in an election.

Do you view Hong Kong as a barometer of freedom elsewhere in Asia, and do you view the way youre being treated as an omen for democratic norms and rule of law in the broader region?

Hong Kong is the city with the highest degree of freedom of all the Chinese territories. In the Asia Pacific, I think Hong Kong should be in the spotlight to make people realize that [China] is still violating human rights. I hope the experience of Hong Kong will urge global solidarity and make people care about Hong Kong. Now its a place where youngsters  like her or him or me [gestures at passersby]  are sent to prison.

What impact do you think your experience with the courts will have on the many young people in Hong Kong and elsewhere that have become more politically active in recent years?

In the past few years there has been an uprising, a new political awareness among my generation. However, political prosecutions and sentences are increasing. We are in a time of darkness for my hometown. But in a dark era like this, with the repression of the Beijing regime, youngsters must fight on the front line to ask for democracy. I just want to say that if Nathan, Alex and I are in prison, and we cannot stand on the front line, theres no reason for anyone else to take a step backwards.

Its safe to say that most observers predict that you are going to prison. Youre only 20 years old. Are you afraid?

I am not really ready for it. And when, after I have been sent to prison, I can only meet my parents twice per month for half an hour. I will miss them, and I will miss my home. No one wants to be sent to prison, including me. Im tired, and Im scared, but I will still keep on fighting.
Nicholas J. Fuentes, a Boston University student, felt compelled to join the rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, protesting the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee this past weekend. Fuentes also feels compelled to leave school this September.

Fuentes is leaving Boston University in part because of death threats, and in part, because he doesnt feel his ideology is welcome on campus.

Physically I didnt feel safe on campus, said Fuentes, 18, to International Business Times in a phone interview Thursday.

Fuentes said he received between 10 and 20 death threats over the past few months, many from fellow students. One threat as seen by IBT read, We are going to kill you instead of reasoning with you.

The threats on campus started after Fuentes tweeted, Multiculturalism is a cancer, as a freshman last year. Fuentes, paradoxically, is of Mexican heritage. His tweets are now all deleted.

Multiculturalism means that you dont have a dominant culture in a country. Its really sort of this paradox where... the left believes people should be coming here and should be assimilating, but at the same time they want multiculturalism, said Fuentes.

Fuentes said that multiculturalism and the lack of a Northern European, Anglo-Saxon, American monoculture will bring the U.S. down

Fuentes, who is from a suburb of Chicago, entered into a campus debate last November before the election to argue for Trump. He said the threats continued after the debate. Fuentes, a huge Trump supporter, also has a YouTube talk show named after the presidents main policy goal, America First.

Fuentes is against the current U.S. immigration policies, and thats why he was in Charlottesville.

I wanted to go there to demonstrate against mass immigration. Its an issue that nobody talks about. It doesnt get any media attention, said Fuentes. I think the purpose of this rally was two-fold, I mean the slogan of the rally was, You will not replace us, and that refers to the demographic displacement of white people in European and Western countries and also to the cultural genocide of white and European people.

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He argued his family immigrated to the U.S. before the 20th century, making comparisons to his family and current immigration apples and oranges. The problem he has with immigration today is a number of people entering the country. When his family came to the U.S., it was under a stricter immigration policy that allowed immigrants to assimilate more to the U.S., he argued. People in circumstances like his familys should be grandfathered in.

The people that come from Mexico now dont integrate. They dont learn the language. They dont adopt our values. Theres corruption  like the president said, they bring drugs, they bring crime, said Fuentes.

Fuentes said he is not for a white ethno-state, but that he is a preservationist. He wants the U.S. to return to pre-1965 levels of immigration. The Hart-Celler Act of 1965 abolished immigration quotas in the U.S. and opened immigration to more people. Fuentes thinks the country should return to the early 20th century when it was over 80 percent white.

The Charlottesville rally, dubbed "Unite the Right," Friday and Saturday contained a large contingent of neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan and white supremacists. It ended in violence when Heather Heyer, 32, was struck and killed by a car that plowed into a group of counterprotesters. The car was driven by a man with alleged ties to white supremacy.

Despite large chants like, Jews will not replace us, Fuentes said the number of extremists at the rally has been over hyped. Fuentes claimed there were at most 10, and that some of the people could be federal agents or people chanting ironically. Fuentes condemns neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups, but can see how these groups exist.

You know, you push white people, on the left, for 20-30 years and I dont think anybody should be surprised that you get some pretty ugly strains of white identity, said Fuentes. How long have white people been discriminated against with affirmative action weve been spoken down to by the media by the president for years and years.

Fuentes was studying Political Science at Boston University. But after Saturday's rally, he is taking a semester off and will head to Alabamas Auburn University in the spring.

Other universities have seen conservative and alt-right thinkers and speakers meet condemnation and even violence. Alt-right speaker Milo Yiannopoulos was prevented from speaking at the University of California, Berkeley, in January when violence marred the campus. Anne Coulter, a right-wing commentator, was also forced to skip speaking at the University. Protests at Middlebury College in March disrupted author Charles Murray from speaking.

As summer turns to fall, divisions wrought over the summer and election may come again to roost in dorm rooms and quads.

Boston University and Auburn University did not return requests for comment.

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Finnish authorities stepped up security around the country after a stabbing rampage left two people dead and half a dozen wounded in a western city.

One suspect was arrested after being shot by armed police and officers launched a search for other possible perpetrators following the attack in the city-centre of Turku on Friday.

Press conference from Turku at Finnish Yle TV1 just started. Confirmed: 8 stabbed 2 dead. Perpetrator in custody. My heart breaks. #Turku  Elina Nikulainen (@ElinaNikulainen) August 18, 2017

But investigators said it was too early to attribute the attack to international terrorism or to link it to the attacks in Spain the previous day.

I emphasise that the identity and motive of the perpetrator are not yet known, Paula Rissiko, the interior minister, told reporters on Friday evening.

A video grab taken from Instagram shows officials standing in a street next to a person lying on the ground in the Finnish city of Turku Credit: KIRSI KANERVA/AFP

About half a dozen people were seen lying on the ground in the centre of Turku, a city of 180,000 in the southwest of the country, as the attack unfolded at 4 PM local time.

The police is searching for possible more perpetrators in Turku. People are asked to leave and avoid the center of Turku.  L-S poliisi (@L_S_poliisi) August 18, 2017

Witnesses reported seeing seeing a woman with stroller being attacked by a man with a large knife.

Video footage filmed shortly after the attack showed people running in a panic down one of the city's main streets.

"Nothing is known about the motives ... or what precisely has happened in Turku," Seppo Kolehmainen, Finlands top police chief, told the countrys YLE broadcaster.

The suspect in custody, who was detained after police shot him, has not been named. Police announced Turku was safe again on Friday evening, suggesting their manhunt for other attackers had been called off.

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Armed police had reinforced security at Helsinki airport and train stations following the attack, which comes amid a heightened tensions following yesterday's terrorist attack in Barcelona.

Armed policemen on duty at Helsinki airport after a stabbing attack in the city of Turku Credit: LEHTIKUVA/Reuters

In 2012, Finland's then-prime minister Jyrki Katainen escaped a knife attack in Turku while campaigning for municipal elections.

Finland's Security Intelligence Service (Supo) earlier said it had no indication that individuals in Finland were linked to the Barcelona attacks and that the country's threat assessment would remain unchanged, at an "elevated" level.
Police walk near an overturned car Police officers walk near an overturned car onto a platform at the spot where terrorists were intercepted by police in Cambrils, Spain, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. The police force for Spains Catalonia region says the five suspects shot and killed in the resort town of Cambrils were carrying bomb belts, which have been detonated by the forces bomb squad. (Photo: Emilio Morenatti/AP)

Spanish police shot dead five would-be attackers after confronting them early on Friday in a town south of Barcelona where hours earlier a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds, killing 13 people and wounding scores of others.

Islamic State said the perpetrators had been responding to its call for action by carrying out Thursdays rampage along Barcelonas most famous avenue, which was thronged with tourists enjoying an afternoon stroll at the peak of the summer season.

Bodies, many motionless, were left strewn across the avenue and authorities said the toll of dead, which included several children, could rise, with more than 100 injured.

Hours later in the early hours of Friday, as security forces hunted for the vans driver, police said they killed five suspects in Cambrils, 120 km (75 miles) south along the coast from Barcelona, to thwart a separate attack.

The five men attempted to drive into tourists on the Cambrils seafront, police said. Their car overturned and some of them began stabbing people. Four were shot dead at the scene and the fifth was killed a few hundred meters away, police said.

Police said they had arrested a Moroccan and a man from Spains north African enclave of Melilla, though neither was the driver of the van. He was seen escaping on foot and was still at large. A third man was arrested in the town of Ripoll on Friday.

Police said later they had made a fourth arrest in connection with the attacks but gave no details.

A Spanish woman was killed in the Cambrils incident while several other civilians and a police officer were injured. Police destroyed explosive belts the men had been wearing, though they turned out to be fake.

Of the 130 people injured in both attacks, 17 were in a critical condition and 30 were serious, an emergency services spokesman said. (Reuters)

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A reformed neo-Nazi says President Trump is partly to blame for legitimizing the white nationalism that exploded in Virginia last weekend.

Chuck Leek, 49, of San Diego, was involved in a number of racist skinhead groups, including the White Aryan Resistance and the Hammerskins, from roughly 1987 until 2001, and spent time in prison for assault with a deadly weapon.

In the aftermath of the violence in Charlottesville, Va., Yahoo News spoke to Leek about his history with white supremacy, the rise of the alt-right and what he thinks caused it.

The message [Trump] was putting out during the election cycle absolutely parroted in a lot ways the message that we were putting out when we were Nazi skinheads trying to recruit people to that cause, he said.

Leeks old talking points included blaming immigrants for the problems of native-born Americans, pushing for the construction of a border wall and singling out Muslims.

It was a thinly veiled appeal to that white nationalist sentiment. Its something that I felt until recently was on the decline, Leek said.

Chuck Leek with other prisoners after his arrest for assault with a deadly weapon. (Photo: Chuck Leek)

With the election of Barack Obama as the nations first African-American president in 2008, there was a lot of doom and gloom chatter among far-right groups. But that mostly died down when their prophecies of doom and gloom and the end of the world didnt come true, according to Leek.

It seemed to me that until the last 12 to 18 months that the movement had basically died, he continued. At the most basic level, I think theyre being encouraged by what theyre seeing at the highest level of our government right now  the president. He isnt discouraging that type of behavior.

Trump is quick to condemn anyone who insults him, but critics say hes been dragging his feet when it comes to denouncing white supremacists committing violent acts in his name.

Its been validated a lot through this whole campaign, but especially since the inauguration: our presidents inability to really come right out and say that its wrong, Leek said.

Story continues

He first got into white supremacy through punk rock. In the mid to late 80s, Nazi punk was blowing up in the U.S. hardcore punk scene. It contrasts strongly with most punk subculture, which is anti-authoritarian, values individualism over conformity and often promotes liberal politics. Racist skinheads with ties to biker gangs introduced Leek to white power symbolism, which ultimately led to his involvement with the White Aryan Resistance.

Tom Metzger, the founder of the White Aryan Resistance, hosts other white supremacists at his home on Christmas. (Photo: Chuck Leek)

Tom Metzger, a former grand dragon of the KKK, founded the White Aryan Resistance in the mid-1980s, and it quickly became one of the leading white supremacist groups of that period. Leek once went to Metzgers house to hear him speak and sing Christmas carols.

Afterward, he joined the Hammerskin Nation, which is one of the best-organized neo-Nazi skinhead groups in the country. The Hammerskins promote racist hardcore music, and Leek sang in one of these bands, Battle Axe, in the 90s. He said some of his lyrics sounded like things that Trump would say in speeches. He recalled some lines about immigrants flooding our nation, for instance.

After his first marriage with another skinhead fell apart, he started seeing another woman from another country who had no connections to the skinhead scene. About a year into dating she met some of his biker skinhead friends. At that point, she told him that she was half Jewish and gave him an ultimatum: Its me or them.

I was stunned. But then I thought about it for a minute while we were sitting there and realized that I didnt really care about that as much as I cared about her, he said. I picked her and basically cut ties with those people, but my thought process hadnt really changed.

They got married five years later, and stayed together for another eight. During that time, Leek started to read the Bible and worked on improving himself. During his white supremacist years, he believed in the anti-Semitic theology of Christian Identity, which had a tremendous influence on the racist right in the 1980s, but now he believes in the mainstream Christian values of love and compassion.

Chuck Leek performs with Battle Axe, which he calls a white power-skinhead band, in a driveway. (Photo: Chuck Leek)

I started questioning all of that through reading what the Bible actually says instead of the little bits and pieces they take to distort it. After being with her for eight or nine years, I really started to change my thought process, Leek said.

They eventually divorced. It was traumatic and painful. Leek sought counseling and tried to understand the rage and hate that he carried inside. During his transition, Leek recalls, he had an epiphany while sitting in traffic, feeling frustrated in southern California.

Were all just people trying to get through our lives the best we can, he said. Nobody is better than anybody, really, in the grand sense of things.

Leek reached out to former white supremacist Frank Meeink on Facebook after reading his book, Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead. Meeink introduced him to a group called Life After Hate that fights racism and works to de-radicalize people in the violent far-right extremist movement. Through Life After Hate, he connected with other former racists who helped him see how he could embrace a new life and work to reverse the harm he did in the past.

Before leaving the White House in January, Obama awarded Life After Hate a $400,000 grant as part of the Countering Violent Extremism Task Force. But the Trump administration rescinded the grant in June.

Chuck Leek with a skinhead ex-girlfriend. (Photo: Chuck Leek)

Unlike most Americans, Leek has personal insight into why disaffected young men would embrace white nationalism. Just like everyone else, he saw the pictures of young white men marching on the University of Virginias campus last Friday holding tiki torches, protesting the planned removal of a Robert E. Lee statue.

In Leeks experience, these men have often gone through some kind of trauma and latch onto hateful movements to show the rest of the world that they have some kind of belonging and power.

These are frustrated young men, and theyre not being provided proper guidance to deal with their frustration, Leek said. I think that when the administration is pointing its fingers at people outside the country and saying, Your problems are their fault and targeting those people, it provides people [with] an example of how to act toward them. Rather than having it be stigmatized, they embrace it and run with it.

Chuck Leek sings with Hammerskin band Battle Axe at Aryan Fest in the mid-1990s. (Photo: Chuck Leek)

Chuck Leeks old weapon arsenal included an AR-15 rifle, a Mossberg pistol-grip shotgun and a bow. (Photo: Chuck Leek)

Chuck Leek today:

Chuck Leek, no longer a skinhead, poses with motorcycles at San Diego Harley-Davidson. (Photo: Chuck Leek)

Read more from Yahoo News:
Whether dealing with an abhorrent event precipitated by neo-Nazis in Charlottesville or just an everyday spouting-off of hatred by white supremacists, responsible public officials should stand up for decency. Congressman Raul Labrador says it is not his style to comment on events such as that which occurred in Charlottesville over the weekend. Standing mute against hateful speech and actions does not work. Idaho history demonstrates that the way to stop white supremacy is for people in positions of power to strongly and publicly denounce it.

Back in the early 1980s, the Aryan Nations organization in northern Idaho was on the rise. It attracted other white supremacists to Idaho, many of whom had cut their teeth in prison. Many good people in the area stepped forward to speak against them but it was a formidable task. I had just taken over as attorney general and was asked by Marilyn Shuler to help with malicious harassment legislation that was designed to combat the supremacist threat. The legislation had hit a roadblock in the Legislature, which we were able to overcome. Marilyn, who was a powerful Idaho voice for human rights, brought me into the effort to deflate the supremacist cause.

I participated in a number of rallies to speak out against the supremacist group and its hateful creed but noticed something interesting about the meetings. Kootenai County Undersheriff Larry Broadbent and I observed that we were the only identifiable Republican officials at the rallies. It appeared that many were holding back to see where the tree might fall.

As time went by, the public became aroused by the Aryans message of hate, but also about the black eye they were giving to the state of Idaho. Responsible Republican officials started stepping forward to denounce the hate mongers and that was the key to the groups eventual demise  it took an all-hands-on-deck approach. People take note of what their leaders say and it is incumbent upon those leaders to help provide a moral compass.

Idaho leaders were generally quick this time in calling out the neo-Nazis, KKK, and other white nationalists. Gov. Otter, Congressman Mike Simpson, and Sen. Mike Crapo spoke out strongly and were soon joined by Sen. Jim Risch. Congressman Labrador held back until goaded by the governor because, as he explained, his style was not to speak out on these issues since he regarded the Charlottesville events as politics. White supremacy is not an issue or politics. It is indecency and it requires denunciation by society in order to deprive it of any hint of legitimacy.

The congressman is correct that trite media statements will not solve our countrys problems. But, powerful, heart-felt condemnation of hatred, bigotry, and racism by people in leadership positions in our fine State can make a difference, as history shows. This is especially so for anyone who aspires to be governor, the most important position in State government. And, the condemnation should specify the hate groups being called out, such as the KKK, neo-Nazis, and other white supremacists and nationalists. We should expect or accept no less from those who would lead the State. If a candidate does not already have such a style, he or she should certainly adopt a public anti-supremacy posture.
Its been a bizarre week for the folks at Fox News.

Donald Trumps right-wing TV mouthpiece has been finding it rather difficult to defend the presidents dog-whistling comments made after violence erupted at an alt-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend.

Some anchors have begun distancing themselves from Trump, slamming the commander in chief for claiming violence was coming from "many sides" on Saturday when, in fact, neo-Nazis and white supremacists were attacking counterprotestors. Others have found themselves placed in between pundits on either side of the aisle denouncing the presidents controversial statements, awkwardly deflecting from human emotions and general reality.

Related: Fox News was attacking Obama for using Dijon mustard at this Point In His Presidency

For many of the networks personalities, its been one of the most challenging weeks since Trump took officeand the tears have been steadily streaming on live television for its millions of viewers nationwide.

Fox News host Melissa Francis clashed with her colleagues on Thursday afternoon while supporting Trumps response to the rally, saying she felt "uncomfortable" and "judged" by her peers for sympathizing with the group of neo-Nazis and racists.

"I am so uncomfortable having this conversation," Francis said, bursting into tears. "I know whats in my heart, and I know that I dont think anyone is different, better or worse based on the color of their skin. But I feel like there is nothing any of us can say right now without being judged."

The tears arrived after Franciss fellow anchors, Juan Williams and Marie Harf, both rejected her support for the president's statements while noting she was misquoting what Trump actually said.

Francis was then comforted by Harris Faulkner, a black female anchor for the network's show Outnumbered, who said "there have been a lot of tears on our network, and across the country and around the world."

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Kat Timpf, a Libertarian personality on the network, was appalled by Trump's "disgusting" press conference Monday afternoon, telling her colleagues "Im wondering if its actually real life what I just watched.

"I have too much eye makeup on right now to be crying, its disgusting," Timpf continued.

Fox & Friends host Abby Huntsman was caught in an awkward position when she interviewed two black correspondents about the debate over Confederate statues and Trumps unending support to preserve them.

"Its beyond a monument. This is about hatred. This is about white supremacy," Democratic contributor Wendy Osefo said Wednesday. "As a mother, to hear the president of these United States not sit here and condemn what has happened. As a black woman of two black boys, my heart bleeds. This is not talking points. This is personal. We as a nation, as a country, have to do better."

"There are good people on both sides of this debate." Huntsman responded, seemingly attempting to pivot away from an emotional conversation.

But when she leaned on her Republican pundit Gianno Caldwell for support, she was met with more disdain for the presidents behaviorand more tears.

"I come today with a very heavy heart," Caldwell said, wiping away tears. "Last night, I couldnt sleep at all because president Trump, our president, has literally betrayed the conscience of our country."

"No" Huntsman interjected, trailing off.

"Im sorry, no I believe that and Im being very honest as someone who has been talking about these issues for a very long time, Im sorry that this is where we are right now," Caldwell continued.

Amid all of the chaos and disorder directly from the White House, there was one Fox News host who went out on a limb to make a bold stand against Trump. That stinging rebuke of Trumps week came in the form of Eboni K. Williams's "docket" segment on The Specialists, where she regularly responds to some of the biggest news of the week.

"Mr. President, your initial remarks were cowardly and dangerous," Williams says, looking straight into the camera. "In a moment where you could have been crystal clear where you stand on the issue of inclusion, standing up against white supremacy and domestic terrorism, you very intentionally chose to be ambiguous and to equivocate."

Williams later told The New York Times shes faced menacing messages from viewers calling her a "disgrace" and anti-American.

"Ive been on Fox News on and off for five years now," Williams said Wednesday. "Never in my life had I received the response that I received."

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Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) on Thursday became the first elected Republican lawmaker to call for the firing of White House strategist Steve Bannon.

I think its important for the president to fire Steve Bannon. He should go, King said in an interview with WABC.

The longtime New York lawmaker cited an interview Bannon gave this week in which the former Breitbart News chief called racial strife and controversy surrounding the removal of Confederate statues across the country a winning issue for President Donald Trump.

The Democrats, Bannon told liberal publication The American Prospect, the longer they talk about identity politics, I got em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.

Bannon was thrilled and proud that Trump on Tuesday equated the actions of counter-protesters with those of white supremacists at an out-of-control weekend rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, according to reports citing unnamed sources.

King said Bannon was exploiting the racial issue. That cant be allowed.

King, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, also said Bannon was undercutting the president on Noth Korea by claiming in the same interview that theres no military solution to dictator Kim Jong-Uns nuclear threats.

To me, his time in the White House should be over, King said.

Trump defended Bannon on Tuesday, calling him not a racist and a good person. Still, the president left the door open to continued speculation about Bannons future in the White House.

I like him. Hes a good man. Well see what happens with Mr. Bannon, Trump said during a press conference in New York City.

America does not do a good job of tracking incidents of hate and bias. We need your help to create a database of such incidents across the country, so we all know whats going on. Tell us your story.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
The mother of a 32-year-old woman killed at an anti-fascism rally in Virginia has said she has received death threats.

Susan Bro, whose daughter Heather Heyer died when a car ploughed into a group of demonstrators, has been vocal in her opposition to racism since her daughter's death.

"They tried to kill my child to shut her up," Ms Bro told a crowd gathered at her daughter's memorial service. "Well guess what? You just magnified her."

Ms Bro's life had been threatened since speaking out, she told NBC: "Ive had death threats already ... because of what Im doing right this second."

She blamed Donald Trump's campaign for increased activity of the far-right, saying he had "nurtured" a group of previously marginalised voices.

Mr Trump's slow response to the attack by a suspected white supremecist on Saturday has been fiercely criticised, after he condemned violence on "many sides".

"Whether there was violence on both sides or not is irrelevant," Ms Bro said. "The guy mowed my daughter down and, sorry, thats not excusable."

Ms Bro said the White House had attempted to contact her several time since her daughter's death, but she had not returned the phone calls.
Heidi Klum flanked by models at a bra brunch launching her latest Heidi Klum Intimates campaign at in L.A. on Aug. 17. (Photo: Getty Images)

Heidi Klum doesnt understand granny panties.

At a bra brunch celebrating the latest Heidi Klum Intimates campaign in L.A. on Thursday, the fashion mogul told Yahoo that theres never a good reason for women to wear anything but their best lingerie  even on nights when theyre 99 percent sure nobody will be laying eyes on their undergarments. You never know! Klum says with her typical flair. You just never know when the clothes are coming off, so its always good to be prepared.

The model, who has been in a relationship with art dealer Vito Schnabel since 2014, is so adamant about this that shes made a point of clearing anything that is even remotely unflattering out of her own closet.

I get rid of things that are not so nice anymore, Klum, 44, tells us. Its the same with old sweatpants and things like that. Get one nice one rather than four pairs where the knees and booty are totally stretched out. Sometimes its better to not be tempted by the things that you have in your closet that are not so good.

Another thing that baffles the designer about undergarments is the fact that women admit to going months without washing their bras.

Ew! Klum says with a laugh. Its so close to the armpit though! You sweat in your chest, especially in the summertime. [And] sweat runs down from your pits right into your bra, she adds, clearly grossed out. For the record, I wash mine after four times wear, she says.

Project Runways size-inclusive new look

While the no-wash concept is not something Klum can get behind, what she can endorse, however, is the recent groundbreaking decision by Project Runway to include all sizes, from 2 to 22, on the show  even if it hasnt necessarily been popular with the entire industry. This kicked off on last nights premiere of the Lifetime show.

I love it! Klum says. Some of the designers didnt really love it, but I dont really care because we all have to go with the times. We should have done this way earlier already.

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Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn along with models of all shapes and sizes on the Season 16 premiere of Project Runway on Aug. 17. (Photo: Barbara Nitke/Lifetime)

Klum says the change, which brings models with a range of body types into the fold for the first time, is really helping to make the show more real and cater to the average woman, instead of just showing the stick-thin models. And while Klum rose to fame in the modeling world, shes quick to remind us that she was never the stick-thin type.

Before, it was just about model sizes. [Thats] how we were used to seeing models on the runway. They were all a certain size  even a size that I wasnt allowed to be part of, to be frank, she says. People are always like, What are you talking about? but I never got to do a lot of runway because I was already too voluptuous. I had too much chest. I have child-birthing-friendly hips, says the mom of four. Thats what people would always tell me.

The Project Runway judge went on to explain that because she didnt have the boy body that was in at the time (see: Kate Moss), even she had a difficult time fitting into what designers considered in and booking runway shows. I think now everything is becoming more real, she says of the shift in fashion to be more size-inclusive.

Its also Klums opinion that those who are not hopping on board with the trend will be left behind. A lot of the designers are not even showing at Fashion Week anymore this year, she says. Everything is becoming more real. Its becoming more user-friendly. We are thinking more about all women out there.

Heidi Klum, working the runway at the 2002 Victorias Secret Fashion Show, says she missed out on a lot of runway work because she was curvier than her peers. (Photo: Getty Images)

At least that is the mindset of Klum, who herself is working to design more all-inclusive clothing. Im going to be at New York Fashion Week with my own line and that is also real women. So its not just going to be thin models.  Im going to have models of different sizes  because Im selling in supermarkets and real women are going to the supermarket. And while they are buying their eggs and their milk, they see my clothes. I want real women to dress great for a good price. (Klums apparel line is being sold at Lidl, a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that opens its first U.S. store in June.)

Klum said the Project Runway designers did a great job of embracing the new rules of Season 16 and notes that she was even able to squeeze her own plug in for the average woman. We actually did one challenge for my line and it was a beautiful plus-size model that we had and she  maybe I can tease that  was a winning look, she says. It was beautiful and it will be reproduced and people can buy it, so that was very nice.

A recap of Thursdays premiere of Season 16 of Project Runway:





The exception to her no bloomers rule

The former Victorias Secret Angel, who recently launched the fall-winter 2017 collection of her Heidi Klum Intimates, wants every woman in America to feel confident enough to cloak herself in nice lingerie.

Theres no reason not to, she says. Dont let your body hang-ups stop you. She adds that the key to undergarment confidence is to find something that makes you feel beautiful but comfortable. If you arent into lacey thongs or bodysuits with cutouts, then try a nice cotton piece. There is something out there for everyone. But you dont have to wear bloomers, she says with a laugh.

For Klum, less is more. Im a G-string girl she tells us, not surprising us in the least. However, sometimes she opts for more coverage to avoid a Marilyn Monroe moment.

I dont like to wear big bottoms, but sometimes if I have a really short flowy kind of minidress on and the wind would come up or if you go up the stairs and someone could look underneath, I would rather have a nice lace on my butt than nothing. Otherwise its just cheeks.

We dont want to speculate, but Heidi Klum may have gone for fuller coverage for her appearance on Good Morning America on July 6. (Photo: Splash News)

She also reveals that her biggest secret to keeping gravity from taking its toll on the girls is to sleep in something that gives support.

I love wearing lingerie in the bed, she says. If you have a comfortable one, I think thats good for your boobs to keep them in shape longer. A lot of girls dont do that though at night, but if you try it, it will help.

Already working to defend her title of Halloween Queen

We still have some summer left to go, but the so-called Celebrity Queen of Halloween is already hard at work on her Oct. 31 ensemble. And she promises us that this one will put those of years past to shame.

Its going to be very scary this year, she says, revealing that she plans to be a bit more theatrical than with previous costumes. (Last year, she toned it way down by going as herself  with some clones.) I have to do some rehearsing for this. Normally its just preparing, but this time I have to rehearse!

Heidi Klum at her 17th annual Halloween bash in NYC in 2016. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getting outfitted with prosthetics may involve an agonizing amount of hours spent in the makeup chair (she starts prep in the summer), but the German-born stunner doesnt plan on stopping the tradition any time soon. In fact, shes committed to continuing to take it up a notch year after year.

I always try to top myself, she admits. Also, because people expect it. They are always looking forward to what Im doing.

And as an entertainer, Klum sees it as her responsibility to make people loosen up, especially in the face of the dark political times that the country is in. I just like to entertain people period, she says. I like making people laugh. I like to inspire people to also come up with great costumes.

And while for years shes held the title of Halloweens best dressed, Klum openly welcomes any and all competition to fight for her throne. I always say, Top me. Top me!' she says. Come and do something crazy!'

Oh, it will be hard to top Klum  one many levels.

Read more from Yahoo Celebrity:
An outnumbered police officer shot dead four of the five terrorists who attacked the seaside city of Cambrils last night, saving his injured partners life, according to a dramatic account of the shootout.

The officers were carrying out a routine check at a roundabout near the seafront of Cambrils when the terrorists launched their attack, which, it was confirmed today, killed one woman.

Their white Audi A3, coming from the direction of the city, ploughed through four pedestrians before smashing into the police car and overturning. The crash left one officer with a broken tibia and an injured head.

According to a report in the La Vanguardia newspaper, the five men got out of the overturned vehicle, armed with knives and axes, and wearing false explosives.

The overturned car used in the attack in CambrilsCredit: LLUIS GENE/AFP

The hero police office shot down four of the terrorists and the fifth fled in the direction of a nearby park, stabbing a pedestrian in the face with a knife. He was gunned down by a separate police officer.

The chief of Mossa, the Catalan police force, confirmed that one officer had killed the four terrrorists.

Josep Luis Trapero told reporters at a press conference: "To kill four people, even if you are a professional, is not easy to digest."

Video footage has emerged of one of the terrorists taunting police before being shot down.

A British tourist told how families and residents were ordered to take cover as bullets tore through the air in a scene he described as being like "watching a horror film".

A total of five civilians were injured in the attack with a sixth dying from her injuries in hospital.

Cambrils is tourist city 74 miles south of Barcelona, where a van had earlier sped into a street packed full of tourists, killing 13 people and injuring around 100 others.

Police said the suspects in Cambrils carried bomb belts, which were detonated by a police bomb squad.

Earlier in Barcelona a van had sped into a street packed full of tourists, killing 13 people and injuring around 100 others. One tourist told how families and residents were ordered to take cover as bullets tore through the air in a scene he described as being like "watching a horror film".

Story continues

A terrorist heads towards police armed with a knifeCredit: Sky News

A total of five civilians were injured in the attack with a sixth dying from her injuries in hospital.

Cambril is tourist city 74 miles south of Barcelona, where a van had earlier sped into a street packed full of tourists, killing 13 people and injuring around 100 others.

Police said the suspects in Cambrils carried bomb belts, which were detonated by a police bomb squad.

Earlier in Barcelona a van had sped into a street packed full of tourists, killing 13 people and injuring around 100 others.

Barcelona attack key articles
The Trump Administration sees little difference between George Washington and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Historians beg to differ.

At a contentious press conference on Tuesday, President Trump argued that if statues of Lee and other Confederates were taken down, it would be a slippery slope to removing Washington and Thomas Jefferson from the public square. His personal attorney, John Dowd, later circulated an email arguing that Washington and Lee were equivalent.

You cannot be against General Lee and be for General Washington, the email said, according to the New York Times. There literally is no difference between the two men.

Its true that both men were Virginians, slaveowners and military generals. They were even sort-of related: Lee was the son of Washingtons most famous eulogist, Henry Light Horse Harry Lee, who fought during the American Revolution and famously characterized Washington as First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen. Robert E. Lee also married Mary Custis Lee, the daughter of Washingtons adopted son, George Washington Parke Custis.

But historians say the similarities end there. One biographer even argues that Lee missed his chance at greatness, since he sided with residents of his state over the union that Washington fought so hard to create.

On the eve of the Civil War in April 1861, Lee was living at Arlington House (now inside Arlington National Cemetery) and had just finished reading a biography of Washington when an emissary for President Lincoln arrived and asked Lee if he would take command of the Union army.

He tried to convince Lee that the country looks to him as the representative of the Washington family, says Jonathan Horn, The Man Who Would Not Be Washington: Robert E. Lees Civil War and His Decision That Changed American History. But Lee turns down that command, and to me, thats the moment he becomes the man who he wouldnt be Washington. It puts him at war with Washingtons greatest legacyand thats the Unionbecause he had always been taught that his first loyalty was to Virginia.

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That was a common feeling back then, even if it was odd for Lee, a graduate of a national military school like West Point who fought with the U.S. Army in the Mexican-American War.

A lot of these guys saw the virtue of the Union in that it allowed the states to do what they wanted to do, as Douglas Ambrose, a professor of History at Hamilton College, explains. Nowadays we think of ourselves as primarily Americans who have this secondary citizenship in a state.

At the same time, Horn points out that there were Virginians who decided to remain loyal to the Union, including Lees mentor in the Army Winfield Scott, who thought Lee was making the greatest mistake of his life commanding the Confederate army.

The two men also lived during periods of time that had very different views about slavery. Washington and some other founding fathers believed that slavery was untenable in the long run for economic reasons and would end eventually.

Washington recognized slavery was so deeply rooted in the U.S. that to end it immediately would cause another war, and thats not what he wanted because he just finished fighting an eight-year war, says John Stauffer, professor of English and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. So thats why he said that to end slavery without creating social chaos is to end it gradually.

Washington freed many of his slaves in his will and left an endowment designed to provide an education and let them stay at Mount Vernon as long as they wantedan unusual arrangement that was not technically legal, but one that worked because nobody was going to mess with him, as Joseph J. Ellis, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History and author of His Excellency: George Washington, puts it.

Through his wife, Lee also oversaw slaves, who were descended from ones that Washington was unable to set free in his will.

Like Washington, Lee was against slavery in theory but didnt think it was time to end it yet. As he wrote in an 1856 letter to his wife, slavery as an institution, is a moral & political evil in any country, but that only God could free the slaves (or in his words, How long their subjugation may be necessary is known & ordered by a wise Merciful Providence.)

By that time, the view that slavery would die of its own accord was no longer popular. Ellis notes that the backbreaking work required to harvest cotton had created a Southern economy that depended on slavery, while Northern states had peacefully and gradually emancipated their slaves, setting up an inherent conflict. Meantime, abolitionist actions like John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry had Lee and other Southerners worried that the institution was at risk, said historian Emory Thomas, author of Robert E. Lee: A Biography.

In the end, historians note that Washington served as commander of the Continental Army, presided over the constitutional convention and became the first president, while Lee fought in rebellion against the United States.

A democracy depends upon the losers accepting the will of the majority, Stauffer says. Confederates didnt do that. They lost the election and they left.
The youthful figurehead of Hong Kongs democracy movement, Joshua Wong, was jailed Thursday for his role in the 2014 protests known as the Umbrella Revolution.

Wong, 20, was sentenced to 8 months for illegal assembly alongside his party colleague, the ousted legislator Nathan Law, 23, who received 10 months for participating in, and inciting, illegal assembly. Also jailed on similar charges was student leader Alex Chow, 26, who was given 8 months. Taking into account the community service they have already performed, the three will spend 6, 8, and 7 months in prison respectively.

Under Hong Kong law, the sentences  which come after frustrated prosecutors twice appealed earlier, non-custodial punishments  bar the three from standing as candidates in elections for five years.

The development deals a blow to Wong and Laws fledgling party, Demosisto, and scuppers Wongs hopes of running for the legislature after he attains the age of majority in October. It also sends a warning to those agitating for greater freedom in the semi-autonomous enclave, which has struggled to fend off Beijings gradual political encroachment since it came under Chinese sovereignty 20 years ago.

A defiant Wong tweeted a message from the court after the sentence was read out, vowing to continue the struggle for greater political freedom.

They can silence protests, remove us from the legislature and lock us up. But they will not win the hearts and minds of Hongkongers.  Joshua Wong Chi-fung (@joshuawongcf) August 17, 2017

In the court, enraged supporters chanted Shame of the Department of Justice and Release the three of them.

After the sentences were read, Demosisto issued a statement condeming the hearing as a de facto retrial and said that the tougher punishments show that the government was determined to put peaceful protestors behind bars and to silence dissent by abusing judicial procedures.

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Wong, Law, and Chow are being jailed for over their decision to storm the forecourt of Hong Kongs government headquarters, together with around 100 other demonstrators, on Sept. 26, 2014.

That action was the opening gambit in 79-days of massive protests and peaceful street occupations, which brought central areas of Hong Kong to a standstill. Protesters called for the implementation of full democracy in Hong Kong and for the territorys right to self-determination  demands that alarmed both local authorities and officials in Beijing.

The three activists were taken to prison after the sentences were imposed by a panel of judges at the Court of Appeal made up of vice-president Wally Yeung, and justices of appeal Derek Pang and Jeremy Poon. A last-minute letter submitted by Wongs legal team, the contents of which were not publicly disclosed, was criticized by the Yeung as inappropriate and disruptive to the court.

Before the hearing, supporters and press crammed the entrance of the court in unprecedented scenes. Supporters chanted We are all Joshua Wong! We are all Nathan Law! We are all Alex Chow! before the three made impassioned speeches asking Hongkongers not to lose hope and to continue the fight for greater political freedom. Law said: No matter todays outcome, we are free in our hearts.

Chow told the crowd When we are on the side of truth and justice, we can move more people with our sacrifice, then hugged his friends. Wong said that it had been an honor to be part of the 2014 protests, and just before entering the courthouse sent out a tweet that read Student movement, fearless.

Wong and Law were originally given community service orders, and Chow a three-week suspended jail sentence, last year. Hong Kongs political establishment was incensed at what it called the leniency of those punishments, and prominent figures have made no secret of their desire to see the trio jailed. In an open letter to the Secretary for Justice, pro-Beijing legislator and former Hong Kong Law Society president Junius Ho described the original penalties as grossly inadequate. Deputy director of public prosecutions David Leung said they were rather dangerous.

In an exclusive interview conducted with TIME Wednesday, Wong said Judicial independence is under threat because of the Department of Justices loyalty to China. I hope people will realize that. One decade ago, people described Hong Kong as a place without democracy but with rule of law. Now Hong Kong has already transformed into an authoritarian regime.

In a statement to the media, the Department of Justice said that there was absolutely no basis to imply any political motive on the part of the Department of Justice in this case, and maintained that the three were being jailed for their disorderly and intimidating behavior.

However, Willy Lam, adjunct professor at the Centre for China Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told TIME that Reassessing completed sentences creates a dangerous precedent for Hong Kong due to the public perception that the judiciary could be buckling under pressure not only from the [local] administration but also from Beijing.

He added: There are widespread suspicions among pro-democracy politicians, NGO activists, lawyers and liberal intellectuals that the last line of defense for [Hong Kongs] high degree of autonomy  judicial independence  is in the process of being breached.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Congressional Executive Commission on China issued a statement condemning the sentences. These sentences are another severe blow to Hong Kongs reputation as a city governed by the rule of law, said co-chair Representative Chris Smith. Beijing is actively trying to decimate the pro-democracy movement using Hong Kongs courts and prosecutors to further its political agenda.

In a media statement, Amnesty International called the punishments an attack on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Amnestys local director Mabel Au said: The relentless and vindictive pursuit of student leaders using vague charges smacks of political payback by the authorities.

Wongs incarceration will form the first hiatus in a meteoric political career that has seen him rise from high school activist and protest leader to becoming the founder of his own political party and an inspiration not only to Hong Kongs democracy movement but to youthful campaigners elsewhere in Asia. Earlier this year, he became the subject of the Netflix documentary Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower. In 2014, the then 18-year-old Wong was featured on a cover of TIME magazines international edition and named by TIME as one of the worlds most influential teenagers.

With reporting by Feliz Solomon/Hong Kong, Aria Hangyu Chen/Hong Kong and Kevin Lui


Four people turned themselves in to authorities in Durham, North Carolina, on Thursday to face charges for their role in toppling a Confederate monument during a protest on Monday.

They werent alone.

Joining them outside the Durham County courthouse were hundreds of other protesters, many of whom attempted to symbolically turn themselves in for vandalizing the Confederate statue as well.

Wow! Line of residents in Durham, NC attempting to turn themselves in for 'crime' of removing Confederate Monuments



(photo Katina Parker) pic.twitter.com/DjdNS8S6rc  Auburn (@AuburnSeminary) August 17, 2017

All of us are willing to share the cost of our freedom, Serena Sebring, one of the protests organizers, told reporters. All of us are here, and we are willing to take whatever responsibility, whatever consequences come along with the removal of that statue.

Jillian Johnson, a member of Durhams city council who attended Thursdays demonstration, told HuffPost around 200 people gathered in total, with about 50 attempting to turn themselves in.

Those seeking arrest did so both in solidarity, she said, and in some cases because they were actually present Monday when the statue of the armed soldier in Confederate uniform came toppling down.

There were far more people there when the statue came down than have been charged, Johnson explained via Twitter message. Theyre targeting specific people.

Walking in to sheriffs office to collectively turn ourselves to say: targeting racial justice organizers? arrest me too! pic.twitter.com/YtTTDEQv20  ben carroll (@bncrrll) August 17, 2017

Deputies declined to arrest any of the volunteers, however, and blocked the crowd from entering the jail.

Officers also prevented members of the public from entering the courtroom, though its unclear why. Johnson said she was told it was a fire safety issue. Another protester, Ruby Sinreich, said she was told officials wanted to make sure there was enough space for court cases later in the day.

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The Durham County sheriffs office told HuffPost the fire marshal deemed the crowd a fire hazard due to its size and the capacity of the courtroom, and so protesters werent allowed in.

strong turnout at the courthouse for those who took down the momunent. only growing. #DefendDurham pic.twitter.com/IEgZ4JtVTZ  natural causes (@nattycauses) August 17, 2017

Sinreich said she joined Thursdays demonstration to support those who were arrested, and to show politicians that plenty of their constituents want these monuments removed.

It was important to be there to show that there is broad public support in Durham for taking the monument down, she explained in an online message. And since the NC General Assembly wont allow our elected officials to do it legally, we are forced to commit civil disobedience.

I think its important for white people to see people like them (e.g.: me) challenging white supremacy, she added. But we need to not be the center of the story.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

(Photo: Ruby Sinreich)

In addition to those who turned themselves in Thursday, four others  Peter Gilbert, Dante Strobino, Takiyah Thompson and Ngoc Tran  have also been arrested. Each of them has been charged with two misdemeanors and two felonies, to the shock of many demonstrators.

Prosecutors claim Mondays protest was in fact a riot, and say the statue was worth more than $1,500, thus justifying felony charges.

I am not blind to the offensive conduct of some demonstrators nor will I ignore their criminal conduct, Durham County Sheriff Mike Andrews said Tuesday, pledging to find the people responsible.

Johnson, for her part, said she has no problem with Confederate monuments being removed. Most such monuments, she noted, were erected several decades after the Civil War during the implementation of Jim Crow laws, and again during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

The history of these monuments, specifically when and why they were created, tells us clearly that they werent intended to commemorate the history of the Confederacy, she said, but rather to send a message of white supremacy and intimidation to black people during Jim Crow. There is no way to keep these statues in public spaces without continuing to send that message.

Johnson said she thinks the racist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend marked a watershed moment  one thats finally revealing white supremacist groups for what they are.

People are starting to realize that white supremacist/anti-Semitic groups are inherently violent and that their marches and rallies are not protected free speech but intentional acts of racist intimidation, she said.

Were dealing with a political moment where violent white supremacist ideology has been mainstreamed by our president and his followers, and that creates an extremely dangerous situation for people in this country.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Vishal Sikka has resigned as chief executive of Infosys, the Indian software giant announced Friday, as the growing acrimony between the company's board and its founders burst into open warfare.

Sikka said the "increasingly personal" attacks had hit morale at the company, which has been trying to keep pace with rapid changes in the industry.

The surprise announcement hit Infosys shares, which were down by nearly 10 percent by the end of the day.

"Over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks," he said in a statement.

"The distractions that we have seen, the constant drumbeat of the same issues over and over again, while ignoring and undermining the good work that has been done, take the excitement and passion out of this amazing journey."

Sikka had come under fire in recent months from some of the founders of the company on issues related to corporate governance and salary increases for its top executives.

Indian newspapers on Friday quoted a leaked email from one of the company's founders Narayan Murthy in which he said Sikka was not "chief executive officer material".

Later Friday Murthy, who remains a shareholder, reportedly issued a statement saying he was concerned about what he called the "deteriorating standard of corporate governance which I have repeatedly brought to the attention of the board".

Sikka told reporters after the announcement that the antagonism was taking a "heavy toll personally" and had become "untenable".

The company's board came out in support of the outgoing chief, accusing Murthy of waging a "continuous assault".

Analysts said Sikka had helped steer Infosys back on track during a difficult period and his resignation reflected badly on the company.

"Sikka's letter indicates there was a directed attack on him leading to his resignation, which again makes the company look bad for investors," IT analyst Baburajan Kizhakedath told AFP.

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"It is a tough time for Infosys in the market and the board couldn't handle investors, media or its own warring factions," he added.

India became a back office to the world in the early 2000s as companies subcontracted work to firms such as Infosys, taking advantage of the country's skilled English-speaking workforce.

The $150-billion IT sector remains one of the country's flagship industries, but it is facing upheaval in the face of automation and US President Donald Trump's clampdown on visas.

Industry body Nasscom recently called on companies to teach employees new skills after claims they had failed to keep up with new technologies.

Sikka was the first Infosys chief executive who wasn't one of the company's founders.

He is based in the United States, where the company earns nearly two-thirds of its revenue.

He will stay on temporarily as executive vice chairman to ensure a "smooth transition". Infosys veteran UB Pravin Rao, currently chief operating officer, will take over as interim chief executive.

Last month Infosys reported an increase of 1.4 percent in consolidated net profit year-on-year for the first quarter, marginally beating analysts' expectations.

Shares in the company ended their day-long fall down 9.6 percent at 923.1 rupees ($14.3).
ANKARA (Reuters) - Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi called off his hunger strike on Thursday after authorities accepted one of his demands and withdrew security agents from his home where he has been held since 2011, his website said. Karroubi was hospitalized earlier in the day shortly after launching a hunger strike to demand a public trial and withdrawal of security men from his residence, which is under 24-hour surveillance by the powerful Revolutionary Guards. Karroubi's son, Mohammad Taghi Karroubi, confirmed the report, saying via Twitter: "My father has called off his hunger strike after ... the withdrawal of the agents from his house." "Officials have also promised to take measures regarding my father's demand for a public trial," Karroubi's son wrote. Opposition leaders Karroubi, Mirhossein Mousavi and his wife Zahra Rahnavard have been confined to their homes for six-and-a-half years after calling for rallies in solidarity with pro-democracy uprisings then shaking Arab countries. They have never been put on trial or publicly charged. Both Karroubi, 80, and Mousavi, 75, suffer from ailments partly associated with their age. Karroubi has been hospitalized twice in recent weeks and underwent heart surgery. Karroubi's website, Sahamnews, had quoted the Shi'ite cleric's wife, Fatemeh Karroubi, as saying that he would refuse "to eat or drink until his demands are met". Karroubi and Mousavi ran in what became a disputed 2009 election that returned hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power and triggered mass protests ultimately crushed by the elite Revolutionary Guards and its affiliated Basij militia. Dozens of political activists, lawmakers, journalists and artists have urged pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani to fulfill a campaign promise to get the opposition leaders freed. Some insiders say that Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, opposes their release and a public trial. "He does not expect a fair trial but wants it to be public and would respect the verdict," Karroubi's wife told Sahamnews on Wednesday. "Such a level of surveillance has never been seen before or after the (1979 Islamic) revolution ... He wants the authorities to announce when they will hold a public trial." The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) called on Wednesday for the immediate release of "ailing political leaders" in the Islamic Republic. "Karroubi's life is in danger and the state, which has detained him without trial, is responsible for whatever happens to him while he is in its custody," CHRI executive director Hadi Ghaemi said in a statement. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; editing by Mark Heinrich)
We upset a sheriff and a grieving family last week  not because we wanted to but because we had to.

Im talking about our coverage of the deadly shooting Aug. 4 at the Magic Valley Portuguese Hall in Wendell. We began reporting what we knew not long after the shooting happened, updating our story with new information at Magicvalley.com as it became available.

By that Friday afternoon, we knew that two people were dead: Tony Sousa, 56, of Wendell, and Agustin Nopal Donu, 34, of Paul. Sousa was widely known in the area. Donu was not. Authorities suspected one man had shot the other, and then turned the high-powered rifle on himself.

What we didnt know was who shot whom.

Gooding County Sheriff Shaun Gough wouldnt say  understandable and not unusual in the hours just after a shooting when investigators are still trying to piece together a crime scene.

But by early the next week, Gough was still declining to identify the shooter even though police had closed their investigation. According to Gough, he had told one of the families he wouldnt cooperate with the media. Moreover, he told a Times-News reporter he would do everything in his power to keep the public from finding out which man was the killer.

Heres why thats a problem:

Someone in that hall murdered another human being. Thats news. Whatever happened after the murder  in this case, the shooters suicide  doesnt erase the fact that a heinous crime was committed.

Further, in an effort to protect the shooters reputation and spare his family some shame, however soft-hearted the sheriffs intentions, he was unintentionally hurting the family of the victim. Im sure that just as much as the shooters family wanted his identity kept out of the historical record, the victims family wanted their loved one publicly cleared of murder.

Its unusual for police to take such steps, and the decision to obstruct news reporting puts law enforcement on a slippery slope. What if the shooting had not involved a widely known resident like Sousa? What if the shooting involved two minorities? A government official? What if it had happened in a mobile home park? Inside a business or school? Would the sheriff have handled this the same way?

Sheriffs shouldnt be in a position to make those choices. And we shouldnt be either. Thats why the Times-News will always strive to report the identities of perpetrators of deadly shootings  regardless of variables like a persons race, prominence in the community or relationship with us or police. A shooter is a shooter. A victim is a victim.

In the end, despite the sheriffs efforts, we obtained the police reports through a records request under Idaho law.

Those reports indicated Sousa was the shooter, and thats what we reported in a follow-up story once we obtained the documents. We did not share the gory details of the crime scene chronicled in the reports; just the facts the public deserved to know. Still, Gough called that afternoon to blast us, and thats OK. He thought he was right from his side, and we thought we were right from ours. Both of us were trying to do our best.

One last thought: Just as no one in the sheriffs office took pleasure from investigating a tragedy like this, no one in the newsroom took pleasure in reporting the story or claimed victory in obtaining the documents. We dont chase murder-suicides to sell papers or get clicks on our website. We do it to keep the public informed, to give truth to the historical record.

In this case, we did our jobs the best we could, which is to report the news fairly and accurately.

Sometimes the news hurts peoples feelings. But if my choice is to cover up a murder-suicide or upset a sheriff, Ill side on reporting the truth every time.
Mr Trump is at the centre of just the latest of a series of controversies: Getty

Donald Trump - increasingly isolated and with a record low approval rating - has opened fire on two senior members of his own party who criticised his response to the deadly neo-Nazi-led violence in Charlottesville.

Still smarting from the controversy over his apparent reluctance to condemn the white supremacists behind much of the violence, Mr Trump posted a series of tweets criticising two senior senators. The first tweet was posted at around 6am.

Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists and people like Ms Heyer, he wrote.

Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists......  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Such a disgusting lie. He just cant forget his election trouncing.The people of South Carolina will remember.

An hour later, after what has become a routine attack on the media, he then turned his attention to Jeff Flake, a senator from Arizona, who has criticised the President in a recent book, Conscience of a Conservative, in which he called on Republicans to stand up to Mr Trump if they felt he was damaging the party.

Mr Flake is running for reelection in 2018 and is being challenged by Kelli Ward, a physician and former Arizona state senator who had previously failed to unseat John McCain in the previous primary cycle.

Great to see that Dr Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic, said Mr Trump.

On Wednesday as fallout from Charlottesville grew, Mr Flake had tweeted: We cant claim to be the party of Lincoln if we equivocate in condemning white supremacy.

Mr Graham, a senator from South Carolina, had previously issued a statement in which he said the Presidents comments were threatening to divide the country.

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Mr President, I encourage you to try to bring us together as a nation after this horrific event in Charlottesville. Your words are dividing Americans, not healing them, he said in a statement.

I, along with many others, do not endorse this moral equivalency. Many Republicans....will fight back against the idea that the Party of Lincoln has a welcome mat out for the David Dukes of the world.

Mr Trumps comments come as he appears as in increasingly isolated figure. A number of cable news shows reported that they all failed to find a Republican senator to appear before the cameras to defend Mr Trumps comments.

Meanwhile, Gallup reported that Mr Trumps approval rating was now at 34 per cent, a new low for his presidency.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli forces blew up the West Bank home of a Palestinian who took part in an attack in Jerusalem in which a policewoman was killed, the army said Thursday.

"Overnight security forces demolished the house of one of the terrorists who committed the lethal shooting attack at the Damascus gate in Jerusalem on June 16, killing border police officer Hadas Malka," a military spokesman told AFP.

Video footage provided by the army shows soldiers drilling holes into walls and inserting explosives at night.

Then, in the soft light of the morning, an explosion hits a building, which collapses in smoke and dust.

The spokeswoman named the Palestinian assailant as Adel Ankush from Deir Abu Mashal near Ramallah.

The 18-year-old had joined forces with Bara Ata, 18, Osama Ata, 19, in the attack just outside Jerusalem's Old City, according to the Israeli authorities.

Two of them opened fire on a group of officers who returned fire, and a third stabbed Malka, 23, a short distance away before being shot.

All three assailants were killed. Malka died of her wounds.

Israel regularly demolishes the homes of Palestinian attackers, calling it a deterrent against future violence.

However, human rights groups say it amounts to collective punishment, with family members forced to suffer for the acts of relatives.

On Wednesday Israeli forces demolished the West Bank home of a Palestinian who fatally stabbed three Israelis in a nearby Jewish settlement last month.
EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Chris Patten, the last governor of former British colony Hong Kong, has criticized the jailing of three leaders of the Chinese-ruled city's pro-democracy movement saying the men should be a source of pride. Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, Alex Chow and other Umbrella Movement protesters were sentenced to six to eight months in prison on Thursday for unlawful assembly, a blow to the youth-led push for universal suffrage. "I think they will be remembered, and their names will be remembered, long after nobody can remember who I was, and perhaps nobody can remember who President Xi Jinping was," Patten told an audience at the Edinburgh Book Festival, according to its official bulletin. "We should be proud of what those kids are doing." Patten, who is now chancellor of the University of Oxford, had frosty relations with Chinese authorities as he prepared to return the territory to Chinese rule in 1997. Beijing accused him of potentially destabilizing the city in the run-up to handover with his reform proposals. In his Edinburgh remarks, Patten also described China's treatment of the Nobel Peace Prize-winner Liu Xiaobo, who died last month after being released for medical reasons as "appalling". "And the way his wife is being treated today is appalling, and who is making a fuss about it? You search in vain for anything other than a rather mealy-mouthed statement from foreign ministers, and it makes me wonder whether there's a sort of decadence that's affecting us which undermines any sense of honor we might have," he added. China's Foreign Ministry referred questions on Patten's remarks on Hong Kong to a comment earlier on Friday by ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a daily news briefing, in which she said nobody in Hong Kong could use the excuse of "so-called" democracy and freedom to carry out illegal violent acts. "I would like to reiterate that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Hong Kong's affairs are an internal affair. China firmly opposes any external forces' interference in Hong Kong's internal affairs and judicial independence," Hua told reporters. The three had been convicted of unlawful assembly related to months of mostly peaceful street protests that gripped the city in 2014 but failed to sway Communist Party rulers in Beijing in their call for full democracy. Hong Kong's legal chief denied any "political motive" in seeking jail for the pro-democracy activists on Friday, responding to a Reuters report that he had overruled other legal officials who had initially advised against pursuing the case. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Christian Shepherd in BEIJING; Editing by Toby Chopra, Robert Birsel)
Jimmy Fallon stopped by Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Summer Edition as George Washington. He came on to defend America's first president against some comments Donald Trump made comparing Washington to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Trump was making the argument that if people are tearing down Confederate statues now, they might start tearing down George Washington and Thomas Jefferson statues next because they also owned slaves. Jimmy made it clear that Washington was nothing like Lee, saying, "I created this country, he tried to tear it apart. I rebelled against England, he rebelled against America." When Michael Che pointed out that Washington owned slaves, Jimmy said that it was wrong, and then added, "If you want to talk about owning slaves, talk about Thomas Jefferson." Right then, Seth Meyers, who was dressed as Thomas Jefferson, slid in next to Jimmy. Seth wasn't gonna let Trump put the founding fathers in the same category as Lee, saying, "We have all done bad things. The difference between us and Robert E. Lee is we did good things. I wrote the Declaration of Independence." Jimmy then said, "Not to be a jerk, but I won my war," and Seth added, "I'm sorry, Robert E. Lee, but I prefer generals who win wars." In the end, the presidents decided that they didn't need statues of themselves, because their legacy is America itself. Plus, they already receive the highest honor possible. Jimmy said, "A three-day weekend when all Americans get 50% off all mattresses."
An Afro-Latina journalist conducting an interview with a member of the Ku Klux Klan has said he threatened her so violently that she was concerned for her safety.

Ilia Calderon, a Univision journalist with both African and Colombian heritage, agreed to visit KKK leader Chris Barker on his wooded North Carolina property. She watched Mr Barker lead a KKK meeting  in which participants dressed up in hooded robes and danced around with torches  and then sat down for an interview.

Almost immediately, Mr Barker asked her why she didnt go back to her country of origin. (Ms Calderon is an immigrant.)

We have nothing here in America; yall keep flooding it, he said. But like God says  like Yahweh himself says  we will chase you out of here.

Later, Mr Barker stopped to correct himself, telling Ms Calderon: No, were going to burn you out.

When the journalist asked him how he planned to burn out 11 million immigrants, he responded: We killed 6 million Jews the last time. Eleven million is nothing.

Mr Barker is the grand wizard of the Loyal White Knights faction of the KKK, which participated in the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend.

One person at the rally died, and dozens were injured, when a man allegedly mowed down a group of counter-protesters with his car. The Loyal White Knights proceeded to praise the driver for running over nine communist anti-fascists.

When a couple of them die, it doesnt bother us, Mr Barker told WBTV. Theyre always attacking and messing with our rallies.

In his interview with Ms Calderon, Mr Barker referred to her as a "n***** and a "mongrel". He also claimed that his organisation was a Christian group, not a hate group, and that he did not consider himself a racist.

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Ms Calderon said she had not expected the level of vitriol she encountered.

My team told me that I would be insulted, and I knew, but I never imagined the level," she told Univision. ...At that time I was really felt very afraid for my safety and the safety of my team."

The interview was conducted in July, before the Charlottesville rally and before President Donald Trump attributed the casualties to hatred and violence on both sides. But in an interview with Radio Blu, Ms Calderon said Mr Trump helped inspire the interview.

"As part of the editorial meetings we were discussing the incidents of hate that had been presented, and how, from 2016 to here, these people and these groups feel entitled to raise its highest voice  perhaps backed by a President who speaks very weakly about it, she said.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.
Police in Tanzania have launched an investigation into the murder of a leading elephant conservationist who was shot dead in Dar es Salaam. He had received numerous death threats in connection with his anti-poaching initiatives.

Wayne Lotter, 51, was killed by unknown gunmen in the Tanzanian capital as he travelled by taxi from the citys airport to his hotel, the Guardian reports. The PAMS Foundation, the NGO Lotter co-founded, supports conservation and anti-poaching efforts in communities across Africa.

Wayne devoted his life to Africas wildlife. From working as a ranger in his native South Africa as a young man to leading the charge against poaching in Tanzania, Wayne cared deeply about the people and animals that populate this world, the PAMS Foundation team said in a statement posted to Facebook. He died bravely fighting for the cause he was most passionate about.

PAMS has protected 32,000 elephants and confiscated more than 1150 firearms, according to its website. It also funds and supports Tanzanias National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit (NTSCIU), the body behind the arrest of Queen of Ivory Yang Feng Glan and several other high profile ivory poachers and traders.

African elephant populations shrunk by an estimated 30% between 2007 and 2014, according to the latest elephant census data. Lotter had previously said that the NTSCIU  which has arrested more than 2,000 poachers and traffickers since 2012  had helped halve poaching rates in Tanzania.

[Guardian]
Washington (AFP) - A top Republican senator joined other members of his party in criticizing US President Donald Trump on Thursday, saying he had not displayed the stability or competence needed to lead the country and risks putting it in "great peril."

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is the latest member of Trump's Republican Party to slam the president over his response to weekend violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"I do think there need to be some radical changes," Corker told reporters in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Video of the exchange was posted on the news site Nooga.com.

"The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful," Corker said.

"And we need for him to be successful," he said. "Our nation needs for him to be successful. It doesn't matter whether you're Republican or a Democrat."

Corker said Trump "has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today.

"And without the things that I just mentioned happening our nation is going to go through great peril," he said.

A woman was killed and 19 people injured in Charlottesville on Saturday when a suspected white nationalist drove his car into a group of counter-demonstrators.

Trump has come under fire for saying the anti-racism protestors were equally to blame for the violence in Charlottesville, where white nationalist groups held a rally to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

"I don't think that the president has appropriately spoken to the nation on this issue," Corker said.

"I would ask that he take stock of who he is as president of all the people in our nation and that he condemn those things that separate us.

"Helping inspire divisions because it generates support from your political base is not a formula for causing our nation to advance," he said.

Corker also defended a fellow Republican senator, Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has been a target of attacks by the president.

Trump attacked Flake on Twitter on Thursday and also lashed out at another Republican senator, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who has been critical of his response to the Charlottesville events.
A tweet about Confederate statues is resonating with hundreds of thousands of people.

Jamil Smith, a Los Angeles-based writer who has contributed to The New York Times, the Washington Post and the Daily Beast, had a great response to those who believe the removal of Confederate statues will erase history.

All these folks worried about erasing history when the Confederate statues come down will be thrilled to learn about the existence of books.  Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) August 16, 2017

Smiths tweet, which has received over 200,000 likes and 73,000 retweets, also received its fair share of funny responses that further proved his point.

We only learn from statues. This is how I learned about Rocky. pic.twitter.com/1sI9zCZ1Vb  Travis Von Rotz (@Travishaha) August 17, 2017

I only know about ducks because I saw that giant rubber one on TV that one time.    Michelle  (@Songbird_7_) August 17, 2017

That's how I learned about president Walt Disney and his quirky side kick Mickey Mouse pic.twitter.com/CerVG3Turj  jesse l. garcia jr. (@fromanothermind) August 17, 2017

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump gave a shocking press conference in which he defended people who attended a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left one woman dead on Saturday.

The rally, called Unite the Right, was organized to protest the removal of a statue commemorating Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

During his remarks at Trump Tower, the president argued that taking down Confederate statues, like Lees, could lead to the removal of statues of other historical figures like George Washington or Thomas Jefferson.

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Apparently those worried about history being erased havent heard about museums, either.

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The cold case of Natalee Holloways disappearance came back to life after the discovery of human remains that are being tested to determine whether or not they belong to Holloway.

Since Holloway went missing at the age of 18 in 2005, no one has been charged. Her father, Dave Holloway, said Wednesday this is the most credible lead theyve gotten. Weve chased a lot of leads and this one is by far the most credible lead Ive seen in the last 12 years, he said on the Today Show.

Heres everything you need to know about the case.

What happened to Natalee Holloway?

Holloway was visiting Aruba on a graduation trip with her Alabama high-school class in May 2005 when she disappeared. She was last seen leaving a bar with three young men.

Who killed Natalee Holloway?

No one has been charged in Holloways disappearance, though Dutch man Joran van der Sloot, remains the prime suspect. Van der Sloot, who was 17 at the time of Holloways disappearance, said he was with Holloway the night she disappeared, according to ABC News. He and two friends originally said they dropped Holloway off at her hotel, but later said he dropped her off at the beach, ABC News reports.

Five years after Holloways disappearance, van der Sloot pleaded guilty to killing Peruvian business student Stephany Flores Ramirez. He was sentenced to 28 years in a Peru prison. Peruvian officials said they would extradite van der Sloot after serving his sentence, the Associated Press reported in 2014. American authorities also claim he received $25,000 for Holloways parents to take an attorney to where her body can be found, according to the AP.

What new information has come out?

Holloways father said he and a private investigator found the remains after receiving a tip from an informant, which were found to be human after testing.

We have a person who states he was directly involved with Joran van der Sloot in disposing of Natalees remains. I thought, you know, there may be something to this, Holloways father said on the Today Show.

This comes after an 18-month long investigation by Dave Holloway and the private investigator T.J. Ward. The DNA tests will take several weeks to determine whether or not they belong to Natalee Holloway.
A protester against U.S. President Donald Trump's limited travel ban, approved by the U.S. Supreme Court, holds a sign next to protesters supporting the ban, in New York City, U.S., June 29, 2017: Reuters

White supremacists in the US are taking genetic tests to prove their racial identity but are being left bitterly disappointed to learn their genes are not as pure as they presumed.

A new study from the University of California examined years worth of posts on Stormfront, a neo-Nazi forum which is the internets first major racial hate site, to decipher how members responded to their spit-in-a-cup genetic test results.

White nationalists were up in arms to discover they were not 100 per cent white European and instead had African, Jewish or Asian genes.

The researchers presented their results at a sociology conference in Montreal on Monday just 48 hours after neo-Nazis, KKK members and alt-right members clashed with anti-fascists at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville.

The study found white supremacists would express their indignation at the DNA test results by challenging their veracity and claiming to have a better grip on their genealogy than a scientific test. Some reacted by engaging in racist tirades or arguing the tests were a Jewish conspiracy.

Nevertheless, some of the responses to the tests, which have become increasingly popular among white nationalists, were found to be surprisingly sophisticated and less ignorant than one might imagine.

If we believe their politics comes from lack of sophistication because theyre unintelligent or uneducated. I think were liable to make a lot of mistakes in how we cope with them, Aaron Panofsky, one of the authors of the report, said.

For academics, there was some uneasiness around hearing that science is being used in this way and that some of the critiques that white nationalists are making of genetics are the same critiques social scientists make of genetics, the other author, Joan Donovan, added.

Mr Panofsky said he found it shocking so many people would post their results on the site despite Stormfront appearing to have strict rules about ethnicity.

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They will basically say if you want to be a member of Stormfront you have to be 100 percent white European, not Jewish, he told STAT News.

The in-depth study, which was carried out in conjunction with the Data & Society Research Institute, studied comments left in 12 million posts left by more than 300,000 users on Stormfront. The team found 70 discussion threads, where 153 users posted about their DNA results from companies like Ancestry.com and 23andMe with more than 3,000 posts in response.

Stormfront was set up by a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan in the mid-1990s. The name was selected for its obvious connotations of a political or military front such as the Nazi stormtroopers and the Sturmabteilung, which literally translates to Storm Detachment, and was the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party.

White supremacists have celebrated President Donald Trumps response to the deadly violence in Virginia over the weekend which claimed three lives, with one woman killed after a car smashed into a crowd of anti-fascist protesters.

After taking two days to condemn the KKK and neo-Nazi protesters, President Trump eventually gave in to political pressure and sustained criticism and explicitly condemned the actions of white nationalists as repugnant.

Nevertheless, he performed a U-turn a day later during a rowdy lobby in Trump Tower, drawing a parity between white supremacists and anti-fascists and saying counter-protesters who he dubbed the alt-left were as violent as the KKK and neo-Nazi protesters and the "alt-right" groups included some "very fine" people.

White supremacists hailed Mr Trumps press conference. Richard Spencer, a leading white supremacist who helped organise the gathering in the quiet university town, took to Twitter to applaud the president for speaking the truth.

Former KKK grand wizard David Duke said: Thank you, President Trump, for your honesty and courage to tell the truth about Charlottesville and condemn the leftist terrorists in BLM/Antifa.

In the wake of the violence, a KKK leader has said he is happy Heather Heyer, the counter-protester who was killed after a car drove at speed into anti-fascists, had passed away.

Justin Moore, the Grand Dragon for the Loyal White Knights of the KKK, said: "I'm sorta glad that them people got hit and I'm glad that girl died. They were a bunch of Communists out there protesting against somebody's freedom of speech, so it doesn't bother me that they got hurt at all."

He warned the deadly violence which ravaged the city was going to become more common, saying: "I think we're going to see more stuff like this happening at white nationalist events."

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Searching for something to listen to this weekend? Yahoo Music has you covered with a rundown of some of this weeks biggest and buzzing releases, including Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer, Grizzly Bear, A$AP Ferg, and more. Check back every Friday for a fresh list of albums to help fuel your weekend playlists.

Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer: Not Dark Yet (Silver Cross/Thirty Tigers). These two sisters share one of the most traumatic family histories possible (a parental murder-suicide), but have not allowed this to be the centerpiece of their respective careers  nor have they put undue spotlight on their sibling relationship. This marks their first album together, and it shows off the magical effect of familial harmonies on covers of Merle Haggard, Jessi Colter, Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, the Killers, Nirvana, etc., plus an original song, Is It Too Much.

Grizzly Bear: Painted Ruins (RCA). The indie-rock bands fifth full-length follows up 2012s acclaimed breakthrough Shields, and is produced fully by bassist Chris Taylor. Overall, its a rich, dreamy, and pleasantly unpredictable collection of soundscapes, setting it apart as one of the more ambitious releases this year.

A$AP Ferg: Still Striving (A$AP Worldwide/Polo Grounds Music/RCA). The latest mixtape from the rap collectives Ferg includes a wealth of guest appearances, including help from Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Migos, French Montana, Rick Ross, A$AP Rocky, and Dave East.

KMFDM: Hell Yeah (earMUSIC). Industrial rock pioneers KMFDM bounce between political commentary, heavy rhythm, and techno/dance vibes on their first album in three years, all tied together with a wry sense of humor and sarcasm.

Blind Boys of Alabama: Almost Home (BBOA). The two surviving original members of this group, Clarence Fountain and Jimmy Carter, are close to their 90s. Their first release in three years is a record of their lives, in which songwriters were asked to listen to their stories/interviews and compose songs accordingly based on what they heard  making for a unique tribute to a legendary outfit which may soon be coming to a end.

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The Accidentals: Odyssey (Sony Masterworks). The latest from the Accidentals has the group dancing between their indie and pop roots equally, adding lots of strings, jam elements, and quite a bit of dynamic sonic play. Guests include Keller Williams, Kaki King, and the Decemberists Jenny Conlee.

Rainer Maria: S/T (Polyvinyl). This is the bands first album in 11 years; both a comeback and a reunion in one, it brings together the trios respective experiences away from the unit (travel, study, lifestyle changes, and solo material) to add a new degree of richness to their core cathartic, tense, sometimes ragged sound.

Neck Deep: The Peace and the Panic (Hopeless). Welsh pop punk band Neck Deep follow up their 2015 release Lifes Not Out To Get You with another energetic set heavily influenced by such genre stalwarts as Blink-182, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, and others.

Brand New: Science Fiction (Cooking Vinyl). Its been eight years since Brand New released an album, although lots of teasing has whipped fans into a frenzy. The set is finally (abruptly) here, living up to expectations with its cathartic heavy-quiet-heavy sounds and cleverly turned phrases.

Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Justin Timberlake (Rockabye Baby Music). Bet you didnt know you were in the mood for tranquil versions oof Cant Stop the Feeling, Sexyback, Suit & Tie, etc.  but now its your lucky day (or night, as it were). The latest in this series takes JTs best material and makes it more snooze-inducing than a cup of Sleepytime tea.
By Geert De Clercq COURSEULLES-SUR-MER, France (Reuters) - Normandy's D-Day beaches, where Allied troops landed in June 1944 to free Europe of Nazi occupation, are being invaded by green algae. Beaches such as Omaha and Juno, visited by millions of tourists each year, struggle with the algae, which is not toxic, but the stench as it decomposes can be a turnoff. "It's gross, the algae stinks as it rots and it attracts flies," said Sylvie, who lives in Caen. Ever day, resort towns use tractors to shovel the algae to the far end of the beaches at low tide, but winds push the green, red and brown seaweed back onto the beaches where in some areas it piles up metre-deep against the boardwalks. "We sometimes get complaints at tourist offices, with people asking where the algae comes from, but people who know Normandy are used to it," said Nathalie Papouin, deputy head of the Terres de Nacre tourist office. The Calvados region in western France gets about 9 million visitors per year, of whom nearly half visit the D-Day beaches. Benoit Mouline, an official with the Calvados environment service, said the algae comes back every year, especially around mid-August, when northeasterly winds and strong tides cut it from the rocks on which it grows and throw it onto the beaches. Unlike in Brittany, Normandy's algae growth is not primarily the result of agricultural fertilizer runoff and waste from pig farms washing into the sea. "This year we have had a lot of northerly winds, and some local people say there's more algae than before, but that may be subjective," said Benjamin Potel of the Clean Coast association. Climate change could also play a role, he said, as warmer waters boost algae growth and reduce the number of shellfish and other organisms that feed on it. "The amount of algae never diminishes, it steadily increases over the years," said Stephane Dobriansky. His startup company Ecovalgue plans to work with resort towns to collect some of the up to 20,000 tonnes that wash up on the Normandy coasts annually for use in cosmetics, animal feed and bioplastics. (Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
A relief goods storage inside a subway station which is used as a shelter for emergency situation in Seoul, South Korea: Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters

North Korea has warned that Washington and Seoul will cause a "catastrophe" by holding their annual joint military drill in the Korean Peninsula.

The US and South Korea claim the exercises are defensive, but North Korea has said they are a practice run for a nuclear war against it.

The military drills, set to take place on Monday, would "further drive the situation on the Korean Peninsula into catastrophe", the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The danger of a US-North Korean nuclear confrontation has escalated in recent weeks after Pyongyang's first successful tests of ballistic missiles capable of reaching America.

US President Donald Trump has traded threats with the communist government. Last week, the leader vowed to respond to North Korean aggression with fire and fury.

He also said a military solution was locked and loaded after reports the isolationist nation was planning on firing missiles into waters near the US Pacific island of Guam.

Associated Press contributed to this report
Million year old ice cores were just one-upped by an even older core found in Antarctica. The cores age and the air bubbles it contains reveal a lot about the Earths climate history and possibly reveal what caused the Ice Ages. The 2.7 million-year-old core is the only of its kind that can reveal what the atmosphere on Earth was like so long ago.

This specific core showed that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at the time it was formed was no greater than 300 parts per million, reported Science Magazine. Currently the Earths atmosphere is at more than 400 ppm a number thats increasing.

Carbon dioxide is a heat-trapping gas, so the more of it there is in the atmosphere the more gas there is trapped and the htoter it gets on planet Earth. Levels of CO2 have always shown some cyclical trends, but since the industrial era CO2 levels have spiked leading to unprecedented levels never recorded.

co2 levels

Photo: NASA

Ice cores are a key means by which climate scientists learn about the atmosphere of years past but theyre a proxy meaning they arent direct measurements. By removing thin ice cores from glaciers and icebergs scientists then test the air bubbles trapped in those cores. The composition of the bubbles reveal what the air was like around the time it was trapped and the core was formed.

To extract the air from the cores scientists can crush the core or melt it in a vacuum so no other air contaminants it before testing. The core then goes through sophisticated instruments that measure levels of pollution by checking for sulfates, metals aerosols and any gases. The type of oxygen isotope found in the core can also reveal what the temperature on Earth was like when the core formed, according to NOAA.

antarctica-space

Photo: NASA/JPL

Other cores are newer and it had been assumed that old cores would be deep under ice and difficult to release, but this discovery shows that that it not the case. The 2.7 million year old core was found not that deep down in blue ice which is frequently ignored when looking for ice cores. That blue ice is the result of snow falling on formed ice and compressing down. The ice isnt actually blue, it just looks it the color comes from the short wavelengths of light scattering and the further the light travels in the ice the bluer it looks, according to the National Parks Service.

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The ice core is only one proxy though so testing others as old as it and testing other proxies thought to be from that time period would help confirm the level of CO2 found. The researchers from Princeton who found the core are hoping to return to the area where it was drilled to find possibly even older ice for further research in the future, Science reported.

Related Articles
A California student training to be a paramedic rescued a choking man at a coffee shop on his way to an interview for a job in the field.

Read: Boy, 8, Saves Mom From Choking Just 10 Days After Losing Dad in Car Accident

Will Stewart, 23, a Sacramento State student, told InsideEdition.com that he was with a group of other paramedic students preparing to interview for an internship as a part of their curriculum.

To calm their nerves, they popped into a coffee shop across the street.

We were sitting there, drinking our coffee, when we heard him cough once, Stewart said. I looked over and he was just kind of leaning against his table. I thought, Hes probably just coughing, breathed in some coffee or something.'"

Stewart said he then heard another cough, but was alarmed when he heard the man fall silent.

He was kind of just holding his chest and walking around in circles, he explained. I got kind of worried so I went over there, tapped him on the shoulder. He stuck his arms straight up so I went and did the Heimlich maneuver.

The student, who is also a volunteer firefighter, explained he learned the warning signs and how to react from his classes.

He wasnt doing the traditional [signals], but he wasnt moving any air so thats what cued me to go over there and check on him, Stewart said.

The man gave a thumbs-up to show he was doing fine, and Stewart said he promptly returned to his group, not wanting to draw any attention to what happened.

Moments later, he left his group and went to the interview.

I started getting the shakes just from nerves and adrenaline, he said.

Read: Eighth-Grader Saves Best Friend From Choking... Without Ever Being Taught Heimlich Maneuver

Although Stewart never mentioned the good deed he performed just minutes before that demonstrated his skill in the field, he landed the internship.

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I still feel pretty good about it, Stewart said. It gives me a tingly feeling in my chest, like Hey, I helped someone.

Watch: Woman Saves Man's Life On Their First Date With Help of Waitress: 'I'm So Glad He's Alive'

Related Articles:
Republicans have remained supportive of President Donald Trump, their party leader, throughout his many trials and tribulations during his first seven months in office. Be it his attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare, the immigration ban or tough stance toward North Korea, to name just a few.

And a new CBS poll released Thursday morning showed a large majority of GOP members even back the presidents response to and handling of the Charlottesville, Virginia, protest, which resulted in the death of one woman and reignited racial tensions throughout the country.

The poll showed 67 percent of Republicans approved of Trumps response, compared with 82 percent of Democrats disapproving and 55 percent of respondents overall claiming disapproval. Thirty-four percent overall approved, but 53 percent of those who identified as independent disapproved.

Going further, 68 percent of Republicans believed Trumps blame of many sides being responsible for the violence that engulfed the college town over the planned teardown of a statue honoring Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Fifty-five percent overall claimed Trump was inaccurate.

And more than half of Republicans polled, 56 percent, thought Trump was having no effect on race relations around the country, while 70 percent of Democrats said Trumps actions were creating more division. Overall, Americans were somewhat split with 44 percent saying Trump was causing division and 39 percent in the no-effect category.

The protest Saturday brought white supremacists and nationalists, as well as neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members, face-to-face with counterprotesters who also included anti-fascists, or antifa. Trumps first statement following the death of 32-year-old counterprotester Heather Heyer cited many sides at fault for the violence.

Two days later, amid mounting public pressure to condemn the white supremacists by name, Trump spoke at the White House to specifically blast any form of racism or bigotry and called out the hate groups.

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But on Tuesday, Trump returned to his rhetoric of many sides during a press conference at Trump Tower that was supposed to focus on plans to revamp the countrys infrastructure.

Instead, Trump suggested that the alt-left had an equal role in the violence, and also stated that if Lees statue could be taken down then former Presidents George Washingtons and Thomas Jeffersons could as well. Trump brought up the fact that both presidents had been slave owners while accusing the media at the conference of improperly reporting the protest.

Many of those people were there to protest the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee, Trump said. So this week, it is Robert E. Lee. I noticed that Stonewall Jackson is coming down. I wonder, is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You know, you really do have to ask yourself, Where does it stop?

The president reaffirmed his stance on the issue Thursday morning in three tweets, again invoking Lee, Jefferson and Washington, and citing the beauty of the Confederate statutes being taken down around the country.

The poll was conducted from Monday to Wednesday and drew from a sample of 1,223 adults around the country.

Related Articles
Washington (AFP) - A new poll Thursday showed that most Americans favor leaving in place statues of Civil War figures associated with the defense of slavery, offering a measure of support for President Donald Trump's stance on the issue.

Days after a violent rally by right-wing groups to protest removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, the NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that 62 percent felt the statues should remain as historical symbols.

"Just 27 percent said they should go," said NPR. And, in a striking breakdown, 44 percent of African Americans agreed the statues should stay, against 40 percent who said they should be removed.

Located mostly in the southeastern United States, there are some 1,500 symbols of the pro-slavery Confederacy which fought and lost a war to secede from 1861-65. An estimated 750,000 people, or more than two percent of the US population at the time, were killed in the conflict.

The monuments, as well as the names of many roads, schools, and public buildings, mostly celebrate Lee, the leader of the Confederate forces; Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy; and General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, one of Lee's top commanders.

In the poll of 1,125 people nationwide, Republicans overwhelmingly supported keeping the statues in place, with only six percent in favor of removing them.

But Democrats were almost evenly divided: 47 percent favored pulling them down, while 44 percent support leaving them in place for history's sake.

The poll appeared to lend support to Trump's controversial stance on the issue.

"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments," he tweeted Wednesday.
Cambrils (Espagne) (AFP) - Markel Artabe had just finished his shift as a waiter in Cambrils and was heading off for an ice-cream when he heard shots: only a few hours after the carnage in Barcelona, the Catalan coast was suffering another attack.

"Between midnight and 12:30am we were on the promenade by the beach," said the 20-year-old, wearing shorts and a sky-blue polo shirt, still shaken after the drama.

"Then we heard shots and thought 'it must be fireworks'... But it was gunshots," said the waiter in the seaside resort 120 kilometres south of Barcelona in the northeastern region of Catalonia.

According to a spokesman for the regional government "suspected terrorists driving an Audi A3 apparently knocked over several people before encountering" a police patrol, and then "the shooting began."

At least six civilians and a policeman were injured when the vehicle slammed into the crowd. One of the civilians injured is in critical condition, emergency services said on Twitter.

The five occupants of the car were killed, the Catalan police said.

Police had earlier said officers had killed "four suspected terrorists." The fifth died from his wounds.

"It was bang, bang, bang. Shouting, more shouting. I threw myself onto the ground on the beach," said another waiter, 21-year-old Joan Marc Serra Salinas, in a restaurant where witnesses to the attack had gathered.

"From what people are saying here, those who carried out (the attack) were people of my age..."

Markel, the other waiter, told AFP he saw someone who appeared to be a foreigner lying on the ground "with a gunshot to the head. His friends were crying out 'help'," he said, although the authorities have not reported any such death.

"I also saw dead bodies that seemed to be terrorists because they were wearing explosive belts."

Cambrils mayor Cami Mendoza noted the "speed and efficiency" of the Catalan police response, at an impromptu press briefing in the street at about 5am (0300 GMT).

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The town, like others in the region, was on high alert as the police were hunting the driver of the van in the Barcelona attack, in which 13 people were killed and which was claimed by the Islamic State group.

Police helicopters flew over the town throughout the night.

"We were appalled. It was a long and difficult night," Mendoza said, but gave no details of the attack to journalists, who were behind a security cordon and prevented from approaching the seafront.

Hand in hand, two Spaniards, Rey Perry, 43, and Rocio Ordonez, 26, could not understand how Camrbils could experience such violence, as it's "a quiet tourist place for families, where many walk around with children."

The sun had not even come up but the mayor sought to reassure people: "The situation is under control. In a few hours Cambrils will be back to normal."
The rabbi who sponsored Ivanka Trumps conversion to Judaism has fiercely criticized Donald Trumps defense of neo-Nazis and other white supremacists.

The presidents response to the white nationalists rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend has outraged Republicans and Democrats alike. Trump on Tuesday blamed both sides for the deadly violence that unfolded in the city. And he doubled down on his defense of white supremacists who marched through the University of Virginias campus and chanted Nazi slogans including Jews will not replace us.

In a joint letter sent to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trumps former congregation in New York City Wednesday evening, Rabbi Emeritus Haskel Lookstein and two other rabbis criticized Trumps reaction to the Charlottesville events, which resulted in an anti-racist protester being killed by a car. James Alex Fields Jr., 20, from Ohio, has been charged with offenses including second-degree murder.

On the day of the funeral of Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old woman who was murdered by a vicious, white supremacist, neo-Nazi, we are all shaken by this human tragedy and all the horrible scenes from last Saturdays riot in Charlottesville and the frightening message and fallout that have consumed us since then, states the letter, signed by Lookstein and fellow Rabbis Chaim Steinmetz and Elie Weinstock.

The letter continues, While we always avoid politics, we are deeply troubled by the moral equivalency and equivocation President Trump has offered in his response to this act of violence.

Trump insisted that the counterprotesters demonstrating against the white supremacists anti-Semitic and racist behavior were also to blame for events that occurred. (Though on Thursday he tried to walk back his earlier comments, claiming he never said there is a moral equivalency between the white supremacists and the anti-fascists protesters.)

The president also falsely argued that the counter-protesters did not have a permit, while the white supremacists and neo-Nazis were legally permitted to demonstrate.

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Several hundred white supremacists chant "Jews will not replace us," as they march through the University of Virginia campus. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

While the letter was sent to families within the community, the Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side also chose to post the statement on its Facebook page.

Lookstein had sponsored Ivanka Trumps orthodox conversion to Judaism before her 2009 wedding to Kushner. Since the blatant displays of anti-Semitism in Charlottesville, critics have demanded to know why Trump did not immediately, unequivocally and repeatedly denounce the neo-Nazis that demonstrated in the city, considering his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren are Jewish.

Critics also want to know why Ivanka Trump has not spoken out more against the anti-Semitic behavior displayed over the weekend. Following Heyers death on Saturday, the first daughter condemned white supremacists more harshly than her father, but she has been silent on the issue since tweeting a message on Sunday. The New York Times reported Tuesday that she and Kushner were on vacation in Vermont.

1:2 There should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis.  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) August 13, 2017

2:2 We must all come together as Americans -- and be one country UNITED. #Charlottesville  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) August 13, 2017

In Vice News documentary on the Charlottesville rally, white nationalist shock jock Christopher Cantwell chastised Trump for giving his daughter to a Jew.

I dont think you can feel about race the way I do and watch that Kushner bastard walk around with that beautiful girl, the self-proclaimed fascist said.

America does not do a good job of tracking incidents of hate and bias. We need your help to create a database of such incidents across the country, so we all know whats going on. Tell us your story.

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Also on HuffPost

Neo-Nazis and white supremacists encircle and chant at counter-protesters at the base of a Thomas Jefferson statue on Aug. 11, 2017, after marching with torches through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Neo-Nazis and white supremacists take part in the "Unite the Right" rally.

The group marched through the University of Virginia campus with torches.

A man wears Nazi regalia before the "Unite the Right" rally.

Counter-protesters arrive at the "Unite the Right" rally.

White supremacists carry Nazi flags on Aug. 12, 2017.

A white supremacist carries the Confederate flag as he walks past counter-demonstrators.

White nationalists march through the street.

A sign on a business in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.

Police arrive at the scene of protests after a state of emergency is announced in Charlottesville, Virginia.

A man is down during a clash between white nationalist protesters and a group of counter-protesters.

White nationalists and counter-protesters clash.

A protester receives first-aid during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.

A man makes a slashing motion across his throat toward counter-protesters as he marches with other white nationalists and neo-Nazis during the "Unite the Right" rally.

A white supremacist stands behind militia members after he scuffled with a counter-demonstrator.

Virginia State Police use pepper spray as they move in during a clash between white nationalist protesters and counter-protesters.

Hundreds of white nationalists and neo-Nazis march down East Market Street toward Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally.

A smoke bomb is thrown at a group of counter-protesters.

Virginia State Troopers stand under a statue of Robert E. Lee. White nationalists descended on Charlottesville to protest the statue's removal.

Anti-fascist counter-protesters wait outside Lee Park to hurl insults as white nationalists and neo-Nazis are forced out after the "Unite the Right" rally was declared an unlawful gathering.

A group of counter-protesters rally against white nationalists.

A man is seen with an injury during a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters.

Protesters and counter-protesters after being pepper-sprayed and/or maced.

David Duke (C), participates in the white nationalist rally.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
WASHINGTON  Controversial White House chief strategist Steve Bannons final day working in the West Wing is Friday. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders issued a statement to the press pool describing the move as a mutual decision between Bannon and White House chief of staff John Kelly earlier in the day.

White House chief of staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steves last day. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best, Sanders said.

The official word from the White House came after a slew of reports about Bannons departure. According to a New York Times report published shortly before Sanders statement, President Trump told senior aides that he has decided to remove Bannon. ABC News and other outlets reported that Bannon had already resigned.

Both the White House and Bannon failed to immediately respond to multiple requests for comment from Yahoo News. Breitbart News, which had previously employed Bannon as executive chairman, declared Friday evening that he had returned to the publication.

Prior to the Times report, the conservative journalist Matt Drudge, who enjoys a close relationship with the White House, declared on Twitter that Bannons time in the West Wing was coming to an end.

Trumps White House had been infamously volatile, with a series of high profile departures. Bannon had regularly been involved in infighting with other top aides, and rumors of his potential dismissal swirled at multiple points. Kelly became White House chief of staff late last month after the departure of his predecessor, Reince Priebus, the former Republican National Committee chair, who had a tense relationship with Bannon. Though this shift saw Bannon lose one of his rivals, Kelly, a former Marine general, was tasked with instilling order in the chaotic West Wing and cracking down on leaks. Kelly reportedly immediately zeroed in on Bannon as a source of turmoil and leaks about internal disputes, leading to fresh speculation about the chief strategists standing.

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Steve Bannon steps off Air Force One after a trip with President Trump in April. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP)

The reports of a Bannon exit intensified after an he gave an extensive interview to the liberal American Prospect that was published on Wednesday. In it, Bannon described some of his disagreements with other top officials, including his desire to push out State Department staffers and his frustration with Trumps top economic adviser, Gary Cohn.

Bannon also appeared to undermine the presidents position on North Korea when he indicated a military option was not on the table due to the immense casualties that would occur. His comments about North Korea were quickly contradicted by Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said that while military action would be horrific, it was still a potential option. White House National Security Council officials were alarmed by Bannons comments, believing they undermined the American negotiating position after Trump repeatedly indicated the military option was on the table.

Bannon was a key figure in Trumps shocking upset victory in last years presidential election. Prior to joining Trumps campaign, he ran the conservative news site Breitbart News, which he once proclaimed was the platform for the alt-right. At Breitbart, Bannon found a base for his philosophy of economic nationalism and staunch opposition to immigration and political correctness. His ideology led many to see him as a key architect of Trumps victory, but it also drew criticism from liberals who saw him as a dangerous zealot.

His departure from the White House raised questions about his next move before Breitbart signaled his return. In recent days, he has reportedly met with his former colleagues at Breitbart and Robert Mercer, a hedge fund billionaire who has backed many of Bannons projects. By Friday evening, Breitbarts White House correspondent said Bannon was back at the site running an editorial meeting.

Almost immediately after Bannon left the White House, his allies at the notoriously combative Breitbart quickly declared they were embracing a more combative role. An editor there there announced, #WAR leading to speculation that the Trump-friendly outlet could turn against the White House.

However, a source close to Bannon told Yahoo News he is always a Trump ally. Bannon further told Bloomberg reporter Joshua Green that he was going to war for Trump against his opponents  on Capitol Hill, in the media and in corporate America. But some in Trump and Bannons orbit suggested that, even if he remains loyal to the president, the pugnacious Bannon wont be able to resist taking some shots from outside the West Wing at the aides he feuded with during his brief time inside.

This post was last updated at 8 p.m. ET.

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The Republican party was left reeling after the president defended those who took part in a white supremacist rally. Heres a look at who said what

Donald Trump has faced fierce criticism for appearing to draw a moral equivalence between neo-Nazis and those were protested against them. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

The Republican party is reeling after Donald Trump defended people who took part in a far-right rally with white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

The president insisted there was blame on both sides as he appeared to assert a moral equivalence between activists protesting racism and neo-Nazis carrying signs with swastikas and racial slurs during the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

His comments during an incendiary news conference on Tuesday won praise from David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan leader. Some leading Republicans rushed to denounce bigotry and hatred in all its forms, but only a few senior Republicans criticized the president directly  and some even defended him. Heres a look at who said what.

Condemnation of Trump

Senator John McCain of Arizona

There's no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate& bigotry. The President of the United States should say so  John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) August 16, 2017

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina

Mr President, I encourage you to try to bring us together as a nation after this horrific event in Charlottesville. Your words are dividing Americans, not healing them.

Through his statements yesterday, President Trump took a step backward by again suggesting there is moral equivalency between the white supremacist neo-Nazis and KKK members who attended the Charlottesville rally and people like Ms [Heather] Heyer. I, along with many others, do not endorse this moral equivalency.

Many Republicans do not agree with and will fight back against the idea that the Party of Lincoln has a welcome mat out for the David Dukes of the world.

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush

For the sake of our country, he must leave no room for doubt that racism and hatred will not be tolerated or ignored by his White House 3/3  Jeb Bush (@JebBush) August 16, 2017

Senator Marco Rubio of Florida

Mr. President,you can't allow #WhiteSupremacists to share only part of blame.They support idea which cost nation & world so much pain 5/6  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 15, 2017

Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado



The president should have immediately denounced the racism, the bigotry, the hatred that we saw in Charlottesville, Gardner said at a town hall in Lakewood, Colorado. The president should have done that immediately. and what he did today again goes back on what he said yesterday and that is unacceptable.

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Ohio governor John Kasich

Pathetic, isnt it? Kasich said on NBCs Today Show.

This is terrible. The president of the United States needs to condemn these kinds of hate groups. The president has to totally condemn this. Its not about winning an argument.

Representative Carlos Curbelo of Florida

.@potus just doesn't get it. No moral equivalence between manifestations for and against white supremacy. He's got to stop. https://t.co/9Ja42xtgXp  Carlos Curbelo (@carloslcurbelo) August 15, 2017

Condemnation of white supremacy

House speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin

We must be clear. White supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity.  Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) August 15, 2017

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky

The white supremacist, KKK, and neo-nazi groups who brought hatred and violence to Charlottesville are now planning a rally in Lexington. Their messages of hate and bigotry are not welcome in Kentucky and should not be welcome anywhere in America, McConnell said in a statement.

We can have no tolerance for an ideology of racial hatred. There are no good neo-nazis, and those who espouse their views are not supporters of American ideals and freedoms. We all have a responsibility to stand against hate and violence, wherever it raises its evil head.

House majority leader Kevin McCarthy of California

Saturday's violence and tragic loss of life was a direct consequence of the hateful rhetoric & action from white supremacists demonstrating.  Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) August 15, 2017

Former presidents George H W Bush and George W Bush

America must always reject racial bigotry, antisemitism and hatred in all its forms, the former presidents said in a rare joint statement, going on to cite the one of the nations founding fathers, the third president Thomas Jefferson, who lived near Charlottesville.

As we pray for Charlottesville, we are reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that citys most prominent citizen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our creator with unalienable rights. We know these truths to be everlasting because we have seen the decency and greatness of our country.

2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney

No, not the same. One side is racist, bigoted, Nazi. The other opposes racism and bigotry. Morally different universes.  Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) August 16, 2017

Republican national committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel

We have to unequivocally say that the KKK and the white supremacists were wrong. I do think people may have showed up in Charlottesville thinking hey this is going to be a discussion about whether we remove historic statues. The second they saw Nazis flags, they should have turned tail .... Theres no good KKK member. Theres no nice neo-Nazi, McDaniel told ABC News David Muir in an interview on Good Morning America.

We dont want your vote, we dont support you, well speak out against you, she added.



The president was saying that people brought violence from both sides. And violence isnt OK, but the blame lays squarely at the KKK, the white supremacists, the neo-Nazis who organized this rally, caused violence and are pushing hate across this country.

What happened in Charlottesville on 12 August?

White nationalists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, to protest against a plan to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee, the Confederacys top general in the American civil war.

Demonstrators chanted racist statements, carried antisemitic placards and held torches during the Unite the Right rally, which was organised by white nationalist Jason Kessler.

The march was met by anti-fascist demonstrators, and some skirmishes broke out before James Fields, 20, allegedly ploughed a car into a group of counter-demonstrators.

Civil rights activist Heather Heyer, 32, died and others were injured. Fields has been charged with murder.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas



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, antisemitism, and hatred that they propagate, Cruz said in a statement on Saturday.

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.



Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky

Our prayers go out for those who tragically lost their lives in Charlottesville, Paul said in a statement. Going forward, we must say to those who preach hatred  your time is over. This is not who we are, and we will not stand by while you divide us.

Standing by Trump

Vice-president Mike Pence

What happened in Charlottesville was a tragedy and the president has been clear on this tragedy and so have I, Pence said during a press conference in Santiago, Chile.

I spoke at length about this heartbreaking situation on Sunday night in Colombia and I stand with the president and I stand by those words.

But today, while I am here in Chile, our hearts are in Charlottesville because just a few short hours ago family and friends gathered to say farewell to a remarkable young woman, Heather Heyer. And weve been praying, weve been praying for Gods peace and comfort for her family and her friends and her loved ones. And were also praying that in America that we will not allow the few to divide the many. The strength of the United States of America is always strongest as the president has said so eloquently when we are united around our shared values and so it will always be.

GOP spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany

President @realDonaldTrump once again denounced hate today. The GOP stands behind his message of love and inclusiveness!  Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) August 15, 2017

Representative Lee Zeldin of New York
Barricades on the Boston Common, where a rally in solidarity with the victims of Charlottesville, Va., will be held on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2017. (Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

BOSTON  The Parkman Bandstand sits in a quiet corner of Boston Common, well away from the parks iconic swan boats and the frog pond where little kids by the dozen are known to splash in the fountains during the warm summer months. It is an advertised stop along the citys storied Freedom Trail, a walking tour of the spots that gave birth to American democracy and helped shape the countrys identity as the land of the free and home of the brave.

But those ideals  particularly the right to freedom of speech  could be put to the test this weekend, as Boston braces for a controversial rally hosted by far-right groups that many here worry could turn violent.

The rally, billed as the Boston Free Speech Rally, is scheduled for Saturday, just one week after a protest at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., turned deadly. One woman was killed and dozens were injured after a white supremacist allegedly plowed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters that was clashing with white supremacists and neo-Nazis marching against the removal of a Confederate memorial.

Organizers of Bostons march, planned since July, have insisted that their group has no links to hate groups involved in the Virginia melee, but at least two of the announced speakers have extremist ties. The rally has prompted at least two counterprotest marches, including from the local chapter of Black Lives Matter, which also plans to converge on the Boston Common  prompting warnings from city officials and law enforcement they will not tolerate violence from either side.

On Friday, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh strongly urged hate groups to stay away and called for the city to embrace unity  invoking the history of other speakers who have taken to the steps at the bandstand to promote inclusiveness and equality.

From that stage in 1965, Martin Luther King spoke the words that still ring true today, that its not a battle of white people versus black people, but a struggle of the forces of justice and injustice. From that stage about 10 years ago, Barack Obama was running for president of the United States of America, and we began to imagine the idea of our country with its first black president, Walsh said. Those are the words we will remember.

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses civil rights marchers on historic Boston Common April 23, 1965 after a demonstration to protest segregation in schools, jobs and housing. (Photo: AP)

Echoing King, he added, We dont respond to hate with hate. We respond to hate with peace.

But Bostons pushback against hate groups comes as the city has grappled with its own reputation of racism that it has long struggled to shake. Though it is considered one of the countrys most politically progressive cities  one that twice voted for a black president, Obama, and a black governor, Deval Patrick, whose two terms in the Massachusetts state house ended in 2015  Bostons racial issues continue. That includes a high-profile episode in May when Boston Red Sox fans used racial slurs to heckle Adam Jones, an all-star center fielder for the Baltimore Orioles during a game at Fenway Park.

Black players have repeatedly complained about racial epithets being hurled their way by Red Sox fans at the iconic ballpark. But the abuse made headlines when Jones, who is black, said Boston fans repeatedly insulted him with racial slurs and threw a bag of peanuts at him. Jones described it as one of the worst experiences of his 12-year career. Boston leaders condemned the incident and Red Sox management threatened lifetime bans for any fans caught using racial epithets at the park. Jones later received a standing ovation from Red Sox fans at another game and apologies from Walsh and others who said the behavior was not reflective of their city.

But the incident revived an age-old question for residents here who have long viewed their increasingly diverse city, which has gone from roughly 82 percent white in 1970 to 54 percent white today, as cosmopolitan and enlightened because of the large number of universities and research institutions here. Is Boston racist? a Boston Globe headline asked earlier this summer.

In July, the paper in coordination with Suffolk University posed the question to 500 Boston residents. The poll found the city nearly split: 45 percent said Boston is not a racist city, while 42 percent said it is, results that were within the surveys 4.4 percent margin of error. Thirteen percent were undecided. Broken down by demographics, the results were predictable: Blacks and Latinos said Boston is a racist city; whites overwhelmingly said it isnt.

But Bostons ugly racial history dates back to the time when the Irish and other immigrants were discriminated against and even quarantined during the early 19th century by the wealthy Brahmin elite. While monuments around Boston celebrate the citys heritage of being anti-slavery and encouraging freedom for blacks, the city struggled longer than most when it comes to relations between blacks and whites.

The Soiling of Old Glory A white teenager, Joseph Rakes, is about to assault black lawyer and civil rights activist Ted Landsmark with a flagpole bearing the American flag. The photograph was taken in Boston on April 5, 1976, during a protest against court-ordered desegregation busing. The photo won the1977 Pulitzer Prize for Spot Photography. (Photo: Stanley Forman/stanleyformanphotos.com)

The Red Sox was famously the last major team to racially integrate  waiting until 1959 to add a black player to its ranks. But perhaps the most enduring symbol of strife dates to the 1970s, when white residents violently resisted a federal order to desegregate local schools by busing in black students. They hurled rocks at buses while some attacked city officials, including some who were black. The tensions continued well into the 1980s, when the New York Times published a 1983 article about racism in Boston. The story was a stain against a city that by then was regarded as liberal and educated, home of some of the nations top universities.

But even now racial tensions endure. The city remains largely segregated  with many minority residents living outside of central Boston. Though mayors before him have tried and failed to bridge the citys divide, trying to solve Bostons race issues has been one of Walshs priorities at City Hall.

Late last year, he convened a series of forums mixing residents of different races from all over the city and encouraging them to talk about racism and how it has affected them or not. These events came after Walshs 2013 mayoral campaign, in which he was confronted by a voter who asked him if he thought Boston was a racist city.

Walsh, a Democrat who is the son of Irish immigrants, struggled to answer. He told her he thought Boston was better than it used to be  a response he instantly felt was insufficient. Walsh has since been more outspoken. We have racism in the city of Boston that we have to deal with, he said last year. We talk about one Boston, but we dont see one Boston in the city of Boston right now.

Last month, Walsh unveiled a report called Resilient Boston aimed at promoting racial equity in Boston, including more investment in black communities, hiring more minorities for city jobs and encouraging more discussions among Boston residents on the thorny issue of race. Its a plan, he has said, that will likely take years to implement.

Mayor Marty Walsh, right, and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker arrive to speak at a press conference to discuss a controversial rally planned for Saturday on Boston Common. (Photo: Jessica Rinaldi/Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Ahead of Saturdays rally, Walsh and Republican Gov. Charlie Baker have presented themselves as a united front against racial division. Both were quick to condemn President Trumps reaction to Charlottesville and the rhetoric he later used in defending white supremacists who sparred with counterprotesters, whom Trump described as equally violent.

Speaking to reporters at City Hall on Friday, Walsh said he would spend Saturday away from Boston Common, touring some of the citys black neighborhoods in a show of unity. He repeatedly said he wished that he didnt have to approve a permit for the Boston Free Speech Rally organizers  but acknowledged it was their right to gather, no matter how repugnant their beliefs are.

Walsh repeatedly called for peace in the city and bemoaned the attention that hate groups have gotten in recent days. But, he added, We cant look away, the children of our city are watching. The young people of our city.  We have to make it clear what we stand for in the city of Boston. We have to stand together.

_____

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By Paul McLeary

Talking with Beijing. President Trump and the North Korean regime of Kim Jong Un have scaled back the rhetoric in recent days, after a week of sparring over North Koreas missile and nuclear programs that had many fearing the two countries were stumbling toward military conflict.

But things remain dicey. Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs has spent the last several days in China meeting with military and political leaders, and on Wednesday, will make what the WSJ says is a rare visit to the Chinese armed-forces command that oversees the territory bordering North Korea, a move experts say suggests Beijings displeasure with Pyongyang.

Dunford and his counterpart, Gen. Fang Fenghui signed an agreement aimed at improving communication between the their military forces that will reduce the risk of miscalculation in the region, according to a Pentagon statement.

Muscle flexing. Tensions have cooled, but are hardly gone. In the coming days, thousands of U.S. and South Korean forces will conduct an annual war game guaranteed to anger the North, which sees such demonstrations as a provocation.

Elsewhere, two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam and two Japanese F-15 jet fighters conducted drills southwest of the Korean peninsula on Wednesday. These training flights with Japan demonstrate the solidarity and resolve we share with our allies to preserve peace and security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, the U.S. Air Force said in a statement.

But in a sign of the times, South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday said his country can no longer rely on Washington for protection.

Marine General has interesting timing. Just hours after President Donald Trump stunned the country  and his own party  by drawing moral equivalence between Nazi groups marching in Charlottesville and the protesters who clashed with them, Gen. Robert Neller, the commandant of the Marine Corps, delivered a quieter message, tweeting there is No place for racial hatred or extremism in @USMC. Our core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment frame the way Marines live and act.

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More from the NYT: President Trump buoyed the white nationalist movement on Tuesday as no president has done in generations  equating activists protesting racism with the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who rampaged in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend.

Never has he gone as far in defending their actions as he did during a wild, street-corner shouting match of a news conference in the gilded lobby of Trump Tower, angrily asserting that so-called alt-left activists were just as responsible for the bloody confrontation as marchers brandishing swastikas, Confederate battle flags, anti-Semitic banners and Trump/Pence signs.

The new drone wars. From the L.A. Times W.J. Hennigan: U.S. drone pilots now routinely launch missiles at what the Pentagon calls danger-close distances to proxy ground forces fighting Islamic State in densely populated cities. U.S special operations forces in Syria often direct airstrikes, but the danger-close missions also require approval from Syrian militia commanders since the missile blasts may put their ground troops at risk.

To help the drone pilots find targets, some Syrian Democratic Force commanders have been given a device called the ROVER, for remote operated video enhanced receiver. It displays real-time feeds from the cameras and sensors flying above them. They have access to our video and are able to tell us exactly what to look at, said one of the drone pilots, who spoke on condition he not be identified. Because of that, it gives them greater peace of mind and greater confidence as they carry out their missions.

Mattis troop talk. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had some choice words for sailors serving on the submarine USS Kentucky last week when he visited a naval installation in his home state of Washington. He praised them for their service and sacrifice, saying, you will have some of the best days of your life and some of the worst days of your life in the U.S. Navy, you know what I mean? That says  that means youre living. That means youre living. That means youre not some pussy sitting on the sidelines, you know what I mean, kind of sitting there saying, Well, I should have done something with my life.'

More colorful language than we usually see in a Pentagon transcript for sure, but in the end, it was an effort to boost morale among the enlisted ranks, and we think that just maybe, the sailors have heard worse.

Welcome to SitRep. As always, please send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary.

Iran military chief goes to Ankara. (Voice of America)

Islamic State trying to stir it up in Iran. (Reuters)

Iran building long-range rocket factory in Syria. (Reuters)

Syrian Rebels shoot down regime plane. (Reuters)

Taliban sends an open letter to President Trump. (Reuters)

Defense contractors begin early shutdown preparations in case government closes. (Defense One)

Photo Credit: MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/AFP/Getty Images
With two weeks to go until the real trade deadline, the market for Justin Verlander has ground to a standstill, the reasons threefold: the lack of clarity by the Detroit Tigers on their direction, the slow-playing of interested teams and Verlanders choice not to pursue a deal through public or backchannel lobbying.

Plenty of time remains for each prong to resolve itself and a trade to materialize, major league sources familiar with the situation told Yahoo Sports, though the latter two depend almost directly on the first. In an era when on-the-fly rebuilds are passe, full tear-downs preferred and a compelling case exists for Detroit to blow up its core, competing executives and those with whom the Tigers have spoken about trades said they cant figure out Detroits plan.

Perhaps, opposing executives muse, it is strategy to hold onto Verlander and second baseman Ian Kinsler into the winter and re-assess after outfielder Justin Upton makes a decision whether to opt out of the final four years and $88 million of his deal  a choice looking likelier by the day. Without Upton, the Tigers payroll could dip under $150 million after starting this season at $199.8 million, and shedding the remaining two years and $56 million on Verlanders deal would go a long way to the austerity late owner Mike Ilitch never considered.

The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs have shown interest in Justin Verlander. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Ilitchs willingness to spend like a big-market team drove the Tigers to perennial excellence over the past decade, but a 53-67 record and the offensive collapse of Miguel Cabrera, whos locked in for another six years and $192 million, portends a grim future, particularly considering the mediocre state of the Tigers farm system.

Dealing Verlander would, at very least, represent an opportunity to recoup some talent in a deal, though the Tigers asking price, according to sources, has been exorbitant. In one discussion, a source said, the Tigers suggested that if a team wanted Verlander, perhaps it could take on the remaining three years and $74 million of Jordan Zimmermanns deal. Tigers GM Al Avila denied that, saying the Tigers baseball-operations department never discussed the possibility of pairing Zimmermann in a Verlander deal.

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Those interested in Verlander, who turns 35 before next season, would be getting a version not nearly as dominant as last season, when he should have won the American League Cy Young Award, but still a well-above-average starter. In 151 innings this season, he has struck out 150 batters. With a walk rate higher than he has posted in a decade and a predilection for allowing home runs, though, his ERA is 4.11.

Understandably, the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, two teams that have shown interest in Verlander, have pause over the prospect of dishing out $28 million a year to a right-hander in his mid-30s with 2,500 innings of wear and tear. At the same time, with Yu Darvish, Jake Arrieta and Johnny Cueto the best free agent pitchers available this offseason, the prospect of paying Verlander for only two years as opposed to the free agents at least four doesnt render Verlanders contract altogether unappealing.

Houston certainly has the prospects to land Verlander, or even to get the Tigers to pay down the deal, which theyve shown a willingness to do, according to sources. The Astros also are wary of making a move for the wrong reasons  either to placate the players, whose disappointment at their July 31 deadline inactivity was palpable, or act as some sort of reaction to their recent on-field troubles, which, at this juncture, dont look to be altogether problematic, especially with their AL West lead still at 12 games.

The Cubs are a more interesting case. While they havent held recent talks with Detroit about Verlander, the lat injury to Jon Lester may shelve their best starter for weeks  and perhaps into the playoffs. The Cubs could stand pat, hopeful their rotation holds up and Willson Contreras makes a speedier-than-expected injury. Or they could get Verlander, a deal that would serve two purposes.

Barring an unforeseen cratering of Arrietas market, Chicago will not re-sign him this offseason. The Cubs could chase Darvish. They could hope Shohei Otani posts and decides to join them. Or they could get Verlander for the playoff drive this season and a rotation filler for the next two seasons. Its an appealing idea for the Cubs, who before the trade deadline flirted with the possibility of getting Verlander but ended up trading with the Tigers to acquire reliever Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila  a move that turned out to be prescient with Contreras injury.

One question for Chicago, particularly as the Tigers try to strike a hard bargain for Verlander, is whether the Cubs have the prospect capital to satiate Detroit. Avila is loath to deal Verlander just to deal him, lest it look like the organization gave away its best all-time pitcher in a salary dump.

Should the Tigers agree now is the right time to deal him, Justin Verlander would be open-minded. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

A similar feeling strikes Verlander when he assesses the situation. Yes, he doesnt have a World Series ring and wants one. And, yes, if the right situation came along, he might be inclined to waive his no-trade clause and accept a deal. But Verlanders respect for Detroit and its fans makes it a near-certainty he wont request a trade, sources said.

Should the Tigers agree now is the right time to deal him, Verlander would be open-minded. Like everyone, he recognizes theyre at a crossroads  that they listened, for example, when Atlanta made a run at 24-year-old starter Michael Fulmer in late July, according to sources. Smart teams listen to everything, so thats not a sign of the Tigers playing for now or building for the future, but the implication is that a good enough deal may turn them in the selling direction sooner than later.

For the progress of James McCann and the surprise that is Mikie Mahtook, its tough to envision the Tigers having enough to make a run at Cleveland in the AL Central next year, particularly if Upton opts out. Its why the Astros, Cubs and any other team that might want to get back into the Justin Verlander sweepstakes are biding their time: Hard as it may be, the right thing for the Detroit Tigers to do  the smart thing to do  is trade the best pitcher theyve ever known.
By Ian Simpson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee was defaced at North Carolina's Duke University and there were more arrests on Thursday over the toppling of a similar statue as communities in the U.S. South faced a contentious debate over such divisive monuments. The discovery came as President Donald Trump stoked the controversy over the statues, echoing white nationalists by decrying the removal of what he said were "beautiful" monuments to the pro-slavery Confederacy. The statue of Lee at the Duke Chapel in Durham, North Carolina, was found early on Thursday with its nose and other facial features chipped off, the university said in a statement. Lee led the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. The university said that surveillance camera footage was being reviewed for clues as to who was behind the attack on the statue, which stands by the chapel entrance. Security around the site is also being stepped up. A fresh debate over Confederate symbols has roiled the United States since Saturday's violence during a protest by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, against the removal of a Lee statue in which one woman died. Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer is due to make an announcement on Friday about the statue, public safety at future events, and the legacy of Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old woman who was killed, Signer's office said in a statement. Also in Durham, four people surrendered on Thursday to face rioting and other charges stemming from the toppling of a statue of a Confederate soldier by protesters there, the Durham County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. That brought the number arrested in connection with Monday's toppling to eight. More than 100 people meanwhile staged a peaceful demonstration at the local courthouse, the sheriff's office said. Many of them claimed they were involved in Monday's action and demanded to be arrested too, according to local news reports and footage posted on social media. "Deputies did not arrest rally participants who approached them claiming responsibility for the destruction of a historical statue," the sheriff's office said in its statement. In Helena, Montana, the city council voted on Wednesday to remove a Confederate fountain from a park. Democratic Governor Steve Bullock said the decision marked the removal of the last monument to the Confederacy in the northwest Rocky Mountains. San Diego city officials on Wednesday also removed a plaque to Confederate President Jefferson Davis from a downtown plaza, local media said. (This story has been refiled to remove extraneous word in paragraph 4) (Editing by Daniel Wallis and Matthew Lewis)
President Trump and Steve Bannon - AFP

Steve Bannon has left his role as President Donald Trump's chief strategist, as the president tries to assuage the outrage sparked by his remarks about Charlottesville.

The White House issued a statement saying the departure was "by mutual agreement".

Mr Bannon, who ran the hard-Right news outlet Breitbart, ended his White House role on Friday afternoon.

He said he resigned, but sources close to Mr Trump said he was "given the option to resign" - another way of saying he was fired.

The decision was reportedly made after pressure from John Kelly, Mr Trump's new chief of staff, who was brought in to establish some sense of order in a chaotic, dysfunctional White House.

Mr Bannon, 63, has taken immense pride at his status at the head of the anti-establishment, flame-throwing wing of the White House. He was seen as connecting Mr Trump to his electoral base, and encouraged nationalist, "America First" policies.

Profile | Steve Bannon

He was often at odds with the "globalist" wing of the White House - Jared Kushner, Mr Trump's son-in-law; his wife Ivanka; H.R. McMaster, the head of the national security council; and Gary Cohn, director of the national economic council.

Mr Trump was reported earlier this week to have not spoken face-to-face with Mr Bannon in over a week.

On Tuesday he could only offer a lukewarm endorsement, responding to a question about Mr Bannon's future with: "We'll see."

In his own words | Steve Bannon

Yet Mr Bannon wielded immense behind-the-scenes power inside the White House.

Saturday Night Live depicted him as the grim reaper, playing Mr Trump like a puppet - something that reportedly amused Mr Bannon, but enraged his boss.

And he was controversial from the start.

Appointed in August 2016, along with Kellyanne Conway, to manage the campaign, he was described as "the most dangerous political operative in America".

But Mr Trump appreciated his hardline views.

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He was reportedly instrumental in the Mexican border wall policy, and pushed Mr Trump to take a strong line on policing. He was determined to even what he saw as an unequal playing field on trade, and China was a particular target of his anger.

He also reportedly urged Mr Trump not to criticise too strongly white nationalists, who Mr Bannon saw as a small but important part of Mr Trump's base.

Mr Trump's defence of white supremacists on Tuesday caused the most significant political damage to his presidency so far.

The following day Mr Bannon perhaps sealed his own fate by telephoning a reporter with The American Prospect, a Left-wing publication, to contradict his boss - and suggest that he was deciding who was in and who was out in the state department.

Theres no military solution [to North Koreas nuclear threats], forget it, said Mr Bannon, directly undermining Mr Trump's vow to respond if attacked.

Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me that ten million people in Seoul dont die in the first 30 minutes from conventional weapons, I dont know what youre talking about, theres no military solution here, they got us.

Asked about his rivals at the departments of state, defence and treasury, who wanted to keep China on side by avoiding trade wars, Mr Bannon was unrepentant.

Theyre wetting themselves, he said. Im changing out people at East Asian Defense; Im getting hawks in.
A swarm of bees briefly terrorized a California high school that had only just come back into session for the fall.

Dozens of students at Palmdale High School were stung Tuesday when authorities say the swarm, which had taken up residence in a classroom, was disturbed.

Read: American Airlines Flight Delayed by 1,000 Bees Found Beneath Plane Wing

About 40 people were evaluated for stings and multiple students were transported to hospitals, where none were found to have experienced life-threatening reactions, according to reports.

As students cowered, fire officials dispatched the insects with fire hoses, according to CBS Los Angeles.

Watch: Woman Discovers 120,000 Bees Crawling Inside Her Ceiling

Officials believe the bees followed their queen into the school over the summer before building a nest in one of the classrooms.

The swarm has now been confined to that one classroom, officials said.

Watch: Family Helplessly Watched as Swarm of Bees Attack and Kill Their Dog

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A middle school teacher in Berkeley, California, accused of punching a neo-Nazi during a 2016 protest is arguing that standing up to fascism is not a crime.

Yvette Felarca, 47, was arrested last month for her involvement in a June 2016 anti-fascist demonstration held in Sacramento.

Felarca, who is a member of an activist group called By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), has been charged with felony assault, as well as two misdemeanor counts of inciting and participating in a riot, according to KPIX TV.

Footage of the demonstration appears to show Felarca repeatedly punching a member of the Traditionalist Worker Party, a white nationalist group described as a front for neo-Nazi sympathizers by ABC 10. The taller man is holding up his hands while trying to get police officers to help. Other protesters drag the man to the ground before the police intervene.

Yvette Felarca is facing an assault charge for allegedly attacking a neo-Nazi during a Sacramento protest in June 2016. (Photo: KPIX TV)

At her arraignment last week, Felarca told the court that the charges against her are false and should be dropped.

Standing up against fascism and the rise of Nazism and fascism in this country is not a crime, she said. We have the right to defend ourselves.

Back in 2016, Felarca told reporters that the goal of the demonstration was to shut down the Nazi scum.

They are organizing to attack and kill us, she said at the time, according to Al Jazeera. So we have a right to self-defense. ... That is why we have to shut them down by any means necessary.

Felarca told the Los Angeles Times back then that her groups protest was a success because it chased away the neo-Nazis and kept them from recruiting new members.

Felarca was arraigned this month on charges stemming from the year-old protest. (Photo: KPIX TV)

Felarcas next scheduled court date is Oct. 4.

She is scheduled to teach at her Berkeley middle school when the students return later this month and cannot be legally fired unless she is convicted of a felony, according to KPIX TV.

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By Tim Kelly TOKYO (Reuters) - The top U.S. general restated Washington's "ironclad commitment" to the security of its close Asian ally, Japan, on Friday amid regional tensions over North Korea, telling his counterpart in Tokyo that "an attack on one is an attack on both of us". Fears about North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programs have grown in recent weeks. Pyongyang has said it was considering plans to fire missiles over Japan toward the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, although North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears to have delayed the decision. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and their Japanese counterparts agreed at a meeting in Washington on Thursday to work more closely on North Korea. "The most important thing (the ministers' meeting) did was reaffirm the primacy of our bilateral relationship here in Asia-Pacific," U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford said at the start of a meeting with the Chief of Staff of Japan's Self-Defence Forces, Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano. "This is a very important time for security in the region and of course we are mostly focused on the threat coming out of North Korea," Dunford said. "I think we have made it clear to North Korea and anyone else in the region that an attack on one is an attack on both of us." Tillerson said in Washington the United States wanted dialogue with Pyongyang, but only if it were meaningful. "Our effort is to cause them to want to engage in talks but engage in talks with an understanding that these talks will lead to a different conclusion than talks of the past," he said. In 2005, North Korea reached an agreement with six countries to suspend its nuclear program in return for diplomatic rewards and energy assistance but the deal later collapsed. Tensions have risen after North Korea conducted two missile tests in July which, like its five atomic bomb tests, were carried out in defiance of international pressure and United Nations resolutions. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed not to allow North Korea to develop nuclear missiles that could hit the U.S. mainland but Pyongyang sees its nuclear arsenal as protection against Washington and its partners in Asia. The new U.S. Ambassador to Japan, William Hagerty, said he had arrived at a difficult time and the United States wanted to work with Japan to "calm the rhetoric" over North Korea. "Our alliance is rock solid, in fact in my personal view this is the greatest alliance on earth," he said as he met Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday. "FIRE AND FURY" Dunford said on Thursday the United States and South Korea would go ahead with joint military drills next week despite pressure from North Korea and its main ally, China, to halt the contentious exercises that Pyongyang routinely describes as preparation for war. The Pentagon said on Friday the joint exercise, dubbed Ulchi Freedom Guardian, would start on Aug. 21 and involve about 17,500 U.S. service members as well as troops from Australia, Canada, Colombia, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Britain. North Korea has fired missiles and taken other steps in response to the war games in the past. Trump warned North Korea last week it would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States, prompting North Korea to say it was considering plans to fire missiles towards Guam. Both sides have since tempered their rhetoric but with North Korea's military capabilities growing, Japan has been looking to strengthen its defenses. The Japanese defense ministry wants to introduce a land-based missile defense system called "Aegis Ashore" to address North Korea's missile threats and has decided to seek funding in the next fiscal year to cover the system design costs, a Japanese defense official told Reuters. "We will absolutely help and what's most important for ballistic missile defense is that we integrate our capabilities," Dunford said. Foreign Minister Taro Kono said in Washington Japan would strengthen its defense posture in response to the North Korean threat and provide $500 million to help boost maritime security in East Asia, where China has been pursuing extensive maritime claims that have angered regional neighbors. Japan is likely to increase its defense spending at a faster pace in its next five-year plan from April 2019 than the annual 0.8 percent average rise in its current mid-term plan, the Nikkei business daily reported on Friday. Defense officials have said such a rise was desirable but finance ministry officials are cautious because of Tokyo's mammoth public debt. North Korea has repeatedly threatened to target Japan, which hosts around 54,000 U.S. military personnel, as well as South Korea and the United States with its missiles. (Additional reporting by Nobuhiro Kubo in TOKYO and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Writing by Linda Sieg; Editing by Paul Tait and Alistair Bell)
Donald Trump's adviser Steve Bannon is said to be concerned about a "deep state conspiracy" against the President: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Donald Trump has told aides he has decided to remove Steve Bannon from his post as chief White House advisor after seven contentious months in the West Wing. It is unclear when Mr Bannon will leave 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, however.

Mr Bannon initially joined Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign one year ago, and gained notoriety - deservedly, or not - for his high profile role at the tail end of a campaign that ultimately shocked analysts with Mr Trump's surprise electoral win. Mr Bannon is a former executive at the right-wing media outlet Breitbart.

The outgoing White House advisor reportedly gave his resignation to Mr Trump on August 7. That resignation was supposed to go into effect on August 14, exactly a year to the day that he joined Mr Trump's team.

The White House later confirmed that Mr Bannon was leaving the administration, effective at the end of the day Friday.

"White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.

The former media executive's time in the White House has been highly contentious. Mr Bannon recently came under fire for an interview in which he seemed to contradict the President on several fronts, including Mr Trump's recent threats to North Korea promising "fire and fury". Mr Bannon said in the interview that there wasn't actually a military option for pushing back on North Korea.

Mr Trump was reportedly furious about that interview, and fumed privately to confidants that Mr Bannon was getting too much attention. Mr Trump has also been displeased by Mr Bannon's high profile in the media, which has largely credited him as the mastermind of the Trump campaign. Mr Bannon, at times, has also been referred to as "President Bannon" in jest because of his apparent sway on White House decision making and policy.

Mr Bannon is known for prescribing to something of an isolationist world view, and has regularly warred against "globalists" whom he says have sold out American workers.

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But Mr Bannon's time in the White House has also been marked by infighting with his colleagues in the West Wing, including Mr Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner.

The President reportedly came to believe that Mr Bannon was behind much, or at least some, of the leaks that have damaged his White House and reputation. Since Mr Trump took office, a steady stream of leaks have painted a picture of a West Wing in turmoil.
President Trumps embarrassing breach with the nations business leaders was a long time coming. Trumps talk of reworking trade deals makes them nervous. Most of them disagree with his efforts to reduce immigration, because they need the workers. When Trump uttered incendiary remarks following the racially charged violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, the dam broke and a critical mass of CEOs finally started to quit Trumps White House advisory councils  which Trump promptly shuttered.

But there will be a detente, because Trump and Americas CEOs still have one important thing in common: They all favor tax cuts, especially a reduction in the corporate rate, to bring it more in line with the lower tax rates in other developed countries. If anything, Trumps need to sign a tax bill has intensified, since so many other parts of his agenda are going astray. And the departure of Stephen Bannon, Trumps controversial chief strategist, may signal that Trump himself is moving a bit more toward the mainstream.

Trump has undoubtedly harmed his political standing with repeated blunders, such as his implied defense of white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville. Republican members of Congress are increasingly bold in criticizing Trump, with Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee even questioning Trumps stability. But Trump doesnt need much political strength to give CEOs what they want. All he needs is a pen to sign a tax-cut bill, assuming Congress is able to produce one.

And the Republican Congress really needs to produce a tax-cut bill. This will be difficult for sure, since various GOP factions will insist on favored policies at odds with what other factions want. But tax cuts, unlike health reform, are a staple of the Republican playbook, and there are several detailed plans the GOP can use as a starting point.

Republicans cannot run for reelection in 2018 having captured all of government, and tell their base weve accomplished nothing, says Tom Block, Washington policy strategist for investing firm Fundstrat. Theyve got to pass a tax bill before the primary season starts. That means by spring of 2018.

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Additional matters likely to create a stir

Theres other complicated business to get done first  raising the debt ceiling, always a contentious issue, and then passing a budget for fiscal year 2018, which begins October 1. Those efforts will produce fireworks and scary headlines, but deals are likely on both matters. Republican leaders in the House and Senate will then turn to tax cuts, perhaps using portions of a bill drafted last year by House Speaker Paul Ryan as a framework.

As a candidate, Trump called for sweeping changes that would lower tax rates for nearly everybody, reduce seven tax brackets to three and cut the corporate rate from 35% to 15%. Change of such magnitude almost certainly wont happen. Instead, the corporate rate will probably fall to something like 25%, with a moderate reduction in corporate-tax loopholes, to appease Democrats whose support will probably be necessary to pass a bill. There could be modest cuts for middle-income taxpayers. Cuts for the wealthy are unlikely, since that would alienate Democrats.

Meanwhile, concern over the departure of top Trump aides like Gary Cohn, chairman of Trumps National Economic Council, and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, are probably overblown. Both men are Jewish, and rumored to be distressed at Trumps reluctance to condemn anti-Semitic protesters in Charlottesville. Rumors that Cohn was considering quitting led to a market selloff on August 17. Markets recovered somewhat when the White House officially batted down the rumor. Yet worries persist that Trump would come unhinged if Cohn and other moderate money men were to leave his side.

Markets arent that fragile. They might be overvalued, which is a different matter, but markets have recovered time and again from political scares, helped along by the fact that no president wants to trigger or oversee a market wipeout. It also helps that fundamentals such as corporate profits, employment and consumer spending are stable and in some cases strong. CEOs dont have to like Trump, or even agree with him, to get what they want from his administration. All they have to do is let Trump be Trump.

Confidential tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com. Encrypted communication available.

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Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman
In this 2016 photo, Donald Trump is joined by Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio at an Iowa campaign event. Trump says he may grant a pardon to Arpaio following his recent conviction in federal court. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

WASHINGTON  President Trump could use his pardon power for the first time next week if he announces at his Phoenix campaign rally that hell wipe away former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaios criminal record.

But the pardon, if Trump decides to issue it, would be highly unorthodox and break with the Justice Departments guidelines for clemency, according to legal experts.

I am seriously considering a pardon for Sheriff Arpaio, Trump told Fox News in a recent interview of the six-term sheriff who built a national profile for himself by cracking down on unauthorized immigrants. He has done a lot in the fight against illegal immigration. Hes a great American patriot, and I hate to see what has happened to him.

Trump could issue the pardon as early as Tuesday, Fox News reported, when hes appearing at a campaign rally in Phoenix. Arpaio warmed up crowds for Trump on the election trail, boosting his vow to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and deport unauthorized immigrants. Arpaio, 85, told NPR hed be honored to receive the pardon.

Arpaio was recently convicted by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton of contempt of court for ignoring a judges 2011 instructions in a racial profiling case. The conviction is just a misdemeanor, however, and Arpaio is not expected to serve any jail time for it.

Its very rare for a president to pardon a misdemeanor offense. The Justice Department even has a policy against processing clemency petitions from people with misdemeanor convictions, saying it prefers to focus on felony convictions. People with felony convictions are prevented from voting in many states, while misdemeanor convictions do not trigger the same civil disabilities, the department says.

Additionally, Arpaio has not applied to the Justice Department for a pardon, another break in protocol. Generally, prisoners and ex-cons petition for a commutation or pardon to the Justice Department, which processes the petitions and sends its recommendations to the White House Counsels Office. That office sends its recommendations on to the president, who then makes the final call on who to pardon. President Barack Obama, for example, granted clemency to nearly 2,000 prisoners and ex-felons during his eight years in office and denied more than 20,000 petitions. Obama focused on shortening the sentences of those serving more than 10 years in federal prison for nonviolent drug crimes.

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Still, it would not be unprecedented for a president to pardon someone who has not formally requested it through the Justice Department. And as Trump has noted himself, the Constitution gives presidents a broad and unilateral pardon power. President Ronald Reagan pardoned two high-ranking FBI officials who were appealing convictions of authorizing secret break-ins into Vietnam protesters homes during the 1970s while hunting for the Weathermen. Those men had also not petitioned for clemency when Reagan granted it to them.

While Trump can do it, it would be a deep tragedy if he does, and a dark moment for the institution of clemency, said Mark Osler, a professor at the University of St. Thomas. There are over 11,000 petitions for clemency pending right now; he hasnt ruled on one. Many of them are from people who have served far too much time for a crime that did far less harm than Arpaios.

Last month, Trump wrote he had complete power to pardon whomever he wanted. He made the declaration amid an angry Saturday-morning Twitter spree after the Washington Post reported he asked his lawyers whether he had the power to pardon associates, family members and perhaps even himself in connection to special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into whether his campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

One former Justice Department official who did not wish to be named when discussing the president said it would look really bad if the Trump administration doesnt start issuing clemency to regular people while doling out pardons to political associates like Arpaio. Nearly 2,000 people have applied for a presidential pardon or commutation since Trump took office, while he inherited thousands more petitions from the previous administration.

Arpaio says he is grateful for the presidents loyalty. As far as the situation on a pardon, I didnt ask for it but I will accept it if he does do it, he told NPR. This president understands what Ive been going through. There arent many politicians around, believe me. I learned that real quick over this situation. You dont see anybody next to me, and Ive endorsed so many people.

In 2011, a federal judge ordered Arpaio and his department to stop detaining Hispanic people to question them about their immigration status while the court decided whether the stops entailed unconstitutional racial profiling. His department continued making the stops and detaining people, but Arpaio says thats because he didnt understand the order. He lost his reelection bid in November.

Arpaios attorneys are asking for a new jury trial and have filed a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Donald Trump posted a tweet in the immediate aftermath of the Barcelona attack that suggested people should study a famed US general who was said - incorrectly - to have suppressed Muslim militants by shooting them with bullets dipped in pigs' blood.

Mr Trump initially posted a message of support in which he condemned the attacks. Then he said people should look at the history of an early 20th Century general, John Pershing. He appeared to be referring to a widely debunked story that Pershing overcame militant Muslims in the Philippines by killing them and burying their bodies with pigs.

Another part of the legend is that he killed them with bullets dipped in pigs' blood.

Both narratives have been proven false by historians who have studied Pershing's activities in the Moro province from 1909 to 1913. The claims were not verified in Pershing's memoir and did not fit his documented behaviour, according to Politifact.

Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Also, "the idea that pigs blood could serve as a weapon against Muslims has been around in popular culture for decades," according to Polifact.

Mr Trump has made the claim before, notably in February 2016 during the Republican primaries.

Mr Trump tweeted 15 minutes after he sent a message of support to the people of Barcelona via his personal Twitter account.

It seems to suggest that the President is assuming the attackers - two people have been arrested so far - are Islamist terrorists and that his preferred method for dealing with them is pigs' blood bullets, or threatening to bury them with pigs.

He has not tweeted a clarification nor have any White House spokespeople spoken on the matter.

The terror group Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack, but that claim has not been confirmed by the authorities.
President Trump answers questions about his response to rally in Charlottesville, Va., from the lobby of Trump Tower in Manhattan, Aug. 15, 2017. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

In the aftermath of the attacks in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday and Charlottesville, Va., five days earlier, President Trump offered very different reactions.

His response to the attack in Spain, in which a van rammed a crowd at a popular tourist destination, killing at least 13 people and injuring 100 more, was swift and decisive.

Soon after Thursdays attack, Trump sent a tweet denouncing the terror and offering love to Barcelona.

The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Shortly afterward, he followed up by suggesting his followers research a debunked story about U.S. Army Gen. John J. Pershing executing Muslims with bullets that had been dipped in pigs blood.

Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

The swift condemnation and attribution of blame was decidedly divergent from the presidents reaction to the events in Charlottesville, where a car driven by an alleged white supremacist rammed a group of counterprotesters, killing Heather Heyer, 32, and injuring 19 others.

In a tweet that came hours after violent clashes between white supremacists and counterprotesters, Trump initially shied away from calling out any one group.

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

Approximately forty minutes later, the president tweeted again.

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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

At a signing event later in the day in Bedminster, N.J., Trump offered another take on the violence.

Were closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Va., Trump 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.

Trumps choice to condemn many sides was widely derided as an inadequate response to the hate groups in Charlottesville and an attempt to equate them with the counterprotesters. Later on Saturday, Trump tweeted tributes to Heyer and two Virginia state troopers who died when the helicopter they were using to monitor the scene crashed.

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

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

As criticism over his initial response gathered steam, Trump was convinced by advisers to make a further statement on Monday from the White House. Racism is evil, Trump said, reading from a teleprompter. And those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.

While his amended statement was applauded by many of his supporters, it ushered in new questions about why the president did not condemn those hate groups in the first place. As that criticism was amplified by the media, Trump returned to Twitter to vent his frustration.

Made additional remarks on Charlottesville and realize once again that the #Fake News Media will never be satisfiedtruly bad people!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2017

That anger bubbled over at a press conference Tuesday at Trump Tower in New York City, during which the president returned to the rationale that blame for the Charlottesville violence was shared.

I think theres blame on both sides, and I have no doubt about it, Trump said during a combative back and forth with reporters.

Trump defended his Saturday statement by insisting he didnt know all of the facts, and had hedged his words out of a measure of caution.

While he said some very bad people partook in the Unite the Right rally, he also took pains to add, You also had people that were very fine people, on both sides.

The Unite the Right rally was organized to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and Trump seemed to side with those activists by comparing Civil War figures with the Founding Fathers.

Was George Washington a slave owner? Trump asked a reporter at the press conference. So will George Washington now lose his status? Are we going to take down  excuse me  are we going to take down statues to George Washington? How about Thomas Jefferson? What do you think of Thomas Jefferson?

You are changing history, youre changing culture, Trump continued, before returning to the violence that transpired in Charlottesville. You had people, and Im not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists, because they should be condemned totally. You had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists, O.K.? And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly.

Wednesday, after those comments drew fresh rebukes from members of both parties, Trump highlighted the memorial for Heyer, but otherwise did not comment on Charlottesville.

Memorial service today for beautiful and incredible Heather Heyer, a truly special young woman. She will be long remembered by all!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2017

By Thursday, Trumps frustration was once again on display on Twitter. He first bashed Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., for the latters harsh statement decrying the presidents remarks.

Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

and people like Ms. Heyer. Such a disgusting lie. He just can't forget his election trouncing.The people of South Carolina will remember!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Trump then moved on to targeting his avowed enemy, the press.

The public is learning (even more so) how dishonest the Fake News is. They totally misrepresent what I say about hate, bigotry etc. Shame!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Then, defiantly, he returned to the subject of Confederate monuments, bemoaning that the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!

Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson  who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Trump has already sparked controversy by invoking the debunked story about Pershing in response to the Barcelona terror attacks. The multi-day saga that has played out since his initial statement on Charlottesville may provide clues about what hell do next.

Read more from Yahoo News:
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey and Iran have agreed to boost military cooperation after talks in Ankara this week between the Iranian armed forces chief of staff and Turkish leaders, President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Thursday. Iran's military chief General Mohammad Baqeri met Erdogan on Wednesday on a visit Turkish media said was the first to Turkey by an Iranian military chief of staff since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran. Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin described the visit as "fruitful and successful", adding that talks focused on counter-terrorism, the battle with Islamic State, and a joint effort by Iran, Turkey and Russia to stem the fighting in parts of Syria. "An agreement was reached to hold further high-level visits from now on," Kalin told a news conference. "A series of activities will also be held to boost military cooperation." Baqeri's trip to Ankara came days ahead of a planned visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Ties between NATO allies Turkey and the United States have been strained by Washington's support for Kurdish YPG fighters leading the assault on Islamic State in the Syrian city of Raqqa. Turkey says the YPG is indistinguishable from the outlawed Kurdish PKK which has been waging an insurgency in southeast Turkey for more than 30 years. Washington sees it as a vital ally in the fight to defeat Islamic State. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Baqeri as saying he had agreed with Turkey to hold joint training courses, and increase counter-terrorism intelligence sharing. He said Erdogan would visit Iran in the near future. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Parisa Hafezi; Writing by Dominic Evans; Editing by David Dolan)
By Jan Wolfe

(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday limited the ability of police to seize cell phones from homes of people suspected of crimes, ruling the prevelance of mobile devices did not mean police could assume a suspect had one when requesting a search warrant.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia's Circuit threw out a D.C. man's criminal conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, saying in a 2-1 ruling that the police found the weapon only because they drafted an "overly broad" search warrant.

The ruling could complicate efforts by law enforcement in Washington and other U.S. cities to seek text messages on cellphones for use as evidence in criminal cases.

The warrant did not say police believed they would find a gun. Instead, it authorized officers to search for any cellphones and other electronic devices in the man's residence.

The warrant was unconstitutional because police had no particular reason to think the man owned a cellphone or that it would contain incriminating messages, the court said.

"The assumption that most people own a cell phone would not automatically justify an open-ended warrant to search a home anytime officers seek a persons phone," Judge Sri Srinivasan said in a decision joined by Judge Nina Pillard.

The man at the center of the case, Ezra Griffith, was suspected by Washington police of acting as the getaway driver in a 2011 murder.

In 2013 a judge approved a warrant that allowed police to enter Griffith's residence and seize cellphones. When police arrived at Griffith's residence they seized a gun that had been thrown from a window.

Griffith had a prior criminal conviction and prosecutors charged him with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. A jury convicted him in 2013.

Griffith's lawyers argued the gun should have been suppressed, saying the warrant under which it was found was defective because of its focus on cellphones.

Judge Janice Rogers Brown dissented in the decision, saying the gun should have been allowed into evidence because police acted in good faith and "scrupulously observ[ed] the letter of the law."

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Frances Kerry and Andrew Hay)
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The United Arab Emirates will provide $15 million a month to Gaza, a Palestinian politician said Thursday, as its rulers Hamas move closer to a UAE-based rival to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Mohammed Dahlan has been based in exile in the UAE since falling out with Abbas and being expelled from his Fatah movement.

He has been improving relations with Islamists Hamas to the chagrin of the West Bank-based Abbas.

"Fifteen million dollars will be pumped monthly from the beginning of next month to the Palestinian Joint Liability Committee in support of relief, humanitarian and development projects in the Gaza Strip to alleviate their suffering," Samir Al-Mashharawi, an ally of Dahlan, said in a statement.

The committee was established in the wake of agreements made between Dahlan and Hamas in early July in Cairo.

Hamas, considered a terrorist organisation by the United States, European Union and Israel, could benefit from increased international legitimacy if it were to formally share control with Dahlan.

On Friday, Hamas leaders and Dahlan allies again met in Cairo to discuss easing the blockade of Gaza with Egyptian officials.

The Rafah crossing from Egypt has been largely closed in recent years due to disputes between Hamas and Cairo.

Israel has maintained a crippling blockade on Gaza for a decade.

Seeing his two longtime adversaries moving closer, Abbas has sought to weaken Hamas -- reducing electricity funding for the strip and cutting salaries of state employees there.
Narita (Japan) (AFP) - The new US ambassador to Japan on Thursday reassured the country of an "ironclad" commitment to their security alliance, but urged Tokyo to step up its role in the pact, amid heightened tensions over North Korea's missile threats.

Tokyo remains on alert against potential military provocations by Pyongyang after North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the Pacific island of Guam, US territory, which would have flown over Japan.

Bill Hagerty, appointed by President Donald Trump, arrived at Narita airport near Tokyo to take up his post and said he envisions Japan expanding its activities in its decades-long defence relationship with the US.

"I... expect to see further involvement of Japan, and further responsibility and authority of Japan in their role as part of this important alliance," Hagerty said, though did not elaborate.

The United States, which stations tens of thousands of troops in the country, has long encouraged Japan to take on more defence responsibility even though the country is militarily constrained by a US-written constitution imposed after the end of World War II.

In 2015 nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushed contentious security bills through parliament that expand what Japan can do to help its ally, such as coming to the aid of US troops under attack.

The legislation was controversial given the still strong pacifist leanings of many Japanese and resulted in rare large-scale street protests in front of the parliament building and Abe's office.

Trump stoked concerns in Japan during his run for the Oval Office by suggesting Tokyo was not paying its fair share for the huge US military presence, hinting that he might pull American troops and saying Japan should even consider having its own nuclear deterrent.

That struck a raw nerve for many Japanese, whose country suffered two US atomic bomb attacks at the closing days of the war in 1945.

Trump later walked back the comments and he and top officials including James Mattis, defence secretary, have consistently reiterated Washington's commitment to Japan's defence and praised Tokyo's financial support for US troops.

Story continues

Hagerty also made a point of driving home that message, reassuring Tokyo about his country's commitment to its security amid tensions over North Korea's weapons programmes.

"US ability to defend our allies like Japan is beyond question," he said. "Our alliance with Japan is ironclad."

Hagerty, founder of a private equity firm, spent three years in Japan working at a business consulting company.

He succeeds Caroline Kennedy, the sole surviving child of assassinated president John F. Kennedy. She was a popular envoy and was welcomed to Japan with movie-star fanfare.
Verizon opened an internal investigation on Thursday after discovering that a man wore company gear while marching at the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend.

CEO Lowell McAdam will personally oversee the probe, he said in a companywide email that marks his first public comments on the controversy.

This has no place in our country, nor in our company, McAdam wrote.

Thats why its distressing to learn that a man who marched with members of neo-Nazi groups and the KKK was wearing Verizon gear, he added. We are actively investigating this situation and I am personally involved in getting to the bottom of this.

Verizon declined to share the photo or video that showed the marcher, and neither turned up in a search of wire service images and social media networks.

The protest became a political flashpoint this week after President Donald Trump initially refused to condemn, then later defended, the white nationalist demonstrators and said some very fine people had been among them. One rally attendee is accused of killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer by driving his car into a crowd of counterprotesters.

Verizon owns Oath, HuffPosts parent company.

McAdam did not specifically call out Trump in his short statement. The 63-year-old has remained mostly silent on the presidency, although he warned last October that Trump would be unpredictable and said the election made him want to put my head through the wall. He gave two $2,700 donations to the presidential campaign of 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, according to data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics. He has contributed regularly to Democrats and Republicans running for Congress.

Several hundred white nationalists and white supremacists carried torches while marching through the University of Virginia campus on Friday night. They chanted such phrases as "White lives matter," "You will not replace us" and "Jews will not replace us." (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The president came under blistering criticism from major corporate allies this week. The White House disbanded two advisory councils on Wednesday after members began quitting en masse in protest of Trump. Together, they had been stacked with more than two dozen chief executives from companies including Walmart, Under Armour and JPMorgan Chase.

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In a separate crackdown against white supremacists, tech companies began shuttering services to people involved in the so-called Unite the Right rally. Alphabet Inc.s Google and GoDaddy banned The Daily Stormer, a prominent neo-Nazi website, from their hosting services. Web security provider CloudFlare also dropped the site. PayPal and Apple cut off their payment services to suspected white supremacists.

Some smaller companies, including a hot dog shop in Berkeley, California, moved quickly to terminate employees who participated in the march.

Verizon, however, appears to be the first major corporation investigating a potential marcher in its ranks. The company has more than 163,400 employees worldwide.

The leadership team and I cannot be more committed to the values of diversity and inclusion, McAdam wrote. And we will continue to live those values through our actions.

Verizons announcement comes shortly after members of the far-right criticized Google for firing James Damore, an engineer who wrote a memo railing against the value of workplace diversity. The company was forced to cancel a town hall on gender diversity  Damore specifically called out women for being biologically unsuited for the same jobs as him  amid threats from right-wing commentators.

Read McAdams full memo below:

(Photo: Verizon)

Related Coverage

CEO Quits White House Council Over Trump's Charlottesville Response  And Trump Attacks Him

Two Days After White Supremacist Violence, Trump Finally Condemns Hate Groups

Not One CEO On Trump's Other Big Business Council Has Quit Over Charlottesville

Trump's Two Big Business Councils Disband Amid Uproar Over Charlottesville

Also on HuffPost

A man wears a purple ribbon to remember Heather Heyer, who was killed protesting during a white supremacist rally, as he arrives for her memorial service at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 16, 2017.

The Paramount Theater marquee bears the name of Heather Heyer.

Heather Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, walks by a picture of her daughter after speaking at her memorial service.

Mourners gather inside the Paramount Theater.

Heather Heyer's father, Mark Heyer, speaks at her memorial service.

Mourners inside the Paramount Theater wear purple, as Heyer's family had requested. Purple was her favorite color.

People line up to attend the memorial service.

Marcus Martin (center), who was injured in the same car attack that killed Heyer, leaves the memorial service.

Anna Quillon hands out purple pieces of cloth outside the memorial service.

People wore stickers and ribbons to the memorial service.

A poster announcing the memorial service.

Mia Jones shows off the "NO H8" message written on her hands.

Outside the service, people carry guns to provide security in the event of far-right protesters.

A person tapes a note to the front door of a bookstore to announce that it will close during the memorial service for Heather Heyer.

A man puts on a purple ribbon while waiting in line.

People carry bats and shields to provide security.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
A widely-shared image that appears to show an anti-fascist protester beating a police officer has been revealed to be fake.

The image, which shows a man in an Antifascist Action jacket beating a fallen police officer, was shared widely after a white supremacist rally in Virginia turned violent. People shared the photo as evidence that many sides were to blame for the violence, as President Donald Trump had suggested.

Today's @NYTimes front-page portrays the violent Antifa thugs as noble, & willing to defend themselves. THAT is #Fakenews. And despicable, one popular radio host wrote on Twitter, alongside a copy of the photo.

The photo, however, is not from last weekends rally, but from a demonstration in Athens, Greece in 2009. In the original photo  which is available on Getty Images  there is no anti-fascist logo on the mans jacket.

The description for the photo reads, in part: Greek youths clash with riot police during a demonstration commemorating the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos by police a year ago.

Today's @NYTimes front-page portrays the violent Antifa thugs as noble, & willing to "defend" themselves. THAT is #Fakenews. And despicable. pic.twitter.com/XAPcMTqTBV  Eric Metaxas (@ericmetaxas) August 18, 2017

Accusations against the anti-fascist movement (or antifa,) and the so-called alt-left flew after the Charlottesville rally, where dozens of people were injured and one died in clashes between white supremacists and counter-protesters.

Mr Trump himself toed this line, in a free-wheeling press conference on Tuesday.

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What about the alt-left that came charging at the, as you say, the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt? he asked. What about the fact that they came charging with clubs in their hands, swinging clubs? Do they have any problem? I think they do.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

Protesters on both the left and right have admitted to being armed at the rally, and to occasionally resorting to violence. Reporters on the ground described a heated back-and-forth between both groups.

The man accused of hitting and killing a counter-protester with his car, however, is said to be a white nationalist and Nazi sympathiser. (Right-wing websites have claimed, with no evidence, that he is a a supporter of Hillary Clinton and member of Antifa in receipt of funding by George Soros.)

According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), right-wing extremists in the US have been responsible for significantly more deaths in the last 10 years than those on the far left.

The organisation reports that domestic extremists killed at least 372 people in the US in the last decade. Approximately 74 per cent of those deaths were at the hands of right-wing extremists, compared to six per cent at the hands of left-wing extremists.

But ADLs Marilyn Mayo told Snopes that both sides could be incited to violence in todays polarised political climate.

You have an escalation of rhetoric and you have people who are willing to fight it out in the streets, she said. With this political polarisation in the country right now, you have people who come dressed for battle, and when they confront each other it can lead to violence.
Its not been a great week for white supremacist Christopher Cantwell

If you had your heart set on a date with an infamous neo-Nazi then bad news: dating site OkCupid took the unusual step of banning one individual who participated in last weekends rally in Virginia for life on Thursday, and naming them publicly.

We were alerted that white supremacist Chris Cantwell was on OkCupid, the site announced on their Twitter account. Within 10 minutes we banned him for life.

Cantwell featured prominently in Vices documentary on the Unite the Right white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that caught global attention after it descended into violence, leading to the death of one counter-protester.

In the video Cantwell, a march organiser, used a number of racist and anti-semitic slurs. Were not non-violent, he declared at one point in the documentary. Well f***ing kill these people if we f***ing have to.

Christopher Cantwells profile page on OkCupid

In a later video Cantwell posted online himself, the white nationalist tearfully complained that he was under threat of arrest and was terrified that police were going to kill him.

In announcing his ban, OkCupid said There is no room for hate in a place where youre looking for love.

The company also urged users to remain vigilant and alert them if any similar figures are found on the site.

If any OkCupid members come across people involved in hate groups, please report it immediately, they said.

When told that OkCupid had shut down his account, Cantwell told USA Today: Hahaha! Okcupid shut me down? These k**** will stop at nothing!

Cantwell, a former IT worker, was also banned from Facebook, Instagram and YouTube in the wake of his sudden infamy.

His OkCupid profile, now available thanks to the wonders of Google Cache, describes him as a professional podcaster and writer specializing in controversial political satire.

Beneath the heading I spend a lot of time thinking about, Cantwell answers: Getting married, and how to stop the Democrat party from destroying Western Civilization.

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Perhaps unsurprisingly, race is an important factor in his ideal partner.

Cantwell asks fellow users to message him if You are white, in reasonably good shape, value intelligence, and are serious about getting married and having kids, but reasonable enough to know our relationship begins on a much less serious footing.

The site also announced it would be donating to a Charlottesville victim relief group supporting victims of attacks at the rally last Saturday.

We were alerted by another dater on OkCupid who had been contacted by Cantwell recently, spokeswoman Melissa Hobley told HuffPost. We wasted no time  we quickly verified that it was indeed him and shut down his account.

Its not the only dating app cracking down on racist accounts, meanwhile. In an email to all users, Bumble announced it was working with the Anti-Defamation League to learn how to identify hate symbols and use their research and terminology as their standards.
Neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other alt-right factions scuffled with counter-demonstrators near Emancipation Park (formerly Lee Park) in downtown Charlottesville, Va. (Photo: Albin Lohr-Jones/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  President Trumps comments about violence that erupted in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend have been condemned by Democrats, Republicans, business leaders and even athletes. But white nationalists were pleased by Trumps reaction.

I think hes speaking to the fact that a nation should respect its heritage, its identity, its heroes, and we shouldnt engage in antiwhite multicultural political correctness, Matthew Heimbach told Yahoo News on Thursday.

Heimbach, who was in Charlottesville last weekend, is the chairman of the Traditionalist Worker Party, which he describes as a national socialist organization.

The clashes took place last Saturday before a planned rally against the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the college town. Heimbach was scheduled to speak at the event, which attracted supporters from white supremacist, alt-right and neo-Nazi groups. It was canceled when rally attendees clashed with police and counterprotesters. Heather Heyer, 32, was killed when an alleged neo-Nazi sympathizer drove his car into a group of counterprotesters, and two state troopers died in a helicopter crash as they attempted to respond to the violence. Numerous others were injured.

Matthew Heimbach, center, voices his displeasure at the media after a court hearing for James Alex Fields Jr., in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 14, 2017. (Photo: Steve Helber/AP)

Trumps response to the Charlottesville chaos has veered back and forth. On Saturday, as the terror unfolded, Trump spoke out against the egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence  on many sides, on many sides. Both Democratic and Republican critics attacked his remarks, noting he included no specific mention of the racist groups that organized the rally. On Monday, Trump made another statement in which he declared racism is evil and denounced the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups.

But, in a heated press conference on Tuesday, Trump returned to the idea there was blame on both sides and said there were some fine people who went to Charlottesville for the rally and had valid concerns that removing Confederate memorials was changing [the] culture. And on Thursday morning, Trump posted a set of tweets in which he decried the removal of Confederate monuments.

Story continues

Related slideshow: Violent clashes erupt at Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va. >>>

Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments, the president wrote. You  cant change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson  whos next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also  the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!

Each stage of Trumps response to the violence in Charlottesville drew praise from prominent white supremacists.

Andrew Anglin, the founder of the neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer, posted a blog praising Trumps initial statement that criticized many sides for the clashes.

He didnt attack us.  [Trump] implied that there was hate  on both sides.  There was virtually no counter-signaling of us at all, Anglin wrote.

When Trump made his follow-up statement on Monday denouncing white supremacists and calling racism evil, Anglin published another Daily Stormer piece in which he described the presidents condemnation as half assed and forced by the whining Jew media. When Trump followed the denunciation with the press conference criticizing liberals for their behavior in Charlottesville, Anglin rejoiced. He wrote a post on his website that suggested Trump had white nationalist sympathies and labeled the president /ourguy/.

At New Yorks Trump Tower, President Trump stops to respond to more questions about his responses to the violence, injuries and deaths at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. He is flanked by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, left, and U.S. Secret Service agents, right, after speaking to the media, Aug. 15, 2017. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

He uses our talking points  that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are next after the Confederate monuments and that theyre trying to destroy our history, he wrote.

Anglins post included a series of epithets aimed at Jews and fellow white nationalists who dont support Trump.

This man is doing absolutely everything in his power to back us up and we need to have his back, Anglin said of Trump.

Pastor Thomas Robb, a Klan leader who heads his own church and a political organization called the Knights Party, also said he wasnt concerned about Trumps Monday condemnation of white supremacists.

It doesnt bother me at all for two reasons. One is, I know he is under pressure, Robb told Yahoo News on Thursday. Then also, it doesnt bother me because Im not under any misconception. Im quite aware that Donald Trump isnt a white nationalist.

Even though Robb doesnt believe he has a fellow traveler in the White House, he cited Trumps economic nationalism and hard line on immigration as reasons for support the president.

Overall, I like Trumps policies. I like his nationalistic views, Robb said.

Robb also repeatedly praised Trumps use of the slogan America First, which was previously employed by American groups that opposed the countrys entry into World War II. The America First organizations of the 1930s and early 1940s were widely viewed as anti-Semitic.

I like the fact that he wants to put America first. That was a campaign slogan, explained Robb. When he said America First, some people bristled [about] that comment because it hearkened back in their minds to the Silver Shirts [an American Nazi group] of the 1930s.

Though Robb was not in Charlottesville, he said, Some of the people that attend our church went. He was pleased with Trumps Tuesday press conference, in which the president essentially said, according to Robb, Theres good people in the white nationalist movement.

I dont know that he was trying to send a signal to anybody, but the comment is true, Robb said of Trump.

Former Louisiana State Rep. David Duke arrives to give remarks after a white nationalist protest was declared an unlawful assembly, Aug. 12 in Charlottesville, Va. (Photo: Shaban Athuman /Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP)

David Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard who was in Charlottesville during the weekend, was displeased with Trumps Monday comments rebuking all that hate stands for. Duke warned the president not to go further.

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, the former Klan leader tweeted.

But Duke was pleased with the Tuesday press conference in Trump Tower. Duke posted a series of tweets praising Trump for also assigning blame to liberal counterprotesters in Charlottesville.

Thank You Mr. President & God Bless You for setting the record straight for ALL AMERICANS, Duke wrote.

Richard Spencer, a prominent white nationalist leader who was scheduled to speak at the Charlottesville rally, also expressed support for Trumps subsequent comments. Trumps statement was fair and down to earth, Spencer tweeted of the Trump Tower press conference on Tuesday.

Neither Spencer nor Duke responded to requests for comment on this article.

Heimbach, the national socialist leader who was in Charlottesville, described the presidents reaction as a roller coaster. He praised Trumps comments from the press conference as a recognition that liberals were the agitators, instigators and the violent thugs in Saturdays events. While Heimbach doesnt see Trump as a white nationalist, he believes they share common ground.

I dont think hes a white nationalist. I genuinely do not, but I do think that he opposes radical multiculturalism and political correctness, Heimbach said of Trump.

Related slideshow: Mourning and acts of solidarity for the victims of the Charlottesville attack at a white nationalist rally >>>

Heimbach thinks Trump can help white nationalists achieve some of their goals even though he doesnt expect the president to lead to salvation for white America.

Mr. Trump, of course, if he can slow down demographic changes and resist the radical push of the left, that is something that we should respect, said Heimbach. But I dont think salvation for white America is going to come from a New York billionaire. I think its only going to come from a movement that is built for us and by us.

Heimbach also suggested Trumps presidency is evidence of a new age of American politics with growing white anger over the economy and diversity that had made the country lack a defining ethnicity, religion, culture, or identity. He was also pleased to see the president tweet support for Confederate monuments on Thursday.

White nationalist Richard Spencer, center, and his supporters clash with Virginia State Police in Emancipation Park after the Unite the Right rally was declared an unlawful gathering August 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Va. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

He is speaking to, I think, his base when it comes to defending our heritage and our identity, he said.

Robb, the Klan leader, was similarly happy Trump spoke out in favor of keeping Confederate memorials. He said it seemed to be a change from 2015, when Trump said he would take down the Confederate flag that flew over the South Carolina State Capitol building.

To find him now maybe reverse himself a little bit I think is heartening to people because, like David Duke tweeted the other day, it was white people that put Donald Trump into office, Robb said. Theres a growing anger among white people who feel that their culture is being changed, he added.

Robb is 71 years old and said he has been involved in the white nationalist movement since he was a teenager. Overall, Robb said he never expected to see a man like Donald Trump in the White House in this day and age.

Not in my lifetime. I didnt think Id ever see it again, Robb said.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Racist messages in chalk remain on the sidewalks in Emancipation Park the day after the Unite the Right rally devolved into violence August 13, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia - Getty Images North America

White supremacists and neo-Nazi groups enthusiastically embraced President Donald Trump on Wednesday, seeing an endorsement of their cause in his insistence that left-wing groups were also to blame for the deadly violence at a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"This man is doing absolutely everything in his power to back us up and we need to have his back," Andrew Anglin wrote on the DailyStormer, a neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic website that acts as a hub of the extreme right.

"It's going to be really, really hard to have any bad feelings towards Trump for a long, long time after this," he said.

Donald Trump, accompanied by Steven Mnuchin, reacts to questions from members of the media in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York on Tuesday Credit: AP

Richard Spencer, the white nationalist organiser of the "Unite the Right" rally, hailed Trump's statement as "fair and down to earth."

"Trump cares about the truth," said Spencer, who added he was "proud of" the president.

Trump stunned many Americans Tuesday after he strongly condemned leftist agitators as equally responsible for the deadly violence at Saturday's rally in Charlottesville.

Hundreds of so-called alt-right activists descended on the city armed with clubs and bats and brandishing Nazi flags and symbols, to protest plans to take down a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee.

Violent clashes erupted between white supremacists and anti-racism counter-protesters, and a young woman was killed when a suspected Nazi sympathiser rammed his car into a crowd of demonstrators.

Trump has come under fire from other political leaders, including several former presidents, for arguing that there was "blame on both sides" at the rally organized by white supremacists.

While Trump added general condemnations of Nazis and racists, groups aligned with the alt-right movement applauded his willingness to tag the left with blame.

Activist holds sign during protest against U.S. President Donald Trump outside Trump Tower on Tuesday Credit: Reuters

White nationalist and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke took to Twitter to express his appreciation.

"Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth about #Charlottesville & condemn the leftist terrorists," he wrote.

Story continues

Jack Posobiec, an alt-right figure whose comments Trump has retweeted, wrote "We [are] primetime now" and "Goodnight, Alt Left" as the president spoke to reporters from the Trump Tower in New York.

President Donald Trump speaks on Tuesday Credit: AP

Many alt-right groups who took part in the rally have since been kicked off social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, and had their webpages shut down by hosts enforcing policies against hate speech and threats.

But some still managed to communicate.

Trump 'used our talking points'

After being blocked by two mainstream hosting services, DailyStormer resurfaced temporarily Wednesday on a site using a ".ru" domain indicating a possible Russian host, before being shut down again.

Anglin applauded Trump's apparent sympathy for opponents of the removal of Lee's statue from a Charlottesville park.

Trump "uses our talking points - that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are next after the Confederate monuments and that they're trying to destroy our history."

James Kirkpatrick, the head of VDARE, an organisation that seeks to restrict immigration to white Europeans, cheered Trump for focusing the blame for violence on the leftist "antifa" - short for anti-fascist - movement.

"President Donald Trump finally did what no-one in the Conservative Establishment would: calling out the Antifa (the "Alt-Left" in his words) for sparking violence at the legally-sanctioned demonstration in Charlottesville."

Charlottesville far-right protest
Twitter users are sharing photos of cats following the Barcelona attack - Twitter

Cat photos have been posted online in solidarity with Barcelona following the attack in which 13 people were killed and more than 100 injured.

Twitter users are sharing the feline images instead of using graphic photos taken in the aftermath of the Las Ramblas rampage and a second attack in the coastal resort of Cambrils.

The cute images began spreading online after Spanish police warned social media users not to share photos of victims, while others are sharing them to confuse suspects about ongoing police operations.

Por respeto a las victimas y a sus familias, por favor, NO compartas imagenes de heridos en atropello de #Ramblas de Barcelona  Policia Nacional (@policia) August 17, 2017

Out of respect for the victims and their families, please, do not share pictures of injured in collision with # Ramblas of Barcelona, the Policia Nacional posted.

In response, Twitter users began hashtag flooding, with one user explaining: If the terrorists are following the hashtag to gather police info, they only see cats.

One tweeted: We will post cute cat photos so that the murderers do not exploit the blood spilled and the pain caused.

Another responded: Help the police. Tweet a cat #Barcelona.

Authorities asked sharing images be stopped. Cat photos being used to saturate hashtag #Barcelona & bury insensitive and traumatic images pic.twitter.com/y92ISBokfH  Sarah Crisp (@sairydust) August 17, 2017

Sarah Crisp wrote: It looks insensitive but a similar response happened in Brussels, to help hide photos/videos of police activity while it was all happening.

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Authorities asked sharing images be stopped. Cat photos being used to saturate hashtag #Barcelona & bury insensitive and traumatic images, wrote another.

Fill the kitten network and do not share #Barcelona images. No information to terrorists, tweeted @Emma_MJJ.

#Barcelona my thoughts are with all the people affected by this cowardly attack. Here's my cat. pic.twitter.com/FIBgei10DX  Marlous Smits (@MarlousSmits) August 17, 2017

Barcelona attack key articles

There was a similar response to a terrorist threat in Brussels in 2015. When police asked residents not to reveal details of security operation on social media - Belgians responded with pictures of cats.

Terror returned to the streets of Europe after in Barcelona when a van deliberately ploughed into crowds of people on the popular tourist street of Las Ramblas - heres everything we know so far.

Five terrorists wearing fake suicide belts were later shot dead by police after ramming civilians with a car in a Spanish seaside town in a second attack to hit the country.
Last Friday night, the white nationalists who marched on Charlottesvilles Emancipation Park all looked strikingly similar. They were almost exclusively white, of course. But they were also relatively young. And with a handful of exceptions, they were men.

The Unite the Right rally brought together white nationalists of all stripes, including traditional white supremacists like Neo-Nazis and the KKK, and other racist groups that have united under the banner of the new, internet-oriented alt-right. The rally was violent and bloodyone of the white supremacist attendees is being charged with deliberately ramming his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer and injuring more than a dozen others.

Its hard to determine just how many women identify with the alt-right, because many of the movements members keep a low profile. George Hawley, author of Making Sense of the Alt-Right, estimates that 20 percent of alt-right supporters are women. But in Charlottesville, a far smaller portion of the crowd was female. All 10 speakers at the rally were men.

There has been a lot of theorizing on why the white nationalism of the alt-right is more popular among men than women. The prevailing theory is that women are turned off by its stark anti-women rhetoric. But their lack of presence at the rally shouldnt be read as an absence of women in the white nationalist movement overall.

Recommended: Bannon Is 'Going Nuclear'

There are a lot of white women who buy into this movement, theyre just doing it in private, said Kelly Baker, an author who specializes in gender and white extremist groups. Theyre not vocal, but they are supporters of the men in their lives who are.

I talked to a few alt-right supporters after the Charlottesville rally. All of them gave the same explanation for the protests missing women: biology. There is no official alt-right platformmembers are generally anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, and see themselves as defenders of the white race. Most also maintain that there are certain characteristics inherent to each gender. Men are risk-takers, multiple alt-right supporters told me. Women are nurturers. Risk-takers belong at nationally televised protests. Nurturers dont.

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By and large, alt-right men dont seem to be forcing these traditional gender roles on the women of their movementthe alt-right women are doing it themselves. The women share a profound disdain for the feminist movement, and are eager to claim the supportive, behind-the-scenes roles.

As for female empowerment, theres nothing that has made me feel more empowered in my life than supporting and being supported by a strong man, Claudia Davenport, an alt-right activist, said in an interview with The Economist. I think that men and women are better off when we stop fighting nature and allow our distinct identities to shine through.

Recommended: Bannon's Exit Leaves Trump Untethered

In our conversations, multiple alt-right supporters referred to the movements men as protectors.

Its not the role of women to protect the borders, the nation, or the family. So we do not expect this of women, nor do we find it strange that they are less represented in something that we view as an innately male occupation: guarding territory, said Tara McCarthy, a female alt-right blogger.

White supremacy movements have used the language of protection since the height of the KKK in the 1920s. The KKK rallied to defend white supremacy from the forces it perceived as threateningnamely immigrants and recently enfranchised African Americans.

The KKK made it its mission to defend the spaces it saw as its own: white women, the home, the schools, the nation. They thought, This is our job as knights, protection is what we do, said Baker.

Unlike the alt-right, however, Klanswomen were on the front lines of the movement. There were fewer of themat the Klans peak, half a million, compared to four million menbut they didnt confine themselves to supporting roles. The vast majority wore robes, marched in parades, and participated in highly visible picnics. They were involved in the fight for female suffrage, arguing that only white women should get the vote.

So why are todays white nationalist women less visible than the 1920s Klanswomen? Today, visibility entails significantly more risk. When the KKK marched in the early 20th century, it was powerful and influential in the South. When the white nationalists marched through Charlottesville, they knew they would face social media backlash and counter-protests across the country.

Recommended: The Myth of the Kindly General Lee

In this way, white-nationalist protestand protectionhas become a more traditionally masculine act in the view of its proponents. Its more dangerous, and requires more risk, than it did 100 years ago.

The alt-right is divided on how visibleand vocalthey want women to be. On one hand, there are organizations like Men Going Their Own Way (MGTOW), a gender separatist group that cautions men against relationships with women, that bar women from membership. On the other, there is a growing contingent of alt-right men who encourage the women in their community to speak out and become leaders themselves.

Many alt-right men like it when they have women who are contributing content, recording podcasts, making YouTube channels. Thats because women in this movement have an easier time amassing followers, said Hawley.

There are only a few alt-right women interested in claiming leadership roles within the movement.

According to Hawley, outspoken women on the alt-right are particularly effective mechanisms for recruitment. Because there arent many of them, a female alt-right blogger, YouTube star, or Twitter enthusiast attracts more attention than a young white man who fits the alt-right stereotype. Women make the movement seem more normal, Hawley said.

There are only a few alt-right women interested in claiming leadership roles within the movement. A recent Harpers article on alt-right women described a live-streamed video chat in which Colin Robertson, a popular Scottish alt-right blogger, discussed U.S. politics, among other things, with two of the most prominent female personalities on the alt-right, Lana Lokteff and Ayla Stewart. As soon as Robertson opened the conversation up to the audience , misogynistic comments started rolling in. One viewer wrote, These women are the same old tainted, fucked-up strong womyn, using a spelling of women some feminists use to mock Lokteff and Stewart as feminists in disguise.

To fit into the movement, alt-right women must be visible in the right way. They have to prove they arent threatening traditional gender roles: both through what they say, and how they look. The majority of well-known, female alt-right personalities are young, attractive women.

When women do appear in alt-right journals or online discussions, its as objects of attraction, said Baker. They need to appear as victims or passive objects of male desire.

Above all, women on the alt-right must accept the movements dogma on biology: the idea that men are meant for certain roles, and women are meant for others.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
The number of South Sudanese refugees sheltering in Uganda has reached 1 million, the United Nations said Thursday, a grim milestone for what has become the world's fastest-growing refugee crisis.

The largest of the settlements hosting refugees from South Sudan is Bidi Bidi.

It is roughly 230 square kilometres (88.8 sq. miles) and houses at least 272,000 refugees  making it the largest settlement of its kind in the world.

Drone footage has been released by Oxfam to highlight the scale of Uganda's refugee crisis.

Oxfam and its local partners are currently supporting over 280,000 refugees in four districts with emergency food, clean water, sanitation services such as toilets, activities and information to help people stay healthy and work and training to help people earn a living.

A South Sudanese refugee boy sits on a mat outside a communal tent while his brother sleeps, at the Imvepi reception center, where newly arrived refugees are processed before being allocated plots of land in nearby Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, in northern Uganda. Credit: Ben Curtis/AP

Ugandan officials say they are overwhelmed by the flow of people fleeing South Sudan's civil war and the U.N. refugee agency urges the international community to donate more for humanitarian assistance.

An average of 1,800 South Sudanese citizens have been arriving daily in Uganda over the past 12 months, the UNHCR said in a statement. Another 1 million or more South Sudanese are sheltering in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Congo and Central African Republic.

A South Sudanese refugee girl with a baby on her back carries a foam mattress to the communal tent where they will sleep Credit: Ben Curtis/AP

The number of people fleeing jumped after deadly fighting again erupted in South Sudan's capital, Juba, in July 2016.

"Recent arrivals continue to speak of barbaric violence, with armed groups reportedly burning down houses with civilians inside, people being killed in front of family members, sexual assaults of women and girls and kidnapping of boys for forced conscription," the statement said.

"With refugees still arriving in their thousands, the amount of aid we are able to deliver is increasingly falling short."

Rebel fighters hold up their rifles as they walk in front of a bushfire in a rebel-controlled territory in Upper Nile State Credit: GORAN TOMASEVIC/REUTERS

A fundraising summit hosted by Uganda in June raised only a fraction of the $2 billion that Ugandan officials have said is needed to sufficiently look after the refugees and the communities hosting them.

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"This unhappy 1-million milestone must serve as a wake-up call to the international community that much more is needed from them," Sarah Jackson, an Amnesty International official in the region, said in a statement Thursday. "With no resolution to the conflict in South Sudan in sight, refugees will continue to flee to Uganda and the humanitarian crisis will only escalate."

A picture taken on January 19, 2014, shows an aerial view of Bor, the state capital of South Sudan's power-key eastern state of Jonglei, ransacked by rebels and after recaptured by Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). Credit: AFP PHOTO / WAAKHE SIMON WUDUWAAKHE SIMON WUDU/AFP/Getty Images

Most of the refugees are women and children fleeing violence, often along ethnic lines, since the world's newest country erupted into violence in December 2013.

Children look through a tear in the tarpaulin tents that serve as extra classrooms, for a mixed class of South Sudanese refugee children and Ugandan children, at the Ombechi Primary School in Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, northern Uganda. Credit: AP Photo/Ben Curtis

Ugandan refugee officials have repeatedly warned the influx is straining the country's ability to be generous to the refugees, who often are given small plots of land for building temporary shelters and planting crops when they arrive.
(Photo: Twitter)

Far-right Pizzagate conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec tweeted videos and photos Wednesday showing him leading a group of people protesting a Vladimir Lenin statue in Seattle.

Video shows Posobiec leading the group in a chant of tear it down, tear it down as the protesters  wearing Make America Great Again caps and holding placards bearing phrases like Lenin is Hitler and Alt Left Hate  marched around the statue.

It appears that about 7 people, including Posobiec, attended the demonstration.

Trump Supporters Demand Marxist Statue of Lenin Must Be Torn Down pic.twitter.com/VJCAafN7zH  Jack Posobiec  (@JackPosobiec) August 16, 2017

Trump Supporters Demand Lenin Statue in Seattle be Torn Down https://t.co/pk9tQgdA5Q  Jack Posobiec  (@JackPosobiec) August 16, 2017

Some alt-right websites lauded the protest, with political blog Gateway Pundit calling it amazing.

Many on Twitter, however, had a field day commenting on the small turnout.

you guys are close to being outnumbered by the statue https://t.co/RL0LAKh2Ot  Stefan Heck  (@boring_as_heck) August 16, 2017

Damn if that crowd gets any bigger it might be able to fill up a Dodge van  Nate (@inthesedeserts) August 16, 2017

The cool thing is if you guys go out to eat later, you don't need to worry about the automatic gratuity for larger parties.  Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) August 16, 2017

There's only 7 Trump supporters left, makes sense.  Jesse (@JesseDoctor) August 16, 2017

I've been in a longer line to take a piss. Often.  MichaelMarshallSmith (@ememess) August 16, 2017

Biggest crowd since the inauguration!  Dr. Geb Sorka (@jdubya65) August 16, 2017

This made me laugh so much.  Cristela Alonzo (@cristela9) August 16, 2017

Whoa! These 7 people walking in a circle are making a huge impact. I think they should do this straight through the night for max effect.  Nicole K (@NicoleK8686) August 17, 2017

this is so sad, I've seen bigger crowds in an elevator  Leigh (@freckle_red) August 16, 2017

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHA  Juan M. Gonzalez (@juanmgc) August 16, 2017

As SeattlePI notes, the Lenin statue  located in Fremont, a quirky neighborhood known for its bustling art scene and annual solstice parade  has drawn public ire before.

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When it was first unveiled in Seattle in 1995, some locals condemned it as a symbol of oppression and the millions who died under Soviet rule.

Others, however, have defended the statue, calling it an example of art outliving politics.

The story of how the Lenin statue got to Seattle in the first place is a strange one. According to the Seattle Weekly, the statue had originally been erected in Czechoslovakia during the Soviet era. After communism fell in that country, an English teacher from Issaquah, Washington, found the statue in a junkyard and had it transported to the U.S.

The statue, which is up for sale for $250,000, now sits on private property in Fremont. It is frequently vandalized with red paint, and could be seen wearing a colorful outfit during Pride Weekend.

So much for the tolerant left pic.twitter.com/VjEDt9Iwup  Brim Bentson (@GreasyFizeek) August 16, 2017

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[BLANK_AUDIO] Well, the producers, Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald went to England to get the rights to the book for a movie with actors. And they met with Malala and her father, and when the came home back to LA, they were like how could you make A movie with an actor who would play Malala. And they said we should make a documentary so they called me, and I started to read about the story and I realized that most of us think of this girl as the girl who was shot on her school bus. The story has much more depth and meaning to it. This is the girl who As a young girl, stood up and spoke out even risking her life, for what she believed in which is that every girl should be able to go to school. When I met her, she was 15, and she was still in recovery from being shot. She was in recovery in Birmingham, England. A bullet had gone through her face and snapped the The nerve destroyed little bones in her ear that means she can't hear very well. She's still getting feeling and moving back in that. But also, she's become a student. And to her, the prizes are great but being a student and doing well as a student is the most important to her. When you think about icons and I think she's an icon Is you think, well they're larger than life and they do these amazing things. What you see when you see this movie is that she's a girl who's extraordinary. And I think that's important when you think of icons, cuz sometimes icons are so impressive that you think I could never be them. But when you meet Malala, my daughters look at her and say well if she did it, I can do it too.

We have a feeling Malala Yousafzai will be donning an extraordinary amount of Oxford blue this fall to mark her first year at the universitya triumphant milestone in the 20-year-old's advocacy for women's education.

The youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, who was shot in the head by the Taliban five years ago, has become a symbol of resistance while fighting for girls' rights to an equal education. And on Thursday, it looked like all of Yousafzai's hard work paid off, as she took to Twitter to share that she has been officially accepted into England's prestigious Oxford University.

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"So excited to go to Oxford!! Well done to all A-level students - the hardest year. Best wishes for life ahead!" the high school senior and founder of the Malala Fund wrote alongside a photo of her application, which confirms that she will be studying philosophy, politics, and economics.

So excited to go to Oxford!! Well done to all A-level students - the hardest year. Best wishes for life ahead! pic.twitter.com/miIwK6fNSf  Malala (@Malala) August 17, 2017

RELATED: Why This Young Woman Spent Her Birthday Fighting for Girls' Education in Iraq

Congratulations, Malala!
By Samantha Kareen Nair and Sankalp Phartiyal BENGALURU/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Vishal Sikka, the chief executive brought in to turn around India's Infosys three years ago, resigned on Friday, blaming a "continuous drumbeat of distractions" and a long-running row with the founders over company strategy. Sikka's resignation spooked investors in India's second-biggest IT services company and sent its shares down nearly 10 percent, wiping $3.45 billion off its market value. The stock touched its lowest level since the start of Sikka's tenure. The tussle between Infosys and its founders began in February after founder and former chairman Narayana Murthy accused the company of corporate governance lapses. The Infosys board has denied the allegations repeatedly and on Friday blamed Sikka's resignation on Murthy's "continuous assault", describing the billionaire's latest salvo questioning the integrity of the directors and management as the final nail in the coffin. The board said Murthy's campaign had undermined Sikka's efforts to transform the business and it had no intention of asking him to play a formal role in the governance of the firm. Murthy said such claims were "baseless" and that he was "extremely anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of the statements" and that he was not making a power play. He said his main concern was the governance standards. The founders, who still own 12.75 percent of Infosys, have previously questioned a pay rise granted to Sikka and Chief Operating Officer Pravin Rao, who takes over as interim CEO. Sikka will remain at the company as executive vice chairman until a permanent CEO is appointed. 'UNTENABLE ATMOSPHERE' "I cannot carry out my job as CEO and continue to create value, while also constantly defending against unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks," Sikka said in a blog post. (http://bit.ly/2wlae62) "The distractions, the very public noise around us, have created an untenable atmosphere," added Sikka, who was German software group SAP's chief technology officer before joining Infosys. Sikka's exit comes as the $150 billion Indian IT services industry battles a slowdown in new deals from western clients and braces for changes to visa rules in the United States, on which Infosys and its rivals rely heavily. The company's push into automation, cloud computing and data analytics, meanwhile, has yet to reap big revenues. The public row at Infosys is reminiscent of Cyrus Mistry's unceremonious November ousting as boss of Tata Group over differences with the Tata family patriarch, Ratan Tata. Infosys was set up in 1981 by Murthy and six others after he borrowed 10,000 rupees ($156) from his wife. Headquartered in the southern city of Bengaluru, India's Silicon Valley, Infosys grew to become the country's second-largest IT services company. Murthy led the company until 2002 and continued as chairman and "chief mentor" until 2011. Much like Steve Jobs' return at Apple , Murthy rejoined Infosys as executive chairman in 2013 to steer it after disappointing earnings and loss of market share. FRESH APPROACH Sikka, on the other hand, was unlike previous Infosys CEOs in that he is not one of its founders and spent most of his time in the United States, from where the company derives the bulk of its revenue. Sikka is frequently seen clad in black t-shirts and blazer, reminiscent of a style made famous by Apple's Jobs, whom Sikka quotes in his resignation blog post. Since Sikka took the helm on Aug. 1, 2014, Infosys shares had risen more than 20 percent by Thursday's close, outpacing a 5 percent gain in India's benchmark IT index <.NIFTYIT>. The company's market value surged by $4.6 billion to $31.78 billion over the period. Sikka set an ambitious 2020 revenue target of $20 billion, which he has since acknowledged will be difficult to achieve in light of the headwinds now facing the sector. Infosys, which counts Apple, Volkswagen and Wal-Mart Stores among its customers, has underperformed the Nifty IT index this year amid the attacks from its founders and its U.S. challenges. "Sikka was trying to change the way we do business. He was trying to make Infosys an innovation-driven company, not a commoditised service provider," said an Infosys engineer who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. The CEO's resignation comes a day before a board meeting that could approve major share buyback. In April Infosys said it would return up to 130 billion rupees to shareholders in the financial year ending March 2018. "This does not augur well for the future of the company, for the shareholders, big and small, and more importantly for the employees," said Gaurang Shah, head investment strategist at Mumbai-based brokerage Geojit Financial Services. (Additional reporting Tanvi Mehta, Jessica Kuruthukulangara and Gaurav Dogra in Bengaluru, Abhirup Roy, Rafael Nam and Euan Rocha in Mumbai and Krishna Das in New Delhi; Writing by Aditi Shah; Editing by Himani Sarkar and David Goodman)
From Woman's Day

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NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING

1. WINNER SELECTION: Winners (individually and collectively, the "Winner") will be selected on or about 11/31/2017 in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. Each sweepstakes is a different drawing that must be entered separately. All the sweepstakes in these Official Rules are individually and collectively the "Sweepstakes." In the event the Sponsor does not receive any eligible entries, the Sponsor has the right to cancel the Sweepstakes. Drawing will be conducted by Woman's Day, whose decisions are final. Odds of winning will depend upon the total number of eligible entries received. In the event Canadians are eligible to enter as specified in the Eligibility paragraph below, and if there is a Canadian Winner, the Winner will be required to correctly answer a mathematical skill testing question as a condition of receiving the prize. Important Notice: You may be charged for visiting the mobile website in accordance with the terms of your service agreement with your carrier. Please consult your wireless service provider regarding your pricing plan. You must use a Smartphone device to participate via your mobile phone. Not all mobile phone providers carry the necessary service to participate. Check your phone capabilities for specific Internet instructions. If your data usage exceeds what is allotted by your data plan, you could be subject to additional fees by your carrier. Please contact your mobile service provider with any questions regarding your bill.

2. WINNER NOTIFICATION: Winner will be notified within one (1) month of the last day of the Sweepstakes, via e-mail, and/or at Sponsor's discretion, via phone or postal mail. In the event the Winner doesn't respond to Sponsor's notification or does not accept the prize within five (5) business days of notification, the prize will be deemed forfeited and an alternate Winner will be selected. In the event that any one or more potential Winner(s) fails to respond as stated above, declines the prize or fails to provide signed affidavits or releases, such Winner(s) will be deemed to forfeit the prize and Sponsor will select an alternate Winner(s) from the remaining eligible entrants. If any alternate(s) similarly fails to respond or declines the prize, Sponsor will use a reasonable number of attempts, in its discretion, to award the prize(s) to another alternate(s) but if it is unable to do so, the prize(s) will be finally forfeited and Sponsor shall have no further liability in connection with said Sweepstakes. List of Winner(s): For the name(s) of the Winner(s), send a separate self-addressed, stamped envelope to September 2017 Woman's Day 80th Anniversary Sweepstakes Winners' List, Hearst Communications, Inc., 300 West 57th Street NY, NY 10019 within two (2) months from the Winner notification date as specified above.

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Olay Sweepstakes: Enter beginning 12:01 A.M. (ET) on August 18, 2017, through 11:59 P.M. (ET) on October 18, 2017 (the "Entry Period"). Go to womansday.com/giveaways on a computer or wireless device and complete and submit the entry form pursuant to the onscreen instructions. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR ENTRY WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM AND ENTERED YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. Prizes & Approximate Retail Value: Twenty-five (25) winners will receive Olay Fresh Outlast Invigorating Champagne Mango & White Ginger Body Wash (ARV: $5). Total ARV of all prizes awarded: $125. Any difference between the stated ARV and the actual value of the prize will not be awarded in any form.

3. ENTRIES: Limit one (1) entry per person per day for each Sweepstakes. Multiple entries from the same person per day for the same sweepstakes will be disqualified. Entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt. If applicable, illegible, inaccurate, lost, late, misdirected, incomplete, mutilated, postage due or mechanically reproduced entry forms or entry forms that have been tampered with will be disqualified. Online entrants must have valid email address and it is entrant's responsibility to update Sponsor of any change in email address. The mobile phone number and wireless service provider/carrier of mobile entrants (if applicable) will be automatically captured in the Sweepstakes database and all participation will be limited to that phone number unless entrant notifies Sponsor of a change. If there is a dispute as to the identity of an online or mobile entrant, the prize will be awarded to the authorized account holder of the email address or mobile phone. The "authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person to whom the email address or mobile phone is assigned by an internet service provider, online service provider, carrier, mobile phone provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning the email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address or responsible for assigning the mobile phone number.

4. ELIGIBILITY: For the Olay Sweepstakes, open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their state or territory at time of entry. For all the other sweepstakes, open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who have reached the age of majority in their state or territory of residence at time of entry. Legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) who have reached the aforementioned age in their province of residence at time of entry are also eligible to enter. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Employees of Sponsor, its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, independent judging organizations, and prize suppliers (and members of their immediate family and/or those living in the same of household of each such employee) are not eligible.

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.

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8. SPONSOR: The Sponsor of these Sweepstakes is Hearst Communications, Inc., 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019.

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By Dustin Volz SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A digital rights group based in San Francisco on Thursday criticized several internet companies for removing neo-Nazi groups from servers and services, saying the actions were "dangerous" and threatened free expression online. GoDaddy Inc , Alphabet's Google , security firm Cloudflare and other technology companies moved this week to block hate groups after weekend violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white nationalists had gathered to protest removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a park. "We strongly believe that what GoDaddy, Google, and Cloudflare did here was dangerous," Cindy Cohn, executive director of Electronic Frontier Foundation, wrote in a blog post along with two other staffers. The blog post reflected years-long tension in Silicon Valley, where many company executives want to distance themselves from extremists but are concerned that picking and choosing what is acceptable on their platforms could invite more regulation from governments. "Protecting free speech is not something we do because we agree with all of the speech that gets protected," Electronic Frontier Foundation wrote. "We do it because the power to decide who gets to speak and who doesn't is just too dangerous to hand to any company or any government." The group called on companies that manage internet domain names, including Google and GoDaddy, to "draw a hard line" and not suspend or impair domain names "based on expressive content of websites or services." The blog post echoed concerns expressed by Cloudflare chief executive Matthew Prince, who on Wednesday said he decided to drop coverage of neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer but said that his decision was conflicted. Prince told Reuters he "wholeheartedly agreed" with the Electronic Frontier Foundation's post and said he was hopeful it would help spark a more thoughtful debate about internet regulation. Google and GoDaddy did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the blog made outside normal business hours. The Daily Stormer helped organize the protest in Charlottesville, at which a 32-year-old woman was killed and 19 people were injured when a vehicle drove into counter-protesters. The website cheered the woman's death. It was removed from GoDaddy and Google Domains after they said they would not serve the website. (Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Michael Perry)
Qatari authorities welcomed Thursday Saudi Arabias decision to facilitate the Hajj for Qatari nationals after Riyadh opened the frontier and announced sending of jets to Doha international airport to fly out Qatari pilgrims at the Saudi monarchs expenses.

Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani welcomed the decision but also indicated that Doha is expecting Saudi Arabia to lift all other restrictions unlawfully imposed on Qatar.

Regardless of the manner in which Qataris were banned from the pilgrimage, which was politicized, and the manner in which they were again permitted to make the pilgrimage, which was also politicized  the government of Qatar welcomes the decision and will respond positively, the foreign minister said at a press conference with his Swedish counterpart in Stockholm.

Saudi Arabia state news agency Thursday announced that King Salman approved the re-opening of Salwa border crossing with Qatar to allow Qatari pilgrims to converge to the holy sites, without electronic permits.

The Saudi monarch also instructed that planes of the Saudi Airline be sent to Qatar to carry Qataris wishing to perform the Hajj.

Qatars National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) also praised the Saudi decision to re-open the border but urged Saudi authorities to be more precise concerning pilgrims residing in Qatar.

NHRC, in a statement on Thursday, demanded that all pilgrims get the same treatment and services without discrimination, al Jazeera reports.

The NHRC emphasises that the Hajj cannot be used for political and personal calculations or mediations, rather, it is a right guaranteed by international agreements on Human Rights and Islamic law, it said.

Saudi reports note that Qatari pilgrims began arriving in Saudi Arabia on Thursday following the opening of the border crossing.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt severed ties with Qatar last June 5 over its alleged support for terrorism  accusations Doha vigorously denied. They also busted air, sea and ground links with Qatar.
President al-Sisi Thursday issued permission to ruler of Kuwait, Emir Sheikh Sabah Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to own land property in Egypt, second foreigner to do so after the king of Bahrain.

The Egyptian head of state signed a presidential decree allowing the Kuwaiti ruler to own 163 acres in Sharqia province, according to the official gazette.

The decree also points out that Sheikh Sabah Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is considered as Egyptian citizen and therefore has the right to own property, in reference to Law 143 of 1981.

Egypt applies tight restrictions on the ownership of land and properties by foreign nationals.

The decree was released because Egyptian law restricts land and property ownership rights, in Sinai, to Egyptians born to Egyptian parents and who have no other citizenship, Al-Masry Al-Youm reports.

Al Sisi himself, while he was the countrys defense minister, during the short rule of democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, was the initiator of the law, which restricts ownership of land in the Sinai to Egyptians, Al-Masry Al-Youm adds.
Head of the UN-backed Presidency Council (PC) and Libyas Prime Minister has slammed Misrata-based military forces aligned with the PC after members of the militarys top command were received in Doha by Qatars ruler.

Prime Minister Faiez Serraj has condemned the visit and issued warnings indicating that any similar move will be dealt with by a court Martial, Libya Herald reports.

A delegation of 15 individuals among whom Bunyan Marsous (BM) operations room commander, Brigadier Bashir Al-Gadi, flew few days ago to Doha to hold talks with Qatar officials without the knowing of the PC.

The BM is a paramilitary group of armed forces aligned with PC and opposed to Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar who is the top of commander of the so-called Libyan National Army based in the East and supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt.

UAE and Egypt have backed Haftar forces in their so-called war against terrorism. Haftar is opposed to the PC, but lately there were initiatives to bring the two sides closer after Haftar and Serraj met near Paris on July 25.

At the meeting held at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron, the political rivals agreed to set aside their contentions and make way for peace, endorsing the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) signed in Skhirat, Morocco, in December 2015, as the only political roadmap for the countrys reconstruction.

The UAE and Qatars struggle for influence in the region has spilled to Libya through support for opposite sides. Last month, the UAE reportedly failed to convince the Misrata forces to sign an agreement with Haftar  meaning loss by the PC of its military support.

Haftar and the eastern based administration have sided with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt in the boycott of Qatar after the four countries cut ties with the small emirate over its alleged support terrorism.

The PC adopted a neutral position in the crisis.

During the Doha visit, the Qatari ruler Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani promised to provide Misrata with a water desalination unit and a field hospital, said former spokesman for Bunyan Marsous, Mohamed Al-Ghasri who was part of delegation.

Aside from getting approval before holding meetings and discussing military issues with foreign authorities abroad, all military officials must also get approval for any meeting whatsoever even inside the country, Serraj noted.

Per the Libyan Political Agreement reached in December 2015, the PCs head is Chief of armed forces.
Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.
Following recent terror attacks in Burkina Faso, the West African nation this week agreed with Germany to receive counterterrorism training from experts to help its police and security forces combat a surge in terrorism.

The training deal was disclosed by a top German official after a meeting with Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Kabore, Bloomberg news reports.

Germany is engaged in Mali in the training of its forces, and we decided to enlarge it to the Burkinabe and they accepted, Parliamentary State Secretary in the German Defense Ministry, Ralf Brauksiepe, said.

At least 18 people died in an attack by suspected Islamist militants at a restaurant popular with foreigners in the capital of Burkina Faso earlier last weekend.

Analysts say a coalition of jihadist groups formed last month is the prime suspect. The alliance includes al-Qaida in the Maghreb (AQIM), one of the most tenacious and effective offshoots of the extremist Al Qaeda.

Germany currently has nine soldiers in neighboring Mali taking part in the UN-led MINUSMA and 200 as part of the European Union Training Mission.

Five countries of the West African region, namely Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Mauritania are developing a G5 Sahel Joint Force, in order to address the transnational dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region.

The move was approved by the United Nations and the African Union (AU), France, Germany and the European Union have called on the international community to support the Joint Force to strengthen security cooperation on the regional level.

In his condemnation of the latest attack in Ouagadougou, the UN Secretary-General reaffirms the world bodys commitment to the countries of the G5 as they scale up efforts to tackle multiple security challenges in order to promote peace and development in the sub-region.
The US ambassador to the United Nations on Thursday called for a full investigation into the death of two UN experts killed in March in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Michael Sharp of the United States and Zaida Catalan, a dual national of Sweden and Chile, disappeared on March 12 and their bodies were discovered in shallow graves on March 27.

A United Nations board of inquiry said the two experts were likely murdered by militiamen from DRCs violence-torn Kasai region.

The murder of UN experts  especially like Michael and Zaida, who risked their own lives in order to help others  cannot end in a bureaucratic procedure, said US Ambassador Nikki Haley.

We still need a full investigation under the Secretary-Generals authority into the events surrounding their deaths and accountability for the perpetrators  there is simply no other appropriate course of action, Haley said in a written statement.

Sweden also joined the US, Britain, France and Japan to support UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in launching an international follow-up inquiry to establish criminal responsibility.

There are already ongoing criminal investigations in Sweden, the DRC and the United States.

The UNs board of inquiry is not enough. The work is not finished as long as the perpetrators walk free. Further UN action is needed in support of the ongoing national criminal investigations in Sweden, the US and the DRC, said Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom in a statement.

The Kasai region has seen a major spike in violence since September when government forces killed tribal chief and militia leader Kamwina Nsapu who had rebelled against President Joseph Kabila.

The unrest has claimed more than 400 lives and forced more than 1.2 million out of their homes.
Posted on: Aug 18, 2017

RADIO SAI THEMATIC QUIZ -12

Quizzes have been a part of Radio Sai journal's offering for over 10 years now. Initially it was Multi-faith quiz and soon we had quizzes based on Bhagawans discourses, and later, on His writings. In July 2016 we began this new series wherein we have quizzes on specific themes. The Theme for the Current Quiz is SAGES AND SAINTS. In the Gita Vahini, Bhagawan quotes Krishna explaining the concept of pure (satvic) listening to Arjuna. He says, Pure (satvic) listening is listening to the stories, experiences, and messages of sages and saints who aspired after God and realized Him. Lets have a little satvic recreation through this quiz which brings out some instances from the lives of the illustrious sages, as narrated by Swami. The clues for this quiz are given in the popular crossword format. Lets go



1. Saint Pundarika:

Swami says: Pundarika was the one who was devoted to the service of his aged parents. In doing so he was adhering to a self-imposed rule. He would not take any food until the parents had gone to sleep. Once he was massaging the feet of the parents. To test Pundarika's love for his parents, Lord Panduranga came to his residence in a disguise and stood behind him.



Pundarika went on with his service to his parents who had not gone to sleep. The new-comer asked Pundarika to look at him. Pundarika said that he was seeing the visitor. The latter asked him: "In what form are you seeing Me?" Pundarika said, I am seeing you as my mother." Meanwhile Pundarika's Guru came there and told Pundarika that the visitor was none other than the Lord Himself. Pundarika said that the parents whom he was serving were also God.



Devotion to ____________ makes the Lord reveal Himself.



What is the lesson we learn from Sage Pundarikas life?

A. Service B. Teacher C. Parents D. Bhagawan



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?











2. Sage Markandeya



Swami narrates: You all know the story of Markandeya, the boy who was granted a life span of only sixteen years. Markandeya did not know about this but his parents did. They spent fifteen happy years in the company of their son. The sixteenth year started, and the day of doom approached. The mother and father were seized with gloom and began weeping bitterly. Puzzled, Markandeya asked, Mother, why are you suddenly so sad?



Calling the boy near the parents said, Son, today is the last day of your life. It is our misfortune. They then narrated the story that explained why his life span was curbed.



Markandeya was shocked. He instantly understood the situation and declared, Thus far I did not know this secret and I frittered away my time. From now on I shall not waste a single moment in unsacred action. Whatever is left of my life will be spent entirely in worshipping Ishwara.



So saying he ran to the local Siva temple, hugged the Lingam in a tight embrace and called upon the Lord in various names.



Meanwhile, the hour of death approached, and Yama, the Lord of Death, came to the temple armed with the yamapasa (noosed rope) he uses for dragging away life. He saw that Markandeya was locked in a tight embrace with Siva and began to wonder: How am I to cast the noose of death on Markandeya alone? It was not easy to bind the boy alone but the moment of death had arrived and something had to be done immediately.



So Yama cast the noose and it circled both Markandeya and the Lingam. Siva manifested instantly and said, O Yama! You have now dared to cast the noose of death on Me too?! On the spot Yama was cursed and Markandeya was granted Immortality.



Swami chooses this tale to drive home an important lesson: Grace received is in proportion to the intensity of ones _______________.





A. Powers B. Patience C. Passion D. Prayer



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?







3. Sage Gautama and Sathyakama





Swami narrates: The sage Gautama one day called together his disciples and said, "You know that the drought that has afflicted this region is heightening; it shows no sign of abatement; it is spreading fast. The cattle belonging to the hermitage are suffering hunger and thirst; I cannot look upon those dumb animals in distress and calmly carry on my duties of teaching and learning. Some one of you must take them out, to some country, where there is ample pasture and bring them back when the calamity has rolled over."



Many students shuddered at this task, they hung their heads and hid behind others, in order not to attract attention! But, Sathyakama stood forward and offered to take the cattle out, quite happy at the chance. The others gathered around him, with their sympathy but Sathyakama would have none of it!



They told him that he would be alone in the wilds, away from the comforts of hermitages, and even from the sources of good food for an indefinite length of time. He replied that the good wishes of the Guru will provide him enough safety and sustenance; that he was his best companion! He refused the offer of some friends to accompany him, for the Guru had not mentioned the need.



While leaving with the 500 herd of cattle, Sathyakama asked for the blessing of the Guru; he enquired when he could return, and got the answer that he could think of returning, as soon as the herd had increased to a total strength of 1000!



He lived up to his name, Sathyakama (he whose sole desire is to preserve and propagate Truth), led the cattle to a charming valley where he camped with them. He rose with the morning star, recited prayers, performed prostrations to the rising Sun and was lost most of the time in Japa and Dhyana, though the tending of the cattle was not neglected in the least. He did not evince any anxiety to return home, but bided his time, patiently.



One morning soon after the morning rites, Indra, the Chief of the Gods, appeared before him, for the gods were watching over the solitary cowherd! He told him that the tally was 1000 herd of cattle, and so, he could return. Indra offered to take him back, safe and sound.



Swami then narrates how Indra bestowed on Sathyakama the knowledge of the Vedas. He describes this as a reward for his humility and ________________.



What do you think is the quality which Sathyakama displayed in his conduct towards his Guru?

A. Reverence B. Remembrance C. Regard D. Religion



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?







4. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

Swami has narrated the story of a thief who was transformed by the saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Having unwittingly joined the devout group around Sage Chaitanya, the thief sought initiation from him, but with a plea that he would be unable to give up his profession of thieving. Agreeing to this, Sage Chaitanya in turn placed a condition that before breaking into any place, the thief should chant the holy name 108 times. The saint then imparted the holy mantra to him.



The thief then broke into a house of a rich man. To continue in Swamis words:



The thief broke into the house and entered the safe-room in which all the valuables were kept. He saw gems of all kinds. He was resolved not to touch any of the valuables till he had completed recitation of the mantra given to him by Chaitanya. But before he completed the mantra japa (recitation of holy formula), the master of the house and others arrived there.



The lady of the house, who had gone with all her jewels, wanted to replace them in the safe. She saw a stranger in the room engaged in deep meditation. She thought it must be some great sage who had come into the house in their absence and was meditating on God. She called her husband.



The stranger continued to be immersed in meditation. He did not appear like a thief. They thought he must be some saintly person who had honoured their home by his visit. All of them began to offer worship to him and prostrate before him. They thought that in the wake of the saint Chaitanya other saintly persons were also visiting their village.



Meanwhile, on the completion of the recitation of the mantra, the thief opened his eyes and to his astonishment found a large group of people standing reverently before him. The master of the house asked him: Oh sir! Who are you? Where from have you come? We have been sanctified by your visit. Please take your food in our home and redeem our lives by doing us this honour."



A great change came over the thief. He thought: If the mere recitation of the Lord's name can bring me so much honour and respect, although I had come here only to steal, how many greater things may be in store for me if I genuinely recite the Lord's name for its own sake? I may hope for the highest position by the grace of the Lord."



That very moment he decided to give up stealing. He prostrated before the master of the house and his wife and said: Mother! Let me tell you the truth. I am a thief. Let me go to a forest. I shall spend the rest of my days contemplating on God and leading my life of a true ascetic."



What do you think enabled the transformation in the thief?



A. Darshan (seeing) of the saint B. Sparshan (touching) of the saint C. Sambhashan (the discourse) of the saint D. All Three



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?







5. Adi Shankara

Swami narrates: Adi Shankara, after his triumphant march all over India, reached the city of Benares. He went to the temple of Vishwanatha and prayed thus:



O Lord! I have come here to redeem myself of the three sins I have committed. It is said Yatho vacho nivartante aprapya manasa saha. Though I know that the Lord is ineffable, beyond the ken of thought and word, I have dared to describe You. I have committed the sin of not practising what I have known. This is my first sin.



Though I have professed Easwara Sarvabuthanam, Easavasya Idamsarvam, Vasudeva Sarvamidam, I have come for Your darshan. Though I declared that the Lord is everywhere, I have come to seek You here. I have committed the sin of saying one thing and doing another. This is my second sin.



In spite of making the statements Ekatma Sarvabhutantaratma, Ekameva Adwitiya Brahma, I have come for Your darshan. In spite of my declaring that there is only One entity in the world, I have come for Your Darshan. Thereby I have considered You to be much different from myself. This is my third sin, O Lord!



Redeem me of my three sins and bless me with the Bliss born of non-dualism.



The first sin that Shankara identified in himself was the disharmony between his thought and deed. The second sin was the disharmony between word and deed. The third sin he identified was the flaw in his thinking (considering the Lord as different from him) arising from the fact that his deed did not measure up to his __________.



Identify the mismatched measure.



A. Word B. Thought C. Knowledge D. Deed



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?















6. Uddalaka and Svetaketu





Swami describes: Mention is made in one of the Upanishads of a great sage by name Uddalaka, who sent his son Svetaketu to another guru for his education. Svetaketu took twelve years to acquire proficiency in all the branches of learning. Puffed up with pride, he returned to his father and told him about his profound scholarship.



Then the father questioned him, Oh my son! Have you known that, by knowing which you would be knowing everything? The son was baffled by this question which gave a shattering blow to his pride of learning. Of all the kinds of pride, the pride of learning is the worst.



What do you think would make one know everything if only it were known?



A. Veda B. Loka C. Atma D. Maya



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?











7. Saint Ramadas:



Swami narrates: Ramadas of Bhadhrachalam used to write on palm leaves hundreds of songs on his favourite Deity, Rama; the leaves accumulated into a gigantic pile.



One day, Ramadas stood by its side and wondered, "Am I the fellow who wrote all this? Did I write them for my satisfaction or for pleasing Rama?" He carried the whole pile and threw them into the Godavari River; Only 108 songs floated above the waters; the rest sank and were lost for ever.



Swami says that only those 108 came from the _________, the rest were products of intelligence and cleverness.



Where do you think the 108 came from?

A. Speech B. Heart C. Head D. Tears







WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?







8. Sage Ashtavakra and King Janaka





Swami narrates a story: Once upon a time, King Janaka sent round a message inviting scholars, sages and yogis to teach him the knowledge of Atma. He announced: "In the time it takes me to climb on to my horse, one should be able to give me full Brahma jnana (knowledge of the Absolute)." The sages and scholars were worried, as they felt "This is going to be a severe test for our scholarship and learning." No one dared come and offer to satisfy the King's demand.



It was only Sage Ashtavakra who came forward to impart the knowledge to the king, accepting the challenge thrown. Accompanied by a few soldiers and horses, he led the king out of the kingdom to a lonely spot.



Ashtavakra told the king, "I am now going to teach you the knowledge of Atma. I am the preceptor and you are the disciple. Are you ready to accept this relationship? If you agree to this, then you have to make the offering the shishya has to give to the Guru (preceptor). Only after you have made your offering will I start my teaching." King Janaka told Ashtavakra, "I want to attain Brahman and I am therefore prepared to give you anything you want."



Ashtavakra then asked for and accepted a particular offering from the king.



Then the Guru brought a horse, made it stand, and asked the King to sit down on the ground in the middle of the road of his kingdom. He left the king there and retired into the forest to sit quietly under a tree.



The soldiers waited for a long time for the return of the king but neither the king nor Ashtavakra came. They wanted to know what had happened to them, and one by one, they went to find out. They found their king sitting in the middle of the road with a horse standing nearby. The king had dosed his eyes and was absolutely still. Ashtavakra was nowhere to be found. They were rather afraid that this Ashtavakra had cast some magic spell over the king, making him lose his consciousness.



One by one, the soldiers, the prime minister, the courtiers and even the Queen tried to rouse the king to some response, but to no avail.



Meanwhile, the soldiers went in search of Ashtavakra into the forest. They found him sitting under a tree in total peace. They took hold of him and brought him to the place where the king was sitting. Ashtavakra said, "The king is saved, he is all right. You may see for yourself."



The ministers, the queen and others told Ashtavakra: "He has not opened his mouth or eyes." Ashtavakra went close to the king and called him, saying, "Maharaja." Immediately the king opened his eyes and replied, "Swami." Ashtavakra told the king, "The ministers and the queen have come; the soldiers and many others have come and all have tried to talk to you; why did you not answer them?"



The king replied that thoughts, words and deeds were all associated with the offering that he had made to the sage. He therefore had no authority to do anything without the command of the sage.



What do you think was the offering that the Sage had asked from the king?

A. Body B. Mind C. Food D. Money



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?











9. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his disciples:





Swami narrates: Ramakrishna's disciples had to go by boat across the Ganga to get whatever was required for his ashram. Ramakrishna used to assign different tasks each day for the young disciples in the ashram.



One of them was a gentle youth known as Brahmananda. Vivekananda was an aggressive and short-tempered youth.



One day Brahmananda went by boat to bring provisions for the ashram. As soon as they saw an ochre-robed person in the boat, the other passengers got very indignant. They started abusing Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in various ways. They remarked:



"He is a pseudo-sanyasi. He is spoiling all young men," and so on. Brahmananda silently shed tears, remembering the teachings of the master. During the trip he was apprehensive about what might happen. On the return trip, the earlier story was repeated. He listened silently to the abuse levelled against Ramakrishna and did not venture to quarrel with them.



After his return, Ramakrishna asked him to narrate all that had happened. After listening to Brahmananda's pathetic story, Swami Ramakrishna burst out: "How could you remain silent while your guru was being reviled? You have committed a sin. You are not fit to remain in the ashram".



Narender (Vivekananda) who was standing nearby, listened to the angry words of the Master. Brahmananda fell at the feet of the Master and pleaded for forgiveness.



The next day, it was Vivekananda's turn to go by boat to buy provisions. As soon as they saw an ochre-robed youth in the boat, the other passengers started abusing Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in the similar manner.



One rich man accused Ramakrishna of spoiling young men by his teachings. Narender remembered what the guru had said the previous day, so he rose from his seat and gave a slap on the cheek of the reviler. Narender was a strong, powerful person. He told the traducer: "Will you keep your mouth shut? You may have your likes and dislikes and we have ours. What right have you to condemn us? If you do not keep silent, I shall hurl you into the Ganga."



Everyone in the boat got alarmed that the irate youth might actually carry out the threat. All of them became silent. Vivekananda brought the provisions and returned by boat to the ashram. On the return journey no one ventured to open his mouth.



Ramakrishna asked Narender to relate what all happened during his boat trip. Narender related everything and said: "All of them kept their mouths shut after I had slapped one of them for criticising the guru."



Immediately Swami Ramakrishna observed: "Chi! Chi! How unbecoming of you to dishonour the robe you are wearing by losing your temper, exhibiting hatred and causing hurt to a person. You are unfit to stay in my ashram. What does it matter what anyone says? How does it affect us? Their praise or censure will not touch us.



Why do you think the Master gave such contrasting advice to his two disciples?



The Masters give to each disciple according to their ______________.

A. News B. Nature C. Need D. Deed



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?











10. Self-Sacrifice, Self-Confidence, Self-Satisfaction and Self-Realization





Dakshinamurthy was one morning walking in slow steps along the sea- beach. He looked at the waves and drew a lesson therefrom. He saw that the waves were slowly but systematically, carrying towards the shore a bit of straw, passing it on from one crest to another, until it was deposited on land!



The sea is a broad expanse, it is deep and mighty. But, yet, it is constantly engaged in clearing itself from all extraneous things. It knows that, you must not neglect a desire, for the reason that it is a straw. Force it back, on to the shore, where it can do no harm. Eternal vigilance is the price of peace and happiness.



Dakshinamurthy exclaimed, "Wonderful! The Sea has taught me a great lesson - the lesson that danger lurks, when ___________ raises its head.



What do you think Sri Dakshinamurthy said provokes the lurking danger?

A. Dirt B. Rubbish C. Neglect D.Desire



WOULD YOU LIKE A CLUE?






BUILDING THE LA RAZA 'The Race' WELFARE STATE ON MIDDLE AMERICAS' BACKS: Months ago, the Biden administration publicly defended their proposal to begin providing federal identification cards to border crossers and illegal aliens who they plan to release into American communities. The goal of the proposal is to make securing public benefits easier.
@amysherman1

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultzs former information technology aide and his wife have been indicted on bank fraud charges.

A grand jury late Thursday returned an indictment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia charging Imran Awan and his wife, Hina Alvi, of Lorton, Virginia, on four counts: conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, making false statements on a loan or credit application and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions.

Awan, 37, previously had been charged in a criminal complaint with one count of bank fraud. The indictment expanded on the charges and also added Alvi, 33, as a defendant.

The indictment states that Awan and Alvi conspired to obtain home equity lines of credit for $165,000 and $120,000 from a credit union on two properties. They provided false information that the properties were Alvis principal residence and second home when they actually rented out the homes. Then, they transferred the proceeds to Pakistan.

More here.
An aggressive mountain goat was shot and killed by a hiker in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness last month bringing new concerns about the threats that outdoor recreation poses to the normally docile white ghosts of rocky peaks.

A woman from Lincoln County, Montana, shot the nanny with a .357-caliber handgun on July 19 at the top of a switchback on a narrow, cliffy section of the trail to Leigh Lake.

The 1.5-mile Trail 132 is a popular hike because of its quick access to a spectacular wilderness setting.

The woman reported the incident to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens and said the goat had been charging at her and she felt she needed to protect the two children with her on the trail.

Warden Taylor Rockafellow hiked to the scene the next day with a Forest Service employee and removed the goat carcass to reduce the chance of luring grizzly bears into the area, he said.

Neither the Kootenai National Forest nor the state wildlife agency reported the incident to the public, but talked openly about the situation when contacted by The Spokesman-Review.

The incident has prompted Forest Service officials to step up efforts to educate the public about recreating among the areas goats and other wildlife.

Weve posted signs at wilderness trailheads with information about avoiding conflicts with mountain goats, said Nathan Gassmann, Libby District Ranger.

Wildlife managers have become more concerned about Cabinet Mountains goat populations in the past decade as research gives them more insight, said Tonya Chilton-Radandt, FWP wildlife biologist in Libby.

Roughly 100 mountain goats roam the Cabinet Mountains, a number right at the threshold needed for long-term sustainability, she said.

At her recommendation, the number of mountain goat hunting permits offered this year for the Cabinets was dropped to two from the six that had been offered in recent years.

We wanted to be on the safe side, she said, noting concerns for the percentage of nannies being taken. Nannies drive the population, but the females arent having their first young until age 4 or 5.

Adult females have high fidelity to the small area where they live, which curbs the chance that they will disperse and populate new areas. Reintroductions in the west Cabinets have not had good results, she said.

Evidence suggests that recreation is having an impact on mountain goats, Chilton-Radandt said. Its mostly with motorized access, where snowmobiles can come up to the wilderness boundary, she said, noting that most nannies give birth in May and production can suffer from disturbance.

Were working with the Forest Service to minimize motorized access around the main Cabinets as well as the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.

She applauded promised increases in efforts on the national forest to educate hikers and other recreationists who encounter wildlife.

When people and mountain goats come together often, its not usually good for the goats, she said.

Game wardens investigating the goat shooting at Leigh Lake say they have heard rumors that people have been feeding those goats.

We dont have proof that people have been feeding goats up there, but a Forest Service trail crew that was up there the previous week saw goats exhibiting that behavior, Rockafellow said. Goats are pretty easy to habituate.

Mountain goats have few effective predators  save for humans, and the eagles that can knock kids off ledges. When Im doing goat surveys, Im sure to look where I see an eagle circling, Chilton-Radandt said.

Goats often are salt deficient, Rockafellow said. If people pee on the trail, theyll come and lick the dirt. Theyll lick sweaty skin or chew on sweaty pack straps. They can smell it quite a ways away.

A lot of rumors have been flying around about the Leigh Lake incident, said warden Tammy Laverdure, who interviewed the woman who shot the goat. The sportsmens community blew up over a goat being killed.

Just the week before, Id heard from a man expressing concern about encountering an aggressive mountain goat at Leigh Lake while hiking with his son.

Similarly, she said, the woman and her children encountered a goat being aggressive on a narrow section of the trail.

The hiker said she used her handgun to fire warning shots, Laverdure said. The goat turned and ran up the trail but came back.

Its possible the goat was just frantically trying to get past the woman and her two children. The nanny may have had a kid. It had udders, but no milk. I cant say for sure that it had a kid, but its likely.

The hikers reported they did not see a young goat.

Im not blaming the woman in any way, Laverdure said, although I feel something could have been done differently.

This woman says she normally carries bear spray, but had forgotten it in her car the previous week and it exploded while the car was parked in the sun. Had she been packing bear spray instead of a gun that day, things might be different.

The difference between a goat trying to get by on the trail and a goat thats aggressively charging might be detected by a trained eye, she said.

A goats ears would be pinned back if it were charging, she said. Apparently that wasnt the case, according to my interview.

At any rate, a goat was running at them on a very narrow trail and the lady felt for her life and her childrens safety.

She said it might have been different if she had been alone, Rockafellow said, but if she felt threatened for herself or her kids, thats all the law requires.

After our interview, Laverdure said, I truly believed the woman. I could see the remorse in her face. I didnt cite her. It wouldnt hold up in court if I did.

Wildlife interactions are not limited to goats, said Gassmann, the Libby District ranger.

Weve given a lot of attention to preventing problems with grizzly bears and we have a lot of black bears and moose  a myriad of wildlife, he said. Our goal is to heighten awareness of being around these animals.

This incident is causing us to step back and remind people that theres more to be aware of out there than grizzlies.

The Kootenai National Forest may model some efforts to educate hikers on whats happening in the Scotchman Peak area, including signage and volunteer ambassadors who hike and contact people on trails frequented by goats.

But even the Scotchman effort is not a total success. Trail 65, a 4.5-mile route to the summit, was closed two years ago after at least two hikers were injured by aggressive goats.

The Friends of the Scotchman Peaks wilderness posted educational signs and set up the ambassador program, but last month hikers were still posting photos on social media of mountain goats licking sweat off their legs.

The high popularity of the Scotchman Peak trail make it ripe for problems, Gassmann said. Here in the Cabinets we have the advantage of having fewer people. But as visitation increases, so will the problems with the goats unless people are educated.

Well be encouraging people to use bear spray and other nonlethal actions and methods to deal with aggressive wildlife.
LOLO  Dustin and Cyndi Nagy received a knock on their door around 1 a.m. Thursday telling them to evacuate their home because the Lolo Peak fire, which blew up earlier that night, was closing in.

It was pretty stressful last night, but now were much more relieved, Cyndi Nagy said, looking over maps at the fire information stand in Lolo. We appreciate the fire information stand because he can tell us exactly what to expect. Online and in the newspaper is good for broad assessments, but here its customized for our home.

New mandatory evacuation orders were posted Thursday afternoon as the fire continued to grow.

As many as 400 homes were told to evacuate late Wednesday night after the fire blew up, forcing the closure of the previous shelter for evacuees, according to the American Red Cross.

The former shelter at the Florence-Carlton Community Church is now in an evacuation area. The new shelter is at the University Congregational Church of Missoula, 405 University Ave. The homes that received mandatory evacuation notices around 10 p.m. Wednesday were in addition to 160 that were evacuated during the weekend, according to the Thursday morning update from the Lolo National Forest.

Shelter Manager Brian Wrede of Hamilton said only one person spent the night at the shelter in Missoula; that was someone who was displaced before new evacuation orders were sent out Wednesday night.

Its typical Montana, he said.

Last summer, only a handful of people stayed a couple nights during the Roaring Lion fire that burned much of the Hamilton area, he said. His own home was across the street from the evacuation zone.

Wrede and other Red Cross volunteers are ready, however, should someone need food or shelter.

Snacks, water bottles and other food items crowd a table in a room off the churchs lobby. Up a nearby flight of stairs, another room has been converted to a makeshift bunkhouse. Four green cots line a wall under windows facing University Avenue, a pillow and plastic-wrapped red blanket sitting on each. Four more cots sit nearby and more are stacked with other emergency supplies in a trailer on the street.

***

About 1 p.m. Thursday, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office placed all homes west of U.S. Highway 93 and south of West Carlton Creek Road to County Line Road under an evacuation order.

Meanwhile, the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office announced evacuation orders south to Bass Creek Road. The Bass Creek recreation area also is closed. Orders also are in effect for the Florence area west of Highway 93, from the north side of Tie Chute Lane north into Missoula County.

The Northern Rockies Incident Management Team called in the National Guard Thursday, to help the Missoula County Sheriffs Office keep up with evacuations along Highway 12 and 93 and set up road blocks, according to County Communications Coordinator Katie Klietz.

Overall, 1,150 homes in the area are under either an evacuation warning or order, the sheriff said.

All things considered, evacuation efforts Wednesday night went well, McDermott said. When the 10 p.m. order was issued, off-duty deputies were called to assist the evacuation effort, and were joined by officers from the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Montana Highway Patrol.

They had a plan in place and were able to mobilize pretty quickly, able to get people to answer their phones and get there to help out, he said, saying around 45 officers from the departments were used to notify residents it was time to go.

The evacuation order for U.S. Highway 12 applies to people and homes from milepost 31.5 to 29.5 on both sides of Highway 12. This includes Fort Fizzle to Balsam Root Road on both sides of Highway 12 as well as portions of Mormon Creek Road past and including Vann Drive.

All evacuees must check in at the trailer located at the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 12 at the weigh station south of Town Pump. Before the new evacuation order was issued, the sheriff's office had announced plans to let some people return to their homes briefly on Thursday, but due to increased fire activity are postponing that plan until further notice. Missoula County 9-1-1-'s Facebook page displays maps with the mandatory evacuation zones and warning zones.

At a community meeting Thursday night, Lolo National Forest Supervisor Tim Garcia told evacuees that he understands how difficult it is to be displaced, and they they're trying to get everyone home as soon as possible.

"I know that it's an incredibly stressful time, and hope the information we present this evening can relieve some of the stress," he said.

Ravalli Republic editor Eve Byron and Missoulian reporters Jayme Fraser, Dillon Kato and Peter Friesen contributed to this story.
Dustin and Cyndi Nagy received a knock on their door around 1 a.m. Thursday morning asking them to evacuate their home due to the close proximity of the Lolo Peak fire, which blew up earlier that night.

It was pretty stressful last night, but now were much more relieved, Cyndi Nagy said, looking over maps at the fire information stand in Lolo. We appreciate the fire information stand because he can tell us exactly what to expect. Online and in the newspaper is good for broad assessments, but here its customized for our home.

New mandatory evacuation orders were posted Thursday afternoon as the Lolo Peak fire continued to grow.

As many as 400 homes were told to evacuate late Wednesday night after the Lolo Peak fire blew up, forcing the closure of the previous shelter for evacuees, according to the American Red Cross.

The former shelter at the Florence-Carlton Community Church is now in an evacuation area. The new shelter is at the University Congregational Church of Missoula, 405 University Ave. The homes that received mandatory evacuation notices around 10 p.m. Wednesday were in addition to 160 that were evacuated during the weekend, according to the Thursday morning update from the Lolo National Forest.

Shelter Manager Brian Wrede, of Hamilton, said only one person spent the night at shelter in Missoula; that was someone who was displaced before new evacuation orders were sent out Wednesday night.

Its typical Montana, he said.

Last summer, only a handful of people stayed a couple nights during the Roaring Lion fire that burned much of the Hamilton area. His own home was across the street from the evacuation zone.

Wrede and other Red Cross volunteers are ready, however, should someone need food or shelter.

Snacks, water bottles and other food items crowd a table in a room off the churchs lobby. Up a nearby flight of stairs, another room has been converted to a makeshift bunkhouse. Four green cots line a wall under windows facing University Avenue, a pillow and plastic-wrapped red blanket sitting on each. Four more cots sit nearby and more are stacked with other emergency supplies in a trailer on the street.

About 1 p.m. Thursday, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office placed all homes west of U.S. Highway 93 and south of West Carlton Creek Road to County Line Road under an evacuation order.

Meanwhile, the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office announced evacuation orders south to Bass Creek Road. The Bass Creek recreation area also is closed.

Missoula County Emergency Management Director Adriane Beck said Thursday in a meeting with the county commissioners that the county plans on asking for assistance from the National Guard, to help the Missoula County Sheriffs Office keep up with evacuations along Highway 12 and 93.

Theres too many driveways, theres too many access points, for our sheriffs office to be able to physically do that, Beck said.

Overall, 1,150 homes in the area are under either an evacuation warning or order, the sheriff said.

All things considered, evacuation efforts Wednesday night went well, McDermott said. When the order was issued, off-duty deputies were called to assist the evacuation effort, and were joined by officers from the Ravalli County Sheri's Office, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Montana Highway Patrol.

They had a plan in place and were able to mobilize pretty quickly, able to get people to answer their phones and get there to help out, he said, saying around 45 officers from the departments were used to notify residents it was time to go.

The new evacuation order for U.S. Highway 12 applies to people and homes from milepost 31.5 to 29.5 on both sides of Highway 12. This includes Fort Fizzle to Balsam Root Road on both sides of Highway 12 as well as portions of Mormon Creek Road past and including Vann Drive.

All evacuees must check in at the trailer located at the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 12 at the weigh station south of Town Pump. Before the new evacuation order was issued, the sheriff office had announced plans to let some people return to their homes briefly on Thursday, but due to increased fire activity are postponing that plan until further notice. Missoula County 9-1-1-'s Facebook page displays maps with the mandatory evacuation zones and warning zones.

At a community meeting Thursday night, Lolo National Forest Supervisor Tim Garcia told evacuees that he understands how difficult it is to be displaced, and they they're trying to get everyone home as soon as possible.

"I know that it's an incredibly stressful time, and hope the information we present this evening can relieve some of the stress," he said.
The budgets adopted by the Missoula County School District Board of Trustees Thursday night pushed a larger burden onto the local taxpayer after the Legislature and the Montana Office of Public Instruction reduced state funding to the district by about $3.2 million.

Six board members were present at the school board meeting, a majority of the 11 member board. Korbin Bragstad, Heidi Kendall, Mike Smith and Board Chair Marcia Holland were all present in person, with Vicki McDonald and Jennifer Newbold appearing by phone. The members present unanimously adopted the $29.5 million high school budget and the $38 million elementary school budgets.

However, a previously funded state block grant, funds from natural resource development and data achievement for all were three revenue streams the district got last year that were not funded this year by the Legislature or by the Office of Public Instruction.

This means a total reduction of about $3.2 million in state funding coming to the district. That gap will be filled with local tax money, said Pat McHugh, executive director of business and operations.

Taxpayers who own a $200,000 house in the high school district will pay about $2.87; the same homeowner in the elementary district will see a $20.40 tax increase for the general fund.

In total, taxpayers who own a $200,000 home in the high school district will pay $48.84 between the general fund increase, tuition and for the Smart Schools 2020 projects as well as some other expenditures. The same homeowner in the elementary school district will pay $87.75 in taxes for the same costs.
An inmate at the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge died Wednesday at the age of 61 following an extended illness, according to the Department of Corrections.

Daniel Lamere, 61, died while serving a 10-year sentence, with four years suspended, according to a press release from department spokeswoman Amy Barton. He was sentenced in Cascade County in February 2015, according to the state's inmate database.

With four years of his sentence suspended, Lamere was not eligible for parole, the release stated.
While our nation grapples with the dismantling of statues to the confederacy, I frequently hear the argument that such destroys and distorts our history. If that was truly the case, one has to ask why there isn't a single statue to one of the bravest and smartest commanders who served under Robert E. Lee?

James Longstreet was one of the finest generals of the South and served as Lees principal subordinate. He was affectionately referred to as Old War Horse by Lee as he served as a corps commander for most of the battles waged by the Army of Northern Virginia.

Some maintain that Longstreet "was the finest corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia; in fact, he was arguably the best corps commander in the conflict on either side."

Yet while there are literally hundreds of statues to confederacy generals and commanders throughout the South, I believe there is only one of James Longstreet  at Gettysburg of all places.

The simple answer is that while Longstreet fought for one of the worse causes in our nations history, he changed after the Civil War. Unlike the vast, vast number of his fellow generals and fellow Southerners, he came to embrace and support the reunification of the South and North.

Longstreet was the rare Southern to accept the Confederacy defeat while urging Southerners to support efforts to rebuild their region on the basis of greater racial equality.

Perhaps his greatest sin to the South was his subsequent command of a biracial Louisiana militia in the 1870s that fought against a white supremacist uprising in New Orleans. It didn't help when he joined Abraham Lincolns Republican Party.

In contrast, the vast majority of former Southern commanders and soldiers maintained their efforts were the Lost Cause of the Confederacy. This Lost Cause describes the Civil War as a heroic effort to maintain the Southern way of life while denying the role of slavery.

It was this mentality that was responsible for the placement of confederacy statues throughout the South. It served as the beginnings of the KKK, Jim Crow laws and the hundreds, if not thousands, of lynchings that continued well into the the 1960s until the enactment of the Civil Rights Act.

In contrast, James Longstreet's life after the Civil War shows us Americas amazing saving grace. James Longstreet shows us that we can learn from our mistakes and to advance the betterment of our union  the United States of America.
Aug. 24 is the deadline for Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to decide whether 27 of Americas national monuments should be reduced, rescinded and opened for development. This decision is an early marker in the legacy of our new Interior secretary  Montanas first cabinet official.

Zinke has encountered opposition to removing protections in every corner of the West, including Montana. Montana may have dodged a bullet when Secretary Zinke declared the Missouri River Breaks safe from changes, but our western neighbors are still face uncertainty of the ongoing review process.

Thats why business leaders from across the West converged in Montana last week to protest changes to western national monuments still in the crosshairs of Zinkes review.

As of today, the fate of 22 national monuments remains uncertain. These include iconic landscapes like Grand Staircase-Escalante, Rio Grande del Norte, Organ Mountain-Desert Peaks and Mojave Trails. These monuments are not only safeguards for essential and rare environments, but they also contribute significantly to the local economy in their respective states.

Business leaders representing the states with national monuments most at risk joined us for roundtable discussions in Helena and Great Falls because this is Ryan Zinkes home state. The discussions allowed small businesses to explain how potential changes to national monuments would impact their bottom line.

Joseph and Suzanne Catlett own NEMOs Drive Thru in Escalante, Utah. Their restaurant is a must stop destination for visitors the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

By changing one monument, you open the door to constantly reviewing and changing every monument simply based on the political environment, Joe told us during the roundtable discussions. Folks, thats not a way to build an economy. Thats not a way for a town to manage a budget.

Dan Irion traveled all the way from Taos to tell his story of building a brewery on the boundary of Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument in New Mexico. The brewery opened in 2012 and has become a favorite for locals and visitors to the Monument in New Mexico.

Irion is worried the government may take actions to hurt his business plan. Were ready to stand up and fight if something like this will actually take place, he told us.

While the businesses at the roundtable discussions ranged from outfitters to hotel owners and restaurateurs to gear manufacturers  one resounding theme emerged: our national monuments support small businesses, innovation and jobs throughout the West. Some built their businesses around monuments while others have seen a surge in their business because of the economic gains fueled by new protections. All of them now see a benefit to their bottom line from the designated monuments in their state.

A new report from the Outdoor Industry Association shows the western states represented at our discussions benefit from an outdoor economy that supports 1.18 million jobs, $149.6 billion in consumer spending, $49.9 billion in wages and salaries and an additional $10.2 billion in state and local tax revenue. Those are numbers we cannot ignore for local economies.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has an important choice to make this month. It is our hope that he hears the voices of the small businesses who gathered in Montana and allows them to guide his upcoming recommendations to President Trump.

Rolling back existing protections in any of these states is just not good for business. It sets a dangerous precedent that undermines every other monument, including the Upper Missouri River Breaks. If the Department of Interior can rollback monument protections in Utah or New Mexico, what prevents future administrations from doing the same to the Upper Missouri Breaks?
Buttes Animal Services Board on Thursday rejected a new pitch for exemptions that would allow owners of pet pigs to keep the animals if they had a special permit.

Resident Ashley Bonifer said at least a few Montana cities allow such exemptions, and Commissioner Brendan McDonough said it appears an ordinance in Gallatin County does, too. Swine fall under exotic animals there, he said, and people can get special permits to have them.

Bonifer has been trying to get Butte-Silver Bows ordinance changed so she can keep her pet mini pig Sophie, saying shes clean, quiet, and a family member. Another resident also had pushed hard for the change.

But the advisory board rejected the pitch. Then, in what has become a revolving-door scenario, it sent the issue back to the Council of Commissioners, which had returned it to the board in late June with nothing settled.

The proposal as it stands now would allow pot-bellied pigs if their owners lived on at least one acre. The current ordinance requires five acres.

The board had previously endorsed that change but also recommended that anyone who owned a pet pig for at least 12 months be allowed to keep them if they had no outstanding complaints, regardless of how large their yards were.

County Attorney Eileen Joyce later said that was not workable because it would grant amnesty to those currently breaking the law. Such grandfather clauses typically allow people to continue doing something legal even though a new law says they cannot, she said.

The full council never took final action on the proposal minus the grandfather clause, and its Judiciary Committee sent the matter back to the animal board for more discussion.

McDonough and Commissioner Jim Fisher say the one-acre proposal doesnt help those like Bonifer who sought a change in the first place, since their yards arent that big.

McDonough made that case again to the board Thursday, saying there are likely others in Butte with mini pigs who are not causing any problems.

Even with an exemption, he said, I dont think we are going to open up the flood gates of people wanting and getting the animals.

But Animal Services Director Ed Randall said the board had studied the issue at length and he did not want any tweaks to the proposal that would still require one acre to have a pig.

I dont think we should change the ordinance for a select few, he said. I dont know that it is my job to take care of a couple of people for a select few.

The proposal could be returned to the council as soon as next week.
Parade, rodeo Saturday at fair

DEER LODGE -- The Tri-County Fair continues through Sunday at the fairgrounds in Deer Lodge.

Saturday the parade on Main Street begins at 11 a.m. Events at the fairgrounds include a craft bazaar, livestock showmanship, childrens pet parade, junior horse show, Pioneer tractor pulling contest, 4-H Runway Extravaganza, Mini Bronc Riding, NRA Rodeo at 7 p.m., dedication of the fair to Marty Billquist and Ghost Riders Entertainment. On Sunday, the Demolition Derby starts at 6 p.m.

Best of Show winners in the Open Class exhibits are: Clothing  Misty Jonas; Best Chocolate Chip Cookies  adult, Carol Rice; youth, Emily Rice; Bread  Sandy Morely; Apple Pie  Chassidy Walstad-Fakler; Floriculture  Sharon Fillbach, Vegetables  Zeta McArthur; Crafts (woodworking)  Michael Torpey; Photography  youth  Chelsey Chaput; adult  Kelly Weaver; professional  Tracey Hensen.

Historical park group meets Monday

A second meeting of the Butte-Silver Bow National Park Service-National Historical Park Initiative Committee starts at 5:15 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, in Room 102 of the county courthouse, 155 W. Granite St., said Chief Executive Dave Palmer. The public is invited.

Community Band concert set Aug. 23

The Butte Community Band will hold its last concert of the summer at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the Butte Plaza Mall. Featured are Irish Tunes, marches and light concert music. Admission is free so come in out of the smoke and enjoy an evening of music. a spokeswoman said.

Bannack State Park hosts magic show

DILLON  Butte Magics Eric the Excellent & Sir James the Magnificent will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Bannack State Park, 721 Bannack Road, Dillon.

These two accomplished magicians follow in the footsteps of a long tradition of traveling magic shows, which includes juggling, sword-swallowing and fire eating. This is a great show and fun for all ages. Details: 406-834-3413.

Butte classrooms looking for volunteers

The Butte School District #1 Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is looking for new school volunteers for the 2017-18 school year.

This is an opportunity for those 55 or older to share experiences, abilities, and skill for the betterment of our children. The program offers new volunteers the choice of school and the age of the children they want to work with. The RSVP Program also provides training in the fall for new school volunteers.

Details: Cathy Pomroy at 406-533-2508 or email at cpomroy@butte.k12.mt.us.
Two vacant school buildings in the Smelter City  Dwyer Elementary and the citys old junior high school and Daly Gym  could soon be the sites of two new business ventures.

Last month Anacondas school board approved an agreement to sell Dwyer to a Butte businessman for $100,000, Superintendent Gerry Nolan told The Montana Standard this week.

Trustees meet again Wednesday night, at which time they put the final touches on the Dwyer agreement, whose buyer is Scott Haeffner, a financial adviser based in the Mining City.

The potential Dwyer deal is not the first time Haeffner has tried to rehab a vacant property.

Haeffner had previously indicated interest in buying the Copper King Hotel and Convention Center in Butte. A federal judge approved sale of the hotel in 2015 to Haeffner, but Haeffner later backed out, according to previous news stories. That purchase price was $1.075 million.

Haeffner was not in attendance Wednesday night and did not return phone calls seeking comment, but he told trustees during a June board meeting that he plans to open a retirement facility in the old school.

Nolan described the sale as a win-win for Anaconda and the school district.

Were hoping this is a very good deal for everyone involved, Nolan said, noting that Anaconda is in need of facilities that can serve its older population.

As per the agreement, Haeffner has until Nov. 30 to purchase the building and needs to acquire financing before he can buy the property. On Wednesday, trustees amended language covering the financing requirement.

The buy-sell agreement for Dwyer comes on the heels of a consolidation plan that trustees began last year when the body voted 5-2 to closed Dwyer and send the schools students to Lincoln Elementary and Fred Moodry Middle School. Months earlier, voters rejected a bond request that would have consolidated three of the districts schools into a new preschool-through-eighth-grade building.

SAVE THE DALY

An offer to buy the old Anaconda Junior High School and its adjoining Daly Gym was not on Wednesdays agenda, but that didnt stop a handful of Anaconda residents from voicing support for the proposal  including the man behind the project, Cameron Moylan of Butte.

The vast majority of residents I have spoken with would much rather see that building sold at a profit and put to good use (than be demolished), Moylan said to trustees Wednesday. Currently Im exploring a wide array of good uses and the building code that would have to be met for each particular use.

According to Nolan, Moylan approached the district in early August and offered to purchase the property for $40,000. Moylan put down $30,000 on the property as a gesture to show some seriousness, Nolan said.

Moylan said Tuesday he did not wish to comment on the proposed project but said that he would be available to speak at a future date, once the final details of his plan are ironed out.

Last week, Moylans $40,000 offer was mulled over by the districts Buildings and Grounds Committee  a body that makes recommendations to the school board on proposed actions.

FITNESS CENTER

According to the Anaconda Leader, Moylan told committee members he wanted to open a fitness center in the Daly, charge for monthly memberships, and possibly use the rest of the property as commercial space.

Nolan said several Anaconda residents expressed enthusiasm about Moylans proposal during last weeks committee meeting. But the deal has its skeptics  one of whom was Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Attorney Ben Krakowka who came to the meeting to speak on behalf of the county.

The Anaconda Leader reported that Krakowka raised concerns about what would happen if Moylan wasnt able to follow through on the proposed project, noting that if the Butte resident defaulted on the junior high school and gym, the property would revert to the county.

Were concerned it will sit there for years and years and years and deteriorate, Krakowka said.

Nolan said the committee ultimately postponed making a recommendation on the potential agreement. He said committee members want to see a business plan for the project before making any recommendations to the board of trustees.

Moylans proposal isnt the first time efforts have been made to repurpose the Daly Gym.

Built in 1905, the gym closed in the 1980s. By 2011, the building had fallen into disrepair, and trustees declared both the school and the Daly obsolete. In response, a group of residents came together called Save the Daly whose goal was to continue the life of the turn-of-the-century building.

Ultimately the 2011 efforts didnt yield a new tenant for the junior high school and gym. Nonetheless, members Lauren Hensley and Chris Klein say they havent given up the idea of saving the property from the wrecking ball. The two women and a handful of other members accompanied Moylan Wednesday to speak in favor of the project.

Its part of Anaconda history, Klein said, when asked why saving the Daly is important to her.

Hensley, meanwhile, told trustees she doesnt want to see the gym and junior high torn town and turned into a parking lot on Main Street, one of the towns thoroughfares.

What has Hensley and others worried is a series of bids the district recently received from contractors estimating how much it would cost to demolish the property. The bids ranged from $190,000 to $1.5 million.

But Nolan told the Standard the fate of the Daly and junior high are far from being set in stone, noting that the bids have enabled trustees to get a sense of how much tearing down the property would cost. For now, the body hasnt made any decisions or taken any actions on the demolishing the buildings, the superintendent said.
Most years, 22-year-old Hannah Catalino receives one or two wild mustangs to train and place in homes. This summer, she received five mustangs over a span of about seven weeks.

It was a challenge, but it was also really great because I got to refine some of my gentling techniques, says Hannah, who lives in Whitewall.

Having ridden horses since she was 12, Hannah discovered this new passion  gentling and finding homes for wild mustangs  after seeing an online video from an Extreme Mustang Makeover event some five years ago. The program, created by the Mustang Heritage Foundation, challenges trainers to transform wild horses into gentle, adoptable companions in just 100 days. After competing in her first EMM in 2012, Hannah was hooked.

Now, she readying a 4-year-old mustang, Montana Breeze, for the EMM in Monroe, Washington, which started Thursday and concludes Saturday.

THREE MONTHS TEACHING

Up until a few months ago, Montana Breeze  along with the other mustangs in the EMM had been basically untouched by humans. Trainers like Hannah spend about three months teaching their horse skills like reining, spinning and responding to voice commands before showcasing their mustangs new talents at EMM events across the country. The goal: to find a loving home for their horse.

People are surprised to learn what great partners these mustangs can be, Hannah says.

And thats a lesson she is constantly being reminded of. Take this year, for example: Hannah was originally placed with a mustang named Bay Beauty, whose easygoing temperament was the stuff trainer dreams are made of. After Bay Beautys hip injury was discovered, though, Montana Breeze was sent in as a replacement. I didnt think Id be lucky enough to get another mustang as smart and laid-back as Bay Beauty, but Montana Breeze is even better, she says.

A BURGEONING BROOD

Hannahs original plan for 2017 was simple: Adopt a wild mustang to train and keep for herself. Thats how she came to own a yearling named Irosen. Then, the horse lover decided to participate in the MHFs Trainer Incentive Program, which invites qualified trainers to take home a wild mustang from a holding facility, gentle the horse and then find a suitable adopter. Once the process is complete, the MHF pays the trainer $1,000.

Through TIP, Hannah received two mustangs, Shine and Nevayah, bringing her total number of new mustangs this year to fivenot to mention Rosette, a 4-year-old pinto mustang Hannah already owned.

Though 2017 might not have gone as she originally planned, Hannah rolled with the punches and overcame challengessomething shes learned to do from past EMM competitions as well.

FACING ADVERSITY

Hannah didnt make it to the 2014 and 2015 EMM competitions. Her 2014 mustang proved too difficult to train in just 100 days, leading her to question herself. I wasnt sure if it was me or him, so it hurt my confidence, she says.

In 2015, she received a horse that had a negative association with the saddlemaking training nearly impossible. All of these things got me to the point where I could either give up and go a different direction or get back up and take things to a new level.

Thats when her determination came in handy: Hannah began taking lessons under two notable trainers, Marsha Hartford Sapp and Madison Shambaugh.

When she came to work as a student intern on my farm in 2016, she was thinking about getting out of the horse industry completely, which wouldve been a tremendous loss said Marsha. The other student intern had already signed up for the 2016 EMM in Jacksonville, and as more time progressed, Hannah wanted to give it another shot. While registration had already closed, they had extra mustangs and Hannah was given one to train and compete with.

In 2016, Hannah placed third in the EMM event held in Jacksonville, Florida. The people you connect with make this just as addictive as the horses do, she says.

Working with a mustang from first touch on, gave Hannah a lot of insight to herself as a trainer, as mustangs really are a mirror reflection of the trainer, said Marsha. After working through some struggles, shes truly blossomed as a trainer. In a span of the past five years that Ive known her (since the 2011 EMM when Hannah was a youth trainer), shes turned into someone so competent and confident on the saddle.

With some invaluable lessons under her belt, Hannah now simply yearns to find a loving home for the companion thats been by her side for the last 100 days. You put so much work and time into building a relationship with these horses, Hannah says. Im excited to see all my work pay off after the competition and just want Montana Breeze to do well in a new home.
With signs with slogans like "Zinke is Stinke" and "Zinke Public Lands Enemy #1," a dozen demonstrators gathered in downtown Missoula on Thursday in protest against the Secretary of the Interior and President Donald Trump.

Secretary Ryan Zinke's agency is scheduled to issue recommendations to the president next week regarding the designation of 27 national monuments, following an executive order earlier this spring to review them. The Department of the Interior could suggest shrinking of abolishing some monuments on the review list.

Zinke, a former Montana congressman, told the Billings Gazette earlier this month that he would be leaving Montana's Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument  which was established by President Bill Clinton just before he left office  intact.

Derek Ketner, among those gathered Thursday in front of federal offices in downtown Missoula, said he felt it was embarrassing that Zinke had not visited all of the monuments whose designations are under review.

He held a sign that read, Shame on You Zinke

Its very important and we want our views to be heard, Ketner said. Were hoping that he will finally start listening to us.

Tyler Albrethsen, field organizer for Montana Conservation Voters, said the monument review is an issue thats been a top priority for his group for months.

These are some pristine places that are being protected to a higher standard than other public lands, he said.

His sign Thursday read What Would Teddy Do?

I chose that sign specifically because Ryan Zinke says he is a Teddy Roosevelt-style politician and he hasnt been acting like it, Albrethsen said.

That sentiment echoes ads being run by Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, which plead,"Mr. Secretary, dont turn your back on Roosevelt now.

The Department of Interior did not respond to emails seeking comment.
The state says the town of Walkerville has filed inadequate financial reports the past three years, but an agency spokesman and Walkerville Mayor John Ries say the matter is being addressed.

The town of 675 people that sits atop Butte has been fined for not being in compliance with the law, but no serious wrongdoing is alleged and Ries says a new computerized record system should help going forward.

The town has also consulted with a local accounting agency and officials with the Montana Department of Administration are working with Walkervilles town clerk to sort things out, Ries said Friday.

But he also suggested part of the problem might rest with the state agency and possible changes it has made the past few years.

They havent totally depicted what it is we are missing, Ries said.

Montana law requires local governments to submit annual financial reports to provide transparency and accountability to their taxpayers. The reports must contain certain information and follow generally accepted accounting practices.

Virtually all local governments must submit the reports, including cities and towns, housing and port authorities and districts that oversee such things as cemeteries, mosquito and weed control, irrigation and drainage.

The state recently ran a public notice in The Montana Standard saying Walkerville was more than 180 days delinquent in filing reports for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

But Jason Pitt, a spokesman for the Department of Administration, said this week that Walkerville had filed reports for those years but they were significantly non-complaint with accepted accounting practices.

It is our understanding that the current town clerk has not held the position for long, and may not have the financial information to be able to recreate governmental GAAP financial statements prior to her employment, he wrote in an email.

Ries said a longtime town clerk who retired at the end of 2015 kept paper records, many of them at her house. But she also did that for years prior to 2014 and the state considered the town in compliance, he said.

We are kind of confused as to why the state wasnt accepting them, Ries said of the last few reports.

Regardless, Ries said, a new town clerk took over last year and most of the records have been computerized. And Pitt said the agency was working with the new clerk to convert 2016 information into an acceptable report.

Some monthly fines of $55 have been assessed against the town and Ries said some have been paid. The balance as of Thursday was $153.50, Pitt said.
MUSCATINE  The city of Muscatine is preparing for the potential development of 100 new town houses across the street from the UnityPoint Clinic on North Port Drive.

The city is creating a 28-acre subdivision on the north side of North Port Drive, which will accommodate two and three-bedroom town houses. Beaver Builders Inc. has constructed similar projects in Rock Island and Clinton. Each housing unit would be about 1,380 square feet, and include a two-car garage, according to the proposal.

At Thursday's Muscatine City Council meeting, council members agreed to vacate the Lakeview Avenue right-of-way to allow for utility and drainage easements. The current street will be replaced with a proposed right-of-way called Friendship Drive.

The developer is proposing Friendship Drive as a public street, which would allow access to the potential new town houses.

From Grandview, Iowa to Grandview Avenue

Also at Thursday's meeting, council members approved a plan to move a one-room schoolhouse from Grandview, Iowa,to Grandview Avenue in Muscatine.

Dallas McManus, owner of Happy Time Preschool and Child Care Center in Muscatine, purchased the schoolhouse from Grandview Community Bible Church. The center wants to move the one-room school house to its property on Grandview Avenue, according to Community Development Director Dave Gobin.

Gobin said the schoolhouse will be attached to an existing building and used as a center for third- and fourth-grade students. Happy Time Preschool hopes to make the move Aug. 23.

The city has completed a site plan review and the council approved the plans Thursday.

Muscatine Municipal Airport runway reconstruction

While the runway reconstruction at the Muscatine Municipal Airport was mostly completed last fall, the city council closed-out the project Thursday. The project was left open to fund seeding and soil work.

The work included resurfacing of the runway, new signs and security cameras. The total cost was about $4.1 million, with the Federal Aviation Administration funding 90 percent of the project.

Ive gone out there several times, and I was really pleased with the contractors and the work overseeing it by the Public Works Department, Councilman Santos Saucedo said.

Grant for public buses

The council agreed to apply for a grant that could help pay for two new public transit buses. The Rural Transit Grant from the Iowa Office of Public Transit would pay for 85 percent of the cost for two light-duty buses, totaling $176,000. The city would pay about $26,400.

Public Works Director Brian Stineman said the grant would be awarded in January and could help replace two older buses. The city has also applied for a Low Emission Grant for six compressed natural gas buses, which could be awarded this fall.
LETTS  The Louisa-Muscatine board has identified some of the districts biggest challenges and will submit them to the Iowa Association of School Boards as part of a legislative wish-list. They include a focus on early literacy, school funding legislation, school calendar start date authority and encouraging sharing between schools.

Background: Each year, the Iowa Association of School Board decides on legislative priorities. Each school board in Iowa discusses its priorities based on what it views as its four biggest challenges in the coming years. These priorities inform the School Board Associations lobbying efforts in the Legislature.

Conversation: Superintendent Mike Van Sickle said soaring transportation costs impacts Louisa-Muscatine School and the board agreed unanimously that decreasing school funding will hurt the school district. To deal with dwindling funds, the district has made use of state programs that encourage resource sharing among districts. The district has shared teachers and staff among schools, receiving a boost in funding as a result. For that reason, legislation that provides extra funding for districts who share resources is crucial to the district.

With the decrease in federal funding for struggling readers and decreased state funding, said Vice President Pam Lee, emphasis on early literacy should be a priority. She said the board wants to send the message that its important to teach children to read when they are young.

The board also wants to have the authority to decide on a school start date. Currently, that authority lies with the state. The state mandates that school must start after the Iowa State Fair and school start dates sometimes create uneven semesters or semesters that must start shortly before the holiday season or on a Friday.

In other business:

The board toured the districts facilities to review some updates that were done over the summer as part of the districts facilities plan. Among these, the district added new computers in the Junior High science classrooms to accommodate a new digital science curriculum, and installed a new greenhouse it purchased earlier in the year. The greenhouse will be used in the districts expanded agriculture curriculum. Van Sickle said the schools FFA Alumni Association will cover the cost of heating the greenhouse in the winter, as that can be expensive. At the elementary school, the district installed new security cameras to replace an old set of cameras. The new cameras will connect to the high schools security system, allowing officials in each building to monitor conditions in the other buildings.

The district added a junior high cheerleading team. The district has cheering club at the elementary school and a cheering team at the high school, but nothing similar for junior high students. Van Sickle said the cheering club is busting at the seams, leading to the addition.
A Lake Odessa cabin owner was granted a variance Wednesday by the Louisa County Board of Health (BOH) to install a holding tank wastewater system for his cabin.

Kip Buster had requested the variance after a neighboring cabin, which had a shared wastewater system with Busters cabin, was sold. Under the countys wastewater ordinance, that sale triggered a review by county sanitarian Bruce Hudson, who determined the cabins needed to have a conventional wastewater treatment system.

Busters new neighbor opted not to have a shared system, which forced Buster to look into a conventional system for just his cabin. However, he was unable to obtain a loan for a conventional system, which Hudson estimated could cost around $14,000, because his cabin is on leased land.

A holding tank is a less costly alternative, but under the county ordinance an owner is required to regularly pump out the tank and provide the county with records of the pumping. An alarm is also required to be installed on the holding tank to provide an alert whenever the tank needs to be pumped out.

The ordinance also identifies holding tanks as a treatment system of last resort, Hudson, who participated in the BOH meeting by telephone, told board members.

Hudson said the authority to grant the variance that would allow Buster to install a holding tank rested with the BOH.

He is here today to see what you will do, Hudson said.

After reviewing the issue, the board unanimously agreed to issue a variance to Buster to install a holding tank.

In other action, Louisa County Public Health Service (LCPHS) Interim Administrator Roxanne Smith updated the board on other activities involving her department.

Smith said a training grant had tentatively been awarded to a regional public health consortium and Louisa County could be in line for $20,000 of the funding.

Its looking like that is going to go through, she said.

Smith also reported on recent new immunization rules and programs involving older students. According to earlier reports, students in grades 7 and 11 are required to be immunized for meningitis or not be registered.

Smith said her staff has been contacting local schools to offer immunization clinics and other assistance, but she was worried some students were slipping through.

She suggested a direct appeal to school boards might help.

(The students) get free vaccines, so cost is not the issue, she said, adding the direct appeals to the school boards would carry more weight if BOH members also attended.

We would be willing to go to school boards, Quigley assured Smith.

The BOH also discussed its policy regarding compensatory time off and overtime pay. It agreed to continue offering comp time to most of the nursing staff, but to begin paying overtime for aides and other staff.

Office manager Brandy Blow also reported she had recently been in contact with Louisa County Medical Examiner Dr. Paul Towner, Washington, and was optimistic he might consider serving as the BOHs medical director.

That position is currently filled by Dr. Brian Masonholder, Columbus Junction, but he has announced plans to retire at the end of the year. The position requires a licensed physician.

Blow said she would try to arrange a meeting between Towner and the BOH.
The festivities surrounding the solar eclipse are bringing police bike patrols to the streets of Casper. And dont expect them to disappear when the sun returns.

Casper Police Sgt. Ben Mattila leads the bike patrol, which will be riding around town through Monday, in an attempt to increase police presence this weekend as the eclipse attracts thousands of visitors. With Second Street scheduled to close for the Wyoming Eclipse Festival, Mattila said responding to downtown incidents should be easier via bike.

The bike patrol attended Wednesday nights dedication of the Davis Street Station. On Thursday, officers began riding early in the afternoon and were planning on being on their bikes into the evening. Over the course of the festival, bike officers will patrol all across town, from hotels to the Eastridge Mall to the Tate Pumphouse. Mattila said the patrol will hit every single event we can.

Police plan to continue using bike patrols after the eclipse festivities. Bicycles will help police response times, Mattila said. And because officers can put bikes on the back of their vehicles, if police have to go somewhere a car cant  like the bike trail  they can take their bikes rather than walking or running, Det. John Hatcher said.

In addition to improving response times, Hatcher said he hopes the bike patrols will make drivers more aware of all cyclists, improving safety for cyclists riding around town.

The department has eight officers certified to work from bicycles and six bikes available to them, Mattila said.

Officers should be getting new bike uniforms that make it easier to transition between bike and car, he added.

Police officers will also perform foot patrols downtown this weekend to check on bars, Hatcher said.
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Here are some of the stories making news headlines today.

Trump defiant after outburst as GOP picks up pieces By Wednesday afternoon, most appeared to have made their calculation: deserting Trump now could only harm  and not help  their agendas or political fortunes. Republican leaders in Congress, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, released statements affirming their disavowal of white supremacist groups and neo-Nazis  but not explicitly condemning Trump, who said Tuesday there were very fine people protesting in Charlottesville amid the torch-bearing marchers.

Will tourists keep coming to Guam after North Korea saber-rattling? Their flight landed at 3 a.m., but they wanted to see the sunrise and get some photographs to start their five-day trip. Vacationing in Guam during this particular moment in time, with the island ensnared in a heated exchange of threatening rhetoric between the United States and North Korea, may seem like a strange choice to some.

Apple is on the hunt for original TV shows Two Apple executives have been meeting with Hollywood agents and producers to hear pitches about possible shows for Apple to buy, according to two producers who have met with them. The execs, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, were hired from Sony Pictures Television in June to oversee Apples video programming.

New satellite photos show objects on water near potential MH370 crash site The four satellite photos, shot less than a month after MH370 disappeared in 2014, show 70 objects drifting on the ocean in the vicinity of the predicted crash zone, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said Wednesday. (Geoscience Australia) analysis classified 12 objects as probably man-made 

Tom Cruise injured on Mission: Impossible 6 set During production on the latest Mission: Impossible film, Tom Cruise broke his ankle while performing a stunt, Paramount said in a statement to CNN. They added that filming will go on hiatus while Tom makes a full recovery, but that the movie is still on track for its original release date  July 27, 2018.

Grace Mugabe asks for diplomatic immunity over alleged assault Mugabe was supposed to present herself at a police station in a Johannesburg suburb on Tuesday to give a statement but failed to appear, despite her appointment being rescheduled several times throughout the day, South African police said. Mugabes attorneys informed authorities that she had changed her mind about speaking to police and subsequently requested diplomatic immunity, according to a police statement.

Frankenstein dinosaur enigma solved The vegetarian dinosaur walked the Earth around 150 million years ago and is officially known as the Chilesaurus. It initially confused scientists because of its strange physical characteristics, apparently drawn from two groups of dinosaurs that were thought to be separate.

Game of Thrones is proving itself to be leak-proof What is dead may never die  and what is Game of Thrones will never be defeated by leaks. Its been a rough ride for HBO recently. Like a White House administration that cannot stop leaking out of its  whatever, the prestige TV mogul cant seem to seal its faulty pipes.

Why Apples not going to sell an OLED TV Its no secret Apple really, really wants to reinvent the TV. On his deathbed, Steve Jobs expressed great interest in fixing the crummy TV watching experience, telling his biographer Walter Isaacson that he had finally cracked it.

Gang steals 20 tonnes of Nutella and other chocolate goodies If someone offers you a large batch of Nutella and Kinder Surprise Eggs, dont trust them. Report it to police immediately. Police in Germany have reported the theft of 20 tonnes of chocolate goods, valued at more than 50,000 euros (45,400; $59,000), in a lorry trailer.

Spotify is now pulling white supremacy music off its service Charlottesville has inspired domain servers and social platforms to act and take more action against white supremacy. Now, music-streaming services are stepping up. Spotify has pulled several white-supremacist bands from its service, Billboard reported Wednesday. This move comes three years after Southern Poverty Law Center flagged a certain number of groups as hate bands, according to Billboard.

John Legend sings about erections in hilarious Carpool Karaoke clip John Legend and Alicia Keys can turn any sentence into a song. Even one about erections. In the hilarious Carpool Karaoke: The Series clip above, Legend and Keys are challenged by James Corden to turn mundane sentences into beautiful vocals. Needless to say, they both nail it.

Mans bizarre leg cramp is probably the weirdest thing youll see all day Brace yourselves, everyone. Youre about to see something super gross. A leg cramp is one of the most painful things a human body can experience. And the worst part is, theres not much you can do about it  you kind of just have to let it pass, while not accidentally making it worse.

Game of Thrones is proving itself to be leak-proof What is dead may never die  and what is Game of Thrones will never be defeated by leaks. Its been a rough ride for HBO recently. Like a White House administration that cannot stop leaking out of its  whatever, the prestige TV mogul cant seem to seal its faulty pipes.

Burials for Sierra Leone mudslide victims  BBC News Nearly half of the 400 people known to have died in a mudslide and flooding on the outskirts of the Sierra Leone capital Freetown have already been buried, health officials say. The government had said mass burials would be postponed until Thursday to allow relatives to identify victims. But the chief pathologist of Freetown told the BBC that some interments had already taken place.

Migrant crisis: Spain rescues 600 people in busiest day  BBC News Spains coastguard says it has rescued 600 migrants crossing from Morocco in a 24-hour period amid a spike in the number of migrant arrivals. The rescued migrants were in 15 vessels including toy paddleboats and a jet ski and included 35 children and a baby.

Eritrean priest in Italy denies people smuggling  BBC News A Catholic priest under investigation for people smuggling has told the BBC that politicians are trying to criminalise people helping refugees. Don Mussie Zerai has lived in Italy for more than 25 years, since fleeing Eritrea as a teenager. He says he regularly receives calls from distressed migrants making the crossing from Africa to Italy.

The monster atomic bomb that was too big to use On the morning of 30 October 1961, a Soviet Tu-95 bomber took off from Olenya airfield in the Kola Peninsula in the far north of Russia. The Tu-95 was a specially modified version of a type that had come into service a few years earlier; a huge, swept-wing, four-engined monster tasked with carrying Russias arsenal of nuclear bombs.

Tom Cruise injury halts Mission: Impossible 6 filming  BBC News The film studio behind the Mission: Impossible series has confirmed that production of its latest instalment has been halted after actor Tom Cruise broke his ankle during a stunt. But Paramount Pictures insisted that Mission: Impossible 6 remained on schedule to open in July next year.

If Youve Been Asking Larry Madowo When Hell Marry, Read This Many Kenyans have commented on Larry Madowos wanderlust. Every other week, he is seemingly on the move to some unexplored part of the world. Most Kenyans have never stepped outside the country. Most do not even have passports, and the few who do, only boast of a few stamps.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday took his first tour in the streets of Nairobi since he was declared the winner of the presidential polls.

The head of state toured the New Kenyatta Market alongside Governor Elect Mike Sonko and other elected Nairobi leaders.

The tour was Uhurus first public appearance on ground level since he was declared president in an election which has been disputed by NASA.

Uhuru urged Kenyans to maintain peace and coexist together as citizens of one nation to enable faster development and improved quality of life.

 Leave us to sort our issues as leaders. Politics should not make you fight. When this market burns down it will not affect one community but all of you, said the President.

I have seen all Kenyans doing business here. In this market, there are Kambas, Merus, Luos, Kikuyus and all Kenyan communities. Please continue living together peacefully. Be your brothers keeper, he added.

I thank you for voting my friend Sonko, I have asked him to ensure he changes the image of this city. He will sink a bore hole here to ensure constant water services to the traders of this market, said President Kenyatta.

Uhuru and Sonko interacted with traders at the market, with Sonko pledging to make the market a more conducive environment for conducting business.

He also promised to deliver faster and improved services to Nairobi residents saying once sworn in he will start reducing license fees for small-scale traders.

The former Senator, in a few short days since he was declared the winner, has already embarked on a massive clean up exercise of the city.

A day after launching the cleaning up exercise, traders at Wakulima Market are already enjoying Sonkos great work.

He promised to lay cabro paving blocks, litter bins every 30 metres, install street lights and collect garbage on a daily basis.



Photos of the tour
IEBC commissioner Dr Roselyne Akombe has denied reports that she was fleeing the country at the time of her detention at JKIA.

She was en route to New York on Tuesday night when she was reportedly ordered out of her plane and detained until Wednesday morning.

The IEBC confirmed that Dr Akombe had been blocked from traveling but termed the incident as a delay.

Dr Akombe who is traveling to US for an official meeting was delayed at JKIA by officials who have since apologized. She returns on Sunday, the commission said on its official Twitter account.

Dr Akombe who is traveling to US for an official meeting was delayed at JKIA by officials who have since apologized. She returns on Sunday pic.twitter.com/mZmzWugLMJ  IEBC (@IEBCKenya) August 16, 2017



Akombe, who was finally allowed to depart on a Kenya Airways flight after 9 am Wednesday, confirmed the delay.

She also said the reports that she was fleeing the country were completely false and unwarranted.

While it is unfortunate that my departure was delayed, I at no time indicated that I am fleeing my beloved Kenya due to questions raised on the credibility of our electoral process.

Akombe added in a statement that she is on official duty in the United States and will return to the country.
Napa City Fire Marshal Darren Rex Drake was arrested on Wednesday after an alleged domestic violence incident occurred at his home on Tuesday, according to Napa Police.

Police said that Drake, 60, was having an argument with someone else in his home on Tuesday night when he threw an object, striking the victim in the head. During their investigation, police learned that Drake had also allegedly struck the victim on July 1, causing her to fall and sustain a visible injury. She did not need medical attention after either incident, police said.

Drake was arrested at 4:05 p.m. on the 1600 block of First Street. He was booked at the Napa County jail on suspicion of felony domestic violence with injury and misdemeanor domestic battery. Drakes bail was set at $25,000. He was released by 8:47 p.m.

Drake has been placed on administrative leave as of Wednesday, said Jaina French, community relations with the City of Napa. French had no other comment on behalf of the city except to confirm that there is an active investigation.

When asked for a comment, Drake said that he has been advised by counsel not to speak with anyone.

"There are two sides to every story," he said. It is a "very unfortunate situation."

This is not the first time Drake has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. He was arrested Nov. 5, 2012 after police allege he grabbed a person at home during an argument the day prior. Police reported that the alleged victim sustained a minor injury, but did not require medical attention.

Drake took 3 1/2 days of personal leave and returned to duty the following week.

The Napa County District Attorneys Office decided not to file charges against Drake in connection with his 2012 arrest due to insufficient evidence.
Nearly four decades after its opening, the new look for a north Napa shopping center must wait a little longer as city planners seek more details on the new look of its busy courtyard.

Poised to give the all-clear to overhaul Silverado Plaza at Trancas Street and Soscol Avenue, the Planning Commission instead postponed its decision Thursday night. While supporting new decor and signage for a strip mall largely unchanged from its original 1978 look, a lack of detail in the plans for its central courtyard  a popular place for daytime lunch and conversation  led land-use officials to hold off on granting a permit for at least three weeks.

Despite complimenting the architecture of the retooled shopping plaza, commissioners found plans for the green space at its heart too sketchy to be certain whether it would retain the greenery, shade and seating that have encouraged visitors to linger, rather than merely come and go.

For me the starkness, the lack of landscape, the plaza being broken up  it seems like the landscape has fallen flat, Paul Kelley told members of the Plazas ownership team. The trees, the softness thats out there, we dont want to lose all of that.

Regency Centers Corp. of Walnut Creek, which owns the 84,916-square-foot center, announced plans for the $5 million renovation in January. Work is expected to last about a year, progressing from the CVS pharmacy on the west side to Nob Hill Foods on the east, and all businesses will remain open during the project.

Its plans call for replacing the outmoded mansard roof and earth tones with a seamed metal roof and awnings and stone wainscoting, and all storefronts would receive new lighting and signage to match the modernized decor. The Nob Hill supermarket would be recast in a nostalgic roadside farmhouse style meant to echo agricultural buildings in the surrounding wine country.

Updates to the buildings impressed Napa planners, as they had when Regency displayed its project to them in March. But details about the grounds left them more hesitant.

Jay Adams, design director for the Fitch consulting firm of Scottsdale, Arizona, acknowledged the redesign would divide the courtyard into smaller segments, calling the change an attempt to make smaller groups of people feel more comfortable there. We wanted to break it up into smaller, meandering paths where people can separate themselves, he told planners.

Planners, however, wondered whether the quest for more open space  which includes removing or trimming some shade-throwing redwoods on the property  could leave visitors feeling too exposed.

What were losing is a lot of trees and a lot of the shade cover, said Commissioner Michael Murray. Its very stark 

Kinda like Scottsdale, interjected Huether, referring to the desert town near Phoenix.

We understand that you want to give more visibility to the shops, continued Murray, but a few more trees would make it more approachable.

Silverado Plazas importance as a place for human contact and not just retail is great enough to avoid rushing into a decision, according to Commissioner Beth Painter.

This is one of just a few shopping centers that has the opportunity (for people) to hang around, she said.  Its a space thats used in a way that other shopping centers are not.

Planners can reconsider the shopping plazas design as early as their Sept. 7 meeting, although it was unclear whether Regency would be able to present any revisions by then.
Depending on how things go in a scheduled Aug. 23 state Senate confirmation hearing on Gov. Jerry Browns latest choice for a seat on the powerful state Public Utilities Commission, many millions of consumers could face both health risks and higher-than-necessary electric, gas and water bills for the next six years.

Thats the length of the term to which Brown appointed his longtime close aide Clifford Rechtschaffen, labeled a lapdog of the oil industry by some consumer advocates. Once confirmed, he cant be fired by either Brown or the next governor.

The Consumer Watchdog group tags him a utility lapdog, claiming Rechtschaffen in 2011 told two top state oil and gas regulators to grant hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, permits for Occidental Petroleum Co. in Kern County on pain of firing. When they refused, citing state and federal laws requiring drinking water aquifer safety checks prior to permitting, he allegedly dismissed Derek Chernow, then acting director of the state Department of Conservation, and Elena Miller, the states top oil and gas supervisor. It is undisputed fact that after they were dumped by Browns administration, Rechtschaffen temporarily assumed Chernows job.

In appointing him to the five-member PUC, which often favors utility companies over their customers, Brown said his adviser has the experience as a lawyer, teacher and specialist in environmental and energy mattersto do an outstanding job.

Meanwhile, a usually reliable source told this column that Rechtschtaffen wrote one or more of 63 still-secret emails between Brown or his aides and the PUC from the time soon after the 2012 failure and shutdown of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. That source also said one email threatened the job of a PUC official unless that official supported a settlement dunning consumers more than two-thirds of San Onofres closure costs  or $3.3 billion.

Brown press secretary Evan Westrup called this claim pure fiction, but neither confirmed nor denied that Rechtschtaffen wrote one or more of the hidden emails, instead citing a PUC spokeswomans statement that the emails in question did not relate to the San Onofre settlement Westrup did not respond when shown a PUC statement saying the emails were withheld in part because they reflect discussions between  (PUC President Michael) Picker and his advisors, the disclosure of which would reveal (his) thought process regarding the matter.

The San Onofre settlement is notorious for its essence having been reached in a secret meeting between former PUC President Michael Peevey and executives of the Southern California Edison Co. Revelations of that meeting impelled the PUC in May 2016 to order a reopening of its settlement decision.

Rechtschtaffen ignored a request to answer questions on all this. His confirmation is before the Senate Rules Committee, chaired by Democratic Senate President Kevin de Leon. Similar hearings for PUC appointees have almost always been love fests between senators and appointees. More of the same seems likely this time, as de Leon craves support from Brown for his bill to make the entire state a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants.

Brown openly questions parts of that plan, and no one knows what he might do if de Leons committee were tough on his aide Rechtschtaffen.

Meanwhile, press secretary Westrup called questions about Rechtschaffens record chasing bogus conspiracy theories. He insisted the appointee will be independent. You should know that sharp, independent thinking is among the attributes valued most by the administration, he wrote in an email.

The most significant PUC move during Rechtschtaffens six months as an acting commissioner came when it signed off on the partial reopening of the Southern California Gas Co.s Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field in northern Los Angeles. Area residents, many still suffering from malaises associated with a five-month methane leak there in 2015-16, complained Aliso Canyon should not have reopened until the still-unknown causes of the leak are found.

Commissioners did not vote on the reopening, but could have objected or asked the PUCs executive director not to OK it. Neither Rechtschtaffen nor any other commissioner did that.

Now its incumbent on Rules Committee members to ask Rechtschtaffen why he did not speak up when public health might be at risk. His answers could provide clues about whether hell be independent of the companies hes set to regulate.
Morally, the only proper reaction to last weekend's events in Charlottesville, Virginia, is outrage. Legally, the analysis has to be more nuanced. To help prevent further violence while preserving freedom of speech, we need to distinguish three categories, all of which seem to have been in play in Charlottesville: terrorism, peaceful protest and provocative action aimed at producing street violence.

The most horrifying is also legally the simplest. The car attack on peacefully assembled citizens was a terrorist act, modeled it would seem on Islamic State-inspired vehicle attacks in Europe.

It should be prosecuted as a federal hate crime, insofar as it can be shown to have been motivated by racial or religious prejudice. But that's not all. The car attack should also be prosecuted as terrorism, defined by federal law to cover acts of violence intended to affect the course of politics.

If it can be shown that the driver conspired with others, including members of white supremacist groups, they too can be prosecuted, even if they weren't specifically planning the car attack. That's the beauty of conspiracy law: You can be held liable for the acts of co-conspirators.

Peaceful protest is on the surface also legally simple. Under the standard set by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1969 case Brandenburg v. Ohio, protesters in public places have the right to say whatever they want, no matter how horrifying -- provided that they don't intend to incite imminent violence in a manner that is likely to have that effect.

Even peaceful marches that are experienced by onlookers as intimidating are generally covered by this free-speech right. The Supreme Court has carved out a sort of one-off exception for cross-burning, which it held in 2003 could be criminalized when shown to be bound up in intimidation. But the court hasn't expanded that ruling.

That means a march through a public place, even accompanied by torches reminiscent of the old Ku Klux Klan, like the march through the University of Virginia campus, is constitutionally protected. The same is true of peaceful counterprotest. The words may be offensive and repulsive, but the content of the speech is sacrosanct.

The government may impose reasonable time, place and manner restrictions on such speech. That certainly includes requiring a permit to march. It has also been interpreted by the courts to allow local governments to ensure security by designating certain spaces for protest -- where potential antagonists can be kept at a distance. That has been controversial when police kept protesters far from political parties' national conventions.

But Charlottesville shows that keeping a safe distance between protesters and counterprotesters is all-important to keeping the peace.

That brings us to the hardest category, legally speaking: provocative speech that is aimed to produce conflict.

In a World War II-era case, Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, the Supreme Court carved out a free-speech exception for what it called "fighting words." The idea was supposed to be that the government could criminalize speech that would provoke a reasonable listener into immediate retaliatory violence.

On the surface, the fighting words exception would seem to allow the police to arrest people who are in each other's faces, yelling epithets intended to provoke violent response. In fact, the man arrested in the Chaplinsky case called a police official a "damned fascist."

In practice, however, the courts are loath to invoke fighting words doctrine, which seems to contemporary ears to place the burden of avoiding violence on the speaker, rather than on the person who actually throws a punch. Consequently, it's very difficult for police departments to make arrests based on civilian provocation of other civilians.

What police can do is get between people who are trying to goad to each other into violence. And the moment anyone lays a hand on anyone else, an arrest can be made for disorderly conduct or assault.

This kind of policing is very hard, and it calls for careful judgment and officer training. When all sides are riled up, violence can start easily, and it can be very difficult to tell who started it, even with the benefit of ubiquitous video cameras.

The presence of legal guns at otherwise legal marches makes the difficulty of policing much, much greater. It's important to note that laws permitting open carry don't legalize intimidation by arms. They also don't allow the organization of military groups, like armed militia.

It's one thing to walk down the street carrying a gun. It's another to move in military formation as part of a maneuver designed to control space or to intimidate.

Police can and should be vigilant about the difference. They should use all the tools at their disposal to avoid fluid situations where protesters and counterprotesters are face to face, hurling insults and potentially coming to blows. Otherwise, there could easily be a tragedy in which someone opens fire.

The bottom line is that the First Amendment allows and must allow the police to keep the peace. Law and order is the baseline of liberal democracy. Without that, free speech is meaningless.
He's the false-equivalency president.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, the national news media's misguided sense of fairness helped equate the serious flaws of Hillary Clinton with the disqualifying evils of Donald Trump.

"But her emails . . ." goes the ironic line that aptly summarizes too much of the media's coverage of the candidates. In short: Clinton's misuse of a private email server was inflated to keep up with Trump's racism, sexism and unbalanced narcissism - all in the name of seeming evenhanded.

In a devastating post-election report, Harvard's Shorenstein Center concluded that media treatment was rife with false equivalency: "On topics relating to the candidates' fitness for office, Clinton and Trump's coverage was virtually identical in terms of its negative tone."

That was a factor - one of many - helping put Trump in the Oval Office.

Elected with the help of false equivalency, Trump is now creating some of his own.

In the aftermath of last weekend's disaster in Charlottesville, he is being widely criticized for treating white supremacists and those who protest them as roughly equal.

His phrases are all too memorable. There were "some very fine people" on both sides, he said, backing up his initial condemnation of the violence "on many sides."

Winston Churchill - a politician with a moral core - disparaged this idea for all time: "I decline utterly to be impartial as between the fire brigade and the fire."

And Brian Levin, the director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University in San Bernardino told The New York Times that comparing the leftist protesters to the white supremacists is like "comparing a propeller plane to a C-130 transport."

"Using the fact that some counterprotesters were, in fact, violent, creates a structural and moral false equivalency that is seriously undermining the legitimacy of this president," he said.

With the issue of false equivalency front and center once again, a profound question arises for journalists: What does true fairness look like in covering this president?

We're starting to see some answers.

CBS News on Tuesday night took the rare step of giving over its whole evening news segment to the aftermath of Charlottesville.

On CNN, Jake Tapper's commentary was blunt: "To anybody out there [thinking]: 'I thought that the Klan and neo-Nazis and white supremacists, I thought there was no debate about this among civilized people?' There isn't a debate about it."

And a Washington Post analysis by Philip Bump dispassionately observed Trump had doubled down on what he originally said: "He's sympathetic to the goals of the men who marched Saturday night carrying Confederate and Nazi flags - and even to the 'peaceful' torchlight protest on Friday in which marchers chanted anti-Semitic and Nazi slogans."

All had impact. Does finding these powerful ways to frame the situation amount to abandoning journalistic impartiality?

"The whole doctrine of objectivity in journalism has become part of the (media's) problem," said Jay Rosen this week in a talk at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York state. He believes that journalists must state their biases up front and not pretend to be magically free of the beliefs or assumptions that everyone has.

If objectivity is indeed a"view from nowhere," it may indeed be out of date. What's never out of date, though, is clear truth-telling.

Journalists should indeed stand for some things. They should stand for factual reality. For insistence on what actually happened, not revisionism. For getting answers to questions that politicians don't want to answer.

At Tuesday's contentious Trump Tower news conference, the president disparaged reporters, sometimes calling them - as if saying their names - "fake news." Earlier that day, he circulated on Twitter a cartoon image of a CNN reporter being run down by the "Trump Train." Appalling, yes, but nothing new, just another page in Trump's blame-the-media playbook.

In response, reporters kept asking questions, bringing the president from his preferred topic of infrastructure to what was on everyone's mind: racism and violence. Their words were respectful, their tenor insistent.

It looked about right to me. And yes, it was certainly fair.

Can journalism be both impartial and forceful? That's not only a possibility but, more than ever, a necessity.

In dealing with the false-equivalency president they helped to get elected, the news media may have learned something.

The best way to be fair is not to be falsely evenhanded, giving equal weight to unequal sides. It's to push for the truth, and tell it both accurately and powerfully.
Trivia question: If you should hear a conversation in which Person A asks, Is this wine sweet or dry? and Person B replies, Yes and no  and is correct!  what wine is being talked about?

There is really only one answer to this riddle. The wine in question is a Riesling from Germany.

The answer Person B gave is correct because of the way most German Rieslings are made, with a trace of residual sugar in theoretically dry wines. So the wines are both faintly sweet in the mid-palate and food-friendly dry in the aftertaste.

High acid is always a feature of German wines, whites and reds, and in the last few years, laws governing the production and marketing of German wines have changed, in theory to make it easier for consumers to understand them.

In some cases, the wines have become a little easier to understand. But in many ways, the new German rules are still so confusing that its hard to explain why a term that once meant one thing no longer is being used, and new terms are now in place to explain whats in the bottle  but without much consumer education.

In some cases, a term is used to explain why a wine costs so much. But this doesnt say anything about the wines sweetness or dryness.

And as much as I love German Rieslings, Im still dealing with terms that are supposed to be helpful, but arent.

Remember the term Auslese? Decades ago, I was told (in a wine education course at UCLA) that it was a term for late-picking of fruit and generally was used on sweeter wines.

Last week, we pulled out of our cellar a 2001 Franz Kunstler Riesling Auslese Trocken. It was sensational with dinner. And thats because it was dry.

The key word on the label was trocken, German for dry. So although Auslese usually means sweet, not every wine with that designation is.

I can understand the confusion if you should get a bottle of German Riesling that doesnt say trocken, but has the letters GG on the front label, and you find it to be bone dry.

GG stands for grosses gewachs, a relatively new term applied to certain wines by a century-old German organization, VDP, that refers to some extraordinary vineyard wines that are dry.

The attempt to denote special characteristics for certain world-class German wines and a parallel effort to designate which everyday wines are similar to designations that were well known in the past, and which represent new styles of wine, has caused confusion in the marketplace.

The other problem, of course, is the tongue twister names that are hard to remember or impossible to pronounce. This has left some wine lists so confusing that I can understand someone simply saying, Ill have a glass of Chardonnay, please.

Whats really sad is that some phenomenal German Rieslings have been made in the last several years from a series of excellent vintages. There is more fresh fruit than in the past, better balance, and amazing food compatibility with many of the drier wines.

Since few restaurant people understand all of this, (or any of this!) they stick with more common wines, even if Riesling would be perfect with their food.

One innovative California restaurant has seized the opportunity to offer a dozen Rieslings by the glass ($9 to $14), and to sell them all by the bottle as well (seven wines are priced $28 to $32 per bottle.)

Sea Thai Bistro in Santa Rosa is so sure that Riesling works well with its cuisine that it is willing to make a little bit less per bottle than other restaurants would. The hope is that loyal customers will find the food/wine pairings so sublime theyll return often.

Sea Thais manager and sommelier, Melissa Hotchkiss, is behind this creative program that features eight German Rieslings with the emphasis on dryer styles.

She also appreciates mature Rieslings, and recently listed the exotic 2011 Dry Riesling from Villa Maria in New Zealand ($28), which is extraordinary with most of the restaurants dishes.

The best part of this program is that the knowledgeable Hotchkiss can explain to diners which wines are sweeter or drier than others.

And the tactic seems to be working: Sea Thais Riesling sales have risen dramatically in recent months.

Wine of the Week: 2015 Maximin Grunhaus Riesling Kabinett Trocken, Mosel ($29): One of the finest houses in the Mosel Valley, this brand owned by Carl Von Schubert has outrageously steep vineyards, some of the most picturesque in the world. Kabinett wines tend to be sweet, but here the wine is trocken, so nearly bone dry. It is remarkably fruity, still has a trace of sugar, and works brilliantly with Thai food. It is available at Sea Thai Bistro for $30! (Some retail shops have it listed for less than $29, but the wholesale price just rose a bit because of the recent strengthening of the Euro, though some retailers have yet to increase the price.)
- Nigerian Lawmakers are unarmed robbers.





- House of Assembly members are the worst.





- Lawmakers in Nigeria are one of the highest paid despite 75% of the country living in Poverty.

Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo has launched an attack on the country's lawmakers calling them "a bunch of unarmed robbers.





Obasanjo made this known during a book launch at the University of Ibadan which also had other former government officials in attendance.





Obasanjo was even more critical of members of the nations's House of assembly, describing them as a bunch of unarmed robbers.

He said "The way we are going about spending all our revenue to pay overhead, we will not develop.





"And we will have ourselves to blame. Ninety percent of revenue is used to pay overhead, allowances, salaries and not much is left for capital development.





"It is even worse for the National Assembly. They will abuse me again but I will never stop talking about them. They are a bunch of unarmed robbers.





"They are one of the highest paid in the world where we have 75 percent of our people living in abject poverty.





"They will abuse me tomorrow and if they don't, maybe they are sleeping. The behaviour and character of the National Assembly should be condemned and roundly condemned,"" the former president added.




According to a Statement from the Presidency, the Acting President of Nigeria Yemi Osinbajo has left Nigeria in order to attend the innaugration ceremony of Rwandan President elect Mr Paul kagame in Kigali.





The statement also confirms that the Acting President is expected to return to the country later today.





This means that for a couple of hours at least, Nigeria will be without its President or Acting President.





The statement from the Presidency reads "Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is attending the presidential inauguration of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, taking place today in Kigali, the country's capital.





"The inauguration ceremony which is expected to be witnessed by several African Heads of State and Government, follows President Kagame's victory at the August 4 Rwandan presidential election.





"Prof. Osinbajo who is accompanied by the Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama is expected back in Abuja later today."
Photo taken on Feb. 22, 2017 shows elephants at the Tsavo West National Park, near Voi, Kenya. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

ARUSHA, Tanzania, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Villagers in central Tanzania's district of Bahi are living in fear following the frequent invasion of wild elephants, authorities have said.

In the latest attack, villagers in Chikopelo were the highly affected, after a herd of nine elephants stormed into their localities, causing mayhem in the area located 470km from the Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

Rachel Chuwa, Bahi District Executive Director Wednesday confirmed the report, noting that the wild animals, however, did not cause serious damage.

"But, people are in fear of the new wave of elephant invasion in their localities, something which wasn't the case in the past," the official said.

She, however, said: "I got a report from the villagers who also said the animals normally come to the village at different times, and sometimes goes directly to the village dam, the only source of water in the village, drink water and later disappear."

According to the official, a week ago another group of elephants were spotted in the village and later disappeared in the thicket not far from Chikopelo Primary School.

"But, another group of the nine animals resurfaced again in the area and disappeared. As district authorities, we've informed the national Wildlife Division's anti-poaching unit (KDU) for further action. I, therefore, urge villagers to always report such cases."

Chuwa maintained that the elephants that frequently visit villages in the district are coming from Ruaha National Park.

Experts argue that after the dramatic loss of many elephants in the past few years to poaching, the elephants are making a comeback in some areas, leading to human wildlife conflicts across the east African nation.

In May, this year, four elephants roamed the University of Dodoma campus, bringing the state-run University to a standstill for the day; Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) rangers were called in and the elephants were eventually scared off.

In June, elephants in Arusha destroyed 43 hectares of crops. A day later two farmers in Singida were killed by a herd of 32 elephants.

While human wildlife conflict can result in deaths of human beings, destruction of crops and homes, likewise wild animals bear the same brunt as some such as elephants get killed by humans who live in communities adjacent to protected areas.

Lack of buffer space between protected areas and human settlements is a "call for alarm" likely to leave "a trail of destruction" as argued by experts.

It is believed that one innovative study is using beehive fences to deter naturally bee-shy elephants from farms but others believe the best permanent solution is to remove people from the buffer zones.

Experts say there should be the provision of an effective conservation awareness education among local people so that they can understand the importance of wildlife resources in terms of socio-economic, cultural and ecological aspects.

Other ways could be the creation of an effective buffer zone or provision of compensation and evacuate people from conflict zones.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-17 22:14:42|Editor: Liangyu

Hamas militants attend the funeral of Nidal Jaafari, 28, a member of the Internal Control Force of the Interior Ministry, who was killed in a suicide attack, in Rafah City, on Aug. 17, 2017. Islamic Hamas movement tightened on Thursday its security measures on the Gaza Strip-Egypt border following an earlier suicide bombing carried out by an Islamic State (IS) militant. It is the first-of-its-kind suicide bombing attack carried out by extremists in the Gaza Strip. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar)

GAZA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement tightened on Thursday its security measures on the Gaza Strip-Egypt border following an earlier suicide bombing carried out by an Islamic State (IS) militant.

It is the first-of-its-kind suicide bombing attack carried out by extremists in the Gaza Strip, the coastal enclave, which has been ruled by Hamas since 2007.

Dozens of Hamas security officers were deployed in various areas of Rafah town in southern Gaza Strip, especially at the entrances to the border with Egypt, amid several military checkpoints for inspection.

This came after a suicide bomber blew himself up with a number of internal Hamas members near the border with Egypt, killing one, and wounding seven members of the Interior.

"A security incident occurred in the southern border area of the Gaza Strip east of Rafah crossing after a security force stopped two people as they approached the border with Egypt," Interior Ministry spokesman Eyad al-Bozzom said.

Medical sources told Xinhua that Nidal Jaafari, 28, a member of the Internal Control Force of the Interior Ministry, died of his serious injuries in the bombing after one of the people blew himself up near the border.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a press statement that Jaafari is a field commander in addition to his work in the Interior Ministry.

Al-Qassam Brigades stressed that they "will not hesitate to defend the Palestinian people and land and to protect the resistance project from all threats, and to counter the deviant thought of the intruder original jihadist resistance."

Hamas internal security announced last June, the establishment of a buffer zone on the border security between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, a depth of 100 meters on the Palestinian side in order to enhance the "security" situation.

The move came after understandings reached by a delegation of Hamas leaders with Egyptian officials in Cairo to impose further control over the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip and to prevent escape through it.

Nafez Azzam, Islamic Jihad movement member said that Rafah incident, "a serious development requires concerted efforts to solve this problem because the security treatment only is not enough."

"What happened in Rafah is a strange incident on the Palestinian scene and cannot be accepted because it is against our customs and religion of the Palestinian people," Azzam told Quds voice local Radio.

He added that confronting such incidents "requires an end to the atmosphere of fanaticism that prevails in the Palestinian arena and is rampant regardless of the form of intolerance and its goal of spreading solidarity and brotherly culture."

A statement issued by the leftist Popular Front said that "this terrible crime, which targeted members of the security in the performance of their national duty to defend the borders of the homeland is a serious incident, stresses the need to unite and eradicate terrorism and thought Takfiri roots."

The Front's statement called for "the necessity of formulating an urgent national plan in which all national, educational, economic and social sectors contribute to blocking the path of the promoters of this Takfiri thought and its sponsors."

"Legal and security treatment is important and most important is the participation of all in confronting the phenomenon of extremist ideology nationally, economically, socially and intellectually," said Mustafa Ibrahim, a political and human rights activist.

Israel has imposed a strict blockade on movement of people and goods in the Gaza Strip, home to more than two million people since the Hamas takeover in mid-2007.

In addition to the blockade, Israel launched three large-scale military operations against the Gaza Strip. The first was at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009, and the second in November 2012, the latest attack was in the summer of 2014 for 50 consecutive days.

This has led to record levels of poverty and unemployment among the population of the Gaza Strip, as well as a severe shortage of basic services, particularly energy and clean water.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 00:11:02|Editor: Yang Yi

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by Yan Lei, Wang Kejia

TOKYO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A documentary released recently about Okunoshima, an island where poison gas used to be manufactured for Japan's invasive war against China, has attracted a great deal of attention.

The documentary broadcast by Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), together with another one about Japanese Unit 731 released earlier by public broadcaster NHK, revealed the irrefutable historical truth about Japan's war crimes, and prompted heated discussions among Japanese society.

Okunoshima is a small island located in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan in Hiroshima prefecture. The island served as a poison gas factory for much of the chemical warfare that was carried out by the Imperial Japanese Army in China during World War II.

The documentary features Haruka Ayase, a 32-year-old popular idol in Japan, visiting Okunoshima island, interviewing 91-year-old Yasuma Fujimoto and others about the past of the island.

In the 1940s, Yasuma Fujimoto was involved in the manufacturing of poison gas at a plant on the island and the gas was eventually used, among other heinous acts of aggression, against China.

"This island now appears green. But it used to look yellow," said Fujimoto, adding that trees could not grow there due to the acid in the poison gas.

Back then, 6,700 people were working on the island and manufacturing poison gas around the clock. Fujimoto could still remember the chemical equation for the poison gas Lewisite to be manufactured.

"The poison gas was manufactured to secure Japan a victory in its invasive war against China," said Fujimoto.

"I will never forget this chemical equation. I went to learn these things to earn a living, but I ended up making poison gas to kill the Chinese people. (I'm) a criminal," he added.

Numerous Chinese civilians were killed by the chemical weapons used by the invading Japanese army. One such example was a Japanese gas attack at an underpass in Beituan Village, Hebei Province in China in 1942. Some 1,000 villagers were killed in that attack.

But after the war, as the Japanese government was eager to cover up the atrocities, evidence was destroyed, so was the poison gas factory on the Okunoshima island.

Currently, the island has become a tourist spot with more than 700 wild rabbits living there, and is therefore also called Rabbit Island.

The past crimes seem to only exist in the memory of a handful of witnesses who are still alive, such as Fujimoto.

"I made poison gas which killed Chinese people. This is a fact that can never be denied or distorted," said Fujimoto.

HISTORY SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

Just like the documentary about the atrocities of Japanese Unit 731, the TBS documentary has also triggered heated discussions in Japanese society. Many viewers said they were shocked and felt that this part of history should never be forgotten.

Japanese writer Masahiro Yamazaki said in a post online that the documentaries released recently by the media choose to face Japan's dark history squarely in order for the nation to have a bright new future, but there are still some people who are plagued by militarist ideals and turn a blind eye to the truth.

Duan Yuezhong, an overseas Chinese resident in Japan, told Xinhua that the documentaries released recently about Japan's war crimes appeal to the conscience of Japanese citizens and prompt them to reflect on the war history.

He also pointed out that broadcasting these documentaries should not mean the end of reflection, but rather the beginning of it; they should serve as an inspiration for digging out more truth and reflecting on more, if not all, historical facts.

Ayase, a famous Japanese actress, said for her part, at the end of the documentary that when she was listening to Fujimoto, she once again felt the terror of war, and the preciousness of peace.

"I hope more people could hear the story of Mr. Fujimoto," she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 00:16:09|Editor: Song Lifang

Photo taken on Aug. 17, 2017 shows the unearthed Neolithic remains in Istanbul, Turkey. Archeologists have unearthed Neolithic remains believed to be dating back to 6,000 years during a new metro line construction in central Istanbul. Neolithic circular structures and urn type burials were discovered by the Istanbul Archeology Museum experts at the construction site of the subway station in Besiktas district. (Xinhua/Cenk Baklan)

ISTANBUL, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Archeologists have unearthed Neolithic remains believed to be dating back to 6,000 years during a new metro line construction in central Istanbul.

Neolithic circular structures and urn type burials were discovered by the Istanbul Archeology Museum experts at the construction site of the subway station in Besiktas district.

According to the experts, the discovery will reveal important information that would shed light on the history of Istanbul and the Bosphorus Strait separating the city's Asian and European sides.

"This discovery located at the very center of the city will definitely fill an important gap in the history of the region between 6,500 and 3,000s B.C.," Itir Bayburtluoglu, an archeologist told Xinhua.

"I believe it will disclose significant information about the early settlement alongside the strait, one of the world's most important sea routes connecting the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea," she said.

"The circular structures are also very remarkable as they unveil specific construction style of the period," Bayburtluoglu said.

These structures were seen until the Iron Age and are considered as typical settlements styles of the Thrace region in northwestern part of Turkey, the expert said.

In April, archeologists have first unearthed some 19th and 20th century ruins at the same site.

Following that discovery the authorities have slightly shifted the location of the metro station allowing the experts to dig further the bottom layers.

In Bayburtluoglu's view, the site likely hosts more artifacts belonging to the earlier periods and they could be retrieved as the excavations move forward.

In the meantime, the residents of the district welcomed the findings with enthusiasm.

"It is very exciting when I think that we are living just above the settlements of the Neolithic Period," Kerem Ozulku, who resides in Besiktas told Xinhua.

A coffee owner across the excavation site said "That means that I am looking at the same beautiful view of the Bosphorus as someone who lived 6,000 years ago."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 01:17:11|Editor: yan

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MOGADISHU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military confirmed Thursday its special forces conducted three precision airstrikes in Somalia on Wednesday night, killing seven Al-Shabaab fighters.

The U.S. Africa Command (Africom) said the joint operation with Somalia security forces occurred in Jilib, Somalia, about 320km southwest of Mogadishu.

"We will continue to assess the results of the operation and will provide additional information as appropriate," Africom said in a statement.

"Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operational security," it said.

Al-Shabaab militants have not publicly commented on the latest airstrikes against their strong-holds so far.

"The U.S. forces work closely with Somali military forces against Al-Shabaab in Somalia to degrade the Al-Qaida affiliate's ability to recruit, train, and plot external terror attacks throughout the region and in the U.S.," Africom said.

The military said Al-Shabaab has pledged allegiance to Al-Qaida and is dedicated to providing safe haven for terrorists.

"Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the U.S. and our allies. We continue to work in coordination with our Somali partners and allies to systematically dismantle Al-Shabaab and help achieve stability and security throughout the region," it said.

The militants have recently increased their attacks against Africa Union and Somali forces especially in Mogadishu and southern Somalia, which has seen a surge of attacks that resulted in the loss of several strategic towns although the militants mainly held those towns briefly.

The AMISOM and Somali forces have also increased airstrikes in southern Somalia in the recent past, resulting in the killing of several militants and some defections.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 01:52:33|Editor: yan

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RIGA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A major tax evasion scheme, which the Latvian tax authority busted earlier this month, has caused an estimated 2.8 million euros loss to the government budget, the financial police department of the Latvian State Revenue Service informed Thursday.

Over the past three years, an organized group of three dealers had been using shell companies to sell expensive motor vehicles and household equipment without paying value added tax (VAT).

Edijs Ceipe, head of the revenue service's financial police department, said that the dealers used Latvia-registered companies to purchase BMW, Lexus, Mercedes and Porsche autos in Germany in the name of the non-existent firms that were liquidated soon afterwards.

From January 2016, the group used the data and bank accounts of more than 30 such shell companies to create complex chains of fictitious transactions, allowing them to avoid paying more than 2.8 million euros in value added tax.

The organizer of the VAT scam has been taken into custody but his two accomplices remain free for the time being.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 02:07:42|Editor: Song Lifang

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura addresses a press briefing after a meeting of the International Syria Support Group's Humanitarian Access Task Force at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Aug. 17, 2017. UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Thursday said that he may sponsor a "preparatory" round of peace talks on Syria in Geneva next month, but the "real substantive" talks will be scheduled for October. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)

GENEVA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Thursday said that he may sponsor a "preparatory" round of peace talks on Syria in Geneva next month, but the "real substantive" talks will be scheduled for October.

Speaking to a press briefing after a meeting of the International Syria Support Group's Humanitarian Access Task Force, the UN envoy said that though the new round of Intra-Syria Talks may still possible in September as planned, his office "will be focusing on the real agenda for the real substantive talks that we hope will be taking place in October".

"You will have Astana probably end of August, you will have early September the Holy Eid, then you will have possibly the Geneva talks if we feel the timing and the appropriate moment is there," he said.

"Then you will have the General Assembly which is taking place just between the 18th September onward where very likely there will be a discussion and quite at a high level regarding the next steps about Syria," he added.

The UN Envoy told reporters that he expected the Syrian opposition, now being divided into three delegations, to hold a key discussion soon so as to form a more unified negotiation team to attend the new talks in Geneva.

"Regarding the (Syrian) government, we are counting very much on Russia, on Iran, on anyone who has got major influence, and on the government of Syria to be ready finally to initiate when they are invited to Geneva, a genuine, direct negotiation with whatever (opposition) platform comes out," he said.

The last round of the UN-led peace talks on Syria ended on July 14 without any progresses, when the UN announced that the next round would convene in early September.

Since the war in Syria broke out in March 2011, the crisis has claimed more than 320,000 lives and displaced millions, the UN estimated.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 02:27:59|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon said on Thursday that seven militants of al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist group in Somalia, were killed in U.S. airstrikes this week.

The U.S. military conducted three airstrikes on Wednesday and Thursday in Jilib, Somalia, about 200 miles (or 322 km) southwest of Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, said U.S. Africa Command in a statement.

Further details about the strikes were not available at the moment but the Pentagon said the airstrikes were conducted "in coordination with Somali forces."

Despite its involvement in assisting the Somalian government and African Union forces in battling al-Shabaab, an extremist group responsible for dozens of terror attacks in east Africa, the U.S. military so far was not launching regular airstrikes against the group in Somalia.

Currently, the U.S. maintains a small force unit of about 50 troops in Somalia, mainly to advise and assist Somalia and African Union mission in Somalia battling Al-Shabaab militants.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 02:53:16|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Egypt strongly condemned on Thursday the van attack that left at least 13 people dead and dozens injured in the Spanish city of Barcelona.

Egypt fully supports the Spanish government and people in challenging terrorism, Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that such attacks cannot break the will of governments and people to uproot terrorism.

The North African country offered condolences over the death of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.

At least 13 people were reported dead and dozens others injured when a man driving a van at high speed ran over crowds at Barcelona's famous Las Ramblas tourist area Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 02:58:17|Editor: yan

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ARUSHA, Tanzania, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian government has graded 230 hotel facilities in the country's northern tourism circuit, a senior official announced Thursday.

Gaudence Milanzi, Tanzania's permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources said the rating exercises involved hotel facilities located in northern regions of Arusha and Manyara.

Announcing the results, Milanzi said that out of those, 10 facilities scooped the five-star rating, 19 with 4-star rating, and 65 with a 3-star rating.

He added that 84 other facilities were given one and two-star ratings respectively, while 34 facilities were deemed unclassifiable.

The rated facilities, according to the official, included town hotels, vacation hotels, tented camps, lodges, and motels.

"The government is determined to cover the entire country in executing this exercise that also seeks to promote the country's tourism," he said.

Among the hotels that got the highest rating were the Arusha-based Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge and Mount Meru Hotel, which were both classified as five-star accommodation facilities.

According to the official, Tanzania now had 271 graded classified facilities.

Jumanne Maghembe, Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism described the classification of hotels in the country as a key tool in achieving value for money.

Apart from being a marketing tool, the minister said the process of rating hotels offers hoteliers benchmark for offering exemplary services.

"As you receive your ratings today, it is imperative to revisit your contribution to the tourism and hospitality sector," challenged the minister.

Leopold Kabendera, Tanzania's tourism expert disclosed that at least 2,000 criteria were looked into when rating the hotel facilities.

Hotel ratings are often used to classify hotels according to their quality.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 03:03:21|Editor: yan

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LAGOS, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's acting president Yemi Osinbajo Thursday said the government had drawn a line on hate speech and would treat it as an act of terrorism.

He said this while addressing a Security Summit organized by the National Economic Council in Abuja, the nation's capital.

"Hate speech is a species of terrorism; terrorism as it is defined popularly is the unlawful use of violence or intimidation against individuals or groups, especially for political ends," he added.

"The law on hate speech, the Terrorism Act 2011, defines hate speech among other definitions, as an act deliberately done with malice and which may seriously harm or damage a country or seriously intimidate a population," he said.

According to him, the intimidation of a population by words or speech is an act of terrorism and this government intends to take this matter seriously.

"As I said we have drawn a line against hate speech; it will not be tolerated; it will be taken as an act of terrorism and all of the consequences will follow it," he added.

The acting president called on business, religious and political leaders to condemn hate speech in strongest terms especially when such speech came from people of their faith, tribe or group.

He said silence on such speech could only be seen as an endorsement.

He reaffirmed that the primary aim of the government was to secure the lives and property of citizens, adding that the administration would not relent in achieving that vision.

Osinbajo also observed that to tackle insecurity there was the need to fight poverty by all tiers of government.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 03:08:23|Editor: yan

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TIRANA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Made in Albania exports to the European Union (EU) countries continued to maintain the upward trend during the first seven months of 2017, according to data published Thursday by Albanian institute of statistics (INSTAT).

According to INSTAT's report on foreign trade, the value of Albanian exports in the seven-month period was 158 billion leks (1.4 billion U.S. dollars), increasing by 12.9 percent, compared to same period of a year ago.

Meantime, the value of imports was 350 billion leks (3.1 billion U.S. dollars), up 6.3 percent, while the trade deficit was 192 billion leks, up 1.4 percent compared with the same period last year.

Albania's trade exchanges with the EU countries occupy 66.9 percent of all the country's trade exchanges during the period, statistics showed.

On monthly basis, INSTAT said that in July, exported goods amounted to 25 billion leks, increasing by 9.7 percent compared to the same period a year ago and 9.4 percent compared to June 2017.

Meanwhile, imported goods amounted to 55 billion leks in July, registering an increase by 9.2 percent compared to a year ago.

During the first seven month, the countries with which Albania recorded the highest increase of exports as compared to last year are Italy and Spain.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 03:08:24|Editor: Liangyu

A Rice University-stationed police officer drives a police car patrolling in Rice University, Texas, the United States, on Aug. 2, 2017. The United States has some of the best colleges and universities in the world, but staying safe and avoiding being a victim of crime can sometimes be challenging. Rice University in Houston in the state of Texas has a system in place where students can call police from emergency call boxes throughout the sprawling campus of more than 6,600 students. (Xinhua/Liu Liwei)

By Robert Stanton, Gao Lu

HOUSTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Many Chinese parents take pride in their sons and daughters' ability to be enrolled in American universities, but staying safe and avoiding being a victim of crime in university campus can sometimes be challenging.

Zhang Yingying, a visiting scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was kidnapped on June 9 on her way to sign an apartment lease. The 28-year-old scholar's whereabouts still remains a mystery and the police believe that she is dead.

A suspect in the case, Brendt Christensen, was arrested on June 30 and pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of kidnapping.

It is only one of the criminal cases targeting foreign scholars and students in the U.S. in recent years.

Large colleges like the University of Houston, with about 44,000 students, are often targeted by criminals for robberies and even sexual assaults.

At campuses large and small, police officers are on 24-hour patrol and there are "safe spots" for students to call for help.

Rice University in Houston in the state of Texas has a system in place where students can call police from lighted call boxes throughout the sprawling campus of more than 6,600 students, of which about 10 percent are Chinese.

"You can be anywhere on campus and see at least one blue light ... and run to it and hit the button on the blue light," said Molly Hurley, a second-year student at Rice University. "It calls (campus police) and they'll go straight to your location."

Chinese student Ma Zhiwei, who is in post-doctoral studies at Rice University, said he feels relatively safe while on campus because of the security presence.

"We can often see police cars patrolling on campus," Ma said. "There is also a service called night escort. If you live in university dormitories or very close to the campus, you can ask for the service when you work or study late at night. When you call, they (police) will pick you up and escort you to your dormitory."

At Texas Southern University (TSU), similar equipment are used to protect students and staff.

"What we have is over 1,000 cameras throughout the campus which is monitored by our video monitoring center. We also have over 30 column boxes throughout the campus and in the parking garages," explained Fred Brown, deputy chief of university police department at TSU.

Other than security measurements on campus, advice from teachers and senior fellow students are helpful, especially for new students.

Since most of the university campus in the U.S. is open, professor Qiao Fengxiang from Texas Southern university urged students to be more cautious.

"I strongly ask all Chinese students here to pay enough attention to their safety. The campus is fully open, not like the colleges in China," he said.

"Americans travel by automobiles. I don't think bus is a good choice for students. You can buy a car with basic functions, if affordable. If you take bus, try to find one with less passengers. You'd better not go out alone; if alone, be alert," he suggested.

Li Yuntong, a second-year Chinese student in Rice University, said that using common sense is the best way to stay safe on and off campus.

"University police always patrol at night and there is a security alarm light," she said. "It's a little bit dangerous off campus so just try not to be alone, especially after 10 p.m.."

She offered some tips for overseas students staying on campus.

"When applying to universities, remember to check the security situation," she said. "You can also speak to senior students in the university. They are quite experienced and will tell you the resources you can use. There is a lot of useful information on the university website and email as well."

In a related development, a new Texas law took effect in 2016 for all four-year colleges and universities, allowing people who have obtained a concealed handgun license (CHL) to carry their loaded, concealed weapon in buildings at colleges.

The new law is likely to cause potential assailants to think twice before embarking on a campus crime spree, Chief Caldwell said.

"The law requires that if you're licensed to carry, your weapon has to be completely concealed," he said. "I would think that anyone on campus with a knife would certainly think twice because you don't know who's armed around you."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 03:23:32|Editor: yan

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by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The recently-concluded African tour of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi seeks closer ties with African states to ensure the security of Egypt's share of the Nile River water and to promote mutual trade and investment, said Egyptian experts in African affairs.

President Sisi wrapped up Thursday a four-day African tour that included Tanzania, Rwanda, Gabon and Chad, during which he stressed Egypt's keenness on boosting political coordination and economic cooperation with African states.

The tour comes amid Egypt's hopes to open further African markets for Egyptian products and concerns about its annual share of 55.5 billion cubic meters of the Nile River water.

Egypt shares the river with 10 other Nile Basin countries, two of which are included in Sisi's African tour, namely Tanzania and Rwanda. Ethiopia, another Nile Basin state, is currently building a giant dam, named the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which extends on an area of 1,800 square kilometers and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017.

"Sisi's African tour seeks coordination with African states on the water resources issue, the regional security of Eastern Africa, the terrorist attacks in Western Africa and the commercial exchange between Egypt and African states," said Amany al-Taweel, director of the African Unit at Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

The expert believes that the Egyptian former leaderships neglected ties with African states over the past few decades to the point that an influential African country like Tanzania has not been visited by an Egyptian president since 1968. Gabon also has not seen an Egyptian leader for over 40 years.

"The current Egyptian-African approach shows the awareness of Sisi's leadership of Africa's importance to Egypt in terms of general security as well as water security and also as a source of boosting Egyptian economy," Al-Taweel told Xinhua.

"Africa for Egypt is either an opportunity or a threat," she said, arguing that Sisi's leadership has the right vision on how to interact with African states but it lacks the sufficient tools for that, such as an Egyptian-African maritime commercial fleet and Egyptian state-urged direct investments in African states.

"Egypt should also oblige its businessmen who seek loans to invest in Africa to provide a social service besides their projects in African states, such as building a school, a hospital, a training center, etc," Taweel illustrated, noting that shared development always promotes mutual trust.

Egypt's ties with Ethiopia have seen ups and downs since Ethiopia started the dam project in April 2011 while Egypt has been suffering turmoil following an uprising that toppled former longtime president Hosni Mubarak.

When Sisi took office in 2014, he showed understanding of Ethiopia's aspiration for development through the GERD that would produce around 6,000 megawatts of electricity to the country.

In March 2015, the leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan signed an initial cooperation deal on the principles of sharing the Nile River water and the construction of the GERD, which will be Africa's largest dam upon completion with a total volume of 74 billion cubic meters.

Earlier in 2010, an agreement was signed among some Nile Basin states in Uganda's Entebbe about the river water shares, but it was rejected by Egypt and its downstream partner Sudan, for the agreement affects their usual annual shares of Nile water.

On the other hand, relations between Egypt and Sudan have been tense over the past couple of years over various issues. In May, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir accused Egypt of providing military support to armed rebels in his country. The two countries also have a territorial dispute over the border region of Halayeb and Shalateen that is currently under Egyptian sovereignty.

"Including two Nile Basin countries in Sisi's African tour is an opportunity for Egypt to underline its concerns over the water scarcity and willingness to cooperate with all Nile Basin partners and sign the Entebbe agreement once its concerns are addressed," said Mona Omar, former assistant foreign minister for African affairs.

Reaching consensus over Entebbe agreement needs a lot of efforts, talks and meetings, as it should address the concerns of downstream countries on the one hand and assist development aspirations of upstream countries on the other hand, Omar explained.

The Egyptian-African approach is seen by many experts as a win-win situation in the political, security and economic arenas, while Egyptian businessmen and investors believe it would boost trade cooperation between the two sides and open new African horizons for the Egyptian products.

The volume of trade between Egypt and the four African states of Sisi's tour - Tanzania, Rwanda, Gabon and Chad - reached in 2016 only some 73 million dollars in total; 69 million of them are Egyptian exports and about four million are imports, according to Egypt's official MENA news agency.

The African market is vast and opportune to host Egyptian investments that would push forward development and standard of living in African states and boost the Egyptian economy as well.

"The tour also focused on this side. It addressed the economic side and the trade cooperation between Egypt and the four states, whose volume is still far below the capabilities and resources of the five countries," the ex-diplomat told Xinhua.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 03:43:39|Editor: yan

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GENEVA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A new European Commission policy on Mediterranean Sea rescues of migrants, including stopping private ships from ferrying them, might result in more deaths of migrants at sea and is in contravention of the obligation to rescue people in distress, UN human rights experts said on Thursday in a press statement.

The EU's proposed new action plan includes a code of conduct for organizations operating rescue boats. Drawn up by Italy with the backing of Brussels, the code of conduct aims to stop privately-operated ships ferrying refugees to safety in Italy from waters off the Libyan coast.

It is also part of a wider EU plan to reduce the pressure of migrant arrivals, as Libya has also announced a search and rescue zone beyond its territorial waters, and is restricting access to international waters by humanitarian vessels, according to a statement by Felipe Gonzalez Morales, special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, and Nils Melzer, special rapporteur on torture.

This will result in more deaths of migrants at sea, the experts said, adding that vessels of international organizations are currently providing up to 40 percent of all search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean.

The experts are highly concerned that the European Commission was trying to move Europe's borders to Libya.

According to the international law, migrants should be allowed to disembark at the nearest port where their lives and freedom would not be threatened, and should then receive information, care and equitable processing of their asylum claims.

"Libya simply cannot be regarded as a safe place to disembark and the EU policy is in denial of this fact," they said, as migrants intercepted by the Libyan coast guard will face indefinite detention in dire and inhumane conditions.

The UN experts urged the EU and Libya to bring more European rescue boats to the coast of Libya, and to relocate migrants and refugees to all Schengen member countries, instead of supporting measures which drive migration further underground and increase human suffering.

Statistics from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) show that a total of 102,847 migrants arrived in Europe across the Mediterranean during the first half of 2017, comparing with 231,075 for the same period in 2016.

More than 83,000 of them landed in Italy, mostly from Libya. The UNHCR estimates that some 2,420 migrants have either died or got missing since the beginning of this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 03:58:50|Editor: Yang Yi

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RAMALLAH, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians are waiting for answers from the U.S. on two major issues in order to resume the peace talks with Israel: Israeli settlement expansion and the two-state solution, a senior Palestinian official said Thursday.

Tayeb Abdul Rahim, the Palestinian Presidency Chief of Staff and an aide to President Mahmoud Abbas, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that the Palestinians have held several rounds of talks with the American delegation, but the American side has not answered the two questions so far.

"The first question is what is the official American position concerning Israeli settlements, and the second is what is the American position related to the principle of the two-state solution in accordance to the 1967 borders," said Rahim.

He criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for not clarifying whether his efforts to resolve the Palestinian issue would start from accepting the two-state solution.

The 1947 United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 recommends the establishment of a Jewish state and an Arab state in the former British mandate territory of Palestine.

The last U.S.-sponsored direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians stopped in April 2014 after nine months without achieving any progress, due to deep differences on Israeli settlement building and the borders of the future Palestinian state.

"Do they want a one-state solution? I believe that many Israelis reject this principle because they are afraid that after 20 years, the Palestinian population will be a majority in this state, otherwise, this state would turn into an apartheid state; something the world would never accept," Rahim said.

He urged the U.S. to make its position clear as soon as possible and stop talking about issues which are far from the essence.

"Otherwise, the right-wing Israeli government will carry on with its settlement policy and will topple the two-state principle," he said.

The senior official called on the international community and influential powers like China, the European Union and Russia to unite their efforts to have greater influence on the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Jared Kushner, a senior White House adviser and Trump's son-in-law, and Jason Greenblatt, the U.S. special representative for international negotiations, are expected to visit the region again at the end of the month, amid hopes that it could achieve a breakthrough in restarting the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

"Many meetings brought us together with the U.S. delegation in charge, but as I said, they did not touch on the core of the subject and the essence of the two-state solution," said Rahim.

He said that the Palestinian side should not be blamed for the current deadlock in the peace process.

"Our position is clear that America is capable of forcing Israel to take the decisions of international legitimacy," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 04:03:53|Editor: yan

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DUBAI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) condemned late Thursday a van attack in the Spanish city of Barcelona, official news agency WAM reported.

The UAE "condemns the terrorist act and reiterates its firm position that rejects all forms of violence and terrorism, irrespective of religion and race," WAM quoted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as saying in a statement.

In the statement, the Gulf Arab state expressed its "solidarity with the Spanish government in its fight against violence and extremism," and called on the international community to stand united against them.

The ministry also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the attack, the statement said.

Earlier in the day, a van ploughed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas tourist district of Barcelona, leaving at least 13 dead and dozens injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 04:08:54|Editor: Zhou Xin

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U.S. pilots Nigel Hook and Jay Johnson wave the Cuban and U.S. national flags, after their arrival aboard the Lucas Oil Silver Hook speedboat, as part of the event of speed records Lucas Oil Ocean Cup, in Havana, Cuba, on Aug. 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez)

HAVANA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Two U.S. speedboat pilots set a new speed record on Thursday, crossing from the U.S. city of Key West to the Cuban capital in just 1 hour and 18 minutes.

Experienced pilots Nigel Hook and Jay Johnson cruised into Havana Bay at more than 100 miles per hour after crossing the Florida Straits at a new velocity for this vehicle.

"The most important thing today was to get here and this new record. The sensation of reaching Havana at full speed is inexplicable, we are really very excited," Hook told reporters shortly after their arrival.

The Lucas Oil Silver Hook speedboat left Key West shortly after 8:45 a.m. local time and arrived in Havana at 10:04 a.m. local time, setting a new world record.

"We were very focused all the time because you never know when the biggest wave is going to come out. The sea was a bit choppy on some stretches and we had to stop and go back at a point on the way," added Hook.

This project was dubbed "two for one" by Hook, as he aims to achieve two world records, both on the way to Cuba and back.

Both drivers will soon return to Key West and try to beat their own record on the return leg.

With this new mark, as well as other recent attempts on surfboards and kayaks by Americans, both countries continue their bonds of friendship and solidarity, despite the recent rollback of the historic thaw between Havana and Washington by U.S. president Donald Trump.

"The important thing about this record is that we achieved it by crossing the ocean and uniting two countries. We wanted to see how fast we could get from one point to another. This record also has a very rich legacy," said Hook.

The first such speedboat record was established between the two countries in 1922, before being broken again in 1958. The most recent record, now beaten, was reached on August 1, 2015 by German Roger Kluh aboard the boat "Apache Star," in just 1 hour and 45 minutes.

The initiative was endorsed by the International Motonautics Union, the American Power Boat Association and the International Nautical Club Hemingway of Cuba.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 04:19:01|Editor: yan

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BRUSSELS, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Traces of fipronil had already been detected in Belgium in September 2016 in products containing eggs, head of Belgium's Food Agency said on Thursday.

One sample out of 14 contained traces of fipronil in September 2016, but no trace of the pesticide had been found before that, or from September to December 2016. After that, traces of fipronil have been found again from January to July 2017.

According to Herman Diricks, Chief Executive of Belgium's Food Agency, necessary measures to preserve public health have been taken.

Belgium's Public Health minister Maggie De Block also claimed that "public health in Belgium has never been endangered at any moment".

Since the beginning of the year, traces of fipronil in Belgium have mainly been found in egg powder in various products, according to Belgium's Food Agency.

Fipronil is a pesticide effective on a large number of pests. It is considered slightly poisonous by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is hence forbidden on animals destined for the food chain to prevent damage to human liver, thyroid and kidney.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 04:44:15|Editor: Yurou

Director of Georgian movie "Scary Mother", winner of the best film at the 23rd Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) Ana Urushadze (C), speaks to the audience at the National Theatre in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Aug. 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Haris Memija)

SARAJEVO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Georgian movie "Scary Mother", directed by Ana Urushadze, on Thursday night won the Heart of Sarajevo for the best film at the 23rd Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF).

"Scary Mother" is a movie about a 50-year-old housewife, Manana, who struggles with a dilemma whether to choose between her family life and a love for writing she has repressed for years. After she finally decides to follow her passion, she is ready to sacrifice everything for it, mentally and physically.

Heart of Sarajevo for best actor went to Serban Pavlu for his role in "Meda or The Not So Bright Side of Things". Heart of Sarajevo for best actress went to Ornela Kapetani for her role in "Daybreak".

Meanwhile, Heart of Sarajevo for the best documentary was given to "City of the Sun", directed by Rati Oneli from Georgia. The award for the best short film was given to "Into the Blue", directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic from Croatia.

Some 235 films from 54 countries and regions were shown to tens of thousands movie lovers at the 23rd edition of SFF, which began on Aug. 11.

The Sarajevo Film Festival, launched in 1995, has become a cultural event in the Balkan region.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 05:09:30|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Libyan authorities on Thursday repatriated 135 Nigerian immigrants within a voluntary repatriation program, an immigration official revealed.

The migrants include women and children, the official said. The immigrants have failed to cross the Mediterranean towards Europe and were rescued offshore by navy vessels.

The repatriation was done in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration to return migrants to their original countries.

The uprising of 2011 in Libya caused chaos and security, which led to massive flows of migrants in the Mediterranean. The International Organization for Migration said thousands of immigrants have reached European shores in 2017 so far, while many others have drowned on the way.

Migrants who are rescued offshore by Libyan coastguards are detained in reception centers with poor conditions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 05:29:41|Editor: Yang Yi

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BUFFALO, United States, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- White House chief strategist Steve Bannon's recent comments on the U.S.-China relations are "irresponsible," said a leading American global business expert.

By "ratcheting up the rhetoric" against China, it may be "a strategy" of Bannon to "perhaps gain more in terms of putting pressure on (China)," from a negotiating standpoint, said John Manzella, CEO of the World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara, New York State, in an interview with Xinhua on Thursday.

It is "nothing new" that U.S. politicians pointing fingers at a foreign country for some immediate political gains at home, Manzella said.

SCAPEGOAT GAME

Bannon said in an unusual interview Wednesday with The American Prospect that the United States was at "economic war with China" and he warned that "one of us is going to be a hegemon in 25 or 30 years and it's gonna be them if we go down this path."

"I'm not really sure what the intention is there by Mr. Bannon, but I do think those comments are irresponsible," Manzella said.

"During the (19)80s when the U.S. incurred some severe difficulties, politicians to a large extent scapegoated Japan. Then in the (19)90s and 2000s, When you saw certain areas and certain industries that were hurt, Mexico became the scapegoat. Now, China has become the scapegoat," he said.

Manzella said it is unfair to blame China for the loss of the manufacturing jobs, because 80 percent of the loss was "a result of automation not trade."

"The bottom line is it's misinformation," he explained. "The bottom line is automation which is tremendously positive force because it boosts productivity, and productivity is the number one factor increasing our (standard) of living,"

But automation does have a "short-term downfall," he said. "And that is today you may have just a few people producing a product where 10 years ago you had 15 people."

"So it does result in the loss of jobs which requires people to learn more and more skills and to upgrade their skills on a daily basis. And that's difficult," he said.

"The problem is most people are spending time working one or two jobs to take care of their families, they are theoretically putting out fires every week," Manzella said. "Most people don't have time to delve into the economic details, so you will hear this rhetoric from politicians that are very often trying to whip up support from their constituents."

TRADE OF MUTUAL BENEFITS

As the world's largest and second largest economies, the U.S. and China are "strong trading partners," and "in some ways we're mutually dependent on each other," he said.

"It's not a fight. It's mutually beneficial trade," said Manzella, referring to Bannon's warning that Washington is losing the fight but is about to hit China hard over unfair trade practices.

He noted that it is not surprising that the U.S. and China have trade disputes given the huge scope and magnitude of the bilateral trade relations.

"There are a number of companies that I've talked to that feel that they have been treated poorly in terms of entering the Chinese market...But I hear very good things as well, "he added. "So I think that depends on who you talk to and like any trading relationship there are areas where things are going well and there are other areas where things are not going so well."

"I think overall though, it's a very strong relationship. I think it is important that we maintain that strength and that beneficial working together attitude," Manzella said.

"And I don't believe China is an enemy, we are competitors, but I think competition is a good thing," Manzella, who authored several books including "A Global America: Understanding Global and Economic Trends and How To Ensure Competitiveness.

He pointed out that the U.S.-China cooperation is of greater importance against the backdrop of a fast-evolving world order with so many uncertainties and potential dangers.

"I think it's essential for the U.S. and China to cooperate," he emphasized. "By having the relationship disintegrated benefits absolutely nobody. It will hurt U.S. workers. It will hurt U.S. companies. It will hurt Chinese workers and Chinese companies. There's absolutely no upside."

"I understand some of the (U.S. politicians) rhetoric is designed to improve the U.S. negotiating position. Sometimes politicians will do that. But it's essential that we remain very good friends and close allies. I think again by working together we can improve the world as a whole."

"Friends can achieve much more than enemies," he said. "By combining our strengths, we can be a real strong force in the world for the fight of terrorism for example, or the elimination of pollutants to improve the environment."

Statistics show China has become the largest trade partner of the U.S., while the latter is China's second largest.

Bilateral trade surged nearly 207-fold to 519.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, from the level in 1979 when the countries established diplomatic ties. Trade with China helps each American family save 850 dollars every year. Bilateral trade and mutual investment in 2015 created 2.6 million jobs for the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 05:29:43|Editor: yan

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LISBON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese government announced Thursday that a day of national mourning will be held on Friday to mourn the victims of an accident when a large tree fell down, crushing to death of 13 people in Madeira.

The announcement came on Thursday after the regular weekly cabinet meeting in Lisbon.

"The national mourning coincides with the funeral ceremonies of the victims of the accident as a way of expressing the sorrow and solidarity of the whole country," the government said in a statement.

Minister of the Presidency and Administrative Modernization Maria Manuel Leitao Marques will represent the Portuguese government at a funeral ceremony in Madeira.

A large, 200-year-old oak tree fell to the ground on Tuesday in the Largo do Monte, in Funchal, capital of the autonomous region of Madeira, as crowds assembled for the Our Lady of the Mount religious procession.

Thirteen people were killed and 49 others injured. A one-year-old baby, one French woman and a Hungarian man were among the dead. Seven remain hospitalized on Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 05:39:46|Editor: Yang Yi

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LONDON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Barcelona and its famous Las Ramblas were a sitting duck for a terror attack, leading terrorism expert Professor Anthony Glees said here Thursday night.

Glees, Director of the Center for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS) at Britain's University of Buckingham, told Xinhua one of the big questions that needed to be answered was whether security in the tourist hot spot in Spain had been too relaxed.

He said: "Las Ramblas particularly was a sitting duck for this kind of attack in which a truck is used to kill or main people."

Thirteen people were confirmed dead and more than 100 others injured, with some of them in very serious condition in Barcelona van attack on Thursday afternoon.

Around 32 million people are expected to visit Barcelona this year and many of them will head for Las Ramblas as one of the city's iconic attractions for tourists.

Las Ramblas is popular with tourists because of its market stalls, bars and restaurants.

"It is the place everyone goes to, so everything has to be set in context. We have seen two attacks in London where vehicles have been used as weapons, and similar attacks in Berlin, Nice and Stockholm. This has become an established terror tactic.

"Whether this latest attack was carried out by home grown Islam idealists, or whether they came from Arab countries or Northern Africa remains to be seen.

"Just this week we saw images of people arriving from North Africa on the beaches of Spain and scurrying off into the Spanish hinterland. Spain has clearly been the victim of highly dangerous people.

"Last year the so called ISIL group issued a threat that they intended to re-colonize this area of Spain, to retake it as a Muslim country. They ruled the area until the 15th century and they have vowed to take back control."

Glees said security policies needed to be looked at, and whether they were a switch or a dial.

"When the threats are real you know you have to turn up the volume on the dial. Did the authorities in Spain turn up the dial? I am receiving messages from people in the area telling me that in their opinion security at the moment in Spain has been very lax. What has happened is a common threat across Europe, and what is needed now is to make foresight out of hindsight."

In recent months, national newspapers in Britain have highlighted stories about Spain, the most popular summer vacation hotspot for Britons, saying the famous Costas were prime targets for attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 07:10:20|Editor: Song Lifang

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Navy said Thursday it plans to relieve two commanding officers of U.S. S. Fitzgerald of their duties, after a fatal crash in June that killed seven sailors.

Vice chief of naval operations Bill Moran told a press briefing that two top officers of the destroyer will be relieved of duty Friday by Joseph Aucoin, the head of the Navy's seventh Fleet.

About a dozen sailors also face administrative actions, Moran said.

The Navy also released a report detailing the course of the fatal incident off the coast of Japan, where the U.S. destroyer collided with a Philippine freighter.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 07:50:27|Editor: Song Lifang

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By EVAN DUGGAN

VANCOUVER, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's complaints over America's trade deficits with its North American partners shows a failure to understand or accept macroeconomic fundamentals, say trade experts from the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thursday.

Throughout the presidential campaign and in the first seven months of his presidency, Trump has blasted the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as the worst trade deal ever signed. His foremost pretext has been that the U.S. is suffering from a major trade deficit with Mexico, and to a lesser extent, a deficit with Canada as well.

Last year, the U.S. exported 229 billion U.S. dollars in goods to Mexico and imported 294 billion U.S. dollars in goods from Mexico, a trade deficit of 64 billion U.S.dollars, according to U.S. census figures.

In that same period, the U.S. exported 266.8 billion U.S. dollars in goods to Canada, while importing 277.7 billion U.S. dollars in goods, a trade deficit of 10.9 billion U.S.dollars.

On Wednesday, U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer said in Washington that his team is aiming to completely overhaul the tri-lateral trade pact between Canada, Mexico and the U.S., and was looking for much more than just tweaks to the 1994 treaty.

"We feel that NAFTA has fundamentally failed many, many Americans and needs major improvement," he said.

Earlier this week, Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland pointed out that NAFTA countries collectively account for one-quarter of the world's GDP, with only 7 percent of the world's population.

Trump's attacks on America's trade deficits ignores how integrated the three North American economies have become, and treats the pact as a competition instead of a mutually beneficial agreement, UBC trade expert Werner Antweiler told Xinhua on Thursday.

"There are people in the Trump administration, including the president himself, who just don't understand macroeconomics, and this obsession with trade deficits is misplaced," Antweiler said.

He said manufactured products, especially in the auto sector, are linked closely across borders, with parts crossing the borders several times during vehicle assembly.

The Trump administration runs the risk of harming state economies that rely on direct trade with Canadian provinces in the auto sector and other industries, he said.

"We actually see a very integrated auto sector," he said. "In that sense, it's not just the bilateral negotiation that is important, but it's also the extent to which the various U.S. players and the U.S. states that are involved will also put weight on the administration... to relent and actually not make anything worse for them."

Antweiler said eliminating a trade deficit with Mexico and Canada wouldn't necessarily create more jobs in the U.S., as Trump has claimed. Nor would tearing up NAFTA altogether.

"The labour market, as it is, trade only reshuffles jobs from one sector to another, and most of these jobs that the United States has lost over the years in the manufacturing sector, they have reshuffled into the services sector," he said.

"This trade negotiation was predicated on the idea (by Trump) that they have to regain in the United States manufacturing jobs," Antweiler said. "It's an illusion, because these jobs have simply vanished due to technology and not due to trade."

Given that NAFTA is 23-year-old, it's wise to update the pact to keep it aligned with technology and the modern, complex supply chain, said Tomasz Swiecki, an assistant professor at the Vancouver School of Economics at UBC.

"The auto industry is now so intertwined it is hard to imagine (NAFTA) coming apart without serious repercussions for productivity in all the countries," he said Thursday.

Swiecki also blasted Trump's "simple view" of bilateral trade deficits. "A (trade deficit) is a very irrelevant statistic in itself, especially in bilateral trade," he said. "When we are negotiating between three countries, we all buy and sell to each other, in the circle."

Trump has seized on trade deficits as political fodder because it makes it look like Mexico is ripping America off, he said. "I can see how this has some political appeal, facts notwithstanding."

If NAFTA falls apart, it would present a set-back for global trade, but would not be a fatal blow, Swiecki said, noting that the World Trade Organization framework would still be in effect for trade and potential disputes involving Canada and its trading partners.

"To be fair, I would say probably in this scrapping of Trans Pacific Partnership (by the United States) was a more important development, because it tells us something about the sentiment in the current U.S. administration, which is still the major player in international trade," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 08:00:30|Editor: Yang Yi

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MADRID, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Hong Kong tourist was slightly injured in the terrorist attack on Thursday afternoon in Barcelona, said the Consulate General of China in Barcelona.

Except this case of injury, no other Chinese citizens were reported to be the victims of the attack, the consulate said in a statement posted on its website late Thursday.

Some 13 people were killed and 80 injured after a van rammed into crowds along Las Ramblas, the famous street in the center of Barcelona on Thursday afternoon.

The consulate said that all Chinese citizens were advised not to approach the area where the attack happened and those who were close to the area should keep calm and follow police's instructions.

It also published the phone number through which Chinese citizens, if under any emergency, can get in touch with the consulate general. The number is 0034-688306666.

They could also seek help through the global emergency hotlines of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China: 0086-10-12308, or 0086-10-59913991.
Vehicles enter the United States at the Canadian Thousand Islands Bridge Authority in Kingston, Canada, Aug. 16, 2017. The United States, Canada and Mexico on Wednesday kicked off the first round of renegotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) amid widespread uncertainty and anxiety over the future of the decades-old trilateral trade deal. (Xinhua/Li Baodong)

by Xinhua writer Li Ming

NEW YORK, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- As the renegotiation of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is underway in Washington D.C., other U.S. trade partners are also watching it closely, which might be a template for the U.S. government's future trade talks.

NAFTA renegotiation "could be the starting point for negotiations of other countries," Alan Deardorff, professor of international economics and public policy at the University of Michigan, told Xinhua.

There may be a whole bunch of new issues introduced into the trade agreement, he said.

According to U.S. Trade Representative Office, the NAFTA renegotiation aims to reduce the U.S. trade deficit and includes new content, such as the digital economy, and labor and environmental obligations in the 23-year-old trade pact among the Unites States, Canada and Mexico.

It's the first time that the office has included the deficit reduction as a specific objective for NAFTA, reflecting U.S. President Donald Trump's long-time belief that the bilateral deficit is a sign of a broken trade pact, which many economists see as groundless.

"Trade deficits are not the result of trade agreements, not the result of trade barriers at home or abroad," Deardorff said, explaining that the situation stems simply from spending versus income in a country.

The U.S. trade deficit is "a very direct reflection that we spend far far more than our income, we have to buy abroad because we are buying more things than we produce," he added.

Statistics show that the United States currently runs trade deficits with nine of its 10 top trading partners. Last year, it saw a trade deficit of 728 billion U.S. dollars, including 146 billion with the European Union, 63 billion with Mexico. and 27.7 billion with South Korea, one of the 20 countries that have free trade agreements (FTAs) with it.

Famous for his tough in trade rhetoric, Trump has vowed to withdraw or amend any trade agreement that he thinks are widening the U.S. trade deficit and hurting U.S. manufacturing.

Describing the U.S.-South Korean FTA as a "horrible deal", Trump has called for a renegotiation of the five-year-old pact to narrow the trade deficit. In mid July, South Korea accepted a U.S. request to convene a special session of the joint committee on their bilateral agreement.

"I do think the NAFTA renegotiation will set certain limits for a renegotiation with South Korea," said Justin Fendos, professor at Dongseo University in South Korea and the associate director of the Tan School at Fudan University, in an interview with Xinhua on Wednesday.

Fendos believed "Trump is probably the only one who is really pushing for a renegotiation" of NAFTA, which has actually benefited many of Trump's supporters in rural America such as farmers and ranchers.

He anticipated that the renegotiation will only bring about "superficial changes to the current terms, something Trump can tote as a victory publicly."

In that case, the South Korea renegotiation will not be very significant either since the superficial nature of the NAFTA renegotiation will signal a lack of political will, he said.

Other experts hold a more pessimistic view, believing Trump's protectionist stance may harm the already fragile international trade architecture.

"It is certainly true that several decades of post-WWII multilateral trade negotiations have come to a stop ... and there is a trend in the developed world, certainly here (in the United States) and in Europe, questioning globalization, fearing trade, fearing international capital flows, fearing multinational companies," said Deardorff.

He described the trend as "very worrisome", urging other countries to continue to promote globalization and free trade even without the United States as a leader.

"It is in their interest if they really understand that and it would be in our interest too," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 09:31:48|Editor: Song Lifang

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms" Thursday's terrorist attack in the Spanish city of Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and more than 100 others injured.

In a statement, the council members expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government of Spain. They wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

They reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. They expressed their solidarity with Spain in its fight against terrorism and stressed the need to intensify international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism, which may be conducive to terrorism.

The council members reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. They reaffirmed the need for all states to combat, by all means, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The council members underlined the need to bring the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts to justice, and urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Spanish government and all other relevant authorities in this regard.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 09:41:55|Editor: Song Lifang

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FREETOWN, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Mourners, relatives, neighbors and friends on Thursday gave final respects to over 300 victims of the Aug. 14 mudslides and flooding in the area of Sierra Leone's capital.

The burial of the dead took place at Waterloo on the outskirts of Freetown.

The military and police were in their full regalia and a 21 gun salute was given to show respect for the dead.

During the funeral organized by the government, President Ernest Bai Koroma made a speech saying this was another painful episode in the west African country's history.

"We will bury our loved ones but we will not bury our hopes," he said, adding that the nation would rise above this tragedy and begin once again the process of moving the nation forward.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from neighboring Liberia attended the funeral and consoled the bereaved families.

Rescue operations are still going on and humanitarian aid is coming in to help the affected in the worst ever natural disaster caused by heavy rain to hit Freetown. The mudslides and flooding in and near Freetown also left thousands homeless.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 10:07:10|Editor: Yang Yi

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YANGON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar National Airlines (MNA), a state-owned airline, will extend wing to China's Chengdu, a report quoted a chief executive officer of the airline as reporting Friday.

The planned schedule-flight will be introduced in addition to 26 domestic destinations and some international routes including Singapore, China's Hong Kong, Bangkok, Chaing Mai and Gaya, MNA Chief Executive Officer U Than Tun said.

With Boeing 737-800 aircraft, MNA launched its first international flight to Singapore in August 2015, followed by the second to China's Hong Kong in December the same year and to Bangkok in February 2016.

The country's oldest airline, founded in 1948, carried out reforms in 2015, expanding its regional and foreign destinations in a bid to keep up with international airlines flying between international airports of Myanmar.

MNA was renamed from state-run Myanmar Airways (MA) in December 2014 after corporatization.

Domestic private airlines in operation in Myanmar have reached eight, while foreign airlines that fly Myanmar remain as 24, according to figures so far available.
Tourists flock at the a Surfing Tower in Siargao Province, the Philippines, Sept. 29, 2016. (Xinhua file/Rouelle Umali)

MANILA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tourists and investors can soon avail of visa upon arrival (VUA) in the Philippines, thePhilippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Thursday.

In a bid to lure more Chinese tourists and investors to the Philippines, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the BI will soon issue landing visas to Chinese nationals who wish to visit the Philippines.

Morente said the new service is open to Chinese nationals who wish to join tour groups organized by tour operators accredited by the Department of Tourism, businessmen endorsed by local and foreign chambers of commerce and other government agencies, athletes and delegates to conventions and exhibitions.

"Through this scheme we aim to facilitate the expeditious entry and admission of Chinese nationals into the country, and thus attract more tourists and investors from China," Morente said.

He said the new policy will be implemented at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and eight other international airports, including Clark in Pampanga, Mactan in Cebu and Kalibo in Aklan, and seaports in Manila, Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Subic in Zambales, Laoag in Locos Norte and Caticlan in the central Philippines.

Under the new rules, he said interested Chinese national may, through their operator, apply for their landing visas at the BI for an initial authorized stay of 30 days. Chinese nationals can apply for an extension up to a maximum period of six months, he said.

He said applicants should be holders of valid passports and return tickets and they should not be on the BI's blacklist or subject of an International Police Organization or Interpol red notice. Each applicant will have to pay a visa fee of 25 U.S. dollars and 10 pesos (0.195 U.S. dollars) legal research fee.

Chinese nationals who wish to avail of the privilege should file their applications at least 10 working days before their arrival.

"If the applicants are qualified, the BI commissioner shall issue an order approving the VUA and the same shall be presented by the Chinese passengers to immigration officers upon their arrival in the country," Morente said.

When asked when they will implement this new policy, BI said there is no exact time as more details need studying.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 12:02:36|Editor: Song Lifang

Police cordon off a nearby street following a terrorist attack in central Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 18, 2017. Thirteen people were confirmed dead and more than 100 others injured, with some of them in very serious condition in Barcelona terror attack on Thursday afternoon, a Spanish official said. (Xinhua/Ying Qiang)

BARCELONA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish police launched an anti-terror operation on Friday as they continued a manhunt on Friday for the driver of a van that was ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona, killing 13 people in what is suspected to be one of multiple planned attacks.

At least four and possibly five suspects were killed early Friday morning in Cambrils, a town about 120 km south of Barcelona, in a sweeping operation which the police said foiled another terror plot linked to the deadly van attack in Barcelona.

The shootout in the night came as security forces launched a manhunt for the driver of the van that mowed through crowds of tourists on one of Barcelona's busiest thoroughfares Thursday, which also injured more than 100 others.

"We are working on the hypothesis that events in Cambrils respond to a terrorist attack. We have killed its alleged perpetrators," Catalan police wrote on Twitter.

Through social networks, the Barcelona police have asked residents in Cambrils and the adjacent region to stay home to avoid danger.

"If you are in Cambrils, avoid going out. Stay home, stay safe," the police tweeted.

Two suspects, one Moroccan and one from the Spanish north-African enclave of Melilla, have been detained in relation to the attack.

Downtown Barcelona has been sealed off by security forces as the van driver is still at large.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the massacre.

Images posted on the internet showed that the killed terrorists were wearing what appeared to be explosive belts.

It remains unknown how many people were involved in the van attack and other related incidents on Thursday.

Witnesses describe how the van was going at a high speed, attempting to cause "as much damage as possible" before fleeing the scene.

"I was totally shocked ... I can do nothing but waiting for permission of the police to enter my hotel," said a 16-year-old French girl.

The girl, who required anonymity, said she was just 10 meters away from the van and was frightened into a fit.

It was the worst attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800 others.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of official mourning for what he called a "jihadist attack."

"Today the fight against terrorism is the principal priority for free and open societies like ours. It is a global threat and the response has to be global," he told the media in Barcelona.

Rajoy said he was in "contact with all the administrations," and the priority "is to help the injured and facilitate the work of the security forces."

"This cowardly attack has deliberately targeted those enjoying life and sharing time with family and friends. We will never be cowed by such barbarism," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement.

"I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to Prime Minister Rajoy and the people of Spain. My thoughts are with the people of Barcelona," he added.

U.S. President Donald Trump said: "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help."

A Hong Kong tourist was slightly injured in the Barcelona attack, said the Consulate General of China in Barcelona.

All Chinese citizens are advised not to approach the area where the attack happened and those who were close to the area should keep calm and follow police's instructions, the consulate said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 12:32:44|Editor: Song Lifang

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States and South Korea will hold a special session of the Joint Committee under the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) next week, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer announced on Thursday.

"The special session will be held in Seoul, South Korea, on August 22, 2017," the USTR's Office said in a statement, adding Lighthizer and South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong will open the meeting via a video conference, followed by additional senior-level discussions between U.S. and South Korean officials in Seoul.

The meeting was requested by Lighthizer in a letter to former South Korean Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan on July 12, according to the USTR's Office.

In the letter, Lighthizer requested the meeting to consider matters affecting the operation of the KORUS FTA, including possible amendments and modifications to address the significant trade imbalance.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday that the KORUS FTA has benefited both countries and his administration has no reason to hold back in talks with Washington over amendments to the deal.

"The negotiations will be a long process, and we also need ratification and approval at the National Assembly. It is not desirable to fuss over the U.S. demand for a renegotiation," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 12:47:48|Editor: Yurou

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PANAMA CITY, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday vowed to seek common interests between the United States and Latin America after his regional tour to promote a hardline policy against Venezuela was defied by several countries.

U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" policy refers not just to the United States of America, but to the entire American continent, Pence said in Panama, the last leg of his four-nation Latin America tour.

He delivered a speech at the Panama Canal that highlighted the purpose of his trip which is "to deepen our friendships and strengthen our partnerships" with the rest of the Western Hemisphere.

At a joint press conference with Pence on Wednesday in Santiago, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said: "Chile will do everything it can to support Venezuelans in finding a peaceful path towards reestablishing democracy, but Chile will not support coups d'etat nor military interventions in Venezuela."

Her words were echoed earlier during Pence's trip by the presidents of Colombia and Argentina.

Under the leadership of Trump, "the United States will always put the security and prosperity of America first. But as I hope our presence here today demonstrates, America First does not mean America alone," Pence said in Panama.

"Today, as in ages past, the interests of the United States and Latin America are intertwined, our security and prosperity will rise in tandem," Pence added.

Pence spoke at the Cocoli Locks on the Pacific side of the expanded waterway, which was under U.S. control for much of its 100-year history.

Downplaying Trump's pro-protectionism stance, Pence said the president "seeks to usher in a new era of shared prosperity all across this new world."

The message comes just a day after Mexico, the United States and Canada sat down to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a two-decade trade deal that Trump wants to trim down to lure industries and jobs back to the United States.

Still, Pence said his country "wants to trade even more with our neighbors in Latin America ... to invest even more in Latin America."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 12:47:50|Editor: Yurou

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MANILA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 more killings in anti-narcotic war have been recorded in the Philippine capital before midnight on Friday, local media reported.

The media also reported on Thursday that 25 were killed in the capital as the government intensifies its anti-drug war in the country.

Philippine police have confirmed that there are several anti-drug operations in the capital but could not immediately confirm the number of casualties.

Several drug suspects have also been arrested in the series of raids conducted inside and outside of the capital in the last three days.

The Inquirer, a major daily in the Philippines, said that the fresh killings took place in the suburbs of Manila, Quezon City and Caloocan. The victims are drug suspects who are either using or pushing illicit drugs.

It was reported that police operations in the past three days alone have killed 72 people, with 32 drug suspects killed in Bulacan province, north of Manila, in a span of 24 hours.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 13:12:57|Editor: Yurou

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, which has killed 13 people and wounded more than 100 others earlier in the day.

Brazil reiterated its condemnation of all acts of terrorism, regardless of their motivation, and expressed deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speed recovery to the injured, it said in a statement.

Attackers driving a van mowed through crowds of tourists on one of Barcelona's busiest thoroughfares Thursday.

At least four and possibly five suspects were killed early Friday morning in Cambrils, a town about 120 km south of Barcelona, in a raid which police said foiled another terror plot linked to the deadly van attack in Barcelona.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 13:18:03|Editor: Yurou

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CHICAGO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A 23-year-old man was shot in the shoulder and foot while using the red line train in downtown Chicago around 7:50 p.m. (0050 GMT) on Thursday night.

The man was shot at the Jackson red line station near the 200 block of State Street, one of the city's major shopping streets.

"The victim was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and was stabilized," a police spokeswoman told Xinhua by telephone.

The incident caused red line transit service to halt until 8:30 p.m. (0130 GMT) before normal service resumed bypassing the Jackson station, according to a Chicago Transit Authority spokesperson.

The police are investigating the case.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 13:28:08|Editor: Yurou

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MOSCOW, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia's nuclear submarine Severodvinsk from the Northern Fleet successfully hit a target with a cruise missile on Friday, the navy announced in a statement.

"The Northern Fleet's multipurpose nuclear submarine Severodvinsk successfully fired a Kalibr sea-based cruise missile. The crew members conducted the underwater test launch from the Northern Fleet's test site in the Barents Sea. The target was located in the Chizha testing ground in the Arkhangelsk region," the statement said.

The missile travelled around 373 miles (600 km), the statement added.

The Severodvinsk submarine was handed over to the Russian Navy in late December 2013 and became combat-ready in early 2016. It has a submerged displacement of 13,800 tonnes, a length of 390 feet (119 meters), and is capable of traveling up to 31 knots (65 km/h) and diving to 656 yards (600 meters).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 13:48:17|Editor: Yurou

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HANOI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong will pay an official visit to Indonesia from Aug. 22-24 and a state visit Myanmar from Aug. 24-26.

The visit to Indonesia, at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, aims to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries, according to the committee's Commission for External Relations on Friday.

The trip also looks to reinforce political trust and friendship and speed up pragmatic cooperation, towards creating a new development in the two countries' relations.

The visit to Myanmar, as a guest of Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw, looks to define a framework for the relations between Vietnam and Myanmar that will have a new milestone, heights, and a new impulse across sectors.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 14:03:25|Editor: Song Lifang

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A security staff talks to pedestrians following a terrorist attack in central Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 17, 2017. Thirteen people were confirmed dead and more than 100 others injured, with some of them in very serious condition in Barcelona terror attack on Thursday afternoon, a Spanish official said. (Xinhua/Han Chong)

BARCELONA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Thursday's terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, which left 13 people dead with its key suspect still on the run, has shocked the country and the entire world.

The Spanish police suspect that it was one of multiple planned attacks and launched an anti-terror operation on Friday as they continued a manhunt for the driver of a van that was ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona, killing at least 13 people and wounded more than 100 others.

Four and possibly five suspects were killed early Friday morning in Cambrils, a seaport town about 120 km south of Barcelona, in a sweeping operation which the police said foiled another terror plot linked to the deadly van attack in Barcelona.

The shootout in the night came as security forces launched a manhunt for the driver of the van that mowed through crowds of tourists on one of Barcelona's busiest thoroughfares Thursday.

"We are working on the hypothesis that events in Cambrils respond to a terrorist attack. We have killed its alleged perpetrators," Catalan police wrote on Twitter.

Through social networks, Barcelona's police have asked residents in Cambrils and the adjacent region to stay home to avoid danger.

"If you are in Cambrils, avoid going out. Stay home, stay safe," the police tweeted.

Two suspects, one Moroccan and one from the Spanish north-African enclave of Melilla, have been detained in relation to the attack.

Downtown Barcelona has been sealed off by security forces as the van driver is still at large.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the massacre.

If the claim was verified, the brutal killing would be the latest in a spate of attacks over the past year in which vehicles were employed to harm ordinary people on the streets of European cities.

Images posted on the internet showed that the killed terrorists were wearing what appeared to be explosive belts.

It remains unknown how many people were involved in the van attack and other related incidents on Thursday.

Witnesses described how the van was going at a high speed, attempting to cause "as much damage as possible" before fleeing the scene.

"I was totally shocked ... I can do nothing but waiting for permission of the police to enter my hotel," said a 16-year-old French girl.

The girl, who required anonymity, said she was just 10 meters away from the van and was frightened into a fit.

"When terrorists attacked Paris, I was far away from the spot, but today I saw the tragedy myself, hoping I can fall asleep tonight," said the girl's s brother whose three-member family came to Spain for vacation.

CONDEMNATION AND COUNTER-MEASURES

It was the worst attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800 others.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of official mourning for what he called a "jihadist attack."

"Today the fight against terrorism is the principal priority for free and open societies like ours. It is a global threat and the response has to be global," he told the media in Barcelona.

Rajoy said he was in "contact with all the administrations," and the priority "is to help the injured and facilitate the work of the security forces."

Over 230 suspected jihadist terrorists have been arrested in Spain since the start of 2015.

"This cowardly attack has deliberately targeted those enjoying life and sharing time with family and friends. We will never be cowed by such barbarism," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement.

"I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to Prime Minister Rajoy and the people of Spain. My thoughts are with the people of Barcelona," he said, adding that the Commission is "at the full disposal of the authorities for any help or assistance necessary."

Echoing Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted: "All of Europe stands with Barcelona. Our thoughts are with the victims and all affected by this cowardly attack on innocents."

U.S. President Donald Trump said: "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help."

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: "All my thoughts and France's solidarity with the victims of the tragic attack in Barcelona."

The United Nations Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms" the terrorist attack and expressed deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government of Spain.

Shortly after the attack on Thursday, the Spanish Ibex-35 stock exchange saw nearly a full percentage point knocked off its value and slipping back below the 10,500-point mark on a day when the country's banks suffered important losses.

A Hong Kong tourist was slightly injured in the Barcelona attack, said the Consulate General of China in Barcelona.

All Chinese citizens are advised not to approach the area where the attack happened and those who were close to the area should keep calm and follow police's instructions, the consulate said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 14:08:28|Editor: An

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A working staff shows the transportation record of human experiments at the Museum of Evidence of War Crimes by Japanese Army Unit 731 in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 16, 2017. New evidence of human experiments and germ war crimes by Japan's notorious Unit 731 were released by the museum Friday, including written confessions of germ war criminals, a transportation record of human experiments, old photos of the unit soldiers and an incubator for producing plague bacillus. Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin in 1935 as the nerve center of Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during World War II. At least 3,000 people were used for human experimentation by Unit 731 and more than 300,000 people across China were killed by Japan's biological weapons. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

HARBIN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- New evidence of human experiments and germ war crimes by Japan's notorious Unit 731 were released by a museum Friday in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

The Museum of Evidence of War Crimes by Japanese Army Unit 731 has added written confessions of germ war criminals, a transportation record of human experiments, old photos of the unit soldiers and an incubator for producing plague bacillus.

"The incubator, collected from a resident in Harbin, directly proves 731's atrocities of germ experiments and development," said Jin Chengmin, curator of the museum.

It also verified confessions of a germ war criminal saying that the base had a culture room that could produce 10 kilograms of germs in 12 or 24 hours and four incubators that were used for biological production.

Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin in 1935 as the nerve center of Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during World War II.

The unit conducted experiments on live human beings to test germ-releasing bombs and chemical bombs, among other atrocities.

Many civilians and prisoners of war from China, the Soviet Union, the Korean Peninsula and Mongolia perished at the hands of Japanese scientists. Some of them were children.

At least 3,000 people were used for human experimentation by Unit 731and more than 300,000 people across China were killed by Japan's biological weapons.

A documentary released on Aug. 13 by Japan's NHK vividly presented the cruel yet irrefutable historical truth through testimonies of Unit 731 participants and authentic records of the Khabarovsk War Crimes Trials in 1949.

After Japan's defeat in 1945, the unit hastily pulled out of China, with 3,000 children and some experimental equipment left behind. Many of the Japanese children were raised by Chinese families.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 14:21:05|Editor: Yang Yi

Farmers cut bamboo shoots as they prepare to make preserved pickles in Liuxiu Village of Shibeiping Town, Liuzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 17, 2017. The bamboo shoots growers in the village are seeing a good harvest, thanks to the abundant rainfall this year. (Xinhua/Li Hanchi)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 14:13:32|Editor: Song Lifang

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will pay a working visit to Russia on Aug. 23-24, where he will witness the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation agreements, said a foreign ministry statement on Friday.

In Moscow, Sokhonn will hold a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss bilateral relations and to exchange views on regional and international issues of common concern, the statement said.

The Cambodian top diplomat will co-chair with Russian Minister of Telecom and Mass Communication Nikolay Nikiforov the 10th meeting of the Cambodian-Russian inter-governmental commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation.

At the end of the meeting, a number of documents are expected to be signed, the statement said.

Among them are the agreement on cooperation in the field of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, the memorandum of understanding on environmental and natural resource protection, and the joint action program (2018-2020) for tourism development.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 14:25:32|Editor: Yang Yi

A visitor looks at a piece of brick carving work during a brick carving contest in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 17, 2017. A total of 72 competitors from all over China participate in the event. (Xinhua/Guo Gang)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 14:43:38|Editor: Song Lifang

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SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's top military officer nominee said Friday that he was not considering the scaling-down of the joint war games with the United States as a way of diplomatic negotiations in resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Air Force Gen. Jeong Kyeong-doo, the Air Force chief of staff, who was nominated to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), made the remarks during a parliamentary confirmation hearing.

The remarks came as some of liberal scholars here claimed the reduction of the annual U.S.-South Korea war games in exchange for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) halt of its nuclear and missile provocations to launch talks for the denuclearized Korean Peninsula.

Tensions de-escalated on the peninsula after U.S. President Donald Trump praised top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un for his decision to delay the threatened missile strike on the waters off the U.S. island of Guam in the Pacific.

The war of words between Pyongyang and Washington had fuelled tensions in the past weeks.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in reiterated the importance for dialogue with Pyongyang, though it takes time, during his speech to mark the 100th day in office Thursday.

Amid the dialogue atmosphere, the combined forces of South Korea and the United States were scheduled to kick off their joint annual war games, codenamed Ulchi Freedom Guardian which would last for 10 days, on Monday.

The DPRK has denounced it as a dress rehearsal for northward invasion, though the two allies insisted on the nature of defense of the annually-held computer-assisted simulation exercises.

South Korea's JCS chief nominee told lawmakers in the hearing that it would be important to dissuade the DPRK from its possession of nuclear weapons through dialogue and pressure.

He said the eventual goal was the denuclearized peninsula, noting that the freezing of the DPRK's nuclear program would be necessary in the middle stage as the eventual goal can not be achieved at a time.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 14:43:39|Editor: Yamei

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People raise flowers during an evening vigil at Federal Plaza in Chicago, the United States, on Aug. 13, 2017. Several hundred people joined a Sunday evening vigil at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago, for those who fell victim to the violence in Charlottesville of Virginia during the weekend.(Xinhua/Wang Ping)

by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Politically fueled violence could increase in the United States amid a rise of radical groups, experts said.

Last weekend saw violent clashes between a number of white power protesters and counter protesters in Charlottesville in the U.S. state of Virginia. Fights broke out as white supremacist protesters clashed with counter protesters, leaving both sides bloody, bruised and battered.

Reports indicated that the police were overwhelmed and backed off, leaving the two groups in a chaotic free-for-all. Suddenly, a car plowed into the counter protesters, sending bodies flying and killing a 32-year-old woman.

Darrell West, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution, a U.S. public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C., said the years ahead could see an increase in the number of radical fringe groups such as white supremacists, and could be "more volatile and tumultuous."

White power groups tend to comprise white, working class men, although experts say that white supremacists are a small minority of that demography and do not represent the whole.

Indeed, the white working class has been increasingly disenfranchised over the last two decades. Backing U.S. President Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, it was the major force that enabled the billionaire businessman to clinch the White House.

Trump promised he would improve their lives, fix the broken immigration system, and bring back manufacturing and jobs. However, with Trump's lack of legislative success so far, the group could grow increasingly frustrated in the coming years if Trump fails to keep his words.

That, West said, could increase the number of people engaging in racism and political violence.

The liberal Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a U.S. nonprofit legal advocacy organization keeping tabs on mostly right-wing radical groups, said in a report earlier this year that the number of U.S.-based hate groups operating in 2016 rose to 917 -- up from 892 in 2015, although the list contained all hate groups, including anti-white groups comprising African Americans.

The number is 101 shy of the all-time record set in 2011, but still above historic average, the group said.

RISE OF THE RADICAL LEFT

Many on the radical right espouse racist ideals. The radical right includes groups such as the KKK, a racist organization that has murdered many African Americans in its more than 100 years of history.

Other groups are neo-Nazis -- supporters for the racist views of former Nazi leader Adolf Hitler -- and neo-Nazi skinheads, a rough and very tough group of racist street fighters that grew out of the 1970s punk music scene.

At the same time, there seems to be a growing radical left. The group Antifa, short for anti-fascist, is perhaps one of the best known. Among them are leftists and far leftists, but most members do not adhere to the official Democratic Party platform.

Antifa grabbed major headlines by throwing Molotov cocktails, destroying property and wearing black masks in Berkeley in the U.S. state of California earlier this year, when they protested Trump's supporter Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative political commentator, who was to hold a speaking event at the University of California.

Some threw rocks and fireworks at police, according to U.S. media reports.

Often such groups assemble to shut down speakers they consider "racist," although many moderates and conservatives believe the radicals wrongly apply the term to any speech they don't like, whether it is actually racist or not.

Radical left groups have staged violent protests and destroyed property in rallies against conservative speakers at universities, calling them "racists" simply because, critics say, the radicals do not approve of the speakers' message.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 15:18:49|Editor: ying

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JAKARTA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government condemned a deadly terror attack in Barcelona of Spain that left 13 people dead and over 100 others injured, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The government and the people of Indonesia expressed deep condolences to the victims and the family members of the victims of the attack, the ministry said in a statement.

The government asked Indonesian nationals, particularly those who are in Barcelona, to remain alert, monitor the situation in the places to be visited, and avoid areas which could be targeted by terrorists.

Some 120 out of 1,620 Indonesians living in Spain are in Barcelona, according Indonesia's mission in Madrid.

Attackers driving a van ploughed into crowds of tourists on one of Barcelona's busiest thoroughfares Thursday.

So far there is no report of any Indonesian casualty in the attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 15:28:54|Editor: ying

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ANKARA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Turkey strongly condemned the terrorist attack in central Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and dozens of others injured Thursday.

"I strongly condemn the attack, which once again revealed the brutal face of terrorism, a threat to not only Spain but the common values of all humanity," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his message to Spanish King Felipe VI.

The president also emphasized that Turkey is in full solidarity with Spain, saying he shares the pain of the Spanish nation.

In a written statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry said Turkey condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attack perpetrated in Barcelona, and extends deepest condolences to victims.

A van ploughed into a busy pedestrian zone Thursday in Barcelona, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 100 others. The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the massacre.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 15:28:56|Editor: ying

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SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's newly-elected Red Cross society chief on Friday re-urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to respond to Seoul's earlier dialogue offer to discuss humanitarian issues between the two sides.

Park Kyung-seo, chairman of the Korean Red Cross Society, said in his inaugural speech that he sincerely hoped to have talks rapidly with the DPRK's Red Cross.

He was elected on Aug. 8 to lead the organization and received a final approval Wednesday from President Moon Jae-in.

The Red Cross bodies of the two Koreas had acted as a channel for dialogue on humanitarian issues, including the reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The Moon government offered in July to hold Red Cross talks with the DPRK, which has been mum about the offer.

The South Korean Red Cross head said the Red Cross societies of the two Koreas shared an experience of opening inter-Koreans talks and building trust with the humanitarian spirit.

He added it would be a historical mission for the two Red Cross bodies to open a new era of peaceful coexistence without any threat of war by resuming dialogue.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 15:34:02|Editor: ying

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ISTANBUL, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed and 20 others injured on Friday when a tractor overturned in Turkey's northwestern province of Sakarya, local media reported.

The tractor was carrying agriculture laborers when it went off the road and tumbled down into a stream bed near the Hendek district of the province, Turkish private Dogan news agency said.

The Hurriyet daily noted the laborers came from the southeastern province of Diyarbakir for seasonal work in Sakarya.

Rescue crew and ambulances were dispatched to the scene, press reports said, noting the reason of the accident was not immediately clear.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 15:34:06|Editor: ying

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LAMU, Kenya, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Suspected Somali Islamist militant group, Al-Shabaab, beheaded three people and torched several houses in the latest overnight attacks in Kenya's coastal region of Lamu.

Kenyan Coast Regional Police Commander Larry Kieng confirmed the attack at Maleli on Friday, saying security officers are pursuing the attackers.

"We have launched investigation into the attack at Maleli village by suspected Al-Shabaab militants, who also torched several houses," Kieng told Xinhua by telephone.

Several areas in northeastern Kenya that border Somalia have been the target of Al-Shabaab terrorists who have killed innocent citizens since Kenyan soldiers entered Somalia in 2011 to secure the two countries' shared border.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 16:14:31|Editor: ying

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COLOMBO, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry on Friday strongly condemned a terrorist attack in Barcelona which killed at least 13 people and injured over 100 others.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne said in an official Twitter message, "The Government of Sri Lanka condemns the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain, and extends condolences to those affected."

The attack occurred on Thursday when a van ploughed into crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona.

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has announced three days of national mourning and a minute's silence which will be held later on Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 16:34:13|Editor: An

Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2017 shows the scene of a press conference of the 9th Yixing China International Ceramic Culture and Arts Festival in Beijing, capital of China. The art festival will be held in Yixing from Oct. 26 to Oct. 30 this year. (Xinhua/Li Yan)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 16:29:42|Editor: Yamei

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BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday extended condolences to Spanish King Felipe VI over the deadly terrorist attack in central Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and more than 100 others injured Thursday.

In his message to the Spanish King, Xi said he is shocked to learn the terror attack in Barcelona that has caused heavy casualties.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people and in his own name, Xi mourned the dead and expressed heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured.

"China is firmly opposed to all forms of terrorism and stands ready to work with the international community, including Spain, to strengthen anti-terror cooperation so as to jointly safeguard regional and world peace and stability," the Chinese president said.

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14 killed, over 130 injured in Spain's double terror attacks

Chinese premier offers condolences over deadly Barcelona terror attack

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday expressed condolences to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy over the deadly terrorist attack in central Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and more than 100 others injured Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 16:34:49|Editor: ying

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TEHRAN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the recent deadly terrorist attack in Spain city of Barcelona as "inhumane and horrific" act.

In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry extended condolences to the families of victims, the Spanish nation and the government.

"Following the successive defeats of the extremist terrorists in the region, they have resorted to blind terrorism across the world to target the innocent and common people," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, said.

The unbound terrorism has turned into a reality and a global issue, Qasemi said, adding that therefore, solving this problem requires a global determination.

A van ploughed into a busy pedestrian zone Thursday in Barcelona, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 100 others.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the massacre.
A person takes an instant HIV/AIDS detection test during an activity on the World AIDS Day in Tegucigalpa, capital of Honduras, on Dec. 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Rafael Ochoa)

by David Kashiki

LUSAKA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Debate on whether the Zambian government should rescind its decision to make HIV testing a mandatory policy has heightened, with many men and women taking opposite stances.

On Tuesday, President Edgar Lungu, during the launch of the HIV Testing, Counseling and Treatment (HTCT), said the epidemic posed a serious threat to the country's development hence the government's decision to mitigate the scourge by making testing of the virus, compulsory for all patients that visit health centers.

"The HIV scourge has continued to pose one of the biggest threats to our country's development," he said.

According to the Ministry of Health, as of 2016, about 1.2 million people or 12.9 percent of the Zambian population were living with the HIV virus, with 63 percent of them on antiretroviral treatment.

Susan Mulenga, a mother of three and resident of Makeni Township in Lusaka, the country's capital, said women were not frightened by the declaration.

"I don't think I'm affected by this. For me, HIV testing has been part of my life. I test for the virus each time I go for antenatal. For us women, testing for HIV has been mandatory for some time now. So, this decision does not scare me at all," Mulenga said.

She however feels men needed to be coerced to go for HIV testing if the fight against HIV/AIDS is to be a success.

"There is need to protect the next generation and we are doing this for the generations we are giving birth to. This is a good move, and we must support it at all cost so that one day, we have an HIV free Zambia," she added.

But Melvin Hantuba, another male resident from the country's capital, expressed displeasure at the government's decision. Like him, A number of men interviewed in the Zambian capital were against the decision to conduct mandatory HIV testing.

"This is not correct. We cannot be forced to test for HIV against our will. We should remain with the rights to decide when we go for a test," he said.

According to him, people will shun going to hospitals each time they are sick as some may not be psychologically prepared to undergo mandatory HIV tests.

Angel Mfula, another Lusaka resident said the government should tackle high poverty levels in the country which was one of the factors fueling the spread of HIV/AIDS.

"Our government should fight HIV by reducing poverty levels. Many women today are prostituting in exchange for money. They need to feed their families," he said.

The country's human rights body, the Human Rights Commission (HRC), has since called on the government to revisit its decision.

"The HRC would like to particularly call upon the government to revisit the recent policy pronouncement on mandatory HIV testing because it is in conflict with the internationally agreed principles and practices on reducing the spread of HIV and mitigating the impact of AIDS," Mudford Mwandenga, the chairperson of the human rights body said in a statement.

The government, he said, should adhere to the United Nations (UN) guideline on HIV testing and counseling as articulated through the joint UN Program on AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) which discourages mandatory HIV testing on public health grounds and respect for human rights.

It was regrettable that government had formulated a policy that was in breach of international norms on HIV Testing and Counseling and in multiple violations of human rights such as the right to nondiscrimination, bodily integrity, and the right to be free from violation, the HRC said.

But the government believes that the move is right as it has been undertaken based on evidence.
Photo taken on Aug. 10, 2017 shows a view of street in central Nairobi, Kenya. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)

by Bedah Mengo

NAIROBI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Optimism among Kenyans seems to be rising after the conclusion of the Aug. 8 general election, with many citizens expecting the new leaders to help improve lives.

This is despite the fact that the fate of the presidential election winner is in the hands of the Supreme Court after opposition leader Raila Odinga said he would challenge President Uhuru Kenyatta's win.

Many citizens are watching keenly how the dispute would be concluded but this has not stopped them from having faith in their other elected leaders who include MPs, members of county assemblies, senators and governors.

Some 25 governors out of the 47 in the country lost their seats as voters rejected incompetency and in some cases bad leadership.

The election also saw voters elect several women and the youth to various seats, what is pushing up optimism among citizens.

"I am happy that we have a new, young governor in Nairobi," businesswoman Faith Wakiru, who runs a clothes shop, along Moi Avenue said Thursday. "I am among people who patiently waited for five years to send the other leadership home," she added.

One of the things that made the outgoing governor lose, according to her, was poor management of garbage and high taxes.

"For such a shop I pay 75 U.S. dollars to be able to get a licence to run it for a year. This figure was doubled when the current governor came into office. It is too high because our businesses are smaller and we don't make much," she said.

Her hope is that the incoming leadership would better the working environment for traders like her and others who include hawkers.

"All I want is for the governor to reduce the licence fee to 40 dollars or even less and collect garbage regularly and ensure that we have water," she said.

The incoming governor, Mike Sonko, has promised to clean up Nairobi city, create jobs for the youth, eliminate traffic jams and generally better the welfare of residents.

"Currently I am helping the county clean up the streets and pull down campaign posters, a job in which we are being paid 5 dollar per day by the new governor. If he has started this way, then life may be better under him," said Martin Momanyi.

In Kakamega and Uasin Gishu counties, where residents retained the incumbent, optimism is also high with the electorate expecting a lot from the leaders.

"I am a maize farmer and the agriculture function is devolved. What I expect from my governor is employment of more extension officers to help us produce food. I also expect him to boost access roads to farms," said Bernard Chibole from Uasin Gishu on phone, adding he is optimistic the leader would do the work.

From their legislators who include senators, woman representatives and county assembly members, Kenyans expect better legislation and help to fight corruption by checking governors and the national government.

But it is on the president that expectations are higher regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court case.

"Both the Opposition and the ruling party promised free education, better healthcare, monthly remittances to the old, over a million jobs, more loans to university students and better healthcare, among others. I am optimistic that these were not empty promises. If they are implemented, life would be better," said university student Cleopas Marambi.

Marambi, a final year commerce student, further said he is looking forward to a one-year government internship programme Kenyatta promised.

"It is the reason I voted for him and I am happy that he won, but if the win is overturned by the court, life would go on as even Odinga said he would increase loan allocation to university students. The 400 dollars we currently get is so little," he said.

Henry Wandera, an economics lecturer in Nairobi, noted that the optimism arises from the fact that the electorate believe they threw away bad leadership.

"Most of the leaders lost their seats because the electorate saw they did not deliver their promises. The new leaders must therefore have learnt a lesson and would thus work hard to deliver. It is on this premise that people are optimistic," he said
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 16:50:02|Editor: An

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Hi, here is what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours.

SYDNEY -- Around the world, the shift toward a more autonomous future has been heralded by some as the harbinger of end times, while others are adamant that the sentient computer-driven revolution will usher in a new era of technological progress - the likes of which have never been seen in human history, let alone imagined.

As countries and companies race to be at the forefront of this new technological sector of discovery, one scientist believes that China is extremely well-placed to benefit from the exciting future that artificial intelligence (AI) has to offer the world.

- - - -

LONDON -- Among over 3,000 performances being staged on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by more than 50,000 presenters from 62 countries and regions during three weeks in August, how can China highlights its art and cultural shows on this massive stage?

As a long-time active participator of this renowned international festival, China brings over 20 stage performances to Edinburgh this year.

- - - -

BEIJING -- The number of countries, regions, and international organizations that have signed cooperation agreements with China on the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative has reached 69, the country's top economic planner said Thursday.

The agreements consist of cooperation deals in various fields, including infrastructure construction, financial collaboration, and cultural exchanges, said a spokesperson with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

- - - -

UNITED NATIONS -- China on Thursday called for global and regional efforts to bring peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

To ensure stability is an essential step in furthering the political process in the country, said Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

- - - -

HANGZHOU -- China's e-commerce giant Alibaba said Thursday that its net profit jumped 96 percent to more than 14 billion yuan (2.1 billion U.S. dollars) year on year in the first fiscal quarter ending June.

The group's revenue was about 50 billion yuan in the quarter, up 56 percent year on year, Alibaba said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 17:00:11|Editor: An

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BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday expressed condolences to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy over the deadly terrorist attack in central Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and more than 100 others injured Thursday.

In a message of condolences, Li, on behalf of the Chinese government, mourned the dead, extended heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families and hoped for rapid recovery of the injured.

China firmly supports Spain in its efforts to fight terrorism and safegurad national security, and is willing to work with all nations, including Spain, to make joint contributions to world peace and security, said the Chinese premier.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 17:20:27|Editor: An

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LAMU, Kenya, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Suspected Al-Shabaab militants killed three people and torched houses in the latest overnight attacks in Kenya's coastal region of Lamu County.

Kenyan Coast Regional Police Commander Larry Kieng confirmed the attack in Maleli village near Witu town on Friday, saying the security officers are pursuing the attackers.

Kieng said the attackers torched three houses in the same village. He said more security officers have been dispatched to the area to pursue the insurgents who have been attacking villages and ambushing travelers along the roads in the region.

"We have launched investigations into the attack at Maleli village by suspected Al-Shabaab militants who also torched several houses," Kieng told Xinhua by telephone.

He said Al-Shabaab has remained a major security threat in Lamu County, adding that its fighters have been using the vast Boni Forest to wage terrorist attacks on the locals.

"The militants attacked and butchered the locals. The victims were beheaded after being dragged from their houses at night," Kieng said.

The forest is used as a recruitment and training ground for Al-Shabaab members. The government has enhanced security in the restive county following frequent attacks by the Islamist militants

Lamu County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri said he has reports that Al-Shabaab was soon planning attacks on the routes. Kanyiri said security officers thwarted attempts by the group to disrupt the just concluded general election.

"We intensified patrols and deployed more officers strategically in areas mapped as potential hotspots and prevented attacks during the polls," Kanyiri said and appealed to locals to share information with security agents.

The government last week banned passenger vehicles on the Lamu-Garsen highway due to security concerns.

The police have said the explosive devices strategically planted along the roads near the Kenyan-Somali border are slowing down security operations to flush out militants hiding in the vast Boni Forest which is near the border.

Several areas in northeastern Kenya that border Somalia have been the target of Al-Shabaab terrorists who have killed innocent citizens since Kenyan soldiers entered Somalia in 2011 to secure the two countries' shared border.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 19:48:00|Editor: An

Lei Xintang (L, front), an inheritor of Lei's Martial Arts, and his brother Lei Xinming demonstrate actions for young students at a training center in Nantuo Village of Shijiazhuang City, capital of north China's Hebei Province, Aug. 18, 2017. Many students came to learn martial arts during their summer vocation. (Xinhua/Dong Yongbo)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 17:30:31|Editor: An

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PYONGYANG, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Friday slammed South Korean President Moon Jae-in for his policy towards the north and his close cooperation with the United States.

It is the first time for DPRK to make Moon personally responsible for his handling of the north-south relations since he came to power about 100 days ago.

The official daily Rodong Sinmun criticized the South Korean leader, who in a Tuesday speech asserted that Seoul's "big challenge at present" is an "issue of the north's nukes and missile."

Moon made the speech on the occasion of marking the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of Korea from Japanese rule.

The newspaper accused Moon of intending to "kick the buck for the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula to the DPRK and carry out his treacherous 'north policy' with the backing of outsiders."

Relations between the two sides remain tense over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile program and Seoul's joint military exercises with the United States.

"If the regime of South Korea truly wants peace, it should not recklessly fault the DPRK but clearly understand what is going on now. It should refrain from irritating the DPRK, pursuant to the U.S. foolhardy military maneuvers," said the Rodong Sinmun.

Also in his speech, Moon said that South Korea should play a leading role in the nuclear issue in the peninsula.

Moon, who took office in early May, held a summit meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in late June, reaching an agreement that South Korea would become a dominant player in addressing the peninsula issues.

The president said security situations on the peninsula got significantly grave, stressing that any more war should not break out on the peninsula.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 17:35:38|Editor: Yamei

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Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presides over a chairpersons' meeting of the NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The top legislature of China will convene its bi-monthly session from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, according to a statement issued after a chairpersons' meeting Friday.

Attendees of Friday's meeting, which was chaired by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), suggested that at the 29th session of the 12th NPC Standing Committee, legislators should deal with draft laws on nuclear safety and the national anthem as well as draft revisions to the laws of anti-unfair competition, standardization and promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Legislators will also study and discuss proposals, including those to review draft revisions of laws on the organization of courts and procuratorates, and the judges law.

They will also discuss a review of a draft law on tobacco leaf tax.

They will consider reports on economic and social development, the implementation of budget, poverty relief, the work of Intellectual Property Right (IPR) courts, and the implementation of the Copyright Law.

Legislators will review draft lists of members of electoral councils, which elect deputies from the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao to the 13th NPC.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 17:55:47|Editor: An

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TOKYO, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. military Osprey aircraft took part in a drill in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Friday, despite concerns about the planes' checkered safety history.

The MV-22 tilt-rotor transport aircraft took part in the drill which is being held by the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) and the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Osprey taking part in the drill marks the first time the aircraft has been used in a joint exercise between Japan and the United States since one of the planes based at the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa crashed in waters off Australia earlier this month.

The crash, which occurred on Aug. 5, killed three U.S. Marines and prompted the central government to request the U.S. military ground the planes to further investigate their safety.

The U.S. Marine Corps said the Ospreys were safe to be flown following an investigation, much to the consternation of officials and citizens in Okinawa, as well as the broader population in Japan.

This decision was officially backed by the central government on Aug. 11, further adding to the worries of Okinawans who host the bulk of U.S. military forces in Japan.

They have also voiced concerns about the central government consistently bending to the U.S. military's wishes, despite fears for their own safety from U.S. base-linked accidents, pollution, noise and crimes committed by U.S. service personnel.

Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said on Tuesday that as many as six Ospreys, that can take off and land like a helicopter and rotate their turboprop-powered blades forward and fly like a regular plane, would join the exercise.

One of the Ospreys' to join the drill touched down in Hokkaido at 12:00 p.m. local time Friday after taking off from the U.S. Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, in the northern part of Japan's Honshu island, the regional bureau of the Defense Ministry said.

There has been local opposition in Hokkaido to the plane's being cleared to take part in the joint exercise, which began on Aug. 10, local media reported, as the Osprey's had been cut from the program after the crash off the coast of Australia.

The exercise, Friday's program of which was open to the media, comprises 1,300 GSDF personnel and 2,000 U.S. troops. According to the Defense Ministry, some of the drills will involve the Ospreys flying at night.

Fears resurfaced about the safety of the Ospreys following one of the notorious planes making an emergency landing in Okinawa in June.

Concern and panic widened in Okinawa, particularly, and Japan in general, following the crash landing of an Osprey in waters off Nago in Okinawa, near the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Schwab, last December.

The incident, which saw five crew members airlifted to safety and then subsequently treated for injuries, involved an MV-22 Osprey making a "shallow landing," according to the U.S. military accounts.

The crash marked the first major accident involving an Osprey since its deployment in Japan in 2012 and had Okinawan officials vehemently call for the planes to be permanently withdrawn from Japan.

Prior to these accidents, Ospreys have been involved in multiple crashes around the world leading to numerous fatalities, dating back to the plane's developmental phase in 2000.

The U.S. military currently has more than 20 MV-22s deployed at the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, which is central to a relocation spat between Okinawa and Tokyo.

The MV-22 Osprey that fatally crashed off Australia had been based at Okinawa's Futenma air station.

Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga expressed his dissatisfaction at the central government on Monday for allowing the accident-prone Osprey aircraft to fly in Japan just days after the fatal crash off the coast of Australia.

In a meeting with Onodera in Okinawa's capital city of Naha, Onaga said that Japan backing the United States' decision for the tilt-rotor planes to be flown here was not in the interests of the people.

"The response was extremely disappointing from the viewpoint of protecting the lives of the people in the prefecture and in the country," Onaga said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 17:55:50|Editor: An

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TOKYO, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese scholar specializing in the history of Japan's germ warfare during World War II said he hoped the Unit 731 documentary recently aired by broadcaster NHK could become a wake-up call for the Japanese to learn more about the war atrocities.

Masataka Mori was a professor of irenology at Shizuoka University before his retirement in March this year. He has spent over 30 years in researching on the notorious Unit 731 and Japan's germ warfare against other countries, and has interviewed many Unit 731 members and victims in an effort to recover the historical truth.

Mori watched the NHK documentary aired on Aug. 13 titled "The Truth of Harbin Unit 731," which revealed the outrageous crimes committed by Unit 731, a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development base of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

Unit 731, set up around 1936, conducted experiments on live human beings to test germ-releasing bombs and chemical bombs, among other atrocities. Its victims were mostly Chinese, while a small number of them were Soviet, Mongolian, Korean people and soldiers of the Allied Forces taken captive.

"Japanese media seldom touch the subject of Japan's war crimes. The NHK documentary is amazing (in revealing the war crimes)," Mori said, adding that what's particularly significant was that it made public for the first time in Japan the audio records of the Khabarovsk War Crimes Trials in 1949.

"Written records of the trials have been published in Japan before. But Japan and some other countries have been refusing to recognize the records, mudding them as propaganda by former Soviet Union. But the audio records are iron-clad evidence for the war atrocities," he said.

The scholar said the Japanese government, though admitting there were army units focusing on developing germ weapons in the war, denied that lethal human experimentation and germ warfare happened.

"The NHK documentary, through testimonies of officers of Unit 731, delivered a vigorous blow to the lies of the Japanese authorities," he said.

Mori has visited China dozens of times since 1994 to interview survivors of germ warfare. His research also corroborated what has been revealed in the NHK documentary.

While speaking highly of the documentary, Mori also said that the documentary could do more by, for instance, including the voices of the Chinese survivors of germ warfare in it, to better expose the war atrocities.

In Japan, historical textbooks rarely mention Unit 731, and "very few Japanese people, especially among the younger generations, know about the unit or what it has done," Mori said.

As NHK is an influential mainstream media, Mori said that he hoped the documentary could help expose more Japanese people to the truth about Unit 731 and what Japan did to China during the invasive war in the 1930s and 1940s.

"I hope media with conscience could follow up and make more such programs, such as programs on the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and the 'Comfort Women' issue, so as to further convey the historical truth to the Japanese people," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 17:55:53|Editor: An

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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- James Murdoch, CEO of 21st Century Fox, criticized U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday for his comments about the attack in Charlottesville of Virginia last week.

According to the Hollywood Report, which claimed to have obtained an email written by Murdoch to his friend, he took a clear stand against the president and pledged to donate 1 million U.S. dollars to the Anti-Defamation League, a leading U.S. civil rights organization dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism and all forms of hate.

"What we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people," Murdoch, son of conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch, wrote in the note which was later posted online.

"I can't even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis."

Murdoch is the latest U.S. business leader to denounce Trump. Before his move, top executives from Merck, Under Armour, Intel, the Alliance for American Manufacturing and the AFL-CIO lined up leaving the president's two business councils after Trump's remarks blaming the violence in Charlottesville on "both sides," in contrary to the public opinion that the white supremacists were primarily responsible for the chaos.

Trump decided to dismantle the two consultant teams following the walkout of some members.

Fox News channel is widely regarded as a megaphone of the Republic Party, and Trump listed Fox News as one of his favorite news sources.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 18:00:55|Editor: An

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DAMASCUS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A key political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday accused the U.S.-led coalition of seeking to fragment Syria, saying the plan will fail.

In an interview with pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV aired late Thursday, Bouthaina Shaaban said "the targeting of civilians in Raqqa (the de facto capital of the Islamic State group) and the crimes committed against them...is something that sparks questions and it's most likely that the United States is trying to terrorize the Arab citizens in Raqqa into leaving their areas to establish a suitable ground for federalization or the (creation of) Kurdish entity" in northern Syria.

The United States will fail to fragment Syria "because the Syrian people are one," she noted.

Her remarks came as the U.S.-led coalition is throwing a heavy support behind the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is fighting IS in Raqqa.

However, the killing of civilians on a daily basis pushed the Syrian government to condemn the U.S.-led coalition's "crimes" in Raqqa and urge the United Nations to dissolve the coalition.

While the SDF is advancing inside Raqqa, the Syrian army and tribal forces are advancing against the extremists in the countryside, coming close to the last IS-held town in the eastern Raqqa countryside.

The army forces and allied troops have already reclaimed the western and southern countryside of Raqqa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 18:00:57|Editor: An

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HARARE, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Some of the Zimbabwean bond notes that have disappeared from the market are allegedly being used to pay Zimbabwean farmers who smuggle cotton into neighboring Mozambique in search of cash, investigations by a local newspaper have established.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) introduced bond coins and notes between 2014 and 2016 to ease cash shortages, but the notes have hardly been enough and circulation remained curtailed as the central bank urged the public to migrate to plastic money.

The surrogate currency, which trades at 1:1 with the U.S. dollar, was supported by a 200-million-dollar export incentive facility guaranteed by Afreximbank.

There have also been reports that some of the bond notes have been smuggled across the borders for sale to people travelling into the country who do not want to experience cash shortages.

Herald Business reported Friday that farmers in northeastern Zimbabwe were smuggling cotton that had been grown under contract to a company in Mozambique which was paying them in dollars, bond notes and Mozambican metical.

The farmers said that they had opted for the Mozambican market due to cash problems in Zimbabwe where mobile money platforms were no longer reliable because of the cash shortages and poor network connectivity.

"So we were left with no option but to sell to Mozambique because we are paid cash," one farmer told the paper.

Headman of in Marara Village in Mozambique Peter Antonio confirmed that he helped the farmers smuggle cotton through his village.

"I have facilitated smuggling of cotton to Mozambique because farmers (prefer) to deliver their produce to Mozambique where they are getting hard cash," he said.

Cash shortages have resulted in the prices of a number of basic commodities going up and the illegal imposition of a three-tier system where prices vary depending on the type of transaction made.

Those who pay using dollars pay less than those who use bond notes, with those using plastic money having to fork out more.

RBZ said recently that it would come up with a new 300-million-dollar facility to support the introduction of new bond notes so as to ease cash shortages.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 18:16:11|Editor: ying

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TALLINN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Estonia strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and more than 100 others injured Thursday.

In a press statement released on Friday, Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser deplored the act of terrorism in a tourist district in Barcelona, Spain.

"We deeply condemn this brutal terrorist attack. Such inhuman attacks have no place in our world," Mikser was quoted as saying.

"I express my sincere sympathy to the families and loved ones of the victims and to the people of Spain." he added.

In a statement on Thursday night, Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas strongly condemned the barbaric attack.

A van ploughed into a busy pedestrian zone Thursday in Barcelona, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 100 others. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the massacre.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 18:41:24|Editor: ying

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ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources on Friday revealed its plan to lift close to 7.9 million rural Ethiopians from absolute poverty.

The ministry, currently evaluating major activities implemented during the just concluded 2016-2017 fiscal year, revealed the East African country's plan to improve the economic conditions of 7.9 million Ethiopians, mainly in the rural part of the country.

Ethiopia, as part of its agenda 2025, aspires to become a middle-income country.

Damene Darota, Ethiopian State Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, indicated that the plan is part of Ethiopia's second five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II), due effective from 2015 to 2020.

Close to 6.6 million of them, who are able to engage in various economic activities, were provided the opportunity to participate through climate conservation, irrigation development, and similar other agricultural activities during the past 6 months, Darota indicated.

Darota said the remaining 1.3 million economically deprived citizens, who are either physically disabled or older people, are receiving support from the government.
Procrastinate! Music Traitors

After a cryptic teaser announced the release of their long-awaited new album, Brand New has officially revealed the details of the LP. The fifth studio effort from the emo cult heroes is titled Science Fiction, and you can download it digitally now via the band's record label website.

Earlier this week, Brand New announced that the album, their first since 2009's Daisy, was available for pre-order on "very limited" vinyl, which, predictably, immediately sold out. Luckily, it will also be available on CD and "standard" vinyl, which will ship in October.

Brand New will hit the road in September on a North American tour in support of Science Fiction.

Here is the Science Fiction track list:

"Lit Me Up"

"Can't Get It Out"

"Waste"

"Same Logic/Teeth"

"Could Never Be Heaven"

"137"

"Out of Mana"

"In the Water"

"Desert"

"No Control"

"451"

"Batter Up"

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 18:51:29|Editor: ying

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SINGAPORE, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Singapore shares closed 0.52 percent lower on Friday, as renewed concern over U.S. President Donald Trump weighed on investors' sentiment.

U.S. markets had been in turbulence lately amid growing worries over Trump's ability to deliver his economic agenda such as tax cuts and infrastructure spending, following the exodus of executives from two prominent Trump-led business councils in reaction to his response to clashes last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Maybank-Kim Eng Research said, "Technically, next support for Straits Times Index is at 3,190 points, with former support-turned-resistance at 3,275 points."

Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index fell 16.89 points to 3,251.99 points. Trading volume was 1.84 billion shares worth 1.17 billion Singapore dollars. Decliners outnumbered advancers 238 to 178.

China Everbright Water shed 2.2 percent to 45 Singapore cents. It clinched two waste water treatment upgrading projects in Shandong, China, worth 41 million Chinese yuan. The first project is a 27-million-Chinese yuan treatment project in the Binzhou Development Zone, while the second is for 14 million Chinese yuan upgrading works at Ju County, Chengbei.

OCBC Bank inched down 1.3 percent to 11 Singapore dollars. It acquired 680,000 shares in Great Eastern Holdings for 24.90 Singapore dollars apiece on August 17. This raised its stake in its insurance arm to 87.9 percent from 87.75 percent.

Among top gainers, Best World International jumped 15.5 percent to 1.195 Singapore dollars, whereas Jardine Matheson became one of the top losers by falling 0.5 percent to 65.20 U.S. dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals to 6.678 Chinese yuan and 1.37 Singapore dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 19:06:39|Editor: ying

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TOKYO, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held talks Friday with the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff on Japan-U.S. alliance and regional tensions.

Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford told Abe at the meeting that the bilateral alliance between the two countries remained solid.

"The nature of our bilateral relationship, particularly at the military level, is rock solid," Dunford was quoted as saying.

Abe, for his part, told Dunford that he hopes to work together to further fortify the Japan-U.S. alliance amid concerns about rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

In a meeting earlier in the day, Dunford and Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, top officer of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' (SDF), expressed the importance of the Japanese SDF and the U.S. military working together to address situation on the Korean Peninsula.

"The U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan including extended deterrence remains ironclad," said a statement released after their meeting at the Defense Ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 19:11:46|Editor: Yamei

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Police cordon off a nearby street following a terrorist attack in central Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Ying Qiang)

BARCELONA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of people killed in Thursday's double terror attacks rose to 14, after a woman died of injuries at the Joan XXIII hospital, the Catalan emergency services confirmed on Friday.

"A woman injured yesterday in #Cambrils attack has died. 14 citizens died yesterday in #Barcelona and #Cambrils terrorist attacks," the emergency services tweeted.

Thirteen people were killed and more than 100 others injured at Barcelona's iconic Las Ramblas street where a van rammed into people in the pedestrian area.

Hours later, Spanish police foiled the second terror attack and killed five alleged terrorists who hit pedestrians in the Catalan resort town of Cambrils, about 100 kilometers southwest of Barcelona.

Catalan emergency services also said that the victims of the double terrorist attacks are of 34 nationalities.

"The fatalities and injuries of the #Cambrils attacks and #Barcelona are, according to a provisional assessment, of 34 different nationalities," the service posted on its Twitter account.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 19:11:47|Editor: ying

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ISLAMABAD, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Barcelona.

At least 13 people were confirmed dead and more than 100 others injured, with some of them in very serious condition in the Barcelona van attack on Thursday afternoon, Spanish officials said.

The Islamic State or Daesh had reportedly claimed the attack.

The prime minister said in a statement that Spain and its people have a long history of multiculturalism and defense of freedoms, and such terrorist attacks cannot scare the brave Spanish people.

"The terrorists that seek to change peoples' ways through fear and terror, underestimate the resilience of good people and the fundamental decency of the men and women they attack," he said.

It was the worst attack in Spain since March 2004, when militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800 others.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of official mourning.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 19:11:48|Editor: ying

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BEIRUT, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's President Michel Aoun on Friday sent a telegram to the King of Spain and the Spanish Prime Minister to condemn the terrorist attack in Barcelona and pay condolences to victims.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates also strongly condemned the terrorist attack, saying "the phenomenon of repeated bloody attacks by vehicles plowing into innocent civilians in more than one country calls for swift, decisive and unified response to this global threat."

Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah militant group has also issued a statement denouncing the attack.

"Targeting and killing of innocent civilians is part of a satanic plan carried out by these (IS) terrorists, whose goal is to distort the meaning of jihad and to tarnish the image of the true Islamic religion by claiming belonging to it," Hezbollah's statement read.

A van ploughed into a busy pedestrian zone Thursday in Barcelona, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 100 others.

The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the massacre.
A refugee sells vegetables inside the Protection of Civilians site 1 of the United Nations Mission In South Sudan (UNMISS) in Juba, capital of South Sudan, Aug. 10, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)

JUBA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The arrival of fall armyworm in South Sudan could worsen food insecurity in the war-torn country which is currently facing an unprecedented food crisis for an estimated 6 million people, experts have said.

The experts said the fall armyworms, which prefer maize plants and crops such as sorghum, millet, vegetables is putting more people at greater risk of extreme hunger.

Sampson Akoi, Professor of Integrated Pest Management at John Garang University of Science and Technology, said the crop-eating pest is rapidly spreading across South Sudan, warning that if nothing is done to curtail the outbreak, the results could be devastating for a country grappling with civil war and hunger.

He warned that with large numbers of farmlands abandoned due to conflict, South Sudan could become a breeding ground for the fall armyworms if appropriate pest control actions are not taken immediately.

"If this insect is going with the speed it's going now, it will damage a lot of crops and we will not have food. So the impact will be great and there will be a lot of people who will be vulnerable to hunger which is too bad for us. So we need to do something," Akoi said.

"We need to really educate our people on how the pest appears and then we selectively control the pest without harming the environment," Akoi added.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the presence of the fall armyworm on the African continent was first reported in Sao Tome and Principe around January 2016, and has devastated farmlands in several countries in southern and eastern Africa.

FAO said the fall armyworm can cause extensive crop losses of up to 73 percent depending on existing conditions and is difficult to control with a single type of pesticide, especially when it has reached an advanced larval stage.

South Sudan declared an outbreak of the fall armyworm in June, with the agriculture ministry saying that 166,000 hectares of farmland have been infested, 500 of which were destroyed completely.

Last month, FAO warned that the outbreak of the pest is another blow to South Sudan's recovery from extreme food insecurity after a localized famine was eased in the East African country following massive humanitarian response.

Phillip Wani Marchelo, Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Juba, said with maize and sorghum being staple food in South Sudan, their destruction by the fall armyworm means increased food insecurity and prolonged suffering.

He called on the government to adopt a nationwide pest-control strategy and increase awareness to reduce the harm caused by fall armyworms.

"The outbreak of fall armyworm in South Sudan means a second big problem because we already have insecurity in so many places which has put our farmers off the lens of agriculture for a while. Now that the armyworm has come in, the little that some farmers have planted is going to be damaged," said Marchelo.

In a bid to strengthen response to the outbreak, Onyoti Adingo, minister of agriculture and food security on Thursday formed a 14-member taskforce, composed of UN agencies, lawmakers and academia to spearhead the country's efforts to limit the harm of the fall armyworms on the livelihoods of the South Sudanese people.

He said the government had provided 588,000 U.S. dollars to purchase pesticides, but warned the amount may not tackle pest as it continues to spread faster across South Sudan.

Onyoti appealed to the international community and development partners to give technical and financial support to South Sudan to tackle the outbreak.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 19:26:56|Editor: ying

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BANGKOK, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Thai-Myanmar border area was flooded by river overflows on Friday caused by torrential rains overnight.

The Mae Sai river that forms a natural border between Thailand and Myanmar, swollen by days of heavy rain, bursted its bank. Popular border markets in northern Thailand's Chiang Rai have been swamped in floodwater that is 30-50 centimeters deep, with vendors rushing to move their goods to higher places.

Soldiers and officials from Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) have been assisting rescue workers to evacuate residents in the flooded area.

Tropical storm Sonca has unleashed unusually heavy rains across Thailand's north, northeast and east since late July, triggering water rise on rivers and flooding.

The flooding, ravaging 44 provinces in Thailand, has claimed 34 lives from July 5 to Aug. 17, according to DPMD.

Though the flooding in 37 provinces has been eased, 43,980 households with 136,616 people are still affected by flooding, Chatchai Promlert, an official from the DPMD, said on Thursday.

The Meteorological Department warned of flash flood, mudslide and overflowing of rivers in the northern, central, eastern and southern regions in a week, with downpours in most areas of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 19:26:57|Editor: An

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BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- For almost 30 years, Dong Qiaofeng has sold tahini, an essential for many cold Chinese dishes, noodles and hot pot, at Beijing's Sanyuanli Market.

Until recently, her home-made sesame oil and tahini were the only things she sold, then she realized many of her customers were foreigners, with different tastes and expectations.

Now, her booth, only about 18 square meters, is filled with hundreds of seasonings from France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Thailand.

The home-made sesame oil and tahini now lurk under the cashier's desk, for special customers only.

"Few buy them except my regulars. I would have been destitute had I not caught on to the new trend," she said.

LUXURIES NO MORE

Located in the embassy district of Chaoyang, Sanyuanli Market is a place where you can hear 100 languages in a single day. Foreigners from everywhere from Norway to Zimbabwe, from Bolivia to Fiji, congregate there in search of a taste of home; perhaps just one simple ingredient for a signature dish that they can't find anywhere else, perhaps for giant halibut or organic suckling pig.

Since China first opened its doors, albeit just a crack in the late 1970s, the portal has grown wider and wider and imported goods have flooded in as much as Chinese products have streamed out.

An Yuwei, 21, has bought cream, cheese and some baking parchment at the market. A university junior, she fell in love with baking during a summer vacation and heads to the market almost every week with her mother.

"Here, we can find almost anything we need," she said.

Imported products were a luxury in China forty years ago. Finding them was difficult: Paying for them was next to impossible.

The Beijing Friendship Store was just about the only place that sold imported goods, but it was not about maple syrup or turmeric. It was more like motorcycles and televisions from Japan, or whisky from Scotland.

Premier Zhou Enlai was instrumental in setting up the store in 1964 to cater to the demands of foreign guests, and only holders of foreign passports were even allowed into the store until 1990.

Back then, according to Wang Bingzhi, current Party chief of the store, instead of the Chinese yuan, the store only accepted foreign exchange certificates (FEC) -- paper notes bought with foreign currency through banks.

"During the planned economy when resources were limited, we were obliged to meet our foreign guests' needs first, to show the friendliness of our country," he said.

Wang said even when Chinese people managed to find a way into the store, very few of them had the wherewithal to afford such alien opulence.

"A 12-inch black-and-white Sanyo television set was sold for 500 yuan in FEC in the early 1980s," he recalled.

The annual per capita disposable income in urban China was only 477 yuan in 1980. As a comparison, the average U.S. per capita income at that time was around 12,000 U.S. dollars. Not only that, but for a Chinese citizen to obtain FECs they had to pay 50 percent to 80 percent over the odds on the black market.

THE BIGGEST MARKET IN THE WORLD

Things have changed a little since then. China has turned into the world's second largest economy and the largest market. What was a "luxury" has become a commonplace, even a necessity.

Supermarkets, shopping centers and online shopping platforms overflow with foreign goods. With their ubiquitous smartphones, Chinese people can import items ranging from automobiles to apricots while they take the subway home and have them delivered to their doorstep a few days -- or even hours -- later.

This summer alone, over 3,300 tonnes of fruit from North America, including blueberries and cherries, passed through Zhengzhou airport in central China's Henan Province. The airport has round-the-clock customs clearance for fruit, which is then distributed across the country.

Cargo trains have been running between China and European cities since 2011. Earlier this year, the 4,000th such train crossed the border.

Initially seen as an efficient way of delivering Chinese goods to the marketplace, last year more than 50 percent trains returned loaded with previously unheard of delights such as baby formula from the Netherlands, cosmetics from Austria and Spanish wine.

The China e-commerce research center said e-commerce imports rose by a third to 1.2 trillion yuan in 2016. The amount is expected to exceed 1.8 trillion yuan this year, according to Cao Lei, director of the center.

Despite the online shopping boom, a Sanyuanli Market manager Cui Zhongxin is confident about the market's future.

"Our products are better supervised with inspectors patrolling the aisles every day. Vendors accept mobile payments, take orders online and have goods delivered to the customers' door," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 19:32:00|Editor: Zhou Xin

People queue up to buy bus tickets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha at Gabtoli bus station in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, on Aug. 18, 2017. As the holy Eid-ul-Azha is drawing near, Bangladesh begun selling advanced train and bus tickets Friday to ensure a hassle-free journey for millions of people who will flock home to celebrate one of the biggest religious festivals with their relatives. (Xinhua/Salim Reza)

DHAKA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- As the holy Eid-ul-Azha is drawing near, Bangladesh begun selling advanced train and bus tickets Friday to ensure a hassle-free journey for millions of people who will flock home to celebrate one of the biggest religious festivals with their relatives.

Like previous occasions, several million people are expected to leave the capital city in the coming days braving every conceivable discomfort on creaky and congested transport.

Bangladeshis on or around Sept. 2 will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, or the festival of animal sacrifice, which is also to be celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

On Friday morning, thousands were seen to throng Dhaka's central Kamalapur Railway Station and major bus terminals to buy advance tickets.

Kamalapur Railway's Station Manager Sitangshu Chakraborty told journalists that some 22,496 tickets for Aug. 27 will be sold alone on Friday.

Thousands of holidaymakers were also seen to crowd ticket counters at different bus terminals for the advance tickets Friday.

Many ticket seekers even started forming queues the night before the counters opened.

Zainal Abedin, a senior official of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said launch operators will start sale of advance tickets for cabins from Aug. 20 and special launch services will start from Aug. 28.

State-owned transport bodies have started special services to ply on different inter-district routes in addition to the regular services to meet the demand of the home-bound city dwellers.

To make the travel of the home-bound passengers easy, officials said additional forces have been deployed in Dhaka streets.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 20:02:18|Editor: ying

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WELLINGTON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Education Minister Nikki Kaye on Friday released a plan to support schools and early learning providers to lift students' achievement in maths and writing, the core skills needed to "achieve across a wide range of subjects and in their future careers."

Earlier this year the government announced a new Better Public Service goal to have at least 80 percent of children in Year 8 (aged 12) achieving at or above the National Standard in maths and writing by 2021. Friday's plan is to support schools to meet the targets, Kaye said in a statement.

The plan focuses on better collaboration with the wider community and the social sector, improved teaching through dedicated training, the development of assessment tools and a focus on creating personalized pathways for each child, Kaye said.

The 2016 Public Achievement Information (PAI) shows that achievement levels in maths and writing are decreasing between years four and eight, with 70.7 percent of students achieving at or above the standard in maths and 69.3 percent in writing. In reading, 78.2 percent of children are achieving at or above the standard.

"These figures show we have a lot of work to do if we're to meet the 80 percent goal by 2021," Kaye said.

The 2016 PAI figures show that more young people than ever before are leaving school with the minimum qualification for success, with 84.6 percent of 18-year-olds achieving NCEA Level 2 in 2016, achieving an increase of 10.3 percentage points in just five years.

"Achieving NCEA level 2 will widen the opportunities and improve the life outcomes for these young people," she said, adding that "now it's time to focus on raising achievement earlier in the education pathway."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 20:02:21|Editor: ying

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PARIS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Paris prosecutor's office on Friday opened an anti-terrorism investigation following Spain's double attacks, which left 14 dead and more than 130 wounded, including 26 French.

The investigation is routine when French people are among victims of terrorist attacks abroad, according to French media, quoting the prosecutor's office as saying.

The probe was opened for "assassination attempts in relation to a terrorist undertaking, entrusted to the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) and the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police, (DCPJ)", it said.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed earlier on Friday morning that 26 French were wounded, including 11 in serious condition in the two separate attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.

It was the worst attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800 others.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 20:07:25|Editor: ying

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HO CHI MINH CITY, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A 35-year-old man from Vietnam's southern Can Tho city has been detained for illegally possessing 30 military-grade guns, mostly rifles, and over 2,000 bullets of different kinds, the municipal police said Friday.

Searching the house and car of the man from the city's Binh Thuy district, the municipal police found two guns and 174 bullets.

The police then searched six other locations in the southern provinces of Soc Trang, Tien Giang and Tra Vinh, further confiscating the man's 28 guns, 1,855 bullets, two cars, nine mobile phones, eight knives, five sets of nunchaku, and many accessories for guns such as silencers and signs.

The man confessed that he secretly kept the weapons to gradually sell them to big-game hunters.

Local police are probing into the source's weapons and the man's accomplices.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 20:17:38|Editor: ying

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Windhoek, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's environment ministry is planning a tourist safety strategy following recent attacks on tourists in the country.

Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta made the announcement at a media briefing in Windhoek on Friday.

He said the ministry had already established a committee to look at the safety of tourists in Namibia.

"The ministry in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders plan to develop a comprehensive tourist safety strategy that will set out measures to curb this phenomenon that is on an increase before it totally destroys our economy," he said.

He urged the country to ensure the safety of tourists and visitors.

"We as Namibians must develop a positive and more appreciative approach towards our tourists by changing our mindsets and attitudes so that tourists will not feel threatened," he said.

Last week, A family of four German tourists survived an attempted hijacking and robbery just after arriving in the country.

Meanwhile, Namibian police commissioner in charge of crime and investigation Sylvanus Ngishindimbwa said that the police will also establish tourism protection units within the regions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 20:52:58|Editor: Yamei

Huang Kunming, executive vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, speaks at the opening ceremony of the BRICS Seminar on Governance in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

QUANZHOU, Fujian, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Academics and business leaders from developing countries attending a BRICS governance seminar in China have expressed confidence in the bloc to drive world economic growth.

The two-day BRICS Seminar on Governance was held in Fujian Province ahead of the Ninth BRICS Summit to brainstorm ideas on governance.

"The rise of developing countries led by the BRICS countries is a world trend. They have become the main driving force of the world's economy and will play even bigger roles," said Hu An'gang, a professor at Tsinghua University.

Hu said the share of developing countries has risen to more than half of the world's economy and is expected to continue rising through to 2030.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa account for nearly a quarter of the world economy and contributed more than half of global growth in 2016.

The Chinese economy maintained steady expansion with a growth of 6.9 percent in the first half of 2017. The GDP growth of the Indian economy is expected to be even higher.

The other three members, which have suffered from either a stagnant economy or recession in the past few years, are poised for recovery, the academics said.

Director of the China-Brazil Center for Research and Business Ronnie Lins said Brazil has experienced political ups and downs over the past few years but President Michel Temer has assembled a very strong economic team.

The Brazilian economy climbed out of recession in the first quarter of the year. Lin said Brazil, like China, is a large country with a big population and huge resources.

"With crucial reforms taken, the Brazilian economy can maintain healthy growth," he said.

Liu Yong, chief economist of China Development Bank, said the BRICS countries have begun crucial economic transformations to rid themselves of the old growth models.

China is rapidly developing smart manufacturing and high-tech sector while India is taking serious moves towards urbanization. Russia has laid out strategies to reduce its economic dependence on oil, he said.

On South Africa, Essop Goolam Pahad, a former minister in the Presidency and now editor of Thinker Magazine, said South Africa has gone through "exceptional difficulties" in both political and economic arenas, but he remained confident that the country would soon find solutions and recover from the crisis.

"For somebody who was involved in the revolution, I am always optimistic and believe in the resilience of our people," he said.

Turning to BRICS, Pahad said the group is important as developing countries need a well-represented global governance system that is not controlled by the West.

He said the BRICS countries have become critical players across Africa's development landscape. China and India are the continent's first and third largest trading partners, respectively. Since the turn of the century, BRIC-Africa trade has surged from 28 billion to 377 billion U.S. dollars, he said, citing the findings of a South African study.

In its first decade as a multilateral system, BRICS expanded cooperation scopes among its members and started to reach out to other developing countries.

The idea of BRICS Plus was floated earlier this year. The BRICS leaders are expected to give the notion more substance when they meet next month in Xiamen.

Hu said he supported the expansion of BRICS to take in more influential emerging economies like Indonesia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Pakistan.

"They represent the key forces of the developing world. Their inclusion will have positive spin-off effects for others," he said.

Swaran Singh, a professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, however, expressed caution on BRICS expansion, saying it might distract the group from its expanded scopes of cooperation and make it harder to reach consensus.

He interpreted BRICS Plus as formalizing the bloc's outreach programs which have benefited "the circle of friends" around each BRICS member.

"In the next five to ten years, BRICS is going to be a big organization that promotes a new international model," said Sofiane Sahraoui, general director of Brussels-based International Institute of Administrative Sciences.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 20:53:01|Editor: Liangyu

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A staff member demonstrates a terminal machine in the Internet court in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 18, 2017. The court, first of its kind in China, specializing in handling Internet-related cases, opened Friday to cater to the increasing number of online trade disputes and copyright lawsuits. The cases handled by the court will be tried online. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)

HANGZHOU, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's first court specializing in handling Internet-related cases opened Friday in the e-commerce hub of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, to cater to the increasing number of online disputes.

The Hangzhou Internet Court heard its first case regarding a copyright infringement between an online writer and internet giant Netease on its opening day.

Sitting in front of their computers in Hangzhou and Beijing, the agents representing the plaintiff and the defendant communicated with the judge online. The trial lasted about 20 minutes.

"The Internet court breaks geographic boundaries and greatly saves time in traditional hearings," said Wang Jiangqiao, vice president of the court.

The court mainly handles civil cases such as contract disputes involving online shopping, service and small loans, copyright and infringement lawsuits, domain name dispute, Internet defaming and some administrative lawsuits.

It will also handle certain cases assigned by superior courts.

By registering on court's website, plaintiffs can file lawsuits and pay legal costs. The cases handled by the court will be tried online. The process is quicker, and plaintiffs and defendants can have their disputes handled while at home and at much lower cost.

"The hearing of an Internet-related case often lasts at least two days and each side has to spend thousands of yuan to travel to the court," said Zhang Sijia, a lawyer.

"We are involved in cases all over the country and the costs are too high to attend every lawsuit. Sometimes even if we win the case, we lose a huge amount of money in the process. It will significantly lower our costs if we can have them done online," said Yang Wei, vice president of Netease.

The opening of the court is along with the fast growing internet users and the consequent online disputes in China.

According to the latest report from the China Internet Network Information Center, China had about 751 million Internet users and 724 million mobile Internet users as of the end of June.

As China pushes its Internet Plus and innovation strategies, the Internet is playing an increasingly important role in the country's economic transformation. China is home to a number of Internet giants such as Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent.

The income of China's top 100 Internet companies rose 46.8 percent year-on-year to 1.1 trillion yuan (about 164 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016, latest official data showed.

It was the first time the total has surpassed one trillion yuan, according to calculations by Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Internet Society of China.

But the country is also seeing a surge in cyber disputes as more people go online to shop, publish their works and manage finance.

In 2015, the Zhejiang provincial higher people's court initiated a pilot online court program at three district courts in Hangzhou to handle online trade, copyright and financial services disputes.

So far, a total of 15 courts in Zhejiang have joined the program and dealt with nearly 23,000 cases.

"With more cases accepted, we found it hard to judge a case according to traditional lawsuit regulations," said Li Shaoping, deputy head of Supreme People's Court.

The Internet court was therefore outlined at the 36th meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform in June as the latest effort to deepen judical reform through lifting the efficiency of justice, improving the hearing procedures of Internet-related cases and promoting the sound development of the Internet industry.

The new court allows both sides to submit evidence in real time and is connected with big data to help judges make decisions.

"For example, the system can present the judge with similar cases as references in the course of the proceeding," said Wang. "The judge can also check the transaction history at any time when dealing with cases involving online transaction disputes."

"By setting up the Internet court, we hope to establish a professional platform to deal with Internet-related cases with new concepts and specially-designed regulations," Li said.

Zhou Hanhua, law researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the Internet court involved the use of information technology in judicial procedures and process transformation.

The reform should try to let everyone feel justice in each case, he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:03:08|Editor: ying

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ABUJA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria is investigating a "strange disease" that is fast spreading in the north central state of Kogi, officials have said.

The disease, whose symptoms include diarrhea, blood-stained vomiting and high fever, had killed up to 50 people as of Friday, Nigeria's English newspaper The Guardian reported Friday.

Investigators said the disease broke out about three weeks ago. The first case was confirmed to involve a young child, who died earlier this week.

So far, three villages in Yagba West local area of Kogi State have been afflicted by the disease and locals have expressed worry that a further spread was imminent.

Local medical officials said diagnosis had proved the disease was not Lassa fever, a hemorrhagic disease that often breaks out in the West African country.

"We are sure it is not Lassa fever, but our concern is that we do not know exactly what is happening. We have not arrived at a definitive diagnosis," said Jannette Hathorn, a medical consultant who led state officials to the affected communities on Thursday.

Officials of the World Health Organization (WHO) had taken blood samples of victims, Harthorn told officials and reporters.

Saka Audu, the Kogi State commissioner for health, described the situation as "serious," saying the government will take full responsibility of the sick so as to arrest the spread of the disease.

"We are digging into the real cause of this ailment. All hands are on deck toward unraveling the definitive cause of the mysterious deaths, especially among the kids," the official said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:13:11|Editor: An

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XIAMEN, Fujian, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Holding a cellphone, Tong Lingshan puckered her lips and looked closely at the screen. "This one's good," she murmured, while tapping several times.

In just seconds, Tong tried on three lipstick colors, picked her favorite and placed an online order, all thanks to Chinese tech company Meitu.

Established in 2008, the firm has grown into one of the biggest tech companies in China, with its apps installed on more than one billion unique devices.

Meitu's products are all about looking good: a selfie app that removes blemishes and brightens teeth, a virtual makeup app that lets users try on and purchase cosmetics, and cellphones optimized for taking selfies.

"Beauty is pursued by people all over the world," said Wu Xinhong, CEO of Meitu.

The company began its global expansion in 2016 and now has more than 500 million overseas users, with 27 percent of daily active users coming from overseas in 2016.

The BRICS summit will be held in September in Xiamen in east China's Fujian Province, where the company is based.

"The summit will certainly draw more attention from our BRICS partner countries to Xiamen, as well as the city's largest technology company, Meitu," said Wu.

BEAUTY FOR BRICS

In a year and a half, Meitu has built a presence in 25 countries and regions including Brazil, Russia and India, and seven bases outside the Chinese mainland.

BRICS countries are an important part of that global expansion. According to company data, Brazil is its fastest-growing market worldwide, with users surging 800 percent in 2016, and India is its largest market outside of China in terms of users.

"Each market has its own unique preferences in terms of how people want to express themselves through their photos, videos, and personal style," said Fu Kan, a member of the company's global team.

"For example, a woman in India may have a very different definition of beauty, and ultimately is being inspired by different beauty trends, than a woman in Brazil," Fu said.

To localize the user experience, Meitu has a global team of about 100 people -- only three of whom are Chinese -- in 11 countries and regions, according to an August interview with Cai Wensheng, Meitu's board chairman.

Fu and his colleagues work to create local makeup effects, local content including makeup tutorials, and local partnerships with "beauty influencers."

The team has designed sparkly virtual makeup looks for the Brazilian market during Carnival, and colorful cosmetics for Indian users who love to dress in bright colors on important occasions.

Meitu created a lighter version of its apps for India, where many users do not have the bandwidth to install and use heavy apps.

"As the BRICS summit draws near, we are looking forward to sharing our progress and impact in shaping the beauty technology ecosystem in each of the BRICS countries," Fu said.

FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL

Unlike many of China's tech giants, which are mainly headquartered in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou, Meitu's Xiamen base is less known to the tech community.

The company is located in a "software park" in northeastern Xiamen island. Meitu moved into the park in 2010 with only about 30 people in its startup team, and in seven years it has grown to be the biggest company there, with more than 1,000 employees.

"When we first came, many buildings were still available and streets were empty," said Zhang Lelin, a senior employee at Meitu, "Now we face traffic jams during rush hours every day."

"Meitu's success is typical of companies in the park," said Ni Jie, director of the software park's administrative office. "Startups come, enjoy preferential policies, grow stronger and compete in a larger market."

Established in 2008, the software park was once a village. It has become one of the most vibrant communities on the island and home to more than 3,000 companies.

The park offers subsidies for rent and R&D, preferential tax policies, and tech workshops.

"We also invite leading companies to settle in the park so that smaller ones here have a better chance to learn from and cooperate with them," Ni said.

Meitu and three other companies in the park launched IPOs in 2016.

"It was an IPO rush in 2016, bringing the number of listed companies in the park to eight," Ni said, "Some of these companies have also started to compete in the global market."

"With the IPO, we hope to make Meitu an international brand so we can attract top talent from all over the world," CEO Wu said. "With success in the Brazilian and Indian markets, we will continue to improve our products and foster large communities throughout the United States, Europe, Japan and Russia," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:18:13|Editor: ying

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DUBAI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Abu Dhabi crown prince of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on Friday sent his condolences to the victims of the recent terror attacks in Barcelona, Spain.

He called the attackers as "cowardly terrorists in Barcelona," and sent his "sincere condolences and sympathy to the leadership and people of Spain."

He also wished a quick recovery for the injured.

The Royal family Al-Nahyan enjoys traditionally close relations with King of Spain and the European country's royal family.

The number of people killed in Thursday's double terror attacks rose to 14, after a woman died of injuries in hospital, the Catalan emergency services confirmed on Friday.

Up to 14 died and 100 others have been injured at Barcelona's iconic Las Ramblas street when a van rammed into people in the pedestrian area.

Hours later, Spanish police foiled the second terror attack and killed five alleged terrorists who hit pedestrians in the Catalan resort town of Cambrils, about 100 kilometers southwest of Barcelona.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:33:22|Editor: Zhou Xin

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BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Amanda Tan showed her mettle on Friday as the Singaporean fought off a late challenge from Thailand's Saranporn Langkulgasettrin to capture the BridgeCC CLPGA Beijing Heritage title in a play-off for her maiden pro win.

After starting the back nine at Beijing Orient Tianxing Country Club with a birdie blitz where she picked up five strokes over the first six holes for a three shot lead, the teenager (67) could only hang on as Saranporn closed with three straight birdies to force the extra session as Tan made a bogey six at the last for a two-shot swing.

In the play-off, the 18-year-old Tan quickly ended it with a birdie on the final hole as Saranporn misread her putt and could only muster par. The victory was worth RMB30,000.

"I feel excited and happy. It has been a long time since I have won, not only as a pro but as an amateur as well. This is my first time I have won an event. It gives me lots of confidence. I'm ready for the next event. I really want to share this good news with my parents."

Tan, who turned pro in February, credited her strong putting for the win and her iron play for being able to get close to the holes. She admitted to feeling pressure on the final hole of regulation and missing her putt.

"In the play-off I didn't think too much about being the champion. Saranporn had won two titles already and had more experience than I do, so maybe she deserved the title. I just focused on my shots."

Saranporn, winner of the Wuhan and Zhuhai legs this year, said she felt great about her game after struggling with her putting. She lamented making bogey at holes 11 and 13 and missing a birdie putt at the 15th hole.

"But then I made three straight birdies. Amanda thought my score was better than hers so at the last she putted too strongly because she thought she would only have the chance for the play-off," said the 17-year-old Phuket native. "No pressure, but struggling with my putts. Amanda's putts were really good today. On the back nine she made five birdies over six holes. She was really good today. I didn't feel sad."

Chinese amateur Wang Xinying (72) finished a distant third at six shots back, one stroke ahead of a group that included compatriots Wang Mengzhu (69) and Sui Xiang (69), Thais Wannasiri Sirisampant (67) and Tiranan Yoopan (71) and South Korean Park Jin-hee (66).

Bae In-ji carded a hole-in-one at the 156-yard 16th hole to help the South Korean to a 73 and equal-15th finish.

Beijing Orient Tianxing Country Club is a 6,270-yard, par-72 layout designed by TK Pen.

BridgeCC CLPGA Beijing Heritage third round leading scores (China unless stated; *denotes amateur; + Tan wins in first-hole play-off)

203 - Amanda Tan+ (Singapore) 67-69-67, Saranporn Langkulgasettrin (Thailand) 69-66-68

209 - Wang Xinying* 69-69-72

210 - Park Jin-hee (South Korea) 73-71-66, Wannasiri Sirisampant (Thailand) 74-69-67, Wang Mengzhu 71-70-69, Sui Xiang 68-73-69, Tiranan Yoopan (Thailand) 70-69-71

211 - Yan Panpan 72-71-68, Sun Jiaze* 71-70-70, Piyathida Ployumsri (Thailand) 66-73-72

212 - Michelle Ko (Malaysia) 72-72-68, Ye Liying 73-67-72, Titiya Plucksataporn (Thailand) 70-70-72

213 - Janya Morrakotpan (Thailand) 75-70-68, Bae In-ji (South Korea) 68-72-73

214 - Ji Yifan* 69-72-73

216 - Cai Danlin* 73-76-67, Du Mohan* 74-73-69, Liu Yiyi* 72-74-70, Cho A-ra (South Korea) 72-73-71, Wang Ziyi* 73-71-72
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:38:24|Editor: An

BARCELONA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Three Chinese nationals were injured on Thursday in Barcelona's terrorist attack, official sources confirmed on Friday.

One person from China's Hong Kong will leave Spain this afternoon on a Qatar Airways flight from El Prat airport, after being accompanied by a staff member from China's Consulate General in Barcelona.

Two people from China's Taiwan remained in hospital where they were visited by staff members from China's Consulate General.

On Thursday afternoon, a van mowed down people at the famous street Las Ramblas in Barcelona, killing 13 people and injured more than 100 others.

Hours later, Catalan police gunned down five alleged terrorists, armed with ax and knives, who drove over several people in Cambrils. A woman died of injuries later in hospital.

Victims are from 34 different nationalities and were taken to 15 different hospitals in Barcelona and its surrounding cities.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:38:26|Editor: ying

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DAMASCUS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army has laid full siege on areas under the control of the Islamic State (IS) in the eastern countryside of Hama and Homs provinces in central Syria, a military source told Xinhua on Friday.

The IS militants have become besieged in an area of 3,000 sq km in the eastern countryside of Homs and Hama provinces after the advancing troops met in the Fasdeh mountain in eastern Hama from two directions: the southern part of Athria in eastern Hama countryside and al-Shaer area in eastern Homs countryside.

The operation has been carried out over the past 48 hours, as part of the ongoing military operation against IS in the Syrian desert, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday that the Syrian army progress in the eastern countryside of Homs enabled the troops to capture around 1,000 sq km from IS.

The progress also allowed the army to capture around six gas fields in the Syrian desert, some 80 km southwest of Tabqa city in Raqqa province countryside, near the borderline between Homs and Hama.

The Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on the ground, said the Russian air force was heavily backing the Syrian ground troops in their push against IS in that part of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:43:27|Editor: Yamei

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying (Photo source: fmprc.gov.cn)

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday that the Japanese ambassador to India should not wag his tongue too freely on the standoff between China and India in the Dong Lang (Doklam) area.

Spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a routine press briefing that there is no territorial dispute in that area and that the nature of the incident is that Indian troops illegally crossed the already delimited Sikkim section of the China-India boundary into Chinese territory.

Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said in an interview with Indian media that Doklam is disputed territory between China and Bhutan and no country should use force to change its status.

It is better not to make irresponsible remarks before making clear the facts, Hua said, stressing that it is India, not China, that is trying to create trouble and change the status quo.

She reiterated that the premise and basis for meaningful dialogue between China and India is that India immediately and unconditionally withdraws all troops and equipment that have encroached into Chinese territory.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:43:28|Editor: ying

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LUSAKA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on Friday commended the Zambian government for its commitment to raise HIV testing awareness by making such tests mandatory.

The Zambian government has announced mandatory HIV testing for people who visit any health facility as a way to enhance the fight against the pandemic.

In a joint statement, the two organizations welcomed the government's call to reinforce the implementation of universal routine HIV testing in line with universal guidelines.

"In this regard, WHO and UNAIDS will continue to collaborate with the government and other stakeholders to provide technical support and guidance in the review and dissemination of HIV testing services protocols and standard operating procedures to ensure that they are in line with the global recommendations of human rights-based approaches," the statement said.

According to the two organizations, the decision was welcome as knowing HIV status will lead to universal access to antiretroviral therapy and suppression of the virus in line with the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets by 2020 and achieve the overall goal of ending AIDS by 2030.

The two organizations expressed concern that of the estimated 1.2 million people living with HIV in Zambia, only 67 percent know their status, adding that this calls for intensive, innovative and effective HIV testing strategies that were in line with WHO and UNAIDS global guidance.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 21:53:38|Editor: Yurou

Rwandan President Paul Kagame (1st L) greets people after his inauguration ceremony in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on Aug. 18, 2017. Paul Kagame on Friday was sworn in as president of Rwanda for his third term in Kigali. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

KIGALI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Paul Kagame on Friday was sworn in as president of Rwanda for his third term in the capital city Kigali.

He took the oath administered by Chief Justice Sam Rugege at the inauguration ceremony attended by leaders and officials of African countries including Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Senegal, Gabon, South Sudan, Zambia, Niger, the Republic of the Congo, Namibia and Sudan.

In his inaugural speech, Kagame described the swear-in ceremony as a day of renewal and gratitude.

"I want to acknowledge the leaders and members of the eight political parties who joined with RPF to nominate me as their candidate. For 23 years, we have collaborated with deep mutual respect to repair the social fabric of our devastated nation," he said.

The central African country has been recovering from a genocide that killed about 1 million people in 1994 and has now been considered as a model of development for many countries in Africa.

"Today Rwanda defines no one as an enemy whether domestic or foreign. With every other country we seek partnership and cooperation," he also said.

"Every attempt that was made whether from within and especially outside to denigrate the process and glorify the old politics of division made Rwandans more defiant and more determined to express themselves through the vote," said Kagame.

According to him, there is no single model for nation-building. "At the root of any success are good choices built on a mindset: Do It Yourself."

"We in Rwanda will continue to be firm believers in real partnership and cooperation with friends around the world."

About 6.9 million Rwandans cast ballots in the presidential election held on August 4. Kagame won 98.79 percent of the vote. Independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana stood at second with 0.73 percent. The other candidate Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda got 0.48 percent.

Kagame, who is also the chairman of the ruling party Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), has been president since 2000 when he was elected as the president of the transitional government by ministers and members of parliament following the resignation of then President Pasteur Bizimungu.

He was re-elected in the 2003 and 2010 presidential elections by winning around 95 percent and 93 percent of votes respectively.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 22:03:45|Editor: ying

People attend a gathering to mourn for terror attack victims at Placa Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 18, 2017. The number of people killed in Thursday's double terror attacks rose to 14, after a woman died of injuries at the Joan XXIII hospital, the Catalan emergency services confirmed on Friday. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)

BARCELONA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of people killed in Thursday's double terror attacks rose to 14, after a woman died of injuries at the Joan XXIII hospital, the Catalan emergency services confirmed on Friday.

"A woman injured yesterday in #Cambrils attack has died. 14 citizens died yesterday in #Barcelona and #Cambrils terrorist attacks," the emergency services tweeted.

The woman had been injured along with five other people after a vehicle ran over several people in the Catalan resort town of Cambrils, about 100 kilometers southwest of Barcelona.

Suspects of Cambrils terrorists carried an ax and knives in the car and belts with false explosives attached to the body, the Catalan police, Mossos d'Esquadra, said on Twitter Friday.

Meanwhile, three Chinese were injured on Thursday in Barcelona's terrorist attack, official sources confirmed on Friday.

One person from China's Hong Kong will leave Spain this afternoon on a Qatar Airways flight from El Prat airport, after being accompanied by a civil servant from the People's Republic of China General Consulate in Barcelona.

Two people from China's Taiwan remained in the hospital where they were visited by civil servants from the People's Republic of China General Consulate in Barcelona.

Local police authority is considering the possibility that 1 of 5 terrorists shot in Cambrils is the Barcelona attacker, local media reported.

The number of people killed in Thursday's double terror attacks rose to 14, after a woman died of injuries at the Joan XXIII hospital, the Catalan emergency services confirmed.

On Thursday, at Barcelona's iconic Las Ramblas street, 13 people were killed and more than 100 others injured when a van rammed into people in the pedestrian area.

The van driver was still at large and three people were arrested due to the attack, according to local police.

Catalan emergency services also said number of the injured has risen to 130 in the double terror attacks.

The victims of the double attacks are of 34 nationalities.

"The fatalities and injuries of the #Cambrils attacks and #Barcelona are, according to a provisional assessment, of 34 different nationalities," the service posted on its Twitter account.

On Friday, thousands of people gathered in downtown Barcelona to show their defiance to terrorism.

People held a minute's silence on Friday midday at Placa Catalunya, close to Las Ramblas. The crowd erupt into chants of "No tinc por" in Catalan -- "I am not afraid" --, and applauded for around two minutes.

The gathering was attended by Spanish King Felipe VI, Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and other political leaders from Spain's main political parties, as well as Catalan leaders and Barcelona's Mayor Ada Colau.

Madrid also held a minute silence at the Congress of Deputies building.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 22:13:59|Editor: ying

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BANGKOK, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A South Korean man arrested for luring Thai women into living as sex slaves in South Korea was taken to court for detention on Friday.

Kim Hyoung Joon, 39, was arrested by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) under Ministry of Justice in Bangkok on Wednesday, according to Bangkok Biz News.

Kim, who was blacklisted for sex-trafficking and fled to Thailand three years ago, has been roping many Thai women into prostitution in South Korea, DSI deputy chief Songsak Raksakkaskul said at a press conference on Friday.

"Kim and his Thai wife serve as the agent. The couple told the Thai women that they are to work in South Korea as masseuses with provided accommodations and travel fees. Dozens of victims arrived there only to find themselves forced to work as prostitutes. No condoms were used." Songsak said.

The arrest came after an urge from the Thai Women's Foundation, which said the victims in South Korea have asked for help. They asked the DSI to join hands with South Korean police to bust the sex-trafficking gang, leading arrest of eight South Korean suspects in their country in Feburary.

The DSI said it is worrying that hundreds of Thai women, attracted by advertisements on social media, fall victims of human trafficking network every year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 22:19:00|Editor: An

QUANZHOU, Fujian, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Indian representatives attending a seminar in southeast China said they expect the upcoming BRICS summit will bring its members closer.

The Seminar on Governance was held from Aug. 17-18 in the city of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, to share experience on domestic and global governance among emerging economies.

The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will descend on the nearby city of Xiamen in early September for the 9th BRICS Summit.

Swaran Singh, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said over the last 30 years, increased engagement between China and India in multilateral meetings has had a positive influence on bilateral relations.

He said on multilateral occasions like BRICS summits that China and India often find their concerns and development strategies similar.

Meeting in multilateral forums creates friendship as the officials feel closer, Singh said.

China and India, along with other three nations, are grouped into BRICS based on their similar development stages and common aspirations. All five hope to maintain steady growth, reduce poverty, and play bigger roles in global governance.

Since 2009, BRICS summits have been held annually. The nations' foreign, finance and security ministers also meet regularly under the BRICS framework.

Tarun Vijay, president of India-China Parliamentary Group of the Confederation of Indian Industries, said India and China have been working closely together within BRICS as it is important for the world's two largest developing countries to speak common voices in the multilateral arena.

He said differences, if handled well, can be opportunities.

"When brothers are united, their sharpness can break metal," Vijay said, citing a Chinese proverb.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 22:24:06|Editor: ying

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ANKARA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Security forces killed 58 militants of outlawed Kurdistan Works' Party (PKK) during last week's operation, local media report on Friday.

The 58 PKK militants were killed during counterterrorism operations conducted in the country's southeastern provinces of Sirnak and Hakkari, state-run Anadolu news agency reported, citing a military statement.

Seven Turkish soldiers were killed and 12 others injured in the fight.

The security forces found a large amount of illegal firearms and ammunition, including anti-aircraft rounds, rocket-propelled grenades and a sniper rifle.

Meanwhile, 2,500 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, a material using for making explosives, were also found.

Eight PKK shelters and depots were destroyed, the report added.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, resumed its armed campaign against the Turkish government in July 2015.

Since then, some 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians were killed in PKK attacks, while more than 7,000 PKK members were killed during government operations across Turkey and northern Iraq.
"Searching for roots" ritual in China (Xinhua/Wang Peiji)

By Ru Ge

While studying in Denmark, I have made friends with many young ethnically-Asian Danes who speak impeccable Danish in addition to fairly good English. While they have many differences, one thing in common among them is a burning desire to explore their Asian roots.

As an exchange student in the field of cross-cultural studies, I am particularly interested in collecting the stories of Asian Danes, curious about how they view their Asian ancestry, western-style upbringings, most importantly, how far they will go in searching for their Asian roots.

Lise-Lu Yin Aaen, Laura Simonsen and Michelle Le Phan were kind enough to share their unique and thought-provoking stories with me.

Lise-Lu

Lise-Lu is a first year Chinese studies student at Copenhagen University. She has a deep interest in anything Chinese.

"I was found beside a power plant in this area," said Lise-Lu, as she located a city close to the China-Mongolia border on Google maps and zoomed in on it.

"My biological parents didn't leave anything to me, so doctors took a guess at my date of birth," she said. "I had a Chinese name 'Yin Lu' and it was on my medical paper, but I don't even know how I got the name, so I feel it is a big mystery."

Gaby, Lise (right) and mom

For three years, she moved between different foster care families until she was officially adopted by a single Danish woman when she was three. The place where she grew up in Denmark was not a metropolitan city but a small fishing town of only 2,000 inhabitants called Glyngre, located in the northern part of Jutland Peninsula. When she arrived in 1998, she became the first Chinese person in that small town. In 2004, she welcomed a new family member, Gaby, who was also adopted from China. Gaby is from Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

Her boyfriend is also a Chinese-Danish, originally from Taiwan. When she mentions her boyfriend, she gushes with happiness and contentment. "He is my soulmate, and we click really well together," she told me. But concerning the issue of correct Mandarin pronunciation (which differs between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland) she says she struggles with her boyfriend. Once she said the Chinese word "chi" (eat), which is correct, her boyfriend said it was wrong, and the correct pronunciation should be "ci."

All of these contribute to her curiosity and interest in China, and as she grew older, her passion for China and the Chinese language grew, so she finally made the decision to take up Chinese studies when she was admitted to Copenhagen University.

This coming September, she is going to study Chinese for one semester at Beijing International Studies University in Beijing as an exchange student. She says she is really looking forward to seeing all the important attractions in Beijing.

Laura

Laura is a lovely Chinese-Danish girl majoring in techno-anthropology at Aalborg University Copenhagen as a first year student.

I still remember the night I met her for the first time. It was at the faculty bar of Copenhagen University. When she saw me, the only Asian in the room except her, she came up and asked, "Are you Chinese?" When I said yes, she was so excited and hugged me. "We are fellow countrymen because I am Chinese too, but I cannot speak Chinese because I was adopted by Danish parents and was brought up in Denmark," she said to me.

Laura

I didn't expect to meet her again. But chalk it up to fate; I coincidentally met her many times after that at Copenhagen University and we have since become friends.

She told me she was found in a southern Chinese city days after she was born, with a red string attached to her with her date of birth. Then she was taken in by an orphanage and given a Chinese name that sounds like "Chai Youxin". At about six months of age she was adopted by her Danish parents.

Her younger sister, Olivia, was adopted from another southern Chinese city. She has just graduated from gymnasium (the Danish name for high school).

From what she told me, I know her family has a lot of connections with Asia; both her and her sister were adopted from China and her parents' company has many business connections on the Asian continent.

"My parents own an aluminum company and their main trading partners are from Asia. They travel 200 days a year to do business with their partners. When I don't have school, I travel with them. So I've been to Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Luoyang and Chengdu with them before."

Laura also has a cousin who studied geography and geology at university and he is currently working in one of her parent's partner companies in China.

Like her cousin, Laura has plans to work for one of the Chinese business partners of her parents' company after graduation, most likely in Beijing or Luoyang. She has decided that she will take up learning some Chinese when she starts work.

Michelle

Michelle is a 23-year-old Vietnamese-Danish girl born in Kongens Lyngby in the northern part of Zealand, approximately 15 kilometers away from Copenhagen. Her mom came to Denmark as a political refugee fleeing the Vietnam War. In Michelle's later childhood, she moved to Mlmo in Sweden and received an elementary and secondary education. She is currently studying Information Science and Cultural Communication as a first year student in Copenhagen University. What is very surprising is that although she has received a western education, she has not become westernized.

Michelle

"When I was about 14 and 15, approaching the age of entering upper-secondary school, I suddenly became more 'Asian' than I had ever felt before. I have become really traditional and family-oriented," she told me. Her mom was very surprised that Michelle turned out to have a very Asian outlook on life although she grew up in such a western environment.

Michelle says she is not 100% sure why her world views and behaviors are more like an Asian rather than Scandinavian. But she guesses it might be due to the reason that she feels her Asian identity is so different in the Scandinavian environment, where Asians are a decided minority. Sometimes in the street, strangers who see her Asian face use greetings in Asian languages like "nihao", "konnichiwa" or "sawadee."

"Yes, I do think it's racist since they're mocking Asians for merely being Asian, and yes, I don't necessarily think this has made me more 'Asian,' but I guess it has made me feel more different. That kind racism with the greetings and the proceeded laughing is very condescending."

When talking about her mom's homemade Vietnamese dishes, Michelle seems especially proud. She has invited her friends to eat Vietnamese home cooking, and whether it's spring rolls mixed with stir-fried pho, or pho noodle soup, her friends all seem to love everything they try. I think this sense of pride in a culinary heritage that is celebrated all over the world and enjoyed by people of all races is something really special about being Asian -- it certainly is for Michelle.

In addition to that, she has started gravitating towards Asians socially because she has found that she has more in common with them, just as they are more inclined to accept her. She feels a sense of belonging in an Asian group of friends.

Because of her wish to look for a sense of belonging, maintain her unique Asian identity, and trace back her roots, she has become increasingly passionate about familiarizing herself with Asian culture. She studied Vietnamese and can now communicate fluently in the language. And she also took courses on Chinese characters, basic Chinese greetings and Chinese history. She told me that she had written a paper about the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) before as a class assignment. In addition, she is also interested in Korean culture. When she traveled to Korea, she was instantly drawn into the "feeling" of that country.

Conclusion

There is an old saying in Chinese: fallen leaves will return to the roots, reverting to their own origin. Although ethnically-Asian Danish live far away from their ancestral home, and very possibly lead a completely different life from the sort they would live in Asia, they are connected to their homeland through a deep sense of belonging, and this propels a desire to explore their roots and to nourish their unique cultural heritage.

The life stories, struggles, and accomplishments of these three girls show that the search for one's roots is an eternal theme that is an inseparable part of the human condition. No matter where one is from or where they grew up, we are all driven to get in touch with our past and to shape our future based on our understanding and appreciation of where we came from.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 22:34:18|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with the new head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Friday met with the new head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, saying that China will continue to support the UN health agency.

Li congratulated Tedros on assuming the position as the first African WHO director-general, saying that it is of great significance to promoting healthcare in developing countries.

China attaches great importance to the role WHO has played in coordinating global healthcare affairs and promoting the development of healthcare worldwide, Li told Tedros during their meeting in Beijing.

"China will continue to actively support the work of WHO and is ready to enhance cooperation with WHO in areas including the Belt and Road Initiative," Li said.

Li said China will speed up the establishment of a basic medical and healthcare system with Chinese characteristic that covers all rural and urban citizens, expressing the hope that WHO will continue to support China's healthcare reform.

Tedros said China has undergone a large-scale, fast and high-quality healthcare system reform which is instructive and inspiring to many other countries.

WHO appreciates the efforts the Chinese government has made to global healthcare development and its contribution in addressing public health emergencies including the Ebola epidemic and H1N1 flu virus, said Tedros, adding that WHO is willing to enhance its strategic cooperation with China.

Ethiopia's former health minister and foreign minister, Tedros took office on July 1, succeeding Dr. Margaret Chan from Hong Kong who had held office since January 2007.

He was elected at the 70th World Health Assembly in May. It was the first time that WHO has chosen its top office from multiple candidates.

Earlier Friday, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong also met with Tedros, and together they attended a Belt and Road high-level meeting for health cooperation.

Addressing the meeting, Liu called on countries along the Belt and Road to cement health cooperation, coordinate health policies, strengthen joint prevention and control of infectious diseases, and enhance capabilities in responding to public health emergencies.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 22:39:21|Editor: yan

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HELSINKI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Several people were stabbed in downtown Turku, southwestern Finland on Friday, when more than one man mounted the attacks simultaneously.

The incidents took place in several locations in the city center including one around the market square after 4 p.m. local time.

Police have asked people to avoid going to the city center. Eyewitnesses told local media that a man of foreign extraction used a large knife indiscriminately.

One died and several others were injured, according to local media. The man has been taken into custody after being shot in the leg, police said.

A citizen living in the area told Xinhua that several men waved big knives while shouting. Some attackers were said to be at large.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 22:49:35|Editor: yan

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LAMU, Kenya, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police said Friday that they had arrested three Al-Shabaab suspects behind the killing of four people in the coastal county of Lamu.

Coast regional police commandant Larry Kieng said the three were arrested in Witu area after the attack by the Somalia-based militants.

"We are holding three suspects over the attack, and several crude weapons were also seized from the three," Kieng said.

Police said a group of heavily armed suspected Al-Shabaab militants raided a village and beheaded the four locals, all men. The militants also torched several houses before disappearing into the bushes.

"Police are currently combing the village to pursue other accomplices who escaped," said Kieng.

The latest attack came barely ten days after nine people were murdered in Jima and Poromoko villages, Lamu County.

On Aug. 2, three other locals were killed after suspected Al-Shabaab militants attacked a passenger bus at Nyongoro area in Witu, Lamu County.

The attack took place on Lamu-Garsen highway and left another person with a gunshot wound. The government has banned public vehicles from plying the highway over security concerns.
File photo: An attendant cleans the carpet next to U.S. and Chinese national flags before a news conference for the 6th round of U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, July 10, 2014. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

BUFFALO, the United States, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- White House chief strategist Steve Bannon's recent comments on the U.S.-China relations are "irresponsible," said a leading American global business expert.

By "ratcheting up the rhetoric" against China, it may be "a strategy" of Bannon to "perhaps gain more in terms of putting pressure on (China)," from a negotiating standpoint, said John Manzella, CEO of the World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara, New York State, in an interview with Xinhua on Thursday.

It is "nothing new" that U.S. politicians pointing fingers at a foreign country for some immediate political gains at home, Manzella said.

SCAPEGOAT GAME

Bannon said in an unusual interview Wednesday with The American Prospect that the United States was at "economic war with China" and he warned that "one of us is going to be a hegemon in 25 or 30 years and it's gonna be them if we go down this path."

"I'm not really sure what the intention is there by Mr. Bannon, but I do think those comments are irresponsible," Manzella said.

"During the (19)80s when the U.S. incurred some severe difficulties, politicians to a large extent scapegoated Japan. Then in the (19)90s and 2000s, When you saw certain areas and certain industries that were hurt, Mexico became the scapegoat. Now, China has become the scapegoat," he said.

Manzella said it is unfair to blame China for the loss of the manufacturing jobs, because 80 percent of the loss was "a result of automation not trade."

"The bottom line is it's misinformation," he explained. "The bottom line is automation which is tremendously positive force because it boosts productivity, and productivity is the number one factor increasing our (standard) of living,"

But automation does have a "short-term downfall," he said. "And that is today you may have just a few people producing a product where 10 years ago you had 15 people."

"So it does result in the loss of jobs which requires people to learn more and more skills and to upgrade their skills on a daily basis. And that's difficult," he said.

"The problem is most people are spending time working one or two jobs to take care of their families, they are theoretically putting out fires every week," Manzella said. "Most people don't have time to delve into the economic details, so you will hear this rhetoric from politicians that are very often trying to whip up support from their constituents."

TRADE OF MUTUAL BENEFITS

As the world's largest and second largest economies, the U.S. and China are "strong trading partners," and "in some ways we're mutually dependent on each other," he said.

"It's not a fight. It's mutually beneficial trade," said Manzella, referring to Bannon's warning that Washington is losing the fight but is about to hit China hard over unfair trade practices.

He noted that it is not surprising that the U.S. and China have trade disputes given the huge scope and magnitude of the bilateral trade relations.

"There are a number of companies that I've talked to that feel that they have been treated poorly in terms of entering the Chinese market...But I hear very good things as well, "he added. "So I think that depends on who you talk to and like any trading relationship there are areas where things are going well and there are other areas where things are not going so well."

"I think overall though, it's a very strong relationship. I think it is important that we maintain that strength and that beneficial working together attitude," Manzella said.

"And I don't believe China is an enemy, we are competitors, but I think competition is a good thing," Manzella, who authored several books including "A Global America: Understanding Global and Economic Trends and How To Ensure Competitiveness.

He pointed out that the U.S.-China cooperation is of greater importance against the backdrop of a fast-evolving world order with so many uncertainties and potential dangers.

"I think it's essential for the U.S. and China to cooperate," he emphasized. "By having the relationship disintegrated benefits absolutely nobody. It will hurt U.S. workers. It will hurt U.S. companies. It will hurt Chinese workers and Chinese companies. There's absolutely no upside."

"I understand some of the (U.S. politicians) rhetoric is designed to improve the U.S. negotiating position. Sometimes politicians will do that. But it's essential that we remain very good friends and close allies. I think again by working together we can improve the world as a whole."

"Friends can achieve much more than enemies," he said. "By combining our strengths, we can be a real strong force in the world for the fight of terrorism for example, or the elimination of pollutants to improve the environment."

Statistics show China has become the largest trade partner of the U.S., while the latter is China's second largest.

Bilateral trade surged nearly 207-fold to 519.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, from the level in 1979 when the countries established diplomatic ties. Trade with China helps each American family save 850 dollars every year. Bilateral trade and mutual investment in 2015 created 2.6 million jobs for the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 23:09:49|Editor: yan

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HONG KONG, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- There are "many opportunities" for China and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to cooperate on the Belt and Road Initiative, based on shared humanitarian principles and the common goal for peace and prosperity, a regional official of the ICRC said Friday.

"The ICRC is present and active in 40 countries along the Belt and Road. We can find ways of cooperation for the benefits of people in these different countries," Arnaud de Baecque, deputy regional director for Asia and the Pacific of the ICRC, said in an interview with Xinhua.

Describing the Belt and Road Initiative as "a large project concerning so many countries and all about peace and prosperity", de Baecque said the ICRC and China have "many opportunities" to work together because of the same humanitarian principles, such as impartiality, neutrality and independence.

"China is more and more present in the field in many places with the ICRC, not only in Asia but also in Africa," he said.

"The dialogue we have on these different issues is a good way to keep the ball rolling between different aspects that are taken into consideration."

During his first visit to the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) as a regional official of the ICRC, de Baecque gave a speech Thursday at the HKRC headquarters, talking about the humanitarian dimension of the Belt and Road, as well as the ICRC's engagement with China on the initiative.

"Of course the Belt and Road is about infrastructure, development and business opportunities' increase, but there is always a humanitarian component, because some of the countries are hosting populations that have humanitarian needs," he told Xinhua.

As for the ICRC's potential contribution to the Belt and Road, de Baecque said it can help with the stability of relevant countries through emergency humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflicts or violence on the one hand, and play a role in these countries' long-term development on the other hand, especially in areas with long-lasting conflicts where a development agency would not be able to enter and work.

"In many places with protracted conflicts, the ICRC used to have an immediate action during an emergency phase and then leave and let other players come to do the reconstruction or development work," he said, "Now we realize that we need to have a role which is partly emergency humanitarian work and partly development."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 23:14:50|Editor: yan

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ROME, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Two Italians are among the 14 fatalities in two terrorist attacks in the Spanish cities of Barcelona and Cambrils that also hurt at least 130 people of 34 different nationalities, Italian media reported Friday.

Thirteen people were killed Thursday afternoon in the popular Las Ramblas area of Barcelona when a white van zigzagged at high speed down the busy avenue thronged with tourists, knocking down pedestrians.

On Thursday night, the 14th victim, a woman, was reportedly stabbed and later died at hospital on Friday, when five people jumped out of a car and began attacking people at random on the seaside promenade in Cambrils, a town south of Barcelona. Spanish police shot all five attackers dead.

Both attacks were carried out by a single terrorist cell made up of about 12 people, according to Spanish police.

A terrorist cell made up of this many people "means a greater level of organization, therefore a greater danger", National Antimafia and Antiterrorism Prosecutor Franco Roberti told Italian public broadcaster RAI.

Roberti added that there are no connections so far with Italian cells "but the situation can change any minute".

Rome prosecutors have opened an investigation into the attacks to ascertain those responsible for the attack, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

Stefano Verrecchia, Chief of the Foreign Ministry Crisis Unit, confirmed to RAI that two Italian nationals were dead and another three were injured.

Italian media have identified them as Stefano Gulotta from the northern town of Legnano. Gulotta, a sales and marketing director at Tom's Hardware computer magazine, was on holiday in Barcelona with his wife, Martina, and their two children aged one and four years, who escaped unharmed.

The second victim is reportedly named as Luca Russo, a native of the northern town of Bassano del Grappa. He was in Barcelona on holiday with his girlfriend, who was injured in the attack, ANSA news agency reported.

"Italy remembers Bruno Gulotta and Luca Russo and draws close to their families," Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni tweeted Friday. "Liberty will win over the barbarism of terrorism."

Earlier on Friday, Gentiloni telephoned Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, assuring him of Italy's condolences, friendship and solidarity, ANSA reported.

The Spanish, EU, and Italian flags are being flown at half-mast in sign of mourning at Palazzo Chigi, the seat of government in Rome, Gentiloni tweeted.

"The attacks are a further, execrable demonstration of the cowardice of the terrorists, whose actions continue to elicit horror and repulsion," Italian President Sergio Mattarella wrote to King Felipe VI of Spain in a telegram posted on Twitter.

Also on Friday, Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti held an extraordinary meeting of the Strategic Antiterrorism Analysis Committee (CASA), which is made up of police and intelligence services.

"Although the alert remains extremely high, the threat level for Italy doesn't change," the Interior Ministry said in a statement following the meeting.

Minniti has ordered the reinforcement of security measures at possible targets and busy areas where a lot of people tend to congregate, according to the statement.

Italy has deported 67 people so far this year on suspicion of terrorism, an 81-percent increase compared to the same period last year, the Interior Ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 23:29:59|Editor: yan

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HANOI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Friday sent their messages of condolences to Spanish King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy respectively over the deadly terror attack in Barcelona.

The attack happened Thursday on a busy street in Barcelona, killing 14 people and injuring about 100 others.

Also on Friday, Vietnamese foreign ministry's spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang expressed deepest sympathy to the state, government and people of Spain and families of the victims.

"Vietnam strongly condemns the act of terrorism in any form," Hang said, stressing that such acts must be strictly punished in conformity with the law.

She said the Vietnamese embassy in Spain reported that there has been no report on any Vietnamese victims in the attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 23:35:01|Editor: Yurou

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HANOI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's first astronomical observatory will be put into operation in September in the central province of Khanh Hoa, Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday.

The Progressive Corporation International JSC, the contractor of the project, on Friday transferred the observatory to the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC) under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

VNSC Director Pham Anh Tuan said the observatory will serve basic studies on optical astrophysics, disseminate knowledge of the universe in the community, and support human resource training in astrophysics.

With an investment of 60 billion Vietnamese dong (2.6 million U.S. dollars), construction of the observatory began in 2014 on Hon Chong islet in Nha Trang city.

The observatory is equipped with a space telescope of 0.5m in diameter inside a dome that is 9m in diameter. The dome can accommodate up to 60 people who can observe space or watch movies about planets, stars and history of the earth.

The observatory is one of the two observatory projects in Vietnam, costing a total 120 billion Vietnamese dong (5.3 million U.S. dollars).

The other one is under construction at the Hanoi-based Hoa Lac High-Tech Park and is expected to become operational in 2018.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 23:40:05|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Fan Changlong (R), vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, meets with Samora Yenus, chief of staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese and Ethiopian military officials spoke highly of military ties between the two countries when they met in Beijing Friday.

Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, met with Samora Yenus, chief of staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, to discuss relations between the two militaries.

China and Ethiopia have continually enhanced their political mutual trust and made fruitful exchanges and cooperation in recent years, Fan said.

He added that Chinese military aims to work with its Ethiopian counterpart in deepening practical cooperation, contributing to China's comprehensive strategic partnership with Ethiopia.

Samora said that Ethiopia is willing to push forward the continuous development of bilateral relations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 23:40:07|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Friday launched a strategic plan that will steer the provision of quality health care services to citizens in the next five years.

The National Health Strategic Plan, which runs from 2017-2021 will be implemented under the theme "Transformative agenda with focus on primary health care through preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services as close to the family as possible".

Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said during the launch that the plan gives the country a roadmap on the steps needed to be taken to drive the country's health sector in the next five years.

The plan, he said, was anchored on the country's Seventh National Development Plan (SNDP), an overall roadmap for the country's development in the coming five years.

He said the plan defines the key priorities and key areas the ministry will be focusing on in order to improve the health care system in the country.

"The focus of the plan is strengthening the health system to ensure universal health coverage using primary health care. It is meant to produce a healthy and productive population to drive economic development," he said.

The plan is anchored on seven pillars namely improving health service delivery, ensuring adequate human resource, ensuring steady supply of drugs, ensuring health care financing, ensuring adequate health care infrastructure, improving health information systems and ensuring leadership and governance in the health sector.

United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinate Janet Rogan welcomed the government's decision to launch the plan, adding that it will help in tackling various challenges facing the health sector in the country.

She said the health sector faces various challenges such as emergency of non-communicable diseases and inadequate investment, adding that Zambia needed a comprehensive approach in tackling challenges in the health sector.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 23:45:16|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has raised U.S. Cyber Command to the status of Unified Combatant Command, the White House said Friday.

"The elevation of United States Cyber Command demonstrates our increased resolve against cyberspace threats and will help reassure our allies and partners and deter our adversaries," Trump said in a statement.

Trump said he has tasked the secretary of defense with "examining the possibility of separating U.S. Cyber Command from the National Security Agency," which will "streamline command and control time-sensitive cyberspace operations."

The move puts U.S. Cyber Command on par with 9 other Commands, including 6 regional Commands, the U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Transportation Command.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-18 23:55:22|Editor: Yurou

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BARCELONA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Organizations, countries across Europe on Friday continued to condemn the double terror attacks in Spain that killed 14 people and injured 126 others in Barcelona and Cambrils.

In a show of support, UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary General Taleb Rifai said, "this is one more of the most cowardly attacks against all of us and a firm reminder that the international community must remain united in the fight against these forces of darkness and against all kinds of terrorist acts."

Thirteen people were killed Thursday afternoon in the popular Las Ramblas area of Barcelona when a white van zigzagged at high speed down the busy avenue thronged with tourists, knocking down pedestrians.

On Thursday night, the 14th victim, a woman, was reportedly stabbed and later died at hospital on Friday, when five people jumped out of a car and began attacking people at random on the seaside promenade in Cambrils, a town south of Barcelona. Spanish police shot all five attackers dead.

Both attacks were carried out by a single terrorist cell made up of about 12 people, according to Spanish police.

The Great Mosque of Paris called the attack "despicable" and condemned the "flood of hatred carried by a horde of nihilists".

"After London, Paris and other cities, barbarism has just struck this time in Barcelona. The Great Mosque of Paris strongly condemns this blind violence which always attacks what symbolizes tolerance and living together," the mosque's rector Dalil Boubakeur said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Polish foreign ministry strongly condemned the attacks in a statement published Friday morning, saying it was an attack "deliberately targeting defenseless people, including children, conducted by cowards".

"We offer our condolences to those close to the victims of these crimes," the ministry said, adding it was ready to take part in the international effort to defend civilization, life, dignity, and the future.

The Polish foreign ministry added that the consular service remained in close contact with the local authorities and services and appealed to Polish citizens staying in Barcelona and its surrounding provinces to exercise caution.

The Latvian foreign ministry issued statements on Friday expressing their deepest condolences and solidarity on behalf of Latvia.

"Such vicious attacks targeting innocent civilians show the need for the international community to step up the fight against terrorism and violent extremism," the foreign ministry said in the statement.

Several of Latvia's top officials took to Twitter to personally denounce the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, including Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis and Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 00:00:24|Editor: yan

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JUBA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's humanitarian community on Friday renewed calls for respect and protection of aid workers on the frontline following the killing of at least 82 humanitarians in the ongoing more than three years of conflict.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) head David Shearer said the country is one of the most dangerous and challenging places for aid workers, and urged leaders to respect and protect lives of aid workers as he paid tribute to those killed in the violence.

"I have worked all over the world but I can't think of a more difficult place to work than here logistically in terms of the conflict, the need is sort of a perfect storm in terms of difficulty," Shearer said during World Humanitarian Day celebrations in Juba.

Attacks by armed groups on aid workers have intensified this year alone leaving 15 aid workers killed amid vandalism and looting of aid.

"We should acknowledge that we are in enormous number of places across South Sudan, and if you were not there, there would be tens of hundreds of people who wouldn't be alive today. And there are pockets of places we have real problems getting to like Kajo Keji, some of the places in Upper Nile," Shearer added.

The acting head of the UN Humanitarian Coordination Office (UNOCHA) Serge Tissot said the increased attacks on aid workers adds more risk to the lives of millions in dire need of support.

"Civilians in South Sudan continue to be killed and subject to horrible violations including sexual violations, 7.5 million people are in need of humanitarian help and protection as a result of conflict, disease, hunger and economic decline," he said.

"We continue to face ongoing challenge to serve and freely access to populations in need. Aid workers have been directly targeted by armed actors, denied access and subjected to beatings. The way aid workers are treated show a complete lack of respect from all parties to the conflict," Serge added.

The head of international NGO staff Deepmala Mahla, disclosed that the situation is increasingly worrisome and will continue to deteriorate if the warring parties don't stop attacks against aid workers.

"The humanitarian needs in this country are higher than ever and in this environment we see increased risks to the security of aid workers. In these Seven months this year, 15 have already lost their lives," Mahla said.

She added that for the second year in row, South Sudan is the most dangerous country in the world for aid workers, and this reflects an atmosphere of impunity for those involved in the violence.

"Aid workers are not only soft targets but also possess valuable assets. This year we have seen 32 incidents of looting. Looting of assets costs millions of dollars and it has such a real impact on the number of people who we are able to serve and this getting increasingly more violent," Mahla revealed.

She disclosed also that 257 incidents of violence against aid workers have been recorded within past seven months alone and added this is worrisome trends that seem to be growing.

South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after political dispute between President Kiir and his former deputy Machar led to fighting that pitted mostly Dinka ethnic soldiers loyal to Kiir against Machar's Nuer ethnic group.

The 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was again violated in July 2016 when the rival factions resumed fighting in the capital forcing Machar to flee into exile.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions that have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 00:15:39|Editor: yan

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BUNIA, DR Congo, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Over 100 people have died and several others are still missing in a landslide that occurred Thursday in three villages in the Ituri province of northeastern part of Democratic Republic of the Congo, provincial vice-governor Pacific Keta told Xinhua on Friday.

"The death toll is rising. At least 50 homes of families were swallowed by mud," said Keta, who feared the death toll could even be between 150 and 200 because authorities did not have the means to rescue the buried.

According to him, a team from the provincial government with logistical assistance is on the way to the site to help find the other bodies that are still buried.

Access to the affected villages along Lake Albert remains very difficult for rescue workers.

Landslides are often reported in some villages, most of them are between the lake and the mountains in central African country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 00:20:51|Editor: yan

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BARCELONA, Spain, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday 28 French people were wounded in the terrorist attacks which happened in the Catalonia region of Spain on Thursday, of which eight in serious condition.

At a press conference in Barcelona, the French foreign minister said four children were among the seriously injured, adding that no French was killed in the attacks.

The minister also said that a psychological assistance unit had been set up at the French consulate in Barcelona, and specially trained personnel from Toulouse, capital of France's southern Occitanie region, come to respond to all requests for psychological help for the families of the victims.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 00:25:56|Editor: yan

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BAKU, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Friday sent a letter to Spain's King Felipe VI to express sincere condolences over the terrorist attacks in Spain, according to the official website of the president.

"We were deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties and injuries as a result of the horrific terror attacks in your country," Aliyev said in his message.

"We are extremely outraged by these ruthless terror acts, and underline the necessity of jointly fighting against all manifestations of terrorism, which has become a terrible disaster, in the most resolute manner," he said.

"We share your grief over this tragedy," Aliyev said.

The Azerbaijani leader conveyed sympathy and support to the people of Spain, families and friends of the victims and wished a speedy recovery of those injured.

On Thursday, a vehicle plowed into crowds of people in the Catalan resort town of Cambrils, about 100 kilometers southwest of Barcelona. The five alleged terrorists armed with knives were taken down by Catalan police in a shootout.

Hours earlier, a car drove into pedestrians in the La Rambla street area in downtown Barcelona.

The double attacks left 14 people dead and more than 100 others injured.

Spanish police have classified the incident as a terrorist attack.

The incident took place at the height of the tourist season in Barcelona, which is one of Europe's top travel destinations with at least 11 million visitors a year.

The Barcelona attack was the deadliest in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 00:36:01|Editor: yan

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by Alusine Sesay and Wang Xiaopeng

FREETOWN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese companies operating in Sierra Leone have been playing a leading role in the rescue efforts and also the provision of humanitarian aid to people affected by a deadly flooding and landslide disaster that killed more than 330 residents and left many more homeless earlier this week.

Their work added to the disaster relief work launched by the government, youths, and development partners in the country, which was driven into a somber mood after the disaster took place in the mountainous area of Freetown on Monday.

"When the disaster erupted on Monday, we needed machinery to remove bodies from the rubble. China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) brought two excavators, shovels, pick axes and manpower to help in the rescue operation," said Joseph Kargbo, a Sierra Leone Roads Authority Engineer in charge of the rescue operation at Mortemeh, Sugar Loaf in Freetown.

"The contribution of the company has been immense. The CRSG has assisted not only in this disaster, but in other areas as well. They cleared the road to the disaster site after it was blocked by the rumble," he said.

The disaster brought with it lots of problems ranging from health, housing, clothing to other humanitarian challenges. Affected family members are provided with temporary housing in schools across Freetown, and the people are in need of medical attention.

At one of the Primary Schools in the Regent Community, women and children are clustered in a single room, which risks creating room for the spread of diseases.

The situation worried the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) team in Sierra Leone, who planned to construct two tents to provide basic medical care to the affected people that are housed in the school.

"We are concerned about the post disaster disease, so we are trying to separate the people to prevent them from spreading diseases," said Xiao Ning, head of China CDC team in Sierra Leone.

"As you can see, the environment is not good for the people. We need to do something including health education and vector control," he said.

Xiao said one of the tents would be used to perform surgery on people who suffered trauma, while the other would be used to treat people who suffered from certain disease conditions.

"We are here to help people and prevent the outbreak of diseases," he said.

The China CDC team has been working with the Chinese medical team and Chinese military medical team in the site of the landslide in the past few days, trying to facilitate the disaster relief work.

When President Ernest Bai Koroma made a call for humanitarian assistance after the disaster took place on Monday, the Chinese community including Chinese companies operating in Sierra Leone made a donation of about 100,000 U.S. dollars in cash and other emergency materials towards the victims of the flooding and landslide.

The donation was received by Vice President Victor Bockarie Foh who is overseeing the committee receiving all donations relating to the emergency response.

Like they did during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, the Chinese government decided to donate one million U.S. dollars to Sierra Leone as immediate response to the flooding and landslide tragedy.

Alhaji Ibrahim Kemoh Sesay, minister of works, housing and infrastructure, told Xinhua that the support from Chinese companies was good and prompt. He believed the cooperation between Chinese rescue workers and local organizations was fruitful and beneficial.

Working with employees of China Civic Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) along the coastline affected the landslide, Yassin Kargbo, general manager of National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone, said the Chinese company was swift in response and very helpful in the rescue work.

The CCECC on Friday provided a bulldozer and two trucks to help clean up the beaches, which was strewn with items flooded from the landslide site.

Kargbo told Xinhua that the Chinese company is the only foreign force helping on the beaches so far.

Flooding and landslide sparked by torrential rains and onrush of water from the slopes of Sugar Loaf have adversely affected communities on the outskirts of Freetown.

Government has set up a response centre to coordinate emergency response efforts under the following pillars: health and burial, social welfare, security and rescue, logistics and communications.

While a dignified burial of over three hundred victims was yesterday done at Waterloo in the outskirts of Freetown, rescue operation is still in progress.

As the country tries to regain calm after the disaster, humanitarian needs ranging from health, food, housing and clothing still remain.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 00:41:06|Editor: yan

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DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania on Friday strongly condemned the heinous killing of wildlife conservationist Wayne Lotter saying he has helped the country in the conservation and anti-poaching crusade.

"We are in sadness. We deeply regret over his death," said the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Gaudence Milanzi when Xinhua reached him by phone.

Milanzi strongly said the killing of the South African conservationist will not deter Tanzania's wildlife conservation and anti-poaching movement.

Lotter, 51, was shot on Wednesday evening at Masaki in Dar es Salaam as he was being driven from the Julius Nyerere International Airport to his residence when his taxi was stopped by another vehicle. Two men, one armed with a gun opened his car door and shot him.

Speaking shortly after he had gone to console relatives of the deceased and visited the scene of crime, Milanzi said Lotter has been in Tanzania for a long time helping in wildlife conservation and anti-poaching activities.

He said police have launched investigations into his death.

Lucas Mkondya, the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, said the police were hunting for the killers.

"The killers made away with three laptops, a mobile phone and some documents from the deceased," he told a news conference, adding that Lotter was killed at around 11 pm along Haile Selassie road at Masaki.

Lotter was a director and co-founder of the PAMS Foundation, an NGO that provides conservation and anti-poaching support to communities and governments in Africa.

The PAMS Foundation supported Tanzania's elite anti-poaching National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit (NTSCIU) which was responsible for arrests of major ivory traffickers.

Since 2012, the unit has arrested more than 2,000 poachers and ivory traffickers and has a conviction rate of 80 percent.

The latest elephant census data suggests that elephant populations fell by 30 percent in Africa between 2007 and 2014. Tanzania experienced one of the biggest declines in elephant numbers, where the census documented a 60 percent decrease in the population.

Lotter was born in Johannesburg on December 4, 1965. In 1990, he obtained a Master's degree in conservation.

In his 25-year career, he worked for wildlife conservation in government, the corporate and non-profit sectors. After obtaining his degree he worked mainly in South Africa and Tanzania.

In 2006, he started the Selous-Niassa Wildlife Protection Corridor Project in Namtumbo and Tunduru districts in Ruvuma region, and in 2013 he got involved in anti-poaching activities implemented by the NTSCIU.

In 2006, he co-founded PAMS Protected Area Management System Foundation commonly known as PAMS Foundation, which is one of the supporters in the war against poaching in Tanzania.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 00:56:13|Editor: yan

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(Add condolences from Chinese leaders, Spanish PM's remarks and statement of World Travel & Tourism Council )

BARCELONA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of people killed in Thursday's double terror attacks rose to 14, as Spanish people demonstrated defiance and condolences by leaders of the world poured in on Friday.

Thirteen people were killed Thursday afternoon in the popular Las Ramblas area of Barcelona when a white van zigzagged at high speed down the busy avenue thronged with tourists, knocking down pedestrians.

On Thursday night, the 14th victim, a woman, was stabbed and later died at hospital on Friday, when five people jumped out of a car and began attacking people at random on the seaside promenade in Cambrils, a town south of Barcelona. Spanish police shot all five attackers dead.

DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 14 WITH DRIVER STILL AT LARGE

"A woman injured yesterday in Cambrils attack has died. 14 citizens died yesterday in #Barcelona and Cambrils terrorist attacks," Catalan emergency services tweeted Friday.

Suspects of Cambrils terrorists carried an ax and knives and wore belts with false explosives attached to the body, the Catalan police, Mossos d'Esquadra, said on Twitter Friday.

The van driver involved in the Barcelona attack was still at large, but a manhunt after the two attacks led to the arrests of four people, including three Moroccans and one Spaniard, according to local police.

Local police authority is considering the possibility that one of five terrorists shot in Cambrils was also involved in the Barcelona attacker, according to local media.

Catalan emergency services also said the number of the injured has risen to 130 in the double terror attacks.

A provisional assessment showed that the victims of the double attacks are of 34 nationalities, the service posted on its Twitter account.

CHINESE PRESIDENT, PREMIER SEND CONDOLENCE TO SPANISH COUNTERPARTS

Shortly after the Barcelona attacks, leaders form the world , including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, expressed extended condolences to their Spanish counterparts and condemned the deadly terrorist attacks.

In his message to the Spanish King Felipe VI, Xi said he is shocked to learn the terror attack in Barcelona that has caused heavy casualties.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people and in his own name, Xi mourned the dead and expressed heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured.

"China is firmly opposed to all forms of terrorism and stands ready to work with the international community, including Spain, to strengthen anti-terror cooperation so as to jointly safeguard regional and world peace and stability," the Chinese president said.

In a message of condolences, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, on behalf of the Chinese government, mourned the dead, extended heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families and hoped for rapid recovery of the injured.

China firmly supports Spain in its efforts to fight terrorism and safeguard national security, and is willing to work with all nations, including Spain, to make joint contributions to world peace and security, said the Chinese premier.

WORKING TOGETHER AND AS A TEAM

Spanish Prime Minister on Friday called governmental bodies to "work together" and "as a team" against terrorism and in chasing terrorists who made the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks.

"That they know that the help of the government will always have it," he told officials.

On Friday, thousands of people gathered in downtown Barcelona to show their defiance to terrorism.

People held a minute's silence on Friday midday at Placa Catalunya, close to Las Ramblas. The crowd chanted "no tinc por", meaning "I am not afraid" in Catalan, and applauded for around two minutes.

The gathering was attended by Spanish King Felipe VI, Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and other political leaders from Spain's main political parties, as well as Catalan leaders and Barcelona's Mayor Ada Colau.

Madrid also held a minute of silence at the Congress of Deputies building.

Meanwhile, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) on Friday strongly condemned the double attacks, and expressed solidarity with the families of victims and wounded.

The new WTTC president and CEO, Gloria Guevara, expressed her sadness over these cruel attacks in Spain and said that her heart is with the "victims, their friends and families."

The organization has offered full support of the world tourism and travel sector to all those affected -- the two Catalan destinations, Spanish society and the country -- in these "difficult times", said Guevara.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 01:16:29|Editor: yan

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ACCRA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Ghana has mobilized relief items valued at one million U.S. dollars for victims of the flood and mudslide disaster in Sierra Leone, the government announced on Friday.

The items, comprising food, medicines, clothing and logistics for temporary shelter, are to be airlifted to the West African country, the Ministry of Information said in a statement copied to Xinhua.

According to the statement, Ghana's Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia is also expected to leave for Sierra Leone on Saturday to commiserate with the Sierra Leoneans.

Nearly 400 people are confirmed dead and hundreds of others missing following devastating mudslide and floods in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown.

Heavy rain in the early hours of Monday was reported to have caused the side of a hill to collapse, trapping hundreds of people in the hilltop town of Regent on the outskirts of Freetown, a coastal city with a population of about 1.2 million.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 01:16:31|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned attacks on civilians and aid workers caught up in conflict and called for their protection.

Guterres made the appeal on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, which falls on Aug. 19.

"For the millions of people caught in conflict, struggling to find food, water, and safe shelter; who have been driven from their homes with little hope of return; whose schools have been bombed; and who await life-saving medical care, we cannot afford to fail," Guterres told a gathering at UN Headquarters.

The protection of civilians in conflict was difficult to implement. Even worse, more and more humanitarians became a target, and the UN flag was not respected as a symbol of impartiality in the context of those conflicts, he said.

The protection of civilians in conflict is a fundamental tenet of international humanitarian law. Yet in war zones all over the world, parties to conflict are flouting their obligations, routinely killing civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks, and showing contempt for human life, said Guterres, who had worked with the the UN humanitarian agency UNHCR for more than 10 years.

"Every civilian has a right to safety and protection. We must all do everything we can to deliver on this right."

"We must protect humanitarian and medical missions and prioritize the protection of civilians in United Nations peace operations. And we must prevent forced displacement and respect the rights of people who have fled violence, by pursuing durable solutions for all those who have been displaced, both inside their own countries and across borders."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 01:46:58|Editor: yan

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BRUSSELS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Belgium's judiciary authorities have decided to open investigation following two terror attacks on Thursday afternoon and evening in Barcelona, Spain, said the Belgian Federal Prosecution service's spokesman Thierry Weerts on Friday.

A judiciary investigation is usually opened in Belgium if a Belgian national has been a victim of a terror attack or murder.

At least 14 people were killed, including a Belgian, and 130 injured during the twin terror attacks in Spain.

The judiciary investigation will help Belgian authorities to keep track of investigations in Spain. That procedure will also help the Belgian victims of the attack, said Thierry Weerts to local media.

Belgium's Foreign Affairs department also asked on Friday the Belgian in Spain to be precautious and to "respect strictly the indications of local authorities".
"Searching for roots" ritual in China (Xinhua/Wang Peiji)

By Ru Ge

While studying in Denmark, I have made friends with many young ethnically-Asian Danes who speak impeccable Danish in addition to fairly good English. While they have many differences, one thing in common among them is a burning desire to explore their Asian roots.

As an exchange student in the field of cross-cultural studies, I am particularly interested in collecting the stories of Asian Danes, curious about how they view their Asian ancestry, western-style upbringings, most importantly, how far they will go in searching for their Asian roots.

Lise-Lu Yin Aaen, Laura Simonsen and Michelle L.P. were kind enough to share their unique and thought-provoking stories with me.

Lise-Lu

Lise-Lu is a first year Chinese studies student at Copenhagen University. She has a deep interest in anything Chinese.

"I was found beside a power plant in this area," said Lise-Lu, as she located a city close to the China-Mongolia border on Google maps and zoomed in on it.

"My biological parents didn't leave anything to me, so doctors took a guess at my date of birth," she said. "I had a Chinese name 'Yin Lu' and it was on my medical paper, but I don't even know how I got the name, so I feel it is a big mystery."

Gaby, Lise (right) and mom (photo provided by Lise-Lu Yin Aaen)

For three years, she moved between different foster care families until she was officially adopted by a single Danish woman when she was three. The place where she grew up in Denmark was not a metropolitan city but a small fishing town of only 2,000 inhabitants called Glyngre, located in the northern part of Jutland Peninsula. When she arrived in 1998, she became the first Chinese person in that small town. In 2004, she welcomed a new family member, Gaby, who was also adopted from China. Gaby is from Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

Her boyfriend is also a Chinese-Danish, originally from Taiwan. When she mentions her boyfriend, she gushes with happiness and contentment. "He is my soulmate, and we click really well together," she told me. But concerning the issue of correct Mandarin pronunciation (which differs between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland) she says she struggles with her boyfriend. Once she said the Chinese word "chi" (eat), which is correct, her boyfriend said it was wrong, and the correct pronunciation should be "ci."

All of these contribute to her curiosity and interest in China, and as she grew older, her passion for China and the Chinese language grew, so she finally made the decision to take up Chinese studies when she was admitted to Copenhagen University.

This coming September, she is going to study Chinese for one semester at Beijing International Studies University in Beijing as an exchange student. She says she is really looking forward to seeing all the important attractions in Beijing.

Laura

Laura is a lovely Chinese-Danish girl majoring in techno-anthropology at Aalborg University Copenhagen as a first year student.

I still remember the night I met her for the first time. It was at the faculty bar of Copenhagen University. When she saw me, the only Asian in the room except her, she came up and asked, "Are you Chinese?" When I said yes, she was so excited and hugged me. "We are fellow countrymen because I am Chinese too, but I cannot speak Chinese because I was adopted by Danish parents and was brought up in Denmark," she said to me.

Laura (second from right), Olivia and their parents (photo by Per Mikkelsen)

I didn't expect to meet her again. But chalk it up to fate; I coincidentally met her many times after that at Copenhagen University and we have since become friends.

She told me she was found in a southern Chinese city days after she was born, with a red string attached to her with her date of birth. Then she was taken in by an orphanage and given a Chinese name that sounds like "Chai Youxin". At about six months of age she was adopted by her Danish parents.

Her younger sister, Olivia, was adopted from another southern Chinese city. She has just graduated from gymnasium (the Danish name for high school).

From what she told me, I know her family has a lot of connections with Asia; both her and her sister were adopted from China and her parents' company has many business connections on the Asian continent.

"My parents own an aluminum company and their main trading partners are from Asia. They travel 200 days a year to do business with their partners. When I don't have school, I travel with them. So I've been to Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Luoyang and Chengdu with them before."

Laura also has a cousin who studied geography and geology at university and he is currently working in one of her parent's partner companies in China.

Like her cousin, Laura has plans to work for one of the Chinese business partners of her parents' company after graduation, most likely in Beijing or Luoyang. She has decided that she will take up learning some Chinese when she starts work.

Michelle

Michelle is a 23-year-old Vietnamese-Danish girl born in Kongens Lyngby in the northern part of Zealand, approximately 15 kilometers away from Copenhagen. Her mom came to Denmark as a political refugee fleeing the Vietnam War. In Michelle's later childhood, she moved to Mlmo in Sweden and received an elementary and secondary education. She is currently studying Information Science and Cultural Communication as a first year student in Copenhagen University.

Michelle (photo provided by Michelle L.P.)

"When I was about 14 and 15, approaching the age of entering upper-secondary school, I suddenly became more 'Asian' than I had ever felt before," she told me. Her mom was very surprised that Michelle turned out to have a very Asian outlook on life although she grew up in such a western environment.

Michelle says she is not 100% sure why her world views and behaviors are more like an Asian rather than Scandinavian. But she guesses it might be due to the reason that she feels her Asian identity is so different in the Scandinavian environment, where Asians are a decided minority. Sometimes in the street, strangers who see her Asian face use greetings in Asian languages like "nihao", "konnichiwa" or "sawadee."

"Yes, I do think it's racist since they're mocking Asians for merely being Asian, and yes, I don't necessarily think this has made me more 'Asian,' but I guess it has made me feel more different. That kind racism with the greetings and the proceeded laughing is very condescending."

When talking about her mom's homemade Vietnamese dishes, Michelle seems especially proud. She has invited her friends to eat Vietnamese home cooking, and whether it's spring rolls mixed with stir-fried pho, or pho noodle soup, her friends all seem to love everything they try. I think this sense of pride in a culinary heritage that is celebrated all over the world and enjoyed by people of all races is something really special about being Asian -- it certainly is for Michelle.

In addition to that, she has started gravitating towards Asians socially because she has found that she has more in common with them, just as they are more inclined to accept her. She feels a sense of belonging in an Asian group of friends.

Because of her wish to look for a sense of belonging, maintain her unique Asian identity, and trace back her roots, she has become increasingly passionate about familiarizing herself with Asian culture. She studied Vietnamese and took courses on Chinese characters, basic Chinese greetings and Chinese history. She told me that she had written a paper about the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) before as a class assignment. In addition, she is also interested in Korean culture. When she traveled to Korea, she was instantly drawn into the "feeling" of that country.

There is an old saying in Chinese: fallen leaves will return to the roots, reverting to their own origin. Although ethnically-Asian Danish live far away from their ancestral home, and very possibly lead a completely different life from the sort they would live in Asia, they are connected to their homeland through a deep sense of belonging, and this propels a desire to explore their roots and to nourish their unique cultural heritage.

The life stories, struggles, and accomplishments of these three girls show that the search for one's roots is an eternal theme that is an inseparable part of the human condition. No matter where one is from or where they grew up, we are all driven to get in touch with our past and to shape our future based on our understanding and appreciation of where we came from.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 02:17:16|Editor: yan

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KIEV, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Germany has allocated a grant of 1 million euros (about 1.2 million U.S. dollars) to support vulnerable residents of the conflict-hit eastern Ukraine, the press service of the German Embassy in Ukraine said Friday in a statement.

The funds were provided to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for implementing humanitarian projects to assist people with disabilities and internally displaced persons, who live in temporary shelters.

According to the UNHCR, nearly 1.6 million internally displaced Ukrainians, including 50,000 people with disabilities, struggle to find safety, adequate housing and access to employment.

The conflict between government troops and pro-independence insurgents that started in April 2014 has left a total of 3.8 million residents of eastern Ukraine in need of humanitarian assistance.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 02:17:18|Editor: yan

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RABAT, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Morocco on Friday strongly condemned Barcelona terror attacks, voicing its full solidarity with neighboring Spain.

In a message of condolences to king Felipe VI of Spain and queen Letizia, the Moroccan King Mohammed VI said he was "deeply saddened to learn the news of the despicable terrorist attack that targeted a tourist area in downtown Barcelona which claimed the lives of many, and strongly condemned it."

He expressed to Spain's King Morocco's firm condemnation of this "appalling criminal act," stressing that it "runs counter all human values and religious precepts."

The king expressed his country's total commitment to international efforts seeking to address the plague of terrorism and eradicate it.

Fourteen people were killed and 130 injured in the two attacks. A total of 34 different nationalities were affected by the tragedy.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the twin attacks.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 02:47:36|Editor: yan

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ACCRA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The University of Ghana, Legon, on Friday hosted a workshop with industry, academia and other stakeholders to strategize in using agriculture to eradicate poverty in Ghana.

The objective of the 20-year venture, under the Economic Inclusion and Poverty Eradication Project (EIPEP), is to enforce respect for agriculture and achieve food sufficiency.

The notion that universities have not become relevant to industry and society has been shot down as the University's Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) is leading the Ghana Economic Well-being Project to eradicate poverty.

The school is promoting greenhouse farming technology with modern machinery in some parts of the country as a poverty eradication approach.

The technology will also help reduce post-harvest losses and increase incomes of farmers.

The Director of the Institute, Professor George Oduro Nkansah, said the project, which kick-starts in September, would involve application of technology to undertake all-year round farming.

"It is something that has worked which we want to push nationwide to make a change to eradicate poverty and that is what we intend to do. And the university has taken the lead to make the university more relevant to industry and the country," he told Xinhua in an interview.

As part of the broader plan for the project, the country has been divided into 10 blocks with farmers put into cooperative bodies who would contribute into the bigger project.

Already, more than 4,000 hectares of land has been secured for the project which is expected to begin in September on the University's own land and later carried out along the blocks from January, next year.

The institute is also expected to use its knowledge and expertise at the disposal of the farming community.

The Chief Executive Officer of Gratisn Foundation, Emmanuel Kwaku Asiedu, said Ghana had enough fertile land for growing food crops and, with improved technology, the agricultural sector could move many people out of the poverty line.

"We are going to use agriculture with improved technology, research and machinery because using the local crude way of doing things will not be able to actually help us to achieve our objectives," he told Xinhua.

The EIPEP workshop is an exclusive Ghanaian Solution designed to engage stakeholders in the general economic development through the adoption of practical solutions and innovative technologies.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 03:23:06|Editor: Yurou

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military said on Friday that the State Department had approved an arms sale of rocket system worth 1.25 billion U.S. dollars to Romania.

According to a statement by U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Romania had asked for the sale of 54 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and other related equipment.

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally that has been, and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress within Europe," said the statement.

The proposed sale of this equipment will not alter the basic military balance in the region, the statement added.

However, the arms sale is not concluded at the moment as it still needs the approval of the U.S. Congress.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 03:23:08|Editor: yan

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MOGADISHU, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Attacks on aid workers delivering supplies in Somalia have increased this year with some resulting in deaths of staff, a senior UN humanitarian official said on Friday.

Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia Peter de Clercq said more than 100 incidents targeting humanitarian workers had been reported thus far this year, and four of them had been killed.

"In Somalia, health and aid workers, who work and care for people affected by violence are being targeted. Medicine and relief supplies are looted," de Clercq said during an event to mark World Humanitarian Day in Mogadishu.

"Humanitarian workers are detained or denied access to people in desperate need. This is unacceptable," he added in a statement released after the event.

De Clercq however commended aid workers and volunteers for their contribution to serving humanity and averting a famine that threatened Somalia earlier this year.

He thanked aid workers for risking their lives on a daily basis to save the lives of others in distress. "We salute and thank aid workers for their bravery and unwavering commitment, in particular those on the frontline, closest to those in need, saving lives and protecting livelihoods," he said.

"It's through their commitment that famine has been averted in Somalia. They are our daily inspiration," de Clercq noted.

The UN relief official noted that humanitarian workers had not only suffered death, injuries and abductions, but also expulsion from the country in the course of fulfilling their duties.

Somalia's Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs, Mohamed Moalim, promised that the government will offer protection to humanitarian workers as well as needy civilians.

"The government will also do its utmost to protect not only civilians, but also aid workers who continue to risk their lives to save others," Moalim said.

World Humanitarian Day is observed every year on Aug. 19 to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world.
Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 30, 2017 shows the test-firing of a ballistic missile. (Xinhua/KCNA)

MOSCOW, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Roscosmos state space corporation and its subsidiaries do not cooperate with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Roscosmos said in a statement on Friday.

It said Roscosmos and its subsidiary companies have been strictly observing the requirements of the Russian legislation and international arms control and non-proliferation regimes, including the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), as well as the requirements and restrictions imposed by UN Security Council resolutions.

The New York Times said in a report on Monday that the DRPK's success in testing ballistic missiles was made possible by black-market purchases of rocket engines "probably from a Ukrainian factory with historical ties with Russia's missile program."

Following the publication, later in the day, Oleksandr Turchynov, the Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, denied any Ukrainian involvement.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-19 03:43:20|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday condemned attacks on civilians and aid workers caught up in conflict and called for their protection.

Guterres made the appeal on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day, which falls on Aug. 19.

"For the millions of people caught in conflict, struggling to find food, water, and safe shelter; who have been driven from their homes with little hope of return; whose schools have been bombed; and who await life-saving medical care, we cannot afford to fail," Guterres told a gathering at UN Headquarters.

The protection of civilians in conflict was difficult to implement. Even worse, more and more humanitarians became a target, and the UN flag was not respected as a symbol of impartiality in the context of those conflicts, he said.

The protection of civilians in conflict is a fundamental tenet of international humanitarian law. Yet in war zones all over the world, parties to conflict are flouting their obligations, routinely killing civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks, and showing contempt for human life, said the secretary-general.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian workers who set out to aid, heal and protect civilians are themselves deliberately targeted for attack. Staff are killed, wounded and detained; aid and medical supplies are looted and obstructed; health clinics and hospitals are damaged and destroyed, he noted.

"Every civilian has a right to safety and protection. We must all do everything we can to deliver on this right. ... We must protect humanitarian and medical missions and prioritize the protection of civilians in United Nations peace operations. And we must prevent forced displacement and respect the rights of people who have fled violence, by pursuing durable solutions for all those who have been displaced, both inside their own countries and across borders."

For Guterres, who had served as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for more than 10 years, the World Humanitarian Day has a special meaning.

"It is very difficult for me not to remember at this moment my more than 10 years of work with UNHCR, one of the central UN humanitarian agencies, and to say how shocked I always was" when seeing more and more civilians were a target.

"To see UN humanitarians, to see NGO humanitarians, to see other organizations' humanitarian workers be a target is something that was indeed horrifying. And to see some of my colleagues losing their lives in the line of duty has been one of the most horrible experiences I had in my life," he added.

Last year, there were 158 major attacks on aid workers around the world, during which 101 aid workers were killed, 98 wounded and 89 kidnapped, said Stephen O'Brien, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs.

The UN General Assembly designated Aug. 19 as World Humanitarian Day to commemorate the day on which the then special representative of the UN secretary-general to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 of his colleagues were killed in the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad in 2003.
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20 get SEED grants

After a brief ceremony at the ministrys head office, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, Social Development Minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn said they received about 2,600 applications.

She said SEED was one of Governments strategies being used to reduce poverty, get people off the food card or public assistance and have them in sustainable employment.

So far payments would have been made to about 1,000 persons, Crichlow-Cockburn said.

We have about 400 payments outstanding and those payments would be processed by the comptroller of accounts and that should be done by the end of this week. Crichlow-Cockburn said they were seeking to clear the backlog so some of the people who received their grants on Wednesday morning would have applied in 2013-2014, while at the same time trying to treat with applications from 2016-2017.

The grant was up to $15,000 and depended on each individuals needs.

The minister said this was not a one-off event.

We have not noticed a marked increase in the number of applications.

We are doing it based on constituencies and we have visited 30 so far seeking to educate the public in terms of what we offer.

So we expect we may see an increase next year because, as people become more aware of what the ministry offers and provides, we may likely have greater applications. One recipient, Francis Vidal, whose wife is disabled, said he hopes to start a landscaping business, while Candice Lashley planned to purchase equipment for her small catering business.

Through the SEED programme, individuals were given access to tools, equipment and material to start or expand a mini/micro enterprise. These individuals were then supported through a multi-pronged system which provided business training, education and mentorship that maximised their potential for success.

Grants were given for use in welding, flag construction and decoration, agriculture, catering, an internet cafe, mini-mart and photography among others.

The recipients have already completed the mandatory entrepreneurial training and development in cash management, record keeping, customer service excellence, marketing and costing and pricing.

The recipients viewed the grants as a blessing.

I am so happy for this opportunity. It wouldve been almost impossible to get equipment without this grant, Lashley said, while Vidal said it would enable him to create a better life for my family
SRPs seeking reinstatement

They met last week with the Police Social and Welfare Association (PSWA) to discuss their grievances and to ask the Association to intervene on their behalf.

They have even asked that the matter be taken to court if deemed necessary.

The former SRPs, who were on two and threeyear contracts, say they received notices of their termination ten months ago without prior warning.

They are claiming that prior to their their contracts not being renewed, they had applied to become members of the Police Service and believe the move was vindictive.

Yesterday, secretary of the PSWA acting ASP Anand Ramesar told Newsday, The Association confirms that several SRPs formerly assigned to the Praedial Larceny squad approached the association to represent them in a matter where their contractual services were not renewed. The Association will be representing these officers as we are aware that this is not the first time that the Ministry of Agriculture has acted in a manner which we consider to be both high-handed and lacking in basic industrial relations practices.

We will be engaging the ministry both from an Associations position and a legal position if we have to. Ramesar added, What has happened is not only unfair to the officers but has left them without employment.
$56.3 million upgrade for Remand Yard

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon made the announcement at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns.

Dillon said the proposed scope of works included upgrades to the plumbing, sewer treatment and electrical system at Remand Yard. Recalling that Remand Yard was first constructed in the 1940s as a barracks for members of the Royal Air Force, Dillon said cells at the facility were only supposed to house a maximum of three individuals.

He said these cells were now holding eight to ten people.

Dillon also said the upgrade would seek to replace the pail system in the cells with proper toilet facilities. He said Cabinet recognised the need for the upgrade, even with long-term plans for the construction of a new Remand Yard next to the existing facility, over the next five years.

Dillon also said efforts were being made to improve conditions at the Port-of-Spain prison and the Immigration Detention Centre as well. With respect to the latter, Dillon said the length of time people were detained at the centre varies for different reasons.

Noting a terrorist attack in Barcelona earlier in the day, Acting Attorney General Stuart Young reiterated that Government continues to collaborate with its international partners regarding intelligence on possible security threats. Young and Dillon reiterated that recent conversations with the British High Commission indicated that there was no credible intelligence to suggest any terrorist incident is likely in TT.
Main road collapses in Cedros

Buses and other heavy vehicles were stuck on either side of the collapsed portion of the road.

Councillor for the Cedros area, Shankar Teelucksingh told Newsday that thousands of residents as well as businesses were affected as the Southern Main Road was the only access road leading to and from Cedros and other parts of the country.

Commuters on their way to work were unable to do so or arrived late as only cars were able to pass on the shoulder of the damaged road. Some motorists made a detour through Austin Road and Granville road but buses and trucks were unable to use those roads. A burst four-inch WASA main was being blamed for undermining the roadway. Both WASA and the Ministry of Works were working to fix the problem.

Teelucksingh said the road was recently repaired by the Ministry of Works but with the passing of heavy equipment the WASA main broke causing hundreds of gallons of water to gush out and damage the road. The Cedros councillor made a call for corroded water mains in the area to be replaced.

Teelucksingh said in addition to the collapse at Coromandel there were five sunken spots along Chatham that need to be repaired urgently. The roads in this area need total rebuilding and repaving, Teelucksingh said. There is need to widen the roads and also to build proper pavements. He added that Cedros had been neglected for many years and the people of the area continued to complain about the effect on their vehicles due to the bad roads.

Yesterday, WASA workmen were on hand fixing the damaged main line while crews from the Ministry of Works were fixing the roadway.

The councillor thanked WASA, T&TEC, Ministry of Works as well as the Siparia Regional Corporation for their efforts in getting the road fit for use even as repair work continued.

The road was re-opened shortly before 7 pm yesterday
Permell to fight removal from TAP board

Permell confirmed this during an interview with Newsday yesterday evening, in which he added that the August 14 vote was an unlawful attempt to remove us from the board. I am still the chairman and Mr Saunders is still the deputy, Permell said. What happened on Monday was that the managing director Carmen Reid and another director, Terrence Boswell- Inniss, attempted to unlawfully remove us. We sought legal advice from the companys lawyers; LEX Caribbean, immediately after they sent us an email indicating we had been removed. Based on the advice weve been given, we are still the chairman and deputy chairman of TAP. According to Permell, Reid and Boswell-Inniss dont have a legal leg to stand on because they didnt follow proper procedure as stated in Section 76 of the Companies Act. In the hours prior to them being barred from entering TAP, Permell, Saunders and Gift held what Permell described as a board meeting, during which they voted to terminate the contract of the managing director.

Permell assured TAP employees that he, Saunders and Gift were seeking the best interests of employees, shareholders and all stakeholders. Permells statement was in response to Newsdays question about job security fears; expressed to this newspaper by TAP employees who witnessed what one described as Mr Permells vocal attempts (Thursday) morning to convince security to let them (Permell, Saunders and Gift) onto the compound. That employees account of events which transpired this week are in stark contrast to what Permell told Newsday.

Contacted by Newsday, Reid declined to comment on the allegations made by one of her employees. USA Lawyers

While she also declined to say why they were voted out of office, Reid did say Permell and Saunders were removed because the shareholders believe their replacements would be better able to carry out the duties of chairman and deputy chairman.
GML workers get retrenchment letters

The woman, who asked not to be identified, was one of 31 employees identified to receive retrenchment letters yesterday from the GMLs Human Resources (HR) Department; located at its Chaguanas head office.

When I found out retrenchment was going to happen, I knew that being one of the last people hired, there was a possibility of my being retrenched.

So when I got the news on Wednesday to come to HR today (Thursday) to collect a letter, I wasnt entirely surprised but I was disappointed.

The retrenched GML employee shared that when she went into HR yesterday, they asked if I knew what I was here for. I said I had a fair idea. They then proceeded to tell me the company was going through (restructuring) and I was one of those selected; based entirely on the last in, first out criteria. HR gave me a listing of jobs available across all of the ANSA McAL Group; as you know, (GML) is a subsidiary.

They said if I was interested in anything, I could apply and (if hired), my retrenchment would be shifted to me moving over to continued employment in a different sector of the group. Asked if she intended to do so, the GML employee told Newsday, No. Nothing that Im aware of applies to me in terms of my skills. Newsday attempted to speak with senior management of GML but neither calls nor emails were responded to as at press time yesterday
St James taxi drivers facing PH woes

He believes increased patrols by either the police service or traffic wardens will discourage private individuals from using their cars as taxis.

He said, For years we have been trying to get police and traffic wardens to their job and stop the PH drivers. He is pleading with the relevant authorities to do more as the PH drivers are undermining their livelihood.

He said PH drivers often become aggressive when corrected by himself or other drivers and cited an incident where two of those drivers were arrested for throwing bottles at him after he spoke to them, but they were later released.

Alexander said the association has written to the police on numerous occasions and have not gotten any response or seen any action taken.

He scolded members of the public calling them part of the problem. Citizens, he said, patronise the PH drivers and, as a result, give them no reason to stop their illegal activity.
Opposition consulted on new anti-crime law

This was disclosed by Acting Attorney General Stuart Young at yesterdays post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns.

In a signed letter dated August 17 to Persad-Bissessar, Rowley said Young sent two packages of draft/proposed legislation to Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen to give to her as a continuation of their productive meeting at Tower D of the Portof- Spain International Centre on July 18 about legislative measures to address the countrys crime problem.

The letter was hand-delivered to the Opposition Leaders Office in Port-of-Spain yesterday.

One package dealt with zones of special operations and the other dealt with anti- gang legislation.

Rowley also provided Persad-Bissessar with a list of Governments anti-crime operational initiatives as promised. These included a counter terrorism policy and strategy sent to the National Security Council for approval; establishing a computer security incident response team to deal with cyber crimes; establishment of Police/Army bases in Enterprise and Laventille; engaging Interpol to establish a sub-office in TT and increasing the number of crime scene investigators in the Police Service from 15 to 75.

Young said legislative packages were hand delivered to Ramdeen on August 4. He said the zones of special operations legislation was unique and currently existed in Jamaica.

Young explained that allowed the Jamaican prime minister, on the advice of the Jamaican Defence Force, to declare certain places as, zones where it would be akin to giving them new powers to go in and cordon off those zones and do certain things to treat with criminal gangs operating in those zones.

Young said Government hoped, that we can have a conversation with the Opposition, as to another way or method on how to deal with crime and the criminal element. He also said Government hoped the Opposition would discuss ways to pass effective anti-gang legislation in Parliament. Young said Government had not received any word, to date, from the Opposition as to when they would want to meet or any written responses from the Opposition regarding the legislative packages sent to them.

He told reporters that the special operations zones legislation in Jamaica was supported by that countrys government and opposition. He reminded reporters that the Jamaican government only had a oneseat majority in the Jamaican parliament.
Govt advances Court solution for Marcias 53 cases

Young told reporters at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns, that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley obtained independent advice from senior counsels that this is the best option to resolve this matter.

He said the Cabinet agreed to support this option.

Young said in this summons, We will basically lay the facts out as we know it, via affidavit, to the High Court and we will set out what are the various provisions of the existing law that apply and we will then invite the High Court to make a decision and to come to a conclusion as to how these 53 cases should be dealt with going forward. He said interested parties who wished to intervene in these proceedings could make submissions to the Judiciary which, will have management of this matter in having it dealt with as expeditiously as possible. Young said once the summons was filed, the population would then see if anyone tried to derail it by playing politics. Young said Government was leaving the resolution in the remit of the Judiciary and, contrary to claims from the Opposition, the appointment of a tribunal under Section 137 of the Constitution would not resolve the concerns of people affected by the 53 cases being stuck in the magistracy.

Young said there was an appeal process all the way up to the Privy Council and it was possible for the matter to be resolved within a short time. He said litigation between Ayers Caesar and the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, would not affect these proceedings.
Tunisians of all walks of life are divided over the issue of gender equality in inheritance rights. A controversial reform of the inheritance law unveiled in this regard by President Beji Caid Essebsi and backed by the mufti of Tunisia has sparked fierce and endless debates between conservatives and liberals.

Islamic (sharia) law generally gives women half of what it gives men in inheritance, while making men financially responsible for women. Besides equal inheritance rights, Tunisian women want also be given the rights to marry non-Muslim foreigners.

President Beji Caid Essebsi, who announced these reforms on the occasion of Tunisian Womens National Day, said we will find a way to reconcile religion and constitutional principles. The inheritance is an issue for humans. God and His prophet left humans to manage these issues.

These remarks prompted sharp criticism from the conservatives, while they were commended by liberals and human rights militants.

In 1974, late Habib Bourghiba, first president of Tunisia, tried to bring in similar changes when he tabled a motion offering tax breaks to those who grant equal rights in their wills to their sons and their daughters. But these ideas triggered an outcry and he was ultimately compelled to drop the draft legislation.

For Egypts Al-Azhar, one of the highest religious authorities in Sunni Islam, the proposals announced by the Tunisian President regarding womens inheritance rights and marriage to non-Muslims are against divine law, Islamic precepts and the teachings of the Prophet.

In his address on the occasion of Womens National Day, President Beji Caid Essebsi called for the repeal of the law which prohibits Tunisian Muslim women from marrying non-Muslim men and for amendments granting women equal rights as men, including those governing womens inheritance.

In July, Tunisias parliament passed a bill protecting women from violence. Human Rights Watch (HRW) described the law as a landmark step for womens rights.

The new law brings about new criminal provisions and increases penalties for various forms of violence, sexual harassment, and discrimination against women.

Among other things, the law criminalizes sexual harassment in public spaces, bans the employment of children as domestic workers, and removes a controversial article that allowed rapists to marry their victims to escape punishment and prosecution.
The Libyan National Army (LNA), headed by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, said Thursday it arrested commander Mahmoud al-Werfalli wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes.

The army, which controls most parts of Eastern Libya, also said Haftar ordered Werfallis investigation.

We inform you that the defendant in your judicial case, Mahmoud al-Werfalli, is under investigation for the cases against him by the general military prosecutor and is now under arrest, the LNA said in a statement.

ICC issued an arrest warrant for the head of Saiqa Special Forces aligned with the LNA for his involvement in the execution of about 33 bound captives in cold blood, in Benghazi, during the capture of the city last month after nearly three years of combat.

Several videos emerged showing Werfalli participating directly and indirectly in the execution of Islamic State group (IS) suspects.

The LNA indicated that Werfalli was arrested several weeks ago. The army also said it would cooperate with the Hague-based court.

We announce our readiness to cooperate with you in informing you of the result and course of the judicial case, the LNA said.

It is unclear whether the LNA will be poised to hand over its commander after the army leadership chided the UN Human Rights Commission over its calling for Werfallis suspension last month.

As for the unverified video, it said, we had previously announced that an investigative commission had been formed. Its decision will be publicly announced when the case is closed. Until then, we consider all the charges against our soldiers to be of no value and that they are innocent of those charges until the commission declares otherwise.
Moroccan city of Marrakech will host the second Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association Show Sept.12-13. The event will bring together industry world leaders as Bell Helicopter, Swissport Aviation, Seaprime, G Ops, Gulfstream, Jetex, XJet

We are pleased to welcome the MEBAA Show Morocco, the only business aviation show in North Africa, said Zouhair Mohamed El Aoufir, Chief of Moroccan Airports Authority.

With the growth and opportunities for business aviation in Morocco, we expect to see an increase in interest from across the region and beyond, and are pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to aerospace companies, he added.

For his part, Ali Alnaqbi, Founding & Executive Chairman of MEBAA said: We are looking forward to the second edition of the MEBAA Show Morocco, in its new location at Marrakech Menara Airport.

As the first business aviation show in North Africa, the MEBAA Show Morocco is ideally placed to offer exhibitors an opportunity to be part of the regions industry growth, he stressed.

According to CEO & President of Jetex Flight Support Adel Mardini, Morocco is the key destination for a large number of our customers, especially European clients, and it is a high traffic market for both business and leisure private aviation travel.

He went on to say that Marrakech is a key destination in North Africa. It is stable and ideally situated for both European and Middle East customers.

The Middle East and North Africa business aviation market is expected to grow, despite the impact of lower oil prices on commercial airlines.

Africa is expected to receive 200 aircraft deliveries valued at $7 billion over the next ten years, with over 80 pc of these predicted to be in the light or medium categories, according to the Bombardier outlook 2016  2025.

For the MENA region, aviation professionals expect annual fleet growth of 3.2 pc. As to the global business Jet market, it continues to be weak amid an unusual, sustained cyclical trend, which has affected demand levels for new business jets.

The significant competitive pressures from used jet inventory, fastidious buying behavior from businesses and downturn in the global energy sector have been impacting demand for new jets as reflected in the order intake over the recent years.

The market, however, has shown signs of a slow movement towards stabilizing & recovery in 2017 with a spurt in activity level for the first half of the year despite continued pressure from the used jets market.
The EU, France, Spain and Germany have welcomed the appointment of Germanys former President Horst Kohler as new Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Sahara.

The EU is looking forward to working with Kohler, said an EU Spokesperson in a statement to Moroccos news agency.

The EU continues to encourage all parties to find a solution in line with the UN Security Council resolutions and the UN Charter, the Spokesperson said.

The French foreign ministry, for its part, commended in a statement the appointment of Kohler and expressed Frances full support for him.

In the same vein, France reiterated support for Moroccos autonomy initiative, saying that it represents a basis for a serious, credible and mutually acceptable solution.

In this regards, France stressed the need for relaunching the political process under the aegis of the UN and in conformity with the Security Council resolution 2351 adopted on April 28, 2017.

Spain has also welcomed the appointment of Kohler in a statement by its foreign affairs ministry, expressing support for the UN Secretary Generals intention to relaunch negotiations between the parties.

Spain said it will back Kohler to reinvigorate efforts aiming at reaching a fair, lasting and mutually acceptable solution.

Likewise, German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel congratulated his countryman, Kohler, for his appointment.

He praised, in a statement, Kohler for his commitment in favor of the African continent when he was German President and also as head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, saying that he is the right man to address the challenges of the Sahara issue.

He added that Kohler will work with the parties to find a fair and politically feasible solution acceptable to all parties.

By opting for Kohler, the new UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres upholds the principle of rotation in Sahara personal envoy between the US and Europe.

Given his background, Kohler is expected to lead UN mediation in the regional dispute over the Sahara with pragmatism, unlike his predecessor Christopher Ross whose stands reflected connivance with Algeria and a willingness to change the parameters of negotiations.

After eight years as UNSG Personal Envoy, Ross left a legacy of failures on the Sahara issue. His term was marred by partial reports, a worn-out negotiation process devoid of prospects for progress and biased and unbalanced guidance to the UN.

Kohler is an economist by profession. Prior to his election as President, he had a distinguished career in politics and the civil service and as a banking executive. He was President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 1998 to 2000 and head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2000 to 2004. From 2012 to 2013, he served on the UN Secretary Generals High-level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
People watch a TV report on North Koreas missile launch at the Seoul Railway Station on July 4, 2017. Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

A gaffe, journalist Michael Kinsley famously quipped, is when a politician tells the truth  some obvious truth he isnt supposed to say.

When Steve Bannon  in the emerging Trump administration tradition of calling up a liberal journalist and pretending not to realize one is on the record in order to vent about ones colleagues  shared his feelings with Robert Kuttner of The American Prospect on Wednesday, he dropped quite the Kinsley gaffe. He told Kuttner that the presidents stance on the worlds most dangerous foreign-policy crisis was mostly made of baloney: There is no military solution to North Koreas nuclear program, because Kim Jong-un has enough artillery pointed at Seoul to lay waste to the South Korean capital the moment any conflict begins, nuclear or otherwise. They got us, Bannon concluded.

This was by no means an earth-shattering revelation: North Korea knows its artillery targeting Seoul is its insurance policy against a U.S.South Korean invasion; thats why theyve aimed it there. The South Koreans know it, too, which is why even their more hardline politicians dont actually want to go to war with the north. Japan knows it, China knows it, and everyone in the U.S. military and intelligence Establishment knows it. Hell, Donald Trump might even know it. This obvious truth is the reason why American threats of military action against North Korea are both flimsy and dangerous: Flimsy because Kim knows that we know that he would lay waste to our ally in a heartbeat the moment we declared war, but dangerous because one day he might figure were crazy enough to go through with it anyway and decide to shoot first.

But in politics and diplomacy, just because something is true doesnt mean it can be acknowledged. For this administration, which has staked its North Korea policy on the hope that military threats combined with economic sanctions will shake Pyongyang into negotiating its own nuclear disarmament, having those threats revealed as mere bluster is a big problem  especially when our allies in East Asia are fearful of anything that might embolden the North Korean regime to lash out or engage in nuclear blackmail.

Accordingly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis moved quickly on Thursday to assure those allies that the U.S. was prepared to respond militarily to any hostilities or provocations by North Korea, such as its threat to launch a volley of ballistic missiles (sans nuclear payloads) into the waters near Guam, from which it had recently backed down. The U.S. is prepared militarily to respond to aggression from Pyongyang, Tillerson said, while Mattis elaborated that there would be strong military consequences if DPRK initiates hostilities.

Specifically, if Kim launches a missile toward Japan, South Korea, Guam, or any other U.S. territory, Mattis said, we would take immediate, specific actions to take it down. Speaking after talks in Washington with the Japanese foreign and defense ministers, Tillerson also said the U.S. would honor its defense treaty obligations with Japan without reservation including in the event of military aggression by China regarding the disputed Senkaku Islands.

Bannon was not mentioned by name, though the subtweet was crystal clear.

Now, its important to note that Mattis did not say the U.S. would invade North Korea in response to a missile launch, but instead seemed to indicate that we would attempt to shoot down any missiles launched toward us or our allies. Thats a much less aggressive measure than whatever was implied by Trumps recent threats to retaliate with fire and fury like the world has never seen  though some nuclear security experts warn that shooting them down might still escalate the situation if Kim interprets that as an act of war. Thus, it would be much better to convince him not to launch any missiles at all.

In threatening more severe consequences if North Korea acts as the aggressor, Mattis also left some room for ambiguity as to what would constitute hostilities. While there would be a strong temptation, especially on Trumps part, to respond furiously to a provocative but not destructive missile launch, the Defense secretarys language was no doubt meant to remind Kim that if he actually launched anything at (as opposed to over or near) the U.S. or our allies, his country would assuredly face the full force of the U.S. military and be utterly destroyed. Of course, our being prepared to respond ferociously to a clear-cut act of war was never in doubt  but would we fire the first shot? Kim knows, as Bannon admitted, we really cant.

We can, however, remind the North Koreans of how much firepower we have at our disposal and how ready we are to dump it on them at a moments notice. The next chapter of this geopolitical drama will open on Monday, when the U.S. and South Korea are due to begin their regularly scheduled joint military exercises off the peninsula, which North Korea regularly denounces, interpreting them as preparations for an invasion. China had floated the idea of offering to postpone the exercises as a bargaining chip to entice Kim to talks, but neither Washington nor Seoul warmed to that idea. Speaking from Beijing on Thursday, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Joseph Dunford underlined that the exercises were not up for negotiation.

For his part, South Korean president Moon Jae-in is walking a fine line between upholding a resolute posture toward the north and extending a hand of peace. Moon said on Thursday that his government would block war by all means, and told his countrymen that Trump had pledged to consult with them before making any military decisions with regard to North Korea. If Kim lashes out in response to next weeks exercises  say, with a missile test  we may soon find out whether Trump keeps that promise.
Bella Union Drummer Philip Selway is the latest Radiohead member to enter the world of film scoring. The musician composed and recorded the soundtrack to the upcoming film Let Me Go, and you can listen to the title track now via SoundCloud.

Let Me Go is based on the true story of Helga Schneider, whose mother abandoned her in 1941 when she was just four years old. The film picks up in the year 2000, when Helga learns that her mother is near death, and she and her granddaughter travel to Austria and are confronted with dark family secrets. It'll hit theaters in the U.K. September 15.

The Let Me Go soundtrack will be released digitally on September 15, and will be available on physical formats October 27.

Selway's Radiohead band mate Jonny Greenwood composed the scores for the Paul Thomas Anderson films There Will Be Blood, The Master and Inherent Vice.

Additionally, frontman Thom Yorke is recording music for a remake of Italian horror icon Dario Argento's 1977 cult classic Suspiria.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
GOP Sen. Tim Scott says he wont defend the indefensible, namely the presidents latest remarks on the violence in Charlottesville. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Usually when politicians get into trouble for making racially insensitive or divisive comments, they rush to get minority pols to defend them. It is unclear whether Donald Trump even cares about his rapidly deteriorating image (from a pretty low starting point) on matters of racial justice after his recantation of a delayed and tinnily insincere-sounding condemnation of the white rioters of Charlottesville. We dont know if hes reached out to any black Republican pols or opinion leaders to get for some backup (though theres no sign of it so far). But we do know hes not getting much help from that quarter.

Tim Scott of South Carolina was the seventh African-American ever elected to the Senate, and the first from the South since Reconstruction. As a genuine conservative he is a precious resource for the GOP. And while he was not a red-hot MAGA man in 2016, Scott endorsed Trump before the GOP convention, didnt withdraw the endorsement when the Access Hollywood video broke (though he did call it disgusting), and has voted with the White House well over 90 percent of the time this year. So whats he saying right now?

In an interview with VICE News on Thursday, he condemned the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville and questioned the presidents moral authority following the tragedy. Im not going to defend the indefensible  [Trumps] comments on Monday were strong. His comments on Tuesday started erasing the comments that were strong. What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised when Tuesday happened. Theres no question about that.

And theres also this: Scott added that the president hasnt reached out to him to discuss Charlottesville.

Whatever else it represents, that is political malpractice.

How about the two African-American Republicans in the House? It doesnt get any better.

Now to be sure, Will Hurd of Texas un-endorsed Trump over the Access Hollywood remarks, and Mia Love of Utah (like many Utah Republicans) never even said shed vote for him. But they are bashing him now with abandon. Heres Hurd:

Rep. Will Hurd called on President Donald Trump to apologize for his latest remarks on recent violence sparked by a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Hurd, who is African-American, is also one of the most vulnerable House Republicans.

I dont think anybody should be looking at getting props from a grand dragon of the KKK as any kind of sign of success, Hurd said.

Love spoke at an anti-racism event in Salt Lake City where speakers definitely did not view both sides as responsible for what happened in Charlottesville.

Even on Fox News, an African-American Republican, Gianno Caldwell, who was called on specifically to defend the president, tearfully denounced him instead:



I come today with a very heavy heart. Last night I couldnt sleep at all because President Trump, our president, has literally betrayed the conscience of our country 

Mr. President, good people dont pal around with Nazis and white supremacists. Maybe they dont consider themselves white supremacists and Nazis, certainly they hold those views. This has become very troubling for anyone to come on any network and defend what President Trump did and said at that press conference yesterday is completely lost and the potential to be morally bankrupt.

A quick look around medialand shows at least one prominent African-American conservative, syndicated columnist Star Parker, willing to go to the mats for Trump with respect to Charlottesville. But its unlikely she made many converts for her or Trumps cause with this argument:

Whats really interesting and really incredible irony here is the same people that are demanding that the Confederate flag comes down are the same people that are insisting that the rainbow flag goes up.

These two flags represent the exact same thing: that certain people groups are not welcome here. So if Nancy Pelosi wants to say that were going to start shutting down first amendment rights of a certain group of people, then what what happens next time homosexuals want to walk through an American city and protest and counter-protesters come out?

Yeah, white supremacists and LGBTQ folk, throw em in a bag like Skittles, shake em up, and dump em out, and you cant tell one from the other.

Perhaps Trump thinks he is his own best defender in this crisis. Lord knows what well see next from his Twitter account. But if hes going to go out of his way to defend the very fine people fighting for the neo-Confederate cause, the small but psychologically important set of African-American Republicans is crucial. Hes not giving them much to work with at the moment.
James Murdoch might want to check out whats happening on Fox News. Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for National Geographic

President Trumps praise for the very fine people who rallied with white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend put the business community in an awkward spot. Many CEOs decided their support for President Trump ended at aligning with neo-Nazis, and on Thursday a surprising name was added to that list: James Murdoch, the chief executive of 21st Century Fox and son of Trump ally Rupert Murdoch.

In an email addressed to friends, Murdoch explained that the violence in Charlottesville, and the presidents response, inspired him to donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League:

Im writing to you in a personal capacity, as a concerned citizen and a father. It has not been my habit to widely offer running commentary on current affairs, nor to presume to weigh in on the events of a given day save those that might be of particular or specific concern to 21CF and my colleagues. But what we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people.

These events remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation  a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals. The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob. I cant even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so.



Murdoch goes on to note, Diverse storytellers, and stories, can make a difference, and diversity is key to his business. He mentions two examples of works hes proud to say his company had a hand in: 12 Years a Slave and He Named Me Malala. 21st Century Fox is also the parent company of Fox News, which has been working hard to normalize Trumps response to Charlottesville.

James and his wife, Kathryn, who worked for the Clinton Climate Initiative, are said to be embarrassed by aspects of Fox News. James and his brother Lachlan were reportedly behind the ouster of Bill OReilly and Roger Ailes, and theres been speculation that they might change the networks tone as they assume control from their father.
The 2012 GOP presidential nominee accuses the 2016 GOP presidential nominee of undermining the military and U.S. foreign policy with his expressions of solidarity with the white rioters of Charlottesville. Photo: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images

The cavalcade of Republican dignitaries criticizing, or at least distancing themselves from the presidents mealymouthed response to Charlottesville grows longer each minute. But one particularly heavy wingtip just dropped, as Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, went medieval on Trump in a Facebook post:

Whether he intended to or not, what [Trump] communicated caused racists to rejoice, minorities to weep, and the vast heart of America to mourn. His apologists strain to explain that he didnt mean what we heard. But what we heard is now the reality, and unless it is addressed by the president as such, with unprecedented candor and strength, there may commence an unraveling of our national fabric.

After suggesting that Trump is undermining the morale of the U.S. armed forces, undercutting our standing with stunned allies, and giving our enemies cause for celebration, Romney cut to the chase:

The potential consequences are severe in the extreme. Accordingly, the president must take remedial action in the extreme. He should address the American people, acknowledge that he was wrong, apologize. State forcefully and unequivocally that racists are 100% to blame for the murder and violence in Charlottesville. Testify that there is no conceivable comparison or moral equivalency between the Naziswho brutally murdered millions of Jews and who hundreds of thousands of Americans gave their lives to defeatand the counter-protestors who were outraged to see fools parading the Nazi flag, Nazi armband and Nazi salute. And once and for all, he must definitively repudiate the support of David Duke and his ilk and call for every American to banish racists and haters from any and every association.

The third sentence of Romneys petition could create an immovable stumbling block: Donald Trump, to put it mildly, has some difficulty acknowledging he is wrong and offering plain and forthright apologies. In August of his 2016 campaign, he offered a vague blanket apology for a host of insults that may have caused personal pain. And then in October, he apologized for what he said about women in the Access Hollywood tape, which represented an existential threat to this candidacy. As president, he seems to regard himself as having reacquired a cloak of infallibility, despite the many, many people who have let him down. So if Mitt is serious about expecting an act of contrition with a firm purpose of amendment from the 45th president, he could be waiting for a while.

It is perhaps worth reflecting on the fact that Trumps list of foes includes the last two previous presidential nominees of his own party. John McCain, among the first to feel the sting of a gratuitous insult from candidate Trump in 2015 (Hes not a war hero  He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who werent captured.), cast the deciding vote to finally kill the zombie of Trumpcare  a fact that Trump angrily brought up twice in the very press conference where he set off the current stink bomb about Charlottesville. And now Mitt Romneys frosty-but-proper relationship with the president has gone fully toxic.

The unfriendly total invisibility of the Bush family when it comes to All Matters Trump was broken by a joint statement from the 41st and 43d presidents just after the 45ths horrific presser, and it was a bit pointed, too:

America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms. As we pray for Charlottesville, we are reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that citys most prominent citizen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights. We know these truths to be everlasting because we have seen the decency and greatness of our country.

You have to go back to Bob Dole to find a former GOP presidential nominee who has been truly friendly to Trump, and even he broke with Trump a few months ago over the administrations proposal to eviscerate international food-assistance programs. The 94-year-old Dole hasnt commented on Charlottesville, but a passage from his 1996 acceptance speech is again getting some circulation:

[I]f theres anyone who has mistakenly attached themselves to our party in the belief that we are not open to citizens of every race and religion, then let me remind you, tonight this hall belongs to the Party of Lincoln. And the exits which are clearly marked are for you to walk out of as I stand this ground without compromise.

Maybe Steve Bannon is delighted as Trumps actions continue to burn bridges to past Republican leaders, and perhaps Trumps base voters dont care. But every time someone like Mitt Romney takes Donald Trump to the rhetorical woodshed, it becomes easier for GOP members of Congress to declare independence from the White House and plot their own course for survival in 2018. As Trump discovered when health-care legislation ground to an abrupt and embarrassing halt, that can have consequences.
The Jackson-Lee Monument is removed in Baltimore. Photo: Denise Sanders/Baltimore Sun/TNS via Getty Images

Before June 17, 2015, most Americans didnt think much about the more than 700 Confederate monuments around the nation. And then Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old white supremacist, massacred nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. Roofs actions, along with photos of him posing with the Confederate flag, led to a push to remove that symbol of white supremacy from public spaces across the South.

Soon, though, people began looking beyond the flag and focused their attention on statues and monuments to Confederate generals, soldiers, and battles, many of which were erected as Jim Crow flourished across the South and white leaders sought to re-cast the rebellious Confederacy as an honorable lot of freedom fighters and provide rallying points for the reascendent Ku Klux Klan. The summer of 2015 saw many debates about removing these statues, one of which led to a vote by the City Council in Charlottesville, Virginia, to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee on horseback.

That decision led white-supremacist organizers to plan a rally in support of the statue. That rally happened last weekend. The irony of the Unite the Right protest, which saw violent clashes between neo-Nazis and counterprotesters, along with one murder, is that like the Charleston massacre, it has accelerated the removal of Confederate statues across the nation. By associating their rancid ideology with centuries-old memorials, the white supremacists have ensured that these monuments will come down. In the first five days after the rally alone, nearly ten Confederate monuments have fallen. Plenty more will follow.

Here are the latest cities to remove their Confederate statues:

Kansas City, Missouri  August 25, 2017

A week after a vandal spray painted it with a hammer and sickle, a Confederate monument located a block away from the border with Kansas was removed. Workers used chainsaws to cut the monument in 17 pieces, the heaviest of which weighs 15,000 pounds. The head of crew dismantling the monument told The Kansas City Star that its removal is causing a lot of hard feelings, like my feelings.

Lynchburg, Virginia  August 25, 2017

A statue of George Morgan Jones, a Confederate soldier who helped establish Randolph College, is gone from the schools campus. The College has no connection to the Confederacy and, thus, the presence of a statue glorifying a Confederate soldier has no obvious place on our campus, President Bradley Bateman said.

Bradenton, Florida  August 24, 2017

A 22-foot granite obelisk honoring Confederate soldiers was removed from the grounds of the Manatee County courthouse early Friday. The 8.5-ton memorial broke in the process as workers discovered that the shaft of the statue was not connected to the base. (T)he monument was a potential hazard before the move began and could have toppled in a strong storm or if it had been pushed or pulled at the right point, the country spokesman said.

Security video captures the moment when the Manatee County Confederate monument broke while crews were moving it: https://t.co/9MOF1flubz pic.twitter.com/zzvDPLMRIa  Spectrum Bay News 9 (@BN9) August 24, 2017

West Palm Beach, Florida  August 22, 2017

On Sunday, a monument to Confederate soldiers that stood just off Dixie Highway was validated when someone spray-painted it with the words Antifa Fuck Nazis & KKK. On Tuesday, the monument was removed. The ten-foot statue, located in a cemetery, was dedicated to the memory of our Confederate Soldiers and will now be stored in a secure location, according to city officials.

Austin, Texas  August 21, 2017

Four statues of Confederate leaders were removed from the University of Texas at Austin campus after president Greg Fenves called them symbols of modern white supremacy and neo-Nazism. The statues, which depict Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Albert Sidney Johnston, Confederate postmaster John H. Reagan, and former Texas governor James Stephen Hogg, were allowed to stay in their places in 2015 when the university moved a similar statue of Jefferson Davis. At the time, Fenves said that was because the men had ties to Texas. After Charlottesville, Fenves changed his mind, he said in an email to students.

Ellicott City, Maryland  August 21, 2017

City workers removed a memorial listing the names of 92 Confederate soldiers from the grounds of the Howard County circuit court at around 11:30 p.m. Pulled down only hours after it was ordered removed, the monument was the sixth to fall in Maryland in the month of August.

Worthington, Ohio  August 19, 2017

Thirteen years after it was erected, a plaque marking the birthplace of former Confederate general Roswell Ripley was pulled down in this small Ohio town. The decision to remove the plaque, which stood in front of a museum located inside of the Generals former home, was made because Worthington seeks to be a community that promotes tolerance, respect, and inclusion, a city official said.

Durham, North Carolina  August 19, 2017

A statue of Robert E. Lee in front of Duke Universitys chapel was taken down a few days after vandals damaged its nose and chipped off parts of its face. Citing that vandalism, university president Vincent Price said the statue had been removed to ensure the vital safety of students and community members who worship there but also to express the deep and abiding values of our university.

Another Confederate statue comes down in Durham, NC - Gen. Robert E. Lee @Duke Chapel. pic.twitter.com/oTq6EYlxI0  Leoneda Inge (@LeonedaInge) August 19, 2017

The Bronx, New York  August 18, 2017

Busts of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson were removed from the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at Bronx Community College. Bronx Borough president Ruben Diaz Jr. had called for the busts to go a few days before. It is needed, it is time and it sends a clear message that we are not going to tolerate the hatred that weve been seeing, he said.

Daytona Beach, Florida  August 18, 2017

Three plaques honoring dead Confederate soldiers were removed from a park in downtown Daytona Beach. City officials said theyd be cleaned and donated to a local historical society.

Helena, Montana  August 18, 2017

The nations northernmost Confederate monument was pulled down after a letter was sent to city officials by Native American lawmakers in Montana. They argued that the fountain in Helenas Hill Park stood for segregation and slavery and said it should come down. The city quickly agreed, but not all were pleased with the decision. Local police made two arrests when people refused to leave the site as work to remove the monument began.

Annapolis, Maryland  August 18, 2017

At around 2 a.m., with dozens of onlookers watching from below, workers removed a statue of former Supreme Court justice Roger B. Taney from its perch outside the Maryland State House. The 145-year-old statue, whose removal was spurred by the events in Charlottesville, will be held in a Maryland State Archives storage facility.

Taney statue is officially gone from the State House in Annapolis. #TaneyTakeDown pic.twitter.com/tSClKrEWed  Pamela Wood (@pwoodreporter) August 18, 2017

Madison, Wisconsin  August 17, 2017

A plaque honoring Confederate soldiers as unsung heroes was removed from a city-owned cemetery in Madison a day after residents complained about it. The Civil War was an act of insurrection and treason and a defense of the deplorable practice of slavery, Mayor Paul Soglin said in a statement. The monuments in question were connected to that action and we do not need them on City property.

Franklin, Ohio  August 17, 2017

Located along Dixie Highway, a monument to Robert E. Lee was removed overnight by the city of Franklin. As local officials tell it, the monument wasnt removed just because of what it stood for, but because of where it stood. Its location near a highway made it a public safety hazard, they said.

Baltimore, Maryland  August 16, 2017

A day after the Baltimore city council voted to immediately remove four Confederate-era statues, they were removed. Three of the statues honored those who played a role in fighting for the Confederacy and one depicted former Supreme Court chief justice Roger B. Taney, the man who wrote the majority opinion in the infamous Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sandford.

Brooklyn, New York  August 16, 2017

Two plaques honoring a tree planted by Robert E. Lee on the grounds of a shuttered church were cut away by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island.

Los Angeles, California  August 16, 2017

A six-foot memorial to Confederate soldiers was removed from the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

San Diego, California  August 16, 2017

A small plaque presented to the city in 1926 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy was quietly removed from Horton Plaza.

This morning we removed plaque in @HortonPlazaPark honoring Jefferson Davis. Monuments to bigotry have no place in #SanDiego - or anywhere! pic.twitter.com/FoXPALk98H  Christopher Ward (@ChrisWardD3) August 16, 2017

St. Petersburg, Florida  August 15, 2017

Before local officials were even sure that it was located on public land, a plaque honoring a highway named for Stonewall Jackson was removed from the St. Pete waterfront.

Durham, North Carolina  August 15, 2017

A crowd of protesters toppled a Confederate soldiers monument honoring the boys who wore the gray.

Gainesville, Florida  August 14, 2017

More than 110 years after the United Daughters of the Confederacy placed Old Joe, a statue of a Confederate soldier, in downtown Gainesville, the group paid for it to be relocated to a private cemetery ten miles away.

Rockville, Maryland  July 24, 2017

Nearly two years passed between the order to remove a 13-ton statue of a Confederate soldier near the local courthouse and its relocation. The statues new home? A Potomac river crossing named for Confederate Captain Elijah V. White.

Orlando, Florida  July 4, 2017

Moved once in 1917 because it was creating traffic problems, a statue of a Confederate soldier nicknamed Johnny Reb was moved again a century later. This time Johnny was relocated from Lake Eola Park to a section of the Greenwood Cemetery where rebel soldiers are buried.

St. Louis, Missouri  June 28, 2017

By the time the Confederate monument in St. Louiss Forest Park was dismantled, it had become such a target for vandals that the city stopped removing spray-painted slogans from the giant structure, which depicted something called the angel of the spirit of the Confederacy hovering over a family sending a rebel soldier off to fight.

New Orleans, Louisiana  May 19, 2017

Nearly two years after New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu called for the removal of several Confederate statues in the city, the most prominent  the Robert E. Lee Monument in the middle of Lee Circle  was lifted away by a crane.

New Orleans, Louisiana  May 17, 2017

The General P.G.T. Beauregard Equestrian Statue, honoring the man who led the attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina, was removed.

New Orleans, Louisiana  May 11, 2017

Erected nearly 50 years after his side lost the Civil War, the Jefferson Davis Monument was removed by masked workers.

New Orleans, Louisiana  April 24, 2017

Long the subject of controversy, the Battle of Liberty Place Monument, erected in 1891, was a rallying point for racists in the city and at one point had an inscription extolling white supremacy. Now its gone.

Frederick, Maryland  August 17, 2017

A bust of former Supreme Court justice Roger B. Taney, a Maryland native, was removed from in front of the old City Hall ten years after a plaque was added to provide information about his role in the Dred Scott case.

Louisville, Kentucky  November 19, 2016

Though it never seceded from the Union, the commonwealth of Kentucky was claimed by the Confederacy and now it has more statues commemorating the rebellion than any state that didnt secede, according to the South Poverty Law Center. One of those, on the University of Louisville campus, was removed and relocated to a small town an hour away.

Boone County, Missouri  September 24, 2015

Forty years before Dylann Roof ignited a debate over Confederate monuments, a giant rock with a small plaque commemorating Confederate soldiers from Boone County was removed from the campus the University of Missouri and relocated the local courthouse. Several months after the massacre in Charleston, it was moved again, this time a historic site commemorating a nearby Civil War battle.

Austin, Texas  August 13, 2015

The momentum to remove the nine-foot-tall, 1,200-pound statue of Jefferson Davis from the UT Austin campus began with the election of a new student-body president, but it was settled after the massacre in Charleston. More than a year after its removal, the statue returned to campus hidden away in a building where students study American history.
A man who probably wasnt offended by Trumps handling of Charlottesville. Photo: RJ Sangosti/Denver Post via Getty Images

Earlier this week, Donald Trump described white nationalists who marched with torches intended to evoke the Ku Klux Klan  while chanting phrases borrowed from literal Nazis  as very fine people. He then suggested that the white supremacists who rallied in Charlottesville to defend the honor of men who fought to keep dark-skinned people as slaves  and the counterprotesters who gathered to defend the equal dignity of all human beings  were equally to blame for the weekends violence (which included one member of the first group plowing a car through members of the latter).

Finally, the president made it clear that, when comes to the substance of the dispute between the neo-Nazis and the government of Charlottesville, he sides with the skinheads.

Republican elites  and a majority of the American public  were horrified.

But the Republican base was not. A CBS News poll finds that 67 percent of GOP voters approved of Trumps response to the attack in Charlottesville, while 82 percent of Democrats, and 53 percent of independents disapproved. Although part of the survey was taken before the presidents inflammatory Tuesday press conference, that spectacle did little to dampen Republican enthusiasm for the presidents handling of the matter: Among GOP voters who were interviewed after Trump called white nationalists very fine people, 66 percent said hed done the right thing.

To put that in context: Only 35 percent of Republicans supported the Senate GOPs health-care bill, according to an NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist poll released in late June.

Which is to say: The Republican base is far more supportive of Trumps racist blather than of the legislative agenda that said blather supposedly undermines.

This puts congressional Republicans in a difficult position. Generally speaking, its the Democrats who try to spotlight issues that isolate the GOP base from the rest of their party and country. Promoting wedge issues is one of the oldest gambits in partisan politics. But now, the one working to drive a wedge between the conservative grassroots and the rest of the electorate is the Republican president of the United States.

GOP lawmakers have tried to navigate this mess by condemning Trumps rhetoric, without saying his name. The ostensible hope being that criticizing the beliefs, but not the man, would be enough to satisfy Nazi-averse voters and die-hard Trumpists alike.

On Thursday, Tennessee senator Bob Corker took matters a step farther.

Were at a point where there needs to be radical changes [that] take place at the White House itself. It has to happen, Corker told local reporters in Tennessee. I think the president needs to take stock of the role that he plays in our nation and move beyond himself  move way beyond himself  and move to a place where daily hes waking up thinking about what is best for the nation.

The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful, Corker continued. And we need for him to be successful.

The senator went on to question whether Trump understands the character of this nation, and suggested that the presidents many deficiencies have put the country at great peril.

But Corker never specified what radical changes he expected to see  or why any change beyond the identity of the president would make a difference, given Trumps resolute refusal to follow anyones guidance but that of his own id.

Asked whether he endorsed measures to remove Trump from office, Corker insisted that he did not.

But it wouldnt really matter if he did. The vast majority of congressional Republicans remain supportive of the Trump presidency, because the vast majority of GOP voters do. At the end of the day, for the average Republican, Donald Trumps racism is more appealing than Paul Ryans agenda.

But neither have much appeal with the broader electorate. That could be a problem for the GOP in 2018.
Infrastructure, weak. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump on Thursday cancelled plans to put together an Advisory Council on Infrastructure less than a month after signing an executive order creating it. The White House didnt say why the council would disband before ever banding, but after Trump was forced to nix two other advisory councils this week in the wake of CEO defections, it seems possible that no one wanted to sit on the panel of a President whos about as popular as a crumbling bridge.

The cancellation of the council, which was supposed to advise Trump on his plan to spend $1 trillion upgrading bridges and roads across the nation, is only the most recent slight to the perpetually overshadowed mission of improving the nations infrastructure.

Remember Infrastructure Week? It officially began on June 5, the day after Trump ripped Londons Mayor hours after a terror attack on his city. Later, it essentially morphed into Infra-Fuck-It Week as Trump spent his mornings tweeting insults at Democrats and used his speeches to talk about health care, veterans affairs, and anything that interested him more than asphalt.

It also didnt help that the White Houses crack messaging staff scheduled Infrastructure Week to coincide with the most highly anticipated congressional testimony in recent memory. As James Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 8, Vice-President Pence hosted governors and mayors at the White House, where he declared it a banner week for infrastructure. Turns out, the banner never unfurled.

No wonder Trump tried again. Though this week didnt get the official White House designation of Infrastructure Week, Part Two, it was clearly supposed to mark President Deals renewed push for a massive infrastructure overhaul. But on Tuesday, during a press conference scheduled to tout an executive order improving what Trump called the nations badly broken infrastructure permitting process, he decided to defend some participants in last weekends Charlottesville neo-Nazi rally as fine people.

By the end of the presser, Trump was all but begging reporters to ask an infrastructure question. When one reporter finally did, he answered by bashing John McCain for voting against the Senate GOPs health-care bill.
Trump delivers a statement in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Monday, August 14, 2017. Photo: Chris Kleponis/Bloomberg via Getty Images

What is there to add to the acres of pixels deployed to understand this past week?

A few thoughts. This should change everything and will likely change nothing. It remains a fact that 67 percent of Republican voters back Trumps disgusting response to the neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville. Thats 34 percent of the country  which is only a little below where Trumps current polling lies. Close to 80 percent of GOP voters approve of Trumps presidency as a whole. Over the last week or so, in fact, Trumps disapproval has dropped somewhat and his approval stabilized. Yes, its still dreadful by historical standards  but still enough to ensure that the loyal base will still intimidate the Republican elite into passivity.

We know now  even more indelibly  that no one can control Trump. His unprompted presser was his own impulsive revolt against his own aides caution  just as we now know, his tweeted ban on transgender service members was also a function of a temper tantrum. There are no guardrails in place if his temper were to start a war or civil unrest.

We know that new chief of staff John Kelly cant control the staff. Steve Bannons call to Bob Kuttner was, in many ways, worse than Scaramuccis to Ryan Lizza. And Kelly was supposed to end all of that.

We know that even Trumps belief that fine people marched alongside Nazi thugs in Charlottesville will not prompt Gary Cohn or James Mattis or Rex Tillerson or Kelly to resign. We know that even in that no-brainer context, almost no Republicans in Congress, including Paul Ryan, will criticize Trump by name. This incident in some ways inoculates Trump. If they let him survive this, they will let him survive anything.

Impeachment could make things worse, not better. If Muellers final indictment is not tightly connected to the presidents own collusion with Russia, but involves more general criminality in Trumps business records or coterie, Trump would have an easy case to make to his base, and one he recently dusted off in his West Virginia rally. He could say that the Establishment is out to get him, and that impeachment is simply a way to nullify a fair election. Such a message will resonate. Even if a post-2018 House voted to impeach, I seriously doubt the Senate could find enough Republicans to reach the 66-vote threshold for conviction.

As for the solution offered by the 25th Amendment, this week was also instructive. If the cabinet cannot act after the president has destroyed Americas nuclear credibility and has claimed to have seen fine people marching alongside Nazis, they will never act. And again, this escape hatch is equally shut off by the populist maneuver  against the cabinet itself. We know, in other words, that these people will act only after a catastrophe has occurred, and not before.

I also suspect that Steve Bannon is not insane to be buoyant. If our politics in the near future is dominated by race  and especially by the question of Confederate statues  Trump will win. In culture wars, those who initiate the battle tend to lose it, and a campaign to remove statues across the country would be seen as just such a provocation. A poll this week that Cory Booker and Nancy Pelosi should take to heart reveals that 62 percent of Americans favor leaving the statues alone. Even a plurality of African-Americans  44 to 40 percent  wants to keep them in place. Thats why Trump has pivoted to that ground.

And he has one more advantage this fall. He will have Hillary Clinton back as a foil, as she promotes her new book, whining about her electoral loss. Trump has no greater ally than Clinton. She won him the presidency; she could well sustain his presidency.

I wish I could be more optimistic. And surely I should be more optimistic after a president gets on the wrong side of a debate about Nazis. But there remains a deep darkness in America. And we should not be blind to Trumps genius at exploiting it.

The thing I most miss about Barack Obama is his temperament. I think a lot of us underestimated how much it calmed us for eight long, fraught years. Nothing, it seemed, could ruffle his sleek, water-resistant feathers. He always gave the impression that everything was going to be okay, even if quite clearly it wasnt. His response to crisis was always no drama. His reaction to tragedy was instinctively humane, and occasionally inspired (just think of his eulogy speech after the Charleston massacre). He never seemed to suddenly shift gait or look clumsy or swiftly change moods. He glided like a steady-cam through his own presidency. America, for Obama, was the preeminent world power and didnt need to prove its strength every day. His political opponents  even those foul racists who questioned his citizenship  were irritants to him, not mortal foes. The Republican fever would break eventually, he assured us. Nothing, it seemed, could get under his skin. His long game would work (and perhaps it will).

But there was, looking back, a cost to this serenity. There was always a touch of complacency about it. He could get cocky and a little careless at times. In his coolness, he could easily underestimate what were, in fact, serious threats, such as the emergence of what he first called the JV team of al Qaeda, ISIS, or the potential for the Syrian civil war to ripple forever outward, or, more pertinently, the candidacy and possible election of Donald Trump.

He first mocked Trump relentlessly at that infamous 2011 White House Correspondents Association dinner: Obviously we all know about your credentials and breadth of experience. For example  no seriously, just recently, in an episode of Celebrity Apprentice, at the steakhouse, the mens cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. And there was a lot of blame to go around, but you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership, and so ultimately you didnt blame Lil Jon or Meat Loaf, you fired Gary Busey. And these are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir. Even at the same event, in 2015, Obama could say, with evident amazement and contempt: And Donald Trump is Here. Still. [Laughter.] Anyway. [Laughter.]

Who exactly is laughing now? Last year, Obama simply stated as fact that Trump was not going to be president, period, fatally misreading the political tea leaves, and causing complacency on his own side: I continue to believe Mr. Trump will not be president, and the reason is because I have a lot of faith in the American people. His supreme confidence somehow persuaded him to back his defeated former opponent, Hillary Clinton, over his vice-president, Joe Biden, as his successor. For someone whose long game was critical to his success, this was a catastrophic misjudgment.

And when Obamas intelligence services came to him last year and told him that Vladimir Putin was directly attempting to undermine the American election by trying to tilt it toward Trump, he did not hyperventilate. He didnt ring the alarm and go public, and risk being seen as, in some way, an agent of Hillary Clinton. He didnt want to intervene and polarize an already polarized country. He didnt want to give Trump ammunition in the middle of a campaign (proof either that Trump had gotten into his head or that his complacency about Clinton was deep). And so, under his watch, the most sacred and vital ritual in our public life, the election of a new Congress and president, was compromised by a hostile foreign power. And before the election, his only clear action was to tell Putin, in a summit aside, to cut it out.

This was, it must be said, far too cool a response. He was president. An attack on our electoral system was an act of war against American democracy. And he kept the attack secret, and let it happen. Everything would be okay, as the Obama doctrine had it. Hillary was going to win anyway. But we now know it was not okay. And we live, in part, with the consequences of Obamas complacency.

I wonder, as our national crisis deepens, if there might be some way for Obama to return to meet the challenge of the moment his complacency, in part, facilitated. So far, hes taken a very George W. Bush position on being a former president. And theres a dignity in this  in normal times. But these are not normal times. Perhaps Obama is shrewdly hoarding political capital so he can deploy it if the country degenerates into worse civil unrest or even a new Korean war. His favorable ratings are now very high  61-36. He could be a leader who could rally the anti-Trump majority. Obamas tweet after Charlottesville quickly became the most liked in the history of Twitter, as if Americans were desperate for some relief, some gravity and perspective. There is a void here  and no other Democrat seems capable of filling it.

But I fear his coolness and sense of propriety may keep him more passive than he should be. This, in my view, would be a mistake. He fatally underestimated Trump before and must not do so again. We need him  to guide his party away from the siren calls of the identity-obsessed left, to remind us how a president should act when tragedy strikes, to join perhaps with the Bushes, Clinton, and Carter to offer some moral authority as this nightmare unfolds week by week, year by year.

Where have you gone, Barack Obama? A nation turns its teary eyes to you.

Heres a paragraph that made me sit up straight. Its from the Washington Post, in a column by David Rothkopf: Testosterone is the most effective solvent for human brain tissue. Just a drop or two can render a perfectly functional human cortex completely stupid. As evidence, I offer all of human history. Maybe this was an attempt at a parody of what Rothkopf believes James Damore, the fired Google dissident, argued. I can hope. And Rothkopf is absolutely right to argue for greater efforts to ensure equality of opportunity for women across the globe. But seriously. Half the human race is inherently stupid  and this has been proven through all of human history?

Imagine the same column replacing testosterone with estrogen. Would it ever be published? Would a columnist who wrote that be employed the next day? Theres an assumption here: that the way to prevent negative generalizations about groups who have been historically oppressed is to make negative generalizations about groups who have historically been powerful. This, it has to be repeated, is not an escape from past prejudice; its merely a perpetuation of it in reverse. Is it not possible to agree with the fact of past injustice while attempting to construct a liberal order in which no group is stigmatized and discriminated against henceforth? If South Africa has been able to make this move, why cant America? Or is racial payback the new civil rights?

These broad, smug generalizations are not only on the left, of course. Here, for example, is an interview with a traditional Southern Baptist theologian, Andrew T. Walker, who has a new book providing moral guidance on the transgender issue. Walker cites Pauls condemnation of swindlers, thieves, drunks, homosexuals, and adulterers as apposite to the transgender experience: There are practices and lifestyles that, if left unrepented of, can prevent someone from inheriting  that is, having a place in  the kingdom of God. To live as a Christian is to accept Gods authority over our own. Transgender identities fall into that category  they are not compatible with following Christ.

Notice the sleight of hand here: a behavior is utterly conflated with an identity. I understand, and have long contested, the argument that gay people are somehow immoral because we have non-procreative sex. But I cannot understand how trans people are damned simply for existing. How do you repent for being yourself? Walker doesnt listen or inquire into individual trans people; he simply conflates them with transgenderism, the fashionable nostrum that somehow everyone chooses their gender and sexuality, and that the male and female of our own species are nothing but social constructions. I find transgenderism an intellectually incoherent mess; but that has no effect whatever on what I think about transgender people and the dignity and respect they deserve. One wonders what Walker would think of intersex people. Are they also damned simply because of who they are?

These lazy bigotries of right and left may not be morally interchangeable. Ranting about how all men are intrinsically evil is different than damning a minuscule number of marginalized people from a position of relative power. Yes, context matters. But surely we can manage to resist either version of dehumanization  and to see human beings as individuals, worthy of our empathy and understanding, rather than groups who need to be condemned.

The great challenge of our time is that this classic liberalism is under assault by the left and this vision of Christianity is under attack by the right. To which one can only respond: Resist!

See you next Friday.
Hes taking the fun out of controlling two branches of government. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Kevin Dietsch/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

In two interviews this week, White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said he welcomes the fight over the presidents defense of the very fine people who came out to a white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend.

The Democrats, he told The American Prospect, the longer they talk about identity politics, I got em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.

But what if instead of economic nationalism, President Trump sticks with indulging in outrageous scandals?

Republicans were already bracing for a brutal September, since Congress must pass legislation by the end of the month to prevent a government shutdown and a breach of the debt ceiling. Plus, theyre hoping to overhaul the tax code for the first time in 31 years. Two-and-a-half weeks is a lifetime in Trumps Washington, but lawmakers are afraid that Trumps fight over the legacy of the Confederacy will further hamper their ability to get to work once they return from recess on September 5.

Conservatives are expected to resist efforts to raise the debt ceiling without spending cuts, and Republicans must strike a deal with Democrats to keep the government funded. Representative Tom Rooney, who is on the GOP whip team, noted on Thursday that if they want to pass a clean debt-ceiling increase theyll need the president, whos still extremely popular with the base, to do the whipping.

The same is true of tax reform. As President Trump was disbanding his mutinous business councils on Wednesday, members of the House Ways and Means Committee were meeting in Santa Barbara, California, to work out the details of their tax-reform plan. At the end of the day, President Trump will be incredibly crucial to the success of this, said committee chairman Kevin Brady. Tax reform is the signature issue of this presidency.

Representative Carlos Curbelo, who was also on the trip, added that Trump would need to focus on policy in a way that he never did during the push to repeal Obamacare (which is a low bar, since he spent the days before the skinny repeal vote joking about police brutality and causing trouble at the Boy Scout Jamboree).

This is on a whole different scale, Curbelo said. The committees are still going to do their work, and its not like were just going to sit around and talk about issues like this all of the time, but it certainly makes it harder to make a strong case for tax reform to the public because nobody is talking about it.

One senior House GOP aide told Politico that so far the Trump administration is only hurting their efforts.

These constant tangents create distractions; they force our members to talk about statues and Nazis instead of tax reform, the source said. Until this White House learns how to actually use the bully pulpit, theyre essentially useless.

Theres not much congressional Republicans can do about that except hope that Trump suddenly buckles down and stops attacking them for situations hes doing nothing to fix. As New Yorks Eric Levitz notes, polls show Trumps racism is more popular among Republicans than the GOPs recent legislative agenda. Congressional Republicans can implore Trump to work with them rather than testing whether the base will stand by him if hes achieved no legislative victories and presided over an unnecessary fiscal crisis. But Trump isnt up for reelection in 2018.
Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

In todays Trump-administration Friday news dump, the New York Times reports that Trumps infamous senior strategist Steve Bannon is out at the White House. A source close to the matter told the Times Bannon had actually submitted his resignation notice on August 7 and the announcement had been pushed back following the violence in Charlottesville. The Wall Street Journal attributes Bannons resignation to his disagreements with Trumps chief of staff, John Kelly. Politico says Bannons tactics and behavior ultimately did him in. And Reddit and 4chan, well, theyre bummed no matter what lost Bannon the job.

Over on 4chan, users are discussing whether or not theyll continue to support Trump now that Bannon is gone. While theres some support for a Bannon-free Trump administration, the bulk of comments mourn the senior strategist in some, uh, colorful language. Heres a sampling of comments from the thread. (You can read it in full here. Weve lightly edited  as in, took words out of all-caps internet shouting voice and tweaked some typos  to make them easier to read.)

Now Trumps advisors consist of his family and the generals. Very frightening.



Fuck this fucking Drumpf faggot. Bannon was /ourguy/. Every time Trump messed something up, I told myself well, at least Bannon is still on board.

Bannon was the main one I liked.

No Bannon means Trump is solely advised by kikes and his neocon generals now.

His [Trumps] whole cabinet is neocons, neoliberals and Jews now.

Bannon being there was a promise. Yeah, stuff wasnt happening or happening slowly but his presence said eventually it will happen. Trump needs to actually accomplish things now with him gone. I want to actually see the wall and see tax reform and trade reform.

Bannon was the last Christian in the White House, so no. Not going dem or anything just no longer supporting GOP.

Ive un-ironically given up hope for this administration now that Bannons out. Still better than the dems, but not good by any means. Its just your average kosher neocon republican administration now.

Theres a similar conversation happening over on Reddit, too. Though its slightly  thank you, moderators  more tame.

Meanwhile, Twitter reaction has been everybody making the same joke about Trump taking down a pro-Confederacy statue at the White House. The statue, of course, being Bannon.
Matthew Kanyamunyu, the prime suspect in the murder of child rights activist Kenneth Akena, has to wait until Wednesday next week to learn whether it is third time lucky, following his third bail application in the High Court on Thursday.

Matthews co-accused, his brother Joseph Kanyamunyu and lover Cynthia Munwangari, were granted bail on their second attempt in March, but his application was rejected by Justice Yasin Nyanzi.

Mathew Kanyamunyu (C) arrives at court

The suspect appeared before the same judge on Thursday to make his third application, and Justice Nyanzi set August 23 as the date when he will make his decision.

The trio are accused of murdering Akena on November 12, 2016 around Malik car bond, opposite Uganda Manufacturers Association showground, along Jinja Road.

Evans Ochieng, Matthews lawyer told Justice Nyanzis court yesterday that his client, who owns Quantum Express Logistics, should be freed because his company is on the verge of collapse due to his extended absence. The collapse, Ochieng said, would not only affect Matthew but also his dependants.

In January, High court judge Elizabeth Kabanda denied all three suspects bail, saying that they hadnt shown any special circumstances, like ill health or advanced age to warrant their release.

Unfazed, the trio re-applied for bail and their file was allocated to Justice Nyanzi, who in March let go of Joseph and Cynthia. He however denied Matthew bail.

Justice Nyanzi reasoned that although Matthew is still innocent, there is more compelling evidence on file to pin him on the charge of murder when compared with Munwangari or Joseph.

Five months on, Ochieng asked Justice Nyanzi to reconsider his position, arguing that its legal for Matthew to knock at the judges door again and again until that time when bail shall be granted.

Cynthia Munangwari talks to her lover Mathew Kanyamunyu

Ochieng defended Matthew against the prosecutions claim that if he is granted bail he is likely to interfere with the evidence to be used against him.

Ochieng said prosecution had failed to substantiate how Matthew would interfere with the evidence or prosecution witnesses.

The police have nothing to fear, Ochieng said. Actually, they have said that the evidence is secure since the investigations are complete.

Thereafter, Ochieng implored Justice Nyanzi to release Matthew, saying that he will comply with the bail conditions the way his brother and lover have done, but this did not go down well with the judge.

Youre saying that if Joseph and Cynthia had absconded, Matthew wouldnt have re-applied for bail? Justice Nyanzi asked. Please, this is a different case and court treats each case on its own merit.

Ochieng then tried to pre-empt the prosecutions argument that Matthew doesnt have special circumstances to warrant him bail, but the judge didnt allow him to.

In response, Senior State Attorney Immaculate Angutokoti asked Justice Nyanzi to deny Matthew bail since nothing has changed five months since the judge made that decision.

The judge set August 23 as the date when he will pronounce himself on the bail application.



dkiyonga@observer.ug
President Museveni is not happy with the way Lands minister, Betty Amongi, has conducted attempts to secure land for a multi-billion shilling sugar project in Amuru district, The Observer has been told.

Details of a Tuesday meeting between President Museveni, a section of leaders from the Acholi sub-region and Amongi indicate the head of state criticised his ministers handling of the controversial matter.

Musevenis criticism is likely to be viewed as support to the legislators arguments, which surrounded their displeasure of the manner in which government was taking up land in Acholi.

Minister Betty Amongi

On Friday last week, seven leaders from the Acholi Parliamentary Group (APG) demanded that the president declares his stand on the Amuru land survey, which was characterized by violent protests from communities that did not support the survey.

They also questioned why the military executed the operation to have the land surveyed. During the meeting, where the Acholi paramount chief led a group of cultural, religious, civil and political leaders to State House Entebbe, Museveni openly criticized Amongi before the delegates and asked for restraint from the military in the area.

A source who attended the meeting said Museveni argued that what the minister did in Kololo, a sub-county in Amuru, where Amongi oversaw the survey of land against many peoples will, was bad.

He said Amongi needs to respect the interests and rights of the people in areas where she works. She was asked to involve the local leaders in the implementation of the sugar project, which is to be taken up by the rich Madhvani group, for its success.

Museveni and the leaders then reached a consensus to have the survey exercise continue in Kololo and Lakang, the area where Madhvani wants to set up a sugar factory. It was also agreed that the issue of land ownership be handled formally through the attorney general and the courts of law.

The contest between Amongi and the local leaders reached a head when a group of women stripped before the minister in protest against the takeover of their land. Many people were tear-gassed and live bullets were shot in the air to disperse the crowd.

In the meeting, Museveni ordered for cessation of hostilities and asked that every soldier be monitored to answer individually for any acts of violence. He, however, declined to order for the withdrawal of the military in Kololo as demanded by the local leaders.

It was also agreed that the paramount chief of Acholi, Rwot David Onen Acana II, coordinates the process of reconciling parties aggrieved by the survey processes. Museveni promised that government would provide assistance to the individuals who were affected during the survey process.

Two people, Bosco Okello and Lucky Okwonga from Kololo, remain hospitalized at St Marys hospital Lacor after sustaining injuries during the protest.

A source who attended the meeting said Museveni declined to have land titles in individual names.

He insisted that having multiple land titles wouldnt look good but let us first consult with the attorney general on this.

The local leaders are worried that land titles given in names of investment projects deprive the community from claiming any right of shares.

The meeting resolved that an independent private valuer should be engaged to value the land based on the current prevailing market rate.

The team that met Museveni is expected to give feedback to the community about the resolutions agreed on during a project site visit early next week.
The executive director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Jennifer Musisi, has penned a letter implicating the political wing led by the lord mayor, division mayors and councilors for inciting vendors to attack KCCA law enforcement officers.

In her August 11, 2017 letter, Musisi claims that politicians at different levels have been influential in inciting the community to rise against and oppose enforcement operations in their divisions.

Musisi contends that the actions of the politicians have resulted into attacks by the vendors and members of the public against KCCA law enforcement officers, leading to physical injuries and loss of organs.

Jennifer Musisi shakes hands with Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago recently

She cites a case where one staff lost an eye and another sustained brain injuries and spent over a month under intensive care in a hospital.

The KCCA political leadership including Authority and Division councilors has consistently accused our staff of being murderers, thugs, brutal, high-handed and unprofessional and stirred up resentment and physical attacks on the staff by the public, Musisi writes.

She says the political leadership, which formulates policies that law enforcers, are trying to implement shouldnt be condemning KCCA law enforcement staff.

She accuses Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo, the Nakawa division mayor, for inciting Kinawataka residents and shop owners to break KCCA law revenue seals that were lawfully placed to enforce compliance.

He reportedly often threatens officers and orders them to release suspects before they are chargedhe claims enforcement staff are harassing his voters in the course of their lawful work, reads Musisis letter.

She also accuses the Kawempe division mayor, Emmanuel Sserunjogi, for ordering the law enforcement team to stop arresting vendors operating in Bwaise, where solar traffic lights have been installed, during evening hours.

She also says Sserunjogi has stopped the transportation of impounded merchandise from Kawempe division headquarters to City Hall court.

Musisi also claims the Central division mayor, Charles Serunjogi, has stopped the law enforcement officers from conducting operations during certain hours.



MINISTERS OFFICE BLAME

The mayor of Central division has reportedly instructed division law enforcement officers not to conduct any trade order operation beyond 1800hrs, citing a presidential directive, yet that is the time when roads are flooded with vendors.

Furthermore, he has reportedly advised vendors and mechanics working on the newly built road along Kisekka to continue working and resist/repel any enforcement officers who go there to decongest and protect the street, Musisi says.

She also accuses the office of the Kampala minister for operating behind the scenes to frustrate city law enforcement.

The Office of Minister for Kampala, has also reportedly been used to sabotage and intimidate our enforcement operations through Mr Hassan Kasibante in various areas, including installation of popcorn machines in Old taxi park and also blocking removal of vendors in Kajja behind Mini Price Police bootheven vendors have reportedly used people from the ministers office to claim back impounded items and exert pressure on law enforcement officers, the letter reads.

The Central division mayor, Charles Serunjogi, describes Musisis claims as unfounded allegations. He says what is important is for Kampala leaders to sit and plan for a city where both the poor and rich have opportunities to earn a living. It is wrong for Musisi to say that I am sabotaging her law enforcement team, which is unlawful. What is provided for is the Metropolitan Police, not law enforcement, he said.

Doreen Nyanjura, the Makerere University councilor, said Musisi is being speculative.

I have not incited anyone to attack KCCA law enforcement officers. I have only been advocating for a city that accommodates the urban poor, she said.

Nyanjura argues that the alternatives proposed by the city council such as licencing vending on some streets have been watered down by the KCCA management.



editor@observer.ug
Cancer patients in need of radiotherapy treatment can breathe a sigh of relief after the long-awaited Cobalt-60 machine finally arrived at Mulago hospital on Wednesday this week.

The director, Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), Dr Jackson Orem, received a 40-foot container bearing part of the equipment at around 6pm at a very low-key event, after logistical delays.

Dr Orem told The Observer that installation of the Shs 3 billion machine alone will take one month, after which they will conduct tests and later commission it early in October.

I am very excited that the equipment is finally here, Dr Orem said. I am reliably informed that the installation team of engineers from the manufacturer [will] be in the country early next week. Once they arrive, we are looking at starting work immediately on Thursday.

Truck carrying the radiotherapy machine driving into the Cancer Institute premises

During the installation and testing process, he said some patients will also be treated to ensure that the machine is in perfect condition.

This new machine is not only good news for Uganda cancer patients but the entire East African region. UCI is proud to be a center of excellence for cancer treatment and it would be ridiculous to send away other patients with this new acquisition, he said.

Ugandas only radiotherapy machine that was procured in 1995 broke down in March last year. UCI had signed agreements with countries such Rwanda, DRC, Sudan, Burundi, Tanzania and Kenya and has been treating their cancer patients.

According to Dr Ausi Kavuma, a senior medical officer at the radiotherapy department, equipment for the Cobalt-60 machine was delivered in the country in two parts; the bulk part by sea and the radiation source by air.

The second part is currently in safe custody at Entebbe airport and it will arrive at Mulago hospital by close of business on Friday [today] after we have completed offloading equipment from the container, Dr Kavuma said.

He explained that UCI decided to transport the radiation source by air due to its sensitivity in a bid to fulfill the international regulations on transporting radioactive material.

Kavuma said the manufacturing company has given UCI a three-year warranty on the machine but it is capable of working for more than 20 years.

The only thing that we shall keep working on is the radiation source because it has to be replaced after every five years. With more patients on the machine, the source keeps on decaying due to usage, he said.



TRANSPORTATION DILEMMA

Meanwhile, the scheduled arrival of the cancer machine on Wednesday at 8:30am could not be met, sparking off blame games between UCI and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

URAs commissioner for customs, Dickson Kateshumbwa, said: The reports that the [cancer machine] is being held at URA are false. When we do our part and release it, its up to the responsible ministry or hospital to take it away. We understand that there are safety issues they have to fulfill [but] we dont have any claims on this machine.

Kateshumbwas comments came after a Wednesday ceremony where the ministry of Health had invited journalists to witness the handover of the machine to Uganda Cancer Institute flopped.

Orem explained that delays were caused by the transporter, Evergreen Shipping Agency, which did not clearly explain the shipping terms, including payment of a refundable $2000 (Shs 7.2m) deposit for the container used to transport the machine from the Czech Republic.



nangonzi@observer.ug
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The Tennessee Valley Corridor, a regional economic development organization spanning 10 congressional districts in five states, has expanded its footprint to incorporate Alabamas 3rd Congressional District represented by Congressman Mike Rogers, which includes Auburn University and the City of Auburn.

The TVC focuses on supporting federal science and technology missions in the Tennessee Valley, competing for new missions and leveraging these assets for private sector job development. The organization promotes congressional districts in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina as premier science and technology regions in the nation.

"Having Alabama's 3rd Congressional District included in the Tennessee Valley Corridor will be of great benefit to Auburn University and to economic development efforts in the state," said John Mason, Auburn's vice president for research and economic development. "As a participant in the TVC Leadership Council, Auburn will continue connecting our research expertise with federal needs and the private sector.

Rodney Robertson, executive director of the Auburn University Huntsville Research Center, will serve as Rogers representative on the TVC board of directors.

Dr. Robertson and other members of the Auburn community have long participated in the work of the TVC and were pleased that Congressman Rogers district is now represented, said Mason.

Since 1995 when it was first formed, the TVC has built a strong alliance of community, business, education and government leaders through a series of regional technology summits in partnership with the corridors congressional delegation.

Including East Alabama in the corridor community enables our region to be part of an alliance focused on providing a superior quality of life, said Rogers. Creating partnerships among federal institutions, world-class research institutions and corporate leaders in science and technology allows the TVC to contribute the resources needed for high-tech research, development, business and investment.

More information about the Tennessee Valley Corridor is available at http://tennvalleycorridor.org/.
because she fucking should, that's why.

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Yeeeeees! I don't even care about the show I just love Michelle.



Edited at 2017-08-18 02:02 am (UTC)

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I thought it was gonna be joe biden

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He was amazing on Parks & Rec.





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lmfao miss this show

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the show had way too many guest stars over the last seasons...

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Lmao neither did I



Obama he was baracking my world

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Me too. But I think it was a sex dream. I recall her saying something like; "Obama! He was Barack-ing my world!"

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Her talking about him as the first time I ever remembered hearing his name and it stuck with me lol

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I read about this earlier, idc for Will & Grace.

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Get that Emmy Michelle!

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Nnnnnnnn

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U didn't lie.

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spill that tea omg

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LOL

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Omg.... oh shit you right lmao

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LOL

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I want to know her workout routine. Her arms are amazing. Also her studying routine. I'm starting to write my thesis and I'm disorganized.



Edited at 2017-08-18 02:12 am (UTC)

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going as far as they want but no Trump jokes? lame

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I mean, there's a non-zero chance he gets pissy and arrests her family at some point, so best not to poke the beast

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she's too classy for that shit

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yes how could I forget "when they go low, we go high"

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I loved the celeb appearances in the latter seasons. The J.Lo and Janet Jackson ones are some of my faves.



F.Y.I, I will no longer cry

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"I feel a connection with Jackson and the number 5"

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"Which one of you is not wearing Glow?.. you think I put that in your Christmas stocking for nothing?"

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'NO, CLASSIC J.LO!!!!' still fucking kills me to this day lol

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I love her so much; was watching a video of her and Bo and Sunny and I was like "waaaaah"

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That's a nice picture of Michelle. I love the color of the dress. In some ways, I'm more excited to read her book than I am Obama's tbh.

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her cameo in Parks and Recreations is still the funniest cameo i have seen





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Blocked in my country, I'm in the US tho.

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I mean, it's Christopher Nolan. He keeps that POC count at a max of 2 - let's be real. Can't wait for all his fans to defend its historical accuracy lol

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I recently came across a vid of the Joker's Dark Night "best scenes" and I was shocked at how many PoC he beats up. Like they're the majority of his foes. So I guess we can say Nolan's hiring them... just to have them beat and killed with no dialogue.

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Can't wait for all his fans to defend its historical accuracy lol



and if they do, they're armchair historians, and fucking idiots.



coincidentally, i saw the film this afternoon and while yes, it's a brilliant film, the entire time i thought "where are the poc's? why were there only two visible women in the film, and only three lines of dialogue from female actors?" it literally wouldn't have been difficult for nolan to have that representation there, without disrupting the flow or tone of the film.

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I mean, is anyone really surprised? WWII has been whitewashed to shit (we touched on this in another thread) and this is Nolan. As soon as Nigel Farage says something is good, it's probably time to avoid it.

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i honestly wouldn't say avoid the film though; it's a brilliant piece, but yes... the criticisms towards nolan's casting and representation are legitimate criticisms (and highly problematic of him), and one's he really needs to start addressing within the larger body of his work.

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They just now looking into this......

Rmfe.

Also......

submitting this on behalf of another ontder who wishes to stay anonymous.

Why say that in the first place tho? Like just post it.



Edited at 2017-08-18 03:47 pm (UTC)

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Right? What is this, the Trump White House?

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because i wanted to since i didn't do any of the work in compiling the post...? when have op notes always been 100% necessary?

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i always knew harry styles stans were white supremacists

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i like how you connect the dots!

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time for a new ontd EXCLUSIVE SIS!

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when the shoe fits!

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ik you're kidding, but you'd be surprised at the gross amount of harries on tumblr who defended nolan when his white washing history was pointed out.

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Fuck this pseudo intellectual asshole.

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The same Nolan who said that Zoe Kravitz was "too urban" for a film set in a city? Surprising.



I hate that man and his films sfm.

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I think his films are quite overrated and have the same bare bones plot every time - some conflicted white guy who always have to avenge his family in some way.



That statement about Zoe Kravitz is so fucked.

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gross af, I'm glad she exposed them

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Yep, he can fuck off for that

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I remember her saying a director told her that but I had no idea who it was.

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yeah this doesn't surprise me

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ontd is already anonymous so wtf does that op note mean? an ontder was too scared to post this? like...

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they just didn't want the hassle of dealing with people like you

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lmao

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lol irl

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lmao get 'em!

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Cackling

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hardly lol ppl keep notes on users so they can call them out later. like i wish it was still an anonymous void tho tbh anyone can say they're anybody but some users are legit like well 2 years ago you mentioned renting a woody allan movie in a roundup so ur opinion is invalid

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i remember reading a great article mapping out all the issues with this movie and how it was a brexit wet dream. i was surprised for.2 seconds until i remembered chris nolan hates melanin and women, in that order.



submitting this on behalf of another ontder who wishes to stay anonymous



how much do you charge for your services?

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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/01/indian-african-dunkirk-history-whitewash-attitudes i believe it was this piece!

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how much do you charge for your services?



i already told you that i don't want to make any JOC posts

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submitting this on behalf of another ontder who wishes to stay anonymous



...what

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lol mte!

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lbr some ppl here get really pressed when their faves get any criticism and this person just didn't want the hassle of dealing with that. not everyone's a sucker for punishment.

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no one here is a Nolan stan

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I'd just think they'd be willing to stand by that criticism if they really thought it was legitimate, regardless of potential trolls, but okay.

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this just keeps getting more confusing



they can't deal with online comments?



since when did posting something mean you have to defend it? they can just post it and ignore the comments. some people take ontd way too seriously.

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well if they wanna be anonymous let them?

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mte people are too scared to post on ontd now? weak.

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the British were ordered to leave the Indian soldiers behind, but commanders on the ground defied the orders and most of the Indian soliders were evacuated, though some were captured just short of Dunkirk and died as prisoners of war.

I guess they wanted to leave that glaring part out huh?

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That's so fucking atrocious

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Jesus fucking christ

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British people like to pretend we'd become better by then, of course it's a whole ass lie.

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i like the brits who think brits are a group of people who apologize over everything compulsively. they're always rich and white and they use it to describe themselves lol.



Edited at 2017-08-18 04:23 pm (UTC)

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That sounds like a war crime

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brits only like us when we make their takeaway "curry"



forget that there is a history of our people fighting for them in world war 1 and 2



outside of that we're just dirty immigrants and foreigners there to take their jobs away, take their resources away and should be sent back to the home they spent 200 years robbing of all resources and desecrating. because, you know, white people logic

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fucking vile

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In the movie they were also ordered to leave the French behind. I suppose also saying Indians makes them more vile.

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this is wildly unsurprising to learn tbh but it doesn't make it any less shit

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Well it is Nolan. Max two poc characters



Edited at 2017-08-18 03:47 pm (UTC)

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hmmpf



i was glad to see some indian/sikh soldiers in the background of wonder woman

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yeah, the srs movie it's less historically accurate in that sense than Wonder Woman lmao, SAD!



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i was surprised to see that. like "oh look we do sometimes get acknowledged outside of a gurinder chadha movie. that's nice"



i actually really appreciated the first nation character calling out the genocide of his people at the hands of white people and sameer and his dream to be an actor and why he couldn't be. patty jenkins did a decent job with those characters

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Let's be VERY clear - your president @realDonaldTrump is a racist who sided with nazis & white supremacists. He's given them license to hate  Wilson Cruz (@wcruz73) August 15, 2017

Just when you think he can get no more monstrous, divisive and self-servingly racist. A blow-dried reptile.#NewLow https://t.co/fdgoabJGlb  Jason Isaacs (@jasonsfolly) August 16, 2017

RIP Heather Heyer - You will not be forgotten.  RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) August 14, 2017

[ in the US ] in the US September 24 at 8:30 PM ET on CBS. Immediately following the first episodes release, the second episode will be available in the U.S. on CBS All Access, with subsequent episodes released on Sundays. The first eight episodes will run from September 24 through November 5, with the series returning in January 2018

[ in Canada ] in Canada September 24 on CTV & Space simultaneously, with two episodes following immediately on Space only

[ in the rest of the world ] in the rest of the world September 25 on Netflix. The subsequent episodes will be made available on Netflix the day after the US, ie weekly

Sonequa Martin-Green and Doug Jones cover UK sci-fi mag SFX, on news stands now. In new interviews, the cast discuss how it's a utopian description of many cultures living together without anyone giving up their uniqueness, say "it's a world where there is space for all". Doug Jones describes his character Saru as "very upwardly mobile with something to prove" as the first Kelpien to attend Starfleet Academy. Assure readers the comedic aspect of Star Trek is present in the new series. Martin-Green has been bingeing the original series, loves her "brother" Spock! Meanwhile CBS have released a new trailer. Mostly seen footage but new voicover from Martin-Green and Isaacs. Meanwhile the flawless cast have been sharing various things on social media. Sonequa stars in her friend Lawrence Saint-Victor's new youtube series Fit Chat, where she discusses her craft and her workout routine. Video is not embeddeble but viewable on Youtube here Michelle Yeoh has been sharing adorable holiday snaps.Rekha Sharma shares a cute neighbour story, looks beyond flawless throughout And over on Twitter everybody hates Trump. Special shout-out to Wilson Cruz who has spent the last couple of days in Twitter rage over Agent Orange.On a lighter note, writer Ted Sullivan shared this bts image of Michelle Yeoh in the captain's chair.And this is from a couple weeks back but Terry Farrell - Dax on DS9 - shared this photo of herself and Mary Chieffo, who plays Klingon commander L'Rell on Star Trek: Discovery!Star Trek: Discovery premieresandSources: SFX cover + interview quotes // Instagram: 1 4 // Twitter: 1
Wtf I had no idea they had a kid together

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He denied it for ages, even after there was a DNA test. It's honestly the first thing I think whenever he gets referenced nowadays, lol

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same. He was so gross about all that

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Same

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same

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I totally forgot she had a kid with Eddie Murphy. I totally forgot about Eddie Murphy. I did not however forget about Charlie Murphy. RIP Charlie Murphy :(

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I still can't believe he's gone. Not fair.

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Oh lord, I almost forgot about this. That's why he deserved to lose that Oscar!

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deep sigh

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I feel like Mel B has been divorcing this guy for like 3 years

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I had no idea "step parent visitation rights" were even a thing.

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What the hell is going on in here? Is Mel B dating Eddie Murphy?

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Given what a negligent ass he's been over the poor child I don't see how this drags him into anything. For him to be dragged in he'd have to give a crap and have some kind of care that an abuser was seeking rights over his daughter.

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ia. from the reports I've read, Eddie coughs up child support but has no relationship with Angel. I don't know if she's ever even met her half brothers and sisters

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spice up your life

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Poor Mel B :(



Poor Mel B's kid :(

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Holy shit this dude won't go the hell away

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he's awful, happy divorce mel

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Mess and a whole other mess

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What kind of BS? The child is not his, doesn't matter. This justice system is a disgrace at times.

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A coworker of mine, her husband passed away last year and he was step father to her 2 children. A few weeks ago, she was served with papers at work -- her former in-laws are seeking visitation with her kids. It's really bizarre.

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this dude has really lucked out here omg

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I literally had no idea he had a relationship with Mel!





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Dauym I remember when they both feuded over paternity tests too

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Friday, August 18, 2017

Oil prices rose on Friday afternoon amid a flurry of bullish news. A sign that traders are regaining confidence in the market.

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Oil prices fell significantly this week, although they regained some ground on Friday. Reports of weak Chinese demand deflated the market, but a rather bullish EIA report, a weaker U.S. dollar and a falling rig count provided a bit of a lift.

Energy Aspects: Oil prices should be $10 higher. The rapid decline of U.S. oil inventories in recent months suggests the market is tighter than everyone thinks. Prices should be $10 higher given where the fundamentals are, Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects, told the WSJ. She said that investors have been too worried about rising U.S. oil production. The market is so obsessed with supply. If U.S. output is going up and stocks are drawing that is an extremely bullish development, she said, arguing that rising demand is being overlooked.

Citi: Oil stuck between $40 and $65 for next five years. Citi says that oil will be stuck within the range of $40 to $65 through 2022, although the bank said that this assumes smooth sailing for the oil market. In other words, some unforeseen shocks could temporarily push prices outside of that range. If disruptions are resolved, which restore supply to the market, prices could crash below $40, but outages could cause prices to jump above $70. But beyond that, prices will be range bound.

Blackstone to purchase Harvest Fund Advisors in a bet on natural gas. Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: BX) is set to buy Harvest Fund Advisors LLC, an investment-management firm with more than $10 billion in assets under management, which will bring midstream energy assets under the private equity giants portfolio. The move seeks to profit off of rising natural gas production  the midstream assets benefit from fees, like tolls, so they would make money on the rising volume of gas moving around, regardless of the market price for that gas.

Related: Aggressive U.S. Oil Sanctions Could Bankrupt Venezuela

Goldman loses $100 million on bad gas bet. Goldman Sachs lost $100 million in the past quarter after wagering that natural gas prices in the Marcellus Shale would rise. However, pipeline problems prevented that from happening, causing Goldmans bet to sour.

Henry Hub goes global. The WSJ reported that natural gas and LNG traders around the world are increasingly using the Henry Hub benchmark, based in the U.S. Gulf Coast, for natural gas pricing. The growing importance of the benchmark is a reflection of the expansion of U.S. LNG exports, as well as the shifting nature of LNG markets. That is, with more supplies coming online from various sources, the LNG market is increasingly similar to that of crude oil, with the disparities in regional prices narrowing.

Brent moves into backwardation. For the first time in years, the Brent futures curve has flipped into backwardation, a sign that the oil market is healing. Backwardation  when front month contracts trade at a premium to futures further out  will help drain inventories as it becomes uneconomical to put oil in storage. The backwardation is a significant development, which many analysts say is a sign that the oil market is progressing towards some sort of balance.

Venezuelan oil exports stall at sea on bank jitters. A crude oil tanker carrying 1 million barrels of Venezuelan oil is stuck off the coast of Louisiana for more than a month for lack of a bank letter of credit to discharge, Reuters reported. The deteriorating financial position of Venezuela and its state-owned oil company PDVSA threaten to push the nation into a death spiral  oil accounts for nearly all of its export revenue but production and sales are in jeopardy because of the horrific financial position Venezuela finds itself in.

Trumps push for Atlantic drilling meets resistance. The Trump administration has supported opening up the Atlantic seaboard for offshore exploration, a plan that has run into a wall of resistance, according to E&E News. While Republicans are typically supportive of the oil and gas industry, coastal residents of all stripes have come together to block the U.S. governments plan to open up the coast for oil and gas exploration. Thursday was the deadline for public comments, ahead of a potential revision of the five-year exploration plan for 2019-2024.

Texas oil and gas employment still rising. New data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas shows that the oil and gas industry added 4,300 jobs in June, compared to May. Many of those new jobs were in oilfield services, a sign that rising drilling activity was lifting employment. Related: Is Wall Street Funding A Shale Failure?

Shale drillers using less frac sand. After a steep rise in the use of frac sand, shale drillers are cutting back. More sand has been used to drill longer laterals and extract more gas per well. However, Reuters says that the industry is on track to see frac sand use decline in the second and third quarters. Part of the reason is the spike in frac sand prices, which has pushed up costs for oil producers. As a result, drillers are tweaking their well designs to use less sand. Halliburton (NYSE: HAL), for example, reported in July its first decline in the average sand use per well. Frac sand accounts for about 12 percent of the cost of a drilling and fracturing, Reuters says. For sand miners, this development is not good  if drillers cutback at a time when sand mines are expanding, prices could crash.

Iran threatens pull out of nuclear accord. The U.S. has added more rounds of sanctions on Iran this year, but the harder line from the Trump administration has provoked Tehran into threatening to withdraw from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Iran will certainly return to conditions much more advanced than before the negotiations started in a short period, not on a weekly or monthly scale, but on a daily and hourly scale if the U.S. continues to step up sanctions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A Chinese energy conglomerate is in early talks to buy a stake in Russian energy giant Rosneft, according to exclusive sources who spoke to Reuters.

Senior executives at both firms have begun negotiations regarding a deal, the sources told the news agency. Already, CEFC China Energy chairman Ye Jianmin and Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin have held two meetings regarding future agreement.

Reuters sources did not reveal information on the cost of the deal, but one source suggested Rosneft would be open to selling the Chinese company a portion of its retail business, which includes 150 storage facilities, as well as thousands of filling stations and gasoline tankers.

CEFC plans to expand its influence by becoming an international energy company through its involvement with Russian oil and gas companies.

So far, Rosneft has sold a 19.5 percent stake to Glencore and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIAa sovereign wealth fund) for $11.8 billion. Both Glencore and the QIA told The Wall Street Journal that the deals details did not include a right for Russia to buy back Rosneft shares from the Glencore-QIA consortium they had formed for the deal.

British Petroleum owns 19.75 percent of the company. An additional sale of shares that would reduce the Russian governments ownership to below 50 percent would require a special governmental decree.

"We consider the Chinese market as the most promising and actively developing. The company will increase its cooperation with Chinese partners in all business areas and make public statements accordingly as joint projects are developing," the company told Reuters over email.

Related: Oil Futures Point To Higher Oil Prices

Russia supplies the most oil to China of all of the countrys most prominent suppliers, including OPEC leader Saudi Arabia.

Beijing Gas attempted to purchase a 20 percent stake in Rosneft last year but it is unclear if that deal went through.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
In the latest round of saber-rattling between Russian natural gas suppliers and their American counterparts, Vladimir Chizhov, Moscows envoy to the European Union, has said the United States could not replace Russian natural gas supplies to Europe, even if suppliers gave it away for free.

"[The] policy of imposing US LNG contradicts objective market laws," the diplomat stressed, as reported by Russian news outlets.

The problem relates to U.S. gas production capacity, according to the Russian official, who spoke on the topic during a radio interview.

"Even if Americans supplied liquefied gas to Europe free of charge, they simply would not have had enough capabilities to replace the Russian supplies," Chizhov said.

A shortage of LNG terminals in the U.S., as well as low gas production and tanker count added to the Russian officials analysis.

"According to current estimates, the price for 1,000 cubic meters of US LNG on the European market will be about $250. This is unprofitable for Europeans, since Russian gas costs about half as much, but it is also unprofitable for American businesses, because the United States can sell the same amount of gas in Asia and Latin America for over $300," Chizhov said.



Related: Tech Guru Unveils New Battery To Challenge Lithium-Ion

Russia is in the process of gaining EU approval to build the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would bypass Ukraine to supply energy directly to Germany. But Russia has a different take on the issue:

"I would not assert that [the construction of gas pipelines] will necessarily lead to a complete cessation of Ukrainian transit because there are countries that, one way or another, depend on this transit, for example, Moldova. It does not have other methods to get gas, except through Ukraine, and it will not have any alternatives in the foreseeable future," Chizhov said.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Iran is ready to swap 500,000 bpd of oil with its fellow Caspian Sea countries, Iranian Fars news agency reported on Friday, quoting a senior official.

According to Hamid Hosseini, head of the North department at Iranian Oil Pipeline and Telecommunication Company, a 272-km (169 miles) pipeline has been built to ship crude oil from the Neka terminal on the Caspian Sea to a Tehran refinery.

Under the swap deals, refineries in Tehran and Tabriz use the swapped oil, while Iran delivers the same amount it receives via the Kharq Oil Terminal in the Persian Gulf.

Last week, Iran resumed the oil swaps in the Caspian Sea after a 7-year suspension, Platts reported, quoting the National Iranian Oil Co.

Several oil tankers have already been offloaded at the Neka terminal, the Iranian company said, but did not name the countries with which it had resumed swap deals.

Before the hiatus, Irans main swap deal partners in the Caspian Sea area were Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan.

Iran stopped the oil swap deals in 2010, when then-oil minister Massoud Mir-Kazemi said the agreements were losing money rather than generating profits. The volume of the oil swaps then was between 70,000 bpd and 100,000 bpd.

For Iran, the swaps with Caspian producers meant that Tehran could supply northern areas with oil processed at the Tehran, Tabriz, and Arak refineries without having to transport it all the way from wells in the south.

Related: Aggressive U.S. Oil Sanctions Could Bankrupt Venezuela

According to Platts, Iran had been negotiating over the past four years the resumption of the oil swap deals with Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan.

Now that most of the Western sanctions on Irans oil have been lifted, Tehran is targeting to add 700,000 bpd to its overall production capacity, which is expected to rise to 4.7 million bpd by 2021.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:




As if it werent already obvious Lydia White has been a great new hire at the Cascade Policy Institute, she has managed to organize a Portland chapter of the Americas Future Foundation in her spare time too. I made it out to their first event this week and saw something you dont see every day: a room filled with young people interested in limiting the size and scope of government.

Portland is now the 27th city for this fast-growing social organization of liberty-loving young professionals that learn more about the important public policy issues of the day while having fun and meeting new people. It was so refreshing to go to an event about politics that wasnt filled with anger.

In addition to the hard work she put into getting a turnout like that, White also had a certain strategic sense for what might be a naturally inviting place: the Portland Brewing Companys taproom. She invited the perfect speaker. Jacob Grier spoke with John Charles about crony capitalism in the craft brewing industry.

Ive long been a regular reader of Griers excellent blog Liquidity Preference where, if youll excuse the pun, he has been mixing alcoholic beverages with free market economics since 2003. This was the first time Ive heard him speak, and I was really impressed. No doubt there are many other organizations in Oregon that could use a speaker like him and the turnout he can attract.

Eric Shierman lives in Salem and is the author of A Brief History of Political Cultural Change.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali not happy with the way of appointmenting new president

ISLAMABAD: The outspoken Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan once again voiced his displeasure over the handling of the Panama Papers issue and blamed unnamed advisers for the disastrous situation the party had faced in the wake of Nawaz Sharifs disqualification.



The former interior minister was speaking at a meeting of the central working committee (CWC) of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which was convened to formally endorse the decision to nominate Senator Yaqoob Khan Nasar as the partys acting president.



Sources said that Chaudhry Nisar also criticised the party leadership for convening the CWC to endorse a decision that had already been made in Lahore.



What is the purpose of this meeting when we have already learned about the nomination of the acting party president through media reports? a source quoted Chaudhry Nisar as saying during the meeting, which was presided over by party chairman Raja Zafarul Haq.



The meeting, held at Punjab House, was also attended by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.



On Wednesday, PML-N Spokesperson Dr Asif Kirmani had announced Senator Nasars nomination as the acting president, in line with the party constitution and the notice issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), requiring PML-N to fill the vacancy created by Nawaz Sharifs ouster.



Sources said Chaudhry Nisar and some other senior party members were unhappy over the role of certain ministers, MNAs and political advisers of Mr Sharif, who had openly critcised the Supreme Court-appointed Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that probed Panamagate.



Those privy to the meeting also quoted Nisar as saying that, in his opinion, the matter of the Panama Papers should not have gone to the Supreme Court in the first place.



Without taking any names, sources said, the minister told the meeting that everyone knew who had brought Nawaz Sharif to this point.



At this point, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri asked Chaudhry Nisar to name those individuals, but the former minister did not.



He, however, endorsed the viewpoints of Khawaja Saad Rafique and Mushahidullah Khan, who had also expressed annoyance with the partys decision-making process.



The former interior minister was of the view that the party should have avoided a confrontation among institutions. Asking the party members to keep ground realities in mind, Chaudhry Nisar said confrontational politics did not suit the party, or Nawaz Sharif.



At a news conference days before the announcement of the Panama Papers verdict, the former minister had confirmed, for the first time, reports about an internal rift within the party, saying he had been excluded from the consultative process on Panamagate.



The press conference was held after a party delegation, which also included Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, managed to dissuade him from resigning in protest.



The resolution seeking an endorsement of his nomination as acting president was moved by PML-N deputy secretary general and Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.



The CWC also passed a resolution lauding Nawaz Sharifs leadership role in ensuring the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution. CWC members vowed that the party would keep working under the patronage of Mr Sharif and continue the movement to strengthen democracy and the peoples right to rule.



Through another resolution, members appreciated the people who attended Nawaz Sharifs GT Road rally to show their love for the former prime minister.



CWC members also reposed their confidence in Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the new cabinet.



Senator Nasar, who hails from Loralai, will serve as the interim party head until a new president is elected by the partys general council.



Although he belongs to Balochistan, Mr Nasar was elected to the Senate from Islamabad.



Sources said this was because the party leadership had been unable to arrive at a decision over who would replace former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as the party chief.



Although Mr Sharif himself had tipped his brother, Shahbaz Sharif, as his replacement, a section of the party disagreed with the decision to move the Punjab chief minister from his key position at such a crucial time.



This meant that PM Abbasi, who was to serve as a stopgap PM until the younger Sharif sibling could be elected to the National Assembly, would continue in office until the next general elections.
Volume-X of JIT report sent to NAB

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday provided the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) four certified copies of the otherwise confidential Volume-X of the joint investigation team (JIT) report in the Panama Papers case.



The Volume-X of the JIT report consists of 415 pages. Earlier, the Supreme Court had thrice turned down NAB's request to provide it with Volume-X of the report for further investigations into the case.



As a whole, the Supreme Court has already provided four certified copies of first nine volumes of the JIT report to NAB on its request. Whereas, now four certified copies of the Volume-X have also been provided to the NAB.



"Please furnish complete set of JIT report along with annexure for filing of the references before the accountability court," applications submitted to the court by the NAB read.



Now, NAB has got the required copies of all the volumes of the report to finalise references against the ousted prime minister, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in accordance with the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict.



The Volume-X of the JIT report, which contains details of mutual legal assistance (MLA) with various countries, had not been made public by the Supreme Court on the request of the six-member JIT's chairman Wajid Zia.



A three-member JIT implementation bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, had allowed senior advocate Khawaja Haris Ahmad, who represented Nawaz Sharif in Panama Papers case, to go through two pages of Volume-X.



According to the summary of the report, the volume consists of MLA requests initiated by the JIT chairman under Section 21 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999.



The MLA requests were made to the attorney general of the British Virgin Islands, the United Kingdom Central Authority, Interior Ministry of Saudi Arabia, Justice Ministry of the United Arab Emirates, Central Authority of Switzerland and Prosecutor General of Luxembourg.



Disqualifying Nawaz Sharif under Article 62(1)( f) of the constitution, a five-member Supreme Court bench in its July 28 verdict had asked NAB to file four references before the Rawalpindi accountability court within six weeks on the basis of the material collected and referred to by the JIT as well as that already available with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and NAB.



According to the court order, NAB has to file a reference against Nawaz Sharif; his children Maryam Safdar, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz; and son-in-law Capt (r) Safdar relating to four upscale Avenfield flats in London. Another reference against Nawaz Sharif and his sons about Azizia Steel Company and Hill Metal Establishment and one regarding 16 other companies was ordered.



The companies are Flagship Investments, Hartstone Properties, Que Holdings, Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane, Quaint, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington, Flagship Developments, Alanna Services (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital FZE (Dubai).



The fourth reference has to be filed against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for possessing assets and funds beyond his known sources of income. To monitor and supervise the work of NAB as well as to oversee the proceedings of the accountability court, the Supreme Court has nominated one of its judges, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, whose nomination has been challenged by the ousted premier in his review petition against the Panama Papers case verdict.



According to the NAB spokesman, Volume-X of JIT report has enough and concrete evidence and proofs to file references against Nawaz Sharif and his family. According to NAB sources, the bureau has written a letter to the Saudi Arabia's government requesting it to provide details of Sharif family's assets there. The NAB has also sought details of payments made by Nawaz Sharif to purchase a mill there. It has requested the Saudi government to provide all details till August 30, 2017.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, after 5 days of a terrorist attack which occurred on the 13th of August at a restaurant in Burkina Faso has sent a heart-warming message to the people.



In a Twitter post which was released on the 17th August 2017, President Akufo-Addo commiserated with the affected families and to the government of Burkina Faso.



"I send my deepest sympathies to the affected families and to the government and the people of the brotherly nation of Burkina Faso., he tweeted.



Suspected Islamist militants killed at least 18 people leaving several others injured during a raid on a restaurant in Burkina Faso's capital overnight, but security forces shot dead both attackers and freed people trapped inside the building.



Burkina Faso, like other countries in West Africa, has been targeted now and again by jihadist groups. Most attacks have been along its remote northern border with Mali, which has seen activity by Islamist militants for more than a decade.



However, Ghanaians reacted to the tweet of the President in a state of shock as they couldn't understand why the post came in late.

Source: Ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Sidi Yaya Tunis, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs of Sierra Leone, has expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the his government for the support shown following a mudslide and flooding that devastated parts of the capital, Freetown.



Nearly 400 people have been confirmed dead with 600 still missing following the disaster which occurred on Monday, 14 August 2017.



Mr Akufo-Addo, announcing that he has sent a message of condolence to the people of Sierra Leone, tweeted: I called President Ernest Bai Koroma on Tuesday to express my, and the condolences of Ghanaians, on the tragic loss of lives and property following Monday's mudslide in Sierra Leone.



Government is in the process of sending relief items to Sierra Leone to aid in the recovery process. I send my deepest sympathies to the affected families and to the government and the people of the brotherly nation of Sierra Leone.



Speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra 100.5FM, Mr Tunis said: We are very much thankful and grateful to our neighbouring countries in the ECOWAS sub-region as well as the African region and other countries that have also registered their support for us from other parts of the world.



We are also very much encouraged by the support that we are getting from our neighbouring countries, Ghana being one.



The president of Ghana has assured our president several times of his support. He also expressed his condolences and offered his support and of the people of Ghana and his government and so we are very much thankful.

Source: AccraFM









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 ruling by a judge in Northern Ireland yesterday, rejecting a challenge to the province's ban on equal marriage, underlines the need for Stormont to catch up with the rest of the UK on this issue.The Guardian reports that Mr Justice OHara rejected both cases challenging the ban, insisting it did not violate the rights of LGBT couples. He said it was up to the Stormont assembly to decide social policy in Northern Ireland.The two couples brought the case against the department of finance, which regulates Northern Irelands marriage laws, on the grounds that the ban contravenes the right to marriage and respect for family life under the European convention on human rights.It is possible that they will now seek to take their case to a higher court, but wouldn't it be much easier if Northern Ireland's Legislative Assembly pre-empted them by bringing the province up to speed with other parts of the UK?It is time Northern Ireland joined the twenty-first century on social policy.
A call listed on the Warren County Sheriffs Office website on Wednesday raised some eyebrows among those who saw it.

The 1:10 p.m. call was categorized as a natural disaster at the Glens Falls Dam.

The Post-Star received inquiries about it, as did a Facebook page for local firefighters.

The listing was for a drill by local emergency services officials, notifying the appropriate parties, including the Sheriffs Office, about a possible failure of the dam near Finch Paper Co. in Glens Falls.

There is no problem with the dam.

 Don Lehman

Astronomer at track

Fans at Saratoga Race Course are invited to view Mondays partial solar eclipse on telescopes equipped for solar viewing at the paddock information booth. Astronomer Benjamin Palmer of Queensbury, who also serves as a tour guide with the tracks guest services department, will be available to answer questions about the eclipse.

A live feed of the eclipse within the path of totality will be broadcast on select video boards and televisions throughout track grounds.

 Will Springstead

In the field

Seven Cambridge students recently completed a field biology class.

The students ranged from eighth to 11th grade. During the course, which took place the week of July 17, students developed plant identification skills and techniques to measure the forest vegetation on the districts BioPreserve. Students learned how to use a borer to extract the core from a tree and determine its age. They also measured the trees diameter at breast height and the frequency of vegetation under 1 meter tall, according to a news release.

The students also analyzed the dissolved oxygen content of the water in a nearby stream and explored the macroinvertebrate population. The final project was assisting Neil Gifford and Amanda Dillon, of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, in capturing song birds, which they measured, banded and released back into the wild. The data will be sent to the U.S. Geological Services laboratory in Pautuxent, Maryland, according to a news release.

 Michael Goot

Farm to Table

Farm to Table was the theme of this years student culinary camp at the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES.

The camp took place during the last week of July and was run by chefs Maureen Clancy and Bruce Hoffman. Students were taken to three local farms. They picked garlic, herbs, zucchini and Swiss chard at the Old World Farm in Stillwater. Students also gathered blueberries at Winneys Blueberry Farm in Schuylerville and learned about dairy farming at King Dairy in Gansevoort, according to a news release.

Students made dishes using the food they have gathered, including zucchini muffins, quiche, blueberry jam and blueberry ice cream.

The camp took place at the F. Donald Myers Education Center in Saratoga Springs. Organizers hope to add another section of the class next summer, depending on enrollment.

 Michael Goot

School of distinction

Ticonderoga Central School has been recognized as a School of Distinction by College For Every Student.

The school is one of 33 schools across the United States and Ireland to receive recognition from the organization, which helps students from low-income rural and urban communities become college and career-ready.

To qualify for the honor, schools must implement college and career readiness programs for the entire school and involve scholar families in activities.

 Michael Goot
Corinth man charged with burglary

CORINTH  A Corinth man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly burglarizing a residence.

Robert D. Ganter, 56, of 14 Bunzy Mountain Road is accused of entering a dwelling at 22 Oak St. with the intent to commit a crime. He also is alleged to have intentionally damaged property, according to a news release from the Saratoga County Sheriffs Office.

Lt. Daniel Morley said Ganter had recently been evicted from the residence and caused damage to get into the property.

Ganter was charged with one count of felony second-degree burglary and misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree criminal trespass.

Ganter was arraigned in Wilton Town Court and released on $500 cash bail. He is scheduled to return to Corinth Town Court at a later date.

Man wanted in drug case picked up

QUEENSBURY  A Brooklyn man was picked up Wednesday by State Police on a fugitive from justice warrant.

Henry L. Phillips, 51, is wanted on a case for allegedly selling cocaine out of Burlington, Vermont, according to authorities.

He is being held pending extradition to Vermont.

Police: Man vandalized car

QUEENSBURY  A Queensbury man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly causing damage to an acquaintances car.

Garrett W. Manager, 25, allegedly slashed all four tires, broke off both sideview mirrors and broke the mirror glass and scratched a word into the drivers side door, according to State Police.

The incident happened at about 7:20 a.m.

Manager had some type of issue with the acquaintance, according to police.

He was arrested a couple hours later at this apartment and treated on scene for a cut finger.

Manager charged with felony-second-degree criminal mischief. He was released on $2,500 cash bail.

Florida man charged in Argyle

ARGYLE  A Florida man has been arrested for allegedly helping himself to some items in a trailer at Lakeside Trailer Park.

State Police were contacted by a person who said that somebody had entered their mother-in-laws and father-in-laws trailer at 4230 County Road 48 without their permission.

The couple had decided that they were no longer able to keep the trailer there because of the wifes medical conditions. The owner had left the trailer unlocked and given permission to some of his friends and neighbors to enter and remove specific items, according to authorities.

Police interviewed witnesses who said they had seen Curtis Havens, 79, of Intrevness, Florida, cleaning out the trailer. They said that Havens had received permission to be in the trailer only one time to remove the refrigerator and stove.

Havens was arrested without incident at his residence on Aug. 11 and charged with felony third-degree criminal mischief and misdemeanor second-degree criminal trespass.

He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Argyle Town Court on Tuesday.
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Alorica, the nation's largest provider of customer service solutions, launched efforts Thursday to fill an additional 150 positions at its operation in north Davenport.

In a brief ceremony, company officials announced the expanded workforce as well as initiatives aimed at supporting military veterans. Recruitment began with a meet-and-greet session and on-the-spot interviews. The additional jobs will mostly be customer engagement experts, but some positions are for new managers and trainers.

The former APAC call center, 250 E. 90th St., was part of Alorica's acquisition last year of APAC parent Expert Global Solutions, or EGS. Alorica spokesman Ken Muche said the EGS purchase expanded Alorica from 40,000 workers to 90,000. Since then, the Orange County, California-based Alorica has grown to 102,000 employees across nearly 100 facilities in 30 states.

"We've been growing organically because we've been gaining more business from our clients," he said, adding "Part of that growing is here in Davenport."

Located in the former Caterpillar Inc. manufacturing facility, the center no longer identifies itself as a call center, Muche said. "We're so much more than that."

As a customer engagement center, Alorica's employees provide customer service on many more platforms today from e-mail to online chats, social media "and we're on the phone too," he added.

Hiring will continue at the center, which now employs 400, and potential employees are invited to stop in the center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays to meet staff, or apply at alorica.com.

The Davenport center also announced plans to promote the hiring of military veterans to add to the 29 veterans it already employs, Muche said.

In addition, the center unveiled a new partnership with the Military Veteran Project, a nationwide volunteer-led organization focused on working with veterans in need and raising awareness of PTSD. Founded by Melissa Jarboe, the five-year-old organization is dedicated to preventing veteran suicide and seeking alternative treatments for PTSD.

Muche said as part of the company's philanthropic efforts, many of its facilities are involved in chapters of Making Lives Better with Alorica, an independent nonprofit dedicated to providing assistance to individuals and organizations in the communities where Alorica operates. In the past 18 months, Alorica employees have donated $1.6 million to be distributed to other nonprofits and individuals, as well as grants to fellow employees in need.

For their part, the Davenport employees have committed to conducting a volunteer telephone campaign outside of work to assist the project. "We're going to put our skills to work and raise awareness of PTSD," Muche said, adding that 20 of Alorica's Making Lives Better chapters have partnered with the project to date.

Founded in 1999, Alorica now is the largest provider of customer service to the United States and the third largest customer engagement company globally.
A big "yarn bomb" project is coming to the Quad-Cities, and you can be part of it.

"Yarn bombing" is a form of street art in which people wrap public objects, such as trees, light poles, parking meters, with colorful swaths of knitted or crocheted yarn as a way of brightening or personalizing cold or sterile places.

Claire Kovacs, director of the Augustana Teaching Museum of Art, is organizing a project in which members of the community will be invited to workshops and "crochet-ins" in Davenport and Rock Island to make as many as 1,000 colorful circles that will then be stitched together to form a larger work.

In late October, the larger work will be tied around a hickory tree growing along Rock Island's 7th Avenue, on the Augustana campus, where it will remain until May when it will be taken down.

The goal is to unite people, create something beautiful, teach a skill and highlight the fiber arts.

Connecting a community through art is something of a trend; the Figge Art Museum in Davenport hosted 30 community workshops from December to April inviting people to craft a total of 1,260 cornstalks made of green plastic soda bottles that now are part of the museum's "Jean Shin: MAiZE" installation.

Ohio-based artist Carol Hummel, one of the early practitioners of yarn bombing, has been hired to plan and execute the Augustana project. She is providing patterns for the circles as well as the appropriate amount and color of nylon craft cord, or yarn. Kovacs and her assistant will assemble the cord  an estimated 42,000 feet in total  and instructions in packs for distribution at the workshops.

Once the circles are finished, Hummel will stitch them together in panels, and she and her daughter, Molly, will do the actual tree-wrapping, using ladders and a cherry picker, Kovacs said.

Hummel and daughter were in Rock Island in June to help choose the exact tree.

"It has to have good branches, a good shape," Kovacs said.

Kovacs first learned of Hummel in the early 2000s when she yarn-bombed parking meters in Cleveland. Two years ago, Kovacs heard of a community art project Hummel shepherded in West Virginia, and Kovacs decided to try something similar in the Quad-Cities.

An unveiling reception will be 4-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, at the Centennial Hall Galleries on the Augustana campus, 3703 7th Ave.

To finance the project, Kovacs secured a $15,000 matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
A Bettendorf man wanted for numerous outstanding arrest warrants was captured by Bettendorf police Wednesday after a foot pursuit through Duck Creek during which officers seized drugs and a handgun.

Quayshan Lamontez Moore, 23, of 2528 Magnolia Drive, is facing 19 separate charges for incidents that date back to August of last year in both Bettendorf and Davenport.

At 12:17 p.m. Wednesday, Bettendorf officers responded to 2705 Magnolia Drive in response to an assault complaint. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Bettendorf Police Officer Jim Bennett, the victim was struck in the head three or four times, including once in the mouth that caused swelling to the victims upper lip.

Moore, who was identified as the assailant, was picked up at the scene by someone driving a 2012 gray Chevrolet Equinox. Officers located the Equinox at Fairlane Drive and Monterey Court and initiated a traffic stop.

Moore ran from the vehicle on foot, passing through a backyard in the 1600 block of Monterey Court, according to the arrest affidavit. Moore then waded across Duck Creek, and then was taken into custody at Parkway Drive. He tried to give the name Jawann Lawan Moore, and a date of birth of Feb. 27, 1996, but officers soon learned his true identity.

Officers searched the area of Duck Creek where Moore had waded through and seized a black Diamondback .380-caliber handgun that was loaded. Officers also seized a plastic bag containing 10 units of crack cocaine and a $20 bill, according to the arrest affidavit. The crack cocaine weighed 5.94 grams.

As Moore has a conviction of domestic abuse assault as well as an active order of protection. He is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.

Moore is charged with possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, a Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

He also is charged with possession of a firearm by a domestic abuser and failure to have an Iowa drug tax stamp. Both of those charges are Class D felonies that carry a prison sentence of up to five years.

Also, he is charged with carry weapons, an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a prison sentence of up to two years, as well as assault causing bodily injury and interference with official acts-bodily injury, both of which are serious misdemeanor that carries a jail term of up to one year. He also is charged with interference with official acts, a simple misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of up to 30 days.

Among the warrants for arrests on Moore was one regarding an incident in Davenport on Nov. 6.

According to the affidavit filed by Davenport Police Officer Brenton Joyce, at 2:50 a.m. Nov. 6, officers tried to conduct a traffic stop near the intersection of Division and West Locust streets.

As a marked patrol car approached, Moore got out of his vehicle in the middle of the roadway and was looking for something underneath his seat. As the squad car pulled to a stop, Moore ran from the scene, according to the affidavit.

During the foot chase, Moore pulled an object from underneath his clothing and then threw it onto the roof of the CVS store at the corner of Division and West Locust streets, according to the affidavit.

Firefighters brought a ladder to the scene and authorities seized a Taurus .45-caliber pistol. Moore was able to escape.

In that incident, Moore is charged with interference with official acts involving a firearm and trafficking in stolen weapons, both of which are Class D felonies. He also is charged in that incident with carrying weapons, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Another warrant dating back to Aug. 26, 2016, in Bettendorf involves assault and domestic abuse charges. According to the arrest affidavits filed by Bettendorf Police Officer Zachary Thomas, Moore was causing a disturbance in the baby ward of Trinity Bettendorf.

When Moore was asked to leave, he threw food at his childs mother and then pushed her twice, causing her to fall and hit her head. He then struck a security guard. In that case, he also is charged with the violations of a domestic protective court order.

Moore also was wanted on other charges of domestic abuse assault, trespass and criminal mischief, all serious misdemeanors.

Moore was being held in the Scott County Jail on cash-only bonds totaling $117,500.
One day after the city of Davenport proclaimed itself a city of "equality, inclusion, respect and safety for all persons" and one that celebrates diversity, one alderman on the City Council has accused another of having racist and bigoted views.

In a post on her Facebook page, Alderwoman Maria Dickmann, 2nd Ward, said 4th Ward Alderman Ray Ambrose shared views similar to those of former Davenport Mayor Phil Yerington. Yerington came under fire this week after posting controversial comments on his Facebook page and displaying the Confederate flag.

"There has been a lot of condemnation about the comments of a former mayor," Dickmann said. "While I think it is important to call out racism and bigotry, I am concerned when that is where people stop.

"The individual who made those comments is no longer in power, but there is someone with very similar beliefs running for re-election to the very same body. I encourage everyone who has called out racism and bigotry to also work to eradicate it where it lies quietly damaging people's lives."

Dickmann did not identify Ambrose in her initial post, but she confirmed in an email to the Quad-City Times that her post was about Ambrose.

Asked to provide evidence supporting her conclusion, Dickmann responded, "Conversations I've had with Ray and anecdotes I've heard from others who have talked to Ray are how I have made my assessment of his beliefs. Multiple people have already commented on the post collaborating my opinion."

When reached for comment, Ambrose brushed off Dickmann's remarks.

It comes with the territory, and Ive had a lot of people run against me, Ambrose said. Davenport has elections every two years, and if people want a change, they have the opportunity to go to the polls and vote. Many have tried to change the term limits to four years, but Ive always been strongly against it.

Ambrose called Dickmann's comments "interesting" after her own remarks at a Civil Rights Commission meeting last week in which she said, "If you're poor and black, you are not going to understand the letter."

Dickmann's comments were in reference to a zoning letter filled with jargon that was sent to property owners near Palmer College of Chiropractic's proposed Planned Institutional District.

This was not the first post Dickmann has made against Ambrose.

Last month, in a post on Facebook, she called for "an end of the old boys club" on the City Council in endorsing 4th Ward candidate Susan Weir.

"Ray Ambrose's attendance at council meetings is subprime, he's spent 20 years complaining or taking credit for other people's hard work," Dickmann wrote. "If you haven't been able to accomplish what you set out to (do) in 20 years, what reason should voters have to think you will accomplish anything with another term?"

Hours after Dickmann's post Thursday, Weir sent an email criticizing Ambrose and asking supporters for their help to win the upcoming election.

Dickmann said she had not spoken to Weir about the issue.

"I represent families, kids and ALL people in the 4th Ward," Weir wrote. "I am trying to unseat a 20-year incumbent who has shared, often and voiciferously his repulsion of certain groups in our community.

"Google him. Davenport is a welcoming community with a vision and bright future. Help me move Davenport forward."

The city of Davenport did not respond to a request for comment.
DES MOINES  Among the scores of livestock, amusement park rides, food on a stick and cows made of butter, there is another staple of the Iowa State Fair:

Politicians and political candidates.

Even though 2017 is an off year for Iowa politics  there is no statewide election this year, nor is there an immediate build-up to the states first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses  there has been a political presence at this years Iowa State Fair, which concludes Sunday.

This may not be an election year, but its still Iowa.

The 2018 elections  the June primary and November general  are still 10 and 15 months away, but the campaigning for those elections has begun in earnest.

That has been evident at the fair, where candidates  in particular, those seeking to be the states next governor  can be found among the masses.

One must look a little harder, if so inclined, to find politics at this years fair. The political atmosphere is nothing like two years ago, when there was a presidential candidate at the fair almost every day, and on some days, the crowds that came to see them were massive.

But the politicians and candidates are back this year. There even was a presidential candidate at the fair, even though the 2020 Iowa caucuses are roughly 2 years away and the next presidential election is more than three years off.

Iowa's top office

But most active have been the candidates for Iowa governor.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has been a consistent presence at the fair, although thats not uncommon for a sitting governor.

But Reynolds, who earlier this year became the states first female governor when Terry Branstad resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China, also has a campaign to run. Her campaign team has a booth among the scores of others inside the fairgrounds Varied Industries Building, just across Grand Avenue from the grandstand.

Reynolds has spent some time at her campaigns booth, but she also has strolled the grounds, regularly stopping to visit with and grant photo requests from fairgoers.

On Wednesday, Reynolds spent some time in the Iowa Egg Council stand, passing out free hard-boiled eggs, which, of course, were served on a stick.

Reynolds stopped on her way to the stand to chat and pose for photos. One woman thanked Reynolds for comments she made earlier in the week regarding proposed tuition increases at the states public universities.

Thank you for saying thats too much, the woman told Reynolds.

The universities, in light of what they say is insufficient state funding, have proposed raising tuition by as much as 41 percent over the next five years.

That is too much. There is no way that Iowa families could afford a 7 percent increase over five years, Reynolds said at her weekly news conference.

Ron Corbett, the Cedar Rapids mayor who is challenging Reynolds from within the Republican Party, also has been a frequent presence at the fair.

Corbett has regularly set up shop at the Republican Party of Iowas booth inside the Varied Industries Building, where he has greeted visitors and handed out free copies of his book, Beyond Promises. On Wednesday, Corbett estimated he had handed out roughly 1,000 copies of his book during the fair.

Corbetts hand-shaking, chatting and book-giving have been methods to introduce himself to Iowa voters, something he acknowledges he must do in order to make his candidacy more familiar to voters outside eastern Iowa.

The Democratic candidates for governor, of which there are eight, took turns appearing at the Iowa Democratic Partys booth, which is just across the aisle, both physically and politically, from the Republicans.

Cast your vote

Anyone who attends the fair and wants to contribute to polls on the governors race have a couple of options.

The Des Moines TV station WHO-TV is once again holding its Cast your kernel poll, in which passers-by take a corn kernel and place it in a jar bearing the name of the candidate he or she supports.

As of Wednesday, Reynolds was the clear leader among the Republican candidates. There were 10 full jars and 11th being filled, while no other candidate had filled as much as a single jar.

Nate Boulton, a state senator from Des Moines, had a healthy lead among the Democratic candidates. He was on his fifth jar, while Fred Hubbell, a Des Moines businessman, was on his second.

The Iowa Secretary of State has its own gubernatorial poll. Fairgoers can cast a vote electronically, and results are available in real time on the Secretary of States website.

As of Friday morning, Reynolds at 77 percent and Boulton at 39 percent were their respective parties big leaders in that poll, as well.

Presidential politics were prevalent at the fair as well.

The backdrop for the Republican Party of Iowas booth is a banner that reads Stand with Trump, while standing nearby are two cardboard cutouts of President Donald Trump. Visitors have been signing the roughly 4-foot-by-10-foot banner throughout the week; by Wednesday, it was virtually covered with signatures.

On Wednesday, the day after Trumps highly criticized remarks about a white supremacy rally in Virginia that turned violent, supporters continued to cover the Stand with Trump banner with signatures.

And the many Iowans running for governor were not the only candidates for executive office to appear at the Democrats booth. The partys first officially announced candidate for president in 2020, Maryland U.S. Rep. John Delaney, visited the fair Wednesday and Thursday.

In addition to stopping at the Democrats booth, he spent some time taking in all the fair had to offer, stopping along the way to visit with fairgoers, of course.

Welcome to the Iowa State Fair, where politics never really take a year off.

Just ask Sean Bagniewski, chairman of the Polk County Democrats.

It doesnt feel like an off year, Bagniewski said.
The movement away from President Trump had become a stampede.

Republican lawmakers from Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell to lowly backbenchers dissociated themselves from the president for saying there were "very fine people" marching among the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville.

Trump disbanded his corporate advisory panels after eight members quit in protest of his moral parallels between white supremacists and those who opposed them.

The two living former Republican presidents, military leaders and even the vice president issued statements making plain their differences with Trump. Condemnations poured in from the conservative prime minister of Britain and from Germany, where they know what comes of coddling Nazis.

On Wednesday morning, I entered the echo chamber, watching all three hours of "Fox & Friends" -- Trump's favorite show, to judge from his tweets -- to see if the hosts would defend Trump even after he aligned himself with white supremacists. It was a delicate task -- some parts of Fox News Channel had already gone wobbly, with Kat Timpf calling Trump's remarks "disgusting" -- but Trump's "Fox & Friends" friends gave it a try.

Host Steve Doocy began the 6 a.m. hour by saying Trump's real "mistake" was to take questions from reporters. He figured the president "was just trying to be very careful" in his remarks, and Doocy read out White House talking points ("The president was entirely correct ... ")

Host Todd Piro allowed that Trump's comments "may not have been the smartest," but said, "He could cure cancer tomorrow and other people in the media are going to attack him."

Another host, Abby Huntsman, joined in to say that although this was a "missed opportunity" for Trump to "stand up a little stronger" against hate groups, some people "are going to hate on this president" anyway.

The hosts tried mightily to change the subject from Trump's unconscionable defense of neo-Nazis to his claim that those taking down statues of "Confederate heroes" (Doocy's phrase) would soon attack George Washington.

"Hmm, interesting point there," said Huntsman, introducing her "panel" to "debate" this phony issue.

First came Johns Hopkins professor Wendy Osefo. She replied that the issue was "beyond monuments" and more about Nazis killing and beating people. "This is not talking points," she said. "This is human life."

Huntsman turned to Gianno Caldwell, a black Republican and reliable Trump defender. "I mean, there are good people on both sides of this debate," she coaxed.

Caldwell wasn't having it: "President Trump, our president, has literally betrayed the conscience of our country, the very moral fabric in which we've made progress when it comes to race relations in America. He's failed us. ... Mr. President, good people don't pal around with Nazis and white supremacists."

Huntsman, after trying one more time to talk about statues, gave up: "You know, it's a tough debate."

It's not a tough debate. It's not a debate at all. There are Nazis, and there are the rest of us.

It was obscene and unthinkable that the president of the United States let white supremacists know it's OK to hold and act on their hateful views. In defending Trump, Fox is further encouraging these racists to crawl out from under their rocks and preach in the open.

A Huffington Post/YouGov poll shows the effect. Only 22 percent think Trump is opposed to white nationalism. And when the president winks at racism, more racists are emboldened. Among Trump supporters, 48 percent think the white nationalists in Charlottesville were mostly right or went too far but have a point. Half of Trump supporters, thus given the green light by the president, express sympathy for white nationalists. That is, to coin a term, deplorable.

But it's happening. In the 7 a.m. hour, Trump's Fox friends continued their Trump defense.

"Not everyone there was out to hurt someone or was evil," Huntsman said, adding that, even so, it's "incredibly important" to call out bigotry and hatred.

"Which he did," Doocy interjected.

"Which he did," Huntsman agreed.

To their credit, the hosts interviewed, near the end of the show, conservative pundit Rich Lowry, with a dissent. When Doocy again raised the prospect of Washington becoming the next victim after Robert E. Lee, Lowry explained that "there's a huge historical and moral difference" between the first president and the Confederate commander. Lowry said Lee probably would have wanted his statue taken down, because "he wanted to put the Civil War behind us and focus on national unity."

Would that Trump and his "friends" could do the same.
Illinois suffers from a disease borne by our streams and rivers, which carry its riches down our waterways to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. We should want to keep Illinois soil in Illinois; otherwise we squander one of the states most important resources: our soil.

Seventy-five percent of Illinois is farmland, yet 20 percent of nitrates reaching the Gulf come from Illinois. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced this years gulf dead zone is roughly the size of New Jersey, the largest on record. Dead zones are areas where massive algal blooms use up oxygen killing sea life. Excessive nitrogen and phosphorus runoff, not Illinois farmers, are to blame. Global food and agricultural companies have an important voice to protect our soil and water.

The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy relies on farmers voluntarily adopting practices like cover crops to promote soil health and hold nutrients in the field, and not in rivers, and help farmers protect farm resources. The more soil that runs off, the more investment washes down river. To meet voluntary goals, Illinois needs the help of the food production industry.

Incorporating cover crops is one piece of the puzzle of protecting soil, water, and habitat our wildlife depends on. To maintain Illinois as a food producing powerhouse, we must safeguard our soil and water. I call on food company giants to encourage producers they buy from to incorporate the conservation practices to protect community resources - healthy soil and clean water.

Carol Hays

Mahomet, Illinois

Editors note: Hays is executive director, Prairie Rivers Network, Illinois Affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation
FORT RILEY, Kan. | A 22-year-old Black Hawk man has died from a gunshot wound at Fort Riley Army Base in Kansas.

Spc. Richard "Brennan" Cox died at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, Kan., on Wednesday after suffering a gunshot wound Sunday at the base, according to an Army news release. Fort Riley is approximately 70 miles west of Topeka.

The troopers of the squadron mourn the loss of Spc. Cox, Lt. Col. Brian Gilbert said in the release. We will continue to support the family during this time of grief and will honor Spc. Coxs memory and contributions to the unit.

The circumstances of the shooting have not been released, and the incident remains under investigation by the Fort Riley Criminal Investigation Command office.

Cox joined the Army in July 2013 and arrived at Fort Riley in October 2013. He deployed to Kuwait in June 2014 and South Korea in October 2016.

His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. | Col. John R. Edwards assumed command of the 28th Bomb Wing from Col. Gentry W. Boswell, during a change of command ceremony in the Pride Hangar Aug. 9, 2017.

Maj. Gen Thomas Bussiere, the 8th Air Force commander, presided over the ceremony, a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility.

Selecting a commander for an organization as esteemed and storied as the 28th Bomb Wing is no simple task, Bussiere said. But rest assured, there is no more capable officer to lead the wing than Col. Edwards. Hes done it all; he excelled as an electronic warfare officer, he commanded a B-52 squadron, and has an educational resume that is second to none. Hes a phenomenal officer, and we couldnt be happier to welcome Col. Edwards back into the 8th Air Force as the 28th Bomb Wing commander.

Edwards earned his commission through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps in 1995. He is a master combat systems officer with more than 2,400 flight hours and 237 combat hours. His previous assignment was as commander of the 479th Flying Training Group at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida.

Since being announced as the next commander of Ellsworth, Ive heard nothing but how great this place is. Now that Im here, I can see why, Edwards said. I am extremely humbled that I was selected for this post and will do my absolute best to care for our Airmen, their families and accomplish the mission. That is a promise.

As commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, Edwards will be responsible for the largest B-1 combat wing in the U.S. Air Force, with 27 aircraft and more than 3,800 military and civilian members.

While Edwards takes the helm of Ellsworth, Boswell sets his sights on Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, where he will serve as the assistant director of operations at the Air Force Global Strike Command headquarters.
LEAD | One week after being told they had a month to vacate their retirement home in this town, 17 residents of Golden Ridge Senior Living learned that their assisted living center has been purchased and they wont have to move after all.

Northstar Senior Living of Redding, Calif., which manages the 25-unit facility, had notified residents by letter last week that it would close the senior center, at 200 Montana Ave., on Sept. 15 and that they had until then to find new accommodations.

But Northstar CEO Rick Jensen said late Thursday that his management company had entered into a purchase agreement with a local resident, Scott Engel, to acquire the property and that the new owner intended to maintain operations at the assisted living center.

Were thrilled that this is working out for everybody, Jensen said. Weve invested a lot of money in that facility in Lead and in the end, I believe we reached the best-case scenario for the residents and the citizens of Lead and Deadwood.

Earlier this week, a Northstar spokeswoman who asked not to be named said the management company was scrambling to find a buyer for the property so that residents would not have to relocate.

Were doing everything we can to not disrupt these peoples lives, she said. The efforts have been extraordinary.

Engel, the new owner, currently owns and operates Key City Assisted Living in Sturgis, Compassion Health Services in Rapid City, and two other senior living centers in Pierre. Contacted Thursday as he was preparing to send Northstar his signed purchase agreement, Engel said he was ecstatic about acquiring the Lead property and continuing to serve the Northern Hills town.

Its simply beautiful, and it fits so well with the community and the needs of the residents, Engel said. Golden Ridge is simply a premium piece of property and product.

Jensen said Northstar, which had acquired Golden Ridge in June 2016 from Regional Health, had made the decision to close the center due to its low occupancy.

Were delighted that this local resident, Scott Engel, who owns other assisted living facilities in the area, stepped forward and expressed interest in purchasing the assisted living building from us, Jensen said. We are finishing the paperwork, but we have already announced to residents that they dont have to look further, that he will maintain operations and that they can rest easy.

Jensen and Engel said they expected the purchase to be finalized in the next two to six weeks.

Northstar continues to manage two other Rapid City senior residential living centers  the Fairmont Grand and the Victorian. Jensen said changes at those two facilities were not anticipated.

Those are both doing extremely well, and we will be in that market for the long term, he said.
Like millions of people, a group of Black Hills students will be in Nebraska staring at the sky on Monday. However, they won't be watching the eclipse  at least not right away.

Students from South Dakota School of Mines & Technology along with area high schoolers are participating in a NASA experiment to livestream video of the solar eclipse in its entirety as it makes its way across the country. The crew's eyes will be fixed on the sky, looking at a massive white weather balloon as it floats above the Nebraska skyline about an hour before the total eclipse on Monday.

The team from the Black Hills is one of 55 in the nation tasked with sending the balloon equipped with cameras up during the eclipse to watch the shadow of the moon from high above the Earth's surface.

While most people's cameras will be aimed at the sun, the team's cameras will be pointed back down at Earth from a height of 80,000 feet to watch the shadow of the moon cross the landscape.

All of the videos will be streamed live by NASA at eclipse.stream.live.

Recent Mines graduate Cody Cronin has been working on this project for eight months and said if all goes well, the team is in for about "three minutes of glory." That is the amount of time the NASA livestream will carry Black Hills team's feed.

On Thursday, the students were at Clyde Ice Field in Spearfish testing the weather balloon and livestream capabilities for the final time before the eclipse.

The crew filled up the white weather balloon until it was approximately 10 feet in diameter and able to lift the 12-pound payload of cameras and computers.

The gigantic white balloon slowly floated up and caught the wind, causing it to drift to the east. The payload of cameras and equipment trailed behind in a series of Styrofoam boxes connected by string.

The team is running calculations to determine the best location to launch the balloon according to weather patterns on the day of the eclipse. Current calculations show that the team should launch in the area of Mitchell, Neb., at 10:52 a.m.  about an hour before eclipse totality.

The eclipse crew is composed of two teams, according to Gina Bestgen, a recent Mines graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering.

One team will launch the balloon while another will track it from Alliance, Neb., to make sure the livestream is working. On Wednesday, the tracking team was at Sturgis Brown High School  more than 30 miles away  using GPS to follow the position of the balloon in Spearfish.

As the balloon gains altitude the helium inside will start to expand. The balloon will eventually burst, sending the cameras and sensor equipment back toward Earth.

The highest the team's balloon has reached during the roughly 10 test launches was around 109,000 feet, or about 20 miles above sea level  an area that scientists call near space.

Once the balloon falls to Earth, the team will use GPS on the payload to locate the equipment.

"Because of the volume of people that are going to be down there, it might be a few hours before we can get the payload back or maybe even the next day," Bestgen said.

Even though the team will be scrambling around on the day of the eclipse, Peggy Norris, team leader and education and outreach deputy director for the Sanford Underground Lab, told the students to make sure they don't miss the historic event.

"I told them when it hits 11:30, pull over and watch the eclipse no matter where you are," Norris said. "We can worry about the equipment afterward."

The Black Hills team could execute its launch perfectly, but a good livestream is still dependent on the weather conditions that day.

"That's the concerning part; we have been watching the weather to see what the clouds are doing," Bestgen said. "It's hard to say if we will be able to see the eclipse or not, but we are going to try."
Riding on a bus in the middle of the night through Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, it's impressive, the sheer volume of traffic, hour after hour. Tanker trucks and semis and auto carriers, thousands of tons of goods moving to market, like a train of ants carrying leaves to their anthill. Out here, you don't see the "American carnage" referred to in the inaugural address back in January. Evidently the speaker who portrayed the country as a beached whale and a victim of international conspiracies has now fixed the problems and we're booming again. Good.

I'm on this bus because I'm living the dream of every 75-year-old American male to travel around with a band and put on shows. People imagine I'm working hard so I get sympathy (poor old guy) even as I'm having the time of my life. To be pitied for three weeks of sheer pleasure: life doesn't get better than that.

I am a happy man and I feel a love of country that I could work up into a really bad song, which the country doesn't need. We have about six very good patriotic songs, including "America" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the one about the rockets' red glare, and that's enough.

This is freeway America, the land of strip malls and Walmart and economy motels, not scenic postcard America, but I love its bounding vitality and good humor. In the Holiday Inn Express, we line up for the free breakfast of watery oatmeal and generic eggs and nondescript coffee, ignoring the yammer of TV news, and I take an empty seat at a long table and am drawn into a conversation with three women and two men, strangers to me, on classic topics: This Beautiful Summer & The Number of Persons I Know Who've Contracted Tick-Borne Disease, How Does One Correct The Bad Parenting of One's Children, The Misery of Attending One's Spouse's Reunion, Hip Replacements I Have Known That Went Bad, Why (Name of Winter Paradise) Is Not What It Used To Be, and so on. The amiable complaints of my age group.

I'm an old Democrat traveling through Republican territory and I feel welcome. Geniality is all around. Nobody mentions You Know Who, the scowly man with projectile eyebrows whose last name sounds like someone dropped a fruitcake on the floor. A bad breakfast among strangers but everyone's in a good mood or trying to be. I love this. This is America, a congenial country. Welcome, one and all. Respect the rules. Don't throw food. If you need to be crazy, go out in the woods.

Over in the Universe Cafe where righteous Democrats gather to eat organic eggs from cooperative chickens, I imagine that you'd hear his name twenty times a minute, like a sump pump, but here, no. Democrats are forever wringing their hands about something they just read a book about, and then last weekend they got to talk about the parade of certified lunatics in Charlottesville protesting the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. As if that were something of lasting significance.

It is more than sad that we have a president whom lunatics look up to as a hero and who tried not to offend them in his statement of semi-condemnation on Saturday that he then, without apology, had to re-do on Monday. His cluelessness is a national embarrassment. And it was an ugly, ugly day.

But let us, good people, not grant significance to crazy people. This is a gang of freaks that social media gives the power to unite  in a nation of 323 million, you can Google the secret words and get 700 sociopaths to come to Charlottesville. This is not a meaningful phenomenon. You could also get 700 people who are getting messages from Lucifer through their dental fillings or 700 apocalyptic Episcopalians who know the world will end on Thursday.

The young Teutons who converged are actors in a fantasy, men who got kicked out of Civil War re-enactments for over-enthusiasm. Maybe we create a special place for them in a wilderness canyon out West where they could goosestep and Sieg Heil, express their whiteness, feel uber Alles, feast on knockwurst, light each other's Pupser, the whole schmegeggy. Mr. Angry Eyebrows can chopper in and visit them there with his sidekick Mr. Mask. In 2020, assuming the White House allows an election, let's get a president who is civil and has a sense of humor. Now go enjoy your breakfast.
Russian tycoon Deripaska rebukes arguments of Associated Press in libel case

Context Russian billionaire Deripaska files defamation lawsuit against Associated Press

MOSCOW, August 17 (RAPSI)  Lawyers representing Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska have forwarded a memorandum to the United States District Court of Columbia arguing against a motion to dismiss defamation case against the Associated Press (AP) news agency, according to the case documents available to RAPSI.

In May, Deripaska lodged the libel suit against the Associated Press over an article called AP Exclusive: Before Trump job, Manafort worked to aid Putin. He stated that this piece about alleged business relations between the businessman and Paul Manafort, a campaign manager for Donald Trump, contained false and defamatory statements. Russian tycoon believes that the article implied that his commercial dealings during the period from 2005 to 2009 were related to the election campaign of Donald Trump.

On July 3, the news agency filed a motion to dismiss the case. In particular, the Associated Press argued that Deripaska was challenging the story based on his own "strained implications" and incorrect inferences. In addition, the Associated Press noted that Deripaska should be treated under the law as a "limited public figure" requiring him to prove that the authors of the story acted with malice in publishing the story.

The memorandum filed by the tycoon states that the Associated Press contradicts itself regarding subject of the published article. Deripaska asserts that the piece is explicitly concerned with alleged deal between Deripaska and Manafort seeking to implement pro-Russian strategy to benefit President Vladimir Putin. According to the plaintiff, the theme of the article, combined with several statements capable of containing defamatory meaning, is sufficient to claim defamation on his behalf.

Russian billionaire also noted that he does not have to prove malice because he is not a limited public figure within the limited scope of the article, although he is able to do that if necessary. Deripaska argued that the news agency failed to provide sufficient evidence to back statements made in the article and that in fact the Associated Press knew that the stated allegations were false when it published them. In addition, he does not claim defamation by implication but rather the defamation itself.

The initial lawsuit reads that later, in separate video, the Associated Press has admitted that relationship between Deripaska and Manafort was over before the election campaign began, yet the news agency did not distribute it along with the article. The Associated Press did not provide a public correction and retraction and other influential media organizations republished the article leaving readers under impression that Deripaskas dealings were related to controversy surrounding the election campaign, the claim reads.

According to the lawsuit, the Associated Press has also spread false information regarding Deripaska by alleging that he was involved in the theft of Ukrainian assets in 2014 and suggesting that his contacts with Manafort were intended to basically undermine democratic movements.
In the face of a dismal steelhead run, Idaho canceled its harvest season this fall and instead will implement rules allowing only catch and release.

Washington is expected to announce similarly restrictive measures in the coming days, likely marking the first time in decades that catch-and-keep steelhead fishing will not be allowed on the Snake River and its tributaries. The move is a gut punch for fishing-related businesses from outfitters and guides who make their living helping people catch fish to businesses  like tackle shops, hotels and restaurants  that count on an influx of anglers and their cash each fall and winter.

I just lost 70 percent of my income for my year, said Toby Wyatt, owner of Reel Time Fishing at Clarkston, Washington. Its probably the biggest blow Ive ever had in my career as a guide.

The Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce announced it canceled its annual Snake-Clearwater Steelhead Derby that serves as both a fundraiser and a way to showcase the fishing opportunities and other amenities of the valley to people who come from out of town to participate in the weeklong event. Chamber President Kristin Kemak said the chamber will look to hold an alternative event that highlights other outdoor opportunities.

Kemak and Wyatt both said they understand why the states are moving to restrict harvest and believe its the best way to protect the health of future fishing seasons.

I 100 percent agree with it, Wyatt said. I know its not the states fault at all. Its just a combination of drought conditions and The Blob in the ocean.

Riggins Mayor Glenna McClure was less understanding and said she would have liked fisheries managers to wait before implementing restrictions that are sure to hurt small towns like hers.

For the economy of Riggins, that will just kill this little town, she said. People dont come here to catch and release. They come here to catch and keep.

This fall will mark the second year in a row that A-run steelhead have performed poorly. Last year the run comprised of fish that generally spend just one year in the ocean tanked. Biologists blamed low flows in the Snake and Columbia rivers when the fish migrated to the Pacific Ocean as juveniles, and The Blob  a strange mass of warm water that enveloped the near coastal waters off of Oregon and Washington.

The poor return of A-run steelhead in 2016 signaled a likely poor run of B-run steelhead this year. Those steelhead generally spend two years in salt water and experienced the same poor river and ocean conditions in 2016. The larger B-run fish are just starting to enter the Columbia River and fisheries managers dont know yet if their prediction will play out.

But they are reeling from the number of A-run steelhead counted to date at Bonneville Dam. Fisheries managers expected a down year but hoped it would best the 2016 run by a wide margin. So far the opposite is true. The run is amongst the lowest on record at Bonneville and the lowest ever at Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River.

Before the run began, fisheries managers estimated 112,100 A-run steelhead would pass Bonneville Dam this year. They now expect only about 54,000 including 21,000 wild fish.

Joe DuPont, regional fisheries manager of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at Lewiston, said just 3,300 Idaho-bound hatchery steelhead have been counted at Bonneville and only 6,600 are expected. Of those only about 4,600 will make it back to Idaho.

Hatcheries in the state need 2,680 steelhead for spawning. However, DuPont said many of the 4,600 A-run steelhead will return to places they cant be trapped and its not unusual for more than half of the returning hatchery steelhead to be harvested during fishing seasons.

As such, we need to restrict harvest to ensure we keep our hatcheries full, he said.

DuPont said biologists will closely monitor both the A-run and B-run, and if numbers pick up its possible that harvest could be reopened in select areas. He said he is confident the catch and release regulations are sufficient to protect wild fish that are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

I can tell you we have had many catch and release fisheries across the state of Idaho where fish rebounded and flourished, he said. Catch and release fishing has proven to be a successful technique to help rebound fisheries that have declined for various reasons.

The emergency rules took effect Friday. The main catch-and-keep steelhead season on the Snake and Salmon rivers doesnt open until Sept. 1, but a short section of the Clearwater River, from its mouth to Memorial Bridge at Lewiston, opened Aug. 1.
Lolo Peak firefighters are trying to take control of the beast out there but warned Thursday night that they expect more extreme fire activity on Friday.

The Lolo Peak fire exploded to 15,090 acres Thursday, after making a four-mile run in the Mormon Creek area overnight. And Stuart Turner, a fire behavior analyst, warned that Friday is going to be a big weather day.

Were going to have a red flag warning, which means there will be extreme conditions that are right for large fire growth, Turner said at a Thursday night meeting. Thats why youre seeing all of these activities and evacuations.

In just a few hours Wednesday night, westerly winds moved the fire about four miles to the east on the ridge north of Carlton Lake and into the top of the Mormon Creek drainage, fire managers reported on InciWeb, the U.S. Forest Services' Incident Information System.

That area remains a significant concern to fire managers.

Were trying to seal off the mouth of Lolo Creek, Mark Goeller, the operations manager, told the crowd gathered Thursday evening at the Florence Baptist Church. We saw, with the Roaring Lion fire last year and the Sawtooth fire, is that fire tends to want to come roaring out of the canyons and cause havoc on the valley floor.

Theyre trying to check the fire where they can in rocky terrain, and also have laid fire lines and hoses to try to stem its movement. In addition, on Thursday three Hotshot crews worked downhill building hand lines and burning out brush and understory along the northernmost and southernmost ski trails of the failed ski area west of Florence.

By midday, the uncontained fire edge had reached the highest elevations of the ski runs.

Using drip torches filled with a mixture of diesel and gasoline, the Hotshots plan to bring the fire down to the primary containment line, which runs parallel to Highway 93. By burning out the lighter fuels below the trees, the crew plans to decrease the intensity of the fire as it approaches the containment line.

Hotshot crews plan to move the fire from McClain Creek on the southern edge, and from Mormon Creek on the northern edge, to meet in the middle.

From Drop Point 80 near McClain Creek Road, helicopter motors echoed out of the surrounding drainages and large tanker planes could be seen dropping retardant down Carlton Ridge. According to Public Information Officer Mike Martin, Lolo Peak is labeled a priority fire, which means more resources will be assigned to it.

A Type 2 initial attack crew from northwestern Alaska watched the Hotshots moving down the slope, ready to provide assistance at any moment. The supporting crews at drop points provide regular weather assessments to the Hotshots using field kits to measure temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity.

Fire managers said theyre also closely monitoring the Mill Creek Road area.

We havent removed our focus and understand theres still potential for that to become very active, Goeller said.

Throughout the day Thursday, torching trees were visible from Highway 93, with fire behavior described as "very active due to the hot and dry weather. According to the Forest Service, people can expect to see "single tree and group torching, short uphill crown runs with spotting" between a half mile and a mile.

Despite the quick movement of the fire Wednesday, the mood around the incident command center and on the fire line was calm Thursday. Firefighters have had a month to create their strategy for fighting the Lolo Peak fire, and were ready to implement it.

Martin noted that for the past month, the fire had been in terrain too dangerous for firefighters.

Down here, in the lighter fuels, is where we can catch this fire, Martin said.

Back on Highway 93, the fire information trailer at the junction of Highway 93 and Highway 12 buzzed with activity all day long. Martin, said between 15 and 20 people at a time had been stopping at the stand since 7 a.m.

Many of the people stopping at the fire information stand were evacuated either Wednesday night or Thursday afternoon. John Peterson, one of the public information officers, assured wave after wave of people of the safety of their home and explained how firefighters are acting to control the fire.

Now that the fire is visible and established on Carlton Ridge, a new information stand will be set up in Florence at the community bank.

Greg Poncin, the incident commander, told the crowd at the gathering in Florence Thursday night that his team is happy to be back at the Lolo Peak fire after a two-week resting period. He noted that they put in 30 miles of primary containment lines before leaving, and that they want to come back to see this through.

Thats how we are going to do this  together, he said.

Ravalli Republic editor Eve Byron contributed to this story.
Confederate monuments are being removed around the country under pressure from those who say they honor a regime that enslaved African-Americans. The pace has increased, however, in the wake of last weekend's deadly confrontation at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

A look at monuments that have been removed, covered up or vandalized in recent days:

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ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND

A statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney, who wrote the 1857 Dred Scott decision that upheld slavery and denied citizenship to African-Americans, was removed from the grounds of the Maryland State House Friday and trucked away to storage. Three of four voting members of the State House Trust voted to move the bronze statue, which was erected in 1872.

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HELENA, MONTANA

The city began removing a granite fountain Friday that stood in a park as a monument to Confederate soldiers since 1916. One of a few people on hand to oppose the removal was detained when she defied orders to vacate the grounds of the fountain. She was later released.

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BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON

The city near the Canadian border removed signs identifying Pickett Bridge, which was named for Confederate Capt. George E. Pickett. In Seattle, Mayor Ed Murray called for the removal of a Confederate memorial at a cemetery.

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ARLINGTON, TEXAS

The Dallas-area theme park Six Flags Over Texas will no longer fly the Confederate flag. The park named for the six flags that have flown over the state said Friday that will now fly six American flags.

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NEW YORK

Transit officials will alter subway tiles at a Manhattan station that have a cross-like design similar to that of the Confederate flag. The design at the 40th Street entrance to the Times Square stop isn't flag-related but transit officials said they want to avoid confusion about their meaning. Earlier this week, plaques honoring Gen. Robert E. Lee were removed from the property of a now-closed Brooklyn church. Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called on the Army to rename two streets at Fort Hamilton that honor Lee and another Confederate general.

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DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA

A statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee at Duke University was found defaced Thursday. The statue in the entryway to Duke Chapel had damage to its nose. Another monument of a Confederate soldier that stood in front of a government office building in town was pulled down by protesters Monday night. Four people have been arrested, and authorities say more arrests are planned. Earlier, two statues in Wilmington were defaced with spray paint.

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LEESBURG, VIRGINIA

A statue outside a courthouse dedicated to Confederate soldiers was vandalized. Obscenities and other graffiti were spray-painted on the 1908 monument sometime before dawn Thursday. The damage was repaired.

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MADISON, WISCONSIN

A plaque honoring confederate soldiers was removed Wednesday from a cemetery and a second monument will be taken down later. The plaque lauded "the valiant" Confederate soldiers buried there. Mayor Paul Soglin said the Civil War was "a defense of the deplorable practice of slavery."

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PHOENIX

A Confederate monument outside Phoenix was found covered in tar and feathers on Thursday. Earlier, the Confederate Troops Memorial outside the Arizona Capitol was spray-painted white. It was the second time in a week that the memorial had been vandalized.

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BALTIMORE

Four Confederacy-related monuments were hauled away on trucks under cover of darkness late Tuesday night and early Wednesday. Mayor Catherine Pugh said she was concerned that such statues might spark violence.

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KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

A 1914 monument honoring fallen Confederate soldiers was splattered with paint earlier this week. Opponents are signing a petition to have it removed from a neighborhood near the University of Tennessee campus.

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BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

A 52-foot-tall obelisk honoring Confederate soldiers and sailors was covered by wooden panels at the mayor's order. The 1905 monument is in a downtown park. The cover-up Tuesday prompted a lawsuit by Alabama's attorney general, who argues that it violates a new law prohibiting the removal of historical structures, including rebel memorials.

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LOS ANGELES

Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where many movie legends are interred, removed a 6-foot Confederate monument that was erected in 1925. The stone and attached plaque stood near the graves of more than 30 Confederate veterans and their families.

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SAN DIEGO

The city removed a plaque naming Confederate President Jefferson Davis from a downtown plaza Wednesday. The 1926 plaque honored San Diego as the Western terminus of the Jefferson Davis Highway between Virginia and California.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The owner of downtown Cleveland's fourth-tallest building is doing an about-face, marketing the Tower at Erieview and the adjacent Galleria shopping mall for sale after more than a year of exploring a partial conversion of the skyscraper to apartments.

RAIT Financial Trust recently put the buildings on the market, at an undisclosed price. A listing package from real estate company HFF, Inc., started making the rounds last week.

The 40-story tower, at East 12th Street and St. Clair Avenue, is only 45 percent leased, according to HFF's listing materials. The glassy, barrel-shaped Galleria is 60 percent leased. The property also includes a 421-space parking garage.

RAIT's decision doesn't shut the door on a potential residential redevelopment of a third of the office space. But the listing throws the timeline for such a project into limbo - and signals that the Philadelphia-based company won't necessarily be the force behind renovations.

That's not shocking. RAIT is a publicly traded commercial real estate lender, not a buyer or developer of office buildings, shopping centers and housing. In December 2015, the company converted a $57 million mortgage on the long-troubled Erieview complex into full ownership of the properties. The investment remains an oddity on RAIT's balance sheet.

As recently as June, though, the company still seemed to be fine-tuning redevelopment plans. On June 23, the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board voted to recommend the tower for a slot on the National Register of Historic Places. That designation, which is pending in Washington, D.C., will make the building eligible for federal historic tax credits for renovations.

Andres Viroslav, a RAIT spokesman, didn't respond to an interview request. Jaime Fink, a senior managing director at HFF in Chicago, declined to comment.

The Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office estimates that the property is worth just over $27 million. But the county's valuations aren't always a good reflection of what commercial real estate buyers are willing to pay.

Local consultants working with RAIT said the company has been considering two paths - redevelopment, down one road, and a sale or possible joint venture, down the other. Heather Rudge, a historic-preservation consultant, said she expects the National Register listing to come through by mid-September. That designation could be attractive to a buyer, she said.

"If another developer moves forward, it will generate significant federal historic tax credits," said Ryan Sommers, managing director of financial services at Project Management Consultants in Cleveland. "We've also secured a preliminary commitment from the state of Ohio for an up to $5 million state brownfield loan. Both of those programs, along with any other support, would benefit any subsequent developer-investor."

RAIT has spent money on building upgrades, including improvements to the elevators, the roof and heating and cooling systems. But pulling the trigger on an apartment project, which would involve moving office tenants and remaking the lobby, would be much costlier - potentially between $50 million and $60 million.

Alec Pacella, managing partner of the NAI Daus real estate brokerage in Beachwood, doubts that the Erieview complex will appeal to traditional office investors. "That's not where the true value lies," he said. "The true value lies in this redevelopment potential."

But the tower and, particularly, the Galleria have been tough puzzles for past owners.

The YMCA of Greater Cleveland took over one corner of the 1987-vintage mall and opened its new downtown branch there last year. Restaurants, offices and local businesses fill the other occupied spaces. But nobody's figured out a way to make the building feel vibrant, or cohesive. The largest tower tenants are Walter Haverfield and Weston Hurd, two law firms.

"This is a property ... that hasn't had a stable period beyond 24 months in the last 20 years," said Rico Pietro, a principal at Cushman & Wakefield/Cresco Real Estate in Independence. "There are signs of optimism, but there's a lot of work to do to either absorb the space as office or restack the building as residential."

Pacella said he's heard from local and national investors who are eyeing the buildings. He wouldn't predict a price for the property, though he said the complexity of the deal will eat into what any redevelopment-minded buyer is willing to pay.

"It's a hairy kind of deal, for sure," he said.

Over the last nine months, there's been a surge of interest from out-of-town buyers in the Erieview district, where office buildings at 45, 55 and 65-75 Erieview Plaza have been sold. In every case, the new owners are betting on the upside potential of renovating the properties, rebranding them and attracting new tenants to soak up substantial vacancies.
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Guwahati: Journalists' Forum Assam (JFA) expresses worries over the serious health conditions of two young scribes undergoing treatments in the city based hospitals and wishes their early recoveries. The forum also appeals to the government to immediately launch a comprehensive health insurance scheme for the benefit of all working journalists of the State.

It may be noted that Gautam Hazarika from DY365 news channel is presently admitted at GNRC Six-mile campus after a brain stroke on the night of last Monday. On the other hand, Kushal Lahan from Amar Asom newspaper faced an accident in Meghalaya on 15 August and currently admitted at Apollo Hospital Guwahati.

The JFA also urged the chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to sanction necessary funds for the treatment of both Gautam and Kushal, besides requesting other media welfare organisations to contribute for the two ailing journalists' treatment.

'We also request the owners/managements of various newspapers and news channels of the State to extend supports in realizing the contributory health insurance scheme for scribes at the earliest,' said a statement issued by JFA president Rupam Barua.
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 Huge portion of Louisiana prison population could benefit from state's recent reform of nonviolent sentences | Main | "Sound Principles, Undesirable Outcomes: Justice Scalia's Paradoxical Eighth Amendment Jurisprudence" 

August 18, 2017

Califorina judge precludes death penalty for mass murderer as sanction for government misconduct

A helpful reader made sure I did not miss the notable state trial ruling reported in this new HuffPost piece. As the piece reports, "Scott Dekraai, a 47-year-old man who admitted to killing eight people at a beauty salon in the worst mass shooting in Orange County, California, history, will not face execution for his crimes because of law enforcement misconduct linked to a jail informant program, a judge ruled Friday." Here is more:

In a rare move, Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals excluded the death penalty as a punishment option. The ruling comes after the judge held weeks of hearings centered on whether the Orange County Sheriffs Department could be trusted to turn over all records in the case. Its now expected that next month Goethals will sentence Dekraai to eight consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole  unless the California Attorney Generals office files a challenge to the ruling with the 4th District Court of Appeal. This is not a punitive sanction, Goethals said in court Friday. Rather it is a remedial sanction necessitated by the ongoing prosecutorial misconduct. Deputy Attorney General Michael Murphy  the prosecutor who took over the Dekraai case after Goethals recused the Orange County District Attorneys office due to misconduct  had argued that the judge should keep the death penalty on the table. Murphy said that Goethals had already doled out the appropriate sanctions in removing the district attorneys office from the case and that excluding the death penalty would amount to an additional, unnecessary sanction. Ultimately, Goethals disagreed. Reading from his ruling, the judge said that compliance by prosecutors and other law enforcement officers with his lawful court orders to turn over evidence in the Dekraai case remains an elusive goal and that ignoring those violations would be unconscionable.... The judges ruling is extraordinary in the case of a mass murderer. Dekraai almost immediately confessed to police about his role in the 2011 killing. He formally pleaded guilty to the crimes in 2014. It appeared Dekraai would swiftly be dispatched to San Quentins death row. But the case against him has been marred by allegations of egregious government malfeasance. His sentencing has remained in limbo amid ongoing allegations that county prosecutors and sheriffs deputies improperly used a jailhouse informant in his case and then hid key evidence about that for years.... Just days after the 2011 shooting, county law enforcement moved Dekraai, then held in a local jail, next to a prolific jailhouse informant, Fernando Perez. Perez questioned Dekraai about his case. Then prosecutors and law enforcement officers interviewed Perez, and a recording device was placed in Dekraais cell, capturing more conversations between the pair. While it is generally legal for law enforcement authorities to use informants to help bolster cases, Dekraais lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders, has argued that in the particular circumstances, the move was a violation of his clients constitutional rights. Thats because it is illegal for government agents, including informants, to question or coerce statements out of a defendant who has been formally charged with crimes and is already represented by a lawyer, as Dekraai was. Prosecutors contended there was no intentional violation because they did not instruct Perez to question Dekraai. While the contents of the conversations between Dekraai and Perez remain sealed, court records have shown that the informant did probe Dekraai about his crimes. As Sanders requested more information about the contacts between the two men, he discovered that Perez had also been used as an informant against another one of his clients, Daniel Wozniak. Wozniak was sentenced to death last year for the killing of two of his friends in an attempt to fund his wedding. Prosecutors said it was simply a coincidence that the same informant was used against two of Sanders most high-profile clients, but the public defender didnt believe that. Sanders pushed to uncover what would turn out to be tens of thousands of records about the use of informants inside county jails by prosecutors and sheriffs deputies.... Additional evidence of the informant program came to light over the course of four years and three evidentiary hearings. Sanders efforts would ultimately reveal a disturbing trove of long-hidden records: a 25-year-old computerized system that detailed critical information about jail inmates and informants; more than four years of logs created by deputies who managed the informants, which was deleted in 2013 just days before Judge Goethals issued an order requiring its disclosure; and internal sheriffs department memos, including one boasting of hundreds of informants.... Nonetheless, the sheriffs department continues to deny a jail informant program exists. In recent hearings, Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and members of her command and management staff suggested that if there was any informant-related misconduct in the jails by deputies, it was the work of just a handful of rogue officers operating independently of their orders. Three deputies refused to testify at the hearings, invoking their Fifth Amendment right to silence. Leaders of the sheriffs department have also said theyve made changes to how deputies handle inmates in the jail. The district attorneys office has maintained that any misconduct by county prosecutors was unintentional and that the scandal has been overblown.... The 4th District Court of Appeal found last year that the cheating by prosecutors and sheriffs officials in the county was very real and that the magnitude of the systemic problems cannot be overlooked. Afterward, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an investigation into the official use of jail informants in Orange County. The scandal had already led to the unraveling of more than a dozen murder, attempted murder and felony assault cases in the county and threatens to upend countless more. But the ruling in Dekraais case on Friday is arguably the most crushing defeat that the beleaguered district attorneys office has faced since the scandal broke.

UPDATE

A copy of the ruling referenced above is available at this link

August 18, 2017 at 02:55 PM | Permalink

Comments

To paraphrase what criminal defense lawyers learn after many years of practice: "There are only a few words that a rogue prosecutor truly understands: reversed, dismissed, and vacated."

Posted by: Dave from Iowa | Aug 18, 2017 3:10:30 PM

I think jail house informants are a big problem, I think law enforcement officers who take the 5A are an every bigger problem and I have never understood why they are not forced to categorically waive that right as a condition of employment. Having said that, I am not sure that taking the DP off the table is the correct answer in this situation. I don't see how taking the DP off the table is a "remedial sanction" as the judge claims for what exactly does it cure? It certainly doesn't cure the malfeasance if the malfeasance is ongoing. As I see this ruling treats the DP as a reward for the prosecution and this something that can be taken away in order to penalize them. That is a weird perspective to me.

Posted by: Daniel | Aug 18, 2017 3:29:00 PM

I also wonder what exactly an informant would have added in this case, I can understand an informant being useful in a guilt-phase proceeding but that was apparently open and shut in this instance. I have a much harder time seeing an informant having anything relevant to contribute for sentencing (even DP sentencing).

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Aug 18, 2017 4:00:38 PM

Daniel writes, " As I see this ruling treats the DP as a reward for the prosecution and this something that can be taken away in order to penalize them. That is a weird perspective to me."

But its the same theory underlying the exclusionary rule. As Cardozo has aptly said, "Shall the criminal go free because the constable has blundered."

Answer yes. Because, as experience teaches, suppression of evidence, is the the only practical way of deterring prosecutorial (or police) misconduct. So, here, putting the death penalty off the table, is the only practical way of deterring future misconduct.

Posted by: Emily | Aug 18, 2017 4:01:19 PM

@emily

Yes I agree with the exclusionary rule. But I don't see the same social interests at stake in sentencing as I do in the guilt phrase. A person is innocent until proven guilty but after they have been proven guilty the calculus changes. Indeed, if we think about this case carefully what the judge did was penalize the prosecution in the sentencing phase for something that the prosecution did in the guilt phase and that for me is a big no no. @Doug and I had a similar conversation regarding the CA medical pot growers. If the government committed misconduct during the guilt phase then the proper sanction is either exclusion of the evidence or dismissal of the charges but it can't be the suspending or shorting of the sentence. The judge here tries to get around this problem by claiming that the misconduct by the executive branch is "on going" but so what? The question is not when the misconduct occurred in chronological time but what part of the judicial process the misconduct was directed at.

As I see it the judge here probably should just dismiss the charges. But he doesn't want to do that as a sanction because there would be hell to pay for letting a mass murderer walk free. So he looks at his tool box and asks what can he do to stick it to the prosecution and he comes up with a very short list of options of which taking the DP off the table is one. From a certain perspective that is a proportional response, I simply don't think it makes any logical sense.

Posted by: Daniel | Aug 18, 2017 4:50:43 PM

Daniel writes in response to Emily, "I simply don't think it makes any logical sense."

Daniel is right, but as Justice Holmes reminds us, the life of the law is not logic; it is experience.

Posted by: Taylor | Aug 18, 2017 8:45:22 PM

Brazen display of shocking lawyer profession stupidity. This incredible stupidity is well known. More shocking is the stupidity of the people here whose intellect has not been decimated by a legal education.

1) A listening device is placed in a cell. It records the voluntary statements of a mass murderer. These statements are made under circumstances promoting candor, rather than the really stupid lawyer procedure that promotes the cover up. Not only is this really stupid lawyer procedure inducing a cover up, it implants false memories. So, 25% of exonerated people confessed to murders they had not committed by the incredibly stupid agents of the incredibly stupid prosecutor, the pigs. So, obtaining the reliable statement of the truth is a form of unethical misconduct;

2)there is no mention that the information skewed, or distorted any aspect of the verdict or of the sentencing process. So, this is misconduct that caused no harm, no reversible error, no effect on validity of any outcome;

3) what is the remedy by this incredibly stupid judge? He privileges a mass murderer, to punish a prosecutor who is completely unaffected, personally. But, the future victims of this mass murderers will pay the price instead. The judge fails to understand the Prince and the Pauper Effect that is the exclusionary rule. The Prince has been a bad boy. The Pauper is spanked. How does that improve the conduct of the Prince? I do not understand this incredibly stupid rule. If the evidence was obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment, punish the police, and the prosecutor, who is their master. Charge legal costs to their personal assets. Throw the police and the prosecutor in jail. Have them lashed and caned. But do not punish the future victims of the criminal they are loosing on the public, or in the general population of the state penitentiary.

This incredibly stupid judge must be impeached. Statutes should reverse all use of the exclusionary laws, and replace them with direct punishment of the offending police and prosecutors.

Posted by: David Behar | Aug 18, 2017 10:05:52 PM

"From a certain perspective that is a proportional response, I simply don't think it makes any logical sense."

So, it depends on the perspective. If you have a different one, it's logical.

The article has a link to the ruling, but a direct one: https://s3.amazonaws.com/big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/DekraaiRulingStrikingDeath81817_1.pdf

Much of the opinion is to discuss the violation. Skip to the conclusion. More on how bad the violation is. Then, there is a discussion of conflicting desires of victims, including many asking him to give LWOP. Ultimately, the judge argues the result here is necessary as a remedial solution (early on, it noted it had wide discretion) to promote justice in the future. A dismissal was not an option.

I think that works.

Posted by: Joe | Aug 18, 2017 10:37:56 PM

(on some level, given how nearly no death sentence is actually carried out in CA, not sure how much giving this guy LWOP really is much of a sanction, but you are penalizing the prosecutor & taking away an option like that is one way to do it)

Posted by: Joe | Aug 18, 2017 10:55:57 PM

"...to promote justice in the future."

We know you are a weasel. Now we know you are law trained moron, as well. Every Life Skills student I have ever spoken to is far smarter than any Supreme Court Justice. Although they are undergoing extensive and rigorous training to eat food with a spoon, they have far more common sense.

Deterrence of any kind violates Fifth Amendment procedural due process right to a fair hearing. How does punishing someone, in this case, the victims of the defendant, past and future, to scare someone acting in the future, who may or may not exist, who may have never known about this decision, and whom no one in the case has ever met make the least amount of sense even to people learning to eat with a spoon?

The mention or even the implication, or reference to deterrence should result in an immediate, mandatory, and automatic mistrial.

All Supreme Court Justices must be forced to attend Life Skills classes by a new Judiciary Act.

Posted by: David Behar | Aug 18, 2017 11:04:14 PM

A final comment: the prosecution here is basically "the people" -- a representative of the people overall. They provided a sanction (death penalty) but the process was abused. So, it is appropriate, as in the exclusionary rule situation, to exclude something to promote justice as a whole. This also ties it to the specific event.

Posted by: Joe | Aug 19, 2017 11:18:09 AM

@taylor

That is taking Justice Holmes too far. He said what is living in the law is experience but he never said everything in the law was living. So properly understood Justice Holmes comment relates to how law evolves. It is also worth nothing in this context that his words were uttered about the common law and this case is not a common law case. So Holmes is inapposite.

@Joe.

Yes, of course, at a certain level of abstraction all is one, one is all and I can become a Buddha simply by going to the local pizza parlor and ordering one with everything. There is a term for the kind of reasoning you employ: it is called facile.



Posted by: Daniel | Aug 19, 2017 11:49:35 AM

(sigh.) "It is also worth /noting/..." though the wags will says that I made a Freudian slip.

Posted by: Daniel | Aug 19, 2017 11:51:03 AM

A weasel, a moron. You embrace the Prince and the Pauper Effect. Prince is a bad boy, so spank the pauper, to teach the Prince a lesson, and to improve the Prince's future behavior.

By the way, the whipping boy doctrine does not just violate the Fifth Amendment procedural (real) due process, behavioral principles, all common sense, but also the Establishment Clause. It was based on the idea that the monarch spoke with the voice of God (a delusional and psychotic doctrine), and had immunity based on his Divine Right.

You, moron, you psycho, along with appellate court judges. I know that students in Life Skills would disagree with you. If asked, who should get spanked, they would point with their spoons at the Prince if it were he that had been a bad boy.

Posted by: David Behar | Aug 19, 2017 5:35:25 PM

Funny that this is a law blog yet so many here, who profess at least an interest in the law, are so quick to defend its corruption by those appointed to implement and defend it. The police and prosecutors are the front line - those who largely hold the lives of millions of Americans and others in their hands. If they can escape sanction for abuse - whether or not you happen to believe the guilt of the person on trial - then all is lost for Justice. There are no bigger principles at stake than that all defendants receive an honest, fair and unbiased prosecution. When a life sentence or or something like is readily available as an alternative, a sanction in favor of a defendant, which spares life, is most assuredly a "price" well worth paying.

Posted by: peter | Aug 20, 2017 6:33:58 AM

Peter. We agree that police and prosecutors should have the accountability that others have. What do you think about punishing others for their carelessness or corrupt conduct? Isn't that the stupidest, unfair, and lawless way to hold them accountable? Well, that is the exclusionary rule.

You should join me in calling for ending all immunities for these incompetents and corrupt officials, in accordance with professional standards of due. The latter mean, they will be policing themselves, since peers will have to demonstrate any deviation to a jury or to a judge.

Posted by: David Behar | Aug 20, 2017 2:06:08 PM

Post a comment
 US Sentencing Commission finalizes policy priorities and publishes notable holdover amendments | Main | Califorina judge precludes death penalty for mass murderer as sanction for government misconduct 

As reported in this local article, headlined "Louisiana to review 16,000 prison sentences as criminal justice reform takes effect," recent sentencing reform in the Pelican state could have a huge impact on current prisoners. Here are the details:

Louisiana's Public Safety and Corrections officials are reviewing the sentences of 16,000 inmates who could have their prison time shortened as criminal law changes take effect Nov. 1. That's around 45 percent of the 35,500 people the state has locked up now.

Gov. John Bel Edwards and the state Legislature overhauled the criminal justice system this past spring, aiming to reduce Louisiana's highest-in-the-world incarceration rate. Some law changes have already taken place, but changes that mostly retroactively affect low-level offenders in prison go into place in November -- driving the review.

The 16,000 prison terms being reconsidered are for nonviolent offenses only and many will likely remain unchanged, said Jimmy LeBlanc, secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. For example, some inmates who are serving sentences for multiple offenses won't be affected. Also, the majority of people whose sentences are affected won't necessarily be getting out anytime soon, LeBlanc said.

Still, there will be an initial surge in releases from prison right after Nov. 1. About 3,000 to 4,000 of the 16,000 sentences being reviewed could be changed to make inmates eligible for release before the end of the year. In the end, LeBlanc estimates about 1,500 to 2,000 of that cohort will actually get out in the weeks following Nov. 1. Others will probably have to wait. Some inmates may not have completed all the rehabilitation work required to get out at an earlier date.

Prior to the criminal justice changes passing, the number of inmates in the state's corrections system was expected to reach 36,300 by November, according to the prisons system's own projections. If 2,000 additional people were released in November, that would amount to a five percent decrease compared to those projections. In a normal month, the prison system releases about 1,500 people. The 1,500 to 2,000 people who get out shortly after Nov. 1 would be in addition to those normally discharged....

The bulk of Louisiana's states inmates are actually not housed in state prisons at all. About 55 percent of them -- 19,500 inmates -- are kept in local parish jails by sheriffs that get paid by the prison system to house them.

It's not clear how many inmates who will get earlier releases -- including those who will leave in November -- will come from local jails or state prisons at this point. However, local jails tend to house lower-level offenders that are less of a public safety risk. Those in state prisons are more likely to be serving longer prison sentences for violent offenses, most of which weren't changed recently.
The event displays 200 photos and materials which were collected by the Cambodian Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security of Laos and the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam.



Exhibits reflect sacrifice and dedication of the public security forces of the three countries in maintaining social order and safety.





The exhibition also aims to raise the public awareness of the peace and independent, and encourage people to enhance their skills and abilities at work and proactively worked together in exchanging and sharing experiences among the three nations.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony



Visitors at the exhibition Visitors at the exhibition

By MAI AN  Translated by Kim Khanh
They include 12 trains on Sai Gon-Phan Thiet/Nha Trang/Quy Nhon routes; and 14 trains on Hanoi-Thanh Hoa/Vinh/Dong Hoi/Lao Cai routes.



In addition, Vietnam Railways will offer a promotional program on this occasion.



Accordingly, a group of 10 -50 persons will receive a discount of 4 percent. A group of 50-100 passengers will get a discount of 6 percent. A group of 101 or more people will receive a discount of 8 percent.





By BICH QUYEN  Translated by Kim Khanh
Milwaukee Fringe Festival will kick off its second year with a special edition of the popular live music series Hear Here Presents at Riverwests Company Brewing on Friday, Aug. 25.

Paper Holland, who recently released the video for Jazz, a standout from their 2016 EP Fast Food , will headline the shows music lineup along with Strangelander and King Courteen.

There will also be an extensive comedy lineup featuring sets from Josh Ballew, Addie Blanchard, Nate Seek, Christopher Schmidt, Jeff Wheatly-Heckman, and the evenings host, Hear Here Presents founder Ryan Holman.

Bigshot Robot, Lisa Battikha and Fluid Mosaics will all put on live art shows.

"I am excited to have been asked to produce this years Fringe Festival kick off party because it gives me a chance to combine a few of my favorite art forms into one show, said Holman. Since I began producing shows in Milwaukee six years ago I have always loved what I call cross pollinating different art disciplines on the same shows. It always seems to bring out some of the most unique and diverse crowds. To have stand-up, music and live visual art all in the same show is just another step in my evolution of bringing art to the people."

Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE

The party starts at 9:30 p.m., and tickets are $10. You can find more information here.
Screenings

Free blood pressure screenings, 9:30-11 a.m. Wednesdays at Countryside Senior Living, front lobby. No appointment necessary.

Programs/Self-Help Groups

Al-Anon Information Center, call 712-255-6724.

Al-Anon and Alateen, meetings locally. For times, dates and locations of area meetings, call 712-255-6724.

Alcoholics Anonymous, beginners information, call 712-252-1333.

Arc of Woodbury County, serving the mentally challenged, 5:15 p.m. meeting, second Monday of the month at Mid-Step Services, 4303 Stone Ave. For families and interested persons.

Child Care Resource and Referral, provides resources, education and advocacy for children, parents, and child care providers. Assists in child care needs. For more information, call 712-277-1180.

Co-Dependence Anonymous, 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at First Lutheran Church, Fireside Room.

Co-Dependents Anonymous (CODA), 10 a.m. Saturdays at Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St.

Compassionate Friends, 7 p.m. fourth Wednesday of each month (third Thursday in November and second Sunday December) in Mercy Medical Center's Leiter Room. For families who have lost children. Contact Nancy Webb 712-212-4032 or Don Mulder 712-541-5512.

Clinics

Siouxland District Health immunization clinics, call for appointment, 712-279-6119 or 1-800-587-3005.

Information

Family and Addictive Illness series, for more information, call 234-2300.

Iowa Fathers, 6 to 8 p.m. fourth Tuesday of each month at Hope Lutheran Church, Education Building, 218 W. 18th St., South Sioux City, Neb. Support group to help single, divorcing and divorced parents residing in the state of Iowa.

Mercy Pathways Outpatient Program, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, on the third floor, Mercy's Central Medical Building, 801 Fifth St., Suite 360. Provides hope, help, opportunity to connect through group therapy for individuals experiencing personal, relationship, psychiatric issues. For more information, call 712-279-5991.

Narcotics Anonymous, meetings daily, various times, dates and locations. For more information, call 712-279-0733.

Overeaters Anonymous, 1 p.m. Tuesdays at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3700 Indian Hills Drive; 6 p.m. Tuesdays at St. John's Lutheran Church, 402 Lane Ave., Storm Lake; 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Church of the Nazarene, 226 N. Main St., Viborg, S.D.; 5:30 p.m. Thursdays and 9 a.m. Saturdays at Newman Center, 320 E. Cherry St., Vermillion, S.D.; 10:30 a.m. Saturdays at Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St. A 12-step recovery program for people who have problems with food and weight. No fees.

St. Lukes Outpatient Behavioral Health Program, 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday and Thursday on fifth floor of St. Luke's, located at 2720 Stone Park Blvd. Offers several levels of outpatient care including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and group therapy. This program provides support and integrated treatment to individuals experiencing personal or relationship issues as a result of their mental illness. For more information and admission criteria, call 712-279-3906.

Sobriety By Faith, 8:30 a.m. Saturdays at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1421 Geneva St. For more information, call James Mothershead at 712-577-9715.

The Link-Recovery and Freedom, 1603 Glen Ellen Road; 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday workshop, and Christian 12-step meeting 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. For all ages. Call Dee at 389-7432.

Tarahouse Meditation Center, 8 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 6:30 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, all at 3112 Rebecca St. Three easy 10-minute sessions in small group; beginners welcome. For more information, call 490-6410.

Blood pressure and blood sugar screening, 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays in the lobby at Westwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Free to public.

Support Groups

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Hawkeye Club basement, 420 Jones St. For more information, call 277-5935.

Celebrate Recovery, Bible-based 12-step recovery group. Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive. Childcare provided. 712-490-3343. All welcome.

PFLAG of Siouxland, (Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays), 7 p.m., fourth Monday of January, March, May, July, September and November. St. Mark ELCA Church, 5200 Glenn Ave., in the upstairs meeting area. 712-258-3116.

Singles widowed and divorced, all ages, 4 p.m., Sundays. McDonald's at Sixth Street and Lewis Boulevard. 712-252-2675.

GriefShare, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814.

H.E.L.P. Ministries, spiritual NA support group, "Sunday on Saturday" service 6-8 p.m every Saturday at 513 Main St., Sioux City. Donald, 712-574-1744.

HIV/AIDS Support Group, meets weekly. For more information, call Darla or Teri at Siouxland Community Health Center, 712-252-2477 or 888-371-1965.

Hospice of Siouxland, seeking volunteers. For more information, call 712-233-4144 and ask for a volunteer coordinator.

La Leche League of Siouxland, breastfeeding support group meets every third Thursday at 11 a.m. at Morningside Lutheran Church. Children are welcome. For more information, call Mary at 712-546-7280 or Jacquie at 712-255-2998.

Living Each Day Cancer Support Group, 7-8 p.m. second Thursday of the month, Floyd Valley Hospital, Conference Center Room 2, Le Mars, Iowa. Open to all cancer patients, cancer survivors and family members. No charge. Pre-register by calling 712-546-3441 or 800-642-6074, ext. 441.

Mom and Baby Support Group, 10-11 a.m. last Monday of the month at the Orange City (Iowa) Hospital, lower level. For new moms and babies. 712-737-5260.

Tri-State Sober Project, 12-step meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Friendship Community Church, 305 Sergeant Square Drive, Sergeant Bluff. 6-7 p.m., Thursdays, Transitional Services of Iowa, 1221 Pierce St., Sioux City.

Doug's Donors Support Group, information for organ donors and recipients, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Fridays, 5:15-6:30 p.m. second Thursdays of the month at Mercy Cafeteria Woodbury Room. 712-277-1050.

Divorce Care, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814.

NAMI Siouxland, (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Support Group meets 6:30 p.m., second Tuesday of the month at Friendship House, 1101 Court St. For individuals and family members dealing with mental illness. 712-255-4209.

Orphan Sunday, 3:30-5 p.m. Sunday at Sunnybrook Community Church loft, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive.

Post Polio Support Group, 11 a.m. first Thursday of the month at Perkins Restaurant by Menards. 712-490-8213.

Relationship Support Group, 7 p.m. Fridays at Marketplace Mall. For more information, call 239-3129.

Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Individual and Support Groups. For more information, call CSADV in Sioux City at 712-258-7233; Plymouth County at 712-546-6764; Monona County at 712-423-3443. Advocacy and support available 24 hours a day at 1-800-982-7233. All services free of charge and confidential.

Sickle Cell Disease Support Group, 11 a.m. third Saturday of each month at St. Luke's Hospital, meeting room 1. For patients, their family and any concerned member. Call La'Keshia Rainey at 712-203-2019 for more information.

Single and Parenting, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814.

Sioux City Association of the Deaf, 7 p.m. third Saturday of the month at Morningside Church of Christ, 5015 Garretson Ave. Regular meeting, September-May; no meeting, June, July, August and December.

Siouxland Autism Support Group, second Thursday of the month at Northwest Area Education Agency, 1520 Morningside Ave. For more information, call Julie Case at 712-490-8939.

Siouxland Epilepsy Support Group, 5 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at Prestwick Apartment Clubhouse, 4230 Hickory Lane. For anyone diagnosed with seizures or epilepsy and family or friends. For more information, call Steve at 274-6927.

Siouxland IC support group, meets quarterly in Sioux City. For patients struggling with interstital cystitis. For more information, call Jacque Dundas 316-641-9766.

Siouxland Informational Group for the Blind, 2-5 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at Northern Hills Retirement Community, 4002 Teton Trace. For more information, call 712-266-8926 or 258-8151.

Grief support group, 5:30-7:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 5 for 13 weeks (may join at any time), Crescent Park United Methodist Church, 2826 Myrtle St., Sioux City. Scott, 712-899-6315.

Siouxland Ostomy Association, 2 p.m. first Sunday of each month (except September, which will be second Sunday; and no meetings June, July, August), in Room 300 at Mercy Medical Center, 801 Fifth St. For more information, call Dick Lindblom at 251-2453.

Siouxland Parkinson Disease Support Group, 1 p.m. fourth Monday of the month at Siouxland Center for Active Generations, 313 Cook St. For more information, call Sally Reinert at 402-987-3516.

South Sioux City Weight Support Group, 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays at St. Paul United Methodist Church, South Sioux City. For more information, call 494-1401 or 494-2133.

Disabilities Resource Center of Siouxland, 520 Nebraska St., Suite 101: Women's Support Group, 1:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month; LGBT Support Group, 1:30 p.m. first Friday of the month; Adult ADHD, 6 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; Advocacy Group, 1:30 p.m. third Tuesday of the month. For more information, call 712-255-1065.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly, group meetings various times, days and locations in Siouxland. For information on the chapter in your area, call 1-800-932-TOPS.

Voice Disorder Support Group, meets as needed at Mercy Medical Center, Buena Vista Room. 712-279-2686.

Women's Peer Support Group, in Wayne and South Sioux City, Neb., for those who have experienced domestic abuse. For more information, call the Wayne office at 402-375-4633 or 1-800-440-4633; in South Sioux City, call 402-494-7592. Help and support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services free and confidential.

Woodbury County D.M.D.A., noon-2 p.m. first Saturday of the month at Country Friendship Acres, 4501 West St.; 7-8 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at 515 Court St. in the Community Room; 7-8 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at 441 W. Third St. in the Community Room; 7-8 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at 409 W. Third St. in the Community Room. Support group for people with disabilities and mental disorders.

Natural Mamas in Siouxland, 1 p.m., third Tuesday of each month in the Garretson room of the Morningside Public Library. All ages of children are welcome to come with moms. For sharing natural living tips, recipes, natural remedies and health, homemaking, mothering, etc. For more information, call 402-913-0038 or visit their Facebook page.

A Step Beyond support group, 3:30 p.m. second Tuesday of the month, except for August, November and December when it meets at 5:30 p.m. (no meeting in January) at the Christy-Smith Resource Center, 1819 Morningside Ave. For more information, call 712-276-7319.

Divorce care, 5 p.m., Sundays. Fireside room, Morningside Lutheran Church, 700 South Martha St.

Gamblers Anonymous meetings, 4 p.m. Thursdays at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 315 Hamilton Blvd.; 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Morningside Presbyterian Church, 4327 Morningside Ave.; 7 p.m. Tuesdays, St. John Lutheran Church; 7 p.m. Sundays, Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St.. 712-277-2901.

Art therapy support group, 5:30 p.m. second Thursday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. Registration required, call 252-9387.

After Breast Cancer Support Group, 5:30 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. For more information, call Brenda, 252-9370.

After Prostate Cancer Support Group, 5:15 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. For more information, call 252-9426.

Alzheimer's Association, Big Sioux Chapter Support Group, 2 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; 4 p.m. third Tuesday of the month (under age 65) at 201 Pierce St., Suite 110 (Famous Dave's building); and 6 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at the Barnes and Noble Cafe. For more information, call Emily Lord at 712-279-5802.

Christy-Smith Funeral Homes of Sioux City, extensive grief library at the Morningside location. Open to the public during weekday hours. For more information, call 276-7319.

Chronic Pain/Chronic Illness Support Group, 7:30 p.m. fourth Wednesday of the month in the lower level of the Orange City Hospital. For more information, call 712-737-5260.

Connections Area Agency on Aging, and Mercy Medical Centers Older Adult Services Welcome to Medicare, 1:30-4 p.m., the first Friday of every month at Connections Area Agency on Aging, 2301 Pierce St. To pre-register, or for more information, contact Connections Area Agency on Aging at 712-279-6900.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY | U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska, will pay a visit to South Sioux City and Wayne on August 23.

Smith will be at City Hall in South Sioux City, 1615 First Ave., for a "Farm Bill Listening Session" at 1:30 p.m.

These sessions, which he has held in several other Nebraska towns, are meant to give "constituents an opportunity to ask questions and share their thoughts on the future of agriculture policy," according to Smith's website.

At 4:30, Smith will be in Wayne for coffee with the Wayne Chamber of Commerce. They will meet at the Elkhorn Valley Bank Community Room at 411 E. Seventh St. in Wayne.

Both of these events are open to the public.
OKOBOJI, Iowa | If the diamond is tradition marking a couple's 60th anniversary, then it's appropriate what happened as the 60th anniversary season of the Okoboji Summer Theatre came to a close last weekend.

Kyle Groff, an alum of the Stephens College School of Performing Arts, which owns and operates the Okoboji Summer Theatre, jumped from the stage after the curtain closed on "South Pacific," and, before a standing ovation that was still standing, took a knee and presented a diamond ring to Melissa Boatright, asking for her hand in marriage.

Cue the tears, applause, memories and connections this remarkable theater has made in its enchanted summer setting.

Groff, 34, met Boatright, 27, at the Okoboji Summer Theatre in 2010. Boatright was a Stephens College student at the time; Groff, who worked and resided in New York, had been returning for a show or two each summer as a Stephens alum.

"I remember the day I saw Melissa on the lot at Okoboji," said Groff, who now toils as studio director for Shetler Studios and Theater in New York's theater district. "I said to a friend, 'Who is that?'"

Groff and Boatright became closer while working together on "The Fantasticks" that summer in Okoboji. They shared backstage jokes and gifts from various stores in the Iowa Great Lakes. When the show closed, Groff moved back to New York while Boatright headed back to Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.

Boatright visited Groff in New York and moved there after she graduated from Stephens. She currently works in acting in New York, doing roles in film, television and commercials.

"We got our own place four years ago," said Groff, noting they live in Queens, New York. "And, we got a cat, Effie, which totally surprised me."

Groff had thought about proposing for at least one year. His thoughts kept turning to Okoboji and what the place meant to them. The trouble? It's not easy getting from New York to Okoboji.

Things fell into place, however, when Groff landed the role of Emile De Becque in "South Pacific," his 43rd show with the Okoboji Summer Theatre.

Boatright made plans to fly to Kansas City, Missouri, to pick up her mother, Suzanne Boatright, and make the drive north to Dickinson County. Groff invited his parents, Mike and Bonnie Groff, to drive from their home in Madison, Wisconsin, to take in Friday night's show. The occasion would allow Mike and Bonnie to meet Suzanne as well.

"It had been seven years since Melissa had been back to Okoboji," Groff said.

Two months ago, Groff bought a ring from Spirit Lake Silver & Gold in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The ring features 10 smaller diamonds and three larger diamonds at the top to symbolize past, present and future. Groff had Ruth Ann Burke, executive director of the Okoboji Summer Theatre, go to the jewelry store to check out the ring before he made the purchase.

"I worked with Shelley Miller at Spirit Lake Silver & Gold and she texted me photos of the ring," Groff said. "I wanted to buy an Iowa ring."

Following the show's conclusion on Friday night, Okoboji Summer Theatre veteran Rob Doyen, of Stephens College, thanked the crowd, the cast, the staff and more, and then introduced Groff for a few remarks. Groff looked out at the standing ovation and saw Melissa. He thought he was going to cry.

"I was about to lose it, so I jumped down off the stage and everyone crowded around," he said. "I was nervous and shaking, but I knew she'd say 'Yes.'"

Boatright did and began to cry as he slipped the ring on her finger. They hugged and kissed and walked up the aisle (as opposed to down the aisle) as cheers ensued. The engaged couple greeted fans as they filed out, surrounded by photos taken by David Schmaus, a photographer who met the couple in April as he shot photos for his New York portfolio.

"I knew a friend of Melissa's and she put me in touch with them," said Schmaus, who laughed at the notion that this couple's engagement photos preceded their engagement.

Boatright drove back to Kansas City on Sunday, the day "South Pacific" and the 60th season at the Okoboji Summer Theatre closed, an anniversary event highlighted, appropriately, with the presentation of a diamond on some enchanted evening.

And, when might the wedding take place?

"We're thinking summer of 2018," said the groom to-be. "And, fingers crossed, we want an Okoboji wedding. Many of our friends go there; it's where we met. Plus, it's kind of between Wisconsin (his family) and Missouri (her family).

"Maybe it's not a destination wedding because Okoboji isn't Hawaii," he said. "But it sure means a lot to us."
SOUTH SIOUX CITY | A man faces multiple felony charges after police said he broke into the South Sioux City Animal Control building Friday and also stole a vehicle.

The South Sioux City Police Department in a release said the incident occurred in early morning hours, when the Animal Control site at 215 E. 26th St., was broken into and burglarized.

Several items were taken from the building, including a spare ignition key to the Animal Control vehicle. At about 5 a.m. an officer with the Sioux City Police Department observed a man driving the stolen Animal Control vehicle.

Police said Eric Bishop, 37, of Sioux City, fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed, then crashed into a parked vehicle and telephone pole. Items that were taken from the Animal Control building were found in the stolen vehicle.

South Sioux City Police Department Lt. Doug Adams said felony charges of burglary and motor vehicle theft will be filed against Bishop. He may also be cited for charges in Sioux City.

Bishop is being held in Woodbury County Jail.
SIOUX CITY | The parent company of the former Argosy Sioux City riverboat casino has been added to a lawsuit in which local nonprofit groups are seeking nearly $2 million in unpaid revenue-sharing funds.

The addition of Penn National Gaming Inc. also serves to debunk arguments made by the former casino's lawyers that the Belle of Sioux City, which operated the Argosy, and Iowa Gaming Company do not have any funds to make those payments.

Using financial statements from Belle's 2014 bankruptcy case, Davenport, Iowa, attorney Terry Giebelstein, who represents Community Action Agency of Siouxland, said in his motion to file an updated complaint that Belle transferred nearly $13 million to its parent company, Pennsylvania-based Penn National Gaming, in 2013 and 2014. The bankruptcy petition was ultimately dismissed in a Pennsylvania court.

"(Penn National Gaming), by reason of such distributions and transfers, is in receipt of the unpaid charitable funds and has been unjustly enriched thereby," Giebelstein said in the amended complaint, filed last week in U.S. District Court in Sioux City. "The distributions and transfers of assets from Belle and its general partner, (Iowa Gaming Company) to (Penn National Gaming) were made with actual intent to hinder, delay or defraud creditors of Belle, including potential recipients of the unpaid charitable funds ..."

Community Action Agency of Siouxland sued Belle and Iowa Gaming Company in November for $1.93 million in revenue-sharing payments that were withheld from Missouri River Historical Development Inc. The nonprofit agency is seeking the money on behalf of itself and as many as 54 other nonprofit agencies that in the past have received grants from MRHD, the state-licensed nonprofit gaming group that collected and distributed a portion of Argosy gambling profits to charitable and civic organizations.

U.S. District Judge Linda Reade in April denied Belle's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The case is scheduled to go to trial June 11 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The amended complaint was filed after Belle lawyers, in their answer to the lawsuit, said that Belle and Iowa Gaming no longer had the funds to repay the revenue-sharing payments that had been withheld.

The new filing supports the notion that Penn National Gaming stripped money from Belle, leaving it broke in order to support its unsuccessful bankruptcy petition. With the inclusion of Penn as a defendant in the current lawsuit, Community Action Agency lawyers argue, the nation's largest gaming operator would be held liable for paying the debts -- in this case, the withheld revenue-sharing payments -- of its subsidiaries, Belle and Iowa Gaming.

Belle stopped making the payments -- 3 percent of the boat's adjusted gross revenues -- in April 2013, seven months after it had sued MRHD for breach of contract.

The monthly payments ceased two months after the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission awarded Woodbury County's first land-based gaming license to MRHD and developers of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which opened in downtown Sioux City on Aug. 1, 2014, two days after state regulators ordered the Argosy to close because its state gaming license had expired.

The breach of contract lawsuit is pending in Polk County District Court. MRHD has countersued in the case, which is scheduled to go to trial in January 2019 in Des Moines.
DES MOINES, Iowa | The state economic development board on Friday approved $13.5 million in state financial assistance toward a series of proposed Sioux City projects totaling $134 million.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board during its monthly meeting Friday voted unanimously to give contingent approval to Sioux Citys Reinvestment District program application. The award provides the city with up to $13.5 million to be repaid through hotel-motel and sales taxes generated by the new and upgraded properties over a 20-year period.

The contingent approval of state financing is a significant step for the project, the application for which was submitted in March of 2015.

Its been a long time coming, so were very excited, said Renae Billings, with the Sioux City Economic Development Department. Its been over two years working on all these projects, and weve had some great additions in the last few months. I feel like its stronger than ever, and over $134 million in investment in Sioux City is going to be pretty transformational for our community.

Sioux City requested $13.9 million from the state program. Board members said if the last remaining proposed project, in Mason City, encounters more issues, the board could possibly award the remaining $400,000 to Sioux City next year.

Sioux Citys application features four big-ticket projects:

* A five-story, 150-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel that will adjoin the Sioux City Convention Center downtown. The project also includes renovations at the convention center and construction of a 140-space parking structure.

* An ag expo center in the citys former stockyards area.

* Redevelopment of the former Warrior Hotel and Davidson Building into a combination hotel and residential/commercial/retail complex.

* Redevelopment of four former industrial buildings in the area of the 100 block of Virginia Street for residential and commercial use by Ho-Chunk Inc. known as Virginia Square.

The approval is contingent on construction financing and development agreements for the convention center hotel, Warrior/Davidson and Virginia Square projects, as well as documentation that the Ag Expo & Learning Center has raised $5 million in private fundraising and has construction documents and operational agreements put in place.

The ag expo center fundraising was of significant interest to the board during the discussion at Fridays meeting. The project has raised roughly $3 million thus far, and a tentative proposal would have required a total of $4.2 million.

After expressing some concerns, board members asked Sioux City officials to pledge they will raise $5 million.

Board vice chairman Dave Bernstein, a Sioux City businessman, said the extra fundraising will ensure the projects have sufficient funding in case costs increase.

My concern, living there (in Sioux City), is this goes before the city council, gets bounced down the road three times, then they finally tweak it, and then you guys end up coming back here in December to address something, and then thats going to be harder, Bernstein said.

If the town cant raise $5 million, maybe theyre not buying into the project, Bernstein added.

Dirk Lohry, president of the ag expo center board, said he is confident the project will be able to raise another $2 million for the project.

The fundraising is going to be a challenge, but now that weve got the (state economic development) board, the city and the recreational aspects (added to the ag expo center) behind us, I think we have a great product to sell, and I think that well be very successful in raising that money, if not more, Lohry said.

Iowas Reinvestment District program permits cities to establish zones of up to 25 acres where future hotel-motel and sales tax money can be diverted to big-ticket, unique projects designed to increase tourism and quality of life.

Bernstein abstained from the vote.

Its been a long two years to get to this point, and we cant wait to see these projects get completed, said Marty Dougherty, director of the Sioux City Economic Development Department. I think its going to have a huge impact on the whole Sioux City and the whole community, the whole region, really, will benefit from this project.

Sioux City Mayor Bob Scott told The Journal Friday that reaching this point after more than two years is a solid affirmation for the project, which he said will significantly impact the city for years to come.

I dont see how else you can do what Ho-Chunk has done, what the Warrior-Davidson building possibility is, and -- whether youre for or against them -- that hotel by the convention center and the ag center," he said. "These types of projects certainly should have a long-term benefit for the downtown and as a whole benefit the community."
SIOUX CITY | U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, was in Tanzania on Friday, tweeting that he was pleased to see the return of the "miracle children," as they made it back to their home nation after weeks of medical care in Iowa.

King had a hand in getting three young people to Sioux City for medical treatment after a wreck in Tanzania. The three children were the lone survivors of a May 6 school bus crash in Tanzania that killed 33 other seventh graders, two teachers and the bus driver.

Wilson, Sadhia and Doreen -- who suffered severe fractures and neurological problems -- landed in Sioux City in a modified cargo plane with their mothers and two Tanzanian doctors in mid-May.

Mercy Medical Center- Sioux City donated tens of thousands of dollars in medical care to treat the kids, and doctors also donated their time.

The trip to Tanzania was for King "to greet the Tanzanian miracle kids from the tarmac as they walk down from the plane that will return them in mid-to-late August. That is something I have been setting up for weeks," he said in a Journal interview in July.

On Friday, King made that event. His tweets included pictures, and one shared, "#TanzaniaMiracleChildren arrive back home in Tanzania. Doreen, paralyzed in May, walking off the plane in August to huge homecoming."

Dr. Larry Volz, Chief Medical Officer at Mercy, said aiding the Tanzanians fit the hospital goal of compassionately serving the community.

"In the midst of tragedy, we had the privilege of treating these badly injured children and were rewarded with great outcomes and lifetime bonds with Wilson, Doreen and Sahdia along with their families. It was truly a life-changing experience for all of us who interacted with and cared for these children," Volz said in a statement.

Three months ago, medical volunteers with Siouxland Tanzania Educational Medical Ministries (STEMM), were among the first people to come across the crash site, which occurred in the east African nation.

STEMM President Steve Meyer, a Dakota Dunes-based surgeon, said once he had learned about the conditions of the survivors in Tanzania he reached out to King, who is a friend, to see what he could do to get them to the states.

Iowa 4th District Congressman King said he quickly got to work by contacting numerous U.S. embassies requesting any help they could provide.

By 9 a.m. Central Standard Time, King had sent out three tweets about his greeting of the children at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha, Tanzania.
DAKOTA CITY, NEB. | All the county courthouse employees in a Nebraska county will no longer be getting time off Monday to watch a rare solar eclipse as it moves through Nebraska.

The Dakota County Board of Commissioners backtracked Thursday and rescinded a prior plan to close the courthouse for two hours Monday, so county employees could watch the eclipse. Instead, Dakota County employees can individually seek time off Monday if they still want to see the eclipse, County Clerk Joan Spencer said after the hastily-scheduled special commission meeting.

"The courthouse will be open," Spencer said, adding the precaution that people who want to conduct county business on Monday should call ahead, in case some key employees are out.

The 2017 total eclipse will be the first since 1918 with a path that crosses the Pacific and Atlantic coasts in the U.S. This time, the path will go from Oregon to South Carolina.

The prime path, or the so-called path of totality, of the eclipse will cover roughly 70 miles wide. It will skirt south of Siouxland, running in a diagonal across Nebraska from west to southeast, clipping where southwest Iowa connects to Nebraska and northwest Missouri.

The time it will cross Nebraska is roughly 10 minutes, from 12:54 to 1:04 p.m.

The Dakota County Commissioners originally voted on Aug. 14 to close the courthouse on Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The rescinded action approved Thursday allows department heads to decide how their workers can view the eclipse, whether to close the department and how to pay employees if the office closes.

Spencer said board chairman Scott Love, of South Sioux City, is enthused about the eclipse and plans to travel to see it first-hand. She said about a dozen county employees really want to see the eclipse, too.

"There are a few employees who love photography who want to get out there," Spencer said.

Spencer noted she's spoken with county clerks more in the path of the eclipse in southern Nebraska who have described how hotels are booked, so some homeowners are charging high fees for people to use their properties.
SIOUX CITY | A recreational event will be held Sunday to help raise money for the North Sioux City Library.

The nonprofit Friends of the North Sioux City Library group announced plans for the first Lake Loop Run/Walk/Ride. The event will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve, 272 Westshore Drive, in the McCook Lake area of North Sioux City.

There is no cost for participants, but freewill donations will be accepted.

Money raised will be used for library programs. The Friends group intends to make the loop walk an annual fundraiser.
WASHINGTON -- After weeks of belligerent rhetoric, North Korea took a pause Tuesday. But where is the mercurial Kim Jong Un headed next? U.S. officials are debating whether he may want direct talks with Washington about a formal treaty to replace the 1953 armistice agreement that ended the Korean War.

The U.S. has been pursuing a dual path, threatening military conflict (semi-believably because of President Trump's verbal thunderbolts) while also urging stabilization of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. The diplomatic trick here is simultaneously reassuring North Korea, China, South Korea and Japan that their vital interests would be protected.

This process of negotiation was hinted at Sunday by Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, they warned North Korea to "take a new path toward peace, prosperity and international acceptance," or face increased isolation.

Tillerson's one, fuzzy condition for negotiations has been that Pyongyang demonstrate its seriousness by halting missile and nuclear tests. Arguably, Kim took a grudging step in that direction Tuesday, when the Korean Central News announced that he had decided to "watch a little more the foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees," rather than carry out his threat to launch four ballistic missiles toward Guam.

Kim's problem in the escalating crisis has been that he faced a united front from the U.S. and China -- backed by South Korea, Japan and Russia. Beijing has joined Washington in calling for denuclearization and supporting additional U.N. sanctions, including a ban on new Chinese imports of North Korean coal, iron ore, and lead.

Grateful for Chinese help, the Trump administration appears to have backed off its threat to sharply limit Chinese steel exports, and to have shelved measures that could affect internet giants Alibaba and Tencent. Instead, the administration on Monday called for an investigation of China's theft of technology and trade secrets -- a serious problem for American companies but not one that requires an immediate penalty.

Trump's rhetoric has been almost as volatile as Kim's, ranging from his statement in May that he would be "honored" to meet the dictator to his warning last week of "fire and fury." But the centerline of this crisis is the same question that has vexed U.S. policy for decades -- how to deal with a rogue nation that delights in defying international norms, and now does so with nuclear weapons.

One approach to the North Korea riddle is the possibility of a peace agreement. The armistice specified that it was only a "cessation of hostilities ... until a final peaceful settlement is achieved." North Korean propaganda describes the document as "an abject declaration of surrender." But the regime understands that it's a hinge point, too. Pyongyang announced suspension of the armistice three times, in 2003, 2009 and 2013 -- only to return to observing its precepts.

As U.S. officials ponder the path of negotiation that might lead to a permanent treaty, they have signaled several basic American positions: First, the U.S. would offer assurances to North Korea that its regime wouldn't be toppled; second, it would guarantee the security of South Korea, a close U.S. ally; third, Washington would pledge not to seek any quick reunification of the Korean Peninsula, reassuring China and Japan, which fear a unified, resurgent Korea; and finally, the U.S. would express willingness to discuss the future status of its military presence in South Korea, if a peace agreement proves durable.

Tillerson has already publicly offered the first three assurances. The fourth is the most delicate, because all parties recognize that, for now, U.S. troops are an essential stabilizing force, curbing not just Pyongyang, but greater militarization in Seoul and Tokyo.

Though North Korea's nuclear-weapons program is often seen as a matter of regime survival, some U.S. officials are skeptical of that rationale. After all, conventional deterrence -- in the form of hundreds of North Korean artillery and rocket launchers that target Seoul -- has checked any attack on Pyongyang for three generations of Kims.

B.R. Myers, whose 2010 book "The Cleanest Race" is being closely read by U.S. officials, argues that North Korea isn't really a communist regime, but one propelled by right-wing talk of Korean racial purity. Its goal may be the "victory" and unification it failed to achieve in 1953.

A Chinese-American partnership has helped move this crisis back from the brink. But that's a sideshow for Kim. The encounter he may truly want is with the deal-maker himself, Donald Trump. For that showdown, you could sell tickets.
When the Dodge Charger of 20-year-old Nazi sympathizer James Alex Fields Jr., plunged into that crowd of protesters last Saturday, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer, Fields put Charlottesville on the map of modernity alongside Ferguson.

Before Fields ran down the protesters, and then backed up, running down more, what was happening seemed but a bloody brawl between extremists on both sides of the issue of whether Robert E. Lee's statue should be removed from Emancipation Park, formerly Lee Park.

With Heyer's death, the brawl was elevated to a moral issue. And President Donald Trump's initial failure to denounce the neo-Nazi and Klan presence was declared a moral failure.

How did we get here, and where are we going?

In June of 2015, 21-year-old Dylann Roof gunned down nine Christians at an evening Bible study in Charleston's Emanuel AME Church. A review of Roof's selfies and website showed him posing with the Confederate battle flag.

Gov. Nikki Haley, five years in office, instantly pivoted and called for removal of the battle flag from the Confederate war memorial on the State House grounds, as a "deeply offensive symbol of a brutally offensive past."

This ignited a national clamor to purge all statues that lionize Confederate soldiers and statesmen.

In Maryland, demands have come for removing statues and busts of Chief Justice Roger Taney, the author of the Dred Scott decision. Statues of Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson, President Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee have been pulled down in New Orleans.

After Charlottesville, pressure is building for removal of the statues of Lee, Jackson, Davis and Gen. "Jeb" Stuart from historic Monument Avenue in Richmond, capital of the Confederacy.

Many Southern towns, including Alexandria, Virginia, have statues of Confederate soldiers looking to the South. Shall we pull them all down? And once all the Southern Civil War monuments are gone, should we go after the statues of the slave owners whom we Americans have heroized?

Gen. George Washington and his subordinate, "Light Horse Harry" Lee, father of Robert E. Lee, were slave owners, as was Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and Andrew Jackson. Five of our first seven presidents owned slaves, as did James K. Polk, who invaded and annexed the northern half of Mexico, including California.

Jefferson, with his exploitation of Sally Hemings and neglect of their children, presents a particular problem. While he wrote in the Declaration of Independence of his belief that "all men are created equal," his life and his depiction of Indians in that document belie this.

And Jefferson is both on the face of Mount Rushmore and has a memorial in the U.S. capital.

Another term applied to the "Unite the Right" gathering in Charlottesville is that they are "white supremacists," a mortal sin to modernity. But here we encounter an even greater problem.

Looking back over the history of a Western Civilization, which we call great, were not the explorers who came out of Spain, Portugal, France, Holland and England all white supremacists?

They conquered in the name of the mother countries all the lands they discovered, imposed their rule upon the indigenous peoples, and vanquished and eradicated the native-born who stood in their way.

Who, during the centuries-long discovery and conquest of the New World, really believed that the lives of the indigenous peoples were of equal worth with those of the colonizers?

They believed European Man had the right to rule the world.

Beginning in the 16th century, Western imperialists ruled much of what was called the civilized world. Was not the British Empire, one of the great civilizing forces in human history, a manifestation of British racial superiority?

And if being a segregationist disqualifies one from being venerated in our brave new world, what do we do with Woodrow Wilson, who thought "Birth of a Nation" a splendid film and who re-segregated the U.S. government?

In 1955, Prime Minister Churchill, imperialist to the core, urged his Cabinet to consider the slogan, "Keep England White."

Nor is a belief in the superiority of one's race, religion, tribe and culture unique to the West. What is unique, what is an experiment without precedent, is what we are about today.

We have condemned and renounced the scarlet sins of the men who made America and embraced diversity, inclusivity and equality.

Our new America is to be a land where all races, tribes, creeds and cultures congregate, all are treated equally, and all move ever closer to an equality of results through the regular redistribution of opportunity, wealth and power.

We are going to become "the first universal nation."

"All men are created equal" is an ideological statement. Where is the scientific or historic proof for it? Are we building our utopia on a sandpile of ideology and hope?

Nevertheless, on to Richmond!
The Journal's Aug. 15 editorial is only partially correct.

Yes, we will always have racism, bigotry and hatred. Yet, to put a label on the "Unite the Right" demonstrators without allowing them to exercise their First Amendment rights amounts to authoritarian oppression. The ACLU assisted this group to have their permit to assemble reinstated by a federal judge on the grounds that blocking them was a civil rights violation.

Even though we might not agree with the message of the white identitarian movement, they certainly have a right to express themselves. Many years ago American linguist Noam Chomsky, himself a Jew, came to the defense of a French Holocaust denier on trial on the grounds that "freedom of speech must extend to all veiwpoints, no matter how unpopular or fallacious." Later, Chomsky had an essay published in The Nation entitled, "He has a right to say it."

Generally, when one defends freedom of speech, the Oliver Wendell Holmes analogy about "shouting fire in a crowded movie theater" is quoted. What Holmes meant was that freedom of speech comes with responsibility. Which comes to a troubling point of contention in relation to the Unite the Right group. Since these people were not allowed to speak, how do we know what they are saying or thinking is hate speech? Even a court of law takes each case differently. Do they not have absolute rights?

Allowing the national media to label these people as a hate group without having an open dialogue of ideas and expression is intellectually dishonest and politically motivated. Going along with the crowd in denouncing free speech is unacceptable. Journalists and reporters are trained to report the news.

Refusing the exercise of First Amendment rights of free speech is the real story here. I do not have to agree with someone's opinion, religion or philosophy, but I sure am not going to let their rights be violated because mine may be next. - Douglas Heeren, Spink, S.D.
Public Goods  August 18, 2017  Vincent DeCesare

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is pushing for a tax on the rich to fund desperately needed improvements to the crumbling subway system run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). De Blasios plan would raise city income taxes on individuals making over $500,000 a year and couples making over $1-million by about half of a per cent, which would raise over $700-million for subway and bus upgrades as well as half-price Metro Cards for the almost 800,000 city residents who are at or below the federal poverty level.

Predictably, New York State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, a Republican from Long Island, shot down the proposal in a statement declaring that raising taxes is not the answer. Flanagan didnt bother providing his own answer to the MTAs dire problems, presumably because hes fine with the status quo in which working class New Yorkers pay ever more money for a transit system that is in deep crisis.

Thanks to consistent underfunding from the state, subway delays have increased almost threefold since 2012, and derailments have become ever frequent. In a hyper-gentrified city like New York, the impact of these problems is profound for millions of workers who cannot afford to live near the central business districts.

A survey by the office of New York City Comptroller found that 54 per cent of respondents from the Bronx experienced delays more than half of the time or always, compared to only 25 per cent of Manhattanites. The study also found that residents of low-income neighborhoods were 14 per cent more likely to be reprimanded at work on account of subway delays.

Starving the Transit System

The starving of the transit system in the wealthiest city in the world  overseen by Republicans and Democrats alike  is as big an indictment of the greed and shortsightedness of the 21st century American ruling class as anything that comes out of the mouth of the current president.

Yes, public transportation is a vital need for working people  a 2007 report sponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development found that households living near good transit spend 9 per cent of their income on transportation, while those living in more auto-dependent areas spend closer to 25 per cent.

But while bosses would rather not cover worker transit expenses through increased taxes or company transit benefits, they also rely on a functional transit system for their workers to arrive to the job site safely and on time.

Beyond that, viable transit systems are vital to the larger capitalist economy, connecting workers to employers and consumers to products, and enabling urban development, from which the real estate, construction and financial industries profit.

The history of New Yorks subway system highlights this contradictory nature of public transit under capitalism. In the early years of U.S. capitalism, bosses often built company towns to locate their workforce near the job site. The American landscape is dotted with erstwhile such towns like Lowell, Massachusetts, founded by Boston Manufacturing Company in the 1820s, and Pullman, Illinois, site of the famous 1894 strike led by Eugene Debs American Railway Union.

Company towns were never economical in New York City due largely to its sky-high land costs. A mass transit system was therefore needed to facilitate employers access to labor markets and satisfy the appetites of land speculators and developers for expansion into the outer boroughs of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.

First came the elevated railway lines built in the second half of the 19th century by private companies which charged fares that were largely unaffordable to the citys working class.

Growing Pains

At the start of the 20th century, in what would today be considered a public-private partnership, the city helped finance the construction of the subway system and permitted two private monopolies, Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT), to operate the lines.

By 1940, the city had bought out the two monopolies. But in 1953, in response to the subway systems financial woes, the state of New York placed the system under the control of the NYC Transit Authority, whose board members were appointed by politicians, immunizing the agency from public pressure.

In 1968, the MTA was born after Gov. Nelson Rockefeller combined the NYC Transit Authority with the Long island Railroad, Metro North commuter lines and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority that had been built up by Robert Moses.

In the mid-1970s, New Yorks elites used the citys fiscal crisis to roll back numerous social programs. They increased transit fares from 35 to 50 cents, introduced tuition at CUNY, closed public hospitals, and laid off tens of thousands of public-sector employees.

Meanwhile, the city government began to promote gentrification  at this point, a relatively marginal movement of middle-class homeowners  as a way to boost its declining tax base by staving off the flight of capital and better-off residents to the suburbs. Naturally, the real estate industry shared the city governments interest in gentrification. Declining investment in cities during postwar suburbanization and the white flight of the 1960s had driven down property values and rents across the city.

Real estate interests stood to profit from what geographer Neil Smith would later call the rent gap between current rents and potential rents that could be generated by attracting white-collar industries and their affluent employees back to the city. To attract these constituencies to the city, the faltering subways required serious renovation. By the early 1970s, the system  with an annual ridership less than half of its 1946 peak of 2 billion  was decrepit and had achieved an unsavory reputation for crime.

In the 1980s, the MTA rebuilt every main line track and introduced a new fleet of clean, un-graffitied cars. But the money for these improvements came largely out of the pockets of working-class New Yorkers.

The half-fare senior program and the half-fare Sunday program were eliminated, and as the government has continued to divest from the MTA, it has had to take on more debt to fund its budget. To pay this debt, the MTA raised fares, which have increased from 50 cents in 1980 ($1.57 in todays dollars) to almost $3 for a single ride today.

Since 2011, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has habitually raided the MTAs budget to pay for non-transit items and diverted funds from subways, trains and buses to road projects and bridge lights.

The installation of cashless fare booths will cost the MTA $500-million, while the operation of the program will cost an additional $149-million over the next four years. Cuomo is also diverting $200-million from the MTA budget to install fancy lights on seven MTA bridges and two tunnels for the sake of impressing tourists.

Likewise, instead of prioritizing the maintenance and upgrade of the system, the MTA has spent billions expanding subway service to wealthy neighborhoods, like the $4.5-billion first phase of the 2nd Avenue extension along the Upper East Side.

Millionaire Tax?

In this context, de Blasios millionaire tax to fund transit infrastructure upgrades is direly needed and clearly feasible. The Seattle transit system created a similar program in 2015 for residents with household incomes of less than double the federal poverty level. The program has so far reduced bus and light rail fares for over 40,000 low-income riders.

But it remains to be seen if de Blasio plans to fight for his proposal or if he is simply posturing ahead of this falls mayoral election, knowing that approval in Albanys statehouse  whose next legislative session does not meet until January  is highly unlikely. It was only a few months ago that de Blasio refused to support the idea of discounted fares for low-income riders.

Either way, the self-styled progressive mayor continues to support the criminalization of turnstile jumping, and even claims that its not an economic issue because riders have money on them and sometimes even weapons  despite numbers showing that this is the case for less than 1 per cent of those arrested for fare evasion.

While upstate and suburban Republicans have made their opposition to the millionaire tax apparent, state Democrats like Cuomo and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli have tried to divert attention away from the proposal by urging the city to use some of its budget surplus for the subway systems immediate needs.

Their ideas were laid out in MTA Chairman Joe Lhotas $800-million rescue plan, which sprinkles a few welcome infrastructure improvements over miserable plans to eliminate seats from some subway cars to mitigate overcrowding and more cops to enforce of quality of life offenses such as littering.

This last proposal is part of the notorious broken windows policing methods that disproportionately affect working-class communities of color. According to the Police Reform Organizing Project, over 90 per cent of the 29,000 arrests for fare evasion  the number one reason for arrest in 2015  involved people of color.

We need a strong campaign from riders and transit workers working together to win both a millionaires tax and the decriminalization of fare evasion politicians. Otherwise, state and city politicians of both parties will continue to pass the cost of a decaying transit system onto working New Yorkers. 
Move over.

Youre taking up too much space. Thered be enough seats if you didnt have two of them, so skootch down. Let someone else in. Theres room for everybody and everyone fits, but in the new book The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue illustrated by Caroline Hadilaksono, not everybody fits in.

Nine-year-old Sumac Lottery knew that her family was unique. It was no big deal, though; thats what happens when a man from the Yukon and a man from India fall in love, and a Mohawk woman and a Jamaican woman fall in love, too. Its what happens when there are seven kids, most of them from other bios.

It wasnt always that way.

When MaxiMum was giving birth to Sic sixteen years ago, PapaDum and PopCorn were rubbing MaxiMums back when CardaMom found a winning lottery ticket that someone else had lost. They got lots of money, which allowed them to change their surnames and buy a big house for the big family that the four parents always wanted.

That all happened long before Sumac was born.

And it mightve stayed that way, too  eleven Lotterys (plus pets) in one big, rowdy, happy family  but then PopCorn got a call from the Yukon. His father had accidentally almost burned his house down, and he could no longer live by himself so the parents decided that Iain (PopCorns pop) should be moved into Camelottery. And because Sumac had a main-floor bedroom, she was asked to give it up and move her things to the Artic (also known as the attic).

That was something she really didnt want to do. She really didnt want Grumps to come live at Camelottery at all because he was mean and nasty, racist, and he hated everything and everyone. To be truthful, Sumac didnt like him very much, either, so she started to think up a plan

Lets start here: The Lotterys Plus One is too: too messy; too cutesy; too padded with not-pertinent-to-the-story scenes; and, with a plethora of names, too confusing. Its as if author Emma Donoghue tried too much to put an Age of Aquarius spin on what could have been a simple story of diversity and inclusion. Its too over-the-top.

Thats quite the departure from Donoghues adult novels, which are tight, vivid, and brimming with stunning plausibility; instead, this story is just plain weird, starting with character names that are new-agey and forced-clever. These same characters give funny-not-funny names to rooms (Derriere is  wait for it!  the backside of the house), and much of the dialogue consists of inside-jokes and preschooler misunderstandings (Spare Oom. Say it aloud). Its as if Pippi Longstocking moved into a House of Wordplay, only not as charming and nowhere near as much fun.

At its very basic, this story  a large, diverse family welcomes an elderly relative  is solid, even good. Its the peripherals that are hard to get passed, and 8-to-12-year-olds may not have much patience for it. For sure, adults can spot The Lotterys Plus One, and move on.

The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue, illustrated by Caroline Hadilaksono

c.2017, Arthur A. Levine Books

$17.99 / higher in Canada

320 pages
ABC/Randy HolmesFuture has decided to cancel his Saturday night concert in Virginia. The rapper explained on Twitter that the show will not go on "out of respect for the tragic events" that happened during last weekend's Charlottesville protests.

He writes on Twitter, "I felt it wasn't rite [sic] to perform at this time..please understand my heart mean well VA #FutureHendrix. VA is important to me & always will be. I'm comin very soon, my word! Love Forever."

Future was expected to perform this Saturday at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA and at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, VA.

Ticketholders will receive refunds.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
This report combines the monthly meetings of the HIV Planning Council (HIVPC) and the South Florida AIDS Network (SFAN). The HIVPC is the planning body for the Ryan White Care (RWC) Program of Broward County (Broward-RWC). SFAN is the advisory and networking body for the RWC program of the Florida Department of Health in Broward (FL-DOH RWC). Both meetings welcome newcomers.

Broward RWC- HIVPC

On July 27, the HIV Planning Council approved budget amounts for service categories for the fiscal year that will begin March 1, 2018 (FY 2018). The HIVPC has to begin working with RWC providers now for its FY 2018 programs. The U.S. Congress, however, has failed to pass its FY 2018 budget. Given federal time constraints, Congress may have to fund everything at FY 2017 levels. The HIVPC worked under the assumption that funding would remain the same despite some threats.

The Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) funds eight percent of Broward-RWC, but the House voted to defund the MAI. As of press time, the Senate has yet to vote on a budget. According to Will Spencer of the HIVPC, the proposed defunding of the MAI would be the most significant cut ever to Broward-RWC. If funding levels change, the HIVPC can adjust funding for service categories.

Leonard Jones (Broward RWC) reported on a structural funding issue. Current RWC funding formulas follow place-of-testing rather than place-of-service-delivery. These formulas fail to count for current residence. When someone tests HIV positive for the first time, that city becomes their HIV home city. RWC funds would only go to that HIV home city.

Josh Rodriquez (FL-DOH RWC) reported on Browards Test and Treat program. That program offers people testing HIV-positive same-day antiretroviral therapy. From May 1 to July 21, that program identified 228 HIV-positives. Of those positives, 44.3 percent (101) were new HIV diagnoses. The other 55.7 percent (127) had previously tested HIV-positive, but were not in treatment.

The Florida Department of Health distributed Broward HIV data. Between 2014 and 2015, diagnoses of HIV infection declined slightly among African-American males, who still had the highest number of new diagnoses among males. New HIV diagnoses increased among Latino males. Rates remained stable among whites. Among females, almost all new HIV diagnoses occurred among African-Americans.

FL-DOH also distributed Continuum of Care data for Broward-RWC enrollees. About 81 percent of RWC enrollees had achieved suppressed HIV viral loads.

SFAN

The South Florida AIDS Network (SFAN) meeting covered much of the same material as the HIVPC.

Riley Johnson and Jens Paul presented on RAD Remedy. This group provides resources for transgender, gender non-conforming, intersex, and queer (TGIQ) people and their care. Johnson is the executive director of RAD Remedy. Local trans activist, Jens Paul, works as a policy consultant. Among its other services, RAD Remedy provides a Yelp-like referral healthcare database for TGIQ people.

Paul argued that providers should meet clients on the clients terms to keep those clients in-treatment. He called this client-driven care. Paul argued that the quality of care affects the quantity of care. If someone feels mistreated by a provider, they will not return to that provider. For many transgender people, trans care issues matter as much as HIV care issues.

Next SFAN Meeting: Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 at 10 a.m., at the Holy Cross Healthplex, 1000 NE 56th St., Fort Lauderdale. SFAN welcomes newcomers.

HIVPC meetings occur on the last Thursday of the month (Aug. 31) at 9:30 a.m., at the Government Center, 115 S. Andrews Ave, Fort. Lauderdale. For updates or meeting room locations, call 954-561-9681 ext. 1343, or visit http://www.brhpc.org/programs/hiv-planning-council/.

To find out more about RADremedy, please visit www.http://radremedy.org.

Follow Sean McShee on Twitter @SeanMcShee
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




Play at the new site will be free and first come, first served through the...
A month ago solar eclipse glasses seemed to be everywhere, in the grocery checkout stands, online, at the library.

So Melanie Kiggins didnt think twice about how shed get her hands on a pair of the specs in time for the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse until a few days ago. But by then, nearly every pair of glasses had vanished from most Longview stores.

Every single store in Longview is out! Ive been calling around for two days, Kiggins said Thursday.

So Kiggins was excited and relieved to finally snatch up five pairs for her family at Fred Meyer Thursday. The Longview retailer was potentially one of the only shops in the city with a stock of the shades  and it didnt last for long.

After selling out of glasses earlier this week, Fred Meyer had 2,500 pairs of glasses Fed-Ex airmailed from Idaho to the Longview store Thursday afternoon. At $1.99 a pair, they were gone within an hour. Customers were limited to 10 per purchase.

Both Walmarts in Longview have been sold out for at least a week, and the shades couldnt be found Thursday at Lower Columbia Colleges bookstore, Lowes or Chehalis and Woodland Walmarts, either.

A shortage in eclipse glasses here and across the country in and near the path of totality has customers clamoring and prices spiking. A four-pack of certified glasses were selling for $45 on Amazon Thursday. On eBay, one seller asked for $24.95 for a single pair  and within hours had sold more than 100.

Recalls of unsafe glasses are putting a crimp on supplies, too. Legacy Health system in Portland announced Thursday that some of its glasses it gave away at public events may be among those recalled by Amazon. The online retailer issued a recall Saturday of some of glasses sold through its website, saying it couldnt confirm whether they were made by a recommended manufacturer.

Legacy Health said people who picked up solar glasses at its public events should throw them away. But glasses picked up at a Legacy Health clinic or Legacy/GoHealth urgent Care clinic are safe.

Eclipse glasses allow people to stare at the sun for long periods without harming their vision because they block ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation, according to NASA. Peaking at the eclipse with the naked eye can permanently scar the retina and lead to vision loss. NASA and the American Astronomical Society say solar gazers should only wear glasses made by reputable vendors that carry the international safety standard number ISO 12312-2.

According to the American Astronomical Society, one way to make sure that eclipse glasses work properly is to try them on and look at a bright light  everything other than the light should be barely visible. Welders glasses or other safety glasses likely wont do the trick.

Kaiser Permanente announced Thursday that glasses it gave away for free were not affected by any recalls and are safe to use. By Thursday, Kaiser had passed out 2,300 free pairs of glasses in the Longview area and 40,000 pairs across Oregon and Washington.

We knew they would be hot items, and they were, said Debbie Karman, spokeswoman for Kaiser.

The Longview Public Library was out of free glasses Thursday after handing out more than 1,000 pairs, most at a Wednesday night event featuring Greg Cermak, NASA Ambassador, speaking about the eclipse.

We had planned on letting everyone come have two pair of glasses and when the crowd got big, we decided only one set of glasses per person, said Becky Standal, youth specialist for Longview Public Library. The phones have been ringing off the hook all week for people asking about the event and the glasses. It was more than I expected for sure! It was really cool.
Negotiators representing the Longview Education Association and Longview School District have agreed to terms on a new two-year labor contract that aims to reduce an unusually high rate of teacher turnover.

We think weve made some gains that will help retain more teachers, LEA President Ray Clift told The Daily News on Thursday.

Clift said he was unable to discuss specifics because LEA members still need time to review and ratify the tentative deal. If approved, the Longview School Board will likely then vote on the agreement at its next meeting on Aug. 28.

The district has lost between 50 and 60 teachers per year  or about 10 percent of its certificated staff  for the past five years, Clift said.

Thats way more than would be normal historically, he said. You just dont lose teachers like that.

About 40 of the districts 430 teachers are new this year, he said.

The teacher retention problem is driven by a confluence of factors. A wave of retirements by teachers from the Baby Boom generation has exacerbated a statewide teacher shortage. Nearly a quarter of 113 human resource directors recently surveyed by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction said they were in crisis when asked about their districts ability to hire qualified teachers. Additionally, only 4.2 percent of college students intend to major in education, according to a 2016 survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education. That number  compared to 11 percent in 2000  is the lowest point in 45 years.

Longview is also facing stiff competition from neighboring school districts, such as Vancouver.

Under Longviews current teacher salary schedule, which expires Aug. 31, the starting annual pay for a first-year teacher was $38,411 in the last academic year. For comparison, a first-year teacher in the Evergreen School District will make $44,756 in the upcoming school year.

The new labor contract keeps us very competitive, in Cowlitz County certainly, said Longview Superintendent Dan Zorn, who served as the districts lead negotiator. It closes a little bit of gap between school districts in the Vancouver area, he added.

Clift said making Longview a district of choice for teachers was a priority for both sides during the negotiations.

He also said the agreement will reduce class sizes in the middle schools and high schools. That was a prime motivator for us, he said.

Zorn said the contract also covers the districts move from a six- to seven-period day in the 2018-2019 school year, which will give students more elective options.

The new labor contract expires in August of 2019, when a new statewide teacher salary schedule takes effect.

Kelso School District Superintendent Glenn Gelbrich recently criticized the new pay schedule at a school board meeting.

I just want us to understand that we have a new challenge, and the challenge is that were at a strategic disadvantage in the midst of a teacher shortage when it comes to recruiting and retaining the high-quality staff we need, Gelbrich said.

The Kelso Education Association also is negotiating a new labor accord with the Kelso School District. The two sides are scheduled to meet for talks next week.

As part of a last-minute budget deal to satisfy the state Supreme Courts McCleary ruling, the Legislature approved a plan that gives regional pay increases to teachers in districts with high costs of living.

Zorn said that will be a concern when its time to negotiate a new teacher salary schedule.

When you have districts in the same region that are competing for the same teachers that are being funded at a greater clip than we are, that certainly puts us at a competitive disadvantage, he said.

Clift, whos negotiated 10 collective bargaining agreements over his career, praised the district for how it approached the contract talks.

I think it was one of the most cordial and professional (negotiations) Ive ever been involved in, he said. It was businesslike the whole time.
Normally, when more than a thousand scientists flock to a volcano, something horrible has just happened. But the hordes of researchers who swarmed to Mount St. Helens on Wednesday were just there to draw lessons from one of the worlds most famous volcanoes.

About 1,100 scientists from around the world rode charter buses from Portland up to different sites at Mount St. Helens to see the volcano for themselves. Some of them said they owed their careers to the volcano.

Volcanologists gathered this week in Portland for the assembly of the International Association of Volcanology or Chemistry of the Earths Interior. Wednesday was the field trip day, and some of the scientists chose to visit Mount Hood or the Columbia River Gorge instead of Mount St. Helens.

One of the visitors to Johnston Ridge and the hummocks trail Wednesday was Roberto Sulpizio, a professor of earth and geo-environmental sciences at the University of Bari in southern Italy, as well as the IAVCEIs secretary general.

Sulpizio, who was visiting Mount St. Helens for only his second time, said information he learned could help Italian scientists track their own explosive volanoes.

We have a lot of potential explosive volcanoes in Italy, like Vesuvius for example, he said, speaking of the volcano that destroyed the Roman city of Pompeii in 79 A.D. Its very useful for us to see this and try to carry (information) home.

Rosa Didonna, another Italian scientist on Wednesdays tour, said the size and scope of the volcano must be seen in person to be understood and appreciated.

Its huge, she said. You can read lots of papers. You can watch many videos on YouTube and pictures, photos, but its different when youre here.

For some scientists on the field trip, seeing Mount St. Helens was especially poignant because deadly eruption on May 18, 1980, sparked their interest in volcanology.

Growing up, my parents always talked about (Mount St. Helens), so I got interested in volcanoes, said Ashleigh Reeves, a 25-year-old graduate student at East Tennessee State University said.  You have to see Mount St. Helens, they said. Being in this area, with some of the best volcanologists in the world, what better place to come to?

Didonna had a similar experience as Reeves, being drawn to study volcanoes after the 1980 eruption.

When I started to read something about volcanoes, (Mount St. Helens) was my first volcano, first eruption, she said. Thats why it was amazing for me to be here today, and I think this conference is amazing.

David Pyle, a professor of volcanology at the University of Oxford, said he was 15 when Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, and has been fascinated by volcanoes ever since. Now, he said his goal is to spark that curiosity in his students who are too young to remember the blast.

Even though Mount St. Helens eruption was nearly 40 years ago, and for our 18-year-old students thats deep in history, theyve all heard of Mount St. Helens nonetheless, said Pyle, 52. Its in storybooks, its in books they read at school. Having been there makes it much easier to bring it to life in the classroom.

Of course, there are no volcanoes in England.

In the U.K., were very fortunate because we can learn about volcanoes and earthquakes, which are things that happen elsewhere, he said. Its a positive choice to study them. Were not mandated for a particular reason, its mostly for the interest.

Thomas Casadevall, 70, studied Mount St. Helens with the U.S. Geological Survey for much of the 1980s, including before and immediately after the 1980 blast. He acted as a tour guide for the buses of scientists Wednesday.

Casadevall agreed with Pyle that teaching younger researchers about the complexities of Mount St. Helens is important.

I think it is important to have a generational transfer of knowledge between the different generations, Casadevall said. I was working here 37 years ago, and on the field trip, Im with two very young guys who just started working here, so they werent even born in 1980. For them to hear about what happened in 1980 is a valuable lesson, and I certainly enjoy talking about it.

Casadevall said the 1,100 IAVECI vistors were divided into groups and saw multiple parts of the volcano, from the Johnston Ridge Observatory to Coldwater Lake.

Peter Frenzen, chief scientist for the Mount St. Helens National Monument, was helping guide visitors Wednesday as well, and said he attended IAVCEI meetings at their conference in Portland. He said the day-long field trip was a brilliant idea.

I think IAVCEI is doing a really smart thing by having a mid-conference field trip, because after two days of all-day meetings, youre ready for a break, Frenzen said. This is a great way to take a break.

Of course, one of the main reasons some scientists mentioned they were interested in Mount St. Helens is to figure out how to mitigate the effects of a deadly volcanic explosion elsewhere. Reeves said thats one of the reasons why she studies volcanoes.

Every volcano is separate, and you never know what could happen, but that just means our jobs are that much more important, she said. We need to try to prevent this things from happening.
Circumstances leading to presumed delivery of letters, notice or summon

High Court Division :

(Criminal Miscellaneous Jurisdiction)

Farid Ahmed J

AKM Shahidul Huq J

Monirul Islam (Md) ................ Petitioner

vs

State ...........Opposite-Parties

Judgment

November 24th, 2016

Evidence Act (1 of 1872)

Section 114(f)

General Clauses Act (X of 1897)

Section 27

The implication of illustration (f) of Section 114 of the Evidence Act and the provision of Section 27 of General Clauses Act are that in case of posting of letter, sending notice or summons by registered post to the correct address or to the address of the addressee known to the sender i.e. while no other address of the addressee was made known to the sender or, in other words, change of address of the addressee was not intimated to the sender, the presumption is that such letter, notice or summons sent by registered post to the person addressed to have been delivered and if the registered envelope is returned with the endorsement of the postal peon "refused" by the address, then too it shall be considered that the letter, notice and the summons has duly and properly been received or served unless the addressee establishes that letter, notice or summons was not sent to his correct address and, as such, he had no occasion to refuse the acceptance of the registered letter or the envelop. The person who is disputing or trying to deny the statutory presumption of the matter as provided by the provision of Section 27 of the General Clauses Act and that the presumption of correctness or genuineness of the matter as implied by illustration (f) of Section 114 of the Evidence Act is to rebut the said matter or genuineness/correctness of presumption of fact upon producing evidence. Letter sent, notice or summons sent by registered post and if returned with the endorsement "refused" shall be accepted as good and due service of notice or summons and the delivery of the letter to the person addressed unless the addressee rebuts the presumption of good service or delivery of letter by adducing evidence..........(41)

Abdul Quader Chowdhury vs State, 28 DLR (AD) 38; Eusof Babu vs State, 68 DLR (AD) 298. Sheikh Mashuk Rahman vs State, 62 DLR 28; Md Kamal Uddin @ Md Kamal Ahmed vs Md Mezbah Uddin, XI ADC 2014; MK Bazlur Rahman vs Md Johurul Haque, VI ADC (2009) 809, Abdul Alim vs Biswajit Dey, 59 DLR 236; Abdur Rob Molla vs Shahabuddin Ahmed, 12 BLC (AD) 188; Sarwar Hossain Moni (Md) vs State, 66 DLR (AD) 2014 283; Harihar Banerji vs Ramshashi Roy, AIR 1981 PC 102; Monomohan Roy Chowdhury vs Ajit Kamal Dutta 6 DLR 267 and Dr Jamshed Bakht vs Md Kamaluddin, 1981 BLD 97 ref.

ABM Waliur Rahman Khan with Khairul Alam, Advocates-For the Petitioner.

Nazmul Karim, Advocate-For the Opposite Party No.2.

Judgment

AKM Shahidul Huq J : The facts and law involved in the above noted two Criminal

Miscellaneous Cases are being identical, as such, both the rules are taken up together for analogous hearing and disposal by this common judgment.

2. The proceedings of Metropolitan Sessions Case No. 207 of 2012 arising out of CR Case No. 321 of 2011 under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 (as amended in 2006) now pending in the Court of learned Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge, 7th Court Dhaka has been called in question by invoking the inherent jurisdiction of the criminal proceedings as laid down in Section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure in which a Division Bench of this Hon'ble Court was pleased to issue a rule calling upon the opposite party to show cause as to why the proceedings of Metropolitan Sessions Case No. 207 of 2012 arising out of CR Case No. 32 of 2011 under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 as amended on 2006 now pending in the Court of Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge, 7th Court Dhaka should not be quashed and/or pass such other or further order or orders as to this Court may seem fit and proper.

3. The short facts leading to the disposal of the case is that one Nawab Auto Rice and Feed Mills (Pvt) Limited, Room No. 6, G/7 (1st floor), Bazar Road, Block-F, Mohammadpur, Onaka 1207 as complainant filed a petition of complaint being petition Case No. 321 of 2012 before the Court of learned Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka.

4. Under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 (as amended in 2006) alleging inter alia that the complainant is a rice processing company and the accused is a businessmen by profession who carrying on his business under the name and style of his proprietorship concern namely M/s Monir Enterprise.

5. In course of business the accused has issued a Cheque No. IBB 4546833 dated 23-6-2011 for an amount of Taka 51,00,000 in favour of the complainant drawn on the Current Account being No. 01016532 under the name and style of his aforesaid proprietorship concern, maintained with the Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, Chapainawabgonj Branch, Chapainawabgonj.

6. The complainant presented the aforesaid cheque for collection through his account and the same has been dishonored due to insufficient fund vide Memo dated 10-8-2011 issued by the Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, Chapainawabgonj Branch, Chapainawabgonj. Despite repeated persuasion and all dispute cooperation by the above cheque amount to the complainant.

7. In compliance with Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 (as amended) the complainant served legal notice on 21-8-2011.

8. In that notice the complainant requested the accused to pay the cheque amount of Taka 51,00,000 within 30 (thirty) days from the date of receipt of the notice along with a note that in the event of default to pay the cheque amount proceedings under Negotiable Instrument Act shall be lodged against the accused.

9. The complainant further alleged that the said notice was returned showing the remark

OcOvcK gvevBj gvag wPwV MOnY KwiZ A^xKvi Kivq gZ dirO on 8-9-2011.

10. It is stated that the accused-petitioner was enlarged on bail by the court below and thereafter the case transferred to the Court of learned Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge, 7th Court, Dhaka for holding trial and Registered as Metropolitan Sessions Case No. 207 of 2012.

11. It is stated that on 11-8-2013 the date was fixed for framing of charge against the

accused-petitioner and the accused-petitioner duly appeared before the court and the learned Judge-in-charge of Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge, 7th Court, Dhaka was pleased to fix the next date of the case on 7-10-2013 for order.

12. It is stated that the accused-petitioner filed an application under Section 265C of the Code of Criminal Procedure before the Court of learned Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge, 7th Court, Dhaka for discharging him from the case and the same is pending for hearing.

13. The accused-petitioner is a poor man and the accused-petitioner and the complainant used to run his business by the accused-petitioner as benamder and he made the business institution in the name of the accused-petitioner by financing him and also made account in the name of the accused-petitioner by his money but while the accused-petitioner refused to carry on the business of the complainant as benamder he filed the instant case against the accused-petitioner with ulterior motive and malafide intention and, as such, the impugned order is liable to be quashed for ends of justice.

14. Mr ABM Waliur Rahman Khan, the learned Advocate appearing on behalf of the petitioner submits that the mandatory provision of Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 has not been complied with because the complainant did not serve legal notice upon the accused petitioner but in the petition of complaint the complainant falsely alleged that the accused did not receive the same and, as such, the impugned proceeding against the accused petitioner is liable to be quashed for ends of justice.

15. The learned Advocate next submits that the accused petitioner did not give any cheque to the complainant because the cheque book was kept at the office of the complainant as the accused-petitioner carried on business of the accused petitioner but while the accused-petitioner left the office of the complainant he used the said cheque against the accused petitioner and, as such, the impugned proceeding against the accused petitioner is liable to be quashed for ends of justice.

16. The learned Advocate or the petitioner further submits that the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 is a special law and provision of this Act to be construed strictly light variation giving a different meaning of the intent of the legislature is not punishable and, as such, the proceeding of this case is to be quashed for ends of justice.

17. The learned Advocate for the petitioner by filing supplementary affidavit tries to submits that according to Section 141 (b) of the Negotiable Instruments Act the cause of action to file the complaint is arisen within thirty days from the receipt of the notice as per clause (c) of the Section 138(1) of the Act and in the instant complaint petition it is found 1egal notice was served on 23-8-2011 which was returned on 8-9-2011 being refused by the accused-petitioner over mobile and, as such, the cause of action will be counted from 8-9-2011 having knowledge about the notice and if within 8-10-2011 no payment is found to have been paid cause of action would be arisen but in the instant case cognizance is found to have been taken on 26-9-2011 which is before the expiry of the stipulated period as laid down under Section 138(1)(c) of the Act for which reason the instant proceeding can not be allowed to be proceeded in the eye of law.

18. The learned Advocate for the petitioner tries to draw our attention to the effect that in order to initiate a case under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act according to Section l(A) of the said section the notice required to be served under clause (b) of sub section(l) shall be served in the following manner: -

(a) by delivering it to the person on whom it is to be served;

(b) by sending it by registered post with acknowledgement due to that person at his usual or lost known place of abode or business in Bangladesh.

(c) by publication in a Daily Bangla National Newspaper having wide circulation.

19. By in the instant complaint petition as it appears in paragraph 7 (seven) that OcOvcK gvevBj gvag wPwV MOnY KwiZ A^xKvi Kivq gZ dirO on 8-9-2011 by which it is deemed that no notice was served upon the accused petitioner and there is no provision to send any notice over mobile phone and, as such, since no notice was served in compliance with the provision as laid down in Section 1 (A) of the Section 138 of the Act the instant proceeding is liable to be quashed in order to secure the ends of justice.

20. The learned Advocate for the petitioner submits that after the amendment by Act No. iii of 2006 according to Section 141 (c) of the Act no court inferior to that of session shall try any offence punishable under Section 138. But the instant trial is found to have been held by the Joint Metropolitan Session Judge, 7th Court, Dhaka and according to Section 17 A of the Code of-Criminal Procedure all Joint Sessions Judges are Subordinate to the Sessions Judge, -as such if the trial is allowed to be continued by the Joint Metropolitan Session Judge, will be deemed to have been acted beyond its jurisdiction for which reason the same is liable to be quashed in order to meet the demand of justice.

(To be continued)

21. The learned Advocate for the petitioner submits that after the amendment by Act No. iii of 2006 according to Section l41(c) of the Act no court interior to that of session shall try any offence punishable under Section 138. But the instant trial is found to have been held by the Joint Metropolitan Session Judge, 7th Court Dhaka and according to Section 17 A of the Code of Criminal Procedure all Joint Sessions Judges are subordinate to the sessions Judge as such if the trial is allowed to be continued by the Joint Metropolitan Session Judge, will be deemed to have been acted upon beyond its jurisdiction for which reason the same is liable to be quashed in order to meet the deemed of justice.

22. The learned Advocate for the petitioner next submits that the instant proceeding is hit by Sections 177 and 179 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It appears from paragraph 4 of the complaint petition that the impugned cheque was dishonored by the Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. Chapainawabgonj Branch and, as such, according to Section 179 of the Code of Criminal Procedure the trial is to be held by the Session Judge, Chapainawabgonj having local jurisdiction under Section 177 of the Code of Criminal procedure and, as such, the instant Trial being held by the Joint Metropolitan Session Judge, 7th Court, Dhaka is liable to be protected by this Hon'ble court for the ends of justice.

13. The learned Advocate for the petitioner lastly submits that since the instant trial is going to be held by not a competent court it is liable to be interfered with by this Hon'ble Court to secure the ends of justice.

24. The learned Advocate for the petitioner in support of his contention has referred the case of Abdul Quader Chowdhury vs State reported in 28 DLR (AD) 38, the case of Eusof Babu vs State reported in 68 DLR AD 298. The aforesaid citation as referred by the learned Advocate appearing for the petitioner have no manner of application in the facts and circumstances of the present case.

25. The rule is being contested by opposite party No.2 by filing counter affidavit against the application filed under Section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

26. Mr Nazmul Karim, the learned Advocate appearing for the opposite party No. 2 contested the rule by filing a Counter Affidavit and submits that this opposite party duly served the required notice and which the accused petitioner refused to receive the notice was returned showing the remark OcOvcK gvevBj gvag wPwV MOnY KwiZ A^xKvi Kivq gZ dirO on 8-9-2011 by the concerned Postal Peon and this opposite party already exhibited the same in the Trial Court on 21-7-2016. It is thus evident that having had due knowledge as to the dishonor of the Cheque in question, the accused-petitioner refused to receive the notice with a view to evade payment of the cheque amount by adopting unfair means.

27. He further submits that whether the notice as required to be served under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 is essentially a question of fact to be proved by adducing evidence at the time of trial, inasmuch as there is a specific assertion in the complaint itself that such notice was served by this opposite party and the accused-petitioner refused to receive the same. Hence, this fact cannot be decided by this Hon'ble Court exercising jurisdiction under Section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

28. He next submits that it is now well settled in law that such deliberate refusal as in the instant case would amount to constructive service of the notice upon the accused-petitioner. Besides, by virtue of sub Section 1A (b) as amended by the Negotiable Instrument (amendment) Act 2006, sending the notice by registered post with Acknowledgement Due (A/D) to a person at his usual or last known place of abode or business in Bangladesh is only required and by dint of Section 27 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 the service shall be deemed effective if the notice issued by properly addressing, prepaying and posting by registered post. Hence, even if the notice is not served physically, sending by registered post shall be deemed as effective service.

29. He also submits that the other ground taken in the supplementary affidavit regarding the requirement of filing the complaint by the Power of Attorney Holder, it is submitted that this opposite party is a Private Limited Company and it has to be represented by a natural person and such person if so authorized in writing in the letter head of the company would suffice. In the instant complaint, it has been positively stated in the cause title that the company would be represented by its named Officer and the respective letter of Authorization was duly filed therewith and in the capacity of the authorized person, the complaint was filed. Thus the contention got no merit at all and it should be rejected in limini.

30. He lastly submits that the trial of the respective sessions case commenced. On 29-6-2011 charged was framed and on 21-7-2016, the authorized representative of this opposite party was examined and all documents including the notice as well as the returned notice with the endorsement were exhibited. Subsequently, at the instance of the accused-petitioner, the cross examination was deferred on 17-8-2016. Now the next date of the case was fixed on 23-2-2017 for taking steps under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Hence at this stage when trial already begun and prosecution witness is examined, quashment of the proceedings is not permissible.

31. In support of his contention the learned Advocate for the opposite party No. 2 has referred the case of Sheikh Mashuk Rahman vs State reported in 62 DLR 2010 28, the case of Md Kamal Uddin @ Md Kamal Ahmed vs Md Mezbah Uddin reported in Xl ADC 2014, the case of Abdul Alim vs Biswajit Dey reported in 59 DLR (2007) 236, the case of Abdur Rob Malla vs Shahabuddin Ahmed reported in 12 BLC (AD) 188, AIR PC 102, 52 CWN 659, 39 CWN 934, 6 DLR 267, 17 DLR (WP) 26, 22 DLR 664 observed it appears, therefore, that except for the solitary decision reported in AIR 1915 Cal 313.

32. He lastly refers the case of Sarwar Hossain Moni vs State reported in 66 DLR (AD) 283.

33. We have heard the learned Advocate of both sides perused the impugned proceedings of the Courts below also considered the submissions as advanced by the learned Advocate in support of his contention and also considered the citation as referred by the learned Advocate for opposite party No. 2.

34. In the case of Abdur Rob Molla vs Shahabuddin Ahmed reported in 12 BLC (AD) 118, it is held that:-

"In the afore state of the matter the High Court Division was of the view that there was due and proper service of summons through the process server on the respondents. We are of the opinion that the mode in which personal service of summons was effected on the respondent No.2 of the Miscellaneous Appeal No.7 of 1989 i.e. appellant herein, in the eye of law was not a due and proper service of summons or the petitioner in the Miscellaneous Case who was respondent No.2 in the Miscellaneous Appeal since his mother was not his authorized agent to receive the summons of the Miscellaneous Appeal on his behalf."

35. The learned Additional District Judge, was in error in holding since acknowledge receipt was not received by the Court consequently summons sent by registered post cannot be considered due service of summons by registered post as because proviso to sub rule 2 of rule 19B of the Code of Civil Procedure provides that when the summons was sent by registered post with acknowledgment receipt due and that after 30 days even if acknowledgment receipt is lost or mislaid or for any other reason; was not received by the Court it would be considered that the summons was duly served by the registered post.

36. The question when summons or a letter is sent to a particular address which is the correct address of the addressee by registered post and the postal peon returned the envelope with the endorsement "refused" shall be considered that there has been due service of the summons or notice or of tendering of the letter came up for consideration in the case of Harihar Banerji vs Ramshashi Roy reported in AIR 1981 PC 102 (the same case has also been reported in 45 IA 222) and therein it has been observed:

"If a letter properly directed, containing notice to quit, it is presumed that the letter reached its destination at the proper time according to the regular course of business of the post office, and was received by the person to whom it was addressed and that presumption would apply with still greater force to letters which the sender has taken the precaution to register, and is not rebutted but strengthened by the fact that a receipt for the letter is produced signed on behalf of the addressee by some person other than the addressee himself".

37. In the case of in the matter of part cargo ex steamship "Belgia" reported in AIR '1918 PC 338 it has been held:

"As a general rule the Court will assume, unless the contrary is proved, that letters which are proved to have been mailed do arrive in ordinary course of post, and it is on those who disputed that inference to show the contrary'. So, from the ratio of the aforementioned cases it is seen that one who disputes the delivery of the letter, herein summons, sent by registered post the onus is on him to prove that the letter, as in the instant case the summons sent by registered post, was not tendered to him by the postal peon."

38. To invalidate such a service the defendant must expressly prove, to the satisfaction of the court, that what would happen in the ordinary course did not happen and that he did not get an opportunity to accept it; and for the purpose it is open to him to prove that he never refused it and that it never was tendered to him. A mere denial that it was never delivered to him is not sufficient. The similar question came up for consideration before the Dhaka High Court in the case of Monomohan Roy Chowdhury vs Ajit Kamal Dutta reported in 6 DLR 267 and therein the learned Judge upon noticing the ratio of the cases reported in AIR 1918 PC 102, 39 CWN 934 and 52 CWN 659 observed:

"In a case where a registered notice has come back with the postal endorsement "refused", it is for the defendant addressee who denies receipt of the registered notice to prove that the notice was not properly addressed to him or it was never tender to him. The plaintiff need not prove the service of the registered notice duly addressed,"

39. Similar question also came up for consideration before the High Court Division in the case of Dr Jamshed Bakht vs Md Kamaluddin reported in 1981 HID 97 and the learned Judge of the said Division after noticing the ratio in number of cases including AIR 1981 PC 102, 52 CWN 659, 39 CWN 934, 6 DLR 267,17 DLR (WP) 26, 22 DLR 664 observed:

"It appears, therefore, that except for the solitary decision reported in AIR 1915 Cal 313 the preponderant view, is that when a notice under Section 106 of the Transfer of Property Act is sent by registered post and is returned to the sender with the endorsement "refused" on it, the service of notice is deemed to be a good service and it is not necessary to examine the postal peon to prove the endorsement view that mere denial by the defendant that he did not receive the notice or that it was not tendered to him is not sufficient. He is to adduce evidence that he was not tendered any notice and that he did not refuse any notice."

40. From the ratio of the aforementioned cases it is seen that when the summons is sent by registered post from the court and if the postal peon returned the envelope in which the summons was sent to the defendant/respondent with the endorsement "refused" and if it is not established by the addressee, that the address to which the summons was sent was not his address or that postal peon did not tender the registered envelope to him and, as such, he had no occasion to refuse the acceptance thereof, then it shall be considered that the summons has been duly served on the addressee. In the instant case, the appellant who was respondent in the Miscellaneous Appeal No.7 of 1989 did not lead any evidence to show that the address at which summons was sent by registered post was not his address at the relevant time and that postal peon did not tender the registered envelope to him and, as such, there was occasion for him to refuse acceptance thereof. In the afore state of the matter, we are of the view the High Court Division was quite correct in holding that summons of the appeal i.e. Miscellaneous Appeal No.7 of 1989, was duly and properly served all the respondent No. 2 in the Miscellaneous Appeal No.7 of 1989, who is the appellant in the instant appeal.

41. The implication of illustration (f) of Section 114 of the Evidence Act and the provision of Section 27 of General Clauses Act are that in case of posting of letter, sending notice or summons by registered post to the correct address or to the address of the addressee known to the sender i.e. while no other address of the addressee was made known to the sender or, in other words, change of address of the addressee was not intimated to the sender, the presumption is that such letter, notice or summons sent by registered post to the person addressed to have been delivered and if the registered envelope is returned with the endorsement of the postal peon "refused" by the address, then too it shall be considered that the letter, notice and the summons has duly and properly been received or served unless the addressee establishes that letter, notice or summons was not sent to his correct address and, as such, he had no occasion to refuse the acceptance of the registered letter or the envelop. The person who is disputing or trying to deny the statutory presumption of the matter as provided by the provision of Section 27 of the General Clauses Act and that the presumption of correctness or genuineness of the matter as implied by illustration (f) of Section 114 of the Evidence Act is to rebut the said matter or genuineness/ correctness of presumption of fact upon producing evidence. So, letter sent, notice or summons sent by registered post and if returned with the endorsement "refused" shall be accepted as good and due service of notice or summons and the delivery of the letter to the person addressed unless the addressee rebuts the presumption of good service or delivery of letter by adducing evidence.

42. In the case of Sheikh Mashuk Rahman vs State reported in 62 DLR 28, it is held that:

"The submission made by the learned counsel for the accused-petitioner as to whether the notice served or not, as required to be served under Section 138 of NI Act, is essentially a question of fact, to be proved by adducing evidence at the time of trial, inasmuch as there is specific assertion in the complaint petition that such a notice was, in fact, served. Hence, this fact cannot be decided by this court exercising jurisdiction under Section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure and this is to be decided by the trial court upon receiving evidence. The principle of law in this respect has been set at rest by the Appellate Division in the case cited above."

43. In the case of Md Kamal Uddin @ Md Kamal Ahmed vs Md Mezbah Uddin reported in XI ADC 2014, it is held that:-

"A criminal proceeding shall not be stifled before trial, when there was a prima facie case for going to the trial........

"With regard to the submission that the Assistant Sessions Judge does not have jurisdiction to hear the matter, we may refer to the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (the Code) which provides in Section 6 that, apart from the Supreme Court and Courts constituted under any other law, there shall be two classes of criminal courts, namely courts of Sessions and Courts of Magistrate. An Assistant Sessions Judge or Joint Sessions Judge as mentioned in Section 9(3A) of the Code is also a Judge of the Court of Sessions. Section 141(c) provides that no court inferior to that of Court of Sessions shall try any offence punishable under Section 138. The Section does not say that any case under Section 138 may not be tried other than by the Sessions Judge. The Court of Assistant Sessions Judge is also a Court of Sessions and, as such, there is no illegality in the trial continuing before the Court of Assistant Sessions Judge. Moreover, we may refer to a decision of this Division in the case of MK Bazlur Rahman vs Md Johurul Haque reported in VI ADC (2009), 809, where this Division affirmed the judgment of the High Court Division.

44. In the case of Abdul Alim vs Biswajit Dey reported in 59 DLR 236 where it is held that:-

"The submissions made is not sustainable either in law or on the facts of the given case. The offence under Section 138 of the Act can be completed with the concentration of a number of facts i.e. (i) drawing of the cheque, (ii) presentation of the cheque, (iii) returning of the cheque unpaid by the drawee bank, (iv) giving notice in writing to the drawer of the cheque demanding payment of the cheque amount and (v) failure of the drawer to make payment within 15 days of receipt of the notice. As per provisions of sections 177, 178, 179 and 180 of the Code of Criminal Procedure if the aforesaid five different acts were done in five different localities any of the courts exercising jurisdiction in one of the five local areas can become the place of trial for the offence under Section 138 of the Act and complainant can choose anyone of the courts in whose jurisdiction any of the 5 components of the said offence was done. The legal notice was issued from a lawyer at Chittagong District Bar and the complainant, for encashing the cheques, presented the same at a bank at Chittagong. As such, on the ground of initiating the proceeding at Chittagong this proceeding cannot be quashed."

45. In the case of Sarwar Hossain Moni (Md) vs State reported in 66 DLR (AD) 283 where our apex court held that:-

''It is true that in the judgment sought to be reviewed, there has been no detailed discussions as to the point raised before the High Court Division that the respective petition of complaint having been filed before expiry of the statutory period as stipulated in clause (c) of the proviso to Section 138(1) of the Act, 1881, was barred by law, this division having affirmed the judgment and order passed by the High Court Division which took the view that though the respective petition of complaint was filed before expiry of thirty days from the date of receipt of the notice issued under clause (b) of the proviso to Section 138, was maintainable in law, in fact, gave the answer. Be that as it may, since in these review petitions, specific question has been raised to the above effect, we need to answer the same with reference 10 clause (c) of the proviso to Section 138 of the Act, 1881 read with Section 141 thereof."

46. On perusal of the application under Section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the counter affidavit filed by the opposite party No.2 and the citations as referred by the learned Advocate for the opposite party No.2. We find no merit in the submissions of the learned Advocate appearing for the petitioner on the contrary we find merit in the submissions of the learned Advocate appearing for the opposite party No. 2 and the citations as referred by the learned Advocate for the opposite party No. 2 are fully applicable in the facts and circumstances of the present case. We find no merit in these rules and, as such, both the rules are devoid of any substance.

47. In the result, both the rules are hereby discharged without any order as to cost. The order of stay as granted at the time of issuance of the rule is hereby re-called and vacated. The learned Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge, 7th Court, Dhaka is hereby directed to dispose of the CR Case No. 321 of 2011 now pending in the 7th Court of Joint Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Dhaka expeditiously as far as practicable preferably within six months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment positively.

The office is hereby directed to transmit a copy of this judgment to the concern Court forthwith for information and necessary action.


Sentence for civil prison to judgment-debtors

High Court Division :

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

Zinar Ara J

Kazi Md Ejarul Haque

Akondo J

Abdul Kader (Md............Petitioner

Vs

Government of Bangladesh represented by the Secretary Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and others .........Respondents

Judgment

May 14th, 2017

Artha Rin Adalat Ain (VIII of 2003)

Sections 33, 34(1)(9) and (10)

Attempt was taken for auction of the mortgaged property under Section 33 of the Ain and due to non-participation of the bidder, the property could not be sold in a auction. Thereafter, on application of the decree-holder-Bank, the Adalat passed order for six months' civil prison of the judgment-debtors and issued warrants of arrest against the judgment-debtors accordingly.. (11)

Muntasir Uddin Ahmed Advocate-For the Petitioner.

Md Imam Hasan Advocate-For Respondent No.3

Judgment

Zinat Ara J : In this Rule Nisi, the petitioner has challenged the legality of Order No. 43 dated 6-1-2015 passed by the learned Judge of Artha Rin Adalat No.4, Dhaka (shortly, the Adalat) in Artha Jari Case No, 612 of 2004 issuing warrants of arrest against the judgment-debtor-petitioner. The petitioner also challenged Order No. 45 dated :25-2-2015 passed by the learned Judge of the Adalat in the aforesaid Artha Jari Case rejecting an application filed by the petitioner for bail.

Admitted Facts

1. Respondent No. 3- Rupali Bank Limited, Office, Dilkusha Commercial Area, Motijheel, Dhaka (hereinafter stated as the Bank), as plaintiff, on 29-4-2004, instituted Artha Rin Suit No. 507 of 2004 before Artha Rin Adalat No. 4 Dhaka for recovery of loan amounting to Taka 13,58,73,076 as stood on 31-3-2004 with interest till recovery thereof impleading the petitioner Md Abdul Kader and others as defendants of the suit. Eventually, the suit was decreed under Section of the Artha Rin Adalat Ain, 2003 (thereinafter referred to as the Ain) by judgment and decree dated 15-1-2005. The petitioner and other Judgment-debtors having failed to pay the decretal dues, the decree-holder-Bank filed Artha Jari Case No. 612 of 2005 on 29-8-2005 before the Adalat. In the execution case, the Bank filed application for amendment of the application of Artha Jari Case No. 612 of 2005 under Order. VI, rule 17 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (the Code, in short) read with Section 57 of the Ain and also filed another application for civil prison/ issuance of warrants of arrest against the judgment-debtors in their amended new addresses. The said applications were allowed and warrants of arrest were issued against the petitioner and other judgment-debtors. Whereupon, the petitioner was arrested on 20-2-2015. Thereupon, the petitioner on 25-2-2015 filed an application for bail before the Adalat, but it was rejected. Rupali Bank Limited, Sirajgonj Branch, Sirajgonj (briefly, Sirajgonj Branch) earlier filed Artha Rin Suit No. 163 of 1992 against the petitioner and others for recovery of another loan amounting to Taka 11.05 crores before the Artha Rin Adalat, Sirajgonj (shortly, Sirajgonj Adalat). The said suit was re-numbered as Artha Rin Suit No. 138 of 2004 and the said suit was also decreed against the--petitioner and others. The petitioner and other judgment-debtors having failed to pay the decretal dues, the Sirajgonj Branch filed Artha Jari Case No. 54 of 2007 for recovery of decretal dues of Taka. 24.69 crores and in the said execution case also warrants of arrest were issued against the judgment-debtors. The petitioner then filed Writ Petition No. 12250 of 2014 before the High Court Division and in the said writ petition order was passed staying operation of order of arrest for a period of six months and for release of the petitioner from jail relating to the Artha Jari Case No. 54 of 2007, which is not the subject matter of this writ petition.

Petitioner's Case

3. Earlier the petitioner filed Writ Petition No. 12250 of 2014 before the High Court Division challenging the warrants of arrest and a Rule Nisi was issued and the petitioner was released from jail; that the Bank filed an application for correction of the addresses of the petitioner as well as other judgment-debtors and also filed an application for issuance of warrants of arrest against the judgment-debtors, which were allowed by the impugned orders. The petitioner's subsequent application for bail was rejected. The Bank without mentioning the correct address of the petitioner obtained the ex-parte judgment and decree illegally. Artha Jari Case was once rejected due to default of the Bank in taking proper steps for warrants of arrest, but it was subsequently restored on application made by the Bank. The provision of Section 33(9) of the Ain has not been complied with before issuance of warrants of arrest and therefore, the order of warrants of arrest is unlawful and liable to be struck down.

Respondent No. 3's Case

4. Respondent No.3-the Bank contested the Rule by filing an affidavit-in-opposition controverting the statements made in the writ petition contending, inter-alia, that Sirajgonj Spinning and Cotton Mills Limited (the Company, in short) availed loan of Taka 11.15 crores from Rupali Bank Limited, Sirajgonj Branch, Sirajgonj, but the Company and its directors failed to pay the said loan whereupon, the Bank filed Artha Rin Suit No. 163 of 1992 which was subsequently re-numbered as Artha Rin Suit No. 138 of 2004. After the decree, the judgment-debtors having failed to pay the decretal dues, the Sirajgonj Branch lawfully filed Artha Jari Case No. 54 of 2007 for recovery of Taka 24.69 crores and after completion of the legal formalities, the learned Judge of the Adalat issued warrants of arrest against the judgment-debtors including the petitioner; that the petitioner filed Writ Petition No. 12250 of 2014 challenging the said order; that the said writ petition is not related to the instant Artha Jari Case No. 612 of 2004 and completely relating to a different suit and execution case; that the Bank by giving correct addresses of the petitioner and other defendants, as per the Bank's record, had filed Artha Rin Suit No. 507 of 2004 and obtained the judgment and decree, but the petitioner and other judgment-debtors for avoiding arrests changed their residential addresses and after collecting the present addresses of the petitioner and other judgment-debtors, the Bank filed application before the Adalat for issuance of warrants of arrest and the petitioner was lawfully arrested by the police of the concerned police station; that attempts were taken for auction sale of the mortgaged property in auction, but failed; that the writ petition is misconceived and an attempt to delay/defeat recovery of huge amount of outstanding decretal dues; that the petitioner has not come up in clean hands and filed the writ petition with false and vexatious statements and therefore, the Rule is liable to be discharged with heavy costs.

Arguments of the Contending Parties

5. Mr Muntasir Uddin Ahmed, the learned Advocate for the petitioner, takes us through the writ petition, the connected materials on record and submits that the judgment and decree was obtained by the Bank by giving incorrect addresses of the petitioner and others without service of summons. He next submits that once the execution case was rejected for not taking steps for issuance of warrants of arrest by the Bank, but subsequently, on application made by the Bank, the execution case was restored to its file and number and in the execution case, the Bank filed an application for correction of the addresses of the defendant-judgment-debtors. He further submits that the warrants of arrest were issued without complying with the provision of Section 33 of the Ain and therefore, the order for issuance of warrants of arrest is illegal and liable to be struck down.

6. In reply, Mr Md Imam Hasan, the learned Advocate for respondent No.3, takes us through the affidavit-in-opposition, the connected materials on record and contends that the Bank filed the suit by correctly mentioning the addresses of the petitioner and other defendants as per the Bank's record. He next contends that after the judgment and decree, during the execution proceedings, the petitioner and others, had changed their addresses for avoiding warrants of arrest but the Bank after collecting their subsequent addresses filed an application for amendment of the execution petition which was legally allowed by the Adalat and the warrants of arrest were legally issued against the petitioner and other judgment-debtors in view of the provisions of Section 34(9) & (10) of the Ain, as mortgaged property could not be sold in auction. He further contends that the statements made in the writ petition have been denied by the Bank and the disputed questions of facts raised by the petitioner cannot be decided in writ jurisdiction and therefore, the writ petition is not - maintainable. He also contends that the suit was filed in the year 2004 and the execution case was filed in the year 2005 for recovery of decretal dues of more than taka thirteen crores and the petitioner and other judgment-debtors without paying the huge amount of the Bank's decretal dues filed the writ petition to avoid payment of huge amount of the decretal dues. He finally crotends that in the facts and circumstances, the Rule is liable to be discharged with heavy costs.

Points for Determination

7. In view of the arguments as advanced by the learned Advocates for the contending parties, the moot question to be decided in the Rule is the legality of impugned Orders No. 43 dated 6-1-2015 and 45 dated 25-2-2015 passed by the learned Judge of the Adalat.

Examination of the Records

8. We have examined the writ petition, the supplementary affidavit thereto, the affidavit-in-opposition the supplementary affidavit-in opposition and the connected materials on record. We have also studied the relevant provision of Section 34 of the Artha Rin Adalat Ain, 2003.

Deliberation of the Court

9. Let us examine the impugned order dated 6 -1-2015 first.

10, In paragraph 9 of the supplementary affidavit-in-opposition, it has been clearly stated by the Bank that Artha Rin Suit. No. 507 of 2004 filed by Rupali Bank Limited, Local Office, Dhaka and it was decreed on 15-1-2005 against the petitioner and others, but the judgment-debtors did not pay the decretal dues. Whereupon, the Bank filed Artha Jari Case No. 612. of 2005 before the Adalat and in the execution case, auction notice was published by the Bank in two dailies, namely, the Daily Ittefaq and the Daily Khabar Patra for auction sale of the mortgaged property, but no bidder participated in the auction and therefore, auction sale was not possible. It has been further stated that in the circumstances, the Bank filed an application for issuance of warrants of arrest against the judgment-debtors which was allowed. But the Bank failed to collect the present addresses of the judgment-debtors and thereafter, after collection of the present addresses of the judgment-debtors by the Bank, Artha Jari Case was restored and warrants of arrest were issued against the judgment-debtors in their new addresses.

11. From the certified copy of the order-sheets of Artha Jari Case No. 612 of 2005 (Annexure-1 to the supplementary affidavit), it appears that on 6-3-2006, the learned Judge of the Adalat passed order for publication of auction sale notice in two news papers fixing 30-4-2006 for auction. Then on 30-4-2006, in presence of one of the judgment-debtors, the decree-holder-Bank submitted paper-cuttings before the Adalat relating to auction sale, but no one participated in the auction. Therefore, it is evident that attempt was taken for auction of the mortgaged property under Section 33 of the Ain and due to nonparticipation of the bidder, the property could not be sold in auction. Thereafter, on application of the decree-holder-Bank, the learned Judge of the Adalat passed order for six months' civil prison of the judgment-debtors and issued warrants of arrest against the judgment-debtors accordingly. Thus, it appears that the impugned order has been passed inconsonance with the provision of Sections 34(1), (9) & (10) of the Ain. Therefore, the impugned order dated 6-1-2015 appears to be legal.

12. Now, let us examine the impugned order dated 25-2-2015.

13. From the order dated 25-2-2015, it appears that the judgment-debtor-petitioner neither paid 25% of the decretal dues nor furnished any bond for payment of the Bank's dues as required under the provision of Section 34(6) of the Ain. Therefore, the learned Judge of the Adalat legally passed the impugned order dated 25-2-2015 refusing bail of the judgment-debtor-petitioner for non-compliance with the provision of Section 34(6) of the Ain.

14. In view of the discussions made hereinbefore, vis-a-vis the law, we find no merit in the submissions of Mr Muntasir Uddin Ahmed, the learned Advocate for the petitioner and we find merit and force in the submissions of Mr Md Imam Hasan, the learned Advocate for the Bank.

15. In such view of the matter, we find no legal infirmity in the impugned orders passed by the learned Judge of the Adalat,

16. Accordingly, the Rule is discharged without any order as to costs.

17. The order of bail granted to the petitioner at the time of issuance of the Rule is, hereby, recalled.

18. The petitioner is directed to surrender to his bail bonds at once.

Communicate the judgment to respondents No.2, 3 and 4 at once.
6th Aussie politician declares duel nationality

Reuters, Canberra :

Australia's widening citizenship crisis entangled a seventh politician on Friday, a key independent senator whose support is critical for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to pass legislation through a hostile Senate.

Senator Nick Xenophon said he may hold dual citizenship, Australian and British, which would make him ineligible to sit in parliament. He said he was checking if his father's birth in Cyprus makes him British, as well as Australian.

"The great irony here is that my father left Cyprus in 1951 in order to get away from British occupation of Cyprus. The suggestion that I could be a British citizen is something that would absolutely horrify my father...," Xenophon told The Australian newspaper.

Xenophon, whose eponymous party holds two key balance-of-power seats in the upper house, has stymied government media law reform plans and criticized the government's reluctance to order a sweeping inquiry into the nation's banking sector.

The citizenship crisis, based on a 116-year-old law which demands an elected lawmaker only have Australian citizenship, has rocked the Australian parliament, ensnaring three government members, three Green party MPs and Xenophon.

Turnbull's one-seat majority in the lower house is in jeopardy after Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce on Monday said he may be ineligible for parliament due to New Zealand citizenship by descent. His father was born in New Zealand.

Joyce has since relinquished New Zealand citizenship, but is awaiting a High Court ruling, along with several other politicians who believe they may have dual citizenship.

The High Court will begin hearings into Joyce's eligibility on Aug. 24. Should he be ruled ineligible, Turnbull would be forced to rely on independents to pass legislation.

If the lawmakers under a citizenship cloud are ruled ineligible by the High Court there will need to be by-elections held in their seats. If Joyce failed to win re-election in his rural seat, Turnbull would face a hung parliament.

Turnbull's government is struggling in opinion polls and would not wish to be tested at the ballot box at this time.

Australia's foreign minister has accused New Zealand's Labour Party of conspiring to bring down the Australian government by revealing Joyce's New Zealand ancestry.

Under Section 44 of Australia's constitution "a subject or a citizen of a foreign power" is barred from office.




Civilian deaths surge in Raqqa as IS tactics slow US-backed advances

Smoke rises after an airstrike during fighting between members of the Syrian Democratic Forces and Islamic State militants in Raqqa, Syria.

VOA News :

As U.S.-backed forces continue to make slow progress in their offensive to oust Islamic State (IS) from its self-proclaimed capital of Raqqa, thousands of civilians who are trapped in the city face an increasing danger of getting caught in crossfire, rights organizations and local activists warn.

Officials from the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) say their battle against IS has entered a fierce and grueling phase in the densely populated neighborhoods of the city, as the terrorist group tries various tactics to keep its stronghold.

"This fight has become a matter of life and death for both sides," Mustafa Bali, a spokesperson for the SDF, told VOA. Bali said IS militants are increasingly using suicide car bombs, snipers, drones and tunnels to hinder SDF advances.

"But what distinguishes the operation for Raqqa from all other cities is the degree to which IS thugs use civilians as human shields," he said.

He added that IS has forced civilians to remain in their homes so coalition forces avoid airstrikes in those areas.

Despite IS tactics, the SDF was able to advance slightly from the southeast of the city, Bali said. As the forces marched forward, SDF's special units rescued nearly 250 civilians early Thursday.

Meanwhile, rights organizations and activists continue to express concerns about the rising death tolls among civilians in the besieged city.

Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Wednesday said an escalated shelling of Raqqa by the U.S.-led coalition warplanes since Monday has left nearly 60 residents dead, including 30 children and women.

The group said it expects the death toll to rise as recovery units continue to find missing bodies under the rubble.

Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, told reporters on Wednesday that coalition jets have conducted more than 200 airstrikes against IS positions in Raqqa this week alone. He did not directly comment on the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights' findings.

Speaking with reporters during a phone briefing from Baghdad, Dillon talked about the stiff resistance the SDF forces are facing from about 2,500 IS fighters who still hold about 45 percent of the city.

He added that the jihadist group has centralized much of its operations and many of its fighters in densely populated areas and high-rise buildings, including the city's main hospital, in an effort to slow down the ongoing siege.

"They have fortified the complex, created tunnels for access, and are hiding among women and children who have nowhere else to go," Dillon said.
Parents Care School observes Nat'l Mourning Day

Chairman of Chittagong Education Welfare Foundation Principal Dr Abdul Karim addressing a discussion meeting in observance of the National Mourning Day at Parents Care School as Chief Guest recently.

Chittagong Bureau :

The 42nd martyrdom anniversary of the father of the Nation and National Mourning Day was celebrated at Parents School and College on Tuesday. In observance of the day, a discussion meeting was held with its Principal Md.Nurul Islam in the chair.

Chairman of Chittagong Education Welfare Foundation Principal Dr Abdul Karim graced the occasion as Chief Guest.

The speakers in the discussion meeting remembered the supreme sacrifices of the Bangabandhu for achieving the independence of Bangladesh . The speakers also urged the people to shun the differences and work for establishing a prosperous and peaceful country as model country across the world.

Among others, Admin officer MA Fazal, senior teacher Johra Arjun Shiuli, Md. Rubel, NH Nirab, Shanta Paul, Md. Jane Alam , Reva Das,UmaPaul, Khaled Bhuyia, Kalimullah Rahat, Juma Paul, Jalaluddin Kawser, Md.Nurul Kabir Hanif were present .

The daylong programme was ended following the offering doa and Munajat for salvation of the departed soul.
Miscreants cut trees on CU campus

A Correspondent :

The miscreants cut at least 20 trees from the South campus of Chittagong University (CU) on Tuesday night. The administration of CU is yet to take any action against the miscreants who cut the trees.

Sources said, a group of miscreants are engaged in cutting trees at the CU campus regularly due to the lack of security measures. Besides, the ruling party's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders and activists were allegedly involved with the cutting of trees at the CU campus which is open secret there.

It is reported that in the current year, the miscreants cut at least 100 trees in the current year. But, the CU administration did not take any action against the miscreants so far. However, the miscreants cut the at least 20 trees again from the South campus of CU.

Registrar of CU Prof Dr Kamrul Huda said, "We have heard the news of cutting trees at South Campus of CU. Besides, we had got information in connection with cutting trees at the campus several months before. We formed an investigation committee and took action against the security officials of CU at that time.

The action was taken as the security officials failed to resist the cutting of trees by the miscreants. He claimed intensifying the security measures at CU campus.

"More 250 security persons will be deployed at the campus very soon.

I hope that the cutting of trees by the miscreants will be stopped after tightening the security measures at CU campus." Sources said some corrupted security officials and staffs of CU along with some leaders and activists of BCL are allegedly involved with the cutting of trees at CU campus.




Asia shares extend Wall Street sell-off after Spain attack

AFP, Hong Kong :

Asian stocks followed Wall Street falling sharply lower Friday, compounding a global sell-off after a deadly Barcelona rampage claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group exacerbated mounting fears over White House turmoil.

In New York, the S&P 500 Index tumbled by its second-biggest drop of the year with financial and technology shares among the worst hit, as news broke of a van ploughing into pedestrians in the Catalan capital, killing 13.

Stocks were initially in the red from rumours Donald Trump's economic advisor Gary Cohn would resign owing to unhappiness over the US president's response to a violent rally by racist groups in Charlottesville, although a White House source denied the claims.

Hong Kong led the Asian sell-off Friday with shares down more than one percent in morning trade. The Hang Seng was also dragged lower by market heavyweight Lenovo's plummeting share price after the Chinese tech giant posted a surprise quarterly loss.

Tokyo was also more than one percent down by the break, as the Nikkei also struggled in the face of the renewed strength of the yen against the greenback.

Shanghai, Sydney and Seoul all fell, just as Asia-Pacific stocks had clawed back much of their losses from last week's slump over fears of military clashes between North Korea and the US, fuelled by angry threats from both sides.

"Last Thursday's Korean scare sell-off has now been followed by another significant decline," said Ric Spooner, an analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney.

"This could be a more typical situation where volatility creates volatility as pent up profit taking and nervous investors are motivated to act as prices begin to weaken."

Bourses in Europe closed before the Spanish attack unfolded, and mostly fell on uncertainty following minutes from a European Central Bank meeting highlighting concerns over the rising euro.
60 people killed in Congo landslide

Al Jazeera News :

At least 60 people have been killed after a landslide swept through a fishing village on the banks of Lake Albert in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The landslide in the village of Tora of Ituri province was triggered on Wednesday by heavy rain in recent weeks, officials said. Pacifique Keta, deputy governor of Ituri province, told AFP news agency on Thursday that part of a mountain engulfed "a fisherman's camp after heavy rains caused a landslide". According to the governor's office and hospital officials, five people have been rescued while efforts were under way with hundreds of other villagers missing. A doctor at the Tshomia Hospital, Herve Isamba, told AFP they were treating four people. The affected village is located between a mountainous area and Lake Albert. Congo is in the middle of a humanitarian crisis, with about 7.7 million people on the verge of starvation, according to UN food agencies. The incident comes after more than 400 people were killed by a massive mudslide in Sierra Leone on Monday. In May 2010, a mudslide swept over the eastern Congo village of Kibiriga and killed 19 people. Bodies of 27 others were never recovered. In February 2002, about 50 people were found dead after a wave of mud and rocks hit the eastern town of Uvira, submerging about 150 homes.
Flood victims to be rehabilitated, says Quader

UNB, Dinajpur :

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said the government will take steps for rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.

"The Prime Minister will visit the flood-hit areas and mitigate your sufferings. She'll compensate you for the losses," he said while addressing the flood victims before distributing relief materials among

this bad time of the country. Unfortunately, it's busy working out plan how to protect its illegal power," said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He came up with the allegation while inaugurating BNP's youth wing Jatiyatabadi Judo Dal's relief distribution programme at the party's Nayapaltan central office.

The BNP leader said the government is so desperate to cling to power that it is now attacking the judiciary and interfering in its independence. "They (govt) are doing everything necessary to destroy the country's democratic system."

About the flood, he said people in the flood-affected areas are going through serious ordeal for lack of food, safe water and shelter. "But the government still can't reach adequate relief materials to them. This regime has failed to deliver on all fronts."

Fakhrul assured that their party leaders and activists will stand beside the flood victims with their best efforts. "BNP is working for the welfare of people. BNP is now there beside the flood victims."

He called upon BNP leaders and activists at levels to come forward in aid of the disaster-affected people.

The BNP leader said their party men has been working in the flood-hit areas and giving the victims with relief materials since their chairperson's call to do so.

Jubo Dal will distribute relief materials, including rice, pulse, potato, salt and dry foods among the flood victims in the country's northern and central regions.

On Thursday, BNP formed a central relief committee, headed by Fakhrul, to stand by the flood victims.
Overall flood situation likely to improve

Photo shows flood victims struggling hard to repair four cracks that developed on the Padma Flood Protection Dam due to heavy current of upstream waters at Nayabari Union at Dohar Upazila. This photo was taken on Friday.

BSS, Dhaka :

Though the Ganges-Padma rive is in the rising trend, the flood situation may improve in the country as all major rivers are likely to flow normal within the next four to five days, an expert told BSS on Friday.

"Water level in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna is

receding by 20 to 25 cm on an average in most places, meaning the river system will be normal within the next four or five days," Executive Engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) Md Sazzad Hossain said.

"Although the Padma at Goalundo point is flowing above the danger mark by 106 cm, it will be flowing normal within the next few days," he said.

The overall flood situation may improve significantly in the country as the trend of less rainfall is seen in Bangladesh and upstream regions of India, Sazzad added.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya on Friday said relief operations would be continued until floodwater recedes.

"We have sent adequate relief materials to the flood affected districts of the northern region to mitigate sufferings of the affected people," he said while distributing relief materials among the flood-hit people on the premises of Shilpakala Academy in Thakurgaon.

Presidium Member of Awami League Ramesh Chandra Sen, MP, Yasin Ali, MP, Selina Jahan, MP, and Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Golam Mostafa and Director General of Department of Disaster Management Reaz Ahmed, among others, were present on the occasion.

Onrush of water has shown a receding trend in one of three major river basins in the upstream but continued to swell in the remaining two.

According to FFWC, the Brahmaputra in the north was receding but waters in the Ganges, covering the northwest, and Meghna basin in the northwest were still being inflated.

The water resources ministry, meanwhile, said 50 people died so far mostly from drowning as the rivers surpassed their bank lines inundating standing crops, households and other infrastructures.

The hydrologists, however, said the flow of waters from three sides in the upstream would inflate the riverbeds in the central region including Dhaka before being discharged in the Bay of Bengal inundating vast tracts, posing threats of infrastructure damages.

Experts feared the collapse of embankments could intensify the disaster as people feeling protected by such structures could suddenly be exposed to massive or deadly consequences.

"The crucial thing to be performed as preparedness to minimize the damage is to protect and properly maintain the flood protection embankments which are in place . . . Collapse of embankments could cause colossal damage," leading water expert Professor Ainun Nishat warned.

Among the 90 monitored water level stations, 28 river stations are flowing above the danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said here on Friday.

The Dharla at Kurigram, the Jamuneswari at Badarganj, the Ghagot at Gaibandha, the Karatoa at Chak Rahimpur, the Brahmaputra at Chilmari, the Jamuna at Bahadurabad, Sariakandi, Kazipur, Sirajganj and Aricha, the Gur at Singra, the Atrai at Baghabari, the Dhaleswari at Elasin, the Lakhya at Lakhpur, the Kaliganga at Taraghat, the Little Jamuna at Naogaon, the Atrai at Mohadebpur, the Padma at Goalundo, Bhagyakul and Sureswar, the Surma at Kanaighat, Sylhet and Sunamganj, the Kushiyara at Amalshid and Sheola, the old Surma at Derai, the Kangsha at Jariajanjail and the Titas at Brahmanbaria are flowing above danger level 29cm, 78cm, 50cm, 20cm, 40cm, 102cm, 100cm, 138cm, 138cm, 75cm, 56cm, 109cm, 112cm, 45cm, 52cm, 79cm, 65cm, 106cm, 42cm, 6cm, 68cm, 5cm, 20cm, 34cm, 43cm, 35 cm, 104 and 33 cm respectively.

In Rangpur, the flood situation improved further during the last 24 hours ending at 9am on Friday with continuous fall in water levels of the major rivers in the northern districts on the Brahmaputra basin.

"The situation is getting normal gradually in Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur and Rangpur districts where most of the displaced people returned homes while the situation is continuously improving in Kurigram and Gaibandha districts now," said Divisional Commissioner Kazi Hasan Ahmed on Friday.

Relief activities have also been beefed up in the flood-hit areas of Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Sirajganj and Bogra districts on the Brahmaputra basin.

Meanwhile, overall flood situation further deteriorated in Gobindaganj and Palashbari upazials Gaibandha district as the water levels of Karatoa river have marked rise during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am on Friday.

Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water level of the Karatoa river rose by 14 cm during the period due to onrush of hilly waters from the upstream and was flowing 69 cm over its danger level at Katakhali Bridge point in Gobindaganj upazila.

A large number of people living in river basin areas of the upazilas have been marooned by flood and their sorrows know no bounds while crops on hundreds hectares of land particularly T-Aman paddy field, aman seed bed and summer vegetables, went under water making the farmers more worried about their crops, they said.

With continuous rise of water level in the river, Paschim Chowmatha, Kaiyaganj, and Kamarpara areas of Gobindaganj upazila had already gone under knee deep water.

The vehicular movements on Gobindaganj- Ghoraghat Road had been suspenced by Gobindaganj upazila administration as it went under waist deep water.

Mahbubur Rahman, executive engineer of BWDB, said the Flood Control Embankment on Karatoa river became more vulnerable at many points due to the pressure of the river water.

The condition of the dyke at Raghunathpur area in Gobindaganj upazila and Naleya, Tengra and Jaitulbala areas under Palashbari upazila was at high risk as a portion of the embankment collapsed there and the dyke might be washed away in the areas anytime, he also said.

The BWDB was trying to protect the vulnerable points of the dyke through dumping sand bags, he added.

Army personnel were working round the clock to protect the flood control embankment from any damage said deputy commissioner Gautam Chandra Pal.

bdnews24.com adds: Thousands of farm animals are facing a food crunch in flood-stricken Dinajpur district.

The crisis unfolded due to floodwaters submerging large swathes of grassy fields and around one-and-half metric tonnes of straw, said Abul Kalam Azad, district livestock official, on Friday. Almost 600,000 animals are suffering from the crisis. The numbers include 372,000 cows, over 200,000 goats, 11,000 sheep and hundreds of buffaloes. An urgent supply of 10,000 metric tonnes of animal feed has been released by the government, which is expected to reach the district in the coming couple of days, said Azad.

In Kurigram, Fulbari Upazila has suffered damages in flooding. As river banks eroded and floodwaters broke through the embankments, people scrambled to save their homes and belongings. Stories of losses now fill the air of the villages in Fulbari.

Abu Hossain, 60, said he was resting in his home at Chargorok Mondol village on Saturday afternoon when he heard a loud noise. "I was feeling sleepy lying on my bed when I heard people screaming outside. I ran to the road beside the embankment and saw a deluge headed our way.
PM condemns Barcelona terror attack

UNB, Dhaka :

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday strongly condemned the terror attack carried out in Barcelona and other Spanish cities that claimed 13 innocent lives and wounded scores.

Sheikh Hasina expressed the deepest condolences at

the loss of lives in the terror attack.

In a message to the Spanish President, Sheikh Hasina said, "I'm deeply shocked and grieved at the terror attack in Barcelona and other Spanish cities that claimed 13 innocent lives and wounded scores."

She said, "I along with the people and the government of Bangladesh strongly condemn such mindless act of cowardice and stand in solidarity with the people and the government of Spain."

Mentioning that terrorists are terrorists irrespective of their colour, creed or religion, the Prime Minister said they must have no place in any civilised society. We're together in the global fight against terrorism and violent extremism." She also expressed her deepest condolences and sympathies to the Spanish President and the people of Spain. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families, who have lost their loved ones, at this difficult hour."
Police must not lose its credibility

Editorial Desk :

A suspected suicide bomber of "Neo JMB" was killed during an anti-militancy operation at a city hotel on 15th August. The counterterrorism officials claim he had planned to carry out an attack on the crowd paying homage to Bangabandhu on National Mourning Day at Dhanmondi 32.The hotel is about 300 meters off Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, the historic house in Dhanmondi.

Alleged terrorist Saiful Islam (21) is the son of Abul Khayer of Dumuria upazila in Khulna. According to the Police, before getting involved with the"Neo JMB", he was an active member of Shibir. Even Saiful's father Abul Khayer, was associated with Jammat E Islami Bangladesh.

We must give credit to our police force to save us from a devastating attack on a national mourning day. Yet the people have question seeking answers. How come a terrorist stays at hotel with explosives within such a short distance? The explosion was so powerful that it caused a section of the building's fourth floor wall to collapse. With Saiful, so far 69 suspected militants either died in police shooting or blew themselves up by detonating suicide vests during at least 22 anti-terror drives across the country since the Gulshan cafe attack on July 1 last year. Besides, around 150 got arrested.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Md Asaduzzaman Mia have assured us that the terrorists have no more strength to carry out any major subversive act. But this is not what the general public want to hear. People of Bangladesh deserve to know, whether our police force is actually capable of defeating terrorism in our country. The information supplied

by police is not often believed. It is not easy to believe that a lone man was involved in the planed explosion for the 15th August. Those who are determined to kill others do not commit suicide just to kill himself. If the Police had information about him prior to the incident, then why had not they caught him off guard? We can easily imagine what could have happened if the attack had been successful. Terrorism can easily destroy our socio-economic life and ruin the image of our country internationally. We expect that our counter terrorism unit will be careful, responsive and observant. They must realize that they are dealing with such a problem which is a huge concern for major super powers. So this issue must be dealt with convincingly and credibly.

The fundamental thing the public have to accept is that they are maintained for saving life and not destroying it. Besides, police cannot destroy evidence for the need of proving the offence.

Again, it is our view that the people must have their assurance from police that they are living in safe and secure condition. Over-presence of police remind everybody that life is not safe. They must live in insecurity.

Armed police everywhere may install fear in the minds of law-abiding people, but the fight against terrorism must be conducted by intelligence agencies and not placing police as easy target.


Policy for ride-sharing service providers soon

Badrul Ahsan :

The government is likely to complete formulation of a policy guideline for ride- sharing operators and vehicles soon aiming to boost revenue collection and bring them under its monitoring.

Uber, the global ride-sharing service provider, which operates its activities in 66 countries around the world, launched operation in Dhaka in November last year. It is reportedly gaining popularity fast in the capital.

In the face of the rapid growth of its popularity, the government is compelled to establish the regulatory framework.

Secretary of Road Transport and Highways MAN Siddique told The New Nation that a draft on 'ride-sharing service guideline' would be finalished this month and then it would be sent over to the Cabinet Division for approval.

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has already completed a public consultation on the draft, which states that ride-sharing companies and vehicles will be enlisted by BRTA and charged Tk 1 lakh for a year.

The draft also says the ride-sharing companies should have a provision for being able to connect to law enforcement agencies through the app to improve safety issues for the passengers.

"We want a good mode of public transportation for the people, and not just another revenue stream. If everything goes accordingly, I am hopeful to complete formulation of the policy within a couple of months," MAN Siddique said.

However, details as how the government will earn revenue, whether the BRTA will fix fares, and a maximum number of cars which can be operated under a single company are all absent in the draft.

Golam Mortuja Hakim, a private service holder who uses Uber regularly, said: "I am still happy about the Uber fares, even after the company raised it."

The draft guideline also suggests including taxis and auto-rickshaws alongside private vehicles, in response to concerns from existing transport owners that their businesses will be hit.

Dhaka Metropolitan CNG Owners Association President Barkatullah Bulu told The New Nation that the CNG operators had already been hurt by Uber's arrival in the capital.

"We have petitioned the BRTA so that they are not allowed to run their business until the authorities pass a policy to regulate them," he said.


The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
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WEST FRANKFORT  Over the past 10 to 12 weeks, a group of people have traveled into Marion from throughout Illinois, meeting in rented space at 1301 Enterprise Way for prayer and worship to God.

Just as it has for a great number of people in Southern Illinois, Monday's total solar eclipse has been heavy on their minds and hearts. In fact, it's what they've been praying about.

They have been praying for the hundreds and thousands of people expected to come into Southern Illinois for the eclipse weekend festivities and actual viewing experience, and plan to continue doing that throughout the eclipse weekend celebrations.

Their gathering-meeting is billed as "Thunder In the Heartland," "a Christian response to the eclipse," organized by the Southern Illinois Intercessors, which includes four different Christian groups. Registration is free, but required; there is a cost for the meals.

"Were praying for peace, were praying for grace, were praying for the civil servants, were praying for God to touch His people  in response to half a million coming into a little area," said the Rev. Cheryl Weaver, of There's More Ministries, and the appointed spokeswoman for the event.

Their charge is to pray for and worship in Southern Illinois, Weaver said, after some in the groups heard apostolic and prophetic teachers Chuck Pierce and Dutch Sheets speak in Springfield on June 30. Both men have written extensively about prophecy and Pierce heads Glory Spheres Inc. and Glory of Zion International Ministries, while Sheets is author of the best-selling book "Intercessory Prayer."

Thunder In The Heartland started Friday evening and runs through Monday, the day of the eclipse, at Southern Illinois Church of God Campground in West Frankfort. The call to worship times are set for 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; and 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Monday. Housing is available, but on a first-come, first-served basis at the site.

Those attending are asked to bring their tools of worship  drums, guitars, flutes, worship flags and the like for the four days.

The worshipers are not planning to move out into the areas where eclipse-themed events and viewing parties have been planned, but to stay at the campground. During the time that the eclipse is actually expected to be visible, participants plans to use those minutes to partake of communion, a symbolic representation of the Lord's blood and broken body, she said.

In addition to Weaver and Prophetess Brenda Evans of There's More Ministries, the Southern Illinois Intercessors are led by Ministers Rita Carlton and Jeff and Tina McCluskie.

Not anti-eclipse at all

Weaver explains that the group is not anti-eclipse, nor does it see Monday's predicted event as some sort of negative message from God  in fact, quite the opposite.

"The eclipse is one of the signs and wonders that scripture talks about ," Weaver said. "The Lord shows his signs and wonders through the heavens. The eclipse is a sign of the times that God is still on the throne and that He wants people to acknowledge that he is still on the throne."

It's just prophetic worship and there will be bands playing and everyone is going to be worshiping and praying.

Moving on prophecy

In promotional material, organizers quote Pierce as saying in June: "If Illinois will come together and worship quarterly over the next year, God will come and uproot the stronghold over this state."

Weaver said the stronghold represents the physical, health, spiritual and other challenges.

She noted that the men spoke in Springfield, a few days before the State Legislature finally moved to adopt a state budget, just as the state was entering into its third year without an official spending plan.

The spiritual climate of its people determines the stewardship of where the region is at, the condition  , Weaver said.

"Wed love to see all the statistics change  in Southern Illinois and work our way up the state," she said. "We want to see lives changed and people transformed.

"I want to see society change for the glory of God. We want to see the light of Christ come into a region where that changes crime statistics and changes health statistics and that lowers suicide rates and reduces abortion "

She said the organizers are committing to holding three other worship events  at places and times to be determined  across the state.

This faith community is looking to attract more worshipers; for more information, call 314-433-5755.
Anyone who has come home to a sick child or sprained an ankle during a weekend or tried to arrange mental health services around work or school knows the need for after hours medical care. Shawnee Heath services is offering another way to fill those needs.

On Thursday, Shawnee Health Services celebrated the opening of its new 5,000-square-foot building at its Lewis Lane Health Care Complex, 404 S. Lewis Lane, at an open house. The new building houses Same Day Care and Shawnee Behavioral Health and has been in use about two months.

Patsy Jenson, CEO of Shawnee Health Service, said the project was is funded through a $1 million Health Infrastructure Investment Program grant and $$274,000 in local funding.

Same Day Care is available seven days a week, evenings and weekends. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Same Day Care is available for ailments such as coughs, sore throats, fever, flue, rash, sprain, cuts, allergies and more. Contact the clinic at 618-519-9200.

Jensen introduced physicians assistants Patti Boudet and Jerry Cameron to State Sen. Paul Schimpf during a tour of the building.

We try to divert patients from the emergency room. They do a good job, Jensen said.

Shawnee Behavioral Health also offers extended hours, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. Exam rooms in this part of the building have a round table and chairs. Jensen said the goal is to put patients at ease.

The new building is divided basically in half, with shared reception, lab and breakroom areas.

The building can be secure on either side, in case we need to shut half the building, Jensen said.

Jensen said the open house falling in the middle of National Health Center week was intentional. Shawnee Health Services will recertify as a Federally Qualified Health Center, commonly called community health center, later this year.

We want to call attention to Community Health Center funding. We want people to be aware of the critical role community health centers play, Jensen said.

Shawnee Health Service provides integrated care to more than 31,000 patients and employees 170 people.

As a Federally Qualified Health Center, commonly called community health center, Shawnee Health Services receives its funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration, part of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This funding provides $3,875,375 each year or nearly 20 percent of their annual operational costs.

Ninety-eight percent of Shawnee Health Services patients fall below 200 percent of the poverty line, with 56 percent of them falling under 100 percent of the poverty line. In 2016, just under 16,000 patients received Medicaid benefits, which represented 53 percent of the patients who came to Shawnee Health Services.

All funding from Washington D.C. to the state of Illinois is critical, Jensen said.

For more information about care provided by Shawnee Health Services, visit www.shawneehealth.com.
MURPHYSBORO  As people plan to view Mondays eclipse, visions of crowded streets, shoulder-to-shoulder arenas and backed up traffic are sure to come to mind. However, for people with boats, there may be a way to at least minimize the craziness  take in the event on the water.

The best part of lake viewing is the wide open spaces, said Shawn Chesneck, site assistant superintendent for Kinkaid Lake and Lake Murphysboro. He said being on the water during the eclipse might mean not having to be piled on top of other people.

It would be more secluded maybe than other spots because not everybody has a boat, Chesneck said.

Questions have come up about the potential for an obstructed view on the water during the eclipse because of mist rising as a result of the dropping temperatures.

Trent Ford, an assistant professor in Southern Illinois University Carbondales geography department, said this likely wont be the case. While he does not have direct observational experience to base this on, Ford said thinking about daily temperature changes leads him to believe there wont be any heavy mists caused by the eclipse.

Citing data taken from a portable weather station located on the SIU green roof, Ford said Wednesdays temperatures dropped four to five degrees in the evening hours. Based on this, he said it is his guess that the topsoil layer could drop between two and 5 degrees Fahrenheit during the time the moon passes in front of the sun. However, Ford said lake temperatures will drop much less.

It may not even by noticeable by touch, he said of lake temperature changes.

Ford explained that even a sudden drop of 20 degrees would not create fog immediately because of retained temperatures in land and water masses. He said fog forms in the morning because of the hours it takes to create the temperature differential overnight.

Chesneck said the Illinois Department of Natural Resources manages two boat ramps  the Paul Ice ramp as well as the Mount Joy ramp  that give access to the 2,750-acre Kinkaid Lake. He said there will be game wardens patrolling the waters and the nearby recreational facilities to monitor activities. Chesneck said it was important to remind people that any boat that carries wastewater needs to have an inspection sticker. He recommend calling the Kinkaid Lake Marina at 618-687-4914 to get full details on the inspection.

Chesneck explained that boaters interested in visiting either lake should keep a few things in mind  Kinkaid Lake has a 50 mph restriction outside of no-wake zones, while Lake Murphysboro has a 10 horsepower limit and does not allow swimming. He also said that while there is no boater limit per se on Kinkaid, game wardens monitor the parking lots and close the IDNR boat ramps when lots become full. However, he said this does not mean the lake is closed as there are other ramps around the lake, they just do not have parking access for trucks and boat trailers.

Id probably be out on the water myself if i didnt have to work, Chesneck said.
A Vergennes man was arrested last week after he allegedly intentionally drove his car into a Royalton police cruiser.

According to a news release, at about 5:19 p.m. on Aug. 11, Franklin County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of an erratic driver on Illinois 149, just west of Royalton. It was reported that the driver, Johnathan D. Quinn, 45, of Vergennes, had been running drivers off the road and had been driving slowly.

At the request of county dispatch, a Royalton officer responded to the scene until deputies could arrive. He found the suspect vehicle stationary on the highway just north of Chamness Road. The report said when the officer attempted to make contact with the suspect driver, the driver apparently intentionally drove his vehicle into the Royalton police car.

Deputies responded shortly after and subdued the suspect. He was then taken to a local hospital for his apparent level of intoxication.

Quinn was later charged with driving under the influence, illegal transportation of alcohol, improper parking on a roadway, felony criminal damage to state supported property and aggravated assault. He was transported to the Franklin County Jail.

The Royalton officer received minor injuries.
Alee Quick Local news editor Alee Quick is the local news editor for The Southern. Follow Alee Quick Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

OK, it's all anyone can talk about  Southern Illinois will experience the nation's greatest duration of totality during the first total solar eclipse to grace sea to shining sea since 1918.

Our rural region is in the world's spotlight, so obviously, questions abound. Here's everything we know.

What is an eclipse?

In a nutshell, the moon passes directly between the sun and the earth. Here's more on that.

What exactly is a solar eclipse, anyway? According to NASA, an eclipse is simply a special kind of transit, when one astronomical body passes in front of another.

What's the big deal? Why are so many people coming here?

According to NASA, Southern Illinois will see the longest duration of totality in the country, with 2 minutes, 40.2 seconds of complete moon shadow.

SIU Carbondale is hosting scientists from NASA, the Adler Planetarium and other American universities who study the rare events. Eclipse-chasers from around the world are expected to visit our backyard to take advantage of the longest eclipse. Plus, we're in easy driving distance to St. Louis and Chicago, two major metropolitan areas that don't get full totality (although parts of St. Louis County will get it, but not for as long as we will).

How many people are expected to visit our region?

According to an Associated Press report, the state expects up to 200,000 people to visit Southern Illinois to view the eclipse and attend associated festivities.

The city of Carbondale expects about 50,000.

But we'll kind of just have to wait and see.

What about safety?

We cannot stress this enough: Don't stare at the sun without protective eye wear. It is only safe to look at the eclipse during complete totality. Check out the map below to see exactly what time totality will occur where you are.

As for public safety, local law enforcement agencies are staffed up for the weekend and the day of the eclipse to prepare for the visitor influx. Here are some helpful tips for how you can prepare for the masses and make sure you're safe.

Eclipse 2017: Southern Illinois prepares for an influx of visitors With just one week to go before the 2017 total solar eclipse, municipalities, businesses and organizations are all gearing up for additional t

How long will totality last where I am?

It depends. Check out the map below, or visit NASA's interactive map here.

What's going on this weekend?

Will I be able to photograph or live stream the eclipse?

Personally, I'm planning to leave it to the pros (our own Byron Hetzler and Richard Sitler have been preparing for photographing the eclipse for months) and enjoy the moment. But, if you must, here are some helpful tips from Byron:

Want to get a decent photo of the eclipse? Here's what you need to know. The upcoming total solar eclipse will be the first one many people have experienced, and you can be sure they will want to remember it.

I still have more questions.

Also, these websites should be helpful:

carbondaleeclipse.com/local  This landing page was made specifically for Carbondale/Southern Illinois residents

Facebook pages worth following:

Illinois State Police District 13 (out of Du Quoin)

Illinois State Police District 22 (out of Ullin)

Twitter accounts worth following:

The Southern's news staff (we'll be all over Southern Illinois providing live coverage)

I'm tired of hearing about the eclipse. What should I do?

Just stay home until Tuesday.
In preparation for the eclipse, the U.S. Forest Service this week opened three additional campsites to accommodate visitors expected to flock to the Shawnee Forest this weekend.

Newly opened is Lake of Egypt, an existing campground with 34 primitive campsites cleared and reopened for the event; Oakwood Bottoms, where 15 campsites will be available for walk-in camping; and Pennant Bar Grasslands, a managed wildlife habitat which yielded 55 primitive sites when mowed.

Chad Deaton, district recreation and lands program manager for the Shawnee National Forest, said the USFS thought the Pennant Bar Grassland site would make a great viewing site for the eclipse as it contains a large field for parking and viewing the event.

Deaton also said campsites are about 35 percent full, but that number could change rapidly as people roll into town.

I dont think we really have any idea of how many to expect, we are just doing what we can to provide some additional camping space. I recommend people visit our website before they visit to get a lay of the land and check to see what spaces are still available, Deaton said.

All campgrounds are first-come, first-served, so that means no reserving of sites. To find out whats available for eclipse camping and viewing, visit the USFS website.

Leave no trace

Once people determine where they are going to camp, it is also important for them to know how to be responsible when they camp.

"The entire Shawnee Forest operates under the principle of leave no trace,'" said USFS Visitor Services Officer Linda Hauser. "We want visitors to have fun, but in the end, we ask them to be like Bigfoot, where no one would have ever known you were there.

Hauser said what is most important is for people to plan ahead and prepare.

Bring everything you think you will need. Food, water, bug spray, sunscreen, protective clothing, hats, lanterns, matches and first aid supplies, Hauser said.

Most developed campgrounds charge a fee and have some amenities, such as picnic tables, lantern posts, grills, parking spots, potable drinking water, dumpsters and toilets.

Dispersed camping is free in the Shawnee, but offers no amenities outside of portable toilets and dumpsters.

If you anticipate primitive camping, you must be sure to bring your own water with you, Hauser said.

Also suggested are garbage bags, zip-close bags and toilet paper  all of which, Hauser said, should be removed from the campsite at the end of a visit.

If you pack it in, pack it out," Hauser said. "This includes anything biodegradable. It might seem logical to toss an apple core into the woods, or to bury toilet paper in the ground, but even that small level of waste has a negative impact on the forest."

Hauser said attending to personal hygiene while in the woods should be done at least 150 feet from any water source. For more information and guidelines, visit the Leave No Trace website.

Hauser also recommended visiting one of the Shawnee Forest Service offices to see what sites are still available and to get a map.

To better serve our visitors prior to the eclipse, Shawnee offices located in Harrisburg, Vienna and Jonesboro will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, and Sunday, Aug. 20, Hauser said.

Use local firewood and minimize campfire impacts

Once you know where and how you are going to camp, its also important to understand best practices for firewood gathering and use.

Shawnee National Forest Silviculturist Justin Dodson said the USFS asks that people get whatever firewood they are going to use from a local source. Transporting firewood across state lines could bring harmful non-native pests to the forest.

The best way to get firewood is to gather it near your campsite. To do that legally, we require a $20 permit which is easily obtainable at the Harrisburg, Jonesboro and Vienna offices. Firewood permits must be obtained in person, Dodson said.

Keeping that campfire safe and contained is also of utmost importance when camping.

We would prefer people use camp stoves if they can, but in the event that they build a campfire, we recommend letting the fire burn down to ash, and checking before leaving the campsite to make sure nothing is smoldering, and that the ashes are cool to the touch, Dodson said.

Regional Shawnee National Forest Headquarters can be reached at the following numbers: Harrisburg 618-253-7114, Vienna 618-658-2111 and Jonesboro 618-833-8576.
CARBONDALE  As media from around the world and thousands of eclipse enthusiasts descend on the region later this month, a Southern Illinois University Carbondale documentary crew will capture every moment.

For H.D. Motyl, Mark Stoffel, and other faculty and students within the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts, chronicling events surrounding the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse is a unique opportunity. Stoffel noted the significance of the university and region to the eclipse, with a second one scheduled to occur on April 8, 2024.

People are coming here from far away; how many filmmakers and creative people would love to come here and cover this? said Motyl, interim chair of the Department of Radio, Television, and Digital Media. We are lucky to be right here in the middle. This is just so obvious this needs to be covered.

Official estimates call for 50,000 to 100,000 visiting the greater Carbondale area, with a large number of those on the SIU campus. State agencies say up to 200,000 may visit Southern Illinois' prime viewing areas.

Motyl and Stoffel, a digital media systems specialist and instructor, agree that the documentarys perspective will be a bit different from those who are visiting campus. While most eyes will be trained toward the sky, Motyl, Stoffel, and about 10 camera crews inside the stadium plan to capture peoples reactions. In addition, crews will be outside the stadium and in the region during the day interviewing eclipse watchers, local residents, police and volunteers.

The crews will also shoot the weekend prior to the eclipse as preparations to the big event ramp up. Students are working on a 3-D animation eclipse model for use. In addition, there are plans for some of the interviews and other footage to appear on the stadiums large video board in the hours leading up to the eclipse.

Motyl said the goal is to have a one-hour documentary that can air on WSIU-TV by the end of the year. If Motyl and Stoffel like what they capture from what they believe will be about 100 hours of video, the plan is to send the film to festivals. NASA will provide the actual eclipse footage for the documentary, Motyl said.

A white board in the Communications Building Eclipse Office shows the work already done and future assignments. Filming started in late spring and has included interviews with several people including David Baron, historian, author and self-professed umbraphile  or eclipse chaser  and Bob Baer, co-chair of the universitys Eclipse Committee. There is also a discussion on how ancient cultures viewed eclipses. Other eclipse-related video range from soda cans, bakery goods, cookies and postal stamps.

For me, its an opportunity to do some creative stuff, Stoffel said. I work a lot on the technical side in the college, so I dont really have much of an outlet. I teach an editing class  it is about the how to and not as much about aesthetics and content. Here I get to do a little of both.

A central theme will be what happens in the 13 hours and 23 minutes on Aug. 21 between sunrise at 6:18 a.m. and sunset at 7:41 p.m.  nearly five hours after the eclipse ends. The eclipse duration is from 11:52 a.m. to 2:47 p.m., with eclipse totality at 2 minutes and 42 seconds starting at 1:21 p.m.

Ben Giles, a junior from Paducah who is specializing in television production, is among 15 students who will be involved. The chance is a great opportunity, said Giles, who is also co-executive producer of the student-run news magazine alt.news 26:46. Giles recalls working on an unrelated segment in nearby Makanda two years ago; not thinking much of the eclipse because 2017 and 2024 were far off. Now, less than two weeks from the first event, the impact is evident, he said.

This is a great opportunity for alt.news, Giles said. There are not many people with alt.news who have been able to take on something like this and film it.

Giles anticipates the program will use footage during the upcoming season.

It would be a wasted segment to not use something that is so big and so local, he said. This is usually something that we have to travel at least three hours to a bigger city to get something of this size.

Motyl said planning for this documentary is similar to his 2012 feature-length film Cowboy Christmas." One difference is in logistics, where the filming now will be concentrated over a period of days rather than two or three weeks.

I think the one thing that is very similar to what I did was I wasnt sure about how it would end; what the stories were, he said. With the eclipse, even weather is an issue for us. It could be cloudy. For us, that becomes part of the story. There was all this buildup for a cloudy day. No one, though, is hoping for a cloudy day.

The documentary will also include citizen journalism, where the filmmakers will use footage provided by the public showing responses to the eclipse. Anyone who is interested in submitting footage may do so at mstoffel@siu.edu
CARBONDALE  The Aug. 21 solar eclipse is expected to bring as many as hundreds of thousands of visitors to Southern Illinois, and it happens to more or less coincide with another event responsible for a massive influx of people: Southern Illinois University Carbondales move-in weekend.

The concurrence could have led to chaos, but thanks to some well-executed planning and organization, this years move-in process has gone off without a hitch, according to Jim Hunsaker, senior associate director of operations with University Housing.

Luckily, weve known about both of these events. Neither one of them are a surprise to us, so weve been able to plan for them for a year now, Hunsaker said.

In addition to canceling Mondays classes because of the eclipse, SIU officials opted to shift the move-in process to Wednesday and Thursday. Normally, students move in on the Thursday and Friday before classes begin.

As of Thursday morning, 75 percent of SIUCs on-campus students were already settled into their dorm rooms, and the atmosphere at Thompson Point, the west-campus housing hub, was relaxed and peaceful as maroon-clad volunteers helped new arrivals unload their belongings.

Four hundred students, staff, faculty and community members assisted with move-in this year.

Weve had a good outpouring of volunteers this year from all areas, Hunsaker said.

Volunteers had the process down to a science: A car would pull up to the curb; volunteers would swarm the vehicle and unload it; the incoming student would check in and obtain his or her room key while the parent parked the car in a larger lot; after the student returned with a room key, the volunteers would carry all the stuff inside. In most cases, by the time the parent returned from parking, the process was already complete, Hunsaker said.

Those are the comments that we receive every year from parents who have moved students in to other universities: that they cant believe how slick and smooth our process is compared to the other schools theyve been to, Hunsaker said.  So weve got this process down to such an art that were really good at it.

Chris Lombardo of Riverside  whose son, Michael, is a sophomore  said he was impressed with housing officials' management of the process.

Just from a parents perspective, its quiet, its calm, and even when its busy  the police are so polite and friendly and the parents are so cooperative. Its just a really good experience. We have a daughter who goes to school in Champaign  night and day difference. Its very stressful there, Lombardo said.

Some of the participating student volunteers were there to fulfill a volunteerism requirement for student groups, but others were simply there out of a desire to help out, Hunsaker said.

Southern Illinois is a place where hospitality seems to be prevalent throughout all the communities, and many, many volunteers are just doing this because they like to help people, Hunsaker said.

Emily Marler, a junior, is one of those people. When she gets an email calling for volunteers, Ill just do it, she said.

This year, SIU is renting out 500 rooms in Schneider Hall and University Hall to visitors coming to town for the eclipse. Most of those guests are arriving Saturday morning.

Weve got alumni staying with us, weve got (scientists from) NASA staying with us, a lot of the national media outlets, people from different countries staying with us. So its really attracted a diverse group, Hunsaker said.

But students will always be University Housing's first priority, he said.

The eclipse guests are going to come and go. Were going to offer them a fantastic experience while were here, but our students are going to stay with us for four years, so thats where our focus always will be, Hunsaker said.
"Tracy and I can't thank the people of Southern Illinois enough for their support and their prayers. Our victory tonight sends a powerful message to out-of-touch politicians everywhere that we're unified and unyielding in the fight for our conservative values. Joe Biden's going to be held accountable for destroying the economy, ignoring the border crisis, and taking us from America First to America Last in two years flat. But none of this would be possible without the trust of voters from across our vast 12th District. Serving you is truly the honor of a lifetime."
Kevin Mazur/WireImageThe five children of Country Music Hall of Famer Johnny Cash took to Facebook to release a statement involving a protester wearing a T-shirt bearing Cash's name over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

At the white nationalist rally last Saturday in Charlottesville, a 32-year-old counterprotester named Heather Heyer died when a man drove his car into a crowd.



"We were alerted to a video of a young man in Charlottesville, a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi, spewing hatred and bile. He was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the name of Johnny Cash, our father. We were sickened by the association," read the statement, posted to Rosanne Cash's Facebook page.

They said their father was a "man whose heart beat with the rhythm of love and social justice. He received humanitarian awards from, among others, the Jewish National Fund, Bnai Brith, and the United Nations."

"His pacifism and inclusive patriotism were two of his most defining characteristics. He would be horrified at even a casual use of his name or image for an idea or a cause founded in persecution and hatred. The white supremacists and neo-Nazis who marched in Charlottesville are poison in our society, and an insult to every American hero who wore a uniform to fight the Nazis in WWII," the statement continued.

Rosanne, Kathy, Cindy, Tara and John Carter included a quote they said their father often told them growing up.

"Children, you can choose love or hate. I choose love," they said.

The family added that their father did not "judge race, color, sexual orientation or creed."

"To any who claim supremacy over other human beings, to any who believe in racial or religious hierarchy: we are not you. Our father, as a person, icon, or symbol, is not you," it continued, closing with "We Choose Love."

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
BAMBERG -- Residents are being warned that the eclipse safety glasses distributed by the City of Bamberg for viewing Monday's total solar eclipse have been recalled.

On Aug. 15, an alert on the city's Facebook page warned that the glasses offered at Bamberg City Hall have been recalled by the company the city got them from, Amazon.

"If you picked up glasses from City Hall, please return them and get another pair," the city's Facebook page states. "The new glasses are supposed to be official eclipse glasses recommended by NASA. ... BUT THE CITY MAKES NO GUARANTEES.

"Please go to the NASA website as well as others. Read all you can about the eclipse and the damage that could happen to your eyes."

The site goes on to note, "As NASA explains, you never want to look directly at the sun without appropriate eye protection. The only exception to this rule is during totality  the moment when the moon is completely blocking the sun. If you're viewing the eclipse before or after this short-lived phase, you need to wear a pair of NASA-approved solar eclipse glasses."

"In order to be certified as safe for use, the special shades need to be something called ISO 12312-2-compliant. If they're not (and there are unfortunately plenty of fakes out there), wearing them will not protect your eyes from the potentially damaging effects of the sun."

Bamberg School District One officials on Friday said the eclipse glasses the district distributed are NASA-compliant and are safe to use.

NASA- and ISO-compliant eclipse safety glasses are also available in Orangeburg at Walmart, Edisto Piggly Wiggly, American Optics, the Orangeburg County Library and Lowe's.

Many public libraries in South Carolina and across the U.S. are distributing free ISO-compliant eclipse glasses through the Space Science Institute's STAR_Net initiative, with support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Google and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. To find out which libraries near you are distributing free eclipse glasses, see the library map on the STAR_Net website: www.starnetlibraries.org.
Gino Shakir Brown, 24, of 211 Leisure St., Reevesville, pleaded guilty last week to pointing and presenting a firearm at a person and first-degree assault and battery.

Circuit Judge Ed Dickson sentenced him under the Youthful Offender Act not to exceed five years, suspended to time served and three years of probation, stipulating that his probation would end after he obtains his GED.

Brown was initially charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

According to arrest warrants, Orangeburg County Sheriff's deputies responded at around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 16, 2016, to a call in the parking lot of Coasters, located at 9135 Old Number Six Highway in Santee. Brown fired a rifle multiple times at Deputy Carl James C.J. Quinlan, who was responding to the call.

Quinlan observed a group of young women yelling and pointing toward two men running across the parking lot, the warrant states.

The men entered a 1993 green Honda Accord and began to move in the deputys direction.

The warrant states, Deputy Quinlan observed a conical shaped muzzle flash and heard a distinct crack off high and to the left of his head as a round passed his head.

The deputy returned fire and the two men in the Honda sped away from the scene.

The incident marked South Carolinas first officer-involved shooting of 2016.

Other sentences for those entering guilty pleas in circuit court last week are as follows:

Dameion Shyquyoahus Bowman, 18, of 822 Nottingham Road, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to use of a vehicle without permission.

Dickson sentenced him to 18 months of probation.

Bowmans restitution hearing will be held in abeyance for 30 days.

He was originally charged with grand larceny.

Gregory Antonio Simpson, 46, of 324 Rodeo Drive, Eutawville, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, first offense.

Dickson sentenced him to 15 months of probation.

Simpson originally faced the charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Terry Walter Boltin, 53, of 510 Creek Mill Road, North, pleaded guilty to grand larceny, value more than $2,000 but less than $10,000.

Dickson sentenced him to nine months in prison.

James Irick, 41, of 168 Murph Mill Road, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary, second-degree assault and battery and third-degree assault and battery.

Dickson sentenced him to 15 months in prison, crediting him for having already served 126 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

Antonio Sharone Hammond, 35, of 703 Mels Court, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to two counts of shoplifting enhancement charges.

He was sentenced to prison for five years and given credit for having already served 264 days at the OCDC.

Joshua Jamal Lawrence, 29, of 3056 Neeses Highway, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to indecent exposure.

Dickson sentenced him to three years of probation.

The judge noted on Lawrences sentencing sheet that determining if he will have to register as a sex offender will be held in abeyance pending evaluation regarding sexual proclivity.

Charles Odell Coulter, 26, of 123 Hewitt Road, Rowesville, pleaded guilty to second-degree domestic violence.

Dickson sentenced him to 18 months of probation, crediting him for having already served 113 days at the OCDC.

The judge ordered him to successfully complete a batterers treatment program and recommended substance abuse counseling and treatment.

Corey Oneil Furtick, 37, of 245 Green St., Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, first offense.

Dickson sentenced him to 18 months of probation.

Yvonne C. Smith, 52, of 136 Green St., Santee, pleaded guilty to breach of trust with fraudulent intent.

The judge sentenced her to five years of probation and ordered her to pay restitution of $1,000 to Calhoun Oil.

If Smith pays all court fees, fines and restitution within 18 months, her probation term will end early.

According to her indictment, Smith on Nov. 1, 2016 was entrusted with the care, keeping and possession of certain items at Calhoun Oil Store 103 valued at $6,168.57 and feloniously converted the items for her own use and purpose with the intent of depriving the business.

William Arthur Holmes, 57, of 7892 Racquet Road, Charleston, pleaded guilty to breach of trust with fraudulent intent, value greater than $10,000.

Dickson sentenced him to 10 years in prison, provided that upon the service of 60 days, the balance of the sentence will be suspended to probation for five years.

The judge also ordered him to pay $12,000 in restitution.

His probation term will end after he completes payment of all court fees, fines and restitution.

Dickson noted on Holmes sentencing sheet that the order should also satisfy the civil judgment filed in Charleston County on April 11, 2014.

According to a 2016 indictment, Holmes on or about Feb. 27, 2012 did, after having been entrusted by the Last Call Ministry, with the care, keeping and possession of certain items valued at $20,000, feloniously converted and appropriated said items to his own use and purpose, with the intent to deprive the Last Call Ministry thereof.

Lorenzo Terrance McCants, 44, of 2352 Russell St., Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to failure to stop for blue light, resisting arrest and possessing cocaine.

Dickson sentenced him to prison for three years, providing that upon the service of 90 days, the balance of the sentence will be suspended to three years of probation.

McCants is allowed to serve time on weekends.

Justin Lee Ballard, 29, of 120 Grandview Court, Vance, pleaded guilty to reckless operation of watercraft while under the influence of drugs/alcohol.

The judge sentenced him to 30 days at the OCDC and ordered him to pay a fine of $200, with the balance suspended to one year of probation.

He also ordered him to complete 40 hours of public service employment.

In addition, Ballard must undergo substance abuse counseling and treatment, along with random drug/alcohol testing.

The judge prohibited him from using drugs or alcohol.

He also ordered Ballard to forfeit his boating license for one year and to successfully complete boating safety classes.

Ballard was originally charged with reckless operation of a watercraft device causing great bodily injury on May 8, 2016.
As someone who regularly teaches about the political philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr., I often spend time discussing with students the ways in which Kings ideas are taken out of context and turned into sound bites in order to support positions he would not himself have taken. The most obvious example is how his most memorable line from the I Have a Dream speech about not judging people based on the color of their skin but the content of their character is used to justify attacks on affirmative actiona policy he definitely endorsedor cited in a way to claim that the best path forward for racial justice is to somehow ignore race and become colorblind. The white supremacist violence in Charlottesville is proof that we cannot simply try to ignore the problems of racism now.

All across the country, marches and vigils are scheduled to honor the victims of racist violence and to stand against the surge of white nationalist groups in the United States. People are seeking guidance about how to think about the public and proud resurgence of this form of bigotry. Inevitably, the words and ideas of King are being invoked, especially his thoughts on the power of love in times of hate. One of his quotes is this: Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

But the hard question is what does it mean to love and not hate in the aftermath of Charlottesville? Does it mean its somehow wrong to feel angry or violated about people proudly brandishing neo-Nazi symbols on their weapons and shields? Does it mean the best response is to forgive the purveyors of violence like the young man who ran down protestors, killing Heather Heyer, in Charlottesville?

In the speeches in which King talked about love, he often spent time explaining what he meant; love has several meanings. In saying that supporters of racial justice had to have love in their hearts, he didnt mean that they had to be continually positive and upbeat, or that they had to approach racists in friendship. Thats the kind of love we share with intimates or friends.

King said the love that we ought to have in the struggle for justice is the kind that acknowledges all people, even the white supremacists, as human beings. And human beings are capable of making their own moral choices and being held responsible for their actions. We arent called upon to like or be friendly to those who are racist. It means we ought not to dehumanize or kill them as part of our fight for justice.

Someone asked me recently if, out of love, King wouldnt have asked to sit down with a white supremacist and try to listen to his concerns and understand where he was coming from, in hopes of some kind of reconciliation and dialogue. I thought about this and realized that the answer was probably no. King never asked, for instance, to meet with Bull Connor, the rabidly racist police chief in Birmingham, Alabama, who sent police dogs to attack protesters.

He never called for public meetings with ordinary black and white citizens to dialogue. Instead, he called for marches, boycotts and urged legislation that would halt business as usual in that city, deplete the pocketbooks of segregationist business owners, and criminalize racist attacks and intimidation. He wrote in 1963: It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me but it can keep him from lynching me and I think that is important also.

This is not to say that fellowship and dialogue are not important, especially when friends approach one another to talk about their fears, hopes, and biases. But in thinking about responses to white supremacy in the country today, we ought to be clear that Kings emphasis on love did not mean only sticking to individual efforts and trying to change the implicit racism of our friends and relatives.

Toward the end of his life, he called for a revolution of values that would utterly transform the United States and its commitment to materialism, racism, and militarism at institutional levels. The fight against white supremacy must be tied to issues of poverty, jobs, reducing our military and nuclear weapons, curbing police brutality, and providing decent health care and education for everyone. These were all issues of concern for King; this is what he meant by love.
The killing of nine people in 2015 at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston by an avowed white supremacist who draped himself in the Confederate battle flag led to the removal of the banner from official display by state government. Even some of the most ardent supporters of the flag agreed its use as a hate symbol made it no longer appropriate to display the flag at the Statehouse.

Now hate groups show up in Charlottesville, Virginia, to march, using preservation of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee as their "cause." Violence erupts and the backlash leads to more calls to remove statues, monuments and memorials, particularly those associated with the Confederacy.

Does that mean the statue of Lee and other historical markers around the South and the nation must go because they are being characterized as a political statement and have been hijacked by hate groups whose agenda has nothing to do with preserving history?

The issue of historical markers and statues of Confederate figures -- and Americans before and after -- is not a fringe issue. Reactionary actions based on incidents or even the political norms and beliefs of the day should not drive our treatment of history.

The people of bygone days were Americans and terrible wars were fought to ensure such. The Revolution made us America and the Civil War ensured we would remain the United States of America.

Around the country there are monuments to people of those centuries and struggles. These are people who lived in different times with different standards, policies and norms.

While context is needed, it's hard to come by. Inevitably people view things in terms of standards under which we live today. That changes how they view history but should not change our commitment to preserve history.

Tearing down statues, monuments and memorials to Civil War figures -- or those from the Revolution -- because they owned slaves or fought for the South in the Civil War is shortsighted as a civilization.

Carried to the extreme, which appears to be the course being advocated, that could mean removal of monuments such as the memorials to Jefferson and Washington in the nation's capital.

Consider the reaction in this country to atrocities such as the Talibans destruction of Buddhist monuments in Afghanistan or ISIS destruction of religious shrines and other historical sites that do not fit with its religious doctrine. And should ISIS ever gain control of areas in Egypt that are home to the great monuments such as the pyramids, the extremists would destroy those too.

In America, is Mount Rushmore next? The images of four presidents are carved there. Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves.

Even Abraham Lincolns approach to slavery can be questioned. In an 1862 letter to Horace Greeley, Lincoln wrote: "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union.

Do we remove Lincoln, too, from Mount Rushmore?

As much as some monuments, memorials, building names and other fixtures mark history that is hard to accept in the eyes of the 21st century, they are part of history. In South Carolina, the initial compromise that removed the Confederate flag from the Statehouse dome in 2000 also led to approval of a law protecting historical markers.

As much as the law is subject to challenge or change, it has become apparent there is a need for it. The push to remove anything and everything associated with the Confederacy has grown to include selectively removing history associated with presidents from the early days of America, including South Carolina-born Andrew Jackson, and to much-later figures such as World War Is Woodrow Wilson.

Monuments, Confederate and other, are a part of history  the good and the bad chapters. The push to remove them is a mistake and will be regretted.
Pedro Ashton is charged with the attempted murder of his female partner.





Pedro Ashton, the man accused of setting his common-law-wife Monique Clarke ablaze last Sunday, was remanded on Tuesday, after Prosecutor Station Sergeant Elgin Richards informed the Court that the victim was warded at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in critical condition.





Ashton, 33, is charged with the attempted murder of Clarke both of Biabou.

Ashton was not required to plead to the indictable charge when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Bertie Pompey at the Kingstown Magistrates Court on Tuesday.





In objecting to bail, Richards told the Court that Clarke suffered first and second degree burns, and that 85 percent of her body was burnt.





"That is from head right down to the lower extremities. She is still critical, and we are asking that the defendant be remanded, the prosecutor said. Ashton was unrepresented.

Pompey adjourned the matter to September 4, and transferred it to the Serious Offences Court.

The incident involving Clarke comes less than a week after Vesta Rawlins of Richland Park was stabbed multiple times about her body allegebly by her boyfriend and died two days later at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH).





Reports are that Clarke, a 45-year-old resident of Biabou and mother of two sons, was, up to press time Wednesday, a patient at the MCMH, where she was fighting for her life, having, as Prosecutor Richards pointed out to the court , suffered first and second degree .





Clarke is said to have been doused with a flammable liquid, suspected to be gasoline, and set ablaze by her male partner, while she lay in bed, during the early hours of Sunday morning.

She, reports said, was "strong enough to run out of the house screaming, all the way to the Biabou Police Station, where she collapsed. During her run to the station, her 14-year-old son is reported to have come to her aid by pouring water on her body.
Left:Dominican workers have been assured by their Prime Minister that the intention of the tax adjustments is to enhance their cash flow situation, among other benefits. (Credit: DOL).Right: Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of Dominica, has proposed major adjustments in the tax system for his country. (Credit: DOL).

The following is a release from the Office of the Prime Minister of Dominica

August 14, 2017 Dominicas Government has announced that it intends to simplify its tax system with only one rate of income tax .





The announcement was made by Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit during his 2017/2018 Budget Address.





In the interim, the Government has announced an increase in the income tax exemption threshold by 20% effective January 1, 2018.





The Prime Minister described the move as "major, and, "bold.

"Madam Speaker, for us to achieve the bold vision enunciated in this presentation, we must have a tax system that incentivises employment over consumption, and income over idle assets. Consequently, Madam Speaker, we shall be directing the National Fiscal Policy Panel to consider and advise on the abolition of the 15% and 25% income tax bands as early as the next fiscal year. Under this proposed system, Dominicans would only start paying income tax when their income reaches the 35% tax rate, the Prime Minister stated.

PM Skerrit said the measure would remove from the payment of income tax, "all Dominicans earning less than what can be termed a decent middle income salary.





He said that the National Fiscal Policy Panel would be charged with the responsibility of advising on this measure, and that he hoped to be in a position as of the next fiscal year, to gradually introduce the new income tax structure.





"We shall await the advice of the experts, but in the interim I wish to ease the burden further and enhance the cash flow of workers in Dominica, by increasing the minimum income tax threshold from $25,000 per year to $30,000 per year, the PM further stated.





This means that the first $30,000 earned during the year would be exempt of any future income tax from January 1, 2018.





The Prime Minister explained that the revenue foregone would represent less than 5% of current revenues.

He said, "There will be those who will consider that 5% of revenues will be recovered through the expansion of our economy, but we will conservatively assume not, and instead we would moderate our other discretionary expenditures within the fiscal year in order to maintain a near zero primary balance in our fiscal accounts. This measure is not being funded by debt. (GOVDom)




Fifteen members of the Royal St.Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force celebrated a milestone achievement on Tuesday, August 15, 2017, when they celebrated their 20th anniversary as members of the local constabulary.





The members of Course #16 who were enlisted on August 15th, 1997, and remain in the organization are: Lieutenant Commander Deon Henry; Chief Petit Officer Brandgurgon Glasgow; Petit Officers Celia Charles and Edwin Durrant; Sergeants Bernadette Matthews, Bertram Jack, Junior Ross and Suzetta Rodgers; Corporals Angela Byron, Delroy Tittle and Kevin Scarborough, and Constables Sigbert Joseph, Worrel Franklyn, Osrick James and Glendon David.





To mark the anniversary, the group conducted radio and television interviews, held a church service, staged a family day at Rawacou, assisted in painting the house of a needy person in Calliaqua, and closed off with a social evening at Krushers Bar in Calder.





Members of the group shared the view that, while they are happy to have accomplished the feat, service to the people of St.Vincent and the Grenadines and making a difference in the lives of people who they serve have been their hallmark.





Lieutenant Commander Deon Henry, the highest ranked member of the group, said he is thanking God for guidance throughout the years to him and the other members of his Course. He said he would also like to thank family and friends for their support.





"On a personal note, my achievement is not what really inspires me within the system, but to give back to my community, to my country and government and people of St.Vincent and the Grenadines, said LC Henry, who was awarded Best Recruit when his batch graduated.





He said even though he graduated as best recruit and had expressed interest in joining the Coast Guard, he was not immediately granted that wish, but was rather sent to the Special Services Unit and to Special Branch to work.





LC Henry said Sir James Mitchell, when he was Prime Minister, asked him of his interest as a police officer and put things in motion for him to become a Coast Guard officer. He said he grabbed the opportunity with both arms and pursued his career with a passion. He later attended the Caribbean Maritime Institute in Jamaica and also has among his accomplishments, being the youngest member of the Officer Corps at one stage.

"I would advice each member of my course to continue to give of their best on the job and prepare for retirement. Some persons may be disgruntled, but they are not there because of themselves, said LC Henry.

LC Henry is advising his colleagues that, even though they have attained 20 years as police officers, they should renew their guards and treat every day as their first day on the job.





Some 33 recruits joined the Police Force on August 15th, 1997, but three left before Course #16 was completed. The others resigned over the years. (Source: RSVGPF Public Relations and Complaints Department)




Left: Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway has assured the residents of Redemption Sharpes that the RSVG Police Force will not allow the safety and peace of the community to be eroded.

Redemption Sharpes residents will see an immediate increased police presence in that community, with measures already being put in place.





Commissioner of Police Renold Hadaway gave the assurance while speaking to THE VINCENTIAN on Wednesday.





He described the shooting death of 22-year-old Kesron Quashie during an incident at Redemption Sharpes on Monday, as very sad.





Quashies death came on the heels of another shooting last Saturday. The victims in that incident, Junior Bibby and Kareem Charles were, up to press time, warded at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

The top cop said Redemption Sharpes was considered a hot spot about five or six years ago, but as a result of measures implemented by the police, things were brought under control, and the area was relatively calm until recently.





"We want to reassure the people of Redemption Sharpes that the police are concerned about their safety and well-being, and we are making every effort to ensure that this is not further eroded, Hadaway said.

But he is appealing to law abiding citizens to assist the police in whatever way they can, to rid the community of elements who create fear and panic.





He is also urging parents and guardians to discourage their children from engaging in crime and violence, and to persuade them to channel their energies into meaningful and productive activities.

The Commissioner said that the Crime situation is always of concern to the Police Force, and the recent shootings in Redemption Sharpes have led the organization to further reassess crime fighting and prevention strategies.

"We continue to channel and direct our resources in areas of grave concern. The High Command has just held discussions with units of the Police Force as to the way we can better police these communities and make them safer.





THE VINCENTIAN understands that the recent shootings at Redemption Sharpes are linked to a feud at Her Majestys Prison. (See related story on Page 3)
Jamaicas Minister of National Security, Robert Montague, announced the consideration of conjugal visists during a Diaspora Conference held in that country. (Credit: jis.gov.jm)

Inmates of penal institutions Jamaica may soon be allowed conjugal visits, says Minister of National Security, Robert Montague.





This is according to a July 25, 2017 report by the Jamaica Observer who quoted the minister as saying, "I am determined and insistent that we are going to start conjugal visits, and some persons ask me why; but we must treat with (incarcerated persons) in a humane way. A lot of us say that we are Christians, but true Christianity is when you do for the least amongst us, so we are working on that.





The minister was making a presentation at the Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference, July 24, at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

A conjugal visit is a scheduled period in which an inmate of a prison or jail is permitted to spend time in private with a visitor, usually a legal spouse.





That said, the Minister is reported to have turned his attention to measures taken to reduce criminal activity by inmates of Jamaicas prisons. In this regard, he reported that cell phone jammers and security cameras have been reinstalled in the islands prisons.

On the matter of rehabilitation, the Observer reported Montague as saying that his Government continues to put measures in place to reform prisoners and reduce repeat offending, which is currently at 47 per cent.

He informed that food produced by inmates goes towards the preparation of meals in adult institutions twice per week, and the Ministry is working to strengthen this area.





He also said that inmates have been reclassified to separate hardened criminals from low-level offenders. (Source: Jamaica Observer)
The recently sworn in Peace Corps Volunteers who will do service in SVG.

Eight Peace Corps Volunteers were sworn in for duty in St. Vincent and the Grenadines last Monday, August 14, during a ceremony held at Frenches House, Kingstown.





The Volunteers will be attached to Primary Schools and will be involved in an intensive literacy programme. Activities will also be done outside classrooms as students are expected to be exposed to "secondary projects.

Mary Kate Lowndes, Country Director Peace Corps for the Eastern Caribbean, addressing the swearing-in ceremony, described the Volunteers as "ordinary Americans, but that what they do, was "far from ordinary.

She predicted that the two years that each Volunteer gives "will be magical and challenging, and expressed confidence that the Vincentian spirit of goodwill will be overwhelming.





Lowndes welcomed the latest Volunteers into the Peace Corps family, and noted that 50 years after its introduction to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the movement "is as strong as ever.

Deborah Dalrymple, Head of the University of the West Indies Open Campus SVG, traced her involvement with the Peace Corps programme dating back to her tenure at Marion House. She acknowledged the depth of contribution made by Volunteers attached to that institution.





The Volunteers, she said, will have to adjust to the cross-cultural currents, and advised that they will find "immersion in the community, unavoidable, and encouraged them to be "conscious of the culture, and to be "brave to add value.





Laura Greismer, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy accredited to Barbados and the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States, described the Peace Corps programme as showing the best of what the governments of the United States and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have to offer.





She pointed to the people to people aspect of the exercise and of the efforts of the trainers.

Griesmer expects that the volunteers will "make a difference through their community service and dedication, and with that daily routine, will be a perfect example of what Peace Corps stands for.





The new Volunteers are: Dolores Wilkes attached to the Richland Park Government School; Lainie Steelman - Spring Village Methodist; Crystal Sheriff - Diamonds Government; Hannah Schroeder - Langley Park Government; Shirley Parks - Chateaubelair Methodist; Diamond Elam - Rose Hall Government; Alexa Kline - Stubbs Government; and Olivia Chavez - Chateaubelair Methodist. (WKA)




Right: Rudolph Andrews was granted bail on a grievous bodily harm charge, even though the person on whom the harm was inflicted, has since died.

Rudolph Andrews, a 34-year-old Pest Technician of Campden Park, who was charged for unlawfully and maliciously causing grievous bodily harm with intent, to retired fisherman Lawrence Alexander, has been granted bail.





When Andrews appeared at the Serious Offences Court before Magistrate Rechanne Browne, July 31, he was denied bail after Prosecutor Station Sergeant Elgin Richards informed the court that the 72-year-old victim was warded at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital with an injury, and the only mobile part of his body was his neck.

However, when Andrews returned to court on Monday August 7 to have the issue of bail reviewed, Richards indicated that he was informed that the victim had died. Andrews was further remanded.

THE VINCENTIAN was reliably informed on Thursday August 10, that no other charge was laid against Andrews, but that investigations were ongoing.





Interestingly, Andrews returned to court on Friday August 11 at which time Richards told the court that he was no longer objecting to bail. As a result, Andrews was granted $12,000 bail with one surety, on the grievous bodily harm charge, which remains.





Up to press time Wednesday, efforts by THE VINCENTIAN to ascertain the results of the autopsy were unsuccessful, but a well-placed source told the publication that the cause of death was inconclusive.

Alexander was reportedly hospitalised after being struck in his head with a stool at a bar on Union Island, July 25.

Andrews was granted bail on condition that he surrender his travel documents and report to the Questelles Police Station. Stop notices will be placed at all ports of exit and entry, and he is not to leave the state without the expressed permission of the court.





Andrews appearance last Friday was made before the Kingstown Magistrates Court. The matter was adjourned to September 4, and transferred to the Serious Offences Court.
Oscar Allen, renowned theologian, farmer, social activist, and one whom a close associate described as the epitome of humility, died on July 28 at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.





He was laid to rest in his native Diamond Village, last Saturday, August 12.





His funeral service, held at the Kingstown Methodist Church, August 12, was preceded on Friday, August 11, by a cultural wake and candlelight march from the Diamond/Sans Souci Gap, that culminated at the Earlene Horne Square in Diamond. Hundreds of residents of Diamond and nearby communities, as well as persons from Kingstown and other areas of the mainland, participated in the wake and march.





A number of persons paid tribute to the Allen at the funeral service. Among these were Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who spoke on behalf of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; social activist and newspaper columnist Renwick Rose; his development work colleague Cecil Ryan; Luzette King of the Front Line Protest; Dr. Adrian Fraser, historian; and farmer and commentator LeRoy Providence.

A three-person panel, comprising Simeon Greene, Ronnie Daniel and Cheryl Johnson, delivered the eulogy.

Noticeably absent from Saturdays funeral service in Kingstown was any real representation from the residents of Diamond, with whom Allen had lived and worked for the greater part of his life, and on whom he left an indelible influence.





Following the funeral service, Allen was taken to Diamond where a public viewing of the body took place at the Earlene Horne Square.

Needless to say, it was a welcomed occasion for the people of Diamond in particular, to view, and say a final farewell to their fallen hero.





The funeral procession to the New Adelphi cemetery where Allens remains were laid for final rest, was a clear and unapologetic demonstration of the reverence and love with which the people of Diamond held Allen. Hundreds of people, especially young people, made the trek to the cemetery, moving rhythmical to the sankeys and traditional melodies that characterized the procession.




During its most recent visit (July) to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the United Vincy Cultural Group of Brooklyn, distributed medical and dental supplies to health centres here.





The plan was also to conduct a Health Fair to serve persons within the Kingstown area but with supplies for this activity not arriving before the groups departure on 31st July, that activity had to be postponed.

Jumping at the opportunity to assist the Brooklyn-based group, the SVG Retired Nurses Association (SVGRNA), with whom the UVCGB had been collaborating, readily agreed to conduct the fair on behalf of the UVCGB. And so, a Health Fair was staged on Friday, 11th August at OT Car Park, Kingstown.





President of the SVGRNA, Sis Ann DeRoche, told THE VINCENTIAN, "One of our objectives is to assist where necessary, with health needs within the society. We had worked on the ground preparing for the UVCGBs visit, and continued while they were here with delivering supplies to clinics and the Lewis Punnett Home. With the late arrival of the supplies, we offered to do it for them in their absence.

She said that the cultural group provided most of the equipment and supplies for the activity, while her organization provided the man power.





The Fair concentrated on blood pressure and blood sugar testing and providing information on the "worrying problem of cancer, with special emphasis on prostate and breast cancer, and care of the elderly, which was described as "a big concern for us here in SVG, Sis DeRoche said.

Additionally, the fair provided a private area for HIV/AIDS testing.

Each area was well patronized, as retired nurses worked alongside their younger counterparts  nurses who had completed training, graduated and were awaiting employment.





President of the UVCGB, Dr. Roxie Irish, was elated that the Health Fair got under way. She told THE VINCENTIAN, "At first, we were disappointed that we werent able to do it in collaboration with the SVGRNA, but we understood that even if we were not there, the Vincentian community will still be served. I say, Mission accomplished.

The United Vincy Cultural Group of Brooklyn has lauded this collaboration with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Retired Nurses Association and has given the guarantee that there will be other collaborations to follow.





Given the looks of satisfaction on the faces of those who made use of the Health Fair services during the time THE VINCENTIAN visited, the activity seemed to have fulfilled its purpose.
The arrival of international visitors to Havana, the countrys main port of entry, has increased, as of May 31, by 29%, in comparison to the same period last year, reported Xonia Beltran, Ministry of Tourism representative in the province.





In a statement to Cuba News Agency CAN in Spanish - she emphasized that the emissary markets showing the most growth were Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and Spain.

Beltran also highlighted the increase in numbers of visitors from the United States, who can only travel to the country under 12 general licenses approved by the Barack Obama administration, but never as tourists. President Trump has announced that additional requirements for travel are to be implemented as part of his new policy toward Cuba.





Arrivals of vacationers to the capital have increased, she noted, with the establishment of flights by more airlines, and a good cruise season with small and medium-sized ships from several countries adding stops here.

With a current total of 12,079 hotel rooms, significant investment is being made in Havana to expand lodging capacity, given the growth in tourism, Beltran explained, emphasizing the recent inauguration of the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski, the countrys first five star-plus facility, reflecting the industrys interest in attracting the demanding luxury market.





She reported that under construction are the Packard Hotel (321 rooms) and the Prado y Malecon (250), which are scheduled to open in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

With the goal of adding more rooms, Beltran announced the incorporation of facilities belonging to the Havana Lodging Enterprise which are being remodeled for future marketing as part of the Encanto chain of historic, boutique hotels.





Likewise underway are improvements to the citys emblematic hotels, including the Plaza, Inglaterra and Riviera, managed by the Spanish company Iberostar, she noted, adding that Havana, declared a Wonder City of the modern world, also boasts 10,000 B&Bs, in addition to a growing number of private restaurants, paladares.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, to date this year, Cuba has received more than 2.53 million international visitors, which augurs well for projections of 4.2 million in 2017. (Source: Cuba News Agency)
By Trend





Azerbaijan resolutely condemns the terrorist attacks carried out in Barcelona, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, Hikmat Hajiyev, told Trend Aug. 18.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the terrorist attacks, and wish speediest recovery to the injured. As a country suffering from terrorism, the Republic of Azerbaijan resolutely condemns all forms and manifestations of terrorism, he said.

In connection with the recent terrorist attacks in Barcelona, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev extended condolences to the King of Spain Felipe VI.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has also sent a letter of condolence to his Spanish counterpart Alfonso Maria Dastis.

Thirteen people died and over 100 were injured when a white van ploughed into a crowd in central Barcelona on Aug. 17 evening. The Spanish police are treating the incident as a terrorist attack.
Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village
The Cmon Inn Hotel had their first reservation for the upcoming solar eclipse four years ago. At the time, the staff had no idea what event the customer was talking about.

Although the hotel became completely booked for the eclipse two years ago, hotel employee Morgan Pangus feels that it is no different than a tournament weekend where the hotel is full due to teenage athletes.

The hotel is one of many local businesses already capitalizing on the boost in tourism and visitors for the upcoming eclipse weekend. Casper officials anticipate about 35,000 visitors and are kicking off festivities such as the Wyoming Eclipse Festival at the recently opened David Street Station downtown.

The Ramkota Hotels Director of Sales Karen East says they have been booked for the eclipse weekend for a year and a half. The hotel doesnt fill this time of year. Travel stops. In preparation, the staff has been focusing on how to be more conscientious with international customers. East said that overall, the staff and people in town are preparing to enjoy the event and that Casper is very blessed.

Other businesses, like Metro Coffee Company have not especially been busy yet but are preparing for the worst by stocking up on ingredients, said coffee shop worker Nate Holloway.

Owner of Crescent Moon Coffee Stop, Makenzie Rothfuss has been seeing large tourist groups come in, including one group of 30 Italians. She said that the incoming business due to the eclipse is good if you can keep up with it. Her shop has also been preparing by overstocking and having extra staff members on hand.

Wyoming Shirt and Gift, however, has been selling eclipse merchandise since February. Store employee Hunter Bullard compared the stores recent sales to Christmas, where $1,000 a day is made in December versus about $1,000 per hour now.

The Science Zone had 95 visitors on Wednesday compared to their normal 20 to 50 summer range. Worker Steven Schnell said that it wasnt normal but hopes the eclipse will continue to increase business.

At Wyoming Camera Outfitters, there have been about 800 phone calls per day, according to worker Chris Luse. There has been an influx on solar filter sales and general camera equipment. The shop is hoping for more business with the upcoming Wyoming Photo Festival on Saturday and Sunday.

Vicki Burger, owner of Wind City Books, said there has been a little uptick in business, but more is on the way.
The Weather Channel will be broadcasting live from Wyoming during the eclipse  even as the forecast suggests the weather itself may not cooperate.

Two meteorologists from the cable channel, Alex Wilson and Chris Bruin, will be in Jackson Hole from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m., part of a crew of channel personalities scattered along the path of the eclipse from Oregon to South Carolina.

The eclipse itself isnt exactly weather, but Wilson said it is still a natural fit for the channel.

Were not just weather geeks, she said. Were science and nature geeks too.

Bruin, who previously covered Jackson for the KIFI station in eastern Idaho, and Wilson plan to discuss the impact on local wildlife and show viewers the scenery from Rendezvous Mountain outside Jackson.

That non-eclipse coverage may come in handy if the current forecast pans out.

Up to 50 percent cloud cover is expected across the line of the eclipse in Wyoming on Monday, potentially obstructing much of the fine detail that makes eclipse totality so remarkable.

Theres no real obvious areas in the state, especially along the line of the main totality, that looks any better than partially cloudy, said Paul Skrbac with the National Weather Service in Riverton.

And, in case its not clear, thats not great.

We dont want any clouds around during totality, he added.

Conditions are expected to be generally dry during the mid- to late-morning, the time of the eclipse around the state, with isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Skrbac noted that the forecast wasnt set in stone, especially the timing of the cloud cover, and that there was a little hope for clearer skies during the eclipse in Wyoming. But dont think Casper or the Cowboy State will be losing out to other destinations across the country.

Skrbac said that Oregon and possibly western Idaho could see clear skies on Monday morning, but that areas east of Wyoming were not likely to be clear.

Wyoming is facing a group of weather systems that make cloud cover likely.

A low pressure system will be moving in from the California coast over the weekend, another system will be moving north from near the Four Corners and another stream will be pushing south from Montana and southern Canada.

Some of those systems will bring moisture and clouds to Wyoming, but if the northern front stops just short of the path of totality and the southern front stops short as well there could be an opening for clear eclipse viewing.

Were still hoping we can get that little gap, Skrbac said.

If the weather doesnt cooperate, The Weather Channels coast-to-coast coverage may come in handy. In addition to meteorologists broadcasting on the ground from across the country, the channel has streams from an Alaska Airlines flight that will be following the eclipse and on a cruise ship viewing it from sea.

What The Weather Channel is trying to do is basically be your go-to for the solar eclipse: if youre into it, if youre not into it, if youre at work, Wilson said.

There are other options for watching the eclipse on television or online that may come in handy for visitors who flock to Wyoming for the celestial event only to encounter clouds.

Worst come to worst for Wilson and Bruin, theyll still be in Jackson.

Wilson has never been to Wyoming and has plans to dine at Trio and talk to folks around town this weekend, before hitting the airwaves Monday morning.

But in an interview Thursday, she remained optimistic about the weather.

Its looking pretty good that the problems with clouds will be focused into the center of the country and the coastal southeast, she said. Wyoming has some of the better odds for cloud-free, or lesser-cloud skies.
As far as historians can tell, humankind has been tracking and marveling in solar eclipses for thousands of years.

The ancient Chinese recorded what was likely an eclipse as early as the year 2134 B.C., according to a NASA history of the celestial phenomenon. Not long before that, its said that a Chinese emperor beheaded two of his astronomers for failing to predict another eclipse.

In 647 B.C., a Greek poet described the awe of solar eclipse in frank terms: There is nothing beyond hope, nothing that can be sworn impossible, nothing wonderful, since Zeus, father of the Olympians, made night from mid-day, hiding the light of the shining Sun, and sore fear came upon men.

More than 2,300 years later, British poet James Milton described the event in more despairing terms in his epic poem, Paradise Lost: As when the Sun, new risen, looks through the horizontal misty air, shorn of his beams, or from behind the Moon, in dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds on half the nations and with fear of change perplexes monarchs.

Along with fears of imminent apocalypse, eclipses have sparked scientific discoveries, literary works and innumerable tall tales.

Rebecca Hein, a former columnist for the Star-Tribune who contributes articles for WyoHistory.org, took a deep dive into the history of the three most recent eclipses that have passed through Wyoming for the State Historical Society. With the help of the Natrona County Public Library, she read dozens of books, news articles and first-person accounts of previous eclipses in the Cowboy State. She answered a few questions below, about her research for the Star-Tribune. The questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.

When was the last time a total eclipse passed Wyoming, and what was the fanfare like for that event?

The last time that I researched for my article was June 8, 1918. That eclipse attracted some of the best astronomers in the entire nation and possible the entire world along with their correspondingly wonderful equipment. A man named George Ellery Hale  he was a brilliant guy who had been an associate professor of astrophysics at the University of Chicago  and he raised money from some of the major observatories and hauled some of their equipment. One of them was the Mount Wilson Solar Observatory near Los Angeles. And they had a 30-inch mirror and a telescope there that they hauled on the train to Wyoming for this eclipse. Hale was very well-known and then there were a number of other ones that came out and camped in little tiny places, really just telegraph stations and railroad stops. They camped there and slept out in the weather. One group had a railroad car to sleep in and the others had to sleep in tents. They brought their equipment and studied things. Another well-known astronomer, Edward Emerson Barnard, was known as the keenest-eyed astronomer in history and came to Wyoming and took a great photo of solar prominences, which extend off the suns surface.

Who are some other notable scientists whove traveled to Wyoming for eclipses, and what did they do while they were here?

The July 29, 1878, eclipse attracted Thomas Edison. He wasnt really here to view the eclipse, though, he was here to test something he invented called a tasimeter. He hoped it would be a device for sensing heat at a very, very sensitive level  like the heat from a star way out in outer space. But it didnt perform the way he hoped. Of course, that didnt stop the media from being attracted to him and the party that he traveled with. That party included a man named Henry Draper. He was an American and one of the first people to really get into astrophotography. He wanted to photograph the corona during totality. Theres three minutes of opportunity with something like that and he hauled all of the photographic equipment he needed and of course a bunch of telescopes as well. With four telescopes and everything they needed back in the day for photography, that added up to nearly a ton of stuff they hauled on the Union Pacific Line. Draper really wanted to get a look and a photograph of the corona because there wasnt a lot of knowledge about it at the time. Sometime before 1878  Im not sure how long before  it still had not really been proven that the corona was part of the sun. Draper really wanted to do that and he had the resources and institutional support to be able to spend the incredible amount of money and effort and time to haul this stuff out. The other guy that was with him, J. Norman Lockyer, was British and he had studied the sun a lot during eclipses and otherwise. His biggest accomplishment was that he discovered helium in the sun before it was known to exist on Earth.

In your research, did you come across any information about eclipses that occurred before the arrival of white settlers in the West?

In 1834 there was an eclipse that crossed what is now Wyoming through approximately the northeast corner. And I have some reason to conclude that only Indians and mountain men saw it because those were the only people who were here then. There was no railroad to get people there. But I looked just in case an eminent scientist or somebody decided to try to get out here. (Scientists) went everywhere in the world and it didnt matter whether conditions were primitive or travel was difficult. They went where the eclipse was. But there was basically only press in the eastern part of the United States and if some white person traveled out here for that eclipse, they didnt report on it. So I cant say for certain that nobody made an expedition of any kind, but there isnt any record of it that I could find. Among the Native Americans, my editor did point me to a book that keeps track of the Winter Count kept by the Lakota. Thats where they kept track of their years by notable events and unusual events. So if there had been a solar eclipse in their records, this book would have found a record of it in the Winter Count. There was no record of the 1834 eclipse but there was something about a partial eclipse that may have been in what is now South Dakota.

How is the fanfare and experience of this years eclipse compare with the previous eclipses?

There will be more of a crowd of ordinary people. There was also no such thing as eclipse glasses back then. The newspapers talk about taking a piece of ordinary window glass and smoking it so then you have a barrier between your eye and the sun. Of course, it was a rather inexact procedure and theres no record of how successful it was or not. But smoked glass turns up in nearly every newspaper report and every eyewitness account. In 1918, I did notice that the paper was saying you could put a pin hole in a piece of paper and look at it that way. So that was known back then. I dont know how many people are going to do that this time or how prevalent the eclipse glasses are going to be, but thats going to be a big difference. People kind of made their own eclipse glasses and it was more by guesswork  it seems to me to be a little bit iffy. But they did it.

 Elise Schmelzer, Star-Tribune
Every so often, Scott Guenther finds a car stopped in the middle of the road with the doors open and the keys in the ignition.

The conversation then goes a little like this:

Hey, whose car is this running in the middle of the road with the doors open?"

Thats mine, a guy says.

Can we move it to the side?

But theres a moose!

But your cars in the road.

But theres a moose!

Guenther, a 26-year-veteran Grand Teton National Park ranger, recounted the story recently dressed in a dark green bulletproof vest and matching pants standing alongside his patrol vehicle on the Gros Ventre Road, the Tetons rising sharply behind him. The Gros Ventre Road, 6 miles of two-lane asphalt stretching between Highway 89 and the unincorporated town of Kelly, is along the center path of totality for the upcoming solar eclipse. That means anyone staring at the sky can see all 2 minutes and 19 seconds of the moon obscuring the sun. Maybe even with a moose or bison in the foreground.

Guenther didnt blame the guy for his temporary moose blinders; he had similar feelings when he first moved to the park. But the tendency to stop a vehicle in the middle of the road, or veer off the pavement completely while staring out the window, can make for hazardous conditions any time of year, never mind during the peak summer season.

Toss in a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event like Monday's eclipse?

Were preparing for this park to the busiest day weve ever seen, said Guenther, the Jenny Lake District Ranger.

Ever.

Teton County typically swells in the summer to include millions of summer visitors from every state and many countries. Local businesses and agencies have grown so accustomed to foreign tourists even bathrooms have signs instructing users how to sit on the toilet.

As a result, some argue the county is well-equipped to handle the untold tens of thousands that will likely descend on top of the normal visitation. Emergency plans with officials like Guenther have been in the works for two years, and large, flashing highway signs already alert visitors and residents of eclipse information and the fire danger  which is high.

So will Wyomings busiest county be ready for the busiest day of the century? Most say probably. But is Wyomings busiest county as eager as the rest of the state to capitalize on the busiest day of the century? That ones a little tougher to answer.

***

Exact visitor numbers in Grand Teton National Park are a little hard to parse because a portion of Highway 89 runs through the park but doesnt require anyone to stop at a fee station. But park public affairs officer and eclipse planner Denise Germann said its safe to say about 25,000 to 30,000 people visit the park on a normal mid-August day.

How many more will come for the eclipse, she wont even guess.

Weve been working with an eclipse consultant who said whatever you think will happen, double it, she said. It will be way beyond what you think.

As a result, theyre simply trying to plan for a lot, said Guenther.

Grand Teton -- unlike Yellowstone, its popular national park cousin to the north -- is in the center path of totality. That means most of the park will be in a total eclipse just like central Wyoming towns such as Casper and Riverton.

But unlike cities such as Casper, visitors have only so many places they can go in the park. Backcountry camping permits are limited. Campgrounds and parking lots have finite space.

Every parking lot will be allowed to fill, such as the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center, which has about 150 parking spots and 15 RV places.

Highway pull-offs and overlooks will swell. Parking along Highway 89 will be prohibited, and anyone thinking of camping on the side of the road will be run off.

But the Gros Ventre Road, the one from Highway 89 to Kelly along the path of the eclipse, will be special.

At 6 a.m. Monday morning, we move to one-way traffic and allow people to park on the left side of the road and have traffic on the right, Germann said.

Thats about 1,000 cars parallel parked, at about 30 feet per car. Your car is 16 to 17 feet long, typically, Guenther said.

I think we could even do better than that, he added, more to himself than anyone else.

Thats what you would fit in 6 miles of a road.

The park will then bring in 60 portable toilets, one for every quarter mile of Gros Ventre Road and a certain number for other strategic locations such as highway pull-outs.

Everything else  water, snacks, basic first aid supplies  people need to bring for themselves.

When you dump in more people than weve ever seen in the park, and we think about closing down the Kelly Road like weve never done before, and you think about stacking 6 miles worth of vehicles and eclipse watchers, you cant help, from my line of work, thinking about what can go wrong, Guenther said.

A gas grill catches on fire or somebody is smoking a cigarette and the wind kicks up and we have a big wildland fire, and we have 6 miles of road with a lot of people on it. What if somebody has a heart attack and theyre sitting here in a lawn chair?

We have one main junction in town, Broadway and Cache, and with all the traffic thats going to be flowing through town, do we have gridlock?

These are the things that keep me awake at night.

Its also why he and Germann have spent two years planning contingencies:

Two helicopters will be waiting at the airport, equipped with buckets to dump water on a fire. EMTs will have bikes if an ambulance cant make it. Medical tents will be staffed with medical personnel.

Every Grand Teton employee will be working, and all of the non-essential services people will be stationed as park ambassadors, answering questions, telling people where they can park and relaying emergency information to dispatch.

Worries aside, Guenther still appreciates the uniqueness of the event itself.

This is the way Ive framed it with park employees: We should enjoy this, too. We should have a great time viewing this with family and friends, he said. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

***

About 15 miles southwest of the park, in the town of Jackson, theres a similar apprehensive-but-maybe-enthusiastic vibe.

Ask Jayme Christiansen how she feels about the impending crowds, and shell sigh.

She's a sales clerk at Jackson Trading Company, a Jackson-themed shop across the street from one of the towns many antler arches.

Its hard being excited when everyone is freaked out about traffic and running out of food and the internet going out, she said.

As in many cities along the eclipse path, officials have advised residents to buy enough groceries to get them through the weekend and not plan on driving anywhere in a hurry.

It will bring a ton of business here, and a ton of people will be here. Im just hoping we dont have internet and computer problems, Christiansen said.

Her co-worker Crina Merlam, on the other hand, is ready. She knows, to the second, how long the eclipse will be visible in Jackson (2 minutes and 15 seconds) and when the last time there was a total eclipse in the area (1918).

I really want to see what it looks like, she said. I dont care about crowds.

Down the street at Local, a popular bar and restaurant next to the famous Silver Dollar Bar, bartender Hunter Wood shrugged when asked about the celestial event.

Hes mostly worried about logistics. The line around the bar  already crowded on a Tuesday evening in mid-August  will be stacked three deep.

More important, he heard delivery trucks won't be allowed in the downtown area a few days before the eclipse. That would mean all booze, food and supplies needs to be ordered in advance.

Fortunately for Wood, it's just a rumor, one of many Jackson and Teton County eclipse coordinator Kathryn Brackenridge has spent quashing.

The city of Jackson and Teton County joined together in February to hire Brackenridge largely to handle eclipse messaging. But instead of places like Casper, where the eclipse coordinator works on advertising and marketing, Brackenridge has spent much of her time gathering information on logistics.

Its the anti-promotion, she said. If we were hedging our bets that there will be a lot of people here, theres no need to promote it. It would be just too risky and too much of a strain on our resources to do anything but that.

But local enthusiasm is building.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort expects about 2,000 people on the top of the mountain during the eclipse, said Anna Cole, spokeswoman for the resort.

And in true Jackson fashion, the resort is hosting a Red Bull athlete to slack line (essentially, walk a tightrope) over the famous Corbetts Couloir at the moment of the eclipse.

If you take a good glance to local businesses here, from big shops to mom-and-pop jam makers on the square every weekend to touristy shops to handmade stores, our local population is embracing and celebrating and looking to share and profit off of it, Brackenridge said. We just dont have the ability from a funding and resource stance to put together a party.
WIND RIVER RESERVATION  Three riderless horses clattered up Mission Road in Riverton Friday morning, the final ride for Little Chief, Horse and Little Plume. It was a bittersweet homecoming as the sun burned off the morning chill on one of the last days of summer.

The Northern Arapaho boys died far from their families in the late 1800s at the Carlisle boarding school. The experiment was designed by a retired Army Captain, Richard Henry Pratt: expunge the culture, language and history of thousands of native children by plucking them from families, cutting their hair and forbidding them from speaking their mother tongues.

More than a century later, Arapaho tribal elders, various neighbors and the boys descendants gathered at family cemeteries on the Wind River Reservation in ceremonial dress, to sing and speak words of mourning in their native tongues.

Little Chief and Horse were buried in family cemeteries. Little Plumes remains could not be found at the grave site in Pennsylvania, but a riderless horse, topped with a childs size war bonnet trotted in the procession to symbolize the boys final ride home. His family will continue to push for the return of his remains, tribal leaders say.

Bringing the Arapaho children back home was the result of one womans long struggle with the Army, which had jurisdiction over the boys remains. Yufna Soldier Wolf heard stories of her grandfathers big brother, Little Chief, who was taken from his home in 1881 at 14 years old. Her grandfather, Scouts Enemy, was also sent to the school. Unlike his brother, he returned home as a young man. Scouts Enemy advised his granddaughter to never forget. She didnt.

Soldier Wolf is the director of the Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Office in Riverton that works to return Northern Arapaho remains and artifacts to the tribe. She began seeking Little Chiefs remains nearly a decade ago.

It is the first return of boarding school children in memory, and it was a rocky road strewn with paperwork and denials. It wasnt until earlier this year that she received word that the Army would approve the repatriation.

Its unclear why nearly 200 of the boys and girls sent to Carlisle died at the school. Little Chief died of pneumonia in 1883, just 22 months after he arrived.

Members of hundreds of North American tribes are represented in the quiet grounds of what is now the Army War College. Almost 11,000 children were kept there at some time in their lives.

Soldier Wolf visited Carlisle in early August, accompanied by a number of elders and her 90-year-old father to participate in the exhumation. It was heartbreaking to come back to Wind River, she said.

It was real hard to leave, because I thought, Im bringing my kids home, but none of these other kids, she said. I didnt want them to feel like theyd just passed away there and nobody cared.

Eighteen kids, members of a tribal Youth Council from North Dakota, traveled to Wind River to pay their respects Friday.

The Rosebud Sioux are seeking the return of 10 of their own childrens remains, buried at the Carlisle cemetery on the grounds of the former school, now the Army War College.

Though the Army does not have any immediate plans for further exhumations, it expects a number of children to be returned in the coming years, it announced in a press release last month.

Little Chief and Horse were the beginning.

But on Friday, the focus was the boys to be buried. The dust kicked up and didnt settle as dozens gathered at the St. Stephens Mission graveyard outside Riverton. Horse was buried alongside a barbed wire fence, a green field and the white steeple of the Mission visible in the background. His grandson, Josiah Washington was among the men to cover the coffin with the rocky soil.

For Soldier Wolf, and many of the tribal members present to say goodbye to the boys, the reburial is a matter of healing from a brutal past, of laying things to rest.

The boarding school system devastated families, and that left a mark on the whole tribe, she said.

High rates of suicide. High rates of alcohol and drug abuse. All of these things come from that, said Soldier Wolf. You take a kid from their family, they come back and they dont know how to be a part of it. What does that do to a tribe?

It lingers, and it wounds.

The children had no contact with their families after leaving. They took a 10-day train ride across the West where locals in each town would come out to gawk at the children, said Ray Friday, Soldier Wolfs older sister.

The children chosen to go to Carlisle were not arbitrary, Friday said. They were the children of tribal leaders. They were chiefs in the making.

They were hostages, she said.

As morning passed into a hot, dry afternoon, Little Chief too was laid to rest.

Finally, Little Plumes small coffin was buried on a hill specked with yellow wildflowers. His remains are presumably still in Pennsylvania.

In the Blue Sky auditorium, a dilapidated gym 20 miles up the road from the mission where Horse was buried, the drums beat a final tribute for the boys.

Children with painted faces raced and played tag as the drummers sang. The marks on their faces are burial tradition, a signal after death, so that Arapaho are recognizable to their kin who passed away before them.

Little Chief, Horse and Little Plume never knew the burial rites, the marks of reddish paint made from dirt and animal fat, were not dabbed on their forehead and cheeks by family.

The ceremony Friday set that right.
ADOPTABLE ANIMALS AT PIMA ANIMAL CARE CENTER

Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N. Silverbell Road, 724-7222, pima.gov/animalcare

PACC Adoption Hours: Noon-7 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends.

ADOPTED! Crosby, the big, gentle guy who loves getting out for walks, and Bentley, the friendly 5-year-old cat, have left the building! Of the pets from last week, Lazarus, a white Labrador Retriever mix, and Sansa, the quiet kitty, are still waiting for their forever homes.

LisbonDomestic shorthair Mix

ID: A604625

Age: 7 years.

Story: Lisbon found herself at PACC after her owner passed away and she would really like to find a new loving home. She is a sweet girl who loves head scratches and getting attention. She can take some time to warm up to a new environment, so could use a patient and calm home.

Fees: Waived since she is a member of the county shelters long-timers club. All PACC pets go home vaccinated, microchipped, and with a free vet visit voucher.

Blue Jean Domestic shorthair mix

ID: A607944

Age: 2 years.

Story: Blue Jean is a beautiful Tortie cat. She is very petite and has the sweetest personality! She is curious and likes having her ears scratched. Little Blue Jean would make a great addition to any family!

Fees: Blue Jeans adoption fee is only $30! All PACC pets go home vaccinated, microchipped, and with a free vet visit voucher.

DanteAmerican Staffordshire Terrier mix

ID: A609803

Age: 2 years.

Story: Dante is ready to play! He picks up his favorite ball for every person he greets, hoping theyll throw it for him. Dante could use a yard to run around and an active family looking for a fun loving pup. Come meet Dante today!

Fees: $30. All PACC pets go home vaccinated, microchipped, and with a free vet visit voucher. A standard $18 licensing fee applies to all adult dogs.

AaronAmerican Staffordshire Terrier mix

ID: A609800.

Age: 1 year.

Story: Aaron is a hoot! He is a big ole puppy who loves to play and loves attention. Aaron was rescued by a good Samaritan who witnessed him being abandoned on the side of the road out in the desert. Aaron is ready for a second chance to find the loving home he deserves. He is a very friendly boy and appears to get along well with other dogs.

Fees: $30. All PACC pets go home vaccinated, microchipped, and with a free vet visit voucher. A standard $18 licensing fee applies to all adult dogs.

ADOPTABLE WITH OTHER RESCUE GROUPS

Bob  Domestic shorthair

ID: 840516.

Age: 3 years.

Story: Bob is a large cat who loves to lounge. Bob is FIV-positive so he will need to be an indoor only cat. He can live with other cats as long as they are as calm as he is.

Fee: $80.

Contact: The Humane Society of Southern Arizona, 327-6088, Ext., 106 or visit hssaz.org.

Meet: At 3450 N. Kelvin Blvd. (just off Fort Lowell Road between North Dodge Boulevard and North Country Club Road) 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Harley-pitbull mix

ID: 842211.

Age: 1 year.

Story: Harley is an energetic boy who loves to give doggy kisses. He needs a loving home that will give him the attention and exercise he craves. Harley will need ample time to adjust to the new environment and routine.

Fee: $80 + $19 license.

Contact: The Humane Society of Southern Arizona Main Campus.

Ren  Domestic medium hair

Age: 1 year.

Story: Ren is adorable and affectionate, he loves to play, especially with other kitties, and is a little mischievous. He came to us from Puerto Ricos rescue, Save-A-Gato. Ren needs a family who will play with him until he calms with age. He needs lots of affection and patience, treats and wand toys.

Fee: $65.

Contact: The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter; 4501 E. 22nd St.

Meet: 10 a.m-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Muffet  Grey/white tabby

Age: 6 months.

Story: Muffet is warm, playful and cuddley. Muffet needs an indoor-only home with lots of love and play.

Fee: $50 includes microchip, spay and current shots.

Contact: Paws Patrol in Green Valley at 207-4024 or greenvalleypawspatrol.org.

Minnie  Greyhound

Age: 5 years.

Story: Minnie is a loving girl who gets along with everyone. She loves to be close to her humans and laying next to them. She is a confident girl who is not afraid of loud noises or thunder. She is always happy and enjoys exploring. She also likes to go for walks and does not pull on her leash. Minnie is looking for a home that will give her lots of love and attention along with yummy food and treats. Minnie needs to be in a home with no cats.

Fee: $350.

Contact: Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption, 955-7421 sagreyhoundadoption.org.

Shiva  Hound Mix

Age: 6 years, 10 months.

Story: Shiva is a super-smart 58-pound beauty who is almost perfect and eager to be loved again. Her trainer agrees that shes not the dog for just anybody, but for the right person, shell be a great companion.

Fee: $85.

Contact: The Animal League of Green Valley at 625-3170 or talgv.org.

Meet: TALGV, 1600 W. Duval Mine Road, Green Valley, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. daily.

Leia  Shorthaired tabby and white

Age: 10 months.

Story: Leia is the picture of glowing health even though she is carrying the FeLV virus. Leia needs to be an only cat or be with another FeLV cat.

Fee: $45 and comes with Free Vet Care for Life.

Contact: The Animal League of Green Valley.

Harmony  Lab/heeler mix

Age: 11 months.

Story: Harmony loves to play, chase and loves water. Housebroken using doggy door, working on crate training. She needs a home with no children under 10 and secure yard. Would do best in a home with a playful canine companion.
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled the city of Tucson can no longer destroy firearms that have been confiscated by police or turned in by citizens.

In an extensive ruling issued Thursday, the justices voided a 2005 Tucson ordinance that says the Police Department, after it seizes a gun, shall dispose of such firearm by destroying the firearm. The court said the local ordinance runs afoul of several state laws.

One law that predates the Tucson ordinance limits local governments from enacting any ordinance dealing with acquisition, licensing, registration or use of firearms. And in 2013, state lawmakers spelled out that if police seize or acquire guns, they must sell them to licensed firearms dealers.

The ruling also upholds the legality of SB 1487, a 2016 law that allows individual lawmakers to direct the Attorney Generals Office to investigate claims that a local law conflicts state statutes. That triggers an automatic investigation that can lead to a city losing half of its state shared revenues. In this case, it was a complaint about the citys gun destruction program filed by state Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, that prompted the investigation.

On Thursday afternoon, city officials said they will abide by the ruling and will rescind the ordinance.

Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who sued Tucson, called the ruling a monumental victory for the state of Arizona.

Whether you like it or not, its a huge victory for the rule of law, he said. The bottom line, said Brnovich, is that the high court has made it clear that, with only narrow exceptions, if there is a conflict between state law and local ordinances, the local law has to fall.

Rick Rollman, Tucsons lead attorney in the case, said SB 1487 amounts to illegal coercion.

He said the threat in that law of a city losing half of its state revenue sharing based on Brnovichs conclusion of illegality forces local officials to abandon measures they adopt that they believe are in the communitys best interests. That loss for Tucson would be $115 million.

Rollman also said its unconstitutional to give Brnovich that kind of authority to order state aid withheld.

Justice John Pelander, writing for the court, said its not like the law gives Brnovich unilateral and unquestioned power to decide for himself which local laws are legal and which are not. The justice pointed out that question is ultimately decided by the courts.

The Tucson Police Department has destroyed 4,820 guns turned in by residents or seized from crime investigations since 2013, city records show.

Attorneys for Tucson argued that the city  and other charter cities  have specific constitutional powers to enact their ordinances, regardless of state statutes.

Pelander said that authority is limited to matters of purely local concern. And he said the Tucson ordinance does not fit within that definition.

The justice said the state constitution says city charters shall be consistent with and subject to the state constitution and not in conflict with ... general law of the state not relating to cities. And he said any argument that cities have authority to decide of how to dispose of firearms falls under the plain language of state laws.

In no uncertain terms, the Arizona Legislature has declared that firearms regulation is of statewide concern and has expressed its intent to pre-empt firearms regulations in this state and thereby limit the ability of any political subdivision of this state to regulate firearms, he wrote.

The Tucson City Council voluntarily halted its practice of destroying some confiscated guns several months ago, deciding to wait until the legal case had been resolved. At the last count, the city had roughly 500 guns that were slated to be destroyed.

If the city of Tucson ignored the courts decision, it would jeopardize more than $50 million a year that it receives in state-shared revenues.

City Attorney Mike Rankin said he was disappointed in the courts decision but thanked the court for setting aside a provision requiring a city to risk the state shared revenues by simply challenging the state on the legitimacy of a city ordinance.

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild continues to find fault with SB 1487, saying it ties the hands of the City Council to address local issues.

Were disappointed in the courts decision, the result of which is to take the state of Arizona down the wrong path by severely limiting cities abilities to innovate and govern according to their constituents interests, he said.

Looking ahead, Rothschild said the city should place any proceeds from gun sales into the Tucson Police Departments budget.

Many of the confiscated weapons have already been used to commit criminal acts, so I will recommend that any funds received from their sale be used to support public safety, he said.

Councilman Steve Kozachik, who was a vocal supporter of the policy to destroy the guns, said the Democrat-controlled City Council was thwarted by a court that recently saw two new judges appointed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.

We got our asses kicked, Kozachik said of the decision.

Kozachik, who organized a gun buyback program in 2013 that saw 200 guns traded in for Safeway gift cards, said he would not jeopardize state funding by continuing the fight with the state.

It would be irresponsible to recommend anything other than the repeal of the citys ordinance, Kozachik said.

He said the court ignores the will of residents who had trusted the city to safely dispose of their guns.

Councilman Paul Cunningham looked for some good in the ruling against the city.

The only possible silver lining is that there may be a revenue possibility and a cost avoidance for the general fund. Only time will tell, he said.

The ruling doesnt necessarily mean every confiscated firearm will be auctioned off to licensed gun dealers.

Guns that are illegal to sell  like a sawed-off shotgun or one with the serial number filed off  would still be destroyed.

The city also has the authority to transfer some confiscated firearms to be used by police.

The city, for example, maintains a large collection of guns it uses for forensic testing. At last count, there were 1,579 in its collection.

Also, not every gun held by the city is kept in perpetuity. Between 2012 and 2016, the city returned 3,512 firearms to their legal owners.
President Trumps visit to Phoenix on Tuesday could be monumental  pardon the pun.

Trump will likely make some moves here that change our political picture into next year.

Here are a few things to look for:

1. Arpaio pardon

Trump has said he is considering pardoning former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio after his conviction for criminal contempt of court.

I am seriously considering a pardon for Sheriff Arpaio, Trump told Fox News on Sunday. He has done a lot in the fight against illegal immigration. Hes a great American patriot and I hate to see what has happened to him.

Arpaio was convicted of contempt for allowing his department to continue doing immigration sweeps even after a federal judge had ordered him to stop because of illegal profiling of Latinos. A pardon would wipe away that conviction and his sentence for the crime, which hasnt been handed down yet.

An Arpaio pardon would enrage many Latinos and Democrats, but it would please Trumps existing supporters, whom Trump has catered to persistently during his presidency.

2. Senate endorsement

On Thursday, Trump tweeted, Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. Hes toxic!

Sen. Flake, of course, has rhetorically taken on Trump in a new book, Conscience of a Conservative, and an interview tour, although he almost always votes with Trump.

But Ward, who lost handily to Sen. John McCain in the 2016 GOP primary, is not the only candidate Trump might endorse. State Treasurer Jeff DeWit was a major figure in Trumps presidential campaign, with the title of chief operating officer and a frequent role defending Trump on TV.

Robert Graham, the former chair of the state GOP, is also a contender. He met with Chris Bannon, a Tucsonan who is the brother of presidential adviser Steve Bannon, this spring to discuss possible challengers to Flake, Politico reported.

3. Officeholders excuses

Rep. Martha McSally, who has kept an arms length from Trump without rejecting him openly, has said she has a scheduling conflict and will be in Fort Huachuca, not at the Trump rally. Gov. Doug Ducey has not said whether he will attend, which if you think about it is pretty startling, considering Trump is a sitting Republican president. If Ducey doesnt attend, his reason should be interesting.

It would be shocking if Sens. McCain or Flake attended, since they are both critics of Trump and are apparently loathed by the president. But it wouldnt be surprising if any of the other four Republican members of the U.S. House from Arizona attended.

4. Big protests

While Trump is bound to animate his opponents anywhere he goes, there is a special salience to Trumps potential pardon of Arpaio. It would likely enrage the former sheriffs many critics and inflame protests.

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, the Tucson Democrat, told me he would have gone to join protests against Trump in any case, but the prospect of a pardon made him want to help lead protests.

We cant allow this to happen without having an appropriate nonviolent peaceful response, he said.

He noted that Phoenix officials appear to be trying to keep attendees and protesters separate. That could help keep the protests peaceful.

Facebook battles

Two Facebook flare-ups have stirred Pima County politics in recent weeks, as my colleague Murphy Woodhouse has reported, and the responses to them are telling. In one case, county communications-office employee Jason Ground encouraged members of a private Facebook group to show up to a county board meeting and challenge Supervisor Ally Miller. Actually, shove her words down her throat is what he said before adding f*** her.

Then, a couple of weeks later and just a few hours after a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Miller herself hit enter on a controversial Facebook post: Im sick and tired of being hit for being white... It is all about making us feel like we need to apologize. I am WHITE  and proud of it! No apologies necessary.

Supervisor Steve Christy, Millers fellow Republican on the board, responded indignantly to Grounds post, saying it was deplorable, egregious and reprehensible and that Ground should be subject to every facet of the countys disciplinary process. When it came to Millers post, though, Christy did not object to its content or timing but simply called it fodder for Millers detractors.

The boards Democrats reacted the opposite way. Supervisors Ramon Valadez, Richard Elias and Sharon Bronson called on Miller to apologize for her post, a topic that likely will be entertained at this Mondays board meeting. But they said nothing about the post by Ground, for which he received a letter of reprimand.

Big loss for cities

The fact that Tucson will now have to sell seized guns instead of destroying them isnt actually that big a deal. Its just a rather minor result of Tucsons losing a case at the Arizona Supreme Court.

The bigger outcome of the decision against Tucson on Thursday is that the Legislatures dictatorship over smaller jurisdictions has been cemented. As youll know if you follow the Legislature, that state body has made a habit of passing laws that pre-empt local city and county ordinances.

When Arizona cities passed ordinances banning or regulating plastic bags, for example, the Legislature passed a state law that prohibited banning bags. Last year, the Legislature passed the granddaddy of all pre-emption bills: SB 1487 allowed any individual legislator to report a city ordinance to the state attorney general. If the AG finds it violates state law, the city has 30 days to fix the problem or face massive financial penalties.

This would make sense if cities were trying, for example, to permit murder and fraud within their borders. But what really is happening is that the cities are making political decisions that conform to their residents wishes but violate the opinions of legislators.

Democratic city councils and county boards take stands that Republican legislators disagree with, and the legislators overrule the cities and counties even on issues where there is no compelling state interest, such as plastic bags.

Expect them to do this more, not because its right but because they can.

Friese still exploring

U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat, has not moved decisively enough to drive state Rep. Randy Friese, a Tucson Democrat, from next years U.S. Senate race.

Sinema has confirmed she is considering running for Flakes seat but hasnt gone further than that. While shes thinking about it, Friese is continuing to drum up support for a possible run for the same U.S. Senate seat.

I will need a lot more declarative actions and statements from her before Id consider rolling back, Friese told me Thursday.

In other words, hes not going to consider backing out until she says for sure that shes jumping in.
Gabriel Trujillo, the interim superintendent of the Tucson Unified School District, started his teaching career as an avid public-school basher, he told the audience at a public forum where he was interviewing for the job of permanent superintendent Wednesday.

Now, after 11 years working in the public-school system, hes a booster.

As a brand new teacher at a charter school in Phoenix back in 1999, he saw how district schools were failing a certain kind of student.

Those students  often minimally proficient in English, or special-needs students with learning or behavior disabilities and chronically truant students from the surrounding schools  were being pushed out of traditional public schools and landing in his charter classroom.

He heard time and again from students who said the district schools claimed to be full, or that they felt secluded there because they were repeatedly being put on in-school suspension.

So over the course of seven years, I started developing a really not good attitude or perception of the traditional public schools, Trujillo said. I started thinking, Hey, were doing it right. Were taking everybody and educating these kids. What is going on (at public school)?

But when a mentor told him to either help fix the problem in district schools or shut up about it, Trujillo applied for a job at a traditional school and has never gone back.

Now Trujillo is trying to make TUSD into the kind of school district where those hard-to-teach students from his charter school would succeed.

I have a vision for the Tucson Unified School District that when I close my eyes, its always there  this amazing K-12 experience that offers high-quality instruction in every single classroom, and a highly qualified teacher in every single classroom, with a music and performing arts teacher in every single school and a counselor and social worker in every single school, and during-the-day opportunities for kids to get support for both behavior and academic struggles, he said.

Trujillo, who has been serving as interim superintendent since March after the TUSD Governing Board forced out previous Superintendent H.T. Sanchez, boasts that unlike the other three candidates for the job, he has already hit the ground running.

While the others have said they plan to hold listening tours to get up to speed, Trujillo has already visited each of TUSDs schools and knows what principals, teachers and employees want from the districts leadership.

And what youve told me is that we have a little bit of a top-down management structure, he said. As employees, you dont necessarily see us as visible at the district office, and you dont necessarily view the district office leadership as a resource for your success.

To that end, on his first day as permanent superintendent, Trujillo said he would launch a campaign to get central leadership into schools and connecting with employees.

One of Trujillos best selling points as a candidate is that he already knows the job and was an assistant superintendent since September.

But on Wednesday, he also leaned on his previous experience as a principal in the Phoenix Union High School District, and his work to get that district out from under a desegregation order.

We had the pressure of being in the final two years of the 26-year-old Castro v. Phoenix Union High School District desegregation order. The last two or three years of any desegregation order tend to be the hardest, and at that time, it was the hardest, he told the audience Wednesday. And to add to the pressure of keeping the school district moving toward the unitary status that it would eventually achieve in 2008 were three large comprehensive campuses in the western Maryvale sector of Phoenix that were suspending kids from campus like gangbusters.

However, the Phoenix Union High School District had all but settled its desegregation case by the time Trujillo started working there in 2006.

The school district and plaintiffs reached a much-lauded agreement in 2005 to achieve unitary status, though the court still retained oversight until the completion of construction of Betty H. Fairfax High School, which was finished in late 2007.

Trujillo later clarified that while the parties had already come to an agreement before he started working there, the school district was still technically under supervision of the court, and if discipline problems persisted, they could have back-slid out of the tentative unitary status.

When asked his view on a new state law that allows uncertified teachers to teach in K-12 classrooms, as long as they have at least five years of professional experience in the field they plan to teach, Trujillos response got a hearty round of applause from the fewer than 100 people in the audience, mostly TUSD teachers, administrators, employees and parents.

Unlike the previous two candidates to host public forums this week, Trujillo opposed the law, and argued that teaching is a skill that needs to be learned and honed.

Im a proud product of public education. Im also a proud product of teacher education, he said, adding that the barriers for new teachers to enter the workforce should be less onerous.

Its not that an adult with a four-year degree who doesnt have teacher certification would be bad for kids. Its a different skill set. Its a profession. Its an art, he said.
When she took to the stage Thursday to interview with the public to become the next superintendent of Tucsons largest school district, Donna Hargens wanted to clear the air.

Hargens knows that the headlines from her last job in Louisville, Kentucky, where she served six years as superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools, have followed her across the country and that her baggage has spooked some Tucsonans.

Standing in front of about 50 Tucson Unified School District employees, teachers, administrators, board members and parents at Sahuaro High School Thursday night, Hargens got right to the point.

Im happy to address any of the things youve Googled, she said.

And a quick Google search turns up a lot of negative headlines from Hargens final years in Kentucky.

The most recent ones detail her forced resignation from the district earlier this year following a less-than-stellar 2016 performance evaluation. But then there are the several scandals revolving around the districts seclusion and restraint policy, including a lawsuit against the district after a student was injured while being restrained. And there was the Fire Donna Hargens rally.

Before the audience could ask any questions about it, Hargens addressed each point, starting with her departure from Jefferson County Public Schools.

She was pushed out by the board after six years, a relatively long time for a superintendent, and after she had told them that she was planning to entertain offers to move on to a new district. The 2016 performance evaluation, which said she had made obvious mistakes and omissions, came at a time when the district was attempting to take on a lot of new challenges, she said.

That evaluation is one moment in time of a career, and it reflects a challenging year, she said.

An audit found that Jefferson County Public Schools significantly underreported the number of times students were secluded or restrained. Hargens said Thursday the problem arose because the district database tracking seclusions and restraints wasnt populating the state database, and when she found out, she immediately reported it to the state commissioner of education.

But the internal auditor at the time said the problem was deeper than that, and that some administrators and employees were motivated not to report incidents to make the schools look better.

In 2016, a student sued district officials, alleging his collarbone had been broken by a school security monitor who restrained him.

In February, the Kentucky Commissioner of Educations Office started a comprehensive audit into the district over its use of restraint and seclusion on students. Shortly after that, parents held a rally to urge the school district Governing Board to fire Hargens.

That rally had maybe 18 people at it and I could name maybe two of the people there, she said Thursday.

More than 6,000 people signed a Change.org petition to Remove Donna Hargens as JCPS Superintendent.

But Hargens said the headlines about Jefferson County Public Schools dont tell the whole story  they dont mention the standing ovations at board meetings, her awards of excellence and other achievements.

Before moving to Kentucky, she was an administrator, principal and teacher in North Carolina.

Of the four candidates for the next leader of TUSD, Hargens has the most direct experience, having served as a long-term superintendent of a large school district that has a lot of similarities to TUSD.

Jefferson County Public Schools is the largest school system in Kentucky and the 28th-largest school system in the United States with more than 150 schools and 100,000 students.

TUSD, by comparison, has fewer than 90 schools and roughly 47,000 students.

And like TUSD, her previous school district is a minority/majority district that is under a desegregation order.

Hargens said in her first 100 days, she would like to work on building relationships, studying student achievement and getting a handle on how to settle the desegregation lawsuit.

She said shes already read TUSDs unitary status plan, and her strategy to achieve unitary status is to simply follow the plan and address the problems in the district that the plan says the district will address.

It isnt about intent, its about results, she said.

Hargens said if she is selected as TUSDs next superintendent, she would like to stay, and she pointed to her resume to show she has staying power, having spent seven years in Wisconsin, 20 years in North Carolina and six years in Kentucky.

Ive always had my eye on the class of 2026, which are fourth-graders.  If that gives you any indication of how long I plan to work, she said.

Student discipline has been a controversial topic at TUSD for years, with many parents and administrators saying the policy is too lax. Hargens said to fix behavioral problems in the classroom, teachers, principals and administrators need to set high expectations and stick to them.

You have to have high expectations for behavior, just like you need high expectations for academics, she said. They go hand in hand. You want to do everything in your power to make sure students dont make bad choices, but when they make bad choices, there have to be consequences.
While the initial comments by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement are confrontational, thoughtful deliberation by citizens in Southern Arizona can be constructive.

Noting that trade activities have changed markedly in the last decade with parts suppliers in many industries providing products that have come from many other nations, we in Arizona can examine quite closely our cooperative contract relationships with Mexico. We should keep in mind that China became the worlds largest economy in 2014. Talent and reliability of the workforce still depend on many factors including education and training.

Many of us look forward to thoughtful analyses of our present and future potential to compete in the global community. Robotization is real and the jobs of the past are not the jobs of the future. Hopefully, we will continue to see thoughtful opinions shared in the Star.

John Hughes

Northeast side
With emotions running extraordinarily high, the tinder and kindling are set. All thats needed is someone to light the match. While President Trump should be urging reflection over the sad events in Charlottesville, he stands ready to ignite the tinderbox by making a speech in Phoenix. I and many other Arizonans urge Trump to stay in Washington and act like the leader of our country instead of pandering to his base.

If he comes to Phoenix to pardon disgraced Joe Arpaio, he will shamefully reaffirm that he has no respect for our justice system. The ex-Sheriff had his day in court. He was found guilty of criminal contempt in his home turf, conservative Maricopa County. Delivering the speech will further inflame the nations divide. And if something bad occurs between Trumps supporters and protesters, or if some unintended consequence happens, Trump will be at fault. He will be the one, after all, to light the match.
American history was always my favorite subject. In third grade, I gobbled up biographies of national heroes like George Washington as if they were candy. Later I discovered little George didnt actually confess to cutting down that cherry tree. The Rev. Mason Weems invented that tale for a book he wrote shortly after Washingtons death, responding to the publics demand for inspirational stories.

Much later I discovered this: White Americans have always demanded inspiring stories to make us feel better.

The history we learned in school is based on a myth, one that Americans of color dont have the luxury of believing. Thats why whites are the only people surprised by neo-Nazis marching through Virginia.

In response to the events in Charlottesville, where three people were killed at a white supremacy rally, former Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick posted on Facebook that this is not the country I grew up in. Sen. Jeff Flake tweeted that what happened does not reflect the values of the America I know.

There was a time when I would have said the same thing.

I was wrong.

Charlottesville is not an aberration from the American story. Its at the very center of our story, along with the genocide of indigenous peoples, a legal system that gave white men the right to rape black women and sell off their children, the internment of Japanese citizens, a for-profit prison system that has re-enslaved people of color, a relentless assault on voting rights, and the inhumane detainment, deportation and death of refugees and migrants.

Our story is white people carrying Nazi flags and semi-automatic weapons in public, unhindered by law enforcement, while unarmed Native Americans protecting their own water and lands at Standing Rock are fire-hosed in sub-freezing temperatures.

Our story is 1,500 mostly white Tucsonans blocking traffic as they march against racism without permission but with assistance from local police, while the mostly brown people who peacefully marched for immigrant rights in February were pepper-sprayed by members of that same police department.

Yes, our founding documents are filled with lofty ideals. I believe in every single one of them. And throughout history we have made some progress toward living them. But more often than not weve made progress only because our sisters and brothers of color marched, preached, wrote, sang, resisted and shamed us into it.

This past weekend Sen. Orrin Hatch was praised by both Democrats and Republicans for tweeting, My brother didnt give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home.

Unfortunately, thats exactly what happened. African-American soldiers who fought the Nazis came home to segregation, lynching and crosses burning on their front lawns, and they were denied the benefits of the GI Bill, which built Americas white middle class. In other words, we fought Hitler while implementing Nazi values here at home.

Only a white American could fail to see that.

It is heartening that so many white Tucsonans are standing up against racism. That is an important start. But lets not pretend the problem lies just with evil white supremacists. They carried the torches in Charlottesville, but our unwillingness to face the truth is what lit them. I am thankful every day for my colleagues at the YWCA who help me see this. They can help you, too.

We are not the America we think we are.

We can be.

But we cannot change what we refuse to see.
The mastermind of an extensive drug ring in Vietnam has been sentenced to death.

The Peoples Court in the southern province of Binh Duong gave Do Xuan Loi, 34, hailing from the north-central province of Thua Thien- Hue, the death penalty at the conclusion of his trial on Tuesday afternoon.

Loi was the leader of a drug ring that operated across provinces from northern to southern Vietnam. He was charged with the sale and storage of drugs and the storage of military weapons.

Three other members of the ring, namely Truong Ngoc Huan, Lois brother in-law, Tran Hung Tam, and Tran Manh Hung, all received life sentences for the sale of drugs.

Four other members were given 20 year sentences each.

According to the indictment, in 2015, Loi and his accomplices transported a total of seven kilograms of drugs from the northern city of Hai Phong to the southern region before distributing it to local addicts in small bags, each weighing 50 to 100 grams.

Their trade was first uncovered after police in the southern province of Dong Nai arrested two men carrying 500 grams of drugs in their car after passing a tollgate on Bui Huu Nghia Street.

The two suspects claimed they had bought the products from Loi.

Police in Dong Nai later coordinated with their counterparts in Binh Duong Province to capture the mastermind and his associates.

An investigation revealed that they often bought flights to Hai Phong City and travelled back to Binh Duong on the train.

The gang was also equipped with guns, knives, and machetes to deal with potential obstructers during their commutes.

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Check out news you should not miss today, August 18, on Tuoi Tre News:

Politics

-- Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim will visit Vietnam from August 22 to 24 at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

-- Responding international news saying Vietnam has recently received a batch of BrahMos missiles from India, spokesperson of the Vietnamese foreign ministry Le Thi Thu Hang said Vietnam maintains its defense policy of peace and self-defense, and the purchase of defense equipment is in line with the policy and is a normal practice to protect the country.

Society

-- The Peoples Committee of the central province of Quang Ngai has recently fined local Hiep Thanh paper manufacturing factory VND47 million (US$2,070) for discharging untreated wastewater into the environment.

-- Ho Chi Minh City police said it has recently broken up a prostitution ring involving several local models and actresses who were paid between $700 and $2,500 each time serving their clients.

-- Many sleeper buses in the Western, Eastern, An Suong and Nga Tu Ga bus stations in Ho Chi Minh City either lack fire extinguishers or use expired products, Le Hong Viet, deputy chief inspector of the municipal transport department said Thursday.

-- The number of dengue cases in Hanoi has reached 3,440 this week, slightly decreased from 3,447 cases last week, according to the citys health department.

Business

-- The Tan Son Nhat International Airport in July received 3.35 million passengers, a 9.47 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile, 1,816 international flights were delayed while 89 flights were cancelled during the last month.

-- Prices of vegetables in the Central Highlands city of Da Lat and neighboring areas have seen a sharp increase compared with two weeks ago due to downpours leading to a decrease in agricultural products output.

-- Vietnam imported more than 6,900 cars worth $171 million in July, sending the total car imports in the Jan-Jul period to more than 57,800 units, worth $1.2 billion.

Lifestyle

-- Miss Vietnam 2016 Do My Linh will present the Southeast Asian country at the 2017 Miss World to be held in China in late October.

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Five people were killed and six others severely injured after a tractor trailer rammed a passenger bus in the south-central Vietnamese province of Binh Dinh on Wednesday night.

The accident occurred on National Highway 1A in Phu My District, Binh Dinh at around 9:55 pm, Ho Quoc Chanh, head of the office of the Phu My Peoples Committee, confirmed on Thursday.

According to the provincial traffic police unit, a tractor trailer operated by 28-year-old Nguyen Van Huong was traveling south on the highway when it collided with a sleeper bus traveling in the opposite direction. Fourty four-year-old Nguyen Long Ho was driving the bus.

Four passengers aboard the bus died immediately and a fifth victim passed away en route to the hospital.

Six other victims with serious injuries were transferred to the Binh Dinh Province General Hospital.

Authorities arrived at the scene shortly after the crash to carry out an investigation.

Initial information showed that the two bulldozers carried by the tractor trailer exceeded the trucks capacity.

The two bulldozers carried by the tractor trailer after after the collision. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Meanwhile, the sleeper bus was carrying 18 passengers, two drivers, and two assistants.

Le Thi Ly Na, a 22-year-old passenger on the bus, is currently being treated for a head injury and soft-tissue wounds. She said most of the passengers were asleep at the time of the accident.

There was a very loud noise. Many seats on the right side of the bus and the people sitting on them, including me, were thrown to the ground, Na recounted.

Vo Van Thoai, 34, another passenger, suffered considerably more severe injuries, including a fractured spine, injured weak arms, and paralyzed legs. Doctors say he may require surgery and will have to follow a long road to recovery.

The Binh Dinh administration offered VND5 million (US$219.2) in support for each injured victim and VND10 million ($438.5) to support the families of each deceased victim.

The scene of the accident. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The scene of the accident. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The scene of the accident. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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I understand why some people dislike Donald Trump. He certainly says intemperate things, appears to have no deeply intelligent governing philosophy and is at the extreme end of the narcissist spectrum. That said, the media/punditry meltdown over his alleged "ambiguous" "inadequate" statement in the immediate aftermath of a crazed rightwing extremist 20 year old running over a bunch of lefty radicals on Saturday in Charlottesville has taken this country beyond satire. We are on the brink of something very dangerous.

Here was Trump's initial statement:

We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides  on many sides,

When I heard this on Saturday I was still waiting for news about who was responsible for the so-called attack. I thought this was a very reasonable, responsible comment from Trump. Unlike Barack Obama, who frequently jumped to incorrect conclusions (condemning police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for instance), Trump was very clear about condemning hatred, bigotry and violence.

Then ensuing firestorm of faux outraged, especially from despicable pols like Mitt Romney, John Kasich and Marco Rubio, forced me to go back and listen again to what Trump said. Trump was (and is) being accused of embracing the KKK and neo-Nazis. What the hell?

Various other Republican senators also criticized Trump, including Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), second ranking Senate Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.).

I have one phrase fro these Republican hypocrites--Go Have Sexual Congress with yourself. I challenge anyone to provide me with a statement, written or verbal, where Donald Trump embraces racism, anti-semitism or radical right ideology. Just one damn quote. I dare you.

We can point to several failure on the part of Trump's communications team over the last eight months, but I can empathize with their confusion over the claims that Trump was going soft on extremism. On Monday Trump made and even stronger statement:

"Racism is evil," the president said, "and anyone who causes violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans."

Still not good enough for those bent on destroying Donald Trump. When I hear so-called political and business leaders describe this as "an ambiguous" statement I then realize that this is not a fair game. This is political propaganda at its worst. But it ain't the President who is doing the propaganda. The media and political and business elite have banded together to push a lie.

But that is not all. Creeping out of the sewers are the radical ideologues keen on eradicating any vestige of American history. These are rebels keen on reinventing the past. The calls to erase all statues associated with anyone who fought for the Confederacy or was a slave owner has gone beyond the absurd. We now are confronting a rabble possessed of a mindset akin to the blood lust of the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia and the fanaticism of ISIS jihadis, who destroyed ancient historical monuments because they claimed those pieces of stone were idols. These are radicals convinced in their truth and their vision who are willing to do whatever it takes to promote their twisted vision of perfection.

These crazies, I believe, are overplaying their hand. Enough Americans understand and grasp how bizarre and unfair their rantings are and will in turn start pushing back. There is a danger here, however. The Americans being labeled as racists are more likely to own guns than those lefty cretins who arrogantly insist that Trump supporters are in-bred morons. That is a recipe for real conflict and is the kind of tension that triggered the Civil War of 1860.

Important to remember, however, that the crazed kid mowing down lefties on Saturday was not an organized effort. Just compare the lethality achieved today in Barcelona, Spain by a committed jihadi. He left at least 13 dead and more than a 100 wounded. The right wing nut in Charlottesville only killed one and his effort was not part of an organized plan to wreak mayhem.

There may be a silver lining in all of this for Donald Trump. He now will have no illusion about who his enemies are. They have jumped out of the closet and revealed themselves. This information in the hands of a Machiavellian ruler would be potent. Remains to be seen if Donald Trump actually knows how to play such a game or is just a pretender.
Whilst he may be best known for playing the frazzled Michael Bluth in Arrested Development, Jason Bateman has never played better than the drama required of him in Ozark.

Bateman also directs three episodes and is a co-executive producer of the new 10 part Netflix series.

Bateman plays Marty Byrde, a Chicago financial advisor and family man who has been quietly laundering money for a Mexican drug kingpin with his business partner, Bruce (Josh Randall).

Money is at the centre of Martys life. While wife Wendy (Laura Linney) spends her day at CostCo and his two teenagers are enjoying a nice education, Marty is the man who values that which he has acquired. He even begrudges stumping up for a $10 donation for a charitable cause.

Money is everything if you dont have it, he says. Money is the measure of a mans choices.

But his stage-managed lifestyle is sent into disarray when drug kingpin Camino Del Rio (Esai Morales) discovers Josh has been stealing money and soon there are gunshots before Martys eyes. He talks his way out of an assassination by offering to launder cash, millions of it, by moving the operation to the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.

There, he promises more shoreline than California, with people dealing in cash and none of Chicagos law enforcement to be found. Uprooting his family wont come easily, especially with a belligerent female teenager (Sofia Hublitz). But wife Wendy has secrets of her own I wont divulge here

Theres plenty going on in the opening instalment of this introspective thriller and most of it hangs off Bateman. Marty frequently has to think fast to hoodwink his way out of close shave situations whilst trying to maintain the family man demeanour. The fact that Marty and Wendy are both such flawed characters, yet still caring parents, is part of this shows intrigue.

At times too ominous, the opening chapter is clearly an inciting incident to transport our family to the foreign surrounds of the Ozarks where, as the press kit and trailer suggests, a much denser spiral will envelop them. With its photogenic landscape (albeit with Atlanta doubling for the Ozarks), this should make for a great escapist binge.

Ozark, written by Bill Dubuque (The Accountant, The Judge, A Family Man) explores our obsession with money, how far we will go to attain, the lines we cross to keep it.

Just pray it never makes you do this.

Ozark begins Friday July 21 on Netflix.
In the crowded landscape of medical dramas it can be a challenge to cut through. You need to find a point of difference and avoid constantly being compared to Greys Anatomy.

The premise of Pulse is indeed a tall order. It centres around Frankie Bell (Claire van der Boom), a former transplant patient who, 8 years later, chooses to return the favour by becoming a transplant doctor herself.

If youre thinking that would be enough to stop a pitch right there youre not alone, but according to the publicity notes, its inspired by a true story. Medical truth is stranger than medical fiction, I guess

Frankie is now in her second year as a practising doctor, starting her first day in a Renal rotation when she is faced with an emergency in the hospital car park. But she is quick to action, remaining calm, and helps save the life of young mother, Zoe (Melissa Bonne).

Her boss Chad Berger (Owen Teale) is less enthused about her first day in his unit -Frankie was his own patient and the knowledge of her own transplant past is known to only a handful.

You shouldnt be here, he tells her. Your body doesnt have what it takes.

Despite her protests, Berger doubts she will succeed.

With your health issues, how are you going to manage?

But Frankie is determined to prove her worth, as is her friend, housemate and vet-turned-surgeon, Lou (Andrea Demetriades). Obstinate senior surgeon Cutter (Susie Porter) has little time for Lous nerves in her theatre. Viewers may feel dizzy themselves by the confronting visuals in the operating theatre, with anatomical shots that are not for the squeamish.

Frankies biggest dilemmas arise from moral questions around her patients, including a dialysis patient (Daniel Amalm) needing life-saving organs. Her attachment to those whose life can be determined by a roulette-like waiting list is Frankies biggest flaw. With Berger breathing down her neck this will be difficult to navigate.

The casting of Pulse is one of its best attributes, particularly with multicultural performers (Asian, African, European) in medical positions. There are fresh faces to be found amongst seasoned performers, without any of it ever feeling like star casting.

Claire van der Boom again proves what an under-rated actress she is (move over, Sarah Snook). Frankie presents as strong, with emotional connections and flaws, but without heroic upstaging. Theres no Dr. House saving the day here. Owen Teale, best known for Game of Thrones, brings gravitas to his role, juggling the dilemma of being Frankies boss and doctor.

Susie Porter revels in her role as a hard-arsed surgeon, while Andrea Demetriades and Liam McIntyre (Spartacus) add to this fine ensemble -and adding Penny Cook as Head Nurse Carol is bloody genius. But I look forward to discovering more of the support cast.

It was also great to see Daniel Amalm and Zoe Carides in guest roles.

The writing by Kris Wyld and Mel Hill initially feels very serious and dry, but Pulses commitment to its medicine should win you over. Save for one lustful diversion, it avoids constantly obsessing with workplace romance.

Director Peter Andrikidis also steers with a confident hand, creatively playing with focus to bring a visual distinctiveness to the canvas.

Its been a long time since ABC has had an ongoing medical drama (GP, MDA, ANZAC Nurses anyone?) and Pulse is perhaps the strongest of its kind since TENs under-appreciated The Surgeon back in 2005.

Despite its surprising premise the sum of the parts works well here. Pulse beats with a strong heart. The prognosis is healthy. But I would always recommend you seek a second opinion too.

Pulse premieres 8:30pm Thursday July 20 on ABC.
Its been a long time coming for Taboo, a dark UK period drama starring Tom Hardy.

The series, co-created by Hardy with his father Edward Chips Hardy and Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), screened in Britain in January. BBC First has held off its Australian launch to follow Game of Thrones on both BBC First and Showcase (only the first episode, you understand).

So has it been worth the wait? Yes and not really. Taboo is a brooding, shadowy piece and theres much to admire on the screen, but Im not about to go calling it the next hot thing, which it really ought to be after keeping us waiting.

In London 1814 James Delaney (Hardy) returns home after 10 years abroad, most recently in Africa, to bury his father (Edward Fox).

Forgive me father for I have indeed sinned, he whispers to the corpse.

But to both family, in the form of his half-sister Zilpha (Oona Chaplin), and the locals, his return is a shock. They thought him long-dead, giving rise to all kinds of mischievous tall-tales.

I heard you done a lot of evil over there, he will be told.

Only his fathers servant (David Hayman) welcomes him home which, given his brusque manner and imposing presence, is pretty understandable. Chairman of the East India Company, Sir Stuart Strange (Jonathan Pryce), is decidedly opposed to his return, upon learning that James will inherit whats left of his fathers shipping empire and his plans to hold onto Nootka Sound, a small but valuable piece of the Canadian coast which will yield Vancouver and shipping lanes to China.

But our anti-hero is dealing with his own demons, including feelings for his half-sister that nod to the title, and flashback experiences with death, spectres and the underworld. No wonder he walks around without saying too much to these Londoners.

Taboo opens as a slow-burn with a cast of character actors. In his tall hat and heavy coat Hardy cuts a striking silhouette, and a man who means business. Georgian England resembles Dickens in mud. Its damp, unforgiving, and shot through shadows of light.

Jonathan Pryce, however, is resplendent in high collars, surrounded by pots of tea and elegant chairs. From his powerful position lording over the East India trading company, he slips with ease into an upper class villain.

Whilst striding through scenes with as little dialogue as possible, a menacing Tom Hardy has ticked many boxes we find in premium drama: high visuals, flashes of violence, a dark past, theatrical setting and money on the screen. The link from period London to primal Africa is one of the shows best attributes .Taboo is no me Tarzan, you Jane.

But it also remains to be seen if this will not digress into a vanity piece for its star / co-creator, and for that to happen more characters will need their own complex storylines -something Game of Thrones has delivered time and again.

Taboo premieres 9:30pm Monday July 17 on BBC First (and Showcase).
On 60 Minutes Liz Hayes goes underground to look at an American nuclear missile, plus rare allergies, enduring the legal system and a rare reunion.

Locked and Loaded

Dangerous times are set to become even more volatile when war games involving tens of thousands of US, South Korean, and a handful of Australian troops begin on the Korean peninsula next week. One thing is certain: North Koreas Kim Jong-un wont be happy about this show of military muscle near his border. Kim is a despot who uses unpredictability and impulsiveness as additional weapons to his growing arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles, so his next step is considered cause for deep concern. Of course the man staring down the rogue leader is not shy either when it comes to belligerence. President Donald Trump has warned Pyongyang that the United States is locked and loaded, ready to unleash fire and fury if it or its allies is attacked. On 60 Minutes, Liz Hayes gets unprecedented access to the American militarys nuclear facilities to find out if President Trumps rhetoric is matched by firepower.

Reporter: Liz Hayes

Producer: Phil Goyen

On Trial

Its hard not to be angry and disgusted when you hear what Tegan Wagner has endured. When she was 14 she was attacked at a party and gang raped. It was a horrible, humiliating assault and she quite rightly wanted justice. Tegan demanded the perpetrators of the crime be held accountable, and put her faith in our legal system. But she says what was to come was as bad as the rapes. The teenager felt attacked all over again  by defence lawyers whose brutal cross-examination of her in court lasted three harrowing days. What the barristers didnt count on, however, was Tegan Wagners unshakeable courage.

Reporter: Tara Brown

Producers: Stefanie Sgroi, Sean Power

Allergic to Life

One-in-three people will suffer some kind of allergy at some stage in their lives. For most it means a runny nose, a rash, or sensitivity to certain foods. But not for 30-year-old Johanna Watkins. The bizarre and terrifying reality she faces is being allergic to life itself. She suffers from a rare illness that means almost any contact with anything or anyone triggers life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. Off limits for Johanna are most foods, smells, sunlight, friends, her parents  and even her husband.

Reporter: Peter Stefanovic

Producers: Garry McNab, Grace Tobin

The Long Way Home

Joel De Carteret is probably the unluckiest person in the world. Yet hes also probably the luckiest. When he was five he got hopelessly lost from his mother in a bustling city market in the Philippines. Try as he might he couldnt find her, and he was taken to a local orphanage. Eventually he was adopted by a caring Australian family. For the next 30 years Joel was an Aussie, but he always longed to find his birth mother. Late last year he started looking, and guess what? Joel defied odds of one hundred million to one and found her. Now Allison Langdon reveals another remarkable chapter in this extraordinary story.

Reporter: Allison Langdon

Producer: Garry McNab

8:30pm Sunday on Nine.
UK murder mystery Shetland, set against a stunning Scottish backdrop, begins on ABC tomorrow.

This series is a bit dated having premiered in the UK in 2013.

Elderly Shetlander Mima Wilson is found murdered on the archaeological site in the grounds of her croft. Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez and his team investigate. Can Perez unravel the family feuds and secrets that emerge and restore the security of his beloved Shetland Islands?

8:15pm Saturday on ABC.
Next week SBS premieres Norwegian thriller Valkyrien, which has already been available at SBS On Demand.

The series combines elements of Scandi noir with medical drama, crime drama and a palpable sense of the paranoia induced by operating on the edges of society.

It begins with a double episode at Tuesday, 22 August.

This premiered in Norway in January.

Valkyrien is a Norwegian thriller that centres on Ravn Eikanger, a doctor who is secretly treating his wife while running an illegal underground clinic in an old Cold War bomb shelter. He treats criminals, emergency patients, and others who cant or wont seek medical help in a regular hospital, while secretly treating his dying wife.

His patients are provided by Leif Lien, a corrupt and unstable Civil Defence official with ties to the criminal and political underground. This chaotic relationship will drag Ravn into a world of secrecy, constant danger and profound ethical dilemmas. Navigating between darkness and light to keep up appearances in the outside world, hell stop at nothing in the hope of finding a cure for his wife. What will they do if she wakes up from her coma? After all, everyone on the surface thinks shes dead.

Season One, Episode One: The Underground (10.30pm)

Deep underground, below Valkyrien Square in Oslo, doomsday prepper Lei has arranged a place for doctor Ravn to carry out his research in secret.

Episode Two: Styx (11.30pm)

Ravn is clutching at straws, searching for something to help Vilma. Against Leifs will, Ravn lets Vilmas research colleague Unn in on the secret.
If you never saw Richard Roxburgh as Roger Rogerson in ABCs 1995 miniseries Blue Murder, you missed a career-defining performance.

The good news is you now get to revisit him in Sevens sequel Blue Murder: Killer Cop. Roxburgh is a knockout all over again as the menacing, corrupt NSW detective-turned-killer.

This new chapter, helmed by its previous director Michael Jenkins, charts the events leading up to his life sentence for the murder of Jamie Gao, with Det. Glen McNamara (Justin Smith). The script by Peter Schreck notes Blue Murder Killer Cop is a scripted drama not a documentary. Some characters and events have been created for dramatic purposes.

If Blue Murder took a broader view of NSW Police Corruption, including with criminal Arthur Neddy Smith (Tony Martin), then Killer Cop zeroes in on Rogerson with all the notoriety of an Underbelly punch.

It opens with Rogerson imprisoned, eyeballing the camera, remembering how as a young boy he admired the police.

All I ever wanted to be was one of them. A hero. And I am, he says.

I probably know more about criminals than any other 10 blokes in the country.

There are the facts and theres the truth and they arent always a match.

In 1989, 3 years after leaving the NSW Police Force, he struggles to make a living as a bouncer at a Kings Cross strip joint. But he keeps his enemies close and the NSW coppers closer, leaning on mates to falsify evidence for cocaine king Michael Hurley (Dan Wyllie).

But Det. Mark Standen (Matt Nable) is on Rogersons case, aided by Internal Affairs pursuing corrupt cops Larry Chuchill (Steve Le Marquand) and McNamara, with the latter turning whistleblower on his own. After Rogerson loses his only protection, he goes down with a 3 year sentence for a dodgy bank account despite being acquitted of shooting of fellow police officer Michael Drury (depicted by Steve Bastoni in the 1995 original).

Amid the bent storylines and constant malevolence, a romantic sub-plot is forged between Rogerson and local neighbour Anne (Toni Collette).

Youre Roger Rogerson? she asks.

Yes. Guilty, he admits. Dont believe everything you read in the papers.

Anne is easily charmed by his rogue personality, although it isnt readily clear why she lacks any doubts. When he is released from prison, Rogerson looks old enough to be her father.

Much of the first part of this two part miniseries is about creating the circumstances to bring McNamara and Rogerson together, given we already know the fatal outcome. Justin Smith is excellent as a nervous McNamara who finds himself in over his head, in this male-dominated story.

But it is Roxburgh who has a field day with his swaggering, morally-bankrupt cop. He throws the Australian vernacular around like the phone books used for bruise-free interviews. Hes in just about every scene and chews up the scenery. Amongst the better scenes is Rogerson turning the tables in a police interview with inexperienced detectives, and the vengeance he wreaks on a Long Bay jail warden.

Also featured in the episode are Damian Walshe-Howling, Toby Schmitz, Aaron Jeffery (as a bikie leader before his upcoming Chopper role), and Emma Booth. Looks for cameos by Chris Truswell and Peter Mochrie.

Tony Martin reprises his original role as Neddy Smith, while Peter Phelps will also return as Abo Henry. The role of Jamie Gao, saved for episode 2, is played by Michael Tran.

There is also select flashback footage of the 1995 Blue Murder, which was held from screening in NSW for so many years. Rightly so, it has since gone on to become one of the most acclaimed Australian dramas.

The sequel stands up well, thanks to retaining its links with director Michael Jenkins and Roxburgh. Commercial break additions aside, it does adhere to the true crime bio-pic path than look more broadly at an era in NSW law & order, with its leading man promoted to anti-hero.

But with Roxburghs exemplary talents, who can blame them?

Blue Murder: Killer Cop airs 8:30pm Sunday and concludes 8:45pm Monday on Seven.
In terms of reflecting diversity and showing black and Asian characters, yes, we absolutely need to do more of it, producer Kate Oates told Radio Times.

And we need more black and Asian writers, to bring out the truth of those voices. Its important to keep the show strong and relevant, so that its running long after everyones forgotten who I am.

The first Muslim family on Coronation Street was introduced as late as 2014, while scriptwriter Jonathan Harvey called for more diversity on the show last December.

Soap historian Andrew Mercado told TV Tonight,If you compare it to EastEnders, which is set in a very multicultural part of London, and even Hollyoaks which is set in Chester, Corrie is definitely lacking in diversity and they are doing the right thing in addressing it.

Multi-cultural differences can certainly throw a spanner into any romance and scriptwriters should welcome any opportunity to explore extra dilemmas!

Coronation Street screens in Australia on UKTV.
I dont know who any of you are. I havent got a clue, Marco Pierre White tells the 10 celebrities before him on Hells Kitchen Australia.

Well, that makes 2 of us, Marco. Apart from a handful of folk, I needed screen titles to help me identify who many of this lot were.

Ironwoman, NRL champ, Olympian, British Reality Star .ok if you insist. It sort of begs the question: if a TV network & production company cant drum up enough recognisable faces, why not just go with non-celebs instead? The US edition has run for 16 seasons with competing pastry chefs, sous chefs, caterers, deli managers, pizza chefs and more.

Instead we get stars, most of whom appear to be waiting for their next gig, who freely admit they can barely cook an egg. This strikes me as a waste of Marco Pierre Whites time. After all hes known for demanding nothing but the best. So why would he fly all the way to Australia to front this show, given hes told us in the past that MasterChef Australia is without question, the greatest cooking show on earth? I guess given he hosts this in the UK, we have our answer (trivia: he also fronted Aussie format The Chopping Block in the US).

Cooking an egg is the first challenge in this apparent test of skills, which wouldnt even make the auditions of My Kitchen Rules. But this lot are already a hot mess. The Chases Issa Schultz, The Bachelorettes Sam Frost, WAG Candice Warner are about to drop like flies as the very phenomenal chef (to quote, Ms. Frost) Marco peers down at their handiwork.

If there is any fun to be had from this exercise I suppose it is in watching them squirm outside of their cliche comfort zones. That could put Hells Kitchen Australia into the trash TV-so-bad-its-good basket but I suspect the very idea of that is an anathema to our imported ringmaster.

The format for this involves a skills challenge and service challenge with one poor mug sent into the last chance cook-off, to be joined by 2 more across the week. A field challenge service is also on the menu. At the end of it all is $50,000 for their desired charity.

But there was also some serious smoke and mirrors going on.

In the service challenge, where two teams serve 60 diners, one contestant tells us, Marcos already done all the elements, so we only have to heat them and add the egg. WTF? Where was the pastry cooking for these entrees? Delivered by Uber Eats?

That effectively means we are watching struggling celebrities assembling dishes in between Marco yelling Wheres my fish, wheres my fish? So which part of this Reality is actually real again, Im confused? And lets not get started on those exterior shots of a villa-like building which are doubtless nowhere near the studio interior. Seven does this all the time, along with resisting a 60 minute episode.

The other drama that unfolds in the first episode is former politician David Oldfield clashing with Real Housewives Pettifleur Berrenger, whilst telling us he is the victim of housewife abuse from wife, Lisa. If hed seen the show, hed know we all are.

The one saving grace here is that Marco is knee-deep in this format, unlike the criticisms levelled against Adriano Zumbo in Sevens last failed attempt at a cooking show. He stalks the supermarket-branded kitchen wielding his knife in such a way that it will probably make this unsafe for children.

Im sure for those who last the distance there will be growth in the 10 celebs skill-base but right now Hells Kitchen Australia lacks the authenticity required of committing to a stripped primetime format in what is already an over-crowded genre.

Step away from the benches.

Hells Kitchen Australia premieres 7pm Sunday on Seven.
When Elisabeth Moss was cast in Top of the Lake ABC famously dropped out of the project, citing the need for an Australian in the lead role.

Understandably it wasnt a good look to have an American playing an Aussie character on a public broadcaster.

But ABCs withdrawal allowed for BBC Australia & NZ to become a partner. With Season 2 about to launch, Director Jane Campion (pictured, right) says ABCs exit was both an advantage and a disappointment.

I was disappointed for the audience that they wouldnt easily find it in Australia. It didnt make any financial difference to us at all. But I do it for an audience, so I was a little bit sad that we couldnt make it work, she says.

But it was also good not to have to have their opinions. They did give us this boring showdown on what should be happening and goody-goody ideas and stuff. So I was pleased to get rid of that aspect.

I think our partners are a lot more adventurous. Sundance and BBC liked our vision and said Go for it. But ABC was like, We know how to make TV. You should do more stuff like us.

Campion also takes the view that TV execs with job-security dont stretch themselves enough.

You begin to think you know things. Thats the problem. But when you work where we work, you always know (that) you dont. When you work at the ABC you think you know something. Thats the danger of those positions, she continues.

We wanted the best person for the role

They are a public broadcaster so (the casting) was problematic for them, I think. We wanted the best person for the role, and we auditioned really widely. Lizzie just blew us away with her audition. I was really interested in someone from Australia but nobody else liked her as much as I did.

Plus we had much more financing from UK and America, so we have to consider their needs too.

Campion was pleased, however, that Top of the Lake enjoyed a Free to Air run on ABC a year after its Pay TV screening, .which was great. ABC is an easy way to find things. At least for someone like me who doesnt look very hard!

Season Two is based in Sydney, with minimal locations shot in New Zealand. This time when the body of an Asian girl washes up on Bondi Beach, there appears little hope of finding the killer, until Detective Robin Griffin (Moss) realises China Girl didnt die alone.

We looked at the idea of staying in Queenstown and doing something else there, but I didnt want to do that. We had this instinct that we needed to change cities, take it back to Australia where she was from, and find a whole new world and a new crime. Its like a new novel really. Were not really the same as a series, we are more like a series of novels, keeping the same detective, she explains.

Weve really enjoyed the Asian quality of Sydney. You dont see it in Central but if you go out West more you could be in Vietnam. Its so Asia. So as much as possible we filled out story with Asian life, including Asian brothels and telling the story of Sydneys exploitation of Asia, cheap labour, cheap sex workers. The facelessness of women on the pleasure-boat of Sydney.

Australians live a pleasure-boat, somewhat-peaceful life

Australians live a pleasure-boat, somewhat-peaceful life compared to people who come to visit, and are struggling.

I dont think theres been a story told in Sydney like this, with as much scope and depth.

Research included visiting Asian-Australian enclaves, including brothels, and casting Asian actors, ladyboys and more. Exploring websites with brothel reviews was some of the more bizarre subcultures, which has led to scenes depicting men who are prostitute clients.

I think the BBC were shitting themselves when they read the scripts, about what those guys were actually going to say, Campion admits. Its pretty lurid. But when you meet them, they are so hopeless, so shy trying to come onto the waitress, that they are really quite touching. Its hilarious.

I just felt a surge of energy

Joining the second season is Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie and Nicole Kidman. Campion and co-writer Gerard Lee were fortunate to write the script with both actors in mind.

We did have Nicole in mind, so that was helpful. It was fun writing the part for her. And we had Gwendoline Christie in mind, Campion recalls.

I just felt a surge of energy when I thought about (Gwendoline Christie) playing that role and what she could bring to do it.. how touching, funny and moving she could be.

I met her in London and I just love her.

Its beautiful seeing her work in a much more intimate palette, than she is able to do in Game of Thrones where she is so real. She is so amazing.

A lot of it is about their relationship and building it up. They dont start in a very good place.

It just gets worse and worse with the storyline until they have this massive explosion. Robin gets the surprise of her life when she is told a few home truths.

Top of the Lake: China Girl premieres 8:30pm Sunday on BBC First.
One Nation agrees to media reforms.

Competitive neutrality inquiry into ABC & SBS

ABC / SBS to publish salaries of staff / talent over $200,000

ABC Charter to include Fair & Balanced

More rural services by ABC

Foreign ownership at 2.5% must be put on public register

More funding for community radio licenses worth $12m over 4 years

The governments push for media reforms is a step closer after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson agreed to support the governments proposals today.

Senator Hanson says One Nation has secured a number of amendments from the government including changes at the ABC, more funding for community radio and tougher restrictions on foreign ownership.

This means the government will likely get its changes through Parliament because the Nick Xenophon Team, Derryn Hinch and David Leyonhjelm have been on board.

The governments comprehensive and holistic package of reforms seeks to give Australian media organisations a fighting chance by freeing them from outdated laws and regulations, Senator Fifield said in a statement.

The reforms will give media organisations more options as to how to configure themselves to better support their viability.

Senate colleagues, apart from Labor, have been involved in active discussions with the government on media reform, Senator Fifield said.

As has been the case for the life of this Senate, it is independent and minor party colleagues who are prepared to constructively engage. Given Labor is more interested in playing politics while risking jobs and livelihoods, the government will continue to negotiate with minor party and independent Senate colleagues to secure the passage of this important legislation.

Senator Hanson said in a statement, One Nation has been at the forefront calling for more transparency of wages at the ABC and we have received assurances from the government that they will be asking the ABC to start providing details of the wages and conditions of all staff, whos (sic) wages and allowances are greater than $200,000, similar to what is being implement by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The government has also agreed to undertake a competitive neutrality inquiry into the ABC and to legislate a requirement for the ABC to be fair and balanced.

The deal has angered ABC management, given public broadcasting had nothing to do with the governments original proposals.

But Nick Xenophon wants to have a close look at the deal before now guaranteeing his support.

The Greens arent happy about the governments deal with One Nation about media reform.

I think this is an attack on the ABC, of course, and the SBS, Sarah Hanson-Young says.

This is an attack on [streaming services] iview and SBS On Demand.

.@sarahinthesen8 says One Nation has had 'their guns out' for the SBS and ABC since the start of the year. MORE https://t.co/l6sRUiglF4 pic.twitter.com/VEL9hxPLiq  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) August 15, 2017

.@PaulineHansonOz: I think we have seen the ABC swing too far to the left in recent years. #pmagenda #auspol MORE https://t.co/l6sRUiglF4 pic.twitter.com/Q9NmihFFbj  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) August 15, 2017

.@PaulineHansonOz: In all fairness to the public, wages above $200,000 at the ABC must be disclosed. MORE https://t.co/l6sRUiglF4 pic.twitter.com/uUjLwOtdMc  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) August 15, 2017

.@PaulineHansonOz: We are looking after the publics interest to make sure they are getting a fair deal with the ABC https://t.co/l6sRUiglF4 pic.twitter.com/ubzLkPg0un  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) August 15, 2017

Source: Fairfax
UK period drama Victoria is returning to BBC First in early September.

The 8 part series will screen from Tuesday September 5, about a week after its UK return.

Joining the cast for the second series are Dame Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones) as the Queens new Mistress Of The Robes, the Duchess of Bucchleuch, and Line Of Duty star Martin Compston in a guest appearance as social activist Dr. Robert Traill.

They join Jenna Coleman as Queen Victoria, Tom Hughes as Prince Albert, plus Nigel Lindsay, David Oakes, Daniela Holtz, Catherine Flemming and Nell Hudson.

Picking up a month after the birth of her first child, the new series sees Queen Victoria surprise the court when she insists on returning to her duties as soon as possible.

Having taken charge in her absence, adoring new father Albert decides not to trouble his wife with worrying news regarding the British soldiers in Afghanistan. However, as the reports worsen, Victoria grows increasingly suspicious that he and Prime Minister Robert Peel are hiding something from her.

Determined to reclaim her place with characteristic impulsiveness, Victoria brings in the formidable Duchess of Buccleuch as her new Mistress of the Robes and demands that former chef, Francatelli, return to the palace kitchens.

Meanwhile, Alberts family descend on the palace for the Christening of baby Vicky and their dynastic plotting only intensifies Victorias sense of frustration. Convinced that the truth is being kept from her, Victoria seeks answers from the Duke of Wellington.

Tuesdays at 8.30pm from September 5 on BBC First.
This week on The Living Room Amanda Keller meets Wallaby star Bernard Foley, while Dr. Chris & Miguel take a road trip to Darwin.

Travel with Dr. Chris Brown: Darwin City Guide

Chris and Miguel embark on a top end road trip to Darwin in their fancy motorhome but they are in big trouble when they find themselves out of cash. They must bag themselves a job to earn some dollars, and so Chris heads to the offices of the Northern Territory news  a newspaper known for its outrageous and hilarious headlines  to meet editor Matt Williams. Matt is prepared to pay Chris if he can successfully present a front page-story with an accompanying eye-catching headline. His quest sees him tracking ghosts in an abandoned prison and tackling vicious crocodiles head on, but will his journalistic skills deliver the ultimate scoop?

Renovation with Barry Du Bois: Take Home Barry  Indoor Blinds & Sail Shade

Young home-owners, Toby and Monique, need to install blinds on their windows and erect a shade sail in their backyard. However, they do not believe they have the DIY skills to complete these tasks alone. Barry takes the couple under his wing, along with building and renovating expert Dylan Falecki, and shows them the light when it comes to shade and DIY.

Food with Miguel Maestre: Mindil Beach Sunset Markets

While Chris is busy playing journalist for the infamous Northern Territory news, Miguel whips up some delicious tropical fruit crepes with banana and passionfruit, and heads to Darwins famous Mindil Markets to sell them.

Money with Jason Cunningham: ID Fraud

Identity crime costs Australians billions of dollars every year. Finance guru Jason Cunningham speaks to some experts to find out how criminals are accessing personal information, and gives some essential tips on ways to protect ourselves.

Celebrity with Amanda Keller: Bernard Foley

Amanda takes her two rugby fanatic sons, Liam and Jack, to visit Wallaby star Bernard Foley ahead of their Bledisloe Cup clash against the New Zealand All Blacks. Not only do they get to witness the Wallabies training but Bernard also gives them both some key tips on goal kicking.

7:30pm Friday on TEN.
Help India!

By TCN News

New Delhi: The Muslim Students Federation (MSF) Delhi wing held a national school kit distribution program under its Nayi Disha Naya Rasta initiative in Sunder Nagri, Delhi on Tuesday, August 15.

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Muslim Student Federation, the student organisation of Indian Union Muslim League, distributed school kits which included school bags, pencil box, lunch box and water bottles to over 200 students.

MSF national secretary Ateeb Khan said, This initiative is aimed to motivate people to send their children to school. Due to financial problems most of the students are not able to complete their schooling.

MSF Delhi zonal secretary, Mansoor Hudawi said, Under this campaign, we want to uplift poor people educationally and it was organised across the country by the MSF.
None of us can forget the awful events of 9/11 2001 when planes belonging to American Airlines slammed into the twin towers in New York. 3000 people or so lost their lives that tragic day and everyone will remember what they were doing on that dreadful day. It was one of those times in history when events happen to shake the world like the assassination of Kennedy and other shocking events.

So the Grenfell Tower disaster will also be seared into people's memory and will cause people to remember where they were when the awful news broke. There have been tower fires before but nothing perhaps on a par with this towering inferno which will have repercussions for years to come.

Of course, comparisons will be made with 9/11 and given they were both disasters with tall buildings it is easy to see why. Of course, the other comparison is the great loss of life from both disasters although the causes of both events are different.

Though the Grenfell loss of life is way lower than the Twin Tower victims none the less, all died in appalling circumstances.

The scale of the task

Met police say the scale of trying to find and identify Bodies in the burnt out hulk is daunting. Investigators are working on 24 floors using dental records and other measures to find out who the victims were many burnt to a crisp.

Obviously, this is why is why workers who helped find and identify 9/11 victims are being brought to the UK to do the same in the Grenfell Tower wreck.

Even with 9/11 American experts working no doubt alongside their UK colleagues the job will still be long and hard to find remains of victims.

Of course identifying the victims is only part of the story for anxious families awaiting news of their loved ones and of course, for many, there will never be closure. That goes for survivors of that dreadful night or the families awaiting news of the missing from the Grenfell Tower fire.

Conservative Council as unpopular as ever

It can easily be said there is not much love lost between the Kensington and Chelsea council and the Grenfell survivors. The survivors and their associates feel they have been badly treated and are still awaiting answers from the authorities.

The current leader of the Conservative ruled Council Elizabeth Campbell is coming under increasing pressure to provide answers for the victims of Grenfell.

One Conservative Councillor had come under fire for whispering "Don't let them in" when people were attending a stormy meeting between the council and the Grenfell survivors.

The local Labour MP for the area has attacked the Councillor for showing such hostility for the people attending the meeting.

The families need answers fast but will they have the patience to wait while British and American experts painstakingly go through the building with a fine tooth comb.
After the awful events in Charlottesville last week President Trump had the opportunity to make a speech that would go some way to establishing his position as a credible world leader and politician who has no place for extremist views. Instead what we got on August 12th was a rambling, ad-libbed speech placing the blame "on many sides."

Uproar across the US

The outrage to trump's 'many sides' remark was instant. How could the president actually believe that the demonstrations and violence by white supremacist groups be down to 'many sides'? Criticism was swift, including some from politicians in his own party and he was quick to make an attempt to backtrack with another speech condemning racism in all its forms.

Unfortunately, for some strange reason, Trump went on to make a third speech where he went back to his original views and blamed what he termed the "alt-left" as well as the "alt-right".

Fallout from business and world leaders

As a result of views expressed in his speeches, Trump has been left increasingly isolated as business chiefs have jumped ship from his manufacturing councils. The exodus was started by Kenneth Frazier, CEO of pharmaceutical company Merck, and an African American, who resigned from the council on Monday. He was followed by bosses of Under Armour and Intel and it quickly became clear that the councils were sinking fast and in fact, they have now been disbanded.

It is not solely amongst the business elite that Trump has been left adrift, UK Prime minister Theresa May has also spoken out about his views, stating in an interview with the BBC, that far right views should always be condemned.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also quoted in an article by 'The Independent' newspaper as saying that the scenes were " absolutely repulsive" and "diametrically opposed to the political goals ....of the entire German government."

The White House has issued a statement, probably as some form of damage limitation, to say that the President was condemning "all extremist groups," but the President has yet to comment himself.

Republicans against Trump

Even within his own party, Trump is experiencing opposition and several senators have spoken out against what they term "moral equivalency".

Senator John McCain gave his views in this tweet;

There's no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate& bigotry. The President of the United States should say so  John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) August 16, 2017

Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona tweeted;

We can't accept excuses for white supremacy & acts of domestic terrorism. We must condemn. Period.  Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) August 15, 2017

Many other Republican senators voiced their concerns over what appears to be Trump condoning the acts of the far-right in Charlottesville.

A President isolated

After this last episode, the President is becoming increasingly isolated and without support. He is no stranger to controversy, and indeed he seems to court it. But as he loses his grip, not only on his political allies but on business chiefs and his own party, we must wonder where this will end? Can this chaotic approach to presidency and leadership realistically continue for another three and a half years?
Last night, in the seaside Barcelona town of Las Ramblas, five terrorists drove a van through a crowd of people and killed 13 of them. They injured a further 100 in the devastating attack, before a second vehicle plowed through more people in Cambrils just hours later, that time wounding seven. Following the second attack in Cambrils, the local police officers shot and killed all five suspects in the attack.

ISIS, of course, have claimed responsibility for the attack in Barcelona, which comes as a surprise to absolutely no one. However, this claim has yet to be verified or confirmed officially.

Driss Oukabir, the first suspect to be named and the third to be arrested (in the northern Barcelona town of Ripoll), reportedly told police that his ID documentation was stolen before he could use it to rent the van.

Seven injured in the Cambrils attack

There was a second terrorist attack that took place in the same space of time in the same area with the same modus operandi, which is what happened in London, too. The coastal town of Cambrils, 120 km away from Barcelona, was hit with a vehicular attack in the early hours of this morning. Seven people  six civilians and one police officer  were injured in the attack. Where the Las Ramblas attack utilised a van, the Cambrils one utilised an Audi A3, which was flipped with its back window smashed following the attack.

After the Cambrils attack, police shot and killed all five suspects in the Barcelona terrorist attacks. They were all wearing fake suicide vests like the ones used in the London Bridge attack, which terrorists use to spread fear and make people panic but actually just serves as a pointer towards which ones the police need to shoot.

The fake vests are made by strapping disposable water bottles wrapped in duct tape to your chest. The head of the Spanish Terrorism law court, the Audiencia Nacional, Javier Zaragoza, has said that the suspects killed had no established connections with Islamist extremism.

Reuters are reporting that local authorities believe that a terrorist cell of eight people were involved in the planning and execution of the attacks in Barcelona.

An unnamed source claimed that the attack was plotted to be carried out with gas canisters, but in the end, they obviously went with the more popular hitting-a-crowd-of-people-with-a-vehicle method that ISIS are doing these days.

The police investigation is moving fast

The police and officials in Barcelona are moving on with the investigation quickly. Theyve linked the attack in Las Ramblas and the attack in Cambrils to an earlier explosion that took place in Alcanar, destroying a house. The explosion killed one person and injured at least one more. Now, police are under the impression that the explosion happened because the terrorists were preparing explosives at the house for this attack. Alcanar is located about 124 miles from Barcelona and 56 miles from Cambrils.

There was a firefight at a police roadblock in a town near Barcelona on Thursday during which a man was stabbed to death. However, police are saying that this shootout was not connected with the recent terrorist attacks in the surrounding areas of Barcelona. Despite them saying this, though, they could still be connected. Who knows? The police are currently looking into the potential link. The driver of the car is still being searched for after he stabbed the dead man and took off at the roadblock.

After the Las Ramblas attack near Barcelona, the driver of the van was at large and police were rampantly searching for him. Now, they believe they might have found him, as Spanish police have named an 18-year-old suspect they have arrested, Moussa Oukabir, who is suspected to be the driver of the van.
Last night, five terrorists wearing fake suicide vests drove a van into a crowd of people in Barcelona, killing 13 of them and injuring over 100. Amid the chaos, a seven-year-old Australian boy named Julian Cadman got separated from his mother following the attack and is now missing. His mother was critically injured in the attack and is now being treated in hospital.

Julians grandfather Tony Cadman, from Sydney, posted on his Facebook page that he is worried about his grandson, who is missing following the attack. Tony also confirmed that Julians mother Jom is being treated in hospital and is in serious but stable condition.

Andrew Cadman, Julians father, had spoken to him just a few hours before the terror attack. He is now travelling to Barcelona to search for his son.

The family have shared a photo to help the search

In a bid to aid the search for Julian, the boys family have shared a picture of him online. Australias minister in charge of foreign affairs, Julie Bishop, has confirmed that one Australian is missing after the attack in Barcelona, while four others were injured in it. Bishop told the Melbourne press that she and her people are concerned and are working closely with authorities to determine the whereabouts of the one Australian unaccounted for.
Some marriages don't last long, so it is remarkable to hear about one that has lasted as long as a Portageville, Missouri Couple who just celebrated being married 75 years. Robert Nowell, 93, and his wife Marie, 89, got married on August 22, 1942. They celebrated their wedding anniversary early on Saturday, August 12 with family and friends at Golden Corral in Cape Girardeau with lots of food, cake, music, and conversations.

Large family

Many people attended the celebration, but it would have been a large crowd if only the family had shown up because the Nowells have a very large family.

The couple has seven children, 20 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

After Robert and Marie met at a street carnival in Missouri, they married and began their family with five boys and two daughters including Robert, Donnie, M. Janet, Patricia, Ricky, Anthony, and Michael. They grew up being a close knit family. Daughter Patricia said her father worked as an equipment operator and her mother sold Blair products to take care of them as they grew up in Missouri. The parents worked hard until they retired, and then they opened a thrift shop that sold used clothes, household items and used car parts. Not only were they still making a living for their family, but they were also providing a needed service to their community.

About the couple

Anthony, 59, said he knows his parents love each other, but they had to work hard at it for 75 years. They have gone through a lot together. Patricia, 67, said she doesn't know if they have any special secret about making their marriage last for three-quarters of a century. She just knows that they never gave up on each other or their large family.

She concluded that perhaps not giving up is the secret after all. Robert and Marie say they have had a pretty good life together and they are looking forward to having many more happy years with each other and with their large family.

Couple honored

Because being married for 75 years is quite an honor, a representative for U.S.

Representative for Missouri's 8th Congressional District visited the couple and offered congratulations and gave the Nowells a U.S. Representatives medal. A letter was read to Robert and Marie thanking them for being role models in the community because they have set examples for other couples who might be struggling with their marriages and are thinking about giving up.
Donald Trump returned to social media to criticize the press over reports of his alleged undisclosed meeting with Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 Summit held July 7-8 in Hamburg, Germany. In his Twitter tirade, the U.S. president accused the media of "becoming more and more dishonest" for making a story out of an ordinary dinner arranged for the G20 leaders.

Fake News story of secret dinner with Putin is "sick." All G 20 leaders, and spouses, were invited by the Chancellor of Germany. Press knew!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2017

The Fake News is becoming more and more dishonest! Even a dinner arranged for top 20 leaders in Germany is made to look sinister!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2017

What happened at the G20 summit?

His statements came after several media outlets claimed that Trump and Putin held a second meeting following the first.

According to New York Times, the U.S. leader had an hour-long discussion with his counterpart with the help of a Russian translator.

The White House confirmed that the two had a discussion while G20 leaders and their spouses were having a meal and clarified that there was nothing significant about Trump's "brief" conversation with Putin. The White House also emphasized that the interaction took place with other top leaders around the table.

The American leader was reportedly seated next to Japan's Shinzo Abe and Abe's wife, while Melania Trump was seated next to Putin. The White House, in a statement, said Trump approached his wife and took the opportunity to speak with the Russian leader. "It is not merely perfectly normal, it is part of a president's duties, to interact with world leaders," it added.

The statement argued that it was not a "second meeting" but a "brief conversation" between the two leaders. The U.S. government, however, could not provide a record of the controversial conversation as the only witness was the Russian translator.

An unnamed official denied that the White House intended to hide Trump's conversation with Putin at the G20 summit.

However, their non-transparency of the intimate encounter has raised speculation on the relationship between the current administration and Russian government.

Trump's first meeting with Putin

The alleged undisclosed meeting took place on the same day Trump and Putin had their first bilateral meeting, wherein the American president pressed the Russian leader regarding their interference in the U.S. elections.

Rex Tillerson confirmed that the U.S. leader directly asked his Russian counterpart regarding Moscow's intrusion.

Putin denied the allegation and reportedly asked Trump to provide evidence that would prove Russia's involvement in U.S. election hacking last year. What the two Presidents, I think rightly, focused on is how do we move forward," the state secretary added.
When talking about the military options that the U.S. had against North Korea, White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said that there were none and was due to that fact that "they got us." His statement was part of an interview he gave to a Liberal magazine called The American Prospect titled: "Steve Bannon, Unrepentant" on Wednesday. Given that President Trump has been saber-rattling about wanting to attack North Korea, Bannon's statement goes entirely against what Trump's "policy" appears to be. In hindsight, one could also credit former President Obama for telling Trump that North Korea would be his most difficult adversary as president.

Saber-rattling, unlike the world, has ever seen

Trump's threat had increased in recent months as Kim Jong-un's regime continued to test ballistic missiles until the threats appeared to reach dangerous levels over the past week. Most recently, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had tested two Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) which had never been seen before and had only been imagined by those who had been studying the regime for years. Experts had only assumed that North Korea was working on missiles that could travel long distances and hit the United States.

Many of those same experts also assumed that there was no way the regime would want to test one in front of the rest of the world as it would further escalate tensions world wide.

The North Korean regime has traded shots with the U.S. saying that they would attack the mainland while President Trump threatened to take military action against them if they continued to make threats. On Tuesday of last week, Trump said that if the regime continued to threaten the United States, he would unleash a "fire and fury, unlike the world has ever seen".

On the following Wednesday, he continued to say that he hoped the United States would not need to use their nuclear arsenal against the DPRK.

Deaths from conventional warfare

Nevertheless, this goes with some of the other rhetoric the President has used against the North such as saying that if war were to break out that it would happen in that region and not here in the United States.

He reportedly said so to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) who at the time told reporters that the President had said it to his face. This made it seem as if Sen. Graham had been shocked over how disconnected the President was from human tragedy on a massive scale.

Military experts determined that such a nuclear attack against the North or even war breaking out in the Korean Peninsula would have devastating implications for the region. In Bannon's interview with the American Prospect, he said that there would only be a military option if it could be guaranteed that 10 million people would not die in Seoul within the first 30 minutes by conventional weapons.

At the time that Trump was at the height of his threats, Sen.

Graham also repeated the same view as if accepting that the U.S. would not be impacted by the war in the Korean Peninsula, suggesting that no one should worry about anything happening to the U.S. It was reported last week that in fact, North Korea was developing nuclear warheads that they could fit on the end of an ICBM before the President's "Fire And Fury" statement.

North Korea remains a global threat

This too was something that experts had predicted would eventually be within the DPRK's capability. A report by the Washington Post titled: "North Korea now making missile-ready nuclear weapons, U.S. analysts say" said that anonymous sources from the Defense Intelligence Agency determined that the DPRK had 30 to 60 nuclear warheads and the capacity to manufacture more.

The implications of such a strike on American soil referred to targets such as Alaska, Chicago, and Los Angeles while it's still unknown if any city would be safe. The defense system that is set up to protect the U.S. has reportedly failed in simulations and Congress has yet to improve additional installments of the system in other parts of the country. Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis also made similar threats against North Korea after the President had but cleaned up some of the rhetoric.

Instead, he said that the U.S. would take military action only if the DPRK took similar action and that the U.S. would not attack simply over threats. The DPRK announced that they would have plans ready to launch missiles near Guam by the middle of August but by this Tuesday, their Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un decided to stand down and see what the "foolish Yankees would do".

As Bannon has said, there is no military action to take against North Korea. It's already been reported that South Korea would make it extremely difficult as they said the U.S. would have to get their approval before that happened. On the other hand, Former Director of Central Intelligence Mike Morrell said recently that for the U.S. to strike the North would be extremely difficult. But this doesn't mean that the U.S. would not try. It's likely that they would certainly need the cooperation and to coordinate with South Korea.
One person has been killed with dozens being left inured after a white nationalist rally spiraled into chaos on Saturday afternoon in Virginia. After Donald Trump gave his thoughts on what took place, many others decided to chime in, including Hillary Clinton.

Clinton on Charlottesville

On Saturday afternoon in Charlottesville, Virginia, hundreds of white nationalists came together to participate in what was known as the "Unite the Right" rally. Shortly after the controversial event kicked off, counter-protesters appeared and clashed with the rally-goers.

Within minutes, the rally quickly turned into violence, with as many as 26 individuals being rushed to the hospital. At least once person has also been reported dead as of press time after a car plowed through a group of protesters, with an eyewitness claiming that the car picked up steam as it approached the group. In response, Donald Trump condemned the incident, stating, "What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives." Trump then spoke out against violence on "both sides," triggering backlash from his critics who blame the president for the racial tensions in the United States. As seen on her Twitter account on August 12, Hillary Clinton gave her thoughts about what took place.

Video captures the moment a car plowed through a crowd of protesters and then reversed through the street in #Charlottesville, Virginia. pic.twitter.com/nIYtBMPQCO  NBC News (@NBCNews) August 12, 2017

Taking to Twitter on Saturday afternoon was Hillary Clinton who pushed back against the White Nationalist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, while throwing shade at Donald Trump without even mentioning his name.

"My heart is in Charlottesville today, and with everyone made to feel unsafe in their country," Clinton wrote in her first tweet.

But the incitement of hatred that got us here is as real and condemnable as the white supremacists in our streets.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 12, 2017

"But the incitement of hatred that got us here is as real and condemnable as the white supremacists in our streets," Hillary Clinton wrote in a follow-up tweet, in an apparent hint towards the controversy surrounding Donald Trump.

"Every minute we allow this to persist through tacit encouragement or inaction is a disgrace," Clinton stated.

Now is the time for leaders to be strong in their words & deliberate in their actions.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 12, 2017

Double down

Not stopping there, Hillary Clinton continued to address the aftermath of the white nationalist rally turned riot in Virginia. "Now is the time for leaders to be strong in their words and deliberate in their actions," she tweeted, in what many believe is a direct shot at Donald Trump and his rhetoric and actions over the last two years.

We will not step backward. If this is not who we are as Americans, let's prove it.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 12, 2017

"We will not step backward.

If this is not who we are as Americans, let's prove it," Hillary Clinton added in her final tweet as of press time. With the headlines now being dominated by the aforementioned rally, only time will tell how the White House and Washington move forward.
On Thursday afternoon, multiple terrorist attacks occurred in Spain, drawing massive attention from around the world. First Lady Melania Trump decided to offer her thoughts and prayers over what took place, but was met with backlash from those who oppose the current administration.

Melania on Twitter

In recent years, the Islamic State (ISIS) has either carried out terrorist attacks directly or inspired others to follow in their footsteps. Where it's in Europe, the United States, or other nations around the world, the threat of Islamic terrorism has become a sad reality for many to deal with.

It was on Thursday in Barcelona when a van plowed through a crowd, injuring over 100 while killing 14 in the process. Less than 24 hours prior, a home in nearby Alcanar exploded leaving one dead, with another terror attack taking place on Friday in Cambrils. Authorities believe that the incidents were possibly related, with ISIS coming forward to take credit for what took place. Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy labeled the incident as an attack by "jihadi terrorism," with United States President Donald Trump issuing similar remarks. Not long after the attacks took place, Melania Trump tweeted out a short response on August 17.

Thoughts and prayers to #Barcelona  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 17, 2017

Following the deadly attacks in Barcelona, Melania Trump took to Twitter to offer her thoughts.

"Thoughts and prayers to Barcelona," the first lady quickly published to her social media account. Donald Trump took a harder line in his words, tweeting, "Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!"

JUST IN: Death toll rises to 14 in Spain terror attacks that also injured more than 100 others https://t.co/IkPMJKpx8i pic.twitter.com/NmJCK39goz  CNN (@CNN) August 18, 2017

Twitter reacts

In response to Melania Trump's tweet, those who oppose Donald Trump and the administration were quick to fire back.

"Remember to tell your husband that he must wait at least three days before placing any blame. Facts, you know," one Twitter user wrote.

Put less effort into a condolences tweet..... oh wait, that wouldn't be possible. This literally isn't even a full sentence.  Stephen Soock (@ssoock) August 17, 2017

Remember to tell your husband that he must wait at least three days before placing any blame. Facts, you know.  Henning Kilset (@pedershk) August 17, 2017

Waiting for your husband to declare this a terrorist attack, while giving Nazis and white supremacists a free pass for same exact thing here  Lance Kern (@LanceKern) August 17, 2017

"Put less effort into a condolences tweet.....

oh wait, that wouldn't be possible. This literally isn't even a full sentence," another tweet went on to read. "How is the anti-bullying campaign going? Ever considered staring with your hubby?" an additional tweet noted.

I must have missed your tweet where you sent thoughts and prayers to #Charlottesville ... #wtf #bigotry  HD (@hdzimmermann) August 17, 2017

Her anti-bullying campaign was anotherlie. All trump's lie all the time. #trumplies  Alotsa (@alotsmilesalot) August 17, 2017

"I must have missed your tweet where you sent thoughts and prayers to #Charlottesville...#wtf #bigotry," yet another tweet read. As the backlash continued against Melania Trump, it was made clear that the rift between those on the political left and right wasn't going to end anytime soon.
The FBI arrested a 23-year-old Oklahoma man on suspicion of terrorism. The authorities nabbed the man just before he was about to detonate a vehicle filled with explosives. The incident occurred on Saturday, August 12, and the suspect Jerry Drake Varnell is being held in custody. On Monday, August, 14, the FBI revealed that the man was arrested for attempting to detonate bombs.

The incident

The FBI revealed that 23-year old Varnell from Oklahoma City planned to detonate explosives outside a downtown Bank in the city. CNBC reported that it was the BancFirst building.

According to the agencys documents, the suspect had parked a stolen van that contained nearly 1000 pounds of ammonium nitrate. The FBI officials arrested him at around 1 AM. It seems and his plans were reminiscent of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombings.

The agency had been monitoring Jerry since December as the suspect held anti-government ideals and had previously openly stated that he wanted to blow up the Federal Reserve in Washington. He even sent a text to someone he knew informing them of his plans about bombing the bank in Oklahoma City. Jerry also expressed his desire to use the same plan that was carried out in the 1995 bombing incident. These texts were forwarded to the FBI by the person who received them.

The FBI agents set up a meeting with Varnell with an undercover agent, who was acting as the agent who would sell Varnell the explosive equipment he wanted to use to blow the bank up. This meeting was recorded by the agents and during the proceedings, the accused even revealed that he followed the 3-percenters ideology. After the meeting, the accused carefully plotted the bombing and loaded the vehicle with the explosive items.

He also allegedly decided which bank would be the target of his attack. FBI officials revealed that at no point were the ordinary people of the city in any danger as the explosives sold to the accused were not real. However, Varnell's intention of blowing up the bank was quite real and he wanted to create the explosion.

What happens to Varnell?

Varnell is currently being held by US Marshalls in anticipation of an appearance at a federal court for his hearing. He has been charged with attempting to use an explosive to ruin a structure in interstate commerce. If convicted of the charges, he faces a minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum term of 20 years. The Oklahoman reported that via a Facebook post, someone claiming to be his brother - Cade, shared that Jerry was forced into the criminal act by the FBI themselves.
"90 Day Fiance" Paola Mayfield hasn't quite mastered the idea of putting her husband before herself and her friends, but that hasn't stopped her from pointing fingers at her fellow immigrant bride, Anfisa Arkhipchenko. Fans are tuning in and keeping up with the journey of these two controversial wives on the TLC show "90 Day Fiance' Happily Ever After."

Both of the brides made a lot of sacrifices to be with the man they love. They each traveled to the US on a K-1 Fiance' Visa and had only 90 days to get married or return to their country. While Paola married Russ in Oklahoma, she quickly decided that she would be happier in a Spanish cultural environment, such as Miami.

Leaving Russ behind to take care of the adult things, she headed to Florida saying she wanted to pursue a career in modeling. On '90 Day Fiance'", however, she puts a lot of time and energy into enjoying the nightlife with her best friend, Juan. When Russ joins his wife, he quickly learns that she will allow her friend to disrespect him and make fun of him, never defending the man she has taken vows with.

Anfisa has always told Jorge she is in it for the money

As for Anfisa, she is the Russian bride that has always said that she is out for the money. Jorge made promises of a millionaire lifestyle, and she was on the plane. Once here, the couple learned they make each other miserable, so it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

They continued the terrible tumultuous relationship and married within the required time frame. Of course, all that was accomplished is Anfisa got a green card and now worries about the debt she may have to take on as a result of Jorge lying about his net worth. Recently fans of "90 Day Fiance'" have seen Anfisa's anger escalate to the point of her striking Jorge twice.

To the outrage of viewers, TLC did not step in when this occurred.

Russ gets an apology but is his bride throwing shade at co-star?

With both brides in hot water with fans of "90 Day Fiance," "In Touch Weekly" reports that Paola took to Instagram to apologize to her husband for not standing up to Juan when she should have.In the article from "In Touch Weekly," Paolo adds that she would never "strike" Russ.

Ok, so the apology was good, but the snarky remark at the end is being taken as a jab at Anfisa. While Anfisa should be called out for her unacceptable physical outbursts, Paola may not be the best one to do it. Throwing stones, glass houses - you know the saying.

Time will tell if Anfisa decides to apologize to Jorge, strike back at Paola, or just let it go and focus on her alleged newfound career on a stripper pole, as was previously reported by "Blasting News." Tell us what you think of these blushing brides in the comments section below.
Ben Affleck starred as Holden McNeil in "Chasing Amy" where he shared the big screen with Jason Lee as Banky Edwards and Joey Lauren Adams as Alyssa Jones. The 1997 film directed by Kevin Smith revolved around the lives of two longtime friends who bumped into a lesbian comic book artist.

For the 20th anniversary of the romantic-comedy movie, the award-winning director graced the recent Outfest in Los Angeles where he talked about the indie film. Smith also revealed how Affleck and Lee struggled with their kissing scenes for the View Askewniverse series.

Critics react to 1997 comment

According to a Hollywood Life report, the "Argo" actor reportedly said that "a man kissing another man is the greatest acting challenge an actor can ever face." His statement was reported by PAPER magazine which caught the attention of the public including Evan Rachel Wood.

The actress and musician, who is an openly bisexual, shared the now-deleted post and criticized Affleck for a comment he made 20 Years ago. The actress, in a series of tweets, thought his statement was "damaging" and suggested that the actor should know better.

Also, you think us ladies like kissing all the guys we kiss? Just cause its a "straight kiss" doesnt mean we enjoy it. Ahem.  #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 18, 2017

Wood even addressed a user who slammed her for attacking the "Live By Night" actor.

Hey. I have been raped and came out with it publicly last year. Maybe you shouldnt throw stones in a glass house. https://t.co/X0MWXllOsH  #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) July 19, 2017

In 2016, the "Mildred Pierce" actress confessed she was sexually assaulted by a significant other during their relationship. Not only that, Wood opened up she was also raped by a bar owner on a separate occasion.

"I don't believe we live in a time where people can stay silent any longer. Not given the state our world is in with its blatant bigotry and sexism," she wrote.

Several users, however, thought it was wrong for Wood to attack Affleck for something he allegedly said two decades ago. A commenter fired back at the actress and asked that she should read the entire story before she gives her comments.

Did you even read the article? It was a quote that wasn't even said by Ben Affleck & was literally 20 f*cking years ago. You grow up. https://t.co/JG6eFhn3Eg  JES @ #SDCC (@JesabelRaay) July 18, 2017

Evan Rachel Wood: *goes after Ben Affleck over something he said 20yrs ago, as if ppl don't change*



Also Evan: pic.twitter.com/CYKsy8qpYB  Rigor Morton   (@WeirdNPissdOff) July 19, 2017

The controversy over Affleck's comments on his kissing scenes with "Chasing Amy" co-actor came a day after the "Justice League" alum received a Humanitarian Award at the Starkey Hearing Foundation Gala over the weekend.

Dude y'all are coming for Ben affleck for something he said 20 years ago y'all MUST be bored  Raegan (@raegansmythe13) July 19, 2017

'Chasing Amy' director speaks up on issue

Smith, on the other hand, called out PAPER magazine for their story about his statements about Affleck.

The director emphasized that the comment was made in 1997 and added that there is no way that the actor still shares the same sentiment 20 years later.

I love your mag, but this is misleading & unfair Tweet copy. He SAID it in 1997 when he was in his goofy 20's. No way he STILL feels that. https://t.co/kS4RHuNYMz  KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) July 18, 2017

The publication also released a statement regarding their story and admitted that the post was taken down because of its "misleading" content.
Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus made no effort to shy away from paparazzi when they went out to grab a coffee at a New York cafe on Wednesday. In fact, the new couple have been seen together on several occasions since they first stepped out as lovers earlier this month.

Affleck and Shookus are going public with relationship

The "Argo" actor went for a casual look in a light yellow shirt, a pair of dark jeans, sneakers, and visor. The "Saturday Night Live" producer, on the other hand, wore a blue dress with a pair of white sneakers, and dark sunglasses.

The couple were photographed walking side by side while sipping their cups of coffee.

Their latest public appearance as a couple came after Affleck announced that he was dropping out of "Triple Frontier" to focus on himself and his family. The actor refused to provide any further explanation for backing out of the Netflix movie. The 44-year-old A-lister became the third actor to turn down the project after Tom Hardy and Channing Tatum left due to scheduling conflicts. Affleck's decision was made in the wake of his divorce from Jennifer Garner two years after they announced their separation.

What went wrong between Affleck and Garner?

In April, Affleck and Garner officially filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for ending their decade-long marriage.

The "Daredevil" duo, however, promised to maintain a good relationship to fulfill their parental duties to Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel. In fact, Affleck regularly goes on family outings with Garner and their children, and they even attend church services every Sunday.

Meanwhile, the "Live By Night" star seemingly confirmed his relationship with new girlfriend, Shookus, two months after filing for divorce.

The actor and "SNL" producer were seen enjoying a late night dinner date earlier this month. It was also reported that Shookus stayed at Affleck's house the night before she was spotted at the airport.

A source close to Garner told US Magazine that the actress is "okay" with Affleck's newfound love in Shookus. "Jen knew about the new relationship and still chose to go on vacation with Ben for the 4th of July."

After making their relationship public, Affleck and Shookus were mired in cheating rumors after multiple sources claimed that the couple had been dating even before they separated from their respective spouses. The insider, however, clarified that the couple are still in the early stages of their relationship.
"Days Of Our Lives" spoilers reveal that Sami Brady will be back in Salem in the near future. Actress Alison Sweeney recently wrapped up a 2-month stint as the fan favorite character, and it's set to air this fall. While fans are over the moon about the return of Sami, even if it is only for a few weeks, they're unclear about why Sami is coming home, and now some details have finally been revealed.

Sami is coming home

According to Celeb Dirty Laundry, Sami Brady will be returning to Salem in the fall. Her return will be just in time for Chandler Massey to make his way back to "Days of our Lives" as Will Horton.

As many "DOOL" fans will remember, Will was seemingly killed off by Ben Weston, the necktie killer. However, it seems that that wasn't the case after all, and now he's coming home to his family, and his mother, Sami. Of course, Sami will want to be there to welcome Will home, but she'll also likely want revenge on whoever was keeping him away from his family all this time.

Will's alive

Alison Sweeney made no secret that she was upset with "Days of our Lives" for killing off Will, who is a legacy character, hailing from both the Brady and Horton families. Will had been a character on the show since his birth, and fans were outraged when the show decided to write him out of the storyline the way they did.

Nicole better watch out

Meanwhile, in addition to Will's homecoming storyline, Sami Brady will also probably cause a bit of drama while she's in Salem. Fans know that Sami is known for being a bit of a troublemaker, and this time should be no exception. Rumor has it that Sami will clash with her old enemy, Nicole Walker about some old issues, and possibly some new ones.

As many "Days of our Lives" fans will remember, Sami and Nicole have a long history. Nicole was previously married to two of Sami's ex-husbands, Lucas and EJ, and even kidnapped her daughter, Sidney, back in the day. While "DOOL" fans know that Nicole is set to leave Salem herself in the near future, this could be a chance for viewers to see one last good catfight between Sami and Nicole.

DiMera drama?

In addition, there is also the little subject of Sami Brady stealing the DiMera fortune before leaving town. It seems that she could have some explaining to do to Chad and Andre when she comes home, and many fans are hoping that her return will also usher in a new storyline where EJ DiMera somehow returns from the dead as well. It looks like "Days of our Lives" fans have a lot to look forward to in the coming months.
Thursday saw a brutal terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain, as a van sped down the popular tourist street of La Rambla, killing 13 people and injuring over 100 more. Islamic State (ISIS) have since claimed responsibility for the attack, while Spanish police thwarted a further attack by killing five suspected terrorists in the resort town of Cambrils.

Barcelona terror attack

In the worst incident of its kind in Spain since the Madrid train bombings of 2004, that saw 193 dead and 1,700 injured, Thursdays attack in Barcelona has left 13 people dead and more than 100 victims injured.

It is also the first jihadist attack in Spain since 2004.

According to Joaquim Forn, the Catalan Interior Minister, the number of injured could increase as investigations continue. As reported by The Local, people from 24 countries were killed or injured in the attack, including several European countries, China and Australia. According to the U.S. State Department, at least one American citizen received minor injuries.

Warning: video contains graphic images

The Barcelona attack happened at 4:50 p.m. Thursday when a white van sped down 500 m (1640 ft) of the popular and crowded tourist area of La Rambla, zigzagging through pedestrians. What made things worse was the fact there are no protective bollards on La Rambla, which allowed the vehicle to easily mount the central area between the two driving lanes, where tourists gather and stroll.

The terror attack led to panic throughout the center of Barcelona, where police evacuated the surrounding streets during their hunt for the suspects. While residents were warned to stay in their homes, El Pais reports that many ignored the request as they headed out to help the victims and to give blood.

Thousands this morning, marching, gathering, remembering the Barcelona attack: a city that refuses to be terrorized. pic.twitter.com/BIf5jaRgvM  Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) August 18, 2017

While police have identified the person who rented the van as Driss Oukabir, the Mossos dEsquadra regional police confirm the driver of that van is yet to be found as he fled the vehicle after the attack.

As reported by The Local, the driver is believed to be 18-year-old Moussa Oukabir Soprano, Oukabirs younger brother. Driss Oukabar was taken into custody by police, along with a second, unidentified man, in the town of Alcanar. Police believe the suspect and other persons were preparing an explosive device, planning on further terror attacks.

According to the head of the Mossos dEsquadra, Josep Lluis Trapero, witnesses at the scene said there was no evidence to say the van driver was armed. Police further confirmed that the act was deliberate and that the incident is considered a terrorist attack and was carried out in a similar manner to other recent attacks in Nice, Germany and Stockholm.

Police kill five terror suspects in Cambrils

Some hours after the Barcelona terror attack, five terror suspects were shot and killed in Cambrils, a resort town 73 miles from the city. According to Spanish news reports, the Mossos dEsquadra initially shot four suspected terrorists, believed to be wearing explosive belts, in a vehicle in Cambrils.

Reuters have confirmed via Twitter that the suicide belts were found to be fake.

Explosive belts worn by Cambrils attackers were fake: Catalan regional head https://t.co/TbQj8KqoGk pic.twitter.com/T3odj3XU8v  Reuters Top News (@Reuters) August 18, 2017

A fifth terror suspect was tracked down by helicopter and was shot by police. During the incident, six people were injured, including three police officers.The fifth terror suspect reportedly stabbed a woman as he fled from the scene.

Police believe the terror suspects in question were planning a further attack. Police made a statement on Twitter to say events in Cambrils were related to a terror attack and that they have killed those responsible.

This latest incident occurred at 1:15 a.m. after a car was stopped by a police patrol close to the towns marina. According to witnesses at the scene, the vehicle ran into three pedestrians, while the driver ignored officers who attempted to stop them. Following this, four terror suspects exited the vehicle, leading to police opening fire and killing the suspects. Early Friday morning saw forensic teams at the scene, collecting evidence and fingerprints as their investigations continue.
People observe a minute of silence at Plaza de Cataluna in Barcelona on Friday, the day after a van plowed into pedestrians on the city's popular Las Ramblas boulevard, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 100.Sergio Perez / REUTERS

He sends letter denouncing terror after two deadly vehicle attacks

President Xi Jinping has written to King Felipe of Spain to express his condolences over the terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils that killed at least 14 people on Thursday and Friday.

In his letter, Xi mourned the dead and expressed sympathy on behalf of China to the bereaved families and the injured.

"China is firmly opposed to all forms of terrorism and stands ready to work with the international community, including Spain, to strengthen anti-terror cooperation so as to jointly safeguard regional and world peace and stability," he wrote.

Spanish police said after the attacks that they had identified a cell of jihadists operating in the northern Spanish region of Catalonia.

The most serious incident occurred in Barcelona on Thursday when a man drove a van 500 meters down the city's most famous boulevard, Las Ramblas, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 130.

The street was full of tourists, and the victims were from around the world. Three of the injured were Chinese; two from Taiwan were being treated at a hospital, while one from Hong Kong received minor injuries.

A woman places a candle on a placard that says, in Spanish and Catalan, "Catalonia, place of peace", near where a van struck pedestrians in Barcelona.Sergio Perez /REUTERS

Premier Li Keqiang expressed condolences on Friday to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy over the attacks.

Unlike in London, where posts have been placed between popular pedestrian areas and roads following two vehicle attacks, there was nothing to prevent the attacker from driving freely down the wide pedestrian zone, veering to the left and right in search of victims.

Police arrested two people but were still searching for the driver, identified by authorities as Moussa Oukabir, an 18-year-old Moroccan. Police arrested his brother, Driss Oukabir, 28, who they said had rented the van, in Ripoll near the border with France. Oukabir told police he had not rented the van and that his identity papers had been stolen.

Early Friday, a car was driven into a crowd in the coastal town of Cambrils, killing one person. The driver and four passengers were shot dead by police. Five bystanders and one police officer were injured. Police said the men were wearing fake bomb vests.

The Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, the inspiration for recent vehicle attacks in London, Stockholm, Berlin and Nice, claimed responsibility for the attacks but did not give any information connecting the individuals involved in the attacks to the group.

conal@mail.chinadailyuk.com
African importers turning to China for quality, convenience

China has become popular in Africa, not only because of its massive infrastructure developments, but also as a key source of goods.

In fact, most businesspeople in Africa have shifted their focus to importing from China. There are two reasons for this.

First, China is currently a low-cost manufacturing center, and so is one of the top choices for African importers looking for cost-effective goods.

Second, import procedures are not as complicated as they are for other parts of the world.

Because of this, many people - including small-and medium-sized enterprises - can source goods directly from China, cutting out middlemen and increasing profits.

Shritesh Lakhani, finance manager of BBC Auto Spares Ltd, a motor vehicle spare parts company based in Kenya, says his company switched from India to China as a source of imports because it meant a lot less bureaucracy.

"Doing business with China is easy compared to other countries. Once I give the specification of what I need, I'm assured of receiving the consignment on time. I'm an Indian, but I prefer dealing with Chinese manufacturers rather than those in my home country," he says.

Similar sentiments are expressed by Patrick Kuria, who has been importing electronic goods from China for the last 10 years. Kuria runs Pes Electricals and Hardware, a company that deals with electrical accessories, water pumps and car washing machines, among other products.

He says the Chinese are honest, friendly and easy to deal with.

"The basic thing that Chinese suppliers are looking for is trust from the importers. With that, you will build a strong business relationship," he says.

Kuria describes China as the world's From page 1 factory, where a businessperson can find almost anything. It may be challenging for newcomers, but, once they have the right information on how to import, it becomes much easier.

"The first step is deciding what to import, finding suppliers, ordering a sample, ordering smaller batches, placing an order and negotiating terms. It is, however, wise to visit the country if you are in a position to do so. This will help ensure that what you import is exactly what you require. It also helps to build confidence with the manufacturers," he says.

According to a recent report by McKinsey & Co, titled Dance of the Lions and Dragons, many African companies are replacing existing imports of equipment and other goods with lower-cost Chinese alternatives.

More than half of the African business leaders interviewed during the research said that cheaper and more easily available items were a major source of value from the Africa-China economic relationship.

For instance, a pan-African packaging company reported that it had previously imported packaging machinery from Germany and Italy but had decided to switch to a Chinese provider.

"The quality of Chinese equipment has been improving rapidly in the past few years and now it's 95 percent as good as German or Italian equipment - yet the price remains very competitive," the CEO of the company told McKinsey& Co.

The CEO said the Chinese supplier was ready to address any issues and was aggressively taking market share from European companies.

Another CEO from a South African company, dealing with the manufacture and distribution of electro-mechanical equipment, says Chinese suppliers take a longer-term view than their Western counterparts.

"Our Chinese supplier is willing to take the risk and do the research and development for the specific parts that we need, then transfer the technology to us in order to build a long-term partnership. Suppliers in Europe are unlikely to do so, and they tend to be far more concerned about their patents," he says.

Bob Wekesa, research associate of the China-Africa Reporting Project at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, says the affordability of Chinese products, compared with US and European products, is one of the key reasons behind the growth of African imports from China.

He says it's easy to access products from Chinese manufacturing hubs, especially Guangzhou and Yiwu. In contrast, US and European manufacturing hubs are scattered around several cities, making it difficult for importers to purchase their goods conveniently.

"Compared to the American and European markets, China offers cheap air tickets and shipment costs, so it is more convenient to source goods from the country. Obtaining travel visas is also easier," Wekesa says.

China has overtaken Germany and the United States to become Africa's biggest source of goods.

It has far surpassed Africa's longstanding trade partners such as France, Germany, India and the US.

According to a survey by the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC, in terms of Africa's imports, Germany was the largest source in 2005, with China just slightly behind and the US ranking third.

However, by 2013 China had become by far the largest source of imports to the continent, with the amount totaling nearly $45 billion, about three times the levels of either Germany or the US. India was the second-largest exporter to Africa, with flows totaling more than $20 billion.

In 2015, Chinese exports to Africa grew further, reaching $103 billion. South Africa was the largest Chinese goods importer, followed by Nigeria and Egypt.

Nevertheless, compared to other parts of the world, Chinese exports to Africa are quite minimal. According to research organization World's Top Exports, 49.8 percent of Chinese exports by value are delivered to other Asian countries, 21.2 percent to North America, 18.5 percent to Europe and 4.4 percent to Africa.

The volume of trade (imports and exports) between China and Africa reached $200 billion in 2013, making China Africa's biggest trade partner. Trade between the US and Africa, on the other hand, amounted to $109 billion the same year.

Angola is China's biggest trading partner in Africa, with an average annual trade of over $18.6 billion, followed by South Africa, with an average annual trade of $16.7 billion.

Among China's top African trading partners, six are oil exporters and three have diversified economies. Trade between China and its top 10 African trading partners accounted for 76 percent of the total trade between China and Africa in 2013.

Until recently, most African traders and consumers associated China with production of substandard goods. This notion has been wiped away by an increasing number of initiatives from the Chinese government to enhance cooperation and friendship with African governments.

The construction of quality infrastructure in Africa has played a key role in building trust. Another initiative has been establishment of Confucius Institutes across the continent, helping Africans to better understand Chinese people and their culture.

China Trade Week in Nairobi, capital of Kenya between June 29 and July 1. Liu Hongjie / China Daily

Kiprop Lagat, Kenya's director of culture, says that through the establishment of Confucius Institutes, as well as various cultural programs like the 1,000 People Plan Project, launched by the Chinese Ministry of Culture, a lot of myths have been dispelled, making it easier for Chinese to do business with Africans.

The project, which aims to train 1,000 Africans involved in various aspects of culture by the end of 2018, has so far seen more than 200 people receive training in cultural management in China.

Chinese exhibitions, especially China Trade Week, organized by MIE Events, have created a platform for Chinese manufacturers to meet African businesspeople. This has extensively helped in building confidence in Chinese manufactured goods, consequently increasing the volume of exports to Africa.

Who is to blame for substandard goods made in China?

Michelle Meyrick, international events director for MIE Events, says the preconception that China only produces low-quality products is a problem experienced not only in Africa but across the globe.

"China can produce very high-quality products, but when buyers have big budgets they think of Europe and the US. When they have low budgets they think of China. iPhones are made in China and I don't think anyone would say they are low quality," she says.

According to the Business Insider website, the reason Apple manufactures iPhones in China is because most of its component supply chain is in China and the country's factories are now far bigger and more nimble than those in US. Additionally, China now has a far bigger supply of appropriately qualified engineers than the US.

Meyrick says China has the resources to make products according to all budgets, from the very low to the highest quality, giving businesspeople freedom of choice.

"We have incorporated conferences into China Trade Weeks in an effort to educate local companies that they can get high-quality, high-tech products from China," she says.

During China Trade Week in Kenya from June 29 to July 1, the conference room was always packed, an indication that businesspeople are eager to learn about importing from China.

Since May, MIE Events has organized China Trade Week in four African countries - Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia - and plans are underway to hold a similar event in Morocco in December.

The response from all of them, Meyrick says, has been amazing and the volume of imports from China is poised to grow further, since the expo has provided Africans with an opportunity to meet face-to-face with manufacturers for discussions and business cooperation.

Julius Sunkuli, the former Kenyan ambassador to China, says China's factories manufacture goods that are meant to comply with standards in the US and Europe, among others. He laments that African businesspeople mostly go for the low standards, the reason Chinese goods have gained such a bad reputation on the continent.

"I urge African businesspeople to go for the best-quality products instead of going for the cheap substandard goods. This gives the wrong impression that China is flooded with such goods," Sunkuli says.

Importer Patrick Kuria says substandard goods are not a Chinese problem but rather an African one.

"If you order cheap products, you can be assured of getting low quality," he says, demonstrating two electronic devices, one heavier (high quality) going for 1,500 Kenyan shillings ($14) and the other one lighter (low quality) going for Ksh200.

"Many people would prefer the cheaper one, which will not last long and may not be effective. Africans should understand that cheap is expensive," he says.

Kuria, an electrician by profession, advises importers who are not professional in the field for which businesspeople they are importing to employ professionals in order to get good-quality products.

"It's important to involve technicians who understand the fine details of what you want to import, especially electronics and machinery," he says.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn
Stephen Ketu says that most of the people in Ghana whom he helped into the export business with China are now very rich. Provided to China Daily

Businessman helps African entrepreneurs overcome the problems and misunderstandings linked with imports and exports

When Stephen Ketu arrived in Beijing in the late 1990s, he worked for small change and gifts, cutting the hair of Ghanaian diplomats. Today, he is a central figure in trade between China and Africa.

The 50-year-old business tycoon traveled to the Chinese capital in 1998 after four years in Hong Kong to renew his passport, but was told by the Ghanaian embassy he would need to wait for four months.

To cover his costs, he began offering haircuts to embassy workers, some of whom paid him, while others gave him gifts or bought him lunch as a token of appreciation.

But he had an eye on the big picture, seeking out business opportunities.

"I began exporting marble (and) tiles to Norway after learning how to authenticate various specifications," he said recently at an event attended by visiting African journalists in Beijing.

Before taking the leap to exporting tiles, his first objective was assimilation: setting aside his traditional Ghanaian food, learning Mandarin and getting to know the locals. It paid off - he married his Chinese fiance a couple of years later, and she now helps run his company.

In 2004, Ketu climbed a few steps up the ladder, becoming his own boss after obtaining a license from the authorities to export tiles and building materials to Ghana.

The fast pace of imports and exports saw his business growing bigger at a time when China's booming tile factories were seeking new markets abroad.

Five years later, the Ghanaian successfully established Tianjin Able Import and Export Trading Co Ltd, which has offices in Tianjin and Beijing, more than 30 Chinese partners and an annual average turnover of $150 million. By the end of 2016, the company had exported more than $560 million worth of products, including tricycles, buses, sanitary equipment and various types of machinery, mostly to West Africa.

Ketu then began helping his compatriots to strengthen their business dealings with China as trade links grew stronger between Ghanaian importers and Chinese manufacturers.

"Most of the people in my country that I helped into the export business with China are now very rich," he says, adding that he has also helped several Chinese entrepreneurs invest in Ghana.

"We have done a lot, but I'm always looking for other opportunities, especially for Africans," he says. "We want to work with others because there are a lot of opportunities here in China for Africans to explore."

As he keeps an eye on the whole of Africa, aiming to deepen collaboration with other entrepreneurs and share his vast experience of Chinese manufacturers and products, he's aware of the challenges on both sides of the import-export trade chain and is already helping minimize the risks that traders experience.

The hurdles African entrepreneurs endure exporting products from China are sometimes compounded by the fear of being duped or receiving the goods with the wrong specifications, says Kwadwo Atuahene, trade attache at the Ghana embassy in Beijing.

Top Chinese manufacturers and government officials have warned African businesses against dealing with unrecognized companies.

"When you select the contractor, service provider or manufacturer, please select credible Chinese national companies or companies that are well recognized," advises Hu Weidong, vice-president for international affairs at Dongfang Electric Corp, a company involved in several hydropower projects in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda and Egypt.

"Many times, African countries and our friends only make selections based on the price tag; they don't know the disadvantages," Hu said in May while speaking at the company's headquarters in Chengdu, Sichuan province, about the misconceptions dogging the image of Chinese products in Africa.

Qian Keming, vice-minister for Africa relations at the Ministry of Commerce said at a news conference in March following the National People's Congress: "We have also signed bilateral trade and investment agreements with African countries, and we have established a bilateral mechanism through which we can overcome these challenges."

Qian was responding to a question about the quality of Chinese-made products in Africa.

But Ketu says limited information about the specifications and quality of products and the absence of trade liaisons on both sides are giving rise to inconsistencies.

"Sometimes people (African businessmen) come to me and want to buy something and don't have the specifications of what they want. They are only concerned about the price of the product," he says.

At the Ghana embassy in Beijing, the trade attache Atuahene says he is coordinating with a business center run by Ketu to enhance smooth trade exchanges.

"When we saw Ketu, then we thought that he could set up a business center backed by the embassy - based on his experience and his knowledge of China - to assist businesspeople to avoid troubles," says Atuahene, who adds that the center makes his job easier.

With offices in Beijing and Accra, the business center verifies manufacturers and products and arranges shipment to avoid hitches and risks for both parties.

Ketu says problems on both sides of the import chain will be minimized once African importers understand Chinese manufacturers and the products they want to trade.

"In order to import or export quality products, you must have the appropriate specifications you want to import or export," he says.

Alpha Daffae Senkpeni is a journalist with FrontPage Africa, based in Liberia, who is visiting China Daily as part of a 10-month China-Africa Press Centre fellowship.

For China Daily
President Xi Jinping meets with US Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. They discussed a range of issues that would build upon the two nations' desire to improve ties. FENG YONGBIN / CHINA DAILY

Korean Peninsula,security topics as regional issues heat up

President Xi Jinping described the ups and downs of China-US ties by saying, "A rainbow appears after winds and tides", and added the two sides should treat each other with sincerity and kindness, have closer contacts and properly tackle disagreements.

Xi made the comments on Thursday in a meeting with US Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Dunford, who arrived in Beijing on Monday night, is the first US senior military official to visit China since US President Donald Trump took office in January.

Xi told Dunford that the world's two largest economies have major influence regionally and globally, and they bear key duties to secure world peace and stability and promote global development and prosperity.

A good handle of the developing ties matters to both peoples and has profound influence on the global strategic picture, he said.

Xi asked Dunford to relay his greeting to Trump, and said he welcomes Trump's visit to China, expected before this year ends.

Speaking of the relations between the two militaries, Xi said such a tie is a key part of and key stabilizing factor for China-US relations, and the militaries have made progress in dialogue, building trust and cooperation.

Dunford said that under the navigation of President Xi and President Trump, the military relationship between the two has scored a number of advances as it has matured.

Washington is committed to frank and professional dialogue with China regarding military affairs, expanding the scope of their exchanges and cooperation and managing and controlling risks, he said.

Dunford's visit to China came amid tensions regarding the Korean Peninsula, and the situation there was a key item of his agenda.

In a meeting earlier on Thursday, Vice-Chairman Fan Changlong of China's Central Military Commission told Dunford that China believes dialogue and reconciliation offer the only viable path toward resolving the peninsula's issues, and "military means should not be an option".

All parties concerned should exercise restraint and avoid worsening tensions, Fan said. Beijing is ready to work with Washington in jointly playing positive roles to tackle the issues, Fan added.

Media reports noted that Dunford has said that Beijing should step up pressure on Pyongyang over the issue.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokeswomen Hua Chunying said on Thursday that China's consistent stance on the issue will not change.

"It is no use to mislead or pressure (China), not to mention threatening (China)" in this regard, Hua said.

China takes an objective and fair view when drafting the relevant policies, and Beijing is willing to maintain communication with Washington on the base of mutual respect, she added.

Dunford also met with State Councilor Yang Jiechi on Thursday to talk about major international and regional issues.

Zhang Zhihao contributed to this story.
Fengfeng poses with his stem cell donor Han Lu in Chongqing. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Until last week, leukemia survivor Fengfeng (not his real name) knew almost nothing about the person who saved his life 13 years ago. Holding a bouquet of flowers, Fengfeng spotted a woman in her 40s. He rushed to her and hugged her. He sensed this was the person he had been waiting for.

Thirteen years ago, Fengfeng was a 15-year-old middle school student in Chongqing. He was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer affecting the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow.

He has no siblings, and half-match transplant techniques using a patient's parent as the donor had not matured yet. So the only hope was to find a close match outside the immediate family, the possibility of which was only one in 100,000.

Doctors found details of Han Lu, then a 32-year-old nurse at a Chongqing dental hospital, in the city's databank for China's marrow donor program.

On a winter day in 2004, Han's stem cells were transplanted into Fengfeng's body, saving his life. It was the first unrelated donor stem cell transplant to treat chronic myeloid leukemia in Chongqing.

"I always had a wish after the transplant," Fengfeng said. "I wanted to say 'thank you' to my donor face to face."

However, like others in the same situation, they remained strangers, though they lived in the same city, as international practice and China's stem cell donation rules prohibit donors and recipients from meeting until at least a year after a successful transplant.

Han had long wished to meet Fengfeng, but the boy's health was not stable, making their meeting impossible until now.

They managed to exchange gifts with the help of the Chongqing Red Cross Society.

Fengfeng bought a necklace and a photography book for Han on a trip to Thailand, while Han turned a red cashmere sweater she owned into 25 knitted roses with red straws for stems as a gift for Fengfeng's 25th birthday.

"Cashmere signifies warmth and the red straws look like blood vessels," said Han, who felt gratified when she learned that Fengfeng survived and has had a happy life.

This year, Fengfeng asked the city's Red Cross to help arrange a meeting with his hero. After obtaining Han's consent, Fengfeng's dream came true.

According to Huang Gangyi, deputy director of the Chongqing databank for China's marrow donor program, most stem cell recipients are unwilling to go public.

"They don't want others to know that they had the disease," Huang said. "But meetings can help people better understand stem cell transplants and raise awareness about the need for donors.

"Many people have misunderstandings about it, thinking transplants will be harmful to the donor's health."

Last year, China's marrow donor program had more than 2.3 million potential donors, the Red Cross Society of China said in May. The program has facilitated more than 6,000 hematopoietic stem cell donations for patients at home and abroad.

Moved by the story of Fengfeng and Han, many people have called Huang in the past week and asked how they can become potential cell stem donors.

Fengfeng had type O blood before the transplant. Eventually, his blood type changed to B, the same as Han's.

"She gave me a second chance at life, and now I have a lifelong friend and a new family member," Fengfeng said.

XINHUA
Summer marks a time when people flock to receive sanfutie plasters and moxibustion therapy for illness

The number of young people seeking Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments for illnesses at hospitals in summer has been on the rise in recent years.

Chinese generally believe that TCM treatments are more effective during summer because this is when yangqi - the warm element in the yin-yang balance - is at its highest and hence allows the body to be more responsive to treatment.

Longhua Hospital and Shuguang Hospital, both of which are affiliated to the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, reported that the number of patients in their 30s and 40s queuing to receive sanfutie plasters this summer grew by at least 30 percent from last year. However, elderly citizens and children still dominate a lion's share of the market for these herb-coated plasters that are placed on acupoints.

These plasters are commonly used to treat ailments such as rheumatism, asthma, chronic bronchitis and allergic rhinitis. The remedy was first documented in Zhangshi Yitong, a book published more than 300 years ago.

TCM practitioners said that the fast pace of life in megacities such as Shanghai has also contributed to the growing popularity of sanfutie plasters. They pointed out that the plaster can be used as a preventation against problems common among young white-collar workers such as neck and shoulder pain, insomnia and gastrointestinal discomfort.

"Many white-collar workers in Shanghai have to deal with great pressure at work, get little sleep and often skip meals," said Liu Jianguo, director of the TCM department at Shanghai Ren'ai Hospital. "This in turn affects their health in the long run."

Cai Mengsha, 30, used to suffer from frequent stomachaches and nausea, a result of years of working overtime and excessive alcohol consumption. She said her health has improved after using sanfutie plasters for three years.

"The treatment administered over the last few summers seem to be effective in alleviating the discomfort. Doctors said the treatment would require three years of constant application in order to be effective," said Cai, an employee at a foreign enterprise in the motor industry.

Over at Liang Gong Guan, a chain health institution that offers moxibustion therapy, TCM practitioners said 80 percent of their clients are aged between 30 and 45.

Moxibustion therapy involves burning sticks filled with dried wormwood leaves close to the body to warm meridian points and stimulate the circulation of blood and qi.

"The rise in the number of young people seeking treatment is due to the heightened awareness of health issues today and the preference for non-drug treatments," said Xie Youming, a therapist at Liang Gong Guan.

"For an acute health problem, such as neck or waist pains, results usually appear after just one or two treatments. For chronic issues like insomnia and period cramps, patients will need to receive treatment for at least three months or longer before they feel the difference," he added.

The rise in popularity of moxibustion had driven 35-year-old Lu Ge to set up a company selling products related to the treatment. He said that many people these days are performing the treatment on themselves as it is cheaper. The most important part of the treatment is finding the right acupuncture points to warm using the moxibustion sticks. Lu said there are many books that teach people how to locate these points.

Lu has also since February been running a subscription service on WeChat account to educate users about moxibustion. The WeChat currently has more than 6,000 active followers.

He explained that the treatment is popular because many perceive it to be a solution to many health problems related to qi, or life energy, that are brought about by modern lifestyle, such as staying up late, eating greasy food and being exposed to air conditioning all day.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn
Restoration specialists in Tibet strive to repair the region's ancient books

By Palden Nyima and Daqiong in Lhasa, Tibet

As one of only two staff members at the Tibetan Ancient Books Restoration Center, Yangla is the first ancient book restorer in the Tibet autonomous region.

She works to preserve and repair ancient scriptures at the center, which was established in 2015 as an affiliated institution of the Tibet Ancient Documents Preservation Center.

"Those ancient religious scriptures were damaged and had signs of abrasion and corrosion, I felt sad seeing those valuable books remain unrepaired," said Yangla, 44, who used to be a librarian in the Tibet Library and has had access to ancient Tibetan scriptures since 2012.

She decided to become a restorer of ancient books. Uncertain how to proceed, she consulted Saren Gaowa, an official with the National Library in Beijing, who advised her to take some professional courses.

Yangla became an apprentice of Du Weisheng, a well-known ancient book restorer and an intangible culture inheritor with the National Library, in 2013.

At first, she started learning the skill of cleansing. "My teacher spent half a day teaching me, and I spent the rest of the day learning the skill by myself," Yangla recalled, explaining that Du taught her to knead flour in water to create a paste that is resistant to moths.

In addition, she learned skills such as mending, dusting, cleaning, ironing and color matching. The complete restoration of a single page of ancient scriptures requires 26 procedures, she said.

One problem Yangla faced was that the scriptures are usually written on Tibetan paper, which is different from typical paper.

"I told my family to send me two volumes of ancient Tibetan scriptures from Tibet. With the help of my teacher, I learned how to restore Tibetan paper, otherwise, I would have wasted what I had learned," she said.

After two months of intensive study in Beijing and Tianjin, Yangla returned to Tibet and became involved in restoration work. She has now been repairing ancient Tibetan scriptures for five years.

"There are many rules. Restorers cannot use skin care products on their hands, so my hands are very coarse," Yangla said.

She also has to concentrate to avoid damaging the priceless documents. "Restoration requires patience, more patience generates more gain, and I regard book restoration as a way of meditation," she said.

Separating the pages is a difficult part of the work, as ancient scriptures are often unearthed from the debris of ancient monasteries in Tibet and the pages are often stuck together. The scriptures look like bricks.

The pages need to be separated using tools such as tweezers, screwdrivers and pins.

"The job tests one's courage, skills, patience and experience," Yangla said. "It often takes me two days to unveil one page."

Gradually, more people and monasteries have invited her to carry out restoration projects.

In 2015, at the invitation of Mangra Monastery in Tibet's Maldrogungkar county, Yangla and a colleague undertook the restoration of an ancient scripture with more than 200 pages. They managed to restore more than 170 pages.

While her skills have increased, so too have the challenges. At the center, Yangla and her colleague are responsible for collecting, cleaning and repairing ancient documents. The two are always busy and have not much leisure time apart from official holidays.

The center has held two training courses since 2015 and trained more than 60 monks and other monastery workers.

"Restoring ancient books is like communicating with history," Yangla said. "I need not only to improve myself continuously, but also pass my knowledge and skills to new generations.

"I tell my apprentices that when we are dealing with a page of an ancient book, a respectful heart is always needed."

Contact the writers at palden_nyima@chinadaily.com.cn
The year 1937 was a somber one for Chinese and Chinese Americans. It was the year that Japan invaded the mainland, and it concluded with the horrible Nanjing Massacre some 80 years ago.

The events were painfully felt by the Chinese community in the United States, but they also spurred what had been an insular Chinese community to action.

In New York, home to a bustling Chinatown, the Japanese invasion also did something that could not be accomplished since the founding of Chinatown around 1860: It led to a temporary cessation of hostilities between China's warring tongs, namely the On Leongs and Hip Sings.

The On Leong Tong and the Hip Sing Tong waged a bloody turf battle for control of Manhattan's Chinatown over a span of 25 years, starting around 1900. Many of the future gangsters began arriving in New York in the late 1800s, after public jobs were closed to them in San Francisco.

But in 1937, they put aside their differences and formed the New York Overseas Chinese Anti-Japanese Salvation General Committee for Military Funds.

On Sunday, Nov 7, 1937, more than 2,000 Chinese marchers representing almost every society, club and tong in the city coursed through Chinatown collecting funds to aid Chinese refugees and to resist the Japanese invasion of the mainland.

The Chinese Hand Laundry Alliance, a powerful organization, closed its 1,500 shops to join the 67 groups represented in the parade, the New York Daily News reported.

The New York Times reported about the parade under the headline "2,000 Chinese Aid War-Fund Drive" in a story on page 4 the next day.

At that time, Japanese forces were encircling Shanghai.

On the same page were headlines that read "Big Battle Raging at Shanshi (Shanxi) Capital" and "Chinese Defenses Shift at Shanghai". Another headline said "China Relief Aid Mapped".

"Thirty women carried a huge Chinese flag, into which bills and coins were thrown as the parade inched forward. The streets were packed with cheering watchers and window space and perches on fire-escapes were at a premium," the Times reported.

There was a "dragon" that "gobbled money offered to it in long streamers of bills", the story said. The parade stopped at 7 Mott Street, where a banner with $1 bills sewn on to form Chinese characters translated to: "Fight against Japan to the very bitter end to save China."

Dr Hu Shih, professor of philosophy at what was then called Peiping University, who was a representative of the Chinese Minister of Education, told an audience of 1,500 in the China Theatre earlier that day that the Chinese people should be prepared for a long war and not be discouraged by the somber news from China. He said that his country was "prepared to resist to the end", the Times reported.

Also speaking that day was General Hwang Chen-shan, an aid to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek of the Nationalist government.

Sadly, a little more than a month later, the Nanjing Massacre began in which up to 300,000 Chinese were believed to be killed by Japanese forces.

The News reported that Chinese across the US contributed to a war fund that raised $1.5 million in 1937. Six months later, 12,000 people marched in what was the largest Chinese demonstration in the US at the time, the paper said.

I contacted the Museum of Chinese in America in New York with the hope of getting more information on the 1937 parade, but so far it hadn't located anything in its archives.

But the demonstration that November day showed that in a time when it was much harder to get overseas news, the Chinese community was fiercely determined to do what it could for its homeland.

Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com
Top: Helga Zepp-LaRouche speaks to China Daily in an interview. Chen Weihua / China Daily; Left: Helga Zepp-LaRouche poses for a photo during her attendance at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May. Provided to China Daily; Right: Helga Zepp-LaRouche in 1971 photo taken during her first trip to China. Provided to China Daily

Helga Zepp-LaRouche sees Belt and Road Initiative as fulfilling lifelong pursuit by her and her US political activist husband, Lyndon LaRouche

Helga Zepp-LaRouche was 23 in 1971 when she embarked on a Swedish cargo ship to travel the world. The trip took her to a number of African and Asian countries and included several months in China.

The young German had just finished her training as a journalist. "My generation was still curious about the world. The youth of today, they just Google about things from the search machine. I want to see what the world looks like," she told China Daily.

China was still in the midst of the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976), and as the ship had to be repaired in Shanghai, Helga had time to observe Chinese society and interact with local people.

She saw gray-painted warships at the mouth of the Yangtze River. She attended organized tours, visited people's homes, factories and a children's palace, and she heard modern Peking Opera played on loudspeakers.

She also met German-speaking Chinese, discussing with them politics and learning what life was like in China at that time. She found people were "kind" but said, "People were not happy at all."

Helga also traveled to Qingdao, a seaside city in Shandong province that had a lot of German influence, as well as to Tianjin and Beijing.

In Beijing, she toured places like the Summer Palace and was even tempted to learn Chinese but soon realized that it would be difficult and take a long time. "You have to stay here, or you forget it. But anyway, it really started my interest in China," she said.

Helga, who now travels frequently in China, felt it was fortunate for her to see China at a time of "cultural revolution" (1966-76).

Life-changing trip

Of her seafaring in 1971, Helga said she was shocked by the extreme poverty she saw in Africa. She described it as "such a shocking experience" and seeing Africa "from the bottom".

"I came back from this trip with the absolute conviction that the world had to change, had to be improved," she said.

Back in Germany, Helga tried to look for a theory to fix the problem that haunted her. She found Lyndon LaRouche, a US political activist better known for launching the LaRouche Movement.

The movement, which has included many organizations and companies in the world, promotes a revival of classical art and greater commitment to science; advocates the development of major economic infrastructure projects on a global scale; and calls for reform of the world financial system to encourage investment in the physical economy and suppress financial speculation.

Helga found Lyndon to be the only one who talked about the need for the development and industrialization of Africa and Third World countries, as well as the establishment of an international development bank, something like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) today.

"Then I became part of the movement," she said. On Dec 29, 1977, the two got married in Wiesbaden, a city in west central Germany.

Helga said she did not follow the Third World theory of then-Chinese leader Chairman Mao Zedong but paid more attention to the Non-Aligned Movement headquartered in Indonesia.

She has met some world leaders such as Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Mexican President Jose Lopez-Portillo.

Helga said they had been promoting the idea of development of a Eurasian land bridge through infrastructure in the early 1990s, but did not receive a positive response from the US. "The only government which responded positively was China," she said.

In 1996, she returned to China for the first time to attend and speak at a meeting on Eurasian development. She found a China totally different from the one of 25 years ago. The hundreds of thousands of bicycles on the streets had been replaced by cars.

But she said that comparing 1996 to today, China's development has been more phenomenal. "The Chinese economic model is really the most successful model," she said, adding that China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty in recent decades.

Since then, she has frequently traveled there, often speaking at think tanks, including the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

During a trip in 2014 to explore the ancient Silk Road in Northwest China's Gansu province, Helga was amazed to see the construction of the Lanzhou-Urumqi railroad going at full steam simultaneously in various spots, literally in the desert. The 1,776-kilometer (1,100 miles) line went into operation at the end of that year.

Belt and Road Initiative

Helga was excited when President Xi Jinping unveiled the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013. The BRI, which was then known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, is a development strategy proposed by Xi to focus on connectivity and cooperation between countries.

She hasn't stopped talking about it since. The Schiller Institute she founded in 1984 also has published significantly on the subject.

In May, Helga went to Beijing to participate in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, a meeting that drew 29 heads of state and representatives from more than 100 countries.

"I was really happy to be able to participate because we've been fighting for this for so long. I sort of identify with the success of this project," she said.

Helga had chatted with many people from Africa to Latin America attending the meeting and found that they shared the same experience. "We were proud to be part of the historical moment of the birth of a new paradigm of mankind. It was a very strong feeling," she said.

She said she was extremely impressed by Xi's speech, calling it "very rich" and reflecting the ideas of a Confucian philosopher and harmony.

The Schiller Institute also has sponsored conferences in cities across the US, from San Francisco to Detroit and New York, promoting the BRI and urging the US to participate.

Unlike the Obama administration, which was more resistant to the Chinese initiatives of AIIB and BRI, US President Donald Trump has put infrastructure construction atop his agenda and sent an interagency delegation, led by Matthew Pottinger, a National Security Council senior director for East Asia, to the Beijing forum.

Helga believes that China's financing could help build infrastructure in the US. She claims that the US needs to build 40,000 miles of fast train routes if it wants to match China's plan to connect every large city by fast train by the year 2020.

"The US economy would experience a tremendous boost through such a grand-scale infrastructural investment and could in turn export into the fast-growing Chinese market, and once competition is replaced by cooperation, the opportunities for joint ventures between the US and China in third countries are enormous," she said in May in a seminar in Beijing.

Helga has repeatedly expressed her admiration for Xi's call that "we have to have a community for a shared future of humanity".

She told a seminar in July that the BRI is not just about infrastructure and economic growth, but a new paradigm in which geopolitics is overcome.

Africa development

Helga also was happy to see the growing Chinese investment in Africa.

"If you look at Africa, without Chinese investment, Africa would have no hope. Now people have hope," she said, and told of two Chinese companies that built a 752-km electric railway linking Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa and the port of Djibouti, where most of landlocked Ethiopia's trade flows.

In late May, Kenya also inaugurated its largest infrastructure project in more than 50 years - a $3.2 billion railway funded by China linking the capital Nairobi with the port of Mombasa.

Helga was especially excited that China is also helping build a new railway linking Rwanda, Uganda and Congo, a train that she said will go into the heart of Africa "for the first time".

"I have talked with many African diplomats who said for the first time they see the horizon of overcoming poverty and obstacles for development through the help of China," she said.

She was disappointed that Europeans talk about human rights and democracy but not development in Africa, and it was the Chinese who have been doing the development work.

A report released in May by Ernst & Young said China has invested in 293 FDI (foreign direct investment) projects in Africa, with total investment of $66.4 billion, creating 130,750 jobs. Bilateral trade between China and Africa also exceeded $137 billion in 2016.

Besides trade and FDI, Chinese companies and state-related entities have financed and built many infrastructure projects across the continent, including ports, roads, railways, dams, telecom networks, power stations and airports, the report said.

The report also said that the BRI could prove to be a win-win situation for China and Africa.

Helga dismissed the slight by some in the West about Chinese motivation in Africa, citing a seminar she attended in Frankfurt, Germany, when the Ethiopian consul general was asked if China had an "ulterior motive".

"No, because Ethiopia almost has no raw materials," Helga quoted the Ethiopian diplomat as saying.

Helga said what China is doing has justified what she and her colleagues have done for the last 40 years.

"We are very happy. It is one thing for a small organization like ours to produce ideas, but it's a quite different thing that the largest country in the world started to do it," she said.

Helga said she felt sorry that her husband has not yet been to China. "He would have enjoyed it so much to come. Now he is 94, so it will be difficult, but not impossible. Maybe one day he will come," she said.

"He loves China. He is convinced that the Chinese initiative (BRI) is the most important on the planet right now," she said.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
A still image from video shows a police cordon on a street in Barcelona, Spain following a van crash, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

A manhunt was underway after a van ploughed into Barcelona's busiest tourist street, Las Ramblas, in what police are calling a terrorist attack.

Catalan police say they have arrested one man linked to the Barcelona van attack but were continuing to search for other suspects.

The van drove for around 500 metres before it came to a stop. Police were searching for at least one person.

The police said that 13 people were killed and at least 50 injured, 10 of whom were in a serious condition. They also confirmed that it was a terrorist attack.

Hundreds of people were stuck in shops, bars and homes as police searched the area amid conflicting reports of hostages, shoot outs and secondary vehicles.

Las Ramblas is a wide boulevard with a central walkway as well as two pavements at the side of the road. It is full of terrace cafes, restaurants and hotels.

A spokesman for the first minister of Barcelona, Artur Mas, tweeted an image of Catalan flag superimposed with a black ribbon and the slogan: "We are stronger and we will win because our values are stronger and are winners. Stay strong Barcelona, visca Catalunya!"

UK Prime Minister Theresa May, French President Emmanuel Macron and President of the European Council Donald Tusk offered their sympathy and support to the people of Barcelona.

No group has claimed responsibility so far. Websites connected to ISIS celebrated the Barcelona attack but no official site claimed responsibility.

The latest crash follows terrorist attacks with vehicles in France, Germany and the UK.

In London in June, a speeding van hit pedestrians on London Bridge before assailants attacked people in cafes and restaurants in Borough Market, killing 8 people.

In March, a lone attacker ploughed a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London, killing four and injuring over 50, before crashing into the fence surrounding the Houses of Parliament and stabbing a police officer to death before being shot and killed by police.

In December, a Tunisian man drove a stolen truck through a crowded Christmas market in Berlin, killing 11 people. The terrorist had previously killed the truck driver.

Also last year, in a similar attack in Nice, in the south of France, on July 14, 2016, a Tunisian-born French citizen killed 84 people by driving a rented truck into a crowd of revelers celebrating Bastille Day, France's national day.
The border standoff between China and India has entered the third month since Indian troops illegally intruded into China's Donglang area. India claims that it acted at Bhutan's request. However, a New York Times article on Tuesday is quite telling and shows that it may well not be the case.

In the article filed from Bhutan, Times' reporter Steven Lee Myers revealed that the latest standoff has inflamed festering resentments over India's influence in Bhutan. He found that many in Bhutan suspect that India has sought to block Bhutan's efforts to establish diplomatic relations and expand trade with Beijing, fearing that a rapprochement could remove the strategic buffer that Bhutan provides.

Many interviewed by Myers in Bhutan expressed more concern about India's actions than China's. Some noted that one effect of India's move  intended or not  has been to undermine border negotiations with China that could have cleared the way for closer economic ties.

China and Bhutan have held 24 rounds of talks since the 1980s and reached common understanding on the basics of their borders.

India has been clearly unhappy that Bhutan looks for closer ties with Beijing. One evidence Myers cited is that in 2012, Bhutan's prime minister at the time met with his Chinese counterpart at a Group of 20 summit meeting in Rio de Janeiro. Not long afterward, India cut subsidies to Bhutan for cooking oil and kerosene. The move was widely seen as retaliation, and the ruling party in Bhutan lost the next election.

Contrary to what India has claimed, Myers found that when India ordered its troops across the border on June 16, it seemed to do so without a request from Bhutan. He wrote that India's intervention has not resulted in much gratitude there. On the contrary, many in Bhutan feel that India's protective embrace has become suffocating.

All this shows that India has been trying to hijack a small sovereign neighbor country for its own purpose, rather than the pretext it has been using -- to act on Bhutan's behalf.

In fact, nothing in the so-called "special relationship" between India and Bhutan would justify such illegal intrusion into Donglang to stop a Chinese road construction  a road project that would benefit local economic development but India believes would give China advantage in a strategically important area.

There is no border dispute in the Donglang area (known in Bhutan as Doklam) between China and India. The borderline, demarcated by the Anglo-Chinese Convention Relating to Sikkim and Tibet in 1890, has not been contested but accepted by successive Indian governments since its independence 70 years ago this week.

Besides, the place for the current standoff is said to be more than 2 km away from the so-called tri-junction, where China, India, Bhutan borders converge.

Donglang has been in China's actual control. Chinese border troops patrol the area in the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control, which Indian troops violated on June 16.

It is true that the border standoff should be resolved diplomatically. Military conflict will neither serve India's nor China's best interest. That is why China has been exercising the utmost restraint so far in front of Indian troops' incursion. But India should simply drop its hypocritical pretext that it is acting on Bhutan's behalf, rather than its own ulterior motivation, as the New York Times article reveals.

It means that India's troops should withdraw from the territory that they intruded.

The author is deputy editor of China Daily USA.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Police evacuate people after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

MADRID - Two men arrested after a van attack in Barcelona which killed at least 13 people on Thursday were connected to the incident but neither was the driver of the vehicle, police said.

Police confirmed that another man who ran over two officers at a checkpoint in Barcelona was shot dead, but added that it did not appear that the incident was linked to the van attack.

The driver of the van which mowed people down on the busy Las Ramblas avenue left the vehicle on foot and did not appear to be armed, a Catalan police official told a news conference.

They said that one of the two men arrested was Moroccan and the other was from the Spanish enclave of Melilla in North Africa. They were arrested in two different towns in the region of Catalonia, Ripoll and Alcanar.

Separately, police said that the van attack appeared to be linked to an explosion at a house in Alcanar in the early hours of Thursday in which one person died and another was injured.

REUTERS
Armed Catalonian Mosses de Escuadra officers leave the area where a van crashed into pedestrians at Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain, August 18, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

BARCELONA  Spanish police have confirmed that at least four terror suspects were shot and killed in a separate alleged terror attack south of Barcelona.

Police tweeted that they "have shot down the perpetrators" in response to a terrorist attack.

Spain's public broadcaster, RTVE, reported that the suspects may have been carrying suicide explosive belts.

The broadcaster said the suspects tried to carry out a similar attack to the one in Barcelona, which left 13 people dead earlier Thursday, by driving a vehicle into pedestrians. It said seven people were injured by the suspects, two seriously.

AP
Beijing on Thursday rebuffed comments by White House chief strategist Steve Bannon that China and the US are in an "economic war".

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that a trade war does not serve the interests of either party, as fighting one will not produce a winner.

"We hope that the relevant persons can stop perceiving an issue of the 21st century with the zero-sum mentality of the 19th or 20th century," she told a daily briefing in Beijing.

Her comment came a day after the American Prospect published an interview with Bannon.

In the interview, Bannon claimed that "we're at economic war with China. One of us is going to be a hegemon in 25 or 30 years, and it's gonna be them if we go down this path."

Bannon claimed that the so-called economic conflict with China is everything.

"And we have to be maniacally focused on that. If we continue to lose it, we're five years away, I think, 10 years at the most, of hitting an inflection point from which we'll never be able to recover," he was quoted as saying.

According to the article, Bannon's line of attack includes: a complaint under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act against so-called Chinese forced technology transfers, and follow-up complaints against steel and aluminum dumping.

"We're going to run the tables on these guys. We've come to the conclusion that they're in an economic war, and they're crushing us," Bannon was quoted as saying.

Hua, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, noted that she saw the relevant report but has yet to verify its veracity. She reiterated China's stance that the economic relations and trade between China and the US are mutually beneficial in essence.

"In fact, the long-term economic and trade cooperation between China and the US have brought tangible benefits to the

two peoples, which is an undeniable fact in the eyes of any unbiased person," she said.

She said the importance of China-US relations is evident enough. "The Chinese and US leaders and people from various sectors are willing to uphold the steady and sound development of the China-US relations in a more proactive way," she said.

"The two sides need to strengthen dialogue and communication, promote across-the-board exchange and cooperation, properly handle each other's concerns and jointly ensure the steady and sound development of China-US relations," Hua said.

In the interview, Bannon also vowed to battle so-called trade doves inside the Trump administration. US news media reported that Bannon's rivals inside the White House and some of Trump's outside advisers have urged Trump to fire Bannon. On Tuesday, Trump declined to publicly offer Bannon any assurance of his fate.

US experts have warned of a major confrontation in trade between the world's two largest economies.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Jie Song, 30, and husband Yinan Wang, 31, PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Police are still searching for a Chinese couple whose car is believed to have gone off a cliff in California after they were visiting parks in the state.

The Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco is working with authorities, including the California Highway Patrol and the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, to find the couple, Jie Song, 30, and her husband, Yinan Wang, 31, who were reported missing on Aug 11.

Their car is believed to have gone off a cliff and into the Kings River off Highway 180, where part of the vehicle was located on Aug 14 by the sheriff's office.

According to several of their relatives in the US, the couple were last seen at the Crystal Caves in Sequoia National Park on Aug 6.

They were driving a 2012 white Ford Focus, with license plate number 6XMM431, as they went sightseeing at several known scenic spots in California.

They had planned to stay in a Fresno hotel on Aug 7 before heading to Yosemite National Park the next day. The couple were supposed to return to San Diego on Aug 9, but never arrived.

Law enforcement agencies got a clue days earlier from a sheriff's deputy who saw a California license plate in the brush from a video clip. The plate was the same as the one on the couple's Ford Focus.

The Fresno Bee reported that Tony Botti, a spokesman for the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, said the car was mostly submerged in white-water rapids, so officers haven't been able to determine if the vehicle is intact or bodies are inside.

Botti said they're not ruling out the couple's possible escape, but said it wasn't likely.

Song lives in China for the majority of her time and teaches English at a private school in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. She has been visiting her husband several times a year since he became a postdoctoral scholar last year at the University of California-San Diego.

Consul Huo Huijian of the consulate's protection department said "we didn't rule out the possibility that they are still alive".

Meanwhile, family members of the couple in China are being offered assistance to streamline application procedures so they can come to the US.

"We didn't want to spread speculation about the couple's situation," said Huo, adding that the consulate general hasn't received any confirmation of the couple's death.

junechang@chinadailyusa.com
DAKAR, Senegal - Staring out to sea on a flawlessly sunny day, underwater archaeologist Ibrahima Thiaw visualizes three shipwrecks once packed with slaves that now lie somewhere beneath Senegal's Atlantic waves.

He wants more than anything to find them.

Thiaw has spent years scouring the seabed off the island of Goree, once a West African slaving post, never losing hope of locating the elusive vessels with a small group of graduate students from Dakar's Cheikh Anta Diop University.

Goree was the largest slave-trading center on the African coast between the 15th and 19th century, according to the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO, and Thiaw believes his mission has a moral purpose: to heal the open wounds that slavery has left on the continent.

"This is not just for the fun of research or scholarship. It touches us and our humanity and I think that slavery in its afterlife still has huge scars on our modern society," he said, pulling on a wet suit and rubber boots for the day's first dive.

Thiaw believes his native Senegal, with its own long and violent history of trade in human flesh, could tell the world more about how modern capitalism was founded on violence inflicted on African bodies.

"The Atlantic slave trade was the foundation of our modernity, so this is a history for all mankind," he added, referring to the so-called "Triangular Trade" of human labor for consumer goods between Africa, the Americas and Europe.

Thiaw, who originates from a rural area of Senegal but went on to study in the United States, had become known for his research into slaves' living conditions on Goree island when he was approached three years ago by the US National Park Service and National Museum of African American History and Culture to find a west African base for their "Slave Wrecks" project.

Around 1,000 slave shipwrecks are believed to dot the seabed between Africa and the Americas, according to "Slave Wrecks" researchers, but few have been found.

Thiaw complains that there is a lack of interest within Senegal for his work, especially at the institutional level where, he said, there was "very little funding for research".

"I think in Senegal there's a lot of silence surrounding the issue but I think the time is ripe that we start to teach our students and our children how to respect people of different or lower status, slave caste," he said.

Agence France-presse
Andrew BoyleDanielle Macdonald is being touted as an actress-to-watch, thanks to her star-making turn as an aspiring white female rapper from New Jersey in the upcoming drama Patti Cake$. Still, the Australian star tells ABC Radio that although she appears to be a formidable rapper in the movie, the truth is that she was very skeptical as to why she was chosen as the film's lead. "I read the script and I was like, 'I--what, what have you seen that makes you think I can do this?'" she recalls.

"I was like, 'I can't do this. I, I, I don't know how to do Jersey. I've never been there. I don't know the vibe. I don't know the accent. And I don't know how to rap, more importantly.'" Still, Danielle says that once she started to work on transforming into her character, things started falling into place. She explains, "We found a side of me that I didn't really know existed."

"I practiced as much as I could," she says. "I tried so many different artists, so many different styles and songs. We would spend days just trying different voices, different rhythms, speeds, just to see where my strengths were."

Danielle found her voice as an MC by listening to "a lot of people," like Nicki Minaj, Leikeli47 (Leh-KAY-lee) and the Notorious B.I.G. She says, "When I would listen to him, I was like, 'Oh I see how Patti could be in a rap battle right now.' Because he has this strength and confidence just from speaking."

Patti Cake$ arrives in theaters this Friday.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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HA NOI  Viettel, the military-run network operator, is offering up to 99 per cent discounts on international roaming services for subscribers to celebrate the ongoing Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) 29 in Malaysia.

Pre-paid and post-paid subscribers will only have to pay VN1,000 per MB for data while in Malaysia from August 19 to December 31. In addition, they will get 80 per cent off for calling or receiving calls in Malaysia and 65 per cent off international messaging rates.

Viettel is currently the largest roaming provider in Viet Nam, connected with more than 500 networks from about 200 countries and territories worldwide.

The firm previously announced that it would offer subscribers preferential international data roaming rates when they travel to Japan, the Republic of Korea and Australia up to September 15.

When using the data roaming services of the RoKs SKT and KTF, Japanese Softbank and NTT Domoco and Australian Telstra, Viettel customers will only have to pay VN22/10 KB.  VNS
BANKOK  The Thai Retailers Association will organise the RetailEx ASEAN 2017 - ASEANs fastest growing retail trends and solutions trade exhibition in Bangkok from September 14-16.

Highlights of the event will include the presentation of retail store concepts in the future.

The RetailEx ASEAN 2017, which enters its third consecutive year, is a collaboration between the Thai Retailers Association and Impact Exhibition Management Co., Ltd.

It will showcase outstanding designs of retail stores, technology for the retail business and e-commerce. There will also be free training on e-commerce from digital experts at the ASEAN level, business management and growth of organisations.

According to the association, Thailands retail business grew by an approximate 3 per cent a year over the last three years. The rate was 2.8 per cent in the first quarter this year.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has not found evidene supporting accusations by the Viet Nams Pepper Association (VPA) of price manipulation by foreign traders in the pepper market.

VPA claimed on its website that domestic pepper prices had been fluctuating abnormally since late July due to price manipulation by Chinese traders.

VPA said its members reported that Chinese traders ordered large quantities of pepper from domestic exporters, pushing them to deliver as soon as possible, which created the market signal of large demand. Therefore, many Vietnamese exporters had to buy pepper from farmers and agents at high prices in order to meet the terms of these contracts.

However, they did not pay deposits on the signed contracts, claiming the money transfer was delayed due to bank paperwork.

At the same time, the Chinese traders contacted local pepper supplying agents and promised to sell them pepper at below market value. The agents agreed, aiming to then sell it on to exporters. However, the Chinese businesses only sold them a small portion at a low price, then claimed the product was out of stock and raised the price sharply.

The Chinese firms terminated the high-price contracts they initially signed with exporters, and local exporters were unable to contact them.

After receiving information about the alleged scam, the ministry asked VPA to provide a list of local exporters affected by such transactions. However, VPA said it did not have suffiicient resources to list the enterprises. In addition, businesses would not share information about their partners.

We do not have sufficient basis to conclude that foreign traders have been manipulating the pepper market. However, we will co-operate with the departments of industry and trade to closely supervise the market and ensure a healthy business environment for pepper in particular and agricultural products in general, MoIT said.

In the first seven months of 2017, Viet Nams pepper export volume was estimated at 145,000 tonnes and valued at $800 million, up 20.4 per cent in volume but down 18.2 per cent in value against the same period last year, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported.

The pepper price on Thursday was hovered at VN90,000 ($4) per kilo in the southern region. In ong Nai Province, the pepper rose by VN1,000 per kilo while that in Ba Ria  Vung Tau Province was reduced VN1,000 to VN91,000 per kilo.

The local pepper industry has been urged to apply agricultural standards for its sustainable development as well as meeting with the import markets requirements.

Many farmers have shifted into clean pepper production to penetrate into demanding markets.

In the beginning of the year, VPA forecast the countrys pepper exports this year would face difficulties. Most of its pepper importers would increase measures to control imports quality, especially in the EU and US.  VNS
HA NOI  The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has rescinded an administrative review of antidumping duties on certain frozen warmwater shrimp imported from Viet Nam from February 1, 2016 through January 31, 2017, according to the Viet Nam Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The decision went into effect on August 11, 2017.

On April 10, 2017, based on requests for reviews by 55 companies of the Ad Hoc Shrimp Trade Action Committee and 88 companies of the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA), DOC announced it would initiate an administrative review of the antidumping duties.

However, three Vietnamese companies withdrew their request for a review, one Vietnamese company did not request a review, and the ASPA plaintiffs withdrew the corresponding review request. Therefore, there are no remaining review requests on the record with respect to these companies.

Because the petitioner, ASPA, and the individual companies all withdrew their requests for administrative review within 90 days, and no other interested party requested a review of these companies, the department is rescinding this review with respect to these companies. The administrative review remains active with respect to all other companies for whom a review was initiated.  VNS
The co-operative sector needs to give priority to structural reform as well as stimulate renovation to improve operational efficiency, adapting to current market conditions and the international integration process. Photo nld.com.vn

HA NOI  The co-operative sector needs to give priority to structural reform as well as stimulate renovation to improve operational efficiency, adapting to current market conditions and the international integration process.

Deputy Director of the Ministry of Planning and Investments (MPIs) Co-operatives Department Bui Nghi made the statement during a seminar held by the MPI on Thursday in Ha Noi.

Co-operatives were formed and developed in Viet Nam long ago. However, the countrys socio-economic situation has changed, requiring co-operatives to renovate accordingly in order to operate more effectively, Nghi said.

The 2012 Law on Co-operatives facilitated co-operative development in line with the countrys economic development, associated with the process of international integration, he said.

However, he added, each co-operative should itself improve competitiveness and mobilise synergistic resources, applying advanced technology as well as improving management effectiveness combined with branding and marketing.

Co-operatives should be restructured and transformed into modern models, expanding the scale of production and developing production toward specialisation and professionalism, generating products of high quality and added value, meeting domestic requirements as well as joining the global value chain, he said.

Foreign experts said Vietnamese co-operatives should also learn from international practices, including a number of co-operative development models of developed countries such as Canada, the Netherlands and Germany.

Co-operatives should be built on a voluntary basis, mobilising resources from each participant and distributing profits according to agreement reached between participants, the experts said.

Viet Nam has more than 19,500 co-operatives operating in various fields, from agriculture, fisheries, forestry, transport, credit and handicrafts. However, only one third are assessed as operating efficiently

At a conference workshop, Tran Van Cung, chairman of the Co-operative Alliance in the southern province of An Giang, gave examples of co-operation on rice production between farmers and businesses in the province.

Co-operatives represented farming households, receiving seeds, chemicals and fertilisers from enterprises and then providing them to farming households, he said. Co-operatives received commissions according to agreements reached with farmers. In addition, co-operatives and technical staff supervise and support farmers in the production process, he said.  VNS
HA NOI  Local markets were fragile on Thursday after gains in a day earlier, with both indices falling on weakening investor sentiment.

The benchmark VN-Index on the HCM Stock Exchange fell 0.77 per cent to close Thursdays session at 767.59 points. The southern market index increased 0.33 per cent in the previous session.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index also edged down 1.23 per cent to end at 100.49 points. The northern market index rose 0.44 per cent on Wednesday.

Large-cap stocks continued to impact the market heavily as 24 of the 30 largest shares by market value and liquidity on the HCM Stock Exchange declined and only six advanced.

Shares of most sectors were under high selling pressure, including banks, steelmakers, energy, construction and real estate companies.

Except Viet Nam Prosperity Commercial Joint Stock Bank (VPB) which closed flat on its first trading session on Thursday, all other six listed lenders on HCM Citys exchange dropped between 0.5 per cent and 6.6 per cent.

VPBank on Thursday began to trade its entire 1.33 billion shares on the HCM Stock Exchange at a reference price of VN39,000 (US$1.72) a share. VPB dropped to VN33,000 in the morning session but recovered and settled at VN39,000 by the end of its first trading day, the most expensive bank share on the market.

More than 58 million VPB shares were exchanged on Thursday, a record for a debut, and this amount accounted for 24.4 per cent of total trading volume on HCM Citys exchange on the same day.

On the Ha Noi bourse, only Nam Viet Bank (NVB) improved while Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) and Sai Gon-Ha Noi Bank (SHB) dropped by more than 1 per cent each.

Other losers included PV Gas (GAS), Hoa Sen Group (HSG), Hoa Phat Group (HPG), Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), VinGroup (VIC), FPT Corp (FPT) and Mobile World Group (MWG).

On the bright side, companies in the food-beverage sector cushioned the market. The two biggest listed stocks in this sector  Vinamilk (VNM) and brewery Sabeco (SAB)  advanced 0.9 per cent and 1.7 per cent, respectively.

However, despite the rally of these two stocks, selling pressure in the entire market increased sharply in the second half of the afternoon session, further pushing down the indices in the final trading minutes.

This movement indicated negative sentiment of investors about the markets short-term outlook, market analyst Tran uc Anh at Bao Viet Securities Co wrote in a note on Thursday.

According to Vietnam Investment Securities Co, the market depended heavily on some large-cap stocks while liquidity was unstable.

Liquidity soared on Thursday with nearly 295 million shares worth a combined VN6.3 trillion ($277.5 million) traded in the two markets, up 39.2 per cent in volume and 73 per cent in value compared to the previous session.  VNS
HA NOI  Gemadept Corporation (Gemadept) announced on Wednesday its complete divestment from the Hoa Sen - Gemadept Logistics and International Port Corporation.

It finalised the sale of its 51 per cent stake in the company to an undisclosed South Korean buyer a day earlier, on Tuesday. The transactions value, also not disclosed, has been estimated at VN100 billion (US$4.4 million).

In 2008, Gemadapt and the Hoa Sen Group signed a deal to establish the company, aimed to develop a logistics and port project in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province. Gemadept held 51 per cent of shares while the Hoa Sen Group held 45 per cent.

Gemadept is a Vietnamese company with interests in ports, logistics, forestry and real estate. The port it is divesting from is one of six ports that it operates.

The stated reason for Gemadepts divestment is that the project is of small value offering little return on investment. The 55ha Hoa Sen - Gemadept International Port is located on a 300m long coast line, and has neither high productivity nor high revenues.

After divesting from the project, Gemadept plans to channel investment into the Gemalink deep water port in the Cai Mep  Thi Vai area. Work on this port, which has a total area of 72ha, a 1,150m main berth and 370m feeder berth, has been suspended for many years, citing the global economic downturn.

The capital from divesting in the project will be used on logistics and transportation, the company said.

Answering shareholders questions at the annual 2017 General Meeting of the Board back in May on revenues from the divestment, Gemadept had said that they had already signed an agreement with the undisclosed Korean partner to sell its shares.

It said the Korean buyer plans to turn it into a port for carriers transporting liquefied petroleum gas (cooking gas).

In May this year, the Taekwang Group, a large South Korean chaebol producing clothing, apparel, chemical, industry, and financial services products, had expressed interest in purchasing Gemadepts shares in the project.

Gemadept also said the divestment is part of their business restructuring plans. It said they would divest from other projects and pick other strategic shareholders to continue growing out in the logistics industry.

The value of 45 per cent shares in the project owned by the Hoa Sen Group, the other project investor, has dropped from VN25 billion ($1.1 million) last year to about VN18.3 billion ($815,144) as of July 2017.

Gemadept listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) in 2002 with stock code GMD, which has a total of 675,390 shares currently trading at VN41,300 ($1.83) per share with a preferential price of VN40,950 ($1.82 ).

For the second quarter of 2017, Gemadept recorded around VN1 trillion in net income ($44.5 million), up 9 per cent year on year, though its post-tax income was down 9 per cent to VN123 billion ($5.4 million).

The Hoa Sen Groups port project was set up in 2006 with an initial charter capital of VN39 billion ($1.7 million). The port stands next to the Tan Cang-Cai Mep International Terminal in Ba Ria  Vung Tau Province.  VNS
HA NOI  The northern province of Son La will export Song Ma longan to the United States for the first time in the next few days.

Nguyen inh Tung, general director of Vina T&T Import Export Service Trading Company Ltd., said his company had worked with Son Las Department of Industry and Trade and the plantation areas, and had completed the packaging process to transfer the juicy fruits to Ha Nois Noi Bai International Airport.

From Ha Noi, the lot will be flown to HCM City for radiation, and then shipped to the US.

Song Ma longan is a sweet-tasting fruit with a thick, juicy pulp and small seed planted on the hills and mountains of the provinces Song Ma District. It has distinct taste and quality compared to other types of longan in the country, Tung added.

The first time shipment of Song Ma longan to the US is to introduce the product to the market. If consumers enjoy the fruit, the company will continue the export, Tung said.

Around 32,000 households in Son La Province grow longan on over 5,000 hectares of land and produce a yield of 40,000 tonnes of longan per year. It is not only consumed fresh, but a large quantity of longan is also processed and dried, mainly serving the northern market as well as exported to China.

Last year, Viet Nam earned US$2.4 billion from the export of fruits and vegetables, of which $6 million came from Vina T&T.

As the market shows positive signs, the company aims to earn $12 million this year, double its 2016 figures. In the first seven months of 2017, the company has already earned $8 million.

As per the latest figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam earned $360 million through the export of fruits and vegetables in July, taking it to $2.03 billion in the first seven months of this year, an increase of 48.9 per cent compared to the same period last year.  VNS
CAN THO  Water governance in APEC economies, climate change, food security and best practices in agriculture are among the topics to be discussed at the first APEC Water Resources Authorities Meeting for Food Security that opens today in Can Tho.

The two-day event is part of a project titled Challenges for Water and Food Security in the context of climate change in the APEC region, which seeks to increase awareness of the pressing challenges in and solutions to water governance and management to support food security in the face of increasing climate change impacts and growing population in the APEC region.

Speaking at the event, Javier Martinez from the Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation said his country proposed to organise the first APEC meeting of authorities responsible for water resources management and food security to strengthen the relationship and future co-operation between authorities, experts, the private sector, and academia.

This project aims to identify gaps in water resources management and development strategies and share best practices and experiences in water use for food security.

Besides this, the meeting will also offer technical lectures and present an overview of the results and findings of a preliminary report on water resource management in APEC based on information received from member economies for the first research mapping survey.

Martinez said: As you know climate change has a direct impact on water supply, affecting food production, posing limitations to economic growth and creating social conflicts.

This is compounded by weak governance in some economies, and thus the sustainable use of water resources must be improved to ensure food security and effective climate change adaption measures.

Tran Kim Long, director general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments International Co-operation Department, said water is one of the most important elements for food production.

"The relationship between climate change, increasing droughts and population growth has been as intimate and present-minded than ever," he said.

It was reasonable to conclude that the world would be short of water to produce food to meet the increased demand from the growing population, he said.

It is estimated that agriculture currently accounts for 70 per cent of the worlds water use. Water shortages are threatening food security and public health.

Identified as an economy significantly affected by climate change and rising sea levels, Viet Nam is also located downstream of two important international rivers, in which two-thirds of the water in Viet Nam flows from neighbouring countries.

"Therefore, the availability of freshwater and water management are priorities in agriculture development policies," he said.

At a symposium on "Building resilient agro-food systems from production to consumption, Hong-Sang Jung, executive director, APEC Climate Centre, said "food security is one of the most central concerns of the 21st century".

As the worlds population would exceed nine billion by 2050, the world needs to produce at least 50 per cent more food by that time, according to Jung.

However climate change has traumatised the sufficient and stable drive of food.

The conference would be a place for policy makers and experts to exchange concrete ideas, information and opinions to tackle the issue of food security, which Jung said would require an inter-disciplinary approach and joint work by invited experts.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc said enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change is the priority of APEC Viet Nam 2017.

"Food security is one of the top concerns in APEC as it contributes 55 per cent of global agricultural produce. Food security is also listed as the second goal in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

This event would improve understanding of weather and climate information to effectively utilise it to enhance food security and sustainable development, he added.

ao Anh Dung, deputy chairman of the Can Tho city Peoples Committee, said the Mekong Delta, comprised of Can Tho and 12 provinces, contributes more than 90 per cent of Viet Nams rice exports, 60 per cent of fisheries exports and more than 50 per cent of fruit and vegetable exports.

Agricultural production and rural livelihoods depend entirely on natural conditions.

"Climate change has been a complex issue, especially with floods in 2011 and saline intrusion in 2016, that has caused great damage to agriculture production in the entire Mekong Delta, affecting social stability and the sustainable development of the community."

According to local and international experts, the unpredictable weather conditions have severely affected agriculture and aquaculture production.

"The main focus is to link production and consumption, ensure environmental protection and the sustainable exploitation of resources, and adapt to climate change," Dung added.

News from SOM 3 will be updated later.  VNS
HA NOI  The sixth Viet Nam International Book Fair will take place at Ha Nois Thong Nhat Park from August 23 to 27 with the participation of nearly 100 domestic and foreign book companies and publishing houses.

The annual fair will create a chance to promote reading culture, expand international co-operation and introduce Vietnamese publications, said Chu Van Hoa, director of the Department of Publishing, Printing and Distribution, host of the fair.

Taking place at an open-air venue, the five-day event promises to attract thousands of readers of different ages, he said.

The international book fair has gained prestige and fame so that this year, we will have the participation of more foreign agencies than the previous event, he added.

World famous media and publishing houses have registered to take part, including Wedge & Holdings, Vista P.S, Tuttle Mori of Thailand, John Wiley & Sons, Oxford Press, Macmillan, HarperCollins and more.

The book fair will expose readers to 40,000 titles in Vietnamse and 7,500 titles in foreign languages. These range from literature, science, education to childrens books. All books will be offered for promotional prices and discounts.

The event will also include an exhibition displaying old documents and objects related to the development of book publishing and distribution in Viet Nam through different historical periods. The books on display including awarded books, e-books, books on sea and islands and national sovereignty, books on ASEAN community and books printed with new materials and technology.

The book fairs agenda features other activities, including book launches, talks with Vietnamese and foreign authors, discussions on publishing works, and a signing ceremony on copyright exchanges between domestic and foreign partners.

Key programmes include a seminar sharing experience in copyright exchange, organised by Nha Nam Company and Tuttle Mori Thailand, a workshop instructing children to make board books and baby fabric books sponsored by inh Ti Company, and a seminar on developinh childrens reading habits hosted by Quang Van Company.  VNS
CHICAGO  Aretha Franklin, who has reigned as the Queen of Soul for some 50 years, has announced plans to return to her hometown of Detroit and open a nightclub.

The chart-toping Motown legend will not have to travel far: she currently lives in a suburb near the Motor City that gave birth to her musical career in the 1960s.

The 75-year-old told the Detroit Free Press newspaper she wanted to open a nightclub in downtown Detroit during her retirement where she would occasionally perform.

"From time to time I would sing," said the voice behind such iconic hits as the feminist-tinged Respect and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.

"I would have special artists come in to perform for the city that people in Detroit like  Detroit favourites," she told the newspaper, adding that the club would naturally be called "Arethas".

Franklin, who has won 18 Grammys, told the newspaper this would be her "last year in concert."

She had announced a pending retirement earlier this year, but only after finishing a final album featuring Stevie Wonder.

In recent years she has cancelled a number of concerts.

Last year she said doctors had ordered her not to perform due to an unspecified condition. The superstar separately pointed to problems with her back-up band for scrapping a small tour.  AFP
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.  VNA/VNS Photo An ang

HA NOI  The International Religious Freedom Report for 2016 recently issued by the US Department of State once again does not reflect correctly the state of religious practice and belief in Viet Nam, nor the countrys achievements in ensuring the right to freedom of religion.

Although the report acknowledges that Viet Nam made progress in ensuring religious freedom, it still adheres to dated views and one-sided and subjective assessments about religion in Viet Nam.

The right to freedom of religion and belief is clearly stipulated in Viet Nams Constitution and safeguarded by its laws. The legal foundation for freedom of religion and belief has also made significant strides. Together with the 2013 Constitution, the 2004 Ordinance No 21 on belief and region and the 2012 Decree No 92 on the enforcement of Ordinance No 21, the National Assembly passed a Law on Belief and Religion in November 2016, which is scheduled to officially take effect on January 1, 2018.

To date, Viet Nam has recognised and granted licences to 39 religious organisations with over 24 million followers, or 27 per cent of the countrys population. The country has nearly 53,000 religious dignitaries, and 28,000 worship facilities.

Religious activities are held without obstruction, and festivals of various religions are held in accordance with religious norms and attract the participation of many followers.

In addition, the training of dignitaries and monks has been maintained and expanded. Many dignitaries and monks have been sent to receive training in the US, France, Italy and India. Religious representatives have also attended faith dialogues and discussions at major international forums, such as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Viet Nam established its relations with the Vatican in 1989, and the latter assigned a non-permanent representative to Viet Nam since 2011. International religion and human rights organisations have visited and conducted fact-finding tours to Viet Nam many times, and then acknowledged the countrys efforts to ensure human rights, including the right to freedom of religion and belief.

Notably, Viet Nam was elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council in the 2014-16 tenure with the highest number of votes, reflecting the worlds acknowledgement of the countrys policies and efforts in ensuring human rights, including the right to freedom of religion and belief.

The Vietnamese Party and State always respect the right to freedom of religion and belief of all citizens, but do not allow abuse of those freedoms or exploitation of a belief or religion to violate the law.

Viet Nam is determined to fight and prevent all activities that violate its laws, take advantage of a religion or belief to create social disorder, undermine the great national unity, undermine the Party and State, hurt the nations interests and hinder its development and international integration.

Like all other nations around the world, including the US, the Vietnamese State does not allow religious acvitity that violates its laws. In the US itself, many state laws clearly stipulate outlawed anti-government activities along with corresponding punishment. Any individual or organisation assembling unlawfully or inciting terrorism and violence in the name of religion are punished as regulated by US law.

Therefore, it is time for the US Department of State to take a comprehensive and objective view and respect the truth about the state of religious practice in Viet Nam, in accordance with the constructive development of the two countries relations.  VNS
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will pay an official visit to Indonesia from August 22-24 at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.  VNA/VNS Photo Tri Dung

HA NOI  Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will pay an official visit to Indonesia from August 22-24 at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

The visit aims to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries, reinforce political trust and friendship, and speed up pragmatic co-operation towards ushering bilateral relations into a new phase of development.

After Indonesia, Trong will make a State visit to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar from August 24-26 as guest of Myanmar President Htin Kyaw.

This visit will aim at defining a framework for bilateral relations with new milestones and catalysing impulses across many sectors.  VNS
Security ministers of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia met in Ha Noi on August 17 to discuss co-operation among the three countries security forces.  VNA/VNS Photo Doan Tan

HA NOI  Security ministers of Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia met in Ha Noi on August 17 to discuss co-operation among the three countries security forces.

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security To Lam welcomed Cambodias delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Sar Kheng, and the Laos delegation, headed by Minister of Security Somkeo Silavon, to visit Viet Nam on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Viet Nam-Cambodia diplomatic ties and the 55th anniversary of Viet Nam-Laos diplomatic relations.

He said that the Vietnamese public security force is proud of having Cambodian and Lao friends and colleagues who always give wholehearted assistance in safeguarding national security and social order.

In the fight against transnational organised crime, the three countries security forces have co-ordinated to bust many major drug and human trafficking rings and arrest wanted persons.

Amid international integration and more complicated activities of hostile forces and transnational organised crimes, close collaboration between the three countries security forces is extremely important to protect national security and social order and safety in each country.

The forces should work closely in rejecting allegations aimed at undermining the friendship between Viet Nam and Laos and between Viet Nam and Cambodia as well as combating terrorism, transnational crimes and other non-traditional crimes, Lam noted.

The Vietnamese official expressed his belief that the three countries security forces will further their collaboration, not let any hostile forces and criminal organisations harm security and order in each country and contribute to their nations economic development.

For their parts, Sar Kheng and Somkeo Silavon wished that collaboration between the three ministries will continue to thrive, contributing to maintaining social order and safety as well as ensuring national security in their countries.

PM calls for stronger ties

Earlier the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Lao Minister of Public Security Somkeo Silavong and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Sar Kheng.

In his talks with Minister Somkeo Silavong, Phuc urged the public security forces of Viet Nam and Laos to strengthen collaboration to ensure political security and social order.

The PM said the two forces must work together to thwart plots by hostile forces to undermine Viet Nam-Laos solidarity, underscoring the need to stop hostile forces using the territory of one country to hurt the security of the other.

He also called for joint efforts to fight crimes and build a border of peace, friendship, stability and development.

Silavong, for his part, said his visit aims to nurture solidarity between the two nations and their public security forces, adding that the two forces are also preparing for upcoming celebrations and exchanges.

Meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Phuc lauded the close co-operation between the public security forces of Viet Nam and Cambodia in fighting crime, especially crimes related to national security, drugs, economic activities, cyber crime and human trafficking.

PM Phuc said that amid global and regional developments, the public security forces of Viet Nam and Cambodia should continue working closely to implement agreements reached by senior leaders of the two nations on ensuring political security, and order and safety in each country.

For his part, Sar Kheng said that his visit marks the 50th anniversary of Viet Nam-Cambodia diplomatic ties and the 72nd traditional day of the Peoples Public Security Force of Viet Nam, which serves as an opportunity to strengthen relations between the two countries and public security forces.

The official thanked the Party, Government and Ministry of Public Security of Viet Nam for their assistance to the Cambodian people, affirming that Cambodia will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese nationals in the country.  VNS
Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim will visit Viet Nam from August 22-24, at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.  Photo Radio Free Europe

HA NOI  Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim will visit Viet Nam from August 22-24, at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Viet Nam and Turkey set up diplomatic relations in 1978.

In the first five months of this year, the two countries two-way trade hit US$724.6 million. Turkey launched direct flight services connecting Ha Noi and HCM City.

The two countries target a trade value of $4 billion by 2020.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha agreed on Thursday that the two countries would strive to raise two-way trade to US$20 billion before 2020. Total bilateral trade volume last year reached $12.5 billion.

PM Phuc began a three-day visit to Thailand on Thursday.

The two Government leaders agreed to support each other in drawing investment and trade to their countries, easing access for their products in each others markets and promoting co-operation in rice production and trade.

Thai PM Prayut Chan-ocha pledged to encourage Thai businesses to increase investment in Viet Nams tourism, auxiliary industries, finance, banking, science and technology, agriculture and fisheries.

The two PMs remarked on the stable relationship between their countries in all fields, from security to economy and culture, especially since they established a strategic partnership in 2013. To further the relationship, they agreed to enhance all-level delegation exchanges and effectively implement co-operation mechanisms.

The two PMs stressed co-operation in security and national defence as one of the pillars of the bilateral strategic partnership, agreeing to increase exchanges of views and co-operation between their armed forces.

They reaffirmed their commitment to co-operate in combatting terrorism and crime; enhancing co-operation on maritime issues, and increasing co-operation and experience sharing to fight illegal fishing.

Transport links

The two sides agreed to promote multilateral transport linkage, including road, sea and air transport between the two countries, as well as in the sub-region. Plans include a bus route linking Thailand, Laos and Viet Nam; a transport route along the coast of Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam; and new air routes between Viet Nam and Thailand.

The two PMs also praised the growth and increasing strength of ASEAN and committed to continue co-operating closely with each other and with other ASEAN member countries to strengthen solidarity and promote the associations central role in handling strategic regional issues.

PM Phuc praised Thailand, one of the founding countries of the grouping, for maintaining its active role in strategic security and development issues of the ASEAN Community. PM Chan-o-cha stressed the increasingly dynamic, proactive and responsible role of Viet Nam in ASEAN.

They reiterated the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability as well as navigation safety and freedom in the East Sea.

They stressed that parties concerned need to fully and efficiently implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); build, preserve and improve mutual trust; respect the principles of self-restraint and ban the use of force; address differences and disputes by peaceful means in compliance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The leaders also reaffirmed their support for the speedy drafting of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) as agreed between ASEAN and China.

The PMs witnessed the signing of an agreement on co-operation in science, technology and innovation, and memoranda of understanding between ministries and sectors pertaining to economy, trade, post, telecommunications, information technology and banking, as well as some agreements between localities and businesses.  VNS
HCM CITY  The growing threat of terrorism in the APEC region stemming from ISIL, Al-Qaida and other organisations, cross-border travel of foreign terrorist fighters, spread of radicalisation through the Internet, and new sources and channels of terrorist financing were discussed Friday at the third APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 3) in HCM City.

James Nachipo of the international security division, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who chaired the Counter Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) Meeting, said: The meeting this morning was discussing and developing a new plan which will commence in 2018 and go up to 2022. Now the importance and significance of the plan itself is that it will map out and identify paradigms for APEC, for our working group to focus on an area of terrorism.

At the moment all economies agree that terrorism is an issue, we all agree that if you are looking at what is happening with ISIL in the Middle East, as well as other terrorist groups in Southeast Asia.

The participants agree that more work and co-operation are needed to counter it, and the working group is developing a plan that would actually reflect the efforts to counter terrorism.

We are looking at things like countering terrorism finance, countering the movement of terrorist and foreign fighters, we look at things like securing trade, securing infrastructure, Nachipo said.

Every economy was approaching this in a very constructive way, and the Vietnamese Government had put in excellent arrangements to support that work, and everything is working smoothly, he said.

We are dealing with an issue which has been going on for many years, and for us in Southeast Asia, you know that situation in the Southern Philippines with Abu Sayyaf and other groups affiliated with ISIL, which are as you know involved in the conflict in Marawi city.

And we also know that ISIL has inspired a number of attacks in Southeast Asia over the last two years or so. So a challenge for us is to make sure that our work remains relevant to actually address the issue for the region.

No country is immune from terrorism, and we welcome Viet Nams participation in the working group. Because Viet Nam is a part of the region, a part of Southeast Asia, what happens to other economies in terms of terrorism can also affect Viet Nam.

And as you know Vietnamese citizens also travel around the world. So its very good for Viet Nam to engage in what is happening, in what other economies are doing to counter terrorism, to be able to stand in a position to improve and strengthen the security of its own citizens who are travelling around the world.

It doesnt matter that you dont have terrorism in Viet Nam, but Viet Nam is taking part in a very important issue with other regional economies.

In a release the group said: We encourage APEC economies to continue to take consolidated actions effectively respond to the terrorist challenges in the region, as guided by APECs Consolidated Counter Terrorism and Secure Trade Strategy.

We are confident that the ultimate defeat of terrorism requires consolidation of global efforts united by a broad international coalition under the central co-ordinating role of the UN, in accordance with the UN Charter, on the basis of norms and principles of international law.

We are committed to counter the spread of radicalisation conducive to terrorism, terrorist propaganda, including the use of the internet and social media for terrorism-related purposes, as well as acts of public justification of terrorism intended to incite terrorist acts.

To ensure synergy in global counterterrorism efforts, APEC will enhance its co-operation with major international bodies, including the United Nations and the Financial Action Task Force.

APEC economies will continue to take co-ordinated actions, exchange information and share best practices to effectively respond to the terrorist challenges in the region.  VNS
PHU YEN  A tunnel route on National Highway 1A linking the two central provinces of Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa will officially open on August 21.

Work on the 13.4km tunnel road, running through the Ca Pass, began in 2012.

The eo Ca Investment Joint Stock Company told Viet Nam News that it would collect toll on the route from September 3 onwards.

It said the tunnel and entrance, built with an investment of VN15.6 trillion (US$748 million), would allow vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of 80km per hour from Phu Yen Provinces Hao Son Commune to Khanh Hoa Provinces Co Ma Commune.

Each side of the tunnel road will have two 3.5m lanes, helping vehicles reduce time crossing the Ca Pass and the Co Ma Pass, which had to be done on a long, winding road until now.

The tunnel will be the fourth on the highway, following those running through the Hai Van, Phuoc Tuong and Phu Gia Passes between a Nang and Hue, and the Ngang Pass between Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces.

The company has begun work on expanding the single-lane Hai Van rescue tunnel into a two-lane traffic route, and on upgrading the current Hai Van two-lane tunnel from last year.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Education and Training will regulate specific floor marks for teacher training colleges and universities from 2018 as part of measures to improve teacher training quality.

Floor mark is the minimum mark Vietnamese students must obtain from national exams to be eligible to study at any university or college.

The move was made after a number of teacher training colleges and universities in Viet Nam pushed cut-off marks to a record low to enroll enough students. Some institutions even lowered their pass marks to nine out of 30.

Vietnamese 12th graders took the national exam in June with separate tests in math, literature, English and basic sciences. Their total scores in three of these tests are used to determine which university or college, if any, will accept them.

The new regulation was revealed by Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha at a working session with rectors of teacher training institutions nationwide on Wednesday.

This regulation is quite unique as the ministry had previously decided to not set general floor marks for all universities and colleges from 2018 but let them decide their own pass marks.

Participants at the meeting said among the key reasons leading to the low benchmark was that the number of pedagogical institutions exceeded the real demand, due to which many institutions failed to enroll enough students.

The high rate of unemployment among teachers was another reason. Every year, some 4,000 students who graduated from teaching schools were unable to find a job, and the surplus was expected to reach 70,000 by 2020.

In addition, the low salaries paid to teachers in the country demotivated students from enrolling in teacher training institutions.

Admitting shortcomings in teacher training, Minister Nha stressed that resolute measures were needed to improve training quality, focusing on quality of students at teacher training institutions.

He also requested that training be closely linked with real market demand. In particular, training of teachers in teaching fields that are redundant must be stopped.

He said the ministry would increase inspection of training quality of teacher training institutions and speed up reorganisation of the network of teacher training facilities.

The ministry would also improve research and provide consultancy to the Government and the National Assembly to have better policies for teachers.

At a working session with the Ministry of Education and Training on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am asked the ministry to actively implement a plan to place an order with teacher training institutions to ensure employment for graduates and training quality.

Once the plan is implemented, problems relating to pass marks at teacher training institutions could be resolved, he said.

Qualified output is a decisive factor. We have shortcomings in not assessing real market demand for human resources of the pedagogical sector, leading to surplus of teachers in some areas but shortage of teachers in other areas, he said.

Teacher played a decisive role in the development of education, he said. He admitted that a number of teachers are qualified, but there were those not qualified, thus failing to meet the demand for education reform.

One key reason leading to the problem was the quality of teachers training at pedagogical institutions.

Minister Nha said the ministry would pay more attention to assessing real demand for teachers in each sector.

He stressed that those facilities with low training quality would be merged into other institutions or even be required to be dissolved.  VNS
HA NOI  Detailed plans for Ban Gioc Waterfall tourism site were announced on Thursday by Cao Bang Provinces Peoples Committee and the Ministry of Construction.

The master plan was approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in April this year.

The announcement aims to call for investment from enterprises to turn Ban Gioc waterfall tourist site into a key tourism site of the northern mountainous province and the nation, contributing to boosting the development of the province and the region.

Under the plan, the Ban Gioc waterfall tourist site will cover 1,000ha while the central area of the site will cover 156.7ha.

Facilities will be also built in the zone to serve tourism, including hotels and service areas.

The tourist site is expected to welcome approximately 750,000 visitors per year and have more than 1,000 rooms for tourists by 2020. By 2030, the tourist site is estimated to receive 1.2 million visitors and have some 1,750 rooms for visitors.

The central area of the Ban Gioc waterfall tourist site is set to have four areas including the Ban Gioc waterfall landscape, the landscape along the Quay Son River, the mountainous forestry landscape ecology and the agricultural landscape ecology.

Ban Gioc is in am Thuy Commune, Trung Khanh District, on the border with Chinas Guangxi Province. It is 53 metres high and 300 metres wide and has three levels of smaller waterfalls.

The waterfall is the fourth largest border waterfall in the world and was named one of the ten most spectacular waterfalls in the world by travel site Touropia.

In 2016, the tourism site welcomed more than 178,000 visitors.  VNS
HCM CITY  The first of the third APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 3) and related meetings began in HCM City today.

The Sub-committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC) began with two workshops on Best conformity assessment implementation on smart cities in APEC region and Facilitating trade in information and communications technologies products through encouragement of electronic labelling best practices.

The conference on smart cities in the APEC region is being attended by more than 100 delegates from over 10 APEC members, including Viet Nam, China, Japan, Thailand, and the US.

Experts and officials shared their experiences and issues in developing smart cities, including updates on international standardisation organisations international standards related to smart cities.

The second SCSC workshop focuses on e-labelling and the ICT sector.

It provides an overview of electronic labelling with a focus on emerging trends in e-labelling and the benefits of e-labelling for ICT trade, and highlights international standardisation efforts.

The automotive dialogue (AD) also got under way with a workshop on The impact of Government policy instruments on promoting new energy vehicles, attracting participants from over 10 APEC members including Malaysia, the US and Viet Nam.

Besides discussing the main topic, the workshop also shared the strategies and practices behind e-scooter promotion in Taiwan.

Chinese delegates spoke about the status of and trends in the new energy vehicle policy.

Comparisons between automotive tax policies used to promote new energy vehicles in APEC will be discussed this afternoon.

The first day of the Expert Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade (EGILAT) began with a workshop on customs best practices to identify illegal timber and wood products.

The workshop focuses on protocols and methodologies for targeting illegal wood shipments, best practices for forensic timber identification for customs professionals; legal wood products certification programmes; protocols for documentation and date review to monitor compliance and wood product legality.

Nguyen Van Ha, deputy general director of the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry, said : The workshop is the place where APEC members can share experiences, best customs practices and tools to help them identify illegal timber so as to completely eliminate it from the supply chain and from the global timber trade act.

Also this morning senior APEC officials considered five important topics in the first sessions taking place at the Rex Hotel .

They discussed counter-terrorism, noting with concern the growing threat of terrorism in the APEC region stemming from lSlL, Al-Qaida and other organisations, cross-border travel of foreign terrorist fighters, spread of radicalisation through the Internet, and new sources and channels of terrorist financing.

They encouraged APEC members to continue to take concerted action in response to the terrorist challenges in the region based on APECs Consolidated Counter Terrorism and Secure Trade Strategy.

Port service safety

Eighty delegates from the Transportation Working Group gathered this morning for the 10th APEC Port Services Network (APSN) Meeting to discuss measures to enhance the safety of transportation in the Asia-Pacific region.

The meeting focused on facilitation of domestic policy regulations, development of intermodal supply chains and secure transport activity, and integration of corporate social responsibility.

It also discussed building the capacity of all stakeholders to help them reach the eventual goal of free and open trade.

Jerry Rysanek, APSNs senior consultant, said: Regulatory regimes on safety of dangerous goods at APEC ports should be harmonised.

It is necessary for the participating economies to update the latest dangerous goods guidelines.

To achieve the highest degree of harmonisation, APSN will compile best practices on handling of dangerous goods at ports in the APEC region and submit them to the council for consideration for the next meeting, according to the Secretariat.

The meeting also reviewed outcomes of the previous workshop on restructuring of shipping and port industry that took place in HCM City on August 15-16.

Delegates called for measures by individual economies to strengthen security of all modes of transportation.

The meeting will discuss the action plan for 2018 this afternoon and review and update the ASPN Five-Year Strategic Plan for 2014  2018, which the Secretariat said would be important for setting the direction of the next meeting.

Medical products

The Regulatory Harmonisation Steering Committee (RHSC) today unveils the Strategic Framework Regulatory Convergence for Medical Products by 2020.

Adopted in 2010 by the RHSC and the Life Science Innovation Forum in Japan, it provides the basic proposal and rationale for achieving regulatory convergence for medical products within the bloc by 2020.

The purpose of the strategic framework is to outline a strategic multi-year approach for meeting this objective in support of the broader objectives of improved public health and economic development.

Each economy will determine the level of convergence it desires, develop specific strategies to promote regulatory convergence and set its timetable in the context of its own regulatory system and socio-cultural objectives.

While each economy may adopt each phase in its own timeframe, the ultimate aim is for APEC economies to achieve the maximum regulatory convergence possible by 2020.

The convergence is expected to facilitate exchange of information among regulators to improve the safety and efficacy of medical products and create more efficient regulatory processes and align regulatory requirements to promote public health and innovation. VNS
KHANH HOA  At least six people were killed and several others injured on Friday morning in an explosion in Khanh Son District, central coastal Khanh Hoa Province, authority officials said.

According to inh Ngoc Son, chairman of the districts Peoples Committee, the explosion occurred at about 9am in To Hap Town, killing three adults and three children.

Among those injured, one is in very serious condition and was taken to a general hospital near Cam Ranh area, Son said.

Soon after receiving news about the explosion, district authority representatives together with emergency rescue forces and investigators arrived at the accident site in an attempt to deal with its aftermath.

The district authorities said the police were collecting information about the explosion and would report to the provincial authority at the earliest time.

At about 11.30am, the Khanh Hoa Provinces Peoples Committees head of office, Huynh Ngoc Bong, told Dan tri online newspaper that initial report from the district revealed the explosion occurred when a group of people were trying to cut an unexploded bomb reportedly left over from the war.

A group of provincial authority officials also arrived and sent condolences to the victims families, promising to support them.

The province had ordered an urgent investigation into the accident and the origin of the bomb.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments (MARD) Trade Union and the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Centre for Agriculture (VNTPCA) on Friday signed an agreement to offer price support for agriculture products that are sold to trade union members.

They also opened a centre for the supply of safe agricultural products in the country.

Some 50 agriculture business enterprises, producers and co-operatives have committed to offer a discount of between 5 and 20 per cent on the price of safe agriculture products sold at the centre.

The products are diverse in type, including agro-forestry specialties from different regions.

According to ao Van Ho, director of VNTPCA, the products will be labelled on the packaging with clear origins and certification.

Many products were cited on an electronic information system, thus helping consumers have easy access to information about them, Ho said.

Speaking at a signing ceremony on Friday, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said although authorities had repeatedly issued warnings and sanctions, promised strict penalties, and even prohibition, many agricultural producers and trading companies had abused banned chemicals or pesticides during the processes of cultivation and preservation.

This had resulted in serious violation of rules on food safety, Tam said.

To cope with the situation, the deputy minister said MARD had chosen two years of 2016 and 2017 as The years of food safety.

During this time, MARD is focused on preventing and controlling the use of prohibited chemical substances in agriculture production, such as the abuse of pesticides, preservative chemicals, antibiotics and fake fertilisers, according to the MARD official.

At the same time, he said, the ministry would also intensify communication on the promotion of consumer awareness on food safety as well as on linking them with safe farm product chains.

Meanwhile, Bui Van Cuong, president of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, committed that the federation would request local trade unions, particularly those in agricultural processing and industrial parks to boost their operation in connecting producers and suppliers with consumers, so as to limit the loss to a minimum due to brokering, intermediary stages and other unnecessary trading procedures.

These connections, therefore, would also help create motivation for the consumption of hygienic and safe agricultural products among trade union members, said Cuong.  VNS
HA NOI  Some 2,000 young women and female migrants in Ha Noi will be provided with information and consultation on housing, employment and study opportunities.

They will also be trained and supported to connect with businesses to get stable jobs or be self-employed.

This information was stated at a press conference held on Thursday to introduce a project organised by Plan International Viet Nam to create sustainable and safe employment opportunities for Ha Nois migrant women.

The project aims to enhance the adaptability and economic stability of young women and female migrants aged between 18-30, living in Ha Nois ong Anh District.

They will be trained in professional, soft and work-ready skills, encouraged to show willingness to work and provided with stable job opportunities.

In addition, counseling centres will be established in ong Anh District to provide information and advice to young women and female migrants to reduce the risk of gender violence and improve access to safe housing, reproductive healthcare and sexual health services.

The project also promotes the establishment of a network of enterprises that commit to sustainable employment and gender equality.

The four-year project has been implemented in ong Anh District since June 2016.

According to Luu Quang ai, director of the Plan International Viet Nam programme, more than 80 per cent of participants in a survey conducted by the project in November 2016 among female migrant workers and women living in Kim Chung Commune, said the current work conditions are unstable.

According to the survey, 53 per cent disliked their current jobs and wished to move to another sustainable one.

Another survey by the Institute of Workers and Trade Unions under the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour showed that workers aged over 30, especially women, were forced to leave their jobs for various reasons.

Some 43.1 per cent of workers do freelance work after being fired, 17.2 per cent do business, 15.3 per cent do housework, 13.3 per cent work in the field and over 11 per cent work as street vendors.

Le Quynh Lan, project manager of Plan International in Ha Noi, said the project called for the participation and support of all residents and house owners in ong Anh District, as well as employers, to build a safe and equal working environment for female migrant workers to help them have stable jobs and feel safe in the city.  VNS
Tam ao Town in Vinh Phuc Province, situated some 80 km from Ha Noi, is a must-see destination for visitors to the countrys north.

During summer Tam ao has added appeal with its fresh cool air, mist and romantic sceneries.

Visitors can experience four seasons in a single day.

They can expect to have their worries eased as they explore this romantic place with the sounds and melodies of mountains and streams and birds singing away in the forest.

They have a myriad of choices for lodging with many motels and hotels available at reasonable prices.VNS
BARCELONA  A van driver ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelonas most popular street in broad daylight on Thursday, killing 13 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run.

Witnesses told of scenes of chaos and horror, with bodies strewn along the famous boulevard as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic.

The rampage in a city hugely popular with tourists from around the world is the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror.

As world leaders united in condemning the carnage, the IS propaganda agency Amaq claimed that it was carried out by "soldiers" from the jihadist group.

Regional interior minister Joaquim Forn said 13 people had died and another 100 were injured in what police were treating as a "terrorist attack", warning that the death toll could rise further.

Foreigners were among the victims.

Las Ramblas is one of Barcelonas busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night.

'Whole street started to run'

"When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP.

"There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners."

Witness Aamer Anwar told Britains Sky News television he was walking down Las Ramblas, which he described as "jam-packed" with tourists.

"All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming. I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids."

Police officers ask people to leave Plaza Catalonia following a terrorist attack in central Barcelona, Spain. XINHUA/VNA Photo

Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front completely crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars.

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard.

"It wasnt slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.

Ethan Spibey, a charity director on holiday, said he and several others locked themselves in a nearby church.

"All of a sudden it was real kind of chaos... people just started running screaming," he told Sky. "There was kind of a mini stampede."

Europes deadliest attack

Spain had until now been spared the kind of extremist violence that has rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

But it was hit by what is still Europes deadliest jihadist attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Police said Thursday that one of the arrested suspects was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory on Moroccos north coast, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.

The Spaniard was arrested in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, the scene of an explosion in a house late Wednesday that left one person dead and is believed to be linked to Thursdays assault.

"We suspect that they (the occupants) were preparing an explosive device," Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional Catalonia police told reporters.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (centre) during the meeting with senior officials of the State Security Forces held at Government Delegation in Barcelona, on Thursday, in the aftermath of the terrorist attack. - EPA/VNA Photo

In another incident Thursday, police shot at a vehicle that forced its way through a roadblock in Barcelona after the van attack, knocking down two officers.

Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat, and three nationals had been wounded -- a woman and her two children.

Thursdays attack drew condemnation from across the globe. Spains royal family vowed that their country would not be "terrorised" by extremists.

Revolting attack

US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the Unied States will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

Frances President Emmanuel Macron -- whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people -- said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack".

A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the "revolting attack" and British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Twitter that London "stands with Spain against terror".

Spain has emerged as a potential target for jihadists, with extremist websites mentioning it for historical reasons, since much of its territory was once under Muslim rule.

Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.

According to the interior ministry, more than 180 "jihadist terrorists" have been arrested since 2015, most of them for propaganda, recruitment for extremist groups or "glorifying terrorism."

On Thursday, the Radicalisation Awareness Network, created by the European Commission, warned that between 1,200 and 3,000 Europeans who lived with and fought for IS in Iraq and Syria could return home.  AFP




RIYADH  Qatari hajj pilgrims began crossing into Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Saudi media reported, after Riyadh reopened the border in a move that Doha welcomed but saw as "politically motivated" as regional tensions simmer.

The Salwa border crossing, a key passage for Muslims on the annual hajj pilgrimage, has been closed since June in a major diplomatic crisis that saw Riyadh and its regional allies cut relations with Doha over allegations that the emirate supported Islamist extremists.

Qatar has denied the charge and in turn accused Riyadh of politicising the hajj by restricting its citizens from making the pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest site in Islam that is located in western Saudi Arabia.

Around 120 Qataris entered Saudi territory on Thursday through the Salwa border, also known as Abu Samrah, Saudi state television reported, after King Salman called for the border to be opened for pilgrims without electronic permits.

The government separately allocated seven flights of the Saudi national carrier to bring pilgrims from Doha at the monarchs expense, state news agency SPA announced.

Qatar welcomed the decision but also lashed out at what it called Riyadhs politicisation of religious freedoms.

"Regardless of the manner in which pilgrims from Qatar were banned from the pilgrimage, which was politically motivated... the government of Qatar welcomes the decision and will respond positively," Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told reporters on a visit to Stockholm.

"What matters to us is the bottom line, which is that our citizens now have a way to attend the hajj, and we uphold our demand that hajj be spared politicisation."

The hajj, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once, is to take place this year at the start of September and it is expected to draw around two million Muslims from around the world.

Right to pilgrimage

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar in what has evolved as the worst political crisis to grip the Gulf region in decades.

The kingdoms decision to reopen the frontier came shortly after its powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Qatari envoy Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Jassim al-Thani, a member of Qatars ruling dynasty.

The meeting on Wednesday in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah was the first public high-level encounter between the nations since the crisis erupted more than two months ago.

The Qatari foreign minister, however, said that Sheikh Abdullah had acted on a "personal initiative" and not on behalf of the Doha government.

The decision also came after SPA reported that Prince Mohammed had received a phone call from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has sought repeatedly to defuse the regional crisis. AFP
(1965-2017)

WATERLOO -- Robert "Pony" Lewis Wilcox II, 52, of Waterloo, died at home Wednesday, Aug. 16.

He was born on Feb. 14, 1965, in Portsmouth, Va., son of Robert and Jesse Ivey Wilcox. He married Merry Thies at 11:11 am. Nov. 11, 2011, in Evansdale.

A Navy baby, he attended schools in Virginia. In 2001, Pony came to Waterloo to be with his father. He and his wife lived throughout the area in Waverly, Cedar Falls, Evansdale and Waterloo.

Survived by: his wife; his parents; six children; two half brothers; a half sister; several grandchildren; and his cats, Louie and Biggie.

Services: will be 11:11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at Parrott & Wood Chapel of Memories, an Overton Family Service.

Memorials: may be directed to the family in care of Parrott & Wood Chapel of Memories, 965 Home Plaza, Waterloo 50701.

Condolences may be left at www.overtonservice.com.

Pony and Merry dreamed of buying a project house and collected many items for that home. He loved music, particularly vintage vinyl, and he and Merry were looking forward to seeing Bob Seger this fall on his farewell tour. Pony was a big man with a bigger heart and left an enormous void in his passing.
No injuries were reported, but several bullets struck the house at 742 Willow St.

Neighbors called 911 at about 12:55 p.m. Thursday after hearing about a dozen gunshots in the area of Willow Street and Linden Avenue. They also reported seeing a black four-door truck leaving the area, said Capt. Dave Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department.
C.F. AMVETS to hand out clovers

CEDAR FALLS -- The Cedar Falls AMVETS Post 49 is taking part in the annual White Clover Drive.

Volunteers will be at various Cedar Falls locations today and Saturday, handing out the symbolic "Remember Me" white clovers.

Blood drive set in Tripoli

TRIPOLI -- There will be a Tripoli blood drive from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Faith United Church of Christ, 408 S. Main St.

Make an appointment at lifeservebloodcenter.org or call (800) 287-4903.

Library launches new website

WATERLOO -- The Waterloo Public Library has launched its new website at waterloopubliclibrary.org.

The new site will incorporate new event and meeting room reservation software, according to library staff.

Patrons can access their library account, electronic resources and event and programming calendars on a platform easily viewed on tablets and phones.
WATERLOO  This year the Black Hawk County Gaming Association is celebrating 10 years of awarding grants to eligible projects in the Cedar Valley.

To commemorate this milestone anniversary, BHCGA will award 10 surprise grants to local nonprofits. These grants will be awarded over the course of the next 10 months.

The first surprise grant was awarded Aug. 10 at the 100 Women Who Care/100 Men Who Care joint event. BHCGA board and staff surprised COTA for Evies Freedom with a check for $10,000. The Childrens Organ Transplant Association is a national charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-related expenses.

UPDATE: Fundraising events planned for toddler Evie Mae Mueller Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the date of the fundraisers.

In the Cedar Valley, volunteers are raising funds for COTA to honor Evie Mueller, a child whose family is from Cedar Falls who has had a multivisceral transplant.

The board of directors decided to celebrate the landmark anniversary and recognize the vision of our founders by awarding 10 surprise grants to 10 deserving 501c3 organizations. The Cedar Valley is fortunate to have many nonprofits doing the work that meets our communities most critical needs. The board is honored to provide funding to these important organizations, said Betsy Ratchford, board member.

The nonprofit BHCGA, which holds the state nonprofit gaming license for the Isle Casino and Hotel at Waterloo receives 5.75 percent of the casinos adjusted gross receipts and disburses grants. The money has been used for property tax relief, capital projects and charitable donations in Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Grundy and Tama counties. Over the last ten years BHCGA has awarded $38.4 million to 413 different projects.

Funding guidelines and information are all online on the associations website at www.bhcga.org. For questions about guidelines or the online application process contact Beth Knipp, executive director at 433-1153.
WATERLOO  High crash rates have prompted the city to consider major changes to Ridgeway Avenue.

Waterloo City Council members voted 6-1 Monday to ask the Iowa Department of Transportation for a $484,200 grant to reduce Ridgeway Avenue from four to three lanes between Bellaire Road, just west of Kimball Avenue, to U.S. Highway 63.

The grant would cover the full cost of changing Ridgeway to one lane of through traffic in each direction with a center lane for left turns.

This was almost a recommendation from the DOT to come in and do a pilot study because of (the crash ratio), said Sandie Greco, interim public works director. As a safety issue, three lanes would be much safer.

A study conducted by an independent consultant last month using an IDOT forumula showed the benefits of reduced traffic accidents compared to the project cost was 3.39 to one. Projects with a ratio greater than 1.0 are considered viable.

Ridgeway between Kimball and Ansborough Avenue is narrower than a normal four-lane street, but there is very little roadside right-of-way. Any effort to widen the road would have a severe impact on adjacent properties and utilities.

Councilman Steve Schmitt questioned the scope of the project, asking why improvements werent being considered west to Baltimore Street and why any changes were being considered west of West Fourth Street, which had normal lane widths.

Ridgeway has just been a disaster since it was built, he said. It was never built wide enough for four cars.

Is it a better idea, or is another option, to widen it a foot or two on each side to make it a real four-lane road? he added. Theres a boatload of traffic on it.

Greco said crash data did not show a problem between Kimball and Baltimore, and said the issue with accidents on the stretch proposed for changes was due more to the lack of a left-turn lane than the width of the road. Many crashes were motorists rear-ending cars waiting to make a left turn.

The change, for example, would mean cars making left turns onto Prospect Boulevard would only have to cross one lane of oncoming traffic instead of two. Congestion due to left-turn traffic onto Ansborough also could be reduced and a left-turn signal timing would be possible.

The Traffic Operations Department noted three-lane road configurations work well for traffic up to 18,000 cars per day. Traffic volumes on Ridgeway between Bellaire and West Fourth Street were measured at 9,300 to 11,700 cars per day in 2014.

Councilman Tom Lind voted against the grant application.

No citizen or merchant I have visited with supports this change, Lind said. The conversation has been that it will create more problems than it solves and West Fourth Street to Highway 63 would be a nightmare.

Lind said he worries there will be a lot of people rear-ending vehicles turning right because they are slowing down in the only lane of through traffic.

Greco said the grant process is competitive so theres no guarantee the project will be funded. If the grant is awarded, traffic operations would return to the council seeking a consulting engineer to design the improvements.
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CEDAR FALLS  The California Street Sax Quartet, led by Denise Lawrence, will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Overman Park.

This is the fourth of five programs offered in the August Ensembles concert series sponsored by the Friends of Cedar Falls Band.

The final program in the series will feature the Sugar Daddys Jazz Band on Aug. 29. Admission is free.

There is convenient street and lot parking, handicapped accessibility and restrooms. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for comfort. In case of rain, concerts may be delayed or moved into the band hall at 211 Washington St. For more information, call 266-1253 or go to www.cedarnet.org/cfband.
WATERLOO  The proposed developer of Waterloos convention center and hotel is inviting anyone interested to a public meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center to view documents pertaining to the proposal.

Developer Edwin Leslie of Omaha, Neb., is calling the meeting following questions by some City Council members about the project. He announced it late Friday afternoon.

In an effort to show the public, the business owners and others in the City of Waterloo that we are 100 percent transparent, and as well allow everyone to view all of the documents, emails, drafts of agreements, final agreements, financial statements and other items related to this transaction, I am inviting the council members, business leaders, general public, media and any others that have an interest in reviewing the documentation to meet in person and see and understand all related documents, Leslie wrote in his announcement.

Council members Tom Lind, Steve Schmitt and Bruce Jacobs all abstained from voting July 17 on an agreement for Leslie Hospitality to spend $20 million buying and renovating the convention center and Ramada Hotel in return for a $1.1 million grant and tax rebates.

The building would be renamed the Waterloo Convention Center at Five Sullivan Brothers Plaza.

Newly released emails show Lind, Schmitt and Jacobs have continued to press Mayor Quentin Hart and city staff for more financial information about Omaha, Neb.-based Leslie Hospitality.

The documents include pointed exchanges among Lind, Jacobs and Hart and include assertions Jacobs may have had a conflict of interest in pressing for information even though he abstained from voting.

The emails were part of a request under Iowas Open Records Law by company president Leslie and were obtained by The Courier last week through the City Clerks Office.

We feel that the public should in fact see any documents they wish to review, should in fact understand the transaction, and should see that our firm is fully qualified to engage in this transaction and is fully committed to the project, the City of Waterloo and the citizens of Waterloo who we are partnering with, Leslie wrote.

Schmitt, told of the meeting late Friday, said, This is pretty amazing. I think its great. But we could have been at this point a month ago when we started asking about this stuff. We wouldnt have had all the recriminations weve had in the past four weeks.
Sammy ran perfectly and the trip to Moscow was almost flawless. Only took 8 hours and we beat the rush hour traffic by about an hour. Which means that we were able to cruise smoothly into home. About 500 kilometers total traveled and despite constant road work being done the whole way back, watermelon trucks everywhere and the famous stupid Russian drivers. We arrived safely to our Moscow flat

I have Boza back on a pattern again with his medication for his eyes. We accomplished the trip with minimal stress to his eyes. This was an important mission to succeed at, for tomorrow we take him to see his doctor and scheduled the eye operation. Then once Boza is stable with eye pressure, him and I will go to the Tiny Russian Village again. For that is where Boza and I thrive the best. Svetochka sees this and she understands that her bear and doggy need the country life

Boza and I were up at 3:30 a.m. and Svetochka got up with us. So Sveta is off to work early and hopefully she will be home early.In just a couple of years Sveta will retire and by then we will have the Tiny Russian Village home ready for full time living

The back wall of the village home will be rebuilt this next week and Vova is in charge of overseeing the guys doing the work.They will spray for termite, add two or three inches of insulation and cover the wall after reinforcement of the complete wall. -30 degree days will be mush easier after this work is done. I have to start digging big deep fence post holes. I have 50 to dig. That is what it will take to put up a new fence around the village home at 10 meters spacing. Then I need about 50 more to install in between at the five meter spacing, these are smaller posts, for basic support of just the fence

We have to get ready for counteracting the Monastery traffic and influx of traffic. We almost lost our old fence in one section. Kids love to run amok down the mountain and they have a tendency to crash and burn as they try to turn the corner by our home. I like to think of the song Wipe Out

Just fits as these crazy kids tear down the mountain and our place is right in the path. Maybe we need to install a padded wall?

Love this song and it brings back memories. Memories from an interesting era. The Ventures  Wipe Out 1966 and I did a lot of chasing girls, we and I never caught, a cruising to music like this in a (Factory order personally and saw it built) 1969 Mercury Cougar Cobra Jet! Man if I had that car today and here in Russia, I could show them true muscle car power. That 428 CJ with Ram Air was an animal and I sneakily install SCJ additions the next year when it came out as the superior version of the CJ. I also had install nitrous and the car acted like a naked stripped ass ape with a bumble bee trying to sting it in the ass

Oh the days when life was cool I remember I-70 and it was brand new from Saint Louie to Kansas City. A State Trooper had come to one of our weekend drag races on the new concrete path that led endlessly into the horizon. He had a Plymouth Fury 1970 with a 426 Hemi, not sure how stock it was? But he was on duty and was watching us play. (In those days cops were cool (very cool) for the most part!) I pulled up to our makeshift starting line and too my surprise next to me pulls this Fury all decked out with State Trooper insignias and all. He had uncapped the exhaust and allowed to to run open headers. I uncapped mine, as was fair. I had a pull bar to snap the vents open He yelled no nitrous, I nodded and we went for a four mile race to a small town called Grain Valley. Blue Springs Mo. to Grain Valley is about 4.7 miles and this run was for who could win the quarter mile and then who had what it too to take on a trooper car in the long run Four on the floor in both cars and at least 500 to 700 plus horse power (I will never tell how much was truth, for in my car, it was blueprinted and polished inside and out) with way over 1000 foot pounds of torque in each car exploded off the line. Everyone who had a car with any speed, tried to keep up with us as we took off, but no one but a 1970 Pontiac Fire bird with a Ram Air IV bored and stroked 400ci kept any were near us That Fury had tall highway gears, as I ate him alive in the first mile and quarter went to me. Then as I reached my upper RPM limit he started to catch me and in another mile had over taken me. Only thing I had left was nitro and that was a short term usage at this RPM. As he passed me I hit the lever and cranked it for five seconds. Passed him like he was standing still, then I shut it down and acknowledge defeat in the long run Then we stopped on the side of the freeway and waited for the rest to show up. He was impressed with just a Mercury and at that time State Troopers in our area were Mopar and only Mopar and I mean only Mopar. You could not run from these cars that they had Just a little bit of reminiscing from my past. I grew up in such a different world than what America is now. We raced two or three times a week at the Lake City Flats and we raced many times with cops who wanted to prove that their cars were faster than us kids cars I remember well the days of unfettered, huge displacement, high compression, airplane fueled tons of steel. Blowers that screamed, butterfly flaps that opened and sounded like a freight train roaring by and open headers on a big block that rumbled the ground as it idled No one cared, no one blamed others and no one did anything, but loved the freedom. That was what a car was, Freedom! Tidbit of info: I switched to a tall gear (I had a stock 4.3 and went with a automatic 3.25) the next summer and we ran again! This time I almost had him and with nitro, I did have him Would love to play with those days again

* * * * *

Now life is a Volga GAZ Wagon 310221 and you wanna know something? I love this car as much as I loved any muscle car I owned. But.

Wouldnt it be nice to drop a 460 Ford with close to a half ton of torque at the ground to make Sammy the Volga scare the pants off a few Russians?

* * * * *

Everything was done at the village home to ensure no issues, in case we can not get back soon. But, Boza and I wanna get back 

Have a nice day

WtR
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Staying out of debt is easier said than done, I know. However, its something you can do, and its something you should be practicing everyday. As Christians, we are in this world, but we are
MT. PLEASANT, PA, August 18, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- With over 10 years of outdoor LCD enclosure experience, ITSENCLOSURES continues to proudly deploy outdoor digital menu boards at many well-known quick service restaurants (QSRs) throughout America, Canada, and the Caribbean.



Backyard Taco, located in Gilbert, Arizona, is the latest quick service restaurant to install ITSENCLOSURES' innovative ViewStation QSR three screen digital menu board. According to the Backyard Taco website, the family owned restaurant strives to make the most delicious tacos with the best ingredients, "Our recipe for success is always fresh ingredients and our mesquite grill. It's a combo that gives us the authentic taste of Tacos al Carbon. We keep our menu simple, because we only offer what we do best."



Opening a new location and wanting it to be state-of-the-art, Backyard Taco contacted ITSENCLOSURES about installing a dynamic, digital menu board in the drive-thru. The outdoor digital menu board incorporates three high bright LCDs (2,000 nit) in portrait orientation. Already utilizing digital menu boards on the inside of the restaurant and in portrait orientation too, Backyard Taco was able to use the same menu content on the outside, thus saving time and money for the restaurant.



ITSENCLOSURES solution utilized three 47" monitors and a 6,000 BTU air conditioner to combat the hot, desert weather found in Arizona for most of the calendar year, especially during the Summer months. To provide a water tight seal, the enclosure body (powder coated light brown) is marine grade aluminum and welded aluminum. The large viewing window is laminated glass with anti-reflective coating on both sides, providing 99% light transmission and UV protection. In addition, the front cover is hinged at the top and supported by gas springs for front access to all three displays. A rear door provides access to internal electronics, as well as, power and data entry locations. Specific, heavy-duty gasket is installed around the glass to keep the cool air inside of the enclosure and prevent the enclosure glass from fogging up.



President and Owner of ITSENCLOSURES, JT Spangler, knew that his company was prepared for the Arizona heat, "We installed a number of outdoor digital menu boards at another popular quick service restaurant in Arizona during 2011. We are aware of the challenges you need to overcome to combat against the high temperatures and strong sunlight exposure for an outdoor digital menu solution. Our production team ensured the enclosure configuration will withstand any environment."



Royal Sign Company, located in Phoenix, Arizona, was hired by Backyard Taco to install the digital boards in the drive-thru. ITSENCLOSURES supplied the sign company with directions on how to install the 3x1, including the size of the footer, location of anchor bolts, and running the electric and the Cat 5 cables properly.



Mr. Spangler added, "Our goal is to provide outdoor digital menu boards to every quick service restaurant in the United States. The ViewStation QSR product line can withstand harsh weather conditions and continue to shine. The high-bright monitors used in our enclosures can be seen by drive-thru patrons, even in direct sunlight. All in all, digital menu boards are a win-win for the restaurant and the customer."



ITSENCLOSURES offers a 3-year warranty (with the option of 5 years) on all components of the outdoor digital menu boards.



For more information on ITSENCLOSURES' large array of products, visit http://www.ITSENCLOSURES.com, send an email to [email protected], or call 1-800-423-9911 to speak with Jennifer Bissell, Director of Sales & Marketing.



Located 36 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, ITSENCLOSURES designs and builds the toughest enclosures on the market.



ITSENCLOSURES' line of enclosures protect a company's investment and maximize the lifetime of the electronics protected. ITSENCLOSURES' products are always 'Made in the USA' and allow companies to safely use any monitor in the harshest environments. Since its founding in 1985, ITSENCLOSURES has been helping companies protect technology investments and realize the maximum life cycle of their equipment.



# # #
Aug 18, 2017 | By David

The world of 3D printing technology continues to expand at a remarkable rate, but luckily were here to keep you up to date on everything thats happening. Heres a round-up of recent events that might have passed you by, including some personnel changes at Shapeways and BigRep America, a 3D printed cervical implant getting FDA clearance, and more besides.

1. Camber Spine Technologies gets FDA clearance for 3D printed SPIRA Open Matrix ALIF device

Surgical device manufacturer Camber Spine Technologies has received its tenth clearance from the U.S Food and Drug Administration for a line of spinal implant systems. The SPIRA Open Matrix ALIF device is a unique interbody fusion implant, consisting of spiral support arches and the companys proprietary Surface by Design technology.

According to Daniel Pontecorvo, CEO of Camber Spine, the company is very excited to be launching our first in a series of spinal implants using 3D printing, or additive manufacturing. This specialized manufacturing technology allows us to create these truly unique patented structures featuring open arched matrices and proprietary surfaces designed to enhance fusion and promote bone growth. In the coming months we will be launching a series of five SPIRA spinal interbody cages for cervical, lateral, and posterior lumbar spine. Extremity implants and custom implants for salvage and complex deformity implants are also under development."

The SPIRA device is intended for skeletally mature patients with Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD). It was designed specifically to increase fusion rates and stabilization. The spiral support arches decrease subsidence by load sharing over the entire endplate, while also maximizing bone graft capacity. The Surface by Design technology consists of a roughened surface, which facilitates bone growth through an optimized pore diameter, strut thickness, and trabecular pattern.

2. 3D printing startup BigRep America gets new CEO

Berlin-based 3D printing start-up Big Rep has announced the hiring of a new U.S CEO and vice-president of global sales. Just weeks after hiring former Stratasys CTO Moshe Aknin, the company has brought on board another former Stratasys employee, Frank Marangell. Marangell is also the former Rize CEO and the former President of Objet USA. He was pivotal in the expansion of Stratasys into the dental and medical 3D printing market, when he worked for the company as Vice President of Global Field Operations.

I have been following BigRep for the last three years and appreciate their high-quality large industrial printers, said Marangell. BigRep already has customers all over the US and now its the perfect time to build a larger US team and grow the business. In my view BigRep is the most successful new European 3D printing company with the most trusted large-scale printers. It is quality German engineering at a very competitive price.

Big Rep has offices in Singapore and New York, as well as its headquarters in Berlin. The company, which was founded in 2014 is known for producing the worlds largest 3D printers, such as the Big Rep ONE. It is currently focused on the development of complete additive manufacturing solutions for industrial customers.

3. Osseus gets FDA clearance for 3D printed cervical implant

The FDA recently gave clearance to Osseus Corporation to market its new cervical interbody hybrid composition implant which incorporates rough, porous titanium with the radiolucent and biomechanical properties of PEEK. The 3D printed device is designed for intervertebral body fusion procedures in skeletally mature patients with degenerative disc disease, at one or two contiguous levels within the cervical spine.

This is a major milestone for the company, and CEO Eric Hansen was positive about the direction that Osseus is heading in: We wanted to compete in the 3D-printed and injection-modeled arena like other large companies, but both processes seemed out of range for many reasons. I am proud to say that in this very crowded industry, we have developed a product that is extremely unique. As we gathered our surgeon development team of orthopedic and neurosurgeons, our target was to create a robust fusion bed built from titanium to blend with PEEK allowing maximum radiolucent visualization.

He also stressed the importance of smaller technology companies in driving the industry forward: Osseus Fusion Systems is extremely focused on the engineering aspect of the organization. Our core focus is to create a broad product portfolio with new and exciting disruptive technologies within the spine implant industry. I believe entirely that this industry survives and thrives on small companies like Osseus to accelerate evolution and to create and develop new cutting-edge technologies.

4. CEO of 3D printing company Shapeways steps down

CEO and Co-Founder of Shapeways, Peter Weijmarshausen, will be stepping down from his position with immediate effect. The company has been providing 3D printing services as well as a community and marketplace for users for 10 years now, and Weijmarshausen has been at the helm throughout that time. During the period of transition, Tom Finn, the COO of Shapeways, will occupy Weijmarshausen's role until a permanent replacement is found.

According to Weijmarshausen, I am proud of all we have accomplished during ten years at Shapeways and am excited about everything that I see on the horizon for the company...This is an opportunity for me to step back and reflect on what we have accomplished, while considering my own next chapter. I look forward to Shapeways continued evolution and growth.

Albert Wenger, Shapeways Director added: I want to thank Pete for the decade he has spent building Shapeways. Pete has really pioneered consumer 3D printing and built Shapeways into the leading marketplace. He will continue to guide the future as a director of the company.

5. LPW and Royal Academy of Engineering create new 3D printing research chair

UK-based metal 3D printing materials company LPW Technology, in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering, has announced the creation of a new research chair at Lancaster University that will be focused on 3D printing technology. More specifically, the research area is Alloy and microstructure design for additive layer manufacturing.

Professor Pedro Rivera has been appointed to the LPW / Royal Academy of Engineering Chair at Lancaster University. He will be transferring from his post as Assistant Director of Research at SKF University Technology Centre, Cambridge University, where his focus has been on sophisticated modelling to generate new alloys. His new focus will be on the engineering of new materials to harness the power of thermodynamic and kinetic modelling, combined with the concept of neural networking and genetic algorithms to design revolutionary high-performance AM specific alloys.

According to Rivera, AM offers incredible design freedom to manufacture parts unable to be created by such established methods as forging and casting. Conventional alloys used for AM can be extremely sensitive to parameters such as oxygen content where the variation is intrinsic to the AM process. This research will create truly novel metal powders by controlling the microstructures and compositions so critical for high performing AM-specific alloys.

By developing statistical models that will take into account powder size, composition and atmospheric conditions, as well as component properties such as strength, ductility, hardness and corrosion, robust processing parameters will be developed to realise 3D printing methods on an industrial scale.

6. 3D printing software company Sigma Labs announces second quarter results

Financial results for the second quarter of 2017 have been announced by Sigma Labs. The company, which provides quality assurance software under the PrintRite3D brand, also gave an update on recent corporate developments. A new Chief Technology Officer, former CEO Mark Cola, was appointed on July 24, with the aim of building and implementing the Sigma Labs technological strategy and guiding key technical advancements towards digitalization in the context of the Industrial Internet of Things.

We are implementing our strategic double down on both Sigma Labs' technology and also on our ongoing efforts to grow Sigma Labs into a robust digital 3D ecosystem by seeking to identify compatible businesses to potentially acquire that will be synergistic with Sigma Labs' technology and business, although there are currently no agreements with respect to the acquisition by the Company of any third party, and there is no assurance than any acquisition will be consummated. In July and early August 2017, we changed our management lineup to add more capacity to implement our strategy. We believe that we have excellent technology and are supported by an excellent team of technologists, said John Rice, interim CEO.

As for financial performance, the company reported a revenue for the six months ending June 30, 2017 of $440,756, compared to $452,279 during the same period in 2016. The $11,523 decrease in revenue was primarily due to the completion of the GEA America Makes Program in 2016, providing three months of revenue in 2016 but no revenue in 2017. Net loss for the six months ending June 30, 2017 increased $720,193 over the prior year, totalling $1,932,706 as compared to $1,212,513 for the same period in 2016.

7. Sweden's Goceram partners with DPP Technologies for faster additive manufacturing

Goceram AB, Molndal, Sweden, a supplier of machinery and technology for Medium Pressure PIM technology, has announced that it will establish strategic partnership with DPP Technologies, Inc., Gallatin, Tennessee, USA, a developer and supplier of a new generation of fast 3D printers based on Direct Pellet Extrusion (DPE). With a layer resolution currently down to 70 micron (0,0027in), the DPP 3D printers are capable of 3D printing any kind of pelletized or granulated media. This new technology brings a lot of dramatic improvements according to the DPP CEO Bill Roberson, particularly: much lower raw material cost, significantly increased production rate and a rapid start up of production.

This is exactly what we have been waiting for, stated Robert Pompe, CEO of Goceram, to consider our expansion into the AM field, this can revolutionize the AM and bring it to a truly production level. He stated further: unlike feedstocks for high pressure PIM, ceramic or metal feedstocks based on our proprietary MEDPIMOLD binder formulation can be easily used in this kind of printer  initial tests clearly showed this.

By combining their respective technologies, DPP and Goceram expect to offer customers a radically improved competitive edge  in terms of considerably lower capital investment, low raw material cost and a vast choice of raw materials widely available from already well-established suppliers. Initial focus is intended to be on the US market where a lot of commercial opportunities should unfold that have until now been untapped due to the current technology limitations.

Posted in 3D Printing Applications

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Aug 18, 2017

BeAM Machines SAS, which specializes in Directed Energy Deposition (DED) technology, opened its U.S. subsidiary, BeAM Machines, Inc., in Cincinnati, Ohio earlier this year. The facility, operating as the BeAM Machines Solutions Center for North America, will handle sales, service, process/material development, applications, R&D and training.

The 20,000-sq-ft. facility boasts a dedicated additive manufacturing workspace, metallurgical lab, applications training facility, assembly area and post process machining department. The company will be hosting an open house from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on August 31, 2017, at its facility located on 5101 Creek Road in Blue Ash, OH. Visitors are welcome to attend the open house, to view live demonstrations of the company's flagship machine, The Magic 2.0, and tour the facility.

Tim Bell, BeAM Machines Inc.s General Manager, said the location for the facility was the largest suburban employment center in greater Cincinnati with nearly 40,000 jobs. "It is centrally located to the major highways, is approximately 30 minutes to the Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky International Airport and is populated with a very high concentration of potential customers and suppliers. he said.

BeAM Machines manufactures additive manufacturing machines that use a combination of DED and computer numerical control (CNC). DED works by feeding metallic powder through a deposition nozzle and melting it with a high-power laser to create a layer-by-layer construction with CNC-controlled accuracy. The machines support a range of materials such as stainless steel, titanium, nickel alloys, and cobalt chromium to manufacture and repair parts for clients in multiple industries, including aerospace, defense, nuclear, and oil & gas.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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Aug 18, 2017 | By Tess

A group of engineers from the University of Antwerp in Belgium have put their skills towards good with the invention of a 3D printed humanoid robot that can translate speech into sign language. The inspirational bot is called Project Aslan, which stands for Antwerps Sign Language Actuating Node.

Project Aslan was started in 2014 by a team of three engineering masters students: Guy Fierens, Stijn Huys, and Jasper Slaets. The inspiration for the project came from the realization that there is a lack of sign language translators, especially in Belgium, where there is a need for not only French interpreters but also Flemish-speaking ones.

I was talking to friends about the shortage of sign language interpreters in Belgium, especially in Flanders for the Flemish sign language, explained Huys. We wanted to do something about it. I also wanted to work on robotics for my masters, so we combined the two.

Fast forward three years, and the three students (as well as many others) have come a long way with their sign language interpreting robot, in part thanks to 3D printing technologies. As the students explain, they chose to use 3D printing, as well as easily obtainable and affordable components, in order to keep Project Aslan accessible.

The research project, which is being sponsored by European Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, currently consists of a 3D printed robotic arm with articulated fingers controlled by dedicated software. When the user types text into the software, the robotic hand translates the text into sign language.

The robotic arm is connected to a local network which enables users from anywhere in the world to input messages that the hand can then spell out in sign language. The local network also allows the robot to look for new updates in sign languages.

3D printing was used extensively in the prototyping of the robotic hand, as the first prototype reportedly consisted of 25 3D printed parts, as well as numerous servo motors, motor controllers, an Arduino Due, and more. The printed parts were made on a standard desktop 3D printer using PLA filament, and the bot reportedly took 10 hours to assemble once printing was done.

With the first iteration of the robotic hand complete, the Antwerp researchers are passing their knowledge on to the next generation of masters students, who will continue to work on the project in new and innovative ways.

Possible directions for the robot hand include developing a two-arm setup, adding an expressive face to the robot, and exploring whether a webcam could be used to make the robot smarter. As the researchers explain, sign language requires movements and expressions from not only hands, but also shoulders and the face, so a webcam could potentially be integrated in order to teach a more developed robot the nuances of facial expressions and shoulder movement.

Ultimately, the researchers are not aiming to automate the profession of sign language interpretation, but to offer a potential and accessible solution in cases where no translator is available. As the project advances, the research team says it plans to make its designs for Aslan open source so that anyone can build the 3D printed sign language robot.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Channel your inner hippie! This year marks the 50th anniversary of the famous Summer of Love, a spirited social phenomenon in 1967 that had thousands of supporters congregating in San Francisco and neighboring Marin to promote free love, the arts, and revolution.

Here are four fun and fashionable ways to show off your '60s style this summer.







Take in a 60's Themed Concert

Sound Summit, A Benefit for the Mountain



Celebrate the anniversaries of both the Magic Mountain Festival and the Summer of Love on Mt. Tam, at an eclectic day of music starring Phil Lesh and more. // Sept. 9, Mountain Theater, Mount Tamalpais State Park, visitmarin.org

WhistleStock

This San Rafael show is an annual fan favorite. This year, look for former Youngbloods star Jessie Colin Young to perform on September 24th. // Fairgrounds Island Marin Center (San Rafael); get tickets at whistlestop.org.

Marin Music Festival

Marin County provides a gorgeous natural backdrop for this free day of local music that showcases the area's musical flair. // 10am to 6pm, Oct. 14; 2675 East Francisco Blvd. (San Rafael), sresproductions.com





Attend an Outta Sight Opening

Visit a museum or two! Several of Marin's museums are featuring Summer of Lovethemed exhibits that touch on the county's history. Now through December 31st, see A Pivotal Decade: The 1970s in Bolinas, atthe Bolinas Museum's History Room.





Visit a State Park With Cool History

In 1966, the Burdell Mansion at Olompali Historic State Park was briefly home to the Grateful Dead. A picture of the band relaxing on the Olompali hillside is on the back cover of its "American Beauty" album. In 1967, it doubled as a commune for a collective known as The Chosen Family, who stayed for two years and peaked at 100 inhabitants. In 1982, it became a state historic park. // 8901 Redwood Hwy. (Novato), www.parks.ca.gov





Dress the Part

Regardless of what Summer of Love events you attend this season, you have to go all out and dress the part. Hippie fashion has evolved over the years, but there are undoubtedly a few staples left in your closetthink billowy tops, maxi skirts, tunics, fringe, lots of tie-dye, and bellbottoms. Play around with flowers or psychedelic-inspired designs.
The vast majority of patients between 50 and 80 years of age dont talk to their health care providers about the cost of the medicines being prescribed for them or about whether less costly alternatives are available. Thats one finding of a new University of Michigan poll sponsored by AARP and Michigan Medicine, the universitys academic medical center.

Nearly two-thirds of those responding to the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging said they took two or more prescription drugs. In addition, 27 percent of those surveyed said that the cost of their prescription drugs posed a financial burden.

We know that if patients dont fill their prescriptions and take their drugs it will not help them maintain their health, said Preeti Malani, director of the poll and a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. What these poll results suggest, Malani said, is an opportunity for doctors and their patients to talk about the affordability of the medicines being prescribed.



Some 42 percent of respondents said they thought their doctors already knew the price of the medications they were prescribing. But the poll results show that among those who said their drug costs posed a burden, nearly half had not talked to their doctors about the price. And 61 percent of all the respondents had not talked to their providers about drug prices.



The message to patients, Malani said,  is dont be afraid to ask. One of the things we found in the poll is that among those who said they had a conversation with their doctor about costs, 67 percent got a recommendation for a less expensive drug.

Alison Bryant, senior vice president of AARP Research, said the issue is complicated by variations among insurance plans. Talking to your doctor or pharmacist is especially important, as out-of-pocket costs can vary greatly depending on the insurance coverage that midlife and older adults have, as well as on the price of the drug set by the manufacturer, she said. Working with your doctor or pharmacist to find a less costly alternative may help to reduce your overall cost burden.

University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging

Managing the cost of prescription drugs becomes more complex the more prescriptions a patient takes. The poll found that 63 percent of older adults take two or more prescription drugs, 47 percent take between two and five prescriptions, and 16 percent take six or more. Sixty-nine percent reported seeing two or more doctors each year, which adds to the complexity of drug management. The more drugs people take, the more likely they are to say costs are a problem.


Eagle Rock EntertainmentThis past April, The Who gave a special full performance of its classic 1969 rock opera Tommy at London's famous Royal Albert Hall to raise money for the U.K.'s Teenage Cancer Trust charity. Now, new audio and video packages documenting the concert are scheduled to be released on October 13.

Tommy -- Live at the Royal Albert Hall will be available on DVD and Blu-ray, and as a two-CD set, three-LP package, digital album and digital video. The concert marked the first time ever that The Who played the concept album in its entirety.

The performance was highlighted by a multimedia presentation that included specially created animated segments to accompany various tunes. Following the performance of Tommy, the band ended the show with a set of other Who classics, including "Who Are You," "Love, Reign O'er Me," "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again."

The DVD and Blu-ray contain a number of bonus features, including a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a look at the animations for "The Acid Queen" and "Pinball Wizard," synched with the live audio of those songs.

Check out a trailer for Tommy -- Live at the Royal Albert Hall at the Who's official VEVO YouTube channel.

The Who just wrapped up a North American summer tour on with a show Wednesday in Stateline, Nevada. The band also has a series of five South American concerts beginning with a September 21 date in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Here's the full track list of Tommy -- Live at the Royal Albert Hall:

"Introduction"

"Overture"

"It's a Boy"

"1921"

"Amazing Journey"

"Sparks"

"Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)"

"Christmas"

"Cousin Kevin"

"The Acid Queen"

"Do You Think It's Alright?"

"Fiddle About"

"Pinball Wizard"

"There's a Doctor"

"Go to the Mirror!"

"Tommy Can You Hear Me?"

"Smash the Mirror"

"Underture"

"I'm Free"

"Miracle Cure"

"Sensation"

"Sally Simpson"

"Welcome"

"Tommy's Holiday Camp"

"We're Not Gonna Take It"

Encore:

"I Can't Explain"

"Join Together"

"I Can See for Miles"

"Who Are You"

"Love, Reign O'er Me"

"Baba O'Riley"

"Won't Get Fooled Again

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Jefferson cruises to 11AAA state title over Harrisburg in 2nd year

Head coach Vince Benedetto asks his team the same question after every game: "Can we play better?" But Saturday, "it doesn't matter because we're champions."
The Team Of Expert Investors Are Helping People To Sell Their Properties Quickly & Gives Better/Quicker Offers Than Anyone Else In The Market

Stockbridge, GA, USA  August 17, 2017  JKM Wealth Investment Group has proudly announced that it is buying all types of real estate in the State of Georgia. Based in Stockbridge, Georgia, JKM Wealth Investment Group is an established real estate solutions company that buys properties in Georgia for instant cash. For all the land or property owners in the state, the real estate investment company makes quick and easy cash offers and is known for offering them the best deals in the real estate market.

We are a multi-service company that has the ability to buy, sell and wholesale properties quickly and easily, said the spokesperson of JKM Wealth Investment Group while talking about the services offered by the company. We buy all types of real estate including single family homes, condominiums, townhouses, condos, apartments and even vacant land, he added. According to the spokesperson, the company purchases properties in Georgia as early as ten days and sellers can simply contact the company through its website for quick evaluation and selling.

In addition, the rates offered by JKM Wealth Investment Group are very competitive and unlike most investment companies, JKM does not take advantage of the vulnerable position of any seller. A lot of sellers find it really hard to sell a property, especially during tough times and are being manipulated by the brokers or realtors. However, the experts at JKM Wealth Investment Group make sure that each customer is dealt with preference and priority and gets the best deal possible.

Besides its services of buying houses quickly in Georgia, the website also offers a special report titled How to Sell Your Home in 10 Days. Sellers can learn from this report on how to get fast and hassle-free fair offers for their properties within days. The most unique feature about this company is that, it is not comprised of real estate agents. Instead, the company is formed by a group of real estate investors, who have the ability of buying a home quickly.

For more information and frequently asked questions, please visit the website: www.jkmwealth.com

Media Contact

Company Name: JKM Wealth Investment Group, LLC

Contact Person: Taliesha King

Email: Jkmwealthllc@gmail.com

Phone: 470-208-3031

Country: United States

Website: www.jkmwealth.com
To Progress Connection of Genex's Stage 2 Kidston Hydro-Solar Project to the Queensland Transmission Network



Genex Signs Binding Heads of Agreement with Powerlink

Sydney, Aug 18, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Genex Power Limited ( ASX:GNX ) (Genex or Company) is pleased to advise that it has entered into a Binding Heads of Agreement (Agreement) with Powerlink Queensland (Powerlink) to progress a range of key activities which are critical to the connection of Genex's Stage 2 Kidston Hydro-Solar Project (Project) to the Queensland transmission network.



The Agreement requires Powerlink to commence a detailed program of works, including a targeted environmental study on the Mount Fox-Kidston Corridor, transmission line design works and development of the easement acquisition process. These activities follow the recent declaration of the Kidston Project (including the transmission path) as a "Critical Infrastructure" project by the Queensland State Government.



The Agreement also sets down a detailed timetable requiring Genex to submit to Powerlink a formal Application to Connect in Q4 2017, to be followed by negotiation of a Generator Connection and Access Agreement in accordance with Chapter 5 of the National Electricity Rules.



This Agreement builds on the Queensland Government's recently announced Powering North Queensland Plan, which includes a $150 million reinvestment of Powerlink dividends to develop strategic transmission infrastructure in North and North-west Queensland to support a clean energy hub.



Genex continues to work on a number of key funding initiatives aimed at delivering the Project in the most capital conservative manner possible.



Commenting on the Agreement, Genex's Managing Director Michael Addison stated:



"We are pleased to have now finalised our approach to this vital element of our Stage 2 project structure. This early works program to progress the design and easement acquisition process of the transmission path is key to connecting our project to the national electricity grid.



We maintain an excellent relationship with Powerlink and are delighted to be working with them towards meeting our power transmission requirements."



About Powerlink Queensland



Powerlink Queensland (formally Queensland Electricity Transmission Corporation Limited) is an electricity transmission system operator owned by the Government of Queensland. Operating within the National Electricity Market (NEM), Powerlink owns and operates the high-voltage electricity transmission infrastructure in Queensland, effectively transporting electricity between participants within the NEM. Powerlink is a regulated business, with revenues set by the Australian Energy Regulator.



To view figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/5P90J1FS





About Genex Power Ltd





Genex Power Limited (ASX:GNX) is focused on developing a portfolio of renewable energy generation and storage projects across Australia. The Company's flagship Kidston Clean Energy Hub, located in north Queensland, will integrate large-scale solar generation with pumped storage hydro. The Kidston Clean Energy Hub is comprised of the operating 50MW stage 1 Solar Project (KS1) and the 250MW Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project (K2-Hydro) with potential for further multi-stage wind and solar projects. The 50MW Jemalong Solar Project (JSP) is located in NSW and provides geographical diversification to the Genex Power Limited portfolio. JSP was energised in early December 2020 and commissioning is now underway. Genex is further developing its energy storage portfolio via the early stage development of a 50MW/75MWh standalone battery energy storage system at Bouldercombe in Queensland. With over 400MW of renewable energy and storage projects in development, Genex is well placed as Australia's leading renewable energy and storage company.


Bitcoin, Digital Currency and AML/CFT eKYC via Paydentity

Melbourne, Aug 18, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Australian Securities and Frankfurt Stock Exchange cross listed iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ( TA8:FRA ), the leading RegTech/KYC transactional banking technology provider ("the Company'), welcomes the announcement yesterday (see Note 1 below) by The Minister for Justice, The Hon Michael Keenan, MP of a bill to strengthen Australia's money laundering (AML) laws, including bringing bitcoin providers under the remit of AUSTRAC, the government's financial intelligence unit.



Highlights



- iSignthis welcomes Justice Minister's statement to include digital currency exchange sector into Australian Anti Money Laundering (AML) regulations



- iSignthis Paydentity service already providing identity verification eKYC and processing services to US and EU companies, including Coinify.com and Blockchain.info



The Company is an EU regulated Monetary Financial Institution (SWIFT BIC ISEMCY21), that has been providing and continues to provide anti money laundering transaction monitoring, payment processing and remote enhanced due diligence / know your customer (KYC) for digital currency exchanges in both the US and the EU.



The Company is currently providing services to Coinify.com and Blockchain.info and is contracted to provide services to blockex.com / blockexmarkets.com, btcxe.com. and BuyCoinNow.com, amongst others.



The proposed Australian bill will align Australia with Japanese legislation and the proposed EU legislation, and we believe will bring important community benefits along with certainty to the digital currency sector. It will likely facilitate regulated growth for the sector, and for service providers such as the Company.



The iSignthis Paydentity(TM) solution brings together the conventional banking system, card payments, transactional monitoring and AML KYC such that digital currencies can be seamlessly integrated into the existing financial system, whilst meeting their AML regulatory requirements in the US, EU, Japan and shortly Australia. In contrast to highly localised services that focus principally on Australian residents, Paydentity(TM) provides global reach of up to 62% of the world's population (see Note 2 below), allowing for rapid KYC on boarding of any 'bank verified' financially included person, this capability can in turn can provide Australian digital currency exchanges with global reach and scale opportunities, in the

context of meeting their regulatory compliance requirements.



Further, our agreement with JCB International (see Note 3 below), whereby we can accept payments from JCB cards for Fintech and digital currencies via Paydentity(TM), will bring further benefits to the digital currency community. The service is due to launch late September/ early October, and interest from digital currency exchanges and Fintech has been very strong.



The Company's processed payment transaction volumes associated with digital currency have grown by more than 250% between January 1st and June 30th 2017, and continue to experience rapid compound growth.



About Paydentity



Paydentity(TM) is the world's most advanced automated identity and payments platform, incorporating real time remote verification of end users domiciled in any FATF (Financial Action Task Force), MONEYVAL or equivalent low risk jurisdiction, leveraging verification of 'bank verified' payment instruments to establish identity. The Paydentity(TM) platform allows our merchants to on-board their customers at a much faster rate, whilst also increasing their overall customer reach.



The iSignthis(R) solution incorporates cascading KYC, which supplements UK residents data supplied from credit reference agencies, electoral roll and government public access data, with Paydentity(TM) data. This approach minimises customer friction for UK residents, by augmenting partial "1+1 matches" and "no match" customers with Paydentity payment instrument verification (PIV) and associated data and metadata, to deliver enhanced due diligence to satisfy the JMLSG (Joint Money Laundering Steering Group) and 4AMLD (Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive).



For customers domiciled in the rest of Europe or elsewhere in the world, where independent and reliable databases such as those found in the UK and Australia are limited, Paydentity(TM) provides our merchants with global reach and access to over 3.5Bn 'bank verified' potential customers, optimising customer on-boarding and conversions with marketing campaigns.



Notes:



1. http://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/9ZJD9FK6



2. World bank 2015 Findex, http://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/T96R7CND



3. http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/CJ6M89YW





About iSignthis Ltd





iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX) (FRA:TA8) is a hybrid monetary financial institution and also a RegTech leader in remote identity verification, payment authentication with deposit taking, transactional banking and payment processing capability. iSignthis provides an end-to-end on-boarding service for merchants, with a unified payment, electronic money and identity service via our Paydentity(TM) and ISXPay(R) solutions.

By converging payments and identity, iSignthis delivers regulatory compliance to an enhanced customer due diligence standard, offering global reach to any of the world's 4.2Bn 'bank verified' card or account holders, that can be remotely on-boarded to meet the Customer Due Diligence requirements of AML regulated merchants in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Paydentity(TM) has now onboarded and verified more than 1.5m persons to an AML KYC standard.

iSignthis Paydentity(TM) service is the trusted back office solution for regulated entities, allowing merchants to stay ahead of the regulatory curve, and focus on growing their core business. iSignthis' subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney Ltd, trades as ISXPay(R), and is an EEA authorised eMoney Monetary Financial Institution, offering card acquiring in the EEA, and Australia.

ISXPay(R) is a principal member of Mastercard Inc, Diners, Discover, (China) Union Pay International and JCB International, an American Express aggregator, and provides merchants with access to payments via alternative methods including SEPA, Poli Payments, Sofort, PRZ24 and others.

Probanx Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of iSignthis Ltd, provides API based access to CORE Banking solutions, SEPA Core, SEPA Instant and SEPA business scheme, for neobanks, banks, credit unions and emoney institutions, and provides a bridge to the Eurosystem's Central Bank of Lithuania's CENTROLink service.
Blue dyed stray dogs have been garnering headlines after Navi Mumbai Animal Protection Cell had clicked photos of these animals and posted them on social media. The group filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), saying animals in the area were suffering because dyes were being released directly into Kasadi river by industrial units. The area has nearly 1,000 pharmaceutical, food, and engineering factories. Environmentalists are worried that pollutant industrial water will adversely affect marine lives in the satellite city.

In August 2016, fishermen were concerned that the polluted river water was affecting the stock of fish. They collected samples from the discharge of the common effluent treatment plant, which 300 industrial units use to treat their waste.

A water quality test at Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation found the waste treatment was inadequate. The levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)  the concentration of oxygen required to sustain aquatic life  was 80 milligram per liter (mg/L). Levels of chloride, which is toxic harms vegetation, aquatic life, and wildlife, were also high. The vegetables grown in those areas have typical colour shades than the usually grown vegetables.

Those stray dogs were often found wading into the river water containing industrial waste over a period of time are becoming blue and weak. They are suffering with diseases, sometimes they tend to get weak.

Jayavant Hajare, sub-regional officer, MPCB Navi Mumbai said, We have asked the factory to dispose the dye instantly. We have given the company seven days to clear pollutants from the site. If they fail to dispose dye then we will issue a notice to them. We have cautioned the company owners to ensure no animals should enter in close proximity.

Allowing the discharge of dye into any water body is illegal. We will take action against the polluters as they are destroying the environment, said Anil Mohekar, regional officer, MPCB, Navi Mumbai. He added, We have directed our sub-regional officer to investigate this matter.

Several industries are located in the Navi Mumbai Industrial area which includes nearly 1,000 pharmaceutical, food and engineering factories. Reportedly, the industrial waste ejecting out of the factories increased the pollution levels by 13 times the safe limits in the Kasadi River.

Local fisherman Gangaram Koli told AV, We have been frequently filing complaints with MPCB over rising water pollution and they tried to reduce the chemical stink at Kasadi. However, the pollution levels continue to be tremendously high and dissolved oxygen is negligible.

It is difficult to breathe at times; you will find most of the people in these areas having breathing issues and eye disorders. The government should take action against erring industry outlets, he added.

Another resident under the condition of anonymity said, My husband is a fisher man and my brothers work in these industries. If we file complaint against the firm then my brother may become unemployed. Pollutant water will not only affect dogs but birds, reptiles, and other creatures too. Earlier many fishes died owing to the dye discharged into the water and air. This has become a danger zone, but industrial lobby is very strong. They use money and muscle powers by bribing authorities. This news will be read today and forgotten tomorrow. No one cares for the poor.
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A North Korean Hwasong-14 ballistic missile is launched during a test on July 4, 2017. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency the new missile is capable of hitting the United States with nuclear warheads. The launch tested the functions of the propulsion stages and the warheads ability to endure intense heat and vibration as it reentered earths atmosphere. Korea Central News Agency photo.

The increasingly bellicose rhetoric of President Donald Trump is being heard loud and clear in North Korea, a panel of experts from the RAND Corporation told reporters on a conference call Wednesday. The US has lost a great deal of its credibility with Pyongyang, said Bruce Bennett, a senior defense researcher with RAND. The rhetoric by the US White House has been in part helping to re-establish that credibility.

The problem, Bennett said, is that over the years Pyongyang has gone through multiple US red lines in its nuclear program development without serious consequences from Washington. Last week, Trump warned that continued provocations from Pyongyang would be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen. While admitting that the Presidents choice of words was unprecedented, Andrew Scobell, a senior political scientist at RAND, told reporters that given the current escalation in tensions with North Korea, Trumps rhetoric doesnt seem so inappropriate.

Powerful language underscores the seriousness with which the US is taking the situation, Bennett said, and communicates to Pyongyangand to North Koreas sole ally Chinain a way that is useful. Scobell said that rhetoric is very important in standing up to authoritarian regimes like that of North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un, and that it could help bring North Korea back into negotiations over its nuclear program.

Such negotiations would need to start from limited expectations where the US is concerned. They have no intention of giving up their nuclear weapons altogether, Bennett warned. But he said that asking North Korea to give up something like five or maybe even 10 nuclear weapons to the International Atomic Energy Agency could be a realistic goal. Then Pyongyang would have international validation of its status as a nuclear power, and the US and its allies would gain tremendous intelligence information from IAEAs assessment of North Korean capabilities.

In terms of North Korean technical progress, the number of systems they have under development and the pace at which they are trying to advance them is the most alarming signal for J.D. Williams, senior defense policy researcher at RAND. He is specifically looking for Pyongyang to demonstrate a solid fuel ICBM. Such a missile would mark a significant improvement over the ICBM North Korea has already tested because it would be safer and more stable. Solid fuel also enhances the mobility of an ICBM system, Williams said. They are able to move and hide those missile systems.

The experts were wary of US military options should North Korea not return to negotiations. Attacks on North Korea are probably not a viable option, Bennett warned. Theres no such thing as a surgical strike against the North Korean nuclear capabilities. In saying so, he echoed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, who told Congress in June that any conflict on the Korean peninsula would produce a war more serious in terms of human suffering than anything we have seen since 1953.

Instead of war, Bennett said the US should press ahead with harsh sanctions, which are starting to have important effects on the regime. The ultimate hope, Bennett said, is that the sanctions could inflict enough pain on Pyongyang to succeed in convincing [Kim] that the cost of his actions are greater than the benefits he hopes to obtain.

The recommendations from RAND were in concert with remarks offered by United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at a Wednesday press conference. The solution to this crisis must be political, Guterres said. The potential consequences of military action are too horrific to even contemplate. He said UN Resolution 2371, which recently tightened sanctions on North Korea, sends an unambiguous message regarding the peace and security obligations expected of Pyongyang and provides an opportunity for diplomatic engagement and renewed dialogue to solve this crisis.
August 16, 2017

CAIRO  For years, intellectuals have debated the Egyptian regime's belief in the importance of art and culture in the fight against terrorism. Now, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has launched the National Council to Fight Terrorism and chosen prominent theater and television actor Mohamed Sobhi as one of its members.

The decision came July 26, and by Aug. 2, the Zahma news website cited intellectuals who questioned Sobhis membership and the governments seriousness in activating the role of culture and art in fighting terrorism, claiming that Sobhis presence on the council or the council as a whole are only public relations moves.

The council will not have an active role; it will only be for show. Fighting terrorism will remain a mission for the army and the Ministry of Interior," poet Rifaat Salam told Zahma.

Indeed, many of the council's tasks do not focus on how to fight terrorism intellectually. On July 31, after communicating with several members of the new council, newspapers published articles that clarified the main tasks the president assigned to the council. The duties include the following security and legal tasks:

Coordinate between religious institutions and security services to enable moderate religious discourse to fight extremist ideology. Study the laws on terrorism, their shortcomings and how to fix them. Upgrade the system of cooperation between all security and political bodies and the international community, especially neighboring countries, and establish a special regional entity between Egypt and Arab countries to coordinate with the security agencies concerned with combating terrorism. Follow up on precautionary procedures and monitor the funds of terrorist entities and terrorists.

Also, the council has a diplomatic and international assignment, which is to develop the necessary plans to introduce the international community to facts about terrorist organizations and the role of some countries and organizations in supporting terrorism against Egypt.

Economic and social tasks include developing plans to create jobs in areas where extremism prevails, establishing industrial zones and studying the possibility of granting soft loans to those who prove they have renounced extremist ideology.

The council also has an educational task: identify the main points for developing educational curricula in a way that supports the principles of citizenship and coexistence and the renouncing of violence and extremism.

One general task may be applied to the states cultural and artistic bodies; that assignment is to adopt a comprehensive strategy and programs for all governmental bodies to confront terrorism and extremism both at home and abroad.

Despite the overwhelming security aspect of the council's functions and the lack of cultural, artistic and intellectual tasks, Sobhi said in a press statement July 26, I have agreed to join the council immediately. It is our duty and an honor. Forming this council reflects real awareness of [the need to] confront terrorism.

On July 28, El-Watan newspaper cited Sobhi as saying, This is the first time the state has made a conscious move to fight terrorism by bringing together clerics, the minister of education and intellectuals in a single council, because fighting terrorism will only be properly achieved through education, religious scholars, art, culture and the media.

Nashwa Dib, undersecretary of parliaments Committee on Culture and Information, told Al-Monitor, No one forced the president to include the education minister, intellectuals and religious scholars, and he would not have done so unless he believed in their importance in countering extremist ideology.

She added, This was not a formality. If this were the case, the president would not have chosen intellectuals who could bring something new to the council such as Sobhi, poet Farouk Jwaideh and former Minister of Culture Mohammed Saber Arab; he would have only selected government officials.

Dib further noted, The presence of intellectuals on the council is necessary because the most important weapons to fight extremist ideology include implementing cultural activities all around Egypt, especially in areas deprived of awareness and cultural work and so on. The publication of books that reject the terrorist discourse could also help, in addition to organizing artistic performances that enlighten those whose minds were plagued by obscurantist ideas.

For his part, Shawkat al-Masri, a professor of modern literary criticism at the Academy of Arts, which is directly affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education, told Al-Monitor, Intellectuals and artists are already represented on the council by Sobhi and Arab, so it was not necessary to bring in the minister of culture himself. However, we should question the importance of this council, particularly since many past experiences have proved that national councils are bound to fail, such as the National Council for Women, among others.

Former President Hosni Mubarak established the National Council for Women in 2000. It seeks to help empower women, but the group has been harshly criticized for failing to make significant progress toward that goal.

Ammar Ali Hassan, a political science professor at Cairo University, told Al-Monitor, I expect security decisions and solutions to dominate the councils agenda because there is no indication of the current regime's belief in the importance of culture and art in the fight against terrorism. The proof is that the councils tasks and functions mainly revolve around security.

Ali Hassan added, Even the function of empowering moderate religious discourse has been linked to coordination between clerics and security officers, which will make security even more dominant in this mission, which is a negative sign. Security solutions are important at the moment, but cultural and intellectual solutions are the long-term solution.

A Ministry of Culture source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the council doesn't want to include a current member of the ministry, which is involved in artistic censorship.

The censorship authority for artistic works, affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and headed by Deputy Minister for Artistic Affairs Khalid Abdul Jalil, has poor relations with artists. It has prevented many films from being shown, such as 18 Days, and deleted numerous scenes from works of art such as Jawab Eitikal. This is why the presence of a representative from the ministry was not welcome, because the council is supposed to play an important role in communicating with artists and intellectuals.

He added, Sobhi, Arab and Jwaideh will play a key role in mobilizing artists and intellectuals and using their future work to counter extremist ideology. Thus, Sobhi will have a prominent role because of his good ties with artists and the respect the majority of them have for him.

The source continued, However, being on good terms with artists will not make Sobhis job any easier. Many artists will object to his task for fear that art and culture will be subjected to the states decisions, although mobilizing artists and intellectuals through their works and standing beside the government in fighting extremist ideology is necessary to eliminate terrorism.
August 17, 2017

Pictures displaying Iran's Quds Force commander Gen. Qasem Soleimani during the battles with the Islamic State stopped circulating online with the military phase that ended in the liberation of Mosul. The Iranian presence and support for the Iraqi forces were absent in the liberation battles.

Simultaneously, Iraqi officials visited Saudi Arabia and Arab Sunni states that cheer for the Saudi axis. Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Aug. 13-15, with clerics and politicians welcoming him as an Iraqi leader. Prominent Sunni Iraqi cleric Ahmed al-Kubaisi and leading politicians met with Sadr during his visit to the UAE. This was only a few days after his visit at the end of July to Saudi Arabia, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other officials had welcomed him.

In the wake of the visit, Saudi Arabia took various measures in favor of Iraq, such as announcing the opening of a Saudi Consulate in Najaf, where Sadr lives. Iraqs most senior Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, did not object to this proposition, as in the past he had called for openness in relations.

For its part, Iran strongly criticized Sadrs visit to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Tasnim website, which is close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, considered the visit a betrayal of the Yemeni people who have been fighting the Saudis for more than a year. Tasnim also accused Saudi Arabia of taking advantage of the Sadrist movement and seeking influence gateways in Iraq.

Sadrs upcoming visit to Egypt was also announced, in addition to a series of visits by prominent Iraqi officials including the prime minister and the ministers of interior, foreign affairs, oil and transportation to Saudi Arabia. Iran, Saudi Arabias regional enemy, did not receive such high-level visits.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has been increasingly criticizing the pro-Iran military factions and accused them of violating the law and refusing to obey the Iraqi state. The authorities affiliated with Iran have a bad reputation for being implicated in corruption issues and loss of national public interest in Iraq, especially following the second term of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who has good relations with the Iranian regime and Iran's supreme leader. Adding insult to injury was the departure to Iran of Basra's Gov. Majid al-Nasrawi, after the transparency committee accused him of several corruption offences. This gave the impression that Iran is sheltering those involved in corruption.

Iran is trying to control the situation and preserve its gains in Iraq through its deputies and through bilateral agreements serving its national interests. Iran signed a security agreement with Iraqi Minister of Defense Arfan al-Hayali during his visit July 23. The agreement seemed to have been signed in a rush, which is uncommon in diplomacy; there were no preliminary talks between experts of both countries, thus indicating Irans urgency in cementing its military and security role in Iraq as a reaction to the Iraqi rapprochement with the Arab Sunni axis.

The official Iranian agency, IRNA, reported that during his meeting with Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, Hayali said, The Iraqi army will fight and will neither allow strife anew nor illegal measures to divide Iraq.

As a result, relations between Iraqi Kurdistan and Baghdad tensed up because it was understood that Hayali was threatening the Kurdish region with military action in case of a secession referendum.

Hayali denied the statements and blamed IRNA of false reporting.

Saudi Arabia is also trying to offer Iraq aid to outdo Iran and win Iraq over pragmatically, regardless of the sectarian disputes.

On Aug. 15, Iraqi Minister of Oil Jabbar al-Luaibi announced in the wake of his return from Saudi Arabia, The deputy of the Saudi king emphasized the importance of expediting the activation of the Saudi-Iraqi coordination committee to implement agreements in the fields of oil, energy, industry, minerals, technology, investment, agriculture, trade exchange, banks and joint projects.

The Saudi Cabinet announced Aug. 14 the formation of the coordination committee to implement what was agreed upon during the visits of Iraqi officials in the past weeks.

Luaibi said, Saudi Arabia will put in place several health care and humanitarian projects at its own expense. The kingdom will build a hospital in Baghdad and Basra and will allocate fellowships [for Iraqi students] to Saudi universities. It will also open border crossings and establish free trade areas.

If Saudi Arabia succeeds in implementing its economic projects in Iraq, it will tip the balance of power in its favor, as opposed to Iran that has failed since 2003 to execute huge economic projects in Iraq, whether directly or through the Shiite parties supporting it.

The new Saudi strategy shows soft and positive power in its competition with Iran in Iraq, as opposed to its previous tactics of isolating Iraq politically and denying the new political reality post-2003. Saudi Arabias past policies have benefitted Iran to a large extent and allowed the latter to spread its influence on all levels in Iraq.
August 17, 2017

Mehdi Karroubi, the 79-year-old leader of the Green Movement that emerged out of Iran's highly charged 2009 presidential election, has ended his hunger strike after his demands have been reportedly met, according to his family members.

His wife, Fatemeh Karroubi, told Saham News that her husband had begun a hunger strike after morning prayers Aug. 16 to protest his illegal and unconstitutional house arrest. Karroubi and the other two movement leaders, Mir Hossein Mousavi and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, were put under house arrest in February 2011 for calling for protests against the election results.

Saham News said the former parliament speaker and 2009 presidential candidates two demands were that security forces leave his house and that he be tried in an open court with his lawyer present. None of the Green Movement leaders have received a trial despite their 6 years under house arrest. Karroubi has previously written letters to President Hassan Rouhani and Iranian parliamentarian Ali Motahari requesting a trial.

The report also said that the presence of security forces inside Karroubi's home, where they were privy to his private conversations and actions, is unprecedented in Iran and must come to an end. Karroubi has been sick in recent weeks and needed to visit the hospital after suffering heart trouble. According to family members, after mediation by officials from the administration, security forces were ordered to leave Karroubis home. The Rouhani administration has also reportedly promised to set a trial date.

His son, Mohammad Taghi Karroubi, told BBC Persian Aug. 16 that his father had requested a trial since the beginning of the house arrests and has said his preference would be to go to Evin prison among other political prisoners rather than continue to remain under house arrest. The son said Karroubi would not protest the sentence of the trial, regardless of what it is. When asked how long his father would keep up the hunger strike, the son said that just as in the protest against the election results, his father would stick with it "until the end."

Mohammad Taghi Karroubi criticized Rouhani, saying the president has a legal duty to uphold the constitution and ensure that Mehdi Karroubi has an open trial. Given the lack of response by administration officials, Karroubi decided to go on hunger strike, his son said.

Many other officials and activists called for the authorities to ensure Karroubis well-being and address his demands. Mostafa Tajzadeh, a former Reformist politician who was arrested after the 2009 election and released in 2016, tweeted, Both requests of Karroubi are legal and logical. Tajzadeh added that Rouhani should either tell the Intelligence Ministry to leave Karroubis home or make the judiciary responsible for keeping Karroubi.

BBC Persian analyst Hossein Bastani tweeted, The government is determined that Karroubi either die under house arrest or repent. Bastani added that Karroubi said things in 2009 that only later have other officials discovered. Morteza Kazemian, a Reformist journalist who now lives in exile, tweeted that in a conversation with the health minister related to Karroubis last hospital visit, Karroubi said that if he were returned to house arrest he would go on a hunger strike. Kazemian's tweet concluded, Rouhanis administration is responsible.

While Rouhani campaigned to end the house arrests of the Green Movement leaders, he has been silent during his presidency. It is believed that his administration has pursued the matter quietly behind the scenes but with no success. Rouhani at the moment is in the process of getting approval for his Cabinet positions. During one of the question-and-answer segments of the parliament session on the ministers, Reformist member of parliament Mostafa Kavakabian instead used his time to address Karroubis hunger strike. Kavakabian asked Rouhani to send the health minister to Karroubis home or have the intelligence minister resolve the issue of the security forces who are living inside Karroubi's home.
August 18, 2017

Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in Iraqi Kurdistan appear to have stepped up their armed activities inside Iran in recent weeks, undermining the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) efforts to promote its upcoming independence referendum as a peaceful development.

Iranian Kurdish fighters based in Iraq have repeatedly crossed the border into Iran and engaged in numerous clashes with Iranian security forces, leading to casualties on both sides. Iran has responded by shelling border areas with heavy artillery, causing huge fires, destroying wildlife and forcing many civilians to flee.

The recent clashes contradict claims by Iraqi Kurdish officials that the Sept. 25 independence referendum will not lead to instability. It also refutes their insistence that Erbil wishes to enjoy cordial relations with its neighbors, including Baghdad, Tehran and Ankara.

Iran has long urged KRG officials to restrain opposition groups that have been based in Iraqi Kurdistan since the early 1990s. Indeed, high-level Iranian delegations have repeatedly met with Iraqi Kurdish officials to convey discontent with the activities of such armed factions.

Nonetheless, the main opposition group Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) has deployed hundreds of fighters to the Iranian border over the past year and spoken about a new round of fighting. In this vein, its leadership has openly requested foreign assistance to weaken the Iranian state.

"There is an attempt by Western and Arab countries to create obstacles for the unlimited power Iran wields in the region," Hassan Sharafi, the deputy head of KDPI, stated in a lengthy interview with the Rudaw news network on Aug. 10. "Naturally, any pressure on the Islamic Republic to weaken its position in the region  the Iranian opposition and we, as Kurds, could use the opportunity." Sharafi revealed in the same interview that his group will change tactics and increase clandestine activities on the ground inside Iran.

The tension between Iran and armed Kurdish groups in the border area complicates things for Erbil at a time when Iraqi Kurdish officials insist that they want an amicable divorce from Baghdad.

Recent clashes have alarmed Tehran that the Kurds may use foreign assistance from countries such as Saudi Arabia to cause havoc inside Iran. In a rare visit to Turkey earlier this week, the Iranian armed forces' Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri discussed with senior Turkish military and political figures how to confront Kurdish opposition groups operating in the border areas. Reiterating Iran's disagreement with the KRG's independence referendum, Bagheri warned on Aug. 16 that the plebiscite will usher new tensions and clashes inside Iraq, with negative effects on neighboring countries.

In apparent response, a spokesman for the KRG's peshmerga ministry told Kurdistan24 Aug. 18, "We want to tell all the parties that are speaking about the rights of the people of Kurdistan that it is not their job [to do so] and this is considered a clear interference in the internal affairs of Kurdistan." The spokesman added, "Holding the referendum is a justified and natural right of the Kurdish people, and no one apart from the people of Kurdistan has the right to speak about it."

One of the main policies of the Islamic Republic since its establishment in 1979 has been to fight outside threats using proxy groups. But Tehran is now worried that its adversaries may use the same tactic against it. Iran is presently at loggerheads with Saudi Arabia in Yemen and Syria. Amid this regional contest, it should be noted that the weakest link for Iran is its long border with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where thousands of armed members of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups are based.

In a September 2016 interview with the Persian-language service of the BBC, KDPI head Mustafa Hijri revealed that his group has asked many countries for assistance in its fight against the Iranian government.

While Hijri denied receiving any assistance from Israel or Saudi Arabia, his message triggered alarm in Tehran. "What is important for us is to weaken the Islamic Republic and we think foreign assistance could be effective," he said. "We want financial, military, political and propaganda help," Hijri responded when asked what kind of assistance he would accept from foreign powers.

Two months later, on Nov. 7, former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Yahya Rahim Safavi  now a top military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei  warned the KRG against interfering in Iranian affairs by allowing countries such as Saudi Arabia to provide arms to "counter-revolutionary" elements, referring to Kurdish opposition groups.

"Kurdistan will be the best neighbor for Iran and Turkey, there is no doubt about that," Najmaldin Karim, the Kurdish governor of disputed Kirkuk province and one of the main champions of the independence referendum, said Aug. 16. "Iran is a special case.  In August 2014, Iran truthfully came to the rescue of Kurdistan [amid the onslaught of Islamic State].  We should never forget that."

While Iraqi Kurdish officials thank Iran for the support it has offered them over the years and hope to ease Tehran's fears over the planned plebiscite, questions are being raised about why the KRG would allow its territory to be used against Tehran under the current heightened sensitivities. Indeed, perhaps more than ever, such a policy carries risks that may far outweigh whatever leverage it may provide.

"At a time when the Kurdistan region needs the trust of its neighboring countries the most, there is no logic in allowing these groups to launch attacks inside Iran," Mohammad Bakhtyar, an expert on Iran-KRG relations, told Al-Monitor. "Iran could use these clashes to interfere in the referendum and even intervene in the Kurdistan region militarily."
August 17, 2017

A young couple in their 30s joined the Likud Party three months ago; they are part of a group that calls itself the "New Likud." Both voted for the Zionist Camp in the last election, and neither intends to vote Likud in the next election.

Talking to Al-Monitor, the husband said that most of his close friends, who all live in Tel Aviv, have joined the Likud Party in the last few months. "We all identify with the center-left. I am actually thinking of voting for Meretz in the next election. We just reached the conclusion that the Likud will remain in power in the years to come, so we want to influence it from the inside. We want to choose who will be on its Knesset list and promote our own interests," he said.

He insisted on anonymity, since the party is taking a variety of measures to block the New Likud phenomenon. Likud officials claim that it is actually a hostile takeover of the party and part of an attempt to remove its leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Aug. 14, Maariv newspaper reported that the Likud Party decided to end online registration for the party on its website. In the next few days, the party's internal court will decide whether to invalidate the party credentials of several prominent members of the New Likud for allegedly acting against the Likud Party from the inside.

The organizers of the New Likud estimate that, because of the initiative, some 12,000 people have joined the Likud, out of 100,000 Likud members. They plan to continue increasing their numbers until the next party primaries. Their goal is to create a bloc powerful enough to influence the party's direction from the inside and determine who will appear on its Knesset list. Most of these new members have never voted for the Likud, nor do they plan to do so in the future.

The group first became active about six years ago, in the wake of the social protests, when they reached the conclusion that the best way to influence the situation in Israel was through the ruling party. They had no significant impact over the next few years. Only a handful of like-minded people actually joined the Likud, and the party considered them little more than a curiosity. After the Zionist Camp's defeat in the last election in 2015, however, the New Likud phenomenon began to gather momentum. It has picked up over the last few months, especially among young people, some of whom attended the recent demonstrations outside State Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit's home, where they called on him to complete the investigations into Netanyahu's affairs.

Suddenly, the Likud discovered that a well-organized and powerful new group had been formed right under their noses, and that it was not following the party's current codes of behavior. Coalition chairman David Bitan realized that launching a campaign against the group would have enormous media potential, so he decided to declare war against it. In interviews with the press, he accused the New Likud of launching a hostile takeover bid with the intention of toppling Netanyahu. He then announced that the appropriate steps will be taken to distance them from the party. "The Likud has a right to defend itself," he told Radio Kan Bet. "If we need to amend the party's constitution, we will. There is no reason for the Likud to accept people who are not Likud, just because they disguise themselves as Likud."

Bitan is wrong in claiming that the group wants to bring down Netanyahu for its own reasons. What the New Likud wants to do most of all is to advance the interests of young members of the middle class who serve in the reserve forces and bear the burden of paying taxes. In the last election, they named Knesset members Gilad Erdan and Yoav Kish on their list of recommended candidates. On the other hand, Bitan is totally right that having so many people identified with the left joining the party is a serious distortion of the Likud, since they do not identify with its values and goals.

Following Bitan's attack, the New Likud's Facebook page was made private, and posts began to include recommendations on how members could dispel insinuations against them. One post said that the purpose of the New Likud was to influence the election of the Likud's Knesset list in the next election. According to a New Likud source, one post read, "We are a large and united group with a common agenda based on the Likud's constitution, with an active influence on the party's discourse and the decisions that are made." They also attempted to dispel accusations that the New Likud's members lean to the left. On the other hand, while some of the group's founders, such as Lior Meiri, do have ties to the Likud, the vast majority of its members has no commitment to the party.

The New Likud phenomenon is reminiscent of the Feiglinites, a far-right group that attempted to take over the Likud in the early 2000s to prevent diplomatic concessions that would include a withdrawal from some of the territories. Then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and later Netanyahu, fought against them, claiming that they were engaged in a hostile takeover of the party and its institutions. The group had about 7,000 members in its heyday, and it is believed that many of them voted for other parties, mainly on the far right. Despite their strength within the party, the Feiglinites had a hard time getting their leader Moshe Feiglin into the Knesset in the 2013 election.

Though the Feiglinites began as a foreign element within the Likud, over time they became an integral part of the party landscape. This is because many Knesset members asked for their support in the primaries. As far as results, however, the group did not achieve its objectives; it failed to prevent the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip and had no real impact on the party's agenda. It fell apart before the last election, and most of its members left the Likud.

It is both manipulative and problematic to join a party without identifying with its objectives, and with the sole purpose of changing the very character of the party and influencing it from within. It is the right and even the responsibility of the party to defend itself from organized efforts such as these to change it. The Likud could be flattered that the conventional wisdom is that the party's internal election is more important than the general election, so much so that even Meretz and Labor Party voters want to participate in its primaries. Nevertheless, they are also right to take steps to defend their party.

It would be wrong to launch a highly publicized campaign to expel thousands of New Likud supporters from the party, nor is there any way to determine who is a "genuine" Likud supporter and who is actually a secret leftist. On the other hand, it is certainly worth considering amending the party's constitution and introducing a three-year waiting period from the moment someone joins the party until that party member obtains the right to vote within the party's institutions.
August 18, 2017

RAMALLAH, West Bank  The meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordanian King Abdullah II in Ramallah Aug. 7 has led to the formation of a joint crisis committee. The committee will be in charge of strengthening political coordination between the two countries, consolidating their positions on issues of common concern and addressing conflicts that erupt in the West Bank, most importantly the renewed crisis at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Mahmoud al-Habash, the president's adviser for religious affairs who also attended the meeting, told Al-Monitor, The magnitude of the challenges imposed on us as Palestinians and Jordanians  most importantly the Israeli occupations measures in Jerusalem that affect the Jordanian guardianship of the holy sites  requires coordination between our field, political and legal positions. He explained that the crisis committee will include sub-committees of a high-level political nature from both sides, under the supervision of political leaders, to coordinate and consult in all situations, in addition to enhancing coordination between the two governments.

Habash stated, King Abdullahs visit to Ramallah wrecked Israels attempts to create a rift between Palestinians and Jordan during Al-Aqsa events, adding, We and Jordan have one position and a single vision. Coordination between us is at its highest levels. The king's visit represented a declaration of absolute support for the Palestinian leadership, represented by President Abbas.

Abdullahs visit to Ramallah, the first of its kind since 2012 and the fifth since he took the throne in 1999, was intended to show Israel that Jordan supports the Palestinian Authority and Abbas as well as the decisions he made during the recent Al-Aqsa incidents. Palestinian officials deny Israeli reports that Abbas is besieged and being prevented from leaving the West Bank.

The visit was set against deteriorating Jordanian-Israeli relations after Israel ignored calls by Abdullah to lift the security measures it imposed at Al-Aqsa on July 15, including the installation of metal detectors and security cameras at the mosques gates. Israel also disregarded the kings demand for the prosecution of an Israeli security guard accused of killing two Jordanians inside the Israeli Embassy in Amman on July 23.

A Fatah leader told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The crisis committee was formed after the two leaders evaluated the Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa. The committee will therefore focus its efforts on coordinating the Palestinian-Jordanian positions regarding Al-Aqsa, to prevent any conflicting positions in future crises and to prepare for the upcoming stage, during which we expect [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to carry out knee-jerk actions in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.

The recent events at Al-Aqsa, which was closed from July 14 until July 27, were a major embarrassment to Jordan. The kingdom has been the custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem since Palestinian and Arab officials gave the responsibility to the Jordanian Sharif of Mecca, Hussein bin Ali, in 1924. Jordans custodianship was renewed in the agreement on the defense of Jerusalem holy sites signed by Abbas and Abdullah on March 31, 2013.

Ahmad al-Majdalani, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organizations Executive Committee and a close associate of Abbas, told Al-Monitor that the Jordanian king's visit to Ramallah was aimed at showing Israel the high level of coordination between Palestinians and Jordanians, proving that the two countries are not in disagreement over Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem.

Majdalani said that the visit had nothing to do with the internal Palestinian situation, noting that the issue of Abbas succession was not discussed.

The peace process and US efforts to revive it were, however, addressed during the meeting. Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said in an Aug. 7 press release that Abbas and Abdullah discussed the need for the US administration to define the ultimate goal of the peace process between the Palestinians and Israel and to stop all Israeli settlement activities, including in Jerusalem.

Abbas and Abdullah coordinated their positions over the peace process in anticipation of a visit by a US delegation to the region within a couple of weeks, a trip whose planning was confirmed by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki. The delegation will be headed by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, and will include negotiator Jason Greenblatt and Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell. According to Reuters, the delegation is to meet with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Israel and the PA to discuss what an unnamed White House official called a path to substantive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Its date has yet to be set.

Political analyst and professor of political science at al-Quds University, Abdul Majid Sweilem, told Al-Monitor, The Jordanian and Palestinian leaderships believe Jerusalem is in danger in light of Israel's policy to impose a fait accompli on a political solution through settlements and separatist plans. Sweilem went on, Jordan is affected by the Israeli policy in the Palestinian territories, which is why it is seeking to redress the dangers threatening the Palestinian territories, given the complexity of the negotiations process and the US bias toward Israel.

He explained that the crisis committee will operate "under the supervision of the supreme political leadership," adding, "This principle of coordination reflects the strength of the relationship between the Palestinian and Jordanian leaderships as well as their keenness to keep their positions unified in all issues.

The crisis committee will be under scrutiny as future crises inevitably unfold.
August 17, 2017

Venezuela, hit by economic devastation and political turmoil, is one of the most troubled countries today. Its situation has lately become so dire that 90% of its citizens are reported to have trouble affording food. Meanwhile, Venezuelan officials have embezzled billions. Venezuela currently ranks as the most corrupt country in Latin America. The ongoing catastrophe there has triggered mass unrest against President Nicolas Maduro, who has responded by grabbing more power and cracking down on the opposition with such measures as arresting opposition leaders. That is why Maduro is widely condemned around the world as a dictator, and Venezuela seems to be yet another failed experiment in socialism.

There are, however, admirers of Venezuela and its autocratic president, and they are not just left-wing comrades such as British Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. To wit, Maduro enjoys unmistakable sympathy in Turkey from a political strain that can hardly be defined as left  Erdoganism, the ruling ideology and sentiment centered around the resolute leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

This affection is evident in the Erdoganist media, where dozens of reporters and commentaries have lately been praising Maduro as a patriotic leader resisting plots by the CIA and other agents of imperialism. For example, an article in the daily Star headlined Behind the Scenes of Events in Venezuela argued that criticisms concerning the rule of law and human rights in Venezuela are merely propaganda in a campaign by drug cartels and companies supported by the CIA. Likening this propaganda to that against Turkey, the author added that Erdogan is much smarter than Maduro and therefore has better managed Turkeys affairs.

A writer for the pro-Erdogan daily Milat also drew an analogy between Erdogan and Maduro, claiming that both leaders had been targeted by CIA-orchestrated coup attempts. It is now time to protect democracy from the West, the columnist said, and Maduro deserves praise as the legitimate leader of Venezuela elected by the majority. Aydinlik, a left-wing daily that has recently joined the pro-Erdogan camp, claimed to expose the same CIA methods in Turkey and Venezuela.

In Sabah, the flagship of the pro-Erdogan media, a columnist also took up the Erdogan-Madura analogy, but from a slightly different perspective  as an argument against the Turkish left. The left in Turkey recognizes the imperialist plot against Venezuela, the writer asserted, but it has failed to see that the exact same plot has been cooked up against Erdogans Turkey, and members of the left are unwitting participants in this plot. Thus, by opposing Erdogan with public protests, the writer claimed, the Turkish left has chosen the will of the colonialists to the will of the nation.

On social media, the Erdogan-Maduro axis is even clearer. Erdogan said to Israel, You are murderers. Maduro said the same to Israel. The rest is known, wrote one Twitter user. Apparently he was referring to the common narrative that Erdogan only began to face criticism for supposed authoritarianism after he bashed Israel in 2009 (which, by the way, is incorrect, as reported in Al-Monitor). Another Turkish Twitter user expressed the same sentiments directly to @NicolasMaduro, writing, Viva Turquia! Viva Venezuela! Viva Erdogan! Viva Maduro! Mr. Maduro, you are not alone.

In the pro-Erdogan camp, only one writer found the Erdogan-Maduro analogies disturbing and very unfair. In the centrist HaberTurk, the liberal-leaning columnist Nagehan Alci reminded readers about the big differences between Maduro and Erdogan. Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, relied on the army, whereas Erdogan never had the military on his side, Alci wrote. The elections in Venezuela are much less credible than Turkey's, she claimed, and Maduro is ultimately a Marxist-Leninist.

Alci's points are valid. It is especially clear that Erdogan is not a socialist. His success over the past 15 years has largely been based on capitalist growth, which was recently publicly emphasized in his inauguration of a Coca-Cola factory in the modest province of Isparta.

Erdogan and Maduro do, however, have similarities when it comes to their affection for populism, a political tool that can be used by politicians on the right and the left. From a populist perspective, society is divided between the true people and the enemies within, who are somehow threatening to the national ethos. Moreover, the true people are represented by a powerful leader, who will crush the enemies within and defy the dark forces behind them. Populism is, by nature, authoritarian and polarizing.

The problem with populist leaders is not their resisting imperialism, which can be real or perceived in any given situation. Rather, the problem is that they delegitimize their political opponents as agents of imperialism, and therefore themselves erode democracy from within. Democracy only begins when all the different components of a society are considered as equally legitimate.

Thus, when Turks look at the current tragedy of Venezuela, they would be better off seeing not a model with which to identify, but an experience to avoid. The Latin American nation shows how a populist zeal can bankrupt a whole nation by making anti-imperialism a blueprint for autocracy and a cover for corruption and nepotism. It also reminds that the way forward for any nation is inclusion, not division, and freedom, not oppression.
August 18, 2017

It has been a year since the death of transgender sex worker Hande Kader and not a single suspect has been found and brought before the law, reads a petition on Change.org, one of Turkeys most widely used protest websites.

The petition is the latest in a year-long campaign launched by transgender activist Deniz Sapka, who has been trying to keep up the pressure to bring Kader's killers to justice. The tone of this last petition reflects the frustration of Turkeys lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community with the justice system regarding the death of 22-year-old Kader, who was burned, mutilated and killed a year ago after she was seen getting in a car with one or more clients in downtown Istanbul. Her body was found 10 days later.

Aug. 18 marks the first anniversary of a major mobilization in 2016, when hundreds of people took to the streets of Istanbul, Ankara and other cities to urge members of the parliament to protect the rights of the LGBTI, ensure their security and find and prosecute those who brutally killed Kader.

I am angry, angry that the mobilization we have realized has died down, angry that no steps were taken to bring the responsible to justice, angry that even Kaders family just wants to hush the whole thing up, Sapka told Al-Monitor in a phone interview. We had thought back then that the public interest in the tragedy of Hande Kader would be a turning point. It was not. If anything, it is worse than before, she added, in a thinly-veiled reference to the banned gay pride parade this year.

The hashtag #speakoutforhandekader, which trended for several days last year and was revived this week, is a reference to the activism of Kader, a feisty sex worker who had told friends that she dreamed of becoming a translator. The Turkish public became familiar with her in 2015, during pride in Istanbul. She and her friends had gone to Taksim Park, where the parade was held every year until it was not authorized in 2015. The police had dispersed it with firehoses and pepper spray. When Kader and some of her friends continued marching, police officers moved to stop her. Her face in tears, Kader shouted not at the police but at the journalists who were snapping photos: You keep taking pictures but you never print what we say. Nobody hears our voice.

Ironically, Kader's mutilated body inspired for a brief period both the public and the policymakers as they listened to the demands of the LGBTI and walked along with them, expressing empathy for the risks they faced, the harassment and the lack of protection. Between Aug. 18 and Aug 21, 2016, hundreds of people walked in Istanbuls Tunel area and other cities of Turkey, shouting the slogan Trans exist. Members of the Turkish Parliament, mostly quiet on LGBTI rights, joined the activist groups in a press conference at the parliament. A joint statement read there said LGBTI groups should have better access to the justice system and firm punishments should be given to those who hurt them.

So far, most aggressors charged with violence against transgender sex workers have been able to get off scot free, it said. Several deputies from the opposition Republican Peoples Party were present, but none from the ruling Justice and Development Party. This was hardly surprising, as the conservative partys deputies, including its former minister of social and family affairs, Selma Aliye Kavaf, refers to homosexuality as an illness and considers transsexuality against nature.

Several months after Kader's murder, Athena, one of Turkey's most famous music groups, released a music video expressing solidarity with trans sex workers. The song, called "Don't Say Anything," shows a group of trans women prettying up for a night out, only to be abused at the end of the evening by some men in a car. At the end, one of the victims, face smashed up, is accompanied home by her veiled mother. Conservative media outlets blasted the group for "making a clip that disrespected Turkish mores" and "placing dynamite at the foundations of the Turkish society."

Unlike many Muslim countries, homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey, but homophobia remains widespread despite the success of many famous gay or trans individuals. Aside from flashy icon Bulent Ersoy, a sharp-tongued and attention-craving diva who had a sex-change operation in the 1980s, most try to keep a low profile. Many of them, despite being household names, have been publicly humiliated, attacked or beaten.

Turkey is one of the worst places in terms of LGBT rights in Europe, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). The association, says Turkey  the fourth from the bottom on the list  has a claustrophobic atmosphere, increased by the state of emergency declared in the wake of last summer's attempted coup. Its 2016 report underlined the banning of the march in Ankara and others in both Istanbul and Izmir. It added that the office of a prominent LGBTI organization was also forced to close due to security threats. In advance of this year's pride celebrations, a series of ominous threats were made by several extremist groups.

The report added that LGBTI people, particularly trans women, are frequently the victims of violent bias-motivated attacks, many of them fatal. Activists say that the culprits are seldom found. Witnesses are reluctant to testify and families, ashamed of their child, want the crime buried. There are no public prosecutors or lawyers who put pressure on the justice system.

This is the case for Kader, whose story seems to be forgotten outside a handful of activists and her lawyer, Firat Soyle. Soyle, who talked to journalist Burcu Karakas, that the case of Kader was not dismissed with a simple "murderers unknown finding, as so many transsexual murder cases are, though not a single suspect had been identified in the ongoing investigation. The prosecutors office is looking at her phone calls before the murder and at the security footage in which she was last seen before she reportedly got in the car with one or several men.

Soyle pleaded, It is important that Hande Kaders friends come forward and tell the investigators what they know.

But Turkeys transgender population is often reluctant to appear before the police. According to Kemal Ordek, a former sex worker who wrote Being Trans in Turkey, the police, far from protecting transgender Turks, covers up crimes against them, harasses them and shakes them down for bribes.

Ordek has been battling the police and justice system for two years, ever since two men who pretended to be clients raped them. (Ordek is a non-binary and prefers they to he or she). When the attackers dragged them to a cash machine to steal money from their bank account, Ordek ran toward a nearby police car. But the police sided with the attackers and tried to persuade Ordek against making a criminal complaint before allowing the attackers to go free. One of them told Ordek: There is nothing you can do, they will let us go anyway. The case is still ongoing, with the attackers charged with theft, not sexual assault. The court decided that there was not enough evidence for the rape case, which is a scandal," Ordek told Al-Monitor.

The murder case of Hande Kader is very symbolic for the LGBTI, said Ordek. It was a brutal attack on the gay community. People need to testify; justice needs to be carried out. Many people think that it is normal for a trans sex worker to be harassed by clients or even murdered. Sadly, often it is true  there are many murders and few trans people die a natural death.
One of Energen's (NYSE:EGN) major investors is pushing the Birmingham-based publicly traded company to explore a sale, the Wall Street Journal is reporting.

The New York hedge fund owns a stake between 4 and 5 percent and is joining with Corvex Management LP, which pushed for a sale in June.

Earlier this week, Corvex said in an SEC filing that it had raised its stake in Energen to 10.1 percent, passing a threshold that allows the shareholder to call a special meeting. The filing said Corvex intends to engage in discussions about raising the number of directors on Energen's board to nine to 15 and fill the new spots with Corvex's nominees.

Corvex first called on Energen to explore a sale in May. Energen hired JP Morgan's investment banking firm and Tudor Pickering to review its original business plan. A few weeks later, Energen's board voted unanimously to stick to that plan and not sell.

AL.com spoke to an Energen representative Thursday who declined to comment.

"Now what I would say about that is we remain open to a dialogue with all our shareholders, and we remain committed to all opportunities to enhance shareholder value both now and in the future," James McManus, Energen's Chairman, CEO and President, told energy investors at a JP Morgan Energy Equity Investor Conference in June. "So that means we're not closing the door on anything at all."

Energen has changed its business significantly in recent years, including the 2014 sale of its gas utility Alagasco to St. Louis' The Laclede Group as part of a greater plan to shift focus onto oil drilling.
Innovation Week is expected to have double the participants in 2017 as it had in its first year in 2014, UAB President and Birmingham Business Alliance Chair Dr. Ray Watts told a crowd Friday.

Birmingham's Innovation Week officially began Friday when various stakeholders cut the ribbon Friday afternoon at the Innovation Depot.

"We want these technology companies to have everything they need to thrive and we're going to make sure we have the infrastructure to provide that," Watts said. "Birmingham has been a hidden secret but it's getting better known."

The events, which began Friday morning and continue through Aug. 25, spotlight Birmingham's new technologies, inventors, investors and entrepreneurs. Click here for the full list of events.

Alabama Media Group is a sponsor of Innovation Week.

"Technology, or innovation, is the future of Alabama," Steve Spencer, President of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama said. "It's not all technology. Whether it's agriculture, or manufacturing, or whatever it is, innovation is going to drive us forward. We have a great thing here in Birmingham."
It sounds like something out a reality show, and it kind of is.

Because as it turns out, 25-year-old Lisa Theris, the Alabama woman whose incredible story of survival went viral this week, spent a month wandering naked and afraid through the woods of Bullock County in almost exactly the same location two people survived three weeks on rattlesnake and a possum in a 2016 episode of, yes, Naked and Afraid.

The Discovery Channel series pairs strangers together in wilderness environments across the world (sans sustenance and even clothes) and chronicles their fight to stay alive.

Theris, who lives in neighboring Barbour County, had last been seen in mid-July near Midway, Ala. She was found August 12, naked, dirty, weak, and covered in bug bites on the side of Highway 82 near Union Springs. Theris says she stayed alive by eating berries and mushrooms, and by drinking water from creeks and puddles.



That's the part of the story Jim Morton finds most believable--the water.

"Water wouldn't have been a problem for her," he says. "I know the creek on our place, the water there is really good. But food would have been a big issue for her."



Morton, who graduated from Auburn University in 1990 with a degree in media studies, has produced eight episodes of Naked and Afraid, including the Bullock County episode which was actually shot in July of 2015--around the same time of year Theris went missing--on 1,200 acres of land owned by his father.



"I've been going out there since I was a kid," Morton says. "Midway is actually where my dad is from. It's less than 10 miles away from where we were (during the filming of Naked and Afraid). It's all right there in the same kind of area."

Also in the same area according to Morton? Plenty of signs that point toward civilization.

Theris being without glasses or contacts contributed to the disorientation that prolonged her ordeal; according to WSFA, she's legally blind.

"But even out there in the middle of stuff, you can hear power saws, you can hear all kinds of things," Morton says. "You run into fences out there in the middle of the woods, and I mean, Alabama Power is all over the place. So you're always running into power lines and stuff like that.



"To me, unless you're hiding, or you're just sitting in one place, I don't know how you don't run into something to get out of there. It's not like you're in Belize or Guyana" (where Morton has filmed other Naked and Afraid episodes) where there's nobody there."

Theris, however, claims it was like that.

"I kept thinking that I would find somebody, a person or a house, even if it was empty," she told WSFA. "But there was nothing."



In Morton's experience, that hasn't been the case.

"It's not an impossibility, it just seems a little weird," he says. "That length of time? If you're consciously trying to get out of there? It seems to me maybe if you were hiding from something or wanting not to be seen, it's easier to believe."

He points to the behavior of 26-year-old Chalese Meyer and 32-year-old Steven Lee Hall Jr, the two people cast on the Bullock County episode of Naked and Afraid, as an example.

"They don't want to wander off, but if they wanted to... they wouldn't have to go far to find something that would lead them out," he says. "I just can't believe she didn't run into a shed or somebody plowing game plots, because there are hunting cabins all up in the woods back up in there, and trails and fire lanes. We've got fire lanes and roads all through our place where we shot Naked and Afraid. Most people do. You've got a lot of areas without them, but you don't have to go far to find one."

Morton says you also wouldn't have to go far to find a meal that could kill you.

"I don't know her--she may be a survival expert," Morton says. "But for a regular person to go out there and know what kind of roots and what kind of mushrooms to eat? That's difficult."



Again, he points to his reality show experience.



"Even when we did Naked and Afraid, we'd bring in an expert like a botanist or a local expert that will tell you 'you can't eat this, you can't eat that,'" Morton says. "So even the people who are really well trained in it, you have to give them a little brush up on (local plants). It's not advisable just to start going out there and picking mushrooms and eating them and wind up dead."

Theris' case remains mostly a mystery. The Bullock County Sheriff's Office initially believed she had fled the company of two men arrested for burglarizing a Midway hunting camp around the time of her disappearance.

There's "a whole lot more to the story," BCSO Deputy Chad Faulkner told Inside Edition. "It's going to be sad and heartwarming at the same time."

"I'm glad she's alive, I'm glad she's safe," Morton says. "It's just that the story is a little hard to believe. I've seen people do miraculous things. I've read stories about this happening in other countries. But again, you're talking vast areas where there's no people. This is in Bullock County. It's the country, but it's not the jungles of Guyana, not the savannas of Guyana where there's nobody down there and you've got acres and acres and acres of untouched land. There's stuff you run into."

Theris maintains she doesn't remember how she wound up in the woods, naked and afraid.
A leadership vacuum is looming, and its effect on the peace process and everyday life has alarmed many observers.

With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing corruption charges and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat dealing with health issues, analysts say that a political upheaval is on the docket in the coming few months in Israel/Palestine.

Although there is an increasingly narrow difference between the way Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) treat Palestinians in the occupied territories, Israel remains the occupying power under international law, continuing to deny Palestinians their rights on both sides of the Green Line and as refugees.

The current ubiquitous question appears to be: Who will become the next prime minister/president of Israel/Palestine?





A leadership vacuum is looming. Its effect on the peace process and everyday life has alarmed many actors, especially those in the international donor community, who have invested billions of dollars to sustain the status quo.

They need not be troubled: Though the reasons for the Israeli and Palestinian vacuums are different, each will be filled with similar home-grown and entrenched institutions and individuals.

An increasing number of observers predict that Netanyahu will likely serve a prison sentence in the near future, but this, according to writer Neve Gordon, will mean little for Israels policies towards the Palestinians.

Potential successors  from Likuds Gideon Saar, to Jewish Homes Naftali Bennett, to Labors Avi Gabbay, to Yesh Atids Yair Lapid  hardly hold different views from Netanyahu. In fact, these potential prime ministers are even more racist and invested in Israels colonial project.

As Donald Trump entered the White House, Saar called on the Israeli government to dissociate from the two-states paradigm and reject the dangerous idea of establishing a Palestinian state in the heart of Israel, arguing that the conditions are ripe for such a move.

He has also advocated for a Jordanian-Palestinian federative solution. Bennett, in turn, has called on a number of occasions for the annexation of the West Bank, declaring that the era of the Palestinian state is over.

OPINION: Palestinians expect nothing good from Trump

Last year, Lapid announced: We need to get the Palestinians out of our lives. What we have to do is build a high wall and get them out of our sight. This sharper turn towards the right, especially when it comes to issues concerning Palestine, will further solidify the institutions and pundits disseminating extreme views, according to analysts and observers.

This has been a process long in the making, as the recent annual strategic report of Madar  The Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies reveals. Public opinion polls and trends over the past decade illustrate troubling shifts in Israeli society, such as the rise of radical settler communities, which do not bode well for peace and justice.

Public responses to Erekats lung transplant, Elor Azarias murder trial, and the Hebron settlers who occupied a Palestinian familys house show how far Israeli society remains from engaging in any form of meaningful peace-building project.

As Gideon Levy argues: To generate change, Israeli society has to undergo a painful process, no sign of which is on the horizon  Netanyahu is going, and Israel is staying the way it was. As such, colonial society as a whole  not just the political and security establishments  will rule after Netanyahu.

The situation is not any better on the Palestinian side, as the political legitimacy gaps expand, the fragmentation deepens, and the internal divide hardens. The fragility of the Palestinian political system has been further exposed in the wake of Abbass recent medical check-up and the deterioration of Erekats health.

To alleviate some of the risk associated with a political transition, Abbas decided to upgrade  once again  his intelligence chief, Majid Faraj.

Over the last decade, the PA and the donor community have invested billions of dollars in the reform of the security establishment. The donor-backed PA leadership is now preparing PA security forces to dominate the post-Abbas period. This does not bode well for democracy, particularly given the PAs mantra of ruling with an iron fist since 2007.

READ MORE: Will Mohammed Dahlan return to lead Gaza?

Under the pretext of ensuring stability and avoiding chaos, the PA has become increasingly authoritarian and used its security forces to solidify its position. In such an environment, it is hard to imagine any meaningful democratic political transition, even if Palestinian National Council elections take place in the fall as currently planned.

The election as envisaged now is anything but inclusive, transparent or representative. It also risks entrenching the intra-Palestinian divide and creating additional distortions and fragmentation within the Palestinian national movement, analyst Hani al-Masri has warned.

An additional repressive regime is the last thing that the Palestinian people need. Further PA security establishment control over the Palestinian political system will only weaken an already dysfunctional polity. The political elite will also bolster the security forces collaboration with Israel, as dictated by the 1993 Oslo Accords.

While the current Palestinian leadership characterises this security coordination as sacred, for some future Fatah leaders, it is also part and parcel of our liberation strategy.

In addition, political leaders will continue to fixate on a failed two-state paradigm and a US-sponsored peace process. Indeed, the Fatah-dominated political elite even finds a source of inspiration in the Trump administration.

Last week, the chief representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington declared: Our major source of excitement and hope is President Trump himself. Whatever comes after Abbas and Netanyahu will, therefore, look similar to what we find today. To change that, there must be resistance to all the trends discussed above.

Real change cannot come from the same institutions that nourished the Netanyahu and Abbas regimes, and neither will it come from the leaders lining up for the prime ministerial and presidential posts. They, too, are part of the institutional setting that has sustained the Israeli occupation and the status quo.

The panacea for a real change arises through engaging in contentious collective actions that aim to challenge the existing actors and institutions and their claims of political representation. Fundamentally, this necessitates creating new effective, legitimate and representative institutional bodies that are inclusive, people-driven and participatory by structure and design.

Yet the question remains: Though the Palestinian people are desperate for change, is Israeli society interested in it? Or is it happy with Israel the way it is, a settler-colonial state and violator of international law that benefits from the oppression and occupation of a people?
The far right faces cancelled events and uncertainty across the US amid outrage over deadly white supremacist violence.

Public outrage in the wake of a white supremacist rally turned deadly in Charlottesville, Virginia, has left far-right groups facing a wave of cancellations across the United States as they plan their next moves.





Security concerns have prompted at several universities to block alt-right events, while cities across the country are reconsidering rally permits.

With students, faculty and community members organising for protests and marches, the University of Florida (UF) and Texas A&M University both blocked speaking events for Richard Spencer, a leader in the alt-right movement, a loose coalition of neo-Nazi, far-right and white supremacist groups.

Most recently, Louisiana State University president F King Alexander, citing safety concerns, told New Orleans newspaper The Advocate that Spencer, whose representatives had been requesting a campus visit, is not welcome.

The likelihood of violence and potential injury  not the words or ideas  has caused us to take this action, W Kent Fuchs, president of UF, said in a statement, alluding to promises by alt-right groups to turn Florida into the next battleground after Charlottesville.

The move came just two days after Texas A&M announced the cancellation of a White Lives Matter rally scheduled for September 11, and as several cities across the US are reconsidering permits for far-right events.

Mitch Emerson, a community organiser from Orlando, Florida, had been planning a protest to oppose Spencers speech at UF before the alt-right event was denied a permit.

Richard Spencer isnt advocating different ideas, Emerson told Al Jazeera. Hes saying that white people have to join together and rid this country of non-European heritage. That is an inherently violent statementIts meant to incite violence.

READ MORE: Uncertainty as Texas A&M drops White Lives Matter rally

Deadly violence

The news first broke that Spencers think-tank, the National Policy Institute (NPI), had applied for a permit to hold an event at UF on the same weekend as the Unite the Right rally. The NPI has said it plans to sue the university.

Unite the Right, the largest white supremacist rally in the countrys recent history, was called to protest the citys decision to remove a Confederate statue.

On August 11, the night before Unite the Right, hundreds of far-right marchers flooded the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville. They marched with lit torches and chanted white lives matter.

Others screamed: Jews will not replace us.

The following day, hordes of white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members descended on Charlottesville and clashed with community members, anti-racist activists and anti-fascists. Spencer was one of the keynote speakers at the rally.

By the end of the day, 20-year-old James Alex Fields, a resident of Ohio, was charged with second-degree murder and a swath of other charges after he allegedly ploughed his car into a crowd of anti-racist marchers, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring at least 19 people.

READ MORE: Unite the Right  White supremacists rally in Virginia

Fields had been photographed marching with Vanguard America, a self-described fascist organisation that advocates a white ethnostate, earlier in the day.

Angela Nagle, author of Kill All Normies, a book about far-right online subcultures and the rise of the alt-right, said Heyers killing and the violence in Charlottesville have firmly positioned public opinion against the alt-right and its allies.

Charlottesville has backfired hugely for them because, after stripping away all the parts of their milieu that had softened their image and isolating themselves from the rest of the right, the armed militiamen and swastika-tattooed attendees started to appear for all to see, she told Al Jazeera.

The nature of the tragic death of Heather Meyer also reminded the public of ISIL-style car attacks and reintroduced the spectre of the right-wing domestic terrorism America experienced in the past, Nagle added, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) armed group.

Uncertainty

A White Lives Matter rally at Texas A&M, located in College Station, was cancelled after public uproar and promises of counter-protests.

On the same day as the Charlottesville violence, white supremacist activist Preston Wiginton announced the rally for September 11. He said in a statement at the time: Today Charlottesville, tomorrow Texas A&M.

In addition to Spencer, other speakers included Ken Reed, an organiser with the neo-Nazi-linked White Lives Matter group, and Sacco Vandal, a white supremacist radio host.

Texas A&M announced the cancellation in a statement on August 14, explaining that the event created concerns about the safety of students, faculty and the public.

Wiginton has vowed to take the case to court and hold a rally at or near the university campus. Community members, students and anti-racist activists are preparing to hold counter-protests if the rally is reinstated.

Elsewhere, far-right rallies and speaking events remain shrouded in uncertainty.

READ MORE: How neo-Nazis burn crosses from behind keyboards

Spencers NPI has also applied for an event permit at Michigan State University. Describing the violence in Charlottesville as deplorable, the university administration has said it is reviewing the request and had not made a decision, a Detroit-affiliate of ABC reported.

In San Francisco, California, the city is reconsidering a permit for an August 26 rally by Patriot Prayer, a group that has held joint protests in Portland and Seattle with white supremacist organisations.

In Boston, a free speech rally slated for Saturday has been widely criticised by local officials, including Mayor Marty Walsh.

We dont need this type of hate, said Walsh, as reported by local media. So my message is clear to this group. We dont want you in Boston. We dont want you on Boston Common. We dont want you spewing the hate that we saw yesterday, and the loss of life.

Speakers drop out

The group organising the Boston event said on Facebook that the rally would take place, but a string of speakers have pulled out or been dropped.

The Boston Globe reported on Monday that the events organisers cancelled a speech by Augustus Sol Invictus. Formerly a Libertarian, he announced his second bid for US Senate  this time as a Republican  after the Charlottesvilles Unite the Right rally.

Invictus, a Holocaust denier who is most famous for claiming he drank goat blood as a sacrifice, was reportedly cancelled because concerns over his participation in Unite the Right and his rhetoric, including comments he made calling for another civil war in the US.

Cassandra Fairbanks, a far-right online personality, announced her cancellation on Twitter, citing unspecified threats.

Gavin McInnes, a host at the far-right Rebel Media news outlet, announced that he would not be attending the Boston rally either.

McInnes is the founder of the Proud Boys, a self-described Western chauvinist group that engages in street fights with anti-fascists. His group is often classified as part of the alt-light, a swath of pro-Trump and nationalist groups that eschew the open racism of the alt-right.

Speaking to Boston Herald Radio, McInnes accused Mayor Walsh of putting speakers and attendees in harms way by unfairly associating his group with the type of white supremacist and neo-Nazi organisations that emerged in Charlottesville.

He is going to let a riot happen and tell the police to stand down. I can tell the mayor is going to make sure we are endangeredit is a common political tactic, he said.

READ MORE: Threats and attacks as white supremacists target campuses

Activists and community members have organised a handful of counter-demonstrations in Boston.

US President Donald Trumps condemnation of far-right groups after the Charlottesville violence was reserved, and many of those white supremacist factions openly lauded the president dubbing anti-racist protesters the alt-left. Even so, since public perception of the alt-right has been hugely impacted.

Before last weekend, the alt-right was largely able to deflect accusations of violent intent with claims of tongue-in-cheek irony and hyperbole, Nagle said.

The footage emerging from the march  as well as the details that have emerged about its attendees  shows that this movement has now stripped away all other elements and is simply the far right, she said, whose goal is a white ethnostate which would necessitate war and possibly genocidal violence.

Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_








Activists and lawyers say more is still needed to protect womens rights in the country.

The Lebanese parliament voted this week to abolish an article in the penal code exempting rapists from punishment if they marry their victims, but womens rights activists say this does not go far enough.

For sure, what happened on Wednesday was a positive step, but people in Lebanon wanted to abolish the law and its effect on other articles as well  specifically articles 505 and 518, said Manar Zaiter, a lawyer with the Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering NGO.

Articles 505 and 518 stipulate that the rape clause would still apply when sexual assault is committed against a girl between 15 and 18, and there is consent or a prior promise of marriage.

Im not applauding the efforts of the Lebanese parliament. These are rights, and they were supposed to be granted years ago, Zaiter told Al Jazeera. They were extremely late in abolishing the law.

READ MORE: Meet the woman who pushed to repeal Jordans rape law

Civil society groups in Lebanon have also been fighting to end child marriage in the country. Lebanon has no minimum age for marriage, and its civil code regulating personal status matters lacks such guidelines. A draft law introduced to parliament in March seeks to set a minimum age of 18.

According to Zaiter, if articles 505 and 518 were also repealed as per the initial draft amendment brought forward by parliamentarian Elie Kayrouz, it would have been much easier to then place a cap on the minimum age required for marriage.

Our government is one that is ruled and controlled by the social status quo  it is a sectarian entity, Zaiter said. But they [parliament] did not vote in favour of the original draft to protect the wishes of parties who claim to be defending Lebanons social fabric  The logic and philosophy of the laws that came in the 1940s came with a certain mindset that was there to protect society and public decency and to ensure that prevailing social norms were ratified. But today, we fight for individual rights  we dont fight to protect society and its norms.

The Institute for Womens Studies in the Arab World at the Lebanese American University has asserted that gender-based violence is the most obvious manifestation of gender inequality in Lebanon. Organisations that support victims of sexual assault say they receive more than 2,600 reports of partner violence every year.

According to the institutes director, Lina Abirafeh, this can be attributed to the lack of legal provisions that criminalise marital rape.

The Lebanese parliament, at last, took a step towards womens rights  but there is still much to work to do, she told Al Jazeera. It is not enough to change laws. Everyone in Lebanon must act to change the way society views women  This victory is one small step in the right direction.

Kayrouz told Al Jazeera that his partys amendment, proposed in August 2016, aimed to abolish the law and its effects on other provisions without exceptions.

Following several long sessions of debate, the committee established to examine the proposed amendment did not adopt my original draft, he said. Instead, it settled for a tweaked version of the amendment that abolished many of the laws effects on other provisions, including kidnapping and adultery, but maintained the laws effect on articles 505 and 518.

Although he believes this weeks decision was positive and progressive, Kayrouz still believes that more is needed, and he is now considering bringing forward a new motion to abolish the remaining provisions.

READ MORE: Activists ramp up pressure on Lebanons rape law

Last month, Jordan and Tunisia abolished similar marriage-rape provisions, while Egypt in 1999 and Morocco in 2014 made similar changes to their penal codes.

Danielle Hweik, a legal adviser at ABAAD, a Beirut-based gender-equality NGO, called the move in Lebanon a huge step forward. The final draft that was voted on in parliament came after months of meetings and discussions, she added.

We heard their [committee members] views, concerns, and addressed issues together. We worked side-by-side until we reached the draft, she said. We also launched our media campaign in parallel to the discussions in parliament.

People were saying that the law was shameful to our country. by Alia Awada, activist and former ABAAD campaign manager

The aggressive, nationwide media and advocacy campaign by ABAAD ran alongside campaigns by other activist groups in the country to raise awareness about the consequences of the law. Womens rights movements and NGOs have been advocating for victims of sexual assault for years, but organisers of the popular ABAAD campaign, called A White Dress Does Not Cover Rape, say their strategy and timing lined up in this instance.

A recent poll conducted to reveal how much the average person knew about the rape law (Article 522) discovered that less than one percent of participants even knew it existed, said Alia Awada, an activist and former ABAAD campaign manager.

People were saying that the law was shameful to our country, Awada said.

[Rape] is a huge crime; we always have to be very aggressive while were defending the victims and survivors of sexual assault  Although some said that the law was necessary for a girls honour, most of the people who saw our campaign, and the media that we met, were very supportive and determined to abolish the law. We had an army of supporters.
Raila Odinga, leader of the National Super Alliance and Kenyas opposition is petitioning the Supreme Court for a review of the results of the 2017 election, easing the political pressure that has kept the country in suspended animation for the last week.

On the morning of August 9th, about 12 hours after results started trickling on the Independent Election and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) results transmission website, leader of the largest opposition coalition Raila Odinga claimed that the website had been hacked to under-represent his share of the vote. On Friday, at 10:30 pm, the chairman of the IEBC, Wafula Chebukati, declared Uhuru Kenyatta the winner triggering a flurry of protests in Nairobi and Kisumu. According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights at least 24 people have died.





Kenyas elections generally have three phases. First, there is a jittery pre-election phase peppered with accusations of malpractice; second, a peaceful and even joyous voting phase; and third, an anxious wait for final results and the inevitable fallout.

The contrast in mood between the voting phase and the pre- and post-election phases is always stark: a 24-hour window of euphoria sandwiched between interminable anxiety. The recent elections were no different  on Monday, there was tension over a litany of unresolved issues, on Tuesday voting was smooth and turnout impressive, but by Wednesday there was tension in the air and this elections counting dispute began.

How can a country be so good at voting and so bad at counting votes?

The tension stems from a lack of trust: Kenyans dont trust elections because our elections are untrustworthy. Successive iterations of electoral commissions have delivered suspect results. In 1992, then President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was declared winner over Kenneth Matiba in an election that established a link between violence and voting (PDF) in Kenya. Arguably, Matiba won that election, but Moi was declared winner. This pattern was repeated in 1997, in a violent election that saw Moi defeat Mwai Kibaki under questionable circumstances.

OPINION: The murder that shook the Kenyan elections

To date, the only election in Kenyas multi-party era that has not faced validity challenges was the 2002 election, as the patterns of 1992 and 1997 repeated in 2007 and 2013. The 2007 election especially soured voters on electoral commissions, as a hurried result was announced in the shadow of grave allegations of fraud made on live television. Instead of assuaging the publics fears by having a transparent recount, the president was quickly sworn in at night and a major trust deficit was born that has never been fully addressed.

But the lack of trust between voters and the electoral commission isnt even the most significant. There are plenty of other institutions in Kenya that operate with a trust deficit, but that do not trigger violence.

Elections week in Kenya is a flurry of accusations, obscure legislation and new found importance of faraway places that most Kenyans can't find on a map, resulting in general unease even though few voters can articulate why. by

In fact, it is the lack of trust between various political actors that is Kenyas biggest problem, and Kenyas politicians dont trust each other because they are cut from the same cloth. The main political figures in Kenya havent changed much since 1990.

Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto on one hand, and Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka on the other, all served in Mois government. Each of the four principals, as they are known in Kenya, has been active in government during a rigged election. As political alignments have shifted over the last 25 years, protecting oneself against the scheming of the other side has become the main election strategy, rather than talking about the issues, for instance.

The more these individuals find perceived gaps in the election architecture, the more law is grafted on to the system to make it appear airtight. Each check and balance is given a check and balance, but it makes little sense as a collective unit.

Whats the point of insisting that a result is only based on forms 34A if nearly a week after the result was announced the commission still cant produce all the forms as required by law?

Why insist that only the announcement by the commission would be final and prohibit media from declaring any result before the final one only to provide a glitchy website with a running tally?

Nor are these checks and balances cheap or easy. Even though Kenya only had 19.2 million voters this year against the United States 200 million or Indias 814 million, at $25 per capita Kenyas 2017 election was probably the most expensive in the world.

Both parties hired foreign IT and political consultants, although the opposition found theirs deported under dubious circumstances a day before the election. The ruling coalition reportedly hired international political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica (which has been credited with President Donald Trumps electoral victory) and invested heavily in a Central Command System. The opposition is running a parallel tallying system on a server hosted in Tanzania and Germany. And, perhaps the highest cost was human life: IEBC ICT Director Chris Msando was kidnapped, tortured and killed five days before the vote.

REPORTERS NOTEBOOK: Why are Kenyas elections so bitterly contested?

The cumbersome process also leads to some absurd complexity. France, with 33.7 million voters announced presidential results in less than eight hours  Kenyans waited four days. An Emirati company was contracted to print ballot papers for the Kenyan election, but as others have wondered, how is it that Kenya can print its own money but not its own ballot papers? Tiny Gambia can use marbles to vote out a 22-year autocracy but the largest economy in East Africa requires close to $500 million in state costs alone to birth a crisis.

If these few days are an indication, hardly anyone has mastered the breadth of process that governs elections in Kenya today, IEBC officials included. None of this procedural complexity is about the voter. Thats why civic education for the August election only began at the end of June, perhaps contributing to over 400,000 rejected votes. It doesnt matter if the voters understand the rules of the process, as long as enough participate to legitimise the outcome of the power struggle at the top.





This complexity breeds anxiety that comes to a head during counting and tallying. Voters are expected to trust completely a state institution in a country where state institutions have little credibility. The ruling party craves an illusion of modernity, insisting that all the money and law expended built a system that works while papering over legitimate and visible concerns.

The opposition has no power over the process and resorts to extreme measures to gain some measure of control  screaming about hacked systems without revealing how they got into the system themselves.

Elections week in Kenya is a flurry of accusations, obscure legislation and new found importance of faraway places that most Kenyans cant find on a map, resulting in general unease even though few voters can articulate why.

The threat of violence looms over Kenyan elections in part because of this unease. People use election violence, like other forms of violence, to feel like theyre in control when theyre not. Between 1992 and 2002, the state instigated election violence to retain control after the end of single party rule. In 2007, with Moi out of the picture, opposition politicians  some of whom are in government today  used violence to undermine the states complete control over the election process.

The key difference is that before 2002, the state had a relative monopoly on election violence in Kenya but after 2008, violence outside state control became an issue. This is why so few Kenyans associate 1992 or 1997 elections with violence in the way they do the 2007 elections: the concern isnt violence in general, but violence that isnt controlled by the state.

And thats why the killing of 25 people, including a 6-month-old child, by the police isnt considered election violence.

The are two ways to end the cycle of uncertainty around Kenyan elections. One is to hope for eventual generational change through the ballot, which is happening but at a frighteningly slow pace. The second is for the powers that be to finally build a system for the voter and not for politicians. Give voters a system in which their votes count, and watch the count get better.

Nanjala Nyabola is a Kenyan writer and political analyst based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Heavy rains threaten other parts of the capital Freetown as number of dead rises to more than 400.

The death toll from devastating floods in Sierra Leone has climbed to more than 400 people with hundreds still missing in the stricken capital.





Burials and recovery efforts continued on Friday amid the threat of further disaster.

The Red Cross put the death toll at 409 after flooding and mudslides shook Freetown on Monday morning.

Today we are counting more than 400 people dead, Elhadj As Sy, secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, saids in Geneva.

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, said the toll may rise, noting the number of people still missing.

The UN humanitarian agency said it still hopes to find survivors but the chances are getting smaller every day.

READ MORE: Sierra Leone mudslide  What, where and why?

Large-scale burials have begun as an estimated 600 people remain missing. People continue to search through tonnes of mud and debris amid the remains of mangled buildings.

Sobbing and covering their noses from the stench, relatives stepped around corpses lying on the ground outside the morgue, which was overwhelmed, as the sheets covering them were lifted.

I came to identify my uncle in particular, but I couldnt find him, said 30-year-old Hawanatu Sesay, after her turn came to look through the morgue.

Let his soul rest in peace, she said through tears.

Al Jazeeras Ahmed Idris, reporting from Freetown, said some people had lost hope in finding the bodies of their relatives.

There is that sense of hope among people that some of the bodies can be found and will be given a decent burial, but there are also people who have lost hope that their relatives have been buried without a proper procedure, he said.

We are talking about hundreds of people who are missing, so the operation now will be focused on the areas that were destroyed by the mudslide.

More than 300 victims were buried on Thursday in a ceremony in the nearby town of Waterloo, laid to rest alongside victims of the countrys last crisis, Ebola. Around a third of them were children.

The water took away my mother and sister, and they have buried them today. Thats why we are here, to mourn and go back home, said one survivor, Zainab Kargbo.

Strength and resilience

Musa Kallon, a trauma support expert working with the CRS, shared stories of devastation with Al Jazeera after he visited Kamayama community on the outskirts of Freetown.

Most of the people I spoke with today are the sole surviving members of their family, Kallon said.

People are really traumatised. I spoke to one lady who lost almost her entire family during the Ebola crisis. Her only surviving daughter passed away in these floods.

READ MORE: Mass burials held in Sierra Leone for mudslide victims

Kallon and Amaya stressed that despite poverty and waves of trauma that have afflicted Sierra Leoneons, the strength and resilience of people has offered some optimism.

Christians and Muslims regardless of what faith they are, they have come together to help dig out people from the mud, provide clothes and shelter to those who are most affected, particularly women and children, Amaya said. They are strong and banding together.

The Red Cross said it would launch an emergency funding appeal later on Friday.

China has pledged $1m, Togo has donated $500,000, and Israel and several west African nations have contributed food and cash.








Another 13 people dead in Manila overnight after police raids and vigilante attacks as death toll rises.

Police killed at least 13 people in the Philippines capital, Manila, on the third night of an escalation in President Rodrigo Dutertes ruthless war on drugs, taking the death toll for one of the bloodiest weeks so far to 80.

Earlier this week, 67 people were shot and more than 200 arrested in Manila and provinces adjoining the city in what police described as a one-time, big-time push to curb the narcotics trade and street crime.

The term has been used by Philippine police to describe a coordinated anti-crime drive in crime-prone districts, usually slums or low-income neighbourhoods.

The spike in killings drew condemnation from Vice President Leni Robredo, who belongs to a party opposed to Duterte.

Branding it something to be outraged about, she has been a constant critic of the crackdown that has killed thousands of Filipinos and caused international alarm since Duterte took office more than a year ago.





A team of Reuters journalists went to five communities in Manila on Thursday night where four men died in shootouts with undercover police in drug buy-bust or sting operations.

Police prevented the journalists from getting near the scene in the northwestern neighbourhood of Caloocan, but they saw three body bags being taken from a maze of narrow alleys. Elsewhere in Caloocan, they saw the corpse of a man slumped on an iron fence at the back of a mini-bus terminal.

Another man was killed near the Manila post office building, four died in hospitals in the northern area of Malabon, and another died on the spot near a former rubbish dump in the sprawling Quezon City district.

Three others were killed elsewhere on Thursday night, according to a radio report, including a man who was shot by masked men on a motorcycle in the eastern area of Marikina City.

Call for protest

The killing spree must stop even as we also demand a stop to the proliferation of illegal drugs, Renato Reyes, secretary-general of the left-wing Bayan (Nation) movement, said.

A long-term and thorough solution is necessary. A fascist solution is doomed to fail.

Reyes urged Filipinos to join a protest organised by a group of artists in Quezon City, saying in a flyer on social media: Let us condemn the recent spike in the killings under the Duterte regime.

Police say there has been no instruction from higher authorities to step up their anti-drug operations and they are only doing their job.

The president did not instruct me to kill and kill, national Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa said on Thursday. I also dont have any instructions to my men to kill and kill. But the instruction coming from the president is very clear that our war on drugs is unrelenting. Those who were killed fought back.

READ MORE: Philippines Duterte vows to continue his drug war

Duterte indicated this week that the escalation had his blessing, saying it was good that 32 criminals had been killed in a province north of Manila and adding: Lets kill another 32 every day. Maybe we can reduce what ails this country.

On Thursday, he said he would not just pardon police officers who killed drug offenders during the anti-narcotics campaign, but also promote them.

Critics maintain that members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are executing suspects and say it is likely they have a hand in thousands of unsolved murders of drug users by mysterious vigilantes. The PNP and government reject that.

Although the violence has been criticised by much of the international community, Filipinos largely support the campaign and domestic opposition to it has been muted.
At least four men have been arrested in connection to three incidents across Spain in which 14 people were killed.

A manhunt was under way in Spain on Friday for the driver of the van used to hit a crowd of people in a busy area of Barcelona, killing 14 people and wounding more than 120 others.

At least four people have been arrested in connection to three violent incidents over the past two days, including the Barcelona attack on Thursday. Officials say they believe all three are related.





The first took place on Wednesday when an explosion killed one person and destroyed a house in the town of Alcanar

Police said residents were trying to make explosives using gas cylinders.

On Thursday, a white van ploughed into a crowd in one of Barcelonas busiest tourist districts, killing more than a dozen people.

The attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), occurred in the bustling Las Ramblas area, a 1.2km stretch of shops and restaurants usually heaving with tourists.

And early on Friday, police shot dead five alleged perpetrators of a suspected terrorist attack in the town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona.

READ MORE: Barcelona and Cambrils attacks: What we know so far

At least one person was killed and six people, including one police officer, were wounded when a black car drove into people in the Spanish seaside resort.





Authorities said the back-to-back vehicle attacks, as well as the explosion in Alcanar, were connected and the work of a large terrorist group.

A judicial source said investigators believed a cell of at least eight people, possibly 12, may have been involved in the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks.

Police said they arrested a Moroccan and a man from Spains north African enclave of Melilla, though neither was the van driver. He was seen escaping on foot and was still at large. Another was arrested in the town of Ripoll on Friday.

Cheap, scary way to attack

The Barcelona attack is the latest in a string of deadly assaults across Europe in the past 13 months, killing well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm.

Many of these attacks have involved vehicle rammings.

Aki Peritz, a former CIA counterterrorism analyst, told Al Jazeera such a tactic is a very cheap, very scary way to attack a lot of civilians and there is very little the governments can actually do to stop them.

The fact you have multiple attacks over multiple areas, taking away the ability of authorities to react to any specific place is one of the hallmarks of ISIS, he said.

Scott Atran, a security analyst who lives in Barcelona, said he believes such attacks are only the beginning.

Its the way to capture attention and accomplish the two things these guys want to accomplish: undermine peoples faith in the basic responsibility of the government to provide security  and also cast doubt and suspicion as much as you can on immigrants and peoples difference so that they learn trying to live in peace only brings pain. And theyre succeeding, said Atran.

The Barcelona incident was the deadliest in Spain since March 2004, when attackers placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.

READ MORE  Barbaric act: World reacts to Barcelona attack

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of official mourning, calling the killings a savage terrorist attack and said Spaniards are not just united in mourning, but especially in the firm determination to beat those who want to rob us of our values and our way of life.

On Friday, thousands gathered in Barcelona for a minute of silence to remember the victims.

Leaders worldwide have also joined Rajoy in condemning the attack and offering their condolences to the victims.
Annual index ranks 140 countries in terms of risk of money laundering and terrorism financing.

Iran, Afghanistan and Guinea-Bissau are the riskiest countries in terms of money laundering and terrorist financing, according to a study by a Swiss group.

The Basel Institute of Governance, which works with the public and private sector to counter corruption, released its annual Anti Money Laundering (AML) index on Friday.

It ranked 146 countries by how vulnerable they are to financial risk.

The Basel AML Index measures the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing of countries based on publicly available sources, the report said.

As there are no quantitative data available, the Basel AML Index does not measure the actual existence of money laundering activity or amount of illicit financial money within a country but is designed to indicate the risk level, i.e. the vulnerabilities of money laundering and terrorist financing within a country.

Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest performance in the latest index, with five countries in the list of the 10 riskiest.

In the Gulf region, the United Arab Emirates scored the lowest, coming in at number 72 of 146 countries, followed by Bahrain at 81. Kuwait was ranked 90, with Saudi Arabia at 93.

Qatar performed the best in the region, ranked 107 of 146.

Sudan and Taiwan made the greatest improvement in the index, which is in the sixth year since it was started.

Finland was ranked the best, followed by Lithuania, Estonia and Bulgaria.
Activist Rasmea Odehs US citizenship is revoked for failing to disclose convictions in 1970 for bombings in Jerusalem.

An activist known for helping Arab women in the Chicago area had her US citizenship revoked by a judge on Thursday and will be deported for failing to disclose convictions for bombings in Jerusalem decades ago.

Rasmea Odeh was interrupted three times by a judge as she used her court appearance in Detroit to criticise Israel and the United States and deny that shes a terrorist.

This is not a political forum for you to fan the flames of Israeli-Palestinian disputes  Its about the application you filled out, said US District Judge Gershwin Drain, who threatened to find her in contempt and send her to jail.

Odeh, 70, pleaded guilty in April to concealing her previous convictions when she entered the US in 1994 and applied for citizenship a decade later. She would have been barred from the country.

Drain followed the plea deal and ordered no prison time. Odeh now will wait for the government to deport her, probably to Jordan.

READ MORE: What it means to be a Palestinian prisoner in Israel

In 1970, she was convicted of two bombings, including one that killed two men at a supermarket in Jerusalem. She insists she was tortured by Israeli military into confessing. Odeh was released in 1979 as part of a swap with the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

In Chicago, Odeh works as associate director of the Arab American Action Network, which provides social services and education. She is widely respected for her work with immigrants, especially Arab women.

For 20 years, she lived here peacefully, honourably and gave more than many US citizens, said defence lawyer Michael Deutsch, who criticised prosecutors for filing charges.





Odeh was convicted in 2014 and sentenced to 18 months in prison, but the conviction was overturned. She chose to make a deal with the government rather than face a second trial.

Detroit federal Judge Gershwin Drain praised Rasmea Odeh for her years of service to Palestinian women in the Chicago area but said the immigration system relies on honesty.

One hundred of Odehs supporters travelled from Chicago to attend the court hearing.

One of them, Hatem Abudayyeh, said Odeh was treated unfairly by the US justice system.

This woman is going to be deported, only because shes Palestinian, only because she has served her community and the cause of the liberation of Palestine for 50 years, Abudayyeh told The Associated Press news agency.

More than 1,000 people also attended an event last weekend to honour Odeh.

I will raise my voice to say this: We have the right to struggle for our country, said Odeh of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Three police officers suspended as witnesses claim unarmed 17-year-old boy was framed by officials.

Philippine police are under pressure to explain the killing of a 17-year-old high school student, who has become the latest victim of President Rodrigo Dutertes ruthless war on drugs.

Kian Loyd Delos Santos died on Thursday night in the capital Manila amid allegations that he was framed by three police officers, who witnesses said forced the teenager to hold a gun, fire and run.

CCTV footage from the Manila suburb of Caloocan showed Delos Santos being carried by two men to a place where his body was later found, raising doubt about an official report that said he was shot because he fired at police officers first.

According to the police report, Delos Santos ran when he saw the officers approaching him. He then pulled out a gun and opened fire at the policemen, who shot back.

Witnesses told local media that the teenager was unarmed.

READ MORE: Duterte on bloodiest drug raids: Thats beautiful

National police chief Ronald dela Rosa said that if the Grade 11 student did not pose a threat, the officers who shot him on Thursday night would be held accountable.

I will not allow any police officer to just kill a 17-year-old boy for no reason at all, he told reporters. Are they that heartless?

Dela Rosa added: Just think about it, he is just a kid. If that happened to your sibling? We will investigate it, I assure you.

OPINION: Dutertes reality check in Mindanao

Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said the three policemen involved had been relieved of their duties and an investigation would be launched.

https://twitter.com/quaxon/status/898567628561633280

Several senators, including known allies of Duterte, expressed outrage about Delos Santos death and called an investigation on Friday into a spike in the killings of drug suspects in recent police operations.

The Philippine National Police, on its misguided war on drugs, is now terrorising our communities and collateral damage is unacceptable, said Representative Edgar Erice.

Killing the poor and powerless is not the solution to the drug problem when tons of methamphetamine are smuggled in, Senator Francis Pangilinan said in a statement.

Bloody week

Police killed at least 27 people in Manila on the third night of a new push in Dutertes war on drugs and crime, taking the toll for one of the bloodiest weeks so far to 94, according to officials.





Earlier in the week, 67 people were shot and nearly 250 arrested in Manila and provinces adjoining the Philippines capital, in what police described as a One-Time, Big-Time push to curb drugs and street crime.

President Duterte hailed the recent killing of 32 drug suspects in a 24-hour police crackdown, the highest death toll in a single day in his administrations anti-drug war.

Thats beautiful. If we can only kill 32 every day, then maybe we can reduce what ails this country, Duterte said on Wednesday.

According to police statistics, more than 3,000 suspects have been killed in anti-drug operations since Duterte became president on June 30, 2016.
Attacks on two bars in the capital, Bujumbura, kill at least three and leave several injured, according to police.

Grenade attacks on two bars killed at least three people and wounded 27 others in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, police and hospital sources said.

Police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye told reporters on Friday that one person had died at the scene and 29 others were rushed to hospital after grenades were thrown into two bars in the Buyenzi district on Thursday night.

Hospital sources said two people died of their injuries later. One survivor, who asked not to be named, said the attackers had not attempted to rob the bars or the patrons.

READ MORE: Burundis environment minister shot dead in Bujumbura

Burundi has suffered from periodic low-level violence since 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to seek a third term in office.

Opponents said his candidacy violated the constitution and a peace agreement that ended a civil war in 2005. The opposition mostly boycotted the polls, and Nkurunziza won a third term.

A wave of unrest followed. The International Criminal Court (ICC) said it left about 450 people dead and forced hundreds of thousands to flee.

Since then, political violence has continued to simmer.

Earlier this month, attackers targeted another bar in the same district, causing two deaths and wounding four.
Pyongyangs state media denounces South Korean presidents hypocrisy over sanctions after first 100 days in office.

North Koreas state media gave the Souths President Moon Jae-in a fail grade on Friday for his first 100 days in office, dismissing his proffered olive branches as hypocrisy.

Moon, elected to replace impeached President Park Geun-hye, came into office in May and has since had to deal with tensions over North Koreas missile and nuclear programmes.

Pyongyang carried out its first successful tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last month, apparently bringing much of the US mainland within its reach.

At a briefing Thursday to mark his 100th day in office, Moon insisted there will be no second Korean war but urged the North to stop further nuclear and missile tests, warning Pyongyang to end its dangerous gamble.

The Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers Party, responded on Friday with a withering commentary, saying the performance of Moons 100 days was poor and very disappointing.





It did not name Moon, describing him only as the current power holder.

Relations between the two were an absolute fail, it added, saying while Moon spoke of dialogue and implementing North-South agreements his actions moved in the opposite direction.

The South authorities utterances about improving intra-Korean ties turned out to be nothing but hypocrisy, it said.

The Souths power holder says he is pushing for sanctions and pressure while seeking to open dialogue at the same time. This is an unpardonable plot toeing the US line to suffocate the DPRK, it said, using the abbreviation of the Norths official name.

Dialogue and sanctions simply cannot go together, it asserted.

Moon is enjoying strong ratings in South Korea.

READ MORE: North Koreas nuclear weapons: Heres what we know

North Koreas ICBM tests sparked weeks of sabre-rattling with Washington, with Pyongyang threatening to fire a salvo of rockets towards the US territory of Guam. US President Donald Trump has warned of fire and fury and said Washingtons weapons were locked and loaded.

Tensions have since eased with North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un saying he would watch the Yankees for a time before deciding whether to proceed with the Guam plan.

But the atmosphere is likely to worsen again next week when the United States and South Korea kick off their annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian military drills.

Pyongyang views the exercises as a highly provocative rehearsal for an invasion of its territory and regularly carries out counter-actions of its own, such as missile launches.
Seven people also injured after a car drove into them in Spanish town, hours after a similar attack in nearby Barcelona.

Spanish police early on Friday said they killed the alleged perpetrators of a suspected terrorist attack in the town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona.

Six civilians and one police officer were hurt when a car drove into people in the Spanish seaside resort of Cambrils early on Friday, the regional government said, just hours after a similar deadly attack in nearby Barcelona.

Two of the people injured were in a serious condition, emergency services in Catalonia said.

Police shot dead five attackers in Cambrils  120 kilometres south of Barcelona  and said they were working on the hypothesis that the terrorists shot dead in Cambrils could be linked to what happened in Barcelona.

WATCH: Whats behind ISIL attacks?

The news came hours after police launched a manhunt for the driver of a van who ploughed into crowds of people on one of Barcelonas busiest thoroughfares, killing 13 people and injuring 100.

Catalan police said on Twitter that a bomb squad in Cambrils would carry out several controlled explosions after they determined the attackers were carrying explosive belts

Spains public broadcaster, RTVE ran a video of Cambrils promenade in which volleys of gunshots could be heard while sirens wailed and peoples screams could be heard.

Attack in Barcelona

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group said via its affiliated Amaq news agency on Thursday that its soldiers were responsible for the earlier attack on Las Ramblas, a popular tourist spot in Barcelona.

Catalan police chief Josep Luis Trapero said two men had been arrested in connection to the attack, a Moroccan and a Spanish national from the North African Spanish enclave of Melilla.

However, a third man believed to have been the driver of the van, was still on the run, Trapero told reporters.

The attack on Las Ramblas was obviously a terrorist attack [carried out] with the intent to kill as many people as possible, he said.





He also said that an explosion that killed one person and destroyed a house in the town of Alcanar, 200km south of Barcelona, on Wednesday night, was clearly linked to the attack.

However, he said that so far there was no evidence that another incident, in which police shot dead a man after he tried to evade a checkpoint while leaving Barcelona hours after the attack, was connected.

Aki Peritz, a former CIA counterterrorism analyst, told Al Jazeera it was becoming increasingly clear that the Barcelona van-ramming was not a lone attack.

Once you have a group of individuals working together that means that there is a cell and that they have some sort of direction, he said.

Peritz said it seemed likely the incidents in Barcelona, Alcanar, and Cambrils were linked.

I think so because ISIS, like al-Qaeda, likes the spectacular. For them to just do a one-off attack is not really their calling card. And so the fact that you have multiple attacks, over multiple areas  taking the ability of the authorities to react to any specific place  is one of the hallmarks of ISIS and really of al-Qaeda, he said.

It overwhelms the system and the fact that they can pull off a complex attack is the thing that makes them a pretty lethal and aggressive adversary.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who cut short his holiday to travel to Barcelona, announced three days of official mourning.

We are not only united in mourning. We are above all united in the resolute will to defeat those who want to take away our values and our way of life, he said.

Catalonias Interior Minister Joaquim Forn said he expected the Barcelona death toll to rise.

Europe has been hit by a series of deadly attacks using vehicles over the last two years including deadly incidents in Nice, Berlin and two in London.

Spains worst attack was in March 2004 when 191 people were killed by bombs planted by al-Qaeda on commuter trains in Madrid.
The Saudi Arabia-led military coalition was responsible for an unacceptably high number of child deaths and injuries in Yemen last year, according to a draft United Nations report.

The review of children and armed conflict seen by Al Jazeera on Thursday said the United Nations verified 1,340 casualties and attributed 683  or 51 percent  to attacks carried out by the Saudi-led coalition.

Houthi rebels were responsible for killing or wounding 414 children with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group blamed for the rest. The study found 502 Yemeni children were killed and 838 wounded in total in attacks.

It said nearly three-quarters of air attacks on schools, 38, and hospitals, 52, were carried out by the Saudi-led alliance.

We call on all sides to avoid any civilian casualties and particularly that of children. And in Yemen, we particularly call on all sides to permit humanitarian access because the situation there is deeply concerning, Jonathan Allen, deputy UK ambassador to the UN, told Al Jazeera.

READ MORE: Yemens blood bank faces threat of closure within days

The draft report echoes similar findings from last year when the US-backed coalition was put on a United Nations blacklist for violating child rights.

It was removed by then-secretary-general Ban Ki-moon after Saudi Arabia and other coalition supporters threatened to stop funding many UN programmes.

But Ban said he stood by the report, which said the UN verified a total of 1,953 young people killed and wounded in Yemen in 2015  a six-fold increase compared with 2014.

Now we know there is a draft with the Saudis name on it. Lets hope that when the list finally becomes public in a few weeks theyll stay there, Akshaya Kumar, deputy UN director at Human Rights Watch, told Al Jazeera.

Foreign Policy magazine reported on Wednesday that Virginia Gamba, the new UN special representative for children and armed conflict, intends to recommend that the Saudi-led coalition is added to the list of countries that kill and maim children.

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters on Thursday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hasnt seen the draft report that was leaked. He said its contents are still under discussion and the decision of who will be on the blacklist is up to him.

Haq said Guterres is scheduled to meet Gamba on Friday but the report isnt expected to be completed for another month.

Appropriate decision

Saudi Arabias UN Mission said in a statement that the coalition maintains its position that there is no justification whatsoever for including its name in the annex of the secretary-generals report on children and armed conflict.

We trust that the UN will make the appropriate decision on this matter, taking into consideration an ongoing review with the UN and the positive exchange of information on the coalitions activities, it said.

Yemen, which is on the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has been engulfed in civil war since September 2014, when Houthi rebels swept into the capital Sanaa and overthrew President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadis internationally recognised government.

In March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition began a campaign against Houthi forces allied with overthrown President Ali Abdullah Saleh in support of Hadis government. Since then, the Iranian-backed Houthis have been dislodged from most of the south, but remain in control of Sanaa and much of the north.








Accused of assaulting a model with an electric cable, police search for Zimbabwes first lady to prevent her departure.

South African police have issued a red alert on the countrys borders to prevent the first lady of Zimbabwe from fleeing.

Grace Mugabe, 52, is accused of assaulting a female model in a Johannesburg hotel with an electric cable. She has asked for diplomatic immunity in the case and has not yet been charged.

Her whereabouts were not known on Friday but Fikile Mbalula, South Africas police minister, said she remained in the country.

We had already put tabs on the borders in relation to her leaving the country, he said.

So far she has not attempted to flee, Mbalula added.

READ MORE: Police fire tear gas at protesters demanding fair vote

The alleged victim, 20-year-old Gabriella Engels, has accused Mugabe of barging into a hotel room on Sunday where Engels was waiting to meet one of Mugabes sons and whipping her with an electric extension cable.

Mugabe had been due to appear in court on Tuesday under a deal struck with authorities but failed to turn up, police said.

Her 93-year-old husband, President Robert Mugabe, is also in South Africa for a regional summit, complicating the diplomatic dilemma confronting Pretoria. He came early, apparently to deal with the crisis involving his wife, who is seen as a possible successor to her ageing husband.

Cash offer

The Engels family has enlisted the legal help of Gerrie Nel, the former state prosecutor who secured a murder conviction against track star Oscar Pistorius.

At a news conference on Thursday, Nel said the Engels family had been offered cash to drop the case but turned it down.

They made an offer and said, Let us talk, this will go away.  There was no amount mentioned, he said.

Police say Grace Mugabe will get no special treatment and Engels mother, Debbie, is cranking up public pressure.

She released graphic pictures of her daughters head injury that required 14 stitches.

She [Grace Mugabe] had an electric cord wrapped around her hand, and she started attacking them. She hit my daughter with a plug socket, Engels told Reuters news agency. I just want justice for my daughter. Its not about money. Its about justice.

Nel threatened to go to court if South Africas government grants Mugabe immunity, saying it cannot be used to escape prosecution from grave crimes.

Police said theyve completed their investigation into the case and are waiting for direction from South Africas government on the status of Mugabes immunity request.

The question of immunity is totally out of our jurisdiction, said Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo, a police spokesman. Until there is a decision on the immunity application, he said, the whole investigation is in abeyance.

Zimbabwes government has made no official comment.

Grace Mugabe came to South Africa for medical treatment for an injured foot, almost certainly invalidating her claims to diplomatic immunity, legal experts said.

However, given the potential diplomatic fallout, prosecutors could decide not to pursue the case if they thought the injuries to the alleged victim were not too severe, said criminal lawyer Riaan Louw.
Steve Bannon, US President Donald Trumps chief strategist, has become the latest high-profile figure in the administration whose role has come to an abrupt end.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed that Bannon would no longer be showing up to work.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steves last day, Sanders said in a statement on Friday. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best.

Since taking office in January, Trump has lost five top aides: Bannon, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, press secretary Sean Spicer, chief of staff Reince Priebus and communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

The New York Times earlier reported what it termed as Bannons apparent dismissal, citing sources.





The development comes as the White House reels from the fallout over Trumps response to a violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville on August 12.

Bannons critics label him a white supremacist.

The former head of far-right outlet Breitbart News is described as being the nucleus of one of several competing power centres in what has been a chaotic White House.

White House clashes

He repeatedly clashed with other top White House advisers and often ran afoul of the president himself.

Bannon offered his resignation to Trump on August 7, according to one person close to the adviser, AP reported.

The resignation was to go into effect a week later, August 14, which was the one year anniversary of when he officially joined Trumps presidential campaign.

It was then held back a few days after the violence in Charlottesville.

But Bannon had been on shaky ground for weeks, and his standing appeared in jeopardy when Trumps new chief of staff, Kelly, embarked on a personnel review of West Wing staff.

Kelly had indicated to aides that significant changes could be coming, according to an official familiar with Kellys plans but not authorised to speak publicly.

READ MORE: Stephen Bannon and the old/new anti-Semitism

The president had also repeatedly diminished Bannons role in his campaign in recent remarks and refused to express confidence during an impromptu news conference Tuesday.

Hes a good person. He actually gets very unfair press in that regard, Trump said. But well see what happens with Mr. Bannon.

The decision whether to drop Bannon was more than just a personnel matter. The media guru is viewed in some circles as Trumps connection to his base and the protector of Trumps disruptive, conservative agenda.

Steve Bannon's exit does not erase @realDonaldTrumps long record of lifting up racist viewpoints & advancing repulsive policies. #BannonOut  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 18, 2017

Its a tough pill to swallow if Steve is gone because you have a Republican West Wing thats filled with generals and Democrats, said former campaign strategist Sam Nunberg, shortly before the news of Bannons departure broke. It would feel like the twilight zone.

Al Jazeeras Kimberly Halkett, reporting from Maryland, said: A number of things could have come into play. A lot might have to do with an interview that Bannon gave to media where he criticised the approach that the president had taken in terms of North Korea. We are learning the president was furious with comments there.

She added that another factor might be more closely related to Bannons perceived white supremacist ideology and its effect on Trumps crashing popularity.

The president has been pretty unhappy with the coverage he is receiving over his support of [white] nationalists, Halkett said. Given Bannon has been the architect of sentiment and ideologies, it is being speculated that Trump is looking for someone to blame.
Attack comes after 9 people were decapitated by assailants in the same region in July.

Suspected members of Somalias al-Shabab armed group beheaded at least three men in an attack on a Kenyan village.

They were slaughtered. Their heads were cut off from the rest of their bodies, a police source told Reuters news agency, asking not to be named.

Police said four bodies had been found at Maleli village in Kenyas coastal county of Lamu. Area county commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said he was aware of three deaths.

A group of armed suspects raided and killed three locals. All the three were men, Kitiyo said, adding the suspects set houses ablaze before disappearing into a nearby forest.

We cannot speculate, but from previous attacks, the nature and style of this attack can only be associated with these al-Shabab criminals.

READ MORE: Al-Shabab suspected in deadly bus attack in Lamu

However, coastal Police Chief Larry Kieng said the attack appeared to be motivated by local grievances.

The number of people killed are four, and we have established it is a conflict between herders and farmers, Kieng said.

He said three suspects had been taken into custody.

In July suspected al-Shabab attackers fighters beheaded nine men in villages near Maleli and killed three police officers in another attack in the area.

The al-Qaeda-linked group aims to overthrow Somalias UN-backed government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam. It has intensified attacks in Kenya since it sent troops into Somalia in 2011.

Al-Shabab have also claimed responsibility for a series of cross-border attacks in recent months, including a spate of roadside bombings targeting security forces.
Mosquito-borne disease outbreak stretches Vietnam medical system as officials report 10,000 new infections in one week.

Vietnam is battling a raging dengue fever outbreak with more than 10,000 new infections reported over the past week.

The number of infected represents a 42 percent increase over the same period last year along with seven more deaths, the Ministry of Health said on Friday.

A total of 90,626 people have been infected, of whom 76,848 have been hospitalised, and 24 have died.

The ministry attributed the rise of dengue cases to higher temperatures, more rain, and rapid urbanisation that promote the breeding of virus-carrying mosquitoes.

Dr Vu Minh Dien of the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, where the most severe cases are being treated, said hundreds of people have been checking in daily complaining of high fever.

I have said some 800 to 1,000 people with suspected dengue fever checked in for examination each day, he said.

READ MORE: Montagnards  Escaping Vietnam, stateless in Thailand

Dien said some 300 dengue patients were being treated, stretching the hospitals resources.

Tran Thi Xuyen, a fruit and vegetable seller in a small market in Son La province, said she did not know how she contracted dengue fever, which also infected her colleague.

I took antibiotics prescribed by the local district hospital for four days, but the fever did not go away, and I admitted myself to this hospital where doctors said I had dengue fever, she said from her hospital bed.

No cure exists for any of the four strains of the mosquito-borne virus that causes high fever, exhaustion, and in some cases a vicious skin rash. Patients most at risk of dying are the elderly, children, or those with other medical complications.

Hanoi and the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City are the hardest hit.

The government on Thursday urged residents to actively engage in killing mosquitoes and mosquito larvae, particularly at construction sites and housing for workers.

The joint efforts by the people as well as our political system in searching and eliminating mosquito larvae, emptying water containers, which are fertile for larvae to breed, and spraying chemicals to kill mosquitoes are key factors to curb dengue fever, Dien said.
A chronology of major bombings, gun violence, and vehicle attacks in Europe over the past year.

Thursdays van attack in Barcelona, claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), was the latest fatal assault on a European city.

Here are the major attacks on the continent over the past year:

August 17, 2017: Barcelona, Spain

At least 14 people were killed when a van rams into tourists gathering in the popular area of La Rambla in Barcelona.

June 19, 2017: London, United Kingdom

One man died after a vehicle ran over pedestrians close to two mosques in Finsbury Park. British prosecutors said the attacker was motived by extreme political views and a personal hatred of Muslims.

June 3, 2017: London, UK

A van rammed into a crowd on London Bridge, then the three assailants left the vehicle armed with knives and attacked people. Eight people were killed and about 50 wounded. Police shot dead the attackers. ISIL claimed responsibility.

May 22, 2017: Manchester, UK

A bombing at a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in the British city of Manchester killed 22 people, including children. ISIL claimed responsibility.

April 7, 2017: Stockholm, Sweden

A truck ploughed into shoppers outside a busy department store in central Stockholm, killing five people including an 11-year-old girl. Police said an Uzbek suspect, who had been denied a residency permit in 2016, confessed.

April 3, 2017: St Petersburg, Russia

Five people were killed when a bomb ripped through an underground train in Russias second city of St Petersburg. A group suspected of links to al-Qaeda claimed the attack, which was blamed on a Russian suicide bomber born in Kyrgyzstan.

March 22, 2017: London, UK

Five people died when a man rammed his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London and then fatally stabbed a police officer outside parliament. The attacker was shot dead by police.

January 1, 2017: Istanbul, Turkey

An Uzbek gunman killed a policeman before entering the popular Reina nightclub and opening fire on people partying inside. At least 39 people celebrating New Year, mainly Arab tourists, were killed. The bloodshed was claimed by ISIL.

December 19, 2016: Berlin, Germany

A man hijacked a truck and ploughed into shoppers at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people. The attacker was shot dead by police in Milan, Italy four days later, and the attack was claimed by ISIL.

July 26, 2016: Normandy, France

Two men with alleged links to ISIL took several people hostage in an attack on a church in northern France. An 85-year-old priest was killed with a knife before French police entered and shot dead the attackers.

July 22, 2016: Munich, Germany

A gunman opened fire at a crowded Munich shopping centre and fast-food restaurant, shooting nine people dead before killing himself. The 18-year-old suspect was a German-Iranian and was obsessed with mass shootings, police said.

July 14, 2016: Nice, France

On Bastille Day, Frances national holiday, a man rammed a truck into a crowd of revellers at the Mediterranean resort of Nice, killing 86 people. He was shot dead by police, and ISIL claimed responsibility.

March 22, 2016: Brussels, Belgium

Suicide bombings killed 32 people and wounded 230 more at Brussels airport and Maelbeek metro station, near the EU headquarters. The attacks were claimed by ISIL.
Tarek Saab, known as a staunch government loyalist, replaced critic Ortega Diaz who denounced the siege by troops.

Venezuela will hunt down and jail leaders of violent protests, its new top prosecutor said, a day before a hate crimes law is expected to be approved despite fears it will be used to crush dissent.

Tarek Saab, appointed by the new Constituent Assembly early this month, vowed to track down the leaders of demonstrations, in which more than 120 people have died since the start of April.

It will be a point of honour for the public prosecutors office to identify who was responsible for each of the hate crimes that occurred in this country, Saab, Maduros ex-human rights ombudsman, shouted during a speech to the assembly on Thursday.

We will search the cameras, videos, photographs. We will get images of each one of them to make sure they pay for having killed, for having hurt people and left orphans behind, he said to a standing ovation by the Socialist Party-dominated assembly.

READ MORE: Venezuelan violinist detained over anti-Maduro protests

The new law against hate and intolerance  denounced by rights groups as a sham aimed at persecuting the opposition  was set to be approved on Friday by the new legislative superbody elected last month at the behest of President Nicolas Maduro.





Maduro loyalist Delcy Rodriguez, head of the Constituent Assembly, said the law would be passed before the weekend.

The international community, however, has pointed at the Maduro government, not opposition demonstrators, when assigning blame for the majority of deaths.

Venezuelan security forces and pro-government groups are believed to be responsible for at least 73 demonstrator deaths since April, the United Nations said in an August 8 report.

Abuses of protesters, including torture, were part of the breakdown of the rule of law in the oil-rich but economically ailing nation, the report said.

READ MORE: Venezuela crisis  Many struggling to feed themselves

Those found guilty of expressing hate or intolerance will be punished with up to 25 years in jail, according to the vaguely worded hate crimes bill.

Groups such as Human Rights Watch say it would give Maduros government carte blanche to take opposition leaders out of circulation ahead of Octobers gubernatorial elections.

The assembly has established a truth commission to investigate opposition candidates to ensure any involved in violent protests would be barred from running for governorships, Rodriguez said.

The opposition  which won control of Congress in 2015 only to see its decisions nullified by Maduros loyalist Supreme Court, boycotted the July 30 election of the Constituent Assembly. The body has sweeping powers to rewrite Venezuelas constitution and even permit Maduro to rule by decree.
Rights groups and journalists urge the release of Hisham al-Omeisy, who was detained by armed security forces on Monday.

Yemens Houthi rebels have arrested a prominent activist who used social media to document the war that has ravaged his country.

On August 12, Hisham al-Omeisy tweeted to his 23,700 followers: Armed goons backed by corrupt officials are forcefully taking real estate in Sanaa. They just showed up at my door.

He has not been seen on Twitter since.

The 38-year-old father of two was reportedly captured on Monday in the capital, Sanaa, by more than a dozen armed security officers from the National Security Bureau, rights group Amnesty International said on Friday.

Hisham al-Omeisy has been detained without charge or a court appearance in breach of Yemens constitution, which requires anybody arrested to be presented in court within 24 hours, said Samah Hadid, director of campaigns for Amnesty International in the Middle-East.

This detention illustrates the lengths to which local Houthi-Saleh authorities are willing to go to silence peaceful activists. Hisham al-Omeisy is a prisoner of conscience, whose only crime is peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression, and he must be released immediately. Hadid said in a statement.

READ MORE: Who are the Houthis in Yemen?

New York-based rights group, Human Rights Watch, also made a similar appeal for the release of 38-year-old Omeisy on Friday.

Yemen more than ever needs activists like Hisham al-Omeisy to bring attention to the devastation that war, famine, and disease have wrought on the country and its people, Sarah Leah Whitson, the groups Middle East director said.

Houthi authorities should immediately release Omeisy and return him safely to his family. Whitson added.

Lets raise hell for his release

Several social media users demanded Omeisys release.

Investigative journalist Iona Craig wrote on Twitter: Hisham is not only a friend but an essential voice for Yemenis. We are all deeply concerned for his wellbeing.

Craig explained that many of his friends had earlier kept quiet about Omeisys detention at his familys request.

Osamah Al-Rawhani, programme director at Sanaa Centre, a Yemen-based think-tank, tweeted: Lets raise hell for the release of @omeisy  Houthis must stop their violations against human rights and freedoms.

Jeremy Schahill, a journalist, said Omeisy regularly live tweets US-backed Saudi bombings and is also critical of Houthi forces as well. Now he has been kidnapped.

Yemen, which is on the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has been engulfed in civil war since September 2014, when Houthi Shia rebels swept into the capital and overthrew President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadis internationally recognised government.

In March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition began a campaign against Houthi forces allied with overthrown President Ali Abdullah Saleh in support of Hadis government.

Since then, the Iranian-backed Houthis have been dislodged from most of the south, but remain in control of Sanaa and much of the north.
Two United Nations human rights experts have expressed serious concern over a new European Commission policy on Mediterranean Sea rescues, warning that more people will drown. The EUs proposed new action plan, including a code of conduct for organizations operating rescue boats, threatens life and breaches international standards by condemning people to face further human []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...
Opening Remarks by His Excellency The Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, San, Gcon, At The National Economic Council, NEC, National Security Retreat, at the Banquet Hall of The State House, Abuja, 17 August 2017: I am delighted to welcome you to this special session of the National Economic Council, focusing on Security. As youre all []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...
UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, paid his first official visit as High Commissioner to Sudan this week, at a time when refugees continue to flee the brutal conflict in South Sudan. He called on the international community to recognize Sudans long-standing tradition of hosting refugees and asked for more support for the country. []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...
With controversy over Russia swirling around Washington, our lawmakers have suddenly gotten wise to the fact that the Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Labs has spent two decades securing important contracts with U.S. government agencies. After years of resolute inaction, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee got around to asking 22 federal agencies for their documents and communications concerning Kaspersky last month. The deadline to reply was Friday, August 11.

Before this year, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle studiously ignored the online security giants Kremlin connections. Other countries stopped trusting Kaspersky with their secrets years ago: Chinas government procurement office blacklisted them back in 2014. The Trump administration finally yanked the company from two lists of approved vendors used by government agencies one month ago. Before then, American officials had apparently been comfortable with millions of devices automatically sending reams of data back to Kasperskys headquarters in Moscow.

Incredibly, U.S. government systems have been so reliant on Kaspersky software that the Obama White House ruled out going after the company as a retaliatory measure in 2016. Eugene Kaspersky, a tech heavyweight trained at a KGB-funded university, has close links with the Russian government and the Federal Security Service  the same FSB that inherited the legacy of the KGB. The move to pull Kaspersky from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)'s list of approved vendors for contracts came after Bloomberg obtained emails showing the company had been involved in developing software for the FSB, and that some of the anti-virus vendors employees had accompanied state investigators on cybercrime raids.

Taking Kaspersky off the GSAs procurement list might be the first concrete action after years of speculation over its links with Russias security services, but Kaspersky products purchased outside the GSA contract process can still be used by agencies. This raises the question the House is now trying to answer: just how much official data has this company had access to? Even more importantly, what are the potential dangers of handing government contracts (and sensitive or confidential data) to foreign companies, especially those known to be hostile to U.S. interests?

Then again, that second question assumes the government even knows who its handing data over to. Chinese tech firms like Huawei and ZTE may be banned from bidding for U.S. government contracts over spying concerns, but some of Americas most important secrets and mission-critical data still manage to end up in China with hardly a second thought. In one of the most spectacular own goals of the Obama era, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) hired overseas contractors and gave them root access to the personnel records of 14 million federal employees and applicants -- including undercover American intelligence personnel based in China.

Where were those contractors based? Argentina, for one, but also inside the Peoples Republic of China. At the time, Congressman Jason Chaffetz of the House Oversight Committee compared OPMs move to leaving all your doors and windows unlocked and hoping nobody would walk in and take the information." As it turns out, Beijing is perfectly capable of walking through open doors. By attacking OPM, Chinese hackers managed to steal millions of those records.

Unfortunately, the spy agencies themselves also hand over mission-critical tasks to potentially unreliable foreign companies. Systran International, the formerly French-owned firm that was acquired by South Korea's CSLi in 2014, provides translation services to the National Security Agency (NSA), as well as to carmakers such as Ford. The companys machine translation technology is used by the NSA to track online conversations in foreign languages for evidence of terror-related activity in real time. In Paris, though, where Systran is still based, the companys recent struggles and layoffs have officials wondering whether they can trust the companys ability to keep the classified data from Frances spy agencies (who also use its services) secure.

One of the most prominent overseas companies providing IT services to U.S. government agencies is Japans NTT Data Corp, which works with the military, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). In all, NTT Data serves more than 50 federal agencies, raking in billions every year in spite of President Trumps America First jobs agenda. NTT has managed to snap up so much of the federal contracting market in part by buying U.S. competitors, like Dell, to make themselves seem almost as American as American companies.

Apart from depriving U.S. companies of contracts, its abundantly clear that farming out our countrys most sensitive IT infrastructure to foreign firms poses very real national security issues. Then again, such threats dont just come from outside the homeland. Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning, Ed Snowden, and Reality Winner have forced us to learn the hard way that too many people have access to classified data and too many untrustworthy individuals are somehow receiving clearances. Around five million people in the U.S. currently have security clearances that allow them access to sensitive and confidential material, with many of them working on behalf of outside contractors (American or otherwise).

Embarrassing leaks or the loss of federal employees personal data are bad, but theyre not the worst thing that can happen if the government continues to bungle its approach to protecting the nations data. The Russians have repeatedly tested new cyberweapons by temporarily bringing down parts of Ukraines electric grid. Those attacks have put Congress on edge, but it turns out that the U.S. isnt all that much better prepared for a similar attack on our own grid or other infrastructure networks. In the event of a major operation conducted by the Russians, Chinese, or even a lesser adversary like the North Koreans or non-state cybercriminals, the disorganized hodgepodge of companies and contractors responsible for keeping us connected could finally be exposed as our Achilles heel.
Not surprisingly, Deval Patrick has been ordained by the Obama camp as the favorite for 2020. As Obama 2.0, the former Massachusetts governor would bring the same failed policies as his mentor. The danger is that by 2020, much of the electorate will have forgotten just how flawed those policies were.

And so a brief reminder:

First, Obama was fortunate enough to have inherited an economy that had begun to recover by the time he entered the White House in January 2009. The economy would have recovered no matter who was president. Obama's contribution was to make it the slowest post-recession recovery in 70 years.

GDP gains following postwar recessions have averaged 4.3%. Growth under Obama averaged 2%. So the economic growth the U.S. lost under Obama was at least 18.4% percent (4.3% minus 2% equals 2.3%, times 8, excluding compounding).

That growth deficit will continue to shadow those same Millennials and younger Gen Xers who helped elect Obama. Compounded over a lifetime, that lost growth amounts to 4.5 times whatever growth was squandered under Obama (18.4% x 3% average growth x 50 years compounded). Lost economic growth is the gift that keeps on giving.

Second, Obama was fortunate enough to have inherited a situation in the Middle East that had stabilized due to the Bush "surge." Along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Obama made a shambles of the Middle East, destabilizing allies in Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Libya and plunging Syria into civil war. None of this was helped by Obama's estrangement from our ally Israel. In the Far East, he did no better, playing ostrich to the threat posed by China's militarization. And now there is North Korea, also ignored for eight years. D id North Korea suddenly obtain missiles capable of striking the mainland U.S., or were they developed while Obama was intentionally looking the other way?

Third, economic decline and foreign policy mismanagement were matched by cultural and civic decline. Race relations had been improving up to 2009. It is generally acknowledged that race relations declined under Obama. Not since the 1960s has America seen such racial upheaval, as for example in Ferguson, Missouri, where rioting in response to legitimate police action was fueled by Obama's many attacks on the police.

Then there is Charlottesville, where a mob of nasty white supremacists was met by a mob of belligerent adversaries. This confrontation was the result of eight years of reducing politics to the lowest common denominator. Charlottesville was an ugly melee followed by a brutal vehicular assault.

A large part of the solution is for our leaders to resist the temptation of scoring political points off every act of violence. Unfortunately, the response to Charlottesville, including Obama's recent tweet, represents just that sort of politicized response. In the context of events, what the former president said is, I have the moral high ground. I condemn haters on the right but keep quiet about those on the left (such as the Steve Scalise shooter and many of the Black Lives Matter assailants).

Under Obama, the conduct of politics declined with the president publicly slamming members of the opposing party and justices of the Supreme Court. Then there was the former president telling us, again and again, that we could keep our doctor and our health care provider. For millions, that turned out not to be true.

And, in addition, the "unmasking" opponents for political purposes. To exploit the nation's intel services for political gain is, of course, illegal. It is also a new low in the conduct of politics. Like voter fraud and fake news, it undermines our democracy.

In sum, Obama's eight years were years of national decline.

Would Deval Patrick be any better?

Between 2007 and 2015, when Patrick was governor of Massachusetts, real GDP growth was less than one percent (0.96%). By comparison, real GDP growth in Texas was 2.8%, nearly three times that of Massachusetts. Could we reasonably expect Patrick to do better at the national level than he did in the Bay State?

The simplest measure of a state's success is population growth. From 2007 to 2015, the population of Massachusetts grew from 6,432,000 to 6,794,000 (unofficial estimates), an annual population growth rate of 0.56%. Compare that to Texas: 23.83 million to 27.43 million, or 1.51% annual growth, again nearly three times that of Massachusetts.

Clearly, the Dems should be running Rick Perry. But then he doesn't quite fit the liberal mold. All he can do is bring about enormous prosperity, security, and happiness to 25 million Texans.

Patrick has no significant foreign policy experience, but then neither did Obama, and Obama managed to create the worst instability overseas since the Korean War. Maybe Patrick can expand on that.

On race, Patrick, who was assistant attorney general for the civil rights division under Bill Clinton, has made a career out of civil rights issues. It is likely that he would continue this tendency if elected president.

As governor Patrick exploited the same liberal issues as Obama: climate change, state-run health care, gun control, redefining marriage, and abortion, accompanied by higher income taxes and greater regulation. According to Forbes magazine, after eight years of Patrick, Massachusetts had a "lousy regulatory climate" and the highest cost structure for business in the U.S.

Ironically, after leaving office, Patrick joined Bain Capital, the investment firm co-founded by Mitt Romney. During the 2012 campaign, Obama roundly attacked Romney's connection with Bain Capital, suggesting that a candidate who worked for Bain Capital was an out-of-touch elitist. Would that apply to Deval Patrick as well?

I actually believe that Bain Capital may be a positive on Patrick's resume, along with his legal work at Coca-Cola and Texaco. Much of what came before seems to have been tied too closely to race. We've been there already, and it hasn't done the country any good.

So when the Dems run Obama 2.0 in 2020, let them be honest about his record. We've heard enough of the "better way." Expect no "better" from Patrick than we had from Obama.

Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture including Heartland of the Imagination (2011).
A rational person looking at the status of blacks in the United States would note the great strides made since the Civil Rights Movement, starting with the integration of the Armed Forces by President Truman. We have laws banning discrimination in employment, housing, education, and other areas. We have laws and court cases mandating preferences for blacks. To be called a "racist" today is the ultimate sin and charge, especially for politicians.

But even though the black unemployment rate is high, the burning issue now is not jobs for blacks or safety in cities like Chicago, but whether we should remove statues of Confederate soldiers from public areas. Being a resident of a Northern city with no Confederate statues, I never gave this issue much thought.

If I were black and saw a statue of a Confederate soldier, I would question honoring soldiers who fought for the states in rebellion against the Union over the issue of slavery. But I would be more concerned with living in a safe area and having a good job or business to support my family.

The answer is that we honor soldiers and warriors for their bravery, not their politics. The soldiers did not make the policies that allowed slavery. The politicians were the ones who allowed slavery to exist until the Civil War and the passage of the 13th Amendment. And most of the politicians who allowed the evil of slavery to persist were members of the Democratic Party. The Democrats ruled the Southern states that permitted slavery and ruled the Southern states after the Civil War that permitted segregation and discrimination against blacks. The Republican Party was formed in 1856 as the anti-slavery party that elected Lincoln in 1860, which caused some states to secede. The 13th and 14th Amendments were passed by a Republican Congress.

One would think that the anger would be against not Confederate soldiers, most of whom were poor and owned no slaves, but against the politicians. What is the benefit of removing statues of soldiers? Many of the Confederate officers also fought for our country in the Mexican War.

As President Trump asked, what next after the removal of statues of Robert E. Lee? It would seem logical that if statues of soldiers offend, then the statues of political leaders should offend more. Thus, logic would dictate we remove statues of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and all other slave-owning political leaders. We would have statues only of John Adams and Alexander Hamilton. Next, we would remove statues of political leaders who did not end slavery and segregation.

Logic also dictates that the Democratic Party acknowledge its role as the party of slavery. The KKK was part of the Democratic Party. Senator Robert Byrd was a KKK member. Supreme Court justice Hugo Black, appointed by FDR, was a member of the KKK. The leaders of the Democratic Party were much more to blame for slavery than ordinary soldiers. The Democrat politicians used the Confederate soldiers to fight the Civil War, and now the Democrats are using statues of Confederate soldiers to again push their agenda. This is another example of the hypocrisy of Democrats to shift the focus on the soldiers but not on the Democrat politicians responsible for slavery and the Civil War.

The real question, as Trump said, is this: how does removal of statues help blacks get jobs? How does it help blacks in badly run cities like Chicago, Baltimore, New Orleans, St. Louis, Cleveland, etc., all run by Democrats for years, and all with high crime rates, live in safety?

Democrats do not want to debate these questions because of their complicity in slavery and their responsibility for today's poorly run cities. They prefer the easy way to remove statues.
Ty Wright/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Echoes of the Confederacy are scattered across the U.S. in the form of hundreds of symbols that are a reminder of the nation's divided past.

Last weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a rally by white nationalists, including neo-Nazis, skinheads and Ku Klux Klan members, over plans to remove a Robert E. Lee statue ended in the death of a counter-protester, has again put a renewed spotlight on America's Confederate monuments, with many leaders increasingly calling for their removal.

As of 2016, approximately 1,500 Confederate symbols, which include everything from monuments, statues and flags to public schools, military bases and highways named for Confederate leaders, exist on public land from the South up to Massachusetts, according to a study by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Of these symbols, 718 are Confederate monuments or statues in public places.

Many were constructed in honor of the Confederacy almost immediately after the Civil War, but a number were dedicated much later, the study said. Two periods saw an especially notable rise in monument dedications: between 1900 to the 1920s, when states were enacting Jim Crow laws and the Ku Klux Klan was reawakened, and between 1950 to 1960, when segregationists clashed with civil rights activists during the Civil Rights Movement.

Those who say Confederate symbols should be removed from public grounds contend that they are racial flashpoints that glorify slavery, while supporters say Confederate symbols are meaningful relics of Southern heritage and history.

President Donald Trump fanned the flames of the debate this past week when he questioned the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, saying it would be changing history.

Youre changing culture, Trump said during the news conference at Trump Tower Tuesday.

Asked whether statues of Lee should remain in place in the U.S., the president said the situation was one that should be handled on a case-by-case basis, depending on the location of the monument. "I would say that's up to a local town, community, or the federal government, depending on where it is located," he said.

One of Lee's descendants, Robert E. Lee V, suggested this week it would be better for Confederate symbols to be displayed in a museum.

"Eventually, someone is going to have to make a decision, and if that's the local lawmaker, so be it. But we have to be able to have that conversation without all of the hatred and the violence. And if they choose to take those statues down, fine," Lee V, 54, told CNN.

"Maybe it's appropriate to have them in museums or to put them in some sort of historical context in that regard," he said.

The vast majority of Confederate monuments are in the southern states, and the state with the most monuments was Virginia, which had 223 as of 2016, the study said. Virginia was followed by Texas with 178, Georgia with 174 and North Carolina with 140 as of 2016, the study said.

Mississippi, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and Florida round out the top 10, the study said.

But Confederate symbols can also be found further north in states including New York, Iowa and Pennsylvania, which were all Union states during the Civil War.

A hundred and nine public schools in the U.S. are named for Confederate icons such as Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. Most of these schools are in former Confederate states, but some are in California and Massachusetts, which were also Union states during the Civil War.

The U.S. also has 80 counties and cities named for Confederates as of 2016, the study said.

Confederate symbols have been a source of contention for years, and the debate returned to the forefront in June 2015, after nine black parishioners were shot and killed by avowed white supremacist Dylann Roof at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Roof maintained a website on which he posted "a manuscript and photographs expressing his racist beliefs," according to the federal indictment against him. In the manuscript, he used racial slurs and decried integration and the photos include one of Roof holding a Confederate flag, the indictment states. Roof was sentenced to death earlier this year.

The shooting prompted South Carolina to remove the Confederate flag from its State Capitol on July 10, 2015.

Shortly after last Saturday's violence in Charlottesville, four Confederate monuments were removed under cover of darkness in Baltimore, Maryland. The next morning, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said she felt it was important to move quickly and quietly because of "the climate of this nation."

And Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement Tuesday that he is asking the State House Trust to remove from State House grounds the statue of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, who wrote the 1856 Supreme Court ruling that denied citizenship to African-Americans.

"As I said at my inauguration, Maryland has always been a state of middle temperament, which is a guiding principle of our administration. While we cannot hide from our history, nor should we, the time has come to make clear the difference between properly acknowledging our past and glorifying the darkest chapters of our history," Hogan said.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said this week he plans to introduce a bill to remove a dozen Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol.

And in Durham, North Carolina, some individuals took matters into their own hands, removing a Confederate soldier statue that's been in front of the city's courthouse since 1924. Protesters looped a rope around the statue, which depicts a Confederate soldier wielding a muzzle rifle and lugging a canteen and bedroll and is dedicated "in memory of the boys who wore gray," and yanked the soldier from its concrete perch. While dragging it to the ground, the angry demonstrators stomped on the statue repeatedly.

But in Charleston, South Carolina, the mayor says he won't try to remove any of the Confederate monuments in his city, according to The Post and Courier. Instead, Mayor John Tecklenburg said Wednesday he suggests adding context through plaques and new language.

"The whole story of our history needs to be told," Tecklenburg said, according to The Post and Courier. "I intend to be complete and truthful about our history and add context and add to the story instead of taking away."

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
2 Italians among 14 killed in Barcelona terror attacks Victims named as Bruno Gulotta and Luca Russo

(ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 18 - Two Italians were among the 14 people killed in two terror attacks in Barcelona and the nearby resort of Cambrils on Thursday and Friday, the foreign ministry said Friday. Three Italians were among the 100 injured, the ministry said, and two of them have been discharged from hospital.



The first victim, Bruno Gulotta, 35, a hardware company marketing chief from Legnano north of Milan, was on holiday in Barcelona with his wife and kids.



The second victim was named as Luca Russo, on holiday with his girlfriend who was injured but is said not to be in serious condition.



Both were from Bassano del Grappa north of Venice, Gulotta's wife reported that he had been among the 13 killed on Las Ramblas by a van that ploughed into the tourist crowds.



Gulotta made sure his kids were safe before being killed, the head of the Legnano hardware company he worked for, Pino Bruno, said. "They were walking along Las Ramblas with their two children, Aria, seven months old, and Alessandro, six, who his father was holding by the hand. "The van suddenly arrived. "They all instinctively crouched, to protect themselves," said Bruno. Gulotta shielded his kids and was killed. The mayor of Legnano, Giambattista Fratus, told a press conference that Gulotta had been killed while protecting his children. Police are seeking the van driver, an 18-year-old from North Africa named Moussa Oukabir. In a social-media post two years ago, Oukabir said "kill the infidels, and leave only Muslims who follow their religion". After the van attack that left 100 injured including three Italians, there was another van attack at Cambrils, a resort 70 km from Barcelona, where police killed five terrorists after seven people including a policeman were hurt.



A woman died overnight in Cambrils, bringing the toll in the two attacks to 14.



The Cambrils terrorists were said to be preparing another attack on Barcelona.



Premier Paolo Gentiloni telephoned Spanish Premier Mariano Rajoy to voice Italy's condolences, friendship and solidarity over the attack, government sources said. Gentiloni stressed unity and firmness towards terror, which will never beat freedom and democracy. Rajoy assured the utmost collaboration with Italy and the other countries hit by the attack. Italian President Sergio Mattarella wrote to Spanish King Felipe VI, voicing "horror and repulsion".



Spain and Italy were united in a "common pain" over the attack, Mattarella said.



He voiced "great concern" over the "dramatic" attack, which was "further, execrable proof of the cowardice of the terrorists". Mattarella said Italy was determined to work with Spain, its EU partners and the whole international community, in a "fight, without quarter being given, against terrorism and all forms of violent extremism, in defence of the common values and democratic freedoms, as well as the security of cour countries".



Pope Francis condemned the attack as an "inhuman act" and "blind violence, a grave offence to the Creator", in a telegramme of condolences sent to Barcelona Archbishop Juan Jose Omella y Omella. Francis said he was praying that the international community would work "with determination for peace and harmony in the world".(ANSAmed).




2 of 3 Italians injured in Barcelona attack out of hospital Ambassador Sannino tells Sky

(ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 18 - Two of the three Italians injured in Thursday's attack in Barcelona have been released from hospital.



The third is still hospitalized for fractures sustained in the attack, Italian ambassador to Spain Stefano Sannino said in an interview with Sky on Friday morning. (ANSAmed).




PARIS - Police on Friday morning at dawn cleared 2,200 migrants from Porte de La Chapelle north of Paris.

The migrants have been redistributed in 18 centers throughout the Ile-de-France region.

One group has been taken to a new camp in Porte de Versailles, southeast of the capital.

The operation was organized ''in a secretive manner'', reports Le Parisien, leading to protests by residents and local representatives. ''The prefect of the region told me that he had not found other places in the Ile-de-France,'' 15th arrondissement president Philippe Goujon said, underscoring that he had found out ''by chance that a camp with 500 migrants had been set up'' in the area.
- MADRID - Spain has called three days of mourning as Las Ramblas reopened on Friday after a Thursday afternoon of death and terror. At 4:50 PM, a white van ploughed into a crowd Thursday on the busy tree-lined promenade popular pedestrian street of Las Ramblas in the Catalan capital. At least 13 were killed and 100 were injured, 16 of whom seriously so. Italians may have been among the injured.



The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack in the evening through its 'new agency' Amaq.



Over the night, four or five alleged terrorists were killed in a Spanish police operation underway in Cambrils, a town on the coast southwest of Barcelona. Some of the officers were also injured.



The five alleged terrorists were found in the morning to have been wearing fake explosive belts. Two men have been arrested: one a Moroccan national and the other originally from Melilla. Neither was the driver of the van, who left the vehicle, fled on foot and has not yet been found by the police. The police say, however, that another man is also wanted in connection with the attack while a French national of Moroccan origins, Driss Oukabir, who allegedly rented the van used in the attack, has been arrested. In the evening Oukabir had gone to a police station saying that his ID papers had been stolen and that he had not had anything to do with the attack. Police are interrogating him and a photo circulating online may be of him. He physically resembles the terrorist behind the massacre as described by am eyewitness: ''23-25 years old, thin, dark hair with a grey t-shirt''. Amid an evening of confused reports, Catalan president Carles Puigdemont - who has called three days of mourning in Catalonia - announced that another man had been killed in a shootout with police after having tried to force his way through one of the checkpoints set up at the exits to the city. The police say that he was not involved in the attack.



(ANSAmed).
MADRID - About 300 migrants attempted to scale the border wall between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta at the Tarajal gate on Thursday evening.

The attempt followed the reopening of the crossing on Thursday to street vendors and wares after having been shut down for a week due to repeated migrant assaults on the wall. Tarajal is the only opening along the 8 km border perimeter between Ceuta and Morocco, and is patrolled by agents in riot gear, according to the local prefecture.

About 20 of the migrants, armed with sticks, were stopped and detained by Moroccan police.

Agents dispersed the rest of the group, and sources said the migrants fled to the wooded area of Beliones, near the border.

The alarm due to the assault brought out tens of agents overnight, who remained guarding the border crossing to prevent additional assaults at the wall.

The prefecture revoked the alarm at sunrise Friday.
MOSCOW - Syrian assault units backed by the Russian air force on Friday managed to take back an area in eastern Hama from the Islamic State (ISIS), according to the Russian defense ministry.

''Due to the successful operation of the Syrian military, the last route the militants used for supplies of weapons, ammunition and other assets near Akerbat (Uqayribat, Ed.) is under the fire control of the Syrian military,'' the Russian military was quoted by the TASS news agency reported. In the attempt to flee the town of Uqayribat, it said, '' the terrorists in small groups take cars, buses and armored vehicles to head for Deir ez-Zor, which for IS (Islamic State - outlawed in Russia) after the defeat of Iraq's Mosul remains the last big stronghold in Syria.'' ''In order to prevent the militants' escape from the encirclement into Dei ez-Zor, the Russian Aerospace Force continue the round-clock air reconnaissance with use of drones to reveal and destroy the armored vehicles, off-road vehicles with heavy weapons and the cars the terrorists are using," the Russian defense ministry said.


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Boeing Helena is set to install new machine tools to fabricate critical titanium parts for the 777X.

Our investment in Boeing Helena is a testament to our incredible, hard-working team members and their ability to deliver on our commitments to The Boeing Company, said Kim Smith, vice president and general manager. It further positions our highly-skilled Montana team of nearly 150 employees as a key partner for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Now more than 257,000 square feet, Boeing Helena has distinguished itself as a vital part of the supply chain, specialising in complex machining of hard metals for Boeing Commercial Airplanes 737, 747, 767, and 787 airplane models  and now the 777X. The new parts machined in Helena for the 777X will include side-of-body chords, and terminal end fittings which connect the wings to the fuselage.

When people think of Montana, they think Big Sky Country, mountains, agriculture and ranching, said Cathy Burwell, Helena Area Chamber of Commerce president. It is exciting to watch members of the Helena community contribute to such a technologically advanced product and Americas number one exporter. Last year alone, Boeing spent nearly $12 million with 58 Montana suppliers and vendors in the state and supported 470 direct and indirect jobs. The expansion of Boeing Helena further establishes Boeings place as part of the fabric of the Montana community.
In todays Wall Street Journal drama column, I review two important revivals at Ontarios Shaw Festival, Dancing at Lughnasa and The Madness of George III. Heres an excerpt.

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The Shaw Festival, one of North Americas most ambitious classical theater festivals, is presenting 11 plays and musicals in four different performance spaces this season. After five visits to Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Shaws small-town home, Ive long since learned that its productions are of consistently high quality. But the two shows I saw last week in the 313-seat Royal George Theatre, a renovated 1915 vaudeville house of unrivaled beauty and intimacy, are noteworthy even for the Shaw, and one of them, a perfectly wrought version of Dancing at Lughnasa, Brian Friels 1990 masterpiece, is a major event by any conceivable standard.

A memory play influenced to like degree by Chekhov and The Glass Menagerie, Dancing at Lughnasa unfolds in and near the cottage of five spinster sisters (Fiona Byrne, Diana Donnelly, Claire Jullien, Sarena Parmar and Tara Roslin) whose uneventful existence is about to be shattered by the coming of modernity. The time is 1936, the place rural Ireland, but there is nothing alien about the plight of the Mundy sistersthey could be from Appalachia or Arkansasor the tight-knit family life that they share, a life whose closeness cannot survive the centrifugal forces of industrialization, war, and sexual desire.

Ms. Jacksons staging unfolds in an unadorned, non-realistic playing area designed by Sue LePage whose cheap sticks of furniture are framed by the drab blue-greens and washy blue sky of fading memory. Her ensemble cast, most of whose members are Shaw Festival veterans, performs with a telepathic singleness of purpose.

As for the Shaws production of Alan Bennetts The Madness of George III, it is arguably even more important as an event, since revivals of Mr. Bennetts 1991 play, a costume piece with two dozen speaking roles, are very rare. (The only important American production in recent years was at San Diegos Old Globe in 2010.) Kevin Bennett, the director, has contrived to perform George III on a smallish stage with 12 actors, a feat of legerdemain that I hope will inspire others to emulate it, though what Id really like is for this revival to be remounted in New York. Totally different in tone and approach from Nicholas Hytners 1994 film version, which was based on the original National Theatre stage production and preserved Nigel Hawthornes acclaimed performance of the title role, its just as successful in its own distinctive way, and features a sumptuous star turn by Tom McCamus.

* * *

Read the whole thing here.

Watch a time-lapse video that shows how the Shaw Festivals stage crew strikes the set for Dancing at Lughnasa and prepares the stage of the Royal George Theatre for a performance of The Madness of King George:
This publication, designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in Indonesia, was compiled by the expert...
U B Pravin Rao has been appointed as the interim MD and CEO of Infosys.

Vishal Sikka has stepped down as the CEO and MD of Infosys.

Mumbai: Vishal Sikka, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of techonology giant Infosys has resigned from his position.

Sikka will however continue as the Executive Vice Chairman of the company. Meanwhile, U B Pravin Rao has been appointed as the CEO and MD of Infosys.

"The succession plan for appointment of a new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer has been operationalised by the Board and a search for the same has been commenced," read a statement released by the company.

In his resignation letter to the company, Sikka cited a "stream of distractions and disruptions over the recent months and quarters, increasingly personal and negative as of late, as preventing management's ability to accelerate the Company's transformation".

In its statement accepting Sikka's resignation, the Infosys board said, "The board understands and acknowledges Dr Sikka's reasons for resignation, and regrets his decision. In particular, the board is profoundly distressed by the unfounded personal attacks on the members of our management team that were made in the anonymous letters and have surfaced in recent months".

Thanking Sikka for his "extraordinary constirbutions" to the company, the board reiterated that a series of investigations into the allegations made against Sikka found "no merit". The board condemned the critics who promoted the "false allegations".

According to the company statement, Sikka's tenure at Infosys increased its revenues from USD 2.13 billion in Q1 of FY15 to USD 2.65 billion this past Q1, with a "strong margin performance and cash generation".

Sikka's rule been facing alot of flak for the way the company was run. Founders of the company like Narayana Murthy had raised several questions regarding Rs 23 crore severance package given to a departing chief financial officer.

Infosys has also seen a rush of high-level exits in recent times. Sikka was also criticised for other issues like the acquisitions he made and his pay package.

Vishal Sikka joined Infosys in April, 2014, bringing along with him a team of colleagues from his former work place SAP SE.

The benchmark BSE Sensex took a 200-point plunge after the morning announcement of Sikka's resignation.

The company's shares were trading down by nearly 7 per cent at Rs 951.70 on the BSE. On the NSE, Infosys stock opened at Rs 1,017.90, fell to 951.25, down by 6.82 per cent.
The Board said Murthy has repeatedly made continuous assaults on Vishal Sikka, leading to his resignation.

New Delhi: Vishal Sikka, the first non-founder CEO of Infosys Ltd, has abruptly resigned due to the "continuous assault" and "campaign" by founder and ex-chairman NR Narayana Murthy, the USD 10 billion firm said on Friday.

Sikka, 50, a former German IT major SAP executive under whose three year tenure Infosys' revenue rose by about 25 per cent, did not himself name Murthy directly as the reason for his exit but said he faced "false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks".

Murthy said he was anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of statements made by the Infosys board and it is "below my dignity to respond to baseless insinuations". He said he will reply to the board's allegations in the right manner, right forum and at an appropriate time.

The resignation follows a year-long acrimony between the board the high-profile founders led by Murthy, who raised issues of "poor corporate governance" and executive pay as well as doubts over acquisitions.

Founders still hold 12.75 per cent in Infosys.

While Pravin Rao, currently chief operating officer, has been named interim CEO, Sikka will become executive vice-chairman for USD 1 annual salary to help find new MD and CEO latest by March 31, 2018.

The latest provocation seems to be Murthy claiming in an email, which found its way to the media, that he had been told by Infosys independent directors that Sikka was more suited as a Chief Technology Officer than Chief Executive Officer.

Infosys Board came out with a strongly worded statement defending Sikka's performance and ruled out a formal role for any of co-founders in the company's governance.

Emails sent to Murthy seeking comments remained unanswered.

The company board alleged that a letter authored by Murthy "has been released to various media houses attacking the integrity of Board and management alleging falling corporate governance standards in the company".

"Mr Murthy's letter contains factual inaccuracies, already-disproved rumours, and statements extracted out of context from his conversations with Board members," it said.

The Board said Murthy has repeatedly made "inappropriate" demands, which is inconsistent with his stated desire for stronger governance.

The Board, which is to meet on Saturday to consider a Rs 13,000 crore share buyback - a key demand of the founders for putting cash with the company to use - argued that Murthy's "campaign" has intensified over time.

Shares of Infosys, which like other IT companies are battling a slowdown in new deals from western clients and visa curbs in the US, fell about 12 per cent before recovering a bit. They were trading at Rs 919.70 at 1440 hours, down 9.93 per cent over the previous day's close.

Without naming anyone, Sikka in his resignation letter to the Board said that "over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks" and these allegations have been repeatedly proven false by multiple independent investigations.

"But despite this, the attacks continue, and worse still, amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation," he said.

Once a poster boy of Indian IT success story, Infosys has been battered by intense acrimony, with founders led by Murthy questioning the high compensation paid to Sikka as also severance package to certain former executives.

Besides, an anonymous letter was sent to the Securities and Exchange Board of India and the US Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year, alleging that the Israel-based Panaya acquisition was overvalued and that some Infosys executives may have benefited from the deal.

While an independent probe absolved the board of any wrong doing, Murthy kept the pressure on making the full contents of the investigation report public. "Over time the demands have intensified, which when declined by the Board resulted in the threats of media attacks being carried out," said the statement issued by the Board.

Infosys had refused to make public the probe report.

The Board rued that its efforts to resolve the concerns of the founders over the course of a year through a dialogue has not been successful. The statement added that the Board had tried earnestly to find "feasible solutions within the boundaries of law and without compromising its independence". It also cautioned that Murthy's actions and demands are damaging the company.

The Board sought to assure shareholders, employees and customers that it "will not to be distracted by this misguided campaign" by Murthy and will continue to adhere to the highest international standards of corporate governance.

During an investor call, Sikka said the "continued drumbeat" about former CFO Rajiv Bansal's severance package and Panaya deal in the last 4-5 quarters have been "sickening".

Infosys co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan said the management is highly distressed by the continuing allegations against Sikka and Board members.

Sikka said that addressing this "noise" has consumed hundreds of hours of his time in recent times and therefore, he came to the decision to quit.

The Infosys board said it is "profoundly distressed" by the unfounded personal attacks on the members of the management team. "The board denounces the critics who have amplified and sought to further promote demonstrably false allegations, which have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the company's valued CEO," Infosys said in a statement.
Mumbai: The NSE 50-share Nifty snapped its three-day winning streak by tumbling 67 points to end at 9,837.40 following a sharp fall in Infosys shares as also sluggish global markets.

Sentiment was affected as global stocks markets declined on rising doubts about US President Donald Trump's ability to deliver his economic agenda.

IT major Infosys tumbled by 9.56 per cent to end at Rs 923.25 after the announcement of Vishal Sikka's resignation as the managing director and chief executive officer of Infosys.

The NSE 50-share Nifty also dropped by 66.75 points or 0.67 per cent to close at 9,837.40 after moving in a range of 9,865.95 nd 9,783.65.

It had gained by 193.35 points, or 1.99 per cent, in previous three days.

Other indices like Nifty IT fell by 2.11 per cent followed by Pharma 1.79 per cent, Media 1.42 per cent, PSU Bank 0.93 per cent and Metal 0.72 per cent.

Overseas, European stocks edged lower as a terror attack in Barcelona weighed on investor sentiment. Asian stocks edged lower on growing doubts about US President Donald Trump's ability to fulfil his economic agenda.

A total of 589 scrips advanced and 1,102 declined while 61 remained unchanged. Total securities that hit their price bands were 112.

Other losers were Sun Pharma 3.71 per cent, Zeel 2.88 per cent, VEDL 2.10 per cent and NTPC 1.92 per cent.

However, Infratel firmed up by 4.20 per cent, HUL 2.12 per cent, Ultrachem 2.07 per cent, BPCL 1.94 per cent and Eichermotor 1.89 per cent.

Turnover in the cash segment rose to Rs 28,953.18 crore from Rs 24,336.40 crore yesterday.

A total of 12,100.69 lakh shares changed hands in 96,95,060 trades. The market capitalisation of listed firms on the NSE stood at Rs 1,28,85,081 crores.
His sons Sunny and Bobby Deol were ecstatic to welcome the veteran actor on the microblogging website.

Mumbai: Veteran actor Dharmendra has shared his first post on micro-blogging site, Twitter.

The 81-year-old actor, who is shooting Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se in Hyderabad, posted a picture from the sets of the film.

"Your love has encouraged me to come more close to you ... so here is me from the sets of YPD Phir se... #newbeginnings #shootmode #hyderabad," Dharmendra wrote alongside the photograph.

Your love has encouraged me to come more close to you ... so here is me from the sets of YPD Phir se... #newbeginnings #shootmode #hyderabad pic.twitter.com/nWGP1dJW0w  Dharmendra Deol (@aapkadharam) August 17, 2017

Actor Bobby Deol, who also stars in the film, welcomed his father on Twitter, "My hero is finally here... Welcome Papa!" he said.

My hero is finally here ... Welcome Papa!! https://t.co/1myhLerChH  Bobby Deol (@thedeol) August 17, 2017

While Sunny Deol added, "Me and Bob eventually succeeded in getting dad here.. Welcome Dad!"

Me and Bob eventually succeeded in getting dad here.. Welcome Dad!! https://t.co/v42oZb42ij  Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) August 17, 2017

Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se is the third film in the Yamla Pagla Deewana franchise. The previous two films also featured Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby.
Hitting out at Yogi govt, former CM said BJP promised 'achhe din' and befooled people to come to power at the Centre and the state.

Addressing the media in Lucknow, Yadav accused the Yogi Adityanath-led government of being hand-in-gloves with the CBI. (Photo: PTI)

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday demanded a high level Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the death of at least 30 kids who died in 48 hours at Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College's Nehru Hospital in Gorakhpur.

Addressing the media in Lucknow, Yadav accused the Yogi Adityanath-led government of being hand-in-gloves with the CBI.

"This government has a lot of attachment with the CBI. The CBI is under them. With other investigation, there should also be CBI probe into this matter," he added.

The former chief minister also said that people of Uttar Pradesh have understood the reality of the party and would not be fooled by BJP's false promises.

Read: Need counter report on plea on kids' deaths in 6 wk: Allahabad HC to UP

He said it was SP, which thought about people's welfare and launched a number of developmental and welfare schemes for them.

"The whole nation is aware that the BJP is not a party of their words. They say something else and do something else. In the coming election, the people of UP will show them their position. Tell me one thing, have they done more work in UP than us? Did they build more roads? Did they give more employment? Look at the railway tracks," he added.

The former chief minister announced that the Samajwadi Party (SP) will give at least 5 lakh to each police station to celebrate Christmas, Eid, Diwali, Holi and other festivals.

Further attacking the Yogi government, Yadav said, "They had shown dreams of 'achhe din' and befooled people to come to power at the Centre and the state...They have broken the confidence of the people."

Meanwhile, The Allahabad High Court pulled up the Uttar Pradesh Government and asked to specify the cause of deaths of children that took place in Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday heard the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in regard with the Gorakhpur tragedy.
Sikkas resignation ends a 3-year experiment of the IT bellwether with an 'outside' manager.

Three years and three weeks after his surprise appointment as the first CEO and Managing Director of Infosys, who was not a founder, Vishal Sikka gives up his post. (Photo: PTI)

Bangalore: Three years and three weeks after his surprise appointment as the first CEO and Managing Director of Infosys, who was not a founder, Vishal Sikka has given up his post.

Yes, he remains with the company as Executive Vice Chairman but that is merely a transitory appointment. A statement from Infosys says he will hold office until the new permanent Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director takes charge, which should be no later than March 31, 2018".

Sikka's resignation, announced at the start of business hours on Friday, ends his brief run at what media cliche has always dubbed a 'bellwether" Indian technology company with a global footprint. It has been a run that was a combo of charisma and controversy -- neither entirely of his own making.

Read: Infosys committed to Vishal Sikka's 'strategic direction'

He came to Infosys in August 2014 -- at a time when the company was at crossroads -- not sure which way it was headed. In the three decades since it was started in 1985, five of the seven co-founders had their round-robin stint heading the company. They were ready to take a back seat -- and hand it over to a professional outside manager. They chose Sikka.

It needs to be stressed that he was anointed with the full blessings of the founders -- and the lavish praise of the Infosys' Bhishma Pitamaha and conscience keeper, NR Narayana Murthy -- because they were the ones, who two years and a bit later, started the murmurs, seemingly questioning his suitability and style.

SAP days

Sikka was something of a poster boy for IT when he joined Infosys -- after 12 years with the Germany-based global leader in enterprise software -- SAP. Oracle and SAP were the neck-and-neck contenders in the top end of enterprise data base solutions. One carved out the US as its core market; the other, Europe, but both had global ambitions. Sikka, who became SAP's Chief Technology officer in 2007, just 5 years after he joined the company, is credited with helping SAP take on Oracle on its home ground in the US. Indeed Sikka almost throughout his career and even after joining Infosys has been mostly based in the US Silicon Valley. He was also the chief driver and evangelist of SAP's agni astra or secret weapon, HANA, a rather cool database platform that works within the memory and in its own niche has revolutionised real-time analytics and real-time application development.

Read: Sad to see a 'good CEO' like Vishal Sikka leave: Mohan Reddy

I remember, every year, attending the SAP TechEd annual event at the SAP Lab's Whitefield campus in Bangalore, during Sikka's heyday. Some 5,000 engineers gathered to hear him address them -- always by video conference link. He rarely bothered to come to India even for this annual conference -- though Bangalore represented the largest of SAP's overseas R&D labs. Sikka's video addresses never lasted for less than an hour and 97% of it was about HANA. This may have been OK at SAP; but I think Sikka made a tactical error if he thought he could do this sort of remote control piloting at Infosys, a company with a vastly different culture.

Culture clash

Yes, finally it all boiled down to corporate culture. Sikka is credited, probably fairly, with bringing a new and more aggressive work style to Infosys. From his vantage point in the US Bay area, he perhaps had early warnings that the Infosys model of manpower-intensive, service-centric software had to adapt to the garam hava of Artificial Intelligenc (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) -- or die. He is, in all probability, the brain behind the announcement that Infosys would hire 10,000 engineers in the US, even if it meant retraining most of them. It may have been the savvy thing to do -- to avoid a Trump-style backlash. But the timing was unfortunate -- coming on the heels of large-scale retrenchment at Infosys' India end. It led to the impression (right or wrong) that Infosys was firing in India and hiring in the US.

It also came at a time when mishandled announcements at Infosys suggested that senior management received pay or severance pay that ran into millions and represented annual hikes of 30-50%, when the average employee raise was limited to around 7%. The Infosys Old Guard has been profoundly discomfited by such an adverse image for a company which was founded and run (by them) on some old fashioned values and a deep rooted belief in ethical management that today's more pragmatic managers have no use for.

Mr Narayana Murthy in particular has not hid his displeasure at the new dispensation and most tellingly on the same morning of Sikka's resignation, a leaked e-mail from him, carried in some media suggests rather revealingly, that Sikka was always considered by some of the founders to have been CTO rather than CEO material.

The swirl of controversy in recent weeks, was perhaps too much for Sikka to take and when he saw more attention to the style rather than the substance of his contributions to Infosys, he seems to have decided to leave.

That still leaves moot, the question of which route Infosys will take; whether its core values and its belief in taking all its employees along, is sustainable in an increasingly competitive market; or whether it will evolve its own path to progress where hard -nosed business can co-exist with a broad humanity.

In an earlier era the world saluted something called the HP way, a less commercially crass, more humane way, of doing business that was pioneered at Hewlett Packard by its co-founders William Hewlett and David Packard. It no longer survives -- though the company, albeit split, does.

Perhaps the 'Infosys Way' will prove more resilient and may end up as an exemplar of an Indian corporate style of working. If so, the Sikka Years may be just a short lived, but brilliant blip, in its career graph.
UP health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh said that loss of life due to such a reason was nothing less than a heinous crime.

Lucknow: UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath will reportedly wait for the inquiry report from the chief secretary (CS) on the death of 30 children in Gorakhpur before taking action on the guilty.

The report by the district magistrate, in which two senior doctors have been blamed for the mismanagement of oxygen shortage at the BRD Medical College (BRDMC), has been received by the government.

We will wait for the committee headed by chief secretary Rajiv Kumar to submit its report by this weekend before we arrive at any conclusion, said a senior official in the CM secretariat. The inquiry conducted by district magistrate Rajeev Rautela has found that Dr Satish Kumar, the head of the hospitals anaesthesia department, who was tasked with the responsibility of overseeing supply of oxygen, was primarily responsible for the disruption.

The inquiry said the doctor went to Mumbai when the BRDMC was still grappling with the shortage. This, the report says, amounts to dereliction of duty.

The suspended principal of the BRDMC, Dr Rajiv Misra, has also been blamed for lack of supervisory control and delayed payments to Pushpa Sales, the firm that supplied oxygen to the hospital.

Dr Kafeel Khan, the head paediatrician who was the only one to have been sacked apart from the principal, however, has not been indicted in this report.

The report did say there were gaps in coordination between four top doctors including Dr Khan. Government officials had earlier held Dr Khan responsible for the shortage. The report also blamed the firm that was on a contract with the hospital to supply liquid oxygen, saying it should not have cut off supply due to non payment of bills since it was a question of saving lives.

UP health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh said that loss of life due to such a reason was nothing less than a heinous crime. However, he added that all aspects related to the deaths at the state-run BRD medical college hospital were being probed by the committee led by the UP chief secretary and those found guilty would be punished. He further said that a report had been sought from all medical colleges and hospitals on the availability of oxygen or payment issues and added that everything had been found in order. The minister said that hospitals and community health centres in the area were being provided all necessary facilities so that they are well equipped and patients do not have to run to the BRD medical college.
The bench rejected this submission and favoured a balanced approach and questioned as to why Tamil Nadu woke up at the last minute.

New Delhi: Apprehending that the Tamil Nadu government will promulgate an ordinance and commence the medical admission process on the basis of higher secondary marks, the Supreme Court on Thursday barred the state from making any medical admissions till August 22.

A three-judge bench passed this order on a batch of petitions seeking a direction to the state to release the Neet rank lists and commence the admission process. The bench made it clear to the state that Neet marks cannot be given a go-bye as students had been preparing for this examination for more than a year.

It is a human problem. We cant allow the state to completely disregard the Neet. A balance has to be struck keeping in mind the interests of the state board students to be admitted on the basis of higher secondary marks in the event of an ordinance and those who had cleared the Neet examination and waiting for adm-issions, the court noted.

Senior counsel Nalini Chidambaram, appearing for a batch of students informed the bench that the state should not be allowed to promulgate the ordinance and admit students on the basis of Plus Two marks. She said the claim of rural students was a bogey being raised by the state as in the last 10 years only 250 students had been admitted to medical courses.

The bench took note of the submissions of senior counsel Vikas Singh for the Medical Council of India that the ordinance was illegal and Tamil Nadu should not be granted any exemption from NEET this year as sufficient time had already been given. Senior counsel Shekar Naphade for Tamil Nadu said the state cant be prevented from coming out with the ordinance in the interests of state board students.

When Justice Misra wanted to know as to how NEET students could be denied admissions, the counsel said any law passed by the legislature is bound to affect some sections. The bench rejected this submission and favoured a balanced approach and questioned as to why Tamil Nadu woke up at the last minute.

Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta informed the court that the draft ordinance given by Tamil Nadu had been cleared by the attorney general K.K. Venugopal and the law ministry, he said the ordinance is expected to be promulgated by the state by Tuesday, August 22 after the Home Ministry forwards it to the Tamil Nadu governor. The Bench told the ASG it is the responsibility of the Centre not to demolish NEET which has come to stay as a merit based admission process.

Taking note of the submissions, the bench in a brief order said, We have been apprised that an ordinance is likely to be promulgated. We have asked Mr Shekhar Naphade, senior counsel appearing for the state of Tamil Nadu and Mr Vikas Singh, senior counsel appearing for the Medical Council of India to consider how a balanced situation can be thought of so that the students who have come from the state board and have not been equipped to appear in NEET examination and the students who have appeared in the NEET examination and have qualified, can be adjusted.

The bench asked the state to file the result sheet of the NEET examination pertaining to the students who belong to Tamil Nadu. The state shall also file the state board merit list. Additionally, the state shall also point out how many students from the state board are qualified in the NEET examination. When we say the state board examination, it categorically conveys only the state board merit list and not with regard to any distinction between the rural and urban area. Status quo, existing as of today, as regards the admission to the medical courses in Tamil Nadu shall be maintained till then. List on August 22.

Ms Chidambaram argued that she apprehended that the Tamil Nadu government is proposing an ordinance to get exemption from NEET. If such an ordinance is passed and presidential assent is given due to political pressure it would amount to a fraud on the Constitution.

She said after toiling hard for the last one year and getting reasonably good marks in NEET the state government is prevaricating and attempting at the last moment to change the criteria for admission to MBBS seats Government Medical Colleges and government quota seats in Self Financing colleges in the state of Tamil Nadu from NEET based to Plus 2 marks in violation of this courts decisions.

Senior counsel C.U. Singh for state board students who had cleared NEET pointed out that out of 33,000 students who had cleared NEET from Tamil Nadu, 30,000 students belonged to the state board and 3,000 to CBSE. The government is attempting to overreach the orders of this court by bringing an ordinance. If students are to be admitted on the basis of Plus two marks, several state board students will suffer. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on August 22.
Cops accused in Ishrat case were reappointed after retirement.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday forced two senior Gujarat police officers  N.K. Amin and T.A. Barot  to resign. The two were accused in the Ishrat Jahan abduction and fake encounter case and re-appointed after retirement on contract for one year by the state government.

The two cops resignation came within hours of the duo giving an undertaking  that they will demit office  to the apex court during a hearing on former IPS officer Rahul Sharmas petition challenging their re-induction despite their questionable track record.

Mr Amin is out on bail in the Ishrat Jahan case and faces allegations of firing at her and her companions in 2004. He served eight years in judicial custody following his arrest in August 2007. He was also named as an accused in the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case but was discharged by court in 2016 due to lack of preliminary evidence against him.

Mr Barot spent close to three years in judicial custody and retired in 2014 while still in jail. He is out on bail since 2015 and faces allegations of abducting and illegally confining Ishrat Jahan and her companion Sadiq Jamal, both later killed in fake encounters. A bench of Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud made it clear to senior counsel Gurukrishna Kumar, appearing for the two officers, that the they must step down on Thursday itself.

The bench rejected counsels request to give more time to the two for resignation and disposed Mr Sharmas petition. Mr Amin, a doctor-turned-police officer, who retired in August 2016 as superintendent of police (SP), was re-appointed in the same month as SP of Mahisagar district and later shifted to Tapi.

We have decided to step down to save the government from any embarrassment. Apart from police service, there are many other ways to serve the people. I thank the people of Gujarat for their love and support, Mr Amin said in Ahmedabad.

Mr Barot was re-inducted for one year after his retirement in October 2016 as deputy superintendent of police by Western Railways at Vadodara. What else was I supposed to do after the Supreme Court asked us to step down. I have sent my resignation today to the state government, he said in Ahmedabad.
The chief minister was speaking at an RSS function on Wednesday evening.

Lucknow: UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath stirred up another controversy as he said that he had no right to stop the celebration of Janamashtami at police stations since he could not stop the offering of namaz on roads during Id.

The chief minister was speaking at an RSS function on Wednesday evening. He said, Agar mai sadak par Id ke din namaz padhne pe rok nahi laga sakta to mujhe koi adhikar nahi ki main thano mein Janmashta-mi ke parv ko rokun (If I cannot stop people from offering namaz in the roads on Id, I have no right to stop people from celebrating Janmashta-mi in jails). He asserted that everyone had the freedom to celebrate festivals in the country. If certain rules were made, it should be applicable to all sections of society.

The chief minister was apparently referring to the previous Samajwadi Party government, which had banned celebrations of Janamashtami at police stations and police lines. The chief minister further said, I had asked officers to pass an order banning the use of loudspeakers at all places and ensure the order is implemented everywhere. But when the officers expressed their inability to implement the order at all religious places, I told them not to interfere with Kanwar yatra either.

If they (kanwariyas) dont dance and sing, play music and beat drums, dont use the mike, it wont be a Kanwar Yatra, he stated. The chief minister said that those who worked towards cultural unity in the country were called communal.
Sikka will become executive vice- chairman for an annual salary of $1 to help find new MD and CEO latest by March 31, 2018.

Infosys Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO Vishal Sikka addressing through a video-link from California, as Co-Chairman Ravi Venkatesan looks on during a press conference to announce the new interim CEO, at the company's headquarters in Bengaluru. (Photo: PTI)

Bengaluru: Vishal Sikka, Infosys Ltds first non-founder CEO appointed in 2014, stepped down on Friday citing false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks, indicating that his exit from the IT bellwether was a fall-out of the continuous assault and sustained criticism of his functioning from within and outside the company.

The elephant in the room was founder and ex-chairman of the company N.R. Narayana Murthy, who picked Mr Sikka for the top job but over the last year has raised issues of poor corporate governance and executive pay as well as doubts over acquisitions leading to a year-long acrimony between the board and the high-profile founders led by Murthy.

Founders still hold 12.75 per cent in Infosys. Pravin Rao, currently chief operating officer, has been named interim CEO. Sikka will become executive vice- chairman for an annual salary of $1 to help find new MD and CEO latest by March 31, 2018.

Without naming anyone, Mr Sikka, in his resignation letter to the board said that over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks and these allegations have been repeatedly proven false by multiple independent investigations. The latest provocation is reportedly Mr Murthy claiming in an email, selectively leaked to the media, that he had been told by Infosys independent directors that Sikka was more suited as a Chief Technology Officer than Chief Executive Officer.

The Infosys board came out with a strongly-worded statement defending Mr Sikkas performance and ruled out a formal role for any of co-founders in the companys governance. Shares of Infosys fell about 12 per cent before recovering a bit.

At a hastily arranged press conference at the Infosys campus which Mr Sikka said that it was a blue and sad day.
Shah announced this during an informal chat with journalists at the residence of state minister Narottam Mishra.

Bhopal: Setting all speculation on any leadership change in Madhya Pradesh to rest, BJP president Amit Shah said Friday chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan would lead the party in the 2018 Assembly polls.

Mr Shah anncounced this during an informal chat with journalists at the residence of state legislative affairs minister Narottam Mishra, who hosted a lunch for him.

By accepting the lunch invitation by Mr Mishra, who was disqualified and barred from contesting elections for three years by the Election Commission in a paid news case, Mr Shah signalled the party fully backed the minister over the issue. The Supreme Court had recently granted a stay on the EC order on Mr Mishra.

Later, addressing party leaders at the BJPs state HQ, Mr Shah set a target of winning at least 200 out of the total 234 seats in the 2018 Assembly elections.

I expect no less than 200 seats for the party in 2018 in MP. Besides, I also want us to win all 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2019 general election, a party leader quoted him as saying. Mr Shah asked party leaders not to accept donations in black money, but only through cheques and drafts.

Saying the BJP was one of Indias few parties that had internal democracy, Mr Shah said most were run by dynasties. Only in the BJP is it possible for a worker like me to become party president and for a man like Narendra Modi, who comes from a poor family, to become Prime Minister, he said.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice J S Khehar allowed Karti to be accompanied by a lawyer at the CBI headquarters during the questioning.

The Supreme Court had on August 14 said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the corruption case. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, to appear before investigators at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi on August 23 for questioning in a corruption case.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud allowed Karti to be accompanied by a lawyer at the CBI headquarters during the questioning.

"During the course of hearing, the counsel for respondent number 1 (Karti) stated that the respondent is ready and willing to appear before the investigating officer. We, therefore, hereby direct respondent number 1 to appear before the investigating officer on August 23 at CBI headquarters in New Delhi," the bench said.

It gave CBI the liberty to question him for as many days as it wants till August 28, the next date of hearing.

It also asked Karti to carry all necessary documents required to defend himself against the allegations made by the CBI in the FIR. The bench, however, clarified that the accompanying lawyer would sit in an adjoining room to the place where Karti will be quizzed by CBI investigators.

The bench has now posted the matter for consideration on August 28 and asked both parties to file their respective reports with regard to the investigation and other aspects of the case.

The apex court had on August 14 said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the corruption case. The apex court, which stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the look out circular (LOC) issued by the Centre against Karti, had sought to know when he would make his appearance for questioning before the CBI.

The case lodged by the CBI in Delhi is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of almost Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Union Finance Minister.

Read: SC asks Karti to appear before court, prohibits him from travelling abroad

The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious". The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge in New Delhi and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.

The Madras High Court had on August 10 stayed the look out circulars issued against Karti and four others by the Centre under the Passport Act over the corruption case filed by the CBI. The order had come on petitions filed by Karti and others seeking to quash the circulars, issued against Karti on June 16, 2016, and against the four others on July 18, 2017.
The incident took place two weeks ago and was captured on the CCTV.

CCTV footage shows a woman in a five star hotel in Delhi was assaulted by security manager. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

New Delhi: The security manager of a five star hotel in Delhi, who was arrested on Friday on charges of allegedly molesting a 33-year-old female staff member, has been granted bail.

The manager has been granted bail on security of Rs 25,000.

Meanwhile, the victim has also been suspended from the hotel located in Delhi's Aerocity.

The victim, earlier on Friday said, "I reported about the whole incident to the Human Resource Department, even filed a complaint at the police station, but no action has been taken against the security manager so far."

Read: Delhi: Woman staff loses 5-star job after complaining of assault by senior

Giving details about the incident, the woman said, "My boss called me inside a hotel room and started pulling my saree but I resisted. A hotel staff member who was inside the room with us, left the room seeing him molesting me. But fortunately, another staff member entered the room and taking advantage of the situation. I came out of the room."

"My boss chased me even after I left the hotel. He tried to pull me inside his car and drove along as I walked towards Metro station," she added.

The incident took place two weeks ago and was captured on the CCTV.
The incident occurred on July 29 on victim's birthday when accused Pawan Dahiya assaulted her by calling her in a hotel room.

New Delhi: The birthday of a 33-year-old woman who works at a five star hotel turned memorable for all the wrong reasons.

CCTV footage shows that the womans saree was pulled and she was dragged by the security officer in an act of sexual harassment. The woman was sacked after she complained about the incident.

In the CCTV footage, the security manager is seen trying to undress the victim. The footage also captured another hotel staff member, who later left the room.

According to an NDTV report, security manager, security manager, Pawan Dahia allegedly also grabbed the woman, a member of the guest relations staff, after she left the room and tried to pull her into his car.

He took his credit card and asked if I wanted any gift. Boss told me to sit, and when I didn't sit, he pulled me towards him and tried to take off my saree. He told the other colleague to go out of the room, the victim told NDTV.

The incident occurred on July 29.

The victim, who had been working in guest relations of the hotel for two years, has also alleged that Pawan was forcing her for a physical relationship.

She reported about the whole incident to the Human Resource Department, but no action has been taken against the security manager so far. On her husband's advice, she filed an FIR or police complaint on August 1.

Two weeks later, she received a termination letter from the hotel. A colleague who had helped her extricate the CCTV footage was also sacked.

The victim also alleged that Pawan has tried to 'get physical' with her on more than one occasion and even asked her to spend a night with him.
4 people from Nellore who were staying in the same guest house noticed that the girl was staying alone and took advantage of the situation.

The police have registered a case under Sections 354, 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and have nabbed the four accused. (Photo: File/Representational)

Hyderabad (Telangana): A 20-year-old woman from Delhi was allegedly raped in a guest house in Hyderabad's Banjara Hills area.

According to Srinivas, Inspector (Banjara Hills), few days back, three friends, two girls and one boy, came to Hyderabad on a vacation.

They were staying in a guest house in Banjara Hills.

They took two rooms - a girl and her boyfriend stayed in one room and the other girl stayed in a separate room.

Four people from Nellore who were also staying in the same guest house noticed that the girl was staying alone.

On August 16 early morning, a person knocked on the door of the girl and when she opened the door he pointed a gun at her and threatened her.

He took her to their room and raped the victim.

The other three accused were standing outside the room.

The police have registered a case under Sections 354, 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and have nabbed the four accused.

An investigation is underway.
In the 230-member Legislative Assembly, the BJP currently holds 165 seats and 26 out of the total 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The party will also work to win all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2019 general election, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar said. (Photo: PTI)

Bhopal: The ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh aims to sweep the state Assembly polls due in 2018 and win over 200 seats, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Friday.

The party will also work to win all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2019 general election, he said.

"We have set a target of winning more than 200 seats in the next Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh and also all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections," Tomar said in Bhopal.

Tomar, the minister for urban development and panchayati raj, and Union social justice and empowerment minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, both of whom are MPs from Madhya Pradesh, are in the city to attend the BJP meeting to be held by party president Amit Shah, who is on a three-day visit to the state from Friday.

"It is a matter of pride that Shah has come to Bhopal for a visit. It will enthuse the party workers with new vigour in the state," Tomar said.

Read: With eye on 2019 polls, BJP launches drive to focus on LS seats it lost in 2014

In the 230-member Legislative Assembly, the BJP currently holds 165 seats. Currently, the BJP holds 26 out of the total 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The Guna and Chhindwara seats were won by Congress' Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath, respectively, in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Later, in the by-election to Ratlam-Jhabua seat, which was necessitated following the demise of MP Dilip Singh Bhuria, the BJP lost the seat to Congress' Kantilal Bhuria.
Gandhi had hit out at the government for not being able to keep its promises, while targeting the RSS for imposing its Hindutva agenda.

New Delhi: The BJP hit back at the Opposition meet on Thursday, describing it as an alliance of scared people.

Addressing a press conference, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Opposition was scared of Modiji, and those talking about composite heritage are a coalition of failed people who will keep on failing in the future.

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Mr Prasad said, Rahul always loses elections but still leads the party.

Mr Gandhi, he said, has silenced everybody in the Congress to such an extent that despite his partys loss every time under him, nobody dares to ask him any question.

The Congress vice-presidents observations, he said, are more of a political cry arising out of a deep sense of dismay as to why he and his party are being rejected by the people of the country.

...But today, one thing was clear by his comments. Rahul Gandhi does not give a speech, he cries, Mr Prasad said.

Earlier in the day, Mr Gandhi took part in the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao hosted by rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, where former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other senior Congress members as well as Left party leaders, including CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI national secretary D. Raja took part.

At the meet Mr Gandhi had hit out at the government for not being able to keep its promises, while targeting the RSS for imposing its Hindutva agenda.

Mr Prasad said that it was hypocrisy to talk about composite heritage but remain silent over the killing of RSS workers in Kerala allegedly by CPI(M) workers.

The organisers of composite heritage  Congress, Left and Sharad Yadav are sitting together. How do they consider the merciless killing of RSS workers in Kannur in Kerala by CPI(M) workers and their goons. Is it part of the composite heritage of India? This is hypocrisy, Mr Prasad said.

Taking a dig at Mr Yadav, he said, The person whose entire politics started at the feet of JP, and opposing the Congress, is feeling happy today sitting beside Rahul Gandhi.

Mr Prasad said that the most objectionable comment by Mr Gandhi was that the BJP is packing the judiciary and the media with its own people and will change the Constitution.

I would expect Rahul Gandhi not to make motivated political comment about the judiciary. Indias judiciary is independent and we all respect it. They are left with no issues and out of their political fear saying these things. I appeal to them not to not drag the judiciary... The Narendra Modi government fully respects the independence of judiciary and fully upholds the independence of media, he said.
Former UP CM claims police are targeting SP cadre.

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, on Friday, sought a judicial probe into the deaths of 30 children in the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur.

He said that inquiry should be held by a sitting Supreme Court judge because all other investigating agencies including CBI were under the BJP-led government and justice could not be expected from them.

Talking to reporters here on Friday, Mr Yadav said that the police was working at the behest of BJP and was targeting Samajwadi workers.

The police have taken a supari (contract) to ensure that BJP leaders are unanimously elected as zila panchayat heads. This was responsible for the violence in Auraiyya where the cops prevented us from filing the nomination, he said.

He also slammed the police for misbehaving with former MP Pradeep Yadav during the Auraiyya violence. Pradeep Yadav was among the Samajwadi leaders who were arrested in connection with the violence during the zila panchayat polls on August 16..

Mr Yadav also mounted a scathing attack on UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on his statement on Janamashtami celebrations in police stations. The Chief Minister had said that these functions were stopped during the previous regime.

When we return to power, we will give Rs 5 lakh to every police stations for Janamashtami as well as Eid celebrations, he said.
ABC News(CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.) -- The mother of Heather Heyer, the woman killed Saturday when a car rammed into a crowd of counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, said she has "no interest" in speaking with President Donald Trump in the wake of her daughter's death.



"I understand that President Trump wants to speak with me; I've heard from his press secretary and a few other people. And it's not that I'm trying to be calloused. It's that I have no interest in speaking to politicians just to hear them say, 'I'm sorry,'" Susan Bro said in an interview Thursday with ABC News. "If I felt like that's all they wanted to say, that would be different, but I feel like I'm wanted to be used for political agendas and I'm resistant to that."



Bro thanked Trump in a statement on Monday for "those words of comfort and for denouncing those who promote violence and hatred," but said on Friday in an interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America that her opinion changed after she had time to watch news coverage of the Charlottesville protests after laying her 32-year-old daughter to rest on Wednesday.



"I hadnt really watched the news until last night, and Im not talking to the president now, after what he said," Bro said, adding that she "saw an actual clip of him at a press conference equating the protesters" with "the KKK and the white supremacists."



She continued, "You cant wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying, Im sorry. Im not forgiving for that."



When asked Friday if there was anything she would want to say to Trump, Bro said, "Think before you speak."



Many have criticized Trump's response to Saturday's "Unite the Right" rally, which was attended by white nationalists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members, and turned deadly after a car plowed into counterprotesters, killing Heyer and injuring 19 others. In a news conference Tuesday in Trump Tower, Trump reiterated that "both sides" were to blame for the violence.



Bro told ABC News on Thursday that she has "heard it said that there was violence on both sides, that everybody was hurting everybody."



"I wasn't there that day, but I will tell you that I'm pretty sure that's the only person that ran people down with a car, so that level of violence didn't take place on both sides. That did not happen," she said.



"I've heard it said that the murder of my daughter was part of making America great," Bro added. "The blood on the streets -- is that what made America great? Attacking innocent people with a vehicle -- is that what made America great?"



When asked if she had sympathy for the cause of the white nationalists, Bro said, "I don't know what their cause is. I haven't heard what's bothering them."



Bro clarified Friday on Good Morning America that her daughter, a paralegal who lived in Charlottesville, was not part of any organized group protesting in her hometown, saying, "She was part of a group of human beings who cared to protest."



"I'm honestly a little embarrassed to say that part of the reason Heather got so much attention is because she's white, and she stood up for black people," Bro told ABC News on Thursday. "Isn't that a shame? That a white person standing up for a black person caused all this excitement? That should be an everyday thing. That should be a norm."



Bro said she is now dedicating herself to "forward Heather's mission."



"A lot of people are already aware of injustice. It's not that they're not aware; it's that they won't do anything about it," Bro said on Thursday. "'I'm afraid, I'm afraid' -- that's what I keep hearing, and that's what the murder of my daughter and the injury of several others was intended to do -- was to make people afraid."



"But if we live in fear, then they've won," she said, calling on people to "get involved" when they witness injustices.



"Heather was not a politician, but she was interested in changing people," Bro said. "My focus is not on politics; my focus is on human beings and on how we as human beings can fix problems."



Bro did not allow politicians to speak at the memorial service for Heyer on Wednesday, which was attended by more than 1,000 people.





Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Gunnar Birkerts also taught architecture at the University of Michigan from 1959-1990.

Needham: Gunnar Birkerts, an internationally acclaimed modernist architect who designed buildings including the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, and the University of Michigan Law Library, has died. He was 92.

His son, Sven Birkerts, said his father died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his home in Needham, Massachusetts. Birkerts was born in Riga, Latvia, on Jan. 17, 1925, but fled during World War II when he was in his teens. He made his way to Stuttgart, Germany, where he began studying architecture.

In 1949, Birkerts emigrated to the United States. He was based in the Detroit area for much of his career and worked for several different architecture firms before he and a colleague, Frank Straub, founded Birkerts and Straub in 1962. He eventually went on to lead his own firm, Gunnar Birkerts and Associates, for decades. He also taught architecture at the University of Michigan from 1959-1990.

Birkerts was widely known for his use of light in his designs. Some of his other notable buildings include the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri, the IBM headquarters in Sterling Forest, New York, and the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela.

His final work, the National Library of Latvia in Riga, opened in 2014 and is now widely known as "The Castle of Light." The American Institute of Architects awarded the library its 2017 Library Building Award. Birkerts is survived by his wife, Sylvia, a fellow Latvian who he met in Germany and married in 1950, their three children and seven grandchildren.
The gecko had turned red and was barely breathing but miraculously managed to spring back to life.

Friendship is an important relationship as friends are the ones who are always there for each other in a crisis no matter how bad things get. A strong bond of friendship can work wonders including saving someones life.

In a thrilling incident in Thailand, two geckos managed to pull off a miracle as they snatched their friend out of the jaws of death. It started when a green tree snake swallowed a Tokay gecko just when two other lizards arrived to the rescue.

Even as the gecko was in the snakes throat, the two lizards kept biting the serpent as an onlooker hit it with a stick forcing it to spit out the suffocated gecko which had turned red and was barely breathing but managed to survive.

Click below to watch
Driving from Chennai to Ladakh is the first activity undertaken by Spreading Hope.

Mumbai: Guinness World Record holder Lourd Vijay who is also a dancer was at civic-run KEM on Friday as part of his social responsibility initiative called Spreading Hope that aims to raise nation-wide awareness about kidney donation and the importance of organ donation.

Vijay was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2013 and underwent a transplant in 2016 at Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru. With Spreading Hope, he aims to drive from Chennai to Ladakh, covering 9000 km, spreading awareness about the seriousness of kidney disease, and inspiring ten million people to pledge their organs and save lives. The purpose is to engage with government, corporates, and educational and healthcare institutions so as to get them to support the cause.

Vijay said, Battling the illness for more than three years and going through an organ transplant was a traumatic experience for me, both personally and professionally. This chronic kidney disease changed my life. It gave me a new purpose and thats how, I started the mission Spreading Hope. It is a mammoth task of raising awareness about kidney disease and organ donation.

Driving from Chennai to Ladakh is the first activity undertaken by Spreading Hope. Awareness of kidney disease risk in India is very low and people are resistant to the concept of organ donation. Vijays mission is to help interested people convince their families and willingly register as donors.
Rane reportedly told his supporters in Sindhudurg on Thursday that the future of Congress is bleak.

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader and former minister Narayan Rane met his key supporters in Sindhudurg on Thursday and allegedly told them to be ready to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) soon. Sources said that Mr Rane allegedly later went to Delhi on Friday morning. He is set to meet Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and other BJP leaders in the capital. Mr Ranes supporters are claiming that it is now just matter of time before an official announcement of Mr Ranes induction in the saffron party.

Mr Rane reportedly told his supporters in Sindhudurg on Thursday that the future of Congress is bleak. There is no sign of revival. I dont want to damage your political future, is what Mr Rane reportedly said in the meeting. He also gave them a brief idea of the changes in the state and district politics that could occur if he entered the BJP.

Senior BJP leader and cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil said, If Mr Rane wants to join the BJP, he is welcome. While Maharashtra state Congress chief Ashok Chavan said that he is not worried.

Some people cannot live without power. So if anyone wants to leave the party it is okay. A new leader will take his place, Mr Chavan said. This newspaper tried to contact Mr Rane and his son MLA Nitesh Rane but they were unavailable for comment.

A senior leader from the Congress and Mr Ranes supporter said that the Shiv Sena could take a strong stand against Mr Rane decision to join the BJP. Mr Rane has asked us to be ready for political conflicts, said the leader from Sindhudurg.

The BJP is preparing for the 2019 general and assembly elections.

Mr Ranes entry would boost the party. Despite Mr Rane reputation, his aggressive and hardworking nature has been praiseworthy in political circle.

The Congress, which is already in doldrums, will lose a powerful leader from the state, particularly Konkan.

Mr Rane left the Shiv Sena to join the Congress in 2005. His inclusion in the Congress helped the party strengthen its position in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of Konkan.

The Congress bagged the Lok Sabha seat in the 2009 general elections. Sources said that Mr Rane was inducted in the Congress with an assurance being made the chief minister but the Congress never kept its word.

The Konkan strongman lost the 2014 assembly election in Sindhudurg and the 2015 bypoll in Bandra west, Mumbai. His son Nilesh Rane who was an MP in 2009 also lost in 2014 to Shiv Senas Vinayak Raut.

The Rane-BJP Bonhomie
Crew met Narendra Modi who in turn wished them success for their journey across the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Lieutenant B Aishwarya of Navika Sagar Parikrama expedition in New Delhi on Wednesday. Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba is also seen. (Photo: PTI)

A six-member all-women team of the Indian Navy will start journey in early September to circumnavigate the globe on the vessel INVS Tarini. The voyage will culminate on their return in March next year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the team on Wednesday where they explained the journey's plan to PM Modi. The Prime Minister wished them success and said he would track their progress.

According to a government statement the PM exhorted them to project India's capabilities and strengths across the world and also encouraged them to write and share their experiences.

The voyage which has been titled Navika Sagar Parikrama, will begin from Goa in the first week of September and will be covered in five legs, with stopovers at four ports  Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands) and Cape Town (South Africa).

The vessel will be captained by Lt. Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprises Lt. Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt. Commander P Swathi, Lieutenant S Vijaya Devi, Lieutenant B Aishwarya and Lieutenant Payal Gupta, the statement said.

The crew had already sailed from Goa to Mauritius from May to July this year to prep for the big voyage.
On India's Independence Day, Chinese and Indian forces clashed in Ladakh, north of Pangong Tso (lake).

On August 11, at 1659 IST, that corresponds to 7.29 am Eastern Standard Time, US President Donald Trump tweeted: Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path. He followed it up by retweeting the US Pacific Command that said its B-1B Lancer bombers armed with nuclear arms are ready.

The tweet was in response to the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Uns rhetoric threatening to launch four IRBMs into waters near Guam to teach President Trump a lesson. He was in turn responding to Mr Trumps promise to release fire and fury against North Korea if it persisted in threatening the US. Guam is a US territory in the Pacific.

Guess who blinked first in this war of words? Not Trump and not Kim Jong Un, but Xi Jingpin, Chinas President. In a phone call the very next day to President Trump, he counselled patience.

Now contrast this with Chinese behaviour in Doklam. Ever since the Chinese intruded into Bhutanese territory on the pretext of building a road, and Indian troops prevented them from doing so, the Chinese have been belligerent towards India. The Indian government's response has been studied silence. Suddenly, all the bluster that is the trademark of this government seems to have disappeared.

Sample some Chinese statements. In response to Indias Army Chief saying India was ready to take on China, Pakistan and internal security challenges concurrently, China said: Such rhetoric is irresponsible. We hope (the) particular person in the Indian Army could learn from historical lessons.

Then the Chinese upped the ante further and called the Indian external affairs minister a liar. An editorial in Chinas state-controlled Global Times said: Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj told Parliament on Thursday that all countries are in India's support, and said India is alert to the need to protect its security... She was lying to Parliament... First, Indias invasion of Chinese territory is a plain fact... Second, Indias strength is far behind that of China.

On India's Independence Day, Chinese and Indian forces clashed in Ladakh, north of Pangong Tso (lake). The armies pelted stones at each other. Late last month, 10-15 PLA soldiers transgressed almost 1 km into a disputed pocket  a mutually agreed demilitarized zone  at Barahoti in the Chamoli district of Uttrakhand twice.

Where is this government erring in its engagement with China? While it is true the Chinese beat us in 1962, it is equally correct India gave China a bloody nose in 1967 at Nathu-La. Again, in 1986, by executing Operation Falcon, India outsmarted the Chinese by taking up aggressive positions on Hathung La ridge overlooking Sumdorong Chu, along with other key mountain features beyond Twang in Arunachal. India also deployed T-72 tanks and infantry combat vehicles in the Demchok area of Ladakh and northern Sikkim, forcing the Chinese to back off from the aggressive claims they had started making in the eastern sector.

In 1962, India was let down by its friends, specially the Soviet Union, that virtually allowed the Chinese to go ahead with the aggression against India in return for solidarity during the Cuban missile crisis. It was the United States that came to Indias aid in 1962. The USSR, though, more than made up in the 1971 war. The Soviet Eastern Fleet slipped anchor in Murmansk as the US Seventh Fleet steamed into the Bay of Bengal.

Writing for the Cold War International History Project, Bulletin 251, on the basis of archival material made available after the collapse of the Soviet Union, M.Y. Prozumenschikov explains the situation in 1962 leading to the Sino-Indian conflict: The situation changed on October 22, when the speech of US President John F. Kennedy effectively put a tough choice before Khrushchev: conflict, with likely use of nuclear weapons, or retreat. The first scenario threatened the world with catastrophe; the second was acutely painful for the USSR and its leader. Searching for a way out, Moscow turned its attention to Beijing. The experience of recent years made it possible for Khrushchev to hope that, at this critical moment in the battle with imperialism, China would at least momentarily close its eyes and support Soviet action. That occurred (at least on the surface) in 1956 during the crises in Hungary and Poland, and in 1961 during the Berlin crisis. For his part, Khrushchev was ready to compromise with Mao on a whole series of issues, including the Sino-Indian conflict.

On October 25, 1962, with war with the US imminent, the Soviet newspaper Pravda published a front-page article approved by the CPSUs central committee rejecting the position that Moscow had maintained in the course of the Sino-Indian border conflict. The article called the McMahon Line, which New Delhi accepted, the result of British imperialism, and legally invalid. Pravda also accused India of being incited by imperialists and said the CPI was sliding toward chauvinism.

Moscows unexpected reversal was clearly intended as a gesture to shore up the moribund Sino-Soviet alliance in the event of war with the West. The Chinese had a cast-iron assurance from the Soviets that their backs were covered when they decided to open a front with India in 1962.

The situation is somewhat similar in 2017. While there is no Soviet Union today and no Cuban missile crisis, there is escalating tension on the Korean Peninsula. The Indian media reports about a strategic partnership between India and the US, with China as the mark, may be nothing more than hot air. Anyone familiar with Washington D.C. knows how distracted the US administration is. The possibility of a deal where China leans on North Korea (its other client state, the first being Pakistan) to roll back its strategic programme in return for the US looking away on the Sino-Indian border, is always within probability. Unlike India, born out of a pacifist freedom struggle, the Communist state in China was created by a civil war. China only understands raw power. Given global power dynamics that India hasn't been able to finesse, if push comes to shove, India may have to fight alone.
Trump also assailed Senator Jeff Flake, another Republican critic, as 'a non-factor in the Senate,' adding, 'He's toxic.'

Trump called Senator Lindsey Graham 'publicity seeking' and said he 'just can't forget his election trouncing' in 2016 presidential race.

Washington: President Donald Trump has stepped up his attacks on Republican senators, an approach he may regret if he is someday impeached and the Senate has to weigh charges against him stemming from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.

More than half of the 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would be central to any proceeding to remove Trump from office, have tangled with the Republican president, including on Thursday when he fired off early-morning tweets.

In one Twitter series, Trump called Senator Lindsey Graham "publicity seeking" and said he "just can't forget his election trouncing" in the 2016 presidential race. Trump also assailed Senator Jeff Flake, another Republican critic, as "a non-factor in the Senate," adding, "He's toxic."

Flake and Graham are members of the Judiciary Committee, whose Chairman Chuck Grassley has urged Trump to tone it down.

"He should be 100 percent sticking to ideas and forget about personalities," Grassley said on Friday when pressed on whether Trump might find himself without the friends in Congress he would need to defend himself in an impeachment proceeding.

For his part, Grassley said his views would not be coloured by past presidential sniping.

"Let's say the House of Representatives impeached the president of the United States. Then I'm a juror," Grassley said. "The Senate is the jury that decides whether he should be impeached. The jury is supposed to be impartial."

Little Traction

There is little serious talk being heard in Congress about removing Trump from office.

Two House Democrats have introduced an article of impeachment alleging obstruction of justice by the president in connection with an ongoing investigation of possible ties between his 2016 campaign and Moscow.

But Republicans control the House, as well as the Senate, and the article of impeachment has gained little traction.

Under the US Constitution, the House of Representatives can vote to approve an impeachment measure. If that happens, it goes to the Senate, which acts as a jury and weighs the charges in the House measure. A two-thirds Senate vote is needed for conviction. Approval leads to removal from office.

Two presidents have been impeached by the House: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Neither was convicted by the Senate. President Richard Nixon, facing almost certain impeachment over the Watergate scandal, resigned in 1974.

In the Clinton impeachment fight, the committee was a resource for the full Senate and could play a similar role in any future trial.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump Needs Friends

Having friends would help any president facing impeachment, said Charles Brain, a White House liaison to Congress during Clinton's impeachment.

Without such friendships, Brain said, lawmakers "can just be quiet," refusing to share information with the White House and letting attacks on the president gain momentum.

Besides Flake and Graham, Trump has had run-ins over various issues before and after his election with Republican Senator Ted Cruz, and other Judiciary Committee members, including Grassley, John Cornyn, Orrin Hatch, Thom Tillis and Ben Sasse.

The president has also at times attacked Republican senators not on the committee, including Mitch McConnell, John McCain, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election. Grassley's committee also is looking into the matter, as are other congressional panels.

The Kremlin denies any election interference. Trump has dismissed the Mueller probe as a "witch hunt" and denies any collusion. In the end, Mueller could end up clearing Trump and his aides of any wrongdoing.

If not, at least two questions will loom large in a possible impeachment inquiry, said senior fellow Elaine Kamarck of the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution think tank.

One would be about the severity of any possible charges. Another, she said, would be "do you have friends, do you have people who believe in you and want to save your presidency?"
An American eclipse is thus a matter that concerns everyone, near and far, willing and unwilling.

Karachi: On August 21, 2017, millions of people in the United State will experience a total solar eclipse. The timing of this astronomical event is such that the moons shadow will completely obscure the light of the sun for several minutes in the middle of the day. The skies will suddenly darken and stars will be visible and for several minutes a good portion of the North American continent will be denied the light of the sun.

Donald Trump was born during an eclipse, and some of the same planetary constellations that occurred on that date are supposed to be reactivated next week. It is the confluence of the two events, a presidency full of fire and fury and an astrological occurrence that is rare and ominous, that has many darkly predicting that the eclipse will be a harbinger of destruction.

Prominent among the soothsayers are astrologers who claim to have constructed detailed astrological charts based on Trumps exact date and time of birth along with Americas own birth chart. While many of these same astrologers were incorrect in their predictions regarding Trumps actual victory, they cling on to hope. The eclipse, they are now saying, could augur destruction and tumult for a military leader, pointing out that the President of the US, being the commander-in-chief, is technically a military leader. And, to give plenty of room for their prediction to come true, they are also predicting that the astrological effects of the eclipse are likely to be felt over two years after the actual event.

Unlike astrologers, religious groups and conspiracy theorists arent banking on having that kind of time. Many evangelical Christian groups in the US are already saying that the eclipse is a sign of the impending apocalypse or Judgement Day. A Christian prophecy website called Unsealed has said that the eclipse will mark the beginning of a seven-year period called Tribulation, during which 75 per cent of the worlds population will be eliminated. The website, which takes care to assert that it is not an end-of-the-world prediction site, correlates various Bible verses to produce prophecies.

The Exodus from Egypt that is mentioned in the Bible, the site says, presents a microcosm of a worldwide exodus that will commence with this solar eclipse. The dead centre of the eclipse is in the southern part of Illinois, an area that was once known as Little Egypt.

Then there is the fact that the first place that the eclipse will be visible is the town of Salem in the state of Oregon. Salem, of course, is the shortened version of Jerusalem a place that is supposed to play a significant role in the last days before the Day of Judgement.

Another Christian website insists that the beginning of the end of the world was 1947, the year the state of Israel was created. Since 70 years have passed from that date, and that period is the duration of a Biblical generation, the time for the end is upon us now.

These believers in end-times and apocalyptic predictions are not just ordinary Americans, the readers of tabloids and prophecy sites. Steve Bannon, one of Donald Trumps most controversial advisers, has long held the belief that the current age is an apocalyptic one and that the end of the world is near and destruction imminent. It is not known whether Bannon believes that the solar eclipse will bring on the end or whether it will take place at some later date.

Astrologers and others in the business of producing ominous prophecies around unusual events are experts in taking vague truths and then extrapolating other events from them. There is just enough truth in them to make people pause, and some of the people who pause, particularly those given to superstition, are likely to believe them. In the case of predicting some sort of destruction to be visited on the Trump presidency, there are many takers. The weeks leading up to the eclipse have presented the possibility of nuclear war, racial discord and economic upheaval. With America, the worlds lone superpower, in such turmoil, it is perhaps no surprise that a total eclipse in America is an occasion for many to forecast the eclipsing of America as a world power, the beginning of a descent, the start of something bad.

The eclipse will not be visible in Pakistan. Given all the sad predictions associated with it, it is perhaps just as well. In recent weeks, a prime minister has resigned and people have taken to the streets. The tumult of these happenings is hopefully all that Pakistan and Pakistanis will have to bear of the astrological instability caused by the eclipse.

Ominous times come with few guarantees, of course, and this moment involved the odd confluence of astrology and foreign policy. If there is regime change in the US, the rest of the worlds financial markets and foreign aid coffers are likely to see immediate and ongoing impact.

If, as the astrological forecast portends, some literal destruction initiated by the US does occur, then the consequences will have to be borne by Pakistan as well.

An attack on North Korea, initiated by a beleaguered president eager for a distraction from his political woes, will have a tremendous impact on Southeast Asia. With China taken up with the fallout, Pakistan will be left without the buddy it has got so used to relying on.

An American eclipse is thus a matter that concerns everyone, near and far, willing and unwilling. It should, however, be somewhat comforting for Pakistanis to watch from a distance, to consider the possibilities and laugh at the inanities. For once, predictions of the end of days, of annihilation and destruction, do not involve the near and close, but the very, very far away. It will be the middle of the night in Pakistan when the eclipse happens in America; the skies will already be dark, with nothing to fear and nothing to see.

By arrangement with Dawn
In an incident claimed by the Islamic State group, a white van sped into a street packed full of tourists in central Barcelona.

An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people. (Photo: AP)

Paris: Among the 100 or more people who were injured in the attack in Barcelona on Thursday are 26 French citizens, at least 11 of whom are in a serious condition, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Friday.

For his part, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told RTL radio that "the number of those who have been seriously injured may perhaps be even higher at around 17."

Expressing his "deep emotion" over the attack, Le Drian said in a statement that he would travel to Barcelona on Friday "to visit the French victims of this cowardly act and affirm France's support to the Spanish people and authorities."

President Emmanuel Macron earlier said France and Spain remain "united" after the "tragic attack".

In an incident claimed by the Islamic State group, a white van sped into a street packed full of tourists in central Barcelona on Thursday afternoon, knocking people over and killing 13 in a scene of chaos and horror.

Some eight hours later in Cambrils, a town 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, an Audi A3 car rammed into pedestrians, injuring six civilians -- one of them critical -- and a police officer, authorities said.

There were at least 18 nationalities among the dead and injured, who came from countries as varied as France, Italy, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency.

One Belgian was among the dead, said Belgium's foreign minister Didier Reynders.
Police said that there could be a link between the terrorists shot dead in Cambrils and the incident at Barcelona.

People flee from the scene after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district of Barcelona. (Photo: AP)

Barcelona: Six civilians and one police officer were hurt when a car drove into people in the Spanish seaside resort of Cambrils early on Friday, the regional government said, just hours after a similar deadly attack in nearby Barcelona.

Police shot four of the attackers dead and injured another one, saying they were "working on the hypothesis that the terrorists shot dead in Cambrils could be linked to what happened in Barcelona."
Beirut: "Soldiers" of the ISIS group carried out a deadly van attack in Barcelona on Thursday, the jihadist organisation's propaganda outlet Amaq said.

"The executors of the Barcelona attack were soldiers of the ISIS," Amaq said on its Telegram messenger account, without naming those it claimed were behind the attack.

Amaq said they had launched the attack in response to calls to target states taking part in the United States-led coalition battling the jihadist group in Iraq and Syria.

Read: Terror attack in Barcelona leaves 13 dead, several injured

At least 13 people were killed Thursday when a driver deliberately slammed a van into crowds on Barcelona's most popular street in what police said was a "terror attack".

Police said they had arrested two suspects after the assault, the latest in a wave of vehicle rampages across Europe in recent years. The attack caused panic on the streets of Spain's largest city and drew condemnation from world leaders.

The famous Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally thronged with tourists and street performers until well into the night.

ISIS, which once controlled a self-declared "caliphate" across large parts of Iraq and Syria, has called for suffered major losses in recent months. Coalition-backed Iraqi forces recaptured its Iraqi stronghold Mosul in July.

The coalition said the fall of Mosul was a "decisive blow" against the group but did not mark the end of the war against the jihadists.
Russia does not carry out military exercises or other cooperative events that may lead to worsening relations of any country.

Beijing: Taking a neutral stand on India-China military standoff at Doklam, Russia on Thursday said the upcoming Russia-India military drills do not target China. However, it expressed confidence that both the countries can resolve border tensions.

Quoting Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, Chinese state-run media, Global Times in an article said, Russia does not carry out military exercises or other cooperative events that may lead to worsening relations of a country we maintain multilateral ties with.

Zakharova, responding to a question at her weekly media briefing, said, Russia has brilliant relations with China, adding that attempts to distort the situation can only be viewed as a provocation.

Russia-Indian military hold regular military drill called Indra. This years military exercises are to be held in Russia from October 19 to 29, to improve the coordination of the two militaries.

Some Chinese media taking provocative stand has reported that military drills between India-Russia are set to take place amid deteriorating ties between India and China following border dispute near Sikkim.

However, Zakharova responding to such reports said, Russia always provides all interested parties with comprehensive information "in order to stop any speculation on such issues as soon as possible."

As for the border standoff, she said: "We express absolute confidence that New Delhi and Beijing, as responsible members of the international community, will be able to find mutually acceptable ways to quickly resolve the tensions."

Backing India on Doklam standoff, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu has recently commented, "We recognise Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and the two countries are engaged in border talks. We also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan, that's why Indian troops got involved in the area."

The endorsement of the Indian position by Japan is a significant development at a regional level as China has violated agreements with Japan as well and not with only India and Bhutan, the Japanese Ambassador had said.

Its been over two months now that India and Chinese troops are on military standoff in Doklam, a disputed tri-junction are between India-Bhutan-China, allegedly claimed by China, but basically belongs to Himalayan state.
The disputed territory between India-Bhutan-China is claimed by Beijing as its territory; however, it belongs it Himalayan state.

India and China have been locked in a prolonged standoff in the area in the Sikkim sector since June 16 (Photo: Representational/PTI)

Beijing: Dismissing the reports of Japan extending its support to India, Beijing on Friday reiterated that, its India, and not China which has attempted to change the status quo in Doklam area near the Sikkim border, a Hindustan Times report said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying during a media briefing alleged India for the standoff at Doklam and rejected the Japanese envoy to India, Kenji Hiramatsus statement as uninformed, the report said.

Kenji Hiramatsu, on Friday, had said no country should use unilateral forces to change the status quo on the ground. The disputed territory between India-Bhutan-China is claimed by Beijing as its territory; however, it belongs it Himalayan state.

I have seen that the Japanese ambassador to India really wants to support India (on the military standoff.) And I want to remind him not to randomly make comments before clarifying relevant facts, Hua told a regular news briefing.

Hua also said, In Doklam, there is no territorial dispute. The boundary has been delimited and recognised by both sides (India and China), however, The attempt to change the status quo illegally is by India, not China.

Blaming India for Doklam impasse, spokesperson Hua, said India should immediately withdraw its troops without further delay as this is just a precondition for any meaningful talks between the two sides.

Chinese military expert on Thursday in an editorial had said that China will allow India to take back its troops before BRICS summit, scheduled for September and if it fails to do so, Bejing may take regressive action against New Delhi.

The standoff began three months ago when China started constructing a road in the area. India objected to the road construction after the Chinese troops ignored Bhutanese protests, triggering the faceoff from June 16.
by Shan Ren Shen Fu ()

For the first, the bishop of Urumqi, priests and faithful were banned from taking part in the funeral mass; there was no episcopal insignia in the photos; only half an hour for the ceremony. The other, bishop of Taiyuan, was surrounded by the affection and esteem of thousands of his priests and faithful. But "the saints who welcome the two bishops to the door of Paradise are equally numerous."

Beijing (AsiaNews) - Two different funerals for Msgr. Paul Xie Tingzhe, Bishop of Urumqi, and Msgr. Silvester Li Jiantang, bishop of Taiyuan. Below we publish an insightful reflection by the priest blogger Shanren Shenfu. As is well known, Msgr. Xie - on a government and funeral committee directive - had a hasty and hidden ceremony with a ban on priests from attending Mass, except for three. For the other, there was a sumptuous ceremony, an expression of the affection of the faithful, but also of the permission granted by the government. Bishop Xie, in fact, was not recognized by the government; for this reason at his death he was not allowed to be surrounded by the affection of his priests; nor was he allowed to bear the insignia of his episcopacy. Yesterday AsiaNews highlighted the double standards applied by the government. Ours was not a criticism of the Taiyuan faithful and priests, who did very well to surround their shepherd with devotion and esteem, having always worked for evangelization. We merely wanted to point out that politics has tried to suffocate (unnecessarily) not only the life, but also the death of a hero of the faith, who has recreated the Xinjiang Church from almost nothing. We are aggrieved at the thought that Taiyuan priests are wounded because some believe there was "too much pomp" at the funeral of Msgr. Li Jiantang. At the same time we would hope they would be equally aggrieved at the fact that Msgr. Xie was not afforded the same splendor. (BC)

Bishop Paul Xie Tingzhe died a day after Bishop Silvester Li Jiantang, but Msgr. Paolo Xie Tingzhe was buried one day before the funeral of Msgr. Silvestro Li Jiantang. Yesterday, at the burial ceremonies of Bishop Li Jiantang, all the priests of the diocese were present to bid him a final farewell, but on August 16, at the funeral of bishop Xie Tingzhe, only three priests were allowed to attend the rites. The Lord programmed the deaths before and after the two bishops, but it was men who decided when the funerals should have been celebrated after and before.

Such abnormal events exist only in our country. Some people think that abnormal things have always existed, so why not bother to mention them? But I do not think that this is a good attitude, if I see something and then do not speak out. It is rare that two funerals are so close to each other, and it is even rare that such funerals present such obvious differences.

Taiyuan Cathedral was full of people, and in the Urumqi cathedral there were only three or five souls. I have always believed in what Msgr. Xie Tingzhe said when he gave an interview with journalist Gianni Valente of Vatican Insider, who at that time said, "There is no Patriotic Association in Xinjiang Province. And we always got along well. " And so when I read on chinacath.org that has republished this interview all over the country titled with the above sentence, I could not believe that only three priests were granted permission to attend the funeral of Msgr. Xie.

I console myself seeing the black curtains and the condolences posters hanging in front of the door of the Urumqi cathedral. This means, at least, that they have allowed the old bishop to die! Perhaps by forcing them to keep such a low profile they may believe they are doing everything to demonstrate the lesser weight of Bishop Xie's death over the death of Bishop Li.

Nevertheless, with regards to the honor of the funerals organized by men, the glory that the two bishops will enjoy in the heavens more than their suffering in their earthly lives is of far greater importance for the faithful. What glory do ignorant men and sinners think they are capable of depriving or conceding? Just to show that Xinjiang air is "a little cleaner" than Shanxi's.

The photo used in the funeral of Msgr. Xie Tingzhe (see photo 1) is one from his youth (the present photo was taken without his vestments at the insistence of the authorities), just as the Xinjiang Church. While Msgr. Li Jiantang is lying in a coffin wearing the golden bishop's gown (photo 2), and in front of the coffin there is the photo that shows him in his bishop's vestments. But on the photo of Msgr. Xie he is depicted as he was when he chose to come to Xinjiang.

In reality the differences, purposefully organized by men, show that the same results can be obtained with or without the Patriotic Association. Those of Msgr. Xie, also Msgr. Li. And those of Msgr. Li, are not lacking in Msgr. Xie.

Some faithful have said to me sadly: "We too love the bishop, we also hoped there would be many priests, many nuns, and many faithful to bid farewell to our bishop, just as they did today for Bishop Li in the Taiyuan diocese." I answered them: "You cannot compare because the number of the faithful in Taiyuan is much greater than those of Xinjiang. But believe me, the saints who welcome the two bishops to the door of Paradise are equally numerous. So we must not be sad! We must give the opportunity to others to learn and know, and they will laugh with us one day when they discover this foolishness. "

We thank this digital era because even though it was forbidden to take photos during the funeral of Bishop Xie, after we were flooded with photos of the ceremony.

This photo (No. 3) shows us that it takes 8 people to carry a coffin, 4 people per side. It would be too crowded, but if there were only 5 people on one side, that would not be nice.

How beautiful the Church is without the Patriotic Association! ...

So, we should always show appreciation. May the bishops enjoy the peace of the Heavens.

Shan Ren Shen Fu
by Mathias Hariyadi

Indonesias president and vice president wear traditional clothes in parliament. With this gesture, Widodo and Kalla put aside the political disagreements that marked their relationship because of the court case involving Jakartas former Christian governor, Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. The countrys new nationalism" has found momentum in recent official ceremonies.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  By wearing traditional clothing at the celebrations for the 72nd anniversary of Indonesias independence, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has sent a symbolic political signal in support of the countrys multicultural character.

The Indonesian president caught everyone by surprise on Wednesday during the plenary Session of the House of Representatives.

In the presence of ministers, foreign ambassadors and representatives of the most important national organisations, Widodo, who hails from the island of Java, wore typical Buginese clothing. The Bugis are a South Sulawesi ethnic group. Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is Buginese, wore Javanese clothing (picture 1).

Indonesia is unique in the world because of its multicultural character. A plethora of local languages, traditional customs, cultures and religions live in the thousands of islands that make up the country.

The notion of Pancasila or pluralism is Indonesias philosophical and political doctrine that was adopted by the nations founding fathers to bind its people.

For many Indonesians, the decision by the president and the vice president to wear each others ethnic outfit appears to be a renewed commitment to defend the national spirit, as expressed in the countrys motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity).

In doing so, Widodo and Kalla have tried to downplay the political disagreements that have marked their relationship.

The president is a supporter and ally of Jakartas former governor, Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian. The latter was embroiled in a court case, which ended in his controversial conviction and a two-year sentence.

The case was orchestrated by Islamist groups during last years gubernatorial election, and this was exploited by his main rival, Anies Baswedan, who was backed by Vice President Kalla,

This new nationalism, based on the defense of pluralism and unity, found momentum in the official ceremonies of the last few days.

Spontaneous protests in support of Jakartas former governor had reawakened a sense of unity among Indonesia moderates.

Widodos "political-cultural approach" has created optimism among Indonesians and given the impression that nationalism is now blossoming in all levels of society.

Yesterday, during the flag-raising ceremony at the State Palace, the three still living former presidents  BJ Habibie, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Megawati Sukarnoputri  followed Widodo's lead and wore traditional clothes of their place of origin (picture 2).

As traditional promoters of the national unity, Indonesian Catholics distinguished themselves by joining in Independence Day celebrations.

At the Jesuit novitiate of Girisonta in Ungaran (Central Java), a flag-raising ceremony took place in front of the St Stanislaus College complex (picture 3).

Local priests, novices, and Abdi Kristus nuns as well as other religious leaders took part in the celebrations.
The Students Islamic Organisation of India is behind the initiative. Over two weeks, young people will promote respect for life throughout the country. This comes after a series of violent actions against Dalit and Muslims. Symposia, seminars and public lectures are on the agenda. The campaign is meant to glorify the very tenets of humankind.

Kolkata (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A Muslim student organisation has launched a national campaign to defend human dignity in India.

The Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) presented its initiative in Kolkata, West Bengal, on Wednesday. Over a two-week period, young people will promote of respect for human life across the country.

The initiative follows a number of violent episodes lynching, attacks and discriminatory acts  against Dalits and Muslims, which have threatened human life.

Living with dignity is a God-gifted fundamental right of mankind, said Abdul Hamid, SIOs public relations secretary.

Titled Rejecting Victimhood | Reclaiming Dignity | Up Against Hate, the campaign was presented at the Kolkata Press Club.

Organisers noted that the campaign is an attempt to thwart the Hindutva-stained nationalistic patriotism that the present BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led central government along with RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) are trying to formulate.

For the SIO, the latest discriminatory policies against minorities, such as the Union-wide beef ban, have led to cow vigilantism and the killing of many innocent people.

As far as the present social, political scenario of India is concerned, the rights of oppressed communities are being severely violated, Hamid said. All unprivileged communities, Muslims, Dalits alike, are going through a very grave situation.

For this reason, students have decided to speak out organising symposia, seminars and public lectures in numerous cities and villages across the country. They plan to fight for everyone's life.

The campaign aims at glorifying the very tenets of humankind, including living with the dignity that is now being deprived by the politicisation of human ethos in a false consciously fabricated nationalistic patriotism, masterminded by the Hindutva ideology of the BJP-RSS.
The authorities have agreed to remove guards from the house where he has been detained under house arrest since 2011. Kharroubi called for a public trial. His son: "Officials have promised they will take action on it."

Tehran (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Kharroubi halted his hunger strike yesterday, after the authorities' promise to remove the guards from the home where he has been detained under house arrest since 2011. His son, Mohammad Taghi Kharroubi, tweeted the announcement yesterday.

The 79-year-old Iranian reformist was admitted to hospital after having begun a hunger strike. In addition to the removal of security guards and security cameras, Kharroubi demanded that he he be given a public trial. His son tweeted that "the officials have promised they will take measures regarding my father's request for a public hearing."

Kharroubi has been held in his home since February 2011, along with political opponents Hossein Mousavi and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard. The three had challenged the outcome of the 2009 presidential election victory by Ahmadinejad, accused the government of human rights abuses, and supported the peaceful demonstrations of the Green Wave, which were violently put down.. For many years, many Iranian reformers have demanded the release of the three political prisoners promised by Rouhani during the 2013 election campaign.
The killings are the epitome of the aggressive campaign of the present government against illegal drugs, Fr Gariguez said. The President is determined to push for his violent and barbaric method in waging the war on drugs. He cannot be swayed, even by the moral admonitions of the Church which he admittedly despises.

Manila (AsiaNews) - From the outset, President Duterte's strategy was to exterminate the suspects before they are brought to a court of law, said Fr Edwin A. Gariguez (picture 2), executive secretary of the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) and Caritas Philippines, the charity arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

AsiaNews interviewed the clergyman about on the recent intensification of operations by the Philippines National Police. Last Tuesday, security forces killed 32 people suspected of involvement in drug-related crimes and arrested another 109 during a raid in Bulacan (40 kilometres north of Manila).

The next day, another 26 people were killed in separate operations in the capital. The PNP admitted that the Bulacan operations was one of the deadliest. President Duterte praised the result, saying that the killings were good for the country.

Still, his war on drugs is becoming more and more controversial. Since it started in July of last year, thousands of extrajudicial killings have taken place. Some senators, including JV Ejercito, a well-known ally of administration, is now strongly concerned by the alarming rise in killings.

For her part, Vice President Maria Leonor Robedo is outraged. "Killings like these show that there are people who have put the law into their own hands. They thwart constitutional processes which ensure that everyone gets justice.

The full interview with Fr Edwin A. Gariguez follows.

What do you think of anti-drug operations like the one that took place in Bulacan?

The killings of suspected drug users and pushers in Bulacan is an epitome of the aggressive campaign of the present government against illegal drugs, under the leadership of President Duterte. The strategy is to exterminate the suspects before they are brought to a court of law. This case of killing of 32 suspects in separate operations in just one day is gruesome and utterly condemnable. The impunity of how the numerous killings can be committed or condoned by the police force is truly alarming.

Mr. Duterte said: "The ones who died in Bulacan, 32, in a massive raid, that is good. We could just kill another 32 everyday, then maybe we could reduce what ails this country". What do you think of the President's comments about the killings?

President Duterte in his statement is implicitly encouraging the execution of drug users/pushers. This has been clearly his preferred strategy from the very start, which he has publicly pronounced over and over. The Church has several times condemned this and taken position against extrajudicial killings. But the President is determined to push for his violent and barbaric method in waging the war on drugs. He cannot be swayed, even by the moral admonitions of the Church which he admittedly despises.

In your opinion, is the presidential war on drugs working?

We all agree that the problem of illegal drugs should be addressed decisively by the government authorities. But not to the point of killing the culprits and suspected drug addicts. We have our moral principle that the end cannot justify the means. There have been several studies that show that this kind of method does not work. In a Christian country, the massacre of the so-called criminals should be deplored and strongly denounced.

Could you tell us about your diocese's activities and programmes for the poor and addicts?

The Church in several dioceses had been actively involved in providing assistance for the rehabilitation of drug users through counselling and comprehensive programmes for healing process in many of the centres established by the dioceses. We collaborate also with other CSOs (civil society organisations) to document cases of extrajudicial killings and cases of human rights violations committed in the pursuit of the war on drugs.
Papal telegram is sent to the archbishop of Barcelona. Victims come from 20 countries, including some in Asia: China, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Putin and Xi Jinping call for greater unity and coordination to fight terrorism. Arab countries express their closeness.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis offered his prayers for the victims of the Barcelona attack and expressed his closeness to all the Spaniards affected by yesterday afternoons violent terrorist attack. The latter was claimed by the Islamic State group. Overnight, another attack was foiled in Cambrils (Tarragona).

In a telegram sent today to Card Juan Jose Omella y Omella, archbishop of Barcelona, signed by Card Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Holy Father expressed "his deepest condolence to the victims who lost their lives in such an inhuman action and offers prayers for their eternal rest. In this moment of sadness and pain, he wishes to send his support and closeness to the many wounded, to their families and to entire Catalan and Spanish society."

"The Holy Father once again condemns blind violence, which is a grave offense against the Creator and raises his prayers to the Most High that he may help us to continue working with determination for peace and harmony in the world. With these wishes, His Holiness imparted his Apostolic Blessing on all the victims, their families and the dear Spanish people".

Like in Nice, Paris, London, Berlin, Stockholm, and other European cities with an international and tourist vocation, in Barcelona too, the victims and wounded come from different countries, 20 according to the Catalan government. The list by Spains Civil Protection agency includes France, Germany, Italy, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria, Belgium, Pakistan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan ...

Spain has decreed three days of national mourning, and this morning, thousands of people gathered in Barcelona in the presence of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and King Philip IV to remember the dead and bear witness to their decision to fight terrorism and defeat fear.

Meanwhile, expressions of condolence and sharing have poured in from around the world. In addition to the messages of Western leaders, and the mayors of London and Paris, cities that have also been affected by terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote to the Spanish king calling on the world to unite in an uncompromising battle against the forces of terror. We decisively condemn this cruel and cynical crime against civilians.

In a message to King Philip IV, Chinese President Xi Jinping said he is shocked to learn of the high number of casualties. On behalf of the people of China and in his own name, Xi said he mourned the dead. "China, he added, is firmly opposed to all forms of terrorism and stands ready to work with the international community, including Spain, to strengthen anti-terror cooperation so as to jointly safeguard regional and world peace and stability".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel firmly condemns the terrorist attack in Barcelona, noting that This evening we have seen once again that terrorism strikes everywhere. The civilised world must unite to defeat it.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey strongly condemned the heinous terrorist attack.

The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack, reiterating its rejection of any form of violence and terrorism that strikes at anyone regardless of race or religion.

Expressions of closeness to the Spanish people also came from Bahrain, which extended its condolences to all affected families, wishing a speedy recovery for the wounded.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry expressed solidarity to the Spanish government and people against terrorism, stressing that such attacks will not bend the will of governments and peoples to fight terrorism.

Lastly, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres added his voice of condemnation, extending his condolences to the families of those killed.

His spokesman, Farhan Haq, said in a statement that the secretary-general wishes a speedy recovery to those injured and hopes that those responsible for this heinous violence will be swiftly brought to justice.

The statement went on to stay that The United Nations stands in solidarity with the Government of Spain in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
Last year the court sentenced Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow to community service, but the decision was deemed too lenient for the Hong Kong government. A prison sentence of more than three months bars people from taking part in elections for five years. For human rights activists, the court decision was politically motivated in order to silence the three and deter further protests.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A Hong Kong court sentenced pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong to six months in prison for "unlawful assembly" along with Nathan Law and Alex Chow who were sentenced to eight and seven months respectively.

Human rights groups slammed the court decision because it stems from the intervention of the Hong Kong government in the case. Last year the court had sentenced the three activists to community service, but the government appealed the sentence, arguing it was too lenient.

Joshua Wong Chi-fung, head of the Scholarism activist group, was arrested for crossing the barrier put up around the Hong Kong government building on 26 September 2014.

His action and that of other hundreds of students triggered a series of sit-ins in the citys central area known as the Occupy Central or umbrellas movement. Protesters used umbrellas against police water cannons.

Activists demanded Beijing allow direct election for the citys chief executive, who is currently picked by a committee of 1,200 mostly pro-Beijing people.

As a result of the court decision, Wong, Law and Chow will be effectively prevented from standing in upcoming elections. Anyone jailed for more than three months is disqualified from contesting local elections in Hong Kong for the following five years.

Mr Law was elected to Hong Kong's legislature last year, but was disqualified last month when the city's high court ruled that he had improperly taken his oath.

Human rights activists have criticised the Hong Kong government, saying its appeals were politically motivated in order to deter future protests and keep young people out of elected politics.

Wong's mother, Grace Ng Chau-mei said the city had become depraved. In a letter, she expressed her outrage at Hong Kongs Justice Department. She encouraged her son to follow the truth, and you can be courageous.

For its part, the Hong Kong government has defended its position. Justice Secretary Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung insisted today that there was no political motive involved in his departments request for stiffer sentences for three prominent student leaders.
A United Nations draft report documents an indictment against Riyadh. The attacks of the Arab coalition in 2016 killed 683 children on a total of 1340. Damage to schools and hospitals caused by Saudi raids (38 out of 52). Cholera emergency continues: cases exceed half a million.

Sana'a (AsiaNews) - The Saudi Arabian coalition is responsible for over half of the children who were killed or wounded last year in the context of the Yemen conflict. This is what UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has stated outlining a report recently drafted by a UN group of experts.

The document, released yesterday to the Associated Press (AP), points out that for a total of 1340 child victims of the conflict recorded in 2016 in Yemen, at least 683 (51%) are the result of bombing raids carried out by Riyadh jets. In addition, at least three-quarters of the attacks on schools and hospitals - 38 out of 52 - are the work of the Arab coalition.

The draft of the UN report on children and armed conflicts recalls studies already published in the past by the United Nations. Last year, a report critical Riyadh was canceled by then Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, following a Saudi threat to cancel funding for UN-sponsored programs.

According to the Foreign Policy magazine, the new UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virigina Gamba intends to include Saudi Arabia's coalition active in Yemen on the list of countries that kill or hurt children. Today Gutierres is scheduled to meet Gamba and discuss the report that accuses Saudis. However, the final (and official) version is still being studied and will not be published before a month.

The Saudi mission to the UN rejects the accusations and speaks of a "positive exchange of information" with the United Nations regarding the activities of the coalition in Yemen.

Since January 2015, Yemen has been the scene of a bloody civil war opposing the countrys Sunni elites led by former President Hadi, backed by Riyadh, and Shia Houthi rebels, who are close to Iran. In March 2015, a Saudi-led Arab coalition began attacking the rebels, sparking criticism from the United Nations over heavy casualties, including many children.

To date, more than 8,000 people have died, more than 44,000 have been injured and 3 million displaced. Nearly 19 million people (out of 24 in total) are in need of varying degrees of humanitarian assistance. Of these, at least seven million are considered at the brink of famine. Among them, 2.3 million are "malnourished" children less than five years old.

Moreover, the worst cholera epidemic in the world is currently taking place in the Arab country, with a total number of cases that, according to sources of the World Health Organization, reached half a million. Since the end of April, the beginning of the crisis, the victims are at least 1975 and the number of daily infections is around 5,000. Precarious hygienic and sanitary conditions are accelerating the spread of the disease, with over 14 million people who do not have drinking water or sanitary services. Added to this is the collapse of the waste collection operations in the most important cities. (DS)
Why We Should Ban Cars In U.S. Cities

Trending News: The Solution To Preventing A Barcelona-Style Attack? Ban Cars

Long Story Short

A despicable terrorist attack in Barcelona got our writer thinking: should we ban cars from U.S. cities?

Long Story

Another day, another horrific terrorist attack. And yet again, the weapon is not a bomb. Its not a gun or a knife. Its a vehicle like the ones we drive every day. So why dont we ban cars from cities?

Seriously, hear me out.

In the 1960s, people used to be able to walk on a plane without being searched. You could be carrying anything in your pockets and have a good chance of getting on your flight. That is, until a Palestinian rebel group started hijacking airplanes and threatening to blow them up. That was the beginning of serious airport security checks.

A few decades later, the World Trade Center attacks in 2001 caused airports to be the infuriating hassle they are today.

But as annoying and over-the-top airport security is, only a couple of bombings have happened since 2010  a pretty damn successful record, considering there are tens of thousands of flights taking off and landing every single day.

Meanwhile, we have seen almost as many vehicular terrorist attacks as you have fingers on your hands, including two this week. There have been attacks in Germany, France, England, Sweden and now in Spain and Charlottesville, Virginia.



ISIS claims responsibility for Barcelona terror attack https://t.co/6G31zYrfsq pic.twitter.com/zVKWChpF4F  Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) August 17, 2017



And even if we put the uptick in terrorist attacks by vehicle aside, the number of deaths caused by plain old crashes every year threaten our lives each time we step out the door. Last year was the deadliest for car crashes since 2007, with as many as 40,200 people died in motor vehicle crashes, according to National Safety Council estimates.

Or if you rather, if the car itself doesnt kill you, the pollution will. According to a study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), pollution from road vehicles causes 53,000 Americans to die prematurely, shaving an average of 10 years off their lifespan.





And then theres the damage to our planet, which will literally sink us. Emissions spewed from transportation amounts to 27% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And while we dont know how much of that is directly from cars, keep in mind that driving an SUV or even a mid-size car from New York to L.A. is worse for the planet than flying there, according to writer Edward Humes, who made the anti-car argument in a piece for The Atlantic.

Why do you need a car in a city anyway? Parking is impossible, traffic is a nightmare, and youre bound to get at least a ding now and again costing you thousands of dollars. Need to move stuff around? Just drive one of those cool cargo bikes.





Without cars, biking would be less dangerous, cities could be more walkable and yes, youd probably even lose weight. Id wager that one of the reasons Europeans are thinner than North Americans is because they actually have to walk around (they may have cars in cities, but a heck of a lot less of them). There arent really any stats to back this up, but just go to a European city and tell me youre not walking more than in your average American city, perhaps excluding New York.

Of course there will be exceptions to a car-free American city. Emergency vehicles need access, elderly and disabled need a way around and perhaps we could even allow taxis or rideshare services. After all, Ubers ultimate goal is to separate you from your car. An even more tame approach would be to just force trucks, vans and SUVs out of city streets and restrict them to highways or rest stops.

This wont happen tomorrow, not in America anyhow. U.S. cities were built for cars and car commuting is as much a part of American life as coffee and greasy burgers. The whole infrastructure of cities would have to be overhauled, which just wont happen anytime soon, especially considering how obsessed Americans are with their cars. And yes, if terrorists can turn a van into a weapon, surely they can turn something else into one.

Dont get me wrong, Im not delusional enough to think that vehicular terrorist attacks will be the one reason to ban cars from cities. Im just saying this is a good time to discuss our relationship with cars, and a great time to start pushing them out of cities as much as we can. Our grandkids will thank us.

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One fact not highlighted enough about climate change is that global warming could ruin your sex life.
Hi,



We recently applied for my husbands partner Visa, it was done soon after we got married.



I have now gone and changed my name, I'm working through various documents but my license, medicare etc has all been updated.

I will also be doing my passport once I'm on maternity leave to make sure all my documents have my new name.



Obviously all the documentation I submitted was in my other name, should I just notify them now of the name change? Or am I best to wait until I have everything done.. We are also having a bub in October so they'll need to be notified of that as well.



I feel like its a fine line between keeping them informed and then re-uploading all the same documentation in my new name.



Thanks,



Caragh
A man who was driving under the influence of both drugs and alcohol when he led police on a chase and crashed, killing a passenger, has accept
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Oregon Coast Beach Fires Banned, Other Eclipse Closures, Traffic Restrictions

Published 08/17/2017 at 4:23 PM PDT - Updated 08/17/2017 at 4:43 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Oregon Coast) - Hot, dry conditions have caused some drastic measures around the state and on the beaches. This and the influx of eclipse watchers is causing a variety of traffic restrictions around the central Oregon coast as well as a rare ban on beach fires.

The big, bad news for beachgoers is that beach fires are banned along the entire Oregon coast, effective yesterday. This means open flames of any kind, including charcoal briquettes, tiki-style torches and candles.

This is in effect at least through the day of the eclipse, and likely afterwards, according to Oregon State Parks and Recreation spokesman Chris Havel.

Theres no way to know how long it will last, Havel said. As brief as we can make it. At least through the eclipse, then well check the weather and fire conditions daily and decide when to cancel it.

Only fuel sources that can be turned off instantly, such as propane stoves and propane fire pits, will be allowed.

The majority of state parks are already under such restrictions, with many in forest areas inland under far stricter rules. Oregon Coast Lodgings for this event - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

In Newport, the Yaquina Bay Bridge will be shut down to pedestrians starting early on Monday morning. This is for safety reasons, as traffic on that bridge will be especially dangerous because of the sheer numbers of vehicles.

Also, bus service to and from Newport and around that town will be halted for the day, according to Lincoln County officials. Transit Intercity Bus, Lincoln City Loop Bus, Coast to Valley Express Bus, Newport City Loop Bus and Dial-a-Ride will all be closed Monday August 21. Expect possible delays in service Saturday and Sunday before the eclipse and possibly Tuesday after the eclipse.

On all Lincoln County sands, sleeping on the beach is prohibited. Special volunteer forces will be out in Lincoln City patrolling the beach at night. Besides the various public health and legal issues, there are particularly high tides coming in that pose sizable dangers overnight.

Lincoln City will also have several traffic restrictions, according to visitor center spokesman Eric Johnson.

As far as traffic changes are concerned in Lincoln City, there will be no left turns permitted in the Oceanlake Distict along Highway 101, he said. Well also have flaggers at crosswalks in town to help with foot traffic. Also, the 15th Street beach ramp will be closed to vehicles.

No left turns will be allowed from the southbound lane at SE Inlet Ave. and eastbound to East Devil's Lake Road, as well as at NW 12th from 101.

No parking on the sides of the street on Highway 101 throughout that district as well from 8 p.m. on Sunday night to 2 p.m. on Monday. This is the district sometimes known as Midtown, stretching from NW 13th to NW 19th.

No pedestrian crossing of Highway 101 at NW 18th, 16th and 15th. More on the Oregon coast and these areas below. Keep an eye on Oregon Coast Traffic Conditions.

















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For years, Thompson Springs guitarist and vocalist Matt Smith has been collecting bits and pieces of lyrics and songs for years, which he at last decided to put to good use.

The folk-rock band's first EP, "Artifacts" brought the band onto the scene in 2016. Their newest EP, "Fond Regards," released Aug. 11, follows in the vein of their previous folk jams, with groovy tracks like "Sun and Gun." But this one is rounded out by softer songs like "Dandelion Queen," and the slow-burn ballad "Graffiti Rose."

Smith, a 25-year-old Chicago area native, said he hopes the variety keeps people's ears interested in the music.

We caught up with Smith in advance of the country-wide release tour for "Fond Regards," which will bring Thompson Springs to the Neches Brewing Company on Monday.

Thompson Springs When: 8 p.m. Monday

Where: Neches Brewing Company, 1108 Port Neches Ave., Port Neches

Cost: Free

Listen to music: thompsonsprings.com

Info: www.facebook.com/Nechesbrewingcompany See More Collapse

Q: Who is in the band?

A: Lately it's been the same group. I've had a solid group of guys. I've had my friend Jake Bicknase, who plays drums, and Andy Goitia plays bass - Andy was on the first and the new EP and Jake is on the new EP - they're my main guys, and they help with the songwriting, too. Whoever is interested in playing, if they want to play, they're welcome. Andy has another band called Coyote, so sometimes his time is split with that. Our drummer, Jake, has all sorts of other projects, but I've been playing with Jake for six years in different groups so, we get along.

Q: Who are the biggest influences, musically?

A: I started with blues music, but it's branched out from there. The stuff I've been listening to lately is more like Wilco, Nick Cave - stuff like that. There's a couple of really awesome new bands, like Mammoths - they're from Texas, actually - and this gal from Los Angeles named Weyes Blood.

Q: When did you get started in music?

A: I guess I started as a music collector first - just listening and being a fan. My dad would take me to Allman Brothers shows and we'd get all the CDs and stuff, but I got a guitar when I was 12 and started playing. I didn't really write songs for a long time, but I just started playing.

Q: What does the songwriting process look like?

A: It seems to not really have a process. Sometimes they are just fragments - I would say I seem to collect fragments - whether they're pieces of music, lyrics or just ideas - that's the initial inspiration. Later I sit down and organize them and see what fits together. That part's not as creative. It seems like the initial part is creative - collecting them and coming up with the idea - but putting it all together seems more of an organizational task. Oftentimes it starts with the music, and I have a backlog of lyrics, and I kind of see what fits. It's pretty random.

Q: Where do you draw inspiration for your music?

A: Oh, man - it seems that it's mostly personal experiences. Especially lately it's been the concept of growing up. When you're young you think everything is going to go smooth and perfect, and there's more to deal with as you get older - more internally - than you think. But I'd say there is no one specific place where inspiration comes from.

Q: How has the reaction been to your music?

A: It's been good. We were in Appleton, Wisconsin, playing the "Mile of Music" festival and we only had two slots to play, but a band didn't show up so we asked to play there on the spot and they let us play. We had a great response, but we haven't played a ton of shows yet, so that's to be determined. It's fun for us - that's for sure.

Q: What can people expect from the show?

A: We've got some shredding going on, but we've also got some more heartfelt love songs. There's a wide variety. Hopefully it makes the show not boring. Some bands, every song sounds the same. It seems like we've naturally had different songs. I don't know if it's good or bad.

Q: What has the band been up to recently?

A: We haven't really done many shows in the last two months because we've been recording the EP and finishing that up. Actually, most of the vocals were recorded in Sydney, Australia, with my friend Maia Marsh - she makes great music and deserves a shout-out. We had a couple of cool opening shows in Chicago, opening for this guy named Entrance from Los Angeles - a pretty inspirational dude.

Q: What should people notice on the new EP that's changed from your last one?

A: I'd say the lyrics. I'm hoping that it's a more honest EP, and more direct with the lyrics. It's always hard to put yourself - to be true with yourself and say things that other people may hear - to put yourself out on a limb. I hope that the honesty makes it more appealing and more relatable.

Haley Bruyn is a freelance writer.
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The Pinehurst Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating two people possibly involved with several check forgeries in Jefferson and Orange counties.

According to a release by the department, police are searching for a white male possibly named Anthony with multiple tattoos on his arms and hands and a white female named Christina Callaway or Christina Johnson.
JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- In a tweet seemingly responding to the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday, President Donald Trump referenced a factually inaccurate anecdote about combatting Muslim enemies that he often repeated on the campaign trail.

Thirteen people were killed when a van drove through a crowd of pedestrians on a busy street in Spain's second largest city Thursday. ISIS later claimed responsibility for the act that left 100 people injured as well.

"Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught," wrote Trump, less than four hours after the attack. "There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!"

Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

The president's post was apparently in reference to a legend about World War I-era Army Gen. John J. Pershing that he first told publicly during a campaign rally in Charleston, South Carolina, in February 2016. According to Trump, Pershing dipped the bullets used to execute Muslim terrorists in pig blood. The Quran prohibits the consumption of pork, which is considered to be "impure."

"They had a terrorism problem and there's a whole thing with swine and pigs and you know the story they don't like them ... and Gen. Pershing was a rough guy and he sits on his horse and he's very astute, like a ramrod. ... And he caught 50 terrorists that did tremendous damage and killed many people ... and he dipped 50 bullets in pig's blood," Trump explained.

"And he had his men load his rifles and he lined up the 50 people, and they shot 49 of those people," he continued. "And the 50th person he said, 'You go back to your people and you tell them what happened.' And for 25 years there wasn't a problem, OK? Twenty-five years there wasn't a problem!"

At the time the story was told, Politifact, an organization that fact-checks the claims of politicians, evaluated Trump's tale and concluded it to be "ridiculous." Politifact cited eight historians who not only noted that the evidence for the blood-dipped bullet aspect of the story "is thin," but also that violence and unrest continued in the referenced region in the Philippines for years during and after U.S. involvement.

It is unclear why Trump's original claim of "25 years" without "a problem" increased to "35 years" in his tweet Thursday.

Snopes, an additional fact-checking outlet, similarly rated the story as false. In its analysis, Snopes writes of a 1927 Chicago Daily Tribune story noting Pershing "sprinkled some prisoners with pig's blood," which was ultimately "more powerful than bullets" as a warning before releasing the prisoners, as well of a separate account that "attributed the deed to someone other than Pershing."

At a press conference from Trump Tower in New York Tuesday, the president outlined his stance on adhering to factual information in response to a question about his hesitancy to condemn hate groups following violent protests last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"It takes a little while to get the facts. You still dont know the facts. And it's a very, very important process to me," said Trump, continuing, "So I dont want to go quickly and just make a statement for the sake of making a political statement. I want to know the facts."

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
A Houston Police Department officer just suspended with pay after being charged with driving while intoxicated was previously in trouble for posting provocative photos of herself online.

HPD told Chron.com that Stacey Suro, 47, is indeed the same officer who uploaded nearly 100 photos, some of them nude, to ModelMayhem.com in the fall of 2012. Model Mayhem is a portfolio website for professional and aspiring models.
Practices have a variety of options when it comes to coding. Diagnostic Imaging published an article highlighting the benefits of coding in-house versus outsourcing coding.

Here's what you should know:

1. Accountable Care Options CEO Richard Lucibella advises practices to base their decision on panel size and composition. He said practices should consider caseload, payer mix and pay-for-performance involvement before making a decision.

For example, Mr. Lucibella said single-specialty practices involved with fee-for-service reimbursement can stick with in-house coding if periodic training sessions are held.

2. However, if coding gets more intensive  like requiring functional status, cognitive ability and self-care reporting  external coding may be better.

3. American Academy of Family Physicians' Coding and Compliance Strategist Barbara Hays believes in-house coders improve communication and education in an office. Ms. Hays also believes an in-house coder has a better understanding of the practice than an outsourced coder.

The downside of an in-house coder is rooted in salary. A coder's average annual salary is $49,872. Mr. Lucibella also added employee benefits, service disruptions during vacations and sick days, turnover rates and space requirements to the potential drawbacks.

5. For a practice looking to create an in-house coding team, Ms. Hays suggests looking for individuals with certified professional coder titles. For family medicine, she suggests bringing in someone who is a certified biller.

6. Outsourcing coding also has its potential benefits and drawbacks.

When a practice outsources its coding, it can do so knowing the coding agency is usually more current on coding changes. External agencies also provide services during non-business hours and can offer part-time assistance when needed.

7. Ms. Hays recommends using an outside firm for short-term assignments, like when a practice is transitioning between employees.

8. Mr. Lucibella recommends asking an agency about its training and its turnover rates. He adds practices should find out who is assigned to their practice and ask the coder about their background information.

9. Ms. Hays also recommends asking for reference, when possible, to find out what other practices thought of the coder's work.

10. Ms. Hays said, "If you do choose to outsource, monitor the submitted codes. It might be beneficial to hire a consultant periodically to review charts to make sure claims are being coded and submitted compliantly."
Pittsburgh-based UPMC is planning to spend $900 million on capital projects in 2018, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

UPMC will partially finance the projects through a $750 million tax-exempt bond issue. Of this money, $400 million is budgeted for construction projects, including an already planned 90-bed hospital in South Fayette, Pa., which will receive $35 million from the bond issue.

The remaining funds from the bond issue will be used to pay off existing debts such as refunding $45 million in bonds held by Hanover (Pa.) Hospital and covering a $235 million bridge loan to Harrisburg, Pa.-based PinnacleHealth System. UPMC recently reached a definitive agreement to acquire PinnacleHealth System, a seven-hospital system, which includes four hospitals recently acquired from Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems.

UPMC is currently in its biggest expansion phase since forming in 1990, according to the report.
The American Cancer Society announced Thursday it will no longer hold its 2018 fundraising gala at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., according to The Washington Post.

The ACS has held fundraising events at Mar-a-Lago since at least 2009, but will pull out of the venue for future galas. The change comes amid public outrage following Mr. Trump's response to the white supremacist protests in Charlottesville, Va.

"Our values and commitment to diversity are critical as we work to address the impact of cancer in every community," the ACS said in a statement. "It has become increasingly clear that the challenge to those values is outweighing other business considerations."

The Cleveland Clinic also announced that it will no longer be holding fundraising events at Mar-a-Lago.

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Atlanta-based Northside Hospital and Lawrenceville, Ga.-based Gwinnett Health System submitted their merger proposal to the State of Georgia Office of the Attorney General for review Aug. 17.

If approved, the combined five-hospital system could be operational in early 2018. It is unclear when the state attorney general's office will issue a verdict on the proposed merger.

The merged entity would comprise 1,479 beds across its five hospitals and various outpatient facilities and cancer care centers, nearly 21,000 employees and 3,500 physicians.
Blockchain is a public ledger of cryptocurrency transactions with the potential to revolutionize data management and exchange in the healthcare industry.

Blockchain is already a powerful tool in the financial sector because the ledger cannot be altered or accessed without permission. These principles make blockchain uniquely suited to host healthcare transactions and patient information. Several blockchain companies on this list allow patients to manage their health data, granting access to their clinicians, family members or researchers; others focus on healthcare supply chain management and financial transactions.

To add your company to this list, contact Jess Cole at jcole@beckershealthcare.com and Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com.

Accenture (Dublin, Ireland). Accenture is a global professional services company that includes strategy, consulting, digital technology and operations services. Accenture partnered with Microsoft and Avanade to develop an identity prototype based on blockchain technology that could provide a digital identity for 1.1 billion people who don't have a formal ID. Creating a formal ID for individuals such as refugees can become critical as they seek education and healthcare services.

Astri (Hong Kong, China). The Chinese government formed Astri, formally known as the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, in 2000 to enhance the country's competitiveness in the technology industry through applied research. Astri developed a health technology platform that aims to drive disruption in the traditional healthcare field with preventative health monitoring, medical computing and diagnostics.

Blockchain Health (San Francisco). Blockchain Health is a software company that provides healthcare organizations with HIPAA-compliant blockchain solutions. Users can share health data with researchers using the integrated platform, which creates a tamperproof chain of information custody.

BLOCK M.D. (Thailand). BLOCK M.D. is health information exchange and EHR on our enterprise-grade, permissioned-based blockchain platform. This platform enables secure, high-data-integrity interoperability across hospitals, health tech startups, labs, insurances, regulators and, definitely, patients through well-defined API and data standard. The company is partnering with Thai government for trial in 2018.

Blockpharma (Paris, France). Blockpharma is a French start-up focused on solutions to trace drug sales online. Blockpharma developed an application programming interface that can plug into pharmaceutical companies' information systems, so when the companies release product information and QR codes, the blockchain records subsequent transactions.

Bloq (Chicago). Bloq produces enterprise grade blockchain technologies to organizations across industries. The company's bloqEnterprise software solution allows users to create, test, update and customize permissioned blockchains; bloqThink provides the strategic architecting, design, development and education for bloqEnterprise; and bloqLabs provides space for blockchain research and testing.

Bowhead Health ICO (Singapore). The Bowhead platform comprises of the Bowhead device which monitors a customers biometric data to dispense personalized supplements and medicine. The patent pending Anonymized Health Token allows customers and Bowhead token holders to be compensated for the leasing of medical data, and patients have full control of this by means of smart contracts. We believe patient data is some of the most valuable data in the world. The first health survey game is due during the third quarter of 2017 and Bowhead hardware device trial for 200 people due in the second quarter of 2018.

Brontech (Sydney, Australia). Brontech uses blockchain powered by Ethereum, a decentralized platform for applications, to create a decentralized infrastructure for data wallets. The company distributes data storage and ensures integrity while also rewarding users with a native digital currency managed on the blockchain. Users contribute data in exchange for the company's digital currency, cash or offers from business partners.

BurstIQ (Denver, Colo.). Founded in 2015, burstIQ's platform leverages blockchain and machine intelligence to bring together disparate data sources into a unified, HIPAA-compliant data repository. The platform is fully operational with multiple business customers; in 2016, the platform processed 25 billion data points. BurstIQ's HealthWallet allows users to buy, sell, donate, license or loan data; the LifeGraph platform brings together an individual's health data in one place and allows users to manage data through smart contracts. BurstChain is the company's big data blockchain platform for securely managing large, complex health data sets.

Chemonics (Washington, D.C.). Chemonics is an international development consulting firm spanning 70 countries and industries. In October 2016, Chemonics and BanQu partnered to establish the Blockchain for Development Solutions Lab to build, test and scale blockchain solutions that aim to reduce poverty and increase the effectiveness of social programs.

ConsenSys (New York City). ConsenSys is a venture production studio building decentralized applications and end-user tools for blockchain ecosystems, focused on Ethereum, a decentralized platform for applications.

Doc.Ai (Palo Alto, Calif.). Doc.AI's Robo-Genomics platform is a deep conversational agent designed to improve genetic data comprehension and provide decision support. The agent can converse on disease, traits, pharmacogenomics and family planning. Doc.Ai's founder Walter De Brouwer was one of three parties that executed the first life insurance contract on the public blockchain with bitcoin in January 2017.

Factom (Austin, Texas). Factom is a blockchain-as-a-service technology company that received $8 million in Series A funding in April 2017. In November 2016, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded Factom a grant to develop an infrastructure for medical records on the company's blockchain.

Gem Health (Venice, Calif.). Gem is an enterprise blockchain company. The GemOS enterprise platform for healthcare allows all stakeholders secure access to shareable data with the right permissions. The platform is in compliance with HIPAA, streamlining communication along the continuum of care. Gem entered into a partnership with Philips in 2016 to explore how blockchain can support the patient-centered approach to care.

Guardtime (Irvine, Calif.). Guardtime's platform is designed for data and systems security at the industrial level. The company partnered with the Estonian eHealth Foundation in February 2016 to accelerate the adoption of blockchain-based transparency and auditable lifecycle management for patient records. The partnership integrated KSI blockchain with existing Oracle databases for increased security, transparency, auditability and governance for electronic systems and patient records.

Hashed Health (Nashville, Tenn.). Hashed Health is a collaborative healthcare innovation firm dedicated to blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. The company forms work groups to develop networks focused on specific healthcare uses and provides services such as network product management, development, regulatory guidance and technology support. In July 2017, independent healthcare IT company Change Healthcare joined Hashed Health's consortium to help advance blockchain innovation and distributed transactional protocols in healthcare.

HealthCombix (Nashville, Tenn.). HealthCombix's platform is a token-based healthcare payment and risk management network enabling payments, data asset monetization and risk adjustment. The platform preserves digital privacy while allowing for interoperable data exchange, giving patients and providers control over the data. The company believes blockchain technology will allow consumers to control the brokerage of their data for research, precision health, clinical trials, payment and disease intervention.

Health Linkages (Mountain View, Calif.). Health Linkages' platform enables healthcare institutions to do better, more secure and more private data analyses in population health and precision medicine. Health Linkages collects and encrypts the data when it is created and keeps a complete history of the data and its linkages throughout the lifetime of the data point. This ensures the data is structured, intact and quickly available for analyses leading to minimal data curation and better results. Health Linkages is ideal for sharing data, allowing institutions to share data for analyses without revealing sensitive inputs to the other parties, but allowing all to share in the results.

Health Wizz (Falls Church, Va.). Health Wizz is a wellness application platform that acquired healthcare blockchain company kreateloT in January 2017. The combined company is working on Mercatus, a platform allowing individuals to build their own digital health portfolio and grant access to medical researchers, health data scientists, pharmaceutical companies and others in one marketplace to advance precision medicine. Mercatus would allow users to write smart contracts on Ethereum blockchain to trade health data for crypto-currency.

Hyperledger (San Francisco). The Hyperledger Healthcare Work Group identifies opportunities for open source software development projects to host on Hyperledger, an operating system for marketplaces, data sharing networks, micro-currencies and decentralized digital communities. In May 2017, Hyperledger hosted a Hyderabad Meetup to discuss the most beneficial blockchain applications in healthcare.

IBM Blockchain on Bluemix (North Castle, N.Y.). IBM Blockchain is the first managed service for Hyperledger Fabric, enabling the creation of blockchain business networks that owners can control and distribute across different organizations. In August 2016, IBM won the HHS Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology's blockchain health IT ideation challenge with a paper describing the potential impact blockchain could have on resolving interoperability, scalability and privacy challenges in healthcare.

Medicalchain (London, U.K.). Medicalchain uses blockchain technology to store health records securely so physicians, hospitals, laboratories, pharmacists and health insurers can request a patient's permission to access the record as well as record transactions on the distributed ledger. Medicalchain is set to launch in September 2017.

MedRec (Boston). Graduate student researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston developed MedRec, a system for managing medical records using the Ethereum, a decentralized platform for applications. MedRec is designed for patients to control their medical data, including clinical EHR records and data from personal health wearables like Fitbit. Patients can securely allow healthcare providers, researchers and family members to access their data. Medical researchers can also mine the data to sustain the blockchain authentication log and receive anonymous medical metadata in return.

Microsoft (Redmond, Wash.). In June, Microsoft partnered with Accenture to build a blockchain prototype for healthcare as well as other industries. The blockchain will create a digital identity for 1.1 billion people around the world who don't have a formal identity, including refugees. The current model builds on Accenture's blockchain and operates on Microsoft Azure's cloud platform.

Netki (Canoga Park, Calif.). Netki aims to support blockchain use with the Open Source, Open Standards tools for digital identity. The company removes risk and compliance barriers to blockchain projects. In May 2017, Netki launched a digital identity service to make blockchain safe for business, finance and healthcare applications. The Digital ID works across public and private blockchains to reduce risk associated with blockchain transactions.

Pantera (San Francisco). Pantera was founded in 2013 as a blockchain investment firm focused on advancing blockchain technologies.

Patientory (Atlanta). Patientory was founded in 2016 through the Boomtown Health-Tech Accelerator in Boulder, Colo. Patientory collaborates with Denver-based Colorado Permanente Medical Group, a member of Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente. Patientory allows users to create profiles on a mobile app to securely store, manage and share medical information. The solution is compatible with Epic, Cerner, Allscripts and Meditech, among other EHR systems.

PointNurse (Nashville, Tenn.). Founded in 2014, PointNurse is a virtual and on-demand care platform that allows nurses to lead consumer-focused care outside of the hospital and clinic setting. The platform is a blockchain-based digital community enabling licensed professionals to engage in secure and private conversations with patients in remote locations.

PokitDok (San Mateo, Calif.). PokitDok provides a free, secure software development platform for healthcare businesses. The company powers DokChain, a distributed network of transaction processors operating on financial and clinical data across the healthcare industry. As of March 2017, the company had raised $48 million to develop DokChain.

PwC (Arlington, Va.). PwC is a network of firms delivering assurance, advisory and tax services across industries. PwC offers DeNovo, a platform designed to deliver on-demand proprietary blockchain and cryptotechnology content as well as research and insights on the industry. The firm also offers value opportunity assessments, customized blockchain-based tests and expertise on implementing blockchain solutions.

ScalaMed (Sydney, Australia). ScalaMed believes in centering and empowering the consumer on their healthcare journey. ScalaMed is building a scalable, integrated and secure platform for managing healthcare transactions and data. ScalaMed is beginning its healthcare revolution through providing a decentralized application for patients, doctors and pharmacists to manage, prescribe and dispense prescription medicines.

Stratum (Dublin, Ireland). Stratum is a software security company that works with organizations to secure critical processes. The company's Proof of Process Technology allows for data traceability and transparency, and creates a common audit trail secured by blockchain and cryptography.

Tierion (Hartford, Conn.). Tierion's HashAPI allows developers to anchor up to 100 records per second on the blockchain for free, with time stamping and data security. Tierion was the first company to join Philips' Blockchain Lab to explore using blockchain in healthcare. The company has also partnered with Microsoft to build a service linking data to blockchain to prove the data's integrity and existence.

YouBase (Englewood, Colo.). YouBase combines blockchain compatible technologies to deliver a secure and flexible container for independent data. The company's solution allows individuals to maintain their data and identity across networks and share data as they chose. Youbase.io is designed to decentralize sensitive consumer and personal information while compiling a single source of anonymous data.
The following payers made headlines this week, beginning with the most recent.

1. Minuteman Health's proposed transition to for-profit payer fails

Minuteman Health, a Boston-based nonprofit health insurer, lacks funds to complete a proposed transition to a for-profit entity and sell insurance on 2018 ACA marketplaces.



2. Aetna, Anthem CEOs react to Charlottesville and Trump

Two of the health insurance industry's biggest names  Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini and Anthem CEO Joseph Swedish  condemned the white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Va., and President Donald Trump's following rhetoric.



3. Health insurance startup Oscar records $57.6M loss in first half of 2017

New York City-based health plan startup Oscar posted a $57.6 million loss in the first half of fiscal year 2017, narrowing its $83 million loss recorded in the same period a year prior.



4. BCBS of North Carolina CEO: Mission Health has '100% control over what happens next' in contract dispute

Brad Wilson, president and CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, wrote in a Citizen-Times column Asheville, N.C.-based Mission Health System has "100 percent control over what happens next" in an ongoing reimbursement rate clash.



5. David Wichmann named UnitedHealth's new CEO

David Wichmann, president of Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group, will become CEO of the company Sept. 1 after Stephen Hemsley leaves the position.



6. Summit Health signs Medicare agreement with Humana

Chambersburg, Pa.-based Summit Health and Humana in Louisville, Ky., contracted to allow Humana's Medicare customers in-network access to Summit Health's facilities and providers.



7. Centene subsidiary to fill Nevada counties lacking ACA exchange insurer

Las Vegas-based SilverSummit Healthplan, a subsidiary of St. Louis-based Centene, will offer its Ambetter ACA marketplace product in Nevada next year, filling all counties lacking an individual exchange product.



8. Anne Arundel Medical Center, CareFirst end contract spat

Annapolis, Md.-based Anne Arundel Medical Center and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield in Baltimore inked a three-year in-network contract Aug. 4.
Buffalo (N.Y.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center is notifying 526 patients of a potential infection risk associated with improperly sterilized endoscopes used at the facility, according to The Buffalo News.

Hospital officials learned of the sterilization shortfalls during a recent review of the facility's cleaning processes for endoscopes. They discovered a hospital employee may not have followed certain steps in the manufacturer's instructions for properly sterilizing the devices. The employee was "immediately relieved from the position," the hospital said Wednesday in a statement cited by The Buffalo News.

Buffalo VA Medical Center did not disclose how the issue was discovered, how many endoscopes were involved or what reprocessing steps were skipped. Hospital officials said risk of infection from the endoscopes is "very low" and that their actions to notify patients "does not mean veterans were infected," according to the statement.

The hospital will offer affected patients infection screenings at no cost.

The Food and Drug Administration in June published a list of reusable medical devices that hold the greatest risk of infection transmission if not appropriately reprocessed. The list included numerous types of endoscopes.

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Xiao Jianru, MD, and his team at the Second Military Medical University of Changzheng Hospital in China performed innovative spinal implant surgery using 3D printed titanium prosthetics, according to IFLScience.

Here are five things to know:

1. The patient was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma, affecting six cervical vertebrae. Physicians recommend against chemotherapy and radiology due to the cancer's severity.

2. Dr. Jianru spent three weeks building the artificial bones using titanium alloy and customized 3D printed technology. He also constructed a life-size model of the patient using a 3D printer to develop customized implants.

3. During the 13 hour procedure, Dr. Jianru and his team removed and replaced the six cancerous vertebrae.

4. This is not the first time Dr. Jianru has used 3D printing technology for surgical procedures. In 2016, he used 3D printed implants to replace a patient's cervical and thoracic vertebrae.

5. The patient is now able to stand and walk and through rehabilitation Dr. Jianru hopes the patient will regain movement in her neck.
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A Northern Ireland restaurant praised by a top food critic as utter joy has confirmed that its expanding into Belfast. The Bull & Ram in Ballynahinch, Co Down, is the brainchild of head chef and owner Kelan McMichael.

In March the Belfast Telegraph revealed the restaurant was to open its second operation in Belfast, which the restaurant has now confirmed on Twitter.

Speaking about the restaurant in a review, Observer food critic Jay Rayner said: This is food for cold nights and roaring fires; for sofa comas, and waking up with a jolt to something on the telly you dont want to watch and the sweet breathy memory of perfect grilled and glazed meats.
Titanic Belfast is one of Northern Irelands most popular tourist destinations

Titanic Belfast has announced plans to take on 45 extra staff members. The top tourist attraction is now on the lookout for hospitality staff in operational and front of house conference and banqueting roles.

Recruitment will begin at an open day next week.

Over the last five years Titanic Belfast has hosted more than 1,500 business and leisure events.

That included Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee lunch, the G8 Summit reception and The World Police & Fire Games International Conference.

It has served guests including the Queen, Titanic movie director James Cameron and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Lloyd Jackson, head of hospitality, said: "At Titanic Belfast we are preparing for a busy event season ahead and are adding staff to our experienced team."

A spokeswoman added: "We're going into our high season for events, casual, permanent and part-time work.

The roles will include conference and banqueting, events manager, administrative crew, waiting and bar staff, kitchen porters and conference porters, and food and beverage crew.

"No experience is required, just a passion to work in the hospitality sector."

The roles will be based across all areas of the hospitality department servicing the suites in Titanic Belfast, Bistro 401 and The Galley Cafe, as well as SS Nomadic.

In its latest set of accounts, Titanic Belfast Ltd posted a rise in pre-tax profits to 1.3m for the year ending March 2016. The company also saw its turnover increase, rising to 11.9m. That was up slightly from 11.7m a year earlier.

Meanwhile, the firm behind Titanic Quarter made a loss of 1.3m during 2016 as it pointed to "challenging" conditions in property development as well as impaired property values.

But Titanic Island Ltd has said it's well-equipped for the future after reaching two refinancing deals - including one with Irish businessman Dermot Desmond, making him 50% owner of Titanic Quarter. One of Mr Desmond's investment firms has pumped 28.7m into the business.

The accounts show that the firm had revenue of 10.5m during 2016, down slightly from 11m the year before. There was group operating profits of 2.6m, before an aggregate revaluation loss of 1.5m.
Knockninny Country House is currently being run as a four-star hotel with rooms costing 130 per night

A Co Fermanagh country house and marina set on the edge of the countys scenic lough have hit the market for a combined 1.54m. Available as six separate lots, luxury estate Knockninny Country House includes a Victorian style house, private marina, self catering holiday home, boat workshop, two boatyards and a building site.

Recently, the seven-bedroom house has been run as a luxury licensed four-star hotel, bar, restaurant and wedding venue which has been listed in the Georgina Campbell Guide since 2012.

Current owner Gail Clarke told the Belfast Telegraph: I first fell in love with this house in 2004 and spent two years renovating it and extending it.

This was the very first hotel on Lough Erne and was built by the porters of Belle Isle in the late 19th century. The hotel is very popular for romantic breaks and with visitors from the south.

Its lawns lead up to the Upper Lough Erne high water mark and several rooms in the house include views of the lough.

Lots also include a building site previously granted planning permission.

Its been suggested the site could have scope to become self-catering accommodation.

The business is currently operating seasonally, open from Easter until October, with rooms selling for more than 130 a night.

And a converted two-storey boathouse also up for sale, offers four rooms currently used for self-catering accommodation.

It also offers lake views and includes an outdoor storeroom as well as a private terrace, stone-built barbecue and a paved and gravelled car parking area to each side.

Other exciting lots include a boatyard and private slipway as well as a boat workshop and yard.

And the sixth lot includes a private marina with floating pontoons with berthage for around 40 boats.

Estate agent Walter McFarland said the property would be of interest to a wide range of buyers.

He said: Youll get many people who will be interested in the house for what it is, a magnificent country home as well as others who will want to continue to run it as a business. The business currently only operates seasonally so there is the opportunity to build on the business too.

The marina will appeal to those interested in boating as well as investors. It provides around 40 berths. Berths typically can fetch between 1,000 to 2,000 in rent a year.

The main lot is the house, its suitable for a number of uses and will either make a magnificent home for someone or a profitable business in an area popular with tourists.

This is a truly rare opportunity to purchase a beautiful, landmark lakeside property which you may have admired many times from a passing boat or while enjoying a meal or drink there.

The property is ideally located on the Erne system for the approach to Shannon-Erne waterway and just off the main Enniskillen-Dublin Road.
Learndirect had tried to block publication of the Ofsted report

The UK's largest adult training and apprenticeships provider has been rated "inadequate" by the education watchdog.

Ofsted said Learndirect Limited was delivering inadequate apprenticeships and outcomes for learners, while the quality of teaching, assessment, personal development and adult learning programmes all required improvement.

The company, which is owned by private equity firm Lloyds Development Capital (LDC) - an arm of Lloyds Bank, said the report was not an "accurate reflection" of its performance.

The damning report was published on Thursday after a failed bid to block it in the High Court and the Government said on Wednesday that learndirect's contract with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (Esfa) will be wound up by July next year.

It is understood the company, which employs 1,645 people and was responsible for around 79,500 learners over the last year, has not taken on any new apprentices since May and will no longer deliver apprenticeships.

Ofsted, which said it stands by its methods, said inspectors found the management of nearly 23,000 apprentices on learndirect's programmes was "ineffective", with a third not receiving the off-the-job learning allowing them to progress their careers.

The report said: "The proportion of apprentices who complete their programmes successfully and the proportion who achieve within their planned timescale have declined over the past three years and are very low."

Six out of 10 apprentices in 2015/16 did not achieve an apprenticeship within their planned timescale and 70% of apprentices in that year fell below minimum standards, inspectors said.

The report acknowledged that the actions of a new management team had begun to have an impact on tackling the weaknesses, while tutors were said to provide good support for adult learners.

Inspectors also highlighted that, while the business was split in two in 2016 and apprenticeship provision carved off into a separate firm called Learndirect Apprenticeships Ltd, the transfer of contracts had not taken place as the time of the inspection in March this year.

A spokesman for learndirect said the company had been subject to cuts in Government funding but was "financially stable".

The Government previously confirmed it has given learndirect contracts worth 158 million for the year to July 2017.

The spokesman said: "Like all providers in the sector, we've had to manage a reduction in central government funding. For Learndirect Limited this totals a 50% reduction in our adult skills funding over the last five years. These funding reductions were made at short notice and required significant changes to the business for it to remain viable.

"Our new senior management team, with the support of our stakeholders, has moved quickly to ensure the business responds to the challenges this poses.

"We maintain that the process behind Ofsted's report did not provide an accurate reflection of the current quality of Learndirect Limited's training and performance due to the unrepresentative sample size and the use of legacy data.

"The report applies solely to provision within Learndirect Limited where the funding has come via the Esfa.

"The whole team works incredibly hard to help learners progress in their careers and we remain focused on continuously improving our services and outcomes for learners."

The report did not relate to Learndirect Apprenticeships Ltd, which has around 3,000 apprentices enrolled as part of the Government's apprenticeship levy, or any of the programmes the company provides for the Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office or other official bodies, the spokesman added.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said the inspection raised "serous questions" about training provision and was an example of the "damage" caused by privatisation and funding cuts.

She said: "This is why ministers should take direct control now, to make sure the service is protected and restored to its previous high standards.

"It's time for a different approach, which is why Labour would invest in genuinely high-quality technical and adult education, with free lifelong learning for all, so that people can re-skill and re-train throughout their lives."
A green energy giant behind several large Northern Ireland wind farms has had a 7m (6.4m) solar project planned for a 154-acre site in Dublin rejected by the council.

The authority said it would set an unwanted precedent and would materially contravene a zoning objective to preserve the rural landscape. The project is the latest from a number of solar energy firms to fall foul of local authorities around the Republic.

The planned Mainscourt scheme by Gaelectric would have cost 6.8m (6.2m) to develop and nine months to build.

The renewable energy firm told Fingal County Council that the project would have generated up to 10MW of electricity, sufficient to power about 5,300 homes a year.

But despite extensive engagement with the local council and residents, Gaelectric's plans have been rejected.

"Due to its scale, and notwithstanding the mitigation measures proposed, the proposal would alter significantly the prevailing land use in the area, which is agriculture, and would represent an incongruous and dominant feature on the rural landscape," Fingal County Council said.

Gaelectric's chief executive is Eamonn McGrath.

The company is involved in a number of renewable energy projects throughout the island of Ireland.

Just last month Gaelectric opened two wind farms in Co Tyrone, built at a cost of 41m (45m).
The Utila iguanas can now be seen in Belfast Zoo's new reptile and amphibian house.

The Utila iguana is named after its tropical island home of Utila which is located in the Caribbean.

Belfast Zoo is celebrating another conservation success as three Utila iguanas hatched on 6 July 2017.

The babies only measure about 15 centimetres at the moment but when fully grown these reptiles will measure up to 60 centimetres.

The future of the Utila iguana is hanging in the balance.

Belfast Zoo is celebrating the arrival of three critically endangered Utila iguanas.

The new additions hatched last month and visitors can now see them at the site's reptile and amphibian house.

Belfast Zoo received the iguana eggs from Cotswold Wildlife Park which were then kept in a temperature-controlled incubator for three months until they hatched.

The new babies only measure about 15 centimetres at the moment but, when fully grown, these reptiles will measure up to 60 centimetres.

Belfast Zoo Senior Keeper, Allan Galway, said: In April, we opened Belfast Zoos newly renovated reptile and amphibian house which became home to 15 new species, showing our continued commitment to both the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria regional collection plans for reptiles and the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria world conservation strategy.

Expand Close The babies only measure about 15 centimetres at the moment but when fully grown these reptiles will measure up to 60 centimetres. / Facebook

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Whatsapp The babies only measure about 15 centimetres at the moment but when fully grown these reptiles will measure up to 60 centimetres.

"As part of the development of this house, we installed a nursery, to be utilised as the animals breed and the population of the house grows."

The Utila iguana is named after its tropical island home of Utila, which is located in the Caribbean.

Utila iguanas are unique because they are the only type of spiny-tailed iguana to live in mangrove swamps.

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The female cannot lay her eggs in the swamp and she therefore moves to nearby beaches, lays the eggs and buries them in the sand for the sun to incubate them.

Allan continued: "The future of this iguana is currently hanging in the balance as they are under threat from habitat destruction, an increase in tourism and the impact of invasive plants and animals that have been introduced to the island.

"It is estimated that there could be fewer than 5000 left in the wild with populations continuing to decrease. It is therefore vital that zoos play an active role, by working together collaboratively through the breeding programme, to ensure the long-term survival of the Utila iguana should this worrying trend continue in the wild.

Belfast Zoos new reptile and amphibian house is home to 15 new species including the critically endangered golden mantella, mossy frogs, lemur leaf frogs, venomous Mexican beaded lizards, Jamaican boas and yellow-headed day geckos.
Lily of Lily's Driftwood Bay and Tiny & Small from the Clangers helped Lord Mayor Brian Kingston switch-on the Christmas Lights in Belfast. Picture By: Arthur Allison.

Belfast City Hall is planning to wish you Merry Christmas in three different languages - English, Irish and Ulster Scots in December.

It's been revealed that Belfast will light up with multilingual signage in a move secured by the Alliance party.

It will see signs on the front of Belfast City Hall in English, Irish and Ulster Scots over the festive period.

Councillor Michael Long called it a "positive approach" in the wake of rows at City Hall around bonfires in Northern Ireland.

Mr Long said the proposals received unanimous backing at Friday's Strategic, Policy and Resources Committee meeting.

The Alliance group leader on Belfast City Council said: "After a few months of negative publicity at City Hall, I am pleased that the Christmas spirit seems to be alive and well early as all parties have agreed to an Alliance compromise on Christmas lights which will see signage in English, Irish and Ulster Scots on the front facade of City Hall.

"This will update the current situation which had English on the front and a sign in Irish on the side, which is now in need of replacement.

"I am delighted that we could reach agreement on this language issue, which has so often in the past resulted in division. I would therefore like to be the first to wish you a Happy Christmas, Shona Nollaig and Blythe Yuletide."

The new sign is expected to cost about 12,000.
Curlew chicks have fledged at a Co Antrim farm for the first time in 20 years.

Last year a pair of curlews attempted to breed at Greenmount Hill Farm in Glenwherry for the first time since 2005 - only to fail to hatch any young.

But this summer RSPB NI's conservation adviser Neal Warnock was delighted to see that two pairs arrived back at the farm and he can confirm that one of the pairs has successfully fledged three young.

It is believed these are the first curlews to fledge from the site since the 1990s.

The happy news is a real boost considering that over the past two decades curlew numbers across the UK have almost halved.

In Northern Ireland more than 80% of the curlew population has been lost since 1987.

Mr Warnock said: "When news broke that one of the pairs had hatched three young, their progress became the talk of the community. It was a very long six-week wait watching them grow until they finally stretched their wings and departed.

"Curlews only rarely fledge three young, so this was terrific news for all involved in the project and should help see them become established on the farm."

The Glens of Antrim and Co Fermanagh are the last remaining hotspots for curlews in Northern Ireland. In the wider Glenwherry area, there are approximately 45 breeding pairs recorded annually.

The area is also home to lapwings and snipe.

Since 2009, RSPB NI, the College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) and others have been working together to improve the natural environment in Glenwherry.

Graeme Campbell, CAFRE's GHRP project , added: "We are delighted with this year's curlew success and that the work to attract breeding waders over the last six years has also resulted in increasing numbers of snipe breeding on the farm."
Brave Dundonald mum Aundrea Bannatyne will be laid to rest at a celebration of her life next Monday, where guests have been asked to wear purple to symbolise her fight against pancreatic cancer.

Former Thomas Cook manager Aundrea passed away at the Marie Curie Hospice on Wednesday after a high-profile cancer struggle.

The mum-of-two's death was announced on the Aundrea's Army Facebook page, where the 43-year-old had documented her battle with the disease.

Her close friend Martin MacLaren said Aundrea had carefully planned her funeral.

"It was Aundrea's wish that everyone wear something purple, but only if they have it - a scarf, tie or just a tissue due to the symbolism of pancreatic cancer awareness," he said.

"I would like to think that she will be looking down on the day and will see people dressed in purple. We have been inundated with people asking about the funeral arrangements, and we are expecting hundreds of people to attend.

"Her family are happy for anyone to attend to celebrate her life - it will all be about Aundrea."

The service will begin at 1pm at the East Belfast Mission followed by burial at Roselawn Cemetery.
A queue outside Lush in Belfast yesterday ahead of the delivery of a new cream to help sleep

It was only supposed to be a seasonal offering.

But a new 'miracle' cream has taken the high street by storm - and left retailers struggling to keep shelves stocked.

Priced at just under 8 a pot for 95g, or 13.95 for 215g, 'Sleepy' is so popular that people started queuing outside Lush in Belfast city centre yesterday morning ahead of a new delivery.

Fiona McDonnell, supervisor at the Castle Lane store, told the Belfast Telegraph how all 160 pots had been snapped up within two hours of the shop opening.

"We were completely sold out by 11am," she said.

"We noticed a queue starting to form about half an hour before we were due to open up.

"We weren't surprised because there has been a lot of interest in the product and we've had so many calls from people asking when we're getting it in."

The Sleepy body lotion was first introduced to consumers last Christmas as a limited edition holiday exclusive, but it has since been made permanent.

And demand is so high that stores across the UK are having difficulty meeting it, particularly as many insomniacs are swearing that it beats sleeping tablets hands down.

"We ran out two days ago and we've had to wait until now to replenish our stock," Fiona said.

"A lot of other UK shops have been having the same problem."

She added that she's already placed another order for Sleepy, which is made in a factory in Poole, in Dorset, England, but must now play the waiting game when it comes to delivery.

On its website, Lush advises would-be buyers that: "You'll sleep well after dipping into this dreamy lotion, made with a gentle oatmeal infusion, calming lavender flower and comfortingly sweet tonka absolute".

It adds: "A rich, malty and floral perfume conjures up visions of sugar plums and hot drinks topped with whipped cream while the heavenly ministrations of creamy Fair Trade organic cocoa butter and delicate lavender water cool and enrich the skin.

"Blanket your body in this lovely lotion before stepping into soft pyjamas for snugly nights beside the fire".
Michelle O'Neill and Arlene Foster (right) both condemned the attacks

Political leaders in Northern Ireland have expressed revulsion after the Barcelona terror attack.

Sinn Fein's leader in the north Michelle O'Neill said it was horrific.

DUP chief Arlene Foster described it as barbaric.

A number of holidaymakers from Northern Ireland were near the Catalan city's Las Ramblas boulevard when a white van smashed into people at speed on Thursday.

Mrs O'Neill said: "The horrific attack in Barcelona was an appalling and indiscriminate slaughter of men, women and children.

"The scale of the devastation caused is heart-breaking.

"It is sickening to think that people deliberately set out to kill and maim people who were simply out enjoying a summer evening in one of the world's most beautiful and welcoming cities."

A book of condolence at Belfast City Hall is due to open later and will be signed by Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister.

Mrs Foster tweeted her solidarity with the injured and the forces of law and order.

"Horrific scenes. Barbaric act."

Alliance Party deputy leader Stephen Farry said it was important to stand together across Europe against those who sought to undermine open and diverse societies.

"In doing so, we must respond in a manner that defends these values that are so under threat."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said it was terrible news.
The NI Assembly have seven months to come up with 7 million for Health Care system

Public consultation meetings are set to take place next week in all five of Northern Ireland's health trusts in a bid to identify 70 million of savings.

The meetings, which have been described as "extraordinary" will take place in the Ulster Hospital, Knockbracken Healthcare Park, Craigavon hospital, Antrim Area Hospital, and Altnagelvin Area Hospital on Thursday August 24 at 12noon.

All of Northern Ireland's party leaders have been briefed about the meetings.

Speaking on BBC's Stephen Nolan show on Friday morning, John Compton, the Former Health and Social Care Board chief, said he believed people power could influence the situation.

He said: "The public need to have a big say in these health care cuts. They need to express their views and be constructive about it.

"Personal stories are especially important from the public, the assembly needs to hear them."

Janice Smyth, Director of the Royal College of Nursing, said people should be concerned if more money is coming out of the system.

She said: "Hospitals need a certain amount of nurses to keep beds open. Inevitably with these cuts there will be bed closures. Care package hours will also cut which results in the elderly and disabled children getting less care than they need.

"If the budget cut unfolds, there will be less funding going towards nursing homes. This will mean no beds, so elderly patients will have to remain in hospital for the next seven months."

Belfast GP Dr George O'Neill, who works in primary care, stated he sees good things happening in the Health and Social care everyday, but that comes at a price. He said: "My concern is the care of the elderly, children services, mental health and learning disabilities - that is where the money is taken from.

"The waiting lists will definitely increase because clearly the money will be spent on the hospitals or in the private sector. Where I operate in the primary care, we are under tremendous pressure because lack of resources, lack of man power and because of increase in demand."

He added: "This will have a global effect across the service."

Roy Beggs, Ulster Unionist Party, also voiced his concerns on the Nolan show: "What we need is a minister in place and to achieve a working ministerial process back in place.

"Yes we need money urgently but we need long term decisions by the minister and by the executive."
A Northern Ireland mum whose daughter was diagnosed with cervical cancer at 10 and died at 17 says that having a tattoo of her girl's face means her "guardian angel is always on her shoulder".

Julie McClelland's daughter Michelle Peacock suffered six years of gruelling operations and chemotherapy after what was initially thought to be her first period turned out to be a sign of the disease.

In May Julie, who is from Islandmagee, Co Antrim, travelled to Benalmadena in Spain to have a portrait taken of Michelle during their last holiday together inked on her shoulder as part of the Channel 4 show Tattoo Fixers.

Recalling the first signs of her daughter's illness, Julie told the Belfast Telegraph: "I told her she was becoming a big girl, but she started to bleed and it didn't stop. She had an ultrasound done and it showed a tumour in her womb. The doctor said she was the youngest person that she had ever seen with cervical cancer.

"It had never crossed our minds that our daughter could be suffering from something like that at 10 years old - we were utterly shocked.

"Michelle went through six years of treatment, including three rounds of chemotherapy in different stages, and radiotherapy.

"When she was 13 we got the news that the tumour had gone and we had a big party, but three months down the line we got the news that it was back."

Michelle had to go to London for more gruelling treatment.

"That was the worst time for me, although Michelle couldn't remember it as she was on so much pain medication," Julie added. "Then the tumour started to spread and she had to have her left lung removed. It then spread to her bowels.

"Michelle had had a mesh put in to correct her organs, but part of her bowel released itself and radiotherapy created a hole in it.

"She then ended up with a stoma bag and a urine bag, and after her lung operation the cancer kept spreading, so they had to perform a hysterectomy to remove her womb and ovaries.

"She went through a 19-hour operation and when she came out we were told that she had maybe five years to live. She was only 15. It was devastating."

Despite her ordeal, Julie said that Michelle "never gave up" and hid her illness from everyone but her closest family.

"I used to think that we were protecting Michelle, but I think that the whole time Michelle was protecting us," Julie said.

"She was so upbeat when she was undergoing the treatment in London. She was supposed to stay for six months, but we came home after three weeks as she was up walking.

"Michelle was a shopaholic, and if she was having a good day she would get up and want her hair and make-up done.

"She loved her holidays, and in her last year we went to Turkey three times as she was a completely different person in the sun - she left her troubles behind.

"She always showed a brave face to the world; it was when she closed the door that she showed her pain to me and her daddy."

Michelle lost her fight with cancer three days after her 17th birthday on February 27, 2013, and was buried in the pink dress she wore on her 16th birthday.

On Tuesday Julie's appearance on popular reality show Tattoo Fixers was screened UK-wide by Channel 4.

"Michelle had been a big fan of Tattoo Fixers, she had been inspired by them to get a tattoo of her motto 'Live, Laugh, Love,'" Julie explained.

"When the programme makers contacted me to go on the show I accepted immediately.

"I told the tattooist Jay Hutton that it had to be perfect, as Michelle was perfect.

"When I saw it I was so emotional. Michelle was always with me, but she will be perched on my shoulder forever now. She's 100% my guardian angel and she keeps me going."

After Michelle's death Julie created the Michelle Peacock Foundation to raise awareness and funds for cervical cancer in her daughter's memory. The organisation has so far raised 15,000 for cancer charities by holding 'Rainbow balls' and selling copies of Michelle's book on her experience, entitled Time To Take My Life Back.

Julie is also calling for the age at which girls can receive smear tests to be lowered from 25 to 18, and for the cervical cancer vaccine to be offered to younger girls.

To purchase a copy of Michelle's book, visit www.michelle-peacockfoundation.com
Grainne and Shannon at their civil ceremony in Belfast City Hall in 2005

Civil partners Grainne Close (left) and Shannon Sickles with Christopher Patrick Flanagan and Henry Edmond Kane (right) leaving the High Court in Belfast

Gay rights campaigners are urging Theresa May to intervene and introduce equal marriage in Northern Ireland after they lost their legal challenge yesterday.

Mr Justice O'Hara dismissed two cases challenging Northern Ireland's ban on same sex marriage and said it was up to Stormont, not the courts, to decide social policy.

Rainbow Project director John O'Doherty said that, as the Assembly wasn't functioning, it was now a matter for Westminster. He appealed directly to the Prime Minister to act.

Mrs May's government is reliant on DUP support at Westminster, and the Northern Ireland party has repeatedly thwarted efforts to legalise same-sex marriage at Stormont.

"It is the responsibility of Theresa May's government to make the necessary amendments to the marriage legislation to make it applicable in Northern Ireland," said Mr O'Doherty.

"The eyes of LGBT people around the world will now be on Theresa May.

"She says that she has changed her mind on LGBT equality over her years in Parliament.

"Now is her chance to prove it."

Mr O'Doherty added that the two couples who took the case would consider an appeal.

Grainne Teggart of the Love Equality campaign said it was unacceptable that Northern Ireland was the only part of the UK where gay marriage was illegal.

"The majority of people in Northern Ireland want to live in a country where unequal laws are consigned to the history books.

"It's time politicians reflected the will of the people and urgently legislate for equality," she said.

Sinn Fein MLA Caral Ni Chuilin said gay people had to resort to the courts because equal marriage had been denied by the DUP "in defiance of wider public opinion and a majority in the Assembly".

She added: "The ongoing denial of rights by the DUP, with the support of the British government, which are enjoyed by citizens right across these islands is unacceptable. This is an issue which is at the heart of the current political crisis.

"The fight for marriage equality will go on."

Ms Ni Chuilin also tweeted it was ironic that her brother's marriage was "recognised in London where he lives but not in Belfast where he was born".

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw described the High Court's ruling as "bitterly disappointing" and said there was anger and despair in the LGBT community.

"Progress would have been an extremely positive step forward, allowing people of every background to get the respect they deserve, and I would urge all those feeling let down today not to give up hope - equal marriage is still within our reach."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MLA said Northern Ireland was "the only small corner of these islands where we maintain a hierarchy of love".

He said: "We are increasingly isolated here and across Europe as a place where the commitment and compassion of a same-sex couple is not recognised in our law.

"This ruling reinforces the fact that a failure of politics is to blame for the inequity and inequality that loving couples here face.

"Reform of the petition of concern can unlock this and so many other issues.

"Let those who claim to be democrats put down the weapons of veto and vitriol."

Green Party MLA Clare Bailey said that she was "disappointed but not defeated" after the High Court ruling.

"I respect the decision of the court, but remain determined to play my part as a public representative to deliver marriage equality," she said.

"The Green Party brought the first motion on marriage equality before the Assembly back in 2011. We know that the majority of MLAs are in favour of change.

"We need to restore the devolved institutions and get equal marriage back on the Assembly agenda.

"This is about real people, their lives and their love."

Northern Ireland Humanists coordinator Boyd Sleator said: "Northern Ireland's ongoing discrimination against same-sex couples brings shame on us all.

"We hope the judgments are appealed, and that one day soon, our lawmakers will accept that love is love, and will at last bring the law in line with public opinion, which overwhelmingly favours marriage equality."
Robert Hill Hanna was originally from the Co Down fishing town

An Ulster war hero who won the Victoria Cross for his bravery is to be remembered a century on from his deeds.

Company Sgt Major Robert Hill Hanna, who single-handedly killed four German soldiers during a fierce WWI battle, will be commemorated in his home town of Kilkeel, Co Down, on Monday night.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend a special service for Hanna as a memorial stone to him is unveiled near his birthplace.

Some of the soldier's descendants will be at the ceremony at Hanna's Close, a development of traditional cottages named in his honour.

Chairman of the Northern Ireland First World War Centenary Committee is DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who is also from Kilkeel.

The Hannas were among Planter families who settled in the Kingdom of Mourne in the 17th century, but Robert (right) and many of his contemporaries emigrated to Canada in 1905 while in their teens.

He enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in November 1914, joining the infantry.

By August 1917 he had risen to the rank of Company Sergeant Major in the 29th Battalion. He was awarded the VC for his gallantry at the Battle of Hill 70 in Lens, France.

The citation published in the London Gazette in November 1917 read: "Company Sergeant Major Hanna's company met with most severe enemy resistance at a heavily protected strong point, which had beaten off three assaults and all the officers of the company had become casualties.

"This warrant officer, under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, coolly collected and led a party against the strong point, rushed through the wire and personally killed four of the enemy, capturing the position and silencing the machine-gun. This courageous action was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point".

King George V presented Hanna with his VC in November 1917.

The Schomberg Society, which is helping to organise the commemoration, said it was proud to celebrate Hanna's heroism.

It added: "Despite it being 100 years ago, he and his actions are still well remembered and are an inspiration for everyone in the Kingdom of Mourne."

The Battle of Hill 70 was part of the campaign at Passchendaele, where tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides died.

Nine men from the Mournes were killed in the battle. A number fought with Canadian regiments as well as with forces from New Zealand.

Their names are included in a roll of honour on the order of service for Monday's ceremony.

They are John Orr, John Annett, John Marks, William Thomas McKnight, Francis Pue, Samuel Keyes, Willie McVeigh, James Consalves and James Flanagan.

On his return to Kilkeel after receiving his VC Hall was greeted by a 3,000-strong crowd in the town square.

A sword belonging to him hangs on the wall of the local Royal British Legion Club. He was a member of the Aughnahoory Orange Lodge in Co Down before moving back to Canada, where he joined another lodge in Vancouver.

Hanna, who had been a logger and farmer, died in British Columbia in June 1967 at the age of 83.
Irish President Michael D Higgins led condemnation of the Barcelona attack and sent a message of condolence

A five-year-old Irish boy suffered a broken leg when his family was caught up in the terror attack in Barcelona.

The boy's father also has leg injuries after a van was driven into innocent people in Las Ramblas, one of the busiest avenues in the Spanish city.

Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister, Simon Coveney, said: "They are not life-threatening, I'm relieved to say.

"But in a way it's a miracle that more Irish people weren't involved, given that there are so many Irish people in Spain, Barcelona and Cambrils at this time of year."

The father and son were part a family of four, including the mother and a daughter, and are understood to have been on a trip to celebrate the boy's birthday.

The youngster suffered a broken femur.

The mother and father are understood to be from Cebu in the Philippines and are naturalised Irish citizens. They hold dual citizenship. The children were born in Ireland.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs is assisting the family.

Its officials opened a hotline in Dublin for anyone concerned about relatives in Spain on 01-408 2000 while the Irish Embassy in Madrid was also fielding calls on +34 9143 64093.

President Michael D Higgins led condemnation of the attacks and sent a message of condolence.

"Barcelona has a long history of hospitality and has over the years received so many people from around the world," he said.

"As President of Ireland, I want to send the people of this great and welcoming city not only our sympathy but also the solidarity of the people of Ireland."

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: "An attack of this nature, targeting the people of Barcelona and visitors enjoying that wonderful city in the height of the tourist season, is both wanton and cowardly and has no place in our society.

"At this time of immense grief, I want to offer our solidarity and support to the people of Spain, with whom we have such close relations."

Mr Coveney said he was appalled by the attacks.

"On behalf of the Irish Government, I wish to convey our condolences and solidarity with the people of Spain at this time," he said.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan described it as an unspeakable act of terrorism and vowed that gardai would liaise closely with Spanish counterparts.

"It is clear that the intention of those who carried out this appalling, evil act was to kill, wound and terrorise innocent people enjoying the freedoms we share and cherish," he said.

"Our thoughts are with the victims and their families."
A woman places a candle next to a paper that reads "Catalunya - place of peace" on Las Ramblas (Manu Fernandez/AP)

A seven-year-old is still missing following the terror attack in Barcelona, his family has said.

Relatives of Julian Alessandro Cadman are appealing for information about the boy, who was with his mum when they became separated.

Julians father and grandmother are travelling to Spain from Australia as the wait for news continues, family member Debbie Cadman said.

Grandfather Tony Cadman earlier urged people to share a photograph of Julian on Facebook.

He wrote: My Grandson, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. Please like and share. We have found Jom (my daughter in law) and she is (in a) serious but stable condition in hospital.

Julian is seven years old and was out with Jom when they were separated, due to the recent terrorist activity. Please share if you have family or friends in Barcelona.

In the photograph, Julian is wearing a jumper with a crest that says Chiddingstone Nursery, which is a nursery school in Kent.

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Mr Cadmans Facebook profile says he lives in Sydney and is from Gillingham, Dorset.

Speaking after Mr Cadman made a plea for information, Theresa May said UK authorities were urgently looking into reports that a child, who has dual British nationality, is missing.

According to the Associated Press, Australias Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters: We are concerned for one Australian who remains unaccounted for.
Private Phillip Hewett was killed while on patrol in Iraq (Ministry of Defence/PA)

The Defence Secretary has apologised to the families of British soldiers killed in Iraq while travelling in lightly armoured Snatch Land Rovers.

Sir Michael Fallon wrote to a number of families apologising for delays in bringing in alternative protected vehicles which could have saved lives.

At least 37 UK soldiers died in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan while travelling in Snatch Land Rovers, with last years Chilcot Inquiry heavily critical of delays in replacing them.

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I am fully aware of the struggle you have had to bring this matter to court over the last decade and I recognise this has had a significant impact on you and your family, Sir Michael wrote in his letter to the families.

The Government entirely accepts the findings of Sir John Chilcot in the Iraq Inquiry in relation to Snatch Land Rover.

I would like to express directly to you my deepest sympathies and apologise for the delay, resulting from the decisions taken at the time in bringing into service alternative protected vehicles which could have saved lives.

Expand Close Sue Smith, mother of Private Phillip Hewett (Yui Mok/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

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I confirm that we have learnt lessons from this.

The Government must and will ensure that our Armed Forces are always properly equipped and resourced.

General Sir Mike Jackson, chief of the General Staff between 2003 and 2006, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme it was a fair assumption that a more heavily armoured vehicle would have offered much better protection for British troops.

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He said he believed replacements for the Snatch Land Rover could have been brought in more quickly, adding: The Army at that point did not have its own procurement budget.

It does now, and perhaps that is one of the good lessons learned thats come out of this whole rather sorry story, we do have our own procurement budget now.

Yes, better vehicles, better-protected vehicles were eventually procured, but the process was rather Byzantine and inevitably, thereby, lengthy.
The mother of a woman who was killed while demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, has said she will not speak to President Donald Trump because of comments he made after her daughters death.

Susan Bro, the mother of Heather Heyer, said she initially missed the first few calls to her from the White House.

Speaking on ABCs Good Morning America, she said she will not talk to the president after a news conference in which Mr Trump equated violence by white supremacists at the rally with violence by those protesting against it.

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Ms Bros daughter, 32-year-old Ms Heyer, was killed and 19 others were injured when a driver rammed a car into a crowd of demonstrators last Saturday.

An Ohio man, James Alex Fields Jr, has been arrested and charged with murder and other offences.

Mr Trump drew criticism when he addressed last Saturdays violence in broad strokes, saying he condemned in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.

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Pressured by advisers, the president had softened his words on the dispute by Monday, but returned to his combative stance a day later insisting during an unexpected and contentious news conference at Trump Tower that both sides were to blame.

Ms Bro said of the president: You cant wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying: Im sorry.

She also advised Mr Trump to think before you speak.
Confederate Flag seen in Charlottesville where white supremacists and counter protesters clashed (Steve Heiber/AP)

Dating website OKCupid has given a life-long ban to a man identified as a white supremacist and who attended the rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which ended in deadly violence.

OKCupid acted swiftly to remove Christopher Cantwell minutes after he was identified as a user of the service.

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Writing on Twitter, OKCupid said: We were alerted that white supremacist Chris Cantwell was on OKCupid. Within 10 minutes we banned him for life.

There is no room for hate in a place where you are looking for love.

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Cantwell, of Keene New Hampshire, was featured in a Vice News documentary about the Unite The Right rally which left one counter-protester dead, with many more injured. Two police officers also died in a helicopter crash.

The former IT worker describes himself as a white nationalist who voted for President Donald Trump. He has a podcast and blog that promote his views.

OKCupid has asked its members to report other users who are involved in hate groups.

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Earlier in the week, Facebook banned Cantwells Facebook and Instagram accounts as well as a page linked to his podcast for being in violation of its polices on hate speech and organisations.

His YouTube account has been terminated due to multiple or severe violations of YouTube#s policy prohibiting content designed to harass, bully or threaten.
Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire

Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire

A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

People flee the scene in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

At least 13 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a van ploughed into pedestrians in a terror attack in a busy tourist area of Barcelona.

Spanish police arrested two people after a white Fiat van tore through the Las Ramblas district, which was packed with shoppers and holidaymakers on Thursday.

The vehicle careered into terrified pedestrians in the busy tree-lined promenade, one of the most popular parts of the city.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "sickened" by the attack and t he Foreign Office was trying to determine if there were British victims.

A Belgian man was confirmed among the dead, while a uthorities warned the death toll may rise, with 15 people seriously injured.

The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest on Spanish soil since more than 190 people died in the Madrid train bombs in 2004.

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The van drove on to the pavement, swerving among pedestrians in a crowded area, and was "clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible", senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said.

The two suspects in custody are a Spanish national from Melilla and a Moroccan but neither were the van driver, he added.

The arrests were made in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll and in Alcanar, the site of an explosion on Wednesday night which killed one person and is being potentially linked to the van attack, authorities said.

The whereabouts of the van driver were unclear after police said he made off on foot and was not believed to be armed.

There were also reports that detectives believe two vans were used, one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

Hours after Thursday's attack, police shot and killed a man who was in a car that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. However, Mr Trapero said it was not linked to the van attack.

Following the atrocity in Las Ramblas, police were searching for a man named Driss Oukabir after the passport of a Spanish citizen, of Moroccan origin, was found at the scene.

But El Pais newspaper said Oukabir had since denied being involved in the attack and told police that his documents had been stolen.

Witnesses to the attack described how the van hurtled through crowds without slowing down, sending s cores of people s cattering and many taking shelter in nearby shops.

Lawyer and University of Glasgow rector Aamer Anwar told the Press Association: " I could see a woman screaming with her kids. People started running and jumping into shops.

"I ran for about 50 or 100 metres and stopped to see what was happening.

"The police were very quickly on the scene and getting people to move back."

Will Ako, 26, from London, was eating in a restaurant called Taller De Tapas with his family when they heard a disturbance.

He told the Press Association: " I then saw people running to the east of the restaurant and I saw a couple of people, about 30 yards down the road, crouching around what looked like someone on the ground and they were calling for assistance.

"Within a couple of minutes, police started to arrive and they were running west of the restaurant and some were telling us to stay inside.

"Soon after, loads of cars, bikes and ambulances arrived and then the armed police."

Mrs May said the UK "stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism" in the wake of recent attacks in Manchester and London.

"I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today," she said.

"The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support."

The Government of Catalonia said regional president Carles Puigdemont had declared three days of mourning.
Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire

Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire

Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

People flee the scene in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

An injured person is carried away in Barcelona

A woman cries as she and a man are escorted by Spanish policemen outside a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 80 on the Rambla in Barcelona

Distressing scenes in Las Ramblas area of Barcelona following the terror attack

Distressing scenes in Las Ramblas area of Barcelona following the terror attack

Distressing scenes in Las Ramblas area of Barcelona following the terror attack

Distressing scenes in Las Ramblas area of Barcelona following the terror attack

A man touches a newspaper displaying a photograph of the aftermath of the terror attack in Las Ramblas

A police officer gestures, backdropped by an overturned car at the spot where terrorists were intercepted

Barcelona's Mayor Ada Colau (C) arrives on the Rambla boulevard after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / Josep LAGOJOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images

Barcelona's Mayor Ada Colau (C) and officials arrive on the Rambla boulevard after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / Josep LAGOJOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images

The van who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona on August 18, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANOJAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images

The van who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona on August 18, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / Josep LAGOJOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images

The van (farR) who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is seen momemts before being towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona on August 18, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / PAU BARRENAPAU BARRENA/AFP/Getty Images

Tourists wait for the police to allow them to come back to their hotel on the Rambla boulevard after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANOJAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images

Tourists wait for the police to allow them to come back to their hotel on the Rambla boulevard after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANOJAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images

Policemen check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / Josep LAGOJOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images

Policemen check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". The driver of a van that mowed into a packed street in Barcelona is still on the run, Spanish police said. / AFP PHOTO / Josep LAGOJOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images

The lights of One World Trade Center are lit in the colors of the Spanish flag to honor the victims of the Barcelona terror attack on August 17, 2017 in New York. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects. / AFP PHOTO / Bryan R. SmithBRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images

The lights of One World Trade Center are lit in the colors of the Spanish flag to honor the victims of the Barcelona terror attack on August 17, 2017 in New York. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects. / AFP PHOTO / Bryan R. SmithBRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images

Policemen check the area after police killed five attackers in Cambrils near Tarragona on August 18, 2017. Drivers have ploughed into pedestrians in two quick-succession, separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city, leaving 13 people dead and injuring more than 100 others. The incident in Cambrils injured six civilians -- one of them critical -- and a police officer, authorities said. / AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENELLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images

Policemen check the area after police killed five attackers in Cambrils near Tarragona on August 18, 2017. Drivers have ploughed into pedestrians in two quick-succession, separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city, leaving 13 people dead and injuring more than 100 others. The incident in Cambrils injured six civilians -- one of them critical -- and a police officer, authorities said. / AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENELLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images

Members of the NYPD Counterterrorism Unit stand guard in Time Square as security is increased as a result of a attack in Barcelona, Spain earlier on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, at in New York. (AP Photo/Michael Noble Jr.)

Armed police officers stand next to their van in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. A white van jumped up onto a sidewalk and sped down a pedestrian zone Thursday in Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas district, swerving from side to side as it plowed into tourists and residents. Police said 13 people were killed and more than 50 wounded in what they called a terror attack.(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

People flee from the scene after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district of Barcelona, Spain, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. According to witnesses the white van swerved from side to side as it plowed into tourists and residents. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 17: A damaged van, believed to be the one used in the attack, is surrounded by police officers in the Las Ramblas area on August 17, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Officials say 13 people are confirmed dead and at least 50 injured after a van plowed into people in the Las Ramblas area of the city this afternoon. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) ***BESTPIX***

A police officer touches his face in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. A white van jumped up onto a sidewalk and sped down a pedestrian zone Thursday in Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas district, swerving from side to side as it plowed into tourists and residents. Police said 13 people were killed and more than 50 wounded in what they called a terror attack.(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

The lights of the Eiffel Tower in the French capital Paris are switched off on August 17, 2017, in solidarity with neighbouring Spain following two quick-succession, separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, leaving 13 people dead and injuring more than 100 others. There were at least 18 nationalities among the Barcelona victims who came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency. / AFP PHOTO / Zakaria ABDELKAFIZAKARIA ABDELKAFI/AFP/Getty Images

A policeman stands by a car involved in a terrorist attack in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, on August 18, 2017. 'Alleged terrorists' drove into pedestrians in the Spanish seaside resort of Cambrils early August 18 before being shot dead by security forces, just hours after a similar attack in nearby Barcelona. / AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENELLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images

A policeman stands by a car involved in a terrorist attack in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, on August 18, 2017. 'Alleged terrorists' drove into pedestrians in the Spanish seaside resort of Cambrils early August 18 before being shot dead by security forces, just hours after a similar attack in nearby Barcelona. / AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENELLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images

A major manhunt for the suspected driver of the van that mowed down holidaymakers and locals in Barcelona, around 68 miles east of Cambrils, was continuing on Friday.

Three people have been arrested over the attack that saw the Catalonia capital become the latest European city to fall victim to a major terrorist outrage.

The third person was arrested on Friday morning in connection with the Barcelona van attack, authorities said.

Catalonia interior minister Joaquim Forn told Catalunya Radio the suspect was taken into custody in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll.

Shortly after 5pm local time on Thursday a white Fiat van tore through Las Ramblas, a major tourist attraction packed with families and holidaymakers, in a horror described as "jihad terrorism" by the country's prime minister Mariano Rajoy.

The van drove on to the pavement, swerving among pedestrians in a crowded area, and was "clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible", senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said.

The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest on Spanish soil since more than 190 people died in the Madrid train bombs in 2004.

According to the Catalan regional government citizens of some 24 countries were among those killed and injured, with one Belgian national confirmed to have died.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "sickened" by the incident and the Foreign Office was trying to determine if there were British victims.

Authorities have warned that the death-toll may rise, with 15 people receiving treatment for serious injuries.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Distressing scenes in Las Ramblas area of Barcelona following the terror attack AFP/Getty Images Distressing scenes in Las Ramblas area of Barcelona following the terror attack Getty Images / Facebook

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Two suspects, a Spanish national from Melilla and a Moroccan, were arrested and taken into custody in the wake of the attack.

The arrests were made in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll and in Alcanar, the site of an explosion on Wednesday night which killed one person and is thought to be linked to the van attack, authorities said.

The whereabouts of the van driver were unclear after police said he made off unarmed.

There were also reports that detectives believe two vans were used, one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

Hours after Thursday's attack, police shot and killed a man who was in a car that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. However, Mr Trapero said it was not linked to the van attack.

Witnesses to the attack described how the van hurtled through crowds without slowing down, sending scores of people scattering and many taking shelter in nearby shops.

Lawyer and University of Glasgow rector Aamer Anwar told the Press Association: "I could see a woman screaming with her kids. People started running and jumping into shops.

"I ran for about 50 or 100 metres and stopped to see what was happening.

"The police were very quickly on the scene and getting people to move back."

Will Ako, 26, from London, was eating in a restaurant called Taller De Tapas with his family when they heard a disturbance.

He told the Press Association: "I then saw people running to the east of the restaurant and I saw a couple of people, about 30 yards down the road, crouching around what looked like someone on the ground and they were calling for assistance.

"Within a couple of minutes, police started to arrive and they were running west of the restaurant and some were telling us to stay inside.

"Soon after, loads of cars, bikes and ambulances arrived and then the armed police."

Mrs May said the UK "stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism" in the wake of recent attacks in Manchester and London.

"I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today," she said.

"The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support."
The mayor of Charlottesville has called on the governor to convene an emergency meeting of state lawmakers to allow the city to remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Mike Signer's statement comes nearly a week after white supremacists descended on the city in Virginia for a rally and clashed with counter protesters.

One woman was killed on Saturday when a car ploughed into a crowd of counter protesters.

News media outlets report that Mr Signer said the attack turned the monuments from "equestrian statues into lightning rods".

He said the city must respond "by denying the Nazis and the KKK and the so-called alt-right the twisted totem they seek".

Mr Signer also wants lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow communities to bar people from carrying open or concealed weapons in public events "reasonably deemed to pose a potential security threat".

Mr Signer called on Governor Terry McAuliffe to convene a special session of the General Assembly.

Also on Friday, the mother of the woman who was killed said that she will not talk to President Donald Trump because of comments he made after her daughter's death.

Speaking on ABC's Good Morning America, Susan Bro said she initially missed the first few calls to her from the White House.

But she said "now I will not" talk to the president after a news conference in which Mr Trump equated violence by white supremacists at the rally with violence by those protesting against the rally.

Ms Bro's daughter, 32-year-old Heather Heyer, was killed and 19 others were injured when the driver rammed a car into a crowd of demonstrators. An Ohio man, James Alex Fields Jr, has been arrested and charged with murder and other offences.

In the hours afterwards, Mr Trump drew criticism when he addressed the violence in broad strokes, saying he condemned "in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides".

Pressured by advisers, the president had softened his words on the dispute by Monday, but returned to his combative stance on Tuesday, insisting during an unexpected and contentious news conference at Trump Tower that "both sides" were to blame.

"You can't wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying 'I'm sorry'," Ms Bro said of the president. She also advised Mr Trump to "think before you speak".

AP

Mr McAuliffe's spokesman Brian Coy said the governor will not call a special session while the issue is being decided in court.

"The governor hopes the court will rule in the city's favour soon and encourages Mayor Signer to focus on that important litigation rather than a redundant emergency session," Mr Coy said.

Mr McAuliffe did sign an executive order Friday afternoon temporarily banning any public demonstrations at a monument in Richmond.

Unlike the Charlottesville statue that sits in a city park, the Richmond monument to Lee is in the middle of a traffic circle on Monument Avenue, a boulevard with heavy traffic.
Antonio Guterres has said in a draft report that the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for more than half the children killed and injured in Yemen's civil war last year (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)

The Saudi-led coalition was responsible for more than half the children killed and injured in Yemen's civil war last year, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

A draft report obtained by The Associated Press said the UN verified 1,340 casualties and attributed 683 - representing 51% - to attacks carried out by the coalition.

It said nearly three-quarters of attacks on schools and hospitals - 38 of 52 - were also carried out by the coalition.

The draft report on children and armed conflict echoes similar findings from last year when the US-backed coalition was put on a UN blacklist for violating child rights.

But it was removed by then secretary-general Ban Ki-moon after Saudi Arabia and other coalition supporters threatened to stop funding many UN programmes.

But Mr Ban stood by the report, which said the UN verified a total of 1,953 youngsters killed and injured in Yemen in 2015 - a six-fold increase compared with 2014.

Foreign Policy magazine reported on Wednesday that Virginia Gamba, the new UN special representative for children and armed conflict, intends to recommend the Saudi-led coalition be added to the list of countries that kill and maim children.

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters on Thursday that Mr Guterres has not seen the draft report that was leaked. He said its contents are still under discussion and the decision of who will be on the blacklist is up to him.

Mr Haq said Mr Guterres is scheduled to meet Ms Gamba on Friday but the report is not expected to be completed for another month.

Saudi Arabia's UN Mission said the coalition maintains its position "that there is no justification whatsoever for including its name in the annex of the secretary-general's report on children and armed conflict".

Yemen, which is on the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has been engulfed in civil war since September 2014, when Houthi Shiite rebels swept into Sanaa and overthrew President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi's internationally recognised government.

In March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition began a campaign against Houthi forces allied with ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh in support of Mr Hadi's government.

Since then, the Iranian-backed Houthis have been dislodged from most of the south, but remain in control of Sanaa and much of the north.

AP
People attend Syria's first international trade fair since war broke out in 2011 (AP)

The Syrian government has opened the country's first international trade fair since war broke out in 2011, an event hailed by officials as a "victory" and a sign of renewed confidence in the war-torn nation.

The fair is being held in an area a few kilometres away from the rebel-held eastern suburbs of Damascus.

The proximity alone underlines Syrian President Bashar Assad's increasingly confident position following significant military gains on the ground in the past year.

According to state-run media, participants from 43 countries are taking part in the fair, which is expected to last for 10 days and promises to attract investors mainly from allies like Russia, China and Iran.

Egypt, South Africa and Belarus are also taking part, and organisers say companies from Britain, France and Germany are participating, apparently in a private capacity.

The Damascus International Fair used to be a high-profile annual event, attracting major investors before the war erupted.

Its reopening is a telling indicator of the mood in the Syrian capital.

Hundreds of attendees seated on a red carpet below a stage stacked with fluttering flags of participating counties stood in a minute of silence for those who died in the war.

Then the event kicked off with a live orchestra playing the Syrian national anthem.

Assisted by Russian and Iranian forces, Mr Assad has retaken key parts of the country from rebels who have been significantly weakened in the last two years.

His political opponents in the West as well as Gulf countries and Turkey are no longer calling on him to step down, and while battles still rage in the country's north and east, and in pockets around Damascus, Mr Assad's survival - at least in the near term - now appears guaranteed.

"This comeback is an indication that the war in Syria is coming to an end," Samer el-Debs, who heads the Damascus Chamber of Industry, told The Associated Press.

"After all what happened, all the economic sanctions against Syria and systematic attempts to destroy Syria, we see that this fair has been reopened."

Syrian official media celebrated the event as a major victory, citing a full occupancy of all Damascus hotels due to the fair.

In a press statement at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Imad Khamis said the fair is an indication of Syria's recovery and insisted the war waged against Syria could not kill the Syrian people's love for life.

Roman Khudyakov, a Russian politician, said he was accompanied by a large delegation of Russian businessmen and industrialists to discuss ways of co-operating with the Syrian government.

"We have 10 million Russian tourists who visit Turkey every day and we want to direct some of those to Syria," he said.

The Damascus trade fair, which was first launched in 1954, was among the oldest and most celebrated across the Arab world, attracting Arab and international investors.

It was last held in the summer of 2011, a few months after the first protests against the Assad family's decade-old rule erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings that swept the Middle East.

Syria's civil war, now in its seventh year, has killed around 450,000 people and displaced around 11 million.

AP
When a woman gets raped, the entire responsibility for that horrific act lies with the rapist. It is never, ever the victim's fault, no matter what she's doing, saying or wearing.

It's important to make that fundamental point entirely clear, right at the start, because what I'm about to say is liable to wilful misinterpretation.

But I'm going to say it, nonetheless, because I think we do young women a disservice when we shy away from reality, for fear of being accused of victim-blaming. And the brutal fact is that drunk women are more vulnerable to sexual assault than sober ones.

It's obvious, really: you're far better at looking after yourself if you have all your faculties about you than if you don't.

Now is the time to be speaking this unsayable truth. The A-level results are just out and later in September thousands of students will be heading off to university for their first taste of personal freedom.

But a survey carried out at Queen's University showed disturbing levels of serious sexual assault in which drink or drugs was a major factor. More than two-thirds of those who reported being assaulted in this way said they had been intoxicated, while almost 60% said the perpetrator was intoxicated.

So we can't look the other way and pretend there's no issue. If your 18-year-old daughter is about to leave home, do you say: "Off you go, dear, and make sure you get completely and utterly wasted at the Freshers' Fair because in the name of equality you're entitled to do what you like and no harm should come to you. You're also completely at liberty to walk back to your halls alone at 3am with one shoe missing. If anything terrible does happen, don't worry about it, because it won't be your fault."

Of course no parent in their right mind would say that. What sort of imbecile would give such advice?

Instead you say something like: "Take care, have fun, stay with your friends if you're out for drinks and make sure you get a taxi home at the end of the night."

Look, I'm not telling young women not to get pie-eyed in public. They are adults and it is entirely their own choice if they want to get royally hammered, every bit as much as it's a young man's choice.

I'm simply saying that, unfortunately, it might put them at more risk of opportunistic attack from predatory men. It's not fair, of course. But it is the reality.

When retiring judge Lindsey Kushner QC made similar remarks earlier this year, she was immediately howled down for victim-blaming and told that she was putting young women off speaking out about being assaulted. But it's worth looking at exactly what Kushner said, because her words were carefully chosen.

She acknowledged that "there is absolutely no excuse and a woman can do with her body what she wants and a man will have to adjust his behaviour accordingly".

But she added that "as a woman judge" it would "be remiss" if she did not plead with women to protect themselves from predatory men who "gravitate'' towards drunken females. She said that women were entitled to "drink themselves into the ground" but their "disinhibited behaviour" could put them in danger.

Judge Kushner spoke as she jailed a man for six years for raping an 18-year-old woman in Manchester. The teenager, Megan Clark, who had taken vodka and lager as well as the party drug amyl nitrate before the attack, later waived her right to anonymity to support what Kushner said.

The American writer Camille Paglia says that mainstream feminism, with its "pie-in-the-sky fantasies about the perfect world", has put young women at risk by hiding the truth about sex from them: "Feminism keeps saying that the sexes are the same. It keeps telling women that they can do anything, go anywhere  No, they can't. Women will always be in sexual danger."

Let me reiterate a final time: if a woman is raped, whether drunk or sober, it is not her fault, it is only the fault of the man who perpetrated this outrage on her. The entire responsibility lies with him. That's not much consolation, however, if you are the victim of an attack. Being morally right, and politically liberated, is not enough.

There is a big difference between the world as it should be and the world as it actually is. And there's nothing wrong with pointing that out and taking some wise precautions.
Once again congratulations are due to the students of Northern Ireland, their teachers and parents for the incredible results achieved in their A-levels. (David Davies/PA)

Once again congratulations are due to the students of Northern Ireland, their teachers and parents for the incredible results achieved in their A-levels.

They outshone their peers in other parts of the UK by a wide margin, with 30.4% getting A* or A grades in Northern Ireland compared to 26.3% across the UK as a whole.

That underscores the comment by former Education Minister Peter Weir that Northern Ireland's education system needs reform rather than revolution.

It serves the academically able very well but there are failures in the system.

One obvious area for treatment is the gender gap, even among those achieving the highest academic grades.

This year, girls achieving A* and A grades increased their lead over the percentage of boys getting the top grades.

This must be a concern, especially since boys in the rest of the UK overtook girls for the first time in 17 years.

Identifying the problem is one thing, finding a solution is another. Perhaps it is the shortage of male teachers at primary and secondary levels which means fewer male role models in the classroom, or perhaps it is a cultural issue where teenage boys have other interests or feel it is not cool to be seen as the class swot.

As a counterpoint, the performance of girls at A-level continues to amaze. They consistently outperform their male counterparts throughout their school years.

However, in the real world after university or vocational training, their talent is not always allowed to flourish to its full extent.

Having children and raising a family can stall careers and there is also a glass ceiling in many companies where men outnumber women in top positions.

The recent decision by the BBC to release the names of its top earners showed that there can also be a marked gender imbalance in reward for talent.

While applauding the achievements of our teenagers in their A-level performance, we must also be aware of the wider educational problems which continually show a marked difference in attainment between socio-economic classes and a marked underperformance by working-class Protestant boys.

The old argument that their forebears paid little heed to education because there were plenty of jobs for them in the shipyard, ropeworks or foundries, and that this indifference to learning has dribbled down through the generations - if it still holds true - is an indictment of the society in which they live.

Education is something that should be cherished.

It is vital in everyday tasks such as corresponding or running home finances, never mind equipping young people with other life skills such as social interaction.

There also appears to be an elitist cultural attitude that educational attainment is of greater merit than any vocational or occupational skills.

There often seems to be less resources devoted to turning out people skilled with their hands. That is an absurd position for a society to adopt.

At its most extreme, society would survive without the most learned archaeologist but would sink without a plumber.

As anyone who has hired a skilled tradesman will know, such occupations are financially rewarding.

We should cherish the skills of all young people and encourage them to follow the path which they think is best, whether that is through education or life skills. In the coming years after Brexit, we will need bright young people in all sectors of our economy.
In Fahrenheit 451, science fiction writer Ray Bradbury imagined a future America in which firemen, far from putting out flames, were ordered instead to start them.

On the very first page the author describes the delight of the main character, Guy, as he points his flamethrower at a house filled with forbidden books that are deemed to threaten the ruling regime (the title refers to the temperature at which paper ignites).

"It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed," he says.

He describes lovingly how they burn the books to ashes and then burn the ashes as well. Just to be sure.

Of course, Guy changes his point of view in the course of the story, but if the fireman was from Northern Ireland he'd never have realised the error of his ways.

Setting fires here is not so much a way of life in some communities as a bounden duty, so it's not exactly surprising to hear that two poppy wreaths were burned on a bonfire in Derry's Bogside this week after being stolen from the War Memorial in the Diamond.

They joined a host of other offerings which were also consigned to the flames, including Union flags, and UDA and Parachute Regiment paraphernalia - and "offerings" is the right word.

They were totems, offered up to appease the god of fire. DUP councillor Graham Warke called it "a total disgrace" - and he's right.

But to criticise what happened inevitably raises the familiar spectre of whataboutery.

What about the election posters that loyalists burn on Eleventh Night bonfires? What about the tricolours? What about the effigies of the Pope?

More troublingly, what about the racist banner about a Celtic striker which was incinerated on a bonfire in Belfast during this year's Twelfth? What about the black coffin bearing the face of the Martin McGuinness which was torched in Castlereagh, only a few months after the former Deputy First Minister's death?

McGuinness did many questionable things in his life and his legacy should be open to fierce and passionate criticism. Turning his coffin into a plaything to be scorched in front of jeering crowds is not, however, part of any serious debate about the Troubles. It's pandering to a rowdy mob's worst instincts.

Many unionists roundly condemned those sectarian gestures, including DUP leader Arlene Foster. Others were more ambivalent, engaging in the old local game of "yes, but" (yes, it's regrettable, but...).

Burning things which matter to the other side is hardly the exclusive preserve of one community, or another; but it's undeniable that the Twelfth rarely passes without some controversy over effigies on the flames. The pyres grow bigger and bigger, threatening surrounding buildings, and those who are uncomfortable with the spectacle keep their mouths shut out of fear.

It would be miraculous if republicans didn't follow suit when their own firemen set to work.

Burning poppy wreaths is a particularly "vile act", as the councillor said.

Flags and political emblems don't matter so much, but poppies have a particular significance as remembrances of the dead of two World Wars.

To burn them is an especially egregious insult to the memory of the hundreds of thousands of young men who were marched to their deaths in the most vicious war the world had seen up to that point, many of whom were Irish.

It's impossible to visit the First World War battlefields in France and Belgium without being riven with sadness and compassion for those who fell there, pawns in a power game between two great empires.

They were victims. How does denigrating their memory help the republican cause? The one consolation is that the people who did it probably don't even know what poppies stand for. They just see them as unionist symbols, to be automatically hated as a result.

That's Northern Ireland's tragedy. At the extremes, each tribe relates everything back to its own hurts. The bigger picture is lost.

The problem is not what goes on to bonfires. It's the bonfires themselves. Even Bonfire Night in England has its troubling aspects, as effigies of the Catholic conspirator Guy Fawkes are burned to commemorate the failure of the Gunpowder plot.

Northern Ireland knows better than any place the dangers of remembering too much and forgetting too little. What was it Jesus said? "Let the dead bury the dead."

Moving forward is impossible without leaving some things behind, no matter how much fun it might be to wallow in ancient grievances or gloating.

Of course, Bonfire Night in England has become a much more anodyne occasion as the centuries have passed since Fawkes was hung, drawn and quartered for his crime; but familiarity merely dulls the peculiarity of it - that in an apparently sophisticated and civilised world, people still ritualistically burn effigies of former political enemies.

That's weird, however you look at it. It's like something from The Wicker Man, not modern Britain, but it's accepted without question because it's traditional.

Northern Ireland hasn't enjoyed a sufficient period of peace for our bonfires to become quaint bits of folklore, rather than acts of sectarian defiance. Perhaps one day we can have more innocent bonfires, too.

That day, sadly, is still a long way off. Until then, things will get thrown on the flames that offend one side or the other. Politicians on this side will issue outraged condemnations and politicians on the other defensively pretend not to understand what the fuss is about.

Passing off the bonfires in either community as expressions of culture is an insult to Ulster Protestant and Irish nationalist traditions alike.

Culture should be about exploring new ideas and identities, not triumphalistically glorying in a stubborn refusal to give respect to other people.

That's why bonfires are, literally, playing with fire. They provoke a kind of quasi-religious ecstasy. Fire is primeval. It appeals to some of man's baser instincts, the ones he'd rather not admit that he had.

Bonfires stir the blood, so it's inevitable that things which would seem reprehensible when the ashes are cold seem exciting and glorious when the flames are roaring. Like stealing poppies to throw on the flames.

Whoever did that should read Fahrenheit 451 - if they're capable of reading anything with more nuance and subtlety than an IRA slogan on a gable wall. They might learn something. Guy did.

He realised that fire is destructive by its nature, and that creating and saving is ultimately better than destroying.

What a crazy, muddle-headed, hippie notion. But who knows, it might just work.
Ali Fauzi Manzi reads Indonesias Independence Proclamation during a flag-raising ceremony to mark the countrys 72nd Independence Day in Lamongan, East Java, Aug. 17, 2017.

Dozens of former terrorists mingled with hundreds of locals Thursday in the courtyard of Baitul Muttaqien Mosque in Tenggulun Village, East Java, to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of Indonesias independence.

Lingkar Perdamaian (Peace Circle), a foundation founded in November 2016 by Ali Fauzi Manzi and other former convicts, hosted the celebration that included a flag-raising ceremony.

Participants included 37 former terrorists and combatants, many of whom had been members Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), an al-Qaeda linked group blamed for the 2002 bombings in Bali that killed 202 people and injured hundreds more.

Yoyok Edi Sucahyo (alias Broyok) oversaw the ceremony. Once a favorite student of Abu Faris, a cleric from Tenggulun who is reportedly in Syria with the Islamic State (IS), Broyok admitted he was exposed to radicalism and terrorism.

Thats my past, now its time to welcome the future, he told BenarNews.

Zulia Mahendra and Khoerul Mustain served as flag raisers. Mahendra is the youngest son of Amrozi, who was executed in 2008 for his role in the 2002 Bali bombing, while Khoerul is the oldest son of Nor Minda who was convicted for providing bomb materials and storing weapons and ammunition.

I am touched, an unforgettable experience, Mahendra said after the ceremony.

Mahendra said he used to feel angry at police for executing his father and sought to learn how to build bombs. But after interacting with former terrorists, his desire for revenge waned.

Ali Fauzi  whose brothers Ali Imron, Ali Ghufron (alias Muklas) and Amrozi were the main perpetrators of the Bali bombing  read the Independence Proclamation as part of the ceremony.

Some of the former militants took an oath of loyalty to Indonesia as part of an effort to win trust from the local community prior to the flag-raising ceremony.

Ali Fauzi said he often receives threats from radical groups who want Indonesia to abandon its secular constitution and become an Islamic caliphate.

Many are sending messages stating the pledge to Indonesia is fake, he said.

The love of their homeland

In the 1990s, JI leader Hambali  who is confined at Guantanamo prison camp in Cuba  sent Ali Fauzi to Mindanao, in the Philippines, to learn bomb making and to fight with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

But today, Ali Fauzi is totally reformed, he says.

The organization he founded, Lingkar Perdamaian, is dedicated to helping former terrorists like himself find peace and embrace pluralism. He encourages local businesses to employ them so they can support their families.

Lamongan Police Chief Juda Nusa Putra asked the community to accept the men who have changed their lives.

They have shown and understood the love of their homeland. Its a great, successful ceremony, he said.

At Porong Prison in Sidoarjo, East Java, convict Umar Patek served as flag raiser at a similar ceremony.

He was not forced, this is proof of Umars love of Indonesia, prison chief Riyanto told BenarNews.

Umar Patek was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2012 for involvement in the Bali bombing as well as Christmas Eve attacks in 2000. Prior to his arrest in Abbotabad, Pakistan, in January 2011, he was listed as an international terrorist with the al-Qaeda network.

Sentence reductions

To mark Independence Day, the government reduced sentences of 92,816 inmates across the country, according to Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly.

Of those, 35 were involved in terrorism, including Abu Bakar Bashir, the proclaimed spiritual leader of JI who is imprisoned in Sindur Mount Prison, in Bogor, West Java.

Bashir received a three-month remission. This is the third year he has received the remission for the sentence running to 2024, Yasonna told local media.

Aman Abdurrahman, the suspected mastermind of recent bombings in Jakarta, was due for release from Nusakambangan Prison in Central Java this Aug. 17, but was re-arrested instead.

Abdurrahman is thought to be the founder of IS-linked Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), which carried out a terrorist attack that killed eight in central Jakarta in January 2016, and a twin suicide bombing near a bus station in East Jakarta in May 2017, according to police.

The United States government declared JAD a global terrorist group in January 2017.

Aman was taken by Densus 88 on Sunday, before his letter of release was handed over. He was taken to Mobile Brigade Command Center at Kelapa Dua, Ibnu Chuldun, an official with the central Java provincial government, told local media.

A prison official said Aman was arrested on charges related to a terror attack in the Thamrin area in Jakarta in January 2016 where four civilians and four suspects were killed.
A revolver lies next to the body of a suspected drug dealer killed during a police anti-drug operation in Manila, Aug. 18, 2017.

Human rights groups and several lawmakers in the Philippines on Friday condemned this weeks bloody anti-drug crackdown after reports emerged that among nearly 100 people killed was a 17-year-old student who had been taken into police custody.

The boy, identified by police as Kian Loyd delos Santos, a grade 11 student, was among the suspected drug addicts and dealers killed in the so-called one time, big time police operations this week.

The boys father told a local television crew that his son was killed after being led away by police officers. A witness said the boy was handed a gun and told to run before the policemen shot him, according to the report.

He was wearing boxer shorts. Can you put a .45-caliber in boxer shorts? Let us remain truthful, the boys uncle, Randy delos Santos, told CNN-Philippines.

The weeks death toll has nearly doubled from 58 deaths Monday through Wednesday in the northern suburbs of Bulacan and Manila to 96 as of Friday, according to official police figures.

Police reported new deaths in several areas, including seven in the southern Cavite area, about two hours south of Manila.

The delos Santos case, if the complaints are true, runs counter to claims by police that those who died had fought with the officers.

Officers defended

National police chief Ronald dela Rosa defended his officers, saying the public should not be alarmed by the number of deaths because it showed police were combatting drugs and criminality.

Nonetheless, he said an investigation into the delos Santos incident would be carried out and if the officers were found to have committed a crime they would be punished. The three officers who were involved already were suspended, pending results of the probe.

I want our policemen ruthless when it comes to operations against drugs, but they should not abuse their power, dela Rosa said even as he stressed they were given instructions to protect themselves if attacked.

All the operations are being carried out by our policemen with presumed regularity, he stressed.

Unacceptable

Opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros called for a thorough investigation into the boys death and challenged Duterte for hailing his officers for the mass killings.

This butchery does not deserve a pat-on-the-back from the president. It deserves an investigation, Hontiveros told BenarNews.

She said Dutertes commendation to police officers in the face of the mounting civilian death toll reinforces impunity among our state forces.

This week has been the most violent in Dutertes drug war. It also comes shortly after police in the southern Philippines killed 15 people in a pre-dawn raid, including a city mayor placed by Duterte on a list of 150 public officials, police and military officers allegedly involved in drugs.

Since Duterte came to power in June 2016, about 8,000 drug pushers and addicts have been slain by police and unknown vigilantes. Activists warn that the figure would continue to climb.

The tough-talking Duterte, 72, vowed to end the drug menace in the country in two to three months or he would resign. He recently said he had underestimated the problem.

The country paid a very dear price for the presidents error: at least 8,000 deaths. The Duterte government cannot kill its way out of the drug problem. This bloodthirsty attitude must end, Hontiveros said.

House of Representatives member Edgar Erice said also spoke out against the killings.

The Philippine National Police in its misguided war on drugs is now terrorizing our communities and collateral damage is unacceptable, he said.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella defended the governments drug war even as he promised that dirty cops found to be breaking the law would be made to answer.

He said the drug war is not a reckless exercise of bloodletting, adding, theres rhyme and reason in police operations.

Words matter

Commission on Human Rights chief Chito Gascon blamed Duterte for encouraging police to carry out the mass killings by promising he would shield them from human rights advocates and pardon them if caught and convicted.

Words matter especially when uttered by the leader of the country or other senior officials such as the police commander, Gascon told BenarNews. These have consequences on the ground.

Gascon said rights advocates had been alarmed by the continuing rise of the death toll, as he called on the public to question the killings, adding the pace and scale is unprecedented.

There has to be a collective pushback  to change the public reaction to this, Gascon said, referring to Dutertes high approval rating a year into office. Or we will see a ratcheting up of the body count.
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For Immediate Release, August 18, 2017 Contact: Patrick Donnelly, (702) 483-0449, pdonnelly@biologicaldiversity.org Analysis: Nevada National Monuments Targeted by Oil and Gas Speculators LAS VEGAS Oil and gas speculators have aggressively targeted two Nevada national monuments under threat of elimination by President Trump, an analysis released today by the Center for Biological Diversity reveals.



Federal documents show that speculators blanketed Gold Butte and Basin and Range national monuments with requests to have nearly 640,000 acres offered for oil and gas leasing  and hard-rock mining claims  in the years before they were designated by President Obama. Oil industry speculators can't wait to get their dirty hands on these incredible national treasures, said Patrick Donnelly, the Center's Nevada state director. To even consider removing protections from Gold Butte and Basin and Range to appease oil companies is the epitome of short-sighted, corrupt public policy. Trump is trying to auction off public lands like they're part of his crumbling real estate empire, without any regard for these amazing cultural and natural resources. National monuments protect irreplaceable biological, historic and scientific features from activities that would damage them, such as fossil fuel development. More than half of Basin and Range National Monument  at least 410,493 acres out of the total 704,000 acres  have been nominated by the oil and gas industry to be offered for leasing, according to Bureau of Land Management records. Six hard-rock mining claims also could be developed if the monuments are eliminated. This central Nevada monument protects 13,000 years of culture, including a treasure trove of prehistoric rock art. At Gold Butte National Monument, oil and gas speculators have asked BLM to offer at least 226,748 acres for leasing  more than three-fourths of the monument's 296,937 acres. Another 24 hard-rock mining claims, including four targeting uranium deposits, could be developed if monument protections are lifted. This southeastern Nevada monument is an important wildlife corridor and critical habitat for the Mojave desert tortoise In April, Trump ordered Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to review 27 national monuments and issue his recommendations by Aug. 24. Zinke has since pardoned six monuments without releasing any information about how these decisions were made. Trump and Zinke are trying to expand fossil fuel and other energy-related extraction on public lands. Despite the extensive parcel nominations, fracking remains speculative on public lands in Nevada. According to BLM data, only 2.4 percent of acres leased for oil and gas are actually producing. The Nevada leasing requests were made between 2014 and the date of each monument's designation. Obama designated Basin and Range as a national monument in 2015 and Gold Butte in 2016. The designations protect rare cultural and ecological landmarks, biodiversity, landscapes and geology, and world-renowned prehistoric sites that could be ruined by oil, gas or mining industrialization. A summary of the Center's analysis methods is available to media upon request. Download a map of one-mile sections containing oil and gas nominated parcels in Basin and Range National Monument here and its proclamation here. Download a map of one-mile sections containing oil and gas nominated parcels in Gold Butte National Monument here and its proclamation here.
Starting your day with a cup of mushroom coffee can give a much-needed twist to your daily regimen. Many speak of its benefits, and some even prefer it to regular coffee. But given its unique
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Another food scandal: this time eggs used for making sandwiches and other processed products that contain traces of an insecticide called fipronil . Fipronil is banned in human food production because it can be harmful to human health if ingested in sufficiently large quantities

Its very unlikely that anyone would consume enough to be harmed, but 700,000 eggs have been recalled and destroyed in the UK alone. Up to 15 EU states, and Switzerland and Hong Kong are believed to be affected.

The eggs came from farms in The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany and were sold across Europe. However, the numbers involved are a tiny proportion of all eggs produced and sold even in a day  around 34.5m in the UK alone.

Food fraud is the deliberate and intentional substitution, addition, tampering, or misrepresentation of food, food ingredients, or food packaging; or false or misleading statements made about a product, for economic gain. So is this a case of food fraud? The matter is being investigated and a spokesperson in Brussels said the situation was evolving by the day. We do know that following raids in Belgium and the Netherlands, two men were arrested facing fraud charges.

It is not clear whether any farmers knew what was in the products  criminal investigations appear to be centred on pest control and the suppliers of cleaning products. If the egg producers knew that they were using an insecticide that was banned for use in human food production, then the fraud would be in how they managed the paperwork in purchasing the substance, masked it in inspections and made claims in the sales of the eggs.

Paper trails

If it turns out to be a fraud, perpetrators of this kind of crime are as likely to be charged with false accounting and record keeping as with anything else. On August 2 2017, two men were jailed and another given a suspended sentence in the UK for their role in the 2013 horsemeat scandal. Their aim was to boost profits  and they falsified paperwork to hide the fact that horsemeat was being passed off as beef. In this case, City of London police pointed out that it was an outright fraud by misrepresentation.

Food fraud is rarely a single crime. Cases that have come to court also include food safety breaches, animal welfare violations, employment law infringement, smuggling, tax and duty evasion, terrorist funding, bribery and corruption, extortion as well as false accounting. The ALW Honey Laundering case involved mislabelling, adulteration, substitution, false documents, false accounting, customs duty and sales tax evasion while another case involved manipulation of invoices for 500,000 litres of olive oil falsely passed off as Italian, for a total trade value of 3m.

Narrow margins

So why do businesses  both legitimate and organised crime  take the risk? The cost of egg production is very close to the price that the producer gets from the packer or other customer. The margins are tiny and so the only way to make a profit is to sell in volume. This is true of many foods. Food frauds tend to be low-margin, high-volume except for a few premium products such as quality alcoholic beverages, caviar or extra virgin olive oil. Even a fraction of a cent or penny per egg over hundreds of thousands of eggs can mean the difference between making a profit to survive as a business, being able to withstand increasing feed prices or labour costs, or being able to reinvest.

Feed is the highest cost in egg production  but the loss of birds through disease also puts pressure on egg producers, hence the attraction of using insecticides in cleaning routines to guard against lice and ticks which bring disease among large flocks. These are all added costs to the production of eggs  and with fipronil now available in generic form, the cost of buying it has come down.

We dont yet know whether the use of fipronil in this case was a deliberate attempt to lower costs or was due to negligence  but it is almost axiomatic that where profit margins are tight, there is an incentive to cut corners.<

Joining up the dots

So how easy it is to get away with passing off food products as safe when they are not? The food industry has scientific checks in place, and more recently there have been growing requirements based on advice from the Global Food Safety Initiative for vulnerability or risk assessments to be carried out by companies in the supply chain.

The problem is that while the staff assigned to carry out the risk assessments are experienced and skilled, they have very little training in other aspects of fraud and red flags such as employee behaviours, accounting indicators that do not make sense, or unexpected availability of products in demand. Is anyone looking at whether there are opportunities for collusion between suppliers and buyers in the supply chain? Or if theres scope for false paperwork to be presented? How well do you know your supplier, or your suppliers supplier?

These are important questions that are extremely difficult to answer in a complex, fast-moving and endlessly shifting supply environment, where goods are perishable and sometimes pass through long supply chains.

The market for sandwiches, salads and so on is extremely competitive. Food doesnt necessarily need to become more expensive. There are costs - particularly those associated with waste - that could be taken out of the system. But it is a commercial environment in which producers, packers and manufacturers find it difficult to make sufficient profits to survive. This latest story provides some food for thought: can we really afford to have less regulation and red tape in the food industry?
SYDNEY - Australia is set to regulate virtual currency exchanges such as Bitcoin and strengthen the powers of its financial intelligence agency Austrac as it cracks down on money laundering and terrorism financing.

The changes came two weeks after Austrac took the country's biggest bank, the Commonwealth, to court for alleged "serious and systemic non-compliance" of money laundering and terror financing laws.

It follows similar reforms by Japan to regulate virtual currency, after the country found itself at the epicentre of a multi-million dollar embezzlement scandal following the collapse of the Tokyo-based MtGox Bitcoin exchange.

"Stopping the movement of money to criminals and terrorists is a vital part of our national security defences and we expect regulated businesses in Australia to comply with our comprehensive regime," Justice Minister Michael Keenan said.

He added that the digital currency exchange sector was being regulated for the first time, while low-risk industries such as cash-in-transit would be subject to fewer regulations.

Virtual currency has grown rapidly since the 2009 launch of Bitcoin, and there are now more than 100 crypto-currency options.

But the sector has suffered from highly publicised scandals like the 2014 collapse of MtGox.

Backers say virtual currencies offer an efficient and anonymous way to store and transfer funds online.

But critics argue the lack of a legal framework governing the currency, the opaque way it is traded and its volatility, make it dangerous.
The media is at the forefront of generating awareness over environmental issues. It is easy to name influential films like An Inconvenient Truth or note advances made byenvironmental reporting. But what is often missing from this discussion is the environmental costs of producing media in the first place.

Whether these be the energy that powers Al Gores visually stunning presentations or the materials  wood pulp, ink, detergents, cleansing solvents  required for printing a newspaper, there are considerable environmental costs involved. The media industry has slowly come to realise these costs, often as a result of prodding from NGOs like Greenpeace or in the form of policy (such as the BBC requiring carbon reporting for all its productions). The print sector has elaborate mechanisms in place to use recycled paper and minimise the use of harmful toxins. Similarly, the film and television sectors have started to develop carbon calculators to allow productions to assess  and curtail  their emissions.

To date, emissions reductions have focused on materials and practices that adhere to the traditional production pipelines for different sectors. The newspaper industry focuses on paper; broadcasting on the travel of journalists and crew; the film industry on production management.

laetiferrero/flickr

But of course, most of the operations of contemporary media companies are now thoroughly digital. Films are shot on digital cameras, online workflows allow for centralised management of editing, newspapers are increasingly accessed online. Contemporary digital media is pervasive and proliferating, and raises fundamental questions over the capabilities of the industry to account for its environmental impact by focusing largely on traditional production methods.

Indeed, when these companies observe their environmental performance, digital operations often present a daunting challenge. Academic work on the production and delivery of digital content as well as on the devices on which they are accessed has been conducted. Yet this discussion has not penetrated the public consciousness or even parts of the industry.

The digital footprint

Many assume that digital media is more environmentally friendly than traditional forms. Take publishing  theres far less paper used, right? The publisher Schibsted, for example, argues that the move to digital has reduced its emissions by more than 50% from 2009 to 2015. Yet it is not always clear what to include within these measurements. Schibsted has, for example, focused on the type and volume of energy needed to power devices in terms of reading time. But other considerations, such as the use of files and access to cloud services, provide more complex challenges.

Cloud services provide endless backups which are seen and marketed as a way to ensure ones data is preserved indefinitely against disruption. But increasing information flow from servers to terminal devices and using remote hosting can lead to a considerable increase in the amount of energy used. Certainly, they provide for efficient corporate conduct and management of information, but they are also a quintessential example of anthropocentric logic. The image of the immaterial cloud ignores the grounded realities of the data centres, still often at least partially powered by coal.

The Guardian picked up on these debates in 2015 and commissioned extensive research on the publishing sector. It draws on studies that suggest that the internet accounts for 8% of the total energy consumption in the UK. Greenpeace estimates that the ICT sector comprises 2% of global emissions  on par with the airline industry.

A study by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland estimates that digital content production comprises, at the high end of estimates, 50% of the total climate emissions of newspaper publications. The majority of emissions are generated by consumer choices in accessing said content (going as high as 87% of total emissions from online publications). These depend on the particularities of the devices used, the electricity mix powering data servers, the grid which consumers use to access data, their means of downloading/streaming content (wifi vs ethernet), and how much time they spend reading the material.

Concerns and solutions

Any attempt to understand the digital emissions of a publisher would therefore rely on an overwhelming number of factors and variables including reader habits, data farms, internet service providers, device manufacturers, and the operations of the media companies themselves. And most difficult of all, 50% or more of these emissions take place outside of the control of the media company.

These concerns are not only prominent in the publishing sector. Calculating the total emissions of a company like the BBC or 20th Century Fox is even more complex. The problems for the industry are to do with not only agreeing on similar notions of transparency and common standards of accounting, but also of collecting data from sources far outside their remit.

There are no definitive ways to calculate and assess the footprint of digital media  as there arguably has been with more traditional production methods. The problem is that tracing material emissions extends all the way down the supply chain for media production and beyond to consumption practices, including how often a file is accessed and on what kind of devices.

When compared to heavy industry, the footprint of media production is small. But as the use of digital proliferates, our digital footprint can and will have consequences  and we should work out how to measure this sooner rather than later.

Sectors such as publishing may have alleviated environmental concerns by turning attention to recycled paper and suchlike. But the seeming immateriality of digital calls for much more extensive attention to the sectors footprint. The proliferation of digital media necessitates urgent self reflection and regulation as well as the establishment of much firmer and more comprehensive policies to address these emissions.

The question of responsibility is clearly a tortuous one when 50% of these emissions take place outside of the control of the media company. Cross-sectional collaboration is required here, but the impetus for this goes back to the media company as well as the wider policy environment. Environmental sustainability may soon no longer be a marginal inconvenience (or a tool to generate positive PR), but emerge as a strategic, financial priority.
The first robot-assisted surgeries to treat prostate cancer in the Eastern Cape were performed by Netcare Greenacres urologists Dr Hannes Brummer and Dr Johan Coetzee this week following the installation of the Da Vinci Si robotic surgical system at the hospital.

Photo: RoboCatz

Similar robotic systems have been installed at Netcare hospitals in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

Coetzee and Brummer have been training in South Africa and Europe to perform robot-assisted surgery.

Netcare hospital division managing director Jacques du Plessis said that after robotic surgery systems had been introduced in other provinces there had been an increased number of referrals from other provinces.

"We have now brought the technology and capacity for robotic-assisted procedures to the Eastern Cape.

"We identified a need for the intricate and highly complex interventions the Da Vinci Si system enables trained surgeons to achieve," he said.

Netcare Greenacres Hospital general manager Andre Bothma hailed the development and the benefits it would bring for patients with localised prostate cancer. It is also used for kidney and bladder cancer surgery.

"The new technology will make it possible for trained specialists to offer our patients world-class prostate cancer treatment," he said.

Urologist and robotic surgeon Dr Gregory Boustead, consultant adviser to Netcare hospitals, said these surgeries were the gold standard in the treatment of localised prostate cancer in Europe and the US.

The technology enabled surgeons to achieve greater surgical precision due to better visibility of the surgical site.

He said the first 500 robotic-assisted prostate surgeries at Netcare facilities had shown excellent results.

He further explained that patients are only required to stay in hospital for two to three days and complication rates were very low.
The arrival of digital textile printing in Cape Town can revive the local clothing and textile manufacturing industry and salvage some of the job opportunities lost to China. Craig Whyte, CEO of digital printing specialists ArtLab, has invested close to R10-million in new printing equipment over the past few years to bring digital textile printing to South Africa.

We call it reshoring - bringing back some of the manufacturing jobs, which were a staple of Cape Towns business landscape, from Chinese factories. By offering higher quality, rapid customisation and a broad range of natural and synthetic materials; digital textile printing is also a cost-effective option for brands and retailers, many of whom have trialled the tech over the past year and are now putting in increasingly large orders.

Digital textile printing has already helped revive Europes textile industry. Large fashion brands, such as Zara, use digital textile printing to design, print and roll out new styles and fashion to their stores quickly, in an environmentally sustainable manner. This allows them to stay on-trend without incurring the significant costs and potential wastage of doing large-volume print runs in China.

According to the latest research, the global textile market is expected to reach more than $1.2-trillion by 2025.

Despite coming off a low base of 2% of the total textile market, digital textile printing is set to disrupt the traditional textile industry drastically. Analysts estimate that the global digital textile printing sector will grow by 25% per annum over the coming years, with half of that growth centred in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

Empowering local small businesses

According to the latest stats, the local industry went from employing 200,000 people in 2002 to a mere 90,000 today. The loss of jobs in this sector has had significant consequences, partly because three out of every four textile and clothing workers are women. For the industry to move from survival into a more consistent growth phase, it needs a shot in the arm. We believe digital textile printing is just that.

The effect of the offshoring of Cape Towns textile and clothing manufacturing industry can clearly be seen in local neighbourhoods. We are based in Woodstock, where much of the industry was traditionally located. Over the past 15 years, we saw factories shut doors and witnessed the effect of these closures on the communities around us. For us, digital textile printing marks a revival of industries related to clothing, upholstery, soft furnishings, and more.

"The new technology gives old artisans and small businesses a cost-effective way to revive their craft and improve their livelihoods. Were trying to create a platform for the industry - theres a strong sense of entrepreneurship in what were trying to achieve.

Greener option

Environmental impact has long been a concern in the traditional textile manufacturing industry, with some towns declared disaster areas due to run-off from textile factories.

In India, water pollution from the run-off from fabric dying factories forced the closure of 30,000 family-owned farms in Tirupur, placing the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people at peril. Digital textile printing has none of the environmental issues associated with traditional pigment dyes, and uses a range of latest-generation technology to ensure minimal ecological impact.

The secret to reviving the local textile industry lies in a combination of cutting edge technology and close collaboration between the various industry role players. We are inviting key stakeholders in the local textile industry to trial the new technology and witness for themselves the quality of digital printing on a range of natural and synthetic fabrics. Since print runs can start from as low as 1 metre, theres no barrier to entry for new and existing clothing and textile manufacturers to see how it can speed up their production, unlock new business opportunities and spark a revival of a once-proud local industry, concludes Whyte.
Recent reports published this week from some of South Africa' largest poultry producers and industry bodies have confirmed a second outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza at one of its Standerton breeding farms in South Africa's Mpumalanga province.

Last month, South Africas agricultural department confirmed four outbreaks of avian influenza, placing the farms under quarantine and stopping the movement of chickens and chicken products onto and off the farms in an effort to prevent it from spreading. Poultry destined for exports now have to be absorbed in the South African market, which may also weigh in on prices.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Daff) has reported that export of chickens has been banned and trading partners have been informed of the current situation. Production costs may increase due to the added biosecurity measures and production losses. As a result, poultry producers may also start to demand higher prices.

Average poultry prices over the past week were mostly lower. The average prices for frozen birds were 0.36% lower at R25.57/kg during the week. Whole fresh medium bird prices were 0.28% lower at R25.30/kg, while IQF prices were 0.13% higher at R23.30kg.  Absa Agri trends
South African online shopping community SnapnSave has raised ZAR14 million (US$1 million) from Kalon Venture Partners and Smollan Group to help it grow its app downloads and expand into new markets.

Kalon Venture Partners, which recently rebranded from previous identity Grotech, and Smollan Group SA, have each invested R7 million ($500,000) to acquire minority stakes in SnapnSave.

The startup has developed South Africas leading cashback coupon app, which gives shoppers cash back on their favourite products, wherever they shop, just by snapping a photo of their till slip.

Mobile-based coupons are part of the daily shopping habits of Europeans and Americans. Now were seeing this trend emerge in South Africa with over 15% of South African smartphone owners already having used a digital coupon. Consumers love saving money and with the state of the economy they are looking at ways to put real cash back into their own pockets, said SnapnSave chief executive officer (CEO) Mark Bradshaw.

In just over 18 months, SnapnSave has already given shoppers over R3.5 million ($262,000) cash back, while it is about to reach 200,000 app installations.

The funding will help grow these app downloads to 500,000 in South Africa within a year, and will also support entry into Asian and African regional markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nigeria, Kenya, and a North African country.

SnapnSave will enter these markets via Smollans network, which is present in more than fifty countries and provide services to over 500,000 retailers.

Our till slip technology means shoppers can get cashback wherever they shop simply by taking a till slip selfie. The tech is all enabled without any till point integration that as a result means the product can easily scale into markets without any barriers, said Bradshaw

Clive Butkow, CEO of Kalon, said the investment in SnapnSave formed part of his firms strategy to position itself as the preeminent venture capital company in Africa, investing in disruptive digital technologies solving African problems.

We are excited about the investment and its growth opportunities locally, into Africa and globally, he said.
Habitat for Humanity's Solid Ground Campaign in association with the Urban CSO Cluster of the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) of UN-Habitat hosted a conference focusing on land governance and management in Africa in Pretoria earlier this week. Influential women from across Africa shared their findings on (among other things) land policy initiatives, including women's rights to own land.

The Partnership for Action Conference saw an opportunity for policymakers, academics and members from many organisations to share valuable information to help the transformation of policy development in Africa, said Tamzin Hudson, advocacy specialist for Habitat for Humanity International. A common thread was the issue of gender inequality and the high priority it should take when working on land governance-related policymaking.

We need to address equal rights to ownership to land, and ensure that the land policy framework that we develop guarantees equal rights to all people, including women, who have been excluded historically from inheriting land in Liberia, said conference attendee Ellen Pratt, the commissioner of land use and management with the Liberian Land Authority.

Knowledge access

Education and information are also paramount to ensure women are aware of their rights to land and the right to have their names on documentation. Women need to have the right to bequeath land, trade land and cultivate land with the knowledge that the land belongs to them, said Jacqueline Amongin, Ugandas representative of the Pan African Parliament.

Marc Wegerif has worked on development and human rights issues in a range of organisations for over 25 years, and is currently the Land Rights Policy Lead with Oxfam. Speaking on gender and womens rights, at the conference, he pointed out that in communities where women have stronger land rights, there are lower levels of both of hunger and of violence against women. With control over the land they depend on for their livelihoods, women are able to take more control of their lives. Women also play a vital role in the betterment of their families and communities, giving them secure land rights should be imperative, said Wegerif.

Equipping women with the necessary tools

Land is essential to securing shelter, for agriculture for food security, for mobilising investments and for sustainable management of resources. Including women in decision-making in land policy, and creating programmes that give women the necessary tools to secure land ownership, will address the challenges facing most African countries, Hudson said.

The conference took place in partnership with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Habitat International Coalition (HIC), Pamoja Trust, the Huairou Commission, and Slum/Shack Dwellers International (SDI). Stakeholders from multiple sectors came together to explore approaches to land governance for inclusive and sustainable development in Africa.
Nairobi is the only city in Africa whose airports are recording higher growth for domestic capacity than that of international capacity, with a 22% boost. This is according to a new report by ForwardKeys, which compares Nairobi's trend to most of the other top 10 African airports ranked by total scheduled capacity for August to December 2017, which are seeing more growth in international than in domestic capacity.

Image by joyfull (Supplied)

The report, whose special focus is on the East African Community (EAC), further indicates that Nairobis airports have a total scheduled capacity (August to December 2017) of 18% in domestic seats, 31% in long-haul international seats, and a 51% capacity in intra-Africa international seats. Of these, Jomo Kenyatta International Airports scheduled capacity is 13% and 5% long-haul and intra-Africa international seats respectively within the same period under review.

The trend is encouraging for aviation players. As a travel agent, we anticipate a surge in flight bookings in the last half of 2017. Most inspiring is the contribution of Kenyans and other members of the East African Community to domestic travel. It reflects our confidence in our own tourism products with Kenyas tourism domestic spending recording 59% against 41% foreign visitor spending, says Cyrus Onyiego, Jumia Travel Kenya country manager.

EAC destinations received strong growth

Generally, the wider analysis of the report on travel to Africa shows EAC destinations received a strong growth of 14.3% for 2017 year to date. According to Travel and Tourism Expert Carmen Nibigira: The future of tourism in East Africa is embedded in the vision of one destination with multiple cultures and products. After all, with a population of 160 million and 10% of which is a potential market, it makes sense to invest in inter and intra-regional tourism.

Collectively, the entire African continent continues to record positive performance, welcoming an increase in international arrivals of 14% in 2017 year to date. In a parallel report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global passenger traffic data for June shows that demand (measured in total revenue passenger kilometres) increased by 7.8% compared to 2016 and from Mays record of 7.7% growth. All regions, according to IATA, reported growth.
As Brics countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA) celebrated the launch of the African regional centre of the New Development Bank (NDB), South African taxpayers can expect to contribute $10bn over a seven-year period.

Malusi Gigaba, minister of finance

The bank, which lends funds to its member countries exclusively for now, aims to contribute to the acceleration of infrastructure investment in energy, transport, water and other productive sectors.

SA has already requested and received a R2.4bn loan from the bank for Eskom's renewable energy projects.

However, the loan has since been temporarily halted over fears it would use the loan for activities not agreed to with the bank in its borrowing terms.

The loan made to Eskom in April 2016 was based on the assumption that the power utility would use the funding for transmission lines to connect 500MW of renewable energy from independent power producers to the national grid.

Eskom subsequently refused to sign new offtake agreements with renewable-energy projects in terms of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, arguing they were not cost-effective.

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said that SA was working on a "project pipeline" that would help to reinforce the balance sheet of state-owned companies in order to implement critical infrastructure in the areas that were agreed to with the NDB.

State-owned enterprises such as South African Airways and Petro SA have been struggling with maladministration and wasteful expenditure, which have led to the financial instability of the institutions.

Gigaba hailed the NDB's presence in the region as a "milestone", saying it would ignite growth in the economy and lead to job creation in the process, focusing mainly on tackling youth unemployment.

"The $1.5bn that has been promised by the bank will go a long way towards assisting us to reinforce and in balancing the balance sheets of state-owned companies in order to be able to implement critical infrastructure in the areas that we agreed to," he said.

The bank's president, KV Kamath, said at the opening of the regional office in Johannesburg on Thursday that SA offered attractive opportunities for fundraising.

He said that the bank planned to raise more additional funding of $2.5bn between now and 2018, while also exploring the viability of currency bonds in member states.

"We believe that the SA market offers attractive opportunities for fundraising and in the appropriate time, we will work with authorities in SA to explore these opportunities in the country to ensure that we raise rand funds," said Kamath.

The NDB plans to have an authorised capital of $100bn,of which $50bn will be subscribed capital.

Speaking at the launch, President Jacob Zuma said the continent had "great expectations" for the NDB, listing Africa's challenges of integration, industrialisation and overexposed economies as some of the areas that could help unlock growth.

Leslie Maasdorp, the vicepresident of the regional bank, agreed that one of the focus areas would be regional integration and connectivity.

He emphasised that the bank would also team up with other organisations such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa, which has similar mandates of infrastructure development.

"The challenges that Africa faces is that it is one continent with 53 countries and there is huge potential to connect these economies in a more dynamic way, he said.

"We will place emphasis on projects that enhance regional connectivity, strengthen the rail links, road and transport links and strengthen the power links between SA and the region," Maasdorp said.
The man who shot dead a leopard in what was claimed to be self-defence on a hunting farm outside Grahamstown will be criminally charged for allegedly hunting the animal.

The probe into the killing of the leopard - which is a protected species under South African law - came after Dale Venske shot the animal on the reserve near Alicedale in January. Venske works as a vermin control officer on Burchell's Private Game Reserve where the leopard was killed.

Earlier this month, Venske was served with a summons to appear in the Grahamstown Magistrate's Court next month, where he is expected to be criminally charged.

The leopard mauled houndsman Zwelakhe Dyan during the incident, prompting the Environmental Affairs special investigations unit, known as the Green Scorpions, to investigate the shooting of the leopard and the attack on Dyan.

Officials said suspicions were raised when those involved gave conflicting statements.

It has since emerged that the dead leopard was the largest ever recorded in the Eastern Cape.

Provincial Green Scorpions director Div de Villiers confirmed that Venske was due to appear in court on 1 September.

Under the Animal Protection Act, hunting with dogs is also illegal under almost all circumstances. National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tsepo Ndwalaza confirmed that Venske would be prosecuted for hunting a leopard without a permit and unlawfully using dogs to hunt a leopard.

Venske would have the option of paying an admission of guilt fine. "Admission of guilt fines of R8000 and R2000, respectively, will be set in respect of the charges," Ndwalaza said.

Hunting operator and reserve owner Barry Burchell, who is in Namibia, said Venske did not want to talk to the media. "There is an option of a fine [but] we will not pay. We are going to fight the case in court," he said.

Investigators have since discovered that a third person arrived shortly after the shooting.

At the time of the attack, Dyan described how the hunting dogs circled bushes and, when he investigated, he was confronted by a leopard. It is claimed that the predator charged Dyan, who suffered a broken shoulder and cuts, before being scared off. It is further claimed that the leopard then charged Venske, who shot it. However, investigators believe the men had attempted to hunt the leopard.

At the time, Burchell denied knowledge of a leopard on his property and claimed the dogs were part of a vermin pack registered with Nature Conservation. However, days later, he admitted knowing that there might be a leopard on his farm.

According to officials, who cannot be named as they do not have the authority to speak to the media, the cellphones of those involved in the incident were confiscated. They allegedly revealed messages and voice notes contradicting the original story about the leopard. The authorities believe they show Venske allegedly intended to hunt the leopard.

Shortly after the leopard was shot, the carcass was taken to a taxidermist, where it was going to be skinned and mounted. Investigators, however, confiscated the skin and remains. Analysis of the skeletal remains suggests the animal was shot in the side of the head. However, Venske claimed he shot the leopard while it was charging him.

Landmark Foundation director Dr Bool Smuts said the decision to prosecute was a landmark move. "It is the first time anyone will be charged for killing a leopard in the province.

"I hope this will see other similar [cases] prosecuted.

"Usually, the hunter falls back on the self-defence motive, which in our opinion is very weak."

Smuts said the leopard, weighing in at about 113kg, was the largest ever recorded in the Eastern or Western Cape.

Source: Herald
The power of women is that if you empower one, others will follow. If we work together, we will rise and lift others with us. This is the responsibility that the 20,000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 gave us.

These are the inspiring words of Stella Tembisa Ndabeni-Abrahams, deputy minister of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services in her keynote address to delegates of the Standard Bank Top Women conference that took place at Emperors Palace in Gauteng.

Women need to mentor and groom each other if they are serious about liberating themselves and others. Our grandmothers brought together 20,000 women without the use of social media, so imagine what we could be capable of. But only if we work together. We are the only ones who can make it happen.

Our nation has overcome many challenges, but despite great initiatives and policies developed and adopted by government including a progressive Constitution as well as initiatives by the private sector, we are still having conversations about the liberation of women, she told the audience.

Women still battle to balance home and work. In the workplace women are still not paid the same as men, despite doing the same work. In South Africa, the creation of a ministry for women has proved to be ineffective. Policies and initiatives look progressive on paper, but in reality have made no progress.

This is why women need to work together. Women need to be empowered economically but we will never achieve this if we are pulling each other down and continuing to work in silos It is only when we work together that we will achieve our goal.

She identifies the Fourth Revolution as an opportunity for women to achieve liberation, but she says, again it is up to us to identify gaps that will allow us to be leaders of the revolution and not left behind. It is only when we achieve this that was will make South Africas and Africas women economically independent.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution could allow women to leapfrog the gender gap to create a future that is truly equal and inclusive. This is because this new world will require different talents and skills; ones that are inherent to women.

Rory Moore, innovation pioneer, Accenture. Image  Digital Kungfu

The top three skills the world will require going forward is cognitive flexibility, coordinate with others and being creative. These are the skills women possess and are good at, says Rory Moore, innovation pioneer at Accenture. He was speaking at the Standard Bank Top Women conference held at Emperors Palace in Gauteng.

We are living in a time where the pace of technology and change is unprecedented. So much so that we cannot afford to operate under the assumption that the world is the same. Some things we know for certain, like the sun rises in the East, but some of our assumptions are simply just not true anymore.

Digital is playing a massive role in this space, he adds.

It is resetting the clock, changing the nature of competition and showing us that what we hold as true is no longer true.

Winners of the future

Playing it safe is risky and old school thinking. Organisations need to be agile and nimble while embracing change and risk, and while we may be unsure of the answer, we are required to make a decision quickly.

The innovation model has changed. The old model that emerged after World War II, when R&D was exclusive and a product could take 20 years to develop, is being replaced by a new model as technology and digital becomes pervasive.

Think about it  today, anyone can share an idea with the world using their smart phone. The problem is not idea, but the abundance of them. There are so many ideas, how do you pick one?

The message is that anyone can come up with a good idea, but an idea can turn to dust or magic depending on the talent that rubs off against it. It is up to us as leaders in our organisations to create this space. The winners of the future will master or define the architecture of participation and this is where women could come into their own.
It's not often you attend an awards event where the recipient of the Lifetime Award breaks out into song. But this is exactly what happened at the Standard Bank Top Women Awards, when the legendary Yvonne Chaka Chaka was recognised for her lifetime commitment to women's empowerment.



The audience responded with cheers, with the moment an indication of the celebratory mood of the evening and of the many talents of women, which were recognised and celebrated by the Standard Bank Top Women Awards. The event took place at Emperors Palace in Gauteng following a two-day conference.

The Awards are important because of what they offer. They are a seal of approval and the recipients reap the reward for years, but they are also about sharing recognition for gender empowerment, says Ralf Fletcher, director of Topco Media.

The Awards recognise organisations as well as individuals for their contribution to female empowerment. In the Headline Awards, the Top Female Entrepreneur Awards boasted 18 finalists.

The winner, Lynette Magasa of Boniswa Corporate Solutions, explained that they started with two employees. Today she employs over 170 employees, not only in South Africa but throughout southern Africa as well as France and she is currently in the process of launching an office in Canada. She is also the United Nations (UN) representative for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in Africa. I can honestly say that behind a successful woman is a bunch of women. Carissa Rapolthy of Urban Striker was highly commended in the category.

The Top Business Woman of the Year is Nombasa Tsengwa of Exxaro Resources. I am honoured to receive such a prestigious award in the month of women. I salute the other nominees and thank Exxaro for believing in me and letting me play with the boys. Thanks to my team  this is our award.

Tsengwa adds that in a country where state capture and corruption is topical, we are fortunate to have women and men in our country who still want to put this country first. We are privileged to still have companies that promote the cause of women and advance the contribution of women.

A scene from our red carpet gallery of the Standard Bank Top Women Awards. Click through for more!

Microsoft is the recipient of the Top Gender-Empowered Business award. Receiving the Award for the company, Lillian Barnard, director for Public-Sector at Microsoft SA, says its the companys desire to empower every individual on the planet.

We are serious about the empowerment of women; it is not just about the numbers but the understanding that companies need to become gender empowered.

The judges feedback was that finalists and winners were all young, bright and intelligent entrepreneurs working in male-dominated industries, focusing on making a difference. They have started businesses that never existed before and have helped others less fortunate than themselves, using not only their talent and brains, but also their hearts. The Awards showcase this, and empowers these women, affirming the importance that what theyre doing  often in sectors traditionally dominated by men  is important to the countrys economy.

One of these is Nokuthula Mcinga of the Airports Company of South Africa  King Shaka and Winner of the Individual Top Woman in Aviation. She says this Award is just the beginning. We are driving female empowerment, this is just the start.

The Top Woman in Agriculture, Lesego Serolong of Bokamoso Impact Investments, says Africa is the next bread basket of the world. But if we are to fulfil our destiny, we need to empower rural women.

Xoliswa Daku of Daku Group of Companies, winner of the Top Woman in Property, says property is a difficult industry. This Award celebrates all the women in the property sector. I encourage all women to continue to serve the country with your best, and that you are profitable.

Winner of the Top Woman in Construction, Revona Botha of Robust Engineering, says: I have been in construction for 27 years. I am the mother of two children. I am proud to be in construction and proud to be a mother. No man can beat me!

Speaking at the event, Jayshree Naidoo, head of Standard Bank Incubator and interim CEO of Feenix Trust encouraged the glittering audience to love what they do and work for a purpose. I love what I do and I want to work for an organisation with purpose. I am proud that Standard Bank supports women entrepreneurs and changes lives every day.

Lastly, Naidoo reminded the audience that women are so much more than their titles. We are so much more than the role we are given. We are more than what we do; we are daughters, sisters, friends, mothers, leaders this is me.

Guest speaker Aisha Pandor, CEO and co-founder of SweepSouth, concluded that when there is no longer the need for Awards such as these that differentiate between men and women, our work is done. We are not fighting men, we are fighting inequality.

Click here to view our red carpet gallery from the awards.
David Ramos/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- An attacker killed at least 13 people and injured dozens more in Barcelona on Thursday using what has become a hallmark of recent terror attacks: a vehicle.

Local police say a rented van jumped the curb and plowed into pedestrians in the citys famous Las Ramblas tourist area, and two people, one from Morocco, the other a Spanish national, are in custody in connection with the attack. Authorities say neither of them was the driver of the vehicle.

Asked if the driver remains on the loose, a Catalonia police official replied, That is right. He is neither of the two detained.

For more than a year, ISIS has urged its followers to carry out such vehicle attacks, even providing specific instructions on choosing the ideal vehicle and the ideal targets, including large outdoor festivals and pedestrian-congested streets.

According to John Cohen, the former principal deputy coordinator for counterterrorism at the Department of Homeland Security and an ABC News contributor, attacks on so-called soft targets are difficult to prevent and relatively easy to carry out.

ISIS promotes these types of attacks because they're easy, Cohen told ABC News. You can take people who have received no training, who are using items that are easy to acquire. And they can still commit mass murder.

Thursdays attack is the just the latest in a string of deadly incidents throughout Europe in which terrorists have drawn from that playbook, using vehicles to inflict casualties.

In August of last year, 86 people were killed on by a speeding truck driven by an ISIS follower in Nice, France. In December, 12 people killed in a vehicle attack on the Christmas markets in Berlin. And 14 people were killed in two separate incidents in London this year, one on the Westminster Bridge and the other on the London Bridge.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, ISIS took responsibility for the Barcelona attack, calling those involved soldiers of the Islamic state in a statement released by its Amaq News Agency

Security source for Amaq Agency: The executors of the Barcelona attack were from the soldiers of the Islamic State, and the operation came in response to calls to target coalition states, the message reads.

U.S.-backed fighters have recently driven ISIS militants from their strongholds in Raqqa and Mosul. As ISIS continues to struggle on the battlefield, Cohen says, the group could increasingly turn to these kinds of attacks.



We have seen a dramatic increase in attacks by individuals who are inspired by ISIS or are loosely connected to ISIS in Europe and even in the U.S., Cohen told ABC News. As ISIS suffers more defeats in Iraq and Syria we can only expect to see more attacks.



The events in Barcelona have put American law enforcement officials on high alert for similar attacks, especially in New York, where the challenge of protecting the citys many popular pedestrian walkways, like Times Square, is particularly daunting.



Nicholas Casale, a retired NYPD detective, former deputy director of counterterrorism for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and an ABC News contributor, said preventing a similar attack in Times Square would be extremely difficult.



You can put up concrete barriers, you can have cameras all over the place and officers with heavy weapons, but the bottom line is Times Square, 7th Avenue, is filled with traffic, and if you have just one operator who has a sympathy, who is a lone wolf, who is an independent actor, its all but impossible to stop them from crashing into a crowd, Casale told ABC News.

James Waters, the NYPDs chief of counterterrorism, said his office is ready to meet the challenge.

We consider NYC a target all the time, Waters told ABC News. Were always ready and prepared to responds to anything that we face. We know that were in the crosshairs of the terrorists all the time.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.




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PR Newswire

BURLINGAME, Calif., Aug. 17, 2017

BURLINGAME, Calif., Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Proterra, the leading innovator in heavy-duty electric transportation, announced that the Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) Authority has approved the purchase of four Proterra Catalyst E2 zero-emissions battery-electric transit buses and related charging infrastructure. RDU selected Proterra as its battery-electric bus provider citing the company's sustainability, performance and operational cost-savings excellence. This purchase marks Proterra's first airport customer and the first airport electric bus deployment in the Carolinas.

"Bringing zero-emission buses to airports throughout North America is an integral part of Proterra's next stage of growth, and we couldn't be happier to announce RDU as our first airport customer," said Ryan Popple, CEO of Proterra.

Currently, RDU shuttle buses transport on average 112,166 passengers and luggage per month between the airport's two ParkRDU Economy lots and terminals with a diesel-powered fleet consisting of 14, 40-foot transit buses that are replaced every 7-10 years. Funded in part by a $1.6 million zero-emissions vehicle grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, the new Proterra battery-electric buses will replace four older diesel buses, resulting in the elimination 16.9 million pounds of greenhouse gases over the lifetime of these vehicles.

"The purchase of these four buses demonstrates our commitment to a world-class airport experience," said Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority President and CEO Michael Landguth. "We are excited about both the sustainable benefits as well as the improved passenger experience these new buses will provide."

Since the Proterra buses have no combustion engine, riders will enjoy a smoother, exhaust-free ride, experiencing less noise as the bus travels between the terminal and parking lot shuttle stops. In addition to traveler benefits, the operational cost of electricity, at $.19/mile, is substantially lower than diesel, at $.84/mile. Combining this with greatly improved vehicle efficiency, at 21 MPG equivalent, and reduced vehicle maintenance costs will result in a savings of about $1.8 million during the 12-year lifetime of these new Proterra buses. Scheduled to be placed in service in early 2019, the buses will be designed and built at Proterra's Greenville, S.C. manufacturing facility.

"As a top innovation-driven community in the U.S., the Raleigh-Durham region is home to one of the nation's largest and most successful research parks, a major center for high-tech and biotech research, and world-class universities. RDU's pioneering vision to transition from dirty diesel to a zero-emission fleet further fuels the area's spirit of innovation and demonstrates how Proterra is able to scale our technology, serve this new market and further our goal of providing clean, quiet transportation to all," said Popple.

About the FAA Zero Emissions Airport Vehicle GrantThe Federal Aviation Administration's Zero Emissions Airport Vehicle and Infrastructure Pilot Program was created in 2012 to improve airport air quality and facilitates use of zero emissions technologies at airports. Grants are awarded for up to 50 percent of the cost of zero emissions vehicles and associated infrastructure.

About the Raleigh-Durham Airport AuthorityThe Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority and its 300 staff operates and manages Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the primary air travel gateway to central North Carolina. The airport served more than 11 million passengers in 2016, about 30,000 customers every day. RDU is home to more than 5,000 employees and contributes more than $8.5 billion and 20,000 jobs to the region's economy each year. The Airport Authority has won the Triangle Business Journal's Heathiest Employer of the Triangle for the past three years straight and in 2017 was named the best connected medium hub airport by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's International Center for Aviation.

About Proterra:Proterra is a leader in the design and manufacture of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, enabling bus fleet operators to significantly reduce operating costs while delivering clean, quiet transportation to local communities across the United States. With more than 400 vehicles sold to 41 different municipal, university, airport and commercial transit agencies in 20 states, Proterra is committed to providing state of the art, high-performance vehicles to meet today's growing market demand. The company's configurable Catalyst platform is capable of serving the full daily mileage needs of the toughest transit routes on a single charge. With unmatched durability and energy efficiency based on rigorous U.S. certification testing, Proterra products are proudly designed, engineered and manufactured in America, with offices in Silicon Valley, South Carolina and Los Angeles. For more information, visit:http://www.proterra.com and follow us on Twitter @Proterra_Inc.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raleigh-durham-airport-taps-proterra-to-deliver-north-carolinas-first-electric-airport-passenger-bus-fleet-300506396.html

SOURCE Proterra




NEW DELHI (PTI): Indian Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat will pay a three-day visit to Ladakh beginning Sunday during which he will take stock of the security preparedness along the border with China besides discussing key operational matters with top commanders, official sources have said.



The Army Chief's visit to Ladakh comes days after Indian border guards foiled an attempt by Chinese soldiers to enter Indian territory along the banks of Pangong lake in Ladakh.



The Chief of Army Staff will pay a three-day visit to Ladakh from Sunday during which he will review the security situation and present ceremonial colours to one of the units, the sources told PTI.



They said Gen. Rawat will discuss major operational matters with top commanders in Ladakh.



On Tuesday, soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) tried to enter the Indian side in two areas-- Finger Four and Finger Five-- twice but on both the occasions their attempts were thwarted by alert Indian troops.



The assessment by the security establishment here is that Chinese soldiers may resort to more such attempt to intrude into the Indian side and there was a need to enhance the existing security arrangement along the border.



The incidents in Ladakh took place amid a face off between Indian and Chinese armies in Dokalam in India-Bhutan- China trijunction which has entered the third month.



The Army officers of India and China had met on Wednesday in Leh's Chusul sector where Indian side raised the issue of attempt by Chinese soldiers to enter Indian territory along the banks of Pangong lake.



Sources said the Chinese side had taken an aggressive stand at the meeting and even sought to blame the Indian troops for Tuesday's skirmishes.



They said the meeting also deliberated on ways to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border in Ladakh.



The Chinese troops had managed to enter up to Finger Four area in the region from where they were sent back. This area has been a bone of contention between India and China as both claim it to be a part of their territory.



After Chinese troopers found their path blocked by ITBP personnel who formed a human chain, they began hurling stones, prompting a swift retaliation by Indian border guards.



Personnel from both sides received minor injuries and the situation was brought under control after the customary banner drill under which both sides hold banners before stepping back to their respective positions.



Two thirds of the Pangong Lake are controlled by China while one-third of it is controlled by India.






NEW DELHI (PTI): The powerful Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) comprising chiefs of the Indian Army, the Navy and the Air Force have reviewed the security preparedness of the three services including along the Sino-India border, official sources said.



The standoff between armies of India and China in Dokalam and attempts by Chinese troops on Tuesday to enter the Indian territory along the banks of Pangong lake in Ladakh were also discussed at the meeting on Thursday, they said.



"Issues relating to the country's external security as well as situation along the borders were discussed," a source said.



The meeting came two days after Indian border guards foiled an attempt by Chinese soldiers to enter Indian territory along the banks of Pangong lake.



Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) tried to enter the Indian side in two areas-- Finger Four and Finger Five-- twice between. But on both the occasions their attempts were thwarted by alert Indian troops.



Personnel from both sides received minor injuries and the situation was brought under control after the customary banner drill under which both sides hold banners before stepping back to their respective positions.



The incident was discussed at a flag meeting between the two sides at Leh's Chusul sector on Thursday.



The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a bitter face-off at Dokalam in India-China-Bhutan tri-junction for little over two months.



China has been ramping up rhetoric against India, demanding immediate withdrawal of Indian troops from Dokalam.



The Chinese state media, particularly, has carried a barrage of critical articles on the Dokalam stand-off slamming India.



In the face of heightened rhetoric by Beijing, India has poured in more troops along the entire stretch of its border with China in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.



The "caution level" among the troops has also been raised, according to officials.



The decision to increase the deployment along the nearly 1,400-km Sino-India border from Sikkim to Arunachal Pradesh was taken after carrying out a detailed analysis of the situation and considering China's aggressive posturing against India on Dokalam, the officials had told PTI last week.




An internet imagery

NEW DELHI (PTI): In a major decision, the defence ministry has approved procurement of six Apache helicopters along with weapons systems from American giant Boeing at a cost of Rs 4,168 crore for the Army which will be its first fleet of attack choppers.



It will be a follow on order to the deal India had signed with Boeing and the US government for 22 Apache helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers in September 2015.



The six 'AH-64-E' helicopters will come along with associated equipment, spares and weapons system, defence ministry sources said on Thursday.



A meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley cleared the long-pending proposal to procure the attack helicopters for the Army which has been pressing for the choppers, the sources said.



The 'AH-64-E' choppers are known as one of the most advanced multi-role combat helicopters which have advanced weapons systems and night-fighting features.



After the government finalised the deal for 22 Apache helicopters for the Indian Air Force, the Army had been pushing for follow on orders of 11 choppers for it, arguing that the ground forces need them considering the changing security scenario in the region.



However, the IAF was not in favour of the Army's proposal. Till now, the Army does not have any attack helicopter.



The Rs 4,168 crore deal will also include cost of weapons, ammunition, spares and associate equipment and training.



The Defence Acquisition Council, the defence ministry's highest decision-making body on procurement, has also cleared a proposal to procure two gas turbine engines from Ukraine at a cost of Rs 490 crore for two ships which are being built for the Indian Navy by Russia, the sources said.



They said the proposal to procure the attack helicopters will have to be cleared by the cabinet committee on security before the deal could be inked.



Army sources said the attack helicopters, which are expected to be delivered by 2020, will significantly enhance armoured division and will strengthen the Army's capability to carry out combat operations in border areas.



The total cost for the 22 Apache helicopters and 15 Chinook choppers was around USD 3 billion.






COLOMBO (PTI): Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah was on Friday appointed as the chief of Sri Lanka's naval forces, making him the first from the minority Tamil community to head the Navy since the brutal civil war erupted in the country 45 years ago.



Sinniah, who played a decisive role in the destruction of the LTTE warships in deep sea during the height of the civil war, was appointed as the Navy chief by President Maithripala Sirisena.



"Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah, who has served Sri Lanka Navy with immense loyalty for many decades, took office as the Navy Commander today," President Sirisena tweeted.



His services will be effective from August 22.



Sinniah succeeds Vice Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne who has retired.



He is the second Tamil to head the Lankan Navy after Rajan Kadirgamar, who was the commander in the late 1960s.



Sinniah is the first from the Tamil community to head the Navy since the outbreak of the civil war in the north and east of the island in 1972.



He successfully commanded a mission in 2007 to destroy the LTTE's weapons smuggling ships in international waters off Indonesia and Australia, that is considered as Sri Lankan Navy's biggest achievement, media reports said.



Sinniah, who joined the Navy in 1982, was the senior most Naval officer to be in active combat operations at sea during the conflict with the LTTE separatists.



It was also announced that Wijegunaratne would be appointed as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).



The LTTE waged a war with the government to carve out a separate Tamil homeland in the regions with the conflict ending in 2009. Tamils in the country claim discrimination at the hands of the Sinhala majority.



According to UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by security forces during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the brutal civil war with with the defeat of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.


Call it twin intuition, call it a coincidence even call it fate, either way its freaky, writes Anna O'Donoghue.

Identical twin brothers, Cathal and Patrick OBrien studied together at Clongowes Wood College in Kildare for six years, even chose the same subjects with the exception of one.
Two homeless cousins who had been living in tents in Dublin's Phoenix Park have had their belongings confiscated and removed from the area.

The pair were presented with a warning from the park superintendent, Margaret Gormley, last Saturday which asked them to remove their tent and items as soon as possible.

When they returned to their tents on Tuesday last they found their belongings had been removed along with their tent.

They presented to Capuchin day centre and Brother Kevin the next morning.

Reacting to the incident, Inner City Helping Homeless (ICHH) described the treatment of the homeless pair as "disgusting".

"The lack of compassion and empathy shown by officials to fellow human beings is disgusting," said a statement released by the organisation.

"The fact that a leg of an Ironman Competition goes through the same area of the park this weekend would intimate an even more sickening reason for them being removed. Does it not look good for officials to have homeless people around during an event like this?"

It is believed up to 17 people are sleeping rough in Phoenix Park.

"This is an all time low from State services, the Office of Public Works should be working with services in order to support those who are forced into sleeping rough within the park," said ICHH CEO Anthony Flynn.

"These people are not there by choice, they are sleeping in the park because of lack of state supports. We are aware of up to 17 individuals sleeping rough in the Phoenix Park and are currently trying to engage to offer integrated services.

"The country is going through a national homeless crisis and this type of behaviour from the office of public works is definitely not helpful. I would urge the OPW to engage with us regarding rough sleepers so that interventions can be made."
More bridges need to built between Irish and UK politicians ahead of Brexit, a Fine Gael TD has said.

The Irish Government's chief whip said there are UK politicians who do not understand the implications of Brexit on the island of Ireland.

Joe McHugh also said he is prepared to represent the views of those in Northern Ireland who feel they have no voice in the Brexit debate because of the lack of government at Stormont.

Powersharing at Stormont collapsed in January after the late deputy first minister Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein resigned in a row over a botched green energy scheme.

Attempts to restore the executive have so far failed amid disagreement between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party on a number of key issues.

Mr McHugh said many people in the region feel they do not have a voice on Brexit in the absence of the political institutions.

"I am happy to continue to give those people - Irish citizens among them - a voice alongside citizens of this State and voice those concerns in London, Brussels and wherever else we need to go to do that," he added.

Referring to the Northern Ireland peace process, Mr McHugh said he was concerned that there are UK politicians who "don't understand the possible implications (of Brexit) for Ireland, who've never visited the island and have never spoken to someone from a border community".

He said there is a new generation of younger politicians in the UK who need to understand "that the peace process was hard won and we cannot throw it away".

However, he added: "There are senior politicians in all the main parties in Britain who have had their own input into the peace we enjoy today.

"Politicians I worked alongside in the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly know the intricacies of the peace process; they know the geography of the border and they know the politics and decisions needed to maintain and protect the process."
The IMPACT trade union says we need better early intervention for children with special needs.

The union has invited one of the world's most iconic scientists to Cork Institute of Technology today, to share her personal experiences of autism.
An innocent mother-of-six and a young locksmith killed in a gangland shooting were shot multiple times in an attack which the intended victim narrowly escaped, gardai have said.

In an appeal over the movements of two cars used by the gunmen in the brutal incident Ballymun, Dublin, on Wednesday, detectives said they have received good help from the local community.

Antoinette Corbally was shot several times at the front of her home on Balbutcher Drive as the intended target, her convicted gunman brother Derek Devoy, fled the scene.

The second victim was Clinton Shannon, a locksmith from Swords, Dublin, who was hit by a number of bullets as he sat in a car on the street outside the property.

Chief Superintendent Lorraine Wheatley described the victims as innocent and said officers were investigating more than 300 lines of inquiry since the broad daylight attack.

She thanked the local community in Ballymun for their support in the aftermath of the incident.

And she said: "I believe that there's lots of other information out there that may assist with this investigation.

"An innocent young man and a mother-of-six have been killed and we are appealing for the community to come forward."

Detectives are trying to trace the movements of two cars used in the attack - a silver Opel Zafira with 08 LS 3101 registration plates, and a black Volkswagen Golf GTI with 06 LH 3466 registration plates.

A handgun and an automatic weapon, understood to be a machine gun, were used in the killings.

The front of Ms Corbally's house was riddled with bullets.

Gardai said additional armed patrols have been operating in the Ballymun area amid fears of retaliation for the murders.

"If people have any information on the intent to commit more crimes we would like them to come forward," Chief Supt Wheatley added.

Derek Devoy, known by the nickname Bottler, is believed to have been the target of the shooting and was released from jail in 2015.

He has convictions for a drive-by shooting in Ballymun, more than 10 years ago, and armed robbery.

His sister is not the first in the family to face a gangland onslaught.

His brother Mickey was shot dead and his body dumped in a lane in Tallaght, Dublin, in early 2014 after he had been freed from prison.

It is understood the brothers have been embroiled in long-running feuds over several years which have been linked to drug dealing, debts and personal disputes with rivals.

The latest incident was not being linked to the bloody gang war involving the Kinahan and Hutch crime gangs, which has seen more than 10 murders in Ireland and overseas in recent years.
Update 3.30pm: Victims from 34 countries were killed or injured in the Spain terror attacks, a Spanish ambassador said.

Jose Maria Rodriguez Coso heads the diplomatic presence in Ireland.

He said injuries to Irish holidaymakers from the attacks were not as serious as some, but added the multiple nationalities of those caught up in the violence showed its global nature.

"They are trying to strike against the core of our way of living, our way of living and enjoying life.

"That is why we need the strength and the help of friends like Ireland to continue our job.

"Because terror will not prevail, we will continue to live our lives, we will continue receiving guests and doing our job as we did in the past even in the worst of moments."

Almost two million Irish visitors are expected in Spain this year.

The ambassador said the Irish shared his compatriots' traits of strength and endurance against adversity.

"It is another element of cultural community, very difficult pasts sometimes ... make you stronger.

"I think that is one of the reasons we have done so well, because we have lots of very strong character."

Many Spaniards come to Ireland to work or attend university.

The diplomat added: "There is a very strong movement amongst both countries and that is natural.

"Most of the Irish know Spain or have been there at least once in their lives."

Update - 10.50am: The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, says Ireland is better prepared than we have ever been for a terrorist attack.

Mr Coveney says while we need to remain vigilant, the risk of an attack remains possible, but not likely.

He said: "We need to work to make sure incidents like this don't happen in Ireland, but should something happen, that we have the training and the resources and the focus to respond.

"But of course when you have a madman willing to drive a van into a crowded street it is very difficult to prepare and to respond to that."

A woman places flowers near a paper that reads "Catalunya - place of peace" in Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain, today.

Irish man David Roche was on Las Ramblas with his children yesterday.

He describes what happened, saying: "We heard this bang and people started to run and scream, it was very hysterical.

"Every now and again there would be a surge of people starting to run, not knowing how these people operate, you had to run with the crowds."

Dublin's Lord Mayor, Micheal Mac Donncha, has opened a Book of Condolence for the victims of the tragedy in Barcelona.

The public will be able to sign the Book of Condolence at The Mansion House, Dawson Street as follows:

* Friday 18th August 12pm  4pm

* Saturday 19th August 12pm  4pm

* Monday 21st August 10am  4pm

Lord Mayor Mac Donncha said: "I was horrified to hear about the attacks on the people of Barcelona and Cambrils. Dublin and Barcelona have been sister cities since 1998 and have developed close ties throughout the years.

"I am opening this Book of Condolence to let the people of Dublin express their sympathies and solidarity to the families of those who died or were injured and to stand with the people of Barcelona.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Tony Fitzgerald, will also open a Book of Condolence at 3pm today in The Atrium of City Hall.

The Lord Mayor said: "On behalf of the people of Cork city, I wish to convey our condolences and solidarity with the people of Spain at this time. My thoughts are with the families and friends of all those who have lost loved ones and those who were injured.

"We stand with the people of Barcelona and Spain."

The Book of Condolences will remain open in Cork until Friday, September 1, 2017.

Update - 9.51am: Amy McColgan from Letterkenny in Donegal was in Barcelona at the time of yesterday's terror attack and describes what she saw.

She said: "Whenever they decided to lift the shutters and let us out, there was nobody on the streets, it was eerie, very eerie.

"There was a tent and the police had the tape across and they were ushering us to get us off that street that was closed off.

"And that was scary now, because we still didn't know what was going on."

"Nobody really knew how to get home, the metros were closed, nobody knew what bus to get, the taxis were all full and all their lights were turned off.

"So that was a wee bit like, 'how are we going to get home and is it even safe to be on the street?'"

Update - 9.15am: A five-year-old Irish boy suffered a broken leg when his family was caught up in the terror attack in Barcelona.

The boy's father also has leg injuries after a van was driven into innocent people in Las Ramblas, one of the busiest avenues in the Spanish city.

Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister, Simon Coveney, said: "They are not life-threatening, I'm relieved to say.

"But in a way it's a miracle that more Irish people weren't involved, given that there are so many Irish people in Spain, Barcelona and Cambrils at this time of year."

The father and son were part a family of four, including the mother and a daughter, and are understood to have been on a trip to celebrate the boy's birthday.

The youngster suffered a broken femur.

The mother and father are understood to be from Cebu in the Philippines and are naturalised Irish citizens. They hold dual citizenship. The children were born in Ireland.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is assisting the family.

Earlier: An Irish family were caught up in the terror attack in Barcelona.

The mother and father are originally from the Philippines and are naturalised Irish citizens, while their two children were both born in Ireland.

It is understood they were holidaying in the Spanish city for the birthday of one of the children.

It is reported one of the family members sustained serious but non life-threatening injuries.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is assisting the family. Its officials opened a hotline for anyone concerned about relatives in Spain on 01-408 2000, while the Irish Embassy in Madrid is also fielding calls on +34 9143 64093.

President Michael D Higgins led condemnation of the attack and sent a message of condolence.

"Barcelona has a long history of hospitality and has over the years received so many people from around the world," he said.

The scene of yesterday's attack.

"As President of Ireland, I want to send the people of this great and welcoming city not only our sympathy but also the solidarity of the people of Ireland."

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: "An attack of this nature, targeting the people of Barcelona and visitors enjoying that wonderful city in the height of the tourist season, is both wanton and cowardly and has no place in our society.

"At this time of immense grief, I want to offer our solidarity and support to the people of Spain, with whom we have such close relations."

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said he was appalled by the attack.

"On behalf of the Irish Government, I wish to convey our condolences and solidarity with the people of Spain at this time," he said.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan described it as an unspeakable act of terrorism and vowed that gardai would liaise closely with Spanish counterparts.

"It is clear that the intention of those who carried out this appalling, evil act was to kill, wound and terrorise innocent people enjoying the freedoms we share and cherish," he said.

"Our thoughts are with the victims and their families."
A worrying number of under 12's here can not run, jump, throw or catch a ball properly, according to a new report.

Former Rugby International Paul O'Connell has said it is scary.

Authors of the study are warning parents to spend more time playing with their kids.

DCU and Dublin GAA have conducted a study into the mobility skills of three thousand primary school children across the country.

The worrying results reveal many have such poor skills they can not even do basic things like throw or catch a ball.

Dr Johann Issartel from the DCU School of health and Human Performance said it is a worrying trend.

"We basically have a new generation of kids that aren't fit anymore and that is a worrying trend," he said.

Sedentary lifestyles, time poor parents and over use of technology are all contributing factors.

60% of the children in the study were below the recommended fitness levels for their age group.

Mr Issartel also said unless children's gross motor skills are improved, they will run into health difficulties when they are older.
Manufacturers from Great Britain could rush to establish bases in Northern Ireland to avoid customs tariffs post-Brexit, a lobby group for the industry said.

The UK Government has proposed smaller firms involved in localised cross-border trade with the Republic should be exempted from the responsibilities.

Manufacturing Northern Ireland said 99% of the businesses it represents were small or medium-sized but they had been given no idea how the suggested arrangements after March 2019 could work.

The group said: "Essentially it means that Northern Ireland firms would be within the Customs Union whilst also being outside of the Customs Union as part of the UK. Is that possible or acceptable?

"It could lead to a rush of Great Britain manufacturers wanting to come and set up in Northern Ireland to avoid customs requirements but equally, it could see Irish firms using Northern Ireland as a back-door to the UK market, so trade could be distorted."

The lobby group said large manufacturers in Northern Ireland, around 60 or so, accounted for half of all employment and turnover from the sector.

"They'll be subject of currently complex and costly red tape and delay being outside the Customs Union.

"Manufacturers constantly work to remove complexity and cost so this will be difficult for such strategically important employers and exporters.

"It is business who will be most impacted and who will be asked to make Brexit work. Efforts need to be stepped up to engage and get ideas about how these and other proposals are made workable.

"Given all this, it's difficult to understand how any guarantees can be provided about the absence of physical borders or customs checkpoints, regardless of any proposed exemptions, unless a comprehensive customs agreement and single market access is delivered."

The UK Government has set out its vision of a free-flowing and unmonitored Irish border post-Brexit, with the majority of local businesses avoiding customs tariffs.

Officials have said the risk of Great Britain or continental Europe-based firms using Irish business counterparts to avoid tariffs can be managed effectively.

The Government paper again dismissed any suggestion a customs border could be shifted to the Irish Sea, with checks and tariffs only in operation at entry and exit points between the island of Ireland and Great Britain.

If the EU signed off the UK's ultimate customs objective, a partnership deal with the UK mirroring Europe's tariff system, then no Irish companies would be subject to new checks as a consequence of Brexit.

Agricultural businesses north and south of the border have expressed continued concern.

Michael Rice is an agent for agricultural supplies firm ICE Comfort Slat Mats.

The product for cattle bedding is made in Dublin but distributed in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

He said he remained concerned about the impact of Brexit on farming more generally.

Mr Rice added: "We don't know whether to invest in our business or not."

AP
Donald Trump has lashed out at members of his own party as his controversial response to white supremacist violence threatens to engulf his presidency.

With prominent Republicans openly questioning his competence and moral leadership, Mr Trump returned to the racially charged debate over Confederate memorials, bemoaning efforts to remove them as an attack on America's "history and culture".

And he berated his critics who, with increasingly sharper language, have denounced his initially slow and then ultimately combative comments on the racial violence at a white supremacist rally last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Mr Trump was much quicker on Thursday to condemn violence in Barcelona, where more than a dozen people were killed when a van veered onto a pavement and sped down a busy pedestrian zone in what authorities called a terror attack.

He then added a tweet reviving a debunked legend about a US general subduing Muslim rebels a century ago in the Philippines by shooting them with bullets dipped in pig blood.

The president wrote: "Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!"

Mr Trump's unpredictable, defiant and, critics claim, racially provocative behaviour has clearly begun to anger his Republican allies.

Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, who Mr Trump considered for a Cabinet post, declared "the president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to" in dealing with crises.

And Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska tweeted: "Anything less than complete & unambiguous condemnation of white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the KKK by the @POTUS is unacceptable. Period."

Anything less than complete & unambiguous condemnation of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK by the @POTUS is unacceptable. Period.  Sen. Dan Sullivan (@SenDanSullivan) August 17, 2017

Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said the president's "moral authority is compromised".

Mr Trump, who is known to try to change the focus of news coverage with an attention-grabbing declaration, sought to shift focus from the white supremacists to the future of statues.

"You can't change history, but you can learn from it," he tweeted. "Robert E Lee. Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish.

"Also the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!"

"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments," he tweeted.

Mr Trump found himself increasingly under siege and alone while fanning the controversy over race and politics towards a full-fledged national conflagration.

He dissolved two business councils on Wednesday after the chief executive members began quitting.

That damaged his central campaign promise to be a business-savvy chief executive in the Oval Office.

And the White House said on Thursday it was abandoning plans to form an infrastructure advisory council.

Two major charities, the Cleveland Clinic and the American Cancer Society, cancelled fundraisers scheduled for Mr Trump's resort in Palm Beach, Florida, amid the continuing backlash over the president's remarks.

Meanwhile, rumblings of discontent from his staff grew so loud that the White House had to release a statement saying Mr Trump's chief economic adviser, Gary Cohn, head of the National Economic Council and a Jew, was not quitting.

The president hit back hard against Republicans, accusing "publicity-seeking" Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina of falsely stating Mr Trump's position on the Charlottesville demonstrators.

He called Arizona Senator Jeff Flake "toxic" and praised his potential primary election opponent.

Mr Graham had said Mr Trump "took a step backward by again suggesting there is moral equivalency" between the marching white supremacists and the people who had been demonstrating against them.

Pressured by advisers, the president had softened his words on the dispute on Monday.

That was two days after he had enraged many by declining to single out the white supremacists and neo-Nazis whose demonstration against the removal of a Robert E Lee statute had led to violence and the death of a counter-protester in Charlottesville.

But he returned to his combative stance Tuesday - insisting anew during an unexpected and contentious news conference at Trump Tower that "both sides" were to blame.

Aides watching from the sidelines reacted with dismay and disbelief and privately told colleagues they were upset by the president's remarks.

But not all were unhappy with his performance, with adviser Steve Bannon telling allies that it would electrify the Republican Party base.

His job security in the White House is tenuous - Mr Trump offered only a "we'll see" on Tuesday when asked if his chief strategist would remain in his post - but Mr Bannon welcomed a fight over Confederate monuments.

He told The New York Times: "The race-identity politics of the left wants to say it's all racist. Just give me more. Tear down more statues. Say the revolution is coming. I can't get enough of it."

AP
A grandfather has made an emotional appeal for information about his seven-year-old grandson missing in yesterday's Barcelona attack.

Young Julian Cadman was separated from his mother, Jom, after a van ploughed into crowds on Las Ramblas.

She is in a hospital where she is in a serious but stable condition.

It is being reported the boy is a British national.

The British Prime Minister, Theresa May, said UK authorities were "urgently looking into reports" that the child, who has dual British nationality, is missing.

Grandfather Tony Cadman whose Facebook profile says he lives in Sydney and is from Gillingham, Dorset, England, posted a Facebook message: "My Grandson, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. Please like and share.

"We have found Jom (my daughter in law) and she is serious but stable condition in hospital.

"Julian is 7 years old and was out with Jom when they were separated, due to the recent terrorist activity.

"Please share if you have family or friends in Barcelona."

If you can't see the Facebook post above, click here.

Julian's father Andrew is on his way to Spain from Sydney to search for his missing son.

Julians aunt Hayley also posted a Facebook message appealing for information on her nephew.

She said: My nephew Julian Cadman is missing. Please like and share. We have found Jom and she is serious but stable in hospital.

Julian is 7 years old and was out with Jom and they were separated. Please share if you have family or friends in Barcelona.

Julian Cadman.

The British Prime Minister said: "The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Spain in confronting and dealing with the evil of terrorism, and I have offered any assistance we can provide.

"Sadly I must tell you that we do believe that a number of British nationals were caught up in the attack and we are urgently looking into reports of a child believed missing, who is a British dual national."
Barcelona was returning to its usual bustling self hours after terrorists killed 13 people and injured scores of others.

Lawyer and University of Glasgow rector Aamer Anwar said that businesses had begun reopening on the busy pedestrianised street of Las Ramblas.

The street, which is nearly a mile long, is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions and is packed with cafes, restaurants, shops and stalls.

Mr Anwar said: "Life seems to be going back very quickly to normality."

"Shop owners are opening up, stalls are back out on the street, but I'm conscious that there are two types of people here.

"There are those that saw what happened, there were those who were right in the heart of it, like myself, and then there were others who were tourists who had no clue.

"I was conscious of that yesterday when I was in Las Ramblas, when there were people like myself who were in shock, people upset, people crying, but then there was people who had no idea what had gone on, laughing and getting on with life and whatever. So there was mixed emotions."

Mr Anwar also said a heavy police presence remained on the streets.

"It's huge," he said.

"Literally you can see every 15 to 20 metres there are armed police officers, there are vans, police cars at every corner. So there is an extremely high police presence everywhere.

"There was even when I was arrived, but now it's swamped with emergency services."

Mr Anwar said the local reaction had been one of "shock", but commended the efforts of the emergency services and the "sea of humanity" that had assisted the wounded at the scene.

He said: "It's just a case of shock. But also many Spanish people have been aware of terrorist attacks in the past and the emergency response yesterday was tremendous.

"Literally within 30 seconds, hundreds of uniformed police officers with guns, plain clothes, and fire brigade, ambulances, did a tremendous job of clearing out the area, running in the direction.

"There is almost a spirit here that Barcelona will carry on. It seems to be the approach that people are adopting, that they won't be divided, they won't allow these people to succeed.

"What I saw yesterday was a sea of humanity. People - black and white, Asian, gay, straight, people who were Muslim, non-Muslim, every race, creed, religion represented on this street.

"And that's probably exactly the reason why these people attacked it - because it's what they hate."
A gunman on a Chicago subway platform opened fire at an arriving train in a targeted attack, police say.

A male victim was shot and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he is in a stable condition.

Chicago police deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro said the shooter waited for the victim at the Chicago Transit Authority's Jackson station, which is in the city's downtown business district.

Mr Navarro said: "As the doors opened up, he shot at the specific subject and ran."

The suspect was not in police custody by Friday morning.

Mr Navarro said it was a startling but rare event. He said there was no general threat to the public.

Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and extra subway patrols are planned.

AP
The family of a Swedish journalist missing since a trip off Copenhagen aboard a home-built submarine said they fear "the worst has happened".

The parents and brother of 30-year-old Kim Wall said "there is nothing we wish more" than to have her back alive, but added that the chances of this are "extremely small".
One of Canberra's most well-known restaurateurs has been found guilty of a string of offences after an incident where he hit a police officer with his car.

James Daniel Mussillon, 46, of Campbell appeared in Queanbeyan Local Court on Wednesday where he was found guilty of five charges, including assaulting a police officer.

Courgette owner and chef James Mussillon. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Mussillon is the owner of fine dining venues Courgette and Waters Edge, which were each awarded one chef's hat in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

The incident occurred on December 29 last year shortly after 2.30am when police were called to the Queanbeyan Leagues Club because Mussillon refused a staff member's direction to leave.
A disused mine is set to reopen outside of Goulburn to Canberra's north as mineral prices for zinc reach a 10-year high.

Heron Resources is hosting a ground breaking ceremony at Woodlawn on August 29 with aims to primarily harvest zinc from the site.

A 2013 picture of the Woodlawn Mine.

It's estimated the project will bring in about 250 construction jobs to the area with about 150 ongoing jobs for the operation of the mine.

While construction will begin this year, the mine is not estimated to commence operation until at least late 2018.
The Turnbull government has had plenty of faux crises in the year since it was re-elected with a majority of one, but now it has a real one on its hands.

Not that the people could care less. The Parliament this week has been a nonstop parade of pissantery. The electorate had already lost interest in Malcolm Turnbull, was uninspired by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, and grudgingly curious about what Pauline Hanson and the fringe parties could offer. This week all three did a first-rate job of demonstrating how second-rate they are.

Turnbull confirmed his weakness by showing that he was prepared to stand down one cabinet minister over the dual citizenship matter but lacked the courage to apply the same principle to another, bigger one. Matt Canavan dumped, Barnaby Joyce defended. And to cover the failure, he sent his Foreign Affairs Minister out to confect outrage at Labor over "Kiwis under the bed", as Penny Wong put it. If Julie Bishop is, as I suggested last week, sometimes overlooked, this week she was a little overcooked.

Shorten reaffirmed that he was more interested in a fight than a fix, escalating the citizenship fight to full-on fisticuffs rather than seeking a bipartisan solution to a pan-parliamentary governance problem.
The Turnbull government is abusing an emergency fund of taxpayer's money to pay for its $122 million gay marriage postal vote, according to one of Australia's former top public servants.

Mike Keating, who led the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under Paul Keating, says the government is "ignoring all proper conventions" by taking the money from the 'Advance for the Minister of Finance' in an "entirely inappropriate use" of the fund, which is meant only for urgent and unexpected circumstances.

Mike Keating, former high ranking public servant, says the government is breaking the rules to pay for its same-sex marriage postal vote. Credit:Sean Davey

But the government, which is facing a challenge in the High Court to the spending, insists it is on solid legal and constitutional grounds in giving the money to the Australian Bureau of Statistics to conduct the survey.

Mr Keating says the fund is now being abused to thwart the Federal Parliament and Commonwealth auditors should scrutinize the Coalition's conduct.
Turnbull government backbencher Barry O'Sullivan has rejected suggestions he is in breach of the constitution, after questions were raised over his eligibility to sit in the Senate  not because of his citizenship status but his business interests.

Senator O'Sullivan is the second government senator to come under pressure in the past 24 hours, with question marks over his eligibility now putting almost a quarter of the Nationals party room under scrutiny.

On Thursday, it emerged Senator O'Sullivan had a stake in a family construction company, the Newlands Group, which has been awarded $25 million worth of contracts for a Queensland infrastructure project that is 80 per cent funded by the Commonwealth government.

Senator O'Sullivan has not been referred to the High Court, but his office remains confident that he would survive any legal challenge.
When a public swimming pool in Gloucestershire recently announced to its patrons that it would be ending its women-only session, community reaction was swift.

Like thousands of public pools across the United Kingdom, The Pulse  a recreation centre in Dursley, Gloucestershire  had long hosted the women-only session as a part of its weekly program. But in a notice posted recently to its membership, management at the centre revealed it had received a formal complaint from a member of the public and would be changing the women-only session to an adult-only one, in order to adhere to the guidelines of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Equality Act 2010. The session will formally end on September 6.

More than 5000 people have signed a petition on change.org urging The Pulse to reconsider.

In response, more than 5000 people have signed a petition on change.org urging The Pulse to reconsider. Some of the comments left alongside signatures highlight exactly why this issue is so important. Fiona writes: "Because we FOUGHT for women's spaces and now we NEED TO FIGHT TO SAVE THEM."

Vince says: "Some women have good reasons not to want to expose their bodies to men." Emily suggests: "The Pulse could arrange regular Men Only sessions, which would demonstrate its readiness to support equality."
The signal to the hitman was to be the handover of a sleeping child.

The gunman waited in the darkness for a man to emerge from an apartment in Pendle Hill, in Sydney's west, carrying a small child, and this man, Raymond Pasnin, was to be his target.

Raymond Pasnin's fiancee Lyndal Archbold outside court in February. Credit:Michele Mossop

But the Supreme Court heard on Friday that hanging in the deeper shadows were Mr Pasnin's former girlfriends, Louise Ahern-Spiteri and April Barber, who had colluded to have him murdered at five minutes before midnight on October 30, 2013.

According to the Crown, Ms Spiteri-Ahern and hitman Daniel Haile were personal and criminal associates, as both were involved in the supply of drugs from the same syndicate.
The deportation of a New Zealand man convicted for his role in the fight that killed teenager Cole Miller would get "him out of our hair", an LNP politician says.

Daniel Jermaine Lee Maxwell, 22, was handed an 18-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of common assault and one count of affray.

Daniel Maxwell leaves the Supreme Court after he was handed a suspended sentence. Credit:Dan Peled/AAP

He had already spent 19 months behind bars, accused of unlawful striking causing the death of the young water polo player, but on Thursday those charges were downgraded.

Maxwell was taken back into custody following his surprise release, with his visa cancelled.
Tanja Ebert was a backpacker who made her dream of living in the outback a reality, and on the way, she fell in love and stayed.

The mother of two, 23, disappeared nine days ago and is believed to have been murdered.

Tanja Ebert disappeared nine days ago and is believed to have been murdered. Credit: Dede Brown Photography

Her two young boys are now orphans after their father killed himself as police searched the family home in connection with the suspected murder of their mother.

Sheep farmer Michael Burdon, 41, took his own life while police and the boys, aged one and three, were inside the house near Manna Hill, South Australia, just near the NSW border.
The leader of Perth's Catholic community has penned a letter to WA parishes encouraging them to consider the church's position on marriage equality before casting their vote in the postal plebiscite in September.

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe wrote the Episcopal Letter for distribution this weekend, and stressed the Catholic community had "no right to impose [their] views on others".

Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costello speaking with his congregation. Credit:Aleisha Orr

"That our convictions are based on these foundational beliefs should not be a surprise to anyone: we are a religious organisation. Nor should the religious foundations of our convictions disqualify us from engagement in the public discussion on these important matters," he wrote.

"The Catholic community, no less than any other in our society, has a right to propose its views about what will best serve the interests of our society as a whole. The Catholic community, along with every other community, has no right to impose our views on others."
A WA Greens Senator has offered to officiate citizenship ceremonies scheduled for January 26, after the Turnbull Government threatened to strip a second local council's hosting rights if they choose to "change the date".

The City of Yarra on Tuesday became the second local government in the nation to refuse the celebration of Australia Day, and the Turnbull government responded by stripping city officials of their citizenship powers.

The Fremantle Council had a very similar experience as Yarra Council last year. Credit:Simone De Peak

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull described the decision as an "attack" on Australia Day, and said the council would be punished accordingly.

"Any local council that breaches its duties under the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code can have its authorisation to conduct citizenship ceremonies revoked," he said.
Two local newspapers are reporting that the suspected driver of the van in Barcelona was one of the five shot dead in the later vehicle attack in Cambrils.

Earlier Catalan police said it was possible that 17-year old Moussa Oukabir was one of the five shot. A single police oficer shot dead four of the five.

And they say they are still working to confirm the identity of the driver.
Fintech Tic:Toc has celebrated one month since launch with a number of milestones including supporting its first customer through the application, approval and settlement process within 30 days.The firm which boasted a 22 minute home loan at its launch on 11 July held the official opening of its Adelaide office on 11 August, one month later. The Premier of South Australia Jay Weatherill and the states Minister for Small Business Martin Hamilton-Smith were in attendance. Tic:Toc offers loans through its partnership with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank In the companys first 30 days, 25,000 customers checked the website and 12,642 clicked apply to start a loan application. This latter figure included those using a trial feature in which customers could try out the application process anonymously.Loans approved during this time ranged from $60,000 to $1m, Tic:Toc CEO Anthony Baum told Australian Broker.We had our first settlement which is what we drive the business on. We settled a loan within a month of launch which was great for a digital home loan business allowing for the timeline in home loans.Hundreds of customers have gone right through the application end to end, he said, adding that specific statistics on the number of loans settled will be reported on at a later date.One exciting figure to come out of Tic:Tocs first month is that the median customer age was 40 years old (41 for men and 39 for women), said Baum.That does lots of things. It drives a higher average loan balance than what we expected. It also drives the hypothesis that for people who arent first home buyers who have some experience with the process before, a proposition like Tic:Toc will resonant because, stepping through it, they understand it.He pointed out that these levels of public interest happened before the company conducted any real marketing activities which are due to commence soon across a number of channels.After ironing out some residual technical issues, the fintech will release its first significant update to the platform next week, he said. This will allow customers to save and resume right through the application. A second upgrade will be released later which includes desktop and full valuation capabilities for customers who cannot be auto validated for their valuation.Weve learnt a lot and were making a lot of changes to make the customer experience even faster and better. We will continue to evolve the platform, expand our offering and grow our customer base through a very low cost and convenient digital experience, Baum said.
Mortgage marketplace HashChing has overhauled its broker dashboard, adding a number of features that let brokers visualise, track and boost their performance.The cornerstone of the upgrade is a set of performance analytics which measure personal metrics such as the number of reviews, average response time and success rate for each individual broker.Brokers can use the dashboard to improve their service and see how far they need to progress before becoming a premium broker.Premium brokers get more leads and subsequently, more exposure and customer opportunities. They are also automatically promoted on any of HashChings partner websites, CIO Atul Narang told Australian Broker.Users will be able to dig deep into the analytics for their lead pipeline to examine percentages of leads clicking through their profile, the status of current leads in the system, and the postcodes where most leads are sourced from.The update is a response to recent industry conversations around driving positive consumer outcomes in the mortgage and finance industry, Narang said.We believe its important to keep brokers accountable to customers, and from day one, we have maintained that partner brokers need to have a minimum 4/5 rating on HashChing in order to continue receiving leads.These ratings are garnered from building genuine relationships with the client rather than just pushing deals through, he said.So, to get high ratings brokers need to move beyond simply performing tasks for their clients. They need to work towards understanding who they are dealing with, their situation and how best to help them.If someone experiences a drop in their ratings they need to step up their game with their existing leads. Achieving higher reviews will eventually average out the weaker ones and allow them to regain a strong rating.Those who continue to perform poorly will be removed from the platform.HashChing's newest update to its broker dashboard makes it easier for brokers to quantify their performance, understand which areas  if any  need improvement, and also identify any new opportunities based on analysing their leads pipeline," Narang continued.Making these metrics more transparent for brokers will benefit the industry and encourage brokers to strive for a higher quality of service while maximising their deal flow, he said.The dashboard itself displays overdue leads and notifications issued. A new webinar section has also been added that contains education content on how to best use HashChings digital tools.Focusing outwards to the consumer, brokers will also be able to send a link to their personal HashChing profile to potential customers, showcasing their existing rating and reviews.The dashboard will provide positive consumer outcomes by acting as a sort of broker scorecard, Narang said.An important part of this feedback is to show brokers how far off they are from reaching premium level, which adds incentive. Premium status is based on three factors, conversion rate, 4/5 star reviews and responding to leads in less than 24 hours. The last two directly translate into better customer outcomes, which means HashChing is developing a service culture based on positive customer experiences.The dashboard also provides clear visibility of a broker's KPI's including; average response time, ratings, reviews and conversion, he added.Giving our partner brokers the best-in-breed technology tools has always been a key area of focus for HashChing. This latest overhaul to the broker dashboard demonstrates our commitment to continue optimising and enhancing the experience for brokers, and we look forward to announcing further upgrades in the near future.Following this, HashChing will garner feedback from its broker partners about future improvements including a potential broker leaderboard and balanced scorecard.
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A plaque commemorating the Confederate leader General Robert E. Lee was hauled off the grounds of the so-called Church of the Generals in Bay Ridge on Aug. 16 in the wake of last weekends white supremacist protests and violence in Charlottesville, sending a message that racism has no place in Brooklyn, according to a local political hopeful.

Removing this plaque makes it very clear that while we will never forget the history of slavery in America, we are ready to move forward and address racism at its root, said Rev. Khader El-Yateem, a Democrat running for the Bay Ridge city Council seat.

Neighborhood advocates and religious leaders sought the removal of the more-than-100-year-old plaque following the murder of activist Heather Heyer on Aug. 12 by a neo-Nazi who allegedly rammed his car into a crowd of non-violent demonstrators during a protest about the removal of a stature of Lee from a Virginia public park. The sign marked a tree the Confederate leader planted outside the now-shuttered St. Johns Episcopal Church, known as the Church of Generals because of all of the army members stationed at nearby Fort Hamilton who worshipped there.

This was an easy decision. No one should walk by a church and see a monument honoring someone who fought to preserve slavery. It doesnt mean that we forget the history, but it means that we need to remember it differently, said Bishop Lawrence Provenzano of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. In the sense that the church can stand for all of Gods people and stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we removed these plaques as one of the many outward invisible expressions of our solidarity with Gods people, particularly those who are feeling oppressed by the actions of white supremacists and the neo-Nazi movement and its support across this nation.

Lee was stationed at the Bay Ridge Army base in the 1840s  years before the Civil War  when he planted the maple tree at the Fort Hamilton Parkway church. The iron sign honoring the Confederate general was posted there in 1912.

But following the wave of calls nationwide to remove similar monuments that celebrate the countrys history of slavery, El-Yateem and others jumped on board to demand the removal of Lees plaque outside the church. The Episcopal Diocese of Long Islands decision to remove something that memorializes a defender of slavery is a step in the right direction, said the would-be councilman.

I am grateful that our advocacy worked, he said. The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island is on the right side of history by removing this symbol that venerates our history of slavery.

But theres still more to be done, according to a handful of pols, including Rep. Yvette Clarke (DFlatbush) and Borough President Adams, who are calling on the U.S. Army to change street names inside the Fort Hamilton Army Base that honor Confederate leaders, such as General Lee Avenue and Stonewall Jackson Drive. The push to change the names gained steam in 2015 after a racially motivated mass shooting in a church in Charleston, S.C., sparked a nationwide movement to remove Confederate flags and other memorials from public spaces.

Back in June, members of Brooklyns congressional delegation, including Rep. Yvette Clarke, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, petitioned the Department of the Army to change the names, but the Pentagon rebuffed the request.

In a July 20 letter to the delegation, Army spokeswoman Diane Randon wrote that After over a century any effort to rename memorializations on Fort Hamilton would be controversial and divisive.

Now, less than a week after one of the most controversial and divisive incidents in the movement to remove Confederate memorializations, pressure is building anew on the Army over the street names.

Gov. Cuomo wrote a letter to the acting secretary of the Army on Aug. 16 demanding the removal the street signs he called deeply rooted in racism.

Symbols of slavery and racism have no place in New York, he wrote.

On the same day, even Republican mayoral candidate Assembylwoman Nicole Malliotakis (RBay Ridge) added her voice, to make a bipartisan call to change the street names.

Reach reporter Julianne Cuba at (718) 2604577 or by e-mail at jcuba @cngl ocal.com . Follow her on Twitter @julcuba.
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Its got to get to the bottom of this.

The city must dig deeper into the ground of an empty Gowanus lot where the remains of Revolutionary War heroes and 19th-century slaves are said to be buried after finding evidence of trenches that date to the 1800s or earlier in a recent excavation, according to a state parks spokesman.

Based on our review of the initial archeological fieldwork, further investigation of the site is warranted, said Dan Keefe.

The states Historic Preservation Office fired off a letter on Thursday that recommended more digging at the site  where the Department of Education wants to build a 180-seat pre-school  after the citys hired archeologists discovered traces of a 19th-century cistern and well buried beneath the ground. The newly discovered shafts should be unearthed and the lots subterranean survey expanded to search for any other underground pits, according to Philip Perazio, the state-employed archeologist who wrote the letter.

The School Construction Authority, which is in charge of building and repairing city schools, has pushed for new classrooms on the vacant lot at 201 Ninth Street between Third and Fourth avenues for years.

But local historians contend that the Maryland 400  a band of revolutionary-era soldiers that heroically fought off British soliders allowing Gen. George Washington and his troops to retreat in Battle of Brooklyn  may be buried at the site.

New Yorks Historic Preservation Office called for a limited survey of the grounds in March, and earlier this month revealed that the citys archeologist did not find evidence of human remains. But the state agency requested more information from the experts following a New York Times report suggesting there is a 19th-century slave burial plot in the vicinity of the lot.

The city is responsible for expanding the excavation  the preservation office only serves in an advisory capacity  but the School Construction Authority could face legal consequences if it does not properly investigate any historic leads, and local advocates have proven more than willing to litigate in order to preserve the boroughs storied past.

In 2007, homeowners on Duffield Street Downtown successfully sued the city after it tried to use eminent domain to seize houses on their street that were linked to the Underground Railroad.

But the state must ensure that proper measures are taken to uncover any history buried beneath the site, according to a group of local pols, including state Sen. Jesse Hamilton (DGowanus) and Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon (DDowntown), who held a press conference Thursday at the Ninth Street lot.

We cannot have a school built on a foundation of ignorance, said Hamilton. I call on the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation to honor the slaves and veterans of this site.

And because further digging would delay building a school there, the city-hired archeologist may be motivated to produce findings favorable to its employer, according to Simon.

Theyre hired by the city  youre going to work with your client, and your job is to perhaps support their client, she said.

The education department will continue to work with state officials regarding further excavations following the initial dig, according to a spokeswoman.

A thorough investigation on the site began in June and is ongoing in accordance with all State standards and protocols, said Toya Holness. The SCA will continue to engage all appropriate entities and stakeholders throughout this process.

Reach reporter Colin Mixson at cmixs on@cn gloca l.com or by calling (718) 260-4505.
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...
Selco Builders Warehouse has opened the doors to its Basildon branch making it the companys ninth branch opening of 2017.

The new branch features the full Selco offering, including Selco Hire and a comprehensive kitchen design service.

In addition, Selco offers numerous online services including Click and Collect within 30 minutes, a next day courier service with over 6,500 products available and the opportunity for tradesmen to create their project lists online and through an app for them to be prepared in branch.

Declan Ronayne, Selco chief executive, said: This is our 56th branch in the UK and we are delighted to have further strengthened our presence in the south east.

We are proud to provide comprehensive coverage across London and the surrounding areas. Our philosophy is to bring Selcos unique offering to as many tradespeople as possible around the UK and provide the one-stop shop for the trade.

We are a genuine multi-channel builders merchant which allows our customers  who we always put first - the chance to get their building materials in the most convenient way possible to them.

The new branches have also seen Selco continue their support to the local community by giving away 3,000 to local charities in each area.
The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) has made three new appointments to its head office team.

Angie Corkhill is the new director, coming to the GAI with over 15 years experience in executive responsibility within the professional and educational sector in London, Singapore and Sydney.

Her most recent role was as director of member relations and digital at Finsia (Financial Services Institute of Australasia) where she was responsible for the development and delivery of the digital strategy to retain members and to enhance their membership experience. This role also involved creating relationships with other international organisations to maintain a high level profile.

Prior to this, she had roles as director of member services and policy, director of transformation and projects, and as regional manager in Asia Pacific at CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants).

Angie said: The Guild already has a strong global presence, particularly in the GCC and Asia. Im looking forward to taking these relationships to the next level, expanding the already excellent education programme and promoting the technical support we are offering our members.

Keiron Lewis has been appointed as the GAIs marketing manager. He joins the GAI with a wealth of experience in both B2C and B2B companies including Dominos Pizza and Cadbury. These roles involved designing advertising material and creating marketing plans to help position the brands within the expanding market. He has attended multiple course held by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and has a BA (Hons) Advertising and Media from Coventry University.

One of Keirons earliest duties will be to organise the GAI Education Awards on 9 November that recognises the outstanding educational achievements of the architectural ironmongery industrys rising stars.

The Guild and Institute members will be well supported by Abigail Wong, the Guilds new education membership administrator. Abigail has experience in implementing and coordinating office procedures and ensuring the highest quality customer service for clients and members. In her previous role at the Venn Group, Abigail worked in the team administrator service department, with responsibility for more than 340 members of staff and providing support to directors of the company.

David Stacey, president of the GAI, said: When I began my presidency in May this year, the first task was to recruit the right people to support the already excellent head office team of Douglas Masterson, Rachel Tipton and Davina King.

Im glad that weve found Angie, Keiron and Abby who can help us take the Guild and the Institute to the next level, continuing to support and develop the UK and our growing membership overseas, particularly in the face of an increasingly globalised construction regulations environment.
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
Theres something oddly comforting about revisiting a city as a tourist. Its rather like visiting an old friend  all you need to do is relax and, perhaps, relive pleasurable memories. Or so I thought, while planning a trip to Lisbon this June. I couldn't have been more off the mark. The last time I was in the capital of Portugal was about 10 years ago. It was a sleepy albeit picturesque backwater of Europe back then. Soon after we visited, I heard from friends in Portugal that the worldwide economic recession in 2006 had extracted heavy toll on the city. Yet, today, with its azulejo-painted facades, vintage tramcars, sardines and custard tarts in all possible avatars and, of course, its enduring ease on the pocket, Lisbon has reinvented itself as one of the hottest travel destinations in Europe.
Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy today denied allegations leveled by the Infosys Board over CEO Vishal Sikka's resignation, saying he would respond to them when the time is right.
Hyderabad-based CallHealth Services Private Limited, which has built an online platform along with the essential front-end infrastructure to offer integrated health care services to people at their choice of location, is now planning to roll out 'Healthcare Lounges' across all Information Technology (IT) parks.

In the habit of long working hours and spending most of their time at work places, IT professionals are likely to find these lounges a very convenient spot to get quick access to a whole range of healthcare and wellness services for themselves as well as for their families, according to the company.
The Congress on Friday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into alleged over-invoicing of imported electrical equipment by the Group that resulted in consumers paying Rs 2 per unit more for power across the country.

Congress senior spokesperson Ajay Maken demanded that the government should immediately reduce by Rs 2 per unit cost of electricity in the areas where the group operated.

The Group, however, denied the statements and reports saying these were "motivated" and brought out with "ulterior motives to create sensationalism".

Maken said on February 5, 2013, the Congress-led UPA government had initiated a probe into alleged over-invoicing on import of electrical equipment by a subsidiary of the Enterprises in the power sector.

He said on the basis of the investigations conducted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, a 97-page show cause notice was issued on May 25, 2014 to an Adani Group subsidiary.

"The BJP government should immediately order a CBI investigation monitored by a judge of the Supreme Court into the corrupt practices of over-invoicing which in turn led to grossly inflated prices for the public," he said.

"Investigating this practice is critical as the price of this equipment has a direct bearing on the price paid by the common man for electricity," Maken said, alleging that the investigations have slowed down ever since the BJP government came to power.

The party spokesperson said tax avoidance and shell company-use should also be looked into as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself talked about this issue and made "loud promises" of acting against them.

"It is time that the BJP demonstrates that its words are not just rhetoric or 'jumlas' on paper," he said.

"Is Adani or other big defaulters being spared because of their proximity to Modi," he asked and questioned the prime minister's "silence" on it and also the alleged delay in the investigations.

An Adani Group spokesperson said, "As a responsible corporate citizen, all our transactions are always conducted within the framework of extant regulatory guidelines and provisions. It is a standard procedure for the Group to follow International Competitive Bidding (ICD) route for major capital expenditures to ensure transparency and competitiveness in the process.

The "Adani Group is aware of the investigations being conducted by the DRI, and has fully cooperated, and shall continue to cooperate with the investigating agencies," the spokesperson said.

Quoting an article in a foreign publication, Maken said in this case three methods through which electricity tariffs have been artificially inflated were -- over-valuation of imported coal, over-valuation of power plant equipment and compensatory tariffs awarded to tune of thousands of crores of rupees.

The Congress leader said the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) should exercise its powers under Section 79 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to investigate and reopen the affairs of all private power-generating entities to identify such fake over-pricing of all equipment to help bring down electricity tariff in the country.

The Congress party, he claimed, shall pursue this matter to the fullest extent by also filing a petition before the CERC utilising the data available in the public domain.

If the Modi government wanted to go beyond the "hollow rhetoric" there should be an immediate reduction in the power tariffs by upto Rs 2 per unit wherever these were producing and transmitting electricity as the cost of over- invoicing of machinery imported by the Adani Group and other similarly situated entities was ultimately borne by the consumer, he said.

The money allegedly siphoned off by the Adani Group and other such entities belonged to people of India and consumers should get reduced electricity tariff by at least Rs 2 per unit if not compensation for inflated tariff wrongly charged, Maken said.

He alleged that in a recent expose by an international publication, "it is now clear that the DRI report names the Adani Group and contains crucial allegations that the Adani Group utilised a network of off-shore to purchase electrical equipment and then sell it to an Indian counterpart at a much-inflated value and as high as about 860 per cent of the original value of the product".
The battle between Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and Vishal Sikka, the first non- founder CEO of the company, took a new turn on Friday, with the latter deciding to resign with immediate effect. Sikka cited 'false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks' on him as the reason for quitting the job. While the Infosys board accepted his resignation, it clarified had no intention of asking the co-founder to play a formal role in the governance of the organisation.
N R Narayana Murthy, co-founder of iconic information technology (IT) exporter Infosys, has been an inspiration to generations. He tells youngsters: "In God we trust. Everybody else brings data to the table."
Infosys, in a surprise announcement, said Vishal Sikka has resigned as CEO citing a stream of distractions and disruptions in recent months, pushing down shares of the second-largest Indian IT services firm almost 8 percent on Friday.
Proxy advisory firms have begun to endorse Nandan Nilekani for the top job at Infosys. According to one of the proxy firms, the company can be placed on a strong footing once again if Nilekani is brought back as the non-executive chairperson of Infosys.


Although Ltd (TGBL) has decided to put its entire global performance, including India, under continuous review to focus on returns on investment. The company will not be diluting its stake in the two plantation associates that are under financial stress.

Recently, the company took a call to exit the loss-making Russian and Chinese businesses, while putting its east European operations under close review. However, taking a reverse stance on the issue the firm has now decided to hold on to the loss-making Indian associates and make them profitable.
Vishal Sikka on Friday resigned as the chief executive (CEO) and managing director (MD) of Infosys Technologies, Indias second-largest software services company. While the board of Infosys accepted the resignation of Sikka with immediate effect and appointed U B Pravin Rao as the interim CEO & MD, Sikka has been appointed the executive vice-chairman of the company.
This piece, which first appeared on Business Standard on July 27, 2017, is being republished as Vishal Sikka's resignation as the CEO & MD of Infosys, citing 'continuous assault' by Murthy as the primary reason, has again brought the founder-executive tussle to the fore.

N R Narayana Murthy never ceases to surprise  the latest was his comment that leaving Infosys in 2014 was the biggest regret of his life. This was a disappointing statement from a man who had in the past spoken endlessly about the need for India Inc to have truly independent boards and an empowered professional management. Infosys has a board, comprising some of the leading names in Indian industry, and a managing director whom Murthy hand-picked  yet, the co-founder chooses to make a public statement about his regret of leaving early. The signal that goes out to the world outside is his lack of confidence in the board and the management.
Last week, James Damore, a software engineer at Google published his ten-page manifesto railing against the companys diversity initiatives. His pop science laden argument on why men and women are biologically different, and hence equity in leadership aspirations are inherently futile, caused an uproar in the technology world. Believers in gender equality heaved a collective sigh of relief when he was swiftly fired, much faster than Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and without a #deletegoogle campaign to boot. Our faith on Google was restored.
Medvarsity Online Limited, an online medical education company founded by the Apollo Hospitals Group, has partnered with to launch a new programme, Master of Business Administration(MBA) in Hospital and Healthcare Management.
With over three million people affected across 24 districts of Assam because of floods, which has left over 130-people dead, New Delhi on Friday said China has not shared hydrological data with India during the current monsoon season. Under a 2006 agreement, China shares hydrological data, from May 15 to October 15, for Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers every year.
Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu feels that when two nations are forging a relationship they usually talk about political, diplomatic or economical tie-ups but what matters most is the link between people.

Sidhu says Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop emphasises on creating bonds through "fashion diplomacy" and India is one of the countries that tops the chart.

"We have been looking at different ways of building relationships with India. A good relationship has many levels to it and for the first time we have a female Foreign Minister who is very keen on fashion diplomacy, and this is the term we are taking forward," Sidhu told IANS on the sidelines of Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2017, here.

"It (the association through fashion) has been incredibly successful. I feel that not just fashion brings people together but it's also a very large industry in its own right.

"Australia is one of the big producers of products like cotton and wool and India is home to a great deal of creativity and I think these collaborations are cementing the whole dimension of relations between the two countries," she added.

Sidhu was here to support designer Gaurav Jai Gupta of the brand Akaaro.

The designer's show, that was supported by the Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade departments, used Australian homegrown Merino Wool as one of the fabrics in his line.

Asked about the relationship between the two countries, Sidhu said: "I think a lot of time when we talk about relationships between two countries, we talk about political, diplomatic, economic or trade relations.

"All these things matter a lot but what is glue between two countries is actually the link between its people."

"How we grow to understand each other better when we are together in collaboration matters a lot," she said.

So will there be more associations with Indian designers?

"I am staggered by how much talent India has. I think absolutely. We have a coupe of collaborations already and we are prepared to be more adventurous and really reach out a lot more.

"Few collaborations that we had, led to deeper understanding of both the countries. And Australians now are much more comfortable working with Indian designers as they are really making their mark," she told IANS.

Sidhu also added that the Indian population in Australia is "growing very fast and that is building more and more people connection.

"Australians are thinking about Indian places to collaborate in all fields. I think the relationship between Australia and India is stronger than ever now.

"Australians are making movies about Indian experiences, many more Indians are going to Australia for study and vice versa. So at many layers this relationship is improving deeper and deeper," she said.
In yet another incident of neglect in cow shelters, over 200 cows died in two days due to starvation and lack of proper care in a Gaushala in Chattisgarh's Rajpur, as villagers claimed on Friday.

The Gaushala is run by BJP leader Harish Verma, who is also the vice president of Jamul Nagar Nigam. He has been running the shelter for the last seven years.

However, Verma dusted off the allegations stating that he had been seeking financial support for the shelter from the state government for the past two years but nothing worked out.

Speaking to the reporters, Verma said, "My is overcrowded. There are more than 650 cows against the capacity of 220. I had intimated the government many a times that I am not able feed them, but all went in vain. More than Rs. 10 lakh meant for the is pending with the government and they have not granted it till now. I am not guilty for the deaths".

Rajpur's Sarpanch Pati Sevaram Sahu alleged that he found many trenches were being dug to bury the dead cows lying around, which made them suspicious.

"We noticed J.

C. Bamford (JCB) machines operating near the two days ago and informed media persons. When we reached here, we found that many trenches were being dug to bury the dead cows lying around. The cows buried near the shelter are yet to be exhumed," he said.

Further, Dhamda block sub-divisional magistrate Rajesh Patre, after visiting the cow shelter confirmed the deaths and said that the cows died either due to starvation or lack of proper care.

"A four-member team led by deputy director of animal husbandry was constituted to probe into the causes of death and the reports of post-mortem. We have done post mortem for the cows, reports are awaited but prima facie it seems proper care of the cows was not taken. The exact death figures are yet to ascertained and investigation was on".

"Villagers claimed that more than 200 cows died in last few days because of lack of fodder, which seems to be true. We will submit a detailed report to the district magistrate and action would be taken accordingly," he said.
Children receive treatments in the Encephalitis Ward at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur district on Sunday. More than 30 children have died at the hospital in the span of 48 hours.
The Allahabad High Court on Friday sought the Uttar Pradesh government's response to a Public Interest Litigation seeking a judicial inquiry into the recent deaths of children at a state-run hospital in Gorakhpur.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice D B Bhosle and Justice Yashwant Verma asked the state government to file a counter affidavit on the PIL and fixed August 29 as the next date of hearing.

Several PILs have been filed in the high court by lawyers and social activists demanding a judicial probe and stern action against those responsible for the tragedy.

The court has clubbed them all together.

The petitioners have alleged carelessness on the part of doctors at BRD Hospitals led to the tragedy.

They said encephalitis has been claiming lives of children in Gorakhpur and adjoining eastern UP districts for several years but no effective steps have been taken to curb the outbreak of the disease.
Seventy years after independence, Indias Muslim population has begun to fear that the dark fantasies of the Muslims led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Muslim League in the 1930s and 1940s  who fought for the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan as a homeland for the subcontinents Muslims  could well be coming true.
A JNU student was molested and her six male friends assaulted for at least two hours after a group of over half-a-dozen hoodlums held them hostage at a lake in Asola sanctuary in Surajkund area of Faridabad, police said on Thursday.

The crime took place on August 14 evening when the 27-year-old student along with her friends had gone there on a fun trip.

Vasant Kunj (North) police, which registered the Zero FIR on August 15, on Thursday transferred the case to Faridabad police through Surajkund police station.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student said she and six of her friends, including one from Delhi University, had gone to Bharadwaj Lake.

Around 8.30 p.m. that day, the group decided to return to Delhi. While she rode a motorcycle with two of her friends, the other four started to walk down towards the taxi waiting for them outside the sanctuary.

"While me and my two friends were driving towards the main road, two inebriated men carrying bamboos sticks blocked our path and started questioning us. They called six to seven of their accomplices who used filthy remarks against us. When we tried to avoid them, they attacked us with lathis," the victim said in the FIR.

"When we threatened to call police, they pulled me inside a temporary shed, tore my clothes, molested me, and tried to gang-rape me, but I resisted their attempts. They also tried to tie us up with a rope and threatened to cut us into pieces and dump in the lake," the JNU student said.

"They hurled offensive religious remarks against one of my friends. They slapped us repeatedly, saying we were cattle thieves," she said.

She said they escaped after their group members, who had also reached the spot, called up another cab driver and pleaded with him to call police to rescue them.

The girl student said they went to Surajkund police station for registering a complaint but police officers there promptly refused.

"Our ordeal and trauma did not end there. Police there abused us in filthy language and forced us to write an apology letter," the woman said in the FIR.

"We have received the FIR from Delhi Police on Thursday regarding molestation, holding hostage, assaulting and attempt to rape on a JNU student and her six friends," Deputy Commissioner of Police (NIT) Faridabad Astha Modi told IANS.

"We are investigating and will call them to record their statements at Surajkund police station. We are in the process of recreating the sequence of crime to identify the accused," he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The family members of on Friday alleged that the history of Indian independence movement has been "distorted" and rectification should be done for proper documentation of his role in it.

"The history of India's independence has not been written properly and there has been distortions. We feel that the role of and the Indian Army (INA) has not been properly portrayed. We feel that the present government at the Centre should rectify the distortions in various published accounts of Indian freedom movement and the role of Netaji and INA should be properly documented," Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of the nationalist leader, told reporters here.

Bose, who is the vice-president of West Bengal unit of BJP, said "There should be proper examination of all theories on Netaji's disappearance which have been in circulation with a view to arrive at a logical conclusion."



Bose who along with other members of the leader's family such as Chitra Ghosh and Abhijit Roy, Netaji's niece and grandnephew respectively, demanded that the central government should take effective measures to unravel the mystery surrounding Netaji's disappearance.

"We thank the government for declassifying all files pertaining to Netaji on January 23, 2016. But not much has been unearthed since that decision was taken.

"We feel that a high powered special investigation team should be formed to scrutinize all documents that are released and prepare a report to be placed in both houses of Parliament," he said.

Netaji had gone missing in 1945 and some of his family members have rejected the theory that he had died in a plane crash in Taihoku in Taiwan on August 18 that year.

Last year on January 23, Netaji's 119th birth anniversary, 100 secret files were made public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a stern message to a lawyer for pointing fingers towards the apex court Registry on listing of cases, the on Thursday restrained him from practising as an Advocate On Record (AOR) for a month.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar said contemnor Mohit Chaudhary has abused the privilege of being an AOR under the 2013 Rules and his conduct was "unbecoming" of an advocate.

It said the listing of cases was based on judicial directions and not determined by the Registry of the court.

"We are thus of the view that the appropriate course of action would be that the contemnor is not permitted to practice as an Advocate-on-Record, for a period of one month from the date of the order. A painful task had to be performed and is performed.

"We hope that both for the petitioner and other advocates who may consider the interest of the client paramount even to breach the ethical practice of the court, this would be a caution. We say no more," the bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul, said.

Justice Kaul, writing the judgement for the bench, said the contemnor has been practising since 2009 and was not a "novice" as he has been representing prestigious institutions, state governments and authorities, which proved that he was quite familiar with the practices of the court.

"He cannot be said to be oblivious to the fact that no bench is constituted by the Registry, but by the Chief Justice of this Court. Thus, in an indirect manner, an imputation was impliedly made even against the Chief Justice, though in the garb of a virulent attack on the Registry," the court said.

It said the contemnor took a conscious decision to be a "pawn" in the hands of the litigant, to "scandalise" the court and its Registry with the sole objective of achieving a bench shifting.

"It was clearly a commercial decision to sub-serve the interest of his client, even though, it would amount to false allegations and be unbecoming of an advocate," the bench said.\



The court also said that it is the duty of an advocate to put his best case for the litigant before the Court. However, this does not absolve him of the responsibility as an officer of the court as this is a "dual responsibility."



The top court said the fundamentals of the profession required an advocate not to be immersed in a "blind quest" of relief for his client. "The dignity of the institution cannot be violated in this quest as law is no trade, briefs no merchandise," it said.

Chaudhary on April 7 had mentioned a matter before a bench headed by the CJI and alleged that it was directed to be listed on that day itself but in a "manipulated way", it was listed before a special bench.

He was appearing for a firm in a slum redevelopment case and his matter was listed before a special bench of Justices Arun Mishra and S Abdul Nazeer.
One in seven couples sadly struggles with infertility  defined as failing to conceive after trying for more than for 12 months. Approximately one-third of these cases are due to problems with the man, another third are down to the woman and the last third are due to a combination of both partners. Although we dont understand the cause of in the majority of cases, we do know there is a small genetic component.

Since 1959, we have known that an extra X chromosome in men (XXY instead of XY, also known as Klinefelters syndrome) is associated with low sperm production and infertility. This is now recognised as the most common genetic cause of infertility. For a long time, scientists have pondered whether we cant just delete the extra sex chromosome in these individuals to enable normal sperm production. But this has been considered a purely theoretical and fanciful idea  until now.
of 23 countries from the Asia-Pacific will meet in Delhi this month to discuss challenges in framing rules for digital ecosystem and regional roaming, among others.

Regulatory heads of Australia, Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu, Fiji and some others are slated to attend the international meet.

"There is going to be very good discussion on evolving regulatory framework in the digital world. It is also going to discuss issues of regional importance like some of the regulators have told us that they would like to discuss the roaming issue," Trai Chairman R S Sharma told reporters on Sunday.

Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha is scheduled to inaugurate the roundtable on August 21 that is being jointly organised by the International Telecom Union and Trai.

Delegates from China, Mongolia, Bhutan, Cambodia and Indonesia have also confirmed their participation.

"TDSAT chairman will launch the two-day regulators international training programme. This will be a 5-day programme," Sharma said.
For centuries, astronomers have realized that total solar eclipses offer a valuable scientific opportunity. During whats called totality, the opaque moon completely hides the bright photosphere of the sun  its thin surface layer that emits most of the suns light. An eclipse allows astronomers to study the suns colorful outer atmosphere and its delicate extended corona, ordinarily invisible in the dazzling light of the photosphere.
The flood situation in Uttar Pradesh has worsened, with 36 people being killed so far and almost 1.5 million getting affected.
Pakistan was "disappointed" with the US decision to designate the Kashmiri militant outfit as a foreign terrorist organisation and the move was "unjustified," the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

The US yesterday designated the as a foreign terrorist group, nearly two months after declaring its Pakistan-based chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist.

"Declaring organisations or groups supporting freedom struggle in Kashmir as terrorist outfits is completely unjustified," Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said during his weekly press conference here.

He said the US decision did not take into account "the 70-year struggle of Kashmiris."



"We are disappointed (with the US decision) in view of the fact that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute," he said.

He reiterated Pakistan's "moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiri people's struggle".

Formed in 1989, is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir.

Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
After slow progress over the past two years regarding privatising state-owned companies, the government is looking to speed up the process of strategic disinvestment. On Wednesday, the Cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) approved the setting up of a high-powered committee of ministers that will shorten the time taken from identification of a company to its final sale.
Domestic rose 12.4 per cent in July- the slowest in 2017- on the back of slower capacity addition and grounding of eight planes by IndiGo, the largest domestic airline.
The Congress on Friday said an investigation into the alleged over-invoicing of electrical equipment for the power sector by a subsidiary of the Adani Group has been languishing in protracted legal proceedings since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power at the Centre.
Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL), the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for Bhubaneswar smart city project, is set to forge a partnership with International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group (WBG). Through this partnership, BSCL hopes to transform Odisha's capital into a smart city.

Bhubaneswar had emerged as the numero uno among the 20 winners of the Smart City Challenge held last year.
Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has suggested that both Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and the Odisha government need to soften their demands to break the deadlock over an award of fiscal incentives to the oil company's Paradip crude oil refinery.

At a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in New Delhi, Pradhan emphasised on the need for finding a middle path, wherein both IOCL and the state government can work out a mutually acceptable solution by climbing down from their stated positions.
In its first substantive order on competition appeals, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has modified the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) order against Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).

The appellate tribunal stated that since the competition watchdog has not found any abuse of dominance, it cannot impose any modifications on KSRTC's flexi scheme.
India is tightening the rules for businesses entering its power transmission sector and making stringent checks on both power and telecoms equipment for malware - moves that government and industry officials say aim to check China's advance into sensitive sectors.
Infosys board on Friday was all praise for the outgoing CEO for the services rendered. We differ in our assessment.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
Indian Navy has invited application from unmarried, eligible men and women to join as Short Service Commission officers in Executive/Technical Branch. Applications Forms are available online since 05th August 2017 and the last date to submit the forms is 25th August 2017. Successful candidates will join Indian Navy in Executive Branch viz. General Service/Hydro and Technical Branch (General Service/Naval Architecture) and Permanent Commission (PC) in Naval Armament Inspectorate Cadre (NAIC). The respective courses for the same will commence on 18th June 2018 at Indian Naval Academy (INA) Ezhimala, Kerala.
The Union Public Service Commission is inviting applications for the post of Assistant Director (Chemistry) at Department of Agriculture and Cooperation & Farmers Welfare managed by Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Candidates willing to take up the post can apply for the same till August 31, 2017 (Thursday). The number of vacancy is one reserved for the OBC candidates only. The qualified candidates would be offered the salary 15600-39100/- plus Grade Pay 5400/-(Pay Band 3). The post carries probation of one year.
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has condemned the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain. In a message, he said that there can be no justification for such barbaric and reprehensible acts and terrorism is the biggest menace humanity is facing today. International terrorism can only be defeated by coordinated global efforts, he added. .

.

Following is the text of Vice Presidents message: .

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I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured. .

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There can be no justification for such barbaric and reprehensible acts. Terrorism is the biggest menace humanity is facing today with all pluralist and open societies increasingly encountering new levels of threat. .

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International terrorism can only be defeated by coordinated global efforts. We stand with the people and Government of Spain and commend their swift action in dealing with the attackers. I join the nation in praying for the bereaved families and early recovery of the injured." .

.
Sikh Gurdwaras in Barcelona are lending helping hand at the time of crisis after at least 13 persons have been killed and more than 50 injured in a terrorist attack in Las Ramblas district.

A Sikh man, Harjinder S Kukreja from Punjab took to Twitter to inform people that Gurdwaras in Barcelona are offering help to those who are in need.

"If anyone needs shelter, food, Sikh houses of worship in the Spanish city are open for all," Kukreja tweeted.

In his tweet, Kukreja has posted information of two Gurdwaras in Barcelona; Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib located at 08903, Carrer Rafael Campalans, 23, 08903 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and can be contacted at +34 666 11 25 45, while Sikh Gurudwara Gurdarshan Sahib Ji located at Carrer de l'Hospitaland can be reached at +34 934 43 88 82.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed that there is no report of any Indian casualty in the attack. Indians, who are in an emergency, can contact the Indian embassy in Spain at +34-608769335.

"I am in constant touch with Indian Embassy in Spain. As of now, there is no report of an Indian casualty," Swaraj tweeted.

Police in Barcelona have asked people around that region to stay indoors. They have urged those concerned about friends and family to use social media, rather than cellphone calls to avoid overloading phone networks.

Facebook also activated its safety check mechanism, allowing users near # to mark themselves as safe.
The recent deadly events in Charlottesville expose  if further evidence were needed  the increasingly sectarian nature of American politics. Heather Heyer , the 32-year-old anti-fascist demonstrator killed during the protest, is the latest casualty of Americas long history of racial violence.

For those campaigning for the removal of Confederate general Robert E Lees statue from the town, the memory of the American Civil War is a heroic narrative of white military and political power. For those marching in opposition to this viewpoint, the continued presence of Confederate monuments signifies the historical marginalisation of African Americans and the daily vulnerability of black lives.
Birds have an impressive ability to navigate . They can fly long distances, to places that they may never have visited before, sometimes returning home after months away.

Though there has been a lot of research in this area, scientists are still trying to understand exactly how they manage to find their intended destinations.
The British government has sought to bring some clarity to its plans for the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland in a position paper published on August 16. Keen to show progress on this crucial issue, the government proposes to completely avoid having a hard border by avoiding all physical infrastructure  such as customs posts. It proposes to exempt 80% of businesses from any customs requirements on the grounds that they are small to medium sized local producers, and for larger businesses suggests a streamlined customs procedure based on retrospective declarations.

The Northern Ireland document was published almost simultaneously with another position paper on the the UKs place in the European customs union after . This is no coincidence. Its a strong signal from the government that the two issues should be seen as intertwined rather than distinct.
A driver deliberately ploughed a van into pedestrians in Barcelona today, killing 13 people in what police called a "terrorist attack".

Vehicles have been used as weapons of terror several times over the past year, often by followers of the Islamic State (IS) group, attacking nations in the US-led coalition fighting the jihadists in Iraq and Syria.

The IS propaganda agency Amaq claimed that "soldiers" from the jihadist group carried out the attack, according to the Site Intelligence Group which monitors Islamist websites.

Police said they had arrested two suspects.

On July 14, 2016, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a 31-year- old Tunisian, ploughs a 19-tonne truck into a Bastille Day crowd leaving a fireworks display in Nice on the Promenade des Anglais, killing 86 people on the famous beachfront avenue.

IS later claims Bouhlel as one of its followers.

- On June 19, 2007, Adam Dzaziri, a 31-year-old radicalised Islamist who had sworn allegiance to the IS, is killed when he rams a car loaded with guns and a gas canister into a police van on Paris's Champs-Elysees. No one else is injured.

- On August 19, 2017, a 36-year-old Algerian man, named as Hamou B., drives a BMW into soldiers outside a barracks in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, injuring six. After a car chase, police shot and wounded the suspect.

On March 22, 2017, a 52-year-old British convert to Islam, Khalid Masood, mows down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge near parliament and stabs a policeman, killing five people and injuring around 50 before being shot dead by police. The attack is claimed by IS.

On June 3, the British capital is hit again when three attackers strike pedestrians with a van and go on a stabbing spree wearing fake suicide vests in bars in the London Bridge area. Eight people are killed before the assailants are shot dead by police. The attack is also claimed by IS.

On December 19, 2016, Tunisian national Anis Amri, 24, hijacks a truck and slams into a crowd of people at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring 48.

Amri is shot dead by Italian police in Milan four days later after travelling through several European countries. IS claims responsibility.

An April 7, 2017 a truck attack in the Swedish capital kills five people, including an 11-year-old Swedish girl, a Briton, and one Belgian. Fifteen are injured.

An Uzbek national, Rakhmat Akilov, 39, confesses to using a stolen beer truck to mow down pedestrians on Stockholm's busiest shopping street Drottninggatan. According to Uzbek police he had tried to join IS in 2015.

(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.)
Threats by US President Donald Trump to rain down "fire and fury" on North Korea preceded the biggest equity outflows in 10 weeks, Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofA-ML) data showed on Friday.

The weekly data, which tracks fund flows from Wednesday to Wednesday, showed investors pulled $1.3 billion from stock funds with outflows clustered from Thursday to Monday after tensions spiked between the United States and North Korea.

Trump was responding to threats by North Korea to fire missiles over Japan to land near the US Pacific territory of Guam. Global equity lost nearly $1 trillion following his warlike rhetoric.

Investors fled for the perceived safe haven of bonds, which attracted $3.5 billion, and precious metals, which pulled in $500 million, their biggest inflows in 10 weeks, BofA-ML said. Gold is currently trading at nine-month highs.

Within equities, it was the US stocks that again bore the brunt of the selling with $4 billion of redemptions. The S&P 500 fell 1.4 percent last week, its biggest fall since March.

Emerging market stocks also suffered their first outflows in 22 weeks, losing $1.6 billion as investors recoiled from riskier assets.

MSCI's benchmark emerging equities index ended last week down 2.3 percent, its worst week since December, with Asian such as South Korea down over 3 percent.

Emerging market debt funds suffered their first outflows in 29 weeks - albeit a modest $100 million - whilst $2.3 billion was pulled from high yield bond funds, the biggest outflows in almost six months.

BofA-ML noted that high yield spreads jumped 36 basis points (bps) last week from 364 bps to 400 bps over Treasuries.

Looking ahead, the bank suggested there could be a big risk-off trade in in August or September if growing geopolitical, political or tax reform volatility showed up in weaker August US consumer confidence or the European Union and Japanese business confidence data.

So far investors continue to favor European and Japanese equities, which attracted $500 million and $2.5 billion respectively over the week, with Japan enjoying its biggest inflows in 20 weeks.

Other 'risk-off' scenarios that BofA-ML suggested included a rising US dollar fuelled by risk aversion, despite lower U.S. Treasury yields and a further drop in US presidential approval ratings, or if US high yield credit spreads rose further towards 500 basis points.
Spanish police on Friday said that they killed five people in the town of Cambrils to stop a second attempted van attack after an earlier one in Barcelona that claimed the lives of 13 people and injured over 100 .

In Cambrils, seven people including a police officer were injured when a car rammed into a group earlier on Friday, the BBC quoted the Catalan emergency services as saying.

Spanish media reported that the vehicle overturned and when the attackers, who were wearing explosive belts, got out they were quickly fired upon by police.

The police have said that the situation in Cambrils - a popular seaside resort - is now under control.

A bomb squad is deployed to carry out controlled blasts on the explosive belts.

The incident in Cambrils came after Thursday afternoon's attack in Barcelona when a van ploughed into crowds in the city's Las Ramblas area.

The driver of the van, who fled on foot, is still at large.

The Islamic State terror group has said it was behind the Las Ramblas attack, saying in a brief statement carried by its Amaq news agency that it was carried out by "Islamic State soldiers".

Authorities are now linking the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils with an explosion at a house on Wednesday evening in the town of Alcanar that left one person dead.

So far, two people have been arrested, and the police have released a photo of a man named as Driss Oubakir, whose documents were used to rent the van involved in the attack, reports the BBC.

However, latest reports suggest the 20-year-old Moroccan born has told the police that he was not involved and his documents were stolen.

The people injured in the Las Ramblas attack included four Australians and one from Hong Kong, reports CNN.

Belgium has confirmed that one of its citizens was among the 13 victims.

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has travelled to Barcelona and declared three days of national mourning.

He said the attack was "jihadi terrorism".

"I want to express my solidarity with all of Spain to the city of Barcelona, today hit by jihadi terrorism, like other cities have been in the world."

The One World Trade Centre in New York lit up in the colours of the Spanish flag to show solidarity with Barcelona. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower went dark

In a statement, US President Donald Trump said: "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough and strong, we love you!"

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the attack in Barcelona was a "cruel and cynical crime committed against civilians".

Facebook has activated its safety check mechanism, allowing users both in Barcelona and Cambril to mark themselves as safe.
US President Donald Trump today called for strong measures to combat "radical Islamic terrorism", a day after twin terror attacks killed 14 people and injured around 100 in Spain.

A van driver yesterday ploughed into pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight, killing at least 14 people.

The Islamic State terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Police later shot dead five suspects after a second vehicle attack in the coastal town of Cambrils, around 130 kilometres from Barcelona.

"Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!" Trump said in a tweet.

Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017

In another tweet, Trump said the US security forces and law enforcement agencies were on guard and were monitoring the situation.

"Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble. Our borders are far tougher than ever before!" he said.

Trump accused the Opposition Democratic party of being "obstructionists" and compromising the security of the country.

"The Obstructionist Democrats make Security for our country very difficult. They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!" he tweeted.
America's top military official reiterated today his country's pledge to defend Japan against a North Korean missile attack, as western Japan carried out a test of an emergency alert system.

"I think we made it clear to North Korea and anyone else in the region that an attack on one is an attack on both of us," Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in Tokyo.

North Korea has threatened to test-fire missiles that would fly over Japan and land in waters off the US territory of Guam. The US is treaty-bound to defend Japan from outside attacks.

Dunford and his Japanese counterpart Katsutoshi Kawano agreed to work together to strengthen missile defense systems.

The US general is the last stop of an Asia tour that took him to China and South Korea and has been dominated by talk of the North Korean threat.

Sirens wailed across nine prefectures in western Japan in the test of the emergency system. Twitter users in the region said the sirens didn't work in some areas.

The flight path of the North Korean missile test would cross that part of the country.
On a beautiful summer day in 2016, as I walked with a group of college students along a well-trodden path sprinkled with needles and cones from majestic pine trees, our mood was somber and morose. The chirping of birds and the burning off of the dew on the grassy hills by the rising sun in this idyllic setting did not help either.
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Infosys slipped over 13% intra-day to Rs 884 levels on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) after Vishal Sikka, managing director and chief executive (MD & CEO) of the company quit. It, however, trimmed losses to end the day 9.6% lower at Rs 923 levels.
At least 86 insurgents belonging to of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have been killed in airstrikes and ground operations by the Afghan National Defense and Security forces.

The security forces have carried out at least 41 airstrikes and 33 ground operations against the insurgents in the single day in various parts of the country.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD) said 41 sorties by the Afghan Air Force were conducted in support of the ground forces who conducted 13 special operations involving Afghan commandos and three-night raids, reports Khaama Press.

The MoD further said the militants suffered the most casualties in southeastern Paktika province where 56 militants belonging to Haqqani terrorist network were killed in Gomal district during the air and ground operations.

The insurgent group has not commented regarding the reports so far.

Earlier, the security forces had neutralized two key leaders of ISIS in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan

The Afghan and US forces are carrying out regular strikes against the ISIS insurgents as an anti-ISIS operation is underway in the country.

(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 day after Aaditya Thackeray lambasted the Mumbai University for missing yet another deadline for declaration of exam results, the Shiv Sena youth wing leader on Friday assured that he has asked for an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over this issue and also demanded the resignation of the state's Education Minister.

Speaking at a press conference in the city, Aaditya said, "Education Minister Vinod Tawade, should resign over the delayed result of Mumbai University. A mental harassment case must be registered against him (Tawade), as parents and student has been suffering a lot due to delay. I have also asked for an appointment from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over this issue but did not get any confirmation yet".

Taking a jibe at the state government, Aaditya asserted that if people who are ruling the cant handle University issues; how will they rule the state?

"If the Mumbai University authority is having a problem with the issuing of the results, then the government should appoint an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Police Service (IPS) level authority as an administrator to maintain peace as all chaos lies at Vice-Chancellor level only. Minister who are campaigning for election and are not able to handle the University issues; how will they rule the state," he said.

Yesterday, in a series of tweets, Aaditya said that "it's been almost three months that the results aren't declared" and "only by sacking vice chancellor, things won't settle down. The cabinet minister must resign too".

After two previous deadlines of July 31 and August 5 which were missed by the Mumbai University, August 15 was set as the final deadline to announce the results of the exams which were held in April and May.

Aaditya further tweeted, "What abt students who have missed their admissions abroad, PG courses in India and job opportunities this year. Will Govt refund them?".

Earlier in the week, Aaditya had attacked the state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government over the delay in declaration of results particularly targeting education minister Vinod Tawde.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A four-member delegation will visit Kashmir on Friday to meet the Civil Societies, Traders, Bar Association and the Ullemas in order to discuss the Prime Minister's idea of 'Embracing Kashmir'.

The track-two delegation, consisting of BJP Leader M.J. Khan, Former Rajya Sabha MP Sahid Siqqqi , Noted Journalist Qamar Aaga and Retired High Court Justice Ishrat Masroor Quddosi, will visit the Valley.

The delegation is visiting the Valley with BJP and former union finance minister Yashwant Sinha, who will be meeting the Concerned Citizens Group (CCG) to discuss the civil issues in the valley.

Earlier in the day, Sinha met civil society group - Concerned Citizens Group (CCG) and stressed on the importance of the civil societies in restoring peace in the valley.

Sinha stressed that all members of the committee are working as citizens and reiterated Prime Minister Modi's stance of 'Embracing Kashmiris'.

He said, "Peaceful dialogues are the only way forward in Kashmir," adding that the violence in the Valley is leading to the loss of a number of lives.

"The security forces in the state are losing their lives. So we must come up with a possible solution to put an end to this as soon as possible," he said.

Sinha also said that the committee is working as citizens of Kashmir in order to get a better understanding of the situation and said that any form of reforms take time.

"We are working as citizens. This is old pain which will not be improved so easily and early," he said

The delegation led by Sinha met opposition Conference working president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his residence, here this morning.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday demanded a high level Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the death of at least 30 kids died in 48 hours at Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College's Nehru Hospital in Gorakhpur.

Addressing the media here, Yadav accused the Yogi Adityanath-led government of being hand-in-gloves with the CBI.

"This government has a lot of attachment with the CBI. The CBI is under them. With other investigation, there should also be CBI probe into this matter," he added.

The former chief minister also said that people of Uttar Pradesh have understood the reality of the party and would not be fooled by BJP's false promises.

He said it was SP, which thought about people's welfare and launched a number of developmental and welfare schemes for them.

"The whole nation is aware that the BJP is not a party of their words. They say something else and do something else. In the coming election, the people of UP will show them their position. Tell me one thing, have they have done more work in UP than us? Did they build more roads? Did they give more employment? Look at the railway tracks," he added.

The former chief minister announced that the Samajwadi Party (SP) will give at least 5 lakh to each police station to celebrate Christmas, Eid, Diwali, Holi and other festival.

Further attacking the Yogi government, Yadav said, "They had shown dreams of 'achhe din' and befooled people to come to power at the Centre and the state...They have broken the confidence of the people."

Meanwhile, The Allahabad High Court pulled up the Uttar Pradesh Government and asked to specify the cause of deaths of multitudes of children that took place in Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court today heard the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in regard with the Gorakhpur tragedy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a series of tweets, Baloch leader Brahumdagh Bugti, the founder and leader (in exile) of the Baloch Republican Party, has raised an objection to extending an invitation to Pakistan's former military dictator Pervez Musharraf to participate in a talk on peace.

Bugti tweeted, "We strongly protest inviting military dictator Musharraf for talking on peace. He is a war criminal not a peacemaker.

In another tweet,Bugti mentioned,"Musharraf has been invited by the organisation Dialogue for peace, who hosted tonights event. Our museum is open for all visitors."

On Twitter,Bugti has requested Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg to cancel meeting with Musharraf by claiming him "a war criminal and a court absconder."

"We request PM @erna_solberg to cancel meeting with Musharraf, a war criminal, ex-dictator & court absconder on murder case of my grandfather"Bugti tweeted.

Balochistan Republican Party leader has accused Musharraf of killing his grandfather Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in a military raid on 26 August 2006.

"Musharraf killed my grandfather & 1000s of Baloch civilians. Ask people of #Balochistan about his contribution for 'peace,' "he tweeted.

Musharraf staged a coup in October 1999, ousting Nawaz Sharif, and ruled Pakistan as President from 2001 to 2008.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Catalan government are investigating on the assumption that two other deadly events, a terrorist incident in the seaside resort town of Cambrils and a house explosion farther down the coast in Alcanar, were linked to the van attack in Barcelona carried out by the Islamic State terrorists.

The region's Interior Minister Joaquin Forn said that the Cambrils attack "follows the same trail. There is a connection", as reported by the local media.

He did not explain what connected the attacks. He confirmed the driver in the Barcelona attack remains at large.

The police force for Spain's Catalonia region confirmed that four suspects were shot dead, and a fifth, who was wounded and arrested, has since died, during the anti-terror operation in the resort town of Cambrils and the explosive belts they were carrying have been detonated by the force's bomb squad.

Six by-standers were wounded, one critically and another seriously. A police officer was also lightly injured in the counter-terror operation.

The ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed at least 13 persons and left around 80 persons injured.

One of the suspects involved in the Barcelona attack was found dead in a car three kilometers from where police officers tried to stop him by firing at the vehicle he was in, reports El Pais.

Two suspects, one from Morocco, one from the Spanish enclave of Melilla, were arrested in connection with the Barcelona attack, Catalan Police Chief Josep Lluis Trapero said, CNN reported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid the growing tension between New Delhi and Beijing over standoff at Doklam near Sikkim, former Indian ambassador to China Ashok K Kantha suggested China to change its rather unreasonable position and enter into serious discussions to sort out issues.

"The points that Ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu has said are indeed most valid. He pointed out that Doklam is the disputed territory. which is a fact. Ambassador Hiramatsu also pointed out there should be no change in status quo through use of force. Now, that's a bilateral understanding between China and Bhutan. China must change its rather unreasonable position and enter serious discussions to sort out issue," he told ANI.

Japan has come out in full support for India in its protracted military stand-off with China at Doklam, near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan trijunction, saying, no country should use unilateral forces to change the status quo on the ground.

Acknowledging the situation at the Doklam Plateau, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said, "We recognise Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and the two countries are engaged in border talks. We also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan. That's why Indian troops got involved in the area," according to the local media.

The endorsement of the Indian position by Japan is a significant development at a regional level as China has violated agreements with Japan as well, along with India and Bhutan. It is pertinent to mention that Japan is also engaged with the sovereignty issue with China over East China sea.

The Bhutanese Government had earlier told ANI over phone, "Our position on the border issue of Doklam is very clear."

Reacting to the developments in Doklam, the Bhutanese Government had on June 29 issued a statement, in which it clearly stated that the construction of the road inside the Bhutanese territory is a direct violation of the agreements and affects the process of demarcating the boundary between the two countries.

China is attempting to build a road through Doklam plateau, which is part of Bhutan, a development that would be a serious disadvantage to India's military defences.

Meanwhile, as the Doklam stand-off is approcahing its second month, China's Foreign Ministry has reiterated that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops would continue to defend Dong Lang, which is Chinese territory, and India should withdraw all its troops and equipment from there.

The stand-off began when China started constructing a road in the area. India objected to the road construction after the Chinese troops ignored Bhutanese protests, triggering the faceoff from June 16.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has reiterated that India's road map is peace and talks are going on to resolve the issue diplomatically.

India has made its stance clear that it stands for peace the border question can be solved diplomatically, not by war.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior BJP leader and former union finance minister Yashwant Sinha met civil society group - Concerned Citizens Group (CCG) on Friday and stressed on the importance of the civil societies in restoring peace in the valley.

Sinha stressed that all members of the committee are working as citizens and reiterated Prime Minister Modi's stance of 'Embracing Kashmiris'.

He said, "Peaceful dialogues are the only way forward in Kashmir," adding that the violence in the Valley is leading to the loss of a number of lives.

"The security forces in the state are losing their lives. So we must come up with a possible solution to put an end to this as soon as possible," he said.

Sinha also said that the committee is working as citizens of Kashmir in order to get a better understanding of the situation and said that any form of reforms take time.

"We are working as citizens. This is old pain which will not be improved so easily and early," he said

The delegation led by Sinha met opposition Conference working president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his residence, here this morning.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A former member of the Muslim Brotherhood has confessed that Qatar supported the banned Islamist members to destabilize the United Arab Emirates.

According to Al Arabiya, Isa Khalifa Al Suwaidi confessed of Qatar's involvement in the organization's secret meetings and the numerous donations Doha has made to support the banned Islamist members in the UAE.

Al Suwaidi is a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood who was a senior member of the organization's "Majlis Shura Al Jama'a," or the advisory board.

His confessions were broadcasted on local UAE television channels on Friday during a 30-minute episode of the hit documentary, "Qatar's terrorism support files".

Al Arabiya reports that the documentary also showed a video of a fugitive Emirati member of the secret organization while addressing a training course to incite the trainees to act against the UAE and its symbols, and who called for "changing the regime in the UAE, or toppling it."

In June this year, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt abruptly cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. The severing of relations included withdrawing ambassadors, and imposing trade and travel bans.

The Saudi-led coalition cited Qatar's alleged support for terrorism as the main reason for their actions, insisting Qatar has violated a 2014 agreement with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

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Yoga guru on Friday criticized, China over the ongoing military impasse on the Doklam Plateau and described India as a self-contented and contained country that could take on China under any circumstances.

He said, "India is today a self-contented country with sufficient arms, ammunitions and army to fight against China."

"Let China accumulate blood, dollars, weapons and whatsoever, but they cannot threaten or harm our nation under any circumstances," he added.

He further said that how can China threaten the nation, when the world knows that India has one of the largest markets and the fact that China can generate almost Rs.20 lakh crores of business and earn a profit of approximately Rs. five lakh crores, which is almost half of the revenue earned by the Centre.

"I think India must strongly take on China and compel them to bend at their knees. It can suppress weak countries of the globe, but a country like India is not going to be suppressed by these threats, and neither can China compete with India at any level," said.

Earlier he described China as the epitome of "promoting war and hatred" in the world, and reiterated his demand for a boycott of Chinese goods.

"All the Indians who feel for their country should boycott Chinese goods immediately," he said.

"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 added.

India, China and Bhutan are locked in a standoff on the Doklam Plateau since June 16 this year, following an attempt by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) to extend a road that previously terminated at Doka La towards the Bhutan Army camp at Zornpelri near the Jampheri Ridge, two kilometers to the south. That ridge, viewed as the border by China but as wholly within Bhutan by both Bhutan and India, extends eastward approaching India's highly-strategic Siliguri corridor. On 18 June, Indian troops apparently crossed into the territory in dispute between China and Bhutan in an attempt to prevent the road construction.
At its board meeting held today, the Board of Directors of Infosys Limited accepted Vishal Sikka's resignation as the Managing Director and CEO, effective immediately.

In a statement, the Infosys said that in his notice of resignation to the Board, Sikka reiterated his belief in the great potential of Infosys, but cited, among his reasons for leaving, a continuous stream of distractions and disruptions over the recent months and quarters, increasingly personal and negative as of late, as preventing management's ability to accelerate the Company's transformation.

"The Board understands and acknowledges Dr. Sikka's reasons for resignation, and regrets his decision. In particular, the Board is profoundly distressed by the unfounded personal attacks on the members of our management team that were made in the anonymous letters and have surfaced in recent months. As the Board has previously stated, a series of careful investigations found no merit to the unsubstantiated and anonymous allegations that had been asserted. The Board denounces the critics who have amplified and sought to further promote demonstrably false allegations which have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the Company's valued CEO," the statement added.

The Board expressed its gratitude to Sikka for his outstanding leadership in the company, and for his contributions during a period of rapid evolution in this industry.

"The Board also appreciates Dr. Sikka's commitment to facilitate a smooth transition to new leadership fully equipped to lead Infosys forward in this new era in our industry and to ensure continuity in our service to our valued customers," the statement read.

The statement added that Sikka has been appointed the Executive Vice Chairman effective today, and will hold office until the new permanent Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director takes charge, which should be no later than March 31, 2018.

"Mr. U.B. Pravin Rao has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director reporting to Dr. Sikka under the overall supervision and control of the Company's Board," the statement further read.

The Infosys said that under Sikka's leadership, the company launched breakthrough new programs to drive innovation, education and entrepreneurship on a large scale.

"When Dr. Sikka took over, the company was lagging behind industry growth. During Dr. Sikka's tenure as CEO, Infosys revenues have grown from $2.13B in Q1FY15 to $2.65B this past Q1, with strong margin performance and cash generation, throughout his tenure. Dr. Sikka's approach to profitable growth delivered increase in liquid assets (including cash and cash equivalents) from $4.9B in June 2014 to $6.1B in June 2017, while paying dividends of over INR 19,000 Cr. (including dividend distribution tax) over these three years," the statement added.

Chairman of the Board R. Seshasayee said that Sikka's vision for the future of the industry and the Company will remain a strong reference point.

"Vishal has made a seminal contribution to the transformation of Infosys, and he will be remembered for infusing a refreshed sense of direction, purpose and energy in the organization. His vision for the future of the industry and the Company will remain a strong reference point as we chart the future course for Infosys in this new era in our rapidly evolving industry. On behalf of our entire board of directors, I wish him well for the future," said R. Seshasayee.

The Board has mandated the chairman and the Nomination and Remuneration Committee to expeditiously identify and select a permanent CEO and Managing Director.

The company will be hosting a press conference at 2:00 p.m.

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that there is no report of any Indian casualty in the terror attack in Spain where 13 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a vehicle ploughed into pedestrians at Barcelona's famed Las Ramblas boulevard tourist area.

External Affairs Minister tweeted that she is in constant touch with Indian embassy in Spain. She also asked Indians to contact the Indian Embassy in case of an emergency. Indian Embassy's emergency contact number is 34-608769335.

ISIS have claimed responsibility for the the attack. According to US monitor SITE Intelligence Group, the extremist group's propaganda outlet AMAQ claimed that the executors of the attack were soldiers of the Islamic State.

Carles Puigdemont, the president of Spain's Catalonia region, confirming it a terror attack, said that police have arrested two people in this connection. Police said, the driver was still on the run. The Police has cordoned off the area around the incident and requested the closure of local metro and train stations.

The Catalan government are investigating on the assumption that two other deadly events, a terrorist incident in the seaside resort town of Cambrils and a house explosion farther down the coast in Alcanar, were linked to the van attack in Barcelona carried out by the Islamic State terrorists.

The region's Interior Minister Joaquin Forn said that the Cambrils attack "follows the same trail. There is a connection", as reported by the local media.

He did not explain what connected the attacks. He confirmed the driver in the Barcelona attack remains at large.

The police force for Spain's Catalonia region confirmed that four suspects were shot dead, and a fifth, who was wounded and arrested, has since died, during the anti-terror operation in the resort town of Cambrils and the explosive belts they were carrying have been detonated by the force's bomb squad.

Six by-standers were wounded, one critically and another seriously. A police officer was also lightly injured in the counter-terror operation.

One of the suspects involved in the Barcelona attack was found dead in a car three kilometers from where police officers tried to stop him by firing at the vehicle he was in, reports El Pais.

Two suspects, one from Morocco, one from the Spanish enclave of Melilla, were arrested in connection with the Barcelona attack, Catalan Police Chief Josep Lluis Trapero said.

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Japan came out in full support for India in its protracted military standoff with China at Doklam, near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan trijunction, saying no country should use unilateral forces to change the status quo on the ground.

Acknowledging the situation at the Doklam Plateau, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said, "We recognise Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and the two countries are engaged in border talks. We also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan, that's why Indian troops got involved in the area," according to the local media.

The endorsement of the Indian position by Japan is a significant development at a regional level as China has violated agreements with Japan as well and not with only India and Bhutan. It is pertinent to mention that Japan is also engaged with the sovereignty issue with China over East China sea.

The Bhutanese Government had earlier told ANI over the phone, "Our position on the border issue of Doklam is very clear."

Reacting to the developments in Doklam, the Bhutanese Government had on June 29 issued a press release in which it clearly stated that the construction of the road inside the Bhutanese territory is a direct violation of the agreements and affects the process of demarcating the boundary between the two countries.

China is attempting to build a road through Doklam plateau, which is part of Bhutan, a development that would be a serious disadvantage to India's military defences.

Meanwhile, as the Doklam stand-off is approaching its second month, China's Foreign Ministry has reiterated that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops would continue to defend Dong Lang, which is Chinese territory, and India should withdraw all its troops and equipment from there.

The standoff began when China started constructing a road in the area. India objected to the road construction after the Chinese troops ignored Bhutanese protests, triggering the faceoff from June 16.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has reiterated that India's road map is peace and talks are going on to resolve the issue diplomatically.

India has made its stance clear that it stands for peace the border question can be solved diplomatically, not by war.
The Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday began investigation into the Kerala love jihad case following the Supreme Court's orders.

In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, the case has been re-registered today by the NIA and an investigation has been taken up.

The case pertains to the annulment of the marriage of a Hindu woman to a Muslim man, post her conversion, by the Kerala High Court as it amounted to 'Love Jihad'.

Shafin, who had married Akhila Ashokan in December last, had moved the apex court after the Kerala High Court annulled the marriage.

The Kerala government said that if the apex court wants an NIA probe, it has no objections.

The apex court said that after getting inputs from the NIA and Kerala police probe, it would interview Akhila to ascertain her views.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Indira Jaising are arguing the case.

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The Kerala High Court will consider the bail plea of Actor Dileep on August 22 in connection with the assault and abduction of a Malayalam actress.

The Kerala Angamali magisterial court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of actor Dileep till August 22.

On July 14, Dileep was produced before the Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Court where his police custody was extended.

Dileep on July 11 was expelled from the primary membership of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) after being arrested. He was also sent to 14-day judicial custody.

Dileep was slapped with conspiracy charges owing to the abduction and assault of a popular Malayalam actress earlier in February. Later that day, he was arrested.

Earlier, the two main accused in the case, Sunil Kumar and Vigeesh, were brought to Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu for evidence collection.

The incident reportedly took place when the actress was returning from a shoot.

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In yet another incident of stalking, a media professional returning home from her workplace by an auto rickshaw from Andheri was followed by unidentified men on a bike yesterday.

Upon noticing the bikers, she called up the Mumbai Police Control Room for help after which they quickly swung into action.

The police kept the track of her route. The woman also shot the pictures of the accused and tweeted a photograph of the two stalkers on the Mumbai police handle and later thanked police for her response.

"@MumbaiPolice Alert: two boys on a scooty passing lewd comments and chasing the Rick on Andheri Link Road," she tweeted.

"Kudos to @MumbaiPolice. Their quick responce and action time is worth appreciating!"

"2 boys on a dio number 5994, chased my rick from Chitrakoot grounds in Andheri to Juhu circle. Anyone who knows these guys Anyone who knows these guys or recognises the vehicle please reply with a tag to @MumbaiPolice"

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police took to Twitter and said, "@Asira_Tarannum reported stalking with a picture of the stalker & his vehicle number Didn't take long for us to hunt down the accused."

Yesterday night, the Amboli Police registered an FIR in the case under Indian Penal Code Section 354D for stalking, which leads to a jail-term of upto three years.

The Mumbai Police has started a Twitter drive #ReportStalking, in which one can take to the micro-blogging site if being stalked by someone, so that the cops can come for rescue.

"You surely don't want us to stalk you for stalking a woman! #ReportStalking," the Mumbai Police had tweeted.

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A 45-year-old woman in Mumbai killed her son by strangling him to save her daughter-in-law from her son.

The incident took place on August 15.

Anwari Idrisi's youngest son, Nadeem had an addiction to drugs and used to beat his wife, due to which his wife left her in-laws' house.

Two years ago Nadeem married the woman, hailing from Allahabad.

On the night of August 15, Nadeem came home drunk. The entire family was present in the house.

Idrisi sensed that he would again become violent, therefore, she suggested her two elder sons and her daughters-in-law to sleep in the neighbour's house.

Upon knowing this, Nadeem got agitated and started beating his own mother.

As soon as he got tired, Idrisi pushed him towards the steel ladder and then strangled his neck with her duppatta.

The police said that when Nadeem's wife returned home, she saw her mother-in-law crying with his body beside her.

Idrisi was arrested by the police and was made to appear before the court where she has been put under police custody till August 31.

She is now booked under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Further investigation is underway.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday had a telephonic conversation with Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, offering all possible "assistance" in regard to the flood situation.

Prime Minister Modi also conveyed his condolences at the loss of lives due to recent widespread floods in Nepal.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi tweeted about this and expressed his readiness to provide all possible relief assistance.

Nepal flood has killed 120 people and nearly 35 people are missing.

Over six million people have been affected by the incessant rains across the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Japanese Embassy in India on Friday told ANI that Japan is closely watching the Doklam stand-off between India and China and that no country should make an attempt to unilaterally change status quo by force.

Speaking to ANI, a Japanese embassy official said, "We are watching the situation very closely at Doklam. We believe there should be no attempt by any party to unilaterally change status quo by force as maintaining it is very important."

Earlier yesterday too, Japan came out in full support for India in its protracted military stand-off with China at Doklam, near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan trijunction as according to the local media, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said, "We recognise Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and the two countries are engaged in border talks. We also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan, that's why Indian troops got involved in the area."

The endorsement of the Indian position by Japan is a significant development at a regional level as China has violated agreements with Japan as well and not with only India and Bhutan. It is pertinent to mention that Japan is also engaged with the sovereignty issue with China over East China sea.

The Bhutanese Government had earlier told ANI over phone, "Our position on the border issue of Doklam is very clear."

Reacting to the developments in Doklam, the Bhutanese Government had on June 29 issued a press release in which it clearly stated that the construction of the road inside the Bhutanese territory is a direct violation of the agreements and affects the process of demarcating the boundary between the two countries.

China is attempting to build a road through Doklam plateau, which is part of Bhutan, a development that would be a serious disadvantage to India's military defences.

Meanwhile, as the Doklam stand-off is approcahing its second month, China's Foreign Ministry has reiterated that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops would continue to defend Dong Lang, which is Chinese territory, and India should withdraw all its troops and equipment from there.

The stand-off began when China started constructing a road in the area. India objected to the road construction after the Chinese troops ignored Bhutanese protests, triggering the faceoff from June 16.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has reiterated that India's road map is peace and talks are going on to resolve the issue diplomatically.

India has made its stance clear that that it stands for peace the border question can be solved diplomatically, not by war.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One of the suspects involved in Barcelona attack has been found dead in a car three kilometers from where police officers tried to stop him by firing at the vehicle he was in, reports El Pais.

However, police are not sure if he committed suicide or was shot down in police firing.

The terrorist organisation Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed at least 13 persons and left around 80 persons injured after a van crashed into a crowd of people in Barcelona's Las Ramblas district.

Before ISIS claimed responsibility, Police were treating it as a terrorist attack and had arrested two men behind the incident.

Senior police official has said that two suspects arrested in Barcelona van attack are Spanish nationals from Melilla and Moroccan.

As per media reports, a Catalan government official has confirmed death of 13 persons in the incident on Twitter.

One of the victims of the attack is a Belgian national, Belgium's deputy prime minister Didier Reynders confirmed on Twitter.

Political leaders from around the have condemned the attack and extended their support to Spain.

US President Donald Trump tweeted, "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!"

A message of support has also been put out from the official Twitter account of the office of UK Prime Minister Theresa May.

"My thoughts are with the victims of today's terrible attack in Barcelona.and the emergency services responding to this ongoing incident. The UK stands with Spain against terror," May tweeted.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has confirmed that there is no report of any Indian casualty in the attack. Indians, who are in an emergency, can contact the Indian embassy in Spain at +34-608769335.

"I am in constant touch with Indian Embassy in Spain. As of now, there is no report of an Indian casualty," Swaraj tweeted.

Meanwhile, police in Barcelona have asked people around that region to stay indoors. They have urged those concerned about friends and family to use social media, rather than cellphone calls to avoid overloading phone networks.

Facebook has also activated its safety check mechanism, allowing users near #Barcelona attack to mark themselves as safe.

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Zahoor Ahmad Watali, who has been sent to custody for 10 days on Friday, used to get the money for Separatists through Dubai, Pakistan and even Pakistan High Commission in India and worked as a conduit for Separatists from over 10 years, sources state.

Watali used to provide money to separatist leaders and got 8 to 9 percent commission, said a Investigation Agency (NIA) source.

According to the source, he used to get the money through Dubai, Pakistan and even Pakistan High commission in India and worked as a conduit for separatists from more than 10 years.

Watali used the money for terror funding in Kashmir as well as create wealth for himself and has several crores property in Kashmir and Gurugram.

The NIA source added that Naseem Geelani, son of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani, also received money from Pakistan and Dubai for terror funding.

After Watali was sent to a 10-day NIA remand in connection with the terror funding case today, the agency has indicated that there will be more arrests in this regard.

NIA officials have said that work is underway in this regard, sources state.

Earlier in the day, close aide of separatist Shabir Shah and an alleged hawala dealer Mohammad Aslam Wani were produced before a Delhi Court today in connection with the case.

The Delhi Court on August 14 extended Enforcement Directorate's (ED) remand of Wani, by six days in the terror funding case.

On August 6, the ED arrested Wani from Srinagar with the help of the state police.

Reportedly, Wani was arrested allegedly with Rs 63 lakh, received through 'hawala' channels from the Middle East, and a large cache of ammunition, on August 26, 2005.

The NIA has been tough on Separatists regarding the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir.

On July 24, the NIA arrested seven separatists over money laundering charges, for funding terror in the Kashmir Valley.

All seven separatist leaders - Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate - were later sent to 10-day NIA custody.

The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The NIA visited Srinagar in May to probe the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir, and questioned several Separatist leaders on the issue of raising, collecting and transferring funds via the Hawala route and other channels to fund terror activities in Kashmir.

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Air Force officials on Friday nabbed a man for suspicious activities, as he tried to enter the Air Force Station in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer without proper clearance.

Officials handed Robin, who is a resident from Bihar, over to the investigation department for further enquire and probe.

They alleged that the man was trying to enter the station without proper permission.

Further investigation underway.

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Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. ('SAM & Co.') advised Kagome Co. Ltd. (Japan), ASG LLC and Preferred Brands International Inc. in relation to the acquisition of Preferred Brands International and its subsidiaries including Tasty Bites Enterprises Limited (TBEL). The primary transaction is valued at USD 172 million (appox.) and will be followed by an open offer (valued at INR 352 crores). Tasty Bites Enterprises is a leading Indian manufacturer of packaged ready to eat food products.

The M&A Group of the General Corporate Practiceand the Tax Practice of Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas were involved in structuring of the transaction, drafting and negotiations of the transaction documents and the open offer documents. The transaction team was led by Mr. Sandip Beri, Partner; and Ms. Akila Agrawal, Partner; and included Mr. Mukul Sharma, Principal Associate; Mr. Navin Kumar, Principal Associate; Mr. Shashank Mishra, Principal Associate; and Ms. Rajashree Ravi, Associate. The Tax advisory was provided by Mr. Amit Singhania, Partner; Gouri Puri, Principal Associate; and Rahul Yadav, Principal Associate.

As a part of the transaction, Mars Incorporated, through its group company Effem Holdings Limited, has agreed to acquire 100% stake in Preferred Brands International Inc., (including its Indian Subsidiaries, Tasty Bites Enterprises Limited, a listed company and Preferred Brands (India) Foods Limited, an unlisted company) from its existing shareholders Kagome Co. Ltd., and ASG LLC.

The said indirect acquisition of TBEL, will trigger an open offer under the SEBI (SAST) Regulations. The said transaction is a deemed direct acquisition under the SEBI (SAST) Regulations. Effem Holdings has made for an open offer for 661190 shares of Tasty Bite Eatables Limited at a price of INR 5,323.87 per equity share.

The parties involved in the transaction were Kagome Co. Ltd. (Japan), ASG LLC and Preferred Brands International Inc. (Our Clients) and Effem Holdings Limited and Mars Nederland BV - Affiliates of Mars International (Counterparties)

Other Advisors to the transaction were The Giannuzzi Group (US counsel for ASG LLC and its members); Squire Patton Boggs (US counsel for Kagome Ltd.); Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (US counsel for Mars International and affiliates); AZB & Partners (Indian counsel for Mars International and affiliates); Morgan Stanley (Merchant Banker for the open offer); and Goldman Sachs (Financial Advisor for ASG LLC and Kagome Ltd.).

The deal was signed onAugust 14, 2017 and is expected to close by end of October, 2017.

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Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons will show defiance by skipping the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) investigation meeting on Friday into the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case till the Supreme Court decides on his review petition against the apex court's July 28 verdict to disqualify him from office.

Sharif had been advised by some of the hawks in his party to not 'simply cooperate' and appear before NAB, like he had done with the Joint Investigation Team constituted by the SC in the Panama Papers case. "It is time to show some defiance," he said.

In a statement issued here late on Thursday night, ruling PML-N Senator Asif Kirmani said neither Nawaz Sharif nor his sons would appear before NAB in Lahore on Friday. They had not received any summons from NAB,the Dawn quoted Kirmani as saying he added.

Earlier this week, Sharif had filed three petitions in the Supreme Court to review and stay further implementation of the Panama Papers case verdict which had resulted in his disqualification.

"Mian Nawaz Sharif and his children have decided not to appear before NAB till a verdict on his review petition in the SC is decided. Sharif has sought a stay of the NAB proceedings and till the apex court decides his petition there is no point in his joining the NAB investigation in cases against him," Dawn quoted close aide of Sharif as saying.

The NAB official said this would be the first of many cases which is being investigated on the allegation against the Sharif's family which could have repercussions for former prime minister's politics as well as for the country's political scene for long.

Independent commentators say the probe into large-scale corruption allegations against Sharif and his family could set the standard for accountability in Pakistan for all times to come.

There are several cases involving investigation by NAB, including the affairs of many sugar mills.

On July 28, a five judge larger bench of the Supreme Court while disqualifying Sharif under Article 62(1)( f) of the Constitution had asked NAB to file four references in the Rawalpindi accountability court within six weeks on the basis of the material collected and referred to by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) as well as that already available with the Federal Investigation Agency and NAB.

According to the court order, NAB has to file a reference against Mr Sharif; his children Maryam Safdar, Hussain and Hassan Nawaz; and son-in-law retired Capt Muhammad Safdar relating to four upscale flats in London.

Another reference against Sharif and his sons about Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment and one regarding 16 other companies were also ordered. The companies are Flagship Investments, Hartstone Properties, Que Holdings, Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane, Quaint, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington, Flagship Developments, Alanna Services (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital FZE (Dubai).

The fourth reference has to be filed against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for possessing assets and funds beyond his known sources of income. The official told Dawn that NAB would take up the reference against Mr Dar on Aug 23.

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President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday condemned the terror attack in Spain's Barcelona which left at least 14 people dead and over 130 injured.

In a message to King Felipe VI of Spain, the President said, "I am deeply shocked and saddened by the horrific terror attack in Barcelona. India condemns the attack in strongest possible terms. I offer my heartfelt condolences for the victims and wish speedy recovery for those injured".

Further condemning the attack, President Kovind said that 'terrorism has posed the gravest threat to humanity today'.

"Terrorism poses the gravest threat to humanity today. Its perpetrators are determined to destroy peace loving communities and peoples. The global community must come together and give them a befitting response. India remains fully committed to work with Spain in defeating these evil forces. I once again express my solidarity with the people of Spain in this difficult hour," he said.

Meanwhile, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu also condemned and expressed grief over the terrorist attack in Barcelona.

In a message, the Vice President said that "I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured. There can be no justification for such barbaric and reprehensible acts. Terrorism is the biggest menace humanity is facing today with all pluralist and open societies increasingly encountering new levels of threat".

Naidu further added that, "International terrorism can only be defeated by coordinated global efforts. We stand with the people and Government of Spain and commend their swift action in dealing with the attackers. I join the nation in praying for the bereaved families and early recovery of the injured."

Earlier in the day, at least 13 persons have been killed and 50 injured after a van crashed into a crowd of people in Barcelona.

Police has confirmed the arrest of one man behind the incident and said they are treating it as a "terrorist attack".

As per media reports, a Catalan government official has confirmed death of 13 persons in the incident on Twitter.

Political leaders from around the world have begun issuing messages of support.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted, "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!"

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has confirmed that there is no report of any Indian casualty in the attack. Indians, who are in an emergency, can contact the Indian embassy in Spain at +34-608769335.

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Islamic militants have beheaded three people and burnt houses in an attack in Lamu County located in the Northern Coast of Kenya on Friday.

Lamu County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said gunmen believed to al-Shabaab militants attacked Maleli village near Witu town.

The locals were hacked to death by the suspects with Coast regional police boss Larry Kieng adding that the attackers torched three houses in the same village, Local media reported.

The attack took place around midnight. "They attacked and butchered locals. The victims were beheaded after being dragged from their houses," said Kieng.

Beheadings by al-Shabaab is rare in Kenya, where the extremist group has carried out dozens of deadly attacks over the years.

The group in July was accused of beheading nine people in another village in Lamu County and has stepped up attacks in East African country in recent weeks.

The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab has vowed retribution after Kenya sent troops across the border to Somalia in 2011 to fight the group.

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United States President Donald Trump wants to cut off all military aid to Pakistan as he thinks that the Washington is being ripped off by Islamabad.

According to Foreign Policy report, US is considering to increase troop levels up to 15,000 in Afghanistan as part of the new strategy, which also would change the US relationship with Pakistan significantly.

The report quoted a White House official as saying that "the President thinks we're being ripped off by Pakistan. The president wants to cut off all military aid to Pakistan. That's part of the strategy".

The report further said the Pentagon has already frozen support to Islamabad under the coalition support fund, which provides payments to Pakistan for supporting counterterrorism operations.

This move is being considered due to Pakistan's constant support to insurgent group Taliban. However, US wants to ensure the survival of the Afghan government by ending the war in the country by negotiating with the Taliban.

This move is triggered by Pakistan's insufficient actions against the Haqqani network, an insurgent group based in Afghanistan, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said.

Currently, around 8,400 US soldiers are deployed in Afghanistan.

Terming Afghanistan issue as 'a mess' that he took over from the previous administration; Trump had said that his administration is getting close to a decision on an updated strategy for the war in Afghanistan.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis had also hinted that President Trump is "very close" to making a decision on the strategy.

"We're sharpening each one of the options so you can see the pluses and minuses of each one so that there's no longer any new data you're going to get. Now [he can] just make the decision," Mattis said.

Earlier, reports had emerged that the US administration may consider outsourcing the war management in Afghanistan to a private firm.

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Vishal Sikka has resigned as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Infosys Ltd. with immediate effect.

U.B. Pravin Rao has been appointed as the interim-managing director and chief executive, whereas Sikka has now been appointed as executive vice-chairman.

Infosys, in a statement to the stock markets, said that the Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Sikka.

"The succession plan for appointment of a new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer has been operationalised by the Board and a search for the same has been commenced," the statement read.

Sikka has over 30 years of experience, adding that since joining Infosys in 1986, he has held a number of senior leadership roles including Head of Infrastructure Management Services, Delivery Head for Europe, and Head of Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, Logistics and Life Sciences.

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Under ESOP

A2Z Infra Engineering announced that the Nomination & remuneration Committee Meeting of the Board of Directors at its meeting duly held on 17 August, 2017 had approved the grant of 17,60,000 Stock Options to the eligible Employees of the Company and subsidiaries under the A2Z Employee Stock Option Plan 2013 & A2Z Employee Stock Option Plan 2014.

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At meeting held on 18 August 2017

The Board of Infosys at its meeting held on 18 August 2017 has accepted the resignation of Dr Vishal Sikka as the MD and CEO of the Company with immediate effect. The Board has appointed Dr Vishal Sikka as the Executive Vice Chairman. U B Pravin Rao has been appointed as interim- MD and CEO.

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Cambridge Technology Enterprises gained 1.95% to Rs 70.70 at 14:55 IST on BSE after the company announced that it has signed an agreement with Atlassian to engage in the Atlassian Solution Partner Program.

The announcement was made during market hours today, 18 August 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 266.08 points or 0.84% at 31,529.38. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 86.56 points or 0.55% at 15,607.97.

On the BSE, 5,780 shares were traded in the counter so far as against average daily volume of 4,990 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 70.70 and a low of Rs 70.60 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 142.05 on 26 August 2016. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 64.65 on 14 August 2017.

The stock rose 7.2% in four sessions to its ruling price from a close of Rs 65.95 on 11 August 2017.

The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 17 August 2017, falling 17.78% compared with the Sensex's 0.87% decline. The stock had also underperformed the market over the past one quarter, dropping 22.03% as against the Sensex's 3.71% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market over the past one year, falling 44% as against the Sensex's 13.53% rise.

The small-cap company has equity capital of Rs 19.63 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

With more than 15 years of experience helping teams organize, discuss and complete work, Atlassian's tools support all types of teamwork, from ad-hoc information sharing and planning to highly structured collaborative workflows.

As an Atlassian Solution Partner, Cambridge Technology Enterprises (CTE) will be consulting, implementing and delivering solutions to customers, enabling them to unleash their teams' potential. By leveraging products like by JIRA Software, JIRA Service Desk, JIRA Core, Status Page, Confluence, Trello and HipChat, customers are able to quickly collaborate on various issues and experience better project transparency.

Cambridge Technology Enterprises' consolidated net profit fell 20.36% to Rs 4.38 crore on 2.02% decline in net sales to Rs 25.19 crore in Q4 March 2017 over Q3 December 2016.

Cambridge Technology Enterprises (CTE) is a leading global technology company transforming organizations into "AI-first" leaders.

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Engages in Atlassian Solution Partner Program

Cambridge Technology Enterprises announced that it has signed an agreement with Atlassian to engage in the Atlassian Solution Partner Program.

As an Atlassian Solution Partner, CTE will be consulting, implementing and delivering solutions to customers, enabling them to unleash their teams' potential. By leveraging products like by JIRA Software, JIRA Service Desk, JIRA Core, Status Page, Confluence, Trello and HipChat, customers are able to quickly collaborate on various issues and experience better project transparency.

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From Moody's

Moody's Investors Service has affirmed the Baa3 foreign currency senior unsecured debt ratings of ICICI Bank's Bahrain branch.

At the same time, Moody's has downgraded the provisional ratings on the foreign currency senior unsecured MTN program for the bank's Bahrain branch to (P)Ba2 from (P)Baa3, because the foreign currency bond ceiling for Bahrain is now at Ba2. The branch's counterparty risk assessment (CRA) has also been downgraded to Ba1(cr)/Not Prime(cr) from Baa3(cr)/P-3(cr), because Moody's downgraded the local currency country risk ceiling for Bahrain to Ba1.

All other ratings under the MTN program remain unchanged.

The outlook on all ratings, where applicable, is stable.

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Sintex Industries, Manappuram Finance, Aban Offshore and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries are among the other losers in the BSE's 'A' group today, 18 August 2017.

Infosys tumbled 11.35% at Rs 905.20 at 13:50 IST after the company said that founder member, Narayana Murthy's continuous assault, including latest letter, is the primary reason that the CEO, Vishal Sikka, has resigned despite strong board support. The announcement was made during market hours today, 18 August 2017. Earlier today, 18 August 2017, Infosys said that board of directors of the company at a meeting held today, 18 August 2017, accepted the resignation of Dr Vishal Sikka as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company with immediate effect. The stock topped the losers in 'A' group. On the BSE, 62.09 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 1.64 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

Sintex Industries slumped 4.34% at Rs 33.10. The stock was the second biggest loser in 'A' group. On the BSE, 38 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 67.43 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

Manappuram Finance skidded 4.26% at Rs 84.20. The stock was the third biggest loser in 'A' group. On the BSE, 6.82 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 8.69 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

Aban Offshore fell 3.92% at Rs 177.80. The stock was the fourth biggest loser in 'A' group. On the BSE, 2.63 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 2.1 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries lost 3.6% at Rs 471. The stock was the fifth biggest loser in 'A' group. On the BSE, 6.29 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 9.05 lakh shares in the past two weeks.

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PowerGrid Corporation of India rose 1.44% to Rs 222.60 at 14:10 IST on BSE after the company said that it has entered into loan agreement on 17 August 2017 with Asian Development Bank for an amount of $500 million.

The announcement was made during market hours today, 18 August 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 309.05 points or 0.96% at 31,489.49.

On the BSE, 15,321 shares were traded in the counter so far as against average daily volume of 2.79 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 223.70 and a low of Rs 219.45 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 226.40 on 8 August 2017. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 167.40 on 9 November 2016.

The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 17 August 2017, rising 1.32% compared with the Sensex's 0.87% decline. The stock had also outperformed the market over the past one quarter, gaining 5.38% as against the Sensex's 3.71% rise. The scrip had also outperformed the market over the past one year, rising 25.72% as against the Sensex's 13.53% rise.

The large-cap power distribution company has equity capital of Rs 5231.59 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

PowerGrid Corporation of India said that the proceeds of the loan are proposed to be utilized for funding of green energy corridor, high voltage direct current (HVDC) bipole link between WR (Raigarh, Chattisgarh) and SR Pugalur, Tamil Nadu), and HVDC link between Pugalur and North Trichur (Kerala).

PowerGrid Corporation of India's net profit rose 13.9% to Rs 2052.41 crore on 17.3% rise in net sales to Rs 7181.35 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q1 June 2016.

The Government of India holds 57.9% stake in the firm as at 30 June 2017.

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Roll out of 4G technology with an increase in data, entry of new players in the market, introduction of digital wallets, popularity of smart phone leading to consistent increase in demand for technology and other developments in the telecom sector likely to increase job opportunities by 30 lakhs by 2018, according to an ASSOCHAM-KPMG joint study.

Emerging technologies such as 5G, M2M and the evolution of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) are expected to create employment avenues for almost 870,000 individuals by 2021, reveals the ASSOCHAM-KPMG joint study.

The existing manpower in the sector may not be adequate both in number as well as in skill to cater to the upcoming demand. There is a need to bridge the gap in skill which on the one hand would require identification of skilled manpower in diverse roles such as infra and cyber security experts, application developers, sales executives, infrastructure technicians, handset technicians etc. as well as on the other hand reskilling of existing manpower working on existing technologies for them to be updated with upcoming requirements.

The government initiatives such as 'Skill India' have been implemented for the ease of providing sufficient and appropriate manpower to the telecom sector, among other sectors. The Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC) has been set up to cater to the demands and skill needs of the telecom sector. However, the Industry recommends more targeted and specialised skill development programmes that would enhance existing manpower capabilities and availability to ensure uninterrupted development of the sector as a whole.

The telecom sector has grown at 19.6 per cent CAGR in terms of subscriber base and at 7.07 per cent CAGR from a revenue perspective over the last few years.

TSPs have continued to invest in their networks and modernise their existing network infrastructure. Operators CAPEX investments stands at INR 85003 crore during Q1 2017 and the below figure depicts the significant CAPEX investment during the period 2012- 2016, noted the study.

Operators made these capex investments primarily to deploy new technologies like 4G and 4G-Advanced, to expand their fibre footprint and to acquire spectrum via spectrum auctions. These investments have resulted in increased borrowings for the TSPs and hence led to an increase in debt burden for the operators, resulting in highly leveraged TSP balance sheets.

Indian telecom sector is a highly price-sensitive market with a subscriber base that has majority prepaid subscribers with lower ARPU. Also, competition in the sector has increased thereby putting a pressure on the operator margins.

The increased debt burden on operators coupled with continuous pressure on profitability has affected the financial health of the telecom sector. Further, initiatives from the government to enhance the health of the telecom sector and enable a cost efficient expansion of digital services are required.

The Indian telecom industry has seen a paradigm shift from a voice centric market to a data-centric market.

While voice business still contributes a large chunk towards operator revenues, data revenues have shown an exponential growth trajectory over the last few years. By the end of 2016 the number of internet subscribers in India was 391.50 million making India globally the 2nd highest in terms of internet users.

Mobile data traffic also grew by 76 per cent in India in 2016 primarily attributed to increased smart phone penetration. This growing usage of smart phones, especially in urban areas, has increased the usage of internet on hand-held devices - in 2016, 559 megabytes of mobile data was generated per month by an average smart phone, up from 430 megabytes per month in 2015. Consumption of video content is also forecasted to be 75 per cent of India's mobile data traffic by 2021, compared to 49 per cent in 2016.

Advancements in innovative IoT technologies, like health monitors, smart transport, smart meters among others, is projected to result in 21 per cent increase in M2M services. These advances will result in a significant growth of mobile data, and as the telecom sector moves to newer technologies, TSPs will need to identify innovative avenues to monetise this data opportunity.

The Indian telecom industry is the second largest in the world by number of subscribers. The sector has witnessed exponential growth over the last few years primarily driven by affordable tariffs, wider availability, roll out of Mobile number portability (MNP), 3G and 4G, evolving consumption patterns of subscribers and a conducive regulatory environment. However, the hyper competitive nature of the Indian telecom market and introduction of disruptive tariff plans have put operator margins under pressure and resulted in consolidation via mergers and acquisitions. The telecom sector finds itself in an unenviable position where despite falling ARPU the players are forced to invest significantly in infrastructure and technology upgrades in order to maintain competiveness. Moving up the technology curve and expanding the breadth of coverage is paramount for the industry to provide differentiated value offerings to end customers.

Vision 2020

Total number of SIM connections is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2020 from the current 1.1 billion

With 646 million unique mobile subscribers, India is the second largest mobile market in the world and will add more than 300 million new unique subscribers by 2020

Telecom sector contribution to GDP will reach 8.2 per cent by 2020

Smart phone subscriptions will reach 674 million by 2020

Wearable device market is expected to grow from 2.5 million units in 2016 to 4.1 million units in 2020

India has shown tremendous growth potential for IOT solutions with the market poised to reach USD 15 billion by 2020 with 2.7 billion units of connected devices from the current USD 5.6 billion with 200 million units of connected devices in 2016

Data growth driving operator revenues from USD 31 billion in 2016 to USD 39.7 billion in 2020 with a capex investment of USD 35 billion during the period 2016-2020.

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The Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for an attack in which a van ran over pedestrians here in Las Ramblas boulevard. At least 13 persons were killed and more than 100 injured.

Confirming the death toll, Head of Catalonia's Regional Interior Department Joaquim Forn said in a tweet on Thursday: "My strongest condemnation of the terrorist attack in Barcelona. We can confirm 13 deaths."

He added that 15 of the injured were in serious condition and that the death toll was likely to rise, Efe news reported.

Claiming the attack, jihadi-affiliated news agency Amaq said the attackers were "soldiers of Islamic State".

The Mossos d'Esquadra regional police force said two persons have been detained in connection with the attack, though neither of them was the driver of the van.

A third person was found dead in his car 3 km from a police checkpoint where he exchanged shots with officers.

One of the arrested is Driss el-Ouakbir, a man of northwestern African origin who is believed to have rented the van used in the attack.

He told police his identity papers have been stolen. Spanish media reported that his 18-year-old brother could have stolen the papers and could also be involved in the attack, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ouakabir, a legal permanent resident of Spain, spent a month in pretrial detention in 2012 after being accused of sexual assault in the town of Figueres, sources said.

The attack happened at 5.00 p.m. (local time) when the van rammed into several vehicles before barrelling down the tree-lined central pedestrian-only area of Las Ramblas. Regional police and emergency services were deployed to the area, which is at the heart of the city's touristic centre and is visited by thousands every day.

Interior Minister Forn said the Festa Major de Gracia, an iconic Barcelona celebration that began on Tuesday and was slated to end next Monday, would be cancelled.

Metro and train stations in the area were closed to the public, while people in the area of the attack were asked to stay where they are until the police can indicate an exit route.

Mossos d'Esquadra said that the van attack was related to an explosion on Wednesday night in the coastal town of Alcanar, where a man was killed when gas-bombs he was handling detonated inside an abandoned house.

The aim of Thursday's assault was "to kill the maximum number of people", Mossos said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of national mourning saying "terrorists are defeated by unity".

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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed that at least one American was killed in the terrorist attacks in Spain's Catalonia region that left at least 14 people dead and more than 100 injured.

Tillerson on Friday said the US citizen died in Thursday afternoon's van attack in Barcelona, where the driver plowed into dozens of pedestrians on that northeastern city's Las Ramblas boulevard, Efe news reported.

He added authorities were still trying to determine whether there were other American victims.

A separate vehicle attack and stabbing occurred in the nearby seaside town of Cambrils early Friday, leaving one woman dead and several others wounded.

"We offer our condolences to the loss of life and the injuries that have occurred to so many innocent people yet again," Tillerson said.

Meanwhile French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that 28 French people were wounded in the terrorist attacks which happened in the Catalonia region of Spain on Thursday, of which eight are in serious condition, Xinhua news agency reported.

At a press conference in Barcelona, the Foreign Minister said four children were among the seriously injured, adding that no French was killed in the attacks.

The minister also said that a psychological assistance unit had been set up at the French consulate in Barcelona and specially trained personnel will respond to all requests for psychological help for the families of the victims.

Governments in different countries are releasing information on the fatal victims of the attacks, for which the Islamic State terror organization has claimed responsibility.

--IANS

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Citizens from four Asian countries -- China, Pakistan, Taiwan and The Philippines -- were among the over 100 people who were injured in Thursday's terror attack in Barcelona, the Catalonian Interior Ministry said on Friday.

At least 13 people were killed when a van ploughed into pedestrians along the Las Ramblas boulevard on Thursday afternoon. The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Two people are currently in custody but the person who was driving the van is still at large, the police said.

Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported on Friday that two Taiwanese nationals who were part of a tour group were lightly injured.

China has also confirmed a victim from Hong Kong received minor injuries as a result of the attack.

Authorities in the Philippines confirmed that four members of an Irish-Filipino family were injured in the attack in Barcelona, which is home to around 20,000 Filipinos.

In addition to the Asian nationals, authorities have reported people of various nationalities, including Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Argentine, Venezuelan, Belgian, Peruvian, Romanian, Irish, Cuban, Greek, Macedonian, British, Austrian, Canadian, Ecuadorian, US, Kuwaiti, and Turkish, who were among the injured.

Joaquim Forn, the head of Catalonia's regional interior ministry, told the media that 15 of the injured were in serious condition and that the toll is likely to rise.

--IANS

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Film: "Bareilly Ki Barfi"; Cast: Ayushmann Khurana, Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon; Director: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari; Rating: ****(4 stars)

Early in the plot, we are told that the film's heroine Bitti is no Sati Savitri. Thank God for smalltown mercies! In fact she adheres to another kind of stereotyping that Hindi cinema has lately embraced. You know, the smalltown girl who is hip and happy, sassy and sexy, rides two-wheelers and smokes whenever she can get her hands on a cancer stick, and when a prospective groom asks her if she is a virgin, Bitti retorts, "No, I am not. Are you?"

Ah, long live the virgin bride.

Bitti is from the same feisty school of small-town rebellion as Kareena Kapoor in "Jab We Met", Kangana Ranaut in "Tanu Weds Manu" and Alia Bhatt in "Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya". In fact what Bitti thinks to be streaks of rebellion (breakdancing, watching 'angrezi' films, etc etc) is nothing but a sign of decadent feminism.

And director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari knows it.She lets Bittu fly free. Even if it's just a flight of limited coverage, it is still worth that soar towards the sky.

Before "Bareilly Ki Barfi" ends, Bittu, played with endearing vivacity by Kriti Sanon, must choose her life partner. It's a toss-up between Chirag, the nakedly selfish foxy suitor who can't bring himself to say those three magical words to Bittu (no, not "What the fuck") in spite of his overweening brashness, and Pritam Vidrohi, the timid kind compassionate loser who sells sarees to bored housewives and lives his life on the crushed dreams of his existence like a daredevil walking on glass.

That Chirag and Pritam are played by Ayushmann Khurrana and Rajkummar Rao is an exceptionally happy circumstance for the film. Akin to Farooq Sheikh and Naseruddin Shah playing Deepti Naval's suitors in "Katha". A seemingly routine romantic triangle which has its antecedents in Sai Paranjpye's "Katha" and Basu Chatterjee's "Chit Chor" and even the Sanjay Dutt-Salman Khan-Madhuri Dixit potboiler "Saajan", is transformed into a magical journey into small town whims and habits and romantic quirks in the bylanes of Bareilly.

Tiwari, who earlier directed that endearing film on female literacy "Nil Battey Sannata" carves a charming tale of a fey self-declared wild child and her two suitors. It is a film strewn with splendid moments framed in vistas of unrehearsed bustle by cinematographer Gavemic U Ary who shoots the characters, major or minor with equipoise and empathy.

Iyer's storytelling is simple and brimming with uncluttered emotions. She doesn't try to impress us with her knowledge of human feelings and failings. Instead she allows the three main characters to lay down their own feelings which they put down piece by piece exposing more of their personality than they would want us to know.

The writing and the dialogues sparkle with warmth and sunshine. Though the narrative pace slackens considerably after a point, we never lose interest in this oft-told tale that acquires an all new vigour through the terrific dialogues and performances.

While Rajkumar Rao's double-identity heroics bring the house down, Ayushmann has the tougher role as he emerges a slimy opportunist most of the time until he undergoes an abrupt and unconvincing "hriday parivartan". Kriti is spunky and in-character even in the scenes where she is not the centre of attraction. And Pankaj Tiwary and Seema Pahwa are absolutely delightful as her parents.

There is a sequence where Tripathy, a diehard supporter of his daughter's dumbed-down rebel act, laments that parents spend half their lives craving to see their daughters get married and then dread their going away. The sequence threatens to grow emotional. But is quickly taken off the tearful radar.

That is the spirit in which this film moves. The director allows us to invest our feelings into the characters without demanding an emotional attachment from us.

Yes, there are potholes in the romantic journey. But at the end, you will come away with a smile as Bitti walks into the sunset (in a manner of speaking) with...

Ah now that is the question.

--IANS

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has recommended a CBI probe into the Rs 1,000 crore Srijan scam in which government funds were transferred to private accounts between 2005 and 2013 when now Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi was the Finance Minister, an official said.

An official in the Chief Minister's Office here said Nitish Kumar on Thursday night recommended the probe and directed the state Chief Secretary and state DGP to hand over the case to the CBI.

On Thursday, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav had demanded a CBI probe questioning Nitish Kumar's delay in recommending it given his "repeated claims of zero tolerance against corruption."

His father and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad also reiterated his demand for a CBI probe on Thursday and asked Nitish Kumar to sack his deputy.

On Wednesday, a public interest litigation was also filed in the Patna High Court by advocate Manibhusan Pratap, seeking a CBI probe into the scam.

After days of investigation, a Special Investigation Team said crores were diverted from the bank accounts of different departments, including Mukhyamantri Shahari Vikas Yojna in Bhagalpur district, with the help of NGO Srijan Sahayog Mahila Vikas Samiti.

So far, eight people have been arrested, including Prem Kumar, an aide of the Bhagalpur District Magistrate, in connection with the scam.

--IANS

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A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the Rs 1,000-crore Srijan scam in Bhagalpur district, his ally BJP on Friday suspended a senior party leader for his alleged involvement in it.

Vipin Sharma, Vice President of party Kisan Morcha, has been suspended as his name surfaced in the scam, party spokesperson Prem Ranjan Patel said .

Police said that Sharma, who is absconding, will be arrested soon. They said he was closely associated with NGO Srijan, which was behind the scam, and his wife is director of a cooperative bank run by Srijan.

Police officials said Sharma was a vendor in Bhagalpur and then ran a pavement shop but progressed after coming in contact with Srijan founder Manorama Devi. Soon he joined the BJP and developed close relationship with most of the top state leaders including former Union Minister Shahnawaz Hussain, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, MP Ashwani Choudbey and others.

He is said to have property in Delhi, Dehradun, Bengaluru, Patna, Deogarh, Bhagalpur and other places.

After days of investigations, a Special Investigation Team of Bihar Police's Economic Offence Unit said at least Rs 1,000 crore was diverted from bank accounts of different departments including Mukhyamantri Shahari Vikas Yojna in Bhagalpur district.

So far, eight people, including Prem Kumar, an aide of the Bhagalpur District Magistrate, have been arrested in connection with the scam.

--IANS

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In a bid to promote imaging culture, Canon India on Friday organised a series of activities and workshops across the country in celebration of 'World Photography Day' that falls on August 19.

The company organised a 'photo walk' at Infosys office in Bengaluru which was followed by photography quiz and contest for the employees.

"This 'World Photography Day', we are further strengthening our outreach of customer connect with theme-based workshops and contests," said Kazutada Kobayashi, President and CEO, Canon India, in a statement.

The company organised a series of photography workshops and events in Canon Image Square (CIS) stores, clubs, corporate houses, schools, universities and other places in Bengaluru, Delhi, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Goa and West Bengal.

--IANS

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Director Shakti Soundar Rajan, who is currently busy with the post-production work on Tamil cinema's first space film "Tik Tik Tik", says it was challenging for him to explore the genre within the commercial cinema format.

"In this genre, to crack a story that everyone understands is really tough. What's even more challenging is to put space in a commercial set up. There are not too many elements to play with when you're in space," Shakti told IANS.

The film's teaser was released earlier this week and it gave audiences a glimpse of the space adventure.

After successfully reinventing within the commercial set up with Tamil buddy cop actioner "Naaigal Jaakirathai", centered on a German shepherd and Zombie thriller "Miruthan", Shakti is introducing Tamil audiences to space genre.

Shakti clarifies it's not a desperate attempt to make another first-of-its-kind genre film.

"Everything happened organically. The film has been written in a way that it takes the story organically into space," he said and added that the title literally translates to ticking of the clock and will justify the race against time space the film falls into.

The film stars Jayam Ravi, with whom Shakti had previously worked in "Miruthan".

"Two weeks after the release of 'Miruthan', I met Ravi to discuss the idea. He was excited and was ready to come on board immediately," said Shakti, admitting the writing process was very challenging.

"The writing process, especially the exhaustive research work, took us nine months. That's the time that's usually spent on writing, shooting and making a regular commercial film," he said.

"Initially, we spoke to a retired scientist from ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and got the basic facts right about everything related to space -- the space shuttle set up, the kind of work that goes on ground and in space during a mission and the important decisions that are taken," he added.

Once the research part was cleared, Shakti found the writing process to be relatively easier.

Talking about the film, which is slated for release later this year, Shakti said he drew inspiration for "Tik Tik Tik" from the Spaghetti western and films like "Apollo 13" and "Armageddon".

He calls it a "men on a mission" kind of film, and assures it's not a "dry science-fiction film".

"I'm a huge fan of Grindhouse movies by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino and I intentionally make my films look superficial. It's not that I aim high and it misses and goes low. I aim for a B-movie because it helps me connect with the masses easily," he explained.

The film also stars Nivetha Pethuraj, Ramesh Thilak and Singaporean actor Aaron Aziz.

IANS

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Announcing his resignation as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of software giant Infosys Ltd, Vishal Sikka wrote in a mail to employees that he "could not" do his job as a CEO with "unrelenting, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks".

"...It is clear that despite our successes over the last three years, and the powerful seeds of innovation that we have sown, I cannot carry out my job as CEO and continue to create value, while also constantly defending against unrelenting, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks," Sikka's letter to Infosys employees, that he had shared on his personal blog, reads.

"For days, indeed weeks, this decision has weighed on me. I have wrestled the pros and cons, the issues and the counterbalancing arguments. But now, after much thought, and considering the environment of the last few quarters, I am clear in my decision," he said.

Sikka, who the Infosys Board has appointed the Executive Vice-Chairman till a new CEO and MD takes over by March 31, 2018, said he will "closely work with the Board and the management over the next few months to ensure smooth transition".

Sikka said in his mail that he had started his journey with the company with a "calling", to help reshape it around innovation and entrepreneurship.

"In 2014, we started with a very challenging set of conditions, and in the last three years, we have decisively turned things around," he added.

"I am proud of how we have upheld our values, our culture, our integrity, whilst we have gone about this massive transformation," Sikka stated.

He wrote that he "remains passionate about the transformation opportunity" for the company and industry, but "we all need to allow the company to move beyond the noise and distractions", he said.

Sikka, 50, a former German software major SAP's Executive Director, joined India's second largest software exporter on August 1 2014, replacing S.D. Shibulal, the company's last promoter co-founder to hold the top executive post.

The Board of the software company blamed its founder N.R. Narayana Murthy for the sudden and dramatic resignation of Sikka.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A key political and media adviser to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has accused the US-led coalition of seeking to fragment Syria, saying the plan will fail.

"The targeting of civilians in Raqqa (the de facto capital of the Islamic State group) and the crimes committed against them... is something that sparks questions and it's most likely that the US is trying to terrorize the Arab citizens in Raqqa into leaving their areas to establish a suitable ground for federalisation or the (creation of) Kurdish entity" in northern Syria, Bouthaina Shaaban said on Thursday.

The US will fail to fragment Syria "because the Syrian people are one", she said.

Her remarks came as the US-led coalition is throwing a heavy support behind the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is fighting the IS in Raqqa.

However, the killing of civilians on a daily basis pushed the Syrian government to condemn the US-led coalition's "crimes" in Raqqa and urge the UN to dissolve the coalition.

While the SDF is advancing inside Raqqa, the Syrian army and tribal forces are advancing against the extremists in the countryside, coming close to the last IS-held town in the eastern Raqqa countryside.

The army forces and allied troops have already reclaimed the western and southern countryside of Raqqa.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Veteran actor Dharmendra has made his debut on social media website Twitter and his actor son Sunny Deol has welcomed him.

Dharmendra, 81, on Thursday made his debut on Twitter, with two photographs of himself from the sets of his upcoming film "Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se".

"Your love has encouraged me to come more close to you... So, here is me from the sets of 'Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se'... New Beginnings, shoot mode, Hyderabad," he tweeted.

The "Sholay" actor has 3,273 followers, among them sons Sunny and Bobby and grandson Karan Deol, who is soon going to make his debut in Bollywood with "Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas".

Sunny on Thursday tweeted that he and his brother Bobby "succeeded" in getting their father on the micro-blogging website.

"Me and Bob eventually succeeded in getting dad here... Welcome Dad," Sunny tweeted.

The third part of "Yamla Pagla Deewana" is being shot in Hyderabad and also features Bobby and Sunny.

The part first part of "Yamla Pagla Deewana" released in 2011 and was directed by Samir Karnik.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Talking candidly after quitting global software major Infosys as its Chief Executive and Managing Director, Vishal Sikka on Friday said it was difficult to deal with unending allegations and said he has not decided his future plans yet.

"It was difficult to deal with continuous allegations and noise. At some point you realise it is taking a heavy toll on the company and also personally. It is an untenable situation," Sikka said from California via video conferencing.

In a dramatic development, Sikka resigned citing personal and negative remarks made against him.

His resignation was accepted and he was appointed Executive Vice-Chairman till a new CEO and MD takes over by March 31, 2018.

"As you know I started three years ago on this journey. Infosys is more than a company, it is an iconic institution," Sikka told the media.

Terming it a sad day for him, Sikka said in many ways his resignation would help things to improve in the company.

"I signed up for the technological change and got the company back to growth...I got to the point that was difficult to deal with. There was continuous noise about the same things over and over again," recalled Sikka.

Noting that he had no plans as of now, Sikka said he did not think on what he would like to do next after quitting Infosys.

"We came to the conclusion that I will stay on as Executive Vice-Chairman, help in transition with U.B. Pravin Rao as the interim CEO," he noted.

Admitting that the personal attacks had hit the morale of the employees, Sikka said over the last many months and quarters, the company had been besieged by false, baseless and malicious charges.

Sikka said he doesn't agree with the idea that the Board had let him down, "as it had done a phenomenal job".

Co-Chairman Ravi Venkatesan said the board had accepted Sikka's reasons for stepping down as the CEO.

"But the Board is committed to the strategic direction set by Sikka, who is a phenomenal guy, the world knows it. He has blossomed as a leader," Venkatesan told reporters at the presser.

Venkatesan also said the events that transpired in the last 48 hours have made it difficult for the Board to consider a permanent position for the company's founder N.R. Narayana Murthy.

"Succession planning is the top priority for the Board as it is crucial that the next CEO buys into the company's vision, culture and is people-oriented," asserted Venkatesan.

Company Board Chairman R. Seshasayee, who was with Sikka at Palo Alto in California, said he was not in contention for the role of Infosys CEO even in 2014, and he had no interest now.

"We thank Sikka for giving the company a new direction during his tenure," said Seshasayee.

The Chairman also clarified that there was no change in the company's buyback of shares.

"There is no change in buyback plans. We have made a commitment on how much and when to return cash to shareholders," said Seshasayee.

The Board is slated to consider the share buyback proposal on Saturday.

--IANS

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With less than a month to go for student union elections in the Delhi University, the entire north campus -- from walls to roads, from advertising spaces at bus shelters to market places -- is covered with the names of candidates in the form of posters, pamphlets and scribbles, inviting students to "join them".

Though Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections will be held in September and the contesters have already started to spraypaint their names and put up posters across the campus so as to have their names read and known much before the three-day campaigning begins.

While the leaders of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress, are using various methods for pre-campaigning, the left wing All India Students' Association (AISA), like the previous years, maintained that it doesn't indulge in "this kind of politics".

AISA President Kawalpreet Kaur said: "These posters just carry their names without addressing any of the students issues. It's just another way to make students learn their names."

She lamented over "no action being taken against any of these people" for wasting so much of paper. "Year after year, they keep doing the same thing. We are going to complain and request the university to issue certain guidelines about it."

With many masters' students feeling indifferent to student in the campus, the freshers were certainly looking forward to cast their vote for the first time but they were disappointed with all the mess and untidiness around them.

"They are stupid to be thinking that we would vote for someone who is ruining the public property. Posters are still okay but painting the walls and other spaces is obnoxious," a first year student from Kirorimal College, who didn't want to be named, told IANS.

She said people from the three parties, ABVP, NSUI and AISA, "have recently started coming to their classes to introduce and make themselves familiar." "They disrupt our classes by approaching us in the middle of them."

She said that knowing their names was not enough and that she would decide who to vote once the candidates declare their agendas in the week of campaigning.

Last year, the National Green Tribunal's order directing the university to ensure that no paper is used for campaigning on campuses, had compelled student parties to take the war on social media but littering on the campus still continues.

Vibhuti Kapila, a second year student from Khalsa College, said that she pressed the NOTA (none of the above) button in 2016 elections as she was not impressed by any of the parties.

She also complained about DUSU's "casteist and patriarchal logic, and display of money and muscle". "I have seen them painting on the walls and polluting our campus. We wish to take the initiative to clean it."

However, the ABVP and the NSUI said that they would ensure that the amount of paper used in campaigning is reduced this year.

"This is the traditional way of in DU. Candidates do it every year by themselves (without any involvement from the party). We will try going paperless this time so that that walls are not wrecked," said NSUI National President Fairoz Khan.

ABVP spokesperson Saket Bahuguna stressed that the "short" three-day campaigning period is not sufficient to reach out to the students of 50 colleges who vote on one day and thus posters happen to be an effective medium.

"We are committed to the protection of our environment. We also believe that least amount of paper should be used during campaigning in all elections," he said, adding: "In DU, there are 50 colleges voting on the same day and we get only three days for campaigning. It is a bit impractical to go paperless."

"Posters and pamphlets are an effective medium of reaching out to the students. We will approach the university's election committee to have designated walls and spaces across colleges and departments for campaign posters to avoid littering," said Bahuguna.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As reports surfaced of a Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 smartphone catching fire in Andhra Pradesh, injuring its user, the Chinese smartphone maker on Friday said "extreme external force" was applied to the device which may have caused the incident.

Bhavana Suryakiran sustained minor burn injuries on his thigh as the Redmi Note 4 he was carrying in his trouser pocket caught fire in Ravulapalem town in East Godavari district earlier this week.

"We would like to clarify a recent incident of a damaged Redmi Note 4 in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. We were able to procure the device after multiple conversations with the customer," Xiaomi said in a statement shared with IANS.

"Upon first impressions of the damaged device, we can conclude that extreme external force was applied to the device, which led to the back cover and battery being bent and screen getting damaged. A detailed investigation has been launched to understand the exact cause of the damage," the smartphone maker said.

Suryakiran, a small trader, was riding his motorbike when the phone caught fire.

He told a Telugu television channel that by the time he stopped the motorcycle, pulled out and threw away the handset, he had sustained the burn injury.

Suryakiran claimed that he purchased the phone around 20 days ago, adding that he would approach the court to claim compensation.

"We would like to request our customers to avoid opening the device, puncturing the battery or applying extreme physical force to the device. Further, do refrain from getting your smartphone repaired at unauthorised repair shops," Xiaomi said.

"At Xiaomi, customer safety is of utmost importance and we treat such cases with absolute priority. All our devices go through stringent quality testing to ensure high standards," the company added.

According to the market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), Xiaomi now has a 17.9 per cent market share in the Indian smartphone space.

The Redmi Note 4 has pipped Samsung's Galaxy J2 as the top shipped smartphone to India in the second quarter with a 7.97 per cent market share.

Xiaomi launched Redmi Note 4 earlier this year. The device is powered by the 2Ghz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor.

The Note 4 has a non-removable, 4,100mAh battery -- bigger than the Note 3's 4,050mAh.

Last year, after receiving several complaints of battery explosions, Samsung had recalled millions of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, causing the firm operating losses of around 6.1 trillion won ($5 billion).

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Angry at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for not visiting their flood-hit village, dozens of irate villagers in Hatwa in Lakhimpur Kheri district have started a 'jal satyagraha'.

The villagers started the 'jal satyagraha' on late Thursday by standing in the neck-deep water of river Ghagra, officials said on Friday.

Officials had a tough time in trying to convince the protesters to withdraw the unconventional protest and assured them that immediate relief operations would be set rolling in their village.

The villagers, however, threatened they would again enter the deep water of the Ghaghra if adequate relief material is not sent to the village within the next 24 hours.

Adityanath's scheduled visit to the village on Wednesday had to be called off at the last moment, officials said. The Chief Minister flew back from Sisaiyya.

Hatwa village and its nearby areas have been badly affected as Ghaghra river continues to be in spate.

There are reports from many places of poor relief and rescue measures, an allegation denied by the state government.

Many parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh including Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich and Balrampur have been ravaged by excessive rains and also due to the water released by neighbouring Nepal.

Vast stretches of land in these districts have been submerged and thousands of people displaced.

Adityanath, along with senior ministers and officials, has been conducting an aerial survey of the flood affected areas and on Friday flew to Siddharthanagar and Balrampur to distribute relief materials to the people and to meet them to ascertain the truth on the ground.

According to officials, more than 22 districts and 2,013 villages have been effected by the floods this year and 1,217 villages have been marooned in the floods and over 14 lakh affected.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Accusing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of "insulting" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NDA-ally on Friday "prayed" for his defeat in the upcoming assembly by-poll which he is contesting.

It also took strong umbrage at Parrikar's reported statement that he "cared less" if he loses the August 23 by-poll in Panaji assembly constituency, for he would return to the Centre and head the Defence Ministry.

"The Prime Minister elevated Parrikar from Goa Chief Minister to the Defence Ministry, after he failed there miserably, he again returned to the state. Now, he goes around threatening that if he indeed fails to win the by-polls, he will go back to the Centre as Defence Minister," the said in a sharp editorial in party mouthpieces "Saamana" and "Dopahar Ka Saamana".

This, the Sena pointed out, was tantamount to not only "rubbishing" the post of Goa Chief Minister but also belittling the post of the country's Defence Minister.

"By such irresponsible and juvenile utterances, Parrikar has insulted Modi, who first promoted him to politics, and later entrusted him with Goa's leadership after the BJP failed to secure a majority in last year's assembly elections in the state," the Sena said.

The edit added that Parrikar's remarks clearly proved that he was "mortally scared" of the prospect of losing the by-election.

But, Parrikar "has already lost his bearings" by taking the wise voters "so lightly and treating the state as his personal fiefdom with little faith in the democratic process", the Sena said.

"Is the post of Defence Minister so cheap and rendered as orphan without Parrikar? Modi must clarify, especially given the current tense situation on our country's borders," the Sena demanded.

On one hand, while Modi is worried about tackling the challenges from both Pakistan and China, on the other, Parrikar is blatantly trying to degrade and undermine the Defence Ministry by his statements, the editorial said.

"In such circumstances, Parrikar must lose the Goa assembly by-polls. Let his worst fears come true. And after the loss, whether he still becomes the Defence Minister, at least let the people of his state witness (this)," the Sena noted sternly.

The edit said if Parrikar was indeed a "mahatma" as was being bandied about, he should have been elected unopposed, but the truth is when the country faced crises at the borders, instead of leading the nation, he retreated back to Goa for savouring "rice-and-fish-curry".

"For this act of bravado alone, he should have been conferred a 'Shaurya Chakra', but he was made the Chief Minister of a rag-tag outfit though the state poll was lost under his leadership," it concluded.

--IANS

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After a series of hacks and leaks have rocked HBO and its Game of Thrones show, actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau says the network should go back to old-school ways of distribution to guard its content.

In an interview with EW Morning Live, the actor said he feels that HBO should employ an old-school approach to protect future content, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

"I think they're basically going to go back to hand-delivering and just giving us scripts," said Coster-Waldau -- who plays Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones, which is aired in India on Star World and Star World HD.

"Just give us the hard copies instead of all this email and digital stuff. I think that's what's going to happen in a few years' time, because you know, you talk to cops on the street, 'What's the biggest crime now?' It's all credit card fraud. It's all that stuff. It's digital. So we got to go back to cash," he added.

Coster-Waldau also said the hacks are ironic, because due to the popularity of the series, in order to protect the scripts, he said the actors had to set up several email accounts in order to receive them.

"They had to be triple and quadruple (checked). All this stuff, right? And, of course, now they have this big hack," he added.

HBO has been dealing with anonymous hackers who claim to have stolen 1.5 terabytes of data - including emails, show scripts and unaired episodes of hit series such as Game of Thrones, Ballers and Room 104 -- from the company's servers and have threatened to release it if their ransom demands are not met.

So far, two episodes of Game of Thrones have leaked, in addition to episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm upcoming season, as well as script summaries of Game of Thrones and one executive's emails.

The network's social media accounts were also hacked on Wednesday by hacking group OurMine.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday sought details from the Home Ministry on its plan to deport about 40,000 illegal Rohingya Muslim immigrants of Myanmar to their native country.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the media reports regarding the government's plan, the NHRC issued notice to the Home Ministry calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks.

"The Commission has observed that refugees are no doubt foreign nationals but they are human beings and before taking a big step, the Government of India has to look into every aspect of the situation," the NHRC said in the notice.

It also pointed out that the members of Rohingya community, who have crossed into the Indian borders and are residing here for long, have a fear of persecution once they are pushed back to their native country.

The Commission has held that from the human rights angle, its intervention is appropriate in the matter. It further noted that India has been home to refugees for centuries.

The Rohingya immigrants, who fled to India after violence in the Western Rakhine State of Myanmar, have settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.

A Home Ministry official has, reportedly, said that India was going ahead with plans to deport Rohingyas and is in discussions with Myanmar and Bangladesh governments on the issue.

The NHRC in a statement also pointed out its findings based on the media report that the government is reportedly also planning to set up detention centres for the refugees and if required push them back over the India-Myanmar border, if Myanmar refuses to accept the refugees back.

The Commission has observed that the Supreme Court has consistently held that the Fundamental Right enshrined under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution regarding Right to Life and Personal Liberty, applies to all, irrespective of the fact whether they are citizens of India or not.

"India is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention on Refugees and also the 1967 Protocol. But India is a signatory to a number of United Nations and World Conventions on Human Rights," the NHRC said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Scrips of global software major Infosys on Friday plummeted almost 10 per cent, losing around Rs 29,000 crore in terms of market capital, post the resignation of Vishal Sikka as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD). In the process, it pulled down two key market indices by almost one per cent.

According to market observers, the fall in the scrip price of the company is the biggest since January, 2013.

Stocks of the IT major plunged 9.52 per cent on the BSE and traded at Rs 923.90 per share, down Rs 102.15 from its previous session's close at Rs 1,021.15 per share.

"Post quitting news of Vishal Sikka, the stocks of the company plummeted. Infosys has lost almost Rs 29,000 crore in market cap, post the news," Dhruv Desai, Director and Chief Operating Officer of Tradebulls, told IANS.

"This is the highest cut in prices since January 2013, during which the stock prices had fallen by 14.5 per cent," he added.

The plunge in the stocks of the company led the overall S&P BSE IT index to decline by 360.32 points or 3.45 per cent.

The key Indian equity indices, too, tumbled during the mid-afternoon trade session due to a heavy sell-off in the IT, healthcare and banking stocks.

Around 2.35 p.m., the Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) fell by 79.85 points, or 0.81 per cent, to trade at 9,824.30 points.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE, which opened at 31,729.88 points, traded at 31,486.85 points -- down 308.61 points, or 0.97 per cent, from its previous close at 31,795.46 points.

Infosys on Friday announced that Sikka has resigned. "The Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Vishal Sikka ... with immediate effect at its meeting held on Friday," said the IT major in a statement.

The Board, however, appointed the 50-year-old Sikka as Executive Vice-Chairman and will hold office until the new CEO and MD takes charge by March 31, 2018.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Health Ministry has warned tobacco giants ITC Ltd and Philip Morris of punitive action over violation of anti-tobacco laws by promoting Marlboro cigarettes, said an official on Friday.

According to the official, the letter was issued to Philip Morris on August 10.

"In the communication, the Health Ministry has warned Philip Morris against promotional activities for Marlboro cigarettes, which is a violation of the country's tobacco control law and is subject to punishment under the act," Arun Jha, Economic Advisor at the Ministry of Health and Family welfare, told IANS.

Jha said the two companies have been sent the letter and told to clarify their stand on the issue immediately.

He said tobacco advertisements that use brand names, pack images or promotional messages are banned at kiosks -- both inside and outside.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Justin Theroux says his wife and actress Jennifer Aniston calls him out on his bad jokes.

In an interview with Mr Porter luxury menswear site's magazine The Journal, he insisted that his marriage to the Hollywood actress is no different to any other, reports dailymail.co.uk.

The actor also said that they have learned to detach themselves from the gossip that their relationship attracts.

"When it's not funny, she calls me out. She says, 'That's not funny'," he said.

Asked if her humour would ever approve of a flatulence quip, he said: "Of course she would allow a fart joke. But I think she actually has a more refined sense of humour than that. I think she's funnier than that."

Talking about the 'never-ending operative narrative' that surrounds him, Theroux said: "It's just not a part of me.

"There's this slightly insane person running around on the covers of tabloids who is mentally ill, clearly," said "The Leftovers" star.

"The Leftovers" is aired in India on Star World and Star World HD.

--IANS

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The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) accused Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) of plotting sabotage activities in Ukraine, the media reported.

"The Russian FSB continues to send sabotage groups to the Ukrainian soil to commit acts of violence on our territory. The strategic facilities of the vital infrastructure are the main targets," head of the SBU Vasyl Hrytsak told reporters on Thursday.

He added that "another goal could be the assassination of certain social and political figures", Xinhua news agency reported.

In the past month, the SBU has found out three groups of saboteurs, allegedly Russian intelligence officers, who were plotting subversive activities, Hrytsak said.

There was no immediate response to the accusations from the FSB.

On Tuesday, the FSB said that it had detained an SBU officer who was plotting sabotage against infrastructure facilities in Crimea. The Ukrainian intelligence agency has denied the report.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Anxiety is writ large on the faces of over 3,800 Rohingya Muslims living in this city amid reports that the Indian government is planning to deport them. They say they prefer to die here rather than return to Myanmar, where they face persecution.

Having lived here for over five years now, the refugees say they would not like to return to their native country to be slaughtered. They have appealed to the Indian government to drop, on humanitarian grounds, the plans to deport them.

"We thank India for allowing us to stay. If the government wants to deport us, it can do it but it will be better if they kill us here instead of sending us back," Abdul Raheem, a refugee, told IANS in a voice choked with emotion.

Raheem, 32, who has been living here with his wife and three children since 2012, said they could think of returning to their country only after they were assured of protection of their life and property.

Another refugee, Mohammad Younus, alleged that Buddhist-majority Myanmar always went back on its assurances in the past. "This is the third time that I have become a refugee. They never kept their word," said the 63-year-old while narrating his tale of woe.

Younus, who is staying here with his wife and daughter, showed a bullet mark on his shoulder. Myanmar Army fired on him and since he was not treated in his country, he had to go to Bangladesh to remove the bullet.

Raheem says he was an agriculturist in Arkan (now Rakhine) state in Myanmar but the authorities took away his land. "We had to escape to save our lives. My two brothers went to Bangladesh but I came here," he said.

Younus was a businessman in Arkan and his property was also taken away by the government. His suffering did not end with his arrival in India. His was among 125 families which had to leave Jammu and come here about three months ago.

"Some people drove us out of our camps in Jammu. There is no end to our suffering," he said, crying inconsolably.

Like the majority of refugees, Raheem works as a daily wage labourer for Rs 500. They get the work only for 15 days in a month.

Younus runs a small shop. His two sons Zia-ul-Haq and Shams-ul-Haq are ragpickers and live with their families in separate huts. Despite this penury, they are content with their life in India.

Hyderabad has the second-largest concentration of Rohingyas after Jammu, where the number is estimated at 7,000.

The families have been living in huts or small one-room rented houses in areas like Balapur, Shaheen Nagar, Jalpally, Asad Baba Nagar, Pahadi Shareef on Hyderabad's southern periphery.

There are 16,000 Rohangiyas in India registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) but the total number is estimated to be 40,000.

In Hyderabad, there are 3,800 Rohangiyas with refugee cards. "We can talk about only those who are registered with us," said Mazher Hussain, Executive Director, Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA), a partnering agency with UNHCR.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju had told parliament last week that the states were directed to identify and deport illegal immigrants. He later told a news agency that all Rohingyas, including those registered with UNHCR, are illegal immigrants.

Rohingyas wonder why the Indian authorities viewed them as a threat to national security.

"We escaped from our country to save our lives. How can we do anything to harm this country which has given us shelter?" asked Mohammad Toha, 31, who lives in Balapur with his wife and three children.

COVA's Hussain felt that while the security concern is genuine, stigmatising the entire Rohangiya community will not help with security tracking.

"In any community there will be all sorts of people. A few people will have criminal instincts. They may engage in crime for monetary gains or indulge in anti-national activity due to ideology or anger against the government. Here we don't see any reason for Rohingyas to be angry with the Indian government or system. In fact most of them are very beholden, but you can't 100 per cent rule out anybody," he said.

The COVA director said since the police had the record of all those who engage in the criminal activity, the authorities should keep a tab on them instead of viewing the entire community with suspicion.

Hussain was of the view that registration with UNHCR facilitates tracking of Rohingyas. "Even if they are deported they may still come and stay illegally. It is difficult to identify them as foreigners. It's also easy to get Aadhaar, PAN and other cards. That will be a bigger security threat," he explained.

(Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after BJP President Amit Shah set a target of 350-plus seats for the party in the next Lok Sabha elections, a meeting of Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of party-ruled states has been convened on August 21 to discuss the further stratgey to achieve the target.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are likely to address the meet, informed sources said.

The sources said that the meeting would be in continuation to the party's Mission 350-plus for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, which was set during Shah's meeting with party officials and union ministers on Thursday.

Sources in the BJP said that during the hour-long meeting on Thursday at the party office, Shah gave special focus on coastal states like Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for achieving the target.

The BJP sources also said that that during the day-long meeting Modi and Shah would take stock of situation of implementation of central schemes in the states.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian Army has deployed additional troops in south after spurt in terror activities in the area this year, informed sources said.

The sources said on Friday that four battalions deployed for the Amarnath yatra, which got over on August 7, have been redeployed in the Valley.

Two battalions have been deployed along the National Highway 44, which starts from Srinagar, and two more battalions have been deployed in south .

A source said terrorists in north Kashmir have been in "hibernation mod"e, while in south Kashmir, there has been more "activity" this year.

Similarly, out of 100 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force deployed for the pilgrimage, 50 have been kept in the Valley, and most of them have been deployed in south Kashmir.

The source added that it was a routine practice to redeploy troops in the valley after the Amarnath yatra is finished, and they are finally pulled out by November or December.

The pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine in Jammu and Kashmir is undertaken by thousands in the Hindu month of Shravan. Troops are deployed for ensuring safety of the pilgrims, as the route of the pilgrimage crosses via volatile Anantnag district in south Kashmir.

This year, eight pilgrims were killed during the Yatra when a bus was attacked on July 10.

--IANS

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Using a stem cell technique for sperm creation, scientists have created healthy offspring from genetically infertile male mice, offering a potential new approach to tackling a common genetic cause of human infertility.

Our sex is determined by the X and Y chromosomes. Usually, girls have two X chromosomes (XX) and boys have one X and one Y (XY), but approximately one in 500 boys are born with an extra X or Y.

Having three rather than two sex chromosomes can disrupt formation of mature sperm and cause infertility.

In a study published in the journal Science, scientists at Francis Crick Institute in London and Kyoto University in Japan described a way to remove the extra sex chromosome to produce fertile offspring.

If the findings can be safely transferred into humans, it might eventually be possible for men with Klinefelter syndrome (XXY) or Double Y syndrome (XYY) who are infertile to have children through assisted reproduction using this technique.

"Our approach allowed us to create offspring from sterile XXY and XYY mice," said first author Takayuki Hirota from the Francis Crick Institute.

"It would be interesting to see whether the same approach could one day be used as a fertility treatment for men with three sex chromosomes," Hirota said.

The team took small pieces of ear tissue from XXY and XYY mice, cultured them, and collected connective tissue cells known as fibroblasts.

They turned the fibroblasts into stem cells and noticed that in the process, some of the cells lost the extra sex chromosome.

With an existing method, they used specific chemical signals to 'guide' the stem cells into becoming cells that have the potential to become sperm.

These cells developed into mature sperm when injected into the testes of a host mouse.

The researchers then harvested these mature sperm and used them through assisted reproduction to create healthy, fertile offspring.

In a preliminary experiment, the team found that stem cells produced from fibroblasts of men with Klinefelter syndrome also lost the extra sex chromosome.

However, more research is needed before this approach could ever be used in humans, the researchers pointed out.

--IANS

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Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that the NIA probe into "love Jihad" case in Kerala was necessary as "a particular pattern is visible".

The Supreme Court's order had "given some kind of legitimacy" to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the matter, he told the media during a brief interaction on the sidelines of a conference here.

The minister's reaction was sought on the Supreme Court's direction to NIA to probe the case relating to conversion of a Hindu woman and her marriage to a Muslim man.

The minister supported the NIA's argument that it's not one-off case in Kerala and that there is a particular pattern.

Rijiju, however, declined to comment further. "Right now I will not comment on the case as it is under investigation by the Supreme Court," he said.

Replying to a query, he said the nation was capable of dealing with any internal or external threat.

"There are certain issues in our country which includes internal threats that is not to extent that the nation has to worry. India is capable of dealing with any internal or external threat," he said while evading direct reply to National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah's statement that the country faced threat from within and from one person.

"If somebody is making a comment which is political in nature, it's not worthy of giving a political retort from my side because I represent the government," he said when pressed further to comment on Abdullah's remark.

Earlier, replying to questions at the seminar on 'Youth Convention on National Security - Modi Government's efforts and achievements', Rijiju said the Central government was not showing discrimination towards any state or section of people.

"Things are reported when there are political equations. And, our responses get ignored if there are no political equations," he said when a student asked him why the Union Home Ministry voiced concern when an RSS activist was attacked in Kerala but kept mum when a Christian pastor was killed in Punjab.

"The Home Ministry is concerned about every untoward incident. (Union Home Minister) Rajnath Singhji spoke to Punjab CM when the pastor was attacked. He (Rajnath) also gave a similar response when the Kerala incident took place. But, because of political equations, his concern for Kerala incident was highlighted more," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In pursuance of a Supreme Court order, the NIA on Friday registered an FIR to probe the conversion of a young Hindu woman from Kerala to Islam and her subsequent marriage to a Muslim man in 2016, an official said.

The NIA probe will be supervised by retired apex court Justice R.V. Raveendran.

The case was earlier probed by the Kerala Police under Section 57 of Kerala Police Act, and dealt with charges of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and abetment of the Indian Penal Code.

An apex court bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on Wednesday ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the case, wherein the Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage by terming it a "love jihad".

The Kerala High Court, on May 25, had declared as "null and void" the marriage of 24-year-old Hadiya, known as Akhila before conversion, with Shafeen Jahan in December 2016 and ordered for placing her in her parents' protective custody.

Jahan, 27, moved the top court against the High Court order, contending the ruling was an "insult to the independence of women in India".

Jahan claimed Hadiya, a homeopathy student in Kerala, converted to Islam of her own volition two years prior to their marriage and sought direction to Hadiya's father to present her in court.

Hadiya's father, however, said she was a "helpless victim" and trapped by a "well-oiled racket" which used "psychological measures" to indoctrinate people and convert them to Islam.

The father had claimed his daughter had been radicalised by some organisations and they had influenced her to marry a Muslim man, adding that there could be a conspiracy to send her to Syria to work for extremist organisations such as the Islamic State since the man she married had been working in the Gulf.

--IANS

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A Nigerian national, allegedly involved in smuggling drugs, died after he jumped off the fourth floor of a building here in a bid to evade arrest, police said on Friday.

Police said the incident occurred on Thursday when a police team, acting on a tip off, raided a flat in Chattarpur area of south Delhi. The deceased was identified as Cyprian Ama Ogbonnaya, while two women, who were also Nigerian nationals, were found in the house and have been arrested, police said.

"Sensing trouble after seeing the police party, Ogbonnaya and one of the women tried to jump from the window of the fourth floor in order to escape but the woman was caught while Ogbonnaya succeeded in jumping but got injured. He was rushed to AIIMS trauma centre where doctors declared him dead," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma.

Police recovered 25 kg 'Ketamine' drugs valued Rs 20 crore in international market.

"They were smuggling drugs like heroin and LSD in heavy quantity to their contacts in south Delhi and National Capital Region. Ogbonnaya was very popular amongst his customers. Girls too were indulging in smuggling and trading drugs," Verma said.

"The raiding party found three of them were consuming heroin. The women have been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act," he added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Friday said his government will not go to court against the censorship of his Independence Day speech by national broadcaster Prasar Bharati, but the ruling CPI-M said they would raise the issue in Parliament.

"We are not thinking of going to court against Prasar Bharati for censoring my recorded Independence Day speech," Sarkar told reporters.

"Instead of going to court, we will tell the people about the 'undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant' steps of Prasar Bharati."

Sarkar, a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member who has been Chief Minister of Tripura for 19 years, said that Independence Day is a political event "and as a political worker in the recorded speech I have expressed my political thoughts".

"The censorship of the Independence Day speech of a Chief Minister by Prasar Bharati has generated huge reaction and condemnation," Sarkar said.

On the denials by All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan Kendra (DDK), Agartala, of having censored his speech, the Chief Minister said that Prasar Bharati was trying to fool the people as "we never said anything about the other coverages of the AIR and DDK, Agartala. Our objection was only against the censorship of my recorded Independence Day speech".

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Lok Sabha Member Sankar Prasad Datta said they would raise the issue during the winter session of Parliament in November.

Opposition Congress legislator Ratan Lal Nath, who is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has met party chief Amit Shah and other senior leaders several times, said that Manik Sarkar and his CPI-M party are trying to raise new issues for political mileage with an eye on next year's assembly elections.

"As the ruling Left Front will lose the assembly elections they are raising non-issues by accusing the autonomous bodies like Prasar Bharati," Nath told the .

The state and central leaders of the Congress have strongly criticised Prasar Bharati's decision, while BJP has supported it.

--IANS

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Flick through a mysterious tale around a killer who has terrorised the residents of Chicago; read a thrilling book featuring legendary spy, assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon; go through a collection of classic ghost stories; and, finally, a searing, spellbinding blend of cold-case thriller and psychological suspense.

Thrill, mystery and excitement is what the IANS bookshelf offers for this weekend.

1. Book: The Fourth Monkey; Author: J.D. Barker; Publisher: Harper Collins; Pages: 404; Price: Rs 399

For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorised the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realise he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive.

As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows, even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unravelling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own.

With only a handful of clues, the elusive killer's identity remains a mystery. Time is running out and the Four Monkey Killer taunts from beyond the grave in this masterfully written fast-paced thriller.

2. Book: House of Spies; Author: Daniel Silva; Publisher: Harper Collins; Pages: 526; Price: Rs 399

Four months after the deadliest attack on the American homeland since 9/11, terrorists leave a trail of carnage through London's glittering West End. The attack is a brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose thread.

The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives to the south of France and to the gilded doorstep of Jean-Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion model, Olivia pretends not to know that the true source of Martel's enormous wealth is drugs. And Martel, likewise, turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a man whose objective is the very destruction of the West. Together, under Gabriel's skilled hand, they will become an unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on terror.

3. Book: The Haunted Library (A collection of ghost stories); Curator: Tanya Kirk; Publisher: Niyogi; Pages: 232; Price: Rs 450

The Haunted Library is a new collection of classic ghost stories many of which have never before been anthologised from the golden age of the genre in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Each of these stories revolves round the arcane secrets and dark psychic traces to be found in libraries, museums and other treasure troves of hidden knowledge.

The 12 stories included are "The Nature of the Evidence" by May Sinclair, "Mr Tallent's Ghost" by Mary Webb, "The Lost Tragedy" by Denis Mackaill, "Bone to His Bone" by Edmund Gill Swain, "Herodes Redivivus" by A.N.L. Munby, "The Book" by Margaret Irwin, "The Whisperers" by Algernon Blackwood, "The Tractate Middoth" by M.R. James, "Afterward" by Edith Wharton, "Fingers of a Hand" by Theo Douglas, "The Apple Tree" by Elizabeth Bowen, and "The Work of Evil" by William Croft Dickinson.

4. Book: The Good Daughter; Author: Karin Slaughter; Publisher: Harper Collins; Pages: 503; Price: Rs 350

Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind.

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their home. It left their mother dead. It left their father -- Pikeville's notorious defence attorney -- devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlotte has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself -- the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again -- and a shocking tragedy that leaves the whole town traumatised -- she is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly 30 years ago won't stay buried forever.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 109 children were among the more than 300 people who were killed in the deadly floods and mudslides that swept through Sierra Leone earlier in the week, a UN agency said.

The number could grow as search and rescue operations are ongoing and over 600 people remain missing, after heavy rainfall caused a natural disaster in the Sierra Leonean capital Freetown on Monday, the United Nations children's fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday.

The Unicef representative in the country Hamid el-Bashir Ibrahim said the magnitude of the damage was unprecedented and many children were left homeless, terrified and vulnerable, Efe news agency reported.

In a report, Unicef explained that it had supplied water and sanitary resources to the affected families and had distributed supplies such as medicine, plastic tarps and gloves.

The UN's humanitarian teams were making water storage tanks available to distribute to displaced people in order to avoid cholera and typhoid fever outbreaks, as many wells were contaminated after the disaster.

Families have crowded at the local morgue to identify and remove the remains of victims they knew and it is expected that those who cannot be identified will be buried in mass graves.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Residents, policemen and Mayor of Phoenix city in the state of Arizona are preparing for a campaign-style rally by US President Donald Trump amid fear of an uproar just like the violence in Charlottesville of Virginia.

To relieve the nervousness of residents, Chief of Phoenix Police Department Jeri Williams on Thursday issued a statement on the rally that will be held by Trump on Tuesday next, Xinhua news agency reported.

Williams said the Phoenix Police Department had officers assigned to 24/7 monitor and evaluate activities that could impact local communities.

"By now, you probably have heard that President Trump is coming to Phoenix for a rally on Tuesday. While Phoenix is not immune from critical incidents, I want you to know that your city is working hard to ensure another safe event," Williams said in the statement.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton in a statement on Wednesday criticised Trump for holding the rally. He called on the President to cancel the event, as the date is too close to the weekend's violence in Charlottesville.

"I am disappointed that Trump has chosen to hold a campaign rally as our nation is still healing from the tragic events in Charlottesville," Stanton said. "I hope sound judgement prevails and he delays his visit."

A rally staged by white nationalists in Charlottesville on August 12 left three persons dead and dozens injured.

Mike, a high school teacher, said he has been keeping a close eye on the event in Charlottesville and felt disappointed to Trump's remarks on violence, racism and white supremacy.

"Trump is very capricious on the event, and he said there are good persons on both sides, which means he believes white extremists are good persons, it really bothers me," he said, adding that he has no plan to go downtown next Tuesday to avoid violence and traffic.

In an initial statement, the President blamed "many sides" for the violence, and then had to condemn white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan this Monday.

However, a day later he said the alt-left groups were also "charging at the alt-right with clubs".

Liz, another high school teacher working in Phoenix, said she remembered her eighth grade students' responses after the result of the presidential election last year, in which reliably red Arizona voted for Trump.

"If it is possible, I will transfer to Canada, student told me," Liz said. "I have been trying my best not to talk about in my classroom, because I really feel puzzled about the current situation."

The Mayor also warned Trump not to announce a pardon for former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was found guilty by US District Judge Susan Bolton on August 1 of criminal contempt of court for violating a judge's order to stop racial profiling and detaining suspected undocumented immigrants.

Arpaio, 85, made national headlines in 1993 when he opened the Tent City jail complex in the Arizona desert near Phoenix to imprison the people he arrested.

He forced inmates to sleep in 70 tatty tents on the 37.7 degrees Celsius desert floor and wear pink underwear with tight striped jumpsuits.

Trump earlier this week said he was "seriously considering" a pardon for Arpaio, who is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5 and could spend up to six months in jail. Many residents denounced Trump's move.

"If Trump is coming to Phoenix to announce a pardon for former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, then it will be clear that his true intent is to enflame emotions and divide our nation," the Mayor's statement said.

Next Tuesday's rally is Trump's first trip to Arizona after winning the White House and the first trip to the West under mounting criticism for his ambiguous attitude to the white supremacy.

Even though Arizona is a stronghold of Republicans, it is also home to two of Trump's most vocal Republican critics -- Senator John McCain and Senator Jeff Flake.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After spending five years of his career on the "Baahubali" franchise, actor Prabhas has now joined the upcoming multi-lingual action film "Saaho".

"He has finally joined the sets of 'Saaho' from today. He will shoot non-stop for the next three weeks. He is quite excited because he is returning to a film set after a long gap and will get to shoot for something different in a long time," a source from the film's unit told IANS.

Directed by Sujeeth, the project also marks the Telugu debut of Shraddha Kapoor.

Neil Nithin Mukesh is playing the antagonist in this Rs. 150 crore action extravaganza, which will be simultaneously shot in Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam as well.

According to Sujeeth, a large chunk of the film's budget will be spent on action.

"The scale on which it is being made, a major budget will be spent on some extravagant action scenes. Although it will be a commercial outing, we are attempting something new and I would like to keep that as a surprise element," Sujeeth told IANS.

International stuntman Kenny Bates, popular for his work on films such as "Die Hard" and "Transformers", has been brought on board.

"Kenny will be supervising the action scenes. We have already finalised locations in Abu Dhabi and some places in Europe where shooting will be done extensively," he said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In his maiden domestic tour after taking office, President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Ladakh on Monday where he will present the President's Colours to battalions of the Ladakh Scouts, an infantry regiment of the Indian Army.

Sources said President Kovind will be in Ladakh for a day on August 21, and will also go to a meditation centre after the award ceremony.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will also go to Ladakh on Sunday for a three-day visit.

The visit comes days after a skirmish between Indian and Chinese troops in Pangong Lake area of Ladakh, after China's PLA troops tried to enter the Indian side on Tuesday. Soldiers from both the sides also resorted to stone pelting.

The President's Colours is one of the greatest honours bestowed upon a unit in recognition of exceptional service rendered by it to the nation, both during war and in peace.

Usually, the Army Chief hands over the President's Colours award on behalf of the President.

A flag meeting was held in Chusul in Ladakh on Wednesday that went off well, and both sides made an attempt to re-establish peace leaving the incident behind. The skirmish in Ladakh was one of a kind where troops resorted to stone pelting, and many were hurt.

Meanwhile, a standoff between Indian and Chinese troops is continuing in Doklam in Sikkim sector, close to the tri-junction of India-China-Bhutan, after China attempted to construct a road on territory belonging to Bhutan.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
North Korea on Friday slammed South Korean President Moon Jae-in for his policy towards Pyongyang and his cooperation with the US.

It is the first time that North Korea has held Moon personally responsible for his handling of the North-South relations since he came to power about 100 days ago, Xinhua news agency reported.

The official daily Rodong Sinmun criticised the South Korean leader, who in a Tuesday speech asserted that Seoul's "big challenge at present" was the "issue of North's nukes and missile".

Moon made the speech on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of Korea from Japanese rule.

The newspaper accused Moon of intending to "kick the buck for the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula to North Korea and carry out his treacherous 'north policy' with the backing of outsiders".

Relations between the two sides remain tense over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programme and Seoul's military exercises with the US.

"If the regime of South Korea truly wants peace, it should not recklessly fault North Korea but clearly understand what is going on now. It should refrain from irritating North Korea, pursuant to the US foolhardy military manoeuvres," said Rodong Sinmun.

Also in his speech, Moon said South Korea should play a leading role in the nuclear issue in the peninsula.

Moon, who took office in early May, held a summit meeting with US President Donald Trump in late June, reaching an agreement that South Korea would become a dominant player in addressing the peninsula issues.

The President said security situations on the peninsula got significantly grave, stressing that any more war should not break out on the peninsula.

--IANS

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Coming down heavily on 449 private schools here for not refunding extra fees taken from students, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday threatened to take over them if they don't comply with court orders or refunding money.

The Chief Minister said many schools increased their fees in the name of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission and the Delhi High Court appointed a committee headed by Anil Dev Singh to look into the issue.

Kejriwal said the committee recommended the schools to refund the extra fees but many didn't.

"As they did not comply, the court asked the Delhi government what is being done. We said that we will implement (the report) and as a last resort we will take over the schools," he added.

"We're not against private schools, there is no witch hunting. We are appealing to these 449 schools to implement the committee's recommendations and give back the extra fees.

"We won't be silent over this robbery by private schools. If they don't listen to our appeal, then the Delhi government will take over them with a heavy heart," he added.

He said that his government found that while one school which was not returning extra fees has Rs 19 crore surplus, another has Rs 5 crore in its kitty.

"Is it justified that they charge from the people and then divert the funds?" Kejriwal said, adding that his government was working to fill the quality gap between government and private schools.

Education Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the committee examined 1,108 private schools and found 544 had hiked fees in the name of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission. Of this, 15 schools had paid back.

"Five other schools have deposited money to the court. Seventeen schools had been issued notice, 13 schools were shut and one school was taken over by the government last year.

"Many of them are giving good quality education and we don't want to take them over. Our request is (they must) pay back the extra fees."

But Sisodia warned that the government would be forced to take over the schools if they do not stick to the committee's report.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called on US President Donald Trump to abandon his ambiguous attitude to racism and immediately reject "the support of white supremacists".

The Hollywood superstar in a video on Thursday condemned the presence of hate groups and followers of Nazism in the US and said Trump as President has a moral responsibility to send an unequivocal message "you won't stand for hate and racism", Xinhua reported.

"There are not two sides to bigotry and there are not two sides to hatred," Schwarzenegger said in the video that received over two million clicks within two hours of its release.

"And if you choose to march with a flag that symbolises the slaughter of millions of people, there are not two sides to that."

The message came days after Trump on Tuesday reignited a firestorm of criticism, saying there was "blame on both sides" for a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that left three persons dead and dozens injured.

Schwarzenegger mocked Trump by talking with a doll of the President in the video.

"Now let me help you write your speech a little bit: As President of the US, and as a Republican, I reject the support of white supremacists. The country that defeated Hitler's armies is no place for Nazi flag," said the 70-year-old, who at the same time picked up a bobble head resembling Trump and asked: "Was is that difficult? You see, I told you."

Schwarzenegger on Sunday donated $100,000 to anti-Nazism organisation Simon Wiesenthal Centre, saying he was "horrified by the images of Nazis and white supremacists" marching in Charlottesville and "heartbroken that a domestic terrorist took an innocent life".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Korea's newly-elected Red Cross society chief on Friday again urged North Korea to respond to Seoul's earlier dialogue offer to discuss humanitarian issues between the two sides.

Park Kyung-seo, chairman of the Korean Red Cross Society, said he sincerely hoped to have talks rapidly with North Korea's Red Cross, Xinhua reported.

Park was elected on August 8 to lead the organisation and received a final approval on Wednesday from President Moon Jae-in.

The Red Cross bodies of the two Koreas had acted as a channel for dialogue on humanitarian issues, including the reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The Moon government in July offered to hold Red Cross talks with North Korea, which has remained silent about the offer.

The South Korean Red Cross head said the Red Cross societies of the two Koreas shared an experience of opening inter-Koreans talks and building trust with the humanitarian spirit.

He said it would be a historical mission for the two Red Cross bodies to open a new era of peaceful coexistence without any threat of war by resuming dialogue.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seven Muslims were arrested in Bihar's West Champaran district for allegedly for killing a calf and consuming its meat, police said on Friday.

Chanpatia SHO Rajesh Jha said that the seven, all residents of Dumra village, were arrested on Thursday after police were informed that they had violated the ban over cow slaughter by killing a calf.

"Accused have confessed that they had killed a calf and consumed its meat," he said, adding investigation in this case is underway.

Jha said some local cow vigilantes informed police that Mohammad Shahabuddin of Dumra had killed a cow and was consuming its meat. "Police have found evidence of it when police entered his house and accused also confessed about his crime," he said.

However, Jha downplayed the reported demand of a mob, with bamboo sticks in their hands, to hand over arrested people to them for "justice".

Local Hindi dailies have reported that the mob staged a protest and pelted stones at the police vehicle after they refused to hand them over.

According to local sources in the district, some Bajrang Dal activists along with two BJP workers instigated local villagers and gathered a mob to attack Shahabuddin's house, beat up the residents but police arrived by that time and rescued them.

Early this month, in a first of its kind incident in Bihar, a mob in Bhojpur district led by cow vigilantes thrashed a truck driver and two others on suspicion of transporting beef.

--IANS

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French police and social services authorities on Friday evacuated several camps, housing more than 1,000 immigrants, in Porte de la Chapelle, Paris.

The illegal camps posed significant risk to the security and health of the occupants and those in the neighbourhood, the police said in a statement.

The French law enforcement assured that the administrative status of the immigrants will be scrutinised so they can be transferred to better accommodation centres, reports Efe news.

Those without right to asylum will be re-routed to the border, while those who enjoy that right will continue with their process in France, the statement added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Blaming Maharashtra's Education Minister for the delay in the declaration of University of Mumbai exam results, which has hit the admission prospects of hundreds of students in universities abroad, the Shiv Sena's Youth Wing said on Friday it will seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in the matter.

Yuva Sena President Aditya Thackeray said all deadlines given by the university have lapsed and it had failed to declare results of many crucial examinations so far.

"I have sought a meeting with the Prime Minister and hope to meet him very soon and apprise him of the situation," Thackeray told media persons on Friday evening.

Holding Education Minister Vinod Tawde "responsible", for what he said was "undue torture and harassment of lakhs of students and their parents", the Yuva Sena chief demanded his immediate resignation from the state Cabinet.

"Even though more than 100 days have passed, he is still assuring these (results) will be declared as soon as possible. This is sheer irresponsibility on his part and he must quit the post," Thackeray said.

He was referring to beleaguered Tawde's statement earlier on Friday that no fresh deadlines will be set and efforts made to declare all pending results as quickly as possible.

Governor C.V. Rao, who reviewed the progress with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Tawde and other top officials, was informed that of the total 477 examinations conducted in the first half of 2017 the varsity has yet to declare 123 results, said a Raj Bhavan spokesperson in the evening.

Thackeray reiterated that since the university is virtually "headless" now, Fadnavis should appoint an officer of the Indian Administrative Service or Indian Police Service as Administrator.

He said the move of handing over online verification of answer sheets to a private company was a "scam", and demanded a thorough probe into who all were behind the firm, how it bagged the contract, and whether their capability for the huge task was ascertained or not.

"Students and parents their parents are complaining about errors/discrepancies in results declared so far. More than 100,000 answer sheets have been lost or misplaced. What does this mean? Besides a moral scam, there seems a financial scam too," the Yuva Sena leader said.

Referring to the plight of thousands of students whose admissions to various universities in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia have been hit, Thackeray said they have availed loans and paid air ticket fares, but their admission is uncertain.

"What about the students who missed their admissions abroad, post-graduate courses in India and job opportunities this year? Will the government refund them?" he asked.

To a question, he said merely sacking the Vice-Chancellor (Sanjay Deshmukh, currently on 'leave') won't help, since the chaos continues and the minister (Tawde) must also answer for this mess.

At the height of the crises, on August 9, Deshmukh suddenly proceeded on leave and Governor Rao appointed Vice-Chancellor Devanand Shinde of Shivaji University, Kolhapur as the acting VC, and also nominated an acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dhiren Patel to arrest the examination results crises.

Earlier, in an unprecedented step on July 4, Rao had summoned Deshmukh and ordered him to ensure that all results were declared by July 31, which was extended. As of Friday, a whopping 123 examination results are pending declaration.

The Governor had also appointed an independent officer to monitor the results' progress and report daily and ordered Deshmukh to set up a "war room" at his level to ensure declaration of results on time and submit daily progress report to Raj Bhavan, but the measures failed to produce the desired results.

The state Congress has strongly criticised the chaos in the examination department and demanded the Governor's resignation, besides sacking of Education Minister Tawde and Higher & Technical Education Minister Ravindra Waikar for the university's lapses.

The Yuva Sena and National Students Union of India have been carrying out separate agitations on the issue since the past few couple of months.

--IANS

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In a dramatic development, global software major Infosys Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Vishal Sikka resigned on Friday citing continuous disruptions and personal and negative remarks against him.

His resignation was accepted, and he was appointed Executive Vice-Chairman till the new CEO and MD takes over by March 31, 2018.

In a related development, the Board elevated Chief Operating Officer U.B. Pravin Rao as the interim CEO and MD, reporting to Sikka under its overall supervision and control.

"Sikka will continue to focus on strategic initiatives, key customer relationships and technology development. He will report to the Board," the IT major said in a statement.

Reiterating his belief in Infosys' great potential, Sikka, 50, cited continuous distractions and disruptions and personal and negative remarks against him as reasons, and said they were preventing his ability to accelerate the company's transformation.

"The Board thanks Sikka for his leadership and contributions during a period of rapid evolution in this industry," said the company statement.

"The Board understands and acknowledges Sikka's reasons for resigning and regrets his decision. The Board is also distressed by the personal attacks on the members of the management team made in the anonymous letters and which surfaced in recent months," the statement pointed out.

Sikka, former German software major SAP's Executive Director, had joined India's second largest software exporter on August 1, 2014, replacing S.D. Shibulal, the company's last promoter co-founder to hold the top executive post.

The company's other co-founders, including N.R Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani and S. Gopalakrishnan held the executive post for over three decades successively.

Sikka will receive $1 (Rs 64) as annual salary during his tenure as Vice Chairman. Any equity awards held by him that remain outstanding and unvested shall continue to vest (and, in the case of stock options, become exercisable) in accordance with their terms.

The Board denounced the critics who had amplified and sought to further promote demonstrably false allegations which have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the company's valued CEO.

The Board has mandated the Chairman and the Nomination and Remuneration Committee to identify and select a permanent CEO and Managing Director.

The Board appreciated Sikka's commitment to facilitate a smooth transition to new leadership equipped to lead the company and ensure continuity in service to its customers.

When Sikka took over (in August 2014), the company was lagging behind the industry growth. During his tenure, revenue grew to $2.65 billion in the first quarter of this fiscal (2017-18) from $2.13 billion in the same period of fiscal 2014-15, with strong margin performance and cash generation.

"Sikka's approach to profitable growth delivered increase in liquid assets, including cash and cash equivalents to $6.41 billion in June 2017 from $4.9 billion in June 2014, while paying dividends of Rs 19,000 crore over the past three years," recalled the Board.

Under Sikka's leadership, the company launched new programmes to drive innovation, education and entrepreneurship on a large scale.

"Employee attrition has decreased during Sikka's tenure, particularly among high performers, utilisation is at a 10-year high and client satisfaction at an all-time high," claimed the statement.

The company launched 25 new services which rose to 8.3 per cent of revenue last quarter from zero per cent in April 2015.

Sikka has also been a thought leader and visionary in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, recognising early on the unprecedented value the company could deliver through automation and AI-led innovation in clients' businesses.

"Under his leadership, the company developed and launched its AI platform Nia and has 160 AI scenarios deployed with 70 clients. We also ventured into design-thinking with clients and start-up investment fund," the statement said.

Lauding Sikka, Board Chairman R. Seshasayee said the ace technocrat would be remembered for infusing a refreshed sense of direction, purpose and energy in the organisation.

Board Co-Chairman Ravi Venkatesan also thanked Sikka for his commitment to ensure a smooth transition and using his experience for the company's global clients.

"I started my journey as the CEO of this iconic company with a mission to transform it on the basis of software, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) and innovation, enabled by education," said the statement, quoting Sikka.

"Three years later, I feel proud of our progress and achievements, from profitable revenue growth to purposeful adoption of software, new services and grassroots innovation, to the recognition from our clients worldwide," added Sikka.

--IANS

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A sixth Australian MP will have her eligibility for office decided by the nation's High Court on Friday over the issue of dual citizenship, the media reported.

Senator Fiona Nash revealed that she is a UK citizen by descent because of her Scottish-born father, reports the BBC.

Dual citizens are not allowed to run for public office under Australia's constitution.

Nash is deputy leader of the National Party, the junior partner in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's governing coalition.

Like Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who is a New Zealand dual citizen, Nash said she would continue in her position until the High Court clarifies a section of Australia's constitution.

The leader said she had legal advice that she had not breached rules.

On Thursday, Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan was forced to deny he was a British citizen, but his case will not go before court.

Two senators, Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, were forced to resign last month over their citizenship status.

Another two senators, Matt Canavan and Malcolm Roberts, will also have their eligibility decided by the High Court.

--IANS

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An Indian Army soldier was injured on Friday in accidental firing on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.

Sepoy Sanjay Kumar was injured when his service rifle accidentally went off in Mankote area of Mendhar Sector on the LoC in Poonch district, the sources said.

The soldier was hospitalised.

--IANS

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A soldier was killed and six were injured in an explosion during an artillery drill in South Korea on Friday, the military said.

The blast occurred at an army shooting range in the border town of Cherwon, Yonhap news agency reported.

A probe into the cause of the incident is underway, a military officer said.

--IANS

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Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday directed that work to seal the 48.11 km porous areas on the India-Bangladesh border in his state be speeded up.

Issuing directions to the National Buildings Construction Corporation (India) Limited and Central Public Works Department in this regard at a meeting in New Delhi, Sonowal also asked Border Security Force authorities to use proven technology to intensify vigil to prevent illegal influx of individuals and smuggling from across the border.

Officials of the two agencies said fencing of 13.38 km of the 48.11 km unfenced border in Assam would be completed as soon as the flood waters recede.

Silchar sector has 61 gaps, Dhubri 31 and others two, which will require Rs 26.92 crore to plug.

Sonowal directed fencing work to start from October so as to complete the whole process before the onset of the next monsoon.

--IANS

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Police on Friday killed five suspected terrorists in Spain's Cambrils town during a second terror attack also using a van after an earlier one in Barcelona left 14 Spaniards and foreigners dead and over 100 injured.

The five terrorists were killed when police opened fire after a van ploughed into a crowd in Cambrils, about 120 km from Barcelona, injuring seven people, including a police officer, news reports said.

One of the injured was in critical condition.

Spanish media reported that the speeding vehicle driven by the terrorists overturned and when the attackers, wearing explosive belts, got out, they were quickly gunned down.

Police said the five men may be linked to the Thursday night attack in Barcelona that was claimed by the Islamic State. That attack too was carried out by terrorists who drove into a crowd of Spaniards and foreigners on a pavement in Barcelona's Las Ramblas boulevard.

A hunt is still on for 18-year-old Moussa Oubakir who drove the van, BBC reported.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the Barcelona horror a "jihadist attack". He announced three days of national mourning and a minute's silence was held at noon and also in EU buildings in Brussels. Flags were lowered across Europe.

But even before Spain could come to grips with the Thursday tragedy, terrorists struck again -- this time in Cambrils.

Citizens of 24 countries including the US, Britain, China and Pakistan were killed or injured in Barcelona. There were children among victims, authorities said.

Other countries whose nationals suffered included France, Germany, Argentina, Venezuela, Australia, Belgium, Peru, Romania, Greece, Taiwan, Canada and Kuwait.

The terror attacks drew global condemnation.

President Donald Trump said: "The US condemns the terror attack in Barcelona and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough and strong, we love you!"

Indian Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu said: "I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack in Barcelona. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the attack was a "cruel and cynical crime committed against civilians".

The Moussa Oubakir who is on the run is the younger brother of Driss Oukabir, who was earlier arrested on suspicion of hiring the van used in the Barcelona attack, officials said.

But Driss Oukabir, a 20-year-old from Morocco, has denied involvement and said his identity documents had been stolen and used to obtain the van used in the attack.

A second man who was arrested but not named was born in Melilla, the autonomous Spanish city on the northern coast of Africa. The third arrest was made in the Catalan town of Ripoll, the police said.

A second van that was believed to have been used as a getaway vehicle in Barcelona was found abandoned in Spain's Vic city, the media said.

An official said at least eight people may have intended to use gas canisters in Barcelona.

On Friday, hundreds of people paid their respects across Spain to those who lost their lives in Barcelona.

The One World Trade Centre in New York was lit up in the colours of the Spanish flag to show solidarity. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower went dark.

--IANS

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The bail plea of superstar Dileep, that was supposed to come up on Friday at the Kerala High Court here, has been postponed for Tuesday.

The prosecution requested for the postponement as its lawyers were out of town attending the funeral of former Advocate General M.K. Damodaran at Kannur.

Dileep on August 10 submitted a fresh bail plea for the third time.

His judicial remand had been extended till August 22 in a case involving the abduction and molestation of a popular actress in February.

The actor, arrested on July 10, is since then lodged in the Aluva sub-jail.

Dileep's arrest came after police found evidence against him as the abduction's key conspirator.

The actress was abducted and molested while travelling from Thrissur to Kochi on February 17.

A trial court had earlier denied Dileep's first bail plea. The actor then approached the high court, which also turned down his plea.

Dileep has employed a new counsel, replacing the previous one who appeared twice on his bail plea.

The police had earlier arrested the prime accused, Pulsar Suni, and his accomplices a week after the incident. However, a conspiracy angle cropped up much later that led to Dileep's arrest.

--IANS

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A man carrying a samurai sword attacked a military police officer outside Taiwan's presidential office on Friday, officials said.

The suspect, identified as 51-year-old unemployed man Lu Chun-yi, was arrested at the scene. He was carrying China's flag and claimed the act was politically motivated, authorities were quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.

President Tsai Ing-wen was in the building attending a gathering for staff members' children at the time of the attack. Presidential office spokesman Alex Huang said the wounded officer was in a stable condition with cuts to his neck.

The incident occurred around 10 a.m. and the attacker was quickly overpowered by other military police guarding the building, Alex said.

Police said the attacker admitted stealing the sword from the nearby Armed Forces Museum using a hammer.

Ministry of National Defence spokesman Chen Chung-chi confirmed that the attacker used a hammer to break a glass case displaying the weapon.

The sword was used by the Japanese imperial troops during the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and was engraved with the words: "107 people killed in the Nanjing battle."

--IANS

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Tata Global Beverages is reviewing plantation operations of its two associates -- Amalgamated Plantation Private Ltd (APPL) and Kanan Devan Hill Plantations Ltd -- to make them profitable, an official said on Friday.

Responding to shareholders' query on company's associate, APPL Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said: "It is a tough one. It is continuing to lose money. We need to take a call on both the plantations."

When asked to elaborate on the matter, he said: "We are reviewing how to make them profitable."

However, when asked whether the company was going back to plantation activities, he said it was "unlikely".

Chandrasekaran indicated that the company may "prune" its portfolio, if required.

"The company will look for strong performance. In all dimensions, it will prune portfolios if it is required to be pruned. We will focus on returns," he said while responding to shareholders' queries at the company's 54th Annual General Meeting.

Tata Coffee, a subsidiary of the company operating in non-branded business, would set up instant coffee plant in Vietnam with an installed capacity of 5,000 tonnes per annum.

"The capital expenditure for the Greenfield project would be Rs 350 crore. The Vietnam project will take 3-4 years to mature," he said.

Tata Global Beverages has recently entered into an agreement with Skhodnya Grand Ltd of Russia to "transfer ownership and operational responsibility of its Russian business unit".

However, the company will continue to retain ownership of its brands in Russia and Russian business generated a sales turnover of Rs 266 crore for the year 2016-17 and a loss after tax of Rs 29 crore for 2016-17.

"The new arrangement is a good one. The whole idea is not to continue incurring losses but to record the value of tangible assets of Rs 50-60 crore. As part of the brand licence, we will get to the range of Rs 2-5 crore depending upon the sales," he said.

According to Chandrasekaran, the company will continue with innovation in the products portfolio and has launched series of products.

It would focus on new launches in the segments where it can scale, otherwise the growth will not come, he said.

During last financial year, under the Tata Tea brand portfolio, India's branded operations had launched Tata Tea Elaichi, a tea brand with flavour of Elaichi (cardamom) and Teaveda, an offering of Ayurveda segment.

Last year, the Indian branded business launched "Super Green" teas which are expected to leverage the health and wellness segment which is growing across India.

He said reforms like the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will bring in lot of efficiency in distribution and supply chain, and such reforms will be advantageous for the company in the near to medium term.

According to Chandrasekaran, the company is expected to experience difficulties in certain markets like the UK due to Brexit. "The company gained the market share (in the UK) but though marginally."

He also said the company's joint venture Tata Starbucks had opened 94 stores and would cross 100 soon.

Speaking on the company's digital strategy, Chandrasekaran said: "I would say we need to think what is the right digital strategy."

--IANS

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Former US Vice President Al Gore has said its time for President Donald Trump to leave office.

Gore said in an interview published on Thursday that if he could give Trump one piece of advice, it would be to resign.

The former Vice President had been highly critical of Trump over his moves to dismantle several high-profile Obama administration environmental policies, Politico reported.

"I thought, actually there was a chance he might come to his senses," Gore said earlier this month, referring to his own December visit to Trump Tower to meet with the then President-elect on climate issues.

Since that pre-inauguration meeting, Trump has pulled the US from the Paris international climate agreement and also moved to dismantle Environmental Protection Agency rules aimed at curbing greenhouse gases from power plants and automobiles.

During a July interview on NBC's "Today" show, Gore said Trump had "undermined our alliances, such as NATO".

"We've never had a President who's deliberately made decisions the effect of which is to tear down America's standing in the world," Gore said.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Gore's advice to the President.

--IANS

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New York, Aug 18 (IANS/WAM) United Nations agencies have stepped up efforts to aid displaced families affected by the deadly flooding and landslides in Sierra Leon's capital Freetown and surrounding areas, a media report said on Friday.

"The scale of the damage is unprecedented," said UN Children's Fund UNICEF Representative Hamid El-Bashir Ibrahim, noting that at least 109 children were among the several hundred people killed in the disaster that struck on Monday.

While the mudslides left death and destruction behind them, the Director and Representative of the World Food Programme in Sierra Leone, Housainou Taal, said his UN agency is "focusing on survivors so that they can rise and move forward".

Taal has been given a task to coordinate the UN's humanitarian response to ensure timely distribution of aid, including food and shelter.

According to preliminary results of site assessments conducted by the Sierra Leone National Security Office and the United Nations Interagency Rapid Response Team, 1,039 households from several neighbourhoods in Freetown and 100 individuals currently in a mountain cut shelter were affected by floods and landslides.

Sierra Leone's Office of National Security estimated that more than 3,000 people lost their homes.

--IANS/WAM

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The US military confirmed that its special forces conducted three precision airstrikes in Somalia on Wednesday night, killing seven Al-Shabaab fighters.

The US Africa Command (Africom) said on Thursday that the joint operation with Somalia security forces occurred in Jilib, Somalia, about 320km southwest of Mogadishu, XInhua news agency reported.

"We will continue to assess the results of the operation and will provide additional information as appropriate," Africom said in a statement.

"Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operational security," it said.

Al-Shabaab militants have not publicly commented on the latest airstrikes against their strong-holds so far.

"The US forces work closely with Somali military forces against Al-Shabaab in Somalia to degrade the Al-Qaida affiliate's ability to recruit, train, and plot external terror attacks throughout the region and in the US," Africom said.

The military said Al-Shabaab has pledged allegiance to Al-Qaida and is dedicated to providing safe haven for terrorists.

"Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US and our allies. We continue to work in coordination with our Somali partners and allies to systematically dismantle Al-Shabaab and help achieve stability and security throughout the region," it said.

The militants have recently increased their attacks against Africa Union and Somali forces especially in Mogadishu and southern Somalia, which has seen a surge of attacks that resulted in the loss of several strategic towns although the militants mainly held those towns briefly.

The AMISOM and Somali forces have also increased airstrikes in southern Somalia in the recent past, resulting in the killing of several militants and some defections.

--IANS

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United States President Donald Trump on Friday said the country's borders were stronger than ever and that authorities were on alert following terror attacks in Spain that left at least 14 people dead and more than 100 injured.

"Our borders are far tougher than ever before!" Trump tweeted, adding that the "(Department of) Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble".

Trump, however, accused Democrats and the US federal courts of stymieing his efforts to further bolster security.

"The Obstructionist Democrats make Security for our country very difficult. They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!"

The President was referring to his efforts via executive order to prohibit for 90 days the entry of travellers from six mostly Muslim countries -- Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- and suspend the refugee programme for 120 days, Efe reported.

Federal judges issued rulings in March prohibiting Trump's revised travel ban from taking effect, but the US Supreme Court partially lifted those suspensions in late June and July and agreed to review the case later this year.

Trump's latest tweets were prompted by the recent terror attacks in Spain's Catalonia region, where a van on Thursday smashed into dozens of pedestrians on Barcelona's famed Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100, and a separate vehicle attack and stabbing early Friday targeting pedestrians in the seaside town of Cambrils killed one woman and injured five others.

Police killed all five suspected terrorists responsible for that second attack, which they said was believed to be linked to the Barcelona van attack.

The Islamic State terror organisation on Thursday claimed responsibility for the Ramblas attack, while investigators are looking for Moussa Oukabir, a 17-year-old Moroccan national, as the suspected van driver.

Four suspects linked to the attacks have been arrested.

--IANS

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has instructed the military to prepare to "shoulder arms," in case of a US invasion, a minister said.

"We have received a preparatory order from President Nicolas Maduro to shoulder arms and defend our country," Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on Thursday.

The minister spoke during a ceremony in northern Atagua state to mobilize a special rapid response force, Xinhua news agency reported.

The order comes after US President Donald Trump said last week he would not rule out a "military option" to oust Venezuela's president and ruling socialist party from power.

On the heels of that statement, Trump's Vice President Mike Pence embarked on a four-nation tour of Latin America to drum up support for a more aggressive push against Maduro and his administration.

The presidents of Colombia, Argentina and Chile, all of whom met separately with Pence, rejected the possibility of military intervention in South America.

Padrino objected to Pence's description of Venezuela as a "failed state" that has strayed from democratic principles, pointing to the fact that opposition political parties have gone to the offices of the National Electoral Council to register their candidates for upcoming regional elections in October.

Maduro has also called for civic-military drills next week to ensure forces are ready in case of an attack.

--IANS

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The number of visitors to the UK rose to 3.5 million in June, up 7 per cent from the same month last year, official figures released on Friday showed.

The number of visitors from North America shot up by 34 per cent, the figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed.

The best month so far this year was April, with 3.7 million visitors coming to the UK -- up 19 per cent from a year earlier -- as the fall in the value of the pound made the UK a more attractive destination, the BBC quoted the ONS as saying.

Over the April-to-June quarter, the number of visitors from overseas rose to 10.75 million, up 8 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

While in the UK, the visitors spent 2.2 billion pounds, a rise of 2 per cent.

Meanwhile, UK residents took a record 7.2 million trips abroad, up 4 per cent.

VisitBritain Director Patricia Yates said: "Tourism is one of Britain's most valuable export industries and this continued growth demonstrates the industry's increasing importance as a key driver of economic growth across our nations and regions."

--IANS

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The cholera outbreak in Yemen, which has killed over 2,000 people, has started to recede but there was still no grounds for complacency regarding the health situation in the country, according to the Unicef.

Deputy Representative of Unicef to Yemen Sherin Varkey told Efe news on Thursday that although the situation is easing off in some parts of the country, there are still other areas where cholera-related cases are increasing.

Varkey attributed the improvements of the situation in Yemen to the combined interventions in the areas of health, water supply and sanitation.

The Unicef representative, however, warned that with the generally poor sanitation and sewage systems, the upcoming rainy season could aggravate the spread of the disease again.

Varkey concluded that all efforts must be continued in order to ensure that the outbreak is finally contained in the shortest possible time.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen has reached half a million, while the death toll has exceeded 2,000.

Since the death of the first cholera victim in April 2016, the disease has spread over the entire country, due to poor hygiene and sanitary conditions, as well as the shortage of clean water supply, according to the WHO.

The health crisis in Yemen is also due to the armed conflict, which started in 2014, when Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa and other provinces.

--IANS

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If one were to be scrupulously honest, the encounter with Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani is over a glass of water. Possibly due to a gap in communication, he disappears for lunch with party and ministerial colleagues and BS has lunch with his assistant. The lunch is tasty, very Gujarati, and interesting for the insights it gives into the CMs personality.
Barack Obama spent eight years in the White House. Since Mr Obama is a black man, this means that there is no discrimination against black Americans. The carriers of Confederate flags often say that it is absurd for Mr Obama to complain that blacks face discrimination.
A van driver ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight, killing 13 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run.

Witnesses told of scenes of chaos and horror, with bodies strewn along the famous boulevard as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic.

The rampage yesterday in a city hugely popular with tourists from around the world is the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror.

As world leaders united in condemning the carnage, the IS propaganda agency Amaq claimed that it was carried out by "soldiers" from the jihadist group.

Regional interior minister Joaquim Forn said 13 people had died and another 100 were injured in what police were treating as a "terrorist attack", warning that the death toll could rise further.

Foreigners were among the victims.

Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night.

"When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP.

"There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners."



Witness Aamer Anwar told Britain's Sky television he was walking down Las Ramblas, which he described as "jam- packed" with tourists.

"All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming. I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids."



Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front completely crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars.

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard.

"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.

Ethan Spibey, a charity director on holiday, said he and several others locked themselves in a nearby church.

"All of a sudden it was real kind of chaos... People just started running screaming," he told Sky. "There was kind of a mini stampede."



Spain had until now been spared the kind of extremist violence that has rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

But it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest jihadist attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Police said today that one of the arrested suspects was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory on Morocco's north coast, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.

The Spaniard was arrested in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, the scene of an explosion in a house late yesterday that left one person dead and is believed to be linked to yesterday's assault.

"We suspect that they (the occupants) were preparing an explosive device," Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional Catalonia police told reporters.

In another incident yesterday, police shot at a vehicle that forced its way through a roadblock in Barcelona after the van attack, knocking down two officers.

Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat three nationals had been wounded -- a woman and her two children.

Yesterday's attack drew condemnation from across the globe.

Spain's royal family vowed that their country would not be "terrorised" by extremists.

US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the Unied States will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"



France's President Emmanuel Macron -- whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people -- said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack".

A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the "revolting attack" and British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Twitter that London "stands with Spain against terror".

The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first IS claim of an attack in Spain.

Spain has emerged as a potential target for jihadists, with extremist websites mentioning it for historical reasons, since much of its territory was once under Muslim rule.

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Eminent historian Romila Thapar today said there was need for universities to enable students to question and think critically.

"Education imparts values to think about the society ... Learning cannot be static in the present age. Students should question and think critically," she said in her inaugural address at the fifth convocation of Presidency University.

Thapar, who was conferred the honoris causa, said the university is as an institution of learning and reflects the change in society.

Biocon founder Kiran Majumdar Shaw, who too was conferred the honoris causa said innovation should be the mantra of present day research-based education and should go hand in hand with affordability.

West Bengal Governor and Chancellor K N Tripathi in his convocation address complimented the university's rich faculty and the generous funding of state higher education department to make it as a centre of excellence.

Vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia said two new campuses of the university will come up at Kurseong and New Town.

Altogether 33 students of different streams in undergraduate and post graduate received medals from the governor.

The programme was marred by demonstrations by students belonging to SFI, Independents Consolidation and All India Students Association demonstrated against the Higher Education Bill when the chancellor entered the university campus.

"We wanted to stop higher education minister Partha Chatterjee from attending the convocation as his department had notified the undemocratic act. We have nothing against the governor who is the chancellor but we wanted him to hear the voice of the students," Saumyadeep Ghosh, a student of the university and SFI member told PTI.

Four students boycotted the conferring of degrees to themm.

When pressed by reporters for his comments on the students demonstartion in front of his vehicle, Tripathi said curtly, "Ask this question to Partha Chatterjee."



Vice-Chancellor Anuradha Lohia said students can always demonstrate and there is always space for dialogue on any issue.

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Denmark's Aarhus University is keen to extend technical assistance towards transforming Bhubaneswar into a smart city, Professor Ramjee Prasad, the university's professor of Future Technologies for Business Ecosystem Innovation, said here today.

Aarhus University would help in transfer of technology for shaping the smart city in collaboration with other institutions of higher learning in the city like IIT-Bhubaneswar and SOA University, he said while addressing the valedictory session of the two-day 29th GISFI Standardisation Series Meeting and IEEE 5G Summit at the SOA University here.

"I will come back with representatives of Aarhus University in November next and sign a MoU with the SOA University for establishment of a 'Living Lab' in the university," Professor Prasad said.

A 'Living Lab', he explained, was a user-centred, open innovation ecosystem that helps integrate concurrent research and innovation processes.

Tom Sebastian representing the Danish Innovation Centre, who spoke at the summit earlier had also said that Denmark was already involved in development projects in several Indian cities including Nagpur and would be keen to participate in Bhubaneswar's metamorphosis into a smart city.

Professor Raja Kumar, Director of IIT-Bhubaneswar, said information and communication technology (ICT) was required for smart city projects.

"Institutions like ours can contribute a lot and we are willing to provide support in improving power system, communication, traffic management, waste disposal and healthcare in Bhubaneswar," he said.

The CEO of Bhubaneswar Smart City Ltd Vineel Krishna, who attended the conference earlier had explained the Bhubaneswar Smart City concept to the participants of the summit.

SOA University's Chairman, Advisory Board, Professor Damodar Acharya said the conference had been successful in bringing the captains of the industry, academia and students on the same platform to discuss relevant issues. The details of the deliberations would be submitted to the state government, he said.

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BJP president Amit Shah arrived here today on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh and was accorded a warm welcome by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other party leaders at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport.

Senior BJP leaders, Kailash Vijaywargiya and Prabhat Jha, and state party president Nandkumar Singh Chauhan were among others who welcomed Shah at the airport.

Shah will attend a series of meetings with local party leaders including state unit office-bearers, central office- bearers, core group members, state spokespersons, MPs, MLAs, district presidents, among others, during his hectic three-day visit, Chauhan said.

The visit is part of his 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen the party ahead of 2019 general elections.

He will also pay tributes to Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Raja Bhoj in Bhopal, the BJP earlier said in a statement.

Shah will also address intellectuals and meritorious students, besides releasing a book written by Kailash Narayan Sarang.

The Assembly polls are due in Madhya Pradesh next year.

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BJP president Amit Shah, who arrived here today for a three-day visit, unveiled a statue of Deendayal Upadhyaya, founder-leader of the erstwhile Jan Sangh and the party's ideologue.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Bhopal Mayor Alok Sharma were present as Shah unveiled the statue near the city's Lal Ghati square.

Shah was accorded a warm welcome by the chief minister and other party leaders, including Kailash Vijaywargiya and Prabhat Jha as well as state party president Nandkumar Singh Chauhan, when he landed at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport.

A large number of BJP workers, many of them sporting saffron turbans, led Shah's entourage to the state party office.

Local party functionaries said among those who turned up to greet Shah while on his way to the state party office were members of the Muslim community.

Shah will attend a series of meetings with local party leaders, including state functionaries, core group members, spokespersons, MPs, MLAs and district presidents, during his three days packed with party programmes, Chauhan said.

Central office bearers from the state will also be attending the brain-storming sessions.

The visit is part of the BJP chief's 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen and expand the party's support base ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP has been in power for over a decade, are due next year.

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Apple is donating USD 2 million to two human rights groups as part of CEO Tim Cook's pledge to help lead the fight against the hate that fuelled the violence in Virginia during a white-nationalist rally last weekend.

Cook made the commitment late yesterday in an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press.

Cook also told Apple employees in the memo that he strongly disagrees with President Donald Trump's attempts to draw comparisons between the actions of the white nationalists and protesters opposing them.

Cook believes equating the two "runs counter to our ideals as Americans," making him the latest prominent CEO to distance himself from Trump's remarks in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, which left a woman dead and more than a dozen injured.

Apple is giving USD 1 million apiece to Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. It will also match employee donations to those two groups and other human rights organisations on a two-for-one basis.

Meanwhile, American Airlines will donate USD 150,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, airline spokesman Matt Miller said.

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Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today asked the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to complete the ongoing fencing work along the Indo- Bangladesh border and seal it completely.

Sonowal also urged the Department of Telecommunication to enhance bandwidth for seamless internet connectivity in Assam.

At a meeting with top officials of the NBCC and CPWD, Sonowal asked them to complete the task on a "war footing" so that 48.11 kms of unfenced areas of the international border could be sealed, a state government statement said.

Sonowal asked the Border Security Force to use proven technology to intensify its vigil and squeeze the alleged influx and smuggling from across the border.

"Fencing of the unfenced areas of Indo-Bangla border would lead to complete sealing of the border between the two geographical entities and it will also stop illegal movements from across the border," the chief minister said.

During the meeting, the NBCC and CPWD officials pointed out that of the 48.11 kms unfenced border between Assam and Bangladesh, fencing of 13.38 kms would be completed as soon as the flood water recedes.

However, erecting fence on the remaining areas involves enormous challenges as nearly 3-km stretch particularly in Silchar sector is full of deep gorges.

Sonowal asked the NBCC and CPWD to start the fencing work right from October so that the whole process can be completed before the onset of the next monsoon, the statement said.

At a separate meeting with officials of the Department of Communication, the chief minister sought upgradation and amplification of the bandwidth in Assam to bring the internet facility at par with major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

"If this can be done the far-flung areas of Assam can be brought under the ambit of internet connectivity," he said.

It will create an ambience conducive for spearheading a new paradigm of development in information technology, he said.

Sonowal underscored the need for Optical Fibre Cable connectivity through neighbouring Bangladesh's Cox Bazar.

The chief minister urged the DoT to raise the number of mobile towers for seamless connectivity in the far-flung areas of the state.

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The Bastar police in Chhattisgarh has been selected for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) award this year for its community policing initiative focusing on the rehabilitation of Naxals.

Bastar district's Superintendent of Police Arif Shaikh will receive the award in Philadelphia, US, onOctober 24.

"The Bastar police has been shortlisted for the community policing award in the homeland security category for 'Amcho Bastar, Amcho Police' campaign, which in tribal dialect means 'our Bastar, our police'," Shaikh told PTI.

He said the campaign has yielded better results since it was launched five months back after consultation with local officials for focusing on the rehabilitation of Naxals, specially 'Bal sangham' - the children affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE).

Nearly 461 Maoists have surrendered before the Bastar police so far this year, he said.

Besides, as compared to 40 incidents of Maoist violence reported in the district in 2016, only six such incidents were reported this year, he said.

Around five to six children, who were used by Maoists as 'child soldiers', were rescued by police, brought to the town and admitted to a school during the five months since the campaign started, the SP said.

More and more people are now approaching police during the camps, civic action programme and operations in the affected areas, expressing their willingness to educate their children, he said.

The police officer said that four top Naxal leaders were gunned down in the district in the last five months. This further amplified the peace process and more people came forward to forge a partnership with police, he said.

The SP said there has been 27 per cent rise in the number of tourists, including foreigners, visiting Bastar.

The surrendered cadres were being provided training in different skills, including masonry, at local livelihood colleges. Some of them were also given jobs as security guards in government-run establishments, he said.

As a part of the campaign, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Vivekanand Sinha, DIG Sundarraj P and the SP visited different villages, mainly located in Darbha region bordering with Odisha, during which interactions was held with people in 'haats' (markets), fairs and local bodies' meetings during the five months.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is a 126-year-old professional association based in Virginia for law enforcement worldwide.

The IACP community policing committee every year recognises outstanding initiatives undertaken by law enforcement agencies across the world.

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A large near-Earth asteroid will pass safely by our planet on September 1, at a distance of seven million kilometres, or about 18 Earth-Moon distances, according to NASA.

Asteroid Florence is among the largest near-Earth asteroids that are several miles is size. Measurements from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and NEOWISE mission indicate it is about 4.4 kilometres in size.

"While many known asteroids have passed by closer to Earth than Florence will on September 1, all of those were estimated to be smaller," said Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS).

"Florence is the largest asteroid to pass by our planet this close since the NASA programme to detect and track near-Earth asteroids began," Chodas said.

This relatively close encounter provides an opportunity for scientists to study this asteroid up close. Florence is expected to be an excellent target for ground-based radar observations, NASA said.

The resulting radar images will show the real size of Florence and also could reveal surface details as small as about 10 metres.

Asteroid Florence was discovered by Schelte Bus at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia in March 1981. It is named in honour of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

This year's encounter is the closest by the asteroid since 1890 and the closest it will ever be until after 2500, according to the US space agency.

Florence will brighten to ninth magnitude in late August and early September, when it will be visible in small telescopes for several nights as it moves through the constellations Piscis Austrinus, Capricornus, Aquarius and Delphinus.

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The BJP has called a meeting of all its chief ministers and deputy chief ministers on Monday to take stock of development and social welfare work being done in their states.

The meeting is likely to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Besides party President Amit Shah, a few senior cabinet ministers will also be present, BJP sources said.

All 13 chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and six deputy ministers are scheduled to attend the meeting, they added.

This will be Modi's third meeting with the chief ministers after the BJP swept to power in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, but the first such exercise since the party formed a government in Bihar by joining hands with the JD(U).

The chief ministers are likely give presentations of schemes and models undertaken by their respective governments at the meet.

They are also expected to brief the leaders about the implementation of the Centre's flagship schemes in the states.

The BJP-ruled states include Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and among the alliances are Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir.

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The CBI has moved an application for conducting lie detector tests on those arrested in connection with the sensational rape and killing of a minor girl in Kotkhai area of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.

The CBI sources said here the agency wanted to conduct polygraph tests on the accused as their statements were inconsistent.

The accused, including Ashish Chauhan, the first one to be arrested in the case, would be subjected to the test after attaining their consent, they said.

According to the law, the test is conducted only after getting an approval from an individual. In case, an accused declines to give permission, it goes against him or her in the court of law.

Meanwhile, the agency has examined over 100 people in connection with the rape and killing that triggered massive public outrage against the state government, the sources said.

Among those quizzed by the central probe agency were kin of some influential officials of the state government, they said.

The case was handed over to the CBI by the Himachal Pradesh High Court on July 19 on the state government's plea amid public outburst against the state police. The CBI filed two FIRs on July 22.

The 16-year-old girl had gone missing after school hours on July 4 from Haliala forest in Kotkhai area of Shimla district.

Her naked body was found in the forest on July 6 and the post-mortem report confirmed rape.

The DGP constituted the SIT headed by an officer of IG rank which arrested six persons. One of the accused was killed in police custody in Kotkhai Police Station.

The CBI had also registered the case of custodial death of one of the suspects who was a Nepalese citizen, it said.

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Alastair Cook's double century ensured West Indies continued to struggle in the inaugural day/night Test in England at Edgbaston today.

England were 449 for four at lunch on the second day, with opening batsman and former captain Cook 213 not out after more than eight hours at the crease.

It was his second double century at this level at Edgbaston, with Cook having made 294 -- his highest Test score -- against India at the Birmingham ground six years ago.

The one disappointment for England was that they lost Dawid Malan for 65 to what became the last ball of the session following the Middlesex batsman's maiden Test fifty.

England resumed in an immensely strong position of 348 for three in the first of this three-match series and the 50th Test at Edgbaston.

Cook was 153 not out -- his tenth score of 150 or more in Tests equalling the England record shared by Leonard Hutton, Walter Hammond and Kevin Pietersen.

Together with current skipper Joe Root, who made 136 after winning the toss, he'd put on 248 for the third wicket.

There was a sombre start to Friday's proceedings with players, officials and spectators observing a minute's silence observed in memory of the victims of Thursday's terror attacks in Spain.

On the field, left-hander Cook -- England's all-time leading Test run-scorer and century-maker -- continued to look as if he was having a 'net' against an outclassed attack who continued to 'feed' his areas of strength.

It was not long before the 32-year-old Essex batsman glanced West Indies captain Jason Holder down to fine leg for four and clipped young paceman Alzarri Joseph off his pads during another sunny daytime session where conditions were ideal for batting.

Malan, who in marked contrast to Cook is appearing in just his third Test, provided steady support during a century stand that took the total beyond 400.

His pull off Miguel Cummins, one of four seamers in the attack, saw Malan complete a 112 ball-fifty.

It was a sound effort given he'd come in under lights and was batting against the new pink ball but equally any judgement on whether Malan was doing enough to cement his place in England's squad for their upcoming Ashes defence in Australia had to take into account the modest quality of the bowling he was facing.

Cook then went to his 200, his fourth Test double century, when a misfield by Kyle Hope on the third man rope -- an error symptomatic of a generally sloppy team display in the field -- allowed the ball to trickle through for the opener's 30th four in 339 balls.

Kemar Roach, the luckless bowler, deserved better support having previously gone past the outside edge of both batsmen.

But West Indies did have a success on the stroke of lunch when off-spinner Roston Chase had left-hander Malan caught at slip by Jermaine Blackwood to end a partnership of 162.

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The cotton production is likely to increase by 3.76 per cent to 345 lakh bales in 2016-17 as compared to the last year, mainly due to better yield, a top central government official today said.

One cotton bale weighs 170 kg.

"This year we are expecting a better crop compared to the last year due to better yield even though the area (under cultivation) has dropped significantly.

"We have estimated 345 lakh bale cotton output during 2016-17," Textile Commissioner Kavita Gupta told reporters here after the second meeting of the Cotton Advisory Board.

The total production in 2015-16 stood at 332 lakh bales.

The cotton marketing year runs from October to September.

The production is also expected to increase as there were less pest attacks, including white fly in Punjab, Haryana and pink ball worms in Gujarat, Gupta said, adding in 2017-18 the total output is likely to grow in double digit.

The area under cotton plantation is estimated to decline to 108.45 lakh hectares from 122.92 lakh hectares in the previous year, the textile commissioner said.

However, she said the area under cotton is expected to increase to 119 lakh hectares, or even more, in 2017-18 due to effective government intervention.

"We are expecting the area to increase under cotton as the monsoon was on time and farmers got better price for their crop. So some area under pulses was diverted to cotton crop. There was a lot of efforts by the government," she added.

The area under indigenous variety has increased and acreage under Bt Cotton has slightly declined, she said.

"The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has also come up with more native varieties, which are equally good in yield. Once they are commercialised in 2017-18, the area under the indigenous variety will grow even more," she added.

Total yield is estimated to grow by almost 20 per cent to 540.80 kg per hectares in 2016-17 from 459.16 kg per hectares in 2015-16.

"The yield is estimated to be better in almost all cotton producing region except Tamil Nadu, where it declined significantly due to moisture stress," Gupta said.

The total exports is estimated to have declined to 60 lakh bales during 2016-17 from 69.07 lakh bales in 2015-16.

She said till May the shipments to Bangladesh constituted 40 per cent of the total exports, while it has shrunk drastically to Pakistan, which witnessed a bumper crop.

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A special POCSO court here has acquitted a man accused of abducting and raping a minor girl in 2013, observing the prosecution failed to prove charges against him and that the victim is happily married to him.

Additional sessions and special judge A S Bhaisare, in a recent order, said the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the accused under IPC sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape) and 366 (abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage).

The judge observed that from the cross examination of the victim, it was evident she is "married to the accused and is happy with him."



The court also said the prosecution failed to prove charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The prosecution in its submission told the court that on January 17, 2013, the accused (then aged 22), a resident of Wada taluka in the neighbouring Palghar district, had allegedly kidnapped the victim, who was 17-year-old then, and raped her.

During the course of investigation by the police, both the accused and the victim were found to be living together.

Later, a charge sheet was submitted in the special court, the prosecution said.

The judge noted that the victim, after her class 10 examinations in January 2013, went to a village in Wada from where she and the accused moved to Tilsa village and got married.

"From her cross-examination, it can be gathered that the accused did not pressurise her. He had not kidnapped her and had not established sexual relations against her consent. She has a son from the accused and she is happy in the house of the accused," the judge said.

"From the entire evidence on record, it cannot be gathered that the accused had incited her and kidnapped her for the purpose of illegal sexual intercourse or for the purpose of marriage. However, they both were in love with each other. She was studying in 10th standard and had attended the age of her discretion. She was knowing the consequences of her own act," he observed.

"At present, according to victim, she is happy.Therefore, it cannot be said that the accused had kidnapped and raped her. Consequently, it can safely be said that the prosecution failed to prove the alleged offence against the accused," the judge said while acquitting the man.

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The Nashik cyclists foundation today accorded a warm welcome Lt Col Bharat Pannu and Darshan Dubey, when they arrived in the city after successfully completing 'Race around Austria'.

It is a tough race in Europe and was held between August 9-13. They are first Indians to complete the race, a release issued by the cyclists foundation said.

Lt Col Pannu and Dubey of 'Team Inspire India' recently completed the 2,200 km long race in 100 hours though the time allotted for completing it is 117 hours, said the release.

They underwent eight months training to participate in the race, it said.

Lt Col Pannu is an aeronautic engineer at Artillery Space Centre here, while Dubey, who hails from Nashik presently works at Bengaluru, the release added.

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An unidentified person has issued a death threat to Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, police said today.

The threat appeared in a Facebook post by one Riya Roy on behalf of the 'World Anti-Communist Council' yesterday which said anybody who will kill Sarkar would be awarded Rs five lakh.

Police has suo motu registered a case, saying the post was suspected to have used a fake name.

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Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today asked the Delhi Technological University (DTU) to submit within one month a blueprint on achieving top rank in the field of research and nurturing about 50 per cent students as entrepreneurs.

Addressing a gathering after inauguration of the DTU's East Delhi Campus in Vivek Vihar Phase II here, the chief minister said he wanted the university to rank among the top 10 technological institutes in the world.

He said that education was the backbone of a country's success and asked students to become job creators when they complete their course and contribute towards the society and nation-building



"I want to focus on three objectives for the university. I request students to become job creators so that they can provide employment to others. Thereafter, there will be a decline in the unemployment in the country," Kejriwal said.

He said the second point was with regard to production of best research.

"Research should be to benefit common people and students. Through research, university can find exact demands of industrialists and the government will provide all resources to it. I want the DTU to become number one in the field of research," the chief minister said.

He said the AAP government was investing in education so that students could be made "smart citizens" who got good jobs and generated employment for others.

"I also want the university to rank among top 10 technological universities in the world. This government is focusing on education. When the AAP government was formed (in February), state-run schools were in a bad state. Manish Sisodia (education minister) transformed the government's schools," he said.

Around 300 students have got admission in the East Delhi Campus as the first batch. The campus will offer courses in business and other programmes. Classes for new students will start from Monday.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Water Minister Rajender Pal Gautam were also present at the event.

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A court in Mali today convicted the former head of an Islamic police brigade of offences including cutting off the hand of a suspected thief, jailing him for 10 years.

The chief judge convicted Aliou Mahamar Toure, the feared former "Islamic police chief" of the city of Gao, on all the charges against him after the trial today in Bamako.

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Four people were hacked to death and their houses torched in an attack claimed by Shabaab militants in Kenya's coastal Lamu county, police said today.

"The attackers dragged people from their houses and killed them. We have launched investigations to establish the motive of the attack," said coastal police chief Larry Kieng.

"The number of people killed are four," he said, adding that three suspects had been taken into custody.

Kieng denied Shabaab was behind the attack yesterday night, saying it was linked to local conflict between herders and farmers.

But another senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "The attack has all the hallmarks of an Al Shabaab attack. They have committed similar attacks in similar fashion before and even torched houses."



Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab militants later claimed they had killed "five Kenyan Christians" and destroyed a number of homes in Lamu county, according to the SITE intelligence agency.

Lamu county, which borders Somalia, has faced a string of attacks by the Shabaab, mostly roadside bomb attacks targeting security forces.

In July nine people were shot and hacked to death in the same region, in what was believed to be a Shabaab attack.

The group also claimed an ambush on police officers Tuesday which left five dead in eastern Garissa country.

The Shabaab is fighting to overthrow the internationally backed government in Mogadishu but also regularly carries out attacks in neighbouring Kenya, which has troops in Somalia as part of an African Union force.

In its bloodiest single attack on Kenya so far, Shabaab gunmen raided a university in Garissa in April 2015 killing 148 people, most of them students, while in 2013 the group killed at least 67 people in an assault on a shopping mall in Nairobi.

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India today termed as "incorrect" reports of it supplying BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles to Vietnam even as the South Asian country said the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations has been growing in many fields including security and defence.

Replying to questions on the issue, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Vietnam's Foreign Ministry has already rejected the report, saying it is incorrect.

"It is not correct, that is what I am trying to say. The person who has been quoted, the ministry has already rejected and they are saying that the item which is running and which is out is incorrect," he said.

However, there was no clear denial of the report by Vietnam's foreign ministry in the public domain.

When asked about the report, a spokesperson in the Vietnam foreign ministry said the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership has been actively developing in many fields including economics, trade, investment, culture, education, security and defence.

"The bilateral security and defence ties have been making practical contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large," the spokesperson said, adding Vietnam persistently pursues a national defence policy of peace and of self-defence.

The spokesperson further said "procurement of defence equipment by Vietnam is consistent with the policy of peace and self-defence and is the normal practice in the national defence. We will forward your question to the relevant agency."



There was no comment available from the defence ministry on the issue.

India had held talks with Vietnam for supply of the BrahMos missile.

In February, while replying to a question in Lok Sabha on whether the government has any plans to sell Akash and BrahMos missile to Vietnam, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said that India has held talks with the South Asian country on the issue.

"India and Vietnam share a strategic partnership. Defence cooperation, including supply of defence equipment, is an important aspect of this partnership.

"Both countries have held discussions on range of issues in this regard," he had said in a written reply.

Vietnam, which is involved in a territorial dispute with China, is keen to get it hands on the supersonic missiles that can be fired on land, water and under water.

The Brahmos missile system is jointly developed by India and Russia.

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Gunmen killed seven family members of an Iraqi police officer, including a teenage son, in a pre-dawn attack today on their home near the northern city of Kirkuk, security officials said.

A Kirkuk police captain, asking not to be named, told AFP the unidentified assailants had kidnapped the seven family members, among them three of the officer's children.

The officer himself managed to escape during clashes between police and the gunmen, but the seven relatives including a son aged 15 were killed, he said.

Another security official, blaming the Islamic State jihadist group for the attack, said the assailants also blew up a car at the officer's house.

IS, which seized swathes of northern Iraq in a 2014 campaign, has been on the defensive since its ouster last month by Iraqi security forces from second city Mosul.

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The Madras High Court today directed Tamil Nadu police "to secure" a suspected woman Maoist who was allegedly picked up by Andhra Pradesh police in plain clothes from a train near Erode last month.

Additional Public Prosecutor V M R Rajendran submitted that the woman, Padma, was involved in several criminal cases and is absconding. He said that "neither the Tamil Nadu police or the Andhra Pradesh police arrested Padma."



A division bench comprising Justice A Selvam and Justice Pon Kalaiyarasan, while considering a habeas corpus petition filed by the woman's husband Vivek, ordered Superintendent of Police, Tamil Nadu Q Branch "to secure" her and posted the matter for further hearing to September 14.

Vivek in his HCP submitted that while Padma was returning after medical treatment at Ernakulam in July, she was "abducted by policemen in plain clothes at gun point".

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Taking serious note of the condition of Hindu migrants from Pakistan, the Rajasthan High Court has issued notice to the state and central governments seeking their response on why the matter of granting citizenship to them has been lingering.

The court also took note of a recent case, wherein a migrant family was deported to Pakistan by officials for alleged violation of visa rules.

While listing the matter for hearing on August 24, the court has also deputed two amici curiae to assist it.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the issue, a division bench of Justices Govind Mathur and Vineet Kumar Mathur observed that the marks of the tragedy of partition are still deep in the memories and life of these migrants.

They are forced to live in miserable, inhuman conditions in Bangladesh and Pakistan on account of social and political discrimination as they are a minority community, the court said.

It stated that in such a condition, these people seek refuge in India expecting a dignified and fearless life. But citing rules, they are again forced back to Pakistan, where their miseries begin again.

"These migrants are subjected to fresh miseries after coming to India against their expectation of a peaceful and respectable life here," the court observed.

It took a serious note of lingering issue of grant of citizenship to about 22,000 migrants despite various notifications and circulars aimed at simplification of the procedure of application for citizenship and expediting the process of granting them citizenship.

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A security manager of a five-star hotel was today arrested for allegedly molesting a 33-year-old woman employee and attempting to disrobe her.

The arrest in the the July 30 complaint filed by the woman came as a CCTV footage of the alleged incident was aired by TV channels in which the accused is purportedly seen trying to pull the woman's sari.

Dependra Pathak, chief spokesperson of Delhi Police, said that the accused had been examined and the statement of the woman was taken after she approached the police with a complaint.

"Prima facie, the culpability on the part of the accused was found and he was arrested today. Further investigation has been taken up," said Pathak, special commissioner of police (Operations).

The woman alleged that the man had pressured her to have physical relations with him and she was resisting his advances.

On July 29, he called her for a birthday party to his room, offered to get her gifts and then tried to disrobe her, she alleged.

The woman told the police that she complained to the HR of the hotel but was sacked.

After the complaint was filed, the police questioned both the sides and following a probe, the accused was arrested today, the officer said.

"After the woman lodged a complaint, a case was registered and the evidence she gave were being cross-checked. She also submitted some CCTV footages that were put under verification," Pathak said.

The accused said certain things to counter what the woman said and they were also examined.

Another officer privy to the investigation said that the accused claimed that the woman had a boyfriend at the workplace and he was abusive towards her. Their conduct was improper, the accused alleged.

The accused claimed that one of the cameras installed at the hotel had captured her boyfriend assaulting her, following which he was sacked, said the officer.

The woman wanted her boyfriend to be hired again and on that day, she had come to the security manager's room to plead for her boyfriend's job, the accused told the police.

He alleged that the CCTV footage was concocted and doctored.

However, the police arrested the accused since it was found that the accused had touched her sari and his conduct was improper.

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International judges cannot work in Sri Lanka to hear cases of alleged war crimes blamed on the government troops and the LTTE as the Constitution does not permit it, new Foreign Minister Thilak Marapona said today.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution co- sponsored by Sri Lanka in 2015 called for a hybrid international mechanism to hear alleged cases of war crimes blamed on the government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"Sri Lanka's Constitution does not allow foreign judges to operate in the country and hear cases," Marapona told reporters here.

"We have told the international community that our constitution does not permit that and they have accepted it," Marapona said.

The minister said the UNHRC has not advocated foreign judges to sit during the judgement of cases.

The Tamil and international rights organisations have demanded foreign judges in cases probing alleged human rights violations during the civil war as they have no trust in the country's judiciary.

Lanka maintains that since the new government came into power in 2015, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary has been established.

Sri Lanka has faced three adverse UNHRC resolutions since 2012. In 2014, the resolution prescribed an international investigations into human rights abuses blamed on both the LTTE and the government troops.

The previous Mahinda Rajapaksa government refused to cooperate with the UN on the resolutions citing sovereignty.

The current government has adopted a conciliatory attitude towards the UN mechanism by allowing UN special rapporteurs to visit the country.

According to UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by security forces during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the brutal civil war with the defeat of LTTE in 2009.

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Actor Esha Gupta has responded to the criticism for posting a few bold pictures on social media, saying she fails to understand as to why there is so much scrutiny on what a celebrity does.

Esha posted a couple of pictures on Instagram and was body-shamed, with some people calling her photographs "vulgar".

"There are a few people who are confident about their manhood, they are not challenged. Men, otherwise, mostly get really bothered if women are strong, if a woman is standing up for herself and is speaking up her mind. It happens in the West too," Esha told PTI in an interview.

"What bothers me is why are people more concerned about my pictures and not what is happening around the world. There is a lot happening in the world and one needs to speak up."



The actor said she was not perturbed by the negative feedbacks on her pictures but felt "sad" about the people's mentality.

"The world is going down, our country especially. It has such a colourful and wonderful history, even then there are these few handful of people... When I saw the comments on pictures, I had a great laugh about it. It is sad because it shows your mentality.

"When celebrities don't speak up, people say actors are sissy, when we do people will say something else. What do we do then? If things bother me, I'll talk about it."



Esha is currently gearing up for the release of "Baadshaho", which stars Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi and Ileana D'Cruz.

Directed by Milan Luthria, it is scheduled to release on September 1.

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Rival JD(U) factions headed by Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav have called parallel meetings here tomorrow indicating that the party may be heading for a split after the disintegration of the Grand Alliance in Bihar.

A national executive committee meeting of the JD(U) has been called at its national president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's official residence here tomorrow where the party is expected to formally accept the invitation to join the BJP-led NDA.

Loyalists of Sharad Yadav, who has opposed joining hands with the BJP, are also organising a programme, 'Jan Adalat' at S K Memorial hall.

The two meetings make it clear that battle lines within the JD(U) are drawn and the party may be heading for a vertical split. JD(U) principal secretary general K C Tyagi has, however, maintained that there is no split and that Yadav "has left voluntarily".

Tyagi told PTI today that the national executive meeting at the One Anne Marg residence of the chief minister is the party's official programme.

The party was originally set to hold its national executive in Delhi on July 23-24 last. But the date was changed to August 19 and the venue was shifted to Patna.

Asked about the agenda of the national executive meeting, Tyagi said it would put its seal of approval on the party's Bihar unit decision to break away from the Grand Alliance and form a government with BJP "in the interests of the state".

Kumar had made it clear that he had walked out of the Grand Alliance of the JD(U), RJD and Congress as per the wish of the party's Bihar unit.

The JD(U) is registered with the Election Commission as a regional party of Bihar, he had said.

"The national executive would also give its consent to the invitation of BJP President Amit Shah to the JD(U) to join the NDA fold," Tyagi said.

Shah had extended the invitation when Kumar had met him in Delhi recently.

Some other amendments in the party constitution would also be taken up, he said, but refused to divulge details.

Asked about "Jan Adalat" which would also be attended by Yadav, Tyagi said it is not an official programme of the party.

Bihar JD(U) chief spokesman Sanjay Singh said "we have nothing to do with the Jan Adalat programme."



A poster war has erupted here with the rival groups publicising their respective programmes.

The posters by rebel JD(U) leaders led by ousted party parlimentary board chief Sharad Yadav make clear their stand against Kumar's decision to sever ties with the Grand Alliance partners -- RJD and Congress



"Jan Adalat ka Faisla ... Mahagatbandhan Jaari hain (Jan Adalat's decision ... The Grand Alliance is continuing)" the posters say. They carry photographs of Sharad Yadav, JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar Ansari and former state minister Ramai Ram, who was suspended by Bihar JD(U) chief Basistha Narayan Singh.

Sharpening the attack on Nitish Kumar, Ansari asserted in Delhi that those opposed to the Bihar chief minister represented the "real" JD(U), and added "Nitish represents BJP Janata Dal".

He refused to acknowledge a "split" in the party and said there is "sharp resentment" among JD(U) workers on the removal of Sharad Yadav as the leader of party MPs in the Rajya Sabha for questioning Nitish Kumar's decision to form an alliance with the BJP.

Ansari said all the leaders of the party including Sharad Yadav would discuss the goings-on in the JD(U) at the convention here tomorrow and later visit the flood affected areas of Bihar.

Ansari told PTI that their meeting is being held to honour people's mandate given to Mahagatbandhan in 2015. He said he along with Sharad Yadav would arrive in Patna for the programme tomorrow morning.

"I and Sharadjee had thought of attending the national executive meeting and give our opinion against dumping of the Grand Alliance and joining hands with BJP.

"But they (Nitish Kumar group) could not wait even till August 19 (tomorrow) and suspended me and removed Sharad jee from the post of parliamentary party chief, which is undemocratic," Ansari said.

Another Sharad Yadav loyalist Vijay Verma, who was among 21 JD(U) leaders suspended recently, said, "Our programme is to strengthen secular forces in the country."



The rebel JD(U) programme follows a mega meeting of anti-BJP parties held yesterday in the national capital, which they said, was to save the "composite culture" of the country.

The party's former national general secretary Arun Kumar Srivastava, who was expelled after the JD(U) legislator in Gujarat voted against the NDA candidate in the recent vice- presidential polls, said in Delhi that the rebels could approach the Election Commission to claim the party's name and symbol in case of a split.

"Although I do not think Nitish will claim the party symbol because he has no love for the party or its symbol, but we will definitely approach the EC in case there is need," he said.

Srivastava also claimed that all the state party units, except those in Bihar and Jharkhand, were supporting Sharad Yadav and those opposed to Nitish Kumar.

"We have received support letters from the presidents of 14 state units who are opposed to the JD(U) alliance with BJP. They expressed their willingness to attend the Patna convention but may not be able to do so since it is being held at short notice," he said.

He accused Nitish Kumar of not honouring the "democratic norms" in removing party leaders without seeking explanation.

"I was not served any notice or asked for any explanation. The same happened with Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar and 21 other leaders who were removed in Bihar," he claimed.

Srivastava also attacked Tyagi for siding with Kumar and his decision to go with the BJP, saying he was doing so for the "lust of power".

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Janata Dal (United) rebels, led by Sharad Yadav, will tomorrow hold a convention in Patna, coinciding with the national executive meet convened by the party headed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The convention follows a mega meeting of anti-BJP parties held yesterday in the national capital, seeking to save the "composite culture" of the country.

The rebels have been up in arms ever since Kumar decided to sever ties with the grand alliance partners -- RJD-Congress -- and joined hands with the BJP to form the government in the state.

Sharpening the attack on Nitish Kumar for giving up "democratic norms", Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar Ansari asserted that those opposed to the Bihar CM represented the "real" JD (U), and added "Nitish represents BJP Janata Dal."



Refusing to acknowledge a "split" in the party, Ansari said there was "sharp resentment" among JD(U) workers on the removal of Sharad Yadav as the leader of party MPs in the Rajya Sabha and also for questioning Nitish's decision to form an alliance with the BJP.

He said all the leaders of the party including Sharad Yadav would discuss the goings-on in the party in Patna and later visit the flood affected parts of Bihar.

The party's former national general secretary Arun Kumar Srivastava, who was expelled after the JD(U) legislator in Gujarat voted against the NDA candidate in the recent vice presidential polls, said that the rebels could approach the Election Commission for a claim on party name and symbol in case of a split.

"Although I do not think Nitish will claim the party symbol because he has no love for the party or its symbol, but we will definitely approach the EC in case there is need," he said.

Srivastava also claimed that all the state party units, except those in Bihar and Jharkhand, were supporting Sharad Yadav and those opposed to Nitish.

"We have received support letters from the presidents of 14 state units who are opposed to the JD(U) alliance with the BJP. They expressed their willingness to attend the Patna convention but may not be able to do so since it is being held at short notice," he said.

The former general secretary of the party also attacked Nitish Kumar for not honouring "democratic norms" in removing party leaders without seeking explanation.

"I was not served any notice or asked for any explaination. The same happened with Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar and 21 other leaders who were removed in Bihar," he claimed.

Srivastava also attacked senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi for siding with Nitish Kumar and his decision to go with the BJP, saying he was doing so for the "lust of power".

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India said today it will continue to engage with China to find a mutually acceptable solution to the Dokalam standoff, but underlined that incidents like one in Ladakh three days ago were not in the "interest of either side".

"Today, I can confirm that there was an incident at Pangong Tso on August 15. This was subsequently discussed by the local army commanders of the two sides. Such incidents are not in the interest of either side. We should maintain peace and tranquillity," external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

However, he did not confirm whether the incident involved stone pelting or use of rods and asserted that, "I just said there was an incident." He also emphasised that the incident should not be linked with what was happening in any other sector.

Kumar also did not confirm whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China next month to attend Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) summit, saying he does not have any information about it.

Asked about the current status of the standoff, he said, "It is a sensitive issue... We will continue to engage with China to find mutually acceptable solution. Peace and tranquillity in border areas are important pre-requisites for smooth development of bilateral relations."



However, he quipped, "I am not an astrologer, so cannot predict", when asked by when the Dokalam standoff will be resolved.

In the context of the Ladakh incident, he said two border personnel meetings (BPMs) had taken place between Indian border guards and Chinese troops recently.

He said one BPM had taken place at Chushul on August 16 and another one at Nathu La a week before.

Asked if China has shared hydrological data with India in the backdrop of floods in Assam, Kumar said there is an existing expert-level mechanism, established in 2006, and there are two MoUs under which China is expected to share hydrological data on rivers Sutlej and Brahmaputra with India during the flood season of May 15 to June 15.

"For this year, we have not received hydrological data from the Chinese side," the spokesperson said.

However, he added that it was "premature" to link it with the floods in Assam as there can be "technical reasons" behind China not sharing the data.

He also noted that in view of floods in Bihar, India was closely coordinating with Nepal, both at Centre and state- level.

Asked about the reported comments of the Japanese Ambassador on Dokalam face off and if India welcomes it, Kumar gave a very guarded reaction, saying the remarks speak for themselves.

The Japanese ambassador was quoted in media as saying that no country should use unilateral forces to alter the status of Dokalam.

"We recognise Dokalam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and two countries are engaged in border talks... We also understand that the India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan that's why Indian troops got involved in the area," the ambassador had reportedly said.

Reacting to the Japanese ambassador's comments, Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing said, "I want to remind him not to randomly make comments before clarifying relevant facts. In the Donglong (Dokalam) area, there is no territorial dispute. The boundary has been delimited and recognised by the two sides."



Kumar also refused to divulge details of communication by other countries to India on the Dokalam issue.

Asked about a video, posted by Chinese state-run media, which portrayed Indians in a very poor taste, he said he does not want to "dignify" it with a response.

On the tense situation in the Korean peninsula, Kumar said India understands growing concerns among international community on the situation in that region.

India's position is consistent that there should be peaceful resolution of the issue, he added.

The reaction comes amid exchange of aggressive rhetoric between North Korea and the US over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and missile program.

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Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah was today appointed as the chief of Sri Lanka's naval forces, making him the first from the minority Tamil community to head the Navy since the brutal civil war erupted in the country 45 years ago.

Sinniah, who played a decisive role in the destruction of the LTTE warships in deep sea during the height of the civil war, was appointed as the Navy chief by President Maithripala Sirisena.

"Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah, who has served Sri Lanka Navy with immense loyalty for many decades, took office as the Navy Commander today," President Sirisena tweeted.

His services will be effective from August 22.

Sinniah succeeds Vice Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne who has retired.

He is the second Tamil to head the Lankan Navy after Rajan Kadirgamar, who was the commander in the late 1960s.

Sinniah is the first from the Tamil community to head the Navy since the outbreak of the civil war in the north and east of the island in 1972.

He successfully commanded a mission in 2007 to destroy the LTTE's weapons smuggling ships in international waters off Indonesia and Australia, that is considered as Sri Lankan Navy's biggest achievement, media reports said.

Sinniah, who joined the Navy in 1982, was the senior most Naval officer to be in active combat operations at sea during the conflict with the LTTE separatists.

It was also announced that Wijegunaratne would be appointed as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

The LTTE waged a war with the government to carve out a separate Tamil homeland in the regions with the conflict ending in 2009. Tamils in the country claim discrimination at the hands of the Sinhala majority.

According to UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by security forces during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the brutal civil war with with the defeat of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

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A Lithuanian businessman extradited to the United States to face charges that he duped Google and Facebook into sending him over USD 100 million was held without bail today, hours after he was brought to the country.

Evaldas Rimasauskas, 48, of Vilnius, Lithuania, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court to charges of wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.

He arrived in New York last night after failing to block extradition from Lithuania, where he was arrested in March.

US prosecutors, continuing a policy of treating large corporations like human crime victims, did not identify the companies in court documents. But they were named in a Lithuanian court document, which said Google sent over USD 23 million and Facebook sent nearly USD 100 million to bank accounts controlled by Rimasauskas between 2013 and 2015.

Google, of Mountain View, California, said in a statement that it detected the fraud, alerted authorities and has recouped its money. Facebook, of Menlo Park, California, declined comment, though it has said before that it recovered most of the money soon after the fraud was discovered.

Robert Peabody, a lawyer for Rimasauskas, said outside court that the defence team will "make sure he gets a good defence."



If convicted, Missuses could face decades in prison, though most defendants in financial fraud cases spend much shorter amounts of time incarcerated. If convicted of the aggravated identity theft charge, Rimasauskas would face a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison.

Authorities say Rimasauskas, who owns a small construction company, fooled the companies into sending him money by posing as an Asian computer hardware manufacturer and sending along fraudulent invoices.

In a release at the time of Rimasauskas' arrest, Acting US Attorney Joon H Kim said the case "should serve as a wake- up call to all companies -- even the most sophisticated -- that they too can be victims of phishing attacks by cyber criminals.

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As many as 51 different courts including 24 fast track will be set up in Maharashtra.

The other courts include 18 additional courts and nine family courts, stated the government resolution issued today.

The Law and Judiciary department of Maharashtra today released three GRs stating that the courts are being set up as part of the recommendations of 14th finance commission.

All the courts will be set up for a period of five year. "The five years would be counted from the date of the commencement of the operations of a particular court. With these GRs, the state government has completed administrative procedures.

"Now, the required steps are to be taken by the Bombay High Court, in terms of staff allocation," N J Jamadar, principal secretary, state law and judiciary department told PTI.

The 14th finance commission had sanctioned Rs 1,014 crore for works such as setting up of additional, fast track and family courts, renovation of existing courts, hiring more staff for technical support, scanning and digitisation of documents, law schools, Lok Adalat among others, the GR stated.

The state government has approved 144 posts for fast track courts along with financial sanctions of Rs 469.67 crore. Similarly, family and additional courts will get a staff of 108 each, the GR stated.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today congratulated rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav for organising a meeting of opposition parties in New Delhi yesterday.

"@SharadYadavMP Ji congratulations for the event you organised in Delhi. We were glad to be a part of it. Unitedly we will fight for the cause," Banerjee said in a tweet.

Yadav had yesterday rallied about a dozen parties at the convention in New Delhi and asserted that if people stand together, then even "Hitler cannot win".

The convention, titled 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao' (save the common culture), was attended by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and senior leaders from parties like the CPI-M, the CPI, the SP, the BSP, the NCP, the RJD, the NC, the JD-S and the RLD.

At the programme, Yadav had attacked the ruling BJP by raking up several issues including alleged atrocities against dalits and minorities, love jihad, suicides by farmers, deaths of children in a Gorakhpur hospital and the killing of soldiers at the border.

The rebel JD(U) leader, who has been removed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, has been insisting that he is the founder of the party and hence the real leader.

As the other opposition leaders called for a united fight at yesterday's programme, Yadav urged the youth and farmers in particular to make right use of their "power of vote" for a bright future.

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US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis would travel to the Middle East and Europe next week to re- affirm America's enduring commitment to strategic partnerships in the region, the Pentagon said today.

Mattis will begin his engagements in Jordan on August 21, meeting with King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lieutenant General Mahmoud Freihat.

This would be Mattis' first trip to Jordan in his tenure.

"The Secretary will express US appreciation for Jordanian efforts to combat ISIS, and re-affirm US commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Jordan in facing regional and global challenges," the Pentagon said.

He will visit Turkey on August 23 to meet with Minister of National Defence Nurettin Canikli, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut ?avusoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During the meetings, Mattis will emphasise the steadfast commitment of the US to Turkey as a NATO ally and strategic partner, seek to collaborate on efforts to advance regional stability, and look for ways to help Turkey address its legitimate security concerns including the fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the Pentagon said.

Mattis is scheduled to conclude his trip on August 24, with his first visit as Secretary of Defence to Kiev, Ukraine, wherein he will meet with Minister of Defence Stepan Poltorak and President Petro Poroshenko.

"During these engagements, the secretary will reassure our Ukrainian partners that the US remains firmly committed to the goal of restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as strengthening the strategic defence partnership between our two countries," the Pentagon added.

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The NSE 50-share Nifty snapped its three-day winning streak by tumbling 67 points to end at 9,837.40 following a sharp fall in Infosys shares as also sluggish global markets.

Sentiment was affected as global stocks markets declined on rising doubts about US President Donald Trump's ability to deliver his economic agenda.

IT major Infosys tumbled by 9.56 per cent to end at Rs 923.25 after the announcement of Vishal Sikka's resignation as the managing director and chief executive officer of Infosys.

The NSE 50-share Nifty also dropped by 66.75 points or 0.67 per cent to close at 9,837.40 after moving in a range of 9,865.95 nd 9,783.65.

It had gained by 193.35 points, or 1.99 per cent, in previous three days.

Other indices like Nifty IT fell by 2.11 per cent followed by Pharma 1.79 per cent, Media 1.42 per cent, PSU Bank 0.93 per cent and Metal 0.72 per cent.

Overseas, European stocks edged lower as a terror attack in Barcelona weighed on investor sentiment. Asian stocks edged lower on growing doubts about US President Donald Trump's ability to fulfil his economic agenda.

A total of 589 scrips advanced and 1,102 declined while 61 remained unchanged. Total securities that hit their price bands were 112.

Other losers were Sun Pharma 3.71 per cent, Zeel 2.88 per cent, VEDL 2.10 per cent and NTPC 1.92 per cent.

However, Infratel firmed up by 4.20 per cent, HUL 2.12 per cent, Ultrachem 2.07 per cent, BPCL 1.94 per cent and Eichermotor 1.89 per cent.

Turnover in the cash segment rose to Rs 28,953.18 crore from Rs 24,336.40 crore yesterday.

A total of 12,100.69 lakh shares changed hands in 96,95,060 trades. The market capitalisation of listed firms on the NSE stood at Rs 1,28,85,081 crores.

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A Nigerian national was today apprehended from Golconda area here on charge of drug peddling and 20 grams of cocaine was seized from his possession, police said.

The accused has been identified Ugochukw Chukwuebuka alias Godpower (25), they said.

According to a release issued by Hyderabad police Chukwuebuka who is into cloth business, due to financial problems, allegedly started supplying narcotics drugs from Goa, Mumbai and other cities on commission basis to needy customers here.

Further probe is on.

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Journalist Arnab Goswami and his channel Republic TV have told the Delhi High Court that they have neither "condemned" Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, nor suggested that he was involved in the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar.

In their affidavits filed before Justice Manmohan, Goswami and the channel have denied that Tharoor was called "the killer" of his wife by him or the channel, as alleged by the Congress MP.

"They (Goswami, channel) have been cautious in the reporting of in relation to the death of the deceased and have neither condemned plaintiff (Tharoor), nor suggested that he was involved or responsible for the mysterious death," the replies of the journalist and the channel, filed through advocate Rajat Pradhan, said.

They were responding to the notice issued to them by the court on Tharoor's Rs two crore civil defamation suit filed against them for allegedly making defamatory remarks against him on the issue of the mysterious death of Pushkar.

The high court on August 4 had asked Goswami and Republic TV to respect Tharoor's "right to silence," but did not give an order on the Congress MP's plea to restrain the news network from alleged misreporting on his wife's death.

In the affidavits, they have also alleged that Tharoor has failed to adduce any material or specify the comments in connection with Pushkar's death, that allegedly "defamed or lowered his reputation".

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a five-star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014. The matter is still under investigation.

Tharoor, by way of a separate application in the pending suit, has sought a direction to restrain the journalist and the channel from "misreporting" the case of Pushkar's death.

The politician has alleged that despite assurance given in the court on May 29 by the counsel for Goswami and Republic TV, they were engaged in "defaming and maligning" him.

The Congress leader had also sought direction to them that they should not mention the expression "murder of Sunanda Pushkar" anywhere, since it is yet to be established by a competent court that her death was "murder".

The court had on May 29 said the journalist and his news channel could put out stories stating the facts related to the investigation of Pushkar's death but could not call the Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram a "criminal".

Goswami and the channel said that they have abided by the court's direction and in "no manner misreported or misled the viewers as the facts were correctly reported".

They have also claimed that the suit has been "instituted with an oblique and ulterior motive and is a misguided attempt to muzzle a media channel and the dissemination of true facts to the public".

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One man was killed and another injured in a stabbing in the western German city of Wuppertal, police said today, adding that the attacker was still on the loose.

"We can confirm there has been a deadly crime. One man has died and another man is in hospital," a police spokeswoman told AFP.

The police said they were hunting for one or more assailants, but could not immediately provide more information about the circumstances of the attack.

The stabbing happened at around 1245 GMT in the city's Elberfeld area.

Also in the afternoon, several people were stabbed in the street in the Finnish city of Turku, with police shooting one suspect and warning several others could be at large.

The stabbing in Germany also comes a day after 14 people were killed in twin terror attacks in Spain.

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The Border Security Force (BSF) today seized a Pakistani fishing boat abandoned about 400 metres on the Indian side at Harami Nala area of Kutch district near the Indo-Pak border, officials said.

Four fishermen on that boat ran towards Pakistan side after spotting BSF patrol boats this morning in the creek area, said the officials.

The boat is around 25 feet long and fitted with a Chinese made engine, the officials added.

During the initial search of the boat, BSF found one fishing net and four ice boxes. Detailed search of the boat is underway, they said.

In the recant past, several fishing boats as well as Pakistani fishermen have been caught while fishing in the Indian side of the the creek area.

Given the sensitive nature of the area, even Indian fishermen are barred from catching fish in the creek.

However, Pakistani fishermen often venture into Indian waters to catch fish, especially prawns, and then sail off to their side.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today strongly condemned terror attacks in Spain and wrote to his counterpart Mariano Rajoy to convey India's readiness to work with his country to develop a strong global response to defeat terrorism.

Modi underlined that terrorism has become a global menace threatening the entire humanity and "those who stand on the side of peace cannot allow these forces to endanger our cherished values of democracy and freedom."



Drivers ploughed into pedestrians in quick-succession in two separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city, leaving 14 people dead and injuring more than 100 others.

"I am deeply shocked and saddened by the barbaric terrorist attack in Barcelona yesterday and condemn it in strongest terms," Modi wrote.

"On behalf of the people of India and on my own behalf, I offer heartfelt condolences for the lives lost in this heinous and cowardly act and wish speedy recovery for those injured," he added.

Modi said the perpetrators of terror have been most ruthless in unleashing violence.

"India fully supports Your Excellency's Government in effectively responding to such attacks. We also stand ready to work with Spain to develop a strong global response to defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," he said.

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Spanish police today released the names of three Moroccan suspects in the deadly attacks in Spain's Catalonia region, shot dead overnight by security forces in the seaside resort of Cambrils.

Catalonia's regional police identified them as Moussa Oukabir, 17, Said Aallaa, 18, and Mohamed Hychami, 24. Police said they were searching for a fourth suspect, Younes Abouyaaqoub, aged 22.

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The U.S. government has entered a new agreement with Colombia that will ease some of the previous requirements on U.S. paddy rice exported to the South American country, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.



The U.S. government has entered a new agreement with Colombia that will ease some of the previous requirements on U.S. paddy rice exported to the South American country.

A 2012 agreement between the two countries permitted exports of U.S. paddy rice to Colombia, but under strict and expensive requirements related to phytosanitary concerns.

The new agreement lifts these requirements and expands access beyond the single port of Barranquilla, which was the only port previously open to U.S. exporters, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a statement.

Paddy rice, or rough rice, includes the whole rice grain, along with the hulls. It is harvested directly from rice fields and shipped to processing facilities.

As part of the processing, the protective hull is removed, leaving only the actual rice kernel for consumption, USDA said. By leaving the sturdy hull on, it is possible to store the kernels for several months without incurring product losses due to spoiling or infestation.

The new agreement, combined with preferential access under the 2012 U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA), is expected to further increase U.S. food and agriculture exports to Colombia.

According to the USDA, Colombia is now the 12th largest U.S. export market for food and agricultural products, with exports valued at more than $2.4 billion in 2016  a significant increase over exports prior to CTPA, when Colombia ranked as the 26th market for U.S. food and agricultural exports in 2011, with a value of $1.12 billion.

Exports of milled rice to Colombia have also increased since CTPA entered into force entry into force, now averaging $79 million per year compared to $3 million in 2011.

Last week, more than two dozen Colombian rice farmers from Fedearroz, the Federation of Colombian Rice Farmers, who were hosted by the trade group USA Rice, traveled to Louisiana and Arkansas to learn about U.S. rice production. The group received an overview of export logistics, freight forwarding, and barge loading from Russell Marine Group in New Orleans and Consolidated Grain and Barge in Memphis.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today discussed with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik the issue of tax incentives for Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) Paradip refinery in the state.

The state government had last year withdrawn tax incentives to the 15-million tonne refinery, a decision that IOC has challenged in court.

"In the meeting, various options available to reach an amicable settlement on the present tax dispute were discussed," an official statement said here.

Pradhan said the state had extended the tax concession in 2004 to make the refinery project viable. Withdrawal of the same is now impacting the project commercially.

There is a need to find an amicable solution to the impasse keeping in view the fiscal health of the state and commercial interest of IOC, he said.

"He emphasised on the need for finding a middle path, wherein both IOC and the state government can work out a mutual acceptable solution by climbing down from their stated positions," the statement said.

The minister said the state government should incentivise the expansion plans of the company, which include setting up a petrochemical complex adjacent to the refinery as well as expanding the present oil refining capacity.

"Over a period of time, it will enable the state to increase its revenue and also create additional employment avenues for the youth of the state," he said.

At the meeting it was agreed that the officers of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, IOC and the state government will deliberate various issues and work out an acceptable solution at the earliest.

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Priyanka Chopra was once again at the receiving end of online trolls when she donned a tricolour scarf to mark the country's 70th Independence Day.

The 35-year-old actor had posted a boomerang video on her social media accounts. She is seen sporting a stole resembling the national flag and swaying it in the air.

"Independence Day #Vibes #MyHeartBelongsToIndia #HappyIndependenceDayIndia #JaiHind," Chopra posted.

But the Internet trolls started tearing into the actor's choice of clothes, calling the move "shameful" and "insulting" for the country.

"What's is going on here Priyanka have some respect for national flag of India," a user wrote.

"She can wear whatever she wants but must choose some decent outfit according to occasion," another user said.

A troll wrote, "You can't defend this shameful lady who is destroying our country's name globally."



Many, however, came forward in Chopra's defence.

"What's up with people... There is nothing wrong in showing love to your country in any way u feel like...," one wrote.

One of the actor's fans wrote, "Love you PC... The look suits you! And stop being hypocrites guys... It's her life, let her decide."



Chopra was recently slammed for wearing a dress during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Berlin.

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Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) chairman P K Singh today said product differentiation and the drive to match the best in quality and variety hold the key to meet stiff competition in this era of high over-capacities.

"In present scenario, only the best in the class will survive. At a time of high over-capacities across the world, product differentiation is the need of the hour. We have to match the best in quality, variety and standards," Singh said during a visit to SAIL's Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP).

The SAIL chairman, who interacted with a cross section of around 700 employees, threw light on the current scenario in the steel industry and exhorted them that transformation of SAIL has begun and "Let us all be part of it".

Addressing the gathering, Singh further said that Rourkela has one of the best workforces in the industry where the ramping up after modernisation was achieved in one of the shortest times.

Noting that these interactions are aimed at enthusing the collective to exploit full potential of installed technologies and manpower, he said in the current challenging times, company's targets and priorities have to widely disseminate at all SAIL units.

RSP, which boasts of a 4300 mm wide state-of-the-art New Plate Mill, has carved a name for itself as a unique producer of special grades of steels. This mill has the potential to capture demand from niche segments and be the desired choice for top consumers.

Stepping decisively in the direction of 'Make in India,' the plant has teamed up with the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) and the Indian Navy to develop special grade DMR-249A steel plates for Indian Naval requirements.

Also, the plant will meet the indigenous requirements of various sectors including manufacturing, power and the construction sector, a statement from RSP said.

RSP's New Plate Mill along with Special Plate Plant have created unique facilities for making of special grades steels for defence applications thereby increasing the capacity of quenched, tempered plates with desired ballistic qualities. The plant also aims at catering to niche markets as well as to reduce the import burden on nation.

Plates with newer specifications (like API 5L X-70 PSL-2 grade), cost effective and quality plates for the construction sector produced using TMCP (Thermo Mechanically Controlled Process) are featuring in the new product basket of SAIL and import substituting products aimed for defence sector are already under development.

Besides, the New Plate Mill is rolling boiler quality plates of a thickness of 140 mm in the grade IS 2002 GR-II, which is again an import substitution product, it added.

SAIL's Director (Finance) Anil Chaudhary, Director (Technical) Raman and CEO, RSP Ashwini Kumar were also part of the intensive interaction with the employees during the brainstorming session.

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Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today announced setting up of a Rs 500-crore fund for promotion of startups in the state as she also launched Jaipur-Kota flight services.

Addressing the final session of a two-day congregation here of startups, technology enthusiasts, banks, funding agencies and government departments, she said, "We are the first state to have such Rs 500 crore funds."



She said, "We hold the startups very-very close to our heart, therefore this startup promotion fund of Rs 500 crore that we are going be setting up now."



The two-day programme called 'Rajasthan Digifest 2017' was organised here by the state's Department of Information Technology (DoIT).

Raje said the next Digifest will be organised next year "same time" in Udaipur.

On the first day of the programme, over 200 teams of technologists, startups and other enthusiasts presented their ideas out of which the best three were selected.

Raje, who was the chief guest for the programme, gave away awards to the winners which is over Rs 30 lakh of government contracts. She said the best judged project could even go over Rs 1 crore in future.

On the launch of the Jaipur-Kota flight services, she said many people were apprehensive if the operations were possible given the relatively smaller size of the airport here.

"So we had to do the impossible. We made the impossible possible," she said.

Officials said the 45-minute Kota-Jaipur flight will cost Rs 2,499 per passenger and fly everyday except Sundays.

Raje said it was a big decision not only from the point of view of tourism, but also because the city is a major education hub.

She said Rajasthan now has inter-state air connectivity from Jaipur to Bikaner, Jodhpur and Udaipur.

"If we are lucky, then from the first week of September, we will be able to operate Jaipur-Kota flight to Delhi. We are trying," she said.

Four more cities are also expected to get the air connectivity to the state capital in the next phase including Swaimadhopur, Jaisalmer, Ganganagar and Kishangarh (Ajmer), she said.

During Digifest, various state government departments also exhibited e-governance initiatives they had been undertaking.

They had set up nearly 40 stalls exhibiting their initiatives.

"Our idea is to make people aware of e-governance facilities that government provides. One of the reasons why some government programmes don't reach the intended beneficiaries is lack of awareness about when and how to avail those benefits. We are trying to raise awareness," said DoIT secretary Akhil Arora.

He said the event gave a unique platform to startups and entrepreneurs by bringing to one platform funding agencies, mentors, incubators and the government.

He said it was the first such programme out of the capital city of Jaipur, because "we don't want isolated island of excellence".

Addressing the session at the UIT Auditorium, Raje also said Rajasthan already "boasts of 600+ startups and 23 startups from the state have received funding of around USD 142 million between 2014-17".

She launched various other initiates on startups, one of which will grade and rank them.

Raje the state has also decided to set up a refinery- cum-petrochemical hub in Barmer.

For the benefit of the people of Kota, she announced the launch of Kota Clean Energy Network under which piped gas supply will be given to households and industrial units.

Later at a different venue in the city, she launched 'Abhay' command centre to make the city a "safer place".

"The Abhay Command and Control Centre in Kota shall have a mix of optical and other sensor-based data feeds, advanced analytics and real time monitoring and control systems aimed at making Kota a safer place," she said.

Raje also flagged off a team of 58 scooty-borne women police personnel. Riding on 29 scooties, two on each, these police officers will quickly respond to any call for help from women.

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Customs officials said they seized raw gold weighing 4,687 grams and valued at Rs 1.38 crore from four passengers at the international airport here today.

All four passengers had arrived from Abu Dabhi and had concealed the gold in their baggage, they said.

As per the officials, the smuggled yellow metal was in the form of rhodium-plated gold wire, gold biscuits and bars.

The four passengers - Rafatjahan Shaukat Ali, Asif Khan, Mohammad Qasim and Husain Sayed Ahmed - had concealed the items inside their baggage, they said.

"Raw gold items were seized from these passengers under the reasonable belief that the goods were attempted to be smuggled in India and liable for confiscation under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962," said an official.

Further investigation in the case is on.

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The Supreme Court on Friday directed Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, to appear before investigators at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters in New Delhi on August 23 for questioning in a corruption case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud allowed Karti to be accompanied by a lawyer at the CBI headquarters during the questioning.

"During the course of hearing, the counsel for respondent number 1 (Karti) states that the respondent is ready and willing to appear before the investigating officer," the bench said.

"We, therefore, hereby direct respondent number 1 to appear before the investigating officer on August 23 at CBI headquarters in New Delhi," the bench added.

It gave CBI the liberty to question him for as many days as it wants till August 28, the next date of hearing.

It also asked Karti to carry all necessary documents required to defend himself against the allegations made by the CBI in the FIR.

The bench, however, clarified that the accompanying lawyer would sit in an adjoining room to the place where Karti will be quizzed by CBI investigators.

The bench has now posted the matter for consideration on August 28 and asked both parties to file their respective reports with regard to the investigation and other aspects of the case.

The apex court had on August 14 said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the corruption case.

The apex court, which stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the look out circular (LOC) issued by the Centre against Karti, had sought to know when he would make his appearance for questioning before CBI.

The case lodged by CBI in Delhi is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of almost Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Union Finance Minister.

The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".

The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge here and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.

The Madras High Court had on August 10 stayed the look out circulars issued against Karti and four others by the Centre under the Passport Act over the corruption case filed by the CBI.

The order had come on petitions filed by Karti and others seeking to quash the circulars, issued against Karti on June 16 last year and against the four others on July 18 this year.
The Supreme Court today paved the way for the admission of a student suffering from thalassaemia in the MBBS course in Chhattisgarh.

The court's order came during the hearing of a plea of a 19-year-old woman suffering from the blood disorder, claiming that she falls under the category of persons with benchmark disability as prescribed under the provisions of the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

"As far as the present petitioner is concerned, she shall be admitted in the MBBS course, after due counseling within a week," a bench of Justices Dipak Misra, A M Khanwilkar and M M Shantanagoudar said.

During the hearing, Chhattisgarh government said it would admit the student in the requisite course if the Medical Council of India (MCI) has no objection.

MCI counsel, however, left it to the discretion of the court.

The bench had earlier directed the Chhattisgarh government to constitute a medical board to ascertain whether the petitioner would fall under the the ambit of the Act.

In pursuance to court's order, the Directorate of Medical Education of Chhattisgarh filed a report opining that the woman was suffering from Thallasaemia disease.

The court had earlier observed that it was the duty of every institution to extend a helping hand to the disabled.

The counsel for the petitioner had earlier said that her case should be considered as a person with disability for the purpose of admission to any medical stream.

He had contended that under the Act, five per cent of the seats for the persons with benchmark disability, someone with not less than 40 per cent disability, are required to be reserved.

The bench had said that the "statutory command" of five per cent reservation for benchmark disability, "has to be followed in letter and spirit".

Thalassaemia, an inherited blood disorder, falls under the category of benchmark disability subsequent to the 2016 amended Act.

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The Orissa High Court today granted bail to Seashore Group of Companies CMD Prashant Dash in a chit fund related case.

Dash was arrested by the CBI from Mumbai in December 2013 for allegedly duping hundreds of poor people, who had invested over Rs 500 crore in his company hoping for better returns.

The Bench of Justice C R Dash granted bail to Dash and directed him to deposit his passport with the Investigating Officer (IO).

The court also told Dash not to visit places outside the state without prior permission from the IO.

However, Dash, who is now lodged in a Bhubaneswar jail, is unlikely to walk free immediately as there are several other cases registered against him, sources said.

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The Union health ministry today asked Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain and all central government-run hospitals to set up designated swine flu wards and issue an advisory to chemists across the city to ensure adequate stock of drugs to treat vector-borne diseases.

Health Minister J P Nadda asked hospital authorities to ensure that adequate number of isolation wards were available and protocols for ventilator management were followed.

"This time, swine flu cases are being reported. We have asked the Delhi health minister and all central government hospitals to ensure that there are designated swine flu wards.

"However there is no need to panic as all patients suffering from swine flu (H1N1) do not require hospitalisation," he said, after charing a high-level meeting to review preparedness for prevention and control of vector- borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, chikungunya and swine flu in Delhi.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain, Mayors of three municipal corporations and medical superintendents of central government hospitals in Delhi, along with senior officials from the Union health ministry and the Delhi health department, participated in the meeting.

Nadda laid emphasis on the critical importance of prevention of vector-borne diseases and stated that all stakeholders including the government of Delhi, municipal corporations, resident welfare association, NGOs and the people had an important role to play in prevention of breeding of the vectors that cause these diseases.

"A strong awareness campaign is very effective for educating people to keep their home and surrounding areas free of water clogging," Nadda said and urged Jain to launch a house-to-house information, education, and communication (IEC) campaign for creating widespread awareness.

"When people are equipped with proper information, they are capable of preventing such diseases and also seeking timely medical intervention," he said.

Nadda also suggested that the Delhi government organises a workshop for all agencies concerned and stakeholders to sensitise them on the protocols for prevention and management of vector-borne diseases that normally see a spike during the monsoon.

He assured support of the Union health ministry in all efforts of the state government to build their capacity. He added that master trainers that had received training last year and this year should be engaged to build the capacity of other health workers too, he stated.

Nadda highlighted the importance of maintaining adequate quantity of testing kits, drugs among others at the government hospitals and chemists.

"The minister (Nadda) basically asked us (MCD) to focus on building greater awareness so that the threat of vector- borne diseases can be warded off by prevention. He also asked us to conduct workshop for councillors and we have decided to hold the programme," North Delhi Mayor Preety Agarwal said.

The meeting, she said, lasted for about 30 minutes.

"The north corporation would hold the workshop on August 23. Experts from the Centre and other departments would be participating in it," she said, adding that councillors are the nearest local contact persons for people, and therefore "we decided to work on this suggestion".

She said, the other two corporations, SDMC and EDMC, also have decided to hold the workshop.

"During the meet we also raised the issue of overlapping of jurisdiction, which sometimes hinders work. For instance, places where parks are under the MCD but roads surrounding it or drains nearby it, fall under the PWD jurisdiction.

"The Delhi heath minister also said that prevention has to be the watchword. Dengue and chikungunya (aedes agypti) mosquitoes breed in clear water and, coolers and other spots in households are generally the place where the breeding is found so people must be made aware about prevention," she said.

Also, water tankers leave behind puddle which are potential ground for breeding, hence, if the piped water supply can be improved, another causing factor can be mitigated.

Over 130 fresh cases of dengue have been reported last week in Delhi, taking the total number of people affected by the vector-borne disease this season to nearly 500 till August 12, according to a municipal report released today.

The number of people affected by malaria this year till August 12, has climbed to 385, while the figure for chikungunya stands at 283.

The city reported 753 cases of swine flu till August 6, while another 175 cases in the national capital were traced to neighbouring states and four deaths due to this disease.

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At least seven women fell ill after undergoing sterilisationsurgery at government health camps in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district, prompting Chief Minister Raman Singh to order a probe into the matter.

Eleven women had underwent surgery at sterilisation camps held in Koni and Lavar villages under Masturi development block on August 2 and 5 respectively, Bilaspur Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) BB Bode said today.

Masturi block is located around 25 kms from Bilaspur headquarter.

Four days after the operation, around seven of them complained of pain and uneasiness following which their examination was done at Masturi community health centre (CHC).

Subsequently, three women Rajni (27), Pushpa (28) and Yashoda were admitted at the CHC and others were discharged, the CMHO said.

Today, a team of doctors led by CMHO went to the villages and visited the house of women who had complained of pain.

The women informed the health team that they had developed pain and infection after the surgery, he said.

Of the seven women, six -Rajni, Pushpa,Islekha (25), Ashwani (24), Rukhmani (25) and Gauri (27) were today shifted to Bilaspur district hospital for a complete medical examination.

After they were found normal, the women were discharged and sent back to their homes, he said.

However, Yashoda was still kept under observation at CHC Masturi after performing another surgery as she had developed infection, the CMHO said, adding, "her condition was also out of danger."



Meanwhile, a senior health official informed that taking serious cognizance of the matter, chief minister Raman Singh has ordered a probe in the matter.

In November 2014, 13 women had died after sterilisation at government family planning camps in the same Bilaspur district.

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Jacksonville, Fla.-based ocean carrier TOTE Inc. says the launch of the proposed new loop is dependent primarily on acquiring two things: newbuild vessels for the trade and a Hawaii marine terminal from which to operate.



Jacksonville, Fla.-based TOTE Inc. intends to establish a new domestic shipping service from the Mainland U.S. to Hawaii, the company confirmed Aug. 17, after weeks of rumors and speculation.

The Hawaii-Mainland trade route is currently serviced by two carriers, Pasha Group and Matson Navigation.

TOTE said the services launch is dependent primarily on acquiring two things: newbuild vessels for the trade and a Hawaii marine terminal from which to operate.

To those ends, TOTE said its currently working with Philly Shipyard to custom build four new containerships. Philly Shipyard first revealed last month that it had signed a letter of intent to build the vessels, but at the time declined to name the client.

Philly Shipyard announced in June that it has already begun construction of the vessels, which are the continuation of the series of two similar 850-foot, 3,600-TEU Aloha Class containerships currently under construction at the shipyard for Matson Navigations Hawaii trade-lane.

TOTE also said the company is conversations to secure the new deepwater Kapalama Container Terminal berthing and container handling facility in Honolulu, which it says would be a critical step in making the new service a reality.

The Kapalama Container Terminal, located on the site of a former military reservation, is designed to consist of a new container facility as well as berthing capacity for two container ships, according to the Hawaii Dept. of Transportation. Its the centerpiece of a $500-plus million Hawaii harbor modernization plan.

TOTE has admitted that construction of the new ships a commitment for terminal space in Honolulu are critical for the new venture to move forward, but said that it believes the vessels will be in service by early 2020 and 2021.

The company, which is based in New Jersey and is a subsidiary of Seattle-based conglomerate Saltchuk, already has quite a bit of experience serving outlying U.S. areas and territories. For over 40 years, it and its operating companies have serviced both Alaska and Puerto Rico. Company President and CEO Anthony Chiarello said TOTEs presence on the Hawaiian islands would provide market stability.

TOTEs commitment is to provide superior service for our customers as well as the communities we serve, ensuring that goods arrive on time week in and week out, he said in a statement. TOTE will bring the same commitment to our Hawaii operations to ensure maritime transportation is industry leading.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called a meeting with executive engineers and senior officials of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on August 22, in the wake of the death of nine sanitation workers.

In three separate incidents within a month, nine people have died while cleaning sewer lines and septic tanks in the national capital.

"The chief minister has called an emergency meeting over (the recent) deaths. The meeting will be held on August 22. All executive engineers and top officials of the DJB have been asked to attend the emergency meeting," a senior government official said.

Earlier this month, the chief minister had announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh and job to a member of the families of the three workers who died while cleaning a sewer pipe in Lajpat Nagar.

The issue of sanitation workers' deaths was also raised in the session of the Delhi Assembly last week, where Water Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam had said that the government was framing new parameters so that there was no such incident in future.

Under new parameters, the responsibility of the officers and contractors concerned will be fixed.

Recently, the DJB's Karamchari Union urged Kejriwal to prevent such incidents by not engaging untrained workers under contractors for cleaning sewage.

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BJP president Amit Shah today said not a single corruption charge has been levelled against the Narendra Modi government in the last three years, in contrast to the previous Congress-led UPA administration which saw "scams amounting to Rs 12 lakh crore".

Praising the NDA government for taking "bold" decisions like demonetisation of high values notes and the GST rollout, he said the BJP-led coalition's governance mantra is development of the people of the country.

"The BJP government believes in development of the people. The Modi government's 60 per cent time (term) is already over, but not a single corruption charge has been levelled against it by the Opposition," Shah said.

The BJP chief, who arrived here today on a three-day visit of Madhya Pradesh, was addressing a meeting of intellectuals here.

The newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP said the Manmohan Singh government's tenure was marred by a string of scams. "The UPA government saw scams amounting to Rs 12 lakh crore," he claimed.

He said the UPA government had "lowered" the status of the prime minister and his office, but the ruling NDA has restored the dignity of the top post.

All UPA ministers used to consider themselves "above the PM", but this has changed under the current dispensation, the BJP chief said.

"The present Prime Minister has restored the glory of the post and is taking decisions that are good for the people," he said.

Praising "bold" decisions like demonetisation and the rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said these steps are good for the people. No other government had the courage to take such hard decisions in the interest of the people.

The BJP is committed to development and the states where it has formed governments have seen fast-paced growth, Shah said and cited the examples of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh which were earlier called 'BIMARU' (laggards).

Referring to Bihar, Shah said when the BJP was in power there in alliance with the JD(U), it had seen progress but the state lagged behind when the saffron outfit was no more part of the ruling alliance.

Now, Bihar will again walk on the path of development, he said, apparently referring to the BJP becoming part of the Nitish Kumar government.

Shah lashed out at the Congress for its "family-oriented" politics and alleged that the party had failed to develop the country in the 67 years.

Praising the BJP, Shah said it was the only party in the country which has been founded on certain principles and was upholding them wherever and whenever in power.

It is the largest party in the world and is committed to development of the last man of the society, he asserted.

Shah praised the Modi government for launching welfare schemes like Jan Dhan (aimed at financial inclusion) and Ujjwala (providing LPG connections to BPL families).

Till now, more than 2.80 crore LPG connections have been released for the beneficiaries under the Ujjwala scheme, the BJP chief said.

Shah contested Congress leader Ajay Singh's claim that the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh received more funds under the UPA government than the NDA regime.

Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, has made the claim in a letter addressed to the BJP.

The NDA government has given over Rs 5 lakh crore to Madhya Pradesh for different schemes, Shah said.

In the last three years, the Modi government has launched 106 schemes for welfare of the poor and other disadvantaged sections of the society, he said.

Earlier, on his arrival here in the morning from New Delhi, the BJP president was accorded a warm welcome at the airport by the party leaders led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Shah later unveiled a statue of Deendayal Upadhyaya, a top Jan Sangh leader and the party's ideologue, near the city's Lal Ghati square.

A large number of BJP workers, many of them sporting saffron turbans, led Shah's entourage to the state party office.

Enroute to the party office, he paid floral tributes to Raja Bhoj, a medieval-era king from the Paramara dynasty, Dalit icon B R Ambedkar and Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

Soon after arrival at the party office, Shah chaired a series of meetings with the party leaders and ministers. He had lunch at the house of state minister Narottam Mishra and interacted informally with senior journalists.

The visit is part of the BJP chief's 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen and expand the party's support base ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is in power for over a decade, are due in end-2018.

Shah also released a book, "Marching with a Billion, Analysing Narendra Modi's Government At Midterm", authored by noted journalist Uday Mahurkar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons today failed to appear before the top anti-graft body, which wanted to interrogate them over money laundering and corruption charges revealed by the Panama Papers.

On July 28, a five-member Supreme Court bench disqualified Sharif from continuing in his office for possessing a work permit at the firm of his son in the UAE.

The court also ordered the NAB to investigate money laundering and other corruption charges against Sharif, his children, son-in-law Safdar and federal finance minister Ishaq Dar, a relative of Sharif, in light of the report of the Joint Investigation Team.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) following a Supreme Court order had issued summons to Sharif and his sons - Hussain and Hasan - to interrogate them at its Lahore office over their offshore properties revealed last year by the Panama Papers leak.

A 10-member NAB team had reached Lahore from Rawalpindi to record the statements of the Sharifs, but they did not turn up before the office closed at 3 pm local time, a NAB official told PTI.

"Sharif and his sons were supposed to join the investigation today here in Lahore office but we are informed by the office of Sharif that he is not coming. No reason has been given to us," the official said.

He said the NAB would issue second summons to them in two weeks.

A leader close to the Sharif family denied receiving any summons. "Nawaz Sharif and his sons had not yet received the NAB summons. Sharif will only decide whether or not to appear before the NAB after receiving the summons," Senator Pervaiz Rashid told PTI.

But another leader of the ruling PML-N party said Sharif has decided not to join the investigation. He said Sharif will join the probe only after the Supreme Court decides his review petition against the court's verdict that disqualified him.

The 67-year-old three-time prime minister has denied any wrongdoing. Last week, Sharif held a defiant roadshow with thousands of supporters from Islamabad to Lahore to project his political strength after the Supreme Court verdict.

One of the three applications Sharif filed in the Supreme Court calls for staying "further implementation of the judgement till a decision on the review petition is taken".

The apex court is likely to take up Sharif's review petition early next month after judges return from vacation.

Sharif has expressed serious concerns on the NAB investigation, saying it was unprecedented for a Supreme Court judge to supervise NAB proceedings against him and his family members to get a "desired result".

"Sharif has also been advised by some of his party members to boycott the NAB investigations. He would not get any relief as it has already been decided to grill him," the PML-N leader said on the condition of anonymity.

The NAB said it will issue second summons to the Sharifs if they do not join the investigation after the first summons.

The third and final summons will be issued next month if there is no compliance even after the second summons, it said.

Sharif, his sons, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Safdar and relatives Ishaq Dar and Tariq Shafi - face several cases, including over the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, the Hill Metal Establishment and Hudabiya Papers Mills.

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Six Vietnamese villagers, including three children, were killed today when a US war-era bomb exploded in a mountainous area along the country's south central coast, state media reported.

Early reports said authorities believe the ordnance detonated after villagers discovered it in their farmland in Khanh Hoa province.

"The initial reason for the blast, which killed six, was that people were cutting open the 105 mm shell", reported VGPNews, the government's online mouthpiece.

Local police refused to comment on the accident, which also left two villagers wounded and tore down a house in Ta Luong village, according to state media.

Since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, more than 42,000 people have been killed and over 62,100 injured by unexploded ordnance dropped by US aircraft, according government figures.

Most of the blasts are triggered by people striking the bombs while farming or trying to salvage the metal casings and explosives from the munitions.

The metal is usually sold for scrap, while the explosives are used by fishermen.

According to the government, half of the 15 million tonnes of bombs dropped by American forces are still embedded in farmland and jungle across Vietnam's central provinces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thai police say they have arrested a South Korean man suspected of involvement in trafficking of Thai women into South Korea's sex industry.

Thailand's Department of Special Investigation said in a statement today that Kim Hyoung-joon was arrested at a Bangkok apartment building.

South Korean authorities in February arrested eight of its nationals in connection with the same operation and charged them with human trafficking. Thai investigators say the arrests led them to issue warrants for Kim, who was arrested Thursday, and a Thai.

The statement says Kim is also being sought by South Korean authorities, who have warrants out for his arrest on multiple charges.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today assured the family of a Pakistani child to give him a visa for his medical treatment in India.

Swaraj's response came after one of the family members of the child requested her to grant a visa to the child, saying the child needs treatment for bone marrow.

"Yes, we will give him visa. @IndiainPakistan," Swaraj said in a tweet.

Earlier, one Lata Sunil said the child needs bone marrow treatment in India and requested Swaraj to give him a visa on medical ground.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Syrian government forces and allied Lebanese militant Hezbollah fighters have captured several Islamic State positions on strategic hilltops along the Syrian-Lebanese border, a military outlet said.

The captures come ahead of an anticipated Lebanese offensive to clear the extremists from their side of the frontier.

Separately, the Russian military today said that its aircraft are supporting a Damascus government offensive against the Islamic State group in a town in central Syria.

The area taken includes several hilltops in the western Qalamoun mountain range on the Syrian side of the border, according to the Central Military Media outlet. The outlet posted video showing forces fighting their way up the hills, under the cover of artillery fire.

This is the second push by the government in the area - in July, Hezbollah and the Syrian army defeated a pocket of al-Qaida-linked fighters nearby.

In Moscow, Russia's Defense Ministry said the Syrian army is finalizing its push to encircle IS militants in the town of Akerbat in Hama province.

Syrian troops have already seized key heights in the area, cutting off avenues of supply for the militants, according to the Russian statement.

The militants have started fleeing the area in small groups, making their way toward Deir el-Zour, the largest city still under IS control, the ministry said. It added that Russian drones are patrolling the area round-the-clock, directing air strikes.

Russia has waged an air campaign in Syria since September 2015, helping Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces gain ground and achieve key victories.

The ministry also announced that Russian representatives signed a deal on Friday with Faylaq al-Rahman, a Syrian rebel group, to join a de-escalation zone agreement for Eastern Ghouta, an eastern Damascus. The deal was signed in Geneva and is to go into force later in the day, the ministry said. Last month, another rebel group in the area, Jaysh al-Islam, joined the de-escalation agreement.

The de-escalation zone in Eastern Ghouta is one of four proposed in a plan approved in May by Russia, Turkey and Iran. The plan includes a cessation of hostilities, a halt to Assad's air force flights over designated areas, and provisions for humanitarian aid access.

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A nine-year-old boy attempted suicide by setting himself afire in Wanaparthy district of Telangana, allegedly after his teacher berated him for not "studying properly", the police said today.

The incident occurred yesterday after the class III student of a government primary school in Serlipally under Srirangapur mandal of the district got a scolding from his teacher.

"After going home, the boy doused himself in kerosene and set himself on fire. The boy was rushed to a local hospital by his family member. Subsequently, he was shifted to a hospital in Hyderabad, as he has suffered 70 per cent burns in the incident," Kothakota Circle Inspector Somnarayan Singh said.

He said the police have registered a case and are verifying the matter.

"The teacher has not been questioned so far as he didn't attend the school today," the officer said.

Meanwhile, the city-based NGO Balala Hakkula Sangham's honorary president Achyuta Rao alleged the boy was badly beaten up by the teacher and took the extreme step because he was "unable to bear the insult".

Issuing a release, Rao demanded the teacher be suspended and arrested immediately.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The following are top stories of the northern region at 1730 hrs:



DEL35 UP-SHAH AKHILESH



Lucknow: Former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav pokes fun at BJP President Amit Shah, says the opposition may well have to leave for Nepal if the party wins its target of 350 plus seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

DES12 DL-WOMAN-LD-MOLESTATION



New Delhi: A security manager of a five-star hotel arrested for allegedly molesting a 33-year-old woman employee and attempting to disrobe her.

DES9 CUSTOMS-GOLD-ARREST



New Delhi: Two men arrested by the customs for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold valuing about Rs 27 lakh at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here.

DES14 UP-GORAKHPUR-VISIT



Gorakhpur (UP): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will be on a visit here tomorrow.

DES17 UP-YOGI-THREAT-ATS



Lucknow: The probe into a phone call received by the Delhi police, in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, handed over to the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

NRG7 JK-BOY-MISSING



Jammu: A teenage boy, who left home in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district in 2015, traced by police to Delhi, where he was working in a hotel.

DES7 UKD-GAS LEAKAGE



Dehradun: Seventeen people, including five children, taken ill after chlorine gas leakage from a cylinder at a water works unit of Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan here, a senior police official says.

DES8 JK-TUNNEL



Jammu: Six labourers injured after a part of an under- construction tunnel of Parnai Hydel Power project collapses in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

DES15 UP-CHILDREN-AKHILESH-CBI



Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav suggests a CBI probe into the children deaths in a Gorakhpur hospital along with all the other ongoing probes to ascertain the reasons leading to the tragedy.

NRG2 DL-IGNOU-DEFENCE



New Delhi: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has so far conferred over 11 lakh certificates to personnel of the Army and the Indian Air Force for completing their courses in different levels.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The probe into a phone call received by the Delhi Police, in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has been handed over to the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

"We have handed over the probe to the ATS. As the call was made using Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP), it could not be traced. We are working on it," Additional Director General of Police (law-and-order) Anand Kumar told reporters in Lucknow.

The Delhi Police went into a tizzy after a duty officer in the police control room received the call on his landline number at 3 pm on Thursday.

According to a senior police officer, "The caller said you have only an hour to save Adityanath and disconnected the call."

The Delhi Police had subsequently said the call turned out to be a hoax.

The Delhi Police's Special Cell is also looking into the matter.
Papua New Guineans tend to characterise an inquiry announcement as usually a way to make a problem or issue fade from public view, to disappear into a type of black hole.

Some of these inquiries were convened and even made it to the final report stage, but typically they took a long time and few if any of their recommendations were ever acted on. Justice was rarely seen to be delivered.

Anyone recall the commissions of inquiry into the Tumbi landslide disaster, misdealings within the Finance Department, the fraudulent Special Agricultural Business Leases or the Rabaul Queen ferry sinking?

WHEN a commission of inquiry is announced in Papua New Guinea, it's often a sign that little will be done about the problem or issue at the heart of it.

Despite this, PNG's prime minister Peter O'Neill is being urged to make good on his promise to hold an inquiry into a suspicious land deal involving two of his ministers.

The Manumanu land deal involved acquisition of land in Central Province for a naval base. PNG's former Minister for Defence Fabian Pok and Minister for State Enterprises William Duma were alleged to have conspired over the acquisition of the land prior to the sale.

It emerged that the state paid a company closely linked with Mr Duma $US14million to purchase the land.

According to Lawrence Stephens (above) of Transparency International PNG, the deal was suspicious.

"We have land in Central Province, a government lease, that was acquired by a company connected to ministers, connected to public officials and people from another region of Papua New Guinea, certainly not from Central Province, Mr Stephens said.

And the land is compulsorily acquired by the state. The very state that just gave the company the land now acquires that land from the company for a payment of something in the order of 43 million kina."

Mr Stephens said that even the prime minister appeared to have been horrified by that deal, "at least publicly". When the deal came to light in March, Peter O'Neill stood down the ministers and announced an inquiry.

Both MPs have now been re-appointed as ministers. But, according to Mr Stephens, no inquiry appeared to have taken place.

"And we're asking the prime minister to remember the promise, remember the people, remember that this has cost a huge amount of money and there are huge questions about it," he said.

He also urged Mr O'Neill to "think about the appropriateness of having people appointed to the ministry over whom hang such huge questions of their integrity".

Mr Stephens hoped law enforcement officers could investigate this deal. However the head of the police National Fraud and Anti-corruption Directorate, Matthew Damaru, said he had effectively been restricted from pursuing high profile fraud cases, after the Police Commissioner Gary Baki created a so-called vetting committee for such cases.

"We (the fraud squad) are practically suppressed. We can't do anything. It (the introduction of vetting) only made our work more difficult," said Mr Damaru.

"I am not sure whether a vetting committee exists. Because we've got a number of cases and we've never got any response."

Mr Duma told parliament in March that there was nothing illegal about the Manumanu deal, and that it had been approved by the National Executive Council (cabinet).

While the cabinet was aware of a naval base relocation, Mr Duma' assertion appeared to be at odds with Mr O'Neill's take on it. The prime minister said that in addition to the main land deal under question was a series of related Defence Department land acquisitions that combined as a large transaction.

"The acquisition of this land has been done in clear violation of the government's decision, and resulted in K78.4 million being paid," Mr O'Neill said in March.

Since then, PNG has had its general election and, as of this month, a new parliament is in place. Mr O'Neill and his People's National Congress party needed the support of Mr Duma and Mr Pok's United Resources Party to form a coalition government.

Mr Duma is back as Minister for State Enterprises. Mr Pok has his hands on the influential Ministry of Petroleum and Energy which Mr Duma stamped his mark on for several years. Meanwhile, questions over the Manumanu deal remain unresolved, at danger of disappearing into the inquiry black hole.

The hole also appears to encompass the reality of PNG government's promised commitment to fighting corruption. A new compilation of data by Dev Policy shows a gap emerging over the last decade between government's budgeted allocations to anti-corruption agencies and the actual spending.

Mr O'Neill has announced he will table legislation to create an Independent Commission Against Corruption in this new parliament. As some PNG commentators have pointed out, the prime minister had ample opportunity to do this in the last five years but didn't.

Transparency International this week paid for newspaper advertisements urging Mr O'Neill to make good on his promise for the Manumanu inquiry, and to stand Mr Duma down again.

The editor of the Post Courier, Todagia Kelola initially knocked back Transparency's submitted ad, because he said it read as if Mr Duma had been found guilty, when that was not the case.

"They amended it and it ran in today's paper on page 6," said Mr Kelola on Thursday.

"The advert stated 'ensure that the Manumanu land deal is fully investigated, keep your promise PM and follow the leadership code'. The entire ad ran except for 'revoke Duma until Manumanu land deal is fully investigated'. I took it off to protect the paper."

Lawrence Stephens indicated that Transparency wasn't much bothered about the newspaper matter. But he recognised that PNG media and social media practitioners increasingly found themselves under pressure as soon as they drew attention to anything hinting at dishonesty in public office.

"I know one blogger for example who was working for an accounting firm. The accounting firm got the word from the government that if that particular blogger kept blogging, then that particular accounting firm would no longer be getting government contracts," said Mr Stephens.

These are just some of the many ways that efforts to expose corruption disappear down the black hole.
: Titan Company Limited today launched the "Design: Impact Awards for Social Change" in collaboration with Tata Trusts with focus on building innovative product designs that resolve social issues.

The awards is a project-based grant that aims to positively impact the underprivileged communities and needs of the society, by encouraging and inspiring bright minds to design for the benefit of the Indian society, the company said.

Open to innovators, Titan aims to identify and mentor product design innovators who would like to upscale their products' reach to a larger community, it said in a release.

The jury for the award includes R A Mashelkar, eminent scientist, Anil Gupta, globally renowned grassroots innovations scholar, Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, V R Mehta, trustee, Sir Dorabji Tata Trusts, Harish Bhat, brand custodian, Tata Sons and Ramji Raghavan, renowned India-based social innovator and entrepreneur and others.

Bhaskar Bhat, managing director, Titan Company Limited, said the company and Tata Trusts aimed to celebrate product design that brings about social change.

"We will jointly use our design experience and social sector connect to help innovators make an impact wherever they are needed the most."



Product design innovators and teams with prototyped and tested products were eligible to apply for the award and grant.

Innovators who finally qualify would be financially supported up to Rs 65 lakh along with advocacy, recognition, and mentorship.

At later stages, grant recipients would also be given the opportunity to apply for seed capital for further funding.

Post the awards, Titan could also consider a multi-year support for some of the chosen grantees as part of its CSR strategy, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A leading conservationist who had worked hard to bring down notorious elephant poachers and stop ivory-trafficking, has been shot dead in Tanzania, his PAMS foundation has said.

"We are heartbroken to share the that PAMS Foundation co-founder, Wayne Lotter was shot and killed last night (Wednesday) in the Masaki District of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," read a statement.

The motive for the killing of the South African was unknown.

British primatologist and renowned environmentalist Jane Goodall described Lotter as her "hero", a man who had faced "stiff opposition and personal threats" in his bid to protect Tanzania's wildlife.

PAMS finances Tanzania's National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit (NTSCIU) which has scored some massive successes in recent years, arresting nearly 900 poachers and illegal ivory traders.

These include Chinese citizen Yang Fenlan known as the "Ivory Queen", who is currently on trial in Tanzania for illegally trafficking 706 elephant tusks between 2000 and 2014.

In March Tanzania's most notorious poacher, Boniface Matthew Maliango, commonly known as 'The Devil' was handed a 12-year prison sentence after his 2015 arrest by the NTSCIU.

"There is no doubt in my mind but that Wayne's anti poaching efforts made a big difference in the fight to save Tanzania's elephants from the illegal ivory trade," said Goodall.

Tanzania has been one of the worst hit by elephant poaching, losing over 66,000 elephants in the last decade, however PAMS believes there has been a "dramatic reduction" in such poaching since November 2014.

"Wayne passionately believed in the importance of involving local communities in the protection of wildlife, and through his work with PAMS he helped train hundreds of village game scouts in many parts of the country," said Goodall.

"As a result he gained the support of many of the local people, but inevitably faced strong opposition from dealers and many high level government officials."



Tanzanian police have launched an investigation into his death.

"If this cowardly shooting was an attempt to bring the work of the PAMS Foundation to an end it will fail," said Goodall.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A powerful Republican Senator has questioned the competency of Donald Trump saying that he has not demonstrated the "stability" or "competence" necessary to effectively lead the country, days after the president made controversial comments about the racist violence in Virginia.

Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he fears the nation will be in peril unless Trump makes radical changes at the White House.

"The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful," Corker told reporters after a townhall in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Corker's remains gains significance given that once he was considered for vice presidential position by Trump and also for that of the secretary of state after his elections.

As a chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Tennessee plays a key role in shaping US' foreign policy.

"We should hope that (Trump) aspires that he does some self-reflection, that he does what is necessary to demonstrate stability, to demonstrate competence, to demonstrate that he understands the character of our nation and works daily to bring out the best of the people in our nation," Corker said.

Democratic Congressman Anthony G Brown said that Trump is unfit for office.

"Donald Trump is unfit for office. His despicable actions this week have confirmed that he lacks the moral fortitude to be the leader of the free world and simply cannot be trusted to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution against all threats, foreign and domestic. I will vote in favour of censure, and call on Congressional Republicans to take meaningful action to rein in this Administration," he said.

Brown said that Trump's response to the savage actions of white supremacists and extremists in Charlottesville and his convoluted and distorted rationalisation of the murder of Heather Heyer, is "shameful and unbecoming of the president of the US".

"He lacks a basic understanding of and appreciation for our nation's values, as well as of the history of the struggles and sacrifices that have been made by generations of Americans to perfect our imperfect nation," he said.

Trump, just completing seven months in the White House, is under fire for his response to Saturday's clashes between far-right and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which he blamed "both sides" for the violence.

The rally was in protest at the removal of a statue of Robert E Lee, a general who fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the US Civil War.

In a related development, Congressman Steve Cohen, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, announced that he will be introducing articles of impeachment against President Trump following his controversial comments about the racist violence in Virginia.

"I have expressed great concerns about President Trump's ability to lead our country in the Resolution of No Confidence that I introduced in July with 29 of my colleagues; however, after the president's comments on Saturday and again on Tuesday in response to the horrific events in Charlottesville, I believe the president should be impeached and removed from office," Cohen said.

"Instead of unequivocally condemning hateful actions by neo-Nazis, white nationalists and Klansmen following a national tragedy, the president said there were very fine people on both sides. There are no good Nazis. There are no good Klansmen," he said in a statement.

Cohen is the third Democratic lawmaker to file articles of impeachment against Trump. The other two being Al Green and Brad Sherman.

Meanwhile Tony Schwartz, co-author of the 1987 bestselling 'Art of the Deal' predicted that Trump will soon resign from presidency.

"The circle is closing at blinding speed. Trump is going to resign and declare victory before Mueller and congress leave him no choice," he said in a tweet.

"Trump must be isolated. Resistance every day. The end is near but must keep pressure high," tweeted Schwartz, who had made similar prediction in May during controversy over firing of FBI Director Robert Mueller.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump has strongly condemned the terror attack in Spain and extended the US' help to the country.

A van driver yesterday ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight, killing at least 13 people.

"The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!" Trump said in a tweet yesterday.

In another tweet, he referred to an American general for taking tough attitude towards terrorists.

"Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more radical Islamic terror for 35 years!"



US Vice President Mike Pence described this as a tragic day and warned the perpetrators of the terrorist attack.

The attack was claimed by the Islamic State terror group.

"This latest attack, the worst terror attack on Spanish soil since the 2004 Madrid train bombings, shows us again that radical Islamic terrorism is one of the greatest threats that we face in the world ... Whoever is responsible should know that the US, together with our allies, will find and punish those responsible, and drive the evil of radical Islamic terror from the face of the earth," he said.

Pence said this at a joint press conference with the president of Panama where he is travelling now.

"This is a tragic day, and the latest scenes of carnage and mayhem sicken us all...People in Barcelona should know, our prayers and the prayers of all of the American people, are with the victims and their families, and all the good people of Spain," he said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the US is monitoring the situation and the country is ready to assist law enforcement and national security authorities in Spain.

"Our consulates in Barcelona and our entire Mission Spain team are currently assisting Americans in Spain who are affected by these events. We ask US citizens in the area to let your loved ones know you are safe. Terrorists around the world should know the United States and our allies are resolved to find you and bring you to justice," he said.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said all Americans are horrified and saddened by the of the vicious terror attack in Barcelona.

"Terrorists will not break our strength or our spirit. While we wait for further news, may the people of Barcelona know that the United States stands in solidarity with them at this dark hour.The US will continue to fight shoulder-to- shoulder with Spain against the vile scourge of terror," she said.

It is horrific to again see graphic images of innocent victims hit by a car that was driven by hate, Senator Dianne Feinstein said.

"This attack is yet another reminder that we must do more to combat all forms of extremism. Terrorists need to be identified and stopped before they are able to commit an attack," she said.

Condemning the attack, Congressman Eliot Engel, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said: "In the days ahead, the United States will stand with our ally as authorities investigate what happened and work to bring all those responsible to justice."



"The brutal and cowardly attack on innocent people at Las Ramblas is a reminder that we are all obligated to stand against violence and hatred wherever it lives," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

"The perpetrators of this heinous attack must be brought to justice, and we will not rest until the purveyors of hate and terror around the world are defeated," said the House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer.

Two suspects of the deadly attack, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, have been arrested but the driver is still on the run.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Vice President Mike Pence today compared his boss Donald Trump to historic leader Theodore Roosevelt, talking him up as criticism of the president mounts at home and abroad.

Pence spoke as he visited the recently expanded Panama Canal, whose construction was overseen by Roosevelt prior to its opening in 1914.

"In President Donald Trump, the United States again has a president whose vision, energy, and can-do spirit is reminiscent of President Teddy Roosevelt," Pence said.

"Then, as now, we have a builder of boundless optimism, who seeks to usher in a new era of shared prosperity."



Trump faced a political firestorm this week after he seemed to draw a moral equivalence between white supremacists who marched in Virginia and counter-protesters denouncing racism.

Even senior members of his own Republican Party lashed out at Trump for those comments.

One woman died and another 19 were injured when a suspected neo-Nazi supporter drove his car into a crowd in the university town of Charlottesville last Saturday.

Pence was wrapping up a tour of Latin American countries to boost trade ties and rally them over the crisis in Venezuela.

He cut short his stop in Panama by a day in order to get to Camp David for security talks on Afghanistan on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United States is prepared to use force against North Korea in the event of a missile launch towards Japan, Guam or South Korea, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said today.

Notably, the statement comes a day after US President Donald Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon said there was no military solution to the threat posed by North Korea and its nuclear ambitions, despite the president's recent pledge to answer further aggression with "fire and fury."



Speaking at a conference jointly addressed by US Defence Secretary James Mattis, Japanese Foreign minister Taro Kono and Defence minister Itsunori Onodera, Tillerson said the country was prepared to meet "any eventuality" from the North Koreans, and sought to make it clear that use of the force was not the "preferred pathway" of the US.

"We are prepared, we are prepared militarily, we are prepared with our allies to respond, if that is necessary. That (military) is not our preferred pathway. That's been made clear as well," he said.

Defence Secretary Mattis said that the US would take immediate specific actions in the event of a missile launch towards US or its allies.

"In the event of a missile launch towards the territory of Japan, Guam, the United States, Korea (South Korea), we would take immediate specific actions to take it down," Mattis said.

Responding to a question after the 'two-plus-two' US- Japan talks, Japanese Defence minister Onodera said that in the event there is an attack on Japan, they will use assets available to them for the missile defence.

"But should different circumstances occur, then we will solidify the relation that we have with the US with close communication. We will defend the country, and that is what we discussed today," he said.

Tillerson said the North Korean regime should engage in diplomatic talks to bring better results, unlike in the past.

"So, our effort is to cause them (North Korean regime) to want to engage in talks, but engage in talks with an understanding that these talks will lead to a different conclusion than talks of the past. We will continue that effort diplomatically, first and foremost," he said.

But, knowing that North Korea sits with a significant capability already within their grasp, I think it is only prudent that they fully understand the consequences, should they make a bad choice for themselves. And, obviously, there are consequences for others as well," Tillerson added.

According to Onodera, North Korea has plans to launch ballistic missiles to the waters close to Guam. It is also advancing on their efforts to launch ICBM-class ballistic missiles, miniaturising nuclear weapons to warheads.

"So for this threat of North Korea, at this meeting we agreed to increase the pressure and to strengthen the alliance's capability. The four of us confirmed the importance of the unwavering US commitment to extend the deterrence," he said.

Observing that Japan and South Korea are on the front line against the North Korean threat, Mattis said the US recognises that any confrontation with North Korea would pose an immediate danger to its allies and their populations.

"The US-Japan ministerial meeting is a reminder that each nation gains security in concert with other nations. The international community is speaking with one voice. North Korea must stop its dangerous actions as we work to maintain security and denuclearise the Korean peninsula," he said.

"We are accelerating implementation of the 2015 guidelines for US-Japan defence cooperation and continuing to realign US forces in Japan and Guam. Our militaries are also cooperating in new ways. This includes our emerging cooperation in areas such as space and cyberspace, as well as ballistic missile defence and maritime security," Mattis said.

"Together, we will deter and if necessary defeat any threat. Any initiation of hostilities will be met with an effective and overwhelming response. Our two nations will demonstrate the strength of our alliance by continuing those bilateral activities and by enhancing cooperation with the Republic of Korea." he said.

Mattis said that the path of provocations and threats chosen by North Korea was not in the best interests of any nation.

"We call on North Korea to choose a better path than one of provocations and threats. Such a path is not in its own best interests nor in the best interests of any other nation," the Defence Secretary said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vietnam has been battling raging dengue fever outbreaks with more than 10,000 new infections reported over the past week stretching its medical system.

The number of admitted patients represents a 42-percent increase over the same period last year along with seven more deaths, the Ministry of Health said Friday. A total of 90,626 people have been infected, of whom 76,848 are hospitalised and 24 have died.

The ministry attributed the rise of dengue outbreaks to higher temperature, more rains and rapid urbanization that promote the breeding of virus-carrying mosquitoes.

Dr. Vu Minh Dien of the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, where the most severe cases were being treated, said that 800-1,000 people have been checking in daily complaining of fever. That compares to only several cases that reported to the hospital in June and July last year, he said.

Dien said some 300 dengue patients were being treated, stretching the hospital's resources, including longer working hours without weekend leaves.

Tran Thi Xuyen, a fruit and vegetable seller in a small market in Son La province, said she did not know how she contracted dengue fever, which also infected her fellow saleswoman.

"I took anti-biotics prescribed by the local district hospital for four days, but the fever did not go away and I admitted myself to this hospital where doctors said I had dengue fever," she said from her hospital bed.

There is no cure for any of the four strains of the mosquito-borne virus that causes high fever, exhaustion and in some cases a vicious skin rash. Patients most at risk of dying are the elderly, children or those with other medical complications.

Hanoi and the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City are the hardest hit.

The government yesterday urged residents to actively engage in killing mosquitoes and mosquito larvae, particularly at construction sites and housing for workers.

"The joint efforts by the people as well as our political system in searching and eliminating mosquito larvae, emptying water containers, which are fertile for larvae to breed, and spraying chemicals to kill mosquitoes are key factors to curb dengue fever," Dien said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Friday passed the West Bengal Panchayat (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which empowers a gram panchayat to grant permission for construction of any building within its jurisdiction and levy fees on registration for running trade of any nature.

The bill seeks to empower a gram panchayat to grant permission for erection of any building or any addition to any structure within its jurisdiction up to the plinth area of 150 sq metres and height of 6.5 metres and also charge fees for permission at the approved rate.

It also empowers that a panchayat Samiti may grant permission for construction of any structure with an area of more than 150 sq metres and up to 300 sq metres and height up to 6.5 metres in its area where there is no development authority and also charge fees for permission at approved rate.

The amendment of the Bill also empowers a Zilla Parishad to grant permission for the erection of a building with an area of more than 300 sq metres and height up to 15 metres.

It also empowers the Zilla Parishad to examine the building plan of a structure with a height of more than 15 metres, examined by the state government in the panchayat and rural development department for granting permission.

It was learnt that the panchayat and rural development department will place the building or site plan before a building committee which will be constituted by the state government for consideration and making a recommendation for vetting.
Lt Governor Kiran Bedi today called upon the youth to acquaint themselves with what is happening around the world and they should listen to the bulletins of AIR or Doordarshan.

Administering the pledge (Sankalp Parva: Sankalp Se Siddhi) to all those present at a function organised by the Regional Centre (Chennai) of Song and Drama Division of Union Information and Broadcasting Ministryin association with the Pondicherry University here, she said the youth should dedicate themselves to ensuring 'Clean , Corruption-free and Communalisim-free India'.

Leading artistes presented programmes highlighting the spirit of patriotism in different languages and different cultural features of the nation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By David Lawder and Anthony Esposito

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Auto industry groups from Canada, Mexico and the United States are pushing back against the Trump administration's demand for higher U.S. automotive content in a modernized North American Free Trade Agreement.

At talks underway this week in Washington, automaker and parts groups from all three countries were urging negotiators against tighter rules of origin, said Eduardo Solis, president of the Mexican Automotive Industry Association.

But U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer confirmed the industry's fears that the administration of President Donald Trump was seeking major changes to these rules to try to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico.

"Rules of origin, particularly on autos and auto parts, must require higher NAFTA content and substantial U.S. content. Country of origin should be verified, not 'deemed,'" Lighthizer said on Wednesday in opening remarks.

Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland both said they were not in favour of specific national rules of origin within NAFTA - a position that the industry agrees with.

"We certainly think a U.S.-specific requirement would greatly complicate the ability of companies, particularly small- and medium-size enterprises, to take advantage of the benefits of NAFTA," said Matt Blunt, president of the American Automotive Policy Council. The trade group represents Detroit automakers General Motors Co Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles .

His comments were echoed by Flavio Volpe, president of Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association.

"Anytime you say this list or a part of this list has to come from one specific country you're going to hurt all three countries," he said.

The United States had an autos and auto parts trade deficits of $74 billion with Mexico and $5.6 billion with Canada, both major components of overall U.S. goods trade deficits with its North American neighbours -- deficits that Lighthizer said could no longer continue.

Lighthizer's mention of tightening verification requirements is a reference to expanding the parts tracing list, which is used to determine whether companies meet the 62.5 percent North American content requirement for autos and 60 percent for components.

Devised in the early 1990s, the tracing list covers almost none of the sophisticated electronics found in today's cars and trucks, most of which come from Asia. Putting these on the tracing list could force suppliers to source these components from North America or pay tariffs on them.

Volpe said any changes to this must also capture the North American system design work and software content for these components that is not currently included.

"A car today probably has 25 to 30 percent advanced electronics, software content in it. In 1994, it had zero or 1 percent," Volpe said. "Could you address the tracing to help you get to NAFTA compliance level by capturing some of the work that's being done in Silicon Valley or Waterloo, Canada? Yes."

John Bozzella CEO of the Association of Global Automakers, which represents international-brand carmakers, said NAFTA has allowed a major expansion of auto exports, with more than 1 million more vehicles built annually in the United States than in 1993.

"Negotiators should be mindful of this success as they work to modernize the agreement," Bozzella said, whose organization represents international brand carmakers with U.S. plants, including Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T>, Honda Motor Co Ltd <7267.T> and BMW .

(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Supt Kakas said the two tribes had agreed to stop fighting and accepted conditions of a preventative order which restrained them from further violence.

Provincial Police Commander Supt George Kakas said the Kii and Kala tribes had wrongly allowed former opposition leader Don Polye and civil aviation minister and member for Kandep Alfred Manasseh to exploit them to stage three weeks of killing and destruction.

The post-election warfare officially ceased Wednesday under a heavy police and army presence. More than 30 people died in the violence, including four this week.

WABAG - At last town residents, business houses and the general public are resuming normal life, or so we are assured by the authorities.

Leaders named in the preventative order documents will be arrested, Supt Kakas warned, adding that police and army personnel will remain in Wabag until normalcy returns to the small town.

He said the guerrilla-style tribal war claimed very many lives and caused property destruction valued at millions of kina.

Sophisticated modern assault weapons like M16s and Russian-made AK47s were used in the fighting which raged on the edge of Wabag town after Kandep returning officer Ben Besawe and other election officials were shot at on Saturday 22 July.

In an unrelated incident, a Bangladeshi businessman died in a fire which added to the confusion. Four other Bangladeshi men escaped the blaze which had started from a faulty gas stove.

Of the many election-related killings, two were mobile squad police officers based in Mt Hagen. A third officer remains in critical condition at a hospital in Port Moresby.

Three babies died in incubators and a fourth was stillborn after the mother fled Wabag General Hospital when it was attacked after Governor Peter Ipatas was declared winner of the regional seat.

The hospital suffered much destruction and is still closed but is expected to re-open next week. Two patients, now in the care of relatives, were Kandep assistant returning officer George Marke (pictured) and Tawale Kondal who had been attacked on the first day of fighting.

Last Monday afternoon, a Grade 11 student from Kopen Secondary School was killed in Wabag as looters tried to destroy an Asian shop. He had arrived from Sirunki with his mother to withdraw from studies but was caught in the melee.

Supt Kakas said a post-mortem will be conducted to determine if police-issued firearms had been used to shoot the student.

He said the students parents claimed a policeman had shot him and this will be determined after proper investigations and ballistics tests.

Supt Kakas said Mr Polyes supporters said they were forced to fight after it was alleged seven boxes of ballot papers expected to favour Mr Polye had been set aside.

It is understood a directive from electoral commissioner Patiliu Gamato had been sent to returning officers to count all boxes so results could be disputed in court.

Supt Kakas said he had advised Mr Polyes supporters to go home and said the former Opposition leader should apply to the Court of Disputed Returns to settle outstanding matters.

I told them if they kept on fighting more deaths and destruction would occur and nobody would achieve anything, he said.

He said he would keep the seven ballot boxes in a safe location until a decision was made by the court.

Photos

Provincial Police Commander Supt George Kakas warned that leaders named on the preventive order documents will be arrested if people continue to harbour political supporters of Don Polye and Alfred Manasseh.

Assistant Returning Officer George Marke nursing gunshot wound the day before Wabag General Hospital was attacked. Relatives evacuated him to another hospital.

Pisara Pambai, one of several local community leaders from Wabag, who organised a demonstration expressing peoples concerns at the lack of interest shown by the government in stopping warfare in which more than 30 people were killed and millions of kina worth property destroyed.



Led by Sakalis Youth carrying placards reading, Where is Government?, local Apiap men and women march to Wabag police station to join other local demonstrators calling for government intervention to stop the fighting.

Engas three-storey provincial headquarters building was very near the centre of fighting. Smoke from burning property belonging to Kala tribesmen can be seen billowing into a clear sky.
By Josephine Mason and Ana Mano

BEIJING/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - China on Friday launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of Brazilian broiler chickens after a complaint from the domestic industry that the South American country has been selling its chicken below market value.

Brazil accounted for more than 50 percent of broiler product supplies to China, the world's No. 2 poultry consumer, between 2013 and 2016, according to a preliminary review, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement.

Any move to penalize imports, which are worth more than $1 billion a year, would be a major blow to Brazil's meat industry following a food safety scandal that threatened to tarnish the country's powerhouse protein industry.

ABPA, a group representing Brazilian chicken producers and exporters, denied they sell products below market prices, association president Francisco Turra told on Friday.

"We are very competitive and it is hard for the Chinese producer to understand," Turra said, reflecting on the surge of imports since the Chinese market opened to Brazilian poultry in 2009. "Such complaints are normal and we can defend ourselves."

Brazil faced similar claims from South Africa and Ukraine and won the cases, he said. Brazilian government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Shares of Brazil's BRF SA, the world's largest chicken exporter, fell 1 percent on Friday as the benchmark Bovespa stock index gained 0.2 percent.

A BRF representative declined to comment.

Brazil replaced the United States as the top chicken supplier after China slapped anti-dumping duties on U.S. broiler chicken products in 2010.

China is the biggest national consumer of Brazilian meat.

China relies on imports for its supply of white feather broiler chickens, which are favoured by fast-food chains like KFC and McDonalds for their more rapid development and plumper meat. Yellow-feathered birds, which are native to China, are generally sold at retail.

The investigation comes just months after Beijing slapped hefty penalties on sugar imports from top growers such as Brazil and Thailand after lobbying by domestic mills.

In 2016, Brazil accounted for 85 percent of China's frozen chicken imports - almost 600,000 tonnes valued at as much as $1.23 billion, according to customs data.

The push by China's domestic industry for an anti-dumping probe came as poultry farmers and processors recover from the nation's worst outbreak of bird flu in years and struggle with falling demand.

"This is good for the domestic chicken market," said a chicken farmer in northern China who gave his surname as Tan.

"The chicken market has been not so good since the second half of last year. Brazil is selling a lot to China at a cheap price while China has ample supplies itself."

In 2017, demand and output are expected to hit their lowest since 2006, according to U.S. government estimates. Domestic supplies are being hurt by low availability of grandparent breeder stock needed to produce more meat.

Worries about the deadly virus hurt demand for chicken meat and sent some regional prices to more than decade old lows in February.

Live broiler chicken prices in Shandong province, one of the nation's major producing areas, have since more than doubled, and were around 7.7 yuan ($1.15) on Friday, as the crisis passed and concerns about infection eased.

Import prices from Brazil have remained low in comparison, making it hard for the local industry to compete, analysts said.

Still, any curb on foreign supplies would likely boost domestic prices further, potentially denting demand for chicken as a cheap alternative to pork, the nation's favourite meat.

Broiler chicken sells for 14 yuan ($2.10) per kg, according to government data, almost one-third less than pork and more than 70 percent cheaper than beef and lamb.

($1 = 6.6765 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Josephine Mason in Beijing and Ana Mano in Sao Paulo; Additional reporting by Hallie Gu in Beijing; Editing by Richard Pullin and Jeffrey Benkoe)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Sijia Jiang

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese personal computer maker Lenovo Group Ltd warned of higher costs and margin pressure due to shortages of components like memory chips, as it posted its first quarterly loss in almost two years on Friday.

Lenovo, which gave up its title as the world's largest PC maker to HP Inc in the quarter through June, lost $72 million compared with a profit of $173 million for the same period last year.

It was the company's first quarterly loss since September 2015 and lagged analysts' average forecast of a $5.29 million profit, sending the stock down as much as 5 percent to a year-low of HK$4.52 during Friday morning trade.

The outlook for the rest of the year was challenging as component shortages would dive costs higher, possibly forcing the company to raise its selling price to protect margins, executives said.

"Most of the component cost is stabilising except memory ... and the price is still going up," Lenovo Chief Operating Officer Gianfranco Lanci said on an earnings call.

Memory prices rises would continue "at least until the end of the year", albeit at a slower rate than the past two quarters, he said, a product of exploding global demand for semiconductors.

Auto industry demand was also pushing up the price of batteries, he said.

While personal computer makers around the world are struggling as consumers switch to mobile devices, Lenovo's core PC business is declining more rapidly than many of its competitors'.

Lenovo posted a 6 percent decline in PC shipments in the quarter, compared with a 3 percent fall globally. Its PC revenue was flat at $7 billion.

"Overall, it will be very challenging for them to improve their PC performance in the short-term with the component price rise that's here to stay," said analyst Mo Jia, of industry consultancy Canalys.

MARGINS AND MOBILE

Despite the challenging outlook, Chairman and Chief Executive Yang Yuanqing was upbeat about the prospects for margins and the struggling mobile business.

He pointed to a $110 million sequential improvement in operational pretax income, which he attributed to improvement in the mobile and data centre businesses.

"Not only did this gave me more confidence we will turn around our mobile business in the second half of FY2018, I think the entire Lenovo is entering a new phase of growth," he said.

Lenovo has struggled with mobile since acquiring Motorola in 2015, and as Chinese rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi leapt to global prominence.

Losses from its mobile business narrowed and revenue rose 2 percent to $1.75 billion in the quarter. It was the only unit to post a rise in revenue, although it still accounted for just 17 percent of the total. Total revenue was flat at $10 billion.

To protect margins, Yang said Lenovo would focus more on fast-growing premium products such as PCs tailored for gaming and millennials.

It had dropped low-margin deals such as that with Google's Chromebook, and would raise selling prices if component costs continued to climb.

Lenovo's data centre business group recorded an operational loss of $114 million, versus a loss of $31 million a year ago. Despite a 11 percent drop in revenue, Yang said he expected the group to turn profitable in two years.

(Reporting by Sijia Jiang; Editing by Stephen Coates)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The company's shares rose nearly 6 percent in trading after the bell on Thursday.

Gap's same-store sales increased 1 percent in the three months ended July 29, rising for the third straight quarter. Analysts were expecting sales to be flat year-over-year, according to research firm Consensus Metrix.

The results mirror a trend among U.S. retailers: department stores such as Macy's Inc and J.C. Penney Co Inc have struggled, while apparel retailers like Ralph Lauren Corp and Urban Outfitters have benefited as they better managed inventory and gave fewer discounts.

Since becoming Gap's chief executive in 2015, Art Peck has reinvigorated the Old Navy brand, its biggest revenue contributor, through celebrity tie-ups, social media campaigns and better styles - dresses, pants, mid-tops and shorts did well in the latest quarter.

Same-store sales at Old Navy rose 5 percent, beating analysts' estimate of 3.1 percent. Old Navy's sales have now risen in seven of the past ten quarters, a bright spot for the company as its Gap and Banana Republic brands struggle.

Peck has also focussed on Gap's supply chain, taking a leaf out of the book of fast-fashion retailers such as Zara and H&M, by reducing the time taken to bring latest fashion from the ramp to stores.

Peck on Thursday held up the swift turnaround time at Athleta, its active wear brand, as an example of initiatives that have driven double-digit growth in the brand this year.

"Athleta now has more than half of its bottoms business on responsive. And by responsive, I mean back in the styles in 8 weeks or less," Peck said in a post-earnings call.

The Gap brand recorded its smallest drop in same-store sales the past 10 quarters, but Banana Republic's sales fell more than expected.

The company's total revenue fell 1.4 percent to $3.799 billion, edging past analysts' estimate of $3.77 billion, according to Thomson I/B/E/S.

Gap's net income more than doubled to $271 million, helped by an insurance-related gain and year-ago restructuring costs.

Excluding the insurance-related gain, Gap's profit of 58 cents per share easily beat analysts' estimate of 52 cents.

Gap raised its adjusted profit forecast for fiscal 2017 to $2.02 to $2.10 per share from $1.95 to $2.05.

(Reporting by Gayathree Ganesan in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)

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Sikka resigned as chief executive and managing director of Infosys with immediate effect and the country's no.2 IT services company named U.B. Pravin Rao as his interim replacement.

Infosys shares fell as much 9.4 percent to their lowest since June 28, on way to their steepest intraday percentage loss since April 2013.

Sentiment was also hit as Asian shares joined a global retreat from riskier assets on rising doubts about U.S. President Donald Trump's ability to deliver his economic agenda.

But Indian indexes were still headed for their sixth weekly gain in seven, though they remain below the record highs hit on Aug. 2.

"There is some dip because of Infosys. Market is under pressure, the uptrend which was there since December is under pressure," said Anupam Singhi, chief operations officer, Marketsmith India, part of William O'Neil India.

The broader NSE Nifty was down 0.74 percent at 9,830.40 as of 0636 GMT, but was up 1.3 percent for the week.

The benchmark BSE Sensex was 0.88 percent lower at 31,513.91, but was up 1 percent for the week.

Drug makers, which have significant exports to the United States, also dropped, with the Nifty Pharma index falling as much as 1.7 percent.

But Infosys' rivals gained, with Tech Mahindra and Tata Consultancy Services rising over 2.5 percent each.

Bank shares were also big drag on the indexes.

(Reporting by Tanvi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

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After shaking the Indian telecom industry with the launch of Jio, billionaire Mukesh Ambani plans a massive expansion in rural and semi-urban markets for achieving the 30 per cent growth annually over the next 10 years. The expansion is expected to take up Reliance Retail revenue to Rs 4.65 lakh crore by 2027 and it will be 40 per cent higher than the consolidated revenue of entire Reliance Industries (RIL) in the last financial year.

Reliance Retail, which completed 10 years of full-fledged operation, has recorded a revenue of Rs 33,765 crore in the last financial year, a 60 per cent growth compared to the previous year. It has already crossed the Future Group in the revenue, which was around Rs 26,400 crore in the last financial year. Avenue Supermarts, which operates the DMart retail chain, had a revenue of 12,000 crore. Reliance Retail had an EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) of Rs 1,203 crore in the last financial year. If it grows in the same rate in the next 10 years, the company will be able to generate an EBIT of Rs 16,500 crore, say market analysts.

Ambani said in the last AGM that Reliance Retail was a business with significant growth possibilities. "I have set our leadership a target of 30 per cent growth each year over the next decade," he added. Though the company launched its first store in Uttar Pradesh in 2006, it had faced problems from the political parties and had to soft peddle the launches in other cities. It regained momentum and started opening stores in the next financial year, completing a decade of operation in the last financial year. In this context, the company has drawn up the plan for the next decade at a 30 per cent growth each year.



At the end of first quarter, the retailer has 3,634 stores across India with 13.8 million sq ft retail space. The company has got 4 million customers every week in 703 cities. It has 30 million customers under the loyalty programme. The company has 5 lakh distribution partners for communication devices, especially for the LYF phones, which launched to support the Jio business.

The cash and carry retail under Reliance Market, which started in 2011, has expanded to 37 cities with over 40 stores and serving over 2.5 million registered members, including kiranas, HORECA and other institutions. The super market chain Reliance Smart--- which was till last year classified separately as super and hyper marts--- operates 77 stores in 54 cities. Neighbourhood food and groceries chain Reliance Fresh has 500 stores across 80 cities and sells over 200 tonnes of fruits and over 300 tonnes of Vegetables every day, the company claims.

Reliance Retail's omni-channel offering and the online journey began nearly two years ago with www.reliancefreshdirect.com. Initially it was rolled out exclusively for employees at the company's RCP campus in Navi Mumbai. Subsequently it was enhanced to consumers in Navi Mumbai and Mumbai. Last year, the portal had been renamed as www.reliancesmart.in and expanded to Pune and Bangaluru. Reliance Retail is also the order fulfilment partner for food and groceries in 14 cities for e-tailer Grofers India, which operates mobile and web-based platform Grofers. The online business of Reliance Retail will be expanded to more cities in the coming days, say sources.


So the denouement widely expected has finally happened. Vishal Sikka who joined Infosys in April 2014 has finally quit. For most observers of the company, it was never a question of 'if' he will, it was 'when' he would.

Business Today wrote about the ongoing cold war between Sikka and the promoters of the company. Even last month I wrote about an uneasy truce and wondered how long this was likely to last.

From Sikka's letter of resignation, it is clear that he couldn't take the campaign of calumny and character assassination anymore. But before that it is important to note the scale and nature of odds he faced.

The $3.5 trillion global IT services industry is undergoing a seismic shift. Traditional models which served the USD158 billion a year in revenue Indian IT industry well in the past like 'lift and shift' and 'labour arbitrage' have been upended.

Infosys which for a long time was the poster boy of the Indian IT services industry was struggling when Sikka was given the task of transforming the company.



READ ALSO: Vishal Sikka's resignation wipes out over Rs 17,000 crore from Infosys market capitalisation

Sikka was the first non-promoter CEO of the company in its history. He was also an outsider to the traditional IT services market having made a name for himself building products at enterprise software major SAP. In his resignation letter Sikka points out why he took the job in the first place. "I came here to help navigate the company through what I saw as a massive transformation opportunity, to transform our company and restore strong profitable growth, as well as help transform the business of our customers. I came to do this with the power of technology, given my experiences with similar transformations, my background in AI, and the structural changes that I saw happening in the IT services industry. This needed new skills, new thinking, new initiatives, and a transformation in the culture, from a cost-oriented value delivery, to entrepreneurship oriented value delivery. This type of a transformation has always been a passion for me, indeed I took this job for this reason." READ ALSO: No intention to invite Narayana Murthy to play a formal role, says Infy Board

His task was more complicated due to unforeseen additional challenges like the emergence of a nativist and protectionist Trump regime in USA, the biggest market for Infosys and Indian IT. UK the second largest market also saw rising tide of anti-outsourcing sentiments.

He allude to them in his letter. "No one anticipated the additional headwinds like the geo-political disruptions (Brexit, Trump, visa etc.) that made this transformation even more challenging, but also rewarding."

What nobody anticipated was just a few quarters into Sikka's reign that his relationship with the man who helped to hire him at Infosys would decisively sour. N R Narayana Murthy was no mere Chairman Emeritus (a position which he later quit). His shadow fell larger than his shareholding did. Promoters collectively own about 12% of the company. But such was Murthy's shadow that Sikka could never outgrow it.

From the rigid conservativeness of the past, Sikka tried to make a few bold moves by making acquisitions which would help transform the company to the new cloud and digital era. That proved to be a mistake. Anonymous complaints about kickbacks in the price paid and alleged extravagance in spending lead to a clamour from some of the promoters for investigations. Even as the external investigators handed him a clean chit, continuous leaks on alleged unhappiness of former promoters as well as some senior former employees regularly taking potshots at the new regime, lead to the current fallout.



As Sikka himself wrote in his resignation letter:

"Over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks. Allegations that have been repeatedly proven false and baseless by multiple, independent investigations. But despite this, the attacks continue, and worse still, amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation. This continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity over the last several months/quarters, inhibits our ability to make positive change and stay focused on value creation. Addressing the noise by itself is damaging; hundreds of hours of my own time has gone into this recently. But the structural challenges this engenders within the organization, has a very damaging effect on our ability to carry out any kind of a transformation, especially one that is as fundamental as transforming from a cost-oriented to an innovation-oriented value delivery to clients."

This particular sentence "amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation" is an indication he did not receive the kind of backing he expected from the promoters and possibly the board.

While the company searches for a new CEO it has to take a call on what role the erstwhile promoters who still wield a disproportionate influence (at least compared to their shareholding) will have. Will a respected industry professional be willing to take a role if he is likely to be second guessed?

These are challenges the company needs to address. Vishal though seems to have decided he was 'Sicka about all the mud-flinging' going on.


After months of trouble between the founders and the management at IT major Infosys, CEO Vishal Sikka today submitted his resignation. Sikka's decision to move on comes days after Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy took another dig at Sikka, suggesting he was not a 'CEO material'.

"All that I hear from at least three independent directors, including Mr Ravi Venkatesan (co-chairman), are complaints about Dr Sikka. They have told me umpteen times that Dr Sikka is not a CEO material but CTO material," N.R. Narayana Murthy allegedly wrote in an email to his advisers, according to Mint.

In his resignation letter , Sikka has directly addressed the rift between the founders and the management, but hasn't named Narayana Murthy or any other founder member who have been critical of him.

But, if you read between the lines, the letter makes a scathing attack on the founders. Sikka begins his letter with reference to his discussions with Infosys chairman R Seshasayee, the death of an Infosys employee, OpenAI bot and the Charlottesville incident.

Then he announces his resignation and talks about his role at the Infosys. "I came here to help navigate the company through what I saw as a massive transformation opportunity, to transform our company and restore strong profitable growth, as well as help transform the business of our customers," he writes. But, it's really after this that he comes to ongoing conflict between the founders and the management at Infosys.

"But the distractions that we have seen, the constant drumbeat of the same issues over and over again, while ignoring and undermining the good work that has been done, take the excitement and passion out of this amazing journey," Sikka writes in his letter. He calls the accusations levelled against him "baseless and malicious" and "extremely personal".



What "accusations" is Sikka talking about?

This could be a reference to allegations of wrongdoing in some of Infosys' acquisitions, including New Jersey-based Panaya for Rs 1250 cr, apart from excessive expenses relating to travel, security and his Palo Alto office. It was alleged that the merger and acquisitions team had acted without securing proper approvals.

Infosys later appointed a law firm Gibson Dunn to investigate these allegations. However, the law firm found no evidence of "inappropriate contracting" in its report. "We found no evidence that the CEO received excessive variable compensation or incurred unreasonable expenses for security, travel and the Palo Alto office," it said.

There were further accusations against Sikka. Infosys founders N R Narayana Murthy, Kris Gopalakrishnan and Nandan Nilekani had written to the board expressing their concerns over pay hike to CEO Vishal Sikka. Mohandas Pai had said a CEO's pay should be linked to his performance, achievement of the annual plan and increase in shareholder value.

It was reported that Sikka drew an annual pay package - during 2015-16 - of a whopping Rs 49 crore which was much higher than his counterparts in other Indian IT companies. While the then TCS chief N. Chandrasekaran was paid a pay packet of Rs 25.6 crore by the Tata Group for 2015-16, Wipro CEO Abidali Neemuchwala's annual pay was Rs 12 crore.

There was also the issue of excessive pay to two of Infosys' outgoing officials. Infosys had paid Rs. 17.38 crore to ex-CFO Rajiv Bansal as severance package. This had drawn ire from the founders.



Sikka's direct attack on the founders in the letter

Coming back to the resignation letter, Sikka also suggested that the work at Infy was suffering due to the mood that had been created by the constant criticisms against him.

Sikka in his letter writes: "This continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity over the last several months/quarters, inhibits our ability to make positive change and stay focused on value creation. Addressing the noise by itself is damaging; hundreds of hours of my own time has gone into this recently."

Sikka's most stinging reference to the founders come when he suggests in the letter that the situation was "amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation".

This can hardly be called a veiled reference to the likes of Narayan Murthy and Mohandas Pai whose statements targeting the Infy management created a public storm in recent months. The founders had made it amply clear that they did not have confidence in the leadership of Sikka and the Infy management.

Vishal Sikka calls for reason and fairness in letter



Before concluding, Sikka advises the employees at Infy to maintain "the voice of fairness and reason" if such attacks continue. "If these types of attacks continue, I hope each of you will continue to be the voice of fairness and reason - providing the active, emphatic and unequivocal support that the company, the management, the employees, and all of the stakeholders and friends of the company need in order to succeed," he said.

Sikka also hinted that he hoped his decision to resign would make the sides involved reflect, while he hoped for the best for the company's future.

He concludes saying "I will be happy to support all of you to achieve a smooth transition, and serve as your Executive Vice Chair as discussed." It remains to be seen if Sikka will have any significant role to play as the Executive Vice-Chair.
Engineering major Siemens, operating in India for over 150 years, is now in a transformation mode. From its conventional engineering products and services, the company is moving towards a total technology and digital solution provider across all its verticals, said Sunil Mathur, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Siemens.

"By 2030, all of Siemens' products will become green as part of our global vision and we are moving in that direction in three core areas of functions in electrification, automation and digitisation", he said.

Siemens India, part of the Munich-based $80 billion conglomerate Siemens AG, recently had started a model digitalized low-voltage switchgear factory at Kalwa, near Thane in Mumbai.

The old factory, which was renovated with digital solutions, can manufacture over five million devices annually and is capable of producing more than 180 variants at the rate of one product every nine seconds. The digitalized factory is expected to help the Indian industry, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), achieve manufacturing excellence. The factory is a model one in automation for industries across verticals.

The company has also developed a platform called "Mindsphere". This provides the entire manufacturing efficiency and knowledge on one platform, which will then be able to generate information and help the customers in data and information to increase their productivity and become more efficient.

"We are able to help our customers develop a 'digital twin'. That is, you design the factory on a computer using our software. Design the factory, design the machines. You can even design how those machines look like, what functionalities you want in them, the workflow and the work process, the throughput of the products and you cost the whole thing. For all this, we provide the software", explained Mathur.

The company has also moved into a new green and energy efficient corporate office in Worli.

Mathur said the focus would be to offer next generation technologies and solutions - like smart grids, energy efficient products, smart building technologies and the like across all its products and services in various verticals - power and gas, energy management (transmission and distribution), mobility (railway signaling and electrification), building technologies, smart cities and energy efficiency.

Currently every year Siemens India generates average revenues of Rs 10-12,000 crore a year and operates over 15 factories. About 60 percent of its business is from government orders and the rest is from private sector.

ALSO READ: How Infosys stock outclassed rivals during Vishal Sikka's tenure

ALSO READ: Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka's resignation letter: Reading between the lines

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AUBURN  Some extra construction work has put the Auburn Police Department's command center repair project over its original budget and drawn out its timeline.

During Thursday's Auburn City Council meeting, council members approved a change order for the project in the amount of $53,274. The extra money will go toward costs associated with additional tiling in the command center and new exterior doors, Police Chief Shawn Butler said.

The department was also awarded a $20,000 legislative grant through the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services for technology improvements and upgrades. Butler said the department plans to use the money to install additional security cameras, outfit an interview room with recording equipment and upgrade some of the department's computers.

The renovation project, which was scheduled to be completed in July, will now continue through the end of August, Butler said, and the total cost will be around $265,000. The entire project was funded by local and federal asset forfeiture funds, at no cost to taxpayers.

Butler praised his staff for their attitudes throughout the construction process.

"It's been a rough road but our officers really went through the transition well," he said. "They're excited. They've been outstanding with the way they've had to be bounced around and moved out of their space."

Butler said the department plans to host an open house sometime in September for city staff and members of the public to tour the upgraded command center.

In other news

 Street repairs as part of the city's annual Road Improvement Project are set to begin within the next two weeks.

Superintendent of Engineering Services Bill Lupien estimated earlier this year that the total cost of the road repairs would be $1.3 million. During Thursday night's city council meeting, the council awarded the construction bid to Vitale & Robinson Companies for $1,274,946.

Each year, city staff members drive every road in Auburn and rate their conditions as good, fair, poor and failed. Then the city selects the roads in the worst condition to repave. Thirteen streets are scheduled to be repaved this year.
The government on Thursday extended the date for taxpayers to avail transitional input tax credit under the Goods and Services Tax. Now taxpayers can file their tax returns till August 28. All the business entities that are registered under the new taxation system will have to file their first return - GSTR 3B - for July on the portal of GST Network by August 20. The window for return filing was opened on August 5.

After the date extension, business entities who want to claim transitional input tax credit will have to deposit taxes on the basis of self-assessment by 20 August, but they will have one more week till 28 August to file their returns. Those taxpayers who do not claim any transitional input tax credit will have to necessarily pay tax and file return in Form 3B before the due date of August 20.

The Finance Ministry in a statement said that concerns have been raised about the form to claim transitional input tax credit not being available on the GSTN website. This form will be available on the GSTN website from 21 August. "A small window of opportunity is being given to all the taxpayers. The taxpayers who want to avail of the transitional input tax credit will have to make full settlement of the liability after adjusting the transitional input tax credit before August 20," the Ministry said.

They will get time up to 28 August, 2017, to submit Form TRANS I after estimating transitional credit and Form 3B. "In case of shortfall in the amount already paid vis-a-vis the amount payable on submission of Form 3B, the same will have to be paid with interest of 18 percent for the period between August 21, 2017, till the payment of such differential amount," the ministry further added.

To make compliance easy for businesses, the GST Council has allowed businesses to initially file their returns on self-assessment basis in the first two months of the GST rollout. So, the GST returns for July and August will be filed on the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) portal by filling the GSTR

3B form.

Earlier this month, the Central Board of Excise and Customs had notified the timeline for furnishing final tax returns under the GST. The CBEC had issued a notification saying outward supplies in Form GSTR-1 for the month of July will have to be filed between September 1-5 and for August, it is to be filed between September 16-20. In June, the GST Council had allowed businesses extended timeline for filing final GST returns in forms GSTR-1, GSTR-2 and GSTR-3 for July and August.

The final GST returns for July will have to be filed by these businesses by 5 September instead of 10 August. Companies will have to file sale invoice for August with GST Network by 20 September instead of 10 September earlier.

(with inputs from PTI)


The Raymond stock rose on Friday after the Raymond Group bought 50 percent of its Australian JV partner Ansell's stake in JK Ansell, the manufacturer of condoms and deodorants under the KamaSutra brand, for Rs 19.30 crore

At 11:49 am, the stock was trading 5.69 percent or 42.45 points higher at 788.20 level on the BSE.

The stock hit an intraday high of 797 level on the BSE. The acuisition will pave the way for Raymond to further scale up the FMCG business.

Following the deal, JK Ansell, which is into sexual wellness and personal care business, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of JK Investo Trade (JKIT), a Raymond group firm, the company said in a statement.







JK Ansell, on its part, will sell its B2B surgical gloves business to Singapore-based Pacific Dunlop Holdings, an Ansell group company.

Raymond CMD Gautam Hari Singhania said: "This acquisition of Ansell's 50 per cent stake gives us the full ownership of brand KamaSutra that strengthens our FMCG portfolio." KamaSutra is a 25-year old brand, which is also present in the deodorant category as KS Deos.

Raymond is the manufacturer, marketer and retailer of suiting fabrics and ready to wear apparel.




The turn of events at Infosys in the past few hours have been dramatic with Vishal Sikka announcing his resignation and the Infosys board putting the blame squarely on Narayana Murthy for Sikka's exit. Despite Sikka'a resignation, the fight between the management and the founders may not be over anytime soon. The board has blamed Murthy for carrying out a campaign against Sikka. Murthy has responded to the allegations. Here's what all sides are saying:

What Vishal Sikka said?

Vishal Sikka seems to have managed to find a graceful exit by resigning despite the support of Infosys board. In the process, at least for now, Sikka has made the founders of the company look unaccommodating and unamenable. In his resignation letter, he took a dig at the founders, without naming anyone, for not offering support. He said in the letter that the situation was "amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation". "The distractions that we have seen, the constant drumbeat of the same issues over and over again, while ignoring and undermining the good work that has been done, take the excitement and passion out of this amazing journey," Sikka wrote in the letter. He called the accusations levelled against him "baseless and malicious" and "extremely personal". In a press conference later, Sikka said the situation had become "untenable" for him to continue as the CEO.

What Infosys board said?

The Infosys board's strong defence of Vishal Sikka, after his decision to quit as the CEO of the company, clearly suggests that the battle between Infosys founders and the management is far from over. Infosys board statement, soon after Sikka announced his resignation, has directly blamed Narayana Murthy for Sikka's exit. "Murthy's continuous assault, including this latest letter, is the primary reason that the CEO, Vishal Sikka, has resigned despite strong Board support," the statement said.

The board's statement makes reference to an e-mail in which Murthy questioned Sikka's competency as the CEO of Infosys. The board has said that Murthy's email was filled with factual inaccuracies and out-of-context statements. The statement strongly criticised Murthy for carrying out a "misguided campaign" against Sikka. "The Board believes it must set the record straight on the false and misleading charges made by Murthy because his actions and demands are damaging the company," the statement read.



How Narayana Murthy has responded?

Narayana Murthy has made a statement in response to the board's allegations of carrying out a campaign against Sikka. Murthy has said that he will respond to the allegations in "right manner, right forum and at an appropriate time".

"I am extremely anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of the statements. I voluntarily left the board in 2014 and am not seeking any money, position for children or power. My concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance which I have repeatedly brought to the notice of the Infosys board," Murthy said in a statement.

He further added: "Several shareholders who have read the whistle-blower report have told me that it is hard to believe a report produced by a set of lawyers hired by a set of accused, giving a clean chit to the accused, and the accused refusing to disclose why they got the clean chit!"
A study released earlier this month said sagging student enrollment and ever-rising poverty have been affecting rural school districts in New York state.

The New York State Association of School Business Officials' report said nearly 97 percent of rural districts have experienced dropping student enrollment over the last decade, while almost 85 percent have had declines of at least 10 percent through that same time period.

Local rural districts like Port Byron, Cato-Meridian and Southern Cayuga have reported dealing with economic and enrollment challenges while simultaneously finding themselves offering more services than schools did a decade ago, forcing districts to be more careful with spending and staffing issues.

The report said the number of school-age children living in poverty has gone up for rural and non-rural areas alike from 2003-2015. It pointed to poverty levels being higher in urban districts, although students are departing from rural districts at a swifter rate than in urban districts.

New York state has 340 rural school districts, just over half of the 674 districts total. Those rural districts, however, contain only 11.1 percent of public school students, according to the report. Estimated 2016-2017 enrollment for those rural areas came to 295,628, compared with the 2,368,413 enrolled in non-rural districts during the same period.

The Port Byron Central School District is among those seeing fewer students entering its schools as of late, as its projected total enrollment for 2017-2018 is 855 students, compared to 1,071 for the 2007-2008 school year.

Cato-Meridian Central School District Superintendent Noel Patterson said the area has seen a slight dip in enrollment, with around 1,100 pupils in 2007 compared to about 950 now.

Staffing issues can also be caused by year-to-year enrollment shifts. The report encourages administrators to be thoughtful with staffing, as districts try to avoid bringing people on staff and then laying them off by the next year.

Port Byron superintendent Neil O'Brien said the district is careful to determine what its current staffing needs are and what they will need to be in the future. For example, for about the last 10 years  about the time district closed its middle school  the district has been examining staff members' ages and projecting when they might retire.

He also said that when someone leaves, the district examines the viability of that position for the future.

Southern Cayuga Central School District Superintendent Patrick Jensen said his district had to make quite a few staff cuts during the recession  from 2010 to 2012 the district cut about 12-14 percent of its staff  though staffing has been stable for the last few years. He said the district was able to balance its expenses by 2012.

The report said urban population numbers have been boosted, though the speed of growth slipped by 2011, while in rural areas, populations started declining in 2008. The report also said more than half of New York counties saw population loss between 2002 and 2016. The population also aged quite a bit from 2000 to 2016, with rural areas having older populations than in urban areas.

Jensen said he believes the population for the Southern Cayuga area has been relatively stable, though he notes issues like a lack of rental property for people to choose from. Patterson said he thinks Cato-Meridian's relatively close location to areas like Auburn, Oswego and Syracuse has helped the district.

The report also pointed to a seeming disparity in state aid, as it showed non-rural districts received 84.2 percent of total state aid for 2017-2018, versus rural districts getting 15.8 percent.

According to the report's findings, rural school districts are likelier to have high needs classification than non-rural districts, which the report's authors argue adds to the gap.

The report referred to the Need-Resources Capacity Categories from 2008 still used by the district as "outdated." The number of high need rural districts according to the 2008 classifications are listed as 41.5 percent, while current data puts the number of high needs rural districts at 49.1 percent.

The superintendents also discussed schools providing more services than they would have in years' past. O'Brien said his district has dental work available for elementary students through East Hill Family Medical. Port Byron and Cato-Meridian both have backpack programs in which a backpacks full of non-perishable foods are given to in-need students for a weekend.

Patterson said he thinks the reason for the extra programs go beyond just demographic issues.

"I think schools today put a major emphasis on community service and an outgrowth of that is (tending to) the needs of the population, in this case, our students," Patterson said.

The report suggests policies to address these issues, like partnerships with BOCES or between districts making more college-prep opportunities to more students. O'Brien said he believes more programs from Cayuga Onondaga BOCES and Cayuga Community College will open up more opportunities  including those related to modern technology  for students.

"(Students) have to have more pathways and they have to have more 21st-century pathways," O'Brien said.

Refining the state aid formula and updating how funding is determined was suggested as well.
Departing from the previous governments opposition to Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has downplayed maritime disputes in favor of pursuing close economic and political ties with China.

This shift has been rewarded by pledges of major fund infusions in support of Philippine infrastructure development, with a long wish list of projects now in the pipeline. Filipino fishermen have returned to their normal fishing activities around Scarborough Shoal, albeit under watch of the China Coast Guard.

In contrast to its past efforts to diplomatically isolate the Philippines, China now sees the Philippines as a welcome partner in its Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road initiative. China has also come around to signing with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, although at best that will be a protracted process, and at worst, an exercise in futility.

While Chinas island construction activities continue unabated, there have been no reports of the major provocative actions that had become almost daily media fare in previous years. No construction activities are underway on Scarborough Shoal, which some attribute to the United States and the Philippines signaling that this would be a red line that China should not cross. Instead, bilateral dialogue between Manila and Beijing has resumed, including recent talks on the dispute itself, following Dutertes participation in the Belt and Road summit.

Can relations between Manila and Beijing truly have transformed overnight, considering their hostility only a year ago? Can the two nations vital interests have changed so drastically that they can simply turn a new page and start on a clean slate? Or do the goals remain the same  even though the strategies took a significant turn?

Dutertes strategy of not abandoning but de-emphasizing and compartmentalizing territorial and maritime issues is a wise move that can pay off if done smartly. By delinking economic relations from management of the disputes, Manila can benefit from Beijing at a time when sustained high growth and investor confidence in the Philippines coincides with a massive investment drive by China as part of the Belt and Road. The challenge will be to see to it that China itself separates the two aspects of relations, considering that it had previously used economic leverage against the Philippines for political ends.

Dutertes China policy shift also reduces disagreement within ASEAN over the handling of the disputes. At the same time, it forces some of the other stakeholders who were formerly free-riding on Philippine efforts to do more on the issue, thus easing pressure on the Philippines.

Security relations with the United States remain strong, being highly institutionalized, while cooperation with Japan and other countries are growing. Military-to-military contact and Coast Guard talks with China have also resumed, hopefully leading to renewed confidence-building and reduced risk of miscalculation.

So far, the policy shifts relatively successful outcomes have relied somewhat on fortuitous developments well beyond Dutertes control. Serendipity has played a role.

One factor was the favorable arbitration ruling itself, which is now part of international jurisprudence. Manila is as much duty-bound as China is to comply with the ruling. Then-Philippine President Benigno Aquino IIIs successful lawfare opened a new platform for management of the disputes, one that the two governments should pursue if they are genuinely committed to rule of law.

The second serendipitous event was the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. When Barack Obama stepped down, Manilas disputes with Beijing already ran the risk of becoming less about the formers maritime rights and entitlements and more about major power competition. Considering Trumps yet-unclear foreign policy toward China, Beijing has reason to act more thoughtfully in the South China Sea. But because Trumps commitment to engage in the South China Sea is also unclear, the Philippines has reason to put military cooperation with the United States on the back burner and return to a mainly diplomatic track.

The third fortuitous development for Duterte is Chinese President Xi Jinpings launch of the Belt and Road initiative, a bold campaign for China-led economic, infrastructure and financial connectivity that would link 65 countries from Asia, Europe and Africa. China hopes it will spur global economic growth, stimulate development in its poor frontier provinces, and put its excess industrial capacity into profitable use.

The successful implementation of the Belt and Road will elevate China further into the ranks of leading countries, but it relies on China using soft diplomacy and demonstrating internationalist credentials. China would have to downplay nationalist emotions and restrain military adventurism. This could give Duterte breathing space both for repairing relations with China and reorienting the U.S. alliance toward more convergent objectives.

While national interests may not have changed, these serendipitous changes in circumstances paved the way for adjustments in Philippine strategy in directions preferred by both Duterte and by China. If the three factors together were a spate of good fortune for Duterte, China too has serendipity to thank for the opportunity to pull back from the brink and change course. Whether China makes full use of this or not is still in question, but the opportunity is there.

Aileen S.P. Baviera is a professor of China studies and international relations at the University of the Philippines.
MISS: To a fire that severely damaged a home in Niles.

Fire departments extinguish early morning house fire in Niles More than 10 fire departments fought a house fire that displaced a family and killed a dog i

A family was displaced and a pet dog was killed at the Route 38A home early Monday morning.

Firefighters said that multiple layers of roofing made it difficult to completely extinguish the blaze, so it took hours to finally finish their work. More than a dozen area fire departments were involved, officials said, including those activated for standby coverage.

HIT: To a big step forward on a project to help enhance the quality of Owasco Lake.

Schumer, Cuomo: Feds approve Owasco Flats restoration project Cayuga County has received federal approval for the Owasco Flats restoration project, Senate

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week approved the needed permits for work to begin on restoration of the Owasco Flats, a wetlands at the south end of Owasco Lake. The project's goal is to reduce the amount of sediment and nutrients that wash into the lake. The hope is that the work will result in fewer algal blooms developing in the lake, which not only make the water unsightly but have become responsible for small amounts of toxin getting into the local drinking water.

MISS: To allegations of repeated contempt for the law.

Auburn Police Department makes multiple felony arrests Multiple defendants were arraigned in Auburn City Court Monday on unrelated felony charges f

An Auburn woman was arraigned this week on charges related to an incident in July in which police said she drove onto a sidewalk in front of Auburn City Court while trying to run down her own daughter. Police said that the daughter already had an order of protection requiring her mother to stay away.

The woman was charged with two misdemeanors and one felony. She will return in September to the courthouse, a place she is becoming far too familiar with.
| BY Ricki Green |

The CEO Magazine has revealed its top finalists for the 2017 Executive of the Year Awards. Ranging over 23 categories, the awards will honour and acknowledge some of the finest business leaders and professionals in Australia.

Finalists with two nominations include Jason Dooris (top, left), CEO, Atomic 212 Group and Jaimes Leggett (centre), group CEO, M&C Saatchi Group in the Media Executive of the Year and CEO of the Year categories. Also making the cut in the Media Executive of the Year category is Pete Bosilkovski (top, right), CEO, Leo Burnett Sydney and Sean Seamer (bottom, left), CEO, MediaCom Australia + New Zealand. Caleb Bush (bottom, right), managing director and vice president, George P. Johnson has been shortlisted in the Managing Director of the Year category.

Previous winners of the Media Executive of the Year Award include Dooris (2016), Dentsu Aegis Network CEO Luke Littlefield (2015), Bosilkovski (2014), REA Group CEO and managing director Greg Ellis (2013) and Prime Media Group CEO Ian Audsley (2012).

Australias most prestigious business awards event, the Executive of the Year Awards recognise the individual excellence of senior executives. One of the most hotly contested events for Australias leading executives, the awards celebrate the success, innovation and business acumen of individuals in corporate Australia. From thousands of entries, 10 experienced judges from a range of industries have chosen 105 finalists in 23 categories.

Says Pete Bosilkovski, CEO, Leo Burnett Sydney: It is an honour to have been named a finalist in The CEO Magazines highly respected Executive of the Year Awards. Whilst Im over the moon to be named a finalist, I recognise its not a solo sport. Our success in transforming our company into a progressive innovative creative solutions company could not be achieved without the drive and passion of my amazing team at Leo Burnett and the support of my brilliant client partners. I am exceptionally proud of our entire team for all that we have achieved as a business.

Says Seamer: I am thrilled and honoured to be a finalist in this years awards, which I believe is testament to the amazing team I lead at MediaCom.
Another suggestion is a hand-back based on profits, with clubs making less than $8000 per machine exempt, clubs making an average of $8000 to $25,000 from each machine handing back 16 per cent of machines, clubs making $25,000 to $38,000 handing back 20 per cent , and clubs making more than that handing back 24 per cent. But the paper said the bigger clubs could add more machines to the floor to reduce their average revenue per machine, making the option unfair.
As a baby boomer (born in 1950), most of my classmates in school had parents (mostly fathers) who helped save western civilization by defeating the Nazis and their allies in the second World War.

Since that time, no president has even hesitated to condemn the racism of hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi groups who now boast of having a friend and ally in the White House. Indeed, Klan leader David Duke bragged about the role that the hate groups played in electing Trump. Trump seemed to acknowledge as much with his evasive share the blame remarks on Saturday. Tragically, it required public shaming by politicians running the full gamut of the political spectrum before Donald Trump finally uttered his first specific condemnation on Monday afternoon.

Pictures from Charlottesville showed the hate groups displaying more Nazi and Confederate flags than American ones. This showed us where their true allegiances lie, rather than with the United States. I take this to mean that America must defeat the Confederates and Nazis again. It must become our national imperative because their hatred from within is more toxic and threatening to Americas future than the rantings of a fourth-rate lunatic-dictator in Korea.

Since the arrival of the first slaves, racism has always been inherent in the American experience. Auburn should be proud of the roles that Harriet Tubman and William Seward played in the move to eradicate slavery, just as many of us are proud of our parents and grandparents who defeated Hitler and his mob, and earlier generations of Americans who defeated the Confederates. Hate groups have no place in Americas future. We must be unequivocal in stating this. These people are hurting so badly that they feel they must demonize immigrants, Jews, blacks and others who are doing a better job of living the American dream.

For the sake of Americas future, we must teach them that such aberrant behaviors will not improve their own lot in life. They must also know that if they continue along the pathways of hate, they will be likely to face futures of failure and possibly incarceration, as society protects itself from their antisocial behaviors.

The Rev. Dr. Stan Sears

Ithaca
Ms Fitzharris said the government would soon actively encourage people to see their GP or attend a nurse walk-in centre early, if they felt they were suffering from a cold or flu that could potentially get worse.
"The thousands of young men that have passed through the school before me were always taught to stand up and fight for what they believed in, without fear or favour, and I am satisfied that the stand I took was in the best interests of the school.
More than $1 million was spent on consultant costs including legal work and design services, as well as staffing from Finance. More than $670,000 went to project management costs and more than $500,000 was spent on painting in the 40-room property inside and out.
Flagstaff International Relief Effort has organized three volunteer service trips to Nepal in October. Volunteers will help rebuild in the Langtang Valley devastated by a 2015 earthquake. All trips are 11 days total, with seven nights in Langtang and four nights in Kathmandu.
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 ...
The newly renovated Fort Tuthill Military Museum is open to the public and museum directors are looking for volunteers to help staff the facility.

The museum is housed in two historic fort buildings. One building's exhibits trace the history of the Arizona National Guard and the 158th Infantry Regiment "Bushmasters" from 1865 to 1940. Exhibits in the second building pick up that history from 1940 to the present, including information and artifacts from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan.

The museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed who are interested in history, military history and northern Arizona. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Marilyn Hammarstrom at 602-684-1912. For more information and to donate to the museum, visit forttuthill.org.
PHOENIX -- Declaring lawmakers have the final say, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Thursday that cities, towns and counties have no right to enact their own gun regulations.

In a unanimous conclusion, the justices voided a 2005 Tucson ordinance that says when the police department obtains a gun through seizure or surrender, the agency "shall dispose of such firearm by destroying the firearm.'' The justices said it is clear in their minds that it is trumped by multiple existing state laws to the contrary.

Thursday's decision has implications beyond Tucson and the question of firearm regulations.

It upholds the legality of SB 1487, a 2016 law that allows individual lawmakers to direct the Attorney General's Office to investigate claims that a local law runs afoul of state statutes. That triggers an automatic investigation that can lead to a city losing half of its state shared revenues.

Potentially more significant for the state's 18 charter cities, the justices said their constitutional right to enact their own laws is not absolute and that the Arizona Legislature in many cases gets the last word.

Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who sued Tucson, called the ruling "a monumental victory for the state of Arizona.''

"Whether you like it or not, it's a huge victory for the rule of law,'' he said. The bottom line, said Brnovich, is that the high court has made it clear that, with only narrow exceptions, if there is a conflict between state law and local ordinances, the local law has to fall.

City attorney Mike Rankin said he was ``very disappointed in the ruling.''

But Rankin took that the court allowed him both to challenge SB 1487 and defend the city's autonomy as a charter city without having to comply with another provision of the law: posting a bond equal to the $55 million revenues that were at stake.

The 2005 Tucson ordinance came under scrutiny after Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, used SB 1487 to complain.

Brnovich ultimately concluded the Tucson measure runs afoul of a 2000 law that explicitly prohibits local government from enacting any ordinances dealing with acquisition, licensing, registration or use of firearms. And if those statutes were not clear enough, he cited a pair of 2013 laws that bar law enforcement agencies from destroying operable seized weapons and direct that they instead be sold.

Tucson agreed to stop enforcing the ordinance but refused to rescind it. Brnovich then sued.

He contends that issues of gun regulation are a matter of statewide concern. And he argues there is no right of cities to get state aid, especially if they are flouting state statutes.

Rick Rollman, Tucson's lead attorney, said SB 1487 amounts to illegal coercion.

He said the threat in that law of a city losing half of its state revenue sharing based on Brnovich's conclusion of illegality forces local officials to abandon measures they adopt that they believe are in the community's best interests. That loss for Tucson would be $55 million.

Rollman also said giving it's unconstitutional to give Brnovich that kind of authority to order state aid withheld.

And he argued that Tucson and 17 other communities are charter cities with a constitutional right to set their own policies on matters of strictly local concern, He said that includes the disposal of seized weapons, no matter what the legislature says.

But Justice John Pelander, writing for the high court, rejected those contentions.

"The Legislature's apparent objective in SB 1487 was not to usurp executive or judicial authority but rather to require and incentivize political subdivisions to comply with state law,'' he wrote. "Likewise, the practical consequence of SB 1487 is to encourage compliance with state law, not to coerce, control, or interfere with executive powers or prerogatives.''

Anyway, Pelander said, it's not like the law gives Brnovich unilateral and unquestioned power to decide for himself which local laws are legal and which are not. The justice pointed out that question is ultimately decided by the courts.

That still leaves the question of how far charter cities can go in deciding what laws work best for their own residents.

Pelander acknowledged the Arizona Constitution does give city voters the power to enact their own charters and enact their own laws.

And in prior decisions, the Supreme Court has voided efforts by the Legislature to tell charter cities when they have to hold elections and how they must choose council members. The justices also have said charter cities are free to decide how to dispose of real property.

But Pelander said the constitution says city charters "shall be consistent with and subject to the state constitution and not in conflict with ... general law of the state not relating to cities.'' And he said any argument that cities have authority to decide how to dispose of weapons falls under the plain language of state laws.

"In no uncertain terms, the Arizona Legislature has declared that 'firearms regulation is of statewide concern' and has expressed its intent to preempt 'firearms regulations in this state' and thereby 'limit the ability of any political subdivision of this state to regulate firearms,' '' he wrote.

Brnovich said that ends the discussion.

"What the state Supreme Court is basically saying is is that if there's a conflict with state law, unless it falls within one of those two narrow areas, state law will prevail,'' he said.

Brnovich said he took on the Tucson ordinance not just on the question of state preemption but to protect "the Second Amendment right of law-abiding Arizonans.'' That goes to arguments also advanced by Michael Rusing on behalf of the National Rifle Association that allowing Tucson to destroy firearms reduces the supply in both Tucson and around the state, a move he said was political.

"The only purpose of the program can be to keep as many firearms as possible out of private hands or, put differently, to deliberately suppress the number of people keeping and bearing arms within Tucson and throughout the state,'' he wrote.

The justice sidestepped those arguments, with Pelander saying he and his colleagues saw no reason to even address that contention given that it is clear the state's power to regulate firearms clearly overrules local ordinances.

Arizona charter cities:

Avondale, Bisbee, Casa Grande, Chandler, Douglas, Flagstaff, Glendale, Goodyear, Holbrook, Mesa, Nogales, Peoria, Phoenix, Prescott, Scottsdale, Tempe, Tucson and Winslow.

Source: League of Arizona Cities and Towns
Attorneys for NAU shooter Steven Jones have filed a motion requesting that a judge remove the Coconino County Attorneys Office from the October murder retrial.

Jones is accused of first-degree murder after killing Colin Brough and wounding Nick Prato, Nick Piring and Kyle Zientek on October 2015. Jones is claiming he fired his weapon in self-defense. His first trial earlier this year ended in a hung jury on all charges.

The motion contends that County Attorney William Ring has a conflict of interest because his former law firm represents some of the victims' families in a wrongful death and injury civil lawsuit. Also, Ring received campaign contributions from several employees of the law firm.

Ring denies any conflict, saying he has no ties to his former firm and has no intention of stepping aside. Campaign contributions from employees of the firm totaled $1,650 out of more than $24,000 raised.

JONES' FATHER BLAMED

Jones attorney Joshua Davidson filed a motion on Aug. 9 claiming that Coconino County Attorney William Ring and his deputy attorneys had a conflict of interest. Aspey, Watkins & Diesel, a Flagstaff law firm that formerly employed Ring, filed a wrongful death and injury civil case in June on behalf of the parents of Brough, Piring and Prato.

The lawsuit claims that Jones father, Warren Jones, is financially responsible for the deadly incident because he improperly trained his son on the proper use of firearms.

Davidson contends in his recusal request that Rings office has a conflict of interest because Aspey, Watkins & Diesel would financially benefit in civil court from a guilty verdict in criminal court.

(Coconino County Attorney's Office) at a minimum has an appearance of impropriety and significant conflict such that it should be disqualified from the prosecution of Steven Jones, Davidson wrote. Simply put AWD and its clients stand to financially profit from a conviction in the criminal case being prosecuted by CCAO. CCAO is headed by Mr. Ring, who worked as an attorney for AWD immediately prior to his election, received campaign contributions from AWD and is the beneficiary of fundraising efforts undertaken by AWD on his behalf.

Campaign finance reports show that Ring received $1,650 from individuals working at Aspey, Watkins & Diesel.

Davidson also contends that Rings office only listed Warren Jones as a potential witness to profit from the pre-trial interviews. Warren Jones did not take the stand during the 5-week trial.

Ring wrote via email that the claims made by Davidson were utter nonsense, and that he has no relationship with his former law firm.

He also wrote that his office has no intention of stepping down from the Jones case.

Our prosecution teams at the Coconino County Attorneys Office are Ministers of Justice. We are appointed by the Arizona Constitution and State Law to prosecute public offenses. We will not relinquish that sworn duty. We will honorably fulfill it.

Louis M. Diesel said that his law firm has no conflict of interest since they were representing the shooting victims and their families before Ring was elected in November 2016.

AWD has been representing several of Steven Jones shooting victims for nearly two years, Diesel said. We are surprised to learn that nearly two years after the fact that AWDs role in representing victims who were shot and killed somehow created a conflict of interest for the county attorneys office.

Diesel also denied receiving any special treatment from Ring regarding the Jones case and said that all information the law firm received was public record.

A hearing has not yet been set regarding this matter. Jones' retrial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 10.
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.
A very special 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster will be auctioned off during Monterey Car Week in the coming days.



VIN number CSX2588, this Cobra Roadster is particularly special because it was the last 289 Cobra ever sold to the public and the second-last built. The final unit built, CSX2589, has been owned since new by Carroll Shelby and his family.

Set to be sold by Mecum Auctions, the car retains its original chassis, body, engine and drivetrain, making it an exceptionally desirable piece for collectors. It was originally sold new to A.L. Gassaway from Long Beach, California, before passing through the hands of five other owners before its impending auction.

Pre-auction estimates suggest it will sell for between $1 million and $1.2 million. While such a figure is high for a Cobra, it is nothing compared to the record price paid for one. At last years Monterey auctions, the very first Shelby Cobra, VIN CSX2000, sold for $13.75 million.

PHOTO GALLERY
Stealing a car is bad idea but the situation gets even worse when youre driving that car and ask police for directions.



According to the Tuolumne County Sheriff, Ryan Ashlock was in Tuolumne City, California early yesterday morning when he approached a deputy and asked for directions to Sonora. This doesnt seem to abnormal but the deputy decided to run the plates on the Honda Accord that Ashlock was driving.

To his surprise, the deputy discovered the car was stolen and called for assistance. After backup arrived, the deputies tried to initiate a traffic stop but Ashlock fled as soon as they activated their lights and sirens.

This led to lengthy chase which reportedly saw Ashlock ramming a sheriffs vehicle and nearly hitting a parked SUV. Thankfully the deputy wasnt injured but his vehicle was put out of commission.

The remaining deputies continued the chase for an additional 27 miles (43 km) before police disabled the Accord with spike strips in the city of Oakdale. Ashlock wasnt ready to surrender and attempted to escape on foot but he was quickly apprehended by members of the California Highway Patrol.

Ashlock is now facing a lengthy jail sentence as he will be charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, evasion, and assault with a deadly weapon.

H/T to Jalopnik

Photo Gallery
What could possibly be better than a Mini powered by a JDM Civic Type R engine? A 1962 Mini with an Integra Type R engine mounted in the rear, thats what.



This very special Mini is currently for sale on eBay and at the time of writing, had a bid of just over $10,000, shy of the undisclosed reserve.

The seller says the car was transformed in California before moving to Texas and ultimately ending up in Michigan and theres no doubt its quick. Really quick.

The K20 engine of a JDM Honda Integra DC5 Type R has been shoehorned into the rear and sits directly behind the two racing seats, inevitably creating a rather hot cockpit. Nevertheless, a closer inspection of the interior reveals that this Mini hasnt been designed for street use, it is a race car.

For starters, it utilizes a complete roll cage and has been stripped of any unnecessary components. All that remains are two seats, a Sparco steering wheel, a digital speedo and a shifter.

Oh yeah, the engine also delivers 217 hp, 152 lb-ft of torque, redlines at 8,500 rpm and is mated to a six-speed hydraulic transmission with a limited-slip differential. Evidently, this would probably be the most fun you can have on four wheels.

PHOTO GALLERY
Photo: Contributed

Last week, my very fabric was rejuvenated by a three-day trip to Salt Spring Island with some good friends who had moved to Victoria several years ago.



We had a lofty goal  to paddle touring kayaks from Ganges to Prevost Island. Hugely ambitious I know, but with our trusty guide Lisa, we set sail (or paddle) and about nine kilometres later, we had arrived on our Treasure Island before falling asleep for a nap.



Napping is an important pastime on vacations and this trip was no exception. Our guide showed extreme patience as various members of the group  typically inspired by my snoring  simply lay down and napped in fields, on beaches, even rocks.

The local log became affectionately known as the couch as the attached photo attests.



It was relaxing, educational and at some points exciting as we paddled in some blowing winds and encountered wavelets! The wildlife was on show and the meals were superb.



When I returned, I was reminded by a friend of the impact of a story I had shared with her a few years ago. I had told about a trip my wife and I took to Whistler where we locked ourselves in a hotel room only to leave once we had redesigned our life.

We had changed our priorities and decided to put ourselves in the middle of the decision-making equation. If it were not for that, we probably would not have been on Salt Spring Island at all.

It turned life on end for us. It gave us a perspective that we had never focused on before.

We designed a life we actually wanted to live.



The change we fear most is the change that is the most healthy for us. Too often, we settle for decisions that only benefit one aspect of our life, often to the detriment of other important areas and relationships.



I embrace change. I live it, love it and promote it. My best advice for anyone who wants to change is invest in the process early. If you believe you want to learn to play the piano, buy the piano.

You can only sit and look at it so long before you actually do something about playing it. If you don't make that commitment, you will forever wonder if you could have been a piano player.



So our break was amazing, Salt Spring Island Adventure did a remarkable job of hosting us and I for one live by the Latin phrase made more common by the Robin Williams movie  Carpe Diem.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Spanish authorities say Canada is among 34 countries with citizens killed or injured in the terrorist attack in Barcelona.

Global Affairs says Canadians have been affected by the attacks, but did not provide further details, citing privacy reasons.

Canadians in Spain are advised to stay away from the Las Ramblas tourist area in Barcelona where an alleged terrorist drove a van into a crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 100.

A second attack occurred in the resort town of Cambrils south of Barcelona eight hours later, leaving one woman dead.

Global Affairs spokesman Austin Jean says the government is in contact with family members of Canadians affected by the attacks and is trying to gather more information.

"Our thoughts are with the Canadians who were affected by the terrorist attack that occurred in Barcelona," Jean said in a statement.

The department urged Canadians in Spain to let their loved ones know they are safe.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement Thursday that he was "deeply saddened" by the news.

"While we cannot ignore the outrage we feel, together we must renew our commitment to protect the freedom found in societies that promote unity, openness and inclusion," wrote Trudeau, who has been out of the spotlight on a family vacation in British Columbia this week.

Spanish authorities said the back-to-back vehicle attacks  as well as an explosion earlier this week in a house elsewhere in Catalonia  were related and the work of a large terrorist group. Four people were arrested in connection with the attacks.

Amid heavy security, Barcelona tried to move forward Friday, with its iconic Las Ramblas promenade quietly reopening to the public and King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy joining thousands of residents and visitors in observing a minute of silence in the city's main square.

"I am not afraid! I am not afraid!" the crowd chanted in Catalan amid applause.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Police shot and killed five people wearing fake bomb belts who staged a deadly car attack in a seaside resort in Spain's Catalonia region Friday, just hours after a van plowed into pedestrians on a busy Barcelona promenade.

Spanish authorities said the back-to-back vehicle attacks  as well as an explosion earlier this week in a house elsewhere in Catalonia  were related and the work of a large terrorist group. Three people were arrested, but a manhunt was underway for the driver of the van used in Thursday's Barcelona attack, which killed 13 people and injured 100 others. The Islamic State group quickly claimed responsibility.

Amid heavy security, Barcelona tried to move forward Friday, with its iconic Las Ramblas promenade quietly reopening to the public and King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy joining thousands of residents and visitors in observing a minute of silence in the city's main square.

"I am not afraid! I am not afraid!" the crowd chanted in Catalan amid applause.

But the dual attacks unnerved a country that hasn't seen an Islamic extremist attack since 2004, when al-Qaida-inspired bombers killed 192 people in co-ordinated assaults on Madrid's commuter trains.

Authorities were still reeling from the Barcelona attack when police in the popular seaside town of Cambrils, about 130 kilometres to the south, fatally shot five people near the town's boardwalk who had plowed into a group of tourists and locals with their blue Audi 3. Catalonia's interior minister, Joaquim Forn, told Onda Cero radio they were wearing fake bomb belts.

One woman died Friday from her injuries, Catalan police said on Twitter. Five others were injured.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Vietnam has been battling raging dengue fever outbreaks with more than 10,000 new infections reported over the past week stretching its medical system.

The number of admitted patients represents a 42-per cent increase over the same period last year along with seven more deaths, the Ministry of Health said Friday. A total of 90,626 people have been infected, of whom 76,848 have been hospitalized and 24 have died.

The ministry attributed the rise of dengue outbreaks to higher temperature, more rains and rapid urbanization that promote the breeding of virus-carrying mosquitoes.

Dr. Vu Minh Dien of the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, where the most severe cases were being treated, said that 800-1,000 people have been checking in daily complaining of fever. That compares to only several cases that reported to the hospital in June and July last year, he said.

Hanoi and the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City are the hardest hit.
Photo: The Canadian Press Nicholas Fuentes

Nicholas Fuentes is dropping out of Boston University and heading south, pressing ahead with his right-wing politics despite receiving online death threats.

The 19-year-old joined a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend and posted a defiant Facebook message promising that a "tidal wave of white identity is coming," less than an hour after a car plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters.

Now, he's hoping to transfer to Auburn University in Alabama.

"I'm ready to return to my base, return to my roots, to rally the troops and see what I can do down there," Fuentes said in an interview this week.

At college campuses, far-right extremist groups have found fertile ground to spread their messages and attract new followers. And for many schools, the rally in Virginia served as a warning that these groups will no longer limit their efforts to social media or to flyers furtively posted around campus.

"It seems like what might have been a little in the shadows has come into full sun, and now it's out there and exposed for everyone to see," said Sue Riseling, executive director of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

On the eve of Saturday's rally, young white men wearing khakis and white polo shirts marched through the University of Virginia's campus, holding torches as they chanted racist and anti-Semitic slogans. The next morning, many donned helmets and shields and clashed with counter-protesters before a car drove into the crowd, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 19 others.

On Monday, Texas A&M University cancelled plans for a "White Lives Matter" rally in September. On Wednesday, the University of Florida denied a request for white nationalist Richard Spencer to rent space on campus for a September event. Spencer and his supporters are promising court challenges.
Photo: The Canadian Press Chief White House strategist Steve Bannon

White House adviser Steve Bannon isn't alone in pondering America's possibly generation-defining question about China's emerging superpower status  but his call for an "economic war" puts him far outside the mainstream.

In an interview reflecting on some of his big-thinking projects, Bannon said the country should be "maniacally focused" on a confrontation with Beijing over who will be the global "hegemon" of the next 25 to 30 years. The former Breitbart News executive  who works steps from President Donald Trump in the West Wing  told The American Prospect that "the economic war with China is everything."

For decades, American economists, military strategists and policymakers of all stripes have wrestled with how the United States and China, the world's biggest and soon-to-be biggest economies, manage differences on trade and security. But no one in a position of power has adopted a strategy that entails the almost messianic zeal of Bannon's world view.

For good reason, according to advocates of more measured approaches to dealing with China, who argue that an economic war would hurt everyone.

"Steve Bannon's view is too simplistic and arrogant," Seattle trade attorney William Perry declared, saying such talk "could get the U.S. in big trouble." He said Bannon's position is "built around the idea that the United States is the biggest market in the world and everybody has to kowtow to us."
Photo: Google Maps

UPDATE: 11:25 a.m.

A man stabbed eight people Friday in Finland's western city of Turku, killing two of them, before police shot him in the thigh and detained him, police said. Authorities were looking for more potential suspects in the attack.

A suspect  a man whose identity was not known  was being treated in the city's main hospital but was in police custody. Security was being stepped up across the Nordic country, Interior Minister Paula Risikko told reporters at a news conference.

Police did not give any information on the two people killed or the conditions of those wounded in downtown Turku, 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of Helsinki.

Finland's top police chief, Seppo Kolehmainen, said it was too early to link the attack to international terrorism.

ORIGINAL STORY: 7:30 a.m.

Police in Finland say they have shot a man in the leg after he was suspected of stabbing several people in the western city of Turku.

Finnish broadcaster YLE says several people were seen lying on the ground in the central part of the city.

On Twitter, police urged people to avoid that part of Turku.

Tabloid Ilta-Sanomat says six people were injured, one man and five women, and that a woman with a stroller was attacked by a man with a large knife.
Colton Davies

West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund is concerned after firefighters were called out to the same area of Glen Canyon two days in a row.

A small, 10 by 10 metre fire was extinguished Wednesday evening. Then, late Thursday afternoon, a second fire, about 300 metres away, ignited.

Brolund says the distance between the two suggests they were separate fires.

"There was no lightning in the area, these fires were human caused, but whether it is someone being careless and unaware of the campfire ban or there is something more to it, we don't know," said Brolund.

"Me and the rest of my firefighters are really hoping we don't have to go back there again today."

Due to the location of the fire and the difficult access, two West Kelowna crews responded, along with an initial attack crew from the BC Wildfire Service in Penticton.

Brolund adds he was thankful for the quick action of the public in calling 911 when they saw smoke in both instances.

He said the quick calls allowed crews to get to the scene and douse the fires before they could get away from them.

With the extreme fire danger and high winds expected today, Brolund says the public's vigilance in reporting fires is paramount.
Photo: The Canadian Press File Photo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Steve Bannon, a forceful but divisive presence in President Donald Trump's White House, is leaving.

Trump accepted Bannon's resignation on Friday, ending a turbulent seven months for his chief strategist, the latest to depart from the president's administration in turmoil.

White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday would be Bannon's last day on the job.

"We are grateful for his service and wish him the best," she said in a statement confirming reports of Bannon's departure.

A combative and unorthodox Republican, Bannon was a key adviser in Trump's general election campaign, but he has been a contentious presence in a White House divided by warring staff loyalties.

The former leader of conservative Breitbart News has pushed Trump to follow through on his campaign promises and was the man behind many of his most controversial efforts, including Trump's travel ban and decision to pull out of the Paris Climate agreement.

But Bannon repeatedly clashed with other top White House advisers and often ran afoul of the president himself.

Bannon offered his resignation to Trump on Aug. 7, according to one person close to the adviser.

The resignation was to go into effect a week later, Aug. 14, which was the one year anniversary of when he officially joined Trump's presidential campaign. It was then held back a few days after the violence in Charlottesville.

But Bannon had been on shaky ground for weeks, and his standing appeared in jeopardy when Trump's new chief of staff, John Kelly, embarked on a personnel review of West Wing staff. Kelly had indicated to aides that significant changes could be coming, according to an official familiar with Kelly's plans but not authorized to speak publicly.

The president had also repeatedly diminished Bannon's role in his campaign in recent remarks and refused to express confidence during an impromptu news conference Tuesday.

"He's a good person. He actually gets very unfair press in that regard," Trump said. "But we'll see what happens with Mr. Bannon."

The decision whether to drop Bannon was more than just a personnel matter. The media guru is viewed in some circles as Trump's connection to his base and the protector of Trump's disruptive, conservative agenda.

"It's a tough pill to swallow if Steve is gone because you have a Republican West Wing that's filled with generals and Democrats," said former campaign strategist Sam Nunberg, shortly before the news of Bannon's departure broke. "It would feel like the twilight zone."
Photo: WJAC

A Pennsylvania mother is accused of burning her three-year-old with chemicals, putting him on a leash and keeping him in a dog cage.

Police in St. Marys charged Arwen Kuhn last week with a slew of charges including aggravated assault and false imprisonment of a minor.

According to a police affidavit, the child's dad says he dropped the boy off at Kuhn's house for three days last year. He says when he picked the child up, he noticed a scab on his bellybutton and bruises on his head.

Investigators say they determined the 38-year-old Kuhn dropped the boy on his stomach and burned him with chemicals, in addition to leashing him and locking him in a cage.
Photo: KATU

An Oregon family's golden retriever has been honoured by a sheriff for digging up $85,000 worth of black tar heroin in a family's backyard.

KATU-TV reported Friday that the owners of the 18-month-old dog named Kenyon thought he had dug up a time capsule in their backyard, so they decided to film themselves opening it.

As they did, they realized Kenyon had found drugs.

Yamhill County Sheriff Tim Svenson identified the substance as more than 15 ounces of black tar heroin.

Svenson presented Kenyon with an official ribbon and named him an honorary narcotics dog for life.
Photo: RCMP

RCMP say the discovery of two bodies in Williams Lake is suspicious  but they do not believe there is any danger to the public.

Police were called to a home Thursday morning, where they found two bodies.

The deaths were deemed suspicious, and detectives, police dogs and the Williams Lake RCMP Street Crew were brought in.

Police are currently releasing no other details about the deaths.
Photo: Contributed

Kelowna RCMP are seeking the public's help in identifying a driver and vehicle involved in a hit and run collision with a pedestrian on Aug. 12.

A 30-year-old Kelowna man suffered a broken leg and minor abrasions in the 2 a.m. incident, near the intersection of Gordon Drive and Lequime Road.

The driver didn't stop or offer any assistance, says RCMP Cpl. Tania Carroll. Thankfully, the man was able to call for help and was taken to hospital for surgery.

The pedestrian was struck from behind as he was walking south on Gordon Drive, possibly by an import type car.

Police say there may be front end damage to the vehicle.

Anyone with information is asked to call Const. Ryan Law at 250-762-3300 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Photo: The Canadian Press

British Columbia's workplace safety agency has released the first official account of a "Deadpool 2" stuntwoman's death, saying SJ Harris was thrown off a motorcycle and propelled through a plate glass window.

The initial incident report issued by WorkSafeBC confirms witness accounts and adds new details to Monday's tragic crash in Vancouver during filming of the sequel to the popular superhero movie.

The report, which only refers to Harris as the "worker," says she had been rehearsing a stunt that involved driving a motorcycle out the open doors of a building, across a concrete pad and down a ramp that had been built over three stairs before coming to a stop.

"During the first shooting of the scene the stunt driver continued driving beyond the planned stopping spot on the stairway landing, and continued to drive down a second ramp built over the bottom stairs and across the roadway," it says.

"The motorcycle struck the concrete sidewalk curb, the worker was thrown off the motorcycle and propelled through a plate glass window of a building."

The coroner's service has said Harris, 40, of New York City, died at the scene. Friends have identified her as a pioneering motorcycle racer who was an inspiration to African-American women pursuing the sport.

WorkSafeBC is continuing to investigate and has asked the local production company to conduct both a preliminary investigation, which was due Wednesday, and a full investigation, due one month from the incident.

The full investigation is required to determine the cause of the crash, identify any unsafe conditions, acts or procedures that contributed to it and outline what will be done to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Film studio 20th Century Fox confirmed that a preliminary report was submitted on Wednesday, but did not immediately comment further on the WorkSafeBC report.

Witnesses said Harris appeared to lose control of the motorcycle before swerving to avoid a pedestrian and crashing into the glass window of the Shaw Tower in downtown Vancouver.

Filming for the Marvel Comics superhero film resumed 48 hours after Harris died.
Photo: Google Maps

UPDATE: 3:45 p.m.

Both fire and RCMP rescue boats are now on scene at the site of a vessel in distress on Okanagan Lake.

The boat had lost power and was drifting.

There are actually nine people on board the patio boat, all with life jackets on.

They are being transferred to the marine rescue boat and will be returned to the Kelowna Yacht Club boat launch.

The second rescue vessel is reportedly going to tow the boat back to shore.

UPDATE: 3:40 p.m.

More detailed reports place the boat in distress five kilometres north of the Delta Grand, in the middle of Okanagan Lake.

The marine rescue unit is on its way to the vessel.

ORIGINAL: 3:25 p.m.

Emergency crews are responding to the Kelowna waterfront for reports of a vessel in distress.

The boat is apparently sinking off shore from the Delta Grand Hotel.

The Kelowna Fire Department's marine rescue unit has been dispatched.

The boat is said to have 10 people on board. All apparently have life jackets.
Photo: Dave Ogilvie

UPDATE: 4:15 p.m.

West Kelowna Fire Rescue was able to successfully perform a high-angle rescue of a man who fell down into a ravine off Highway 97.

The man was brought up, checked over, and transported by ambulance to hospital.

ORIGINAL: 3:45 p.m.

A northbound lane of Highway 97 between downtown Westbank and Gorman's mill has been closed while crews attempt to get to rescue a man who went over the bank.

A 45-year-old man was apparently walking in the area when he lost his balance and fell.

According to one witness, emergency crews are set up in the dip on the highway as it enters downtown Westbank at the the steep Powers Creek Canyon.

Traffic is already backing up well past the mill.

No word on the extent of his injuries.

Castanet will have more information as it becomes available.

Send pictures, video to [email protected]
Photo: Contributed Kelowna's newest citizen was born at 8:21 p.m. Thursday evening... in the parking lot at Kelowna General Hospital.

One of Kelowna's newest citizens didn't want to wait to be born in Kelowna General Hospital.

A new son - born to parents Kevan and Kendra Gilbert, came into the world in the KGH's emergency entrance at 8:21 p.m. Thursday evening. His name is Benjamin Zachary Gilbert and he is a brother for 20-month-old sister Adelaide.



"We left our house in Ellison shortly after my wife's water broke, but the 25-minute car ride was too long for this lightning-fast labour," explained proud father Kevan.

"'The baby is coming now!' My wife Kendra yelled before we were halfway through the trip," he said.

Kevan says he quickly called 911 from the road, and had paramedics meet the couple at the hospital entrance, but their son was already to enter the world at his own pace.

"The baby was born the moment my wife was placed on the stretcher, born outside, in the parking lot, in the rain," said Gilbert.

The baby weighs 8 lbs, and is 19.2 inches in length.

Gilbert credits the quick work and experience of the emergency staff at KGH for bringing the situation under control quickly and ensuring mother and baby were safe and healthy under the circumstance.

"We are grateful for the staff who worked quickly to get our baby delivered safely," Gilbert said.

Mom and baby are healthy, and mom and dad are, well, still a little jittery after the night's drama.

"Our apologies to anyone who (we) cut off or freaked out during our frantic drive," joked Gilbert of the harrowing trip to the hospital.


If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
The last free movie event, Movies at the Park for the month of August will be hosted at Sherwood Park at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Odessa residents are invited to take part in a fun family night where they can enjoy $1 snacks such as buttery popcorn.

Attendees will be watching The Lego Batman Movie.

For more information regarding the event you can visit www.odessatxparks.org.
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
Birthday wishes

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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 lying is what your U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) now recommends some of its employees 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 on Aug. 7 by the British newspaper The Guardian, the USDA, the government agency most responsible for the science and safety of U.S. food served both here and abroad, would like some staff members to refer to climate change as weather extremes and climate change adaption as resilience to weather extremes.

These less-than-subtle suggestionsthere were moresound 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's effort to downplay and mislead the public about climate change and its impact on American agriculture.

Perhaps acknowledging how foolish the USDA looked by doing so, Tim Murtaugh, a USDA spokesman, told Politico that 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 were not blinded by petty politics.

For example, heres how Politico explained what it saw in their daily Morning Agriculture report on 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 that climate change is a hoax and the USDAs misleading terms in discussing it with the public: Sam Clovis, Trumps nominee to be the USDA undersecretary of research, education and economics.

Clovis, you may recall, labels climate change "junk science" and "not proven, according the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News. He also has spent most of the Administrations first 200 days at the 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 that he interrupted his all smiles-and-handshakes trip around the Midwest on Aug. 7 to, once again, fully support the Clovis nomination.

And this, despite the disclosure last week that 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 coffeeif not noon dinnerat 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 the USDA, the White House and the local cafe lack the integrity to admit it.
Heres some good advice for musicians  never be in bands where youre the best musician.

Chris Masterson of The Mastersons has followed that rule, which he said came from his touring mate and mentor, Steve Earle. The Mastersons are on the bill with Earle at ZooMontanas Zoofari fundraiser on Aug. 18.

In a phone interview last week from his stop in Albuquerque, Masterson said he and his duo partner and wife, Eleanor Whitmore, are touring in support of their third record, Transient Lullaby. The title track reflects their constant touring and the many cities where they have lived.

Natives of Texas, The Mastersons met at a Steamboat Springs music festival in Colorado in 2006 and married three years later. Their tight harmonies and Chriss mastery of guitar brought the attention of Earle, who offered them a spot in 2011 in his touring band, The Dukes and Duchesses.

During their extensive tours, the Mastersons play the opening set then step into the band with Earle.

Its a long day, but its really good. The alternative is us in a van touring. This is more luxurious, Masterson said in a telephone interview.

The Mastersons live in Los Angeles now after stints in New York and Austin, Texas. Masterson said he considers songwriting his job.

Some songs write themselves. Some take time, whether it just be sitting for an hour with a guitar, you just have to do it, regardless if you get a song out of it. Sometimes you get a song out of it that no one will ever hear.

Touring, recording and living with your bandmate has its challenges, but Masterson said when it works, its great.

The highs are higher and the lows are lower, Masterson said. It can make for some emotional stuff.
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 10: Paul Arriola of USA and Davinson Sanchez of Colombia compete for the ball during the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015 Round of 16 match between USA and Colombia at Wellington Regional Stadium on June 10, 2015 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) (Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images)

LONDON  Tottenham is set to make its first signing of the summer after reaching an agreement with Ajax for the transfer of Colombia center back Davinson Sanchez.

Spurs said on Friday the deal is subject to a medical examination and securing a work permit.

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We are delighted to announce we have reached agreement with Ajax for the transfer of Davinson Sanchez subject to medical & work permit. pic.twitter.com/bCjP3ur3Ca  Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 18, 2017

Sanchez was Ajax's player of the year last season as the Dutch club reached the final of the Europa League.

Tottenham was the only English Premier League team yet to make a signing this summer. Last season's runner-up in the league sold right back Kyle Walker to Manchester City.
There's a saying in the photography world: "The best camera is the one you have with you." For many Americans, that means that as the eclipse rolls overhead Monday, they'll reach for their smartphones.

But just as staring at the eclipse could cause permanent eye damage without special protection, is there danger of burning out your smartphone's camera sensor? NASA says probably not  but there are still dangers involved without proper equipment.

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Because smartphone lenses are much smaller than those on full-size cameras, less light travels through to the sensor, a guide on NASA's eclipse site says. Most phone photography software also automatically changes the exposure, limiting the amount of time the sensor is exposed to bright light. Most cellphones are also equipped with UV light filters, which cut down the potentially damaging rays that could reach the sensor.

"Nearly every photographer that comments on this issue says it is OK if you do it very briefly, such as when you are taking a scenery photo and the sun is in the picture," the NASA guide says.

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NASA does say the larger sensors on newer phones could potentially be damaged  though Apple told the Wall Street Journal that eclipse photography won't hurt an iPhone.

The main danger, NASA says, is not to your phone but to your own eyes: Anyone setting up a shot needs to use those special eclipse-viewing glasses. Even if you think you're just looking at your smartphone's screen, there's danger of looking around the phone directly at the sun.

Taking an eclipse photo probably won't hurt your smartphone  but make sure your eyes are protected. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

And even though your phone might not need it, you still might consider shooting your photos of the partial eclipse through a filter or just a pair of eclipse glasses  it'll prevent the remaining light from the sun from blowing out your shot.

Be aware, also, that you probably won't get a great photo with your smartphone. Most only have digital zoom, which will leave any attempted close-ups of the sun pixelated. Professional photographers told the Los Angeles Times you may be able to pull off a halfway decent shot with some special equipment for your phone, but it'll be difficult.

If you are shooting with your phone, NASA recommends practicing your shots in advance, using the moon or the sun (provided, again, that you use proper protection). That'll help you decide how you want to frame your photos beforehand, allowing you to take a couple quick snaps  then put down your phone to enjoy the phenomenon with your own (protected) eyes.

bmeyerson@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @bmeyerson
The death of the landline has been well-documented for years, as cellphones have become the primary phone for the majority of Americans. But now, thanks to tech companies' obsession with the smart home, the home phone is making a comeback.

Well, sort of.

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Google has announced that starting Wednesday it is adding hands-free calling to its Google Home smart speaker and Home Hub. Those with a Home Hub will now be able to use the device as a stand-alone speakerphone. You can have it call someone in your Google account's contacts list, for example, or ask it to search for and place a call to the "nearest florist."

The Google Home won't necessarily have its own phone number; right now, calls placed through Home will show up in caller ID as unknown numbers. But users will eventually be able to display their mobile numbers on the Home. Those with Google Voice or Project FI can also assign those numbers to the Home.

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The calls, which are free, are not tied to your smartphone, meaning you could actually call a different contact on each device at the same time. The Google Home can also distinguish between voices, meaning that it should be able to call the right "Mom" based on whether you or your kids are making that request.

Google now joins Amazon, Microsoft and Samsung in powering smart speakers with calling capabilities. (Amazon chief executive Jeffrey P. Bezos is the owner of The Washington Post.) And fans are hoping that Apple will include an audio version of FaceTime, its WiFi-enabled voice chat program, in its upcoming HomePod speaker.

What these companies are doing is putting a new twist on the old home phone, which has steeply declined as cellphones have soared in popularity. A majority of American homes, 50.8 percent, rely solely on cellphones for their phone service, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. (The center has been tracking this trend for years as part of an in-person survey that looks at health-care access.)

"Calling friends, family and businesses is something that we all do every day," Google said in a statement, "and it's one of those tasks your Assistant on Google Home should be able to help you with, especially when your hands are full at home and you just can't dial that number!"

As Google hints at, having a stationary device to place calls could be convenient for consumers whose cellphone is lost somewhere in the couch cushions, or who are unable to use a touchscreen. In that way, the home hub is more convenient than a traditional home phone - no pesky dialing.

Of course, there are some disadvantages. For one, the speaker's sound quality during a phone call tends to be worse than that of a traditional home phone. (We'll have to see how well Google handles this once the feature rolls out.) Plus, having a conversation blaring from a speaker isn't exactly private.

And there's another, more urgent issue to note: Google Home, like other Internet-based calling services, does not support emergency calls. So if you need to reach 911, Google Home won't be able to make that call for you.
The parent of Jewel-Osco was sued Friday for allegedly applying Cook County's new sweetened-beverage tax to purchases made with federal food stamps, transactions that are supposed to be exempt from the penny-per-ounce tax. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

The parent of Jewel-Osco was sued Friday for allegedly applying Cook County's new sweetened-beverage tax to purchases made with federal food stamps, transactions that are supposed to be exempt from the penny-per-ounce tax.

Annie Morales and Antonia Morales sued Albertsons in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging that on Sunday they bought lemonade through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and were charged the tax.

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Each of the four bottles of lemonade they bought is subject to a Cook County sweetened beverage tax of 67 cents, for a total tax of $2.68, but because they paid for the lemonade with food stamps, they shouldn't have been charged the sweetened beverage tax, the lawsuit says.

Snafus related to the sweetened beverage tax and food stamps might become less common in the future.

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On Thursday, Cook County officials said they've solved a problem with the sweetened beverage tax that put roughly $87 million in funding used to run the federal food stamp program in Illinois at risk of being withheld.

The county's regulation originally gave stores that hadn't been able to program point-of-sale systems not to tax those purchases the option of charging the tax and then issuing a refund.

But the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Services, which oversees the food stamp program, warned state officials last week that allowing refunds ran afoul of rules barring retailers from charging SNAP recipients the tax at any time.

The county solved the issue by striking language permitting refunds from the regulation, which "will ensure ongoing access of SNAP benefits for eligible Illinois households," county spokesman Frank Shuftan said Thursday.

Albertsons had no immediate comment.

Also Friday, Subway joined Walgreens and 7-Eleven on a list of retailers that have been sued for taxing unsweetened beverages. Another retailer, Circle K, has been sued over its application of the tax.

byerak@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @beckyyerak
Mark Suppelsa has announced he is retiring after his contract ends. (WGN )

Veteran Chicago television anchor Mark Suppelsa is signing off after 25 years as a local news mainstay and retiring to rural Montana.

The face of WGN-Ch. 9's evening news for nearly 10 years, Suppelsa confirmed Friday that he is leaving the station, Chicago and his TV news career behind when his contract is up at the end of the year.

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"I'm ready to unplug, I really am," said Suppelsa, 55.

Suppelsa announced his retirement Thursday afternoon in an email to his WGN colleagues. The plan to walk away from the anchorman's role on his terms had been in the works for a long time, he said.

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"You don't walk away from total employment in a month or two," Suppelsa said. "You plan this stuff out, and that's what we've been doing."

His exit is pegged to the expiration of his contract Jan. 1 and should be just ahead of the sale of WGN's owner, Tribune Media, to Sinclair Broadcast Group. The proposed $3.9 billion deal, which is pending approval from federal regulators, has generated pushback over Sinclair's right-leaning editorial views, as well as concerns about media concentration.

Suppelsa said his retirement is not related to Sinclair's pending acquisition.

"Sinclair has nothing to do with it, and if I had two or three years left on a contract, I was going to fulfill it," he said.

A Milwaukee native, Suppelsa grew up in suburban Chicago and graduated from Marquette University. After working at TV stations in Green Bay and Minneapolis, he made his way in 1993 to WMAQ-Ch. 5 in Chicago, where he began his long run as one of the top TV news anchors in the market.

Suppelsa left the NBC-owned station in 2003 to anchor the 9 p.m. news at Fox-owned WFLD-Ch. 32. In 2008, he joined WGN, where he co-anchors the 5, 6, 9 and 10 p.m. newscasts.

"I was one of those guys who just tried to put my head down and do as good a job of TV journalism as I possibly could," Suppelsa said.

The results of his efforts garnered respect from his peers, a track record of high ratings and rapport with his viewers.

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"So much of WGN's success can be attributed to the connection he's had with our audience and our team," Jennifer Lyons, WGN's news director, said Thursday in an email to staffers.

Suppelsa took a month off the air in 2012 to enter an alcohol recovery program at Minnesota's Hazelden addiction treatment center, which he disclosed in a letter to colleagues that was also posted on the WGN website.

Now 5 1/2 years sober, Suppelsa said he is feeling better than ever, and he credits the recovery experience with helping him plot a course toward retirement.

"It certainly has cleared the mind, cleared the eyes, so I could figuratively and literally see forward in a better way," he said.

Suppelsa is the latest prominent Chicago TV news anchor to step down in recent years, following WLS-Ch. 7's Linda Yu and Ron Magers and others into retirement.

Throughout his career, Suppelsa said he advanced through "fortune, luck and hard work," leaving each station on his own terms. The decision to exit the business, he said, is no different.

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With both of their kids grown and launching their own careers, he and his wife, Candus, are planning to sell their Evanston home and move to their longtime vacation home in Bigfork, Mont., a remote hamlet near Glacier National Park in the northwest corner of the state.

After Suppelsa's more than three decades of the daily news grind, his ambitions do not extend beyond hiking, kayaking, traveling and perhaps taking trumpet lessons.

"I really do not plan on working again," he said. "I really plan to just unplug and decompress and then kind of figure it out as we go along."

While local TV news has been challenged by a splintered audience and digital competition, Supplesa said he believes journalism "done right and done well" will survive.

For his WGN colleagues and viewers facing an uncertain future under new ownership, Suppelsa draws from both his long-tenured news experience and his more recent recovery program for advice.

"Take it a day at a time," Suppelsa said. "It's a credo I've been living by for the last 5 1/2 years."

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rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RobertChannick
President Trump's announcement Wednesday that he was dissolving his two major councils of business leaders undoubtedly brought a sense of relief to many of the member CEOs  they wouldn't have to stick their necks out to resign publicly, thereby risking an angry response from the Tweeter-in-Chief.

Those who waited until then to publicly declare their dismay at Trump's remarks Tuesday expressing sympathy and support for the Nazis and white supremacists who marched through Charlottesville, Va., chanting anti-Semitic and racist slogans, don't deserve much credit. But those who distanced themselves from Trump earlier, some even before Charlottesville, do. It's proper to note that Trump's remarks about Charlottesville weren't the only opportunity for business leaders to show moral courage. Before then, there were his policies and statements on immigration, climate change, NATO and healthcare.

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[ What the 15 top executives who quit Trump's business councils said about why they left  ]

Among business leaders, as among people in all walks of life, one finds leaders, followers, those who wait to see which way the wind blows before acting and those who remind us of Gilbert & Sullivan's Duke of Plaza-Toro, who "led his regiment from behind."

Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our countrys success.  Travis Kalanick's early and uncompromising condemnation of Trump policy

Through our history, America's business leaders haven't consistently stood up against bigotry and inequality. But rarely have they staked a claim to moral authority as insistently as they do today  that claim is part of the "corporate principles" one can find on virtually every company website. Seldom has it been as important as it is now for them to back up their PR with action, considering moral authority has almost vanished in Washington. So let's see how they've done.

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Here's a ranking of the members of Trump's Manufacturing Jobs Initiative and Strategic and Policy Forum, based on when they bailed out and why.

The pioneers (resigned before Charlottesville)

Travis Kalanick, Uber: Kalanick, who since has been deposed as Uber's CEO, resigned from the strategic panel on Feb. 2, even before it met. He was responding to Trump's travel ban, saying, "Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our country's success and quite honestly to Uber's." Kalanick had come under fire from some in the Silicon Valley community for joining Trump's panel in the first place, but he shouldn't be marked down just because he accurately read the mood of his constituency. Plenty of politicians aren't that responsive to theirs.

Elon Musk, Tesla/SpaceX: Musk resigned from both the strategic and jobs panels on June 1 over Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate change agreement. "Climate change is real," he tweeted. "Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world."

Bob Iger, Disney: Iger quit the strategic panel, also on June 1 and also over the Paris decision. "Protecting our planet and driving economic growth are critical to our future, and they aren't mutually exclusive," he said.

The emancipator

Kenneth Frazier, Merck & Co.: Frazier quit the jobs panel on Monday morning after Trump's first inadequate statement on Charlottesville. "As CEO of Merck and as a matter of personal conscience," he said in a tweeted statement, "I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism." One of only four black CEOs of a Fortune 500 company, Frazier's resignation paved the way for others to leave.

The first wave

Kevin Plank, Under Armour: Plank, who had come under fire weeks earlier for statements supporting Trump, followed Frazier off the jobs panel by several hours, though his resignation statement was bland: "Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics," he said.

Brian Krzanich, Intel: Krzanich quit the jobs panel the same day, citing "the serious harm our divided political climate is causing to critical issues."

Way too late

Richard Trumka and Thea Lee, AFL-CIO: The only representatives of labor on the two panels dithered inexcusably before resigning Tuesday. On Monday, following Frazier's resignation, the AFL-CIO said it was "assessing" its continued participation on the jobs panel, but only made its decision following Trump's meltdown news conference, in which he doubled down Tuesday on his support for the white supremacist marchers in Charlottesville. "We cannot sit on a council for a President who tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism," the union said. But organized labor had plenty of evidence of Trump's hostility to its cause long before then, including the disdain he showed by his two non-labor nominations as secretary of Labor, and actions taken to delay or eviscerate Obama-era initiatives, including one expanding eligibility for overtime pay. Trumka and Lee should have resigned from the panel months earlier.

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The second wave

Scott Paul, Alliance for American Manufacturing: Paul, president of a partnership between the United Steelworkers Union and manufacturing industries, resigned from the jobs panel Tuesday after Trump's news conference. He subsequently tweeted a quote from Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel: "We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

Inge Thulin, 3M; and Denise Morrison, Campbell Soup: Thulin's and Morrison's resignations from the jobs panel Wednesday signaled that a flood might be coming. Trump's statements Tuesday gave wavering CEOs a strong basis for direct criticism of the president: "Racism and murder are unequivocally reprehensible and are not morally equivalent to anything else that happened in Charlottesville," Morrison said. "I believe the president should have been  and still needs to be  unambiguous on that point."

Larry Fink, BlackRock: The head of the money management firm resigned from the strategic panel after the Trump news conference, stating, "After the last few days, I concluded that I could no longer in good conscience participate in the Forum."

Strong words (but only after seeing how the wind was blowing)

On Wednesday, Trump dissolved the CEO panels, and the floodgates opened. Several CEOs issued strong statements condemning racism and bigotry, begging the question of why they hadn't acted earlier. No points for these CEOs.

Greg Hayes, United Technologies: Hayes resigned from the jobs panel after Trump announced its dissolution, which leaves unclear what he was resigning from. "The values that are the cornerstone of our culture: tolerance, diversity, empathy and trust, must be reaffirmed by our actions every day," Hayes said, four days after Trump's first statements about Charlottesville placed those values in doubt.

Jeffrey Immelt, General Electric: Immelt resigned from the jobs council Wednesday, two days after saying he would stay on because "it is important for GE to participate in the discussion on how to drive growth and productivity in the U.S." Immelt evidently decided that Trump's statements on Wednesday were beyond the pale. He called them "deeply troubling  GE has no tolerance for hate, bigotry, racism, and the white supremacist extremism that the country witnessed in Charlottesville last weekend."

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Alex Gorsky, Johnson & Johnson: Gorsky wanted the public to know that his decision to quit the jobs council, which was announced after Trump's dissolution of the panel, preceded the dissolution. We'll have to take him at his word.

Virginia Rometty, IBM: Rometty told IBM personnel in a statement that the strategic panel, of which she was a member, had decided itself to disband even before Trump dissolved it, which appears to be the case. She said she had joined the panel because "we have always believed that dialogue is critical to progress  but this group can no longer serve the purpose for which it was formed." Why it took so long to come to that conclusion is unclear; the panel hadn't met since its formation  and until the conference call Wednesday at which its members agreed to disband.

Wal-Mart tries a straddle, gets blindsided by Trump

Doug McMillon, Wal-Mart: A member of Trump's strategic panel, McMillon took the opportunity of Trump's Monday statement, in which he specifically called out the far-right for fomenting the Charlottesville violence, to declare the controversy all but resolved. "As we watched the events and the response from President Trump over the weekend, we too felt that he missed a critical opportunity to help bring our country together," McMillon said on the Wal-Mart website. "His remarks today were a step in the right direction." McMillon said he saw no reason to leave the Trump panel: "We believe we should stay engaged to try to influence decisions in a positive way and help bring people together." Trump's news conference Tuesday, of course, demolished McMillon's conclusion from a day earlier. The company hadn't made a further statement before Trump disbanded the CEO councils Wednesday.

Retired, luckily, before the controversy

These CEOs had retired from their companies and therefore from the Trump jobs council before Charlottesville. They hadn't been replaced on the councils. No points for them.

Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar (retired in March)

Klaus Kleinfeld, Arconic (retired in April)

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Mark Fields, Ford (retired in May)

Mario Longhi, U.S. Steel (retired in June)

Special notice for playing both sides of the fence

Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase: Dimon had been one of the more insistent voices rationalizing participation in the Trump councils. He told Bloomberg TV in June, after the Paris withdrawal decision, "I am a American patriot, and I want to help the president of the United States.  It is very hard if you say I'm going to go off an advisory group or not do 'a, b, c' because you disagree on one issue. Honestly, no one is going to agree with every president or prime minister on every issue. So I don't want to overreact."

On Wednesday, he signaled that as a member of the strategic panel, he had seen enough. "Racism, intolerance and violence are always wrong," he said in a statement to JPMorgan employees. "There is no room for equivocation here: the evil on display by these perpetrators of hate should be condemned."

Dimon deserves credit for one aspect of his statement that was unusual, albeit not unique, compared with those of his fellow business leaders: He specifically criticized Trump. "I strongly disagree with President Trump's reaction to the events that took place in Charlottesville over the past several days," he said. Weighing against that is that the "events in Charlottesville" actually took place on Friday and Saturday, well before Dimon's statement.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

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The U.S. flag, Chicago flag and Cook County flag flap in the wind above the Chicago Police Department's 25th District on April 4, 2017. A growing economy, which saw GDP rise in the second quarter by 2.6 percent, is helping local small businesses increase sales and reap more profits. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Being a local small-business owner is one of the tougher ways to scratch out a living. Lately, however, that task is getting a little easier.

A growing economy, which saw gross domestic product increase in the second quarter by 2.6 percent, is helping area entrepreneurs increase sales and reap additional profits.

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It's an economic burst that's a plus for the entire region because it creates more jobs and fosters commercial expansion  in spite of some nagging regulatory headaches, especially in Cook County.

Another opportunity that's emerging: More owners want to sell their companies.

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"The economy is percolating, and small business is feeling it in many ways," says Mark Grant, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business Illinois, which represents 11,500 members, including thousands in northern Illinois.

Multiple sectors are harvesting sales gains, including firms in manufacturing, residential or commercial construction, home improvement, health care and other services.

In a surprise, neighborhood retailers in viable suburban and urban business districts seem to be holding up against the ongoing attacks by online disruptor Amazon and larger rivals like Walmart, Grant says.

This rising tide of small Illinois companies is part of a nationwide trend recently outlined in a survey by the NFIB in Washington, D.C.

"There's nothing like more customers to make owners happy," the report concludes.

Brisk sales usually translate into hiring new workers, spending more on capital improvements, boosting inventory and expanding into additional markets or business lines.

How is this bonanza being bankrolled?

Probably to the chagrin of many local bankers, it's not with a rush of new commercial loans, but through retained earnings or personal funds.

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About 66 percent of the estimated 1,500 owners surveyed have no interest in borrowing money while 31 percent said all their credit needs were met, the NFIB stated.

Yet better times also bring significant challenges.

This go-round, it's linking the right people with the right type of jobs.

About 52 percent of owners surveyed say they can't find qualified candidates for available positions; 19 percent said attracting such applicants is their biggest problem, according to the NFIB.

It is a stubborn dilemma that emphasizes society's continuing need for better education and skills training for young and older people alike.

The shortfall is also an important reason to adopt the Illinois Trust Act, an immigration measure backed by labor, big business and small companies. The bill would provide legal protections that will make it easier to employ immigrant workers.

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The Trust Act bill is before Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Meanwhile, Cook County is getting a reputation for being a daunting place for small enterprises to ply their trade.

A new county-imposed minimum wage went into effect in July, although an estimated three-fifths of the county's 134 municipalities opted not to make the proposed increase from $8.25 per hour to $10.

Then there's the highly controversial penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened and artificially flavored beverages that consumers pay at the point of sale and retailers collect.

As this column has noted, the beverage tax is sparking a maelstrom of protests and legal challenges that justifiably seek to repeal or overturn this controversial levy.

Meanwhile, a better economy is prompting some business owners to ponder cashing out.

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A range of establishments, from old family-owned businesses to solo startups, are heading for the selling block.

In the second quarter of this year, 57 small businesses were sold compared to 38 in the same quarter last year, according to BizBuySell, an online site that tracks Chicago-area sales.

There's an adage that when the economy sneezes, small business catches a cold. Sometimes, it turns into pneumonia.

Right now, however, entrepreneurs have reason to feel pretty good.

roreed@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @reedtribbiz
Illinois residents who once attended Corinthian Colleges could be eligible for a portion of $11.6 million in relief for student debts accrued during an alleged scheme that reached across the country.

The scheme allegedly involved Oregon-based hedge fund Aequitas and now-defunct Corinthian, which shuttered its campuses and liquidated its assets in 2015 amid a government investigation for allegedly deceptive practices.

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The chunk for Illinois students is part of a $192 million agreement Attorney General Lisa Madigan , 12 other state attorneys general and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reached with Aequitas.

The settlement is Madigan's latest move in an ongoing battle against fraud schemes at for-profit schools.

"This exposes the dirty secret that large Wall Street hedge funds are behind the shady for-profit industry," Madigan said.

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Aequitas, which is facing additional legal battles involving the Securities and Exchange Commission , allegedly funded loans facilitated by Corinthian that burdened students with "high-priced debt with a high likelihood of default," according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Oregon.

The loans Aequitas was involved in were part of Corinthian's institutional loan program, Madigan said. The income made it appear as though Corinthian was meeting federal regulations to operate and allowed its schools to gain access to federal student loan dollars.

Corinthian and Aequitas both knew the loans would likely default, the suit alleges. And the students, many of whom were low-income or first-generation college attendees, "were the ones left holding the bag," the suit says.

Investigations into Corinthian revealed it had misled students at some of its schools  including campuses in Illinois  for years about their job prospects.

Soon after Corinthian shut down, the SEC took aim at Aequitas, alleging in a 2016 lawsuit that it was a Ponzi-like scheme. By March 31, 2017, Aequitas held a portfolio of student loans with an unpaid balance of about $190.5 million, according to the lawsuit. The more than 46,000 loans had been made to more than 41,000 individual borrowers.

The courts appointed a receiver to hold Aequitas' assets while that lawsuit worked its way through the courts. The court-appointed receiver declined to comment on behalf of Aequitas.

Under the settlement, student loan debt held by the receiver will be canceled, according to a news release from Madigan's office.

More than 2,800 Illinois students who attended a Corinthian school will be eligible for a portion of $11.6 million in relief, Madigan said. Of those students, more than 70 percent will have all of their receiver-held loans canceled.

Madigan has led multiple investigations surrounding alleged fraud among for-profit institutions, such as Corinthian.

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She filed a suit in Cook County Circuit Court in January alleging student loan servicer Navient and its subsidiaries failed to properly assist borrowers struggling with loans. Navient has denied the allegations.

Recently, she was among a group of attorneys general that sued the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Betsy DeVos for delaying updates to an Obama-era rule that clarifies how defrauded students can apply for loan forgiveness.

Corinthian's collapse was a catalyst in that rule's creation.

Madigan said she is working "to get money back to defrauded students so they're not left with a lifetime of paralyzing debt.

"I can't get them their wasted time back, but I need to get them their money back," she said.

amarotti@chicagotribune.com

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Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, shown in 2014, successfully sued drugmaker Insys over a prescription opioid drug. Insys pushed a highly addictive opioid in complete disregard for patients health to increase company profits, she said in a Aug. 18, 2017, news release. ( M. Spencer Green/AP )

An Arizona drug company has agreed to pay Illinois $4.45 million to settle allegations that it deceptively marketed and sold a prescription opioid drug for uses not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The settlement became official Friday, about two weeks after the chief financial officer for the drug company, Insys Therapeutics, said during an earnings call that the company was setting aside $4.5 million for an estimated potential settlement.

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An Insys spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon, but Insys did not admit to any liability or wrongdoing as part of the settlement agreement.

Illinois sued the company in August of last year in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging Insys deceptively marketed and sold Subsys, a form of the prescription opioid drug fentanyl that's sprayed under the tongue. The drug is intended to treat patients suffering from cancer pain.

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The company heavily marketed the drug to Illinois doctors with records of prescribing high volumes of opioids regardless of whether those doctors were prescribing opioids to treat cancer pain, the state alleged.

"Insys pushed a highly addictive opioid in complete disregard for patients' health to increase company profits," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a Friday news release. "It's unethical, greedy behavior by companies like Insys that is responsible for creating the opioid epidemic and resulting overdose deaths in our state."

The settlement comes amid an epidemic of opioid use across the country  and an increasing number of states and municipalities suing opioid-makers over their alleged roles in the spread of opioid addiction. In Illinois last year, nearly 1,900 people died of opioid drug overdoses, according to preliminary data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Madigan plans to use money from the settlement to help battle opioid abuse in Illinois. Also, as part of the settlement agreement, Insys must create a program to identify doctors helping to fuel opioid addiction, only promote the drug to doctors planning to prescribe it for cancer pain and prohibit sales representatives from talking about individual patients with doctors, among other requirements.

According to Madigan's office, the top prescriber of Subsys in Illinois was Dr. Paul Madison, who wrote about 58 percent of all prescriptions for the drug in the state despite treating few, if any, cancer patients. Madison, an anesthesiologist and former owner of the Watertower Surgicenter on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago, was indicted in 2012 by the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago for billing insurers for procedures he didn't perform, and his medical license was suspended in November, according to Madigan's office.

Attempts to reach Madison and his attorneys Friday were not immediately successful, but he told the Chicago Tribune last year: "I've done nothing wrong. It was a really outstanding medication. We just used it for people who had severe pain."

Insys settled with the state of Oregon for $1.1 million in 2015 over allegations that it promoted the drug for uses other than cancer pain. Insys has been the target also of a federal investigation over Subsys.

lschencker@chicagotribune.com

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New York  The CEO of 21st Century Fox denounced racism and terrorists while expressing concern over President Donald Trump's reaction to the deadly violence surrounding a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

James Murdoch also told friends in a personal email that he and his wife, Kathryn, will donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League.

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Murdoch writes that the events in Charlottesville last weekend and Trump's response "concern all of us as Americans and free people."

"I can't even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists," Murdoch added. "Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so."

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Trump has put the blame for the violence on both white nationalists and those protesting the gathering last weekend, saying there were "very fine people" on both sides.

Murdoch is the son of 21st Century Fox's co-executive chairman, Rupert Murdoch, a Trump ally who The New York Times reported recently dined with the president at the White House. The company is the corporate parent of Fox News Channel, which has given friendly coverage to the president.

The email was first reported by the Times Thursday.
A Missing Endangered Person Advisory was issued Thursday afternoon for a 15-year-old Missoula girl last seen Wednesday with a 24-year-old man, according to an email alert from the Montana Department of Justice.

The advisory states that Marilyn Pickett, 15, is missing under "suspicious circumstances," with a man named Jackson Wiles. Pickett is described in the release as 5'2" tall, African American, weighing 125 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

Wiles was described as a 24-year-old white male. An accompanying image shows him with long dark blond hair and a long brown and blond beard. Wiles is 5'11" tall, weighs 230 pounds and has blue eyes, according to a listing for him on the Montana Department of Corrections Correctional Offender Network website.

Wiles is on probation and received a 36-month deferred sentence out of Missoula in September 2016 for burglary, according to the website.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Missoula County Sheriff's Office at 406-258-3357.

Missing Endangered Person Advisories are issued to assist Montana law enforcement in situations that do not meet AMBER Alert criteria but still involve the potential endangerment of individuals, according to the Montana Department of Justice website.
Former President Barack Obama will speak to the Economic Club of Chicago in December.

Former President Barack Obama will speak to the Economic Club of Chicago in December, the venerable members-only business institution announced Thursday.

Obama is booked as guest speaker for the club's Dec. 5 dinner meeting, with limited guest reservations available.

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It is a return engagement of sorts for Obama, who previously addressed the club in 2004 when he was the U.S. senator-elect for Illinois. The billing this time is somewhat more impressive: Obama will be one year removed from two terms in the White House.

In addition to business leaders, the Economic Club has brought in some political heavyweights over the years as guest speakers, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, both of whom appeared in 2014.

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Speakers this year have included Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts and renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Founded in 1927, the Economic Club has 1,700 members made up of business and civic leaders.

Obama's first public speaking engagement after leaving the White House was an April forum on civic engagement at the University of Chicago, where he formerly taught constitutional law.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RobertChannick
Winner: "Please, give these guys a fidget spinner!"

Arlene Englander, Chicago

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Extras:

"Final Jeopardy"

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James McKee

"HeyYou've seen my tweetsI have no problem hitting the 'SEND' button."

John Connolly, Medinah

" Great plan bro! WAY more fun than figuring out health care and getting 'em food!"

Janet Belsky, Chicago

"One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war."

Paul Rubio, Oak Park,

"Small hands,big fingers.Little minds,scary times.PRAY..."

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Jack Featherstone Naperville

"OK, two-out-of-three, loser has to use the winner's barber."

Richard P Bail

"I double dare ya!"

Rose DeRossi, Tinley Park

"'I'LL KNOCK YOUR BLOCK OFF!

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Jinx! You owe me a Coke!'"

Andrea Studzinski, Elmhurst

"A tie and we both lose!!!"

Jerry Wasserman, Northbrook

"You push that button and you're fired!"

Carmen Ordaz, San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico

"Make no mistake, Kim, this is my Twitter Thumb!"

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Patricia Zeglen, Chicago

"Mine is bigger than yours"

Fredrick Chite Asirwa MD, Indianapolis, IN

"They're candidates for the witless protection program."

Pat Foley, Homer Glen

"1-2-3-4 I declare a dumb war."

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Barbara Swanson,, Chicago

"Rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock!"

LaDonna Buschmann, Park Ridge, IL

"Best two out of three?"

Antonio Torres, Arlington Heights

"Proof positive children should not be given dangerous toys."

Mike Saken, Deerfield

"Wouldn't you prefer a nice game of chess?"

Patty Clancy, Lisle

"We've been pushing each other's buttons so long, what's one more?"

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Jon Hanrath, Naperville

"ChildrenI'll give you more doughnuts if you quit texting."

Sandy Lundin, Highland, IN

"The Jeopardy Question is '23 million casualties'"

Michael Pisani

"Did you see how high Mario jumped?"

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Maryann Chiappetta

"Anything you can do I can do better!"

George Edw. Garcia, M.D., Glenview

"You press that button, the White House visit is off the table."

Tom Foley Oak Lawn

"No, you blinked first"

Chris Phillips , Woodstock

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"Instead of doing this, why don't we just insult each other's hair?"

Kathleen Melia, Niles

"Dude, I appreciate your help distracting them from Russia."

Sheldon I. Saitlin, Chicago

"Fair warning to you Kim: I won my last contest of wills by 216 million votes and 57 states!"

Zachary Kotlarek, Chicago

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"Not so funny now, eh, Kathy Griffin"?

Tim Collins, Antioch

"Alex, I'll have nuclear detestation for two hundred."

Norman Kelewitz , Aurora
Dos Toros, a New York City-based Mission-style burrito shop, is set to open in the middle of the Loop on Monday, Aug. 28.

What are Mission-style burritos? If you read my quixotic burrito quest early this year, you might remember that they refer to the abundantly stuffed kind of burrito prevalent in the Mission District of San Francisco. These gargantuan offerings often include rice, beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream and meat, among many other things, folded up in an oversized flour tortilla.

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Dos Toros was created by two brothers, Leo and Oliver Kremer, who were raised in the Bay Area. They launched Dos Toros in New York City in 2009, and now have 12 locations scattered across the city.

The first location outside of New York will be located at 1 N. Dearborn St. The two-story, 4,000-square-foot space is the largest location the company has opened. Along with design work from local designer, Alex Allen, it will also feature bathroom wallpaper with designs by Jorma Taccone, member of the comedy band, The Lonely Island. (He's the one who didn't make it on the boat.)

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Besides burritos, Dos Toros serves rice bowls, tacos and quesadillas. You can choose to fill any of those choices with pollo asado, carnitas, carne asada or vegetables.

On opening day, Dos Toros will also offer burritos for just $1. And for every photo of a meal posted on social media with the hashtag of #DosTorosChi, the restaurant will donate a meal to Greater Chicago Food Depository and The Food Bank for New York City.

Dos Toros plans to open on Monday, August 28. It will be open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Dos Toros, 1 N. Dearborn St., www.dostoros.com

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @nickdk






In my two-star review of Dan Salls' Quiote, I praised the tacos available during lunch, though wondered why the restaurant refused to serve the indelible offerings at dinner.

Fortunately, that's all over. Walk to the back patio of Quiote, and you'll notice a garishly painted green truck where you'll be able to score tacos from 5 p.m. to midnight every day, except Tuesdays.

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Salls and managing partner, Paul Biasco, settled on the name Kwee. "It's like Quiote's little brother," says Salls.

Currently, there are five tacos on the menu, including al pastor and cochinita pibil, each available for $4. There's also a limited beverage menu of three cocktails, six beers, and four wines. Seating is available right next the truck, and on the western half of the outdoor patio along the sidewalk. You'll also be able to get tacos and take them down to the Mezcal Bar. "Guests have wanted food down there," admits Salls.

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The development brings Salls back to his culinary roots. Before he opened Quiote, he operated the Salsa Truck, which was the first food truck in Chicago to be licensed to cook on board. The truck was an old ice cream truck with over a million miles on it, requiring it to be constantly serviced. "There's not an original part on it," says Salls.

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While the truck appears to fit perfectly in the back patio (more on this later) Salls claims that the truck was not always part of the plan for Quiote. In fact, after he stopped doing the Salsa Truck, he sold the truck to Nathaniel Davis, who was running Wicked Good 'Wiches in the northern suburbs.

"I was mentoring him," says Salls. "He was sick, and he couldn't keep doing his white collar job." Sadly, Davis passed away earlier this year, and Salls purchased the truck back. It was then that he thought about adding the truck to Quiote. "The truck has given a lot of people joy," says Salls. "It's like a phoenix, or a cat with nine lives."

It appears like the this will be the truck's final home. To get the truck to fit in the space, Salls and Biasco had remove the radiator from the front, so that it wouldn't stick out into the sidewalk. While it can't move, the truck will be used as a canvas for artists. It was completely repainted by Don't Fret, a local Chicago artist. Salls and Biasco plan to have the truck repainted by a new artist several times a year.

Salls also plans to have local chefs do taco pop-ups in the truck, with Jonathan Zaragoza set to do the first one.

Considering how ambitious Quiote already is, adding another element to the business might sound a little daunting. But Salls is mostly just excited about having the truck back. "It's hard to run a food truck in Chicago," says Salls. "I always dreamed I could have had a setup like this."

Kwee Taco Truck, 2456 N. California Ave., 312-878-8571, www.quiotechicago.com

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @nickdk






The 1920s French influence at Brasserie Margeaux extends to the food, which is to say that it's delicious, indulgently rich and often oversalted. (Sean Leidigh/WGN-TV)

Michael Mina, the indefatigable chef and restaurateur who has nearly 40 restaurants (I hedge the number because there might be more by the time I finish writing this), spread from San Francisco to Dubai, finally landed in Chicago this summer.

Within three weeks, he opened the casual cafe Petit Margeaux and the more formal Margeaux Brasserie, both in the Waldorf Astoria Chicago.

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Welcome to town, Mr. Mina. I'm sure we'll get along just fine.

What distinguishes Mina as a chef is his four-star work at Aqua, the San Francisco restaurant that launched his career, and the eponymous San Francisco restaurant that began his restaurant empire. As a restaurateur, he has enjoyed phenomenal success crafting beautifully realized, elevated versions of familiar culinary concepts, including comfort food (Pub 1842), izakaya (Pabu) and, most successfully, steaks (Bourbon Steak; six locations, and I suppose it's just a matter of time before there's an outpost in Chicago). Brasserie Margeaux is Mina's boisterous, classic-French restaurant. It's a less-showy sibling of Mina's Bardot Brasserie in Las Vegas, and shares several menu items.

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Decor-wise, Mina and Bishop Pass Design nail the details. Inspired by 1920s Paris, Brasserie Margeaux has heavy, marble-topped tables, a long, zinc-topped bar and black-and-white patterned tile floors. Walls are done in gold and black, framed by dark wood. Creature comforts abound, including high-back leather chairs, generous spacing and elegant table appointments. A champagne cart patrols the dining room; lighting is subdued and romantic.

The 1920s French influence extends to the food, which is to say that it's delicious, indulgently rich and often oversalted.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 10 If you have but one entree, make it the lobster bouillabaisse. Served in a bowl brimming with lobster meat, p.e.i mussels, calamari and grilled prawns, topped dramatically with squid-ink focaccia smeared with spicy rouille and boasting a lovely, aromatic broth, this dish is the best thing on the menu. (Erin Hooley)

Executive chef Brent Balika is on his third Mina Group concept in the last four years, and he knows the corporate drill. Prices may be Gold-Coast high (several entrees are north of $50, not including the prime steaks), but superb quality and hefty portions ease the sting.

Meals begin with an amuse, perhaps a spoonful of salmon tartare on a crunchy gaufrette, or a smidge of caramelized uni on toasted crouton. This is followed by a crusty baguette and salt-topped butter, before the real fun begins.

There are, of course, shellfish plateaux and towers, and raw-bar goodies by the piece, but I'd direct you toward the cooked equivalents, starting with a quartet of wood-roasted Atlantic oysters anointed with a fragrant blend of pernod cream, bacon and leek. Moules frites is nominally an appetizer, but I could make a meal of plump mussels, crispy-hot fries and aioli. Escargots, chopped with porcini mushrooms, swim in their recessed snail plate with garlic-butter, parsley and chartreuse, each recess topped with a crescent-shaped fleuron (this presentation keeps the puff pastry at its flaky best).

More puff-pastry is on offer in the form of a flaky tomato tart, abetted by pistou and smoked-tomato vinaigrette (the smoked tomato delivers what the so-so tomatoes don't). Sweetbreads over pureed fennel, and ground-to-order steak tartar with quail egg, are two classics done simply and flawlessly.

Surprises come from the bone marrow, topped with oxtail marmalade, Meyer-lemon confit and vadouvan butter. What's listed simply as "l'artichaut' in the salad section is a sneaky indulgence, thanks to add-ons of fried chicken-skin and what looks like a handful of finely shaved black truffle.

Entrees continue the classic theme. The roasted chicken is a serviceable snooze, but there's a hefty fillet of Dover sole on a bed of white asparagus, which will be better when the kitchen eases up on the fleur de sel. Fat-capped duck breast with cognac jus is unassailable. Steaks are excellent, but skip the "foie poivre" option, a $12 add-on that smothers your steak in a blanket of fourme d'ambert (a mild blue cheese) green peppercorns and shallots.

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If you have but one entree, make it the lobster bouillabaisse. Served in a bowl brimming with lobster meat, mussels, calamari and grilled prawns, topped dramatically with squid-ink focaccia smeared with spicy rouille and boasting a lovely, aromatic broth, this dish is the best thing on the menu. Granted, a $52 fish stew ought to dazzle, but this entree delivers.

Desserts seem superfluous after the richness of the savory courses, but the list of sweets includes a fine banana tart and a very nice creme-brulee tart topped with creme-fraiche sherbet and stone fruit. The show-stopper is the chocolate macaron, a huge, sized-for-two creation whose middle is filled with raspberry and milk-chocolate cremeux, drizzled (at the table) with warm chocolate sauce and decorated with shaved chocolate shards and cocoa nibs. It's the sort of Instagram-worthy dessert one hesitates to eat, for fear that the first intrusion will wreck the visual effect (and trust me, it will).

Service is superb. The greeting at the host stand is warm and genuine, and thoroughly professional waiters are witty and fun to engage. Even eating at the bar is a delightful experience; here is where I sampled the bar menu's comte-cheese-topped burger and sticky-gooey duck wings with Grand Marnier gastrique.

And to the two nice ladies next to me at the bar, who asked me if I was a restaurant critic: I apologize for lying to you.

pvettel@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @philvettel

Margeaux Brasserie

11 E. Walton St.

312-646-1300

www.michaelmina.net

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Tribune rating: Two stars

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

Open: Breakfast, dinner daily (brunch Saturday-Sunday)

Prices: Entrees $28-$59

Credit cards: A, DC, DS, M, V

Reservations: Recommended

Noise: Conversation-challenged

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Other: Wheelchair accessible; valet parking

Ratings key: 4 stars, outstanding; 3 stars, excellent; 2 stars, very good; 1 star, good; no stars, unsatisfactory. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.






Cauleen Smith is moving. She's leaving Chicago in November for Los Angeles, to teach at the California Institute of the Arts. She wanted to stay and teach here but didn't get the university jobs she applied for. She hasn't been in Chicago that long  just seven years. Still, in that time, she's launched parades and wrapped the Hyde Park Art Center in handmade wallpaper; less than two years after arriving, she landed a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art that found room for jazz iconoclast Sun Ra, astrophysics, extraterrestrials and Stevie Wonder. She came here as a Sundance-certified filmmaker and will leave as a filmmaker who also makes sculptures, draws, paints, sews, presses vinyl records, creates puppets and leads marching bands through Chinatown. Her interests have stayed constant  science fiction, African-American history, technology, improvisational music, memory but Smith is leaving as Exhibit A of the contemporary American artist who refuses to settle on a single defining art form.

Or obvious direction.

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She became the interdisciplinary artist's interdisciplinary artist.

"Since moving here, Cauleen has been a definite upward trajectory kind of person," said Julie Rodrigues Widholm, director of the DePaul Art Museum and former MCA curator. "She's got prestigious grants and acclaim. She's exploded, but in a way that's uncommonly limitless, refreshingly hard to pin down  her ideas never feel appropriately contained by one medium." (Indeed, dean of CalArt's School of Art told ARTNews recently that Smith's "ever-widening repertoire" was a major reason they grabbed her.)

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This year alone, Smith has had work in the Whitney Biennial, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and, through Oct. 29, a show at the Art Institute of Chicago; in the fall, for Expo Chicago, she'll have an installation at the DuSable Museum of African American History.

Chicago, you hardly knew her.

Don't feel bad: Smith said that before moving here she had no idea so many great artists  Kerry James Marshall, Dawoud Bey, Claire Pentecost, etc.  lived in Chicago. Still, she leaves weary of the infamous Second City self-esteem, "a little appalled at the way Chicago doesn't celebrate its greats until another city decides to." (New City, noting her marching bands, once named her "best Chicago artist who is not a Chicago artist.")

"I don't want to make gross generalizations," said artist Theaster Gates, a friend of Smith's, "but I wish Chicago had more space for professional artists to spread out and not feel apologetic about ambition. You get a show here and there, make one or two moves, then your work has to live outside of this city. I had to create my own platform (the "Rebuild" project on the South Side) or I'd be bored out of my mind. When we met, Cauleen and I talked about this, and what it means to have an art practice different than the practices around you. In my mind, she has a clear sense of what she was doing, even if not everybody in the Midwest recognized it. Now she's at the top of her game."

At the moment, on a sunny July morning, she's waiting for the doors to open at the Art Institute, to enter the long thin gallery in the main building that holds her show. It's called "Human_3.0 Reading List," and to hear Smith explain, the work is as simple as it looks:

"Oh, basically it's a bunch of good books you should read, in my humble opinion."

The gallery is lined on all sides by 81/2-by-11-inch drawings of sci-fi novels and autobiographies and graphic novels and essay collections and poetry books, by Yoko Ono and Malcolm X and Claudia Rankine and Octavia Butler and many others. There are 57 in total (all bought and gifted to the AIC by Chicago art collector Helen Zell). Several show the tips of fingers cradling frayed pages, some flipping worn paperbacks.

Of course, it's more than a series of images of books.

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Another of Smith's themes is the prosaic, and the way our imaginations process the everyday. "I'm implying our temporal relationship to books," she says, walking the show. "I'm pointing to the fact you interact with a book over time and you become close with a book  and a photograph of those same things doesn't hold weight anymore. In some ways, I wanted to people to see these and to wonder why someone is drawing a book!"

She looks at the steady flow of visitors puzzling, chatting, pointing.

"This city has been good to me," she says, unscrewing her water bottle. "Things ebb and flow, artists more fabulous than me go through ups and downs, so I know I have to fizzle. Maybe I came to visual art from filmmaking too late? Maybe I spent too much time in the film industry finding my way to visual art and looking for the career that I'm "

"Sorry, ma'am," a gallery guard interrupts. "Can't have an open water bottle."

"Oh, I was told I could carry it ..."

"But you can't open it. Can you keep it in a bag?"

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"They checked my bag."

"Please keep it closed," he says. She waits until he rounds the corner, then unscrews the bottle. She never sought official permits for her marching bands. A water bottle is nothing. "Here's what I think of that," she says, takes a gulp and lets out a loud cartoon "AHHHHHH!"

Smith's studio is a fourth-floor walk-up, a block from the south branch of the Chicago River. It's an old factory alongside the highway, the pillars of which make a kind of concrete forest outside the windows. Her studio is stark and warm and cluttered, a spatter of disparate materials that speak to her ranginess. Bubble wrap and sewing machines and stacks of paperbacks and coffee tins stuffed with paintbrushes. There are props for films  pyramids, a time machine made from wood, a bird feather, a bicycle wheel and a disco ball. There's a puppet, in mid-assembly, that looks like Smith, bemused, with eyeglasses, and an open happy face. It's part of an upcoming group show in Toronto.

Smith, her white dress shirt splattered with paint, turned her puppet head in her hands. "Each of the artists (in the exhibit) chose a terrestrial metaphor," she said. "For me it was a volcano. (The puppet) will live on a volcano and wear a lava dress. Who owns North America? Native Americans. There's nowhere to go where you're not a part of a colonial project. A volcano is the only uncontested land. The volcano offers a solution. Stake out your volcano now before everyone else does. That's what my puppet does."

She laughed.

Smith, who turns 50 next month, grew up in Sacramento, the daughter of social workers. Her career, so far, has been somewhat divided into two acts. For the first part, she studied film, most notably at the University of California at Los Angeles. In 1998, the year she graduated, her first feature, "Drylongso," played at the Sundance Film Festival. It told the story of a young woman who takes Polaroids of black men, eager to document what she feared was an endangered species. It was well-received, and as Smith went on to make many other meditative, more experimental films, she felt gradually alienated from indies and unable to see herself in the broader studio system.

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That feeling accelerated in Chicago.

She came here for a residency with Threewalls gallery, to work on a series of films and pieces inspired by jazz great Sun Ra, the man born Herman Blount who lived for a while in Chicago, honing an ethereal avant-garde reputation that, in contrast to grittier jazz traditionalists, imagined the future of Black America was out among the stars. He pioneered the subgenre of magic realism called Afro-Futurism  a genre often, wrongly, too narrowly, attached to Smith herself. Her Sun Ra pieces, drawing on speculative fiction and history, were expansive and like many of her works, drew deeply researched, unexpected connections. The project culminated in shows at Threewalls and the MCA, that included projections, more than a dozen videos, sculptural installations, dozens of drawings and an audio assemblage of rare bits from Sun Ra. But the loudest, and most memorable, part of the project was the marching band that Smith put together.

She wanted a marching band to descend, without formal permission, on sites around Chicago and play Sun Ra  like a flash mob. In a nod to Sun Ra's fabled Arkestra, she named her band the Solar Flare Arkestral Marching Band. Its members, however, were drawn mostly from the Rich South High School marching band in Richton Park. She had searched for a marching band on YouTube, contacted Rich's skeptical band director, then, after attending pre-dawn practices, won them over. "(The director) later told me the parents thought at first I was weird and that he should keep me away from the kids," she said. From 2010 to 2012, they stormed Chinatown, CTA stations, Fulton Market.

"I saw it all as a form of protest and celebration simultaneously," Smith said. "But of course, in art, many things you intend are not visible. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself to do things, and I was fascinated with the history of marching bands, why Chicago's were outstanding, how kids in these bands often get scholarships to historically black colleges in the South, creating a relationship between the South and Chicago. Then there's the history of marching bands, which came from West Africa ..."

Though Smith still calls herself a filmmaker, she has been steadily shaping her own image of how an artist creates. And it can be hard to follow. Krista Franklin, a Chicago-based poet and visual artist (and occasional collaborator with Smith), said: "I couldn't begin to tell you her plan but I know people want to put you in a box, then you live your creative life there. Most artists do different things, but Cauleen, she will live fully in that promise." Smith's works drawing on other artists, for instance  she's currently researching a project that connects the Shaker movement and pianist Alice Coltrane  are both acts of fandom and excavations, mining minutiae of artists' lives, absorbing detail and responding. "I don't think I'd understand (Sun Ra) by just listening to him," Smith said. "But what he recorded off the radio? Like Dionne Warwick? That's what feeds me."

The longer she lived in Chicago, the more she felt the art world was more receptive to ideas than the film community. Better yet, she found herself, she said, already in "happy alignment": She wasn't claiming to be a social practice artist  meaning roughly, an artist who explores the navigations between life and art  but the negotiations of a filmmaker for things like locations and access seemed similar. "And a lot of times I would be making a prop," she said, "then realize the prop was a sculpture onto itself."

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Smith's main Whitney Biennial contribution (she also had films in the program) were large banners that hung from the ceiling of the main gallery as visitors entered the show. Originally they were intended for a film (which she later shot). She made them of polyester, pleather, satin and other materials, sewing in images of No. 2 pencils stuck through eyeballs and birds, along with phrases such as "We Were Never Meant to Survive" and "Rage Blooms Within Me." One banner was simply a list of comedians  Chris Rock, Wanda Sykes, etc.  whom Smith calls a "resistance and balm to our current era."

"The Biennial this time was very much about artists engaged with the world," said Christopher Lew, associate curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, which bought several of her banners, "so her work fit well. She has this humanistic quality that works with appropriation  but sincerely. She's not about playing clever games with the art system or art world. So you get work that's socially minded without being overtly works of activism. You know her drawings of books? She's inserted some of those images into real books in bookstores. I find that powerful and mysterious, all at once."

Back at the Art Institute, strolling through her show, Smith points to the face she says she can't draw right, and to the colors that don't look good. She spends a lot of time explaining who she is not and what she is not doing, but perhaps that's the pitfall of an iconoclast. "These are not works of art," she says. "Museum people like fancy paper. This is graph paper from Staples. But I think I'm clear that art that doesn't change the world is valuable. I don't think art has to prove some provable point to be worthy."

She walks, thinking.

"But I wouldn't say it's art for art's sake," she adds. "It's art for people's sake."

But it is somewhat activism? The books themselves look like a social justice reading list.

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"I sometimes get tagged as activist because I pay attention to the world, but I'm not an activist. You need a certitude for that which I don't have anymore. That's for the young. Their agenda is social change and that requires power, but art is about destabilizing power. I'm all for change, but my work, it doesn't serve it. I want to undermine power."

She's getting worked up.

"Say the revolutionaries win. What happens? They become dictators and put the artists in prison, and art doesn't stop just because their side won "

A woman interrupts.

She steps in front of Smith and waves her hand around the gallery then presses her hand to her heart and mouths the words: "You are wonderful."

cborrelli@chicagotribune.com

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The Balbo monument, a slender, 18-foot-tall column of greenish breccia rock, has unnerved many Chicagoans. It was a gift from fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, erected in 1934 to commemorate a celebrated trans-Atlantic flight. The namesake of the monument was the leader of that voyage, General Italo Balbo, who became one of Mussolini's most feared warlords. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

The Balbo monument, a slender, 18-foot-tall column of greenish breccia rock, has unnerved many Chicagoans. It was a gift from fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, erected in 1934 to commemorate a celebrated trans-Atlantic flight. The namesake of the monument was the leader of that voyage, General Italo Balbo, who became one of Mussolini's most feared warlords. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Every now and then, for the more than 80 years it has stood outside Soldier Field on Burnham Harbor, the Balbo monument  a slender, 18-foot tall column of greenish breccia rock, perched at the foot of the bike path  has unnerved many Chicagoans.

That is, the ones who knew its history.

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It was a gift to Chicago from fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, erected in 1934 to commemorate a celebrated trans-Atlantic flight of 24 11-ton seaplanes from Rome to Chicago. The namesake of the monument was the leader of that voyage, General Italo Balbo, an Italian aviator who had been central to Mussolini's rise to power and later became one of his most feared warlords. Not long after his visit to Chicago, Balbo led the bombing of unarmed Africans in Ethiopia. As fascism spread across Europe in the 1930s, his tactics were celebrated in speeches by no less than Hitler.

Should you lean in, the faded inscription at the base to the Balbo monument is chilling. It reads, in part: "Fascist Italy with the sponsorship of Benito Mussolini presents to Chicago" this commemoration of a flight by Balbo "in the 11th year of the Fascist Era."

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It is, in short, public art from a fascist, honoring a fascist.

Not surprisingly then, over the past century there have been many spirited attempts to remove it. And now, in the wake of the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., that brought a fresh questioning of Confederate statues across the country, calls to remove the column  and for good measure, rename Balbo Drive  have a renewed weight.

Leading the push, Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, and Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, who will propose removing the monument (and renaming the downtown street) at a City Council meeting in September. "We think the climate (for the monument's removal) is different now," Villegas said. "The momentum is here." He said they don't want Balbo "struck from history lessons  but we also don't want to honor those folks who don't deserve it."

Villegas, who didn't know the history of the monument until Burke informed him, added: "Since then I've actually had some of my staff start to research the histories of a number of other monuments in Chicago  I'm curious to see what they come up with."

Coincidentally, Burke, a powerful, longtime Chicago politician, once served as a tax attorney to President Donald Trump, whose heavily criticized response to the Virginia rally stoked the nationwide calls for removing Confederate statues. (Trump himself tweeted on Thursday that pulling down monuments to Robert E. Lee and others was "foolish.")

On Thursday morning, Burke traipsed down to the monument to reacquaint himself, and though he said the inscription was mostly too weathered to read, the part about "the 11th year of the Fascist Era" riveted him. "I decided to do this as I was reading all the stories about other monuments around the country," Burke said. "I remembered (2nd Ward Ald.) Bob Fioretti had tried to do this same thing (in 2011), which didn't go anywhere. And I thought it was surprising more people hadn't demanded this thing go."

The aldermen's proposal comes on the heels of a few days of incensed tweets from John Greenfield, editor of the transportation website Streetsblog Chicago, and Bill Savage, an author and associate professor at Northwestern University who often teaches the literary and cultural history of Chicago, both of whom called strongly for the removal of the Balbo monument. "I guess part of it is I ride by that monument a lot," Savage said, "and always cringe a little, because frankly, as a Chicagoan, it's embarrassing. For one, it's very close to the (Gold Star) memorial to police killed on the job  why would police want to be associated closely with fascism? You go for a stroll, contemplate (officers) who made the ultimate sacrifice, and a few yards away, there's this monument to a general who symbolized hate and the ugliness of fascism. I don't get it."

Many don't, for many reasons.

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The Balbo monument seems apart from the Museum Campus. It is surrounded by the greenest and fullest of trees, so dense and full it's hard to see towering Soldier Field just beyond. Spiders weave doilies of webs on a black iron fence that curls past it. And yet the monument itself is less elegant than battered, grim and solid. A breeze lifts off the harbor and shussssshes leaves, and you guess, not even a hurricane could budge this.

Bicyclists zoom by every minute. Followed by runners. Then families. Very few stop or even regard the monument or read its inscription; indeed, compared with the solemn Civil War soldier atop Confederate Mound in Oak Woods Cemetery on the South Side, the Balbo column is an innocuous abstraction  an ancient pillar in search of a temple.

A jogger stops.

Mike Cramarosso, a Chicago lawyer, towels off his face and catches his breath and grins: "Mussolini's work, right? Pretty amazing it's here, isn't it? I came across it one time when I was relieving myself near it, though I resisted the urge to go on Mussolini."

He looks closely at it.

"No one knows it's here, you know? It's not in your face like Civil War stuff, I suppose."

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A man stops on his bike.

"You guys know anything about this statue?" he asks.

His name is Gregory Raclaw. He wears an orange shirt and black riding shorts, and he looks so eager to discuss Balbo, before you can answer, he answers: "I mean, can't they just remove the 'Mussolini'? Keep the monument and erase the name? I bet 99 percent of the people who pass it every day have no idea what they are looking at anyway. What are we going to start doing, eradicate every statue in this country that we don't like?"

In 1933, Chicago really liked Italo Balbo.

The horror of the Nazis was not yet widely realized in this country, and fascist populism had its mainstream supporters. Balbo's flight coincided with the Century of Progress World's Fair and proved so spectacular, there were parades down Michigan Avenue in his honor. Balbo was feted by Chicago's upper class. Loyola University gave him an honorary degree. Within a year, Mayor Ed Kelly had renamed 7th Street as Balbo Drive, and Mussolini's gigantic gift was erected, standing at the entrance to the Italian Pavilion at the 1934 World's Fair, where it stayed long after the World's Fair itself vanished.

But almost from its installation, questions were raised. The column itself, which is more than 2,000 years old, had a sketchy history, being likely pilfered from a seaside Italian ruin by Mussolini  whose military ancestors had likely pilfered it themselves from the Greeks.

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As early as 1946, aldermen have proposed removing the monument and renaming Balbo Drive  often in the name of grieving American war widows. Balbo died in 1940 under suspicious circumstances, having been shot down by friendly fire over Libya (he was rumored to be targeted by Mussolini himself, who had feared Balbo's popularity). Had he survived World War II, Savage said, "had he stood trial at Nuremberg, Chicago might have felt differently about Balbo." Instead, the occasional calls to strike Balbo's name from Chicago were often met with resistance by Chicago's Italian community.

Asked on Thursday about the possibility of the Balbo monument removal, John Ferrentino, chairman of Casa Italia, a Chicago-area Italian-American organization, said: "The way I look at it, there are art issues related to that statue  and what if next week someone has a problem with Picasso? That said, I haven't quite formed an opinion yet to think about this very hard."

"I can see how the Italian-American community might still react (to removing the monument today) to this sense of history being erased," said Greenfield of Streetsblog Chicago. He suggests making the Italian community central to the conversation about the monument and street name, perhaps even replacing it with honors for Italians such as St. Frances Cabrini or physicist Enrico Fermi, whose work in Chicago led to the first nuclear reactor. And yet, the trouble with those suggestions, Savage pointed out, is that Fermi was also once a member of the fascist party (until later opposing it), and "the name 'Cabrini' is synonymous now with the substandard public housing of Cabrini-Green."

At a news conference Thursday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel seemed to sidestep a question about the Balbo issue, saying there would be time to address it. And the Chicago Park District plans to meet with the aldermen about the subject, according to a spokeswoman. In fact, Burke himself sounded less than hard line on simply removing the column. He suggested a solution might be as simple as "rebranding" the monument as an educational opportunity.

Meanwhile, at the lakefront path alongside the Balbo monument on Thursday, joggers and bicyclists largely dove into the complexity of removing monuments to loathsome figures. Almost to a person, they argued their points with a pained smile that suggested a hard uncertainty. For every John Knoepke of Chicago who said, "We shouldn't be honoring a fascist regime  things change," there was a Richard Barron, a Chicago police detective, who said: "Part of the beauty of this city is the revitalization, and part is the history, and we need to keep who we are alongside a reminder of who we were."

Kilian Sweeney, of Chicago, read what he could of the inscription to his young son and daughter, then stopped on the line about a "Fascist Era" and frowned. He said he always thought the statue was for a World War I fighter pilot. Told its history, he looked startled and thoughtful, then said, "Maybe there should be something here to explain that. Like a plaque. There's nothing, and it's complicated. A lot of Civil War statues were clearly erected with racist intentions, and this one, even for a fascist  well, I guess it's just weird."

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cborrelli@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @borrelli

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One of Anais Nin's most quoted lines begins, "What I cannot love, I overlook." While it's a seemingly generous notion, one of total acceptance for another person, the musing doesn't leave much room for complexity  the subject of Nin's gaze is either loved or overlooked. It's pop music.

The Overlook, a gallery seated right between Logan Square and Humboldt Park, uses the word differently, evoking a wide and high view of a city's intersections, dead ends and movement, a lookout where everything is visible. Speaking to this point is "Brotha: Rehumanizing the Dehumanized," The Overlook's current show. Curated by Ashley King, the exhibition brings together six artists who aim to dissect stereotypes of black masculinity by visualizing vast and vulnerable emotional truths.

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"Black Boy Feelings," an anthology of poetry, essays and artwork edited by Richard Bryan and Jeana Lindo, anchors "Brotha." "There is very little space for black men to genuinely show emotion and vulnerability," Bryan told The Huffington Post upon the book's first release earlier this year. "And this has led to an outpouring of toxic masculinity and a tendency to avoid addressing very real trauma." The 218-page compilation offers responses to everything from police brutality to the death of Prince, reaching toward the duo's mission of providing a tangible outlet for abstract feelings.

Photography from Darryl DeAngelo Terrell coincides with the publication. Terrell, who recently received a master's degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, has long used the medium to explore the crosshairs of blackness and LGBTQ identities. Shikeith Cathey, creator of the documentary "#Blackmendream," is also in conversation here, presenting a visual language that speaks to both softness and significance with images made rich through strategic lighting and contrast, using feeling to connect truth to power. Through Aug. 30, The Overlook, 3323 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, www.theoverlookplace.com

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Mapping out Chicagos legacy of Iranian-American art

Iranian-Assyrian student Hannibal Alkhas jumped from one part of the brain to the other when he ditched his medical studies to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1952. After studying under a number of faculty members including painter Boris Anisfeld, Alkhas returned to Iran and revamped the art programs at the University of Tehran.

So began a steady stream of Iranian artists like Mehdu Hosseini who made their way to SAIC. The 1979 Islamic Revolution kicked this number up a notch, and soon second- and third-generation Iranian-Americans began to use art as a way of navigating their dual heritage. "Sedentary Fragmentation" at Heaven Gallery traces this lineage and unites several Iranian voices, generations and alumni who studied at SAIC.

Kimia Maleki curated this nine-person show, which includes work from Alkhas himself.

"I'd say this is the first time that these Iranian and Iranian-American artists are showing their work together," Maleki says. "You'll see how they all had different experiences of being categorized as 'exotic' in the art scene."

Joining the late Alkhas is Maryam Hoseini, who examines the relationship between the body and architecture  fitting subject material for an exhibition concerning national identities  and Yasi Ghanbari, an interdisciplinary artist whose practice with media mimics the show's intercultural exchange. Through Aug. 25, Heaven Gallery, 1550 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd Floor, Chicago; www.heavengallery.com

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A 21-year-old magician from Kentucky once found himself at the legendary Magic Castle in Los Angeles, where a man named Eugene Burger was performing. The visiting illusionist was inexperienced but he'd already made an appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson and thought himself a young hotshot. He watched Burger light a candle and perform a close-up trick where he burned some thread into tiny, charred pieces, only to restore it whole. It was if he were an alchemist. The young magician was floored.

"I remember thinking one thing," said Lance Burton, now a Las Vegas star. "Why isn't this guy a household name?"

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Eugene Burger, who lived simply in a one-bedroom apartment on Dearborn Street, died Aug. 8 at the age of 78 in his hometown of Chicago. This was not front-page news nor an occasion for mayoral proclamation.

"Eugene didn't have the desire to be famous," said Chicago magician and teacher Ross Johnson, one of the many magic people in town who credit Burger with their entire career.

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So Burger was not a household name. Unless your household happened to include world-famous magicians. Among that group, Burger, the magic guru and mentor to the leading people of global magic, qualified as a deity.

Appropriate, since Burger graduated from the Yale Divinity School in 1964.

He made a number of return visits to his alma mater where he impressed students with his existential theorizing around the notion that magic is here to remind us that "life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived."

Magic, Burger liked to say, was a reminder that "we are living in the middle of meaning."

"Instead of seeing a psychotherapist," said Chicago magician-physician Ricardo T. Rosenkranz, "I would go and see Eugene. There was truth but no dogma. He was a man who knew what you needed and afforded it to you."

I was with Burger earlier this year in an unusual class at the Northwestern University medical school taught by Rosenkranz, a neo-natal pediatrician. I was there to talk about truth and vulnerability in performance (and talking to a patient is a performance for any medical professional). Burger was there to talk about the magic of healing; he was fond of saying that magic was medicine because it makes us feel better, and of the idea that magic could be especially useful in situations with children.

It was an afternoon I won't ever forget.

Burger was already in failing health and he wanted not to fool these young doctors in training with his tricks (although fool them he did), but to make them see that the reason we all are drawn to magic and illusion is, in essence, a hedge against our fear of death.

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Magic, Burger kept saying, represents our wish for immortality. The magician, he kept saying, has a lot in common with the healer. It's all about our innate desire to see things made whole.

The diverse faces in white coats looked bemused at first. But as Burger continued to talk, they seemed to understand, as if for the first time, what he was trying to tell them  that they would, throughout their professional lives, encounter patients who believed in them, who had absolute faith in their power to heal, who craved victory over mortality. They would, Burger kept telling them, have to learn what to do with that belief, which likely would be absolute. The worse the disease, the more absolute the faith would become.

As the afternoon progressed, he started to put things more bluntly.

As doctors, they would have to figure out how to temper faith with mortality. Unlike the magician, they would not have full control over the outcome of their tricks. That would present them with a conundrum: how to inspire the faith their patients would need to heal themselves while never denying the limitations of the doctor, which would be themselves.

As Burger talked softly, I watched the faces of these students as they came to grips not with the rigors of the human body under duress, or the imperative of the authoritative physician, but of the moral implications of human faith in the healer.

I recall wishing some of the doctors who had treated my late father, and who had not seemed to understand his faith in them, had been able to sit in this Chicago classroom and listen to this man.

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Burger spent most of his life helping people such as Criss Angel or Derren Brown build and perform their illusions. They loved him.

"Magicians tend to be very insecure," Angel said over the phone from Las Vegas this week. "It's all about their secrets. They don't like to share. But Eugene understood that magic is about far more than secrets. It is about telling a story. It is about moving people emotionally."

Angel paused.

"Aside from that," he said, his voice cracking, "he was a magic human being. I hope his voice echoes in my ear until my dying breath."

Burger died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Johnson was at his bedside, he had met Burger in 1973 and owed him his interest in magic.

In a 2013 interview with Genii, a magazine for conjurors, Burger was asked about his legacy. "I'm just trying to find my own way along this magical path," he said, "which is also a path full of brambles and thorns and I am encouraging other people to strike out for themselves as well. You don't have to follow the pack."

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Not over a cliff, certainly.

"Magic is about transformation," Burger said. "Transformation is one of the most fundamental symbols and metaphors of magic. And this raises the question of my own transformation and your own transformation. Will there be transformation in our lives?"

Surely, in his.

Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.

cjones5@chicagotribune.com

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For the 7th year in a row, Pilsen Fest will celebrate the work of local artists and cultural creators in an outdoor festival this weekend.



Originally named Unisono, to signify one village, one sound, the music festival is now known as Pilsen Fest to reflect the community spirit and the overall creative talent of the neighborhood, said volunteer-turned-director Esmirna Garcia.

The festival carries a social justice theme every year. This year the goal is to promote solidarity in the current political climate, the organizers said.

Pilsen Fest is incredibly diverse and very accepting and open. Whether Czech or Latino, solidarity for us is empathy, meeting each other in the spaces that we exist, and being able to stick with one another, Garcia said. "Communion basically."



Art is a central focus of the festival in a neighborhood that is a leader in Chicagos art scene but doesnt always receive the recognition it deserves. The art pavilion will be one of the main attractions, featuring the artwork of Chicagos most prominent artists of color, and the artists themselves, Garcia said.



Everyone who helps to curate Pilsen Fest are known members of the community, she continued. Participating artists have exposed Pilsen to the world, and the world to the community.



The Revueltas Award is given out every year to those artists who have contributed to the cultural richness of the neighborhood. Past recipients have included painters Marcos Raya and Diana Solis. This years recognition will honor the muralist Hector Duarte, whose political art adorns the posters and publicity of the festival.

53 musical acts will represent local, national, and international music. The two-day festival will kick off with an indoor classical music concert at the National Museum of Mexican Art on Friday, and it will conclude Sunday evening. The official afterparty is Saturday night at Thalia Hall.


Since 1996 the Native American Development Corporation has worked with tribes throughout Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas to help build local business and champion economic growth.

Based in Billings, NADC officials watched this spring as different groups scrambled to help connect American Indians with health care after the Indian Health Board of Billings abruptly closed its doors in May.

"There was a lot of people really concerned," said Leonard Smith, executive director of NADC.

So he decided to get his organization involved.

NADC held four community meetings at the Billings Library, seeking feedback and input from the American Indian community downtown. The meetings led to several insights.

First, the NADC could fill the void. A handful of community leaders asked the NADC to apply for the contract with Indian Health Services that the Indian Health Board of Billings let lapse.

"We know how to structure organizations," said Mary Walks Over Ice, a program manager for NADC. "Our audits are clean. We're very transparent."

The Indian Health Board of Billings operated as part of the federal Urban Indian Program. Federal law allows for Indian Health Services to contract with health care providers to serve American Indian populations that live in urban centers rather than on reservations, where IHS clinics are established.

IHS is in the process of selecting a new organization to pick up the contract and open a new clinic for Billings' American Indian population. NADC submitted its application earlier this summer.

The feedback Smith and Walks Over Ice received at the four community meetings seemed to center almost exclusively on a sense of community that American Indians living in Billings desire but have struggled to find.

Any new clinic that will replace IHBB needs to represent that community, Smith said.

That led to the second insight.

"It kind of woke us up," Walks Over Ice said. "We don't have a place to gather."

Those attending the meetings overwhelmingly expressed a desire to have some kind of Indian community center, a gathering place for urban natives to celebrate or recreate or simply to hang out. To that end, NADC will continue to hold community meetings to give American Indians living in Billings a chance to express their thoughts and opinions.

Smith and Walks Over Ice believe giving people a sense of belonging and helping them create a community is a vital part to improving American Indian health care.

"Whether we get it (the contract) or not, we want to be a part of this community," Walks Over Ice said.

IHS has given no final date for when it would award the new contract. Regardless of IHS' decision, NADC plans to continue to play a role in organizing the American Indian community and supporting the new health clinic.

"It's not about NADC," Smith said. "We're a voice for the Indian community here in Billings."
How the solar eclipse will look when viewing in Chicago.

The Great American Eclipse is just days away, and although we've been told never to stare directly at the sun, who can resist the opportunity to watch this celestial spectacle? If you gaze without any means of protection, the results could be permanently damaging, and there is a lot of conflicting information about when it's safe to "ooh and ahh" and with what eyewear.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology has said that the only time it's appropriate to remove glasses and look directly at a total solar eclipse is when the moon completely covers the sun. This will only occur in precise points around the country, and Chicago isn't one of them. Once the sun begins to reappear, the AAO says to immediately return the glasses to watch the remaining phase of the eclipse.

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However, an article posted online Friday in the Journal of the American Medical Association advises against removing any viewing tools because "as the moon continues to move, bright sunlight suddenly might be focused on the unprotected macula." In other words  don't risk it.

Both organizations agree that even a few seconds of exposure can temporarily or permanently burn the retina. Once retina tissue is destroyed, it cannot regenerate, causing permanent central vision loss. If your eyes are affected by the eclipse and you notice loss of vision, consult an eye care professional.

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So what can you do to protect your peepers during the historic event? Experts have offered a few tips and tricks.

1) Use eclipse glasses that meet the International Organization for Standardization's requirements. They will indicate the glasses are ISO 12312-2 compliant. However with the rise in demand, NASA warns that knockoffs are running rampant. Here are a few things to look out for when purchasing.

2) Look through aluminized Mylar filters. Just ensure there aren't any visible scratches and the sheet remains intact.

3) Wear No. 14 welders glasses. These can be purchased online or in specialty welding supply stores.

4) Create a pinhole projector. Poke a hole in a piece of cardboard and hold it up to the sun. With your back to the sun, focus the light through the pinhole onto another piece of cardboard behind the pinhole. As the eclipse occurs, you can see the focused sunlight become blocked by a dark circle (the shadow of the moon) and protect your eyes during the process.

5) Attend a viewing at your local planetarium or on TV.

6) Do not watch the solar eclipse with these: Your naked eyes, regular binoculars, telescopes, eye glasses or a cellphone camera. Sunglasses alone are not safe.

ebenmoche@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @ebenmoche

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Researchers had some success in assessing DNA fragments for colon, breast, ovarian and lung tumors in blood, possibly paving the way for a new test that could screen people for malignancies. (Getty Images)

A new genetic blood test might pave the way for detecting early stage cancers that often prove fatal when caught too late, a new study suggests.

The test scans blood for DNA fragments released by cancerous tumors, explained lead researcher Dr. Victor Velculescu.

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By reviewing these DNA fragments for mutations found in 58 "cancer-driver" genes, the blood test detects many early stage cancers without rendering false positives for healthy people, said Velculescu, co-director of cancer biology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, in Baltimore.

The test detected stage 1 or 2 colon, breast, lung or ovarian cancers between 59 percent and 71 percent of the time when assessing 200 patients previously diagnosed with cancer, researchers found.

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"If we are able to detect cancer earlier, our chances of saving lives would be much higher," Velculescu said. "The survival difference between late-stage and early stage disease in these cancers accounts for over a million lives worldwide each year."

The test also proved capable of screening out cancer-free people.

Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, called this "important research" that "moves us one step further down the path to developing a blood test that might find cancer earlier."

"We still need to improve the sensitivity, but this is a step forward. It is a proof of concept," Lichtenfeld said. "It is not a test that's going to be available in a clinical laboratory anytime soon."

To develop a genetic blood test for cancer, researchers must find ways to spot DNA mutations linked to cancer while ignoring natural and harmless mutations that regularly occur in humans, Velculescu explained.

Velculescu and his team developed a genetic scan that essentially "takes a fragment here and a fragment there and uses it to create a picture of what the tumor DNA looks like," Lichtenfeld said. "That's what makes it so elegant."

The research team assembled a panel of 58 cancer-linked genes, and used their scan to look for tumor DNA fragments in the blood of 200 people known to have cancer.

Overall, researchers detected about 62 percent of stage 1 and 2 cancers.

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The test specifically spotted early stage colon cancer 71 percent of the time, breast and lung cancer 59 percent of the time, and ovarian cancer 68 percent of the time.

The ability to catch early stage ovarian cancer is particularly needed, Lichtenfeld said. Fewer than one in five ovarian cancers are caught early, when the five-year survival rate is greater than 90 percent. Most are detected after they've spread, and by then the odds of five-year survival are 40 percent or less, he said.

"Finding any marker in a stage 1 ovarian cancer patient is very important, because this is a tumor that usually presents at a much later stage," Lichtenfeld said.

The researchers also directly tested cancerous tissue removed from half of the 200 cancer patients. They found that 82 percent of the tumors contained mutations that correlated with DNA fragments found in the person's blood.

To check the blood test's ability to weed out healthy people, the researchers also analyzed blood from 44 volunteers without cancer. No false positives occurred.

That equates to less than one false positive for more than 3.5 million letters of DNA sequenced, since each separate test requires assessment of 80,000 DNA base pairs associated with the 58-gene screening panel, Velculescu said.

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Despite these promising results, researchers need to validate the blood test in larger studies, Velculescu said.

More work also needs to be done to improve the detection rate, Lichtenfeld added.

"These tests were not able to detect 100 percent of the cancers," he said.

Finally, cancer doctors must discuss what will be done when technology evolves to the point that such tests regularly find tumors that aren't life-threatening, Lichtenfeld said. In some cases, treatment to remove the cancer could be worse than leaving it alone.

"What's going to be so important is to be able to distinguish cancers that will hurt people versus cancers that may not have long-term impact on survival," Lichtenfeld said.

The report appeared in an August issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine.

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Some things never change. The sky? Still up there, still blue. The color most kids reach for in the Crayola box? One shade or another of blue (six of the crayon maker's top 10 shades are blue). Sure, you can get all wound up about Greenery, Holly Berry red or Sulphur (all from Pantone's recent color forecasts), but when the paintbrush hits the living room wall, odds are the color's going to be a variation on a blue, blue theme.

It's easy to see why blue can be a victim of its own popularity. As much as blue and whiteginger jars are an all-time classic, or crisp, nautical blue and white feels natural in a beach house, those can also feel like safe (boring?) choices in a world where originality is prized. But interior designer Melissa Benham,a principal at Chicago's Studio Gild, says that's no reason to shy away. "I'm always drawn to watery blues. Blue has always been my favorite color," she says with a shrug.

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Blue is universally loved, Benham says, with good reason. "I think it works in all rooms. I think when you have stronger light the colors are going to pop more, so maybe the blues will be more muted. But in a darker space, navy is good  imagine a dark moody den, maybe in a glossy paint with reflection so you can bring in your own light."

Trends often include a hit of blue, too  denim, a fashion stalwart that's enjoying another turn on the runways, is also showing up in new furniture and paint collections. "There is a lot of denim happening right now," says Benham. "And that's a good example of blue as a neutral: Jeans are not perceived as being a color; everybody wears their jeans with everything."

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Benham often draws on clients' wardrobes to help find interior color schemes that fit them as well as their favorite jeans. In a recent project by the Chicago lakefront, she chose a blue-based palette for an executive couple exchanging suburbs for city, inspired in part by the wife's eye color and in part by the brilliant expanse of Lake Michigan that dominates the view. The trick? Urbanizing the ubiquitous color scheme to create a look that's modern and clean, rather than traditional. Here's how she did it:

Skip the theme park

Say "lake-inspired" and some people will trip over themselves trying to grab the first "Gone Fishin'" sign they see. Skip those theme-park tendencies, says Benham. "It doesn't have to be overly theme-y." Though the colors in the apartment were lake-inspired, there's nothing that actively screams "lake house."

Modernize with shade

To give your blues a modern edge, look beyond the expected royal blue and white combos. "We tried to push it more into navys and turquoises, so it has a little more depth, a little more modern, graphic appeal. Blue and white palettes can be very preppy, but we went for something a little bit more downtown modern."

Navy can offer the same graphic accent in interiors as black, but it's a more intriguing choice. Though Benham often sticks to neutrals for large upholstered pieces, she made an exception for a navy chair here. "It functions almost as a neutral," she says. "We were hoping the navy would be classic enough to have staying power."

Layer it

To temper a familiar color scheme, you'll want to avoid too much repetition. "It can't be the entire house in blue," the designer says. "It's nice to have a piece of artwork or something through the house to tie it in, but we did try to have complementary colors in other rooms. Doing the whole house would be too much of a good thing."

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Benham chose modern glass pieces and other elements as contrasting layers, using those colors to point the space in a modern direction. "We introduced some really vibrant pops of color to break up the monotony."

Build in flexibility

Look closely at Benham's rooms and you can see that the basic building blocks  large upholstery and other major furniture  stick to neutrals and natural materials to keep the clients' options open. Changing just a few elements to different colors gives the entire space a fresh look. "You can change many of the accessories very easily," she says, "so you can tone down the blue in the future if it's not what you want."

Bountiful blue

Choosing a blue palette for your own home definitely gives you an edge when you're ready to shop. "I think you can find blue anywhere, at any price point," says Benham, "so it's about picking the hue that you like, or two hues, and kind of training your eye to look for those." A few blues we love right now:

cdampier@chicagotribune.com
For those interested in the history of World War II, the National WWII Museum is offering a unique Victory in the Pacific tour March 16-26 next year, coinciding with the 73rd anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima. The trip will begin in Hawaii, visiting Pearl Harbor before moving on to Guam, Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima. Providing context throughout the trip will be World War II experts Richard Frank and Jonathan Parshall, as well as historians and curators from the museum. Pacific campaign veterans will also be on hand, including Iwo Jima veteran and Medal of Honor winner Hershel "Woody" Williams. The tour is priced from $13,999 per person, double occupancy, but for bookings made by Oct. 31 there will be a $1,000 reduction per person, as well as free economy-class air travel from Los Angeles. Pricing includes lodging in five-star hotels, most meals, chartered flights to the various islands and more. Info: http://tinyurl.com/ybrrvs2y

Rental car coverage

When you rent a car while on vacation, there's always the hard-sell attempt by the rental agent to get you to buy supplementary insurance. But your own auto insurance may cover you  something worth checking in advance with your insurance agent. Another venue for coverage is through the credit card you use to pay for the rental. WalletHub, a financial services website, conducted a study of coverage provided by credit card companies and found that cards issued by Citi generally have the most favorable rental car insurance policies. Cards from Chase and Barclaycard scored well too. The WalletHub study also found that more than a third of credit cards won't cover a domestic rental longer than 15 days. Check out the details of the study at http://tinyurl.com/yawb4dn2.

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Azores bargain

You don't have to fly eight hours or more to get a taste of Europe. The Azores, a group of nine islands that are an autonomous part of Portugal, are just a four-hour flight from Boston. And, it won't cost an arm and a leg to visit. Azores Airlines has a package that provides round-trip air from Boston and six nights' lodging for just $899 per person, double occupancy. Even if you have to tack on airfare to get to Boston, that's still a very attractive price. Best of all, the package lets you get a taste of two islands, staying four nights on Sao Miguel and two nights on Terceira, with transportation between the two islands. I've been to the Azores, and they are full of natural beauty and welcoming people. For Sao Miguel, the largest of the group, you'll probably want to rent a car, though there are plenty of escorted tours too. The $899 package has limited availability and must be booked by Nov. 20 for travel Oct. 1 through March 28, 2018. See info on the package at http://tinyurl.com/yarrkb3t.

Phil Marty is a freelance reporter.

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Evanston violinist Howard Gottlieb was among 16 people who quit the president's committee on the arts and humanities. (Lee A. Litas / for the Chicago Tribune)

President Donald Trump will have to govern without the sage advice of the president's committee on the arts and humanities, whose members resigned en masse Friday in protest of his "support of the hate groups and terrorists who killed and injured fellow Americans in Charlottesville."

Among the 16 committee members who signed the resignation letter saying they could "not sit idly by" was accomplished violinist Howard Gottlieb, 93  a longstanding and major supporter of the arts in Chicago.

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Gottlieb, of Evanston, signed the letter condemning Trump and telling him that "ignoring your hateful rhetoric would have made us complicit in your words and actions." It calls on Trump to resign if he cannot see that "Supremacy, discrimination and vitriol are not American values" and that "your values are not American values."

And there's a hidden message too  the first letter of each paragraph of the letter spells out the word "resist."

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Appointed to the committee in 2010 by President Barack Obama, Gottleib declined to comment further on his resignation Friday, saying the letter spoke for itself. The White House didn't respond to a request for comment.

A major donor to Democratic politicians including Mayor Rahm Emanuel, he continues to serve as a trustee of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Merit School of Music, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Ravinia Festival and the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
The engineers for Chicago's future third-tallest skyscraper had issued a warning: Wind tunnel tests showed that the plan for the building, three thin, interconnected high-rises designed by star architect Jeanne Gang, had a flaw: High winds would push it around, making people inside feel like they were on a storm-tossed ship.

According to the engineers, the design for the Vista tower "would result in building occupants feeling ill and possibly afraid for their safety," Chicago's zoning administrator, Patricia Scudiero, wrote in an April 26 letter to Jack George, a lawyer for project's developers.

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To prevent that, the developers requested  and the city OKed  an unusual change to the already-approved plan for the building: The 83rd floor of the 98-story, 1,198-foot East Wacker Drive tower will be an empty space that Chicago's famous winds can blow through. If all goes as planned, this so-called "blow-through floor" will ensure that the riverfront tower's residents and guests of its hotel won't be grabbing for motion-sickness medicine.

Such measures have started to pop up among the supertall, superslender skyscrapers that are altering skylines in Chicago, New York, Dubai and other glittering city centers where the super-rich and the merely rich choose to live. Although experts say the Vista tower's blow-through floor will be the first of its kind in Chicago, structural engineers here already have adopted other measures, both inside and outside buildings, to steady ultrathin skyscrapers against the wind.

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Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

The skinny towers put residents where they want to be  near a window with knockout views. Yet like reeds in a marsh, these skyscrapers are prone to bend when the wind blows hard. Ideally, that bending is imperceptible. So today's engineers battle not only the force of gravity but the the whirling pockets of wind, known as vortices, that can cause towers to shake or vibrate. Failure to do so would make the motion of the building  or "acceleration," as engineers call it  uncomfortably noticeable.

"Chandeliers would be swinging. There are jokes about whitecaps in toilets," said R. Shankar Nair, an engineer at the Chicago-based architecture and engineering firm EXP and a former chairman of the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which monitors skyscrapers worldwide. "If you're just sitting there, you can feel dizzy or sick."

People who have been in tall towers when the breeze blows hard have vivid recollections of the experience. "I recall being in a high-level apartment in the (John Hancock Center) during a gale. The water line in the toilet was disconcertingly off level," Terence Riley, the former architecture curator at New York's Museum of Modern Art, wrote to me on Facebook Friday. On Twitter, another person wrote: "When I worked at 900 N Michigan (on only the 6th floor) we could hear the building creak on high-wind days."

At the Vista tower, the decision to introduce the blow-through floor came with a financial catch: Originally, the 83rd story was supposed to be a full-floor penthouse that would fetch at least $8 million for the project's lead developer, the Magellan Development Group of Chicago, and its investment partner, China's Dalian Wanda Group.

The need for the blow-through floor blew away that possibility, though it is not expected to eat significantly into the developers' profits. The building, which will stack more than 400 condo units atop about 190 hotel rooms, is already more than 35 percent pre-sold. So Gang does not appear to be in hot water with her clients.

"I'm sure they would rather have sellable space in there," she said of the blow-through floor. "(But) they understood the need for it. It has to be."

Jim Losik, Magellan's national marketing director, said: "Clearly, this is a very unique building with a lot of construction challenges. We're just acknowledging that in order to build it safely and successfully, we needed to do a lot of things. This was one of them."

Among the others: An enclosed pool of water, tucked beneath the Vista tower's top, to counteract wind-induced motion. When the wind pushes the tower one way, the water will slosh the other way, steadying things. The recently completed 150 North Riverside, the superskinny, slope-bottomed office building along the Chicago River, also has this feature, which is called a "tuned liquid sloshing damper."

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While the drive to lessen, or "damp," wind-whipped movement in skyscrapers is decades old, engineers are always adding new techniques to their tool kit. Besides facades with rounded, notched or sliced corners, recent innovations include massive arms of steel or concrete that extend outward from a building's core and grab high-strength structural columns along the perimeter. Chicago architects and engineers Skidmore, Owings & Merrill used this method, which works like ski poles and is known as "core and outrigger," in the Trump International Hotel & Tower, the city's second-tallest building. Such measures weren't necessary in earlier skyscrapers, like the Empire State Building, which were stabilized by stone exteriors and larger floor plates.

Rafael Vinoly's 432 Park Avenue tower looms in the skyline of Midtown Manhattan. (Imago / Zuma Press)

Now comes the blow-through floor  in essence, a facade opening that serves as a vent to relieve wind pressure. The prime example is the cigarette-thin 432 Park Avenue, a gridded monolith by Uruguayan architect Rafael Vinoly. Open floors at different levels let the wind slip through the 1,396-foot high-rise. Vista, by contrast, will have just one blow-through floor.

The "blow-through floor on Vista tower will certainly be the first of its type in Chicago," Jason Gabel, a Council on Tall Buildings spokesman, wrote in an email. "This feature is still pretty uncommon in tall buildings around the world. Many employ apertures or texture to mitigate wind, but few devote entire floors ... to this purpose."

Such openings are more functional than the eye candy of the five-story cutout in Miami's Atlantis Tower, complete with a red spiral staircase, a jacuzzi and a palm tree, that appeared in the opening credits of the television series "Miami Vice." Completed in 1982 and designed by the Miami firm Arquitectonica, the high-rise is just 20 stories tall. Chicago's 515 N. State St., a 1990 office building by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, has a four-story cutout near its top.

The recent shift to supertall, superthin residential skyscrapers has made wind tunnel testing an essential part of the effort to "confuse the wind," as engineers say, and tweak initial designs. Such a midcourse correction happened in the design of the world's tallest building, the 2,717-foot Burj Khalifa in Dubai, when Skidmore, Owings & Merrill consulted Canadian engineers who specialize in wind analysis.

Exterior shot of Burj Dubai Tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, center, on Friday, Jan 1, 2010. The tower, which was designed Chicago architect Adrian Smith, is the tallest free-standing structure on Earth. (Kuni Takahashi / Chicago Tribune)

A wind tunnel test showed that the Dubai tower should be turned 120 degrees, lining up its most wind-prone face with the direction where it would be least likely to be buffeted by desert windstorms. As part of this shift, the upward progression of the tower's setbacks was reoriented, from counterclockwise to clockwise.

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"I can't tell you how many times I've been surprised by the results" of wind tunnel tests, said Skidmore structural engineer Bill Baker.

"You come up with a concept," said Dave Eckmann, a senior principal in the Chicago office of Magnusson Klemencic Associates, the Seattle-based firm that is the Vista tower's structural engineer. But "you never really know until you get into a wind tunnel."

Once engineers learned that the Vista tower would not perform acceptably in high winds, they had to confront another hurdle: How to fix the problem without going over budget or significantly altering Gang's design for the skyscraper, now under construction at 363 E. Wacker.

The design calls for three stalks of progressively greater height as the blue-green tower rises from east to west. The idea is a boldly sculpted form of flowing lines, like those of Gang's acclaimed Aqua Tower. But it was hard to reconcile that architectural poetry with engineering prose.

"What we found was that in order to manage the wind pressure, we would have to throw so much more material into the building that it couldn't be cost-effective," Eckmann said. "And we were told that the building orientation needed to be what it was from a marketing perspective." (Translation: Switching the tower's highest stalk to the east side would have lessened the wind forces, but the design, which offers lakefront views to apartments in Vista's two shorter stalks, was already set.)

Eventually, the engineers and Gang settled on the blow-through floor, but that raised still another problem: How would the floor look  like a gaping hole or an integral part of the design?

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A rendering provided by Gang's firm, Chicago-based Studio Gang, shows that the blow-through floor appears to fit well with Vista's facade, which will consist of horizontal layers that step in and out. The floor will be a "horizontal strata just like the rest of the building," Gang said, adding that she is "very comfortable with the aesthetic."

To further weave the floor into the tower, vertical bands present on the rest of the facade will extend through the floor's exterior. While the floor's perimeter will be open, exposing the elevator core and structural columns to the air, several of the interior elements will be painted black to blend in with the tower during the day. At night, the blow-through floor will be unlit. For safety purposes, a railing will be installed along the facade. The floor isn't expected to be open to the building's residents.

The impact on the skyline will be evident when the Vista tower opens in 2020. If nothing else, the blow-through floor will give guides on Chicago's popular architectural boat tours something new to talk about.

bkamin@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @BlairKamin
People attend the memorial service for Heather Heyer, who was killed when a car slammed into a crowd of people protesting against a white supremacist rally, were asked to wear purple at the Paramount Theater August 16, 2017 in Charlottesville, Va. Purple was Heyer's favorite color. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

What if all this mess is leading somewhere good?

What if the anger and the argument, the chaos and the noise, is helping to change the country for the better, making it something closer to that mythical America of liberty and justice for all?

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What if this is what progress looks like?

Whatever's going on, it's exhausting. Exhausting. We hear the word over and over lately. You may have said it. I have.

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What if exhausting is just another word for hard? Progress is always hard.

Someday this period in American history will have a name. It's difficult to imagine right now what it will be. When we hear about the Industrial Revolution, the Depression, the Baby Boom, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Era, we can deduce the forces that animated the times.

But what do we call this mess? The Apocalypse?

It's an anxious era, that's for sure, but it's not the first and, I'd argue, not the worst.

In the past century alone, this country has lived through mind-boggling homegrown traumas. The internment of Japanese citizens during World War II. The blacklisting of innocent citizens during the Cold War. The 1960s assassinations  assassinations!  of a president, his brother, civil rights leaders. The massive protests against a war in Vietnam, a war we lost. The resignation of one president in disgrace, the impeachment of another.

That's the short list.

We survived them all. We moved on and, in most respects, forward.

History, I know, is scant consolation in today's relentless tumult, and the daily ups and downs leave many of us enraged, depressed, fearful that this will be the era that pulls us forever backward.

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One day it's talk of nuclear war. Another day it's white nationalists swaggering through Charlottesville, Va., waving Nazi flags, brandishing tiki torches, leaving a woman who came to peacefully protest them dead. In between, there's the dismantling of environmental regulations, the threat to immigrants, an economy that has stranded too many people.

That's the short list.

But what if everyone appalled by the death of Heather Heyer , the 32-year-old woman killed in Charlottesville, could heed her mother's words? What if Heyer's death can be put to a good cause?

"You take that extra step," her mother told the crowd that came to mourn her, "and you find a way to make a difference in the world!"

In every American era, there have been good people who died unjustly while fighting to make the world more just for others. Their deaths spurred others to keep going.

And what if we think of the dispute over the removal of Confederate iconography not as an exhausting blast from the past, but as a history lesson?

In the days since Heyer died, more people have absorbed the true story of Confederate statues like the one of General Robert E. Lee that the white nationalists in Charlottesville ostensibly came to save.

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It's not a new lesson, but every dispute makes it clearer: They weren't erected as innocent tributes to Southern home, heritage and sacrifice, even though many Southerners came to think of them that way. Most went up long after the Civil War, a glorification of whiteness in the racially segregated South.

Even Robert E. Lee didn't want monuments to the Confederacy. He thought they would divide a nation that needed to heal from war. A lot more people know that today than knew it before the fiasco in Charlottesville.

That's progress.

In these anxious times, it would help to have a president who could lead with wise words and moral vigor. Instead, we have a president who is part of the problem.

But what if we let ourselves be encouraged by the business leaders who have broken away from him and his muddled pronouncements on the white nationalists in Charlottesville?

Their public denouncements of white supremacy are a hopeful sign, even if the reason for them isn't.

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"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

A few days ago, Barack Obama, the former president, tweeted the words of Nelson Mandela , the late South African anti-apartheid hero. It became the most popular tweet ever:

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion."

What if we took the tone and words of that message seriously? If rather than answering hate with hate, we tried harder to understand the forces that nurture hatred?

That would be progress.

It takes imagination and stamina to believe that the current turmoil is just another stop on the path to liberty and justice for all. But everything good in this country was built on imagination and stamina.

We're not living in America's worst moment. We are living in a loud, agitated, frightening time that demands that we pay attention, that we speak forcefully against injustice, that we listen.

Progress is a process. It takes work and time. It calls for outrage, but also optimism.

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In a phrase made famous by Bernie Sanders, a man who wanted to be president: Despair is not an option.

mschmich@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @MarySchmich
A homemade sign that reads "Heather Heyer Park" rests at the base of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that stands in the center of Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 18, 2017. Heather Heyer was killed during last weekend's demonstration by white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the "alt-right," ostensibly over the planned removal of the monument. (Mark Wilson / Getty Images)

The man who bankrolled Charlottesville's statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee  a focus of last weekend's violent confrontations between white supremacists and their opponents  first built his fortune in 19th century Chicago, where he once worked as an office boy for a coffee importer.

Though Paul Goodloe McIntire made good in the North, he was a son of the South. Less than a year after McIntire was born in Charlottesville, Va., the Civil War broke out. His father, a druggist, was the town's mayor and negotiated with Union troops as the war broke badly for the Confederacy.

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According to Charlottesville's Daily Progress newspaper, McIntire liked to tell a story about how Union soldiers came to their home looking for food. McIntire's sister said they had none but 4-year-old Paul declared, "There are hams in the attic." Supposedly, the Union officer in charge smiled and let the family keep the hams.

That story doesn't speak well of young Paul's savvy, nor did he succeed later in his studies at the University of Virginia, where he was a dropout.

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But he had a head for business. Around 1880, he left for Chicago to seek his fortune and "became an office boy with the firm of Mosbach & Humphrey, Chicago coffee importers," according to the Cyclopedia of American Biography. He later sold coffee for a British dealer and for himself in Chicago, then in 1896 purchased a seat on the Chicago Stock Exchange and was a broker for four years.

Little is known about his Chicago years. The only mention found in the Tribune's online archive from that era is an 1896 real estate transaction on Buena Park Terrace involving a "Paul G. McIntire."

Around 1900, McIntire moved to New York and bought a seat on the stock exchange there, according to his biography on the Charlottesville city website. By 1918, he had made enough money that he could move back to Charlottesville and establish himself as a prominent philanthropist.

He gave huge amounts to the University of Virginia and paid for the town library. He donated land for several parks, including one named for Lee and another for his own family. The deed for McIntire Park described it as "a public park and playground for the white people of the City of Charlottesville." He also donated land for a black-only park named after African-American educator Booker T. Washington, according to Virginia's African American Historic Sites Database.

The statue of Lee, commissioned by McIntire and created by sculptors Henry Merwin Shrady and Leo Lentelli, was dedicated in 1924 in Lee Park. That urban space was renamed Emancipation Park a few months ago as part of the growing effort to challenge public honors for Confederate leaders. The removal of the Lee statue, approved by the City Council, is tied up in court.

It's unclear how much Chicago influenced McIntire's civic vision, but he was a Chicagoan during the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, when the city was a shining example of the City Beautiful movement, featuring bold statements in public spaces.

What's at issue now, 65 years after McIntire's death, is whether his Lee statue is a beautiful gift of historical significance or a racially offensive monument to past oppression.

mjacob@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @MarkJacob16
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wants to wait for all the facts before making public pronouncements on important matters.



But just a few hours after a terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday Trump's Twitter feed spit out some non-factual information.

After attackers ran down a large tourist crowd on Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas promenade, killing at least 13, the president tweeted, "Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!"

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Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Trump's tweet is a reference to a discredited anecdote about famed Army Gen. John J. Pershing battling Moros insurgents during the United States' occupation of the Philippines after winning the colony from Spain in the Spanish-American War. The story goes that Pershing, known as "Black Jack," rounded up a large group of Muslim rebels and had them executed with bullets dipped in the blood of pigs, which are "haram" or "forbidden" by Islamic law.

Trump told a similar story during a campaign rally in 2016, saying Pershing "caught 50 terrorists that did tremendous damage and killed many people and he took the 50 terrorists and he took 50 men and he dipped 50 bullets in pig's blood.

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"And he lined up the 50 people and they shot 49 of those 50 people, and he said to the 50th, you go back to your people and you tell them what happened -- and in 25 years there wasn't a problem."

The story has been deemed false by online fact checkers Snopes and Politifact, and it seems the spread of the apocryphal tale may partially be the result of a long-ago Tribune correspondent.

An article from the Aug. 21, 1927, edition of the Chicago Sunday Tribune that reported Gen. John "Black Jack" Pershing was known to have sprinkled Muslim insurgents in the Philippines with pig's blood and then released them. Read the full story here, with the section on the alleged use of pig's blood under the heading "ENTER: BLACK JACK."

A story published in the Aug. 21, 1927 edition of the Chicago Sunday Tribune under the byline of Capt. Herman Archer relays the "well-known" tale of Gen. Pershing sprinkling captives with pig's blood and letting them go.

"Then [Pershing] announced that any Juramentado thereafter would be sprinkled with pig's blood," Archer wrote. "And those drops of porcine gore proved more powerful than bullets."

The correspondent does not seem to have personally witnessed this incident, but seems rather to be relaying a war story shared with him by others. No mass executions were reported by the Tribune, and the copy is peppered with characterizations of Muslim Filipinos as "savage sultans" and "devilish brown men" that make anyone with modern day racial sensibilities bristle.



Snopes points to one account, a 1938 book, that reported the dead bodies of "Mohammedan" soldiers were buried with pig carcasses by an Army colonel. A 2013 book cites a letter from an American commander to Pershing recounting that burials with pigs were "a good plan" to discourage "crazy fanatics."



While it's certainly possible American soldiers used pigs or the threat of burial with pigs to discourage Islamic insurgents, there is little evidence the practice was sanctioned by Pershing, nor is there any evidence that Pershing ordered executions with bullets dipped in blood. Politifact points out there is actually solid historical evidence that Pershing favored diplomacy in dealing with the Moros.

(Also note that Trump said in 2016 the executions ended terrorism for 25 years, 10 years fewer than he tweeted on Thursday.)



Pershing would go on to achieve the highest possible rank in the U.S. military and command the American forces in Europe during World War I. The Philippines wouldn't achieve full independence from the United States until July 4, 1946.



These are just the facts, and 90 years ago, perhaps the Tribune should have done a better job nailing them down.
From the 1970s into the 1990s, the city of Carbondale was synonymous with the party image of Southern Illinois University, a school Playboy magazine ranked among the most epically festive campuses in the nation.

Then the infamous Halloween celebrations along Carbondale's Strip got too raucous. Community leaders clamped down, SIU calmed itself, and any notoriety the city might have had seemed to fade into the hundreds of thousands of acres of forested hills and hollows that nearly surround it.

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Monday afternoon, Carbondale hopes the moon, the sun and meteorology will align to reintroduce the city as a gussied-up version of its old self, this version focused on live music and art.

An estimated 60,000 people are expected to descend on the city of 26,000 this weekend to view the first total eclipse to sweep across the continental U.S. since 1918. The path of total darkness, known as totality, runs through Carbondale. Makanda, a tiny, artsy and slightly hippiefied enclave 7 miles south, will claim the longest period of darkness, 2 minutes and 42 seconds.

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"There's not anything  anything  we could do to bring fifty to sixty thousand visitors to our town for a weekend," Carbondale Mayor John "Mike" Henry said. "We couldn't do that in a year. Mother Nature has given us a gift."

Tucked near the Shawnee National Forest 330 miles south of Chicago and miles from major interstates, Carbondale aims to seize its moment in the shade.

For starters, downtown Carbondale has undergone a $2.3 million facelift. Unsightly aerial power lines have been removed. All sidewalks have been replaced. New planters, trees and lighting have been set throughout the neighborhood.

An old bar has been demolished for better parking, and a new bike path is nearly complete.

The work had been discussed for decades but took on added urgency when leaders began to appreciate the rebranding opportunity created by the eclipse, City Manager Gary Williams said. Instead of allowing work to stretch into December, the city has finished the project and is planning a ribbon-cutting for its new streetscape Friday afternoon.

"We threw every resource we could at it," Williams said by phone. "It's been a complete transformation of the built environment downtown."

From the time of that ribbon-cutting through Monday, the city and SIU are offering an array of celebrations and programs, including "Shadowfest," the Crossroads Art & Craft Fair, Eclipse Marketplace, Family Fun Zone, even an eclipse Comic Con. Most feature several live music performances.

More eclipse-centric visitors can cruise through the Crossroads Astronomy Science and Technology Expo at the SIU Arena on Sunday and Monday. Also on Monday, SIU has sold out Eclipse Day at 15,000-seat Saluki Stadium, where Planetary Radio's Mat Kaplan will host, the Marching Salukis will perform and the scoreboard will broadcast live eclipse video until electric lighting is doused at 1:10 p.m.

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A few steps outside the stadium, NASA will host a 41/2-hour live "Eclipse Megacast" that NASA TV, local stations and national networks will pick up.

In keeping with the region's offbeat, backwoods bohemian ethos, places throughout southern Illinois will offer an array of novel attractions.

Heavy metal rocker and reality TV star Ozzy Osbourne is scheduled to perform "Bark at the Moon" at 1:20 p.m. Monday, the precise moment of totality, at Walker's Bluff Winery in Carterville.

About 45 miles southeast of Carbondale, near Belknap, White Crane Canoe Rentals & Guide Service is taking adventurers on a canoe expedition that will place them in total darkness in the ancient cypress swamp on the Cache River.

The 60,000 people expected to make the trip to Carbondale also are expected to bring nearly $8 million of economic impact to the city, said Jannika Lopez, who holds the title of eclipse specialist at Carbondale Tourism.

That prospect has sparked revenue maximization and an entrepreneurial spirit throughout the region.

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Hotel rooms normally priced at $190 a night now go for $500. Farmers are renting plots for camping. Wineries have introduced eclipse-themed varieties, and the Eclipse Kitchen has opened in Makanda.

Eclipse T-shirts, mason jars, ornaments, art and jewelry are abundant, and at least two local bands have written and recorded songs about the eclipse.

Even SIU is jumping in the revenue stream. The school has slated Schneider Hall, a 17-story dormitory, for demolition in a few months. As its last hurrah, Schneider rooms were available for rent for several days around the eclipse. Meal plans and parking spots also could be purchased.

All rooms have been booked for weeks.

Speaking by phone one morning about 10 days before the eclipse, Lopez said the office had fielded 60 eclipse-related phone calls by noon. She also said the tourism office has ordered about 200 portable toilets for downtown.

"Nobody has ever been through this large of an event in the history of Carbondale," Lopez said. "I didn't even know what an eclipse was," when given the assignment in August 2015 to coordinate the tourism office's efforts. "Now," she said, "I feel like I know too much."

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At the moment, "business owners are kind of freaking out," Lopez added. Earlier that day, she had tried to calm a local restaurant owner who was panicking about how many hamburger patties to order.

Part of the reason for the high anxiety, especially among restaurants and bars, is that they are concerned with weather forecasts that predict clouds for Monday.

"We're telling them it's going to be OK," Lopez said. "These events are happening rain or shine."

Elaine Ramseyer, a longtime Carbondale resident and SIU grad who has run the vegetarian Longbranch Cafe & Bakery in town for 20 years, said she's planning to double the number of servers she normally staffs. She also may offer eclipse cookies. And she'll close for about two hours around the eclipse.

"This is going to be very cool," Ramseyer said, "and obviously chaotic, but also so much fun."

Carbondale public safety officials began planning for the eclipse almost two years ago, police Chief Jeff Grubbs said. They have assembled "a multifaceted approach" of city police, firefighters and EMTs, SIU public safety officers, county sheriff's deputies, state troopers, conservation police and forest rangers.

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Smaller communities throughout the region also have specific responsibilities, Grubbs said, although he declined to share precise numbers.

The biggest concern, apart from the weather, is traffic congestion, Grubbs and others said, which is why the city has established remote parking and shuttle service for about 15,000 cars 3 to 5 miles from downtown.

Carbondale also has taken the bold step of relaxing its liquor ordinance, allowing adults to walk through areas of downtown from Friday through Monday with open liquor purchased at licensed establishments.

"We wanted to create a true festival-like atmosphere," City Manager Williams said. "We want people to have fun while they're here."

Officials say they doubt that approach will turn the eclipse celebration into a reminder of Carbondale's wild, sometimes violent Halloween celebrations of the past.

They expect this celestial event to draw a diverse demographic that is more like tourists from all over the world and less like college kids from the Midwest looking to binge, brawl and launch full beer cans and flaming socks into a crowd.

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"I've seen the Halloweens of the past, and this has nothing " Grubbs said before stopping. "People are coming here for an eclipse."

People also are going there for college. Move-in days for SIU students were Wednesday and Thursday. The first day of classes would have been Monday, if administrators hadn't canceled classes for eclipse day.

If students and other eclipse enthusiasts venture south to Makanda, they will find a gallery, trading company, used goods shop, country store and an orange stripe through Dave Dardis' Rainmaker studio.

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Dardis, who opened his metal artworks and jewelry establishment in 1973, painted the orange line after a French scientist told him about two years ago that the precise center of the eclipse path passes through his store.

"I kept it a secret for the longest time because I was just drawing on a T-shirt idea," Dardis said. Then he realized that everybody was making eclipse T-shirts. He turned to making eclipse-themed metal plaques, pendants and bracelets. Business has been brisk.

"You gotta take advantage of it," Dardis said.

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Yes and no. For all the excitement the eclipse has generated in Carbondale, Makanda and much of deep southern Illinois, the region can view Monday's event as a dress rehearsal.

In 2024, another total eclipse is scheduled to sweep across the continental U.S. from Mexico to Maine. Carbondale and Makanda, so long hidden in the hinterlands, are in its direct path.

tgregory@chicagotribune.com

Twitter:@tgregoryreports
Money from food and carnival sales has picked up at MontanaFair in the past two days while overall revenue continues to lag behind a record fair in 2016, officials said on Thursday.

The nine-day fair at MetraPark in Billings wraps up on Saturday after three nights of rodeo.

Kelly Campbell, MetraParks comptroller, said Thursday that gross Midway concession sales from Tuesday were about $122,000, up from about $104,000 on the same day last year.

MetraParks total concessions share of about $194,000 so far, however, is off the more than $200,000 generated at the same time for at least the past four fairs.

Total carnival revenue of about $104,000 from Wednesday was about $2,000 more than last years haul. MetraPark gets 40 percent of the carnival revenue, making its cumulative share so far about $239,000.

The 2016 MontanaFair set a record for carnival revenue of more than $1 million.

John Henschen, manager of the Mighty Thomas Carnival, said while the carnival revenue started down, its now in the single digits down. Even though the numbers are not record-breaking, the numbers are very good, he said.

Total revenue through Wednesday was about $967,000, compared with $1.2 million in 2016.

And total attendance of about 145,000 people through Wednesday is down from about 149,000 people last year.

The night show revenue of $255,000 so far this year is well off the high mark of $430,000 from 2016 and hasnt been that low since about 2009, Campbell said.

Supercross on Tuesday night drew about 3,700 people, which was about 1,200 fewer than last year, while revenue of about $29,000 was about the same as the previous year.

Total attendance of about 145,000 people through Wednesday is only about 5,000 people fewer than the same time in 2016.

MontanaFair, which is Montanas biggest event, attracts about 230,000 over its nine days. Revenue from the fair provides about one-third of MetraParks annual operating budget.

Despite the off numbers, MetraParks advisory board, staff and county officials remain positive.

Steve Solberg, the advisory boards chairman, said during a Thursday luncheon meeting, that the fair is a big deal to our ag community. And when the fair is over, Solberg said, he always leaves thinking, Well, that was so cool.

Yellowstone County Commissioner Denis Pitman said he gave 20 visitors from Japan a tour of MontanaFair on Wednesday. The guests had never seen a turkey before and were fixated on the big bird, he said.
A man has been charged with fondling a 10-year-old girl at a Northwest Side Walmart, according to Chicago police.



Mario Rivera, 41, is charged with one felony count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under 13 and one felony count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under 13, police said.



Rivera, of the 1700 block of Keating Avenue, was arrested after police were called to the store in the 4600 block of West Diversey Avenue in the Kelvyn Park neighborhood about 3:25 p.m. Wednesday, police said.



Officers met the girl's mother, who told them a man had fondled her daughter while she was in one of the aisles shopping, police said. The girl had become separated from her family.



Rivera was due in bond court Friday.
Jeremy Rey and Shaqir Mustapha were shooting dice in a parking lot of the Germano Millgate public housing complex.

Suddenly, the two men got into an argument that turned physical. Rey pulled out a gun and pistol whipped Mustapha before others broke up it up.

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Mustapha walked off only to come back hours later to shoot Rey multiple times, killing him on June 10, 2016, prosecutors said at a bail hearing Friday afternoon.

Judge James Brown denied bail for Mustapha, who was charged with first-degree murder.

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That night, the victim and Mustapha had gotten into a spat over dice when the victim Rey, had assaulted him with a pistol. He walked off, but came back to the scene about six hours later and saw Rey standing in grass in the 8900 block of South Brandon Avenue, prosecutors said.

Mustapha approached Rey and asked him if he had change for a $10 bill. When Rey reached into his pocket and pulled out money, Mustapha pulled out a gun and shot him multiple times at close range, prosecutors said.

Rey fell to the ground and Mustapha stood over him and continued to fire. In total, Rey suffered four wounds to the chest, four wounds to the abdomen and five wounds to his extremities, prosecutors said.

Several witnesses identified Mustapha by his name and street name in photo arrays. They also said Rey was unarmed at the time of the shooting, prosecutors said.

On July 1, 2016, detectives got an arrest warrant naming Mustapha and he was found in Minnesota on Aug. 1 and extradited back to Cook County to a face first-degree murder charge.

Mustapha's next court date was scheduled Sept. 7.
First Deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro briefs reporters about a shooting on a subway platform along the CTA Red Line near the 200 block of South State Street on Aug. 17, 2017, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

A gunman standing on a Loop subway platform opened fire into a CTA train stopped at Jackson, wounding a man as panicked passengers scrambled for cover Thursday night, officials said.

Some riders complained they got no clear instructions from the conductor in the moments after a 24-year-old man was shot in the left arm and ankle as the train doors opened, police said.

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Andrew Lapin, 28, a freelance journalist on his way to Lakeview to meet friends for dinner, said he felt "trapped" on the train, not clear what happened a few train cars away and worried he was a sitting duck if the shooting resumed.

"You're fearing for your life because you don't know what's going on. It's a total blind spot," he said. "I don't know what people are supposed to do in this situation."

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The shooting happened around 7:45 p.m. when a gunman fired into the northbound train as it pulled into the station, appearing to aim at a particular passenger, according to a Chicago police official, First Deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro.

"It looks like the offender was actually waiting for that train to pull in,'' Navarro said during a news conference at the scene. "As the doors opened up, he shot at the specific subject and ran.''

Paramedics took the victim off the train and up an elevator in the station. He was shirtless with a white cloth over his abdomen, a wrap around his leg and an oxygen mask strapped to his face.

He was moved to a stretcher and was closely followed by a woman carrying one Prada sneaker that apparently belonged to the victim. The woman wept outside an ambulance as the victim was placed into the back and driven away.

She declined to comment.

The victim was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

The suspect remained at large Friday morning. Navarro did not give a description of the gunman but sought to calm fears among CTA passengers.

"Although this is a startling event, this is a very rare event," Navarro said. "Shootings on public transportation are very rare.

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"As far we can tell right now, this is a targeted event," Navarro said. "There's no general threat to the public on transportation itself. Detectives are reviewing video, and we are very confident that before the end of the night we will have the subject identified.''

Meanwhile, Navarro said there would be extra patrols near the subway. Officers could be seen searching the area with weapons drawn.

Lapin said a couple got off his train at the Jackson stop just before he heard two loud gunshots. The couple ran back inside, saying there was a shooter on the train.

"We all go onto the ground. We were held there for a couple of minutes and I heard the CTA conductor say, 'Can I help you?' on the intercom. We were waiting a little longer and the (conductor) said they were holding the train, and people were panicking," Lapin said.

Lapin estimated he was about four to five train cars away from where the man was shot. As he crouched on the ground with other passengers, the doors to the train remained mostly open, closing intermittently.

"Some people in my car were yelling, 'Close the door,' because they didn't feel safe," he said.

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Lapin said he remained on the train for about five minutes but decided to leave once the conductor said police were responding. He was toward the end of the train and went out a back entrance, where he saw police coming to the station. There were about six other people in his train car.

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"I was just very shocked that something so violent could happen in the Loop in the early evening," Lapin said. "It just seemed really beyond the level of what I was expecting. It was scary."

Another witness, a 29-year-old woman who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to safety concerns, said about 20 young adults sprinted toward the Red Line train, nearly knocking her over, and crammed into a car before the shots rang out.

The 29-year-old woman was transferring to the Red Line from the Blue Line and had just walked through a tunnel to the platform.

"I heard arguing for about two seconds, and then I saw the flash of a gun and I heard the pop," she said. "Once we all hit the ground to take cover, I was still close to the stairs, so I slid myself down the stairs until I couldn't see the top of the platform. Another girl was there and she reached out for me and we held hands and I ran out."

She was supposed to catch the train to go to the Coldplay concert at Soldier Field but wasn't in the mood after the shooting.

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"Just thinking about the terrorist attacks that have been happening, I was thinking I don't want to be in a big venue. I've had enough for today," she said.

Subway trains were rerouted to the elevated lines between Fullerton and Cermak and bus shuttle service was put in place through the affected area, the CTA said.
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner said Friday he plans to announce "in the next couple days" whether he'll sign a bill aimed at limiting the role of local law enforcement in federal efforts to detain and remove immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

Asked during a Friday morning radio appearance if he would sign the bill, Rauner said the legislation was supported by immigration advocates and the business community, "so it seems like a reasonable compromise." He said he would be "making an announcement about that in the next couple days," and that he was "very excited." The governor did not, though, say whether he'd sign it.

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"I think it seems very reasonable," Rauner said on the WBEZ-FM 91.5 show "Morning Shift."

Meanwhile, a public relations firm has sent out a news release indicating that retired Exelon Chairman John Rowe, who heads the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, a major supporter of the legislation, and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin would be holding a midmorning news conference to talk about how the governor's announcement relates to the federal DREAM Act. The proposal would grant permanent legal status to young people who arrived here before age 18, passed security checks, enrolled in college and met other criteria. A Rauner spokeswoman said Thursday that she was unaware of plans for an announcement.

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The governor has until Aug. 28 to act on the measure. The bill's backers say they're concerned that actions against immigrants by the Trump administration and the governor's shift to more conservative top staff members may have pushed him toward a veto.

Some advocates said they received assurances earlier this summer that Rauner would sign the bill. Rauner's staff has said only that the measure remains "under review." Rauner himself issued no guarantee of his signature in a Fox News interview last week.

"So, our staff is evaluating that bill right now," Rauner said then. "In fact, we are meeting with law enforcement agencies and law enforcement leaders in the state to get their views on it. We're going to evaluate it, and then we'll make an announcement about how we're going to deal with that."

The measure, known as the Trust Act, is a product of efforts by a coalition of immigrant rights activists, religious organizations and top members of the state's business community. The bill passed the General Assembly with mostly Democratic votes and also has the backing of several law enforcement officials.

The bill would prohibit state and local police in Illinois from arresting or detaining a person solely because of their immigration status, or based on a federal immigration detainer. However, law enforcement officials can hold someone if a judge has issued a warrant.

The legislation as passed was heavily diluted from an initial proposal that also would have created "safe zones" at schools, medical facilities, courts and driver's license facilities where immigration agents would not be allowed to make arrests.

Rauner consistently has avoided directly responding to reporters' questions about Chicago's "sanctuary city" status, highlighted most recently in criticism raised by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions as well as Mayor Rahm Emanuel's efforts to sue the Justice Department to ensure the city would not be denied certain federal grants because of its declaration on immigration.

Instead, Rauner has said the nation as a whole should have a comprehensive immigration policy rather than having the country dotted by municipalities setting up their own rules and procedures.

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Sponsoring Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch, a Democrat from Hillside, said he hoped the governor would sign the bill and not bend to those in the Republican Party who've taken a hard-line stance on immigration.

"It definitely seems like there is this fear from Trump and Rauner to alienate their far right base," Welch said. "I think that it's extremely important that we send a message that Illinois is a welcoming state.

"Immigrants are critical to the success of the Illinois economy, let's not scare people away from our state," he added.

Responding to Rauner's latest comments about listening to law enforcement, immigration rights activists released a letter from Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran and seven suburban police chiefs urging the governor to sign the measure, joining similar missives sent by business and faith leaders.

The law enforcement letter called the bill "a sensible policy to effectively devote our time and taxpayers' money going after true threats to public safety and security and not wasting limited resources apprehending and removing immigrants who are merely seeking to work or reunite with family."

The letter also said the measure should not be considered a "sanctuary" bill because it explicitly allows communications between local police and federal agents.

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"Fears that law enforcement and immigration enforcement are one and the same have a chilling effect on reports of crime among minority communities," the letter said. "None of us wants rapists or other criminals to get away with crime. Discouraging victims and witnesses of crime from coming forward makes our jobs harder and does not make you safer."

Chicago Tribune's Kim Geiger contributed.

rap30@aol.com

mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signaled support for state legislation that would protect immigrants in the country illegally from being detained solely because of their immigration status, but he held off on promising to sign the bill.

The governor's comments during a Friday radio appearance were the first time he's publicly offered his views of the measure. Rauner said he would be making an announcement about the bill "in the next couple days," and that he was "very excited."

"I think it seems very reasonable," Rauner said of the legislation, which would prohibit state and local police in Illinois from arresting or detaining a person solely because of their immigration status, or based on a federal immigration detainer. The law would, however, allow law enforcement officials to hold someone if a judge has issued a warrant.

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Supporters of the legislation, including immigrant advocates and the business community, have been pushing Rauner to sign the bill, which has been on his desk since late June. But the governor also has faced intense lobbying in opposition from Republican Party 's conservative wing.

Retired Exelon Chairman John Rowe , who heads the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, said he had spoken with the governor Thursday to push for his signature.

"The governor said, 'I want to sign this bill, I believe in this bill but I need to see enough support from the law enforcement community so it doesn't provoke the whole sanctuary city issue,'" Rowe said during a Friday news conference with Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

Appearing on WBEZ 91.5-FM's "Morning Shift," Rauner noted that the bill is "supported by law enforcement, it's supported by the business community, it's supported by the immigration community. I think it seems very reasonable."

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The immigration issue has been a tricky one for Rauner, who has tended to stay away from national political issues that could attract the attention of or link him to President Donald Trump .

Rauner has consistently avoided directly responding to reporters' questions about Chicago's "sanctuary city" status, highlighted most recently in criticism raised by Attorney General Jeff Sessions as well as by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's efforts to sue the Justice Department to ensure the city would not be denied certain federal grants because of its declaration on immigration.

Instead, Rauner has said the nation as a whole should have a comprehensive immigration policy rather than having the country dotted by municipalities setting up their own rules and procedures.

The issue could figure into Rauner's 2018 re-election bid, as the governor will need the support of Downstate voters, some of whom want to see immigration policy that cracks down on those who are in the country illegally.

State Sen. Kyle McCarter , a Republican from Lebanon outside St. Louis, said that if Rauner does not veto the bill "this could be the last straw" for Downstate voters who have backed the governor.

"There was a reason the president won so big in downstate Illinois, this is one of those issues that we stood with the president on," McCarter said. "I understand it's a difficult decision for the governor to make, but he's going to have to decide if this should be the priority, or meeting the basic needs of the legal citizens of Illinois."

McCarter said he has reached out to the governor's chief of staff to encourage Rauner to veto the bill.

"I think I can speak for downstate Illinois and most Trump supporters, this isn't the direction that I want the country to go or the state to go," he said. "We are a country founded by immigrants, but those were legal immigrants, and I think the last thing Illinois wants is to see a sanctuary state, and this moves us in that direction."

There are also concerns that the legislation could put Illinois crosswise with the federal government and in the crosshairs of the Trump administration's attempted crack down on sanctuary cities.

Also critical of the bill is Rep. John Cabello, a Republican of Mexican heritage who is a Rockford police detective and also co-chair of the Illinois Trump Victory fund. Cabello said the measure puts police in the position of choosing whether to uphold federal law or state law.

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"We can't cherry-pick which laws we are going to enforce, it doesn't matter if this bill is signed into law or not, law enforcement will do what we have to do," he said. "I think this bill is symbolic, no law enforcement officer is going to follow this bill."

The bill passed with mostly Democratic support. In the Senate, five Republicans voted for the Trust Act. In the House, only one Republican voted for the bill.

Supporters of the legislation argue that it will help build trust between police and the immigrant community, and will give immigrants confidence that they can come forward to help police solve crimes without having to worry about being punished because of their immigration status. Cabello disputed that notion.

"If people can't trust law enforcement without this bill, they are not going to trust law enforcement with this bill," he said.

mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com

kgeiger@chicagotribune.com
Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribe here.

Topspin

Senate President John Cullerton turned his speaking slot before Democrats' annual Illinois State Fair fundraiser into an attempt at a stand-up comedy routine, with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner serving as the butt of the joke.

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He said that the Illinois Senate was the only legislative body in the nation that was in session on Sunday, when lawmakers passed a resolution condemning the violence in Charlottesville, Va., and urging law enforcement officials to recognize white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups as terrorist organizations.

Cullerton noted that reporters asked Rauner about the action, in which the governor said he was "not so focused on the day-to-day in Congress."

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The Senate president picked up on the mistake, declaring that "the governor's having a hard time figuring out where Springfield ends and D.C. begins."

"You know, actually that explains a lot, because when I meet with the governor, frequently he refers to me as Dick," Cullerton said drawing laughs from the crowd.

"I now realize," Cullerton said, calling out to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who was in the audience, "he thinks that I'm you."

Cullerton then seized on Rauner's widely panned interview on Fox News last week, in which his evasive answers drew criticism from conservative commentator Ann Coulter.

"What an eloquent speaker," Cullerton said. "In that interview there's only one word to sum up what he was: presidential." (Monique Garcia)

What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel is expected to make an announcement about Chicago graffiti removal.

*Gov. Rauner is scheduled to make his monthly radio appearance at 9 a.m. on WBEZ 91.5 FM. He could announce whether he'll sign a bill aimed at limiting the role of local law enforcement in federal efforts to detain and remove immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. He also will tour flood-damaged areas in Fox Lake, sign a river town tax credit bill in Aurora and thank first responders at the fairgrounds in Springfield.

*Former Exelon CEO John Rowe and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin are set to have a morning news conference at the Merchandise Mart about Rauner's decision and to talk about potential DACA changes.

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*Democratic governor candidate Dan Biss, a state senator from Evanston, will make campaign appearances in Peoria as he launches a statewide tour.

From the notebook

*By another name ...: For two days, Mayor Emanuel went by the name Ron Madison  an idea suggested to him by a former state lawmaker afraid his real name wouldn't play well in Springfield.

That was back in 1980, when Emanuel, current Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool and then-rising political consultant David Wilhelm were all working on the Congressional campaign of David Robinson. Robinson was taking on incumbent Paul Findley, a leading backer of the Palestinian Liberation Organization in Congress.

Emanuel said Robinson's campaign manager, Mike Currant, said, "We can't have a guy named Rahm Israel Emanuel work on the campaign. ... We think you should be called Ron Madison."

Emanuel says he resisted, but tried it after being told he didn't have to actually change his name, just introduce himself as Ron Madison. He kept at it for a day or two, but then thought better of it. "But for a 48-hour period, Rahm Emanuel was Ron Madison," he said.

Emanuel told the story to friend and political ally David Axelrod on his "The Axe Files" podcast, which was posted Thursday.

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Axelrod, who worked with Emanuel in the Obama White House, went on to tease Emanuel about that a couple of more times during the 68-minute podcast. Axelrod, a former political consultant, is now director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and a political commentator for CNN.

Although Emanuel did not say specifically that Rahm Israel Emanuel might not have played well in central Illinois in 1980 because it was a Jewish-sounding name, he did make several references to his religion during the course of the podcast.

In speaking about the controversy surrounding President Donald Trump on his statements about the fatality associated with a Nazi sympathizer in Charlottesville, Va., Emanuel said: "I want to know what the Jewish members of his administration are thinking. At what point does your common decency and values get crossed?"

He also talked about the fact that many observers speculated about the unlikelihood of a Jew being elected mayor of Chicago.

"Our politics are very much balkanized by ethnic identity," Emanuel said. "On the other hand, I'm clear that I'm Jewish. You can't hide it. Rahm Israel Emanuel. And yet Jews only represent 3 percent. But I don't think anybody would have ever thought that a Jew could become mayor of the city of Chicago."

It was clear that Emanuel felt comfortable talking to Axelrod, whom he's known since 1982. That also perhaps gave Axelrod the comfort to note that the highly successful trio of Emanuel brothers are "high-strung people, and it makes one wonder: What the hell happened in your home that caused you to be that way?"

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Emanuel went on to talk about the high expectations his parents set for their children and how they were all expected to come prepared to debate politics at the dinner table each evening. (Hal Dardick)

*The "Sunday Spin": On this week's show, Chicago Tribune political writer Rick Pearson's guests are Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of Taylorville and veteran State Journal-Register Capitol reporter Doug Finke. The "Sunday Spin" airs from 7 to 9 a.m. on WGN 720-AM.

What we're writing

*Democratic governor candidates say Rauner too late in criticizing Trump.

*Rauner could announce decision on immigration bill as early as Friday.

*Personal info for 1.8 million Chicago voters removed from cloud service, election officials say.

*Bloomberg's super PAC to spend $2 million on ads backing Preckwinkle's soda pop tax.

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*Cook County: Soda tax no longer runs afoul of food stamp rules.

*Secretary of State Jesse White says he'll run for record sixth term.

*Emanuel pushes back at Sessions in podcast with longtime ally Axelrod.

*Sources: Feds made recordings at Cinespace Chicago studios in probe of Teamsters boss.

*Obama to speak at Economic Club of Chicago ... in December.

What we're reading

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*Chicago-area woman convicted of lying about terrorist bombings to get final court hearing.

*Ford settles sexual, racial harassment claims at Chicago plants for $10 million.

*Are drug firms paying your doctor? Illinois doctors accepted $74.1M in industry payments last year.

Follow the money

*Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here.

Beyond Chicago



*Trump calls removal of Confederate statues "foolish."

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*Bannon says rivals are "wetting themselves."

*Tillerson says military options still on the table for North Korea.

*Attacker drives van into Barcelona crowd.
President Barack Obama jokes with his daughter Malia Obama as they walk to board Air Force One from the Marine One helicopter on April 7, 2016. (Jacquelyn Martin / AP)

WASHINGTON  Malia Obama was 10 years old and in the fifth grade when her father became president, and next week she's set to start a new chapter.

She's off to Harvard.

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The 19-year-old is ending a gap year that sparked a national conversation about the trend and unfolded across multiple continents. Soon she is decamping for the venerable Ivy League school in Cambridge, Mass.

Harvard's dorms open to freshmen Tuesday, and classes begin Aug. 30. The university is a familiar place for Obama's alumni parents, who both graduated from Harvard Law School. It also is no stranger to celebrity students and is the alma mater of eight U.S. presidents. That President Barack Obama's friends and former administration officials hold faculty posts at Harvard means his daughter won't be entirely on her own. A Secret Service detail will ensure that too.

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"How time flies," said Anita McBride, a chief of staff for former first lady Laura Bush, whose daughters Barbara and Jenna first welcomed Michelle Obama and her daughters into the White House after the 2008 election.

The White House florist had made bouquets for the Obama girls. The Bush daughters gave them the grand tour, teaching them how to slide down the banister in the solarium. The departing White House daughters also gave the Obama girls a friendly letter full of their well wishes and advice.

"Here's a girl who's grown up in the public eye and who's been able to maintain a normal, private life and make regular, everyday decisions about her education and life choices," McBride said.

"She took advantage of a very interesting opportunity at a very unique time in her life, an in-between time in her life," she added. Delaying her Harvard start meant Malia Obama would arrive on campus with less visibility and pressure than had she started in 2016 during her father's final months in the Oval Office, added McBride, now with American University's School of Public Affairs.

Malia Obama's gap year coinciding with her family leaving the White House in January gave her time and space to unwind with her parents and sister. "They had precious family time they were able to enjoy as the entire family was going through a transition," McBride said.

The Obamas moved into a home Washington's Kalorama neighborhood, letting Sasha Obama finish Sidwell Friends School, from which Malia Obama graduated in 2016. Sixteen-year-old Sasha will finish Sidwell in 2019.

The Obamas announced in May 2016 that Malia Obama had been accepted to Harvard but was taking a gap year. Her 12 months of me time, according to news accounts, featured an extended trip last fall to Bolivia and Peru, a journey reportedly organized by a Boulder, Colo., company called Where There Be Dragons. Eva Vanek, director of admissions for the firm, declined to talk about Malia Obama but spoke generally about its gap-year and summer programs, saying they operated in 19 countries in Asia, Africa and South and Central America.

The aim is a cross-cultural, experiential education, Vanek said. That means no five-star hotels or fancy buses, but rather home stays with local families, volunteer work, trips on public buses and often, language immersion. The small-group trips "aren't touristic. They aim to broaden students' perspectives about the world and themselves through these really intimate experiences," she said.

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The goal is to let participants become "competent travelers and more evolved humans," Vanek added.

Last February, Malia Obama started an internship with the Weinstein Co., an employee there said. It's a film and television production and distribution company founded by brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein. She hit the Sundance Film Festival in January, was spotted in Aspen, Colo., in February, traveled in June with her parents and sister to Bali and rocked out with her younger sister in August at Chicago's Lollapalooza.

Because of her gap year, Malia Obama will join Harvard's Class of 2021, an exclusive group about to get an expensive education.

Harvard's tuition, fees, room and board run $65,509 for the upcoming school year, though many students get need-based financial aid. Only 5.4 percent of the 39,041 students who applied to be in the Class of 2020 were admitted: some 2,110 students. Altogether Harvard has about 6,700 undergraduates and 14,500 graduate and professional students.

The school boasts nearly 3,900 courses in 49 undergraduate fields of study, or "concentrations." All freshmen must take Expository Writing 20, but otherwise there is no preset curriculum. Those admitted into her 2021 class are, by a slim majority of 50.9 percent, mostly nonwhite, according to university officials, who declined to comment on the former first daughter.

Soon she'll be able to stroll Harvard Yard, shop at the campus store called "The COOP" and perhaps take meals with other freshmen at Annenberg Hall, a high-ceiling dining hall that draws comparisons to the Great Hall in the Harry Potter series. And she'll hit the books. University officials tell students to budget up to $1,200 a year for textbooks.

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The college experience is one the Bush daughters anticipated. As the Obama family prepared to leave the White House, they sent the two teens another letter, previewing life as a former president's kids.

"Enjoy college. As most of the world knows, we did," they said in one passage. "And you won't have the weight of the world on your young shoulders anymore."

kskiba@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @KatherineSkiba
Former mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg addresses delegates on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention on July 27, 2016, in Philadelphia. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is getting a little help from a familiar ally in the soda pop war over the county's new, much-criticized penny-an-ounce tax on sweetened beverages.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, long a critic of the health effects of sugary beverages, is spending more than $2 million on a new ad campaign to back the pop tax, according to a statement authorized Thursday by the billionaire philanthropist's office. The TV, radio and digital ads could start running "as soon as" Friday, according to the statement.

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The ads say the tax could help fight "the epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes with the money helping to support Cook County hospitals and health programs. And that's going to make our kids a lot healthier."

It's not the first time Bloomberg has stepped into the fray over the tax in Cook County. Last year, Bloomberg threw $1 million into an ad campaign when Preckwinkle was trying to build support for the tax's approval. He's made similar moves in other locales where the tax was proposed.

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Preckwinkle hinted at the possibility of ads last week, when she was questioned about the tax at a meeting of the Cook County Democratic Party to endorse candidates for next year's primary elections.

"We've got some challenges getting our message out about the sweetened beverage tax, and we're going to begin to do that as the campaign heats (up) at the end of August and Labor Day," Preckwinkle told party committeemen.

Later, she was asked what she meant. "We're going to invest in communication," she said, without offering specifics at the time.

Her government spokesman said he knew nothing about communications, if any, between Preckwinkle and Bloomberg. "If the report is true, we are grateful that a strong public health advocate like Michael Bloomberg would be willing to help counter the misinformation we have been battling for months," Frank Shuftan said.

Preckwinkle's political spokesman, Scott Kastrup, said she "has not spoken with Mr. Bloomberg recently," but added, "We were contacted by his representatives about his upcoming support for the tax."

Preckwinkle last November broke a tie vote to approve the tax, which she said was needed to prevent cutbacks in the county's public safety and public health systems.

But she's faced increasing blowback since the tax went into effect this month, after a court challenge by the Illinois Retail Merchants Association failed to prevent its collection. One county commissioner is considering a run against Preckwinkle in next year's primary, lawsuits have been filed over how retailers have implemented it, and the beverage industry is paying for radio ads in opposition to the tax.

hdardick@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @ReporterHal
BARCELONA, Spain  A cell of at least nine extremists meticulously plotted to combine vehicles and explosives in a direct hit on tourists, and managed to carry off most of their deadly plan, killing 14 people, authorities said Friday. Police in Spain and France pressed a manhunt for any remaining members of the group, which Islamic State claimed as its own.

Only flawed bomb construction avoided a more devastating attack, authorities said after taking a closer look at a blast Wednesday evening in the town of Alcanar that was first written off as a household gas explosion. At least one person was killed and several injured in the home where police said the deadly plan took shape.

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Eighteen hours later, a rented van veered into Barcelona's crowded Las Ramblas promenade, swerving along the walkway Thursday and killing 13 people. A surveillance video from inside a museum, which captured images of the van, showed it speeding down the promenade, barely missing a person with a stroller while others scattered.

Armed with an ax, knives and false explosives belts, attackers then drove a second vehicle to the boardwalk in the resort town of Cambrils early Friday, fatally injuring one person. Five of those attackers were shot to death, among them 17-year-old Moussa Oukabir, according to a Spanish police union official, confirming Spanish news reports.

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Oukabir's name was first on a document listing four suspects sought in the attacks, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation. The Barcelona-based La Vanguardia newspaper, Spanish national broadcaster RTVE and other outlets cited police sources as saying he was the driver of the van in Barcelona.

The arrest order was issued throughout Spain and into France, according to the Spanish official and a French police official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the document. They did not say what became of the other three men listed, who ranged in age from 18 to 24. All had roots in Morocco; only Moussa Oukabir was born in Spain, according to the document.

Earlier in the day, Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont said at least one "terrorist is still on out there. We do not have information regarding the capacity to do more harm."

The French official said Spain had flagged a rented van that was believed to have crossed the border to the north.

Moussa's brother Driss Oukabir was arrested Thursday after he went to police to report his stolen identity documents were those found in the van abandoned on the historic Las Ramblas promenade, Spanish media reported.

The brothers were born and raised in Ripoll, a quiet, upscale town of 10,000 tucked into hilly Catalan heartland and dominated by the imposing tower of the Monesteri de Santa Maria. The dented door to the family's first-floor apartment swung open Friday; the home was empty.

Neighbors said they were shocked by the news of Moussa Oukabir's involvement. One teenager, who identified himself only by his first name, Pau, said they played together when they were younger and he was "a good boy."

A police officer walks near gas canisters in Alcanar, Spain, during a search on Aug. 18, 2017. The site is thought to be linked to the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks, and was the scene of a fatal explosion on Aug. 16. (Jose Jordan / AFP/Getty Images)

Authorities said the two attacks were related and the work of a large terrorist cell that had been plotting for a long time from the house in Alcanar, 200 kilometers (124 miles) down the coast from Barcelona. The house was destroyed by a butane gas explosion Wednesday night that killed one person. One of those injured in the blast was taken into custody.

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Senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said police believed the apparently accidental explosion prevented the suspects from carrying out a far deadlier attack.

Police said they arrested two people Friday, after the two arrests a day earlier. In custody are three Moroccans and one Spaniard, none with terrorism-related records.

"We are not talking about a group of one or two people, but rather a numerous group," regional Interior Ministry chief Joaquim Forn told Onda Cero radio.

The sheer size of the cell recalled the November 2015 attacks in Paris, in which trained Islamic State attackers struck the national stadium, a concert hall and bars and restaurants nearly simultaneously. Since then, the extremist group has steadily lost ground in its self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria, most recently with its defeat in Mosul.

"This shows there is no correlation between what is happening over there with Daesh and the operational capacity of the group," said Jean-Charles Brisard, a French security analyst, using another name for the group.

Spanish authorities had not yet drawn any direct links between IS extremists and the suspects in the Spanish attacks, but the possibility that members of the Spanish group could still be at large was chilling. Those who have survived prior attacks nearly always ended their lives with new bloodshed and a hail of police bullets.

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"There is the danger they will not let themselves get caught and will do something dramatic," said Alain Chouet, a former French intelligence official.

Amid heavy security, Barcelona tried to move forward Friday, with the Las Ramblas promenade quietly reopening to the public and King Felipe VI and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy joining thousands in a minute of silence in the city's main square.

"I am not afraid! I am not afraid!" the crowd chanted in Catalan and Spanish.

But the attacks unnerved a country that hasn't seen an Islamic extremist attack since 2004, when al-Qaida-inspired bombers killed 191 people in coordinated assaults on Madrid's commuter trains. Unlike France, Britain, Sweden and Germany, Spain has largely been spared, thanks in part to a crackdown that has netted about 200 suspected jihadis in recent years.

Authorities were still dealing with the Barcelona van attack when police in Cambrils, 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the south, fatally shot the five attackers who had plowed into tourists and locals with their car near the town's boardwalk. Forn said the five were wearing fake bomb belts.

One woman in Cambrils died from her injuries and five others were wounded, Catalan police said.

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Cambrils Mayor Cami Mendoza said the town had taken precautions after the Barcelona bloodshed, but the suspects focused their attack on the narrow path to the boardwalk, which is usually packed.

"We were on a terrace," said bystander Jose Antonio Saez. "We heard the crash and intense gunshots, then (saw) the dead bodies on the floor, shot by the police."

Others described scenes of panic and found safety inside bars and restaurants until police secured the area.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 38 A man with his son light candles at a memorial to victims of a terror attack on Barcelona's Las Ramblas promenade in Barcelona, Spain on Aug. 19, 2017. (Emilio Morenatti / AP)

"It was clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible," Trapero said.

The Islamic State group said on its Aamaq news agency that the Barcelona attack was carried out by "soldiers of the Islamic State" in response to its calls for followers to target countries participating in the coalition fighting the extremist group in Syria and Iraq.

Islamic extremists have targeted Europe's major tourist attractions in recent years. Rented or hijacked vehicles have formed the backbone of a strategy to attack the West and its cultural symbols. Barcelona's Las Ramblas is one of the most popular attractions in a city that swarms with foreign tourists in August.

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The dead and wounded in the two attacks came from 34 countries.

Rajoy called the killings a "savage terrorist attack" and said Spaniards "are not just united in mourning, but especially in the firm determination to beat those who want to rob us of our values and our way of life."

President Donald Trump personally offered his condolences to Rajoy and pledged to support Spanish authorities in their investigation and in bringing the perpetrators to justice, the White House said Friday.

Makeshift memorials grew along Las Ramblas after it reopened to the public.

People gather at a memorial tribute of flowers, messages and candles to the victims on Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas promenade on the Joan Miro mosaic, embedded in the pavement where the van stopped after killing at least 13 people in Barcelona , Spain, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. (Emilio Morenatti / AP)

"It's sad," New York tourist John Lanza said, as the family stood outside the gated La Boqueria market. "You can tell it's obviously quieter than it usually is, but I think people are trying to get on with their lives."

Gilles contributed from Madrid. Associated Press reporters Alan Clendenning in Phoenix, Angela Charlton in Paris, Nicole Winfield in Rome, Alex Oller in Barcelona and Barry Hatton in Lisbon contributed.
An unidentified protester stands outside the courthouse in Durham, N.C., on Aug. 17, 2017, to show support for those arrested and charged with toppling a Confederate statue. (Jonathan Drew / AP)

Scores of people lined up in front of the sheriff's office in Durham County, North Carolina, on Thursday to "confess" to vandalizing a Confederate statue that protesters pulled down from its pedestal earlier this week, a demonstration meant to raise concerns about the charges officials leveled against the alleged perpetrators.

An estimated 200 to 300 people showed up at the sheriff's office to collectively accept responsibility for the damaged monument, said Courtney Sebring, the Durham County co-chair of the Black Youth 100 Project (BYT 100). Durham Country Sheriff Michael Andrews and people live-tweeting from the scene estimated the gathering attracted more than 100 participants.

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During the Monday protest, several dozen "anti-fascist" and community groups rallied around the Confederate soldier statue as it was pulled from its pedestal outside the old Durham County Courthouse and left it in a mangled heap. It had stood atop an engraved pedestal that read, "In memory of 'the boys who wore the gray.' " It was erected in 1924 and stood 15 feet tall, according to a memorial database. On one side of the granite pedestal is an image of a Confederate flag.

Sheriff's deputies announced early Tuesday that video taken by sheriff's deputies during the protest would be used to identify and arrest the people involved in pulling down the statue from its pedestal in downtown Durham. Later that morning, sheriff's deputies arrested Takiyah Thompson, 22, and charged her with a collection of felony and misdemeanor charges, including disorderly conduct, damage to real property, participation in a riot with property damage in excess of $1,500, and inciting others to riot where there is property damage in excess of $1,500.

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In video of the scene, Thompson can be seen climbing a silver ladder and affixing a yellow strap to the head and neck of the Confederate figure that was then used to pull the mangled remains of the statue to the ground.

By Wednesday, three additional activists who had been identified and charged with similar crimes turned themselves in to sheriff's deputies: Dante Emmanuel Strobino, 35; Ngoc Loan Tran, 24; and Peter Gull Gilbert, 39.

The array of felony charges outraged many people in the city, Sebring said. The organization was one of several involved in Monday's protest and the handling of communications for those involved, she said.

"Folks are facing charges like felony incitement to a riot," Sebring said. "A riot requires force and people to have been forced to participate, unable to move due to a violent situation, and every single person there wanted that monument down. They, together, no longer wanted white supremacy to be towering over downtown Durham."

The sheriff's department said it made no arrests related to the Thursday demonstration at its office. However, three people were arrested there in connection with the removal of the monument: Aaron Alexander Caldwell, 24; Raul Mauro Arce Jimenez, 26; and Elena Everett, 30, officials said. Taylor Alexander Jun Cook, 24, turned himself in later in the day, the department said.

All have been released.

Also in Durham on Thursday, Duke University reported that a Robert E. Lee statue in the portal of the campus chapel's entrance had been damaged, according to the Herald-Sun. Parts of the statue's face had been chipped off, a university official said. The statue is one of 10 that ring the chapel's entrance and were installed when the chapel was first built.

The Washington Post's Alex Horton contributed to this report.
The Montana Department of Revenue will continue to fight a court ruling that money from a tax credit program can benefit religious schools.

District Judge Heidi Ulbricht ruled in May that the department incorrectly excluded religious schools from the program, which is funded by donations that can be offset by up to $150 in nonrefundable tax credits. The 2015 bill that created the program limited its annual tax credits to $3 million.

The department filed its appeal with the Montana Supreme Court on Thursday.

The bill was the first time Montana had dipped a toe into school choice, a catch-all umbrella for programs that allow public money to be used to pay for the education of students in nonpublic schools. Legislators who supported the bill were irate when the department announced the rule banning religious schools, and three parents whose children attend Stillwater Christian School in Kalispell challenged the rule with the help of the Institute for Justice, a libertarian public interest law firm.

The department said an institution controlled by any church or religious sect could not be considered a "qualified education provider," arguing that the state constitution prohibits appropriations to faith-based schools.

In March 2015, District Judge David Ortley granted a preliminary injunction to prevent the department from implementing the rule.

Ulbright found that the program is funded through tax credits, not appropriations, and the constitution does not address the use of tax credits. "Nonrefundable tax credits simply do not involve the expenditure of money that the state has in its treasury," Ulbright wrote.

The notice filed Thursday merely informed the state Supreme Court of the department's appeal, not its grounds for appeal.
In this Oct. 17, 1996 file photo, Oakland County deputies handcuff Jonathan Schmitz, 26, of Lake Orion, Mich., during a break at his murder trial. The Supreme Court rejected an appeal Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 from the family of Scott Amedure, a guest murdered days after he admitted a secret crush on Schmitz during a taping of the "Jenny Jones Show." Schmitz was granted parole after a March 2017 hearing and is scheduled to be released from Parnall Correctional Institution the week of August 21, 2017. (Richard Sheinwald / AP)

DETROIT  A Michigan man convicted in the 1995 murder of another man who expressed romantic interest in him on national television is expected to be released from prison.

Jonathan Schmitz was 24 years old when his acquaintance Scott Amedure, 32, revealed he was romantically interested in him during a taping of the "Jenny Jones Show," which was filmed in Chicago. Schmitz, who said he wasn't gay, fatally shot Amedure in Lake Orion three days after the taping.

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Schmitz turned himself in to police, saying he killed Amedure because he was embarrassed on national television. He was sentenced 25 to 50 years for second-degree murder.

Schmitz, now 47, was granted parole after a March hearing and is scheduled to be released from Parnall Correctional Institution next week.

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In this Oct. 7, 2016 photo released by the Michigan Department of Corrections, Jonathan Schmitz is shown. (Michigan Department of Corrections)

Scott's older brother, Frank Amedure Jr., said he's troubled by the parole decision and that he's unsure Schmitz "learned what he should have" in prison.

"I wanted assurance that the (parole board's) decision was not based on just good behavior in prison," he said. "I'd like to know that he learned something, that he's a changed man, is no longer homophobic and has gotten psychological care."

Geoffrey Fieger, who served as an attorney for the Amedure family, said that everybody involved in the Jenny Jones Show also deserved imprisonment.

"That show set him (Schmitz) up and certainly took Scott Amedure's life for no reason," Fieger said.

The episode never aired but clips were shown on news shows.

The Michigan Department of Corrections doesn't list an attorney for Schmitz.
PANAMA CITY  On a normal day, Vice President Mike Pence's praise of his boss knows few limits.

But on Thursday, it seemed to reach a new level. During a visit to the Panama Canal here, Pence spoke of President Donald Trump as the modern reincarnation of one of the vice president's personal heroes, Theodore Roosevelt.

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"In President Donald Trump, I think the United States once again has a president whose vision, energy and can-do spirit is reminiscent of President Teddy Roosevelt," Pence said.

"Think about it," the vice president continued. "Then, as now, we have a builder of boundless optimism, who seeks to usher in a new era of shared prosperity all across this new world. Then, as now, we have a leader who sees things not just as they are but for what they could be. And then, as now, we have a president who understands, in his words, 'a nation is only living as long as it is striving.' "

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Standing at the dock of the Panama Canal's newly expanded Cocoli Locks, Pence delivered a formal speech celebrating an engineering feat that he said "changed the face of the Earth."

Pence sought to yoke Roosevelt's legacy helping construct the Panama Canal in the early 1900s to the Trump administration, playing to Trump's vision of himself as a builder of monumental proportions and a president of historic achievements.

"Under President Trump, the United States will break new ground and break new records," Pence said. "We'll recapture the spirit and rekindle the vision of our forebears in partnership with the free nations and free peoples across this hemisphere. We will once again awe the world with all that we accomplish together."

Pence added, "Just as President Roosevelt exhorted his fellow Americans to 'dare to be great,' President Donald Trump has dared our nation to 'make America great again,' and we'll do it with all of our friends in the world."
In this image made from video provided by NASA, Russian cosmonaut Sergei Ryazansky holds a mini satellite before launching it by hand from the International Space Station on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. (NASA via AP)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  Spacewalking cosmonauts set free the world's first satellite made almost entirely with a 3-D printer on Thursday.

In total, Russians Fyodor Yurchikhin and Sergey Ryazanskiy ended up releasing five nanosatellites by hand. One by one, the tiny craft  no more than 1 to 2 feet in size  tumbled safely away from the International Space Station.

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The exterior casing of the first one tossed overboard was made with a 3-D printer. So were the battery packs inside. Researchers want to see how 3-D-made parts weather the space environment.

The 3-D satellite contains regular electronics. It also holds greetings to planet Earth in a variety of languages, courtesy of students at Siberia's Tomsk Polytechnic University, where the satellite was made.

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The other satellites deployed Thursday have traditional spacecraft parts.

Each weighs just 10 to 24 pounds. They're expected to orbit for five to six months.

One commemorates the 60th anniversary of the world's first satellite, Sputnik 1, launched Oct. 4, 1957, by the Soviet Union. Another pays tribute to Russia's father of rocketry, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. He was born 160 years ago next month.

The remaining two small satellites involve navigation and other experiments.

Yurchikhin and Ryazanskiy completed the satellite releases within an hour of venturing outside. Barely a minute passed between a few of the launches. The rest of their work took longer than expected, however, and Russia's Mission Control outside Moscow sent the planned six-hour spacewalk into overtime. It ended up lasting 7 1/2 hours, and the cosmonauts said their hands were tired. All but one task got done.

"We will have actually some grounds to get drunk today, I think," one of the cosmonauts joked in Russian. A flight controller replied that he'd do it for them.

The cosmonauts collected science experiments from outside their 250-mile-high home, and wiped thruster residue from various surfaces for analysis. Three Americans and one Italian also live on the space station.
Most business executives fumed and groused for the eight years Barack Obama was in the White House. He was a former community organizer who had never met a payroll, and those in the corporate boardrooms thought he was no friend of free enterprise.

In 2010, New York real estate and media tycoon Mortimer Zuckerman said Obamas demonization of business was discouraging investment and sapping job growth. Gary Shapiro, head of the Consumer Technology Association, called Obama the most anti-business president in my lifetime. Former General Electric Chairman Jack Welch implored the president, Stop it. You cant go industry by industry ... through intimidation, business by business by business.

As ordeals go, though, theirs was notably mild. The stock market soared, corporate profits nearly tripled and the unemployment rate declined to 4.8 percent from 7.8 percent. From the depths of the Great Recession, the economy began what is now the third-longest expansion on record. If making money was your goal, the Obama years were a good time to do it.

Now, instead of a liberal lawyer in the White House, CEOs have one of their own. And theyre finding its not everything they had hoped. The stock market and other economic indicators look about the same as they did before Donald Trump took office. In Obamas final six months, the economy added an average of nearly 181,000 jobs per month. In Trumps first six months, it added 179,000 per month. Gross domestic product growth has even slowed a bit.

More troublesome at the moment is Trumps insistence on defending Confederate monuments and stoking white racial resentments. In recent days, so many CEOs resigned from the presidents two business advisory councils that Trump closed them down. Some of the executives no doubt were genuinely upset at the presidents coddling of bigots and his inability to behave with a dignity befitting his office. Some were fearful of alienating customers who find Trump toxic.

Other business executives are edging away from the president as though he were an erratic panhandler, and for the same reason: Best not to be close to him if he flips out. You dont want to have to stand there in silent mortification, as White House chief of staff John Kelly had to do the other day, while the president makes a fool of himself on national TV. It would not be good for your company or your career.

But even before Trumps Charlottesville debacle, he was not covering himself with capitalist glory. His January travel ban order put him at odds with some 100 tech firms that sued to block it, arguing, It disrupts ongoing business operations. And it threatens companies ability to attract talent, business, and investment to the United States.

His decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord didnt go down well with many big companies, 25 of which had signed a letter urging him to stay in. Even oil giants Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips opposed the withdrawal. In abandoning the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, Trump spurned the recommendation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. His insistence on renegotiating NAFTA has the Big Three automakers worried about their supply chains.

A lot of executives applaud Trumps war on federal regulation. But what else has he done for them? His failures on Obamacare have generated uncertainty among insurance companies and health care providers. His sour relations with Congress make tax reform less plausible every day. Infrastructure is what he was supposed to focus on Tuesday when he appeared before reporters at Trump Tower. But he buried that issue by venting about Charlottesville.

Perhaps worst of all, he has been the arrogant bully that Jack Welch and others accused Obama of being. Trump slammed Boeing over the cost of Air Force One. He blasted Ford over a planned factory in Mexico. He has repeatedly attacked Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post. He went after Nordstrom for dropping his daughters products. When Mercks Kenneth Frazier quit his manufacturing advisory group Monday, Trump flamed him for ripoff drug prices.

His recurring message is that any executive who doesnt do as Trump wishes can expect retribution from the most powerful man on Earth. Obama was not the friend CEOs think the president of the United States should be. But in Trump, theyre finding out what its like to have a real enemy.
The Robert E. Lee statue for which the "Unite the Right" rally was organized to protest its removal in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 13, 2017. (Tasos Katopodis / EPA)

Two reasons I am definitely not here protesting the removal of this Confederate statue: because I am a white supremacist who wants to protect a racist legacy, or because I am a pigeon who has laid an egg on this statue somewhere.

Listen, like you, I am a human being. I have zero feathers but many gangly appendages covered in skin, and I am flightless. Yet in spite of this, I love these statues, and not because their little metal hats are great places in which to build a foundation of carefully selected twigs, twine and assorted debris, then lay a warm beautiful egg that will someday hatch into a magnificent, glorious bird, the king of the air.

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I am one of the "very fine people" whom President Donald Trump was talking about, definitely a person, who was there to protest the taking down of the statue for human reasons that had nothing to do with racism or the nest of vulnerable white eggs currently exposed in that Confederate general's hat.

I am a human being like you, a featherless biped with hairs all over my epidermis. And I am not a racist. I don't know what the word "racism" means. Also, I don't see color. I perceive light on the ultraviolet spectrum. As everyone here does, I hope. That is how we humans perceive light, I am pretty sure.

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Getting rid of these statues would be for the birds, an expression I use in its derogatory sense, as we humans often do.

Like so many of us here, I do not have a racist bone in my body, though if I did that racist bone would definitely be dense and not hollow. I just want to protect my nest egg  NOT a literal egg in a nest, of course, but one of those metaphorical nest eggs we human beings are always so upset about. Economic anxiety? Yes, I have that. That is what I have. My nest egg, again, is metaphorical, not literally on this statue right now, vulnerable and exposed with its white shell open to the elements. KEEP THAT TORCH AWAY from what is definitely not my only genetic legacy, but a beautifully constructed nest that is unaffiliated with me, a human protester.

This is a normal request from me, a human, perched here with you in solidarity on my two appendages. I am not here to fan the flames of hatred, an action that I would do with hands and not wings, obviously. I am not a hawk nor a dove. I am not a bird at all, again. I am not affiliated with any sort of organization with "coo" or "clucks" in its name, neither for racist reasons nor for the reason that these are noises a bird would make. I distance myself from both of those things equally.

Like so many of you, when I look at this statue, I do not see a figure of hate. I don't see a figure at all, honestly. More of a blur. And that is not because I am viewing it from above while soaring aloft on the wings that are the greatest boon that can be bestowed by nature, but for another reason that I do not need to spell out.

Like all of you, I just want to keep this statue here for reasons that do not have anything to do with wanting to defecate on it, lay eggs on it or perch on it to preen my beautiful gray feathers. Or, of course, racism. Those are just a few of the MULTIPLE reasons that I do not have for wanting this statue to stay exactly where it is, conveniently located near a man on a bench who often eats french fries  a fellow man, I should say, a fellow very fine being who has hideous bone protrusions at the opening to his alimentary canal that he uses to masticate food, just as I do.

This isn't a pigeon issue. This statue doesn't provide succor to just racists and pigeons. Who among us has not sheltered here during a high wind and enjoyed a french fry he or she found on the sidewalk and lifted with great effort?

I don't think anyone seeing this statue would reasonably think "I am not welcome here." Unlike other statues that carry boomboxes and move and demand money and raise their hideous featherless wings to strike at those good citizens who would land on them, these statues are peaceful and quiet. They are just CRYING OUT to be perched on, either by humans, like myself, or sparrows, whom I spite as good-for-nothings.

It is, to me, as Trump says (not tweets  I, a human, would not understand a tweet) a very, very important statue. I am a human person, very fine, and I am not here because of racism. I just want to protect that statue, at all costs.

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Yes, I am a hard-working American who struggles all day and then goes home to vomit food into my children's mouths, and I am sick to see what we are doing to this absolutely non-polarizing landmark.

Please don't photograph me  not because I am ashamed to be here (because I am NOT) or because, if there is a flash, I will fly up into the sky in great alarm (I will not do that EITHER, definitely). I just do not like photos  AAAAAH OH GOD FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP GET AWAY GET AWAY.

OK, you got me  I am a pigeon. I am not sure what these people are doing.

The Washington Post

Alexandra Petri is a Washington Post columnist.
We have learned Friday that Steve Bannon, the most prominent nationalist and friend to the alt-right in the White House, is on his way out. The Washington Post reports that President Donald Trump has decided to remove him:

"Trump had been under mounting pressure to dispense with Bannon, who many officials view as a political Svengali but who has drawn scorn as a leading internal force encouraging and amplifying the president's most controversial nationalist impulses ...'

"Bannon had been expecting to be cut loose from the White House, people close to him said, with one explaining that Bannon was resigned to that fate and is determined to continue to advocate for Trump's agenda on the outside."

Coming after the wave of controversy over the events in Charlottesville, Va., and Trump's embrace of the cause of celebrating the Confederacy, one might be tempted to view this as some kind of recalibration that could result in a change in the administration's outlook toward matters of race.

Don't be fooled.

Republicans will likely seize on Bannon's ouster to argue that, in his heart, Trump isn't really a racist. Indeed, in recent days, a number of Republicans have stood up to testify to the president's inclusive heart. "I know Donald Trump. I don't think there's a racist bone in his body," says Sen. Orrin Hatch. The New York Times tells us that he once dated a model who's half black. What more proof do you need? (Ask Sally Hemings or Essie Mae Washington-Williams.) Lynne Patton, a longtime Trump family employee, says the president "doesn't see color the way the average person does."

Trump himself has said that he is "the least racist person that you have ever met." I could make a long and detailed case for why Trump is not in fact the least racist person you have ever met.

But this is the wrong question to ask. Not only can't we know with absolute certainty what lies in Trump's heart, it could not matter less. He's the president of the United States - what matters isn't what he feels but what he does and the kind of example he sets.

And by those much more important measures, Trump is the most racially divisive president in our lifetimes - and it's not even close. From literally the moment he began his presidential campaign in 2015, he has spread racist ideas, made racist arguments, appealed to racist sentiments, enacted racist policies, and encouraged the most repugnant racists in American society to become more vocal and visible.

Let's give ourselves a reminder of what President Trump has done just since becoming a candidate, setting aside his history as a private citizen:

In the speech announcing his presidential candidacy, he attacked Mexican immigrants, saying "When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best ... They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

He retweeted a racist graphic showing a dark-skinned man wielding a gun and listing bogus statistics alleging falsely that black people are responsible for the vast majority of homicides of white people. That was in addition to the multiple times he retweeted messages from the Twitter accounts of neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

Though immigrants commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans, he put an intense focus on individual crimes committed by an undocumented person, telling lurid stories meant to inflame as much hatred as possible. After becoming president, he created the Victims of Immigrant Crime Engagement office, whose purpose is to publicize crimes committed by immigrants.

He repeatedly characterized African-Americans as living in a hellish nightmare that could only be saved by him. "You're living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed - what the hell do you have to lose?" he said. That statistic, of course, was bogus.

He said that the judge presiding over his trial for fraud in the Trump University lawsuit (for which he eventually agreed to pay $25 million to compensate his victims) couldn't be impartial, because "He's a Mexican." The judge in fact is an American who was born in Indiana; saying "He's a Mexican" is no more accurate than saying about Trump, "He's a German." But the idea that your heritage forever defines your identity and determines whether you qualify as a "real" American is an old racist notion.

He proposed banning all Muslims from entering the United States, and even said he'd be open to creating a registry to track all Muslims in the country.

His "America First" slogan was a deliberate echo of the America First party of the early 1940s, which trafficked in anti-Semitism as it attempted to keep America out of World War II.

For almost the entirety of the campaign he continued to hold to the racist conspiracy theory that Barack Obama was not born in the United States, the issue that enabled him to transform himself from a reality TV star into a political figure. In addition, he frequently questioned whether Obama could have fairly been admitted to Columbia University and Harvard Law School, demanding to see Obama's grades to prove that he was actually qualified.

His Justice Department is reportedly planning to seek out cases where it can sue universities for discriminating against white people.

Soon after taking office, his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, made clear that the Justice Department would no longer concern itself with investigating police abuse of minority citizens, and has taken steps to pull back from the consent decrees the Obama administration negotiated with local police departments to improve their conduct.

He made the ludicrous claim that he only lost the popular vote because 3 to 5 million undocumented immigrants voted illegally, then set up a commission to "investigate" the matter, the results of which will be used to further the Republican effort to make it as hard as possible for African-Americans and other minorities to register and vote.

Thursday, he made another reference to a bogus story he told repeatedly on the campaign trail, in which Gen. Pershing supposedly responded to terrorism by taking 50 Muslim prisoners and summarily executing 49 of them with bullets dipped in pig's blood, on the theory that this would be particularly offensive to Muslims. So in addition to proclaiming his support for a fictional war crime, Trump is arguing that offending Muslim religious sensibilities is the way to fight terrorism (this from a man who says it's a deep insult to Christians when a department store puts up a "Happy Holidays" sign).

And of course, not only has he now embraced the cause of monuments celebrating the Confederacy  a rebellion against the United States for the purpose of maintaining slavery  he has explicitly equated its leaders to the founders of the American Republic, putting figures like Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on the same plane as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Given this extraordinary record, no sane person believes that it's some kind of accident that all manner of neo-Nazis and white supremacists have felt emboldened by Trump's campaign, his election victory, and his presidency to become more vocal and demonstrative than they ever have before.

Indeed, if you ask them that's exactly what they'll tell you. They regularly praise and celebrate President Trump, and say that his words and actions show that they no longer need to hide their ideology of hate. As David Duke said in Charlottesville last weekend, "We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump. That's what we believed in. That's why we voted for Donald Trump, because he said he's going to take our country back."

So Steve Bannon may be gone, but we shouldn't let that fool us into thinking that the Trump administration has undergone some kind of transformation. We'll know that something has truly changed if the Justice Department displays a genuine commitment to upholding civil rights, or if the administration dials back on its vote suppression efforts, or if the president himself stops making statements that bring so much joy to the most detestable hatemongers in American society.

That's how we'll know that Donald Trump is no racist in the ways that matter. I don't know about you, but I'm not expecting much.

Washington Post
A TV reporter gets a microchip embedded under her skin during a "chip party" at Three Market Square in River Falls, Wis.. (Tim Gruber / For The Washington Post)

Imagine never having to remember a computer password again.

Imagine walking into the bank and not wracking your brain for your ATM pin code. Or never wondering where you left your credit card, Ventra pass or ID.

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Imagine sailing through airport security without producing a driver's license or passport. Or through your security gate at work without fumbling for an ID card that you left in your other jacket.

It's not sci-fi fantasy. This wireless, keyless, cardless world for everyone who loses or misplaces stuff (that is, everyone), for those can't hold reams of passwords in their head (everyone), for those who carry unruly stacks of credit cards and rewards cards (everyone) ... is now dawning. Not only in Silicon Valley. Or in Elon Muskville.

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It's dawning in Wisconsin. Three Square Market of River Falls, Wis., a vending-machine software developer, boasts that it is the first U.S. company to implant microchips in its employees who volunteered. The rice-grain-sized chip, implanted between the thumb and forefinger, emits a radio frequency thats allows employees to open doors, pay for purchases in the company cafeteria, share business cards and log into their computers, all with a wave of their hand.

So far, 43 of its 85 employees have been chipped, with 10 more to be done later, a company spokeswoman tells us.

No more wallets, keys, credit cards? Everything available with a flick of the wrist? Sounds great.

We understand how some technophobes would find this creepy. Three Square promises it won't be tracking its employees via GPS to make sure they're on business, and not at the casino. But still. It's easy to see how an innocent company promotion could morph into something Big Brotherish, particularly if the government starts chipping people.

But chips could also monitor body functions and alert medical authorities in emergencies. Children or people with memory issues would never be lost if a chip broadcast their location. Criminals willing to be chipped could be monitored without ankle bracelets.

No wonder Musk, founder of Tesla cars and SpaceX, is a cheerleader for this technology. The billionaire entrepreneur launched a company called Neuralink Corp. to explore technology of "implanting tiny brain electrodes that may one day upload and download thoughts," The Wall Street Journal reports. Hmm. Sounds like this could get ... out of hand.

Privacy advocates and civil libertarians, please feel free to blow a gasket.

But we're intrigued. Chip away, Three Square. Let's see if this tech works as advertised. We'll watch your pioneering employees and dream of a world without passwords, keys or ID and credit cards.
The Illinois State Capitol in Springfield lit by the afternoon setting sun in February 2017. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

Starting at 1:20 p.m. Monday, people in downstate Illinois will watch as their view of the sun is obliterated for 2 minutes and 43 seconds. Astronomy buffs have plotted a journey to Carbondale and other points to stand in the path of the first total eclipse to sweep across the continental U.S. since 1918.

We're sure that will be a thrilling sight. But there's another eclipse in Illinois that isn't thrilling  or so brief.

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This eclipse doesn't occur only on Aug. 21.

It is happening every day.

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You don't need special glasses to see it.

Just keep your eyes open to the grim, familiar evidence of Illinois in eclipse:

Job seekers and company execs who cross Illinois off their lists early because of its toxic political and business climate.

Droves of students who flee to financially stable out-of-state universities.

For sale signs that sprout galore. Illinois in eclipse has led the nation in population loss three years in a row. (Such a three-year streak has happened only one other time since 1900, during World War II.)

Face it: No one comes to Illinois for the weather or to climb mountains. People come  or came  for opportunity. But that once-thriving state has receded into the shadow.

Why? Because while surrounding states add jobs, Illinois grinds private-sector concerns in its gears. The nation generated a 1.3 percent average annual growth rate from 2006-16, but Illinois managed just 0.4 percent, according to James Broughel of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Wisconsin outstripped Illinois with a 0.7 percent rate, and Indiana's was more than double this state's, at 0.9 percent.

In July, the state's unemployment rate ticked up. That's the same month that Springfield passed a 32 percent personal income tax hike  inviting more people and businesses to head for the exits. Thank you, Senate President John Cullerton and House Speaker Michael Madigan.

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And what about those promised reforms, such as overhauling workers' compensation, that could persuade more businesses to come, stay or expand? Or pruning Illinois' wildly overgrown local governments to ease taxpayer burdens  two of the items on Gov. Bruce Rauner's pro-jobs agenda? What, say the ranking Democrats, us worry?

We recently sized up this state's economic competitiveness and quality of life in a series of measures. In capsule, Illinois leads the nation in the worst ways. You know about the lousy credit rating, the unfunded pension liabilities, the onerous regulations on employers.

Once a colossus that overshadowed its Midwest neighbors, Illinois in eclipse can't escape the shadow. Other states gain by offering a sunnier jobs climate. Wisconsin recently landed what could be a $10 billion Foxconn LCD panel factory that will employ as many as 13,000 people.

How did Wisconsin prevail? By being close to Illinois but not Illinois. Foxconn sought to exploit Illinois' assets  its transportation and logistical systems, its energy reliability  but avoid its ever-rising taxes, crushing public debts and never-ending political brink-dancing. Foxconn chose a state that does the basics, like pass a budget every year.

In a state in eclipse, though, even that task is too difficult. In a state in eclipse, taxes rise with no offsetting reforms. In a state in eclipse, voters return the same failed pols to the legislature decade after decade in a triumph of naive hope over costly experience.

We all know about the wisdom of the crowd  that many brains are better than one. Well, many brains are saying that Illinois is a good place to leave, or avoid in the first place.

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Every parent who sends a child away to school hopes that he or she will be drawn back home, not by filial duty, but by an abundance of opportunity. To start a business. To work and play and start a family where promotions and prosperity beckon.

If you'll allow us one more eclipse-based metaphor: When you don't have much sunshine, there's a limit to what you can grow.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.

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President Donald Trump says the groups protesting against white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, were "also very violent."

The president of the United States is toxic, both to the country and to any who stand by him.

Donald Trump once carried only a stink, one that some  with cold political calculation  figured they could wash off if need be. But now he's gone toxic, radioactive, a slow but certain killer of reputations and careers.

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That's what happens when you push and push and push the boundaries of normalcy, the edges of acceptable presidential behavior, and stretch them into areas blocked off long ago.

You don't try to gin up a moral equivalence to white supremacy or Naziism. You don't do most of the things Trump has done week in and week out since becoming president, and you damn sure don't take a moment of violent racism and selfishly spin it into a veiled defense of white power, all at the expense of a country in need of healing.

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But that's what the president did, and now a question that has lingered for months without answer looms larger: When will congressional Republicans break loose of Trump?

The Muslim ban and its ensuing chaos wasn't enough. The incessant dishonesty and attacks on the press have been either ignored or, at times, embraced. Even the legislative flailing and the attacks on Republican lawmakers have passed with only mild rebukes.

And now this, in the wake of Charlottesville. The angry tweets and the angrier press conference and the seemingly unhinged, red-faced exhortations that there were "fine people" among the Tiki-torch carrying Nazis who chanted "Jews will not replace us!"

How much longer do Republicans in the House and Senate stand with a toxic president? When does concern for this country  or concern that they, too, might become poisoned  overwhelm a desire to keep Trump's dwindling supporters happy?

It's a question that demands an answer, because at the moment, Republicans in Congress are being morally outflanked by the executive director of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce in Florida.

Three large fundraisers scheduled to take place at Trump's Palm Beach Mar-a-Lago club were canceled Thursday, and chamber of commerce head Laurel Baker pulled no punches in an interview with the Washington Post, calling the club "morally reprehensible" and saying: "The club is a member of the chamber. But right is right."

She told the newspaper her mantra this week is: "'The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.' Especially for nonprofits. Especially for groups who help people who can't help themselves."

Baker gets it. So does Apple CEO Tim Cook.

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BuzzFeed obtained a copy of a staff email in which Cook wrote: "I disagree with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists and Nazis, and those who oppose them by standing up for human rights. Equating the two runs counter to our ideals as Americans."

The former members of the president's manufacturing council knew the right thing to do when they disbanded in the wake of Trump's Charlottesville comments.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said in a statement: "It is a leader's role, in business or government, to bring people together, not tear them apart."

The rabbi who oversaw Ivanka Trump's conversion to Judaism released a letter along with two other rabbis saying: "While we avoid politics, we are deeply troubled by the moral equivalency and equivocation President Trump has offered in response to this act of violence."

Even James Murdoch, the CEO of 21st Century Fox, the parent company of the heavily pro-Trump Fox News, broke with the president.

In an email to friends obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Murdoch wrote: "But what we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people.  I can't even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis."

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He also pledged to donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League.

When you're losing big businesses, nonprofits trying to raise money, people who run local chambers of commerce, your daughter's rabbi and a Murdoch, you're toxic.

And still, it seems, the Republicans who got in bed with Trump are willing to lie there and absorb the toxins.

I don't understand why. I'll never understand why.

If it's political calculation, it's soulless. If it's quiet agreement with Trump's tough talk, it's even worse.

We are long past issues of policy. Companies and religious leaders and anyone with even a half-functioning moral compass are fleeing Trump not because they disagree with his policies but because his character is repellant, either to them or to the people they serve.

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The president of the United States is exactly the person he showed himself to be during the campaign, and that reckless, bullying, wholly self-absorbed person is doing real harm to this country and to the political party he claims to lead.

I don't know when, or if, congressional Republicans will break. I don't know if there is a line in the sand.

But I know this: Standing near something toxic for too long is lethal. And I don't think the Republican Party wants to die.

rhuppke@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RexHuppke

What to read next:

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Trump cannot be trusted to lead the nation. It's time for others to step up.

If you still support Donald Trump

White nationalists already lost

President Donald Trump must go
With tensions rising with North Korea, I couldn't help but recall the last time most Americans worried about nuclear war. Long before instant tweets and 24-hour news cycles, I can remember a TV speech delivered by President John F. Kennedy on Oct. 22, 1962, in which he gave a forceful ultimatum to the Soviet Union relative to its construction of missile launchers in Cuba. In response to a clear and present danger (similar to that faced by the U.S. today) some of Kennedy's words are worth recalling.

He described the missile buildup as a "deliberately provocative and unjustified change in the status quo which cannot be accepted by this country if our courage and our commitments are to be trusted again by either friend or foe. The 1930s taught us a clear lesson: Aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged, ultimately leads to war."

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He went on to say that "the greatest danger of all would be to do nothing."

Unfortunately, with respect to North Korea, our previous presidents have chosen to placate, impose ineffective sanctions, or use "restraint" in response to increasing threats  hence the current serious danger.

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 Richard D. Hillstrom, Chicago

Headed to war

There is a critical principle that President Donald Trump has apparently failed to grasp, namely that "war is the ultimate failure of diplomacy." Worse yet, there doesn't seem to be anyone in his administration who will teach him that before it's too late. He has put an amateur, Rex Tillerson, in as secretary of state, who, like Trump, seems to believe that a full staff of knowledgeable, experienced people is unnecessary. Apparently, he's there not to run the State Department, but to run it into the ground.

Trump has also loaded his advisory staff with generals. I believe they are good people and competent generals, but no matter how well-intentioned all these people are, the advice Trump will get, or be willing to listen to, is bound to be skewed toward military action instead of diplomacy. It's painfully obvious that tact and diplomacy are not Trump's greatest skills, as much as bluster and bullying.

I really fear that Trump is leading us toward a shooting war with North Korea. That North Korea's leaders are horrible and may deserve the "fire and fury" which may rain down upon them is beside the point. War on the Korean Peninsula will at a minimum result in tens of thousands of deaths, and potentially millions. If war breaks out, we all lose.

Trump, to whom winning is everything, needs to get that message.

 Kenneth Leone, Deerfield

Direct threat

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Over the past days I have observed much wringing of hands over the North Korean issue of nuclear-armed missiles. People are exhibiting great concern and fear over the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons, and justifiably so. As President John F. Kennedy told the United Nations in 1961:

"Today, every inhabitant of this planet must contemplate the day when this planet may no longer be habitable. Every man, woman and child lives under a nuclear sword of Damocles, hanging by the slenderest of threads, capable of being cut at any moment by accident or miscalculation or by madness."

That statement remains true today, especially with the saber-rattling between the U.S. and North Korea. When are we, as a supposedly civil society, going to do something to ensure Kennedy's words do not become a reality?

Allan Winkler noted in his 1993 book "Life Under a Cloud: American Anxiety about the Atom," "Americans have refused to face up to fear (of the bomb) in a lasting way. Unless issues become immediate  with children threatened by residual fallout or the future compromised by the imminent prospect of war  most citizens of the United States have avoided thinking about vexing nuclear controversies in the naive hope that problems will simply disappear. They found it simpler to cast furtive sidelong glances at the bomb, just as we do today, and so avoid facing it directly."

It is time that "We the People" wake up and smell the coffee about nuclear weapons and directly face the threat they pose to our future and that of our children and their children.

 Bob Farquhar, Villa Park
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead said he has no regrets about withdrawing his name from consideration for Interior secretary in the Trump administration last year.

In an interview with the Star-Tribune, Mead said that in addition to a number of standard considerations, such as not wanting to relocate his family to Washington, D.C., he was also concerned about handling potential policy differences with President Donald Trump.

I have some disagreements with President Trump and Im sure in Interior ... I would feel strongly about certain areas and I dont know how  trying to watch it from afar  how that works out when those disagreements come up, Mead said.

Wyoming governor critical of federal changes to sage grouse management Gov. Matt Mead criticized on Monday a key aspect of the federal governments new plan for managing the imperiled sage grouse, arguing that it ignores the scientific consensus on protecting the bird.

Mead, a Republican, broke with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinkes comments on sage grouse protections last week. Mead said that science, not politics, needed to lead federal policy and that Zinkes focus on sage grouse population targets  rather than on maintaining habitat for the vulnerable bird species  was worrisome.

Mead was contacted by Trump transition officials last fall about whether he was interested in the Interior job and acknowledged that it was far from certain he would have been offered the job had his name been kept in the running.

"I have not regretted that even an instant," he said.

Trump eventually selected Zinke, a Republican and Montanas sole U.S. House representative.

Mead to Trump: Thanks but no thanks on administration job Gov. Matt Mead has told President-elect Donald Trumps transition team that hes not interested in a job in the White House administration, the Republican said Wednesday.

In the Wednesday interview, Mead reiterated some of the same points he made when first announcing that hed taken himself out of consideration of the position: his family is settled in Wyoming and he feels obligated to finish his term as governor.

I enjoy the privilege of being governor, Mead said. I made the right choice.
University of Virginia students, faculty and residents attend a candle light march across grounds in Charlottesville, Va., Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017. Hundreds gathered on the campus for a candlelight vigil against hate and violence days after Charlottesville erupted in chaos during a white nationalist rally. (Andrew Shurtleff / AP)

As a late-blooming Civil War buff, I have mixed feelings about the recently renewed national push to remove Confederate monuments across the nation. On one hand, the removal of hundreds of Confederate and related statues bears a troubling resemblance to efforts by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin or the Islamic State to selectively erase inconvenient history.

But when President Donald Trump decided to weigh in on the side of preserving public Confederate icons as "beautiful," my dilemma vanished. Trump managed to be for them in a way that turned me against them.

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"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments," he wrote in a series of tweets. "You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson  who's next? Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced."

"Beauty" is in the eye of the beholder. For a man who claims to care about "history and culture," Trump conveniently mangles both.

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In fact, no one is talking about ripping the nation apart, although Trump was doing an impressively good job of that.

Unlike the Confederacy's generals and politicians, for example, Washington and Jefferson didn't take up arms against the United States government and its people.

Statues that glorify Confederate leaders are themselves an attempt to distort history. Most Confederate monuments were built decades after the war by supporters of the "Lost Cause," a postwar movement to recast secession as a heroic struggle by slave states against impossible odds  while minimizing the central role of slavery as the war's main cause.

President Trump knows something about distorting history. He launched his political career, let us not forget, by peddling bogus theories about President Barack Obama's birth certificate.

He also was not known to have cared much about preserving Confederate statues until a few days after a rally by white supremacists and neo-Nazis in support of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee turned violent in Charlottesville, Va.

Suddenly the Donald found a new way to pander to his mostly white political base. By fanning suspicions and resentments over how disrespected and dispossessed they are amid changing economic and cultural tides, Trump was willing to turn his historical "party of Abraham Lincoln" into the party of the Confederacy.

That cynical strategy appeared to be confirmed in a chilling way in surprisingly candid interviews given by Trump's chief strategist Stephen Bannon, before his departure was announced abruptly Friday. If Democrats want to fight over Confederate monuments and call Trump a bigot, Bannon said, that's a fight the president would win.

"I want them (the Democrats) to talk about racism every day," Bannon told the liberal American Prospect. "If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats."

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We'll see. Let's hope clearer heads prevail. The issue of which statues should stand or go should be left up to local governments, not Washington. On issues this sensitive, the closer decision-makers live to the communities affected by the decision, the better.

Statues and other war memorabilia don't have to be destroyed, in my view, just moved. I think a good model is Memento Park, an open-air museum in Budapest, Hungary, to which enormous statues of Lenin, Marx and other memorabilia from Hungary's communist period are displayed in a pleasant, scenic and nonthreatening environment.

We also need to distinguish and give even more attention to Confederate monuments truly aimed at memorializing history, not distorting it. My favorite example is the only Confederate memorial in Chicago, a 30-foot-high marker in the city's Oak Woods Cemetery on the mass grave of more than 4,000 Confederate soldiers who died at Camp Douglas, a prisoner of war camp on the city's South Side lakefront.

I hadn't heard about Camp Douglas or any other Northern prison camp until my conservative column-writing colleague Patrick Buchanan told me about an ancestor of his who died as a prisoner there. Suddenly, despite our political differences, I felt more connected to Buchanan as a fellow product of American history, for better or worse.

To me, the best history lessons are those that remind us Americans not only of our differences but also of the many more things that we share in common  when the haters and exploiters don't get in the way.

Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage.

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Twitter @cptime
Many Illinois consumers stopping by a drugstore to pick up a new prescription soon will be hearing a lot more from the pharmacist.

Pharmacists throughout the state are being required to counsel customers who seek to fill orders for new medications or need changes in their longtime prescriptions  a mandate that includes alerting patients to potentially dangerous drug interactions.

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The higher counseling standard is the result of newly approved regulations that Gov. Bruce Rauner pushed after Tribune reporters found pharmacies frequently failed to warn customers about severe drug interactions.

Currently, pharmacies only have to offer to counsel customers, a standard so weak that drugstore workers often simply ask at checkout if a patient has questions for the pharmacist. Customers often reflexively say "no" and leave with their drugs without hearing about potential problems.

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The new rules, expected to take effect as soon as Friday, will require pharmacists to engage in "verbal counseling" with the customer before they dispense drugs to a new patient, give an existing patient a new medication or fill a regular patient's prescription with changes in the usual dosage, strength or directions.

Through the counseling, patients should receive information on common severe side effects and potential drug interactions, as well as basics such as how long to take the medicine and where it should be stored. Counseling also must be given to someone who picks up medicine for another person, officials said. Patients still have the right to refuse counseling.

The new regulations represent the first major change in government policies since the Tribune investigation, published in December.

In the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind, the Tribune found 52 percent of 255 chain and independent pharmacies tested in the Chicago area and nearby states failed to warn reporters when they picked up pairs of drugs that could be harmful or fatal if taken together.

The new rules in Illinois follow a series of significant improvements put in place in response to the Tribune investigation by CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Costco, Kmart and locally based Mariano's  chains that represent more than 23,000 U.S. drugstores with the potential to affect millions of consumers.

CVS, the nation's largest pharmacy retailer by store count, said it would comply with the new counseling requirements. "Patient safety is CVS Health's top priority, and we are committed to complying with all regulations that are applicable to our business," a spokesman said.

Deerfield-based Walgreens, another major pharmacy retailer, said in a statement: "We support measures that help to promote a culture of quality and safety in the pharmacy setting, and are prepared to comply with the new state requirements."

State officials are giving pharmacies two weeks to get into compliance before Illinois begins enforcement, a process that could lead to fines or other discipline for failing to follow the new counseling requirement and other standards, said Terry Horstman, spokesman for the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

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Following the Tribune investigation, the Rauner administration determined that more than 40 states had tougher counseling regulations than Illinois and said deficiencies in the current pharmacy system "put patients at risk."

"On a daily basis, we rely on pharmacists to serve as our medication experts  to safeguard the health and wellness of ourselves and our loved ones," Rauner said following approval of the rule changes.

"Their extensive knowledge and skill set serve a vital role in providing prescription drug counsel, while ensuring we are not exposed to harmful drug interactions," the Republican governor said. "When there is a breakdown in this protocol, it is imperative that the state take pro-active steps to address these gaps in care by ensuring meaningful pharmacist-patient relationship communications."

The state's stricter counseling standard is "needed and long overdue," according to Carmen Catizone, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

Catizone, whose group is the leading organization of state pharmacy regulators, called the new standard a "critical step in assuring safe medication use."

Garth Reynolds, executive director of the Illinois Pharmacists Association, said his group has "always felt that pharmacists should be counseling patients as part of best practices and appropriate care to the patient."

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"With this new rule," he said, "this will just codify what pharmacists should already be doing."

Talking with a customer can uncover additional information that could cause a pharmacist to re-examine whether a new medication would cause a patient problems, Reynolds said.

Further, Rauner plans to call for beefing up state oversight, including directing inspectors to check stores more thoroughly regarding adverse drug reactions and launching a "mystery shopper" program to test drugstore compliance. Details still are being ironed out, officials said, and no specific date will be disclosed for the launch so pharmacies won't be tipped off.

More broadly, Rauner is seeking input from pharmacists and other health care providers on ways to protect patients at a time when many people use multiple prescription drugs obtained through various doctors and pharmacies. Retail drugstores also will have to post signs with a consumer hotline to complain if a patient believes a pharmacist's counseling was inadequate.

Despite the government and industry moves, Democratic Rep. Mary Flowers of Chicago maintained "Rauner's rules don't go far enough, and what the industry has done also doesn't go far enough."

Flowers unsuccessfully sought far-reaching restrictions this spring on pharmacist hours and the number of prescriptions they could fill per hour. She now is placing her hopes in a state task force that would explore how to address what she fears are assembly-line working conditions forcing pharmacists to work so fast that they put patients at risk. The legislation creating that task force has been sent to Rauner, who has the matter under review.

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In Chicago, Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, is pressing for a city-only version of the restrictions that Flowers wanted to put in place statewide.

Rauner recently won approval of the new counseling standard and other changes through the obscure Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers who oversee regulatory issues that address the finer points of state law. The changes become official when they are posted publicly, which is scheduled to occur Friday.

Before approval, pro-pharmacy lobbyists suggested a variety of tweaks to Rauner's initial proposal, which he unveiled in January, as the rules traveled through the regulatory review process.

One suggestion accepted by state officials will exempt pharmacies serving residential patients in some long-term care settings from the new counseling requirements because, officials said, drugs are typically administered by nurses or other health care professionals.

Reynolds unsuccessfully sought to block the governor's new rule to require that pharmacies post a new consumer hotline. Reynolds said it "was not like we don't want the patient informed." But he said his pharmacists association thought the new sign would "just become wallpaper" among the array of other mandated postings, such as explanations about privacy issues, controlled substances and Medicare Part D, Reynolds said.

Rauner staffers in his professional regulations agency disagreed, saying the hotline sign would be the size of a standard 8.5-by-11-inch piece of paper and would not be costly nor "unduly burdensome."

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"The signage," the agency wrote in a letter to the rules committee, "will benefit the consumer, who will be encouraged to seek counseling from their pharmacist on medications."

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Twitter @RayLong

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Windsor Elementary School kindergartners in Arlington Heights celebrate Groundhog Day. Arlington Heights School District 25 officials recently said full-day kindergarten will not be offered at the district, despite strong support for the idea from the community. ( Karen Ann Cullotta/Pioneer Press )

Despite strong support from the community, full-day kindergarten will not be offered by Arlington Heights School District 25 any time soon, school officials recently said.

During a district board meeting Thursday, Superintendent Lori Bein said the district's decision to hold off on starting a full-day kindergarten program arrives after nearly a year of extensive research, including a survey of the community and staff.

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"The short story is, we would love to offer full-day kindergarten. ... Who would not want more time with our teachers?" Bein said. "But we currently cannot host that program, nor host a program that would be sustainable over time."

Of the 2,000 residents who completed District 25's survey, 61 percent said they strongly desire a full-day kindergarten program and 22 percent said they strongly desire a half-day kindergarten program, while 17 percent fell evenly throughout the continuum.

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School officials said three primary themes also emerged from the community survey, including an expectation that a full-day kindergarten program would not affect property taxes, that all students would have access and that the program would be sustainable.

Parents who favor full-day kindergarten have indicated they would be willing to pay the estimated $5,000 each school year for an extra half-day of instruction.

The tuition paid would need to cover the cost of full-day kindergarten for the student enrolled, as well as subsidizing students from low-income families, Bein said.

Even if the district still charged families tuition, Bein said, the funds would not be sufficient to cover the estimated more than $1.25 million annual cost of hiring around 20 extra full-time teachers and support staff to run a full-day program.

During the meeting Thursday, Arlington Heights resident and parent Kate Fontana pleaded with officials to reconsider their decision, noting how she feels "embarrassed" that the district can't offer full-day kindergarten.

"I understand the limitations of budget and space, but schools in Illinois have the same issues," Fontana said. "It's important to parents and important to students, and everyone just wants the best education for their children."

In Illinois, 70 percent of elementary schools offer full-day kindergarten while 75 percent of schools across the U.S. offer full-day programs, officials said.

River Trails School District 26, Schaumburg School District 54, Community Consolidated School District 59, Barrington School District 220 and the Northbrook school districts are among the area districts that offer students a full-day kindergarten program.

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In addition to District 25, area districts that offer only a half-day program include Palatine School District 15, Wheeling School District 21, Prospect Heights School District 23 and Mount Prospect School District 57.

District 25 does offer a full-day kindergarten program for children identified as "at risk," Bein said.

In recent years, District 25 officials also have started construction projects to accommodate a burgeoning student enrollment.

An $18 million construction program included building additions at Olive-Mary Stitt and Ivy Hill elementary schools, which were completed by the start of the 2016-17 school year.

The district also is finishing up a $15 million building addition at Thomas Middle School and a $9.8 million project at Windsor Elementary School. Both projects are expected to be completed and ready by the start of the 2017-18 school year on Aug. 28, officials said.

But despite the building additions, student enrollment at District 25 is expected to continue to increase in the coming years, officials said, as they deal with already insufficient space for the extra kindergarten classrooms that would be needed for a full-day program.

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Going forward, the district plans to collaborate and align the current half-day kindergarten programs, as well as watch for any future available space or enrollment declines, officials said.

Echoing Bein's opinion, school board president David Page said that if district officials had the space in school buildings and the financial resources, they wouldn't hesitate to offer families the option of a full-day kindergarten program.

"Of course, I wish we could, as there is a strong desire from the community," Page said, adding, "If we could fit it within our buildings and budget, it would be a no-brainer."

kcullotta@tribpub.com

Twitter @kcullotta
A doctor from Naperville is scheduled to face a second trial next month in connection with allegations that he sexually assaulted more than a dozen patients at his Yorkville practice.

A Kendall County judge on Thursday ordered the trial to remain scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 18. Special prosecutor Lorinda Lamkin also entered her first appearance on Thursday.

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She was appointed to take over because Nemura Pencyla, who had been leading the prosecution, left his position as first assistant Kendall County state's attorney for a private firm run by Terry Ekl, a senior partner in the firm that was representing Dr. Haohua Yang until Motta & Motta took over in February.

A spokesman for the appellate prosecutor, Chad Hilligoss, declined comment. He said several boxes of material needed to be reviewed before he could address questions.

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Yang, a Naperville resident, was charged in December 2014 with sexually assaulting and abusing three female patients between 2012 and 2014 during examinations in Yorkville. His medical license was suspended when the assault allegations became public. Since then, more alleged victims have come forward.

In total, 28 counts have been filed against Yang for alleged offenses between May 4, 2012, and Dec. 16, 2014, according to court documents. In one of the defense's responses, his lawyers stated he was charged with committing acts of sexual abuse and assault against 17 individuals. At the defendant's request, the state agreed to try each individual making allegations against Yang in separate proceedings.

Yang remains in Kendall County Jail.

Yang was found not guilty in January on the first case tried, which involved allegations from Oct. 17, 2012. The rest of the charges could result in as many as 16 additional trials.

Kendall County Judge Timothy McCann announced his ruling acquitting Yang on the first set of charges in a courtroom packed with Yang's supporters, saying he didn't believe the evidence established beyond a reasonable doubt that Yang was guilty.

As it stands, the second trial, set to begin the week of Sept. 18, will involve a patient identified as M.C. who has alleged in five separate criminal counts that Yang sexually abused her in May and October 2012.

Yang's attorneys, Alison H. and Robert M. Motta II., have asked the judge not to allow prosecutors to include statements Yang made to police before reviewing the patient file, arguing it's unreasonable to think he'd have independent knowledge about each patient without looking at her file.

Kendall County prosecutors intended to present testimony that M.C. was addicted to narcotics provided by Yang, according to court documents.

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Twitter @hannahmleone
Evan, 13 and Noah Lambert, 10 try out their eclipse glasses in Chicago Thursday. Some schools in the Fox Valley have concerns about the glasses and wont be letting students outside to watch the eclipse Monday. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune )

Some Fox Valley students will be kept in their school buildings during Monday's solar eclipse.

Students in Oswego-based Community Unit School District 308 and the youngest students in Algonquin-based School District 300 are among those who will be kept inside, officials said, citing safety precautions. Both districts have made other plans for the eclipse.

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Monday marks the first time since 1918 that a coast-to-coast total solar eclipse will occur in the U.S. Scientists and historians are calling it the Great American Eclipse.

In the Chicago area, viewers will see only a partial eclipse. The moon will begin to block the sun around 11:54 a.m. and eventually cover up to 87 percent of the sun's surface by about 1:19 p.m.

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Downstate Carbondale is within the 70-mile swath where the sun will be completely blocked by the moon.

Some area districts, such as West Aurora School District 129, will take students outdoors to view the event. West Aurora purchased 13,000 NASA-certified viewing glasses directly through the agency's website using some of the money from a $1 million grant the district received for science equipment and supplies from the Aurora-based Dunham Fund last year, district spokesman Tony Martinez said.

The district required permission slips for elementary and middle-school students, and offered opt-out forms for high school students' parents. Preschoolers will not be going outside because it would be difficult to ensure their glasses are on and stay on properly, Martinez said.

The eclipse offers a chance for students to experience an event, rather than read about it, he said.

"This is an event that doesn't happen very often," Martinez said. "And we thought with the professional development we gave to our staff on how to properly and safely view the eclipse, we thought it would be safe."

But other districts, such as the districts in Oswego and Algonquin, are taking a more cautious approach.

Several school officials cautioned damage can be done to the eyes during an eclipse. District 300 Superintendent Fred Heid said eyes do not function normally during an eclipse because of the dim lighting. Still, ultraviolet rays, which can have a long-term effect on eyesight, come at the eyes. The retina doesn't have pain receptors, so it cannot tell sunlight is damaging the eye.

In Oswego's District 308, students will view the eclipse via live stream and teachers have been given resources to include the eclipse in their lessons. But, from about 11:50 a.m. until about 2:30 p.m., students will be kept indoors "to protect students from the dangers of viewing the sun," Superintendent John Sparlin wrote in a letter to parents.

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Though protective eclipse glasses exist, Sparlin cited reports of recalls and counterfiet glasses being sold and concerns with the proper use and positioning of the glasses.

"Because the damage can be irreversible blindness, we're just choosing not to risk that," spokeswoman Theresa Komitas said.

The district wants to recognize the event as a historical phenomenon that doesn't often occur in this area, Komitas said. But officials don't want to take chances with students' vision, and the timing of the event days after the start of the district's school year would have made collecting permission slips difficult, she said.

Students who miss school because a parent pulled them out to view the eclipse will have an excused absence.

In Algonquin-area District 300, the youngest students will be kept indoors during the eclipse. Fifth-grade teachers can choose to conduct outdoor activities, and secondary-level students will be able to go outside unless a parent or guardian opts them out.

In an online message, Heid said he is concerned about the safety of students, regarding in particular the glasses. Some are too big and too loose for a child, Heid said. The darkness and tint of the glasses likely will trigger younger students to peer around them for a better look, he said.

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Heid said he finds "tremendous value in 'teachable moments,'" and the solar eclipse will help students connect a real-world event to a concept they have learned about. The district took time to order safety glasses and provide information for teachers, but "safety concerns" made him change elementary participation.

"Regardless of the time and emphasis placed on safety," he said, "some students may not fully grasp the fact that their eyes could be damaged if they stare at the partial eclipse."

Sarah Freishtat is a reporter for the Beacon-News. Rafael Guerrero is a reporter for the Courier-News. The Chicago Tribune contributed to this story.

sfreishtat@tribpub.com

Twitter @srfreish
Cordogan, Clark and Associates construction manager Rick Krischel gives a tour of the under-construction East Aurora High School on June 21, 2017. (Sarah Freishtat / The Beacon-News)

When East Aurora School District 131 students return to school Aug. 28, they will enter buildings that in some cases look markedly different than they did at the end of the previous year and in some cases remain under construction.

Much of the work was at East Aurora High School, which is undergoing a significant remodel and expansion. But work has also been completed at or is slated for Waldo Middle School, the Benavides Kindergarten Center, elementary-school playgrounds and other areas.

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At East Aurora High School, some of the most noticeable differences when students return will include a renovated library, cafeteria and locker rooms, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Beatrice Reyes Childress said. One classroom addition is slated to be completed for the start of school.

The school's main entry and a new fine arts wing will remain under construction after the start of school, and both are scheduled to be finished in December. In the meantime, students will enter through a door just south of what will be the main entrance, spokesman Tom Jackson said.

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Work on high school science rooms is scheduled to take place during summer 2018.

Jackson said he doesn't anticipate the ongoing work disrupting the school year.

"We've been under construction for a long time," Jackson said. "We've had parking lots that have turned into fields, so we're kind of used to the hard hat chaos."

The district also built a new high school stadium, which is already in use. Some additional features, including details about what a proposed tomcat statue will look like, remain in the works.

Other work included a new roof for Simmons Middle School and new middle-school science labs, which are not yet complete but are expected to be finished in September, Childress said.

A multiyear work plan is underway at Waldo Middle School, which this summer received fresh painting, new whiteboards and work on its front entry stairs, Childress said.

Work was also underway over the summer at the Benavides Kindergarten Center. Additional preschool classroom space was added, and labs for science, technology, engineering, art and math are expected to be ready in September. Childress highlighted that though the labs won't be ready at the start of school, they are not classrooms.

Cowherd Middle School students will return to a new mural in the school near the band room, funded by the school's band boosters. An immigration mural that had been proposed for Brady Elementary likely will not be installed, Jackson said.

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Brady Elementary did receive a new playground over the summer, built with help from a nonprofit centered on playgrounds, an insurance company, volunteers, parents, students and staff.

District officials are also working to put together a three- to five-year plan to address playgrounds at other schools in the district. They are looking at areas such as safety, aesthetics, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the size of the playgrounds, Jackson said.

Playground priority hasn't been determined yet, and no budget has been established, Jackson said.

Childress said much of this work occurred around the same time because the district was authorized to issue up to $50 million in bonds that will essentially be interest-free to the district. East Aurora also received other grants to cover some of the work.

"The stars were aligned, we had some partnerships and money in place, we've been fiscally responsible for a few years," Jackson said. "And that kind of lends itself to, 'Why not?' Why not provide kids with more experiences and more opportunity if you have the means to do it?"

sfreishtat@tribpub.com

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JACKSON, Wyo.  The dusty two-track leads back to 1913, to a time when many of the log cabins were built and their green roofs first laid.

The window frames hold panes of wavy glass, and the doors have been painted with green linseed oil. The wood planks of the floors  those not damaged by a bathtub crashing through as the result of rot  have been salvaged and restored.

The structures on the White Grass Dude Ranch in Grand Teton National Park are far from dusty and dilapidated. Rather, they have been preserved, back to a time between when the operation was homesteaded and the decades after that when it ran as a dude ranch for visitors to the park.

The operation shut down in the mid-1980s. At least, the ranching part did.

The site is now home to the Western Center for Historic Preservation, a program under the umbrella of the National Park Service. The small staff employed to run the center is charged with teaching park employees, carpenters and just about anyone else interested in old buildings and how to save them.

A recently completed $3 million renovation included hoisting all the buildings off their dirt floors and pouring concrete foundations. This year for the first time the center is offering a full selection of preservation workshops, and White Grass Dude Ranch is prepped for its future, which is all about preserving the past.

'Punky wood'

Eight students gather around a makeshift workbench, a piece of plywood set atop two sawhorses between a clump of trees. The instructor of this session, Sterling Holdorf, is explaining a Dutchman repair  a technique that allows a craftsman to carefully remove a piece of "punky wood" and replace it without a casual observer being the wiser.

Holdorf, preservation specialist at Channel Islands National Park in California, is a regular lecturer at White Grass. He's known as one of the National Park Service's preservation masters, said Katherine Wonson, executive director at the Western Center for Historic Preservation.

Such repairs, Holdorf explains to the students, zero in on the problem without discarding sound pieces of the structure. On the table lies a window sash from a cabin that needs repairs.

Holdorf describes the process for fixing a cracked muntin  the bar of wood that runs between panes of glass  a good alternative to replacing the entire strip of wood or, worse, tossing the entire window in the trash.

"This is kind of the modern way to do this," he explains.

The courses, Wonson said, have students working on and in different parts of the ranch, repairing and restoring windows and doors, bathrooms and bedrooms, fixing and maintaining the final pieces of the property that still need a little love.

It's almost working too well, she jokes. The staff is running out of repairs to hand over. Though should the students need more to do, nearby ranches are happy to provide projects.

Another group working inside what originally was the ranch's bathhouse is learning about linseed oil paint, a substance that with the right care can stand up to a half a century of exposure to the elements.

The right care

While the workshop in July specifically focused on wood, window and door preservation, all of the Vanishing Treasure courses taught at White Grass are driven by one defining concept: Nearly all buildings can be preserved and kept functional with the right care.

"This program right here is on the cutting edge of preservation work," said Alex Lochart, a preservationist in the cabin camps division at Prince William Forest Park in Virginia.

Lochart was one of about two dozen students at White Grass last month repairing busted and weathered windows. They're skills he'll take back to the East Coast, where he cares for approximately 175 historic structures, an assignment that comes with roughly 1,000 windows.

The workshop offered a new approach to repairs, one that preserves the buildings' historic and cultural integrity by fixing broken pieces with appropriate materials and carpentry techniques.

"We're evolving into modernizing these facilities, keeping these facilities going with the visitor use we expect," Lochart said. "And unfortunately the cultural identity of these cabins is vanishing. Somebody was at some time building these by hand. The craftsmanship and the details  it is almost like a piece of art."

The class has shifted how he  and soon his staff back home  looks at maintenance.

"The hope is that when I get back, we're going to write up compliance and create a new standard of preservation," he said. "We're going to slow progress for a little bit for the long-term benefit of our park.

"It's like a college course. Plus," he said with a smile, "the setting is good. It's great to be out here."

On-site training

While the center offers workshops around the country  about 10 annually  it hosts seven at White Grass over the summer. Bringing students onto the ranch and into the cabins is an important part of the training model.

"The setting and the sense of place makes the experiential educational opportunities we try to create really stick," Wonson said. "People are removed from their everyday work life into this awe-inspiring setting to learn. They are, for the most part, removed from the distractions of email and phones and really immersed in the learning environment."

Students come from all around the country, and almost all the classes have waitlists. Most of those attending the window workshop signed up months in advance to secure a spot. And many, including George Finch, wished they could have brought along their staff for training.

"We are the people who can do the most good at times or do the most harm," said Finch, the structure and grounds manager for Grand Teton Lodge Company, the largest concessionaire in Grand Teton National Park.

Finch oversees the crew that cares for hundreds of structures  somewhere around 260 just at Colter Bay, he said. Nearly 160 work orders were waiting on his desk, and those are just the carpentry requests. Another stack of 60 or 80 orders had also been filed for painting.

Authentic material

It's difficult to keep the buildings visitor-ready while also taking the time to find the right wood, paint or glass to keep facilities preserved. Corners sometimes get cut when it comes to keeping these old buildings open, like the door that once separated the dining hall from the kitchen in the main cabin at White Grass.

As the cabin settled and moisture caused swelling and shrinking, caretakers shaved the top of the door little by little over the years to keep it moving. Once the building was lifted and straightened, the door no longer fit.

It's a seemingly small loss. But with its discard from the main cabin, a piece of history goes with it in the form of a hand-painted fish on the top panel. The staff saved the door  it lives on the porch of the Hammond Cabin for now  and are working to track down the name of the painter.

The door serves as a reminder to students that the buildings they care for have character and personality and that they react to the environment and change with it.

Sometimes, Finch said, his crew will just need to give a sticky door a few weeks to dry out and it will start swinging again.

"If you start messing with small pieces, they start adding up," he says. "And you're taking away from the integrity of that building. We are here to be stewards of all these structures and this land. You got to think, you're putting your name on it for the next 50 or 100 years."
The second of two men charged with the December 2013 robbery of a Homewood bank that involved a police-ordered evacuation of a nearby apartment complex has been convicted, according to the FBI.

A federal jury on Thursday convicted Malcolm Carpenter, 37, of Chicago, of bank robbery, violent crime with a gun and unlawful transport of firearms, according to the bureau.

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Another man, Justin Williams, of Calumet Park, was convicted last year and sentenced in September to 120 months in prison, according to the bureau.

The two were apprehended a few hours after robbing the Bank of America branch in Cherry Creek Plaza, southwest of 183rd Street and Governors Highway.

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Police surrounded an apartment complex the two were seen running toward after the robbery, and authorities cleared out tenants and questioned them. About four hours after the holdup, police found the two men, more than $80,000 in cash and two handguns used in the robbery.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

The two entered the bank at about 10:30 a.m. Dec. 4, 2013, and one of them told the teller he wanted to open a corporate bank account, according to an FBI affidavit that was filed in the case. A second man walked to a cubicle where the branch manager was on the phone and pointed a semi-automatic handgun at him, and the first man also pulled out a gun and yelled "this is a robbery, nobody move," according to the affidavit.

Employees were told to get down on the floor and, at the point of a gun, the manager was told to open the bank vault, according to the FBI. He was handed a canvas bag and told to fill it, and the cash in a teller drawer was also dumped into the bag, according to the affidavit.

As the manager was filling the bag, one of the robbers told him "don't take it personal," according to the affidavit.

An employee, when the robbery began, was on the phone with a Bank of America employee at a branch in Oak Lawn, and that Oak Lawn employee contacted police, according to the affidavit.

Police and SWAT personnel surrounded a nearby apartment complex, and police at one point noticed a car in the parking lot with heavily fogged windows, which Carpenter and Williams were in, according to the affidavit.

mnolan@tribpub.com

Twitter @mnolan_J
The Rev. John Edward Tilford, former pastor of St. Michael the Archangel in Chicago, died Monday at Palos Community Hospital. He was 76.

A Chicago native, Tilford was born on Nov. 6, 1940. After attending primary school at St. Laurence elementary school, he began studying at Quigley Preparatory Seminary North, eventually graduating from Mundelein Seminary at the University of St. Mary of the Lake.

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Tilford earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology and philosophy at the university before receiving a master's degree in social work from Loyola University in Chicago.

Upon completing his schooling, Tilford was ordained in 1966.

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The Rev. William Burke was ordained with Tilford, and he recalled Tilford's service being filled with vitality.

"His faith showed itself in his deep commitment to his people," Burke said.

Tilford began his service as an assistant pastor at St. Thomas of Canterbury in Chicago until 1971, also performing the same role at St. Maria Goretti in Schiller Park from 1974 to 1978.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

After serving as a pastor at St. Bridget in Chicago from 1981 to 1990, Tilford was named pastor at St. Michael the Archangel. He served in the role until 2004 when he stepped down and fulfilled duties as an associate pastor until his retirement in 2014.

Tilford's service also extended beyond the parishes where he dedicated his time for many years. He is known to have worked with "underprivileged youth and adults," placing an emphasis on ministering to the area's Hispanic communities.

His dedication to these communities is the source of praise for the Rev. Charles Rubey, the vicar for senior priests at the Archdiocese of Chicago. In describing Tilford's charitable efforts, Rubey said Tilford's impact was infectious.

"He did so much wonderful work, especially for the Hispanic community," Rubey said. "Young people respected and gravitated toward him. They loved him, and he loved them."

Cardinal Blase Cupich was expected to be the main celebrant of the funeral mass Friday at Holy Family Villa in Palos Park.

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Tilford is survived by his sister, Mary Boettcher.

gporterjr@tronc.com
Two men have been charged with concealing the death of a Chicago woman whose body was found more than a month ago in the Kankakee River in Wilmington, Illinois State Police said Thursday.

Jonathan "Jon Jon" Rodriguez, 29, of Blue Island, and Esteban "Steve" Rodriguez, 27, of Wilmington, also were charged with intimidation and are each being held on $1 million bail, police said in a news release.

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On July 8, a homeowner in Wilmington spotted a woman's body in the river and an autopsy was done July 10, police said.

On Aug. 15, Will County Coroner Patrick O'Neil identified the woman as 24-year-old Martha "Tica" Sanchez, of Chicago, who had been missing since July 4, police said.

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Along with Illinois State Police, Blue Island police and Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow's office investigated the death which led to the arrests, according to the release, which indicates the investigation is ongoing.

Police said that when taken into custody, Esteban Rodriguez had a loaded handgun.
A recent Oak Lawn Public Library program on how to fish lured, from left, Robert Lachcik, Melissa Apple, Randa Daoud and Hedi Daoud to Tampier Lake in Orland Park. ( Frank Vaisvilas/Daily Southtown )

Hedi Daoud, 7, ran up and down the shoreline of Tampier Lake in Orland Park on a recent Saturday in August eagerly trying out his new fishing skills.

His mother, Randa Daoud, of Oak Lawn, sometime had to duck out of the way as he cast his line several times within a few minutes.

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"It's a nice experience between me and my son," she said. "We didn't have anyone to teach us before. He's enjoying it."

It was their first time fishing and they had just learned the basics through a program offered by the Oak Lawn Library.

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"It's pretty nice," Hedi said. "I liked when he almost caught a fish."

The Daouds were the only ones to show up to the library's hands-on learning event at the Cook County Forest Preserve District lake.

"We didn't have a huge turnout but we're having fun," said adult programming librarian Melissa Apple, who organized the event.

It was the first time library organizers attempted the program and they are hoping it generates more interest in the future.

Apple said it wasn't a stretch for the library to become involved in teaching patrons how to fish. Besides loaning books, the library's adult programming department also loans fishing rods.

So Apple came up with an idea for a program to teach people in the community how to fish.

"We like to do all sorts of events to attract members," she said.

As Apple was starting to organize the event a co-worker suggested that it shouldn't include a lecture in one of the library's meeting rooms.

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She said he told her that he would like hands-on experience with fishing if he were coming to learn.

Apple enlisted the help of Cook County Forest Preserve District officials and fisheries technician Mike Feldman provided a 20-minute presentation to the Daouds about the basics of fishing before Hedi tried it on his own.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Feldman talked about how Cook County workers stock certain man-made lakes in the district with different types of fish, including bluegill and sunfish.

Apple's husband, Robert Lachcik, had joined the group and was almost excited as Hedi was to be fishing on a beautiful day.

"Tampier has all sorts of fish," he said. "This is probably one of the best fishing lakes in Cook County."

The lake is 131 acres with depths of up to nine feet and access with parking is off of 131st Street near Wolf Road. Boats are also available for rent.

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Apple said she would've liked to have more people show up and would like to try the event again in the spring.

The library offers a variety of programming almost every day and more information can be found online at olpl.org.

Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
A rendering of The Reserve, a 47-unit apartment building proposed in Tinley Park. The village denies it violated federal fair housing laws in its review of the project, plans for which have since been abandoned. (Village of Tinley Park)

Tinley Park is denying allegations in a Justice Department lawsuit that it violated federal fair housing laws in its review of the since-abandoned apartment development The Reserve.

The government brought the complaint last November regarding the village's handling of the apartment building, which had been planned for the northeast corner of 183rd Street and Oak Park Avenue.

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Earlier this year, the village settled a separate federal lawsuit filed by the developer of the project, Buckeye Community Hope Foundation.

The village, in its response to the Justice Department lawsuit, denies that it "engaged in a pattern or practice of unlawful discrimination."

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While the village's planning department had determined the project was in "precise compliance" with the village's Legacy Code, the village in its response to the Justice Department lawsuit contends that the department's final report, before the project was considered by the Plan Commission, "inaccurately concluded" the project was in compliance with development codes.

The village's response, filed Aug. 10, also states that a finding of "precise compliance" under the code "does not preclude existing and later-arising issues that a developer must first resolve before proceeding with a development."

The Justice Department alleges that community opposition to The Reserve was "based on discriminatory attitudes toward African Americans and other groups based on race."

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

In its response, the village acknowledges that "some in the community expressed their opposition to The Reserve," but that it "lacks knowledge and information sufficient to form a belief about the truth of whether the opposition was based on discriminatory attitudes towards African Americans and other groups based on race."

The lawsuit contends the village's "actions were taken in response to community opposition based on the race and racial stereotypes of the prospective tenants of affordable housing," which the village in its response also denies.

The project was tentatively approved by the Plan Commission, but a final vote on the development was tabled at a February 2016 meeting and the project referred back to the planning department for further review.

The Legacy Code was enacted to streamline the review process for developments in an effort to spur investments in commercial projects in and around the downtown business district. Projects found to be in "precise compliance" or conformance with the code were reviewed and voted on only by the Plan Commission and not the Village Board, although Tinley Park in its response denies the claim that the Plan Commission was the "ultimate authority" on the matter.

The village had sought to have the Justice Department complaint dismissed, arguing the government lacked standing in bringing the complaint. U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis, in late July, refused the request, ordering the village to respond to the complaint.

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mnolan@tribpub.com

Twitter @mnolan_J
The Will County board is not required to document the hours of county-wide elected officials for the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, officials said.

The board planned to vote on a resolution Thursday verifying that these full-time elected leaders would meet IMRF requirements, but removed the resolution from the table after Assistant State's Attorney Mary Tatroe said the IMRF realized it would not be necessary.

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Last week, during an executive committee meeting, members discussed a new IMRF rule that stipulated that for county-wide elected officials to remain in the pension program, documents be submitted by Sept. 1 verifying that they are working a minimum of 600 or 1,000 hours annually and requiring recertification every two years. Failure to file would result in termination from the pension program.

Will County requires a minimum of 1,000 hours, but several officials had an issue with the pension fund requiring part time hours for the full time positions of county executive, treasurer, auditor, clerk, coroner, recorder, state's attorney, circuit court clerk and sheriff  all of whom are now paid a full time salary of $93,000, except the sheriff, who earns $110,900.

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Tatroe said she had "concerns immediately" about the constitutionality of the IMRF rule, which would allow the county board to impact the pensions of these elected leaders.

"There is no way the board should affect their ability to receive a pension," she said, adding that the IMRF considers them to be full-time positions.

The IMRF also offers the program to part-time workers, but they receive a smaller pension, she said.

Aside from the issues regarding the number of hours and even whether elected officials should have pensions, is the matter of having the county board be responsible for these positions, officials said.

Tatroe said the IMRF "acknowledged there were problems" with the rule and agreed to accept certification of hours from the elected officials themselves rather than the county board.

"I prefer the concept of letting them being responsible for reporting their hours. We have no oversight over them," said Board Speaker Jim Moustis, R-Frankfort Township.

The minimum eligibility of 1,000 hours is set by state law, not the county board, he said.

"If it were up to me, I would make it 2,000 hours," Moustis said.

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During committee discussions on the pension issues last week, some members wanted to eliminate pensions for elected officials, saying pensions were for career people.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

At that time Auditor Duffy Blackburn said some elected positions, like his, require "a career's worth of knowledge" and experience, and can become a career.

Other officials said if pensions were eliminated for these full time elected jobs, they would attract less qualified candidates.

Moustis said Thursday that the county board does not have the ability to remove them from the IMRF.

But when the board sets salaries, they look at "total compensation," he said.

"If you don't think they are entitled to a pension, then lower their salary," he said.

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slafferty@tribpub.com

Twitter @SusanLaff
Will County Executive Larry Walsh, D-Elwood, gave his annual State of the County speech at Thursday's board meeting. (Will County Executive's Office)

Collaboration and compromise have been the keys to Will County's many successes in the past year, said Executive Larry Walsh in his State of the County speech Thursday morning.

The county's many achievements  its strong financial health, current building projects and capital improvement plan, new businesses, like Amazon's five facilities, and thousands of new jobs  were made possible by working together with the county board and elected officials throughout the county, in a "disciplined approach to governing," the Elwood Democrat said.

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Will County also has been recognized for ending veteran homelessness, remodeling its Sunny Hill Nursing Home, and battling the heroin epidemic, he said.

"The success we enjoy now is no accident. It is the result of many years of being fiscally responsible, planning wisely, and working together toward shared goals. It is also maintaining our top priority  serving our residents," Walsh said, noting that some have taken "a number of years."

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When he took office in 2004, there were no financial policies or list of capital projects to support a growing population, he said.

The county now has a solid cash reserve policy, a AA-plus financial rating, a strategy to streamline its operations and build a new Public Safety Complex, courthouse and health department facility, a design for a new interchange at I-55 and Weber Road, and a nearly-completed Community Friendly Freight Mobility plan to address infrastructure issues, he said.

The strength of the county is based on many things, Walsh said, citing its diverse population and central location, which has made it the "largest inland port in North America."

That has been a "blessing and a challenge," he said, which is why they worked with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Center for Economic Development to create the freight mobility study.

The goal of the study is to remain economically competitive while maintaining a quality of life for residents, the county executive said.

"Each day there are challenges, but working together we can achieve great things. Our strength is our collaborative approaches to addressing the obstacles we face, working with our public and private sector partners, and (engaging) our residents," Walsh said.

"Our strong foundation, strategic planning, and measured actions will keep Will County a major player in the state, the nation, and the world. I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished so far and enthusiastic about what the future holds for Will County," he concluded.

Republican Majority Leader Chuck Maher, R-Naperville, also acknowledged all the work that has been done by the executive's office and the county board to achieve these results.

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In its 180 years, the county had never before done a comprehensive capital plan, but it has proven to be a "great guiding light," Maher said.

"In our mission to determine the vision, set the policy and allocate the resources, you all have done a great job of working through these processes," he said.

"It shows that when you do it right and take your time, you really can have engaged government, and having an engaged board to work with executive's office, the ones who benefit are citizens of Will County," Maher said.

Democratic Caucus Leader Herb Brooks Jr., D-Joliet, said he always looks for two items in the executive's annual speech  that the county is maintaining its AA-plus financial rating and that they are working together.

"That is a fine achievement on both sides," he said.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

In his remarks, Board Speaker Jim Moustis said the county achieved a "great milestone" last month by effectively eliminating homelessness among veterans.

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Members of the county's Veterans Affairs Commission were the ones who "rowed the boat upstream to make a difference."

They were the first to address veteran concerns, and deserve special recognition, he said.

County board members are also the "rowers," he said.

"Much of what goes on in the county starts in the rowboat. I am proud to be in the rowboat with you," Moustis said.

slafferty@tribpub.com

Twitter @SusanLaff
OMG! Its deja vu all over again. As I recall, I spent the majority of my youth worrying about being wiped out by a nuclear war. It was kind of scary for all of us kids but, hey, once we learned to "duck and cover" under our desks life was OK again. Remember this was also the stage in life when we started questioning whether or not Santa Claus was real. However the threat of nuclear attack was and still is real. Back in the day, there was no question that nuclear fallout from all the above-ground tests had infested our milk with Strontium 90, radioactive dust that the cows consumed by eating grass.

Communities established and stocked bomb shelters and we were told that wed have to somehow survive for at least six weeks before exposing ourselves to the outside. Any sooner and wed be fried up like a potato chip.

Citizens were encouraged to build their own bomb shelters, and quite a few folks did. I recall asking my dad why we werent building one, and being a combat veteran he said he didnt want to survive the blast. Then he asked, "Lets say we build one and our neighbors didnt and they come over. Am I supposed to shoot them because theres only room for us?" Like I was saying, the thought of nuclear holocaust was and still is scary.

Somehow we became desensitized to hearing about a "MAD" world (Mutually Assured Destruction) and life went on until the Cuban missile crisis came along. Somehow Russia had placed nukes 90 miles from Florida and we somehow escaped pulling the triggers.

Of course we were also closer to this issue because of the fact that if North Dakota seceded from the union we would have been the third-largest nuclear power in the world. It took a while but the fatalism of it all finally made me understand that if I was lucky I might be able to bend over and kiss my butt goodbye before the flash fried me.

Anyway, like most folks I've been watching the Mexican standoff between Donald Trump and North Korea and for the first time in a long time all those fears that were entrenched in my youth came back to me. There has to be a better way to solve this one. This standoff has been festering for over 60 years, so there no easy solution.

Indeed, the world seems rather mad these days and I dont mean the angry type, rather the nuts running the asylum type of mad. Lets hope that cooler heads prevail and God knows what hes doing with this one because Im not sure we do. Maybe after we find a place to duck and cover it would be a good idea to say some prayers not only for us but also for the world. Peace be with you.
Dan McMillan, chief financial officer of Joe Rizza Ford in Orland Park, talks with striking mechanics Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, outside the dealership on 159th Street. Union mechanics and management at some dealerships maintain friendly relations during the labor dispute. (Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown)

I learned a few things Friday about the labor dispute between mechanics and the automobile dealerships that employ them.

When I stopped to talk with striking workers on picket lines in front of dealerships along 159th Street, I listened to people talk about their desire for fairness and willingness to compromise.

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"We all have families. We all have bills. We'd like to get back to work," said Rich Bryson, of Plainfield, who works at Joe Rizza Ford, 8100 W. 159th St., Orland Park.

That type of rhetoric is expected and typical in all labor disputes.

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What I didn't expect to hear was praise that striking workers volunteered about some employers.

"It's not the owners, it's the dealer's association," Bryson said. "The owners are great. They're allowing us to use the bathroom. They bring us food."

Down the street at Apple Chevrolet, 8585 W. 159th St., Tinley Park, striking workers said the same thing.

"We work for a great family," said Demetrios Sitelis, of Orland Park, who has serviced vehicles at the dealership for 14 years. "Our ownership is great."

Back at Joe Rizza Ford, management was getting ready to fire up a grill and cook lunch for striking workers.

"We're doing the three B's today: burgers, bratwurst and Ball Park Franks," said Dan McMillan, Rizza's chief financial officer.

In all my years covering labor disputes, I've never before seen such a cordial relationship among people on opposite sides of a conflict.

"We're all still on the same team," McMillan told me. "When all is said and done, we'll all be back in the same building. We all have the same goal of providing great customer service."

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What then, I wondered, has kept about 2,000 members of Automobile Mechanics Local 701 on strike since Aug. 1? With the dispute set to begin its fourth week and no new talks scheduled as of Friday afternoon, I sought to learn more about both sides of the controversy.

I knew from media coverage that union workers had rejected the latest contract offer because, they said, it failed to address such key issues as uncompensated work time.

Union mechanics at about 130 Chicago-area dealerships work on commission, I was told. When a vehicle needs work, a mechanic is allotted a certain amount of time to diagnose and repair the vehicle based on industry standards. If it takes longer than expected, mechanics are essentially working on their own time, they said.

"You're only guaranteed pay for 34 hours a week," Bryson said. "No one works 34 hours. No one works 40 hours. Most mechanics work 10-hour days"  or 50 hours a week  but many are only paid for fewer than 40 hours, he said.

A key sticking point in negotiations is the amount of time allotted to service factory warranties, especially in the case of recalls. When vehicle manufacturers face expensive recalls, striking workers said, they try to shift the costs of repairs to dealers, who then shift the costs to workers.

"We're taking the brunt of their engineering mistakes," Sitelis said.

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Automobile dealerships are collectively negotiating through a group called the 2017 New Car Dealer Committee, which on Thursday issued a media statement about the impasse.

"To resolve this labor dispute, we offered an industry-leading contract that includes unprecedented wage increases," NCDC said. "Unfortunately, union leadership instructed our employees to reject this offer, and the strike continues. This strike is harming technician's families, their co-workers and our loyal customers."

Both sides have reached agreement on many issues, the dealers group said.

"We believe that the union's proposals on the remaining issues would harm the ability of NCDC dealers to effectively compete in today's marketplace, thus threatening the job security of our technicians as well as all of our other employees."

Local 701 also issued a statement Thursday, thanking the public and other unions for showing support and accusing the dealer's group of trying to "win" the strike instead of continuing negotiations with help from a federal mediator.

"The NCDC is using every expected play from the management strike playbook  namely attempting to scare their employees into submission," Local 701 said. "Some are forcing their employees to remove their toolboxes from the shop  sending the message that they are not welcome back."

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Clearly, the friendliness among management and workers outside dealerships in Orland Park and Tinley Park is not the case everywhere.

Striking workers told me many mechanics spend up to $30,000 to furnish their own tools. Technicians often are not compensated for time spent diagnosing mechanical issues, they said. They encounter delays with WiFi issues and when they talk by phone with information technology experts at manufacturers who try to help determine what repairs are needed.

"Vehicle technology has become very sophisticated," Sitelis said. "We become IT guys. We hook laptops up to every car. When you're on the phone with tech, you're not getting paid."

Before the strike, union journeymen received a base rate of $32.30 an hour, said Sam Cicinelli, Local 701 business representative. Entry-level workers started at $9.25 or $11.80 an hour, he said.

On Aug. 10, the NCDC said its "final offer" included raises of nearly 5 percent a year for each of the three years of the contract. The offer included paying "virtually all increases" in health benefits for employees, which would reach $292 a week by the end of the contract, NCDC said, plus 100 percent of pension costs, or $181 per week.

The offer received an "overwhelming rejection" from Local 701 members who voted in Countryside on Aug. 12, the union said.

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Striking workers I talked to said the dealer group's portrayal of the offer was "misleading" and failed to address key considerations such as uncompensated work time and the number of years experience needed to achieve journeyman status.

Workers said many of them had stockpiled savings in preparation for the strike and were prepared for an impasse that could stretch from weeks to months.

"This isn't about right now, it's about the future," Sitelis said.

McMillan said he hoped the dispute would be resolved soon.

"This is hurting our business," he said.

tslowik@tronc.com

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Most calls to Elgin police over the last five years are for less-serious crimes, with only a small portion seeking assistance for major crimes. (Rafael Guerrero / The Courier-News )

In order for homeless and at-risk individuals to access Social Security income and disability benefits, the path is often cumbersome, lengthy and unsuccessful, officials said.

Elgin police, with the help of local agencies, hope to expedite the process of homeless receiving some aid  and increasing their likelihood of success.

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"We are a police department that is forward thinking," said Jo Ann Stingley, an Elgin Police victim assistance coordinator. "We have a social services unit, we prioritize our community oriented policing. If you take people who are homeless, find them a place to live, and they contribute back to Elgin, they are less victimized because they are not out on the streets and causing less crime, doing less crime."

On Thursday, representatives from the group SSD/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) met with police and representatives from several Elgin area agencies. The implementation meeting at the Heritage Ballroom kicked off what is expected to be a year of brainstorming, developing and adopting a model that fits Elgin's homeless and at-risk population.

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SOAR has a presence in all 50 states, and since 2006 has helped more than 31,000 homeless or at-risk individuals get approval for these Social Security income and disability benefits, according to the group.

Earlier this year, Stingley, who will be the SOAR local leader, spearheaded a grant-writing project. The endeavor ultimately went in their favor, Stingley said, as the police department qualified for a technical assistance grant from SOAR, the first police agency anywhere to receive such assistance.

The grant allows Elgin Police and its partners to create its own network of SOAR case managers. The case managers can assist those at risk or already exposed to homelessness navigate the Supplemental Security Income and Social Security disability benefits process.

SOAR Technical Assistance Center member Abigail Lemon said their clients have their benefits applications approved on the first try on average 67 percent, with a wait time of 101 days. The average approval rating is significantly higher than if the applicant submitted the paperwork on their own, which is between 10-15 percent. The average time a rejected applicant would get a response to an appeal is about a year.

Lemon told those in attendance Thursday the reason for their success is the work of the case managers. An at-risk client may run into hurdles  such as medical records, understanding what documents must be submitted  that a case manager will anticipate.

According to documentation handed out at Thursday's meeting, it takes 20 hours of online work to complete the SOAR training. Dazare Ware, a member of the SOAR Technical Assistance Center, said a prospective case worker should devote their employment to working with homeless and at-risk clients at least half-time, preferably full-time.

"The commitment is necessary because the people are worth it," Ware said.

SOAR representatives Thursday seemed encouraged with Elgin-area agencies' interest in having SOAR case workers. In attendance were officials from State Sen. Cristina Castro's and State Rep. Anna Moeller's offices, the local hospitals, the YMCA and faith leaders.

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"What I envision is to have a case manager at the hospitals, a case manager at the library, to have some at the churches," Stingley listed, among other agencies.

The rollout will take approximately one year as they figure out which agencies will participate and who the case workers will be, Stingley said.

raguerrero@tribpub.com
Carpentersville fire Battalion Chief Todd Middendorf's death was brought on by anaphylactic shock after being stung by bees, according to a medical examiner's report.

The report, obtained by The Courier-News from the Knox County Regional Forensic Center through a Freedom of Information Act request, notes authorities in Sevier County received a 911 call on July 16 concerning Middendorf, 46. Middendorf died July 18 at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn., in Knox County. The report lists the cause of death as "anaphylaxis due to bee sting."

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The Middendorfs have a home in the Sevierville, Tenn., area, where friends said the family intended to retire. The family was on vacation there last month at the time of the incident that led to Middendorf's death.

Middendorf became employed as a firefighter in Carpentersville 23 years ago, after working for two years with the department in Hazel Green, Wis. He lived in Carpentersville, worked his way up to the rank of battalion chief and was based at Station 1 on Spring Street at the time of his death.

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Middendorf was well-respected by his fellow firefighters in Carpentersville and surrounding communities. His wake and funeral services July 27 drew a large number of people to St. Mary Catholic Church in Huntley.

Knox County Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Christopher Lochmuller, an associate professor of pathology with the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, said this summer the center has seen two or three cases, including Middendorf's, involving anaphylactic shock and stings. Lochmuller said he couldn't recall a single similar case in his seven years at the Knox County Regional Forensic Center.

"It would be rare," Lochmuller said. "They are few and far between."

Carpentersville Village President John Skillman, the village's former fire chief, was a good friend of Middendorf's. He said that with bee or wasp stings, "We found out recently that if you don't have a severe allergic reaction one time, down the line you might. The next time, you just don't know."

What happened to his friend could happen to anyone, Skillman said. He likened it to anaphylactic shock reactions from eating shellfish, where there have been cases involving people who formerly had no problem eating such but developed allergies later in life.

Skillman said he talked with Middendorf's widow, Daisy, who told him she was not ready to discuss what happened to her husband.

Severe allergic reactions to insect stings or bites are not seen on a regular basis but are not uncommon, said Dr. Mohammad Zaman, who oversees the emergency department at Elgin's Presence St. Joseph Hospital.

Zaman said the hospital's ER did have one case recently of a man who headed to an immediate care facility, where he said he was stung by a bee. The man was sent to the ER to be treated for anaphylaxis.

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Dr. Farheen Mirza, an allergist and immunologist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, said that such cases are seen from time to time and that deaths are very rare.

According to statistics provided by Elgin's Advocate Sherman Hospital, from January 2016 to Aug. 15, 2017, that hospital's ER had 116 patients who were seen for "toxic effect of venom of bees."

Dr. Noga Askenazi is with the Advanced Allergy & Asthma Associates/Food Allergy Center of Illinois, which has one of its three offices in Elgin. She is a past president of the Illinois Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. The practice's website, www.myallergydr.com, notes that anaphylaxis is a severe and sudden allergic reaction which needs to be treated immediately.

"Shortly after exposure to an allergy trigger, a series of reactions occur in the body, causing blood vessels to expand temporarily. This, in turn, lowers blood pressure and may cause fainting (and can lead to death). Hives or swelling may appear, commonly on the throat and face, and the patient may have difficulty swallowing, talking, or breathing," the site states.

Askenazi said an allergic reaction to an insect sting or bite can develop at any age, even if someone had been stung before and had no adverse reaction. Such allergies can develop at any age.

Hymenoptera is the insect order that can sting and contains venom, Askenazi said.

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The insects most commonly causing this condition are honeybees, hornets, yellow jackets, fire ants and wasps, Askenazi said, with the most common allergy being to yellow jackets, which are the most aggressive hymenoptera.

Someone can be allergic to one, some or all of the various insects' venoms, Askenazi said.

Deaths from anaphylactic shock brought on by insect stings or bites are extremely rare, Askenazi said.

"There are only about 50 such deaths a year across the entire United States," Askenazi said.

The strongest correlation to having an allergic reaction to stings is having a history of having such reactions, Askenazi said.

And a key is getting help as soon as possible, as anaphylaxis can happen within five to 20 minutes or up to two hours later, depending on the person and the details of the stinging incident.

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Immediate treatment for reactions involves receiving a dose of epinephrine from an injection such as Auvi-Q, Epipen or a generic, then antihistamines and steroids. As Skillman noted, ambulances for fire departments in the Elgin area and many elsewhere have Epipens along with Benadryl or a similar antihistamine.

mdanahey@tribpub.com
Good job Elgin: I am sure you get a lot of calls that are critical, but this one is complimentary to the city of Elgin for the great job it did picking up all those branches. The city came through our neighborhood four times and cleaned it up really nice. Nice job, guys. You deserve it.

Illinois' high taxes: I just read that article where everyone was feting the retiring public arts director in Aurora. So, she is a part-time worker and she retires at age 58 so she doesn't mess up her pension. Is it any wonder why we in Illinois pay some of the highest taxes in the nation?

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Get to work, Trump: Trump better get off his rear. Keep Obamacare because he is going to hurt the old people. What does he care? He's a billionaire. He doesn't care. While we eat Hamburger Helper and Popeye's, he eats lobster and fish eggs. Something needs to happen here. Obamacare has faults, but it nothing like this. It would impact the old people.

Finish sewer project: Now that Illinois has money to work with, let's hope the two-year-old sewer project on Aurora's East Downer Place gets finished before all the revived social programs drain every last cent as usual.

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Media's purpose: If the real purpose of the media is to inform rather than to promote their own agenda. Why didn't the Courier-News print how our local state representatives and senators voted on the state budget and other state issues? Keep us informed.

Solution to Global warming: The United States is accused of being this world's No. 1 contributor to global warming. Vehicle emission is the culprit. Advocates agreeing to this charge should be true to their convictions by beginning a nationwide effort to limit daily driving to the most minimal necessity.

Typical politician: Well, we've got someone else running for congress I see. The woman says we need to get back to the basics and do what our constituents are asking for. How many times have we heard that before? Let's face it, they are in it for themselves and not for the public.

Trump's self-inflictions: I know as usual all the Trump supporters will blame the families' self-inflicted wounds on people who voted for Hillary or the Democrats. The fact of the matter is this is all their doing. Remember when (former Illinois Gov.) Rod Blagojevich went to prison? He didn't do anything but try to sell something. He went to prison for his action. Now, if you don't think this is collusion then you may want to see a psychiatrist. That's what this was. It was an attempt at collusion. Maybe nothing came of it, but there was defiantly an attempt. Look at what the president said a couple of days before this meeting. He said he would come out with damaging information on Hillary Clinton. It never came out. I leave it to you to draw your own conclusions. Many of you will write it off because you are enablers of President Trump, as his own party is.

Postal carrier walking on lawn: How does a mailman have the right to cut across your lawn? I don't think that is right. I thought the mailman is not supposed to cut across your lawn? I have a mailman here who likes to cut across my front lawn all the time. I went down to the post office and I told the manager. She said she gave him permission to cut across the lawn, that is was OK to cut across lawns instead of walking on the sidewalk. Sometimes I put fertilizer on it and he steps on it and he takes it home with him. He takes that home to his dog or kids. I don't think it is right. He is supposed to go on the sidewalk or down the driveway, not cut across lawns. Something has to be done.

Taxes out of sight: I realize over the centuries and years land has become more valuable as there becomes less farms as businesses and housing gets developed. Let's face it, is a house really worth from $500,000 to many over $1million? Someone is really getting rich while the middle-class people work harder and harder to have enjoyable, safe neighborhoods. Real estate and taxes are just about out of sight.

ECC mismanaged: What's new at ECC? Not much. The paper says (there will be) few cuts to its budget in 2018 and tuition will raise for students even though they expect a $1.2 million raise from real estate tax revenue. The same paper says the state will attempt to recover underfunding in the past few years by giving $1.1billion to public colleges. I say it is time for Dr. Sam and the ECC board to be responsible to the community and be better stewards of their spending. We keep building new buildings while afternoon and Friday classrooms at ECC sit empty and unused. Yes, a large percentage of classes are held Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning. Teachers like to go home at noon. All deans have assistants so they don't have to be in school on a regular basis and their assistants have assistants. Our board of directors like to give our president, Dr. Sam, retroactive and future big-buck raises. He is making an unbelievable sum of money and all the while he applies for chairmanship at other colleges. He has no loyalty to ECC. Senior citizens who paid taxes for 40 or 50 years are purged from senior exemptions, which means sitting in an empty class. It doesn't cost the college any money. The so-called poverty-income senior who hasn't paid real estate taxes or an illegal alien can get a grant and go to ECC for free. This college is ripe with mismanagement.

Editor's note

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Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, call us at 312-222-2460 or email couriernews@tribpub.com. Please include "speak out" in the subject line.
Hamza Hammouis had stepped out with his wife and sister Monday, intending to snap early-morning photos of the city he newly called home when he encountered a man on Howard Street in Evanston. About 2:45 a.m., police said, the man shot and killed the new immigrant for an as-yet mysterious reason.

"There's nothing to show they knew each other at all," said Evanston Commander Joseph Dugan. "They crossed paths and something happened."

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Drugs weren't involved and Hammouis had no gang ties, Dugan said. A search of Cook County records show he had no arrests or previous contacts with law enforcement. Dugan said investigators still haven't determined what started the altercation that left Hammouis dead from a gunshot wound to the head, but he said it was not an attempted mugging that went awry.

"It seems pretty senseless. All over probably nothing," Dugan said.

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Hammouis, 25, was a native of Paris and had lived in Chicago for less than a month, said his wife, Jennifer Hess, 24. The two married June 14.

"Most people in Paris want to go to New York," said Hess, who grew up in Michigan and met Hammouis while studying abroad in France. "It was his dream to live in Chicago."

His three younger sisters were visiting from Paris that night, traveling to see their oldest sibling as he began building a new life in the city he had long dreamed about.

Hammouis, his wife and one of his sisters wandered out when they did, Hess said, because "we always loved to stay up late if we didn't have things to do in the morning." The couple lived about half a block away from where Hammouis died.

Hess had spent that day working as a server at Koi restaurant in downtown Evanston, she said. Hammouis was waiting on his green card to arrive before finding a job.

She said the incident that led to her husband's shooting was confusing, with a man coming up to Hammouis and harassing him for a reason they could not understand. Hess said she stepped in to tell the man that her husband didn't speak much English but that the man disregarded her and continued the altercation.

Dugan said, as of Thursday, no one was in custody in the homicide but that police had found some images of the suspect from surveillance cameras in the area.

In a release to the media police issued the day of the shooting, authorities described the suspect as a young African-American man, about 25 years old and approximately 6 feet tall, with a medium build and wearing a white T-shirt and black pants. In the release, police said the man fled on foot north on Chicago Avenue.

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In the aftermath of the shooting, Hammouis' friends and family members are struggling to make sense of the tragedy.

Hammouis loved Chicago music and listening to rappers on YouTube, Hess said. He didn't gravitate to the Windy City's more mainstream musicians, like Chance the Rapper or Kanye West. Instead he sought out lesser-known artists and streamed their recordings, despite speaking little English.

"He liked the music and the beats," Hess said. He was aware of the violence associated with Chicago's gangs, she said, and would note when one or another musician he recognized passed away.

Hammouis enjoyed fashion and "street-style skateboarding," Hess said, and the two dreamed of launching a clothing line together. He visited Chicago for the first time in 2015 and Hess made a point to take him to Macy's on State Street.

"He told me it was the best trip he'd ever taken in his life," Hess said.

The couple married in Las Vegas after road-tripping from New York to Los Angeles, Hess said. When they passed through the second time, on the way to see Hess' family in Michigan, they exchanged vows at the Little Neon Chapel. An Elvis Presley impersonator served as witness.

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"We decided just to do it," Hess said. "We knew we'd be together forever."

Hammouis was born in Paris and held dual citizenship in France and Morocco, confirmed officials with the Consulate General of France in Chicago. A group that assists new Muslim immigrants arriving in Chicago from North Africa is helping to prepare the body and coordinate with the family of a man they did not have time to get to know.

Mouncef Elalamy, a volunteer with the Maghrib Association of North America, said the organization hopes to raise $10,000 through a dinner Thursday evening and a contributory PayPal account to prepare Hammouis' body according to Islamic rituals and ship it back to his mother in Morocco for services and burial.

Elalamy called Hammouis "one of the special cases. We didn't know Hamza," he said.

But after getting word "about a Moroccan that had just been shot," Elalamy said, he and other volunteers with the 40,000-member Chicago area organization stepped up to help return Hammouis' body home.

A Moroccan immigrant who came to Chicago in 1994, Elalamy said he tried to imagine how his parents would respond if something like this happened to him.

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As such, volunteers found a Moroccan host family where Hammouis' sisters can stay until they return to Paris, Elalamy said. He's been in touch with Hammouis' mother in Morocco to arrange paperwork and organize transport of the body.

"Mom is not doing well. She was crying, she was sobbing. She was in shock," Elalamy said. He tried to "just calm her down and talk to her. It was powerful. I cried."

Hammouis' sister, Soraya Hammouis, 22, described her elder sibling as as "the big brother that everyone would want to have."

Hammouis was a mentor for younger kids in the neighborhood, his sister said in French with Hess serving as an interpreter. He always wanted to take care of everyone and was especially protective of his wife and sisters.

Hess said the couple did not pick Rogers Park because of its large immigrant population, but her husband would have enjoyed getting to know neighbors with a similar background.

"He was extremely proud of his Moroccan heritage," Hess said of her husband. "Though he did not actively practice the religion he was raised on ... he would've loved to meet other people in Chicago that shared the same culture as him."

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Hess remembered her husband as "somebody who loved life and was always happy."

"He didn't even like to sleep," Hess said, "because he felt like he was missing out on living."

gbookwalter@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @GenevieveBook
Police are investigating the Thursday night fatal shooting of a man in North Chicago, authorities said.

A 39-year-old man was shot to death about 11 p.m. Thursday, Lake County Major Crime Task Force spokesman Christopher Covelli said. The task force and North Chicago police are investigating the death, which has been ruled a homicide, officials said.

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No arrest had been made in the case as of 1 p.m. Friday, and the victim would not be publicly identified until at least Saturday, pending the notification of family members, Covelli said.

According to Covelli, the shooting happened in the 1300 bock of North Jackson Street. When North Chicago police arrived, they found the victim who was then transported to Vista East Hospital in Waukegan. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

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The North Chicago Police Department requested the assistance of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, Covelli said. No further details were available because the investigation is ongoing, Covelli said.

Coroner Howard Cooper said an autopsy for the victim was conducted Friday morning. Preliminary conclusions are that the death was due to a gunshot injury and it was ruled a homicide, Cooper said.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is asked to call North Chicago police at 847-596-8774 or Lake County CrimeStoppers at 847-662-2222.

jrnewton@tribpub.com

Twitter @jimnewton5
Jeff McBride, left, and Brandon Ewing take their seats on the Waukegan District 60 school board on April 25. One of the boards first official actions was a vote on whether to refer the question of McBrides eligibility to the Lake County States Attorneys Office for review. (Emily K. Coleman / News-Sun)

The question of whether one Waukegan District 60 school board member can legally keep his seat won't be decided for another year.

A bench trial has been set for August 2018 in the case which is asking a Lake County judge to decide whether a 36-year-old felony conviction disqualifies school board member Jeff McBride from remaining on the board.

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Bench trials are the only option in such cases, called quo warranto, McBride's attorney, Marty Shaffer, said Thursday.

This legal action is used to remove public officials from office if they don't meet the statutory requirements.

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Shaffer had requested the dates, which was the later option available, for the bench trial, Lake County State's Attorney's Office spokeswoman Cynthia Vargas said in an email.

When asked whether the state's attorney's office had any concerns over the amount of time between now and the scheduled bench trial , Vargas declined to comment, citing office policy "not to further comment on pending litigation."

The question over McBride's eligilibity won't have any implications for the board in terms of any votes he takes, said Ken Menzel, general counsel for the Illinois State Board of Elections.

The State's Attorney's Office argued in its complaint that Illinois election law prohibits individuals who have had a prior felony conviction from serving in certain elected positions, including on a school board.

Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim received a written request from Margaret Carrasco, a former school board member and community activist, asking him to challenge McBride's candidacy and directing Nerheim's office to a felony theft conviction from 1981, according to court records.

Court records show that McBride, who was 35 at the time, was charged with felony theft for stealing a Cool Tote air conditioner from a J.C. Penney store. He was sentenced to probation and ordered into addiction treatment.

Carrasco ran unsuccessfully against 11 other candidates for one of four open four-year seats on the Waukegan school board in April.

McBride was the top vote getter in that election, returning to the board that he had last served on a decade ago. McBride also has served as a Waukegan Township trustee.

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Shaffer declined to respond to the arguments laid out by the state's attorney's office, saying that he plans to address those in court filings.

Shaffer added that the issue would be moot if McBride received an executive pardon, but he declined to say whether that was a route McBride is pursuing.

The Prisoner Review Board, which receives pardon requests and makes confidential recommendations to the governor, said it has a hearing scheduled for McBride for Oct. 12 in Chicago.

Shaffer noted that McBride "has been a leader in this community for over 30 years," pointing to special recognitions, letters of appreciation and resolutions sent by mayors, the Waukegan police chief and various local government units over the years.

Menzel has said state law on the matter is "kind of murky," but a felony conviction does not automatically disqualify someone from serving on a school board as it would when dealing with a municipal or township office.

Illinois courts have ruled that felons convicted of "infamous crimes" were ineligible to hold school board seats. But the phrase "infamous crime" is no longer defined in state law, Menzel said.

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emcoleman@tribpub.com

Twitter @mekcoleman
25 Years Ago-1992

An open house celebration was held this past week at Georges Bakery, 216 W. Main St., in honor of owner George Marbacks 50th anniversary in the baking business. George says hes been up at 4:30 a.m. every day during those 50 years, including Sundays, and estimates making more than 500,000 doughnuts each year. His bakery experience began in 1942 at Sweetheart Bakery in Bismarck. After serving in the Navy during World II, he returned to open Mandans Midwest Bakery in 1947 and married Virginia OShea the following year.

Members of the Mandan Board of Education reorganized and officially welcomed new member Michele Sondrol during its regular monthly meeting. Steve Spilde, through a unanimous vote, retained his position as board president. Others on the board are Dean Monteith, John Gerding Warren Geiger, William Faris, Elmer Madler, Joyce Dettman and Jan Pratt.

Funerals this week:

Bertha (Morrelle-Zinn) Graf, 83, New Salem; raised, educated at New Salem. Married Max Graf, 1927. The couple farmed west of New Salem. Survivors include two sons, one daughter and their families, two sisters.

Arthur Foat, 86, Flasher; raised, educated at Dickinson and Flasher. Married Helen Myers, 1942. Owned and operated the family blacksmith shop for 40 years, retiring in 1973. Was a substitute for area mail carriers. Was 60-year lifetime member of Flasher Masonic Lodge; also lifetime member of El Zagel Shrine. Survivors include his wife, one sister.

Martha (Berg) Wiedmann, 92, Bismarck; raised, educated at Martin. Married Arthur Wiedmann, 1921. The couple moved from Beulah to Mandan in 1943 and operated East Side Service Station until 1949. They then operated Arts Fix-it Shop on the "Strip," retiring 1965. She moved to Patterson Place, 1983; then Missouri Slope Home, 1986. Survivors include one son, three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, one son and one grandson.

* * *

Temperatures recorded Tuesday, Aug. 18: a high of 80 degrees; 45 degrees for the low.

50 Years Ago-1967

Mandan policemens pockets are jingling with extra cash now that theyve taken home their first paychecks showing substantial raises, recently approved by the Mandan City Commission. For the chief of police, the commission approved a raise from $535 to $600 a month. The assistant chiefs salary rose from $440 to $550, while the captains salary increased from $395 to $500. Raises were also given to the three lieutenants on the force; their monthly salary increased from $385 to $490. Good fortune continued for the two sergeants with salary increases from $375 to $475. A happy patrolmans pay increased from $355 to $415. And, finally, the four starting rookies who were being paid a $345 salary per month are now receiving $390.

Not everyone in Mandan was pleased with the decisions made by the City Commission this week. The city fathers denied Mrs. Agnes Huncovsky permission to install a drive-up window at Petes Bar, 202 E. Main St.

Twins were born in the Mandan Hospital this month, a relatively rare occasion. Mrs. Leo Tschida of Fort Rice gave birth to a 4-lb.boy and a 5-lb. girl on Monday, Aug. 7. The farm couple has two other children: Johnny, age 2, and Steven, age 2. This sort of runs in the family, said Mrs. Tschida. My mothers sister has twins.

There were probably 57-varieties of relatives at the Hagerott-Mantz family reunion attended by more than 200 persons encompassing four generations, many from out of state and one from Germany, the ancestral homeland of both branches of the family. Mrs. William (Carol) Hansen, Bismarck, and her uncle, Harry Hagerott, Mandan, the family historian, were in charge of program arrangements at the gathering held at the American Legion hall. A musical program opened with an accordion solo by Alvin Hagerott of Cavalier, followed by several songs by the six Pfliger sisters of Center. Music for dancing was by a combo, two members of which were Mrs. Pfliger on guitar and George Hagerott Jr. on the drums.

75 Years Ago-1942

Clement J. Knoll, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Knoll of Mandan, has been promoted to the rank of sergeant, according to word received this week from Camp Barkley, Texas, where he is stationed as a radio electrician.

Richard Gallagher, son of Mr. and Mr. R.F. Gallagher of Mandan, has been promoted from the rank of ensign to lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. Lt. Gallagher is currently stationed somewhere in the Pacific war zone.

Twelve Morton County men left this week for Fort Snelling, Minn., and final Army physical exams and induction into the armed forces. Called up from Mandan were Frank Schantz, Roy Fitter, Frank Friesz, Edmund Schafer, Arthur Cassidy, Peter Stumpf, William Helbling, Robert Muhlhauser and Dennis Donahue. From New Salem: Victor Klundt. From Judson: Edgar Beneke. From Solen: John Babel.

American Legion Auxiliary officials of Mandan sounded an urgent call this week for old phonograph records and good used decks of playing cards. Old records are being salvaged to produce material for new records for the armed forces, while the decks will be distributed to our soldiers overseas. Recent letters tell of men on the long ocean trips playing the spots off the cards and until the cards were thick with dirt and grease.

The wedding of Miss Violetta Stasney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin M. Stasney, Mandan, and Maurice G. LaGrave, Fort Benning, Ga., son of Mr. and Mrs. Grover LaGrave, Minnewaukan, occurred, Sunday, Aug. 2, at the chapel at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Little Rock, Ark. The bride wore a tailored white jersey dress with blue and white accessories. Mrs. LaGrave, who has been employed as a nurse at the Mandan hospital, will return to Mandan soon to continue her duties while her husband attends Officers Training School.

100 Years Ago-1917

The cut stone and facing brick for the new Hudson & Wynn building, which is being erected at 303-304 Main Street, arrived in the city this week. Excavation for the new building has practically been completed, and work on the foundation has begun. One of the big stones for the trimming of the building bears the inscription: B.P.O.E. 1256. The Elks will occupy the second floor of the new building.

The man and beast drinking fountain which was formerly located on Main Street at the foot of Collins Avenue, has been moved to a point just off Main Street on First Avenue N.E.

"Phillip Lohstretter, dairyman living near the city, narrowly escaped death Sunday morning when attacked by a Holstein bull. He was hurled into a barbed wire fence and horribly cut and bruised before being saved by his two brothers who rushed to his aid with pitchforks and drove off the animal. Lohstreter was brought to the Mandan Hospital where a physician attended to his injuries.

"John Handtrmann, for a number of years, office deputy sheriff under Oscar Olson and under Charles McDonald, was Sunday afternoon, fired from his job for writing unpatriotic and treasonable articles for the Nord Dakota Herald, a German language newspaper, published at Dickinson. Handtman has, for a number of years, acted as the Mandan correspondent for the Nord Dakota. His writings have included the approval of German airship raids over London and described American troops as just cannon fodder to save France and England. Since the war began, Handtmann has been closely watched, although no legal action has been taken."

125 Years Ago-1892

On Thurs., Aug. 18, at 2:30 p.m., the thermometer recorded 73 degrees above zero.

The partnership of the Lanterman brothers has been dissolved. Both brothers will continue in the sheep business and hereafter each will look after his own bunches of sheep.

Steam from the exhaust pipe and the sound of workmens tools are again seen and heard at the artesian well but just what progress is being made, the Pioneer reporter cannot say. In the well house, he generally finds a number of young men who, suddenly on seeing the reporter, assume a 'what-do-you-want-here' kind of an air. And it matters not how respectful a question is put, no answers are forth coming.

The body of Miss Hanna Sjoline, who drowned in the Heart River during July, was discovered yesterday in the river, about 500 yards from the place when she fell in near the Sixth Crossing. The discovery was made by Mr. P. McCormicks children who were playing on the riverbank when they noticed the partially submerged body in a sand bar. After Mr. McCormick and a neighbor got it out, they brought the body by wagon into Mandan where it was turned over to her parents. The funeral will be held tomorrow or Sunday.
Lincolnshire officials announced Friday evening that the boil water advisory, which had been in effect since Thursday morning, was lifted and all residents could use the village water supply again without boiling water first.

Test results from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency determined the water main break Thursday morning in Lincolnshire did not contaminate the village water supply, officials said.

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On Thursday, village officials said they issued the advisory as a precaution as they worked to isolate leaks from a 12-inch water main that broke around 10:30 a.m. close to Lincolnshire Drive, near the Des Plaines River.

Village crews later isolated the leaks, restoring water pressure to a normal level  a factor that led Stevenson to resume classes Friday morning after dismissing students at 11:15 a.m. Thursday following the water main break, officials said.

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"Until we dig down and expose (the main), we won't be able to tell what caused it," said Wally Dittrich, village engineer and assistant public works director. "We may not be able to tell at all."

With the advisory in effect Friday morning and afternoon, Stevenson officials said they provided bottled water to students and staff throughout the school day, and blocked access to the school's water fountains and dispensers.

Students and staff were allowed to use the bathrooms and the sinks since water pressure was restored, Stevenson officials said.

The nearly 4,000 students at Stevenson were dismissed from school early Thursday because officials said drinking fountains and sinks were unusable.

Before re-opening school, Stevenson officials worked with their food service partner, Sodexo, to purchase 20,000 bottles of water, totaling $1,800, and purchased pre-cut fruits and vegetables for the lunch periods, said Stevenson spokesman Jim Conrey.

"We called for favors from a number of vendors we work with," he said.

While the lunch menu was limited and access to ice machines and coffee brewers were prohibited Friday, Sodexo brought in hundreds of gallons of coffee for faculty and staff, Conrey said.

"A supply for the adults who need coffee to survive," he said.

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Stevenson officials also plan to reach out to the Lake County Regional Office of Education to determine whether the school will have to make up for the early dismissal Thursday later in the school year, Conrey said.

Elsewhere in Lincolnshire, some businesses had to adjust plans after the boil water advisory was issued in the village.

At Half Day Brewing Company, brewmaster Brandon Boshers said Friday he was thinking about buying 20 gallons of purified water because of an upcoming deadline to enter samples of the brewery's homemade beer in the Great American Beer Festival, which happens in Denver, Colo., in October.

But he said he may wait until Monday to fill one dozen 22-ounce glass bottles with the samples, pushing him closer to the registration deadline, because the brewery's beer is meant to use tap water coming from Lake Michigan.

"The whole point of the judging is to detect any off flavors," Boshers said.

At Strawberry Field Pancakes and Cafe in Lincolnshire, owner Gus Romas said the boil water advisory was issued at the right time for his business since peak times usually are on Saturdays and Sundays. The restaurant Friday was serving customers canned soda and bottled water, he said.

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"It's just a matter of adjusting," Romas said.
People gather on Chicago Street in August 2016 to drink, eat and listen to live music during the debut of the Old Naperville Day block party in downtown Naperville. It returns this year on Sunday. (oldnapervilleday.com)

A portion of Chicago Street in downtown Naperville will be closed Sunday for Old Naperville Day, a block party sponsored by The Lantern that will raise money for Operation Support Our Troops.

The six-hour party kicks off at noon on Chicago between Washington and Main streets, with live music from Jake & Elwood All Star Blues Band and Semple and food sold by The Lantern, Empire Burger Bar, Sullivan's Steakhouse, the Dark Horse bakery, Jimmy's Grill and other downtown businesses.

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The party debuted in 2016 to celebrate The Lantern's 50th anniversary and was such a hit that Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico proclaimed that Old Naperville Day should become an annual event.

"When I was there last year, there were easily 1,000 people within the first hour, and throughout the day, there were thousands that came," Chirico said.

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"I decided after the party to proclaim we have an Old Naperville Day annually. One of the neatest things was all of these folks that had lived here 20, 30 or 40 years stopped by, and it was a very well-behaved crowd that really had a lot of fun."

There is no charge to attend, and The Lantern will donate a portion of its proceeds that day to Operation Support Our Troops, which supports members of the military by organizing events to greet them when they return home and offering support to their families while they're gone.

"Last year, it was a lot of work putting this together, but now we have other people involved," Lantern manager Terry Feldott said. "The (Operation Support Our Troops) group held a 50/50 auction last year and did some fundraising on their own. We're asking all of our food vendors this year to also participate."

Jamie Nelson, executive director of Operation Support Our Troops-America, said their partnership with The Lantern was forged a year ago "over a fortuitous lunch."

"Our founder happened to be having lunch there at The Lantern last year when they were talking about who they might wish to support and she asked, why not us?" she said.

"We made a couple of thousand dollars and we'll have donation jars at various places and do our raffle again. Now that the mayor has made this an annual event, we hope this partnership will continue as well."

David Sharos is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
The Cernan Space Center at Triton College has run out of its supply of solar eclipse glasses for sale. However, according to the college's website, 250 eclipse glasses will be distributed for free at the center's eclipse-related events on Monday.

The glasses have been in short supply in many places as demand is growing ahead of Monday's eclipse event. Triton College is at 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove.

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On Friday, the college reported it had received a shipment of 8,000 solar eclipse glasses and started selling them at 9:30 a.m. Friday. However, the college's public relations coordinator, Stephen Butera, said there had been a long line of people waiting to purchase the glasses. Another shipment arrived later in the day, but that also sold out, according to the college.

Glasses were being sold for $4 a pair, according to Triton College's website, and sales were limited to five pairs per customer.

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The Cernan Space Center has plans for Monday, the day of the eclipse. There will be an 11 a.m. showing of "Totality" in the space center's planetarium. A ticket is required for that show.

These solar eclipse glasses were being sold at Triton College. ( Triton College )

Also, there will be live streaming video available from 11:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Weather permitting, the public is invited for outdoor observing, using different methods, according to Triton's website.

A cosmic light show will begin at 3 p.m., with tickets required for the show.

For information, visit www.triton.edu/eclipse.
A Chicago man has been charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing and eluding police, and driving without a valid license after he fled from police in early morning hours Friday and crashed into a semi-trailer/tractor and a Kia Soul at Route 83 and 22nd Street in Oak Brook.

Deandre William, 20, of the 10500 block of South May Street, Chicago, was taken to the DuPage County Jail to await a bond hearing.

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Police said Oak Brook officers attempted to stop a silver Chevrolet Equinox, pursuant to an investigation. The driver failed to stop and drove off from the area of Jorie Boulevard and Kensington Road.

The driver continued to elude officers and lost control while driving westbound on 22nd Street at Route 83, striking the Kia Sol and semi-trailer/tractor stopped in a southbound lane of Route 83 at 22nd Street.

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The driver of the Kia, a 38-year-old Bellwood woman, was taken by ambulance to Elmhurst Hospital. The driver of the semi-trailer did not suffer injuries.

Police said an investigation revealed the Equinox was stolen during a residential burglary in Chicago hours before the incident. The Chicago Police Department is investigating the residential burglary.

The Oakbrook Terrace Police Department and investigators with the Major Crash Reconstruction Team of the Felony Investigation Assistance Team assisted with the investigation of the crash.

cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @chuckwriting
Oak Park and River Forest High School board members approved changes to the districts sexual harassment policy on Aug. 15, in time for the start of the 2017-18 school year. ( Steve Schering/Pioneer Press )

Days before the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, Oak Park and River Forest High School board members have approved a stronger sexual harassment policy.

Changes to Policy 7:20 were first read in June, and they were officially approved by a unanimous school board vote Aug. 15.

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According to a district memo, the changes to the policy cover sexual misconduct, definitions related to consent and language related to unwelcomed advances.

Superintendent Joylynn Pruitt-Adams said teachers during the first week of school will go over the student handbook with students, including the new policy. The first day of all-school attendance was set for Aug. 22.

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Additionally, faculty and staff will discuss the sexual harassment policy during two staff development days this month, officials said.

"As we have been working with our legal team, one of the things we recognized from our previous policy is it was not Title IX compliant," Principal Nathaniel Rouse said. "We now have a longer definition of consent and acts that deal with sexual misconduct."

Rouse said the district is also planning to create a section on the school's website to post not only the new policy, but resources for students and community members.

The changes stem from a sexual misconduct incident that allegedly took place between OPRF students in August 2016 at an off-campus party that involved alcohol, officials said. That incident led to the creation of the sexual misconduct and harassment policy committee to review and strengthen district policies.

According to the new OPRF policy, "consent is a clear and unambiguous agreement, through mutually understandable words or actions, to engage in a particular activity." The policy states consent can be withdrawn at any time, and consent is not valid if it is given under pressure, force, threat, coercion or while unconscious or asleep.

The district also included "sexting" as a form of sexual harassment.

Regarding the reporting of incidents, the new policy calls for "all members of the school community," to report claims, including "parents/guardians, school employees and community members," in addition to students.

Following an accusation, the district will follow its uniform grievance procedure process. The superintendent, principal or designee will investigate the complaint or appoint a qualified person to undertake the investigation on his or her behalf. The designated investigator shall ensure both parties have an equal opportunity to present evidence and witnesses during an investigation.

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Within 30 school business days of the date the complaint was filed, the designated investigator shall file a written report with the superintendent. The written report will also be filed with the school board, who will make a decision in accordance with the policy.

According to the policy, the district will remain "ever mindful of the victim's well-being and will take ongoing steps to protect the victim from retaliation or harm and work with the victim to create a safety plan."

OPRF attorney Caroline Roselli said the approval of the new policy does not preclude the district from making further changes down the line, even as soon as this school year.

"Handbooks are regularly updated throughout the year," Roselli said. "[Approval tonight] doesn't mean it can't be amended throughout the school year."

Roselli said information from the U.S. Department of Education and Title IX was used while creating the new policy and said it was comparable to some policies found at colleges and universities.

Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The principal objective of Title IX is to avoid the use of federal money to support sex discrimination in education programs and to provide individual citizens effective protection against those practices.

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"The Department of Education has really focused on college," Roselli said. "This is a step in the right direction in terms of [how] high schools are dealing with these issues. You don't have residences on campus like colleges, but you are having these issues."

While residents and board members acknowledged the improvements, many pledged to continue to work on the policy to protect OPRF students and encouarge victims to report any violations.

"I think we've made great progress on this," board member Craig Iseli said. "I do believe we should try to approve something tonight and move forward. We should soften the language in these things to make sure people are not put off by legal statements that are said and make sure people are very comfortable coming forward."

sschering@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @steveschering
Crown Point officials said they will not refund a door-to-door business's solicitor's permit fee after revoking the permit allowing its representatives to canvass the city for sales.

The Board of Public Works and Safety Wednesday declined to refund the permit fee to Southwestern Advantage, a publisher of educational materials for all ages, after receiving multiple complaints about its two college-age salesmen who received approval last month from the board to go door-to-door to sell the materials.

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Southwestern Advantage has provided a summer sales and leadership program that employs college students to earn money for tuition by selling product.

Police Chief Pete Land said he received three complaints, two in the same day, where officers were dispatched to talk to the residents. The complaints, one filed July 28 and the other two lodged Aug. 5, were similar in nature. Land said residents complained the sales representatives were pushy, hesitant to leave, were asking questions about children in the house, and did not display their city credentials.

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"It's pretty atypical to get complaints," Land said. He said some concern from residents could be expected because the sales pitch did involve products for children. A major concern was the failure to wear the credentials.

City statute requires commercial solicitors  those trying to sell something to residents  to obtain and permit from the city, register the individuals who will be going door to door, and obtain city-issued identification badges showing they have complied with the ordinance. The ordinance does not apply to free-speech protected classes such as religious or political solicitors.

After receiving the complaints, Land said he called the company contact number and got a voice mailbox. The pair came to the police department the next day, and Land said he suspended their permits. Upon further review, he pulled the permits. He said the two sales representatives were polite and cordial throughout the process.

Crown Point Mayor David Uran said he too had received several phone calls from concerned residents.

"We take the badges seriously," Uran said, adding the city credentials let residents know the individuals are on record with the city and police are aware they are canvassing the neighborhoods. The badges give residents the confidence the city has done its due diligence in letting the individual solicit.

He said the city has not revoked a solicitor's permit since he began serving as mayor in 2008.

Member Jim Crook said the pair had come to his home, and he did not have any issues. He said he even purchased some SAT prep materials from the company.

"Personally, I thought they were professional," Crook said, adding the rules are set for a reason and if they were no following those rules, they should lose privileges.

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City attorney David Nicholls said the board would be within its rights to both suspend the permit and not refund the permit fee. By violating the terms of the permit agreement, he said the company forfeited the fee.

"They have been given a privilege to go to our citizens home. That's not a right. They abused the privilege," Nicholls said.

Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Protesters gather outside of the Gary/Chicago International Airport during an April demonstration against ICE use for deportations. (Jim Karczewski / Post-Tribune )

Ruth Needleman remembers the horror that crept over her the first time she saw two white buses loaded with detained immigrants pull through the gates at the Gary/Chicago International Airport.

"I was almost paralyzed by the sight of it because it's so terrifying."

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The Gary/Chicago International Airport remains one of the Midwest airports supporting deportation efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

More than 12,000 immigrants have been flown out of the airport since ICE Air Operations began using the airport for detainee removal flights in June 2013.

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As of June 28, 12,509 people have been flown out of the airport since 2013, according to ICE.

Detained immigrants are bused into Gary from a detention center about 40 miles away in Broadview, Ill. From there, detainees are flown to other domestic airports before being transported to their native countries.

During 2016 fiscal year, ICE removed 240,255 people throughout the U.S., 58 percent of whom were previously convicted of a crime, according to the agency's latest published statistics.

Sister JoAnn Persch, who has prayed outside the Broadview Detention Center every Friday for the past decade before the immigrants are bused to Gary, said the climate surrounding immigration is getting worse but she won't let that discourage her.

"It can be very sad, but we have to keep praying," she said.

A spokesman for the Gary/Chicago International Airport said the airport is prohibited from preventing flights in and out of the airport as a condition for receiving federal aid for airport projects.

"The Airport Authority is committed to fulfilling all of its obligations with the federal government," he said. "We do not make or enforce federal immigration policy. We run an airport."

Earlier this year, Gary became the first municipality in Northwest Indiana to become a "welcoming city," which provides some protection for noncitizens living in Gary.

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After learning about the deportations flights, Needleman organized two protests outside of the airport in the northwest corner of the city.

During the most recent protest in May, two buses with blacked-out windows and a white van with tinted windows pulled into the west gate of the airport off of Industrial Highway as protesters marched near the front gate.

Needleman said she will continue her efforts to protest the deportations.

"The challenge is enormous because we don't see in the short term stopping the deportations," she said. "Nothing is more important than solidarity and that means building solidarity from the local level to a global level. This is going to take a collective effort from different constituency groups or we will fail."

Protesters stand outside of the Gary/Chicago International Airport entrance in an April demonstration expressing their dissatisfaction with the use of the airport by ICE for deportations. (Jim Karczewski / Post-Tribune )

jaanderson@tribpub.com

Twitter @JavonteA
Overgrown grass will be cut and scrap removed from numerous demolition sites around Gary with funds from the city's Casino Revenue Fund.

Common council members unanimously voted Aug. 15, with members Michael Protho, LaVetta Sparks-Wade, Herb Smith and Carolyn Rogers absent, to transfer $250,000  $50,000 for mowing and the rest for debris removal.

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The scrap has piled up at about 40-50 demolition sites, 20 of which are projects the National Guard has been retained by the Gary Redevelopment Commission to handle.

Councilwoman Rebecca Wyatt, D-1st, expressed some concern that the entire $200,000 was for National Guard demolition, but she voted in favor of the measure once it was amended to clarify that other projects also would be covered.

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Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said the National Guard is paying the cost of demolition, but cannot cover removing the waste materials.

"This will cover that cost," she said.

The ordinance had been assigned for a finance committee hearing on Aug. 22. But councilwoman Mary Brown, D-3rd, asked for an immediate vote Aug. 15, citing the importance of the $50,000 transfer for lawn-cutting services.

"I have been getting a lot of calls from people wanting to know, 'When am I getting the grass cut?'" she said.

In other business, Freeman-Wilson said city controller Celita Green will retire in February.

Green, who has worked for city government since 1998, will handle the budget cycle for the 2018 calendar year and the reconciliation process. Applicants are being sought to fill her position.

"We're giving ourselves a lot of lead time to do" a thorough search, Freeman-Wilson said.

Also, Brown said she has been told by the parks department that the pool at Tolleston Park, 2501 W. 15th Ave., has been drained and will be closed to the public for the remainder of this year. She was told there were instances of young people sneaking into the pool after hours and having unsupervised pool parties.

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"I don't understand why people do this," Brown said. "We try to do something nice for them, and they can't just enjoy it."

Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
A startling headline  HORSES KILLED, 47,000 A MONTH  appeared in a Vermont newspaper in 1918. Statistics for it had been furnished by the president of the Red Star Animal Relief program, an organization doing for animals what the American Red Cross did for the soldiers. He showed no favoritism when he said a total of 4,500,000 horses were in use by all the armies in the war.

The Clinch Valley News in Virginia wrote in rather dreadful terms, It is said that buyers will be here again soon for another lot of horses to be used for bullet meat and cannon food for the big guns of the European armies. This was just one of many newspaper accounts of the day that spoke to the buying of horses during World War I for replacements.

On the average a horse lasted only four days on a battlefield. Huge wartime losses occurred for different reasons, including wounds, disease, malnutrition and injuries. Since the European allies looked to the United States as a major source, the replacement animals had to be transported by slow-moving, vulnerable freighters. These presented easy targets for the German navy, which sent thousands to the bottom of the sea.

A systematic method for gathering and training horses came with the establishment of remount stations in various parts of the country. This, of course, created a cash market for large numbers of horses and mules that were being rounded up and brought in for sale. What better opportunity could have existed for cowboys to demonstrate their prowess than to answer the call to work at one of these stations! Raw, unbroke horses had no value for buyers. They needed to know the feel of a saddle or pulling in harness after army veterinarians looked them over.

A casual reader in 1916 of The Ogden Standard in Utah read War Horses By The Hundred Being Inspected in Ogden. The management of the sales facility estimated 7,000 animals would be sold on May 8. Cowboys from Sheridan, Wyo., had been hired to evaluate the horses for cavalry duty and their exhibition of horsemanship is well worth witnessing.

This headline would have caught the eye of a person reading The Tacoma Times in 1917: Buckaroos from Montana, With Wild and Woolly Names, Busy Training 5000 Horses for Duty in Sammies Army. News out of Camp Funston in Kansas listed Broncho Busters coming from such states as Colorado, Arizon, and New Mexico, where men were put to the test breaking horses with such names as Black Demon and Denver Mud.

The Logan Republican carried an article informing readers that European buyers favored western horses because they had the qualities essential to a good horse. The writer was referring to range horses that had never experienced the feel of a bridle or a saddle. He remarked how sure-footed those ponies were after seeing them run at a full gallop through a prairie dog town, whereas men chasing them on horseback werent always so lucky and sometimes were sent rolling in the dirt.

Just getting near enough to wild horses proved to be the greatest task for men who wanted to round up these range horses because the horses started running full speed at the first sign of danger. Only a coordinated effort of pursuers changing periodically to fresh horses could finally corral them.

The man in charge of the Fort Lewis remount station did not want just any old cowboys working for him, and when he advertised for help he required them to furnish references. Furthermore, he asked officials in counties that furnished large numbers of horses, to make up a pot to support the wives and families of their best riders and thus release the men for duty here. So-called buckarooing was strictly taboo. Their technique included riding them in small circular enclosures

Its doubtful that all the camps followed the Fort Lewis philosophy. News out of Fort Riley related how the cowboys were put to the test curbing the spirit and cunning of the almost incorrigible horses at the camp. The training style here was to snub a horse to another and cover its eyes until the rider mounted, and then the horse reacted in various ways.

Even after the horses were trained and ready for shipment to the war in Europe, the need for cowboys still existed. Brokers advertised for all the men they could get to see to the welfare of the horses aboard ship.

Except for a recent book and movie, "War Horse," few stories about the contribution made by this wartime horse culture exist. Most of the stories lie beneath the surface waiting to be dug up and re-entered into the dialogue.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, center, and Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, third from left, pose for a photo with Gary officials and HMD Trucking representatives on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 in Gary. (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune )

Gov. Eric Holcomb made a stop in Gary on Thursday to announce a new economic development plan he unveiled earlier this week designed to continue providing jobs to Hoosiers.

Through two new grant programs, Holcomb aims to put Indiana residents in "high-demand" and "high-wage" jobs as quickly as possible.

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"We're doing all we can to make sure folks get the skills they need to enter into these high-wage, high-demand and high-need professions that are available right now," Holcomb said of his Next Level Jobs Initiative.

Holcomb said the primary goal is to not only fill job openings across the state, but also provide Hoosiers with adequate training to help them get high paying jobs.

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"We've got the jobs, we've got the people who are eager to get to work and that really has been our charge and our mission."

The grant program covers full tuition for adults to earn certificates from Ivy Tech Community College or Vincennes University in Indiana's growing job sectors: advanced manufacturing, building and construction, health sciences, information technology, and transportation and logistics.

Businesses, on the other hand, can take advantage of the Employer Training Grant program. Qualified employers will be reimbursed up to $2,500 for each new employee that is trained, hired and retained for six moths.

Roughly $14 million will go toward covering tuition costs at Ivy Tech and Vincennes University. Another $10 million will be available to reimburse companies that train new employees for high-demand jobs.

Indiana's unemployment rate dipped to 3 percent in June, nearing its all-time low of 2.9 percent that was reached in October 2000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Indiana's unemployment rate declined for the fourth consecutive month, making it the sixth lowest rate in the United States.

Indiana added more than 48,000 jobs in June compared to the same time a year ago.

Lake and Porter counties trail behind statewide and national levels. Lake County's jobless rate rose to 4.2 percent in June, up from 4 percent the previous month. Porter County's jobless rate also slightly increased to 3.4 percent, up from 3.2 percent the previous month.

During Holcomb's visit, city officials also announced the groundbreaking of HMD Trucking Inc, a trucking firm that will be located in the 1300 block of Texas Street. The facility is expected to be complete and running by the middle of next year, Henry Malukas, HMD Trucking president, said.

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"Our goal is to hire local people and we believe that they are the key to our success," he said.

Joblessness fell in Gary, East Chicago, Hammond, Hobart, Merrillville, Crown Point, Merrillville, Portage, Schererville, Valparaiso and Michigan City in the last year. But Gary and East Chicago still has the highest unemployment rates among cities and towns in Indiana with a population over 25,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Gary is ranked No. 1 in the state with an unemployment rate of 6.3 percent, followed by East Chicago at 6 percent.

"This is a great day for Gary, Indiana," said Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson. "This isn't just a groundbreaking for another plant, this is a groundbreaking for a world headquarters," she said.

"It's an opening to more opportunities for the city of Gary, for the citizens of Gary and for Northwest Indiana."

jaanderson@tribpub.com

Twitter @JavonteA
A suspended Lake County officer accused of rape in criminal charges pleaded not liable to his disciplinary charges Thursday.

Nicholas Medrano, 34, of Crown Point, was indicted by a Lake County grand jury in June on two counts of rape, attempted rape, criminal confinement and sexual battery.

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At Lake County Sheriff John Buncich's request, the Lake County Sheriff's Police Merit Board suspended Medrano last month without pay as his criminal charges are pending.

Buncich filed four disciplinary charges against Medrano, including violating state law; committing conduct unbecoming (of) an officer of the Lake County Sheriff's Department; failing to treat another officer or civilian or any person civilly and courteously; and committing acts which bring or tend to bring the individual and the Lake County Sheriff's Department into disrepute.

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Medrano pleaded "not liable" to each of the four charges at a special merit board meeting Thursday to address the topic.

The board scheduled a status hearing on the disciplinary charges Sept. 28.

Medrano previously pleaded not guilty in July to his criminal charges. His alleged crimes occurred between Jan. 10, 2013, and June 30, 2014, with a "professional co-worker," according to Lake County court records and Indiana State Police.

Medrano's attorney, Paul Stracci, said the woman is not an employee of the Lake County Sheriff's Department.

Medrano appears in court again on the criminal charges Aug. 29.

He has been with the sheriff's department for more than 10 years.

rejacobs@post-trib.com

Twitter @ruthyjacobs
A suspended Lake County officer accused of a hit-and-run at last year's Gary Air Show was fired Thursday.

Last month, the Lake County Sheriff's Police Merit Board found Guy Mikulich, 38, guilty of all eight disciplinary charges he faced in connection to the incident.

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He had a two-day disciplinary hearing before the merit board in June, in which multiple witnesses were called, including the victim's wife, Maureen Dircks, who described running to her husband's side. Board members also watched surveillance video of the alleged crash.

Mikulich, while in uniform and in his county-issued unmarked Ford Crown Victoria, is accused of hitting Derrick Dircks, of Frankfort Square, Ill., on July 10, 2016, after Mikulich had worked security at the air show, according to a probable cause affidavit.

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The Lake County Sheriff's Police Merit Board held a special meeting Thursday to hear testimony on what Mikulich's punishment should be before the board ultimately voted to fire the 16-year veteran of the department, effective immediately.

"I'm certainly disappointed, but the Fraternal Order of Police is going to do what it needs to do in this circumstance," said Christopher Cooper, the attorney representing Mikulich in the disciplinary proceedings.

Cooper said he plans to file a petition in the Lake County court system within 30 days to request a judge to overturn the board's decision.

Attorneys at the special meeting Thursday raised their voices as they debated which witnesses could be called and what evidence could be presented before the board made a decision.

"You need to chill out," Robert Joseph, board president, said during one exchange.

John Bushemi, attorney for the sheriff, first called Lake County Chief of Police Dennis Eaton to testify in place of Lake County Sheriff John Buncich, who Bushemi said was "unavailable" Thursday.

Cooper took issue with Buncich not attending the meeting. While Mikulich's hearing took place, the sheriff was on the stand in Hammond's federal court Thursday in the second week of his public corruption trial.

"My client has a right to confront his accuser," Cooper said.

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After the board allowed Eaton to be questioned, Bushemi asked the chief of police, "Do you trust today that Guy Mikulich can uphold the law as a law enforcement officer?"

"I do not," Eaton said.

Bushemi asked Eaton what punishment he requests from the board for Mikulich.

"Termination of employment," Eaton said.

Cooper referenced multiple letters of commendation in Mikulich's personnel file from area school and police leaders, praising Mikulich for interacting with the community and his positive reflection of the department.

Cooper asked Eaton if he thought Mikulich was a good policeman.

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"I think that he was very committed to his job," Eaton said.

Eaton added that before the alleged hit-and-run in question, Mikulich "brought credit" to the department "on many occasions."

Cooper also asked Deputy Chief Dan Murchek if he thought Mikulich is "a good cop."

"He was a good policeman," Murchek said.

Cooper said "there is a mitigating circumstance" in Mikulich's case and asked Murchek if a trauma could affect an officer.

"It could. It would depend on the officer," said Murchek.

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Cooper attempted to bring up a drowning at Lake Michigan that left two people dead on July 9, the day before the alleged hit-and-run, which Cooper said Mikulich was called to.

Bushemi objected, arguing the incident was not relevant to the punishment phase of Mikulich's disciplinary hearings and should have been brought up at his June hearing. The board president agreed.

Bushemi then asked Murchek if Mikulich's actions warranted termination.

"Correct," Murchek said.

The eight disciplinary charges Mikulich faced included violating state law; intoxication on or off duty; committing conduct unbecoming of an officer of the Lake County Sheriff's Department; unauthorized use of property of the department; vehicle operation without due regard for safety; use of alcohol to be intoxicated on duty; operation of county-owned vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating beverages; and committing acts which bring or tend to bring the individual or the Lake County Sheriff's Department into disrepute.

In addition to the merit board case, Mikulich has pleaded not guilty to 13 criminal charges. In a May court filing, Mikulich's criminal case attorney, Paul Stracci, said that his client intends to raise an insanity defense.

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His August trial on the criminal charges was canceled for Mikulich to undergo mental health evaluations. Lake Superior Court Judge Clarence Murray said at a June hearing that he intends "to get this case resolved" in the next few months.

Mikulich appears in Lake County court again on his criminal charges from the incident Sept. 15.

Mikulich has also been named in a civil case raised by Dircks, the Illinois man who was injured in the July 10 incident.

rejacobs@post-trib.com

Twitter @ruthyjacobs
University of Virginia students, faculty and residents attend a candlelight march across the grounds in Charlottesville, Va., on Wednesday. Hundreds gathered on the campus for a candlelight vigil against hate and violence days after three people were killed during a white nationalist rally. (Andrew Shurtleff / AP )

If it's true, as some assert, that the increased stridency of white supremacists has made it acceptable to show racial prejudice, then white people are going to start feeling the pain of being associated with a small, fringe group of over-the-top racists.

The other day, when riding the train in Chicago, I noticed that I was surrounded by several young white men, apparently on their way to work. I quickly realized that I was studying them closely to determine whether they might be white nationalist sympathizers.

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Did a close haircut and the choice of a white polo and khaki pants mean anything other than just another day of cubicle-dwelling at some downtown high-rise? Did the tattooed white men also riding along with me deserve the same scrutiny?

The answers to both: Of course not.

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I was being overly sensitive after a weekend of viewing images of young white men carrying Confederate flags and wielding shields emblazoned with Nazi symbols in Charlottesville, Virginia. But my knee-jerk thoughts made me fear for my husband and sons. What conclusions will others jump to when they see their white skin, tattoos and, in my husband's case, shaved head?

Suddenly, they have the potential to be profiled in the same way as I am when people see my dark features and wonder  sometimes out loud and to my face  whether I am an "illegal alien," a terrorist or both.

This burden is being brought down on white people by a vocal minority of sick individuals who are intent on reviving a past that this country has never healed from. But it's a strain that whites must face.

Speaking on NPR's "It's Been a Minute" podcast, Grace Elizabeth Hale, author of the book "Making Whiteness: The Culture of Segregation in the South, 1890-1940" and professor of American studies and history at the University of Virginia, put it this way: "Not all white people are the same, and there are extremes of white supremacy and violence, and I would like to note them  it is not every white person who's going to drive their car into a group of protesters. That said, for white people those privileges and those ways in which they are assumed to be at the center of American culture, assumed to be the people who matter, assumed to be the people who can happily occupy a park with a Confederate statue in the middle of it ... white people don't get to say, 'Well, that's not me, I'm not that person  I voted for (Barack) Obama.'"

She continued: "It doesn't absolve you. ... Other people make assumptions about your identity and you are treated in certain ways, and you don't get to choose those. White people can't opt out of them by suggesting, 'That's not me, I didn't do that.' ... I think that's one of the biggest problems many white people in America have, this desire not to be blamed, this kind of visceral emotional desire to be innocent."

This is an incredibly important point.

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As a minority who has attended majority-white private schools, majority-white public schools and colleges, worked in majority-white workplaces and am currently the only person of color at my own family's Thanksgiving dinner, I absolutely know that white people are, on the whole, generous, loving people with no more prejudice and bias in their hearts than any flawed human of any race.

But there are so many other members of racial and ethnic minorities who have experienced enmity and discrimination at the hands of white people that, as a society, we are in danger of tipping into a mutual and irreparable distrust of each other.

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Such a moment requires a very specific type of sacrifice: Rejecting the moral superiority of victimhood.

In the case of white people who harbor no ill will toward people of color, it would be easy to feel put out because a vocal minority is calling for ethnic cleansing and giving white people a bad name in the eyes of many.

Whether they like it or not, white people are now in the uncomfortable position of being on the defensive about their views on race. They should be angry about this.

But, white friends, family members and advocates, please place the blame squarely on the shoulders of white supremacists, not on the people of color who are newly vulnerable in an America that seems more hostile to us than ever because of the color of our skin.

Esther Cepeda is a columnist for the Washington Post.
Mayra Mace-Martinez, 24, of Portage, died Aug. 6 in a car crash, along with her husband Jeremy Mace, in France, where the newlyweds were living. (Handout)

Elizabeth Gertzen and Mayra Mace-Martinez met in the fifth grade.

"We instantly became best friends and I quickly became one of their family," recalled Gertzen, who's now a teacher for Portage Township Schools.

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They remained the closest of friends from childhood to adulthood.

"There were months when we would see each other every day, even on weekends and holidays," Gertzen said. "Our sleepovers will probably be my favorite memory. We'd stay up late, drink energy drinks, dance, talk, and eat really bad snacks all night long."

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When Gertzen got married, there was no doubt who would serve as her matron of honor.

"We did everything together," Gertzen said.

Mace-Martinez took part in several academic and extracurricular activities while at Portage High School, from the swim team and choral to stage musicals and the school's Distinguished Young Women competition in 2010.

"Mayra was one of the most amazing people you could ever hope to meet," said Andrea Flynn, her French teacher at PHS. "She was one of the most passionate, enthusiastic students I have ever had in my teaching career, and this is my 19th year."

In the summer of 2010, Mace-Martinez studied in France, where a few years later she would meet the love of her life.

She graduated in 2011 from PHS in the top 20 of her class, receiving a scholarship to the University of Notre Dame. While there, she studied abroad in France once again in the spring of 2014, one of several countries she visited including Mexico, England, Turkey, Greece, Italy and Spain.

While in France, she met a charming French man named Jeremy Mace.

"They quickly hit it off," Gertzen said.

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When Mayra returned home, she told Gertzen all about the "French boy" she began dating.

"Of course I was a skeptic due to the long distance," Gertzen said.

However, in fall 2014, Mace traveled to Indiana to live with Mace-Martinez. By the time he left in early 2015, the couple were engaged. On June 13, 2016, they got married in a brief, informal ceremony in Valparaiso. They were deeply in love.

Mace-Martinez graduated from Notre Dame in 2015 with a double major in anthropology and French, with dreams of becoming a high school English teacher in France, her husband's homeland. Her fluency in French started early.

"I remember the first day I had her in my class, she sat in the center of the front row, leaning forward and smiling," Flynn said. "That eagerness never faded."

Gertzen added, "She was very passionate about civil rights, immigration, education and equality for all. Her mission was that of peace, love and acceptance.

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Mace-Martinez took all these accomplished attributes with her to France to live with her new husband and begin their new life together. They moved to an apartment in Belligne, just outside of her husband's hometown of Angers.

"She told me she didn't plan to come back to the states for at least three years," Gertzen said.

On Aug. 6, as a male friend drove the couple in his BMW on a rural road near Belligne, the driver lost control of his car and hit a tree head-on.

"The car was literally cut in half," according to a story posted on the Life in France news site, CHB44.com.

"The three died instantly," Gertzen said. "Mayra was just 24."

"Mayra was an amazing person," said her sister, Arisdelssy Martinez, of Portage. "She thrived. A beautiful soul. My first best friend."

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Both families felt it necessary to keep the couple together in burial, so their bodies are being transported to Portage for interment. Flynn is working as an interpreter for the Mace family and also with the French government in order to claim the bodies.

"It amazes me the cost of this whole process. Just to get her body back to the states will cost $10,000," Gertzen said, noting a fundraising page has been established.

She is survived by her parents, Lino and Maria Martinez, her brothers Sergio and Aaron Martinez, and her sister. Visitation will start at 3 p.m. Sunday at Edmonds and Evans Funeral Home in Portage. The couple's funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Lake Station.

"As I have been grieving over her death, I have come to realize what an incredible impact she did have on this world in her short life," Flynn said. "She made other peoples' lives better."

Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

On July 29, Mace-Martinez's last words to Gertzen focused on having a baby.

"Mayra wanted kids, and we were talking about the differences between maternity leave times in France versus here," Gertzen said.

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"She and Jeremy were going to go to the beach and go camping to relax during their vacation time in August. I didn't want to bother her during her vacation."

"Mayra left this earth with the love of her life," her sister said.

"Their love was short, fast, and true," Gertzen said. "But it's kind of strange how they met their fate in the same way."

jdavich@post-trib.com

Twitter@jdavich
What's Quickly? It's where readers sound off on the issues of the day. Have a quote, question or quip? Call Quickly at 312-222-2426 or email quickly@post-trib.com.

We, as a country, have gotten rid of one white supremacist from the White House. Now, if the Congressional Republicans would grow a spine, we could get rid of the other through impeachment.

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I do not support the beliefs of any hate groups. But the media, government and anti-Confederate protester groups seem overly emotional, misinformed/illogical and sound like fools when discussing the actions of the anti confederate protesters. Isn't self defense the only justification for a civilian using violence whether protesting a hate group or not? If a person commits violence or endangers others while protesting shouldn't they be arrested?

Only a Trump supporter could take a racist/anti-racist protest involving an act of domestic terrorism and make it all about Hillary.

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I don't actually think it's particularly noble to get my face kicked in by Nazis and the KKK. It is vitally important to oppose them at every turn. So if I come out to counter protest, you can bet your butt I'll be there ready to defend myself against the "Master Race".

Former KKK leader David Duke credits Donald Trump for inspiring the rally in Charlottesville. Trump loves getting credit for things.

News Flash! The Trump/Pence administration's new official song is Ozzy Osbourne's "Going Off The Rails On The Crazy Train".

White supremacists, by definition, do not believe in free speech. They want to subjugate and silence anyone who isn't white.

Last week: Brink of nuclear war. This week: Brink of civil war. Is everyone thoroughly distracted from the Russia investigation? That was the intent, right?

One thing that I enjoy about Quickly is how on a daily basis liberals heads are exploding like in Mars Attacks since November 8, 2016. The idiots who belong to the so-called "Party of Inclusion" are the least inclusive people on the face of the earth if you don't have the same opinion as them.

Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Decency seems to be a lost commodity. There is an urgent need to reinstate the decency, respect and equality as core values in the White House.

President Trump's magical, great, beautiful words are not healing the country.

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It would be wonderful if Trump threw a campaign rally and no one showed up!

Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trump's Supreme Court pick, is giving a speech to a conservative group at the Trump Hotel in Washington, two weeks before the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Mr. Trump's travel ban. Supreme Court justices are susceptible to legal ethics complaints. One is called for here.

Missouri State Senator Maria Chappell-Nadal said "I hope Trump is assassinated." Regardless of how you feel about him, you never wish death on a president. She needs to resign now.

Trump has spent the last two years making enemies out of the left, the past six months chasing away the middle, and the past six days alienating much of the right. His only friends right now are the Nazis and the white supremacists. How long will that last?

Read more at www.post-trib.com/quickly.
DuPage County Democrats are viewing with optimism the recent announcement by state Rep. Patti Bellock of Hinsdale that she won't seek re-election in the 47th District.

"It changes the playing field," Bob Peickert, chairman of the Democratic Party of DuPage County, said. "It's good for any candidate when you're not running against an incumbent, and Patti Bellock has a lot of name recognition in the area."

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Bellock, who has not faced a challenger in the general election since 2010, has served in the Illinois House since 1999 and will continue until her term ends in January 2019.

The next general election is in November 2018, with the primary March 20. The deadline for candidates to file petitions to run in the primary as a Republican or Democrat is Dec. 4.

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While some DuPage Republicans expect to see at least at handful of candidates from their party on the ballot for the primary, so far two people have said they plan to run in the Democratic primary, Peickert said.

They are Anne Sommerkamp, 57, of Downers Grove, and Jim Caffrey, 52, of Elmhurst.

Sommerkamp, who ran unsuccessfully in April for Downers Grove Township clerk, said she made the decision to run in April, about four months before Bellock announced that she would not seek re-election.

"I was going to run against her, and everyone told me I was stupid," Sommerkamp said. "It made my life a lot happier that she isn't running again. It would have been an uphill battle to run against her. I do think the Democrats will have a better chance of taking this district now."

Caffrey also believes the Democrats are now in a better spot to win the district.

"It's still going to be difficult to win, but it does create a better chance without Patti in the race," he said.

Caffrey said he planned to run, even if Bellock was in the race.

"I'm running over concerns about our state finances," he said. "It's going to be very difficult to get anything done in the state until we get the finances improved."

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Sommerkamp said she is seeking office because she wants voters to have a choice when they go to the polls in November 2018.

"I've seen too many times where there's only one choice when I go to vote," she said. "It's an autocracy, not a democracy, if people don't get to choose."

Sommerkamp and Peickert both said they believe Democrats have made inroads in recent years in a traditionally heavily Republican area. Peickert said the DuPage Democrats have added about 500 new volunteers since the last presidential election

"Blue is moving farther and farther away from the city," Sommerkamp said.

Constance Mixon, director of the Urban Studies program at Elmhurst College who teaches state and local politics, said she believes Democrats may take some spots from Republicans in DuPage County next year, but she doesn't believe that is likely in the 47th District.

"It still looks like a pretty solid Republican district," Mixon said, "and I think they'll probably win in the 47th as long as they don't run someone far to the right, socially, or someone who supports Trump."

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Mixon said the happenings of national politics are a drag on Republicans across the country.

"It's true particularly in the suburbs, and more so with women," she said. "I just don't think this is a district that is ready to vote in a Democrat."

The 47th District includes all or parts of Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, Western Springs and Westmont.

Peickert said he believes the dissatisfaction by many with Donald Trump could work in the local Democrats' favor.

"People here don't see any Republicans speak out against Trump," he said.

cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com

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Twitter @chuckwriting
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 head of the North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System is retiring after 28 years.

NDPERS Executive Director Sparb Collins will leave his post Oct. 31, with COO Sharon Schiermeister acting as interim director.

Since Collins started at NDPERS in 1989, the organization has greatly expanded both the number and type of political subdivisions it serves, as well as the scope of products it offers. There are 45,000 people enrolled in the organizations six different retirement plans and 68,000 covered in the group health insurance program.

Before starting at NDPERS, the Mandan native and University of North Dakota graduate served as a fiscal analyst for the North Dakota Office of Management and Budget. Before that he worked at the state Health Department and a private consulting firm.

Over the next few months, NDPERS board will conduct recruitment efforts.

Gov. Doug Burgum today also appointed Mark Dosch of Bismarck to chair the NDPERS Board of Trustees, replacing outgoing chairman Jon Strinden.

Dosch is the owner and president of Expressway Inn & Suites in Bismarck. He served in the North Dakota House of Representatives from 2001 to 2016. He has a bachelors degree in banking and finance from the University of North Dakota. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Grand Forks-based Edgewood Real Estate Investment Trust, which provides multi-family and senior housing across seven Midwest states.
The Archives Division of the State Historical Society of North Dakota has been awarded a fourth National Digital Newspaper Program grant of $246,605 from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The total project award to the State Historical Society is now more than $1.1 million. The grant enables the State Archives to digitize another 100,000 pages of word-searchable newspapers available online at no charge to the user. The State Historical Society is one of 14 recipients this year, with the total grant amount of $3.57 million.

The NDNP is a joint effort between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress. This is a long-term endeavor aimed at creating a nationwide online digital database for historic newspapers published between 1690 and 1963.
As we watch North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump verbally joust these days, we cant help but ponder the possibility of war and, in the end, hope that it is something we all avoid.

In 1941 my dad was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps and shipped to England to prepare for D-Day. Afterward, he ended up in France, Belgium and Germany.

Like most World War II veterans he has never really talked about it, so we know little about his experiences except that he was in Paris the day after the liberation and had a little visit with actor Mickey Rooney at a celebration in Germany with some Russians shortly after the war was won.

My dads involvement in that war generated my interest in it and as a result I acquired a fairly deep knowledge. But still there are a few things about that war that I was surprised to learn.

For example, did you know that the nephew of Adolph Hitler served in the U.S. Navy in WWII?

Thats right. William Patrick Hitler, who was actually born in England, had moved to Germany before WWII because his uncle, Adolph, the German Chancellor, had the power to get him a job, first at a bank and then at a car factory.

Eventually Adolph offered him a position high up in the Nazi Party. All that his uncle required of him was to renounce his British citizenship. But he refused to do so, and instead, he decided to blackmail his uncle by confirming a rumor that Adolf was the illegitimate grandson of a Jewish merchant.

That didnt sit too well with the Nazi leader and as a result William Patrick Hitler was either forced to leave Germany or was paid handsomely to do so. No one seems to know for sure.

He moved back to London, and then, at the request of American newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst, came to America to participate in a lecture tour entitled My Uncle Adolph.

Afterward he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a hospital corpsman for three years until 1947. He settled in Long Island, changing his name to William Patrick Houston-Stuart.

A few other interesting, WWII facts include the following:

A Polish Catholic midwife delivered 3,000 babies at the Auschwitz concentration camp during the Holocaust in occupied Poland.

Four out of every five German soldiers killed were on the eastern, Russian front.

Only 20 percent of Russian men born in 1923 survived the war, and only one of out of four German soldiers serving on German U-Boat submarines survived the war.

The largest Japanese spy ring was located in Mexico and the mortality rate for prisoners kept in Russian prison camps was 85 percent.

Worst of all, 70 million people died, with 28 million of them being civilian women and children. Thats probably what led former Allied commander and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to say that he hated war as only a soldier who has lived it can.

It might also have been what led writer Leo Tolstoy to say that the two most powerful warriors are patience and time.
Ester Leonard received a standing ovation on Thursday at the University of Namibia (UNAM) Cultural Festival after her Uigur-Chinese traditional dance.

Dressed in a traditional Chinese attire with a bright pink veil, the fourth-year Bachelor of Arts in Music student impressed the crowd with her coordinated moves, as she danced to Chinese music, supported by a dance partner.

According to Leonard, she selected Chinese traditional art for her dance project for her studies -- as she passionately wanted to showcase to fellow Namibians a piece that embraces diverse components of Chinese art, namely dance, fashion and music.

"In fact, the theme of my final-year dance project was about my life, and thus I opted to explore the Chinese dance," she said. "The dance project was also inspired by my trip to China for an exchange program through the University of Namibia."

"I am honored to have mastered this dance and showcase the Chinese culture to so many people today," she said.

Leonard was assisted by Wang Yixuan, a Chinese language lecturer at the Confucius Institute at the University of Namibia.

"Apart from being a language teacher, I also have dance skills, so I was able to help her practice," Wang said. "She is a fast learner, and was able to master the dance steps and rhythm within a short span of time."

Not only has she acquired new dance skills, but exposure to Chinese dance and music has accorded her the opportunity to gain in-depth understanding of the Chinese culture, Leonard said.

"Mastering the dance required of me to extensively study the Chinese culture and history. I also enhanced my interaction with the Chinese people during the exchange program, which helped me develop good insight of the dance that I performed today," she said.

Zhang Yiming, Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, said that cultural festivals are an avenue for cultures to interact and for people to connect.

"This way we promote diversity and supportive relations," he told the official opening of the UNAM Cultural Festival in Windhoek.
The 37th World Congress of Poets opens in Ulan Bator on Thursday.

This event titled "The Mind of Nature and the Nature of the Human Soul", brings together more than 200 well known poets, writers, translators, cultural and art figures from over 40 countries.

Within the framework of the congress, the International Poetry Festival "Danzanravjaa" will also take place in Dornogov province, where the Mongolian poet, educator and religious figure of the 19th century D.Danzanravjaa was born.

During the congress, which will last till Aug. 22, various events will take place in Mongolia, such as exhibitions, poetry evenings, and presentations of new books and magazines.

Poets from all over the world will also get acquainted with the natural reserve in the Gobi Desert, visit nomadic camels and read their poems under the starry sky of Mongolia.
Photo taken on Aug 16, 2017 shows different kinds of food made from naked oat flour at a hotel in Wuchuan county, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The 5th naked oat flour cooking competition kicked off in Wuchuan county Wednesday. A total of 19 contestants attended the event. [Photo/Xinhua]
Changzhou Youon Public Bicycle System, the nation's first listed bike-sharing company, sprinted ahead and took line honors in its first trading day in Shanghai on Thursday.

Parked Youon shared bikes on a street in Luoyang, Henan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange with an issue price of 26.85 yuan ($4) per share, Changzhou Youon started trading at 32.22 yuan per share on Thursday, and halted trading for the price instantly reached 38.66 yuan, which exceeded the daily price increase limit of 10 percent.

Based on its closing price, Youon's market capitalization was 3.7 billion yuan on day one. Sun Jisheng, founder of Youon who holds 35.72 percent of the company, saw his personal wealth swell to 1.3 billion yuan.

However, Thursday's good fortune still does not qualify him to enter the benchmark Hurun Rich List, which monitors the ups and downs of Chinese billionaires. The threshold for last year's list was 2 billion yuan.

Zhang Xu, a senior analyst at Beijing-based internet consultancy Analysys, said the surge of Youon on its first trading day may not reflect investors' confidence in its business modelbut rather a common phenomenon for most of the companies newly listed on China's A-shares market.

Founded in 2010, Youon has attracted 20 million users nationwide and has rolled out 890,000 public bikes in over 210 Chinese cities and counties.

Unlike its better-known rivals Ofo and Mobike, which provide dockless bikes with smart locks, Youon specializes in public bikes with fixed locking poles and designated parking lots, most of which are operated in cooperation with local governments. Also, Youon has reported profit for three consecutive years since 2014, while the other two are still waiting to go into the black.

According to its half-year results to June 30, released on Wednesday, the company posted sales of 474 million yuan, up 43.46 percent year-on-year. Net profit rose 20.99 percent to 61.36 million yuan.

First-half net cash flow soared 105 percent year-on-year. The group said the surge was partly driven by its rising business in dockless bike sharing services.

Youon debuted in the dockless bike sharing sector in November last year, putting out 50,000 bikes in cities including Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu. According to its prospectus, this sector only took up 0.05 percent of its income in 2016. The bulk of its earnings then remained with docked bicycles.

Analysys analyst Zhang predicted the business model of public bikes with locking poles will eventually be replaced by dockless bikes, because the former lacked competitiveness in technology and user experience.

"Youon is now taking the lead, mainly in the lower-tier cities where industry leaders such as Ofo and Mobike have not yet entered," he said.
Ikea Group plans to open three new stores in China in its new financial year, which has just started, the head of the Swedish furniture and home accessories group in China said on Thursday.

People queue to enter the IKEA shopping mall in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, June 25, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

Angela Zhu, country retail manager of Ikea Retail China, told China Daily in an interview in Shanghai, that the group would also enhance its distribution networks and e-commerce presence in the mainland.

Ikea's store expansion plans comes in the wake of strong results that saw revenue in China, in its full 2017 financial year to August 10, surge 14 percent to more than 13.2 billion yuan ($1.98 billion).

Zhu said the new stores will be located in Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Tianjin municipality and Xuzhou in Jiangsu province. Next year marks the 20th year for the Swedish company in China, where it already operates 24 stores.

In the financial year to August 10, more than 90 million people visited its stores in China, an increase of 11 percent, Zhu said.

Moreover, its China country websiteikea.cnhad 75 million visits last year, representing growth of 24 percent.

Zhu said the company's newly launched e-commerce services improved interactions with consumers and helped Ikea better understand their consumption patterns.

Multi-distribution channels would continue to be the focus of Ikea China, she added. This year, the company has opened three new stores in Nantong in Jiangsu province, Harbin in Heilongjiang province, and Jinan in Shandong province.

In March, Ikea opened its first pickup and order outlet in Beijing, a smaller store compared with the 30,000 to 40,000 square meter regular Ikea stores. The area allocated for a pickup and order point is only 3,000 square meters.

"Chinese customers are very fond of shopping in a shopping center, with quick and easy access to get in and get out," Zhu said.

"Buying is no longer the sole purpose when visiting a shopping center. Consumption can be spontaneous."

The goal of a plan to have a better layout of distribution systems and logistic resourcesincluding five customer distribution centers and five parcel unitsis to make sure the "last mile" of the delivery is convenient and fast, she said.

Ikea is likely to work with a third party e-commerce platform to make its online services nationwide in the coming years, Zhu added.
Yuan Wei, piloting a J-15 fighter, gets aboard and ready to take off. [Photo/CYOL.com]

Yuan Wei, piloting a J-15 fighter, gave up a last opportunity to parachute from his aircraft whose left engine caught fire after a collision with a flock of doves.

The 32-year-old veteran pilot piloted the crippled fighter to a safe landing, where a ground emergency team soon put out the fire reducing damage to a minimum.

The accident occurred recently when Yuan soared into the air where the sky was clearing after rainfall. However, in no more than one minute, the fighter suffered several violent hits, later identified as a large flock of doves being drawn into the engine.

Yuan was scared in the beginning as the fighter was then flying at 483 kph, resulting in an impact force of 8.1 tons after running into birds weighing almost nothing, equivalent to be struck by a missile.

However, having served as a military pilot for 10 years, and seeing a colleague flying right behind him, Yuan soon regained his calm, telling ground control that he had decided to stay in the cockpit until the crippled plane, costing 400 million yuan (US$61 million), landed safely - even though he still had time to eject from the aircraft as the necessary lever was close to hand.

"With the plane being an integral part of my body, aviation has become an indispensable in my life," Yuan later explained.

The command center mapped out a shortest and safest landing plan. However, when noting that a town with a population of almost 1 million residents was along the proposed flight path, Yuan changed direction regardless of the beep of warning signals.

The left engine a J-15 fighter piloted by Yuan Wei caught fire after a collision with a flock of doves. [Photo/CYOL.com]

When the plane was eventually on its final descent, the landing gear was not functioning, adding further strain on both the pilot and the fighter. At that moment, Yuan could still have abandoned the fighter and parachuted safely down; but he remained in the cockpit ready for landing.

With the clock ticking down the final seconds to landing, ground service crew prepared several emergency plans in case the plane veered off the runway, its tires blew out or the plane overturned at the last moment.

When the wheels hit ground, Yuan braked the fighter as hard as he could and maneuvered it to land precisely at the center of the runway, where the plane decelerated and began to taxi.

The firefighters rushed to the burning aircraft and extinguished fire after Yuan had unbuckled his safety belt and jumped out of the cockpit, from a height equal to a two-story house.

An ambulance rushed him to a nearby hospital for a precautionary check-up.

Several days later, Yuan rejoined his J-15 squadron. Now, while sitting in their cockpit, he and his partner have become more aware of the possible rendezvous with birds.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (R) is sworn in by Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain (L, front) as Pakistani 28th Prime Minister in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on Aug. 1, 2017. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was sworn in as the 28th Pakistani Prime Minister Tuesday evening shortly after the parliament elected him with a clear majority. (Xinhua/PID)

The Belt and Road Initiative brings China closer to the world. Its objective to foster interconnectivity among different nations gradually becomes an issue of interest not only for directly involved stakeholders but also for outside observers endeavoring to assess the impact.

In that regard, China is gradually increasing its presence in several countries where it can be naturally affected by local developments. A current instance is Pakistan, where its outgoing prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, has handed over power to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a close ally.

As a matter of principle, China prefers political stability and continuity while investing abroad, but is also prepared to adjust to new developments. In the case of Pakistan there should be no real concern for a dramatic change.

Abbasi advocates harmonious relations with China. While being the minister for petroleum and natural resources, for instance, he publicly expressed his hope that Chinese oil and gas companies would invest in the energy sector, as well as other Pakistan business sectors.

And now, as premier, he is vowing to implement the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Further to this, he decided to assign the Interior Ministry to Ahsan Iqbal, who had been head of a commission tasked with buildingthe CPEC.

In a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong, he also talked about enhancement of bilateral relations beyond the CPEC. China has congratulated him on his elevation, convinced that a Pakistan government under his leadership "will continue to work towards maintaining national unity and stability and boosting economic and social development."

While Pakistan is heading for a 2018 general election, and it is not yet clear whether Abbasi will remain the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, Sino-Pakistani relations are evolving well to serve the interest of both countries.

The bilateral trade volume, for example, rose from about $4 billion a decade ago to $13.77 billion last year. China is also becoming the country's largest donor. During the first half of the current financial year it has provided $847.96 million.

Moreover, the realization of CPEC is now bringing about win-win results. China is thinking strategically and is in the process of creating new trade routes - principally with its investments in Pakistan's Gwadar port - to partly avoid some potential piracy problems at the Straits of Malacca as well as to reduce journey times.

A special report published by the Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution shows how many miles can be saved from central and western China to different world destinations via Pakistan in comparison to a totally sea-borne connection via Shanghai. According to the study, 7,580 miles would be saved to the Middle East and 6,873 miles to Europe. Moreover, China is systematically supporting the development and industrialization of the Xinjiang region to enhance the new routes.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, the CPEC critically contributes to its economic success. Currently, 19 projects worth over $18 billion are under construction out of which 11 are related to the energy sector. That is because Pakistan is suffering from an energy crisis and is looking for practical ways to overcome it in a sustainable way.

A Deloitte analysis anticipates that $33 billion worth of energy infrastructure might be constructed by private consortia to help alleviate Pakistan's chronic energy shortages. These regularly amount to over 4,500MW and have contributed to an estimated shortfall of 2-2.5 percent off the country's annual GDP. Additionally, China is offering jobs to Pakistani citizens.

Ambassador Sun Weidong has talked about 60,000 local people being employed under the CPEC.

Obviously, mutual benefits of cooperation go beyond these lines. The attention, however, should also be turned towards existing challenges. Security concerns cannot be ignored. Attacks and kidnapping of Chinese nationals in areas such as Baluchistan are a negative influence.

Pakistan is one of the worst-hit countries in regard to terrorism and it is here where its new government has to concentrate in coordination with the international community.

Risks for China are evident; however, President Xi Jinping's vision is to support the Belt and Road Initiative in order for it to function as an umbrella of peace in the long-term. More time is obviously required to achieve this.

China is certainly helping Pakistan to achieve an equilibrium between stability, reform, prosperity and success. In so doing, it needs to improve its public image. People-to-people exchanges are thus significant. Cultural initiatives are equally playing a constructive role. The launch of Xi' The Governance of China book in Urdu is a positive step. Premier Abbasi and the new Pakistani government to be formed after the 2018 cannot but see China a long-term partner expanding areas and fields of bilateral collaboration.

George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
A Bismarck oral surgeon who was temporarily suspended from practicing died from an overdose Monday night in her north Bismarck home.

Dr. Mansureh Iravani, 50, was a dentist and doctor in solo practice at the Oral Surgery Center of Bismarck. A witness found her and called the Burleigh County Sheriff's Department at about 6:30 p.m. Monday, according to Lt. Tracy Nelson. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid considerably more powerful and deadly than heroin, was found inside the residence.

Nelson said Metro Area Ambulance Services attempted to revive Iravani using Narcan, a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, but it didn't work. She was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

Nelson said an autopsy has been completed, but a toxicology report identifying the drug Iravani overdosed on could take several weeks. Her death remains under investigation.

Iravani had closed her practice in March after the North Dakota Board of Medical Examiners temporarily suspended her license. Iravani had been accused of pulling wrong teeth, starting procedures without enough sedation and yanking surgical stitches from a patient's mouth. Iravani denied the allegations, which she said had been made by former disgruntled employees. A hearing on the matter was pending.

Bonnie Johnson, a friend of Iravani's, remembers Iravani as as being caring, "zany" and having an "upbeat personality."

"She was always giving," said Johnson, who met Iravani three years ago at a local yoga class. "Always wanting to help  especially others."

Iravani, who is originally from Florida, graduated with a doctor of dental surgery degree from the University of Florida in 1992, according to a family obituary posted online. She later received her doctor of dental medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, in Cleveland in 1997. Iravani practiced oral surgery for 20 years, including 13 years in Bismarck.

A gathering for Iravani will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Parkway Funeral Service in Bismarck. Johnson said a concert featuring Iravani's favorite music and supporting Furry Friends Rocking Rescue, Iravani's other passion, will be held from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Post in Mandan.
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Police cordon off a nearby street following a terrorist attack in central Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 17, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

At least 13 people were reported dead and dozens others injured following a terrorist attack in Spanish city of Barcelona on Thursday afternoon, triggering severe condemnation from the European Union (EU) leaders.

"This cowardly attack has deliberately targeted those enjoying life and sharing time with family and friends. We will never be cowed by such barbarism," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement.

"I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to Prime Minister Rajoy and the people of Spain. My thoughts are with the people of Barcelona," he said, adding the Commission is "at the full disposal of the authorities for any help or assistance necessary".

Echoing Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted:" All of Europe stands with Barcelona. Our thoughts are with the victims and all affected by this cowardly attack on innocents."

Meanwhile, Spain's deputy Prime Minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, will travel to Barcelona on Thursday evening.

Local media reported that Saenz de Santamaria will meet with Enric Millo, the delegate of the Spanish executive in Catalonia, and his team in order to coordinate the tasks.

Millo is attending the crisis meeting being held at the regional government of Catalonia, Generalitat, along with representatives of Barcelona's city council, Generalitat, and central government.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also said he was in "contact with all the administrations". And the priority "is to help the injured and facilitate the work of the security forces".

The attack happened at around 17:00 hours local time when a man drove a white van at high speed onto the city's famous Las Ramblas. At the time of the attack, the area was packed with people, many of them tourists.

Latest reports are that authorities believe the attack was not the work of a "lone wolf" and that it was organized by at least three people. An operation is now under way and the anti-terrorism protocol has been activated.

A huge area including Las Ramblas and the nearby Plaza Catalonia and up to the Gran Via have been cordoned off, while large numbers of police and emergency services are now in the area.

The Generalitat also closed nearby metro and railway stations, while people in the area of the attack were asked to stay where they are until the police can indicate an exit route.

Shortly after the attack, the Spanish Ibex-35 stock exchange Thursday saw nearly a full percentage point knocked off its value and slipped back below the 10,500-point mark on a day when the country's banks suffered important losses.

The Ibex opened at 10,544.30 points after three days of successive gains, but closed the penultimate session of the week at 10,443.80 points, a loss of 0.95 percent on the day's trading.

The news especially hit the banking sector with generalized losses in Spain: The Banco Santander lost 2.50 percent of share values, Bankia, 1.64 percent, BBVA 1.90 percent, Banco Sabadell 1.88 percent, Bankinter 1.80 percent and Caixabank, 1.77 percent.

Over 230 suspected jihadist terrorists have been arrested in Spain since the start of 2015.

According to EU's Terrorism Situation and Trend Report published in June this year, a total of 142 failed, foiled and completed terrorist attacks were reported by eight EU countries in 2016.

It noted that the attacks occurred in eight member states, with more than half reported by Britain. France reported a total of 23 attacks, Italy 17, and Spain ten.
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Ansgar Heveling, president of the German parliament's committee for the interior, warned on Friday that Thursday's Barcelona terror attack highlighted persistent flaws in European security cooperation.

The cooperation of security authorities and their data exchange programs were far from satisfactory, Heveling told German radio station Deutschlandfunk. It was time for European institutions to implement the initiatives proposed by Germany and France.

Berlin and Paris have suggested much tighter European security cooperation in the wake of Britain's Brexit vote, culminating in the formation of a European Defense Union.

"We must realize: Terrorism in Europe is far from defeated, in particular Islamic terrorism," the German politician said. The risk of similar attacks prevailed in Germany and throughout other countries in Europe.

According to Heveling, the danger was even more acute now due to the increasing desperation of the so-called "Islamic State" in the Middle East after the terror militia's loss of its Iraqi capital Mosul.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for Barcelona's terror attack that left 13 people dead on Thursday night when a van was driven into a crowd of pedestrians on Barcelona's popular Las Ramblas avenue during the peak of the Catalonian city's tourist season.
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China congratulated on the launch of the New Development Bank's (NDB's) Africa Regional Center and pledged to support it in promoting Africa's development, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday.

The NDB, established to address infrastructural development and funding problems for BRICS nations and other developing countries, launched its Africa Regional Center in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday.

"China appreciates the efforts made by all sides in launching the center," Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing.

Establishing the center was a consensus reached by the BRICS leaders, and China has maintained coordination with South Africa during the preparatory phase, according to Hua.

"China will support the NDB's Africa Regional Center in promoting the development of African countries," she said.
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German state prosecutors have agreed to prolong the custody of an Audi technician following a U.S. governmental request for extradition in ongoing investigations of diesel emissions test cheating, the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports on Friday.

Authorities in Germany hereby responded to a plea made by the U.S. Department of Justice for the preliminary arrest of the Italian national Giovanni P. to enable his extradition at a later stage.

Giovanni P. has been held in police custody for over a month as the only suspect to have been arrested in Germany in the course of the "dieselgate" emission cheating scandal.

Questioned by Munich state prosecutors ten times over his alleged involvement in defrauding tens of thousands of diesel car owners, he has raised serious allegations against senior Audi managers. The defendant has also presented authorities with a folder of extensive evidence in the hopes of being released.

The news of judicial cooperation between Berlin and Washington to instead pro-long Giovanni P.'s police custody comes only two days after his defense council filed a complaint against their client's detention.

Giovanni P.'s attorney Walter Lechner reacted with dismay to the development and accused Munich state prosecutors of employing the U.S. plea as an opportunistic means to keep the suspect under arrest. The state prosecutor had consequently made itself a "minion of the U.S. judiciary", Lechner complained.

German justice authorities defended the move as standard judicial procedure. They argued that granting the U.S. request became a necessity under international law in order to prevent Giovanni P. from leaving the country following the lodging of a complaint against his arrest. If the suspect were to travel to his native Italy, for example, the U.S. Department of Justice would be unable to continue its extradition process.

Giovanni P. is one of 50 suspects in the "dieselgate" scandal currently under investigation in Germany, including prominent figures such former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn.

The Munich state prosecutors responsible for Giovanni P.'s case believe he was a crucial actor in Audi's installation of illicit software to falsify diesel vehicles' emissions levels. In stark contrast, the suspect's defense claims that their client was a victim of scheming executives for whom the low-level technician has become a "pawn sacrifice".

Giovanni P.'s attorneys also rejected the notion that he was a flight risk and stressed that the suspect was keen to remain in Germany and continue to cooperate with authorities there.

The U.S. request for the technician's preliminary arrest raises serious accusations such as conspiracy to commit fraud and breaches of environmental regulations.
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Mango Festival was organized by Embassy of Pakistan, Beijing on 17th August, 2017, in a series of events to celebrate the 70th Independence anniversary of Pakistan. The festival was supported by Pakistan Horticulture Development Company and Ministry of Commerce, Pakistan.

Welcoming the audience, Ambassador Masood Khalid introduced Pakistani mangoes, their variants, superior quality and its growing market overseas. He recalled that late Chairman Mao Zedong had introduced Pakistani mangoes in China in 1968 when he shared a gift of mangoes with party and PLA cadres.

He informed the audience that Pakistani mango is considered as one of the best in the world. He said that such events help in cementing the people to people bond between Pakistan and China.

The ambassador also urged the Chinese business community to explore the untapped market of Pakistani fruits especially mangoes and citrus fruits and its processing.

Pakistani exporters apprised the audience about the unique qualities of Pakistani mangoes, making Pakistan one of the largest mango exporters.

Ambassador along with Chinese dignitaries cut a cake specially prepared from Pakistani mangoes.

On this occasion, embassy was swathed in flags and flyers. Guests visited various stalls displaying mango delicacies with traditional Pakistani music being played in the back ground.
President Donald Trump's first year in office was rocked by a barrage of high-profile staff departures -- an exodus that is expected to continue during his second year once aides who are determined to make it one year on the job have satisfied their goal.

Michael Flynn, who briefly served as Trump's national security adviser, was the first significant departure of the Trump administration. He served in the job for less than a month, and recently pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the former Russian ambassador to the US.

The list only grew as the year went on -- including, but not limited to: the deputy chief of staff, the first communications director, the press secretary, the chief of staff, the second communications director, the chief strategist, a deputy assistant, a third communications director, the FBI director, the deputy national security adviser, the director of Oval Office operations and the director of communications for the White House's Office of Public Liaison.

Several staffers are expected to announce their exits in the coming weeks, and chief of staff John Kelly has told several of them to decide by the end of the month whether they intend to leave or stay. Asked who in the White House was considering leaving their post in the coming weeks, one staffer quipped to CNN, "Who isn't?"

Here's a list of the highest-profile West Wing casualties:

Michael Flynn -- national security adviser

Flynn lasted less than a month on the job. He is the first Trump administration official to be charged as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign.

Katie Walsh -- deputy chief of staff

Walsh left her White House post after just two months on the job. Her position wasn't filled for several months until now-chief of staff John Kelly entered the West Wing, putting Kirstjen Nielsen in the role. Nielsen left to replace Kelly as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Mike Dubke -- communications director

Trump's first official communications director submitted his resignation in May. He was a last-minute addition to the administration following the resignation of Jason Miller, who served on Trump's campaign. Dubke's appointment came with some criticism, as CNN reported at the time that some inside the White House said they would have preferred a campaign veteran.

Sean Spicer -- press secretary

Spicer, who became must-see TV and was mercilessly mocked by NBC's "Saturday Night Live," resigned amid communications office tumult. His tenure was marked mostly by his gaffes, including using the phrase "Holocaust centers" and making false claims about inauguration crowd sizes.

Reince Preibus -- chief of staff

The former Republican National Committee chairman became the shortest-serving chief of staff in White House history after he was driven out of the administration after just six months and replaced by then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

Anthony Scaramucci -- communications director

"The Mooch" was removed from his post as communications director after just 11 days on the job after he accused Priebus of leaking damaging information about him in a profanity-laced interview with The New Yorker.

Keith Schiller -- director of Oval Office Operations

Schiller's departure -- which was for personal reasons -- was noteworthy because of his years of loyalty and proximity to the President. Schiller was among a handful of aides from Trump's previous life as a businessman to follow Trump into the White House. It was Schiller who delivered James Comey the letter informing him he was fired.

Steve Bannon -- chief strategist

Though the White House initially insisted Bannon's departure was a mutual decision, Trump later declared he fired him because he had become an ineffective "lighting rod" after he made disparaging comments about Donald Trump Jr. in Michael Wolff's new tell-all book.

Omarosa Manigault Newman -- communications director at the White House Office of Public Liaison

Omarosa, the former "Apprentice" star with a long history with Trump, left the White House in December. Though her role was ill-defined, her departure was significant because it highlighted how few African-Americans hold senior positions in the West Wing.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Kevin Liptak, Dana Bash and Dan Merica contributed to this report.
Photo taken on April 11, 2017 shows a cargo of China Railway Express being moved at Duisburg Intermodal Terminal (DIT) in Duisburg, western Germany. Since "YUXIN'OU" (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe) railway line came into use in 2011, China-Europe freight train services, with a growing number of trans-continental railway lines and increasing cargo volume, have become important to the ancient Silk Road. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - The number of countries, regions, and international organizations that have signed cooperation agreements with China on the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative has reached 69, the country's top economic planner said Thursday.

The agreements consist of cooperation deals in various fields, including infrastructure construction, financial collaboration, and cultural exchanges, said a spokesperson with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Some key infrastructure projects, including the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, have seen fast development with the active participation of Chinese companies, said the spokesperson.

More than 4,000 cargo train trips have been made between China and Europe, with the trains passing through 31 cities in 12 European countries.

In terms of finance, China has signed currency swap agreements with 22 countries and regions along the Belt and Road, with total size reaching about one trillion yuan ($150 billion).

In addition, China has signed educational cooperation agreements with more than 60 countries and partnered with the World Health Organization in promoting health projects based on the initiative.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes to seek common development and prosperity.

The NDRC will continue to push the construction of key projects under the initiative while helping companies implement risk-control mechanisms, preventing irrational overseas investments, said the spokesperson.
An engineer inspects operation of the aluminum electrolytic cells at a plant of Linfeng Aluminum Power Co in Linzhou, Henan province. XINHUA

Regulators issue measures to curb speculative trading amid volatile market

With the huge trading volume and surging prices of the financial derivatives market, Chinese regulators have issued a series of measures to curb speculative trading and maintain stability in the whole financial market.

The Shanghai Future Exchanges announced on April 11 the implementation of trading limits for rebarfinished long steel products used mainly in constructionand the increase of transaction fees within the day on April 21.

"The regulation has had an immediate impact on the market, because commodity prices are largely driven by policies," said Zhan Sheng, investment manager from JZ Investment.

The price of rebar was at 3,738 yuan ($557) per metric ton on Thursday, down 8 percent from 4,079 yuan earlier this year, its highest price in 2017.

The rebar position decreased from 9.15 million handsa Chinese measurement used in the sectoron Aug 11 to 2.12 million hands on Thursday.

One hand is five tons in the rebar futures market and is the minimum amount an investor can buy.

At the same time, the Shanghai Stock Exchange has requested several listed steel companies to issue reports discussing the influence that cutting capacity would have on them, and is requiring their company earnings be more transparent than previously.

On July 28, Chang Depeng, spokesman from China Securities Regulatory Commission, said the commission is carrying out special inspection of futures companies to maintain the stability of the futures market and promote standard operation of the companies.

"These measures are expected to cool the rising investment market, minimize the fluctuation range and make prices more reasonable," said Zhan, emphasizing that the futures market has only been in existence for about 20 years and is thus far less mature than the London Metal Exchange.

The events on the futures market on April 11 is impressive, with daily turnover of about 100 million tons, exceeding the total national output of 99.59 million tons in the first half of the year, the most active day of the futures market historically.

The bulk commodityincluding iron, steel and coalfutures' up and down has begun from October last year, because of the supply-side reform and capacity reduction.

Since early June, most commodity prices have been rising further as hot money has flowed out of the property market: The main contract price of rebar at the Shanghai Futures Exchange has surged 40 percent, hitting a four-year high, iron ore soared 30 percent, and zinc increased to a 10-year high.

The previous market has been completely irrational, with speculators ignoring some fundamental elements such as inventory and supply and demand, Zhan said. He added that the irrationality makes for a dangerous financial market.

The hot commodity markets attract not only retail investors in large numbers but also companies from China and even some foreign institutions and hedge funds to join the queue.

"There are some foreign investors but not many, as they, being mature traders, are reluctant to enter a risky market in general," said Zhang Jiawei, director of the introducing broker business at SDIC Essence Futures, a subsidiary of Essence Securities.

Academia Capital, a hedge fund from the United States, has invested in China's futures market, said a report from Hexun.com.

Ivan Szpakowski, its chief investment officer, said that even though speculative trading pushed up the price of raw materials, the commodity prices still have room to rise after a recent correction, but the upside will be reversed in the next six months.

"Once speculative positions have shifted direction, China's commodity markets (can be)... a very attractive profit-making opportunity for short sellers."

With rich trading experience, foreign investors' joining has the function of cooling the market rise, because they will not follow the herd, said Zhan, the non-ferrous expert.

The level of activity on China's metal futures has even passed that of the London Metal Exchange this year, said a report from Hexun.com, a well-known finance platform.

Another reason luring more investors entering the market is that crude oil futures listing may be just around the corner, after several years of preparation, Zhan said.

China is the largest crude oil importer in the world, and the listing of oil futures is the first step for China to influence the commodity's list prices.
Sinosure's logo is seen at an office in Fuzhou, Fujian province, June 19, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

In the wake of the US launch of an investigation into Chinese trade practices, China Export and Credit Insurance Corp, also known as Sinosure, said on Thursday that it will guarantee the interests of related Chinese export companiesbased on insurance policiesand help them expand new markets.

Zha Weimin, deputy general manager and spokesman of Sinosure, China's only policy-oriented insurance company, said that if the US slapped on unilateral sanctions it would harm bilateral economic and trade relations.

"In the short-term, the default risks of US buyers will be higher and Chinese export companies will suffer losses; in the long-term, the trade barrier with the US will make Chinese exports transfer to other countries," Zha said.

US President Donald Trump earlier this week called for an investigation into China over US intellectual property practices and technology transfers. As a result, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, a veteran Reagan administration trade official, opened an investigation against China under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

"China Export and Credit Insurance Corp will guarantee the interests of Chinese export enterprises, based on insurance policies, if they suffer losses and positively support them to expand new markets and improve international competitiveness," Zha said.

Zha added that Chinese exporters should pay attention to the change in US import policies and be cautious when delivering goods, keeping open full lines of communications with US buyers.

China Export and Credit Insurance Corp has provided about 70,000 companies going abroad with insurance, risk management and financing services.

In the first six months of this year, the insured amount of the company totaled $257.4 billion, increasing 14.6 percent year-on-year. It also paid a total of $520 million in indemnity in the first half, up 0.6 percent year-on-year.

The policy-oriented insurance company offered 156 programs in connection with Belt and Road countries and regions and insurance services in the first half this year33 of them national programs. Since the Belt and Road Initiative was put forward in 2013, its insured amount for Belt and Road programs has totaled more than $480 billion.

The company also said it had done a lot of work on Chinese manufacturing companies going abroad. It said its insured amount for the Chinese shipping industry in the first six months increased 14.7 percent year-on-year.

"We will continue to support Belt and Road programs and those in strategic emerging industries such as new energy, new materials and high technology," Zha said.
The Sydney Opera House is one of Australia's premier tourist destinations.[Photo/Xinhua]

China contributes the most to Australia's labor market among all foreign investment in recent years, creating about 800,000 jobs in Australia compared to US's 300,000 during 2014 to 2015, according to a report released by the Australia-China Actions Institute at the University of Technology in Sydney on Monday.

An economic model developed by the institute has found that up to 500,000 local jobs would be lost if China's growth rate slowed from the targeted 6.5 percent this year to less than 3 percent.

The report said this is because Chinese investors have a strong interest in the construction sector.

In 2014, former US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton cautioned Australia not to put all its eggs in China's basket. Then Minister Malcolm Turnbull quipped: "I'm sure that we'd love to export vast quantities of iron ore to the United States but they've never shown any enthusiasm in buying them."

According to Australian Financial Reviews on Thursday, no country or even group of countries can absorb the 650 million tons that China does in Australia.

Over the past 12 months, China has snapped up $95 billion worth of Australian goods, eight times more than the US. Australian services gained another $11 billion thanks to China's voracious appetite.

A poll from Lowy Institute, an independent Australian think tank, found that 43 percent of Australians regard China as Australia's most important relationship overall, the same proportion that nominated the US as their main security ally.

Australia's labor market is said to be softening and wages are growing at the slowest pace on record, with one of every six jobs in Australia being supported by foreign investments. With the end of the mining investment boom, labor-absorbing sectors, including construction, manufacturing, and services are being encouraged, which are relatively restricted by Australia right now.
French high-end department store Galeries Lafayette plans to open its second location in Chinaan outlet in Shanghainext year. The company has operated in China since 2013, when it opened a store in Beijing.

Shanghai Lujiazui Finance & Trade Zone Development Co Ltd, which is listed on the Shanghai market, announced after the close of trading on Wednesday that it signed a letter of intent with Galeries Lafayette (China) to open a new store in Shanghai's Pudong New Area by the end of 2018.

According to the notice, Shanghai Lujiazui will offer a 23,100-square-meter space for Galeries Lafayette (China), a joint venture founded by Societe Anonyme des Galeries Lafayette and Hong Kong's I.T. Ltd, and will assist in decoration of the store. A formal contract will be signed between the parties within three months, according to the notice.

Galeries Lafayette (China), founded in September 2010 in Hong Kong, was authorized to launch and operate Galeries Lafayette department stores in China.

"The Galeries Lafayette in Paris is truly a landmark shopping destination for global tourists, and its affluent offerings and fine shopping environment attract travelers ... all the year around," said Qi Xiaozhai, head of the Shanghai Society of Commercial Economy. But Qi said the new store will face challenges along with opportunities.

The location of the future Shanghai Galeries Lafayette will be in a brand new shopping mall located in Shanghai's Lujiazui financial and trade zone. The project is within one kilometer of 44 skyscrapers, including the 632-meter Shanghai Tower, China's tallest building and home to the Tomson Riviera apartments, which sell for up to 237,600 yuan ($35,462) per square meter. The area has more than 460,000 white collar workers in Grade-A offices and more than 160,000 residents living in the high-end residential community.

"The ideal location will give Galeries Lafayette some privilege in attracting high-end customers from this area," said Qi, but he added that operating successfully in a highly competitive shopping mall market is not easy at all.

According to Euromonitor International data, the revenue of China's department stores grew from 943.8 billion yuan in 2012 to 994 billion yuan last year, but it forecast that the figure will slip to 904 billion yuan by 2021.

"The key to success will be finding its own positioning, amid the fierce competition of Shanghai's numerous shopping centers, department stores, as well as the rampant e-commerce," Qi said.
The rapid expansion of electrolytic aluminum production in China has lost steam, following the government's decision to eliminate overcapacity in the industry, hot on the heels of similar moves in the steel and coal sectors.

Electrolytic aluminum output reached 2.69 million metric tons in July, a drop of 0.3 percent year-on-year, the National Bureau of Statistics reported on Monday.

"This is the first year-on-year drop since the beginning of the year, which means the policy of capacity elimination in the sector has started to take effect," said Che Hongyun, chief analyst at SDIC Essence Futures.

The cutback in output has led to higher prices, she added, emphasizing that aluminum futures may remain volatile in high levels.

The aluminum price at the Shanghai Future Exchanges bounced back again after it dipped earlier this week. It closed at 16,520 yuan ($2,465) per metric ton on Thursday, the highest price in almost five years,

In April, regulators including the National Development and Reform Commission announced the elimination of illegal projectsincreases in capacity since May 2013in the electrolytic aluminum sector within six months, which kicked off the capacity cutbacks.

Shandong province, the largest aluminum producing province in China, said on July 24 it would close 3.21 million tons of illegal projects, following similar measures by several other provinces.

China's electrolytic aluminum output was 31.64 million metric tons last year, accounting for 53.7 percent of the global total of 58.89 million tons, according to the International Aluminium Institute.

In addition, Shandong's output is currently at 11.98 million metric tons, 27 percent of China's total, according to Aladdin, a statistics platform.

"Aluminum inventories are now at historically high levels because of waning demand, which has dragged down prices," said Xu Ruoxu, an analyst at Shenwan Hongyuan Securities.

The surging aluminum price in early August came after the local government in Shandong announced that reductions in supply were much more than industry experts expected.

At that point, the price soared 13.58 percent from 14,545 yuan per ton on Aug 1 to 16,520 yuan on Thursday.

The market environment is now dominated by capacity reductions and higher inventories.

It would be difficult for the aluminum price to rise further, as it is already very high and the purchasing power of the spot market is weak, said Zhan Sheng, investment director of JZ Investment.

You Yang, a broker based in Hong Kong, said that the price may fall back, but not too much, as it is far higher than the acceptable level for downstream enterprises.

But Che stressed that the aluminum price may rise further not only due to the policy of eliminating illegal projects by October, but also because of moves to cut air pollution in Beijing, Tianjin and the surrounding 26 cities, including Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Handan in Hebei province.

"Aluminum is the focus of attention by speculators, in spite of high inventories," Che said.

"Illegal capacity elimination is now at the implementation stage. The achievements will appear gradually," she added.

The air pollution prevention and control plan released by environmental authorities calls on Beijing, Tianjin and the surrounding 26 cities to shut down 30 percent of their electrolytic aluminum capacity in the winter heating season.
BEIJING - After Russian businessman Igor Gorshkov visited the Chinese border city of Suifenhe last year, he opened a Russian sausage factory there in May and its products are becoming very popular with Chinese consumers.

Knowing that there is a huge market potential for Russian sausages in China and that Suifenhe provides preferential policies for foreign start-ups, Gorshkov and his friend Andrei Azarnov opened their factory on "Russian Startup Street" in the city in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

The company enjoys free rent for three years and a "one-stop" business registration service. "Our business has been developing smoothly," said Azarnov.

Their products have been sold to many parts of north China including Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Jilin and Shandong provinces. The street is home to 19 Russian businesses, with more to be opened.

As one of the five BRICS countries, China remains attractive to foreign investors given its huge market and eye-catching economic growth.

Like Gorshkov and Azarnov, many entrepreneurs from BRICS countries have been attracted to China to pursue their dreams, hoping for closer cooperation between the five member nations.

Easier business environment

"The biggest motivation [to come to China] was the huge Chinese consumer market, a powerful market with strong economic growth," said Moises Oliveira, CEO of Guangzhou China-Brazil Commerce Co. Ltd.

Oliveira first visited China in 2010 to attend the Canton Fair in the southern Guangdong province, to learn about selling Chinese commodities in Brazil. He has attended the trade fair every year since.

In May last year, he founded his company with five partners.

"We saw a great opportunity in the Chinese market. We are here with a long-term vision," Oliveira said.

"We continue to take Chinese-made products to serve our customers in Brazil and now the Chinese have the opportunity to buy the best from Brazil," he told Xinhua.

Lyle Charles Laxton, CEO of South Africa-based Laxton Group, shared the same view about China.

The business environment in China is becoming easier to navigate year by year, said Laxton, adding that the Chinese government is working toward making it easier for global companies to invest and establish a business.

The State Council, China's cabinet, Wednesday unveiled a series of measures for ensuring the steady growth of foreign investment and making its foreign investment environment more law-based, internationalized and convenient.

Founded in 2004 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Laxton Group moved its Technology and Production Headquarters to Guangzhou in 2009, where its factory now has 200 permanent employees.

The multinational company is specialized in manufacturing self-service kiosk terminals for governments and corporations. Last year, the company received a high-tech certification from the Guangdong provincial government.

"The Chinese government has business-friendly incentives and policies for high technology companies and is proactive and helpful," said Laxton. "The supply chain in China supports our business and allows us to create and manufacture products that are competitive on a global stage."

According to Laxton, southern China is without question the biggest electronics production hub in the world. Being positioned in this hub allows for an effective springboard into the global market.

"The legal framework and judicial system is fair and actually works. In general, it has protected us when we required protection, which is encouraging for any foreign investor," the African entrepreneur told Xinhua.

Expecting BRICS summit fruitful

The ninth BRICS summit will be held in the Southeast China coastal city of Xiamen from Sept 3 to 5, with the theme "BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future".

According to Oliveira, his company plans to expand business to other BRICS countries, especially India and Russia.

"I really hope BRICS countries can continue their strong ties, and maintain the cooperation among the nations," he told Xinhua.

China has undergone remarkable changes over the years. "Seven years ago, mobile payment and bike-sharing facilities were not so commonly seen, but now Alipay and Mobike bicycles are everywhere," he said.

Laxton suggested a transparent web-based tender submission and bidding portal be established for projects funded by the BRICS New Development Bank so that companies can compete for projects in a standardized and consistent manner.

This would make it easier for companies to access BRICS-related projects and promote trade and cooperation between BRICS nations, he added.

Vivek Prabhakar, an Indian who runs a travel agency in Beijing sending Chinese tourists to India and other south Asian countries, said that he expected the BRICS summit to bring more exchange in cultures, tourism and businesses to achieve common growth.
The governors cabinet leaders are building a tool kit for cities to help those interested in implementing his Main Street Initiative.

Gov. Doug Burgum spoke of his initiative, which emphasizes infill as a way to save on infrastructure costs and create attractive cities young workers will want to live in, to 340 attendees at the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerces Policy Summit Thursday.

Meanwhile, the North Dakota Department of Commerce is working with multiple state agencies to identify what services and state resources are already out there, inventorying them to create a one-stop-shop for local governments, said Co-Deputy Commissioner Sandy McMerty.

She anticipates the tool kit will be available this fall. How it will look, be organized and what it will include is being determined by agency heads now.

McMerty said the goal is to whittle down the available information so communities can better understand how it's useful to them. And the state IT Department is building an online dashboard tool to serve as an access point to that information, so instead of jumping from one agency website to another, it will be in one place.

State legislators have said they find the governors vision of economically efficient cities and workforce attraction interesting, but many wonder what policy steps will need to be taken to make that vision a reality.

Its a question of how you do it, said Rep. Cory Mock, D-Grand Forks during a legislative panel discussion at the chamber summit. We havent seen a lot of specific details in enacting the governors policy.

McMerty said she does see some potential for policy changes in the future. But what they are doing now is more about awareness and education and helping local governments navigate whats already in existence. She said its about looking at programs through a new lens.

The dashboard will also include data analysis tools to help communities understand the data that is available from the state, giving data-driven reasons for why the public should support these goals.
ACCRA - Standard Chartered Bank is predicting a boom in China's economic growth for 2017, Razia Khan, Chief Economist for Africa at the Standard Chartered Bank, said here on Thursday.

Addressing the media here on developments in the global economies, Khan said this growth, which was likely to create demand for more commodities, would also have positive impacts on African commodities.

"China in 2017 will see its first year-on-year growth acceleration since the global financial crisis... For African economies, this is going to be meaningful," she indicated.

"We might see good rates of growth this year; we expect Chinese growth to slow to a more sustainable pace going forward. What is important for Chinese policy makers will increasingly be the quality of that growth," she said.

On the impact of this growth on African economies, she said significant impact would be seen as more commodities would be needed from Africa.

Khan projected a further growth of China's middle-income class explaining that as China becomes a richer economy, and as incomes grow, commodity demand would also come to the fore.

"What happens now is that as China becomes a richer economy and per capita incomes rise, even if the growth rates are not going to be in double digits... we still think there's going to be substantial demand for the commodities that Africa produces.

"We still believe that China's intentions in the region are very much long-term , very carefully considered, very strategic and this is going to be a strong support for African growth," Khan added.
GUANGZHOU - Seven years ago, Ding Yunxiang's first startup failed due to copying an Italian luxury lighting brand. But today, his company in South China's Guzhen township, dubbed "China Lighting Capital," works with several Italian lighting designers.

Ding started his first company in the manufacturing hub on the Pearl River Delta in 2007. Its copycat lights, sold at home and abroad, brought in more than 20 million yuan ($3 million) in the first year. In 2008, he was sued by the Italian company and lost the lawsuit in 2010, when his company went bankrupt.

In 2014, Ding founded the lighting brand MUMOON focusing on original designs. The change in business plan was not only due to learning a lesson from his previous company. It was also due to changes to the local intellectual property rights (IPR) environment after an IPR protection center was set up in 2011 by the local government under the authorization of the State Intellectual Property Office.

"Foreign lighting companies used to call us plagiarizers. Now, they are willing and confident to maintain long-term cooperation with us," Ding said.

Following more than 30 years of development, the small town has become the world's largest light manufacturing and sales center. Last year, Guzhen manufactured around 50 percent of lights sold worldwide, exporting products worth $370 million.

However, before the IPR protection center was established, the local lighting industry was dominated by cheap and inferior counterfeits.

Designers did not like to work with Guzhen's manufacturers because of their copycat products, said Zhou Jintian with the town's Communist Party of China committee.

"We used to only allow VIP customers or buyers with reliable recommendations to see our new designs in the back room," said Zhang Zhuanli, general manager of Guzhen-based Kinglong Lighting Co Ltd.

Rampant IPR infringement resulted from the red tape involved in patent applications. It took the local intellectual property office a year to approve a patent, while each model would be replaced by a new one every three months, making patent application meaningless.

The IPR protection center has shortened the processing time to seven days, which has boosted enthusiasm for innovation and raised IPR awareness.

In 2016, the center handled more than 9,000 patent applications, up nearly 30 percent year-on-year, and over 500 IPR disputes, up nearly 24 percent.

Ma Chi, a teacher at Zhongshan Polytechnic, started a lighting studio with his students in Guzhen, earning more than 200,000 yuan a year selling patents and designs to companies.

"In the past, we sold lighting products, now we're selling designs and it makes good money," Ma said.

Most Guzhen's lighting companies now have their own design teams and brands, creating many new styles of lighting, said Ou Enxiong, deputy director of the town's bureau of economy, technology and information.

As better IPR protection has evolved Guzhen into a leading innovator in the global lighting industry, the IPR protection center has started to deal with disputes in which foreign companies have copied Chinese products, said Zhang Binghui, deputy head of the center.

Guzhen's transformation epitomizes China's increasing efforts in IPR protection.

In response to a memorandum signed by US President Donald Trump to direct the US Trade Representative to examine China's intellectual property practices, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce said earlier this week that China has always paid great attention to IPR protection, by improving legislation and intensifying administrative and judicial protection.

In 2016, Chinese police solved 17,000 criminal cases of IPR infringement, with more than 4.6 billion yuan involved, and Chinese customs seized over 42 million products violating IPR.

Since 2013, the Chinese government has launched over 170 campaigns to prevent fake products, while more than 1.3 million cases have been handled and nearly 100,000 people jailed. The intellectual property courts set up in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in 2014 have dealt with nearly 40,000 cases.
People cross the street in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, July 25, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Chinese and Russian university student representatives will take part in an eight-day event to exchange ideas on internet media in port city Rostov-on-Don, southern Russia from Sept 15.

The event is being organized by chinadaily.com.cn and Don State Technical University.

During their visit to Rostov-on-Don, students from China will communicate with their Russian peers on internet media technologies and together they will produce a video clip on the city landscape, which will be broadcast at the opening ceremony of the China-Russia Forum: New Media  Youth Collaboration.

The IPDC Talks, a TED-style speech series, and e-sports exhibition games will highlight the forum.

IPDC stands for the International Programme for the Development of Communication, which was launched at the 21st session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, in 1980, with the aim of promoting media development in developing countries.

IPDC Talks brings together government officials, business elites, journalists and scholars to discuss issues that are of international concern. The topic of the IPDC Talks this time will be "Powering sustainable development with access to information".

The exhibition games will see top FIFA and DOTA e-sports players from China and Russia compete and show their muscles.

The China-Russia Forum: New Media  Youth Collaboration is a continuation of last year's China-Russia Internet Media Forum & China-Russia New Media Youth Leadership Summit held in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, in October.
The display area of China Unicom at an industry expo in Beijing. WANG XINFENG / FOR CHINA DAILY

Experts sees it as breakthrough for involving internet firms, employee incentive shares, mixed-ownership

The $11.7 billion share sale by China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd, the country's second-largest mobile carrier by subscribers, marks a milestone in the Chinese government's push to further rejuvenate State behemoths with private capital, signaling that a number of investment opportunities will emerge from mixed-ownership reform, experts said.

As it is the first in a batch of State-owned enterprises slated for mixed-ownership reforms, the plan disclosed by China Unicom is a great breakthrough, as it involves internet companies, employee incentive shares and enterprise governance, said Li Jin, chief researcher at the China Enterprise Research Institute.

"China Unicom has made a big step in its reform and laid a foundation for the subsequent reforms of other State-owned enterprises," Li said.

According to the plan, more than a dozen strategic investors, including tech heavyweights Tencent Holdings Ltd, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Baidu Inc and JD.com Inc, will buy a 35.2 percent stake in China Unicom's Shanghai-listed arm, in a deal that will raise around 78 billion yuan ($11.7 billion).

The unlisted, State-run parent will see its stake shrink to 36.7 percent from 62.7 percent, but remain the biggest owner. State-owned enterprises including China Life Insurance Co and China Structural Reform Fund Corp also participated in the share sale.

Unicom A share company shareholding structure after mixed-ownership reform LIU LUNAN / CHINA DAILY

Li said: "It is a breakthrough for China Unicom to take employee incentive shares into consideration, which is a good reference as the following batch of companies could consider granting shares to their employees in their reforms."

"The plan sets a good example for other State-owned enterprises and promotes mixed-ownership reform. It is also beneficial to break the monopoly in the telecom sector and encourage other telecom carriers to carry out reforms," said Shi Wei, a researcher at the Institute of Economic System and Management under the National Development and Reform Commission.

According to China Unicom, bringing in new investors will help the company improve its innovative capacity and allow it to transform from a traditional mobile carrier to an integrated information and technology operator.

"This ownership reform is a strategic move for all parties involved. The technical assets and experience of internet companies are crucial for China Unicom to improve its service quality and operational capabilities," said Charlie Dai, principal analyst at Forrester Research Inc.

"China Unicom's rich infrastructure resources and partner ecosystem will also help these new investors speed up their business expansion and penetration in different areas, including cloud computing, artificial intelligence and the internet of things, Dai added.

However, dealing with diversified shareholders is a complicated problem and raised concerns that State-owned assets may face losses, analysts said.

Moreover, two filings published on the website of the Shanghai Stock Exchange were no longer available at 8:30 pm on Wednesday. China Unicom was not immediately available for comment.

In terms of the reasons behind the withdrawal of the filings, a report by financial news website caixin.com, citing industry analysts, noted details regarding the pricing of the new shares and investors' shareholdings may have contradicted the new rules that Chinese security regulators issued in February.

Cheng Yu contributed to this story.
Parked Youon shared bikes on a street in Luoyang, Henan province. PROVIDED TO China Daily

Changzhou Youon shares sprint to put on big gains as stock starts trading

Changzhou Youon Public Bicycle System, the nation's first listed bike-sharing company, sprinted ahead and took line honors in its first trading day in Shanghai on Thursday.

Listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange with an issue price of 26.85 yuan ($4) per share, Changzhou Youon started trading at 32.22 yuan per share on Thursday, and halted trading for the price instantly reached 38.66 yuan, which exceeded the daily price increase limit of 10 percent.

Based on its closing price, Youon's market capitalization was 3.7 billion yuan on day one. Sun Jisheng, founder of Youon who holds 35.72 percent of the company, saw his personal wealth swell to 1.3 billion yuan.

However, Thursday's good fortune still does not qualify him to enter the benchmark Hurun Rich List, which monitors the ups and downs of Chinese billionaires. The threshold for last year's list was 2 billion yuan.

Zhang Xu, a senior analyst at Beijing-based internet consultancy Analysys, said the surge of Youon on its first trading day may not reflect investors' confidence in its business modelbut rather a common phenomenon for most of the companies newly listed on China's A-shares market.

Founded in 2010, Youon has attracted 20 million users nationwide and has rolled out 890,000 public bikes in over 210 Chinese cities and counties.

Unlike its better-known rivals Ofo and Mobike, which provide dockless bikes with smart locks, Youon specializes in public bikes with fixed locking poles and designated parking lots, most of which are operated in cooperation with local governments. Also, Youon has reported profit for three consecutive years since 2014, while the other two are still waiting to go into the black.

According to its half-year results to June 30, released on Wednesday, the company posted sales of 474 million yuan, up 43.46 percent year-on-year. Net profit rose 20.99 percent to 61.36 million yuan.

First-half net cash flow soared 105 percent year-on-year. The group said the surge was partly driven by its rising business in dockless bike sharing services.

Youon debuted in the dockless bike sharing sector in November last year, putting out 50,000 bikes in cities including Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu. According to its prospectus, this sector only took up 0.05 percent of its income in 2016. The bulk of its earnings then remained with docked bicycles.

Analysys analyst Zhang predicted the business model of public bikes with locking poles will eventually be replaced by dockless bikes, because the former lacked competitiveness in technology and user experience.

"Youon is now taking the lead, mainly in the lower-tier cities where industry leaders such as Ofo and Mobike have not yet entered," he said.
A driver uses Uber's ride-hailing service app on a smartphone in Singapore. BLOOMBERG

Uber Technologies Inc is in exclusive talks to line up funding from four major investors.

But a deal, which could involve as much as $12 billion, hangs on the outcome of a courtroom brawl between two board members.

Funding would come from Japan's SoftBank Group Corp and Chinese ride-hailing juggernaut Didi Chuxing, along with the United States-based equity firms Dragoneer Investment Group and General Atlantic, according to people familiar with the matter.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc is advising Uber on the potential transaction. China's Tencent Holdings Ltd has also explored contributing funds to this latest investment round.

It is expected to raise $1 billion to $1.5 billion for Uber, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private.

A second component of the deal would allow a swath of shareholders to cash out at a lower price than the current valuation.

Investors could spend $2 billion to $10 billion buying out shareholders' stock, a wide range that depends on demand from sellers, said one source.

Uber, SoftBank, Didi, General Atlantic and Goldman Sachs declined to comment. Dragoneer and Tencent did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Bloomberg first reported SoftBank's intentions to buy Uber shares last month, and the New York Times reported other major investors in the possible deal this week.

The exclusivity agreement, which temporarily bars other investors from swooping in, has not been previously revealed.

But the transaction hangs on Uber's ability to resolve an ongoing fight between two of the company's largest shareholders and most influential board members, the sources said.

Venture capital firm Benchmark is suing Travis Kalanick, the former chief executive officer who was forced out in June.

Benchmark claims Kalanick defrauded investors and withheld information from directors when he sought to create three board seats last year, according to the complaint.

Kalanick denied the allegations in a statement and said he was "disappointed and baffled by Benchmark's hostile actions."

New investors may be given the power to appoint as many as two representatives to Uber's board, the sources said. But the lawsuit poses major complications.

An outstanding question is whether Kalanick would relinquish his seat or the two empty ones under his control, which is the focus of Benchmark's suit, or whether new seats would be created.

Two people said Kalanick is supportive of an investment involving SoftBank, which has a mega fund of nearly $100 billion to spend on technology deals.

A group of three smaller Uber stockholders, led by Kalanick's friend Shervin Pishevar, came to the former CEO's defense last week. They want to buy most of Benchmark's stock and take its board seat.

Pishevar is looking to secure a loan for investors to finance the purchase of shares independent of the main deal, a person familiar with the matter said.

The San Francisco-based company sees such an agreement as unlikely because it would not approve transactions that prioritize certain shareholders over others, people familiar with the matter said. A spokeswoman for Pishevar declined to comment.

If Uber's directors can resolve their dispute quickly, the two-pronged deal would allow the company to retain its valuation of about $70 billion on paper, while also giving panicked shareholders a way out.

The four would-be investors in the new funding round are in the due-diligence period, and terms of the deal are still being discussed. The amount spent on shareholders' equity and the price for their stock will depend on seller interest, sources said.

SoftBank is a major backer of ride-hailing companies in India, Southeast Asia and China.

Didi and Uber agreed to a cease-fire in China a year ago and became mutual shareholders in each other's businesses.

Uber remains in a fierce, money-losing fight with India's Ola and Southeast Asia's Grab. A truce with either company is not an immediate condition regarding SoftBank's investment, the people said.

The largest investor in Soft-Bank's $93 billion Vision Fund is Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, which is already a major Uber backer.

That has added pressure to keep the value of the direct investment in Uber at the same level as the last round, even though the bulk of the transaction will be at a lower stock price.

SoftBank and Didi are expected to contribute the majority of Uber's planned financing, one of the people said.

The search for a CEO to replace Kalanick continues in parallel with negotiations over the funding. A 14-person management committee is running the business, though one member, Ryan Graves, plans to leave in a month.

Meanwhile, a subcommittee of Uber's board led by media mogul Arianna Huffington is overseeing the hunt for a new CEO. General Electric Co-Chairman Jeffrey Immelt remains a serious candidate, people with knowledge of the process said.

The company is also considering at least three other people, whose names have yet to be revealed.

Kalanick recently told colleagues he does not intend to come back as CEO anytime soon, but he may want to join the company in an advisory role, working with the next chief, two people said.

Uber still hopes to name a new boss by early next month, an aggressive deadline given the prolonged turmoil surrounding the company.

BLOOMBERG
China's internet powerhouses are striving ahead as pioneers in a government-led reform to shake up the country's bloated State-owned enterprises.

The introduction of a host of tech giants as strategic investors in the nation's second largest telecom operator underpins Beijing's hope to overhaul bulky SOEs to shift to better productivity using their expertise and experience, analysts said.

The bloc comprises perhaps the most famous names in the technology field, including gaming and social giant Tencent Holdings Ltd, search engine Baidu Inc, e-commerce majors Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and JD.com Inc, all of which are prolific buyers overseas.

Martin Lau, president of Tencent, told investors on Wednesday that the move is a "monumental step" in China's economic restructuring effort. The company invested 11 billion yuan ($1.65 billion) to claim 5.18 percent of China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd's Shanghai listed arm.

Baidu, which accounts for 3.3 percent of the new venture, said in a statement that it is confident about the future of artificial intelligence and how its applications in areas like autonomous driving will fuel new momentum for telecom carriers.

The inclusion of China's top-tier tech firms in such a sensitive industry symbolizes Beijing's determination to carry out the reform in a thorough and open manner, said Xue Yongfeng, deputy general manager of the research unit at Beijing-based Analysys.

"Each of these participants is an experienced investor. They know how to bring business synergies and create value in a culturally diverse environment," he said.

Tencent, Alibaba and Baidu, often known as the country's "technology trinity", have altogether spent $112.4 billion in 174 overseas deals since 2012, according to market intelligence group Mergermarket in June.

The benefits of investing in China Unicom also include strengthening ties with a company responsible for rolling out the next-generation technology that is essential for keeping customers loyal to their online services, said Peter Liu, research director at IT consultancy Gartner Inc.

"There's clearly a gap between the (tech firms') desires to deploy new technology and the current internet infrastructure," Liu said, adding that this is notably holding back developments in the realm of AI and virtual reality.

"Capital injection would help relieve financial burdens for the cellular carrier to push ahead with its 5G deployment, which would in turn benefit internet companies," he said.

Pursuit of data is also a major motive behind the deal, said Xue from Analysys. Dozens of emerging businesses, from bike rental, smart delivery, to the still-nascent connected healthcare services, all rely on secure and stable mobile connectivity.

"As the internet is so mobile dominated, tech players may need operator-level data to gain full access to people's online behavior and cash in on such information under proper guidance," he said.
BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday sent a message to Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma expressing condolences over a mudslide disaster which caused heavy casualties and property losses in the African country.

In the message, Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, extended deep condolences to the victims in the disaster and expressed sympathy with their families.

The side of a hill collapsed in heavy rains in the early hours of Monday, killing more than 300 people near or at the outskirts of Freetown,capital of Sierra Leone, and leaving more than 2,000 others homeless.
Mao Zhaomu.[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Deliveryman Mao Zhaomu dropped out of high school after his first semester, but now the self-taught English learner has been admitted to one of China's top foreign studies universities.

The 18-year-old first hit the headlines in March after sending a text message in English to one of his customers, a student at Sichuan International Studies University.

"Hello, your phone was power off when I called you. Your meal have been put by me on the vending machine. Please carry it home after you see the message. Thank you. Have pleasant meal."

Surprised to receive a message in English from a deliveryman, the student posted a screenshot of it to Weibo. The post soon went viral.

Mao explained at the time that he sent the message in English to practice his language skills, and because he thought all SISU students would be sure to understand.




The Silk Road Photographic Organization International Cooperation Summit is held on August 14 in Qingdao West Coast New Area. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With upbeat and joyful music and performances, the Fifth International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) Photo Meeting came to an end on August 14 in Qingdao West Coast New Area of East China's Shandong province.

Known as the "Olympics of photography", the FIAP Photo Meeting is one of world photography's flagship events, and it was the first time to be held in China.

More than 400 people took part in the closing ceremony, including Yang Yuanxing, president of China Art Photography Society, Riccardo Busi, FIPA president, Zhu Peiji, vice-mayor of Qingdao, and Yu Fenggui, director general of Shandong Tourism Development Committee.

Before the closing meeting, the Silk Road Photographic Organization International Cooperation Summit was held, during which the Silk Road Photographic Organization International Alliance was unveiled, and the alliance's liaison office, a permanent exhibition center and a photography base was established in the Qingdao West Coast New Area.

From August 7 to 14, more than 300 well-known photographers from 42 countries and regions visited Shandong's eight cities and Qingdao was the last leg of the worldwide photographers' trip to Shandong.

During the week-long meeting, they took special tours with a combination of sightseeing, cultural experiences and photography activities.

The photographers went across Qingdao to record the city's coastal landscape, cityscape, folk customs and industrial development. They also experienced the ongoing Qingdao International Beer Festival, the Asian version of Oktoberfest, at the Golden Beach of West Coast New Area, the main venue of the beer festival.

"Qingdao is a really beautiful, progressive, cosmopolitan waterfront city and I love coming here," said Kurt Batschinski, a photographer from Austria.

Irmeli Kauppinen, a photographer from Andorra, spoke highly of the Qingdao International Beer Festival.

"The atmosphere here is amazing, and you can enjoy all sorts of beers from all over the world while watching exhilarating shows or just chatting with friends."

The 2017 FIAP Photo Meeting was supported by UNESCO China, and jointly hosted by the FIAP, Shandong Tourism Development Committee, Shandong Provincial Department of Culture, and the Shandong International Culture Exchange Center.
Next week's ballot offers some intrigue for North Dakotans  from late congressional entries by independent candidates to term limits and marijuana legalization. Voters will decide whether to endorse changing the state constitution to limit the terms of the governor and state legislators. Another citizen-led initiative also will put the question of marijuana legalization before voters, who rejected the idea four years ago. Ninety-eight of the Legislatures 141 seats are on the ballot. All but one Democrat is up for reelection this year. Contests for secretary of state, attorney general and other state offices Also will appear on the ballot.
HARBIN -- New evidence of human experiments and germ war crimes by Japan's notorious Unit 731 were released by a museum Friday in Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

The Museum of Evidence of War Crimes by Japanese Army Unit 731 has added written confessions of germ war criminals, a transportation record of human experiments, old photos of the unit soldiers and an incubator for producing plague bacillus.

"The incubator, collected from a resident in Harbin, directly proves 731's atrocities of germ experiments and development," said Jin Chengmin, curator of the museum.

It also verified confessions of a germ war criminal saying that the base had a culture room that could produce 10 kilograms of germs in 12 or 24 hours and four incubators that were used for biological production.

Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin in 1935 as the nerve center of Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during World War II.

The unit conducted experiments on live human beings to test germ-releasing bombs and chemical bombs, among other atrocities.

Many civilians and prisoners of war from China, the Soviet Union, the Korean Peninsula and Mongolia perished at the hands of Japanese scientists. Some of them were children.

At least 3,000 people were used for human experimentation by Unit 731and more than 300,000 people across China were killed by Japan's biological weapons.

A documentary released on Aug 13 by Japan's NHK vividly presented the cruel yet irrefutable historical truth through testimonies of Unit 731 participants and authentic records of the Khabarovsk War Crimes Trials in 1949.

After Japan's defeat in 1945, the unit hastily pulled out of China, with 3,000 children and some experimental equipment left behind. Many of the Japanese children were raised by Chinese families.
SYDNEY -- Around the world, the shift toward a more autonomous future has been heralded by some as the harbinger of end times, while others are adamant that the sentient computer-driven revolution will usher in a new era of technological progress - the likes of which have never been seen in human history, let alone imagined.

As countries and companies race to be at the forefront of this new technological sector of discovery, one scientist believes that China is extremely well-placed to benefit from the exciting future that artificial intelligence (AI) has to offer the world.

Toby Walsh, a professor of artificial intelligence at Australia's University of New South Wales, spoke to Xinhua recently at his fully purposed robot lab on campus that with the current shift toward a consumption-driven economy, the stage is set for China to benefit immensely from the AI revolution.

"China is making a very sensible bet here on AI. It is very well placed to take advantage of the coming AI revolution. It has a lot of data, it has lots of big tech companies which are well positioned to develop," Walsh said.

"It is making very strong bets in this area, so I imagine that China is going to do very well out of this revolution."

China's State Council has announced the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Plan that will see China take steps to become a global innovation center in this field.

AI has already begun to manifest itself in ways which most people do not realize, and Walsh said that it has been happening as a gradual process and will continue to do so, albeit at a somewhat faster pace as the technology improves and develops.

"AI is becoming more and more widespread in our lives, people don't realize it's there. Every time you speak to your smartphone, every time you get a product recommendation, every time you use the satellite navigation system in your car, you are using a bit of AI," Walsh said.

"Eventually it will become like electricity, it will be everywhere. In every room, in every car, in every device, we will be using AI - it will be the operating system of the future."

China's role in the AI sphere is also comforting to Walsh, who said that he feels worried that the benefits of the rapid advancements in technology that will be made will potentially be too isolated as they are often "winner take all markets" driven by the network effects of the technology.

"There's only one search engine on the planet - Google - outside of China. There's only one social media network on the planet - Facebook - outside of China. There's only one twitter like service, messaging service, on the planet - Twitter - outside of China," Walsh said.

"The reason that China has had the good sense to protect their own market is that they then have some competition, and if we don't do enough there will be so much power, so much wealth, concentrated into the hands of a few corporations, that they will be wealthier than countries, and they are not answerable like countries - to the people."

As China continues to make rapid advancements in the AI field and continues to invest heavily into the research and development aspect of this emerging technology, recent studies show that China is poised to become and possibly surpass all others in the pursuit of AI technological eminence.

These studies, such as a recent McKinsey Global Institute report that suggested within that not only will China be able to deploy AI technology successfully due to its "wide range of industries proving a fertile market for deployment," but also could potentially broaden the scope from the domestic level to a more international approach.

"Artificial intelligence has the potential to fundamentally shape our society for many decades to come. It is a uniquely powerful tool that China can deploy to boost its productivity and maintain its growth trajectory," the report said.

"The technology industry is becoming increasingly global. China has the capability and opportunity to lead international collaboration in the development and governance of AI, ensuring that this breakthrough technology will positively contribute to the general welfare of all humanity."
To push forward transformation and innovation in media industry, the Media Integration and Development Forum 2017 will be held in Shenzhen from August 18 to 19, organizers said on Friday.

Nearly 500 media representatives, scholars and industry insiders will gather to share their insights and views on how media industry could achieve better development by integrating with other industries and promoting innovation.

This year's event, themed "You are Me, I am You", will feature keynote speeches from heads of several state media, including China Daily, forums on diverse topics like how to promote innovation and development in media technology, how to retain core talents in the industry, etc.

The 2016-2017 report on media integration and development will also be published during the two-day event.

It is the third year for the event to be held in the southern city, known for its innovation.

"We have set Shenzhen as the permanent place to hold this major event in the media industry," said Pan Jian, deputy general manager of People's Daily Media Innovation.

"Shenzhen has the gene of innovation. The city has made a lot of achievements in innovative development," he told reporters at the forum's news conference in Shenzhen on Friday.

A number of well-known innovative enterprises including Tencent, Huawei and DJI Innovation are located in Shenzhen.

"We hope Chinese media could work with those enterprises to promote integrated development," Pan said.

The annual event is co-organized by People's Daily and Shenzhen municipal government.
Famous Chinese materials scientist Ke Jun died in Beijing on August 8, at the age of 101. [Photo from Chutian Metropolis Daily]

The body of famous Chinese materials scientist Ke Jun has been formally handed over to Wuhan University for research and education.

Ke died in Beijing on August 8, at the age of 101. In accordance with his will, his body would be donated to science, China Youth Daily reported.

About 200 people including Ke's relatives and officials from Wuhan University and Beijing University of Science and Technology attended a ceremony marking the donation on Thursday in Wuhan, Hubei province.

Ke Jun, born in Changchun of Northeast China's Jilin province, graduated from the chemistry department of Wuhan University in 1938. He gained his doctorate degree at Birmingham University in Britain in 1948.

Ke joined Beijing University of Iron and Steel Technology in 1954, and later became a professor at the Beijing University of Science and Technology. He was elected a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1980.

His studies on the mechanism of bainite transformation in steel have led to very active research on bainite in the world for nearly four decades.
BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday extended condolences to Spanish King Felipe VI over the deadly terrorist attack in central Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and more than 100 others injured Thursday.

In his message to the Spanish King, Xi said he is shocked to learn the terror attack in Barcelona that has caused heavy casualties.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people and in his own name, Xi mourned the dead and expressed heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured.

"China is firmly opposed to all forms of terrorism and stands ready to work with the international community, including Spain, to strengthen anti-terror cooperation so as to jointly safeguard regional and world peace and stability," the Chinese president said.
BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday expressed condolences to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy over the deadly terrorist attack in central Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and more than 100 others injured Thursday.

In a message of condolences, Li, on behalf of the Chinese government, mourned the dead, extended heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families and hoped for rapid recovery of the injured.

China firmly supports Spain in its efforts to fight terrorism and safegurad national security, and is willing to work with all nations, including Spain, to make joint contributions to world peace and security, said the Chinese premier.
He sends letter denouncing terror after two deadly vehicle attacks

People observe a minute of silence at Plaza de Cataluna in Barcelona on Friday, the day after a van plowed into pedestrians on the city's popular Las Ramblas boulevard, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 100. SERGIO PEREZ/REUTERS

President Xi Jinping has written to King Felipe of Spain to express his condolences over the terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils that killed at least 14 people on Thursday and Friday.

In his letter, Xi mourned the dead and expressed sympathy on behalf of China to the bereaved families and the injured.

"China is firmly opposed to all forms of terrorism and stands ready to work with the international community, including Spain, to strengthen anti-terror cooperation so as to jointly safeguard regional and world peace and stability," he wrote.

Spanish police said after the attacks that they had identified a cell of jihadists operating in the northern Spanish region of Catalonia.

The most serious incident occurred in Barcelona on Thursday when a man drove a van 500 meters down the city's most famous boulevard, Las Ramblas, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 130.

The street was full of tourists, and the victims were from around the world. Three of the injured were Chinese; two from Taiwan were being treated at a hospital, while one from Hong Kong received minor injuries.

Premier Li Keqiang expressed condolences on Friday to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy over the attacks.

Unlike in London, where posts have been placed between popular pedestrian areas and roads following two vehicle attacks, there was nothing to prevent the attacker from driving freely down the wide pedestrian zone, veering to the left and right in search of victims.

Police arrested two people but were still searching for the driver, identified by authorities as Moussa Oukabir, an 18-yearold Moroccan. Police arrested his brother, Driss Oukabir, 28, who they said had rented the van, in Ripoll near the border with France. Oukabir told police he had not rented the van and that his identity papers had been stolen.

Early Friday, a car was driven into a crowd in the coastal town of Cambrils, killing one person. The driver and four passengers were shot dead by police. Five bystanders and one police officer were injured. Police said the men were wearing fake bomb vests.

The Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, the inspiration for recent vehicle attacks in London, Stockholm, Berlin and Nice, claimed responsibility for the attacks but did not give any information connecting the individuals involved in the attacks to the group.




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A Haitian dancer performs in Beijing, Aug 16, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A dance troupe from Haiti held its debut show in Beijing on Wednesday, greeting people in the Chinese capital with exotic dancing steps from the Caribbean Sea and strong beats of Haitian music.

Dancers from Ballet Bacouloud' Haiti, a famed folk dance group in the Caribbean country, enthralled audience members with a show named Impression of Haiti at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. Accompanied by powerful rhythms of drums and trumpets - the main instruments of Haitian music, the artists told stories of Haitian people's lives, the Haitian history, culture as well as tales and legends, with a repertoire of 14 programs.

Ten Chinese violinists also played on stage, joining hands with Haitian musicians, adding a Chinese flavor into the show.

"They cooperated very well," said Zhao Haoran, a Chinese audience from a public relations company. "I really enjoyed the enthusiasm for life reflected in the dances and music."
WEST FARGO -- As the rest of the country is grappling with how to understand racial divides after violence erupted at a neo-Nazi rally in Charlottesville, Va. Aug. 12, Bonanzaville unveiled a new exhibit that celebrates the contributions and culture of Jewish families that helped shape North Dakota.

The yearlong exhibit, titled The North Dakota Jewish Experience: Shvitzing It Out on the Prairie, explores the history and lives of Jewish homesteaders.

The idea for the showcase was sparked after a May 21 rededication of the Jewish Homesteaders Cemetery in Ashley, which contains the graves of about 28 pioneer Jewish farmers. The rededication was followed by the July 4 placement of a plaque honoring Jewish settlers in the Dakota Territory next to South Pleasant Church at Bonanzaville.

Those events really sparked a lot of interest throughout the community, said Bonanzaville Executive Director Brenda Warren. We decided to educate our community and our visitors on what great contributions the Jewish immigrants made to North Dakota and our country.

Bonanzavilles exhibit, which includes a timeline of Jewish and artifacts of Jewish culture donated by area families, opened to a reception attended by nearly 100 people on Tuesday.

The story of North Dakota is a proud saga of hard work and dedication to the community, said Rabbi Yonah Grossman, who founded the Chabad Jewish Center in Fargo.

Jewish settlers

made their mark

After the U.S. Homestead Act of 1862, flocks of immigrants made their way west and into the Dakota Territory, and thousands of Jewish settlers made their home in the upper Great Plains.

At one time, North Dakota had the fourth largest number of homesteaders working plats of land, said Steve Hunegs, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.

At least 800 Jewish individuals filed for land between 1880 and 1916, usually settling in clusters around the state. The first Jewish settlement in North Dakota was in 1882 when about 11 families settled near Devils Lake, according to the Bonanzaville exhibit.

Millions of Jewish families were fleeing the Russian empires persecution during that time, including Rabbi Benjamin Papermaster, who arrived in Fargo in 1891 from Kovno, Lithuania.

Papermaster settled in Grand Forks and organized a collection of Russian and German Jewish families into a congregation, serving as the rabbi of the Grand Forks Jewish community until 1934. As a circuit rabbi, he traveled across the area to circumcise babies, and officiate weddings, funerals and other events.

In 1896, the Temple Beth El synagogue was chartered in Fargo. It remains one of only two active synagogues left in North Dakota, along with B'nai Israel Congregation in Grand Forks.

Many settlers farmed or landed in towns created around the railroad lines and operated general stores.

Over the years, many Jewish individuals made great impacts on Fargo and its economy. Myron Bright was a judge on the 8th District Circuit Court of Appeals from 1968 until his death in 2016. The longest-serving Fargo mayor was Herschel Lashkowitz, who stood at the citys helm from 1954 to 1974. In 1968, Harold Doroshow and his wife opened North Dakotas first McDonalds in Fargo.

Many Jewish families left the area after staying the necessary five years to acquire a full land title under the Homestead Act. North Dakotas Jewish population is now about 400, which is fewer than any other state except South Dakota, according to Robin Doroshow, executive director of the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest.

Exhibit spotlights diversity

Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney said the exhibit will help bring an understanding of different cultures to this area at a time when it is most needed.

We have to kill the hate, Mahoney said.  We all have to love one another, we have to love all of the cultures and the more we show these things about them, the more we can understand.

The exhibit will remain open until August 2018 and could become a permanent display, Warren said.

Bonanzaville is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday through Aug. 31.

The exhibit was created at the Bonanzaville pavilion with the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest, the Chabad Jewish Center of North Dakota, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas. It was designed by Curator Typhanie Schaffer and North Dakota State University professor Angela Smith.
Artist Zhao Bandi is now holding a solo exhibition, Zhao Bandi: China Party, at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art at Beijing's 798 art district through Oct 22. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Beijing-born artist Zhao Bandi, 51, rose to fame in the late 1980s for his paintings that demonstrate techniques which he learned when studying at the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

But he soon dropped painting and turned to performance art, where he created and performed in several projects.

He is now holding a solo exhibition, Zhao Bandi: China Party, at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art at Beijing's 798 art district through Oct 22.

The exhibition showcases his creations since 1987 covering oil paintings, performance art, videos and fashion designs.

The highlights are his early paintings and his latest works. Also on show are his Giant Panda series of performance art in which he uses the animal as a medium to convey his opinions on the changing social scene.
To commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War on Sept 3, students from a primary school in Qingdao city made a series of eggshell paintings which narrate stories of war heroes. They collected discarded eggshells and cleaned and dried them. Then they used compass points to carefully paste eggshell pieces on drawing boards.

Hu Baoqin, a primary school student in her fourth grade, is working on an eggshell painting which tells the story of war hero Wang Erxiao. [Photo by Zhang Jingang/Asianewsphoto]
The newly opened Migas Mercado's head chef Miguel Casal Zapata focuses on authentic Spanish cuisine but innovates with a fusion of Chinese spices and ingredients. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

A new Migas Mercado bar and restaurant brings a taste of Spain to Beijing. China Daily reports.

Sipping sangria, nibbling tapas and watching the hustle and bustle of the Chinese capital to soundtracks spun by a DJindeed, the newly opened Migas Mercado offers a taste of Spain in Beijing.

The 400-square-meter balcony of the restaurant and bar on the China World Mall's seventh floor offers sweeping vistas of the Guomao commercial area.

Head chef Miguel Casal Zapata seeks to bring authentic Mediterranean fare, with a focus on seafood and fresh seasonal produce, and an occasional flourish from Chinese cuisine.

The balcony offers tapas and tipple, while fine dining is enjoyed indoors.

Miguel and his team serve over 40 tapa varieties and five sangrias.

Chocos fritos is one of the most popular tapas, since it's ideal for sharing. The traditional treat is topped with fried cuttlefish with ink alioli.

Other favorites are the soft-shell crab burger with alioli, and the white sausage with tomato sauce and crispy onion. The crab's umani is distinctive. And the way the sausage's salt-and-pepper flavor blends with the sour and spicy sauce renders a strong impression on the palate.

The finger foods are best washed down with sangria.
People wait in a line in front of a Shanghai store to buy Yandu mooncakes, developed by Shanghai's Xinghualou Food Co. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Mid-Autumn Festival isn't until Oct 4, but mooncake merchants are already battling for customers.

And the trend of diversifying flavors beyond the traditional sweet fillings packed inside flaky pastry discs continues.

Take the Shanghai First Food chain, which is offering three new varieties this yearpickled Chinese cabbage with bullfrog; abalone with fresh meat; and fresh meat with dried bamboo shoots. The bullfrog mooncakes are particularly popular. About 3,000 are sold online every day.

"Tastes are changing," a Shanghai First Food shop assistant says.

"It's necessary to create new products to cater to them."

Shanghai's Xinghualou Food Co developed a new mooncake with fillings containing prawns, cheese and pork. Only 2,000 are produced a day, which fails to keep up with demand.

"A friend asked me to get this new flavor for him when he heard I'd go near the store," one customer says.

The Yandu mooncake the company developed last year remains popular. Customers are limited to purchasing two boxes at a time. The pastry is inspired by the Shanghai dish yanduxian, which is made of bamboo shoots, and cured and fresh meat.

One shopper says he traveled from another part of the city to buy a box to share with his family.

Beijing Daoxiangcun Co has also expanded its mooncake offerings.

A hot item this year is fanmao (rolling feather), created using a traditional technique native to Beijing. The pastry is packed with pine nuts, chopped walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Its name comes from a story in which the Empress Dowager Cixi pounded the table with her hand, causing the crust to "flutter" like feathers.
China Daily writer Mike Peters (right). [Photo provided to China Daily]

The China Daily community is feeling a huge hole in its soul right now.

Our beloved food writer, Mike Peters, passed away Thursday afternoon after a short battle against pancreatic cancer at age 62.

Mike had been at China Daily for about eight years, but he touched many lives during that time. His influence went far beyond our newsroom.

He was highly regarded in the food and hospitality industry in Beijing and other parts of China. He was known in the diplomatic community. A benefit organized for Sunday has brought out an outpouring of generosity and support.

In other places he lived, such as Dallas and Anchorage in the United States, he also touched lives. The outpouring of sympathy and contributions toward his care has been nothing short of astounding.

But to understand where all this comes from, you have to understand Mike. His was the epitome of a life well lived. He knew food and wine, and spent years telling the world about the sophisticated offerings in his adoptive country. He nurtured younger staffers writing about the subject.

He did it with such class and geniality. He had a droll and intelligent sense of humor that was disarming. He was unfailingly kind and generous, always inviting friends to a special restaurant or event he had discovered.

Photos that his friends treasure include the quintessential Mike enjoying a fine glass of wine, but also Mike in a Santa hat, Mike singing a duet or posing with a Mongolian singing troupe, Mike with a smile on his face, as if he were sharing a private joke.

Friends remember the goodies, such as chocolate, coffee or wine, that he would leave at their door. They remember how puppies and children were drawn to him. Even one of Mike's excellent doctors at China-Japan Friendship Hospital and her son formed a bond with him. She said, holding back tears, "My son asked me if grandfather will be in the hospital when he goes to be with God. I told him no, that there, there is no hospital."

Mike has often been described as the glue holding together the expat community at China Daily. But he had very close Chinese friends. Many of his Chinese colleagues brought him flowers and treats during his illness.

All this came home to me when I visited him the evening before he lost consciousness. By then, a stroke had made speech difficult, but he wanted to talk about his worries over what would happen when he was no longer here. He wanted to live long enough to celebrate a close friend's birthday. Even in that moment, he was still concerned about others.

He helped make us a family, one that has grown to include his parents and brothers in Houston in the US. That was Mike. He taught us how to live through his example, and he will not be forgotten.

Services are scheduled at 1 pm on Friday at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Taipingjian hall, 2 Yinghuayuan East St, Chaoyang district. Go to the hospital's north gate at Jian'an East Rd. Sunday's benefit is 3 to 6 pm at TRB Copper, No 13 Compound, Nafu Hutong, Dongcheng district.
Supermodel Zhang Zilin. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The US consumer goods company Procter & Gamble recently held a ceremony in Beijing to launch Pampers Ichiban  a popular diaper product in Japan, into the Chinese market.

About two decades ago, it was not common to see disposable diapers in China because babies often wore cloth diapers.

According to P&G, Pampers Ichiban is especially designed for the tender skin of newborn babies.

At the ceremony, China Women's Development Foundation and Yuxueyuan, a popular Chinese child-rearing app, released the result of a survey about Chinese parents' skin contact with their babies.

A survey of 4,494 families with a baby less than 3 years old, showed that only 20 percent would touch or massage their babies every day, and more than 30 percent had less than one hour's skin contact with their babies.

"Newborns learn about their existence and the surrounding environment via skin contact, which is good for the growth of their brain, body and mind. So Chinese parents should focus on the sense of touch," says paediatrician Cui Yutao, co-founder of Yuxueyuan.

He says it's important to choose diapers that are permeable and soft as babies' skin, especially their buttocks, are delicate.

Chinese supermodel Zhang Zilin was also invited to share her experience of taking care of her 1-year-old daughter, and how she learned to massage her baby.
MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY

The futuristic Europa building in Brussels, the seat of the European Council and the Council of European Union that opened just a few months ago, looks like a "space egg". Ironically, many of the EU's 500 million consumers are caught in a dilemma: to consume, or not to consume eggs.

With eggs containing the banned insecticide residue fipronil being found in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and other EU countries, I too am hesitant to eat eggs. Recently, when I ordered a bowl of udon noodles in a small Japanese restaurant beside the EU headquarters and saw the dish was covered with egg, my first reaction was refusal, although I managed to swallow it finally. Both psychologically and physically, however, I felt uncomfortable for hours after that.

That prompted me to investigate how eggs are sold in Brussels. In one 24-hour grocery just opposite the European Council office, the owner said his shop only sells one brand of eggs and he could guarantee they are safe. In a convenience shop beside the EU headquarters, however, the salesman, pointing at packs of eggs, warned me that I better not buy that brand (of a Belgian company) but the rest was fine.

To my surprise, I found some of "bad" eggs are still being sold in Brussels, although millions of them have been recalled. Which means, if you don't inquire properly, the "bad" eggs could land on your table. It is still not clear how those processed food that contain eggs are being made after the detection of fipronil in eggs.

The egg scandal has widened since July, with the European Commission saying contaminated eggs had been found in 15 EU countries till last week. They have also appeared in Switzerland, a non-EU country, and China's Hong Kong, signaling the spread of the egg scandal outside Europe. Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety found two samples of imported Dutch eggs contained fipronil and ordered the total recall of the two batches.

The Netherlands is the biggest egg producer in Europe as well as one of the largest egg exporters in the world. The egg scandal hit the headlines in July. Some reports, however, claim Belgian officials knew about the contamination in June but preferred not to inform the public about it.

Now, of course 180 poultry farms in the Netherlands, which together used to supply millions of eggs per week, have been temporally closed. And a criminal investigation has been launched, centering on two firmsPoultry Vision, a Belgium-based pest control company, which reportedly sold the treatment to a Dutch poultry farm cleaning company, Chickfriend.

European experts, however, have played down the dangers of eating eggs with fipronil, which, despite being banned by the food regulator, was used in poultry farms to combat lice. Some say the eggs would harm humans only if they eat them every day throughout their lives.

Even though the egg scandal is spreading and the EU is known for its strict food safety regulations, the European Union, whose officials are now on holiday shift, has no plans to hold an urgent meeting before the end of September, when EU agricultural ministers are scheduled to meet.

The egg scandal is a serious food scare that needs immediate action. To begin with, the EU should ban fipronil, take strict measures to ensure contaminated eggs do not enter the market, and hold those responsible for the scandal accountable. It should also timely inform the public about the egg scandal.

Many farms in Europe have suffered from the EU's sanctions against Russia, which have reduced their exports of agricultural products in recent years, perhaps forcing them to cut corners to make up for the lost revenues and profits.

But we hope the affected poultry farms emerge stronger from the egg scandal and take stricter measures to ensure that the eggs on our dining tables are absolutely safe.

The author is deputy chief of China Daily European Bureau. fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, accompanied by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, is greeted at Beijing Capital International Airport at the start of his fourday state visit on Oct 18, 2016. HE XIAOHUI / FOR CHINA DAILY

One needs to look no further back than a couple of years ago, when China and the Philippines were deeply mired in distrust and rancor, to appreciate how territorial disputes improperly handled can become a major source of antagonism between countries.

But likewise, looking back over the last nine months or so and tracing the improvement in their relations, it is evident that territorial disputes, if handled with care, do not have to be an obstacle to friendly ties and mutually beneficial cooperation.

Of course, what has reversed the polarity of relations is not simply good fortune but their mutual efforts and concrete actions to realize their shared resolve to escape the dangerous current souring their relations and to work together for a friendly future.

Hence, it is good to see China and the Philippines are seriously mulling energy cooperation in the South China Sea, which was the venue for contention between the two countries until June last year under former Philippine president Benigno Aquino III.

According to Philippine media reports, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said at a news conference in Manila on Wednesday that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has already given the green light to the Philippines jointly exploiting oil and gas reserves in the South China Sea with China.

Moving forward with energy cooperation in the South China Sea, which was also endorsed by Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a trip to Manila last month, sends a positive signal that the two countries have found a way to manage their territorial disputes.

The good momentum in China-Philippines ties caters to the interests of both countries and does a power of good to the region as a whole by setting a good example for other countries on how to properly manage differences. As long as countries adopt a constructive approach, there is no reason why the disputes should threaten peace and stability in the region.

China has long proposed that countries shelve their differences and jointly exploit the resources in the South China Sea. But over the years, China's suggestion has largely fallen on deaf ears while a few countries have competed with each other to drill for oil and gas in disputed areas, which has only served to ratchet up tensions.

The deepened cooperation between China and the Philippines not only paves the way for a final settlement of their disputes but also opens the door to establishing the South China Sea as a sea of peace, a sea of friendship and a sea of cooperation.
A worker monitors container operation at Zhoushan port in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. [Photo/China Daily]

Despite a slight decline in industrial added value, fixed-asset investment, total retail sales of consumer goods and consumer prices in June, the macroeconomic data for July, which was recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics, indicate that China's economy remains on a solid footing.

It is normal that the growth of the world's second-largest economy should have slowed at a time when it is trying to address such problems as its major structural imbalances, its mismatched supply-demand relationship and its lack of efficient and high-quality supplies. To resolve these long-standing and increasingly outstanding problems is of great significance to the establishment and development of a sustainable, stable and healthy economy.

Despite the slowed growth of investment in traditional manufacturing, investment in high-technology industries and equipment manufacturing has accelerated as a result of the ongoing supply-side structural reform. The NBS data also indicate that the added value of high-tech industries grew by 12.1 percent year-on-year in July and that of equipment manufacturing grew 10.7 percent year-on-year. At the same time, the optimizing of the industrial structure as well as improvements in supply injected new vitality into the country's economic operations.

In terms of demand, the total retail volume of consumer goods declined by 0.6 percentage points from June, but it increased by 10.4 percentage points from a year earlier. Even within the January-July period, consumption, along with investment and exports, played a leading role in contributing to China's economic growth. The energetic demand has helped create a favorable environment for the further advancement of supply-side structural reform.

GDP growth is not the only index to judge a country's economic performance. Its economic growth rate, employment and prices should also be taken into consideration to make a more accurate, judgment. These, along with the economy's greater efficiency, people's improved livelihoods and restored market confidence, demonstrate the resilience of China's economy and the huge potential it still enjoys.

- HAIWAINET.CN
A DOCUMENTARY aired by Japan's public broadcaster NHK on Sunday showing the atrocities inflicted by Unit 731, a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Japanese army, on Chinese during World War II has triggered calls for deeper reflection on the country's wartime past. Beijing News commented on Thursday:

The documentary, dubbed The Truth of Harbin Unit 731, marks a praiseworthy move to teach Japanese rightists a history lesson. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that China appreciates the courage of Japanese people with vision revealing the truth, while hoping Japan will take seriously the calls for justice.

It is praiseworthy that the largest, most influential broadcaster in Japan did not shy away from presenting the country's war crimes two days before the 72nd anniversary of the end of World War II. Many of its China-related documentaries, estimated at over 2,000, have been biased and misleading, particularly after Shinzo Abe returned to power as prime minister in 2012.

NHK's improper programs about China had a lot to do with its previous management board, which was run by Abe proteges, including former NHK President Katsuto Momii, who said "comfort women", the euphemistic term for women forced by the Japanese military to be sex slaves, were used by "every country" during that period and the practice should not be judged by "today's morality". Momii also came under fire for similarly preposterous comments he made about the 1937 Nanjing Massacre.

Things started to change after the former Mitsubishi Corp executive Ryoichi Ueda was chosen to run the national television early this year. Unlike his predecessor, Ueda seeks to end the endorsement of right-wing views and refuses to fabricate history for political maneuvers. Airing the Unit 731 documentary is the latest manifestation of his resolve to correct the wrongs and thaw China-Japan ties.

The documentary has been welcomed by Chinese not just because it represents a refreshed view of Japan's WWII narrative, but also because it gives them hope that the Japanese revisionists will not get their way and justice will be done. This part of history must be told in the right way and made known to more people in Japan.
MINOT -- A 27-year-old Minot man who had been on the run for months before being captured in Las Vegas entered a plea to fatally shooting a man outside a Minot motorcycle clubhouse in the fall of 2015.

Johnny Cleveland Norwood was also sentenced Thursday and will serve about 25 years in prison for the Nov. 29, 2015, murder of Rodger Falana that was likely gang related and occurred over turf.

Norwood entered Alford pleas to Class AA felony murder and Class A felony attempted murder before Judge David Nelson.

Following the negotiated plea deal, Nelson sentenced him to 40 years on the murder charge, with a requirement that he serve 25 years, followed by five years of supervised probation. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, concurrent with the sentence, for shooting and injuring a 43-year-old woman on the same night.

Under state sentencing guidelines, Norwood will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. Norwood was also ordered to pay restitution of $14,275.80 to Falana's cousin for burial expenses and restitution of $8,468.96 to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund for medical expenses for the injured woman.

A third count of reckless endangerment, charging that Norwood fired into a crowd of bystanders, was dismissed under the plea deal.

Norwood said he had nothing to say when Nelson asked if he wanted to make a statement.

The Alford plea means that Norwood disputes some facts of the case but acknowledges he could be found guilty at trial because the state has substantial evidence .

The shooting happened in the alley near the Ice Cold Ryders motorcycle clubhouse at 3:10 a.m. on Nov. 29, 2015. The incident reportedly had its origin in the clubhouse before spilling into the alley. Both the victims and the shooter are believed to have been guests of the Ice Cold Ryders and not members of the club. Norwood fled following the incident and was picked up by Las Vegas police in July 2016.

Ward County Deputy State's Attorney Kelly Dillon told the judge that Norwood shot Falana four times at close range with a high caliber weapon. Witnesses said he fled and fired shots behind him as he ran.

Falana later died of his wounds at the hospital. The 43-year-old female victim was shot twice. She said after the shooting that "Long Beach shot me." Norwood was later identified as a man who goes by the nickname "Longbeach." The surviving victim identified Norwood and the clothing he had been wearing.

Dillon said police never recovered the murder weapon, but another witness later claimed that a woman gave Norwood a ride away from the scene of the crime and he disposed of the firearm in a southeast Minot location.

"We don't know for certain what preceded the shooting in the alley," Dillon told Judge Nelson.

Other witnesses speculated there might have been an argument over "turf" but the state was not able to determine what happened.

Based on court documents filed separately in the case, there were allegations that Norwood is involved with a California gang and the victim, Falana, had been involved with another gang from Florida.

Dillon said that, while they believed they had strong witnesses, there was a chance that a jury might have given weight to the lack of information about what happened before the shooting.

Norwood had a juvenile court conviction for robbery in California and was sentenced for probation. He also had a simple assault conviction in 2013 in Minot Municipal Court and driving offenses, including DUIs and driving under suspension.
File photo of Taiwan DPP chair Tsai Ing-wen.

A SUDDEN POWER BLACKOUT hit the island of Taiwan on Tuesday, affecting almost all industries and millions of households on the island. Ta Kung Pao comments:

The unusually sultry weather, infrastructure damage by recent typhoons and the refusal of the island to consider nuclear power meant the islands precarious electricity supply-demand balance collapsed the moment the Tatan power plant ceased generating electricity after employees accidentally shut off its natural gas valve. The plant produces nearly 9 percent of the island's electricity.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party, instead of leading Taiwan into a bright future as many on the island expected it to, has instead ushered in a new "dark age". Ironically, the blackout hit shortly after the DPP announced it would solve the island's insufficient power supply soon.

The island's "economic minister" took the blame and resigned on Wednesday. However, if the DPP does not change its non-nuclear stance, no matter how many officials resign, it will not make any difference to the matter.

Nuclear power accounts for 14 percent of Taiwan's power supply. But the DPP vowed to eliminate nuclear power by 2025, which would mean by then the electricity generated from renewable resources must increase its share in the island's overall power supply from the current 5 percent to 20 percent.

That means Taiwan needs to increase its renewable power generation fourfold in eight years. However, the average annual growth rate of renewable energy in Taiwan has been about 4.4 percent over the past 15 years.

Given this, it is unreasonable for the DPP to abandon nuclear power, which appears more like a politically-minded decision to appeal to voters rather than a responsible decision based on the island's reality and facts.

Hsinchu Science Park, a key base for high-technology enterprises in the south of Taiwan, was seriously affected by the sudden electricity blackout. If the DPP does not reverse its energy policy, the power shortages will likely prompt more enterprises to leave the island.
Representatives of grossroots community organizations hold pictures of "Comfort Women" during a rally on the sidewalk in front of Japanese Consulate General in San Francisco, the United States, on August 14, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

On August 15 China marked the 72nd anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II. We know that war is hell. World War II, the deadliest catastrophe in the history of humankind, pawed its dirtiest claws on thousands and thousands of innocent girls and women. In this regard, the Imperial Japanese soldiers like hungry hyena pounced on Chinese and Korean girls and women, as well as, other Asian women forcing them to fulfill their sexual desires. The atrocities committed by the Japanese soldiers before and during World War II shocked the civilized world. Unfortunately, Japan has long attempted to whitewash its militarized sexual violence against women which is an unspeakable shame.

The heart-wrenching saga of these comfort women, the term for those forced into sexual slavery during the war by Japanese soldiers, haunts the mind. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights observed that throughout history, through the Massacre of Nanjing (1937) to the present, women and young girls have been forced into wartime brothels. The senseless, brutal atrocities that Chinese comfort women suffered during World War II has remained one of the most pathetic chapters in a history that has left a deep imprint. Their wounds, their scars, both mental and physical, have never healed.

Even today, 72 years after the surrender of Japan, when we read the nefarious deeds carried out by the Japanese troops before and during World War II to Chinese and other Asian women, we shudder. The shocking stories of Chinese comfort women like Wan Aihua, Lei Guiying, Wei Shaolan, Lin Ailan , Zhang Xiantu, Zheng Jinnyu, Zhuo Tianmei, Hao Yuelian, Cao Heimao, Pian Huanying, Hao Juxiang, Liu Fenghai, Li Ailian, Li Meijin, Fu Meiju, Chen Lincun, Yang Abu, Chen Jinyu, Wang Zhifeng, Chen Yabian and Huang Youliang, just to name a few, are painful to read. They reveal the darkest crimes on the spectrum of sexual violence carried out under the aegis of the dehumanized Japanese military men.

Young girls then, they are old women now. They will die one day, but their tearful stories will continue for many generations to come. Comfort women warrior Huang Youliang died at the age of 90 at her home in the village of Yidui in China's southern island province of Hainan on August 12, four days before International Comfort Women Day. She was caught by patrolling Japanese soldiers and raped at the age of 14 while she was working alone on a farm one day in November 1941. For the next four years, she was raped, enslaved and tortured by Japanese troops in a wartime brothel known as the Liangqiao comfort station.

The death of Huang Youliang leaves only 14 surviving comfort women on the Chinese mainland. It's extremely painful to realize that she didn't receive any apology or compensation from the Japanese government before she died. More importantly, to date, no one in Japan has been tried or held accountable for the militarized sexual enslavement of the Chinese comfort women.

Historical research shows that 200,000 Chinese women were forced to work as comfort women to provide sex to Japanese soldiers and many of them did not survive the torment. An estimated two thirds of them died before the end of the war. According to the documents from 1938 through 1945 released by China's State Archives Administration, it is known that the Japanese military often targeted schools and many of the victims were children aged 14 to 18  so that the military men could take their virginity. Most of these "women" were not women at all, but girls pushed into the comfort stations as soon as they reached puberty.

It is important to point out that the Japanese government has so far refused to acknowledge its legal responsibility for the comfort women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds at comfort stations established by the Japanese occupiers between 1932 and the Japanese defeat.

It should also be noted that 24 Chinese comfort women sued the Japanese government, demanding an apology for wartime rape and sexual enslavement. However, on August 30, 2006 a Japanese court rejected their appeals saying that an individual Chinese person had no right to sue the Japanese state.

They wrote to Japan's former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Yukio Hatoyama and present Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hoping that the Japanese government would solve the issues, apologize and pay compensation, but they did not get a reply. Over the past five years, Shinzo Abe has constantly let the world down by acknowledging only the historic hurt committed by the Japanese. His deceitful denial of his country's past aggression has shown flagrant disregard for comfort women.

What Japan did to China in World War II is very dangerous and Japan should bear the consequences. The piercing pain experienced by comfort women can no longer be hidden from history despite the Japanese government's denial. The comfort women's stories have become part of the emerging transnational memory of World War II.

It's an issue which has affected Japan's relations with China for years. Today's Japanese leaders must not evade the weight of the past. During China's epic V-Day parade on September 3, 2015, President Xi reiterated that the Chinese government will continue seeking justice for Chinese women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese during World War II.

Undoubtedly, the use of comfort women was a terrible, egregious violation of human rights. World War II ended 72 years ago but comfort women have still not received one word of apology from the Japanese government for the massive violation of human rights. China should expose the atrocities of the Japanese imperial army, so former comfort women can live to see the offenders apologize.

The whole world should give these comfort women honor and respect. We must never forget the suffering and humiliation inflicted upon them by the Japanese military during World War II so that it can never be repeated again. We should bear history in mind, honor all those who laid down their lives and cherish peace and open up the future.

Germany has apologized for its war crimes but Japan had not apologized for its war crimes. Japan should face up to its history and deal with the issue in a responsible way. The Japanese government should apologize and compensate comfort women in China and all countries. We must salute Chinese comfort women - the heroes of history.

Sources:

News Reports of China Daily, CRIENGLISH ,CCTV , Xinhua,China.org.cn

"Chinese Comfort Women: Testimonies from Imperial Japan's Sex Slaves": Peipei Qiu

"Documents on Rape of Nanking": Timothy Brook

"A Foreigner's Eyewitness Account of the Atrocities Committed by the Japanese": Harold John Timperley



Rabi Sankar Bosu is the Secretary of New Horizon Radio Listeners' Club in West Bengal, India.
Summer is the time when Japan observes the anniversary of its sufferings during the last year of World War II and its surrender on Aug 15, 1945, which it describes as "the end of war".

The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug 6, 1945, and a second on Nagasaki three days later. Before the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, US B-29 Superfortresses had bombarded 64 Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Nagoya, Hamamatsu, Kawasaki and Sendai.

Passing through some of the bombarded areas, photographer John Swop, who on Aug 28, 1945, became one of the first Americans to set foot in postwar Japan, described them as "cities bombed into nothingness", "ghost cities", and "stinking ruins" peppered with "tin shanty shelters".

On Tuesday, the 72nd anniversary of Japan's surrender, the country's media outlets said the nation should pass down the memories of the horrors of war to future generations. Japanese people's sufferings in the aftermath of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings should never be forgotten. But shouldn't Japan also acknowledge and atone for the atrocities the Japanese army committed on people in other countries?

In his book China's War With Japan 1937-1945: The Struggle For Survival, Rana Mitter, a professor of history at the Oxford University, says Japan has underlined its sad distinction as the only country to have been attacked with atomic weapons to make a case for itself as a "peace nation"  but often with little context or explanation given for the events that led to the dropping of the two atomic bombs.

On Sept 18, 1931, Japanese soldiers in Mukden (now Shenyang) blew up a railway line and sought to blame Chinese "bandits" for the attack, and used the incident as a pretext for invading and occupying Northeast China, and then invade the rest of the country.

On the evening of July 7, 1937, Japanese troops stationed around Lugouqiao, known as Marco Polo Bridge in West, claimed one of their men had gone missing and demanded entry to Wanping, a town 15 kilometers southwest of Beijing, to search for him. And all of a sudden, the Japanese soldiers started firing and launched a full-scale war against China.

Mitter says the deaths the war inflicted on China are still being counted  according to conservative estimates at least 14 million Chinese people were killed. The greater part of China's hard-won modernization was destroyed, including most of the railway network, highways and industrial plants set up in early 20th century  about 30 percent of the infrastructure in the rich Pearl River Delta region near Guangdong, 52 percent in Shanghai, and a staggering 80 percent in Nanjing, then capital of China. The narrative of the war is a story of a people in torment, from the Nanjing Massacre in 1937 in which the Japanese slaughtered more than 300,000 people and sacked the city to the blasting of dykes on the Yellow River in June 1938.

But while reminding people of the horrors of war, Japanese leaders didn't bother to say it was Japan that started the war to fulfill its expansionist designs. In fact, on Aug 13 when Japan's public broadcaster NHK aired a documentary on testimonies given by some medical workers in Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army, which launched a project in Northeast China to develop biological weapons, many Japanese viewers felt uncomfortable, even angry, that the documentary was throwing mud on their country.

The Unit 731 soldiers captured local residents to conduct human experiments and dropped "plague bombs" on some Chinese cities as part of their "field tests".

On Tuesday, I saw a dozen or so Japanese dressed as Imperial Japanese Army soldiers outside Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. Ten days earlier, two Chinese tourists had been detained for giving Nazi salutes while posing for photos in front of the German parliament building in Berlin. The contrast in the attitudes of Japan and Germany to the past is self-evident.
New facial recognition technologies anti bank attacks Updated: 2017-08-17 By Sun Hui, chinadaily.com.cn

An infrared anti-theft technology capable of recognizing a user face was put into operation in the Liangjiang New Area of Chongqing, local media reported on Aug 15.

The technology, developed by Chongqing Cloud Walk Technology Co, can detect a person's face in less than one second with a successful recognition rate of over 99 percent, and can be used for banks and public security areas to avoid illegal activities.

A Cloud Walk staff member demonstrates facial recognition technology. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

Nowadays commercial banks and financial institutes are keeping a close eye on the development of infrared facial recognition technologies to detect illegal attacks on bank accounts. Lawbreakers usually use photos or videos of a bank account's owner to steal from their accounts.

This July, the Agricultural Bank of China launched a withdrawal service utilizing facial recognition at over 20,000 branches across the country, based on Cloud Walk's facial recognition technologies. Users must first pass facial recognition screening on the ATM and input a password before being able to withdraw their money.

The facial recognition big data platform at Cloud Walk Technology Co is a vital part of its smart security system. Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

Cloud Walk has stood out among a group of leading internet projects for its artificial intelligence (AI) public services platform. The project has become one of four key Internet Plus projects to be approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in 2017.

The company, established in 2015, hails from the Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. As the only facial recognition technical team at the institute, Cloud Walk has participated in a number of key state-level projects in western China.

Statistics show that Cloud Walk owns a 30 percent market share in Chinas facial recognition technology industry. The company has currently signed contracts with 15 banks, including Bank of China and Bank of Chongqing.

A customer uses a facial recognition system to access DIY loan services from Bank of Chongqing. [Photo/liangjiang.gov.cn]

Edited by Zachary Dye
Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring dozens people. [Photo/Agencies]

Police arrested one man last night after at least 13 people were killed when a van ploughed into Barcelona's busiest tourist street, Las Ramblas, in what authorities are calling a terrorist attack.

The van drove for around 500 metres before it came to a stop. Police were last night continuing to search for other possible suspects.

They said at least 50 more were injured.

Hundreds of people were stuck in shops, bars and homes as police searched the area amid conflicting reports of hostages, shoot outs and secondary vehicles.

Las Ramblas is a wide boulevard with a central walkway as well as two pavements at the side of the road. It is full of terrace cafes, restaurants and hotels.

No group had claimed responsibility by yesterday evening but the attack was similar to two attacks in London and attacks in Berlin and Nice. Websites connected to ISIS celebrated the Barcelona attack but no official site claimed responsibility.

A spokesman for the first minister of Barcelona, Artur Mas, tweeted an image of a Catalan flag superimposed with a black ribbon and the slogan: "We are stronger and we will win because our values are stronger and are winners. Stay strong Barcelona, visca Catalunya!"

European leader offered sympathy and support to the people of Barcelona.

Contact the writer at boleung@mail.chinadailyuk.com
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura addresses a press briefing after a meeting of the International Syria Support Group's Humanitarian Access Task Force at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

GENEVA - UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Thursday said that he may sponsor a "preparatory" round of peace talks on Syria in Geneva next month, but the "real substantive" talks will be scheduled for October.

Speaking to a press briefing after a meeting of the International Syria Support Group's Humanitarian Access Task Force, the UN envoy said that though the new round of Intra-Syria Talks may still possible in September as planned, his office "will be focusing on the real agenda for the real substantive talks that we hope will be taking place in October".

"You will have Astana probably end of August, you will have early September the Holy Eid, then you will have possibly the Geneva talks if we feel the timing and the appropriate moment is there," he said.

"Then you will have the General Assembly which is taking place just between the 18th September onward where very likely there will be a discussion and quite at a high level regarding the next steps about Syria," he added.

The UN Envoy told reporters that he expected the Syrian opposition, now being divided into three delegations, to hold a key discussion soon so as to form a more unified negotiation team to attend the new talks in Geneva.

"Regarding the (Syrian) government, we are counting very much on Russia, on Iran, on anyone who has got major influence, and on the government of Syria to be ready finally to initiate when they are invited to Geneva, a genuine, direct negotiation with whatever (opposition) platform comes out," he said.

The last round of the UN-led peace talks on Syria ended on July 14 without any progresses, when the UN announced that the next round would convene in early September.

Since the war in Syria broke out in March 2011, the crisis has claimed more than 320,000 lives and displaced millions, the UN estimated.
A general view of the mudslide at the mountain town of Regent, Sierra Leone August 16, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

FREETOWN - Altogether 331 bodies have been taken to the morgue by the rescue team following the devastating mudslide, according to Sinneh Kamara, head of the Connaught Mortuary in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone, on Thursday.

A release from the State House indicated that a mass burial of the corpses would take place at Waterloo in the outskirts of Freetown at 3 p.m. Thursday.

While rescue operation carried out by parties including Chinese companies is still in progress, most of the bodies being recovered now are almost decomposed and are placed in bags and taken to the morgue.

Meanwhile, as the rescue operation continues, humanitarian aids are coming in for people affected by the disaster.

On Wednesday, Chinese companies operating in Sierra Leone donated cash totalling more than 100,000 U.S. dollars, 5 tonnes of rice, 25 boxes of medicine and other items to the government of Sierra Leone.

Also, a delegation from Ivory Coast donated one and half tones of assorted medical supplies. The Turkish Red Crescent Wednesday brought in a cargo of humanitarian aid supplies. As the rescue operation continues, more humanitarian are expected to come.

In addition, according to the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, the Chinese government had decided to provide emergency humanitarian aid of one million U.S. dollars to the Sierra Leonean government.
Photo taken on April 27, 2016 shows the Big Ben in central London, Britain. [Photo/Xinhua]

LONDON - London's famous Big Ben will chime for the last time on Monday (Aug 21) when the famous Great Bell falls silent until 2021.

Officials at the Houses of Parliament issued an invitation to the public Monday to gather in Parliament Square in a week's time to hear the final bonging this decade of the iconic bell, one of the best known symbols of Britain's political focal point.

The silence of the bells has been ordered to enable vital restoration work to take place.

It means the Great Bell's world famous strikes and the chimes of the quarter bells will be paused for several years to ensure the safety of those working in the Elizabeth Tower which houses the bells and the clock.

Steve Jaggs, Keeper of the Great Clock said: "Big Ben falling silent is a significant milestone in this crucial conservation project. This essential program of works will safeguard it on a long term basis, as well as protecting and preserving the Elizabeth Tower."

"Big Ben has marked the hour with almost unbroken service for the past 157 years. The bell last fell silent for maintenance in 2007, and prior to that between 1983-5 as part of a previous large scale refurbishment program."

Explaining how the bells will be silenced, a spokesman at the Houses of Parliament said: "To stop the bells the striking hammers will be locked and the bells disconnected from the clock mechanism, allowing the Great Clock to continue telling the time silently.

"Parliament's expert clock mechanics will ensure that Big Ben can still bong, and the quarter bells chime, for important national events such as New Year's Eve and Remembrance Sunday. The bells will resume their regular time keeping duties in the course of 2021.

"Whilst the Great Clock and the dials are undergoing conservation, it will be necessary to cover the faces for some time. However, to ensure that the public are still able to set their watches by this most important of time pieces, one working clock face will remain visible at all times throughout the works. As the clock mechanism itself will be temporarily out of action, a modern electric motor will drive the clock hands."
The exhibition hall of evidences of crime commited by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, file photo. [Photo/VCG]

TOKYO - A documentary released recently about Okunoshima, an island where poison gas used to be manufactured for Japan's invasive war against China, has attracted a great deal of attention.

The documentary broadcast by Tokyo Broadcasting System , together with another one about Japanese Unit 731 released earlier by public broadcaster NHK, revealed the irrefutable historical truth about Japan's war crimes, and prompted heated discussions among Japanese society.

Okunoshima is a small island located in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan in Hiroshima prefecture. The island served as a poison gas factory for much of the chemical warfare that was carried out by the Imperial Japanese Army in China during World War II.

The documentary features Haruka Ayase, a 32-year-old popular idol in Japan, visiting Okunoshima island, interviewing 91-year-old Yasuma Fujimoto and others about the past of the island.

In the 1940s, Yasuma Fujimoto was involved in the manufacturing of poison gas at a plant on the island and the gas was eventually used, among other heinous acts of aggression, against China.

"This island now appears green. But it used to look yellow," said Fujimoto, adding that trees could not grow there due to the acid in the poison gas.

Back then, 6,700 people were working on the island and manufacturing poison gas around the clock. Fujimoto could still remember the chemical equation for the poison gas Lewisite to be manufactured.

"The poison gas was manufactured to secure Japan a victory in its invasive war against China," said Fujimoto.

"I will never forget this chemical equation. I went to learn these things to earn a living, but I ended up making poison gas to kill the Chinese people. I'm a criminal," he added.

Numerous Chinese civilians were killed by the chemical weapons used by the invading Japanese army. One such example was a Japanese gas attack at an underpass in Beituan Village, Hebei Province in China in 1942. Some 1,000 villagers were killed in that attack.

But after the war, as the Japanese government was eager to cover up the atrocities, evidence was destroyed, so was the poison gas factory on the Okunoshima island.

Currently, the island has become a tourist spot with more than 700 wild rabbits living there, and is therefore also called Rabbit Island.

The past crimes seem to only exist in the memory of a handful of witnesses who are still alive, such as Fujimoto.

"I made poison gas which killed Chinese people. This is a fact that can never be denied or distorted," said Fujimoto.
Spain's King Felipe (C) looks down as he stands along politicians including Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (3rdL) and President of the Generalitat of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont (3rdR) while they observe a minute of silence in Placa de Catalunya, a day after a van crashed into pedestrians at Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain, Aug 18, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

The King of Spain, the prime minister of Spain and the president of Catalonia joined thousands for a minute's silence at the Placa Catalunya, the point where the driver started his rampage that killed 13 and injured more than 100 on Thursday.

King Felipe, Mariano Rajoy and Carlos Puigedemont put on a display of unity as Spanish police continued to search for suspects involved in a series of deadly incidents on Thursday and Friday.

President Xi Jinping, and Prime Minister Li Keqiang have both written to King Felipe of Spain to express their condolences over the terror attack in Barcelona.

In his letter, Xi mourned the dead and expressed sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured, on behalf of China. "China is firmly opposed to all forms of terrorism and stands ready to work with the international community, including Spain, to strengthen anti-terror cooperation so as to jointly safeguard regional and world peace and stability," he wrote.

Spanish police said they had identified a cell of jihadists operating in the northern Spanish region of Catalonia, after at least four separate incidents which highlighted the difficulty of protecting the public from a driver with evil intentions.

The most serious incident occurred in Barcelona when a man drove a white van 500 meters down the city's most famous boulevard, Las Ramblas, on Thursday, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 100.

The street was full of tourists and the victims were from all over the world. Three of the injured were Chinese; two from Taiwan were still being treated in hospital while a third from Hong Kong suffered minor injuries and was discharged from hospital.

Unlike in London, where bollards and road blocks have been placed between popular pedestrian areas and roads after two vehicle attacks, the driver was able to drive freely down the wide pedestrian zone at the centre of the Ramblas, veering to the left and right in search of victims.

Police arrested two people but are still searching for the driver, who they named as 18-year-old Moroccan Moussa Oukabir. Police also arrested his brother Driss Oukabir,28, who they said hired the van, in Ripoll near the border with France. Oukabir told police that he had not rented the van and that his identity papers had been stolen.

Later, in the early hours of Friday morning, an Audi A3 was driven at pedestrians and police in the coastal town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona, killing one person. The driver and four passengers were shot dead by police. Five bystanders and one police officer were injured. Police said that the men were wearing fake bomb vests.

Catalan emergency services say people of more than 30 different nationalities were killed or injured in Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks.

Two other incidents in Catalonia could also be linked to the incidents in Barcelona and Cambrils. In San Jus Deveran, outside Barcelona, police opened fire on a car at a road block. They discovered the car owner stabbed to death in the passenger seat but are still searching for the driver.

It also emerged that an explosion that happened earlier on Thursday in a house in the seaside town of Alcanar could have been caused by people trying to make bombs. One person was killed and one injured in the blast, which authorities first thought was a gas explosion.

Police are still trying to piece together the different incidents and how and if they are connected. What is clear is that the Barcelona attack highlights how vulnerable any city is to someone who wants to kill a lot of people by using a vehicle and that police and secret service intelligence cannot stop every attack.

It is also clear that such attacks that are aimed at tourists from all over the world are more likely to unite people than divide them.

The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria claimed the attack but without giving any information that demonstrated they had any connection with the individuals involved. ISIS is believed to have inspired recent vehicle attacks in London, Stockholm, Berlin and Nice.

ISIS controlled-territory in Iraq and Syria is being re-taken forcing them to look for new areas of operation and to demonstrate their reach and power even as their strongholds are defeated.

But al-Qaeda linked groups remain strong in Syria and Yemen. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula published the latest edition of its Inspire magazine in which they encourage supporters to attack the European rail network and derail trains.

Contact the writer at conal@mail.chinadailyuk.com
ABUJA - Nigeria is investigating a "strange disease" that is fast spreading in the north central state of Kogi, officials have said.

The disease, whose symptoms include diarrhea, blood-stained vomiting and high fever, had killed up to 50 people as of Friday, Nigeria's English newspaper The Guardian reported Friday.

Investigators said the disease broke out about three weeks ago. The first case was confirmed to involve a young child, who died earlier this week.

So far, three villages in Yagba West local area of Kogi State have been afflicted by the disease and locals have expressed worry that a further spread was imminent.

Local medical officials said diagnosis had proved the disease was not Lassa fever, a hemorrhagic disease that often breaks out in the West African country.

"We are sure it is not Lassa fever, but our concern is that we do not know exactly what is happening. We have not arrived at a definitive diagnosis," said Jannette Hathorn, a medical consultant who led state officials to the affected communities on Thursday.

Officials of the World Health Organization (WHO) had taken blood samples of victims, Harthorn told officials and reporters.

Saka Audu, the Kogi State commissioner for health, described the situation as "serious," saying the government will take full responsibility of the sick so as to arrest the spread of the disease.

"We are digging into the real cause of this ailment. All hands are on deck toward unraveling the definitive cause of the mysterious deaths, especially among the kids," the official said.
Zhao Xiufen, economic and commercial counselor in the Chinese Embassy in Uganda, gives a speech. [Photo by Pan Zhongming/CHINA DAILY]

A major Chinese bank has joined with Uganda's largest Standard Bank Group to encourage China-Africa cash management, particularly in the oil and gas industries.

In Kampala, Uganda the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the Stanbic Bank (Uganda) launched the China-Africa cross-border cash management platform service, dedicated to providing a one-stop service for its clients in Africa and the world as well.

Zhao Xiufen, economic and commercial counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Uganda, said Uganda is rich in natural resources and has a huge amount of oil and natural gas reserves.

Uganda's economy has been growing at a relatively rapid speed due to the investment increase in the oil industry and infrastructure construction.

"China boasts rich advantages in its production capacity, capital and technology, creating much room for cooperation among enterprises of the two countries," she said.

She hoped that the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the Stanbic Bank will strengthen cooperation among enterprises.

Patrick Mweheire, CEO of Stanbic Bank (Uganda), said: "Standard Bank is the largest and powerful bank in Africa. It is able to provide overall financial service for enterprises in 20 African countries including Uganda."

Zeng Qi, general manager of the Payments & Cash Management Department of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, said China has become the largest investment source country and engineering contractor of Uganda.

"As the largest bank in the world in terms of its market value, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has long been actively pushing forward the acceleration of international development in network layout, system construction and team building."

Wang Lubin, general manager of ICBC Africa Representative Office, said that in recent years, the ICBC has helped the implementation of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and provided great support for the going abroad of Chinese enterprises.

In serving the African oil and gas industry, the bank has accumulated rich experience and skills. Wang said he hoped to have more cooperation with enterprises in Africa and support African economic development.

Xiao Zongwei, president of China National Offshore Oil Corporation Uganda Limited, has shared in the enormous business and employment opportunities brought by the investment of the Chinese and international oil and gas enterprises.

The ICBC and Standard Bank have successfully provided China-African cross-border financial service solutions in 78 projects, ranging from the fields of cash management, investment bank business, assets entrusting management, financial market and information technology.
HELSINKI - Several people were stabbed in an attack in the Finnish city of Turku on Friday, police said, warning people to stay away from the city as they reinforced security around the country.

Police said they arrested one person after a shootout and had launched a manhunt for other possible attackers.

The Turun Sanomat newspaper reported that at least one person was killed in the attack and that police were inspecting departing trains and buses.

An eyewitness saw four or five ambulances near the city's main square, the paper said.

"The government is closely following the events in Turku and the ongoing police operation. The government will meet later today," Prime Minister Juha Sipila wrote on his Twitter account.

REUTERS
Armed Finnish policemen on guard at the Helsinki airport, after stabbings in Turku, in Vantaa, Finland, Aug 18, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Two people have been killed and at least six others injured in a stabbing attack on Friday in a market square in the Finnish town of Turku west of Helsinki, officials said. Police said the attacker was shot in the leg and taken into custody.

The local newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reported that one man and five women were injured in the attack in the town 94 miles west of Finland's capital.

Police asked on Twitter that people leave the town center where the attack occurred as they search for other potential perpetrators.

Authorities said they placed the city center on lockdown and have reinforced security nationwide.

Finland's National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen said it was too soon to tell if the attack in was terror-related, according to state broadcaster YLE reported.

"Nothing is yet known about the motives," he said.

Security has been reinforced at Helsinki airport and at train stations.

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila wrote on Twitter that the government is following the incident and the police operation in Turku closely, and that the government will meet later today.

The country's president, finance and interior ministers have all been made aware of the situation.

The attack comes after 13 people were killed and 100 injured in two terror attacks carried out in Spain on Thursday afternoon and early Friday morning.
US President Donald Trump (L-R), joined by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, Vice President Mike Pence, senior advisor Steve Bannon, Communications Director Sean Spicer and National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US on January 28, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Steve Bannon, the White House chief strategist, is leaving, according to a White House statement on Friday morning. It said Friday will be the last day for Bannon at the White House.

Bannon has been rumored to be on the way out for some time, and this week he gave an interview with the "American Prospect" bashing other members of the Trump administration and contradicting Trump's position on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

He also said the US and China are in "economic war," words that immediately rejected by the Chinese foreign ministry.
BEIJING -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson called on the United States and Japan to stop making incorrect remarks on the Diaoyu Islands and the South China Sea on Friday.

Media reported that the United States and Japan on Thursday reaffirmed that Article 5 of the US-Japan security treaty applies to China's Diaoyu Islands and expressed grave concerns about the situation in the South China Sea.

In response, spokesperson Hua Chunying said China's position on the Diaoyu Islands and the South China Sea remains consistent and clear, and the Chinese government and its people have unswerving determination and will to safeguard its territorial sovereignty.

The US-Japan security treaty is a product of the Cold War, which should not be used as an excuse for Japan's illegal claims and to harm China's territorial sovereignty and related rights, she said.

Currently, the situation in the South China Sea is stable, she said, and dialogue and coordination between China and ASEAN countries have enjoyed positive progress.

Hua said the United States and Japan, which are not parties in the South China Sea issue, should respect the efforts made by countries in the region to peacefully resolve the issue through coordination and negotiation.

"China calls on the United States and Japan to do more that is conducive to regional peace and stability," the spokesperson said.
The BRICS Seminar on Governance is held in Quanzhou, East China's Fujian province, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

QUANZHOU - More than 100 academics, consultants and business leaders gathered Thursday in East China to brainstorm ideas on governance in emerging markets.

The BRICS Seminar on Governance was held in Fujian province, where the 9th BRICS Summit will take place in about two weeks. Participants come from BRICS members -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- as well as other countries such as Tanzania, Kazakhstan, Chile, Guinea, Ethiopia, and Mexico.

Huang Kunming, executive vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, which hosted the seminar, said BRICS countries are in similar stages of development, confronted by similar challenges. Sharing experience on governance will help participants learn from one another and improve development.

BRICS members account for about 23 percent of the world economy. They jointly contributed more than half of global growth in 2016. The grouping, based neither on ideology nor geopolitics, is seen as a new and perhaps better form of global governance in which emerging markets play key roles.

But in recent years, BRICS members and other developing countries have encountered difficulties and setbacks. China, though its economic growth has slowed, remains stable and resilient as it moves toward a "moderately prosperous society" by 2020.
Two likely related terror attacks were carried out in Spain yesterday. Fourteen people were killed in the attacks and more than 100 were injured. ISIS took responsibility for the attacks.

The first attack occurred in Barcelona when a vehicle plowed into a crowd gathered on Las Ramblas, a popular pedestrian street. Thirteen people were killed in this attack.

The second attack occurred in Cambrils, 75 miles from Barcelona, where five armed attackers drove a vehicle through the streets. One woman was killed in this attack and others were injured.

Spanish police are treating both attacks as acts of terror and say they are likely related. The five armed suspects in the second attack were killed in a shootout with police.

According to CNN.com, police have said that they are investigating whether one of the Cambrils attackers may have been the same person who drove the vehicle into the crowd in Barcelona.

Many tourists were affected by the attacks. The victims are from 34 different countries.

One man, Cobb Oxford from South Carolina, was visiting Barcelona for a Clemson University exhibition game. He spoke with CBS News after the attack occurred and reported that he witnessed the chaos of the attack and its aftermath. He said he saw a police officer carrying a bloodied child. Like many others who were out on Las Ramblas yesterday, Oxford was shaken up by the attack. He and others made their way back to their hotel rooms and were told they couldnt leave until police secured the area.

In addition to the five suspects who were killed in the shootout with police, four suspects have been arrested.

Photo courtesy: Thinkstock/fotocelia

Publication date: August 18, 2017
Protesters gathered in downtown Los Angeles for a peaceful march on August 13, in response to the white nationalist rally and the counter-protests that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia. Bloody brawls broke out on the streets and resulted in national controversy.

Those who took part in the protest assembled in front of the steps of City Hall, denouncing the acts of racism and xenophobia that was portrayed in Charlottesville.

Demonstrators chanted many slogans, including: Black lives matter, There is only one side, as well as No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here, holding signs with other slogans written.

The protest was a direct response to the violent event that happened in Charlottesville, Virginia the day before on August 12 in which a white nationalist rally called Unite the Right was held and ended up becoming a violent scene with three people killed and left others injured. Unite the Right was held to stand up against the citys order to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Both Republican and Democratic political officials denounced the racism and xenophobia demonstrated in the rally, but President Trump received criticism and backlash from both Republicans and Democrats as he stated on television that the blame for the violence that occurred was on many sides, on many sides, failing to criticize the white nationalists.

This is in continuation with the rally that started the evening of August 12, in which demonstrators marched in front of the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, chanting slogans that denounced the violent actions.

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, stated Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, in a statement.

Demonstrators in other areas around the country such as New York City, Philadelphia, Orange County, Bay Area, and San Diego County have risen to stand in solidarity with those who were killed in the Charlottesville rally and those that were injured.
The tragic events in Charlottesville have captivated the attention of the nation, plunging us, yet again, into another period of deep soul-searching over our anguished racial history. President Donald Trump drew criticism from both sides of the aisle for his reluctance to condemn white nationalism specifically in his initial remarks.

As a scholar of political rhetoric, I understand, yet strongly disagree with Trumps strategy in refusing to condemn white nationalism specifically. A vocal part of his base aligns with this philosophy, leaving him little incentive to risk alienating them. When former Klansman David Duke endorsed Trump during the campaign, the candidate expressed similar hesitancy in distancing himself from white nationalism.

Trump deserves strong criticism for his failure to specifically and clearly condemn white nationalism. The lure of power and votes do not justify his silence. Yet, to criticize an unpopular president is easy. Perhaps the harder, more difficult task we face in the wake of Charlottesville is to consider how we as citizens and Christians engage in a similar type of silence on a regular basis. Many of us mobilize in defense of ideals of equality every time an incident like Charlottesville occurs but quickly retreat to our comfort zones when public attention dies down. Daily battles for equality in church, education, employment, and the criminal justice system are much harder to maintain.

Trumps silence on white supremacy was not an aberration but a cultural norm. Our disgust with his statement threatens to blind us to the ways in which the American imagination has consistently made room for the ideas of white supremacy to exist alongside core values like freedom, justice, and equality. Accommodating racism is as American as apple pie.

This Is Who We Are

Racial tensions have skyrocketed to their highest levels in 25 years. The common narrative traces this recent period of unrest back to the murder of Trayvon Martin. But our attempts to grapple with events in Charlottesville and Charleston fail to identify the link between our communal history of accommodating racism and contemporary tensions. Neither the nation nor the church has demonstrated a sustained commitment to confronting white supremacy. At key moments, Christians have advocated for the abolition of slavery, death of Jim Crow, and the end of mass incarceration, but the commitment to equality has consistently languished over time. Our lack of sustained commitment to biblical justice keeps the soil of racism and white supremacy fertile for the James Fields Jr.s and Dylann Roofs of American culture to grow into domestic terrorists.

Deep down, I suspect many of us recognize the inadequacy of our past and present efforts to combat racism. Yet, as James Baldwin observed, people find it very difficult to act on what they know. We content ourselves with annual celebrations of our national independence without wrestling with the hypocrisy of a freedom declaration against the backdrop of slavery. We paint a picture of gradual progress on racial fronts since the Emancipation Proclamation but fail to acknowledge that the Compromise of 1877 injected new life in white supremacy, giving racists an unparalleled opportunity to execute violence against people of color for decades.

Events along these lines are not inconsistent with our national identity. In fact, they are a part of our DNA. They illustrate how our country has tolerated pervasive forms of racismand even genocideto gain power, wealth, and influence. The current fight to preserve positions of honor for Confederate monuments reflects an unwillingness to confront the vicious legacy of white supremacy. The goal of these removal efforts is not, as some argue, to whitewash the past, but to recontextualize it. Defense of an institution that legitimated forms of physical, psychological, and sexual trauma is not a cause to honor but lament.

Article continues below

A History of Habits

Sadly, the church frequently surfaces as a guilty culprit in the story of Americas embrace of white supremacy. Not only did the church fail to provide a consistent counterpoint to white supremacy in the broader culture, but it also harbored it within the walls of congregations around the nation. When slave masters refused to evangelize their slaves during the early part of the 18th century, the church, rather than condemning slavery, went to great lengths to assuage the masters concerns. Faith leaders like Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury, reconciled the tension between slavery and Christianity with a perversion of Pauls letters:

As human authority hath granted them none, of the Scripture, far from making any alteration in civil rights, expressly directs, that every man abide in the condition wherein he is called, with great indifference of mind concerning outward circumstances: and the only rule it prescribes for servants of the same religion with their masters, is not to despise them because they are brethren, but to do them service.

Subsequently, leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention, American fundamentalism, and other segments of Christianity made similar efforts to employ theology in the service of white supremacy. These compromises, as Martin Luther King Jr. noted, effectively segregatedchurches from Christianity.

The practice of accommodating white supremacy is not unique to white America. People of color have often deployed accommodation strategically, hoping that it will lead to greater acceptance by whites. Booker T. Washington, in his famous Atlanta Exposition Address, embraced the logics of separate but equal, expecting blacks to experience upward mobility as they demonstrated their worth to white America. W. E. B. DuBois called on blacks to avoid racial activism during the First World War, believing that loyalty to the nation during this difficult moment would produce greater acceptance during the post-war period. Even my personal hero Dr. King hesitated to oppose racists in the Democratic Party in 1964, believing that accommodation would produce greater gains for blacks in the long term.

Scripture and history repeatedly warn that accommodating sin never produces greater holiness. Washingtons bargain failed spectacularly during one of the most intense periods of racial violence our nation has ever seen, black soldiers returning from the First World War were lynched in the streets while still in uniform, and the nation grew weary of racial advocacy following the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Our history of accommodation has instilled in us what Princeton professor of religion Eddie Glaude labels racial habits in his recent book Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul. Racial habits surface in the ways we [often unconsciously] live the belief that white people are valued more than others. Our responses to current events often reveal these racial habits. We devote time, resources, and social media platforms to the precious life of Charlie Gard, but we fail to give the same sort of attention to the hundreds of precious people who perished during the same time period in Venezuela due to political unrest. The disparities in our engagement reveal a fundamental gap in how we value different lives.

You Have Not Yet Resisted

People often ask me how the church should respond to this legacy of accommodation. Recently, I sat down with my Bible to spend some time in Gods Word. When I read the Scripture, I study Scripture inductively, seeking to apply it to my personal, family, and communal life. When I read Hebrews, the words practically leapt off the page at me: In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Of course, Im not suggesting a violent insurrection in response to the problem of racism, but if the church displayed the kind of radical resolve this passage speaks to, our society would be unrecognizable. As far back as the 19th century, theologians recognized the churchs untapped potential to positively impact race relations. Albert Barnes argued, There is no power out of the church that could sustain slavery an hour, if it were not sustained in it.

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Our current racial situation is bleak. With every new incident, my ability to remain hopeful is tested. At age 31, Im sick and tired of seeing unarmed black men killed at the hands of law enforcement. My heart breaks for the black and brown children trapped in underfunded, understaffed schools that prioritize testing over education. I weep for incarcerated individuals whom we isolate from society instead of rehabilitating for reentry.

Yet, in the midst of these painful realities, the church is called to speak boldly to the power of the gospel. This task requires pastors who faithfully preach against the sin of racism in its structural and individual forms. It demands congregations who refuse to sit on the sidelines as long as injustice is a norm in their community, becoming advocates for racial justice through advocacy, protest, and partnerships.

My prayer is that God will raise up a generation of his people who reject accommodation and embrace the struggle for racial justice as an outgrowth of the gospel. As Frederick Douglass observed, If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.  Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.
home World Australian inquiry recommends punishment for priests who fail to report abuse heard in confession

An Australian inquiry has stated that priests who fail to report cases of child abuse heard in confession should face criminal charges.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has proposed that all states and territories in Australia should introduce a law to punish priests who refuse to break the seal of the confessional.

"The right to practice one's religious beliefs must accommodate civil society's obligation to provide for the safety of all and, in particular, children's safety from sexual abuse," the commission wrote, according to Catholic Herald.

The commission stated that the proposal should apply to the suspicion of child abuse in an institutional context.

"Institutions directed to caring for and providing services for children, including religious institutions, must provide an environment where children are safe from sexual abuse. Reporting information relevant to child sexual abuse to the police is critical to ensuring the safety of children," the commission noted.

The Roman Catholic Church in Australia objected to the proposal but said that outside of the confession, it is "absolutely committed" to reporting all offenses against children to the authorities.

Under canon law, priests are forbidden from breaking the seal of confessional, even under the threat of death. Any priest who breaks the seal will be automatically punished with excommunication.

The prohibition on breaking the seal of confession has been in existence since at least 1215, according to BBC.

The commission stated in its report that it understood the role and importance of confession for the Catholic Church, but said that it had heard of instances where abusers had confessed their activities to the clergy only to re-offend and seek forgiveness again.

Laws on reporting crimes gleaned in religious confession vary across Australia and the rest of the world, with some states considering the information to be privileged, thus exempting it from reporting requirements.

In the U.S. state of Louisiana, the Supreme Court had determined that priests could not be forced to reveal what he heard in the confessional.

However, clergymen are among the people mandated to report suspicions of child abuse in 28 other U.S. states.

In Ireland, the legal requirement to report knowledge of crimes against children does not exempt priests. The Children First Act of 2015 requires certain "mandated persons," which include Catholic priests, to report concerns regarding child abuse to the police, and offers no exemption for the confession.

In the U.K., there is no mandatory reporting law regarding child abuse suspicions. A spokeswoman for the Catholic Church in England and Wales told Christian Today that priests strongly encourage the confessor to report crimes to the authorities, but maintained that the seal of confession is "absolute" that priests would not report the contents of any confession no matter the concern.
home US Christian leaders denounce white nationalism in wake of violence in Charlottesville

Christian leaders have spoken out in condemnation of white nationalism and the alt-right movement following the violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday.

White nationalists came to Charlottesville on Saturday for a rally called "Unite the Right," in protest against the planned removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Tragedy occurred when one of the protesters drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one woman and 19 others.

At a press conference, President Donald Trump issued a statement condemning "this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides."

Wheaton College professor and former Executive Director of Lifeway Research Ed Stetzer responded to the president's remarks, saying: "Glad to see the President speak out, particularly since many of these people have been emboldened by his election."

Some were critical that Trump did not use terms like "alt-right," "white supremacists," or "neo-Nazis" to describe the protesters.

"We cannot renounce what we will not name. It's called White Supremacy. And it is from hell. Call it. Condemn it," said Bible teacher Beth Moore.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and a member of President Trump's Evangelical Advisory Board, also released a statement condemning white nationalism as well as the politicians who use the movement for political gain.

"When hell exhales the outcome is hatred. Both unacceptable and diabolical, racism must be confronted by God fearing people," Rodriguez stated.

Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission posted a tweet describing the alt-right movement as "antiChrist and satanic to the core." He had previously condemned white supremacy as "satanic" in June when the SBC voted to denounce the alt-right movement.

On Sunday, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the U.S. bishops' conference, and Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Florida, who chairs the conference's committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, issued a joint statement condemning racism, white supremacy and neo-Nazism.

"We stand against the evil of racism, white supremacy and neo-nazism," the two prelates stated, as reported by Crux.

"We stand with our sisters and brothers united in the sacrifice of Jesus, by which love's victory over every form of evil is assured," they added.

On Sunday, the White House released a statement that specifically condemned white supremacists, the KKK and neo-Nazis. The new statement came after a series of tweets by Republican leaders such as Senators Oren Hatch and Marco Rubio, urging Trump to call out the said groups.

Republican Sen. Cory Gardner has called on the president to declare the incident as an act of terror.
home US Colorado man delivers Satanic invocation at city council meeting

A man who is said to be representing the Western Colorado Atheists and Freethinkers delivered the first Satanic invocation at a council meeting held in Grand Junction City earlier this month.

During the Grand Junction City Council's meeting on Aug. 2, Mayor Rick Taggart called out Scott Iles, another member of the Western Colorado Atheists and Freethinkers, to lead the invocation.

Iles, who has been randomly selected to deliver the invocation that day, opted instead to let his friend Andrew Vodopich lead the prayer, claiming that he was a "much better public speaker."

A video of the invocation shows council members standing as Vodopich read expressionless from a prepared statement.

"We beseech all those present to shun primitive hatreds and superstition, bigotry, prejudice and atavism, and instead seek equality in justice and thereby safeguard all worldviews and treat them equally and with respect," Vodopich said, according to NBC 11 News.

"So say we all in the name of reason, in the name of free inquiry and in the name of rebellion against theocracy. Hail Satan," he continued.

The council members decided to allow a satanic invocation at the meeting following complaints from several community members that only prayer or religious groups can perform the invocation during the meetings.

According to the Western Colorado Atheists and Freethinkers, Grand Junction became a national trailblazer when the city created an invocation policy in 2008 that allows anyone to deliver the invocation, not just religious groups.

During Vodopich's invocation, about 24 people stood in a circle outside of the building, where they prayed the Lord's Prayer.

"We didn't feel like it was right to disrupt. That's not what we're here for ... We wanted to lift up the Lord's name high and cast out what's not for Him," said organizer Mackenzie Dodge.

Vodopich said that he was "pleasantly surprised" by the reception as he was expecting something similar to a Satanic invocation in Pensacola last year, which was met with raised hands brandishing Bibles and praying.

Last July, David Suhor of the Satanic Temple delivered an invocation while wearing a hooded robe at a city council meeting in Pensacola, Florida.

Some people present at the meeting tried to drown him out by reciting the Lord's Prayer. Several were escorted out, but others stayed and prayed quietly with their hands raised.

Several other states have allowed non-Christian groups to deliver invocations, citing the right to free speech.

In January, the Satanic Temple in Arizona was rejected in Phoenix despite being initially chosen to lead the invocation.
home US County board votes to temporarily cover 'Keep God's Commandments' inscription inside courthouse

A country board of supervisors has agreed to temporarily cover a painted inscription that reads "Keep God's Commandments" inside a local circuit courthouse in Virginia following a complaint from a prominent atheist group.

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter to the Nelson County Board of Supervisors, urging the officials to conceal the message that has been painted onto a horizontal structure inside the Nelson County Courthouse.

According to Nelson County Times, the lettering was uncovered in late winter to early spring during ongoing renovations to the courtroom, which dates back to 1810 and was the first of the four buildings that are currently part of the courthouse complex.

The FFRF decided to send the complaint letter to the county board after learning that the officials might want to keep the message.

"While the original 'Keep God's Commandments' lettering may date to the 19th century, that does not absolve the County from taking actions today that violate the Establishment Clause," the organization wrote.

"Notably, it was reported that restoration work on the courthouse involved 'carefully and painstakingly' removing old paint in order to uncover the lettering and some county supervisors have expressed an interest in keeping the religious message. Such efforts to display a religious message are not akin to retaining a long-standing monument," it continued.

The atheist group argued that the message would create the impression of government endorsement of religion and could also affect the ability for residents to obtain a fair trial.

Four citizens reportedly came at a meeting last week to urge the board to keep the display. Most of the board said that they would personally prefer to keep the message uncovered, but they expressed concern that the FFRF might follow-up their complaint with a lawsuit. The board stated that the decision whether to keep or to conceal the lettering should be left in the hands of Judge Michael Garrett, who presides over the cases at the courthouse.

Larry Saunders, the sole board member who voted against covering up the message, said that the county should be more concerned about giving an account to the "big Judge."

"I'm in favor of restoring it and being proud of it. I know I'll be outvoted, but ... I'm proud to say that I'm in favor of keeping it uncovered," he said, according to Christian News Network.

The FFRF, which boasts of more than 600 members in Virginia, commended the county board for its decision to cover up the lettering. FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor called on the board of supervisors to make the move permanent.
home World Defector says Christianity continues to grow in North Korea despite intense persecution

A North Korean defector who is assisting underground churches in the communist regime has said that Christianity continues to thrive in the country despite the intense persecution of dissenters.

Based on figures found in the U.S. State Department's latest International Religious Freedom Report, Breitbart News has found that the Christian population in North Korea saw a significant increase from 37,000 in 2012 to between 200,000 and 400,000 today.

The State Department, which gleaned the figures from data maintained by the U.N. and the Cornerstone Ministries International (CMI), has noted that the number of Christians in the communist state could be higher.

The significant increase in North Korea's Christian population was confirmed by an unnamed defector, who is now a member of the Seoul-based Worldwide Coalition to Stop Genocide in North Korea.

"In the past, the people were told to worship the Kim family as their god, but many North Koreans no longer respect Kim Jong-Un. That means they are looking for something else to sustain their faith," the defector told The Telegraph.

"In some places, that has led to the emergence of shamans, but the Christian church is also growing and deepening its roots there. Even though people know they could be sent to prisonaor worseathey are still choosing to worship, and that means that more cracks are appearing in the regime and the system," he added.

However, the defector, who is actively assisting underground churches operating in North Korea, noted that the regime has intensified its persecution against people of faith.

"Officially sanctioned persecution of people for religious reasons is still there and, I would say, even stronger than before," he said.

The U.S. State Department estimated in its annual report on global religious freedom that between 80,000 and 120,000 political prisoners are believed to be held in North Korea, some of whom are imprisoned for religious reasons.

The department learned from CMI that an estimated "10-45 percent" of those imprisoned in detention camps are Christians.

The report, released by the department on Tuesday, further revealed that those who practice any form of religion in North Korea can face jail, torture, or even execution.

Christian charity Open Doors has classified North Korea in its 2017 World Watch List as the "most difficult" place in the world to be a Christian. The organization has estimated that around 70,000 Christians are currently in labor camps, and it believes that the number of believers killed or imprisoned in the regime is still increasing.
home World Dutch public prosecutor rejects complaint against filmmakers who shot porn scene in church

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) in the Netherlands has decided to drop the case against filmmakers who shot a pornographic scene inside a church earlier this year, saying the accused committed no punishable offense.

The prosecutor contended that while the pornographic film was offensive, there was no longer a law against blasphemy in the Netherlands.

"We find it hurtful and disrespectful, but we've looked at the law book and do not really see a criminal offence. Blasphemy is not punishable and there is no question of trespassing," an OM spokesperson said.

The film, published on the website of Dutch porn star Kim Holland in January, featured two people having sex in an alley behind St. Jozef Church in Tilbur and in the church's confessional chair.

According to the Daily Mail, the couple was also filmed at other public locations in the city, including a shopping center elevator and a parking garage.

Holland has since apologized, saying the scene had been filmed by an external producer and would no longer appear on her site.

The priest at St. Jozef, Fr. Jan van Noorwegen, then held a Sunday Mass seeking forgiveness for the desecration of his church, the BBC reported.

Church manager Harrie de Swart said that he was surprised by the prosecutor's decision. "First of all, making such a video is contrary to the church owner's intention with the building," he said.

"In the second place, the creators were able to just enter the building, but to get to the confessional chair they had to climb over a fence," he added.

The church manager noted that the justice ministry said that the church should have hung a no-entry sign on the church entrance so that they could prosecute trespassers. But he argued that it would be "absurd" to hang such a sign on the door of a church.

The church still has the option of filing a civil lawsuit against the filmmakers, but De Swart advised the Diocese against it. "There's already been enough commotion and it led to nothing," he said.

Van Noorwegen expressed concern about a precedent being set. "Just imagine, if it happens now in a church, a town hall or restaurant, clearly it can happen anywhere," the priest was quoted as saying.

Holland also sparked outrage earlier this year when it was found that her company shot a porn film at an amusement park.
home US Federal court lifts injunction against Arkansas mandate that blocks funding for Planned Parenthood

A federal appeals court has lifted an injunction against Arkansas' order that blocks Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood.

On Wednesday, an Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel voted 2a1 to lift the preliminary injunction that prevented Arkansas from suspending any Medicaid payments for services rendered to patients from Planned Parenthood.

Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson sought to defund the abortion giant in 2015 after pro-life activists released a series of undercover videos that purported to show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the harvesting of aborted baby body parts.

The defunding order was challenged in court and blocked through an injunction by a lower court. Three Arkansas patients filed a lawsuit against the state, saying it violated the federal right to choose a qualified Medicaid provider, Washington Examiner reported.

U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker initially ordered the state to continue the payments to the three patients, and it later expanded the order to apply to anyone who wanted to obtain Planned Parenthood's services in the state.

However, the Eighth Circuit ruled on Wednesday that the patients did not have the federal right to challenge the defunding order.

"Under the Jane Doe's vision, while the provider is litigating its qualifications in the state courts, or after the provider unsuccessfully appeals a determination that it is not qualified, individual patients separately could litigate or relitigate the qualifications of the provider in federal court," the court stated, according to The Stream.

Planned Parenthood's Great Plains affiliate, which includes Arkansas, has indicated that it may challenge Wednesday's ruling.

"This is not over," said local Planned Parenthood leader Raegan McDonald-Mosley in a statement. "We will do everything in our power to protect our patients' access to birth control cancer screenings, and other lifesaving care," she added.

Arkansas has stated that a total of $51,000 in Medicaid funds have been received by Planned Parenthood in the fiscal year before Hutchinson's decision to terminate the contract.

Several other states have attempted to defund Planned Parenthood, but courts have blocked many of the lawsuits. In a dissenting opinion to the ruling, Judge Michael Melloy pointed out that several other appeals courts have ruled the opposite way on defunding the abortion chain.

Lawmakers have also tried to defund the organization at the federal level, but the effort stalled in Congress after the defeat of the legislation to repeal Obamacare in the Senate.

Planned Parenthood, which performs more than 300,000 abortions each year, receives approximately half a billion taxpayer dollars annually.
home US Franklin Graham castigates politicians who blame Trump for Charlottesville riot

Famed evangelist Franklin Graham came out in defense of President Donald Trump, who is currently being blamed by his critics for the deadly clash that occurred during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Graham condemned the violence at the rally and castigated the politicians who are blaming the president for the riot.

"Shame on the politicians who are trying to push blame on President Trump for what happened in #Charlottesville, VA. That's absurd," Graham wrote.

"What about the politicians such as the city council who voted to remove a memorial that had been in place since 1924, regardless of the possible repercussions? How about the city politicians who issued the permit for the lawful demonstration to defend the statue? And why didn't the mayor or the governor see that a powder keg was about to explode and stop it before it got started?" he added.

Graham, the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, went on to say that blame lies with Satan, who the evangelist says wants division, unrest, violence and hatred.

The rally in Charlottesville on Saturday came in response to the city's plan to remove a Confederate statue from a local park.

The protesters, which included neo-Nazis, skinheads, Ku Klux Klan members and white nationalists, were met with hundreds of counter-protesters, resulting in street brawls and violent clashes.

During the protest, James Alex Fields Jr., an alleged Nazi sympathizer, reportedly ran a car into a crowd of activists, killing one person and injuring at least 19 other people.

On Monday, Fields was charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count related to leaving the scene.

The suspect's mother, Samantha Bloom, said she knew that her son was attending a rally, but she thought that it was a rally for Trump, not for white nationalists.

In an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Charlottesville Democratic Mayor Michael Signer blamed Trump for the violence, saying the president had courted white supremacists during his presidential campaign and that it emboldened them to start acting out more publicly.

Signer, however, noted that the unrest over the weekend is much bigger than the president and was a reflection of the erosion of democracy.

Trump's initial statement has condemned violence on both sides, but some faith leaders criticized the president for not immediately denouncing white supremacists. The White House later clarified that Trump officially condemns white supremacist groups.
home US Hillary Clinton's pastor admits that portions of his new book of devotions were plagiarized

Reuters/Brendan McDermid

Rev. Dr. William S. Shillady, the longtime pastor of Hillary Clinton, has admitted that he inadvertently plagiarized portions of his newly released book that contains more than 365 devotions he wrote for the failed 2016 Democratic presidential candidate.

The book, titled "Strong for a Moment Like This: The Daily Devotions of Hillary Rodham Clinton," reportedly contains some similarities with a blog post written by The Rev. Matthew Deuel, a pastor at Mission Point Community Church in Warsaw, Indiana.

Shillady, who currently serves as executive director of the United Methodist City Society in New York, has been promoting the book in the media over the past few weeks, but he told CNN that he was not aware that he had committed a cardinal sin in writing.

Deuel said that Shillady borrowed from a blog post he wrote in 2016 and did not include proper attribution.

"For the disciples and Christ followers in the first century, Good Friday represented the day that everything fell apart. All was lost. The momentum and hope of a man, claiming to be the Son of God, the Messiah who was supposed to change everything, had been executed," Deuel wrote in his blog post, according to The Christian Post.

The exact same phrases appeared in Shillady's published email to Clinton, and the book reportedly has several other quotes of a similar nature.

When asked about the similarities, Shillady explained that the devotions he sent to Clinton were composed of his old sermons and mixed material he found on the internet.

"In preparing the devotional on the morning of November 9, I was determined to provide comfort with the familiar adage that 'It's Friday but Sunday is coming.' I searched for passages that offered perspective of this theme. I am now stunned to realize the similarity between Matt Deuel's blog sermon and my own. Clearly, portions of my devotional that day incorporate his exact words. I apologize to Matt for not giving him the credit he deserves," Shillady said.

Mary Catherine Dean, editor-in-chief of Abingdon Press, which released Shillady's book, accepted the pastor's explanation that it was an honest oversight.

She noted that Shillady had credited more than 200 sources, and said that his failure to attribute portions of the book does not change the fact that the devotionals were sent to Clinton.

Shillady began sending devotionals to Clinton via email in April 2015, when Clinton announced her candidacy for president. The digital devotions were mentioned by the Democratic presidential candidate during her campaign, saying they helped keep her "centered."
home World Indian state passes anti-conversion measure despite opposition from religious groups

Lawmakers in the Indian state of Jharkhand have passed a legislation that would ban religious conversions, despite widespread disapproval from religious groups, as well as from civil society and tribal groups across the state.

According to International Christian Concern (ICC), the Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Bill-2017 also known as "Jharkhand Dharma Swatantra Adhiniyam," was passed by the Jharkhand Assembly on Saturday.

The bill will go to the governor's desk for approval before it will be sent to the president for final assent.

Rev. Dr. Man Maish Ekka, a member of the local religious forum known as the Jharkhand Sadbhavana Munch, expressed disappointment over the passage of the legislation.

"This is very unfortunate for the people of Jharkhand," he said. "This is not just an attack on Christians, but is an attack on the religious freedom that the constitution gives to very [sic] citizens of this country. the motive of the bill is to divide the tribal people and break their unity," he continued.

Under the legislation, those who attempt to convert a person from one religious faith to another by force or by "fraudulent means" can be punished by imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of 50,000 Rupees (US$778), or both. The prison sentence would increase to four years and the fine to 100,000 Rupees (US$1,556) if the person being converted was a minor or a woman.

The leading Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) argued that the tribal population of Jharkhand has been targeted by missionaries, noting that the Christian percentage of the tribal people has risen by nearly 30 percent since the previous census.

"The anti-conversion law will ruin the lives and the witness of the church," a local pastor in Ranchi, who wished to remain anonymous, told ICC. "The BJP having the power both at the national level and the state, wants to implement its Hindutva ideology. This bill will further divide the people of Jharkhand, particularly divide the tribal people who lived in unity for ages," the pastor continued.

Crux noted that less than five percent of Jharkhand's population is Christian. However, over a quarter of its population is considered tribal, and Christians comprise nearly 15 percent of the state's tribal population.

While India's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, anti-conversion laws are currently in effect in six states, namely Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.

According to ICC, due to legal ambiguities, anti-conversion laws have been widely used by Hindu nationalist groups to harass and intimidate Christians while claiming to be under the auspices of state law.
home World Iran sees rise in mass conversions to Christianity despite government suppression

Islamic clerics in Iran are expressing concern about the massive rise of Christianity in Iran, especially among youths, despite rigorous Islamic indoctrination.

Ayatollah Alavi Boroujerdi, a leading Islamic seminary official, has voiced out his concern that there are "accurate reports" indicating that Iranian youths are "becoming Christians in Qom and attending house churches."

Mohabat News, which reports on the persecution and state of Christianity in Iran, noted that there have been earlier reports that show a rise in the number of Iranians turning away from Islam and converting to Christianity.

The news outlet pointed out that the "high rate of conversion of Iranian youth to Christianity is in spite of rigorous Islamic indoctrination of the youth in their families and educational system."

"The Islamic government of Iran dedicates massive budgets to the support of Islamic organizations that promote Islam among the youth within and without Iran's borders," it added.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, one of the most senior Islamic Shi'ite clerics in the country, has blamed the foreign influence for the mass conversion of young Iranians to Christianity.

After Shirazi raised his concerns about the popularity of Christianity in the suburbs of Mashhad last year, the city's religious and political officials immediately sent a large number of Islamic teachers in preachers in the area in an attempt to turn the youth's away from Christianity.

Following the efforts of Islamic teachers and preachers, the officials launched a crackdown on youths who refused to turn back to Islam.

The Iranian law enforcement and intelligence ministry started arresting Christian converts, who are faced with long prison terms and heavy bails for their temporary release.

Another Ayatollah, based in Tabriz, said that he had heard of reports that as many as 600 residents of one of the cities in Khorasan province had converted to Christianity at one time.

Many Iranian Christian converts have been arrested in recent years, but the number of house churches in the country continues to grow at an exponential rate despite the crackdown on Christians.

In a report released seven years ago, Iranian Revolutionary Guards have identified 200 house churches in Mashhad, which is known to be the Islamic capital of Iran and the Shi'ite Muslim world. According to Mohabat News, there are other reports that indicate that the number has grown significantly since then, and other cities, such as Rasht, Tehran and Karaj, also have a record number of house churches.

The Iranian government has reportedly been spending millions of dollars for Islamic propaganda, alongside its crackdown on Christian converts and house churches across the country. However, the strategies appear to be ineffective, with mission group Elam Ministries separately estimating that there are currently as many as 360,000 Christians in Iran, a significant increase from only 500 in 1979.
home World ISIS terror attack in Barcelona latest news: 13 killed, more than 100 injured; Manhunt underway for driver

A manhunt is underway for the driver of a van that mowed through crowds of tourists on Barcelona's most famous avenue on Thursday, killing at least 13 people in an attack that was claimed by Islamic State.

Authorities said the death toll could rise, with more than 100 people injured, some seriously.

Police said they arrested two men, a Moroccan and a man from Spain's north African enclave of Melilla, though neither was the driver. Witnesses said the driver fled on foot.

Also on Thursday, hours beforehand, a person was killed in an explosion in a house about 100 km (62 miles) southwest of Barcelona, in an incident linked to the attack, police added.

It was still not clear how many attackers had been involved. In another incident, police shot dead a man who had driven a car into a police checkpoint in Barcelona, though they had no evidence that this, too, was connected with the van attack.

Witnesses said the white van zigzagged at high speed down Las Ramblas, a busy avenue thronged with tourists, knocking down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground.

Islamic State's Amaq news agency said: "The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states" - a reference to a U.S.-led coalition against the Sunni militant group.

The claim could not immediately be verified.

If the involvement of Islamist militants is confirmed, it would be the latest in a string of attacks in the past 13 months in which they have used vehicles to bring carnage to the streets of European cities.

That modus operandi - crude, deadly and very hard to prevent - has killed well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm.

British tourist Keith Welling, who arrived in Barcelona on Wednesday with his wife and 9-year-old daughter, said they saw the van drive past them down the avenue and took refuge in a restaurant when panic broke out and the crowd started running.
home World Liverpool church draws controversy for offering 'gay cure' therapy

A church in Liverpool has sparked controversy after it was found to be offering a gay 'cure' program that involves starving a person for three days.

An undercover investigation conducted by ECHO reporter Josh Parry has found that the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry in Liverpool was offering gay people the chance to "rid themselves of their homosexuality" through a prayer session that includes three days of fasting.

Parry, who posed as a member of the public struggling with his sexuality, was invited to a group prayer session in the church's branch at Breck Road and was later offered a private counseling session with the church's assistant pastor, known only as Brother Michael.

During the session, the assistant pastor allegedly made a series of statements, including that homosexuality is a "deceit of Satan," and that people chose to be gay to get "celebrity" status. The undercover reporter was then told that he could be turned straight through prayer and worship.

The private counseling session with Brother Michael was captured by the undercover reporter's concealed recording device.

"You cannot be saying God gave you your penis and make it a rod, and now he created another thing like a hole that it fit properly into it," Brother Michael was quoted as saying.

"So for you to have a penis, it means you are a man. That is the way you are created. I will say one thing as well, you say all these things about 'I'm feeling I'm confused about my sexuality.' Thank God you say that you are looking for deliverance because you have got your deliverance," he continued.

Parry also attended a group prayer session in which the assistant pastor repeatedly shouted phrases, including "you are a liar, die in the fire, die in the fire," while the congregation was heard speaking in tongues, crying and swearing.

When the church's pastor, Dr. Desmond Sanusi, was confronted over the investigation, he claimed that the assistant pastor's advice was not officially sanctioned and denied that the church discriminates against anyone based on sexuality or gender.

Sanusi went on to say that similar programs have been running for 20 years, but "nobody has dropped dead."

Mental health professionals and LGBT activists have criticized the church's methods as "dangerous" and damaging.

Dr. Louise Theodosiou, a consultant psychiatrist from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said that the program's fasting element poses "huge" risks to physical health and could affect the brain function of those undergoing the treatment.

Further investigations revealed that Sanusi is a doctor registered with the General Medical Council. He is believed to be working as a neurosurgeon for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, which oversees eight different hospitals. The trust has confirmed that Sanusi was an employee, but it has refused to disclose his job title or which hospital he works in.
home World Mideast patriarchs urge Pope Francis to 'scold' world leaders on issue of Christian exodus

Mideast Catholic and Orthodox patriarch are calling on Pope Francis to "scold" world leaders in the hopes that they would address the issue of the displacement of Christians from the Middle East.

In a statement released on Aug. 11, the Council of the Eastern Patriarchs described the displacement of Christians from the region as "a genocidal project, a humanitarian catastrophe and a plague of the earth's civilization."

The patriarchs urged Pope Francis to bring world leaders together to come up with a plan to protect the Christians in the Middle East. "Who else but the Rock of Peter can we resort to?" the prelates asked in their plea.

"Only you, Your Holiness, are left to call on the representatives of the people who control the destinies of peoples, to remind them and even to scold them that the continued displacement of Christians from the Middle East is certainly a genocidal project, a humanitarian catastrophe, but a plague of the earth's civilization," they added.

The prelates also called on the U.N. and the states directly involved in the war in Syria, Iraq and Palestine to put an end to the warfare in the region.

The categorized the inability to bring about lasting peace in the Middle East as a "stain on the forehead of the 21st century."

The patriarchs said that they were pleased about the liberation of Mosul and the towns in the Nineveh Plain from the Islamic State, but they expressed concern about the persistence of extremist groups' "ideology, inflammatory rhetoric and the climate of conflict in this region."

They went on to encourage Iraqi Christians to remain in the country to preserve their civilization and help build a new civilian state.

The prelates also noted that they were following the plight of the Palestinian people with "great interest." They pointed to the "daily harassment" of the Palestinians who live in Jerusalem and noted that economic and security situation in the region has resulted in the "exodus of many of our Christian children from Palestine."

The statement was issued after the patriarchs held a meeting on Aug. 9a10 in Dimane, Lebanon. On Aug. 9, the patriarchs met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun to discuss the issue of displaced persons and refugees in Lebanon.

According to Catholic News Service, refugees comprise between one-quarter and one-third of the population of Lebanon, over a million of which are Syrians.

The prelates who were involved in issuing the statement include Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Youssef Younan II, Maronite Catholic Patriarch Bechara Rai, Melkite Catholic Patriarch Joseph Absi and Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako.
home US Ninth Circuit court backs David Daleiden in baby parts investigation case against university

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court ruling that barred undercover journalist David Daleiden from obtaining unredacted records from the University of Washington, which is being suspected of trafficking fetal remains.

Last year, David Daleiden sought to obtain public records from the University of Washington's Birth Defects Research Laboratory regarding its use of aborted baby body parts in research, as well as its relationship with the abortion provider Planned Parenthood.

However, university employees and abortion facility personnel filed a lawsuit in district court to block certain information from the records. The plaintiffs argued that they would "likely face threats, harassment and violence" if information about their work was disclosed to the public.

Last November, a Seattle-based district court judge ruled in favor of the university, barring Daleiden from releasing the names and job titles of university personnel involved in the research using fetal remains.

On Monday, however, a three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court unanimously ruled in favor of Daleiden, overturning the lower court decision that prevented him from obtaining unredacted public records.

"Although we agree with the district court that there may be a basis for redaction where disclosure would likely result in threats, harassment, and violence, the court's order did not address how the Doe plaintiffs have made the necessary clear showing with specificity as to the different individuals or groups of individuals who could be identified in the public records," the ruling stated.

"The district court also made no finding that specific individuals or groups of individuals were engaged in activity protected by the First Amendment and what that activity was," it continued.

Thomas More Society Special Counsel Peter Breen, told Fox News earlier this week that Monday's ruling "prevented a serious threat to the public's right to know how their tax dollars are being spent."

According to Breen, Daleiden had specifically requested the names and personal contact information of the people involved to be stricken from the documents before they were handed over. However, abortion advocates and government employees also wanted to censor entity names, job titles and departments within the university, a move which Breen says would render the documents "useless for investigative purposes."

The Ninth Circuit remanded the case back to the lower court, saying it had failed to provide facts and law sufficient to make a "clear showing" that the U.S. Constitution requires heavy censoring of the public records.

Daleiden has found himself fighting multiple legal battles after he released a series of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood employees allegedly profiting from the sales of aborted baby body parts.

In January 2016, Daleiden and his colleague Sandra Merritt were indicted in Texas for filming medical providers without their consent, but all charges were dropped seven months later.
home US Oregon governor signs landmark bill to provide free abortions for all, including illegal immigrants

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has approved a legislation that requires insurance companies to provide free abortions for all residents, as well as illegal immigrants.

On Tuesday, the governor signed House Bill 3391 into law, making Oregon the first state in the nation to offer free abortions for all.

The measure, which was approved by the State Legislature on July 5 with no Republican votes, requires Oregon insurers to provide 100 percent coverage for abortions without co-pays or deductibles, Breitbart News reported.

The $10.2 million Reproductive Health Equity Act, which goes into effect immediately, allocates $500,000 for the estimated 22,873 women eligible under the Oregon health plan.

Critics have argued that the measure would force people who have moral objections to abortion to assume some of the costs.

The new law carries an exemption for houses of worship and religious non-profits, but pro-life groups contend that the exemption is very weak.

According to Fox News, the state will fully reimburse the abortion expenses of policy holders of Providence Health Care, Oregon's single non-profit Catholic health insurance provider that does not cover abortions.

The legislation received some praises from the pro-choice movement, but it drew criticisms from conservatives.

"Everyone in America needs to see that Oregon's former late-term abortion-lobbyist governor Kate Brown just forced Oregonians to fund against their will late-term and sex-selective abortions," Jonathan Lockwood, spokesman for the Oregon Senate Republicans, said in an email. "Watch out; this is coming to a state near you," he added.

Opponents have predicted that the law will be challenged in court, arguing that it violates the Weldon Amendment, a 2004 congressional provision that prohibits Health and Human Services funds for states that discriminate against health care providers that refuse to cover abortions.

Oregon House Democrats have stated that the measure is a direct response to President Donald Trump and pro-life federal lawmakers, who are currently debating a bill to defund Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood reportedly helped in drawing up the law that excludes citizenship status as a requirement for Medicaid coverage.

"We are so grateful for the bold leadership of Gov. Brown and legislative champions who understand that Oregonians don't want reproductive health care attacked," said Laurel Swerdlow, advocacy director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon.

"Women, transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals, people of color, immigrants and people of faith are not going to silently stand around while politicians in Washington, D.C., try to take away our health care," she added.
home US Parents sue private school for allegedly forcing 8-year-old transgender to 'live as a boy'

The parents of an 8-year-old California transgender, who was born male but identifies as a girl, is suing a private school for allegedly forcing their son to "live as a boy."

The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, alleged that Heritage Oak Private Education in Yorba Linda had refused to let the 8-year-old boy, who goes by the name Nikki, to dress as he chose, use the bathroom of his choice, and go by female pronouns.

The boy's parents, Jaspret Brar and Priya Shah, are now seeking compensatory damages from the school and demanding a change to its policies.

"Heritage Oak repudiated Nikki's core identity. It refused to use the name, pronoun, and gender corresponding to Nikki's gender identity, required Nikki to wear the boy's uniform and use the boy's restroom, and failed to address the bullying that Nikki was subjected to because of her gender identity and gender expression," the lawsuit read, as reported by Christian News Network.

The parents have since withdrawn their son from the school, stating that they made the decision after the boy tore a photograph of himself in half and declared, "I hate myself."

The complaint contends that Heritage Oak violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits a broad range of discrimination, including by sex or sexual orientation. The suit also alleged that the school had fraudulently advertised itself as nondiscriminatory and focused on the "whole child."

In response to the lawsuit, the school said in a statement that it needed time to contemplate how it would educate elementary students about gender identity.

"Due to the sensitivity of the issue and age of the child, we believed we needed expert guidance regarding timing ... process and age-appropriate communication," the statement read.

The school also claimed that it hired an outside consultant and had been communicating with the family to discuss accommodations, but the parents rejected the offer and decided to withdraw the child from school.

The parents' lawyer, Mark Rosenbaum, refuted the school's claims that the problems came down to miscommunication or speed of action. He asserted that the school had "created roadblocks and ultimately refused to meet the undisputed needs of a young transgender student in their care."

Apart from the policy changes, punitive damages and attorney's fees, the parents also want the school to incorporate discussions of transgenderism in its curriculum. The 8-year-old is expected to attend a public school in Orange County this year.
home World Pastor who was freed by North Korea recounts 'overwhelming loneliness' during his incarceration

Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim, who was recently freed by North Korea after more than two years in jail, recounted the "overwhelming loneliness" he experienced while he was incarcerated in a labor camp.

On Sunday, congregants gathered at the Light Presbyterian Church in Mississauga to catch their first glimpse of Lim in over two years. The church had been praying for his release since he was taken into custody in North Korea in January 2015.

Lim, 62, spoke publicly at the church for the first time on Sunday since his release from imprisonment.

In a prepared statement, the pastor revealed that he had been hospitalized four times during his incarceration. He recounted that he was forced to dig holes in the frozen ground outside and had to break apart coal inside a facility.

In the statement, released before he spoke at the church, Lim talked about the "difficult moments" he suffered and describe the "overwhelming loneliness" he experienced in detention.

"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," he said, according to CBC News.

"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 coal," he added.

The pastor recounted that the hard physical labor took such a toll on his body that he was once hospitalized for two months.

He said that he kept himself busy by reading more than 100 books on North Korea, reading the Bible in English and in Korean five times, memorizing more than 700 verses, and worshipping alone on 130 Sundays.

"While I was labouring, I prayed without ceasing," he said, adding that his moments of "discouragement, resentment and grumbling" turned into "courage, joy and thanksgiving."

Lim's son noted that he had lost about 50 pounds during his incarceration, but said that the pastor appeared to be in "good health."

The pastor's release came after a Canadian delegation, led by Prime Minister 's national security adviser Daniel Jean, flew to Pyongyang on Aug. 7 to discuss his case. By Wednesday, the North Korean regime announced that Lim would be released on humanitarian grounds.

Lim's family and supporters said that he had made more than 100 trips to North Korea since 1997. They had maintained that Lim's trips to the communist country were about helping people and were not political.
home Entertainment PureFlix.com expands its original content with new Christian soap opera

PureFlix.com, a faith and family-friendly streaming service, is expanding its list of original content with the launch of the first Christian soap opera.

"Hilton Head Island," which is slated to debut this fall, will feature several well-known stars, including Antonio Sabato Jr., Donna Mills and Wink Martindale.

The new soap opera, which is currently in production, has been described by the company as a "22-episode family-focused dramatic series."

"There's a clearly an appetite for original content in the streaming video world and we decided it was a hunger we needed to feed," said Greg Gudorf, CEO of PureFlix.com, according to a press release.

"Our efforts paid off; Our growing subscriber base gravitates toward original series that are new, fresh and can only be seen on our platform," he added.

The launch of the new soap opera will be followed by a 12-episode comedic series titled "Malibu Dan," starring David A.R. White. The comedy is about one of the hosts of a morning talk show in Malibu, California, who finds it difficult to find a balance between his work and home life.

Late last month, PureFlix.com launched the sitcom "Hitting the Breaks," which also stars David A.R. White, along with Andrea Logan White, Gianna Simone, Kevin Downes and others. The 10-episode sitcom is about a former race car driver who relocates his family to Colorado to run a country inn in a town full of colorful characters. Award-winning actor Burt Reynolds ends each episode with a prayer. Additionally, the show also features guest appearances by Tim Tebow, Rob Schneider and Carrot Top.

Since mid-2015, Pureflix.com has launched seven original series, including "Pure Flix Comedy All-Stars", "After The Encounter" and "Pure Talk", a talk show covering Christian issues and trends.

Another popular original series launched by the company was "The Encounter," starring Bruce Marchiano as Jesus. PureFlix.com subscribers have lauded the series for its depiction of Jesus helping people in everyday situations.

"The popularity and success of 'The Encounter' series was the driving force for us to expand our original content lineup. It gave us the confident to keep on developing new original series and programs," Gudorf said.

Like Netflix and Hulu, PureFlix.com offers the first month for free and gives its viewers the option to choose from thousands of titles without paying a fee.
home World Spanish TV station labels Hillsong church as a 'hipster cult'

Hillsong, an evangelical megachurch founded in Sydney Australia, has been labeled by a private TV channel in Spain as a "hipster cult" in a recent report about its worship services.

On Aug. 6, Spanish TV station La Sexta released its report about Hillsong, which is celebrating its fourth anniversary in Spain.

According to Evangelical Focus, the La Sexta news program, which targets a young audience, introduced Hillsong under the title "the hipster cult" and accused the church of "recruiting thousands" with the aim of earning money. The journalistic piece quoted a critic who compared Hillsong to the Church of Scientology.

"They [Hillsong Spain] aim to collect money for some specific leaders, in this they resemble Scientology, a group that works exactly in the same way as these people," said Daniel Lorenzo, who was presented as an "expert."

Lorenzo reportedly did not provide any evidence to back his claim, and no representative of Hillsong was given the chance to respond to his accusation.

The report also presented Hillsong's "conservative view of marriage and sexuality" as something that makes the denomination unique, even though the Roman Catholic Church and almost all Protestant churches in Spain hold to the same views of biblical marriage.

Evangelical Focus noted that La Sexta did not correct the information in the report despite criticisms from evangelical Christians on social media. The TV station instead published a second report using specific quotes of an interview with pastor Juan Mejias of Hillsong Barcelona to come up with alleged "commandments" for Hillsong members. The report also claimed that Hillsong sees itself as "the answer to all the problems" of Spain.

Hillsong, founded by Pastor Brian Houston, along with his wife Bobbie Houston, follows the general principles of Pentecostal Christianity, which means that it believes the Bible to be authoritative and final on all matters of faith. "Hillsong is a church that believes in Jesus, a church that loves God and people." the church's website states.

The megachurch reportedly believes that homosexuality is against the teachings of the Bible, but it does not condemn gay people.

Hillsong, which is known for its appeal to young people, is based in Sydney, but it has 80 affiliated churches across the globe, including in Johannesburg, Kiev, Stockholm, London, New York and Los Angeles.

Celebrities who have voiced their support for Hillsong or have attended the church's ceremonies include Kourtney Kardashian, Selena Gomez, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Hailey Baldwin and Justin Bieber.
home US Texas governor signs bill restricting insurance coverage for abortions

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a legislation that restricts state funding for abortions through insurance plans.

House Bill 214, which limits insurance coverage for abortion procedures, was signed into law by Abbott on Tuesday.

"A qualified health plan offered through a health benefit exchange may not provide coverage for elective abortion," the bill states.

The measure, which was passed by the House last week and approved by the Senate on Sunday, is scheduled to take effect on Dec. 1.

Abbott stated on Tuesday that he was "proud to sign legislation that ensures no Texan is ever required to pay for a procedure that ends the life of an unborn child."

"This bill prohibits insurance providers from forcing Texas policy holders to subsidize elective abortions. I am grateful to the Texas legislature for getting this bill to my desk, and working to protect innocent life this special session," he added.

The pro-life measure, chiefly sponsored by Republican State Rep. John Smithee of Amarillo, carries an exemption for cases of medical emergency to save the mother's life.

"What we're saying here is: If you want to buy this coverage, you can buy it," Smithee stated during the House debate. "This isn't about who can get an abortion. It is about who is forced to pay for an abortion," he added.

Democratic Sen. Sylvia Garcia contended that the bill amounts to nothing but "rape insurance." She fought for additional exemptions to the legislation, but her efforts were defeated on a party line 20a10 vote.

HB214 was one of three abortion-related bills Abbott wanted to be passed during his special 30-day legislative session. The second bill, passed by both state chambers on Friday, would require doctors and health clinics to report abortion complications to the state in greater detail, according to Life Site News.

The third legislation, House Bill 215, aims to increase the level of reporting on minors who have had an abortion. The bill was approved by the House on Friday, while the Senate passed its own version of the bill, SB73, on July 25.

Similar laws keeping taxpayers out of the abortion insurance business are currently in effect in 10 other states. Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Oklahoma imposes restrictions on taxpayer funding for abortions through insurance plans in all cases except when the mother's life is at risk. Indiana and Utah have similar laws but provide exemptions in cases of rape and incest.
home World Trump admin's first religious freedom report labels ISIS' attacks on minorities as 'genocide'

The first International Religious Freedom Report released under the administration of President Donald Trump has highlighted the Islamic State's attack on Christians and other minorities, specifically calling it genocide.

The report, released by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, links ISIS to ethnic cleansing of religious minorities and attacks on churches and Christian pilgrims in Egypt.

"ISIS is clearly responsible for genocide against Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims in areas it controls or has controlled," Tillerson said.

"The protection of these groups a and others subject to violent extremism a is a human rights priority for the Trump administration. We will continue working with our regional partners to protect religious minority communities from terrorist attacks and to preserve their cultural heritage," he continued.

The State Department's annual report provides an update on the religious freedom situation in 199 countries around the world. According to The Christian Post, the study explores the different forms and levels of persecution people of various faiths and ethnic groups are being subjected to.

The latest report was also highly critical of a number of countries, including China and Saudi Arabia, even though they are considered key U.S. allies.

The document highlighted China's continuing abuse against Tibetan Buddhists Christians and other religious minorities. A Christian pastor was reportedly buried alive while trying to stop the authorities from demolishing his church, while three Tibetans set themselves on fire to protest the ongoing repression in the country.

The report criticized Saudi Arabia for arresting and jailing people on charges of insulting Islam and practicing sorcery. Foreigners have also been detained, harassed and occasionally deported from the Arab nation for participating in non-Islamic worship.

"Many governments around the world used discriminatory laws to deny their citizens freedom of religion or belief. No one should have to live in fear, worship in secret, face discrimination because of their beliefs," Tillerson said, according to CBN News.

The severe religious rights abuses in North Korea was also highlighted in the report, which noted that simply owning a Bible in the country is illegal and is "punishable by imprisonment and severe punishment, including, in some cases, execution."

It cited the accounts of "private Christian religious activity in the country," along with charities and academics that estimated the number of Christians at around several hundred thousand, but said that it is hard to verify the exact number.

The State Department has been releasing the annual report since the international religious freedom act of 1998 was amended under President Bill Clinton to help better assess and protect religious freedom as a foreign policy.
home US Trump to roll back Obama-era policy that forces hospitals to perform gender transition treatments

President Donald Trump's administration is reportedly preparing to finalize a policy that would revoke an Obama-era health care rule that critics say forces hospitals, doctors and health insurers to cover or provide gender transition treatments.

According to The Hill, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is expected to release the proposed rule in the coming weeks or months.

The proposal would reportedly rescind an HHS mandate enacted in 2016 that prohibits health care providers and insurers who receive federal tax dollars from denying treatment or coverage to patients on the basis of gender identity.

Under the 2016 HHS mandate, procedures and services offered by hospitals and doctors to nontransgender patients for medical reasons, such as hysterectomy, must be offered to transgender individuals if deemed "medically necessary."

A lawsuit challenging the mandate in court was filed by five states and several organizations like the Christian Medical and Dental Associations and the Franciscan Alliance.

The complainants argued that the rule would force doctors and hospital to "perform controversial and sometimes harmful medical procedures ostensibly designed to permanently change an individual's sex a including the sex of children." They also claimed that the law would require faith-based hospitals and doctors to perform sex reassignment procedures even if they feel that it would violate their religious or moral convictions.

A nationwide injunction was issued by a Texas district court judge to prevent the gender identity and pregnancy termination provisions from taking effect. The HHS under the Trump administration decided not to appeal the ruling.

Pro-LGBT activist groups have expressed their objection to the proposal to rescind the 2016 HHS mandate, claiming that it would make it easier for transgender patients to be discriminated against.

The Hill reported that once the Justice Department completes its review of the policy, its final step before the rule's release would be a review by the Office of Management and Budget.

"I don't think they [HHS] are going to have an easy time ... and we'll make sure they hear every objection and justify what they're doing," said Joshua Block, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, said.

Sasha Buchert, a staff attorney at Lambda Legal, said that she was surprised by how quickly the new proposal was drafted.

"I expected them to take more time in deliberating, in the same way the original rule was crafted, rather than crafting something internally and sending it over to DOJ," she said.

The proposed rule has been seen as one of many attempts made by the Trump administration to use regulations rather than legislation to change ObamaCare. In May, Trump issued an executive order highlighting religious objections to the contraceptive mandate. Another leaked proposed rule from the HHS would reportedly allow any organization to claim an exemption from the mandate, even if their objections are not faith-based.
home World Two dead as gunmen attack another church in southern Nigeria

One policeman and a civilian were killed after gunmen stormed the Assemblies of God Church in Anambra state in southeast Nigeria on Sunday.

According to an eyewitness, the gunmen momentarily stopped at the Assemblies of God Church on the Oguta road Onitsha, and opened fire on the policemen at the church.

"When the firing became too hot, the policemen abandoned their patrol vehicle and ran away for safety," the witness told Nigerian news website Punch.

"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 can't say how many they are in number," the witness added.

Another witness stated that gunmen riding a motorcycle shot a policeman and took 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 second eyewitness said.

The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, confirmed the incident to reporters, but he maintained that the shooting was not an attack on 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," the commissioner said.

Umar also confirmed that the gunmen took away the rifle that belonged to the slain police officer.

The shooting came just seven days after gunmen attacked St. Philips Catholic Church in Ozubulu, killing at least 13 persons and injuring 27. Among the victims who died were nine women, a baby girl and two men, according to Ikenna Ofodeme, Transition Committee Chairman of Ekwusigo Council.

The commissioner told journalists on Aug. 7 that some suspects have been arrested in connection with the church attack in Ozubulu, but he said that the number of arrests will not be disclosed to avoid jeopardizing the ongoing investigation.

Umar said that the attack was an isolated case of a feud between two people from the same community, adding that some people who would be useful in the investigation have been contacted by the police.

On Aug. 12, a federal government delegation, led by Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, visited Anambra to commiserate with the people on the Ozubulu shooting.

Ngige stated that the federal government would come up with a plan on how to secure places of worship in the country following the incessant attacks on churches.
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Ocean Springs aldermen gave Mayor Shea Dobson the go-ahead Tuesday night to begin discussions over the possible purchase of three acres for a new city park.

The property lies on the north side of Davidson Road, just west of the intersection with Halstead Road. More importantly, the property's north end runs into the city's Alice Street recreation complex.

Brought to the board by Ward 3 alderman Joey Bellman, who lives in the area, the initial plan was for a dog park, but aldermen noted that three acres would be likely for additional features, including a children's park and a walking track.

During Tuesday's board meeting, Bellman noted Wards 3 and 4 don't have true public parks, as the existing Alice Street park is frequently under use by the recreation department's summer and after-school programs, and the small playground near Pecan Park Elementary is strictly for small children.

Bellman also recalled the recreation department attempting to acquire the property in the 1990's, when the department operated autonomously and Bellman served on its board of directors.

"This is one opportunity we shouldn't pass up," Bellman said. "This may be our last chance to buy this property."

Most of the other aldermen were supportive of the idea, including Ward 4 alderman Ken Papania and alderman at-large Bobby Cox, who both said the location of the Davidson Road property made it ideal for the City.

"This is probably the last time you'll have three acres of vacant property available in that area of Ocean Springs," Papania said. "I'd like to see us move forward on this in a pretty quick manner."

Longtime Ward 1 alderman John Gill noted the City has attempted on more than one occasion to construct a public dog park, but each time the plan fell through. Ward 5 alderman Rob Blackman, a former City building official, noted maintenance costs were the primary concern during those previous discussions.

"It's something people want," Gill said. "I think there's a lot of support in the community for that."

Gill also said the property could be purchased through the use of the City's two-percent food & beverage tax, which is specifically earmarked for capital improvements for either recreation or public safety.

He added that if the board is serious about pursuing the property, he'd like to see recreation director Geri Straight and her staff come up with a proposed layout of what a park might look like on the three-acre site. Straight said she would put it on the agenda for the department's Sept. 13 advisory committee meeting.

Other aldermen expressed some concern over how residents near the Davidson property would react to a park being located there, but Bellman said there are only a handful of homes which abut the park and he has already spoken to those residents. They are supportive of the idea, he said.

Dobson said he would speak with the property owner and "see where it goes."
The Collection of Alberto Pinto

Featuring art from the Renaissance to the 21st century, silverware, European and Asian porcelain, and linen, the contents of the renowned interior decorator's Paris apartment are to be offered from 12-14 September at Christie's Paris

Luxury ran through his veins, says Francois de Ricqles, president of Christies France, of Alberto Pinto, the celebrated interior decorator. He had a great sense of proportion and really understood houses. He knew how to create extraordinary interiors, and that is why his career was so brilliant. From 12-14 September, Christies Paris will offer The Collection of Alberto Pinto, featuring objects from his Paris apartment. Alberto Pinto was born in Casablanca in 1943 to Argentine parents. After studying at the Ecole du Louvre in Paris, he moved to New York and launched a photographic agency specialising in art and design. He shifted to interior decoration in the late 1960s, opening his own Paris firm in 1968. Today it employs 80 people and creates interiors for houses, yachts, aircraft and corporate premises around the world, with clients ranging from the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia to the Lanesborough and Dorchester hotels in London. Pinto was a dedicated collector, and amassed an exceptional array of works sourced from auction houses, galleries and international art fairs. The September sale at Christies Paris, which runs concurrently with the Biennale des Antiquaires, includes 1,000 lots that reflect the decorators passion for art from the Renaissance to the 21st century.



I love the idea that people can treat themselves to a piece of Albertos world, his universe  Linda Pinto, Alberto Pintos sister

The collection spans tableware, silverware, European and Asian porcelain, and linen, of which Pinto was undoubtedly one of the greatest collectors. There are also significant Impressionist artworks; classic furniture; statuary; and design, including major pieces by Claude Lalanne.

Open a larger version of this image Claude Lalanne (b. 1925), Croco Desk, 2008. Estimate: 120,000-180,000. This lot is offered in Collection Alberto Pinto on 12-14 September 2017 at Christies in Paris

The silver section includes more than 250 pieces by French, Italian, English, Russian and Portuguese silversmiths. Among the highlights is a large selection of animals acquired directly by Pinto from Luiz Ferreira, the Portuguese master in this category, renowned for his intricate creations inspired by the natural world.

A consummate host, Pinto was passionate about creating the perfect table settings for his guests. Over the decades he acquired numerous porcelain services from Portugal, England and France. Of the porcelain lots offered at auction, one of the most important is an early 19th-century French ornithological service, with an estimate of 15,000-20,000.

Welcoming friends and sharing an enjoyable moment around a table was key to Pintos philosophy of life. Each table setting offered an excuse to refresh his interiors. It is only fitting, then, that the auction will feature almost 100 linen items with estimates ranging from 100 to 2,000. Pinto built up a unique collection of antique linen, comprising table linen and bed linen with wonderful Richelieu openwork embroidery and lace insets, says Lionel Gosset, head of private collections at Christies. Crowns or coats of arms decorate damasks featuring decorative embroidery of plants or animals.

The Impressionist and Modern Art section includes a portrait of Lucien Guitry by Edouard Vuillard, previously featured in the 2003 Vuillard retrospective at the Grand Palais in Paris. The Post-war and Contemporary Art offered include works on paper by Alexander Calder, a portrait of Audrey Hepburn by Vik Muniz, and pieces by Marc Quinn, Philippe Hiquily and Man Ray.
Mayor Sylvester Turner is calling for direct flights from Houston to Tel Aviv, the Houston Airport System said Thursday.

Turner recently led a delegation to Israel to attract business and create collaborations in energy, life sciences and technology. Houston Airport System Chief External Affairs Officer Saba Abashawl joined the mayor and a delegation of business and nonprofit leaders, according to a news release.
A nurse who worked for St. Luke's Heath System Corp. has sued the hospital chain for allegedly requiring her and other nurses to work without pay during their meal breaks, the latest in a string of similar wage cases that nurses have brought against medical care providers.

Leticia Salcedo, a nurse who worked for St. Luke's Health Patients Medical Center from June 2015 to February 2016, filed her lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Houston earlier this month. She is seeking class action status to represent the nurses who work at 10 Houston-area CHI St. Luke-owned hospitals, including the flagship Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center.
Slim Thug is letting a few friends have some fun, at his expense, for a good cause.

The member of Houston rap royalty is the guest of honor at a comedy roast to kick off his birthday weekend. It happens Sept. 8 at Rockefeller's, 3620 Washington. Tickets are $40.
A top NASA official who spent time at Houston's Johnson Space Center has been named the sole finalist for chancellor of the University of North Texas System.

Lesa Roe, the space agency's acting deputy administrator, led International Space Center research programs while in Houston.

The 54-year-old will become the first woman to lead the UNT System. Trained as an electrical engineer, she will oversee more than 10,000 employees and a system that includes campuses in Denton, Dallas and Fort Worth.

The Trump administration is poised to name new top leaders for NASA in September, the Chronicle has reported.

U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine of Oklahoma, a military aviator and Rice University graduate, reportedly will become the next NASA administrator. His deputy is expected to be John Schumacher, vice president of Aerojet Rocketdyne.

Bridenstine is a pilot in the U.S. Navy Reserve who has shown deep interest in the future of American space exploration. He has been a fierce advocate of U.S. leadership regaining preeminence in space.

The congressman introduced legislation last year called the American Space Renaissance Act to "permanently secure the United States of America as the preeminent space-faring nation." He also helped secure funding for the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation. SpaceNews named him one of five game-changers in the world in space in 2015.

He also has supported the role of the commercial space industry as NASA strives to return to the moon and then to Mars and beyond. Today, American astronauts hitch rides on Russian space launches.

On Thursday, NASA spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz said the agency has three Senate-confirmed political appointee positions: Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and CFO.

"Any others beyond those positions will be at the discretion of the White House," she wrote in an email.

Roe transitions to higher education leadership following a 30-year career at NASA.

In a video introducing herself to the public university system's students, faculty and staff, Roe said she looked forward to learning more about them and their campuses.

"I'm a lifelong learner with a passion for working with students and I believe that the UNT System and its institutions  UNT, UNT Health Science Center and UNT Dallas  are positioned to push the limits of higher education. UNTS is unique as the only university system based in what is arguably the nation's most robust economy," she said. "I want to be a part of your exciting community of learning, teaching, inventing, exploring and achieving."

Roe received her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida.

The chancellor-elect spent 15 years in program and project management at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She also served as director of the space agency's Langley Research Center. Her husband, Ralph Roe, is NASA's chief engineer.

State law requires a 21-day period before final action can be taken by the Board of Regents.

Lesa Roe will succeed Lee Jackson, who has led the UNT System since 2002 and is the state's longest-serving chancellor. He will remain at his post until Roe takes office in early 2018.
A man is behind bars after ramming his car early Friday into a patrol vehicle in northeast Houston.

Officers first saw the man about 2 a.m., speeding out of a neighborhood known to have a lot of crime, said Capt. Megan Howard with the Houston Police Department.
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Vandals splattered paint onto a bronze bust of Martin Luther King Jr. and a 7-foot-tall statue of Christopher Columbus in Houston as nationwide turmoil over historical statues spilled beyond the protests over Confederate monuments.

The MLK statue in the historically black community of Sunnyside was found smeared with white paint early Thursday morning.

The towering statue of Christopher Columbus in the Montrose area was doused with red paint sometime Thursday night, Houston police officials said Friday.

The reports mark the first known acts of vandalism in Houston on historic statues during a week in which protesters are demanding the removal of Confederate memorials in Houston and across the nation.

The Houston Police Department is investigating both incidents, but no one had been arrested as of Friday afternoon. Officials wouldn't say whether they believed the attacks were linked.

"We're going to try to catch people in the act so we can arrest them because there's no excuse for vandalism," Chief Art Acevedo said.

SANITIZED HISTORY: Sen. Ted Cruz echoes Trump's stance

Anyone involved could face a charge of criminal mischief, police said.

Police, meanwhile, are beefing up manpower for a planned "Destroy the Confederacy" protest Saturday at Sam Houston Park amid calls for the city to remove a Confederate statue. Counter-protesters are also planning to rally at the site.

"We're not going to stand by and watch people destroy property," Acevedo said. "If it happens, it's because we didn't do our job."

Now Playing: A statue of Christopher Columbus was vandalized Thursday night at a Montrose park. Video: Houston Chronicle

The MLK statue was cleaned by Friday morning, when restorers with the Houston Arts Alliance began working to remove the red paint from the Columbus statue in Bell Park.

Restorer Bob Pringle and his crew soaked the statue in a methylene chloride solution to remove the paint.

As he wiped lumpy gobs of paint from the statue, Pringle said he believes his workload could get worse.

"We typically see things like this once or twice a year, but I'm expecting we're going to see this happen a lot more often in the next couple of weeks," he said. "It's unfortunate. This is not the kind of work you enjoy."

The statue's cleanup, which was finished by Friday afternoon, will cost the city about $3,000, said Sara Kellner, with the Arts Alliance.

FAMILY THOUGHTS: Confederate leaders' descendants want monuments pulled down

Tensions have swelled this week after protests turned deadly over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, when a car plowed into a crowd. One person was killed and nearly three dozen were injured in the daylong clashes.

The conflicts arose during a rally that drew white supremacists over the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Counter-protesters also turned out in force.

In the Houston area, the Spirit of the Confederacy is one of just a handful of monuments celebrating ideals embodied in the Civil War. A monument to Richard Dowling  a Civil War figure whose name was removed from a city street earlier this year  sits in Hermann Park.

The vandalism comes after an online petition started by the Houston Young Communists League to remove a Confederate statue in Sam Houston Park. Following the petition, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called Tuesday for a review of pieces in the city's art collection that are related to the confederacy.

Residents called on the City Council Tuesday to remove the statue in Sam Houston Park, and an online petition has garnered more than 2,400 signatures as of Friday afternoon.

Mayor Sylvester Turner ordered city staff to assess Houston's public art collection and recommend future steps.

"Let's be very careful that we don't allow what's taking place in the national discourse to flow down into the city of Houston where we're doing something where we're hurting the city of Houston, hurting our image and what we stand for," he said Friday. "The question is, how do we go from here? So we're not going to erase history."

The first report of vandalism came in about 3:55 a.m. Thursday from police officers at Bricker Park in Sunnyside over the defacing here of the King memorial.

Sgt. Baron Glover, who oversees patrol in south Houston, said it's not clear when the vandals struck.

"They observed paint, white paint, thrown on top of the bust," he said. "They called to the station and so from that point forth we started having officers sit out there and monitor the area and monitor the bust. We just wanted to make sure it doesn't happen again."

The bronze bust of King was created by Houston artist Eric Kaposta and erected in 1981.

Sunnyside resident Rubert Rice, who lives one block from the park, said he learned about the vandalism from a friend.

"I've been living here my whole life and that's never happened in this neighborhood," Rice said. "I don't know what's going on in the world right now, brother. But there's a whole bunch of hate. That's supposed to be gone, in generations past. We were doing good, I thought. I don't know where this is coming from."

The second report came in about 11:20 p.m. Thursday from several callers.

By the time police arrived at the Montrose park, the paint on the statue was dry, said HPD spokesman John Cannon.

Kellner, with the Arts Alliance, said vandals typically don't hit statues in Houston.

"We very rarely get works graffitied in the City of Houston collection," Kellner said. "But when it does, we take care of it."

Managing the city's 600 pieces of artwork is the responsibility of the Office of Cultural Affairs, which pays the Houston Arts Alliance to conserve the works, said Deborah McNulty, cultural affairs director.

Residents who frequent the parks are hoping the city can avoid any more acts of vandalism.

"It's terrible to have this happen to our beautiful parks because there are other ways to express our voices and concerns," said Montrose resident Amber Morgan. "I mean, Christopher Columbus wasn't a saint, but we can be better."
Dear Abby:

I'm 14, starting my freshman year in high school and, of course, will be joining lots of clubs to prepare for college.

My best friend is gay, and when I asked her if she wanted to join any clubs together, she suggested the Gay-Straight Alliance club. As a saved Christian, I am unsure how to answer.

I believe Christians should treat homosexuals with kindness and respect. I believe also in same-sex marriage because of the legal protection it gives a couple. I respect my friend's decision, and I'm happy she's happy with her life.

I am afraid if my church found out, they would dislike me for joining, as well as question where I really stand as a Christian.

Caught in the Middle in Kentucky

Dear Caught:

I, too, believe that Christians (and people of all faiths) should treat each other with kindness and respect, regardless of their sexual orientation. But somewhere you got the impression that sexual orientation is a choice. It isn't. Your friend's orientation was determined before she was born, just as yours was.

Wanting to support your friend by joining a Gay-Straight Alliance is a commendable thing to do, and it follows the Golden Rule. I can't see how a church that preaches love would object to that.

Dear Abby:

I am a 24-year-old college graduate who has been unable to find a full-time teaching job, so I'm working as a teaching assistant. My salary is less than average, and between rent, bills and student loans, I am stretched more than thin.

Recently, a woman has been talking to me about nannying for her child after school. She'd like to hire me and have me meet her child in person, and we agreed on an hourly rate. I was excited about the opportunity and looking forward to starting.

This week she told me she wants to report my work for her on her taxes, which means I'll have to report as a freelancer and pay estimated quarterly taxes while I work for her. Abby, this is unheard of in the baby-sitting world!

My mother says I shouldn't be upset because the woman is doing what she's supposed to as far as the IRS is concerned, but I feel shortchanged. Shouldn't she have been upfront about her intentions when we discussed my hourly rate?

After-school Nanny

Dear Nanny:

William R. Turner, CPA, says your mother is correct. Your prospective employer is obeying the law. She wants you to meet her child, negotiate an hourly rate and hire you as a nanny, not as a baby sitter. Your new employer should have you fill out a form W-4 and pay you as an employee. Because payroll deductions will be taken out of your gross pay by your new employer, you should negotiate your hourly rate accordingly.

DearAbby.comDear AbbyP.O. Box 69440Los Angeles, CA 90069Andrew McMeel Syndication
The Lone Star Flight Museum is moving from Galveston to a new, $38 million home at Ellington Field. But in order to move the museum, which houses a massive collection of world War II planes, the planes had to fly to their new home too.

The Houston Chronicle was on hand for the move, which took place Tuesday. Among the planes that cruised through the sky were a B-17, a B-25, a couple PT-17s, a PT-19 a T-6 and more. Many more.
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos sent a letter to agency staff Thursday decrying racist, anti-Semitic demonstrators in Charlottesville, Va., in the wake of last weekends violent protests.



The views of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other racist bigots are totally abhorrent to the American ideal. DeVos wrote to department employees. We all have a role to play in rejecting views that pit one group of people against another. Such views are cowardly, hateful and just plain wrong. "

She said the Education Department and, in particular, its office for civil rights, exists to ensure all students have equal access to a safe, nurturing, quality learning environment free from discrimination or intimidation.

DeVos, who did not release her statement publicly, was silent on President Donald Trumps own rhetoric about Charlottesville, even though numerous groups and individuals in the education community have sharply criticized the presidents response as a failure to denounce racist views. Groups condemning Trump include Success Academy school founder Eva Moskowitz, a DeVos supporter, and 50CAN, a state advocacy organization where acting assistant secretary Jason Botel once worked.

The president said Tuesday that both the participants in the Unite the Right rally, which on descended on Charlottesville to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and counterprotestors were to blame for the ensuing violence that resulted in at least three deaths and dozens of injuries.

Trump also said there were a number of fine people among a crowd of torch-wielding protestors, who chanted slogans like Jews will not replace us.

Kevin Huffman, the former Tennessee state chief, called on Twitter Thursday for DeVos to resign rather than serve a president who made such remarks.

Heres DeVos full memo to her staff:

I write today with a heavy heart for our country. While we should be anticipating and celebrating students' returns to campuses across the country, we are engaged in a national discussion that has stirred ugly, hate-filled conversations and reopened hurtful wounds from shameful portions of our nation's past. There is fear, pain, anger, disappointment, discouragement and embarrassment across America, and I know, too, here within the Department. Last weekend's tragic and unthinkable events in Charlottesville, which stole three innocent lives and injured many more, were wholly unacceptable. The views of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other racist bigots are totally abhorrent to the American ideal. We all have a role to play in rejecting views that pit one group of people against another. Such views are cowardly, hateful and just plain wrong. This is what makes our work so important. Our Department, and particularly the Office for Civil Rights, exists to ensure all students have equal access to a safe, nurturing, quality learning environment free from discrimination or intimidation. Our own difficult history reminds us that we must confront, head-on, problems when and where they exist with moral clarity and conviction. Our nation is greater than what it has shown in recent days. Violence and hate will never be the answer. We must engage, debate and educate. We must remind all what it means to be an American, and while far from perfect, we must never lose sight that America still stands as the brightest beacon for freedom in the world. My hope is that we will use this as an opportunity to show that what unites and holds America together is far stronger than what seeks to divide and draw us apart. We can all play a role. Mentor a student. Volunteer at a school. Lend a helping hand and offer a listening ear. Our work is truly the bridge to a stronger future. Let's recommit ourselves to ensuring the future is brighter for all. Betsy

A white nationalist demonstrator with a helmet and shield walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 12.

--Steve Helber/AP

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
During the colonial period, the Spanish Americas were governed under the 14th-century formula, Obedezcase, pero no se cumpla: obey, but do not comply. This double legal standard acknowledged the kings authority while preventing royal law from encroaching upon local customs and guild privileges.

The affirmative command (obey) came with a built-in negation (do not comply), undermining the rule of law. For Spanish colonies like Mexico, that meant three centuries of whimsically applied justice, which allowed corruption to flourish. Historically speaking, then, institutionalised public malfiesance is pretty old news in Mexico.

And yet, by any measure, graft in Mexico has reached stunning new highs this year. Over the past five months, three state governors have been arrested abroad while trying to escape justice, and fully eleven of the countrys 32 total governors are currently under investigation or fighting prosecution for corruption.

Today, nearly 90% of Mexicans see the state and federal government as deeply corrupt, according to the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography. Citizens regard corruption as the second most important problem facing the country, after crime and violence.

Runaway governors

Among the countrys many incriminated governors is Roberto Borge, whose state, Quintana Roo, is home to the tourist meccas of Cancun and Tulum.

In June, he was apprehended in Panama after fleeing accusations of, among other crimes, using thugs to drive people off beachfront hotels and homes after court officers connected to his network had seized the properties from their owners.

The August 2016 incidents made world headlines, spooking international tourists already uneasy about Mexicos homicide epidemic.

Borge was the third rogue governor rounded up in 2017. In April, after five years on the run, Tomas Yarrington, who lead the Gulf coast state of Tamaulipas from 1999 to 2005, was arrested in Italy in a joint operation by Interpol and the Mexican police.

He stands accused of taking millions in bribes from both the Gulf and the Zeta cartels, two of the most vicious criminal organisations that have terrorised Mexico for the past decade.

Six days after Yarringtons capture, former Veracruz governor Javier Duarte (2010-2016) was tracked down in Guatemala after months on the lam. He allegedly stole almost US$3 billion, bankrupting his home state in the process.

An investigation by the newspaper Animal Politico found that US$35 million destined for social programmes was paid instead to phantom companies. The Veracruz government has also accused Duarte of diverting health funds meant to pay for chemotherapy for young people with cancer. Rather than receive the medication Avastin, children were dispensed distilled water.

Among Duartes illicit gains seized by the Mexican government are apartments, luxury ranches, dozens of bank accounts (in Mexico and abroad) and works of art by Joan Miro, Rufino Tamayo and Fernando Botero, among others.

(Read: The connection of Governor Duarte with the Houston area)

His family had no regrets about their ill-begotten wealth. In a notebook believed to belong to Duartes wife, Karime Macias, the phrase, Yes, I deserve abundance appears no fewer than 45 times.

Power (back) to the people

The exploits of Mexicos fugitive governors, which alternately entertained and appalled Mexicans for most of this spring, were a blow to Mexicos scandal-plagued president, Enrique Pena Nieto.

Duarte was close to the president, who once praised him for his honesty, and all three runaway governors are affiliated with his ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). In 2012, then-candidate Pena Nieto claimed that the party was renewing its ranks with new politicians who are doing things differently, naming Borge and Duarte specifically.

Five years later, political analysts in Mexico are now considering the current political class a lost generation of public servants.

The president (who has since forgotten praising Duarte and his ilk), touted his arrest and that of Yarrington as a firm message that corrupt public officials will have to answer for their actions.

His administration says it aims to create a national anti-corruption system that would, at least on paper, give the federal government ample tools to combat corruption. But the Senate, which is dominated by PRI and by its main opposition, the National Action Party (PAN), has for years failed to appoint an anti-corruption prosecutor.

In any case, a study by a Senate think tank now shows that scandal-weary citizens are already distrustful of the governments proposed anti-corruption efforts, even before theyve launched.

The legislatures failure to act, coupled with the administrations recent appointment of the PRI senator Raul Cervantes Andrade as attorney general, has triggered national alarm about nepotism and profiteering.

New constitutional rules mandated the president to appoint an independent attorney general for a nine-year term. But Cervantes is a close ally of Pena Nieto, and as senate president he helped the president secure major legislative victories.

Critics fear his term will amount to a decade of impunity for Pena Nieto, Duarte, Yarrington and other corrupt Mexican leaders.

The lost transition

The PRI, which ruled Mexico for most of the 20th century, has long been tainted by corruption. For 71 years the party used it as an instrument to dominate Mexicos technically democratic electoral system, distributing wealth and power among its loyal ranks.

When the PANs Vicente Fox was elected as the first non-PRI president, in 2000, Mexicans hoped a new era had begun. Shortly after he took office, President Fox appeared in a series of TV spots claiming that the time to clean the government of corruption had arrived.

But both Mexicans and their newly elected government soon learned how deeply institutionalised corruption was in Mexico. In May 2001, Foxs secretary of foreign affairs, Jorge G. Castaneda, confessed to the Spanish newspaper El Pais that the democratic transition was proving harder than he and the president had foreseen.

The most damaging legacy of PRIs authoritarianism is not political repression but corruption, Castaneda said in the May 2001 article.

Rather than end corruption, Foxs triumph changed it in unexpected ways.

As the public intellectual Jorge Carpizo once acknowledged, appointing governors was one of a PRI presidents unwritten constitutional powers. During the partys uninterrupted seven-decade reign, just a handful of non-PRI governors ever won state election (and only starting in the 1990s), and governors were expected to be subservient to the president.

Once the PRI lost power in 2000, state leaders no longer owed loyalty to the president. With limited federal oversight, governors  whose powers include controlling state legislatures, auditors and prosecutors  enjoyed unchecked power over federal funds allocated to their states. Many have since ruled with high impunity.

Castaneda claims that he saw this coming, and advised Fox to orchestrate a clean break with the PRI, prosecuting corrupt PRI officials.

But the president, who needed the PRIs votes in Congress to implement his agenda, rejected this idea, calling his foreign secretary crazy and a cabron (dumbass). With this hearty dismissal went Mexicos chance at a complete transition to democracy and the rule of law.

The generation of governors that emerged has been called the most corrupt in Mexican history.

From the new PRI?

In 2012, Mexicans voted PRI into office again, putting the future of accountability for such corruption in the hands of the party that spawned it. The odds of federal action seem bleak.

Back during the colonial period, people who were victims of abuses (abusos), bribery (cohecho) and other forms of corruption (mala administracion) could file a complaint against public officials, and the king would send an investigator to check things out. If appropriate, the kings envoy could suspend the investigated official and give out preliminary punishments for his misdeeds.

Today its civil society thats playing the investigator role. In modern Mexico, stronger transparency laws and a freer media are helping citizens and watchdog groups uncover and, if not end, then at least turn corruption incidents into major public scandals.

In June, activists and journalists revealed that the Pena Nieto administration had been spying on its political enemies via their cellphones.

Even Mexican youngsters are old enough to be fed up. Last spring, ten-year old Angel Jacinto Toh Nun of Quintana Roo took the stage during the annual Childrens Parliament to denounce corruption, berating politicians for doing everything to conserve their privileges, without caring about the misery Mexicans are going through.

You, members of Congress, he thundered, what are you doing to put Roberto Borge behind bars? Are you afraid, or did they [just] find your price?

In the current climate, such questions once posed arent likely to fade into silence. Sooner or later, the government will be compelled to answer, if only at the ballot box: Mexicos next general election is less than a year away.

Luis Gomez Romero is a senior lecturer in Human Rights, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory at the University of Wollongong. This article was originally published on The Conversation.





Send your tips and suggestions for this blog to Olivia P. Tallet.
Flight attendants at Mesa Airlines, including about 400 working on United Express flights in Houston, struck a deal with management on Friday that would offer pay five times greater than the deal union members voted down about a year ago.

The new tentative agreement would also increase 401(k) matching for many union members, offer greater per diem for food expenses when traveling and provide a host of other perks.

"It has been a long time coming," said Heather Stevenson, union president for Mesa, "and this tentative agreement versus our current contract has many great things for our flight attendants that we weren't able to get before in negotiations."

The announcement follows five years of fraught labor negotiations. Flight attendants voted down a previous tentative agreement about a year ago, and they authorized a strike if mediation efforts were to reach an impasse.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA is recommending union members approve the agreement when voting in September. Stevenson called the agreement "dramatically better" than the one flight attendants voted down.

And it addresses one of the union's biggest concerns with their current contract: Mesa flight attendant wages compared with other regional airlines. Stevenson previously said that Mesa flight attendants make between $13,000 and $36,000 a year, with most salaries on the lower end of that range. That's 15 percent to 20 percent less than flight attendants at other regional airlines, she said.

Jonathan Ornstein, chairman and CEO of Mesa, said that the airline was constrained by long-term agreements signed with United Airlines and American Airlines. Mesa was also affected by recent legislation that boosted the flying time pilots are required to have before they can be hired in commercial aviation. This has increased total compensation for first officers by close to 200 percent, Ornstein said.

He was happy that both sides "worked together cooperatively and productively" to reach Friday's deal, and he praised the company's flight attendants for receiving high customer satisfaction scores from United and American.

Phoenix-based Mesa Airlines operates as American Eagle from hubs in Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth and as United Express from Washington Dulles and Houston. It has about 1,100 flight attendants, with Houston its largest base. United Airlines declined to comment.

"We think it was worth the wait in the sense that it's a deal that works for the flight attendants, we hope, and works for the company," Ornstein said Friday.

Mesa's pilots ratified their own four-year contract in July. If the flight attendants follow suit, Mesa will have new contracts for both of its union-represented labor groups.

"We have plans moving forward for the company, and getting this settled is an important part of our plan going forward," he said.
The staff of the Public Utility Commission is suggesting changes to Texas law that will cut benefits that help low-income Texas afford their utility bills.

In a report filed Wednesday, staff suggested cuts that could include programs that offer reduced electric rates for poor Texans as well as help pay utility deposits. The cuts would follow the lapsing of the so-called System Benefit fund, a pot money designated to help poor Texans pay for electricity.
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Houston police are beefing up security downtown Saturday for a planned Black Lives Matter gathering at which Chief Art Acevedo said he expects counter-protesters to appear.

Acevedo said he anticipates no problems at the 3 p.m. gathering, which organizers have dubbed "Destroy the Confederacy."

The event is set for 3 p.m. in front of a 100-year-old statue named the Spirit of the Confederacy at Sam Houston Park. An online petition to remove the monument garnered nearly 2,500 signatures as of Friday.

"We have an indication that folks with a different perspective might show up, and the bottom line is we will have sufficient resources at the event to ensure that anyone who shows up, with whatever point of view they have, they can exercise their rights in a safe environment," the chief said at a Friday press conference.

There will be some "minimal" road closures around the event, he added.

Mayor Sylvester Turner said he believes HPD is well prepared for all manner of protests.

"I simply would ask people to be on their best behavior," the mayor said. "People can express themselves, but they can do it in a very civil and orderly manner.

"Let's be very careful that we don't allow what's taking place in the national discourse to flow down into the city of Houston, where we're doing something where we're hurting the city of Houston, hurting our image and what we stand for."

Controversy over the statue emerged this week with an online petition and residents calling on the city to remove the statue, which features a winged angel holding a sword and palm branch. The statue was installed in the park in 1908.

Protesters are expected to gather around the statue, which is in a quiet area of the park near a duck pond. Counter-protesters have indicated they, too, will rally at the site.
A former assistant prosecutor for the Brazoria County District Attorney's Office was among more than 250 sex buyers and sex traffickers arrested during a recent Harris County prostitution sting.

David B McClure, 45, of Katy, was jailed on misdemeanor prostitution charges on July 19 after he allegedly offered an undercover female police officer money for sex, according to a probable-cause affidavit filed in Harris County Criminal Court.

The Houston-based criminal defense attorney, who worked as an assistant prosecutor for Brazoria County District Attorney Jeri Yenne from May 2001 to Nov. 13, 2003, was later released on a $500 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 22.

HOT SPOTS: Houston's most popular hotels for prostitution busts

Neither McClure nor his attorney, John Sherman Davis, immediately returned calls seeking comment.

When contacted Friday, Yenne recalled an event that unfolded when McClure was working as a defense attorney during the Brazoria County trial of an accused rapist.

"At one point, the accused ran out of the courthouse and managed to escape from deputies, injuring one deputy in the process," the district attorney said. "I remember David McClure ran after the man and yelled for him to stop, warning that the deputies would shoot him if he didn't surrender."

She added: "The man listened to him and McClure was able to talk him into surrendering about two blocks from the courthouse. It was a very brave act. To hear Mr. McClure was implicated in this sting is surprising and very disappointing."

Regardless, Yenne said she is grateful to Harris County law enforcement authorities for conducting the sting.

"Prostitution, nor drug-related offenses, should be considered victim-less crimes although many people like to claim they are. Prostitution and drugs are intertwined and exist on the periphery of more serious crime," she said.

"Prostitution and drugs actually create victims. The two are a witches' brew for potential violence and many times these types of crimes lead to deaths. I've tried many homicide cases linked to prostitution and drugs."

OFFICER BUSTED: State trooper arrested on prostitution charge

Officials said the Harris County prostitution investigation ran from June 28 through July 31 and included 37 law enforcement agencies in 17 states, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

The Houston Police Department arrested 88 sex-purchasers and nine traffickers and Harris County sheriff's deputies arrested 161 sex buyers.

The sting came as part of an annual nationwide operation called the "National Johns Suppression Initiative," in which law enforcement agencies across the country made more than 1,000 arrests.
Texas needs to dramatically revamp its county court system, according to one criminal justice expert.

County judges in remote or smaller counties across the state serve as county administrator and preside over misdemeanor courts, according to Lawrence Karson, an assistant professor of criminal justice at the University of Houston-Downtown.

Under state law, the county judge does not need to have a law degree or practically any legal training.

In an essay in the August issue of the Journal of Criminal Justice and Law, Karson argues that the current system leaves defendants exposed and nurtures conflicts of interest, particularly since county judges who handle a large chunk of judicial matters get a $25,000 bonus from the state.

"Texas requires more training for a deputy serving as a jailer than it does for the judge who sentences an individual to that jail," Karson wrote, calling for counties across the state to create more "courts at law," where attorneys oversee judicial matters.

In large counties like Harris County, Bexar County and others, the state split apart the responsibilities and created courts at law and probate courts to handle the judicial responsibilities of the county.

In 210 other counties, however, county judges may preside over misdemeanor courts, capable of imposing penalties of up to a year in jail, or adjudicating juvenile matters, mental health cases, and other judicial issues.

Those judges handle a significant caseload, as well, he writes.

"The county courts handled 50,000 criminal cases in fiscal year 2016 nearly a quarter of which were drug related. Thirteen percent were for driving while intoxicated, with another 10 percent for theft. Assault cases approached another 10 percent, as did driving with an invalid or suspended license. The potential penalty in many of these cases was up to one year in confinement (for any class A misdemeanor offense). For 15,000 of these cases, the defendant's representation was divided almost evenly between appointed and retained counsel. For the other 35,000 cases, the defendant had to rely on the prosecutor or the county judge to protect their constitutional rights. With 3 percent of all criminal cases handled by a bench trial and less than 1 percent by a jury trial, the legal knowledge of the county judge can be crucial to protecting a defendant's civil rights and liberties. Yet county judges can commit someone to jail or to a mental health facility with absolutely no training in the law during their first year on the bench and less than four days of training prior in their second year of service as a judge. And though they frequently act as actual judges, they aren't required to have a law degree, receiving as little as 30 hours of instruction in their first year on the "administrative duties of office and substantive, procedural and evidentiary laws."

Some judges end up essentially self-teaching themselves.

"You're having to count on the initiative of the judge," he said. "We don't do that with attorneys coming out of law school. We require them to take a bar exam."

The current system also creates the appearance of possible conflict of interest, Karson wrote, because county judges - who also oversee commissioners courts - would have no incentive to create the separate courts at law.

A 2014 report to the Texas Legislature on the issue found that 87 percent of respondents said they spend 40 percent or more of their time on judicial functions.

An Austin American-Statesman investigation in 2016 found that the system received little oversight and was being exploited, wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money.

Bulking up education for incoming county judges or creating more courts-at-law would require more resources from the state.

That's a change that's unlikely to happen anytime soon, Karson said.

"Justice has a price," he said. "The current legislature seems more focused on social issues than financing the state's judicial needs, and that's a problem."
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A deputy shot and injured a pit bull dog Friday when it reportedly tried to attack him while he and other law enforcement officers executed an arrest warrant in Southeast Bexar County.

Elmendorf police and Bexar County deputies came to the 7200 block of East Loop 1604 South around 10 a.m. to execute an arrest warrant for a suspect in a car burglary and a search warrant for stolen property at the address.

"This was several weeks of investigation in reference to a burglary of a vehicle case that we were working over there in Elmendorf," said Elmendorf Police Chief Marco Pena.

As law enforcement officers arrived, the suspect fled over a back fence. A Bexar County K-9 unit and a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter were called to the scene to assist in the search for the suspect.

RELATED: SAPD: 2 men killed in shootout during argument at Northwest Side apartment

A K-9 unit later tracked him down and he was arrested.

While police were executing the search warrant, a dog at the location charged a deputy and was shot. Pena said the dog was not killed. Animal Control Services came to the scene to handle the wounded dog.

Police found about $10,000 worth of stolen property, including jewelry, power tools and firearms on the property. Pickups carrying large trailers were brought to the scene to load up all of the seized evidence.

Pena said the suspect who fled faces charges of burglary of a vehicle, possession of stolen property, evading arrest and felon in possession of a firearm. Another man was also arrested at the scene on a charge of felon in possession of a firearm.

Neither man's identity has been released.

Pena said the Elmendorf Police Department was happy to have the help of Bexar County deputies in executing the warrants.

"We're very grateful they assisted us in this particular matter," he said.

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AUSTIN  With half of his conservative agenda spoiled in the abrupt end of the summer's special session, Gov. Greg Abbott Wednesday laid the blame on House Speaker Joe Straus and hinted it might be time for new leadership.

Abbott said in an interview with the Houston Chronicle that he's upset the Texas House "dillydallied" and let property tax reform die during a special legislative session. He made clear Wednesday that he plans to get involved in 2018 campaigns  including Republican primaries  to help elect candidates who will help get the issue passed.

He suggested a change in House leadership might be needed "to make sure we're going to get those principles passed." He also said the House needs more members willing to buck the speaker's priorities.

The comments mark the latest push in a political pile-on against Straus, a San Antonio Republican who has spent much of this year at odds with his party's conservative members, who have threatened to oust him. He enjoys support from moderates and the business community, however, who argue his priorities are in the right place.

Straus kept largely mum Wednesday, telling reporters after a House Republican Caucus meeting only that it was a "very positive" gathering. Some caucus members have said they want to lay the groundwork to oust the speaker before the Legislature holds its next regular session in 2019.

Straus declined an interview request by the Houston Chronicle in the wake of the special session, although his spokesman, Jason Embry, underscored the prerogative of leaders in the 150-member House.

"In any legislative session, the Speaker and House leadership must make very difficult decisions about which bills should move forward, based on public input and on whether the rest of the House wants those bills to move forward," he said. "This special session was no different."

'Wasted time and money'

The Chronicle interview was one of several the governor gave Wednesday to spread the word about what he considers the successes and failures of the special session.

"We've got to either make sure we have the current speaker support those principles, or we've got to get the votes in the House to make sure we're going to get those principles passed," Abbott said on a conservative talk radio show Wednesday morning when asked if his priorities have a chance with Straus as speaker.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, an outspoken Republican from Houston who controls the Senate, said he holds Straus responsible for Abbott's top priorities that didn't pass the Legislature. Among them: property taxes, school vouchers for students with disabilities and the transgender access bill that most Texans refer to as the bathroom bill, but which Patrick prefers to call privacy legislation.

"In almost every case, it was the speaker's personal politics," Patrick said in a press conference after the session ended Tuesday night. "Responsibility starts at the top."

Patrick said Straus treated the governor's agenda like horse manure, recalling a joke Straus told school board members in June about a boy digging through a pile of horse droppings in hopes of finding a pony.

Patrick, not amused, told an old joke, saying, "Thank goodness Travis didn't have the speaker at the Alamo. He might have been the first one over the wall."

Abbott praised the Senate.

"The Senate passed all the items in the first two weeks, but nine items never got through the House," Abbott said. "The House dilly-dallied around on issues that weren't even on the call ... They wasted time and money."

Abbott said the special session ended "with a clear and deep divide between the Senate and the House on the items that did not pass," leaving little need to call lawmakers back into another special session now to address the remaining issues.

"But I'm keeping all options open in the future," he said.

Ended in stalemate

The special session, which concluded Tuesday night after 29 days, was projected to cost around $1 million. The governor called the session so lawmakers could pass bills continuing operations for the Texas Medical Board and four other agencies after the Senate held up those bills in the regular session.

While lawmakers were in session, Abbott said, he wanted them to pass bills on 19 other largely conservative issues, such as reining in local spending and control, clamping down on abortion policies and zeroing in on traditionally liberal groups such as unions and teachers.

Abbott promised early on in the special session to keep track of lawmakers supporting and opposing his legislation in a veiled threat to use that information during the 2018 election cycle. The governor, who's built a $41 million political war chest, published lists of lawmakers who registered support for his bills, although he has yet to release the names of legislators he could target in the next elections.

Although some of his agenda died in the special session, Abbott claimed victory for the Legislature passing bills addressing 10 of 20 largely conservative issues, although he said his satisfaction is mixed with disappointment that major measures addressing property taxes, school choice and local government spending limits fell short.

Lawmakers abruptly ended the special session Tuesday after coming to a stalemate on a proposed property tax reform that would trigger voter referendums when a municipality raises property tax over a certain threshold.

The issue was a priority of the governor. Ultimately, the House ended the special session, leaving it up to the Senate to adopt a 6 percent threshold when the upper chamber preferred 4 percent. The Senate decided to adjourn, leaving the issue unaddressed.

The House also blocked hot-button legislation known as the bathroom bill that would have effectively barred transgender people from using the bathroom of their gender identity, a proposal derided by critics as intentionally discriminatory and opposed by business leaders who said the proposal would hurt recruitment and the tourism and convention industry.

As for the opposition from big business to the bathroom bill, Abbott said he is not worried that their displeasure will have residual effects for him, Patrick or other Republicans who supported the controversial measure.

"Texas leads the nation in its business climate," Abbott said. "The business community is pleased with Texas ... There are a lot of progressive states like California and Connecticut that business is fleeing."

Foes tie session to Trump

Democrats and their allies excoriated the Republican-led Legislature's agenda, calling it a priority list that furthers "white supremacist, racist" attitudes.

The groups calling themselves One Texas Resistance blasted the Legislature for pushing the so-called bathroom bill, passing more bills to make it harder for women to seek safe, legal abortions and failing to do more to boost school funding.

"This was a Trump-inspired legislative session and special session," said Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio congressman considered a likely future statewide candidate for office. "This is a completely dysfunctional system that is not working on issues that matter to the people of Texas."

The governor signed several special session bills into law Wednesday, including a measure to require more reporting on how minors obtain permission to undergo abortions, an extension of a task force to study maternal mortality and morbidity, and legislation that would eliminate fees for homeowners cutting down trees in their yard.

The governor also signed into law a bill to increase retirement benefits for teachers, shore up funds for some small school districts, and offer facilities funding for charter schools, as well as spend more money on students with autism or dyslexia, an issue that was a priority for Straus but was cut down by more than a third by the Senate.

The House Republican Caucus began working early Wednesday on the next speaker's election in a meeting to discuss rules for 2019. Straus has said he plans to run for re-election, although the Freedom Caucus  a splinter group of about a dozen tea-party Republicans  suggested he could see a serious challenger, although they have refused to say whom.

Democratic leaders such as Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, are treading carefully on what happens next to the House speaker. He wouldn't speak to what happens to Democrats if Straus is replaced with a more conservative Republican leader. But he was quick to acknowledge that Democrats were key to getting him elected speaker in 2009 and that Straus has been good for appointing some Democrats to committee chairmanships.

"He has held on issues where there is common ground with the Democratic Party, like the bathroom bill," Blanco said.

Blanco said his goal is to get more Democrats elected to the House so it puts even more pressure on Straus to rely on Democrats. But that in turn only would increase the pressure from the right on Straus.

In a statement following the GOP meeting and Abbott's radio appearance, Straus said he enjoyed meeting with the caucus and thanked the governor "for working with the House on his very ambitious agenda in the special session. We considered every idea carefully, listened to constituents, and acted on a number of critical issues, such as helping retired teachers."

As for the pile of manure, Straus has yet to say whether the House found its pony.

Andrea Zelinski covers politics and education for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com

Jeremy Wallace covers politics for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at jeremy.wallace@chron.com.
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AUSTIN -- Preston Wiginton, the organizer of a planned "white lives matter" event at Texas A&M, is calling off the demonstration, saying the country needs time to "heal" after one woman died in a weekend of violence in Charlottesville.

Wiginton, a former Texas A&M student, had scheduled the event for Sept. 11, but the university canceled it, citing safety concerns. Wiginton initially indicated that he was going to move forward with the event.

"There is a time in America that two people can come together with different points of view, discuss the views, and walk away better people," he told a group of reporters Thursday outside of the Capitol. "I don't feel as though that is the time today."

Still, Wiginton said he may hold the event later, and he plans to pursue legal action against the university, but no lawsuit has been filed.

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In announcing his rally earlier this week, Wigington evoked Charlottesville with this headline on his press release: "Today Charlottesville Tomorrow Texas A&M." But Thursday he said he is mourning the loss of Heather Heyer, the woman killed in Charlottesville who was protesting a white supremacy rally.

"I admire her in her passion and her conviction," Wigington said, adding that Heyer was as passionate about her cause as he is about his. Wiginiton is a self-identified white nationalist who uses a box of crayons to illustrate that there are people of different colors and races, but everyone should stand up to preserve their own identity.

RIGHTS VIOLATED: White nationalist cites First Amendment in A&M decision

Adam Key, a Texas A&M student planning an opposition rally to the "white lives matter" event, was pleased that Wiginton canceled the event.

"He said he is going to let things cool down before he comes back," Key said. "If and when this evil bigotry decides to come to our campus again, we will be ready."

A spokeswoman with Texas A&M declined to comment.
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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are now chowing down on Texas' favorite creamy dessert.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule recently delivered 6,400 pounds of cargo for crew members, including lab equipment, supplies and 30 individual cups of Blue Bell ice cream.

Astronauts have had the luxury of eating ice cream in the past, but room inside the ISS freezer has traditionally been precious real estate.

NASA VIDEO: How the total solar eclipse will look in Texas

Thankfully, the SpaceX Dragon capsule is equipped with freezers, allowing astronauts to clear up fridge space aboard the ISS and send stuff back to Earth, according to NPR.

Now, instead of urine and blood samples, astronauts will be able to stock their fridge with chocolate, vanilla and birthday cake-flavored ice cream.

As for freeze-dried ice cream, NASA isn't using it anymore, so it's not really fair to call it "astronaut ice cream."

VOYAGER 1: NASA is asking the public for a message to beam 12 billion miles into space

In 2005, Vickie Kloeris, now-manager of NASA's Space Food Systems Laboratory, explained in a NASA article that "space ice cream was a special request for one of the Apollo missions," but "it wasn't that popular" and "most of the crew really didn't like it," leading to its discontinuation.

At least for now, Snickers ice cream bars and Blue Bell can be considered the unofficial "astronaut ice cream."

Check out the slideshow about to see a ranking for the flavors of Blue Bell ice cream.
A new report on early-childhood programs in New Mexico finds that investments in prekindergarten have resulted in stronger reading and math skills for children who participate in the program.

Analysts released the accountability report Wednesday, August 16.



The study by the states Legislative Finance Committee found that in addition to raising reading and math scores, the states pre-K program also lowered special education and retention rates for participating students. These students also performed better than their peers who hadnt attended pre-K on standardized tests in the 3rd grade, and this was true for both students from low-income families and their more privileged classmates.

The National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER) found that New Mexico spends more on pre-K per child than the national average of $4,976. The state ranks 20th for state spending at $5,233 per child. It also enrolls more 4-year-olds in pre-K than the national average, 33 percent versus 32 percent, which ranks it 16th in the nation.

The report also found that students who attend the states K-3 Plus program made significant learning gains over their peers who didnt participate. K-3 Plus is an extended school year program for students in kindergarten through 3rd grade who attend high-poverty schools with a large number of at-risk students. Its designed to give these students a jump start on the new school year. The report found that when this program is combined with pre-K students are able to close the achievement gap by the time they enter kindergarten.

Drawbacks Also Found

But the report also asserts that for the program to do the most good, students should have the same teacher during the school year that they had during the summer, and thats not often the case. It also notes that for it to be the most effective it should start close to the beginning of the next school year, but in some districts theres a gap of nearly 40 days.

The report also notes that Head Start enrollment continues to fall in the state and that the state lags behind the national average on Head Start teacher qualifications. In New Mexico only 39 percent of Head Start teachers have a bachelors degree or higher in early-childhood education or a related field, while federal standards require 50 percent of the teachers in the program to have that level of education.

In recent years, the state has increased funding for early-childhood education programs such as pre-K, home visits, and child-care assistance. New Mexico spent more than $350 million on early-learning initiatives during the last fiscal year, and costs are expected to rise. For example, the state spends $100 million annually on its Childcare Assistance program, and the report notes that conservative estimates suggest that may have to rise by $20 million in fiscal year 2019 and 2020 to keep up with the higher costs of care.

State Sen. Howie Morales, a Democrat and member of the Legislative Finance Committee, told the Santa Fe New Mexican that the state should be prepared to spend more.

Many times you hear at sessions that money doesnt equate to better results, but this report gave a different story, he said. We have to find the investment. ... We dont have a choice.

Photo: A young child works on a writing assignment. (Pixabay)
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
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All-Conference WEC teams The All-Conference teams for the War Eagle Conference have been announced with multiple MMCRU and South OBrien volleyball players making...

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Khu Nyeh Reh, who runs the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) liaison office in Loikaw, pointed out that the government is supposed to consult the party about large-scale development projects prior to inking any deals.

According to the agreement between the KNPP and the government, such big projects are supposed to be suspended as long as the two parties have not reached an agreement in the political dialogue. Another point [in the agreement] is to negotiate with us before carrying out regional development tasks, he said.

The KNPP, along with local civil society groups, met with representatives from the Kayah State government on August 14 to press for more public consultation before breaking ground on the scheduled 4,000-ton factory.

The cement factory would be built in Pa Kyal Taung Thone Lone, Loikaw by the Square Power Group (SPG) Company Limited. The company says it was granted a license by the Myanmar Investment Commission in 2011 under the previous administration.

Khu Nyeh Reh said the states chief minister was receptive to the request for increasing efforts to inform the public and to conduct the project transparently.

The chief minister said public opinion will be collected again and the project will be revealed to the public. It will only be built if the public agrees to it, said Khu Nyeh Reh. The best way forward would be to hold a referendum in the state. I want to [urge the government] to hold a transparent referendum.

Following the meeting with the chief minister, the CSOs and political groups issued a statement objecting to the cement factory on the grounds that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and social impact assessment (SIA) were not detailed enough. They also criticized the company for failing to cooperate with the Kayah State Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and for breaching the ceasefire agreements points about suspending big investments until after the political dialogue.

SPG Companys operation director Ko Thet Maung Oo told The Kantarawaddy Times that building the factory would help develop not just the state, but the country, and could bring new technologies to Kayah State. But he added that the company has no intention to act against the public will.

The Kayah State government will hold a public meeting at City Hall in Loikaw on August 25. The state government will only allow us [to carry out the project] when it is agreed to by the public, he said.

According to the company, the Myanmar Investment Commission granted them a license for a 4,000-ton cement factory in Pa Kyal Taung Thone Lone area on November 8, 2011. The Ministry of Mines also granted license to the company to operate a limestone quarry in this area on December 7, 2008 following on a geological survey.

The company allocated 98 acres of land to build the factory, and 292 acres of land to carry out rock quarrying. Farmers who were asked to relocate to make way for the project were reportedly granted compensation in December 2013.
Copiii cu nevoi speciale din Stefan Voda au conditii de reabilitare mai bune, datorita UE si Fundatiei Soros Moldova
Travelers Completes Acquisition of UK-Based Simply Business

The Travelers Companies, Inc.completed its previously announced acquisition of Simply Business, a leading provider of small business insurance policies in the United Kingdom, offering products online on behalf of a broad panel of carriers. The company has more than 430,000 microbusiness customers, covering more than 1,000 classes of business.

Simply Business will operate as a stand-alone business, continuing to partner with its panel of carriers under its well-known brand name.

Travelers funded the acquisition through a combination of debt financing and internal resources.

ISO Launches Commercial Flood Insurance Program

ISO has launched a new commercial flood insurance program that addresses many of the critical coverage needs in the marketplace today. ISO is a Verisk Analytics business.

The new program enables insurers to set their own limits of insurance and provide optional coverage for risks not typically covered by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), including certain types of property damage to basements, business interruption, and costs to comply with building code changes. The coverage can be based on actual cash value or replacement cost value. The new program features actuarially sound loss costs based on models developed by Verisks AIR Worldwide business and from ISO data.

Insurers can use the program to provide a primary flood policy or a flood policy providing coverage that is excess of the NFIP, which is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Congress in anticipation of the programs scheduled sunset on September 30, 2017.

Later this year, ISO plans to introduce similar solutions for the personal property market.

IAIBC Completes Third Year of Workers Comp Training Program

The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) concluded the third year of its Foundations of Workers Compensation Administration Program. The IAIABC Foundations Program provides participants from jurisdictional agencies with a comprehensive education in workers compensation policy and administration.

Through webinars, self-paced modules, and a face-to-face course, the Foundations Program participants examined workers compensation administrative and regulatory topics at both a theoretical and practical level, exploring how differences play out across jurisdictions. Courses studied a wide range of topics from medical management to data reporting. Participants also reflected on and discussed experiences and practices within their own jurisdiction through writing exercises and discussion sessions.

The IAIABC would like to congratulate the participants who completed the full Foundations Program and will be earning certificates in 2017:

Jim Becker, Colorado Division of Workers Compensation

Erin Bishop, Virginia Workers Compensation Commission

Stephen Boggie, Idaho Industrial Commission

Verlia Dexter-Dutton, Colorado Division of Workers Compensation

Suzy Douglas, Tennessee Bureau of Workers Compensation

Miriam Evangelista, Colorado Division of Workers Compensation

Roy Foster, Colorado Division of Workers Compensation

Jeff Francis, Tennessee Bureau of Workers Compensation

Greg Herzog, Idaho Industrial Commission

Courtney Holmes, Colorado Division of Workers Compensation

Beth Kilian, Idaho Industrial Commission

Katy Lenahan, Kansas Division of Workers Compensation

Adrianne McLean, Montana Department of Labor and Industry Employment Relations Division

Ryan Nelson, Utah Labor Commission, Division of Industrial Accidents

Priscilla Padilla, Colorado Division of Workers Compensation

Stephanie Parker, Delaware Office of Workers Compensation

Frank Salvi, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Workers Compensation Division

Sandee Sprang, South Carolina Workers Compensation Commission

Brad Thurman, Utah Labor Commission Division of Industrial Accidents

Cindy Zimmerman, Montana Department of Labor and Industry Employment Relations Division

The 2018 Foundations Program will run from March through June of 2018.
Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Wednesday he wants to broaden Louisianas flood aid program to include homeowners whose flood insurance proceeds didnt cover their rebuilding costs and to boost grant amounts.

Initial limits setting homeowner eligibility for the rebuilding aid granted by Congress after the March and August 2016 floods were set based on concerns Louisiana wouldnt have enough money to help everyone with damage.

Of those with flood insurance, only a limited number of elderly and disabled, low- to moderate-income homeowners have been eligible for the rebuilding aid through the $1.3 billion program so far. But Edwards said as grants have been awarded, the state determined it can widen eligibility to include all homeowners with flood insurance who still have an unmet need.

I want to make certain that the program is made available to help as many homeowners as we can, the Democratic governor said in a statement.

About $16 million in grants have been awarded to more than 550 homeowners so far.

Edwards proposal also includes increasing grant sizes to homeowners without flood insurance who already were eligible to receive aid to help them pay for needed construction work or to partially reimburse them for work already done.

The announcement comes as the Edwards administration has had trouble getting some flood victims to fill out the survey that is the first step for receiving homeowner aid. The Restore Louisiana program is emailing, sending text messages, running ads, hosting outreach events and going door-to-door to track down homeowners with flood damage.

The states recovery task force, set up by Edwards, will consider the governors proposal Friday. The changes are expected to be approved. Some also will require backing from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, known as HUD, which oversees the federal block grant dollars paying for the homeowner program.

It was unclear how many more people will be eligible under the changes outlined. An estimated 37,000 people were expected to receive aid under the prior eligibility standards, all with major or severe flood damage. Edwards office said the changes could benefit thousands of homeowners. More than 100,000 homes were estimated to have been damaged by the floods.

Edwards proposal comes the same week he met with HUD Secretary Ben Carson in Louisiana to discuss flood recovery efforts and see ongoing repair work. The governor is seeking federal regulatory changes governing the rebuilding process.

Chief among Edwards requests is asking HUD to eliminate a federal prohibition that has kept some homeowners who qualified for Small Business Administration loans after the floods from receiving benefits from the state-run homeowner assistance program.

Under federal rules, homeowners who were approved for the SBA loans  whether they used the loans or not  cant receive additional federal aid such as through the homeowner program if it is deemed a duplication of benefits. Flood victims were encouraged to apply for SBA loans, and they didnt realize it could harm their ability to receive grant aid later.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
AKRON, Ohio - The City of Akron is looking for qualified residents to apply for its Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program to reduce children's exposure to lead. Owner-occupied properties could qualify for up to $14,000 in grant funds.

"Lead poisoning is preventable, and we are committed to helping keep every family in a healthy, safe environment by reducing the risk of lead poisoning in older Akron homes by providing these grants to eligible homeowners," Mayor Dan Horrigan said in a news release.

Qualifications for Akron's lead hazard reduction program include:

A child under the age of six lives or regularly spends time at the home. Grandparents, child care professionals or others who care for a child in their home at least 60 or more hours per year (documented) could qualify.

The home (no more than four units) is located in Akron. Property owners located in service areas of Summit County, such as Barberton, may also be eligible for up to $10,000 in grant funds.

The home must contain lead paint hazards such as windows, siding, doors, porches and soil. All lead paint issues will be addressed as part of the work performed.

Household income cannot exceed income guidelines.

Income guidelines, detailed information, and applications are available here.

Landlords will be provided with a matching grant to rehabilitate rental units with 75 percent of funds from the city and a 25 match from the property owner. Additional grant funding may also be available.

"We currently have more than a million dollars available to assist qualified homeowners," Neighborhood Assistance Director John Valle said in a statement. "We just need residents to apply for the grants, and use the grant money to eliminate lead hazards in their homes."

Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, however HUD estimates that approximately 24 million homes still have significant lead-based paint hazards. About 85 percent of Akron homes were built before 1978 and about one in nine children living in the Akron area has been exposed to lead-based paint.

Major sources of lead exposure among U.S. children are lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in deteriorating buildings. For children under age 6, lead exposure can be dangerous to their rapidly developing bodies and brains, leading to behavioral issues, developmental delays and other health problems, including reduced IQ, learning disabilities, reduced height, and impaired hearing.

At higher levels, lead can damage a child's kidneys and central nervous system and cause anemia, coma, convulsions and even death. Nationwide, a quarter of a million children have blood lead levels high enough to cause significant damage to their health.

To talk to a city employee about whether you qualify for a grant to remove lead paint from your property or to learn more about ways to prevent childhood lead poisoning, contact the Akron Lead-Based Paint Programs office at 330-375-2050.

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AKRON, Ohio -- Summit County Juvenile Court Judge Linda Teodosio presented Hudson resident Aiden Dine with the 2017 Summit for Kids Russ Pry Youth Award on Aug. 18.

The award recognizes an individual younger than 21 who has created or collaborated with a program that enriches lives of young people and makes a difference in the community.

The Summit for Kids Russ Pry Youth Award judging panel selected 12-year-old Aiden to receive this year's award for his work helping adults and children living with diabetes.

Aiden raised more than $10,000 through American Diabetes Association fundraisers. He visited Capitol Hill to represent American youth living with diabetes and to support programs that focus on healthy food for underserved Ohioans.

"Aiden Dine is a young man who, at such a young age, has accomplished so much for a cause he is passionate about," Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro said in a news release. "Aiden is changing the lives of Ohioans of all ages who battle diabetes and is forging new paths through public outreach and representation."

The Summit for Kids youth award was named for County Executive Russ Pry, who was a champion for local children and helped found the program's annual family event.

Summit for Kids is a two-day program that focuses on kids' health, education and quality of life.

The program held its breakfast event Aug. 18, where Summit County Children Services Executive Director Julie Barnes led a presentation on the effects of the opioid epidemic on children and families.

Summit for Kids will host its annual family expo Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the John S. Knight Center in downtown Akron.

Children will receive free school supplies, medical services provided by Akron Children's Hospital and free dental exams.

The Summit for Kids Expo is free and open to the public. Children can interact with characters like Marvel's Spider-Man, Daniel Tiger from PBS and lookalike Minions at the event.

Visit summitforkids.net for more information.

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Below you'll find a wide-ranging interview with Cindy Cohn, who runs the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

It's the third episode of my podcast, which launched here on Boing Boing two weeks back and which is co-hosted by Tom Merritt. The podcast series goes deep into the science, tech, and sociological issues explored in my present-day science fiction novel After On  but no familiarity with the novel is necessary to listen to it.

Issues of privacy and government hacking in are central to After On's storyline. And no organization is more deeply concerned with these matters than EFF, which positions itself as "the leading nonprofit defending digital privacy, free speech, and innovation."

Cindy has been working with EFF for most of its history, and running it since 2015. In our interview we discuss several chilling developments EFF is fighting. One is the legal campaign against Mike Masnick and his long-running blog TechDirt. This is widely viewed as a SLAPP, or strategic lawsuit against public participation.

Moneyed plaintiffs use SLAPP suits to arbitrarily silence opinions that displease them  a power none are granted in free societies, but which is readily accessible through cynical abuse of the legal system. Just last week, Masnick accepted $250,000 from donors ranging across the political spectrum to fight this odious practice, and just yesterday EFF named him a winner of its 2017 Pioneer Award, making this a timely conversation.

Cindy and I also discuss how Cisco helped China censor its Internet and oppress religious minorities; the controversy surrounding Facebook's attempt to roll out a free but stripped-down Internet in India; the morality of tools that protect good people from evil governments but can also protect evil people from good governments; EFF's own storied history, and much more.

You can subscribe to the podcast within any podcast app. Simply use your app's search function (type in "After On") to find and subscribe. To subscribe via your computer on iTunes, just click here, then click the blue "View on iTunes" button (on the left side of the page), then click "Subscribe" (in a similar location) in the iTunes window. Or follow the feed http://afteron.libsyn.com/rss

Image of Cindy Cohn: Moizsyed/Wikipedia
CLEVELAND -- The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio today rejected multiple appeals of its October 2016 ruling giving FirstEnergy an extra $204 million a year for up to five years, officially for upgrades to the company's local wires and substations, but say opponents, actually allowing the company to use the money in any way it chooses.

Consumer and environmental groups have charged that the company will funnel the money to its power plants, which have struggled to compete in wholesale markets against companies using gas turbines rather than coal and nuclear energy to generate electricity.

The company has argued that it needs the extra money to keep its credit ratings healthy enough to allow it to borrow money at a reasonable cost for upgrades the PUCO wants it to make to its local power delivery system. It repeated that argument in a statement after the ruling was released.

Yet when this rate case began just over three years ago, the company's objective was to find a way to have customers help support its financially failing power plants, which since 2006 have been owned by its unregulated subsidiary, FirstEnergy Solutions.

FirstEnergy began collecting the new charges in January and will continue to collect them for three years -- plus two more years if it can prove it needs the money -- even as opponents now head to the Ohio Supreme Court. That's how Ohio's utility law is written.

Estimates are that the extra charges on consumer electric bills will amount to about $36 a year for customers using an average of 750 kilowatt-hours a month. Commercial and industrial customers are paying much more.

Today's 90-page ruling dismissed many of the objections from the opponents as having already been made in previous appeals and rejected in previous rulings.

The order simultaneously granted, in part, a FirstEnergy appeal of the October ruling.

The order also asserts that the PUCO staff will review -- in real time -- what the company does with the extra money to make sure it spends it for "grid modernization," not funnel it to the power plants.

The Sierra Club isn't buying that and its attorney insisted after reading the order that the extra money will end up in a company "slush fund."

"There is simply no basis in Ohio law to force utility customers to pay for a slush fund for FirstEnergy Corp and its shareholders," said Shannon Fisk, Managing Attorney at Earthjustice, a law firm which represents the Sierra Club in this case.

"The PUCO has missed yet another opportunity to focus the company on real efforts to modernize our electric grid and invest in new, clean energy technologies and instead has forced customers to pay up for unwise investments in outdated coal and nuclear plants," added Dan Sawmiller, Senior Campaign Representative for Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign.

The company had sought $558 million annually for up to eight years and was unhappy with the commission's October decision granting the $204 million for three years with an option to request an additional two years. Today's ruling today does not increase that amount.

The Ohio Consumers' Counsel had sought to have the subsidy eliminated altogether.

"Ohioans' electric bills should reflect historically lower prices from power plant competition," said Consumers' Counsel Bruce Weston. Unfortunately ... FirstEnergy was successful in preserving a $200 million annual subsidy for at least three years from its 1.9 million Ohio consumers. We are now considering our options for an appeal . . . ."

Chuck Keiper, executive director of NOPEC, which has worked closely with the Consumers' Counsel, said the order "is a reminder that we need to stay on guard, keep finding ways to offer low prices for reliable energy and keep advocating for a free market and against subsidies like these that hurt individual consumers and businesses. That's exactly what we plan to do."

Michelle Shirer, spokesperson for AARP Ohio, said that despite the PUCO staff's oversight, "the problem with this ruling is that the money can go anywhere. There is no language specifying how and whee FirstEnergy can use this money. And that is why we object."

Another opponent, the Environmental Defense Fund, also vowed to appeal today's ruling to the Ohio Supreme Court.

"Last year, federal regulators came to the rescue and overturned Ohio bailouts that would have propped up FirstEnergy's old coal and nuclear plants. We are confident the Ohio Supreme Court will do the same and reject the regulators' latest giveaway to dirty energy," said Dick Munson, director of the group's Midwest Clean Energy campaign.

The subsidy is built into the company's current rate plan though it bears little resemblance to what the company asked for when it filed the rate case in August of 2014.

FirstEnergy initially pitched a complicated arrangement requiring its Ohio delivery companies to buy all of the power its FirstEnergy Solutions power plants generated, at whatever it cost to produce, and put the extra cost on customer bills.

Called a "power purchase agreement," or PPA, the idea was to allow the power plants to bypass the wholesale markets where the Illuminating Co., Ohio Edison and Toledo Edison buy their power through competitive bidding, which has significantly reduced what consumers pay for the electricity itself.

Over the protests of consumer and environmental groups, The PUCO approved the deal but the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruled the arrangement was within its purview and demanded to review it.

FirstEnergy then withdrew the PPA request and looked for other ways to have PUCO approve extra funding, ending up with last October's order authorizing the $204 million increase that on its face looked like an increase for improving local wires and substations. Wednesday's order left the annual $204 million increase in place.

The commission's 4 to 0 vote today occurred without discussion. The fifth member of the commission, Commissioner Lawrence Friedman, formerly vice president for regulatory affairs with Columbus-based IGS Energy, recused himself.

The Ohio Consumers' Counsel, the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council, or NOPEC, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups have battled FirstEnergy on the issue from the day the rate plan was filed.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Akron federal Judge John Adams used his own car to block in a car belonging to an intern who accidentally parked in his space. He then called court security and asked them to tow or ticket the car.

He also bumped into a magistrate judge as the two ran along a trail behind the courthouse. He sprinted away and did not stop to apologize or to see if his fellow judge was hurt.

These events, along with other antisocial behavior are chronicled in a pair of disciplinary decisions publicly released this week that give insight into why a special investigative committee ordered Adams to undergo a mental health evaluation by an expert the committee hired.

A panel from the federal judicial conference sanctioned Adams and again ordered him to undergo the evaluation, which he has so far refused to do.

Aside from several other strange hostile actions toward his colleagues, the special committee hasn't publicly provided much more insight into why it would make such a striking request of a sitting federal judge.

And since Adams refuses to submit to an examination, questions about his mental state still linger.

There is a fine line between being antisocial and having a mental illness that could cause antisocial behavior, especially as it pertains to federal judges, whom presidents appoint for life and can often become strict rulers of their own fiefdoms. Many have personality quirks and strictly enforce their rules, up to and including demeaning lectures and issuing sanctions.

While not mental health experts, two law professors well versed in judicial discipline told cleveland.com that they weren't fully convinced the investigation had answered a fundamental question: Does Adams suffer from a mental illness, or is it possible that he's just a jerk?

"The open question is when does cantankerousness cross the line into mental disability or impairment?" said Arthur Hellman, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He said he found the case "very troubling."

"There have been a lot of cantankerous district judges over the years," he added.

The investigation into Adams appears to move in uncharted territory for disciplinary cases. At the very least, such an investigation is rare in the federal judiciary. Local court watchers could not think of any other instance in which a disciplinary panel took action against a sitting federal judge.

Even across the country, instances in which a judge's mental state is questioned is rare. When they are, they are usually dealt with quietly, and the judge often steps down, experts said.

The recent public revelations of the investigation have given insight into a world the general public rarely hears about. Federal courts have wide latitude to conduct investigations and perform court business behind closed doors, and the gossipy nature of the federal legal system is not as loud and brash as one would find in local and state courts, where the politics of the system are more visible.

Adams, reached Thursday, reiterated a statement that he and his attorneys put out this week that said two experts he hired gave him a clean bill of mental health. He has indicated that he will fight any disciplinary action, even as he continues to hear cases, and is dedicated to ensuring the full story gets out at some point.

He has also said he is considering a lawsuit to challenge his discipline.

The investigation

An investigation into Adams -- plucked from the Summit County bench and appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003 -- was initiated in February 2013. Four federal judges in the Northern District of Ohio made a formal complaint to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

The appeals court formed the special committee - itself a rare step, as numbers from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts show that four or fewer special committees have been formed annually in recent years to investigate the thousands of judges in the federal system nationwide.

The special committee worked in secret -- though many lawyers and court watchers knew about the probe - and a hearing was held in 2015.

All the while, Adams continued to hear criminal and civil cases, and the appeals court continued to review Adams' cases. Throughout this time, the appeals court overturned several of his rulings and removed him from a decade-old lawsuit involving Akron fighters and a criminal case in which a defendant said he did heroin with members of Adams' family.

The special committee's findings led to the 6th Circuit Judicial Council's decision to discipline Adams in February 2016. They reprimanded him and decided that he could not hear any court cases for two years.

While no other alleged incidents were as outlandish as bumping a judge during a jog or blocking a driver who dared park in his spot, the council wrote that Adams committed misconduct when he threatened to sanction a magistrate judge who missed a filing deadline in a Social Security benefits case.

The Judicial Council also wrote Adams was hostile to other magistrate and federal judges. He has been vocal when he thinks the courts are mismanaging or misusing money, but the council's decision says he also refuses to participate in administrative matters.

The other act of misconduct count came in 2014 when the special committee asked Adams to submit to an examination from a forensic psychiatrist it hired, the Judicial Council wrote. Adams refused.

The special committee believed that Adams might suffer from an impairment that prevents him from maintaining professional relationships with his colleagues, prevents him from taking on the responsibilities as a member of the court and causes him to make "unfounded and destructive attacks against his colleagues," the Judicial Council's decision says.

After Adams refused to undergo the exam, the special committee's psychiatrist looked at provided information provided and concluded there is "a reasonable basis for concern as to Judge Adams' mental or emotional state," the decision says.

"The data available so far do not suggest a mental state of psychotic proportions, but do suggest significant personality traits that may have contributed to the current concerns," it continues.

The 6th Circuit Judicial Council wrote that Adams should retire if he continued to refuse to undergo the ordered mental health exam.

Adams appealed, and the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability of the Judicial Conference of the United States took up the case.

That panel released its decision Monday and mostly upheld the Judicial Council's findings and discipline, absent taking away Adams' docket.

Is it really mental illness?

To many who practice in federal court, the decisions against Adams only further offer proof that he can be erratic, hostile and unpleasant when he presides over cases. His reputation among many lawyers has led them to brace for the worst when appearing in his court, as his mood could change with the weather.

All federal judges demand respect, and Ohio, like the rest of the country, has had its fair share of judges who would take actions to flaunt their power. They just weren't as well known until the 21st Century, when online news articles did a better job of chronicling and publicizing judges' behavior.

"I think there was intemperate behavior in the past but the notoriety wasn't as notorious because there was no Internet," said Avery Friedman, a longtime Cleveland civil rights attorney.

Still, similar actions from other federal judges in northern Ohio have been few and far between in recent years.

And while experts said Adams' actions may warrant discipline, positing possible mental illness carries a stigma that could affect how those who appear in front of Adams view him.

Hellman, the University of Pittsburgh law professor, said he has never seen a disciplinary case quite like Adams' and that he special committee hasn't presented a lot of evidence to suspect Adams may suffer from a mentally illness.

While Hellman said he wasn't convinced that it all added up to a mental disorder, he did say he thought the investigators are likely not holding anything back that would further support a claim of possible mental illness.

Charles Geyh, a law professor at Indiana University, said he mostly agreed with Hellman and that it could be troubling for a disciplinary panel to raise the possibility of mental disability to put the screws on a problematic federal judge.

He also said a judicial council would know the difference between a judge being mean and displaying an "erratic quality to it that suggests mental impairment."

The code of conduct for federal judges says that "a judge should be patient, dignified, respectful, and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity."

And while it may be premature to discuss the possibility that Adams is removed from the bench, which would take an act of Congress, Geyh said many states have procedures in place to discipline judges for the kind of actions Adams is accused of undertaking. Their laws allow for sanctions up to and including removal, he said.

"We would not be having this conversation at the state level," Geyh said.

Ronald Rotunda, a law professor at Chapman University in Orange, California, was firmly on the other side. He said he found the whole case very strange but felt the special committee was well within its power to take the actions it did.

"He does strike one as a curmudgeon with anger management problems, but who am I to decide?" Rotunda said. "That's why you have this board."

Adams remains defiant

The judicial conference's decision this week said that "having rejected Judge Adams's objections, we anticipate that Judge Adams will expeditiously comply with the Judicial Council's Order" and submit to a mental health evaluation.

Adams has given no indication he will do so.

He said Thursday that transcripts can provide proper context to any actions that caused lawyers to complain about him, as he conducts the vast majority of his court proceedings on the record.

A statement provided by Judicial Watch, the conservative group representing Adams in his fight, calls the handling of Adams' case "an abuse of the judicial process."
EUCLID, Ohio -- The Euclid police officer seen punching a suspect in a now-viral video has a history of disciplinary issues that includes losing evidence, losing his temper and hitting a suspect with his gun and two reprimands for crashes in police cruisers, according to records released Friday.

Michael Amiott is on paid leave as the Saturday incident remains under investigation.

Records released Friday after requests from cleveland.com and other news outlets does contain some praise for the officer who joined the force in September 2014 after he was allowed to resign from the Mentor police department for conducting a traffic stop without probable cause and lying about it.

But his discipline history with Euclid stands out in light of the incident Saturday captured on video. The records say:

Amiott was involved in two crashes in 2015 and 2017.

In May 2015, he lost a suspect's cellphone while gathering evidence in a criminal case.

And in 2016, he hit a suspect with his gun out of fear for his safety. A letter written that August by Lt. Timothy Verh said that when asked about the incident, Amiott lost his temper and said, "Just read me Garrity. I heard how you are from other guys and wouldn't have believed it, now I do."

"Garrity statements," as they're commonly called, refers to the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision that protects public employees from incriminating themselves in statements to their employer.

He was given a written reprimand after hitting a suspect with a gun and mouthing off to his supervisor and for the two crashes. He was given an oral reprimand after he lost the cell phone.

Amiott and officer Matt Gilmer stopped Richard Hubbard, 25, on East 228th Street before 10:30 a.m. The officers ordered him to get out of the car and to face away from them so they could arrest him, police said.

He did not face away, police said.

An officer is seen in the video slamming Hubbard on the ground, grabbing his neck and punching his head.

Police handcuffed Hubbard and took him to a patrol car. A woman who was a passenger in the car is seen in the video screaming during the struggle. She was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car.

Hubbard was medically examined at the Cuyahoga County Jail Euclid Annex, police said. He later posted bond on charges of driving under suspension and resisting arrest.

Euclid Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #18 President Dave Trend released a statement Thursday saying that the union stands by Amiotti. In it, Trend says that it's "easy to provide commentary after the fact."

"We stand with Officer Amiott and we hope that people will not rush to judgment, but rather will understand the literally-split-second decision and response required of our police and will let the administrative review process play out," he wrote.

Euclid Police Chief Scott Meyer released a statement four days after the incident. Euclid Mayor Kirsten Gail also has released a statement calling the video "disturbing and difficult to watch."

cleveland.com reporter Eric Heisig contributed to this story.

Correction: The story has been edited to correct the name of the officer involved in the videotaped incident Saturday in Euclid.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comments section.
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio

Theft, Warrensville Center Road:

A Cleveland man, 45, was arrested at Walmart Aug. 7 for the theft of a TV and a bicycle inner tube. He said he had planned to steal two TVs but decided to take one. He also said he planned to ride a bus back to his home with the TVs. While he was later in jail, he complained he was having an allergic reaction to his head due to the application of the stainless steel handcuffs on his wrists. He was cited, released and taken to the hospital.

Disturbance, Stilmore Road:

A woman reported Aug. 7 a boy, 12, had stolen a lanyard and $6 cash from her son and she was parked in front of the boy's grandmother's home. She said she went to the home to come to a resolution but she got into an argument with the woman. Officers spoke to the grandmother and the boy, who denied stealing anything. Officers told the woman she was not to return to the house and she had no evidence to support her claim.

Fleeing and eluding, Warrensville Center Road:

Officers tried unsuccessfully Aug. 3 to stop a motorcycle rider who was not wearing a helmet or eye protection and had made an improper turn. While they were attempting to stop him, they discovered his license plates were expired and he did not have a motorcycle endorsement on his license. He was identified as a Cleveland man, 25, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest for failure to comply with an order of a police officer, as well as for the traffic violations.

Trespassing, Monticello Boulevard:

A BP 7-Eleven employee reported Aug. 3 a man who had previously been banned from the store for theft was currently in the store. Responding officers pulled the 20-year-old Euclid man's vehicle over in the area and cited him for criminal trespassing. He said he thought it was OK for him to return to the store because he had returned the lighter he had stolen.

Welfare check, Warrensville Center Road:

A woman dropped a purse off at the station Aug. 4 and said it belonged to a woman she had driven from Kent to the Walgreens store in the city. She said she was afraid of the woman because she has mental illnesses. She said the woman, 62, had left the purse in the car when she dropped her off at the store and she did not want to wait for her to return for it. Officers found the woman waiting outside Walgreens. She said she was waiting for her friend and didn't understand why she was not returning. She refused a ride to the station and said she would return at a later time to retrieve her purse. Several days later, officers contacted her about the purse and she told them there was nothing of value in it and she was not coming for it.

Missing person, Eastway Road:

A man reported Aug. 1 the mother of his son was missing and he had last spoke to her in the spring while she was in Alabama in a mental health facility. After investigation, it was determined the woman, 34, was not considered missing and as recently as that week had been in the Cleveland area, where she had been arrested for criminal damaging at a restaurant and had reported to East Cleveland police on a separate occasion that someone was practicing black magic on her.

Menacing, Greenvale Road:

A warrant was issued Aug. 3 for the arrest of a Euclid man, 19, for menacing after he showed a gun to his ex-girlfriend at her home. The woman said the man came to the home demanding $40 but she refused to give it to him. The man also caused damage to a rear screen door at the home.

Stolen vehicle, Monarch Road:

The owner of a landscaping company reported Aug. 10 one of his work trucks and an attached trailer was stolen from in front of a house while his employees were working in the backyard. The vehicle had been left unlocked with the keys inside of it. OnStar later tracked the truck to a location in Cleveland, where it was found unoccupied. It had no major damage but the trailer was no longer attached and the floor mats were missing. The trailer also contained about $2,000 worth of tools. The incident is under investigation.

Fraud, Beaconwood Road:

A man, 60, reported July 28 he was the victim of a scam when he wired $2,000 to an unknown person in New Jersey. He said he had been contacted by someone claiming to be his nephew and stating he had been in an accident and arrested for OVI and needed bail money. He learned it was a scam after his nephew called him and told him he had not been in an accident or arrested. The incident is under investigation.

Theft, Monticello Boulevard:

Three Cleveland Heights boys were arrested at BP 7-Eleven Aug. 7 for the suspected theft of several candy, beverage and snack items. One boy was also found in possession of a meat cleaver style knife, which he claimed was for protection. The boys had videotaped themselves committing the theft and streamed it live on Instagram while they laughed and talked about what they were doing. They will be filed on in juvenile court.

Impaired driving, Mayfield Road:

A Cleveland man, 28, was arrested for OVI Aug. 6 after his vehicle was stopped for speeding. Two firearms were located in the vehicle, leading to an additional charge of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle. There was a passenger in the vehicle and he too admitted he was drunk. He was found in possession of a knife, which was confiscated until he was sober and able to retrieve it from the station.

Disorderly conduct, Warrensville Center Road:

A boy picked up a box of peanuts at 5 Guys Burgers and Fries Aug. 1 and threw it towards cashiers and the food service line. He yelled "I'm a different kind of savage" and ran from the store. Police placed a video of the incident on the department's Facebook page and several people called to identify the 16-year-old Shaker Heights boy. Charges for inducing panic were recommended. The boy was also determined to be the same suspect who mocked doing a "slip and slide" at the Walmart in the city in July when he emptied water bottles onto the floor.

See more South Euclid news at Cleveland.com/south-euclid.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A crash closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 71 in Cleveland Thursday night.

An accident was reported at 9:40 p.m. on I-71, between West 130th Street and Bellaire Road, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation traffic website. The lanes reopened just before 11 p.m.

The photo above was provided by an ODOT traffic camera at I-71 and West 130th Street.
J. Edgar Hoover killed President Kennedy, O.J. Simpson aims to murder Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, and JonBenet Ramsey's babysitter tells all, in this week's reality-divorced tabloids.

JonBenet's babysitter Kristine Griffin tells the 'Globe': "The parents didn't do it  but I know who did." But she refuses to identify the killer. So much for telling all.

O.J., weeks from going free on parole, is "hell-bent on revenge," claims the 'National Enquirer,' which is a step back from recent tabloid stories that claimed Simpson plans to murder everyone who ever doubted his innocence. Incapable of inventing a motive for O.J.'s murderous rage, a dubiously unnamed source muses: "O.J. blames Kris for everything. Whether it's right or wrong, it's all her fault."

Why would FBI director Hoover put a hit out on JFK? "He was being fired for blackmailing prez," reports the 'Globe,' helpfully adding: "Lee Harvey Oswald was on his payroll!" How did they slip that conspiracy past the Warren Commission? Hoover blackmailed the Commissioners with dirt on every one of the investigators. It sounds obvious once it's explained, doesn't it?

You have to admire the 'National Examiner' for its story on actress Betty White explaining why, at 95, "I'll never get plastic surgery." Presumably it's because the chance to look 20 years younger doesn't sound that appealing. Why would she want to compete with a bunch of 75-year-old actors when she has the 95-year-old market locked up?

The 'Examiner' has come late to the tabloid realization that the British Royal family rarely sue, no matter how egregious the story, and this week devotes its cover to "William Catches Camilla Cheating!" Naturally, the Queen "has demanded Charles get an immediate divorce from his power-hungry wife  and banish her from the kingdom forever." As if it's an episode of 'Game of Thrones.' It's a shame that this same affair claim appeared in May, 2015, in the 'Globe,' which alleged that Charles and Camilla had an explosive fight over her fling with an unnamed British actor. Except the affair didn't exist then, and it doesn't exist now, much as the British Royal press pack would love it.

The 'Enquirer' stays with the Royals, revealing Prince William's "Secret American Lover"  a woman who may or may not have been his girlfriend 13 years ago, before he met his bride, Kate Middleton.

"Taylor Swift Child Abuse Shocker!" is a great headline, though the story has little to do with Tay Tay  her former "high school crush" supposedly admitted assaulting a child. Does everyone in her life only exist to provide inspiration for her songs? Look out for her next hit: 'I Loved You Once, But Now You're Choking Kids.'

For the first time in months the tabloids are Trump-free this week  perhaps because President Trump's Tweets and public rants are more surreal than anything the tabloids can invent? The 'Enquirer,' however, could not resist reporting on President Obama's "Girls Gone Wild!" claiming that "sex-crazed Malia and Sasha get down and dirty." No political motivation behind that report, I'm sure.

In the celebrity magazines everything old is new again. 'Us' mag reaches back 20 years with Princess Diana to bring us "Her Untold Story." Heard it all before. 'People' reaches back even further, to offer "The Secret Life of Aubrey Hepburn." Not secret, and it doesn't seem new; just long-forgotten.

Fortunately we have the crack investigative team at 'Us' mag to inform us that Jessie James Decker wore it best (or at least, she showed the most cleavage), that Spice Girl Emma Bunton "can tap and say the alphabet backward," that fashion designer Olivia Palmero carries four phone chargers, a spare cashmere sweater and bobby pins in her Meli Melo bucket bag, and that the stars are just like us: they ride bikes, haul groceries and pay for parking (at least, when their chauffeurs aren't driving them around, feeding their meters, and taking their personal assistants to shop for them.)

Once again, we rely on the 'Examiner' to bring us back to reality with its report that 'Earth Faces Comet Catastrophe!" Evidently a "vast number of giant rogue bodies could wipe out humanity." Apparently that's not a reference to Donald Trump and Steve Bannon in Speedos, but to NASA research showing there are "seven times as many large comets ripping through the outer edge of the solar system than previously believed." Yet again, this story is mostly accurately reported  though the comets in question aren't exactly heading Earthwards any time soon. What is becoming of this tawdry tabloid? If it keeps reporting true stories, I'm going to have to stop buying it.

Onwards and downwards . . .

Image: Wikipedia/Ben Crowder
Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy prepares to deploy a nanosatellite outside the International Space Station. The satellite's outer cover, which was removed before it was pitched, bears a logo in honor of the 60th anniversary of the first satellite, Sputnik. (NASA TV)

August 17, 2017

 Two cosmonauts stepped outside the International Space Station for a seven-hour spacewalk on Thursday (Aug. 17), in part to deploy three small satellites in tribute to the dawn of the space age 60 years ago.



Fyodor Yurchikhin, commander of the Expedition 52 crew, and Sergey Ryazanskiy, both of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, opened the hatch to the station's Pirs airlock at 10:36 a.m. EDT (1436 GMT), starting the extravehicular activity (EVA).



Yurchikhin, perched on a ladder just outside of the airlock, deployed the first nanosatellite  one of three created by Russian college students to honor the 60th anniversary of the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, on Oct. 4, 1957 by the Soviet Union.



Yurchikhin tossed the satellite below and to the rear of the space station to avoid it ever coming back in contact with the complex. The Tomsk-TPU 120 satellite will operate for about a year and a half, transmitting voice messages and telemetry on amateur radio. Created by students at Tomsk Polytechnic University, in collaboration with the aerospace corporation RSC Energia and with the Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science of the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, the Tomsk-TPU 120 is first cubesat to be built entirely from a 3D printed body.







Sergey Ryazanskiy is reflected in the mirror finish of the spherical Zerkalo satellite, one of five satellites deployed during a spacewalk outside the space station on Aug. 17, 2017. (NASA TV)

Ryazanskiy, who is the grandson of an early Soviet rocket scientist and pioneer in radio control systems, next pitched Tanyusha-YuZGU 1 and 2, a pair of nanosatellites that will interact with each other, measure vacuum density and also transmit voice greetings in Russian, English, Spanish and Chinese.



The Tanyusha project, by Energia and Southwestern State University in Kursk, also commemorates 160 years since the birth of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, credited as the father of Russian astronautics and spaceflight.



The Tomsk and Tanyusha satellites will broadcast on the amateur radio frequencies 437.025 MHz and 437.05 MHz, respectively.



Ryazanskiy also deployed two additional nanosats: TNS-0, to test sensor equipment and an experimental navigation system over the next three to five months; and the TS530-Zerkalo satellite, which like the original Sputnik was built into a metal sphere. The latter will measure the density of Earth's atmosphere in order to better predict the motion of spacecraft in low Earth orbit, like the space station.







The spherical TS530-Zerkalo satellite is seen as it floats away from the space station after being deployed by Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy on a spacewalk on Aug. 17, 2017. (NASA TV)

"This one was the best," remarked Ryazanskiy, referring to the Zerkalo satellite.



"Because it is round," replied Yurchikhin, who joked that it looked like a face as it drifted away from the station.



In addition to deploying the five satellites, Yurchikhin and Ryazanskiy also inspected and collected residue samples from various locations outside the Russian segment of the space station and installed handrails and struts to facilitate future excursions.



The spacewalk also served as the first test of an upgraded version of Russia's EVA spacesuit. Yurchikhin donned the first of the modernized Orlan MKS suits, equipped with an advanced, automated thermal control system and a built-in computer. The new pressure suit is also designed to better protect against wear and tear.







Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, wearing the first of the new Orlan MKS spacesuits, works outside the space station. (NASA TV)

Thursday's spacewalk, which came to an end at 6:10 p.m. EDT (2210 GMT), 7 hours and 34 minutes after it began, marked Yurchikhin's ninth EVA. With a career total time of 59 hours and 28 minutes, Yurchikhin now ranks fourth on the list of worldwide spacewalkers by time.



Ryazanskiy has now spent 27 hours, 39 minutes on four spacewalks.



The EVA was the seventh excursion of the year and 202nd in support of space station assembly and maintenance.
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The mum of a missing 17-year-old has revealed her struggle in trying to access mental health support for her son in the months before he disappeared.

Finnian Layland-Stratfield was last seen near Tintagel's youth hostel by a walker on Saturday, July 8, between 6pm and 6.30pm. He was also spotted on a local pub's CCTV footage.

The following day at 5.30pm a rucksack containing some of his personal belongings were located on cliffs above Hole Beach in Tintagel and on the Monday, police issued an appeal for witnesses saying that they were 'extremely concerned' for Finn's welfare.

They described the teenager as 5ft 9ins tall with a slim build. Finn has dark brown medium length scruffy hair with a long fringe, and has some fluffy facial hair.

Finn's mum, Rebecca Stratfield has now revealed that a Cornwall Live article about problems with mental health care, hit home for her as she had struggled to get support for Finn.

Rebecca said: "We had been trying to get Finn help for three months.

"We did everything we could to to help but we aren't professionals so we wanted to get care advice. It wasn't easy. It seems to be that way in Cornwall."

Rebecca said they finally managed to get some support through a GP referral before her son went missing.

She added: "Shortly before he disappeared, he started to have some cognitive behavioural therapy but it was hard to access.

"He was struggling with anxiety. It is hard when you are there with your child and he isn't getting the help he needs. It was the early stage when we started trying to get support. We thought we would jump on it and try and do something about it.

"When I saw the article I thought that it was quite poignant. Mental health care is a problem and it's not just in Cornwall.

"From what I've learnt there are so many kids in a similar boat struggling with anxiety or depression."

Rebecca said that despite Finn remaining missing, friends and family are staying positive.

She added: "It is a very difficult time but we are trying to be positive. People are out searching everyday doing coastal walks.

"Posters are up all over the country. I have had people message me from all over the place. People are out looking. The police have had a few reports but nothing has come through."

Finn has a black ear stretcher in his left ear, a tattoo 'NOAH 2005' on his left forearm and a tattoo of a salamander on the rear of his right shoulder.

He was believed to be wearing a blue Superdry hoodie, grey/black jeans with holes in the knees and black army style boots, at the time he went missing.

He was carrying the rucksack which was khaki green in colour around 2ft in length with pockets.
Business / Companies

by Staff reporter

LOW-cost airline Fastjet will before the end of the year introduce a new route between Harare and Lusaka.In a statement, the airline's spokesperson Ms Faith Chaitezvi said the proposed route, which will be introduced on November 13 would be Fastjest's fifth Zimbabwean route as they celebrate their second anniversary in the country."Fastjet announces that it will operate a new route between Harare and Lusaka, with the first flight scheduled for 13 November 2017."The additional route is the fifth Zimbabwean route for Fastjet as the airline celebrates its second anniversary in the country and fifth brand birthday this year," she said."Flights between Harare and Lusaka are already on sale at a launch fare from $80 all inclusive. Fastjet has made air travel more affordable and accessible to Zimbabweans."Ms Chaitezvi said the airline will operate four weekly flights between the two cities."The new route between Harare and Lusaka further connects travellers, whether for business or leisure," she said.Fastjet launched its summer 2017 schedule with flights up to and including March 2018 more than a week ago."Demand continues to grow in Zimbabwe with traffic between Harare and Victoria Falls showing solid growth," said Ms Chaitezvi.She said additional flights between Harare and Johannesburg were also showing solid growth.Ms Chaitezvi said she was optimistic that flights between Harare and Lusaka would generate strong interest.A fortnight ago, Fastjet reintroduced its Victoria Falls-Johannesburg route.It also added flights between Harare and Johannesburg as well as Harare and Victoria Falls.The airline increased the number of flights on the Harare and Victoria Falls route in response to strong passenger demand.It used to operate three weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, before adding another flight on Fridays.The airline has said this was done to provide passengers with a convenient weekend away service.Recently, Fastjet Zimbabwe celebrated flying more than 125 000 passengers on 1 678 flights with an impressive 94 percent on-time performance, establishing the airline as a punctual, reliable, and affordable low-cost carrier.
Business / Companies

by Staff Reporter

ABOUT 85 percent of Zimbabweans consult prophets, faith and traditional healers for medical ailments, a development that has jolted the Government to enforce regulations and arrest those who are not registered.According to a study conducted by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, a majority of Zimbabweans are shunning doctors and consulting prophets for illnesses.The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Adrian Musiiwa, yesterday said the Government was concerned about the increasing number of unscrupulous people who claim to be healers and compromise people's health."In this country there is freedom of worship but it does not extend to freedom of healing. A study conducted by my ministry at the beginning of this year showed us that about 85 percent of people prefer consulting prophets and faith healers instead of going to hospitals."Healing is for the Ministry of Health and churches are for worshipping. Whoever feels that they are capable of healing people should be registered under the Traditional Medical Practitioners Council (TMPC) so that we monitor them and make sure that they are not compromising people's health," said Dr Musiiwa.He said many patients were losing their lives while some were resisting medication due to instructions from prophets and traditional healers which contradicted conventional advice from qualified medical practitioners."There are a lot of unscrupulous people claiming to be faith healers thereby compromising people's health. We have more than 900 000 people living with HIV and are on anti-retroviral treatment."Some faith healers claim to heal HIV and they tell our patients to stop taking their drugs. The patients default and they end up developing resistance to treatment," said Dr Musiiwa.He said the ministry was concerned about faith healers who were making people drink and eat dangerous concoctions and weird herbs that affect their health.Dr Musiiwa said this is a setback in the health fraternity and calls for strict monitoring of prophets and traditional healers."We therefore need to know who else is attending to our patients and what they're telling them to do. If they're giving them wrong information then we have to intervene as a ministry."If a church believes that they have a pastor who is powerful to treat and heal people they have the right to vouch for their pastor and recommend him to operate under the Traditional Medical Practitioners Council. The ministry will then allow him to register and monitor him. We must know how they do it so that people are not taken for granted," said Dr Musiiwa.The deputy minister, however, said the ministry would deregister those who do not follow the ministry's health regulations and use unhygienic substances to treat people.He warned people to be wary of false prophets and urged them to first ask for a TMPC licence before seeking their services.Dr Musiiwa added that the ministry was organising workshops for faith healers to discuss how they could complement each other in protecting people's lives and keeping them healthy.Last month President Mugabe blasted "pastors" who steal from congregants in the name of God.He said individuals should worship God directly instead of relying on so-called "men of God."
Enter Canadian mining company Crystallex, which has been trying to enforce a $1.2 billion arbitration award against Venezuela, so far without success. A few days ago, it tried a new tack--one with broader implications for any restructuring of Venezuela's or PDVSA's debt. Crystallex asked a federal court in Delaware to attach the shares of PDV Holding, Inc., a Delaware company that is the ultimate U.S. parent of CITGO petroleum. PDV Holding is owned by PDVSA, which, in turn, is owned by Venezuela.

And so it begins . As Anna notes , Venezuela is in dire straits, yet its stubborn insistence on paying bondholders puts it in the running for "world's slowest train wreck." When the wheels finally leave the tracks, expect a free-for-all in which competing claimants (bondholders, arbitration claimants, etc.) fight to recover as much as possible, both from the government and from state-owned oil company PDVSA. The major players will include creditors holding billions of dollars in arbitration awards against Venezuela. These creditors, unlike those holding government or PDVSA bonds , need not fear a debt restructuring. They will, however, have to find attachable assets that can be seized to satisfy their claims.

Whether Crystallex can seize the shares depends on whether PDVSA (which owns them) can be treated as the alter ego of Venezuela (Crystallex's opponent in the arbitration). If not, Crystallex is out of luck; it can't seize property that doesn't belong to Venezuela. But if PDVSA is Venezuela's alter ego, then not only Crystallex, but potentially any other creditor of Venezuela, can look to the oil company to satisfy the government's debts. The same goes in reverse: Creditors of PDVSA might be able to look to the government to satisfy their claims.

These questions of "alter ego" liability will play a crucial role in Venezuela's debt crisis. We have discussed this subject multiple times already here on Credit Slips, mostly in connection with proposals to have the government strip PDVSA of its right to exploit hydrocarbon reserves. An even more important question--which I hope to address in another post--is whether PDVSA can structure its operations to sell oil in the United States without having creditors seize the receivables. This question also depends in part on the law of alter ego liability. Yet another question--raised by Crystallex--is whether the government's creditors can seize its indirect stake in CITGO.*

It's early days in Crystallex's attempt to seize PDVSA's interest in PDV Holding. Crystallex has asked to submit an extra-long brief justifying its request. Here's a copy of the proposed brief, which offers a forceful and relatively complete argument for why PDVSA should be treated as Venezuela's alter ego. In brief: "PDVSA is so extensively controlled by the government that it is impossible to say where one ends and the other begins." To make the point, Crystallex has mined PDVSA's Twitter feed, noting that on at least 100 occasions, PDVSA has tweeted "PDVSA es Venezuela."

I don't know what this proves, except that I should be glad not to have worked at the law firm representing Crystallex. ("Hey Weidemaier, we need you to stay late to count how many times PDVSA has tweeted that it "is" Venezuela!) The doctrine of alter ego liability does ask whether the shareholder (Venezuela) controlled the entity (PDVSA). But in the context of state-controlled entities, this question can be a bit silly. What should matter is whether the government has used the corporate form to defraud creditors or in ways that undermine the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Still, this case is one to watch. If the court holds that PDVSA is Venezuela's alter ego, this will complicate the (inevitable) government and PDVSA debt restructurings.

* Query why Crystallex values PDV Holding shares. Shareholders can be wiped out in bankruptcy and are last in line behind other creditors, of which CITGO has plenty. On the other hand, seizing the shares might allow Crystallex to disrupt Venezuela's oil pipeline to the United States and would probably force the government to make some hard choices about how to structure its U.S. oil operations.
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Sources: Data Center Goliath Sirius In Negotiations To Acquire $1B Security Powerhouse Forsythe

Michael Novinson

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IBM channel superstar Sirius Computer Solutions is negotiating the purchase of 1,000-person security and hosting behemoth Forsythe Technology, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The acquisition of Skokie, Ill.-based Forsythe, No. 37 on the 2017 CRN Solution Provider 500, would create a 3,000-employee, $3.2-billion solution provider giant with expertise in everything from data center, hosting and security to lines of business, cloud and connectivity.

Sirius is owned by private equity firms, with private equity workhorse Kelso & Co. scooping up the San Antonio, Tex.-based company, No. 26 on the 2017 CRN Solution Provider 500, for $830 million in September 2015. Forsythe, meanwhile, has the unusual distinction of being 100 percent employee-owned.

[RELATED: Sources: Billion-Dollar Solution Provider Forsythe Is Up For Sale]

Kelso declined comment for this story, while Sirius and Forsythe didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Sirius has 29 offices in the United States and one in India, while Forsythe has 39 U.S. locations, as well as facilities in Canada, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

One source with ties to the investment banking community told CRN in June that Forsythe has hired an investment bank and is actively shopping the company. The company would be an attractive target for the right buyer looking to capitalize on the broad portfolio of services and solutions Forsythe has built out over the past several years, according to the source.

"With the right buyer, there are a lot of costs that can be taken out," the source said in June. "There are a lot of investments that Forsythe has made that are really expensive. What buyers are going to be looking at is: Are those investments yielding a timely return?"

Other major channel partners are also pursuing consolidation. ConvergeOne, a Cisco and Avaya shop, announced the acquisition of managed services provider Strategic Products and Services, No. 74 on the SP 500, on Thursday. CRN also reported earlier this month that MSP powerhouse Pomeroy, No. 42 on the SP 500, is holding merger talks with systems integration giant CompuCom.

Sirius has been on a rapid growth trajectory, making three acquisitions since being acquired by Kelso and boosting its headcount by 12 percent over that time, according to LinkedIn. The company bought network security workhorse Force 3, No. 79 on the 2015 CRN SP 500, in March 2016, as well as IBM infrastructure solutions provider thinkASG and IT security firm Continuum Worldwide in December 2016.

Moody's Investors Services assigned Sirius a B1 credit rating in September 2015 thanks to the company's consistent track record of generating positive free cash flow and paying down debt. Moody's also praised Sirius for diversifying its vendor base to include products from Cisco, EMC, Dell, HP and NetApp, which the bond credit rating business said will support its continuing profitability.

"The stable outlook reflects Moody's expectation that Sirius Computer will maintain its leading market position as a value-added reseller of IT products and services to the mid-tier market in the U.S., and produce consistent levels of operating profits and cash flows to enable it to deliver," Moody's said in September 2015.

Moody's expressed concern, however, over Sirius's smaller scale compared to competing IT value-added resellers and managed services firms, as well as the changing nature of IT deployments in the enterprise. Moody's also dinged Sirius for its reliance on IBM, noting that more than 52 percent of Sirius's revenue comes from IBM products and services.

This concentration, though, has enabled Sirius to be IBM's largest value-added reseller in the United States that primarily serves large enterprises and medium-sized businesses, Moody's said. Sirius is also a premier VMware partner, a platinum partner with Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Intel, a gold partner with Cisco, Microsoft, and Trend Micro, and a standard Amazon Web Services partner, according to the 2017 CRN Tech Elite 250.

Forsythe, meanwhile, is a premier Dell, IBM, and VMware partner, a platinum HPE and Symantec partner, a gold Cisco and Citrix partner, and a star NetApp partner, according to the 2016 CRN Tech Elite 250. It has notched an impressive 40-plus Partner of the Year awards, including a Red Hat Innovation Partner of the Year award in 2017, and several Oracle and Cisco partner awards in 2016.

The company's sales have remained stable at about $1.1 billion for the last four years, and the company has been profitable for 46 consecutive years with double-digit operating earnings in 2016. The company has 1,000 employees, including 500 engineers and consultants with 2,500 certifications.

Forsythe has carried out 10 acquisitions since 2001, and in 2015 launched both its Hosting Solutions Division and its Meta7 Division to deliver Oracle consulting and integration services. The solution provider was named for the second consecutive year as one of the top consulting firms in IT strategy by Forbes magazine.

The company also has a thriving data center business. The company broke ground on a $130 million data center facility in Elk Grove Village, Ill., in 2014, opened Forsythe Data Centers in spring 2015, and then sold the real estate last August to T5 Data Centers and leased back the space.

Forsythe is in the midst of an aggressive build-out of its managed services offerings. Already this year the company has launched a multi-cloud private storage offering, and a security incident and event management (SIEM)-as-a-Service offering, with additional services in development.
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Infosys CEO Pens Shocking Resignation Letter, Blasts 'Continuous Drumbeat Of Distractions' From Company Founder

Michael Novinson

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Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka resigned unexpectedly Friday, penning a three-page letter that alludes to a long-running feud with the Indian IT outsourcing company's founder.

"Over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks," Sikka, who joined Infosys three years ago after serving as SAP's CTO, wrote in the letter. "The continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity over the last several months/quarters inhibits our ability to make positive change and stay focused on value creation."

The shocking departure worried the investment community, which sent Infosys' stock down $1.44 (9.04%) to $14.49, the company's lowest trading price since April.

[RELATED: President Trump Set To Sign H-1B Executive Order, Tata, Infosys, Cognizant In Crosshairs]

Infosys COO U.B. Pravin Rao was named as interim managing director and CEO of the Bengaluru, India-based systems integrator. Rao will report to Sikka, who will serve as executive vice chairman until a permanent CEO takes office, which Infosys said is expected to happen no later than March 31, 2018.

"I cannot carry out my job as CEO and continue to create value, while also constantly defending against unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks," Sikka wrote in a letter to Infosys employees, which he shared in a blog Thursday. "After much contemplation, I have decided to leave because the distractions, the very public noise around us, have created an untenable atmosphere."

The company's board backed Sikka and deflected criticisms made by company founder and former chairman NR Narayana Murthy, who claimed in recent emails that Infosys' independent directors felt that Sikka was more CTO material than CEO material.

"The Board is profoundly distressed by the unfounded personal attacks on the members of our management team that were made in the anonymous letters," Infosys said in a statement. "The Board denounced the critics who have amplified and sought to further promote demonstrably false allegations, which have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the company's valued CEO."

Murthy fired back several hours later, noting that he voluntarily left Infosys' board in 2014 and was not seeking any money, power or positions for his children. Murthy has in the past questioned pay raises granted to Sikka and Rao, as well as the size of severance payments given to others.

"I am extremely anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of the statement," Murthy said in his response. "My concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance, which I have repeatedly brought to the notice of the Infosys board."

Infosys under Sikka set a goal of hitting $20 billion in revenue by 2020, but the $10.2 billion solution provider would be hard-pressed to reach that goal given that the company gave revenue growth guidance of just 6.1 percent to 8.1 percent for the current fiscal year.

Some of Infosys' recent investments haven't panned out as expected: The company's retail and consumer products goods businesses remained mired at 15 percent of total revenue despite the acquisition of e-commerce platform Skava two years ago, Boz Hristov, a senior analyst covering professional services for Technology Business Research (TBR), wrote in April.

Historically, Infosys has invested more heavily in startups, but Hristov said those bets have yet to move the needle much. Hristov said that Infosys would need to buy a large consultancy that's really strong in specific verticals or geographies to regain the market position it enjoyed five or ten years ago.

More recently, Infosys has gotten mired in the Trump Administration's criticism of the H-1B visa program. An executive order in April from President Donald Trump will shift the skilled worker visa program away from a lottery system weighted toward lowest-wage workers to a system that prioritizes higher-skilled, higher paid workers.

"Companies like Tata, Infosys, Cognizant will apply for a very large number of [H-1B] visas  by putting extra tickets in the lottery raffle," a Trump administration official said in April. "You have contracting firms that are not skills employers, that often times use workers for entry-level positions, and they capture the lion's share of H-1B visas."

Infosys was the biggest user of the H-1B visa program in the U.S. government's 2016 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, applying for 25,405 visas and offering an average salary of $81,705, according to U.S. Department of Labor data compiled by Myvisajobs.com.

In June, Infosys agreed to a $1 million settlement with the New York state Attorney General's office over allegations that the company failed to adequately compensate and pay taxes for hundreds of visa workers.

The Attorney General's office claimed that Infosys brought foreign IT specialists into New York to work under temporary B-1 visitor visas rather than under the H-1B visas, which are harder to obtain and require higher pay for the workers.

"While this investigation centered on alleged paperwork errors, the company committed no wrongdoing and denies all allegations made in this regard," Infosys said in a June 23 statement. "This settlement  was reached by both parties to avoid protracted litigation."

Infosys said the case related to legal issues already resolved under a 2013 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. In that case, Infosys paid the U.S. government $34 million to settle similar allegations that the company was having employees with B-1 visas perform work designated for H-1B visa holders.
Crisis-trained chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team are responding to Barcelona, Spain, following the terror attack that killed 14 and injured 100 more according to reports.



The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team immediately began to monitor and coordinate a plan for a response following news of the van attack in the busy Las Ramblas area. Crisis-trained chaplains from the United States arrived in Spain on Friday morning to assess how best to provide support and assistance to those directly affected and the church community. Additional chaplains from the U.S. and U.K. will arrive in the next 24 hours to offer for additional support.



"Once again we see terror bringing death and suffering in Europe," said Jack Munday. "In addition to the unspeakable pain felt by many families today as they mourn the loss of loved ones, people across Barcelona and beyond will be processing the fear that comes with an attack like this. We will come alongside the people of Barcelona and support local churches to offer the hope of Jesus in this time of darkness."



Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, used his Facebook page to ask for prayer following the attack. Id like to ask you to pray with me for those who were injured and the family members of those killed. I dont know if they are Catholics, Protestants, or Muslims, but these victims were just out enjoying a beautiful day before they were so brutally attacked, said Graham. I have been there and walked down this very same Barcelona street.



This marks the ninth terror-related deployment to Europe in recent years. The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team previously dispatched chaplains to Paris, France(2015); Brussels, Belgium; Nice, France; Munich and Berlin, Germany (2016); andLondon and Manchester, England (2017).



For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visitwww.billygraham.org/rrt. Updates can also be found atwww.facebook.com/RRTChaplains.



About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team:

The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into a nationwide network of chaplains in 48 states who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 255 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes. Photo courtesy: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Publication date: August 18, 2017


News / Africa

by Staff Reporter

#GraceMugabe AfriForum's Gerrie Nel will represent Gabriella Engels if prosecutions on the First Lady aren't handled correctly. HM pic.twitter.com/Gqhlu27LDZ  EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) August 17, 2017

JOHANNESBURG - Lobby group AfriForum has refuted speculation that alleged assault victim Gabriella Engels and Grace Mugabe's sons were using drugs the day she was beaten.The Zimbabwean first lady allegedly assaulted Engels, aged 20, in a Sandton hotel on Sunday when she found her with her two sons.The Zimbabwean government has since requested diplomatic immunity for her.Engels, accompanied by her mother Debbie and AfriForum in Centurion, has made her first public appearance with bandages to her face and head.AfriForum's Kallie Kriel says it was the first time that Engels had met the Mugabe sons."Through my discussions she had just met them. This is the kind of thing I think we should fight. It falls in the same category as when people say a woman was raped because of the clothes she wore."Debbie Engels says she is confident AfriForum will obtain justice for her daughter."At least I can sleep more peacefully knowing I have people in my corner to help me fight for justice for my daughter. I know these people are not going to back down."Kriel says the Mugabe family has offered Engels a blank cheque to make the case disappear.AfriForum says it's confident that it can successfully prosecute Mugabe for assault.The first lady has failed to hand herself over to police, as agreed earlier this week, and is now claiming diplomatic immunity.Advocate Gerrie Nel, nicknamed the Bulldog, has vowed to ensure that the first lady is prosecuted."We'll do what is needed to ensure that justice is done."Nel says that despite the delays so far, the State must be given a chance."I think they shouldn't immediately lose confidence in the South African police and NPA. There's a process. They might even deal with this matter. If that happens, we'll be in a supporting role."AfriForum says it will step in if the NPA fails to take action against Mugabe in the next three months.
Alex Beyer / Contributed photo

Alex Beyer, a recent Harvard graduate and soon-to-be Bridgeport orchestra soloist, returns to his hometown for a recital Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Pequot Library theater, in the Southport section of Fairfield.

Beyer, who has a mathematics degree, is performing as part of the librarys summer music series to benefit the librarys year-round slate of musical events, many of which are free. He will be performing works by J.S. Bach, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich.
The Andy Warhol exhibit at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich manages two feats at once.

It is both what the curators want it to be  a look at the softer side of the pop artist, emphasizing animals, flowers and friends  and also, almost by accident, a retrospective with something from every decade of a career that was mind-boggling in its multiplicity.

Take, for example, what is the sweetest, most innocent piece in the exhibit: a three-section folding screen depicting a pin-the-tail on the donkey game that dates from the 1950s, when Warhol established himself as one of New Yorks leading commercial artists (a reputation that would delay his entry into galleries and museums).

Lead curator Kenneth Silver says the donkey screen was commissioned by Tiffany & Co., which wanted a childrens party scene to accompany a store display of dinnerware. Chicks and ducklings wander happily between the donkeys legs. Some unseen child has successfully placed one tasseled tail in the right location. But another has pinned the tail on the donkeys mouth, where it droops like an untrimmed mustache. A cute joke perhaps, but also one only adults might get because both tasseled tails are black and whiplike.

Immediately next to the donkeys recessed manger are a pair of screen-printed cow portraits dated 1971, but whose breed descends from the cow wallpaper Silver says Warhol famously put up in one room of his dealer Leo Castellis gallery for a 1966 exhibit. Warhol filled the other room with free-floating, helium-filled silver balloons shaped like pillowcases.

Biographers have written the pillow balloons, the cow wallpaper and the date are all significant. At the time, Warhol had just announced his retirement from painting and was immersed in filmmaking. The pillow balloons are said to harken back to a roomful of used coal bags displayed decades earlier by Marcel Duchamp, the ready-made artist who Warhol knew personally and to whom Warhol is often compared. The wallpaper cows, colored psychedelically, can be seen as a comment on, or rejection of, centuries of pastoral painting.

Silver, who is an art history professor at New York University and was assisted on the exhibit by Courtney Long, a post-doctoral fellow at the Bruce, says it grew from taking stock of the museums small Warhol collection.

Item one was the Little Red Book of Polaroid snapshots gifted to the Bruce in 2013 by the Andy Warhol Foundation of the Visual Arts. Warhol took thousands of such photos and either with Polaroid camera or movie camera seemingly captured everyone he ever met on film. But this particular Red Book, along with a 1971 selfie, contained several shots of his art-world Connecticut friends, the Glass House architect Philip Johnson and his partner David Whitney.

An exhibit video shows Warhol visiting the Glass House and the brochure records that Warhol brought the Velvet Underground rock band to a 1967 party at the Glass House. Featuring Lou Reed, it had become the house band at his Factory studio. In New Canaan, neighbors complained about the noise.

Two other elements in the Bruce collection turned the exhibit into a sort of Gold Coast reunion: a set of 10 silk-screened flowers in vases gifted by the Greenwich collector Peter Brant (who also loaned the Donkey) and two 1977 portraits of Sachiko Goodman, the real estate broker and museum trustee.

I knew the show was going to open late spring, early summer, Silver says. So I thought, OK, people, flowers. Lets not think about Campbell Soups cans and megastars. Lets think about real people and nature. And once I started moving in that direction, I started to realize reducing (Warhol) to a mass market, mass manufacturing, cool, cold guy was somewhat of a distortion.

The show, which closes Labor Day weekend, came to be called Spring into Summer with Andy Warhol and Friends, and was filled out with four more Sachiko portraits on canvas (instead of paper), a set of flowers on linen from 1965 done in fluorescent paint, and a set of Warhols Endangered Species series from 1983. All also open avenues into Warhols art.

Go back to Johnson. For the 1964 Worlds Fair, Johnson invited Warhol to decorate the exterior of the New York State Pavilion. Warhol caused a revolt by projecting silk-screened mug shots of the FBIs 25 Most Wanted Men onto the building. The mug shots were painted over. In his take on Warhol in the Penguin Lives biographical series, the poet and cultural critic Wayne Koestenbaum argues that the erasure turned Most Wanted Men into a powerful conceptual statement.

Likewise, Koestenbaum, writing in 2001, says Endangered Species deserves more critical attention because it was at least in part Warhols response to the AIDS epidemic and his own sense of fragility. (Warhol, the reader is reminded, was sickly as a child and barely survived being shot by Valeria Solanes in 1968. He died in 1987, not from AIDS, but from cardiac arrest following gall bladder surgery.)

Other critics have noted that in the Endangered Species series, Warhol bestowed celebrity on the animals, making them the last in his line of portraits going back to Mao and Marilyn Monroe in 1962. He also gave them strangely un-lifelike colors. The African elephant has a pinkish hue (evoking pink elephants perhaps, or Fantasia?), the rhino is blue, the wrinkles of its skin outlined in orange.

Conversely, the privately commissioned portraits he did of people, often friends like Goodman, may have negated the very idea of celebrity. He did 50 to 100 a year, adding to longstanding criticism that Warhol was too commercial, too unfeeling to be a great artist, that is, someone who creates individualized work from interior genius.

Koestenbaum writes that Warhol in his productivity was like a combination of Picasso and Henry Ford, and that the range of his output exceeded Picassos. Much of his biography is devoted to Warhols often plotless and body-focused movies and his dictated books. (Warhol apparently was an undiagnosed dyslexic and a poor speller who avoided actual writing.)

Silver says almost all of Warhols paintings were silk screens that began with found images. An early exception is the Campbells Soup cans that were stenciled and hand-painted. The story is Warhol grew up eating Campbells Soup and, once he got the idea of turning the cans into art, sent his mother out to buy all 32 varieties so he could copy them.

Warhol sought to distinguish himself from other pop artists, like Roy Lichtenstein, but once he did gain separation with the soup cans and sculpted Brillo boxes, he became so famous so fast they came to define him. Silver says planning the exhibit reminded him how diverse Warhol really was.

In a final component of the exhibit, Silver retrieved birds and butterflies from the Bruces natural science collection to emulate another of Warhols now lesser-known projects. In 1970, the Rhode Island School of Design invited Warhol to create an exhibit from objects in its storage vaults. Called Raid the Icebox, it came to include the museums entire shoe collection, dozens of parasols and umbrellas and, Silver remembers, a set of Windsor chairs.

In his biography, Koestenbaum writes that Raid the Icebox was early evidence of Warhols compulsion to collect, categorize and multiply and that he was as much conceptual artist as pop artist, preferring idea to execution. He quotes a Warhol assistant who told him, Painting was slow, for a mind that fast.

Joel Lang is an award-winning Connecticut journalist and frequent contributor to Sunday Arts & Style.
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The years fall away when you walk into the Sycamore.

The Bethel drive-in restaurant has been open since 1948 and it feels like little has changed. To younger diners, the place might feel like a set from the 1950s comic book-inspired series Riverdale, but for older patrons the eatery summons up memories of the way roadside restaurants used to be 50 or 60 years ago.

Although its called a drive-in, the Sycamore has counter and table seating for 75. The kitschy art and memorabilia on the walls adds to the time-travel aspect of a visit. (The restaurant got its name from the nearby, looming tree.) Even without being a regular at the Sycamore, I was treated like an old friend by two of the waitresses. It was fun to eavesdrop on their warm-hearted conversations with people who are obviously at the counter for lunch every day.

In addition to the retro look, the food recalls the simple but delicious fare from a time before McDonalds restaurants began popping up everywhere and super-sizing added tons of calories, but little extra taste to fast food.

The Sycamore has added a few new-fangled dishes and sandwiches over the years  including a vegetarian wrap  but the real selling points are its hearty breakfasts and terrific burgers and hotdogs. There are tempting specials like the recent Sycamore Slammer  grilled cheese with bacon, cheddar and American cheese on sourdough bread (with a side of sweet potato waffle fries).

The meat used in the burgers is 100 percent sirloin ground every day at the Sycamore. Although you can get double-burgers, I enjoyed a return to the more sensible portions of my childhood with a simple one-patty steakburger with mustard, ketchup, pickle and onions.

The smaller, old fashioned burger leaves room for some of the other Sycamore specialties. The milk shakes are made the old-fashioned way, with whole milk and hand-dipped ice cream. Once youve tasted a Sycamore milk shake there is no going back to one of those fast food concoctions missing both milk and ice cream (thats why you wont find the word milk in the shake description).

Remember root beer floats? The Sycamore version is better than any you might recall from days gone by because the restaurant makes its own rich root beer on the premises. Its nectar-as-soda in the tradition of great regional brands, such as Blenheim in South Carolina. Add a scoop of ice cream to this unique brew and forget all of your cares and woes for a few minutes.

The restaurants motto comes from the English art critic John Ruskin: There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and a little cheaper  and the people who consider price alone are this mans lawful prey.

But $4.95 for a burger and $4.95 for a milk shake or root beer float seemed like a bargain to me.

Word of the Sycamores unique charms has spread far beyond Connecticut, with the Food Network and other national food journalists stopping by for a taste of culinary nostalgia.

Throughout the summer, the 1950s era feeling at the drive-in soars during the regular Cruising Nights when owners of vintage cars converge on Bethel. Check the website for regular updates on this wonderful tradition.

The Sycamore provides a touch of Mels Drive-In in American Graffiti in the form of nightly carhop service. Pull up to the front of the building, flash your lights and someone will come to get your order. The food is delivered with a tray that attaches to the window.

The restaurant was founded by Joe Keller in 1948 and has been run by Patrick Austin and his family for the past 20 years.

Its a living classic, Austin says.

Jmeyers@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @joesview
BRIDGEPORT - Edwin Campos-Quintana claimed he only pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl so that he would be sent back to his native Guatemala.

He got his wish Friday but first he has to serve 56 months in prison.
Whether you're working a traditional 9-to-5 gig or running your own business, we all struggle with productivity. For many this is a daily struggle. The good news? That struggle will be a thing of the past if you implement these 15 scientifically-proven methods for increasing your productivity.

Time tracking will boost your productivity by allowing you to see how much time youve spent on a task. The task may be invoicing or emailing, the tracking will be be done the same. You will also know how much time youve wasted. Have you counted all the times youve checked your phone when you receive a notification?

Researchers found people who were assigned to wear a pedometer walked at least one extra mile per day on average. It also improved their overall activity levels by 27 percent.

There are hundreds of companies that offer everything from clock timers and time sheets to automated business process features. You can get faster at invoicing, project management, collaboration platforms, payroll software and more. I recommend choosing the right Calendar to help with this.

However, choosing the best time tracking tool for you can be overwhelming. The good news is weve already put together a list of 101 time tracking companies for you to check out.

Related: 8 Great Time-Tracking Apps for Freelancers

2. Unplug every 90 minutes.

If youre like most people, youre probably busy responding to emails on the morning commute. You may be answering the phone whenever you have a break -- but you're working non-stop. This is not as uncommon of an occurrence as previously believed. But, we werent designed to work like that.

The fact is that our bodies and minds actually follow a daily cycle called a circadian rhythm. ...these are the physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle. These respond primarily to light and darkness in an organisms environment.

Its the same rhythm we follow for healthy sleep patterns. We shift between several 90 minute cycles of truly deep restorative sleep. This sleep is then followed by a lighter, dream-filled REM sleep.

When it comes to productivity research shows that going full-throttle for eight hours straight goes against this design. We cycle through ultradian rhythms. In other words, the brain can only focus for 90 to 120 minutes before it needs a break.

Thats why its suggested that you carve your workday into a trio of 90-minute chunks. This change will put you in the patter or order, to achieve maximum productivity.

Related: The Best Ways to Use Breaks to Be More Productive (Infographic)

3. Take a nap.

Yes. You read that correctly. Studies have found that taking a 20 minute nap in the afternoon can make you more productive. A little nap will recharge, refresh and reinvigorate both the body and the brain. Naps also make you feel more relaxed and will extend your life by preventing risks like heart attacks.

No wonder Google, Pfizer, Proctor & Gamble and Saatchi & Saatchi have added Energy Pods (or Sleep Pods) to their work spaces.

Related: Will You Actually Be More Productive If You Take a Nap Every Day?

4. Work in natural light.

A study conducted by the neuroscience program at Northwestern University found a strong relationship between workplace daylight exposure and office workers' sleep, activity and quality of life.

The NU study stated that the employees who worked in natural light slept on average 46 more minutes per night. Workers slept more soundly and efficiently, and reported higher quality of life scores than those who did not. Windowless workers had lower scores in measurements of physical problems and vitality. It proved those who didn't work near daylight also had less quality sleep.

The NU study goes back to the original proof of the circadian rhythm. So, its not surprising that natural light can impact your productivity and energy.

What if you dont work in an office that has windows? A quick fix would be to purchase a natural light lamp that can simulate natural light. If that doesnt work, consider working remotely or finding a new job where you can bask in the sunlight.

Related: 5 Ways to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder In Your Office

5. Evaluate your internet speed.

A Boston-based Analysis Group, via The Washington Post, cities that those with high average internet speeds were more productive. The report added that the cities that offer 1G or higher in internet speeds reported a higher per-capita GDP. The results were analyzed next to those cities lacking high internet speeds.

This may sound like common sense to you. Realize how much your productivity will improve when your internet speeds-up. You have probably become accustomed to waiting for webpages to load.

You can run a speed test tool to find out how much speed you're actually getting. This tests speeds from your current provider. You can also use an internet speed estimate tool. With the test you will get an idea on how much speed you should sign up for.

Related: What Midsize Cities Must Do to Boost Entrepreneurship

6. Bring the outside, in.

Research shows that as individuals we can be more productive after spending time outdoors. Being surrounded by trees and rocks can stimulate and inspire creativity and productivity. Unfortunately, not all of us can get outside every day.

To get around this, bring nature inside by investing in plants. Plants increase our happiness and productivity, while reducing stress. This may have something to do with the fact that plants can reduce the chemicals emitted into the air.

Rodales Organic Life has eight recommendations for plants that improve productivity.

Related: 5 Easy Ways to Make Your Team Healthier and More Productive

7. Plan your day the night before.

Planning your work day allows you to schedule work on your meaningful goals. You can write these goals to do within the first few hours of the day.

When you're able to accomplish these goals, your mood will improve. Accomplishing your goals will eventually make you even more productive. Creating a plan also relieves anxiety and leaves some free mental space.

Research has discovered that when you create a specific plan youre behavior is likely to follow the plan. Don't hold on to the notion that you can just think through your plan. A study had participants write a report two days after Christmas about how they spent their holidays.

One group was asked to specify where, when, and how they were going to write the report. The control group was asked to write the report, but didnt create such a plan.

Of the participants who made a plan, 71 percent sent the report back in to the researchers. This is compared against the 32 percent of participants who hadnt formed a plan.

Related: 5 Daily Habits That Will Increase Your Productivity Levels

8. Get happy.

Sonja Lyubomirsky, one of the leading happiness researchers, describes this in The How of Happiness:

In sum, across all the domains of life, happiness appears to have numerous positive by-products. Few of us have taken the time to really understand [these]. In becoming happier, we boost experiences of joy, contentment, love, pride, and awe. We also improve other aspects of our lives. Energy levels, our immune systems, our engagement with work and with other people, and our physical and mental health benefit."

A study from the University of Warwick also found that happiness made people around 12 percent more productive. We have shown that happier subjects are more productive, the same pattern appears in four different experiments. This research will provide some guidance for management in all kinds of organizations. The goal, striving to make their workplaces emotionally healthy for their workforce, said one of the researchers Dr. Eugenio Proto.

If you want improve your happiness, start with the basics like taking care of yourself. This includes exercising, meditating and eating healthy. Start expressing gratitude and surrounding yourself with optimistic people.

Related: 12 Ways Happiness Increases Productivity in the Work Environment

9. Avoid the news.

Living in a world where were plugged in 24/7 means that were bombarded with news. You may not even want to hear about the particular news story you're hearing. The problem as Buffers Joel Gascoigne explains -- the news is negative. The ratio of bad news to good news is around 17:1. As previously mentioned, happiness influences productivity -- skipping the news may help you.

Constantly consuming this unhealthy information can affect your mood and prevent you from bettering yourself. For instance, instead of watching the 24/7 news cycle, you could hit the gym. Consider strengthening a skill, or reading a book thats inspiring to boost your productive and happy self.

Related: 5 Distractions That Are Productivity Poison (and How to Avoid Them)

10. Take breaks with a friend.

Sociometric researchers found employees who spent their lunch breaks with others were 36 percent more productive during the week. The same study also revealed that this same group were 30 percent less likely to become stressed. Even when the company went through a round of layoffs later in the year, there was less stress.

Those who were more productive and less stressed were those who socialized. Socializing helps clear the mind and allows us to decompress. Talking to others gives us the chance to gain a new perspective on a problem or task. Companies like Google have been pushing for campus style workplaces. In these workplace employees will all collaborate and interacts with each other during the day.

What if you work from home or are a freelancer? Call a couple of friends and have lunch with them.

Related: 10 Ways Even Introverts Can Make Friends at Work

11. Watch YouTube.

Its true. A study out of the University of Melbourne suggests that procrastination can sometimes be good. Dr. Brent Coker found that those who browse the internet while working are more productive than others who dont.

People need to zone out for a bit to get back their concentration, Coker said. The study found that those who spend time on websites like YouTube were more motivated. A reasonable amount of time provided a nine percent raise in productivity. Those without the YouTube benefit (I love this) were not as productive.

You can use YouTube to watch clips making you smile or even instructional videos that can help you become more productive. The boss may like the instructional videos from YouTube better than the humors ones.

Related: An Entrepreneur Reflects on Free Time Now That His Kids, and Business, Are Grown Up

12. Adjust your thermostat.

Researchers from Finland found that performance increases with temperatures up to between 69.8 degrees and 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit. This correlates to 21 degrees to 22 degrees Celsius. The study was conducted at Helsinki University of Technology, Laboratory for Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning.

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Environmental Energy Technologies Division at Berkeley concurred with the Finland study. Berkeley also found the highest productivity at around 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

A Cornell study suggests that chilly workers make more errors. More errors can potentially increase a workers hourly labor cost by 10 percent. Warming up, typing errors fell by 44 percent and typing output increased 150 percent..."

Related: Creating Your Own Ideal Temperature Zone Is a First-World Office Perk in a Far-Fetched Utopia

13. Declutter.

Researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute studied clutter on productivity. They discovered that too much clutter causes brain activity to decrease. Your brain becomes overly distracted by the clutter preventing you from being able to accomplish more.

How often have you had to stop working on a project because you had to look for a tool that you needed? When you find what you need how long does it take you to get back on track?

Keep your workplace clean and organized. Always put things back where they belong.

Mental clutter also hinders productivity. June Saruwatari is a best-selling author of Behind the Clutter. Saruwatari recommended that you to create a to do list each evening or morning. She suggests that you prioritize the list, and then reflect and reorganize it. As you cannot get everything done in one day, this allows everything in its own mental container. You only open the lid when we are ready to deal with it.

Related: Your Office Isn't Big Enough for Clutter and Productivity

14. Single-task.

The brain cannot be in two places at once, so what people are referencing as multitasking is actually what neuroscientists call task switching and that means rapidly moving back and forth between different tasks, states Devora Zack, author of Singletasking: Get More Done  One Thing at a Time.

Task switching, warns Zack, not only lowers productivity by 40%, it also shrinks our brains. When you overload your brain trying to get it to task switch, you shrink the grey matter in your brain, she says.

This means that our brains and bodies should be in the same place and focused on one thing at a time, aka single tasking. You can start by eliminating distractions like turning off auditory dings or pop-ups, cluster-tasking emails, jotting down any distractions so you can revisit them, and carving out around 15 minutes for quiet reflection.

Related: The Fallacy of Multitasking

15. Listen to music.

Noise can be distracting. But, the right noise does have the power to boost productivity. Music in particular can help with focus and concentration when working on repetitive tasks. What kind of music though? The nifty app called focus@will contains a unique library of instrumental music that will increase your attention span and general concentration.

Related:

Eating Less Is the Latest Silicon Valley Productivity Hack

Tour the Clever, Multi-Purpose Office Designed for This Growing Moving Startup

15 Scientifically Proven Ways to Work Smarter, Not Just More



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


News / Africa

by Thulani Nkala

Grace Mugabe missed many ZANU PF's recent public meetings, the rumour has it that she had gone to SA to see to her sons who were said to be displaying wayward behaviour which could have easily put them at security risk.The South African youths led by iSiphesakhe Youth Organisation of uLoyiko fame, expressed their disapproval and disgust against Grace Mugabe. Mr Yanga Mhluzi was scathing and seething with anger, "As South African youths we strongly condemn Grace's abusive behaviour, if she had strongly objected to her son's choice of a girl-friend she should have used diplomatic and respectful ways to express it" Mr Mhluzi continued, "the problem with Grace is that her husband and many ZANU PF leaders have survived on impunity, for example Mugabe himself committed a genocide in Matabeleland but he is not prison"Mr Yanga Mhluzi felt that this should be a learning curve for most South Africans for this is the behaviour of the entire Zimbabwean government. Immediately after Grace's atrocious and horrific attack on Engels, ZANU PF released a derisory statement insinuating that Grace was attacked by a prostitute or a drug addict. This behaviour of spin-doctoring the truth was expected from ZANU PF, however, it should work as a fuel which will ignite the revolutionary spirit of all South Africans against Grace and her husband.Mr Yanga Mhluzi implored the government of South Africa to arrest Grace without fail and to even arrest Mugabe for the genocide he committed in Matabeleland. "We have also heard that the butcher of Matabeleland, Mr Mnangagwa hismeslf is in South Africa seeking medical help after being poisoned in a recent ZANU PF rally in Gwanda, we thank God for that and we hope he won't pull through" Mr Mhluzi said.Mr Mhluzi said that it is possible that the multitudes of Matebele people in South Africa will march to the hospital where Mnangagwa is and drag him out kicking and screaming and parade him on the streets of Hilbrow so that he confesses his involvement and that of his colleagues in the genocide. "As the South African youths, we will march together with the Matebele people to all the South African institutions responsible for the arrests of Grace Mugabe, Mugabe himself and Mnangagwa, there would be no diplomatic immunity, there will be no impunity" Mr Mhluzi said.Grace's assault on the 20 year old model is not in isolation, it is a continuation of acts she has been committing over the years when cornered. She has shown a clear indication of emotional instability which borders on a personality disorder condition. Grace is exhibiting classic symptoms of a sexually deprived woman.
The Hearst editorial board has rightly called for a state budget that includes a new, fair education funding formula (Editorial: Make fixing education formula a priority, June 9, 2017) and that does not raise taxes to balance the budget (Democrats, put aside politics for sake of a budget, July 7, 2017).

Unfortunately, they also never spoke out against passing a labor deal that has made it significantly more difficult, if not impossible, to achieve the above goals and has moved our state further away from a budget than we were before.

An editorial from this paper said that if the governors labor deal was not passed, it would create chaos (Editorial: Connecticut deals with labor, but tough work remains, Aug. 1, 2017).

But the opposite was true. Democrats approved a labor deal that was bad for the state in the long term without even knowing or having a plan to balance the budget under the provisions of the deal in the short term.

Now the states hands are tied, and chaos is rampant throughout our towns, cities and schools.

But instead of acknowledging this reality, a recent editorial ignored the details of why our state budget is truly at an impasse and worse off now that the governors labor deal is passed (Education aid a game with no winners, Aug. 17.)

Instead, blame was laid on the legislature as a whole, a generalization that simultaneously criticizes Republicans who have offered solutions, including multiple complete budgets, and created a shield for Democrats who have yet to do their jobs and offer any budget proposal that could be voted on.

If we want a budget, and we want a new education funding formula, we have to put the pressure on those who have held up the process, not on those who have offered solutions time and time again.

We need to continue calling out Democrats  as this paper has done in the past (Democrats, put aside politics for sake of a budget, July 7.)  who have failed to produce a complete budget, who have blocked votes on other budgets, who have yet to offer an education funding formula, and who have actually proposed a $10 million reduction to education funding.

We need to urge them to actually consider the formula crafted by Senate Republicans that increases education funding over time and redistributes funding by weighing factors such as school enrollment, poverty, wealth, and number of English language learners so the state can better address its achievement gap, meet all the requirements laid out by a recent court ruling, and do more for students most in need.

And if education for all students is a priority, no one should be applauding the governors efforts, as his complete budget would decimate education funding for the majority of municipalities and put more burdens on all cities and towns that would without a doubt result in significant property tax increases.

Sure, towns would know what to expect under the governors plan: drastic and painful cuts and more chaos. Our children deserve better.

Senator Len Fasano, R-North Haven, Senate Republican President Pro Tempore.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Mthwakazi Liberation Front has said it does not shock them to learn that first lady Grace Mugabe is on the wanted list of the South African police for human rights violation.David Magagula said that is the typical Mugabes."We are glad she has justified the reasons why Mthwakazi people want out of Zimbabwe. Mthwakazi people are respectful people who can not stand to be disgraced like Grace did. A mother of the nation who goes around fighting in neighbourhoods! Recently it was their children who were making headlines for ill discipline today it is their mother, while their father is terrorising in Zimbabwe. There is a Ndebele saying that says, ' umfazi wesigebengu laye yisigebengu' and the other that goes as 'udiwo lufuze imbiza'. Robert and Grace and their children are simply a nuisance meant by the two sayings," he said."Mugabes are used to doing worse things to Zimbabwe because they are Law unto themselves. They have the shortest memmories human beings may possess. They do not know that Zimbabwe is lawless while South Africa is a country that is run under the Rule Of Law. As MLF we urge the SA laws to be applied fully without fear or favour. This is the time for SA to prove to the whole world that they are a country run on fair justice for all. We do not expect any leniency because the is the so called first lady. If she was one then she ought to know how to behave in her bedroom, in public and on foreign lands.""We wait to see and judge for ourselves if this lesson by Disgrace will open the eyes and ears of the Government of South Africa. For more than 10 years now, we have been telling South Africans how the Mugabes treat Zimbabweans as their chickens. They decide who to rape,maim or kill and they do that with impunity and always get away with it. If the SA government does nothing on this case then the world will know that SA is going down the drain just the same way Zimbabwe did."He said as the Mthwakazi nation we have been and continue to live under such treatment from the so called Zimbabwe first family."What worsens the whole issue is the fact that she committed this barbaric crime during the Women month. We all are honoring all the sacrifices done and being done by all women. This is the time when we show all the respect and love to our Imbokodo but someone without any human rights respect goes ahead to do such filthy deeds. We do not wonder because news reaching us is that even the Dictator is walloped every morning when he soils his linen-something induced in him by the advanced age but because he chose it, then we say let it be," he said."How on earth would he lust for a kid 3times his junior. So Disgrace thinks that what ever she does to her ailing husband can be tolerated in democratic countries. South Africa MUST defend her children-rich or poor especially women and children. Minister Mbalula must show no mercy. This is the time for him to prove that his charges are not biased towards the statuses of individuals but he fights evil regardless of the status of the person behind it."He said Mbalula is on record of saying his charges will deal effectively with the lawless Zimbabwe army deserters for their participation in crimes in South Africa. He has to demand that she is tried, failure of which diplomatic ties must be checked."As Mlf, we view Grace's attacks on the young girl as nothing different from what he was lamenting on. We now believe that the world will appreciate that the masses really suffer under Mugabe and his wife. Some body somewhere please help protect the poor from this marauding family," he said.
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.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Zimbabwe Women In Politics Alliance strongly condemns the alleged barbaric and violent acts by the first Lady Grace Mugabe.The organisation's leader Linda Masarira said Grace's actions are totally unacceptable and a disgrace to womankind."Her conduct is deplorable for a woman of her stature who should be an advocate of peace, unity and tolerance. It's rather unfortunate that whilst South Africa is celebrating women and denouncing any form of gender based violence, Grace Mugabe engaged in violent acts of attacking a young defenceless South African woman," she said."We expect a first Lady to lead by example, behave like a mother and to advocate against any form of violence. It is a wake up call to all women in Zimbabwe and the world that because we are all female does not mean we identify with each other but that elitism is cross cutting. Her contempt for the weak and poor is clear testimony that she has no leadership qualities and cannot lead a women's league of mostly poor women let alone a nation.""We appeal to the South African law authorities to enforce rule of law without fear or favour. No one should abuse anyone emotionally or physically regardless of their social or political standing. Leaders should be brought to account."She said they can only transform their societies by ensuring that any perpetrator of violence is brought to book."Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance is humbly calling upon all the women in Zimbabwe and all over the world to speak out against Grace Mugabe's violent, barbaric and disgraceful conduct," she said.
News / Religion

by Stephen Jakes

A Zanu PF youth member Fidelis Fengu has challenged the Zimbabwean authorities to protect the Njelele shrine from any violations.The Njelele shrine is a place of rain making and is in Matobo distrit of Matabeleland South."Njelele must be a protected area, and the local custodians of Njelele must guide government on how best to protect Njelele and reclaim its dignity and sanctity," Feng said."The Ministry of Arts and Culture , the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Office of Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko must urgently look into this matter."He said on 25 August Njelele will be closing for their annual cleansing ceremony , that would be a good time to engage the community there and the custodian of Njelele ukhulu uThobela."Politicians and war vets should respect Njelele and the custodians thereof. Unsanctioned trips to Njelele must stop," he said."This is VERY important and will help the nation a lot."
America is waging a war on history. Theyre taking down statues, removing plaques, erasing the memory of a difficult past. This week President Trump asked where it will end.

Love him or loathe him, as a historian I have to concede that its a good question.

His remarks follow the events of last weekend, when white supremacists marched with torches and swastikas in Charlottesville, Virginia. They were protesting at the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a public park. Lee was a commander in the Confederate army of the slave-holding South during Americas long and bloody Civil War, a hero to many conservative whites, a bigot to his critics.

'America is waging a war on history. Theyre taking down statues, removing plaques, erasing the memory of a difficult past. This week President Trump asked where it will end,' writes historian Tim Stanley

Violence broke out. A woman  an anti-fascist protester  was mown down by a car and killed. Two police pilots, monitoring the fighting, died after their helicopter crashed.

America waited for the President to deliver a condemnation of racism generally and white supremacists in particular. Instead, Trump gave two confusing statements, first condemning violence on many sides, then blaming white racists.

On Tuesday, during a rambling press conference, he reversed his position again and said the Left-wing protesters were just as bad as the Right-wing ones  that as well as being violent, they were trying to change culture.

'White supremacists marched with torches and swastikas in Charlottesville, Virginia. They were protesting at the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a public park'

This week, it is Robert E. Lee, said Trump. Is it George Washington next week and Thomas Jefferson? You have to ask yourself, where does this stop?

The events at Charlottesville, in truth, only sped things up. In Baltimore, monuments to Lee and his fellow Confederate general Thomas Stonewall Jackson were among four torn down overnight (with the city councils approval), put on trucks and hauled away.

In Durham, North Carolina, a woman named Takiyah Thompson used a ladder to scale a podium, climb a monument to Confederate soldiers and help pull it down.

Yesterday, the President returned with a flurry of tweets saying he was sad to see the history and culture of our country being ripped apart, adding you cant change history, but you can learn from it.

Hes right again, of course.

No, you cant change history, but some people are convinced you can make the present nicer by eradicating reminders of our nasty past. Here in Britain, students waged a campaign to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College, Oxford. Rhodes was one of the architects of the British Empire: a 19th-century businessman and politician who regarded colonisation as a way to civilise lesser races.

'Violence broke out. A woman  an anti-fascist protester  was mown down by a car and killed. Two police pilots, monitoring the fighting, died after their helicopter crashed'

Students said that he was a symbol of a racist past, an insult to the descendants of the colonised. Donors to Oriel said theyd cut off donations if the college removed the statue. Oriel decided to keep him in place. Trust me, nothing touches an academics conscience like cutting off their funding.

One argument made against removing statues of men like Rhodes is that the past is a foreign country: its wrong to judge it by todays moral standards. Take Lee. He owned slaves. Theres evidence that he treated them badly  if they ran away, they were captured and beaten.

His apologists point out that in a letter he wrote in 1856, Lee described slavery as a moral and political evil. But he went on to say that it was necessary because the painful discipline [that slaves] are undergoing is necessary for their instruction as a race. Lees views are repugnant. They were, however, of his age. And if your test for whether or not a statue remains standing is the racial views of its subject, youll be taking down a lot of statues.

'America waited for the President to deliver a condemnation of racism generally and white supremacists in particular. Instead, Trump gave two confusing statements, first condemning violence on many sides, then blaming white racists'

Say goodbye to George Washington  commander-in-chief of the army that freed America from the British, and first president of an independent United States, whose monument sits on the National Mall in Washington DC. When he was 11, Washington inherited ten slaves in his fathers will. By the end of his life, there were 123 on his estate at Mount Vernon.

Farewell, too, to Thomas Jefferson. He was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the U.S.  a hero to liberals for his clear-eyed defence of liberty. He owned slaves and fathered children by one of them. Given that consent is impossible within slavery, this was rape.

Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), Commander-in-Chief of the Confederate armies during the Civil War

There are good arguments for this war on the past to stop at Confederate memorials. Washington and Jefferson helped make their nation independent. Lee and Jackson plunged it into civil war  and their statues were put up after the conflict, for a political purpose.

When the Civil War ended, many southerners wanted to forgive and forget. But in the Twenties there was a resurgence of racist political activity, and thats when a lot of these statues were erected.

Charlottesvilles Robert E. Lee dates from 1924. Those who want to remove it arent just attacking the statue, but the racist culture that put it in place.

Its a culture, lets not forget, that has left deep scars on American life. The fascists who appeared in Charlottesville are part of its legacy: some of them were affiliated to the Ku Klux Klan, a group started after the Civil War to persecute freed slaves. In America in 2017, where black people are twice as likely to be unemployed and five times as likely to go to jail, a statue is never just a statue. It is a symbol of Americas failure to fulfil its promise of equality.

Therefore, I understand why some want all trace of Robert E. Lee erased from the public space. If I were American, Id demand he come down in Charlottesville.

'In America in 2017, where black people are twice as likely to be unemployed and five times as likely to go to jail, a statue is never just a statue. It is a symbol of Americas failure to fulfil its promise of equality'

When the neo-Nazis turned up, they confirmed what this statue has come to represent. Far from saving it, their actions will lead to its removal and the removal of hundreds of other pieces of Confederate history.

But the Presidents question still stands. Whats next? If America wants to have a conversation about the roots of its present problems, so be it. Its about time that some truths were told.

But everything will be on the table, including president Theodore Roosevelt, with whom Obama once identified himself as a fellow progressive. Roosevelt reportedly said: I dont go so far as to think the only good Indians are the dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every ten are.

Those put in charge of sifting through the past will find bad men doing good things and good men doing bad. History is like that: it defies every attempt to tell a simple story. And who will be in charge of sorting the good from the bad?

'Those put in charge of sifting through the past will find bad men doing good things and good men doing bad. History is like that: it defies every attempt to tell a simple story. And who will be in charge of sorting the good from the bad?'

It cant be angry students. We cannot allow one group to appoint themselves the archivists of acceptable history and use social pressure to destroy popular culture. Not only is that unfair, itss also a recipe for a far-Right backlash.

And thats one conclusion I drew from Trumps press conference. Politicians and commentators are wondering if this latest outburst is the last straw or just the latest in a never-ending cycle of insult and outrage that appals the Left.

I doubt that it will bring Trump down. There are millions of Americans  some of them racist, for sure  who will have heard his words and quietly agreed.

Americas history belongs to them, too  and theyll appreciate a President who takes a stand on their behalf.

Dr Tim Stanley is the author of Citizen Hollywood: How The Collaboration Between LA And DC Revolutionized American Politics.
When Sydney mother, Talia Gill, was faced with the prospect of losing her luscious locks to chemotherapy, she made a decision to take control of the situation and fearlessly embrace change.

The 39-year-old was diagnosed with grade-3 breast cancer in April this year, and was preparing herself for her first round of chemotherapy when she hit on a novel way to deal with her impending baldness; an inevitable side effect of the treatment.

A 'hair-obsessed' friend suggested Talia look for the 'silver lining' in losing her hair and see it as an opportunity to try out some shorter styles.

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Talia Gill said losing her hair was hard but taking it in stages with a qualified stylist helped

She said she thought of the idea as a kind of 'advent calendar' to the big day'

Her oldest daughter was with her on the emotional day she shaved her hair

Their conversation, she said, led to the birth of a brilliant idea: ten haircuts in ten days.

'I stared thinking of the haircuts as a kind of 'advent calendar' to the big day', Talia told Femail.

'It was my own weird countdown to baldness.'

The upbeat mum said her medical team had told her that once she started chemo she'd have limited time - around 21 days - before losing all her hair.

Stylist Lea-Ann Suthern supported Talia throughout her journey

The creative communications consultant wasn't afraid to try a raft of styles including this punky Annie Lennox-inspired look

Although she'd never stepped foot into Toni&Guy in Newtown, she loved the salon's punky feel, and decided to take a risk to ask if the trendy salon if they would consider coming on board.

With incredible luck on her side, Talia spoke with stylist Lea-Ann Suthern - who she later found out was the salon's ambassador for the yet-to-be rolled out Pink Scissors programme.

The company's initiative provides specialised support for those experiencing the emotional process of losing their hair through cancer treatment.

'Cancer doesn't run to a plan' and Talia was beset by complications not long into chemo which pushed out her haircut schedule

Talia, and her new stylist Lea-Ann, settled on starting the ten haircuts just after she was scheduled to begin treatment.

But she explained, 'cancer doesn't run to a plan' and that not long into her chemotherapy she was beset by complications.

'The concept was for ten haircuts over ten consecutive days but we ended up having to stagger it according to what was going on with me.

'It became an emotional and intimate journey with Lea-Ann because she ended up knowing so much about my situation.'

The red-head looked to other similarly-hued style icons for inspiration

Although losing her long hair was imminent, Talia's recalled her first cut wasn't too drastic.

'It was progressive,' she explained.'And strategic. Lea-Ann had worked with people who were undergoing chemo before so she knew more about the process of hair falling out.'

Part of the fun of trying out the different styles, the creative communications consultant said was trying out a raft of different styles.

The upbeat mum tried out looks from different era and then dressed up for photos

'I tried out styles from a few different eras; Twiggy from the 60s, Molly Ringwald from the 80s, Annie Lennox from the 90s.'

A local St Vincent's stepped up and 'lent' her clothing so she could dress up on the day and take a photo of her temporary transformation.

The pair were working against the clock though and as the treatment progressed so did the speed of the haircuts.

There was one day, she said where they had to squeeze in two looks, including the 'big shave' because her hair had started to fall out and get very patchy.

Her youngest daughter 'freaked out' after seeing Talia without hair for the first time

Her 11-year-old daughter couldn't have been more excited at the prospect of so many different styles and even celebrated along with her at the salon when she shaved her head.

But her two-year-old, she said, struggled at first after seeing her without hair.

'My toddler was a bit freaked out when I went from Molly Ringwald to Twiggy. But it was when I came home with a shave head that she completely broke down.

Talia's message to others is to embrace change and take control of what you can

Now Talia's half way through her chemo treatment  she still has three months to go - but the worst of it, she said, is more or less behind her.

She still faces more treatment  radiotherapy will be part of her follow-up  but her message to women who face a similar situation is to embrace change.

'There's no doubt about it, cancer sucks,' Talia stated emphatically.

Talia hopes others faced with a similar situation will embrace her concept

'You can't change the fact you have cancer, and the fact you have to have chemo but the one thing you can take control of is how you lose your hair and what you can do about it.

'In the early stages when your prognosis is uncertain, doing something like this can provide a positive distraction from endless medical appointments.

'By embracing the fact I have cancer and being really open about it, I've been touched by so many people's kindness and compassion.'
Opinion / Columnist

Lloyd Msipa is a Lawyer, Politician, Academic, International Law Consultant [instagram.com/Lloydmsipa/]

Zimbabweans are currently grappling as to whether Grace Mugabe is entitled to diplomatic immunity following an incident in which she is accused of having assaulted a young lady who happened to be in a hotel room with her sons.When we speak of diplomatic immunities, under international law the UN conventions of 1961 and 1969 come into immediate focus.There is no doubt that international customary law affords the head of state full diplomatic immunity and inviolability.In other words President Robert Mugabe is protected fully from arrest and criminal prosecution under customary international whether he travels for private or state business. Customary international law is recognised under article 38 (1)(b) in the statute of the International Court of Justice.The provisions asks the court to use international custom as a general practice accepted as law. The majority of states have accepted this as binding and non have deviated from observation thereof.To date customary international law is recognised as the primary source of diplomatic protection for heads of state whether they are travelling for private or state purposes.The question that we have at hand is whether the same protection can be extended to their spouses who in most instances 'do not officially hold title except that they are wives of the head of state.Heads of state require full immunity in order for them to freely and effectively engage in their official duties.International custom has now developed to provide special privileges and immunities to the family members of the head of state.If the head of state is to function correctly the scope of the rule protecting the head of state must extend to the spouse in order to maintain the official function of the head of state.If Grace Mugabe is to be arrested and charged it would affect the discharge of the Presidents executive functions and state business.Arresting and prosecution of Grace Mugabe can trigger of a diplomatic incident that can potentially lead to severance of diplomatic ties between the two countries.So in other words Grace Mugabe will always enjoy diplomatic immunity in as long as her husband is the head of state, whether she travels in her private or official capacity.That is the position under international custom. Case law backing this position include the Imelda Marcos vs USA 1989.It is also instructive to note that this is not the first time Grace Mugabe has invoked diplomatic immunity to avoid prosecution whilst on a private visit.In 2009 she assaulted a Sunday times reporter in Hong Kong when he attempted to take a picture of her living her hotel. The reporter tried to have criminal charges brought against Grace Mugabe.The Hong Kong authorities accepted her plea of diplomatic immunity based on customary international law.It is therefore custom that the spouse of a head of state enjoys full diplomatic immunity, it does not matter whether her visit is private or state sanctioned.
Teenagers are not typically known to be the most communicative type - especially when it comes to conversing with their parents.

But a new television programme has revealed the unfiltered conversations that children have with their mums and dads - which cover everything from dating and sex to Snapchat and doing their homework.

Channel 4's Taxi Of Mum and Dad, which aired on Thursday night, followed around eight families in their cars, as the parents ferried their teenagers around from place to place.

While some parents are seen coaxing information out of their children - other teenagers seem much more relaxed when it came to talking about their lives.

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Channel 4's Taxi Of Mum and Dad followed around eight families in their cars, as the parents ferried their teenagers around from place to place. On the show, mum Charlotte, (left) from Market Harborough, is seen speaking to 16-year-old Ben (right) about his love life

On the show, mum Charlotte, from Market Harborough, is seen speaking to 16-year-old Ben about his love life, suggesting he should 'go to a gay bar to meet people'.

The teenager then reveals that he'd tried Tinder, but deleted the dating app after a week after receiving messages from five people saying 'I'll pick you up and go for a s**g.'

He also proudly tells her that someone called him a 'buff ting', explaining how it means 'attractive, glamorous or generally pleasing'.

Later on in the show, Ben breaks down in tears after discussing the homophobic treatment he'd been subjected to at school.

Describing the abuse he received, he said: 'They'd say you're f*****g queer, you're a f*****, you're this, you're that.

'That was the worse thing. Just because I like a bit of willy. And it'd put me down, and make me feel like I wasn't accepted.'

Kasey, 14, (right) from east London, is questioned by her mother about boys, after personal shopper Debbie (left) forced her to wear make-up before going to a bra fitting

He begins crying after mum Charlotte says: 'I saw you at those times, and I'm so glad that at 16 you've found you, and you are you. And I can't wait for you to take on your life and have a partner with no feeling that it's an issue, because it isn't.'

Giving her son a hug, she adds: 'I'm so proud of you, Ben.'

Many of the parents on the show were keen to discuss relationships with their teenagers - despite protests from their children.

During one funny exchange, parents Sarah and Jamal, from Kent, were seen interrogating 14-year-old Cameron about her love life - asking whether she and a boy she'd been dating were 'official' yet.

Meanwhile, June warned her 18-year-old daughter Sarah (right) that 'the sole object of boys on this holiday is to pull', ahead of her trip to Kavos

Kasey, 14, from east London, is also questioned by her mother about boys, after personal shopper Debbie forced her to wear make-up before going to a bra fitting.

She firstly explains that none of her friends have boyfriends and when her mum asks her whether any of them have had sex, she shoots back: 'No, they're 14!'

Meanwhile, June and her 18-year-old daughter Sarah are seen discussing her upcoming party holiday in Kavos, Greece, including a booze cruise she was going on.

June warns her daughter 'You know the sole object of boys on this holiday is to pull?', to which Sarah replies: 'What if I wanted to be pulled?'

19-year-old Maddy, from Guildford, got very frustrated as she tried to describe to her father the ins and outs of Snapchat

During the programme, 14-year-old Cameron (centre) was interrogated about her love life

Sarah later confesses to her mother that she'd told a 'porky pie', by going on a date with an 26-year-old man without telling her.

However, her revelation was nothing on 19-year-old Caine's - who was forced to tell his mother that his girlfriend was pregnant.

After giving her son a lecture about using contraception, Claire, 36, joked: 'I'm sure I'm in the top ten of the Guinness World Records for being the youngest ever grandmother.'

While sex and relationships was a main topic of conversation on the show, one teenager was seen getting very frustrated as she tried to describe to her father the ins and outs of Snapchat.

Meanwhile, Kamar was seen lecturing 17-year-old Khadija and 19-year-old son Hasan about the importance of their education

19-year-old Maddy, from Guildford, attempted to describe to baffled dad Glyn what a 'Snapchat streak' is, before exclaiming: 'How do you not understand!'

Meanwhile, one father was seen lecturing his children about the importance of their education.

Kamar and his 17-year-old Khadija, from Harrow, were seen debating in the car about whether she should study for eight hours a day - with the teenager suggesting just two hours was enough.

Later on in the show, the strict father is seen telling his 19-year-old son Hasan that he'll 'fall behind on life' if he carries on missing lectures.
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What do Princess Marie-Olympia of Greece, Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin, actress Zoe Kravitz, and socialite Nicky Hilton Rothschild have in common? Not a whole lot until now.

The four women  along with supermodel Carolyn Murphy, actress Thandie Newton, and others  all came together for a new fashion editorial for W magazine's September issue.

The feature spotlights Oscar de la Renta's new creative directors, Laura Kim, 35, and Fernando Garcia, 30, who seem to be fans of these particular famous faces and invited them to model the fashion house's latest collection.

Interesting crowd: Princess Marie-Olympia of Greece (center) poses with Huma Abedin (left) and model Sasha Pivovarova in a fashion feature in the new issue of W

Co-stars: The editorial on de la Renta's creative directors also includes (L to R) Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Carolyn Murphy, de la Renta's stepdaughter Eliza Bolen, and Thandie Newton

Star-studded: The creative directors, Laura Kim (center) and Fernando Garcia (right), pose with Zoe Kravitz

Fashion friends: The unlikely duo both modeled Oscar de la Renta designs

The fashion feature takes a look at the changes that Kim and Garcia are bringing to the Oscar de la Renta brand since signing on in September of 2016, and how they landed such coveted positions.

Together, the design-duo also helms the label Monse, and had previously worked at de la Renta in other roles before succeeding Peter Copping as co-creative directors.

But while Oscar de la Renta has plenty of famous fans  including Karlie Kloss, Selena Gomez, Emma Watson, Sarah Jessica Parker, and W cover star Katy Perry  the new bosses brought in some surprising names for the feature.

Posing on the first page with the designers themselves is Big Little Lies star Zoe Kravitz.

Next, Nicky Hilton  who called the design duo's first Oscar de la Renta collection 'next-level insane'  Carolyn Murphy, and de la Renta's stepdaughter Eliza Bolen pose together in dresses and jumpsuits.

Thandie Newton poses alone in a bright green number, while the final spread features Spanish socialite and former model Naty Abascal, model Sasha Pivovarova, Huma Abedin, and Olympia.

A thrilled Olympia took to Instagram to share the image of herself with Huma and Sasha, writing, 'Oscar Oscar Oscar @wmag September issue.'

In the image, she wears a black suit, and high heeled pumps, while her hair is parted and slicked back. She also has dark red lipstick on her mouth.

Her outfit is completed with the addition of a dazzling choker around her neck, accentuating the low-cut neckline of her black blazer.

Not her first model moment: The 21-year-old often turns up at fashion shows and even walked for Dolce & Gabbana in February and June of this year

Couture: Hillary Clinton aide Huma, meanwhile, wore a custom Oscar de la Renta gown for her wedding in 2015, before Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia took over as creative directors

Sitting beside her, Huma  who a custom Oscar de la Renta gown for her wedding in 2015, before Kim and Garcia were the brand's creative directors  can be seen modeling a slightly more glamorous ensemble.

Wearing a strapless black beaded top over black pants, the political aide has her hair wavy around her shoulders.

In the article, Huma recalls being there the day the designers told de la Renta that they were leaving his label to start their own. She'd been stopping by with Clinton, and turned up just a half hour after Kim and Garcia broke the news.

'I just remember seeing Laura in the corner crying, with Fernando consoling her,' she said. 'And Oscar telling us, "Can you believe it?! These young people are leaving me!"'
A woman was left with completely deformed breasts after three consecutive surgeries that left her nipples seemingly attached directly onto her chest.

Chanel, a patient on Botched, appears in a preview segment from the show published ahead of Thursday's episode.

Doctors Terry Dubrow and Paul Nassif can first be seen examining photos of Chanel and discussing her case, with Dubrow sounding especially alarmed by what he's seeing.

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Procedures: Chanel, a patient on Botched, was left with completely deformed breasts after three consecutive surgeries that left her nipples seemingly attached directly onto her chest

Beginnings: The patient (pictured) had a breast augmentation, her original surgery, in 1999, after she turned 21 and wast 'really happy' with the results at the time

'They're at the very bottom of her breast tissue,' he says in reference to Chanel's nipples.

Describing the situation further, the surgeon adds: 'The nipples are being tethered right to the chest wall at the breast crease.'

After pointing out that Chanel is 'missing breast tissue', a frustrated Dubrow asks his colleague to let Chanel in.

The patient then explains she had a breast augmentation, her original surgery, in 1999, after she turned 21. Back then, everything seemed to be going well and she was 'really happy' with the results.

Evolution: But went Chanel (pictured) got pregnant, she says in a preview clip published on Thursday, her breasts turned into 'pancakes', marking the beginning of her troubles

Problems: After the pregnancy, 'one was droopy and then one looked bigger,' Chanel recounts in the video about her breasts. Her doctor at the time recommended she get a breast lift

Getting worse: Chanel (pictured entering her consultation with Doctors Terry Dubrow and Paul Nassif) took that advice, but the procedure didn't go as well as she'd hoped

'It went perfect,' she says of the breast augmentation. 'It took me from an A to a C and they were beautiful.'

But went Chanel got pregnant, she adds, her breasts turned into 'pancakes'.

'They deflated,' Dubrow comments with a knowing look.

'One was droopy and then one looked bigger,' Chanel recounts. Her doctor at the time recommended she get a breast lift.

Chanel took that advice, but the procedure didn't go as well as she'd hoped. That's when her breasts started getting 'a little bent in', she explains in the video.

'Scar tissue formed it sucked the lower portion of the breast tissue in,' Dubrow adds.

Fresh start? After the lift, Chanel's breasts started to get a little 'bent in', she explains in the clip, so she decided to have the implants removed altogether

Complications: But removing breast implants can actually cause the immune system to 'continue the contraction process', Dubrow explains in the video

At that point, Chanel decided she would be happy to go back to her original 32 A size, hoping things would return to normalbut they didn't.

'Sometimes, when you take the implant out, it induces the immune system to continue the contraction process and can actually make it look even worse,' Dubrow explains.

Chanel did consult plastic surgeons to try to restore her breast's appearance, but she weight more than 282 pounds, which kept her from undergoing a new procedure.

She has lost significant weight over the last two and a half years, and now finds that she is 'ready' to handle another surgery.

The preview segment ends with Nassif apparently determined to help Chanel, saying she is an 'incredible person' who 'deserves help'.
With about half of marriages ending either in divorce or in permanent separation, the industry of divorce is perhaps one of the most booming.

But even if the probabilities aren't in favor of having a successful marriage, these three lawyers have some tips they believe could help bring that number up, or at least make things easier if you succumb to the odds and end up in their office.

James Sexton, Linda Zhou, and Val Kleyman, who together have nearly 40 years of experience as divorce lawyers, sat down with Glamour magazine to dish up some of their relationship advice.

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The divorce experts: James Sexton, Linda Zhou, and Val Kleyman, have nearly 40 combined years of experience as divorce lawyers

Divorce lawyers' top relationship tips 1. Understand that marriage is a serious legal commitment 2. Know exactly what you want in a spouse and realize they may not change 3. Definitely talk about your finances 4. An exciting girlfriend or boyfriend might not make a good spouse 5. If you do have to get a divorce, try to stay calm Advertisement

'Marriage is like a lottery, youre probably not going to win. But if you win, what you win is so great that its worth trying; its worth buying the ticket and taking the ride, said James Sexton who has been practicing law for 17 years.

Sexton, who called marriage 'the most legally significant thing other than dying that youll ever do', stressed the importance of taking marriage seriously and understanding the legal aspects behind it.

The lawyer compared marriage to buying a house, pointing out that when you buy property, they make you fill out 50 forms explaining all the details behind the commitment.

When you get married, however, you don't even get a 'pamphlet'.

'The fact that youre entering into this significant legal contract, when most people have zero idea whats actually involved in that contract and spend a lot more time figuring out what kind of cake they should have at the event is a really strange thing to me, he said.

It's like the lottery, you ain't gonna win! Although Sexton mentioned the high probability of marriages ending in divorce, he said it's worth giving it a shot

Linda Zhou, who has practiced law for 10 years, recommended that couples communicate exactly what they want before making a commitment, given that people don't tend to change.

Val Kleyman, a lawyers for 13 years, also weighed in on the importance of fully communicating before the big commitment, saying it is 'critical that those expectations are communicated early'.

Sexton said it's important to realize that you divorce the very same person you were once married to. He shared that he often has clients coming to his office 'shocked' that their ex-spouse is being vindictive through the divorce, but when he asks them what they were like during the marriage, there isn't much change.

That is, if they were the type of 'kind of person that would nickel and dime everybody, they're usually the kind of person to do the same to their ex-spouse during a divorce.

Another tip the lawyers agreed on is the importance of discussing finances, such as student loans and credit card debt, before getting married.

Let's talk money: Zhou stressed the importance of discussing finances, such as student loans and credit card loans, before tying the knot

Zhou said this is one of the most important conversations two people need to have before tying the knot.

'Doing a prenup forces the couple to have a conversation because theres mandatory financial disclosure,' she said.

The lawyers also stressed that dating is not the same thing as being married, and that a good boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't always make for a good spouse.

Sexton shared that he gets a lot of client who think their boyfriends and girlfriends have exciting jobs like musicians or chefs, but that end up being careers that are tough on marriages.

'Things people look in people to date are often different than what they want in a partner for life,' he said.

Finally, the lawyers advised that if you do end up getting a divorce, you should try to stay calm.

Don't make divorce into a loser and winner situation: Kleyman recommended staying calm when going through a divorce

'The worst thing you can do is make a divorce into a winner and loser situation,' said Kleyman.

Sexton said that he's seen stay-at-home moms throw things at their exes in a courtroom.

He said: When you represent people in divorce, you see good people at their worst'.

Despite a long career filled with broken relationships, Sexton still gets teary eyed at weddings, and Zhou said her job helps her with her own marriage, making her realize what she doesn't want to lose.
The Duke of Beauforts death this week at the age of 89 has provoked much speculation about who will be the new duchess.

Would she be Tracy Ward, the 58-year-old actress turned environmental campaigner, whos been estranged from the Dukes colourful son and heir, the Marquess of Worcester, for the past four years?

Or would she be his mistress, Georgia Powell, 48, the beautiful writer hes determined to marry?

Bunter, as Harry Worcester, 65, is known to friends, told me last year that he was nearly divorced from Tracy, with whom he has three grown-up children.

However, I can reveal that it will be Tracy, not Georgia, whos the new Duchess of Beaufort and chatelaine of the magnificent 52,000-acre Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire.

Battle for Badminton millions as Marquess of Worcester's new love spells divorce

Tracey Ward (left) with her former husband The Marquess of Worcester and Georgia Powell (right) who is Henry Somerset's current partner

In her first-ever comments about her marriage breakdown, Tracy tells me Harry and I will continue to amicably negotiate our separation.'

It was certainly not in her interests to rush into a divorce. Because of the delay until after the death of the Duke, who had been in poor health for several years, the divorce will be much more complicated.

Bunters father David Somerset, the 11th Duke of Beaufort, leaves an estimated 150 million fortune, according to The Sunday Times Rich List, and Tracy, granddaughter of the 3rd Earl of Dudley, could lay claim to a sizeable chunk of it.

Tracy married Bunter, a stalwart of Londons social scene, in 1987 after appearing in the detective series C.A.T.S. Eyes. Her sister is Rachel Ward, who starred in Dynasty and The Thorn Birds.

Georgia, who is the grand-daughter of celebrated author Anthony Powell, will be writing about the Dukes death in her role as deputy editor of the Daily Telegraphs obituaries page.

Bunter will be Britains first duke to be a rock musician. He sings with a progressive rock band called The Listening Device and has released an LP with the title View From The Asylum. Weve just finished our album after five years of trying to get it together, he told me before his fathers death.

Badminton is best known for the annual horse trials. Perhaps Bunter could help pay for his divorce by turning it into the new Glastonbury?

...........................................................................................................................................

Popstar Pixie takes along her six-pack

Perky pop songstress Pixie Lott and her fiance, M&S underwear model Oliver Cheshire, appear to be suffering from delusions of grandeur

Perky pop songstress Pixie Lott and her fiance, M&S underwear model Oliver Cheshire, appear to be suffering from delusions of grandeur.

Although one of Londons best-looking couples, they are now comparing themselves to Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law in The Talented Mr Ripley.

Perching on a boat off Capri, an island in the Bay of Naples where the 1999 movie was filmed, Oliver, 29, showed off his taut physique in a pair of 175 Orlebar Brown trunks, while Pixie, 26, sunned her trim figure in a 190 Melissa Odabash bikini.

Sharing the holiday snap online, Oliver wrote: Going all Talented Mr Ripley yesterday.

.......................................................................................................................................... Here's a really filthy tale, involving Pippa Middletons favourite London spa. Grace Belgravia, where the Duchess of Cambridges sister prepared for her wedding, has failed dismally its latest hygiene inspection.

Receiving just one out of five in the Scores on the Door official food hygiene ratings, the 5,500-a-year women-only club has been ordered to scrub up by Westminster council. Mouse droppings were discovered next to a fridge in the front service area and gluten-free bread was stored in the same space as bread containing gluten, risking cross contamination.

In best Basil Fawlty-mode, a spokesman tells me: Our head chef was on holiday and [our response to] the inspection was led by a junior sous chef who was very nervous of the inspector.
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The atmosphere, recalls Elizabeth Emanuel, was electric, even at six oclock in the morning. Crowds were already amassing outside and we had to drive past the barricades, which made us feel terribly important.

When we got inside Clarence House, where Diana had been living since her engagement to Charles, all the bridal party were there.

Everyone was singing along to the adverts on TV, drinking orange juice and eating biscuits, and watching the festivities.

I remember Judith Chalmers, who was presenting the BBC coverage, wondering what the dress would look like  and thinking: We know! 

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Spectacular: Princess Diana is seen leaving St Paul's Cathedral in her wedding dress designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel. It was the commission of a lifetime to make the dress of the century

For designers Elizabeth and David Emanuel, in their late 20s and not long out of fashion school, it was a career-defining moment.

Months earlier, in March 1981, Buckingham Palace had announced, to widespread surprise, that the Emanuels had been asked to design the dress Lady Diana Spencer would wear to marry Prince Charles.

It was the commission of a lifetime to make the dress of the century. And now, here they were, just hours from seeing Diana become a Princess in their history-making creation.

The dress had been delivered to Clarence House from their London studio the day before. Now, while Diana had her make-up and hair done, Elizabeth and David shook out the frothy lace and metres of silk.

Proceedings ran to a tight schedule: the Emanuels were given clipboards with to-do lists and palace aides ran around issuing orders about when things were supposed to happen.

When the time came, they were ushered into a bedroom to dress the bride. First, Diana put on her petticoat, then her shoes, and finally the dress. Just as she was gazing at herself in the mirror, Elizabeth panicked that she hadnt done up the fastening on the petticoat, and David had to crawl underneath the skirts to check.

It had a double hook to make sure it didnt fall off, she explains. We wanted her to feel comfortable, but it also had to be secure.

Just at that moment, the Queen Mother popped in to say hello to the bride, leaving David very flustered indeed.

PERFUME DISASTER SHE HID FROM WORLD Diana was a fan of strong, almost masculine, perfumes and she never left home without a spritz of Diorissimo by Dior. But for her big day she chose something different: Quelques Fleurs, a delicate blend of rose, jasmine and tuberose, created in 1912 by chic Parisian perfume house Houbigant. But having applied the scent to her neck and wrists, a nervous Diana then proceeded to spill a few drops on the front of her pristine dress. Liz and David Emanuel never found out about it, explains make-up artist Barbara Daly. She said to me: Theyll kill me. I said: Theyll never know, theres so much fabric it will evaporate. She said: Do you think if I just tuck the front in theyll never notice? And I said: Yes, absolutely. So, scrunching the damp fabric up in her hands, Diana made her way into the carriage and hoped for the best. But the journey to St Pauls was shorter than she realised, and there was still a tell-tale patch on the dress. As she emerged from the carriage, she kept the damp fabric tightly clasped in her hand. Thankfully, her huge, trailing bouquet covered all manner of sins  and no one knew. Meanwhile, she had that train, the longest in royal history, to contend with. We wanted her to look like no princess had ever looked before, says Elizabeth Emanuel. So we set out to discover the length of the longest royal wedding dress train thered been, and discovered it was 23ft. We joked that we could go one better  in fact, two feet better  and make one that was 25ft. She loved the idea. The biggest problem was finding a space large enough for fitting it. The Brook Street studio was too cramped, so Diana drove the Emanuels to the Palace, where they were given Princess Annes bedroom as a makeshift fitting room. They laid the calico mock-up of the train out in the corridor and all three marvelled at the sight. Diana practised walking up and down, gliding over the plush Palace carpet. Having planned to make the train in the same silk as the dress, the Emanuels panicked that it was still too wide for the aisle at St Pauls. Armed with tape measures, they organised a secret visit to the cathedral to measure up  and found it fitted exactly. Advertisement

Once the bridesmaids were dressed, they helped escort the bridal party down the grand staircase and into the carriage, folding the enormous train, concertina-style  like you would fold a bed sheet  to ensure it didnt get crushed. It was a manoeuvre theyd spent hours practising.

Elizabeth and David then rushed to St Pauls, accompanied by a police escort, so they could arrive before the bride. In her handbag, Elizabeth had packed a bottle of smelling salts and some sugar tablets, in case Diana felt faint, but in the end it was the designer who needed the sugar to calm her own nerves.

Standing to one side of the cathedral entrance, they anxiously peered out until cheering crowds announced the arrival of the carriage. But as they watched Diana climb the steps, the Emanuels hearts sank: the dress was noticeably crumpled.

I remember whispering to David: Oh my God, its creased, she says. I thought: Weve got to straighten out that dress.

In the tiny carriage, it had crumpled far more than wed anticipated. Wed done a rehearsal, but not with her father, Earl Spencer, in the car, too  and he was quite a large man.

It was a hot day, there was so much volume in the net and she was nervous, so she kept grabbing hold of it in her hands. Fortunately, we knew the fabric would pull out  thats why we were there.

When she came out of that carriage, it was the most wonderful vision Id ever seen. She looked like a butterfly emerging from her chrysalis, unfurling her wings and about to fly. It was so romantic. Oddly, the imperfections seemed to make her even more beautiful. While the world watched on television, Elizabeth and David, with the help of the bridesmaids, smoothed out Dianas dress, adjusted her veil and spread out that astonishing train.

As Lady Diana walked down the aisle to the strains of the Prince of Denmarks March, the Emanuels were ushered to their seats.

Sitting behind a pillar, they could see little and didnt witness the full splendour of their creation until they saw it on the evening news.

Halfway through the ceremony, they got a tap on the shoulder: it was time to make their way to the Palace, where they would greet the new Princess of Wales and prepare her for the photographs.

Elizabeth and David, equipped with pins and an emergency sewing kit, checked the dress and helped arrange the veil for the official wedding portraits, which were taken by Lord Lichfield.

One of the most amazing things was watching the balcony scene from behind, Elizabeth says.

It was a truly magical moment, being on the inside looking out as the crowds waved and cheered. By the time the couple returned to their studio in Mayfair, it was late. It was eerily quiet, Elizabeth recalls. Wed had this huge build-up and suddenly it was over.

Around 6.30pm, just as the Emanuels were leaving the studio, the phone rang. To their surprise, it was Diana, thanking them one last time for making her dress. It meant so much. There she was, exhausted on the evening of her wedding, taking the time to call us. But that was her all over.

It wasnt until the following day that, to her horror, Elizabeth remembered she had left a safety pin  temporarily fixing the petticoat in place  in the dress. Thankfully, under all the layers of net, tulle and silk, it had gone unnoticed by the thousands of wedding guests and millions of viewers worldwide.

The Emanuels relationship with Diana began on January 8, 1981, with a phone call to their tiny Brook Street showroom. Crouched on her hands and knees, Elizabeth was busy dressing a client, so she yelled to one of her assistants to take the call.

On the line was a new customer asking Elizabeth if she would make her a dress for a friends upcoming 21st birthday party. Debra  as her name was mistakenly taken down  made an appointment for 2.30pm that afternoon.

Of course, Debra was Diana, and when she arrived Elizabeth couldnt believe her eyes.

I recognised her immediately. Shed been in the papers since she and Charles had started dating the previous year  but photographs didnt do her justice. I was immediately stuck by her height, her beautiful blue eyes and that flawless complexion.

Diana was just 19, and with that appointment began a lifelong love affair with fashion. Over the following months, Elizabeth and David (who are now divorced but continue to work separately as designers) made several outfits for her, as she found her feet in the spotlight and sought to transform herself from young, shy nursery teacher to the fiancee of Prince Charles  and, at that time, the future Queen of England.

After the birthday gown came a pale pink, high-necked chiffon blouse, borrowed by the fashion team at Vogue magazine for a romantic shoot with Diana by Lord Snowdon, the publication of which coincided with her engagement.

Well-trained: Dianas dress designers, David and Elizabeth Emanuel, suddenly panicked that the 25ft train they envisaged for Dianas gown would be too wide for the aisle at St Pauls. They quietly visited the cathedral, armed with tape measures, to check there wouldnt be a hitch on the big day  luckily, it fitted perfectly

Another outfit the Emanuels designed for Diana  perhaps the most iconic before the wedding dress  was a strapless, figure-hugging black taffeta ballgown which she wore to Londons Goldsmiths Hall to mark her first appearance as Prince Charless bride-to-be.

The next day, March 10, amid mounting speculation about who would design the royal wedding dress, the Palace announced that the Emanuels  whose taffeta creation had been splashed all over the papers  had won the contract that every designer in the country had been dreaming of. Wed actually been asked by Diana herself the previous week, and shed already been in for a chat, recalls Elizabeth, now 63 and with a studio of her own in upmarket Maida Vale.

Though the Emanuels fledgling business was doing well  clients included Bianca Jagger and the Duchess of Kent  nothing could compare to designing a royal wedding dress.

HOW DIANA FOLLOWED THE TRADITIONAL RHYME Something old . . . Antique Carrickmacross lace, which had belonged to Queen Mary  wife of George V  was sewn into Dianas dress to mark her link with history. On her wedding day in 2011, the Duchess of Cambridge wore lace from the same piece of fabric. Something new . . . Her beautiful bespoke gown was her something new. Something borrowed . . . Diana's two pieces of jewellery were both borrowed. On her head, she wore the sparkling Spencer tiara, a family heirloom dating from the 18th century and fashioned from hundreds of diamonds set in silver and mounted in gold. The show-stopping leaf design featured stylised tulips, star shapes and scrolling foliage, swirling around a central heart. Feminine and romantic, it fitted perfectly with the fairytale theme of the wedding. She wore it anchoring the main section of her veil, with her blusher veil attached separately to the front, to avoid it dragging over the top of her tiara. Diana kept the veil down throughout the wedding ceremony, before asking her make-up artist to remove it when she had to sign the register. Dianas other borrowed jewels were her dazzling diamond earrings, huge pear-shaped pendants on loan from her mother for her daughters big day. Something blue . . . Elizabeth Emanuel sewed a tiny blue bow into Dianas waistband, invisible to all but those who knew to look for it. There was another pale blue bow on her silk garter. The Emanuels also decided to put a tiny horseshoe, made from 18-carat Welsh gold and studded with white diamonds, created by jeweller Douglas Buchanan, into the label of her dress. Nobody could see our private gift when the dress was being worn, says Elizabeth. It was just there as a little token, a second good luck charm, from us to Diana. Advertisement

From the minute she asked us, we knew nothing was going to be the same, Elizabeth says.

But there was little time for celebration. Elizabeths imagination went into overdrive. There was no direction from the Palace  other than the overriding need for discretion  and even less from Diana herself, then still so new to the world of fashion.

I tracked down every book I could find on royal weddings from history: Queen Victoria; her daughter, Princess Beatrice; Queen Mary, she explains. And I watched all my favourite old films: The Leopard, Gone With The Wind, Barry Lyndon. Inspiration came from everywhere.

Elizabeth stuck cuttings and photographs into a large scrapbook, filled with romantic frills, flounces and fairytale bridal wear, which she still leafs through with pride today.

At Dianas first wedding meeting, she tried on a series of sample dresses  everything from slinky Twenties-style gowns to huge, bouffant petticoats with satin skirts and boned bodices  to get an idea of what she liked.

She settled on a sample much like the finished look: a dress with a big skirt, tiny waist and soft frills round the sleeves and shoulders.

Next time they met, the trio sat on the floor, cross-legged, poring over around 50 sketches Elizabeth had based on Dianas chosen silhouette. Diana had brought along her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, who rather sternly analysed the Emanuels offerings.

The carpet was covered in pencil drawings, says Elizabeth. Diana and her mother both sat stunned and speechless for the first few minutes before they began examining the sketches.

We held our breath for what seemed like for ever  and finally they broke into smiles. It didnt take long to pick the final design.

They also settled on a colour: vintage-style, creamy ivory.

This was so flattering to her English rose complexion, Elizabeth explains. I find that white lace tends to look cheap. Ivory enhanced Dianas pale, natural beauty.

The call went out to fabric producers, dressmakers and embroiderers nationwide that the Emanuels were looking for the raw materials for Dianas dress  and phone calls and letters began flooding the studio with offers of British textiles, sequins, pearls and jewels.

But rather than getting to work straight away, their first task was more practical: security. Ever since the news had broken that the Emanuels would be responsible for the dress, their studio had been besieged by journalists, photographers and TV crews desperate for a scoop.

Elizabeth and David installed blinds on their windows and manoeuvred a heavy-duty safe in through the first-floor window of their little mews building so they could lock up sketches and fabric swatches overnight.

It sounds a bit over-the-top, but it really did seem like people would go to any lengths to find out what the dress looked like, Elizabeth says.

Another tactic was to give Diana a pseudonym. Throughout this period, they dubbed her Debra, in memory of that first phone call, or Dorothy Cornwall, a moniker that now seems oddly prophetic given the title of Charless second wife.

While there was constant hubbub outside the Emanuels studio, activity inside was even more frenzied. Having outsourced the making of the shoes and the bouquet, and commissioned silk weavers and lace manufacturers  all home-grown, family-run companies  the Emanuels were left to concentrate on fittings with Diana.

The process was relatively straightforward, in theory at least. Elizabeths sketch was turned into a pattern, which was cut out in calico  unbleached, unprocessed cotton  to make a mock-up of the dress, called a toile.

Diana came to the studio, often with her mother in tow, and tried on the toile. Hovering around her with scissors, pins and fabric marker, the Emanuels would fit the pattern around her body as she twirled, laughed and chatted about the big day.

She was always very ready to come to fittings, Elizabeth says. And she never complained when we kept her standing in one position for hours.

But the regular fittings were complicated by Dianas persistent weight loss.

Dont be nervous: Diana chats to five-year-old bridesmaid Clementine Hambro under the watchful eye of the Queen

At her first session with the Emanuels back in January 1981, her waist measured 29 in  reasonably healthy for a slim, 5 ft 10 in girl. But between the announcement of her engagement in February and the wedding in July, her waistline seemed to shrink daily.

By the big day, it was a tiny 23.5 inches. Every time she turned up for a fitting, she had lost more weight, reveals Elizabeth.

We put it down to nerves. But it did make it incredibly difficult for us to get on with making the dress. We had to keep taking the bodice in and changing the pattern. The last thing we wanted was to make it up in silk, then have to play around with that. Silk soon looks worn if you work it too much.

There were five different versions of the bodice, each made to fit Dianas dwindling figure, before the silk version was cut just weeks before the big day. She was incredibly tiny by the end, says Elizabeth. We literally sewed her into the dress. I suddenly got this fear of her train falling off as she was walking up the aisle. It would have been awful.

Little did they  or the world  know that Dianas shrinking waist marked the start of a battle with eating disorders that would plague her for the rest of her life.

In the end, she came in for as many as 15 fittings  Elizabeth lost count, there were so many  to make sure every detail was just right. The bodice and skirt were made of lustrous ivory silk taffeta, and the trim on the bodice, sleeves and edges of the skirt was lace, overlaid with 10,000 pearls and 3mm mother-of-pearl sequins.

A taffeta bow was placed where the halves of her collar met, mirrored by bows and frothy lace at the ends of her sleeves. Underneath, Diana wore a huge petticoat made from more than 90 metres of tulle, a lightweight starched netting, which had to be trimmed into shape rather like a head of hair.

Radiant: An excited Diana travels from Clarence House to St Pauls in the royal carriage, the Spencer tiara keeping her veil in place

There were another 140 metres of tulle in the veil, as well as a spare petticoat and an extra silk skirt which could be fitted over the original just in case she spilt something down herself on the day. When they reached the final stages, it was all hands on deck.

Even so, the Emanuels began to worry that the intricate sequin-sewing was taking too long, so they called in a few favours: Elizabeths mother and the mother of their PA, Caroline Slocock, pitched in to help with the embroidery.

It was a real family affair. So much love went into that dress.

Diana came for her final fitting a fortnight before the wedding  the first time she had laid eyes on the finished dress.

It was suddenly very real. She was just so excited  you could see it in her eyes.

After a top-secret rehearsal at St Pauls (minus the dress) on July 27, it was time to transport the gown to Clarence House.

We were so paranoid about it all going wrong in the final hours, says Elizabeth. We didnt trust anyone to drive us, so we hired a van. Even en route we were convinced we were being hijacked.

We drove into Albemarle Street and a big cart pulled across the road and blocked us in. We thought: Thats it, its a heist. But it was just the London traffic.

Dress offloaded, the Emanuels returned to their studio, though they had to be back at Clarence House at 6am the next day. For the designer duo, the wedding represented an extraordinary achievement; a moment of high drama and excitement.

On August 6, they issued a bill for the dress to Dianas mother, for 1,000 guineas, 1,050 at the time (4,140 today)  a token sum, as Diana usually paid full price for her clothes. In fact, the dress was then valued at 9,000  35,500 today.

As a result of their discretion and the close friendship forged at one of the most momentous times of Dianas life, the three remained close and the Emanuels continued to design dresses for royal tours.

The last time I saw her was at the auction of her dresses at Christies, two months before she died, says Elizabeth. She seemed so happy. Shed grown up a lot since we first met her  that nervous, pretty young thing who had no idea about what suited her or what she liked to wear.

By the end, Diana understood she didnt even have to say anything: her clothes spoke for her.

She was an icon.

Mystery of the back-up dress that vanished

As well as creating The Dress, the Emanuels were charged with making two more: one exact copy to go on display at Madame Tussauds, and another secret back-up wedding dress  Dianas second choice design  in case the real thing was discovered before the big day.

This second choice dress was very similar: a flattering, boned bodice, frilly sleeves and a full puffball skirt, but the design on the bodice was more of a V-shape, the sleeves were shorter and there was no lace edging on the skirt, making it altogether plainer.

It was only three-quarters finished  we simply didnt have time to make it in its entirety, so none of the embroidery or finishing touches were done, says Elizabeth.

Wedding party: Charles and Diana with Princes Andrew and Edward (back row); pageboys Lord Nicholas Windsor (far left) and Edward van Cutsem; and bridesmaids (l-r) Clementine Hambro, Catherine Cameron, India Hicks, Sarah-Jane Gaselee and Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones

Astonishingly, she admits she doesnt know what happened to the dress after the wedding.

It was hanging up in the studio for a long time, and then it disappeared. I dont know if we sold it or put it into storage. It was such a busy time. Im sure itll turn up in a bag one day!

Meanwhile, after the ceremony was over, the High Street was flooded with copies of the Emanuels precious dress, the first of which appeared in Oxford Street shop windows at 3.30pm on the actual wedding day, just five hours after the press embargo on details of the gown and Elizabeths sketches was lifted.

Ordinary brides could get their hands on a Diana rip-off for as little as 439 at Debenhams. There was so much embroidery and lace and detail in the original that the copies just couldnt match up, says Elizabeth. Of course, we knew they were going to do it, but they didnt come close.

THE SEVEN SEAMSTRESSES

Known as the Emanuel ladies, the designers team of seven seamstresses spent weeks on the dress. In particular, head seamstress Nina Missetzis and her second-in-command, Rose Hoey, dedicated themselves full-time to it.

Nina was Greek and couldnt speak very good English, Elizabeth explains. Even when she started with us, she was already quite elderly and slightly stooped with really long, bony hands  the result of the many years she had spent dressmaking. She was extremely meticulous and a real perfectionist, and would work long hours hunched up over the sewing machine.

Nina, who has sadly now passed away, never forgot her first meeting with Princess Diana: She was so sweet, so shy. When she first came to see me, she didnt want to take off her clothes so I could take her measurements. I told her if she didnt, the dress would be too big, so she did.

As I was pinning the pattern to her, I could tell it was very new to her, to be fitted. When she tried on the gown for the first time, she got very emotional and cried.

Rose Hoey, meanwhile, recalled an exchange during the train fitting at the Palace in April.

I remember saying to Diana that it was amazing to think I was on the inside, having stood outside as a tourist so many times. She laughed and said we should go out on to the balcony and wave at all the people  and we did!

Diana never forgot the devoted seamstresses who toiled day and night to perfect her dress.

Once, Elizabeth returned to the studio to find the Princess had sneaked up the stairs and into the attic where they were working to thank them personally for all their hard work. She even invited them to the wedding  suddenly everyone needed a new frock! Elizabeth laughs.

HOME-GROWN MATERIALS

One of the most important factors for Elizabeth was the provenance of the dress materials.

As soon as the news was announced, the phone started ringing off the hook with weavers, fabric specialists and embroiderers offering everything under the sun, she explains. Our main focus was to make it as British as possible.

They sourced the lace from Roger Watson, a family-run firm in Nottingham, which supplied 1,000 worth of material for the waist, hem and train.

The detailing was inspired by Dianas family coat of arms  featuring geometric shapes and scallop shells  and incorporated a square of antique Carrickmacross lace, an heirloom dating from the time of Queen Mary, donated by the Royal School of Needlework.

The silk came from Stephen Walters & Sons, a Suffolk weaver dating back to the 1700s, which has been run by the same family for ten generations.

I heard that the Emanuels had got the job and wrote to them the next day, explains David Walters, managing director at the time.

VICTORIAN FLOWER GIRL WHO INSPIRED BRIDESMAIDS A Victorian postcard provided the inspiration for the bridesmaids lace-trimmed dresses; the Emanuels sketches; and five-year-old Clementine Hambro in the finished frock Advertisement

Eager to stick to the British theme, they plundered all the raw silk they could from worms at Lullingstone silk farm in Kent. Sadly, there wasnt enough  11,000 strands of raw silk were used  so they had to make up the difference with imported silk.

A team of 150 at Stephen Walters, which had also done Princess Annes wedding dress and the silk lining for the Queens Coronation robe, got to work immediately.

Its a long-winded process, David explains. You have to twist the threads, then dye it, then weave it on a loom. The weaving alone takes ten days; the whole thing took around eight weeks.

Staff were sworn to secrecy and each worked on a different part of the dress so that no one knew what the finished design looked like. They produced two 41-metre rolls.

The Emanuels thought it was a good idea to have a back-up in case someone spilt coffee on it.

The fabric itself was an ivory-coloured, heavyweight taffeta.

David recalls: It had that crisp feel; proper crunchy taffeta, deliberately chosen for the look they wanted. The next time we saw it was on TV on the wedding day. We were all gathered round and when she got out of the car there was a collective gasp at how crushed it looked.

But it wasnt a mistake  the Emanuels had wanted that fabric  and they soon straightened it out. The finished dress looked incredible. We felt very proud. Though David and his staff never met Diana, they presented her with a pretty wooden box containing the silk worms used to make the material for her dress.

Unfortunately, reveals Elizabeth, they hatched not long afterwards  so we had to throw it away!

THE BOISTEROUS BRIDESMAIDS

One of Elizabeths most treasured memories from that time is a bridesmaids fitting, when Lady Diana arrived at the studio accompanied by five boisterous girls on red roller-skates.

SECRET MESSAGE IN HER SHOES The day after the news of the wedding dress commission was announced, Elizabeth Emanuel phoned celebrity cobbler Clive Shilton  the darling of fashion magazines in the Seventies for his handmade shoes and handbags  and asked him to come and meet a special client. Based in Covent Garden at the time, Clive made the short trip to Brook Street, where Diana was standing on a stool waiting to have her feet measured. The bridal shoes with their handpainted soles She was a very shy, sweet, smiley-eyed young girl, he recalls. Her main concern was that she wouldnt appear taller than Prince Charles, and because she was very tall  5ft 10in  the shoes would have to have a low heel. Clive remains incredibly discreet and refuses to reveal the Princesss shoe size (thought to be a 6.5). He began by making his own last  the wooden mould around which shoes are made  as even this couldnt be outsourced in case word got out. Though he never saw the dress, the Emanuels sent him the silk they were using, hoping he might be able to make the shoes from the same fabric. It was too fine  it would have crumpled across the instep, he says. Instead, the weavers came up with a heavier silk satin. We then covered them in 542 sequins and 132 pearls. Clive devised various trims for the front of the shoes and presented them to Diana, who chose a heart-shaped design. The shoes arches were painted with a secret romantic message: the letters C and D The soles were soft suede so she wouldnt slip, and the arches were painted with a secret romantic message: the letters C and D, entwined around a heart. No one even saw the bottom of the shoes, but it was important to us that they looked fantastic, says Clive. You would have seen much more of them if shed tripped! From start to finish, it took six months to make the shoes, and every single person in Clives workshop, including the cleaner, helped put a tack or a spot of glue on the final pair. Clive refuses to say how much Diana paid, but admits he charged a basic price. Press reports from the time say there was a dispute over the bill, and her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, refused to pay. No matter, however, as Clive sold one of the spare pairs at auction for 36,000 in 2011. Advertisement

They proceeded to whizz around the room in their toile dresses, making Diana, Elizabeth and the seamstresses fall about laughing.

Dianas five bridesmaids were: Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones (now Chatto), the eldest at 17 and Princess Margarets daughter; India Hicks, 13, Prince Charless goddaughter; Sarah-Jane Gaselee, 11, whose father was Charless horse trainer; Catherine Cameron, six, another goddaughter; and Clementine Hambro, a petite, blonde five-year-old and a pupil at the nursery where Diana worked. Inspired by a postcard she had been sent by a friend, depicting a Victorian flower girl with a ballerina-length dress, ribbon sash and pretty floral bouquet, Elizabeth had plenty of ideas for frocks.

Although we wanted to keep the style of the bridesmaids dresses romantic, historical and very pretty, like Dianas own gown, we were also keen to make them a bit different from each other, as was appropriate for their different ages, Elizabeth explains.

All were made from the same colour silk as Dianas dress, but of a slightly lighter weight, with fitted bodices, net petticoats and ruffled skirts trimmed with lace, tiny pearls and sequins.

While the two youngest had ruffled, flouncy styles, the two middle girls had more sophisticated collars  and Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, the eldest, had a sleeker, straighter skirt.

Florist Edward Goodyear designed white and gold flower baskets for them to carry, with pretty floral circlets for the heads of the four youngest. Round their waists, each wore a gold silk sash, inspired by the Mountbatten roses in Dianas bouquet, and on their feet were matching gold shoes.

India Hicks, now 49 and a former model with her own lifestyle brand, has said her first reaction on being asked to be a bridesmaid was one of horror. She recalled: I was a tomboy from rural Oxfordshire, never out of jodhpurs. I was horrified  I was going to have to wear a dress.

She first met Diana at a fitting and says she was more like a head girl than a princess-in-waiting.

Frill after frill, pin after pin, hour after hour, we stood silently . . . Although I found all those petticoats, puffed sleeves and bows hard to forgive, it was an intimate and informal time with Diana.

Together with Sarah Armstrong-Jones, India was charged with the far-from-straightforward task of carrying Dianas train. Manipulating that much taffeta and antique lace in and out of the small state carriages posed considerable complications, she said.

We practised first with a long dust cloth tied to Dianas waist. She stood patiently as we were shown how to fold and unfold the fabric. Having arrived at Clarence House at 7.30 am on the wedding day, the bridesmaids recall a fun, girly morning: Diana rushing around in a pair of old jeans, the Spencer tiara balanced on her head, smiling as she watched footage of herself on TV.

During one commercial break, an advert for Cornetto ice cream came on, and she started singing, India recalled. Soon we all joined in. Just one Cornnnneeetttoo could be heard from the top floor.

Clementine Hambro, known as the sobbing bridesmaid, after a photograph of Diana helping her up when she fell over and banged her head at the Palace became famous, remembers little  but she was only knee-high at the time.

Disappointingly, she says, my recollections of the actual service are of achingly tired legs, of desperately wanting to sit down when we were not allowed to, and of doggedly staring at my little gold shoes . . . determined not to step on that magnificent train.

After the ceremony, the bridesmaids relished travelling in the royal carriage past crowds throwing confetti that landed in the laps of their dresses.

Back at the Palace, the two eldest helped Diana change into her going-away outfit, and all five gathered to wave her off.

Though the Princess smiled all day, she was suffering from a crushing headache, revealed Sarah-Jane Gaselee  who admitted in 2015 that she bitterly regretted selling her dress for 11,000. As we stepped out on to the balcony, she complained her tiara was killing her, it was so heavy.

PARASOL THAT WAS NEVER USED

The weather forecast for the wedding day wasnt great  grey with a risk of showers, warned the BBC  and so Elizabeth felt it would be wise to have an umbrella to hand, just in case.

A month or so before the wedding, she nipped into Phillips auction house  a few doors down from the couples studio on Brook Street  and picked up a pair of antique silk parasols with wooden handles.

We covered them in white and ivory fabric  two colours so no one would know which matched her dress, explains Elizabeth.

They were then trimmed with the same lace as the dress and hand-embroidered with tiny pearls and sequins.

On the morning of the royal wedding, the ivory parasol was tucked inside the carriage that would take the bride to St Pauls  on Dianas fathers side  so he could keep his daughter dry if the skies opened.

Mercifully, they didnt; it turned out to be quite a dry, pleasant day and the parasol remained out of sight.

It was probably a good thing, laughs Elizabeth. It was made of such light material that it certainly wasnt waterproof  it wouldnt have done her much good!

The umbrella ended up being exhibited at Madame Tussauds along with the replica of Dianas extraordinary dress.

Diana's high fashion honeymoon looks

Dianas transformation from shy young Sloane to resplendent Princess complete, her honeymoon wardrobe was a chance to show just how ready she was to embrace her new public role.

Prince Charles had planned a sedate sojourn at Broadlands estate in Hampshire, followed by 14 days on a Mediterranean cruise, finishing at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Going away: Diana chose a cantaloupe-coloured Bellville Sassoon outfit teamed with Manolo Blahnik stilettos and a feathered John Boyd hat

Shorts and sweet: One memorable outfit by Japans Kenzo Takada was caught while Diana was on Britannia, a pintucked, cotton, balloon-sleeved blouse with matching Bermuda shorts.

The itinerary may not have been exciting, but Diana was determined to wow the world with a showstopping wardrobe. She planned her honeymoon with the help of Felicity Clark, then beauty editor at Vogue and a friend of her sister.

Diana chose a cantaloupe-coloured silk dress as her going-away outfit. Made by Bellville Sassoon, it was a classic new bride look, teamed with Manolo Blahnik stilettos and a feathered John Boyd hat.

She flew to the Royal Yacht Britannia in a floral white silk dress by Donald Campbell and a cashmere coat from Courtenay House in Brook Street, Mayfair.

The young Princess looked relaxed and happy as she posed at the door of the plane at Southampton airport.

Flower power: Diana wore a Donald Campbell silk dress and cashmere coat from Courtenay House in Mayfair for a flight to the Royal Yacht Britannia as part of her honeymoon

Cameras were banned on board Britannia, but one memorable outfit by Japans Kenzo Takada was caught: a pintucked, cotton, balloon-sleeved blouse with matching Bermuda shorts.

At the time of her marriage, she was very young very natural and romantic, Kenzo has said. The image that I have of her has always been one of tenderness, colour and joie de vivre.

Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencers Wedding Day: Everything you need to know

Princess Dianas Wedding Gown: Details on the Dress of the Century

Charles and Dianas Wedding: Minute-by-minute Timeline of the Big Day

Prince Charles and Lady Diana's bridesmaids: Where are they now?
Nudist blogger, Jessa O'Brien, has hit out after her Instagram page, The Nude Blogger, was 'deactivated', without warning.

The 28-year-old, from the Gold Coast, launched her 'body-positive' page in October 2016, and swiftly amassed 42,000 followers.

However, Jessa found herself quickly back at zero followers after she said she thought the profile had been removed because it breached Instagram's nudity policy.

Nudist blogger, Jessa O'Brien, has hit out at Instagram, after the photo-sharing site deleted her account, The Nude Blogger, without warning - she has since launched a new profile (pictured)

The 28-year-old, from the Gold Coast , launched her 'body-positive' page in October 2016, and swiftly amassed 42,000 followers

Jessa poses for a variety pictures, celebrating the female body in different locations, including here at the tennis court

I wasn't even given the opportunity to rectify or negotiate the matter before they shut the account down,' Jessa claimed after her profile disappeared from Instagram

The blogger said that 'body positivity' was a major focus of her blog and a recurring message

'Nearly 10 months in, almost 43,000 followers later, and a hell of a lot of time, energy and effort and they do this Not one notification,' Jessa posted on her blog recently.

INSTAGRAM'S NUDITY POLICY We know that there are times when people might want to share nude images that are artistic or creative in nature, but for a variety of reasons, we dont allow nudity on Instagram. This includes photos, videos, and some digitally-created content that show sexual intercourse, genitals, and close-ups of fully-nude buttocks. It also includes some photos of female nipples, but photos of post-mastectomy scarring and women actively breastfeeding are allowed. Nudity in photos of paintings and sculptures is OK, too. Source: Instagram. Advertisement

'Well, not good enough. I wasn't even given the opportunity to rectify or negotiate the matter before they shut the account down.'

The Nude Blogger continued her post by saying she is 'sure this has, unfortunately and unjustifiably, happened to many other accounts with pure intentions', adding that 'as a blogger, it is pretty crippling'.

'As most of you know, "body positivity" is a major focus of my blog, and it is a recurring message I constantly talk about and convey through photos,' she wrote.

'So yes, nudity is a norm in my blog albeit non-pornographic and non-sexual.

'It is not explicit in the slightest! It is a shame that nudity is still considered offensive, especially for the reasons I talk about.

'I agree, we need to stop sexualising the human body and that is exactly what my photos and messages are aimed at doing!'.

'Nearly 10 months in, almost 43,000 followers later, and a hell of a lot of time, energy and effort and they do this Not one notification,' Jessa posted on her blog

'It is not explicit in the slightest! It is a shame that nudity is still considered offensive, especially for the reasons I talk about,' the blogger wrote

The 28-year-old has since launched a new profile, The Nude Blogger, where she is sharing new nude photos, alongside her body-positive message

The 28-year-old has since launched a new profile, The Nude Blogger, where she is sharing new nude photos, alongside her body-positive message.

'Apologies I've been missing for a bit,' she wrote.

'I've been a woman on a mission. #reactivatethenudeblogger'.

Explaining on her site that she has been following the various steps to speak to 'the Instagram team', Jessa confessed that so far her attempts have been to no avail:

'I woke up this morning to absolutely nothing,' she said.

'So I have since pestered the "support" team a little more with another Facebook and Instagram message.'

The Nude Blogger's new Instagram profile has amassed 500 followers in four days

Jessa said that since discovering her profile was gone she had been a 'woman on a mission'

She said she had been doing everything she could to '#reactivatethenudeblogger'

She has since set up a new account 'in the event I don't get my previous account restored' - on this profile, she shared a screengrab of her original profile (pictured)

In the meantime, Jessa said she had set up 'this account in the event I don't get my previous account restored'.

The Nude Blogger's new Instagram profile has amassed 500 followers in four days.

Meanwhile, her social media feed has been flooded with messages of support.

After hearing of her plight, fans of The Nude Blogger have been inundating her with messages of support

'Sorry to hear about your account being deleted. I read your story on your blog and I love what you're doing,' one person posted

'Sorry to hear about your account being deleted. I read your story on your blog and I love what you're doing,' one person posted.

'Welcome back,' another added, succinctly.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Instagram for comment.

To follow Jessa O'Brien's Nude Blogger account on Instagram, click here. You can also follow her blog here.
A personal trainer who 'loves to drink' says he's able to maintain his physique because he's developed a ready-to-drink vodka that's 'sugar and carb-free'.

On an average Saturday, Dene Flude, 28, from New Zealand, will drink 12 bottles of Pure Amino Vodka - and says the five per cent alcohol sparkling vodka drink is a healthier alternative to traditional booze.

'I will drink it every weekend and keep enjoying my social life but at the same time not let it affect my training,' Dene told Daily Mail Australia.

Dene Flude is a personal trainer that owns ready-to-drink vodka Pure Amino Vodka

Dene Flude (pictured right) told Daily Mail Australia that on an average Saturday night he drinks 12 bottles from his pre-mixed vodka brand

The successful trainer, who already sells an amino-acid based ice-cream and powders aimed at athletes, claimed that the day after drinking vodka from his brand he feels 'much better' than he would if he was to drink regular alcohol.

'I love to drink and socialise. It's hard to go to the alcohol store and find something that isn't full of sugar,' Dene told Stuff.

Each 300ml bottle is the equivalent of 1.2 standard drinks and contains 100 percent natural ingredients.

'Pure Amino Vodka is perfect for anyone who leads an active lifestyle but also enjoys a social life that includes drinking alcohol,' the product's website states.

'Now you drink whilst staying hydrated, consume our Pure Aminos and enjoy the next day without that awful hangover.'

Dene's desire to be able to go out and drink on the weekend without consuming an excessive amount of sugar is what led him to creating the beverage.

Each 300ml bottle has an alcohol content of five percent and 1.2 standard drinks and 100 percent natural ingredients

Dene said that he has noticed clients losing results because of the sugar-filled drinks they consume.

Dene is bringing out three vodka flavours, which are coconut, raspberry lemon and strawberry kiwi.

'I created this because I wanted it myself and to also create something for others who care about their health and well being,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'I've added amino acids and have used plant based sweeteners erythritol and stevia which don't affect blood insulin like sugar.'

'I created this because I wanted it myself and to also create something for others who care about their health and well being,' he said

He said he has chosen to use taurine as opposed to caffeine because he believes it 'has so many more health benefits'.

Dene also explained that he knew he wouldn't be able to change alcohol consumption but said he knew he could find a healthier option.

Although there is no added sugar and no carbs, health experts have expressed concern about the product.

Dr Andy Towers, a senior lecturer at Massey University, told Stuff that these drinks are 'not necessarily anything new'.

He has chosen to use taurine as opposed to caffeine because he believes it 'has so many more health benefits'

Dene explained that he knew he wouldn't be able to change alcohol consumption but knew he could find a healthier option

'To be honest, I would still put them in the same package. There might be slight differences in the amounts of sugar, [but] this is not a health drink,' he told the publication.

'It's like a bullet coated in icing sugar  it's still a bullet.'

Dene responded by telling Daily Mail Australia that he agreed that alcohol 'is still not good for you'.

'I'm not trying to say that. I'm saying this is a healthier alternative,' he said.

'A ready-to-drink that is not full of sugar and artificial stuff and mainly water is always a better option.

'I'm sorry, no matter how qualified you are, that's basic.'

Dene is bringing out three vodka flavours, which are coconut, raspberry lemon and strawberry kiwi (stock image)

Dene took to his Facebook account to announce this business venture to friends.

'Pure Amino Vodka RTDs [ready-to-drinks] are mainly water so will keep you hydrated all night whilst drinking.

'They are flavoured and sweetened naturally, then I have dumped my four favourite amino acids into it,' he wrote.

'Now you can get the buzz of being drunk and the benefits of the amino acids while avoiding all the sugar, artificial stuff and reduce that awful hangover!'
She's Dolce & Gabbana's latest muse and Lady Amelia Windsor proved why the fashion world is enamoured with her as she stepped out in London on Friday.

The 21-year-old granddaughter of the Duke of Kent, the Queen's first cousin, showcased her sartorial flair as she stepped out in Knightsbridge ahead of the weekend.

The socialite and model donned a casual layered T-shirt and flared jeans, which she offset with leopard-print pumps and edgy shades.

Lady Amelia Windsor, who is the granddaughter of the Duke of Kent, the Queen's first cousin, showcased her sartorial flair as she stepped out in Knightsbridge on Friday

Walking alone, Lady Amelia Windsor listened to music as she navigated the busy London streets.

Her outing comes after she was hand-picked to star in the latest Dolce & Gabbana campaign.

Pouting in a bejwelled crown, Lady Amelia Windsor looked nothing short of a Renaissance princess as she posed for the camera.

While the young royal, who is 36th in line to the throne, no doubt has some dazzling jewels in her family, on this occasion the blue-blooded beauty was in fact making her campaign debut for Dolce & Gabbana.

The 21-year-old granddaughter of the Duke of Kent, the Queen's first cousin, was cast alongside Princess Olympia of Greece, celebrity offspring and a host of social media starlets for the Italian designer's Fall 2017 shoot.

The newly announced D&G model donned a casual layered T-shirt and flared jeans. She offset her casual look with leopard-print pumps and edgy shades

The beautiful millennials left locals in awe as they descended on a square in Palermo, on Sicily, for the marketplace shoot, showcasing the brands typically opulent designs against a backdrop of fruit stalls and rundown bric-a-brac stores.

They were cast alongside the daughters of Hollywood royalty, including Alessandra Garcia-Lorido, the daughter of Andy Garcia, Steve Harvey's stepdaughter Lori, and Corrine Foxx, the daughter of actor and musician Jamie Foxx.

She's signed to Storm - the same agency that represents Kate Moss - and has hinted that her interest in fashion extends beyond appearing in front of the camera in previous interviews.

She told Vogue she wanted to understand 'every aspect' of a fashion house - down to how fabrics are made.
A mother has taken the internet by storm with her hilarious videos giving no-holds-barred opinions on everything from push-up bras to toilet spray.

Fans admit to 'crying laughing' watching Antonella Brollini's brutally honest assessments which have racked up millions of views on her Facebook and YouTube pages.

The 43-year-old GPs' receptionist from Rossendale, only started 'vlogging' after making a bet with a friend in February over who could get the most likes on a Facebook post.

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Antonella Brollini has gained a loyal following online with her 5,000 YouTube subscribers tuning in to witness her brutally honest product reviews. Pictured, reviewing a bubble mask

Antonella says: 'I'd said to my friend Vicky, do you know what, it might be funny to do a review and see who can get the most likes for a 50p bet.

'My post got such a great response that people were saying I needed to do another review. I was like 'right, oo ook'.

'I'd seen people on the internet doing a similar thing but in a bit of a boring way. I just thought it could be a bit of a laugh.'

One of her most popular videos sees the blogger test a stick-on push-up bra that she gamely tries to make work with her 'JJ cup boobs'

Fans are now left in stitches with every new post she delivers, twice a week on her Antonella The Uncensored Reviewer accounts.

Her very first review - of Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby's Three Minute Belly Blitz fitness DVD - has now been watched a staggering 10m times.

She certainly doesn't mince her words - and is seen on the video talking about the workout saying: 'I thought three minute belly buster, I need three minutes on my belly, let me tell you - Nelly five bellies.

'I knew there had to be summat, I can't run because I **** myself, and fart at the same time. You do in your forties.'

Anonella began producing her videos after she and her friend placed a bet on who could rack up the most likes on Facebook. Pictured: Reviewing a face lift mask

Antonella now gets fan mail, romantic proposals as well as some indecent proposals from all across the world

She then talks about getting into the routine, saying: 'It gets to the end and I thought "Nell, you've found the exercise for you."

'Then do you know what she f***ing said? "Well done everybody. That's the warm-up, let's start the exercise." That's the warm up? Jesus Christ I need a paramedic!'

Antonella, talking about her review now, laughs: 'The warm up nearly killed me in itself, and it went global. It just snowballed from there really.'

With the huge interest, Antonella started to make her reviews more regular, with other big hits including her test of a 'VIPoo' fragrance spray for the toilet and a stick-on push-up bra that she gamely tries to make work with her 'JJ cup boobs', and more recently she tested out Morrisons' foot-long sausage roll.

I'm testing these things out honestly for the everyday normal woman so you know what not to waste your money

Antonella, mother to 22-year-old daughter Olivia, now gets fan mail, romantic proposals as well as some indecent proposals from all across the world.

She laughs: 'Men adore me. I get a lot of love letters and marriage proposals. But I don't take them seriously and I've got a fella anyway.'

It has become such a success that Antonella, nicknamed Nelly, now has two staff (her cousin John and his partner) working with her at her home in Haslingden to help manage the interest and she is hoping that soon she can make a full-time career out of the vlogs.

She is unapologetic about her colourful language in the posts, saying she's strictly for an over-18 audience.

She's also passionate about championing the ordinary woman and one of her most-liked recent posts saw her strut her stuff in a bikini as she encouraged women of all shapes and sizes not to feel pressured into slimming down to get a 'bikini body'.

One of her most-liked recent posts saw her strut her stuff in a bikini as she encouraged women of all shapes and sizes not to feel pressured into slimming down to get a 'bikini body'

Instead she led a battle cry for body confidence, saying: 'There's all this stuff in the papers and magazines, get yourself a bikini body be slim in six weeks. Why? Just so you can wear a bikini? Why do you put yourself through all that trauma?

'Look at me, not exactly anything sexy but I've got myself into a f***ing bikini, look!

'I'm a size 24 at bottom and size 30 on top, but I want a bikini, I don't want to cover up I'm going on holiday and I want a bikini.'

She went on: 'I'm not encouraging people to be morbidly obese or overweight, it's about being happy in your own skin. We were all born naked, love your lumps or bumps. Have that bit of confidence, regardless of size.'

Her followers, who she calls 'my little flowerpots' send her suggestions for things to review - and she insists that every review is open and honest because she pays for everything upfront that she features.

She says: 'I'm not going to start reviewing Porsches or anything like that, I don't think I'd fit in one for a start.

Antonella says that her fans are extremely defensive of her when she is trolled. Pictured, testing a charcoal mask

'It's beauty products, clothes, everyday stuff that normal women will use - yet in the industry it's being advertised by size zero models. I'm testing these things out honestly for the everyday normal woman so you know what not to waste your money on when it isn't worth buying.'

But she has a word of warning to anyone else thinking of setting up a blog or vlog is to 'be careful what you're getting yourself into.'

She says: 'If you take things to heart, then it's not for you.

'You get trolls everywhere, for me they're just boring. They say: "you're fat" and I say: "I know! Don't waste your data to say that to me."

'I've been quite fortunate really, the negative comments are usually about me being fat, and if all people can say is "you're fat" then I think it's doing OK.'

'God help them if they do call me fat because my followers, they're called my little flowerpots, they annihilate them! Jesus Christ, they're brave if they say it now!'

While Antonella is known for her broad northern accent, it may come as a surprise to many of her followers to learn that she was actually born in Italy, where she lived until she was 9 years old, and so English is actually her second language.

She says: 'I didn't move to this country til was I 9, not illegally I might add! In Italy I went to a primary school which was run by nuns and they were right nasty.

'Someone threw an apple at my head and I kicked her legs from under her and they expelled me for it. They thought I might be cursed by the devil I think, and that's when we came over to England.

'I see myself as British but when I got here I couldn't speak a word of English. It's funny now because my accent is so broad but it's obviously just the way I learnt English!'

She went to high school in Haslingden, before pursuing a career in the prison service, that certainly helped to give her thick skin.

She says: 'I think having worked in the security services you get a very special sense of humour, there's no filter at all with me.

'I've worked with prisoners, I've hit rock bottom, I've had human faeces smeared down my face, so bring on the trolls because nothing could be worse than that.'

Everything changed for Antonella when at the age of 37 she suffered a stroke - and her battle back to health gave her a new perspective.

She says: 'I went from working full time to having to learn how to talk again and going through that experience completely changed my outlook on life. It made me realise that you should always do today what you want because tomorrow is not promised.

'After getting through that, I got myself a little admin job as a patient care advisor in Rawtenstall - and I promise you I'm one of the few nice GP's receptionists!'

But while she enjoys her role in the NHS, she is now being approached for a number of media opportunities that may well be life-changing again for Antonella.

But she is philosophical about her new-found fame.

She laughs: 'If it all ends tomorrow I've had a whale of a time. If someone bigger and better comes along tomorrow then fine. I'm under no illusion that I'm going to become the next Madonna, but if it comes to something good then great.

'I'd like to think I could carry on doing the reviewing online and get my own little show, just being me really.

'I just like to make people smile.'

Antonella the Uncensored Reviewer broadcasts live on Sundays and Wednesdays on her Facebook and Youtube.
16 years and counting of talking about whatever catches my fancy. Mostly comics, books, and movies, but there can always be surprises.
In the Miss England pageant she proved she had beauty and brains.

But for winner Stephanie Hill, 22, the talents she showcased during the competition were simply the beginning.

The beauty queen, who beat out 49 other finalists to be crowned Miss England 2017 last month, demonstrated her impressive horse-riding skills as she took part in a countryside photo shoot in Hope Valley, Derbyshire, yesterday.

Talented: The 22-year-old, pictured with horse Piggles, is a prize-winning equestrian

English rose: The beauty queen also showed off a more demure side in a pink floral dress

The photo shoot is believed to have taken place to mark Afternoon Tea Week.

Stephanie donned a tweed riding jacket, boots and jodhpurs as she posed for pictures with her horse, Piggles, with whom she has competed in a number of competitions.

Stephanie is studying for a degree in radiotherapy.

In yet another wardrobe change, Stephanie also donned a feminine floral A-line dress, which she paired with her Miss England crown.

Stephanie was born in Dore, Sheffield, before moving to the Hope Valley, the region she represented in Miss England, at the age of five.

Prize-winner: Dressed in a riding jacket, Stephanie poses with her beloved horse Piggles

Taking home the crown: The radiotherapy student won Miss England 2017 last month

The talented scientist aspires to work in cancer research and has a passion for international oncology research and treatment methods.

In her spare time Stephanie enjoys competing in equestrian events, performing in musical theatre, dress making, playing the flute and guitar, and travelling.

In October Stephanie will fly to Singapore , followed by Sanya China to represent England at the Miss World final.
A woman who didn't leave her house for four years because of her deformed breasts is celebrating getting the boobs of her dreams after surgery with a cake shaped like her new chest.

Doctors Terry Dubrow and Paul Nassif fixed Chanel's completely deflated breasts after more than six hours of 'difficult' surgery shown on Thursday's episode of the E! reality series, Botched.

'I spent a decade being the person in the corner because I didn't want anyone to notice me. Now I'm ready to show everybody Dr. Dubrow's work,' she said as she celebrated the surgery's results with friends and family.

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Procedures: Chanel, a patient on Botched, was left with completely deformed breasts after three consecutive surgeries that left her nipples seemingly attached directly onto her chest

Hurrah! After paying a visit to E! reality star doctors Terry Dubrow and Paul Nassif, Chanel had her breasts repaired, and celebrated with a cake shaped like her new chest

Showing them off: 'I spent a decade being the person in the corner because I didn't want anyone to notice me. Now I'm ready to show everybody [my doctor's] work,' said Chanel

"I need you all to know when I go out I'ma be showing these t******!' she said after seeing the results of her latest surgery.

Previous to her life-changing surgery, Chanel spent years living overweight and with severe depression after three consecutive surgeries left her nipples seemingly attached directly onto her chest.

She admitted on the episode that she paid a cut-price surgeon in Utah just $3,500 for her first implants.

Although at first she was happy with the results and her new 34C breasts, she said after getting pregnant and gaining 94lbs, her boobs 'turned into pancakes'.

The mother tried to fix her breasts and went into the operation room two more times, but after her boobs became hard and different sizes, she had the implants removed.

Fourth time's the charm: The Botched patient shed 90lbs in order to be able to have surgery again, which both Dr. Dubrow and Dr. Nassif agreed she needed

Awful: After her first surgery, Chanel's breasts were initially perfect, however after she started putting on weight, they began to turn into 'pancakes'

Happy at first: Chanel admitted she paid just $3,500 for her first surgery (left), and after she got pregnant, they rapidly changed shape, eventually leaving her with totally deformed boobs

That's when depression kicked in and her weight ballooned to 282lbs after she turned to drinks and food to cope with her deformed chest.

Thankfully, Chanel began exercising a couple of years ago and shed 90lbs, which made her ready for surgery again, which doctors Dubrow and Nssif agred she needed.

The E! doctors first examined photos of Chanel and discussed her case, with Dubrow sounding especially alarmed by what he's seeing.

'They're at the very bottom of her breast tissue,' he said in reference to Chanel's nipples.

Describing the situation further, the surgeon added: 'The nipples are being tethered right to the chest wall at the breast crease.'

After pointing out that Chanel was 'missing breast tissue', a frustrated Dubrow asked his colleague to let Chanel in.

Beginnings: The patient had a breast augmentation, her original surgery, in 1999, after she turned 21, but was left devastated by the effect it eventually had on her breasts

A difficult case: E! Doctor Terry Dubrow was particularly alarmed with Chanel's case, revealing that her nipples were 'at the very bottom of her breast tissue'

Thanks, docs! Dr Dubrow spent six hours rebuilding Chanel's breasts in surgery, which he admitted was incredibly 'difficult'

The patient then explained she had a breast augmentation, her original surgery, in 1999, after she turned 21. Back then, everything seemed to be going well and she was 'really happy' with the results.

'It went perfect,' she says of the breast augmentation. 'It took me from an A to a C and they were beautiful.'

But went Chanel got pregnant, she added, her breasts turned into 'pancakes'.

'They deflated,' Dubrow commented with a knowing look.

'One was droopy and then one looked bigger,' Chanel recounted. Her doctor at the time recommended she get a breast lift.

What a change: 'I need you all to know when I go out I'ma be showing these t******!' a static Chanel said after seeing the results from her latest surgery

Celebration! After recovering from her surgery, Chanel was presented with a cake to commemorate her transformation

Happy as can be: Chanel couldn't wait to show off her new chest to her friends and family

Chanel took that advice, but the procedure didn't go as well as she'd hoped. That's when her breasts started getting 'a little bent in', she explained in the episode.

'Scar tissue formed [and] it sucked the lower portion of the breast tissue in,' Dubrow added.

At that point, Chanel decided she would be happy to go back to her original 32 A size, hoping things would return to normalbut they didn't.

'Sometimes, when you take the implant out, it induces the immune system to continue the contraction process and can actually make it look even worse,' Dubrow explains.

Chanel did consult plastic surgeons to try to restore her breast's appearance, but because she weight more than 282 pounds, she couldn't undergo a new procedure until now.

The new season of Botched airs Fridays on hayu and Tuesdays at 9pm on E!
Garance Dore was once told she was getting too old to have a child when she reached the age of 40.

The French blogger, who is now 42, opened up about her fertility struggles in a touching essay published on Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter on Friday.

She described how she and her fiance, jazz musician Chris Norton, tried for months to conceive a baby during a harrowing process that robbed her of her happiness and mental well-being.

Sharing: Garance Dore (pictured left earlier this month in New York right with fiance Chris Norton) opened up about her fertility struggles in a touching essay published on Friday

Garance began toying with the idea of becoming a parent when she was 37 years old. At the time, the blogger, who lived in New York for years before moving to LA earlier this year, was dating her fellow fashion blogger Scott Schuman.

'I was with a man I loved, but my new desire for kids didn't seem to find its space in our couple. Too many travels, too big an age difference, too many cultural differences,' she wrote about Scott, who is now 49.

The blogger briefly thought about having a baby on her own, but she quickly met Chris, who at the time was 39 and, like Garance, had no children.

While it was too early in the relationship to start talking about babies, Garance started thinking about her 'biological clock'.

'At 20, my grandma started telling me it was time to have a child. At 30, my mom went at it. Don't wait too much, it will be too late!!! Still not ready, but OK, listening. Add to that friends, doctors, and society's pressure,' she recounted.

Ultimately, though, Chris was the one who brought up the idea of children, jokingly at first.

Then, the pair got engaged two years ago, and a few months later, set out to try to become parents.

Garance, who was almost 41, went to see her OB-GYN, who promptly delivered alarming comments.

Story: Now 42, Garance explained how she an Chris (pictured with her) tried for months to conceive a child during a harrowing process that robbed her of her happiness

'Your levels of this are WAY TOO LOW,' Garance wrote, recounting the doctor's remarks.

'Your levels of that are WAY TOO HIGH. OMG, LOOK AT THESE FIBROIDS. At your age, I recommend an intrauterine insemination next month because we don't HAVE A MINUTE TO LOSE. NOT A MINUTE!!! At your age.'

The 'at your age' comment stuck with Garance, who followed her doctor's advice and had the intrauterine insemination.

This means doctors closely monitored the state of her eggs, and at the most suitable moment, her partner's sperm was placed inside her and she received her first dose of hormones.

My period would become the sign of the failure of my body, the failure of my femininity

But the procedure was unsuccessful, and as their attempts to conceive kept failing, Garance became disheartened every time she got her period.

'From then on, my period would become the sign of the failure of my body, the failure of my femininity, the failure of my life,' she wrote.

One day, her OB-GYN brought up IVF during a phone conversation, as well as a surgery to remove Garance's fibroids, but something didn't feel quite right for the blogger, who went to see another doctor.

Instead of surgery, that doctor told her to take hormones and steroids and to keep hoping.

That was, Garance recounted, 'the perfect chemical cocktail to make an already fragile woman completely crazy'.

'For those long months, I stopped living,' she added. 'I downloaded self-help books faster than it takes to say om. I stopped coffee, stopped alcohol, stopped eating, stopped going out, stopped traveling, stopped having fun. I started taking every color of vitamin there is, started putting my feet up after sex, and was very studious about reaching orgasm (yep, that too is recommended).'

Trying: After moving to LA in January, Garance had an IVF, but later learned the process had been unsuccessful and didn't result in a pregnancy

Turning a new leaf: At one point, the blogger (pictured with Chris and their dog Lulu) decided to stop desperately trying to get pregnant as it was making her miserable

The process took a toll on her mental state and caused 'terrible fights' with her fiance. Soon, the blogger found herself wracked with guilt and crying every day.

To make matters worse, her doctor called her a few months later pointing out that she would soon reach the age of 42 and implying it might be her last chance to get an IVF.

'After 42, clinics won't want you, because they don't want to make their statistics drop, you understand?' she wrote, recounting the doctor's words.

In January, Garance and Chris moved to LA. That month, she also had the IVF.

'At that point, I was just a zombie, obeying whatever whoever with a little bit of knowledge told me,' she wrote.

Despite her internal turmoils, the blogger still put on a brave face and joked as she learned to give herself five injections a day and handled vast quantities of medication.

But after the IVF results came in, Garance learned the procedure hadn't worked and wouldn't, in fact, enable her and Chris to become parents.

That was when she reached her breaking point.

'Nothing had prepared me for this. Nothing had prepared me for a year on toxic hormones, toxic talks, and toxic thoughts. A year of losing my mind, my joy, my love,' she wrote.

Past: Garance began toying with the idea of becoming a parent when she was 37 years old. At the time, she was dating her fellow fashion blogger Scott Schuman (pictured with her)

That day, a friend gave her the phone number of a psychic, whom Garance called, because she felt the need to talk.

During their exchange, the psychic told her: 'Physically, absolutely nothing is preventing you from having a child.'

Upon hearing those words, Garance felt like her soul 'suddenly woke up'.

'I decided to stop everything  including psychics  and try to learn to listen to myself,' she recounted. 'No more hormones, no more doctors. Just love and trust and patience.'

My story has helped me to understand the enormous amount of pressure that is put on women to be mothers

When she broke the news to Chris, he told her he loved her regardless of whether they were able to have children, and wanted her to start taking care of herself again.

The blogger pointed out that she wasn't going to end her essay with a surprise pregnancy announcement, and instead stressed how liberating it has been for her to be happy with her life as it is now.

'My story has helped me to understand the enormous amount of pressure that is put on women to be mothers, a pressure that I had completely internalized and that I question today,' she wrote.

'This idea of having a full life, of having it all. As if our lives couldn't be complete without children. The pressure, too, to use every possible means to have a child, because today if you want a baby, you're going to get one. If you don't, well, that means you didn't try enough.

'This has to stop.'

Garance pointed out that women are 'complete' even without their dream job, or a glamorous wedding, or a baby.

'My happy ending, I have it,' she added. 'I owe it to that child we might never have.'
Ivanka Trump is facing scathing criticism for her tribute to the victims of the terror attack in Barcelona, as many are accusing the First Daughter of ignoring the domestic terrorism in her own country.

After two separate terror attacks in Barcelona left 14 people dead on Thursday, Ivanka took to social media to honor the victims in Spain, saying she is 'deeply saddened by the ongoing actors of terrorism across the globe'.

'Terror anywhere imperils freedom everywhere. My thoughts and prayers are with the #Barcelona victims and their families,' she added, sharing a drawing featuring the hashtag #PrayForBarcelona.

Under fire: Ivanka Trump faced backlash on Friday after paying tribute to the victims of the terror attack in Barcelona

'Terror anywhere imperils freedom everywhere': The 35-year-old took to Instagram and Twitter on Friday to say she is praying for the victims and their families

Ivanka's message message came one day after an ISIS jihadi used a white Fiat van to strike pedestrians in Los Ramblas, Barcelona, on Thursday, leaving a reported 13 people dead and over 100 people injured.

Another woman was killed and five others were injured, when an Audi A3 plowed through the streets during a second attack in Cambrils, a seaside resort around 70 miles from Barcelona.

Although some people praised Ivanka for her message and prayers, others slammed her for failing to mention the victims who were killed while counterprotesting a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend.

'What about Charlottesville @ivankatrump? White supremacist terror is going on on our soil,' an Instagram user named Gretchen commented.

'Where was your post?' Many people called Ivanka a hypocrite for failing to offer prayer for those in Charlottesville, Virginia, following the race-fueled violence over the weekend

'Really? What about Charlottesville? Where was your support and prayer then?' someone else named Roxy asked, using the hashtags #fakesympathy #complicit.

'And Josee added: 'Sooo fakkke I prefer when you show off your dresses.'

Ivanka converted to Judaism to marry her husband Jared Kushner in 2009, and they are raising their three children to be practicing modern Jews.

The two both work as senior advisers for President Donald Trump, and many questioned how Ivanka could support her father's defense of the neo-Nazi protest in Charlottesville.

Getting personal: Ivanka converted to Judaism to marry her husband Jared Kushner in 2009, and many accused her of not properly condemning the anti-anti-Semitic marchers

'So when the people condoned by your father were chanting, "Jews will not replace us", how did you explain that to your children?' one person asked.

'Where was your post from Charlotesville? Your children are Jewish and your father stands with the KKK... Why do you stay quiet? As a Jewish woman I expect more form you,' another person added.

Even some fans of the First Daughter condemmed her for her post, with someone named Alex writing: 'Wow I really thought you were different from your father's ideology. But you too are simply the same.

'You sent prayers around the world, but neglect what's going on here in our country. Not even a message about Charlottesville? You're sad. How do you sleep at night?'

Timing: Ivanka and Jared were on vacation when President Trump blamed the Charlottesville violence on hatred and bigotry 'on many sides'. They are pictured earlier this month

'In fairness': A woman named Kate pointed 'in fairness' that Ivanka did release a tweet about Charlottesville right after it happened

Not enough? Ivanka took to Twitter on Sunday to condemn racism, white supremacy and neo-Nazis

Her message: The First Daughter urged American to come together and 'be one country united'

'Say her name': Following her Twitter message about the victims in Barcelona, Twitter users noted she never paid tribute to the victims in Charlottesville, particularly Heather Heyer

Despite the ongoing messages attacking Ivanka, a woman named Kate pointed 'in fairness' that Ivanka did release a tweet about Charlottesville right after it happened.

'There should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis, she tweeted on Sunday. 'We must all come together as American - and be one country UNITED. #Charlottesville.'

President Trump, who has a following among white supremacist groups, has come under fire for blaming the Charlottesville violence on hatred and bigotry 'on many sides'.

Ivanka and her family were on vacation in Vermont during her father's statements, and many believe her own message condemning racism and white supremacy wasn't enough.

Fan club: Although there was plenty of criticism on her social media pages, some people praised Ivanka for her words

Sympathy: Others actually admitted that they had empathy for Ivanka and the situation her father has put her in, while urging her to stand up to President Trump

Critics hit back at her for not mentioning Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old woman who was killed on Saturday when a car plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters gathered to oppose the 'Unite the Right' rally.

Following her social media post about Barcelona, a Twitter user named Cassandra responded to Ivanka by asking: 'What about #Charlottesville? Say her name: HEATHER HEYER.'

Although it appeared as though the majority of the comments on Ivanka's Twitter and Instagram posts were filled with criticism, there were those who gushed about the First Daughter.

'You are such a beautiful soul Ivanka! You are beauty, elegance & compassion all in one! God bless you & your beautiful family!' a woman named Danielle wrote.

Meanwhile, others actually admitted that they had empathy for Ivanka and the situation her father has put her in.

'I like you girl, but you need to stand up to that bigot father of yours,' one person wrote. 'I understand you're scared, but we are here for you.'
A three-foot-long elasticated tail doesnt sound like the most practical  or flattering  of fashion accessories.

But that hasnt stopped mermaid tails making waves as a rather unlikely trend.

The swimsuits are proving popular thanks to their shimmering, colourful designs and the fact they can help tone stomach muscles and improve fitness.

A string of celebrities have sported mermaid tails including Britney Spears, Myleene Klass, model Poppy Delevingne and most recently ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, who this week shared a video on Instagram of herself wearing a pink number while doing laps of a pool.

And it seems theyre a hit outside celebrity circles, too. British company Planet Mermaid  which sells a range of mermaid accessories and designed Miss Halliwells tail  said sales have soared by 65 per cent in the last year.

Scroll down for video

Myleene Klass has adopted the fishtail trend which is said to allow a swimmer to kick more powerfully

Mermaid schools have also been springing up in the UK for children, to help them become stronger swimmers, while mermaid experiences are on offer for youngsters and adults alike .

The movement of mermaiding  kicking with your legs together, also known as a dolphin kick  uses more core muscles than kicking your legs separately.

It is also more powerful than regular kicking and freedivers, who dont use breathing equipment, have long used mono-fins, which look like mermaid tails, to be able to swim deeper with each breath.

Splash! Model Poppy Delevingne (left) is seen here enjoying her mermaid tail in the sun like a true siren, while Britney Spears relaxed by the pool with her son (left) in her blue mermaid tail

Planet Mermaid founder Magdalena Jovanovic came up with her business idea to raise money after her son was diagnosed with autism.

She said: I found a gap in the market with mermaid tails and used my skillset as a costume designer to develop a collection that captures the mermaid movement.

Its one of those things that until youre in a tail, you just dont get it. But celebrities love them because of the instant transformation from human form to one-legged which offers a vulnerable out-of-water state but a powerful, magical in-water one.

There is also an undeniable fun quality; a mermaid kick is twice as fast as a human one.

With prices starting at 70, she has a new collection for adults set to be released this year.

In keeping with the growing trend, the 1984 Oscar-nominated film Splash  in which Tom Hanks played a man who falls in love with a mermaid, played by Daryl Hannah  is being remade, starring heart-throb actor Channing Tatum.

.........................................................................................................................................

At 43 I finally got to live out my childhood fantasy...and it went just swimmingly, SADIE NICHOLAS discovers

Shaking back my blonde hair, I shimmy to the waters edge and, with one deft flick of my long pink tail, I glide into the cool blue lagoon below.

I am Ariel from The Little Mermaid  at least for as long as I can hold my breath, anyway.

For, at the age of 43, I can indulge my childhood fantasy and become a mermaid for the day.

Bonkers? Oh yes, entirely, but I am not unusual in my secret proclivity. A generation of women like me has grown up enthralled by mermaids  their beauty, grace and irresistible, feminine allure.

Now, a whole industry has grown out of our fascination. Professional mermaid instructors Lisa Bousted, 44, and daughter Megan, 18, are two of a handful in the UK giving little girls and grown women the chance to grow a tail for the day.

Little Mermaid: Sadie Nicholas realised a lifelong dream when she became a mermaid

Lisa, who is based in Barnstaple, north Devon, runs Mermaids UK, offering everything from taster sessions to hen parties.

But emulating Ariel is not for the faint-hearted. Professional mermaids are incredible athletes. They boast stomach muscles like rocks and many can hold their breath for over four minutes. I reckon I will manage four seconds before the urge to gulp air consumes me. But first, one has to look the part. I sit on the pool-side where Megan helps me clip my feet into a mono-fin. Then I pull my pink Lycra tail fabric over it and up my legs.

I feel a momentary sense of panic. Realisation dawns that I can no longer walk and just balancing in the pool will be challenging, let alone performing any mermaid trickery. Lisa takes me through some breathing exercises that she promises will help me spend at least five seconds under water.

Sadie Nicholas becomes a mermaid for the day and said that it went smimmingly

First, I have to learn to float on my back, holding on to the side with one hand. Dead easy in a bikini on holiday, but with my fin heavy in the water and no legs to kick, I roll on to one side and panic when I cant right myself. On the fourth attempt I get the hang of it. And it is one hell of a workout.

Then the real test: undulating like a mermaid on my back across the pool. I feel like the uncoordinated fool at the back of an aerobics class, spluttering and flailing with arms and tail moving in the wrong directions.

Pupils at Lisas MerKingdom are taught other skills including 360-degree turns and even dance routines.

I feel these are beyond me, but any mermaid worth her scales has to venture beneath the surface.

So, we practise the breathing exercises again and under I go. I forget to count to five as Lisa had taught me, so desperate am I to get above water again.

But finally I manage it! And whats more, I do it again at least another 20 times (all in the name of trying to get a decent photo). With each dive I feel less frightened and I even manage to open my eyes under water.

Im no Ariel and in the end we concede that the photographer will have to settle for capturing me as a grimacing rather than graceful sea creature. But its actually been an uplifting experience in which Ive started conquering a fear.

Being a mermaid is pure escapism, a chance to dip my fin back into the magic and wonder of childhood. Its easy to see why so many grown women are clamouring to try it.
As a rule, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to granting interviews, so the fact that they have only spoken to Vogue about their newest fragrance launches is unsurprising.

And when the 31-year-old twins do give interviews, they very seldom reveal any details about their private lives.

The new Vogue piece isn't an exception to that per se, but in between discussing the notes behind the two additions to their Elizabeth and James Nirvana line, Amethyst and French Grey, they do open up ever-so-slightly about growing up in the spotlight and their earliest scent memories.

They smell twice as nice! Twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, 31, celebrated the launch of their two new Elizabeth and James Nirvana fragrances earlier this week

What can't they do? The designer duo is behind both the Elizabeth and James line (named for their siblings) and their high-end collection The Row

While celebrities often reference the smell of their grandma's home or the perfume their mother wore as their introduction to fragrance, Ashley and Mary-Kate are more specific.

'For us, when we were in, like, the seventh grade, people loved Clinique Happy,' Mary-Kate, who is married to French banker Olivier Sarkozy, 58, told the magazine. 'That was a big moment. I didnt personally wear it, but I remember that being very popular.'

'Our [thing] was more oils,' added Ashley. 'One of our parents friends was very hippie, and she would take us on outings to go mix our oils and lotions in Topanga Canyon. Those are more the experiences that I remember. They were much more personal and creative.'

Perhaps those fragrance adventures were also where the duo behind The Row also picked up their love of sage and crystals, which Ashley said they keep everywhere.

'I sage everything, all the time. Constantly sage-ing,' Mary-Kate volunteered. 'I dont want bad energy.'

Starting young: 'We were, like, born in a hair and makeup chair,' Mary-Kate said in an interview with Vogue, referencing the time the twins spent playing Michelle Tanner on Full House

A perfectly polished toe in the door: From about the time they were 12, Mary-Kate and Ashley (pictured here in 2002) worked in the 'beauty industry at a very mass level' for almost a decade

Their personal preference for all things niche extends to almost every facet of their lives but it may well have been born from their initial mass appeal, both as actresses on Full House and their subsequent kid-friendly movies, and their entre into the beauty business.

'We were, like, born in a hair and makeup chair, so we were exposed to all those things at a very young age,' Ashley told the fashion glossy. 'Then we worked with the beauty industry on a very mass level when we were 12 for seven or eight years, where we learned a lot about the business and packaging.'

Despite those formative years and their clearly successful business (Elizabeth and James has been around for ten years), Mary-Kate is adamant that there's nothing mass about the scents in the Nirvana collection.

Shop it: Elizabeth and James Nirvana Amethyst (left) and French Grey (right) are available in three sizes ($28-$85) at sephora.com

'Amethyst and French Grey continue to build upon the story of Nirvana as we further explore notes that Ashley and I are drawn to - dark and rich, light and floral,' Mary-Kate said in a press release for the scents.

Nirvana Amethyst blends notes of tobacco, honeysuckle and cedarwood, while Nirvana French Grey is comprised of lavender, neroli and musk.

'I think when you smell the fragrances, [you can tell] theyre not made with a commercial intention,' Mary-Kate said. 'Theyre really quite niche and very considered.'

She was quick to explain that while she and Ashley are consistently drawn to vanilla, sandalwood and musk, not all notes are created equal.

'When I say these things, I mean it very specifically: the right sandalwood, the right musk,' she said in the Vogue story.

How exacting: As the twins, who turned 31 in June, have grown up, they've embraced a love of sage, crystals and musk - but only certain types of musk

All things considered: 'I think when you smell the fragrances, [you can tell] theyre not made with a commercial intention,' Mary-Kate said. 'Theyre really quite niche and very considered.'

Another thing the twins are particular about is how their scents are used.

'When we talked about how we wear fragrances, we didnt really want to get into shampoo, conditioner, body soap,' Mary-Kate added.

Dry shampoo, however, is always on the table. Nirvana Black and White as well as last year's Bourbon and Rose have also found second homes as souped-up hair perfume.

'...When you give someone a hug and youre like, "Oh, my god, whats in your hair, what did you use," its part of that warmth, that comfort,' continued Mary-Kate.
At least 10 women each day are approaching lawyers demanding compensation for the life-changing damage caused to their bodies by controversial vaginal mesh, it has emerged.

Following cries for the scandal-hit procedure to be halted, backed by MailOnline, floods of affected women who have had their lives destroyed by such devices have sought help from Wedlake Bell.

The leading London-based legal firm have been inundated with desperate requests from outraged women seeking answers and action since it launched an email inbox dedicated to dealing with those afflicted.

The alarming figures follow our revelations that the NHS has chosen to ignore damning studies that showed the vaginal mesh complication rates to be significantly higher than officials are willing to admit.

Thousands of British women are known to have been left suicidal, unable to have sex and plagued with infections as a result of the controversial procedure - but those responsible are trying to sweep the issue under the carpet.

Following cries for the scandal-hit vaginal mesh procedure to be halted, floods of affected women who have had their lives destroyed by such devices have sought legal help

WHAT ARE VAGINAL MESH IMPLANTS? Vaginal mesh implants are devices used by surgeons to treat pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence in women. Usually made from synthetic polypropylene, a type of plastic, the implants are intended to repair damaged or weakened tissue in the vagina wall. Other fabrics include polyester, human tissue and absorbable synthetic materials. Some women report severe and constant abdominal and vaginal pain after the surgery. In some, the pain is so severe they are unable to have sex. Infections, bleeding and even organ erosion has also been reported Advertisement

David Golten, partner at Wedlake, spoke of his grave concerns towards the surgery and has backed campaigns to call for an end to brittle vaginal mesh implants, which erode inside women and leave them in a lifetime of pain.

He told MailOnline: 'Our dedicated email address for people to communicate with us only went up around two months ago. In the last few weeks we are getting 10 new approaches a day.'

Mr Golten added: The Mail has a history of successful campaigns. We hope that it will reach out to the women whose lives have been ruined by these devices and encourage them to join the efforts to get it banned.

Media campaigns are so important because the more women there are, the stronger their [those affected women] voice is.' He said such media attention applies pressure on the Government and on the NHS to take action to stop using the devices.

But these are figures are just the tip of the iceberg and are from just Wedlake, who specialise in taking action on vaginal mesh. It is unknown how many other women affected requested legal help from other firms.

'THE DAY BEFORE MESH SURGERY I RAN 5K, NOW I WET MYSELF' A mother-of-five who had a vaginal mesh implant fitted for mild stress incontinence now has to rush to the toilet and has even wet herself on several occasions as a result of the procedure. Julie Gilsennan, 41, from Liverpool, had an implant fitted on February 1 as she would experience leaking if she coughed, sneezed or lifted something heavy, which was impractical given her job as a paramedic. Although she can now sneeze without leaking, Ms Gilsennan has been left with an overactive bladder that makes her desperate for the toilet within 20 minutes of drinking. Previously highly active, Ms Gilsennan even ran 5km the day before having the implant fitted, yet she now struggles to move as she suffers unbearable pain. The agony has even forced her to quit her highly-challenging career as a paramedic in order to work from home alone. Ms Gilsennan was told she would need up to six weeks off work after having the mesh fitted, however, she has been unable to return to work as a paramedic and instead works from home processing complaints to the ambulance service. She said: 'I loved my job, I did it for 12 years. I miss being out on the road with colleagues and talking to people. Now I'm trapped inside my house. 'I'm in immense pain permanently. It's like a cheese wire, glass pain in my groin. 'I also have constant pain across my hips as if I have arthritis. I can't return to work as a paramedic.' Previously highly active, Ms Gilsennan even ran 5km the day before having the implant fitted, yet she now struggles to move as she suffers unbearable pain Advertisement

Wedlake hand out questionnaires to all new members of Sling The Mesh, a campaign group dedicated in fighting for an end to the practice which has seen its member count double to 2,600 since April - when the scandal first came to light.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MESH Different types of mesh implants include: Mini-sling: This implant is embedded with a metallic inserter. It sits close to the mid-section of a woman's urethra. The use of an inserter is thought to lower the risk of cutting during the procedure.

This implant is embedded with a metallic inserter. It sits close to the mid-section of a woman's urethra. The use of an inserter is thought to lower the risk of cutting during the procedure. TVT sling : Such a sling is held in place by the patient's body. It is inserted with a plastic tape by cutting the vagina and making two incisions in the abdomen. The mesh sits beneath the urethra.

: Such a sling is held in place by the patient's body. It is inserted with a plastic tape by cutting the vagina and making two incisions in the abdomen. The mesh sits beneath the urethra. TVTO sling : Inserted through the groin and sits under the urethra. This sling was intended to prevent bladder perforation.

: Inserted through the groin and sits under the urethra. This sling was intended to prevent bladder perforation. TOT sling : Involves forming a 'hammock' of fibrous tissue in the urethra. Surgeons often claim this form of implant gives them the most control during implantation. Advertisement

New women are asked if they want to obtain legal help for their life-changing side effects. So far that 250 have returned them with clear indications that they are happy to proceed in seeking action from lawyers.

But Mr Golten added that there are lots more, probably in the region of 10,000 across England and Wales, who have yet to realise the true extent of damage that the mesh may have done to their body.

Mr Golten said he suspects the true rate of adverse effects to be much closer to the 10 per cent mark, in line with various medical journals, despite the NHS and MHRA stating it to be 1 to 3 per cent.

Earlier this week, MailOnline reported on a host of evidence that clearly shows adverse effects of the surgery to strike up to 40 per cent of women. Others suggest it could be as high as 75 per cent.

Such studies encouraged doctors to suspend the procedures in three US states, with the device being considered high-risk across America for nearly a decade, as officials accept that up to 40 per cent of women may experience injury.

Senior doctors have already called for a public inquiry into its use in Britain, saying it could be akin to the thalidomide scandal. The procedure, used to treat childbirth problems, has seen more than 800 women sue the NHS and device manufacturers.

Figures estimate that more than 92,000 women in England underwent vaginal mesh procedures between 2006 and 2016.
Teenagers who use electronic cigarettes are four times more likely to go on to smoke tobacco, researchers have found.

The study is the first UK evidence that vaping may act as a gateway to smoking - a finding that will fuel the ongoing row about the benefits and dangers of e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes contain a liquid form of nicotine that is heated into vapour to be inhaled, avoiding the harm caused by tobacco smoke.

Around 3million adults in Britain have used e-cigarettes in the decade or so that they have been on the market.

The study is the first UK evidence that vaping, pictured, may act as a gateway to smoking - a finding that will fuel the ongoing row about the benefits and dangers of e-cigarettes

Health experts agree that the devices are much safer than smoking tobacco  and the gadgets are thought to have helped 22,000 people quit smoking each year.

Public health experts in the UK view the devices as a crucial tool in the fight against tobacco, and plans are in place to eventually make them available on prescription through the NHS.

But others are concerned about unresolved safety concerns and are particularly worried about their use among young people.

These fears have been inflamed by a series of studies from the US which have warned many teenagers use the gadgets, attracted by the exotic flavours on offer - and that they are more likely to graduate to smoking tobacco later.

Doctors in the UK have repeatedly insisted there is no evidence this is also the case in this country.

But the new study, published in the BMJ journal Tobacco Control, suggests for the first time that the robust association between vaping and smoking exists in this country as well.

The study is the first UK evidence that vaping may act as a gateway to smoking - a finding that will fuel the ongoing row about the benefits and dangers of e-cigarettes, pictured

Experts led by the University of Leeds examined survey responses from 2,836 pupils from 20 schools in England at the age of 13 and 14, and again a year later, when they were 14 and 15.

Among those who had never smoked but had tried an e-cigarette, 34 per cent tried smoking tobacco over the year.

Among the group who had not smoked and never used an e-cigarette, only 9 per cent tried tobacco.

The researchers, however, pointed out that they only asked whether the pupils had experimented with tobacco - meaning some of them may have only tried it once.

Study leader Professor Mark Conner of the University of Leeds said: The findings suggest that among the teenagers who had never smoked, the use of e-cigarettes was a strong predicator that within 12 months they would have tried a conventional cigarette.

The study is the first UK evidence that vaping may act as a gateway to smoking - a finding that will fuel the ongoing row about the benefits and dangers of e-cigarettes, pictured

It is impossible to say if these young people were just experimenting with cigarettes or were becoming more regular smokers.

Among those who had already tried tobacco at the beginning of the study, those who had also tried e-cigarettes were more likely to increase the frequency of their smoking, although the scientists stressed that these results were too weak to be classed as statistically significant.

The scientists said it is plausible that the use of e-cigarettes normalises smoking or leads to nicotine addiction - although, as of yet, there is no evidence of that.

It has been illegal in the UK to sell e-cigarettes or vaporising liquids to anyone under the age of 18 since October 2015.

Professor Kamran Siddiqi of the University of York, who also worked on the study, said: Our study highlights the value of regulating marketing and sale of e-cigarettes to adolescents. The UK has introduced strong regulatory measures in this regard. It is important to enforce these measures effectively and remain vigilant by closely monitoring e-cigarette use in minors.

Other experts last night stressed the research had only demonstrated a trend - not proven that e-cigarettes lead to tobacco used.

Professor Linda Bauld of the University of Stirling, said: This study does not provide evidence that using e-cigarettes causes young people to become smokers.

It simply shows that some teenagers who try an e-cigarette might go on to try tobacco, and on both occasions it could be just once.

If e-cigarettes were causing smoking, then the steady decline in youth smoking weve seen in national surveys in recent years would be reversed. But its not - smoking amongst young people in the UK is at an all-time low.

Rosanna OConnor of Public Health England said: While young peoples experimentation with e-cigarettes has been going up, smoking rates have been falling fast. In US studies claiming similar findings, the actual numbers of young people who go from vaping to smoking are very small.

New UK research will be published later this year bringing together multiple UK studies. All these studies find that while experimentation with vaping by young people is not uncommon, regular use is rare with the great majority being current or ex-smokers.
A toddler who fell over 100 times a day due to a one-in-a-million disorder, which gradually robbed her of the ability to stand, crawl and sit, has finally learnt to walk again.

Kate Gulo, two, from Rosemont, Illinois, learned how to walk just before she turned one and would run, jump and dance everywhere.

Yet, just six months later, she became abnormally wobbly on her feet, which doctors initially dismissed as an ear infection.

After suffering shaky hands, insomnia and rage attacks that were '20 times worse than a normal tantrum', Kate was eventually diagnosed with a rare condition known as Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome (OMS) and is responding well to treatment.

Kate's mother Teresa, 30, said: 'She is walking and jumping and running, pretty much like a normal two-year-old. It feels like the doctors saved her life and ours too.

'We don't know what the future holds but we will keep fighting this with our little "SuperKate".'

A toddler fell over 100 times a day due to a one-in-a-million autoimmune disorder

Kate Gulo, two, learned how to walk just before she turned one, and would run and dance

The condition stopped her from standing (pictured with her parents and brother JJ, 10 months)

WHAT IS OPSOCLONUS MYOCLONUS SYNDROME? Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome (OMS) is a rare condition that develops in early childhood. Symptoms include unsteadiness, jerky movements, insomnia, irritability and involuntary, rapid eye movements. OMS is thought to be an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body mistakes itself for a pathogen, which causes the immune system to attack. Treatment includes dampening down the immune system via medication, or chemo- or radiotherapy. Source: Great Ormond's Street Hospital Advertisement

'We will keep fighting this with our little "SuperKate"'

Her mother, who gave up work as a teaching assistant to look after Kate, said: 'We cried so much when she got back up on her feet.

'There was a point when we didn't know how much more downhill her condition could go.

'We started thinking, "Will she ever walk again?" It was devastating to see.

She said: 'Now she is walking and jumping and running, pretty much like a normal two-year-old.

'It feels like the doctors saved her life and ours too.

'We don't know what the future holds but we will keep fighting this with our little "SuperKate".'

Six months after walking, she became abnormally wobbly due to a suspected ear infection

Kate had shaky hands and rage outbursts that were '20 times worse than a normal tantrum'

Kate was eventually diagnosed with a condition known as Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome

She is responding to treatment and speech therapy (pictured with her father Kenny Gulo, 37)

Yet, Kate is expected to have relapses in the future (pictured with her mother Teresa, 30)

'It was devastating not having any answers'

Kate learned how to walk just before she turned one, yet, just six months later, her mother and father Kenny Gulo, 37, a public works laborer, noticed she had become abnormally wobbly on her feet.

She would struggle to walk in a straight line and by October last year was toppling over every time she took a few steps.

In an 18 month check-up, her parents were told she likely had an ear infection.

Yet, Kate's condition continued to deteriorate over the next three months.

Her mother said: 'Before she was just a normal toddler-she might fall a couple of times a day.

'We started to notice that she couldn't walk in a straight line any more and her gait got a lot wider.

'She would trip and lose her balance and fall completely over. At first it was 20 times a day.

By January she was falling over up to 10 times in five minutes or even 100 times a day.

Kate also developed shaky hands, fluttery eyelids, insomnia and rage attacks that were '20 times worse than a normal tantrum'.

The following month the problem became so severe she was unable to crawl, stand or even sit on the floor without falling.

When Kate's mother went into hospital in mid-October 2016 to have her second child, called JJ, now 10 months, Kate also saw a neurologist.

She was incorrectly diagnosed with a condition known as cerebellar ataxia, which is characterized by an unsteady walk.

Although Kate was discharged soon afterwards, her balance did not improve.

Her mother said: 'We started keeping her from walking. We would sit her on the couch and give her her iPad because we didn't want her to get hurt.

'We didn't feel we could take her anywhere.

'She could hit her face on the corners of tables and was falling 50 to 100 times a day. It was constant.

'It was devastating not having any answers.'

Before her diagnosis, Kate's parents would avoid taking her out and just give her an iPad

Since learning to walk again, Kate's mother says she is essentially a 'normal toddler'

Despite her frequent hospital visits, Kate's parents are hopeful she will one day be therapy-free

Now a 'normal' toddler

In February Kate's parents took her to hospital after she struggled to sit by herself.

Doctors at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago carried out brain scans and diagnosed Kate with OMS, which affects the nervous system.

Within days she began taking her first steps and her mother says she is essentially a 'normal' toddler; although there is a chance she could relapse.

Kate continues to have regular hospital visits and undergoes physical, occupational and speech therapy, but her parents are hopeful she will one day be treatment-free.

Joanna Blackburn, Neurologist at Lurie Children's, said: 'Kate has been treated with multiple immune therapies.

'Her ataxia (difficulty with balance and coordination) has significantly improved and he abnormal eye movements have stopped.

'At her last visit she was walking well and climbing on chairs and strollers by herself.

'OMS is a very rare disorder. It is quoted to affect at 1:1,000,000.'

Donate towards Kate's medical expenses here.
Cognitive behavioural therapy stops people procrastinating by enforcing useful actions, new research reveals.

All of a study's participants stopped putting things off after having online or face-to-face group sessions, a study found.

The participants also saw improvements in their anxiety and wellbeing, the research adds.

Yet, six months later, only those who received face-to-face group sessions continued to benefit, which may be due to them having the support of others with similar experiences.

CBT aims to replace problematic behaviours and has been shown to work for some mental health disorders by teaching people how to cope with anxiety.

CBT stops people procrastinating by enforcing useful behaviours, research suggests (stock)

'ELECTRIC SHOCK' THERAPY MAY NOT BE AS BAD AS IT SOUNDS: SOME 80% WOULD READILY HAVE IT AGAIN Electric shock therapy may not be as bad as it sounds, research revealed back in June. Some 80 per cent of patients who have undergone the procedure say they would readily have it again, a study found. While 70 per cent believe it is more effective than conventional medication, the research adds. When asked about their experience of electric shock treatment, also known as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), patient comments included 'overall it was pleasant', while a carer said 'it was the best thing that my wife could have had'. Study author Dr Latha Guruvaiah from the Tamil Nadu Medical Council in India, said: 'Many treatment options are available now for psychiatric disorders but still ECT is considered as an effective treatment and has been found to be potential lifesaver in many cases.' ECT is mainly used in patients with severe, life-threatening depression who have not responded to medication or therapy. Advertisement

How the study was carried out

Researchers from Stockholm University asked student volunteers to fill out a questionnaire that assigns people a procrastination score on a scale of one to 60.

People were defined as procrastinators if they scored 40 or above.

Over eight weeks, the researchers tested two types of CBT.

Some 48 of the participants received weekly, online sessions that provided them with reading materials, exercises and advice.

Another group of 44 people received fortnightly in-person sessions in groups of 12, which were led by a pair of therapists.

CBT improved all of the participants' procrastinating

Results revealed that all of the participants showed an improvement to their procrastinating after either type of CBT.

Study author Alexander Rozental said: 'We saw large effects. Their scores dropped by around 10 points, and by the end of the treatment, 34 per cent had scores similar to the average population.'

The participants also saw improvements in their academic performance, anxiety and wellbeing.

Six months later, those receiving the in-person therapy had their procrastination scores improve by a further four points, yet those who had online sessions slipped back to their original state.

The researchers believe group therapy may be more effective because it helps to hear from, and be supported by, others who have had similar experiences.

Dr Bruce Fernie, a psychological researcher at King's College London, who was not involved in the study, adds that procrastination can be useful if people believe they can perform the task better at a later date.

Yet, unintentional procrastination can be problematic.

He said: 'This can affect exam performance and interpersonal relationships. It is important to treat this type.'

Only those receiving face-to-face group sessions continued to benefit for six months (stock)

What is CBT?

CBT aims to change problematic behaviours and replace them with more useful ones.

This has been shown to be effective for certain mental health disorders, such as phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder, by teaching people how to cope with anxiety.

Past research reveals people who regularly procrastinate often say it affects their lives, and can make them feel anxiety, guilt and shame. It is unclear how CBT specifically benefits procrastinators.

Mr Rozental added: 'Procrastination can affect your health if you put off exercise or going to the doctor.'
Man-made narcotic fentanyl is killing more and more people in America's urban centers at an alarming rate, a new analysis has shown.

The rate of deaths in cities related to the synthetic opioid shot up 600 percent from 2014 to 2016, with the steepest increases seen in New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Cleveland.

East Coast cities have traditionally had higher overdose rates but the numbers emphasize how cities like Chicago - where the death rate saw a 2,700 percent increase - are being ravaged by fentanyl.

The drug - which can be 50 times stronger than heroin - killed 582 people in large cities in 2014. And by 2016, that number was up to 3,946.

As America struggles to control the escalating opioid crisis, officials warn that the fentanyl death rate will only increase in 2017, according to the new analysis of CDC data by the Washington Post.

The number of fentanyl overdose deaths in America's largest cities rapidly increased between 2014 and 2016, as the synthetic opioid's role in the drug crisis continues to grow

In Philadelphia nine people died of a fentanyl overdose in 2012. In 2014, that total rose to 100 and it quadrupled in 2016.

The city's health commissioner, Thomas Farley, said in the new report that Philadelphia is averaging 100 fentanyl overdose deaths a month this year.

The number of people who overdosed on fentanyl statewide in Pennsylvania - which has been hit particularly hard by the opioid crisis - jumped to 2,000 last year.

This marks the first time in recent history that heroin was not the deadliest overdose drug in Pennsylvania.

'If anything can be likened to a weapon of mass destruction in what it can do to a community, it's fentanyl. It's manufactured death,' Michael Ferguson of the Drug Enforcement Administration told the Washington Post.

Farley agreed, saying that he predicts fentanyl will kill more people than the AIDS epidemic.

'You'd have to go back to the influenza pandemic of 1918 if you even wanted to start making comparisons,' he said.

America's drug crisis killed about 60,000 people last year - and half of those deaths were attributed to opioids.

Fentanyl can be ordered from China or bought from Mexico and it is wildly profitable for traffickers

Fentanyl specifically has proven particularly dangerous and experts think one reason for this is that people often do not know it has been mixed in with other drugs they buy.

People addicted to fentanyl have started buying street versions of the prescription drug - which is often suggested to treat severe pain associated with advanced cancer.

OTHER NAMES FOR ILLICIT FENTANYL The legal versions of fentanyl are prescribed to alleviate severe pain associated with advanced cancer. Illegally-made fentanyl, which can be ordered from China or bought from Mexico, is often mixed with heroin or cocaine. Other names for the drug purchased on the dark web or from a trafficker include: Apache

China Girl

China Town

Dance Fever

Friend

Goodfellas

Great Bear

He-Man

Jackpot

King Ivory

Murder 8

Tango & Cash Advertisement

The illegally-made version is commonly mixed in with heroin or cocaine to make their effects stronger.

In 2016 the CDC reported that 'most of the increases in fentanyl deaths over the last three years do not involve prescription fentanyl but are related to illicitly-made fentanyl that is being mixed with or sold as heroin - with or without users' knowledge - and increasing as counterfeit pills.'

Last year a New Haven, Connecticut, hospital treated 12 patients for overdoses in just eight hours. All of them thought they were using cocaine but had purchased fentanyl instead and a quarter of the patients died.

In Philadelphia, at least 162 people died from a fentanyl-cocaine concoction last year. That translates to almost one death from the combination every other day.

And in New York, of the 600 fentanyl-related overdose deaths last year, 115 were caused by that same mixture.

The steep increase in fentanyl-cocaine deaths over the past couple of years was present in Cleveland too.

The medical examiner in Cleveland's Cuyahoga County said that cocaine laced with fentanyl doubled the number of African American fentanyl-related deaths last year.

For those without a fentanyl prescription, finding the illicit drug is relatively easy.

According to the DEA - despite efforts to tame its effects in the US - fentanyl has become more widely available in recent years.

Fentanyl is supplied to people in the US by online orders from China as well as drug trafficking from Mexico.

'The supply lines for fentanyl and heroin are often essentially the same. Heroin traffickers who travel to the Southwest border to purchase heroin now also purchase fentanyl from the same Southwest border sources of supply,' the DEA said.

The DEA pointed out that the drug is wildly profitable for traffickers.

Traffickers can buy a kilogram of the drug in powder form from a Chinese supplier for a few thousand dollars.

From there, they can create from that one kilogram hundreds of thousands of pills and sell the counterfeit pills for millions of dollars.
In the natural course of events, humans fall sick and die. Patients hope for miraculous remedies to restore their health.

We all want our medicines to work for us in wondrous ways. But how are human subjects chosen for experiments? Who bears the burden of risk? What ethical brakes keep scientific enthusiasm from overwhelming vulnerable populations? Who goes first?

Today, the question of underrepresented minorities in medical experimentation is still volatile. Minorities, especially African-Americans in the U.S., tend to be simultaneously underrepresented in medical research and historically exploited in experimentation.

My new book, 'Secret Cures of Slaves: People, Plants, and Medicine in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic,' zeroes in on human experimentation on Caribbean slave plantations in the late 1700s. Were slaves on New World sugar plantations used as human guinea pigs in the same way African-Americans were in the American South centuries later?

John Quier, a British doctor working in rural Jamaica, wanted to know whether one could safely inoculate menstruating or pregnant women or newborn infants (file image circa 1800)

This is a lancet used to make small punctures (generally four or five) in the arm or leg for the purpose of inoculation - an early attempt at vaccination, infecting slaves with illnesses

Exploitative experiments with slaves

History is littered with exploitative experiments in humans. The Tuskegee syphilis experiment is probably one of the most infamous.

From 1932 to 1972, the U.S. Public Health Service offered 600 African-American men food, free medical care and burial insurance for participating in the study.

About 400 of these poor Alabamans had syphilis. The government studied the natural progression of the disease until death, even though penicillin was an easy, cheap and safe cure.

John Quier, a British doctor working in rural Jamaica, wanted to know whether one could safely inoculate menstruating or pregnant women or newborn infants

This type of medical testing  empirical study through controlled trials  began in earnest in the late 1700s. Many poor souls were subjected to medical testing.

In Europe and its American colonies, drug trials tended to overselect subjects from the poor and wards of the state, such as prisoners, hospital patients and orphans.

Most experimental subjects came from the same groups used for dissection  that is, persons with no next of kin to insist on burial rites or to pay for expensive cures.

I was surprised to learn that, in many instances, doctors did not  as might be expected  use slaves as guinea pigs. Slaves were valuable property of powerful masters. The master's will prevailed over a doctor's advice.

A British physician in Jamaica reported he had developed a 'perfect cure' for yaws, a horrid tropical infection of the skin, bones and joints bred of poverty and poor sanitation.

The experimental treatment was slated to take three or four months. The masters, not caring to 'lose their Slaves' labor' for so long, denied the doctor's request.

However, numerous slaves were exploited in medical experiments at this time. John Quier, a British doctor working in rural Jamaica, freely experimented with smallpox inoculation in a population of 850 slaves during the 1768 epidemic.

A sugar mill circa 1660. Londa Schiebinger, a professor at Stanford University, sheds light on how slave owners tested medical experiments on people in her book Secret Cures Of Slaves

Inoculation, a precursor to vaccine, involved inducing a light case of the disease in a healthy person in hopes of immunizing that person for life.

Quier was employed by slave owners and would have inoculated plantation slaves for smallpox, with or without his scientific experiments. In all instances, masters had the final word. There was no issue of slave consent, or, for that matter, often physician consent.

But Quier did not simply inoculate to prevent disease. We see from his reports that he used slaves to explore questions that doctors in Europe dared not.

In his letters to London, Quier reported that he sometimes inoculated repeatedly in the same person...following what he considered of interest to science  not necessarily what was best for the human being in front of him

He wanted to know, for example, whether one could safely inoculate menstruating or pregnant women.

He also wanted to know if it was safe to inoculate newborn infants or a person already suffering from dropsy, yaws or fever and the like.

In his letters to colleagues in London, Quier reported that, to answer these questions, he sometimes inoculated repeatedly in the same person and at his own expense.

Throughout his experiments, when pressed, Quier followed what he considered of interest to science  and not necessarily what was best for the human being standing in front of him.

Gender and science

The history of human experimentation is not merely about subjects used and misused, but also about subjects excluded from testing  and, as a consequence, from the potential benefits of a cure.

Today, medical researchers struggle to include women in clinical trials. It's impossible to say when women were defined out as proper subjects of human research. But women were regularly included in medical research in the 18th century.

In 1721, the iconic Newgate Prison trials in England tested the safety and efficacy of smallpox inoculation. Of the elected six condemned criminals, there were three women and three men, matched as closely as possible for age.

Women also featured in Quier's experiments, raising explosive questions about differences among women, many of which were about race.

For example, his London colleagues wondered whether his smallpox experiments done on 'Negro women' were valid for English women.

'Some gentlemen' in London were concerned that experiments done on slave women were not valid for 'women of fashion, and of delicate constitutions.'

Treatments appropriate for enslaved women, they warned, might well destroy ladies of 'delicate habits, educated in European luxury.'

Doctors would test smallpox inoculation on slave women that they said were 'not valid' for 'women of fashion' in England. Pictured: A painting called The Plantation, circa 1825, at the Met

African contributions to science

African, Amerindian and European knowledges mixed on Caribbean sugar plantations.

Europeans had little experience with the tropical disease they encountered in the Caribbean, but Africans did. One of my purposes in this book is to expand our knowledge of African contributions to science.

An extraordinary experiment in 1773 pitted purported slave cures against European treatments in Grenada, a small island south of Barbados.

In something of a 'cure-off,' a slave's remedy for yaws was tested against the standard European remedy. Under the master's careful eye, four slaves were treated by a European-trained surgeon, two by the slave doctor.

In something of a 'cure-off,' four slaves were treated by a European-trained surgeon, two by the slave doctor

The surgeon employed a standard mercurial treatment, which, when taken over several years, tended to leave slaves' health 'broken.'

Meanwhile, the slave set to work with methods learned in his 'own Country' (presumably Africa).

This consisted of sweating his patients 'powerfully' twice a day in a cask with a small fire and by giving them a medicine made from two woods, known locally as 'Bois Royale and Bois fer.'

The outcome? The slave's patients were cured within a fortnight; the surgeon's patients were not.

The plantation owner, a man of science, consequently put the man of African origins in charge of all yaws patients in his plantation hospital.

In the process, the enslaved man  who remained nameless and faceless throughout  was elevated in status to a 'Negro Dr.'

Europeans had little experience with the tropical disease they encountered in the Caribbean, but Africans did. So doctors started asking slaves to demonstrate their own cures

The Atlantic world represents a step in globalization, the potential enrichment of the human experience when worlds collide.

But the extinction of peoples, such as the Amerindians in the Greater Antilles, coupled with the fear and secrecy bred in the enslavement of Africans, meant that knowledge did not circulate freely.

Amerindians and enslaved Africans strategically held many secrets.

Though hidden or suppressed, much of this knowledge can still be found today in local Caribbean remedies.

Bertrand Bajon, a French physician working in Cayenne, envied the 'numerous plant cures' known to 'Indians and Negroes.'

Bajon pleaded that 'for the good of humanity' slaves be obliged to 'communicate the plants he [or she] used and the manner in which they are employed.'

In return, Bajon recommended the slave be offered freedom  but not until 'a great number of experiments confirmed the cure's virtue.'

We must remember that knowledge created in this period did not respond to science for its own sake, but was fired in the colonial crucible of conquest, slavery and violence.

This article was originally published by The Conversation
An eye test could spot Alzheimer's disease two decades before symptoms emerge, a new study claims.

Researchers in Los Angeles trialed the test on 16 patients.

Comparing their results to brain scans, the eye test was just as successful at spotting those with twice the amount of plaque build-up in their brains.

Experts say the finding is one of the biggest breakthroughs in Alzheimer's research to date, offering the first sign of a cost-effective and non-invasive test.

'The findings suggest that the retina may serve as a reliable source for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis,' said the study's senior lead author, Dr Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, a neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai.

An eye test developed by researchers in Los Angeles managed to spot Alzheimer's-related plaque build-up in the brain before symptoms had fully emerged (file image)

ALZHEIMER'S: FAST FACTS WHAT IS IT? Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain. A build-up of abnormal proteins causes nerve cells to die. This disrupts the transmitters that carry messages, and causes the brain to shrink. WHAT HAPPENS? As brain cells die, the functions they provide are lost. That includes memory, orientation and the ability to think and reason. The progress of the disease is slow and gradual. On average, patients live five to seven years after diagnosis, but some may live for ten to 15 years. EARLY SYMPTOMS: Loss of short-term memory

Disorientation

Behavioral changes

Mood swings

Difficulties dealing with money

Difficulties making a phone call

Difficulties following a TV show LATER SYMPTOMS: Severe memory loss, forgetting close family members, familiar objects or places

Becoming anxious and frustrated over inability to make sense of the world...

...This can lead to aggressive behavior

Eventually lose ability to walk

May have problems eating and drinking

The majority will eventually need 24-hour care HOW ALZHEIMER'S DIFFERS FROM NORMAL MEMORY LOSS: With ordinary age-related forgetfulness, you will still remember details associated with the thing they've forgotten. For example, you may forget your neighbor's name in conversation, but you still know that person is your neighbor. Alzheimer's sufferers forget the entire context. Advertisement

'One of the major advantages of analyzing the retina is the repeatability, which allows us to monitor patients and potentially the progression of their disease.'

Until about a decade ago, the only way to officially diagnose someone with Alzheimer's disease was to analyze their brain posthumously.

In recent years, physicians have been able to use positron emission tomography (PET) scans of the brains of living people, to identify markers of the disease.

However, the technology is expensive, and the test is invasive, since the patient needs to be injected with radioactive tracers.

Dr Koronyo-Hamaoui's team set out to identify a more cost-effective and less invasive technique.

The Cedars-Sinai research team collaborated with investigators at NeuroVision Imaging, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, University of Southern California, and UCLA to translate their noninvasive eye screening approach to humans.

For the study, the researchers conducted a clinical trial on 16 AD patients who drank a solution that includes curcumin, a natural component of the spice turmeric.

The curcumin causes amyloid plaque in the retina to "light up" and be detected by the scan.

The patients were then compared to a group of younger, cognitively healthy individuals.

The researchers found their results were as accurate as those found via standard invasive methods.

Yosef Koronyo, a research associate in the Department of Neurosurgery, said another key finding from the new study was the discovery of amyloid plaques in previously overlooked peripheral regions of the retina.

He said the plaque amount in the retina correlated with plaque amount in specific areas of the brain.

'Now we know exactly where to look to find the signs of Alzheimer's disease as early as possible,' said Koronyo.

Dr Keith L. Black, chair of Cedars-Sinai's Department of Neurosurgery who co-led the study, said the findings offer hope for early detection.

'Our hope is that eventually the investigational eye scan will be used as a screening device to detect the disease early enough to intervene and change the course of the disorder with medications and lifestyle changes,' said Dr Black.

The findings have been celebrated worldwide.

Dr David Reynolds, chief scientific officer of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'Being able to detect changes in amyloid using cost effective and readily available methods would be a promising development in the search for new ways to understand its role in Alzheimer's and identify those at risk of the disease.

'This study adds to existing evidence pointing to the possibility of detecting this feature of Alzheimer's in the retina, by using equipment that already helps ophthalmologists diagnose problems like glaucoma or macular degeneration.

'Research into retinal scans for detecting Alzheimer's is promising but still in the very early stages.

'This research only involved a very small number of people, and it didn't show whether these retinal changes could be detectable before people develop symptoms.

'It is too soon to tell whether this test will one day be useful for diagnosis of dementia but this is an active area of research.

'Alzheimer's Research UK is funding a project to investigate whether retinal scans could provide early indications of Alzheimer's disease in people with Down's syndrome, and we need to see more findings from studies like this before drawing any firmer conclusions.'
Pediatricians claim thousands of critically-ill children are being deprived of life-saving healthcare after the state moved them onto a different plan that doesn't cover their specialized procedures.

In the spring and summer of 2015, the Florida Department of Health switched the healthcare plan of more than 13,000 children with long-term health problems to something their doctors don't accept.

These children were taken off out of a highly respected program called Children's Medical Services, a part of Florida Medicaid.

The Florida DOH is being slammed for the change, with many claiming these children are now unable to receive treatment for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and HIV.

Children were switched after a survey concluded they do not need specialized healthcare because they are not limited by disability.

Some doctors have even gone so far as to call that justification a 'perversion of science.'

In the spring and summer of 2015 the state switched more than 13,000 children with serious health problems out of a highly respected program called Children's Medical Services (stock image)

One in five of the children who had CMS were moved to another Medicaid insurance plan that doesn't specialize in serving children with long-term healthcare needs, meaning the doctors can't serve them.

The Florida DOH justified the switch based on a telephone survey issued to the guardians of these children that asked them whether or not the child was limited in the ability of what they could do.

And Mara Gambineri, a spokeswoman for the Florida DOH told CNN that 'at no time did children go without medically necessary services'.

She said the DOH's top priority is 'protecting the health and well-being of all Florida residents, especially children with special healthcare needs.'

But multiple experts said the question doesn't adequately determine if children need the extensive and specialized healthcare plans covered under CMS.

These are the sickest and most vulnerable kids, and [changing their insurance] can mean life or death for them Joan Alker, Georgetown University

The question asked parents and guardians, 'Is your child limited or prevented in any way in his or her ability to do the things most children of the same age can do?'

Often these children have diseases that don't limit what they can do - they can still go to school, they can play with their friends, and they can engage in other activities common of people their age.

The question lead to many children being disqualified even they do require extensive and specialized medical care.

In fact many parents were able to answer no to the question because of the services that CMS provides, which allow their children to live a relatively normal life.

And some Florida doctors are angry and worried about the children that were taken off of their insurance plan.

'These are the sickest and most vulnerable kids, and [changing their insurance] can mean life or death for them,' Joan Alker, executive director for the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University told CNN, explaining she found the news to be 'troubling.'

Stephen Bloomberg, the associate director for Science at the National Center for Heath Statistics explained that the question was worded in a way that purposely disqualified children who have the medical needs from a program that was specifically designed to help them.

'You would get false negative,' Bloomberg told CNN. 'Your conclusion would be that a child does not have special healthcare needs when, in fact, he does.'

He explained often children with diseases like cleft lip and palate, HIV and diabetes can do the things other children do, but still require special medical attention.

Some of the parents of these children were able to sue the state and have their child put back on CMS, but not all had that ability or knew it was an option.

In fall 2015 an administrative judge in the state ruled the DOH should stop using the screening method, calling it unlawful.

But following that decision the department didn't automatically re-enroll the children who were kicked off CMS or tell their families that re-enrollment was an option.

Two years later, many children are still without the healthcare they require.

However, speaking to Daily Mail Online, DOH representative Gambeineri said 'All families with children previously in CMS who remained financially eligible received a letter informing them that they could be rescreened for clinical eligibility at any time.

'A new screening process for CMS Plan clinical eligibility has been in place since January 2016 which was developed by working collaboratively with the CMS medical providers to make sure all children who require the specialized care provided by CMS are eligible for the plan.'

Following the controversial decision parents and Florida doctors have raised questions about the motivation behind the government-run department switching the healthcare plans in the first place.

Some have said it was to financially reward insurance companies that donated millions to the Republican Party of Florida, who are currently the majority.

'This was a way for the politicians to repay the entities that contributed to their political campaigns and heir political success, and it's the children who suffered,' Dr Louis St Petery, former executive vice president of the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics told CNN.
Women with a long history of stress are up to 42 percent more likely to have a miscarriage, a new study claims.

The study, conducted at University College London and Zhejang University in China, provides the strongest evidence yet that stress in a woman's early adulthood could have serious consequences later in life.

There have been schools of research done to examine the links between stress and pregnancy, but the evidence linking it to miscarriage is conflicting.

Miscarriage is the most common pregnancy complication and occurs before 24 weeks into a woman's gestation in around 20 percent of pregnancies.

But that statistic is likely much higher as many cases of miscarriage are unreported, especially when it happens very early on in a pregnancy. It's also often associated with high levels of distress for women, for their partners, and for their families.

The study, conducted at University College London and Zhejang University in China, provides the strongest evidence yet that stress in a woman's early adulthood could have serious consequences later in life

WAYS TO MANAGE YOUR STRESS WHEN PREGNANT Practice saying 'no' - now's as good a time as any to get rid of the notion that you can do it all. Make slowing down a priority, and get used to the idea of asking your friends and loved ones for help.

Cut back on chores - and use that time to put your feet up, nap, or read a book.

Take advantage of sick days or holidays whenever possible - resting at home will help you get through a tough week.

Try deep-breathing exercises, yoga, or stretching.

Get regular exercise such as swimming or walking.

Do your best to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet so you have the physical and emotional energy you need.

Go to bed early - your body is working overtime to nourish your growing baby and needs all the sleep it can get.

Limit 'information overload' - reading about pregnancy and listening to your friends' pregnancy stories are fine, but don't delve into all the scary things that might (but probably won't) happen.

Join or create a support group - if you're coping with a difficult situation, spending time with others in the same boat can ease your burden.

If you're under unusual stress or feel like you're at your breaking point, ask your healthcare provider to refer you to a therapist. Source: Babycenter.com Advertisement

Researchers carried out a systemic review and meta-analysis to look more into the link. They identified studies reporting miscarriage in women with and without a history of exposure to psychological stress.

The team found that the risk of miscarriage was significantly higher in women with a long history of stress in their lives.

That stress includes previous psychological challenges such as experiences of emotional trauma, social problems, concerns about money, marital or partnership disharmony, pressure at work, a significant change in personal circumstances and previous pregnancy loss.

And that stress didn't have to lead up to the pregnancy, as the findings were the same in women who experienced high levels of stress many years before even thinking about starting a family.

These findings were unchanged after controlling for the type of studies and stress exposure types, along with other variables.

Authors suggest that association between stress and miscarriage could come from the activation and release of stress hormones.

Those hormones then impact biochemical pathways that are essential for the maintenance of pregnancy.

'While chromosomal abnormalities underlie many cases of early pregnancy loss, the results of this meta-analysis support the belief that a high level of psychological stress before and during pregnancy is also associated with miscarriage,' Dr Brenda Todd, a co-author and senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at UCL explained.

'The present results show that these psychological factors could increase the risk by approximately 42 percent.'

She also placed a lot of emphasis on how psychological stress that occurs years before a woman plans on becoming pregnant is just as impactful as it is later in life.

To help pregnant women and decrease the likelihood of miscarriage, Dr Todd said it is important to look at psychological background as soon as a woman becomes pregnant.

'Our finding provides robust evidence that prior psychological stress is harmful to women in early pregnancy and that there is a need for further high-quality research into an association between the experience of stress across a variety of contexts and miscarriage risk to fully understand the relationship,' Dr Todd explained.

'Our review also highlights the need to include a structured psychological assessment in early pregnancy into routine antenatal care, and our work has demonstrated the potential basis for novel and effective interventions in the field, as we urgently need to identify and treat psychological factors which contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes.'
China's unrelenting effort to prove that Indian state Arunachal Pradesh is a part of Tibet has been going on for years and is major strand of its foreign policy.

In its latest efforts, the Chinese government has employed a two-pronged approach: psychological (spreading rumours to intimidate the enemy and break down will); and cultural (assimilating different cultural trends) and media warfare (manipulating what people see and hear).

Mail Today has accessed magazines and websites funded by China to further its claims over Arunachal Pradesh being an 'integral' part of Tibet (i.e. China).

A Chinese magazine describes Lhoba Apatanis as the most beautiful of all Tibetan tribes

Even as the border crisis in Doklam continues, an article published last month in 'China Travel Guide' magazine ferociously promotes tourism in 'southern Tibet' and 'Ziro' as a tourist destination.

Interestingly, Ziro lies very much within Arunachal Pradesh.

To further Beijing's argument, the magazine describes the composition and demography of the place and speaks at length of the inhabitants, the Lhoba Apatanis, a 'Chinese' tribe

Writer and columnist Claude Arpi has argued as to why the Indian government is not countering the Chinese move by 'documenting the rich culture of Arunachal (and Northeast in general) and invite Indian and foreign visitors to come and see for themselves the beauty of the people, their culture, their villages and their wiser sustainable way of life'.

He also translated some parts of the article in 'China Travel Guide' which, according to him, explains Apatanis as 'the most beautiful ethnic people' of China.

The article says, 'In the Tibetan area of southern Tibet, there is a tribe named Apatani. The women of this tribe are known to be the most beautiful of all Tibetan tribes.

'But their beautiful appearance can also become a burden. In order to protect themselves from other tribal intruders' attack, they make themselves less attractive, by plugging a big cork into the nose... but for the Apatanis in southern Tibet, this is considered as a protection to live a longer life.'

But Gen (Retd.) J.J. Singh, former army chief, who served in Arunachal, rubbished the claims. He said, 'No Arunachali tribe has any links with Tibetans except bartering of forest produce in exchange for salt.

'Apatanis were not even Buddhist and were Animalistic. This is a story being cooked up by the China because they are calling Arunachal as South Tibet, a term that was never part of our lexicon even 50 years ago.'

The videos the Chinese have put out celebrate Lhobas and try to take ownership of their origins as well as their place of habitation.

China's unrelenting effort to prove that Indian state Arunachal Pradesh is a part of Tibet has been going on for years and is major strand of its foreign policy

Jabin Jacob, Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies, puts things in perspective. He says, 'This has been going on for a while as one would expect.

'Along with Chinese patrols along LAC, they also leave behind stuff - cigarette butts, noodle wraps - as litter on our side showing presence and claim. These methods help China build an international case for its claims.'

'India should do the same with PoK. On Arunachal, we need to increase international attention by opening up more to tourism through better infrastructure. That would set India apart from Chinese methods in Tibet that are culturally problematic and environmentally ruinous,' he added.
NIA carried out raids on properties of relatives of Zahoor Watali (above), a businessman in the Valley

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team is now knocking on the doors of businessman in Jammu and Kashmir.

The ongoing investigation is probing the funding of separatist violence in the valley by Pakistani terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Searches were carried out on Wednesday at 12 locations in Srinagar, Baramulla and Handwara districts.

The agency has raided properties owned by prominent Valley businessman Zahoor Watali and his relatives.

The NIA also raided the houses and office of Shafi Rishi, a prominent lawyer in Kashmir, and Peerzada Nabi, a local businessman.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team has now reached the doors of traders and businessman in Jammu and Kashmir (pictured - raids on properties linked to Zahoor Watali)

According to a senior officer, after separatist leaders various ISI-backed businesses are under the radar for channeling funds to separatists and terrorists.

A Srinagar businessman, Zahoor Watali, tops the list of alleged financers of Kashmiri troublemakers. Watali has been under the NIA scanner for nearly two months and has been called for repeated questioning at the agency's Delhi headquarters.

Separatist leader Shabir Shah (left) arrested for funding terror

According to sources, Watali is resident of Srinagar's Baghat Barzulla neighbourhood and is known for mixing with political leaders across the spectrum, opposition and ruling parties alike.

Watali's business empire spans from Kashmir to the UAE to Europe, spread across real-estate and international trade.

In the raid, NIA officers claim, they have seized receipts of foreign funding and further transfers of capital to dubious places in the Valley.

A series of his transactions are now under scanner. Intelligence officials disclosed they suspect his companies were a facade hiding money laundering and terror finance.

Officers have found that he has received monthly inward remittances of Rs 2 lakh - Rs 2.6 lakh from Dubai into his bank accounts in the national Capital.

Watali also had an account at the UAE Bank, from where he transferred more than Rs 53.6 lakh from March to December in 2011, sources said.

The NIA questioned the sons of pro-Pakistan separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani (pictured) on August 8 over his alleged links with Hafiz Saeed, leader of the Pakistan-based Jamaat-ud-Dawa and LeT

Mail Today made several attempts to contact Watali for his comment but he could not be reached. Watali is under NIA scanner for past two months but he has not been officially named in the case, until now.

Official sources said evidence has been found against Watali, Rishi and Nabi concerning their involvement in the funding of terror.

Watali's residence in Gurugram, Delhi and Srinagar were raided on June 4 as part of the ongoing investigation.

The NIA questioned the sons of pro-Pakistan separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on August 8 over his alleged links with Hafiz Saeed, leader of the Pakistan-based Jamaat-ud-Dawa and LeT.

The NIA had also questioned DSP Faheem Ali, who handles separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq's security, in connection with the case. Ali was the first police officer from the state to be interrogated by the NIA.

The agency has so far arrested seven people - Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani's son-inlaw Altaf Ahmed Shah, Ayaz Akbar Khanday, Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Peer Saifullah (all from Geelani's faction of Hurriyat), Shahid-ul-Islam (of the faction led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq), Nayeem Khan of the Jammu Kashmir National Front and Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karatay of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front(R).

The agency now plans to summon Geelani, Malik, Shabir Shah, and Farooq.
Forget for a moment the politics, or even the possible prejudice, and also ignore the questionable timing and inappropriate occasion; focus only on the substance of former Vice-President Hamid Ansari's remarks about the growing sense of unease among Indian Muslims.

An objective analysis of the mood among many Indian Muslims would probably endorse the remarks of Ansari.

Insecurity

The issue isn't whether the sense of disquiet, even insecurity, in the Muslim community is based on any real and valid concerns, but that its existence is undeniable.

Former Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari

Worse, it seems to be only increasing, fuelled of course in large part by the hysterics of the 'secular' and 'liberal' mafia which tends to overblow incidents in which Muslims are victims and underplay incidents in which they threaten or indulge in violence.

For instance, the left-liberal media goes ballistic over the fulminations of some obscure Sadhvi linked with the ruling party, but are mealymouthed when it comes to diatribes of an Owaisi or a Barkati or even some half-wit Muslim politician from UP.

Quite like in the 1980s when a section of the Sikhs worked themselves up into a psychosis, today many in the Muslim community also seem to be working themselves up into a psychosis and developing a siege mentality.

Ansari said that Muslims were feeling insecure under Modi's rule following attacks on them by Hindu hardliners on mere suspicion that they were killing cows

Although this process might have gathered pace under the current dispensation, it didn't start with Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister or BJP becoming the dominant political party of Indian politics.

This process precedes the rise of BJP by at least a couple of decades, and it won't end if Modi is no longer Prime Minister and BJP loses political dominance.

At one level it is linked to the Islamic revivalist movements which have not only unleashed great tumult that has torn apart Muslim societies and ravaged Muslim countries, but has also given rise to militant millenarian movements around the world.

Ansari, a Muslim, ended his second five-year term as India's vice-president, a ceremonial position, on Thursday last week

The destabilisation and devastation in the Islamic world caused by all sorts of wars has infused in Muslims a victim complex - a sense that Muslims are being hounded, discriminated against, oppressed, their lands occupied, their resources captured and their religion and culture challenged and scoffed at.

All sorts of bizarre conspiracy theories were woven to explain the sorry state of Muslims, which further added to the sense of being boxed into a corner.

The attacks by jihadi terror groups in non-Muslim majority countries, and the consequent reaction, including the profiling of Muslims, has only made matters worse.

Indian Muslims, in particular the youth, haven't remained untouched by these global trends.

Exclusivism

Fortunately, even though many Indian Muslims today are extremely concerned over and agitated by what is happening in the Islamic world, very few have actually made a beeline to join the ranks of the combatants, or if you will terrorists.

Even so, more than any time in the last seven decades, today there are many more Muslim voices raised in support of not just Kashmiri militants but also terrorists and criminals like Ishrat Jehan, Yakub Memon, Afzal Guru and those killed in the Batla House encounter.

There is also a very worrying rise in quasi-militant organisations and individuals espousing the cause of Islamist assertiveness, exceptionalism, and even exclusivism.

Not surprisingly, sections of Muslim youth are getting seduced by radical Islamist ideologies. Even those having little use for extremist and radical ideas are becoming aggressive about their religious identity, which in turn impacts on how they relate with rest of society.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) talks with Vice-President Hamid Ansari (right)

This in-your-face assertiveness, which is often backed by pseudo-secular political parties in places like Kerala, Bengal, UP, etc, is manifesting itself on social media platforms, and is leading to a counter-reaction and an unrestrained pushback which is unconciliatory and instead of engaging the other side often descends into an exchange of abuse.

The resulting social tensions in turn only adds to restiveness among the Muslims, more so because of the growing irrelevance of the Muslim vote in recent elections.

Catch-22

A sort of Catch-22 situation is confronting Muslims: if they consolidate, it could lead to a counter-consolidation which will leave them out in the cold; if they don't consolidate, their vote will lose its relevance.

Breaking out of this trap is not easy because both 'secular' political parties as well as the media promote only the most antediluvian and reactionary Muslim - they have no use for an enlightened, progressive, modern and syncretic Muslim - as the only true representative of the community, establishing a Muslim stereotype not just within the community but also rest of the society.

The biggest challenge of the 21st century for the Indian Muslim is the growing disconnect between his revivalist urgings and quest for asserting his identity on the one hand, and on the other hand, the imperatives of living and assimilating with other sections of society in a diverse and plural melting pot of cultures.

Ansari was a career diplomat before taking up the constitutional position

For many Muslim youth the challenge is also that they are no longer able to connect with the traditional leadership of the community.

Without addressing these disconnects, the Muslim community will increasingly find it difficult to relate to and become part of the national mainstream, and consequently will continue to draw itself into a shell.

What is required is introspection and reform instead of complaints and laments.

Equally importantly, instead of ululating about the state of Muslims in other lands, the Indian Muslim needs to rediscover and reassert his Indian identity, something that they often do when they travel out of India, including to Muslim countries.

This, more than anything else, will address the sense of unease among Indian Muslims.
The CEO of India's top information technology company Infosys, Vishal Sikka, has resigned following differences with some founders of the company, including N.R. Narayana Murthy.

The Infosys board of directors accepted Sikka's resignation and appointed U.B. Pravin Rao as interim CEO and managing director, a company statement said Friday.

In his notice to the board, Sikka said he was leaving because of 'a continuous stream of distractions and disruptions' that were hindering management of the company.

Vishal Sikka, Indian-American CEO and MD of Infosys has resigned

Sikka was the first non-founder CEO of the Bangalore-based company. He joined Infosys in 2014.

Murthy and some other founders recently complained over salary issues and large compensation packages paid to some senior employees who had quit the company.

Infosys headquarters in Bangalore, India,

The company said Sikka was made an executive vice-chairman. He will stay in that capacity until a new permanent CEO and managing director takes charge by March 31.

In March, Infosys announced that it will establish a central Indiana tech center as part of a broader expansion in the United States that is projected to create 10,000 jobs in coming years. The plan includes an $8.7 million investment to lease and equip office space in the Indianapolis, Indiana, area to accommodate 2,000 new workers by the end of 2021.

Infosys describes itself as a global leader in technology services and consulting with clients in 45 countries.

Statement

Sikka said in his statement the 'increasingly personal' attacks had hit morale at the company, which has been trying to keep pace with rapid changes in the industry.

The surprise announcement hit Infosys shares, which were down by nearly 10 percent by the end of the day.

'Over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks,' he wrote.

Sikka had come under fire in recent months from some of the founders of the company on issues related to corporate governance and salary increases for its top executives

'The distractions that we have seen, the constant drumbeat of the same issues over and over again, while ignoring and undermining the good work that has been done, take the excitement and passion out of this amazing journey.'

Indian newspapers on Friday quoted a leaked email from one of the company's founders Narayan Murthy in which he said Sikka was not 'chief executive officer material'.

Later Friday Murthy, who remains a shareholder, reportedly issued a statement saying he was concerned about what he called the 'deteriorating standard of corporate governance which I have repeatedly brought to the attention of the board'.

Sikka told reporters after the announcement that the antagonism was taking a 'heavy toll personally' and had become 'untenable'.

The company's board came out in support of the outgoing chief, accusing Murthy of waging a 'continuous assault'.

Analysts said Sikka had helped steer Infosys back on track during a difficult period and his resignation reflected badly on the company.

'Sikka's letter indicates there was a directed attack on him leading to his resignation, which again makes the company look bad for investors,' IT analyst Baburajan Kizhakedath told AFP.

'It is a tough time for Infosys in the market and the board couldn't handle investors, media or its own warring factions,' he added.

Sikka told reporters after the announcement that the antagonism was taking a 'heavy toll personally' and had become 'untenable'

India became a back office to the world in the early 2000s as companies subcontracted work to firms such as Infosys, taking advantage of the country's skilled English-speaking workforce.

The $150-billion IT sector remains one of the country's flagship industries, but it is facing upheaval in the face of automation and US President Donald Trump's clampdown on visas.

Industry body Nasscom recently called on companies to teach employees new skills after claims they had failed to keep up with new technologies.

Sikka was the first Infosys chief executive who wasn't one of the company's founders.

Former Chief Executive Officer Vishal Sikka of Infosys

He is based in the United States, where the company earns nearly two-thirds of its revenue.

He will stay on temporarily as executive vice chairman to ensure a 'smooth transition'. Infosys veteran UB Pravin Rao, currently chief operating officer, will take over as interim chief executive.

Last month Infosys reported an increase of 1.4 percent in consolidated net profit year-on-year for the first quarter, marginally beating analysts' expectations.

Shares in the company ended their day-long fall down 9.6 percent at 923.1 rupees ($14.3).
It took the death of 80 children at a decrepit government hospital Uttar Pradesh to raise a public outcry over the state of healthcare in India.

In wake of the tragedy questions are now being asked about the amount of money public hospitals receive from the government, and whether or not an unpaid bill for life-saving oxygen is to blame for the deaths.

Answers are yet to be given, but doctors who have spent decades treating sick kids in the area say the incident is a symptom of chronic mismanagement, corruption and outright negligence are worsening encephalitis outbreaks that sicken thousands of children every year.

A man mourns the death of a child at BRD medical centre, Gorakhpur

A relative attends to a child receiving treatment at the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh

The official version of events claims that thirty-three children died Aug. 10 and 11 at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, around the same time there was a disruption in the oxygen supply.

Small sweaty bodies, some convulsing, others lying unconscious with their eyes rolled back in their heads, were packed two-to-a-bed in the large, open-air ward. The death of a child was announced over and over again by the wailing howl of mothers collapsing on the filthy floor. A description of children suffering from Japanese encephalitis at BRD Medical College in 2005

A team of experts sent from New Delhi concluded that the interruption was not responsible for the deaths, but that has failed to quell national fury in India over how the hospital allowed oxygen to run out.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi even expressed sympathy to the children's families this week during his Independence Day speech.

Doctors say they hope the national spotlight will force officials to focus on another hugely neglected problem: encephalitis, which has killed more than 4,000 children and sickened nearly 25,000 since 2010 in Uttar Pradesh, where the hospital is located.

A number of the children who died were suffering from the brain-swelling condition.

Acute encephalitis syndrome is a catch-all term to describe patients suffering fever, vomiting, headaches and brain function issues such as confusion, trouble speaking and coma along with seizures.

An Indian woman holding her child's hand at the encephalitis ward of the Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh

Relatives mourn the death of a child at Baba Raghav Das Hospital, where angry relatives have demanded answers

The condition can leave surviving children paralyzed and mentally impaired.

Outbreaks can be timed every year to the monsoon rains that leave swaths of coffee-colored flood waters standing in fields and licking at roadways in impoverished parts of the country's major rice-growing region.

Yet much about the disease remains a mystery or a matter of debate.

'If there is more rain, the cases are more,' said Dr. K.P. Kushwaha, the Gorakhpur hospital's former head who retired two years ago after working more than three decades as a pediatrician there.

'If there is less rain, the cases are less.'

Though it's not proven, Kushwaha suspects germs spread through fecal matter in dirty water may be related to the outbreaks, along with overall poor sanitation and improper toilet facilities and practices in the country's most populous state.

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

A child admitted to the encephalitis ward at BRD medical centre, Gorakhpur

But he insists the root cause is empty government promises and neglect in an area where health infrastructure and funding are poor and medical understaffing is high.

'We are just treating the fire, but we are not doing anything to prevent the fire and extinguish the fire,' he said. 'In India, the corruption is so rampant that it has become a normal routine.'

A lack of testing capabilities makes it impossible for doctors to diagnose the cause of many encephalitis cases.

Often, children with other identifiable diseases get lumped into the category simply because the symptoms are similar, said Dr. V. Ravi, of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences.

He has been studying encephalitis for 30 years and is currently researching the problem with a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the past three years, he has tested nearly 7,000 encephalitis patients in three Indian states and found that Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever, both spread by mosquitoes, along with scrub typhus, a bacterial infection spread by mites, account for about 40 percent of identifiable encephalitis causes. The rest remain a question.

Dengue fever has no specific treatment other than supportive care, and India has not approved a newly released vaccine. Scrub typhus can be treated effectively with a cheap antibiotic if caught early.

Japanese encephalitis has been wiped out in many Asian countries, but has plagued parts of India for decades, especially near the Nepal border in the northeast corner around Gorakhpur.

Six more children have died from encephalitis since the weekend

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

It is closely related to West Nile virus and attacks the brain and spinal cord. It typically spreads from pigs to people via mosquitoes, is easily identified through testing and can be prevented by vaccination.

It infects many people in childhood, but only a small percentage end up experiencing severe symptoms. Up to a third of those who are sickened develop problems ranging from paralysis to mental disabilities.

In 2005, thousands of children were rushed to the BRD Medical College with Japanese encephalitis, the same hospital at the center of the current oxygen scandal.

Small sweaty bodies, some convulsing, others lying unconscious with their eyes rolled back in their heads, were packed two-to-a-bed in the large, open-air ward.

The death of a child was announced over and over again by the wailing howl of mothers collapsing on the filthy floor.

It was the largest outbreak in recent memory, ultimately killing more than 1,000 children around Gorakhpur.

An child suffering from Japanese Encephalitis lies on a bed at The Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur

Activists hold placards as they shout slogans during a protest rally outside the Uttar Pradesh state house against the recent deaths of 85 children at a government hospital in northern India that suffered oxygen shortages

All those deaths could have been prevented with a cheap vaccine that was eventually rolled out in mass campaigns and is now part of the routine schedule.

Coverage rates remain low in some areas, but the number of Japanese encephalitis deaths in Uttar Pradesh has fallen to double digits in recent years.

However, overall rates of the broader acute encephalitis syndrome have not changed. More than 3,000 cases are logged each year in the state that's home to some 200 million people.

The monsoon rains have just started, and already more than 1,200 cases have been recorded along with 152 deaths. That number will climb until peaking in October.

'Hopefully, the government after this will wake up now and will start listening to us,' said Dr. Ravi, the researcher, referring to the hospital oxygen shortage. 'Hopefully, something will happen.'
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. United States of America Plaintiff - Appellee v. Miklos Dates Defendant - Appellant No. 16-3640 Decided: August 17, 2017

Before SMITH, Chief Judge, COLLOTON and KELLY, Circuit Judges.

Miklos Dates pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C.  922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). The district court imposed an above-Guidelines sentence of 48 months and Dates appeals, arguing the district court imposed a substantively unreasonable sentence.

In September 2014, just as Dates pulled into a parking lot, a law enforcement officer approached and ordered him out of the car. The officer conducted an inventory search of the car, and found a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun in the glove box. The gun had a loaded magazine and a round in the chamber, and had been reported stolen about three weeks earlier. Approximately four months later, in January 2015, Dates was pulled over in a traffic stop and arrested on outstanding warrants. The arresting officer saw a revolver on the passenger floor of the car. Dates admitted he knew the gun was there and said he had it for protection. Dates was charged with unlawfully possessing both firearms, but pleaded guilty to only one count: the incident in January 2015.

The district court calculated an advisory Sentencing Guidelines range of 3037 months. Dates requested a below-Guidelines sentence of 24 months, and the government sought an above-Guidelines sentence of 60 months. The court imposed a 48-month sentence. On appeal, Dates argues the sentence was substantively unreasonable because it was greater than necessary to meet the statutory goals of sentencing. We review the substantive reasonableness of a defendant's sentence for abuse of discretion. United States v. Timberlake, 679 F.3d 1008, 1012 (8th Cir. 2012) (quotation omitted). A sentencing court abuses its discretion if it fails to consider a relevant factor that should have received significant weight, gives significant weight to an improper or irrelevant factor, or considers only the appropriate factors but commits a clear error of judgment in weighing those factors. Id. (quotation omitted).

Dates asserts the district court gave too much attention to the aggravating factors and failed to give sufficient weight to factors that would mitigate against a sentence above the advisory Guidelines range. The court expressed concern that Dates possessed two firearms on two separate occasions, that he continued to possess firearms after being arrested, and that one of the firearms in his possession had been stolen. The court also noted that prior terms of incarceration had not deterred Dates from engaging in additional criminal conduct and that he had committed the offense of conviction while he was on probation.

The district court also considered Dates' age, his troubled and violent childhood, and the support he enjoys from his very strong and loving family. The district court recognized that Dates had seen way more than [his] share of tragedy than [he] should have at [his] young age, and that his direct exposure to gun violence likely had a significant impact on his life choices. A review of the record shows the district court thoughtfully considered all of these factors, both aggravating and mitigating, and carefully weighed them before imposing the sentence. A sentencing court has broad discretion in this regard, see United States v. David, 682 F.3d 1074, 1077 (8th Cir. 2012) (review of district court's weighing of sentencing factors when imposing upward variance is for abuse of discretion); United States v. Farmer, 647 F.3d 1175, 1180 (8th Cir. 2011) (A district court's choice to assign relatively greater weight to the nature and circumstances of the offense than to the mitigating personal characteristics of the defendant is well within its wide latitude in weighing relevant factors.), and the district court did not abuse its discretion here.

The judgment of the district court is affirmed.

FOOTNOTES

. The Honorable Susan Richard Nelson, United States District Judge for the District of Minnesota.

PER CURIAM.
India has welcomed the United States' blacklisting of Kashmiri separatist group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen as a terrorist organisation.

The US Treasury Department, in a statement on its website Wednesday, said it listed the Pakistan-based outfit as a 'foreign terrorist organisation', freezing its assets 'to deny Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks'.

'We welcome the designation of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen as a terrorist organisation,' Raveesh Kumar, India's foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters.

The US State Department designated the HM's commander Syed Salahuddin as a 'global terrorist' in June

Pakistani Kashmiri women march to mark the death anniversary of popular rebel leader Burhan Wani in 2017, who Zakir Musa succeeded as leader of Hizbul Mujahideen

'All of us are aware of what kind of terrorist activities they have conducted in the state of Jammu and Kashmir,' he said, adding it was key to 'end moral, diplomatic and material support' to such groups.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947 and both claim the territory in its entirety.

Homegrown rebel groups, including the HM, have been fighting around half a million Indian troops deployed in the region, calling for independence or a merger with Pakistan since an armed rebellion broke-out in 1989.

Syed Mohammed Yusuf Shah, popularly known as Syed Salahudeen, is the head of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, a terrorist group operating in Kashmir, and head of an alliance of anti-India militant groups

Sayeed Salahuddin (centre), senior leader of the Kashmiri militant group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the predominantly Muslim Kashmir valley, one of the world's most heavily militarised areas, where most people favour independence or a merger with Pakistan.

The blacklisting came after the US State Department designated HM's commander Syed Salahuddin as a 'global terrorist' in June, saying under his rule it committed numerous attacks including one in 2014 in Indian-administered Kashmir which left 17 injured.

Burhan Wani (left) and the man who replalced him for a short time as the leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Zakir Musa (picture from Burhan Wani's social media)

Burhan Wani (right) was the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, a Kashmir-based militant outfit

Pakistan angry

Pakistan on Thursday criticised the United States for blacklisting the Kashmiri separatist group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen as a terrorist organisation, calling the move 'unjustified'.

The State Department designation bans US citizens and residents from dealing with the group and any assets found to belong to it in areas under US jurisdiction will be frozen.

'We are disappointed with the US decision in view of the fact that Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute with UN Security Council resolutions pending implementation for the last 70 years,' Nafees Zakariya, Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters in the capital Islamabad.

Pakistani supporters of Kashmiri separatist group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, shout slogans against the United States during a protest in Muzaffarabad

The move was 'completely unjustified', he said.

After Washington announced the decision on Wednesday, several hundred activists gathered in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and chanted anti-US slogans.

Washington had already designated the group's leader, Syed Salahuddin, a 'global terrorist', but he still operates in Pakistani Kashmir, where his group has strong support.

The designation comes the week both India and Pakistan mark 70 years of independence from the British Empire - and the start of bitter rivalry and decades of conflict over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Since 1989, rebel groups have fought in Indian-held Kashmir, demanding independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan, and tens of thousands -- mostly civilians -- have been killed.

India regularly accuses Pakistan of arming militants, while Islamabad denies the allegation, saying it only provides diplomatic support to Kashmiris seeking self-determination.
Badweather and changing home improvement habits have led to a miserable summer for Britains biggest DIY companies.

Sales at Kingfishers chain B&Q were down 7.7 per cent to 967million during the second quarter while Homebases sales for the full year plummeted 6.8 per cent to 1.2billion.

B&Q said the warmer spring meant that customers bought products earlier than normal, while Homebases Australian owners Wesfarmers put the blame on upheaval as it shakes up the business.

But Kingfishers other hardware business, Screwfix, saw sales up 17.2 per cent to 365million over the second quarter.

The firm has a strong online footing and is also more widely used by tradesmen.

It is thought home owners are increasingly paying tradesman to do work rather than doing it themselves.

Independent retail analyst Richard Hyman said: Screwfix is the jewel in the crown of Kingfishers business. Its now much cheaper than it used to be to pay people to do it for you rather than do it yourself.

The sector is also particularly vulnerable to internet purchasing. Home improvement is by definition very functional and if you know what you want and dont have to make the trek around the store, you are not going to.

Last year, Screwfixs click and collect orders grew 60 per cent and orders through mobile devices grew 124 per cent.

Digital sales at B&Q grew 45pc over the same period.

Screwfix has also opened new 21 outlets this year, while B&Q has closed 65 in two years. B&Q now has 295 stores and Screwfix has 538, with hopes to increase that to 700.

Overall sales at Kingfisher rose 4 per cent to 3.15billion and chief executive Veronique Laury said the business remained on track to meet its targets.
Heinekens 403million takeover of Punch Taverns has been given the thumbs up after the competition watchdog accepted plans to sell off some the almost 1,900 newly-acquired pubs to allay fears it could reduce competition.

The Dutch brewing giants proposal to offload pubs in 33 areas across the UK to address antitrust concerns was accepted by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today, averting a possible further investigation.

The CMA said in June that the deal could impact competition, cut the range of beer and cider on offer and increase prices for drinkers in 33 location throughout the country.

Green light: Heinekens 403million takeover of Punch Taverns has been given the thumbs up after the competition watchdog accepted plans to sell off some the almost 1,900 newly-acquired pubs

However, before the merger was referred for a further in-depth investigation, the companies were given the opportunity to offer proposals to meet these concerns.

The CMA said today: Heineken has offered to sell pubs in each of the affected areas to preserve competition and ensure customers in these locations do not lose out.

The CMA is satisfied that its concerns have been addressed and has therefore decided that the merger will not be referred for an in-depth phase two investigation.

The CMA added that the newly combined companys pubs would not face sufficient competition after the merger, which could lead to price increases or a deterioration in the quality of the service on offer.

The CMA has previously said the 1,895 Punch pubs being snapped up by Heineken, which it will add to the 1,100 leased pubs it already owns across the UK, only account for four per cent of the market and are therefore not a major route to market for brewers.

Fears have previously been raised by Punch tenants that Heineken plans to force pubs to stock 85 per cent of its own brands, which include Amstel, Fosters and Birra Moretti, resulting in pubs that all look the same and serve the same beer.

Competition fears: The CMA said in June that the deal could impact competition, cut the range of beer and cider on offer and increase prices for drinkers in 33 location throughout the country

Heineken, which owns the Star Pubs and Bars business, agreed the deal to buy Punch Taverns with private equity firm Patron Capital last December, having fought off a rival bid from the pub chain's co-founder Alan McIntosh with a 180p-per-share offer, prior to the CMA launching its investigation a week later.

Under the deal, which makes Heineken the UKs third largest pub group after Greene King and Enterprise Inns, Heineken will buy 1,895 pubs, while Patron will acquire 1,329.
Banco Popular collapsed in June and was sold to Santander for 1

Brussels bureaucrats triggered a run on a Spanish lender, investors have claimed.

Banco Popular collapsed in June and was sold to Santander for 1 after a loss of confidence which saw families rush to pull money out.

But hedge funds which owned bonds in the bank say the problem was worsened by the European Union's Single Resolution Board, after Elke Konig, the head of the organisation responsible for winding up failing lenders, undermined Popular, saying the board was 'watching' the bank.

Days later, an anonymous official said an 'early warning' had been issued to Popular's bosses.

Lawyers for hedge funds including Algebris Investments, Anchorage Capital and Ronit Capital say that amounted to 'unlawful disclosures' in breach of secrecy rules and are calling for a reversal of the decision to wind the bank up.

They say Popular's stock price fell 50 per cent after Konig's comments.

The European Commission said it would be up to the European Court of Justice to decide on any case.
A Hong Kong heiress who in 2015 was abducted for a HK$28 million (2.7 million) ransom said her kidnappers treated her kindly as she disclosed the details of the high-profile case for the first time.

Queenie Rosita Law, whose late grandfather built a billion-dollar fashion empire, was taken from her family's luxurious villa by a 'knife-wielding' gang and kept in a cave for four days.

Ms Law said her kidnappers were civilised and they cared for her. She said they would make sure she had delicious food and comfortable clothes.

The 31-year-old also revealed how her business-savvy father haggled over the ransom with the kidnappers and eventually slashed the original fee, HK$58 million (5.6 million), by half.

Queenie Rosita Law, the granddaughter of a late Hong Kong tycoon, disclosed the details her kidnapping in 2015 for the first time in a new book. Left, Ms Law attends the book launch of her new book 'Dear Life'. Right, Ms Law attends a social event after the abduction in 2015

The Hong Kong heiress was taken by six abductors from her bedroom to a secluded cave. Pictured, a suspected member of the gang is taken through a crime scene reconstruction by Hong Kong police at a local market on May 5, in 2015

THE POWERFUL LAW FAMILY Ms Law's late grandfather, Law Ting-pong, founded popular fashion brand Bossini Queenie Rosita Law is the granddaughter of the late tycoon Law Ting-pong, who founded fashion brand Bossini in 1987. He died in August 1996 at the age of 86, leaving his family HK$1 billion ($130million). Ms Law's father is Raymond Law Ka-kui, who is the sixth son of Mr Ting-pong. The family remains a significant presence in the management of the company. According to the Ta Kung Pao, Law Ting Pong was a leading textile businessman, who set up the Lawsgroup in 1975 and then its first production facilities in China. In 1987, it was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange as Laws Fashion Knitters Ltd and in the same year, he created the Bossini brand. Bossini has around 1,000 stores in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and India. Advertisement

Born to a wealthy business family in Hong Kong, Ms Law is the granddaughter of Law Ting-pong, who was a textile tycoon and founder of Bossini, a popular fashion brand.

The Law family are the 27th richest family in Asia, with a combined net worth of 5 million ($6.5 billion), according to Forbes.

Ms Law, now a creative director, studied in Central Saint Martins and Pont Aven School of Contemporary Art, two top art institutions in Europe, and returned to Hong Kong to start her own business, Production Q, in 2014.

In a new book, called 'Dear Life', the Hong Kong socialite and entrepreneur disclosed the details of high-profile kidnapping for the very first time.

She said she was dragged out of her bed in the wee hours at her home in Sai Kung by a gang of six, who had knives in their hands.

At the time Ms Law's boyfriend, who had yet to gain approval from Ms Law's parents, was spending the night.

After confirming that Ms Law, not her boyfriend, lived in the house, the kidnappers took Ms Law, who was then 29, to a secluded cave on the Fei Ngo Shan mountain.

But before that, they agreed to let her put on her favourite trousers and comfortable flat shoes.

The kidnappers held Ms Law captive for four days in a tent.

During the time, instead of threatening her or abusing her, the kidnappers are said to have promised Ms Law that they would not to hurt her.

In her book, Ms Law said her abductors were civilised and cared for her. Left, a suspect is escorted by the police to carry out a crime scene reconstruction on May 5, 2015. Right, Ms Law attends a news conference in Hong Kong on April 30, 2015, two days after she was released

Ms Law said they made every effort to make sure she would have the food she liked. The heiress said she was given home-cooked rice and spare ribs, a hamburger as well as chicken nuggets from McDonald's.

It's said that the kidnapper who came to deliver meals to Ms Law would always check with her if she liked the food, and once even apologised to her because her dinner had gone cold.

More surprisingly, some members of the gang even asked Ms Law for advice on where they should escape after receiving the ransom.

After Ms Law's father, Raymond Law Ka-kui, paid the ransom, Ms Law was released by the kidnappers and one of them told her 'to run towards the light and never look back'. So she did.

Recalling the life-changing experience, Ms Law told MailOnline that the most memorable moment was when she saw herself in the mirror for the first time after being rescued.

Ms Law said: 'Not only physically did I look like a different person, but I felt reborn psychologically because I was able to regain freedom.'

Ms Law said she did not relate herself to someone who has Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological condition which sees kidnapping victims becoming attached to their abductors.

She added: 'Everything happened unpredictably, so I have no idea why [the kidnappers] were doing it.'

The 31-year-old, a creative director, has turned the details of her life-changing kidnapping into a new book, written in Chinese. Pictured, Ms Law attends the launch of her book in July

She said the abduction had changed her view on life. She now feels more assertive and focused in pursuing her passion.

'I'm now more driven to be a better person and to work harder at achieving my goals since life is unpredictable and could change at any time,' she said.

In the past two years, Ms Law has been working on a project called City Book. Ms Law said this was something she had always wanted to do.

Ms Law added that the project let her focus on what she enjoyed the most and therefore she could release all her stress and forget about the unpleasant past.

She said the abduction had become a distant memory for her.

All of the suspects in relation to Ms Law's kidnapping have been arrested and jailed. The leader of the gang, You Dunkui, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, while the others received prison sentences from 22 months to 13 years.

The majority of the HK$28 million ransom was recovered by the police.
Tony Blair agreed to sit for a sculptor in 2012 but the commission did not take place

A planned bust of Tony Blair for parliament's art collection has still not been sculpted a decade after he left power - as the legacy of the Iraq war continues to haunt him.

Mr Blair agreed to sit for a sculptor in 2012 so that his likeness could be added to the display of former Prime Ministers.

By tradition ex-premiers are honoured by having a bust placed in Members' Lobby outside the House of Commons chamber.

But five years later - and despite parliament boasting that its collection of 20th Century PMs is 'complete' - there is still no sign of the prestigious commission being carried out.

Sources insisted the failure to produce the bust five years ago was down to 'diary issues' rather than concerns about Mr Blair's legacy.

'At the time he was too busy,' one former committee member said.

However, it is understood there has been no recent move by the cross-party Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art to revive the project.

Mr Blair has been tainted by the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and was heavily criticised in the Chilcot report - which was only published last year after a nine year inquiry.

Iraq War campaigners branded the idea of Mr Blair being commemorated 'abhorrent' - but Tory MPs said the tradition should be followed.

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said he supported the idea of commemorating Mr Blair's premiership.

'As all other prime ministers are commemorated, I would be in favour of a Blair bust,' he said.

Mr Rees-Mogg said that following reports of politicians spending large amounts of taxpayers' money on portraits, 'quite a number' of his colleagues were proving 'very shy and retiring about it'.

Fellow Tory MP Ian Liddell-Grainger also backed a Blair bust.

'There should be a bust of Tony Blair,' he told MailOnline. 'We have a bust of every PM for the past 200 years.

'He is controversial, but so was Margaret Thatcher. We should go ahead and do one.

'We are the custodians of the past.'

The Works of Art Committee annual report from 2013 said: 'The former Prime Minister Tony Blair was approached by the Committee and agreed to sit for a portrait bust to be displayed as part of the series of 20th Century prime ministers in Members' Lobby.

Mr Blair's legacy has been tainted by his handling of the Iraq War. He is pictured addressing troops in Basra in 2004

Mr Blair stood shoulder to shoulder with US President George Bush in the wake of the September 11 plane attacks. They are pictured together in Brussels in 2005

Among the likenesses of former PMs in the House of Commons is this bronze statue of Baroness Thatcher

'Once a sculptor has been selected, it is planned that the commission will be undertaken during 2013-14.

Reg Keys, whose serviceman son died in the Iraq war, said it would be an 'utter disgrace' for Mr Blair to be honoured in the Commons.

'It would be an abhorrent thing to have a bust of Tony Blair,' he said.

'He misled Parliament, he misled the people and he misled our brave troops who lost their lives because of his deceit over WMD (weapons of mass destruction).

'For that man to have a bust would be an utter disgrace. I think that's possibly why it hasn't happened yet, given his vilifying by [Sir John] Chilcot.

'I think if the law had been different in this country then he would be in the dock.'

The Stop the War campaign group - which was founded by Jeremy Corbyn - also criticised the idea as 'entirely inappropriate'.

Mr Blair became PM in 1997 (pictured on the doorstep of No10 with wife Cherie) and went on to win another two general elections

Vice chair Chris Nineham said: 'Considering that he was responsible for British participation in the Iraq War - one of the greatest disasters of British foreign policy - and has been found by the Chilcot Inquiry to have deceived Parliament and the British people, it would be entirely inappropriate for him to have a bust at the House of Commons.'

Mr Blair's office declined to comment.

Most of the busts of former PMs are made of bronze. Well-known sculptors can charge up to 50,000 for such work. Mrs Thatcher's statue cost 80,000.

Mr Blair has been recorded for posterity in a portrait.

The painting by Jonathan Yeo was unveiled in 2008, and was described by a Guardian arts critic as showing a 'knackered, tired and fed up' politician.

Mr Blair's successors Gordon Brown and David Cameron have also yet to be immortalised in busts - although they left office more recently.

As well as the busts of every 20th century prime minister, the Members Lobby features statues of Sir Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George and Baroness Thatcher.

The latter was the first person to be honoured in this way by the House of Commons during her lifetime.

It was revealed last month that a separate bust of Mr Blair for the National Portrait Gallery has also been quietly abandoned.

Leading sculptor Nicola Hicks was commissioned to create the artwork while Mr Blair was still in office but it has been abandoned with no explanation.
Silent Witness actress Liz Carr (pictured) was stabbed in the head by a man in his 20s

Silent Witness actress Liz Carr has thanked friends for their support after she was stabbed in the head by an attacker armed with a pair of scissors in each hand.

The man, who is in his 20s, attacked the 45-year-old wheelchair user while she was with her carer near London's Euston station.

Ms Carr, who plays scientist Clarissa Mullery in the BBC crime drama series, was rushed to hospital and she is currently recovering from a slash wound.

A man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of GBH and was later detained under the Mental Health Act.

Co-star Emilia Fox sent Ms Carr a message of support two days after the attack.

In response to a fan posting a photo of the pair, Ms Fox tweeted: 'Big love to @thelizcarr, one of the most phenomenal women alive, thank goodness!xx'

Ms Fox replied: 'Thank you for all the love today and always xxx'

A friend of Ms Carr said that the actress joked about the attack, saying that it was like 'being attacked by Edward Scissorhands'.

The actress, who plays Clarissa Mullery in the BBC crime drama series Silent Witness, was with her carer near Euston station

Co-star Emilia Fox posted this message online two days after the attack, calling Ms Carr one of the most phenomenal women alive 'thank goodness'

Tweeting two days after the attack. Ms Carr responded saying thanks to Ms Fox and her fans

Earlier this week, Ms Carr also thanked comedian Suzy Bennett for her words of support

A friend told The Sun: 'It was a terrifying experience for Liz. She was being pushed in her wheelchair when this young man armed with two pairs of scissors suddenly headed towards her.

'There was blood everywhere but she was very lucky that the wound grazed her head and she was not more seriously injured.

'Typically, Liz is putting a brave face on it - joking that it was like being attacked by Edward Scissorhands.'

Her carer suffered a broken finger and minor cuts was also taken to hospital after the attack. Ms Carr had never seen the man before and has no idea who he was.

Ms Carr, who is also a stand-up comedian, has been in a wheelchair since she was seven after she was diagnosed with the rare condition, arthrogryposis multiplex congenita.

She tweeted: 'Big love to @thelizcarr, one of the most phenomenal women alive, thank goodness!xx'

In 2010, she entered into a civil partnership with her partner Jo, who is looking after her while she recovers.

The attack happened near Euston Station last Thursday evening. A man has been arrested

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Police were called at 8.21pm on Thursday, August 10, to Euston Road, near to Euston station, to a reports of man attacking two women with scissors.

'One of the victims was in a wheelchair. She was with her carer who was the second victim.

'Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended the location. The two women were taken to hospital suffering minor cuts and subsequently discharged.

'A man - aged in his 20s - was arrested at the scene on suspicion of GBH.

'He was taken into custody at a north London police station. He was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act. Enquiries continue.'

Police are not currently treating this as a hate crime, but will continue to speak to the victims.
President Donald Trump's comments about the white nationalist rally last weekend are hurting not just his political standing, but his pocketbook.

Three charities announced Thursday that they were canceling fundraisers at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, a sign the president's business is starting to suffer backlash from his comments Tuesday about the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The Cleveland Clinic said in a statement that it decided not to hold its annual event at his Palm Beach resort after 'careful consideration' of a number of issues. It didn't elaborate, but the Ohio-based hospital was already under pressure to shift venues.

Doctors, nurses and medical students of the hospital had signed a public letter earlier this year objecting to Mar-a-Lago given President Trump's plans to cut funding of medical research and other policies.

Cancellations: Three charities have now pulled out of major fundraising events at Mar-a-Lago in a sign that the backlash over Charlottesville could be bad for the Trump brand

Favored venue: Trump spent significant time at Mar-a-Lago during its season, including New Year's Eve (left) but now the Cleveland Clinic's CEO, Dr Toby Cosgrove, has led charities in pulling the plug on fundraisers there

The Cleveland Clinic has held its annual fundraiser at the resort for eight years.

A few hours after the hospital pulled out, the American Cancer Society said it also planned to shift the venue of its annual fundraiser, called the 2018 Island of Palm Beach gala.

'Our values and commitment to diversity are critical as we work to address the impact of cancer in every community,' spokeswoman Miriam Falco said in statement. 'It has become increasingly clear that the challenge to those values is outweighing other business considerations.'

Falco declined to elaborate.

Late Thursday, the American Friends of Magen David Adom announced it had decided not to hold its 2018 fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. The group, which raises money for an ambulance service in Israel, has been holding its annual gala at the resort since 2012.

Its spokesman, Erik Levis, gave no reason but said the decision came after 'considerable deliberation.' His statement noted the organization is 'apolitical.'

The Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment. The managing director of Trump's properties in Florida, Bernd Lembcke, did not respond to a phone call seeking comment, either.

The president has drawn widespread and bipartisan criticism for his comments at a Trump Tower news conference where he insisted that 'both sides' were to blame for violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville where a counterprotester was killed. The president dissolved two business councils after members who are CEOs began quitting.

Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove was a member of one of those panels designed to advise the president on the economy and jobs.

The gilded and glittering Mar-a-Lago has been a favorite spot for holding charity events and a money maker for the Trump Organization. Dubbed the Winter White House, it is one of the few places in the area that can hold a large crowd. Its 20,000 square-foot ballroom has massive archways and columns decorated in gold leaf.

Palm Beach town records showed that 21 charities held events at Mar-a-Lago between last November and April, during the active social season.

But the resort has also become the site of protest by groups who oppose the president's policies and statements.

The American Red Cross faced pushback in January, when demonstrators rallied outside its annual fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago as the worldwide humanitarian relief organization was offering aid to those affected by Trump's moratorium on the U.S. refugee program.

Inside the venue: The Mar-a-Lago estate is the jewel in the crown of Trump's hotel and club properties, and was jokingly called the Winter White House for his presence there

The organization did not immediately respond to questions about whether it plans to hold its fundraiser next year at the resort.

Some charities contacted by The Associated Press said they had no plans to change venues.

The Kravis Center said it plans to keep its annual wine auction at the Mar-a-Lago.

'The event has been held there for a number of years, and the folks supporting it want to continue to have it there,' spokesman Gary Schweikhart said.

The Palm Beach Police Foundation said in a statement that it plans to keep its annual ball at Mar-a-Lago because it is not a political event and no other venues in town can accommodate 700 guests.

The event raised $700,000 this year, according to town records, with the proceeds used to buy equipment for the Palm Beach Police Department, help its officers and families when they are in need, and provide scholarships for officers' children. The foundation declined further comment.

Laurel Baker, executive director of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, said in an email that 'each organization should examine their mission statements to ensure that any fundraising efforts are not compromising their efforts.'

She said she is not implying that charities should shun Trump.
The U.S. Secret Service says it is 'looking into the comments' that a Missouri legislator posted on Facebook that said she hoped President Donald Trump would be assassinated.

Democratic state Sen. Marie Chappelle-Nadal says she posted and later deleted the comment Thursday out of frustration over Trump's reaction to the white supremacist rally and violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

She says she should not have posted the comment on her personal Facebook page, but she says she was expressing her right to free speech.

She also is refusing calls to resign from her fellow Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill and U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay.

Controversy: Missouri state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal (pictured here in September 2014) is facing an investigation by the Secret Service over calls she made on Facebook for the assassination of Donald Trump

Secret Service spokeswoman Catherine Milhoan says all threats made against the president, vice president and other protected persons are investigated, whether the threats are direct, implied or made in passing.

Earlier, Chappelle-Nadal resisted calls for her to resign and and said she was frustrated with the president's response to the white supremacist rally and violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Among those calling for her resignation are Democratic leaders in the Legislature, the chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party and a Missouri congressman. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill also says Chappelle-Nadal should step down. The Missouri Democrat called the post 'outrageous.'

Chappelle-Nadal told The Associated Press she was wrong to write the post, but she says she won't step down. She says she was exercising her First Amendment right to free speech.

Protest: Chappelle-Nadal said that she wishes she had not posted onto her public Facebook page

Chappelle-Nadal said she was wrong for writing the post and didn't mean what she said, but she refused calls to resign. She said she wrote 'I hope Trump is assassinated!' in response to a post that suggested Vice President Mike Pence would try to have Trump removed from office.

'What I wrote down on my private Facebook page, was it wrong? Absolutely,' she told The Associated Press. 'But I am going to continue to talk about the anger and the frustration that led to that.'

The post drew a swift rebuke, including calls from top Democrats for her resignation.

Chappelle-Nadal said 'I hope Trump is assassinated' in a now-deleted post

Among them were Missouri Senate Democratic Leader Gina Walsh, who condemned Chappelle-Nadal's post as 'horrible.' The chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party, Stephen Webber, said the comments were 'indefensible' and the party 'will absolutely not tolerate calls for the assassination of the president.'

'I condemn it. It's outrageous,' added Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, the state's senior senator. 'And she should resign.'

The state Republican party also called for her resignation, but Chappelle-Nadal said she had no intention of doing so.

'I refuse to resign for exercising my First Amendment rights, even though what I said was wrong,' she said.

The U.S. Secret Service released a statement saying it looks into all threats against the president, 'whether they be direct, implied, or comments in passing.'

Chappelle-Nadal, from the St. Louis suburb of University City, said constituents in her predominantly black district are concerned about how Trump blamed 'both sides' of the clashes in Charlottesville. The violence included a man slamming his car into people protesting against the white supremacist rally, killing one woman and injuring more than a dozen other people.

'By our president saying things such as he does, supporting white supremacy and the Nazis and KKK, it's causing a lot of trauma,' Chappelle-Nadal said.

Chappelle-Nadal, who is black, was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2010, after serving in the state House for five years.

She has been an outspoken activist while in the Legislature. She was a prominent voice during the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, after the police killing of Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old resident who was unarmed when fatally shot by an officer in 2014.
A New Zealand man who walked free from court yesterday over a one-punch attack that killed a teenager has been re-arrested while he awaits deportation.

Daniel Maxwell, 21, received an 18-month suspended sentence in the Brisbane Supreme Court Thursday morning, after admitting to assault and affray over the death of Cole Miller, 18.

But just hours after his release Maxwell was taken back into custody by Australian Border Force officers, following the cancellation of his visa.

Daniel Maxwell, 21, (pictured) received an 18-month suspended sentence in the Brisbane Supreme Court Thursday morning, over the one-punch death of Cole Miller, 18, but just hours after walking free he was taken back into custody to face deportation

Australian law states that non-citizens who serve a term of imprisonment for more than 12 months, such as Maxwell, will have their visa automatically revoked by the government.

'The individuals visa has been cancelled and he has been detained,' a Federal Government spokesperson told The Courier Mail.

Earlier in the day Maxwell had refused to comment as he left court, after his charge of unlawful striking causing death was downgraded.

Mr Miller, 18, died after Maxwell challenged him to a fight while he walked through a mall with a friend to catch a taxi on January 3, 2016.

Maxwell had told his friends 'do you want to see something funny?' before walking up to the teenager and punched him in the chest without provocation.

Co-accused Armstrong Renata, 22, then entered the fray and punched the teenager once in the back of the head, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement.

Australian law states that non-citizens who serve a term of imprisonment for more than 12 months, such as Maxwell (pictured), will have their visa automatically revoked and will be deported

Maxwell admitted to assault and affray in relation to Mr Miller's (pictured) death, after he challenged him to a fight and was heard saying 'do you want to see something funny?'

Mr Miller never regained consciousness following the attack and his parents turned off his life support the following day.

The court heard Thursday that Renata was the one to deliver the fatal blow but Justice Ann Lyons had said Maxwell was 'looking for a fight' and 'he wanted to cause harm'.

'What happened in the mall... it was cowardly on every level. Nothing you did that night was honourable. Nothing you did puts you in a good light.,' she said.

'You were laughing as you left. Your lack of respect, your lack of empathy, is difficult to fathom.'

Mr Miller's father provided a written statement following the verdict yesterday, according to the ABC.

'We understand the reasoning behind the 18-month sentence, but we are disgusted that a convicted criminal who is now an illegal immigrant is allowed to walk free on Brisbane streets,' it read.

Co-accused Armstrong Renata, 22, (pictured) delivered the fatal blow after he joined the fight and punched the teenager once in the back of the head, causing Mr Miller to fall and strike his head on the pavement

More than 1,000 people attended Mr Miller's funeral where his father Steven wiped away tears as he spoke of his son's years growing up in the family home on the Sunshine Coast

Maxwell's lawyer said his client, who had no prior convictions and had spent 19 months in jail already, was deeply remorseful for his actions.

He also said he had been celebrating his 21st birthday on the night Mr Miller died and was drunk when he started the fight.

More than 1,000 people attended Mr Miller's funeral where his father Steven wiped away tears as he spoke of his son's years growing up in the family home on the Sunshine Coast.

'He was always good for a kiss and a cuddle,' he said.

'Still in year 12, the whole family always stopped for a hug and a kiss from him. It was our family tradition.

'This young boy, Cole, could hold my heart in his every being. He did so then and he still does.'
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. UNITED STATES of America, PlaintiffAppellee, v. Jerry L. GATER, DefendantAppellant. No. 16-1836 Decided: August 17, 2017

Before COLLOTON, BEAM, and BENTON, Circuit Judges. Counsel who represented the appellant was Jacob Andrew Zimmerman of Cape Girardeau, MO. Counsel who represented the appellee was Paul W. Hahn, AUSA, of Cape Girardeau, MO.

Jerry Gater was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and sentenced to 146 months' imprisonment. On appeal, he argues that the district court erred when it denied his request for a hearing on his claim that police officers secured a search warrant by omitting material information from the affidavit submitted to the issuing judge. We conclude that the district court properly denied Gater's request for a hearing, and we therefore affirm.

I.

In December 2014, Officer Bobby Sullivan of the Sikeston, Missouri Department of Public Safety served as a task force officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration. On December 16, Sullivan prepared an affidavit and application for a search warrant to search Gater's residence. In the affidavit, Sullivan provided information that he said was disclosed to him by two confidential sources on three separate days.

According to the affidavit, the first source explained to Sullivan on December 9 that during the previous two weeks, the source had witnessed Gater selling more than an ounce of powder and crack cocaine from his truck in Sikeston. The next day, Sullivan averred, a second source told him that the source had visited Gater's residence several times with others while they purchased cocaine. On each occasion, said the source, Gater had more than an ounce of crack cocaine in his possession. The same source, on December 16, told Sullivan that the source had just seen Gater at his residence with approximately five ounces of cocaine, over two pounds of marijuana, and three rolls of one-hundred-dollar bills that totaled more than $20,000.

After the search warrant was issued, Sullivan and other officers searched Gater's residence. They found crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and $4,600 in cash. A grand jury charged Gater with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, in violation of 21 U.S.C.  841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).

Gater, proceeding pro se, filed a motion to suppress evidence and two supplemental motions on related matters. In his motions, Gater argued that Officer Sullivan omitted from his affidavit negative information about the two confidential sources that would have undermined the reliability of their statements. Gater claimed that if it had included the omitted information, then the affidavit would not have supported a finding of probable cause.

A magistrate judge held a hearing at which Sullivan testified, but apparently did not consider it a Franks hearing, and said that such a hearing was not warranted. See R. Doc. 57, at 25. The judge then recommended denial of Gater's motion to suppress. The judge found no evidence that Sullivan omitted the information with the intent to make the affidavit misleading, or in reckless disregard of the fact that it would do so. The judge also concluded that including the omitted facts in Sullivan's affidavit would not have prevented the issuing judge from finding probable cause to search. The district court adopted the recommendation.

A few days before trial, the government sent Gater a memorandum that provided information about the second confidential source, who was scheduled to testify at trial. The memorandum explained that the source was paid six-hundred dollars for the information that she provided on December 16. The government also disclosed that the source had a history of using controlled substances and had been convicted of several misdemeanors.

On the day of trial, the district court granted Gater a continuing objection to the denial of his suppression motion. A jury ultimately convicted Gater of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and the district court imposed sentence. Gater appeals, arguing that he should have been granted a hearing on his claim that Sullivan omitted material information from his affidavit. We review the district court's denial of the hearing for abuse of discretion. United States v. Shockley, 816 F.3d 1058, 1061 (8th Cir. 2016).

II.

In Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154 (1978), the Court held that where the defendant makes a substantial preliminary showing that a false statement knowingly and intentionally, or with reckless disregard for the truth, was included by the affiant in the warrant affidavit, and if the allegedly false statement is necessary to the finding of probable cause, a hearing must be held at the defendant's request. Id. at 15556. Gater does not allege that Officer Sullivan made a false statement. This court, however, has extended Franks to allow challenges to affidavits based on deliberate or reckless omissions. United States v. Reivich, 793 F.2d 957, 96061 (8th Cir. 1986). Others have followed Reivich, while noting that the extension of Franks to alleged omissions potentially opens officers to endless conjecture about investigative leads, fragments of information, or other matter that might, if included, have redounded to defendant's benefit. United States v. Colkley, 899 F.2d 297, 30001 (4th Cir. 1990); see United States v. Fowler, 535 F.3d 408, 41516 (6th Cir. 2008) (applying a higher bar for obtaining a hearing based on an allegedly material omission because of the potential for endless rounds of Franks hearings). Gater relies on this extension of Franks and contends that Sullivan omitted information that would have undermined the reliability of a confidential source.

Under our decisions, the Fourth Amendment requires a hearing where the defendant makes a substantial preliminary showing that (1) the affiant omitted facts with the intent to mislead the issuing judge, or omitted the facts in reckless disregard of the fact that the omissions would mislead, and (2) the affidavit, if supplemented by the omitted information, could not support a finding of probable cause. United States v. Conant, 799 F.3d 1195, 1200 (8th Cir. 2015). Gater focuses exclusively on Sullivan's alleged omission of information about the second confidential source. Gater argues that Sullivan recklessly omitted that the source had a history of drug use, had recently used drugs, and was paid for information about Gater.

The district court found no evidence to support that TFO Sullivan intended to omit facts to make the affidavit misleading, or that he did so in reckless disregard of making the affidavit misleading. We see no error in this conclusion. Sullivan informed the issuing judge that the source had provided information for three years about persons selling narcotics, had participated in controlled purchases of drugs for law enforcement, and had visited Gater's residence several times with others while they purchased drugs. Sullivan presumably thought the issuing judge naturally would infer that a confidential source with that background must have a history of involvement with illegal drugs. As the district court observed, it is often people involved in criminal activities themselves that have the most knowledge about other criminal activities, [so] it is no surprise that most confidential informants are engaged in some sort of criminal activity. R. Doc. 57, at 24 (quoting Fowler, 535 F.3d at 416 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted)).

We also agree with the district court that Gater made no substantial preliminary showing that including more information about the confidential source would have precluded a determination of probable cause to search Gater's house. Probable cause exists when there is a fair probability that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found in a particular place. Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 238 (1983). As with any witness, drug use or compensation might be used to impeach credibility, but these factors do not necessarily establish that the source's information is unreliable. See United States v. Scott, 610 F.3d 1009, 1015 (8th Cir. 2010); United States v. Williams, 477 F.3d 554, 558 (8th Cir. 2007).

Here, the affidavit included information that corroborated the source's statements about Gater. Law enforcement had received information for months that Gater and his associates were obtaining large quantities of cocaine and marijuana from California and distributing the drugs in the Sikeston area. Another confidential source recently saw Gater distributing narcotics in Sikeston. Sullivan explained that the challenged source had a track record of providing reliable information to law enforcement that led to state and federal prosecutions. Disclosing explicitly that the source had a history of drug use and that police paid the source for information would not have prevented the issuing judge from finding probable cause to search Gater's house.

* * *

The judgment of the district court is affirmed.

FOOTNOTES

. The Honorable Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr., United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri, adopting the report and recommendation of the Honorable Abbie CritesLeoni, United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri.

COLLOTON, Circuit Judge.
Starbucks former CEO, Howard Schultz, joined the growing choir of CEOs denouncing the neo-Nazi hatred, in an impassioned speech to employees about the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

'I come to you as an American, as a Jew, as a parent, as a grandparent' Schultz opened to his employees Thursday during the company forum titled 'Hate has no home here.'

'I know we are better than this,' Schultz told the crowd of over 1,500 at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle.

As he spoke, he passed around a rock he brought from back from a trip to Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland.

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Starbucks former CEO and executive chairman, speaking to employees during a forum titled 'Hate has no home here' Thursday

More than 1,500 employees attended the event held at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle

Schultz, who stepped down as Starbucks CEO in December to take on the role of executive chair with a focus on the company's social impact, continued to express his consternation for the future of America after the weekend of violence in Charlottesville.

'I come to you with profound, profound concern about the lack of character, morality, humanity and what this might mean for young children and young generations that are growing up at a time in which we are imprinting them with levels of behaviors and conduct that are beneath the United States of America'

He did not attack President Donald Trump's response directly, but said he would let his actions and words speak for themselves.

Several CEOs from JP Morgan Chase to GE, have been vocal, rebuking Trump for his remarks asserting that there were 'very fine people' on all sides at the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

Schultz also said he fears what he calls the 'normalized' behavior of people who previously before would hide their faces under white hoods.

'We've all seen pictures of the KKK in the South  they were hiding because they were afraid to be outed. People are no longer afraid.'

White nationalist rally in Charlottesville Va turned deadly Saturday when a car ran into a crowd of counter protesters

Schultz told the rapt audience that 'we are at a critical juncture in American history' as the values and what the country stands for, hangs 'in the abyss.'

'What we witnessed this past weekendis against every sense of what is right.'

However, Schultz maintained during the somber company forum, that he remains optimistic about the future, and implored his employees to do what they can to affect positive change.

'It is hard in the midst of such a storm to maintain an optimistic view. But I raise my hand, and I say I am optimistic about our country and the true promise of America.'
A Pennsylvania teacher died Monday from injuries she sustained when she accidentally fell off a rooftop balcony while laughing as she sat in a private home during a vacation in Mexico, it was learned on Thursday.

Sharon Regoli Ciferno, 50, a sixth-grade social studies teacher in the Burrell School District in western Pennsylvania, was on holiday with her daughter and two other people in California, according to TribLive.com.

The four then decided to cross the southern border and spend a few days in Mexico.

On August 4, Ciferno was sitting on a rooftop deck at a friends house in Mexico along with another mother-daughter pair, her brother, David Regoli, told PennLive.

The deck had a ledge that acted as a bench for people to sit on that went around the deck, Regoli said.

Sharon Regoli Ciferno, 50, a sixth-grade social studies teacher in the Burrell School District in western Pennsylvania, was on holiday with her daughter and two other people in Mexico when she fell off a rooftop balcony while she was 'laughing very hard,' according to her brother

Unfortunately, there was no back on the deck.

Remember, the building code standards in Mexico are not the same in the states, her brother said.

She was sitting on the bench when she started laughing very hard and when she put her head back she lost her balance and fell back.

She suffered multiple injuries to her body and brain.

Regoli credited both the Mexican and American emergency services that worked to quickly transport his sister back across the border.

She was hospitalized at the UCSD Medical Center in San Diego, where doctors placed her on a respirator.

She was hospitalized at the UCSD Medical Center in San Diego, where doctors placed her on a respirator. The family made the decision to 'let her go' on Monday

Her injuries proved to be more than she could handle and the family made the most difficult decision that we could make and we let her go, said Regoli, who insists that alcohol played no part in her death.

Sharon Regoli Ciferno hails from a family that is well respected in the community for its dedication to public service.

Her father spent over 25 years as a local government official and state senator.

Both of her brothers  David and John  served 16 years as a city councilman in Lower Burrell.
Lord Blunkett

Sarah Champion is aptly named. Having been forced to resign from a Shadow Cabinet post she filled so very ably and following her brave stance on sex-grooming gangs, she's certainly a true Champion in my book.

I first got to know Sarah when she was the chief executive of Bluebell Wood children's hospice, outside Sheffield. I respected her then as I do now.

I have been aghast to see the completely unacceptable treatment meted out to her. My party, the Labour party, has always sought to stand up for those who are exploited, damaged or treated badly  whatever their position in life.

In other words, to coin a phrase, to 'Champion' equality.

Equality is not only about creating a fair economy. It is just as important to face down misogyny and the male domination of women. It is therefore extremely sad and quite unacceptable that it should be the Labour party seeking to portray genuine debate as somehow equivalent to racism. It is not.

The party's male-dominated leadership, ever mindful of political correctness, is currently unforgiving of dissension. In the past, our great party has always been open to critical thinking. It has welcomed debate from all sides.

Yet now the Labour party has seen one of its outstanding female MPs take a stance against evil that was widely acknowledged as brave and coherent  and then suffer demotion under undoubted pressure to recant her words.

Sarah Champion has a lot in common with a great heroine of mine, Ann Cryer, who was Labour MP for Keighley in West Yorkshire between 1997 and 2010.

She stepped up to serve her town after the death of her MP husband Bob because she wasn't prepared to let his good work end. That took huge courage. But even more heroic was her stance against the systemic abuse of white girls, some as young as 12, in her constituency.

In almost all cases, the perpetrators were men of Pakistani heritage, whose families originally came from the rural regions of that country where medieval attitudes prevailed towards women.

Ann wrote a superb piece for the Mail last week in the wake of the successful conviction  this time in Newcastle  of another predatory gang who'd been exploiting and abusing vulnerable girls. In her customary forthright and unflinching style, Ann explained that it was almost 15 years since she first warned about the plight of young white girls in some Asian communities in Britain.

Too many people were 'reluctant to state the basic facts about who the abusers are, for fear of appearing racist or Islamophobic', she said.

Sarah Champion

The criminals, she said, were 'mainly British-born from Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Iranian, Iraqi, Turkish and Indian communities where there is a deep-rooted misogyny that perpetrates this form of abuse'.

She went on: 'Reluctance persists among some on the Left to accept that these are culturally-rooted crimes. No doubt, I will be called racist for pointing this out.'

Ann started to speak out in 2003 after being approached by seven mothers whose adolescent daughters were in the grip of a paedophile gang.

I was Home Secretary at the time and, when she first came to talk to me about it, I found it hard to comprehend the enormity of the offences. It was too horrible to be imagined.

But she persuaded me that there was a real issue to be tackled, a truth to be faced that was so abominable that people scarcely dared speak of it.

To do this, political correctness had to be laid aside.

I will always be thankful that I was in a position to help Ann's campaign, by introducing changes in the law to facilitate prosecutions and to make grooming a specific offence. Ann Cryer and Sarah Champion have two things in common. First, they were brave to take on an issue that so many have ducked for so long. Second, they were both attacked for doing so.

The question we have to ask ourselves is why their courage attracted so much condemnation. Their campaign was not targeted at any one nationality nor, for that matter, at a specific religious faith.

But it did face up to the bitter truth of the situation.

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, a well-known journalist and author who is Muslim, has described this abuse as being 'an Islamic phenomenon'.

This is not because the whole of the Islamic faith is involved in a conspiracy to exploit young white women, but because a small but significant number of Muslim men, particularly those of Pakistani heritage, hold young white women from an underprivileged background in contempt.

This therefore confronts a crucial issue  the way faith, culture and misogyny come together in an unholy combination. The principal of the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford, Dr Taj Hargey, himself an imam, has been clear: the issue must be addressed and tackled directly by Britain's Muslim community. For it is an unacceptable blot on the good name of Islam and a slur on the many decent, loving, family-orientated men of a South Asian background.

What Ann Cryer highlighted, all those years ago, was the way in which vulnerable young women in her constituency were groomed and then exploited, in a perverted culture that believed they were second rate  and therefore less worthy of respect than women of the same ethnic background or faith as the men perpetrating the abuse. Sarah Champion was addressing the same facts. Whatever she now feels might have been a 'poor choice' in the language she used, her right to speak out has to be upheld.

Her decision to stand down from the Shadow Cabinet should be regretted by all of us who value open and honest debate.

Let me spell it out. Widespread paedophilia has become a serious problem in many British cities over recent years. At last it is being taken seriously, not only by the police but by wider society  helped in large part by outstanding TV dramas and documentaries such as Three Girls (about an Asian sex abuse ring preying on white teenagers in Rochdale).

These crimes are not predominantly rooted in the Islamic faith. They are specific to a cultural attitude towards women.

We have to oppose that attitude. Modern values must take precedence over misguided, outdated and grossly perverted historical culture.

The conflict between modernity and medievalism is something which needs to be addressed on a global scale  but in Britain we must tackle those incidents in our own communities head on. Ann Cryer first spoke out almost 15 years ago.

Today, the Sarah Champions of our world should be applauded, not silenced, when they seek to protect the most vulnerable people in our society from exploitation. All of us, of every faith and background, must be willing to stand alongside her.

Let's hope that events over the past few days will cause the Labour leadership to think again and return the party to its long-held values of open thinking and genuine debate.

If this doesn't happen, immense damage will be inflicted not just on Labour  but on democracy itself.
Nearly 600 migrants were rescued in just one day as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Spain from Morocco.

They had travelled on 15 vessels including toy paddleboats and a jetski on Wednesday.

The 593 picked up by Spanish coastguards included 35 children and a baby and were among the steady flow of migrants crossing the Strait of Gibraltar and Alboran Sea in the western Med.

It came as Spanish police smashed a gang of people smugglers using jetskis to bring migrants into the country.

Migrants arrive on board a Spain's maritime rescue boat at the port of Tarifa, southern Spain, after being rescued in the Strait of Gibraltar, Wednesday

The traffickers charged each desperate migrant around 4,500 for passage into Europe from North Africa.

The gang made the crossing by jetski every day, taking people to beaches in the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz.

The migrants were then taken to Algeciras, west of Gibraltar, where they were held while the criminals checked families back home had paid.

Two migrants were taken on each jetski for the crossing across the Strait of Gibraltar. The high number of boats coming to the Spanish coast this summer is unusual, said a spokesman for Spains coastguards yesterday, adding that there were three times as many as in the same period last year.

Spain's maritime rescue service has saved more than 600 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Morocco in the past 24 hours, making it one of its busiest days so far

The UN says more than 9,000 people have arrived in Spain so far this year  three times as many as the previous year.

Many are sailing across the eight-mile Strait of Gibraltar and choose cheap, child-size paddle boats without motors. The majority are West Africans, with Nigeria, Guinea and Ivory Coast the main countries of origin. But Bangladeshis have also been leaving North Africa in their thousands.

Unlike Syrians, Iraqis or Afghans arriving in Europe, these groups are mostly treated as economic migrants, rather than refugees.

Spain could overtake Greece this year in the number of migrants arriving by sea, the UN said this month. However, the number of migrants arriving still pales in comparison with the number reaching Italy, which has seen more than 97,300 people arrive this year.

In July the number crossing to Italy dropped by 57 per cent compared with the previous month, according to EU border agency Frontex.

The fall was attributed to bad weather and better patrols by Libyan coastguards.
Pauline Hanson says her critics are ignoring the Australian people's wishes by refusing to ban the burqa.

The One Nation leader was slammed on Thursday for wearing the Islamic garment on the Senate floor, claiming it had 'no place' in Australian society.

Attorney-General George Brandis tore into the stunt in an impassioned speech that received a rare standing ovation from Labor and Greens colleagues.

But the right-wing firebrand hit back the next morning, accusing her many critics of being out of touch with voters concerned about Islam in Australia.

Pauline Hanson says her critics are ignoring the Australian people's wishes by refusing to ban the burqa

The One Nation leader was widely condemned on Thursday for wearing the Islamic garment on the Senate floor, claiming it had 'no place' in Australian society

'For George Brandis and everyone in that Parliament to shut me down is not answering the Australian people,' she said on the Today show on Friday.

'They've been ignored, people like George Brandis and the Labor Party and Derryn Hinch that stood up and applauded his comments are not really understanding how the Australian people feel and think.'

Senator Hanson said her critics were trying to 'shut down' people with her views because they 'don't want to stand up to the facts'.

'The people will have their say at the ballot box,' she said, after a poll of Today viewers showed 59 per cent of respondents agreed with her stunt.

The 63-year-old said wearing a burqa was not a religious requirement and claimed many Muslim wore it to impose their ideology on Australians.

Voice quavering, the Attorney-General said it was 'appalling' for Senator Hanson to 'drive (Muslims) into a corner'

Senator Hanson rips off the burqa (left and right) after labelling it a threat to national security

'I think a lot of these people wear it just for the fact of saying we are going to do what we want to do in your country, we are going to use your country, we are going to use your laws to further our political agenda, our ideology,' she said.

'Let's look at what is right for this country. Where do we want to go? Is it national security? Do we want social cohesion? Let the people have their say.'

The anti-immigration campaigner said she did not oppose the Islamic religion, just the 'political ideology' that came along with it.

'I have no problems with religion, I have a problem with the political ideology that is incompatible with our culture and way of life and are shutting down a lot of things that we are dear to our hearts as Australians,' she said.

Senator Hanson said Parliament House was getting a $16 million upgrade because 'we're in fear of a threat', but voters did not get the same protection.

'It's alright for us parliamentarians are protected in many ways for having security guards. What about the people on our streets, what about the terrorist attacks that are happening,' she said.

Surprise ovation: Senators from the Greens and Labor joined a standing ovation for George Brandis's spontaneous speech

Her comments followed a stinging rebuke from Senator Brandis immediately following her demand for the chamber to support a burqa ban.

'I am not going to pretend to ignore the stunt that you have tried to pull today by arriving in the Chamber dressed in a burqa,' the Liberal Senate leader said.

'We all know that you are not an adherent of the Islamic faith.'

The minister continued: 'We have about 500,000 Australians in this country of the Islamic faith. And the vast majority of them are law abiding good Australians.

'Senator Hanson, it is absolutely consistent with being a good, law-abiding Australian and being a strict adherent Muslim.'

'And to ridicule that community, to drive it into a corner, to mock its religious garments is an appalling thing to do and I would ask you to reflect on what you have done.'

Senator Hanson will move a motion in parliament on Thursday, to be debated in the afternoon, calling on the federal government to ban the burqa

Crossbencher Derryn Hinch also questioned whether Senator Hanson could remain in the chamber.

'I understand that she is not a Muslim, not of Islamic faith. Can I appear tomorrow in fancy dress unchallenged?' he asked the Senate president.

Senator Hanson sat in the chamber with the burqa for some time before dramatically ripping it off to as her colleague if they would support banning it.

'There have been 13 foiled national threats against us with terrorism, three that have been successful and Australians have lost their lives,' she said.

'Terrorism is a true threat to our country. Many Australians are very much in fear of it.

'A large majority of Australians wish to see the banning of the burqa.'
Activist educators are pushing in support daycare centre's and pre-schools not celebrating Australia Day.

Activists in lobby group Social Justice In Early Childhood are reported to have backed the City of Yarra's decision, in Melbourne, to not celebrate Australia Day because it is a sensitive event among indigenous communities.

The City of Yarra voted to stop acknowledging Australia Day on January 26 this week and the North Fitzroy Childcare Co-operative are reported to not celebrate the event, according to The Australian.

Activists from lobby group Social Justice in Early Childhood have reportedly backed the decision for some childcare centres to not acknowledge Australia Day

Workers from childcare centre's posted on the lobby group's Facebook page and some claimed to not acknowledge the day (Stock Image)

The lobby group has around 4,500 members and is run by prominent academics from the University of Sydney early childhood lecturer and author Red Ruby Scarlet and New South Wales TAFE educator Kathy Gelding.

A worker of an unknown childcare centre wrote on one of the lobby group's Facebook posts claiming 'We never have. We're in Yarra Council', according to the publication.

Other childcare workers came out online to support not acknowledging January 26 as Australia Day, but rather use it as a day of educating children of what occurred on the arrival of the First Fleet.

'I've always taken this day as day to speak the truth about Jan 26th.... that there were already people living here and unfortunately a lot were killed,' another comment read on Facebook.

Other childcare workers came out online to support not acknowledging January 26 as Australia Day (Stock Image)

'You have the right to teach best practice, don't wait for permission, be the change you want to see. And my advice, use this day as an educational day to teach the truth.'

Celebrating Australia Day on January 26 has become an important topic in recent years with many Australians believing the date should be acknowledged as 'survival' or 'invasion day' since it marks the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to the North Fitzroy Childcare Co-operative for comment.
A fight broke out in a Barcelona bar as customers inside refused to open the shutters to allow entry to people seeking refuge from the terror attack.

The scuffle began among six customers who had barricaded themselves inside bar La Cabana on Calle dels Angels, 900 feet from Las Ramblas, where a van killed 13 people.

At around 6.20pm, a group of people began banging on the steel shutters to ask to be let inside.

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The scuffle began among six customers who had barricaded themselves inside bar La Cabana on Calle dels Angels, 900 feet from Las Ramblas, where a van killed 13 people

While two customers wanted to let the group in, two did not, leading to shouts and pushes, El Pais reports.

After a few seconds, one person raised the shutter just high enough for three people to get in.

When they got in, the two people who had opposed their entry shouted, 'You have put us in danger!'

However, the situation calmed down after the customers realised the street outside, was calm.

The incident was one of many chaotic scenes that took place in the Spanish city following the van attack on the tourist hotspot.

The driver of the vehicle, who also injured 100, is thought to be still at large, despite police making two arrests.

The incident was one of many chaotic scenes that took place in the Spanish city following the van attack on the tourist hotspot (pictured)

Disturbing video footage shows dead bodies strewn on the tourist boulevard, and paramedics tending to the injured.

Witnesses reported seeing people running away and screaming after the terror attack happened.

One man, Isaac, saw the incident unfold. He said: 'The person was accelerating. He mounted the pavement to run people over.

'We saw the van passing by running people over at 50 miles an hour. It was as if it was driving through a field of corn.'

The driver of the vehicle, who also injured 100, is thought to be still at large, despite police making two arrests

A taxi driver told Catalan TV station TV3: 'The van was doing zigzags knocking over everyone he could. It was shocking.'

Three Germans were among those killed, Spanish media reported. There were also Greek and Belgian nationals among the dead.

It remains unclear how many attackers were involved in the massacre, which is being treated by police as an act of terrorism.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders has confirmed that one of the victims was from Belgium.
Kelly Landry admits she and estranged husband Anthony Bell are still not on good terms, months after their very public split.

The high-profile couple's marriage collapsed in November after an alleged fight at their $12.5 million mansion that led to Landry taking out an AVO.

After protracted and bitter court proceedings, the former Getaway presenter's application to make the interim AVO permanent was dismissed in May.

Kelly Landry admits she and estranged husband Anthony Bell are still not on good terms, months after their very public split

The high-profile couple's marriage collapsed in November after an alleged fight at their $12.5 million mansion that led to Landry taking out an AVO

The 38-year-old, who has two children with her celebrity accountant husband, has returned to her TV career and hopes the pair can get past it.

'The circumstances that were surrounding our marriage, they were volatile and it takes time for things to heal and for people to move on,' she told 9 News.

'I'm really hopeful that this will all be brought to something that's in the past and is not something that is going to be an ongoing issue throughout the rest of our lives.'

Landry said they were 'getting there' and hoped their two daughters Charlize, five, and Thea, three, would help them be amicable.

'We share children together and again, coming back to everything I've been saying, I think life is way too short to be consumed with all of the things that aren't harmonious to living,' she said.

After protracted and bitter court proceedings, the former Getaway presenter's application to make the interim AVO permanent was dismissed in May (pictured)

The 38-year-old, who has two children with her celebrity accountant husband, has returned to her TV career and hopes the pair can get past it

The AVO police sought against Mr Bell was dismissed because Magistrate Robert Williams found there was little or no chance he would be violent towards her again.

This was despite Mr Williams stating the Sydney to Hobart yacht skipper had been 'intimidating in the past'.

During the hearings, Ms Landry was accused of excessive drinking and using the AVO as traction in divorce and custody proceedings, which she denied.

The court heard allegations, denied by Mr Bell, the he was was stingy and prepared to bully Ms Landry with his wealth and power.

Mr Williams accepted Ms Landry's version of a violent confrontation on November 18 last year, in which her arm and one of their children's head hit a wall.

Landry said they were 'getting there' and hoped their two daughters Charlize, five, and Thea, three, would help them be amicable

The AVO police sought against Mr Bell was dismissed (pictured) because Magistrate Robert Williams found there was little or no chance he would be violent towards her again

He said that she had been in fear of her husband, who had shown intimidatory and controlling behaviour.

He said private issues within the couple's marriage had been aired publicly in court, 'some unnecessarily'.

In the recordings made on her telephone of the November 18 fight, Ms Landry could be heard saying to Mr Bell: 'You're acting psycho' and 'you're scaring me'.

Mr Bell could be heard saying to Ms Landry: 'You're not going anywhere, you're not taking the kids, you can't take them... you're drunk'.

There was a scuffle, followed by Ms Landry screaming 'Owww', before the recording cut out.

The pair now seem to be starting to move on as they go through divorce proceedings and Landry restarts her TV career

Wiping away tears in the witness box, Ms Landry said the alleged assaults were only part of ongoing emotional abuse.

'There are a number of incidents during the course of our marriage,' she said. 'What is in my statement is a drop in the ocean of what I experienced on a weekly basis.'

She told the court that despite an interim AVO being in place, she still lived in fear.

Mr Bell consistently denied all allegations of abusing Landry, physical or otherwise, and argued he provided for the family

She in June was a guest panelist on Studio 10 and said she loved working on TV and would be interested in taking up other roles in the future

'I'm pleased that justice has prevailed I've got to go see the kids,' Mr Bell said outside court when the permanent AVO was dismissed.

The pair now seem to be starting to move on as they go through divorce proceedings and Landry restarts her TV career.

She in June was a guest panelist on Studio 10 and said she loved working on TV and would be interested in taking up other roles in the future.

The mother-of-two also works as a Heart Foundation ambassador, after suffering from heart disease when she was pregnant with her first child.
Nick Xenophon is the latest politician to become embroiled in Australia's parliamentary citizenship scandal after it was revealed he could be British.

The South Australian senator made enquiries to the UK Home Office this week regarding his status, after discovering he could have British citizenship through his father.

While Senator Xenophon was born in Australia and has previously assured he is not a Cypriot or Greek citizen, his father is believed to have come to Australia on a British passport.

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Nick Xenophon (pictured) is the latest politician to become embroiled in Australia's parliamentary citizenship scandal after it was revealed he made enquiries to the UK Home Office this week to check his status

Theodoros Xenophou was born in Cyprus, which remained a British Colony until 1960, before he migrated to Australia, where Senator Xenophon was born.

The Senator confirmed that should his enquiries return that he is a British citizen he would not resign from the senate, according to The Age.

'We are trying to get some further information, we are trying to get some clarity. Hopefully we get it in the early hours of Saturday morning,' he told the publication.

'All I can do is check and release whatever I get. Whatever happens, happens.' he said.

Senator Xenophon also assured that the matter would be referred to the High Court, alongside other prominent cases such as that of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.

'You let it go to the High Court, that is what you do. That is the appropriate thing to do, I think,' he said.

Senator Xenophon's father was born in Cyprus, which remained a British Colony until 1960, before migrating to Australia

Records are believed to show that his father came to Australia on a British passport, throwing doubt on Senator Xenophon's citizenship status

He also described the situation as a 'train-wreck for parliament' during and interview with Sky News.

Social media was awash Friday morning as users poked fun at the situation and the growing number of parliamentary members affected.

'In Canberra for AMA Federal Council meetings. Citizenship status: definitely not British. Unlike Senator Xenophon,' surgeon Jill Tomlinson wrote.

'OMG When will it END?' one user added, while another stated: 'Will there be anyone left in parliament?'

The senator's announcement follows a series of Australian politicians who have had doubts cast on their citizenship status, including Barnaby Joyce, Fiona Nash, Malcolm Roberts and Matt Canavan.

Former Greens senators Scott Ludlam and Larissa Walters also resigned after they discovered they were dual citizens of New Zealand and Canada respectively.

Social media users poked fun at the situation Friday morning after Lousie Yaxley confirmed the news (top), with many commenting about the growing number of parliamentary members affected

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is among the growing numbers of parliamentary members whose case will be taken to the High Court

Larissa Waters (left) quit as a Greens senator after learning she was still a dual Canadian citizen, while Scott Ludlam (right) also quit as a Greens senator in July after learning he was a dual New Zealand citizen

It comes just days after Lateline host Emma Alberici created an awkward television moment by telling the senator he had a 'foreign name'.

The ABC presenter was winding up a 10-minute interview when she deadpanned the observation 'Xenophon sounds like a foreign name'.

The South Australian senator smiled awkwardly before answering the journalist by saying he did not understand her point.

Ms Alberici briefly apologised before asking if he was a dual citizen.

'I'm sorry. Are you sure you're on solid ground in the parliament that you don't have any secret citizenship lurching in your past?,' she asked.

it comes just days after Lateline host Emma Alberici created an awkward television moment after telling Senator Nick Xenophon he had a foreign-sounding name

The lawmaker, who was born in Adelaide to Cypriot and Greek parents, explained how he had sought assurances in writing from the Greek Embassy and the Cyriot High Commission in Australia that he was never a citizen of those Mediterranean nations.

'I never want it and if there's any possibility I could have it, don't give it to me,' Senator Xenophon said.

'I'm already in trouble in the Greek and Cypriot communities for stating publicly in the ethnic media that I never want to be a Greek or Cypriot citizen so give me a break.'
Charles Manson has been photographed for the first time in six months on Monday by prison authorities in California.

The serial killer's latest mug shot was taken on Monday at Corcoran State Prison, which is located about 60 miles northwest of Bakersfield.

He is serving nine life sentences at the facility.

Prison authorities take fresh mug shots of inmates every few years just in case they manage to escape and recent images are needed to help the public make a positive identification.

The latest mug shot of Manson shows the 82-year-old convicted murderer appearing healthy.

A bald, unshaven Manson is seen staring intensely into the camera with his trademark swastika tattoo resting between his forehead and the bridge of his nose.

Serial killer Charles Manson was photographed for the first time in six months on Monday by prison authorities in California

The mug shot taken on Monday was the first time in almost seven months that Manson was photographed. He is seen above in January just after he suffered a near-fatal health scare

Prison authorities take fresh mug shots of inmates every few years just in case they manage to escape and recent images are needed to help the public make a positive identification. This mug shot of Manson was taken in October 2014

The last time Manson was photographed was earlier this year after he was rushed to a hospital because of a near-fatal health scare.

Manson was pictured alive and looking as menacing as ever in late January.

The photos gave the first glimpse of the mass murderer since he was rushed to hospital on January 3 suffering from intestinal bleeding.

The 82-year-old stared creepily into the camera in one photo as he showed off his ghost-like pale skin and trademark gray beard.

Manson, pictured being escorted to a Los Angeles courtroom in 1969, was convicted of leading a cult young people who followed his orders and were ultimately turned into killers

Manson has been behind bars for more than four decades after being put away for the series of infamous Manson family murders in 1969. The photo on the left was taken on August 25, 1989. The mug shot on the right was released in March 2009

He was pictured touching the tattooed hand of one of his covert followers who stood beside him.

Another photo showed the notorious murderer dressed in his blue prison fatigues with a bandanna around his neck as he posed with sunglasses and his arms folded across his chest.

His friend, known as Black Wolf, said Manson appeared strong and in high spirits during the visit on January 21.

Manson had reportedly been eating healthily since the health scare.

Manson was removed from the California prison for a week after being rushed to the emergency room.

He was reported to be 'seriously ill' at the time and wasn't able to have surgery because doctors deemed it too risky, according to TMZ.

Manson was taken back to the prison on January 7.

He has been behind bars for more than four decades after being put away for the series of murders in 1969, including director Roman Polanski's pregnant actress wife Sharon Tate.

Manson and three female followers, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, were convicted of murder and sentenced to death for killings at two gruesome scenes in the summer of 1969

He was convicted of leading a cult in which disaffected young people living in a commune followed his orders and were ultimately turned into killers.

Manson and three female followers, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten, were convicted of murder and sentenced to death for killings at two gruesome scenes in the summer of 1969.

All were spared execution when a U.S. Supreme Court ruling temporarily banned the death penalty in 1972. Another defendant, Charles 'Tex' Watson, was convicted later.

They brutally murdered Sharon Tate and six others in Los Angeles over two nights.

He had ordered his family members to slaughter Tate, who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant, and three of her friends at her home above Beverly Hills.

Stephen Parent was a fifth unfortunate victim that night. He had driven to the property to see if caretaker William Garreston wanted to buy his AM/FM Clock radio, and had stayed on for a beer at the guest house.

The following night the Family butchered small business owners Leno and Rosemary La Bianca, in their home in Los Angeles.

The murders were carried out in upscale, mostly white neighborhoods of Los Angeles in order to blame the crimes on African Americans, in the hope of sparking what he termed a 'Helter Skelter' race war.

Krenwinkel was denied parole after a hearing in June.
Images have been released of David Carl Ewen who alleged sexually and indecently assaulted a three-year-old girl at a New South Wales Snowy Mountains chalet.

David Carl Ewen's lawyer says his client faces 'incredibly grave' accusations, but claims the crown case is 'inherently flawed' and based on 'unreliable' evidence from the girl and her mother.

Ewen, 50, appeared via audio-visual link at Central Local Court on Thursday where his barrister AJ Karim unsuccessfully sought bail.

David Carl Ewen (pictured) allegedly sexually assaulted a three-year-old girl

The snow lodge where the alleged incident took place

It's alleged the girl's mother saw a man put his hands between her daughter's legs, near her thighs, when she was sitting on a couch at the Perisher Valley guesthouse on July 15 (stock image)

It's alleged the girl's mother saw a man put his hands between her daughter's legs, near her thighs, when she was sitting on a couch at the Perisher Valley guesthouse on July 15.

Mr Karim said to the court that instead of immediately rushing to the aid of her daughter she asked her husband to check on the girl.

'Why would you inquire as to everything being okay if you had observed your daughter being indecently assaulted?' he said.

Ten days later the girl told her mother she'd been sexually assaulted, he told the court.

The girl disclosed that a man who wasn't wearing pants orally assaulted her on a stairwell near the guesthouse reception area, Mr Karim said.

He said 'it is not unnatural for kids to fantasise' and 'lie all the time,' the court heard.

Mr Karim said 'police also believe that there are a number of other victims who have not made complaints,' but he said this was 'pure speculation.'

A stranger who allegedly sexually and indecently assaulted a three-year-old girl at a NSW Snowy Mountains chalet will remain behind bars for now (stock image)

Ewen, 50, appeared via audio-visual link at Central Local Court on Thursday

The prosecutor said to the court that even though the girl was only three year old she gave a clear account of what happened and a good description of the man who allegedly assaulted her.

She also said the mother's reaction was not unreasonable.

Magistrate Sharon Freund said it 'is not an overwhelmingly strong case but it is a strong crown case.'

She formally refused Ewen bail to appear at a Queanbeyan court on October 6.
A former Florida escort was denied bond on Wednesday as she appeals her conviction in a murder-for-hire plot to have her new husband killed.

Palm Beach County Judge Glenn Kelley denied Dalia Dippolito's request to go free on house arrest while she appeals her June conviction of solicitation of first-degree murder.

The 34-year-old woman was found guilty in her third trial to have her newlywed husband killed by a hit man in 2009. She was sentenced to 16 years in prison last month.

During court Wednesday, Kelley questioned her defense team's strategy when he made his latest ruling.

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Dalia Dippolito, a former Florida escort, was denied bond on Wednesday as she appeals her conviction in a murder-for-hire plot to have her new husband Michael Dippolito killed in 2009

Palm Beach County Judge Glenn Kelley denied Dippolito's (pictured above in June) request to go free on house arrest while she appeals her June conviction of solicitation of first-degree murder

'The defense, essentially, objected to everything,' the judge wrote, according to the Palm Beach Post. 'Some of these objections had merit, some did not, and some  candidly  bordered on the frivolous.'

The former escort was recorded on camera telling an undercover police detective that she was '5,000 per cent sure' she wanted her newlywed husband Michael Dippolito dead.

Michael, himself a convicted conman who said he fell in love after he first hired Dalia for sex, took a dig at his ex-wife when he said he was '5,000 percent happy' with her conviction back in June.

She was first convicted and sentenced to 20 years in 2011, before it was tossed out on an appeal. The retrial last year resulted in a 3-3 hung jury.

The 34-year-old woman was found guilty in her third trial and was sentenced to 16 years in prison in July. She was first convicted and sentenced to 20 years in 2011, before it was tossed out on an appeal. The retrial last year resulted in a 3-3 hung jury

Dippolito was recorded on camera telling an undercover police detective that she was '5,000 per cent sure' she wanted her newlywed husband Michael Dippolito (above) dead

Prosecutors argued during her sentencing that she should be sentenced to 30 years while her attorneys pushed for two years and probation.

Her lawyers chalked it up to a one-time mistake and said it was important for the former escort to raise her son, who is only 14 months old.

Kelley said Dalia acted in a 'cold and calculated manner' and Michael said his life was ruined when his ex-wife plotted to have him killed.

Michael said Dalia and her attorneys falsely portrayed him as a wife beater and tried to make him look bad to somehow justify her actions.

Courtesy of WPLG

The prosecution presented a 23-minute video in which Dalia agreed to pay undercover officer Widy Jean $7,000 to have her husband killed

But Michael, who divorced another woman and married Dalia after four months, told the judge at the time of her sentencing, 'Listen, when I met her, it was very exciting,' ABC reported.

'We got along really well. Our sex life was amazing and that was part of the whole reason, you know, I was so into her and I thought she was into me.'

During her trial, the prosecution presented a 23-minute video in which Dippolito agreed to pay undercover officer Widy Jean $7,000 to have her husband killed.

She also discussed various plots before Jean said he would kill her husband at the couple's home, making it look like a botched burglary while she was at the gym.

During the trial, prosecutors also called Michael, who believes his wife twice planted drugs in his SUV before calling the police so he might land back in prison for violating his probation.

Prosecutors also read for the jury X-rated text messages Dalia exchanged with a now-deceased lover, Mike Stanley, in 2009 after she got married, according to the Palm Beach Post.

She had Stanley impersonate a doctor to help her hide the $100,000 she stole from her husband. He then pretended to be a lawyer to trick her husband into thinking he had completed probation, prosecutors said.

In one text message, she rejoiced after persuading her husband to put their town house in her name only; in another, she complained after learning she still couldn't sell it without his signature.

Prosecutors also showed video of her interview with detectives at the police station after being made to believe her husband had been killed.

She volunteered potential killers, including her husband's former crime partners, and denied knowing Jean when he was brought before her in handcuffs as the killer.
They did not stand a chance. As thousands of tourists enjoyed the late afternoon sun on a popular tree-lined avenue in Barcelona, a fanatic in a rented Fiat van came hurtling towards them.

Unsuspecting holidaymakers were sent flying into stalls selling souvenirs. Others were simply mown down as the terrorist zigzagged along the pedestrianised area of the tourist hotspot called Las Ramblas.

When he ended his murderous 500-yard rampage, dozens of bodies lay across the cobbled streets where thousands of families had been enjoying their holidays.

Fleeing: A girl with her mother pushing a buggy

Some had been killed instantly. Shocked bystanders tried to tend to the catastrophic injuries suffered by dozens of others.

Amid the chaos, frantic mothers could be heard screaming the names of their missing children. At least one young girl is thought to have been killed.

Hundreds of tourists and locals fled in panic, seeking sanctuary inside shops, restaurants and churches amid fears that terrorists were still wreaking havoc.

Briton Susan Maclean, on holiday with her husband, described her 'unbridled fear' last night. 'All of a sudden, there was this screaming and hordes of people, like a tidal wave of people, fear etched in their faces, running towards us, many of them yelling in Spanish,' she told Channel 4 News.

'We had no idea what was going on. My first thought was this is a terrorist attack.' The couple barricaded themselves inside a shop while they heard what sounded like gunshots outside.

Aamer Anwar, a criminal defence lawyer and Glasgow University rector, said he missed the attack by ten seconds. 'I was about to sit down and have something to eat... the place was jam-packed with tourists,' he said. 'Thousands and thousands of tourists. I walked on and about five, ten seconds later I heard a crashing noise, screams and it was almost like an avalanche  I just saw people running. I started running, people in front of me started to run, hundreds. People were screaming. People stated to panic.

Dash to safety: The strain etched on his face, a father carries a distressed toddler

'People were jumping into shops, pulling their children out of prams. There was no room [on Las Ramblas], it was swamped with families, children, and tourists. I saw a woman running. When we stopped she was screaming, because she could not see her children.'

Ethan Spidey, 25, said there was a 'stampede' as tourists and locals sprinted away from the scene.

'I saw a young child knocked over and picked them up but everyone was just running,' he said. 'There was a stampede in the streets alongside Las Ramblas as everyone tried to run away. People were running into shops and taking refuge in cafes.'

The carnage unfolded when the van mounted the paved middle section of Las Ramblas and gathered speed as the driver headed south towards the waterfront. Images of the aftermath showed several bodies lying on the street at the start of his rampage shortly after 5pm local time.

The fanatic, possibly travelling with an accomplice, continued to ram pedestrians before finally abandoning the white van on a street mural some 500 yards later.

He is thought to have fled through La Boqueria food market, which is popular with tourists and locals alike. Within minutes, armed police surrounded the area and carried out searches of every business as hundreds hid in shops, restaurants and churches.

Horrified: The ordeal is too much for these young girls

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road adjoining the site of the attack, was forced to flee when the van began hitting pedestrians. 'I heard screams and a crash and then I just saw the crowd parting and this van going full pelt down the middle of the Ramblas, and I immediately knew that it was a terrorist attack or something like that,' he said.

Asked about the van, he added: 'It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas.'

Steven Turner, who works in the area, told the BBC: 'People in my office saw a van ramming into people on Las Ramblas. I saw about three or four people lying on the ground. About five minutes later I heard lots of screams from the crowd and then they dispersed.' Terrified witnesses told how they heard gunshots as armed police went shop-by-shop in search of their suspects.

Manhunt: Armed police search the streets

British tourist Mel Higgins said: 'I was barricaded inside a shop with my two daughters. We were walking down a parallel street when suddenly people started running towards us screaming 'Run!' and so I grabbed the two girls and ran inside an Orange phone shop.

'They locked the doors of the phone shop and we all waited there for around 20 minutes. We were just about to leave when everybody started running and screaming again. We went back inside and the staff shut down the shutters and told us to go upstairs.' Mrs Higgins was finally reunited with her husband some 25 minutes later.

Chris Pawley, 30  who survived the Manchester Arena bomb  was yards from Las Ramblas when the carnage unfolded. He had been enjoying a trip to the Spanish city with his partner Corey Lorde.

He said: 'We were caught up in the Arena attack  I can't believe it. There was police everywhere and ambulances, the shops started putting the shutters down.' A second van was later found in the town of Vic, 50 miles north of Barcelona. Police believe it was meant to be used as a getaway vehicle.

Stay in your hotels, Britons are urged

British holidaymakers in Barcelona were told to stay in their hotels by the Foreign Office last night.

The warning came as it was claimed that the CIA warned that Las Ramblas was a terror target two months ago.

City authorities were reportedly told about the possibility of an attack at the tourist hotspot following six atrocities across Europe in which terrorists have used vehicles in the last year, claiming more than 100 lives.

CIA officers met the region's local police force, the Mossos d'Esquadra, to warn that Las Ramblas could be a target, Spanish newspaper El Periodico said.

British holidaymakers in Barcelona were told to stay in their hotels by the Foreign Office last night

The newspaper claimed: 'The Central Intelligence Agency moved its notice to the Catalan autonomous police two months ago. It even put the focus on the Ramblas.'

Earlier in May, the US issued a new terror alert for Europe after attacks in London, Stockholm, Berlin and Nice.

Last night the Foreign Office said: 'Local authorities have advised people to stay inside and stay away from the Las Ramblas area; if you're in the immediate area you should take care and follow the advice of security authorities.'

More than 12million British nationals visit Spain every year, with Barcelona the most popular city destination. Advice from the Foreign Office warns: 'Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Spain.'

It adds: 'Attacks could be indiscriminateyou should be vigilant and follow the instructions of the local authorities.'
The highest ranking naval leaders who were aboard the USS Fitzgerald when the ship crashed in June off the coast of Japan, will be removed from duty.

Adm. William Moran, the vice chief of naval operations, said Thursday that the ship's captain Cmdr. Bryce Benson and executive officer, Cmdr. Sean Babbitt will be relieved of their command.

Additionally Master Chief Petty Officer Brice Baldwin, the ship's command master chief - its most senior enlisted sailor - is being removed. Nearly a dozen other crew members face punishment.

Commander Bryce Benson, the USS Fitzgerald's captain, has been removed from duty following the deadly June 21 crash of the USS Fitzgerald, where seven sailors lost their lives

Left to right: Executive officer Cmdr. Sean Babbitt and Master Chief Petty Officer Brice Baldwin are removed from duty after the deadly crash of the USS Fitzgerald, with a dozen more crew members expected to be punished

Damage pictured on the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald off the Shimoda coast, after it collided with a Philippine-flagged container ship on June 17

Pictured, the damaged Filipino container vessel ACX Crystal after the crash

Close up look at the damage to the ACX Crystal after the crash

The warship USS Fitzgerald crashed into Filipino cargo ship ACX Crystal off the coast of Honshu, on June 17, claiming the lives of seven American sailors.

'Serious mistakes were made by members of the crew,' Moran said, adding the 'bridge team' or sailors responsible for keeping watch on the bridge to make sure the ship is safe 'lost situational awareness.'

The sailors were unable to respond quickly enough to avoid the disaster once the container ship was spotted.

Seven US Navy sailors were killed in the collision. They are (top row, left to right) Fire Controlman 2nd Class Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan, 23, from Chula Vista, CA; Gunner's Mate Seaman Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19, from Palmyra, VA; Sonar Technician 3rd Class Ngoc T Truong Huynh, 25, from Oakville, CT; and Yeoman 3rd Class Shingo Alexander Douglass, 25, from San Diego, CA. Bottom row (left to right Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr., from Elyria, OH; Personnel Specialist 1st Class Xavier Alec Martin, 24, from Halethorpe, MD; and Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez, 26, from Weslaco, TX

Damage to the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald is seen as the vessel is berthed at its mother port in Yokosuka, southwest of Tokyo, on June 18, 2017

Separately, the Navy released the results of a review of events that took place aboard the ship after the collision, focusing on the crew's efforts to control damage, save lives and keep the ship afloat.

The US Navy faced embarrassing questions in June over how one of their advanced $1.5bn missile destroyer was struck in near perfect visibility.

Seas were calm and visibility was unrestricted when the crash occurred in the predawn hours.

The bow of the container ship, the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal, slammed into the Fitzgerald's right side above the waterline, quickly flooding several areas inside the ship, including a berthing, or sleeping, area.

'Heroic efforts prevented the flooding from catastrophically spreading which could have caused the ship to founder or sink,' said Vice Admiral Aucoin at a press conference the day after the collision.

The seven who died are: Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19; Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan, 23; Xavier Alex Martin, 24; Shingo Alexander Douglass, 25; Rehm Jr, 37; Ngoc T Truong Huynh, 25; and Noe Hernandez, 26.

The US Navy faced embarrassing questions over how one of their advanced $1.5bn warships was struck in near perfect visibility

Devastating damage. The Navy said the commanding officer of the warship that lost seven sailors in the collision will be relieved of command

The Fitzgerald's captain, Commander Bryce Benson, was asleep at the time of the collision and it remains unclear whether the crew called the commanding officer to the bridge.

The crash left a huge hole in the hull of the Fitzgerald's starboard side and water poured into the area where sailors slept.

Of the 35 sailors who were in Berthing 2 at the time, 28 escaped. Seven drowned.

The collision knocked out external communications and cut power in the forward portion of the ship.

The Navy review of what happened aboard the ship following the collision found that the seven deaths could not be blamed on misconduct.

It commended the response by the ship's crew, singling out two sailors for taking extra steps to help others out of the flooded berthing space - actions that it said likely saved the lives of at least two of their shipmates.

'No damage control efforts, however, would have prevented Berthing 2 from flooding completely within the first two minutes following the collision, or the deadly circumstances in that situation,' the review said.

The report said that although some in Berthing 2 heard a loud noise at the time of the collision or were thrown from their beds by the force of the impact, some did not realize what had happened and remained in bed. Some remained asleep.

'At least one sailor had to be pulled from his rack and into the water before he woke up,' it said.
Girls have snapped up 60,000 more university places than boys this year as a scramble for 27,000 remaining spots continues among 65,000 who missed their target A-Level grades today.

So far some 238,310 girls have been accepted on to courses  compared with just 178,000 boys, continuing a five-year trend which has seen more girls than boys go to university each year.

But boys broke the trend in terms of A-Level results, with more getting A*s and As than girls for the first time since 1999. It has been speculated that former education secretary Michael Gove's tougher exams favour boys.

There are still 4,584 Russell Group places up for grabs through clearing, the system whereby students who didn't meet the grades for their university of choice can be allocated another course elsewhere.

The university admissions service Ucas said the total of 416,310 students gaining university places on A-level day is the second-highest on record.

The clearing hub at Northumbria University offering advice and guidance to students today

A two per cent fall in admissions since last year was put down to a drop in the number of EU students and mature students because more 18-year-olds than ever before secured places despite fee rises to 9,250 per year.

A Press Association survey showed that, just hours after clearing opened at 3pm, there were more than 27,000 courses listed on the Ucas clearing website.

Many, including Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff, still have vacancies on hundreds of courses. Some universities are lowering their grade requirements to make sure they fill places.

Sir Lenny Henry, with Birmingham City University marketing and communications officer Annabell Lamba, offering students university places from the institution's clearing office

Around nine in 10 institutions are advertising at least one course.

Among the 24 Russell Group institutions alone, those universities considered among the best in the country, over two-thirds (18) had at least one course listed on the Ucas site, with more than 4,800 courses potentially having places on offer.

Last year, almost 65,000 applicants found places through clearing, while almost 900 were placed through 'adjustment', a scheme that allows applicants that do better than expected in their A-levels to trade up to another course or institution.

Calls are taken at the University of Sheffield's clearing call centre on A-level results day today

Ucas' first figures show that as of 8am:

The number of UK 18-year-olds gaining a place is 201,270, a similar level to last year, and the highest number recorded on A-level results day.

A total of 26,090 EU students have been placed, a fall of 3% compared with last year, but still the second-highest recorded.

The number of international students accepted has increased by 4% to 30,350.

Record numbers of UK 18-year-olds from the poorest backgrounds have been accepted on to courses - 21,470, in total. However, the most advantaged teenagers are still almost two-and-a-half times more likely to win places.

Ucas chief executive Clare Marchant said: 'The overall numbers of students being accepted onto courses is lower, but it is a complicated picture.

'We are seeing a growing proportion of 18-year-olds going into higher education, and greater numbers of students from our most deprived communities are securing places.

'At the same time, we are seeing fewer older students taking places, and a fall in numbers from the EU.'

Professor Les Ebdon, Director of Fair Access to Higher Education, applauded the efforts of disadvantaged students, saying they have 'overcome barriers that many others do not face'.

The University of Sheffield's clearing call centre takes calls on A-level results day today

Boys have outperformed girls Boys have surged ahead of girls in this year's A-level results, picking up more A* and A grades for the first time in almost two decades. For the first time since 1999, male students scored more of the top two grades than their female classmates. Professor Alan Smithers suggested reforms to A-levels could benefit boys. Georgia Sklinidjis (left) and Isabella Walker collect their results at St Anne's Catholic High School for Girls in North London The figures show that 8.8 per cent of boys' entries were awarded an A*, the highest grade available, this summer, compared to 7.8 per cent of girls' entries, a one percentage point gap. Last year, the gap was 0.8 percentage points. In terms of A*-A grades, boys are ahead for the first time, with 26.6% of entries handed one of these results, compared to 26.1% of girls' entries, a 0.5 percentage point gap. Girls were ahead by 0.3 percentage points in 2016. Today's results show that among the 13 subjects that have reformed (affecting England only), the proportion of 18-year-old male and female entries awarded A* or A grades was equal at 24.3%, while girls were slightly ahead at A* grades only. Professor Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University, suggested Government reforms could be to the advantage of male sixth-formers. Twins Jason (left) and Craig Rose got straight As in their A-level results at Winstanley College in Wigan, Greater Manchester He said major changes to A-levels back in 2000, which saw a swing towards pupils sitting exams throughout their two-year courses, had benefited girls. Now that this being reversed, it may advantage boys, particularly in terms of top grades (A*-A). Prof Smithers also said: 'There's a lot of evidence that boys tend to do better when the exams are at the end rather than when there's continuous assessment throughout the course. 'As a generalisation, girls, on average, tend to apply themselves more consistently throughout the course whereas boys tend to be more comfortable revising at the end.' Advertisement

He said: 'Unfortunately, some young people have picked up exam results today that do not reflect their full potential, because they have been held back by socio-economic or educational disadvantage.

What should you do if you don't get the results you wanted? If you just missed a grade then you could consider appealing an exam result by getting it reviewed

Look for vacancies in Ucas Clearing, with more than 4,800 courses on offer at top universities. Some 65,000 students got a degree place through Clearing last year

Consider other options such as a gap year, work or an apprenticeship

Speak to a careers adviser via the Department for Education's exam results helpline on 0808 100 8000

Get in touch with Ucas via 0371 468 0 468 or on social media on Facebook or the Twitter handle, @ucas_advisers Advertisement

'All children deserve to get the support they need to overcome any and all barriers of circumstance, so that each can achieve to the level that they deserve. Universities and colleges have a key role to play in working with schools to provide support.'

There are indications that would-be undergraduates are increasingly considering alternative routes to higher education, with London-based night-class university Birkbeck announcing a substantial rise in the number of clearing enquiries received this year, including taking more calls to its hotline by 2.15pm today than during three days of clearing last year.

Overall, 649,700 people had applied to start degree courses by June 30, the last deadline for applications, down around 4 per cent (25,190) compared with this point last year, according to previous Ucas figures.

A breakdown shows a 4 per cent decrease in UK applicants, while the number of EU students fell by 5 per cent, and international student numbers were up 2 per cent.

A-levels by numbers: Overall pass rate down but top grades up The proportion of candidates receiving top grades has shown a year-on-year rise for the first time since 2010. A total of 26.3% of entrants scored either an A or A*, up from 25.8% in 2016.

8.3% of entrants received an A*, up from 8.1% last year. This is the highest level since the A* grade was first awarded in 2010.

The overall pass rate (grades A*-E) was 97.9%, down 0.2 percentage points on last year.

The lead historically enjoyed by girls over boys in the top grades has been overturned. Last year the proportion of girls who got A or higher was 0.3 percentage points more than the proportion of boys (26.0% girls, 25.7% boys). This year, boys lead girls by 0.5 percentage points (26.6% boys, 26.1% girls). Boys have been narrowing this gap steadily since 2008.

The gap between the best-performing boys and girls has widened. The proportion of boys who got A* was 8.8%, 1.0 percentage points higher than girls. In 2016 the figures were 8.5% boys, 7.7% girls - a gap of 0.8 points. This is the largest lead enjoyed by boys since the A* grade was first awarded in 2010.

The most popular subject this year was maths. It was taken by 95,244 entrants, up 3.3% on 2016.

Biology was the second most popular subject. It was taken by 61,908 entrants, down 1.2% on 2016. The third most popular subject was psychology, taken by 58,663 entrants, a drop of 1.4%.

General studies saw the biggest drop in candidates of any subject with more than 1,000 entrants. The number fell by more than a third (39.2%).

Computing saw the biggest jump in entrants, rising by a third (33.0%) on 2016.

There were 828,355 A-levels awarded, down 1.0% on last year's total and the lowest number since 2008. Georgina Withers (left) and Fran Cullen celebrate after collecting their A-level results at Brighton College in East Sussex Advertisement

Jessica Cole, Russell Group head of policy, said institutions 'want to attract talented and able students from all backgrounds'.

'If a student does go into clearing, we know it can be a nerve-wracking time,' she said. 'But it's important to remember that all our universities have people on hand to help, as do Ucas.

'Some have places to offer to students who have exceeded expectations, and some have places for highly-qualified students who have narrowly missed out on their first choice.'

Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK, said there is still 'great demand' for places.

'There are a variety of reasons for the drop in applications this year, including the decline in the number of 18 and 19-year-olds, changes to funding for degrees in nursing, and the possible impact of the vote to leave the EU.

'There will still be more applications than there are university places.'

Under funding reforms, bursaries for nursing students have been scrapped and replaced by loans.
A town in Connecticut may soon make texting or even talking on an electronic device while out in public illegal.

A proposal has been drafted in Stamford, Connecticut, to keep pedestrians safe from 'distracted walking' and may set a precedent for the rest of the nation.

'They're oblivious to cars,' Stamford City representative John Zelinsky told CBS News.

A proposal has been drafted in Stamford, Connecticut, to keep pedestrians safe from 'distracted walking' and may set a precedent for the rest of the nation

Modeled after a similar model that was approved in Honolulu last month, the Pedestrian Safety Ordinance could carry a $30 fine if caught in the act.

It would prevent people from being on their mobile devices and roaming the streets at the same time.

He added: 'I don't want any more injuries or deaths as a result of pedestrians getting hit. We've had about four or five within the past three or four years.'

Modeled after a similar model that was approved in Honolulu last month, the Pedestrian Safety Ordinance could carry a $30 fine if caught in the act

Across the country, pedestrian fatalities have risen 11 percent last year with nearly 6,000 people killed, according to the National Governors' Highway Safety Association.

Between 2005 and 2010, the number of emergency room visits for distracted walking injuries doubled to more than 1500, according to one study.

While the law is smiled upon by folks in the area, it does have a fair share of critics as well, with many wondering if a fine is really needed to regulate common sense.

And Zelinsky stressed that the move wasn't about the money.

'This is not actually to raise money for the city, but to hopefully educate the public,' he said.
A young Australian woman has cheated death for the third time this year after terrorist attacks took place in three different cities that she was travelling through.

Julia Monaco, 26, from Melbourne, was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago but she told 3AW's Neil Mitchell that she won't let it stop her from seeing the world.

In June, she was put in a lockdown on the London Underground while out with friends when terrorists plowed into people on London Bridge before going on a knife rampage in nearby Borough Market.

Days later, she was in Notre Dame in Paris when a police officer was stabbed outside the famous cathedral.

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Julia Monaco was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday

'I don't feel like I want to go home,' she told Neil Mitchell on Friday morning.

'I feel like I want to stay here and not let them  whoever they may be  win.

'I'm going to see what I came here to see.'

Ms Monaco and her friends Alana Reader and Julia Rocca, also from Melbourne, were in the store on Placa de Catalyuna when they saw people outside running for their lives.

The doors were locked and she spoke of how she watched terrified pedestrians banging on the windows trying to get inside from the street.

'In a split second it all kind of changed and everyone just started running and panicking and running for their lives and crying and screaming and we were forced back into the store, told to get away from the windows and to get low on the ground,' she told Nine.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago. Pictured from left, Julia Rocca, Steph Lamb, Julia Monaco and Alana Reader on holiday in Rome

Ms Monaco said those inside huddled at the back of an Urban Outfitters store and were told to lie face-down on the floor and away from the windows.

When they were finally allowed to leave, they had to walk back to their hostel and avoid the numerous streets that had been closed by police.

'You just have to keep going. I'm sure though tomorrow morning my mum will say 'come home', but I don't think I've been scared out of travelling,' she added.

Melbourne man Michael Christou was about 300m from the initial scene of the Las Ramblas carnage and was also nearby when eight people including two Australians were killed in the London Bridge van attack in June.

'I think it's following me but you kind of come over here (to Europe) and you expect it to happen but you don't let it stop you from doing what you want to do.'

Australian Adam James and his wife, who was pushed over and suffered minor injuries as they ran from the scene, were in Istanbul last year when a police bus was blown up in a terror attack.

People react and stand around in the Las Ramblas area in Barcelona, Spain as police investigate a damaged van, believed to be the one used in the terror attack

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said 16 people were killed in the attack and at least 100 injured

'It's happened again. It's a very real thing,' he said.

Authorities said at least 13 people were killed in Thursday's attack - which has been claimed by Islamic State - and 100 more injured, 15 of them seriously.

Three Australians were injured, including an NSW woman who is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia stood in 'absolute resolute solidarity' with Spain in the global battle against Islamist terrorism.

'This is a global battle against terrorism,' Mr Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

Early Friday, Catalan police posted a tweet saying they shot and killed four suspects and wounded a fifth in a resort town south of Barcelona.

They said officers 'shot down the perpetrators' to 'respond to a terrorist attack.'

It wasn't immediately clear from the tweet if the five shot were suspects in the Las Ramblas attack or were allegedly targeting another location.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced on Friday morning that one Australian woman is in hospital in a serious but stable condition

Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the center of Barcelona, is one of the city's top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrian path in the center of the street while cars can travel on either side.

Police immediately cordoned off the city's broad avenue and ordered stores and nearby Metro and train stations to close.

Other witnesses also described horrific scenes and fearful crowds in the aftermath of the van attack, which has been claimed by the Islamic State.

MFB Commander Graeme O'Sullivan was one of the first responders at Melbourne's Bourke Street tragedy in January.

He and his wife saw the latest carnage unfold from the rooftop of their Barcelona hotel.

'We were up on the sixth floor roof terrace, just the pool area, enjoying a few drinks,' he told Nine.

'We could clearly hear thuds as the vehicle was running into people, and then a short time after that, obviously, several very loud sickening screams from the people involved down at street level.'

Mr O'Sullivan said the similarity to the Bourke Street Mall event was chilling.

'Bourke Street wasn't terrorism and this appears to be, but the result is still the same,' he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van plowed into the crowd

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa

Australian cyber safety expert Susan McLean was about 100m away as the van zigzagged down the busy avenue, mowing down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground.

'All of a sudden there was this tidal wave of people running from both Placa de Catalunya and Las Ramblas towards us screaming, crying and with absolute terror etched on their faces,' she told Nine Network on Friday.

'Several of them were calling 'gun, gun', so first of all we thought someone had been shot.

'Then they just kept sort of - it was all in Spanish, it was very difficult to understand - but they were sort of pushing us into shops.'

Ms McLean, who was separated from her husband in the panic, also said the scene reminded her of the Bourke Street Mall rampage.

'My first reaction was the Bourke Street massacre, because that is what it reminded me of - the vision of people fleeing in just such terror,' she said.

Keith Fleming, and American living in Barcelona, said he was watching television in his building on a side street just off Las Ramblas when he heard a noise and went out to the balcony to investigate.

He says he saw 'women and children just running and they looked terrified.'

Mr Fleming heard a bang, possibly from someone rolling down a store shutter, as more people raced by.

He said armed police arrived and pushed everyone a full block down the street.

Australian witnesses described the attack as reminiscent of the Bourke Strert Mall rampage in January (above)

State-owned broadcaster RTVE reported that investigators think two vans were used - one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

The attack in the northeastern Spanish city was the country's deadliest since 2004, when al-Qaeda-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated attacks on Madrid's commuter trains.

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa.

Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016, killing 86 people.

In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked trick to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

There have been multiple attacks this year in London, where a man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June.

Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a north London mosque later in June.
A Melbourne mum has been left in the lurch after finding her can of Coles baked beans contained just nine protein-full bites.

Lauren Thomson was preparing breakfast for her four-year-old son when she made the discovery, posting a hilarious response to the grocery store's Facebook page.

'Dear Coles, Thanks for the generous serve of NINE lousy beans we got out of this can. This is surely to satisfy a 4 year old with their heart set on beans for his brekky!' she wrote.

A Melbourne mum has taken to Facebook after finding the can of Coles baked beans she was going to use for her sons breakfast contained just nine protein-full bites

Ms Thomson told Daily Mail Australia that while she was shocked at the can's contents, she had found the situation quite funny.

'It was only a 90 cent can of beans so I wasn't too upset,' she said.

'And fortunately I did have another can with a much more acceptable amount of beans in the cupboard, so my son wasn't left too disappointed in the end!'

Coles were quick to respond to Ms Thompson's query, providing a pun-filled message despite spelling her name wrong.

'Hi Laura, thanks for getting in contact with us. We're sorry to see you've bean disappointed with your breakfast this morning,' the company wrote.

Ms Thomson said she was happy with how Coles handled the situation and their offer for a full refund at her local store.

Ms Thomson (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia that while she was shocked at the find, she had found the situation quite funny and she was lucky to have another can so her son could have his favourite breakfast

Coles provided a pun-filled response to Ms Thomson, who said she was satisfied with their offer for a refund, given it was simply a '90 cent can'

While Ms Thomson could not remember which store she had purchased the beans from, she said the can's use by date wasn't until 2019.

Her social media post attracted a number of responses online, with users seemingly split over whether it was more funny or 'terrible'.

'Hope he ate them slowly!! That seriously is shocking,' one person wrote.

While another added: 'To be fair you now don't have to buy tomato sauce'

Coles said they were following up the incident with their National Quality Team.
Millennials will have to shell out more for their avocado toast after extreme heat and a drought in California cuts the state's crop in half from last year.

The crop has dwindled in the Golden State and costs are skyrocketing in the US as demands increase to import the green goods from Mexico and Peru.

The avocado narrative isn't completely bleak for Millennials who yearn for their daily avocado du jour, they'll just have to pay more for them.

Avocado tress became stressed after five years of drought, and extreme heat last year hurt this year's crop.

That feeling when... your avocado toast price skyrockets

Millennials will have to pray for more rain in California next year to ward off a repeat of the great avocado shortage

Record rain and snowfall in the mountains this winter abruptly ended California's five-year drought, but accumulative effects of years past had taken its toll on the current avocado crop.

The Orange Register reports the prices are pumped up after the California crop dwindled to over 50 per cent from 2017 to 2016. This year just 200million pounds were plucked from the state.

In 2016 it was double that at 400million pounds of the bumpy lumpy fruit coming out of California.

California produces about 90 per cent of the nation's avocado crop.

The Register reports Melissa's, a supplier to fine dining establishments in the region, is selling cases of avocados for around $120, that's up from just $30.

Relief is on the horizon for what restaurateurs and millennials see as a currently rotten market, prices will start to drop after Labor Day once Mexican supplies stabilize and catch up with the US demand.
Travellers are facing commuting chaos at Sydney Airport as gale force winds batter the area resulting in major delays.

People are facing waits of more than 90 minutes as they attempt to through customs and security on Friday.

Baggage carousels have also stopped working at Terminal 2 at the airport creating further mayhem.

People are facing waits of more than 90 minutes as they attempt to through customs and security on Friday

Baggage carousels have also stopped working at Terminal 2 at the airport creating further mayhem

At least 15 inbound aircraft were delayed or cancelled on Friday morning with several more to come before 10:30am.

'The highest gusts the airport has seen is up to 82km/h. The windiest time of the day will be midday today so delays could continue,' a Weatherzone spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.

Only one runway is currently operational.

At least 15 inbound aircraft were delayed or cancelled on Friday morning with several more to come before 10:30am

Travellers are facing commuting chaos at Sydney Airport as gale force winds batter the area resulting in major delays

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten tweeted he will miss the funeral of Labor politician John Johnson because of the Sydney Airport crisis

Virgin Australia are the worst effected airline with flights experiencing delayed takeoffs to land in Sydney at a later time.

Eight flights from Jetstar have been cancelled with potentially more to come.

Passengers are being advised to check with their individual airlines to confirm the extent of delays and cancellations.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten tweeted he will miss the funeral of Labor politician John Johnson because of the Sydney Airport crisis.

'Today, the Labor family will farewell a legend. Incredibly disappointing I won't be there with so many Sydney flights cancelled. RIP Johno,' Shorten said.

Weatherzone are predicting Friday to be the windiest day of the year for New South Wales.

Winds in excess of 90km/h are predicted, which are strong enough to tear trees and roots out of the ground.

At least 15 inbound aircraft have been delayed or cancelled on Friday morning with several more to come before 10:30am

Passengers are being advised to check with their individual airlines to confirm the extent of delays and cancellations
Excavators, dozers, backhoes, trucks and other equipment will be selling at auction on Aug. 30, as Chattanoogas Stein Construction prepares to close its doors after 105 years. Compass Auctions and Real Estate will conduct the auction.

Stein has been an institution for four generations, said Paige Holt, president of the auction company. However, its closing presents a real opportunity for other firms to obtain scores of pieces by such manufacturers as Komatsu, Link-Belt, Caterpillar, Freightliner, Peterbilt, International and others.

The announcement of the Stein auction comes on the heels of the successful completion of Compasss recent auction of a state-owned Downtown Nashville property for $8.9 million.

It took a great deal of equipment to run a big construction company like Stein, so this will be a major event. The inventory includes heavy-duty pickups, flatbed trucks, water trucks, dump trucks and all types of earth-moving equipment. There will also be many smaller items, such lathes, grinders, drills and hand tools from DeWalt and other brands. I wouldnt be surprised to see bidders from all over the region, said Ms. Holt.

The live auction will begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 3611 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga.

Company President Doug Stein said the he and his partners will focus on real estate projects, such as the Black Creek development, which has become the largest residential development in Hamilton County. The opportunity at Black Creek was ultimately more compelling to me than continuing to operate Stein Construction Company in what has become a very different market, said Mr. Stein.

Individuals seeking additional information may visit www.soldoncompass.com.

Compass Auctions and Real Estate, based in Chattanooga, is Tennessees only certified Womens Business Enterprise woman-owned auction and real estate company. The firm has more than 50 years of combined experience in government surplus, heavy equipment, vehicles, land and charitable auctions. It also has locations in Nashville and Lebanon, Tennessee, as well as in western Kentucky.
Mr Burdon killed himself on Wednesday afternoon after extensive questioning by police. They were still on the property when he died, as were the couple's two young children

The suspected murder-suicide of a young mother by her new husband followed a series of tragedies in his family, with his brother dying by suicide and his father from a brain tumour, it has been revealed.

Just 16 people live in the dusty and isolated region where father-of-two Michael Burdon, 41, died by suicide and presumably murdered his wife Tanja Ebert, 23, locals told Daily Mail Australia.

Police on Friday morning launched the mammoth task of searching the young couple's Oulnina sheep station for Ms Ebert's body.

At 410 hectares, the property dwarfs the size of the 280ha Sydney CBD, and by road the nearest neighbour is 37km away.

'It's a massive task. We'll do our best to find her but there's no guarantees,' Detective Superintendent Des Bray said - as a massive search team gathered including 12 SES cars, three mounted police cars and floats, two motorbikes and a helicopter.

The tragedy has likely orphaned the couple's sons, aged one and three, and has devastated Outback residents along the highway spanning towards the New South Wales border.

Emergency rescue vehicles arrive at the isolated station in South Australia's mid-north

Oulnina - which at 410 hectares dwarfs the size of Sydney's CBD - is north-east of Adelaide

SES teams prepare to search the station at Oulnina, where the tragic young family lived

The station is home to about 6000 Merino sheep, locals told Daily Mail Australia

A rescue helicopter has joined the search effort for missing Tanja Ebert

Michael shot himself on Wednesday as police searched for Ms Ebert's body. Investigators suspect he murdered her.

'There has been lots of tears and hugs and just shock,' said Mannahill Hotel publican Dianne Highet, who described herself as one of six residents of that town.

'You know, we just can't get our heads around it.... I'm hoping they find her alive and clear Michael's name'.

Ms Highet attended the couple's wedding six months ago. It was held on top of the highest peak at the sheep station, and she described it as the most beautiful ceremony she had ever witnessed.

'It's somewhere they'd get lost in. It's huge. It's vast. It's beautiful. It's a bit like the Flinders,' she described.

The couple's home was located ten minutes from the property gate, and their land is red dirt, salt bush, gullies and hills.

Ms Ebert at first adored living on the Burdon family's remote property (pictured) but it is believed she was planning to move to NSW before her disappearance

Ms Ebert, a German citizen, previously worked at the Mannahill Hotel

Hotelier Dianne Highet said Ms Ebert moved to town with one bag before meeting Michael

Ms Ebert was last seen in Roseworthy, getting out of her car at this BP service station and walking away. She reportedly left behind her two boys and personal possessions

Another scene in Roseworthy, north of Adelaide, where Tanya was last seen on Tuesday, August 8

Ms Ebert was last seen alive on August 8 in Adelaide enjoying a family outing with her husband and two young children (pictured)

The property was home to up to 6000 Merino sheep and the winds on Friday morning were bone-chilling.

LAST SIGHTING OF TANJA EBERT Ms Ebert was last reportedly seen on Tuesday, August 8 at Roseworthy, north of Adelaide. A local resident, who did not want to be named, said her disappearance was a mystery. 'We hear everything that goes on here and no one heard this couple have an argument or her storm off,' the local said. 'Whenever there is someone who doesn't belong in town we notice. 'Even when people drive off without petrol or stop by the side of the road to make a plan to we hear it. 'How do we know she actually did?!' Advertisement

Ms Highet said Ms Ebert, a German citizen, was a backpacker and 'knew how to live with a few dollars in her pocket.'

'When she came here she had one bag, then she met Michael and moved onto the station where she had everything she wanted.

'They would come to the pub with the kids and she would mingle while he looked after them - I never heard them argue.'

The Burdon family has suffered its fair share of tragedies in recent years. Michael's brother died in 1997. The Adelaide Advertiser reported the cause was suicide.

His beloved father, Peter, died after a battle with brain cancer in April 2014.

The couple's young sons are in the care of their grandmother Marlis. Reports said she was thought to have been at the property to help her son after Tanja went missing. She declined to comment.

For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14.

For further support contact Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 and MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
James Murdoch, the CEO of 21st Century Fox, slammed Trump's equivocating response to the Charlottesville violence in a letter to staff on Thursday.

Murdoch, who is also the son of Fox founder Rupert Murdoch - a long-time friend and ally of Trump - appeared to take umbrage with Trump's claim that there were 'very good people' among the white supremacists that marched in the Virginia city.

'Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern[s] all of us as Americans and free people,' he wrote, in part, according to a copy of the email obtained by The New York Times.

'I can't even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists.'

With a subject line reading, 'Subject: Personal note from James Murdoch re: ADL,' he addressed the note to 'friends' and it was sent to 21st Century Fox employees.

Fox CEO James Murdoch slammed Donald Trump in an email to colleagues, saying 'Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President... concern[s] all of us'

Murodch said that contrary to Trump's own remarks on Tuesday, 'there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists.' His dad, Rupert Murdoch (right), founded Fox and is pals with Trump

Murdoch prefaced his email by saying that he wasn't given to political comments, but that Trump's remarks had tipped his hand.

'The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob,' he wrote.

'Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree [that there are no good Nazis],' he added, 'and it compromises nothing for them to do so.'

He called for his audience to take part in the 'eternal obligation' to be vigilant against hatred and bigotry, calling it 'a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals'.

He concluded: 'To further demonstrate our commitment, Kathryn and I are donating 1 million dollars to the Anti-Defamation League, and I encourage you to give what you think is right as well.

'We hardly ever talk about our charitable giving, but in this case I wanted to tell you and encourage you to be generous too.'

Trump blamed both white supremacists and antifascists after a neo-Nazi drove into a crowd of liberal protesters in Charlottesville on Saturday, killing a woman and injuring 19 others

On Friday, white supremacists (pictured) marched on UVA while wielding torches and chanting antisemitic slogans

JAMES MURDOCH'S EMAIL IN FULL TO 21ST CENTURY FOX EMPLOYEES Subject: Personal note from James Murdoch re: ADL Friends, I'm writing to you in a personal capacity, as a concerned citizen and a father. It has not been my habit to widely offer running commentary on current affairs, nor to presume to weigh in on the events of a given day save those that might be of particular or specific concern to 21CF and my colleagues. But what we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people. These events remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation - a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals. The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob. I can't even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so. Diverse storytellers, and stories, can make a difference, and that diversity, around the world, is a crucial strength and an animating force in my business. Often times not everyone agrees with the stories and positions that emerge from this, and that can be difficult. Certainly no company can be perfect. But I'm proud of the powerful art that can emerge, and I'm grateful to all of my colleagues who make this happen. From the potent and compelling narrative of '12 Years a Slave', to the streets of Pakistan and the bravery of an extraordinary young woman that we saw in 'He Named Me Malala', to name just a few, we've never been afraid to help storytellers and artists say important things - hard things, too. To further demonstrate our commitment, Kathryn and I are donating 1 million dollars to the Anti-Defamation League, and I encourage you to give what you think is right as well. We hardly ever talk about our charitable giving, but in this case I wanted to tell you and encourage you to be generous too. Many of you are supporters of the Anti-Defamation League already - now is a great time to give more. The ADL is an extraordinary force for vigilance and strength in the face of bigotry  you can learn more here: https://www.adl.org. My very best to you and with all my gratitude, JRM Advertisement

Murdoch's vociferous opposition to Trump's remarks is surprising, given his father's closeness to the president and the broadly pro-Trump tenor of their flagship news channel.

Rupert Murdoch even advises Trump several times a week, White House and Fox sources confirmed to CNN Money.

However, James Murdoch is not completely alone at Fox. In the immediate aftermath of Trump's remarks on Tuesday, Fox Specialists host Kat Timpf was visibly upset.

'I'm wondering if it's actually real life what I just watched,' she said.

'It shouldn't be some bold statement to say a gathering full of white supremacist Nazis doesn't have good people in it. Those are all bad people. Period.'

'And the fact that it's controversial - I don't know if I should just laugh... I have too much eye makeup on to start crying right now. It's disgusting.'

Juan Williams and Charles Krauthammer were among the other Fox hosts who slammed the president.

But Fox's biggest pundits came out swinging in defense of the president, with Sean Hannity saying that Trump was 'right' when he told the press he had wanted to wait for the facts to roll in before condemning KKK members and neo-Nazis.

Trump said on Tuesday that there were 'very fine people' among the Friday crowd, which reportedly chanted 'Jews will not replace us' as they marched

On Saturday, the white supremacist groups came armed with shields - some adorned with Celtic crosses, a symbol used by white power groups - and batons

'Now President Trump, when you think about it, was right,' Hannity said, 'and we need to learn from the mistakes of Barack Obama.

'Nobody, especially the President of the United States, should ever rush to judgment and make a situation worse.'

Tucker Carlson, meanwhile, offered up a confused commentary in which he said slavery was evil, but also common in the old world, pointing out that 'Plato, Muhammad and the Aztecs' all had slaves.

He also mirrored Trump's other comments by likening the the antifascist groups to neo-Nazis, saying: 'They seem every bit as race-obsessed and angry as the people they're fighting. But no one acknowledges that for some reason.'

In the aftermath of the Charlottesville violence, there has been renewed call for the removal of Confederate statues across the US, with several having been spontaneously taken down overnight.

Trump himself has since sparked further ire by comparing statues of Robert E Lee and 'Stonewall' Jackson to those of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Ironically, Lee had said that he did not want monuments to the Confederacy after the close of the Civil War - and even argued against displaying the Confederate flag - PBS said.

When there was discussion about building a memorial at Gettysburg in 1869, four years after the war ended, Lee wrote: 'I think it wisernot to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered.'
Aliya Zilic slit the throat of his three-year-old son Imran (pictured) and dumped his body down a mine shaft in outback South Australia in 2008

A schizophrenic father who slit the throat of his three-year-old son and dumped his body down a mine shaft in outback Australia will be released into the community.

Aliya Zilic was ordered to be detained indefinitely in an Adelaide mental health facility in 2010 over the 2008 killing of his son Imran in South Australia.

He was found not guilty of murder because of mental incompetence and will now be allowed to go on 24 excursions under the supervision of two corrections officers with the approval of the Supreme Court.

It was ruled that Zilic was suffering mental impairment at the time he cut his sons throat at the end of a bizarre odyssey through Australias outback from Perth.

After killing his son, Zilic drove through the Northern Territory and into Western Australia, and when he was arrested by police denied involvement in the murder because he believed they were the devil.

He was found not guilty of murder because of mental incompetence and could now be allowed to go on 24 excursions under the supervision of two corrections officers.

The Supreme Court was told doctors treating Zilic wanted him to have the opportunity to show that he could return to the community.

A new supervision order proposed up to 24 outings with two guards and then another 24 with one staff.

Zilic (left) was ordered to be detained indefinitely in an Adelaide mental health facility in 2010 over the 2008 killing of his son

Zilic was found not guilty of the murder of his son (pictured) because of mental incompetence

'(Zilic) said Allah's name and dropped him in a shaft,' prosecutor Jim Pearce reportedly said during the trial

Zilic was detained in 2010 after Justice Margaret Nyland ruled that he was suffering mental impairment at the time he cut his son's throat.

Zilic's psychosis 'obliterated any sense of what he had done and what he was doing', his lawyer Bronwen Waldron said.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed Zilic was a drug addict and that he believed his ex-wife was 'working for the devil' and 'possessed by demons', The Advertiser reported.

Zilic told police his son was in the hands of God, the court heard.

'[Zilic] said Allah's name and dropped him in a shaft,' prosecutor Jim Pearce said, according to the paper.

After the killing, Zilic returned to a dugout in Coober Pedy, about 800km north of Adelaide, where he had been staying with his son.
An Australian tourist is missing in Barcelona after the terror attack and four were injured, including two men who were hit by the attacker's van, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has confirmed.

On Friday afternoon, Ms Bishop said eight Australians were caught in the attack on Thursday, including four who were injured, three who have required consular support and one who is unaccounted for.

Of the four injured, one woman, who is from New South Wales, in a stable condition but was seriously injured.

A second woman, also from New South Wales but who was travelling on a British passport, is in a serious condition in hospital, Ms Bishop said.

Two Victorian men - both of whom were hit by the attacker's car - have been discharged after receiving treatment.

'We are concerned, but we are working closely with authorities to determine the whereabouts of the one Australian unaccounted for,' Ms Bishop told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

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An Australian tourist is missing in Barcelona after the terror attack and four were injured

Eight Australians have been affected by the Barcelona terrorist attack - including one who was hit by the van, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said

Authorities said at least 13 people were killed in Thursday's attack - which has been claimed by Islamic State - and 100 more injured, 15 of them seriously.

However, Ms Bishop said Catalonian authorities have informed her that the death toll has reached 16.

She said there have been two other attacks are related to the Las Ramblas attack - one in the resort town of Cambrils, about 120km south of Barcelona, which police thwarted.

Five suspects were killed by police and six people were reportedly injured.

'At this stage there are no reports that any Australians were involved in the incident in Cambrils,' Ms Bishop said.

'There has also been reports of an explosion in a house in Alcanar, that is about 200km south of Barcelona.

'Again, there have been no reports at this stage of any Australians involved in that attack, but we believe one person has been killed.'

Earlier, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia stood in 'absolute resolute solidarity' with Spain in the battle against Islamist terrorism.

'This is a global battle against terrorism,' Mr Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

Early Friday, Catalan police posted a tweet saying they shot and killed four suspects and wounded a fifth in a resort town south of Barcelona.

They said officers 'shot down the perpetrators' to 'respond to a terrorist attack.'

It wasn't immediately clear from the tweet if the five shot were suspects in the Las Ramblas attack or were allegedly targeting another location.

Meanwhile, a young Australian woman spoke of how she cheated death for the third time this year.

Julia Monaco, 26, from Melbourne, was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago but she told 3AW's Neil Mitchell that she won't let it stop her from seeing the world.

In June, she was put in a lockdown on the London Underground while out with friends when terrorists plowed into people on London Bridge before going on a knife rampage in nearby Borough Market.

Days later, she was in Notre Dame in Paris when a police officer was stabbed outside the famous cathedral.

Julia Monaco was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday

'I don't feel like I want to go home,' she told Neil Mitchell on Friday morning.

'I feel like I want to stay here and not let them  whoever they may be  win.

'I'm going to see what I came here to see.'

Ms Monaco and her friends Alana Reader and Julia Rocca, also from Melbourne, were in the store on Placa de Catalyuna when they saw people outside running for their lives.

The doors were locked and she spoke of how she watched terrified pedestrians banging on the windows trying to get inside from the street.

'In a split second it all kind of changed and everyone just started running and panicking and running for their lives and crying and screaming and we were forced back into the store, told to get away from the windows and to get low on the ground,' she told Nine.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago. Pictured from left, Julia Rocca, Steph Lamb, Julia Monaco and Alana Reader on holiday in Rome

Ms Monaco said those inside huddled at the back of an Urban Outfitters store and were told to lie face-down on the floor and away from the windows.

When they were finally allowed to leave, they had to walk back to their hostel and avoid the numerous streets that had been closed by police.

'You just have to keep going. I'm sure though tomorrow morning my mum will say 'come home', but I don't think I've been scared out of travelling,' she added.

Melbourne man Michael Christou was about 300m from the initial scene of the Las Ramblas carnage and was also nearby when eight people including two Australians were killed in the London Bridge van attack in June.

'I think it's following me but you kind of come over here (to Europe) and you expect it to happen but you don't let it stop you from doing what you want to do.'

Australian Adam James and his wife, who was pushed over and suffered minor injuries as they ran from the scene, were in Istanbul last year when a police bus was blown up in a terror attack.

'It's happened again. It's a very real thing,' he said.

People react and stand around in the Las Ramblas area in Barcelona, Spain as police investigate a damaged van, believed to be the one used in the terror attack

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said 16 people were killed in the attack and at least 100 injured

Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the center of Barcelona, is one of the city's top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrian path in the center of the street while cars can travel on either side.

Police immediately cordoned off the city's broad avenue and ordered stores and nearby Metro and train stations to close.

Other witnesses also described horrific scenes and fearful crowds in the aftermath of the van attack, which has been claimed by the Islamic State.

MFB Commander Graeme O'Sullivan was one of the first responders at Melbourne's Bourke Street tragedy in January.

He and his wife saw the latest carnage unfold from the rooftop of their Barcelona hotel.

'We were up on the sixth floor roof terrace, just the pool area, enjoying a few drinks,' he told Nine.

'We could clearly hear thuds as the vehicle was running into people, and then a short time after that, obviously, several very loud sickening screams from the people involved down at street level.'

Mr O'Sullivan said the similarity to the Bourke Street Mall event was chilling.

'Bourke Street wasn't terrorism and this appears to be, but the result is still the same,' he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van plowed into the crowd

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa

Australian cyber safety expert Susan McLean was about 100m away as the van zigzagged down the busy avenue, mowing down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground.

'All of a sudden there was this tidal wave of people running from both Placa de Catalunya and Las Ramblas towards us screaming, crying and with absolute terror etched on their faces,' she told Nine Network on Friday.

'Several of them were calling 'gun, gun', so first of all we thought someone had been shot.

'Then they just kept sort of - it was all in Spanish, it was very difficult to understand - but they were sort of pushing us into shops.'

Ms McLean, who was separated from her husband in the panic, also said the scene reminded her of the Bourke Street Mall rampage.

'My first reaction was the Bourke Street massacre, because that is what it reminded me of - the vision of people fleeing in just such terror,' she said.

Keith Fleming, and American living in Barcelona, said he was watching television in his building on a side street just off Las Ramblas when he heard a noise and went out to the balcony to investigate.

He says he saw 'women and children just running and they looked terrified.'

Mr Fleming heard a bang, possibly from someone rolling down a store shutter, as more people raced by.

He said armed police arrived and pushed everyone a full block down the street.

Australian witnesses described the attack as reminiscent of the Bourke Strert Mall rampage in January (above)

State-owned broadcaster RTVE reported that investigators think two vans were used - one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

The attack in the northeastern Spanish city was the country's deadliest since 2004, when al-Qaeda-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated attacks on Madrid's commuter trains.

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa.

Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016, killing 86 people.

In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked trick to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

There have been multiple attacks this year in London, where a man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June.

Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a north London mosque later in June.
A monument to Confederate president Jefferson Davis in Arizona has been tarred and feathered.

The marker honoring the Confederacy's only president was found covered in the black tar and white feathers on Thursday near Gold Canyon, Arizona on the outskirts of Phoenix.

The monument was erected in the 1940s by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

It comes amid a wave of backlash directed at Confederate monuments and simmering racial tensions nationwide, and is the second defacement of a monument in Arizona this week.

The marker honoring the Confederacy's only president was found covered in the black tar and white feathers on Thursday near Gold Canyon, Arizona

'These acts of vandalism are not an appropriate response, and it's not how we do things in Arizona, Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, said in a statement.

'If you have objections to a memorial, then get involved and work through the proper channels. Breaking the law and destroying property isn't the answer,' Ducey said.

Arizona State Representative Reginald Bolding, who is black and has been demanding the removal of such monuments, spoke harshly about the vandalism.

'I think it's absolutely irresponsible and non-productive. It does absolutely nothing to promote the cause of removing symbols of hate in the state when individuals take matters into their hands and vandalize state property,' the Democrat told CBS5.

On Thursday, the director of a privately run museum at the estate in Mississippi that was Jefferson Davis' retirement home offered to take any monuments that cities decided to take down.

Also Thursday, the Confederate Troops Memorial outside the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix was found vandalized with white spray paint, which has since been removed.

The director of a privately run museum at the estate (pictured) in Mississippi that was Jefferson Davis' retirement home offered to take any monuments that cities decided to take down

In North Carolina, a statue at Duke University depicting Confederate General Robert E. Lee was found defaced with a chisel on Thursday morning.

On Monday, also in Durham, North Carolina, a crowd of protesters toppled and damaged a monument to Confederate soldiers.

Other monuments have been removed lawfully by local governments this week.

President Donald Trump has expressed disapproval for removing the monuments, which he called 'beautiful'.

'Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!' he wrote Thursday in series of tweets.
Norwegian Cruise Line bowed to pressure from an anti-racist organization and canceled a scheduled trip booked by a far-right Canadian media outlet, it was reported on Thursday.

The cruise ship company took the decision on Wednesday to scrap a November 12 sailing by individuals associated with Rebel Media, the Miami Herald reported.

The ship was due to carry 1,646 passengers from PortMiami to the western Caribbean, with scheduled stops in Honduras, Belize, Costa Maya, and Mexico.

The 'Rebel Cruise' trip was being billed as 'a week at sea with like-minded folks, hanging out, getting hammered, aye, smoking darts, and talking about making Canada great again,' Canadian media personality and Vice co-founder Gavin McInnes said in a promotional video.

Norwegian Cruise Line bowed to pressure from an anti-racist organization and canceled a scheduled trip booked by a far-right Canadian media outlet, it was reported on Thursday

The cruise ship company took the decision on Wednesday to scrap a November 12 sailing by individuals associated with Rebel Media, a platform that hosts, among others, far-right provocateur and Vice co-founder Gavin McInnes (seen above at a rally in Berkeley in April)

McInnes, who left Vice and has since become a far-right commentator with Rebel, is considered a controversial figure due to past statements about Jews, women, and blacks.

Norwegian's decision is a victory for a United Kingdom-based advocacy group, HOPE not hate, which launched a campaign asking people to sign a petition demanding that the 'Rebel Cruise' be canceled.

The group noted that McInnes had ties to Jason Kessler, the 'white rights' activist who lives in Charlottesville and who organized the 'Unite the Right' protest.

Both McInnes and Kessler are members of Proud Boys, a far-right male-only organization.

The 'Rebel Cruise' trip was being billed as 'a week at sea with like-minded folks, hanging out, getting hammered, aye, smoking darts, and talking about making Canada great again.' The image above is a screenshot of a web site promoting the Rebel Cruise

That demonstration also attracted anti-fascist counter-protesters, some of whom clashed violently with alt-right and white nationalists.

Events deteriorated even further when a suspected white nationalist allegedly drove his car at high speed into a crowd of anti-fascist demonstrators, killing one woman and injuring 20 others.

'We believe Norwegian Cruise Line must take a stand against racism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia, and hatred of all kinds,' HOPE not hate's petition read.

Norwegian released a statement saying that Rebel Cruise 'espoused views that are inconsistent with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings core values. The company has therefore exercised its right to cancel this group's reservation and provide a full refund.'

Since the Charlottesville rally and the aftermath, which included President Donald Trump's condemnation of 'both sides', alt-right figures have had trouble securing speaking engagements.

Norwegian was alerted to McInnes's ties to Jason Kessler, the 'white rights' activist who lives in Charlottesville and who organized the 'Unite the Right' protest this past weekend. Both McInnes and Kessler are members of Proud Boys, a far-right male-only organization

Richard Spencer was informed Wednesday that the University of Florida canceled his planned appearance on campus due to 'serious concerns for safety.'

'In the current climate, this is a valuable example that companies have the choice to act responsibly and to refuse to allow their platforms to be vehicles for the normalization and mainstreaming of bigotry,' HOPE not hate wrote in a statement.

Rebel Media denied allegations it was an 'alt-right' platform.

Its president, Ezra Levant, wrote an email to the Herald stating: 'I also happen to be a proud Jew, by the way!'

Rebel Media responded with its own online petition against Norwegian Cruise Line demanding that the company reinstate the planned trip and reverse the ban.

The company, Rebel Media said, should 'announce that they will not discriminate against conservatives on their cruise line.'

'We hope we can convince Norwegian to stop the blacklist, and change their mind, and let us have our cruise, as we have done so many years before on various cruise lines,' Levant wrote in an email.

'Norwegian got this one wrong, it wasn't fair, and they smeared our reputations too.'

Norwegian Cruise Line declined requests for comment.
A barricade situation was underway in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville Friday afternoon.

A man allegedly locked himself in a home near Meeks Road and an active operation was taking place, New South Wales Police confirmed.

Police were notified of the incident around 1.20pm on Friday and told Daily Mail Australia that 'negotiators were at the scene'.

A man allegedly locked himself in a home near Meeks Road and an active operation was taking place, New South Wales Police confirmed

New South Wales Police told Daily Mail Australia they were notified of the incident around 1.20pm on Friday and that 'negotiators were at the scene'

People on the street were reportedly told to stay indoors over fears the man was armed with a gun.

Negotiators were heard stating: 'Look outside and you'll see the police, the best thing you can do is walk out the front door.'

'Follow my instructions and you won't be hurt. Open the front door, hands up.'

Dozens of police descended on the street, including heavily armed officers believed to be from the Tactical Response Group.

Earlier on police were seen leading a man away from the scene, but would not confirm if any arrests had been made.

More to come.

People on the street were reportedly told to stay indoors over fears the man was armed with a weapon
A notorious paedophile with a history of violence has been arrested on child porn charges less than two weeks after being released from prison.

Bradley Pen Dragon was picked up on Thursday night by WA Police and charged with allegedly possession child pornography last Saturday.

The sex fiend was only released on August 6 after serving five years jail for trying to rob a mother at knifepoint in front of her baby daughter.

Notorious paedophile Bradley Pen Dragon, who has a history of violence, has been arrested on child porn charges less than two weeks after being released from prison.

He served his full sentence without parole and was back in custody to face court on Friday, according to WAToday.

Pen Dragon, 57, spent 13 years in a Thai prison for violently abusing children and was deported back to Perth in 2006.

Just two years later he was caught with child pornography but while serving a suspended sentence again downloaded vile images and was jailed for three years.

Less than 10 weeks after his release in 2012 he tried to rob the 38-year-old woman as she put her 11-month-old daughter in her car.

Pen Dragon, 57, spent 13 years in a Thai prison for violently abusing children and was deported back to Perth in 2006 (pictured)

Pen Dragon watched as the woman then got in the passenger seat before jumping into the car through the left rear door.

He reached across the baby in her car seat, grabbed her mother by the neck and threatened her with a large kitchen knife.

She bravely wrestled the knife from his grasp and fought him off before he fled, suffering cuts to her right hand in the process.

The serial offender pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with intent to rob but claimed he didn't know there was a child in the car.

The sex fiend was only released on August 6 after serving five years jail for trying to rob a mother at knifepoint in front of her baby daughter

His lawyer at the time argued he was desperate because Pen Dragon was struggling to find somewhere to live due to his notoriety.

Despite his long and violent criminal history, Pen Dragon did not fall under WA's Dangerous Sexual Offenders Act, which allows for sex offenders to be locked up indefinitely or subjected stringent release conditions.

'It is only appropriate for the ODPP to say that Mr Dragon is not a person who falls within the definition of section 8(1) of the Act and no application can therefore be made,' the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions told WAToday.
Comedian Tina Fey blasted 'Jackass Donny John Trump' during a surprise appearance on the Summer Edition of Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update on Thursday.

Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers meanwhile took on two of the nation's founding fathers in a separate skit.

Colin Jost introduced Fey, who is a 1992 graduate of the University of Virginia, when she joined the anchor desk to share her thoughts about the white supremacist rally that resulted in the death of Heather Heyer last weekend in Charlottesville.

'I have nothing but fond memories of my time there,' Fey said of UVA. 'I graduated a virgin and I still liked it. That's how good the architecture is down there.'

The comedian, who was sporting a UVA sweatshirt, continued, 'So it broke my heart to see these evil forces descend upon Charlottesville. And then our president, Donald John Trump, and I don't think enough people talk about what a stupid, jackass name that is.

'Whatever, he gets away with it because he's gorgeous. Anyway, Donny John comes out and he says that he condemns violence 'on many sides,' on many sides, Colin.

'I'm feeling sick because, you know, I have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark and I wasn't confused by it. No, Colin, Nazis are always bad, I don't care what you say.'

Comedian Tina Fey (left) sounded off on 'Jackass Donny John Trump' during a surprise appearance on the Summer Edition of Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update on Thursday joining Colin Jost (center) and Michael Che (right) at the anchor desk

Fey, who is a 1992 graduate of the University of Virginia, shared her thoughts about deadly violence in Charlottesville and blasted the president for his controversial remarks. She said: 'Nazis are always bad, I don't care what you say.'

Fey then referenced the 'alt-right' rallies planned for this weekend and encouraged people to not participate and instead find Jewish or African-American run bakeries to support before reaching for a cake with the American flag decorated on top

The 47-year-old actress discussed how she heard about more 'alt-right' rallies taking place across the country this weekend, noting that New York City is one of the scheduled locations.

'Part of me hopes these neo-Nazis do try it in New York City and get the ham salad kicked out of them by a bunch of drag queens,' Fey said.

'Because you know what a drag queen still is? A 6'4' black man.'

She added: 'But, at the same time, I don't want anymore good people to get hurt.

'I know a lot of us are feeling anxious and asking ourselves, what can I do? I'm just one person, what can I do? I would urge people Saturday, instead of participating in the screaming matches and violence, find a local business you support, maybe a Jewish run bakery or African-American run bakery.'

Fey then reached to the side and grabbed a huge cake with an American flag decorated on top in icing before digging into it with a fork and shoving huge pieces in her mouth.

As she shoved huge pieces of the cake in her mouth, Fey explained how America was 'stolen from Native Americans'

She concluded by concluded by encouraging 'all good, sane Americans to treat these rallies this weekend like the opening of a thoughtful movie with two female leads. Don't show up. Let these morons scream into the empty air.'

'The next time when you see a bunch of white boys in polo shirts screaming about taking our country back and you want to scream, it's not our country, we stole it,' Fey said with a mouth full of cake.

'We stole from the Native Americans. And when they have a peaceful protest at Standing Rock we shoot at them with rubber bullets, we let you chinless turds march the streets with semi-automatic weapons.'

Fey also cracked a few jokes at 'yard sale Barbie' Ann Coulter and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who she said 'doesn't even know how to @ somebody on Twitter' in reference to the politician tweeting about the controversial remarks the president said about the Charlottesville incident on Tuesday without directly putting his name in the tweet.

The former SNL castmember concluded by encouraging 'all good, sane Americans to treat these rallies this weekend like the opening of a thoughtful movie with two female leads. Don't show up. Let these morons scream into the empty air.'

Fellow comedians Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers also appeared on Weekend Update separately from Fey as two slave-owning founding fathers.

Fellow comedians Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers also appeared on Weekend Update separately from Fey as two slave-owning founding fathers. Fallon, portrayed President George Washington (center), while Meyers dressed up as President Thomas Jefferson (right).

Fallon, portrayed President George Washington, while Meyers dressed up as President Thomas Jefferson.

Jost began the segment by telling co-host Michael Che, 'You're not going to believe this, but President Trump's approval rating is down. Trump can't believe it either because everywhere he goes people are always waving to him.'

He then showed a photo of neo-Nazis giving the Sieg Heil salute in Charlottesville.

Che, who was fed-up, said: 'I don't want to do this. Nazis? Confederates? What is with these old-timey threats making a comeback? What's next, Vikings? Polio?'

He then referenced the president's remark that there were 'fine people' on 'both sides' of the violence in Charlottesville and said, 'OK, but if you are a fine person and you happen to be at a rally filled with Nazis, at what point do you stop and think, 'Hey, am I being unreasonable?'

Che then noted how Trump has compared Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and President George Washington several times in the past few days before introducing the nation's first president.

'About this whole Robert E. Lee thing, I'm nothing like that guy,' Fallon said during his portrayal of Washington. 'I created this country, he tried to tear it apart. I rebelled against England, he rebelled against America.'

The duo sported the costumes to defend George Washington and Thomas Jefferson against Trump's comments comparing them to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee since they owned slaves

Che eventually confronted the founding father about owning slaves.

'Right, that was bad, that was wrong,' he answered. 'But if you want to talk about owning slaves, you should really talk about Thomas Jefferson.'

Meyers then emerged at the anchor desk dressed as Jefferson and ready to defend himself.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa, you're gonna throw me under the carriage like that?' he asked.

'You're going to make me the slave guy? Really? Come on! What more do you want? You are the one on the quarter. I'm on the nickel and two dollar bill, joke money!'

'You have to remember, it was a different time, man,' Meyers' Jefferson added.

'It was the '70s, man.' The 1770s. 'Look, we have all done bad things, but the difference between us and Robert E. Lee is we did good things. I wrote the Declaration of Independence.'

Fallon's Washington then quipped, 'Not to be a jerk, but I won my war.'

'Yeah, and I'm sorry Robert E. Lee, but I prefer generals who win wars,' Meyer's Jefferson added.
A New York City restaurant publicly apologized on Thursday and fired a waiter after an Asian customer was given a receipt on which an offensive racial term was printed.

Cornerstone Cafe on Avenue B in Manhattans East Village posted an apology on its Facebook page after an employee referred to a customer as Ching Chong.

The customer had paid for an order of steak and eggs to go.

'This situation leaves me no choice than to terminate this employee for this unjustified act. It definitely does not reflect the way the Cornerstone staff or I think because of one individuals stupidity,' the restaurant's manager, who identified himself only as Rocco, said in a post on Cornerstone's Facebook page.

Cornerstone Cafe on Avenue B in Manhattans East Village posted an apology on its Facebook page after an employee referred to an Asian customer in an offensive manner

An image of the receipt with the offensive words was posted to a separate Facebook account and went viral

'This situation leaves me no choice than to terminate this employee for this unjustified act,' the restaurant's manager wrote in a Facebook post (above)

An image of the receipt with the offensive words was posted to a separate Facebook account and went viral.

'This just happened to my friend's mother...right here in NYC!!' the Facebook user, Ziggy Chau, wrote in the post.

After Cornerstones apology, a number of social media users began calling for a boycott, but Chau pushed back.

'Everyone, let's be civilized now. There are many people that are employed by the restaurant whose livelihoods depend on their jobs there and should not suffer because ONE IGNORANT employee thought it was ok to make a racist remark,' Chau said.
Life Care Centers of America recognized the contributions of volunteer Emma Cummings during the companys annual management meeting awards dinner at its headquarters in Cleveland.

Fourteen-year-old Ms. Cummings received Life Cares Youth Volunteer of the Year Award. This honor is presented to one young person each year for extraordinary volunteer service.

Ms. Cummings has been volunteering at Life Care Center of Cleveland since she was four-years-old, when her grandmother Shelby Presswood brought her to volunteer alongside her. As Ms. Cummings grew up, she never stopped coming to visit and assist with activities, from bingo to group exercises. She would volunteer after school and during the summer.

In April 2016, Ms. Cummings was diagnosed with bone cancer and began treatments, including chemotherapy.

When doctors gave her clearance, she found herself volunteering in her own wheelchair at Life Care Center of Cleveland, said Josh Lee, interim executive director at the facility. Everyone, including associates and visitors, saw how courageous and dedicated she was to return to volunteering, especially since she was going through so much herself.

Ms. Cummings has since been declared cancer-free.

Theres nothing I like more than helping other people, Ms. Cummings shared.



"She may be only 14-years-old, but Emma Cummings shows a level of maturity that exceeds that of many grownups, said Beecher Hunter, Life Care president. Her desire to have a positive impact on people was dramatically shown when she refused to let cancer treatments get in her way of serving at Life Care Center of Cleveland  even from her wheelchair. We are extremely impressed with her character and commitment.

The Youth Volunteer Award is presented annually to a volunteer age 18 or younger. Nominations from every region and division of Life Care are considered. Criteria include contributing a significant amount of time to a specific activity or service, initiating a new program or activity, serving as an excellent example for other individual youth or youth groups and producing positive changes through the volunteer activity or service.

Life Care Center of Cleveland is at 3530 Keith St., NW.


A Vietnamese man and woman have been charged after allegedly trying to important 18 litres of the drug ice into Australia.

The 63-year-old man and 54-year-old woman were arrested at Sydney International Airport on Thursday after arriving on a flight from Vietnam.

Australian Border Force officers discovered the drugs after an x-ray of their baggage revealed inconsistencies.

A 63-year-old man and 54-year-old woman were arrested at Sydney International Airport on Thursday after allegedly trying to important 18 litres of the drug ice into Australia

The baggage was found to contain 36 green bottles labelled as sparkling water, which upon further testing proved positive for methamphetamine.

Australian Federal Police arrested and charged the couple with importing commercial quantities of border controlled drugs.

The pair were due to appear in Central Local Court in Sydney on Friday, with the charges carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Australian Border Force Acting Regional Commander for NSW Tony McSweeney called the seizure another example of ABF's ability to stop drugs being smuggled into Australia.

'This is not the first time this year and I'm sure it won't be the last where ABF officers at Sydney International Airport have managed to stop a large quantity of illicit drugs reaching the streets,' he said.

Simone O'Mahony, the Australian Federal Police's Acting Sydney Airport Commander, added that their members at the airport were continually surprised at how far people would go to import drugs.

'What they dont realise is these attempts to smuggle in illicit substances can and do come to the attention of law enforcement,' she said.

'And we are ready to apply the full force of the law in response.'

Their baggage was found to contain 36 green bottles labelled as sparkling water (pictured), which upon further testing proved a positive result for methamphetamine
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The Eiffel Tower went dark last night to honour the victims of terror attacks in Spain.

Twenty-seven French nationals were hurt in Barcelona, 11 of them critically, as a van was driven into the popular Las Ramblas street in the centre of the city.

Thirteen people were killed and more than a hundred hurt during the suspected jihadist atrocity.

French president Emmanuel Macron said his thoughts were with the victims after the 'tragic' attacks.

Twenty-seven French nationals were hurt in Barcelona, 11 of them critically. Pictured: The Eiffel Tower goes dark in tribute to 13 dead and over 100 hurt in the attacks in Spain

A man sits on the pavement with his head in his hands after the tragic attack in Barcelona that left 13 dead and more than a hundred hurt

French president Emmanuel Macron said his thoughts were with the victims after the 'tragic' attacks. Pictured left and right: The Eiffel Tower in darkness after the atrocities in Spain

A tweet from French president Emmanuel Macron in which he expresses solidarity with the victims in Barcelona

Nationals from around the world have been caught up in the horrifying attack. Pictured: The Eiffel Tower in darkness

In a second attack eight hours later, a car rammed into people in Cambrils - about 75 miles south of Barcelona - and wounded six people before the attackers were shot.

A Spanish government spokesman said that among the victims were nationals from Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Argentina, Venezuela, Belgium, Australia, Hungary, Peru, Romania, Ireland, Greece, Cuba, Macedonia, China, Italy and Algeria.

France has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities in recent years, including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people.

The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, who also claimed the Barcelona attack.

People are guided out of a fast food restaurant by police after the attack in Barcelona yesterday

Armed policemen arrive in a cordoned-off area after the van ploughed into a crowd in Barcelona
A seven-year-old Sydney boy is missing after his mother was seriously injured in the terror attack in Barcelona, and a Sydney bank worker has been identified as one of the Australians hurt in the horror.

Julian Cadman was travelling in Barcelona with his mother Jom, who is in a serious condition in hospital after the van ploughed into crowds of people in the Los Ramblas mall, his godfather Colin Baxter has said on Facebook.

The pair were in the Spanish city to attend the wedding of Mrs Cadman's niece, but became separated during the attack.

Julian's father, Andrew, is flying from Sydney to Barcelona to help join the search for his son, who is last believed to have been wearing a white collared shirt, aviator sunglasses and a printed cap.

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Julian Cadman, 7, who is missing in Barcelona following a terror attack which killed 14

The youngster became separated from his mother during the attack. She is now in a serious condition in a Barcelona hospital

Julian is believed to have been wearing a white collared shirt, aviator sunglasses and a printed cap when he was last seen

It is believed that Julian was born in Tunbridge Wells in Kent and raised in the UK, and his mother was travelling on a British passport.

The family moved to Australia three years ago, and the seven-year-old attends St Bernadettes Primary School in Lalor Park in Sydney, The Herald Sun reported.

Norma Canaveral, who is Jom's aunt  but is called 'granny' by Julian - told MailOnline: 'We are so worried. I am just waiting for news, hoping for good news.'

The 66-year-old, from London, added: 'I dont know what to say. His mother is in the hospital, she's OK, but she became separated from Julian and we dont know where he is. All we can do is wait.

'Julians a really sweet boy. He loves to dance, he's a lovely, bubbly boy.'

Julian's aunty Norma Canaveral, who he calls 'granny', says she is just waiting for news on the whereabouts of the seven-year-old

Julian's father Andrew is flying from Sydney to Spain to try and find his son

Mr Cadman's boss, Scott Rowland, told 2GB that Andrew's nightmare began at about 6am on Friday, when he turned on the news after arriving at work and tried to call his wife to no avail.

'He's on his way to the airport at the moment, but we found out about an hour later his son was with her and he's missing, and we haven't heard anything since.

'He's flying to Spain at the moment not knowing if his son is dead or alive.'

British Prime Minister Theresa May has also announced the UK will join the search, telling reporters they were 'urgently looking into' reports a dual citizen was missing.

Four Australians were injured in the attack, including Mrs Cadman, Sydney bank worker Suria Intan, who works at the Commonwealth Bank in Lidcombe, and two Victorian men who were hit by the attacker's van.

Ms Intan, who grew up in Indonesia, and had been travelling through Europe with three friends, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Suria Intan, a bank worker from Sydney, has been seriously injured in the terror attack

Ms Intan was due home this weekend, but is now lying in a Barcelona hospital bed with serious injuries.

The two Victorian men from Melbourne's west - both of whom were hit by the attacker's car - have been discharged after receiving treatment, one reportedly for head injuries.

The mother of a friend travelling with the two men told 3AW it was not until her son checked into his hotel that he was told his companions were 'involved in a terrorist attack, they are injured'.

On Friday afternoon, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said eight Australians in total were caught up in the horror that unfolded on Thursday - the four who were injured, three who have required consular support and the one unaccounted for.

'We are concerned, but we are working closely with authorities to determine the whereabouts of the one Australian unaccounted for,' Ms Bishop told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

Ms Intan had been travelling through Europe with friends and was due home this weekend

An Australian tourist is missing in Barcelona after the terror attack and four were injured

Eight Australians have been affected by the Barcelona terrorist attack - including one who was hit by the van, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said

Authorities said at least 13 people were killed in Thursday's attack - which has been claimed by Islamic State - and 100 more injured, 15 of them seriously.

However, Ms Bishop said Catalonian authorities have informed her that the death toll has reached 16.

She said there have been two other attacks are related to the Las Ramblas attack - one in the resort town of Cambrils, about 120km south of Barcelona, which police thwarted.

Five suspects were killed by police and six people were reportedly injured.

'At this stage there are no reports that any Australians were involved in the incident in Cambrils,' Ms Bishop said.

'There has also been reports of an explosion in a house in Alcanar, that is about 200km south of Barcelona.

'Again, there have been no reports at this stage of any Australians involved in that attack, but we believe one person has been killed.'

Earlier, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia stood in 'absolute resolute solidarity' with Spain in the battle against Islamist terrorism.

'This is a global battle against terrorism,' Mr Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

Early Friday, Catalan police posted a tweet saying they shot and killed four suspects and wounded a fifth in a resort town south of Barcelona.

They said officers 'shot down the perpetrators' to 'respond to a terrorist attack.'

It wasn't immediately clear from the tweet if the five shot were suspects in the Las Ramblas attack or were allegedly targeting another location.

Meanwhile, a young Australian woman spoke of how she cheated death for the third time this year.

Julia Monaco, 26, from Melbourne, was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago but she told 3AW's Neil Mitchell that she won't let it stop her from seeing the world.

In June, she was put in a lockdown on the London Underground while out with friends when terrorists plowed into people on London Bridge before going on a knife rampage in nearby Borough Market.

Days later, she was in Notre Dame in Paris when a police officer was stabbed outside the famous cathedral.

Julia Monaco was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday

'I don't feel like I want to go home,' she told Neil Mitchell on Friday morning.

'I feel like I want to stay here and not let them  whoever they may be  win.

'I'm going to see what I came here to see.'

Ms Monaco and her friends Alana Reader and Julia Rocca, also from Melbourne, were in the store on Placa de Catalyuna when they saw people outside running for their lives.

The doors were locked and she spoke of how she watched terrified pedestrians banging on the windows trying to get inside from the street.

'In a split second it all kind of changed and everyone just started running and panicking and running for their lives and crying and screaming and we were forced back into the store, told to get away from the windows and to get low on the ground,' she told Nine.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago. Pictured from left, Julia Rocca, Steph Lamb, Julia Monaco and Alana Reader on holiday in Rome

Ms Monaco said those inside huddled at the back of an Urban Outfitters store and were told to lie face-down on the floor and away from the windows.

When they were finally allowed to leave, they had to walk back to their hostel and avoid the numerous streets that had been closed by police.

'You just have to keep going. I'm sure though tomorrow morning my mum will say 'come home', but I don't think I've been scared out of travelling,' she added.

Melbourne man Michael Christou was about 300m from the initial scene of the Las Ramblas carnage and was also nearby when eight people including two Australians were killed in the London Bridge van attack in June.

'I think it's following me but you kind of come over here (to Europe) and you expect it to happen but you don't let it stop you from doing what you want to do.'

Australian Adam James and his wife, who was pushed over and suffered minor injuries as they ran from the scene, were in Istanbul last year when a police bus was blown up in a terror attack.

'It's happened again. It's a very real thing,' he said.

People react and stand around in the Las Ramblas area in Barcelona, Spain as police investigate a damaged van, believed to be the one used in the terror attack

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said 16 people were killed in the attack and at least 100 injured

Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the center of Barcelona, is one of the city's top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrian path in the center of the street while cars can travel on either side.

Police immediately cordoned off the city's broad avenue and ordered stores and nearby Metro and train stations to close.

Other witnesses also described horrific scenes and fearful crowds in the aftermath of the van attack, which has been claimed by the Islamic State.

MFB Commander Graeme O'Sullivan was one of the first responders at Melbourne's Bourke Street tragedy in January.

He and his wife saw the latest carnage unfold from the rooftop of their Barcelona hotel.

'We were up on the sixth floor roof terrace, just the pool area, enjoying a few drinks,' he told Nine.

'We could clearly hear thuds as the vehicle was running into people, and then a short time after that, obviously, several very loud sickening screams from the people involved down at street level.'

Mr O'Sullivan said the similarity to the Bourke Street Mall event was chilling.

'Bourke Street wasn't terrorism and this appears to be, but the result is still the same,' he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van plowed into the crowd

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa

Australian cyber safety expert Susan McLean was about 100m away as the van zigzagged down the busy avenue, mowing down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground.

'All of a sudden there was this tidal wave of people running from both Placa de Catalunya and Las Ramblas towards us screaming, crying and with absolute terror etched on their faces,' she told Nine Network on Friday.

'Several of them were calling 'gun, gun', so first of all we thought someone had been shot.

'Then they just kept sort of - it was all in Spanish, it was very difficult to understand - but they were sort of pushing us into shops.'

Ms McLean, who was separated from her husband in the panic, also said the scene reminded her of the Bourke Street Mall rampage.

'My first reaction was the Bourke Street massacre, because that is what it reminded me of - the vision of people fleeing in just such terror,' she said.

Keith Fleming, and American living in Barcelona, said he was watching television in his building on a side street just off Las Ramblas when he heard a noise and went out to the balcony to investigate.

He says he saw 'women and children just running and they looked terrified.'

Mr Fleming heard a bang, possibly from someone rolling down a store shutter, as more people raced by.

He said armed police arrived and pushed everyone a full block down the street.

Australian witnesses described the attack as reminiscent of the Bourke Strert Mall rampage in January (above)

State-owned broadcaster RTVE reported that investigators think two vans were used - one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

The attack in the northeastern Spanish city was the country's deadliest since 2004, when al-Qaeda-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated attacks on Madrid's commuter trains.

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa.

Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016, killing 86 people.

In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked trick to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

There have been multiple attacks this year in London, where a man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June.

Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a north London mosque later in June.
Anthony Booth was awarded the Victoria Cross before his death in 1899

Vandals have trashed the grave of a war hero who fought off 400 Zulu warriors with just a handful of men in South Africa.

Anthony Booth was awarded the Victoria Cross after his feat in the Anglo-Zulu war in March 1879.

The VC - the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces - was given to Sgt Booth in 1880, and he died in 1899.

But vile vandals have now smashed parts of his grave, which had been maintained by military charity, The Victoria Cross Trust.

The resting place of the soldier, who served with the South Staffordshire Regiment, was found desecrated at St Michael's Churchyard in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, on Tuesday.

Military history enthusiasts say they are devastated by the vandalism and have launched a fundraising campaign to repair the headstone.

The Victoria Cross Trust estimate the damage to kerb sets and lettering could cost up to a four figure sum to repair.

The hero's grave has been smashed up in the cemetary at St Michael's Churchyard in Brierley Hill, where it was being maintained by the Victoria Cross Trust

The charity has said the cost to repair the damage could cost more than 1,000 and are crowdfunding for its repair

Gary Stapleton, chairman of the trust, said: 'We are putting a plan together for restoration but it needs to be approved by the diocese first.

'The headstone has been snapped off near the base and all the kerb sets have been dislodged.

Who was Anthony Booth? Anthony Booth was born on April 21, 1846. He was just 32 years old and a sergeant in the 80th Regiment of Foot (Staffordshire Volunteers) when he held off the enemy as British troops retreated for five miles to safety. A report of the time reads: 'A general massacre ensued but Booth rallied his men, ten only in number, and was able to bring his little party back to Luneberg. 'He even secured the safety of a few more who escaped from the slaughter on the left bank. His resolute valour was the means of saving the lives of any who eventually reached Luneberg.' Anthony was decorated by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on June 26, 1880. He also received the South Africa Medal. He lived in Brierley Hill, with his wife Lucy - and all of his five sons served in what later became the South Staffordshire Regiment. Eight of his grandchildren served in the First World War, and two of them were killed in action. The Black Country hero left the Army on April 30, 1898. He died of rheumatic fever and jaundice at his home on December 8, 1899, at the age of 53. Anthony was buried with military honours, and his Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Staffordshire Regiment in Whittington, Staffordshire. His medal and revolver can be seen at the Regimental Museum in Lichfield. Advertisement

'It's not just the headstone, the kerb sets need repointing and fixing. Its disgusting really that somebody could do this.

'It's quite rare - I can only think of one other occasion a VC hero had his grave desecrated.'

Mr Stapleton said more needs to be done to preserve the grave sites of courageous VC winners from attacks by vandals.

He added: 'Why should the youth of today listen to us?

'Why would they think these graves are anything special - we don't care as a nation.

'Our generation doesn't care about them.

'It's a bit rich of us to say to youths, 'these are men of historic importance', you shouldn't desecrate their graves.

'The nation as a whole needs to recognise these are men of historic, national importance.

'Their graves should be looked after, they should be preserved and regularly maintained.

'That way the next generation will realise it's something special and we need to respect it.'

Rev David Hoskin, rector in Brierley Hill, said: 'Brierley Hill is proud of having a Victoria Cross recipient among their number. This is sad.'

Booth received the VC on June 26, 1880 at Windsor Castle from Queen Victoria, for his bravery when a large group of Zulus launched an attack on the British on the Intombe River.

Having covered the retreat of 50 soldiers and others for three miles - his actions saved the lives of all involved.

After retiring from the Army, he settled in Brierley Hill until his death of December 8, 1899.

Mike Wood, Conservative MP for Dudley South, said: '[It's] disgusting that the grave of VC-recipient Anthony Booth in Brierley Hill has been desecrated, but [I'm] pleased that the The Victoria Cross Trust is planning repairs.'

'The Defence of Rorke's Drift' by Lady Elizabeth Butler, showed the battle for which Sgt Booth was awarded the cross

The grave was found damaged on Tuesday morning, but it has not been reported to police

A fundraising page has been set up by The Victoria Cross Trust has so far raised almost 300.

The matter has not been reported to police.
Dramatic footage has emerged of the moment police chased down a luxury car allegedly stolen by three teenagers in Queensland.

Officers pursued the BMW four-wheel-drive after the driver failed to pull over on Warrego Highway near Gatton at around 9.50am on Thursday morning.

The vehicle instead drove away at high speeds, ramming into chasing police cars and zooming through a spike strip during the dramatic pursuit.

Dramatic footage has emerged of the moment police chased down a car allegedly stolen by three teenagers in Queensland

A 17-year-old boy fled the vehicle after the car slowed while moving through Helidon and was arrested.

A 15-year-old boy who had been a passenger then jumped into the driver's seat and accelerated away on the Warrego Highway before police laid road spikes.

Just after 10am the car ran over the tyre deflation device and the car was followed at low speeds before coming to a stop 20 minutes later, 7 News footage shows.

Three officers received minor injuries when the motorist then allegedly reversed the car into the officers attending the scene before stopping again.

Officers pursued the vehicle after the driver failed to pull over on Warrego Highway near Gatton on Thursday morning

The 15-year-old driver, who suffered minor injuries from broken glass, and an 18-year-old girl were arrested.

A 17-year-old Kingston man was charged with a number of offences including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a vehicle, assault or obstruct police, disobeying the speed limit, failing to stop motor vehicle, unlicensed driving, stealing and disqualified driving.

A 15-year-old Caboolture South boy was also charged with a string of offences including dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected, obstruct police, failure to provide a specimen of breath for analysis and driving unlicensed.

An 18-year-old Windsor woman was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, obstruct police and failure to stop motor vehicle.
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Thousands of worse-for-wear students descended onto high streets across the country to celebrate their A-level results.

From the south coast of England all the way up to the North East, city centres teemed with partygoers as students stuck to the 'work hard, play hard' mantra by downing pints and sinking shots.

Despite many students passing their exams with flying colours, with a record-setting 416,310 students gaining university places on A-level day, these youngsters seemingly still have a lot to learn.

The drunken sixth formers were seen stumbling out of bars and clubs in nightlife hotspots such as Newcastle and Bristol town centres, with many needing the help of their friends to get them home.

Merry revellers in Birmingham were seen being helped by police and city pastors and one partygoer was led into an ambulance.

Young people enjoying a night out around bars and clubs in Newcastle were offered special drink offers, including three triple shots for 4

A girl looks to have had a great night out as she crouches outside Pryzm nightclub in Birmingham (left), which sold 3,000 tickets for an A-Level results party. Similar gatherings were held in Newcastle city centre (right)

Nearly half a million students got their first or second choice with their results, but there were still 5,000 places up for grabs across the country as of this morning

One young clubber give a friend a piggy back in Newcastle (left), while in the same city, a couple embrace in the street (right)

Worse for wear youngsters were pictured struggling to stay upright and staggering into roads during the big night out

Photographs reveal the scene from towns and cities all over Britain as teenagers stuck to the 'work hard, play hard' mantra by downing pints and sinking shots

A girl is seen smiling as she talks on her phone outside Players nightclub in Birmingham (left). The nightclub, which has a capacity of 1600, sold out for its A-level party. Meanwhile, a girl needs a hand in Leeds city centre (right)

A young man stands over his worse-for-wear friend in central Leeds, West Yorkshire, as many youngsters took the opportunity to blow off some steam after A-levels result day

Youngsters paint the town red in Newcastle (left), which is well known for its student nights out. Meanwhile, a girl mounts a bollard above a friend who sits on a pavement waiting for a ride home in Birmingham (right)

Despite many students passing their exams with flying colours, with a record-setting 416,310 students gaining university places on A-level day, these youngsters seemingly still have a lot to learn

Youngsters in central Leeds, West Yorkshire pose for the camera as they celebrated the end of their exams in 2017

A couple get amorous outside a bar in Croydon (right) while two girls are led into an ambulance on Birminghams Broad Street (shown right)

Thousands of worse-for-wear students descended onto high streets across the country to celebrate their A-level results, including Newcastle (pictured)

University hopefuls in Birmingham (shown left) hit Broad Street in their thousands, with clubs selling out of pre-booked tickets hours in advance, while others in Newcastle were happy for some fresh air and a quick selfie

Six friends in Newcastle pose as thousands of pupils marked the end of their school life with a party in the North East city

A young man tries his luck with two girls in Birmingham (left), while three friends take in a pizza after a long night of drinking

A young woman lies on a bench in central Leeds, West Yorkshire, as thousands of 17 and 18-year-olds received their A-level results yesterday

One young man in Manchester city centre teases a female friend with a balloon (shown left), while another lad in Manchester sinks a large bottle of lager (right)

A group of girls tuck into a takeaway after a night of partying as many nightclubs held A-level result events in Birmingham's city centre

Watch me walk away: A trio of ladies walk through Newcastle, celebrating their A levels results, while right, one reveller has had too much to drink as he leaves some on the pavement

Teenagers flooded into Bristol wearing all sorts of fancy dress outfits last night for a boozy knees-up after finding out their exam results yesterday

Pryzm nightclub in Birmingham (pictured left) was among the city's many venues to hold events for A-level students. Shown right, friends in Manchester celebrate the end of exams

Three girls in Bristol try to tip over a bin in the city centre as teenagers descended on its bars and clubs to let off steam after the exam season

Young partygoers cross the busy nightclub strip on Birmingham's Broad Street, as youngsters try to make it home after a big night on the town

Young girls in Manchester celebrate after one of the most important days of their lives so far, as many of them look to head off to university next year

Scantily-clad students caused a headache for police and bouncers last night as they embarked on a booze-fuelled bar crawl around Manchester city centre

Five young friends make their way into the centre of Manchester as they look to see out the academic year in style

The pubs and clubs of Birmingham put on A level results parties to help celebrate the good news and drown the sorrows for pupils who may not have got the grades they wanted. Shown right, a couple argue on the city's Broad Street

Students in Bristol laugh and joke as they wait in line for one of the city's many nightlife venues hosts a A-levels party
Anthony Weiner has asked a Manhattan judge to delay the sentencing date in the case against him for sexting with a minor by nearly a month.

Just three weeks before Weiner's September 8 sentencing, the disgraced Congressman asked Manhattan Federal Judge Denise Cote to push the court date back to October 6.

In a letter to Cote, his lawyer, Arlo Devlin-Brown, said that Weiner's attorneys need more time to prepare a sentencing recommendation 'that best addresses the need for continuing treatment', according to the New York Post.

Weiner, who faces up to 27 months in prison, has spent the summer in his Manhattan apartment with his five-year-old son, Jordan, who he's regularly seen dropping off and picking up from day camp.

Disgraced Congressman Anthony Wiener, pictured above taking his five-year-old son Jordan to summer camp in New York on Thursday, has asked a judge to delay the sentencing date in the case against him for sexting with a minor

Just three weeks before Weiner's September 8 sentencing, he asked that the court date be moved to October 6

On Thursday the 52-year-old and his son Jordan were spotted walking hand-in-hand through the Chelsea neighborhood of New York.

Jordan was wearing his summer camp T-shirt, while Weiner dressed casually in green shorts, an orange shirt, sneakers and a Mets cap.

The former politician could face up to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty in May to transferring obscene material to a minor.

While the sentencing for such a crime can be up to ten years in prison, Weiner is likely to face far less because of the plea deal he took earlier this year.

DailyMail.com revealed in September the disgraced Congressman had been exchanging sexually-charged messages and explicit photos with a 15-year-old high school student in North Carolina.

The exchanges began in January of last year after the teenager reached out to Weiner on Twitter, and continued through late spring.

Weiner was 51 and still married to Huma Abedin when he sent the texts and images to the minor female, during a time when his primary responsibility was the care of his son Jordan, now 5, while Abedin was on the campaign trail with Hillary Clinton.

Weiner's Arlo Devlin-Brown, said that attorneys need more time to prepare a sentencing recommendation 'that best addresses the need for continuing treatment'

Weiner was 51 and still married to Huma Abedin when he sent the texts and images to the minor female, during a time when his primary responsibility was the care of his son Jordan, now 5, while Abedin was on the campaign trail with Hillary Clinton

Abedin filed for divorce on the same day that Weiner, who is still wearing his wedding band, pleaded guilty to charges he sexted a minor.

The pair's divorce hearing is set for September 13 after being moved from an earlier June date.

Since revelations were made about his sexting with a minor last year, residents in his Union Square building say he's become unpopular.

Residents told the New York Post earlier this month that he's lost contact with many people in the building and wears earbuds to the gym, where 'nobody speaks to him'.

'Nobody speaks to him. He is truly ostracized,' a source told the newspaper. 'People won't even get on the elevator with him.'

Many of Weiner's neighbors voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and blame him for her loss.

While investigating Weiner's relationship with the minor, federal authorities seized a computer from the couple's Manhattan apartment and found emails that they believed might be relevant to the separate investigation into Clinton's private email server.

Just days away from the November 2016 presidential election, the FBI made a public announcement about the new development, despite the fact that they had previously said the case was closed.

Clinton has also blamed the last-minute emails scandal for her losing the election to now-President Donald Trump.
The mother of Charlottesville victim Heather Heyer says she has received death threats since her daughter was mowed down at a 'Unite the Right' rally attended by neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

Susan Bro's daughter Heather, a 32-year-old legal assistant from Charlottesville, was killed and 19 others were injured Saturday when a car plowed into counter-protesters who had taken to the streets to decry what was believed to be the country's biggest gathering of white nationalists in at least a decade.

Hundreds of neo-Nazis, skinheads and Ku Klux Klan members had descended after the city decided to remove a monument to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The mother of Charlottesville victim Heather Heyer says she has received death threats since her daughter was mowed down at a 'Unite the Right' rally attended by neo-Nazis and white supremacists

The driver of the car, James Alex Fields Jr., a 20-year-old Ohio man described as an admirer of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, was arrested and charged with murder and other offenses.

Heather's mother Susan Bro, who has vowed to keep her daughter's legacy alive, told NBC News: 'I've had death threats already... because of what I'm doing right this second.'

She also revealed that she has not yet spoken to President Donald Trump despite three calls from his office.

Susan said: 'I saw that his office had called about three times. It feels awful, but I just haven't had time to talk to the president.'

Susan Bro's daughter Heather, a 32-year-old legal assistant from Charlottesville, was killed and 19 others were injured Saturday

At a memorial for her daughter on Wednesday, Susan told a packed theatre: 'They tried to kill my child to shut her up. Well, guess what? You just magnified her'

The White House says it is working to find a 'convenient' time for President Donald Trump to speak with the family.

Spokeswoman Lindsay Walters says the White House appreciates the 'unifying words' that Heather Heyer's mother spoke at her daughter's memorial service.

Walters added 'our thoughts and prayers are with the family.' She did not address the question of whether Trump planned to visit Charlottesville.

At a memorial for her daughter on Wednesday, Susan told a packed theatre: 'They tried to kill my child to shut her up. Well, guess what? You just magnified her.

'Let's find that spark of conviction. Find what's wrong and say to yourselves, 'What can I do to make a difference?''

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

Heyer's family members and friends said her death would only inspire them to fight harder for justice.

'This is not the end of Heather's legacy,' her mother said.

Speaking firmly, Bro urged those who wanted to honor her daughter to 'find in your heart that small spark of accountability.'

'You poke that finger at yourself like Heather would have done, and you make it happen,' she said. 'You take that extra step and you find a way to make a difference in the world!'

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)

Heyer's grandfather, Elwood Shrader, said she always wanted fairness, even from a young age, and was quick to call out something that wasn't right.

Mark Heyer, her father, said his daughter wanted to 'put down hate.'

'She's very compassionate, she's very precise, got a big heart,' said Larry Miller, her boss at the law firm where she worked. 'She wants to make sure that things are right. She cares about the people that we take care of.'

President Donald Trump tweeted about Heyer on Wednesday, calling her 'beautiful and incredible' and a 'truly special young woman.'

He said 'she will be long remembered by all!'
Alex Salmond last night defended his controversial joke about having sex with Nicola Sturgeon  by calling it a piece of harmless innuendo.

Miss Sturgeon this week led criticism of her predecessor for an ill-advised joke which she described as a throwback to the Benny Hill era.

But Mr Salmond hit back by claiming his joke had been taken out of context  and also said he felt Hill was quite talented.

Alex Salmond has been accused of 'sexism' after telling a joke about having sex with Nicola Sturgeon, Theresa May, Melania Trump and Ruth Davidson

Miss Sturgeon, pictured on a visit to a Glasgow nursery this week, led criticism of her predecessor for an ill-advised joke which she described as a throwback to the Benny Hill era

Asked about the controversy by presenter Ewen Cameron on the Edinburgh Festival Late Show on STV last night (THUR), Mr Salmond said: It was taken totally out of context.

'It was a piece of harmless innuendo, nothing more than that.

Mr Salmond came under fire from equality campaigners and opponents for his sexist joke on the first day of his Edinburgh Fringe show.

He told the audience: 'I promised you today we'd either have Theresa May or Nicola Sturgeon, or Ruth Davidson or Melania Trump, but I couldn't make any of these wonderful women come...' After an on-stage band hit a 'bud-dum' on the drums, he added '...to the show'.

Earlier this week, Miss Sturgeon said that, while she felt that Mr Salmond was not a sexist, he is not always as funny as he thinks he is. She added: Perhaps this is an example of a joke that perhaps belongs more in the Benny Hill era than it does in the modern era.

During last nights show, Mr Salmond also admitted to being a fan of Benny Hill.

Asked about Miss Sturgeons condemnation of him, he said: Actually, Benny Hill was quite talented.

'I mean, he made a living for years on television so he didnae do too badly.

He also read out his favourite Benny Hill rhyme, What A World, about Christmas Day in a prison.

After reading out the rhyme, he joked: Aye, maybe Nicola was right, eh?

The joke caused an outcry, with Scottish Labour equalities spokesman Monica Lennon accusing him of degrading female politicians.

Talat Yaqoob, co-founder of the cross-party Women 50:50 group, also said it illustrates the sexism women experience despite being at a high level of leadership.

She added: Any such sexualisation by a former First Minister is particularly disappointing as he should be more aware of the impact of his words.

Mr Salmond has refused to apologise  and his spokesman claimed that Labour  led by Kezia Dugdale  were 'just miffed they didn't get a mention'
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Large gas containers which had been filled with deadly butane have been recovered from the rubble of a home which exploded ahead of the Barcelona massacre.

Investigators believe a 12-strong terror cell planned to detonate the highly-explosive gas, using plastic explosive TATP - which was also found at the site - in its attack on the Catalan city's tourist district.

But less than 24 hours before the atrocity, one member was killed in an accidental blast. Police have said there may still be another body buried in the rubble of the house in Alcanar, which is more than 120 miles south of Barcelona.

More than 20 butane gas canisters were found intact in the wreckage, as well as Acetone peroxide (TATP) - nicknamed 'Mother of Satan' because of the high number of accidental explosions it causes.

Gas canisters which contained deadly butane gas were recovered from a home in Alcanar, 60 miles south of Barcelona, and were seen outside the address today

Police revealed on Thursday night that the explosion less than 24 hours earlier was linked to the plot, and documents found at the scene contains details of the attack

Had the explosion not happened, a police chief said, Thursday's attack would have had 'bigger scope'.

On Friday night Catalonia's police force tweeted: 'We are working to determine if remains at Alcanar are a second corpse/We are working to determine if biological traces from Alcanar are human.'

Security experts believe the gang wanted to hire a large truck like the one used to devastating effect in the Nice atrocity two years ago, but they were unable to get permits so had to settle with smaller vans.

Security experts believe the gang wanted to hire a large truck like the one used to devastating effect in the Nice atrocity two years ago, but they were unable to get permits so had to settle with smaller vans

A police officer walks past large numbers of gas canisters outside the address in Alcanar where a member of the terror cell died in the explosion ahead of Thursday's atrocity in Barcelona

One person linked to the atrocity has been arrested at the scene of the explosion, authorities confirmed on Thursday night.

Police confirmed on Friday afternoon that the suspects had been planning to use explosives in the mass killing.

Josep Lluis Trapero of Catalonia's police said: 'They were preparing one or several attacks in Barcelona, and an explosion in Alcanar stopped this as they no longer had the material they needed to commit attacks of an even bigger scope.'

Initially treated as a random gas blast, police later linked to the explosion to the Barcelona assault, believing occupants of the house were preparing an explosive device inside and slipped up.

Trapero said that after this, the suspects allegedly quickly went on to commit 'more rudimentary' attacks. These involved the vehicles ploughing into pedestrians in Barcelona and Cambrils.

The Cambrils suspects had an axe and knives in the car as well as fake explosive belts stuck to their bodies, said police.

Thirteen people were killed and more than 100 wounded when a van was driven into walkers on the busy Las Ramblas street in Barcelona.

It has also been claimed that a cell of 12 people may have been involved in the attacks on Barcelona and Cambrils - and that they were planning to use gas canisters to kill victims

The hired van (pictured), registered to rental company Telefurgo, rammed into scores of holidaymakers and their children before police swooped. It is believed the suspected jihadist plot originally included the use of a large truck and explosives designed to maximise the death toll

Pictured: A man lying on the street in Barcelona after the van ploughed into pedestrians along Las Ramblas

Moussa Oukabir, 18, who lives in Barcelona, has been named as a suspect in the attack after reportedly stealing his brother's documents

Driss Oukabir (pictured) has been arrested by police, according to local media reports. The Guardia Civil previously said the van used in the attack was rented by Oukabir in the town of Santa Perpetua de la Mogada

Pictured: A man sits on the pavement with his head in his hands after the tragic attack, now being treated as a terrorist incident

In a second attack eight hours later, a car rammed into people in Cambrils - about 75 miles south of Barcelona - and wounded six people before the five attackers were shot.

But the New York Times has been told that the terror plot originally involved the use of a large truck and explosives.

A counter-terror expert told the paper: 'Part of the plan was they tried to rent a larger truck, but they didn't have the right permit.'

As a consequence, they ended up renting much smaller vehicles - including the white Fiat van photographed with a crumpled bonnet after the devastating slaughter in Las Ramblas.

Pictured: Armed policemen arrive in a cordoned-off area after a van ploughed into a crowd in Barcelona

At least 13 people have been killed and dozens injured after a van ploughed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, Barcelona's busiest tourist area. Police are still hunting two armed men who have escaped and are believed to be hiding in a nearby restaurant

Police are today hunting for Europe's most wanted man Moussa Oukabir, an 18-year-old Moroccan-born teenager believed to have been the driver during the Barcelona attack.

He fled on foot and it is unclear if he joined the Cambrils attack eight hours later.

His brother Driss Oukabir's ID was used to rent up to three vans including the one in the attack, but he has handed himself into police and denied any involvement.

Investigators believe the Barcelona atrocity is linked to an explosion at a home 70 miles away in Alcanar which happened 24 hours earlier.

Horrifying images of the aftermath show an elderly couple were among the injured after the van ploughed into pedestrians on the busy Barcelona street

Two suspects were arrested yesterday evening, a Moroccan and a Spanish national, but neither of them was at the wheel of the van. Four suspects have been arrested in total.

In Barcelona, officials warn the death toll is likely to rise, with at least 10 people critically injured in yesterday afternoon's atrocity in the heart of the city's tourist district.

In the aftermath of the attack police circulated an image of Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Catalan resident of Moroccan origin, saying he had rented out a second van thought to be intended as a getaway vehicle - where his documents were found.

But police sources said Oukabir later handed himself in at a police station in Ripoll, 65 miles north of Barcelona, claiming his brother had stolen his documents.

There were harrowing scenes in Barcelona after the van was driven into pedestrians in Las Ramblas in the heart of the city

Hundreds of people can be seen in Barcelona city centre after the horrifying incident

His brother is named Moussa Oukabir, 18, who lives in Barcelona, El Pais reports.

Disturbing comments posted on social network Kiwi by an account carrying Moussa Oukabir's name and photograph makes reference to killing all infidels.

Horrifying pictures and video from the scene of the Las Ramblas attack show armed police and paramedics rushing around the busy promenade in the centre of the city, as victims lie hurt in the street.

Video has emerged seeming to show a police officer lying on the ground injured in Sant Just Desvern, on the outskirts of Barcelona, after a Ford Focus drove through a roadblock.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing people running away and screaming after the terror attack happened.

Steve Garrett was in a nearby market and sheltered in a bakery with several others after streams of people ran inside.

He told the BBC: 'A very large number of people ran into the market area in a big kind of way, lots of screaming, lots of shouting.

'The security guards immediately responded. We ran into the bakery with four or five other people and ran straight upstairs and hunkered down whilst an enormous wave of people went through the market.

'Obviously coming from England it was reminding me a great deal of what happened in London, so we were very concerned about what might be going on next.
Mainstreet Cleveland announced Friday award recipients for the Mainstreet Cleveland Property Enhancement Grant program. Ten properties in downtown Cleveland were selected to receive grants totaling $54,953. Based on the investments of these 10 projects, a total of more than $240,000 will be reinvested into downtown properties.

The Mainstreet Cleveland Property Enhancement Grant was formed to encourage building owners and tenants to invest in properties located within the Mainstreet Cleveland footprint by financially assisting with building needs that serve an appropriate public purpose and benefit. Positive building appearance has been proven to increase property values, improve the marketability of space within the building and attract new businesses, residents and visitors to an area, said officials.

This decision was a difficult one for the grant selection committee, 24 quality applications were submitted. In fact, the projects were so impressive that the Mainstreet Cleveland Board of Directors allocated an additional $5,000 to the planned $50,000 grant pool, said officials.

We appreciate the hard work and diligence of the grant committee in making the selections, said Sharon Marr, Mainstreet Cleveland executive director. These volunteers were very thorough in the selection process and it was difficult to narrow down the applications.

The projects are very impressive and Mainstreet Cleveland is proud to assist in funding these improvements, said Keith Barrett, Mainstreet Cleveland Board of directors president.

The funded projects include a wide range of improvements such as new investment, public safety, residential, and supporting new business and expanding existing businesses.

The Property Enhancement Grant awards include:

227 Inman Street: Catch Bar & Grill to Install new outdoor lighting at the entrance from First Street Square to improve overall safety and enhance visibility; and add facade improvements.

90 N. Ocoee Street: Terra Running to repurpose a historic building to include Terra Running Company, a cafe space for coffee shop, and 2nd floor apartment. Grant will be used primarily for life safety issues of sprinkler system installation.

262 Broad Street, NW: Gardner's Market for Improvement to storefront and visibility by adding a new concession window and wall for To Go orders and event participation, and install a new awning.

220/224/230 North Ocoee St.: Jones Properties to replace and repair windows in the Cafe Roma building consistent with the the historical design of the original "Banner Building."

168c 1st Street, NE: Mash & Hops to expand current business by renovating the front parking lot into a courtyard. Replace asphalt with concrete and add outdoor decor, iron fence, awning.

166 1st Street: Stack Southern Bistro for the opening of a new restaurant concept. This project is for awnings on the storefront of the building and outdoor lighting to improve aesthetics, safety, and night visibility.

246-250 N Ocoee Street: Capital Financial Group to remove existing vinyl and aluminum siding, as well as aluminum windows. Reveal and restore the original brick, replace windows and awnings, add a new entrance downstairs.

120 & 140 N Ocoee: Robert Thompson for Attorney, CPA, and Dance Studio location. The project will add exterior lighting to the building for both security purposes and to display historical landmarks in the area.

30 2nd St: Logan Thompson Law Office will add exterior lighting to the building for both security purposes and to display historical landmarks in the area.

63 North Ocoee: Doug Caywood & TPC Properties for facade improvements including adding new exterior tile entry, replace windows, awning and painting.

The Mainstreet Cleveland Property Enhancement Grant is a reimbursement program and requires that the building owner or tenant contribute a matching amount to the grant awarded. Projects are to be completed by June 1.

Mainstreet Cleveland is nonprofit organization founded in 1990 that is dedicated to the revitalization and promotion of downtown Cleveland. For more information visit www.mainstreetcleveland.com.








The identity of the American citizen who was killed on Thursday in the Barcelona terror attacks has been revealed by the man's family.

Jared Tucker lost his life after a van plowed through a crowd of people at speeds of up to 60 mph on Thursday his father Dan told ABC 7, just 24 hours after his son was reported missing by his wife Heidi Nunes.

The tragedy came while Tucker, 43, and Nunes were in Spain as part of their European honeymoon, which the victim's father explained had been put off until a year after their nuptials.

Tucker had been heading to the bathroom when the incident occurred, and authorities refused to let Nunes search for her husband in the wake of the carnage, telling her she had to evacuate the scene.

Just one hour prior, Nunes posted a photo of the two smiling as they enjoyed a drink together in the Spanish city.

The couple's honeymoon came to a tragic and devastating end on Friday, when Nunes spent the afternoon identifying her husband's remains.

She was supposed to be flying home at the time, with her and Tucker set to head back to California together on Friday.

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Without a trace: The family of Jared Tucker, a construction worker from San Francisco, revealed that he was the victim who lost his life at Las Ramblas (Tucker and wife Heidi Nunez in picture taken one hour before attack)

Awful timing: He and his wife Heidi Nunez had been in Barcelona on their honeymoon, which they put off until a year after they were married(pair above at their wedding in August 2016)

Emotional moment: Tucker's father fougth back tears while speaking with the media

'They were walking through downtown when he stopped to use the restroom, moments later all hell broke loose and Heidi was swept up in the terrified crowd and she lost sight of Jared,' said Jared's brother-in-law Kalani Kalanui.

Nunes is still in Spain at this time, with the couple having chosen to visit the city so that they could visit a good friend according to Tucker's father.

Prior to their stay in Barcelona, the two had been in Paris.

Nunes is not yet ready to talk to the public.

'At present Jared's wife Heidi is not issuing a statement and will issue a formal statement tomorrow,' said an individual speaking on behalf of the family.

'For now, she asks that the community and media hold their family up in prayer and asks for the privacy during this difficult time.'

Dan said he is still trying to deal with the reality that his son is dead.

'We didn't find out until this morning that his wife, Heidi, was called into the consulate, and she was shown pictures of his body. And she confirmed it was him and now she's on the way over to the morgue to make a real confirmation,' explained Dan.

'He didn't make it.'

When asked how he felt about the terror attack, he state: 'I'm not angry so much as I don't understand it and my wife's in shock, it's a lot harder on her, she just got .'

Dan then began to cry and had to pause for a moment to gather himself before continuing on with the interview.

He also said that the family was planning a Mormon funeral service for Tucker, one year after his wedding.

Dan and his son had been working together in construction for the past 26 years.

Holding out hope: The family of Julian Cadman (above in a photo taken just hours before the attack) are also hoping to located the British-born Australian boy, 7, who was separated from his mother after she was injured

Aftermath: The terror attacks left over 100 injured and 14 dead from around the world as the suspects hit one of Barcelona's biggest tourist destinations (Las Ramblas above)

There is still an ongoing search for Julian Cadman, 7, who was separated from his mother Jom when she was injured during the same attack and taken to a hospital, where she is in serious condition.

His father, Andrew, is currently flying from Sydney to Spain to help in the search for his missing son without knowing whether the boy is dead or alive.

Andrew said that he had spoken to the boy and his mother just a few hours before the deadly van attack that separated the pair.

Cadman's family members are now urging anyone with information to get in touch with them, having launched a massive social media campaign in hopes of finding the boy.

Authorities released the names of the first set of victims in the attack on Friday morning.

Belgian mother-of-two Elke Vanbockrijck, 44, Spanish citizen Fransisco Lopez Rodriguez, 57, and Bruno Gulotta and Luca Russo who are both from Italy were the first four victims to be identified on Friday, and the fifth was later revealed to the unnamed American.

TILLERSON ON DEATH OF US CITIZEN 'I want to acknowledge that we have now received word and confirmed the death of one American citizen in the terrorist attacks in Spain. 'We are still confirming the injuries and deaths of others, but obviously we express out deepest sympathies to the loved ones of this individual and obviously to the others who have suffered loss of life. 'We express our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of this individual and obviously the ones of others. 'We offer our thoughts and prayers as they're going to be dealing with a tough few days ahead of them.' Advertisement

A three-year-old Spanish boy from Llimiana was also allegedly killed in the attack according to the town's mayor, but authorities had not confirmed that report as of early Friday.

Gulotta, a 35-year-old marketing manager for the website Tom's Hardware, was walking through Las Ramblas while holding the hand of his five-year-old son Alexander at the time of the attack on Thursday evening reports La Repubblica.

When he saw the van racing towards his family he tossed his son out of the terrorist-driven vehicle's trajectory while his partner Martina shielded their daughter who she was holding on her chest.

All three were then forced to witness the aftermath of the fatal spree and, which left Gulotta profusely bleeding with his legs splayed out on the pavement.

The family, who hails from the Milanese town of Legnano, was vacationing in Spain at the time of the attacks, like so many of the other victims.

Back home, Legnano Mayor Giambattista Fratus said that the entire city is 'mourning' the loss of Gulotta.

The Italian Foreign Ministry also announced on Friday Luca Russo, 25, was killed on Thursday, while visiting Spain with his fiancee Marta Scomazzon.

Scomazzon was also injured in the attack and is currently recuperating after fracturing her foot and elbow when she attempted to get out of the path of the oncoming van according to La Repubblica.

The couple were volunteers at the local Green Cross and flags have been lowered in the couple's hometown of Bassano del Grappa, where a candlelight vigil is also being planned to honor the young engineer.

Russo was also remembered by his local mayor, with Riccardo Poletto saying on Friday that while he did not know the boy personally everyone spoke about what an exceptional young man he was and how motivated he was to do good.

Final moments: Bruno Gulotta, a 35-year-old marketing manager from Italy, was killed while protecting his son, 5, and died in front of his partner Martina (above) and their infant daughter

Horrible end: Luca Russo (right)was killed on Thursday, while visiting Spain with his fiancee Marta Scomazzon(left), who suffered a fractured foot and elbow in the attack

Parents: Victims Elke Vanbockrijck, from Belgium (left|), and Gulotta (right) were both on vacation with their children when they were killed

DOA: Fransisco Lopez Rodriguez (above with his wife) was killed immediately after being hit by the van on Thursday night according to a family member.

Belgian authorities named Elke Vanbockrijck, from Tongeren, as the third victim in the attack.

She was also on vacation with her when she was killed on Thursday, having decided to visit the city with her police officer husband and their two sons.

Her husband and children, 10 and 14, did not sustain any injuries during the incident.

Vanbockrijck was remembered by the staff of the local football club, where she was frequently seen with her sons.

'We deplore the death of Elke, the mother of two players from KFC Heur Tongeren. She was often at the club, and was committed to our club,' wrote KFC Heur Tongeren on Facebook.

'We will always remember her as a happy woman, a caring mother and loving wife. Elke will be missed.'

The over 100 injured and 14 dead came from 34 countries according to authorities, who also revealed that several children were among those killed in the attack.

Fransisco Lopez Rodriguez was killed immediately after being hit by the van on Thursday night according to a family member.

The Catalonia resident was walking with his wife, their young son and a neice when the vehicle came at the group travelling as fast as 60mph while tearing through the crowd.

His family hoped he might just be in a hospital when he want missing on Thursday after the attack, but a family member posted the sad news on Twitter that evening.

'He died instantly, on impact. We just received the news, I can not go on,' wrote the individual.

Spanish officials have said the dead and injured from the attack, in which a jihadi drove a van through crowds of people at 60mph, span 24 different countries

Police believe the terror cell lived in the resort town of Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, where a house-cum-bomb factory packed with gas canisters was destroyed in an explosion on Wednesday

ISIS have claimed responsibility for the attacks, which are strikingly similar to attacks in London, Berlin, Stockholm and Nice.

Police are also now on the hunt for Europe's most wanted man Moussa Oukabir, the 18-year-old Moroccan-born teenager believed to have been the driver.

His brother's ID was used to rent up to three vans, including the one in the attack, but he has since handed himself into police and denied any involvement

Police are today hunting for Europe's most wanted man Moussa Oukabir, an 18-year-old Moroccan-born teenager believed to have been the driver in Las Ramblas attack

Oukabir fled on foot, but it is unclear if he joined the Cambrils attack which police are now linking to the one in Las Ramblas.

Police believe the terror cell lived in the resort town of Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, where a house-cum-bomb factory packed with gas canisters was destroyed in an explosion on Wednesday killing one man and injuring another.

Catalonia's interior minister, Joaquim Forn, tells Onda Cero radio that the suspects in Cambrils were driving in an Audi 3 and began plowing down people near the boardwalk.

A police car was damaged and an officer was among the six people injured in the second attack.

Forn says the suspects killed in a subsequent shootout with police were wearing fake bomb belts. He says the belts were very well made, and that authorities only determined they were phony after a controlled explosion.

Seven people including a policeman were injured in Cambrils on the Costa Dorada where the Jihadis' Audi A3 car overturned after ploughing through crowds on the seafront.

13 are dead and at least 100 are injured after an ISIS jihadi used a white Fiat van as a weapon on Los Ramblas, Barcelona at 4pm yesterday

The driver flees the scene after driving at 60mph along 500 yards of road swerving to hit men, women and children including dozens of tourists Read more:

The terrorists bailed out clutching knives and were seen smiling and shouting taunts at police who shot them dead in the street at around 1am.

Tourists ran for their lives and hid on the beach or in seafront bars as gunshots rang out around them and holidaymaker Fitzroy Davies, from Wolverhampton, described how police gunned down one of the Cambrils attackers but he got up again and started 'ranting and raving'.

He said: 'He must have been on drugs. He was taunting, smiling, laughing and he carried on walking to the police, and then they gave it to him again, a couple more shots and then he fell to the ground'.
The Defence Secretary has said sorry to the families of British soldiers killed when roadsire bombs hit lightly armoured Snatch Land Rovers in Iraq.

In a letter, Sir Michael Fallon apologised for delays in bringing in alternative protected vehicles 'which could have saved lives'.

At least 37 UK soldiers died in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan while travelling in Snatch Land Rovers, with last year's Chilcot Inquiry heavily critical of delays in replacing them.

'I am fully aware of the struggle you have had to bring this matter to court over the last decade and I recognise this has had a significant impact on you and your family,' Sir Michael wrote in his letter to the families.

Private Phillip Hewett, 21, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, died in July 2005 after a Snatch Land Rover was blown up

In a letter to Pte Hewett's mother, Sue Smith (pictured left), Sir Michael Fallon (right) admitted bringing better protected vehicles into service 'could have saved lives'

'The Government entirely accepts the findings of Sir John Chilcot in the Iraq Inquiry in relation to Snatch Land Rover.

'I would like to express directly to you my deepest sympathies and apologise for the delay, resulting from the decisions taken at the time in bringing into service alternative protected vehicles which could have saved lives.

'I confirm that we have learnt lessons from this.

'The Government must and will ensure that our Armed Forces are always properly equipped and resourced.'

Ms Smith told the BBC the apology was 'bittersweet', adding: 'I'd like it to be that his death made a difference. He's not just a casualty of Iraq.'

The letter comes after a lengthy legal battle, which eventually saw the Supreme Court rule the families could bring compensation claims against the Government under legislation covering negligence and human rights.

Sue Smith's son, Private Phillip Hewett, was killed whilst driving a Snatch Land Rover in Iraq in July 2005.

Pte Hewett had told his mother he was driving a Warrior tracked armoured vehicle rather than the Snatch, so that she would not worry.

Prior to this, Pte Hewett had written to his uncle saying some soldiers had purposely lost their driving licences so they would not have to drive the Snatch.

Ms Smith criticised the MoD's conduct during her legal case, saying a lot of information it said was unavailable or too difficult to provide had already be handed over to Chilcot.

'Never for one minute did I think my family would be treated in this way,' she said.

'I feel that the MoD have been dishonest in their dealings with me and have put me through a great deal of unnecessary stress in continuing to fight this case.

General Sir Mike Jackson (pictured left), Chief of the General Staff between 2003 and 2006, said it was a fair assumption that a more heavily armoured vehicle would have offered much better protection for British troops. Private Lee Ellis, pictured right, was killed in Iraq in February 2006

'I think they wanted to break me so that I would walk away but, it only made me more determined to fight on.'

Private Lee Ellis was killed in Iraq in February 2006, and his sister Karla Ellis said the explanation she received about his death 'never made sense'.

She added: 'What has been achieved is beyond my wildest dreams and I am so grateful that I've been able to honour my brother's memory in this way.

'It's been the longest of journeys but we have shown what can be achieved if you're prepared to fight.'

The families' lawyer, Jocelyn Cockburn, has also received a letter from the Ministry of Defence confirming it had learnt lessons from Chilcot and was also procuring the next generation of armoured vehicles.

'This is an important victory for the Snatch Land Rover families, who have had to fight every step of the way to achieve justice,' Ms Cockburn said.

'The Ministry of Defence's stance of 'delay, deny and defend' has caused untold suffering to already grief-stricken families over a needlessly long period.

'However, I am relieved that their battle is over and genuinely hope that their apology signals a sea-change in the way the MoD seeks to deal with bereaved service families.'

General Sir Mike Jackson, Chief of the General Staff between 2003 and 2006, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was a fair assumption that a more heavily armoured vehicle would have offered much better protection for British troops.

He said he believed replacements for the Snatch Land Rover could have been brought in more quickly, adding: 'The Army at that point did not have its own procurement budget.

'It does now, and perhaps that is one of the good lessons learned that's come out of this whole rather sorry story, we do have our own procurement budget now.

'Yes, better vehicles, better-protected vehicles were eventually procured, but the process was rather Byzantine and inevitably, thereby, lengthy.'

An MoD spokeswoman said: 'We offer our deepest sympathies and apologise for the delay in bringing into service alternative protected vehicles which could have saved lives.

'The Government acknowledges and fully accepts the findings of Sir John Chilcot's inquiry in relation to Snatch Land Rovers.

'Our Armed Forces now use a number of highly capable and extremely well protected patrol vehicles, including Mastiff, Ridgback, Husky and Wolfhound.'
The Spanish coastal town where the second terror attack took place last night was also the where two of the masterminds of 9/11 met in 2001.

At midnight Friday, five men in fake suicide vests ploughed a car into revellers in the seaside resort of Cambril, injuring six civilians and a policeman, before being shot dead by police.

Some 16 years ago, the town also played host to two of the deadliest terrorist killers in modern history.

Terrorist: Mohamed Atta, the pilot of the first plane that crashed into the World Trade Centre, met with Al-Qaeda 'key facilitator' Ramzi bin al-Shibh, in Cambril, Spain, weeks before 9/11

Atrocities: The pair are believed to have stopped off in Cambrils before hiding away in a nearby safehouse where they spent several days planning the 9/11 attacks

Mohammed Atta, 33, hijacked and piloted the Boeing 767 that crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, on September 11, 2001.

Egyptian-born Atta was the oldest of the 9/11 hijackers, considered a ringleader of the group, and deeply involved in planning the attacks that killed 2,996 people, and injured over 6,000.

In July 2001, just weeks before 9/11, Atta flew to Spain to meet with Ramzi bin al-Shibh, a Yemeni national allegedly also chosen by Osama bin Laden to be a hijacker.

Atta picked up bin al-Shib on July 9, and together the pair drove to Cambril, where they spent the night in a hotel.

They are then believed to have driven to a safehouse near Tarragona, 12 miles away. During the following days, the pair are believed to have planned the 9/11 attack.

New attack: A man loads an overturned car used by five men in fake suicide vests to mow down revellers in the seaside resort of Cambril, injuring seven, before being shot dead by police

A police officer walks near an overturned car at the spot where terrorists were intercepted by police in Cambrils

According to reports Bin al-Shibh was meant have been one of the hijackers, according to reports, and was later accused by the US authorities of making a martyr video in preparation for the attack.

But he was unable to obtain a US visa and instead helped to find flight schools for the hijackers in the US and arrange financial transactions in support of the September 11 operation.

Bin al-Shibh, 45, was arrested in 2002 in Pakistan and taken to Guantanamo Bay, where he is currently being held by the US authorities, accused of being a key facilitator for the September 11 attacks.
Former Vice President Al Gore has just one word of advice for President Donald Trump: 'Resign'.

Gore addressed the president while promoting his new documentary, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, a follow up to his 2006 Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth.

The environmental activist has long been critical of Trump, particularly for his position on climate change and his decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement earlier this year.

Former Vice President Al Gore addressed Donald Trump while promoting his new documentary, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, and only gave the one word of advice to the president

When asked if he had any advice for the current president, Gore told Lad Bible, 'Resign' before turning the conversation back to climate change.

Just last week Gore said that Trump's rejection of the Paris climate change agreement was fueling, rather than weakening, momentum among environmental activists.

He said governments and companies had stepped up since Trump's decision in June to withdraw from the 2015 global pact.

'The entire world the next day re-doubled their commitments to the Paris agreement and in the U.S, the governors of our largest states and hundreds of mayors, thousands of business leaders all stood up to fill the gap and said 'We are still in the Paris agreement,' Gore told Reuters.

'I do think that the reaction to Donald Trump is actually driving much more momentum in the climate movement,' he added.

The environmental activist has long been critical of Trump, particularly for his position on climate change

Gore previously said that he believes Trump's presidency will end early because of 'ethical reasons'

Gore previously said that he believes Trump's presidency will end early because of 'ethical reasons'.

'Were only six months into the experiment with Trump. Some experiments are ended early for ethical reasons,' Gore said, acknowledging the 'provocative' nature of his comment.

Gore said he was convinced that US cities, states and business executives would meet US obligations under the 2015 Paris agreement to fight climate change, despite Trump's decision in June to withdraw from the global pact.

Gore's new documentary, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, hit theaters across the world this summer

'We can win this... All we need is the political will,' he said, adding his hope that the United States would 'soon once again' have a leader who was committed to halting global warming.

Gore's new documentary, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, argues that fighting climate change is a moral battle, on a par with the civil rights movement in the United States or the fight for gay rights.

'We're putting, still, 110 million tonnes of man-made global warming pollution into the sky every day,' Gore told Lad Bible. 'It's a big planet but that's an enormous amount of energy.

'It's driving temperatures up, warming up the oceans, disrupting the water cycles, melting the ice and affecting sea levels, moving tropical diseases further up north, creating droughts and disrupting agriculture.'

Shot mostly before Trump's election, it also shows the Republican on the 2016 campaign trail promising to abolish environmental regulations and boost the coal and oil industries.

Gore said that that young people play a 'key role' in the climate change movement.

His first documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, is credited with bringing climate change into mainstream political discourse in the United States a decade ago.

It won the best documentary Oscar in 2007 and helped propel Gore to a Nobel Peace Prize, which he shared with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
A Melbourne Council has fast-tracked their vote on whether to dump Australia Day celebrations on January 26, moving the vote from September 4 to Monday evening.

Darebin Council is one of three in Victoria which has backed Yarra City's controversial decision to no longer recognise the day or hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26.

Yarra City Council said their actions were intended to reduce 'distress' caused to Aboriginal people, but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull slammed the idea as 'utterly out of step with Australian values'.

The Council has proposed moving the award and citizenship ceremony to January 25 and renaming them The Darebin Community Awards, The Preston Leader reported.

Darebin Council will vote on Monday night as to whether they want to cease celebrating Australia Day on January 26

It will be proposed that Australia Day citizenship and award ceremonies should be moved to January 25, and the awards renamed The Darebin Community Awards

Mayor Kim Le Cerf said 'everything that has happened this week' caused her to move forward the date of the vote, and that she was not concerned about the Federal response.

'Any future decision we make as a council regarding Australia Day events and citizenship ceremonies will reaffirm our long and proud history and commitment to reconciliation,' she said.

But Darebin Councillor Julie Williams told the paper the date of Australia Day was a 'federal issue', and Council attempts to bypass the Government were 'disgraceful'.

'We need to be focusing on things we're good at like roads and rubbish,' she said.

Moreland, Darebin and Hepburn Shire councils in Victoria have all expressed support for the Yarra council's decision.

Yarra City Council, a municipality of around 80,000 people in central Melbourne, has voted to stop referring to January 26 as 'Australia Day' (Stock image)

While the council refuses to call it 'Australia Day', it is yet to pick another name for the celebrations that meets its criteria nationally

Yarra's decision prompted a huge backlash across the country this week, with politicians slamming the decision

Yarra's decision prompted a huge backlash across the country this week, with politicians slamming the decision.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told parliament on Wednesday the decision was 'utterly out of step with Australian values'.

'Yarra council is using a day that should unite Australians to divide Australians,' Mr Turnbull said on Wednesday.

'I recognise Australia Day and its history is complex for many indigenous Australians, but the overwhelming majority of Australians believe the 26th of January is the day and should remain our national day.'

Former prime minister Tony Abbott also slammed the decision describing the vote as an attack on Australia Day by a 'made lefty council'.

'Yarra council is using a day that should unite Australians to divide Australians,' Mr Turnbull said on Wednesday

Protesters hit the streets on Australia Day last year to call on the government to 'change the date'. January 26, the day when the First Fleet landed in Australia in 1788, has been labelled 'Invasion Day'

The federal government acted swiftly to punish the council by removing its power to hold citizenship ceremonies after a controversial vote to stop referring to January 26 as Australia Day.

Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Alex Hawke said the government was 'committed to ensuring that citizenship is treated in the 'non-commercial, apolitical, bipartisan and secular manner' which the code mandates.'

Yarra Mayor Amanda Stone says the council does not believe it is in breach of the citizenship ceremonies code and is seeking a meeting with the government.

'We are working through the implications of the (minister's) announcement,' she said in a statement on Wednesday night.

'We will be seeking to discuss this matter with the Assistant Minister as soon as possible.'

The decision was made after a recent survey of just 300 locals 'showed strong support' for the change. During a dramatic meeting on Tuesday the council voted to implement a number of changes to the national day

The move by Yarra City Council follows an equally controversial one by the City of Fremantle in 2016, which moved the date of Australia Day to January 28

The Yarra City Council said its decision was about being 'culturally sensitive'.

'The overwhelming sentiment from our Aboriginal community is that January 26 is a date of sadness, trauma and distress,' Mayor Amanda Stone said.

'They have told us that this is not a day of celebration, but a day of mourning.'

While the council refuses to call it 'Australia Day', it is yet to pick another name for the celebrations that meets its criteria nationally.

'The overwhelming sentiment from our Aboriginal community is that January 26 is a date of sadness, trauma and distress,' Mayor Amanda Stone said

Mischa Coleman, a Greens member of the council, tweeted that Yarra City had taken the 'first step for big change'

January 26, when the First Fleet arrived to colonise Australia in 1788, has in recent years caused widespread controversy amid calls to 'change the date'.

The Yarra City Council pledged to lobby the Federal Government to mirror its decision and move Australia Day from January 26 nationally.

Members of the Federal Government and State Government have slammed the council and its decision.

Yarra City Council mayor Amanda Stone said the decision was about being 'culturally sensitive'

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews called the council's decision 'unnecessary'.

'You can celebrate what modern Australia is and citizenship ceremonies are a big part of that - it's truly a magical thing,' he told the ABC.

'I don't think anybody should be trying to diminish that.

'I think we get the balance right (on Australia Day). We respect the traditional owners of our land, but we then get on in a really unified way.'

Radio personality Alan Jones also blasted the council on Wednesday.

'They have no entitlement to determine when the national day is. They're irrelevant. It's a bit of a joke if it weren't so serious,' Mr Jones said

'This mob are rat bags. I mean there's four greens, two labors and a commie [sic],' he told 7 News.

'They have no entitlement to determine when the national day is. They're irrelevant. It's a bit of a joke if it weren't so serious.'

Mr Jones said the survey, which reflected the views of 300 people out of the electorate's 80,000 residents, did not accurately represent the region.

'My maths are not flash but I would've thought that's about a 0.3 of a percent,' he said.
The man police were reported to have shot dead at a roadblock on the outskirts of Barcelona after the Las Ramblas terror attack was already dead, police have revealed.

Catalonian police confirmed that it was the owner of the Ford Focus - and not the driver - who was found inside after it was abandoned.

The man had been stabbed to death in the passenger seat in a possible carjacking by the third suspect arrested in the wake of the attacks, it has been suggested.

Catalonia's interior minister, Joaquim Forn, told local radio that the car smashed into the police checkpoint on the Avenida Diagonal before it was dumped in Sant Just Desvern.

It was suggested the man could have been the driver of the Ford Focus that rammed into police officers at a checkpoint outside Barcelona (pictured) after the initial van attack

Moussa Oukabir, 18, who lives in Barcelona, has been named as a suspect in the Barcelona attack after reportedly stealing his brother's documents to rent a van

Two officers were hurt and one suffered a broken leg as police opened fire in an attempt to stop the car.

The driver then sped off before ditching the vehicle, which was when the stabbed passenger was found.

Initial reports explaining that police had killed the driver at the scene led to the confusion.

Josep Lluis Trapero, head of police in Catalonia, said the dead man was Spanish and not connected to the terror attacks.

The news came after the third suspect in the terror attack was arrested.

Police explained that a man was detained in Ripoll - which is northwest of Barcelona - in connection with the killings.

A hired van (pictured), registered to rental company Telefurgo, rammed into scores of people in Barcelona

At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured after the van ploughed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, Barcelona's busiest tourist area

It was suggested the man - thought to be a 34-year-old Moroccan national linked to Oukabir - could have been the driver of the Ford Focus that rammed into police officers.

According to RTVE, the victim was 'about 35' and had a family in Talavera de la Reina in Toledo province, central Spain.

Fourteen people were killed and more than 100 wounded when a van was driven into walkers on the busy Las Ramblas street in Barcelona.

In a second attack eight hours later, a car rammed into people in Cambrils - about 75 miles south of Barcelona - and wounded six people before the five attackers were shot dead.

Pictured: Armed policemen in a cordoned-off area after a van ploughed into a crowd in Barcelona

Four people have been arrested in connection with the attacks.

Catalonia's President Carles Puigdemont warned earlier today that a suspect was still on the run after the killings.

Asked on Spanish radio whether an alleged 'terrorist' was still at large and dangerous, he responded: 'On the run yes, as for whether he is capable of harm, we don't know at the moment.'

But he warned that 'these types of people have already demonstrated that they have the will to harm whatever happens.'

A major hunt is under way for Moussa Oukabir, 18, who is said to have stolen his older brother's identity documents to rent the van which later ploughed into pedestrians on Las Ramblas.

The teenager, said to be a Spanish national of Moroccan heritage, had previously written about 'killing infidels' in a chilling online post.

His brother Driss Oukabir, 28, was initially named as a suspect but later handed himself to a police station in Ripoll, a town to the north of Barcelona, not far from the French border.

Authorities in Spain believe the terror cell may have had up to 12 members. Five were shot dead by police during the second attack last night, another suspect was killed in an explosion in Alcanar. ISIS have claimed responsibility.
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Desperate families of those missing after the Spanish terror attacks are searching for their loved ones as the death toll rises to 14 and the first victims are identified.

Seven-year-old Julian Cadman, who was born in Kent but moved to Australia three years ago, was named among the missing by his aunt who posted an appeal online after the boy's mother, Jom, was listed as being in a serious condition in hospital by Spanish authorities.

His father, Andrew, has flown from Sydney to Spain to help in the search for his missing son, without knowing whether the boy is dead or alive.

The youngest victim of Thursday's atrocity was just three years old.

Also killed in the attack was 42-year-old Jared Tucker, from California. He and his wife, Heidi Nunes, 40, were separated during the attack.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson confirmed the death of one American and said 'we are still in the process of confirming the deaths and injuries of others' without giving further details.

Elsewhere the first of those to be confirmed dead in the ISIS attack on Las Ramblas were named as Italians Bruno Gulotta and Luca Russo, Belgian mother Elke Vanbockrijck, 44, and Spaniard Fransisco Lopez Rodriguez, 57.

A three-year-old boy, believed to be Mr Rodriguez' grand-nephew, also died. He was walking with his mother, grandmother, sister and aunt - who was injured trying to save him.

Spaniard Pepita Codina, 75, was killed in the attack, while Ana Maria Suarez, 61, died after being stabbed by terrorists in Cambrils.

Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau has said one Canadian was killed and four others were injured in Barcelona.

Medics said 130 people were injured in both attacks, and on Friday evening Catalonia's government said 15 are in a critical condition, with 25 others in a serious condition.

Julian Cadman, seven, who was born in Kent but living in Sydney at the time of the terror attack, is missing. Italian Bruno Gulotta, 35, the father of two young children, was crushed to death on Las Ramblas in Barcelona on Thursday

Julian was pictured enjoying his holiday in Barcelona just hours before the attack took place. British authorities have confirmed 'a small number of citizens' were caught up in the attack, but would not say if they were among the injured or dead

Luca Russo, 25, an engineer from Venice, in Italy, was also confirmed among the dead. He was on holiday at the time of the attack alongside Marta Scomazzon, who is believed to be his fiancee

Miss Scomazzon (pictured with boyfriend Luca before the attack) was left with a broken collarbone after being hit, Italian media reported on Friday

Elke Vanbockrijck, 44, from Belgium, has been identified as being among the dead. Authorities said she was on holiday with her husband and sons when she was run down and killed

The coach of KFC Heur Tongeren football team, where Mrs Vanbockrijck's 10- and 14-year-old sons played, paid tribute to her on Friday, saying she was 'always positive'

British tourist Harry Athwal rushed to help a young child who was lying injured on the pavement immediately after Thursday's horrific terror attack in Barcelona

A shocked British father has spoken about the moment he rushed to help a young boy who had been injured in Barcelona.

Harry Athwal, from Birmingham, saw the child lying injured in the road immediately after the van was driven through crowds of pedestrians.

Mr Athwal, 44, who was pictured comforting the child, told The Mirror: 'The police were telling me to move but I would not leave him. All the time I was thinking the terrorists could come back but I was not leaving that child. To me, he looked like my own son.'

He said the boy's leg was bent the wrong way and he could not detect a pulse.

Spanish authorities say 57-year-old Francisco Lopez Rodriguez (pictured on Las Ramblas moments before the attack) died on the spot after being hit by ISIS terrorists. He was earlier reported as missing

Heidi Nunes, from California, said online that her husband Jared Tucker, 43, is missing after the pair got separated on Las Ramblas during the attack. Rex Tillerson has confirmed one American death and said the State Department is 'still confirming the deaths and injuries of others', without giving specific details

Daniel Tucker told The Daily News of New York that his son Jared Tucker's body was identified by his wife at the morgue on Friday.

He said of the attack, which ISIS has claimed responsibility for: 'It's just something we really just don't understand.'

Mr Tucker and his wife, Heidi Nunes, were visiting Barcelona for their first wedding anniversary. He and his father worked together installing swimming pools. The elder Tucker told the newspaper that 'everybody loved him'.

Nunes and Tucker married last year before taking a belated honeymoon to Europe two weeks ago. They visited Paris and Venice before going to Barcelona, pictured here moments before the attack

Norma, who is Julian's aunt but referred to in the family as granny, described the boy as 'lovely', 'bubbly' and 'sweet'

UK Prime Minister Theresa May said authorities are 'urgently looking into reports' of a dual-nationality child believed to be missing in Spain, and confirmed that 'a number of British nationals' were caught up in the attack.

Mrs May gave no indication if those Britons were among the wounded or killed.

A 74-year-old Portuguese woman from Lisbon is also among the dead, national newspaper Journal de Noticitas wrote, while her 20-year-old granddaughter is also missing.

Mrs Nunes, from Walnut Creek, in California, told NBC she had been touring Europe with husband Jared for two weeks as part of a belated honeymoon their pair had saved for. They were married last year.

The couple had been drinking outside before Mrs Nunes said she wanted to go and look at some jewellery and her husband said he was heading to the bathroom.

Moments later chaos broke out as a van ploughed into crowds and people began screaming and running. Mrs Nunes said she was pushed into a tourist kiosk where she sheltered until the attack was over. She has not seen her husband since, but is aware of an image circulating online that appears to show him badly wounded.

Mr Gulotta, a computer salesman from Legnano, in northern Italy, was crushed to death in Barcelona as he walked along holding his six-year-old son's hand.

His wife, Martina, said he died kneeling down to shield their son and seven-month-old daughter from the van, according to boss Pino Bruno, who claimed to have spoken with her.

His seven-month-old daughter 'will never know her dad' the family said in an online statement that praised his kindness and described him as a 'generous and heartfelt person'.

Mr Russo was in the city along with his fiancee, named by Italian media as Marta Scomazzon, who is thought to have suffered a fractured collarbone.

Meanwhile Belgian authorities named Mrs Vanbockrijck, from Tongeren, as among the dead, saying she was on holiday with her husband and sons at the time.

Arnould Partoens, president of the KFC Heur Tongeren football team, said Vanbockrijck was at the club 'nearly every day,' ferrying her 10- and 14-year-old boys back and forth to training and matches. He described her as very committed, often speaking her mind about the boys' and their teams' performances.

'She was not negative. She was always positive,' he said in a phone interview. He said the team would hold one minute of silence before every match and training session this weekend.

Partoens said the family was on vacation in Barcelona. The boys and their father, a policeman, were unhurt, he said. 'The mother was in the wrong moment and the wrong place,' he said.

Spanish authorities said Mr Rodriguez, who was pictured on Las Ramblas moments before the attack, died on the spot after being hit by the terrorist's van. He was earlier reported as missing.

Elsewhere on Friday:

Police are still hunting for Moussa Oukabir , 17, believed to be the van driver from Barcelona, though Catalan police suggest could have been among the five terrorists shot dead during a later attack in Cambrils;

, 17, believed to be the van driver from Barcelona, though Catalan police suggest could have been among the five terrorists shot dead during a later attack in Cambrils; Officers said four people have been arrested over the attacks - three in Ripoll and one in Alcanar . Three are Moroccans and another is a Spaniard from the North African enclave of Melilla , none of them have any terrorist background, they are aged between 21 and 34

and one in . Three are and another is a from the North African enclave of , none of them have any terrorist background, they are aged between 21 and 34 Authorities named three other men they are searching for as Mohamed Hychami , Younes Abouyaaqoub and Said Aallaa , all Moroccan and aged between 17 and 24

, and , all Moroccan and aged between 17 and 24 Police said the men had been planning the attack 'for some time', working as part of a cell operating out of Alcanar. Chief Josep Luis Trapero said the exact number is unknown, and could not rule out further attacks ;

; Spanish authorities said that citizens of 34 countries were among the wounded, including those from as far afield as China, Honduras, Kuwait, Venezuela, Pakistan and Australia;

were among the wounded, including those from as far afield as China, Honduras, Kuwait, Venezuela, Pakistan and Australia; King Felipe led a minute of silence in Barcelona as thousands of people turned out holding Catalan flags to pay tribute to the victims.

Police are hunting (left to right) Moussa Oukabir, Said Aallaa, Mohamed Hychami and Younes Abouyaaqoub, over the two terror attacks in Catalonia which killed 14 people and left more than 100 injured

Spanish police confirmed that a fourth person has been arrested in connection with the attacks on Friday as a man was pictured being led away from a house in Ripoll, north of Barcelona

Driss Oukabir, 28, the brother of the suspected van driver, lives in Ripoll where he handed himself over to police on Thursday, while another man was also arrested there

King Felipe VI (centre), Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (to his left), and President of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont (to his right) led a minute of silence in Barcelona on Friday for the victims of the attack

Thousands gathered in Catalonia Square in the centre of the city in order to honour the 13 people who died in the city, and another woman who passed away on Friday after being struck in a second attack in Cambrils

Women on Las Ramblas, the street where the attack took place, break down in tears as they remember victims of the attack

Moroccan-born Moussa Oukabir, 18, who lives in Barcelona, has been named as a suspect in the Las Ramblas attack after reportedly stealing his brother's ID to rent the van and is still on the run

Seven-year-old Julian Cadman's grandmother Norma Canaveral told MailOnline: 'We are just so worried. I am just waiting for news, hoping for good news.'

The 66-year-old, from London, said: 'I don't know what to say. His mother is in the hospital, she's ok, but she became separated from Julian and we don't know where he is. All we can do it wait.'

Julian was born in Kent and attended the Chiddingstone Nursery before moving to Sydney three years ago with his parents Jom and Andrew Cadman.

THE TERRORISTS KILLED AND SUSPECTS ARRESTED AFTER THE BARCELONA ATTACKS As of Friday afternoon, four people have been arrested and 14 people have been killed in connection with the terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambril. The four arrested include one Spanish and one Moroccan national, one of whom was detained at the scene on Las Ramblas on Thursday. Another handed himself in to police: This is Driss Oukabir, 28, (pictured) a Moroccan national living in Ripoll, 65 miles north of Barcelona. He claims he is not connected and that his identity documents had been stolen by his younger brother Moussa Oukabir, 18, who is now being hunted by police. The third arrest, a man of unknown nationality, was also made in Ripoll, on Friday morning. Another arrest is believed to have taken place in Ripoll on Friday morning after a heavy police presence was seen there. Five men wearing 'suicide belts' were shot dead by police after they launched a second terrorist attack in Cambrils, 70 miles southwest of Barcelona at 1am Friday morning, injuring seven people by driving an Audi A3 into crowds on the seafront. It has since emerged that their bomb vests were fake. A sixth person died earlier in the week in what police initially believed to have been a gas explosion in Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, but which has since been linked to the terror attacks on Thursday. Separately, another man was found dead in a Ford Focus on Thursday. Police say he was a Spanish national who was killed as the terrorists tried ti hijack his vehicle. Advertisement

Andrew is from Australia and Jom is originally from The Philippines.

Jom is in hospital in Barcelona as she recovers from yesterday's attack on Las Ramblas. Julian is still missing. Andrew has flown from Sydney to Spain.

Norma, who is Jom's aunt, but is called 'granny' by Julian, said her daughter Christabel Juguilon had been calling relatives to find out what has happened to Julian.

Her other daughter Norie-Jean, Jom's niece, added: 'I saw the post about Julian being missing on Facebook this morning but we don't know any more.

'Julian's a really sweet boy. He loves to dance, he's a lovely, bubbly boy.'

The Queen has sent a message of sympathy to the King of Spain following the terror attack, saying: 'It is deeply upsetting when innocent people are put at risk in this way when going about their daily lives.'

Appeals for the missing came as three Germans were also listed among the dead, according to Spanish media.

A six-year-old girl of unknown nationality is in serious condition in hospital after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage, the New York Times reports.

Norman and Pederlita Putot, who were born in the Philippines but lived in Ireland, were named by RTE as among those caught up in the attack along with their two Irish-born children.

Their five-year-old son, who was not named, suffered a broken leg in the attack and is now in hospital along with his father, who suffered knee injuries.

Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said: 'It's a miracle that more Irish people weren't involved, given that there are so many Irish people in Spain, Barcelona and Cambrils at this time of year.

'At the moment, you can safely say that over 300,000 Irish people are in Spain, today as we speak.

'This is not just an attack on Spain or on Barcelona, but it's an attack on the way we live as European citizens in the free world.'

French authorities initially said 26 of its citizens were in hospital, though that number was downgraded to 18 on Friday afternoon.

Eight of those are in a serious condition, including four children whose ages were not given. French citizens were among those hurt in both attacks.

Julie Bishop, Australia's minister for foreign affairs, said two citizens were in critical condition following the attack, two more were injured, and a total of 16 Australians were caught up in the attack.

Belgium's foreign affairs minister Didier Reynders confirmed one citizen had been killed and another two injured, including one in serious condition.

Meanwhile Greek authorities said three people had been injured, identifying them as a woman and her two children, though the extent of their injuries is unclear.

Chinese authorities said one person from Hong Kong was among those hurt, while the US also confirmed an American suffered minor injuries.

Three Dutch are also among the injured, though it is not known how badly.

Five Cubans were identified among the injured on Friday as the country's embassy in Spain said four were hurt in Barcelona and a fifth received minor injuries in the Cambrils attack that wounded a total of seven people, including a police officer.

Spanish authorities gave a full list of the countries with wounded involved in the two attacks. They are: Germany, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, Romania, Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Spain, North America, Philippines, France, Britain, Greece, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Macedonia, Mauritania, Pakistan, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Turkey.

The van used to plough into crowds in Barcelona is towed away by police in the early hours of this morning with the driver still believed to be at large

There are harrowing scenes in Barcelona after a van was driven into pedestrians in Las Ramblas in the heart of the city. Thirteen people have been killed and more than 100 have been injured as armed police swarm the streets

In Barcelona, a hired van (pictured), registered to rental company Telefurgo, rammed into scores of holidaymakers and their children. The crumpled van is pictured as a body lies on the ground

This is the overturned Audi A3 used by a gang of five jihadis in suicide belts who ploughed into crowds in the seaside town of Cambrils. The attack 70 miles from Barcelona came eight hours after 13 were killed in the Catalan city in a van attack

The killers, wearing fake explosive belts and clutching knives, bailed out of the shattered Audi and were seen smiling and shouting taunts at police shot them dead in the street at around 1am local time

Police say the terror cell were working out of a house in Alcanar where an explosion happened on Wednesday which is linked to the attack. Firefighters have found at least 30 gas canisters at the isolated property

Police shot dead five jihadis wearing fake suicide vests after they drove a car into pedestrians in the city to Barcelona's south, saying the two attacks were connected.

Meanwhile officers are still hunting for the driver of the van that rammed holidaymakers in Barcelona.

He is believed to be Moussa Oukabir, an 18-year-old Moroccan-born teenager, who rented the vehicle using documents under the name of Driss Oukabir, his brother.

Driss, 26, handed himself over to police yesterday after being named as a suspect, saying he was not involved.

Police are linking the two attacks and believe a terror cell with up to 12 members lived in the resort town of Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, where a house-cum-bomb factory packed with gas canisters was destroyed in an explosion on Wednesday killing one man and injuring another.

Four men including Driss have been arrested - police initially identified a fifth suspect who had apparently rammed a barricade in Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona, but he was later identified as a victim who had been carjacked by the terrorists.

The terror began in Barcelona yesterday and spread to Cambrils overnight and police believe the terror cell has a safe house in Alcanar and has links to Moroccan brothers from Ripoll
A mother hoping to get a base tan before going on holiday to Tenerife had two sunbed sessions within 24 hours - and ended up in a coma.

Caroline Wood, 40, spent a month in hospital after collapsing from dehydration and falling down the stairs following the second sunbed stint at a salon.

The mother-of-three banged her head during the fall following two tanning sessions and is now undergoing extensive rehabilitation at a specialist brain injury clinic.

Caroline Wood spent a month in hospital after collapsing and falling down the stairs following the second sunbed stint at a salon (pictured are burns allegedly suffered from the sunbeds)

Ms Wood, of Rainham, Kent, went for her first tanning session on May 3 with her friend Sarah Davidson to get a base colour before going on holiday.

She returned to Tans Professional Tanning in nearby Gillingham the following day for a second session.

But less than 12 hours later Caroline became dehydrated and collapsed, falling down the stairs at home.

Her teenage daughter dialled 999 and she was rushed to King's College Hospital in south London where medics investigated what might have set off the illness.

As she lay in an induced coma, marks were discovered on her back.

Caroline and her partner, Peter Rossiter, were forced to cancel their dream holiday to Tenerife which would have been the first time the family had been abroad together.

The mother-of-three says she has been unable to work since the sunbed sessions three months ago

The salon says she ignored safety advice.

Caroline, who works at the Howard School in Rainham, said she had used sunbeds before without harmful effects, but is now warning others to take care.

She said: 'I would not want what has happened to me to happen to anyone else.'

Her partner Peter, 50, an online retailer, said: 'My advice about sunbeds is don't go on them. There's plenty of media coverage about the risks.'

He said the couple have sought legal advice.

Pal Sarah, 35, a mother-of- four also from Rainham, added: 'Caroline had eight minutes the first time and then asked for ten the second time which I told her that I thought was too much.'

Advice on clients' appointment card reads: 'Be patient, some people tan quickly, while others take time.

'After your first visit please wait 48 hours before your next session.'

The salon owner said Caroline ignored safety advice.

Roland Toogood said: 'Being a member of the Sunbed Association, we comply with the sunbed code of practice to ensure that the highest professional standards are maintained for the welfare of all our customers.

'When visiting the salon for the first time, everybody receives an induction on how to operate the sunbeds, how many minutes they should tan for and how to continue to tan safely.

'Because of this the vast majority of our customers tan responsibly. Unfortunately Miss Wood ignored all of the advice she was given.'
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A safari park is usually a place where visitors go to watch animals roam around in vast open spaces under the knowledge that they are treated well.

But this sanctuary in Harbin, China has been branded a large-scale breeding farm where the Siberian Tigers are kept in unnatural conditions and are made to perform for visitors.

Visitors to the park are able to pay extra money to throw live animals into the enclosure and watch the tigers 'hunt'.

A trainer cracks a whip next to Siberian tigers as they perform at a private circus on rented space at the Siberian Tiger Park

A Chinese tourist wears protective gloves as she holds a baby Siberian tiger and poses for photographs

A Chinese tourist wears protective gloves as she holds a baby Siberian tiger as they ride in a bus

Fun at the park: Chinese tourists pose for pictures in a monument of a tiger at the Heilongjiang Siberian Tiger Park

The Siberian Tiger Park in Harbin, China's Heilongjiang province is located some 500 kilometres (300 miles) from the border with Russia.

It is considered the world's largest sanctuary for breeding of the Siberian or Amur tiger which the World Wildlife Federation has listed as endangered.

The breeding centre opened in 1986 with the plan to release the tigers back into the wild however a government plan suggests that it may be a decade before the first animal is released.

At the park, visitors can get up close to the animals by taking a ride in a tour bus with metal guards

A Chinese trainer swings a stick next to Siberian tigers as they perform at a private circus at the park

A Chinese tourist feeds Siberian tigers from a tourist bus. The park is considered the world's largest center for breeding of the Siberian or Amur tiger

Getting up close: A Chinese tourist dangles a piece of raw meat in front of a Siberian tiger as they ride in a bus

The center opened in 1986 and claims an 80-percent survival rate among the 100 or so cubs born in captivity every year

Visitors to the park are able to see the animals up close by taking a bus through the enclosures. For those wishing to see the animals in a more lively state, customers can pay money for live animals to be fed to the tigers. The price rises to 2,800 (325) yuan for a live cow.

New pictures show the tigers forced to take part in a live circus show on site. While other images show visitors holding new tiger cubs. The animals are trained to take part in these activities.

PETA Director Elisa Allen told MailOnline: 'Tigers don't perform because they want to - they do it because they've learned that if they don't, they'll be whipped, beaten, or otherwise tormented.

'And while their spirits may be broken, these powerful animals never lose their desire to be free. People can help protect tigers by never frequenting these hellholes and by donating to habitat-protection programmes instead.'

Brutal: A Chinese worker attaches a live chicken to a cable after tourists paid for it to be fed to Siberian tigers

A Chinese tourist wears protective gloves as she holds a baby Siberian tiger as they pose for pictures

Waiting to be fed: Siberian Tiger waits to be fed by Chinese tourists in a bus at the park some 300 miles from Russian border

Rushing for the food: Siberian tigers leap to grab live chickens hanging from a cable after tourists paid to feed them

Siberian tigers, also called as Amur Tigers, are recorded as the world's largest cats, stated the National Geographic.

Poaching and habitat loss due to urban development are among the causes leading to the extinct of the animals.

They are also listed as an endangered species - between critically endangered and vulnerable - on the red list of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

World Wildlife Fund had a record of 3,890 Siberian tigers remaining in the wild as of 2017.

A Chinese trainer cracks a whip next to Siberian tigers as they perform at a private circus on rented space at the Heilongjiang Siberian Tiger Park

Feeding time at the zoo: Siberian Tigers pace as they wait to be fed by tourists on a bus
More than 60 per cent of Americans say that statues of Civil War figures associated with the defense of slavery should be left in place, a new poll has revealed.

Days after a violent rally by right-wing groups to protest removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, 62 per cent of people said the statues should remain as historical symbols.

The poll from NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist offers a measure of support for President Donald Trump's stance on the issue.

'Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments,' he tweeted Wednesday.

Just 27 per cent of people said that the monuments should be removed from parks, roads and schools across the United States.

Days after a violent rally by right-wing groups to protest removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, 62 per cent of people said the statues should remain as historical symbols. Just 27 per cent of people said that the monuments should be removed. Pictured above, demonstrators protest for the against Confederate monuments across the country

The SPLC identified Confederate monuments in 31 states and the District of Columbia, with Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina having the most - at 96, 90 and 90, respectively

These are the locations as of Thursday where a Confederate monument has either been removed or there has been a proposal to remove the monument

And, in a striking breakdown, 44 per cent of African Americans agreed the statues should stay, against 40 percent who said they should be removed.

Located mostly in the southeastern United States, there are some 1,500 symbols of the pro-slavery Confederacy which fought and lost a war to secede from 1861-65.

An estimated 750,000 people, or more than two percent of the US population at the time, were killed in the conflict.

The monuments, as well as the names of many roads, schools, and public buildings, mostly celebrate Lee, the leader of the Confederate forces; Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy; and General Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson, one of Lee's top commanders.

In the poll of 1,125 people nationwide, Republicans overwhelmingly supported keeping the statues in place, with only six per cent in favor of removing them.

But Democrats were almost evenly divided: 47 per cent favored pulling them down, while 44 per cent support leaving them in place for history's sake.

The poll appeared to lend support to Trump's controversial stance on the issue.

Moves to remove statues honoring leaders of the Confederacy have gained momentum since the Charlottesville violence with monuments coming down in Baltimore and other cities.

A statue of Jefferson Davis, second from left, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, is on display in Statuary Hall on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is calling for the removal of Confederate statues from the US Capitol as the contentious debate over the appropriateness of such memorials moves to the halls of Congress

Since Monday, officials in Baltimore and Gainesville, Florida, have taken down statues while another was torn from its plinth by protesters in Durham, North Carolina. Calls for more to be removed have grown louder.

This has created an additional headache for cities and spurred another debate: how to dispose of the statues once they are taken down.

Some have suggested museums, others putting them in Confederate cemeteries and one city councilman proposed using their metal to make likenesses of civil rights leaders.

'Melting them down and using the materials to make monuments for Frederick Douglass, Thurgood Marshall, Harriet Tubman would be powerful!' Baltimore city councilman Brandon Scott wrote on Twitter this week. The mayor's office said that was unlikely.

The debate contrasts sharply with how Eastern Europe handled thousands of statues following the collapse of Communism in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Often pulled down by angry mobs, some of the statues ended up in dumpsters and others in museums to teach people the evils of totalitarian regimes.

In Budapest, a for-profit park hosts about 40 statues of communist heroes such as Karl Marx.

A monument dedicated to soldiers of the Confederate States of America stands at Santa Ana Cemetery, in Santa Ana, California

In the US South, the debate still rages between those nostalgic for the past and those who view the monuments as painful reminders of slavery.

There are more than 700 Confederate statues in the United States according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, most of them created in the 1910s and 1920s, decades after the Civil War ended.

They were intended to reassert the power of white people, said Jonathan Leib, Chair of Political Science and Geography at Old Dominion University in Virginia.

In Birmingham, Alabama, Mayor William Bell ordered workers to hide a Confederate statue behind plywood boards, while the city challenges a state law banning the removal of such monuments.

But sympathies persist, as both lawmakers and citizens resist plans to remove them.

'I absolutely disagree with this sanitization of history,' Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, a Republican, told WVHU radio on Tuesday.

For now, many of the removed statues gather dust in warehouses or, as in the case of New Orleans, sit disassembled in a city scrap yard, where two were found by local reporters.

In Baltimore, statues are now in storage, according to the mayor's spokesman Anthony McCarthy, who said they will likely end up in a Confederate cemetery or a museum.

A statue of Confederate Gen Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson in Charleston, W. Va. Most of the 11 Southern states that seceded prior to and during the Civil War have rebel monuments on or near the grounds of their state Capitol buildings

Many city legislators have expressed interest in relocating statues to museums, where they might be viewed as historical artifacts and not rallying points for racism.

Anna Lopez Brosche, city council president in Jacksonville, Florida, encouraged the removal of Confederate statues from public property on Monday and proposed placing them where they will be 'historically contextualized.'

In Lexington, Kentucky, Mayor Jim Gray has proposed removing statues from one city park, formerly the site of a slave auction block and whipping post.

Meanwhile, a statue removed in Gainesville, Florida, on Monday is being returned to a local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which erected it in 1904.

The group, founded in 1894 by women descended from Confederate soldiers, put up many of the statues as part of their goal to display what they call 'a truthful history' of the Civil War and mark places 'made historic by Confederate valor'.

Trump, echoing remarks he first made earlier this week, made it clear on Thursday that he opposed the campaign to remove statues.

'Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments,' Trump said.

Employees work to relocate the Confederate monument, known by locals as Old Joe, near the corner of West University Avenue and South Main Street in Gainesville, Florida, on Monday

'You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!' he said.

'Also the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!' he said.

Lee and Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson were Confederate generals while George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were among the Founding Fathers of the United States.

The Southern Poverty Law Center last year identified more than 1,500 symbols of the Confederacy in public spaces, though some have been removed in recent days and weeks.

They include monuments and statues, flags, named schools and public works, many in honor of key figures such as Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis - while others memorialize lesser-known cult figures or an anonymous soldier meant to symbolize the average Confederate fighter.

The SPLC found 718 monuments and statues; 109 public schools named for Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis or other Confederate icons; 80 counties and cities named for Confederates; and 10 US military bases named for Confederates.

A protester kicks the toppled statue of a Confederate soldier after it was pulled down in Durham, North Carolina, on Monday

The report highlighted Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina as having far more monuments than others, with 96, 90 and 90, respectively.

Of the eight other states that seceded from the Union, Alabama had 48, Arkansas had 36, Florida had 25, Louisiana had 37, Mississippi had 48, South Carolina had 50, Tennessee had 43, and Texas had 66.

The center reported monuments in a total of 31 states and the District of Columbia. Most were located in the South, though states further afield such as Arizona, and even Massachusetts, harbored monuments  hosting two and one, respectively.

While the dedication of monuments peaked, according to the SPLC, in the early and mid-1900s, the organization's research shows that  like in St. Cloud  monuments were still being erected well into the 21st century, and not only in the South.

Confederate memorials were erected in Iowa in 2005 and 2007; Oklahoma in 2004; Delaware in 2007; and Florida in 2007 and 2009.

Missouri also erected a statue of a Confederate general in 2009, a development celebrated by Confederate enthusiasts in neighboring Kentucky, as well.
Man Shot On CTA Red Line Train At Jackson Stop, Police Searching For Gunman

By Stephen Gossett in News on Aug 18, 2017 2:02PM



Jackson Red Line station / CTA

Police are still looking for the gunman responsible after a 24-year-old man was shot on a CTA Red Line train at the Jackson stop in the Loop on Thursday night.

The victim was shot in the left arm and ankle at around 7:48 p.m. in the 200 block of South State Street, according to police. The man was taken to Northwestern Hospital where his condition stabilized.

Deputy Supt. Kevin Navarro said the shooting was targeted, and that the gunman opened fire when the doors opened on an arriving northbound Red Line train at the Jackson stop, according to the Sun-Times.

DNA Info reports that the shooting stemmed from a fight between some 50 young people that began at Pritzker Park, at West Van Buren and South State streets.

Police did not have anyone in custody as of Friday morning.

Witnesses were shaken and said the scene was marked by confusion and panic, according to the Tribune.

"They were leaving the doors wide open," witness Andrew Lapin told ABC7. "That was definitely a little shot of terror because there were some people on the train saying, 'Why are the doors open? We're sitting ducks, basically.' Just because we didn't know what the situation was."

Some passengers on the train were shouting for the doors to be closed, Lapin told the Tribune.

There was just a shooting at the Jackson Red Line stop. Right in the Loop. I was on the train. We hit the floor when the shots rang. Out now  Andrew Lapin (@AndrewLapin) August 18, 2017



Deputy Supt. Navarro emphasized that shootings on the CTA are uncommon. "Although this is a startling event, this is a very rare event. Shootings on public transportation are very rare," he said, according to the Tribune.

Service was temporarily interrupted and the station was closed for a time on Thursday night as crews investigated. Normal service was restored by 10 p.m., the CTA said.
Dozens of Jetstar passengers were left outraged after a baggage mix-up left their luggage over 3,000km away.

Livid holidaymakers returning to Australia from Bali received the unfortunate news that a several bags had been misplaced between flight JQ82 to Cairns and JQ91 to Darwin on Friday morning.

Jetstar confirmed to Daily Mail Australia 'a number of bags' ended up on the wrong flight.

'We apologise to customers for a delay in receiving their baggage, after a number of bags were sent to the incorrect location from Denpasar this morning', a Jetstar spokesperson said.

Dozens of Jetstar passengers were left outraged after a baggage mix-up left their luggage over 3,000km away

Livid holidaymakers returning to Australia from Bali received the unfortunate news that a several bags had been misplaced between flight JQ82 to Cairns and JQ91 to Darwin

Angry customers took to Jetstar's Facebook page to vent their anger and demand answers for the mishap.

'But how do you stuff up two whole flights worth of baggage?? That's just crazy and unacceptable', a comment read.

One customer gave an in-depth breakdown of events as she found out she wouldn't be getting her luggage and was far from impressed.

'THANK YOU SO MUCH 'JUNKSTAR' for making the biggest and most questionable mistake by sending all of Darwins passengers luggage from Bali to Cairns, meaning that everyone in Cairns has also ended up with our luggage when returning from Bali', the irate passenger wrote.

'After waiting for about 25 minutes and noticing that the flight number on the tags was incorrect, we were told that someone from Jetstar would be down to talk to us to explain the matter.

'This didn't happen and an entire plane full of people were redirected to the service desk where we had to fill out a form where we will "hopefully receive our luggage or at least some form of information in the next two days."'

One customer gave an in-depth breakdown of events as she found out she wouldn't be getting her luggage and was far from impressed

Another complaint was more to the point as it begged the airline to call it a day

Another complaint was more to the point as it begged the airline to call it a day.

'Sent all of Bali->Darwin JQ82 luggage to Cairns. You are terrible at this. Please stop.' the plea read.

Jetstar said the bags are now being flown to their proper destinations and should arrive either tonight or early tomorrow.

'Most bags have been delivered to customers via courier this afternoon and the rest will be sent tomorrow on a morning flight,' the spokesperson revealed.

'We are looking into how this occurred.'
Hundreds of airline passengers arrived at Birmingham Airport without their luggage after a technical glitch at a Canadian airport.

Passengers were left furious after only 85 travellers received their luggage out of the 300 who were on board the Air Transat flight from Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Prior to the six hour flight yesterday, there was a three hour departure delay due to a technical problem with the baggage system.

A total of 215 passengers did not receive their luggage at Birmingham Airport yesterday after a technical glitch (Pictured are the people waiting at the carousel)

Pictured are a large pile of suitcases that have been left behind at Toronto Pearson International airport

Other passengers flying from London Gatwick to Calgary, Canada, yesterday and from Pearson to Gatwick on Tuesday also faced similar issues.

Damon Brown was flying home from Toronto yesterday afternoon after attending a wedding with his wife.

Was your luggage left behind? Contact: isobel.frodsham@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

Mr Brown, from Bedworth, Warwickshire, said: 'I'd been to Toronto for a wedding and meand my wife had all our best clothes in there which we need again for a wedding we plan to go to this weekend.

'Together with our two expensive Samsonite suitcases it would've cost us less to get another flight but I think the airline deliberately didn't tell us all that our luggage hadn't been loaded.'

Mr Brown - who tweeted a picture of the carousel chaos - added: 'When we arrived in Birmingham some three hours late everyone was exhausted and a bit angry so you can imagine how we all felt when we were told our luggage hadn't arrived.

'Two people in the queue to speak to Air Transat at Birmingham passed out because it had been such a stressful day.

'There was literally 200 odd of us trying to find out where our luggage was and all they told us was to fill out a missing luggage form and that they'd be in touch.

'More than 24 hours later we have heard nothing from the airport or Air Transat.'

Mr Brown took to social media last night to vent his anger and said he hoped for compensation from the airline.

Dozens of passengers are seen at Birmingham Airport reporting that their bags are missing

Camilla Stagg, from Leamington Spa, has flown to and from Toronto Pearson recently and her bags went missing twice.

She told the MailOnline: 'I feel irritated about the bag going missing twice, I needed to do some quick emergency shopping in Canada for clothes and basic toiletries.

'Even when we returned home we had to buy some summer clothing as we had packed the majority of our summer wardrobe due to the fact we knew we would be unlikely to be able to do laundry while away.

'As well as returning the bags I think passengers should receive compensation. Not only were are bags lost, we had a two hour delay on our outward flight and a three hour delay on our homeward flight.'

Ms Stagg said passengers were given 'no information' about the bags being put on the flight and only discovered when 'minimal bags' came round on the carousel.

Air Transat has advised people to keep in touch with Birmingham Airport for updates about their luggage

She added: 'I have received some minimal updates which has been vague, mainly due to the tweets directed to Air Transat.'

A spokesperson for Air Transat apologised for the delays and outstanding luggage.

She said: 'There were severe problems at Pearson because of technical hitches and many of our flights including Mr Brown's flight TS164 were disrupted.

'There was a three-hour delay at Toronto while we tried to sort the issue out but it was chaotic and the situation was constantly changing.

'It was impractical to inform each and every passenger the status of their luggage before the flight took off but we did warn passengers that there was problems with baggage sorting.

'We would advise all passengers waiting for their luggage to keep in touch with Birmingham Airport who will let them know as soon as the baggage arrives in the UK.'
A transgender solider says he was told that he must carry out the rest of his military career as a woman if he wants to keep his job.

Hayden Brown says that just days after Donald Trump tweeted that he was going to ban all transgender people from the military, he received a call from his unit telling him he must revert back to female to continue his service.

The 23-year-old from Everett, Pennsylvania, has been in the Army for four-and-a-half years, in the Alpha 128th Brigade Support Battalion.

'I actually had a call from my unit telling me that by regulation, I would have to continue out my military career as a female and not as a male,' Brown said.

Army soldier Hayden Brown says that just days after Donald Trump tweeted that he was going to ban all transgender people from the military, he received a call from his unit telling him he must revert back to female to continue his service

Brown, picture above with military comrads, is part of the Army's 128th Brigade Support Battalion

Brown, pictured above with his girlfriend, Mia, has been in the Army for four-and-a-half years

He added: 'It's completely pushing back everything that I've worked so hard and so much that I have strived to overcome.

He added: 'I've been transitioning for a year and a half, the military has not paid a dime towards my transition and I have served this country for four and a half years and then you tell me I can't be who I am?

'Outside of the military, it would be fine for me to be a trans man. It doesn't make sense.'

When approached, a spokesperson from the Department of Defense would not comment on Brown's particular case, but said: 'I can confirm that at this time the Department of Defense is awaiting formal guidance from the White House.

'Until that time there is no change to the current transgender policy. If a service member is being told something different they should engage their chain of command and medical physician for clarification.'

When he joined in 2013, he identified as a woman, but began to transition to male a year-and-a-half ago.

He said: 'I knew I was a boy from a very very young age. I hated dresses. I remember fighting with my mom. She would always want to dress me up for church but I was always a Tom Boy.

'When I joined the military it all kind of clicked. I remember writing a letter home to my mom, saying I really really like it here because I am not genderised.

When Brown (pictured above with comrads, left in both photos) joined in 2013, he identified as a woman, but began to transition to male a year-and-a-half ago

After the election, Brown decided to give Trump a chance and volunteered along with his unit to serve at his inauguration. He attended an inauguration briefing, pictured above

'In the Army, it doesn't make a difference if you're a male or female. Everything is all "I don't care if you're a man or a woman, you're jumping over this obstacle, you're doing what everyone else is doing".

'I knew I wanted to transition and I came out to my comrades during drill one day.

'I said "I'm sorry if you feel uncomfortable and if you do, I'll do anything I can to make you feel more comfortable".

'But they all said "no, you're the same person. We've always felt comfortable with you and this doesn't change who you are".'

Brown recalls Trump's promise to support the LGBTQ community, particularly his claim that he would be 'better than Hilary' when it came to LGBTQ rights and freedoms.

After the election, Brown decided to give Trump a chance and volunteered along with his unit to serve at his inauguration.

He explained: 'The fact that I was there protecting Donald Trump and his family and for him to then come out and ban all transgenders from the military - it was a slap in the face. That's what it felt like.

'I felt deceived. I had served for four and a half years. Where does this leave me?'

Outraged and hurt by President Trump's tweet, Brown posted a heartfelt message on Facebook that quickly went viral.

Outraged and hurt by President Trump's tweet, Brown (pictured with his girlfriend Mia) posted a heartfelt message on Facebook that quickly went viral

He wrote: 'I woke up this morning to my phone being blown up about trump banning transgender soldiers in the US military, I've had mixed feelings all day. At first, I was upset and thought, so my 4 years means nothing?

'Me standing there, amongst the chaos taking place in the streets, fighting to contain those who were revolting against you, defending you at the inauguration, means nothing to you?

'You didn't care then that I was a trans-soldier, but now you do? Then as I continue my day, this is what I have to say to you:

'President Trump,

'Go ahead knock me down because I'll get back up! Go ahead, tell me I'm not a person, that I'm not a human being capable of defending my country because my awards and certificates prove otherwise.

'I didn't join the military to get hormones or surgery, I've paid out of pocket for all of my s***. I joined because I wanted to do something bigger than myself. The military has no gender; you have soldiers!

'Regardless of your gender, race, or ethnicity, you are expected to do anything and everything the person to your left and right can do.

Brown has been with girlfriend, Mia, for a year and a half. She says she immediately fell in love with his personality

Mia said that Brown has always been 'so proud' to serve in the military and that what Trump said was 'disgraceful'. Brown has said he will not be re-signing when his contract is up

'So, as you ban 15,000 amazing strong soldiers, who you think aren't capable of carrying out missions like we have been doing, we will show you how strong we really are because this just made me want to be more visible. And, I'll stand up for my other brothers and sisters as well.

'Mr. Donald Trump, my name is Hayden Jacob Brown and I am a proud transgender soldier, serving in the United States Army.'

The post has so far been shared more than 94,400 times and has over 158,000 likes and Brown has received messages of support from all over the world.

Brown said: 'I wrote it just to tell Trump that I am here, I'm visible and I'm human. And that I can do anything anyone else can do. It went huge.

'I didn't do it because I wanted to get my story out, I just wanted to let all my other trans brothers and sisters in the military that they are not alone and that we have to keep standing up. Because if we don't, who will?'

Brown has been with girlfriend, Mia, for a year and a half.

Mia said: 'I fell in love with his personality and from the moment I met him, he has always been so proud to serve in the military. It's been a life changer for him and got him on a good track.'

'There are so many transgender people in the military. All they want to do is make a difference and to keep someone from doing that is disgraceful.'

Brown said: 'I will have to continue the rest of my contract as a female. I don't want to but I don't have a choice.'

'After my contract is up, I will not be re-signing.'
Adrian Simut, 35, travelled 130 miles from London to Newport in the hope of picking up a schoolgirl

A paedophile who tried to meet a 14-year-old girl while carrying condoms and alcopops was snared by a group of vigilante parents who had posed as the child online.

Adrian Simut, 35, travelled 130 miles from London to Newport in the hope of picking up a schoolgirl called 'Sam'.

But he was caught by a gang of parent paedophile catchers, known as Justice Hunters, who met Simut at the train station.

His arrest was featured in BBC documentary 'Parents Who Catch Paedophiles', broadcast last month.

Newport Crown Court heard the woman quickly stated she was 14 and the defendant, who was 34 at the time, lied about his age claiming he was 27.

David Pugh, prosecuting, said Simut used the Kik messaging app to first contact the girl and say: 'Hello beautiful'.

Simut told the girl: 'You look so cute and beautiful in your profile pic.'

A few days after the initial contact, he said: 'I get so horny. Do you want to have sex with me?'

The court heard after a week he said he wanted to meet Sam and her friend for sex.

Mr Pugh said: 'He told her he would bring alcohol to help her relax.'

Simut also sent a video of himself performing a sex act and sent instructions on how to perform oral sex.

The court heard he travelled from London Paddington but was confronted by members of Justice Hunters, formally known as Petronus, at the station in Wales.

He was found to be carrying condoms, lubricant, a bottle of Smirnoff Ice and a bottle of WKD.

Simut was caught by a gang of parent paedophile catchers, known as Justice Hunters, who met him at Newport Train Station (stock photo)

Simut, of Kensington, London, admitted attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

He also admitted attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Gareth Williams, defending, said his client, who was born in Romania, had no previous convictions in the UK or abroad.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Fitton QC said: 'You translated something which may have begun as fantasy into an actual attempt to meet a child.

'It is perfectly clear how highly motivated you were.'

Simut was jailed for three years and was given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
A Perth father who attempted to import life-like sex dolls that resemble children as young as six years old into Australia has pleaded guilty to charges in court.

Hayden Cole, 40, from Dianella appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of importing prohibited Tier Two goods without approval in June and November last year.

Most child sex dolls are manufactured in Asia.

Perth father Hayden Cole, 40, (pictured) has admitted importing life-like sex dolls that resemble children as young as six

Cole used the internet to order two lifelike dolls which were intercepted by the Australian Border Force, PerthNow reported.

Authorities said the dolls are in the category of 'objectionable goods'. They have rubber skin and anatomically correct genitalia.

Cole's lawyer requested pre-sentence, psychiatric and psychological reports be done before sentencing.

Cole is due to face court again in October.
Stills from footage of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) controlling the UK's border with Ireland have re-emerged after the government pledged to retain an 'invisible' border post-Brexit.

The shocking pictures, taken in February 1922, show members of the IRA armed with rifles, guarding the border between Northern Ireland and the South.

The video also shows IRA members stopping a car attempting to pass through the checkpoint and searching the driver, while another shot shows a soldier holding a machine gun while he smokes a cigarette.

Footage taken in February 1922 shows IRA members and guards armed with rifles, at the border between the North and South

It's believed to have been taken nearly 90 years ago in Clones, Co Monaghan, on the Irish border

The film is thought to have been taken in the town of Clones in County Monaghan, a small Irish town on the border of North and South.

At the time of filming tensions were high across Ireland, with the Anglo-Irish treaty establishing the North/South divide just a few months before, in December 1921.

The treaty established the Irish Free State, ending the War of Independence. It also created an opt-out clause for Northern Ireland, which it took.

It was negotiated and signed between David Lloyd George and Arthur Griffith.

The video shows the guards stopping and searching those trying to cross the border, at a time when tensions were high in Ireland

It's re-emerged as the UK government makes its proposals on the future of the border between Northern Ireland and the South, after Brexit

And just eleven days before the video was taken, a violent struggle at Clones railway station had resulted in the death of the local IRA commandant and four Ulster Special Constables, after the former had attempted to arrest the Ulster group.

The struggle happened after IRA volunteers attempted to ambush the Special Constabulary officers, ordering them to surrender as they travelled on a train through the County Monaghan train.

Relations between the pro-treaty Irish nationalists and anti-treaty Irish republicans only worsened as time went on, too, resulting in the June 1922 Civil War between the two sides.

It has re-emerged after Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, questioned the future of the border when the UK leaves the European Union.

Ministers this week announced a 'soft border' with no border posts between the Republic and Northern Ireland, which was welcomed by the Irish Government.

Just eleven days before the video was taken, a violent struggle at a County Monaghan railway station had resulted in the death of the local IRA commandant and four Ulster Special Constables

The footage may be a stark reminder of the way the country used to be, as the future of the border hangs in the balance

A government 'position paper' rejected the idea of CCTV cameras or number plate recognition systems - instead saying that the current 'frictionless' arrangements should effectively stay in place.
The Foreign Office is deploying more staff to Barcelona to help deal with the fallout from the terror attack.

The department said a 'small number' of Britons were injured in the atrocity and their families were being offered support.

The news came as the death toll rose to 14 - with Theresa May revealing that authorities are 'urgently looking into' reports that a British child is missing.

The killers, wearing faje explosive belts and clutching knives, bailed out of the shattered Audi and were seen smiling and shouting taunts at police shot them dead in the street at around 1am local time

Italian Bruno Gulotta, the father of two young children, was crushed to death on Las Ramblas in Barcelona on Thursday. Julian Cadman, seven, believed to be from Britain, is missing after the terror attack

Responding to the attack today, Theresa May revealed that authorities are 'urgently looking into' reports that a British child is missing

Seven-year-old Julian Cadman, who is thought to have dual nationality, was listed among the missing by his cousin who posted an appeal online after the boy's mother, Jom, turned up in a serious condition in hospital.

Speaking from her country residence Chequers, the Prime Minister said: 'The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Spain in confronting and dealing with the evil of terrorism, and I have offered any assistance we can provide.

'Sadly I must tell you that we do believe that a number of British nationals were caught up in the attack and we are urgently looking into reports of a child believed missing, who is a British dual national.'

Lord Carlile of Berriew, a former adviser to the government on terror laws, called for tougher checks on vehicles after Barcelona became the latest European city hit by the terrorist tactic.

The peer, who was Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation from 2001 to 2011, warned it is 'all too easy for terrorist events using vehicles to occur'.

'Vehicle hire contracts should be subject to identification checks, and hire company industry bodies should be subject to a code of practice to protect against vehicle hire to criminals of all kinds, to be negotiated and agreed with Government within a very short period of time,' he said.

Under the proposed regime, hire firms would be required to carry out 'standard checks' and report any concerns or anomalies, he said.

Lord Carlile also recommended that local planning authorities should be obliged to ensure that appropriate barriers exist to protect pedestrianised areas.

He said: 'Counter-terrorism protection should be a requirement of all planning consents in public spaces where the population foreseeably will congregate. This is primarily a matter for local councils.'

Mrs May said the government would look at any lessons and extra powers that might be needed.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: 'I think a requirement to show identification and show what you are using the vehicle for is fair enough.

'It's reasonable that sort of thing should be brought in to prevent the use of crime, but obviously you don't want to to make it impossible to hire a van at short notice, which clearly people need to be able to go about their normal daily business.'

He also insisted that there was no need for more armed police in the UK - despite Labour raising it as an issue during the election campaign.

Scotland Yard counter-terror chief Mark Rowley said the UK had offered 'support and assistance' to the Spanish authorities.

'We are liaising closely with the Spanish authorities and await further updates regarding the nationalities of the deceased and injured,' he said.

'Officers are at UK ports today ready to meet British holiday-makers returning to the UK from the region in order to take any witness accounts.'

Heidi Nunes, from California, also appealed for information about her husband Jared Tucker, 43, after they got separated during the attack while out shopping.

Meanwhile Bruno Gulotta, a computer salesman from Legnano, in northern Italy, was named as being among the dead during the ISIS attack on Las Ramblas on Thursday as he walked along holding his five-year-old son's hand.

There are harrowing scenes in Barcelona after a van was driven into pedestrians in Las Ramblas in the heart of the city. Thirteen people have been killed and more than 100 have been injured as armed police swarm the streets

In Barcelona, a hired van (pictured), registered to rental company Telefurgo, rammed into scores of holidaymakers and their children. The crumpled van is pictured as a body lies on the ground

Mr Gulotta's wife, Martina, said he died kneeling down to shield their six-year-old son and seven-month-old daughter from the van, according to boss Pino Bruno, who claimed to have spoken with her.

Belgian authorities named 44-year-old Elke Vanbockrijck, from Tongeren, as among the dead, saying she was on holiday with her husband and sons at the time.

Spanish authorities said 60-year-old Francisco Lopez Rodriguez, who waspictured on Las Ramblas moments before the attack, died on the spot after being hit by ISIS terrorists. He was earlier reported as missing.

It came as the death toll from the attacks was raised to 14 after a woman who was critically injured the attack in Cambrils in the early hours of Friday passed away. Thirteen people died in the Barcelona attack.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4801950/Desperate-search-missing-Barcelona-terror-attack.html#ixzz4q6SKWUAw Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Fire officials in Florida have urged drivers not to leave plastic water bottles inside hot cars because they may catch fire.

The unusually warning comes after a string of social media videos which show how the seemingly harmless objects could set light to upholstery.

In the videos, firefighters explain how the sunlight refracts off the plastic and water to create a 'magnifying glass effect'.

Fire officials in Florida have urged drivers not to leave plastic water bottles inside hot cars because they may catch fire

This creates a powerful beam of light which is powerful enough to start a fire, NOLA.com reports.

Firefighters in Oklahoma showed how this laser-like beam can reach 250 degrees Farenheit, KFOR reported last month.

In Idaho, a power company posted a Facebook video in which a technician shows how sunlight through a water bottle burned holes in the seat of his car.
A Muslim teacher and scholar has spoken out in response to Pauline Hanson's controversial burqa stunt on Thursday.

Umm Jamaal Ud-Din, an educator at Sydney's Islamic College of Australia, believes Muslim women need to be liberated from intolerance and fear - not from Islam or wearing the Hijab.

'Ive personally had students whove been walking along minding their own business in shopping centers and being spat on by men,' Ud-Din posted on Onepath Network.

One Nation Party leader Pauline Hanson walked into the Senate chamber wearing a burqa on Thursday, arguing Australia should ban the 'oppressive' full-face coverings.

Muslim teacher and scholar Umm Jamaal Ud-Din has spoken out in response to Pauline Hanson's controversial stunt on Thursday

Ud-Din, who reverted to Islam in 1989, said Muslim women are more likely identified or singled out in mainstream society when donning the traditional coverings and animosity is often directed toward them.

She sees their place as the scapegoats of fear in ideas expressed by the media and politicians.

'I think its a sad day when in particular young Muslim women cannot feel safe to express themselves and to identify themselves with their own religion.'

She said Muslim women are suffering above Muslim men as the constant hostility is projected in their direction.

Ud-Din was upset that Muslim women are now compromising their Hijab out of fear of being persecuted

Ud-Din expressed dismay at the idea Muslim women are now compromising their Hijab out of fear they will be persecuted.

'We all know that Australia is supposed to pride itself on being a free and democratic society where people are supposed to feel safe, but unfortunately for a lot of Muslim women, thats just not happening.'

She ends the piece by arguing no one should have to experience living in fear as a reflection of their choices in Australia.
Dog tags and human remains found on the Solomon Islands could belong to a former US soldier who went missing during the Second World War.

The macabre discovery was made by a local man who found a skeleton and military tags bearing the name 'Pfc Dale W Ross' near a jungle trail on the island of Guadalcanal.

He shared his find with travelling New Yorker Donna Esposito, who tracked down Ross' family when she returned to upstate Glenville.

The dog tags and human remains found on the Solomon Islands could belong to a former US soldier who went missing during the Second World War

Though his remains have not been independently verified, his potential nephew is confident the mystery of the missing soldier has been solved.

'It's Uncle Dale. I have no doubt,' says Dale W Ross, who was named after his long lost relative.

Esposito found that Ross had nieces and nephews still living in Ashland, Oregon, two of whom accompanied Esposito her back to Guadalcanal where they were given his dog tags and a bag containing the skeletal remains.

The macabre discovery was made by a local man who found a skeleton and military tags bearing the name 'Pfc Dale W Ross' near a jungle trail on the island of Guadalcanal

The elder Ross, a North Dakota native whose family moved to southern Oregon, was the third of four brothers who fought in WWII.

Assigned to the Army's 25th Infantry Division, he was listed as MIA in January 1943, during the final weeks of the Guadalcanal campaign. He was last seen in an area that saw heavy fighting around a Japanese-held hilltop.

When the Japanese evacuated Guadalcanal three weeks later, it was the first major land victory in the Allies' island-hopping campaign in the Pacific.

Ross' relatives handed the remains  about four dozen bones, including rib bones  to a team from the Pentagon agency that identifies American MIAs found on foreign battlefields.

On Aug. 7, the 75th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Guadalcanal, an American honor guard carried a flag-draped coffin containing the bones onto a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft.

The Pentagon said the remains were taken to Hawaii for DNA testing.

'Until a complete and thorough analysis of the remains is done by our lab, we are unable to comment on the specific case associated to the turnover,' said Maj. Jessie Romero of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

The other three Ross brothers made it back home, including the oldest, Charles, who served aboard a Navy PT boat in the Solomons and visited Guadalcanal in the vain attempt to learn about his brother Dale's fate.

Though his remains have not been independently verified, his potential nephew (pictured) is confident the mystery of the missing soldier has been solved

Ross' niece and nephew made their trip last month with Esposito and Justin Taylan, founder of Pacific Wrecks, a New York-based nonprofit involved in the search for American MIAs from WWII.

They met the family whose 8-year-old son found the dog tags and remains. They also were taken to the spot on a slope in the jungle where the discovery was made.

'I never met this man, but I was a little emotional,' Ross, 71, said of the experience.

For Esposito, 45, finding evidence that could solve a lingering mystery in an American family's military history is the most meaningful thing she's ever done in her life.

'I can't believe this has all happened,' she said. 'It has been an amazing journey.'
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The fire that broke out Thursday in a chemical plant in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, has been extinguished, local authorities said.

Fire breaks out in a chemical company in Dalian, Liaoning Province, on August 17, 2017. [Photo: Weibo.com]

The fire broke out at around 6:40 p.m. in a subsidiary of state-owned PetroChina Company Limited in the coastal city, according to the local publicity department. Xinhua reporters saw huge flames and billowing smoke at the scene, as fire fighters worked to put out the fire.

As of 10:50 p.m., the fire had been put out.

The company has two pools, 98,000 cubic meters in volume, to hold pollutants. The pools currently contain some pollutants, and no waste has flowed into the sea, authorities said.

Firefighters are still cooling down hot spots at the plant, and environmental experts are testing the water and air quality at the site.

The fire was caused by an improperly sealed pump in the plant, according to the publicity department.

No casualties have been reported.
A fire is burning out of control in the south of the Sunshine Coast, with residents and business owners fleeing the area.

More than 100 firefighters are at Caloundra battling a blaze that has been burning across a couple of hundred hectares since about 1.30 on Friday afternoon, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services told Daily Mail Australia.

As of 9.50pm, firefighters were still 'working to get the fire under control', and urged residents in Bells Creek and Bellvista to avoid returning to their homes.

QFES assistant deputy commissioner Mark Roche earlier told The Courier Mail firefighters had struggled to contain the fire because of gale-force winds in the area.

'The fire is still... we do not have control of this incident,' he said.

Fire is burning out of control on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, with about 80 firefighters trying to put out the blaze

Flames are seen lapping at the side of the Bruce Highway, with huge plumes of smoke covering the road

The blaze began at about 1.30pm on Friday and as of 8.15 was still out of control, with 30 crews of firefighters working to contain the situation

A spokesman for QFES told Daily Mail Australia firefighters still held fears the wind could pick up again or change direction.

'We are still very much at the mercy of the weather,' he said.

As of 8.15pm, the grass fire was still burning around Bellvista and Little Mountain, with 30 crews of firefighters working to contain the blaze.

A statement from QFES said the fire 'remains uncontrolled and residents who have evacuated... should not return to their property at this stage as multiple fire crews are still working in the area'.

Mr Roche told The Brisbane Times there had been issues involving nosy locals getting in the way of emergency services.

'There have been a number of rubber-neckers trying to get into the area for a look, please stay away and let emergency services do their job,' he said.

The raging fire could be seen from far away as it continued to spread due to strong winds

Residents were asked to evacuate the area as the fire continued to grow

Pictures show huge plumes of smoke covering the area, with traffic appearing to be built up, likely with evacuating residents.

One Instagram user shared a photograph of the traffic, referring to the Bruce Highway as a 'car park'.

'It's pretty scary - that fire's not small and around here, we're surrounded by bush,' one local told 7 News.

A second out-of control fire started on Friday evening at Yandina Creek, also on the Sunshine Coast.

About 40 firefighters have been sent to tackle the second out of control blaze, which is currently burning on hilly land and not able to be accessed.

Anyone in the area is urged to evacuate to Lake Kawana Community Centre at 114 Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina.

Residents fleeing the fire took to the Bruce Highway all at once, with one Instagram user referring to the busy road as a 'carpark'

Heavy smoke further impacted residents trying to leave the area

Locals have been urged to leave their homes and head to Lake Kawana Community Centre at 114 Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina




Barcelona security chiefs rejected calls last year to install barriers at Las Ramblas to protect pedestrians from an attack by terrorists in a vehicle, it emerged today.

The Catalan interior ministry and police chiefs recommended that Barcelona City Hall install massive bollards to protect the boulevard - following similar attacks in Berlin and Nice.

The interior ministry recommended that 'strategic points which could be targets for terrorist attacks are isolated either with physical objects or with police officers.'

Barcelona security chiefs rejected calls last year to install barriers at Las Ramblas to protect pedestrians from an attack by terrorists in a vehicle, it emerged today. Barcelona mayor Ada Colau (pictured) said 'protocols were revised' following the meeting with police chiefs

The City Hall's Local Security Board met to discuss the proposed measures with the local police force the Mossos d'Esquadra, the National Police, the Civil Guard and the fire service.

But they opted instead to increase police presence on Las Ramblas and other vulnerable areas.

This was despite Spain being on level 4 terror alert, one below the maximum of 5.

And it came in spite of reports the CIA had specifically warned that Las Ramblas could be a target for an attack.

The Catalan interior ministry and police chiefs recommended that Barcelona City Hall install massive bollards to protect the boulevard - following attacks using vehicles in Berlin and Nice

Barcelona mayor Ada Colau said 'protocols were revised' following the meeting and measures taken including increased police patrols and prohibiting vehicles during some major events.

She said: '100 per cent security does not exist, especially when there are people ready to carry out atrocities with very rudimentary means.'

A source at City Hall told La Vanguardia newspaper: 'You cannot put bollards at every site and you must take into account other factors, such as whether it would allow access to emergency services and cleaners.'

The van which plowed into pedestrians killing 14 and injuring more than 100 entered from the street by the main square Plaza de Catalunya.

The interior ministry recommended that 'strategic points which could be targets for terrorist attacks are isolated either with physical objects or with police officers'

Today police vans blocked that entrance as thousands again walked up and down the famous boulevard.

The criticisms are similar to those made following the attack at London Bridge in June.

Authorities in London ruled out measures to install barriers on the bridge just 24 hours before three terrorists drove a van at crowds of people.

Barriers were installed on the bridge shortly after the attack which left six dead and 48 injured.

Meanwhile a woman injured in the attack in Cambrils this morning has died in hospital, bringing the total number of dead in the Spanish attacks to 14.

A fourth person was arrested over the terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, police said today.
Residents of an affluent Melbourne suburb are outraged after the Government revealed plans to move homeless residents into temporary housing on a plot worth nearly $4million.

Livid neighbours in the sought-after area of Brighton have objected to two blocks on South Road being used to help ease Melbourne's ongoing housing crisis.

Temporary units with support services will be built on the site for five people but nearby homeowners now say they fear for their safety.

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Residents of an affluent Melbourne suburb have been left outraged after the government revealed plans to move homeless residents into temporary housing on a plot worth nearly $4million (pictured)

Livid neighbours (pictured) in the sought-after area of Brighton have objected to two blocks on South Road be used to help ease Melbourne's ongoing housing crisis

'These people may have mental illnesses , they could be drug addicts, I can't come home at night and feel safe,' local Rosetta Caponio told Seven News.

'My wife went into a panic mode, you know she really is at sixes and sevens because she is scared,' resident Frank Deak said.

Their anger has been fuelled further by the Government's failure to document their plans effectively, with just a handful of pamphlets handed out with information on the scheme.

'I've had twenty to thirty telephone responses from people who are absolutely shocked at the lack of communication and consultation,' another resident Russell McDonald revealed.

The government have said proposed homes are their latest attempt to tackle the city's homeless problems since dispersing the Flinders Street homeless camp (pictured)

The coastal suburb of Brighton is one of Melbourne's most sought after areas where the average house price well exceeds the national average

The Government said the proposed homes are its latest attempt to tackle the city's homeless problems since dispersing the Flinders Street homeless camp earlier this year.

'Homelessness and the housing crisis that we are dealing with as a government knows no boundaries in Melbourne. Tonight there will be rough sleepers in Brighton,' Housing Minister Martin Foley said.

Despite the frosty response from nearby residents, the Government still plans to go ahead with the scheme as work is due to begin in the next few months.
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As tensions continue to rise between North Korea and the United States amid threats of nuclear battle, the horrors of the Korean War have been brought back to life in a series of colorized pictures.

The vivid color images show US soldiers setting fuses on anti-tank mines, bridging the four-foot gap over the seawall at 'Red Beach' during the Battle of Inchon and taking cover behind a tank escort.

Other striking shots show a weary, exhausted marine huddle against the bitter cold, a USAF North American F-51D Mustang plane taxi through a puddle and a young US Marine praying during a moment of quiet and solitude.

The photographs also show Britain's Royal Marines armed with an M20 3.5-Inch 'Bazooka' watching for enemy tanks while two gunners of the Royal New Zealand Artillery's 16th Field Reigment peer out of windows of their dug-in hut in other images.

The images are made all the more poignant as tensions on the Korean peninsula continue to rise between Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump.

The horrors of the Korean War have been brought back to life in a series of colorized images from the conflict, which lasted from 1950 to 1953. In total America lost 33,686 soldiers during the conflict, with Secretary of Defense Louis A Johnson heavily criticized for sending troops into battle under-equipped, under-supplied and unprepared

The vivid color images show US soldiers setting fuses on anti-tank mines, bridging the four-foot gap over the seawall at 'Red Beach' in Inchon and taking cover behind a tank escort. The Marines were one of the only branches of the military that proved ready for deployment, having maintained their stocks of Second World War weapons and equipment

The Korean War marked the first wide-scale deployment of helicopters by the American military, especially for medical evacuations due to the rough terrain. Gunships were also used for close support of infantry for the first time - a tactic which would be repeated in Vietnam

The images are made all the more poignant as tensions on the Korean peninsula continue to rise between Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump. The United States first engaged with North Korean forces during the Korean War's Battle of Osan on July 5, 1950. Men are pictured above in battle during the Battle of Inchon

Some of the photos feature moments from the Battle of Inchon, which lasted from September 10, 1950, to September 19, 1950, and resulted in a divisive victory for the United Nations.

The operation involved more than 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels. It led to the recapture of South Korea's capital, Seoul, two weeks later.

US General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was the driving force behind the operation, which he planned as an amphibious assault.

As the Army struggled to maintain fighting room in the southeast of Korea, MacArthur had his thoughts fixed upon a possible landing in the enemies rear to reverse the war.

The biggest logistical challenge was to have all units, their equipment and supplies, as well as transports, landing ships and craft, and other ships, ready in time for battle.

And after warnings of dangerous terrain, MacArthur went ahead with his plans and his Army took over its enemy.

Immediately after the North Korean resistance was extinguished in Inchon, reinforcement came in and moved toward Seoul, which was taken by US forces two weeks later.

Photos of the battle - and other moments from the years-long Korean War - were colorized by digital colorist and retiree Doug Banks, from Brighton, UK.

The photos were painstakingly colorized by digital colorist and retiree Doug Banks, from Brighton, UK. The Korean War lasted from 1950 until 1953 and involved UN troops and South Koreans fighting against North Korea and their Soviet and Chinese allies

One photo shows a young US Marine praying during a moment of quiet and solitude, while another shows a man wrapped in blankets and large gloves. In total 21 countries from the United Nations contributed to the effort to stop North Korea along with its Chinese and Russian allies pushing into South Korea, though America provided 88 per cent of the ground troops despite being desperately under-supplied

The fighting ended on 27 July 1953, when an armistice was signed. The agreement created the Korean Demilitarized Zone to separate North and South Korea, and allowed the return of prisoners

Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VF-101) is a US Navy Fleet Replacement Squadron that flew during the Korean War. Members of the squadron were nicknamed the 'Grim Reapers' and flew combat missions during the years-long battle

'I try to create an accurate historical record using layers of color as if I were painting on a canvas,' he said.

'The most important thing is to research the image thoroughly before attempting the coloring.

'My aim is to establish the media of colourising black and white images in a way that will earn credibility among the 'purists' who think that black and white photos should remain that way.

'I also want to educate those, particularly youngsters, that otherwise would not be interested in dull black and white images that are gathering dust in museums and private collections.'

The Korean War lasted from 1950 until 1953 and involved UN troops and South Koreans fighting against North Korea and their Soviet and Chinese allies.

American troops made up 88 per cent of the ground forces used, though 21 nations contributed to the UN effort. In total, more than 33,000 American soldiers lost their lives.

The fighting ended on 27 July 1953, when an armistice was signed. The agreement created the Korean Demilitarized Zone to separate North and South Korea, and allowed the return of prisoners.

However, no peace treaty has been signed, and the two Koreas are technically still at war.

UN forces, largely compromised of American soldiers, suffered early losses in the war and within two months were on the verge of defeat. A reversal of fortunes took place after a counter-attack at Incheon, but UN troops were forced back again after China entered the fray. Eventually an armistice was agreed, but the two countries are technically still at war

The photographs also show Britain's Royal Marines armed with an M20 3.5-Inch 'Bazooka' watching for enemy tanks. The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when North Korea invaded South Korea. This prompted the United Nations, with the United States as the principal force, to come to South Korea's aid. North Korea were aided by China while the USSR gave some assistance

Another image shows two gunners of the Royal New Zealand Artilleryis 16th Field Reigment peer out of windows of their dug-in hut. The pictures of war-torn Korea act as a reminder and a warning as to what could happen should the current strike between North Korea and America escalate

Korea was split into two regions with separate governments in 1948 as a product of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, who operated in North Korea and South Korea respectively. The war became one of attrition and the frontline was close to the 38th parallel, the dividing line between the two countries. Pictured above, an Air Force plane lands on a beach during the war

Although remote, the danger of a US-North Korean nuclear confrontation has escalated in recent weeks after Pyongyang's first successful tests last month of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States.

President Donald Trump has traded bombastic threats with the isolated, communist government. Last week, Trump pledged to answer North Korean aggression with 'fire and fury'.

He later tweeted that a military solution was 'locked and loaded' after leader Kim Jong Un was said to be considering a provocative launch of missiles into waters near the U.S. Pacific island of Guam.

If a war were to break out now, North Korea could very well be destroyed. But if North Korea succeeds in building nuclear missiles that can reach the continental US, the equation changes.

And having more than a few reliable missiles - long-range ones, plus short-range ones that could, for instance, hit South Korea where 28,000 US troops are deployed - enhance North Korea's leverage.

The risk of mass casualties makes any pre-emptive US strikes problematic, as Trump's own chief strategist recognized in an interview this week.

'There's no military solution, forget it,' Steve Bannon said. 'Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me that 10 million people in Seoul don't die in the first 30 minutes from conventional weapons, I don't know what you're talking about, there's no military solution here. They got us.' Seoul is South Korea's capital.
An Alabama Senate nominee has come under fire for claiming parts of Indiana are subject to 'Sharia Law' without providing proof.

Former Alabama chief justice Roy Moore, running for the Republican nomination in the state, said the strict Islamic law was practiced in at least two states.

But when pressed by Vox's Jeff Stein, Moore replied: 'Well, there's Sharia law, as I understand it, in Illinois, Indiana - up there. I don't know.'

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Alabama Senate nominee Roy Moore has come under fire for claiming parts of Indiana are subject to 'Sharia Law' without providing proof

Former Alabama chief justice Roy Moore, running for the Republican nomination in the state, said the strict Islamic law was practiced in at least two states. Pictured: People hold signs during a rally countering an anti-Islamic protest in Seattle in June

He went on to say he had 'been told' some communities were under Sharia law before again starting: 'Well, let me just put it this way  if they are, they are. If they're not, they're not... That doesn't matter.'

Moore described the practice is 'incorporating Muslim law into law', going on to say: 'That's not what we do. We do not punish people according to the Christian precepts of our faith  so there's a difference.'

Azhar Azeez, president of the Islamic Society of North America, dismissed Moore's claims - and allegations that Sharia is being enforced around the country - as a 'blatant lie'.

He told the Indy Star that Sharia is not linked to civic laws which govern cities and states, rather it is a private belief among individuals and families.

He said: 'This is no different from our Jewish brothers and sisters, our Catholic brothers and sisters, our Protestant brothers and sisters, our Hindu brothers and sisters, when it comes to their personal and family religious laws,.

'Sharia is not about influencing another person. The Quran is very clear there is no compulsion in religion.'

When pressed on his allegations by Vox's Jeff Stein, Moore replied: 'Well, there's Sharia law, as I understand it, in Illinois, Indiana  up there. I don't know.'
The grandmother of missing British boy Julian Cadman says she is 'worried sick' as she waits for news about the seven-year-old.

Julian, born in Tunbridge Wells in Kent, has not been seen since yesterday's terror attack in Barcelona.

His mother Jom Cadman is in hospital as she recovers from her injuries.

Norma Canaveral, who is Jom's aunt  but is called 'granny' by Julian - told MailOnline: 'We are so worried. I am just waiting for news, hoping for good news.'

Pictured left: Norma Canaveral, who is known as 'granny' by Julian Cadman. Right: Julian, who has not been seen since yesterday's terror attack

Julian's mother, Jom Cadman, is in hospital as she recovers from her injuries. Pictured: Julian

Pictured left: Julian in his Chiddingstone Nursery school uniform. Right: What he was wearing when he was last seen

The 66-year-old, from London, added: 'I don't know what to say. His mother is in the hospital, she's OK, but she became separated from Julian and we don't know where he is. All we can do it wait.'

Julian attended the Chiddingstone Nursery before moving to Sydney three years ago with Jom, from the Philippines and his Australian father, Andrew Cadman.

His grandfather is believed to be from Dorset but now living in Australia.

Andrew is flying to Spain to be with his wife and find his son.

Pictured: The harrowing scenes in Barcelona after a van was driven into pedestrians in Las Ramblas in the heart of the city

Pictured: The hired van than crashed into people walking along Las Ramblas in Barcelona yesterday. At least 14 people died and more than a hundred were injured

Pictured:Hundreds of people can be seen in Barcelona city centre after the horrifying incident

Pictured: A man sits on the pavement with his head in his hands after the tragic attack

Norma said her niece and her young son were in Barcelona for a relative's wedding.

She said her daughter Christabel Juguilon had been calling other relatives, desperate to learn what has happened to Julian.

Jom's niece Norie-Jean added: 'I saw the post about Julian being missing on Facebook this morning but we don't know any more.

'Julian's a really sweet boy. He loves to dance, he's a lovely, bubbly boy.'

Julian's paternal grandfather Tony Cadman is believed to be originally from Dorset but now lives in Australia, and the youngster has family still in the UK.

Prime Minister Theresa May has confirmed that officials are 'urgently' looking into reports of a child with British citizenship missing in Spain.

Julian's cousin George, meanwhile, has written a message on Facebook pleading for information.

He wrote: 'My cousin, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. Please like and share.

'We have found Jom (his mum, my cousin-in-law) and she is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.'

'Julian is 7 years old and was out with Jom when they were separated, due to the recent terrorist activity.

'Please share, especially if you have family or friends in Barcelona. Thank you.'
A 'white witch' mother accused of murdering her 16-month-old daughter has been found not guilty by reason of mental illness.

The 44-year-old's little girl, known as 'Astra', hasn't been seen since 2000 in the NSW Hunter Valley, when she lived at Scone.

Witnesses told the court the mother began suffering drug-induced hallucinations and started behaving strangely in the years before Astra's birth, the ABC reported.

Friends said the woman began to suffer delusions about a motorbike-riding person named 'wolfman' and said she might need to sacrifice a baby girl.

A New South Wales woman accused of murdering her 16-month-old daughter has been found not guilty by reason of mental illness

'It would always go back to the wolfman. It was always brought up,' one former friend told the court.

Astra, born in August 1999 in NSW, was a 'smiling, beautiful baby, always clean and well fed' but as time went on her mother's mental health was dramatically deteriorating.

She had previously spoken of having to slit a child's throat for the 'wolfman' so she could go home with aliens and made delusional claims about her own mother and pedophiles.

When the toddler 'disappeared' just after her second Christmas, the woman claimed she was in the care of a couple who she wasn't prepared to name or say where they were.

One person said the woman began to suffer delusions about the 'wolfman' and said she might need to sacrifice a baby girl

But on Friday, the day after what would have been Astra's 18th birthday, Justice Robert Allan Hulme concluded that the mother killed her toddler daughter.

However, he found her not guilty of murder after accepting unanimous psychiatric evidence she was suffering from a form of schizophrenia at the time and did not know what she was doing was wrong.

The woman, who can't be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court in Newcastle to murdering her daughter, aged between 16 and 28 months, between December 25, 2000 and December 25, 2001 at an unknown place in NSW.

Justice Hulme referred to extensive police inquiries into the disappearance of the toddler - given the pseudonym Astra.

'In all of the circumstances it would be astonishing if Astra was alive after having disappeared at an age when she was barely able to walk, with there being no evidence, independent of the accused, of her being alive in the following 16 years,' he said.

Justice Hulme referred to extensive police inquiries into the disappearance of the toddler - given the pseudonym Astra

'I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Astra is dead.'

He also concluded her death was caused by a deliberate act or omission of her mother.

'I cannot determine what the act or omission was, but a charge of murder may be proved even in circumstances where the precise cause of death is not known.'

He referred to a considerable body of evidence 'that before, during and after the time of Astra's death the accused persisted with delusional and persecutory beliefs about various matters but particularly concerning her mother and Community Services'.

The New South Wales woman was arrested at her Evan Head home in 2016 (pictured)

Community Services staff had decided there were no concerns about the safety of the mother or daughter after a number of home visits, although she told them about her interest in white witch practices and that she had been a victim of ritualistic sexual abuse in her childhood.

'With the benefit of hindsight, an eminent forensic psychiatrist described this missed opportunity for intervention as 'tragic',' the judge said.

The psychiatrist noted that 'despite unearthing evidence of acute mental illness, there's been no intervention to initiate treatment whilst the child was still alive'.
A Chinese toddler has been saved after accidentally falling onto a pair of scissors which became lodged in her forehead.

Firefighters used a huge pair of pliers to break the scissors before the doctors pulled out the blades carefully from the two-year-old.

The little girl is under observation, but her condition has stablised, said her father.

The girl was rushed to the hospital after she got the scissors lodged in her forehead

Medical staff put an oxygen mask on the toddle before the operation to remove the scissors

The girl lives in Dunhua, north-east China's Jilin Province, according to Chinese newspaper, New Culture Express.

The report said she was playing outside on August 15 when the accident occurred.

According to the girl's father, Mr Bian, the girl picked up the scissors from the ground without him. But as soon as he saw her holding the sharp object in her hands, she took a tumble and fell onto it.

She was rushed to The First Hospital of Jilin University.

Firefighters used a huge pair of pliers to break the scissors before the doctors took over

The blade was taken out carefully by the doctors using smaller pliers in the operation room

Video footage from the Pear Video shows firefighters and doctors discussing how to take out the sharp object as the girl is taken into the operation room.

The scissors were said to have got stuck about 3cm (1.18 inch) in the girl's brow bone.

Rescuers decided to carry out the operation in two steps.

Doctors put dressing on the toddler's wounds. She is now recovering in a general ward

Firefighters broke the scissors using a huge pair of pliers, and then the doctors removed the blades from the girl's forehead.

The girl's father posted a note online on August 17, stating that his daughter had been transferred from the intensive care unit to a general ward, reported by Enews.

'Thank you everyone. The surgery is very successful and my daughter is recovering now,' Mr Bian wrote.
Police are hunting a man who sexually assaulted a young woman inside a store at a Melbourne shopping centre.

The man, between 40 and 50 years old, approached a 22-year-old woman in a shop in a Werribee shopping centre and indecently assaulted her on July 27.

He was seen inside the Heaths Road shopping complex around 3:15pm before approaching the young woman.

Police are hunting a man (pictured) who indecently assaulted a woman inside a store at a Melbourne shopping centre

The unidentified man spoke to her before inappropriately assaulting her and leaving.

Police on Friday released an image of a man wanted over the attack.

He has short, greying hair and is believed to be Caucasian.

At the time of the incident he was wearing dark pants, light blue shirt and dark blue jacket.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
British tourists in Spain were today warned to expect further terror attacks - as Europe's top cop said holidaymakers faced their highest threat in a generation.

Europol's chief Rob Wainwright spoke of the highest-ever terror alert on the continent following a string of attacks on holidaymakers.

The 49-year-old tweeted this morning: 'Terrorism at its most simple and brutal. And highly challenging for police to stop. Highest threat in Europe for a generation.'

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These were the harrowing scenes in Barcelona after a van was driven into pedestrians in Las Ramblas in the heart of the city

Europol's chief Rob Wainwright spoke of the highest threat on the continent in a generation

The Foreign Office has warned Britons to be vigilant while visiting Spain, as it warned that additional terror-related incidents were 'likely'.

It is estimated that more than a million nationals are currently in Spain, which is by far the most popular destination for British holidaymakers during the summer.

And many have already been warned by some travel providers that there will not be refunds for families who wish to cancel their trips or come home early.

Thomson, the UK's largest holiday company, said that 'normal booking terms and conditions' applied to its packages following the atrocities.

The van used to plough into crowds in Barcelona is towed away by police in the early hours of this morning with the driver still believed to be at large

It is estimated that more than a million nationals are currently in Spain, which is by far the most popular destination for British holidaymakers during the summer

British Airways and Thomas Cook both suggested customers contact them to discuss their options, while easyJet said passengers could change for no extra fee.

Those wishing to leave Spain as soon as possible have been advised that many flights are booked up because of it being the peak summer season.

However there are also well-served rail and coach links that can help people leave Barcelona, while Cambrils is on a train line and near Reus Airport.

Meanwhile those planning to go to Spain who no longer wish to do so have been told they cannot make a claim against their travel insurance.

This is the overturned Audi A3 used by a gang of five jihadis in suicide belts who ploughed into crowds in the seaside town of Cambrils. The attack 70 miles from Barcelona came eight hours after 13 were killed in the Catalan city in a van attack

Five terror suspects including this man were shot dead in the early hours of this morning after police in Cambrils responded to the latest terror attack in Spain

However people wishing to change their travel arrangements can normally transfer their insurance to cover their new destingation.

The death toll from both the Barcelona and Cambrils attack was raised to 14 today, while 130 people were confirmed injured, including 17 in critical condition.

Mark Rowley, the UK lead for Counter Terrorism Policing, called for Brits to be vigilant while holidaying in Spain, describing the current terror threat as 'global'.

'The key advice is to run to a place of safety,' he added. 'If there is nowhere to run then hide. It is better to hide than confront.

In Barcelona, a hired van (pictured), registered to rental company Telefurgo, rammed into scores of holidaymakers and their children

'Remember to turn your phone to silent and turn off vibrate. Barricade yourself in if you can.

'Officers are at UK ports today ready to meet British holiday-makers returning to the UK from the region in order to take any witness accounts.

'The current threat is global and it is only by working together that it can be defeated.

'In the UK the current threat from international terrorism remains "severe" meaning an attack is highly likely. We remain on a heightened state of readiness.'
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Meteorological authorities Thursday warned of possible geological disasters in southwestern China as heavy rain is expected in the region.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) and the Ministry of Land and Resources warned of high risks of geological disasters in quake-hit Jiuzhaigou County and central areas of Sichuan Province as well as parts of Gansu, Tibet, Yunnan, Guangxi, Jiangxi and Anhui from Thursday to Friday evening.

A 7.0-magnitude quake rocked Jiuzhaigou County last Tuesday, leaving 24 dead and hundreds injured.

The NMC revoked a blue alert for a rainstorm on Thursday, but the forecast for rainstorms in north, east and south China will continue.

People in rain-affected areas should take precautions against possible mountain torrents, mud-rock flows and landslides, the NMC warned.

China has a four-tier color-coded warning system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Over the past years, China has suffered some large-scale natural disasters, from extreme weather to geological events, causing huge losses of life and property.
Karl Smith, 56, (pictured) has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault for pepper-spraying Confederate re-enactors at a parade Thursday

A man pepper-sprayed Civil War re-enactors during a reunion parade and was arrested, police have said.

Officials also found a loaded gun in his possession.

Karl Smith, 56, of Morganton, North Carolina, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault.

Authorities say he assaulted the Confederate re-enactors Thursday afternoon during the 2017 Soldiers Reunion parade in Newton, North Carolina, where thousands gathered to watch.

According to a police report, Smith sprayed the re-enactors when they stopped to fire their weapons.

Two parade participants notified officials around 5.30pm about Smith's actions.

Police seized a small canister of pepper spray and a loaded .38-caliber revolver for which Smith had a valid concealed-weapon permit.

Authorities say Smith (right) assaulted the Confederate re-enactors during the 2017 Soldiers Reunion parade in Newton, North Carolina. Two re-enactors were treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene

Police seized a small canister of pepper spray and a loaded .38-caliber revolver for which Smith had a valid concealed-weapon permit

Two re-enactors were treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene and did not need to be taken to the hospital.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans were among a number of groups in the parade.

Police said this was the only incident during the entire week of reunion events.

It is unclear if Smith had an attorney when he was charged. He was released and promised to appear before a magistrate, WSOC TV reported.

Newton is about 35 miles northwest of Charlotte.
Travellers yelled 'where are our human rights?' as bailiffs and police evicted 10 caravans after a two-week stay on council land.

They had stayed on Knowle Green in Staines for a fortnight before the authorities intervened and told them to move on.

Witnesses said those at the green were from the Adas Farm travelling community.

Police and security personnel confront the group who pitched up on the site in Staines earlier this month

Travellers who occupied a field owned by Spelthorne Borough Council were evicted yesterday

The travellers were evicted yesterday morning after spending a fortnight on council land

Police and security personnel arrived yesterday having issued a warrant under Section 51 the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Police reportedly said they were there 'to keep the peace' as they booted them off the land.

Occupants of around 10 caravans on site were seen picking up litter from the green before their departure.

One traveller was heard shouting 'where are our human rights?'

They added: 'The council must up their game and provide us with land, we are willing to pay rent.'

Knowle Green is owned by Spelthorne Borough Council.

A spokesman told MailOnline: 'Travellers who were parked on land owned by Spelthorne Borough Council at Knowle Green in Staines-upon-Thames were removed at around noon yesterday by bailiffs acting on behalf of the Council, using common law powers.'
The mother of slain Charlottesville protester Heather Heyer slammed President Trump in an interview with Good Morning America on Friday.

Speaking to Robin Roberts, Susan Bro said she had not spoken to the president yet and doesn't plan to after watching his trainwreck Tuesday press conference.

When Trump spoke to members of the media on Tuesday, he bizarrely doubled down on his initial comments about the Charlottesville violence, saying that there were bad people on both sides - even though one side was made up of white supremacists.

Bro said she'll never forgive the president for equating her daughter and other counter-protesters with hate groups.

'You can't wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying I'm sorry. I'm not forgiving for that,' Bro said.

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Susan Bro, the mother of slain Charlottesville counter-protester Heather Heyer, slammed President Trump in a Friday morning interview with GMA

WATCH: "You can't wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying I'm sorry." Mother of Charlottesville victim speaks out. pic.twitter.com/vNiGNgFERi  Good Morning America (@GMA) August 18, 2017

Bro also revealed that the first time the president tried to call her was in the middle of her daughter's memorial.

'At first, I just missed his calls. The first call looked like it actually came during the funeral. I didn't even see that message.

'There were three more frantic messages from press secretaries throughout the day and I didn't know why. That would have been on Wednesday and I was home recovering from the exhaustion of the funeral.

'So I thought "Well, I'll get to him later'. And then I had more meetings to establish her foundation so I hadn't really watched the news until last night, and I'm not talking to the president now,' Bro said.

During a Tuesday press conference, Trump (right) doubled down on his original statements saying there were bad people on both sides of the march. Bro said she didn't like her daughter (left) and other counter protesters being equated with white supremacists

That's when she finally saw the president's Tuesday press conference.

Now she says she's not going to speak to him, not 'after what he said about my child'.

'And it's not that I saw somebody else's tweets about him, I saw an actual clip of him at a press conference equating the protesters like Ms Heyer with the KKK and the white supremacists,' Bro said.

When asked if she has any advice for Trump, it would be to 'think before you speak.'

Trump's first statement on the violence was issued just a few hours after Heyer's death on Saturday, and he said that there had been violence 'on many sides'.

He changed his tune two days later, when he called out the specific white supremacist groups who took part in the march and said 'racism is evil' and 'those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs'.

Bro thanked the president publicly for his comments on Monday, but swiftly changed her tune after his press conference the following day

Bro said she's a 'little embarrassed' that her daughter's story has been getting so much attention because 'she's white, and she stood up for black people'.

'Isn't that a shame? That a white person standing up for a black person caused all this excitement? That should be an everyday thing, that should be a norm,' she said.

Bro said she's now going to dedicate her life to her daughter's causes.
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This is the moment when a newborn baby hippo very nearly became a crocodile's afternoon snack, just minutes after it entered the world.

Mother hippo was observed during the final stages of labour by the Mara River, located in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

But as she gave birth in the river, a hungry-looking crocodile was observing her closely - lying just feet away.

Close to danger: The newborn baby hippo can be seen taking its first breaths in the water, just feet away from a hungry crocodile seemingly lying in wait for it

All is well that ends well: Despite the overhanging risk of becoming crocodile snack, the newborn calf made its way to shore safely, and was able to meet its father

However, it seems the crocodile thought better of it, as the newborn calf was left to paddle ashore safely and greet its father, who had been napping by the river throughout the birth.

It is likely that the reason why the crocodile chose to stay well clear of the newborn and its parents, is the hippopotamus' reputation as one of the most dangerous animals in the world.

It is a highly aggressive animal with an unpredictable temper, with females known to become particularly fearsome if anyone comes near their young.

The hippo is responsible for more human fatalities than any other animal in Africa, and is known to attack crocodiles.

Finally here: The hippo mother was reportedly in labour for several hours before giving birth to the calf

Supportive partner: While mama hippo was in the water, powering through labour and giving birth, her partner was seen snoring away on the riverbank

Safe with mum: The mother met up the newborn in the water, as the crocodile slid away up on the rocks

Off you go: The tiny newborn hippo paddles to meet its father after a safe delivery in the Mara river

Hello little one: The male hippo waddled down from his resting place to greet his newborn child
A father and daughter were filmed being kicked off a flight in a reported profanity-laced confrontation after they claimed they were privately discussing how miserable the flight attendants looked.

Other passengers clapped in support of Eric and Whitney Miller as they were booted off a Frontier Airlines flight departing from Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday.

The Millers admitted they were irritated with their eight-hour flight delay but said they were privately talking to each other about the annoyance and commented that the flight attendants also seemed miserable.

A flight attendant had overheard the conversation and decided to have Eric, 70, and Whitney, 25, removed from the aircraft because she felt 'threatened'.

However, Frontier Airlines claims the father and daughter were shouting profanities at staff members, justifying their removal from the flight.

A person recorded the confrontation while the Millers were being removed, as Eric Miller shouted Frontier's actions were 'absolutely shameful'.

Eric, 70, (left) and Whitney Miller, 25, (right) were filmed being kicked off a Frontier Airlines flight on Wednesday in Orlando, Florida. The father and daughter had a reported profanity-laced confrontation after they privately discussed how miserable the flight attendants looked

Other passengers clapped in support of the Millers as they were being removed. Frontier Airlines maintains the father and daughter were shouting profanities at the crew

The clip, which doesn't show the initial contact with the flight staff, begins with crew members asking the Millers to move from their seats.

The stewardess mentions getting the police involved, prompting Eric to say: 'You are going to call the police?'

Whitney added: 'What did we do wrong? Why are we getting kicked off the plane?'

The crew stood firm and Eric cried out: 'This is the most loathsome experience I can actually say I've indulged in 70 years of flying on an airplane. This is absolutely incredible!

'We have a conversation, you're threatened and we are going to have to leave after spending 12 hours in this airport waiting for this plane to leave. Absolutely shameful!'

The incident began when the Millers claim they were quietly discussing their displeasure with Frontier over the massive delay and the poor customer service they were receiving.

They mentioned that they would never fly with the airline again after the experience.

Whitney and Eric told News 6 that they didn't know a flight attendant was standing behind them eavesdropping and the crew later confronted them.

The clip, which doesn't show the initial contact with the flight staff, begins with crew members asking the Millers to move from their seats. Eric shouts out: 'This is absolutely incredible!'

Whitney took to Facebook to describe the event and said she was 'humiliated' by the removal

Eric said to the news outlet: 'They would lean over the back of the chair in front of us, get their face right up to here and they would simply ask,"Do we have a problem?"'

Whitney added: 'It was, "No, do you have a problem? Do you want to be removed from the aircraft?" We responded, "No." We didn't know what was going on, what's happening. Please tell us what's happening,'

Frontier Airlines said Eric and Whitney were shouting profanities at the crew, calling an attendant a b***h.

In a statement to the DailyMail.com, the airline said: 'Our Flight Attendants are customer service and safety professionals who are trained to recognize situations that may impact comfort and safety of passengers and crew onboard our aircraft.

'The behaviors and comments exhibited by these passengers prior to departure were inappropriate; and as a result they were asked to leave our aircraft. Safety and security of our passengers and crew is our number one priority.'

Whitney took to Facebook to describe the event and said she was 'humiliated' by the removal.

She wrote: 'Well friends and family, my father and I were kicked off a plane today. There's a first for everything! Look for us on YouTube being humiliated and walked off Frontier Airlines!'

The incident began when the Millers claim they were quietly discussing their displeasure with Frontier over the massive delay and the poor customer service they were receiving

She continued: 'Our flight to St. Louis was delayed six hours with no compensation. Once we boarded the flight we were removed within 15 minutes of sitting in our seats.

'My father and I were having a private conversation regarding the awful travel experience and customer service we were experiencing and happen to be overheard by a flight attendant.

'This flight attendant reported us to her supervisor who then approached us stating they felt threatened by us, leading to our removal from the aircraft.

'Please share. Please help make this company feel the humiliation my father and I felt today. Never, ever, fly Frontier Airlines.'

The person who recorded the video sided with the Millers. She wrote: 'Frontier is on my dislike list. These poor people did not deserve this at all!

'A stewardess felt threatened after 'overhearing' a conversation between this daughter and father just trying to get back after we all sat for a 9 hour delay!

'You hear his reaction? Still classy after all the attacks Frontier gave them both. Never again!'
Amanda Knox is planning a return to the Italian city where she was imprisoned a decade ago  a decision which has been criticised by the family of Meredith Kercher.

US citizen Ms Knox, now 30, had her conviction for the 21-year-old's murder thrown out in 2015 after spending four years in a jail.

She is to return to the central Italian city of Perugia in a bid to overcome the trauma of imprisonment.

But the move has been criticised by Meredith Kercher's family's lawyer as 'totally inopportune'.

Amanda Knox is to return to the central Italian city of Pergugia in a bid to overcome the trauma of imprisonment. She is pictured in front of her parents' home in March 2015 after she and Raffaele Sollecito had their convictions overturned

US citizen Ms Knox, now 30 (pictured with her new boyfriend Christopher Robinson) , had her conviction for the 21-year-old's murder thrown out in 2015 after spending four years in a jail

Ms Knox, then a 20-year-old student (left), was arrested alongside her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito (right) after Ms Kercher was found fatally stabbed in her bedroom in 2007

'The only way that I'm going to come full circle is by physically, literally, coming full circle,' Ms Knox told People magazine.

Ms Knox, then a 20-year-old student, was arrested alongside her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito after Ms Kercher's was found fatally stabbed in her bedroom in 2007.

Both were jailed on contested DNA evidence before Italy's supreme court overturned their convictions.

The only person to remain in jail for Ms Kercher's death is Rudy Guede, a drifter from the Ivory Coast.

Ms Knox, who now works as a journalist, is taking Italy to the European Court of Human rights over her treatment by police. She has also written a book about her experience.

But Frencesco Maresca, the Kercher family's lawyer, said Ms Knox is not welcome in Perugia adding Knox is the only person 'to profit' from the 'sad affair'. Pictured left and right is Meredith Kercher

'My family lived in Perugia for years to support me, and they made relationships. I made a relationship with the priest at the prison, and those things still matter to me,' said Ms Knox

'I know that Perugia is probably the least welcome place for me in the entire world. And that's scary, but it also means a lot to me, not to be afraid of a place and see Perugia though my family's eyes,' she added.

'My family lived in Perugia for years to support me, and they made relationships. I made a relationship with the priest at the prison, and those things still matter to me.'

But Frencesco Maresca, the Kercher family's lawyer, said Ms Knox is not welcome in Perugia.

The only person to remain in jail for Ms Kercher's death is Rudy Guede, a drifter from the Ivory Coast

'I believe Amanda Knox's choice to return it totally inopportune because the death of Meredith was very painful for Perugia and people there feel they have never had a satisfactory response from the Italian justice system,' he told The Telegraph.

'That is why Knox should think about her life without continuing to return to this sad affair from which she has been the only one to profit, both in terms of fame and money.'


The Queen today sent a message of support to the King of Spain describing the terrorist attacks in his country as 'terrible'.

The 91-year-old monarch also said in her letter to King Felipe VI that it was 'deeply upsetting' when innocent people are put at risk.

It came after the death toll from the attacks in Barcelona and the town of Cambrils had risen to 14, with Britons believed to be among the 130 people injured.

The Queen hosted a state visit to Britain by King Felipe VI and his wife Queen Letizia last month

The Queen said in her message: 'Prince Philip and I send our sincere condolences to Your Majesty, and the people of Spain, following the terrible terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils which killed and seriously injured many.

'It is deeply upsetting when innocent people are put at risk in this way when going about their daily lives.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and the people who are recovering in hospital.

'Please convey our heartfelt sympathies to all who have been affected by these appalling incidents. ELIZABETH R.'

The Queen only recently hosted a state visit to Britain by the King of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia.

The Queen and King Felipe VI during a state banquet at Buckingham Palace last month

The foreign monarch and his wife visited in mid-July when the King said, in a speech to parliamentarians, the UK and Spain had 'frequently stood shoulder-to-shoulder' as friends, partners and allies, in the best interests of both nations.

Citizens of 34 countries were among the 13 killed and scores injured in the Barcelona attack yesterday.

The Foreign Office said a 'small number' of Britons were injured but the Prime Minister said a child with British nationality is believed to be among those unaccounted for after the attack in the capital of Catalonia.

In the early hours of today terrorists struck again, this time in Cambrils, a town 68 miles down the coast from Barcelona.

Citizens of 34 countries were among the 13 killed and scores injured in the Barcelona attack

In the second attack, a gang of five men wearing fake suicide belts rammed civilians with a car before being shot dead by police.

A woman who was critically injured in the second attack later became the 14th fatality of the Spanish atrocity.

Barcelona, a hugely popular tourist destination, came to a halt at noon today (11am BST) as a minute's silence was observed in the Placa Catalunya, close to the scene of the attack.

Led by King Felipe and Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, the silence was then followed by applause for the victims.

Three days of mourning have been declared by the government of Catalonia.
This is the heartbreaking moment a police officer cradled a little boy next to a motionless victim of the Las Ramblas terror attack.

The video filmed in the immediate aftermath of yesterday's terror attack in Barcelona shows the uniformed officer holding the child close to his body.

An elderly woman, possibly the child's grandmother, is lifted from the ground as she picks up the youngster's buggy.

A second policeman and another man, possibly a family member, can be seen attending to the motionless victim behind them.

The elderly woman was later pictured holding the child safely in her arms as a wheel from the child's buggy lies in the middle of the street.

Throughout the ordeal, bodies and debris were strewn around the street as emergency services did everything possible to help the wounded.

Meanwhile, Catalan police say they have arrested a fourth person in connection with the attacks in Barcelona and the resort of Cambrils that have killed at least 14 people.

This is the heartbreaking moment a police officer cradled a little boy next to a motionless victim of the Las Ramblas terror attack

Police made the announcement on Twitter without providing further details.

Thursday's van attack in Barcelona killed at least 14, and one woman was killed early Friday in Cambrils when a car plowed into pedestrians there.

Police fatally shot five suspects in Cambrils.

It wasn't immediately clear if the Barcelona van driver is among the arrested or dead suspects.

The elderly woman was later pictured holding the child safely in her arms (far right) as a wheel from the child's buggy lies in the middle of the street (centre)

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also said this afternoon the fight against terrorism is a 'global battle' and Europe's main problem after two attacks in Catalonia that killed 14 people.

Rajoy also thanked the emergency services for their work and messages of support from around the world after the van attack in Barcelona, and subsequent violence in the seaside resort of Cambrils.

Rajoy was speaking at a joint news conference in Barcelona with Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont.

The video filmed in the immediate aftermath of yesterday's terror attack in Barcelona shows the uniformed officer holding the child close to his body

Elsewhere on Friday:
Australia has fallen behind 54 countries in the latest world rankings of download speeds.

Countries including Kenya, Estonia and Thailand all have faster internet speeds than Australia, according to data compiled by Cable.co.uk.

Australia sits at number 55 with a download speed of 7.7 megabytes per second, behind Cyprus and the Ukraine.

Australia has fallen behind 54 countries in the latest world rankings of download speeds

Singapore tops the list with a download speed of 55.13Mbps. This means a 7.5 gigabyte movie can download in 18 minutes.

By comparison the same movie would take over 12 hours in Australia based on the mean internet speed.

Yemen rounded off the list at number 189.

Professor Nirmalathas told The Daily Telegraph the internet service providers were to blame for Australia's slow speeds.

'A big factor is that internet service providers are not keeping up their investment to be consistent with the NBN investment,' Professor Nirmalathas said.

'The NBN debate has been running a long time and other countries have managed to speed up their deployment so that's why we are behind.'

Professor Nirmalathas said the internet service providers were to blame for Australia's slow speeds.
Donald Trump reiterated on Friday his insistence that defeating Islamist terror groups should be a major priority for the government, tweeting that they 'must be stopped by whatever means necessary.'

The president began his morning Twitter binge by reassuring Americans that the country is safe following deadly terror attacks in Spain.

But then he warned that jihadis are still a major threat, and castigated 'Obstructionist Democrats' for standing in the way of his border security goals by tying up his travel ban in federal court.

Donald Trump, pictured during a press conference three days ago, tweeted on Friday about his goals in the aftermath of Thursday's terror attacks in Spain

The president wrote at first that Americans are safe, and then suggested that Islamic terrorists were a serious threat and that Democrats are responsible for slowing down his response

'Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble. Our borders are far tougher than ever before!' he wrote at first on Twitter.

Then, shifting gears, he added: 'The Obstructionist Democrats make Security for our country very difficult. They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!'

The fire and brimstone came minutes later.

'Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!' Trump tweeted.

On Thursday as news reports filtered in and the Barcelona death toll grew, Trump issued a standard message of support on Twitter.

'The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!' the president said.

But in a similar shift toward underscoring the role of radical Islam in the deadly events, he urged Americans to '[s]tudy what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!'

That was a reference to a discredited anecdote that described Pershing executing 49 of 50 Muslim prisoners in the Philippines  with bullets dipped in pig's blood  before telling the lone survivor to spread the tale as a terrorism deterrent.

Thursday's attack claimed at least 14 lives and left more than 100 injured. ISIS, the dreaded Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, claimed responsibility.

Trump has never shied away from using 'radical Islamic terrorism' as a rationale for pushing his stern border control prescriptions.

Shortly after proposing in late January that people from seven Muslim-majority countries should be barred entry to the United States, he tweeted: 'The threat from radical Islamic terrorism is very real, just look at what is happening in Europe and the Middle-East. Courts must act fast!'
File photo taken on May 22, 2014 shows two happy Chinese tourists at Los Angeles International Airport. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese visitors spent more dollars in the United States in 2016 than tourists from other countries. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, 2.97 million Chinese visited the U.S. in 2016 and spent $33 billion, the two figures going up by 15 percent and 9 percent respectively from 2015.

China is also the Number One market for U.S. tourism "exports," injecting more than $90 million a day into the U.S. economy.

With an estimated 3.5 million Chinese expected to visit the U.S. by the end of 2017 and the total expected to exceed 5 million in 2021, Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) governments and tourism authorities have been furiously scratching their heads, trying to figure out how best to equally attract Chinese holiday makers.

As neighboring regions with shared and different histories featuring both continental and island tourism attractions, the two LAC geographic regions have had both common and different experiences in tourism growth.

Most Caribbean tourism is island-based and (with a few exceptions like the world-famous Jamaica-owned Sandals International brand) top facilities are mainly American or European owned, with visitors sourced mainly from neighboring North America (USA and Canada) and European states with historical connections.

In Latin America, on the other hand, Spanish, Italian and other selected countries (also with historical imperial and colonial roots in the region) also own significant tourism investments.

North America and Europe have quickly adjusted their national, regional and continental policies to attract the increasing number of Chinese visitors now venturing beyond Asian skies and shores.

However, both sides of the LAC region have lapsed in tailoring their tourism products to suit the lucrative Chinese source market. Like everywhere else, each continental state and island nation has something unique to offer. The problem, however, has been identifying that unique product and showing it to the world.

Now, government and private tourism interests in the wider LAC region have been offered direct access to Beijing's thinking on how best to go about the business of better shaping their tourism product offerings, with their eyes on the Chinese market today.

Beijing issued its "Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean" at the end of last year, in which it outlines, for the very first time and in detail, what can be done together by governments and tourism authorities "on both sides."

The paper identifies practical mutual possibilities that answer many of the questions occupying the minds of tourism planners - particularly in the Caribbean, where Chinese visitor travel is still relatively low.

Current travel infrastructure doesn't yet facilitate easy Chinese access to the most popular Caribbean destinations, as visa requirements, airport travel status, language and cultural adjustments have not yet been adequately made.

The LAC region's excessive historical reliance and near-total dependence on visitors from similar traditional sources has also severely limited the speed with which some of the existing tourism entities are willing to open their floodgates to the Chinese market.

Then there's that part of the equation that has almost always been overlooked: Latin American and Caribbean visitors to China.

China's maturing tourism product is being continuously developed and now extends far beyond the Olympic Bird's Nest, the Forbidden Palace, the Great Wall or other similar Beijing-based attractions.

A weekend cruise on the Yangtze River is as adventurous as exploring the full variety of raw spices in Sichuan Province, elevating silently at breakneck speed up the Oriental Tower in Shanghai, riding a quiet suspended Maglev bullet-train, or visiting the ever-changing Planning Exhibition Halls in Beijing, Shanghai or Xiamen.

It will take time to develop China tourism tours to the LAC region in volumes currently being experienced by Europe and North America - and vice versa.

But Beijing has thrown out a lifeline in its position paper which, if acted upon early, in earnest and sincerity, can see Chinese visitors flock to the LAC regions in volumes that will not only quench the growing thirst for more, but also develop and share new and more sustainable tourism products that will also attract and encourage more Latin American and Caribbean visitors to China.

Earl Bousquet is a contributor to china.org.cn, editor-at-large of The Diplomatic Courier and author of an online regional newspaper column entitled Chronicles of a Chronic Caribbean Chronicler.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
Joshua Holmes, 35, (pictured) had escaped from his work detail at a Florida landfill on Wednesday and on Thursday morning got into Roxanne Vanderveer's home in Masaryktown, Florida

A mother of two texted 911 when an escaped inmate tried to hide from authorities in her home.

Roxanne Vanderveer of Masaryktown, Florida, was woken up on Thursday morning by Joshua Holmes, 35, who entered her home through an unlocked door.

Holmes, who was initially charged and sentenced to prison for violation of parole for Grand Theft Auto, had escaped from his work detail at a nearby landfill on Wednesday.

Hernando County Sheriff's Officers were able to catch Holmes Thursday after he had been on the run about 20 hours.

'I wake up to Josh tapping me going "Hide me, hide me," and I'm still incoherent,' Vanderveer told Fox 13.

'I guess maybe he thought we'd help him, but at the end of the day, my kids' safety comes first. My safety comes first.'

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Holmes (center) asked Vanderveer to help him hide. Instead, she texted 911 to tell them the escaped prisoner was in her home

Hernando County Sheriff's officers were able to capture Holmes (pictured) after he was on the run for about 20 hours

She told ABC Action News that Holmes was 'running around frantically looking out the windows, scared'.

She texted 911 because she was worried how Holmes would react if he heard her calling officials.

'Josh Holmes is in my house... I'm afraid to call. I have two small children in my house with me,' she texted, along with her address.

Vanderveer said she had known Holmes from growing up in the same area, but she said they hadn't kept in touch.

Vanderveer (pictured) is a mother of two and said she had known Holmes from growing up in the same area, but she said they hadn't kept in touch. She said: 'I guess maybe he thought we'd help him, but at the end of the day, my kids' safety comes first. My safety comes first'

Vanderveer texted 911 (pictured) because she was worried how Holmes would react if he heard her calling officials

'It was a really tough situation but like I said, my kids come first. I'm not going to jail for anybody,' Vanderveer said.

After her text, Vanderveer and her children left the house and deputies secured the home, where Holmes had hidden in the attic.

He eventually fell through the ceiling and tried to escape through a window, though deputies were waiting there for him.

Holmes was set to be released in February, but now could have several years added after his escape.

Holmes, (pictured) who was initially charged and sentenced to prison for violation of parole for Grand Theft Auto, was set to be released in February. Now, because of his escape, he could have several years added

Holmes was hiding in the attic of Vanderveer's home when deputies arrived. He eventually fell through the ceiling and tried to escape through a window (pictured), though deputies were waiting there for him

ABC Action News
Sydney is being urged to brace itself once again as devastating gale-force winds are set to batter the New South Wales coastline for a second day running.

Friday's turbulent weather left hundreds of flights cancelled at Sydney Airport as winds as strong as 100km/h ripped through the city, leaving a trail of destruction.

Australia's east coast will be subject to another 24 hours of wild winds, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning dangerous surf conditions and waves over six metres.

The Byron Coast, Coffs Coast, Macquarie Coast, Hunter Coast, Sydney Coast, Eden Coast, Illawarra Coast and Batemans Coast will all be hit by the powerful waves and could face serious coastal erosion.

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Sydney will face the brunt of blistering gales for the second day running as wind speeds top 100km/h across NSW

Friday's turbulent weather left hundreds of flights cancelled at Sydney Airport as winds as strong as 100km/h ripped through the city leaving a trail of destruction behind

NSW SES attended a staggering 898 call outs, with hundreds of reports of falling trees and damaged roofs

The NSW SES will also be anticipating another hectic day after having their work cut out on Friday - attending a staggering 898 call outs, with hundreds of reports of fallen trees and damaged roofs.

The turbulent winter weather shows no sign of easing up for Melbourne, with the Victoria capital set to be drenched by rain over the weekend.

Further inland in the alpine regions, there can be more snow expected with at least 20 centimetres to fall over Saturday.

Parts of Victoria will also be on the receiving end of a battering from strong winds with gale warnings issued for the East Gippsland coastline.

Canberra continues to wake up to frosty mornings, with the capital struggling through freezing temperatures with a minimum of -4C on Sunday.

Sydney Airport came to a complete standstill as Qantas and Virgin were among airlines to cancel flights to and from Melbourne on Friday night

Passenger chaos ensued as flights were either delayed or cancelled leaving travellers stranded at Sydney Airport on Friday

FORECAST: WEATHER RIGHT ACROSS AUSTRALIA SYDNEY Saturday : Max 16, Min 9, windy Sunday : Max 17, Min 7, sunny Monday : Max 18, Min 8, cloudy Tuesday : Max 21, Min 9, sunny Wednesday : Max 21, Min 9, possible shower BRISBANE: Saturday : Max 21, Min 10, windy Sunday : Max 22, Min 10, sunny Monday : Max 23, Min 9, mostly sunny Tuesday : Max 27, Min 11, mostly sunny Wednesday : Max 27, Min 11, sunny ADELAIDE Saturday : Max 15, Min 7, mostly sunny Sunday : Max 16, Min 7, late shower Monday : Max 17, Min 10, possible shower Tuesday : Max 16, Min 10, possible shower Wednesday : Max 16, Min 10, possible shower DARWIN Saturday : Max 33, Min 21, sunny Sunday : Max 33, Min 20, sunny Monday: Max 33, Min 20, sunny Tuesday : Max 33, Min 20, sunny Wednesday : Max 33, Min 20, sunny MELBOURNE Saturday: Max 13, Min 6, clearing shower Sunday : Max 14, Min 4, sunny Monday : Max 12, Min 7, showers Tuesday : Max 15, Min 6, showers Wednesday : Max 15, Min 7, showers CANBERRA Saturday : Max 11, Min -1, frost then sunny Sunday : Max 13, Min -4, frost then sunny Monday : Max 10, Min -1, rain developing Tuesday : Max 16, Min -1, frost then sunny Wednesday : Max 15, Min -1, possible shower PERTH Saturday : Max 17, Min 10, clearing shower Sunday : Max 18, Min 9, clearing shower Monday : Max 18, Min 8, possible shower Tuesday : Max 19, Min 9, possible shower Wednesday : Max 21, Min 9, sunny HOBART Saturday : Max 11, Min 2, mostly sunny Sunday : Max 13, Min 3, mostly sunny Monday : Max 13, Min 4, cloudy Tuesday : Max 14, Min 4, possible shower Wednesday : Max 12, Min 4, showers Advertisement

Beachgoers across NSW witnessed choppy waters as surfers across the East Coastare warned of huge waves up to six metres on Saturday

Ausgrid confirmed there was more than 43,000 homes out across Sydney's south

Sydney Airport appeared empty on Friday as over 100 flights suffered from the strong weather conditions as experts warn Sydneysiders to expect more of the same on Saturday

Among the damage on Friday was a wall panel from the Clarence Street entrance to Wynyard Station which was ripped off during the strong gusts, hitting one man and woman who were left with minor injuries, according to Nine News.

Ausgrid confirmed that more than 43,000 homes were without power at around midday on Friday.

In a statement, Ausgrid thanked customers for their patience and said extra crews were being brought in for the repairs to continue into the night.

Sydney Airport came to a complete standstill as Qantas and Virgin were among airlines to cancel flights to and from Melbourne on Friday night.

'We've cancelled around 40 flights today due to the winds in Sydney, around half of those are Melbourne to Sydney flights,' a Qantas spokesman told The Age.

Tigerair and Jetstar were also badly hit as only one runway was operational for large parts of the day, as passengers on Saturday are warned to expect more of the same.

Melbourne can expect torrential downpours over the weekend, which will follow through into next week to continue a turbulent winter

Winds shattered glass buildings in Sydney CBD on Friday with substantial damage caused to a range of buildings

The New South Wales SES has been inundated with more 800 calls from the Illawarra and Sydney Metro area alone

Ausgrid confirmed more than 43,000 homes were without power at around midday on Friday

One Instagram video revealed residents cowering below as panels from a car park roof flew off in Sydney causing considerable damage

Social media was predictably awash with images and videos from Friday's storm, with one video emerging of the SES working on a building after the roof collapsed from a residential building on Crown Street in Wollongong.

Another revealed residents cowering below as panels from a car park roof flew off in Sydney causing considerable damage.

Among Sydneysiders taking to the internet to post pictures of devastation, one Instagram user managed to see the funny side of the storm and posed alongside a lamp post appearing to hold on for dear life.

Sydney traffic was also sent into a tailspin with heavy winds causing train track work near the Harbour Bridge and major power outages.

Heavy cross winds worsened train line issues on the northern routes causing chaos on the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Friday afternoon.

'Passengers travelling on the T1 North Shore, Northern & Western Line are advised to allow plenty of additional travel time after urgent infrastructure repairs caused by strong winds near Milsons Point earlier,' a Sydney Trains service update read.

With similar weather due on Saturday, Sydney residents are warned to expect delays across all forms of transport.

Cross winds have caused train delays wreaking havoc with traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Friday

Travellers are facing commuting chaos at Sydney Airport as gale force winds batter the area resulting in major delays

Hundreds of flights have been affected with the gale-force winds and Saturday's predicted weather suggests more of the same is to come

Passengers are being advised to check with their individual airlines to confirm the extent of delays and cancellations
Olya Bowers, 70, was due to fly to Rome on Thursday to see her son and grandchildren

A grandmother claims she is almost 200 out of pocket and has been prevented from seeing her family for the first time in more than two years after an airline 'cancelled her flight without he knowledge'.

On Thursday morning Olya Bowers was expecting to board a Jet2 plane at Newcastle airport and fly to Rome to see her son and grandchildren.

But when the 70-year-old arrived at the airport she claims she was told her booking had been cancelled.

She said this was done without her knowledge and it has left her unable to see her family who were visiting the Italian capital from New York.

After pleading with customer services on the phone for three hours to no avail, Ms Bowers decided to protest against the company with a homemade placard in Newcastle city centre.

The airline claim Ms Bowers cancelled the booking herself and was offered an alternative flight. She says she did not cancel and has not been refunded any money.

'I tried to check in online and I was told that my booking had been cancelled on July 23 - two days after I made it,' Mrs Bowers told the Newcastle Chronicle.

'I have no records of any emails from Jet2 about a cancellation. So they have taken my money and now refuse to let me fly.

'There were still spaces on the plane so I asked them if they could put me on it and show some compassion because they already had my money but I was told no.

'They are a big corporation, it's not a big deal to them. How do I prove that I didn't cancel anything?'

Mrs Bowers now fears she will now not able to see her family as prices for flights have shot up to around 400 and she is already 176 out of pocket.

Her son Jason and his wife Allison, both 48, and their children Aiden, 16, Sydney, 13, and Claire, nine, live in the States and don't often get to see Mrs Bowers.

She saw her son - who works for TV network Showtime as a producer - when he travelled to the UK working on the Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather fight, but has not seen her grandchildren for more than two years.

Mrs Bowers says her entie family were devastated by the situation.

The airline claim Ms Bowers cancelled the booking herself and was offered an alternative flight. She claims she did not cancel and has not been refunded any money

The former environmental officer for Manchester City Council said: 'I'm not saying it is Jet2's fault.

'It could have been a computer error or I could have been hacked but somebody did this. They need to have some flexibility.'

Jet2 do not offer refunds for cancelled flights and Ms Bowers said she would just 'not have shown up' if she had not planned on going to Rome.

Writing on Facebook, she said: 'Jet2 offered a later flight from Leeds for which they would charge me over 300 when they already had 176 of my money.

'And why would I have bothered to cancel my original flight when you get no money back? Where would be the benefit in that? I just wouldn't have shown up.'

A Jet2 spokesman told MailOnline: 'Our records show that the booking was cancelled on July 23, and to prevent customers from inadvertently cancelling their booking, a number of steps must be taken.

'The customer must first log into the Manage My Booking page before selecting flight options, and then choosing and confirming that they wish to cancel their flight.

'At this point an email is then sent to the customer, asking them to click a link confirming that they wish to cancel. All of these steps were completed in this instance.

'We did offer to make a new booking for Olya when she got in touch this week but this offer was declined. As the flight was fully booked, Olya was unable to fly when she arrived at the airport without a booking.'
Mr Burdon killed himself on Wednesday afternoon after extensive questioning by police. They were still on the property when he died, as were the couple's two young children

Police have called off the search for missing mother-of-two Tanja Ebert after spending the day examining and excavating the remote South Australian property she called home for evidence.

Ms Ebert went missing on August 8, allegedly following an argument with her husband Michael Burdon, who killed himself with a single gunshot hours after her missing persons report became a murder investigation on August 16.

On Friday, police officers dug up multiple 'key areas of interest' on the family's property at Oulnina Park Station, north of Adelaide. The areas had been decided on following an aerial search of the area, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.

They believe Ms Ebert may have been murdered, but efforts to find her body or evidence of her whereabouts have been to no avail.

Officers will now spend the next two days reviewing evidence before interviewing more friends and family members of the tragic couple, who appear to have left their two sons, aged one and three, orphaned.

After an extensive examination and excavationof the outback sheep station she lived on, police called off the search for Ms Ebert's body on Friday evening

Ms Ebert is believed to have been murdered, but police have failed to find any trace of her body

Oulnina - which at 410 hectares dwarfs the size of Sydney's CBD - is north-east of Adelaide

Major Crime officer-in-charge, Detective Superintendent Des Bray told reporters searching for Ms Ebert had become 'frustrating', following 'significant' excavation work done on the property.

Major Crime officer-in-charge, Detective Superintendent Des Bray, described the search process as 'frustrating', while speaking to reporters at the remote property.

'Again unfortunately we haven't been able to find Tanja,' he said.

'It's very frustrating, we've been working hard to get a result for Tanja's parents and we would encourage anybody who has any information at all that might help us recover her body to contact police immediately so we can bring this to an end for that family.'

Mr Bray believes if Ms Ebert was murdered, it is likely the killer would have told someone what they had done.

The death of Mr Burdon, which sparked an investigation as police were present at the time he committed suicide, and the presumed death of Ms Ebert, have left locals shocked.

SES teams prepare to search the station at Oulnina, where the tragic young family lived

Family friend Melanie Lewis told the Advertiser Ms Ebert was an 'adoring mother' and despite the 18-year age difference between her and her husband, the mother-of-two was 'extremely mature for her age'.

'The boys adored her and were extremely clingy to her. She was a very hard worker, would give anything a go and always had confidence in her opinions of things,' she said.

Police believe Ms Ebert had been considering leaving her husband of only six months, and had perhaps intended to move to NSW.

Both families have been left devastated by the deaths, particularly the Burdon family, who lost the man's brother to suicide and his father to a brain tumour.

The station is home to about 6000 Merino sheep, locals told Daily Mail Australia

Just 16 people live in the dusty and isolated region where the tragic sequence of events took place, locals told Daily Mail Australia.

Police on Friday morning launched the mammoth task of searching the young couple's Oulnina sheep station for Ms Ebert's body.

At 410 hectares, the property dwarfs the size of the 280ha Sydney CBD, and by road the nearest neighbour is 37km away.

'It's a massive task. We'll do our best to find her but there's no guarantees,' Detective Superintendent Des Bray said on Friday morning- as a massive search team gathered including 12 SES cars, three mounted police cars and floats, two motorbikes and a helicopter.

The tragedy has devastated Outback residents along the highway spanning towards the New South Wales border.

A rescue helicopter has joined the search effort for missing Tanja Ebert

Michael shot himself on Wednesday as police searched for Ms Ebert's body. Investigators suspect he murdered her.

'There has been lots of tears and hugs and just shock,' said Mannahill Hotel publican Dianne Highet, who described herself as one of six residents of that town.

'You know, we just can't get our heads around it.... I'm hoping they find her alive and clear Michael's name'.

Ms Highet attended the couple's wedding six months ago. It was held on top of the highest peak at the sheep station, and she described it as the most beautiful ceremony she had ever witnessed.

'It's somewhere they'd get lost in. It's huge. It's vast. It's beautiful. It's a bit like the Flinders,' she described.

The couple's home was located ten minutes from the property gate, and their land is red dirt, salt bush, gullies and hills.

Ms Ebert at first adored living on the Burdon family's remote property (pictured) but it is believed she was planning to move to NSW before her disappearance

Ms Ebert, a German citizen, previously worked at the Mannahill Hotel

Hotelier Dianne Highet said Ms Ebert moved to town with one bag before meeting Michael

Ms Ebert was last seen in Roseworthy, getting out of her car at this BP service station and walking away. She reportedly left behind her two boys and personal possessions

Another scene in Roseworthy, north of Adelaide, where Tanya was last seen on Tuesday, August 8

Ms Ebert was last seen alive on August 8 in Adelaide enjoying a family outing with her husband and two young children (pictured)

The property was home to up to 6000 Merino sheep and the winds on Friday morning were bone-chilling.

LAST SIGHTING OF TANJA EBERT Ms Ebert was last reportedly seen on Tuesday, August 8 at Roseworthy, north of Adelaide. A local resident, who did not want to be named, said her disappearance was a mystery. 'We hear everything that goes on here and no one heard this couple have an argument or her storm off,' the local said. 'Whenever there is someone who doesn't belong in town we notice. 'Even when people drive off without petrol or stop by the side of the road to make a plan to we hear it. 'How do we know she actually did?!' Advertisement

Ms Highet said Ms Ebert, a German citizen, was a backpacker and 'knew how to live with a few dollars in her pocket.'

'When she came here she had one bag, then she met Michael and moved onto the station where she had everything she wanted.

'They would come to the pub with the kids and she would mingle while he looked after them - I never heard them argue.'

The Burdon family has suffered its fair share of tragedies in recent years. Michael's brother died in 1997. The Adelaide Advertiser reported the cause was suicide.

His beloved father, Peter, died after a battle with brain cancer in April 2014.

The couple's young sons are in the care of their grandmother Marlis. Reports said she was thought to have been at the property to help her son after Tanja went missing. She declined to comment.

For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14.

For further support contact Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 and MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood is facing a backlash for branding the Barcelona terror attack 'far right'.

The Welsh assembly member sparked anger by tweeting about the apparent ISIS-inspired atrocity last night.

Posting a report of the deadly attack, Ms Wood asked: 'Terrible. Is this more far right terrorism?'

The comments drew claims that Ms Wood was politicising the episode, while others complained that she was unwilling to condemn Islamist terrorism explicitly - arguing that ISIS ideology was in fact far left.

But Ms Wood was unrepentant, insisting that ISIS 'is far right'.

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood is facing a backlash after branding the Barcelona attack 'far right terrorism'

Ms Wood was criticised for politicising the atrocity amid claims she was unwilling to blame Islamists for terrorism

When the Welsh AM was asked by other users why she was not blaming ISIS, she insisted that ISIS was far right

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies condemned the tweet, which appeared to be referring to white supremacist violence in Virginia last week, as 'unacceptable'.

Fellow Tory assembly member Janet Finch-Saunders said the remarks were 'at best poorly timed and ill-judged, at worst cynical and morally depraved'.

'Politicising terror so fresh after an attack can never be acceptable, and only adds to the hysteria and toxicity of debate,' she said.

'As leader of a so-called progressive party, she should show some contrition by issuing an immediate apology and, if she doesn't, I think she should resign.'

In a message on her Facebook page she wrote: 'I am staggered by the reaction to the point that Isis and white supremacism both have far right ideologies driving them.

'Both see their group as superior to others. Both see people who are not in their group fair targets for abuse, violence and even death.

'Both hate minorities and consider women to be less than men. Both believe in using extreme violence to repress people with different views. This is far right/ fascism ideology. How can it not be?'

After a wave of criticism, Ms Wood posted a full reaction on Facebook saying 'western racists' were upset because they were being linked to ISIS

Ms Wood said the anger was because she was linking 'western racists and white supremacists to their number one hate target and shows them as no better than each other'.

Speaking from her country residence Chequers today, the Prime Minister condemned 'evil terrorism'.

'The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Spain in confronting and dealing with the evil of terrorism, and I have offered any assistance we can provide,' she said.

'Sadly I must tell you that we do believe that a number of British nationals were caught up in the attack and we are urgently looking into reports of a child believed missing, who is a British dual national.'

Lord Carlile of Berriew, a former adviser to the government on terror laws, called for tougher checks on vehicles after Barcelona became the latest European city hit by the terrorist tactic.

The peer, who was Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation from 2001 to 2011, warned it is 'all too easy for terrorist events using vehicles to occur'.

Ms Wood insisted that ISIS and white supremacists were driven by the same basic ideology

After Ms Wood said she was 'staggered' by the reaction to her post, Welsh Conservative leader said her words were 'unacceptable'

The Barcelona attack is thought to have been ISIS-inspired, and saw terrorists ram a van into pedestrians on a crowded street
Former President Barack Obama issued a heartfelt statement on Twitter in the wake of the Barcelona terror attack - a day after Donald Trump used a debunked story to apparently endorse the idea of mass executions for Islamist extremists in his own comments.

'Michelle and I are thinking of the victims and their families in Barcelona. Americans will always stand with our Spanish friends,' Obama wrote on Twitter on Thursday, adding 'Un abrazo', or 'A hug' in Spanish.

Fourteen people were killed and more than 100 others were injured after a van mowed down pedestrians in Barcelona, Spain, in what local authorities said was an act of terror. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

Obama's statement was in contrast to a comment made by current President Donald Trump referencing a false story about beating Islamic terrorism by shooting Muslims with bullets dipped in pigs' blood.

Former President Barack Obama issued a statement following Thursday's terror attack, saying he and his wife, Michelle, were 'thinking of the victims and their families in Barcelona'.

Obama's statement was in contrast to a comment made by current President Donald Trump referencing a false story about beating Islamic terrorism by shooting Muslims with bullets dipped in pigs' blood

Trump alluded to a widely debunked account of summary punishment by a US general in the Philippines in the early 1900s in a tweet shortly after the Barcelona terror attack.

'Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!' the president tweeted.

Trump had already issued simpler tweet 45 minutes earlier, writing: 'The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!'

But the reference to Gen. John 'Black Jack' Pershing inserted Trump into the day's most riveting news story in a way his White House could come to regret.

Thursday's tweet also suggested Trump actually believes a story of Pershing, who was the US governor of largely Muslim Moro province from 1909 to 1913, that many historians say is apocryphal.

There was criticism of the president for his use of it, with CNN anchor Jake Tapper calling it a 'lie', something unlikely to improve his network's relations with the White House.

President Donald Trump, pictured Tuesday during a press conference in New York, tweeted his response to Thursday's Barcelona terror attack by citing a military story that never happened

Trump's tweet about Gen. Pershing refers to a story he told on the campaign trail about deterring Muslim terrorists by capturing them and executing them with bullets dipped in pig's blood

Trump had already tweeted a more ordinary message of support, but his White House may come to regret the follow-up

At the time Pershing was in charge, the Philippines was a US colony. And Pershing's forces had to fight Muslim counterinsurgencies.

The debunked account - which Trump has referred to in the past - is as follows: Pershing's forces rounded up 50 Muslim insurgents and executed 49 of them with bullets dipped in pig's blood -- considered by Muslims to be unholy.

'You heard that, right?' Trump said as a candidate during a rally in February 2016 in South Carolina, alluding to the pig blood part.

'They were having terrorism problems, just like we do,' Trump said.

As the story goes, the 50th prisoner was released to tell his fellow fighters about what the Americans had done.

'And for 25 years, there wasn't a problem. Okay? Twenty-five years, there wasn't a problem,' Trump said.

Historians have expressed skepticism or outright denial that this event took place.

Criticism: Factchecking group PolitiFact rated Trump at the worst end of its scale of error, CNN ancor Jake Tapper called the tweet a 'lie', while Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu and anti-Trump Republican Bill Kristol were united in attacking the tweet

According to the fact checking website Politifact, the late military historian Frank Vandiver said in 2003, referring to Pershing: 'I never found any indication that it was true in extensive research on his Moro experiences. This kind of thing would have run completely against his character.'

Politifact quoted four historians who denied the account.

On Friday, the president began his morning Twitter binge on Friday by reassuring Americans that the country is safe following deadly the terror attacks in Spain.

But then he warned that jihadis are still a major threat, and castigated 'Obstructionist Democrats' for standing in the way of his border security goals by tying up his travel ban in federal court.

'Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble. Our borders are far tougher than ever before!' he wrote at first on Twitter.

Then, shifting gears, he added: 'The Obstructionist Democrats make Security for our country very difficult. They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!'

The fire and brimstone came minutes later.

'Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!' Trump tweeted.
Australia and India are demanding Commonwealth citizens get the same immigration rights as Europeans after Brexit.

The message has been underlined by Canberra's foreign minister, Julie Bishop, who said her country would be disappointed if there was not equal treatment.

The UK will end freedom of movement rules with the EU when we leave the bloc in 2019.

Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop, pictured with Boris Johnson in London earlier this year, has said her country will be disappointed if there is not equal treatment after Brexit

Ministers are currently drawing up plans for the replacement immigration system, with EU nationals still expected to be able to come to Britain visa-free.

They would need a permit in order to work or study after a period of time.

But Commonwealth countries are putting pressure on the government to make the system a level playing field.

Australia, New Zealand, India and Canada could use the issue as leverage in negotiations over future trade deals.

Earlier this year, the Australian high commissioner to the UK, Alexander Downer, called for greater access for Australian business in return for a deal.

Irudaya Rajan, an adviser to the Indian government on migration issues, said: Mobility issues are of importance to us. We cannot separate free movement of people from the free flow of goods, services and investments.

Theresa May, pictured at her Chequers country residence today, gave an indication of the government's plans for the immigration system after Brexit earlier this week insisting it would be as 'far as possible'

Theresa May gave an indication of the government's plans for the immigration system after Brexit earlier this week.

'We will have immigration rules and those will be for people coming from inside the European Union as today we have rules for people coming from outside the European Union,' she said.

Whats important is that were developing those with a recognition of the importance of ensuring we can still welcome people from EU countries to work and to visit the United Kingdom in future and ensuring we do that in the best and fairest way possible.
Family and friends are 'beside themselves' after it was revealed seven-year-old Sydney boy Julian Cadman was missing following the terror attack in Barcelona, where a van ploughed into crowds of people in the Los Ramblas mall on Thursday.

Those who know Julian and his mother, who has been hospitalised with serious injuries in the Spanish city and is believed to be in a coma, have made increasingly desperate pleas for information via social media.

Family friend Sarah Auzner shared a picture of the youngster, who was born and raised in Kent, but moved to Australia three years ago, and begged followers to share it widely.

'Please, please share his picture so he can be with his family,' she wrote.

'We are beside ourselves with worry.'

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Family and friends are sharing increasingly desperate pleas for information on the location of Julian Cadman, 7, who is missing in Barcelona following a terror attack which killed 14

The youngster became separated from his mother during the attack. She is now in a serious condition in a Barcelona hospital, suffering facial and spinal injuries and reportedly in a coma

Julian was travelling with his mother Jom at the time, and the pair were in Barcelona to attend the wedding of Mrs Cadman's niece. The boy's father, Andrew, stayed behind in Sydney to work.

Mrs Cadman has suffered spinal and facial injuries, Nine News reported.

Mr Cadman's boss Scott told 2GB the man had no idea his wife and child were in any danger before arriving at work about 6am on Friday and listening to the news. When he failed to make contact with them, he began to panic.

'He's on his way to the airport at the moment, but we found out about an hour later his son was with her and he's missing, and we haven't heard anything since.

'He's flying to Spain at the moment not knowing if his son is dead or alive.'

The man continued to say Mr Cadman was 'absolutely beside himself', and 'can't do much more than sort of put one foot in front of another at the moment'.

His aunt Maricar Querimit Estera shared her concerns via social media, asking followers to 'Pray for my nephew who still missing in [the] Barcelona attack'.

'Your family are waiting for you,' she added in what appeared to be a direct plea to Julian.

The boy, who is a student at St Bernadette's Primary in Lalor Park, is last believed to have been wearing a white collared shirt, aviator sunglasses and a printed cap.

Julian is believed to have been wearing a white collared shirt, aviator sunglasses and a printed cap when he was last seen

It is believed that Julian was born in Tunbridge Wells in Kent and raised in the UK, and his mother was travelling on a British passport.

Norma Canaveral, who is Jom's aunt  but is called 'granny' by Julian - told MailOnline: 'We are so worried. I am just waiting for news, hoping for good news.'

The 66-year-old, from London, added: 'I dont know what to say. His mother is in the hospital, she's OK, but she became separated from Julian and we dont know where he is. All we can do is wait.

'Julians a really sweet boy. He loves to dance, he's a lovely, bubbly boy.'

Julian's aunty Norma Canaveral, who he calls 'granny', says she is just waiting for news on the whereabouts of the seven-year-old

Julian's father Andrew is flying from Sydney to Spain to try and find his son

British Prime Minister Theresa May has also announced the UK will join the search, telling reporters they were 'urgently looking into' reports a dual citizen was missing.

Four Australians were injured in the attack, including Mrs Cadman, Sydney bank worker Suria Intan, who works at the Commonwealth Bank in Lidcombe, and two Victorian men who were hit by the attacker's van.

Ms Intan, who grew up in Indonesia, and had been travelling through Europe with three friends, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Suria Intan, a bank worker from Sydney, has been seriously injured in the terror attack

Ms Intan was due home this weekend, but is now lying in a Barcelona hospital bed with serious injuries.

The two Victorian men from Melbourne's west - both of whom were hit by the attacker's car - have been discharged after receiving treatment, one reportedly for head injuries.

The mother of a friend travelling with the two men told 3AW it was not until her son checked into his hotel that he was told his companions were 'involved in a terrorist attack, they are injured'.

On Friday afternoon, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said eight Australians in total were caught up in the horror that unfolded on Thursday - the four who were injured, three who have required consular support and the one unaccounted for.

'We are concerned, but we are working closely with authorities to determine the whereabouts of the one Australian unaccounted for,' Ms Bishop told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

Ms Intan had been travelling through Europe with friends and was due home this weekend

An Australian tourist is missing in Barcelona after the terror attack and four were injured

Eight Australians have been affected by the Barcelona terrorist attack - including one who was hit by the van, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said

Authorities said at least 13 people were killed in Thursday's attack - which has been claimed by Islamic State - and 100 more injured, 15 of them seriously.

However, Ms Bishop said Catalonian authorities have informed her that the death toll has reached 16.

She said there have been two other attacks are related to the Las Ramblas attack - one in the resort town of Cambrils, about 120km south of Barcelona, which police thwarted.

Five suspects were killed by police and six people were reportedly injured.

'At this stage there are no reports that any Australians were involved in the incident in Cambrils,' Ms Bishop said.

'There has also been reports of an explosion in a house in Alcanar, that is about 200km south of Barcelona.

'Again, there have been no reports at this stage of any Australians involved in that attack, but we believe one person has been killed.'

Earlier, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia stood in 'absolute resolute solidarity' with Spain in the battle against Islamist terrorism.

'This is a global battle against terrorism,' Mr Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

Early Friday, Catalan police posted a tweet saying they shot and killed four suspects and wounded a fifth in a resort town south of Barcelona.

They said officers 'shot down the perpetrators' to 'respond to a terrorist attack.'

It wasn't immediately clear from the tweet if the five shot were suspects in the Las Ramblas attack or were allegedly targeting another location.

Meanwhile, a young Australian woman spoke of how she cheated death for the third time this year.

Julia Monaco, 26, from Melbourne, was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago but she told 3AW's Neil Mitchell that she won't let it stop her from seeing the world.

In June, she was put in a lockdown on the London Underground while out with friends when terrorists plowed into people on London Bridge before going on a knife rampage in nearby Borough Market.

Days later, she was in Notre Dame in Paris when a police officer was stabbed outside the famous cathedral.

Julia Monaco was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday

'I don't feel like I want to go home,' she told Neil Mitchell on Friday morning.

'I feel like I want to stay here and not let them  whoever they may be  win.

'I'm going to see what I came here to see.'

Ms Monaco and her friends Alana Reader and Julia Rocca, also from Melbourne, were in the store on Placa de Catalyuna when they saw people outside running for their lives.

The doors were locked and she spoke of how she watched terrified pedestrians banging on the windows trying to get inside from the street.

'In a split second it all kind of changed and everyone just started running and panicking and running for their lives and crying and screaming and we were forced back into the store, told to get away from the windows and to get low on the ground,' she told Nine.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago. Pictured from left, Julia Rocca, Steph Lamb, Julia Monaco and Alana Reader on holiday in Rome

Ms Monaco said those inside huddled at the back of an Urban Outfitters store and were told to lie face-down on the floor and away from the windows.

When they were finally allowed to leave, they had to walk back to their hostel and avoid the numerous streets that had been closed by police.

'You just have to keep going. I'm sure though tomorrow morning my mum will say 'come home', but I don't think I've been scared out of travelling,' she added.

Melbourne man Michael Christou was about 300m from the initial scene of the Las Ramblas carnage and was also nearby when eight people including two Australians were killed in the London Bridge van attack in June.

'I think it's following me but you kind of come over here (to Europe) and you expect it to happen but you don't let it stop you from doing what you want to do.'

Australian Adam James and his wife, who was pushed over and suffered minor injuries as they ran from the scene, were in Istanbul last year when a police bus was blown up in a terror attack.

'It's happened again. It's a very real thing,' he said.

People react and stand around in the Las Ramblas area in Barcelona, Spain as police investigate a damaged van, believed to be the one used in the terror attack

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said 16 people were killed in the attack and at least 100 injured

Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the center of Barcelona, is one of the city's top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrian path in the center of the street while cars can travel on either side.

Police immediately cordoned off the city's broad avenue and ordered stores and nearby Metro and train stations to close.

Other witnesses also described horrific scenes and fearful crowds in the aftermath of the van attack, which has been claimed by the Islamic State.

MFB Commander Graeme O'Sullivan was one of the first responders at Melbourne's Bourke Street tragedy in January.

He and his wife saw the latest carnage unfold from the rooftop of their Barcelona hotel.

'We were up on the sixth floor roof terrace, just the pool area, enjoying a few drinks,' he told Nine.

'We could clearly hear thuds as the vehicle was running into people, and then a short time after that, obviously, several very loud sickening screams from the people involved down at street level.'

Mr O'Sullivan said the similarity to the Bourke Street Mall event was chilling.

'Bourke Street wasn't terrorism and this appears to be, but the result is still the same,' he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van plowed into the crowd

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa

Australian cyber safety expert Susan McLean was about 100m away as the van zigzagged down the busy avenue, mowing down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground.

'All of a sudden there was this tidal wave of people running from both Placa de Catalunya and Las Ramblas towards us screaming, crying and with absolute terror etched on their faces,' she told Nine Network on Friday.

'Several of them were calling 'gun, gun', so first of all we thought someone had been shot.

'Then they just kept sort of - it was all in Spanish, it was very difficult to understand - but they were sort of pushing us into shops.'

Ms McLean, who was separated from her husband in the panic, also said the scene reminded her of the Bourke Street Mall rampage.

'My first reaction was the Bourke Street massacre, because that is what it reminded me of - the vision of people fleeing in just such terror,' she said.

Keith Fleming, and American living in Barcelona, said he was watching television in his building on a side street just off Las Ramblas when he heard a noise and went out to the balcony to investigate.

He says he saw 'women and children just running and they looked terrified.'

Mr Fleming heard a bang, possibly from someone rolling down a store shutter, as more people raced by.

He said armed police arrived and pushed everyone a full block down the street.

Australian witnesses described the attack as reminiscent of the Bourke Strert Mall rampage in January (above)

State-owned broadcaster RTVE reported that investigators think two vans were used - one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

The attack in the northeastern Spanish city was the country's deadliest since 2004, when al-Qaeda-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated attacks on Madrid's commuter trains.

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa.

Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016, killing 86 people.

In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked trick to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

There have been multiple attacks this year in London, where a man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June.

Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a north London mosque later in June.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has publicly condemned Donald Trump's handling of the racially-fueled violence in Virginia in a scathing online video.

After the US president blamed 'both sides' of the clashes, the bodybuilder-turned-Governor of California delivered his own response to the white supremacist march in Charlottesville.

'As President of the United States, and as a Republican, I reject the support of white supremacists,' Schwarzenegger said in the video recorded for Attn and shared on social media.

'I knew the original Nazis, because you see, I was born in Austria in 1947,' Schwarzenegger said in the clip.

'Growing up, I was surrounded by broken men... men who came home from a war filled with shrapnel and guilt. Men who were misled into a losing ideology. And I can tell you: that these ghosts you idolize spent the rest of their lives living in shame.'

'And right now, they're resting in hell.'

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Arnold Schwarzenegger has publicly condemned Donald Trump's handling of the racially-fueled violence in Virginia in a scathing online video

During the clip Arnie grabs a Donald Trump bobble head doll and asks: 'Was it that difficult?'

He went on to say Trump had a 'moral responsibility' to unequivocally speak out against hate groups, adding: 'There are not two sides to bigotry.

'There are not two sides to hatred. And if you choose to march with a flag that symbolizes the slaughter of millions of people, there are not two sides.

'The only way to beat the loud, angry voices of hate is to meet them with louder, more reasonable voices. And that includes you, President Trump.'

He added: 'The country that defeated Hitler's armies is no place for Nazi flags. The party of Lincoln won't stand with those who carry the battle flags of the failed Confederacy.'

Parts of Schwarzenegger's video shows white supremacists marching as the actor says 'I know you weren't born with these hateful views'

Schwarzenegger, who took over as host from Trump on NBC's 'Celebrity Apprentice', and has previously sparred with the president on social media over the shows ratings

Schwarzenegger, 70, who took over as host from Trump on NBC's 'Celebrity Apprentice', and has previously sparred with the president on social media over the shows ratings, added: 'In fact, as president of this great country, you have a moral responsibility to send an unequivocal message: you won't stand for hate and racism.

'Now let me help you write your speech a little bit: As president of the United States, and as a Republican, I reject the support of white supremacists.'

He then grabs a Donald Trump bobble head doll and asked: 'Was it that difficult?'

After the US president blamed 'both sides' of the clashes, the bodybuilder-turned-Governor of California delivered his own response to the white supremacist march in Charlottesville

The actor also addresses the protesters directly in the video adding: 'Neo-Nazis, the white nationalists, and the neo-Confederates.

'Let me be just as blunt as possible: Your heroes are losers.

'It's never too late to make the choices to learn and to evolve, and to understand that all human beings have equal value,' Schwarzenegger advises.

'Those of you who have been silent, you must also evolve. I learned a long time ago that the only way we can eliminate hatred is to face it head on.'

Trump was widely criticized after suggesting there were 'fine people' among the neo-Nazis who marched in Virginia before defending confederacy as a 'beautiful part of America's history'.

Heather Heyer, 32, was killed during the demonstrations and a dozen people were injured when a driver plowed his vehicle into a crowd of anti-racist protesters.

The former California governor also pledged to donate $100,000 to anti-hate organisation the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Schwarzenegger and Trump have locked horns before. Earlier this year they came to blows on Twitter over the ratings on the latest season of the Celebrity Apprentice.

The opening episode with Schwarzenegger as host got 4.95million viewers, and its finale pulled in just 3.5million - both getting less than the last Trump-helmed episode of the show, which received 6.1million viewers.

Overall the season had an average viewership of 4.9million, considerably less than the previous season's 7.6million.

News of the first episode's rocky start led to Trump making snide remarks about Schwarzenegger's performance.

'Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got 'swamped' (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT,' Trump tweeted on January 6.

'So much for being a movie star - and that was season 1 compared to season 14. Now compare him to my season 1.'

Schwarzenegger hit back on a Twitter video, saying ' Hey Donald, I have a great idea: Why don't we switch jobs?

'You take over TV because you're such an expert in ratings, and I take over your job, so then people can finally sleep comfortably again.'

Trump later ripped into Schwarzenegger again while hosting a prayer breakfast, asking people there to pray for his ratings.
A group of six high-ranking NYPD officers had to cancel their trip to Afghanistan last week after two of them, including Deputy Chief Scott Shanley (pictured), got drunk at an airport bar, according to a new report

Six high-ranking NYPD officials had to cancel their flight to Afghanistan last week, when crew members complained about two of them being too drunk to fly, according to a new report.

The six cops were supposed to fly to the Middle Eastern country for a week, to teach counter-terrorism and crime-fighting tactics to American soldiers who train Afgan officers, according to a police source who spoke to the New York Daily News.

When they arrived at Baltimore-Washington International Airport on August 10, they learned their Army-chartered flight had been delayed three hours so they went to an airport restaurant to get dinner and drinks.

One police official who spoke to the Daily News said they only had 'a few' drinks while they waited for their flight, and that they weren't armed.

But when they boarded the flight, crew members questioned whether two of the men, Deputy Chief Scott Shanley (head of the department's Critical Response Command) and Counterterroism Capt. Daniel Magee, were sober enough to fly.

Among the others in the group were Counterterrorism Chief John Waters and Lt. Chris Zimmerman, commander of the hostage negotiation team.

NYPD Counterterrorism Chief John Waters (left) and Lt. Chris Zimmerman (right, commander of the hostage negotiation team) were among the others in the group, who planned to spend a week training American soldiers on counterterrorism and crime-fighting tactics

A police source says the six cops then started arguing with the crew, with Magee yelling.

But a police official described the confrontation as a simple 'discussion'.

'There was no argument,' the source told the Daily News. '[Chief of Counterterrorism James Waters] spoke to the crew. There's a feeling that the crew kind of overreacted.'

Eventually, Waters decided that his whole group should get off the flight, since they couldn't go to Afghanistan with a partial team.

The group returned to the city, and they are planning a make-up trip for October.

'Look, no one feels good about it, but they are still going to do it probably in October,' a police official said.

A police spokesman, Deputy Commissioner Stephen Davis, said the department is looking into the incident.

'I am aware of no misconduct that occurred,' said Roy Richter, president of the NYPD Captains Endowment Association. 'This was a training operation that has been delayed and will be rescheduled sometime in the future.'
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A probe panel appointed by local government into the deaths of over 60 children at a medical college hospital in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh has blamed lack of oxygen and financial irregularities, officials said Thursday.

The panel has called for a full-scale investigation and pointed out mismanagement at the hands of two senior doctors.

"It found the hospital's logs about supply of oxygen were in a mess and raised suspicions about corruption and mismanagement in the hospital," an official said.

Initially the local government denied that the deaths had resulted from oxygen shortage in the hospital.

Reports said the inquiry found funds meant to pay the vendor were held despite reminders that defaulting on payment could have serious consequences.

The local government came under fire last week for around 60 deaths at neonatal intensive care unit of the government medical college hospital, Gorakhpur.

Authorities have promised stringent action against those found guilty and suspended the principal for derelict and removed head of the encephalitis ward from his post.

Many parents who lost their children alleged that the deaths were caused by disruption in oxygen supply in the hospital.
Sweden has rejected the asylum application of the 'world's oldest refugee' and have ordered that she return home to her native Afghanistan.

Bibihal Uzbeki, 106, fled Afghanistan via Iran, Turkey and Greece before ending up in Sweden.

During their journey, Uzbeki's son and grandchildren took turns to carry her on their backs.

105-years-old: Bibihal Uzbeki from Kunduz, Afghanistan, rests in Croatia's main refugee camp

A helping hand: Volunteers help 105-year-old Uzbeki at a refugee camp in Croatia

The 106-year-old from Kunduz, Afghanistan has been told to leave after her application was rejected in June, reports The Local.

However if another country offers her refuge, she can also seek asylum there.

She has appealed the decision to the Migration Court.

Centenarian Bibihal Uzbeki, crossed into Croatia on a stretcher from Serbia

Seeking shelter: Uzbeki has been named the 'world's oldest refugee' by international media

Uzbeki has been nicknamed the 'world's oldest refugee' by international media after she was interviewed in a Croatian migrant camp in 2015.

That year 163,000 people sought asylum in Sweden.

In 2015, she told The Guardian: 'I fell and injured my head. I have scars on my head.'

The family had a difficult journey to Sweden with her son telling newspaper Skaraborg Lans tidning: 'It was a difficult journey for the whole family. We carried her until we reached Germany, there a doctor finally gave us a wheelchair.'

In 2016, almost 70,000 people were given protection in Sweden after seeking asylum. 1,889 additional refugees were granted permits to enter the country under the annual refugee quota.

According to Tolo News, applications of over half of Afghan refugees seeking asylum in Sweden have had their application denied.

There have been protests in support of the refugees denied asylum.
A teenager on his P-plates has appeared in court for a series of driving offences after he was allegedly caught by police doing burnouts outside Sydney Motorsport Park.

Jacob Smith is believed to have done the burnouts outside the Eastern Creek track in his Toyota Carolla with up to four people hanging off the side, 9 News reports.

The 18-year-old fled from officers who were called to the out-of-control meet for car enthusiasts.

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Teenager Jacob Smith (pictured) has appeared in court for a series of driving offences after he was allegedly caught by police doing burnouts outside Sydney Motorsport Park

He is believed to have done the burnouts outside the Eastern Creek track in his Toyota Carolla with up to four people hanging off the side

Police say he reversed before running from his car when the highway patrol arrived to the scene overrun with people, smoke and burning tyres.

Two hours later he turned himself in and Blacktown Police Station.

Inspector Phil Brooks is appreciative of anyone who uploads the footage online.

The 18-year-old fled from officers who were called to the out of control meet for car enthusiasts

Two hours after running from police Smith (pictured) turned himself in and Blacktown Police Station

'People won't accept this kind of behaviour, they'll record that footage and send it to us in the hope we can prosecute those people and put them off our roads,' he said.

Smith is yet to enter a plea however has been banned from driving and his car was confiscated until his case his heard in October.

He is facing dangerous driving and aggravated burnout charges while completing a traffic offenders program.
The IPCC found South Yorkshire Police missed multiple opportunities to stop paedophile rock star Ian Watkins

Police ignored repeated warnings from the ex-girlfriend of paedophile rock star Ian Watkins, the Independent Police Complains Commission has found.

Joanne Mjadzelics took a laptop three times to Doncaster Police Station between March and May 2012  claiming Watkins had sent her an indecent image of child  but South Yorkshire Police officers failed to examine it.

The IPCC has investigated the force and found their inaction may have left a child at risk for several months.

The watchdog has concluded that three officers would have a case to answer for gross misconduct but as each has retired following 30 years' service, no further action can be taken.

One officer will face a misconduct hearing over allegations of an inappropriate remark being made to Ms Mjadzelics.

The IPCC had not been due to release its findings until later but it sent a document in error to the Yorkshire Post newspaper, which then published details about the inquiry on its website.

South Yorkshire Police has tonight apologised to Ms Mjadzelics becayse she 'received a service that was unacceptable with no support'.

One officer will face a misconduct hearing over allegations of an inappropriate remark being made to Ms Mjadzelics

Joanne Mjadzelics took a laptop three times to Doncaster Police Station between March and May 2012  claiming Watkins had sent her an indecent image of child  but South Yorkshire Police officers failed to examine it

When they viewed the alleged indecent image of a child, officers believed it was a close-up of an adult

Watkins, 40, was jailed for 29 years in 2013 for a string of serious sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby.

In March 2012, South Wales Police asked colleagues in South Yorkshire to assist with allegations made by Ms Mjadzelics who was living in the force area at the time.

Initially, the Safer Neighbourhood Team was tasked to respond, rather than specialists from the Public Protection Unit (PPU).

Watkins, 40, was jailed for 29 years in 2013 for a string of serious sex offences including the attempted rape of a baby. He is pictured performing at the Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street in 2004

That led to an officer with no training in child sex abuse investigations or in handling evidence in computer-related offences conducting an initial meeting at the police station.

The IPCC said the constable did not view any image, and there was no determined effort to ascertain whether Ms Mjadzelics had evidence of child sexual abuse.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE'S LITANY OF DISASTERS Hillsborough: The force came under fire during the inquests for 'retelling discredited lies'. An email sent by David Crompton said the families' version of events had 'become the truth even though it wasn't'. Rotherham: The Jay report in 2014 sparked a national scandal as it was revealed 1,400 children raped, trafficked and abused in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Miners' Strike: In 2012, a BBC documentary revealed officers may have colluded to write court statements and the force had to refer itself to the IPCC. A public inquiry into alleged police brutality at the so-called Battle of Orgreave will go ahead. Cliff Richard: Sir Cliff Richard's home was searched by South Yorkshire police in connection with child sex offences but no charges were ever brought. Mr Crompton was accused of incompetance by MPs over the handling of the affair. Chopper Copper: PC Adrian Pogmore, 51, as a 'sex-obsessed peeping Tom' was convicted jailed earlier this month for spying on a couple having sex from his police helicopter. Four other officers were cleared of all charges. Advertisement

Two months later a constable from the PPU was told to seize the laptop and to take a statement from the rocker's ex-girlfriend but this did not happen.

When they viewed the alleged indecent image of a child, officers believed it was a close-up of an adult.

This was on the third time she had visited the police station.

The IPCC also said a police constable involved could have made inappropriate remarks about why Ms Mjadzelics was making the allegations about Watkins.

The laptop was subsequently destroyed prior to Watkins' arrest.

Ms Mjadzelics subsequently complained that South Yorkshire Police did not examine the computer properly, and also that a female officer had used inappropriate language towards her on one occasion.

IPCC Commissioner Jan Williams said: 'Having taken into consideration the nature and seriousness of Ms Mjadzelics' allegations against Watkins, the inaction of some South Yorkshire police officers involved may have placed a child at risk of further abuse for several months.

'The evidence suggests there was a general view among officers at Doncaster that Ms Mjadzelics was not to be taken seriously, and consequently enquiries were not progressed as they should have been.

'It is concerning that a neighbourhood police constable without specific training or support, rather than an officer from a specialist team, was expected to view and make judgement on a potential image of child sexual abuse.

The IPCC said the constable did not view any image, and there was no determined effort to ascertain whether Ms Mjadzelics had evidence of child sexual abuse

The IPCC also said a police constable involved could have made inappropriate remarks about why Ms Mjadzelics was making the allegations about Watkins

Watkins, the former frontman of the band Lostprophets, pleaded guilty on November 26, 2013 to the attempted rape of a baby and a string of other child sex offences

'South Yorkshire Police did not handle a request for assistance from South Wales Police thoroughly.

'I have recommended they create a policy document setting out what is expected of officers in collaborating on serious offence investigations.'

South Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable David Hartley said that the Force entirely accepts the findings of the IPCC investigation in the handling of the allegations made concerning Ian Watkins.

He said: 'Our handling of this matter fell far below the standard the public or we as a service would expect, and I would like to offer my sincere apologies to Ms Mjadzelics as she received a service that was unacceptable with no support.

South Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable David Hartley said that the Force entirely accepts the findings of the IPCC investigation. Watkins is played performing at Reading Festival in August 2004

South Yorkshire Police's Assistant Chief Constable added that 'training has been provided to front line staff from all agencies to improve the awareness and recognition of CSA and CSE'

'Ms Mjadzelics had a right to expect, and demand better from South Yorkshire Police.

'The Force has made significant organisational and structural change to best serve the victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) child sexual exploitation (CSE) over the last few years.

'Five separate trials for CSA and CSE related crimes have resulted in the conviction of 24 offenders, with over 300-years imprisonment.

'Additional resources have been invested and we have set up multi-agency CSE teams across South Yorkshire, which include representatives from Social Care, the NHS and Barnado's. All have well established links with other support agencies.

'We wholly accept the recommendations set out by the IPCC in this report and we are actively progressing them to continue to improve and provide the highest level of this vital service to the public,' Mr Hartley added.

'CSA investigative teams are also now located alongside partners to ensure a multi-agency approach and that information is shared.

'Training has been provided to front line staff from all agencies to improve the awareness and recognition of CSA and CSE. We also work closely with survivors to improve our response and develop training for future learning.

'As a service we have made many improvements, but we fully recognise there is more to do and further lessons to be learned to develop our service to be the very best it can be.

'In March 2016, Professor John Drew published the findings of his independent review in to South Yorkshire Police's response to child sexual exploitation.

'His report found that 'considerable lessons had been learned' and that there had been 'significant improvements' since the Jay Report was published in 2014.

'We wholly accept the recommendations set out by the IPCC in this report and we are actively progressing them to continue to improve and provide the highest level of this vital service to the public.'
The Republican Party's collective response to Donald Trump's handling of the Charlottesville race riots turned uglier on Friday.

Mitt Romney, the failed 2012 GOP presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor whom Trump has bashed relentlessly for more than two years, lashed out against him on Facebook for what he said was a hamfisted message during Tuesday's press conference  and demanded a full-throated apology from the president.

Trump on Monday firmly condemned neo-Nazis and white supremacists whose violence over the weekend in Virginia led to three deaths. But a day later he equivocated, saying 'both sides' of the clashes there deserved blame, including leftist counter-protesters.

The resulting uproar has seen Trump isolated from others in his party and led to mass resignations from his business advisory boards and a major arts and humanities council.

Former 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney blasted Donald Trump on Friday and demanded a public apology for his post-Charlottesville comments on Tuesday

Trump condemned white supremacists on Monday but said a day later that leftist counter-protesters in Virginia shared some of the blame for violence that led to three deaths

Romney wrote on Facebook that Trump hasn't been nearly unequivocal enough in his criticism of neo-Nazis

'The president must take remedial action in the extreme,' Romney wrote on Friday. 'He should address the American people, acknowledge that he was wrong, apologize. State forcefully and unequivocally that racists are 100% to blame for the murder and violence in Charlottesville.'

'Testify that there is no conceivable comparison or moral equivalency between the Nazis--who brutally murdered millions of Jews and who hundreds of thousands of Americans gave their lives to defeat--and the counter-protestors who were outraged to see fools parading the Nazi flag, Nazi armband and Nazi salute.

'And once and for all, he must definitively repudiate the support of David Duke and his ilk and call for every American to banish racists and haters from any and every association.'

Public comments on the Facebook post ran nearly universally against Romney on Friday, with Trump supporters writing they were 'disappointed' and that they had 'lost all respect' for him.

Trump's remoteness from the rest of the GOP has become so severe that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, a longtime ally of the president's, sounded a loud alarm Friday morning.

'I think he's in a position right now where he's much more isolated than he realizes,' Gingrich said in a Fox News Channel interview.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black Republican in the Senate, warned Thursday that Trump's moral authority is compromised

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (left) backed up Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake (right) a day after Trump blasted Flake as 'toxic'

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Friday on Fox News that Trump is 'more isolated than he thinks' as one Republican after another refuses to stand with him

On [Capitol] Hill he has far more people willing to sit to one side and not help him right now, and I think that he needs to recognize that he's taken a good first step with bringing in General Kelly, but he needs to think about what has not worked.'

'You don't get down to 35 percent approval and have people in your own party shooting at you and conclude that everything's going fine,' Gingrich said.

One of Trump's newest detractors, South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, said in a Thursday interview with VICE that the president's comments show that his 'moral authority is compromised.'

'I'm not going to defend the indefensible,' said Scott, the only black Republican in the U.S. Senate.

Trump's comments on Monday 'were strong,' he added. 'His comments on Tuesday started erasing the comments that were strong.'

'What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised when Tuesday happened. Theres no question about that.'

Scott said he hasn't yet abandoned hope of working with Trump on areas of legislation where they agree. But 'the president's coattails are shorter' than before, he added, signaling political difficulty in aligning with the White House on practically anything.

Trump clobbered Sen. Flake Thursday on Twitter and hinted at endorsing his likely GOP primary opponent next year

Sen. McConnell came to Flake's rescue one day later, praising him as 'excellent' and 'tireless'

On Thursday another GOP senator, Bob Corker of Tennessee, warned that Trump has not displayed the 'stability' or 'competence' needed to succeed in the Oval Office.

He also said Trump 'recently has not demonstrated that he understands the character of this nation.'

And on Friday morning the Republican leader of the Senate, Kentuckian Mitch McConnell, backed up colleague Jeff Flake of Arizona  whom Trump had labeled as 'toxic' a day before.

'Jeff Flake is an excellent Senator and a tireless advocate for Arizona and our nation. He has my full support,' McConnell tweeted.

Trump is expected to endorse a more conservative primary challenger to Flake next week when he holds a rally in Phoenix.

'Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!' Trump tweeted.

Flake took Monday to bash Trump on immigration, calling for changes to the president's plan that would severely limit legal immigration.

Writing in a New York Times op-ed, Flake agreed with Trump that 'it is right to give priority, through a point system or otherwise, to those who have skills and abilities unique to the new economy.'

But he also insisted that low-skill laborers should be welcomed equally.

'[T]here must always be a place in America for those whose only initial credentials are a strong back and an eagerness to use it,' Flake wrote.
This is the emotional moment a crowd burst into spontaneous applause to show their respect for police officers standing guard in Plaza de Catalonia, Barcelona.

The attacks yesterday evening saw drivers ram their vehicles through throngs of pedestrians - first in Barcelona on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard and later in the nearby seaside town of Cambrils, killing 14 in total and injuring over 100.

The attack in Barcelona took place on Thursday afternoon in broad daylight, with witnesses recounting how a van pushed through the crowd, leaving bodies strewn along the avenue as other people fled for their lives.

Thousands of police officers have flooded the city and the region to ensure the safety of locals and tourists.

In the moving video, a wall of people can be seen giving a resounding chorus of applause to the uniformed officers.

A number of police vans can also be seen lining the avenue.

The video was uploaded to Twitter earlier today and has been shared thousands of times.

The uploader said: 'Spontaneous applause and recognition [for the police] today in Plaza de Catalonia.'

One commenter wrote online: 'Thank you for protecting us... you are heroes and never paid enough.'

This is the emotional moment a crowd burst into spontaneous applause to show their respect for police officers standing guard in Plaza de Catalonia, Barcelona

Thousands of police officers have flooded the city and the region to ensure the safety of locals and tourists

Meanwhile, Spanish police have not yet identified the driver of a van that ploughed into crowds in the tourist hotspot in Barcelona and are still searching for him, the regional police commander said on Friday.

Investigators were also trying to pin down links between the Barcelona attackers and a group of five assailants, armed with an axe and knives and wearing fake explosive belts, who were shot dead by police hours later in a seaside resort further down the Mediterranean coast.

The van driver fled after speeding along a pedestrianised section of Las Ramblas, the most famous boulevard in Barcelona, leaving a trail of dead and injured in the latest of a string of attacks across Europe in which militants have used vehicles as weapons.

In the moving video, a wall of people can be seen giving a resounding chorus of applause to the uniformed officers

The video was uploaded to Twitter earlier today and has been shared thousands of times

Police chief Josep Lluis Trapero told a news conference that the driver may or may not be among the five people killed in the resort of Cambrils, 120 km (75 miles) from Barcelona, in the early hours of Friday after they drove their car at pedestrians and police officers.

A Spanish woman was killed in the Cambrils incident, while several other civilians and a police officer were injured.

Police have arrested four people in connection with the attacks, three of them Moroccan and one from Spain's North African enclave of Melilla, Trapero said. They were aged between 21 and 34, and none had a history of terrorism-related activities.
Two CIA torture psychologists, who were paid $80miliion by the government to develop interrogation techniques, made a secret settlement to avoid going to trial.

James Mitchell and John 'Bruce' Jessen were contracted by the agency to design the department's harsh interrogation program used in the war on terror following the September 11 attacks.

The two psychologists were sued by two living ex-detainees and one who died of hypothermia after brutal questioning in US custody, alleging they were illegally tortured using the men's methods.

Mitchell and Jessen, who were paid around $80million for their work, reportedly developed and administered techniques that included waterboarding, stuffing detainees into coffin-like boxes, starvation and sleep deprivation.

In a deal announced on Thursday, the men have agreed to secretly settle the suit, avoiding the civil jury trial that was scheduled to begin next month.

James Mitchell (left) and John 'Bruce' Jessen (right) were paid $80million by the CIA to develop the program's interrogation techniques after 9/11. They secretly settled a suit on Thursday, in which ex-detainees claimed they were illegally tortured using the men's methods

The psychologists reportedly developed and administered techniques that included waterboarding, stuffing detainees into coffin-like boxes, starvation and sleep deprivation. Pictured: Graphic on controversial CIA interrogation techniques outlined in a memo released by the US Justice Department in 2009

The landmark lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2015 marked the first time the CIA or its private contractors have been held accountable for the torture program, said professor Deborah Pearlstein of the Cardozo Law School in New York.

The deal avoided what would have been the first public trial of the CIA's use of torture on suspected Al-Qaeda members.

But it also allowed Jessen and Mitchell, who were recruited by the CIA in 2002, to maintain that they personally had nothing to do with the use of waterboarding, extreme stress positions and beatings on detainees.

Jessen said a statement: 'Neither Dr. Mitchell nor I knew about, condoned, participated in, or sanctioned the unauthorized actions that formed the basis for this lawsuit.

'We served our country at a time when freedom and safety hung in the balance.'

The two were paid around $80million for their work, which included helping interrogate Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks by Al-Qaeda, and Abu Zubaydah, another top Qaeda suspect.

Suleiman Abdullah Salim (left) and Mohamed Ben Soud (right) were two of the plaintiffs in the suit. They claim they were subjected to waterboarding, daily beatings and sleep deprivation in secret CIA sites. They were later released after officials determined they posed no threat

The suit accused Mitchell and Jessen of responsibility for the CIA's use of torture methods on the three detainees, Tanzanian Suleiman Abdullah Salim, Libyan Mohamed Ahmed Ben Soud, and Gul Rahman of Afghanistan.

Rahman, an Afghan, was taken from his home in Pakistan in 2002 to a secret CIA prison in Afghanistan.

He died of hypothermia weeks later after being shackled to a floor in near-freezing conditions, and the ACLU described his time as two weeks of brutal torture.

The ACLU had sought to pin responsibility in part on the psychologists, as well as gain a significant financial award for the men and Rahman's family.

The lawsuit claimed the psychologists designed, implemented and personally administered an experimental torture program.

The techniques they developed included waterboarding, slamming the three men into walls, stuffing them inside coffin-like boxes, exposing them to extreme temperatures, starving them and keeping them awake for days, the ACLU said.

According to the lawsuit, Salim and Ben Soud both were subjected to waterboarding, daily beatings and sleep deprivation in secret CIA sites.

Salim and Ben Soud were later released after officials determined they posed no threat.

The suit against the men was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2015. The deal avoided what would have been the first public trial of the CIA's use of torture on suspected Al-Qaeda members

A U.S. Senate investigation in 2014 found that Mitchell and Jessen's techniques produced no useful intelligence. President Barack Obama terminated the contract in 2009.

Mitchell and Jessen previously worked at the Air Force survival school at Fairchild Air Force Base outside Spokane, where they trained pilots to avoid capture and resist interrogation and torture.

The CIA hired them to reverse-engineer their methods to break terrorism suspects.

The ACLU and lawyers for the defendants declined to give any details of the settlement, including whether any money would be paid as part of it.

In the settlement statement, the plaintiffs stood by their allegations that Mitchell and Jansen had responsibility for the extreme interrogation methods used on them.

However, they said afterward, 'We brought this case seeking accountability and to help ensure that no one else has to endure torture and abuse, and we feel that we have achieved our goals.'

'We were able to tell the world about horrific torture, the CIA had to release secret records, and the psychologists and high-level CIA officials were forced to answer our lawyers' questions,' they said.

James Smith, the main lawyer for Mitchell and Jensen, said the treatment of the three, while regrettable, was not the fault of his clients.

'If this case had gone forward, the facts would have borne out that while the plaintiffs suffered mistreatment by some of their captors, none of that mistreatment was conducted, condoned or caused by Drs. Mitchell and Jessen,' Smith said.
Glyn Knowles, 50, travelled to the boy's home town of Bishop's Stortford hoping to meet the youngster for sex

An acting head teacher at a 14,000 a year school was caught by a paedophile hunter when he tried to meet a 15-year-old for sex after grooming him on the dating app Grindr.

Glyn Knowles, 50, travelled to the boy's home town of Bishop's Stortford hoping to meet the youngster for sex.

However he had caught in a sting and the boy he had been sending explicit messages to was in fact an investigative journalist.

He was therefore stopped in his car by police who had been alerted and he was arrested.

Knowles, who was acting head teacher at the Cambridge International School, was today jailed for a year after he pleaded guilty at St Albans crown court to attempting to meet a boy under the age of 16 following grooming.

The court heard that in July this year Knowles badgered who he thought was a 15-year-old boy for naked photographs and to engage in sex on the Grindr dating app using a false name showing his photograph.

In his first message to the 'boy', the head teacher said 'Hi, nice pic mate, very sexy.'

He even sent the 'boy' a picture of himself in his underwear and asked him intimate questions about sex.

The boy was in fact a 'paedophile hunter' who was a member of a group known as Child Sexual Exploitation [CSE] Interceptors.

The communication with the 'boy' continued for two days and Knowles arranged to visit the 'teenager' in his house for 'sexual activities'.

But Knowles was in fact met by police as he arrived at the meeting point at The Causeway in Bishop's Stortford at 2.30pm on July 14.

Knowles, who was acting head teacher at the Cambridge International School, was today jailed for a year after he pleaded guilty at St Albans crown court to attempting to meet a boy under the age of 16 following grooming

After Knowles' arrest it emerged that parents of pupils at Cambridge International School had raised concerns about his activities on social media including images of 'scantily dressed' men and links to an 'I love boys' page.

The school launched an investigation but cleared Knowles of any wrongdoing.

When Knowles was first quizzed by police he claimed he hadn't wanted to meet the youngster for sex but rather talk to him and advise him on how to use the internet safely.

Chris Whitehouse, defending, said Knowles now recognised his career was in 'tatters' and he would never teach again.

Mr Whitehouse said Knowles had already sought help and was seeing a counsellor.

Passing sentence Judge Bright told Knowles he had pleaded guilty to 'a really serious offence.'

The judge said it was clear Knowles wanted to meet the boy for sex.

He told him: 'You were responsible for the protection of children, not the abuse of children.'

He jailed Knowles for 12 months and said he would be made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and his name would also be added to the sex offenders register.
All but one of the members of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities resigned on Friday in response to Donald Trump's comments on the violence that erupted at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The 16 resigning members of the committee, including actor Kal Penn and artist Chuck Close, were selected by former President Barack Obama during his term and held on to their positions when Trump came into office.

Penn announced that the remaining committee members were resigning in a letter he shared on Twitter. The first letter of each paragraph spells out 'RESIST' - potentially referring to the ongoing 'resistance' movement among Democrats.

'Ignoring your hateful rhetoric would have made us complicit in your words and actions,' they wrote in the letter. 'We took a patriotic oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.'

First Lady Melania Trump is the honorary chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

The 16 resigning members of the committee, including House actor Kal Penn (pictured), cited Donald Trump's comments on the violence that erupted at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, as a reason for resigning

Artist Chuck Close was among the 16 members of the committee who announced in a joint statement that they were resigning on Friday

The 16 resigning members of the committee were selected by former President Barack Obama during his term and held on to their positions when Trump came into office

Penn announced that the remaining committee members were resigning in a letter he shared on Twitter. The first letter of each paragraph spells out 'RESIST'

First Lady Melania Trump is the honorary chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. All of the members were appointed by Obama, pictured above with Penn

Members who have signed the letter include: Penn, Close, Paula Boggs, Richard Cohen, Fred Goldring, Howard L. Gottlieb, Vicki Kennedy, Jhumpa Lahiri, Anne Luzzatto, Thom Mayne, Eric Ortner, Ken Solomon, Caroline Taylor, Jill Cooper Udall, Andrew Weinstein, and John Lloyd Young.

The only member not signing was Broadway director George C Wolfe. Representatives for Wolfe at Creative Arts Agency did not have any immediate comment on whether he had resigned.

A number of committee members quit after Trump was elected president in November 2016, and those who remained were all appointed by Obama.

They had agreed to remain on the committee until Trump named their replacements, and eight months into his presidency, he had not done so.

Their letter on Friday said: 'Supremacy, discrimination, and vitriol are not American values. Your values are not American values. We must be better than this. We are better than this. If this is not clear to you, then we call on you to resign your office, too.'

Former Starbucks executive and musician Paula Boggs was one of the 16 to sign the resignation letter

Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen (left) and entertainment lawyer Fred Goldring (right) have also resigned on the committee

Investment banker and accomplished violinist Howard Gottlieb (left, with Emanuel Ax and Barbara Greis) also resigned

Lawyer Victoria Anne Reggie Kennedy, who is the second wife and widow of longtime US Senator Ted Kennedy, is also resigning

A day earlier, Trump has abandoned plans to create an infrastructure advisory council, the White House said on Thursday, the day after two other advisory groups were dismantled over the furor caused by Trump's remarks on white supremacists.

'The President's Advisory Council on Infrastructure, which was still being formed, will not move forward,' a White House official said.

On Wednesday, Trump disbanded two high-profile advisory groups after several chief executives quit in protest over his remarks blaming violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend on anti-racism activists as well as white nationalists.

Trump said he dissolved the American Manufacturing Council and the Strategic and Policy Forum 'rather than putting pressure' on its members, although both groups were preparing to disband on their own when Trump made his announcement on Twitter.

The snubs from chief executives raised questions about Trump's ability to marshal the business community behind his policy goals.

Author Jhumpa Lahiri (left) and chairman of Ovation TV, Ken Solomon (right), also signed the letter of resignation

Anne Luzzatto (pictured center with Gordon Litwin and Victoria Harmon), who also served as Obama-Biden Transition Team review lead for the National Endowment for the Arts, resigned on Friday

Architect Thom Mayne was among the 16 to resign on Friday. The only person not to resign from the council was Broadway director George C Wolfe

Producer and talent manager Eric Ortner (left) and singer John Lloyd Young were among those resigning on Friday

Long-time arts advocate Jill Cooper Udall, left with William Adams, resigned from the committee on Friday

Caroline Taylor, the wife of singer James Taylor (pictured together above) also resigned on Friday

Trump blamed white nationalists and counter-protesters in equal measure for the weekend clashes that left one woman dead.

The president accused the protesters, who rallied against neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups in Charlottesville, of being 'very, very violent'.

Trump's assessment that there was 'blame on both sides' for the deadly melee sparked a rare comment on current affairs from his two Republican predecessors, George Bush and George W Bush, who called on Americans to 'reject racial bigotry... in all its forms'.

Trump's defiant statements, delivered on Tuesday at Trump Tower and immediately hailed by a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan for their 'courage', left many lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats alike, speechless.

The arts and humanities committee was established in 1982 under President Ronald Reagan

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
A make-up artist to stars including Glenn Close, Diane Lane and Megan Fox is gaining further notoriety for his work with a very special client - his mom.

Tim Quinn, 50, has worked with many stars but since his youngest brother, Michael, died from alcoholism in 2015 aged 38, he started doing his 78-year-old mother's make-up regularly and has been sharing the results on Facebook.

Quinn, who is from Boca Raton, Florida, said he noticed not only how his mother's spirit lifted, but how others treated her differently. 'She really came back alive. I saw the therapeutic benefit of it,' he said.

Quinn live-streams the make-up sessions from his mother's nursing home so that friends and family can tune in. He was initially surprised at the number of people watching the videos

Christine Quinn is pictured before and after her son gave her a makeover after she had a fall that gave her a black eye. 'Make-up brings everyone alive,' he said.

Tim is pictured after the Golden Globes with actress Keke Palmer. Quinn has worked with several celebrity clients, but has recently gotten a lot of attention for his work with his mom

Quinn told ABC News: 'Sometimes you have to put your best face forward so I kind of glammed her up.'

For two years, Quinn has been live-streaming his mother's make-up sessions on Facebook so friends, family and strangers can see them. Fans have given her the nickname 'Glams'.

'Everybody gets the story because everyone has a mother,' he said.

Celebrity make-up artist Tim Quinn (left) does his mother's makeup weekly to lift her spirits

Quinn has been the 'Celebrity Face Designer' for Armani's cosmetics line since 2001. He is pictured above at an Oscar party in March with actress Sarah Paulson

Quinn is pictured with Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer at a charity event in 2016

Most of Quinn's live-streams are done at the assisted living home where his parents both live.

'My mom has the beginning stages of dementia,' he explains. 'The nurses and doctors also call her "Glams".'

Quinn's parents have lost three of their seven children. His two older sisters passed away in the 60s.

Christine Quinn, 78, sits in Boca Raton, Florida, with a Maltese-Poodle named Pickle

Quinn battled testicular cancer in 2007. He's been in remission for nine years.

'I've seen it firsthand. When I was sick and had cancer, I didn't look like myself,' he explained. 'People treat you differently.'

Quinn said it's the least he can do for his mother.

'I was very fortunate that I grew up in a family that was together and still is,' he said. 'I go and try to bring the joy when I can. Make-up brings everyone alive.'
When it comes to Joe's Crab Shack's Lobster Daddy Feast and Crab Cake Dinner, apparently America isn't buying.

The popular beach-themed seafood chain closed 41 locations across the United States with no warning.

Its parent company, Ignite Restaurant Group, filed for bankruptcy in June. Landry's Inc. won a $57million auction to buy the Joe's Crab Shack and Brick House Tavern + Tap chains.

The popular beach-themed seafood chain Joe's Crab Shack closed 41 locations

At its peak in 2014, the seafood chain had 139 restaurants across the United States. It now operates just 72 locations, according to its website.

It slowly began closing restaurants as sales problems increased, declining to 130 locations in 2015, and then 112 at the end of 2016.

The multiple closings were abrupt and caught both employees and customers by surprise.

Its parent company filed for bankruptcy in June 2017 after going public in 2012

72 restaurants remain and 33 locations are in three states: Texas, California and Florida.

Employees at a Hampton, Virginia, location showed up for work Tuesday morning to find out the restaurant had been closed.

'To hear that we shut down, no warning, no nothing[I] pulled out my computer and immediately started applying,' an employee told WVEC.

The Roseville, Minnesota, location had a handmade closed sign telling guests of a party scheduled for the restaurant that the location had closed.

The company has not made an official statement regarding the sudden closings and instead quietly removed the shuttered restaurants from its website.

Of the 72 restaurants remaining, 33 locations are in three states: Texas, California and Florida.

Consumerist compiled a list of restaurants by scouring local media.

The restaurant was founded in Houston in 1991. The chain was sold to a private equity firm in 2006 for $192million and went public in 2012. At the time it had 122 locations.
 Flash

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying (Photo source: fmprc.gov.cn)

The "suspension for suspension" initiative is the most reasonable, fair and practical way to resolve the Korean Peninsula issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Hua Chunying said the initiative, proposed by China, can not only ease the tension on the Korean Peninsula, but also address the security concerns of all sides, paving the way for a restart of talks.

Media reported UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that the Resolution 2371, adopted by the United Nations Security Council, sends an unambiguous message regarding the peace and security obligations of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

It also represents an opportunity for diplomatic engagement and renewed dialogue to solve this crisis, Guterres said.

Also, German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently said that military means cannot resolve the issue, and Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford said it meets the common objectives of the United States and China to bring about denuclearization of the peninsula through peaceful means.

In response, Hua said more and more leaders, including U.S. officials, have clearly expressed unanimity that the resolution of the issue will come through peaceful, political and diplomatic means.

China always stresses the core and nature of the Korean Peninsula issue is security, she said, adding that dialogue is the only way to properly address the reasonable security concerns of all sides and thus resolve the issue permanently.
Former Home and Away star Beau Brady has been slapped with a good behaviour bond after he was caught with a bag of cocaine at an exclusive Sydney bar.

Brady, who played Bec Hewitt's boyfriend Noah Lawson on the soap, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to possessing the drug after he was searched by police in June, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The 35-year-old was sitting with a friend at the Jam Gallery bar at Bondi Junction when he saw police enter the premises with a drug detection dog, according to court documents.

Former Home and Away star Beau Brady has been slapped with a good behaviour bond after he was caught with a bag of cocaine at an exclusive Sydney bar

Brady, who played Bec Hewitt's (left) boyfriend Noah Lawson on the soap, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to possessing the drug after he was searched by police in June

'The accused looked in the direction of the drug detection dog and immediately began walking towards the exit of the licensed premises,' the documents say.

Brady was then approached by police when he tried to leave the bar.

When asked by police if he had drugs on him he replied: 'possibly'.

Officers then searched him and found a plastic bag of cocaine in the front right pocket of his pants.

Brady pleaded guilty to drug possession on Wednesday and was given a section 10 bond- meaning the offence was proved but no conviction will was recorded.

Brady was issued with a 12-month good behaviour bond.
This is the horrifying moment a woman plunged from a car during a Wall of Death stunt in India and had a seizure in front of a horrified audience.

A spectators video shows the victim leaning out of the back of her vehicle as it whizzes around along with another car and a motorbike.

But she suddenly falls and dramatically tumbles to the bottom of the structure.

The other performers were seen quickly carrying the woman out of a door in the wall of the stage following her fall

The unnamed woman is thought to have survived but the nature and extent of her injuries were not reported

The other car in the act stops right in front of her and its occupants get out and drag her to the relative safety of the middle of the floor in the curved-wall stage.

She is seen trembling violently in a seizure during the terrifying incident which took place at the Rajwadhi carnival in Rajkot in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

The other performers were seen quickly carrying the woman out of a door in the wall of the stage.

She was reportedly rushed to hospital and treated for her injuries.

A spectators video shows the victim leaning out of the back of her vehicle as it whizzes around along with another car and a motorbike

The woman was reportedly rushed to hospital and treated for her injuries

The unnamed woman is thought to have survived but the nature and extent of her injuries were not reported.

The Wall of Death is a popular attraction at circuses and carnivals.

During the stunt, daredevils ride motorbikes or drive cars around the inside of a spherical or barrel-shaped structure - stuck to the walls by friction and centrifugal force.

The act evolved from tilted motorcycle tracks in the USA in the 1900s.

The first Wall of Death stunt was performed at New Yorks Coney Island amusement park in 1911 and portable versions began to be used by travelling circuses the following year.
Officials with the National Park Service said the Confederate monuments at Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania will not be removed from the battlefield.

Katie Lawhon, senior adviser for the park service's Gettysburg battlefield office, told the Reading Eagle the site-specific memorials are important, and the park service's job is to historically and objectively tell the stories the monuments commemorate.

Her reassurance comes after a heated debate over Confederate monuments spread across the U.S.

Monument to the contributions of North Carolinians to the Confederate Army at the Battle of Gettysburg

Three people died amid turmoil in Charlottesville, Virginia, Saturday over the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Heather Hayer, 32, was killed at the 'Unite the Right' rally in Charlottesville on Saturday after a car rammed into a group of counter-protesters demonstrating against white supremacists.

Police arrested 20-year-old James Fields following the incident, charging him with murder.

Fields was there in support of the 'Unite the Right' demonstration, characterized as being attended by mostly neo-Nazis and white nationalist.

Two state troopers also died after their helicopter crashed as they were patrolling the demonstration.

Gen. James Longstreet monument on West Confederate Avenue, commander of the 1st Corps Army of Northern Virginia

William Gillis carries a tattered flag besides a battlefield monument as activists gathered at the Gettysburg National Military Park

This statue is of two wounded Marylanders, one Union and one Confederate, helping each other on the battlefield

The Gettysburg battlefield has more than 1,300 monuments, of which 30 are dedicated to Confederate states, military units and individuals

Four protesters have been arrested in connection with the toppling of a Confederate statue in Durham, North Carolina, and Baltimore dismantled four monuments under the cover of darkness late Tuesday night and early Wednesday.

Barb Adams, a volunteer at the Gettysburg battlefield, said the removal of the statues is breaking her heart.

'It's just so upsetting to me - these men, these soldiers fought for what they believed in,' she said.

Area tour guide Elaine Leslie suggested putting up statues honoring abolitionists Harriet Tubman or Frederick Douglass.

The Gettysburg battlefield has more than 1,300 monuments that tell the story of the deadliest engagement in the Civil War.

Thirty of them are dedicated to Confederate states, military units and individuals. More than 7,000 soldiers died in the Battle of Gettysburg from July 1 to July 3, 1863.

About 3.7 million tourists visit the area each year, according to a nonprofit that promotes tourism in the county.
An adorable video shows the moment a boy with Down Syndrome gets off the school bus and gives his sister a very warm welcome.

The video is a compilation of Snapchats that David's sister Jessica Evans, 21, takes when the 15-year-old comes home from school in Snellville, Georgia.

Jessica posted the video to her Twitter account on August 14 with the caption 'for anyone who is having a bad day: here is a video of my little brother's reaction every time i come home and surprise him'.

As David gets off the bus and sees his sister he shrieks excitedly and runs up to hug her

Jess said that she was happy people responded so positively to the video of her brother

Jess posted the video to her twitter 'for anyone having a bad day'. It now has 441K favorites

The tweet has 441,000 favorites and 168,000 retweets. Many other users replied with supportive messages.

Even model Chrissy Teigen, who has nearly 7million of her own followers, replied to the video.

A few Twitter users shared photos of themselves with their little brothers who have Down Syndrome.

'I'm just happy so many people have accepted the video and him with such positivity,' Evans told Channel 2.

Model Chrissy Teigen, who has nearly 7million Twitter followers, replied to Jess's tweet

Jess's video tweet was posted on August 14 and quickly went viral. It now has 2.9K replies

Twitter user @idekmandyx responded to Jess's tweet with a video of her brother

Laura Brousseau tweeted at Jess with a photo of her and her little brother

In the first video, David sees his sister and shrieks with excitement.

The second one is captioned with 'never gets old' and a heart-eyes emoji. David gets off the bus and runs to hug his sister.

In the third one, David almost trips as he excitedly climbs down the stairs. There is a geo-locator tag that says 'Snellville.'

In the fifth video, David repeatedly says: 'Honey' while goes to hug Jessica.

The sixth video shows Jessica in the passenger seat picking David up from school. When he sees her in the car he starts to run toward her. The geo-locator tag says 'Lawrenceville, Georgia.'
An oral surgeon was found dead of a suspected overdose, a few months after she was suspended from practicing following complaints that she was pulling the wrong teeth.

Dr. Mansureh Iravani, 50, was rushed to a local hospital after a witness found her unresponsive inside her home in Bismarck, North Dakota, on Monday night.

She was pronounced dead and had Fentanyl, which is a man-made opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine, inside her residence, according to police.

Iravani had her license temporarily suspended in March due to claims that she was pulling the wrong teeth, starting operations without enough sedation and painfully ripping stitches out of patients' mouths.

The dentist and doctor was previously suspended from practicing in 2013, after she crashed her car with meth in her system.

Dr. Mansureh Iravani, 50, (pictured with her husband) died of a suspected overdose in Bismarck, North Dakota, on Monday. Investigators said they found Fentanyl, a man-made opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine, inside the oral surgeon's residence

Iravani had her license temporarily suspended in March. Former employees claimed she was pulling the wrong teeth, starting operations without enough sedation and painfully ripping stitches out of patients' mouths

Emergency responders attempted to revive Iravani with Narcan, a drug meant to reverse the effects of opioid overdose, but their attempts failed.

The medical professional's death is still under investigation because a toxicology report revealing which drug Iravani overdosed on, is still in the works.

Iravani practiced out of the Oral Surgery Center of Bismarck, the same place of business where two former employees brought complaints against her to the North Dakota Board of Medical Examiners in March.

The board temporarily suspended her license after they received 13-points of bad practices Iravani allegedly committed, reported the Bismarck Tribune.

Some of these allegations include that Iravani didn't fully sedate her patients and continued on with the procedures although the patient was in pain, at times covering their mouth to stop their screams.

The medical professional's (pictured with her husband) death is still under investigation. Her recent suspension was the second of her career - she crashed her car on meth in 2013

Responding to the allegations at the time, Iravani told the local paper: 'They have made me sound like I'm a monster, and I have to basically prove I'm not a monster.

'I'm going to do everything in my power to come back and be a good oral surgeon to this community.'

Her former employees also claimed she had 'weekly outbursts', sometimes taking it out on her patients by ripping out their stitches.

Iravani also allegedly pulled the wrong tooth from a patient's mouth but placed it back in the socket once she realized the mistake.

The dentist and doctor practiced out of the Oral Surgery Center of Bismarck (pictured)

Another complaint was that Iravani had once refused to do a surgery because the patient smelled bad and insisted that the woman showered at a nearby truck stop.

Iravani did not deny this allegation but said the woman's smell gave her an asthma attack.

Iravani's recent suspension was the second punishment of her career - she crashed her car while she had meth in her system in 2013.

After the suspension, she was allowed to keep practicing if she wore a drug patch and had to undergo treatment and training.

Speaking to the Bismarck Tribune at the time, Iravani said she was going through a difficult time and was partying, using drugs for recreation.
Scott Amedure (pictured), 32, was shot and killed by Jonathan Schmitz days after taping the 'Jenny Jones' show

A Michigan man convicted in the 1995 murder of another man who expressed romantic interest in him on national television is expected to be released from prison.

Jonathan Schmitz was 24-years-old when his acquaintance Scott Amedure, 32, revealed he was romantically interested in him during a taping of the 'Jenny Jones Show,' which was filmed in Chicago.

Schmitz, who said he wasn't gay, fatally shot Amedure in Lake Orion three days after the taping.

Schmitz turned himself in to police, saying he killed Amedure because he was embarrassed on national television.

He was sentenced 25 to 50 years for second-degree murder.

Schmitz (pictured left) was 24-years-old when he shot and killed Amedure in 1995

Schmitz, now 47, was granted parole after a March hearing and is scheduled to be released from Parnall Correctional Institution next week.

Scott's older brother, Frank Amedure Jr., said he's troubled by the parole decision and that he's unsure Schmitz 'learned what he should have' in prison.

'I wanted assurance that the (parole board's) decision was not based on just good behavior in prison,' he said.

'I'd like to know that he learned something, that he's a changed man, is no longer homophobic and has gotten psychological care.'

Schmitz was given a 25 to 50m year sentence for the killing, that took place three days after the 'Jenny Jones' show taping

Jenny Jones (pictured) invited the two on her show in 1995, keeping Amedure's identity a secret from Schmitz until the taping

Geoffrey Fieger, who served as an attorney for the Amedure family, said that everybody involved in the Jenny Jones Show also deserved imprisonment.

'That show set him (Schmitz) up and certainly took Scott Amedure's life for no reason,' Fieger said.

The episode never aired but clips were shown on news shows.

The Michigan Department of Corrections doesn't list an attorney for Schmitz.

The Jenny Jones show was cancelled in 2003 after recording the lowest ratings of any daytime talk show.
A record number of sixth formers have snapped up university places through clearing this year after admissions tutors scrambled to fill a glut of places.

As of midnight on results day, 11,180 places had been filled through clearing  more than double the number assigned by this time four years ago.

The number represents a 6 per cent rise on last year and is twice the figure from 2013.

There has been an unprecedented choice of courses at top universities in clearing this year, meaning universities have been aggressively competing to attract students.

A record number of sixth formers have snapped up university places through clearing this year

Yesterday, it emerged many of the elite universities of the Russell Group are so keen to reach potential students that they are advertising their clearing places on Facebook.

Kings College London has posted its hotline on to the social media website, while Liverpool has posted a friendly video from its clearing team.

Newcastle University has posted a selfie of its clearing team on Facebook next to its hotline, and Birmingham has a special Facebook group for international students wanting to enter clearing.

Meanwhile, UCL, which is one of the most prestigious in the group and does not enter clearing, is on Facebook asking well-qualified candidates to apply for places via adjustment  a process which allows those with better grade than expected to trade up.

The number of students placed through adjustment rose by 34 per cent from 290 to 390 compared with the same time last year.

Clearing is used primarily by those who missed out on their chosen university place if their grade are worse than expected.

In addition to this years figure, 3,620 students were placed via clearing having applied directly once they had their grades.

Experts have said that clearing this year is a buyers market for would-be students.

Overall, 649,700 people had applied to start degree courses by June 30, the last deadline for applications, down around 4 per cent  or 25,190 compared with this point last year.

Yesterday, it emerged many of the elite universities of the Russell Group are so keen to reach potential students that they are advertising their clearing places on Facebook

The drop has been attributed to a decrease in the 18-year-old population, changes to nursing degree funding and EU students being put off by Brexit.

In addition, the number of students eligible to be placed in clearing is down 12 per cent  around 18,000 people  compared to last year. There is now also no cap on the number of students universities can recruit, and many have been expanding to bring in extra revenue.

These combined factors have meant students are in high demand by universities this year.

A Press Association survey, based on 148 universities, showed a total of 26,654 undergraduate courses showing availability for students in England yesterday.

Almost nine out of 10 of the institutions included in the survey were advertising at least one course on the UCAS website.

A number of universities  including three in the Russell Group  have said they may lower their entry requirements to admit students in clearing. Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: Clearing this year is a buyers market.

Even the leading universities, other than Oxford and Cambridge, have places they are desperate to fill.

Anyone with better grades than expected should aim for the top, because there is a good chance they will get in.

Including those accepted by their first choice institutions, 437,070 people had been accepted on courses by the end of Thursday.
The early eclipse weather forecast looks clear in the West and cloudy in the East with patchy clouds muddling up the picture in between.

The spectacular viewing event will appear across skies on Monday, August 21, but some states have a better chance of seeing the rare sight.

The forecast as of Friday shows Oregon and Idaho as the most promising spots to have clear sky views.

However, South Carolina is the most likely to find the sun and moon blocked by clouds and potential rainfall.

As of Friday, the solar eclipse weather forecast for Monday looks clear in the West and cloudy in the East. Pictured: Forecast map of cloud cover for the event

Meteorologist Mike Musher says overall about half the nation is likely to get favorable eclipse viewing weather.

There are thunderstorms expected in several Midwest states, including Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas, making it unclear if those areas will be able to spot the eclipse.

Musher added to Time: 'The Midwest is kind of in the unknown.'

He continued: 'Even though the probability for clouds is pretty low in the Northwest, there could be smoke that could inhibit a perfect view of the eclipse. Its something to keep in mind.'

One private meteorologist and eclipse-chaser fears heart-breaking weather in Wyoming where clouds could hide the eclipse with tantalizing clear skies just off in the distance.

Clouds make it difficult to see the fiery ring around the blotted out sun.

Here is a breakdown of forecasts in selected cities in path of totality as of Friday

SOUTHEAST

The eclipse will occur in the early to mid-afternoon hours in the Southest, with thunderstorms expected at this time

The eclipse will occur in the early to mid-afternoon hours in this part of the country, with thunderstorms expected at this time.

Forecast confidence: Low to medium

Greenville, South Carolina: Partly cloudy, high of 90F

Columbia, South Carolina : Partly cloudy, thunderstorm expected, high of 91F

Charleston, South Carolina: Mostly cloudy, scattered thunderstorms, high of 87F

Nashville, Tennessee: Sunshine and clouds mixed, high of 90F

MIDWEST

St. Louis to Nashville should have good views of the eclipse. However, thunderstorms could roll through parts of Nebraska, northeast Kansas and Missouri

The National Weather Service also is optimistic about good viewing from St. Louis to Nashville.

But thunderstorms could roll through parts of Nebraska, northeast Kansas and Missouri. The eclipse is expected to happen midday into the early afternoon.

Forecast confidence: Medium

Grand Island, Nebraska: Greatest risk area for mostly cloudy conditions, high of 90F

St. Joseph, Missouri: Partly cloudy, frequent interference possible, high of 86F

St. Louis, Missouri: Partly cloudy, occasional interference possible, high of 92F

Carbondale, Illinois: Scattered clouds, mostly sunny, high of 88F

Hopkinsville, Kentucky: Scattered clouds, mostly sunny, limited interference , high of 89F

WEST

The West, especially Oregon and Iadaho, is in the best position to watch the eclipse on Monday

The West is in the best position to watch the eclipse on Monday. The event is expected to occur late-morning to midday eclipse, making it the first part of the country to witness the sight.

Forecast confidence: Medium to high

Corvallis, Oregon: Morning fog likely to burn off in time for good view, high of 90F

Madras, Oregon: Mostly clear but light smoke haze possible, high of 92F

Rexburg, Idaho: Scattered clouds, light haze, high of 83F

Casper, Wyoming: Scattered clouds, mostly sunny, little interference, high of 81F
The Civil War had barely finished when the first Confederate monuments began appearing, the defeated Southern states determined to memorialize their fallen soldiers and the dream of a segregated world for which they had fought.

As white Southerners clung to the Confederacy, erecting the first monument in West Virginia just two years after the end of the war, it became clear that many were still equally clinging to its fundamental racial prejudice as well.

The pattern of monument installations over the following decades - and century - would prove that racial tensions and Confederate reverence went hand in hand.

There were two distinct periods in which there was a 'significant rise' in the dedication of Confederate monuments across the country, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

'The first began around 1900, amid the period in which states were enacting Jim Crow laws to disenfranchise the newly freed African Americans and re-segregate society.'

The increase in Confederate pride and memorials also followed the landmark 1896 Supreme Court Plessy v Ferguson decision, which allowed racial state segregation and the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

It was a spike that would last into the 1920s, two decades that also saw a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. The second spike would begin 20 years later, as the civil rights movement 'led to backlash among segregationists'.

These same two periods just happened to coincide with the 50th and 100th anniversaries of the Civil War.

The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia - where rallies regarding its removal turned violent over the weekend - was erected in 1924

A Southern Poverty Law Center chart shows the timeline of monument installations since the Civil War of 1861-1865 - and how they spiked during periods of racial unrest in the United States

The Center last year identified more than 1,500 symbols of the Confederacy in public spaces, though some have been removed in recent days and weeks.

They include monuments and statues, flags, named schools and public works, many in honor of key figures such as Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis  while others memorialize lesser-known cult figures or an anonymous soldier meant to symbolize the average Confederate fighter.

The SPLC found 718 monuments and statues; 109 public schools named for Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis or other Confederate icons; 80 counties and cities named for Confederates; and 10 US military bases named for Confederates.

The report highlighted Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina as having far more monuments than others, with 96, 90 and 90, respectively. Of the eight other states that seceded from the Union, Alabama had 48, Arkansas had 36, Florida had 25, Louisiana had 37, Mississippi had 48, South Carolina had 50, Tennessee had 43, and Texas had 66.

The center reported monuments in a total of 31 states and the District of Columbia. Most were located in the South, though states further afield such as Arizona, and even Massachusetts, harbored monuments  hosting two and one, respectively.

Some of the first confederacy statues included the Confederate Memorial Day, created by the wife of a Confederate soldier in 1866.

Twenty years later, Jefferson Davis laid the cornerstone of the Confederate Memorial Monument right on Alabama's state Capitol grounds in Montgomery.

The Confederate Memorial at Rose Hill Cemetery in Kissimmee, Florida, was erected in 2002, with celebrations including music, period dress and Confederate flags

This Confederate Memorial, dedicated in 2006 at Veteran's Memorial Park in St. Cloud, Florida, is engraved with the names of soldiers who died fighting to defend slavery

The Confederate statue in front of the courthouse in Statesboro, Georgia, was erected in 1909 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, an organization which has been instrumental in memorializing the Confederacy across the nation

This memorial for Confederate 'sacrifices' was erected in Baxley, Georgia by the Sons of Confederate Veterans

A recent installation can be found in a public park in St. Cloud, Florida, amidst the playground equipment and picnic tables.

Veteran's Memorial Park also features a pillar monument to the Confederacy, engraved with the names of soldiers who died defending slavery. It was dedicated in 2006.

Al Massey, commander of the Jacob Summerlin Camp 1516 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans  who were instrumental in erecting the memorial  sees nothing wrong with it.

'This whole thing is just so crazy,' Massey, 64, tells DailyMail.com. 'I'm really tired of hearing about it. All we're doing is trying to honor our ancestors. Why people are making such a big deal out of this, I don't know.'

'We're not racist, we're just honoring Confederate veterans. We're not at all a racist organization. We denounce all that.'

'If you are Southern and you were raised in a Southern atmosphere, you would understand how we feel about Confederate veterans,' he says. 'They were fighting for what they thought was just back then.'

Backlash: These are the locations as of Thursday where a Confederate monument has either been removed or there has been a proposal to remove the monument

This bust of Confederate president Jefferson Davis in Irwin County, Georgia, stands in the Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980

The images of Confederate leaders Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis are carved into Stone Mountain in Georgia, which was also the birthplace of the modern Ku Klux Klan

The statue featuring Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson in Baltimore, Maryland has been removed amid outcry across the country about Confederate memorials

The Confederate and Spanish American War memorial has stood outside the historic courthouse on the square in Carrollton, Alabama since 1927

Just this March, St. Cloud Deputy Mayor Dave Askew presented Massey with a proclamation in recognition of Confederate Memorial Day. It's still a public holiday in four Southern US states and observed by several others.

Southern white women have played a key role over the years in erecting monuments and maintaining the Confederate legacy, particularly the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).

While the dedication of monuments peaked, according to the SPLC, in the early and mid-1900s, the organization's research shows that  like in St. Cloud  monuments were still being erected well into the 21st century, and not only in the South.

Confederate memorials were erected in Iowa in 2005 and 2007; Oklahoma in 2004; Delaware in 2007; and Florida in 2007 and 2009.

Missouri also erected a statue of a Confederate general in 2009, a development celebrated by Confederate enthusiasts in neighboring Kentucky, as well.

This Confederate Memorial stands on the grounds of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery; the state's attorney general is suing Birmingham for covering up a separate Confederate monument

Savannah's Ladies Memorial Association erected this monument to the Confederate dead in 1875 in Forsyth Park in Georgia

The Confederate monument outside the Forrest County Courthouse in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was erected in 1910 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy

This plaque at Fort Pulaski National Memorial in Georgia pays homage to the 'Immortal Six Hundred' Confederate soldiers who were held prisoners by the Union Army in 1864-65 but refused to pledge an oath of allegiance to the US under duress

The statue was of Confederate Gen Joseph Shelby, which the 807 people living in Waverly, Missouri hailed as their 'hometown hero', according to The Lost Cause, the Journal of the Kentucky Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans.

A ceremony was held to unveil the statue of Shelby, pictured on a horse, with The Lost Cause writing: 'There were flags, reenactors, singing groups, boy scouts and at least thirty Shelby family members in attendance from several states.'

The event also featured speeches  including one by the late U.S. Representative Ike Skelton.

Different scenes are beginning to play out across the country, from Maryland to Florida, where celebrations focus on the removal of monuments and not their erection. But opposition to taking down the statues, pillars and other Confederate tributes remains fierce among many loyal Southerners.

Despite the continued Confederate pride, however, arguably the most prominent Southern legend  Robert E. Lee himself  discouraged memorializing the Confederacy with monuments and other efforts.

'I think it wiser moreover not to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered,' he wrote.

The Tomb of the Unknown Confederate Soldier in Biloxi, Missippi, was dedicated in 1981 after unidentified remains were found on a battlefield of the Vicksburg Campaign

The statue of a Confederate soldier on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was erected in 1913 as a monument to the 321 alumni of the University who served in the Confederate Army and is known to students as 'Silent Sam'

This monument to the Confederate States of America in Pontotoc, Mississippi was dedicated in 1919

The Confederate statue outside the Taylor County Courthouse in Butler, Georgia, was unveiled in 1911, with Civil War veterans in attendance as well as school children and a brass band
Victor Alonzo King, 30, was arrested on child abuse charges on Tuesday. He allegedly left his five children to go to work at Chipotle

A father-of-five has been arrested for child abuse after he reportedly left his young children alone while he went to work in order to pay for his sick wife's medical bills.

Victor Alonzo King, 30, was arrested after police claim he left his children, all under the age of eight, unattended in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday.

The father claims he left them in the care of a neighbor, who then left the children alone with no supervision, while he went to work at his job at a nearby Chipotle.

King pleaded with a judge on Wednesday, explaining he needed to return to work because his wife had cancer and relied on him to pay for the treatment.

Speaking to the judge, King said: 'Two weeks ago my wife was diagnosed with stage four cancer. And I'm practically like her only way to pay for all of her medical bills.'

The father pleaded with the Raleigh, North Carolina, judge for his release on Wednesday (pictured). He said he needed to return to work so he could pay for his wife's cancer treatment

The father claims he left his children, all under the age of eight, in the care of a neighbor, who is at fault for leaving the children with no supervision. Pictured: King's apartment building

King continued: 'So I was wondering if I could get out early and I can still work so I won't lose my job so I can still pay for her medical expenses.'

However, the judge denied his request and kept his bail at $25,000 after the prosecutor said King was convicted for child cruelty in California in 2011.

Authorities were alerted to the situation when a concerned witness called 911 to report the children were left alone.

In the audio, obtained by ABC 11, the caller tells the emergency dispatcher: 'Her husband has been the one caring for the kids and we've tried to help them get a babysitter but he refuses our help.

'And this is the second time. I called the police department last night because this is the second day the kids have been left alone.'

Speaking to the judge, King said: 'Two weeks ago my wife was diagnosed with stage four cancer. And I'm practically like her only way to pay for all of her medical bills'

A manager at a Chipotle (pictured) reported that she had power of attorney for King. She said that King left his children with a neighbor, who then left the children unattended

The news station contacted the Chipotle nearest to King's home and a manager at that location said she had power of attorney for King.

The woman said King left his children with a neighbor but that neighbor had left the young children unattended.

King's children are eight, seven, five, three and one, according to court documents.

People have begun fundraising to come up with money for his bail but the page has been paused out of concern of legitimacy of the fundraiser.

King is due to appear in court again on August 28 and is currently being held on the $25,000 bail.
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Police officers ask people to leave Plaza Catalonia following a terrorist attack in central Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 17, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

At least four suspects have been killed in Cambrils, a town south of Barcelona, in an operation responding to a terror attack in Barcelona in which 13 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured, the Spanish police said Friday.

The news came hours after police launched a manhunt for the driver of a van that mowed through crowds of tourists on one of Barcelona's busiest thoroughfares Thursday.

"We are working on the hypothesis that events in Cambrils respond to a terrorist attack. We have killed its alleged perpetrators," Catalan police wrote on Twitter.

Through social networks, Barcelona's police have asked residents in Cambrils and the adjacent region to stay at home to avoid danger.

"If you are in Cambrils avoid going out. Stay home, stay safe," the police tweeted.
A few boys at a southern California school proved themselves to be true feminists this week when they donned a peculiar clothing item to school.

This week, dozens of students at San Benito High School in Hollister wore off-the-shoulder tops to protest the school's dress code, which bans the uber-trendy fashion piece.

Among those who took part in the protest were multiple boys, who wore the feminine tops to protest in solidarity with their female classmates.

This week, male students at San Benito High School in Hollister, California wore off-the-shoulder tops to school to protest the dress code

The boys wore the tops in solidarity with their female classmates, who have been getting written up for the trendy clothing items this year

'My guy friends think its ridiculous too,' one anonymous 16-year-old student told Yahoo Style. 'Like, they make fun of it.'

Students returned to school on August 10, and had their pictures taken on the first two days, a Thursday and a Friday.

Many girls at the school dressed up for the pictures wearing the trendy tops, only to learn that they were against the dress code.

While off-the-shoulder tops have been banned by the school for years, students said it wasn't until this year that the rule was enforced, which they found unfair.

On Monday, one student said that about 50 girls and two boys were cited for wearing the tops

The principal of the school told Yahoo Style that the protest offered teachable moments for the school community

Many disagreed with administrators' explanation for the rule, which was that it was for their own safety.

The anonymous student said: 'I dont understand what they are keeping us safe from. I really dont think that there is someone dumb enough to pull down a shirt first of all  they have no right to touch me or anyone else at all. I mean, there is no point in that. They are focusing on the less important things here.'

Over the weekend, many of the students organized, and decided to protest the rule by wearing off-the-shoulder tops en masse to school on Monday.

A few boys decided to take part as well, borrowing the tops from their female friends.

The anonymous student says that she saw about 50 girls and two boys getting written up for the dress code infraction Monday morning.

The principal of the school told Yahoo Style that the protest offered teachable moments for the school community.
Shoppers are being fooled by supermarket copycat products of popular brands of everything from breakfast cereal to shampoo.

A new study has found that 20 per cent of shoppers will mistakenly pick up a copy when it is on the same shelf as the branded product.

This rises to 64 per cent when only the copy is on the shelf, according to research funded by the British Brands Group.

Spot the difference: Shoppers are being fooled by supermarket copycat products of popular brands of everything from breakfast cereal to shampoo. Pictured: Head & Shoulders shampoo and a copycat version from Boots

Food manufacturers spend millions creating memorable packaging and advertising to promote their products, but say they are losing sales to supermarkets who produce lookalike versions using the same colours and label style.

The study carried out by Acuity Intelligence and led by Dr Tim Holmes used eye-tracking techniques to follow the behaviour of participants. They assessed the time taken to find products, the accuracy of decision-making and participants recall of the products they had seen.

Dr Holmes, a neuroscientist, looked at genuine brands such as Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Rich Tea and Digestive biscuits from McVities, Coco Pops and Special K from Kelloggs, Stork and Lurpak versus copycat products from high street stores. The copycat versions were sold by Boots, Tesco and Aldi, but all mainstream supermarkets use the same tactics.

The study identified the fact that most shoppers are effectively on autopilot. Problems arise when the visual similarity of a pack is sufficient for the copy to be recognised as the brand.

Look familiar? A new study has found that 20 per cent of shoppers will mistakenly pick up a copy when it is on the same shelf as the branded product. Pictured: Tesco's Senses shampoo (right) looks suspiciously like Herbal Essences (left)

The study found that when people are looking at a shelf, colour is the primary feature they use to identify products. Pictured left: Special K from Kelloggs and right, and the high street copycat version

The study found that when people are looking at a shelf, colour is the primary feature they use to identify products. It concluded that picking up a copy rather than the genuine product was an inevitable consequence of package similarity on unconscious shopper decisions in store.

The research was sparked by a report by Which? in 2013 that identified 150 products with similar packaging. Current examples identified by the British Brands Group include several sold by Aldi, such as its Harvest Morn Frosted Flakes and Crisp Rice, which look very similar to Kelloggs Frosties and Rice Krispies. Aldis Snackrite Stackers are a dead ringer for Pringles and its Oaties look similar to Hobnobs.

BBG director John Noble said: In the cold light of day, it is easy to spot a copy but that is not how we shop. In the supermarket, there are thousands of products and these are everyday purchases. We devote seconds to each and rely on shortcuts to make our choices.

Products in similar packaging prey on this, prompting mistakes and encouraging false assumptions. Similar packaging that misleads shoppers is unlawful but goes unchallenged in the UK.

The research was sparked by a report by Which? in 2013 that identified 150 products with similar packaging. Pictured: The original McVities Rich Tea biscuits

In theory, individual brands could bring legal action under the law around intellectual property rights, but this is a grey area. Pictured: Copycat Rich Tea biscuits

In theory, individual brands could bring legal action under the law around intellectual property rights, but this is a grey area.

The Consumer Protection Regulations are more wide-ranging and could also be used, but these rules are enforced by only Trading Standards and the Competition and Markets Authority, who have refused requests to take any action.

Brands have asked the Government to change the law to allow them to bring civil action cases under these regulations, but this was rejected by ministers.

The British Retail Consortium, which speaks for the chains, said: This area is covered by legislation and in a review in 2015 the Government concluded there is little clear evidence that the use of similar packaging is causing any significant consumer detriment or hindering competition or innovation.

British consumers benefit from healthy competition between retailer and manufacturer brands, giving them the choice and affordability they want.

Brands have asked the Government to change the law to allow them to bring civil action cases under these regulations, but this was rejected by ministers. Pictured left: Lurpak Spreadable and right, Norpak Spreadable
Yet another strangely-placed symbol of the Confederacy is being taken down in Yankee New York City.

On Friday, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) announced plans to alter a tile design in the Times Square Subway station, which looks similar to the Confederate Flag.

The New York Post had reported in 2015 that the tiles were designed nearly 100 years ago to evoke the flag, in honor of New York Times publisher Adolph S. Ochs, who had ties to the South.

The MTA refuted this claim on Friday, saying that the design was actually a nod to Times Square's nickname as the 'Crossroads of the World'.

New York City's transit authority said Friday that they will be changing tile work in the Times Square subway station to look less like the Confederate Flag

Nonetheless, he said the MTA would be changing the tile work anyway so that it doesn't continue to confuse subway riders.

'These are not Confederate flags, it is a design based on geometric forms that represent the "Crossroads of the World" and to avoid absolutely any confusion we will modify them to make that absolutely crystal clear,' MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said in a statement.

The changing of the tiles appears to be in response to the unrest that happened last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

White supremacists marched on the city in protest of plans to remove a statue honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Counter-protesters came out to make a statement against the hate groups, and one person died when one of the white supremacist marchers drove his car into a group of people.

Since then, monuments and statues honoring the Confederacy are being taken down across the country.

There are even a few in Yankee-blue New York. On Thursday, plaques related to Robert E. Lee were taken down from outside a church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The plaques drew attention to the place where Lee reportedly planted a tree when he was stationed at Fort Hamilton as part of the Army Corps in his early military career.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that the city will undergo a 90-day review of 'all symbols of hate on city property'.

Earlier this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo put pressure on the Army to rename two streets named for Lee and fellow Confederate General Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson' at a base in Brooklyn. So far, the Army has resisted.

Together, Cuomo and De Blasio are also asking for the removal of busts to Lee and Jackson that are displayed in the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at Bronx Community College.
A 17-year-old girl allegedly drove her car into a home and killed two sisters while she was high on opiates and driving at least 107mph, officials said.

Alia Sierra, 17, will be charged as an adult for crashing her car into the living room of a Frankfort, Indiana, home on the night of July 12. Sierra appeared in court on Friday.

Sisters Haleigh Fullerton, 17, and Callie Fullerton, 8, were watching television when they were hit by Sierra's car. Both girls were killed on impact.

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Alia Sierra, 17, (left) allegedly drove car into a home at 107mph while high on opiates in Frankfort, Indiana, on July 12. The crash killed sisters Haleigh Fullerton, 17, (top right) and Callie Fullerton, 8, (bottom right). Sierra appeared in court on Friday

The sisters were watching TV when Sierra drove her car into their living room. The sisters died on impact

The girls' parents said Callie (left), who would have started third grade this year, loved school and her two dogs. They said Haleigh (right) was going to be a senior and was on track to being the valedictorian

Their mother Bridget Fullerton was walking into the room when the car crashed through, Fox 59 reported.

She was flown to an Indianapolis hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

'This has been so horrible for my family. My son was right there when it all happened and this has affected everybody,' Bridget told WISH TV.

There were five children in Sierra's white 2007 Honda Accord, ages 12 to 17, who were treated at the hospital after the crash, the outlet reported.

One of the passengers told Sierra to slow down and another asked to be let out of the car several times before the crash, according to Fox 59.

Police said Sierra was driving at least 107mph when the car crashed through the living room.

She had gone off the road after hitting a bump and swerving to miss a tree.

A urine screen found that Sierra tested positive for opiates in her system.

Their mother Bridget Fullerton (right) was walking into the room when the car crashed through. She was flown to an Indianapolis hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. She is pictured with her husband, Haleigh and Callie's father, Todd Fullerton (left)

Haleigh (left) played volleyball and would have been on student council. Her younger sister Callie (right) loved baking cupcakes and playing outside

Sierra faces charges including reckless homicide, causing death when operating a motor vehicle with a schedule I or II controlled substance, causing serious bodily injury when operating a vehicle while intoxicated, among others

Sierra appeared in adult court Friday.

She faces charges including reckless homicide, causing death when operating a motor vehicle with a schedule I or II controlled substance, causing serious bodily injury when operating a vehicle while intoxicated, among others.

Bridget and her husband, Todd Fullerton, said their daughter Haleigh was going to be a senior and was on track to being the valedictorian. She was a student athlete and would have been on student council for her senior year.

They said their daughter Callie, who would have started third grade this year, loved school and her two dogs. She also loved baking and playing outside, according to the sisters' obituary.

'I think were just going to learn how to live with this pain. I dont see it every going away. I dont think theres going to be a day when Im not missing them,' Todd told WISH TV.

'Im proud to have been their dad even for that little bit of time,' he added.

Todd said: 'I think were just going to learn how to live with this pain. I dont see it every going away. I dont think theres going to be a day when Im not missing them... Im proud to have been their dad even for that little bit of time.' The Fullerton's house is pictured

WISH TV
A shocked British father has spoken about the moment he rushed to help a young boy who had been injured in the Barcelona terror attack.

Harry Athwal, from Birmingham, saw the child lying injured in the road immediately after a van was driven deliberately into crowds of pedestrians.

He said he ignored warnings from police in order to comfort the boy.

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Harry Athwal, from Birmingham, was pictured comforting the child, who was injured when a van ploughed into crowds in Barcelona's busy tourist district

Mr Athwal, 44, who was pictured comforting the child, said: 'I knew straight away what was happening and got up to run outside to see how I could help.

'When I got out of the restaurant I ran into the middle of Las Ramblas and looked around - there were bodies strewn left and right all around me including a child right in the middle of it all.

'It was the one thing which caught my eye and I ran straight to him.'

Mr Athwal said the boy's leg was bent the wrong way and he could not detect a pulse.

Mr Athwal said the boy's leg was bent the wrong way and he could not detect a pulse

He was in a restaurant on a first floor balcony when a van, believed to have been driven by 22-year-old jihadist Younes Abouyaaqoub, was driven into crowds of tourists.

The courageous project manager stayed with the young boy until emergency services came.

He added: 'He was bad, his leg was broken and he was lying down on his front.

'There was blood on his face, the first thing I did was check his pulse, but there was nothing.

'At that point, I was panicking, the police were screaming at me to get out of the road in case of another van, but I was not going to leave this boy here.

'I have a son the same age, and that was what was going through my head.

'The next 10 minutes felt like an eternity, paramedics started to come, but they went to people as they came across them.

'Eventually one came and a policeman ordered me away.'

Harry was told to go into a pharmacy where around 35 other people were inside, including his sister, Kinde Dehl, among those inside were two injured women.

The group stayed in the pharmacy for five hours until police allowed them to leave.

Harry, who does not know the fate of the young boy he went to help, said: 'We got back to our hotel and we were all in shock.

'On Friday we sat around reliving what happened.

'The atmosphere in the city is surreal.'

Harry had flown to Barcelona on the day of the terrorist attack to join friends as well as his sister, arriving at his hotel, Hotel Rivoli, at 2.30pm.

Thirteen people were killed and more than 100 injured in Thursday's attack in the heart of Barcelona's tourist district

They had a drink before finding the restaurant on the avenue, staying there for around an hour and a half before the attack took place at 5pm.

Harry is set to travel home to his wife, Harjinder, and two sons, Diernn, 19, and Khye, 8, on Monday.

He said: 'My family is looking forward to me coming back, friends and family have seen pictures of me in the media.

'But I'm no hero - it was just pure instinct to go and help a child so badly injured in the street.'

Wanted: Police believe Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, was at the wheel of the van which killed 13 people and injured more than 100 in the heart of Barcelona's tourist district on Thursday

Thirteen people were killed in the atrocity, with the youngest being just three years old.

More than 100 were injured as the rented Fiat van swerved from side-to-side, ploughing down pedestrians on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Abouyaaqoub, who was part of a terror cell which originally planned to fill a lorry with explosives before carrying out the attack in Barcelona.

A further two terrorists could also be on the loose, La Vanguardia reports, but this is unconfirmed.

Investigators first thought 17-year-old Moussa Oukabir, who rented two vans linked to the atrocity using documents stolen from his older brother, had been at the wheel.

Oukabir, from the town of Ripoll, 60 miles north of Barcelona, was gunned down along with four other jihadists in the early hours of Friday morning at the coastal resort of Cambrils.

Also killed were Said Aallaa, 18, and Mohamed Hychami, 24, who were armed with knives and machetes and were wearing what appeared to be suicide belts. The identities of the other two dead jihadis have not been released.

Abouyaaqoub is now the prime suspect for police investigating who the driver was, El Pais reports, but his whereabouts is unknown. Spain's government will decide today whether to raise the country's terror threat level.

Dead: Moussa Oukabir, Said Aallaa and Mohamed Hychami were killed by a police officer in the seaside resort of Cambrils in the early hours of Friday morning. They were armed with knives and machetes and were wearing what appeared to be suicide belts when they were gunned down

A handcuffed suspect was taken into custody in connection with the attacks in Ripoll today. A large crowd gathered and jeered as the man was led away. He has not been identified

One of the gang died in an explosion at an address in Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, shortly before midnight on Wednesday.

Canisters of explosive butane gas, as well as plastic explosive TATP - nicknamed Mother of Satan - were found at the home, which was destroyed in the blast.

Had the accidental explosion not happened, police chief Josep Lluis Trapero said, Thursday's attack would have had an even 'bigger scope'.

Catalan police believe there may have been a second fatality at the house, stating on Twitter: 'We are working to determine if remains in Alcanar are a second corpse. We are working to determine if biological traces from Alcanar are human.'

Surveillance video from inside a Barcelona museum captured images of the van used in the fatal attack. The video shows a person with a stroller just barely getting out of the white van's way and other people on the walkway scattering as it barreled down the walkway.

The footage was shot Thursday from a security camera inside the Erotic Museum of Barcelona on an upper floor that pointed toward a window with a view of the promenade.

Museum goers who apparently either heard the van or people outside just after it went by are seen in the images gathering near the window and looking outside.

Authorities tow the van which ploughed into the crowd on Las Ramblas on Thursday away from the scene
Two hundred illegal migrants have been arrested in a crackdown on houses packed with foreign workers by dodgy landlords.

More than 250 properties were raided during the blitz on the often squalid accommodation used by migrants who do not have permission to be in Britain.

Many of those arrested were Indian nationals, but there were also workers from Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Albania.

Two hundred illegal migrants have been arrested in a crackdown on houses packed with foreign workers by dodgy landlords

They were offered support if they chose to leave the country voluntarily, or told they faced deportation if they refused.

Some 24 landlords caught in the six-month operation were fined up to 3,000 for every illegal worker found living in their houses.

Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis said: These operations show that we will not tolerate people living and working illegally in the UK. Illegal working cheats the taxpayer, has a negative impact on the wages of lawful workers and allows rogue employers to undercut legitimate businesses.

He added that illegal workers often found themselves at the mercy of exploitative employers or landlords and were forced to live in overcrowded accommodation that often lacked even the most basic facilities.

Many of those arrested were Indian nationals, but there were also workers from Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Albania

Those unscrupulous landlords flout the rules by knowingly renting property to illegal migrants as an easy source of profit, said Mr Lewis.

We are committed to tackling abuse and building an immigration system which works in the best interests of the country.

In the series of swoops, codenamed Operation Magnify, officers raided 253 properties across the country between January and June.

Landlords were fined if they could not show proof they had checked the immigration status of their tenants by asking to see their passport and immigration papers.

Of the 200 people arrested, most had overstayed their visas but some had also entered the UK illegally.
Jihadi propaganda describing how to launch a van attack was still available on Wikipedia last night  as it became the latest internet giant to be accused of aiding terrorism.

In the days before and hours after Thursdays attack in Barcelona, the online encyclopaedia provided links to dozens of Islamic State and Al Qaeda magazines.

One IS publication encouraged would-be terrorists to use a hire vehicle to attack public places because they are successful in harvesting large numbers of kuffar [non-believers].

It comes just two months after Theresa May announced that internet giants which refuse to take down poisonous propaganda could face multi-million pound fines.

The immediate aftermath of the Barcelona terror attack showing a victim on the ground

A woman places flowers on a memorial after a van attack that killed at least 13 in Barcelona. Police shot and killed five people carrying bomb belts who were connected to the attack

Jihadi materila was still available on Wikipedia last night after at least 14 people lost their lives in van attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils

Until now, Wikipedia has largely avoided the spotlight. But the Daily Mail can reveal that the online encyclopaedia allowed links to official literature from two of the worlds most feared terror groups to be uploaded just 12 days ago.

Vile material still available on the site yesterday included an article published just six days ago from Al Qaedas official magazine, which praised lone jihadis including Westminster terrorist Khalid Masood.

Another link was to an IS magazine encouraging vehicle attacks akin to Thursdays rampage. Since the magazines publication in November, similar links have also appeared on Google, Facebook and Twitter.

However, Facebook and Twitter removed the links when contacted by the Mail in March. Some links to the material remain on Google for academic reasons.

Wikipedias pages can be written and edited by any member of the public but it is said to be moderated by around 130,000 editors. However the potential ease in accessing the propaganda was yesterday met with astonishment by MPs.

Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said it was incredible that Wikipedia was making this material available.

They need to take urgent action to make sure it is removed, he said. This highlights the importance of the attempts of companies like Facebook, YouTube and now Wikipedia to be vigilant before taking firm action against material that aids terrorists.

Dr Hany Farid, an adviser to the Counter Extremism Project think-tank, said: We are seeing real harm which is a direct result of the failure of internet companies to act. Wikipedia and others absolutely have the ability to root out and squash this material.

Inflammatory extremist material was also available on YouTube in the days before the Barcelona attack, the Mail can reveal. One video, posted on August 14, features a jihadi telling the camera: Liberate yourself by killing a kuffar. In the wake of Thursdays attack the videos had been removed.

Wikipedia did not respond to requests for comment last night. However in a discussion section on the Wikipedia page containing links to IS magazines, the firm says it is part of a project to improve coverage of Islam-related articles on its site.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has asked Australians to say a prayer for the missing seven-year-old boy in Barcelona following the chaos of the Los Ramblas attack.

Families are still desperately searching for loved ones after a van ploughed into crowds on the Los Ramblas mall with seven-year-old Julian Cadman among those missing as the death toll climbs to 13.

Julian Cadman, who was born in Kent but moved to Australia three years ago, was pictured smiling hours before he was tragically separated from his mother Jom Cadman during the Las Ramblas boulevard chaos.

Mr Turnbull addressed the tragic search for the seven-year-old at a Liberal Conference on Saturday asking all Australians to say a prayer for the 'little Australian boy'.

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Julian is believed to have been wearing a white collared shirt, aviator sunglasses and a printed cap when he was last seen

Family and friends are sharing increasingly desperate pleas for information on the location of Julian Cadman, 7, who is missing in Barcelona following a terror attack which killed 14

'In this attack we have seen Australians injured and there is a little Australian boy, whose mother was badly injured and is in hospital and he is lost. He is missing in Barcelona,' Mr Turnbull said.

'I think we should all in our quiet moments say a prayer for that little boy. All of us as parents know the anguish his father and his whole family is going through as they rush to seek to find him in Barcelona.'

Family and friends said they were 'beside themselves' and were reaching out on Facebook after it was revealed seven-year-old Sydney boy Julian Cadman was missing following the terror attack in Barcelona.

Those who know Julian and his mother, who has been hospitalised with serious injuries in the Spanish city and is believed to be in a coma, have made increasingly desperate pleas for information via social media.

'If you know anyone in that area that you can share this with, please do so,' Julian's godfather, Colin Baxter, wrote on Facebook, according to the ABC.

Family friend Sarah Auzner shared a picture of the youngster, who was born and raised in Kent, and begged followers to share it widely.

The youngster became separated from his mother during the attack. She is now in a serious condition in a Barcelona hospital, suffering facial and spinal injuries and reportedly in a coma

'Please, please share his picture so he can be with his family,' she wrote.

'We are beside ourselves with worry.'

Julian was travelling with his mother Jom at the time, and the pair were in Barcelona to attend the wedding of Mrs Cadman's niece. The boy's father, Andrew, stayed behind in Sydney to work.

Mrs Cadman has suffered spinal and facial injuries, Nine News reported.

Mr Cadman's boss Scott told 2GB the man had no idea his wife and child were in any danger before arriving at work about 6am on Friday and listening to the news. When he failed to make contact with them, he began to panic.

'He's on his way to the airport at the moment, but we found out about an hour later his son was with her and he's missing, and we haven't heard anything since.

'He's flying to Spain at the moment not knowing if his son is dead or alive.'

The man continued to say Mr Cadman was 'absolutely beside himself', and 'can't do much more than sort of put one foot in front of another at the moment'.

Julian's aunty Norma Canaveral, who he calls 'granny', says she is just waiting for news on the whereabouts of the seven-year-old

His aunt Maricar Querimit Estera shared her concerns via social media, asking followers to 'Pray for my nephew who still missing in [the] Barcelona attack'.

'Your family are waiting for you,' she added in what appeared to be a direct plea to Julian.

The boy, who is a student at St Bernadette's Primary in Lalor Park, is last believed to have been wearing a white collared shirt, aviator sunglasses and a printed cap.

It is believed that Julian was born in Tunbridge Wells in Kent and raised in the UK, and his mother was travelling on a British passport.

Norma Canaveral, who is Jom's aunt  but is called 'granny' by Julian - told MailOnline: 'We are so worried. I am just waiting for news, hoping for good news.'

The 66-year-old, from London, added: 'I don't know what to say. His mother is in the hospital, she's OK, but she became separated from Julian and we don't know where he is. All we can do is wait.

'Julian's a really sweet boy. He loves to dance, he's a lovely, bubbly boy.'

Julian's father Andrew is flying from Sydney to Spain to try and find his son

British Prime Minister Theresa May has also announced the UK will join the search, telling reporters they were 'urgently looking into' reports a dual citizen was missing.

Four Australians were injured in the attack, including Mrs Cadman, Sydney bank worker Suria Intan, who works at the Commonwealth Bank in Lidcombe, and two Victorian men who were hit by the attacker's van.

Ms Intan, who grew up in Indonesia, and had been travelling through Europe with three friends, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Suria Intan, a bank worker from Sydney, has been seriously injured in the terror attack

Ms Intan was due home this weekend, but is now lying in a Barcelona hospital bed with serious injuries.

The two Victorian men from Melbourne's west - both of whom were hit by the attacker's car - have been discharged after receiving treatment, one reportedly for head injuries.

The mother of a friend travelling with the two men told 3AW it was not until her son checked into his hotel that he was told his companions were 'involved in a terrorist attack, they are injured'.

On Friday afternoon, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said eight Australians in total were caught up in the horror that unfolded on Thursday - the four who were injured, three who have required consular support and the one unaccounted for.

'We are concerned, but we are working closely with authorities to determine the whereabouts of the one Australian unaccounted for,' Ms Bishop told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

Ms Intan had been travelling through Europe with friends and was due home this weekend

An Australian tourist is missing in Barcelona after the terror attack and four were injured

Eight Australians have been affected by the Barcelona terrorist attack - including one who was hit by the van, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said

Authorities said at least 13 people were killed in Thursday's attack - which has been claimed by Islamic State - and 100 more injured, 15 of them seriously.

However, Ms Bishop said Catalonian authorities have informed her that the death toll has reached 16.

She said there have been two other attacks are related to the Las Ramblas attack - one in the resort town of Cambrils, about 120km south of Barcelona, which police thwarted.

Five suspects were killed by police and six people were reportedly injured.

'At this stage there are no reports that any Australians were involved in the incident in Cambrils,' Ms Bishop said.

'There has also been reports of an explosion in a house in Alcanar, that is about 200km south of Barcelona.

'Again, there have been no reports at this stage of any Australians involved in that attack, but we believe one person has been killed.'

Earlier, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia stood in 'absolute resolute solidarity' with Spain in the battle against Islamist terrorism.

'This is a global battle against terrorism,' Mr Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

Early Friday, Catalan police posted a tweet saying they shot and killed four suspects and wounded a fifth in a resort town south of Barcelona.

They said officers 'shot down the perpetrators' to 'respond to a terrorist attack.'

It wasn't immediately clear from the tweet if the five shot were suspects in the Las Ramblas attack or were allegedly targeting another location.

Meanwhile, a young Australian woman spoke of how she cheated death for the third time this year.

Julia Monaco, 26, from Melbourne, was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago but she told 3AW's Neil Mitchell that she won't let it stop her from seeing the world.

In June, she was put in a lockdown on the London Underground while out with friends when terrorists plowed into people on London Bridge before going on a knife rampage in nearby Borough Market.

Days later, she was in Notre Dame in Paris when a police officer was stabbed outside the famous cathedral.

Julia Monaco was in a shopping mall with a friend when a van plowed into pedestrians in the Las Ramblas district of Barcelona on Thursday

'I don't feel like I want to go home,' she told Neil Mitchell on Friday morning.

'I feel like I want to stay here and not let them  whoever they may be  win.

'I'm going to see what I came here to see.'

Ms Monaco and her friends Alana Reader and Julia Rocca, also from Melbourne, were in the store on Placa de Catalyuna when they saw people outside running for their lives.

The doors were locked and she spoke of how she watched terrified pedestrians banging on the windows trying to get inside from the street.

'In a split second it all kind of changed and everyone just started running and panicking and running for their lives and crying and screaming and we were forced back into the store, told to get away from the windows and to get low on the ground,' she told Nine.

It was her third brush with terrorism since she began travelling around Europe three months ago. Pictured from left, Julia Rocca, Steph Lamb, Julia Monaco and Alana Reader on holiday in Rome

Ms Monaco said those inside huddled at the back of an Urban Outfitters store and were told to lie face-down on the floor and away from the windows.

When they were finally allowed to leave, they had to walk back to their hostel and avoid the numerous streets that had been closed by police.

'You just have to keep going. I'm sure though tomorrow morning my mum will say 'come home', but I don't think I've been scared out of travelling,' she added.

Melbourne man Michael Christou was about 300m from the initial scene of the Las Ramblas carnage and was also nearby when eight people including two Australians were killed in the London Bridge van attack in June.

'I think it's following me but you kind of come over here (to Europe) and you expect it to happen but you don't let it stop you from doing what you want to do.'

Australian Adam James and his wife, who was pushed over and suffered minor injuries as they ran from the scene, were in Istanbul last year when a police bus was blown up in a terror attack.

'It's happened again. It's a very real thing,' he said.

People react and stand around in the Las Ramblas area in Barcelona, Spain as police investigate a damaged van, believed to be the one used in the terror attack

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said 16 people were killed in the attack and at least 100 injured

Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the center of Barcelona, is one of the city's top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrian path in the center of the street while cars can travel on either side.

Police immediately cordoned off the city's broad avenue and ordered stores and nearby Metro and train stations to close.

Other witnesses also described horrific scenes and fearful crowds in the aftermath of the van attack, which has been claimed by the Islamic State.

MFB Commander Graeme O'Sullivan was one of the first responders at Melbourne's Bourke Street tragedy in January.

He and his wife saw the latest carnage unfold from the rooftop of their Barcelona hotel.

'We were up on the sixth floor roof terrace, just the pool area, enjoying a few drinks,' he told Nine.

'We could clearly hear thuds as the vehicle was running into people, and then a short time after that, obviously, several very loud sickening screams from the people involved down at street level.'

Mr O'Sullivan said the similarity to the Bourke Street Mall event was chilling.

'Bourke Street wasn't terrorism and this appears to be, but the result is still the same,' he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van plowed into the crowd

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa

Australian cyber safety expert Susan McLean was about 100m away as the van zigzagged down the busy avenue, mowing down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground.

'All of a sudden there was this tidal wave of people running from both Placa de Catalunya and Las Ramblas towards us screaming, crying and with absolute terror etched on their faces,' she told Nine Network on Friday.

'Several of them were calling 'gun, gun', so first of all we thought someone had been shot.

'Then they just kept sort of - it was all in Spanish, it was very difficult to understand - but they were sort of pushing us into shops.'

Ms McLean, who was separated from her husband in the panic, also said the scene reminded her of the Bourke Street Mall rampage.

'My first reaction was the Bourke Street massacre, because that is what it reminded me of - the vision of people fleeing in just such terror,' she said.

Keith Fleming, and American living in Barcelona, said he was watching television in his building on a side street just off Las Ramblas when he heard a noise and went out to the balcony to investigate.

He says he saw 'women and children just running and they looked terrified.'

Mr Fleming heard a bang, possibly from someone rolling down a store shutter, as more people raced by.

He said armed police arrived and pushed everyone a full block down the street.

Australian witnesses described the attack as reminiscent of the Bourke Strert Mall rampage in January (above)

State-owned broadcaster RTVE reported that investigators think two vans were used - one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

The attack in the northeastern Spanish city was the country's deadliest since 2004, when al-Qaeda-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated attacks on Madrid's commuter trains.

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa.

Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016, killing 86 people.

In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked trick to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

There have been multiple attacks this year in London, where a man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June.

Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a north London mosque later in June.
A university law tutor who was thrown off a flight at Heathrow after refusing to fasten her seatbelt was so drunk she thought she was in Canada.

Meghna Kumar, 30, downed vodkas before hurling abuse at cabin crew as the flight prepared to take off for Montreal.

The captain was so alarmed by her behaviour that he turned the plane around on the runway and returned to the departure gate.

Meghna Kumar, 30, downed vodkas before hurling abuse at cabin crew as the flight prepared to take off for Montreal

When police boarded the flight, the academic, pictured, who is shortly due to join Durham University as a law tutor, had fallen asleep in her seat.

She thought she had slept through the seven-hour flight and assumed the plane had landed in Canada.

The humanitarian law expert, who lives in a 1million apartment in Kensington, west London, was on her way to teach students at McGill University when she was arrested on April 9.

Now Kumar has been banned from flying with British Airways for two years and told to pay 4,500 after admitting drunkenly entering an aircraft at Isleworth Crown Court.

When police boarded the flight, the academic, pictured, who is shortly due to join Durham University as a law tutor, had fallen asleep in her seat

Prosecutor James OConnell said Kumar had been drinking at one of the airport bars before the flight.

When she stumbled on board, Kumar said to a stewardess: I did not say anything to you, f*** off. Mr OConnell said: It was apparent that she appeared to be under the influence. She sat down and her seatbelt was not fitted, and she was asked to fit the safety belt and immediately became abusive. She started shouting and swearing and said, I cannot f****** believe youre asking me to stand up.

Mr OConnell said cabin crew and the captain agreed to make the rare decision to turn the aircraft back. As the plane returned to the gate, Kumar nodded off in her seat. The prosecutor added: She thought she had got to Canada.

Kumar claimed she had only had two vodkas. But on Tuesday she admitted drunkenly entering an aircraft and was fined 3,750 and ordered to pay 750 costs.

Her CV boasts of experience working for various organs of United Nations International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague and the international arbitration department of a major law firm in London.

Defending, Gareth Weetman said it was an absolutely tragic case, saying Kumar had been battling depression and anxiety for a decade.

Judge Robin Johnson told her: A lot of people are nervous in aeroplanes and people who are drunk and disorderly cause that kind of anxiety to be greatly increased. Secondly, a great deal of inconvenience was met by many, many people, as well as the undoubted cost to the airline. Your behaviour was disgraceful.

A Durham University spokesman said: The university does not comment on individual cases.
The U.S. military and police are searching for a soldier's daughter who mysteriously vanished from Camp Humphreys near Seoul, South Korea last week.

According to the U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys Facebook page, 17-year-old Fatima Andrea Wdave went missing the night of August 10.

She was last seen standing outside of her quarters on post around 10.30pm.

Wdave is 5ft, 3 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds and she has black hair and black eyes.

'The goal of all of this is to locate her and get her home safely with her family,' Bob McElroy, a spokesperson for Garrison, said in a statement Friday.

The U.S. military has put out an all-points bulletin for an American soldier's teenage daughter who went missing from Camp Humphreys, south of Seoul, about a week ago

Fatima Andrea Wdave, 17, was last seen outside of her on-post quarters at about 10.30pm on August 10

Wdave is 5ft, 3 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. She has black hair and black eyes

Korean police are also aiding in the search for the missing teen.

The Provost Marshall's Office is asking for any information on the whereabouts of Wdave to call one of the phone numbers listed in the release.

Camp Humphreys is located just 55 miles south of the nation's capital, Seoul, and neighbors the town of Anjung-Ri.

The base currently holds about 28,500 U.S. troops with the remainder of its population being other 'soldiers, civilians, family members and contractors,' according to a recent report by Military Installations.

Spokesperson for Garrison Bob McElroy said the goal is to 'locate her and get her home safely with her family'

U.S troops currently account for about 28,500 of Camp Humphrey's population, with the rest being other 'soldiers, civilians, family members and contractors'

The population has continued to skyrocket in recent years since the transformation of the installation.

'It is, essentially, building a compound the size of (downtown) Washington, D.C.,' Maj. Gen. James T. Walton, U.S. Forces Korea's director for Transformation and Restationing, said in a statement.

When speaking of the progress, United States Forces Korea commander Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti said on its website that 'over 10,000 workers are constructing headquarters, barracks, family housing and an assortment of other key facilities for our mission and life support.'

The construction is to ensure they are 'carefully planning the transition capability from Yongsan to Humphreys to support the growing population down there,' Walton added.
Facebook has been accused of 'absurd political correctness' after it censored photos of classic works of art because they contained nudity.

The subject matter included 19th century paintings depicting naked women and bare breasted aboriginal woman.

Images of the work had been uploaded to Facebook by an auction house to promote an upcoming sale.

But representatives from the social network said the posts breached its advertising policy stating 'adverts must not contain adult content'.

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Facebook censored photos of classic works of art because they contained nudity including paintings depicting naked women and bare breasted aboriginal woman. Pictured is a painting by a contemporary Australian artist valued between 1,500 to 2,000 ($1,930 - $2,580)

PORNOGRAPHY OR ART? Images of the work had been uploaded to Facebook by an auction house to promote an upcoming sale. The subject matter included 19th century paintings depicting naked women and bare breasted aboriginal woman. But representatives from the social network said the posts breached its advertising policy stating 'adverts must not contain adult content'. Tim Goodman, of the auction house involved, has now written a scathing open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. In it he pointed out that Facebook 'robots' were failing to distinguish between pornography and art. Advertisement

The stringent regulation goes so far as to prohibit images of classic paintings and sculptures.

Tim Goodman, of the auction house involved, has now written a scathing open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

In it he pointed out that Facebook 'robots' were failing to distinguish between pornography and art.

'As a brand, Facebook seems to be using its monopoly over social interaction to impose absurd standards of political correctness', he wrote.

'Facebook is not drawing any distinction between hyper-sexualised images of women, pornography, nudity for awareness, nudity for innovation, and nudity in art.

'The problem is not the fact that you have conservative advertising guidelines, it's that you've designed a system that doesn't allow for real judgement', he said.

Mr Goodman's Australian auction house, Fine Art Bourse, is selling nude and erotic paintings, sculptures, photographs and cigarette cards by artists including Andy Warhol and Keith Haring.

'The censorship issue requires ethical judgement, human sensibility, and accountability', said Mr Goodman.

'I believe failure is inevitable if you continue to rely on robots to handle complaints and individual cases, rather than train your staff.

Pictured is a late 19th century French silver cigarette case after the French Orientalist Germone. It is expected to go for 1,500  2,000 ($1,930 - $2,580) - and was censored by Facebook (right)

Mr Goodman said he tried to clarify with Facebook via email what the issue was but received automated, standard responses. In it he pointed out that Facebook 'robots' were failing to distinguish between pornography and art, such as La Toilette (pictured) by Bernard Fleetwood  Walker R.A. which is estimated to go for 2,000  3,000 ($2,580 - $3,870)

'You're running one of the 10 most valuable companies of the last decade and your censorship protocol on nudity is no more sophisticated than a brief to an office in Hyderabad, India to 'remove sexual content'.'

Some of it the Fine Art Bourse sells highly sought-after nudes worth up to 40,000 ($51,500) a piece.

'Some of the work is by important British artists, a number of which are in the Royal Academy', said Mr Goodman.

Mr Goodman's Australian auction house, Fine Art Bourse, is selling nude and erotic paintings, sculptures, photographs and cigarette cards by artists including Andy Warhol and French Orienalist Germone (pictured) which was censored by Facebook

FACEBOOK NUDITY In 2016 Facebook reinstated the iconic photograph of a naked girl, nine-year-old girl, Kim Phuc, fleeing a napalm attack during the Vietnam War after widespread outrage. Politicians of all stripes, journalists and regular Norwegians backed Prime Minister Erna Solberg, defiantly sharing the Pulitzer Prize-winning image by Associated Press photographer Nick Ut. In 2016 Facebook reinstated the iconic photograph of a naked girl, nine-year-old girl, Kim Phuc, fleeing a napalm attack during the Vietnam War after widespread outrage 'What they do by removing this kind of image is to edit our common history,' Solberg told the AP in a phone interview. In June Facebook was blasted again after it accidentally removed a photograph of a topless mother breastfeeding her baby. Art student Mica Bohannon, 22, took the photo of the woman nursing her baby as part of a project for Arts University Bournemouth and later shared her work on the social network. Art student Mica Bohannon, 22, took the photo of the woman nursing her baby as part of a project for Arts University Bournemouth and later shared her work on the social network However she received a message from Facebook notifying her that the image, which shows the woman's nipple, had been removed because it violated the Facebook Community Standards, which include rules on nudity, sexual and violent content. Facebook was alerted to the mistake and restored the image to Miss Bohannon's page within a few hours. Advertisement

'We have beautiful 19th century French paintings and one of two aboriginal woman performing an aboriginal dance and they are bare breasted with paint on their bodies and Facebook objected to that.'

Mr Goodman said he tried to clarify with Facebook via email what the issue was but received automated, standard responses.

One response stated: 'We don't allow adverts that depict nudity, even if it isn't sexual in nature. This includes the use of nudity for artistic or educational purposes.

'Adverts like these are sensitive in nature and hence are not allowed.'

The row comes two weeks after a mother visiting the V&A Museum in London was told to cover up by a member of staff who saw her breastfeeding.

Museum director Tristram Hunt quickly backtracked and apologised for the incident.

The Fine Art Bourse sale is in Sydney on September 12.

One response stated: 'We don't allow adverts that depict nudity, even if it isn't sexual in nature. This includes the use of nudity for artistic or educational purposes
Since the first stock market in Amsterdam in the 17th Century, trading floors have been dominated by men.

And it turns out that testosterone may be responsible for some of the dramatic bubbles and crashes we have seen since.

Experts have shown for the first time that the male hormone directly impacts financial decisions that drive prices up and destabilise markets.

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Since the first stock market in Amsterdam in the 17th Century, trading floors have been dominated by men. It turns out testosterone may be responsible for some of the dramatic bubbles and crashes we have seen since (stock image)

TESTOSTERONE AND STOCK TRADING Researchers from the Ivey Business School, University of Oxford, and Claremont Graduate University, created an experimental stock market to test the role of testosterone. It consisted of sessions where traders could buy, sell and place bids on stocks using real money, to mirror the conditions of the trading floor. Their goal was to make as much money as possible during three rounds of 12 trading periods, repeated over 17 sessions. Traders were paid at the end of the experiment. Testosterone was found to increase bidding, selling prices, and volume. It also changed traders' perception of a stock's current value even though true values were known during trading. Advertisement

Researchers from the Ivey Business School, University of Oxford, and Claremont Graduate University, created an experimental stock market.

They studied the buying and selling habits behaviour of 140 male traders, with an average age of 23.

The night before a trading session, participants were given a 10 mg of the testosterone supplement Androgel or a placebo.

They found testosterone directly increased the size and persistence of stock market bubbles.

Bubbles are created when prices are artificially inflated vastly beyond the item's actual worth.

This means that testosterone had a noticeable effect on raising stock prices.

Dr Amos Nadler, assistant professor of finance at Ivey, said: 'In this paper, we show that exogenously increasing testosterone in men increases bid prices and asset price bubbles, and slows the incorporation of fundamental value.

'We also show how the changes in buying and selling pressures give rise to bubbles and subsequent crashes.

'These results demonstrate the effects of a specific hormone, testosterone, on male traders in experimental markets.'

The experiment consisted of sessions where traders could buy, sell and place bids on stocks using real money, to mirror the conditions of the trading floor.

Experts have shown for the first time that the male hormone directly impacts financial decisions that drive prices up and destabilise markets. Testosterone was found to increase bidding, selling prices, and volume (stock image)

WHY IS TESTOSTERONE IMPORTANT? It seems that for every question scientists answer on testosterone, more are raised in its place. 'Testosterone is important to study because it has such profound actions, it has shaped human history,' Imperial College London behavioural expert Dr Ed Roberts told MailOnline. 'It has numerous effects, because to be effective in enabling successful reproduction, T has to do many other things. 'This includes providing a weapon, such as teeth, claws, muscles); increase aggression, competitiveness, risk-taking and the tendency for group formation (gangs, clubs etc),' he said. Advertisement

Their goal was to make as much money as possible during three rounds of 12 trading periods, repeated over 17 sessions.

Traders were paid at the end of the experiment.

Testosterone was found to increase bidding, selling prices, and volume.

It also changed traders' perception of a stock's current value even though true values were known during trading.

Dr Nadler believes the research suggests the need to consider hormonal influences on decision making in professional settings

He feels that such biological factors can create extra risk for trading firms and the market itself.

'Firms may, therefore, benefit from a better understanding of when and how hormones assert their influencesuch as through exceptionally positive feedback cycles that are unsupported by fundamentals or technical indicators,' he added.

Dr Nadler recommends a 'cool down' period be introduced to interrupt this cycle.
The world's largest 'fortress for data' is being built in the Arctic, and it will be powered by 100 per cent sustainable energy.

Located in the northern fringes of Norway, Kolos will be the largest green data centre in the world - relying entirely on hydropower and wind.

The cool, stable climate of northern Norway and the site's proximity to water will provide natural cooling for the centre's vast servers.

Internet companies such as Facebook use huge 'server farms' such as this, to store and manage data.

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Located in the northern fringes of Norway, Kolos will be the largest green data centre in the world and will rely entirely on hydropower and wind, it was announced this week

DATA CENTRES Internet companies such as Facebook use huge 'server farms' such as this proposed plant to store and manage data.



The plants are filled with cupboard-sized racks of computer servers that store and move data such as photos. These slightly eerie, heavily guarded facilities are where sites such as Facebook and Google 'live'



The high-power computer equipment generates huge amount of heat - most data centres use chiller systems to stay cool.



Nordic countries now sell plants on the basis that their frosty locations will help cool computer equipment. Google already has a plant in Finland in a disused paper mill.



Facebook is also building new data centres in America - the more an internet company has, the better, as it has 'back-up' facilities in case of a failure. Advertisement

High-power computer equipment generates huge amount of heat so most data centres use chiller systems to stay cool.

Nordic countries now sell plants on the basis that their frosty locations will help cool computer equipment.

The plants are filled with cupboard-sized racks of computer servers that store and move data such as photos.

'Kolos will intelligently maximise green energy and the unique geographic features of northern Norway to deliver the most efficient data centre services,' said a Kolos company statement.

The centre is being built near the Norwegian municipality of Ballangen.

So far, Kolos' architecture design partner HDR has created renders of what the site will look like.

'As data centres face increasing scrutiny for their heavy power consumption and large carbon footprint, Kolos will lead the sector's shift to green energy, helping companies and brands support the world's efforts to transition to renewable energy', the company said.

The company plans to operate at a 60 per cent reduction in energy costs - which it claims would make it the most competitive data centre in the world.

'Kolos will deploy the latest technology in data centre security, employing the most innovative engineers and technology experts, who will constantly monitor and manage new cyber-security risks, the company said.

'Additionally, the Kolos site is surrounded by water and hills, providing a natural moat to protect against any physical risks. Kolos will be a fortress for data', they said.

The centre is being built near the Norwegian municipality of Ballangen. Kolos' architecture design partner HDR has created renders of what the site will look like

Cold places in Nordic countries - such as Kolos (pictured) now sell plants on the basis that their frosty locations will help cool computer equipment

The Kolos plants will be filled with cupboard-sized racks of computer servers that store and move data such as photos

Developers say the centre will directly create 2,000 to 3,000 new jobs and support 10,000 to 15,000 existing jobs in the community of Ballangen.

In 2009 Google purchased a paper mill in Hamina, southern Finland, and turned it into a data centre, using seawater from the Baltic Sea for its cooling system.

Servers inside data centres are the backbone of Internet services such as Facebook.

They store and transmit billions of status updates, links, photos and all the outside apps used by Facebook's members.

Last year Mark Zuckerberg gave a rare glimpse inside one of Facebook's secretive server farms.

Situated near the Norwegian municipality of Ballangen, the company plans to operate at a 60 per cent reduction in energy costs - which it claims would make it the most competitive data centre in the world

Located deep in the forests of northern Sweden, the Lulea data centre (pictured) opened in 2013, and was Facebook's first outside the US

Located deep in the forests of northern Sweden, the Lulea data center opened in 2013, and was Facebook's first outside the US.

A dozen hydro-electric plants operate on nearby rivers, providing a reliable and renewable power source.

The whole system is 10 per cent more efficient and uses almost 40 per cent less power than traditional data centres, Facebook claims.




A Samsung leaflet apparently intended for their Australian market has been leaked ahead of the much anticipated launch of the Galaxy Note 8.

With less than a week to go, anticipation has been mounting over the Seoul-based firm's latest flagship handset.

The marketing material appears to confirm a number of rumoured specs, including plans for a rear dual camera and wireless charging.

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A Samsung leaflet (pictured) apparently intended for their Australian market has been leaked ahead of the much anticipated launch of the Galaxy Note 8. With less than a week to go, anticipation has been mounting over the Seoul-based firm's latest flagship handset

RUMOURED SPECS Leaked images suggest the Galaxy Note 8 will more rectangular than the Galaxy S8, slightly larger and will be sold in black and gold. It's expected to include a 6.3 inch Super AMOLED 'infinity display' with an 18.5:9 ratio bezeless screen. It could be the first Samsung device to incorporate a dual-lens camera on the rear, with a 12-megapixel sensor for each. Like previous Note devices, the latest model will come with an S Pen stylus, the images suggest. The processor is thought to be the Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895 at the helm. It is expected to have 6GB of RAM and new software that will improve split-screen multitasking. Rumours have said customers will receive their handsets, costing over $900 (700 / 999), in September. Advertisement

The flyer, obtained by Ausdroid, lists the main features of the phone as well as how to set it up.

If genuine, it confirms that the Note 8 will feature a 6.3-inch QHD+ Infinity Display with S Pen support, as well as supporting wireless charging.

The dual camera will have f/1.7 lenses and 2X optical zoom and image stabilisation capabilities, as well as iris scanning security protection.

It lists the handset as having IP68 certification, which means it will be dust and water resistant.

The brochure says the phone will be compatible with Samsungs Smart Switch app that will let you transfer all your data from previous models.

It also suggests that, for customers in Australia at least, black and gold will be the only colour options available.

Previous rumours have suggested a third deep blue colour would be available exclusively to Note 8 buyers, which is not an option for the S8.

A cryptic video was released by Samsung on Tuesday ahead of the Galaxy Note 8's grand unveiling on August 23.

The marketing material appears to confirm a number of rumoured specs, including plans for a rear dual camera. The camera will have f/1.7 lenses and 2X optical zoom and image stabilisation capabilities, as well as iris scanning security protection

The leaflet appears to tie in with a teaser trailer released on Tuesday, which features a series of 'inspirational' marketing phrases (pictured) but was scant on information about the new gadget

The teaser trailer features a series of 'inspirational' marketing phrases but is scant on information about the new gadget.

The 37 second-long video centres around a prominent showing for the device's characteristic S-Pen stylus.

A blue animation of the stylus is shown cutting through buzzwords like 'step' to reveal a more ambitious concept like 'leap'.

Similarly 'closed' becomes 'open' and 'impossible' becomes 'possible'.

The video ends with the hashtag #DoWhatYouCant and the message 'Galaxy Unpacked 08.23.2017 live on Samsung.com'.

Despite the lack of further details of the phone's design and specifications, the video has already prompted a reaction from fans on social media.

Twitter user Joosua Anttila said: 'OMG I CAN'T WAIT! I AM SO EXCITED!'

Josh Reubenking added: 'Can't wait for the next Note! Definitely getting it!'

Although the device will be launched next Wednesday, it is not expected to go on sale until September.

The video ends with the hashtag #DoWhatYouCant which fans have begun to include in their social media messages about the upcoming release

Phone carriers in the US leaked information about the release last week and they're anticipating a three week delay until the phone goes on sale.

Representatives from two carriers, who kept themselves and the phone companies they are with anonymous, said the device will go on sale September 15, although did not reveal pricing.

The early launch is designed to deflect attention from Apple's expected September unveiling of its eagerly anticipated iPhone 8.

'We are going to sell Galaxy Note 8 starting from the 15th of September,' explained one carrier representative to ETNews, which correctly predicted the launch and release dates for the Galaxy S8.

It also contains the message 'Galaxy Unpacked 08.23.2017 live on Samsung.com'. Although the device will be launched next Wednesday, it is not expected to go on sale until September

'Its price has not been set yet,' they said.

A representative from a different carrier corroborated the information, also saying September 15 is the final date.

'Samsung Electronics decided on the release date of Galaxy Note 8,' the source said.

There is almost zero chance that it will change the release date of Galaxy Note 8.'

The gap is to allow time for advertising to entice consumers while the company builds up inventory, yet this delay is a week longer than the one for the disastrous Galaxy Note 7.

Despite the lack of further details of the phone's design and specifications, the video has already prompted a reaction from fans. Twitter user Joosua Anttila said: 'OMG I CAN'T WAIT! I AM SO EXCITED!'

Josh Reubenking added: 'Can't wait for the next Note! Definitely getting it!'. The early launch is designed to deflect attention from Apple's expected September unveiling of its eagerly anticipated iPhone 8

Pre-order information remains unknown as well, although providers are speculating consumers will be able to begin order 10 to 14 days prior to the September 15 release.

Popular Samsung leaker Evan Blass recently tweeted a link to his Venture Beat article about the Galaxy Note 8's final specs as well as what seemed to be a promotional image for the phone.

Blass later confirmed to Forbes that the image is 'official' and will be used to market the device.

The leaked images of the phone he shared allegedly reveal Samsung's answer to the iPhone 8 will be more rectangular than the Galaxy S8 and will be sold in black and gold.

Samsung had first dropped hints about a follow-up to its exploding Galaxy Note Series in April.

Popular Samsung leaker Evan Blas has shared what he says are promotional images of the handset. Leaked photos claiming to show the final design of the highly-anticipated Galaxy Note 8 have surfaced online (pictured)

A side by side comparison of the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8. Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 will keep the edge-to-edge display found on the Galaxy S8, according to the leaked images

This photo claims to show the rear camera from the upcoming GalaxyNote 8. Vietnamese Facebook user Tung Ha claims that the photo shows the dual lens camera, LED flash and fingerprint ID scanner for the Galaxy Note 8

The Seoul firm was forced to recall the handset last year after devices overheated and caused fires or started smoking due to battery problems.

The recall began last October and cost the company $19 billion (14.7 billion) after it was discovered that the devices were prone to overheating and bursting into flames.

Samsung also launched a vast inquiry into the issue that is expected to cost the company an estimated $5.3 billion (4.1 billion).

Airliners banned the devices over safety fears and the company had to recall three million handsets.

It later claimed a battery fault in the Galaxy Note 7 was to blame.

It was announced in March that the South Korean firm will begin to sell refurbished versions of the ill-fated tablet phone, as well as plans to rebrand it.

Pictures of the new handset leaked online revealed what it will look like and, unsurprisingly, it's exactly the same.

Samsung was forced to launch a $19 billion recall in October last year after it was discovered that Galaxy Note 7 devices were prone to overheating and bursting into flames

Although Samsung did not plan on building ticking time bombs, they could have avoided this disaster by giving the Note 7 devices a user-removable battery, according to one expert.

'Samsung made some poor design choices with a phone that ended up being a fire hazard,' Gary Cook, senior corporate campaigner and IT sector analyst at Greenpeace told the DailyMail.com.

'Previously, Samsung designed its smartphones to let customers remove the battery themselves, which is great.'

'Now, they've shifted to using adhesive to put the battery in and it is difficult to remove.'

'That is why they are recalling the entire phone, instead of just being able replace the battery.'
After a nuclear attack it would probably be one of the last things you would think of, but it seems that using hair conditioner could be lethal.

Following threats of a nuclear strike from North Korea, the US Office for Civil Defense has warned people living in Guam to steer clear of the smoothing hair product.

Experts say that conditioner can 'bind radioactive material to your hair', making the deadly particles extremely difficult to remove.

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Conditioner pulls down the hair and leaves oily compounds which make deadly particles from a nuclear attack even harder to remove (stock image)

WHAT TO DO AFTER A NUCLEAR ATTACK Take shelter as soon as possible as radioactive waste can be carried by winds for hundreds of miles. Take off your outer layer of clothing - this can remove up to 90 per cent of radioactive material. Place any contaminated items of clothing in a plastic bag and seal it. Place it as far away from other people as possible. If water is available, survivors should shower with soap and shampoo to wash of radioactive dust. Do not scratch or scrub your skin. Gently blow your nose and wipe eyelids and eyelashes with a clean cloth. If you are unable to showe, use a wet wipe to clean any skin not covered by clothing. Source: Ready.gov Advertisement

Nuclear dust particles are so tiny that can nestle into strands of human hair, according to a warning by Guam's Office for Civil Defence, following threats of ballistic missiles from North Korea.

The reason conditioner is dangerous is because of the chemistry of human hair.

It is made of overlapping scales and unlike shampoo, conditioner has compounds that pull down these scales to smooth it.

'It can come apart during the day like a pine cone,' Andrew Karam, a radiation safety expert who consults for government response teams told National Defence Radio.

'Radiation contamination particles can get between those scales', he said.

Conditioner also leaves in specific oily compounds which make it easier for nuclear particles to stick to it. Unlike shampoo, it is meant to stay behind in the hair.

Not only conditioner, but people should also avoid using moisturisers and stick cosmetic products as they too collect radioactive dust, experts warned.

A lethal fireball would probably incinerate everything - but for those that are not immediately pulverised leftover dust could prove to be lethal too (stock image)

However, if water is available, survivors should shower with soap and shampoo to wash of radioactive dust.

If people survive an attack they should also take off their outer layer of clothing as this can also remove up to 90 per cent of radioactive materials.

'Radioactivity is like changing a diaper', said Dr Karam.

'You don't want it on you, but if you do get it on you, just wash it off and go on with your day'.

Guam, which is known as the 'Tip of the Spear', is home to thousands of American service members and their families at both Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam

Naval Base Guam (file above) is located on the west side of the island. There is an estimated 6,300 active duty Navy members and 6,900 family members living on Guam as well as a significant population of retired military personnel

People caught on the outskirts of an explosion should take shelter as soon as possible as radioactive waste can be carried by winds for hundreds of miles.

Any uncontaminated should be placed in a plastic bag, sealed, and left as far away from people as possible.

Experts recommend you also gently blow your nose and wipe eyelids and eyelashes with a clean cloth.

If you are unable to shower, use a wet wipe to clean any skin not covered by clothing.
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This astounding photo of a heart-shaped cell entangled in a blood clot has won the British Hearth Foundation's 2017 photo contest.

In the image, which was captured through an electron microscope, red blood cells are trapped in the 3D mesh of fibrin fibres, which hold the clot together.

The cell had remarkably been compressed into a heart shape by the contracting fibres surrounding it.

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Taken by Fraser Macrae, a BHF-funded researcher at the University of Leeds, this image shows a heart-shaped cell entangled in a blood clot held together by a mesh of fibrin fibres. This astounding photo was taken at 5,000-times magnification

HEART-SHAPED CELL Taken at 5,000-times magnification, this image shows a heart-shaped cell entangled in a blood clot. In the image captured through an electron microscope, red blood cells are trapped in the 3D mesh of fibrin fibres, which hold the clot together. One cell had remarkably been compressed into a heart shape by the contracting fibres surrounding it. Advertisement

These fibrin fibres have the ability to stretch without breaking to more than five times their original size.

The image was snapped by a University of Leeds researcher who is studying how clots form.

'I was amazed when I saw the blood cell which by chance had been squeezed into a heart shape', said the overall winner, Fraser Macrae.

'As someone who is investigating aspects of heart disease, it seemed to be very symbolic.

'By understanding the difference between deadly clots in patients with cardiovascular disease and clots which help us when we've been injured, we hope to design new drugs that remove damaging clots or prevent their formation, ultimately saving lives.'

This photo taken by Dr Sean Davidson shows a thin section of a mouse heart with a cross-section of blood vessels that look rather like a heart itself. The heart muscle and vessel walls appear red, while the nucleus - the control centre of the cell - appears blue

The inside of an artery, captured by Dr Matthew Lee, a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Strathclyde. 'This image tells a story of how science and art can come together to help advance our knowledge of modern medicine', said competition judge Christopher Jackson

It is the second time the researcher has won the competition, after an image he took in 2015 of the clotting process impressed the judges.

Other shortlisted entries included an image of the blood vessel network inside a zebrafish heart and the immune system at work inside a muscle.

'This image tells a story of how science and art can come together to help advance our knowledge of modern medicine', said competition judge Christopher Jackson.

'At the same time, images like this give us the opportunity to appreciate the incredible beauty in something that is invisible to the human eye.'

This image, captured by Dr Tamara Gibri, shows the immune system at work in a muscle. An injury, caused by infection or tissue damage, has caused white blood cells called neutrophils (pink) - that are normally found in the blood - to breach blood vessel walls (blue and green) and invade the surrounding tissue

This image shows the densely packed and organised blood vessel network in the heart of an adult zebrafish. It was captured by Dr Yujie Yang from the University of Edinburgh

The image, captured by Dr Marcela Rosas from Cardiff University, shows a fibroblast in culture that has been labelled with an antibody. Each year in the UK about 100,000 people die from a heart attack or stroke caused by unwanted blood clots, according to the British Heart Foundation

A photo taken by Dr Sean Davidson shows a thin section of a mouse heart with a cross-section of blood vessels that look rather like a heart itself.

The heart muscle and vessel walls appear red, while the nucleus - the control centre of the cell - appears blue.

Another image taken by Dr Simon Wilson from the University of Edinburgh shows a blood clot forming in a healthy human blood vessel.

Each year in the UK about 100,000 people die from a heart attack or stroke caused by unwanted blood clots, according to the British Heart Foundation.

This image, taken by Dr Simon Wilson at the University of Edinburgh, shows a blood clot forming in a healthy human blood vessel. Platelets (green) make up the bulk of the clot with fibrin (red) sticking it to the blood vessel wall

A mirrored image of mitochondria labelled with a fluorescent protein in a living mouse embryo forms in the shape of a butterfly. The image was captured by Dr Nicoletta Surdo at the University of Oxford
The planet is just days away from the shadow of a solar eclipse passing over its surface, providing a rare spectacle for those lucky enough to see it.

It's an event that will be watched and recorded by millions, but timelapse footage taken from space presents a view of an eclipse few will ever witness firsthand.

Japan's Himawari 8 weather satellite caught the moment when the moon's shadow passed over the Pacific in stunning detail.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING AN ECLIPSE During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely blocks the face of the sun, NASA explains. This reveals the 'pearly white halo' of the sun's corona  its outer atmosphere, which is invisible to the naked eye at all other times. For this phenomenon to take place, the moon and the sun must be perfectly aligned, allowing the moon to appear as though it's the exact size of the sun. 'A total eclipse is a dance with three partners: the moon, the sun and Earth,' said Richard Vondrak, a lunar scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. 'It can only happen when there is an exquisite alignment of the moon and the sun in our sky.' According to eclipse chaser Michael Aisner, the math of this actually taking place is 'boggling.' 'The moon is 400 times smaller in diameter than the sun, and the sun is 400 times further away,' he explained in an eclipse-viewing tip list shared with Dailymail.com. 'Bingo  a perfect fit even though the sun is 100 million miles farther away than the moon.' Advertisement

The video, posted on astronomer Scott Manley's YouTube channel, begins with the terminator line between night and day visible in the east.

Dawn breaks and the sun's rays spread over most of one side of the planet, on March 9, 2016, just before the eclipse begins.

A shadow, created by the moon passing between the sun and the Earth, can be seen rising from the west before covering a large area of the Pacific.

It travels in a diagonal line from the bottom left hand corner of the image to the top right.

During this time it covers Indonesia, who experienced a total solar eclipse, as well Malaysia and large parts of Southeast Asia and Australia, who witnessed a partial eclipse.

A partial eclipse of the sun will be visible across the UK just before sunset on Monday - providing clouds do not get in the way.

The sun will resemble a biscuit with a bite out of it as part of the moon blocks out the sun's rays.

Providing the weather is fine on Monday, the rare solar eclipse should be visible at around 8pm, depending on where you are in the UK.

The moon will block out 10 per cent of the sun's diameter, and two per cent of its area, with dark sun spots speckling the sun's surface.

Japan's Himawari 8 weather satellite caught the moment when the moon's shadow passed over the Pacific (pictured) in stunning detail on March 9, 2016

It shows the shadow of the moon (pictured) travelling in a diagonal line from the bottom left hand corner of the image to the top right. It passes over Indonesia, who experienced a total solar eclipse, as well Malaysia and large parts of Southeast Asia and Australia

Starting around 7.30pm, the peak of the eclipse will be visible at around 8.04pm in London, at 7.58pm in Edinburgh and at 8.05pm in Cardiff.

It should last around 40 minutes in total.

While only a partial eclipse in the UK, viewers in the United States will get to see a more impressive total solar eclipse.

The partial eclipse can only take place at New Moon, as this is when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun.

The United States will be treated to its first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in nearly a century, sweeping across the country from Oregon all the way to South Carolina.

More than 10 million Americans are reportedly planning to travel to the path of the total eclipse, which will through 12 other States.

During a total solar eclipse (pictured), the moon completely blocks the face of the sun. This reveals the 'pearly white halo' of the sun's corona, its outer atmosphere (pictured), which is invisible to the naked eye at all other times

This will result in temporary darkness in 14 states, for around two minutes, along a path stretching from the East to the West Coast.

During a total solar eclipse, the moon completely blocks the face of the sun, NASA explains.

This reveals the 'pearly white halo' of the sun's corona  its outer atmosphere, which is invisible to the naked eye at all other times.

For this phenomenon to take place, the moon and the sun must be perfectly aligned, allowing the moon to appear as though it's the exact size of the sun.

WHERE TO SEE THE TOTAL ECLIPSE The path of totality will stretch from Lincoln Beach, Oregon, to Charleston South Carolina. To find out exactly when and where it will be visible, visit NASA's interactive map, and click on a city along the path. In less than two weeks, the United States will be treated to its first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in nearly a century, sweeping across the country from Oregon all the way to South Carolina Totality will cross the US from west to east, beginning at Lincoln Beach, Oregon, where totality will occur at 10:16 a.m. (PDT). It will the US over roughly an hour and a half, passing through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and North and South Carolina. It will end near Charleston, South Carolina, at 2:48 p.m. (EDT), according to NASA. Advertisement

'A total eclipse is a dance with three partners: the moon, the sun and Earth,' said Richard Vondrak, a lunar scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

'It can only happen when there is an exquisite alignment of the moon and the sun in our sky.'

According to eclipse chaser Michael Aisner, the math of this actually taking place is 'boggling.'

'The moon is 400 times smaller in diameter than the sun, and the sun is 400 times further away,' he explained in an eclipse-viewing tip list shared with Dailymail.com.

While only a partial eclipse in the UK (pictured), viewers in the United States will get to see a more impressive total solar eclipse (stock photograph) on Monday

'Bingo  a perfect fit even though the sun is 100 million miles farther away than the moon.'

The Royal Astronomical Society warned that extreme care must be taken when observing the eclipse.

Experts advise to never look directly at the Sun through binoculars or a telescope, as this will risk permanent eye damage.

The society warned: 'Even staring at the Sun is dangerous, and sunglasses are no protection. Hospitals regularly see patients who have damaged their eyes while watching eclipses. Don't be among them.'

The last total solar eclipse in the UK was on August 11, 1999, over Cornwall and South Devon  but was for most observers almost completely blocked by clouds.

We will have a long wait until the next total solar eclipse visible from Britain, which will not occur until September 23, 2090.
A NASA scientist has spoken out about the true threat of supervolcanoes and the risky methods that could be used to prevent a devastating eruption.

Brian Wilcox, a former member of the NASA Advisory Council on Planetary Defense, shared a report on the natural hazard that hadn't been seen outside of the agency until now.

He spoke of the true devastation that could come from an eruption, and the 'risky' methods that the agency is considering for preventing one - including approaches that could potentially go array and set off a supervolcano accidentally.

One such plan would involve drilling into the bottom of the Yellowstone volcano, using high pressure water to release heat from the magma chamber.

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A former member of the NASA Advisory Council on Planetary Defense shared a report on the natural hazard that hadn't been seen outside of the agency until now. The Grand Prismatic hot spring at Yellowstone is pictured

'I was a member of the NASA Advisory Council on Planetary Defense which studied ways for NASA to defend the planet from asteroids and comets,' Brian Wilcox, now at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology, told BBC.

'I came to the conclusion during that study that the supervolcano threat is substantially greater than the asteroid or comet threat.'

Earth has around 20 known supervolcanoes, which are simply unusually large volcanoes that have the potential to produce an eruption with major effects on the global climate and ecosystem.

A supervolcanic eruption could be a single short-term event or a long-term massive lava flow lasting up to millions of years

A map of known 20 supervolcanoes around the world. Major eruptions occur every 100,000 years, with the last major known one being in New Zealand 26,500 years ago

Major eruptions occur every 100,000 years, with the last major known one being in New Zealand 26,500 years ago.

Such an eruption today could cause a prolonged nuclear winter and global starvation - the United Nations estimated that food reserves worldwide would only enable humans to survive for 74 days.

NASA is weighing methods to prevent a supervolcanic eruption, but the proposed tactics would be difficult to convince politicians of and are extremely risky - some could even wind up accidentally triggering the eruption they are trying to prevent.

One of the most dangerous supervolcanoes is beneath Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, where pressure is building in an enormous magma chamber, causing hotspots.

NASA believes drilling up to 10km down into the supervolcano beneath Yellowstone National Park to pump in water at high pressure could cool it. The heat would be extracted through the underside of the magma chamber

Supervolcanoes are simply unusually large volcanoes that have the potential to produce an eruption with major effects on the global climate and ecosystem. Such an eruption today could cause a prolonged nuclear winter and global starvation. A simulation is pictured

Yellowstone currently leaks about 60 to 70 percent of its heat into atmosphere via water which seeps into the magma chamber through cracks, while the rest builds up as magma and dissolves into volatile gasses.

The heat and pressure will reach the threshold, meaning an explosion is inevitable.

NASA has considered that if it could cool down Yellowstone - which is essentially a giant heat generator equal to six industrial power plants - by 35 percent, it would no longer pose a threat.

But the proposed tactics seem impractical and dangerous, if not impossible.

One already defunct idea was to use water to cool down the supervolcano.

NASA'S PLAN TO PREVENT A SUPERVOLCANIC ERUPTION NASA believes drilling up to 10km down into the supervolcano beneath Yellowstone National Park to pump in water at high pressure could cool it. Despite the fact that the mission would cost $3.46 billion, NASA considers it 'the most viable solution.' Using the heat as a resource also poses an opportunity to pay for plan - it could be used to create a geothermal plant, which generates electric power at extremely competitive prices of around $0.10/kWh. But this method of subduing a supervolcano has the potential to backfire and trigger the supervolcanic eruption NASA is trying to prevent. 'Drilling into the top of the magma chamber 'would be very risky;' however, carefully drilling from the lower sides could work. Even besides the potential devastating risks, the plan to cool Yellowstone with drilling is not simple. Doing so would be an excruciatingly slow process that one happen at the rate of one metre a year, meaning it would take tens of thousands of years to cool it completely. And still, there wouldn't be a guarantee it would be successful for at least hundreds or possibly thousands of years. Advertisement

'Building a big aqueduct uphill into a mountainous region would be both costly and difficult, and people don't want their water spent that way,' Wilcox said.

'People are desperate for water all over the world and so a major infrastructure project, where the only way the water is used is to cool down a supervolcano, would be very controversial.'

But since it would be nearly impossible to convince policymakers of such a plan, NASA has since considered drilling up to 10km down into the supervolcano to pump down water at high pressure.

The circulating water would return at a temperature of around 662 F (350 C) and slowly extract heat from the bubbling pressure cooked beneath the National Park's surface.

Despite the fact that the mission would cost $3.46 billion, NASA considers it 'the most viable solution.'

Yellowstone National Park spans the midwestern US states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana (pictured)

Using the heat as a resource also poses an opportunity to pay for plan.

'Through drilling in this way, it could be used to create a geothermal plant, which generates electric power at extremely competitive prices of around $0.10/kWh,' Wilcox said.

'You would have to give the geothermal companies incentives to drill somewhat deeper and use hotter water than they usually would, but you would pay back your initial investment, and get electricity which can power the surrounding area for a period of potentially tens of thousands of years.'

'And the long-term benefit is that you prevent a future supervolcano eruption which would devastate humanity.'

But this method of subduing a supervolcano may be too good to be true - it has the potential to backfire and trigger the supervolcanic eruption NASA is trying to prevent.

'If you drill into the top of the magma chamber and try and cool it from there, this would be very risky,' Wilcox said.

'This could make the cap over the magma chamber more brittle and prone to fracture - And you might trigger the release of harmful volatile gases in the magma at the top of the chamber which would otherwise not be released.'

Carefully drilling from the lower sides, however, could work.

'This way you're preventing the heat coming up from below from ever reaching the top of the chamber which is where the real threat arises,' Wilcox says.

Even besides the potential devastating risks, the plan to cool Yellowstone with drilling is not simple.

A mud pot near the Mud Caldron in the Mud Volcano in Yellowstone National Park. 'Yellowstone explodes roughly every 600,000 years, and it is about 600,000 years since it last exploded, which should cause us to sit up and take notice,' Wilcox said

Doing so would be an excruciatingly slow process that one happen at the rate of one metre a year, meaning it would take tens of thousands of years to cool it completely.

And still, there wouldn't be a guarantee it would be successful for at least hundreds or possibly thousands of years.

'When people first considered the idea of defending the Earth from an asteroid impact, they reacted in a similar way to the supervolcano threat,' Wilcox says.

'People thought, "As puny as we are, how can humans possibly prevent an asteroid from hitting the Earth?"'

'Well, it turns out if you engineer something which pushes very slightly for a very long time, you can make the asteroid miss the Earth - so the problem turns out to be easier than people think.'

'In both cases it requires the scientific community to invest brain power and you have to start early - but Yellowstone explodes roughly every 600,000 years, and it is about 600,000 years since it last exploded, which should cause us to sit up and take notice.'

In the map above, a bulls-eye shaped section of uplift can be seen at the Norris Geyser Basin, where the ground has risen roughly 3 inches. And, an elliptical subsidence can be seen in the Yellowstone caldera, with the ground dropping about 1.2 inches

EARTHQUAKE SWARM The University of Utah's Seismograph Stations (UUSS) have been monitoring the activity since it began June 12. A total of 1,562 quakes have been recorded so far at Yellowstone since the swarm began. Earthquake swarms are common in Yellowstone and, on average, comprise about 50 per cent of the total activity in the Yellowstone region. Although the latest swarm is the largest since 2012, it is fewer than weekly counts during similar events in 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2010. Tremors were recorded from ground level to 9mi (14.5km) below sea level. Seismic activity could be a sign of an impending eruption of the supervolcano, although this is impossible to predict exactly Advertisement

Last week, scientists revealed new evidence of the changes going on beneath the ground this summer as over 1,500 earthquakes have rumbled around the Yellowstone supervolcano in Wyoming.

A new map from the US Geological Survey shows how the ground around the Yellowstone caldera has deformed over the span of two years, as the quakes release uplift-causing pressure, allowing the ground to sink back down.

This activity is typically linked to changes in magma and gases deep below the surface  but for now, the experts say there's no cause for worry.

The map, created by USGS geophysicist Chuck Wicks uses data from June 2015 and July 2017 to show how the region around Yellowstone has changed.

In the map, the colorful rings show the changes in the ground's elevation as seen by a radar satellite, according to USGS.

A bulls-eye shaped section of uplift can be seen at the Norris Geyser Basin, where the ground has risen roughly 3 inches.

And, an elliptical subsidence can be seen in the Yellowstone caldera, with the ground dropping about 1.2 inches.

Just 12 to 18 miles away, the summer 2017 earthquake storm is still underway, to the west of the Norris uplift.

This activity is typically linked to changes in magma and gases deep beneath the surface  but for now, the experts say there's no cause for worry. The Dragon's Mouth spring (pictured, stock image) is among the park's many hydrothermal features created by the supervolcano

And, it's likely playing a role in the changes observed at the site.

'The uplift and subsidence is usually interpreted as due to addition or withdrawal of deep magma and related gases and water at depths 5 to 15 km (3 to 9 mi) beneath the ground,' USGS explains.

'This cycle of uplift and subsidence is common and seems tied to earthquake swarms; that is, swarms appear to release the pressure that caused the initial uplift, thus allowing the region to return to a period of subsidence.'

While it may seem alarming, the experts say this behavior is common, and the locations are so far exhibiting minimal changes this month.

While the activity has spurred fears that the supervolcano could be gearing up toward an eruption, the experts say the risk of such an event is low, and the alert level remains at 'normal'

'Behavior is similar to the past several months,' USGS notes in a monthly update released last week.

'Current deformation patterns at Yellowstone remain within historical norms.'

The earthquake storm has steadily persisted throughout the summer.

By August 2, the area had seen 1,562 events, with the largest magnitude of ML 4.4

Yellowstone National Park was hit by more than 1,200 earthquakes in the span of just a month, seismologists revealed earlier this summer.

In an update on the ongoing earthquake storm, which scientists have been monitoring since June 12, the researchers said they'd recorded 1,284 events by mid-July, with the largest being a magnitude 4.4

While the activity has spurred fears that the supervolcano could be gearing up to an eruption, the experts say the risk of such an event is low, and the alert level remains at 'normal.'

The experts at the University of Utah Seismograph Stations (UUSS) have been tracking the current swarm on the western edge of Yellowstone since June 12.

Swarms of this kind are common in the area, they say, and make up roughly 50 percent of the seismic activity in the Yellowstone region.

'The swarm consists of one earthquake in the magnitude 4 range, 7 earthquakes in the magnitude 3 range, 105 earthquakes in the magnitude 2 range, 407 earthquakes in the magnitude 1 range, 736 earthquakes in the magnitude 0 range, and 28 earthquakes with magnitudes of less than zero,' according to UUSS.

'These events have depths from ~0.0 km to ~14.0 km, relative to sea level.

'At the time of this report, there were 125 felt reports for the M4.4 event that occurred on June 16, 2017 at 00:48:46.94 UTC (June 15, 2017 at 18:48:46.94 MDT).'

In the most recent update on the ongoing earthquake storm, which scientists have been monitoring since June 12, the researchers say there have been 1,284 events so far, with the largest being a magnitude 4.4

As the swarm continues, they will continue to monitor its activity, and provide updates as seen fit.

For now, though, experts have left the alert level in the green zone, meaning activity is still considered normal.

If it were to erupt, the Yellowstone volcano would be one thousand times as powerful as the 1980 Mount St Helens eruption, experts claim - although they say the risk is 'low'.

Experts say there is a one in 700,000 annual chance of a volcanic eruption at the site. Pictured is an artist's impression

'Even with explosions, earthquakes, and notable ground uplift, the most likely volcanic eruptions would be the type that would have minimal affect outside the park itself.'

The swarm has steadily persisted over the last few weeks.

In a previous update, experts revealed the swarm had reached nearly 900 quakes by June 28.

And, when the earthquakes started on 12 June, USGS said it was the highest number of earthquakes at the park within a single week in the past five years.
Mexican scientists said Wednesday they have discovered the fossilized remains of a previously unknown species of giant sloth that lived 10,000 years ago and died at the bottom of a sinkhole.

The Pleistocene-era remains were found in 2010, but were so deep inside the water-filled sinkhole that researchers were only gradually able to piece together what they were, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said in announcing the find.

Scientists have so far hauled up the skull, jawbone, and a mixed bag of vertebrae, ribs claws and other bones, but the rest of the skeleton remains some 50 meters (165 feet) under water, the INAH said.

The Pleistocene-era remains were found in 2010, but were so deep inside the water-filled sinkhole that researchers were only gradually able to piece together what they were, National Institute of Anthropology and History said in announcing the find. The skull is pictured

Researchers are planning to bring up the rest by next year to continue studying the findincluding to estimate how big the animal was.

'They'll be putting the pieces together like a puzzle,' INAH spokesman Arturo Mendez told AFP.

The skeleton is nearly complete, leading scientists to believe the sloth 'fell into the sinkhole when it was dry or had only a little water at the bottom,' the researchers said.

They have named the new species Xibalbaonyx oviceps, and nicknamed it 'Pote.'

Mexican scientists said Wednesday they have discovered the fossilized remains of a previously unknown species of giant sloth that lived 10,000 years ago and died at the bottom of a sinkhole

Scientists have so far hauled up the skull, jawbone, and a mixed bag of vertebrae, ribs claws and other bones, but the rest of the skeleton remains some 50 meters (165 feet) under water, the INAH said

An initial analysis suggests the sloth lived between 10,647 and 10,305 years ago, they saidan era when giant creatures of all kinds roamed the Earth.

Mexico is known for its numerous sinkholes, known here as 'cenotes' and often filled with stunning emerald and turquoise waters illuminated by a shaft of light from above.

The area where the sloth was found, amid the pristine beaches of the Yucatan peninsula, is home to some of the most extensive networks of underwater caves on Earth, a magnet for cave divers from around the world.

Mexico is known for its numerous sinkholes, known here as 'cenotes' and often filled with stunning emerald and turquoise waters illuminated by a shaft of light from above. They suspect the sloth, dubbed 'Pote' fell into a sinkhole and died

THE HARLAN'S GROUND SLOTH The giant mammal roamed the Los Angeles basin 11,000 years ago Fossil was identified as a sloth proximal femur head fragment (Sloth's Hip Joint Bone) The sloths grew up to 10 feet in length and weighed up to 1,500 pounds. The giants were bulky, with short necks, powerful chests, and massive jaws. They had three claws per hand, which they could use for digging, grabbing, or defending themselves. Under their coat of coarse, brown hair, they had small, nickel-sized, bony plates embedded in their skin as protective armor, similar to armadillos today. Ground sloths originated in South America, before the continent was connected to North America by way of Panama. A herbivore that fed on grasses, shrubs, and flowering plants, it used its stout snout and keen nose to sniff for food. It lived in open grassland habitats and fed mostly on grass. Advertisement

Earlier this year, crews digging a tunnel for a new Los Angeles train line have found the remains of an ancient giant sloth.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says a fossilized hip joint was discovered on May 16 in a layer of sandy clay 16 feet below a major thoroughfare where the new rail line is being built.

The bone is from a Harlan's ground sloth, a mammal that roamed the Los Angeles basin 11,000 years ago.

The sloths grew up to 10 feet in length and weighed up to 1,500 pounds.

A bone from an extinct bison also was found.

Earlier this year, crews digging a tunnel for a new Los Angeles train line have found the remains of an ancient giant sloth. The image above shows the fossilized hip joint of the ancient ground sloth

Large mammals flourished in the LA area thousands of years ago.

Excavations for train projects have turned up bison and camel bones as well as mastodon teeth and tusk fragments.

Paleo Solutions, the firm that made the find, said 'This is an amazing discovery.

'If this is a Harlan's Ground Sloth (largest and most common of three species of ground sloth found at the Tar Pits) then it could have easily weighed up to 1,500 pounds and measure up to 10 feet in length.'

The two partial large mammal bones were discovered in a sandy clay layer area 16 feet under Crenshaw Bl between 63rd St. and Hyde Park Bl on On May 16th.

The first fossil was determined to be a bison right proximal radius (Bison Bone) and the second fossil is identified as a sloth proximal femur head fragment (Sloth's Hip Joint Bone).

The fossils will be held at the Paleo Solutions laboratory until the Project is complete, at which time it will be transferred to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County or other accredited repository for permanent curation.

'Although it is difficult to find out all of our Sloth's history from just one bone, there is some information that can be gathered from our staff's visit to the Tar Pits,' Paleo Solutions said.

'Assuming the sediments are the same age as the Tar Pits, Harlan's Ground Sloth (Paramylodon Harlani) lived in the Los Angeles basin 40,000-11,000 years ago (Late Pleistocene). '

Prior to this, a Paramylodon Harlani fossil was uncovered in Beaumont, CA and it was about 1.3-1.8 million years old (Early Pleistocene).

This type of Sloth lived in North America during the Pliocene through Pleistocene epochs, living from around 4.9 million years ago to 11,000 years ago.
It's certainly a less-trodden path, but that's exactly why one intrepid backpacker wanted to do it.

Rico Chee, a 25-year-old Malaysian writer and translator, crossed the border from Pakistan to Iran last year as part of his ongoing 6,200-mile journey from China to Istanbul.

He talks to MailOnline Travel about finding himself as a 'guest' of the Taliban during his time in Pakistan - how he met a member who said he'd simply 'got used to' killing, and hosts who were incredibly courteous.

Rico Chee, a 25-year-old Malaysian traveller and writer (centre), crossed the border from Pakistan to Iran with armed escorts (pictured) who are assigned to all foreigners

Reaching Iran via the Pakistan border as a foreigner means you're entitled to a free armed escort, Rico explains - but only for certain parts of the journey.

'I soon realised that the Pakistani army would to a great degree protect my life,' he says.

'Friends I had in certain regions were still very pessimistic about my trip. One even tried to hide my passport because he really thought I was going to get myself killed.'

But Rico went anyway.

Many of his photos were deleted by Taliban forces. This shows a rickshaw in Pakistan, also known as a 'ching ching'

Here Rico is pictured at another point of his ongoing journey - at the Wagah border crossing ceremony from Pakistan to India

Through another Pakistani friend, Rico became a guest of several members of the Taliban while traversing the country.

He explains that in Pakistan he had an armed escort in the Gilgit-Baltistan area and also from Quetta to Taftan, the Pakistani border with Iran.

He was introduced to the Taliban before he reached Quetta.

He says: 'It wouldn't have been possible after Quetta where my every move was monitored by the armed escort and going out alone without them was also not possible.'

He continues: 'Most of the Taliban have never seen foreigners, let alone travellers before, so they were very excited to hear about my side of the story.

'It was a very humbling experience to say the least.'

Rico added: 'Theres a saying here - If youre a guest, then youre a friend sent by God" - which couldnt be any truer from what Ive experienced, even with supposedly brutal militants.

'I spent most of the time talking to them, trying to understand them.'

Rico pictured (left) dressed like a local in Balochistan, a conservative part of Pakistan, and (right) a traditional Iranian breakfast provided by one of his hosts in Iran

He goes on: 'There's one conversation I had which I'll never forget. One of the Talibs, who was introduced to me as "Alan" claimed he was fighting beside the Taliban chief Mullah Mansour, who was killed by the US drone strike back in May 2016.

'He looked more like a Caucasian than a South-Asian or Middle-Eastern to me.'

Rico explains that according to Alan, the economic situation in his village was dismal at the time, so when he was offered 'a lot of money to fight for religious causes, he didnt think twice.

One man he met claimed to have fought beside Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour (pictured) before he was killed in 2016

'It was a deal he couldn't refuse,' Rico recounts.

'There were literally no jobs in his village. What's worse, when a major flood hit his province in 2010, it wasn't the government who first extended their hands to rebuild the village, but the Talibans.'

Even given this, many may still wonder how someone could sign up to a murderous cause.

Rico explains further that for some villagers, the Taliban were actually the 'lesser of evils'.

He says: 'President Obama's authorised drone strikes on these tribal areas have amplified the hatred of many of those villagers, not only towards the American forces, but towards the Pakistani government who were "allies" with Washington, too.

'The American government thinks by conducting drone strikes, they've been "reducing radicalisation and terrorism" when they've just created more potential terrorists in these regions by making children orphans and martyrs.

'Not just him, but a lot of villagers could be and have been influenced into that too, more so if they've got their loved ones killed by the U.S army operations. I think the U.S. drone strikes have motivated a lot of them to joining and for the first time in their life, becoming attracted to the idea of extreme religious fundamentalism to get hope, and the Taliban was the perfect salesman to pitch them, to capitalise on their extreme anger and frustration at the time.

'It's due to a series of such events, that it's become a deal that many at the time couldn't refuse.'

Alan's description of life under the regime is disturbing.

'He wasnt used to killing at first, but hes got used to it now and just didnt think twice about it anymore, unlike when he first started,' Rico explains.

'There was a time he went to a village with Mullahs unit, where they killed everyone that resisted joining them or giving up their money. At this point, he just couldnt quit anymore.'

The border crossing ceremony in Wagah between India and Pakistan, during which both sides lower their flags simultaneously in a signal of respect

When Rico actually got to the border crossing on the other side, most of his photos were deleted by immigration officials, but he passed fairly easily other than that.

He says: 'They just told me that taking photos wasn't appropriate and that I shouldn't do it again. I understand that and complied to their requests.'

Rico says his overwhelming take-home was that his venture was an overwhelming positive experience.

Highlights, he says, included wandering the breathtaking Little Switzerland landscape in northern Pakistan, and catching a glimpse of the Milky Way while camping outside Tehran.

Highlights of Rico's voyage included wandering the breathtaking Little Switzerland landscape in northern Pakistan (pictured)

Rico pictured in Pakistan's Karimabad, where he enjoyed stunning views all around

Finally, experiencing Wagah, a crossing post between Pakistan and India.

'Travellers cross over from one country to the other just like at any other border check,' he says.

'The significance of this border is the flag lowering ceremony held every evening. Pakistan and India have a hostile relationship because of the unresolved Kashmir dispute.

'Despite this, the spectacular ceremony is carried out by both - lowering their flags in precise synchronization each night.'

It should be noted that the UK government currently advises against all travel to certain regions of Pakistan - including the border between Iran and Pakistan - and all but essential travel to others regions. See Gov.uk for more information.
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A former banker has revealed how she went about summiting K2, one of the world's most dangerous mountains.

Vanessa O'Brien, who's British-American, spoke to MailOnline Travel on her return to New York from the expedition in Pakistan. She said that she 'truly believes' much of the challenge is mental rather than physical and it is essential to 'keep a strong focus' while battling the elements.

During her July trek up the 8,611m stack - which has a notoriously high fatality rate - the 52-year-old experienced deep snows, the sight of dead bodies, winds of more than 30mph and temperatures below minus 40 degrees Celsius. She also couldn't shower for five days and feasted on baby food as things such as protein bars froze solid.

A long way up: The first British-American woman to summit one of the world's most dangerous mountains, K2, has revealed how she went about tackling the grueling peak

Mind over matter: Speaking to MailOnline Travel on her return from the expedition in Pakistan, Vanessa O'Brien said that she 'truly believes' much of the challenge is mental rather than physical (above, pictured scaling one of the slopes on K2)

It was O'Brien's third attempt of the peak, after being unsuccessful in 2015 and 2016 when an avalanche buried all of her equipment and strong winds forced her team to return to base camp.

This time around, she was determined to get to the top, using all of her grit and determination.

Along with a strong mind, the avid adventurer says having the right kit is another key to success.

K2 requires the usual mix of hardcore mountaineering gear including crampons, a helmet, ice axe, harness and a high-altitude climbing suit.

But O'Brien says there are a few other things in her backpack that helped during her ascent, including a Shewee-like device.

She explained: 'The first is a handheld ultraviolet water purifier like the Steripen Adventurer Opti.

Never give up: O'Brien's July attempt was her third, after being unsuccessful in 2015 and 2016 when an avalanche buried all of her equipment and strong winds forced her team to return to base camp

The conditions on K2 are renowned for being brutal with high winds, poor visibility and freak avalanches

Above the clouds: K2, the second highest mountain in the world, boasts magnificent views over the snowy peaks of Pakistan. The above shot was taken from the summit

'Just zap one litre of water and dramatically reduce any contamination and most importantly any risk of upset stomach or diarrhoea that could destroy a summit bid.

'For woman, I would say a FUD (female urinating device) is essential to pee kneeling or standing up.

'You will want one in your tent at night and for summit day when you cant remove a summit suit.

'You dont want to risk dehydration because of a "pee dilemma". Ive probably tried them all, but my favourite so far is a brand called Freshette.'

What climbing K2 meant to me was that my instincts were right  I cant give up. Its a great lesson in determination, perseverance and focus

Wet wipes also came in handy after not showering for five days.

O'Brien said she discovered a 'lifesaver product' called Action Wipes, which were made with natural essential oils.

When it came to food, O'Brien said at base camp - 5,650 metres - balanced meals were rustled up by two 'amazing' cooks, one Nepalese and one Pakistani.

However, as she climbed higher she found her appetite diminished, which is a normal thing to happen at high altitude as the air thins.

In a bid to keep her energy levels up, O'Brien said she forced down soup, noodles and spoonfuls of rice.

She added: 'My K2 climbing mate this year from Iceland, John Snorri Sigurjonsson, brought baby food in a squeezable tube which I thought was clever.'

For the summit bid, which is a long 16 hour ascent and descent, O'Brien said she packed herself off with energy chews and gels that were easy to digest while on the move.

Finally, after years of planning, the Michigan native made it to the top of K2 on July 28.

For climbers, K2 is considered particularly difficult. O'Brien, who conquered Everest in 2010, said she thinks her ascent and descent at K2 was more challenging

Summing up what it felt like after achieving her goal, O'Brien said: 'What climbing K2 meant to me was that my instincts were right  I cant give up, and I cant let others tell me it is over until I say it is over. Its a great lesson in determination, perseverance and focus'

Girl power: O'Brien at the top of K2 (left) and with Kari Rstad, the first Norwegian to climb Broad Peak and Dong Honguan from China, the 19th woman to climb K2 (right)

Summing up what it felt like after achieving her goal, she said: 'Three years of attempting something that did not come easy. There were plenty of people standing on the sidelines waiting for me to fail. And I was starting to sound like the boy (i.e., girl) who cried wolf  "Im going to do it this time, really!"

'What climbing K2 meant to me was that my instincts were right  I cant give up, and I cant let others tell me it is over until I say it is over. Its a great lesson in determination, perseverance and focus.

'And of course, taking risks. But there were never any guarantees.'

It is yet another inspiring achievement under O'Brien's belt.

In March 2013, she became a Guinness World Record Holder as the fastest female to climb the Seven Summits.

The summits can vary but are a combination of nine, Everest, in Nepal, Aconcagua, in Argentina, Denali, in Alaska, Kilimanjaro, in Africa, Elbrus, in Russia, Vinson, in Antarctica, Carstensz Pyramid, in New Guinea, Mont Blanc, in France and Mount Kosciusko, in Australia.

She's also the quickest woman to complete the Explorers Grand Slam of reaching the last degree of both the North and South Poles.

Sticking together: K2 requires strong teamwork with climbers constantly checking in on each other to look for signs of exhaustion, dehydration or hypothermia

O'Brien, along with an international team of 12 climbers, summited K2 on July 28 despite bad weather

Along with being the first British-American woman to summit K2, she is also the 20th woman in the world to reach the top.

The expeditions can be very expensive with some topping 50,000 but O'Brien, who does not have children, says she and her husband Jonathan cut back by not taking holidays and living frugally.

So after conquering a big item on her checklist, what next for O'Brien?

The determined blonde mused: 'Thats a tough one! Its a BIG world out there.

'First, I would love to visit the Marianas Trench  deeper than Everest is high at 36,000 feet.

'This would be a dream come true, but first I would have to find a submersible up for the job.

'I watched from afar as HMS Terror and Erebus were recently found in the Arctic, leaving me wondering if the ships bell from Shackletons Endurance could ever be retrieved from the Antarctic. It would be a great experience to be part of a team that would contribute to history.

'I wouldnt mind seeing the Karman line at an altitude of 100km  Im not sure who is winning the commercial space race.

'But all of these are very expensive endeavours so I am merely throwing my wish list out to the universe to see what it sends back!'
She's the 40-year-old bubbly TV presenter whose love life is constantly under the microscope.

And speculation Samantha Armytage was 'dating' again peaked on Thursday after she shared a flirtatious exchange with a handsome police officer on Sunrise.

But the Channel Seven journalist has now insisted she's still single, telling The Daily Telegraph: 'I am having fun at the moment but that is it, I will keep you posted.'

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'I am still as hopeless as when I was 21': Sunrise's Samantha Armytage reveals single status amidst 'dating' speculation... after claiming there is 'no way' she'll ever use Tinder

The Sunrise breakfast host claimed the comment she 'may be dating' was said as a bit of fun.

Sam reportedly told the publication: 'I have learnt absolutely nothing about relationships over the years... I am still as hopeless at it as I was when I was 21.'

While Sam is open to finding love again, the Sunrise host has previously said there is 'no way' she is using popular dating app Tinder.

When asked by news.com.au about the prospect of dating a man she met online, the Australian television star said: 'Tinder? No way,' noting her friends have tried online dating and she hasn't approved.

'I am having fun at the moment but that is it': Sam played down her previous comment that she 'may be dating' as a bit of fun

'Tinder? No way': While Sam is open to finding love again, the Sunrise host has previously said there is 'no way' she is using popular dating app Tinder

Sam recently hinted that she was dating someone, amid recent rumours linking her to fellow Channel Seven journalist Michael Usher.

Meanwhile, romantic speculation didn't stop Sam from flirting with handsome Queensland constable, Mason Jago, during an interview on Thursday.

Sam and co-host David 'Kochie' Koch chatted to the handsome police officer after his selfie, taken on a journalist's missing phone, went viral.

Getting flirty! Meanwhile, romantic speculation didn't stop Sam from flirting with handsome Queensland constable Mason Jago during an interview on Thursday

'It is very crazy', he said about the incident, 'it is not something I am used to. I did not think I was good-looking at all.'

'You are,' she insisted to the bashful cop.

And before Kochie could continue the interview, Sam cheekily pleaded 'can we have a moment to look at his arms please?'

Slowly turning to his side, Constable Mason showed the blonde breakfast TV host, as well as female viewers of the show, his bulging biceps.

Chat: Sam and co-host David 'Kochie' Koch chatted to the handsome police officer after his selfie, taken on a journalist's missing phone, went viral

Show us your guns! Before Kochie could continue the interview, Sam cheekily pleaded 'can we have a moment to look at his arms please?'

Unfortunately for Sam, and other women with their eye on the unassuming heartthrob, he revealed he had a girlfriend.

'She has been a really good sport about it. It has all happened, she has been really good,' he explained.

As the interview came to a close, Samantha signed off saying: 'Mason, you are not only hot, you are hilarious too.'
On Thursday's episode of the Bachelor, they shared a kiss-filled date that lasted all night long.

And now Elora Murger has revealed she's 'falling already' for Matty J.

Taking to Instagram on Friday morning, the 'Tahitian goddess' shared an image of the pair in a romantic embrace.

Falling: Elora Murger has revealed she believes she's 'falling already' for Matty J. Taking to Instagram on Friday morning, the 'Tahitian goddess' shared an image of the pair in a romantic embrace. She captioned the image: 'Falling already'

She captioned the image: 'Falling already' and surrounded it by star emojis, as well as adding the hashtags: #falling #passion #firstkiss.

Elora had been chosen for a second date with Matty on Thursday's episode and claimed she felt sorry for the girls who had not yet had a single date, telling the others: 'I'm sorry. I feel so bad.'

The date took place in a spectacular forest, which featured a secluded picnic spot next to a stream.

Date time: Elora had been chosen for a second date with Matty on Thursday's episode

Cool it: The heat started to rise as they slipped into their swimwear and hit the water

The heat started to rise as they slipped into their swimwear and hit the water for a splash and a lingering kiss.

'Sometimes good things are worth waiting for - just like this kiss with Elora,' gushed Matty, who had so far not locked lips with the brunette beauty.

Smooch: The pair shared a passionate and lingering kiss

Close: 'It has become so clear to me that the attraction between us has just grown so considerably. I've just had a perfect second date, and I don't want it to end,' Matty said

Later that night, Matty and Elora enjoyed an intimate discussion about their feelings for one another as they sipped champagne by a campfire.

'It has become so clear to me that the attraction between us has just grown so considerably. I've just had a perfect second date, and I don't want it to end,' Matty told the cameras.

Matty swiftly presented Elora with a rose before leaning in for another passionate smooch.

Kissy! Later that night, Matty and Elora enjoyed an intimate discussion about their feelings for one another as they sipped champagne by a campfire

Cha-ching! Matty swiftly presented Elora with a rose before leaning in for a passionate smooch

To Elora's surprise, Matty then revealed that the date wasn't over and that they would instead spend the night in the woods.

Before saying farewell to each other, the duo shared yet another kiss outside Elora's door.

There's more: To Elora's surprise, Matty then revealed that the date wasn't over and that they would instead spend the night in the woods

Giggling, Elora told the cameras: 'It is crossing my mind that I could be spending more time with him tonight. It would be really nice.'

While the temptation to do so was clearly abundant, Matty appeared to decide against consummating their romance.

All the way: While the temptation to do so was clearly abundant, Matty appeared to decide against consummating their romance




He recently parted ways with Married At First Sight star Sharon Marsh after the pair got matching tattoos to symbolise his undying love.

And on Thursday, Nick Furphy, 30, cuddled up to bikini model Bailey Scarlett, 20.

Bailey, who once claimed her drink was spiked at a Justin Bieber party, looked thrilled to be by the reality star's side as they attended Melbourne's Fashion + Aid Launch.

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Moving on? MAFS star Nick Furphy, 30, cuddles up to scantily-clad model Bailey Scarlett, 20, after parting ways with Sharon Marsh

Nick donned an all black ensemble for the event.

Following his lead, Bailey opted for the same colour, but was seen busting out of a figure-hugging jumpsuit.

Showcasing her svelte physique, the model flaunted her ample cleavage in the low-neck outfit.

Looking dapper: Nick donned an all black ensemble for the event

Guests were in for a laugh: Meanwhile, Comedian Dave Hughes acted as emcee for the launch

Opting for bold lace heels, Bailey kept her hair and makeup minimal featuring sleek locks and smokey eye.

Taking to Instagram Stories, the New Zealand born star spent the night posting a series of videos alongside Nick.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to both Nick and Bailey for a comment.

Brothers! Looking sharp in a navy suit jacket and and black trousers, he posed alongside former AFL player, John Rombotis

Meanwhile, Comedian Dave Hughes acted as emcee for the launch.

Looking sharp in a navy suit jacket and and black trousers, he posed alongside former AFL player, John Rombotis.

And it seemed to be a reality star takeover, with fellow MAFS star Jono Pitman and Pettifleur Berenger also showing their faces.

Just washed up? Looking uncomfortable, fellow MAFS star Jono Pitman was seen wearing a shirt with various stains and water marks.

Statement outfit: Although looking slightly more relaxed, Pettifeur had heads turning for her unusual outfit choice

Comfort first: Sporting a luxe leather jacket, the Real Housewives of Melbourne star paired her look three-quarter harlem pants that clenched around her calves

Looking uncomfortable, Jono was seen wearing a shirt with various stains and water marks.

Although looking slightly more relaxed, Pettifeur had heads turning for her unusual outfit choice.

Sporting a luxe leather jacket, the Real Housewives of Melbourne star paired her look three-quarter harlem pants that clenched around her calves.

Lady in red: And Pettifleur wasn't the only Real Housewives star, with Susie Mclean a also making her marks in a bold ensemble

And Pettifleur wasn't the only Real Housewives star, with Susie Mclean and Venus Behbahani also making their marks in bold ensembles.

Susie was seen in a red frock that featured a flower embezzlement on her shoulder, while Venus let her busy and un-coordinated outfit do all the talking.

Busy: Susie was seen in a red frock that featured a flower embezzlement on her shoulder, while Venus let her busy and un-coordinated outfit do all the talking

Stunner: And red seemed to be the colour of choice on the night, with former Bachelor contestant Steph Dixon in a skin-baring number of the same colour

Suits her: Wearing a Sisters The Label two-piece gown retailing for $487, the star was dazzling

And red seemed to be the colour of choice on the night, with former Bachelor contestant Steph Dixon in a skin-baring number of the same colour.

Wearing a Sisters The Label two-piece gown retailing for $487, the star was dazzling.

The skirt featured a very high slit, showcasing Steph's lean and toned legs.

Opting for a halterneck tie she also flaunted her toned stomach in the cut-off ensemble.
The Divide, Parts I & II (Kings Theatre, Edinburgh)

Verdict: Far, far too long

Rating:

Theres a lot to like, but much  so much!  more to lament in Alan Ayckbourns interminable six-hour epic which was meant to have been the jewel in the crown of the Edinburgh International Festival.

Best known for his suburban farces, 78-year-old Ayckbourn has relaunched himself as a late-onset writer of dystopian fantasy.

His new two-part story recalls Margaret Atwoods Handmaids Tale and is about a puritanical society 100 years hence where, following a plague, men and women have been segregated.

Heterosexual relations are banned, and citizens are governed by a Biblical tome called the Book of Certitude. The plot focuses on a boy (Jake Davies), who is a talented artist; and his little sister (Erin Doherty), who wants to write like Charlotte Bronte.

The Divide is an extraordinary new work by one of the UK's greatest storytellers, Alan Ayckbourn. Erin Doherty, pictured, plays a little girl living in a puritanical society where men and women have been segregated

The boys maverick tutor (Richard Katz) introduces him to the great nudes of Western art  uh-oh  and this leads to a dangerous romance with the daughter (Weruche Opia) of a family of dope-smoking progressives. The boys little sister becomes their reluctant go-between.

The main problem is that the whole thing is about three hours (or one Part) too long  and raises way too many questions, which we have plenty of time to ponder.

Such as: Did the plague really happen? Whats it like in the mens world up North? Has technology also been wiped out?

Why are we constantly being bombarded by the minutes of local council meetings?

And if (as Ayckbourn claims) this is a cautionary tale, what are we being cautioned against?

With characters narrating their experience, what could be despatched in a glance by the excellent cast is laboriously explained, like a duff novel.

Unfortunately, unlike a duff novel, you cant skip forward. My earnest hope is that the producers are brave enough to cut 50 per cent of this work before it gets to Londons Old Vic early next year.
Her Home and Away character is understood to have been killed off recently.

But it appears Pia Miller might be headed on her next adventure, as she was seen on Thursday carrying a garment bag from bridal specialists Grace Loves Lace.

The 33-year-old, who revealed her relationship with Tyson Mullane on Valentine's Day last year, cut a casual figure as she ran errands in Paddington.

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Clues: It appears Pia Miller might be headed on her next adventure, as she was seen on Thursday carrying a garment bag from bridal specialists Grace Loves Lace

The garment bag was from Grace Loves Lace, a company whose tagline is 'The Unique Bride'.

However, according to Pia's talent representation Atelier Management, the actress was simply returning the gown she wore to the Marie Claire awards on Wednesday.

'It just happened to be in a GLL garment bag,' the spokesperson offered.

Chic: The 33-year-old, who revealed her relationship with Tyson Mullane on Valentine's Day last year, cut a casual figure as she ran errands in Paddington

Safe handling: The garment bag was from Grace Loves Lace, a company whose tagline is 'The Unique Bride'

Time on her hands: Her Home and Away character is understood to have been killed off recently

The Chilean-born stunner showed off her effortless style in a short black dress that flaunted her tanned and toned legs.

The frock featured a ruffled bottom and sleeves, with a belt tied loosely around her tiny waist.

She wore her signature brunette locks in a straight style and paired her dress with comfortable white sneakers.

Natural beauty: The Chilean-born stunner showed off her effortless style in a short black dress that flaunted her tanned and toned legs

Effortless: It featured a ruffled bottom and sleeves, with a belt tied loosely around her tiny waist

Low-key: She wore her signature brunette locks in a straight style and paired her dress with comfortable white sneakers

Happy: Pia was all smiles as she strolled the streets of Paddington to run errands on Thursday

Casual: The Home And Away actress carried a number of bags and her denim jacket as she walked with an unidentified friend

City style: Her signature brown mane was worn in a voluminous straight style and she shielded her eyes from the sun with a pair of Ray-Bans

Her Home and Away character Katarina Chapman is believed to have been laid to rest last week after shooting a fatal car crash scene for the soap.

Footage from the show revealed a new character, played by The Bachelorette's Sam Frost, ran Kat off the road in a dramatic car crash.

A source on set previously told Daily Mail Australia Kat is understood to be seriously injured in the crash and dies.

At the time of her death, Pia's character was pregnant with the child of her bad boy love interest Martin 'Ash' Ashford (played by actor George Mason).

Farewell: Her Home and Away character Katarina Chapman is believed to have been laid to rest last week after shooting a fatal car crash scene for the soap

Sad farewell: At the time of her death, Pia's character was pregnant with the child of her bad boy love interest Martin 'Ash' Ashford (played by actor George Mason)
Eddie Murphy, 54, is becoming embroiled in ex Mel B's bitter divorce battle if Stephen Belafonte seeks visitation of the actor's daughter Angel.

On Thursday, a Los Angeles judge ruled Stephen could apply for access to Mel, 42, and Eddie's 10-year-old daughter Angel as a stepparent, in a move that would permit the Shrek actor to join the legal battle.

Mel filed for divorce from Stephen after 10 years of marriage in March and the messy and shocking split has been playing out in public ever since.

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Uh oh: Eddie Murphy, 54, is becoming embroiled in ex Mel B's bitter divorce battle if Stephen Belafonte seeks visitation of the actor's daughter Angel

With the latest twist, Mel's lawyer Susan Wiesner pleaded for Angel's involvement to be kept private to prevent the case further descending into a media "circus".

Speaking on Thursday, she said: 'We have got another parent here, we have got Eddie Murphy. If the court's going to give him notice of proceedings and embroiling him in litigation, then we are putting his little girl in the middle of this media firestorm.'

She asked for Angel, who the couple had during their brief relationship, to remain "the last one in this family that can have protection and privacy".

Stephen's lawyer Michael Hanasa argued his client has raised the girl from a young age and said she already lacks privacy because she is "paraded around" on TMZ.

Troubles ahead: On Thursday, a Los Angeles judge ruled Stephen could apply for access to Mel, 42, and Eddie's 10-year-old daughter Angel as a stepparent, in a move that would permit the Shrek actor to join the legal battle

Happier times: Mel is pictured in 2008 with baby Angel at Heathrow Airport

Los Angeles Superior Court's Judge Lawrence Riff granted the film producer's request to submit papers allowing him to apply for visitation in the future.

Of the decision, he said: 'The request is granted. Let me just observe that of paramount concern is the best interests of this minor, Angel. Right now before the court are the contentions by the two litigants as to what is in that childs best interests.

'Mr Belafonte asserts and alleges that it is in that childs best interests for him to have frequent and continued contact with a child he is saying he raised from infancy. The petitioner says it is not in Angels best interest for that to occur.

'Whether Mr Belafonte has the rights of a stepparent are not in front of the court today so I take no position on that.'

Over and done: Mel filed for divorce from Stephen after 10 years of marriage in March and the messy and shocking split has been playing out in public ever since

He said: 'Mr Murphy is entitled to be joined as a party as soon as Mr Belafonte seeks any visitation with Angel'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Mel and Eddie for comment.

Throughout the messy divorce proceedings, Mel has alleged that her estranged husband, 42, with whom she shares daughter Madison, tormented her with years of physical and mental abuse.

The hearings have been damaging so far for both sides, with the court being told Mel has "wiped out" her 39 million ($50million) Spice Girls fortune after leading an extremely "extravagant" lifestyle.

Happy days: Throughout the messy divorce proceedings, Mel has alleged that her estranged husband, 42, with whom she shares daughter Madison, tormented her with years of physical and mental abuse

Stephen, who has already failed to win temporary rights over Angel, has dismissed his famous ex-wife's claims as false - with his lawyers describing them as 'nothing more than a smear campaign'.

Mel, now a judge on America's Got Talent, married the film producer in Las Vegas in June 2007. She filed for divorce after citing "irreconcilable differences".

Another hearing in the case is set for Friday, with a full divorce hearing scheduled to begin on September 25.
Pauline Hanson caused shock in the Senate on Thursday afternoon by wearing an Islamic garment into the chamber to make a political point.

And actress Pia Miller found the stunt less than amusing, taking to Instagram to express her opinion.

Commenting on Cosmopolitan magazine's Instagram post about the scandal, Pia Miller wrote: 'Proper t**t!'

Angered? Pia Miller responded Pauline Hanson's stunt in the senate

She was not the only celebrity to take notice of Pauline's 'statement' with Lisa Oldfield also taking to Instagram to poke fun at the politician.

The Real Housewives of Sydney star shared a photo of Pauline in the burqa and added a fecestious comment.

She wrote: 'When you've missed your #Botox appointment with @medispabymatty!'

Lisa added: 'Imagine how bummed #Isis will be when they find out the #72virgins look like Pauline'.

The dig is particularly cutting as Pauline is a former colleague of Lisa's husband David Oldfield, who was previously a representative of the party.

No thanks? Commenting on Cosmopolitan magazine's Instagram post about the scandal, Pia Miller wrote: 'Proper t**t!'

Botox gag: She was not the only celebrity to take notice of Pauline's 'statement' with Lisa Oldfield also taking to Instagram to poke fun at the politician

Pia and Lisa join Muslim youth activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied in the chorus of voices poking fun at the polly.

Yassmin saw the funny side, taking to Twitter and using the Arabic term for 'peace' to declare the anti-immigration maverick as Australia's newest Muslim.

'I'd like to give a huge salams to the newest member of the community, Pauline,' she tweeted, adding the Arabic phrase for 'God has willed it' - mashallah, mashallah.

Party ties: The dig is particuarly cutting as Pauline is a former colleague of Lisa's husband David Oldfield, who was previously a representative of the party

'Best wishes and kisses to Pauline Hanson. Welcome from your fellow sisters,' she added.

Yassmin also blew Senator Hanson a kiss in a video she made with Islamophobia Register Australia founder Mariam Veiszadeh.
She led the catwalk for at Myer's Spring Summer Collection Launch on Thursday.

And Jennifer Hawkins let her hair down as she attended the department store's Spring Social party on Thursday night.

Attending the bash alongside fellow ambassador Kris Smith, the 33-year-old's two-piece outfit perfectly enabled her to show off her killer moves.

Busting some moves! Jennifer Hawkins was seen carving up the dancefloor at the Myer Spring Social on Thursday night

Wearing a revealing white ensemble, Jen was seen bopping around while Australian DJ's Peaking Duk played their set.

And Jen wasn't the only one carving up the dance floor, with Kris also mingling in the crowd.

Sporting a casual look, including his signature fedora, the former partner of Dannii Minogue seemed to be enjoying his night out.

Party time! Jen wasn't the only one carving up the dance floor, Kris also mingled with guests in the crowd

Stylish: Sporting a casual look, including his signature fedora, the former partner of Dannii Minogue seemed to be enjoying his night out

Having fun: Wearing a revealing white two-piece ensemble, Jen was seen bopping around on the dance floor

Time out: She also spent some time posing for pictures with fans and friends

Held at Bronte Surf life Saving Club, Jen took to Instagram Stories to reveal burgers were on the menu.

And it wasn't just the good food and music that had guests feeling euphoric, a corner filled with wall phones also seemed to be a hit for guests.

Tangling up the lines and dropping one on the floor, Kris took to Instagram to announce he was on the phone.

Myer ambassadors: Jodi Anasta (left), Jennifer Hawkins (centre) and Kris Smith (right)

Yum! Held at Bronte Surf life Saving Club, Jen took to Instagram Stories to reveal burgers were on the menu

Fun with phones: Myer had a wall of phones that attendees could have fun with

Also lining up to take their turn at the booth was fellow Myer ambassador, Jodi Anasta and model Elyse Taylor.

Seemingly having an enjoyable conversation, Jodi who was dressed in Bronx and Banco had her friend Dina all wrapped up.

Posing alongside Myer Event Manager, Luke Dean, Elyse was in her element.

Friends: Jodi, who was dressed in Bronx and Banco, had her friend Dina all wrapped up in the phone cords

Having fun! Elyse Taylor also larked about with Myer Event Manager, Luke Dean

Stunner: Meanwhile, The Block's Elyse Knowles swapped her renovation clothes for a figure hugging dress for the evening

Playful: Kris even found time to photobomb model Kate Peck

Also taking to the social media site, The Block contestant and model Elyse Knowles posted a photo alongside her fellow Melbourne friends, Nadia Bartel and Lana Wilkinson.

Elyse swapped her renovation clothes for figure-hugging dress for the evening.

The stunner teamed her off-the shoulder gown from Asilio with a pair of heels and accessorised with a red YSL bag.

Reunited: Also taking to the social media site, Elyse posted a photo alongside her fellow Melbourne friends, Nadia Bartel and Lana Wilkinson

Catch-up: She was also spotted having a chat to Jodi

Long time friends: The blonde stunner was also left delighted when she ran into her friend and ex-boyfriend of Bachelor star Matty J, Nathalie Darcus

The blonde stunner was also left delighted when she ran into her friend and ex-boyfriend of Bachelor star Matty J, Nathalie Darcus.

Elyse was also spotted having a chat to Jodi Anasta as well.

Model and designer Natalie Roser also graced the red carpet alongside Nathalie.

Also showing off her taut abs in a two-piece floral set, the stunner was glowing as she posed for photos.

And her outfit seemed to be a hit among guests, with another invitee also sporting the same flared pants on the night.

Posing: Model and designer Natalie Roser also graced the red carpet alongside Nathalie

Popular: And her outfit seemed to be a hit among guests, with another invitee also sporting the same flared pants on the night
His suit may have gotten sodden thanks to the bad Melbourne weather.

But nothing would rain on Jono Pitman's parade as he attended the Fashion + Aid launch on Thursday night.

The former reality star beamed as he posed on the red carpet in his wet suit and shirt.

Nothing will rain on his parade! MAFS villain Jono Pitman forces a smile after his suit gets drenched ahead of Melbourne event

Jono opted for a dapper, tailored navy suit with silk trimmed lapels, a fitted blue button up shirt and a brown belt.

Jono, who was first married to Clare Verrall on MAFS, went for a rugged and unshaven look.

He recently made headlines after it was revealed that he found love with another reality TV star, Monica Brown from season five of The Bachelor.

According to NW magazine, the couple were said to have been introduced by the recently eliminated Leah Costa, whose topless waitressing scandal saw her booted off the show by Matty J.

TV ex wife: The reality TV star is best known for being married to Clare Verrall on MAFS (pictured)

A source told the publication: 'Leah introduced them and they hit it off.'

'They're actually a really great couple,' they added.

Images of the trio taking photos in a photo booth at a recent Carlton Draught Brewery event in Melbourne were also featured on each of their respective Instagram stories.

This new romance for Jono, who is also good friends with MAFS star Nick Furphy, comes after his short-lived romance with fellow season four batch-mate Michelle Marsh.

Former flame: He recently made headlines after it was revealed that he found love with Monica Brown from season five of The Bachelor, following his short lived romance with MAFS alumna Michelle Marsh (pictured)
He told opponents of same-sex marriage in Australia to 'all get f***ed' during an impromptu speech on diversity and equality at the Prix de Marie Claire awards on Tuesday.

And Cosmetics king Napoleon Perdis claims his comments have not been welcome by some of his critics.

Speaking to The Morning Show on Friday, the Sydney makeup guru admitted: 'I have had some hate mail, things like that.'

'I don't think that's fair!' Napoleon Perdis claims he received 'hate mail' and staff have been 'attacked' and 'hit' following his speech advocating for diversity and equality in Australia

Speech: The Australian cosmetics king told opponents of same-sex marriage in Australia to 'all get f***ed' during an impromptu speech on diversity and equality at the Prix de Marie Claire awards on Tuesday

During the speech in question, the 47-year-old recalled being labelled 'camp' and 'gay' in previous years, despite his solid marriage to wife Soula-Marie for over two decades, before telling the crowd: 'I just say to them accept people for whatever they are and celebrate them.'

He clarified to hosts Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur: 'I didn't say Australia doesn't embrace diversity. I just said that all of Australia is entitled to be who they want as long they don't hurt people.'

'My message was broader, Australia is diverse, Australia is creative, Australia is hot and sexy and beautiful people.

'In that moment I wanted to say that in 25 years of being in the industry and I deserve the right to say it for all the young, creative talent coming up.

'I want my children and their friends to feel equally as comfortable as I did, I was called camp and that my marriage was fake,' Napoleon continued.

'I've had staff that have been chased in car parks and were hit': Napoleon admitted he was not the only recipient of the hate following his speech, with his employees also being targeted

'All of Australia is entitled to be who they want as long they don't hurt people': Napoleon clarified he didn't say Australia doesn't embrace diversity, but instead that it was important to 'embrace more'

Speaking of running his Napoleon Perdis empire, he added: 'In my company we celebrate diversity in a big way. We celebrate all of our staff, whether they are transgender or, you know gay, bi, straight whatever they want to be. I think it's important that we just embrace more.'

He also admitted he was not the only recipient of the hate following the speech, with his employees also being targeted.

'I do feel sorry for some of my staff that have been attacked, I've had staff that have been chased in car parks and were hit. I don't think that's fair,' he said.

'I was always the camp one, the gay one,': Despite being in a happy marriage for over two-decades, Napoleon revealed this week he is still labelled 'camp' and 'gay'

Earlier this week, he talked about acceptance during his speech on stage at the Prix de Marie Claire awards.

'At Napoleon Perdis I tell the girls from a young age  because I was always the camp one, the gay one, the this one, the married one,' he said.

'I just say to them accept people for whatever they are and celebrate them.

'We love transgender in our staffing, we love diversity, we love same-sex marriage, we love different body type, we love different weight size and it's time that Australia embraced that ... they can all get f***ed. You just need to do it yourself, it's really simple.'

'We love transgender in our staffing, we love same-sex marriage... it's time Australia embraced that,' Napoleon, pictured with daughter Lianna said at the Prix de Marie Claire awards

Napoleon and his wife Soula-Marie, 48, tied the knot in 1991 after meeting at university.

The couple share four daughters, Lianna, 17, and 15-year-old triplets Athina, Angelene and Alexia.

He described himself as being 'flamboyant' when they first met.

'I knew within three weeks of our first meeting that I wanted to date her,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

It's a family affair! Napoleon, 47, and his wife Soula-Marie, 48, share four daughters, Lianna, 17 (blue jumpsuit) and 15-year-old triplets Athina, Angelene and Alexia

'It took me a bit longer than that, but I did. Even on our first date at a cafe, I was very flamboyant and campy and dancing in the middle of the dance floor.'

The former Get Your Face On reality star previously told Daily Mail Australia that he no longer cares what critics think of him and that what happens in his bedroom is his business.

'I don't care (what other people think) we know who we are our family life is very private, in relation to my children things are very pure, they'll have their own destiny,' he said.

'In relation to my marriage, we have a marriage that is shaped around our each to their own.

He continues: 'In relation to the sexuality questions what happens in my bedroom is my own business and my wife's business. Really you just learn to say they're only prying because their life is boring and mine's not.'
Her dangerous curves have seen her lauded as one of the world's most beautiful women.

And evergreen Salma Hayek's underlined the fact her physique is as potent as ever by wearing a colourful sheer dress to a visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live in Hollywood on Thursday.

The Latina lovely certainly seems to be ageing like the finest of wines if her head-turning visit to the late night chat show is any guide.

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Sheer genius: Salma Hayek showcased her fabulous figure by wearing a revealing dress to Jimmy Kimmel Live in Hollywood on Thursday

The Desperado beauty was looking great for her age in the colourful floral gown, which boasted a black belt and which she complimented with towering pink wedge heels.

Despite the fact she is now in her 50s, the Mexican actress, who describes her heritage as half Lebanese and half Spanish, recently insisted her career is more exciting than ever.

She said: 'Sometimes with age, you get better characters. I love to play the mother, and I'll be excited to play the grandmother.

'How boring to play that (sexy) part for the rest of my life. I think I'd shoot myself.'

Thar she blows: The gusty weather was playing havoc with her curly barnet

Smelling of roses: The Latina lovely had scored another fashion home run with her floral gown

Think pink! Salma paired her frock with bright sky scraper stilettos

Simply the best: She playfully gestured that she is number one as she greeted fans

Indeed she admitted she could not believe she had landed her role in her latest film The Hitman's Bodyguard, in which she plays the wife of Samuel L Jackon's killer character.

The stunner added: 'Now that I'm older, I don't get (sexy sidekick roles) as much ... I did my own stunts. They said, "We have a stunt double, and some of the things are quite hard."

'And I said, 'Well, let's give it a try.' And guess what? I can still kick really high!

'Mind you, the next morning I was full of bruises and I couldn't move for two weeks but, man, did I show off that day!'

Fine filly Salma previously revealed her 'perfect husband' French billionaire husband Francois-Henri Pinault, fills her with confidence.

Crowd pleaser: The sprightly star stopped to sign fans autographs as she made her way into the studios

Indeed she admitted she could not believe she had landed her role in her latest film The Hitman's Bodyguard, in which she plays the wife of Samuel L Jackon's killer character

Fine wine: The 50-year-old certainly seems to be ageing like a bottle of Beaujolais

Pretty tied up: She added an extra touch of class to her look by wearing a black belt

She said: 'I wish I knew (when I was younger) that I was going to fall crazy in love with the perfect man.

'I was so worried, and I dated some people I shouldn't have dated. You get desperate, and you start seeing wonderful things in, like, the wrong guys.

'I also found some pretty good guys. But I wish I could say to myself, 'Hey, chill out. You're going to get a great husband that's going to adore you.' I would have saved myself a lot of personal drama.'

She stood by the megarich 55-year-old despite the fact it emerged he had fathered supermodel Linda Evangalista's baby - a detail the beauty kept secret until she had a legal fight with her ex over child support for their son Augustin in 2011.

The boy was born in October 2006 around eight months following their split, and around the time he started dating Salma.

Busy day: She also paid a visit to SiriusXM host Symon's show earlier in the day

Face for radio: Salma is regarded as one of the world's most beautiful women

Happy to play grandmas: Salma recently said it woukld be 'boring to play that (sexy) part for the rest of my life'
They only confirmed they were definitely an item a month ago, during a trip to Wimbledon.

But Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas have emerged once more - this time on a trip to LA.

The couple were seen on Thursday emerging from The Ivy in West Hollywood, looking chilled and happy after a leisurely lunch together.

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Butter wouldn't melt: Lucy Mecklenburgh rocks the milkmaid look in a cute sun dress as she makes a rare public appearance with beau Ryan Thomas in Hollywood a month after confirming romance

Out and proud: They only confirmed they were definitely an item a month ago, during a trip to Wimbledon. But Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas have emerged once more - this time on a trip to LA

The 25-year-old former TOWIE star looked stunning for the afternoon date with her beau, 33, as she stepped out in a demure milkmaid-inspired two-piece sun dress.

Lucy's ensemble featured a checked white and green detailing, with a lacy white front and a peplum design at the waist, tied at the front with a bow.

The outfit sepearated at the midriff, teasing the reality personality's toned waist, before continuing into a skirt in a matching style.

The peplum theme repeated at the hem, and a buttoned-up slit featured up the front of the skirt.

Taking a call: The 25-year-old former TOWIE star looked stunning for the afternoon date with her beau, 33, as she stepped out in a demure milkmaid-inspired two-piece sun dress

Turning heads: Lucy's ensemble featured a checked white and green detailing, with a lacy white front and a peplum design at the waist, tied at the front with a bow

Classic look: The outfit separated at the midriff, teasing the reality personality's toned waist, before continuing into a skirt in a matching style

The ensemble ended just below the knees to reveal Lucy's toned, bronzed pins and a pair of strappy white heels.

She teamed this with a white shoulder purse in leather with a gold front clip and mirrored metallic shades.

She dotted accents of jewelerly here and there and smiled as she strutted across the street from the eatery.

Lucy wore her brunette locks loosely and powdered her complexion with some light bronzer to give a glowing and healthy look.

Frills: The peplum theme repeated at the hem, and a buttoned-up slit featured up the front of the skirt

Matching: The ensemble ended just below the knees to reveal Lucy's toned, bronzed pins and a pair of strappy white heels

Lunch date: The couple were seen on Thursday emerging from The Ivy in West Hollywood, looking chilled and happy after a leisurely lunch together

Chic: Lucy teamed this with a white shoulder purse in leather with a gold front clip and mirrored metallic shades

Embellishing: She dotted accents of jewelery here and there and smiled as she strutted across the street from the eatery

Ryan looked typically smart-casual in a navy shirt, matching jeans and dark shades.

The pair seemed relaxed in one another's company as they dined on the terrace, taking in the surrounds and sipping on cool glasses of wine.

As they finished their meal they left the eatery together and headed to an awaiting SUV, where they hopped in and headed back to their hotel.

After weeks of cryptic hints, Lucy and Ryan confirmed their romance and were parading their union when they got dolled to the nines to attend the men's semi-finals at Wimbledon in July.

Lovely in lace: Lucy wore her brunette locks loosely and powdered her complexion with some light bronzer to give a glowing and healthy look

Taking it in: Lucy seemed relaxed as she sipped from a glass of chardonnay

Lunch time: The couple enjoyed lunch on the terrace

Off you pop: The pair were seen getting into an SUV to head back to their hotel

In June, Lucy and Ryan enjoyed idyllic trips to both Panama and Mykonos, during which they shared near identical snaps on their Instagram feeds throughout the whole holidays - yet never posed together.

When fan speculation reached fever pitch, they were eventually snapped together London City airport while waiting for their bags and enjoying a steamy smooch.

Clearly going from strength-to-strength, the happy pair headed to Wimbledon in their finery to enjoy a date in the sunshine while watching the sport - a perfect date for the fitness fanatics no doubt.

As they appeared together looking every inch the happy couple, Lucy took to her Instagram stories to share her first ever snap with her beau - although kept things subtle with an image of their intertwined hands.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been ordered to pay their lighting designer 565,000 Euros ($662,000 US).

Odile Soudant took legal action against the former couple - who split up last September - for allegedly failing to credit her work on their French home in Provence.

She claimed they drove her company towards financial ruin by failing to honor bills for a huge lighting project on the Chateau Miraval estate.

A source tells DailyMail.com, however, that she was already paid in full. 'The courts never said that she was paid. She was actually paid in full,' said the insider.

Lighting dispute: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, shown in November 2015 in Los Angeles, have been ordered by a French court to pay a lighting designer 565,000 Euros ($662,000 US)

On Friday Brad's spokesperson released a statement to DailyMail.com: 'We respect the Court's decision resolving this long running, standard dispute regarding commercial issues and payment of invoices. This ruling does not address any copyright issues involving [lighting] designs developed by Brad.'

The Paris court of appeal in April ordered Brad and Angelina's Chateau Miraval company to pay the sum to the designer, which included 60,000 Euros ($70,270 US) for damaging her reputation.

The legal ruling was only reported in French news outlet Liberation on Wednesday.

According to legal documents, the former couple - who have Maddox, 16, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 11 and nine-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne together - undertook a huge renovation project on the property.

Pitt, 53, asked Soudant in 2010 to come up with ways to exploit natural light in the house and its adjoining buildings.

French chateau: The Hollywood couple's Chateau Miraval is shown in a 2008 photo

Furious: Odile Soudant took legal action against the former couple - who split up last September - for allegedly failing to credit her work on their French home in Provence

She said: 'He wanted to make it an exceptional place and believed that light should be at the heart of this.'

No contract was signed, but the designer billed the Hollywood stars' company for her fees every month while her Lumieres Studio carried out technical studies.

Soudant tried out her installations on scaled down models before she had them fitted in the property.

Investment property: Brad and Angelina despite their split have kept the chateau as an investment property for its wine and olive oil production

Task: Pitt, 53, asked Soudant in 2010 to come up with ways to exploit natural light in the house and its adjoining buildings

Outcome: The court heard the Moneyball star stopped paying the company when his chief designer claimed she had billed for 4.9 million Euros, but the judges ruled the figure had been 'greatly exaggerated' and the delays were not Soudant's fault

Baffled: The lighting expert said she had no idea why she had stopped being paid at the time but she had to suspend operations when her requests for money to pay her own staff went unanswered

Seventeen people were employed for the venture - including architects, designers and an optical engineer - and it was unfinished two years later, with various contractors and sub-contractors blaming others for the delays.

The court heard the Moneyball star stopped paying the company when his chief designer claimed she had billed for 4.9 million Euros, but the judges ruled the figure had been 'greatly exaggerated' and the delays were not Soudant's fault.

In evidence, the lighting expert said she had no idea why she had stopped being paid at the time but she had to suspend operations when her requests for money to pay her own staff went unanswered.

Architecture interest: The Moneyball star, shown in June in New York City, has sustained a longtime interest in architecture

She claims she received an email 10 days later from Pitt, which read: 'I don't know how things happen in France but in the United States, friends don't attack friends. I've been nothing but a fan of your work. Do not attack. Let's finish the project and be proud of it. The work is too good to end on a bad note. Life is too short, my friend.'

It was followed by another, which added: 'Don't waste time with legal action. Follow your artistic journey and don't worry about the rest.'

Although Soudant was awarded a payout earlier this year, she said she was still fighting to be recognized as creator of the lighting project, which was eventually handed over to one of her former employees because of the dispute.

Busy star: Angelina is shown in March before a speech at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland

She told The Guardian newspaper: 'I am an artist and this is my work. When someone tries to steal my work it is something else. This is all very painful for me.'

Soudant insisted the money she received for damage to her reputation was 'nothing' compared with what she had experienced.

She added: 'Of course, people think Brad Pitt is right, that ''he's the good guy and she is wrong''.'

Big family: Brad and Angelina are shown in June 2014 with children Zahara Marley Jolie-PItt and Maddox Jolie-Pitt at Los Angeles International Airport

Pitt's solicitors, Hogan Lovells, insisted the lighting design inspiration came from Brad himself.

An architect working on the property also told the court: 'The lighting ideas came principally from Mr Pitt himself. He is passionate about architecture and knew what he wanted to achieve.'

A representative for Pitt also disputed Soudant's claim for credit.

Happier times: Angelina and Bradd are shown in November 2015 in NYC

'We respect the Court's decision resolving this long running, standard dispute over payment of invoices,' a spokesperson for Pitt told Vanity Fair via e-mail.

'This narrow ruling does not address any copyright issues involving [lighting] designs developed by Brad and has no connection to Chateau Miraval,' the representative wrote.

Pitt and Jolie despite their split have kept the French chateau as an investment property for its wine and olive oil production.
Kris Smith has praised his former flame Dannii Minogue for making co-parenting a breeze.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at the Myer Spring/Summer launch on Thursday, the 38-year-old claimed he is 'a very lucky man'.

'Dannii has always been understanding of where I am and what I do and vice versa so I'm really fortunate in that respect,' he said.

EXCLUSIVE - 'The hard part is the separation': Kris Smith has praised his ex-partner Dannii Minogue for 'not holding their seven-year-old son Ethan against him'. Pictured in July 2011

The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star had just returned from a trip to the UK, where he spent some valuable time with seven-year-old Ethan.

'She's never held him against me, she's never used him as a vice and I think I'm one very lucky man for that reason,' the Myer ambassador said.

Kris confessed the only thing he'd change about the situation was having to be away from his adorable son for long periods of time.

Full of praise! Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at the Myer Spring/Summer launch on Thursday, the 38-year-old British-born model claimed he is 'a very lucky man'

Former love: Kris and Dannii became one of Australia's golden couples after they met in an Ibiza nightclub in 2008 and embarked on a four-year-relationship, with Dannii calling him the 'love of my life' (pictured in January 2010 when Dannii was three months pregnant)

'There's nothing I would change, there's nothing I would swap for it, the good times the bad times, the only hard part is the separation,' he explained.

'Me being here, him being there... But we're (only) a flight away. Thank God for FaceTime.'

Regardless of the difficult circumstances, Kris is proud of how Ethan has turned out.

It's a breeze! 'Dannii has always been understanding of where I am and what I do and vice versa so I'm really fortunate in that respect,' Kris said this week

Mutual respect! Speaking of his son Ethan, Kris said: '(Dannii has) never held him against me, she's never used him as a vice and I think I'm one very lucky man for that reason'

'He's really good, and amazing young boy, and he's turned into a real gentleman,' Kris said.

'He's got all his wits about him, all his manners about him, he's very smart, very caring... I'm just besotted with him still.'

Kris spoke as he attended the exclusive Myer event in Coogee, Sydney which unveiled the retail giant's upcoming Spring/Summer clothing line.

Kris and Dannii became one of Australia's golden couples after they met in an Ibiza nightclub in 2008 and embarked on a four-year-relationship, with Dannii calling him the 'love of my life'. Ethan was born in July 2010.

But there was rumoured to be trouble in the pair's relationship less than a year after their son's birth when the couple posted a series of cryptic tweets in June 2011.

Dannii had tweeted: 'Never chase love. If it isn't given freely by another person, it's not worth having.'

End of the road: In February the handsome model spoke candidly about the breakdown of the couple's relationship on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! saying: 'It got to a point where it wasnt working for anyone'

Kris later added: 'You show me a perfect relationship and I will show you a liar. Everything has its ups and downs and things get magnified when you are in the public eye.'

Although they later denied they had split, less than a year later in April 2012, Dannii confirmed the couple had chosen to go their separate ways.

She wrote; 'It brings me great sadness to tell you that Kris and I have separated.

'We still care for each other and ask for privacy at this difficult time, in particular for our son Ethan who remains our number one priority.'

In February the handsome model spoke candidly about the breakdown of the couple's relationship on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! saying: 'It got to a point where it wasnt working for anyone.'

New beginning: Dannii has also moved on and is in a long-term relationship with music producer Adrian Newman

Next chapter: Kris has since dated Maddy King who he split from in 2016 after two years together and is now rumoured to be dating Hannah Scott

'We didnt wanna get in silly bickering arguments in front of Ethan. So the hardest thing Ive had to do was leave. [Ethan] was very young but I didnt ever wanna see him in an environment where its a little bit bitter or argumentative.'

He also said his insecurities from being a 'fat kid' led to the breakdown of relationships.

He said: 'Do you know what, I think I've ruined a lot of them. '[I was] just insecure and jealous. Not anymore, [but] I was because I was insecure - I never believed I was good enough.

Kris has since dated Maddy King who he split from in 2016 after two years together, and is now rumoured to be dating Hannah Scott.

Dannii has also moved on and is in a long-term relationship with music producer Adrian Newman
She's the former Miss Universe who strolls the runway in glamorous gowns.

But according to Jennifer Hawkins, her husband Jake Wall prefers her completely nude.

Speaking to Yahoo7 Be at the Myer Collection Launch on Thursday, the 33-year-old confessed her hubby's favourite way to see her is: 'no makeup, no clothes.'

'No makeup, no clothes': Jennifer Hawkins reveals hubby Jake Wall 'prefers her naked'

The Myer ambassador was notably relaxed and open during the chat, with footage showing her doting over her longtime husband.

She was then asked if becoming comfortable means she can wear: 'Tracky-dacks and maxi dress with nothing on underneath?'

His favourite! Jen agreed with the interviewer that wearing 'tracky-dacks and maxi dress with nothing on underneath,' was when she felt most comfortable

'That's what he loves me in!' Jen insisted, 'he's like "no makeup, no clothes!"'

Flaunting her assets in a black bustier crop top, the beauty then broke into laughter.

Historically reclusive and quiet about her personal life, she appeared both shocked and impressed with the revelation.

Less is more! 'That's what he loves me in!' Jen insisted, 'he's like "no makeup, no clothes!"' before bursting into laughter

Happy couple: Jen and Jake have been married for four years after tying the knot in 2013

She continued to gush over her man: 'We hangout together, he's my best friend and there's still sparks, and I just... I love him!'

Jen also spoke to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, revealing 'ups and downs,' have left the couple 'stronger than ever.'

'What with a few things happening in my family and Jake's mum passing away, you become a team.

'We're stronger than ever thanks to the ups and downs. I love doing life with him,' the face of Myer continued.

As for talk of children, Jennifer kept mum on the subject, simply stating: 'That's our business. I discuss that with him.'

My best friend! She continued to gush over her man: 'We hangout together, he's my best friend and there's still sparks, and I just... I love him!'

Jake's mother, Lesslee, tragically passed away in 2012, while the model's own mother, Gail, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2015.

The genetically-blessed pair have leaned on one another during their difficult times.

Jennifer first met Jake in a nightclub in 2003, just months before she went on to win Donald Trump's famed beauty pageant, Miss Universe.

The couple married in 2013 and often share details about their seemingly picture-perfect life on Instagram.

The property moguls have been documenting the construction of their new mansio on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, to which they are now adding finishing touches.

Jennifer and Jake are also aspiring tequila tycoons and have launched their own label of the liquor which they regularly promote on social media.

Progress is also underway on a tequila bar owned by the two at Sydney's The Star.
Glenn Close has been tabbed as the featured performer in a film adaptation of Sunset Boulevard, Andrew Lloyd Webbers famed musical, from Paramount Pictures.

The 70-year-old actress, sources told TheWrap, is at the center of negotiations with the studio to reprise the role she's mastered in multiple stints on Broadway.

Close has played Norma Desmond in multiple incarnations of the hit musical, both in 1994 - an effort which earned her a Tony Award - and a recent revival run that wrapped up earlier this summer.

In the limelight: Glenn Close, seen performing in the musical Sunset Boulevard at New York City's Palace Theatre June 25, has been linked to a film adaptation Paramount is working on

Aside from Close, Paramount has been on the hunt for a director - with a focus on signing TV ace Ryan Murphy - and a lead actor for the production, in hopes of kicking things off in January of 2018, the outlet reported.

Sunset Boulevard writer Christopher Hampton revealed that talks for a movie 'down the line' were in the works in January of 2016 while chatting with London's Evening Standard.

'When we first did Sunset Boulevard it was somehow still too close to the original,' Hampton told the paper. 'Now you have to ask yourself and find a director who would ask, "What is there about this story that was made so perfectly in 1950 that justified me doing it again?"'

Hampton said of Close's involvement in a potential movie: 'It is not my decision, but as far as Im concerned that is what I'm thinking,' adding that producers had engaged in 'a series of talks with Paramount' on the project.

Bravo! Close and famed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber soaked in the applause as the musical wrapped up on Broadway in June

On the search: Close and Webber posed with actor Michael Xavier at the finale. Paramount is seeking a leading man for a film adaptation

Sunset Boulevard tells the story of Desmond, a fallen star made irrelevant with the decline of silent pictures, teaming up with a screenwriter she hopes can bring her back to prominence with the right creative vehicle.

Close remains one of the most revered and versatile actresses in show business, having been nominated for six Academy Awards, including her signature role of jilted mistress Alex Forrest in the 1987 thriller Fatal Attraction.
American actress Mischa Barton is enjoying a winter holiday Down Under.

The 31-year-old, best known for playing Marissa Cooper on teen drama The O.C., flew into Sydney, Australia last month.

She is joined by her boyfriend, Melbourne model James Abercrombie, the son of wealthy former Victorian Liberal Party treasurer Andrew Abercrombie.

'The jet lag is worth it!' Mischa Barton is enjoying a surprise winter road trip in Australia with her Melbourne model boyfriend James Abercrombie

In late July, Mischa took to Instagram to mark her first day Down Under with a snap of the sunset overlooking one of Sydney's small islands on the harbour.

She captioned the post: 'Oh hey Sydney. the jet lag is worth it if you get this sunset.'

'Thanks for being so beautiful and all the good memories. Oh, and I climbed the Harbour Bridge... it was really cool!'

She appeared to travel south and followed up the post up with a snap of the iconic Brighton Beach Boxes, which she captioned: 'Australia's natural winter beauty.'

New love: She is joined by her boyfriend, Melbourne model James Abercrombie, the son of wealthy former Victorian Liberal Party treasurer Andrew Abercrombie

What a view! In late July, Mischa took to Instagram to mark her first day Down Under with a snap of the sunset overlooking one of Sydney's small islands on the harbour

She later told fans she was on a road trip, likely joined by her Australian boyfriend, sharing a photo of herself posing in front of a Range Rover.

Mischa's social media followers speculated she visiting Portsea Back Beach on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.

'Have a nice drive. I hope you're well,' a fan commented. Meanwhile, another wrote in reference to The O.C., 'This pic reminds me of you and Ryan'.

Sightseeing: She appeared to travel south and followed up the post up with a snap of the iconic Brighton Beach Boxes, which she captioned: 'Australia's natural winter beauty'

Road trip! Mischa later told fans she was on a road trip, likely joined by her Australian boyfriend, sharing a photo of herself posing in front of a Range Rover

The London-born actress also posted a snap of herself with her arms wide open at what looks like a national park vantage point.

Clearly loving her time in the wilderness, she wrote in the caption: 'Happy to be in Australia.'

Mischa has also visited Point Nepean National Park, according to her Instagram account.

'Happy to be in Australia': The London-born actress also posted a snap of herself with her arms wide open at what looks like a national park vantage point

She's a stunner! Meanwhile, James has also shared snaps of his girlfriend posing with a vintage Aston Martin convertible

Meanwhile, James has also shared snaps of his girlfriend posing with a vintage Aston Martin convertible.

Their relationship was confirmed by his management just months ago.

'James met Mischa at a party in Los Angeles just on a month ago. They then headed off on a small trip to France,' a rep claimed.

'He is now back in Los Angeles and they are spending a lot of time together.'
She failed to find happiness on Married At First Sight.

But weeks after her episodes aired, unlucky-in-love Cheryl Maitland announced she'd found her man - and they've been smitten ever since.

On Friday, the former topless waitress, 26, paid a romantic tribute to her boyfriend Dean Gibbs, a disgraced ex-policeman and convicted drug trafficker.

'I am so glad I never settled 'til I found you': On Friday, Married At First Sights Cheryl Maitland paid a romantic tribute to her convicted drug trafficker boyfriend Dean Gibbs

'I am so glad that I never settled till I found you,' she wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo that showed her and Dean cuddling in the woods.

The couple's smitten display was part of a paid sponsorship for condom brand Skyn, who she said were rating the 'best place for couples to get intimate'.

According to the picture, one of Cheryl and Dean's hotspots is near a thousand-year-old fallen tree, on the Gold Coast's Tallebudgeera Creek.

Sex sells? The couple's smitten display was part of a paid sponsorship for condom brand Skyn, who she said were rating the 'best place for couples to get intimate'

Er, get a room? According to the picture, one of Cheryl and Dean's hotspots is near a thousand-year-old fallen tree, on the Gold Coast's Tallebudgeera Creek

Tagging her location in the post, Cheryl provided a handy map for any followers who wished to make the trip themselves and see what all the fuss is about.

'Im so glad too Jonesy wasn't the one,' a fan wrote, referencing her short-lived and tumultuous relationship with Andrew Jones on Married At First Sight.

Another chimed in: 'This relationship is the biggest publicity stunt.'

Try it out! Tagging her location in the post, Cheryl provided a handy map for any followers who wished to make the trip themselves and see what all the fuss is about

Several messages were more supportive in tone, including one fan's comment: 'Gorgeous couple! Happy for you!'

Cheryl hit the promotional trail again on Monday, when she shared a busty Instagram photo to spruik a New Zealand-based company called SmarTea.

The 26-year-old sipped on an oversized glass mug as she recommended the tea, opting to not make it clear to her followers in the copy if it was a paid advertisement.
She lasted several weeks before being unceremoniously dumped on The Bachelor.

But it took Leah Costa all of 48-hours until she found a slice of the post-reality show pie, taking to Instagram on Friday to spruik her new favourite teeth whitening brand.

Posing next to a huge bag of Perla Teeth Whitening kits, the blonde beauty thanked the company for getting her 'ready' for her appearance on The Project.

White away! She lasted several weeks before being unceremoniously dumped on The Bachelor, but it took Leah Costa all of 48-hours to begin spruiking products on Instagram

'No filter needed!' she added, flashing a bright white smile, achieved 'without the pain and sensitivity associated with peroxide teeth whitening treatments.'

Leah echoed the sentiments found on the brand's website, insisting it was the 'best non peroxide whitening available!'

'You should have seen my mug before!' the TV star continued, adding the hashtags 'white,' 'Perla,' 'bachelorau' and 'smiles.'

'Thanks Perla for getting me project ready': Posing next to a huge bag of Perla Teeth Whitening kits, the star thanked the company for getting her 'ready' for her appearance on The Project

She loves it! The former topless waitress echoed the sentiments found on the brand's website, insisting it that in her opinion, it was the 'best non peroxide whitening available!'

'And let the flogging of products begin,' one Instagram user wrote in the comments, referring to the new craze of reality star's getting paid to promote free product.

Leah did not disclose whether or not her glowing endorsement had been paid for by Perla, a Melbourne-based company that offers whitening services via blue LED lights.

The former topless waitress' post appeared to violate codes set-out by the Australian Association of National Advertisers.

Back in March, standards set-out by the Australian Association of National Advertisers began including social media 'influencers,' like her.

We did! 'You should have seen my mug before!' the TV star continued, adding the hashtags 'white,' 'Perla,' 'bachelorau' and 'smiles'

It begins! 'And let the flogging of products begin,' one Instagram user wrote in the comments, referring to the new craze of reality star's getting paid to promote free product

Whoops! Leah didn't disclose whether her treatment was sponsored, an apparent breach of new codes requiring 'influencers' to clearly label sponsored or paid content

The codes require personalities using their influence to promote products online to clearly label sponsored or paid content.

If pursued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Comission (ACCC) and found to be in breach of Australian Consumer Law, fines may apply.

The maximum fine for an 'influencer' is $220,000 per post, if found guilty.

Leah was unceremoniously kicked-off The Bachelor on Wednesday's episode, with Matty blaming her for the majority of the 'drama' in the house.

All smiles? The maximum fine for an 'influencer' is $220,000 per post, if pursued by the ACCC and found guilty
She is one half of the Hamlin sister duo, who are tipped as the 'next Hadids' after making waves in the modelling world and becoming known through their mother's Real Housewives fame.

But Amelia Gray Hamlin, 16, was spotted without her sister, Delilah Belle in tow - as she worked a grungy-inspired look for a trip to Catch restaurant in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The sisters are normally inseparable, but Amelia's blonde sidekick was not to be seen as she strutted her stuff on the balmy summer's evening.

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Grunge chic: Amelia Gray Hamlin, 16, was spotted on a rare occasion without her sister, Delilah Belle in tow - as she worked a grungy-inspired look for a trip to Catch restaurant in Los Angeles on Thursday

Amelia rocked an all-black ensemble, which managed to be both stylish and sway towards Gothic glamour.

Her black mini skirt featured interlacing slits at the front looped through eyelet holes, which tied into leather bows, and matched her chunky black boots.

The model sported a cropped black long sleeved jumper, which was emblazoned with a white logo at its slightly raised neck.

Her biker style boots added height to her frame with a bulky heel, while she carried her belongings in a boxy black handbag.

Gothic glamour: Amelia rocked an all-black ensemble, which managed to be both stylish and sway towards Gothic glamour

Amelia styled her glossy raven tresses loose, and swept silver smoky eye make-up over her eyelids and a slick of nude lipgloss.

While Amelia is normally seen co-ordinating her look with her sister Amelia's, the younger sister of the duo worked her own sartorially savvy look without the support of her stylish sibling, Delilah.

The girls - who are the offspring of Real Housewives' Lisa Rinna and actor Harry Hamlin - have been making waves in the fashion industry with both girls signed to IMG Models.

The pair have been able to use their parents' profile to forge a path in the fashion industry - and have been compared to the likes of Gigi and Bella Hadid.

Edgy: Her black skirt featured interlacing slits at the front looped through eyelet holes, which tied into leather bows, and matched her chunky black boots

Their mother Lisa - who knows Gigi and Bella's mother Yolanda Foster from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.

Lisa and Yolanda are frenemies - to put it lightly - and the Bravo night show host probed to find out if there was any drama between the girls because of it.

'I was so curious if there was any drama with walking with Gigi Hadid, given what had gone on with you and Yolanda?' Andy asked.

Rinna replied: 'Absolutely zero! In fact, Delilah, you could tell the story of how you went up to Gigi and said, "I don't know how to walk, can you help me?"' Delilah added 'She's so nice.'"
The Hitman's Bodyguard (15)

Rating: *****

Verdict: Disturbingly violent

Fifty years ago this month, Arthur Penns film Bonnie And Clyde came out and changed for ever the way violence was depicted on the silver screen. It became more brutal, but also more real.

That movies notoriously shocking finale, in which the two outlaws were riddled with bullets in balletic slow-motion, was deliberately intended to evoke the Kennedy assassination four years earlier.

But Penn also meant it as a reference to the raging Vietnam War. He wanted to show that the forces of good could be even nastier than the alleged bad guys.

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Underwhelming: The Hitman's Bodyguard is not much good, but its not exactly bad either. Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson are charismatic leads and there are some pulse-quickening action sequences

In other words, there was a point to those horribly graphic deaths. But 50 more years in the so-called evolution of cinema have seen film-makers become steadily less mature in their treatment of violence, resulting in the grotesque spectacle of people being murdered and maimed not as an attempt to appeal, but to amuse.

In other words, more and more corpses are piling up on screen in the name of comedy.

The Hitmans Bodyguard is the latest example of this deeply worrying trend. Its not much good, but its not exactly bad either. Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson are charismatic leads and there are some pulse-quickening action sequences. But heavens above, its bloody. And worse than glorifying or romanticising violence, which Bonnie And Clyde arguably did all those years ago, it trivialises it.

Boring: Rather than glorifying or romanticising violence, which Arthur Penn's Bonnie And Clyde arguably did all those years ago, it trivialises it

For example, in a blatant contrivance to maximise the potential for comedic pain, director Patrick Hughes steers an Amsterdam chase scene through a restaurant kitchen and on into a hardware store. So one baddie gets his face griddled next to the burgers, and another is garrotted by a length of chain.

Hilarious, I know. And to emphasise just how lightly were meant to take all this, the violence gets a cheerful musical accompaniment; Chuck Berry singing Little Queenie, a regular foot-tapper.

And theres a grisly torture scene, also played for laughs.

Drama: Elsewhere a trial is unfolding at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In the dock is the former leader of Belarus, a savage war criminal called Dukhovich (Gary Oldman)

As for the plot facilitating all this jaunty brutality, Reynolds plays Michael Bryce, an executive protection agent whose CIA training has turned him into the worlds best bodyguard.

We first meet him shepherding a Japanese arms dealer onto a private jet in London, but when his client gets it in the neck, Bryces reputation crumbles.

A couple of years later, he is reduced to protecting a cocaine-addled businessman (a cameo, or rather a hameo, for Richard E. Grant, over-acting with his customary pop-eyed zeal).

Bizarre: For some implausible reason, the testimony of only one man can convict him. That man is Darius Kinkaid (Samuel L. Jackson), the worlds greatest assassin, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence in Manchester, of all places

Meanwhile, a trial is unfolding at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In the dock is the former leader of Belarus, a savage war criminal called Dukhovich (Gary Oldman).

For some implausible reason, the testimony of only one man can convict him. That man is Darius Kinkaid (Samuel L. Jackson), the worlds greatest assassin, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence in Manchester, of all places.

A squad of Interpol agents must get Kincaid safely to the trial, but someone at Interpol is feeding information to Dukhovich, and his goons are waiting to pounce in Coventry city centre.

Before youve had time to ask yourself why on earth anyone would pass through Coventry on the way from Manchester to The Hague, a gunfight erupts the like of which Coventry has certainly never seen.

Implausible: A squad of Interpol agents must get Kincaid safely to the trial, but someone at Interpol is feeding information to Dukhovich, and his goons are waiting to pounce in Coventry city centre

Even by OK Corral standards, its a bit much. But one of the few survivors is Interpol agent Amelia Roussel (Elodie Yung), who promptly calls her ex-boyfriend, Bryce, and gives him the job of transporting Kincaid on to the Netherlands, so that he can nail the dastardly Dukhovich.

The problem with this is that the two men are sworn enemies; Kincaid has tried to kill Bryce 28 times. So what follows is like a histrionic version of Midnight Run, the 1988 comedy in which Robert De Niros bounty hunter traded insults with Charles Grodins mob accountant as he tried to get him safely across America.

Certainly, the script by Tom OConnor (not, I think, the silver-haired Liverpudlian comedian of the same name, former presenter of TVs Name That Tune) strives desperately for the same sort of edgy rapport that made Midnight Run such a delight.

Nice try: Reynolds and Jackson give it their best shot, and succeed in raising a few laughs

Reynolds and Jackson give it their best shot, too, and succeed in raising a few laughs.

But violence is the name of the tune here. Violence and almost incontinent profanity, not least from Salma Hayek as Kincaids imprisoned wife, who inhabits one of two very sketchily-drawn sub-plots. The other concerns Bryces break-up with Roussel, about which we are supposed to care even though the script doesnt.

With little else hitting the multi-plexes this week, The Hitmans Bodyguard may be the best of a mediocre lot. But it is an instantly forgettable film, notable only for its contribution to a disturbing slide in cinematic morality.

The Dark Tower (12A)

Rating: *****

Verdict: Hopelessly muddled

In STEPHEN KINGS series of horror-sci-fi-fantasy novels inspired The Dark Tower, which is a promising start for any project.

After all, it was Kings writing which yielded The Shining, The Shawshank Redemption, Misery and Stand By Me, among many other fine movies. The Dark Tower does not belong in such exalted company.

There is plenty to like, especially a terrific lead performance by young Tom Taylor as Jake, an 11-year-old American boy propelled through a portal (in Brooklyn, naturally) into unimaginable inter-galactic adventures.

Good effort: Idris Elba puts in a decent shift as a strong silent gunman in The Dark Tower

Idris Elba also puts in a decent shift as Jakes other-worldly protector, a strong silent gunman. Together, theyre a little like Brandon deWilde and Alan Ladd in the classic 1953 Western, Shane . . . with monsters.

On the whole, though, this is a chaotically muddled affair, which tries to marry The Lord Of The Rings with The Hunger Games with the old-fashioned Hollywood western, and inevitably fails.

The title refers to a vast structure which protects everyone in the universe from the forces of darkness.

Only the minds of certain special children are pure and strong enough to topple the tower and unleash Armageddon, so Matthew McConaughey  playing a cross between Jack Palance in Shane, the Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Christopher Walken in almost anything you care to mention, and the devil himself  needs to harness them.

Not good: On the whole, though, this is a chaotically muddled affair, which tries to marry The Lord Of The Rings with The Hunger Games with the old-fashioned Hollywood western, and inevitably fails

Jake, growing up in New York with his lovely mother and not-so-lovely stepfather, is one such child. He has such strong psychic powers that he can visualise both McConaugheys Man in Black and his nemesis, Elbas Gunslinger, even before he meets them. So when he does, he has a vague idea of whats going to happen.

Unfortunately, director Nikolaj Arcel is similarly vague. There are a handful of brilliant sequences let down by an undisciplined narrative, and McConaughey somehow both overdoes it and underdoes it. If you can imagine a laconic, Texan pantomime villain, thats pretty much what he is.

The Dark Tower has by all accounts taken years to reach the screen. It really wasnt worth the wait.
They cemented their love for each other by getting married two years ago at Archerfield House.

And Ronan Keating's wife Storm, 35, marked her two year anniversary with her Boyzone crooner husband - by posting a hilarious photo of herself getting ready for her lunch on Thursday.

With her hair blow dried into bouncy curls, Storm looked incredible as she smiled serenely to the camera - while Ronan, 40, pulled a funny pose with their four-month-old baby Cooper in the background.

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Celebrations: Ronan Keating's wife Storm, 35, celebrated the date of her two year anniversary with her Boyzone crooner husband - by posting a hilarious photo of herself getting ready for her lunch on Thursday

Ronan clutched Cooper as he held his arm outstretched in the superman pose, while beaming widely to the camera.

Cooper looked cute as a button in a pair of grey dungarees and white bib, and was fast asleep on his father's shoulder, oblivious to the fun his parents were having as they celebrated their special day.

Storm captioned the sweet photo: 'And that's a wrap! Time to celebrate with my baba now woohoo. Thank you @sarahbridson for my fabulous blowdry - you're the best'.

Earlier in the week, the beauty had shared photos from her family holiday to her Instagram page.

Family portrait: Storm proved parenting suited her down to the ground on Sunday, as she enjoyed a Greek getaway with her husband and their son Cooper

The golden-haired star was positively glowing in the Mediterranean sunshine, proving her natural beauty in minimal make-up, and a retro pair of sunglasses.

Cuddling up to her man, the pair looked more loved-up than ever as they beamed widely for the camera - with their sweet son Cooper nestled in Ronan's arms.

Clearly indulging during their time away, Ronan also appeared to be sharing a delicious chocolate ice-cream with his boy, finished with a patriotic Greek flag on top.

Sensational! Storm showed off her incredible post-baby body while posing beneath the Mediterranean sun on Monday with her son in her arms

The pair have been sharing a string of photographs from their sun-soaked break away.

Revelling in yet another day of her Greek holiday, the model looked sensational in a red bikini as she cradled her son beside the sea.

The Australian-born fashion designer flashed her ample cleavage in the sizzling two-piece, which also boasted barely-there bikini bottoms.

Her sexy swimwear style was arguably overshadowed by her adorable tot however, who was clad in a cute blue wet-suit.

Announcing her little one's penchant for the water, she enthused alongside the snap: 'Water baby #timeforasnooze #toomuchexcitement #firsttimes #funtimes #baby #swim #cooperkeating #familyholiday #summertime.'

The snap comes just a few short days after Ronan shared a snap of the mother-son duo reclining on their sun lounger with a comical filter.

The gushing dad captioned the heartwarming image: 'My heart could burst #Love #summertime #Laughs #cooperkeating.'

Just a few hours later, Storm shared a snap of the lower half of her svelte frame lying on a blue towel next to a shirtless Ronan, who gazed adoringly into his youngest child's eyes as the baby sucked on a dummy.

Body: Storm showed off her sensational post-baby body as she uploaded a snap of her own

Gush: Storm's followers flocked to the comments section to gush over her sensational body

Storm wrote beside the image: 'Poolside #intheshade #chillin #giggles #cooperkeating #daddy #summerdayz #greece.'

Former Boyzone frontman Ronan already has three children - Jack, 18, Missy, 16 and Ali, 11.

Ronan shares his older children with his ex-wife Yvonne Connolly, who he split from in 2010 after 12 years of marriage.

Their divorce was finalised in March 2015, five months before he tied the knot with Storm.

Ronan lavished praise on the Aussie TV producer before the birth of their son, saying that she was 'looking good'.

Smitten kittens: The loved-up spouses have shared a number of adorable snaps from their getaway




They're illustrious for their sculpted bodies and assets that are generous in size, to say the least.

And Victoria's Secret Angels Stella Maxwell, Candice Swanepoel and Martha Hunt flaunted their flawless physiques in all of their glory as they stripped off during an outdoor shoot for the lingerie brand in Aspen, Colorado, on Monday.

Leading the pack was 27-year-old Stella, who showcased her seriously toned posterior in a sexy black thong and embellished bra.

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Peachy: Stella Maxwell lead the Victoria's Secret pack on Thursday as she sizzled in a racy thong while posing for the brand's upcoming holiday calendar in Aspen, Colorado

The model - who is currently in a relationship with Twilight star Kristen Stewart - wowed in matching black underwear, which was emblazoned with an ethereal star print.

Gazing pensively into the distance, the catwalk favourite looked beyond stunning as her trademark blonde tresses cascaded down her back in voluminous, loose waves.

She was stood alongside fellow Angel Martha, who put a more demure spin on her lingerie look with a chic, mesh cover-up, adorned with the same enchanting motif.

Angels on earth: The gorgeous blonde was later pictured posing up a storm in a daisy field alongside Victoria's Secret veteran Candice Swanepoel and Martha Hunt

Country girl: Candice later posed in a grey bra and ripped jeans combination

The gorgeous duo were later pictured posing up a storm in a daisy field alongside Victoria's Secret veteran Candice, who teased her cleavage in a plunging, balcony bra and high-waisted briefs.

Demonstrating her modelling prowess, the mother-of-one pulled a series of flirty poses as she paraded in the stunning location alongside her supermodel pals.

The shoot is for the brand's upcoming holiday catalogue, which will also feature the likes of Lily Aldridge, Josephine Skriver and Jasmine Tookes.

Sensational! Elsewhere, Jasmine Tookes stripped down to some semi-sheer lingerie of her own

Puppy love: The beauty also posed with an adorable canine companion

Stella gave her fans another cheap thrill earlier this week, when she shared a braless photo of herself as she prepared to get back in the saddle on another modelling assignment.

She stared blankly into the distance as a helpful lackey combed her hair as she prepared for yet another arduous day of posing.

The 27-year-old busty Belgian beauty was looking in typically fine form as she reclined in her seat in just a dressing gown, which she had strategically left open at the front.

Busty: Stella gave her fans a thrill by sharing a braless photo on Wednesday
She is the Today Show host known for her glamorous fashion sense and age-defying beauty.

And Lisa Wilkinson, 57, showcased her glowing complexion in a sun-soaked selfie as she enjoyed a getaway on Hamilton Island this Friday.

The brunette presenter took to Instagram with the smiley snap, captioning it with, 'Hello weekend!', and tagging the official Hamilton Island Instagram page.

She's glowing! Lisa Wilkinson, 57, showcased her glowing complexion in a sun-soaked selfie as she enjoyed a getaway on Hamilton Island this Friday

Lisa's fans were quick to shower the former Dolly editor with compliments, with one commenting, 'How can you always look so fresh and such a beautiful lady?'

'Stunning pic,' added another fan.

It comes days after Lisa revealed that she is finally on the mend after breaking her arm in Italy last month.

Hallelujah! On Sunday, Lisa Wilkinson revealed her fibreglass cast had been finally removed

Taking to Instagram last weekend, shared a photo of herself posing with her cast-clad arm held in the air along with the caption, 'Hallelujah! The heavy fibreglass cast is off.'

'A pretty skinny forearm and sore puffy wrist in a splint remains, but oh the relief!!!'

Speaking to The Huffington Post after her fall, Lisa said the pain she felt was excruciating.

Stunner: Even makeup free Lisa always looks fresh and radiant

'The pain was like a red hot dagger stabbing into my wrist...More agony than I've ever felt, outside of childbirth': Lisa said the pain from when she broke her arm was excruciating

'The pain was like a red hot dagger stabbing into my wrist...More agony than I've ever felt, outside of childbirth,' she said.

'I knew the floor was slippery but the moment of falling seemed to take forever.'

'My mind was in slow-mo - even though my body was in fast-forward - as I calculated just how bad the fall was going to be. I was right. Very bad,' she continued.
This week's Bachelor saw Matty J learn two contestants had previously worked as topless waitresses.

And on Friday The Project hosts Waleed Aly and Meshel Laurie saw the lighter side to the shock revelations, joking that Leah Costa and Simone Orhmesher's raunchy hospitality work could come in handy for Matty's future wedding.

'The other girl who does the topless waitressing, she can help,' Meshel quipped, also adding the series had 'good casting' this season.

'Good casting!' The Project's Waleed Aly and Meshel Laurie joke that Matty J should get topless waitresses Leah Costa and Simone Ormesher to work at his wedding

The joke came about as the Channel Ten show interviewed ousted contestant Sharlene Boguslavsky Mik, who poked fun at her ill-timed 'caterer' joke.

After the wedding planner told The Project she would be happy to cater Matty's future nuptials, Meshel suggested some of the other contestants could help too.

'The other girl who does the topless waitressing, she can help,' Meshel said.

Bad timing: The joke came about as the Channel Ten show interviewed ousted contestant Sharlene Boguslavsky Mik, who poked fun at her ill-timed 'caterer' joke

'Basically all the other hospitality is already cast, it's amazing': Waleed joked that the show had cast all of Matty's potential wedding staff

'He has it sorted. All the suppliers within the house sorted,' Sharlene replied, laughing.

'Basically all the other hospitality is already cast, it's amazing,' a tongue-in-cheek Waleed added.

'Good casting!' Meshel quipped back.

The Project's joke comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed photos of both Leah and Simone working as topless waitresses.

Topless work: Simone at a buck's party, wearing a lace bodysuit which left her breasts exposed.

Past work revealed: Pictures showed a topless Leah whipping a man's bare buttocks

Pictures showed a topless Leah whipping a man's bare buttocks and with lines of white powder on her bottom.

Other photos of Simone showed the busty English-born blonde at a buck's party, wearing a lace bodysuit which left her breasts exposed.

Through written statements issued to Daily Mail Australia last month, both women said they were not ashamed of their past work and had done it as a means to support themselves.

Out: On Wednesday night's episode of The Bachelor Matty booted Leah after learning of her past work as a topless waitress

On Wednesday night's episode of The Bachelor Matty booted Leah after learning of her past work as a topless waitress.

He asked her to leave the mansion, arguing Leah had been dishonest in not telling him about her topless waitress past sooner and the drama around it was proving distracting to the other girls.

While Matty learnt Simone had also worked as a topless waitress he chose not to send her home.
She recently lost out on three fan-voted Teen Choice Award trophies to Spider-Man: Homecoming's Zendaya, Pretty Little Liars' Lucy Hale, and pop diva Ariana Grande.

And Bella Thorne, 19, cut a downcast figure as she ran errands in Los Angeles on Friday.

Wearing a tiny crop top, the former Disney star flashed her ripped stomach as she dressed in her typically quirky style.

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Something getting you down? Bella Thorne, 19, cut a downcast figure as she ran errands in Los Angeles on Friday after losing out on three Teen Choice Award trophies

The slender actress layered a bright blue shirt over her tiny white crop top, and donned a pair of glitter finish jeans which hung off her slim frame.

Bella attempted to keep a low profile by pulling her bright pink beanie low over her face, and hid behind a large pair of sunglasses as she went about her day.

The Famous In Love actress also displayed her newly dyed magenta locks, a far cry from her trademark red tresses.

Icognito: Bella attempted to keep a low profile by pulling her bright pink beanie low over her face, and hid behind a large pair of sunglasses as she went about her day

Shredded: Wearing a tiny crop top, the former Disney star flashed her ripped stomach as she dressed in her typically quirky style

She appeared to go make up free as she paraded her colourful ensemble, and sported her trademark septum nose ring, while adding layers of jewellery.

The star kept comfortable with a pair of unusual pink knee high Doctor Martens, which further accentuated her slim pins as they finished at her mid shin.

Her eye-catching blue shirt was emblazoned with a white 'First Lutheran Church' logo, and looked especially dazzling in contrast to her shiny silver finished jeans.

Eye-catching: Her eye-catching blue shirt was emblazoned with a white 'First Lutheran Church' logo, and looked especially dazzling in contrast to her shiny silver trousers

Garish: The star kept comfortable with a pair of unusual pink knee high Doctor Martens, which further accentuated her slim pins as they finished at her mid shin

Bisexual Bella has enjoyed a chequered love life in the last year.

Over the weekend, she was spotted posing with fans together with her on/off flame Scott Disick at the Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

This came as a surprise as the former couple had not been seen in each other's company since mid-July in New York City following months of being off and on.

Dazzling: She appeared to go make up free as she paraded her colourful ensemble, and sported her trademark septum nose ring, while adding layers of jewellery

Bella's sighting with the 34-year-old father-of-three came after parading her latest flavor of the month, heavily-tattooed hip-hop star Blackbear, also the Teen Choice Awards.

The 26-year-old Do Re Me rapper (born Matthew Musto) will next headline the Billboard Hot 100 Music Festival in New York on August 19.

Bella has been previously romantically linked to Chandler Parsons, Charlie Puth, Tyler Posey, and his White Frog co-star Gregg Sulkin all in the last year.
She courted attention when she cosied up to a handsome mystery man on holiday in July.

But Kimberley Garner was just fine flying solo this week, turning heads as she emerged from the water in St Tropez wearing perhaps her most daring swimsuit yet.

The model and former Made In Chelsea star, 27, showcased every inch of her sensational figure as she playfully posed in a very high-cut blue swimsuit.

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Feeling hot, hot, hot: Kimberley Garner, 27, ensured she secured the eyes of onlookers as she sizzled in the St Tropez sunshine in France in recent weeks

The former Made In Chelsea star flaunted her peachy derriere in the thong-style costume, which left very little to the imagination.

With a thong at the back, the swimsuit even cut extremely high on her thighs in a nod to the Eighties' high-cut styles.

And on the neckline, Kimberley dared to take the plunge, which was yet more eye-popping after her soak in the sea.

Fresh from the salt water, the beauty later topped up her sun-kissed tan and dried in the direct sunlight.

Baywatch moment: The model, 27, pulled off a sexy look as she showcased her sensational figure in a high-cut deep blue swimsuit

Keen for a swim, the golden-haired beauty grappled with her locks and pulled her tresses into an up-do hairdo.

While she may have been flying solo on this occasion, the beauty put on a cosy display with a new man the start of the summer.

Kimberley was previously believed to be single following her split with her long-term partner in May, just before she attended the Cannes Film Festival.

That'll Garner attention: The former Made In Chelsea star flaunted her peachy derriere in the thong-style costume which left very little to the imagination

Fresh from the water! The beauty later topped up her sun-kissed tan and dried in the direct sunlight as she lounged at the side of the sea

During the time the duo were going out, the blonde had kept very tight lipped about her beau.

Speaking to The Sun during her appearance in Cannes, she said: 'It was a great relationship.

'Id love to meet someone with a great personality  its all about the personality for me.'

Swimming sensation: The reality star emerged from the water in Baywatch-esque fashion

Wow: She posed up a storm as she splashed around in the icy cool waters

Cool off: The former Made In Chelsea star later dried off with a towel as she headed to the sunbeds to relax

Kimberley shot to fame in 2012 in Series 3 of MIC where she caught the gaze of many male cast members including Spencer Matthews, 27, and Richard Dinan.

After one date with Spencer, the pair decided not to take the union any further.

Kimberley has now turned her attention to the world of swimwear design, having ditched her reality TV ties.

Flying solo: The golden-haired beauty courted attention when she cosied up to a handsome mystery man on holiday in July

Failed romance: Kimberley is believed to be single following her split with her long-term partner in May, just before she attended the much-coveted Cannes 70th Film Festival

Revealed: Kimberley shot to fame in 2012 in Series 3 of MIC

She's a favourite: But it's no surprise she caught the gaze of many male cast members including Spencer Matthews, 27, and Richard Dinan

Career change: Kimberley has now turned her attention to the world of swimwear design




She juggles lucrative modelling contracts in Los Angeles with her relationship with her Melbourne-based actor beau Harley Bonner.

And Natalie Roser says communication is key to maintaining their blossoming romance, with the pair finding it 'really hard' to get the time to meet up due to work commitments.

'We're very lucky that we love each other as much as we do,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

We're very lucky that we love each other as much as we do': Natalie Roser gushes about romance with Harley Bonner as she reveals communication is key to maintaining their long distance relationship

Natalie confirmed she was dating Neighbours star Harley in February, the pair meeting on a promotional trip to New Zealand in November 2016.

The couple crossed paths only a month after Natalie and celebrity personal trainer Dan Adair called off their October wedding.

Harley, who Natalie jokingly describes as her 'Instagram husband', is based in Melbourne for his acting work, while she splits her time between modelling in the United States and her home base in Sydney.

Cute: Natalie confirmed she was dating Neighbours star Harley in February, the pair meeting on a promotional trip to New Zealand in November 2016

Split: Natalie and celebrity personal trainer Dan Adair called off their October wedding

Admitting it was 'really hard' for them to commit to times they could meet up due to work, the two were letting their relationship 'go with the moment'.

'Communication is really good between the two of us which I think is really special, that's how we make it work,' Natalie said.

'We're very lucky that we love each other as much as we do.'

Natalie, who spent the first half of the year in Los Angeles, stayed away from industry pressure in the more competitive US market by giving herself other things to look forward to besides modelling.

'Communication is really good between the two of us which I think is really special': Admitting it was 'really hard' for them to commit to times they could meet up due to work, the two were letting their relationship 'go with the moment'

Focusing on her loved ones: Natalie stayed away from industry pressure in the more competitive US market by giving herself other things to look forward to besides modelling

'I've been doing this for such a long time now that I just don't allow myself to absorb that pressure and that negative energy the industry is kind of known for,' she explained.

'I just bring to the table what I have to bring and see where that takes me, I just put myself in the best position possible.

'And if I get work I get work and if I don't that's OK, I've got other things going on in my life that keep me really happy.'
She is known to be one of the most famous supermodels in the world.

And Heidi Klum, 44, looked sensational as she went for dinner with her family in Beverly Hills in an eye-catching leopard print bodycon dress on Thursday.

The supermodel struck the right balance of modest yet revealing in the sultry number, which flaunted her toned, tanned legs to perfection.

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Wild! Heidi Klum, 44, looked sensational as she went for dinner with her family in Beverly Hills in an eye-catching leopard print bodycon dress on Thursday

The American-German model's dress clung to her slender frame, showcasing her fabulous figure while exposing her smooth decolletage.

She kept warm by shrugging a thick knit bright pink cardigan around her shoulders, and clasped her hands together as she ambled down the road after dinner with her family.

She elongated her legs with a pair of black peep toe platform heels, strutting elegantly down the street with her supermodel walk.

Showing some skin: The American-German model's dress clung to her slender frame, showcasing her fabulous figure while exposing her smooth decolletage

Heidi added lashings of glamorous make up to accentuate her beautiful features, complete with false eyelashes to make her eyes flutter.

She swept her blonde tresses back into a ponytail, and added dazzling diamond jewellery which sparkled on her fingers and ears.

The supermodel recently unveiled the sixth ad campaign for her lingerie label, Heidi Klum Intimates, shot in a floral setting by Italian lensman Francesco Carrozzini on Thursday.

The creative director sizzled in lacy creations like the black 'Tuberose Tryst Contour' balconnet bra, matching bikini, and thigh-high stockings.

The mother-of-four's FW/17 collection - which is 'coming soon' - ranges in price between $25-$170.

Red hot! Heidi unveiled the sixth ad campaign for her lingerie label, Heidi Klum Intimates, shot in a floral setting by Italian lensman Francesco Carrozzini on Thursday

Ambrosia: The 44-year-old creative director sizzled in lacy creations like the black 'Tuberose Tryst Contour' balconnet bra, matching bikini, and thigh-high stockings

There was not an inch to pinch on Heidi flaunting her sensational 5ft9in figure in pieces like the peachy 'Dreamtime' underwire bra and matching thong.

Klum - who's romancing art curator Vito Schnabel - originally launched Heidi Klum Intimates in 2015 after several years as a Victoria's Secret Angel and SI Swimsuit cover girl.

That same day, the German-born beauty hosted a 'bra brunch' at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles alongside three lovely lingerie models.

'Coming soon!' The mother-of-four's FW/17 collection ranges in price between $25-$170

Bloom: There was not an inch to pinch on Heidi flaunting her sensational 5ft9in figure in pieces like the peachy 'Dreamtime' underwire bra and matching thong

Evolution: Klum - who's romancing art curator Vito Schnabel - originally launched Heidi Klum Intimates in 2015 after several years as a Victoria's Secret Angel and SI Swimsuit cover girl

The America's Got Talent judge, who split from her second husband Seal in 2012 and is now dating Vito Schnabel, appropriately flashed a hint of her bra in a white blouse, skinny capri jeans, and matching pumps selected by stylist Maryam Malakpour.

Heidi wore her ombre blonde locks down while enjoying the swing surrounded by roses hanging like vines at the fragrant festivities.

Klum - who boasts 12.6M social media followers - shared an Insta-story of the soiree where they enjoyed a menu curated by Wolfgang Puck and an embroidery bar.

Launch party: That same day, the German-born beauty hosted a 'bra brunch' at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles alongside three lovely lingerie models

Boss lady: The America's Got Talent judge appropriately flashed a hint of her bra in a white blouse, skinny capri jeans, and matching pumps selected by stylist Maryam Malakpour

Pretty as a petal: Heidi wore her ombre blonde locks down while enjoying the swing surrounded by roses hanging like vines at the fragrant festivities

Ladies who brunch: Klum - who boasts 12.6M social media followers - shared an Insta-story of the soiree where they enjoyed a menu curated by Wolfgang Puck and an embroidery bar

Office Christmas Party's Olivia Munn guest judges Thursday night's premiere of the 16th season of Lifetime's Project Runway alongside judges Zac Posen and Nina Garcia.

The Emmy winner also judges the 12th season of America's Got Talent - airing Tuesdays and Wednesdays on NBC - alongside Howie Mandel, Melanie Brown, Simon Cowell, and host Tyra Banks.

The Halloween enthusiast just returned sun-kissed from her lavish 10-day family vacation in Saint Barthelemy with her four children - Johan, 10; Helene, 13; Lou, 7; and Henry, 11.

'So much fun!' Olivia Munn (R) guest judges Thursday night's premiere of the 16th season of Lifetime's Project Runway alongside judges Zac Posen and Nina Garcia (2-R)

Quarterfinals next! The Emmy winner also judges the 12th season of America's Got Talent - airing Tuesdays and Wednesdays on NBC
Cindy L. Dicus didnt waste time.

At about 9:30 a.m. April 25, she attended a hearing before Judge James Isaacson where she was removed as a guardian of the estate of one of her relatives. The hearing ended about 10 a.m.

Prosecutors said at 10:05 a.m. Dicus withdrew $995 from the relatives account, leaving a balance of $5.36.

Dicus, 62, of Cornell is charged in Chippewa County Court with felony theft on April 5 and seven counts of misdemeanor theft on dates ranging from April 7 to May 15. The felony charge is from the city of Chippewa Falls, and the misdemeanor charges are from Chippewa Falls, Cornell and the town of Lake Holcombe.

Dicus is scheduled to appear before Judge Steven Gibbs at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 22. She has signed a $1,000 signature bond.

According to a criminal complaint: A Chippewa County social worker contacted the Cornell Police Department on July 1 over a reported fraud case.

Police found Dicus had become guardian of a relatives estate on Sept. 22, 2015 and was removed as guardian for not finishing required federal paperwork. Because of that, her relative lost his Medicaid benefits, including his living expenses at a nursing home.

Dicus was officially removed as guardian on April 25, 2017, and the county took over as the guardian for Dicus relative and the relatives bank records were turned over to the county.

It was found the relative was issued a back payment from Social Security of $19,180 on April 3, 2017, and the check was made out to the payee, Cindy Dicus for (the relatives initials). Dicus then opened an account for the relative at a financial institution in Chippewa Falls on April 5, where she deposited $10,180. A transaction slip showed defendant Dicus had taken $8,000 in cash, the complaint said.

A bank account statement dated May 30 showed 69 transactions from the account, but none were for the care of Dicus relative. Among the transactions were $1,435 to Xcel Energy, $217 for Charter cable, $766 for Larsons Auto in Cornell, $303 for the Holiday store in Cornell and $60 to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to reinstate a drivers license.

A check dated May 3 for $1,009 from the U.S. Treasury was deposited into the account of Dicus relative about a week after Dicus was removed as the relatives guardian. Several transactions were made using the funds. When the bank account was closed May 30, a total of $8.37 was left in the checking and savings accounts.

The nursing home where the relative is staying reported on June 1 no financial transactions or money from the relatives Social Security proceeds was turned over by Dicus for the relatives care.
Alessandra Ambrosio has joked that she is 'forever on vacation' because she travels to stunning locations so often for her career as a supermodel.

And on Thursday the Brazilian bombshell was at it again as she shared photos to Instagram where she was in a teeny bikini.

The mother-of-two said she was in Bora Bora and it was 'paradise.'

Back to the sun: Alessandra Ambrosio has joked that she is 'forever on vacation' because she travels to stunning locations so often for her career as a supermodel. And on Thursday the Brazilian bombshell was at it again

How she gets that golden glow: The mother-of-two said she was in Bora Bora and it was 'paradise'

The star looked every inch the Victoria's Secret Angel she is as she flaunted her curves in a small two piece while getting a fresh tan.

The looker was standing in the water as she had a pal take a snap of her behind, which was flawless.

She also wore a hat as she sat on the beach.

Far away: Bora Bora is a small South Pacific island northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia

Her joy: The 36-year-old star also shared a sweet photo with her mini me daughter Anja, aged eight, who she has with partner Jamie Mazur

'Breathing ... paradise ... #borabora #goldenhour,' she wrote in her caption as she smiled while the sun caressed her face.

Bora Bora is a small South Pacific island northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Surrounded by sand-fringed motus (islets) and a turquoise lagoon protected by a coral reef, its known for its scuba diving.

The 36-year-old star also shared a sweet photo with her mini me daughter Anja, aged eight, who she has with partner Jamie Mazur.

On the job: These posts come after the Vogue cover model was seen in Aspen, Colorado for a VS shoot which Michael Bay was overseeing

The ladies: She also posed with Taylor Hill, Candice Swanepoel, Sara Sampaio and Elsa Hosk, among others

These posts come after the Vogue cover model was seen in Aspen, Colorado for a VS shoot which Michael Bay was overseeing.

The leggy wonder wore chaps with her bras and underwear.

She also posed with Taylor Hill, Candice Swanepoel, Sara Sampaio and Elsa Hosk, among others.

Hard day at work: Blonde bombshell Swanepoel looked leggy in her cowgirl boots

In 2016 she told Net-a-Porter's The Edit that she works hard on her body.

'Your body will not go back to exactly what it was before pregnancy, whatever people tell you. It can't,' she said.

'But I think I have a better body now than before I had kids. It's partly because I work out, whereas before I didn't, but also to do with the shapeit just looks more formed now and I feel better about it than I did.'
She's the Bachelor star who is counting down the weeks until she welcomes her first child with fiance Sam Wood.

And Snezana Markoski shared another baby bump photo on Friday with her and Sam joking that she had just 'passed wind.'

The photo showed Snezana with her arm wrapped around Sam's shoulder while he had a hand around her waist.

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Pardon me? Snezana Markoski shared another baby bump photo on Friday with her and Sam joking that she had just 'passed wind'

Snezana wore a set of form fitting black and white activewear that flaunted her burgeoning baby bump to good effect.

Offering her betrothed a wide smile, Sam shot back a look of mock disgust, suggesting that something foul had invaded the air.

'Did I just pass wind?!' Snazana captioned the photo, augmenting the post with the hashtags #lookatthisface #pregnantwindmaybe and #justkidding.

What's that smell? Offering her betrothed a wide smile, Sam shot back a look of mock disgust, suggesting that something foul had invaded the air.

Still got it: 'Wind or not you still look radiant and Sam doesn't look too bad either I guess,' one fan commented

'Wind or not you still look radiant and Sam doesn't look too bad either I guess,' one fan commented.

Another gave a similarly gushing: 'I don't actually think another bach couple will end up being this cute and good together.'

The 36-year-old took to her Instagram story last week to flaunt her burgeoning baby bump in stylish maternity wear, at Eastland shopping mall in Ringwood, Victoria.

Bumping along nicely! It seems Snezana Markoski, who is engaged to Sam Wood, is relishing every moment of being pregnant with her second daughter

In her Boomerang clip, the stunning brunette blew kisses to her legions of followers in the dressing room of Ripe Maternity store.

She wore a black and white striped frock that hugged her curvy figure, and drew a pink love heart over her belly.

The snap is one of many stylish pregnancy outfits Snezana has shared on her social media.

Fashionista: The 36-year-old took to her Instagram story on Friday to flaunt her burgeoning baby bump in stylish maternity wear

Loved up! She and fiance recently travelled to Maui, Hawaii her fiance Sam Wood on a babymoon

The fashionista has uploaded plenty of outfit pictures from activewear ensembles to edgy looks.

Snezana, who is also mother to 12-year-old daughter Eve (from a previous relationship), recently travelled to Maui, Hawaii her fiance Sam Wood on a babymoon.

The couple looked loved-up in their pictures as they enjoyed the tropical sun before the arrival of their bub.

Doting parents: She also recently shared a sweet photo with her Sam marking the 28 week milestone, which is also the name of his successful fitness company

She also recently shared a sweet selfie with Sam marking her 28 week milestone, which is also the name of his successful fitness company.

'We all know @samjameswood couldn't wait for this week!' Snezana wrote in her caption.

Fans of the couple loved the post and congratulated them on reaching the auspicious week.
A recent split with Love Island co-star Alex Beattie appeared to be forgotten as Montana Brown partied with Snoop Doggs handsome son on Thursday evening.

The reality star, 21, was in attendance as Rita Ora performed an intimate set on behalf of online retailer PrettyLittleThing as they celebrated their new collaboration with actress Olivia Culpo in at Los Angeles.

And her social media account suggested she had good company in the form of Snoops son, 20-year old Cordell Broadus, and the West Coast rapper's father, Vernell Varnado.

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Good times: A recent split with Love Island co-star Alex Beattie appeared to be forgotten as Montana Brown partied with Snoop Doggs handsome Cordell son and grandfather Vernell Varnado at a PrettyLittleThing fashion party in Los Angeles on Thursday evening

Updating her Instagram Stories, Montana - who is fulfilling her first US promotional commitment for PrettyLittleThing after recently being named brand ambassador - shared a brief video of herself dancing with the elderly Vernell.

A selfie, added shortly afterwards, featured the TV personality alongside Cordell, father of three Snoop's second child with wife Shante Taylor, with the accompanying word 'Bae.'

Montana later shared a snap of the threesome as the posed outside the Los Angeles venue.

Side by side: An Instagram selfie featured the TV personality alongside Cordell and the accompanying word 'Bae'

Dancing feet: Updating her Instagram Stories, Montana - who is fulfilling her first US promotional commitment for PrettyLittleThing after recently being named brand ambassador - shared a brief video of herself dancing with the elderly Vernell

Stripped back: The reality star, 21, was in attendance as Rita Ora performed an intimate set

Captioning the image, she wrote: 'Pops and Cordz... what a pleasure.'

Montana looked sensational on the night, opting for a cropped green floral top and flared white trousers.

The TV personality completed her look with a pair of strappy heels, while smoky make-up served to accentuate her darker skin-tone.

Popular: The TV personality also shared a short video of Rita performing onstage

Famous father: Cordell is dad of three Snoop Dogg's second child with wife Shante Taylor

Montana recently confirmed she'd split from hunky Alex Beattie, 22, just two weeks after exiting the Love Island villa.

Taking to Twitter, she wrote: 'Alex and I have decided to split. Making our relationship work on the outside has been hard. He hasn't been the same since coming out of the villa.

'Despite this we are still close and I will always support him.'
He was evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother house earlier this week.

And Jordan Davies hasn't wasted any time getting back on the social scene, with the Ibiza Weekender reality star spotted leaving a London hotel with none other than 'Peru two' drug mule Michaella McCollum.

The unlikely new friends appeared to be heading out on a date, greeting each other with a peck on the cheek before heading off into the night.

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New friends? Jordan Davies hasn't wasted any time getting back on the social scene, with the Ibiza Weekender reality star spotted leaving a London hotel with none other than 'Peru two' drug mule Michaella McCollum

The 25-year-old Ex On The Beach star was first to emerge, looking dapper in a bright blue suit as he waited for Michaella to arrive.

The blonde bombshell didn't disappoint, sashaying out of the hotel in a glamorous black dress with a low cut neckline.

Michaella was dressed to the nines in the slinky silk number, which she set off with a red clutch bag.

Date night? The 25-year-old Ex On The Beach star was first to emerge, looking dapper in a bright blue suit as he waited for Michaella to arrive

Glamorous: The blonde bombshell didn't disappoint, sashaying out of the hotel in a glamorous black dress with a low cut neckline

She pulled her look together with a pair of nude heels dazzling drop earrings.

MailOnline has contacted both Jordan and Michaella's representatives for comment.

The 24-year-old ex-convict, from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland is known for showing off her tan in swimwear and skimpy shorts and being one half of the Peru Two.

Newfound freedom: Jordan was evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother house earlier this week

Elegant: Michaella was dressed to the nines in the slinky silk number, which she set off with a red clutch bag

Warm welcome: The unlikely new friends appeared to be heading out on a date, greeting each other with a peck on the cheek before heading off into the night

The jet-setter, who was jailed in Peru alongside Melissa Reid in 2013 for trying to smuggle 1.5million's worth of cocaine into Europe, has enjoyed a string of beach holidays in the months since her release from prison.

In spring, McCollum was spotted living it up in the party centres of Ibiza and Marbella enjoying sun, sea and cocktails.

She was most recently seen taking in the sights of Brighton Pride with a male companion over the weekend, partying alongside some 30,000 other revellers on the streets of the seaside city.

Socialite: The jet-setter, who was jailed in Peru alongside Melissa Reid in 2013 for trying to smuggle 1.5million's worth of cocaine into Europe, has enjoyed a string of beach holidays in the months since her release from prison

Taking a break: In spring, McCollum was spotted living it up in the party centres of Ibiza and Marbella enjoying sun, sea and cocktails

Arm-in-arm: The pair seemed to be getting along well, chatting as they left the hotel

How the former drugs smuggler has funded her holidays is unclear. Earlier this year she was seen signing on at her local Jobcentre, however she has also been linked to a number of potentially lucrative opportunities.

It has been reported that she has been offered a 250,000 tell all book deal detailing her criminal exploits and time behind bars in Lima.

She and Reid - dubbed the 'Peru Two'  had each been sentenced to six years and eight months in jail after admitting to trying to smuggle cocaine out of the country.

Book deal? It has been reported that she has been offered a 250,000 tell all book deal detailing her criminal exploits and time behind bars in Lima

CBB boot: Jordan was booted out on Tuesday evening's eviction show, following a head-to-head with his best pal in the house Sam Thompson

Meanwhile, Jordan was booted out on Tuesday evening's eviction show, following a head-to-head with his best pal in the house Sam Thompson.

He wasn't backwards in coming forwards when it came to dishing his thoughts on his fellow housemates.

Speaking to Emma Willis after he left the house, he said of Sarah Harding: 'She is literally a nightmare. I used to love Girls Aloud but I actually hate her. She is meant to be a role model and she's smoking fags, kicking off. She's 35, she should act her age, I felt older than her.'

Speaking his mind: He wasn't backwards in coming forwards when it came to dishing his thoughts on his fellow housemates

Harsh: Speaking to Emma Willis after he left the house, he said of Sarah Harding: 'She is literally a nightmare. I used to love Girls Aloud but I actually hate her

He added: 'And the whole Chad [Johnson] thing is bulls**t!'

Of his eviction, he said: 'I thought I'd be gutted, but it's nice to see people again. But I am devastated and gutted. It feels weird.'

'Jemma's always kicking off, Sam has the Amelia [Lily] thing going on and Helen is a legend,' he said of his fellow nominees, which also included Jemma Lucy and Helen Lederer.

He blamed his lack of 'romantic connection' with anyone in the house for one of the reasons he was voted out.

Of his eviction, he said: 'I thought I'd be gutted, but it's nice to see people again. But I am devastated and gutted. It feels weird'
Sofia Richie was seen with Kourtney Kardashian's much younger boyfriend, Younes Bendjima, in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon.

The models seemed to get along very well as they held hands for a moment then gave each a warm hug goodbye.

At 18, Sofia is much closer in age to 23-year-old Younes than mother-of-three Kourtney, 38.

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High five! Sofia Richie was spotted enjoying time with Kourtney Kardashian's boyfriend of nearly a year, boxer Younes Bendjima in LA on Thursday

The blonde model wore an over sized cut-off black shirt for her afternoon rendezvous with the catwalker.

She covered her legs in baggy black Adidas track pants with three forest green stripes down the side of the leg.

Adding more black to the ensemble, Richie sported chunky black combat boots with bright white laces.

Sporty: The 18-year-old model wore an over sized cut-off black shirt for her afternoon rendezvous with the 23-year-old boxer

Her short caramel-colored hair was worn straight with half of her tresses tied back in a ponytail.

Younes looked equally comfortable for the afternoon adventure wearing a pair of distressed blue denim jeans cuffed at the ankles.

He covered his finely-toned physique in a plain white t-shirt and sported white and green Nike Air Force One's on his feet.

Boxer body: Younes covered his finely-toned physique in a plain white t-shirt and sported white and green Nike Air Force One's on his feet

Just friends? Bendjima embraced Richie before speeding off in a Lamborghini

The friendly duo hugged before Sofia drove away in a Ferrari and Younes jumped into a Lamborghini.

Bendjima recently returned from an exotic adventure to Egypt with girlfriend Kourtney.

Kourtney has been dating the model for several months. In 2015 she split from Scott Disick.

According to Us Weekly, Kourtney and Younes are getting very serious and hope to have a solid future together.

His lady: Bendjima recently returned from an exotic adventure to Egypt with girlfriend Kourtney
Gal Gadot suffered a wardrobe malfunction on Thursday night when she arrived for dinner with a price tag still on her sweater.

The 32-year-old beauty was heading into Mr Chow in Beverly Hills when she discovered the blunder.

Also with her was Wonder Woman co-star Robin Wright as well as their director Patty Jenkins, making it quite the reunion.

Bought it on Amazon? Gal Gadot suffered a wardrobe malfunction on Thursday night when she arrived for dinner with a price tag still on her sweater

It was the heroic doorman who came to her rescue, letting her know that her costume had a flaw.

The actress was in good spirits, laughing of the gaffe he helped her defeat the offending blight.

Tag or no, the Israeli goddess still looked gorgeous on a black and white plaid mini dress.

She paired it with very Amazonian strappy flats and a cute red purse, as well as her newly-bought slim black cardigan.

Whoops! The 32-year-old beauty was heading into Mr Chow in Beverly Hills when she discovered the blunder

Make-up was neither present nor required, while the raven tresses that might have hid the tag were untimely tied back in a pony.

That same day it was reported that her Wonder Woman director Jenkins is in final negotiations to not only direct the second installment of the historic franchise, but to also become the highest paid female director in Hollywood.

The female-centric Warner Bros Pictures film opened to $103.2 million earlier this year and went on to gross more than $800 million worldwide, according to Deadline.

Priceless: Tag or no, the Israeli goddess still looked gorgeous on a black and white plaid mini dress

A studio source said they were 'confident the deal will be reached soon' to bring Patty back to the franchise.

Released in May, Wonder Woman gave Jenkins the biggest domestic opening of all-time for a female director.

She also became the first female director of an American studio superhero movie.
Miranda Kerr was the picture of summer chic on Thursday as she stepped out in New York.

The Australian-born beauty was a vision in a red floral dress with gold heels as she strolled in the sun.

The 30-year-old mother-of one teamed it with a casual denim jacket and black shoulder bag.

Summer vibes: Miranda Kerr looked flawless as she stepped out in New York on Thursday

Circular Sunday Somewhere sunglasses completed her look and she rocked beachy waves in her shoulder length brunette locks.

Miranda raises son Flynn, six, with actor ex-husband Orlando Bloom, 40, who she was married to from 2010 to 2013.

Miranda is now married to Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel, 27.

Winning look: The 34-year-old model wore a red floral dress with a denim jacket, gold heels and Sunday Somewhere sunglasses

Newlywed: Miranda married Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel on 27 May

The couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Brentwood in May 2017 after nearly a year-long engagement.

In July Miranda shared a photo of her stunning long-sleeved wedding gown.

She wrote 'Thank you Maria Grazia Chiuri and @dior for creating my dream wedding dress'

Speaking to Vogue about her dress, Miranda explained: 'Honestly, I couldnt have imagined a more beautiful wedding dress.'

The gown was inspired by the iconic Grace Kelly, and the gown she wore back in 1956 for her wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco.
They're the faces (and bodies) for one of the sexiest lingerie brands on the planet.

And trio of Victoria's Secret models Josephine Skriver, Lily Aldridge and Jasmine Tookes demonstrated precisely why they're at the top of their game on a location photo shoot in Aspen.

Posing on the banks of a stunning lake, in the middle of a grassy meadow and against a quaint wood cabin, the three stunners worked it for the camera in barely-there two-pieces in the Colorado afternoon sun.

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Three is the magic number: Victoria's Secret stunners Josephine Skriver, Lily Aldridge and Jasmine Tookes flaunt their sizzling figures in very revealing lingerie as they shoot in Aspen

The campaign is for Victoria's Secret's upcoming holiday catalogue and featured a scantily-clad Josephine Skriver in a skimpy silvery bra and knicker set.

She wore her chestnut tresses loosely around her shoulders as she shot a sultry stare down the lens against the backdrop of a serene lake, waterfalls and bull-rushes.

She added an extra zap of sass to the outfit by completing the look with some sexy white cowgirl boots as she balanced on the edge of the rocky banks.

The model flaunted her pert behind in the French kickers she modelled, teasing the camera as she turned around and glanced coyly over her shoulder.

Cowgirl chic: The campaign is for Victoria's Secret's upcoming holiday catalogue and featured a scantily-clad Josephine Skriver in a skimpy silvery bra and knicker set

Sensational: Elsewhere, Jasmine Tookes stripped down to some semi-sheer lingerie of her own

Puppy love: The beauty also posed with an adorable canine companion

Elsewhere, Jasmine stripped down to some semi-sheer lingerie of her own in a metallic blue tone.

She took kept her long dark mane full and loose around her shoulders and wore a lick of natural make-up on her complexion - her flawless beauty not requiring much amendment.

She posed moodily against a log cabin before donning a denim jacket and kneeling in the glass with an adorable canine companion, whom she looked besotted with.

Up next for the cabin setting was Lily, who was a little more covered up.

She sported a black bra and white bottoms but covered them with a sheer white camisole which plunged into a frilly V at the front and showcased her creamy complexion.

Pensive: Lily sported a black bra and white bottoms but covered them with a sheer white camisole which plunged into a frilly V at the front and showcased her creamy complexion.

Sultry: The porcelain skinned model's Snow White-esque features were adorned with light touches of light pink on her lips and eyes, and a lick of mascara to add to the dramatic look

She too sported sexy tan boots and sat pensively on the logs for her shoot.

The porcelain skinned model's Snow White-esque features were adorned with light touches of light pink on her lips and eyes, and a lick of mascara to add to the dramatic look.

Fellow Angels Stella Maxwell, Candice Swanepoel and Martha Hunt flaunted their flawless physiques in all of their glory as they stripped off during the outdoor shoot.

Stella showcased her seriously toned posterior in a sexy black thong and embellished bra.

The model - who is currently in a relationship with Twilight star Kristen Stewart - wowed in matching black underwear, which was emblazoned with an ethereal star print.

Peachy: Stella Maxwell lead the Victoria's Secret pack on Thursday as she sizzled in a racy thong while posing for the brand's upcoming holiday calendar in Aspen, Colorado

Angels on earth: The gorgeous blonde was later pictured posing up a storm in a daisy field alongside Victoria's Secret veteran Candice Swanepoel and Martha Hunt

Country girl: Candice later posed in a grey bra and ripped jeans combination

Gazing pensively into the distance, the catwalk favourite looked beyond stunning as her trademark blonde tresses cascaded down her back in voluminous, loose waves.

She was stood alongside fellow Angel Martha, who put a more demure spin on her lingerie look with a chic, mesh cover-up, adorned with the same enchanting motif.

The gorgeous duo were later pictured posing up a storm in a daisy field alongside Victoria's Secret veteran Candice, who teased her cleavage in a plunging, balcony bra and high-waisted briefs.

Demonstrating her modelling prowess, the mother-of-one pulled a series of flirty poses as she paraded in the stunning location alongside her supermodel pals.
These days he's a keen fitness fanatic with the rippling muscles to prove it.

Yet this wasn't always the case for Chris Clark who shared a throwback snap from 2014 looking a world away from his present day buff-body look.

The TOWIE star, 23 showcased his dramatic transformation with a photo of him partying with pals at Hideout Festival in Croatia three years ago sporting a fuller figure.

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Transformed: TOWIE's Chris Clark, 23, shared a pre-weight loss throwback snap of his 2014 Croatian holiday looking a world away from his present day buff-body look

Wearing a pair of red checked swimming trunks, the reality TV star didn't boast the impeccably toned abs he boasts now.

Holding a cigarette loosely between his lips, the star sported a tousled hair do which highlighted his younger face and boyish looks.

Fast-forward three years and the star has added some solid muscle to his now impressive frame, sporting impossibly chiseled features and bulging biceps.

Fun in the sun: Chris looks drastically different in the throwback snap which sees him surrounded by friends including co-star Myles Barnett (L)

Banter: Chris' co-stars were shocked by the snap and flooded his page with comments

Captioning his picture, the personal trainer turned reality TV star said: 'Throwback / Transformation Thursday for ya! Hideout festival 2014 guess who!'

The picture quickly caught fire with fans complimenting Chris on his weight loss, as well as dropping in a bit of cheeky banter at the Essex boy.

Co-star Myles Barnett who was also in the snap, wrote: 'You've got in better shape and I've got into worse'

Myles' girlfriend Courtney Green also commented on the post, writing: 'Ommmmmmmgggg' whilst her best friend Chloe Meadows added: 'Oh boys'.

Transformation: The star's shock throwback snap prompted a stream of comments from his fans and fellow TOWIE co-stars who were amazed by the transformation

The snap didn't provoke any comments, however, from his stunning new girlfriend Amber Dowding.

Chris also had a fleeting romance with Little Mix's Jesy Nelson but things were not to be.

He explained of their brief time together to OK! Magazine: 'Our relationship came at a difficult time, because the band were touring America, so we mostly spoke on the phone. She was only in my life for about three months.

Cute couple: The snap didn't provoke any comments, however, from his stunning new girlfriend Amber Dowding

Yet, he went on to explain that his own insecurities had also caused him to break things off with Jesy, and make him realise that ex Amber was actually the one for him.

I didnt understand why she was interested in me  Im just someone from TOWIE,' he continued. 'I always felt like second best to Jesy. But that was my issue, not hers.

Reflecting on the backlash he received following the sudden break-up, he added that he had not been the bad guy in the situation - as the pair had ended amicably.
Exes Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver were together for 25 years before ending their marriage in 2011.

It appears that the former spouses are on good terms, though, as they met up to enjoy a family dinner with their four adult children on Thursday in LA.

Retired news anchor Maria, 61, wore an a breezy blue maxi dress and Arnie, 70, did a little self-promotion clad in a Terminator T-shirt while the pair were see leaving the restaurant in the same car.

Family affair! Amicable exes Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver looked cheery after enjoying family dinner with their four adult children Thursday in LA

Arnie and Maria walked close to each other while leaving the restaurant.

The Austrian bodybuilder made a statement in his tee which appeared to read 'Terminate Hate' with a photo of his iconic time-traveling cyborg assassin on front.

The former governor of California and Shriver were joined by all four of their offspring: Patrick, Christopher, Katherine and Christina.

Sending a message: The Austrian bodybuilder made a statement in his tee which appeared to read 'Terminate Hate' with a photo of his iconic time-traveling cyborg assassin on front

Still a team! The retired news anchor wore an a breezy blue maxi dress while she and the former governor of California left the restaurant in the same car

Maria and Arnold split in 2011 and shortly after it emerged that the actor had a son with one of his employees Mildred Patricia 'Patty' Baena.

Baena gave birth to son Joseph October 2, 1997 while Shriver welcomed son Christopher just five days prior on September 27, 1997.

Since then, the Kindergarten Cop has called cheating on his wife was one of his 'least proud' moments.

During a 2014 Reddit AMA, he told commentators, 'I'm least proud of the mistakes I made that caused my family pain and split us up.'

Close: Son Joseph (above with his famous dad) was born October 2, 1997 and Maria welcomed she and Arnie's son Christopher just five days prior on September 27, 1997

Though Maria and Arnold didn't mind each other's company, the journalist did say that she was 'single' and 'looking' during a visit to The Today Show in May.

Referring to a lunch she had with pal and CBS This Morning host Gayle King, Shriver said the duo talked about 'how great we are, how were both single, how were both looking.'

Though the TV anchor is technically retired, she's never been one to stay idle. Now she currently shares blogs, video and inspiring interviews on MariaShriver.com.
TOWN OF ANSON  Republican healthcare reform, President Donald J. Trumps trade stance and immigration reform: all three hot-button topics are affecting Wisconsin farmers.

A group of Chippewa Valley farmers discussed those sticky issues yesterday at a Wisonsin Farmers Union gathering at Kamp Kenwood, led by a well-known agriculture figure: Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union.

Johnson briefed Chippewa Valley farmers about the status of the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill, and analyzed several possible Trump policies. The current Farm Act is set to expire on September 30, 2018.

After the contentious 2014 Farm Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama, Johnson said he believes the Trump administrations 2018 Farm Bill will focus on two products: cotton and dairy.

The 2014 Farm Act introduced controversial cotton and dairy legislation. The Margin Protection Program, or MPP, introduced an insurance-like coverage program to protect dairy farmers wallets when milk prices and cow feed prices became too close.

58 percent of Wisconsin dairy farms signed up for MPP as of May 2017, according to a 2017 Department of Agriculture report.

However, MPP did not offer the insurance many dairy farmers needed. Milk prices have sunk 33 percent since MPP was first installed in 2014; most farms bought lower levels of coverageand didnt receive the payouts they expected, according to a 2017 Farm Bureau report.

That report estimates farmers paid $100 million for premiums, and ended up with only $12 million in payouts.

One Chippewa Valley farmer offered insight on regretting enrolling in MPP. George Polzin owns a fourth-generation dairy farm in the Town of Anson area.

It was the poorest farm program Ive ever signed up for, Polzin said Thursday. Ive been a part of (MPP) since the beginning. It has never benefitted me whatsoeverI would guess almost zero benefit for any dairy producer in Wisconsin.

Johnson said Thursday he is cautiously optimistic for farmers affected by the MPP program, in the form of the 2018 Farm Bill.

Everyone recognizes the dairy and cotton programs arent working. Those two are going to get some significant new money put into them, in my opinion, he said.

He also expects the bill to be passed on time; the 2014 Farm Act will expire on Saturday, September 30 of next year.

Johnson reasoned that since Trumps administration has failed to pass any major legislation yet, most notably a healthcare reform bill, the current sluggish agriculture economy will motivate the administration to pass a 2018 farm bill quickly.

Im not here to say nothings going to happen for (Trumps) whole term. But Im suggestingthis is probably the easiest thing for them to pass, Johnson said. Theres a lot of trouble in farm country right now.

Johnson said he cant predict specifically what the upcoming farm bill will change, but that he expects a modified version of MPP  hopefully one that will re-energize the dairy industry.

Polzin is more cautious about the 2018 bill. There would have to be a tremendous improvement in the (MPP) program for it to have any benefit for me, he said.

In Saturdays Herald and on Chippewa.com, read about Johnsons analysis of President Trumps stances on trade and immigration, and what they mean for Chippewa Valley farms.
Michael Douglas son Cameron has a little one on the way.

The 38-year-old Hollywood native is expecting a child with his Brazilian yoga-instructor girlfriend Viviane Thibes, 39, according to People.

'Everyone is thrilled for him. Michael is looking forward to being a grandfather,' said a source.

Call be grandpa: Michael Douglas son Cameron has a little one on the way. Seen in 2009

Close: The 38-year-old Hollywood native is expecting a child with his yoga-instructor girlfriend Viviane Thibes, 39, according to People

Cameron's baby will be Michael's first grandchild.

Catherine and Michael in February

The Wall Street actor, 72, also has son Dylan, 17, and daughter Carys, 14, with Oscar-winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, 47, his wife of 17 years.

This comes one year after Cameron was released from prison after serving seven years for drug possession.

He received a five-year sentence for possession of heroin and selling methamphetamine.

His sentence was extended when he admitted to smuggling drugs into prison.

The star - who appeared in 2003's It Runs In The Family with his dad Michael as well as grandfather Kirk Douglas, 100 - has been sober ever since.

Thibes was first seen with Cameron just after he was released from prison in August 2016.

They were spotted holding hands in New York City.

A kiss on the lips: Thibes was first seen with Cameron just after he was released from prison in August 2016

His lady love: She hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil and has a bachelor's degree in film at Hunter College in NYC. She has also acted in films like 2008's La rina

She hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil and has a bachelor's degree in film at Hunter College in NYC.

She has also acted in films like 2008's La rina.

After getting out of prison Cameron told The Huffington Post: 'I feel thoroughly blessed. I have a beautiful and loving family who has faithfully supported me every step of the way, believing in me and refusing to give up in the face of one bleak adversity after the next.'

He added: 'I feel in the deepest recesses of my heart that there is a beautiful purpose hidden along this painful journey.'

On the mend: Cameron, seen in June in NYC, has stayed sober

His kids: The Black Rain star with Dylan and Carys in 2016

In 2013 Michael - who is best known for TV's The Streets Of San Francisco and the movie Basic Instinct - told Vanity Fair he was 'very disappointed in the system' when his son was not released from prison.

'My son is in federal prison,' he told reporters. 'Hes been a drug addict for a large part of his life. Part of the punishmentsif you happen to have a slip, and this is for a prisoner who is non-violent, as about a half-million of our drug-addicted prisoners arehes spent almost two years in solitary confinement. Right now Ive been told that I cant see him for two years. Its been over a year now. And Im questioning the system.'

He went on: 'Obviously at first, I was certainly disappointed in my son. But Ive reached a point now where Im very disappointed with the system. And as you can see from what Attorney General Eric Holder has been doing regarding our prison system, I think things are going to be revived, regarding nonviolent drug addicts. My last comment on that is the United States represents 5 percent of the worlds population and we have 25 percent of the worlds prisoners.'
They've both had their fair share of ups and downs when it comes to romance on reality TV.

But it seems Jonny Mitchell of Love Island and Made In Chelsea's Stephanie Pratt have found solace in each other's arms going by their recent night out together in London.

The pair were seen arm-in-arm as they exited a bar together, dolled up for their date and looking very cozy.

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That didn't take long! Love Island's Jonny Mitchell enjoys a romantic date with MIC's Stephanie Pratt in London... days after being swarmed by women on a night out

Steph, 31, looked relaxed and cheerful in a summery mini-dress, in red, with white floral detailing.

She slung a cream jacket over her shoulders and carried a matching leather purse over her shoulder.

The former star of The Hills wore killer black stilettos and wore her blonde locks loosely around her shoulders.

She showed off her toned bronzed pins, looking carefree as she shared a joke with the Love Island hunk.

Unlucky in love? It seems Jonny Mitchell of Love Island and Made In Chelsea's Stephanie Pratt have found solace in each other's arms going by their recent night out together in London

Better luck this time? They've both had their fair share of ups and downs when it comes to romance on reality TV

Love is in the air? The pair were seen arm-in-arm as they exited a bar together, dolled up for their date and looking very cozy

Jonny wore skinny black jeans and dark boots, a casual top with a denim jacket over it, for the night out.

The pair started off their night at Japanese restaurant Roka before hitting the charming bar together.

Each of the reality stars have become somewhat known for their turbulent love lives - with Steph known for dating Made In Chelsea bad boy Spencer Matthews, before going through a disastrous break-up with Josh Shepherd on the same show.

Date night: Steph, 31, looked relaxed and cheerful in a summery mini-dress, in red, with white floral detailing

What a gent: The former star of The Hills wore killer black stilettos and wore her blonde locks loosely around her shoulders

First dates: She slung a cream jacket over her shoulders and carried a matching leather purse over her shoulder

Besotted: She showed off her toned bronzed pins, looking carefree as she shared a joke with the Love Island hunk

Dolled up: Jonny wore skinny black jeans and dark boots, a casual top with a denim jacket over it, for the night out

She recently tried her luck on Celebs Go Dating, which saw her strike up a relationship with Joey Essex; but this seemed to be over before it had begun.

Steph said recently, of her type of man: 'I like someone who's funny and intelligent, and good at what they do. I find that really attractive. Growing up I always dated hockey players and I still love athletes.

'I don't like models or unemployed people. I'd rather date someone who just has a normal, manly job.'

Jonny failed to find romance on Love Island after a will they/won't they scenario with Camilla Thurlow.

Ultimately, it was a case of 'they won't'.

Al fresco: The pair started off their night at Japanese restaurant Roka before hitting the charming bar together

Reality romance: Each of the reality stars have become somewhat known for their turbulent love lives - with Steph known for dating Made In Chelsea bad boy Spencer Matthews, before going through a disastrous break-up with Josh Shepherd on the same show

New love? She recently tried her luck on Celebs Go Dating, which saw her strike up a relationship with Joey Essex; but this seemed to be over before it had begun

On to the next: Jonny failed to find romance on Love Island after a will they/won't they scenario with Camilla Thurlow and Tyla Carr. Ultimately, it was a case of 'they won't'

Jonny has been heavily linked to the new series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! too.

And he appeared to be preparing himself for the grizzly encounters to come as he sported a head wound after being bitten by a spider during a night out at London's Dstrkt nightclub on Tuesday.

Despite his large sore, the Love Island star still exuded confidence as he and Mike Thalassitis [also of Love Island fame] were surrounded by hordes of gorgeous women as they helped Usain Bolt celebrate his retirement with yet another night on the tiles.

When asked about his painful-looking injury, a spokesperson for the star confirmed to MailOnline: 'He got bitten by a spider in Greece!'
Gigi Hadid and boyfriend Zayn Malik dazzled on the cover of Vogue's US Edition in August.

It looked like younger sister Bella Hadid borrowed some inspiration from her sibling's shoot, as the 20-year-old beauty and rumored beau Jordan Barrett appear on the front of this month's issue of Vogue Australia.

The 20-year-old beauty and the Aussie hunk couldn't hide their chemistry in the cover shoot, where Bella wrapped the male model with her long legs while she embraced his well-built torso.

Covering their bases! Bella Hadid and rumored beau Jordan Barrett are on September's cover of Vogue Australia just one month after sister Gigi and her beau Zayn Malik were on Vogue US

The 5ft9in beauty didn't hide her affection for the IMG repped star as she placed a slender stem over the blonde gentleman while he unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his tan, smooth chest.

Bella's flapper-inspired frock offered plenty of drama, showing her bare back and curvy bust with slinky beads and wild feathers on bottom.

Both of the models lined their eyes in kohl while serving model-perfect pouts at the camera.

Copycat? Middle Hadid sister Bella might be copying her older sister's career moves. Last month Gigi and her former boy band boyfriend Zayn covered Vogue's flagship US publication

There's a spark! The 20-year-old beauty and the Aussie hunk couldn't hide their chemistry in the shoot, where Bella wrapped him with her long legs and embraced his well-built torso

Though neither Bella or Jordan have confirmed they're dating, the photogenic pair have been getting very, very close since back in April.

The duo were seen lounging on a luxury yacht in Cannes back in May where the ex of rapper The Weeknd dressed to impress in a lacy thong swimsuit as the Byron Bay native sipped on a Bloody Mary.

And In June the duo were seen getting intimate at the brunette Hadid sister's NYC apartment where they romped around in their underwear and took selfies together on her balcony.

It's possible that the runway pros are just friends though.

Cannes you dig it? The duo were seen lounging on a luxury yacht in Cannes back in May where the ex of rapper The Weeknd dressed to impress in a lacy thong swimsuit

No June gloom here! At the start of summer the duo were seen getting intimate at the brunette Hadid sister's NYC apartment

Selfie centered! During their hang in the Big Apple the models romped around in their underwear and took selfies together on her balcony

Last week relationship rumors began to swirl around Jordan and fellow Aussie model Montana Cox after both walked in David Jones fashion show in Sydney.

But on Wednesday, the Australia's Next Top Model winner stepped in to 'categorically' deny any such pairing.

Talking to The Daily Telegraph, she said: 'I can categorically say I am not dating Jordan, we are just friends.'

'It is so funny you can have a photo standing next to somebody and they say you're dating.'
She was said to have split with new beau Mechie earlier this week.

But Blac Chyna proved on Thursday she was still talking to the rapper as she was seen FaceTiming him as she headed to a salon.

The 29-year-old former stripper held her phone for all to see, which made it clear she was back on speaking terms with her latest squeeze.

Back on: Blac Chyna was keen to show that her love-life is as turbulent as ever, as she Facetimed with Mechie on Thursday

The mother-of-two stepped out to a salon in Beverly Hills, California, wearing her omnipresent uniform of a tracksuit.

Her hair was wound into braided dual buns.

She emerged having channeled 1990s Michael Jackson, with a long straight blow-out.

The ex-girlfriend of Rob Kardashian - with whom she shares eight-month old daughter Dream - embarked on a romance with Mechie two months ago.

Here he is! The 29-year-old former stripper held her phone for all to see, which made it clear she was back on speaking terms with her latest squeeze

Comfy: The mother-of-two stepped out to a salon in Beverly Hills, California, wearing her omnipresent uniform of a tracksuit

Earlier this week they reportedly split after becoming angry with his constant flirting on social media.

The break-up, reported by TMZ, is just a month after the rapper, 24, had Blac's initials tattooed on his neck, in an open display of his affection.

The pair were first linked back in July, when Mechie was revealed to be the man in a steamy video shared by Chyna's ex Rob during his revenge porn tirade.

Woman in the mirror: She emerged having channeled 1990s Michael Jackson, with a long straight blow-out

Turbulent love life: The ex-girlfriend of Rob Kardashian - with whom she shares eight-month old daughter Dream - embarked on a romance with Mechie two months ago

Look where you're going! She could not tear herself away from her Facetime call even after her appointment

Maybe concentrate on driving? The former stripper got into her sportscar whilst still clutching at her phone in front of photographers to make her point

Clearly it has already hit rocky times with the video vixen furiously calling it off and now making it clear it's back on again within the space of a few days.

The site reports Blac - whose real name is Angela White - endured an explosive row with the rapper on Monday, after erupting into rage over his flirting with other women on social media.

On-off: Blac Chyna reportedly split from her new beau Mechie, after becoming angry with his constant flirting on social media earlier this week but apparently it's back on again

Tatt's awkward! The rapper apparently had Blac's initials tattooed on his neck last month

She had a notoriously volatile relationship with Rob, which came to a bitter end when Rob posted a video he claimed she had sent her of her kissing Mechie in their bed.

He also Instagrammed a number of explicit images of the former exotic dancer.

Blac is also mother to King Cairo, four, with ex-boyfriend Tyga, who went on to have his own on-off relationship with Kylie Jenner - Rob's half sister.

Shimmering: Later on in the day Chyna plugged her latest lip kit

Sultry: She looked absolutely fantastic in the promo snaps

Blossoming beauty: She also shared this sultry snap from a recent red carpet
Wherever they go, they are flanked with waiting photographers.

And so David and Victoria Beckham were careful to slip out of Giorgio Baldi restaurant in Malibu on Thursday evening, so as not to be snapped.

However, one savvy pap managed to capture the moment they left via the kitchen exit, into the side street, to hop hastily into an awaiting SUV with tinted windows.

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Back Street's Beck! David and Victoria sneak out of a Malibu restaurant via the rear exit and hop into a waiting SUV after enjoying dinner together

The famous couple kept their heads down as they left at around 10PM, having been enjoying a lengthy stay in their second home - LA.

The children were with them, but Harper, six, had already crashed out for the evening, with her parents piling her into the car before boarding it themselves.

Their three boys, Brooklyn, 18, Romeo, 14 and Cruz, 12, had already left the restaurant and hopped into the car.

Their mother, 43, looked to be sporting a dark tan from their trip and wore her brunette locks to the side.

Home time: The famous couple kept their heads down as they left at around 10PM, having been enjoying a lengthy stay in their second home - LA

She kept things casual with a plain black sweater and dark glasses, despite the late hour.

Hubby David, 42, wore a similar charcoal jumper and also looked tanned. He also seemed to be clutching one of his daughter's dolly, which she had clearly discarded thanks to her fatigue.

The chefs of the eatery held back the plastic curtain so that the famous family could escape unnoticed.

Sly getaway: Hubby David, 42, wore a similar charcoal jumper and also looked tanned

Next to an image of her cuddling up to her son she posted: 'We are all so proud of you Brooklyn. Amazing A level results and off to college. We love you so much and will miss you. #yesiamcrying #emotional'

The family were potentially out celebrating eldest son Brooklyn's A-Level results - which Victoria took to Instagram to applaud him for.

Next to an image of her cuddling up to her son she posted: 'We are all so proud of you Brooklyn. Amazing A level results and off to college. We love you so much and will miss you. #yesiamcrying #emotional.'

Brooklyn is flying the nest from their home in London to New York, where he'll be studying photography at Parsons.

The appearance comes after the A-list fashion designer Victoria, who has amassed an estimated 240m fortune in her own right, was seen displaying her thriftier side as she left another Malibu restaurant Nobu on Wednesday.

Getting her money's worth after her Japanese-Peruvian feast, the Spice Girl was seen carrying a bottle of red wine out of the restaurant as she prepared to make her way home with the kids and David.

The clan seemed in great spirits as they called time on their long day out, which began as they treated their kids to a trip to the Museum of Ice Cream.
It's not long before she will be welcoming a second child to her growing family.

And former TOWIE star Cara Kilbey, 29, looked happy and relaxed sharing a pregnancy selfie at 22 weeks gone on Friday.

The fashionista gently cradled her baby bump as she sunned herself on the Algarve in Portugal where she's visiting for her best friend's wedding.

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22 weeks gone: Former TOWIE star Cara Kilbey, 29, looked happy and relaxed sharing a pregnancy selfie 22 weeks gone in Portugal on Friday

Sporting a skimpy black two piece bikini, the star let her hair down as she soaked up the gorgeous Portuguese sun.

Showcasing her growing baby bump, Cara added a pair of oversized Aviators and a cream coloured Panama hat to complete her look.

Standing in front of the lush green shrubbery, the reality TV star was all smiles as she topped up tan.

Happy families: Cara is already a proud mother to 18-month-old daughter Penelope with jailbird beau Daniel Harris

Cara is already a proud mother to 18-month-old daughter Penelope with jailbird beau Daniel Harris.

The doting couple could hardly contain their delight at the arrival of Penelope Blu in February last year as she announced the news via Twitter, penning: 'Welcome to the World... Penelope Blu Harris 12.02.2016 9lb2oz.'

Her representative told MailOnline: 'Cara and Daniel are thrilled to welcome Penelope Blu Harris to the world, she weighed 9lb 2oz and both mother and baby are doing well.'

Cara revealed her pregnancy with Penelope when she was 22 weeks gone after months of nervousness due to her tragic miscarriage earlier that year.

She told Closer magazine: 'Daniel and I knew we wanted to get pregnant again straight away so I was overjoyed when I found out I was expecting two months later.'

Doting mum: Cara revealed her pregnancy with Penelope when she was 22 weeks gone after months of nervousness due to her tragic miscarriage earlier that year

Cara revealed her pregnancy with Penelope when she was 22 weeks gone after months of nervousness due to her tragic miscarriage earlier that year.

She told Closer magazine: 'Daniel and I knew we wanted to get pregnant again straight away so I was overjoyed when I found out I was expecting two months later.

'We went through an awful time together, and I can see how something that traumatic can break a couple. But we saw a different, more caring side to each other and it brought us so much closer. I'll never forget my first baby, it'll always be part of our family, but now we can't wait to become parents.'

Daniel, who served a year of his spell in Wandsworth prison, was accused of masterminding a drugs empire yet was cleared of drugs charges and found guilty of stashing 116,000 in ill-gotten gains hidden in his daughter's bedroom.

Cara, who starred on TOWIE for four seasons before departing in 2012, was waiting patiently while her partner languished in jail, shortly after the birth of Penelope.
Emily Ratajkowski kicked off the weekend with some quality time with her boyfriend Jeff Magid.

The model-turned-actress and her loyal beau were pictured picking up coffees in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon.

The 26-year-old brunette beauty gave onlookers a glimpse of her trim torso thanks for a cropped gold bandeau blouse.

Out and about: Emily Ratajkowski stepped out to grab coffee with boyfriend Jeff Magid in Los Angeles on Friday

Emily teamed the pretty top with distressed boyfriend jeans and beige espadrille wedges.

Not much is known about Jeff except he's a musician and producer who first stepped out publicly with Emily in December 2014.

Prior to that Emily dated a creative director and menswear buyer named Andrew Dryden.

Effortlessly cool: The model flaunted her figure in a cropped gold blouse and distressed jeans

So chic: Emily accessorized with some beige espadrilles and a Prada bag

On a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel Emily confessed she 'eats a lot', despite looking so thin.

'I'm not someone who cooks. I'm someone who eats...alot,' she began.

'You should see my refrigerator. It's pretty insane. I have a relationship with Postmates. It's basically Indian food, Thai food, and preferably when I'm horizontal in bed.

'I've had people come over and watch me eat and then say, like, "I've lost all respect for you."'

She's got the look: The Gone Girl star wore the same top in red with black trousers on Thursday
She's the original reality TV star and socialite who paved the way for a host of other celebrities to forge their own lucrative careers.

And Paris Hilton, 36, showed she is still enjoying the jet-set lifestyle as she lived it up on a super yacht off the Amalfi Coast on Friday.

The billionaire heiress cut a colourful figure in a floral maxi dress while topping up her tan aboard the luxury vessel just off the rugged shoreline of Salerno, Italy.

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Lap of luxury: Paris Hilton, 36, is still enjoying the jet-set lifestyle after being snapped on a super yacht off the Amalfi Coast on Friday

Flashing her Hollywood smile for a Snapchat selfie, the star appeared relaxed and happy having grown accustomed to living in the lap of luxury.

Sporting an elaborate gold necklace, Paris covered her eyes with a pair of Audrey Hepburn inspired sunglasses that pushed back her famous blonde tresses.

Wearing a smattering of light makeup to highlight her natural good looks, Paris let her hair flow past her shoulders while enjoying the sun.

Giving a glimpse into her glamorous life, Paris shared the snap to her millions of followers online.

Dazzling smile: Flashing her Hollywood smile for a Snapchat selfie, the star appeared relaxed and happy having grown accustomed to living in the lap of luxury

Ready for my close up: The billionaire heiress cut a colour figure in a floral maxi dress while topping up her tan aboard the luxury vessel just off the rugged shoreline of Salerno, Italy

Cruising: Sporting an elaborate gold necklace, Paris covered her eyes with a pair of Audrey Hepburn inspired sunglasses that pushed back her famous blonde tresses

Meanwhile the star hosted a special kids version of her famous Foam & Diamonds party at the legendary Amnesia nightclub in Ibiza.

Around 8,000 children, ranging in age from six months to 18 years - as well as their parents - came to see her DJ.

'They had to open both the main room and the terrace room to accommodate everybody,' a source said.

Paradise: Wearing a smattering of light makeup to highlight her natural good looks, Paris let her hair flow past her shoulders while enjoying the sun

Kicking back: Giving a glimpse into her glamorous life, Paris shared the snap to her millions of followers online

She later admitted that DJing at the children's charity gig made her extremely broody.

'It's such an an amazing feeling to see all of their smiling faces. It made me so happy to have Chris (Chris Zylka, Paris' boyfriend) by my side,' she said.

'He loves kids just like I do, so it was really fun to get to experience that together. Also, it made me think about how I can't wait to have my own child one day and how special that feeling would be.'

Paris and Chris have been virtually inseparable since striking up their whirlwind romance around Valentine's weekend this year.

Music star: Meanwhile the star hosted a special kids version of her famous Foam & Diamonds party at the legendary Amnesia nightclub in Ibiza.

Looking to the future: She later admitted that DJing at the children's charity gig made her extremely broody

Cute couple: Paris has been holidaying with her boyfriend Chris Zylka

He spent this summer living with her in Ibiza where she is resident DJ at Amnesia, her fifth year there.

Paris previously said of her boyfriend in a gushing Instagram post: 'He has the most adorable eyes you could ever fall for & the cutest smile that takes your breath away.

'He has the ability to make you smile every time he speaks & whenever you look into his eyes its so hard to turn away.

'So lucky to be in love with my best friend & always have the most incredible time wherever we go!'

Feeling broody? Ahead of the yacht trip hosted a special kids version of her famous Foam & Diamonds party at the legendary Amnesia nightclub in Ibiza and admitted it made her broody
Workers load statues of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson onto a flatbed truck in Baltimore

Confederate monuments were removed overnight in Baltimore, Maryland, and other US cities as a campaign to erase symbols of the pro-slavery Civil War South gathered momentum across the United States.

The removal of the monuments came four days after clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia that stemmed from a rally called by white supremacists to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a public park.

A memorial service was held in Charlottesville on Wednesday for Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old woman who was killed when a man suspected of being a white nationalist drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters on Saturday.

Speaking at the memorial service, Heather Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, urged forgiveness and said her daughter's death would serve to fight injustice.

"They tried to kill my child to shut her up. Well, guess what? You just magnified her," Bro said.

President Donald Trump, a day after coming under fire from Democrats and Republicans alike for saying the anti-racism protestors were equally to blame for the Charlottesville violence, issued a tweet praising Heyer.

"Memorial service today for beautiful and incredible Heather Heyer, a truly special young woman," Trump said.

Former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush issued a veiled rebuke of the current occupant of the White House.

"America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms," they said in a joint statement.

In Baltimore, workers overnight loaded statues of Lee, the commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, and one of his top generals, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, on a flatbed truck and carted them away.

- 'Get it done and move forward' -

Also removed overnight was a Confederate Women's Monument, the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument and a statue of a former Supreme Court justice, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Justice Robert B. Taney was responsible for the 1857 Dred Scott ruling that African-Americans did not have a right to US citizenship.

"Black Lives Matter" was spray-painted in black on the stone base where the Lee-Jackson statues stood after they were uprooted by a crane.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said the city had not yet decided what to do with the statues now they have been removed.

Speaking on CNN, the mayor said the operation began around 11:30 pm Tuesday night and finished at around 5:00 am on Wednesday.

City workers remove the detail sign at the former Roger B. Taney monument in Mount Vernon Place in Baltimore, Maryland, after it was removed by the city on August 16, 2017

"People are rallying all across this nation wanting Confederate statues to be taken down," Pugh said. "Let's just get it done and move forward."

The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that a monument to Confederate veterans had been removed from the city's Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

According to the newspaper, the monument was erected in 1925 in a section of the cemetery devoted to Confederate veterans of the 1861-1865 Civil War.

In New York, a plaque honoring Lee was removed from St John's Episcopal Church in Brooklyn on Wednesday.

The plaque was erected in 1912 by the United Daughters of Confederacy at the base of a tree planted by Lee.

Debate over removing Confederate icons has been simmering in the United States for years as the country examines its complicated racial past.

- 'How about Thomas Jefferson?' -

The fate of many symbols has been tied up in the courts, but demonstrators in the North Carolina city of Durham took matters into their own hands on Monday and tore down a statue to a Confederate soldier.

In a report published in April 2016, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) -- a civil rights advocacy group -- found that more than 1,500 symbols of the Confederacy are located on US public lands, mostly in the South.

America's Confederate symbols

According to historians and the SPLC report, most Confederate monuments were erected during the Jim Crow era of racial segregation and in response to the civil rights movement.

Defenders of preserving the Confederate symbols argue that they serve as a reminder of a proud Southern heritage, and that removing them is effectively a way of erasing history.

Trump said Tuesday that the fate of Confederate monuments should be left to local authorities.

But he appeared to personally oppose the removal campaign.

"You're changing history. You're changing culture," Trump said.

"George Washington was a slave owner. Are we going to take down statues to George Washington?" Trump asked. "How about Thomas Jefferson?"

During the US Civil War, Maryland remained in the union although pro-slavery sentiment was strong.

Baltimore has a population of around 614,000, 63 percent of whom are African-American, according to the 2016 US census.

The city was rocked by violent protests in April 2015 following the death in police custody of a young black man, Freddie Gray.
US Defense Secretary James Mattis (R) watches as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (C) shows the way to Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono ahead of the start of the US-Japan Security talks centered on North Korea

Senior US officials insisted they are ready to respond to any North Korean attack Thursday, after a White House aide dismissed talk of a "military option."

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are trying to pressure North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons program and come to the table.

While they stress they want to convince Kim Jong-Un's regime through diplomatic means of the need to disarm, they have not dropped the threat of military action.

But their stance was partly undermined on Wednesday when President Donald Trump's strategy chief, Steve Bannon, told a news magazine: "There's no military solution."

A day later, Mattis and Tillerson faced questions about Bannon's remarks as they appeared with their Japanese counterparts at a State Department press conference.

"I don't want to comment on what Mr Bannon's remarks were in that particular interview," Tillerson said.

"I think we have been quite clear as to what the policy and the posture towards North Korea is," he said. "Our approach has been endorsed by the president."

Tillerson warned again that North Korea faced a "bleak future" if it does not agree to negotiate disarmament, and Mattis insisted that US regional allies are ready.

"In close collaboration with our allies, there are strong military consequences if the DPRK initiates hostilities," the Pentagon chief told reporters.
The chants of vocal activists echoed through the hallways of Senate office buildings Wednesday, as hundreds staged sit-ins to protest the Republican health care plan that's already on shaky ground.

Clashing with the shouting was the sound of two-way radios from a larger-than-normal police presence to arrest those refusing to heed warnings to stop.

Such protests have become routine on Capitol Hill this summer, but Wednesday marked one of the busier protest days, with 200 to 300 people attempting to target all 52 offices of Republican senators. US Capitol Hill Police told CNN that 155 demonstrators had been arrested Wednesday.

Using the "mic check" approach, groups that ranged from just a few people to a few dozen would walk into offices until they were kicked out. Those willing to risk arrest would then sit on the floor in the hallway and continue to chant their concerns about the bill.

"Please Sen. Toomey! Please don't kill me!" they yelled outside the office of Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. "Shame! Shame! Shame!"

US Capitol Police, who've grown accustomed to the methods of the health care protesters, warned the groups to stand down. After waiting several minutes, they began peacefully arresting the protesters, as fellow demonstrators in the hallway would cheer and applaud.

Groups moved from one office to another, thinning gradually as more and more were picked off because of arrests.

Several of the demonstrators had taken part in previous protests at the Capitol. One woman, outside Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse's office, said she had a child born prematurely who would not have survived without former President Barack Obama's signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act. She said she's walked 50 miles on Capitol Hill this summer "to beg for my daughter's life."

Not all demonstrators were willing to risk arrest and protested quietly instead. The groups represented included the Center for Popular Democracy, Housing Works, National Nurses United, Rise and Resist, Positive Women's Network - USA, ACT UP, and Health Care for America.

CNN's MJ Lee contributed to this report.
The US Navy guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine-flagged container ship on June 17 in the Sea of Japan, resulting in the death of seven American sailors

The commander of a US Navy ship that collided with a Philippine-flagged cargo ship off Japan, killing seven American seamen, will be relieved of duty and several other sailors face punishment, a senior admiral said Thursday.

Among those being disciplined from the crew of the USS Fitzgerald are its commanding officer, executive officer and senior enlisted sailor, who will all be relieved of their duties aboard the ship, said Admiral Bill Moran, the vice chief of naval operations.

"They will be detached from the ship for cause, which (means) we've lost trust and confidence for their ability to lead in those positions and they will not return to the ship," Moran told reporters.

Seven sailors drowned in their sleeping berth when the USS Fitzgerald collided with the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal in a busy shipping channel off Japan's coast early on June 17.

Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, who heads the Navy's 7th Fleet, based in Yokosuka, Japan has notified one sailor of his or her punishment and the rest would likely be informed by the end of Friday.

About a dozen sailors are expected to be disciplined in total.

"If it's clear to (Aucoin) that some members of that crew should no longer be doing this line of work, it's time to move them on, it's time to take accountability actions," Moran said.

Moran said the sailors could face further punishments later one, depending on the outcome of various ongoing probes.

"I'm not telling they will or they won't. It's just we are not done with the investigation," Moran said.

- 'Heroic' actions -

US Navy in deadly ship collision

Aged 19 to 37, the drowned seamen were found by divers in flooded sleeping quarters a day after the collision tore a huge gash in the side of the Fitzgerald.

Moran spoke to Pentagon reporters just as the Navy released findings from a preliminary inquiry into what happened in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

The report found that all seven victims died in the line of duty and their deaths were not due to any misconduct on their part.

Investigators praised the quick-thinking and "heroic" actions of sailors who worked to save shipmates, one of whom had to be dragged from his bunk in a flooding sleeping area as waters quickly rose.

One sailor who was rescued moments before he would have drowned reported that "when taking his final breath before being saved, he was already submerged and breathed in water."

Additionally, the report describes how the ship's commanding officer was injured when the merchant ship Crystal struck his cabin, trapping him inside.

Fellow sailors had to smash and pry his door open before retrieving the commander, who was "hanging from the side of the ship. The officer was eventually medically evacuated by helicopter.

Moran praised the actions of the drowned sailors. The last of them to be buried was laid to rest Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.
Traditional coastal salt production was once popular in Lebanon, but the fully artisanal practice now survives in just a single seaside town, Anfeh, around 70 kilometres (45 miles) north of Beirut

At 93, Elias al-Najjar has spent half a century harvesting salt by hand from ponds on Lebanon's Mediterranean shore, but he and his colleagues fear their way of life is dying.

Traditional coastal salt production was once popular in Lebanon, but the fully artisanal practice now survives in just a single seaside town, Anfeh, around 70 kilometres (45 miles) north of Beirut.

Producers like Najjar say the sector has suffered a series of blows, from an exodus of pond owners during Lebanon's civil war, to the lifting of import tariffs.

"I used to produce 300 tonnes myself in the 1950s," the elderly man says.

"Now I make 30 tonnes maximum."

Anfeh's salt producers accuse the government of refusing them permits to repair their equipment in order to turf them off prime coastal real estate and make way for developers.

"If they can't destroy the ponds, they want to make them unworkable so it's easier for fat cats to buy them to build resorts," says Hafez Jreij, 67.

"The land the ponds are on is going to be handed over to developers who want to build beach resorts."

The municipality confirmed to AFP that the central government is not giving any more permits.

But municipal spokeswoman Christiane Nicolas said the local council has no desire to destroy the sector.

"The government stopped collecting taxes on traditional salt production because it considered it an infringement on public property," she told AFP.

But she added: "There's no evidence the authorities want to hand over the coast to developers."

- Seasonal process -

Salt extraction is a time-consuming process subject to the vagaries of weather, meaning it can only be practised around four months a year.

First, sea water is drawn into metre-deep concrete ponds via pumps powered by small windmills.

The water sits in the ponds of up to 20 square metres (more than 200 square feet) for at least 20 days, evaporating to leave a salty liquid residue.

That salty water is then swept into shallower concrete pans, and left to concentrate further for another 10 days.

- Setbacks -

Each day, producers sweep the sea water across the pan to ensure it dries evenly.

As the liquid disappears, blindingly white salt crystals emerge in lines, twinkling in the sunlight.

Jreij says Lebanon's traditional salt industry produced 50,000 tonnes a year during the sector's heyday between 1955 and 1975.

"Lebanon did not need to import salt, and the state imposed a 200-percent tax on salt imports," he says.

But from 1975, when Lebanon's 15-year civil war erupted, the industry began suffering a series of setbacks.

Many pond owners were among the Lebanese who fled in waves over the years of the grinding conflict.

With their departure, production started to fall below demand, prompting the government in the 1990s to lift the import tax on foreign salt.

The decision made it hard for local producers to compete and, with the sector in free-fall, the government announced it considered many of the salt pans to be illegal construction on public coastline.

As a result, it stopped taxing income from salt production in 1994.

And without tax receipts, municipalities started rejecting permit applications from producers to maintain their equipment, producers say.

Those refusals prevent repairs on worn-down infrastructure, thereby killing the industry, they complain.

Jreij estimates half of all the salt pans in Anfeh are now unusable as a result of the 1994 decision.

- Scraping by -

Jreij also said that local authorities tried to shut him down in 2015 and 2016 by claiming the sea water feeding the ponds was contaminated.

"We did laboratory tests on the water at extraction points and they all conformed to safety specifications," Jreij says.

Najjar, who said he had had a similar problem, showed to AFP the analysis results, carried out in Lebanon.

For now, producers in Anfeh are scraping by, selling salt to individual and industrial buyers at a rate of between $2-4 per kilogramme, much less than the price of imported salt.

- Bigger battle -

Fisherman Daniel Fares, 37, says he is a loyal customer of Jreij because the entire production process is transparent.

"The sea is clean, and you know where the salt is coming from," he tells AFP.

"I prefer it over imported salt because it has no additives, which makes it suitable for pickling sardines too," says Fares, who also sells some of Jreij's salt to his own customers for home use.

Jreij sees the fight to preserve the salt ponds as part of a greater battle to protect Lebanon's coastline, much of which has been gobbled up by developers.

"Salt ponds don't produce waste, they don't block the way to the sea, and they don't block the beautiful view of the Mediterranean," he says.

"Resorts do all of that."
From decades-old holes in the wall to multi-million dollar businesses, Hong Kong's noodle scene is a sprawling moneyspinner in a city that runs on quick and affordable comfort food

From decades-old holes in the wall to multi-million dollar businesses, Hong Kong's noodle scene is a moneyspinner in a city that runs on quick and affordable comfort food.

Steaming bowls are served up 24 hours a day, often in clear richly flavoured broths and topped with fishballs, beef tendon or pork knuckle.

Other favourites come with Spam and fried eggs, an echo of the city's British colonial past.

Lau Fat-cheong is one of the last traditional noodle makers in Hong Kong, preparing them fresh each day for customers at his three Lau Sum Kee restaurants in the bustling working class neighbourhoods of Sham Shui Po and Cheung Sha Wan.

In an old method rarely used now, he sits at the end of a five-feet-long (1.5 metre) bamboo pole, nimbly bouncing on it to pound balls of dough on a workbench underneath.

Lau Fat-cheong is one of the last traditional noodle makers in Hong Kong, preparing them fresh each day for customers at his three Lau Sum Kee restaurants in the bustling working class neighbourhoods of Sham Shui Po and Cheung Sha Wan

Lean and wiry, in his mid-40s, Lau started working for the family noodle business at the age of 11.

His grandfather founded it in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in the 1940s before Lau's father took it on, moving to Hong Kong and selling shrimp dumplings and noodles from a street cart.

"We've been doing this for all these years and have developed an emotional connection to it," said Lau, explaining why he adheres to traditional methods.

"There's a satisfaction in the work."

Customers across his restaurants slurp more than 500 bowls of fresh egg noodles at around HK$30 to $40 ($4.5) each day.

The best-selling dishes come with wonton -- shrimp and pork dumplings -- or tossed liberally with dried shrimp roe, harking back to Hong Kong's origins as a fishing village.

"It's fresh, you feel it's much better than anywhere else," said student Gavin Lee, 17, who prefers Lau's creations over food from Hong Kong's noodle mega-chains.

Kan Kee Noodles, perched on a sloping street in the heart of Central district, is a linchpin of the city's noodle scene and has been serving customers for 70 years

But despite the steady stream of loyal visitors, Lau said rising rents and wage levels are a challenge.

He fears the next generation will not take up the mantle, admitting the work can be "hard and tedious".

- Big business -

There is also pressure from Hong Kong's lucrative noodle empires with branches all over the city.

Popular Tam's Yunnan Rice Noodles chain, known for its variety of spicy broth bases and customisable toppings, was recently sold to Japanese restaurant operator Toridoll for HK$1 billion.

A quick, filling bowl also appeals to Hong Kong's fast pace, with office workers often grabbing one on their breaks, a cheap option in a city where the cost of living his sky-high

Tsui Wah, which started as a small cafe in 1967, has also grown into a multi-million-dollar mega chain, serving Hong Kong staples alongside more modern alternatives.

But food writer Janice Leung Hayes said independent businesses like Lau's still survive because of a sense of nostalgia and classic flavours.

"They have never gone out of fashion, so I do feel like even though there are big chains trying to dominate, the small ones still have a chance," said Leung.

Hong Kong's noodle culture reflects its history as a city of migrants from all over China as well as its colonial history which has led to Western-style noodle toppings from cheese to canned tomatoes and luncheon meat, first imported in the 1950s post-war era.

Hong Kong's noodle culture reflects its history as a city of migrants from all over China as well as its colonial history which has led to Western-style noodle toppings from cheese to canned tomatoes and luncheon meat

A quick, filling bowl also appeals to Hong Kong's fast pace, with office workers often grabbing one on their breaks, a cheap option in a city where the cost of living his sky-high.

"Hong Kong people love things that are efficient," says Leung.

- Neighbourhood stalwart -

Ho Shun-kan's shop, Kan Kee Noodles, perched on a sloping street in the heart of Central district, is a linchpin of the city's noodle scene and has been serving customers for 70 years.

Stacked with cabinets of noodles made to Ho's family recipes, the store supplies 200 restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau as well as selling to individual customers

Stacked with cabinets of noodles made to Ho's family recipes, the store supplies 200 restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau as well as selling to individual customers.

Buyers pick from a variety of flavours including spinach and abalone, preferring them to the mass-produced brands ubiquitous in supermarkets.

"You can no longer taste the shrimp roe in the (big brands) -- and you can't get these traditional flavours elsewhere," said customer Ami Wong.

Ho inherited the shop from his father and has worked there since he was 18, when the store supplied neighbours, local eateries and even a church in the community.

"We have preserved all the measurements (for the recipes)," said Ho, as he compressed sheets of dough with a machine at the back of his store, alongside his son who is in his thirties.

The gentrification of Hong Kong's traditional neighbourhoods has raised concerns that small businesses like Ho's will be pushed out.

He has outsourced the production of noodles that require baking to a factory in the city after he was told the oven in his store could be hazardous to a luxury apartment complex to be built nearby.

Ho hopes the next generation, like his son, will keep the old techniques alive.

"If you want to stay in this business, you can't do it without the younger ones taking over," he said.
South Korea's President Moon Jae-In has been given a "fail" grade by North Korea's Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, which said his first 100 days in office were "poor and very disappointing"

North Korea's top state newspaper gave the South's President Moon Jae-In a "fail" grade Friday for his first 100 days in office, dismissing his proffered olive branches as "hypocrisy".

Moon, elected to replace impeached president Park Geun-Hye, came into office in May and has since had to deal with tensions over the North's missile and nuclear programmes.

Pyongyang carried out its first successful tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last month, apparently bringing much of the US mainland within its reach.

At a briefing Thursday to mark his 100th day in office, Moon insisted there will be no second Korean war but urged the North to stop further nuclear and missile tests, warning Pyongyang to end its "dangerous gamble".

The Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party, responded Friday with a withering commentary, saying that the performance sheet for Moon's 100 days was "poor and very disappointing".

It did not name Moon, describing him only as the "current power holder".

Relations between the two were "an absolute fail", it added, saying that while Moon spoke of dialogue and implementing North-South agreements, his actions moved in the opposite direction.

"The south authorities' utterances about improving intra-Korean ties turned out to be nothing but hypocrisy," it said.

"The south's power holder says he is pushing for sanctions and pressure while seeking to open dialogue at the same time. This is an unpardonable plot toeing the US line to suffocate the DPRK," it said, using the abbreviation of the North's official name.

"Dialogue and sanctions simply cannot go together," it asserted.

Moon is enjoying strong ratings in the South, with opinion polls putting his approval figures in the 70s.

North Korea's ICBM tests sparked weeks of sabre-rattling with Washington, with Pyongyang threatening to fire a salvo of rockets towards the US territory of Guam. US President Donald Trump has warned of "fire and fury" and said Washington's weapons were "locked and loaded".

Tensions have since eased with the North's leader Kim Jong-Un saying he would watch the "Yankees" for a time before deciding whether to proceed with the Guam plan.

But the atmosphere is likely to worsen again next week when the United States and South Korea kick off their annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian military drills.

Pyongyang views them as a highly provocative rehearsal for an invasion of its own territory, and regularly carries out counter-actions of its own, such as missile launches.
Migrant from Sudan stand on the deck of the Aquarius rescue ship run by NGO SOS Mediterranee and Medecins Sans Frontieres as they waited to arrive in Sicily.

From the increasingly fraught trek through the Sahara to violence in Libya, asylum seekers rescued this week in the Mediterranean say the obstacles to reaching Europe are getting bigger.

Jouma and Abdulhameed told AFP how they fled civil war and a humanitarian crisis that has ravaged South Sudan.

Their fellow boat companions Saeed and Ghanim recounted a harrowing escape from police violence and poverty in Sudan.

Saeed, a 28-year-old pharmacist, says he decided to leave following his third stint in a violent prison for his trade union activities.

But he told his wife he was going to Egypt: "Libya is a dangerous place, I did not want to worry her," he said.

He and a friend travelled to Libya via Darfur on a route monitored more closely than before due to European pressure on migrant transit countries.

"It's hard to get through. There are the Janjaweed (pro-government militia accused of genocidal killings and atrocities), and the Sudanese government does not let you pass," said 27-year old Abdoulhameed.

He and Ghanim, 20, had to make a several-week detour through Chad, while Jouma, 39, went through Egypt.

At each stage the men were forced to pay off local militia or risk being held captive as slaves in the desert.

"I've seen many people get killed," Jouma said.

- 'Inhuman' -

In Benghazi in Libya, Saeed ran into fundamentalists he was told belonged to the so-called Islamic State (IS).

"They asked us to read a few verses from the Koran and they let us go," he said.

One after another the men contacted a smuggler network to attempt the perilous crossing to Italy, with prices set between 1,200 and 2,000 Libyan dinars to "cross the river".

The fare -- less than $300 on the black market -- is up to four times less than the sums demanded a few years ago thanks to a drop in the value of the dinar and the use of cheap dinghies rather than wooden boats.

The traffickers locked the men up with another 300 to 400 migrants.

"Something like a prison. It was a very hard situation, inhuman," said Saeed, who spent three weeks there.

Abdoulhameed said "sometimes if you don't pay the money they torture you, they beat you.

Ghanim said they had been told they would be set out to sea soon, but there had been a delay because "'nowadays the situation is unstable'.

"'There are warships from Italy, a lot of people on the sea, if you move they are going to send you back'," he was told.

Since early August, Italian navy ships have been active in Libyan waters, helping the local coastguard intercept migrant boats.

- 'The General' -

Migrants waiting to be rescued by the Aquarius in early August.

During the night of Monday-Tuesday, the smugglers came to get the men and drove them to the beach.

To his despair, Saeed's travelling companion was forced to stay behind at the last moment.

The departure was organised by a "general" kitted out in a uniform.

"In that place, (there were) no Libyan coastguards," Ghanim said. "The smuggler said to us 'I'm the boss'".

They were packed onboard and set out to sea, but their overloaded canoe began to sink in the night and the migrants called for help with a satellite phone they had been given by the smugglers.

A privately-funded Maltese rescue boat, the Phoenix, saved the 112 people onboard, including seven young children.

Those rescued hailed from mainly from Sudan and South Sudan, as well Bangladesh, Egypt, Morocco and West Africa.

Transferred to the Aquarius -- another rescue ship chartered by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders -- they arrived in Sicily on Wednesday, without having a clear idea of what comes next.

Would they try to reach England? Would they find work? In the short-term, they intend to regain their strength in Italy and ask for little -- simply better conditions than those found in Libya.

"I hope the (refugee) camp (here) is good," Saeed said.
Pyongyang views the annual US-South Korea 'Ulchi Freedom Guardian' war games as a highly provocative rehearsal for an invasion of its own territory, and threatens strong military counteraction each year

After North Korea and the United States traded bellicose threats of nuclear conflagration, all eyes will be on an annual war game in the South next week that could send tensions spiralling back upwards, analysts say.

Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) last month that appeared to bring much of the US within range, triggering an intense warning by President Donald Trump that Washington could rain "fire and fury" on the North.

Pyongyang then threatened to fire a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam -- a plan that leader Kim Jong-Un this week delayed, but warned could go ahead depending on Washington's next move.

The North's reaction to the "Ulchi Freedom Guardian" (UFG) joint military exercise that starts Monday will be key to determining what happens next.

The annual drills -- described as defensive and named after a general who protected an ancient Korean kingdom from Chinese invaders -- will involve about 50,000 South Korean and 17,500 US troops, Seoul's defence ministry said Friday.

But Pyongyang views them as a highly provocative rehearsal for an invasion of its own territory, and threatens strong military counteraction each year.

The North said the Guam missile strike could be reinstated in the event of "reckless actions" by Washington, and analysts say the exercise could become an alarming flash point.

"I worry it might enact this plan when the joint exercises start," said James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

- 'Drive a wedge' -

North Korea has repeatedly called for an end to large-scale joint military exercises between the allies in exchange for a freeze on its nuclear and missile programmes.

In the early 1990s Seoul and Washington agreed to cancel a drill then known as Team Spirit in return for the North allowing an inspection of its secret nuclear facilities -- only to see Pyongyang later walk away and resume its weapons development.

Vipin Narang, an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology specialising in nuclear strategy, warned against another suspension.

"Cancelling it would cede into the huge North Korean aim to decouple the allies and drive a wedge between South Korea and the United States," Narang told AFP.

Pushing through with the drills is essential for South Korean President Moon Jae-In's promise to "prevent war at all cost", said Choi Kang of the Asan Institute of Policy Studies.

"Seoul will say the current tensions call for an even stronger alliance and closer military cooperation," he said.

Supersonic B-1B bombers from the US Pacific Command's Andersen Air Force Base in Guam are often flown over the peninsula for joint exercises and to demonstrate Washington's 'full range of military capabilities' -- always infuriating Pyongyang

The US State Department said this week the largely computer-simulated UFG exercise, which dates back to 1976, will go ahead as planned.

But it declined to comment on whether the drills would be scaled back in an effort to ease tensions.

The US troop numbers given by Seoul's defence ministry represent a cutback from last year, when 25,000 were involved.

The allies could look to make a conciliatory gesture towards Pyongyang by not involving US strategic assets such as stealth bombers or aircraft carriers, said Koo Kab-Woo, a professor at the Seoul-based University of North Korean Studies.

- B-1B bomber -

Supersonic B-1B bombers from the US Pacific Command's Andersen Air Force Base in Guam are often flown over the peninsula for joint exercises and to demonstrate Washington's "full range of military capabilities" -- always infuriating Pyongyang.

When North Korean leader Kim delayed his Guam missile plan, he warned the US to end its "arrogant provocations" and referred to what he called "huge nuclear strategic equipment" being brought to the region.

In an ideal scenario, Acton said, the two sides would agree that North Korea could not carry out missile tests that overfly South Korea or Japan -- which would preclude them getting anywhere near Guam -- in exchange for the US ending strategic bomber training flights within an agreed distance of the North.

North Korea appears to have left open some room for a quid pro quo, added Narang.

Any negotiation for a quiet agreement to reduce the frequency and range of the B-1B flights "doesn't have to be terribly public and it could be behind the scene", he said. "I think it's reasonable to think that might go somewhere."
South African born actress and Academy Award winner Charlize Theron supports community-based HIV programmes to stop the spread of AIDS in her home country

Oscar-winning Hollywood actress Charlize Theron hopes to create an AIDS-free generation in her home country South Africa which has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world.

The star who is the founder of Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project which supports community-based HIV programmes said the country's "ridiculously large" HIV burden was hard to ignore and that prompted her awareness from an early age.

Her project has partnered with other leading organisations fighting the pandemic in the country of her birth.

"We have to be able to put our foot down and say enough is enough, let's end this," she told AFP during her visit to the country.

"We just need the resources," she added.

Through her support of Choma Dreams Cafe, a place that aims to empower adolescent girls by providing them access to education, life skills and mentorship, Theron believes that HIV infections can be halted.

"My personal opinion is that we're never gonna stop AIDS by just simply treating it...it's never going to happen," she said.

"You cannot wait for people to become infected and think you are going to stop AIDS. You have to invest in young people before they become HIV-positive," she said.

A woman queueing to receive pills that help HIV-positive people from developing AIDS at a clinic north of Johannesburg. South Africa has one of the largest programmes to distribute the life-saving drugs.

Around seven million South Africans, or 19.2 percent of the population, are living with the virus and adolescent girls are at most risk of infection, according to the UN AIDS agency.

According to government, 3.4 million are receiving treatment, in what is said to be the largest roll-out of life-saving drugs.

- Decrease HIV infections -

Theron said she was "incredibly proud" of South Africa's treatment efforts, although many people who should be on treatment are still not getting it.

The 42-year-old movie star who left South Africa as a teenager stressed that gender inequality and poverty played a major role in the spread of HIV, and that the virus must not be seen as a sexual health problem.

Theron stirred controversy during her speech at the 2016 international AIDS conference in Durban, when she said the virus which is ravaging Africa was fuelled by "sexism, poverty and homophobia".

Theron ruffled feathers last year at the 21st International AIDS conference in Durban, South Africa, when she said the spread of the HIV virus which is ravaging Africa was fuelled by "sexism, poverty and homophobia".

"I stand by what I said last year," she said emphatically, stressing the importance of holistic approach in the fight against HIV.

"When you look at HIV and AIDS, you have to looks at the factors that are driving it ... you have to see why are these people getting infected."

The Atomic Blonde star mingled with teenage girls at the Choma Dreams Cafe in Soweto -- an internet-connected resource facility nestled among shacks in the teeming neighbourhood blighted by high unemployment and poverty.

The centre caters to vulnerable girls aged between six and 18 years, providing them with HIV prevention tips in fun girl-friendly ways.

Some of them are AIDS orphans and exposed to crime and sexual violence which heighten their vulnerability to the disease.

"I think if we can grab them before they become HIV positive, you can actually tell them this is just 100 preventable and you don't have to become HIV positive," she said.

"I think we would see a decrease in the number of infections."

The Soweto centre is one of the 40 hubs spread across South Africa's two most populous provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is known for her use of vivid colour in her works that often depict polka dots and spotted pumpkins

World famous Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, known as "the queen of polka dots", will open a museum exhibiting her works in Tokyo in October, an official said.

Kusama, 88, is known for her use of vivid colour in her works that often depict polka dots and spotted pumpkins. She often appears in a wheelchair and sporting her trademark red hair.

The museum will hold exhibitions twice a year to "spread the message of world peace and love that Kusama has called for to the world in her works", the Yayoi Kusama Foundation said in a press release.

The first exhibition at the museum, which begins on October 1, will feature her large painting series titled "My Eternal Soul".

"Ms Kusama had a strong wish to open her own museum," Akira Tatehata, director of the new facility, told AFP on Thursday.

"We hope as many people as possible come to see her works," Tatehata said, adding that the building will be located in Tokyo's Shinjuku district near her atelier.

The announcement comes after Kusama held two major exhibitions in Japan and the United States this year.

"More than 500,000 people came to the exhibition at Tokyo's National Art Centre and the exhibition in Washington also attracted a lot of visitors," Tatehata said.

Born in 1929 in central Japan's Nagano prefecture, Kusama, who suffered from psychological trauma due to feuding between her parents, was already drawing dots and nets as a child based on her hallucinatory experiences.

After moving to the United States in 1957 at age 28, Kusama became a fixture in the Pop and Minimalism art movements of the 1960s.

During a 16-year stint in New York, she staged "happenings" at the height of the sexual liberation movement where people stripped naked and had their bodies painted with polka dots on Wall Street or Central Park.

By the time Kusama returned to Japan in 1973, however, she was burned out and voluntarily checked into a psychiatric ward where she has lived ever since.

It was not until the 1990s that Kusama was "rediscovered," her polka dots and pumpkins a perfect find for a highly commercialised art market, with collectors drawn to her instantly recognisable style.

Her commercial success was highlighted when she collaborated with Louis Vuitton in 2012 and she was named the world's most popular artist in 2014 by the Art Newspaper.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) meets with Qatari envoy Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali bin Jassim al-Thani in Jeddah on August 16

Qatari hajj pilgrims began crossing into Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Saudi media reported, after Riyadh reopened the border in a move that Doha welcomed but saw as "politically motivated" as regional tensions simmer.

The Salwa border crossing, a key passage for Muslims on the annual hajj pilgrimage, has been closed since June in a major diplomatic crisis that saw Riyadh and its regional allies cut relations with Doha over allegations that the emirate supported Islamist extremists.

Qatar has denied the charge and in turn accused Riyadh of politicising the hajj by restricting its citizens from making the pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest site in Islam that is located in western Saudi Arabia.

Around 120 Qataris entered Saudi territory on Thursday through the Salwa border, also known as Abu Samrah, Saudi state television reported, after King Salman called for the border to be opened for pilgrims without electronic permits.

The government separately allocated seven flights of the Saudi national carrier to bring pilgrims from Doha at the monarch's expense, state news agency SPA announced.

Qatar welcomed the decision but also lashed out at what it called Riyadh's politicisation of religious freedoms.

"Regardless of the manner in which pilgrims from Qatar were banned from the pilgrimage, which was politically motivated... the government of Qatar welcomes the decision and will respond positively," Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told reporters on a visit to Stockholm.

"What matters to us is the bottom line, which is that our citizens now have a way to attend the hajj, and we uphold our demand that hajj be spared politicisation."

The hajj, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once, is to take place this year at the start of September and it is expected to draw around two million Muslims from around the world.

- 'Right to pilgrimage' -

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar in what has evolved as the worst political crisis to grip the Gulf region in decades.

The kingdom's decision to reopen the frontier came shortly after its powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Qatari envoy Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Jassim al-Thani, a member of Qatar's ruling dynasty.

The meeting on Wednesday in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah was the first public high-level encounter between the nations since the crisis erupted more than two months ago.

The Qatari foreign minister, however, said that Sheikh Abdullah had acted on a "personal initiative" and not on behalf of the Doha government.

The decision also came after SPA reported that Prince Mohammed had received a phone call from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has sought repeatedly to defuse the regional crisis.

Analysts cautioned Thursday that the dispute was far from over.

"This is a goodwill gesture towards the Qatari people and not a breakthrough with the Qatari" government, Ali Shihabi of Washington-based think-tank Arabia Foundation said on Twitter, referring to the border reopening.

The decision also drew strong comments on social media, with many Qataris reacting critically.

"We do not need the (Saudi) king's charity. The Qatari right to pilgrimage is not given as charity from the king," one Qatari wrote on Twitter.

A tiny gas-rich emirate with a population of 2.6 million, 80 percent of them foreigners, Qatar ranks as the world's richest country on a per capita basis, according to the International Monetary Fund.

burs-ac/boc
General Joseph Dunford (L), the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, shakes hands with Japan's Chief of Staff of Joint Staff Katsutoshi Kawano (R) at the start of their talks at the Defence Ministry in Tokyo

The United States' most senior military officer on Friday said North Korea understands that an any attack on Japan is equal to one on the US itself -- and vice versa.

General Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held talks with his Japanese counterpart at the defence ministry in Tokyo, wrapping up a regional tour during heightened tensions with North Korea.

Tokyo remains on alert against potential military provocations by Pyongyang after North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the Pacific island of Guam, US territory, which would have flown over Japan.

"I think we made it clear to North Korea and anyone else in the region that an attack on one is an attack on both of us," Dunford told Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of staff of Japan's Self-Defense Forces.

"And that's very, very important for deterrence," added Dunford, who visited South Korea and China before arriving in Japan.

Dunford added that the US reaffirmed its "ironclad commitment" to the security of Japan on Thursday when Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with their Japanese counterparts in Washington.

During a separate meeting Friday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Dunford called the Japan-US military relationship "rock solid".

Abe told Dunford: "We firmly demonstrated the strength of the Japan-US alliance at a time when the North Korea situation has intensified."

Earlier in the day, Abe also met new US ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty, who described the two countries' relationship in superlative terms.

"In my personal view this is the greatest alliance on Earth," Hagerty told Abe, saying he took up his post at a "challenging time".

On Thursday, Hagerty urged Tokyo to step up its role in the pact in remarks shortly after his arrival.

Japan frequently demands -- and receives -- US reassurances over its commitment to defend its ally.

The US and Japan, adversaries in World War II, have forged a decades-long defence alliance and the US stations tens of thousands of troops in the country.

Washington has long encouraged Japan to take on more defence responsibility even though the country is militarily constrained by a US-written constitution imposed after the end of World War II.

In 2015 Abe pushed contentious security bills through parliament that expand what Japan can do to help its ally, such as coming to the aid of US troops under attack.

During his visit to China, Dunford said peace with North Korea is a "possibility", but warned the US has "credible, viable military options" for dealing with the errant regime.

The US and North Korea have been engaged in heated verbal sparring since Trump warned Pyongyang that it faced "fire and fury" if it continued to threaten the US and other countries with its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

North Korea responded by threatening to aim a missile at the American territory Guam, though later said the operation was suspended.
Tom Seaton has done everything he can to make sure he gets photographs of Mondays solar eclipse.

He has been practicing his routine for months and has multiple pieces of every piece of equipment  batteries, cables, cameras, solar filters  needed to capture what he hopes will be hundreds of images of the upcoming eclipse.

If all goes smoothly, Seaton, 52, will achieve a goal thwarted by an eclipse-gazing teenager wearing dark glasses 38 years ago: to finally take photographs of a solar eclipse.

Its a challenge and a quest that Ive put out there and Im going to get it done, the Sun Prairie resident said. As it gets close, Im starting to feel like Im a kid again ... Ive got butterflies in my stomach about this.

His first attempt at capturing a solar eclipse on camera in 1979 as a teenager ended in disaster when another teen watching the eclipse tripped on his tripod, breaking the camera and ruining the film. Seaton said he helplessly watched the camera  too far from the tripod to grab it  tip over and hit the ground in slow motion.

People say its otherworldly or mesmerizing, he said. I barely saw the one in 1979 because I was fiddling with the camera and on the ground ... crying about the broken camera.

But the experience of having his first and, up to this point, only solar eclipse ruined didnt discourage him from keeping an interest in photography and space.

The photo guy

A telecommunications professional by day, Seaton said he has become known as the guy with the camera or the photo guy and often sets up his equipment outside to take pictures of the night sky. He also has photographed events such as the Superbowl, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Summerfest in Milwaukee.

In 1979, he borrowed his moms new camera and set out to shoot the eclipse at his junior high school in Elm Grove. He said he hasnt ventured to catch a glimpse of any other eclipses since.

But on Monday, Seaton will be in Carbondale, Illinois  right in the middle of the 60- to 70-mile-wide path of totality that will cut across much of the country. Hell be equipped with three cameras, telescopes, tracking devices and a computer that will take most of the pictures for him using a computer program.

Its as close to automated as you can get ... I think things will go smoother, he said.

The mostly automated process will allow Seaton to relax and keep an eye on his equipment and, for much of the event, the eclipse itself.

Its not going to be burned into my eyes because Ill have my protective glasses, but itll be burned into my memory, he said.

Included with his gear will be the same Olympus camera that broke during the 1979 eclipse. Seaton said the camera, which turned up during a recent move, was fixed and used for several years after 1979.

Im taking it down there as a ceremonial thing, he said, so it gets its eclipse, too.

Seaton said he hopes to take thousands of photographs of the eclipse, but even if he walks away with just a few good pictures, hell be a happy man. He said his photos will be part of a project run by Google and others to use the images from about 1,000 amateur photographers for research and to create a movie of the eclipse.

To prevent any eclipse-gazers from wandering too close to his equipment, he plans to anchor it with sandbags and set up a perimeter with stakes and yellow caution tape. Hell also have two friends with him to watch over the equipment.

The one thing Seaton said could foil his second attempt at capturing the eclipse on camera is the weather.

The only thing I have no control of is Mother Nature, he said.

With less than a week before the eclipse, the forecast in Carbondale calls for a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, with mostly sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service.

Although Seaton said hes confident things will work out for him this time, he can count on another total solar eclipse passing over Carbondale again in 2024 if for some reason his goal eludes him again.

Ill probably do that one, too, he said.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena (L) shakes hands with the new Navy commander Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah (R) in Colombo

Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday appointed an officer from the island's Tamil minority to head the navy for the first time since a separatist war erupted 45 years ago.

Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah is the first Tamil to head a wing of the military since 1970, even though Tamils make up around 15 percent of Sri Lanka's population.

In 1972, the separatist Tamil Tigers took up arms and launched a bloody guerrilla war for a separate state for the ethnic minority that only ended in May 2009 when they were crushed in a no-holds barred military offensive.

"Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah, who has served Sri Lanka navy with immense loyalty for many decades, took office as the navy commander today," the president said on Twitter.

He was a key figure in the war, capturing over a dozen Tamil Tiger rebels as they tried to flee the island in October 1987. Twelve committed suicide, an incident that controversially dragged Indian troops into fighting the Tigers.

Sinniah is also credited with destroying floating armouries owned by the Tigers and cutting off their supplies ahead of the final battles in 2009.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena (C) inspects a guard of honour by navy sailors during the commissioning of a new off shore patrol vessel at Colombo's port on August 2, 2017

Sri Lanka's separatist war claimed the lives of at least 100,000 people between 1972 and 2009, according to UN estimates.

The conflict discouraged the mainly Hindu Tamil community as well as Muslims -- Sri Lanka's second largest minority -- from joining the armed forces and police.

Only a few of them remain in the military.

The Tamil Tigers had cited discrimination in jobs and education among the key reasons for their campaign for a separate state.
International law considers all settlements to be illegal, but Israel distinguishes between those it sanctions and those it does not

Israel's Supreme Court has frozen implementation of a law legalising dozens of Jewish settlements built on private Palestinian land, which the UN labelled a "thick red line".

The decision was condemned by rightwing Israeli politicians who accused the judiciary of overruling the will of Israel's parliament.

Court documents seen by AFP Friday show that Judge Neal Hendel issued Thursday an open-ended restraining order suspending a bill passed by parliament that would retroactively legalise a number of outposts across the occupied West Bank.

The decision was in response to a petition brought by 17 Palestinian local councils on whose land the settlements are built.

Israeli and Palestinian rights groups were also parties to the petition.

Hendel wrote in his decision that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit had asked him to grant the order.

It did not specify a time limit but demanded that Israel's parliament, the Knesset, deliver its response by September 10 and that Mandelblit submit an opinion by October 16.

The act, known as the "legalisation law", was passed in February and brought immediate condemnation from around the world.

International law considers all settlements to be illegal, but Israel distinguishes between those it sanctions and those it does not -- so-called outposts.

Mandelblit himself warned the government the law could be unconstitutional and risked exposing Israel to international prosecution for war crimes.

UN envoy for the Middle East peace process Nickolay Mladenov said following the February Knesset vote the bill set a "very dangerous precedent."

"This is the first time the Israeli Knesset legislates in the occupied Palestinian lands and particularly on property issues," he told AFP at the time.

"That crosses a very thick red line."

- Rightwing condemnation -

Rightwing parliamentarians criticised the court decision, saying it undermined the sovereignty of Israel's parliament.

"This is a dangerous intervention by the court against Knesset legislation," MP Bezalel Smotrich of the far right Jewish Home party, which is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, told The Jerusalem Post newspaper.

"Time after time the judiciary tramples on the decisions of one governmental authority or another. This story must stop."

Mandelblit had suggested the bill would be likely to be struck down by the courts from when it was first proposed.

The act allows Israel to appropriate Palestinian private land on which settlers built without knowing it was private property or because the state allowed them to do so.

Palestinian landowners whose property was taken for settlers would be compensated with cash or given alternative plots.

Palestinians said the law was a means to "legalise theft" and France called it a "new attack on the two-state solution."

Some members of Netanyahu's right-wing government advocate the annexation of much of the West Bank, a move that would end any hope of an independent Palestinian state.

Mladenov said that the "legalisation law" could be a prelude to that.

"It opens the potential for the full annexation of the West Bank and therefore undermines substantially the two-state solution," he said after its passing.
Devastating floods in Sierra Leone have killed more than 400, a Red Cross official says, adding that the country is facing a crisis

Aid workers in Sierra Leone warned of a humanitarian crisis on Friday as the official death toll passed 400, with more than a hundred children among the victims -- and a similar number orphaned.

Heavy rains that hit the capital Freetown on Monday triggered the partial collapse of a hillside that engulfed homes and caused massive destruction across the coastal capital.

By Friday, the rescue operation had evolved into a protracted search for 600 missing people, whom officials said were unlikely to be alive.

The uncollected corpses pose a serious risk to public health, Save the Children said on Friday.

"Two suspected cases of cholera have already been reported by rescue teams," Save the Children said in a statement.

"Dead bodies can still be found in water sources and outbreaks of diarrhoea, malaria and other deadly diseases remain a serious risk," it added.

The agency is distributing sanitary and hygiene products in Freetown.

For the first time Friday, the Red Cross confirmed an official death toll of more than 400.

According to Save The Children, 122 of the dead were children and it said that the disaster had also orphaned 123 children.

Earlier Friday the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, Elhadj As Sy, warned that many of the estimated 3,000 displaced were still sleeping outside "because there are not enough shelters for everybody."

Sy said the government of the west African country was facing a crisis "way beyond (its) capacity" and appealed to the international community to significantly ramp up its support.

The organisation has warned that smaller mudslides have occurred since Monday in eastern Freetown and in Sierra Leone's second city of Bo, with the rainy season far from over.

More than 300 victims were buried on Thursday in a ceremony in the nearby town of Waterloo to clear the overwhelmed central morgue. They were laid to rest alongside victims of the country's last crisis, Ebola.

- 'Nothing can be enough' -

Many people in the communities hit by the disaster said the emergency response had been too slow.

Sierra Leone mudslides and floods

"On that very day, we were told to go and register. Up until now, we havent gotten anything. No medication for my child, no food," Fatoumata Dumbuya said in the devastated hilltop community of Regent, where she shared a shack with six others.

AFP visited a school building in Regent where 350 people were living crammed together. Aid workers said survivors lacked basic necessities to stay warm.

"Nothing can be enough for now," said Rosemary Blake of the Living Water SL charity. "We need blankets, we need used clothing or even unused clothing. We need shoes on their feet."

Citizens and experts alike have questioned why the government has not done more to tackle illegal construction and deforestation on the outskirts of the overcrowded capital of Freetown.

In recent years, trees have been cut down from the Western peninsular forest on the city limits, with everything from shacks to mansions springing up haphazardly on the slopes.

The government has said that in the light of the catastrophe, relocation and a new settlement around the Freetown peninsula would be considered.

But similar measures have failed in the past as people seek to live close to the city centre for work.

- 'Step up to the plate' -

Meanwhile Britain, the former colonial power in Sierra Leone, announced 5 million ($6.45 million) in funding for several charities working on the ground.

Their funding targeting children's bedding and clothing and clean water and sanitation for all survivors, as well as medical supplies.

"Our new support will provide basic life-saving supplies like food, water, shelter and clothing to people who have lost everything," said Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel.

"The international community must follow our lead and step up to the plate," she added.

The Red Cross was preparing to launch an emergency funding appeal later Friday, while China has pledged $1 million, Togo $500,000.

Israel and several west African nations have contributed food and cash.

So far evacuations have been voluntary from affected areas, and Sy said this would remain the policy for the foreseeable future.

"Coming by force in the middle of hardship may not be the best way," he added.
The body of an alleged drug dealer killed during a police anti-drug operation is seen on the ground in Manila on August 18, 2017

It's just after midnight and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "One Time Big Time" show is getting into full swing as police shoot dead another young "drug personality".

The corpse is hauled out of one of Manila's sprawling shantytowns, where so many people have been killed in Duterte's drug war, and taken to a funeral parlour where other bullet-riddled bodies are lying on bare tables or a bloodied concrete floor.

Each of the dead men has a number in Roman numerals drawn in black pen above their bare feet to help the morticians keep track of the bodies that churn through each night. One of them is marked VI.

The scene on Friday morning offered a haunting vision realised for Duterte, whose campaign stump speech last year included advice to voters to set up funeral parlours because they would be guaranteed money-spinners when he was president.

"The funeral parlours will be packed... I'll supply the dead bodies," Duterte said at one rally in the northern Philippines, which attracted typical cheers from Filipinos fed up with crime and attracted by his man-of-the-people charisma.

Duterte easily won the election largely because of his law-and-order platform, which included a vow to eradicate all drugs in society within six months by waging an unprecedented crackdown in which tens of thousands of people would die.

During the 14 months Duterte has been in power, police have indeed confirmed killing more than 3,500 people officially termed "drug personalities".

Unknown assailants have killed at least 2,000 others in drug-related crimes, according to police data, with rights groups attributing those and other unsolved murders to vigilante death squads or off-the-books police killings.

Until recently Duterte had been defiant in the face of criticism that, not only could his extraordinary campaign amount to a crime against humanity, it was bound to fail.

On one isolated road, a young man without shoes lay with bullet wounds to his head and stomach, and a pistol lay just near one of his hands

Duterte, 72, continues to insist his tactics are right -- while balancing comments such as he would be "happy to slaughter" three million drug addicts with indignant denials that he had ever incited police to act outside the law.

But over the past week Duterte has begun inserting into his near-daily speeches on the drug war that he is unlikely to achieve his goals by the time he has to stand down as president in 2022.

Duterte has partly blamed a corrupt police force for not being able to complete its mission.

- Fresh offensives -

By coincidence or not, police in Manila and surrounding provinces this week launched fresh offensives which led to some of the deadliest days of the drug war.

Continuing a theme of creating jargon that appears to trivialise the killings, police named their raids "One Time Big Time" campaigns.

The name echoed a defunct television show that had been popular with the tens of millions of poor Filipinos. It had a segment called "One Time Big Time" in which lucky contestants could win huge amounts of cash.

In the first major One Time Big Time operation this week, police in Bulacan province neighbouring Manila reported killing 32 people on Monday night.

Coroners move the dead body of an alleged drug dealer killed during a police anti-drug operation in Manila on August 18, 2017

While human rights activists and other critics voiced outrage, Duterte quickly praised the police involved and urged more of the same.

"If we could kill another 32 everyday, then maybe we can reduce what ails this country," Duterte said on Wednesday.

Police reported killing another 25 people that evening, then overnight Thursday and into the early hours of Friday an AFP team witnessed nine other bullet-riddled corpses in funeral parlours, inside slums or on nearby roads.

On one isolated road, a young man without shoes lay with bullet wounds to his head and stomach as a few policemen stood guard before crime scene investigators arrived. A pistol lay just near one of his hands.

One of the policemen said the dead man was a known drug trafficker and they were forced to shoot him in self defence.

Like in the vast majority of the "drug personality" killings, there were no reports of police being wounded or injured.

The investigators stayed for less than 30 minutes before the body was taken away and a police vehicle drove over the scene.

Even if the investigators did find the police account not to be true, Duterte has repeatedly promised to pardon officers if they are found guilty of murder in prosecuting his drug war.
Since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, more than 42,000 people have been killed and over 62,100 injured by unexploded ordnance dropped by US aircraft, according government figures

Six Vietnamese villagers, including three children, were killed Friday when a US war-era bomb exploded in a mountainous area along the country's south central coast, state media reported.

Early reports said authorities believe the ordnance detonated after villagers discovered it in their farmland in Khanh Hoa province.

"The initial reason for the blast, which killed six, was that people were cutting open the 105 mm shell", reported VGPNews, the government's online mouthpiece.

Local police refused to comment on the accident, which also left two villagers wounded and tore down a house in Ta Luong village, according to state media.

Since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, more than 42,000 people have been killed and over 62,100 injured by unexploded ordnance dropped by US aircraft, according government figures.

Most of the blasts are triggered by people striking the bombs while farming or trying to salvage the metal casings and explosives from the munitions.

The metal is usually sold for scrap, while the explosives are used by fishermen.

According to the government, half of the 15 million tonnes of bombs dropped by American forces are still embedded in farmland and jungle across Vietnam's central provinces.
South Korean Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) fire rockets during a joint live firing drill between South Korea and the US in April

A South Korean soldier was killed Friday and six others injured in an explosion during an artillery firing drill, reports said.

Seven servicemen were taken to hospital after the blast at a shooting range in Cherwon, on the border with North Korea, the South's Yonhap news agency cited an army officer as saying, with one dying during treatment.

An investigation into the cause was underway, he added.

South Korea remains technically at war with the North after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, and it maintains conscription to ensure that it has large numbers of trained soldiers available in the event of conflict.

All able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the military for at least 21 months between the ages of 18 and 35.

Large-scale joint exercises with the United States military, known as Ulchi Freedom Guardian, are due to begin on Monday.
Rhino horn is worth more than gold or cocaine per kilo on the black market

South Africa said Friday it would oppose an online auction of rhino horns due to start next week, as outraged conservationists said the sale would undermine the global ban on rhino trade.

The three-day auction by South African John Hume, who runs the world's biggest rhino farm, comes after a ban on domestic trade in the country was lifted three months ago.

The government said it would fight Hume's court application to be granted sale permits.

"The Minister of Environmental Affairs is opposing the application," the government said in a statement on Friday, declining to comment further.

Hume's lawyer Izak du Toit claimed the permits had already been approved -- but not issued.

"We will go to the High Court on an urgent basis," du Toit told AFP, ahead of the auction due to start on Monday.

Hume and some other campaigners say poaching can only be halted by meeting the huge demand from Asia through legally "harvesting" horn from anaesthetised live rhinos.

He has stockpiles of six tonnes of horns and wants to place 500 kilogrammes under the hammer.

South Africa is home to around 20,000 rhinos, some 80 percent of the worldwide population, but in recent years has suffered record slaughter by poachers.

Rhino horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails.

It is sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases -- as well as an aphrodisiac -- in Vietnam and China.

While any auctioned horn could not exported from South Africa, conservationists fear the sale will stimulate black market demand and undermine the four-decade old international ban on rhino trading.

The auction website is in English, but also in Chinese and Vietnamese.

Currently a rhino horn is estimated to fetch up to $60,000 a kilo on the black market -- more than the price of gold or cocaine.

Joseph Okori, of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), described the auction as "deplorable".

"There is deliberate motive to target people in countries where people consume rhino horns," Okori told AFP.
Joshua Wong and two other young leaders of Hong Kong's huge Umbrella Movement protests were sentenced to months in jail on Thursday for their role in the 2014 rallies

China on Friday rejected international criticism of the jailing of three prominent Hong Kong activists, warning against using "so-called democracy" to conduct "illegal violent activities".

Joshua Wong and two other young leaders of Hong Kong's huge Umbrella Movement protests were sentenced to months in jail on Thursday for their role in the 2014 rallies.

Supporters and rights group said the ruling by the Court of Appeal was more proof that Beijing is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city and that rule of law is being compromised.

"Hong Kong people are fully entitled to rights and freedoms. But no one can use the excuse of so-called democracy and freedom to conduct illegal violent activities," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

"I want to reiterate that Hong Kong is a special administration of China... China is firmly opposed to any external forces interfering in Hong Kong affairs," Hua said at a regular press briefing.

Britain, Hong Kong's former colonial ruler, said it hoped the sentencing would not discourage "legitimate protest" in future.

US Senator Marco Rubio, chairman of the Congressional Executive Commission on China, described the three as "pro-democracy champions worthy of admiration, not criminals deserving jail time".

Amnesty International slammed authorities' pursuit of jail terms as a "vindictive attack on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly".

Wong, who became the face of the mass protests while still a teenager, as well as Nathan Law and Alex Chow were given terms of six months, eight months and seven months respectively after the court upped their previous non-custodial sentences.

Anyone who receives a jail term of more than three months is barred from running for Hong Kong's partially directly elected parliament for five years.

Defence lawyers argued the trio had insisted on non-violence including at Civic Square, where there was pushing and shoving between protesters and police.

Hong Kong enjoys freedoms unseen on the mainland after being handed back to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" deal, but there are growing fears those rights are disappearing.
More than 111,000 migrants have reached Europe by sea so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration

Defend Europe, the group which sent a ship to waters off Libya to protest and potentially block migrant flows to Europe, has ended its controversial and setback-plagued mission.

The multinational network of far-right activists said the chartering of the boat, the C-Star, had been an unqualified success, despite the boat spending less than a week patrolling the area off Libya where hundreds of thousands of migrants have been rescued in recent years.

Its crew never got the chance to act on their threats to take any distressed migrant boats they came upon back to Libya -- an intention humanitarian organisations had slammed as callous and, if acted upon, criminal.

Defend Europe said its main success had been in highlighting how NGOs involved in rescuing migrants allegedly encourage and facilitate illegal immigration into Europe.

"Only two months ago, many NGO ships were cruising near Libyan coasts like taxis waiting for their customers," it said in a statement. "Right now ... there's only one left."

NGO boats operating off Libya have scaled back their operations following moves by the Libyan and Italian authorities to restrict their activities and in response to a fall in the number of migrant boats leaving Libya.

The C-Star's brief presence in the area was regarded as no more than a minor irritant and occasionally a source of amusement.

Chartered after a crowd-funding campaign generated $228,000 (195,000 euros), the C-Star set off from Djibouti in early July.

The boat was held up for a week in the Suez Canal by Egyptian authorities then delayed further in Cyprus, where some of the Sri Lankan crew got off and claimed refugee status, embarrassingly adding to the list of asylum-seekers the mission was supposed to help cut.

Plans to refuel in Greece, Sicily and Tunisia were scuppered by local opposition and, at one point last week, it briefly looked as if one of the NGO boats would have to come to the aid of the C-Star as it encountered technical problems.
South Africa's main opposition party says Grace Mugabe is a massive flight risk and must be arrested

Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe is a "massive flight risk" and must be arrested over allegations that she attacked a model in Johannesburg, South Africa's main opposition party said Friday.

Grace Mugabe, who has not been seen since the alleged assault on Sunday, is due to attend a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in Pretoria this weekend along with her husband President Robert Mugabe.

South Africa police said Thursday they were on "red alert" to prevent Grace Mugabe from leaving the country.

The Mugabes will join other heads of state and their spouses at the two-day meeting in the South African capital.

The first lady is alleged to have hit Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel where her two sons were staying.

"No one is above the law and the DA will do everything possible to ensure that Ms Mugabe is not allowed to flee South Africa before she faces up to the charges against her," the Democratic Alliance party said.

Engels -- who has registered a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm -- appeared at a press conference on Thursday, wearing a large plaster on the left side of her forehead.

President Mugabe flew into South Africa late Wednesday, the day after his wife failed to report to police over the alleged assault.

Grace Mugabe has claimed diplomatic immunity over the allegations, according to South African police.
Two Wisconsin lawmakers on Thursday introduced a controversial proposal to repeal state law requiring mining companies to demonstrate that they have operated without polluting before they are permitted to extract metals here.

People want to make things in America again, said Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst. Our neighbors, Minnesota and Michigan, have placed their shovels in the dirt of Americas future. It is Wisconsins turn to do the same.

Tiffany, who was instrumental in a 2013 law relaxing state iron mining regulations, has been talking for months about lifting the so-called moratorium on mining for sulfide metals such as copper and gold.

In April, the Sierra Club and Wisconsin Resources Protection Council urged the Legislature to reject Tiffanys plan. They said 50 other state, regional and national groups also opposed repeal of the 1998 mining law, which was signed by then-Gov. Tommy Thompson, a Republican, after receiving bipartisan legislative support.

The law is designed to protect Wisconsin waters from the sulfide material that typically is unearthed by metallic mining. Sulfide reacts with air and water by creating acid that can destroy lake and stream life and pollute the aquifer.

The existing law requires companies to demonstrate 10 years of sulfide mine operation without acid drainage pollution and another pollution-free decade after the mine closed.

Tiffany has said Flambeau copper mine near Ladysmith proved a sulfide mine can operate safely, rendering the state restrictions unnecessary.

The state Department of Natural Resources and environmentalists disagree about how clean the Flambeau mine was.

It operated for just four years before shutting down in 1997. In 2012, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb found the mine had discharged a minimal amount of copper into state waters, but an appellate court reversed the judgment in 2013.

Tiffany and co-sponsor Rep. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, issued a statement saying that consumers who buy products made of metal from countries with scant environmental protections should step up to the plate and mine in a state that chooses to rigorously protect its environment.

Tiffany was credited as the author of a controversial bill in 2013 that relaxed iron mining regulations for Gogebic Taconites planned $1.5 billion mine in northern Wisconsin. The company abandoned the project in 2015 when iron prices dropped. Company officials had expressed surprise at the number of protected wetlands on the mining site.
Critics have accused Netanyahu of being slow to condemn extremism and anti-Semitism at US far-right protests, having only done so in a single tweet three days after the rally in the Virginia town

An Israeli cabinet minister has said relations with US President Donald Trump take priority over condemning neo-Nazis, to justify Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's muted response to events in Charlottesville.

Critics have accused Netanyahu of being slow to condemn extremism and anti-Semitism at US far-right protests, having only done so in a single tweet - three days after the rally in the Virginia town that ended in bloodshed.

Ayoub Kara, the communications minister and a vocal Netanyahu supporter, said in remarks published Friday in the Jerusalem Post that backing Trump was a strategic must for Israel's right-wing government.

"Due to the terrific relations with the US, we need to put the declarations about the Nazis in the proper proportion," Kara told the English-language newspaper.

"We need to condemn anti-Semitism and any trace of Nazism, and I will do what I can as a minister to stop its spread. But Trump is the best US leader Israel has ever had."

"His relations with the prime minister of Israel are wonderful, and after enduring the terrible years of (Barack) Obama, Trump is the unquestioned leader of the free world, and we must not accept anyone harming him."

Netanyahu regularly speaks out against anti-Semitism in other countries, but the United States is Israel's most important ally, providing it with more than $3 billion per year in defence aid as well as key diplomatic backing.

Detractors have accused him of sacrificing his moral responsibility, especially to the US Jewish community, for strategic interests.

The protests last weekend saw neo-Nazis and white supremacists protesting outside a synagogue, chanting anti-Semitic slogans and giving the Nazi salute.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu released his only response so far to the rally.

"Outraged by expressions of anti-Semitism, neo-Nazism and racism. Everyone should oppose this hatred," the Jewish state's premier posted in English.

Trump has since reiterated earlier controversial claims that there was fault on "both sides," but Netanyahu has not commented further.

Trump's arrival in office in January was saluted by Netanyahu's government, considered the most rightwing in Israel's history, after a testy eight years with his predecessor Obama who often pressured the prime minster over Jewish settlement building in the occupied West Bank.
Backed by Russian warplanes and pro-government militias, the Syrian army has made considerable progress in its months-long offensive to retake the Badiya

Syrian regime troops have seized more territory from the Islamic State jihadist group in a central desert region, almost entirely surrounding its fighters there, a monitor said Friday.

Backed by Russian warplanes and pro-government militias, the Syrian army has made considerable progress in its months-long offensive to retake the Badiya.

The vast desert region, which stretches from the country's centre to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, has been held by IS since 2014.

"The regime managed to encircle the area of Okayrbat and the surrounding 44 hamlets, straddling the central provinces of Hama and Homs," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Syria's official SANA news agency also reported that Okayrbat had been surrounded.

Russia's defence ministry said the Syrian army had taken control of the last supply route for arms, ammunition and equipment in the area.

It said the jihadists were seeking to flee towards their stronghold of Deir Ezzor to the east.

"The Russian air force is continuously conducting reconnaissance drone flights drones to find and destroy armoured vehicles, pickup trucks with heavy weapons and cars used by the terrorists," it added.

Regime troops have also seized four gas fields in the central desert, the British-based Observatory said.

Victory over IS in the region is seen as key to the army's hopes of retaking Deir Ezzor, the last Syrian province that remains nearly completely under IS control.
US President Donald Trump is blaming Democrats for complicating homeland security

US President Donald Trump on Friday said the world must use "whatever means necessary" to stop "radical Islamic terrorism," after twin attacks in Spain killed at least 14 people.

The Islamic State propaganda agency Amaq claimed one of its "soldiers" carried out a van rampage on a crowded street in Barcelona, though the suspect was still at large. Thirteen people were killed.

A second similar attack took place early Friday in the Spanish seaside resort of Cambrils. One of six civilians injured later died. Police killed the five attackers in a gun battle.

"Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!" Trump said in one of his signature early morning tweet storms.

The Republican billionaire leader blamed "Obstructionist Democrats" for complicating security in the United States.

"They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!" he said, in a possible reference to the stalling in federal courts of the full implementation of his controversial travel ban on nationals from six mainly Muslim countries.

"Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble. Our borders are far tougher than ever before!"

On Thursday, Trump courted controversy in the wake of the Barcelona van attack when he appeared to endorse the idea of mass executions for Islamist extremists.

As justification, he alluded to a widely debunked account of summary punishment by a US general in the Philippines in the early 1900s.
US National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence (L to R) are among those attending Friday's talks at Camp David

US President Donald Trump assembled his national security team at the Camp David presidential retreat Friday to forge a way ahead in Afghanistan, almost 16 years after the war began.

Trump must decide if he wants to continue on the current course, which relies on a relatively small US-led NATO force to help Afghan partners push back the Taliban, or try a new tack such as adding more forces -- or even withdrawing altogether.

The White House released a statement Friday afternoon saying Trump had been briefed by his national security team on "a new strategy to protect America's interests in South Asia" -- indicating that no decision had yet been reached.

"The president is studying and considering his options and will make an announcement to the American people, to our allies and partners, and to the world at the appropriate time," press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had initially promised to provide a new plan for Afghanistan by mid-July.

But Trump appears dissatisfied by initial proposals to add a few thousand more troops, and the strategy has been expanded to include the broader South Asia region, notably Pakistan.

We are "coming very close to a decision, and I anticipate it in the very near future," Mattis told reporters Thursday.

Trump's generals have called the Afghan conflict a stalemate, and even after years of intensive help from NATO, Afghanistan's security forces still are struggling to hold back an emboldened Taliban.

In an early move to address the situation, Trump gave Mattis broad powers to set troop numbers in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

But several months later, the level remains stuck at about 8,400 US and about 5,000 NATO troops.

Meanwhile the situation is as deadly as ever, with more than 2,500 Afghan police and troops killed between January 1 and May 8, continuing a deadly trend from previous years.

The Taliban published an open letter to Trump this week warning him against sending more US troops and calling for the complete withdrawal of foreign forces.

"Previous experiences have shown that sending more troops to Afghanistan will not result in anything other than further destruction of American military and economic might," the letter stated.

- Private army -

Frustrated by the fragile security situation in a war that has cost more than $1 trillion in fighting and reconstruction, and more than 2,400 US combat deaths, Trump is considering a range of approaches.

One of these is a plan provided by Erik Prince, who founded the private security company Blackwater. It would replace most US forces with a private army of around 5,500 contractors who would train Afghan soldiers and join them in the fight against the Taliban.

US soldiers keep watch near the wreckage of their vehicle at the site of a Taliban suicide attack earlier this month in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Mattis opposes the use of private contractors except in limited cases. His own plan is centered on adding nearly 4,000 more troops and increased air power.

In a sign of Trump's frustration, the president reportedly told Mattis and General Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, they should replace General John Nicholson, who heads up US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Mattis has come to his general's defense, saying this week he "is our commander in the field. He has the confidence of NATO, he has the confidence of Afghanistan, he has the confidence of the United States."

Senior Republican Senator John McCain, a longtime critic of the war-fighting policies of Barack Obama, has expressed exasperation over Trump's lack of Afghanistan policy.

McCain said if a new plan hadn't been fleshed out by September, he would offer his own -- based on the "advice of some our best military leaders" -- that he would tack onto a massive military spending bill.

The Camp David summit was also attended by Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, chief of staff John Kelly, and other members of the National Security Council including Dunford, who is traveling and tuned in via videoconference.

Kelly's son, a Marine lieutenant, was killed in 2010 in a roadside bomb blast while on patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province.
Flowers and candles surround a photograph of Heather Heyer on the spot where she was killed when a car driven by a suspected white nationalists drove into counter-protestors in Charlottesville, Virginia

Susan Bro, whose daughter was killed when a suspected white supremacist drove his car into a group of protestors in Charlottesville, Virginia, said Friday she will not speak to US President Donald Trump "after what he said about my child."

Bro, in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," said the White House had reached out to her several times this week.

"At first, I just missed his calls," said Bro, whose 32-year-old daughter, Heather Heyer, was among the anti-racism protestors who turned out to oppose white nationalists in Charlottesville on Saturday.

"The first call it looked like it actually came during the funeral," Bro said. "I was home recovering from the exhaustion of the funeral, and I thought 'Well I'd get to him later.'"

But Bro said she changed her mind after watching Trump's controversial remarks on Tuesday.

"I'm not talking to the president now," she said. "I'm sorry. After what he said about my child.

"I saw an actual clip of him at a press conference equating the protestors like Ms. Heyer with the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) and the white supremacists," she said.

"You can't wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying 'I'm sorry,'" she said.

Trump on Tuesday said that he'd heard that Heyer was a "fantastic young woman" and her mother had said "the nicest things" about him.

He said the driver of the car that killed Heyer had done a "horrible, inexcusable thing" and condemned the white supremacists and neo-Nazis who organized the rally in Charlottesville.

But Trump has come under fire from Republicans and Democrats alike for insisting the anti-racism protestors were equally to blame for the violence.

Mitt Romney urged President Donald Trump "for the good of the coutnry" to apologize for his remarks that seemed to put pro- and anti-Nazi protesters in Charlottesville last week on equal moral footing

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney urged the president on Friday to apologize "for the good of the country."

"Whether he intended to or not, what he communicated caused racists to rejoice, minorities to weep, and the vast heart of America to mourn," Romney said in a Facebook post.

"His apologists strain to explain that he didn't mean what we heard," he said. "But what we heard is now the reality, and unless it is addressed by the president as such, with unprecedented candor and strength, there may commence an unraveling of our national fabric.

"Our allies around the world are stunned and our enemies celebrate," Romney said. "The potential consequences are severe in the extreme.

"Accordingly, the president must take remedial action in the extreme," Romney said. "He should address the American people, acknowledge that he was wrong, apologize.

"State forcefully and unequivocally that racists are 100 percent to blame for the murder and violence in Charlottesville," Romney said.

"This is a defining moment for President Trump," he added, before finishing with a personal appeal.

"Mr. President, act now for the good of the country."
South Africa's main opposition party says Grace Mugabe is a massive flight risk and must be arrested

South African officials were on Friday considering whether to grant diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe's first lady Grace Mugabe over her alleged assault on 20-year-old model in a Johannesburg hotel.

Mugabe, who has not been seen since the Sunday's incident, is due to attend a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in Pretoria this weekend along with her husband President Robert Mugabe.

The first lady claimed immunity after allegedly whipping Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel where Mugabe's two sons, both in their 20s, were staying.

"The correspondence from the government of Zimbabwe is being given consideration," Nelson Kgwete, spokesman for the foreign ministry, told AFP.

The Mugabes will join other heads of state and their spouses at the two-day meeting in the South African capital starting Saturday.

Engels -- who has registered a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm -- appeared at a press conference on Thursday, wearing a large plaster on her forehead.

Her lawyers told reporters she had been offered cash to make the incident "go away" but that she had refused and was determined to press charges against Mugabe.

Willie Spies, one of the lawyers, said that if diplomatic immunity was granted they "would consider bringing an urgent application to the high court to prevent the decision from being executed".

- Grace expected on duty -

Lawyers for South African model Gabriella Engels, the alleged victim of the assault, say they will challenge in the courts any move to grant Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity

Grace Mugabe, 52, was in South Africa reportedly to have her ankle treated following a minor accident last month.

President Mugabe, 93, flew into the country late Wednesday, the day after his wife failed to attend an agreed meeting with South African police over the hotel incident.

The SADC summit in Pretoria opens at 09:30 am (0730 GMT) on Saturday, with a "first spouses programme" starting at noon. A closing ceremony on Sunday afternoon is also scheduled to include partners of the heads of the states.

Zimbabwean officials have declined to comment either on the allegations against the first lady or her immunity claim.

South African police have said they are on high alert to prevent Grace Mugabe leaving the country.

Grace and Robert Mugabe's two sons Robert Jnr and Chatunga live in Johannesburg, where they have a reputation for partying. The couple also have an older daughter who lives in Zimbabwe.

Although South Africa and Zimbabwe have strong political and economic ties, this incident threatens to strain relations between the two neighbours.

Grace Mugabe regularly speaks at rallies in Zimbabwe and is seen as one potential successor to take over from her increasingly frail husband.

In 2009, she was granted diplomatic immunity in Hong Kong after she repeatedly punched a British photographer for taking pictures of her at a luxury hotel.
Chibok school girls freed from captivity by Boko Haram jihadists will all attend the American University of Nigeria foundation school in September.

The 106 Nigerian schoolgirls no longer in captivity by Boko Haram jihadists fighting against western-style education will all go to university from September, the country's minister for women's affairs said Friday.

One of the girls required a prosthetic leg following her ordeal, several needed surgery for injuries and four babies have been born as a result of their detention, Aisha Alhassan said in a statement.

The Islamist militants seized 276 schoolgirls from the remote northeast Nigerian town of Chibok in April 2014, triggering global condemnation and drawing attention to the bloody Boko Haram insurgency.

Former US first lady Michelle Obama led a worldwide social media campaign under the banner #BringBackOurGirls to raise awareness of the group's plight.

All 106 girls who either escaped or were released or rescued from their captors "will be resuming school at the American University of Nigeria foundation school in September 2017," said Alhassan.

Twenty-four girls who had managed to escape were already studying courses at the institution and will be joined by the rest of their freed classmates in the new school year.

The freed girls, who are all in good health, have received extensive trauma counselling since regaining their freedom.

"Previously frequent incidents of flashbacks, insomnia and nightmares have now been successfully brought under control," said Alhassan.

"The girls have become survivors and heroes in their own right."

In their quest to create a hardline Islamist state, Boko Haram, whose name roughly translated from Hausa means "Western education is sin", has waged a relentless campaign against education in northeast Nigeria.

Along with attacks on schools, thousands of women and young girls have been abducted during the eight-year insurgency, which has left at least 20,000 people dead and displaced more than 2.6 million.
Participants and visitors walk past flags of various countries during the opening of the Damascus International Fair late on August 17, 2017, in the Syrian capital

Lured by potentially enormous contracts for reconstruction work in war-torn Syria, international companies have laid out their wares at the Damascus International Fair for the first time in six years.

The top event on pre-war Syria's economic calendar, the fair is hosting firms from 23 countries that have maintained diplomatic relations with Damascus throughout the conflict.

The last fair took place in the summer of 2011, months after the start of a revolt against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The United States and European countries who have imposed economic sanctions on the Assad regime were not officially invited, although a few Western companies are attending.

"We've come back to Syria because it's a promising country," Nabil Moghrabiye of wastewater piping firm Ostendorf Kunststoffe, the only German company at the Fair, told AFP.

"We hope to re-enter the market... and find a dealer," he said at his small stand in the 74,000 square metre (800,000 square foot) exhibition centre.

Two French companies are present: cocktail syrup producer La Maison Routin 1883 and tableware specialist Luminarc.

Representatives of both refused to speak to the press.

Russia and Iran, unwavering allies of the Syrian regime since the war broke out in 2011, were each represented by several firms including agricultural and energy companies.

"We want to extend our business to other regions of Syria," Mortazak Yanji, of Iran's Mabna, which has built two power stations in the country, told AFP.

- Business opportunity -

Other Iranian firms included manufacturers of cars, medical equipment and home appliances.

"This fair is very important for the start of reconstruction," said Igor Matveyev, commercial attache at Russia's embassy in Damascus.

"It's an opportunity to build useful relations... between Russian and Syrian businessmen."

Assad said in 2016 that his allies would receive the lion's share of contracts to rebuild the country.

He reiterated in April that no country which had aided the Syrian opposition should be allowed to take part in the process.

International organisations estimate that reconstructing Syria, devastated by a six-year war that has left killed more than 320,000 people, will cost upwards of $300 billion (275 billion euros).

The World Bank has put the cost of the war damage at $226 billion, still four times Syria's pre-conflict gross domestic product.

The online economic weekly Syria Report said this week said the fair was an attempt by the Assad regime to bring back investors and promote a return to normality.

But it said the fair's real impact would be hard to judge due to ongoing fighting in several parts of the country, Western sanctions and lack of funds for reconstruction.

The conflict first erupted in March 2011 with protests against the rule of Assad, but it has since evolved into a complex war drawing in international powers.
Steve Bannon, the former head of ultra conservative outlet Breitbart News, has been described as being the nucleus of one of several competing power centers in what has been a chaotic White House

President Donald Trump on Friday finally parted ways with controversial far-right chief strategist Steve Bannon, after weeks of speculation and as the administration reels from the fallout over Trump's response to a violent white supremacist rally.

Seen as the driving force behind Trump's nationalist-populist agenda -- making him a hero of the so-called "alt right" and a bete noire for centrists -- Bannon's presence at the White House has been contested from the start.

He was the latest in a series of high-profile casualties in Trump's inner circle, including press secretary Sean Spicer, chief of staff Reince Priebus and communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

With Trump under fire from all sides for insisting anti-racism protesters were equally to blame for violence stemming from a weekend rally staged by neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, the president faced renewed pressure to let go of his firebrand aide.

In announcing the 63-year-old Bannon's departure, the White House did not specify whether he had resigned or -- as was widely reported -- was forced out.

"White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day," Trump's press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. "We are grateful for his service and wish him the best."

- From Goldman to Breitbart to West Wing -

Labelled a white supremacist by his critics, the one-time Goldman Sachs investment banker and former head of ultra conservative outlet Breitbart News joined the Trump campaign less than three months before the November 2016 vote and was credited with playing a major role in the real estate magnate's upset victory over Hillary Clinton.

Having privately boasted about handpicking Trump's cabinet, he went on to become the nucleus of one of several competing power centers in what has been a chaotic West Wing.

But Bannon reportedly fell into disfavor for allegedly leaking stories about White House colleagues who he felt did not sufficiently adhere to his populist agenda.

The president's new chief of staff, Kelly, had reportedly warned he would not tolerate what he saw as Bannon's behind the scenes maneuvering.

Bannon had earlier this year lost his coveted place on the National Security Council, which decides issues of war and peace.

And the president -- said to have grown increasingly irritated by Bannon's high profile -- was reportedly furious about an interview his aide gave this week to a left-leaning publication in which he contradicted the Republican billionaire's position on North Korea.

The New York Times quoted a person close to Bannon as insisting the parting of ways was his own idea, and that he had submitted his resignation on August 7, to be announced at the start of this week -- but that it was delayed by the chaotic developments of recent days.

Bannon's departure came as the US president faced a firestorm of criticism over his failure to unequivocally rebuke the white supremacists who rallied in Charlottesville.

That unrest ended when a suspected Nazi sympathizer drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

Trump who rose to political prominence by casting doubt on whether Barack Obama, America's first black president, was born in the United States, did condemn neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan on several occasions this week, but many across the political spectrum say he did not go far enough.
WASHINGTON  Its a case of being careful what you wish for.

Critics left, right and center panned President Trump for his initial refusal to denounce the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, one of whom allegedly drove his car into counter-demonstrators, killing one and injuring 19. When Trump finally gave a canned and grudging disavowal of white supremacists, he was urged anew to say more, to be presidential, to bring the nation together.

Well, late Tuesday, Trump said more and told the nation what he really thought. It was downright ugly.

There, from Trump Tower in New York, was the president of the United States declaring that those protesting against Nazis were ... the same as Nazis. You had a group on one side that was bad, and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent, and nobody wants to say that, said Trump.

Nobody wants to say that because there is  and there can be  no moral equivalence between Nazis and those who oppose Nazis. But Trump saw them as equal. He said the anti-Nazi demonstrators didnt have a permit and were very, very violent. Trump maintained that those marching with the white supremacists have been treated absolutely unfairly by the press, and there were very fine people, on both sides.

Trump was not done with his apology for white supremacists. He went on to endorse the cause that brought these racists, David Duke among them, to Charlottesville: the Confederacy. Ive condemned neo-Nazis. Ive condemned many different groups, the president said. But not all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me. Not all of those people were white supremacists, by any stretch. Those people were also there because they wanted to protest the taking down of a statue, Robert E. Lee.

Right. The man who led an army against the United States. So this week its Robert E. Lee. I noticed that Stonewall Jacksons coming down, Trump went on. I wonder, is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after?

Thus did Trump, after putting Nazis on the same moral plane as anti-Nazis, put the father of our country and the author of the Declaration of Independence on the same moral plane as two men who made war on America. Duke and white-nationalist leader Richard Spencer applauded Trumps performance.

The nationalist-turned-presidential-adviser Stephen Bannon used to say that the publishing outfit he led, Breitbart, was a platform for the alt-right, a euphemism for white nationalists and far-right extremists. But now there is a new platform for the alt-right in America: the White House.

It looks more and more like the White Nationalist House.

Trump, who this week retweeted an alt-right conspiracy theorist and ally of white supremacists, continues to employ in his White House not just Bannon and Stephen Miller, two darlings of the alt-right, but also Sebastian Gorka, who uses the platform to defend the embattled white man.

Its this constant, Oh, its the white man. Its the white supremacists. Thats the problem. No, it isnt, Gorka said in an interview with Breitbart days before the Charlottesville mayhem. Go to the Middle East, and tell me what the real problem is today. At an inaugural ball in January, Gorka wore a medal from the Hungarian nationalist organization Vitezi Rend, a longtime anti-Semitic group that claimed Gorka as one of its own. (He denies it.)

Its more than words. The administration proposed eliminating the Countering Violent Extremism program; officials argued that the effort should target only Islamist radicalization, not right-wing extremism. In June, the Trump administration canceled a grant to a group called Life After Hate, which rehabilitates neo-Nazis. At a time when this is the biggest threat in our country, to pull funding from the only organization in the United States helping people disengage from this is pretty suspect to me, the groups co-founder Christian Picciolini told me.

And now we have the spectacle of the president defending the character and motives of the neo-Nazi demonstrators in Charlottesville.

Trump, who has issued scores of tweets without benefit of accurate information, explained his initial unwillingness to single out the white supremacist who drove into a crowd of demonstrators: Before I make a statement, I like to know the facts.

Trump, who has criticized others for failing to use the phrase radical Islamic terrorism, declined to call the incident terrorism.

Asked about the culpability of the alt-right in the Charlottesville attack, Trump replied: Okay, what about the alt-left that came charging them?

Political violence, by anybody, is wrong. But to equate neo-Nazis with those who oppose them is, even for our alt-right president, a new low.
Young Palestinians take part in a military graduation ceremony at a Hamas summer camp in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on August 18, 2017

Hamas held a closing ceremony in the Gaza Strip on Friday for a batch of the 120,000 boys and girls attending the Islamist movement's controversial summer schools.

The ceremony, for some 1,000 students who took part in camps in the southern city of Khan Yunis, was framed as part of the militant group's plan to continue its armed conflict with Israel.

Boys between 15 and 18 years of age were put through military drills at the week-long camp, including shooting with live ammunition and training in scouting skills.

Hamas official Ashraf Abu Zayed said the training came within the framework of "preparing for the liberation of Palestine".

"We are trying to invest the younger generation and guide them towards the liberation project," he told AFP, referring to armed struggle against Israel.

Such camps in the enclave of two million people have been heavily criticised by rights groups concerned with young people's welfare.

Israel says they indoctrinate young people into Islamist Hamas' militant ideology.

Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since 2008 and the Jewish state maintains a crippling blockade on the enclave.
Steve Bannon, the former head of ultra conservative outlet Breitbart News, has been described as being the nucleus of one of several competing power centers in what has been a chaotic White House

Donald Trump parted ways with his controversial chief strategist Steve Bannon on Friday as the White House reeled from the fallout over the president's much-criticized response to a violent white supremacist rally.

But the 63-year-old -- whose departure caps one of the most disastrous weeks of the already chaotic young Trump administration -- vowed to keep pushing the president's right-wing agenda, as he returned to his former home at the ultra-conservative Breitbart News.

"If there's any confusion out there, let me clear it up: I'm leaving the White House and going to war for Trump against his opponents -- on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in corporate America," the hero of the so-called "alt right" told Bloomberg News within hours of leaving the White House.

Bannon's departure amounts to a nod to members of Trump's government and Republican Party who grew increasingly frustrated with the anti-establishment firebrand.

It remains to be seen what role the serial provocateur -- who was credited with a major role in Trump's upset election victory -- will continue play from outside the White House.

In comments to the Weekly Standard, he made clear his commitment to the nationalist-populist "movement" that carried Trump to power.

"The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over," Bannon said. "We still have a huge movement, and we will make something of this Trump presidency. But that presidency is over. It'll be something else."

Bannon's presence in the West Wing had been contested from the start, and with Trump under fire for insisting anti-racism protesters were equally to blame for violence at a weekend rally by neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, the president faced renewed pressure to let him go.

- Five top aides out -

President Donald Trump was meeting with national security advisers to discuss the situation in Afghanistan when the announcement was made that his chief strategist Steve Bannon was leaving the White House

Trump, who rose to political prominence by casting doubt on whether Barack Obama, America's first black president, was born in the United States, did condemn neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan once this week. But the next day he reverted angrily to his initial stance -- effectively setting a moral equivalence between the white supremacists at the Virginia rally and anti-racism counter demonstrators there.

"Steve Bannon's firing is welcome news, but it doesn't disguise where President Trump himself stands on white supremacists and the bigoted beliefs they advance," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

Bannon was the nucleus of one of several competing power centers in a chaotic White House, and reportedly fell into disfavor for allegedly leaking stories about colleagues who he felt did not sufficiently adhere to his populist agenda.

Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced on Friday that the president's new chief of staff John Kelly and Bannon had "mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day," adding: "We are grateful for his service and wish him the best."

Kelly, a no-nonsense former Marine general, had reportedly warned he would not tolerate what he saw as Bannon's behind the scenes maneuvering.

And Trump was reportedly furious about an interview in which his aide contradicted his own position on North Korea.

Since taking office in January, Trump has lost five top aides: Bannon, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, press secretary Sean Spicer, chief of staff Reince Priebus and communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

- 'Apologize' -

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney urged President Donald Trump to apologize for his response to the violence in Charlottesville

The latest departure came as former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney added his voice to those criticizing the president over last weekend's events, telling Trump in a Facebook post he was facing a "defining moment" and needed to apologize "for the good of the country."

The woman whose daughter was killed when an avowed white supremacist rammed his car into protesters in Charlottesville said she would not meet with Trump following his comments equating the likes of her daughter with white supremacists.

"You can't wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying 'I'm sorry,'" Susan Bro, the mother of 32-year-old victim Heather Heyer, said in an interview on ABC.

Former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger warned Trump he has "a moral responsibility to send an unequivocal message that you won't stand for hate and racism."

And James Murdoch, the chief executive of 21st Century Fox whose tycoon father Rupert has been a Trump ally, pledged to donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League, which combats anti-Semitism.

"What we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people," Murdoch said.

- R-E-S-I-S-T -

In other developments Friday, a statue of a US Supreme Court justice who was behind a racist ruling was taken down in Maryland and all 16 members of a presidential committee on arts and the humanities resigned to protest what they called Trump's "hateful rhetoric."

The statue of justice Roger Taney is the latest monument to topple in a growing campaign to remove symbols of the pro-slavery Confederacy.

Trump called the movement "foolish" on Thursday and said US culture and history were being "ripped apart."

In the letter to Trump announcing their mass resignation, the members of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities said "ignoring your hateful rhetoric would have made us complicit in your words and actions."

The first letter of each paragraph spelled out the word "R-E-S-I-S-T."
Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga gives a press conference on August 16, 2017 at the offices of the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition in Nairobi

Kenya's opposition filed a petition late Friday at the Supreme Court challenging the conduct and results of last week's election won by President Uhuru Kenyatta, demanding new polls.

Court registrar Esther Nyaiyaki received piles of bound papers from lawyers representing the National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition, 90 minutes before the midnight deadline for challenges to be lodged.

"The entire process of tallying recording, transmitting, verifying and confirmation of results was so fundamentally flawed that you cannot talk of any meaningful results," NASA said in a statement outlining the alleged irregularities.

"This petition asks the court and by extension the people of Kenya to nullify the entire exercise because it is fatally compromised, in order to pave the way for fresh, legitimate elections."

The opposition dismissed the election process as, "so badly conducted and marred with such glaring irregularities that it does not matter who won, or who was declared the winner."

The seven Supreme Court judges now have two weeks to hear the NASA petition and any legal responses from Kenyatta's Jubilee Party or the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) before ruling.

Following national elections on August 8, Kenyatta, the incumbent president, was declared the winner, with 54 percent of the vote, a week ago.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has refused to recognise the result believing that he has been cheated for a third time in a row.

Following the disputed 2007 election -- which Odinga lost to Mwai Kibaki -- politically motivated tribal violence resulted in 1,100 deaths.

When Odinga was declared the loser to Kenyatta in 2013 he took his complaints to the Supreme Court, and lost.

The veteran opposition leader had previously said court was not an option, raising the spectre of further violent protests after 17 people were killed and scores injured over the weekend, but on Thursday he relented, saying hacking and rigging meant Kenyans had been given "computer-generated leadership".

He also called for peaceful protests.

Election observer groups, while praising the conduct of polling day itself, have raised concerns over the transmission and tallying or results with some pointing to discrepancies in numbers and the absence of original polling station tally sheets.
"On Monday, President Trump instructed me to look into Chinese laws, policies, and practices which may be harming American intellectual property rights, innovation, or technology development," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said

The United States on Friday formally launched a trade investigation into China's intellectual property practices and forced transfer of American technology, which President Donald Trump had called for this week.

"On Monday, President Trump instructed me to look into Chinese laws, policies, and practices which may be harming American intellectual property rights, innovation, or technology development," US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement.

"After consulting with stakeholders and other government agencies, I have determined that these critical issues merit a thorough investigation."

Foreign companies have long complained about Beijing's failure to protect know-how and patents, and in some cases forcing firms to share information with domestic partners as the price for doing business in the massive Chinese market.

But they also have been timid about pressing too hard for their governments to take action, for fear of losing access to China.

But "Washington will turn a blind eye no longer," Trump insisted on Monday.

"We will safeguard the copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets and other intellectual property that is so vital to our security and to our prosperity," he said.

America, he added, will no longer tolerate Beijing's "theft" of US industrial secrets.

Lighthizer is launching the investigation under Section 301 of US trade law, which addresses intellectual property.

Beijing this week fired back, warning that "everybody will lose" in the event of a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

The United States is China's second-largest trading partner after the European Union, and had a deficit of nearly $310 billion last year.
This photo taken on May 27, 2017 shows French-Polish director Roman Polanski posing during a photocall for the film 'Based on a True Story' (D'Apres une Histoire Vraie) at the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France

A US judge on Friday rejected a bid by a woman Roman Polanski raped as a teenager to close the case, saying the fugitive filmmaker must appear in court for the matter to be resolved.

US Judge Scott Gordon said in a 10-page ruling that while Samantha Geimer -- who was 13 at the time -- had clearly suffered because of the case, he could not dismiss it "merely because it would be in the victim's best interest."

Polanski, who turned 84 on Friday, fled the United States in 1978 before he could be sentenced after pleading guilty to having unlawful sex with Geimer.

Geimer made an impassioned plea to the judge in June to end the case so she could go on with her life. She said she and her family had been enduring a grueling ordeal for 40 years.

"I would implore you to consider taking action which would finally bring this matter to a close as an act of mercy for myself and my family," she told the judge.

Gordon said in his ruling that although dismissing the case would help Geimer, "society has an interest in even handed justice, which can be satisfied only by continuing the prosecution in this case."

He added that it was Polanski's refusal to face justice that was responsible for Geimer's continued anguish, rather than the courts.
BOSTON (AP) - A drifter convicted of killing two Massachusetts men in carjackings in 2001 has been denied his bid to toss the death sentence he received earlier this year.

Gary Lee Sampson was sentenced for a second time to death for the killing of 19-year-old college student Jonathan Rizzo but was given a life sentence for the killing of 69-year-old retiree Philip McCloskey. Sampson was first condemned to die in 2003.

The Boston Globe reports (http://bit.ly/2w1U4yH ) the judge wrote in his decision Tuesday that there was evidence permitting jurors to conclude Sampson "intended to kill" Rizzo "from the time they met."

Sampson's lawyers have said he was brain damaged when he carjacked and fatally stabbed Rizzo and McCloskey.

Sampson received a separate life sentence for killing a New Hampshire man.

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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.bostonglobe.com
BUNIA, Congo (AP) - Authorities in northeastern Congo say at least 40 people are dead after a mudslide in Ituri province.

Gov. Abdallah Pene Mbaka said Thursday that teams are being sent to assess the damage in the village of Tora. The disaster followed heavy rains in the fishing community located along Lake Albert.

Jean-Bosco Lalu, who leads civil society groups in the nearby regional hub of Bunia, says 30 bodies have been recovered and the toll is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue.

Many people die each year in Congo as the result of poorly regulated development. People often built their homes near mines and bodies of water, only to become vulnerable to disasters caused by soil erosion and flooding.
MILWAUKEE (AP) - A U.S. senator from Wisconsin is urging the State Department to investigate reports of tainted or substandard alcohol at Mexican resorts.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently reported about travelers becoming sick after drinking alcohol at resorts south of the border, including a 20-year-old Wisconsin woman who died in January after being pulled from a resort pool.

The newspaper now reports that Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on Wednesday sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Johnson urges the State Department to seek information from the Mexican government about the woman's death and other alleged incidents in which people became sick or incapacitated after drinking.

The State Department last month warned tourists going to Mexico about reports of tainted or illicit alcohol causing drinkers to become sick or pass out.

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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com
LONDON (AP) - The deadly Barcelona van attack that killed 13 people and wounded dozens of others Thursday is the latest attack in Europe in recent years. Here are some of the other major ones, many of which used vehicles:

-June 19, 2017: A British man who had reportedly made anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim remarks drives into a crowd of worshippers outside a London mosque. One person dies and nine others are wounded.

-June 3, 2017: Three Islamic extremists drive into a crowd of pedestrians on London Bridge and then go on a knife rampage in nearby Borough Market, killing eight people and wounding dozens of others.

A police officer gestures as he blocks a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

-May 22, 2017: A suicide bomber kills 22 people and injures dozens during an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in northern England.

-April 7, 2017: A man driving a hijacked beer truck hits pedestrians at a Stockholm department store, killing four.

-March 22, 2017: A man drives his rented SUV into pedestrians at London's Westminster Bridge, killing four, before stabbing a police officer to death.

-Dec. 19, 2016: A hijacked truck plows through a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12.

-July 14, 2016: A truck driver targets Bastille Day revelers in Nice, killing 86.

-March 22, 2016: Suicide attacks on the Brussels airport and subway kill 32 and injure hundreds. The perpetrators have been closely linked to the group that carried out earlier attacks in Paris.

- Nov. 13, 2015: Islamic State-linked extremists attack the Bataclan concert hall and other sites across Paris, killing 130 people.

- Feb. 14, 2015: A gunman kills Danish filmmaker Finn Noergaard and wounds three police officers in Copenhagen. A day later the gunman, Omar El-Hussein, attacks a synagogue, killing a Jewish guard and wounding two police officers before being shot dead.

- Jan. 7-9, 2015: A gun assault on the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and an attack on a kosher grocery store kill 17 people. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for the attack, saying it was in revenge for Charlie Hebdo's depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.

- May 24, 2014: Four people are killed at the Jewish Museum in Brussels by an intruder with a Kalashnikov. The accused is a former French fighter linked to the Islamic State group in Syria.

- May 22, 2013: Two al-Qaida-inspired extremists run down British soldier Lee Rigby in a London street, then stab and hack him to death.

- March 2012: A gunman claiming links to al-Qaida kills three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and three paratroopers in Toulouse, southern France.

- July 22, 2011: Anti-Muslim extremist Anders Behring Breivik plants a bomb in Oslo then launches a shooting massacre on a youth camp on Norway's Utoya island, killing 77 people, many of them teenagers.

- Nov. 2, 2011: The offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris are firebombed after the satirical magazine runs a cover featuring a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad. No one is injured.

- March 2, 2011: Islamic extremist Arid Uka shoots dead two U.S. airmen and injures two others at Frankfurt airport after apparently being inspired by a fake internet video purporting to show American atrocities in Afghanistan.

- July 7, 2005: Fifty-two commuters are killed in London when four al Qaida-inspired suicide bombers blow themselves up on three subway trains and a bus.

- March 11, 2004: Bombs on four Madrid commuter trains in the morning rush hour kill 191 people.

People flee the scene in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, as police officers patrols after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri lawmaker acknowledged Thursday that she posted and later deleted a comment on Facebook about hoping for President Donald Trump's assassination, saying she was frustrated with the president's response to the white supremacist rally and violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Democratic Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal said she was wrong for writing the post and didn't mean what she said, but she refused calls to resign. She said she wrote "I hope Trump is assassinated!" in response to a post that suggested Vice President Mike Pence would try to have Trump removed from office.

"What I wrote down on my private Facebook page, was it wrong? Absolutely," she told The Associated Press. "But I am going to continue to talk about the anger and the frustration that led to that."

FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2014, file photo, Missouri state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal speaks on the Senate floor in Jefferson City, Mo. Chappelle-Nadal says she posted and then deleted a comment on Facebook that said she hoped for President Donald Trump's assassination. The Democratic Senator says she didn't mean what she posted Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, but was frustrated with the president's reaction to the violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Va.(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

The post drew a swift rebuke, including calls from top Democrats for her resignation.

Among them were Missouri Senate Democratic Leader Gina Walsh, who condemned Chappelle-Nadal's post as "horrible." The chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party, Stephen Webber, said the comments were "indefensible" and the party "will absolutely not tolerate calls for the assassination of the president."

"I condemn it. It's outrageous," added Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, the state's senior senator. "And she should resign."

Missouri's Republican Gov. Eric Greitens and the state Republican party also called for her resignation, but Chappelle-Nadal said she had no intention of doing so.

"I refuse to resign for exercising my First Amendment rights, even though what I said was wrong," she said.

The U.S. Secret Service released a statement saying it looks into all threats against the president, "whether they be direct, implied, or comments in passing."

Chappelle-Nadal, from the St. Louis suburb of University City, said constituents in her predominantly black district are concerned about how Trump blamed "both sides" of the clashes in Charlottesville. The violence included a man slamming his car into people protesting against the white supremacist rally, killing one woman and injuring more than a dozen other people.

"By our president saying things such as he does, supporting white supremacy and the Nazis and KKK, it's causing a lot of trauma," Chappelle-Nadal said.

Chappelle-Nadal, who is black, was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2010, after serving in the state House for five years.

She has been an outspoken activist while in the Legislature. She was a prominent voice during the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, after the police killing of Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old resident who was unarmed when fatally shot by an officer in 2014.

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Associated Press writers Jim Salter in St. Louis and Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City contributed to this report.

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com
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A Utah man accused of killing his wife on a cruise to Alaska has been indicted on a murder count.

Kenneth Manzanares, 39, was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in the death of Kristy Manzanares. The indictment was made public Thursday.

Kristy was found dead in a blood-splattered cabin last month on Princess Cruises ship that was diverted to Alaska's capital city for the investigation.

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Kenneth Manzanares, 39 (right), has been indicted in the murder in of his wife Kristy, 39, (left)

Kristy Manzanares, 39, of St George, Utah, was killed aboard a cruise ship off Alaska

The couple and their three daughters (pictured), between the ages of 13 and 22, were on board the ship as part of a family vacation last month

Federal authorities have led the investigation because the death occurred in U.S. waters.

Kristy, of St George, Utah was on a family vacation with her husband of 17 years and their three daughters - aged between 13 and 22 - when she was found murdered in her cabin last month.

Authorities say that Kenneth killed Kristy on board the Emerald Princess because she would not stop laughing at him in front of their children.

'Blood was spread throughout' the room and was on 'multiple surfaces', according to the court documents.

Security rushed to the family's cabin after one of their children (pictured, with Kristy) ran out of it asking for help at 9pm

Security found Kristy (pictured) on with a severe head wound. She was pronounced dead 20 minutes later

The witness says that Kenneth tried to 'grab [Kristy's] body and drag her toward the balcony,' but the witness intervened - grabbing 'the ankles of [Kristy's] body' to pull her back into the cabin.

When asked by the witness what happened to his wife, Kenneth responded: 'She would not stop laughing at me.'

Security found her in their room at 9pm with a severe head wound. She was pronounced dead 20 minutes later.

According to cruise ship staff, Manzanares had attempted to throw her body overboard.

The theme of the cruise was a murder mystery and staff said that they believed the grisly scene had been staged as part of it when they first arrived at the couple's room.

In a previously filed affidavit, FBI Special Agent Michael Watson said witnesses saw Kenneth Manzanares with blood on his hands and clothing.

'I see this little girl sitting on - I assume - her grandma or somebody, sitting on her lap wrapped in a blanket. And she's just sobbing, Brian Eckstorm told KTUU.

'A man came walking out from the hallway where it happened and he had, like, a white tank top on, and some jeans.

'His jeans were completely covered in blood and he came out saying, 'It's not good, it's not good,' he added.

Kristy, a realtor with Sotheby's in St George, is seen showing off a home in a video posting

Friends said that the couple were celebrating an anniversary on the ship

The cruise ship was diverted to Juneau so that federal investigators could board

Some passengers told Fox 13 that they heard two men and a woman fighting on their balcony, and then a woman screaming for her life.

'People were running through the hall with blood all over them and trying to get security,' passenger Megan Morr said.

Morr said that even the captain came on over the intercom, ordering crew to respond to the incident.

'He was very worked up, he said, "Everyone, we need all medical, security, all personnel to deck 9 and deck 14." And that scared me because I'm on deck 14,' Morr said.

Manzanares was charged after being taken in to the custody of Alaskan authorities on Wednesday morning when the ship docked in Alaska.

According to police, during questioning he told them: 'My life is over'.

The ship ended up docking in Juneau, Alaska so that FBI investigators could board. .

According to Manzanares's social media profiles, she was a real estate agent with Sotheby's in St George, Utah.

'In her spare time, Kristy enjoys volunteering at local schools and is involved in the Jubilee of Trees as Tree Designer each year,' her profile on the Summit Sotheby's International realty site reads.

'She loves cheering on her daughters at soccer games, spending time with extended family and is currently learning how to play golf with her husband.'

F. Richard Curtner, an attorney for Kenneth Manzanares, said he had no immediate comment on the case.
COLEBROOK, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire state troopers have gathered to remember comrades who were among those killed or wounded 20 years ago in one of the region's worst shootings.

State police Sgt. Victor Muzzey says the gathering is to honor "the loved ones who never returned at the end of their shift."

An angry loner named Carl Drega had had repeated run-ins with local authorities before he killed two state troopers and two other people in Colebrook on Aug. 19, 1997. He wounded four other officers and was killed in a shootout with police in Vermont.

Troopers held a prayer and short remembrance ceremony Friday. Then runners began a 55-mile (88-kilometer) Relay to Remember in their honor, running from a supermarket in Colebrook to the state police barracks in Twin Mountain.
NEW DELHI (AP) - The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day takes a painful toll on birds that fall victim to their razor-sharp strings.

Workers at the Charity Birds Hospital see it happen every year - mostly to pigeons but also to crows, eagles and parrots. The wounded populate cages lining the halls of the clinic's emergency ward.

The hospital, set up in the courtyard of the Digamber Jain Temple in the old quarters of New Delhi, relies on donations. It treats birds year-round for injuries they might have sustained in animal attacks or from flying into ceiling fans. But every August, its halls fill with hundreds of fluttering, squawking birds that have been sliced up by kite strings.

In this Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 photo, Indians fly kites on rooftops during Independence Day celebrations in the old quarters of New Delhi, India. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day takes a painful toll on birds that fall victim to their razor-sharp strings. It happens mostly to pigeons but also to crows, eagles and parrots. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

"This year there have been about 700 birds in just three days" since Monday, the day before Independence Day, said manager Sunil Kumar Jain. About 15 percent of those have died, he added.

Across the Indian subcontinent, kite flying is popular and competitive. Enthusiasts often line the strings of their kites with shards of glass or metal, with the aim of crossing opponents' kite strings and cutting them down. The last kite flying wins.

The competitions can be dangerous. Last year, three people were killed when kite strings cut their throats, prompting New Delhi to ban the coating of kite strings with glass.

The new rules have not helped the birds at the clinic, some of which arrived with razor-sharp strings still embedded in their flesh.

The deaths weigh on veterinarian Rameshwar Yadav, 51: "It's very painful to see your hard work in trying to save a life end in vain."

He adds, however, that he takes solace in helping the survivors take to the sky again. "There's no better feeling than giving them their freedom back."

Rolls of kite strings are displayed for sale in the old quarters of New Delhi, India, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day takes a painful toll on birds that fall victim to their razor-sharp strings. It happens mostly to pigeons but also to crows, eagles and parrots. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

In this Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 photo, Indians ride motorbikes carrying kites to fly on Independence Day in the old quarters of New Delhi, India. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day takes a painful toll on birds that fall victim to their razor-sharp strings. It happens mostly to pigeons but also to crows, eagles and parrots. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 photo, a helper displays injury caused by kite strings on a pigeon at the Charity Birds Hospital in New Delhi, India. "This year there have been about 700 birds in just three days" since Independence Day on Monday, said manager Sunil Kumar Jain. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day caused its usual casualties this week, as birds caught by razor-sharp kite strings fell from the sky. Enthusiasts often line the strings of their kites with shards of glass or metal, with the aim of crossing an opponents' kite strings and cutting it down. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 photo, veterinarian Rameshwar Yadav, 51, treats a pigeon injured by kite strings at Charity Birds Hospital in New Delhi, India. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day caused its usual casualties this week, as birds caught by razor-sharp kite strings fell from the sky. "It's very painful to see your hard work in trying to save a life end in vain," said Yadav. He takes solace in releasing those that survive into the sky again. "There's no better feeling than giving them their freedom back." (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 photo, a pigeon injured by a kite string is treated at Charity Birds Hospital in New Delhi, India. "This year there have been about 700 birds in just three days" since Independence Day on Monday, said manager Sunil Kumar Jain. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day caused its usual casualties this week, as birds caught by razor-sharp kite strings fell from the sky. Enthusiasts often line the strings of their kites with shards of glass or metal, with the aim of crossing an opponents' kite strings and cutting it down. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

Rolls of kite strings are displayed for sale in the old quarters of New Delhi, India, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day caused its usual casualties this week, as birds caught by razor-sharp kite strings fell from the sky. Enthusiasts often line the strings of their kites with shards of glass or metal, with the aim of crossing an opponents' kite strings and cutting it down. The last kite flying wins. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

In this Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 photo, a kite seller holds a kite to hand over to a customer on Independence Day in the old quarters of New Delhi, India. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day takes a painful toll on birds that fall victim to their razor-sharp strings. It happens mostly to pigeons but also to crows, eagles and parrots. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 photo, an Indian woman brings a parrot injured by kite strings to the Charity Birds Hospital in New Delhi, India. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day caused its usual casualties this week, as birds caught by razor-sharp kite strings fell from the sky. Enthusiasts often line the strings of their kites with shards of glass or metal, with the aim of crossing an opponents' kite strings and cutting it down. The last kite flying wins. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 photo, a pigeon injured by kite strings rests inside a cage at the Charity Birds Hospital in New Delhi, India. The annual tradition of flying kites over the Indian capital on Independence Day caused its usual casualties this week, as birds caught by razor-sharp kite strings fell from the sky. Enthusiasts often line the strings of their kites with shards of glass or metal, with the aim of crossing an opponents' kite strings and cutting it down. The last kite flying wins. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A judge says an ex-treasure hunter should remain jailed on contempt-of-court charges.

Federal Judge Algenon Marbley Marbley has held Tommy Thompson in contempt since December 2015 for violating terms of a plea deal by refusing to respond to questions about the location of 500 missing gold coins.

Thompson's attorney argues federal law prohibits holding someone under such conditions for longer than 18 months.

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Delaware County Sheriff's Office in Delaware, Ohio, shows Tommy Thompson, jailed on contempt-of-court charges since December 2015 for violating terms of a plea deal by refusing to respond to questions about the location of 500 missing gold coins. The ex-treasure hunter is ready to argue before an Ohio judge why his imprisonment should be ended. Federal Judge Algenon Marbley has scheduled a hearing for Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Columbus. (Delaware County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)

Marbley denied the request Friday after a short hearing, saying Thompson is still refusing to follow his plea deal.

Thompson's attorney said he'll appeal Marbley's order.

The coins are valued at up to $4 million and were minted from gold taken from the S.S. Central America. It sank in an 1857 hurricane.
BOSTON (AP) - New England's fall foliage forecast is looking so fine it's enough to make a maple leaf blush.

For the first time in several years, little has conspired against a truly glorious autumn. There's no more drought, the summer has been mild and the leaves - largely spared by marauding gypsy moth caterpillars - look healthy.

Translation: A pretty great season for leaf peeping seems to be shaping up.

FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2010 file photo, a maple tree shows its fall colors in Woodstock, Maine. New England's 2017 fall foliage forecast is very favorable for leaf peeping. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

"It's the most optimistic forecast I've had in a couple of years," said Jim Salge, who tracks the region's annual autumn pageant for Yankee Magazine.

"The biggest thing that can go wrong with foliage is a really wet couple of weeks leading up," Salge cautioned. "We'll really need that typical fall weather in New England - warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights - to make it pop. But we've had a great setup."

A few recent autumns disappointed because they were preceded by too much or too little summer rainfall, muting the colors. Last fall was a bust in parts of eastern Massachusetts and Connecticut after hungry caterpillars defoliated hundreds of thousands of acres of already drought-stricken woodlands.

But this year, Yankee says in a forecast being released Friday, the stage is set for a particularly "strong and vibrant" display. Salge didn't study New York, New Jersey or other corners of the Northeast, but botanists say those states theoretically should be in for a nice show, too, since they tend to experience similar weather.

Snowfall and snowmelt replenished drought-parched forests during winter and early spring.

"Since spring, the weather in New England has been fairly stable. There have been no long stretches of unbearable heat, nor have temperatures been below average. Rainfall has been adequate but not extreme," it predicts.

"The setup looks good overall for New England's fall foliage display this year. The forest appears generally healthy and leaf development has been normal. The upshot: In New England, normal fall colors are expected to be spectacular."

Jeff Folger, a leading foliage expert from Salem, Massachusetts, mostly concurs, though he worries about the fallout from a fungus that thrived during the very moist spring. It affects maples and other species, mottling the leaves and in some instances even causing them to drop early.

Gypsy moth caterpillars also did serious damage in parts of Rhode Island and around the Quabbin Reservoir in west-central Massachusetts. Chomped trees sprouted new leaves, but that generally means less-vibrant colors in badly hit areas come fall.

And the National Weather Service says it's too early to predict in fickle New England whether September conditions will favor foliage. Its models foresee normal rainfall and above normal temperatures, which may or may not produce those desirable crisp nights.

Even so, "I think we're looking pretty good," Folger said, predicting that color may peak in some areas in the last week of September rather than the more typical first week of October.

"Happy leaves stay on the trees longer," he said. "And with no more drought, these are happy leaves."

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Follow Bill Kole on Twitter at https://twitter.com/billkole. His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/William%20J.%20Kole.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A statue of the U.S. Supreme Court justice who wrote the 1857 Dred Scott decision that upheld slavery and denied citizenship to African Americans was removed from the grounds of the Maryland State House early Friday.

The statue of Roger B. Taney was lifted away by a crane at about 2 a.m. It was lowered into a truck and driven away to storage.

The bronze statue was erected in 1872, just outside the original front door of the State House.

Workers use a crane to lift the monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney after it was was removed from outside Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Three of the four voting members of the State House Trust voted by email Wednesday to move the statue. House Speaker Michael Busch, a Democrat who was one of the three who voted to remove it, wrote this week that the statue "doesn't belong" on the grounds.

His comments came after the violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend, with clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters. A woman was killed when a car plowed into a crowd of people who were there to condemn the white nationalists, who had rallied against Charlottesville officials' decision to remove a monument to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, said this week that removing the statue of Taney in Annapolis was "the right thing to do." Republican Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford voted on behalf of the administration to remove the statue.

One member of the trust, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, criticized holding the vote without a public meeting.

"This was certainly a matter of such consequence that the transparency of a public meeting and public conversation should have occurred," Miller, a Democrat, wrote in a letter Thursday to Hogan.

While the statue's removal was not publicized, a couple dozen onlookers watched as workers started the removal process shortly after midnight Thursday. Some witnesses cheered as the statue was lifted from its pedestal.

The statue was removed two days after Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh ordered the removal of four monuments from her city under the cover of night, including another statue of Taney.

Taney was born in Maryland and practiced law in Frederick before becoming the nation's fifth chief justice. Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, were slaves who sued for their freedom after they were taken from the slave state of Missouri into territory where slavery had been prohibited by the Missouri Compromise.

This year marked the 160th anniversary of the 1857 decision. In March, a family member of Taney's apologized to the Scott family in front of the statue that was removed Friday. Charles Taney IV of Greenwich, Connecticut, apologized to the Scotts and all African Americans for the "terrible injustice of the Dred Scott decision." Lynne Jackson, a great-great-granddaughter of Dred Scott, accepted the apology for her family and "all African Americans who have the love of God in their heart, so that healing can begin."

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An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the four statues removed in Baltimore did not include a statue of Taney.

Workers positions the monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney on a flatbed truck after it was removed from outside Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Workers sits the monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney after it was removed from outside the Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Workers remove a monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney from outside the Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Workers remove a monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney from outside the Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Joe and Atlanta Ruf of Annapolis, watch workers remove a monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney from outside the Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Workers remove a monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney from outside the Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Workers strap down the monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney on a flatbed truck after it was removed from outside the Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

People watch workers remove a monument dedicated to U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney from outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Md., early Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Maryland workers hauled several monuments away, days after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned deadly. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
WASHINGTON (AP) - White House adviser Steve Bannon isn't alone in pondering America's possibly generation-defining question about China's emerging superpower status - but his call for an "economic war" puts him far outside the mainstream.

In an interview reflecting on some of his big-thinking projects, Bannon said the country should be "maniacally focused" on a confrontation with Beijing over who will be the global "hegemon" of the next 25 to 30 years. The former Breitbart News executive - who works steps from President Donald Trump in the West Wing - told The American Prospect that "the economic war with China is everything."

For decades, American economists, military strategists and policymakers of all stripes have wrestled with how the United States and China, the world's biggest and soon-to-be biggest economies, manage differences on trade and security. But no one in a position of power has adopted a strategy that entails the almost messianic zeal of Bannon's world view.

FILE - In this April 29, 2017, file photo, Steve Bannon, chief White House strategist to President Donald Trump is seen in Harrisburg, Pa. Bannon says there's no military solution to North Korea's threats and says the U.S. is losing the economic race against China. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

For good reason, according to advocates of more measured approaches to dealing with China, who argue that an economic war would hurt everyone.

"Steve Bannon's view is too simplistic and arrogant," Seattle trade attorney William Perry declared, saying such talk "could get the U.S. in big trouble." He said Bannon's position is "built around the idea that the United States is the biggest market in the world and everybody has to kowtow to us."

Bannon's comments do reflect sentiments Trump himself has channeled on narrowing America's vast trade deficit with China and bringing manufacturing jobs back home. They also underscore the ways in which the U.S. administration is in conflict with itself on China and other foreign policy issues.

Bannon was stunningly candid about purging rivals from the Defense and State departments who supposedly resist the tough trade line with China. And he contradicted Trump by calling his boss' bluff on threatening to attack North Korea, saying there is no military solution to the nuclear standoff.

Bannon characterized the focus on North Korea as a "sideshow" to a more significant, U.S.-Chinese struggle for world control.

Past U.S. administrations, Republican and Democrat, have cooperated with China since it initiated market-opening reforms more than three decades ago. The Clinton administration, for example, supported China's World Trade Organization entry in 2001.

But as China's economic and military might has grown, hopes it would open its markets and play by WTO rules like other rising economies have receded. U.S. views have hardened.

While American consumers have benefited from cheaper Chinese-made goods, the imports have caused massive U.S. trade deficits. Last year, for instance, America's trade gap in goods with China was $347 billion. That represented nearly half the U.S. trade deficit with the entire world.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Zurich and the University of California, San Diego, found the U.S. lost 2.4 million jobs from 1999 to 2011 because of Chinese import competition. For Americans, that is the biggest concern and one Trump tapped into among blue-collar voters, at Bannon's urging.

Of his economic war with China, Bannon said: "We have to be maniacally focused on that. If we continue to lose it, we're five years away, I think, ten years at the most, of hitting an inflection point from which we'll never be able to recover."

Such doom-and-gloom talk may be getting Trump's receptive ear. His administration has recently dusted off some little-used trade weapons, starting a process that could lead to penalties on Chinese steel and aluminum imports. On Monday, Trump announced the U.S. is investigating China for allegedly stealing American technology and intellectual property.

But Bannon is surrounded by rivals for the president's favor, clashing with top officials such as H.R. McMaster, Trump's national security adviser. Trump himself passed up an opportunity this week to express confidence in Bannon, who has been with Trump since before the presidential election.

Of The American Prospect interview, a White House spokeswoman on Thursday only said, "Bannon's comments stand on their own."

An individual outside government who met recently with Bannon described him ordering up voluminous dossiers about China from various government agencies in recent weeks, possibly to prepare for Trump's trade action this week. Trump's announcement drew an angry reaction from Beijing, which also pushed back on Bannon's remarks.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunyin called Thursday for "sound and steady growth of China-U.S. relations."

"There is no winner in a trade war," Hua told reporters in Beijing.

For years, China manipulated its currency to give its exporters an advantage over foreign competition. It demanded foreign companies turn over technology to access China's vast market, and its firms rampantly stole the intellectual property of foreign companies. Government subsidies and cheap loans encouraged Chinese factories to overproduce steel, aluminum and other products, driving down global prices and putting U.S. and other firms out of business.

But Washington hasn't ignored violations. The Obama administration, for instance, filed 16 WTO cases against China. The U.S. has almost completely blocked steel imports from China. The Peterson Institute for International Economics found in a report this year that more than 9 percent of Chinese imports face trade barriers in the United States, versus less than 4 percent of overall imports.

And China stopped manipulating its currency a few years ago.

Bannon's comments suggest potentially harsher measures. During the presidential campaign, Trump threatened 45 percent tariffs on Chinese imports, even if that would likely prompt Chinese retaliation.

"The notion that we slap some tariffs on them, and they're going to cave - that, I'm sure, is wrong," said David Dollar, a former U.S. Treasury and World Bank official now at the Brookings Institution.

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Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Darlene Superville in Bridgewater, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
SYDNEY (AP) - A security consultant working for New Zealand's rugby team has been found not guilty of making up claims he found a bugging device at the team's hotel in Sydney a year ago.

Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson of Downing Centre Local Court on Friday said there was not enough evidence to convict Adrian Gard of making a false representation resulting in a police investigation in August of last year.

Atkinson did, however, find Gard guilty of a second charge of acting as a security consultant without the proper license.

All Blacks captain Kieran Read had earlier told the court via a video link that he believed Gard was "honest and loyal."

Gard and his brother clapped as the magistrate read out her ruling on the charge of public mischief, but appeared surprised when she said he was guilty of the second charge.

The court previously heard the All Blacks only decided to alert police about the bug five days after its discovery, once they knew the story was going to be reported in the New Zealand media.

The device was one of the cheapest and simplest small bugs available, and was reportedly found inside a conference room chair.

The prosecution had alleged "the device was never in the chair (but) the accused made it up."

The incident caused friction between the rugby rivals, with the Australian Rugby Union angry the All Blacks kept silent on the incident for so long and suspected they leaked it to media for a match day distraction.
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnam has been battling raging dengue fever outbreaks with more than 10,000 new infections reported over the past week stretching its medical system.

The number of admitted patients represents a 42-percent increase over the same period last year along with seven more deaths, the Ministry of Health said Friday. A total of 90,626 people have been infected, of whom 76,848 have been hospitalized and 24 have died.

The ministry attributed the rise of dengue outbreaks to higher temperature, more rains and rapid urbanization that promote the breeding of virus-carrying mosquitoes.

Doctor Vu Minh Dien, left, examines dengue patient Tran Thi Xuyen at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, Vietnam, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Vietnam has been battling raging dengue fever outbreaks with more than 10,000 new infections reported over the past week stretching its medical system. (AP Photo/Tran Van Minh)

Dr. Vu Minh Dien of the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, where the most severe cases were being treated, said that 800-1,000 people have been checking in daily complaining of fever. That compares to only several cases that reported to the hospital in June and July last year, he said.

Dien said some 300 dengue patients were being treated, stretching the hospital's resources, including longer working hours without weekend leaves.

Tran Thi Xuyen, a fruit and vegetable seller in a small market in Son La province, said she did not know how she contracted dengue fever, which also infected her fellow saleswoman.

"I took anti-biotics prescribed by the local district hospital for four days, but the fever did not go away and I admitted myself to this hospital where doctors said I had dengue fever," she said from her hospital bed.

There is no cure for any of the four strains of the mosquito-borne virus that causes high fever, exhaustion and in some cases a vicious skin rash. Patients most at risk of dying are the elderly, children or those with other medical complications.

Hanoi and the southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City are the hardest hit.

The government on Thursday urged residents to actively engage in killing mosquitoes and mosquito larvae, particularly at construction sites and housing for workers.

"The joint efforts by the people as well as our political system in searching and eliminating mosquito larvae, emptying water containers, which are fertile for larvae to breed, and spraying chemicals to kill mosquitoes are key factors to curb dengue fever," Dien said.
MIDWAY CITY, Calif. (AP) - Vernon Poling was 44 years old when he finally got a home of his own.

The Iraq War veteran was medically discharged from the Army in 2014, had to quit his trucking job for medical reasons, and found himself living out of his pickup last year in Orange County, a sprawling area of Southern California known for beaches, Disneyland and high housing costs.

Poling was homeless for seven months before he found temporary housing in the area. He then learned about Potter's Lane, an apartment complex made from recycled shipping containers, just for homeless veterans. It's believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S.

In this Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 photo, Iraq war veteran Vernon Poling, 44, walks through a courtyard past a giant American flag at Potter's Lane, an apartment complex made out of shipping containers in Midway City, Calif. Poling was the last of 15 homeless veterans to move into the $6.7 million project paid for with federal, state, and local dollars, donations, and among other sources, the nonprofit behind the project, American Family Housing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

On a sunny Friday in April, Poling walked into his 480-square-foot (45-square-meter) apartment for the first time, set down his backpack on his new floor and took it all in.

"I have never had a place of my own," Poling said. "I got out of high school, I tried working. I was still living with the parents. I joined the Army at 23, active duty. Then I was staying with Uncle Sam in the barracks ... To finally have my own place, it feels really good."

Poling was the last of 15 homeless veterans to move into Potter's Lane, a $6.7 million project paid for with federal, state and local dollars, donations and money from the nonprofit behind the project, American Family Housing, among other sources.

The apartments could easily belong to San Francisco tech workers or hipsters in Los Angeles' trendy Arts District. Each of the 15 furnished units are made of three shipping containers pieced together and spiffed up with faux wood flooring, drywall and floor-to-ceiling windows on two of four walls. They include artwork and homemade quilts, and overlook a courtyard that includes a giant American flag, a garden, grills and picnic tables.

American Family Housing wanted to make sure the complex's design built on the strength of the U.S. military, said Donna Gallup, the group's president.

"All of the units look over the courtyard so that they can watch each other's backs and develop that community and that sense of belonging," she said.

The men now living at Potter's Lane were among 350 homeless veterans in Orange County.

The county's homeless population is much smaller than that of neighboring Los Angeles, but it's expanding. Orange County has about 4,800 homeless people overall, a 13 percent increase since 2013, according to Point-in-Time, a group that tracks homelessness.

Potter's Lane is a positive step forward, but with just 15 apartments, it's also a "drop in the bucket" for the region's homeless, said Eve Garrow, homelessness policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union's Orange County office.

"About 54 percent of all people experiencing homelessness in the county are literally living in the streets," Garrow said. "Meanwhile, the wait time for affordable housing is between five and 10 years when you can get on the list. So there's a dire shortage."

Garrow also has concerns about the location of Potter's Lane in a commercial area among car repair shops.

"We need to be thinking about models that integrate people who were previously homeless so they can enjoy and access all the benefits the community offers," Garrow said. "It may be politically a little easier to put these projects in more remote or industrial areas, but that may not be meeting the needs of the people who occupy those units."

Gallup of American Family Housing said the location helped speed the permitting process.

"In just about six months' time we had an entire 15-unit project completed," Gallup said. "Normally a traditional project would take up to two years to build, and the fact that our homeless veterans are sleeping on the streets right now, I think timing is very important."

Megan Hustings, director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Coalition for the Homeless, said she's never heard of using shipping containers for permanent housing for the homeless, though there have been affordable housing projects involving tiny houses in places like Denver, Seattle and Austin.

A lack of affordable housing nationwide means more projects like Potter's Lane are needed, Hustings said.

"We're going to have to consider a wide variety of solutions," she said. "Everyone's really feeling the crunch. It's just everywhere."

After two months of living in his new home, Poling said he was feeling settled and had made friends, particularly with his next-door neighbor Dale Dollar, a former Marine who was homeless for 14 years.

On a recent Monday evening, Poling and Dollar sidled up to a picnic table with plates of pasta and salad, part of a weekly meal provided to Potter's Lane residents by a local nonprofit. They laughed and bobbed their heads to upbeat oldies playing on speakers as they chowed down.

Though he appreciates the company, Poling said the best part of his new home is probably his bed.

"There's been a couple nights that I've been surprised I've slept so long," Poling said. "It's a load off."

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Follow Amanda Lee Myers on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaLeeAP

In this Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 photo, Iraq war veteran Vernon Poling, 44, who was homeless for seven months, rests in his apartment made out of shipping containers in Midway City, Calif. Poling, who had been medically discharged from the Army in 2014, was the last of 15 homeless veterans to move into Potter's Lane, a $6.7 million project paid for with federal, state, and local dollars, donations, and among other sources, the nonprofit behind the project, American Family Housing.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

In this Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 photo, Iraq war veteran Vernon Poling, 44, takes pictures of plants in the courtyard of his apartment complex in Midway City, Calif. Poling was homeless for seven months before he found temporary housing in the area. He was living there when he found out about Potter's Lane, an apartment complex made out of recycled shipping containers just for homeless veterans, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

In this Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 photo, donated canned goods are stacked on the apartment floor as Iraq war veteran Vernon Poling, 44, walks out of his apartment for grocery shopping in Midway City, Calif. Poling was homeless for seven months before he found temporary housing in the area. He was living there when he found out about Potter's Lane, an apartment complex made out of recycled shipping containers just for homeless veterans, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

In this Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 photo, Iraq war veteran Vernon Poling, who was homeless for several months, rolls a cigarette in his apartment made out of shipping containers, in Midway City, Calif. Poling was 44-years-old before he got a home of his own. The veteran, who had been discharged from the Army in 2014, needed to quit his trucking job for medical reasons, and found himself living out of his pickup truck last year in Orange County, California, best known for Disneyland and high housing costs. He's now living in Potter's Lane, an apartment complex made out of shipping containers just for homeless veterans, believed to be the first of its kind in the nation. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

In this Monday, Aug. 14, 2017 photo, Iraq war veteran Vernon Poling, 44, sits on his bed next to a pair of combat boots he purchased right before his deployment in his apartment made out of shipping containers in Midway City, Calif. Poling, who had been medically discharged from the Army in 2014, was homeless for seven months. He was the last of 15 homeless veterans to move into Potter's Lane, American Family Housing's $6.7 million project. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
NEW YORK (AP) - The CEO of 21st Century Fox denounced racism and terrorists while expressing concern over President Donald Trump's reaction to the deadly violence surrounding a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

James Murdoch also told friends in a personal email that he and his wife, Kathryn, will donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League.

Murdoch writes that the events in Charlottesville last weekend and Trump's response "concern all of us as Americans and free people."

FILE - In this April 19, 2017, file photo, James Murdoch attends the National Geographic 2017 "Further Front" network upfront at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York. In a personal email to friends made public Aug. 17, 2017, Murdoch denounced racism and terrorists while expressing concern over President Donald Trump's reaction to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)

"I can't even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists," Murdoch added. "Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so."

Trump has put the blame for the violence on both white nationalists and those protesting the gathering last weekend, saying there were "very fine people" on both sides.

Murdoch is the son of the 21st Century Fox's co-executive chairman, Rupert Murdoch, a Trump ally who The New York Times reported recently dined with the president at the White House. The company is the corporate parent of Fox News Channel, which has given friendly coverage to the president.

The email was first reported by the Times Thursday.
MOSCOW (AP) - Russian warplanes are supporting a Damascus government offensive against the Islamic State group in a town in central Syria, the military said Friday.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the Syrian army is now completing the push to encircle IS militants in the town of Akerbat in Hama province.

Syrian troops have seized key heights in the area, cutting off avenues of supply for the militants, according to the Russian statement. The militants have started fleeing the area in small groups, making their way toward Deir el-Zour, the largest city still under IS control, it said.

Russian drones are patrolling the area round-the-clock, directing air strikes, the ministry added.

Russia has waged an air campaign in Syria since September 2015, helping Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces gain ground and achieve key victories.

Separately, the Russian Defense Ministry said its representatives signed a deal with Faylaq al-Rahman, a Syrian rebel group, to join a de-escalation zone agreement for Eastern Ghouta, an eastern Damascus. The deal was signed on Friday in Geneva and will go into force later in the day, the ministry said.

Last month, another rebel group in the area, Jaysh al-Islam, joined the de-escalation agreement.

The de-escalation zone in Eastern Ghouta is one of four proposed in a plan approved in May by Russia, Turkey and Iran. The plan includes a cessation of hostilities, a halt to Assad's air force flights over designated areas, and provisions for humanitarian aid access.
COTABATO, Philippines (AP) - Five Muslim rebels from a large group that is helping the Philippine government fight extremism were killed Friday in the latest clash with Islamic State group-linked militants, security officials said.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters died in the clash with extremists belonging to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters who tried to set up a bomb in Datu Salibo town in southern Maguindanao province, said police Senior Superintendent Agustin Tello.

The larger Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed a 2014 Muslim autonomy deal and has served as a government ally in its fight against extremism, has been battling a pro-IS faction of the militant group since early this month.

The fighting between the two rebel groups started when BIFF rebels detonated a bomb that wounded several fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which retaliated in early August. Army troops have backed the Moro rebel front fighters with artillery fire and airstrikes, army Lt. Col. Gerry Besana said.

More than 40 rebels from both sides have been killed in the sporadic clashes in Datu Salibo and outlying towns in Maguindanao province's vast marshland, Besana said.

Claims by the Islamic State group online that the BIFF rebels have killed dozens of Moro Islamic Liberation guerrillas in the ongoing clashes were extremist propaganda, he said.

The 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front has dropped its secessionist bid in exchange for broader autonomy for minority Muslims in the southern third of the largely Roman Catholic nation. It has observed a cease-fire with the Philippine military for years and has renounced terrorism.

Besana said both sides slowly built trust and were fighting "a common enemy right now, which are the IS-inspired terrorist groups."

"The MILF rebels say they didn't fully trust the soldiers at first but now they feel closer, there is a good flow of communications," Besana said. "We regard them as brothers and call them as counterparts."

The Moro rebels' mastery of the terrain is a big help to the military as troops confront the rise of new pro-Islamic State groups, including those behind a deadly siege in southern Marawi city that has dragged on for nearly three months, he said.
BERLIN (AP) - German authorities say a 32-year-old woman gave birth on a commuter train heading to Berlin from a town in Brandenburg state.

Police told the dpa news agency Friday that a police officer on his way to work heard a scream from another car on the train. Discovering the woman in labor, he quickly enlisted two other passengers to help and she successfully gave birth to a baby girl.

Together with an older sibling, the mother and newborn were taken safely to a hospital for further observation.

Police say they'd been on an hour-long journey Friday morning from Rathenow to Berlin.
BANGKOK (AP) - Thai law enforcement officials announced Friday they have arrested a South Korean man suspected of involvement in trafficking of Thai women into South Korea's sex industry.

Thailand's Department of Special Investigation said that Kim Hyoung-joon was arrested Thursday at a Bangkok apartment building.

South Korean authorities in February arrested eight of its nationals in connection with the same operation and charged them with human trafficking. Thai investigators said the arrests led them to issue warrants for Kim and a Thai.

The statement said Kim is also being sought by South Korean authorities, who have warrants out for his arrest on multiple charges.

DSI, which is modeled after America's FBI, said it also received information from non-governmental organizations about the trafficking operation that duped Thai women into the sex trade by telling them that they would be offered jobs as traditional Thai masseuses in South Korea.

Once the victims arrived in South Korea, their passports were confiscated and they were forced into prostitution and kept under constant guard.

NGOs in Southeast Asia are instrumental in battling human trafficking and often work closely with police.

Thailand's military government has come under heavy scrutiny in recent years over the country's human trafficking problems. In 2014, the U.S. State Department demoted Thailand in its annual ranking of countries - based on their efforts in countering modern-day slavery - to the lowest "Tier 3" status, indicating a failure to combat trafficking.

The Thai government instituted tougher policies after its 2014 demotion and last year was upgraded to "Tier 2" status in the U.S. report, indicating countries that do not meet minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to do so. Thailand's Foreign Ministry said in February that it had convicted 268 people for human trafficking in 2016, the highest number since the government began instituting tougher policies.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday condemned hate speech and bigotry as un-American and antithetical to the values on which the U.S. was founded and promotes abroad. He also lamented a lack of diversity in the U.S. diplomatic corps and pledged to increase minority hiring.

In his most extensive comments on race and diversity since last weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the ensuing rhetorical fallout that has embroiled the country, Tillerson called racism "evil." He said freedom of speech is sacrosanct but that those who promote hate poison the public discourse and damage the country.

"Hate is not an American value," he told interns and young State Department staffers, including minorities involved in special recruiting programs. "We do not honor, nor do we promote or accept hate speech in any form and those who embrace it poison our public discourse and they damage the very country that they claim to love."

FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2017 file photo, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the State Department in Washington. Tillerson is condemning hate speech and bigotry as un-American and antithetical to the values the U.S. was founded on and promotes abroad. In his most extensive comments on race and diversity since last weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Va., Tillerson on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, called racism "evil." He said freedom of speech is sacrosanct but that those who promote hate poison the public discourse and damage the country they claim to love. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

"Racism is evil," Tillerson said. "It is antithetical to America's values, it is antithetical to the American idea." He then quoted George Washington speaking to a synagogue about the dangers of discrimination and Abraham Lincoln speaking about the need to unite the nation.

Tillerson, who has been criticized by former diplomats and the foreign policy experts for maintaining a hiring freeze at the department that also affected minority recruiting, also pledged to diversify the overwhelmingly white and male ranks of the senior diplomatic corps.

He said it was unacceptable that only 12 percent of the senior foreign service is non-white and only one-third women. And, he stressed that the hiring freeze is only temporary and would be lifted with minority recruitment programs remaining in place and being bolstered.

"As the arm of the U.S. government representing America around the world, the U.S. State Department should be a clear display of America's values and our people, not just in our mission but in the composition of our work force," he said. "We have a great diversity gap in the State Department. We need a State Department that reflects the American people, reflects who we are. The State Department must redouble our efforts to increase diversity at the highest ranks of the department."

To that end, he said the department would expand minority recruiting and that he was requiring that at least one minority candidate be considered for every open ambassadorship.
DALLAS (AP) - A Texas woman is going to prison for a $1.2 million scheme that stole identities to get tax refunds to buy and ship used cars to Nigeria.

LaTonya Carson was sentenced Thursday to spend 10 years in a U.S. prison. The Dallas woman was convicted on several charges, including aggravated identity theft, money laundering and wire fraud.

Federal prosecutors in Dallas say some victims were in prison when their personal information was stolen.

Investigators say that starting in 2012, Carson and others involved in the scheme used bogus tax refunds to buy and export nearly 280 vehicles to Nigeria.

Another suspect, Smith Olsola Akin of Plano (PLAY'-noh), Texas, was sentenced to 11 years in prison. The two other indicted suspects remain at large.
ABERDEEN, Wash. (AP) - One-hundred-fifty baskets of pink petunias hang from the light posts all over this city, watered regularly by residents trying to make their community feel alive again. A local artist spends his afternoons high in a bucket truck, painting a block-long mural of a little girl blowing bubbles, each circle the scene of an imagined, hopeful future.

But in the present, vacant buildings dominate blocks. A van, stuffed so full of blankets and boxes they are spilling from the windows, pulls to the curb outside Stacie Blodgett's antiques shop.

"Look inside of it," she says. "I bet you he's living in it."

Forrest Wood, 24, injects heroin into his arm under a bridge along the Wishkah River at Kurt Cobain Memorial Park in Aberdeen, Wash., Tuesday, June 13, 2017. Wood grew up here, watching drugs take hold of his relatives, and he swore to himself that he would get out of this place, maybe spend his days in the woods as a park ranger. But he started taking opioid painkillers as a teenager, and before he knew it he was shooting heroin, a familiar first chapter in the story of American addiction. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Around the corner, a crowded tent city of the desperate and addicted has taken over the riverbank, makeshift memorials to too many dead too young jutting up intermittently from the mud.

America, when viewed through the bars on Blodgett's windows, looks a lot less great than it used to be. So she answered Donald Trump's call to the country's forgotten corners. Thousands of her neighbors did, too, and her county, once among the most reliably Democratic in the nation, swung Republican in a presidential election for the first time in 90 years.

"People were like, 'This guy's going to be it. He's going to change everything, make it better again,'" she says.

Blodgett stands at the computer on her counter and scrolls through the headlines. Every day it's something new: details in the Russia campaign investigation, shake-ups at the White House, turmoil over Trump's response to race-fueled riots. His administration's failed plans to remake the health care system may or may not cost millions their coverage, and there's a lack of clarity over how exactly he intends to eradicate a spiraling drug crisis that now claims 142 American lives each day - a growing number of them here, in Grays Harbor County.

"Has he done anything good yet?" she asks. "Has he?"

Blodgett was born and raised in this county, where the logging economy collapsed decades ago, replaced by a simmering sense of injustice that outsiders took the lumber, built cities around the world and then left this place to decay when there was nothing more to take. The community sank into despair. Suicides increased, addiction took root. Blodgett is 59, and the rate at which people here die from drugs and alcohol has quadrupled in her lifetime.

She thought opening an antiques and pawn shop with her boyfriend on a downtown street bordered by petunias would be fun. Instead, she's confronted every day with her neighbors' suffering. They come to pawn their jewelry to pay for medication. They come looking for things stolen from them. They come to trade in odds and ends and tell her food stamps won't cover the dog food.

She keeps a bag of kibble behind the register.

Now they come to discuss Trump, and their differing degrees of faith that he will make good on his promise to fix the rotting blue-collar economy that brought this despair to their doorstep.

Many here agree that the thrashing and churning in Washington looks trivial when viewed from this place 3,000 miles away that so many residents have been trying so hard to save. Some maintain confidence that Trump will rise above the chaos to deliver on his pledge to resurrect the American dream. Others fear new depths of hopelessness if he fails.

Blodgett just prays Trump understand the stakes - because in places like this, there is little room left for error from Washington, D.C.

There, he is tweeting insults about senators and CNN.

Here, her neighbors have been reduced to living in cars.

___

Across the country, Trump disproportionately claimed these communities where lifetimes contracted as the working class crumbled.

Penn State sociologist Shannon Monnat spent last fall plotting places on a map experiencing a rise in "deaths of despair" - from drugs, alcohol and suicide wrought by the decimation of jobs that used to bring dignity. On Election Day, she glanced up at the television. The map of Trump's victory looked eerily similar to hers documenting death, from New England through the Rust Belt all the way here, to the rural coast of Washington, a county of 71,000 so out-of-the-way some say it feels like the end of the earth.

Aberdeen was built as a boomtown at the dawn of the 20th century. Its spectacular landscape - the Chehalis River carves through tree-topped hills to the harbor - offered ships easy access to the Pacific Ocean. Millionaire lumber barons built mansions on the hills. There were restaurants and theaters and traffic that backed up as the drawbridge into town seesawed up and down for ship after ship packed with timber. Now that drawbridge pretty much stays put.

The economy started to slip in the 1960s, slowly at first, as jobs were lost to globalization and automation. Then the federal government in 1990 limited the level of logging in an attempt to save an endangered owl.

Today, the riverbank hosts a homeless encampment where residents pull driftwood from the water to construct memorials to the dead. An 8-foot cross honors their latest loss: A 42-year-old man who had heart and lung ailments made worse by infrequent medical care and addiction. A generation ago, people like him worked in the mills, lived in tidy houses and could afford to see a doctor, says the Rev. Sarah Monroe, a street minister here.

"But instead his life ended living in a tent on the riverbank."

The county's population is stagnating and aging, as many young and able move away. Just 15 percent of those left behind have college degrees. A quarter of children grow up poor. There is a critical shortage of doctors. All that gathered into what Karolyn Holden, director of the public health department, calls "a perfect storm" that put Grays Harbor near the top of the lists no place wants to be on: drugs, alcohol, early death, runaway rates of welfare.

"Things went from extremely good to not good to bad to worse, and we've got generations now where they don't know anything else," she says. "We have a lot of people without a lot of hope for themselves."

Forrest Wood grew up here; his parents even picked his name in tribute to the local timber history. He watched drugs take hold of his relatives, and he swore to himself that he would get out, maybe become a park ranger. But he started taking opioid painkillers as a teenager, and before he knew it he was shooting heroin - a familiar first chapter in the story of American addiction.

He sits under a bridge next to a park named after Kurt Cobain, the city's most famous son, the Nirvana frontman and a heroin addict, who shot himself in the head at 27 years old in 1994. Wood is 24. He plunges a syringe full of brown liquid into his vein, though he knows well how this might end.

"My uncle died right over there in his truck," he says, pointing to a cluster of battered houses and blinking back tears. "He was messing with drugs. He did too much."

Wood's mother got treatment at the county's methadone clinic and has stayed clean for years, paid for by her coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

Holden was so happy on the day President Barack Obama signed the legislation, she cried. It's an imperfect program with premiums and deductibles rising for some, she says. But thousands here received coverage; the uninsured dropped from 18 percent in 2012 to 9 in 2014 - one of the greatest gains in the state.

She reads about all the proposals Republicans have offered to topple it - repeal and replace, just repeal, do nothing and let it buckle on its own - and believes the consequences of an unstable system will be most painful in counties like hers, where residents die on average three years younger than those in the rest of the state. For two terrifying weeks this summer, no insurer filed to provide coverage for the county through the exchange next year, threatening to leave thousands without an option. Other initiatives seem to be on the administration's chopping block, too, like family planning programs to combat the high rate of teen pregnancy.

The health department last year collected 750,000 needles at its syringe exchange designed to stem the tide of drug-related disease - an incredible number for a small community, but still down from more than 900,000 the year before. Holden attributes that improvement to the methadone clinic that helps Wood's mother and nearly 500 more stay off drugs.

Molly Carney, the executive director of Evergreen Treatment Services, says each client costs $14.75 per day for a combination of counseling and medication that prevents the sickness that strangles so many addicts' attempts to get clean. More than 95 percent of her patients are covered by Medicaid. If the nation's health care system collapses and patients are left uninsured, Carney says her clinic and others won't survive, and even more will end up homeless, in jail or dead.

Tarryn Vick and Anjelic Baker line up before dawn every morning outside the clinic. They both beat crushing addictions by drinking their daily cup of pink liquid, and without it they believe they would tumble back into that deadly spiral. On this morning, they worry together over the possibility that Obamacare will be undone. Baker begins to cry.

"Are we going to lose our coverage?" she asks Vick. "Are we going to die?"

Vick shrugs, shakes her head and says she doesn't know.

"Every day," she tells her friend, "I wonder more."

___

Robert LaCount flips open his Alcoholics Anonymous book, the binding frayed from a decade of reading, and pulls out a funeral program he keeps tucked among its pages. The photo on the front shows a woman with long hair and sad eyes, 32 years old, a mother of three.

He walked her down the aisle at her wedding. Eight months later, he carried the casket at her funeral. She had been addicted to heroin, recovered, relapsed and hanged herself.

"It's too sad," says LaCount, himself a recovering addict. "But it happens all the time."

For years, LaCount cycled in and out of jail and it did nothing to stop the addiction. He endangered his own children, spent Christmases in missions, didn't care if he lived. Then one day it occurred to him that his life was so empty no one would care enough to claim his body from the morgue when he died. He got clean nine years ago, and now runs a sober housing program and fields 10 calls for help a day that he has to say no to because there's so much need and so few resources.

LaCount is a Trump supporter looking eagerly to Washington for action on the addiction crisis. The president this month declared the opioid epidemic a national emergency, potentially unlocking federal funding for deterrence and treatment. However, other moves by the administration have LaCount concerned.

He was stunned when Trump's attorney general announced a return to the tough-on-crime sentencing policies of the War on Drugs, and he's unnerved by Trump's calls to undo the health insurance system that he and many addicts rely on to get clean. LaCount recently finished a $90,000 treatment that rid his body of the hepatitis C he contracted using injection drugs. Those trapped in addiction have little chance to get out of it without health coverage, he says.

But it's hard to tell sometimes what news is real and what's blown out of proportion, he says, frustrated by what he sees as mass obstruction to the president's every proposal. People in big cities, rooting for Trump's failure, don't have nearly as much on the line as they do here, LaCount says.

"We're banking on him."

He traded his motorcycle for $30,000 worth of woodworking tools to teach people the skills they'll need for the jobs Trump promised to create. He sees opportunity all around him: a port, railroads, a lot of open real estate and a beautiful wildness, where deer sometimes meander along city streets. So he's scraping paint from a run-down church with dreams of building a community center to help other people see it, too.

He considers his old building a metaphor for his community - good bones, a good soul, a working organ that plays beautiful music. It just needs help.

"It's been sitting empty and it's tired," he says. "It needs to get back to life."

Many others trying to pull their neighbors from despair are similarly optimistic about a future under Trump. People like Chad Mittleider, a paramedic, who applauds Trump's efforts to renegotiate trade deals and roll back welfare programs and regulations like those that helped drag down his community.

He has brought former classmates back to life from overdoses and responded to their suicide attempts, treating the same people over and over.

"It's taken us decades to get to where we're at," he says, "so it's not going to be fixed in four or eight years."

The Rev. Sarah Monroe can't afford to be patient. Already, she has held seven funerals this year. She tallies the initials of the dead on a tattoo that winds around her bicep: AB, dead at 23; ZV, at 24.

Now she has a new one to add: Shawn Vann Schreck, dead at 42.

Most in her flock are too consumed by the daily chaos of addiction and poverty to be engaged in what's happening in Washington. But their lives might depend more than most on Trump's plans for health care, drug policy and the safety net, she says.

Schreck's girlfriend, Misty Micheau Bushnell, says his death shook her so much she's ready to move away, and hopes her methamphetamine addiction won't follow her.

But Monroe has seen this again and again. They claw their way out and get clean- then there's another friend to bury, the despair returns and the cycle starts anew.

"I don't think our politicians know how high the stakes are here, and after so many years have gone by with our situation still as devastated as it is, I don't know if they care," she says.

"I'm not sure how much worse it can get, and at the same time I'm afraid to see how much worse it can get."

___

When Blodgett was young, people could walk out of high school, get a job in the woods and make enough money to ascend to the middle class and shop downtown. They didn't have locks on their doors. But the addiction and despair plaguing the people of Grays Harbor have fostered other problems now.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, Blodgett and her elderly mother got home to find a swarm of police cars clogging their street in the next-door town of Hoquiam. A 95-year-old man who lived in a little house six doors down for 20 years had been found bludgeoned and stabbed to death.

Blodgett adored him. She looked forward to seeing him driving around, his Pomeranian on his lap. He still met friends for coffee twice a day, once in the morning and again in the afternoon, and climbed a ladder to clean out his own gutters.

She held his daughter as she wept, then read the details of his death in the local paper, The Daily World: He'd hired a young woman to mow his lawn. That woman, believed to have a drug addiction, allegedly stole his checks. There was a confrontation, and police say she later confessed that she returned to his home, beat him with a flashlight and stabbed him with a knife.

"It makes me sick to my stomach," Blodgett says. "I'm sick, just sick."

And so she checks to make sure her backyard is empty before she goes to sleep every night. As she drives to the antiques shop every morning, she passes block after block of abandoned buildings - homeless people in the doorways, syringes in the streets. She has three grown kids and five grandkids, and she worries about their futures here.

"Kids are being raised around this," she says. "No wonder when they graduate they get out of it if they can."

Her worry has turned into anger, directed at the president she once saw as a savior. She sees Trump tweeting about talk show hosts, foreign allies, the nuclear arsenal, his own attorney general - a seemingly endless series of squabbles that will do her and her neighbors no good. Blodgett found Trump's bluster refreshing when he was a candidate. It seems reckless with the fate of the nation in his hands.

"What he needs to do is quit talking, and do what he said he's going to do."

Her brother had a stroke and is in a nursing home, paid for by Medicaid. She has pre-existing conditions, and she's terrified about what could happen to them both.

She cast her ballot for Trump because he said he'd look after the underdogs, and her community is full of them. But "as soon as he gets in there," she says, "it's like to hell with you people."

Each new headline ignites more regret. So when the computer on her counter beeps to mark the arrival of a news alert, she stiffens.

"Oh my God," she groans. "What has he done now?"

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AP multimedia journalist Martha Irvine and data journalist Angeliki Kastanis contributed to this report.

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Read more in the series: https://apnews.com/tag/TrumpCountry

Robert LaCount, a recovering addict, stands outside an old church he is fixing up as a community center in Hoquiam, Wash., Monday, June 12, 2017. For years, LaCount cycled in and out of jail and it did nothing to stop the addiction. He didn't care if he lived or died; he endangered his own children, spent Christmases in missions, until one day it occurred to him that his life had been so empty no one would care enough to claim his body from the morgue when he died. He got clean nine years ago, and now runs a sober housing program where he fields 10 calls a day that he has to say no to because there's so much need and so few resources. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Stacie Blodgett, who voted for Donald Trump, works in her antique and pawn shop in Aberdeen, Wash., Tuesday, June 13, 2017. "Has he done anything good yet?" she asks. "Has he?" She hopes Trump understands the stakes in places like this, with little room left for error from Washington, D.C. There, he is tweeting insults about senators and CNN. Here, her neighbors have been reduced to living in cars. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Logs are piled at a lumber yard in Aberdeen, Wash., Monday, June 12, 2017. The timber economy started to slip in the 1960s, slowly at first. Then the federal government in 1990 limited the level of logging in an attempt to save an endangered owl, the ships stopped coming and the river that used to drive the economy now sits still. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Dilapidated storefronts stand along baskets of pink petunias that hang from light posts all over town, watered regularly by residents trying to make their city feel alive again in Aberdeen, Wash., Friday, June 16, 2017. Six months into Trump's presidency, his supporters in this county, battered by drugs and death, maintain differing degrees of faith that he will make good on his promise to fix the rotting working class economy at the root of this plague on their doorstep. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

The Rev. Sarah Monroe reveals a tattoo decorated with the initials of those in her community who died young, in Aberdeen, Wash., Tuesday, June 13, 2017. Monroe has already held seven funerals this year. She tallies the names of the dead on a tattoo that winds around her bicep: AB, dead at 23; ZV, at 24. Now she has a new one to add: Shawn Vann Schreck, dead at 42. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Forrest Wood, 24, pauses after injecting heroin into his arm under a bridge along the Wishkah River at Kurt Cobain Memorial Park in Aberdeen, Wash., Tuesday, June 13, 2017. He's tried to quit; the drug only delays the sickness and shame that set in when he doesn't shoot up. "I'm trying to get myself to feel like I have some sort of purpose," he said. "I just want to be happy, that's all." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Chris Burkett deposits old needles for new ones at a needle exchange program run by the Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services Department in Aberdeen, Wash., Wednesday June 14, 2017. Grays Harbor County public health department last year collected 750,000 needles at its syringe exchange designed to stem the tide of disease, an incredible number for a small town, but still down from more than 900,000 the year before. They attribute that improvement to the methadone clinic that helps nearly 500 people stay off drugs. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A man shouts across the Wishkah River while incoherently talking to himself at Kurt Cobain Memorial Park in Aberdeen, Wash., Tuesday, June 13, 2017. Grays Harbor County lands near the top of all the lists no place wants to be on: drugs, alcohol, early death, child abuse, runaway rates of welfare that pull some out of poverty but trap others in a cycle of dependency. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A message reading "CALL DETOX" is written in lipstick on the bathroom mirror of a motel room in Aberdeen, Wash., Tuesday, June 13, 2017. Grays Harbor County public health department last year collected 750,000 needles at its syringe exchange designed to stem the tide of disease, an incredible number for a small town, but still down from more than 900,000 the year before. They attribute that improvement to the methadone clinic that helps nearly 500 people stay off drugs. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A man walks in front of a dilapidated motel in a rundown section of Aberdeen, Wash., Tuesday, June 13, 2017. The county's population is shrinking, growing sicker, growing poorer as many young and able move away. Just 15 percent of those left behind have college degrees. A quarter of children grow up poor. There is a critical shortage of doctors because it's hard to practice medicine in poor, rural places. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Staci Hadley, left, and boyfriend Deric Hensler, embrace during a portrait while stopping by a needle exchange program in Aberdeen, Wash., Wednesday June 14, 2017. "It's crazy how things can spiral out of control. Not too long ago, a year ago, we had credit cards and bank accounts, jobs, a house," said Hadley. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Staci Hadley, right, and boyfriend Deric Hensler rearrange their personal items out of their car which they are living out of in Aberdeen, Wash., Wednesday June 14, 2017. The couple had gotten clean on a methadone program, moved into a nice apartment and started building a better life. Then Hensler lost his job, his insurance and couldn't get methadone anymore. Now they're back on drugs and living in their car and they're trying to figure out a safe place to park and sleep for the night. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Staci Hadley, left, and boyfriend Deric Hensler, hidden, sleep in their car overnight in a parking lot outside the methadone clinic before it opens where they get treated for their drug addiction in Hoquiam, Wash., Thursday June 15, 2017. "Not too long ago we were thinking 'oh how the mighty have fallen'," said Hadley. The two used to have jobs, bank accounts, credit cards, a house before Hensler lost his job and insurance to cover methadone treatments. "I know we're kind of messed out right now," added Hadley. "But this is not my life." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Robert LaCount, a recovering addict who voted for Donald Trump, sits for a photo in the old church he is fixing up as a community center in Hoquiam, Wash., Monday, June 12, 2017. He considers his old building an analogy for his county _ good bones, a good soul, a working organ that plays beautiful music. It just needs a lot of help. "It's been sitting empty and it's tired," he says. "It needs to get back to life." He's pinned his hopes on Trump. "We're banking on him." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Aberdeen, Wash., is seen along the Chehalis River Friday, June 16, 2017. Aberdeen was built as a boom town at the turn of the 20th century. Its spectacular landscape, the Chehalis River carves through tree-topped hills to the harbor, offered ships easy access to the Pacific Ocean. Millionaire lumber barons built mansions on the hills. There were restaurants and theaters and traffic that backed up as the drawbridge leading into town seesawed up and down for ship after ship packed with logs and lumber. Now that drawbridge pretty much stays put. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Misty Micheau Bushnell looks over the memorial marking the spot where her boyfriend Shawn Vann Schreck died two days before in a homeless encampment where they live along the river in Aberdeen, Wash., Wednesday June 14, 2017. Bushnell, said his death shook her so much she thinks she's ready to move away, someplace inside, and she hopes her methamphetamine addiction won't follow her there. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A mourner lights a candle at the memorial marking the spot where Shawn Vann Schreck died two days before in a homeless encampment where he lived along the river in Aberdeen, Wash., Wednesday June 14, 2017. On Aberdeen's banks, residents of the homeless encampment pulled driftwood from the water to construct a cross, 8 feet tall, to honor their latest loss: Vann Schreck, 42, who died slowly from heart and lung ailments made worse by infrequent medical care and longtime addiction. A generation ago, people like him went to work in the mills and bought tidy houses in nice neighborhoods, says the Rev. Sarah Monroe, a street minister here. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Scott Stevens collects wood from the shore to light a fire in a homeless encampment where he lives along the river in Aberdeen, Wash., Wednesday June 14, 2017. Grays Harbor County lands near the top of all the lists no place wants to be on: drugs, alcohol, early death, child abuse, runaway rates of welfare that pull some out of poverty but trap others in a cycle of dependency. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Colin Czichas plays piano while waiting to drive a friend to work who lives in a homeless encampment along the river in Aberdeen, Wash., Wednesday June 14, 2017. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Aaron Scott, left, prays during a service conducted by Rev. Sarah Monroe, right, at Chaplains on the Harbor church in Westport, Wash., Thursday, June 15, 2017. "I don't think our politicians know how high the stakes are here, and after so many years have gone by with our situation still as devastated as it is, I don't know if they care," Monroe says. "I'm not sure how much worse it can get, and at the same time I'm afraid to see how much worse it can get." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Tarryn Vick takes her dose of methadone where she is being treated for drug addiction at the Evergreen Treatment Services clinic in Hoquiam, Wash., Thursday, June 15, 2017. Grays Harbor County public health department last year collected 750,000 needles at its syringe exchange designed to stem the tide of disease, an incredible number for a small town, but still down from more than 900,000 the year before. They attribute that improvement to the methadone clinic that helps nearly 500 people stay off drugs. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Robert LaCount, a recovering addict who voted for Trump, stands outside one of the halfway homes he setup for recovering addicts in Aberdeen, Wash., Friday, June 16, 2017. He hopes Trump's plan to Make America Great Again, harkening back to a bygone era, doesn't mean going back to a darker day, the War on Drugs, when addicts were locked away and couldn't get help unless they had money. For evidence that it didn't work, LaCount says, "just look around." They sleep in the doorways of abandoned buildings downtown. They live in tents and trucks and under tarps in the brush on the riverbank at the edge of downtown. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Robert LaCount, a recovering addict, shows a young woman's funeral program in Hoquiam, Wash., on Monday, June 12, 2017. He walked her down the aisle at her wedding and eight months later carried the casket at her funeral. The mother of three had been addicted to heroin, recovered, relapsed and hanged herself. "It's too sad," says LaCount, himself a recovering addict. "But it happens all the time." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Verna MacDonald, 87, right, who is on Medicare, sits for a free meal put on for the community at Chaplains on the Harbor church in Westport, Wash., Thursday, June 15, 2017. The county's population is shrinking, growing sicker, growing poorer as many young and able move away. Just 15 percent of those left behind have college degrees. A quarter of children grow up poor. There is a critical shortage of doctors because it's hard to practice medicine in poor, rural places. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Aberdeen, Wash., stands in the background as Pete Rasmussen, 58, walks over a bridge to return home Friday, June 16, 2017. The former logger who has been out of work for over a year needs hip surgery and worries a new Washington healthcare law could strip his benefits. "I want to get it done before they do anymore changes," said Rasmussen. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A logging truck drives through Aberdeen, Wash., Friday, June 16, 2017. Aberdeen was built as a boom town at the turn of the 20th century. Its spectacular landscape, the Chehalis River carves through tree-topped hills to the harbor, offered ships easy access to the Pacific Ocean. Millionaire lumber barons built mansions on the hills. There were restaurants and theaters and traffic that backed up as the drawbridge leading into town seesawed up and down for ship after ship packed with logs and lumber. Now that drawbridge pretty much stays put. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Artist Douglas Orr paints a mural on a building in Aberdeen, Wash., Friday, June 16, 2017. Orr has been painting a block-long mural of a little girl blowing bubbles, each circle the scene of an imagined, hopeful future. Nearby hangs one of the baskets of pink petunias that decorate light posts all over town, watered regularly by residents trying to make their city feel alive again. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
WARSAW, Poland (AP) - A prominent member of Poland's ruling party has drawn outrage with a tweet that praised threats and shots fired recently at a rescue ship destined to aid refugees in the Mediterranean Sea.

European Parliament Vice President Ryszard Czarnecki tweeted "At last!!!" in reaction to information that the Libyan coast guard fired shots at a Spanish NGO rescue ship. Libya has stepped up its patrolling activity.

Reaction on Twitter Friday condemned his tweet as promoting violence and negating the Catholic values that the ruling Law and Justice party often invokes.

Poland's government refuses to accept any migrants in the European Union's resettlement plan, causing a conflict with Brussels.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska authorities have launched an investigation into a natural gas explosion that seriously injured two people, leveled a house and significantly damaged nearly 20 other homes in Lincoln.

Police are focusing on the home where authorities believe the explosion occurred Monday, the Lincoln Journal Star reported . Witnesses said the two homeowners were thrown from the house during the blast. Police said Thursday that both were hospitalized in medically induced comas.

Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said investigators have obtained a search warrant and are conducting interviews. Investigators also are evaluating financial and cellphone records, and sending evidence off for forensic testing, he said.

But the chief cautioned that the nature of the investigation isn't uncommon.

"(In) many, many of the investigations that we begin as criminal, we're looking to conclusively prove or disprove whether or not a crime was committed," Bliemeister said.

Tests have confirmed that the blast didn't start outside the home, because there were no issues with the house's delivery of natural gas.

Natural gas is an odorless gas and has an added chemical marker, which sometimes smells of rotten eggs, to help people detect leaks. Chief Fire Investigator Bill Moody said the severity of the blast suggests gas had been leaking for hours.

The blast scattered debris and caused damage to homes for several blocks. Police Capt. Mike Woolman expects one affected street to reopen by the weekend. Another closed street, being used as the staging area for authorities, should open by early next week.

"There's a lot of people with damaged homes in the surrounding area, and they're working with restoration companies and insurance companies to try to bring back some semblance of normalcy into their lives," Bliemeister said.

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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com
VALENCIA, Spain (AP) - Valencia has signed Gabriel Paulista from Arsenal, ending the Brazilian defender's 2 1/2-year stay at the English club and sealing his return to the Spanish league.

Arsenal announced the transfer on Friday, saying the fee was undisclosed.

Gabriel never established himself as a regular after moving to Emirates Stadium from Villarreal, initially being the backup to Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker before Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding joined in 2016 to add further competition at center back.

He started 37 league games in total, but wasn't the dominating defender Arsenal thought it signed.

Valencia has again turned to the Premier League to bolster its defensive options, having signed Eliaquim Mangala on loan from Manchester City last season.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on the Minneapolis City Council approving a new police chief following an officer's fatal shooting of an Australian woman who'd called 911 for help (all times local):

11:30 a.m.

The Minneapolis City Council has confirmed a new police chief after the previous chief resigned over an officer's fatal shooting of an Australian woman who'd called 911 for help.

Medaria Arradondo is a 28-year veteran of the department. He became the department's first black chief after Friday's unanimous vote, which was followed by lengthy applause.

The 50-year-old Minneapolis native told council members he was determined to serve "the 400,000 bosses that I'm responsible for."

He replaces Chief Janee Harteau (juh-NAY' har-TOE'), who was asked to resign by the mayor following the July 15 shooting of Justine Damond. Damond had called 911 to report a possible rape behind her southwest Minneapolis home.

The officer who shot Damond has declined to be interviewed by investigators. But his partner says he was startled by a loud noise right before Damond approached their police SUV. Damond was unarmed.

___

8:14 a.m.

The Minneapolis City Council is voting on naming a new police chief in the wake of last month's fatal shooting of an unarmed Australian woman by an officer responding to her 911 call.

Council members will consider Friday whether Acting Chief Medaria Arradondo (meh-DAIR'-ee-uh air-ah-DON'-do) should take the job permanently. If approved, he would be the first African-American police chief in Minnesota's largest city. He is a 28-year veteran of the department.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Arradondo would replace former Chief Janee Harteau (juh-NAY' har-TOH'). Harteau resigned after the July 15 shooting of Justine Damond, who had called police report a possible sexual assault behind her home.

The officer who shot Damond has declined to be interviewed by investigators. But his partner says he was startled by a loud noise right before Damond approached their police SUV.

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico City prison officials say a former Mexican governor jailed on corruption charges has started a hunger strike to protest the way his case is being handled.

A statement by the penitentiary system says ex-Veracruz Gov. Javier Duarte informed it that he would start his protest Thursday evening.

Duarte's main complaint seems to be the way the case is proceeding back in his home state of Veracruz. The prison system says it will monitor his health.

Mexico's Attorney General's Office announced last month that a federal judge ordered Duarte be tried on organized crime and money laundering charges. Duarte resigned as governor last year and fled to Guatemala. He was extradited in July.

Prosecutors allege Duarte embezzled millions, investing in real estate around Mexico and abroad.
LONDON (AP) - Tottenham is set to make its first signing of the summer after reaching an agreement with Ajax for the transfer of Colombia center back Davinson Sanchez.

Spurs said on Friday the deal is subject to a medical examination and securing a work permit.

Sanchez was Ajax's player of the year last season as the Dutch club reached the final of the Europa League.

Tottenham was the only English Premier League team yet to make a signing this summer. Last season's runner-up in the league sold right back Kyle Walker to Manchester City.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Residents of more than 400 homes in a prime eclipse-viewing location in Oregon were ordered to evacuate Friday because of a rapidly growing wildfire that had already closed access to a portion of a wilderness area and a regional highway.

The late afternoon order threatened to create more tie-ups on rural and narrow roads already expected to be burdened with up to 200,000 visitors coming to the area from all over the world to watch Monday's total solar eclipse. About 1 million people are expected in Oregon, where the moon's shadow first makes landfall in the continental U.S.

The nearly 11-square-mile (28-square-kilometer) wildfire in the Deschutes National Forest was about six miles (9 kilometers) west of the town of Sisters, which sits on the southern edge of the 70-mile swath of Oregon where the moon will completely blot out the sun.

A wildfire burns just outside of Sister, Ore., Friday Aug. 18, 2017. (Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard via AP)

Sisters itself will experience 34 seconds of totality and is a popular tourist destination even without an eclipse brewing, but heavy smoke and the rapidly growing fire have prompted officials to close nearby campsites, recreational areas and roads.

So far fire crews have not been able to contain any part of the wildfire and the McKenzie Pass Highway 242 has been closed between Highway 126 and Sisters, said Susie Heisey, a public information officer with Central Oregon Dispatch.

The closures will likely have a big impact on people traveling through the region for the eclipse, she said, and the risk is high for more conflagrations in the area with so many campers.

"There's absolutely no campfires allowed and no burning allowed. So we're just hoping that everyone that's here to enjoy the eclipse" follows the rules, Heisey said.

Nearly two dozen other fires are also burning in Oregon, including nine more in the best eclipse-viewing zone. Large portions of the Mount Jefferson Wilderness, in central Oregon's Willamette National Forest, are also closed.

Elsewhere, fire officials in Montana ordered additional evacuations Friday night after earlier telling residents of 750 homes to flee a fire that jumped control lines in gusty winds. The 30-square-mile (76 square kilometer) blaze on forest land, southwest of the town of Lolo, was started by lightning in July but blew up late Wednesday.

Two homes burned Friday and several outbuildings burned late Thursday. Evacuations were in effect along the U.S. Highway 93 and U.S. Highway 12 corridors. The town of Florence was under an evacuation warning.

In California, crews fighting a fire in Yosemite National Park were trying to guide the flames away from the small town of Wawona and into wilderness. The fire has closed campgrounds and trails in the park but authorities have not ordered anyone to leave. No structures have been damaged.

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Associated Press Writers Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho; Amy Beth Hanson in Helena, Montana; and Dan Elliott in Denver, Colorado contributed to this report.

A tree explodes into flames as the wind whips up the southern front of a wildfire as it burns near Sisters, Ore., Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. (Andy Tullis /The Bulletin via AP)

A bomber drops a load of fire retardant below the Lolo Peak fire creeping down the face of the ridge toward the Bitterroot Valley, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017 in Missoula, Mont. The Lolo Peak Fire in western Montana blew up overnight leading law enforcement officers to order the evacuation of up to 400 more homes west of the town of Lolo. (Kurt Wilson/The Missoulian via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - Bruce Forsyth, a legendary entertainer, host and quizmaster on English television whose career spanned the history of TV, has died.

The BBC announced that Forsyth, who had brightened its airwaves for decades, died Friday at his home. He was 89.

Dapper and mustachioed, with a toothy smile and cheeky charm, he was a television presence for 75 years, earning him recognition by Guinness World Records in 2012 for having had the longest on-screen television career for a male entertainer.

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2015 file photo, Bruce Forsyth poses for photographers upon arrival at the Pride of Britain Awards 2015 in London. Forsyth, a legendary entertainer, host and quizmaster on English television whose career spanned the history of TV, has died. The BBC says Forsyth died Friday, Aug. 18, 2017 at his home. He was 89.(Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)

Most recently he co-hosted "Strictly Come Dancing," a popular dance competition that premiered on BBC One in 2004 and where he delivered such crowd-pleasing catchphrases as "Nice to see you, to see you nice" and "Give us a whirl!" He retired from the program in 2013.

Born the son of a garage owner in a suburb of London, Forsyth took up tap dancing as a lad after seeing a Fred Astaire film. He first appeared on TV in 1939 as a child dancer on a show called "Come and Be Televised" and made his stage debut at the age of 14 with his billed-at-the-bottom act "Boy Bruce, the Mighty Atom."

Forsyth's first major TV success came in 1958, when he was signed to host a weekly variety show, "Sunday Night at the London Palladium." It drew a then-remarkable audience of 10 million viewers and reportedly caused pubs to empty out as airtime approached and pub patrons headed home to watch the show. In the process, he was said to be Britain's highest-paid entertainer.

He hosted a number of game shows including "Play Your Cards Right," ''The Price is Right" and "The Generation Game," which at its peak, attracted 20 million viewers.

Decades later, he experienced a career lull, then found a professional renaissance with "Strictly Come Dancing."

Forsyth was knighted in 2011.
Donald Trump is 'studying and considering his options' for a new approach to Afghanistan and the broader South Asia region, the White House said Friday after the president huddled with his top national security aides at Camp David.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a brief statement saying Trump had been briefed extensively on a new strategy to "protect America's interests" in the region. She did not specifically mention Afghanistan.

'The president is studying and considering his options and will make an announcement to the American people, to our allies and partners, and to the world at the appropriate time,' she said.

President Donald Trump walks across the tarmac before boarding Air Force One at Hagerstown Regional Airport on August 18, 2017

President Donald Trump returns a salute upon his arrival at Hagerstown Regional Airport en route to nearby Camp David

The administration has struggled for months to formulate a new approach to the war. But stepping up the fight in a way that advances peace prospects may be even more difficult, in part because the Taliban has been gaining ground and shown no interest in peace negotiations.

Trump met at the presidential retreat in nearby Maryland with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, top intelligence agency officials and other top military and diplomatic aides. Mattis said earlier this week the administration was 'very close' to finalizing a new approach.

The meeting participants did not include Steve Bannon, the Trump strategist who has clashed with other members of the national security team over how to proceed in Afghanistan. His resignation was announced at midday Friday.

Also excluded: Gen. Joseph Votel, the Central Command chief who is responsible for U.S. military operations in the greater Middle East, including Afghanistan.

Votel told reporters traveling with him in the region this week that Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Joint Chiefs chairman, represent him in the White House-led Afghanistan strategy review. Votel said he has not talked directly to Trump as part of the months-long review.

By retreating to the seclusion of Camp David in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains, Trump was taking an opportunity to regroup after a politically bruising week of criticism of his response to the deadly protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

President Donald Trump, right, boards Marine One helicopter, followed by members of his staff at Hagerstown Regional Airport

Solutions for Afghanistan, the longest war in American history, eluded the Obama administration and haven't come easily to Trump, who said almost nothing about the conflict during his presidential campaign.

Since taking office, he has considered options ranging from walking away from the war to sending in additional troops. Abandoning Afghanistan is seen as unlikely in light of U.S. concerns about countering terrorism.

In remarks at the State Department on Thursday, Mattis told reporters the Camp David talks 'will move this toward a decision.'

'We are coming very close to a decision, and I anticipate it in the very near future,' he added.

Months ago the Pentagon settled on a plan to send about 3,800 additional troops to strengthen the Afghan army, which is stuck in what some call a deteriorating situation with the Taliban insurgency.

Within in the White House, questions persist about the wisdom of investing further resources in the war. Even if the administration decides to add more troops, it's unclear whether they could get there quickly enough to make a difference in the current Afghan fighting season, which winds down in autumn.

The administration has said its Afghanistan strategy will be informed by a review of its approach to the broader region, including Pakistan and India.

The Taliban have long used Pakistan as a sanctuary, complicating efforts to defeat the insurgency in Afghanistan and stabilize the country. The region includes other actors who pose political problems for Washington, including Iran, which has influence in western Afghanistan.

The outlook is clouded by the Afghan government's struggle to halt Taliban advances on its own. The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has said the Taliban hold sway in almost half the country.

Defense Secretary James Mattis listens during a news conference with Japanese officials on Thursday, August 17, 2017, at the State Department in Washington

Government forces also are battling an Islamic State affiliate that has carved out a foothold mostly in the east. Trump has vowed to crush ISIS, so its expansion in Afghanistan poses an additional challenge with no immediate solution.

Just this week, a U.S. soldier was killed and nearly a dozen were wounded in combat with ISIS fighters.

The U.S. has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan. Their primary roles are to train and advise Afghan forces and to hunt down and kill members of al-Qaida and other extremist groups.

Trump has expressed frustration at the prolonged fighting in Afghanistan. Earlier this summer he raised the idea of firing the top U.S. commander there, Gen. John Nicholson.

Asked this week if Trump has confidence in Nicholson, Mattis demurred. 'Ask the president,' he answered.

Trump is 'looking at all aspects' of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan 'as he must in his responsibilities as the commander in chief,' Mattis said.

Nicholson was not participating in Friday's talks at Camp David.

Lawmakers in Congress also are frustrated by the war and the prolonged debate within the administration on how to break the stalemate.

Last week, Republican Sen. John McCain declared that 'America is adrift in Afghanistan.' He proposed a war strategy that would expand the U.S. counterterrorism effort and provide greater support to Afghan security forces.

McCain said bluntly: 'We are losing in Afghanistan, and time is of the essence if we intend to turn the tide.'
HOUSTON (AP) - More than 250 sex buyers and traffickers have been arrested in the Houston area during a monthlong sting operation, authorities said Friday.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the arrests by his agency and Houston police accounted for about 25 percent of more than 1,000 arrests made by a coalition of 37 law enforcement agencies in 17 states. The nationwide crackdown on sex trafficking is coordinated by the Cook County Sheriff's Office in Illinois and known as the National Johns Suppression Initiative.

In Houston, eight hotel operators cooperated with law enforcement agencies in the operation from June 28 through July 31 that involved authorities placing ads on online sites known to attract people interested in buying sex.

"They sat back and waited for the folks to ring," Gonzalez said. "When the caller said they wanted to meet in person so they could pay for sex, our undercover deputies and officers obliged. In hotel rooms 161 sexual predators offered our deputies and officers money for sex, and that's when they were arrested."

Another 88 sex buyers and nine people identified as sex traffickers were arrested by Houston police.

The sheriff said those arrested were business professionals and a suburban Houston church pastor. They also included a man in possession of 60 grams of the opioid Hydrocodone, a man who already had been arrested in January for prostitution, a convicted sex offender and two suspects with handguns in their vehicles.

"Our aim is for Harris County and Houston to shed the dubious distinction as America's sex trafficking capital." Gonzalez said. "By focusing our efforts on sex buyers who are seeking to take advantage of sex trafficking victims, we are putting these predators on notice that our community won't tolerate their behavior."

Cook County, Illinois, Sheriff Thomas Dart earlier this month announced the arrests of 140 people in his county under the national initiative, the 14th his department has coordinated since 2011. Seattle had 160 arrests, among them a convicted child molester, and Phoenix police rescued a 16-year-old trafficking victim, he said.

Elsewhere in Texas, authorities in McLennan County, which includes Waco, announced last week they made 71 arrests under the program.
DALLAS (AP) - The four black councilmen in Dallas called for the city's Confederate statues to be removed Friday, saying it will allow the community to start healing from its racist past.

Dwaine Caraway, a councilman who serves as mayor pro tem, held a news conference Friday afternoon with the other three black city councilmen to "present a unified statement" on the statues. Councilman Kevin Felder called the monuments "symbols of racism" and says he has talked with Mayor Mike Rawlings about speeding up a proposed 90-day study by a task force to decide what to do with the statues.

"Taxpayer dollars should not support vestiges of racism, white supremacy and oppression," Felder said. "I also support the opportunity for the chance for dialogue and action to address the continued discrimination in the city of Dallas in housing, employment, lending institutions - discrimination in contracting opportunities against black contractors."

This Tuesday, July 18, 2017 photo shows a statue honoring Robert E. Lee, right, with a soldier riding alongside him, in Robert E. Lee Park, a City of Dallas park, in the Turtle Creek area of Dallas. The four black Dallas city councilmen are calling for the city's Confederate statues to be removed as way to start healing the city's racist past. Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway held a news conference Friday afternoon, Aug. 18, 2017 with the other three black city councilmen to "present a unified statement" on the statues. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

Earlier this week, Rawlings proposed forming a task force that would report back to the city's Office of Cultural Affairs and make a recommendation to the City Council around Nov. 8 regarding the future of the statues.

The councilmen said removing the statues will not be a permanent fix to Dallas' racial issues, but they hope it would lead to a larger conversation about the city's racial climate.

Organizers of a rally against white supremacy said they expect thousands to show up for the event Saturday at Dallas City Hall plaza, a short distance from the city's Confederate War Memorial. The monument has a large stone pillar with an anonymous Confederate soldier on top. Stone statues of four leaders of the Confederacy sit at each of the pillar's four corners. The statues are of Jefferson Davis, Gen. Robert E. Lee, Gen. Stonewall Jackson and Gen. Albert Johnston.

The monument was dedicated in 1896 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. It was in a park but was moved to its current location in the 1960s to make way for R.L. Thornton Freeway. Petitions have circulated in the last few years and a renewed push was made this week to rename the freeway that gets its name from a former Dallas mayor and prominent member of the local Ku Klux Klan.

Supporters of keeping the Confederate monuments have posted that they plan to be at the rally Saturday. It's not clear whether an organized counter-protest is expected.

Police and city officials said in statements this week that they are preparing to have increased officer presence and some road closures as a result of the rally.

The councilmen said Friday that the city is prepared to "shut it down" if any violence erupts.

CORRECTS TO SAY THE COUNCIL MEMBER WERE CALLING FOR CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS TO BE REMOVED - African American Dallas City Council members, from left, Tennell Atkins, Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway, Kevin Felder and Casey Thomas speak at a news conference Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, at City Hall in Dallas calling for the city's Confederate statues to be removed as a way to heal the area's racist history. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

CORRECTS TO SAY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE CALLING FOR CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS TO BE REMOVED - African American Dallas City Council members, from left, Kevin Felder, Tennell Atkins, Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway and Casey Thomas speak at a news conference Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, at City Hall in Dallas calling for the city's Confederate statues to be removed as a way to heal the area's racist history. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

This Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 photo shows the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Robert E. Lee Park in the Oak Lawn neighborhood of Dallas. Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings called for a task force to study the issue of whether or not to remove the city's Confederate monuments in Lee Park and Pioneer Plaza. (Andy Jacobsohn/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
MASON, Ohio (AP) - Defending champion Karolina Pliskova pulled off a doubleheader sweep Friday at the Western & Southern Open, reaching the semifinals by winning a pair of matches with little rest in-between. Rafael Nadal couldn't do the same.

Pliskova completed a match that was suspended overnight because of rain, beating qualifier Camila Giorgi in three sets. After a quick turnaround, she needed only 67 minutes to beat a rested Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-4 for a sweep into the semis.

"The first match helped me a little bit to have some rallies already today," Pliskova said. "Physically it was not that tough, so I was warmed up enough."

Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic, reacts during a match against Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Nadal got only halfway there.

He spent an hour and 37 minutes on court in the afternoon while beating fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas in a match carried over from the previous night. Five hours later, he was back on court against Nick Kyrgios, who had won a three-set match earlier in the day.

Nadal was sloppy at the outset and on the defensive for much of a 6-2, 7-5 loss that lasted an hour and 20 minutes.

"No excuses, nothing at all," Nadal said. "I didn't play well."

Despite the loss, Nadal will move back to No. 1 in the ATP rankings next week for the first time since 2014, before a series of injuries affected his game.

"To be No. 1 after all the things I've been going through the last couple years is something unbelievable," Nadal said. "For me, it's an amazing achievement."

After the match, Nadal wore a ribbon honoring the victims of the attack in Barcelona that left 13 people dead.

"A tragedy," he said. "The feeling that you're not safe nowhere - that's terrible. It's very sad and I'm very, very sorry about what happened. To all the victims, the families, friends - all my support."

Kyrgios will face David Ferrer, who won his only match of the day - 6-3, 6-3 over fourth-seeded Dominic Thiem. At age 35, Ferrer is the second-oldest semifinalist in Cincinnati during the Open Era behind Ken Rosewall in 1970.

No. 7 Grigor Dimitrov is the top seed left in a men's field depleted by upsets and injuries - Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and defending champion Marin Cilic missed the tournament because of injuries. Dimitrov needed only 52 minutes to beat Yuichi Sugita 6-2, 6-1.

He'll face John Isner, who beat wild-card Jared Donaldson 7-6 (4), 7-5. Isner won the only break point of the match to go ahead 6-5 in the second set. He closed it out with a 136 mph ace, one of his 25 in the match.

"I knew that a lot of the conditions and everything about this tournament, my schedule - a lot of things have worked in my favor this week," Isner said. "So I hope to keep it going."

In the women's bracket, Pliskova will face Garbine Mugaruza in the semifinals. The Wimbledon champion survived another tough challenge on Friday, beating Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 5-7, 7-5. The match went 2 hours, 45 minutes - her longest of the tournament.

"I think it was one of the best matches of the year," Muguruza said. "I think we both played very well, especially in the third set. I know I won, but I'm sure she feels like it was a great match as well, because it was a tough battle and very hot out there."

Muguruza's win came less than 24 hours after she spent 2 hours, 18 minutes on the court and fought off three match points to beat Madison Keys in the round of 16.

Muguruza has reached the semifinals of two of the three tournaments she's entered since winning Wimbledon.

"You know, I'm happy with the way I'm playing and the way I'm going through these tough matches because, you know, I've got to dig in and somehow win them," she said.

Sloan Stephens also pulled off a two-win day to reach the semifinals. She beat Ekaterina Makarova in three sets, and then ate lunch, took a nap, woke up and knocked off Julia Goerges in straight sets.

"The day is just like a blur," Stephens said. "I'm ready to get dinner and get in bed because I'm so tired."

On Saturday, she'll face No. 2 Simona Halep, who beat Johanna Konta 6-4, 7-6 (1).

"I played the best match so far this tournament," said Halep, who was slowed by a knee injury earlier this season. "I could hit the ball. I could move well. So I feel the rhythm. It's back. So I'm positive again."

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AP freelance writer Mark Schmetzer contributed to this report.

Rafael Nadal, of Spain, returns to Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, returns to Rafael Nadal, of Spain, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Rafael Nadal, of Spain, serves to Albert Ramos-Vinolas, of Spain, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, serves to Svetlana Kuznetsova, of Russia, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts during a match against Albert Ramos-Vinolas, of Spain, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic, serves to Camila Giorgi, of Italy, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, returns to Julia Goerges, of Germany, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Svetlana Kuznetsova, of Russia, reacts during a match against Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Camila Giorgi, of Italy, serves to Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Julia Goerges, of Germany, casts a shadow as she serves to Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, reacts during a match against Svetlana Kuznetsova, of Russia, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Svetlana Kuznetsova, of Russia, returns to Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Albert Ramos-Vinolas, of Spain, serves to Rafael Nadal, of Spain, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Karolina Pliskova, left, of the Czech Republic, shakes hands with Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, after winning their match at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
MARGATE, N.J. (AP) - Republican Gov. Chris Christie's administration's plan for storm protection along the entire 127 miles (204 kilometers) of New Jersey's coast was endorsed by two courts this week, but residents of some beach towns still aren't happy.

A state judge on Wednesday ruled against the attempt by homeowners in Bay Head, Mantoloking and Point Pleasant Beach to opt out of the protective sand dune plan in an area devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

The dune project resumed in Margate last weekend after a federal judge overruled a state judge's decision to stop it. On Tuesday, a federal appeals court refused to halt the project in Margate.

In this Sunday Aug. 13, 2017 photo, Margate resident Dan Gottlieb and his wife Lisa, speak to residents gathered at Jerome Ave Beach, in Margate, N.J., to protest the current dune project. Residents of Margate staged the rally in response to Thursday's court decision to resume the Army Corp of Engineers dune project. (Dale Gerhard/The Press of Atlantic City via AP)

Margate had gone to court to stop the project after heavy rain late last month led to pools of bacteria-laden water on the beach, some 2 or more feet (0.6 meters or more) deep. Residents who had warned of the possibility during a previously unsuccessful court fight dubbed the pools "Lake Christie."

"Drain the swamp. Locals know best," said one sign from protesters who gathered on the beach last weekend.

"You're, like, beaching in a middle of a construction zone," said Margate homeowner Anne Rubin. "I have been on a Margate beach for 61 years, my entire life. We've managed to have the beaches lovely and beautiful, and they are changing the Margate beaches now, and it's not the same thing."

Judge Renee Marie Bumb ordered the engineers to investigate the root causes of the ponding and possible solutions, pump out future ponding immediately after reaching 4 inches rather than waiting 24 hours and construct elevated walkways across the water basins.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said contractors added more sand to the areas where the ponding happened to raise the elevation and set up a procedure for testing water quality there. It is also continuing to build elevated walkways.

"They're going to go away and Margate is going to be left pumping out the water. I don't hear a plan that they're figuring this out," Rubin said.

In the Bay Head case, Superior Court Judge Marlene Lynch Ford ruled against homeowners who argued that the $5 million rock wall they built with their own money provides adequate storm protection.

The state disagrees. Bob Martin, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, said Ford's ruling is a strong vindication of the state's authority to protect people and property there.

"Our commitment to restoring and making the Jersey shore more resilient for the future has and will remain steadfast. Now, it is time to move ahead on that pledge," Martin said.

A lawyer for the homeowners said they are still deciding whether to appeal.

"We are disappointed with the ruling, especially in light of the court's finding that the oceanfront owners had made a compelling argument that the government's project is superfluous due to the pre-existing storm protection provided by the privately owned and maintained revetment system that has been in place for decades," said attorney Anthony DellaPelle.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) - El Salvador and Guatemala have joined a trend in clamping down on child marriage by passing legislation that would outlaw marriage with minors.

Legislation passed in both countries Thursday to ban such unions even in cases of parental consent or pregnancy.

An El Salvador government survey in 2015 found that there were 22,361 minors between the ages of 12 and 17 who had married or lived in a common-law relationship. Six out of 10 of the minors who were in a relationship with an adult lived in the country's rural areas.

Zaira Navas, director of El Salvador's National Council on Childhood and Adolescence, said the previous law had allowed adults to avoid legal charges for sexual assault through marriage.

The United Nations' children's advocate UNICEF and other supporters applauded the change.

"El Salvador's move to ban child marriage is great news, and an important step forward in the effort to end child marriage in Latin America and around the world," said Heather Barr, a senior researcher with Human Rights Watch. She said El Salvador was among the countries that committed under the 2016 Sustainable Development Goals to end child marriage by 2030.

"In many countries, there is a serious gap between laws on child marriage and enforcement - so it will be important to see what steps the El Salvador government will take to make sure that the new law translates into change on the ground and better protection for girls," Barr said in an email Friday.

The legislation in Guatemala, which will go into effect in a month, eliminates a provision that allowed judges to authorize marriages between adults and children 16 and older.

Leonel Dubon, director of the Childhood Refuge, which cares for abused children, predicted it would help change prevalent macho attitudes.

"A cultural pattern exists that permits giving girls to adults," Dubon said. "They continue seeing girls as objects of pleasure and not as having rights."

The new laws are part of a regional trend in Central America.

In July, Honduras' legislature also unanimously passed a bill prohibiting the marriage of anyone younger than 18 even with parental consent or in pregnancy cases. Barr said Costa Rica has also reformed its laws on the issue.

According to UNICEF, 11 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 in Latin America and the Caribbean are currently married or in a union.

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Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman in Mexico City and Sonia Perez D. in Guatemala City contributed to this report.
DOVER, Del. (AP) - A Delaware judge has dismissed a class-action lawsuit filed by former stockholders of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia over the company's 2015 acquisition by Sequential Brands.

The lawsuit said that Stewart leveraged her position as controlling stockholder to secure greater consideration for herself than was paid to other stockholders. They also accused Sequential of aiding and abetting Stewart's alleged breach of her fiduciary duties.

The judge said Friday that Stewart was entitled to the deference given to corporate leaders under Delaware's "business judgment" rule.

He also said the plaintiffs likely could not prove that Stewart engaged in a conflicted transaction or that they suffered any damages as a result. The judge said that the consideration Sequential offered to Martha Stewart stockholders actually increased after negotiations with her began.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A death penalty expert says Arkansas' recent purchase of a lethal injection drug - in a small amount and at a cheap price - suggests the state has found a reliable supplier to help it move 30 inmates from death row to the execution chamber.

The state Department of Correction said Thursday it had paid $250 in cash to buy enough midazolam for use in two executions. A heavily redacted hand-written receipt shows the material was picked up in person on Aug. 4.

"The $250 would lead me to believe they aren't buying from someone trying to benefit from a shortage," said Jen Moreno, a staff attorney with the Death Penalty Clinic at the University of California Law School at Berkeley.

This undated photo provided by the Arkansas Department of Corrections shows Jack Greene. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge asked Gov. Asa Hutchinson to schedule an execution for Greene, who was convicted in the 1991 killing of Sidney Jethro Burnett after Burnett and his wife accused Greene of arson. Rutledge said Greene has exhausted his appeals and there's no stay of execution in place. (Arkansas Department of Corrections via AP)

With such a relatively small amount purchased - 40 vials - "maybe they have found a source," she said Friday.

The prison system isn't saying, citing state secrecy laws.

"The Department is declining to address your characterizations of its suppliers. However, we remain confident in our ability to carry out these sentences once a warrant is issued," spokesman Solomon Graves said in an email Friday.

Arkansas purchased midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride in bulk in 2015, spending $24,226 to buy enough of the chemicals to put eight inmates to death. The approaching expiration of its midazolam supply this spring led Gov. Asa Hutchinson to schedule eight executions in an 11-day period in April.

If the state has a supplier willing to provide Arkansas with drugs on an as-needed basis, the need to buy in bulk is gone.

Attorney General Leslie Rutledge wrote to Hutchinson in February, shortly after a set of condemned killers lost a final set of appeals at the U.S. Supreme Court. Hutchinson set four double-executions about a week before the prison system said it had a complete set of drugs.

Inmate Jack Greene lost his final appeal May 1, just after Arkansas finished carrying out four executions in eight days. Rutledge didn't write to Hutchinson until Thursday. Her spokesman didn't know whether she had received a heads-up that a full set of drugs was again on-hand."

"I'm not aware of any conversation that took place between the attorney general and the Department of Correction," spokesman Judd Deere said. "There is not a requirement that we have drugs before sending a request to the governor that a date be set."

Arkansas has 30 people on death row - all men with appeals at different stages. Since Greene's are done, he is eligible to be executed. Jason McGehee also would be eligible for execution if Hutchinson denies a clemency recommendation he won in April.

Hutchinson spokesman J.R. Davis said Friday that the governor has not decided whether to grant McGehee mercy.

Greene was convicted in western Arkansas in the 1991 death of Sidney Jethro Burnett, who was stabbed and had his throat slit after being beaten with a can of hominy. Burnett and his wife had accused Greene of arson. McGehee, as a teenager, directed the beating and killing of a snitch in northern Arkansas.

Based on how much of its lethal drugs were used in April's executions, Arkansas now has enough midazolam to conduct two executions, enough vecuronium bromide for 15 and enough potassium chloride for 11.

Midazolam sedates the inmates while the other drugs stop their lungs and hearts.

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Follow Kelly P. Kissel on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kisselAP
PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona politicians have invoked the "rule of law" for more than a decade as the guiding principle in pushing for tougher immigration laws, arguing that no one - no matter who you are - is above the law.

The rallying cry has become muted as President Donald Trump considers a pardon for former Sheriff Joe Arpaio after a judge found he broke the law in defying a judge while carrying out traffic patrols that targeted immigrants.

The president told Fox News that he was seriously considering a pardon for Arpaio, an enthusiastic Trump supporter who shared the stage with him at several campaign rallies and became a close ally in pushing for tougher immigration enforcement.

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2016, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was joined by Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of metro Phoenix, during a news conference in Marshalltown, Iowa. On Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, Trump told Fox News he may grant a pardon to the former sheriff following his recent conviction in federal court. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

The prospect has fueled speculation that Trump will issue his first pardon when he comes to Phoenix next week for a rally.

The Associated Press asked the offices of Arizona's two senators and nine congressional representatives as well as Republican Gov. Doug Ducey to reveal their views on a possible Arpaio pardon.

Three of the state's four Democratic representatives wrote a letter to Trump urging him not to pardon Arpaio. The fourth, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, said the former sheriff should be held accountable but did not address the possible pardon or criticize the president over the possibility of granting one.

Republican Reps. Paul Gosar and Trent Franks described the case against Arpaio as a political prosecution and supported a pardon.

The offices of the other Republican members of Arizona's congressional delegation didn't respond to interview requests, including Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake and Reps. Andy Biggs, David Schweikert and Martha McSally. Ducey didn't talk to reporters before leaving for an event Friday.

"He has no prior convictions, no criminal record, no record of wrongs," Franks said in a statement on the 85-year-old Arpaio. "In his twilight years, he deserves to retire peacefully and enjoy the satisfaction of a hard-earned and honorable retirement."

Gosar issued a statement saying, "Supporting and upholding the federal immigration law should be the gold standard in law enforcement, and that's exactly what Joe did. In the end, Joe's crime was upholding the rule of law. A pardon is just and right in this circumstance."

Arpaio was trounced in November after 24 years in office and found guilty last month of a misdemeanor contempt-of-court charge for defying the courts. The conviction stemmed from Arpaio's decision to prolong immigration patrols after a judge in a racial-profiling lawsuit ordered him to stop them.

He faces up to six months in jail at his Oct. 5 sentencing, though attorneys who have followed the case doubt someone his age would be incarcerated.

Arpaio insisted his disobedience wasn't intentional and blamed one of his former lawyers for not properly explaining the importance of the court order. The former lawman said he was astonished by the verdict and brushed off the conviction as a "petty crime."

Five years ago, then-Gov. Jan Brewer cited the "rule of law" when she expressed her opposition to an Obama administration policy that protected young immigrants from deportation.

And it was invoked by Ducey when he signed a 2016 law that requires immigrants who are convicted of crimes to complete 85 percent of their prison sentences before they are released to immigration authorities.

"If you break the law and commit a crime in Arizona, we expect you to serve your sentence, no exceptions," Ducey wrote last year, adding that "we must stand for the rule of law."

The governor was endorsed by Arpaio during his 2014 run for governor, providing him a big lift in a Republican primary dominated by immigration.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva said it would be hypocritical for advocates for tougher immigration enforcement to now hold Arpaio to a more lenient standard.

"If the rule of law is unbending and applies to all, then it applies to Arpaio," he said.

Trump and Arpaio became linked during the 2016 campaign for their like-minded views on immigration, but they also have a similar history in sparring with judges.

Arpaio was accused of launching an investigation into the federal judge who ruled against him in the racial-profiling case.

Before that, he questioned the impartiality of a judge initially on the case because her twin sister leads a prominent advocacy group for Latinos. Opposing lawyers said Arpaio forwarded an email to staff members in which he referred to then-U.S. District Judge Mary Murguia as a "token Hispanic female judge."

Trump ignited a firestorm last year when he suggested that an U.S.-born judge's Mexican heritage exposed a bias against him in a dispute over Trump University. And he bashed another jurist who blocked his initial travel ban as a "so-called judge."

The issue came up in federal court in Arizona last week when a judge alluded to Arpaio and Trump in an unrelated case.

"All of this disrespect for the rule of law, something I have never experienced of this kind or seen in nearly 30 years of being a lawyer or 16 years as a judge," U.S. Magistrate Judge David Duncan said. "I worry where this all leads. I worry that it sends a message that we only follow the laws that we think are right, or that we can choose whether we wish to do what is necessary to follow the law."

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2016, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is joined by Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of metro Phoenix, at a campaign event in Marshalltown, Iowa. Trump is considering pardoning Arpaio's recent criminal conviction for disobeying a judge's order in an immigration case. The prospect of absolving Arpaio has fueled speculation that Trump will issue his first pardon when he comes to Phoenix next week for a rally. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2009, file photo, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, left, orders approximately 200 convicted illegal immigrants handcuffed together and moved into a separate area of Tent City, for incarceration until their sentences are served and they are deported to their home countries, in Phoenix. On Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, President Donald Trump told Fox News he may grant a pardon to the former sheriff following his recent conviction in federal court. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
DETROIT (AP) - A former union official in Detroit has been charged with making more than $40,000 in purchases for herself and others with money from Fiat Chrysler.

Virdell King is the fourth person charged in the case. The government says Al Iacobelli, who was a Fiat Chrysler labor executive, gave credit cards to some officials at the United Auto Workers. Bills were paid with money from a company-sponsored training center.

The conspiracy charge against King was filed as a criminal information, which means a guilty plea is likely.

King retired in 2016 after working in the UAW's Chrysler department. Her attorney, John Shea, declined to comment Friday.

The government quotes a former Fiat Chrysler employee as saying the goal was to keep UAW officials "fat, dumb and happy."
HONOLULU (AP) - Army officials have spent days sifting through chunks of Black Hawk helicopter debris in turbulent Pacific waters off Hawaii but have yet to see any signs of life in their search for five soldiers missing since the aircraft crashed during nighttime training on Tuesday.

The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday it is searching up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) off the remote point where the Black Hawk helicopter crashed west of Oahu.

Firefighters found and collected what appeared to be pieces of helicopter fuselage and a helmet earlier in the week. The Coast Guard said responders continue to find debris, but didn't have specifics on what kind.

Honolulu ocean safety lifeguards on jet skis hand over materials to military personnel stationed at a command center at a boat harbor, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, in Haleiwa, Hawaii. An Army helicopter with five on board crashed several miles off Oahu's North Shore late Tuesday. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

The Navy brought remotely operated underwater vehicles and sonar to help. On Friday, they searched waters about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) off the coast, said Lt. Col. Curits Kellogg, a spokesman for the Army's 25th Infantry Division.

Shifting waters and swift currents spread debris from 2 miles (3 kilometers) off shore on Tuesday night to an expanded search area of at least 50 miles (80 kilometers) on Thursday.

The ocean floor drops quickly off Oahu and varies throughout the search area. It is over 1,000 feet (300 meters) deep at the center of a safety zone established by the Coast Guard for the search.

The safety zone extends from a 5-mile (8-kilometer) radius around the last known location of the helicopter. The Coast Guard set it up because it's likely to have a higher concentration of debris and be where most of the search aircraft and vessels are operating. It's not allowing civilians to enter the area.

A Coast Guard HC-130 plane helping with the search was using radar that's designed to search the surface of the ocean, said spokeswoman Chief Petty Officer Sara Muir. An MH-65 helicopter was using infrared technology, she said.

Asked whether sharks would be a concern, Muir said there were marine predators in the area.

"That is expected and perfectly normal for this region," she said.

Master Sgt. Peter Mayes, a spokesman for the 25th Infantry Division, said all five crew members had life vests and an air bottle for underwater breathing. There was no life raft on board the helicopter, however. That's because operating procedure only calls for rafts when non-crew member soldiers or people without life vests are on board.

All Black Hawk crews undergo underwater crash and survival training before they come to Hawaii, Mayes said. Soldiers simulate being on board a helicopter that's crashed into the water and learn how to free themselves.

Mario Vittone, a retired Coast Guardsman and expert on sea survival, said how long people survive in the water depends on their age, weight and health in addition to water and air temperatures.

Searches in colder climates where water drops below 60 degrees (15 degrees Celsius) may get called off after a day. In Hawaii, they often last longer. Last year, a search for 12 Marines who went missing after two helicopters collided off Hawaii lasted five days. Remains of nine Marines were found. Three were never recovered.

The recovery of debris indicates the Black Hawk hit the water uncontrolled, Vittone said. This would mean there's a low probability anyone survived but he said the rescuers can't and don't assume that.

The two Black Hawk crews were conducting training between Kaena Point and Dillingham Airfield when communications were lost.

The two helicopters are part of the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade based in Hawaii.

This Aug. 16, 2017 photo from the U.S. Coast Guard shows the cutter Walnut, a 225-foot buoy tender, during an overnight search for a downed Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter off Ka'ena Point, Oahu in Hawaii. Rescuers on Thursday continued searching for five soldiers missing since their helicopter went down during nighttime training. A second Black Hawk lost visual and radio contact with the missing helicopter while they were flying. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

Water safety officials hand over possible debris from an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash to military personnel stationed at a command center in a harbor, Wednesday, August 16, 2017 in Haleiwa, HI. An Army helicopter with five on board crashed several miles off Oahu's North Shore late Tuesday. Rescue crews are searching the waters early Wednesday. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

In this photo released by the U.S. Coast Guard, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter aircrew from Wheeler Army Airfield and a fireboat crew from the Honolulu Fire Department conduct a search for five crew members aboard a downed Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter approximately two miles west of Kaena Point, Oahu, Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017. A multi-agency team scoured the ocean off Hawaii on Wednesday for the soldiers aboard the Army helicopter that went down during a nighttime training exercise. (Petty Officer 2nd Class Tara Molle/U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

In this photo released by the U.S. Coast Guard, a Response Boat-Medium boat crew from Coast Guard Station Honolulu conducts a search for five crew members aboard a downed Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter approximately two miles west of Kaena Point, Oahu, Hawaii, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017. A multi-agency team scoured the ocean off Hawaii on Wednesday for the soldiers aboard the Army helicopter that went down during a nighttime training exercise. (Petty Officer 2nd Class Tara Molle/U.S. Coast Guard photo via AP)
Since the deadly Madrid bombings more than a decade ago, the spectre of international terrorism has been at the forefront of Spains security efforts.

Some 191 people died when four commuter trains were bombed in March 2004. It remains the most deadly terror attack on European soil in the 21st Century.

Thursdays attack, in which at least 13 people were killed after a van tore down the popular pedestrianised Las Ramblas strip in Barcelona, follows the pattern of recent vehicle-led attacks in Nice, Berlin and London.

#TotsSomBarcelona Our thoughts are with the victims of the Barcelona attack https://t.co/wi7yiUH5qK  FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 17, 2017

Following the Madrid bombings, a national counter-terror crackdown was launched, preventing scores of attacks over the next 13 years.

Spanish authorities have reported arresting nearly 200 jihadis, with the only deadly attacks in the past decade being claimed by the Basque separatist group ETA.

More than a thousand people are on the radar of police, Spanish paper El Pais said in June, while 259 people are being investigated by the courts and 500 telephones are being tapped as part of dozens of investigations.

The newspaper said more than 3,000 officers from the security forces, spies, prosecutors, judges and analysts were working behind the scene with the country on high alert.

Police patrol the scene of the terrorist attack in Barcelona with the damage to the van clear to see (Manu Fernandez)

Last year, 10 separate terror plots were foiled in the country, Europol said.

Attacks by ETA, however, were numerous in the years following the 2004 bombings, with several lives lost between 2005 and 2011.

These include a van bombing at Madrid international airport in December 2006, which killed two Ecuadorean immigrants and injured 26, and a car bombing near a police barracks in Majorca in July 2009, which left two officers dead.

In April last year, ETA declared a unilateral disarmament and claimed to have handed in their weapons.

The injured are treated by medics at the scene of the terror attack in Barcelona (Oriol Duran/AP)

Foreign Office travel advice warns tourists that terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Spain.

It reads: Spanish police have disrupted a number of groups suspected of recruiting individuals to travel to Syria and Iraq from 2015 to the present date. Some of them expressed an intention to carry out attacks in Europe.

Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. The Spanish authorities take measures to protect visitors, but you should be vigilant and follow the instructions of the local authorities.
West Sussex offers the best quality of life for retired people, according to a study covering England and Wales.

Places in southern and eastern England dominated the top 10 list, with Dorset, East Sussex, Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk also identified as hotspots by Prudential.

Prudential looked at a range of data including disability-free life expectancy, access to healthcare, crime levels, pensioner populations, healthy lifestyles and the weather to make the findings. It used figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Met Office.

Pensioners enjoy the warm weather on the beach in Brighton, East Sussex

While nowhere in Wales made the top 10, Prudential said pensioners there do have reasons to be cheerful, for instance Gwynedd has a particularly high proportion of healthcare workers compared with the population size and Dyfed-Powys has notably low crime rates.

With Fishbourne Roman Palace and Arundel Castle within its boundaries, West Sussex attracts particularly high numbers of pensioners and also enjoys strong rankings for good weather and disability-free life expectancy.

Dorset, home to much of the Jurassic Coast and the backdrop for TV crime drama Broadchurch, also remains a popular destination for pensioners and has particularly good weather, Prudential said.

An aerial view of cliffs on the Jurassic Coast near West Bay, Dorset, where ITV's Broadchurch is filmed

Surrey has the highest average pension income at 21,400  nearly a third higher than the average in England and Wales.

Stan Russell, a retirement income expert at Prudential, said: There are now 10.6 million people aged 65 or over in England and Wales, a million more than five years ago, and accounting for nearly one in five of the total population. So deciding on the right place to retire to is a challenge faced by a huge number of people each year.

Our analysis shows that every part of the country has something different to offer pensioners, but the counties with the most attractive attributes tend to be along the southern and eastern coasts of England. Counties like West Sussex and Dorset may be attractive because of their low crime rates or the quality of their health care. However finding the right spot to live in such popular locations can be tricky.

Here are the overall quality of life in retirement rankings, according to Prudential:

Arundel Castle in West Sussex (Chris Ison/PA)

2. Dorset.

A view of Durdle Door in Dorset

The coastline in Hastings, East Sussex (Tom Pugh/PA)

4. Devon.

Cream then jam on scones in Devon

The Norfolk Broads

=6. Oxfordshire.

(L-R) The Radcliffe Camera, the Codrington library, Hertford College (Old Quadrangle) and All Souls' College, Oxford. The roof and tower of New College can be seen right, distance

People take an early morning walk along the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire

8. Isle of Wight.

Sailing boats make their way around the Isle of Wight close to the Needles

The sea front at Southwold, Suffolk (Chris Radburn/PA)

=9. North Yorkshire.
The Defence Secretary has apologised to the families of British soldiers killed in Iraq while travelling in lightly armoured Snatch Land Rovers.

Sir Michael Fallon wrote to a number of families apologising for delays in bringing in alternative protected vehicles which could have saved lives.

At least 37 UK soldiers died in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan while travelling in Snatch Land Rovers, with last years Chilcot Inquiry heavily critical of delays in replacing them.

Sir Michael Fallon

I am fully aware of the struggle you have had to bring this matter to court over the last decade and I recognise this has had a significant impact on you and your family, Sir Michael wrote in his letter to the families.

The Government entirely accepts the findings of Sir John Chilcot in the Iraq Inquiry in relation to Snatch Land Rover.

I would like to express directly to you my deepest sympathies and apologise for the delay, resulting from the decisions taken at the time in bringing into service alternative protected vehicles which could have saved lives.

Susan Smith, mother of Private Phillip Hewett

I confirm that we have learnt lessons from this.

The Government must and will ensure that our Armed Forces are always properly equipped and resourced.

General Sir Mike Jackson, chief of the General Staff between 2003 and 2006, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme it was a fair assumption that a more heavily armoured vehicle would have offered much better protection for British troops.

General Sir Mike Jackson

He said he believed replacements for the Snatch Land Rover could have been brought in more quickly, adding: The Army at that point did not have its own procurement budget.

It does now, and perhaps that is one of the good lessons learned thats come out of this whole rather sorry story, we do have our own procurement budget now.

Yes, better vehicles, better-protected vehicles were eventually procured, but the process was rather Byzantine and inevitably, thereby, lengthy.
Here is a timeline of how events unfolded in Alcanar, Barcelona and Cambrils.

 One person is killed in an explosion in Alcanar, which authorities believe is linked to the Barcelona van attack.

Emergency workers on a blocked street in Barcelona after a terror attack

 A white Fiat van speeds through Las Ramblas, a busy street in Barcelona. At least 13 people are killed and more than 100 others injured as the driver ploughs into the crowds along a 500m stretch of the pedestrianised area. The driver then flees, leaving a scene of widespread panic, with people running in waves away from the area.

 In a tweet before 7pm, Catalonias police force says the protocol for terrorist attacks has been activated.

 Two men are arrested in connection with the incident. One is named as Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan who is believed to have rented the van.

 The Islamic State terror group claims responsibility for the attack.

Police officers stand near an overturned car on to a platform at the spot where terrorists were intercepted by police in Cambrils, Spain

 Seven people are reported injured when a group, said to be wearing explosive belts, launch a van attack in the coastal town of Cambrils, similar to the one in Barcelona. Footage posted on social media, which appears to have been filmed on the towns beachfront promenade, shows bystanders running for cover and several gunshots are heard. Spanish police shoot four suspected terrorists dead and injure another.

 Police say the fifth suspect has died.

 Spanish police arrest a third person in Ripoll, and tweet that the belts worn by the five men shot dead in Cambrils were simulated explosives.

 Catalonian authorities say a woman who was critically injured in the Cambrils attack has died.

At around the same time, the Foreign Office says a small number of Brits were injured in the attacks.

 Police say a fourth suspect had been arrested.

 Buckingham Palace says The Queen had sent a message of sympathy to the King of Spain.
A seven-year-old is still missing following the terror attack in Barcelona, his family has said.

Relatives of Julian Alessandro Cadman are appealing for information about the boy, who was with his mum when they became separated.

Julians father and grandmother are travelling to Spain from Australia as the wait for news continues, family member Debbie Cadman said.

A woman places a candle next to a paper that reads "Catalunya - place of peace" on Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Grandfather Tony Cadman earlier urged people to share a photograph of Julian on Facebook.

He wrote: My Grandson, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. Please like and share. We have found Jom (my daughter in law) and she is (in a) serious but stable condition in hospital.

Julian is seven years old and was out with Jom when they were separated, due to the recent terrorist activity. Please share if you have family or friends in Barcelona.

In the photograph, Julian is wearing a jumper with a crest that says Chiddingstone Nursery, which is a nursery school in Kent.

Spain: Latest information following terrorist incidents in Las Ramblas, Barcelona & Cambrils. Follow @FCOtravel



 https://t.co/C5UD8b82Bw pic.twitter.com/fUyEgUgpbp  Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) August 18, 2017

Mr Cadmans Facebook profile says he lives in Sydney and is from Gillingham, Dorset.

Speaking after Mr Cadman made a plea for information, Theresa May said UK authorities were urgently looking into reports that a child, who has dual British nationality, is missing.

According to the Associated Press, Australias Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters: We are concerned for one Australian who remains unaccounted for.
Valencia have signed defender Gabriel from Arsenal on a five-year deal.

The 26-year-old Brazilian moves to the Mestalla for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around 10million, as Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger trims his squad.

Gabriel sustained a serious knee injury in Arsenals final Premier League game of last season and did not feature in pre-season.

Gabriel leaves Arsenal for Valencia challenge

He scored one goal in 64 appearances for the north London club.

Spanish club Valencia announced the signing in a statement on their official website. It read: Valencia have reached an agreement with Arsenal for the transfer of  Gabriel Paulista.

The Brazilian player has signed for the next five seasons until June 30, 2022, with a termination clause of 80 million euros.

Gabriel could be the first of a number of departures at the Emirates, with Lucas Perez, Calum Chambers and Joel Campbell also linked with moves away.
Patrick Roberts is edging towards a return to Celtic on a season-long loan, Press Association Sport understands.

The 20-year-old winger spent 18 months at the Parkhead club on a temporary deal before returning to parent club Manchester City at the end of last season.

Patrick Roberts could return to the Scottish champions next week

The Scottish treble winners have been keen to bring the England Under-20 player back to Parkhead and it is understood he pushed for a return to Glasgow amid interest from other clubs including Southampton and Nice.

Although the deal is not done yet, it is expected to be finalised next week.
Police in Berlin have given far-right extremists permission to hold a rally commemorating the death of Adolf Hitlers deputy Rudolf Hess in the citys western district of Spandau.

They have told organisers they can march, but they are not allowed to glorify Hess, who died at Spandau prison 30 years ago.

The neo-Nazis are allowed to take banners, but only one for every 50 participants, and military music is strictly forbidden, unless a court overturns that rule before Saturdays march.

Rudolf Hess was Adolf Hitler's deputy and was given a life sentence for his role in starting World War II

Such restrictions are common in Germany and rooted in the experience of the pre-war Weimar Republic, when opposing political groups would try to forcibly interrupt their rivals rallies, resulting in frequent bloody street violence, said Sven Richwin, a Berlin lawyer.

The exact rules differ according to the circumstances, but police in Germany generally try to balance protesters rights to free speech and free assembly against the rights of counter-demonstrators and residents, he said.

Anything intimidating is verboten, Mr Richwin told the Associated Press on Friday.

The rules mean that shields, helmets and batons carried by far-right and neo-Nazi protesters in Charlottesville last weekend would not be allowed in Germany.

Shields, helmets and batons carried by far-right and neo-Nazi protesters in Charlottesville last weekend would not be allowed in Germany (Steve Helber/AP)

Openly anti-Semitic chants would prompt German police to intervene, although efforts would be made to detain specific individuals rather than to stop an entire rally, said Mr Richwin.

Left-wing groups expect about 1,000 people to attend counter-protests on Saturday in Spandau.

Hess, who received a life sentence at the Nuremberg trials for his role in planning the Second World War, died on August 17 1987.

Allied authorities ruled his death a suicide, but Nazi sympathisers have long claimed that he was killed and organise annual marches in his honour.

The marches used to take place in the Bavarian town of Wunsiedel, where Hess was buried until authorities removed his remains.
Jose Mourinho believes former club Chelsea remain Premier League favourites despite Antonio Conte struggling in some areas, the ongoing Diego Costa debacle and their chastening opening-weekend defeat.

Hope brought by the start of a new season is underpinned by expectation at Stamford Bridge after the Italian led the Blues to the title in his first season at the helm.

Contes achievements were all the more impressive given the previous campaigns atrocious title defence brought Mourinhos second spell at the Stamford Bridge halt to an unceremonious halt.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho believes his former club Chelsea will be the team to beat this season

Read more from the manager's press conference in our live blog: https://t.co/rlyCp8ULVP #MUFC pic.twitter.com/GFsl7CGxtM  Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 18, 2017

But things appear to have gone awry at the start of the current Chelsea managers second season, with Costa still on their books, the squad looking patchy in places and a season-opening 3-2 home loss to Burnley.

Things do not get any easier as they head to Wembley to face rivals Tottenham on Sunday, but Manchester United manager Mourinho  who saw his side thrash West Ham 4-0 on the opening weekend  says Contes side remain the side to beat.

For me the favourite is the champion  always, the United boss said ahead of the trip to Swansea.

Because for some reason was the champion.

"There is no pressure from me at all," says the boss. "I'm happy with the squad we have and I'm ready to go." #MUFC pic.twitter.com/Wr3xxE1o7b  Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 18, 2017

It doesnt mean you are going to win it but I think it is the stamp that you have when you are champion, it is that the next season you are the favourite.

The subject of the Premier League favourite stemmed from Mourinho scoffing at the suggestion United were in a more stable position than their rivals.

Some have large question marks over key players and others still need key reinforcements, but the Portuguese says they are not the dream team after beating West Ham nor does their relative stability mean they have an advantage.

No, Mourinho said. If they have problems the problems are going to finish in a couple of weeks because in a couple of weeks the market is closed and they dont have problems anymore.

If they have  and I dont know if they have  in a couple of weeks the problems are over.

Missed what Jose Mourinho had to say in his press conference earlier today? Catch up here  https://t.co/KV1rvf3WRJ #MUFC pic.twitter.com/ZLfG5NH3RI  Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 18, 2017

They have very good teams, very good players and I dont see any reason for them not to be fighting for the title.

When people say, for example, Chelsea lost an important midfield player, you know if you lose one but you buy (Tiemoue) Bakayoko and (Danny) Drinkwater for example, whats the problem?

The problem is when you sell and you dont buy. But when you sell and you keep buying, whats the problem?

You are probably even stronger, so I think every top team in the Premier League is strong enough, with potential is strong enough with the financial situation to be fighting for everything.

And when everybody is also in Europe  five in the Champions League and then two in the Europa League  you have the top seven teams playing for everything and all of them are strong.

A minute with Nemanja Matic ahead of Swansea v #MUFC... pic.twitter.com/hlhRm65tGa  Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 18, 2017

Drinkwater remains a Leicester player but reports of a move to Stamford Bridge have bubbled along over recent weeks.

Such talk is common as the transfer window comes to a close and sees players like Anthony Martial continue to be linked with a move, despite scoring one and assisting another as a substitute against West Ham.

Tottenham have again been linked with the Frenchman, who found chances hard to come by last season due to Mourinhos well-documented frustrations with the attacker.

However, the United boss suggests Martial has turned over a new leaf at the start of a season he expects to face without the wide man acquisition he craves.

I have faith in him, Mourinho said of the France international.

Bad news for @PremierLeague defenders - Jose Mourinho is expecting big things from @AnthonyMartial this season... https://t.co/1SZ7iSHdKg pic.twitter.com/P9MVwk5VHt  Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 18, 2017

Probably the player that I was looking for was not a pure winger because I have pure wingers.

Probably the player I was looking for is a player that allows me to play with three in the back and do the wing-back.

Because as a pure attacking player, Anthony is a good player.

I believe hes one of the players that is going to have a better season this season than the previous season. I believe.

I look at some of my players and I am sure that some of them will be better this season than they were last season, and Anthony is that for sure.
By Josh Smith

KABUL, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Navigating a chaotic maze of cars and people, the convoy of British army armoured vehicles weaves slowly through Kabul. The job of about a dozen soldiers is to protect just two international advisers on their way to meet Afghan soldiers.

While every mission varies, for every adviser deployed in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led multinational force, many more soldiers are tasked with providing security and support.

The minimum security requirements mean that providing even just a few thousand advisers for Afghan security forces is a monumental task that, if continued, will keep many thousands more international troops and contractors facing daily threats.

That calculus will factor into arguments put before U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday as he and advisers meet ahead of a long-awaited decision on strategy and troop levels for the United States' longest war.

Fewer than 25 percent of coalition troops in Afghanistan are dedicated advisers - with the rest either in a security, support or a combined role.

The need to balance the force with more advisers is a driving factor behind the military's request for more troops, which has met with scepticism in Washington, where Trump was elected on a platform of reducing American commitments overseas.

DANGEROUS JOB

Providing security and support for the advising mission can be a deceptively dangerous job, with hours of quiet routine that can be broken by deadly violence at any moment.

On Aug. 2, two American soldiers were killed by a suicide car bomb as they were providing security for a convoy in the southern province of Kandahar.

The next day, a Georgian soldier was killed when a coalition convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in Kabul.

And just two days after that, Romanian soldiers providing security for advisers in Kandahar were forced to shoot and kill an Afghan policeman who attacked the international troops.

For the soldiers of the British army's Royal Irish Regiment in Kabul, this "taxi and bodyguard service" is a far cry from their last deployment to Afghanistan when they battled militants in Helmand province in 2011.

"We're there in the background if anything happens," said ranger Riley Tolliday, describing his job as a "guardian angel" escorting advisers to meetings around the Afghan capital.

After months of relative calm, since April the Royal Irish Regiment has deployed a "quick reaction force" to at least three attacks in the city, said Major Paul Martin, a company commander.

In April, the regiment's soldiers were deployed to mediate a dispute that arose after a vehicle carrying foreign troops was involved in a traffic accident and was fired upon by Afghan police.

In early May, the soldiers escorted the disabled vehicles of an U.S. military convoy that had been struck by a suicide bomber, killing eight Afghan bystanders and wounding three Americans.

And on May 31, they responded to the scene of a massive truck bomb that detonated in the centre of Kabul, killing at least 92 people.

The British soldiers helped secure the scene and then evacuated casualties from the German embassy, which was heavily damaged.

MORE ADVISERS NEED MORE PROTECTION

Even at the height of the international military mission in Afghanistan, a large proportion of troops was involved behind the scenes providing security and other support for the main mission.

Of the 12,447 troops from 39 countries that make up the NATO-led Resolute Support mission, about 2,865 are classified as advisers, according to numbers provided by the coalition.

Another 7,766 are considered "enablers", which can range from logistics and security troops to fighter aircraft pilots.

And, finally, 1,816 are deployed as "command and control".

Among the enablers plus command-and-control troops, many also have part-time roles advising Afghan counterparts, but the numbers reveal the massive number of supporting troops needed to field even a limited advising mission.

Among the 23,500 private contractors also employed by the U.S. military in Afghanistan, only 800 are classified as trainers, according to the Pentagon.

Erik Prince, the high-profile founder of the private security firm Blackwater, has proposed using contractors to take over all of the foreign mission in Afghanistan.

While the U.S. military has used contractors to buttress the force in Afghanistan, including using private guards for security around some bases, officials say they hope to reduce overall reliance on contractors by deploying more troops.

The command in Kabul is now waiting on the stalled request for thousands more American troops, which they hope will allow them to deploy more soldiers dedicated to working with the Afghans, but also a "significant" number to provide more security, said one senior military official.

Security services have seen a recent increase in demand as advisers try to reach more Afghan units, Martin said.

"We're able to fulfil about 80 percent of the requests we receive." The troops tasked with escorting the advisers on their missions have to not only provide protection from potential militants, but also from so-called insider attacks by members of the Afghan security forces, who have occasionally turned on their foreign allies. (Editing by Nick Macfie)
Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Friday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours):

PGNiG

Poland's gas company PGNiG reported on Friday second-quarter profit at 499 million zlotys ($137.05 million), below forecast.

INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT, RETAIL SALES AND PPI DATA

The statistics office is due to release corporate wages and employment data for July at 1200 GMT.

POLL

Polish President Andrzej Duda's veto of two bills to reform the judiciary system submitted by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has not dented the popularity of PiS, according to an IBRIS poll for Rzeczpospolita daily. Support for PiS stood at 33 percent this month, 1.1 percentage points higher than last month.

****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.****

For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E.Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX ($1 = 3.6410 zlotys) (Reporting by Warsaw Bureau; Editing by Edmund Blair)
SOFIA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Friday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

-- Bulgarian authorities have expressed their condolences to the victims of the terrorist attack in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Thursday. A van ploughed into crowds in one of Barcelona's busiest tourist avenues, Las Ramblas, and a regional official said 13 people were killed (Trud, Standart, 24 Chasa, Monitor)

-- A total of 561 foreign citizens have been granted refugee status by Bulgarias state agency for refugees between Jan. 1 and July 31 this year while another 683 people were given humanitarian status, the agency said. The figures show a significant decline in the number of people seeking protection in the Black Sea state - refugee status was given to 5,162 people in 2014 and 4,708 in 2015 (Standart, Trud, Monitor)

-- Wild fires broke out in the southern Bulgarian region of Haskovo, local authorities said. The situation there is complicated because of the strong wind and high temperatures (Standart, Monitor, Telegraf)

-- Bulgaria is among the bottom three European Union countries in spending on official development assistance and remains well below the EU target for such spending, EU statistics agency Eurostat data showed. The Balkan country spent less than 0.1 percent of its gross national income on official development assistance in 2016 while the EUs average was 0.51 percent

-- Bulgaria will collect 1.5 billion levs ($899.50 million)per year from cargo vehicles with the new toll system, which is expected to be installed in 2018, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski said (Standart, Trud, Monitor) ($1 = 1.6676 leva)
By Colin Packham and Tom Westbrook

CANBERRA/SYDNEY, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Australia's widening citizenship crisis entangled a seventh politician on Friday, a key independent senator whose support is critical for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to pass legislation through a hostile Senate.

Senator Nick Xenophon said he may hold dual citizenship, Australian and British, which would make him ineligible to sit in parliament. He said he was checking if his father's birth in Cyprus makes him British, as well as Australian.

"The great irony here is that my father left Cyprus in 1951 in order to get away from British occupation of Cyprus. The suggestion that I could be a British citizen is something that would absolutely horrify my father...," Xenophon told The Australian newspaper.

Xenophon, whose eponymous party holds two key balance-of-power seats in the upper house, has stymied government media law reform plans and criticised the government's reluctance to order a sweeping inquiry into the nation's banking sector.

The citizenship crisis, based on a 116-year-old law which demands an elected lawmaker only have Australian citizenship, has rocked the Australian parliament, ensnaring three government members, three Green party MPs and Xenophon.

Turnbull's one-seat majority in the lower house is in jeopardy after Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce on Monday said he may be ineligible for parliament due to New Zealand citizenship by descent. His father was born in New Zealand.

Joyce has since relinquished New Zealand citizenship, but is awaiting a High Court ruling, along with several other politicians who believe they may have dual citizenship.

The High Court will begin hearings into Joyce's eligibility on Aug. 24. Should he be ruled ineligible, Turnbull would be forced to rely on independents to pass legislation.

If the lawmakers under a citizenship cloud are ruled ineligible by the High Court there will need to be by-elections held in their seats. If Joyce failed to win re-election in his rural seat, Turnbull would face a hung parliament.

Turnbull's government is struggling in opinion polls and would not wish to be tested at the ballot box at this time.

Australia's foreign minister has accused New Zealand's Labour Party of conspiring to bring down the Australian government by revealing Joyce's New Zealand ancestry.

Under Section 44 of Australia's constitution "a subject or a citizen of a foreign power" is barred from office.

One government senator, Matt Canavan, discovered his mother obtained Italian citizenship on his behalf, while another, Fiona Nash, said she is a Briton because her estranged and long-dead father was born in Scotland.

Turnbull told reporters in Canberra on Friday that he expects the High Court to keep the dual-national MPs in office.

"Section 44 was designed, as the court has said, to prevent politicians having conflicts of loyalties or split allegiances, that's a quote from one of the judgments," Turnbull said.

"I'm very confident that the court will find that Fiona Nash, Barnaby Joyce and Matt Canavan are not disqualified from sitting in the parliament." (Reporting by Colin Packham in CANBERRA and Tom Westbrook in SYDNEY; Editing by Michael Perry)
By James Pomfret and Venus Wu

HONG KONG, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's legal chief denied any "political motive" in seeking jail for three young pro-democracy activists on Friday, responding to a Reuters report that he had overruled other legal officials who had initially advised against pursuing the case.

An appeals court on Thursday jailed three leaders of the Chinese-ruled city's democracy movement, Joshua Wong, 20, Alex Chow, 27, and Nathan Law, 24, for six to eight months, dealing a blow to a youth-led push for universal suffrage. Several protests by their supporters are planned in coming days.

They had been convicted of unlawful assembly related to months of mostly peaceful street protests that gripped the city in 2014 but failed to sway Communist Party rulers in Beijing in their call for full democracy.

The trio had already been sentenced last year by a district court in the former British colony to non-jail terms including community service, but the Department of Justice applied for a review, seeking jail terms.

Reuters reported that Justice Secretary Rimsky Yuen had ignored the advice of several senior prosecutors in the Department of Justice in pushing for jail terms.

Yuen said differences of opinion could be constructive.

"I believe everyone will understand that any entity, including a government department, in discussing something, will sometimes have a consensus, and sometimes there are different opinions," he told reporters.

"I hope everyone can understand that the main point is not whether there was any difference in opinion, and actually sometimes having a difference in opinion is a good thing, because if everyone has the same opinion then you can't have a constructive discussion."

Yuen added there "hasn't been any political motive at all" in the case.

China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said in response to the sentences that "no one can use the excuse of so-called democracy and freedom to carry out illegal violent acts".

INTERNATIONAL CONCERN

But the sentencing has stoked broader international fears for Hong Kong's constitutionally enshrined freedoms, part of a "one country, two systems" deal under which the British returned the territory to China in 1997, as well as perceptions of political meddling.

Hong Kong enjoys a free, highly respected judiciary, unlike on the mainland where the Communist Party controls the courts which rarely challenge its decisions.

"We are concerned by the decision of the Hong Kong authorities to seek a tougher sentence," said Kristin Haworth, a spokesperson for the U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau.

"We hope Hong Kong's law enforcement continues to reflect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and remains apolitical."

U.S. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called the re-sentencing of the trio "unjust".

"This injustice offends the basic notions of freedom and democracy and deserves the swift and unified condemnation of the international community," she said in a statement.

US senator and once presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, together with representative Chris Smith, also criticized what they called the "shameful" sentencing.

Their statement drew ire from the Chinese Foreign Ministry's representative office in Hong Kong.

"We ask the U.S. government to follow the basic principles of international relations, and oppose and stop the aforementioned congressmen's speech and action that oppose China and stir up troubles in Hong Kong," the office said in a statement.

Britain said it was vital Hong Kong's young people had a voice in politics and it hoped the sentencing would not discourage legitimate protest. The office of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen expressed "much regret" over the sentence.

China's conservative state-run tabloid, the Global Times, welcomed the jail terms, saying "the law has shown its authority".

"This sentence will be a milestone in Hong Kong's governance. From now on people who protest violently can be given a guilty sentence following this precedent, and they will need to go to jail," the newspaper wrote.

The jail terms disqualify Wong, Chow and Law from running for the financial hub's legislature for the next five years. Law had been the city's youngest ever democratically elected legislator before he was stripped last month of his seat by a government-led lawsuit. The three plan to appeal. (Additional reporting by Gao Liangping and Christian Shepherd in Beijing, and Jessica Macy Yu in Taipei and; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By Ed Cropley

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 18 (Reuters) - South Africa has granted diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe's first lady, Grace Mugabe, allowing her to return to Harare and avoid prosecution for the alleged assault of a 20-year-old model, a security source said on Friday.

South African police had put border posts on "red alert" to prevent Mugabe fleeing and indicated she would receive no special treatment in the case involving Gabriella Engels, who says Mugabe whipped her with an electric extension cable.

A security source, however, said immunity had been granted. The source also said Grace Mugabe had failed to turn up at a Johannesburg court hearing on Tuesday, as agreed with police, because of concerns she could be attacked.

The alleged assault -- Engels said it occurred on Sunday evening as she waited with two friends in a luxury Johannesburg hotel suite to meet one of Mugabe's adult sons -- is a diplomatic nightmare for South Africa.

The country has a difficult relationship with its northern neighbour. It is home to an estimated three million Zimbabwean exiles who regard President Robert Mugabe as a dictator who has ruined what was once one of Africa's most promising democracies.

But although he is also widely reviled in the West, Mugabe is still seen by many Africans as the continent's elder statesman and a hero of its anti-colonial struggles.

A senior government source said on Friday there was "no way" Grace Mugabe, 52, would be arrested because of the diplomatic fallout that would ensue from Zimbabwe.

Indeed, the 93-year old president himself arrived two days early in Pretoria for a regional southern African summit this week to help resolve his wife's legal problems.

The government source accepted the view widely held by legal experts that Grace Mugabe was not entitled to immunity because she was in South Africa for medical treatment, and said the government was expecting her immunity to be challenged in court.

However, the source said Pretoria justified its decision because of other countries in southern Africa that supported South Africa's ruling ANC in the long struggle against apartheid would also see Grace Mugabe's prosecution as a betrayal.

"There would obviously be implications for our relations with Zimbabwe. Sadly the other countries in the region are watching us and how we are going to act," the source said, asking not to be named.

"What is likely to happen is that she will be allowed to go back home, and then we announce that we've granted diplomatic immunity and wait for somebody to challenge us."

South Africa's foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

"DISGRACE"

Engels' mother Debbie, who released photographs of her daughter with gashes to her head requiring 14 stitches, said it would be "very sad" if Grace Mugabe was allowed to leave.

However, her daughter's legal team -- which includes Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor who secured a murder conviction against Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius -- would counter such a move, she said.

"Gerrie Nel and the team have contingency plans," she told Reuters, without elaborating. "They will run with it."

Afriforum, an Afrikaans rights group that Nel joined in January after quitting as a state prosecutor, said it would be illegal for Pretoria to give Mugabe immunity and branded the plans a "disgrace".

"The government has two responsibilities: one, to protect its own citizens and two, to act according to the law. And the granting of diplomatic immunity would transgress the law," chief executive Kallie Kriel said.

Harare has made no official comment on the saga and requests for comment from Zimbabwean government officials have gone unanswered. The South African government has restricted all official comment to the police ministry.

The Engels incident is not the first time Grace Mugabe -- who is lauded in official Zimbabwean media as "Mother of the Nation" - has been in legal hot water.

In 2009, a newspaper photographer in Hong Kong said Grace and her bodyguard had assaulted him. Police said the incident was reported but no charges were brought. (Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
BEIRUT, Aug 18 (Reuters) - An advisor to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said the six-year war is nearly over as foreign states cut backing for rebels, and vowed the government would confront any "illegitimate" forces, whether Turkish or American.

Bouthaina Shaaban said the fact that Syria was staging the Damascus International Fair for the first time in the war "sends a message that the war has ended ... and we are at the start of the path towards reconstruction."

With the help of Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, Damascus has shored up its rule over much of the country's populated west. Now, it is marching eastward towards the Deir al-Zor region near the Iraqi border.

The war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, has reached its "penultimate stage" as foreign powers that backed rebels change their policies, Shaaban said in comments to Lebanese al-Mayadeen TV carried on Syrian state news agency SANA on Thursday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has ended CIA support to rebel groups fighting to topple Assad. Turkey, long one of the main rebel backers, has also shifted its priority away from ousting Assad, seeking to mend ties with Russia and curb Kurdish expansion near its border.

"Just as we defeated terrorism, we will fight any illegitimate presence on our land, whether it's the United States or Turkey," Shaaban said. "And this is among the challenges we will face at the right time in the right way."

U.S. forces based in northern Syria are helping Kurdish-led militias push Islamic State militants out of Raqqa city. Washington also has a garrison in the southeast Syrian desert, near a strategic highway border crossing with Iraq, to train local rebels to battle Islamic State.

Shaaban said this week's Damascus trade fair and regional participation proved a "U-turn was achieved" in the conflict, a shift the Syrian army and allied forces were imposing since they seized Aleppo city late last year.

Still, the multi-sided conflict has raged on along several fronts across the country, with Islamic State losing ground to various separate enemies.

And while the government has forced several major insurgent enclaves to surrender over the past year, rebels still hold swathes of land, including their stronghold of Idlib province and a pocket of territory near Damascus.

The battle against rebels in western Syria has recently shifted down several gears after a string of ceasefire deals, including one Moscow and Washington brokered for the southwest.

With firepower freed up by the truces, the government is extending its grip towards Islamic State territory in the vast eastern deserts.

Syria's war, which spiralled into violence after mass protests against Assad's rule in 2011, has made more than 11 million people homeless and sparked a global refugee crisis. (Reporting by Ellen Francis; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
RABAT, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The king of Morocco expressed his condolences to Spain on Friday over the deadly attack in Barcelona, over which three Moroccans have been arrested.

King Mohammed VI also condemned what he called an "odious criminal act, contrary to all human values and religious precepts".

"His Majesty the King expresses to King Felipe VI, and through him, to all the families of victims and to the Spanish people, his sincere condolences and solidarity and compassion," said a statement carried by state news agency MAP.

Thirteen people were killed and scores more wounded on Thursday when a van ploughed into crowds on a central boulevard in the Spanish coastal city.

Spanish police say they have arrested four people in connection with the attacks, three of them Moroccan and one from the Spanish enclave of Melilla on Morocco's northern coast.

Moroccan authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Three Moroccan nationals were among those injured during the attack and were being treated in a Barcelona hospital, according to MAP. (Reporting by Samia Errazzouki; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Angus MacSwan)
WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea will start a joint exercise called Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) on Aug. 21 lasting through Aug. 31, the Pentagon said on Friday, as tensions had escalated over North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons program.

The statement said about 17,500 U.S. service members would join in the exercise in addition to troops from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Britain.

"UFG is computer simulated defensive exercise designed to enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean peninsula," the statement said.

(Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
The accomplished playwright M. Safeer has begun his brand new international theatre experience called Swings of love. The sole female character of this production is performed by Julia Filippo, an Italian artist equipped with international stage experiences. Julia Filippo has already arrived in Sri Lanka and will continue to train full time on the production until the initial performance is staged for an limited crowd.



The premiere show of the Swings of love is planned to be held at the Pune IAPR international theatre festival in November. It will also be staged for three special public viewings at the Korean International Dio performing arts festival in Seoul, followed by some invitation shows around the world.

The script of this poetic play is written by the proficient writer Manjula Wediwardena. His original script is translated into English by Dilini Eriyawala.



The theme of Swing of Love is about femininity and love. The story recreates the sensations born in a woman on natural wonders of love, coition and violence. Apart from the explicit beginning and ending, the production is four act.



The production has a single female performer to reinvent femininity and love using her gestures, rhythm and voice as the medium of communication. Five swings of different colours are used according to the theme and some pre-prepared videos and coloured backgrounds appear concurrently with the acts. From the beginning to the end, the performer plays her role only on the swings.



The production management and lighting designing are by Sujeewa Pathinisekera and Music is directed by Vindaka Weerasinghe. Stage management is by Jeewanthi Perera and the stage supervision is carried by Tharushi Kavindi. Weerasingha Jayasundara takes part in the production with audio-visuals. The national and international logistics and propagation will be done by Nirasha Priyawadani while the international coordination is done by Jayalath S. Gomes.



Inter Act Art has produced numerous creations during the last twenty years, appreciated by local and international audiences. In 2013 and 2015, the artistic director M. Safeer, has been invited to the FLAME University of Pune in India and the Directorate of Culture and Arts of Goa in order to realize workshops with students and artists and create two theater productions. These shows participated in numerous international theater festivals and they received a warm welcome and success.



The shows produced by Inter Act Art are created following the modern and contemporary theater techniques. In 2016 during an international festival organized by the IAA, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, M. Safeer got to know Julia Filippo and her work. Following this meeting, Inter Act Art has decided to co-produce an international theater production combining the abilities of the actress Julia Filippo and the directing style of M. Safeer.



He has been involved in Theater and performing art for the last two decades at national and international level. His name is prominently said where a non Sinhalese has been nominated or awarded in the main stream Sinhala theatre.

The Actress - Julia Filippo

Born in Rimini, Italy in 1984, she studied physical theater in France and she graduated from the school Arsenale of Milan - Lecoq method (2005). She is an actress in many projects such as: Un bar sotto il mare Novelli Theater (2003), La Cantatrice Calva Arsenale Theater (2005), Sabbia  Nessuno ci guarda Franco Parenti Theater (2008), Dio Mercato Chorus Ringhiera Theater (2008), Imraa, Jin, Xaniman, Women Hidden Theater (2009) with the direction of Annet Henneman. In 2008 she directed the opera La Boheme in Teatro dei Vigilanti. She joined the company Living Theater of New York in 2009 in the tour of Israel and Palestine and in 2010 in the tour in Belgium with many performances. From 2010 she collaborated with Teatro Era of Pontedera with the performances Abito Iter and Lisboa that toured Japan, Brazil, Italy, Portugal and Denmark. In 2013 she took part in the show The Clinic of Blinded of the director Pierangelo Pompa with the company Laboratorio di Altamira.
Commercial Bank of Ceylon has commenced the second phase of itsRaindrops project to combat Chronic Kidney Disease of an unknown origin (CKDu) following the resounding success of the first phase in whichthe Bank in 2016 donated 5,000 litre storage tanks for rainwater harvesting to 25 families in Ginnoruwa in the Girandurukotte area.



The Raindrops project was initiated in collaboration with the late Ranjith Mulleriyawa, the renowned agronomist who supervised the first phase of this community programme. The management of the entire project is handled by ETC Lanka, a member of the Not-for-Profit organisation ETC International Group based in

Leusden, Netherlands.



During the first phase of the project the familiesthat received storage tanks consumed harvested rainwater for more than one year, after which they were tested for CKDu and the results compared with those of 25 families that consumed well water during that period. An effort was made to ensure that other variables, such as living conditions, food habits and eating patterns of all 50 families remained the same.



Under the second phase of the project, Commercial Bank has commissioned a scientific analysis of the suitability of rainwater for drinking, following indications from the first phase that rainwater is better than groundwater in areas prone to CKDu.



The bank has entrusted the Wayamba University with conducting in-depth research into the water quality, pH value, electrical conductivity and other properties of harvested rainwater to determine the viability of promoting this source of water on a mass scale in areas reporting a high incidence of the dreaded disease.



The initial findings of the study have shown that while several persons from the group that consumed well water havebeen diagnosed with Stage 1 CKDu, none of those that consumed rainwater have shown signs of the disease thus far. It may be premature to draw scientific conclusions at this stage, but the preliminary findings are certainly encouraging and worth pursuing, Commercial Banks Managing Director/CEO Mr Jegan Durairatnam said. CKDu is taking far too high a toll of human life in Sri Lanka, and as a responsible corporate citizen Commercial Bank considers it a duty to support the search for an effective and practical solution for the tens of thousands of affected citizens and the many more who are at risk. Commercial Bank also has commissioned an anthropological study to assess and analyse the changing perceptions of villagers on the consumption of harvested rainwater as an alternative to water from wells.



The study by anthropologist W.A. Upul Kumara Wickramasinghe indicates that persons who consumed rainwater reported the absence of unpleasant tastes, odours, oily film and sediment in the rainwater consumed; an improvement in the taste of food and tea prepared with rainwater and an increase of their individual consumption of water since they made the change to rainwater. Individuals interviewed by the anthropologist had also noted that a burning sensation that was experienced when passing urine after consuming water from wells in the Ginnoruwa area was not evident after consuming rainwater.



It has been estimated that a family of five would need 20 litres of water per day for drinking and cooking purposes, and that a storage structure with the standard eco-friendly features capable of holding 5,000 litres of rainwater would be adequate to last approximately six months to tide over the dry months May to September in areas such as Girandurukotte (Mahaweli System C) which receive an annual rainfall of 1200-1500mm.



The results of the research to be conducted by the Wayamba University in Phase 2 of the Raindrops project could lead to more rainwater storage facilities being set up in CKDu-affected areas, the Bank said. Already, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board has come forward to donate 30 more water tanks to families in the Ginnoruwa village.



The success of this project has stimulated the interest of many other organisations to join in promoting the use of rainwater harvesting in the area.



Besides the Raindrops project, the Commercial Bank has an extensive, multi-dimensional portfolio of community initiatives that promote IT literacy, online education and English literacy; provide scholarships and laptops to undergraduates; donate essential equipment to hospitals; support the preservation and restoration of sites of historic, cultural or religious significance, fund reforestation of depleted rainforests and support the rehabilitation needs of disabled soldiers.



Sri Lankas largest and most profitable private bank and the countrys most-awarded financial institution, Commercial Bank plays a significant role in the national economy.
The Wild Life Conservation Department is probing the death of a seven-feet male leopard in the Deltota, Lulakanda area.

Assistant Forest Range officer G R Dharmarathna told the Daily Mirror that the leopard was found dead on Monday evening following information provided by resident to the area wild life office.

An official from the Wild Life Conservation Department said the carcass of the leopard was handed over to the Peradeniya veterinary surgeon for a postmortem.

He said the reason for the leopards death had not been established so far.

The Sri Lankan leopard is a subspecies of leopards native to Sri Lanka that was first described in 1956 by the Sri Lankan zoologist Deraniyagala.

The leopard was listed as an Endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List in 2008 is also an offense to kill, trade or harm a leopard under the Wildlife Act. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
By Cecilia Yap 

(c) 2017, Bloomberg  Clarissa Batino, Aug 17, 2017 - Philippine police killed at least 57 people over two nights in a series of frenzied raids against suspected drug dealers that began Tuesday.



Police shot dead 25 people in Manila from Wednesday morning to Thursday, while 32 people were killed in Bulacan province north of the capital in similar anti-drug operations on Tuesday. The raids marked three of the bloodiest days in Rodrigo Dutertes war on drugs.



Duterte administration officials place total deaths at 3,451 in the 13 months through July 26, but Human Rights Watch earlier this year estimated that more 7,000 people had been killed, including at least three mayors.



Thats good, Duterte told a group of anti-crime volunteers Wednesday night at the presidential palace, referring to the raid in Bulacan. If we can only kill 32 everyday, then maybe we can reduce what ails this country,
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj

The month of August saw a flurry of hectic political activity in Sri Lanka. The statement made by controversial Minister Ravi Karunanayake at the Presidential Commission of inquiry followed by his resignation, the move to postpone Provincial Council polls by way of the 20th Constitutional amendment, the revolt within UNP ranks against the conduct of maverick UNP Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and the fast-tracking of probes concerning allegations against family members of ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, along with other issues like the SAITM affair have been drawing the attention of the nation at large for the past few weeks.



In the midst of all this August excitement, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka delivered a landmark judgement of profound importance on August 4th.



The three member bench comprising Chief Justice Priyasath Dep, Justice Upaly Abeyrathne and Justice Anil Goonaratne in a landmark ruling gave a clean chit to the federal form of governance and the chief Tamil political party espousing federalism in Sri Lanka namely the Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) popularly referred to in English as the Federal Party (FP).



From the very early years, since its inception in December 1949, the ITAK/FP had been accused by its political detractors of being a party attempting to divide the country by espousing Federalism.

This has led to the growth of an erroneous impression among many Sri Lankans that Federalism amounts to Separatism. In its long political journey, the ITAK/FP found this perception of equating Federalism with Secessionism a major obstacle in pursuing the objective of power sharing through negotiations.

Advocating federalism is not the same as advocating a separate state;

The invocation of self-determination does not amount to a demand for a separate state:

The labelling of states as unitary and federal sometimes may be misleading. There could be unitary states with features or attributes of a federal state and vice versa;

It was clear the ITAK did not have as its aims or objects the demand for a separate State.



Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi

The Supreme Court ruling of Aug 4th 2017 however has gone against the grain of this Federalism is Separatism fallacy.



The three member SC bench ruled that Advocating for a Federal form of Government within the existing State could not be considered as advocating Separatism.



Furthermore the SC also observed that the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) was advocating for a Federalist form of Government by devolving more powers to the Provinces within the framework of the existing state.



On the basis of this legal opinion the Supreme Court dismissed the petition filed by Don Chandrasoma of Kelaniya, who had sought an order from the Supreme Court declaring that the ITAK has, as one of its aims and objects the establishment of a Separate State.



The case filed on March 27th 2014 by H. K. Don Chandrasoma in the Supreme Court sought a declaration under Article 157A(4) of the Constitution, which was introduced by the 6th Constitutional Amendment that the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) had as one of its aims or objects the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka. The SC affirmed in its ruling that the ITAK Does not, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate state within the territory of Sri Lanka as envisaged under Article 157A of the Constitution.

It is a coincidence of ironic significance that the Supreme Court ruling was delivered on August 4th. It was thirty-four years ago on August 4th 1983 after the Black July anti-Tamil pogrom that the United National Party (UNP) Govt. of Junius Richard Jayewardene passed the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution disavowing Separatism in Sri Lanka.



It was on the basis of changes made to article 157 of the Constitution by inserting 157 A as a result of the 6th Amendment that the petition against the ITAK was filed. 34 years later a Supreme Court judgement of August 4th has laid to rest the bogey of Federalism being depicted as Separatism.

The landmark judgement was written by Chief Justice Priyasath Dep with Justice Upaly Abeyrathne and Justice Anil Gooneratne concurring. The petitioner was Hikkadu Koralalage Don Chandrasoma of G -16, National Housing Scheme, Polhena, Kelaniya.



The petitioner was represented by Counsel Dharshan Weerasekera and Madhubashini Rajapaksha.



Maavai Somasundaram Senathirajah

The first respondent was Jaffna District parliamentarian Maavai S. Senathirajah. Somasundaram Senathirajah hails from the northern village of Maaviddapuram, known as Maavai.



He is generally known as Maavai Senathirajah with the prefix Maavai attached to his name.

Senathirajah is the President of the Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi which is the chief party within the configuration known as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The TNA contests polls under the House symbol allocated to the ITAK. Senathirajah was the Secretary of the ITAK with its headquarters in 30 Martin Road, Jaffna when the case was filed. Hence he was designated as the first Respondent.

Subsequently Senathirajah relinquished his Secretary post and became President of the ITAK. Eastern Provincial Minister and lawyer K. Thurairasasingham became Secretary of the ITAK.

Thereafter the new ITAK Secretary Thurairasasinghams name was substituted in place of Maavai Senathirajah as 1st respondent.



The other respondents were the commissioner of Elections and the Attorney - General. Senior Lawyers K. Kanag Ishwaran PC and M. A. Sumanthiran PC along with attorneys -at -law Viran Corea and Niran Anketell appeared for the first respondents.



Deputy Solicitor-General Nerin Pulle and State counsel Suren Gnanaraj appeared for the AG.

The history of the case in question is quite interesting. When elections to the Northern Provincial Council were held for the first time on September 21st 2013 the TNA contesting under the ITAK symbol won 30 of the 38 seats. Retired Supreme Court judge C. V. Wigneswaran became Chief Minister.



A number of petitions against the ITAK/TNA were filed by different persons. Almost all of them related to complaints about perceived references to Separatism in the TNA election manifesto released for the 2013 Northern Provincial poll.



The Chief Justice at that time was Mohan Peiris. Taking a cue perhaps from the precedent set by former Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva, Chief Justice Peiris decreed that all the cases must be heard by a bench presided over by the Chief Justice himself.



There were many delays in taking up the cases filed in 2013 as most of them were in the Sinhala language.



As such the State was requested to translate the petitions into English.



Mr. H.K. Don Chandrasomas petition was filed on March 27th 2014(3/2014).The petitioner sought a Supreme Court declaration under Article 157A (4) of the Constitution that the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) had as one of its aims or objects the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka. The Petitioner Don Chandrasoma was represented by his Counsel Dharshan Weerasekera.



Chief Justice Mohan Peiris

Initially Chandrasomas 2014 petition was taken up along with the 2013 petitions by then Chief Justice Mohan Peiris. However, Chandrasoma took up the position that while the 2013 cases were based on the TNA Election Statement of 2013, his case dealt directly with the party Constitution, and therefore his case needed to be taken up separately. The Petitioner based his claim on the basis that a 2008 amendment to the ITAK Constitution sought to replace the word Samashti which means Federalism with Inaipaatchchi.



The Petitioner claimed that Inaipaatchchi meant Confederal and that advocating Confederalism was tantamount to advocating a Separate state.



The ITAKs position was that the replacement of Samashti with Inaipaatchchi was only one of several such changes replacing the Sanskritised word in the Constitution with pure Tamil alternatives.

Both words referred to Federalism or Federal only, it was argued.



When the matters concerned were taken up before then chief justice Mohan Peiris, he suggested that the matter could be settled by the ITAK tendering an affidavit disavowing separatism.



When the ITAK tendered an affidavit on September 16th 2014 stating that its positions cannot be said to be separatist, the Petitioners stated that they were not satisfied with the Affidavit and requested that the matter be taken up for further hearing. So, while the six petitions filed previously in 2013 remained pending the 3/2014 petition filed in March 2014 was taken up before the Supreme Court.



Meanwhile, there was a regime change on January 8th, 2015 with incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa being defeated by President Maithripala Sirisena.



Chief Justice Mohan Peiris was removed from office through a controversial procedure on 27th January 2017. His predecessor Shirani Bandaranayake, who was impeached wrongfully by Parliament in a flagrant travesty of justice on January 13th 2013 was re-instated as Chief Justice on January 28th, 2015.



After holding office for a single day in a symbolic gesture, Ms. Bandaranayake quit office on Jan 29th, 2015. The senior most Supreme Court judge Kanagasabapathy Sripavan was sworn in as Chief Justice on Jan 30th 2015.



Chief Justice Kanagasabapathy Sripavan

Chief Justice Kanagasabapathy Sripavan did not wish to hear the case due to personal reasons.

He recused himself. Thereafter the case was heard by a bench presided over by the next senior most judge Priyasath Dep PC. The other members of the three -member bench were Judges Upaly Abeyrathne and Anil Gooneratne.



The case then proceeded at its own pace subject to the laws customary delays. Obtaining translations of relevant documents and particulars impeded the pace to some extent.

The main argument by respective counsel was on February 18th 2016.



Written submissions were filed on April 18th 2016 and May 3rd 2016 respectively. With Chief justice K. Sripavan retiring, Judge Priyasath Dep became Chief Justice on March 2nd, 2017. The final ruling was delivered on August 4th 2017. Chief Justice Dep wrote the judgement with Justices Abeyrathne and Gooneratne concurring.



The Supreme Court ruling has been like Manna from heaven to the Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi. With the prickly issue of the party allegedly subscribing to separatist policies being raised in courts, the ITAK had a virtual Damoclean Sword of proscription and related penalties hanging over its head.

The SC ruling not only eliminated that danger but also vindicated the party in its adherence to its key policy of promoting a Federal form of Government in Sri Lanka. The Supreme Court judgement had invigorated and strengthened the ITAK by stating unequivocally that advocating Federalism does not amount to espousing separatism.



Nature and Direction of the Case

A brief perusal of the Supreme Court judgement provides a valuable insight into the nature and direction of the case. The Petitioner R.K. Don Chandrasoma relied on Article 157 A (4) in petitioning the Supreme Court to issue a declaration regarding the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK). The relevant clause says -



(4) - Where any political party or other association or organization has as one of its aims or objects the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka, any person may make an application to the Supreme Court for a declaration that such political party or other association or organisation has as one of its aims or objects the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka. The Secretary or other officer of such political party or other association or organization shall be made a respondent to such application.



The petitioner in his Petition dated 27th March 2014, prayed for following reliefs:

i) A declaration that ITAK is a political party which has as one of its aims and objects the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka.



ii) An order that the ITAK and its members, in consequence of the declaration issued under Article 4 of the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution [157A (4)] are subject to the provisions of Article 5 of the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka. [157A (5)]



2008 Amendment to ITAK Constitution

The Petitioner based his claim on the grounds that a 2008 amendment to the ITAK Constitution sought to replace the word Samashti which means Federalism with Inaipaatchchi.



The Petitioner claimed that Inaipaatchchi meant Confederal and that advocating Confederalism was tantamount to advocating a separate State. The Petitioner stated that the Constitution of ITAK, which is in Tamil and the subsequent amendment effected to the Constitution in 2008, which is in Tamil, were filed at the Elections Commissioners office.



Rule 2 of the Constitution of ITAK (English translation) which refers to the objective of ITAK read as follows:



The objective of this party is to establish political, economic and cultural liberation among Tamil speaking people by way of forming autonomous Tamil Government and autonomous Muslim Government as part of United Federal Sri Lanka in accordance with the principles of self determination. Note: There will be a full guarantee in regards to Religion, language rights and fundamental rights for the minorities residing in the States which will be connected.



The Petitioner submitted that the amendment replaced the word Federal with the word Confederation. The translation provided by the Petitioner replaced the word Federal and inserted the word Confederation.



The Petitioner stated that the replacement of words in Rule 2 by the said amendment to the ITAK Constitution indicated a shift in the aims and objectives of ITAK.



The Petitioner further said that the full statement of the present aims and objectives of the ITAK, subsequent, to the above amendments, is to establish a separate State within Sri Lanka.

The ITAKs position was that the replacement of Samashti with Inaipaatchchi was only one of several such changes replacing the Sanskritised words in the party Constitution with pure Tamil alternatives.



Among the Sanskritised words replaced by pure Tamil words were Samashti to Inaipaatchchi (Federal) Angaththuvam to Uruppurimai (membership), Podhu Kaariya Sabhai to Podhuchchabai (General Council), Kaariyatharisi to Seyalaalarchch (Secretary), Thanaathikari to Porulaalar (Treasurer) and Visheda to Sirappu (Special).



It was explained that Tamil words in usage of Sanskrit origin were replaced by words of pure Tamil origin. The ITAK submitted that the word Confederacy was not substituted in place of Federal as argued by the petitioner and that both Samashti and Inaipaatchchi referred to Federal or Federalism.



Official Languages Department Translation

In view of the contrasting positions taken by the Petitioner and the 1st Respondent, the Court called upon the learned Deputy Solicitor General to assist Court and an order was made for the translation of the Tamil documents by the Official Languages Department.



The official translation provided by the Official Language Department stated

as follows:



Rule 02 Objective: In (a) repealing the word Samashti (Federation) and substitution of the word Inaipaatchchi (Federation).



The translations were filed of record in February 2015. The Official Languages Dept. translation tallied with the ITAK claim that both words Samashti and Inaipaatchchi meant the same.



When the Application was taken up for hearing before court, the learned Counsel for the Petitioner conceded that the official translation before this court does read Federation and not Confederation.

It was also the contention of the Counsel for the Petitioner that Federation and Confederation meant the same thing though the Counsel for the Petitioner did not pursue this line of argument at the initial stages.



The Learned Counsel for the Petitioner at the hearing and in the written submissions based some of his arguments on the Vaddukoddai Resolution passed by the newly formed Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) on May 14th 1976, which advocated establishment of a separate State. The contention of the Counsel for the Petitioner was that the ITAK has unconditionally and unambiguously endorsed all resolutions of the TULF going back to 14 May 1976.



In regard to this submission the 1st Respondent (ITAK secretary) in his written submissions took up the position that the claims to territorial Statehood made in the Vaddukoddai Resolution adopted over 40 years ago in 1976, at the 1st National Convention of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) presided by Mr. Chelvanayagam, QC, and Member of the TULF and not by ITAK.

Further excerpts from the Judgement are as follows -



Call for a Separate State

Learned Counsel for the ITAK had conceded that it is an undisputed fact that the course of Tamil politics underwent an episode during which the call for a separate State was taken up and that Members of the ITAK also adopted a similar position and that some members had refused to take oath under the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution and as a result lost their seats in Parliament. From 1983-1988 there were no Tamil representatives from the North and the Eastern Provinces in Parliament, District Councils and local bodies.

It was further submitted on behalf of the ITAK that this situation however changed with the enactment of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution and that several Members who lost their seats in Parliament returned to Parliament after subscribing to the oath prescribed by the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution and that every single sixteen (16) Members belonging to ITAK in the current Parliament have subscribed to the oath prescribed by the Sixth Amendment and also that several who were Members of Parliament on previous occasions have also subscribed to the oath several times.

The Seventh Schedule refers to Oath/ affirmation to be taken or subscribed under Article 157A and article 161(d) (iii) of the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution. It reads thus:



 I ..do solemnly declare and affirm/swear that I will uphold and defend the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and that I will not, directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka.



The 1st Respondent Mavai Somasunderam Senathirajah, then General Secretary and current President of the ITAK in his affidavit dated 16th September 2014 tendered in this case stated under oath that It is axiomatic that neither the ITAK nor the Tamil National Alliance can be said to have as its aims and/or objects the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka.

This indicates that the ITAK no longer supporting or advocating the establishment of a separate state.



Tamil National Alliance

Further, it is stated in the 2013 Election Statement released in advance of the Northern Provincial Council Elections by ITAK which contested elections under the banner of the Tamil National Alliance(TNA)in alliance with several other parties but under the ITAK name and symbol, under the heading Tamil People and the Present Constitutional Arrangements as follows:

We are as a People are thus concerned about our historical habitats, our Collective Rights that accrue to us as a People and as a National and our entitlement to exercise our right to determine our destiny to ensure self-government in the Tamil Speaking North-East of the country within a united and undivided Sri Lanka.



Thereafter, after delineating the partys position on Our Stand on a Political Solution, it is stated as follows:

All that has been stated above shall be enacted and implemented within the framework of a united and undivided Sri Lanka.



United and Undivided Sri Lanka

It was also noted that identical statements as cited above were also included in the 2015 Election Manifesto of Tamil National Alliance.



The 1st Respondent submitted that from Election Statements and manifestos it was manifestly clear that the ITAK is a seeking a solution within the framework of a united and undivided Sri Lanka.

Another important and interesting assertion made on behalf of the petitioner pertained to the right of self determination. According to the SC ruling the Petitioner alleged that self-determination involves attaining an Independent State, or, reciprocally, if the people asserting self-determination freely choose to remain as part of another State, they retain the right to secede at their will, because the only reliable way for a people to fully control their political status, as well as their economic, social and cultural development, is in an Independent State.



Therefore the right to secede is an integral component of the right to self-determination, even though, at any given point in time, the people who have acquired the right to self-determination might not assert their right to secession.



Right to Self-Determination

Counsel for the ITAK responded thus The fact that it is peoples who are repositories under international law for the right to self - determination and thus the ITAK holds that the Tamil people are a people in terms of the above international covenants, and therefore, it is axiomatic that the Tamil people are also entitled to the right to self-determination. The lawyers representing the ITAK submitted that It is clear that the right to self-determination has an internal dimension, in that it could be exercised within the country to the benefit of a people inside the country. Thus, the invocation of self-determination does not amount to a demand for a separate State, as the right is sometimes to be used internally within the territory of an existing State. The crux of the petitioners argument was that the ITAK had supported the Vaddukoddai Resolution, and that this combined with its position that the Tamil people were entitled to the right to self-determination demonstrated that it had as one of its aims or objects the establishment of a separate state. The ITAK in its response claimed that self-determination could be exercised within a state, citing judgments from the International Court of Justice and the Canadian Supreme Court. The ITAK also claimed citing its Election Manifestos and Statements that it stood for federalism within a united and undivided Sri Lanka. It was against this backdrop that the Supreme Court entered judgment. Among the salient points in the ruling were -

* Advocating federalism is not the same as advocating a separate state;



*The invocation of self-determination does not amount to a demand for a separate state:

* The labelling of states as unitary and federal sometimes may be misleading. There could be unitary states with features or attributes of a federal state and vice versa;

* It was clear the ITAK did not have as its aims or objects the demand for a separate State.

Fallacies Surrounding Federalism

In essence the Supreme Court judgement de-mystified the fallacies surrounding Federalism and strengthened the right to advocate federalism as a form of Government through legitimate democratic processes. It may also have invigorated the political determination of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) to pursue its 68 year old goal of a power sharing arrangement based on the Federal idea more enthusiastically in the near future. Let me conclude with relevant extracts from this landmark judgement by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka -



It is established that there is a clear distinction between words federation and confederation. The main issue in this case is whether advocating the establishment of a federal state is tantamount to establishment of a separate state. It is relevant to consider the manner the federal states were formed in various parts of the world. United States of America, Australia and Switzerland are federal states. Thirteen States which were former colonies of the Great Britain joined to establish United States of America. The reason for uniting under one state is to promote trade and to ensure the security of the States. Six States in Australia in fear of pacific powers united to establish a federal state. In order to remove linguistic and regional differences Swiss federation was formed. Great Britain, France and Italy are examples of unitary states.



Labelling of States as Unitary or Federal

The labelling of States as Unitary and Federal sometimes may be misleading. There could be Unitary States with features or attributes of a Federal State and vice versa. In a unitary state if more powers are given to the units it could be considered as a federal state. Similarly in a federal state if the centre is powerful and the power is concentrated in the centre it could be considered as a unitary state. Therefore sharing of sovereignty, devolution of power and decentralization will pave the way for a federal form of government within a unitary state.



The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution devolved powers on the Provinces. The ITAK is advocating for a Federalist form of Government by devolving more powers to the provinces within the framework of a Unitary State. Advocating for a Federal form of Government within the existing State could not be considered as advocating separatism. It is established that the ITAK supports or advocates the establishment of a federal State within united Sri Lanka. It does not, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka as envisaged under Article 157A of the Constitution. Therefore Petitioner is not entitled to a declaration under Article 157A (4) of the Constitution. Application dismissed. No Costs.



D.B.S.Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com
The Ministry of Foreign affairs today condemned suspected terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain which left at least 13 people dead and nearly 100 injured.

While posting a Twitter message Ministry Spokesperson Mahishini Colonne extended condolences to those affected on behalf of Sri Lanka.

Her Twitter message said, the Government of #SriLanka condemns the terrorist attack in #Barcelona #Spain and extends condolences to those affected.

A van ploughed into the people in Barcelona yesterday which left 13 people dead and injured nearly 100.

The assailants whereabouts were still unknown as of early Friday local time in what the Spanish Police suspect was one of multiple planned attacks.

Islamic State had claimed responsibility for the deadly rampage along the city's most famous avenue, which was packed with tourists taking an afternoon stroll.

Security forces hunted for the suspect, who was seen escaping on foot.

Media reports said the Police had killed five attackers last night in Cambrils, a town south of Barcelona, to thwart further terrorist attacks using explosive belts.

Six civilians and a Police officer were injured in the operation. (Chaturanga Pradeep)
Today we mark the United Nations World Humanitarian Day to pay tribute to aid workers or first respondents who risk their lives in humanitarian space and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world. This comes the day after the Barcelona horror where a van, suspected to have been driven by a teenager, killed 13 people and injured about 100 when it ploughed into a huge crowd at the popular tourist resort of Las Ramblas. Several hours later, a Spanish seaside town was hit by a second vehicle attack, leaving seven wounded. Early yesterday, as security forces hunted for the van driver, police said they killed five attackers in Cambrils, a town south of Barcelona, to thwart a separate attack in which the suspects were known to be using explosive belts. The Barcelona carnage put Europe, the United States and the whole world on full alert. Many analysts claimed that the ISISwhich is being battered in Iraq and Syriais apparently letting all hell lose in other countries.



The UN says that around the world, conflict is exacting a massive toll on peoples lives. Trapped in wars that are not of their making, millions of civilians are forced to hide or run for their lives. Children are taken out of school, families are displaced from their homes, and communities are torn apart, while the world is not doing enough to stop their suffering.



At the same time, health and aid workers  who risk their lives to care for people affected by violence  are increasingly being targeted. For WHD 2017, humanitarian partners are coming together to reaffirm that civilians caught in conflict are Not a target. The UN hopes that the people will raise their voices to advocate for those most vulnerable in war zones and demand that world leaders do everything in their power to protect civilians in conflict.



According to the UN, the campaign follows on the UN Secretary-Generals report on the protection of civilians. Laying out his path to protection, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for enhanced respect for international humanitarian and human rights law and protection of civilians including humanitarian and medical workers as well as civilian infrastructure.



In his report, the UN Chief says armed conflicts are tearing apart vast swathes of the world and a record number of people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. Some 97 per cent of humanitarian assistance goes to complex emergencies, the majority of which involve armed conflicts. Globally last year, more than 65 million people have been displaced by conflict, violence or persecution. More than 20 million people, including 1.4 million children, are on the brink of famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. At the same time, among the international community there is a growing sense of fatigue, even resignation, in addressing the suffering of civilians in conflict.

The Secretary General has called on all State and non-State parties involved in conflicts to respect international humanitarian law and all States must ensure such respect. Yet, in many conflicts, parties flout their obligations and show contempt for human life and dignity, often with impunity, he adds in a shocking indictment of the worlds humanitarian values.



It reminds us of Mahatma Gandhis warning in the 1940s. He said, we are learning to fly like birds and swim like fish but we have apparently forgotten how to walk like human beings. Indeed a prophetic proclamation.



In Sri Lanka, after a devastating 30-year war, accelerated measures are underway not only to prevent a similar conflict but to restore the values of peaceful coexistence and dialogue among people of all religions and races. We hope this approach, together with the mission to rebuild a peaceful, just and all-inclusive society, will get a fresh inspiration and impetus from this World Humanitarian Day. We need to remember the words of the eminent author, Earnest Hemingway in his widely-read book, For whom the bells toll. He says, I belong to humanity and every persons death diminishes me.
JOHANNESBURG AFP Aug16, 2017 - Zimbabwes first lady Grace Mugabe has claimed diplomatic immunity after being accused of assaulting a 20-year-old model, South African police said Wednesday, in an incident that could test cross-border relations.



The 52-year-old wife of President Robert Mugabe is accused of attacking Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cord on Sunday evening at a Johannesburg hotel where the first ladys two sons were staying.



Engels has registered a police case alleging assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, saying she suffered deep cuts to her forehead and the back of her head.



The suspect(s) lawyers and her government representatives made verbal representations... that the suspect wished to invoke diplomatic immunity cover, the police ministry said in a statement.



The police said that Grace Mugabe had been expected to report to a police station on Tuesday to give her version of the events and to obtain a warning statement, but that she failed to show up.
Heavy showers were experienced in most parts of the country today, according to our correspondents. Meanwhile, the Meteorology Department warned the naval and fishing communities to be vigilant of strong winds that would be experienced in sea areas.

It also issued a general warning that fairly strong winds would be blowing across the country in the coming days.

It said the sea in areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Batticaloa via Pottuvil would be very rough as wind speeds could reach 60-70 kmph. The wind speed in other areas too could increase up to 50-55 kmph.

Meanwhile, the Met Department said heavy rainfall of upto 100 mm could be expected at some places in the Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces as well as the Kalutara, Galle and Matara Districts.

Heavy showers and strong winds would experience in the South-Western part of the country and surrounding sea areas in next 48 hours, the Meteorology Department said.

In stark contrast speaking to the Daily Mirror the Duty Meteorologist told the Northern and Eastern parts of the country would continue to experience dry weather until the inter-monsoon showers start in mid-September. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)

Pic courtesy: Meteorology Department
The joint opposition today launched a protest themed Two Years of Gloom (Muusala Dewasara) against the completion of two years of the government at the Lipton Circus causing heavy traffic in Colombo.

Joint opposition member parliamentarians, representatives of several other political parties and trade unions participated in the protest.

The protesters urged the government to immediately hold the elections and to prevent the alleged suppression of university students. The protesters also demanded for the immediate withdrawal of the government. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)
In countries in the East like Sri Lanka and India where divorce, separation or a second marriage is frowned upon, marriage is the most important event in ones life. Marriage is also looked on as something sacrosanct. In fact, there is a general acceptance that ones real life begins with marriage, in fact, a turning point in life for the better or the worse.



Success in marriage synonymous with success in life

Marriage assumes such unique significance; a successful marriage is considered a synonym for the success in life. We all know either through experience or acquired intimate knowledge, failure in marriage means failure in life. There is a belief in Sri Lankan society that the success of marriage depends more on the woman than on the man. One may argue that this statement is a fallacy and both wife and husband are equally responsible for the success or the failure of marriage.



Success in Marriage depends more on woman

However, due to the common belief that the qualities and the character of the female partner greatly account for the success or the failure of a marriage, the Buddhists and the Hindus in particular have come to attach great significance to obtaining a reading of the horoscope of the bride-to-be to ascertain whether she would make a virtuous and devoted wife.



What ancient rishis and Vedic astrologers have said about women in their great works has lent strength to this belief that the female partner is greatly responsible for making a marriage a success or a failure. Example, ancient Indian Maharishis have said that marriage to a virtuous woman would nullify all Arishta yogas her husband is subject to.



Principles of Female Horoscopy

According to principles of Female Horoscopy, a woman is very fortunate if Moon and Jupiter as well as Mars and Venus are strongly posited in her horoscope. It is equally important to have the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and the 9th Houses free from malefic influences. Of course, it goes without saying that the Lagna, above everything must be strong. The best planet to occupy the Lagna of a female is the Moon.

If there are benefic planets in the 2nd House and the lord of the 2nd house is either associated with benefics or aspected by benefics, the woman would lead a very happy life after marriage.



Kama Triangle factor

The 3rd House of the Kama Triangle in the Natal Chart too is an important factor where marriage is concerned. A benefic posited in the 3rd House aspecting the 7th House is very favourable. If the 3rd House is ruled by a malefic and is occupied by another malefic and aspected by other malefics while the 2nd lord is associated with malefics, husband would not live long. If the 11th House is also affected in a similar manner while the 2nd is also afflicted, a similar fate would befall the husband.



Significant planetary positions

Malefics in the 7th House and the lord of the 7th House associated with malefics would delay the marriage. If either Jupiter or Venus aspects a strongly posited Mars occupying the 7th House, the female would be a voluptuous beauty who would marry a powerful person occupying a position of authority. If an afflicted Mars or a weak Mars in the 7th House is aspected by a malefic, marriage would either break up or would be plagued by constant quarrels between wife and husband. It is an important astrological principle, that if Rahu is posited in the 7th House of a sign whose Navamsa is owned by Saturn in the Natal Chart of a female, both her husband and children would come to a tragic end. A girl would grow up into a charming and beautiful woman if the Moon is exalted in her horoscope. An exalted Moon in the 7th House signifies a successful marriage.



Strong Mars and Venus for early marriage - Moon and Jupiter for success in marriage It is Mars and Venus who are responsible for bringing about an early marriage. The role of Jupiter and the Moon is to ensure that the marriage is a success. Saturn and Ketu would delay the marriage. Rahu and the Sun would either delay or quicken the marriage falling in line with the stronger one of the Mars  Venus and Saturn - Ketu combinations. Marriage is hastened when Saturn aspects Mars.



No marriage if Saturn aspects both Moon and Venus

A female with Saturn aspecting both Venus and the Moon in her horoscope would show no interest in marriage.



The most important House in a horoscope be it of a male or a female, is the 9th House or Punyasthana. Slow moving planets like Jupiter and Saturn lead to yogas that delay marriage. Saturn aspecting Venus who is posited in a sign owned by the former would definitely delay marriage.

However, if Saturn aspects Mars from wherever he is, marriage is hastened. Veteran astrologers say that if Saturn aspects the Moon from the 9th House marriage gets delayed. Jupiter in the 9th House would stall marriage, but when it happens it would be a great success.
Minister Bathiudeen (second from left) Chairman of Laksala SMM Ismail (third from left), CEO of Laksala Ali Ahlam Nawaz (fourth from left) and Secretary to Industry and Commerce Ministry Chinthana Lokuhetti (far right) at Laksala Big Brand launch

Laksala, Sri Lankas apex market facilitator that promotes the countrys historic arts and crafts, is becoming a recognized Sri Lankan brand among tourists visiting Sri Lanka, Minister of Industries and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen says.



Addressing the launch of Sri Lankan Big Brands at Laksala last week, Minister Bathiudeen said the Laksala, with 40,000 local arts and crafts product lines, has also returned to profits in 2016 after continued losses for four years.



The showcased brands are Euro Asia (tea), Vijitha Yapa (books), MJF Teas, House of Cinnamon (Mohksha Limited), Eswaran Brothers Exports (tea), Maltras International (tea) and Link Natural Products (herbal).



The Minister said the Laksala is becoming a well-known Sri Lankan brand locally, and globally for highlighting local arts crafts and handicrafts. Laksala has become an important stop for tourists visiting Sri Lanka as well.



According to reports, Sri Lankas tourism industry employs around 345,000 people. The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report of 2017 by the World Economic Forum shows that Sri Lanka is ranked at 64th among 136 countries. Sri Lanka is above Romania, Vietnam and the Philippines. This ranking also gives a score of 3.8 to Sri Lanka out of a total of 7.



Minister Bathiudeen said the global tourism website Trip Advisor gives a four-star rating to Laksala and one reason Laksala is becoming popular is the big basket of products it has.

Laksala had 7,400 highly active product lines that are of high sales and in 2016-2017 Laksala has added 600 more new products increasing the number of highly active products to 8000 and the total products to nearly 40,000.



The Minister said the Laksala was able to increase the total product lines as a result of getting more and more new suppliers.



An important activity of Laksala is providing essential market linkages to Sri Lankas traditional craftsmen. I am pleased to say that Laksalas registered supplier total that was at 6000 a few years ago has increased to 8760 this year, the Minister said.



Laksala also has shown better financial performance. Laksala had a loss of Rs 21 million in 2015 but it returned to profits last year showing a profit of Rs four million.



Minister Bathiudeen thanked all the local big brands that are partnering with Laksala today for their interest towards Laksala to enhance their image and sales.



According to Laksala performance records, total sales last year was Rs 788 million and in the first six months of 2017 another Rs 381 million sales were made. Laksala also continued to reduce its capital loans paying back Rs 60 million in capital loans in 2016-2017.



CEO of Laksala Ali Ahlam Nawaz said Laksala is joining hands with seven internationally recognized truly Sri Lankan Big Brands.



This is to showcase them to local and foreign customers visiting its stores so that more of them are attracted to its showrooms through the image of the selected Sri Lankan Big brands. This will also help to get tourists focus on the work of our suppliers and craftsmen, Nawaz added.



Last year Laksala paid Rs 294 million as Supplier payments and in the first six months of 2017 it was at Rs 160 million. Laksalas settlement of payments for rural craft suppliers also increased by 32 percent last year. Laksala also won the Provincial Winner of 2016 Industrial Excellence Awards conducted by Sri Lanka Chamber of Small and Medium Industries.
By Shabiya Ali Ahlam

Despite the struggle to increase the sales of life insurance policies, senior industry representatives of that segment yesterday expressed determination in ironing out prevailing issues to reach 100 percent penetration rate.



Acknowledging Sri Lanka is slow in the uptake of insurance policies, especially in the life segment, the Marketing and Sales Forum (MSF) of the Insurance Association of Sri Lanka (IASL) suggested the need for a thorough analysis of the current situation for which a suitable approach could be conceptualized.



With 87 percent of the countrys population remaining uninsured (for life), MSF Chairman Harsha Weerawardena said the industry must take a more proactive role in providing protection and benefits to the ordinary public.



Addressing the 8th National Forum for Life Insurance Advisors (NAFLIA) in Colombo this week Weerawardena stressed the need to find out the reasons for the penetration rate hovering around 13.4 percent. He asserted the need to identify if lack of confidence or reach is the reason for the slow uptake.



It is a huge challenge to reach the 100 percent mark. For that the industry must provide confidence and faith in insurance to the target market. This must be performed by the front liners, he said addressing the sales force.



While lack of reach would call for a diverse set or measures to be employed, if the issue is lack of confidence it was pointed out that the industry should be more collaborative in its efforts of reassuring the population.



Meanwhile, Insurance Board of Sri Lanka (IBSL) Chairperson Indrani Sugathadasa stated it is equally essential for sales persons, who were also referred to as the linking wire of the industry, to up their skill levels. She opined having paper qualifications alone is insufficient in achieve the progress required for the industry.



The countrys life insurance sector has been growing steadily with a total asset average annual growth of 17 percent since 2009.
A planning seminar is to take place in Colombo for the new Norwegian Research vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen to come to Sri Lankan waters in 2018 to carry out a survey on the marine resources.



This is part of the technical and institutional cooperation on Fisheries between Norway and Sri Lanka, which was endorsed by the top level political authorities of the two countries.



The aim of the planned survey is to know the current status of marine resources including fish stocks and to investigate stocks of unexploited/ underutilized fishery resources on the continental shelf and slope.



The last stock assessment for Sri Lanka has been carried out by the previous Dr Fridtjof Nansen in 1978 to 1980.



The new marine research vessel RV Dr Fridtj of Nansen is owned by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and is jointly operated by the Institute of Marine Research of Norway, and Food and Agriculture organization to help developing countries improve their fisheries management.

The Ambassador of Norway to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Thorbjrn Gaustadsther addressing a distinguished gathering at an event to recognize the finalization of the planning schedules for the Vessels arrival to the Bay of Bengal, stated that the new research vessel will make it possible to significantly step up Norways assistance for ecosystem-based marine management in developing countries.

He further stated that this is part of the new Ocean strategy of Norway and Norway considers this as creating partnerships for the oceans as it enhances sharing knowledge both across industries and across international borders.
ISLAMABAD AFP Aug17, 2017 - Pakistan on Thursday criticised the United States for blacklisting the Kashmiri separatist group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen as a terrorist organisation, calling the move unjustified.



The State Department designation bans US citizens and residents from dealing with the group and any assets found to belong to it in areas under US jurisdiction will be frozen.



We are disappointed with the US decision in view of the fact that Kashmir is an internationally recognised dispute with UN Security Council resolutions pending implementation for the last 70 years, Nafees Zakariya, Pakistans foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters in the capital Islamabad.



The move was completely unjustified, he said.



After Washington announced the decision on Wednesday, several hundred activists gathered in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and chanted anti-US slogans.
Every possibility of Karunanayake reappointed as Minister in the near future

How long-one who has resigned-has to wait to be reappointed, unchallenged?

Marapana, Wijeyadasa and Ravi K

Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake resigned from his Ministerial post on August 10 following pressure exerted by members of his own Government over his seeming connection to the Central Bank bond scam that was exposed during the proceedings of the Presidential Commission inquiring the said scam.

He was replaced by Tilak Marapana, who also resigned as Law and Order Minister 21 months ago after being beleaguered by the members of his own Government over his alleged support to the suspects of an alleged major scandal involving bigwigs of the former Government and the Navy.

Therefore there is every possibility of Karunanayake being reappointed as a Minister in the near future.

The members of the Joint Opposition say that he would be reappointed in three months.

Karunanayakes resignation on the other hand has brought about a fresh wave of pressure on Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe over his alleged suppression of legal actions against the leaders of the former regime, especially the Mahinda Rajapaksa family. It is a fresh wave of pressure as he was subject to the same pressure by the same elements in his Government over the same allegation in 2015 as well.

A group of Ministers and members of his own Government wanted his head this time through a no-confidence motion, but Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is said to have prevented them from proceeding with it.



He is a hot topic in the media these days as he is being still criticised by the members of the Government and the civil society organisations that were in the forefront in bringing this Government into power for the delay in bringing the leaders of the former regime to book and his critical remarks against the Hambantota harbour agreement between the Government and a Chinese company.

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshes adversaries seem to be on a strong footing. They are of the view that the investigations and the legal actions against the crimes, frauds and corruption committed by the leaders, members and the officials of the previous Government were moving at a snails pace while those against the leaders and members of this Government such as Ravi Karunanayake and Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra had been swift.

Wijeyadasa was one of the three ministers of the Yahapalana Government, who had earned the wrath of the members of the same Government and the civil society organisations that called for their resignation.

Marapana and Karunanayake had already resigned whereas Wijeyadasa is still adamant even while challenging the Government unlike the other two.

Marapana and Wijeyadasa were accused in 2015 for defending the suspects of the famous Avant Garde case. Both Ministers who had professional or personal links with the heads of the maritime security company, displaying a conflict of interest argued that the company was not involved in any illegal activity and Wijeyadasa went to the extent of declaring that he would not allow former Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa who is also a suspect of the case to be arrested.

Minister Ravi Karunanayake resigned on August 10. He was replaced by Tilak Marapana who also resigned as Law and Order Minister 21 months ago

Wijeyadasa was one of the three ministers of the Yahapalana Government, who had earned the wrath of the members of the same Government and the civil society organisations that called for their resignation.

Marapana and Karunanayake had already resigned whereas Wijeyadasa is still adamant even while challenging the Government unlike the other two.

Marapana and Wijeyadasa were accused in 2015 for defending the suspects of the famous Avant Garde case.

Wijeyadasa was not prepared to follow suit despite him having defended the Avant Garde suspects and even having openly said that he would not allow the former Defence Secretary to be arrested



Marapana resigned on November 9, 2015, soon after he was challenged by many in the Government as well as the civil society following one of his speeches in the Parliament defending the suspects of the Avant Garde case.

Ravi hanged on to his post until he was reportedly advised by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to create a new tradition in the Parliament by resigning his post, in the wake of a no-confidence motion against him having been handed over to the Deputy Secretary General of the Parliament.

Wijeyadasa was not prepared to follow suit despite him having defended the Avant Garde suspects and even having openly said that he would not allow the former Defence Secretary to be arrested and his connections with the Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi having been pictorially proved by the then Democratic Party leader Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.

Apart from these allegations he has now been accused for the delay in the cases against the leaders of the previous regime and for criticizing a major development strategy of the Government. Then, at what stage of an issue a minister or an official should resign?

How can one say that Ravi created a new tradition or culture by his resignation whereas Marapana did not?



The former was compelled to step down following his controversial evidence before the bond commission that he did not know that Arjun Aloysius, one of the men accused of the bond scam had paid the lease for the penthouse he was occupying, until Mahindananda Aluthgamage told it in the Parliament some time ago. He said he wouldnt have accepted the luxury house had he known that Aloysius had paid the lease.

If he had resigned due to the guilty consciousness over his acceptance of the penthouse he should have done so when Aluthgamage told it, if in fact he was unaware of it till then.

While boasting that he created a new culture Ravi is also posing questions in a tone why only me? which has apparently prompted many in the UNP to hunt for Wijeyadasa. On the other hand he was pressurised to resign for associating with Aloysius by members of his party who were themselves attempting earlier to cover up the bond scam and to defend Aloysius and others allegedly involved in the scam.

In a legal point of view Marapana, Ravi and Wijeyadasa may be innocent, though there may be circumstantial evidence against them.

The former had the right to defend the Avant Garde suspects until they are found guilty by a court of law.

Ravi has a right to live in a house paid by a friend even if the latter is a criminal.

Wijeyadasa despite his challenge that he would not allow Gothabaya Rajapaksa to be arrested says that law takes its course and he did not interfere with it which nobody has thus far factually contested.

But in politics even the seeming conflict of interest and circumstantial evidence matter a lot.



Marapana resigned taking the responsibility of his speech which defended Avant Garde suspects and now he has been appointed a minister again. Nobody, including those who wanted his head 21 months ago, did not oppose his new appointment.

Does it mean that his moral culpability that forced him to resign has expired?

If so, how long one who has resigned his ministerial post has to wait to be reappointed, unchallenged?

Or did his moral culpability lie in holding only the portfolio he had held when he resigned? Ravi, more than others, might be interested in knowing the answers.

Whatever the answers for these questions may be, the fact remains that Marapana resigned after being accused of defending corrupt people, but replaced another one who had also been accused of being associated with some other corrupt people. Resignation of a person from a post is deemed as a voluntary act of repentance. But what really happens on the ground is that people resign only when their misdeeds are exposed, while attempting to take moral high ground as well for their resignations.

Politicians and high ranking officials are not normally sacked for their crimes or misdeeds but asked to resign, whereas the case with the low ranking officials is the other way around.
REUTERS: The Sri Lankan rupee fell slightly in thin trade yesterday as importer dollar demand surpassed sales of the U.S. currency by banks, dealers said.



The spot rupee was at 153.25/35 per dollar as of 0627 GMT, compared with Thursdays close of 153.20/30.



There is very dull trade and there is no big movement. But we expect the CPC (Ceylon Petroleum Corporation) to come in (during) the latter part of the day with persistent oil demand for thermal power generation due to drought, a currency dealer said, requesting anonymity.



Sri Lankas hydro electricity generation has dropped due to a prolonged drought and the island nation has had to rely on thermal power, the generation of which requires importing diesel that is usually paid for in dollars.

Sri Lankan shares were up 0.58 percent at 6,444.99 as of 0632 GMT, a day after the countrys junior finance minister said that concerns about a possible tax on share trading would be addressed.

Turnover stood at Rs.360.2 million.
The Medical Faculty Students Action Committee (MFSAC) convener Ryan Jayalath, who surrendered to the Maligakanda Magistrate Court this morning, was remanded till August 23, Police said.

An open warrant was issued earlier for the arrest of Mr. Jayalath and several other students for not appearing in a case filed by the police on charges of forcibly entering the Health Ministry premises and damaging Health Ministry property.

Video by Buddhi
RIYADH AFP Aug17, 2017 - Saudi Arabia on Thursday ordered the reopening of its border with Qatar to Muslim pilgrims, a move which Doha said was welcome but too little to heal relations between the feuding Gulf neighbours. Saudi King Salman authorised the entry of Qatari pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through Salwa border crossing to perform hajj, and to allow all Qatari nationals who wish to enter for hajj without electronic permits, state news agency SPA announced.



He also ordered that private jets belonging to Saudi airlines be sent to Doha airport to bring all Qatari pilgrims at his expense.



Qatars foreign minister welcomed the decision but lashed out at Riyadhs ongoing politicisation of religious freedoms.



Regardless of the manner in which pilgrims from Qatar or living in Qatar were banned from the pilgrimage... the government of Qatar welcomes the decision and will respond positively, Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told a press conference in Stockholm.
A State Intelligence Services (SIS) officer attached to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) was arrested when attempting to smuggle two kilograms of gold jewellery.

Deputy Customs Director and Spokesman Sunil Jayaratne said the jewellery which was found tied to his knees had a street value of about Rs.1 million.

Airport Deputy Customs Director Parakrama Basnayake said the suspect had been arrested by the Customs Narcotic Officers following a tip off.

The suspect said he had received the jewellery from a passenger who had arrived from Singapore requesting that they be taken out of the airport, Mr. Basnayaka said.

He said the 28-year-old suspect was a resident of Ragama and investigations had been launched to trace the passenger.

Mr. Basnayaka said the SIS officers attached to the airport were allowed to walk around the airport premises without permission.

I had previously issued a warning to all Customs officers and employees to be on alert of any suspicious activities at the airport premises and that legal action would be taken against any person if found guilty, Mr. Basnayaka said.

The detection was made by Customs Assistant Superintendents Roshan Cyril, Jude Fernando, Thisara Weerasinghe.

Investigations are being conducted by the Customs Superintendents M.M.P. Rohana, Wasantha Kumara Kobawaka under the supervision of Airport Deputy Customs Directors Dharshana Silva and P.J.B. Basnayake. (Chaturanga Pradeep)

Pix by T.K.G. Kapila
REUTERS: State Finance Minister Eran Wickramaratne yesterday said concerns about a possible capital gains tax on share trading will be addressed before a proposed revenue bill is passed in the parliament.



The island nations main share index has shed 3.9 percent since July 27 and declined in 14 out of the past 15 sessions due to a fall in June-quarter profit and speculation that the new tax reform bill will impose a 28 percent tax on trading stocks.



Trading of shares at the Colombo Stock Exchange is subject only to a transaction levy of 1.12 percent and there is no tax on the profit made.



Market analysts say the new bill will impose a 28 percent tax on trading stocks, defined under the bill as shares which will be sold within a short period.



We know there is an issue on the trading stocks. It will be taken care of and nothing will be done to damage the market, Wickramaratne told reporters

in Colombo.

The government will present the new Inland Revenue Bill in the parliament on August 25 with amendments after the Supreme Court ruled the major tax reform cannot be passed into law in its current form.



The Supreme Court has ordered the bill under its current form needs to be approved by more than a two-third majority vote in parliament and get the green light from a nationwide referendum. The bill was proposed in May to meet conditions set by the International Monetary Fund for a US$1.5 billion loan it approved last year.There are a lot of corporate investors who are trading in the market and they will have second thoughts on remaining in the market, said Prashan Fernando, CEO at Acuity Stockbrokers.



If implemented, returns will not be attractive and many investors are waiting for some clarity from the government.



The bill is expected to support fiscal consolidation, make the tax system more efficient and equitable, and generate resources for social and development programs, the IMF, which approved a loan of US$1.5 billion last year, said in August.
FACETS to feature the Premier Jewelry Pavilion once again

The history of Sri Lankas Jewelry Industry is as old as that of its other half  the Gem Industry. The two industries are indeed two halves of one coin. The Mahavamsa shows that even before the coming of Vijaya, the Yaksha and Naga clans were utilizing the precious metals and minerals produced in the island. Ancient records indicate that there was an active mine, which produced gold in Acaraviyyagama during the reign of Dutugemunu in the 2nd century BC. During the 2nd century AD the Greek astronomer/geographer, Ptolemy made references to the gold found in Sielen Diva (as Sri Lanka was known by the ancient Greeks).

From the time of Vijaya to that of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha and the end of the monarchy jewelry was seen as a sign of status, based on its material properties, patterns and symbolism. Silver and copper were more frequently used in the production of jewelry rather than gold, which was often reserved for royalty, and the highest of nobility. Both men and women wore jewelry of varying designs made to adorn nearly every part of the body, ranging from hair ornaments to toe rings.

Other commonly used material includes glass (such as fused glass or enamel), wood, shells and other natural animal substances (such as bone and ivory), natural clay, polymer clay, hemp and other twines. A number of these materials are still used today.

Over the ages Sri Lankan jewelry has exhibited a pronounced Indian influence, brought about by the many friendly and hostile visitors to the island. However, following the colonial period the jewelry produced in Sri Lanka showed off a number of styles and designs that were common to the Western world.

The colonial period saw the further expansion of gem and jewelry commerce. However, during the 20th century the Gem and Jewelry Industry suffered a severe blow due to Government regulations that banned the importing of gold and restricted the trade of gem and jewelry between Sri Lanka and foreign countries. The removal of the ban in the 1990s saw the industry begin to thrive once more. Prior to the introduction of the ban it had been a cottage-based industry with the practice of jewelry production being passed down from generation to generation. The lifting of the ban paved the way for the birth of a new sophisticated and more organized form of manufacturing, which allowed the Sri Lankan Jewelry Industry to keep pace with global practices and trade.

Today, with the aid of technology and the skills of talented artisans and designers, the Jewelry Industry has risen to become one of the leading industries of the country.

As a means of further boosting the development of the industry, the Sri Lanka Gem & Jewelry Association (SLGJA) has joined arms with the Academy of Design (AOD) and the Export Development Board (EDB) to introduce a special design program in 2018. The program will encourage further interest and fresh thinking in the discipline of jewelry design and motivate the introduction of new and more exciting styles and features to the Jewelry Industry of Sri Lanka.

The evolution of the Internet and social media has led to a marked change in the tastes of consumers, especially the millennial and the Generation Z. The recent years have shown a significant tilt towards costume jewelry due to the improvement in design and quality. Jewelry in Sri Lanka is bought primarily for the purpose of investment by a large majority of people, however there are also a significant number of consumers who purchase jewelry for other reasons as well.

For the past 26 years the FACETS International Gem & Jewelry Exhibition has featured the best of Sri Lankan design and craftsmanship. The previous year saw the addition of the Premier Jewelry Pavilion to the list of the exhibitions main features. Having won the admiration of President Maithripala Sirisena himself, the Pavilion went on to attract a large number of local and international visitors. As a result of this tremendous success the FACETS Organizing Committee has made arrangements for the return of the Premier Jewelry Pavilion at the 27th edition of the exhibition, which will take place from the 31st of August to the 3rd of September 2017 at the BMICH.
Pollsters in the UK came up with the acronym TINA for Margaret Thatcher when she ruled continuously for 11 years. In India, we used that for Indira Gandhi in her heyday. Now, a new one can easily be coined for Narendra ModiTIMO (There is Modi Only).

Over three years into his term, Prime Minister Modis personal popularity reigns supreme in Indias political landscape, according to the latest India Today Mood of the Nation poll.

The gap between him and the second most popular prime minister ever is only widening, with twice the number of people rating him as a better prime minister than Indira Gandhi. He seems to have achieved a kind of political nirvana where his popularity is not linked to peoples view of his performance. Their concerns do not dent his sway over them. This is our fifth poll since the General Elections of 2014 when his party, the BJP, and its allies (NDA) won 287 seats, and in all our polls except one (February 2016, where they dropped by one seat) the seats they are projected to win have only increased.

The latest poll shows the NDA would get 349 seats if elections were to be held today, with a loss of 11 seats over the survey done six months ago. In contrast, the UPA would get 75 seats  up by 15 from our last poll.

There is much to cheer for the BJP in this poll. So far, India has shown tremendous patience and fortitude with the prime ministers brand of governance. They have absorbed the shock of demonetisation and are adjusting to the demands of GST.

India Today cover story, Mostly Sunny, Chance of Rain for August 28, 2017.

Between 40 and 50 per cent of the respondents believe the government is doing well on a range of social issues, from provision of education and healthcare to protection of religious minorities as well as Dalits.

However, there are warning signs, too. Jobs is Prime Minister Modis most troublesome issue. A significant 53 per cent of those polled said the NDA government has not been able to create jobs in the country, a sharp jump from 36 per cent in the previous survey.

The facts concur. The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, in a recent report, said 1.5 million jobs were lost during January-April 2017, the quarter immediately following demonetisation. The second part of the mid-year Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on August 12 says the country may not achieve the projected 6.75-7.5 per cent growth for 2017-18. Industrial output has dropped 0.1 per cent year-on-year in June. Manufacturing output has decelerated 0.4 per cent year-on-year in July.

Added to this is the agrarian crisis with suicides of farmers hitting the headlines with embarrassing regularity.

In spite of the economic headwinds he may be facing, people still feel the biggest achievement of the Modi government is the crackdown on black money and running a corruption-free government. No wonder in his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi commented on how an imandari ka mahotsav (festival of honesty) had begun. Nearly 40 per cent believe that the "achhe din" he promised in the 2014 elections have arrived.

Our poll shows more than ever before that India wants him as its leader  63 per cent rate him as either outstanding or good. I believe one of the reasons for his enormous appeal is the common mans total identification with him. He understands and feels their pain. Above all, he works ceaselessly and selflessly for their welfare.

When India Today started election forecasting and the Congress party was ruling the roost, pollsters created a matrix called IOU (Index of Opposition Unity). According to the poll, Rahul Gandhi seems the most likely alternative to lead a non-BJP mahagathbandhan should there be such an occasion, but it is interesting that 43 per cent of the respondents believe the Congress can and should be led by a person other than from the Nehru-Gandhi clan.

With IOU at its nadir and TIMO strongly in play, this may well ensure many more Independence Day addresses from Prime Minister Modi.
In an astounding decision, the highest judicial body of the country has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the conversion to Islam of an adult woman from Kerala, saying her inter-religious marriage might be part of a larger mechanism to convert Hindu girls to Islam.

In fact, the Supreme Court has taken one step forward from the point the Kerala High Court left the woman in question in a terrible lurch, denuding her of her fundamental and constitutionally guaranteed autonomy, and essentially giving the spurious concept of love jihad an unseemly official recognition.

While in May this year, the Kerala HC had given the 24-year-old married womans custody to her father, in a move that completely undermined the womans  Akhila/Hadiya  autonomy, right to her own body, right to choose whom she wants to marry and cohabit with, right to practise the religion/faith she finds attractive, thereby flouting a number of constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights and laws, the Supreme Court has lent the matter the air of criminality.

By asking the NIA to probe the marriage case as part of a larger mechanism, the court has in fact given the dubious, ill-researched right-wing Hindutva fantasy the ring of legitimacy, even though theres zero sociological research and data to back their claims.

Breach of fundamental rights

The 24-year-old woman  who converted to Islam to marry Shafin Jahan, her Muslim husband  has not only been stripped of her basic dignity, what the court has essentially done is deny her the right to choose matters of most intimate and private nature.

While the Kerala HC annulled her marriage to Shafin, it in fact chose to agree with the womans father in his claim that this was a case of love jihad  a purported wider agenda of Muslim men marrying Hindu women for conversion and increasing the demographic dividend.

The insanity of this illogic is however corroborated by not one but two of the highest judicial bodies of the land. Not only is this a case of extreme judicial overreach, this is equally a case of the judiciary itself failing to safeguard the most sacrosanct ideals of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the fundamental rights to life, liberty, religious freedom, equality before law, against discrimination, among others, to every citizen of India.

However, as The Indian Express reports, the bench of Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud, instead of overturning the highly embarrassing and outrageous Kerala HC judgment, chose to give it their official nod, while appointing a retired SC judge RV Raveendran to monitor an NIA investigation into the seeming cases of love jihad.

Supplanting womans autonomy

In fact, the Kerala HC judgment, which came in May, was heavily criticised by legal experts in the country, in so far as it held that an adult woman was incapable for deciding for herself what she wants to do with her sexual life, whom she wants to partner with, and which faith/religion she wants to follow. The HC had exercised parens patriate jurisdiction, or that of the monarch, or any other authority, regarded as the legal protector of citizens unable to protect themselves.

This is not only authoritarian orthodoxy raising its head, this is the very essence of how patriarchy operates at every level of our thoroughly gendered society. An adult woman is free to take decisions by herself: thats the whole point of gender equality, the woman being an equal citizen of a free country.

Who is the state or the court or any entity that they deem a competent authority to decide on behalf of the adult woman, what she wants to do with her mind and body?

But the Kerala HC giving a favourable verdict to the womans father  KM Ashokan  filing a habeas corpus writ to bring her back home into his custody is a travesty of justice.

Even though the woman had expressly said she didnt want to live with her parents, she was forcibly taken back into her fathers house. The HC judgment had lines like these:

A girl aged 24 years is weak and vulnerable, capable of being exploited in many ways..

the petition [her father]... given custody of Akhila. She shall be cared for, permitted to complete her house surgeon course

Her marriage being the most important decision in her life, can also be taken only with the active involvement of her parents

Each of these above-quoted lines is a spectacular example of patriarchy in function. It wants custody for a woman  because she must be protected, permitted to pursue an education, financial independence; marriage is the most important decision of her life, which can only be taken with the consent of her parents (read father).

This is the patrilineal occupation of a womans body, existence, fixing her place in society, determining her interactions, her sexual interactions, her ideologies, her functional place in the social scheme of things, as a veritable womb, here to perpetuate a particular gene pool, so that her deviant trajectory that calls for religious exogamy would amount to transgression, and more. This is the ultimate control the state  in the form of the father, the court, the police, the institution of marriage  exercises on the woman every step of the way.

Legitimising love jihad

Where the Kerala HC gave the first official acknowledgement of the manufactured narrative of Hindutvas political paranoia that is love jihad, the Supreme Court went one step ahead to stamp it with plausible criminality and larger conspiracy involving conversion of Hindu women to Islam by conniving Muslim men.

This narrative, thats best exemplified in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-driven shakhas and their attempts to engineer ghar wapsi of Hindu women and men, un-convert as it were, has now got affirmation from the highest judicial body in the country, even if as an item of suspicion which needs criminal probe.

Asking the NIA to investigate the larger mechanism in this case undermines two important components of the case: one, the woman is free to take her own decisions, even if it meant getting out of her earlier religious fold; and two, being attracted to any other faith, Islam in this case, in a perfectly valid state of mind, which is part and parcel of the fundamental right to freedom of religion under Article 25-28 of the Constitution.

Why should conversion be criminalised, unless theres an inherent assumption that being part of another religion thats not Hindu  Islam in this case  automatically lends some criminality to the existence of the followers of that faith. Thats why, even the court is being complicit in criminalising an entire religion and its freedom of being, attracting and furthering its tenets, because beneath it is the assumption that India is essentially a Hindu nation.

Not only is that a terrifying and misleading violation of the Constitution, it is the antithesis of the idea of a secular, tolerant, plural India that the founders of this 70-year-old independent country strived for. How is it possible that even the Supreme Court would fall for such potent concoctions of Hindutva imagination, undermining the very source of its judicial powers?

NIAs compromised past

As far as the NIA itself is concerned, by now we have seen how the agency has floundered multiple times and has gone against its own findings and conclusions, in exonerating, weakening or diluting the criminal and terror charges against even those convicted of crimes.

Whether its Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, or Swami Aseemanand, the NIAs volte-face under the Modi regime has been less than commendable, to say the least.
After using his blog and Wes Bellamys Twitter history to make a name for himself last fall, those platforms are now being used against Jason Kessler, the pro-white activist who organized the Unite the Right rally that turned deadly on Saturday.

Articles and conspiracy theories about Kesslers past as a supporter of President Barack Obama and wannabe liberal activist who participated in the Occupy movement abound now as President Donald Trump continues facing backlash for his response to the rally that resulted in one woman, as well as two state police officers in a separate incident, dying.

On Monday, Kessler uploaded a video hoping to dispel rumors that he intentionally organized a violent rally that would reflect poorly on the so-called alt-right movement of white nationalists. He accused the Southern Poverty Law Center, as well as less extreme nationalists, of spreading misinformation about him.

Earlier this summer, the SPLC labeled Kessler a white nationalist, and wrote a profile about him that included assertions that some people on white nationalist forums have been questioning his ideological pedigree.

I grew up in Charlottesville. Anybody whos seen the way Charlottesville was this weekend understands that its an incredibly left-wing, commie town, Kessler, 33, said in a video he posted online Monday.

Kessler said that he used to align himself with the citys politically left-leaning residents, but went on to say he was red-pilled about three years ago.

The term is a reference to the film The Matrix, and has been used by alt-right followers as a way to describe someone who has taken to white identitarian issues and now rejects ideas such as multiculturalism, feminism and political correctness. Critics argue that attachment to white identitarianism is nothing more than a veil for white supremacist beliefs.

But old tweets, a neighbor, a liberal activist and some of Kesslers old friends attest that he held strong liberal convictions just a few years ago.

In a series of tweets in November, Kessler said many alt-right followers are former liberals, and that he previously voted for Democrats. He said he voted for Trump in the primary and the general election.

I like Trump more than I did Obama, he wrote on Nov. 6. My Trump enthusiasm is through the roof. I like people who push the edge.

In an interview last month, one of Kesslers childhood friends, David Caron, said Kessler previously had identified as a Democrat, but became disillusioned when he started thinking that there was no place for him in a party that has focused its efforts on embracing diversity and minority issues. He said the two of them had started supporting Trump last summer and attended one of his rallies in Richmond.

He was a Democrat until last year. The main thing is, he said he felt like the party didnt want him, Caron said.

***

Laura Kleiner, a Democratic activist who lives in Staunton, said she dated Kessler for several months in 2013. She said Kessler was very dedicated to his liberal principles, and that he was a strict vegetarian, abstained from alcohol and drugs, embraced friends of different ethnicities and was an atheist.

He broke up with me, and a lot of it was because I was not liberal enough, she said. I am a very progressive Democrat  but he didnt like that I ate fish and that Im a Christian.

Kleiner said Kessler was well aware that she was of Jewish heritage, and that he showed no signs of being anti-Semitic. She also said he had a roommate for several years who was an African immigrant.

In an interview earlier this week, one of Kesslers neighbors, Zoe Wheeler, said she knew of two different African roommates who lived with him, and never thought Kessler was a racist, even after he started to make waves in the local news late last year.

I met him 12 years ago, before he got really obsessed with white identity issues, Wheeler said. I think he went off the deep end  There was no stopping it, and then he was fueled by being an enemy and having something to stand for.

If you spend too much time on the web and youre alone, youve got a lot of guys plying you with all kinds of ideas, she said. You want to grab hold of something. He wants to stand for something  I get that. But I feel like hes all over the place.

I celebrate a diversity of cultures, and that was something that seemed to have been a part of his life, too, Kleiner said. I was really surprised to hear the stories that hes changed and is now far-right. Its really shocking and disappointing.

Hes an extremist in whatever he decides to do. Thats all I can really say.

***

Kesslers ties to Emancipation Park and the statue of Robert E. Lee go beyond the past year, when he decided to target Charlottesville City Councilor Bellamy for his effort to remove the statue of the Confederate general. The rally Saturday was ostensibly intended to be a protest of the councils decision to remove the statue.

According to a woman (who wished to remain anonymous) who was part of the Occupy movement camp in what was then called Lee Park, Kessler was present there for several weeks in late 2011. She said Kessler ultimately removed himself from the camp after activists there started to make it known that his presence was not welcomed.

He was just so disagreeable that hed start fights between other people. He was very manipulative and very aggressive, the woman said.

He wanted people to be more violent and aggressive. He wanted to be the leader of things. ... Even if his politics had been good, I dont think people would have liked him, she said.

The former occupier said Kessler also tried to attach himself to other leftist groups around that time, such as Food Not Bombs and an atheist social club. She said Kessler had attempted to insert himself in those groups and radicalize them.

I dont think he knew what they really did. They just feed people  thats it, she said. Its like he got the idea that he could make it into some more militant group.

I dont think he actually has any central beliefs at all  not that that makes what hes doing any less dangerous.

Kessler did not reply to messages seeking comment for this story. But essays he published on his blog through late 2015 seemed to demonstrate a shift in thinking. (The blog, Jason Kessler, American Author, recently was taken down. It remains unclear why.)

***

Last fall, The Daily Progress reported that Kessler published a blog post in February 2016 in which he reflected on the potential of war between different racial groups in the future. He argued that white people would need to fight to avoid becoming a minority in America  a phenomenon hes described in recent months as white genocide.

Cultures, tribes and civilizations are meant to clash just as we always have in the past, just like it is with nearly every other beast in the animal kingdom, Kessler wrote last year.

Kessler used his blog to excoriate Bellamy in November. After uncovering a trove of offensive and inappropriate tweets Bellamy had written between 2009 and 2014, before he was elected to office, Kessler used his blog to expose the city councilor and call for his removal.

In his other blog posts that have been archived and shared with The Daily Progress, Kessler seemed to foreshadow his future role in the community and the events that took place at the Unite the Right rally.

I cant think of any occupation that I admire more than the professional provocateur, who has the courage and self-determination to court controversy despite all slings and arrows of the world, he wrote in December 2015 as part of a blog post he updated a few times over a span of about two months  his running thoughts.

Also that December, he published his historical perspective on mass violence.

We get so caught up in the emotion of the violence that we dont consider the long-term, historical consequences, he said.

Perhaps wed be happier if we made peace with the fact that rabid animals are going to dwindle the herd from time to time (as they have in much greater volume throughout history) and thats not really a bad thing in the long run.

Regarding large-scale attacks, he said, I dont think the zeitgeist should have an aneurysm every time one occurs either. I think wed be served to draw some historical perspective on how difficult the human condition has always been and how that is something of a blessing in disguise.
 Atlee Church (Scottsville) hosts Summer Family Movie Night with a screening of The Good Dinosaur at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Victory Hall, 401 Valley St. (804) 730-3676.

 Laurel Hill Baptist Church offers drive-thru prayer with coffee and doughnuts from 6 to 8 a.m. each Thursday, and pickleball is played from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays. 3595 Grand Forks Blvd. (434) 973-6125.

 Mount Eagle Baptist Church (Nellysford) celebrates Homecoming with the Rev. Fred Sales preaching Sunday afternoon. Revival services will be held at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. 4094 Adial Road. (434) 361-1432.

 Mount Zion Baptist Church (Advance Mills) celebrates Homecoming with Pastor H. Steven Miller at 11 a.m. and guest preacher the Rev. Darnell Lundy at 3 p.m. Sunday. Revival services will be held with Bishop Michael Jackson at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Rev. Xavier Jackson at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and the Rev. Halliard Brown Jr. at 7:30 p.m. Friday. 6045 Advance Mills Road. (434) 293-9887.

 Operation Esther Prayer Circle meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays to offer prayer for incoming students. Koinonea Church, 257 Bob Finley Way. (434) 227-0811.

 Rock Spring United Methodist Church (Faber) celebrates Homecoming with Ronnie Bradshaw speaking at 11 a.m. Sunday, followed by a potluck luncheon. 1655 Rock Spring Road. (434) 263-8516.

 St. James Baptist Church (Roseland) celebrates Homecoming with the Rev. David Brown preaching at 11 a.m. and the Rev. Michael Page of Antioch Baptist Church of Durham, North Carolina, preaching at 3 p.m. Sunday. Revival services with the Rev. James Coleman Jr., of Providence Ministries International of Lynchburg, will be held at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. 2099 Buffalo Mines Road. (434) 277-8928.

 Union Baptist Church (Scottsville) celebrates Homecoming with Pastor Sheldon Page Sr. at 11 a.m., Prayer and Praise at 2:30 p.m. and the Rev. Annett Diggs of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Tyro preaching at 3 p.m. Aug. 27. Revival services with the Rev. Diggs will be held at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 through Sept. 1. 174 Union Church Road. (434) 286-3313.

 Union Baptist Church (Trevilians) celebrates Homecoming with services at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Revival services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. 1546 Vawter Corner Road. (540) 967-1996.

This calendar, published every Saturday, lists special events of a religious nature. Because of space constraints, notices about regular worship services cannot be included. Items intended for publication, including an address and phone number, should be faxed to (434) 978-7252; mailed to Worship Calendar, The Daily Progress, P.O. Box 9030, Charlottesville, VA 22906; or emailed to ewood@dailyprogress.com. Material must be received by 4 p.m. the Wednesday prior to publication.
Updated at 9:43 a.m.

Mayor Mike Signer's noon announcement has been canceled, according to a release from city officials. The release says Signer will provide an official statement later this afternoon.

In a text message Friday morning, Signer said the press conference was cancelled because a written statement was "the best medium for the depth and complexity of the ideas I want to convey."

Updated at 9:43 p.m.

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer will be making a major announcement Friday about the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, the victim from Saturdays deadly car incident and public safety for future events in the city.

The announcement is slated for noon at CitySpace, according to a news release from the city. No other details were released Thursday.

The Lee statue has been a topic of extreme contention in the city for well over a year after City Councilor Wes Bellamy called for its removal from Emancipation Park, then called Lee Park. The council has since voted to rename the park and remove the statue, but the move was temporarily halted by a lawsuit filed on behalf of several Confederate heritage groups. On May 2, a city judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the statues removal for six months.

In recent months, the statue has served as a rallying point for white nationalists, white supremacists and other groups. In May, white supremacist Richard Spencer led a torch-lit rally in Emancipation Park. In July, the Ku Klux Klan held a rally at Justice Park, formerly called Jackson Park, protesting the citys plans to remove the Lee statue.

On Saturday, various white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups converged on Emancipation Park for the Unite the Right rally, which devolved into chaos and violence before it officially began when anti-racist groups showed up in protest.

Later in the afternoon, a Dodge Challenger plowed into a group of counter-demonstrators at Fourth and Water streets, killing Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old Albemarle County woman, and injuring 19 others.

James Alex Fields Jr., of Ohio, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit-and-run with injury. Fields, 20, had been seen demonstrating with white supremacists earlier Saturday.

As of Thursday evening, nearly 14,500 people had signed an online petition to replace the statue of Lee in Emancipation Park with one of Heyer.
The people of Durham, North Carolina, have the right idea. Not only have they taken down a Confederate war statue themselves, but theyve lined up en masse to turn themselves in for that crime, overwhelming the so-called justice system.

The people of Wunsiedel, Germany, have the right idea. Theyve responded to Nazi marches by funding anti-Nazi groups for every Nazi marcher, and cheering on and thanking the marchers.

The people of Richardson, Texas, have the right idea. Members of a mosque intervened between anti-Muslim demonstrators and violent would-be defenders, and left the rally with the anti-Muslims to discuss their differences at a restaurant.

Every situation is different, and the same approach wont work everywhere, or even necessarily work more than once in the same place. The bigger and less accountable the target  for example state or federal government instead of local  the tougher the challenge. But local actions and global communications can create momentum.

Here in Charlottesville, for example, we have giant statues that would be hard to move. And smashing them would offend more people than leaving them up. Or at least thats the case with Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Pulling down the generic Confederate soldier and turning ourselves in for it by the thousands might work.

But theres no reason we cant cover the statues with giant curtains reading: DANGER: Enter at risk of racism, bellicosity, and erroneous history.

Theres nothing stopping us from erecting better statues ourselves, as people did in Baltimore before their city was moved to take the Confederates down. Id like a statue of Olaudah Equiano.

Giant helium balloons and projected lights are also tools available.

Public officials could compete for getting their names on Lees horses ass.

Eons ago when we pushed the University of Virginia to raise wages to $8 per hour, stores and houses in Charlottesville put up signs in their windows in support. Now, Lee does not speak for me signs could be put up everywhere. Every City Council meeting and public-speaking period thereof could be packed with advocates for the cause.

Judges hearing court cases, and state legislators interfering in local public spaces could be targeted with nonviolent, educational, and lobbying efforts, including protests, sit-ins, petitions, and public debates. We could ask them to emancipate Emancipation Park and bring them an emancipation proclamation to sign. The ghosts of people Lee enslaved could haunt them. We could begin addressing each of them as Trump supremacists until they act against his racist agenda.

A peoples march from Charlottesville to Richmond could tell the state government to let our city decide on its own public monuments. It could also insist that Virginia take its Robert E. Lee statue out of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Perhaps Lee himself could lead the march on horseback with posters displaying statements he made in opposition to any Confederate monuments.

Ghosts could emerge from Arlington Cemetery to protest that We were supposed to be his memorial. A warmakers land turned into a display of the dead is memorial enough. UVa students could take a break from streaking the Lawn and streak Emancipation Park with signs: The only thing obscene here is a monument to racism and war!

We could put up educational monuments in Emancipation Park: A monument displaying the racial wealth gap or the whites-only federal benefits of decades gone by, a monument to all the people enslaved in the U.S. South after emancipation, a monument to Charlottesvilles sister cities, a monument to peace. We could hold teach-ins. We could hold discussions that we invite those we disagree with to participate in. We could ask the world, including everyone who once boycotted North Carolina for gay rights, to boycott Virginia. We could all take a day off, have a party in every street, and ask Why should we work? Robert E. Lee forced others to work for him, and hes our public hero!

I could go on. Anyone could go on. The options are endless, and do not include the counterproductive tools of violence.

David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org.
COLUMBUS  Lydell Woodbury knows First Nebraska Banks customers are hustling, on-the-go people during their daily lives.

Thats why the three-decade fixture at the corner of 23rd Street and 33rd Avenue is rolling out interactive teller machines in mid-September aimed at expanding the banks services.

Our customers are busy, said Woodbury, president and chief executive officer of the bank at 3225 23rd St. This is a way for us to meet the needs of our customers.

The introduction of ITMs, two in the banks drive-through lanes and one inside in the lobby, will boost customer access to live interactive teller service. A video component connects local customers to tellers in First Nebraska Bank's Valley location.

An ITM will allow customers to do almost anything they could do going inside a bank and walking up to a teller line, Woodbury said.

The interactive tellers will enable customers to conduct up to 95 percent of typical teller transactions, much more than can be done at a traditional ATM, he said.

ITMs are ATMs on steroids, Woodbury said while noting that the Columbus location is among the first in the state to get ITMs.

The new technology will provide interactive teller service 12 hours a day, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., five days a week. The service will be offered from 8-11 a.m. on Saturdays.

Jay Trofholz of Columbus, a longtime local owner of First Nebraska, has been watching banking trends for years. He knows financial institutions are seeing rapid changes in technology.

I think thats the movement were making (in the industry) right now, Trofholz said.

Millennials want online banking; they dont write checks or carry cash. They want quick, easy access, and thats what were giving them, Trofholz said.

The new ITMs are part of an extensive remodeling of the approximately 6,000-square-foot Columbus location that began in early June.

The building isnt adding space, but the layout will be reconfigured with banking activities on the west end and administrative offices in the east portion. Columbus is home to the management team for First Nebraskas 10 locations.

The remodel will allow us to better utilize the building, Woodbury said.

A new digital message sign will replace the First Nebraska Bank sign that has invited customers inside for years.

Woodbury views the expanded teller services and building remodel as another way to continue First Nebraskas longtime model of helping grow and support local communities and the surrounding area.

Weve accomplished this by helping our personal and commercial banking customers buy or build new homes, start and expand their businesses and keep their farms operating through trying times, Woodbury said.

Because were locally owned, he said, were invested in our customers and our communities.

Woodbury said the current project is a significant investment," but didn't release a figure for the costs.

First Nebraska Bank has 10 locations throughout central and eastern Nebraska, including Columbus, Valley, Arcadia, Bennet, Brainard, Decatur, Emerson, Nebraska City, Stanton and Weeping Water.

The banking group currently has ITMs in Valley and Arcadia, with the addition of Columbus in September and Bennet in October. The rest of First Nebraskas locations will get the interactive tellers in 2018.
COLUMBUS  A variety of bands will fill downtown with music this weekend during Columbus Days.

The Columbus Community Band ended the Lawnchairs on the Square season Thursday evening while simultaneously starting Columbus Days with a performance in Frankfort Square.

Director Doug Phillips led the band through John Philip Sousa and Henry Fillmore marches as well as Western-themed overtures to tie into the "Wild Wild West" theme of Columbus Days.

"I gotta say, its a great pleasure to have directed this group for the past three years," Phillips said of the band that includes about 40 members from across the area.

Phillips taught high school band for 35 years, retiring from Schuyler Central High School. He played the baritone at Columbus High School before joining the University of Nebraska-Lincoln marching band.

Another group taking the stage for Columbus Days is the Barrel House Blues Band.

An offshoot of a previous band called Out of the Blue, the group takes its cues from the likes of ZZ Top, Eric Clapton and modern blues artists.

After being together 15 years, some of the members of Out of the Blue moved out of the area, leaving the band incomplete. Drummer Ryan Comte said the transition from Out of the Blue to Barrel House Blues Band was meant to be.

About five years ago some of us original members got together again, Comte said. We still play modern blues, but we have a few new faces.

Barrel House has five members. Comte, of David City, is on drums; Mike Martin of Marysville, Kansas, and Mike Smith of David City serve as vocalists and guitarists; Brad Walker of Lincoln handles the bass guitar and vocals; and Dave Williams of Shelby is on the keyboard and vocals.

Comte said the band has a few goals.

We will always try to continue playing locally, he said. We really want to break into Lincoln, Omaha and Norfolk and expand even farther. But my personal goal is to be discovered by Eric Clapton.

Comte was born into a musical family and has been a drummer since his youth. His father, the late Bud Comte, started a recording studio in David City that his son still runs today.

Barrel House Blues played for Columbus Days last year and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Comte said the band looks forward to taking the Frankfort Square stage at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

I always tell myself Ill stop playing music when it isnt fun anymore, Comte said. But its still fun so well just keep on going.

Another band performing this weekend has been together far longer than 15 years.

Twin brothers Stan and Wayne Fritz started their group, On the Fritz, 37 years ago.

We first started playing heavy rock, Stan said. But we noticed people wanted to dance more, so we changed our set just a little. Now we play everything.

Now the band plays pop, country and pretty much everything in between.

Stan said he is excited to come back to Columbus to perform.

Back in the day we played at Wishbones and, of course, the Ramada, he said.

On the Fritz, based in Omaha, stays mainly in the Midwest for shows. Although Stan said they've gone as far as Maryland to perform for wedding receptions and other events.

We have a nice PA system and a light show that were going to use during Columbus Days, he said.

The group is comprised of Stan Fritz on bass and vocals, Wayne Fritz on lead guitar, Turk Mully as vocalist, keyboardist and saxophonist and Gregg Premer on drums.

On the Fritz will perform 7:30-11:30 p.m. Friday on the 14th Street stage.

Saturdays performances also include Daniel Christian at 10 a.m. in Frankfort Square, Rocks in a Pocket from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the 14th Street stage, Columbus Jazz Orchestra at 1 p.m. in Frankfort Square, an all-city drumline performance at 2:30 p.m. in Frankfort Square and Eckophonic from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. on the 14th Street stage.

The Root Marm Chicken Farm Jug Band will play 1 p.m. Sunday in Frankfort Square.
Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka has dismissed views suggesting senior-level exits at the company were a cause of concern.

New Delhi: Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka has dismissed views suggesting senior-level exits at the company were a cause of concern, saying the attrition is "far lower" than other firms.

In the last few months, the country's second largest software firm, has seen a number of senior-level executives resigning. They include Anirban Dey (Global head and chief business officer of Edge products), Yusuf Bashir (MD, Infosys Innovation Fund) and Ritika Suri (executive vice-president).

"Not at all. This is a complete nonsensical myth that has been propagated in some parts," Sikka told CNBC-TV18 when asked if the series of exits of senior talent was a cause for concern.

"It happens in every company. We actually did an analysis, both in terms of our own past as well as in terms of the other companies in our industry. And there are far more executives who have left every other company that we could think of," he said.

Sikka -- who has just completed three years as the CEO of Infosys -- said the analysis by the company and some other recruiting firms revealed that Infosys was "far lower in terms of executive attrition than other companies".

Some reports suggest that the exits are a worrying trend for Infosys as many of the officials, who have put in their papers, had joined Sikka from SAP -- his former employer.

Sikka quipped that there is a "fixation" on Infosys, and exit of individuals, including assistants and engineers, keeps showing up on the list.

Infosys has been battling both internal and external challenges in terms of uncertain global economic environment and high-profile founders flagging concerns around alleged corporate governance lapses at the company.

Asked about co-founder NR Narayana Murthy's reported comments recently that he regretted leaving the organisation in 2014, Sikka said it was a conscious decision to have an independent board and a professional management. "This was something that we had very consciously established as an independent board and a professional management taking over from a founder-led board and a founder-led management. So, that is a big change," he said.
Mumbai: Vishal Sikka has put in his papers as the CEO and MD of Infosys, the company announced on Friday morning.

Ending his three-year long stint as the chief, Sikka will continue as the Executive Vice Chairman of the company. U B Pravin Rao will step in as the interim CEO and MD.

Although Sikka's tenure at the company had recently been battling a lot of criticisim, his resignation comes as a shock to many. While many have been wondering why he resigned at such a crucial stage, Sikka's resignation letter gives us a glimpse into the personal attacks he had been facing as the top boss.

Dear Board Colleagues,

Over the last few days, since our earlier call, I've met Sesh several times, talked to you individually at length, and spent time thinking things thru with Vandana.

During this time, one of our employees, Sandeep Karamongikar, died in his sleep, likely of a massive heart attack. He was working on the chatbot frontend in Nia. Also over the weekend, in possibly the greatest demonstration of AI capability ever, a bot built by the researchers at OpenAI (yes, that OpenAI), defeated the world's best players of DOTA2, a multiplayer online video game, a game where the bot learned to play entirely from scratch. Further demonstrating that the force to automate routine, even advanced, activities is an unstoppable and exponential one. And the Charlottesville incident here in the US demonstrated once again the power of words and silences to cause real damage, or to heal.

After much reflection, I have concluded that it is indeed time for me to leave my current positions as MD and CEO, and I have communicated my resignation to Sesh.

I will be working closely with Sesh, Ravi, Pravin, with all of you, and the senior management team to plan out the details and the timelines to ensure a smooth transition and in the meantime, continue our work without disruption, and ensuring that we protect our company, the employees, the clients, and the interests of every shareholder. You can count on my commitment to this.

I came here to help navigate the company through what I saw as a massive transformation opportunity, to transform our company and restore strong profitable growth, as well as help transform the business of our customers. I came to do this with the power of technology, given my experiences with similar transformations, my background in AI, and the structural changes that I saw happening in the IT services industry.

This needed new skills, new thinking, new initiatives, and a transformation in the culture, from a cost-oriented value delivery, to entrepreneurship oriented value delivery. You have heard me articulate this many times before. This type of a transformation has always been a passion for me, indeed I took this job for this reason.

We have achieved much in the last 3+ years, and for sure we can all be proud of the powerful seeds of transformation that have already been sowed. No one anticipated the additional headwinds like the geo-political disruptions (Brexit, Trump, visa etc.) that made this transformation even more challenging, but also rewarding.

But, the distractions that we have seen, the constant drumbeat of the same issues over and over again, while ignoring and undermining the good work that has been done, take the excitement and passion out of this amazing journey. Over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks. Allegations that have been repeatedly proven false and baseless by multiple, independent investigations. But despite this, the attacks continue, and worse still, amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation.

This continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity over the last several months/quarters, inhibits our ability to make positive change and stay focused on value creation. Addressing the noise by itself is damaging; hundreds of hours of my own time has gone into this recently. But the structural challenges this engenders within the organization, has a very damaging effect on our ability to carry out any kind of a transformation, especially one that is as fundamental as transforming from a cost-oriented to an innovationoriented value delivery to clients.

Therefore, I have come to this moment and the end of this journey. I hope that it gives everyone a chance to reflect, and give the transformation effort another big push and move the company forward rapidly to build its future, to build upon the foundation that we have laid over these past 3 years. If these types of attacks continue, I hope each of you will continue to be the voice of fairness and reason - providing the active, emphatic and unequivocal support that the company, the management, the employees, and all of the stakeholders and friends of the company need in order to succeed.

Since the board deeply believes in the cause we have started, I will be happy to support all of you to achieve a smooth transition, and serve as your Executive Vice Chair as discussed. I would like to thank each one of you, my dear colleagues, my friends and mentors, and look forward to working with you to close this chapter and open a great new one for all of us.

Best, V
Mumbai: The Infosys board on Friday came out in full support of the outgoing leader Vishal Sikka and said that he is not only a "phenomenal technical guy", but also "a high-performing CEO".

Addressing the media, Ravi Venkatesan, the Independent Director and Co-Chairman of Infosys was referring to comments by founder Narayana Murthy that Sikka was "CTO" material and not CEO material.

Venkatesan called Sikka a "thought leader" for the industry and the company. "He has made sure that Infosys was strategically relevant and sowed seeds for transformation of Infosys," he said.

Sikkas shift to Executive Vice Chairman from CEO will make no difference to his commitment to the company, said Chairman R Seshasayee.

This bitter corporate drama began on Friday morning with Infosys announcing the resignation of top man Vishal Sikka as CEO and MD.

The board's defense in favour of Sikka came in the light of Sikka stating that he was "besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks". In a statement to the stock exchanges, the company board had also lashed out at founder Narayana Murthy for his continuous assault against Sikka.

The board also thanked Sikka for agreeing to stay on board as the Executive Vice Chairman and "ensuring continuity". He will continue to look after strategic execution of Infosys and client relations.

Calling Infosys an "iconic company", Sikka reminisced that: "I signed up for the cultural transformation, disruption and transformation of the company. At that time Infosys and the IT industry were going through a challenging time". He said he was extremely proud of the phenomenal work of his team to make Infosys a market leader.

Sikka's tenure at the company had come under attack from founders like Narayana Murthy over issues like salary, corporate governance and acquisititions. His last few months as the CEO also coincided with a raging crisis in the IT industry as a whole. In his address on Friday, Sikka said "Last year we saw some headwinds from geopolitical crises, visa situation. But everyone has to deal with it".

Referring to Murthy's allegations, Sikka said it was no longer possible for him to deal with "continuous allegations, continuous noise". He said these disruptions weighed him down and were against the company's interest.

Sikka further said that his resignation will be a fresh start for the company. He said that business will continue as usual and he will be there to help the company in any way he can.

Backing Sikka, Ravi Venkatesan said the board will continue to follow the outgoing chief's "strategic direction". He also said that he has "no interest" in being the next CEO.

The Chairman, R Seshayee ruled out putting the Infosys buyback proposal on the back-burner.
New Delhi: In a scathing attack on N R Narayana Murthy, Infosys Board on Friday blamed his "continuous assault" as the primary reason for CEO Vishal Sikka quitting the company and ruled out a formal role for the co-founder in the company's governance.

There were no immediate comments from Murthy on the allegations. In a strongly worded statement, the country's second largest software services firm defended Sikka's performance saying under him, Infosys has delivered profitable revenue growth.

The Board alleged that a letter authored by Murthy "has been released to various media houses attacking the integrity of the Board and management alleging falling corporate governance standards in the company".

"Murthy's letter contains factual inaccuracies, already-disproved rumours, and statements extracted out of contextfrom his conversations with Board members," it said.

The Board said Murthy has repeatedly made "inappropriate" demands, which are inconsistent with his stated desire for stronger governance. The Board argued that Murthy's "campaign" has intensified over time.

"Over time the demands have intensified, which when declined by the Board resulted in the threats of media attacks being carried out," it said.

The Board rued that its efforts to resolve the concerns of the founders - who together own about 12.75 per cent stake in Infosys - over the course of a year through a dialogue have not been successful.

The statement added that the Board had tried earnestly to find "feasible solutions within the boundaries of law and without compromising its independence". It also cautioned that Murthy's actions and demands are damaging the company.

The Board sought to assure shareholders, employees and customers that it "will not be distracted by this misguided campaign" by Murthy and will continue to adhere to the highest international standards of corporate governance.

During an investor call, Sikka said the "continued drumbeat" about former CFO Rajiv Bansal's severance package and Panaya deal in the last 4-5 quarters have been "sickening".

Infosys co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan said the management is highly distressed by the continuing allegations against Sikka and Board members.
One of the pictures clicked from Sunny Leone's visit to Kochi.

New Delhi: Sunny Leone is surely not going to forget the people of Kochi, for a very long time.

The actress was in the city for the launch of 'Phone 4 Digital Hub' showroom at MG Road.

As the 'Baadshaho' actor reached the venue, she was flooded with thousands of fans.

The 36-year-old actress was really overwhelmed with the warm welcome from the people of Kochi.

She even shared a video on her Twitter handle and captioned it, "No words. Can't thank the people of Kochi. Was so overwhelmed by the love & support. Never will forget Gods own Country Kerala! Thank you #fone4."

No words...Can't thank the people of Kochi.Was so overwhelmed by the love&support.Never will forget Gods own Country Kerala!Thank you #fone4 pic.twitter.com/UTAnjlYvc5  Sunny Leone (@SunnyLeone) August 17, 2017

My car in literally a sea of love in Kochi Kerala!! Thanks #fone4 pic.twitter.com/lLHTo8GyrC  Sunny Leone (@SunnyLeone) August 17, 2017

Even Twitteratti took the opportunity to come with interesting captions for the picture. Here's some of the best ones.

Mallus waiting in humid weather for a glimpse of #SunnyLeone! Wish they took half of this effort to work instead of hartals! #Kerala pic.twitter.com/zOwFGT6Ro4  klipsch (@klipsch1) August 17, 2017

This picture shows how miserably Modi has failed in providing employment ! #SunnyLeone #Kochi pic.twitter.com/mvZQT0nJLA  Bahujan Bharat (@DalitSamajIndia) August 17, 2017

Proof that Kerala is No.1 in internet connectivity as well #SunnyLeone #SunnyInKochi  Josephine Varghese (@msJ_Varghese) August 17, 2017

Sunny Leone has gone to Kerala & basically become Khaleesi. pic.twitter.com/AMbASIyc9d  Sahil Rizwan (@SahilRiz) August 17, 2017

No.. no.. not in temple or mosque, these crowd waiting to see their heroine #SunnyLeone , Kerala pic.twitter.com/sQCNxaqdfZ  Binu Padmam (@bnutwt) August 17, 2017

I'm convinced unemployment is real. Look at the crowd to see actor #SunnyLeone in Kochi. Same crowd will be there for any actor btw! :o pic.twitter.com/q6ff3MrULd  Megha Varier (@varier_megha) August 17, 2017

Rahul Gandhi when notified that #SunnyLeone 's car got surrounded by 10000s of people

& they were not even paid for it pic.twitter.com/tYBebrHVCC  Bazi Cooper (@goalsdomatter) August 17, 2017

If Amit Shah wants to get a foothold in Kerala, he should sign-up the person in that car. #SunnyLeone in Kochi pic.twitter.com/qp8fCZRBeU  P.J. George (@peejaygeorge) August 17, 2017

Sunny was sporting enough to choose her favourite one from the lot.

So out of all the photos, this one takes the cake!! Lol so many captions I want to write but don't know where to begin. So darn cute! pic.twitter.com/oF5cmrBSc3  Sunny Leone (@SunnyLeone) August 17, 2017

The police also filed a compliant against the mobile store owner for the chaos that was created at the event.

Recently, she was in news for adopting a 21-month-old baby girl from Latur in Maharashtra.

She and her husband Daniel Weber have named the girl Nisha Kaur Weber.

On the work front, she will soon be seen in a special number in Sanjay Dutt-starrer ' Bhoomi'.
Rating:

Director: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon, Seema Pahwa and Pankaj Tripathi

One film old female director Ashwini Iyer Tiwari became an overnight popular storyteller with Nil Battey Sannata, that dealt with the education system of girls in northern India. Her knack for showing small town people and their issues is commendable, but again banking unconditionally on her with just one film isn't justified either. Ashwini brings yet another small town flavoured film Bareilly Ki Barfi, but this time with a cliched formula of a love triangle.

Bitti Mishra (Kriti Sanon) stays in Bareily and is the only daughter of her parents Pankaj Tripathi and Seema Pahwa. She is a modern, fearless and flamboyant girl, who believes in breaking societal norms. Chirag (Ayushmann Khurrana), a small time local writer, secretly admires Bitti and keeps writing his feelings in a book which Bitti coincidentally reads and soon after, she falls for him but things turn upside down when Chirag plants his best friend Pritam (Rajkummar Rao) as the original writer. Who gets Bitti in the end is what the film all about.

Ashwini clearly wanted to make a love triangle set in the small town with comic punches. The film is highly inspired by the romantic cult of our times, like Saajan, that featured Madhuri Dixit, Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan. The plot of the film is not even an inch different from it but this film stands out with its comical elements.

The film also reminds of Kunal Kohli's directorial debut Mujhse Dosti Karoge where Hrithik Roshan mistakes his true love Rani Mukerji with the vivacious Kareena Kapoor Khan. The subject has been done to death but Ashwini and her team try hard to play around with the treatment, but to no avail. Written by her director-husband Nitesh Tiwari, the film is enjoyable, but in parts, especially in the first half, where Ashwini has taken much time to build her characters. However, the film picks up its pace in the second half but it's too late by then. The climax of the film is so predictable that one could easily guess who will get the girl in the end. Although, the trailer of the film looked quite appealing, the film fails to build on it. It is watchable, though one must not expect a Tanu Weds Manu or Dum Laga Ke Haisha, which belonged to similar settings.

The music of the film is passable, except for the song Aabra Ka Dabra which is peppy enough to groove to.

Kriti Sanon is seen in such a deglammed role for the first time in her career. Three films old, Kriti is good with her act and the UP dialect, but somehow is a misfit for the film. She is too urban and fashionable for a film set in Bareily. Unfortunately, she also doesn't pass off as Pankaj and Seema's daughter. Ayushmann is pretty much a veteran when it comes to playing a desirable boy from a small city. He is apt but the one who steals the show is definitely Rajkummar Rao. He proves with every film that he is a brilliant actor and can overshadow any actor in the frame. His transition from a shy introvert to a rowdy guy is the selling point of the film. Pankaj Tripathi and Seema Pahwa are the saving grace of this sinking ship. The two just light up the screen.

Bareilly Ki Barfi is purely a one time watch which has a few odd hilarious dialogues and some great performances but no storyline to it. It is certainly a light hearted film which is not as good as it promised to be.
Whiskies are made by distilling fermented grains, such as barley or rye

Paris: Ignore the snobs, because most experts agree: a few drops of water enhance the taste of whiskies, from well-rounded blends to peat bombs redolent of smoke, tobacco and leather.

The only real question is, why is this true?

The answer, a pair of biochemists in Sweden said Thursday, resides in the subtle interplay of molecules that brings those bursting with flavour to the surface of the liquid amber in one's glass.

The smoky flavour typical of whiskies made on the Scottish island of Islay, for example, can be traced to a group of flavour-packed molecules known as phenols, and to one in particular called guaiacol.

Laboratory simulations revealed that adding a splash of H2O makes guaiacol rise to "the air-liquid interface," Bjorn Karlsson and Ran Friedman of Linnaeus University in Kalmar, Sweden reported in the journal Scientific Reports.

"Because this drink is consumed at the interface first," they continued, belabouring the obvious as only scientists can, "our findings help to understand why adding water to whiskey helps to enhance its taste."

Higher concentrations of guaiacol are found in Scottish whiskies than in American or Irish ones, the study found.

For any whiskey, the importance of adding water is already evident in the manufacturing process.

Whiskies are made by distilling fermented grains, such as barley or rye. Distilled malt whiskies typically contain around 70 percent alcohol before being aged in oak barrels for at least three years.

Maturation reduces the alcohol content by 5 to 15 percent, But that is still far too high for optimal drinking pleasure, so the whiskey's alcohol content is further diluted to around 40 percent before bottling by adding water.

At least one famous connoisseur, Winston Churchill, has suggested that the scientists may have gotten things backwards in their findings.

"When I was a young subaltern in the South African War, the water was not fit to drink," Britain's wartime prime minister famously reminisced.

"To make it palatable we had to add whisky.
Scientist suggests that cheese might actually have many health benefits.

Your body can particularly benefit from Swiss cheese researchers in Korea have discovered, according to a report by the Metro.

Propionibacterium freudenreichi, a probiotic in this type of cheese can reduce inflammation which can reduce the rate one ages.

It can also help boost your immune system and help it function more efficiently.

A post shared by Little Bites Perth (@littlebites_perth) on Aug 18, 2017 at 5:07am PDT

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have also found cheese can increase "good" cholesterol, which can protect against some diseases like cardiovascular and metabolic, the Express reported.

Previous research also indicated cheese can aid neurological function, decrease risk of high blood pressure and improve your metabolism, reported the Time.
Apart from money, the one thing everyone is obsessed about is their weight! Not just celebrities, even kids want to be in the skinny club. So, whats the fastest way to become a member? The current trend is to consume all kinds of fat burning, appetite controlling, filling powders.

Take for instance, Skinny Sprinkles, which is a huge hit in the UK. Advertised as an appetite control drink, millions of followers love it because it makes them eat less, by just mixing a sachet into water and taking a few gulps. Known as the gastric band in a glass, Skinny Sprinkles is only 9 calories per sachet and is said to give you energy as well as kill your appetite. According to its website, the drink contains glucomannan, a clinically proven ingredient to aid weight loss.

Also, currently very popular with all of Bollywood and high profile richie-rich socialites in Mumbai and Delhi is the European Retreat, a weightloss spa, where a concoction with baking soda as an ingredient is used to knock off the kilos.

Some nutritionists back home too advocate a mix of spices like cinnamon, elaichi, jeera, haldi, kari patta, dhania, flax seeds, oregano etc, made into a fine powder. They advise you to have two spoons of the powder, mixed in a quarter glass of water, after every meal. They say it helps burn fat, the stubborn kind included.

But do these concoctions actually work? Yes, in the short term, you do get the desired results like inch loss and a weighing scale that shows you pleasing numbers.

Sadly however, the joy is soon replaced with pain as Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy, one of the worlds leading gastroenterologist and Padma Bhushan awardee reveals all the tummy issues that come with taking these quick fixes. His days are filled with treating many Indian celebs who have returned from the fancy European Retreats with irritable bowel syndrome and excess gas.

Dr Reddy warns that followers of Skinny Sprinkles too may suffer from bloating, nutritional deficiencies as well as irritable bowel syndrome. Similarly, an overload of spices from the kitchen can irritate the tummy and lead to bigger health issues.

So, how does one get rid of the flab quickly? What about SlimLipo, where a non-invasive laser zaps out all the fat in a few sessions? This is nothing short of a con job, says Dr Reddy, who explains that since its actually UV light and not a laser, it doesnt work.

His advice? Follow your common sense. Dont overeat. Exercise. Since all these spas and drinks are packaged very well and people fall for their gimmicks, nobody worries about their authenticity or if their staff is properly accredited. Dr Reddy says weight loss depends on how much you eat and how much you burn. Shortcuts like even the gastric band are not long-term solutions as in most cases, the weight comes right back.

The best way to begin weight loss is to hit the gym for at least 30 minutes a day. Even if you dont shed the kind of fat you want to, this lifestyle change can prolong your life expectancy, reveals Dr Reddy, who also recommends getting at least 60 gm of protein a day.

Dr Nageshwar Reddy

Dr Nageshwar Reddy, leading gastroenterologist and Padma Bhushan awardee, says weight loss depends on how much you eat and how much you burn. There is no shortcut. He has been treating many Indian celebs who have returned from the fancy European Retreat with irritable bowel syndrome, excess gas, bloating, and nutritional deficiencies.

Infographic

But do these concoctions actually work? Yes, in the short term, you do get the desired results like inch loss and a weighing scale that shows you pleasing numbers.

Infographic

But, the joy is soon replaced with pain
COLUMBUS  Members of various law enforcement agencies came together Thursday evening to share a cool treat with area youths.

Bomb Pop with a Cop was organized by Columbus Police Investigator Jaymee Levander to promote healthy relationships between children, the community as a whole and law enforcement.

Hy-Vee donated Bomb Pops for the Columbus Police Department, Platte County Sheriff's Office and Nebraska State Patrol representatives to pass out.

Families were able to chat with the law enforcement officers and children even had the opportunity to explore patrol cars.

Nebraska State Patrol Sgt. Trinity Jones spent most of his time answering questions about his uniform, vehicle and other topics.

Its great to be able to walk around and get to talk with the families, Jones said. Its very important that the public does not see the police in a negative manner. Today we are here to ask questions and regain respect, trust and, overall, show them that we are all very friendly.

Jones, who spent time as a law enforcement officer in Omaha, appreciates the small-town atmosphere Columbus offers.

There was nothing like this in Omaha, Jones said. There were no events to let the town see police in a much lighter mood.

Smiles surfaced as pencils, stickers and bracelets promoting law enforcement were passed around. Of course, the Bomb Pops were a hit, too.

Columbus Police Officer Rachel Pensick helped children open their frozen treats while chatting with them.

Its amazing to be able to interact with the kids and show them we are here to help them and be their friend, Pensick said. This is definitely a great step forward to have the public see us in a more easygoing setting.

The kids were also happy. Especially Samuel Nichols, who came to the event dressed in his police officer Halloween costume.

Platte County Sheriff Ed Wemhoff was pleasantly surprised with the event.

Its shocking to see the turnout, Wemhoff said. We still need the support from the community and this is a great way to get that done.
This 2016 photo provided by Sven Birkerts shows his father Gunnar Birkerts, an internationally acclaimed modernist architect who designed buildings including the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, and the University of Michigan Law Library, has died. (Photo: AP)

Needham: Gunnar Birkerts, an internationally acclaimed modernist architect who designed buildings including the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, and the University of Michigan Law Library, has died. He was 92.

His son, Sven Birkerts, said his father died Tuesday of congestive heart failure at his home in Needham, Massachusetts. Birkerts was born in Riga, Latvia, on Jan. 17, 1925, but fled during World War II when he was in his teens. He made his way to Stuttgart, Germany, where he began studying architecture.

In 1949, Birkerts emigrated to the United States. He was based in the Detroit area for much of his career and worked for several different architecture firms before he and a colleague, Frank Straub, founded Birkerts and Straub in 1962. He eventually went on to lead his own firm, Gunnar Birkerts and Associates, for decades. He also taught architecture at the University of Michigan from 1959-1990.

Birkerts was widely known for his use of light in his designs. Some of his other notable buildings include the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri, the IBM headquarters in Sterling Forest, New York, and the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela.

His final work, the National Library of Latvia in Riga, opened in 2014 and is now widely known as "The Castle of Light." The American Institute of Architects awarded the library its 2017 Library Building Award. Birkerts is survived by his wife, Sylvia, a fellow Latvian who he met in Germany and married in 1950, their three children and seven grandchildren.
Patna: In another recent incident of mob violence, seven Muslim men in Bihar were thrashed by a group of cow vigilantes on Thursday over rumours of them having eaten beef.

The incident took place in Bihars Champaran village. Instead of the attackers, the victims have been arrested.

According to an NDTV report, the hateful incident occurred, when the self-appointed cow protectors barged into Kudoos Qureshi and Mohammed Sahabuddins home accusing them of stealing and slaughtering a calf for its meat on Wednesday night.

Along with the two targets, a few neighbours were also locked in a room and beaten with sticks. Stones were pelted at police personnel when they reached the spot.

However, instead of arresting the offenders, police have held victims for hurting religious sentiments. The victims have also been charged with animal cruelty.

Sanjay Kumar Jha, a police officer said that no action was taken against the offenders as there was no complaint against them.

"Initially our main task was to defuse the situation and it was due to large deployment of the police force that no untoward incident took place as mobs were descending from other villages also," the police officer said.
Bengaluru: It was brisk business at the Indira Canteens on the second day of their opening. But many people, who visited the canteens across the city, came away disappointed as they either had to wait for hours to be served or not be served at all with all the food being sold out early.

Lack of centralised kitchens creates mess

In the absence of centralised kitchens in most places, the food was cooked in a wedding hall at the Palace Grounds and supplied to a large number of canteens, clearly showing the hurry the state government was in to get the project off the ground even without proper arrangements in place. Although each assembly constituency is supposed to have a centralised kitchen to prepare the food and supply to the canteens, only six of the 28 assembly constituencies in the city have kitchens, while the rest are still in the process of acquiring them.

Food not served on time

At some places people were made to wait for over an hour for their orders to be served and at others, the food was sold out as soon as it arrived. "Breakfast was served at 7.30am as scheduled, but lunch, which was supposed to start at 12.30 pm, was delayed by almost two hours" said Mr Joseph, a mechanic, about his experience at the canteen in Shanthala Nagar in ward number 111

At many other canteens food was sold out within minutes and those who came later were greeted with empty vessels.

Not enough quantity

Many of those, who were served, were not satisfied with the quantity of the food given. Although each helping was to have 300 grams of rice, 150 grams of sambar and 50 grams of chutney, the quantity was much less, complained several dissatisfied customers.

"We doubt if the rice supplied to us was 300 grams. Perhaps one plate of food was divided into two to meet the demand," said Mr Rajeshwaran, a visitor at a canteen in Chaluvadi Palya.

Demand for ragi balls

Many visitors to the canteens felt the need for ragi balls on the menu as they are filling .

Crowd pullers across classes

Athough the Indira Canteens are meant mainly to feed the working class, several home-makers and college students from well- to- do families were seen visiting them out of curiosity to sample their food.

They joined daily wagers, autorickshaw drivers, and police constables standing in queue for their food.

Mayor calls for patience

Asked about the many problems at the canteens, Mayor G Padmavathi admitted to them, but assured they would be sorted out. "It will take another one week to bring things under control. Feeding thousands of people isn't an easy task," she said, also admitting that the food was cooked in a wedding hall in the Palace Grounds and supplied to many of the canteens.

Mayor G Padmavathi and Deputy Mayor Anand inspects the food at Indira canteen at Vasanth Nagar, in Bengaluru on Friday. (Photo: DC)

As for the poor quantity of food served, she denied there was any deliberate attempt to cut down on the helpings. And responding to the demand for inclusion of ragi balls on the menu, she said, "First let us stabilise things and then think of adding ragi balls."
Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said, 'We recognise Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and the two countries are engaged in border talks.' (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Japan came out in full support for India in its protracted military standoff with China at Doklam, near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan trijunction, saying no country should use unilateral forces to change the status quo on the ground.

Acknowledging the situation at the Doklam Plateau, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said, "We recognise Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and the two countries are engaged in border talks. We also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan, that's why Indian troops got involved in the area," according to the local media.

The endorsement of the Indian position by Japan is a significant development at a regional level as China has violated agreements with Japan as well and not with only India and Bhutan. It is pertinent to mention that Japan is also engaged with the sovereignty issue with China over East China sea.

The Bhutanese Government had earlier said, "Our position on the border issue of Doklam is very clear."

Reacting to the developments in Doklam, the Bhutanese Government had on June 29 issued a press release in which it clearly stated that the construction of the road inside the Bhutanese territory is a direct violation of the agreements and affects the process of demarcating the boundary between the two countries.

China is attempting to build a road through Doklam plateau, which is part of Bhutan, a development that would be a serious disadvantage to India's military defences.

Meanwhile, as the Doklam stand-off enters its third month, China's Foreign Ministry has reiterated that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops would continue to defend Dong Lang, which is Chinese territory, and India should withdraw all its troops and equipment from there.

The stand-off began when China started constructing a road in the area. India objected to the road construction after the Chinese troops ignored Bhutanese protests, triggering the faceoff from June 16.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has reiterated that India's road map is peace and talks are going on to resolve the issue diplomatically.

India has made its stance clear that that it stands for peace the border question can be solved diplomatically, not by war.
Local firms have long lobbied against Chinese involvement in the power sector, raising security concerns and saying they get no reciprocal access to Chinese markets. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: India is tightening the rules for businesses entering its power transmission sector and making stringent checks on both power and telecoms equipment for malware - moves that government and industry officials say aim to check China's advance into sensitive sectors.

Chinese firms such as Harbin Electric, Dongfang Electronics, Shanghai Electric and Sifang Automation either supply equipment or manage power distribution networks in 18 cities in India.

Local firms have long lobbied against Chinese involvement in the power sector, raising security concerns and saying they get no reciprocal access to Chinese markets.

With India and China locked in their most serious military face-off in three decades in the remote Doklam plateau, across the border in China, the effort to restrict Chinese business has gathered more support from within the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, worried about the possibility of a cyber attack.

The Indian government is considering a report prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) that sets new conditions for firms bidding for power transmission contracts and tips the scales in favour of local companies.

According to an official involved in drafting the report who asked not to be named, it says companies looking to invest in India should have been operating there for at least 10 years, have Indian citizens as top executives, and employees of the foreign firm should have lived in India for a certain period, the official said.

Those companies have to detail where they procure the raw materials for transmission systems, and will be barred from further operations in India if their materials contain malware.

Though the report makes no direct reference to China, the official said the recommendations are intended to deter China from making further headway in India, because of the security risks.

CEA Chairman RK Verma said the possibility of a crippling cyber attack on India's power systems was a key consideration while drafting the policy. "Cyber attacks are a challenge," he told Reuters.

A representative of a Chinese enterprise engaged in exporting electric power equipment in India told China's state-run Global Times that India's industry has long tried to block foreign competition under the garb of safety issues.

"Now, as Sino-Indian relations are getting intense, the old tune is on again. But in fact, it is unrealistic to completely ban China and India power investment cooperation. India will pay a huge price for this," the paper said.

Shanghai Electric, Harbin Electric, Dongfang Electronics and state-run China Southern Power Grid Co Ltd, all involved in India or trying to enter, did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on the proposed Indian investment rules.

The Indian government is moving simultaneously on the telecoms sector, demanding higher security standards in an area dominated by Chinese makers of equipment and smartphones.

In a letter reviewed by Reuters, the ministry of electronics and information technology has asked 21 smartphone makers, most of them Chinese, to provide details about the "safety and security practices, architecture frameworks, guidelines, standards, etc followed in your product/services in the country."

Chinese vendors such as Xiaomi, Lenovo, Oppo, Vivo and Gionee together account for over half of India's $10 billion smartphone market. The letter, dated August 12, was also sent to Apple, Samsung Electronics and local maker Micromax, a ministry source said.

India has also privately raised objections to Chinese firm Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group's proposed $1.3 billion takeover of Indian drugmaker Gland Pharma, it emerged last month.

"There's a lot of resentment against China for meddling in our internal affairs, supporting Pakistan's cross-border terrorism, and, on the other hand, posing a huge loss to our trade and industry each year," said Satish Kumar, national president of the Swadesh Jagran Manch, which has ties to the ruling BJP.

The group has this year run a campaign asking Indians not to buy Chinese goods to protect local industry and reset a trade deficit of more than $51 billion.

India has used Chinese equipment for power generation and distribution as it looks to provide affordable electricity to an estimated 250 million people who are off the grid.
New Delhi: The upcoming three-day Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is billed as a big event, with presence of US President Donald Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump.

Business leaders from across the globe, along with entrepreneurs and investors, will be in attendance. India and the US will co-host the three-day event. The American delegation will be led by Ivanka Trump.
Chennai: Apollo Hospitals, where J. Jayalalithaa was admitted for 75 days, on Thursday welcomed the inquiry instituted by the Tamil Nadu government into the death of the former chief minister and hoped that the findings of the commission will "put to rest all the unfounded speculation."

In a statement hours after the announcement by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Apollo Hospitals spokesperson said the inquiry was a "good move".

"The team at Apollo Hospitals who relentlessly fought to save her, is confident that the committee will bring to light the outstanding treatment and care she received from the hospital's eminent doctors, as well as senior doctors and experts from the city of Chennai, AIIMS Delhi, UK, USA and Singapore," the spokesperson said.

The hospital also said it was their "greatest regret" that despite the "highest standards of care provided", Jayalalithaa could not be saved. "It is our sincerest wish that finally, the findings of the committee will put to rest all the unfounded speculation in this regard," the statement said.

The hospital and its chairman Dr C. Prathap Reddy have been maintaining that they have "nothing to hide" and that they were prepared to face any probe instituted by the Tamil Nadu government.

As questions were raised about Jayalalithaa's death and allegations flew thick and fast that very little information was shared with the public on her hospitalisation and health history, Apollo Hospital way back in January announced that it was open for a probe and would cooperate with any agency.

And in February, doctors from the hospital who were part of the team that treated Jayalalithaa appeared before the media along with Dr Richard Beale, the British specialist who examined the leader four times.

The hospital had been maintaining that the treatment was "transparent" and that every minute detail was shared with three doctors from AIIMS, New Delhi, were also part of the team that took care of her.

Reddy, the chairman of the hospital, had on February 3 said the treatment given to Jayalalithaa at his hospital is an "open book" and maintained that world-class medical attention was rendered to her through her 75-day admission in the facility.
A total of 30 red rebels including some top Maoist leaders were gunned down by the security forces in a dense forest in Odisha's Malkangiri district near AOB. (Representational image)

Visakhapatnam: The Maoists are slowly moving towards Araku Region in Vizag Agency to set up a new base. Araku, which has been known to be a hot tourist spot in Vizag Agency and safe zone for police forces, seems to be losing its sheen as the red-rebels are shifting their base to Araku, which was close to neighbouring Odisha.

The recent incidents such as the explosion in a APSRTCs bus near Damuku area of Ananthagiri mandal and the recent cancellation of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidus visit to his adopted village Pedalabudu, which was around 13 kms from Araku are the clear indication of the presence of the ultras in Araku region.

Though the rebels have bases at GK Veedhi, Chintapalle and Pedabayalu region in Vizag Agency, the rebels decision to look for a new base (forested haven) seems to avoid surprise raids on their base and they intend to strike big to show their presence said some officers with police and intelligence.

Superintendent of Police (Visakha Rural) Rahul Dev Sharma said that the ultras either trying to regain some of their lost ground or diverting the attention of the security forces.

Recently the police have found some black flags and Maoists banners in the border villages of Araku region, he added.

Sources said that some senior leaders of the CPI Maoist have been leading the force to set up the new base in Araku Region, which was close to Nandapur block in Odisha, where the presence of the Maoists is more. The Maoists presence has increased in Araku and Chatuva area of Odisha.

Encounter in Ramgarh or Ramaguda in the cut off area of Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) on October 24, 2016 was the biggest loss to the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in 40 years of revolutionary struggle in India.

A total of 30 red rebels including some top Maoist leaders were gunned down by the security forces in a dense forest in Odisha's Malkangiri district near AOB. Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and few other politicians and police personnel are in the hit list of the Maoists hence we are taking all the steps to prevent any untoward incidents and will chalk out new strategies to flush of the rebels, said the officials of SIB.
The apex court had on August 14 said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the corruption case. (Photo: File)

New Delhi/Chennai: The Supreme Court on Friday directed Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, to appear before investigators at the CBI headquarters here on August 23 for questioning in corruption case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud allowed Karti to be accompanied by a lawyer at the CBI headquarters during the questioning.

"During the course of hearing, the counsel for respondent number 1 (Karti) states that the respondent is ready and willing to appear before the investigating officer.

We, therefore, hereby direct respondent number 1 to appear before the investigating officer on August 23 at CBI headquarters in New Delhi," the bench said.

It gave CBI the liberty to question him for as many days as it wants till August 28, the next date of hearing.

It also asked Karti to carry all necessary documents required to defend himself against the allegations made by the CBI in the FIR.

The bench, however, clarified that the accompanying lawyer would sit in an adjoining room to the place where Karti will be quizzed by CBI investigators.

The bench has now posted the matter for consideration on August 28 and asked both parties to file their respective reports with regard to the investigation and other aspects of the case.

The apex court had on August 14 said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the corruption case.

The apex court, which stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the look out circular (LOC) issued by the Centre against Karti, had sought to know when he would make his appearance for questioning before CBI.

The case lodged by CBI in Delhi is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of almost Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father

was the Union Finance Minister.

The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".

The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge here and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.

The Madras High Court had on August 10 stayed the look out circulars issued against Karti and four others by the Centre under the Passport Act over the corruption case filed by the CBI.

The order had come on petitions filed by Karti and others seeking to quash the circulars, issued against Karti on June 16 last year and against the four others on July 18 this year.
Hyderabad: A nine-year-old student of Class III, attempted suicide in Wanaparthy district after being beaten up by his teacher. The boy immolated himself after his teacher hit him for not learning a Telugu poem that had been taught three days previously. He is being treated at Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad with 80 per cent burns.

Anand is a resident of Serlipally in Sriranga-pur mandal and a student at the local government primary school. He was given a Telugu poem to learn three days back.

Kid said teacher humiliated him

On Thursday, his teacher asked him if he had learned the poem, to which he replied that he had not. The teacher then beat up the student.

Anands father Naganna said that the boy had told him that the teacher had hit him extremely hard and that he had been humiliated in front of the class. At home, the boy emptied a can of kerosene on himself and set himself ablaze. He suffered over 80 per cent burns and was rushed to Mahbub-nagar district hospital and later shifted to Gandhi Hospital.

Kothakota inspector B. Somnarayana Singh said the police was looking into the incident. The boys teachers have switched off their mobile phones and are absconding, police said.
New Delhi: Apprehending that Tamil Nadu government will promulgate an ordinance and commence the medical admission process on the basis of higher secondary marks, the Supreme Court on Thursday barred the state from making any medical admissions till August 22.

A three-judge Bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitav Roy and A.M. Kanwilkar passed this order on a batch of petitions seeking a direction to the State to release the Neet rank lists and commence the admission process. The Bench made it clear to the state that Neet marks cannot be given a go-bye as students had been preparing for this examination for more than a year.

Justice Misra said it is a human problem. We cant allow the State to completely disregard the Neet. A balance has to be struck keeping in mind the interests of State Board students to be admitted on the basis of higher secondary marks in the event of an ordinance and those who had cleared the Neet examination and waiting for admissions.

Senior counsel Nalini Chidambaram, appearing for a batch of students, informed the bench that the state should not be allowed to promulgate the ordinance and admit students on the basis of Plus- 2 marks. She said the claim of rural students was a bogey being raised by the state as in the last 10 years only 250 students had been admitted to medical courses.

The Bench took note of the submissions of senior counsel Vikas Singh for the Medical Council of India that the ordinance was illegal and Tamil Nadu should not be granted any exemption from Neet this year as sufficient time had already been given. Senior counsel Shekar Naphade for Tamil Nadu said the state cant be prevented from coming out with the ordinance in the interests of State Board students.

When Justice Misra wanted to know as to how NEET students could be denied admissions, counsel said any law passed by the legislature is bound to affect some sections. The Bench rejected this submission and favoured a balanced approach and questioned as to why Tamil Nadu woke up at the last minute.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the draft ordinance given by Tamil Nadu had been cleared by the Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and the law ministry. The ordinance is expected to be promulgated by the State by Tuesday, August 22 after the Home Ministry forwards it to the Tamil Nadu Governor. The Bench told the ASG "it is the responsibility of the Centre not to demolish NEET which has come to stay as a merit based admission process."

Taking note of the submissions, the bench in a brief order said, "We have been apprised that an Ordinance is likely to be promulgated. We have asked Mr. Shekhar Naphade, senior counsel appearing for the State of Tamil Nadu and Mr. Vikas Singh, senior counsel appearing for the Medical Council of India, to consider how a balanced situation can be thought of so that the students who have come from the State Board and have not been equipped to appear in NEET.
Lucknow: UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath stirred up another controversy when he said that if he cannot stop the offering of namaz on roads during Eid, he has no right to stop celebration of Janmashtami at police stations.

The chief minister was speaking at RSS function on Wednesday evening when he said, Agar mai sadak par Eid ke din namaz padhne pe rok nahi laga sakta to mujhe koi adhikar nahi ki main thano mein janmashtami ke parv ko rokun koi adhikar nahi.

He said that everyone has the freedom to celebrate festivals in the country. But if certain rules are made, it should be applicable to all sections of society.

The chief minister, apparently, was referring to the previous Samajwadi Party government which had banned the celebrations of Janmashtami at police stations.

The chief minister further said, I had asked officers to pass an order banning the use of loudspeakers at all places and ensure the order is implemented everywhere. But when the officers expressed their inability to implement the order at all religious places, I told them not to interfere with Kanwar yatra either.
Hyderabad: Cattle traders in the city have asked the police to provide them protection from cow vigilantes so that they are not unnecessarily harassed on the pretext of law enforcement, during the upcoming Bakrid.

At a coordination meeting with the cattle traders, Muslim scholars, government officials and police officials held on Friday, and chaired by the Hyderabad city police commissioner, M. Mahender Reddy, the traders said they were facing financial problems due the unnecessary restrictions.

The problem is more prevalent in the city outskirts like Narsingi, Shamshabad, Hayathnagar, Bhongir, Ibrahimpatnam and Uppal where the police arbitrarily register cases for cruelty against animals. Our cattle are also confiscated though we are not bringing in any cows into the city for sacrifice or slaughter out of respect to other communities, said Jamiat ul Quresh Secretary Mr Fareeduddin Qureshi.

The commissioner assured the community that he would take the issue to the notice of higher authorities and resolve it. However, he advised the traders to follow the rules while transporting and buying cattle.

The city police also held a meeting with the Ganesh Utsav Committee and Ganesh pandal organisers and took note of their problems. Mr Reddy said that a control room will be opened at the Sardar Mahal GHMC office and the organisers could register their grievances. He said that close to 25,000 police personnel are being deployed to ensure a peaceful Ganesh festival.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has listed for hearing on August 22 review petitions filed by the AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala, V.N. Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi, who were sentenced to undergo four year imprisonment in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate case involving former Chief Minister Jayalathaa seeking review of the verdict. All the three are suffering sentence in Bengaluru jail.

A bench of Justices S.A. Bobde and Amitav Roy will examine the petitions in the Chamber and no lawyer will be heard. If the Bench feels there is a prima facie case then the petitions will be listed for hearing in open court for the lawyers to address arguments.

On February 14, a bench of Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Amitav Roy had convicted them by reversing the Karnataka High Court judgment acquitting them in the DA case. As Jayalalithaa had died on December 5, 2016 the Bench said the appeal insofar she has concerned has come to an end.

Initially the review petitions were listed before Justices Amitav Roy and Rohinton Nariman, who recused from the case as his father Fali Nariman had appeared for Ms Jayalalithaa in the bail matter. Now it is listed for hearing on August 22.

Seeking review of this verdict, Sasikala and two others said as they are not government servants, the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act will not apply to them and that they had been wrongly convicted.
Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan said that the government would take a decision on the Athirappilly power project only after a consensus between politicians and environmentalists who were opposed to it.

Replying to a calling attention motion notice by Congress MLA P T Thomas in the Assembly on Thursday, the Chief Minister said that though the project had already got all the mandatory clearances, the government would take any decision only after the consensus.

Pinarayi also said that as per the plan prepared for the project, it would not affect the Athirapilly waterfalls or the environment in anyway. Not even a single drop of water would be lost due to the project nor would the water flow be affected, he reiterated.



Legal opinion sought on Mohan Bhagwat issue

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was found to have violated rules by hoisting a flag at a school in Palakkad on Independence day and the government had sought legal opinion on further action. Replying to a submission made by opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala in the Assembly on Thursday, the Chief Minister said that the guidelines issued by the government and Director or Public Instructions on Independence day celebrations at schools were found to have been violated at the Kannaki Amman Higher Secondary school at Palakkad.

The Chief Minister also said that as per the district collector and district education officials, Mohan Bhagwat hoisted the flag at a function attended by students and Vande Mataram was sung. The national anthem was sung only after someone pointed out the lapse. After the issue became controversial, the school principal later on hoisted the national flag. But no students were present on the occasion.
Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi told the TS Backward Classes Commission that members of the Yadav community were not being given community and nativity certificates though they are in the BC D group.

They are being denied certificates on the ground that they are Hindi-speaking Yadavs, he said and added that they had been natives for 200 years.
Trump also assailed Senator Jeff Flake, another Republican critic, as 'a non-factor in the Senate,' adding, 'He's toxic.'

Washington: President Donald Trump has stepped up his attacks on Republican senators, an approach he may regret if he is someday impeached and the Senate has to weigh charges against him stemming from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election.

More than half of the 11 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would be central to any proceeding to remove Trump from office, have tangled with the Republican president, including on Thursday when he fired off early-morning tweets.

In one Twitter series, Trump called Senator Lindsey Graham "publicity seeking" and said he "just can't forget his election trouncing" in the 2016 presidential race. Trump also assailed Senator Jeff Flake, another Republican critic, as "a non-factor in the Senate," adding, "He's toxic."

Flake and Graham are members of the Judiciary Committee, whose Chairman Chuck Grassley has urged Trump to tone it down.

"He should be 100 percent sticking to ideas and forget about personalities," Grassley said on Friday when pressed on whether Trump might find himself without the friends in Congress he would need to defend himself in an impeachment proceeding.

For his part, Grassley said his views would not be coloured by past presidential sniping.

"Let's say the House of Representatives impeached the president of the United States. Then I'm a juror," Grassley said. "The Senate is the jury that decides whether he should be impeached. The jury is supposed to be impartial."

Little Traction

There is little serious talk being heard in Congress about removing Trump from office.

Two House Democrats have introduced an article of impeachment alleging obstruction of justice by the president in connection with an ongoing investigation of possible ties between his 2016 campaign and Moscow.

But Republicans control the House, as well as the Senate, and the article of impeachment has gained little traction.

Under the US Constitution, the House of Representatives can vote to approve an impeachment measure. If that happens, it goes to the Senate, which acts as a jury and weighs the charges in the House measure. A two-thirds Senate vote is needed for conviction. Approval leads to removal from office.

Two presidents have been impeached by the House: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Neither was convicted by the Senate. President Richard Nixon, facing almost certain impeachment over the Watergate scandal, resigned in 1974.

In the Clinton impeachment fight, the committee was a resource for the full Senate and could play a similar role in any future trial.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump Needs Friends

Having friends would help any president facing impeachment, said Charles Brain, a White House liaison to Congress during Clinton's impeachment.

Without such friendships, Brain said, lawmakers "can just be quiet," refusing to share information with the White House and letting attacks on the president gain momentum.

Besides Flake and Graham, Trump has had run-ins over various issues before and after his election with Republican Senator Ted Cruz, and other Judiciary Committee members, including Grassley, John Cornyn, Orrin Hatch, Thom Tillis and Ben Sasse.

The president has also at times attacked Republican senators not on the committee, including Mitch McConnell, John McCain, Marco Rubio, Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election. Grassley's committee also is looking into the matter, as are other congressional panels.

The Kremlin denies any election interference. Trump has dismissed the Mueller probe as a "witch hunt" and denies any collusion. In the end, Mueller could end up clearing Trump and his aides of any wrongdoing.

If not, at least two questions will loom large in a possible impeachment inquiry, said senior fellow Elaine Kamarck of the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution think tank.

One would be about the severity of any possible charges. Another, she said, would be "do you have friends, do you have people who believe in you and want to save your presidency?"
The presidential office in the centre of the capital Taipei is the headquarters of Taiwan's Beijing-sceptic President Tsai Ing-wen. (Photo: AFP)

Taipei: A samurai sword-wielding attacker carrying the national flag of China slashed a military police guard outside Taiwan's presidential office on Friday, authorities said.

The Taiwanese man who was arrested at the scene said he was expressing his political views and had stolen the sword from a nearby history museum, police told AFP.

The presidential office in the centre of the capital Taipei is the headquarters of Taiwan's Beijing-sceptic President Tsai Ing-wen.

Relations with Chinese authorities have deteriorated since she took office last year as she has refused to agree to Beijing's stance that Taiwan is part of "one China".

The island is a self-ruling democracy, but Beijing still sees it as part of its territory to be reunited.

The attacker "took a hammer and smashed a display case in a history museum to steal a samurai sword", a police official working on the incident, who did not want to be named said.

"A Chinese national flag was found in his backpack. He said he wanted to express his political stance by going to the presidential office," the official said.

The man, identified only by his family name Lu, stabbed the officer as he tried to stop him entering the complex from a side gate, said presidential spokesman Alex Huang.

Lu is currently being questioned by police. The injured guard is in a stable condition after being rushed to hospital for treatment, Huang said.

Local media said the guard had been stabbed in the neck and that the presidential office was hosting a family event for its staff at the time.

TV footage showed Lu being carried away by four officers and put inside a police car at a side entrance to the presidential office, which has been cordoned off since the attack.

The complex and its surroundings have been the target of attacks before. In November 2014 a driver tried to smash his vehicle into the front door of the nearby presidential residence, saying he was protesting the health policies of Tsai's predecessor Ma Ying-jeou, who was in power at the time.

In January 2014 a man drove his truck through a bullet-proof screen and into the main gate of the presidential office, saying he was protesting over a judicial hearing involving his ex-wife.

There were no injuries from either incident, apart from one of the drivers who was wounded.
Barcelona: Six civilians and one police officer were hurt when a car drove into people in the Spanish seaside resort of Cambrils early on Friday, the regional government said, just hours after a similar deadly attack in nearby Barcelona.

Police shot four of the attackers dead and injured another one, saying they were "working on the hypothesis that the terrorists shot dead in Cambrils could be linked to what happened in Barcelona."
Emergency services said people should not go to the area around Barcelonas Placa Catalunya, one of the citys main squares at the top of the Ramblas, and requested the closure of nearby train and metro stations. (Photo: AP)

Barcelona: A van ploughed into crowds in the heart of Barcelona on Thursday killing at least 13 people in what police said they were treating as a terrorist attack.

Police said they said were searching for the driver of the van who, according to local media, fled the scene on foot. Spanish newspaper El Periodico said two armed men were holed up in a bar in Barcelonas city centre, and reported gunfire in the area, though it did not cite the source of the information.

It was not immediately clear whether the incidents were connected. A source familiar with the initial US government assessment said the incident appeared to be terrorism, and a White House spokeswoman said President Donald Trump was being kept abreast of the situation.

Media reports said the van had zigzagged at speed down the famous Las Ramblas avenue, a magnet for tourists.

I heard screams and a bit of a crash and then I just saw the crowd parting and this van going full pelt down the middle of the Ramblas and I immediately knew that it was a terrorist attack or something like that, eyewitness Tom Gueller told the BBC.

It wasnt slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas.

Mobile phone footage posted on Twitter showed several bodies strewn along the Ramblas, some motionless. Paramedics and bystanders bent over them, treating them and trying to comfort those still conscious.

Around them, the boulevard was deserted, covered in rubbish and abandoned objects including hats, flip-flops, bags and a pram.

We saw a white van collide with people. We saw people going flying because of the collision, we also saw three cyclists go flying, Ellen Vercamm, on holiday in Barcelona, told El Pais newspaper.

Emergency services said people should not go to the area around Barcelonas Placa Catalunya, one of the citys main squares at the top of the Ramblas, and requested the closure of nearby train and metro stations.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he was in contact with authorities, and the priority was to attend to the injured.

The incident took place at the height of the tourist season in Barcelona, which is one of Europes top travel destinations with at least 11 million visitors a year.

Vehicles have been used to ram into crowds in a series of militant attacks across Europe since July 2016, killing well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm.

Witness Ethan Spibey told Britains Sky News: All of sudden it was real chaos. People just started running screaming, there were loud bangs. People just started running into shops, there was a kind of mini-stampede where we were, down one of the alleyways.

He said he had taken refuge with dozens of other people in a nearby church. Theyve locked the doors because Im not sure whether the person who may have done it has actually been caught, so theyve locked the doors and told people just to wait in here.

Authorities in Vic, a small town outside Barcelona, said a van had been found there in connection with the attack. Spanish media had earlier reported that a second van had been hired as a getaway vehicle.

Barcelona is the capital of the wealthy northeastern region of Catalonia, which plans to hold a popular vote on Oct. 1 on whether it should secede from Spain. It is in dispute with the central government, which says the vote cannot go ahead because it is unconstitutional.

This is the deadliest attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.
LINCOLN  A Nebraska state senator will ask the state attorney general to appoint an outside attorney to investigate any wrongdoing by a former State Patrol superintendent and others.

Omaha Sen. Burke Harr has written a letter to Attorney General Doug Peterson telling him he knows Peterson has a conflict of interest in investigating the State Patrol.

"Failure to request an appointment carries an appearance of impropriety and raises ethical issues," Harr's letter said.

A number of other senators have said they will sign on to the letter.

Harr is basing the state investigation request on a review of the patrol conducted by the state's chief human resources officer Jason Jackson. The review substantiated claims of misconduct by Rice during his time as superintendent, serious enough that Gov. Pete Ricketts fired Rice in June. Other high-ranking administrators were suspended at the same time.

"I think there's probable cause that a crime was committed," Harr said Friday.

Jackson's review lays out a lot of facts, but never comes to a conclusion, he said.

The review said Rice was fired because he interfered with patrol internal affairs investigations on at least four occasions, violated the governor's workplace harassment and equal opportunities policies and violated chain of command.

Harr believes the review suggests possible violations of state law, but it is limited to anecdotal allegations and contains hearsay. It does not determine or investigate if Rice criminally abused his power, he said.

"If the accusations in Jackson's review are true, this is corruption at the highest level, orchestrated by those at the highest level," Harr said.

The review also fails to conclude which laws, rules or policies were broken or if prosecution is warranted, he said.

Ricketts has said he turned over information from the review to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"If they won't confirm or deny there's an investigation going on, I'm somewhat reading tea leaves," Harr said.

A state investigation at the same time there is a federal investigation would not be an obstruction of justice, as some have suggested, Harr said. It would not be trying to influence a federal investigation.

"There are concurrent investigations all the time between federal and state authorities," he said.

Such an investigation is going on in Omaha with regard to a death of a mentally ill man who died after an encounter with police, he said.

"Somehow in Omaha we are able to walk and chew gum at the same time, and I'm just asking that we do the same thing here at the state level," he said.

There is a shorter statute of limitations for prosecution of misdemeanors, so the state needs to be investigating, Harr said.

A federally focused FBI investigation or a patrol internal investigation should not be substitute for the constitutional role of the attorney general's office, Harr said. At the same time, he understands that Peterson can't both prosecute and defend state agencies and officials.

But when the attorney general's office has a conflict in a criminal case, it must request the court appoint a special assistant attorney general to handle the case, Harr said.

Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld said he will sign on to the letter because the state and the attorney general's office have a responsibility to investigate matters related to violations of state law.

Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, chairwoman of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, also would favor a special counsel appointed to look at the patrol issues, she said, especially if the FBI found any questions about violations of state law.

She would prefer, she said, that the Legislature not be the investigator. An appointed independent prosecutor removes the politics from the investigation.

Harr said several senators who told him they would not join in signing the letter said they would rather wait for the FBI to complete its investigation.
Drivers ploughed into pedestrians in two quick-succession, separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100 others.



In the first incident which police qualified as a "terrorist attack," the driver of a white van sped into a street packed full of tourists in central Barcelona yesterday afternoon, knocking people out of the way and leaving 13 dead.



Some eight hours later in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, an Audi A3 car hit pedestrians, injuring six civilians -- one of them in a critical condition -- and one police officer, said the government of the Spanish region of Catalonia where both cities are located.



Police shot dead four of the Cambrils attackers and a fifth later died of his injuries.



They said they were "working on the hypothesis that the terrorists shot dead in Cambrils are linked to what happened in Barcelona".



While little more was known about the attack in Cambrils in the early hours of today morning, witnesses in Barcelona told of scenes of chaos and horror.



They recounted how bodies were strewn along the famous Las Ramblas boulevard where the driver went on a rampage as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic.



The carnage in a city hugely popular with tourists from around the world is the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror.



As world leaders united in condemning the carnage, the IS propaganda agency Amaq claimed that it was carried out by "soldiers" from the jihadist group.



Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run.



"We're united in grief," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona, the biggest city in Catalonia, a region in Spain's northeast whose separatist government is defying Madrid with a drive for independence.



"Above all we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us."



There were at least 18 nationalities among the Barcelona victims who came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency.



Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat reported three nationals had been wounded -- a woman and her two children.



Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night.



"When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP.



"There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners."



Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars.



Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard.



"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.



Spain had until now been spared the kind of extremist violence that has rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.



But it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest jihadist attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.



Police said yesterday that one of the arrested suspects in the Barcelona attack was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory on Morocco's north coast, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.



The Spaniard was arrested in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, the scene of an explosion in a house late Wednesday that left one person dead and seven wounded and is believed to be linked to Thursday's assault.



"We suspect that they (the occupants) were preparing an explosive device," Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional Catalonia police told reporters.



Thursday's attack drew condemnation from across the globe.



US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the United States "will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"



France's President Emmanuel Macron -- whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people -- said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack".



The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first IS claim of an attack in Spain.



Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.



According to the interior ministry, more than 190 "jihadist terrorists" have been arrested since 2015, most of them for propaganda, recruitment for extremist groups or "glorifying terrorism".








At least 3,000 bars and pubs have remained closed since July 1, following a Supreme Court order in December 2016 directing states not to renew licences of liquor vends within 500 metres of national highways.





The Centre has now written to Karnataka that it cant consider favourably its request to denotify 147 stretches of the 609.65 km national highway network in the state.





Bypasses have not been completed or commissioned for any of these stretches, and so they dont qualify for deemed denotification under the extant policy, the ministry of road transport and highways said in a letter dated August 14 to the Karnataka public works department.





Policy bars it





The ministry also said if the stretches were denotified, it would amount to permitting isolated discontinuities in national highway corridors within the state.





Such an action would not serve the objective of having continuous well-developed and well-maintained corridors offering uninterrupted and seamless long-distance movement, and a safe and comfortable journey, the Centre said.





The responsibility for the development and maintenance of such stretches needs to continue with the Central government, it explained.





On Thursday, the Centre submitted a copy of the letter to the High Court of Karnataka, which is hearing petitions filed by liquor licence holders seeking directions to renew their licenses.





Justice Vineet Kothari adjourned the hearing to Friday.

The Centre has rejected the state governments request to denotify stretches of national highways to enable liquor outlets to reopen in Bengaluru and other parts of the state.
North Korea's top state newspaper gave the South's President Moon Jae-In a "fail" grade today for his first 100 days in office, dismissing his proffered olive branches as "hypocrisy".



Moon, elected to replace impeached president Park Geun- Hye, came into office in May and has since had to deal with tensions over the North's missile and nuclear programmes.



Pyongyang carried out its first successful tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last month, apparently bringing much of the US mainland within its reach.



At a briefing yesterday to mark his 100th day in office, Moon insisted there will be no second Korean war but urged the North to stop further nuclear and missile tests, warning Pyongyang to end its "dangerous gamble".



The Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party, responded Friday with a withering commentary, saying that the performance sheet for Moon's 100 days was "poor and very disappointing".



It did not name Moon, describing him only as the "current power holder".



Relations between the two were "an absolute fail", it added, saying that while Moon spoke of dialogue and implementing North-South agreements, his actions moved in the opposite direction.

"The south authorities' utterances about improving intra-Korean ties turned out to be nothing but hypocrisy," it said.



"The south's power holder says he is pushing for sanctions and pressure while seeking to open dialogue at the same time. This is an unpardonable plot toeing the US line to suffocate the DPRK," it said, using the abbreviation of the North's official name.



"Dialogue and sanctions simply cannot go together," it asserted.



Moon is enjoying strong ratings in the South, with opinion polls putting his approval figures in the 70s.



North Korea's ICBM tests sparked weeks of sabre-rattling with Washington, with Pyongyang threatening to fire a salvo of rockets towards the US territory of Guam. US President Donald Trump has warned of "fire and fury" and said Washington's weapons were "locked and loaded".



Tensions have since eased with the North's leader Kim Jong-Un saying he would watch the "Yankees" for a time before deciding whether to proceed with the Guam plan.



But the atmosphere is likely to worsen again next week when the United States and South Korea kick off their annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian military drills.



Pyongyang views them as a highly provocative rehearsal for an invasion of its own territory, and regularly carries out counter-actions of its own, such as missile launches.
Spanish police have shot and killed five people carrying bomb belts who were connected to the Barcelona van attack that killed 13 people, as the manhunt intensified for the perpetrators of Europe's latest rampage claimed by the Islamic State group.



Two people were arrested after a van veered onto Barcelona's picturesque Las Ramblas promenade and mowed down pedestrians late yesterday afternoon. Thirteen people were killed and 100 were injured. The driver fled on foot and remained at large Friday morning.



The Catalan government said police in seaside Cambrils were responding to a terrorist attack early today when they killed five suspects.



Mayor Cami Mendoza said the suspects centered their attack on the narrow path to Cambrils's boardwalk. Catalan Interior Minister Joaquin Forn told local radio the attacks were connected.
The US has warned North Korea that it was prepared to meet any eventuality and will take "immediate specific actions" if Pyongyang launches a missile attack against it or its allies.



The US' strong assertion comes days after President Donald Trump pledged to answer further aggression from North Korea with "fire and fury".



Speaking at a news conference jointly addressed by US Defence Secretary James Mattis, Japanese Foreign minister Taro Kono and Defence minister Itsunori Onodera, Tillerson said the country was prepared to meet any eventuality from the North Koreans, and sought to make it clear that use of the force was not the "preferred pathway" of the US.



"We are prepared, we are prepared militarily, we are prepared with our allies to respond, if that is necessary. That (military) is not our preferred pathway. That's been made clear as well," he said.



Defence Secretary Mattis said that the US would take immediate specific actions in the event of a missile launch towards US or its allies.



"In the event of a missile launch towards the territory of Japan, Guam, the United States, Korea (South Korea), we would take immediate specific actions to take it down," Mattis said.

Responding to a question after the 'two-plus-two' US- Japan talks, Japanese Defence minister Onodera said that in the event there is an attack on Japan, they will use assets available to them for the missile defence.



"But should different circumstances occur, then we will solidify the relation that we have with the US with close communication. We will defend the country, and that is what we discussed today," he said.



Tillerson said the North Korean regime should engage in diplomatic talks to bring better results, unlike in the past.



"So, our effort is to cause them (North Korean regime) to want to engage in talks, but engage in talks with an understanding that these talks will lead to a different conclusion than talks of the past. We will continue that effort diplomatically, first and foremost," he said.



But, knowing that North Korea sits with a significant capability already within their grasp, I think it is only prudent that they fully understand the consequences, should they make a bad choice for themselves. And, obviously, there are consequences for others as well," Tillerson added.



According to Onodera, North Korea has plans to launch ballistic missiles to the waters close to Guam. It is also advancing on their efforts to launch ICBM-class ballistic missiles, miniaturising nuclear weapons to warheads.



"So for this threat of North Korea, at this meeting we agreed to increase the pressure and to strengthen the alliance's capability. The four of us confirmed the importance of the unwavering US commitment to extend the deterrence," he said.



Observing that Japan and South Korea are on the front line against the North Korean threat, Mattis said the US recognises that any confrontation with North Korea would pose an immediate danger to its allies and their populations.



"The US-Japan ministerial meeting is a reminder that each nation gains security in concert with other nations. The international community is speaking with one voice. North Korea must stop its dangerous actions as we work to maintain security and denuclearise the Korean peninsula," he said.



"We are accelerating implementation of the 2015 guidelines for US-Japan defence cooperation and continuing to realign US forces in Japan and Guam. Our militaries are also cooperating in new ways. This includes our emerging cooperation in areas such as space and cyberspace, as well as ballistic missile defence and maritime security," Mattis said.



"Together, we will deter and if necessary defeat any threat. Any initiation of hostilities will be met with an effective and overwhelming response," he added.



Mattis said the US and Japan will demonstrate the strength of their alliance by continuing bilateral activities and by enhancing cooperation with South Korea.



He said that the path of provocations and threats chosen by North Korea was not in the best interests of any nation.



"We call on North Korea to choose a better path than one of provocations and threats. Such a path is not in its own best interests nor in the best interests of any other nation," the Defence Secretary said.
IndiGo has grounded at least eight Airbus A320(neo - new engine option) planes following problems in its engines leading to rescheduling of its services, including around 80 flights on Thursday.



However, the airline said in a statement that the grounding of the planes had been scehduled earlier and fliers affected by it had already been accommodated with suitable options.



While the airline claimed only eight A320(neo) planes were grounded, PTI reported that 13 aircraft of IndiGo running on Pratt & Whitney-supplied engines were grounded. One aircraft usually fly five-six times a day.



This is to clarify that our eight neos are grounded. Our schedule was planned in June itself pertaining to non-availability of these aircraft for the month of July, August and September. The affected passengers have already been accommodated with suitable options, the airline said in a statement in the afternoon.



In a second statement in the evening, it said, four of IndiGo's A320(ceo - current engine option) aircraft were grounded due to engines being stuck at Customs. We are awaiting certain clarifications post the implementation of GST, which has led to unplanned flight cancellations. All passengers have been informed of the changes and accommodated accordingly, it said.



It claimed that there was no new development pertaining to the grounding of neos. Referring to the June earnings call, it said there were instances where nine neos were grounded due to inadequate spare engines.



At present, eight neos are grounded because of the unavailability of spare engines. These have already been factored in our revised schedule which was finalized in June and there are no additional flight cancellations on account of these Neos," it added.



The reports about grounding had an effect on IndiGo shares, which fell 0.49% to Rs1,270.30 at the close of trading on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).



The Pratt & Whitney engines have been giving trouble to the engines and IndiGo had received compensation from the company for the snags.



Sources said around 650 flights were cancelled by IndiGo between June 21 and July 3. Statistics showed that around 500 flights were cancelled between June 21 and June 30 while the remaining were cancelled between July 1 and 3.



In July while talking about Quarter-1 results, IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh had acknowledged the problem with the engines. Regrettably, there have been days when we have had to ground as many as nine A320 neo planes due to lack of spare engines. While we do receive certain compensation from Pratt & Whitney for these groundings, the operational disruptions are quite challenging and we are not happy with that situation, Ghosh had then said.


Balwantsinh Rajput, one of the three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in recently concluded Rajya Sabha polls from Gujarat, on Friday sought cancellation of Congress leader Ahmed Patels election as well as his disqualification from fighting RS polls for six years.



Rajput, who lost out in the race to Upper House to Congress candidate, in a plea before Gujarat High Court stated that the Election Commission order cancelling two votes by considering them as invalid was not as per rules and has sought cancellation of this order.



Ahmed Patel, who bagged 44 votes, along with BJP National president Amit Shah with 46 votes and Union minister Smriti Irani with 46 votes were declared as three winners from the state.



Rajput, who was chief whip of the Congress in Gujarat Assembly, quit the party and contest RS polls on a BJP ticket. He received 38 votes. Rajput was one of the 14 rebel Congress legislators to have quit the party before RS polls, with six of them resigning as legislators before voting for RS polls took place on August 8. This saw the effective strength of votes in 182-seat Gujarat Assembly reduce to 176. The candidate required 45 first preference votes to make it to RS from the state. The Congress party later flew 44 of its legislators to Bengaluru to avoid any more cracks within the party.



On the day of polling, Ahmed Patel got 43 votes of the 44 Congress legislators who had flown to Bengaluru, with one cross-voting.



Patel also got an extra vote from JD (U) legislator. The twist in the tale came when EC declared votes of two rebel Congress legislators as invalid late in the night of polling day for apparent flouting of election norms. The EC acted on a complaint by Congress party. This saw the total number of votes required for a candidate to make it to Rajya Sabha to 44. With Ahmed Patel getting the requisite numbers, Rajput lost.



No candidate can give money or any other incentive to voterThe way 44 were taken to Bengaluru, spending monies, not letting them meet anyone etc, it all comes under corrupt practices. So we have pleaded that his (Ahmed Patels) election be nullified and he is disqualified for six years from fighting polls, Satyapal Jain, a lawyer representing Rajput told mediapersons.



Rajput in his plea has also questioned the authority of EC to cancel votes and question the returning officers decision. The petition has now been slated for August 21.
On a day when Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar will preside over the partys national executive committee meeting here in the State Capital, rebel MP Sharad Yadav will hold a parallel convention during the same time at another venue on Saturday.



While Nitish is likely to move and adopt a resolution to formally join the BJP-led NDA, Sharad will hold a Jan Adalat at SK Memorial Hall in Patna with his real JD (U) members highlighting how Nitish has shown utter disregard to the mandate of 2015 Assembly polls.



Buoyed by the successful show of strength in New Delhi on Thursday where Sharad brought all major Opposition parties under one umbrella, the former JD (U) president and senior Rajya Sabha member is flexing his muscles to prove he is no George Fernandes who could be pushed to the margins.



Just wait till Saturday. You will see over 3000 party leaders and workers throughout the country participating in the meet convened by Sharad ji, said another rebel JD (U) leader Arun Srivastava, who was last week suspended as the JD (U) general secretary.



The Sharad faction had earlier claimed to be the real JD (U) while the one being led by Nitish was termed as sarkari JD (U).



Nitish Kumar has himself claimed that his party was confined to Bihar only. While ours is the original JD (U) with the backing of 14 State units, said Srivastava.



It is pertinent to mention here that in October 2003, Nitishs pocket organisation Samata Party was merged with the Janata Dal headed by Sharad Yadav. Veteran Socialist George Fernandes was appointed as the president of the merged party - the JD (U). Later Sharad replaced an ailing George.



Currently, Nitish is the national president of the JD (U) and has convened its national executive committee meeting on August 19. The important meet is likely to see suspension of its former party president Sharad Yadav.



On Monday, the JD (U) had suspended 21 Sharad loyalists for anti-party activities, thereby giving clear signal what was in the store for the Saturday meet.
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has so far conferred over 11 lakh certificates to personnel of the Army and the Indian Air Force for completing their courses in different levels.



Out of the total 11,28,754 certificates issued, 1,413 graduation certificates have been issued by the university under vertical mobility scheme, said Manjulika Srivastava, Director of IGNOU's Defence Unit.



The IGNOU has the mandate to train defence personnel under project 'Gyandeep' for soldiers of the Indian Army and 'Akashdeep' for airmen of the IAF which would help them land in a promising job post retirement.



"IGNOU recognises the achievements of defence personnel in their service, equate such work to IGNOU standards, transfers the credit and suggests them to take up courses based on that for a lateral entry," Srivastava said.



The scheme became operational in 2009 when the IGNOU signed MoUs with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy for 'Gyandeep', 'Akashdeep' and 'Sagardeep' respectively.



However, Sagardeep was not so successful as there were not many applicants, said a varsity official.
China has not shared with India any hydrological data on Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers so far this year although bilateral arrangements in place required it to do so.



Amid the continuing face-off between Indian Army and Chinese Peoples Liberation Army at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan, New Delhi on Friday said that Beijing had not shared with it hydrological data for rivers flowing from China to India so far this year. For this year, as far as I know, we have not received hydrological data from Chinese side, Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said in New Delhi.



The overflowing Brahmaputra this monsoon caused a massive flood that wreaked havoc in Assam, killing over 60 people and displacing over 33 lakh people in 25 districts of the state. With the water level rising in the Sutlej, over 10,000 acres of agricultural land were inundated in Punjab. The hydrological data received from China helps India to prepare for the rise in water level of Brahmaputra and Sutlej during the monsoon season and assess the possibility of a flood or flood-like situation and its extent.



Yarlung Tsangpo, a 1700 kilometer long river, originates at Jima Yangzong glacier near Mount Kailash in Tibet Autonomous Region of China and flows into Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as Siang and Dihang, and then into Assam as Brahmaputra. It later flows into Bangladesh. Sutlej also originates from Lake Rakshashtal in Tibet and flows through Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana before flowing into Pakistan.



DH News Service
Cautioning New Delhi that Kashmir problem can't be resolved by killing the militants, moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said that if the Indian Army kills one ultra, 10 more are ready to pick up the gun.



Each day young educated boys are being killed and there is a belief in New Delhi that once all of them are killed the problem will be over. But they forget that these boys took to arms as a reaction to repression and for the resolution of Kashmir dispute, Mirwaiz said while addressing a Friday congregration at historic Jamia Masjid here after his release from 57-day house detention.



While justfying the militancy, he said, "You may kill one militant, ten more will stand up. So killing them will not kill the sentiment as is evident in their funeral processions. For the past 70 years people of Kashmir are born, raised, live and die with the fact that Kashmir is a disputed place waiting a final resolution."



The moderate separatists, whose father was assassinated by the militants on 21 May 1990, alleged that south Kashmir has been turned into a "killing zone as the youth are being killed in a phased manner."



Aggression and repression can never resolve anything but only aggravate it, he said. "The agitation and protests by students in colleges and universities across the valley that force the state to frequently shut them down, again indicates how the youth of Kashmir sees the situation and his reaction to it."



He also lashed out at National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing terror funding to Kashmiri separatists. "Persecution of leadership through so called investigations and spreading lies and creating a huge propaganda through print, electronic and even social media against them, involving their families, friends and acquaintances, and harassing them in order to defame and intimidate leadership and demoralize people will also prove futile as people of Kashmir know such ploys and do not buy them. It will only worsen and complicate matters further, the Mirwaiz said.



He appealed to all people in India to see Kashmir as a territorial dispute between two hostile neighbors "but as a human issue concerning hundreds of thousands of people and divided families hanging fire since the last 70 years, leading to great sufferings and loss of life on all sides that begs for a just resolution.
In a bid to crack down on ''fake'' madrasas, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday launched a separate web portal for them.



The portal, which was launched by the state minister for minority welfare Luxmi Narayan, would contain all information about all the state funded and recognised madrasas in the state.



Muslim clerics and madrasa managers sharply criticised the creation of the portal and said that the Islamic Seminaries were being ''targeted'' by the government.



Sources said that the madrasas would have to upload the number of employees working there including the teachers as well as about the building and class rooms and the number of students. ''The portal will help in identifying fake madrassas operating in the state,'' said an official of the UP Madarsa Board here.



Sources said that the Board officials suspected that a number of fake madrasas were operating in the state. ''There are reports that there were madrasas with very few students and teachers,'' said the official. Muslim clerics, however, decried the move. ''Why only madrasas...why not all the schools?'' asked the manager of a local madrasa here.



The step comes close on the heels of the decision by the state government to act against the madrasas, where the national anthem was not sung during the Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday in defiance of its directives.



Reports said that instead of the national anthem, the students of the 'madrasas' sang 'sare jahan se achha Hindostan hamara', penned by the famous Urdu poet Mohammed Iqbal.



The managers of these madarsas also did not conduct video recording of the I-Day celebrations, which had also been made mandatory by the state government. The state government had, in a circular issued to all the 'madrasas', directed them to unfurl the tri-colour followed by the recital of the national anthem and national song. The government also directed the madarsas to conduct videography of the entire program and submit the video and pictures to the concerned government official.
The NIA today registered an FIR in connection with the conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman to a Muslim man in Kerala, on the directive of the Supreme Court.



In a statement, the National Investigation Agency said that in compliance with the August 16 order of the Supreme Court, the FIR related to Kerala's Perinthalmanna police station in Mallapuram district has been re-registered by the probe agency for investigation.



The Supreme Court had on Wednesday asked the NIA to probe the case of conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman to a Muslim man, as the agency claimed it was not an isolated incident but a "pattern" emerging in Kerala.



The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage, terming it as an instance of "love jihad".



The apex court directed the NIA to probe the incident under the supervision of a retired apex court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.



The top court observed that like in the 'Blue Whale' -- an internet game which allegedly give series of tasks to players with a final challenge requiring him or her to commit suicide, it was now easy to persuade someone to perform a particular task.



"This will not be an Special Investigation Team (SIT). The NIA shall carry out the probe under the supervision of retired judge Justice R V Raveendaran," a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and D Y Chandrachud had said.



The bench said it wanted the probe to be fair and the NIA, being an independent agency outside the state of Kerala, can conduct the probe in an impartial manner and have a different point of view.



"Before forming any opinion or arriving at a conclusion, we would like to consider the NIA's probe report, inputs from the Kerala Police and talk to the woman," it said.



The bench directed the NIA to submit its final investigation report in the court to enable it to arrive at any conclusion in the matter.



The woman, a Hindu, had converted to Islam and later married Jahan. It was alleged that the woman was recruited by Islamic State's mission in Syria and Jahan was only a stooge.



Ashokan K M, the father of the woman, had alleged that there was a "well-oiled systematic mechanism" for conversion and Islamic radicalisation.



The high court, while declaring the marriage "null and void", had described the case as an instance of "love jihad" and ordered the state police to conduct probe into such cases.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday sought a report from Ministry of Home Affairs over the move to deport illegal Rohingya immigrants to their native country.



Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding the plans to deport about 40,000 illegal Rohingya immigrants from Myanmar, who are residing in various parts of India, it has asked the Home Secretary to submit a detailed report within four weeks.



"The Commission has observed that refugees are no doubt foreign nationals but they are human beings and before taking a big step, the Government of India has to look into every aspect of the situation, keeping the fact in focus that the members of the Rohingya community, who have crossed the Indian borders and are residing here for long, have a fear of persecution once they are pushed back to their native country," the NHRC said in a statement.



Noting that its intervention is appropriate in the matter from the human rights angle, it said India has been home to refugees for centuries and continued to receive a large number of refugees from different countries.



In a letter to the states on August 8, the MHA has said that illegal immigrants not only infringe on the rights of Indian citizens but also aggravates the security challenges posed to the country.



It said the powers to identify and deport such people are with the states while noting that infiltration from the Rakhine state of Myanmar in the recent years has become a burden on the limited resources of the country.



"Detection and deportation of such illegal immigrants from Rakhine state, also known as Rohingyas is a continuous process. Therefore, it is essential to identify such illegal migrants/persons and also keep a watch on their activities for preventing any untoward incident that can take place," the letter said.



The MHA also asked the states to sensitise all law enforcement and intelligence agencies for taking "prompt steps in identifying illegal migrants and initiate the deportation process expeditiously and without delay".
After PM Narendra Modi's call to embrace Kashmiris, the process of dialogue with stakeholders other than separatists and politicians have been rolled out to broker peace in Jammu and Kashmir.



A four-member delegation, which includes BJP leader MJ Khan, will visit Srinagar for four days from Saturday to meet members of civil society, traders, bar associations, ulemas and others.



Khan confirmed to DH that he, media baron-turned-politician Sahid Siddique, defence expert Qamar Agha and Justice IM Quddusi will be travelling to interact with different voices of Kashmir for bringing back peace in the state. Sources said the idea is to convince Kashmiris that the regime at the centre was not against them and the dialogue can be resumed if both -- the Modi government and stakeholders in the state -- take a step forward to check misgivings.



Though Khan denied that their peace trip had links with the government, sources said it was part of track two diplomacies.



The proposed visit coincides with similar on-going initiative undertaken by a team led by former union minister and BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who has been insisting that a multi-dimensional dialogue is the way forward to break the logjam, which had worsened leading to unrest in the Valley post last year's encounter death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Right now Sinha and his team members, such as senior journalist Bharat Bhushan, too are travelling in the state for the third time as he had said in an interview to DH earlier that "dialogue was a precondition for peace and not peace was a precondition for dialogue".



On Friday, they met Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor NN Vohra in Srinagar.



In his Red Fort address on the Independence Day, Modi had tried to reach out to the youth of the Pakistan bordering state by saying that by embracing Kashmiris and not through "abuses" and "bullets" the grievances can be addressed.



Indicating central government was making serious efforts on security issues, union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said Kashmir issue along with terrorism and left-wing terrorism will be solved by 2022.



The government is not keen to interact with Hurriyat leaders as it suspects them to be aiding terror in the J&K.
The Expert Committee on Preventing Sexual Violence against Women and Children has decided to recommend to the state government to bar entry of public into government schools that are short-staffed.



This comes after the panel inspected the government school in Magadi in Ramanagaram district, where a 53-year-old teacher K G Sunanda was recently set ablaze by her husband who managed to gain entry into the classroom during working hours.



The school, the panel found, had only two teachers with a strength of 22 children from Classes 1-5. The panel will also urge the government to ensure that no person enters an educational institution without the prior permission of headmaster or principal, its chairperson and MLC V S Ugrappa said.



Ujire (Dakshina Kannada): A man, who was charged with setting his wife on fire, committed suicide at a lodge in Dharmasthala on Friday.



The deceased has been identified as Renukardhya (50).



According to police, Renukaradhya had doused his wife Sunanda, a school teacher, with petrol and set her on fire on the school premises in Magadi, Bengaluru Rural district, on August 16.



Sunanda had sustained burns on her face, neck, hands and other parts. A case has been registered in Dharmasthala Police Station.



DH News Service








Over 8,000 cars are reported to have been damaged or seen some kind of impact, as a result of the heavy rains that lashed Bengaluru this week.



On the night of August 14, Bengaluru received 128.7 mm of rainfall, the highest in a day since 1890, according to data from the Met department. With Mother Nature continuing to unlesh her fury on succeeding days, causing much havoc for life, property and infrastructure in the city, automobiles -- prized possessions of citizens -- have seen much damage, with owners rushing to claim insurance.



With rain-related damage to automobiles becoming commonplace, owing to nonstop urbanisation and lack of efficient infrastructure, especially drainage systems, a new risk factor is likely to get added into the vehicle insurance gamut.



According to PriceWater House Partner Abdul Majeed, After the Chennai floods, insurance companies are looking at this as a major risk factor, as incessant rain has become a major issue across different cities and states. Cities arent geared up with efficient drainage systems, and some pockets get affected by rain. Going forward, one cannot exactly say how the risk can be assessed, because you cannot blindly increase insurance premium across the board. For instance, if you are staying in an area which is frequently inundated during rains, then insurers might possibly start considering these issues.



Currently, car insurance covers engine, battery, and transmission, among other important systems, and exteriors are seldom covered in a big way. Also, insurance compensation for two-wheelers is not as much, as in the case of cars.



Meanwhile, insurance companies in Bengaluru are gearing up for an upsurge in car owners making a beeline for claims, but have said it is too early to state anything.The rains have just hit the city, and the actual damage is slowly becoming apparent. It would take over a week to expect anything from customers, be it enquiries, or let alone applications for claims,a spokesperson for a leading insurance company told DH.



DH News Service
Japan asked China to stop trying to unilaterally change the status quo in Doklam Plateau, supporting Indias stand in the military face off with the communist country in western Bhutan.



A month before Prime Minister Narendra Modi will his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, Tokyos envoy to India, Kenji Hiramatsu, strongly supported Indias position in its dispute with China.



We understand that the standoff in the Doklam area has been ongoing for nearly two months. As it can affect the stability of the entire region, we have been watching the situation very closely, said Hiramatsu.



He also dismissed Beijings claim that Doklam was a territory of China and that the communist country did not have any dispute with Bhutan over the area. We understand that the area is disputed between China and Bhutan and that both countries recognise the existence of a dispute, he said.



Japan is the nation to publicly and categorically support the stands taken by India and Bhutan in the standoff with China. The US has been urging both India and China to resolve the dispute through diplomatic negotiations.



What is important in disputed areas is that all parties involved do not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner, Hiramatsu said in a statement circulated by the Embassy of Japan to reporters in New Delhi. Japan has territorial disputes with China over islands in East China Sea, too.



The face off started on June 18 when soldiers from the Indian Armys forward post in Doka La in Sikkim stopped personnel from Chinas Peoples Liberation Army from constructing a road in Doklam Plateau.



PLA soldiers had started building the road along the disputed border between Bhutan and China on June 16, brushing aside protests from the Royal Bhutanese Army. The intervention by soldiers two days later resulted in the face off, which has continued to the present day.
A BJP leader from the Durg district of Chhattisgarh was arrested on Friday after 27 cows died in the last three days at his government-aided gaushala.



The Chhattisgarh Rajya Gau Sewa Aayog, which lodged an FIR with the police on Friday after its team visited the cow shelter run by Harish Verma, has alleged that lack of proper facilities at the cow shelter were responsible for the deaths.



Verma was arrested based on the complaint of the Chhattisgarh Rajya Gau Sewa Aayog, said IGP (Durg Range) Dipanshu Kabra.



Verma, who is the vice-president in Jamul Municipality, has been booked under Sections 4 and 6 of the Chhattisgarh Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act 2004, under Section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and Section 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC.
The Congress high command on Friday announced former Union Minister C M Ibrahim as the partys candidate to contest the Karnataka Legislative Council byelection scheduled for August 31.



The seat fell vacant following the death of BJPs Vimala Gowda in April.



Her tenure was to end June 2018.



Ibrahim is known to be a loyal Siddaramaiah supporter  they go back to their days in the Janata Parivar.



Ibrahims candidature for the vacant MLC seat could mark his return to state politics since his 2013 defeat in the Bhadravathi constituency.



Ibrahim was appointed deputy chairman of the state planning board after Siddaramaiah was unsuccessful in getting him into the Rajya Sabha or the Legislative Council.


The state BJP core committee on Friday decided to intensify its agitation against the ruling Congress dispensation.



At a meeting of the panel headed by party state president B S Yeddyurappa in Bengaluru, it was decided to take the agitation of the party against the Siddaramaiah government to the Assembly-constituency level. The party on Friday held a protest in Bengaluru against the state government for shielding corrupt ministers, including D K Shivakumar who faced I-T raids recently.



Briefing reporters, BJP State general secretary Aravind Limbavali said the party will organise a Mangaluru chaloprotest soon demanding the resignation of Forest Minister Ramanath Rai. He charged Rai with supporting Popular Front of India (PFI) and Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD). Limbavali accused the two organisations of involvement in the killing of RSS and BJP functionaries.



BJP national president Amit Shah, during his recent visit to Bengaluru, had expressed his strong displeasure at the lack of aggression in the state unit to take on the ruling Congress. Limbavali said the BJP will pressure the government to announce relief measures to farmers reeling under severe drought. According to sources, the core committee meeting also decided to assign senior leaders three districts each to monitor all party related activities.



District unit heads



The BJP core committee on Friday agreed to the demand of senior party leader K S Eshwarappa and his followers to effect changes in district units of the party by giving preference to party loyalists.



It was decided that senior leaders will undertake a six-day tour of the state from August 20 and later decide on changing district presidents and office bearers wherever the organisational setup is weak, sources said.




Thousands of BJP workers led by party state president B S Yeddyurappa on Friday staged a demonstration, demanding resignation of Energy Minister D K Shivakumar and Small Scale Industries Minister Ramesh L Jarkiholi in the wake of searches and seizures by the Income Tax Department sleuths on their houses.



The police took Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa, former ministers R Ashoka, Govind Karjol and Shobha Karandlaje into preventive custody when they were marching to lay a siege to the Vidhana Soudha. The leaders were taken away from Race Course Road by a BMTC bus and released later.



The protesters raised slogans against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his government for indulging in corruption. Yeddyurappa said the BJP would conduct a week-long protest in all the Assembly constituencies, demanding the resignation of corrupt Congress ministers.



Referring to registration of FIRs against him by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly de-notifying acres of land for Shivaram Karanth Layout, the former chief minister said: Let the Congress government file more FIRs against me. I am not afraid of the Congress party or the ACB. Ashoka claimed that the I-T sleuths have seized documents relating to disproportionate assets worth over Rs 300 crore from a minister. Siddaramaiah has denotified 900 acres in Arkavathy Layout and indulged in corruption, he charged.



Shobha stated that the Congress had derailed Prime Minister Narendra Modis welfare schemes in the state.



The BJP leaders also referred to Hublot watch controversy involving Siddaramaiah and corruption in renewing licenses of bars.




Flood situation in districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh adjoining Nepal worsened on Friday with the army being called for rescue and relief operations.



Movement of traffic on the Gorakhpur-Sonauli road towards Nepal came to a standstill as waters of Rohin river inundated Maniram township and the national highway, sources in the administration said.



Floods hit nearly 105 villages in the district, with 35 among them completely submerged and residents shifted to safer places, sources added.



A report from Siddhartnagar said army helicopters assisted in extending relief material to the affected.



Several eastern districts including Balrampur, Basti, Siddhartnagar, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Lakhimpur, Mahrajganj, Gonda are facing floods.



Conditions, however, became better in Assam and West Bengal, where no heavy rains have been reported.



With water levels receding in all rivers, flood situation in north Bengal improved though the death toll crawled up to 52.



West Bengal Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee said roads and pipelines for supplying drinking water have been badly damaged in the catastrophe.



Nearly 15 lakh people have been affected by the floods in Coochbehar, Dakshin Dinajpur, Uttar Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Malda districts in north Bengal since July 21.



Train services to different destinations in north Bengal and Assam from Howrah and Sealdah stations remained suspended on the sixth consecutive day, a railway spokesman said. Bus services between the southern and northern parts of the state also remain suspended for the last five days owing to inundation of national highway 34 and 31 and state highways at different places in north Bengal.



In the northeastern state of Assam, 11 more people died in flood-related incidents, though officials said the situation has improved with no fresh spell of rains.



A report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said three persons died in Dhubri and two lost their lives in Morigaon in flood related incidents.



One death each was reported from Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, South Salmara, Kamrup and Kokrajhar districts.



So far, the third wave of flood has claimed 60 lives across the state, taking the overall death toll to 144 people this season in Assam, including eight in Guwahati. In Delhi, maximum temperatures stood at 37.8 degree Celsius and the minimum at 29 degree Celsius with no report of rainfall.



DHNS & Agencies
BJP chief Amit Shah has convened a meeting of party chief ministers and deputy chief ministers on Monday to get feedback on the preparation of Vision 2022, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been stressing on to realise what he had termed New India.



Modi will also address the gathering of the partys 13 chief ministers and four deputy chief ministers, sources said.



The session has assumed importance due to the fact that the BJP has already got into the 2019 election mode and has assigned a managerial task to Union ministers and senior party leaders to curate 120

Lok Sabha seats it had never won.



Shah has fixed a target of 350 seats to win in the next polls even though internal party surveys suggest that the party as of now will get 300 seats.



Modi and Shah are keen to shake up chief ministers and their deputies from the complacency that successive victories in state elections resulted in.



At the meeting, Shah is expected to share a piece of his mind on the need to monitor and aggressively push governments welfare schemes such as Ujwala, Swachh Bharat, electricity for all, crop insurance as it is keen to penetrate in to rural electoral landscape to maximise NDA governments focus on empowerment of the poor.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday directed the UP government to file a counter-affidavit within six weeks on a public interest litigation seeking a judicial probe into the death of 30 children at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur.



The petition, which was filed by social activist Nutan Thakur, contended that the ongoing probe into the tragedy was a sham and that nothing would come out of it.



The matter will come up for further hearing on October 9.



The government counsel opposed the petition saying the state government has taken every possible measure in the matter and will take all possible actions as per the report submitted by the chief secretary.



The petitioner said the action taken by the state government so far gives the message that they are trying to hide facts and shield some people.



DH News Service
The Supreme Court on Friday flagged issues arising out of a law mandating doctors to disclose to authorities about a minor getting pregnant after rape and the parents opposing it.



There are certain issues which have to be considered. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act mandated the doctors to report to the authorities but the parents say dont disclose it, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.



The courts remarks came while issuing a notice to the Union government, Chandigarh administration and the National Legal Services Authority on a plea by senior advocate Indira Jaising for compensation of Rs 10 lakh to a 10-year-old rape survivor, who gave birth to a baby girl on Thursday.



Indira, who assisted the court as amicus curiae in a PIL for compensation to rape victims, mentioned the matter. She relied upon the apex courts judgement on Thursday, in case of a Bihar woman, to seek Rs 10 lakh compensation to the 10-year-old girl from Chandigarh for post-trauma care.



She said the 10-year-old mother cannot look after the child. A plea for abortion in her case was turned down by the apex court on advice from a panel of doctors.



The court put the matter for consideration on Tuesday.



In her brief submission, Indira questioned the scheme framed for compensation by the state government under Section 357-A of the Criminal Procedure Code. They say that the compensation in rape cases could be provided only after filing of charge sheet, she pointed out.



The court termed it absurd and agreed to examine it.



Indira also contended that doctors were hesitant to entertain a plea for termination of pregnancy, though the law allowed them to go ahead to carry out abortion in rape cases of minor girls when there is a threat to the life of the mother.



She said it has to be considered since it has got a chilling effect.



DH News Service
While Janata Dal (United) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar holds the partys national executive meeting, rebel MP Sharad Yadav would hold a parallel meet at a different venue.



The two erstwhile partners who journeyed together under a single party would take a diversion on Saturday with Kumar all set to adopt a resolution to join the BJP-led coalition and Yadavs real JD(U) would highlight Kumars utter disregard for the mandate of Bihar people for the secular coalition.



Buoyed by his attempt on Thursday in bringing all major opposition parties under one umbrella in the national capital, Yadav would flex his muscles and would try to prove that he is no George Fernandes.



Just wait till Saturday. You will see over 3000 party leaders and workers throughout the country participating in the meet convened by Sharad ji, rebel leader Arun Srivastava, suspended as the JD (U) general secretary last week, said.



The Yadav faction had earlier claimed that it is the real JD (U) and dubbed the Kumar-led group of the party sarkari JD (U).



Nitish Kumar has himself claimed that his party was confined only to Bihar, while ours is the original JD (U) with the backing of 14 State units, Srivastava said.
Car service stations in Bengaluru are having a heyday with a huge influx of cars requiring servicing, after being awash in the deluge earlier this week.



Hundreds of vehicles got damaged after they got submerged in the heavy downpour on the intervening night of August 14-15. Major car dealers like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Ford and others have seen cars constantly come in for service over the last week.



Raju, a service manager at Audi says, they have enough staff to handle the number of cars coming in for now, but will be unable to cope if this continues. We are well equipped to handle the crisis, but if it escalates we might have to ask our partners in various states to send men. We are in talks with our Chennai counterparts, he said. He went on to add that they had set up teams which were working overtime to finish the servicing of cars in the bay and may have to work even on Sunday.



Siddarth Rishi Battula



Bengaluru: Tuesdays downpour has left several swanky cars in need of expensive repairs.



Service centres across Bengaluru have seen a huge increase in the number of cars coming in for repairs. Most need electrical and upholstery repairs.



Garages servicing Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Ford have a tough weekend ahead, with a heavier-than-usual workload.



Raju, manager of an Audi showroom on St Marks Road, said 15 cars were lined up for rain-related repairs and servicing.



Most cars are insured, but not all repairs and replacements are covered. The cars were parked in basements or in low-lying areas when the skies opened up on August 15.



This is the first time so many cars have come in at once. Separate teams are working round the clock to repair them as soon as possible, he told DH.



If it continues to rain and more cars need repairs, mechanics from Chennai will be called in, he said.



A Mercedes Benz employee said some 115 were lined up for rain-related repairs. BMW and Ford service stations contacted by DH said they had received 30 cars each.



Receiving the highest rainfall for August in 127 years, some Bengaluru neighbourhoods came to a standstill on Tuesday. Car parks were flooded, leaving many vehicles in need of repairs.








Maneka Gandhi, the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, has suggested legalising marijuana in India for medical purposes.



Speaking at a recent group of ministers (GOM) meeting, she said the US, Australia and Canada had legalised marijuana, both recreationally and medically, and made some breakthroughs in the healthcare sector. She also suggested that regulation of the drug will not only help in bringing down the number of illegal users but also help in medical research as shown in other countries.



But for medical marijuana to even have a chance, doctors need to be on the same page and not view marijuana as just a psychoactive substance, as it has been labelled under Schedule I of drugs alongside life-threatening drugs such as heroin, cocaine and tobacco.



Short-term benefits



According to Ravi Dorairaj of Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, there are not enough studies to suggest marijuana helps in treating glaucoma or cataracts. They say it reduces intraocular pressure for sometime, that is just for a short time. But in glaucoma there needs to be a constant reduction of the pressure, so it (marijuana) has just short-term benefits.



He continued: If it helps for just an hour or so, that doesnt mean a patient can keep smoking marijuana all day. Other than this, there are side effects like lack of concentration, decreased blood flow to the optic nerve and short-term memory loss.



Dr Prashanth L K, a consultant neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Sheshadripuram, feels people have noticed various benefits of using medical marijuana. Despite being approved in various states in the US, a practitioner cannot prescribe cannabis but can only suggest it to the patient. They have been tested in certain neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinsons and there have been publications which have seen both positive and negative effects, he said. These tests are based on a small number of patients and it doesnt have a big enough group to say that it is unequivocally beneficial to the patient. So bigger research and more studies are required. Benefits should also outweigh the potential side effects.



Thorough tests needed



Not all doctors are against cannabis, though. Dr Vishwanath S, a consultant medical oncologist at Apollo Hospitals, feels there should be extensive research in India, too. Though cannabis comes under Schedule I with the likes of heroin and cocaine, studies have shown that it has medicinal effects despite its psychoactive properties. Since most of the evidence is from preclinical studies and anecdotal case reports, there is a long way to go as more research regarding the safety in clinical use is required before it can be considered as a therapeutic option in cancer treatment.



He continued: There should be different phases of trials and through testing. These trials will also help in ascertaining the dosages that a patient should get.



There are already synthetic compounds of cannabis which have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and are easily available in the Indian market under the names of Dronabinol and Nabilone.



Cannabis treatment



Cannabis, which has two main components, Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabinol, has been used in treating seizure disorders, glaucoma, Parkinsons, nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and HIV/AIDS.



Mumbai-based Bombay Hemp Company (BOHECO) will participate in the first legal project to grow cannabis and study its medicinal properties for use in treatment of epilepsy and cancer. The research will be conducted along with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The study will take place in Jammu & Kashmir, where researchers will grow 20 different accessions of medical cannabis that have been collected from different parts of the country.
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An RNLI lifeguard will be recognised for a rescue in which he saved the life of a body boarder.

RNLI Senior lifeguard Freddie Hedger has been selected to receive the Alison Saunders Lifeguarding Award for his heroic actions last summer.

Freddie risked his life to save body boarder, Mary Harkin, who got into trouble at Croyde Beach in North Devon.

(Image: RNLI)

The Alison Saunders Lifeguarding Award is give annually by trustees of the RNLI for the most meritorious rescue by RNLI lifeguards during the previous season.

The award for 2016 will be presented to Freddie for his bravery, presence of mind, skill and determination during the rescue.

On August 8, 2016 it was sunny with a brisk north-westerly wind and a 5-6ft challenging messy surf, with rip currents on both sides of the lifeguard patrolled zone.

At 4pm lifeguard Sean Deasy was actively patrolling the rip currents on the Rescue Water Craft (RWC). At 4.30pm Freddie was on a water patrol using a rescue board, making his way to the southern end of the rip current to enter the water.

(Image: HM Coastguard)

On his way out he teamed up with Sean to help move a group of novice surfers who were drifting out of the black and white flags into the rip current.

It was at this point that Freddie became aware of a surfer and body boarder further out to sea, both of whom appeared to be in difficulty, so he immediately informed Sean who made his way out on the RWC followed by Freddie on the paddle board.

The surfer was physically struggling with the difficult conditions and was frightened, having stopped helping the body boarder who was in serious trouble.

Sean was unable to rescue her as he couldnt get close enough with the RWC due to the large surf, which was breaking heavily on the sand bank.

(Image: Jade Dyer)

Freddie made the decision to leave his rescue board and swim towards Mary.

When he got to her, she was face down in the water and unconscious. He lifted her face out of the water so she could breathe and worked hard to protect her from the waves breaking over them.

Sean witnessed them both get dragged under by a wave, disappearing from sight in the turbulent water.

He made further attempts to assist Freddie with the rescue, but was hampered by the waves and undertows.

With a break in the waves, he was finally able to make a move to rescue them both.

Despite being exhausted, Freddie managed to grab the handle of the rescue sled on the RWC with one hand.

Using his other to keep the Marys head above water, he signalled to Sean to drag them towards the shore as he tried to keep them afloat.

Lifeguard Jack Middleton had seen the events from the shore so met Sean at the shoreline with the casualty care kit.

(Image: RNLI Phil Hill)

Once ashore the casualty, who was barely conscious, began vomiting. An ambulance and coastguard helicopter were also called to the beach.

Freddie stayed with Mary as she was taken to the top of the beach, where she was given casualty care by the RNLI lifeguards before being handed over to the ambulance crew and spent a night recovering in hospital.

The surfer managed to get himself back to the safety of the beach and went straight to the lifeguard unit to find out how Mary was.

Mary has since completed a sponsored cycle ride with two friends from her home in London back to Croyde beach as a way of thanking the lifeguards who saved her life that day. So far the trio have raised over 4,000 for the RNLI.

Mary said she cant put into words how much the RNLI means to her.

She said: The team at Croyde are selfless, incredibly brave and highly skilled.

Last summer, they put their lives on the line for me and if wasnt for them I wouldnt be here today.

The lifeguards should get the recognition and support they deserve for the work they do.

The surfer involved in the rescue, Fraser Gibb, said: As for Freddies efforts, its hard to describe just how grateful I am that he managed to get out there.

I have described to many others many times now how I was in awe of his swimming ability as the conditions had changed quickly and it was extremely difficult to control myself, let alone keep someone else afloat.

If Freddie hadnt swam out there like he did and didnt give up until he had her, it would have been a very different story.

Freddie will be presented with the award on August 24 by Alison Saunders and joined by the rest of the lifeguard team who helped with the rescue.
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Police are seeking information after cash and clothes were taken from an Exmouth home on Tuesday night.

The offenders got inside the building on Church Road sometime between 11.30am and 3pm when the victim was out of the house.

Officers say that after an untidy search of the premises, they made off with around 600 cash and several items including a pair of black lace up Firetrap shoes at size 11 and a pair of AKG bud type ear phones in black.

A police spokesman said: "Police are appealing to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious at the time in the area of Church Road around the time of the offence.

"If anyone does have information that may assist enquiries they are asked to contact police via 101@dc.police.uk or by telephone on 101, quoting CR/068841/17.

"Alternatively information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
Get the pick of the week's best stories and fascinating features direct to your inbox every Saturday and Sunday morning in our exclusive Weekender newsletter

Old pound coins are being collected to help a charity move to a new location in Tiverton.

CHAT (Churches Housing Action Team) are moving from their Gold Street facility to the former Job Centre on Phoenix Lane next month are asking residents across Mid Devon to dip into their pockets and donate any unwanted 1 coins.

Ruth Morley, Community Development Officer at CHAT, said that as the old coins will not be legal tender from October 15, people were not always thrilled when they receive them in their change. She added that people could donate in shops where they see CHATs poster.

She said: The money will go towards all sorts of things as we offer completely free and impartial housing advice to tenancy support and also debt and money advice for people who are referred in house, so its going to be used to help people with funding sessions.

It will also be used for our emergency fund where people suddenly have to find things quickly and funding for them.

CHAT has also been asking for donations to help them move to their new location.

Ruth added: We have been asking for furniture and new computers to be set up so that people can use them. We would like to be able to provide refreshment facilities for the public too. There are all sorts of things that we need. It could go towards a carpet square, blinds, a shower and a toilet.

Donations will be put to good use and make a real difference to the lives of those who are in need. We always say that CHAT brings hope and that is what a lot of people who come to us say; that it has changed their lives around. Even if its people, who may have made just one visit to us as it gives them pointers in new directions, in which they can go, and we provide solutions and try and advocate for people.

CHAT will be closed from September 18 to September 22 and will reopen on September 24. On August 31 between 4 pm and 7 pm volunteers and staff will lead prayers in the new premises, led by Bishop Sarah Mullally.

On October 10 between 5 pm and 6:30 pm there will be an open event for people to visit CHAT as part of their official launch with Lord Lieutenant David Fursdon.
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An aircraft engineer has hit out at an Exeter letting agents after he received more than 300 in parking fines.

Jacob Collinson, 24, said he started receiving fines the moment he move into a flat in Constantine House on New North Road in April.

After receiving the first fine, Mr Collinson was informed that Connells Estate and Lettings Agents, who he had rented the flat through, should have arranged for him to have a permit to park in the building's underground car park.

Despite complaining to Connells it took over three months for a permit to be issued, by which point he had received a further two parking tickets taking the overall cost to over 300.

Since being contacted by Devon Live, Connells have provided Mr Collinson with a parking permit and offered to reimbursed him with the cost of the fines.

"Being one of the only places in the city centre with off-road parking was one of the main reasons why I chose to rent the flat," said Mr Collinson.

"Not long after being given the keys to the flat I was surprised to find that I had been given a parking ticket.

"After speaking to the building manager it turned out that Connells should have sorted out a permit for me when I moved in.

"I was told to continue parking in my space while the letting agent sort it. But after months of complaining nothing had happened and the fines kept rolling in.

"Despite initially responding they had been ignoring my emails up until yesterday when they finally issued the permit and said they would pay me the fines."

A Connells spokesperson said: "Firstly, we apologise for any detriment and inconvenience caused to the tenant.

"We take every customer complaint extremely seriously and since we have become aware of the parking permit issue and fines, we have liaised directly with the tenant to ensure that this is quickly and effectively resolved.

"Any monies lost due to fines will be reimbursed to the tenant, and we can confirm a parking permit is now in place."
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Swedish homeware giant IKEA is among some of the Exeter's best-known businesses taking part in a new jobs fair next month.

Around 70 employers are expected to exhibit at the Exeter Jobs Fair at the Corn Exchange on September 15.

Exeter City Council and Exeter Jobcentre Plus have joined forces to host a free, twice-yearly jobs fair aiming to ensure that employers can fill current and future vacancies quickly with the right candidates.

As well as IKEA, those already signed up to the event include Exeter College Apprenticeships, Princesshay Exeter, Lidl UK, Toys 'R' Us, Sitel - Exeter, NHS, AnTech, Hays, Vision-4-U, Royal Mail and Horizon Care South West Ltd.

IKEA has invested 80m in its new Exeter store near Sandy Park, which will create 350 new jobs. All IKEA co-workers will be paid the Real Living Wage and will also receive a benefits package including an annual bonus and a pension loyalty scheme.

Cllr Rachel Sutton, lead councillor for economy and culture, welcomed the councils new partnership with the Jobcentre.

She said: "Its great to be working with Job Centre Plus in Exeter to establish a regular jobs fair in the city, which is free for businesses to attend.

Exeter is the fourth fastest-growing economy in the UK, so we need to work in partnership with businesses in the city to ensure vacancies are filled swiftly."

Read more:There are thousands of jobs in Devon listed on our site

The free-to-attend jobs fair will provide businesses with the perfect opportunity to recruit permanent, temporary or seasonal staff across all roles and all sectors, including: administration, care, construction, customer service, hospitality, manufacturing and retail.

Jobseekers  and those looking to change career  do not need to book in advance and can simply turn up on the day.

Anyone registered with Job Centre Plus can contact their case worker for more information and support.

Exeter City Council, the Greater Exeter Employment & Skills Board and Jobcentre Plus will be on hand during the day to provide advice and guidance to employers and prospective candidates.

Lee Tozer, partnership manager at Jobcentre Plus, said: "The Jobs Fair is a great example of Exeter City Council and Exeter Jobcentre working together.

"It provides an excellent opportunity for all jobseekers to meet and talk to employers who have vacancies. I think that the Jobs Fair and the support in the Jobcentre will help people fulfil their ambitions and move into work."

The Exeter Jobs Fair is being held on Friday, September 15, at Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, Exeter, from 9.30am to 2pm.

Businesses can register for a free stand by visiting www.exeter.gov.uk/jobsfairbooking
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A man was airlifted to hospital following a cliff fall in Paignton on Thursday afternoon.

The Torbay RNLI and Torbay Coastguard were called to Armchair Rock between Goodrington and Broadsands at around 1pm.

Rescue crews had to transfer the casualty onto the Torbay inshore lifeboat before he was taken to Broadsands beach to meet an awaiting ambluance.

(Image: Torbay Coastguard)

A Torbay Coastguard spokesman confirmed that the patient was then assessed by paramedics before being taken to Derriford Hospital by the Devon Air Ambulance.

A spokesman for Torbay Coastguard said: "A full team was paged by Maritime and Coastguard Agency to assist South Western Ambulance Service with a casualty who had fallen at Armchair Rock - RNLI Torbay was also tasked.

"Once on the scene we placed two rescue officers into dry suits to assist Torbay inshore lifeboat get the male onto their basket stretcher. Once secure he was taken round to Broadsands Beach.

(Image: Torbay Coastguard)

"We relocated to assist with the transfer from Torbay ILB into an awaiting ambulance to be assessed and then he was then flown by to Derriford Hospital.

"It was another great example of multi-agencies working together."
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The owners of up-market tourist destination Bovey Castle have hit back after being 'named and shamed' in a Government list of businesses which have failed to pay National Minimum Wage and Living Wage.

More than 30 Devon workers, including 26 from Bovey Castle, will receive or have received thousands of pounds in back pay as a result.

Today Mark Chambers, managing director of the Eden Hotel Collection which owns Bovey Castle, hit back angrily at the decision to publish the list.

He said Bovey Castle had repaid the back pay of less than 40 each to 26 members of their team 19 months ago. He said the list seemed 'unnecessary' and added: "Bovey Castle is hardly a 'rogue player' as claimed in the Government press release."

More than 13,000 of the UKs lowest paid workers will get around 2 million in back pay as part of the scheme. Five Devon firms are on the list, which has been published this week by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It names 233 businesses that underpaid workers.

As well as paying back staff the money owed, employers on the list have been fined a record 1.9 million by the government. Retail, hairdressing and hospitality businesses were among the most prolific offenders.

But Mr Chambers explained that possible breaches of the National Minimum Wage legislation were identified in October 2015, and hotel management immediately began an investigation, delving back before the Eden hotel Collection took over the business in June 2014.

In January 2016 they refunded all staff, including some who were no longer working at the hotel. By the time the Government inspector confirmed that there had been breaches of the regulations, all the money had already been repaid.

Mr Chambers went on: "We are a privately-owned business which prides itself on putting staff at the centre of everything we do. They play a vital role in our continued success, and our headline rates of pay have always complied with the minimum wage requirements.

Voluntary deductions, agreed by staff in return for benefits, which had been put in place prior to our ownership of the hotel, saw us unknowingly breach the rules. As soon as we became aware of the situation, we immediately refunded the staff involved - both current and previous members of the team.

In the circumstances, it seems unnecessary for the authorities to 'name and shame' Bovey Castle Hotel for a breach of the rules when the current owners did not instigate the breach of rules, and immediately rectified the situation once the discrepancies were brought to their attention, before official notification of the situation by the authorities."
A glass leak at a glass manufacturer ignited a three-alarm blaze Thursday morning in South Middleton Township.

Around 10:30 a.m. fire crews from Cumberland, Adams, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and York counties were dispatched to Vitro Architectural Glass (the former PPG plant) in the 400 block of Park Drive.

The fire quickly rose to a second alarm and eventually became a three-alarm fire.

According to Vitro Architectural Glass Human Resource Director Teal Gaylord, the blaze began when a leak occurred in one of the two large glass melting furnaces within the facility.

Cumberland County Communications Director Rachel Bryson said more than 40 companies from six counties responded to the fire, which was extinguished by 4 p.m. She said one worker was transported to an area hospital to be treated for a very minor injury.

All employees at the facility were accounted for and no community evacuations were issued. Fire crews and emergency personnel from Cumberland, Dauphin, Adams, Franklin, Perry and York counties responded to the scene.

Bryson also said Cumberland Countys Hazmat team and representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection were requested to the scene, as a precaution.

Ron Hamilton, South Middletown Township Fire Chief, was in charge of fire operations on site. He reported Citizens Fire Company No.1 was still on the scene by early evening assisting with clean-up efforts.

The plant, which manufactures plate glass for architectural purposes, employs about 340 people. Vitro took ownership of the plant in 2016 following a deal to purchase it from PPG that was announced in June 2016.

In 2013, fire crews were called to the plant, but ultimately found to be unnecessary, following a glass leak. That incident prompted a two-alarm response, but was handled internally and no evacuations were necessary.

The plant has been at the location on Park Drive since 1972.

Posted earlier on Cumberlink:

Cumberland County Communications Director Rachel A. Bryson released the following statement about today's fire at the former PPG plant via email at 5:17 p.m.:

More than 40 companies from six counties responded to the fire at Vitro Architectural Glass, 400 Park Dr., Carlisle, in South Middleton Township. The initial dispatch call for the fire was reported at 10:26 a.m.

The fire is extinguished and as of 4 p.m., all units except Citizens Fire Company No.1 have been released from the scene.

Cumberland Countys Hazmat team and representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection were requested to the scene, as a precaution.

Ron Hamilton, South Middletown Township Fire Chief, was in charge of fire operations on site. He reported Citizens Fire Company No.1 was still on the scene assisting with clean-up efforts.

Posted earlier on Cumberlink:

A glass leak at a glass manufacturer ignited a three-alarm blaze Thursday morning in South Middleton Township.

Around 10:30 a.m. fire crews were dispatched to Vitro Architectural Glass (the former PPG plant) in the 400 block of Park Drive. The fire quickly rose to a second alarm and eventually became a three-alarm fire.

An initial report from Cumberland County officials said there were no injuries, but the county later released information that one worker was treated at an area hospital for very minor injuries.

According to Vitro Architectural Glass Human Resource Director Teal Gaylord, the blaze began when a leak occurred in one of the two large glass melting furnaces within the facility.

The fire department responded and no injuries have been reported, Gaylord said during a news conference around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. The extent of the damage is not yet known.

All employees at the facility were accounted for and no community evacuations were issued. Fire crews and emergency personnel from Cumberland, Dauphin, Adams, Franklin, Perry and York counties responded to the scene.

Bryson confirmed that the state Department of Environmental Protection and a hazardous materials team also were called to the scene as a precaution.

The plant, which manufactures plate glass for architectural purposes, employs about 340 people. Vitro took ownership of the plant in 2016 following a deal to purchase it from PPG that was announced in June 2016.

In 2013, fire crews were called to the plant, but ultimately found to be unnecessary, following a glass leak. That incident prompted a two-alarm response, but was handled internally and no evacuations were necessary.

The plant has been at the location on Park Drive since 1972.

Posted earlier on Cumberlink:

Cumberland County Communications Director Rachel A. Bryson released the following statement about today's fire at the former PPG plant via email at 2:25 p.m.:

"The fire department was dispatched at 10:26 a.m. to Vitro Architectural Glass, 400 Park Dr., Carlisle (South Middleton Township).

According to Teal Gaylord, Human Resources Director of Vitro Architectural Glass, A glass leak was discovered on one of the two glass melting furnaces at Vitros Float Glass Plant near Carlisle. The fire department responded and no injuries have been reported. The extent of the damage is not yet known. Company officials are assessing the situation and will have more information when it is available.

All employees at the facility have been accounted for. Currently, no community evacuations are occurring.

The three-alarm fire is currently contained. In addition to Cumberland, units have also been dispatched from Adams, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and York counties.

Vitro Architectural Glass manufactures architectural plate glass for building construction applications."

Posted earlier on Cumberlink:

A Cumberland County spokesperson said there were are no injuries in the glass leak incident at the former PPG plant in South Middleton Township.

Posted earlier on Cumberlink:

Vitro Architectural Glass released the following statement at the scene of today's fire in South Middleton at the former PPG plant:

"A glass leak was discovered on one of two glass melting furnaces at Vitros float glass plant near Carlisle, PA. The local fire department responded and no injuries have been reported. The extent of the damage is not yet known. Company officials are assessing the situation and will have more information when it is available."

A media briefing is expected at the scene shortly, a reporter at the scene said at 1 p.m.

Posted earlier on Cumberlink.com:

Reports from Vitro Architectural Glass, formerly PPG, indicate that all employees of the facility have been accounted for, though a spokesperson would not comment on whether anyone was injured. The plant employs about 340 people.

PPG announced in July of 2016, that it reached a definitive agreement to sell the assets of its flat glass manufacturing and glass coatings operations to Vitro S.A.B. de C.V., a leading producer of flat glass and specialty products. That sale included the South Middleton plant.

Posted earlier on Cumberlink:

Smoke has begun to dissipate at the scene of the PPG plant fire in South Middleton Township.

Still no word from officials on details for the fire or the cause.

Smoke has largely dissipated at PPG in South Middleton Township pic.twitter.com/qc8iyzYzZh  Joshua Vaughn (@Sentinel_Vaughn) August 17, 2017

Posted at 11:21 a.m.:

Reports from the scene of the fire say several ambulances keep arriving on site at the plant.

A plant manager is expected to make a statement shortly.

Posted at 10:48 a.m.:

South Middleton Supervisor Tom Faley is on scene and said emergency crews have evacuated the area around the plant at 400 Park Drive due to the potential of an explosion.

No details are available yet for the specific location of the fire.

Posted at 10:25 a.m.:

Emergency crews are responding to a report of a building fire at the PPG Industries facility on Park Drive in South Middleton Township.

The first call for the fire went out at 10:28 a.m., and a second alarm was issued at 10:40 a.m.

Fire at PPG in South Middleton Township. pic.twitter.com/SqIrpQrHnv  Joshua Vaughn (@Sentinel_Vaughn) August 17, 2017

A photographer at the scene said heavy smoke can be seen flowing from the structure.

Check back to Cumberlink for updates as they become available.
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A quiet village on the outskirts of Exeter has reacted with shock after a man was found in a bus shelter with multiple stab wounds.

Emergency services were called to Longdown on Thursday evening after a 27-year-old was discovered with injuries to his back, side and arms.

Jayden Vanhorik who lives in a house opposite the bus shelter was one of the first people on the scene at around 7.20pm.

He said that he saw a man at the bus stop with 'six to eight' wounds in his back alongside a woman who on the phone looking upset.

"I stepped outside my front door, looked across the road and saw a man who was slumped in the bus shelter," said Mr Vanhorik.

(Image: Rom Preston-Ellis)

"He appeared to have between six and eight stab wounds in his back and was with a woman who was on the phone looking distressed.

"I don't know for certain but it appears like he was dumped at the bus stop by car after being attacked somewhere else.

"I'm pretty sure that the attack didn't take place in the bus shelter itself."

The victim was taken to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.



Local officers, with assistance from the police helicopter, carried out searches in the area and the city centre, including in the Exeter St David's area.

Another resident, who also lives near the bus shelter but did not wished to be identified, said that she could not believe that 'something so serious' would happen in Longdown.

"I've never known anything like this in all my time living here," added Mr Vanhorik.

"It's a quiet village and this sort of incident is very unusual to say the least."

Enquiries continue to locate a male suspect.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: "This is an unusual incident to occur in Longdown and officers are requesting anyone with information about the incident to contact police on 101@dc.police.uk or by phone on 101, quoting log number 0862 of August 17.



"Information can be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers via 0800 555111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org."
Qualcomm acquired Scyfer, a Machine Learning startup to strengthen its foothold in the AI domain

Qualcomm has acquired an Amsterdam based Machine learning (ML) startup, Scyfer. The chip maker, on August 16, announced its acquisition of the ML startup. Scyfer works for different industries in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing and finance. Scyfer also works with TATA steel to ensure the quality of its steel plates by improving their surface inspection process.

Along with the announcement of the acquisition, Qualcomm also outlined vision of its future. Qualcomm said, we envision a world where AI makes devices, machines, automobiles, and things much more intelligent, simplifying and enriching our daily lives.

Matt Grob, executive V.P, technology, Qualcomm Incorporated said, We started fundamental research a decade ago, and our current products now support many AI use cases from computer vision and natural language processing to malware detection on a variety of devices  such as smartphones and cars  and we are researching broader topics, such as AI for wireless connectivity, power management and photography.

The main aim of Qualcomm seems to be to keep the processing of data close to the end device, be it a car, drone or a smartphone as this makes for efficient and faster processing of data along with better reliability. This essentially results in data being processed with or without network connectivity. Qualcomm lists the benefits of on-device AI as immediate response, enhanced reliability, increased privacy protection, and efficient use of network bandwidth. However, this does not mean that cloud processing will be left out, the data will be complemented with the cloud at intermittent intervals.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is definitely playing a major role in shaping the future of technology and Qualcomm acknowledges it. Back in 2007, Qualcomm ventured into areas such as Machine Learning, for using Computer vision and motor control applications. It later expanded the scope of the research by incorporating an Artificial neural networks, primarily, deep learning. Qualcomms primary focus is on the end products such as devices, cars and machines rather than solutions based on clouds.
Asus was one of the first smartphone makers to try putting tangible zoom elements on a smartphone. The company made a splash with the Zenfone Zoom a couple of years ago, but a rather high pricing and a somewhat poor performing camera were deal breakers. But, the company successfully started a new range for its portfolio. That same range is being extended in India now, with the addition of one, Asus Zenfone Zoom S.

What did Asus learn?

To start with, the company has dropped the mechanical zoom from that device. Asus didnt explicitly say it, but the company seems to have realised that putting mechanical zoom against a mobile-grade sensor wasnt working for it. Instead, Asus went with a dual-camera this time, something that has proven to be quite fruitful for a lot of brands, ranging from Huawei to Apple.

The question you, me or anybody else is asking though is whether it works this time. The answer? Wait for our review.

The implementation

There are some buzzwords here that pique your interest. For instance, Asus is using a 25mm lens and another 56mm lens for its dual-camera setup. Of these, the 25mm lens is atop a 12MP Sony IMX362 sensor, with 1.4 micron pixel size. Theoretically, that makes for impressive low light capabilities, especially with f/1.7 aperture. Asus couldnt confirm what sensor the second one was, but did say that it had f/2.0 aperture and 1 micron pixel size, along with 12MP resolution.

The Taiwanese laptop giant has also put in a separate processor, called the Superpixel processor, for image processing. The company explained that this works alongside Qualcomms Spectra ISP, embedded onto the Snapdragon 625 chipset inside. All this is accompanied by Asus proprietary PixelMaster software, which allows certain UI elements and also takes care of the cameras processing needs. Impressively, Asus seems to have achieved all this without significantly lowering the cameras overall speeds.

Asus implementation is somewhat similar to Apples. The secondary lens has a built in 2.3x optical zoom capability and the phone can go up to 12x zoom digitally. The PixelMaster software offers a zoom button to switch from 1x to 2.3x to 5x and you can pinch to zoom beyond that.

How is it?

Ive spent dearly little time with the phone right now, but some things are indeed apparent. For instance, the PixelMaster software works overtime to reduce grains when zooming up to 2.3x. But beyond that, you shouldnt expect very usable zooming capabilities. In its quest to reduce grains, images seem to be rendered a tad soft and look unnatural though. Details seem to be low as well.

The camera is also capable of bokehs, blurring the background intelligently when needed. Theres no specific portrait mode here, and Asus has also removed its low light, since the SuperPixel engine allows it to intelligently adjust to low light conditions.

Well be reviewing the Zenfone Zoom S soon enough, so you can expect deeper insights then.

Is camera everything?

Actually its not. The Zenfone Zoom S has another bullet in the barrel. Thats the 5000 mAh battery under the hood, which promises long battery life. While battery capacity is indeed high, this one should come down to how efficient Asus ZenUI software turns out to be in utilising the huge battery. In the past, Asus has churned good battery life from phones like the Zenfone Max, but its certainly not been exemplary. It doesnt really need to be here, since a big battery phone with dual-camera systems is a decent pitch in itself.

The Zenfone Zoom S is priced at Rs. 26,999 and sells on Flipkart from today. Of course, Asus will also bring it to its offline channels, keeping in line with the companys recent push towards offline markets.
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Three firefighters barely made it to safety just as the floor gave way beneath them.

Maynard Lebo, William Mixell and Bruce Weigle were manning a hose line when flames burned through wooden beams holding up the western half of the Alexander covered bridge in North Middleton Township.

They leaped from the collapsing end as it crumbled into the water, The Sentinel reported on Aug. 27, 1952  the day after the fire. The structure toppled into the stream with a hissing sound.

Forty-five minutes had gone by since a passing motorist first saw the bridge on fire at about 4:15 p.m. That person notified John Leffler, an employee at a nearby water plant, also along the Conodoguinet Creek.

Volunteers from the Union Rural and Friendship fire companies converged on the state-owned bridge located on Longs Gap Road. Built in 1878, it was 223 feet long.

Before the firemen arrived, the entire span was in flames, and the intense heat thwarted efforts to run a hose line through the bridge to attack the blaze from both ends, The Sentinel reported.

Instead they focused mostly on saving the east end of the bridge by spraying water from hoses positioned at road level and from the stream beneath the structure. The firemen stood in three feet of water to douse the smoldering timbers, The Sentinel reported.

Watts Bridge fire

Almost 18 years later, on April 2, 1970, a blaze destroyed the Watts covered bridge on McClures Gap Road. Here again, first-responders barely escaped death or serious injury.

Michael Stidle and Dale Goodling, both members of Union Fire Company, were on the bridge fighting the fire when the entire span collapsed into the Conodoguinet Creek. Both men were unhurt after racing 15 feet to safety, according to The Sentinel, which published a story later that evening.

The newspaper reported how this fire raged out-of-control despite a heavy rain that caused smoke to blanket the stream crossing. The alarm was first sounded at 5:35 a.m., and the North Middleton Fire Company was the first to respond. Union Rural and Empire Fire Company also sent personnel and soon there were 25 men fighting the fire.

The bridge was totally involved when volunteers arrived, said Stidle who was an assistant chief. The bridge was gone within 45 minutes and firefighters returned to station.

While the Watts bridge crossing had a history of destruction, the Alexander crossing had a history of indecision. Both spans were built at a time when there were dozens of covered bridges in Cumberland County.

The first Watts bridge was built of iron in 1868 at a cost of $4,893. This was destroyed by an ice flood on Feb. 10, 1881. The bridge was rebuilt with wood at a cost of $2,548, but this second span was washed away by a flood on May 30, 1889. The Watts bridge was then rebuilt a third time with wood before it was destroyed by the fire in 1970.

Rebuilding bridges

Historian J.D. Hemminger wrote a research paper on Cumberland County bridges, which he read before the Hamilton Library Association on Feb. 17, 1905. The association was the forerunner of the present-day Cumberland County Historical Society.

A state law passed in 1799 required residents to petition their county court to have a bridge built. A grand jury then reviewed each petition and, if it meets their approval, a court order was issued to the county commissioners to proceed with construction.

The law was amended in 1802 to require the appointment of six viewers to investigate and issue a report to the grand jury and commissioners on whether a bridge is necessary. Six viewers also inspect the bridge once it is constructed.

The Hemminger paper included a detailed history of the Alexander Bridge. The first petition on this was filed in March 1806. This was followed in 1813. Neither petition received favorable consideration.

Two more petitions were filed in 1831 and in 1832. The last effort proved successful and, on April 18, 1833, the commissioners hired Samuel Alexander to build a 180-ft. long wooden bridge which he completed the following August. He was paid $1300 by Cumberland County with the greater part of the costmet by subscription.

Forty-four years later, in 1878, the county condemned the old bridge and replaced it with the span that was destroyed in August 1952.

Fire and flood

Covered bridges were a popular subject among local historians whose research is stored in the historical society archives. An undated newspaper article attached to Hemmingers 1905 paper lists 37 covered bridges  nearly all of which were built before 1890. Twenty-four of the 37 spanned the Conodoguinet Creek while the remaining 13 crossed Yellow Breeches Creek.

The Hamilton Liberty Association sponsored an annual student essay contest in honor of Charles Lamberton from 1909 to the 1980s, said Cara Curtis, archives and library manager.

In 1925, local student Margaret Meals wrote a Lamberton prize-winning essay titled Our Covered Bridges. She mentioned how bridges were usually located at or near grist mills and often named after the mill owner. Sometimes the name changed as the mill changed hands.

We still have 25 of these bridges in use at the present time ... ranging in age from 42 to 111 years, Meals wrote. Our oldest covered bridge is the Houston Bridge, which was built by Jacob Bishop in 1824.

Ice floods in 1881 and 1884 damaged or destroyed many of the covered bridges in the county, Meals wrote. She added how high water in 1889  the year of the Johnstown Flood  took away both wooden and iron bridges.

Meals listed two covered bridges destroyed by fire  the Anderson Bridge near Lisburn and Liberty Forge Bridge. Both spanned Yellow Breeches Creek. The longest covered bridge in 1925 was Eysters Bridge which, at 408 feet, made it the second longest bridge in Pennsylvania, according to her.

Bridges

On Jan. 13, 1951, The Sentinel published the paper Covered Bridges of Cumberland County, which researcher Ray B. Lackey read before the Hamilton Library Association on Dec. 14, 1950.

All of us well remember with particular pleasure, our first impression of a covered bridge, Lackey wrote. The pointed roof, coolly dark on a bright, summer day and the echo from the muffled thud of your horses hoofs as we rode across the plank floor, all gripped our imagination.

Lackey counted 25 covered bridges in 1950  the same as Meals. The last ones were built in 1889 and were identified by him as Wagoners Bridge on Route 74 and the Watts Bridge.

Most covered bridges were built of white pine cut from forests located near the stream crossings, Lackey wrote. He added generally these structures were located on secondary or unimproved roads with no more than 20 vehicles traveling in each direction per day.

Fire and flood were not the only cause of damage to covered bridges. The public is often very careless with the use of firearms to shoot holes through the roofs, Lackey wrote. He mentioned how fishermen used to remove the weatherboarding to burn the wood in camp fires and how overloaded vehicles were also a problem to preservation.

In 1971, Timothy Healy wrote the Lamberton award-winning essay titled Landmarks of Yesterday: The Covered Bridges of Cumberland County in which he said only four of these spans remain.

Since 1792 the volume of covered bridges has declined at a rapid rate, Healy wrote. Either because of misuse causing irreparable wear or accidents such as fire, the number of covered bridges has decreased alarmingly.

There were only two left by 2013  the Ramp Bridge in Hopewell Township about two miles southeast of Newburg and the Bowmansdale Bridge, which was relocated to Messiah College and reconstructed from 1970 to 1972. .
AUO 6-inch all-screen panel

AUO's 6-inch full HD LTPS in-cell touch panel integrates the display driver IC and touch IC to simplify the overall module structure, according to the company. Moreover, a new circuit and display design have enabled the bottom module border to decrease by 40% in width, and the left and right module borders to be just 0.6mm wide, achieving ultra-slim border on all four sides. The 18:9 full screen aspect ratio produces more space to accommodate a virtual HOME button. Moreover, the in-cell touch technology allows for higher touch sensitivity and precision, and the smartphone could become slimmer and lighter. The panel possesses 1080 x 2160 high resolution and employs AHVA (advanced hyper-viewing angle) technology. The panel will be showcased at Touch Taiwan 2017 in Taipei September 20-22.
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Tense days for owners without legal status

Many are selling their businesses, transferring them to relatives or closing altogether to avoid a total loss if they are abruptly deported.



By GISELA SALOMON and CLAUDIA TORRENS

Associated Press

MIAMI  Maribel Resendiz and her husband came to the U.S. from Mexico, sold cool drinks to workers in the tomato fields of South Florida and eventually opened a bustling shop in a strip mall offering fruit smoothies and tacos. Now she is preparing for the possibility she'll have to leave it all behind. Resendiz, who is not a legal U.S. resident, recently turned over control of the business in Florida City to her daughter, a citizen. The once-proud shop owner is so afraid of deportation these days that on a recent morning she was keeping out of sight of customers while her husband was not there at all.



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Major companies such as Google, Facebook and PayPal are banishing extremist groups and individuals for violating service terms.



By BARBARA ORTUTAY

AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK  It took bloodshed in Charlottesville to get tech companies to do what civil rights groups have been calling for for years: take a firmer stand against accounts used to promote hate and violence.

In the wake of the deadly clash at a white-nationalist rally last weekend in Virginia, major companies such as Google, Facebook and PayPal are banishing a growing cadre of extremist groups and individuals for violating service terms.





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WANATCHEE (AP)  Experts say Washington apple farmers may be in for higher returns with large crop amounts expected and a decline in apple production in Europe, Mexico and Canada.

The Washington State Tree Fruit Association's Aug. 1 forecast estimates this year's crop will yield 130.9 million, 40-pound boxes.





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FREEBURN, Ky. (AP)  A Kentucky county has pledged to support a family's reunion with its ancestors after their graves were paved over with a road.

Pike County Road Commissioner Jacky Smith told WYMT-TV his department will do whatever it takes to help the Wolford family feel at peace. He learned through social media that Pounding Mill Road had paved over the Green Wolford Cemetery in Freeburn nearly 40 years ago.





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Parks Service ends plastic bottle ban

PHOENIX (AP)  The federal government says it's eliminating a policy that let national parks like the Grand Canyon ban the sale of bottled water.

The National Parks Service announced the change in a statement released Wednesday. The rules were put in place in 2011 in response to discarded water bottles becoming a big litter problem in national parks.

Officials say 23 of the 417 National Parks Service sites have implemented the 2011 policy. Those include some of the nation's most popular destinations like Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

Spokesman Jeremy Barnum says the Parks Service believes visitors can best choose the right beverages for themselves and their families when visiting national parks across the United States. Officials say parks will still promote recycling plastic water bottles, and many have worked with partners to provide free stations for filling bottles.









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SEATAC  A warehouse property at 1840 S. 144th St. has sold for $6 million, according to King County records.

The seller was Prologis USLF Operating Partnership LP. Prologis acquired the property through one of its AMB investments funds in 2002 for $2.9 million.





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A logistics center on the west end of Carlisle has its first tenant.

Goodman Group announced Thursday it has secured a seven-year lease with syncreon, a global third-party logistics company headquartered in Michigan, at the Goodman Logistics Center Carlisle on Allen Road. The company is scheduled to take occupancy of a 1,007,868-square-foot building, currently being constructed, in early 2018.

Terms of the lease were not disclosed.

The pre-lease of this modern logistics center to syncreon is an example of Goodman delivering its Northeast real estate strategy, providing high quality logistics facilities, close to consumers, said Anthony Rozic, CEO of Goodman North America in a press release.

Rozic said the location offers access to more than 40 percent of the population of the United States.

This facility is a critical part of syncreons growth plan in North America. We are very pleased with the speed, level of service and the quality of the build. Its important that we were able to customize key facility features to optimize our process flow. This facility will be a world-class operation for us and for our technology customers, said Michael Fahy, syncreons head of global accounts for technology.

The deal was negotiated by Lauren Scarpace and Michael Hess from CBRE and is the first lease at the logistics center.

A second logistics facility at the Goodman location is available for lease and provides an additional 938,236 square feet of space.

Goodman first expressed interest in the location in 2013 and spent the time since preparing for construction and getting land rezoned, which drew heavy backlash from residents as zoning issues were discussed for the four municipalities the facility touches  Borough of Carlisle, Dickinson Township, South Middleton Township and West Pennsboro Township.

A petition was filed in the Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas by 60 people from Dickinson Township, West Pennsboro Township and the Borough of Carlisle appealing Dickinson Townships decision to allow the land to be used for the logistics park.

The appeal was withdrawn in July 2015, according to court records.
Poland Spring Water is ''a colossal fraud perpetrated against American consumers'' by parent company Nestle, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday. A Connecticut law firm has filed the class-action lawsuit in federal court in Connecticut, claiming the company's source for its Maine bottled water is not a spring. The suit, filed on behalf of 11 consumers, seeks at least $5 million in damages. It alleges that the supposed ''100% natural spring water'' advertised on Poland Spring bottles is actually just common groundwater that doesn't meet the federal definitions. It also claims that the real Poland Spring ''ran dry nearly 50 years ago'' and that Nestle is ''feigning'' compliance with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) with ''phony, manmade 'springs'''. The rights to the Maine spring's water were bought up by Perrier in 1980, and transferred to Nestle when it bought out Perrier in 1992. But this whole time, the 325-page suit alleges, Nestle has actually been selling purified ordinary groundwater, not the spring water that ''signifies purity and high quality and commands a premium price''. Despite claims that it draws its water from 'eight natural springs' in the Maine area, the suit says, ''Poland Spring Water products all contain ordinary groundwater that Defendant collects from wells it drilled in saturated plains or valleys where the water table is within a few feet of the earth's surface. ''The vast bulk of that groundwater is collected from Maine's most populous counties in southwestern Maine, only a short distance from the New Hampshire border.'' This does not comply with FDA regulations that say the water must either come from a spring or be siphoned off from the well that supplies that spring, the suit says. It also claims that in order to fill up the ''nearly one billion gallons'' of water sold by the company, each of the eight springs would have to flow at 245 gallons per minute - something more akin to a geyser than a spring. However, it says, there is no evidence that eight such geyser-springs exist; nor evidence that six of the alleged eight springs ever existed. It also says that ''The 'spring' Defendant now claims exists in Poland Spring is at the bottom of a lake. It has never been proven to exist, and the evidence that Defendant itself filed with Maine regulators shows it does not exist. ''Because the Poland Spring is not a source of its products, Defendant's use of the "Poland Spring" brand name is unlawful.'' The suit says that the defendants in the class action suit have paid more than they would have otherwise due to the bottles' ''false and misleading labels''. It is demanding ''damages to refunds of the unjustified premiums they have paid or, alternatively, to minimum statutory penalties under state false advertising laws''. It also wants all Poland Spring bottles removed from shelves and re-labelled to not reference Poland Spring, '100% Natural Spring Water' or ''depicting misleading pristine mountain or forest spring scenes''. Nestle refuted the claims, releasing a statement that read, ''The claims made in the lawsuit are without merit and an obvious attempt to manipulate the legal system for personal gain. Poland Spring is 100 per cent spring water. ''It meets the US Food and Drug Administration regulations defining spring water, all state regulations governing spring classification for standards of identity, as well as all federal and state regulations governing spring water collection, good manufacturing practices, product quality and labeling. We remain highly confident in our legal position.'' The case is not a first: Nestle Waters, which owns Poland Spring, was sued 14 years ago on similar claims and another Nestle Water brand was sued in a similar case in Illinois in 2012. In 2003, the company was sued, also in Connecticut, because its advertising suggested that the water in Poland Spring came from a source deep in the woods of Maine when, in fact, the principal source was located near a parking lot. That suit was settled with Nestle Waters offering about $8 million in consumer discounts and more than $2 million in charitable donations. Nestle, headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, owns a number of regional bottled water brands. The water originally came from Poland Spring, but now the company draws its water from sources throughout the state, including in Hollis and Fryeburg. Nestle Waters settled a 2003 Connecticut lawsuit claiming Poland Spring's water was not sourced deep in the Maine woods. That suit claimed that hydrogeologists hired by Nestle had found an alternative source for the water that stood over a former trash dump and underneath an illegal disposal site where human sewage was sprayed, W&WD reported in 2003. Nestle did not admit fault, but agreed to pay $10 million in charity discounts and donations over the next five years. The latest lawsuit comes as the Stamford, Connecticut-based company embarks on an expansion in Maine amid rising demand for bottled water. Nestle is seeking state approval to source water from a public water district well in Lincoln.








After the United States of America, Japan has now come out in support of India on the ongoing border crisis between India and China at the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction on the Doklam or Doka La plateau, saying there should be no attempt to change the status quo on the ground by force. Responding to questions on the current border stand-off, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said on Thursday, "We understand that the standoff in the Doklam area has been ongoing for nearly two months. As it can affect the stability of the entire region, we have been watching the situation very closely/" Japan, who also is faced with maritime aggression by China, emphasised the need to respect agreements and not alter the status quo at will. "What is important in disputed areas is that all parties involved do not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner," he said. The Japanese envoy also said, "We realise that the area is disputed between China and Bhutan, both recognise the existence of a dispute and were engaged in border talks. We also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan, that's why Indian troops got involved in the area." His statements came even as Chinese diplomat Wang Wenli, Deputy Director General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs in China's foreign ministry, claimed that Bhutan had conveyed to Beijing "through diplomatic channels that the area of the standoff is not its territory". The Japanese statement is seen as an endorsement of the Indian position that China has violated agreements with India and Bhutan in attempting to build a road through Doklam plateau - a development that would be a serious disadvantage to India's military defences. Even as China has set a precondition of withdrawal of troops for any kind of dialogue, Japan seems to cautiously incline towards India. "As far as India's role is concerned, we understand that India is involved in this incident based on bilateral agreements with Bhutan. External Affairs Minister Swaraj has made it clear that India would continue to engage with dialogue through diplomatic channels to find a mutually acceptable solution. We consider this attitude towards peaceful resolution important,'' Hiramatsu said. The Japanese reaction follows two separate interventions by the US calling for direct dialogue between India and China to resolve the crisis while cautioning against unilateral changes on the ground. This, too, has been seen as supportive of India. The US has also indicated support for India by tagging the Hizbul Mujahideen and its leader, Syed Salahuddin, as sources of terror, a snub to Pakistan and its benefactor China. On Wednesday, the US had called India and China to resolve the stand-off through dialogue. US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said, "We are encouraging both parties to sit down and have a direct dialogue."








Wylee is a 6-year-old Australian Cattledog mix who was surrendered to the shelter because he didnt get along with children. This guys is a real sweetheart, and incredibly photogenic, but we definitely need a home for him with no children. If you have the right spot, please stop out to meet Wylee.
The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

-May Patton ,Tonragee , Ballyshannon



- Ernest Leeper, Drumboe Upper, Stranorlar



- Paul Galvin, Dungloe



- Teresa Browne, nee Hannon, Kildare/Mayo/Donegal



- Joseph (Joe) Hughes, Drumgowan, Donegal town



- Cyril OBoyle, Breenagh, Glenswilly



- Dympna Fox, Fanad, Meath and Drumcondra



- Eamon Doherty, Erne Dale Heights, Ballyshannon



May Patton,Tonagree , Ballyshannon, Donegal



The death has taken place of May Patton ,Tonragee , Ballyshannon, Donegal

Reposing at her late residence on Friday from 12 noon to 8 o'clock and on Saturday from 12 noon to 8 o'clock.

Funeral arriving to St. Patrick's Church, Ballyshannon, on Sunday for Mass of the Resurrection at 11 o'clock with interment in the Abbey Assaroe Cemetery.

Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if so desired, to the North West Hospice, The Mall, Sligo c/o Patrick McKenna Funeral Directors, Ballyshannon or any family member.

House private to family on the morning of the funeral, please.

A one way system will be in operation during the wake, entrance by Tonragee and Exit by Creevy.



Ernest Leeper, Drumboe Upper, Stranorlar



The death has taken place in the Donegal Hospice of Ernest Leeper, Drumboe Upper, Stranorlar.

Reposing at his residence. Funeral from there on Saturday, August 19th, at 2.30pm for Service in Stranorlar Parish Church at 3pm , with burial afterwards in the adjoining churchyard in the family plot.

Family time from 10pm to 11am .

Family flowers only please, donations, if desired, to Donegal Hospice care of Gibson Funeral Directors, Convoy or any family member.

Paul Galvin, Dungloe



The death has taken place of Paul Galvin, Dungloe.



Reposing at McGlynns Funeral Home from 3pm tomorrow, Friday, August 18th, with Rosary at 9pm .



Funeral Mass at 11am on Saturday, August 19th, in St. Cronas Church, Dungloe, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family home strictly private.



Teresa Browne, nee Hannon, Celbridge, Kildare/Claremorris, Mayo/Donegal

The death has taken place, peacefully, at the Mater Hospital, of Teresa Browne, nee Hannon, Celbridge, Kildare/Claremorris, Mayo.



Reposing at Cunningham's Funeral Home, Ardclough Road, Celbridge on Friday evening, August 18th, from 5pm to 8pm .



Removal to St. Patricks Church, Celbridge on Saturday afternoon, August 19th, arriving for Requiem Mass at 2:30pm , followed by burial in Donacomper Cemetery.



House private, please. Family flowers only, please. Donations, if desired, to The Irish Cancer Society.



Joseph (Joe) Hughes, Drumgowan, Donegal town



The death has taken place peacefully, at Letterkenny University Hospital, of Joseph (Joe) Hughes, Drumgowan, Donegal town.



His remains will repose at his home today, Thursday, August 17th, from 5pm .



Funeral leaving his home at 10.15am on Saturday, August 19th, for Requiem Mass at 11am in St. Patrick's Church, Donegal town, with interment afterwards in the Abbey cemetery .



Donations in lieu of flowers, if so desired, to the oncology unit, Letterkenny University Hospital, c/o any family member.



Family time from 11 pm to 12 noon and on the morning of the funeral.



Cyril OBoyle, Breenagh, Glenswilly



The death has taken place of Cyril OBoyle, Breenagh, Glenswilly.



Removal from Eternal Light Chapel of Rest took place yesterday, Wednesday evening, August 16th, to his late residence.



Funeral Mass at 12 noon tomorrow, Friday, 18th August, in St. Columba's Church, Glenswilly with burial afterwards in Killpheak Cemetery.



Family time please from 11pm to 11am .



Dympna Fox, Fanad, Meath and Drumcondra



The death has taken of Dympna Fox, Fanad; Athboy, Meath and Drumcondra, Dublin.



Remains reposing at Aras Ui Dhonaill Nursing Home, Milford, today, Thursday, from 6pm to 7pm .



Funeral Mass on Friday in St. James' Church, Athboy at 12 noon, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.



Eamon Doherty, Erne Dale Heights, Ballyshannon



The death has occurred of Eamon Doherty, Erne Dale Heights, Ballyshannon, retired staff member of McCafferty's Quarry, Ballyshannon.



Reposing at his late residence today, Thursday, from 11am to 9pm .



Mass of the Resurrection in St. Patrick's Church, Ballyshannon on Friday at 12 noon with interment in St. Joseph's Church, The Rock, Ballyshannon.



Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if so desired, to the NorthWest Hospice, The Mall, Sligo c/o Patrick McKenna Funeral Directors, Ballyshannon or any family member.



House private to family on the morning of the funeral please.



If you wish to have a death notice included here, email us at editorial@donegaldemocrat.com. Please include a telephone number for verification.
Murder suspect Jareece Edward Blackmon made his initial court appearance Friday at the Coffee County Courthouse in Enterprise.

Blackmon, 23, of Enterprise, has been charged with murder in the death of Carl Andre Sewell, 32, of Mobile. Sewell died Tuesday in Enterprise from multiple gunshot wounds.

Blackmon also has been charged with trafficking marijuana. His bond for each charge has been set at $100,000.

James Tarbox was appointed as Blackmon's attorney. No preliminary hearing has been set in the case. Blackmon has 30 days from his arrest date to request a preliminary hearing, which determines probable cause.

Blackmon was arrested Wednesday after authorities raided an apartment at the intersection of Alberta and Lee streets in Enterprise and apprehended him. About 20 pounds of marijuana were discovered in the apartment after the arrest was made.

Also Friday, Delicia Sweet, Blackmon's mother, had her initial appearance on a charge of drug trafficking and on a previous charge of failure to appear. Her bonds were set at $100,000 for the trafficking charge and $1,000 for the failure-to-appear charge. Sweet, 45, of Enterprise, was in the apartment at the time of the raid. Bill Moore was appointed as her attorney. No preliminary date was set for her.

Blackmon and Sweet appeared by video before Judge Chris Kaminski.
Ashford Mayor Jonathan Grecu is suing members of the Ashford City Council, alleging an ordinance they adopted in June usurps his authority as mayor to hire and fire and set salaries for certain city employees.

Grecu names council members Gary Gibson, Carole Barfield, and Denise Herndon, as well as the city of Ashford, in the lawsuit.

According to Grecus complaint, the council adopted ordinances that would make changes in the Ashford City Code to grant the city council the authority to determine other offices of the City and determine salaries.

The ordinances were adopted at a meeting when Grecu was out of the country. The language of the ordinances suggests the council wants the authority to appoint the citys police chief, fire chief, senior center director, and utilities superintendent.

According to Grecus complaint, the ordinances run counter to Alabama state law. Grecus suit cites Code of Alabama section 11-43-81, which provides mayors with the authority to appoint all offices whose appointment is not otherwise provided by law. The section also provides the mayor with the authority to remove those same employees.

Grecu seeks an injunction barring the council from implementing the ordinances.
On Aug. 28, 1917, some 3,677 Alabamians left Montgomery's Union Station to fight in World War I.

They were members of the 167th U.S. Infantry Regiment of the 42nd Rainbow Division. They fought alongside French soldiers in the Battle of Croix Rouge Farm and helped push back the advancing Germans.

On Aug. 28 of this year, exactly 100 years after the soldiers left Alabama, a Rainbow Soldier statue will be dedicated in Montgomery to honor the soldiers' service.

The event will take place at 5 p.m. at Montgomery's Union Station, 210 Water Street. The public is invited to attend.

Scores of Wiregrass soldiers were part of the 167th. A roster provided by the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce shows 44 men who listed Dothan as their hometown left the state with the 167th on Aug. 28, 2017. Sixty-two soldiers are listed from Ozark and many others from various Wiregrass communities.

A complete roster can be found here. More information can be found here.
Hyundai is committed to fuel cell technology

The brand has poured hundreds of million dollars into the tech since 2004, believing it is the most environmentally friendly form of road transport.

The upcoming SUV is the second commercially-available effort from Hyundai, which transformed the previous-generation ix35 crossover into a hydrogen-powered car available only in left-hand-drive markets.

The new model will be offered in right-hand-drive, with at least two dozen examples heading to Australia in 2018.

Fuel cell cars are essentially electric vehicles fuelled by hydrogen gas as opposed to electricity sources from the power grid.

Hydrogen gas stored under pressure in tanks mounted under the car flows to the fuel cell, a box filled with hundreds of sheet-like membranes that combine with oxygen sources from surrounding air to form water and electricity. Water leaves the car as waste, while the electricity goes to a battery that powers an electric motor used to drive the front wheels.

Some manufacturers have turned their backs on hydrogen power in recent years, but Hyundai executives present at the car's unveiling "strongly believe fuel cell is the ultimate green car."

We don't know the new car's name...

Hyundai has not revealed what it plans to call the new car. Known internally as the "FE", the vehicle sits on a new platform distinct from existing models.

As such, it won't be named after the Tucson or Santa Fe. Hyundai hydrogen development chief Dr Sae Hoon Kim also says the car will not be named after the new Ioniq electric vehicles range set to include hybrid and electric options both locally and abroad.

...But we do know it won't stand alone

Technicians for the program told Drive they went to considerable effort to make the new fuel cell system as compact as practically possible, opening the chances of it finding a home under the bonnet of smaller models such as the Sonata sedan or i30 hatch.

Executives in Seoul for the new model's launch hinted at plans to introduce a family of fuel cell vehicles in coming years including a large bus and two sizes of sedan.

Dr Kim told Drive the company is under pressure to produce fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles to replace light trucks and vans in urban markets where diesel power is on the way out.

Car companies rarely develop new platforms for use by a single vehicle.

Watch this space.

This is Hyundai's first semi-autonomous car

Hyundai's upcoming fuel cell-powered SUV will offer self-driving capabilities far exceeding anything the brand has offered in the past. Executives at a special preview for the upcoming machine in South Korea said the car will be able to drive itself on motorways, and that the brand will host an autonomous drive from Seoul to Pyeongchang to showcase its abilities in January 2018.

The brand put autonomous driving in the spotlight at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, taking people on an autonomous loop sanctioned by the state of Nevada.

We will get the full rundown at CES in 2018

Hyundai will officially reveal the new car at the massive tech expo, where we experience ect to learn full details surrounding its technical specifications, self-driving capabilities and more.

The expo's significance has grown in recent years, rivalling traditional fixtures such as the Detroit motor show as America's most important automotive showcase.

Hyundai conducted vital testing for the model in Australia

Engineers flew out with two pre-production prototypes as part of a test regime for the brand. Australian representatives escorted the crew to Cooma in the NSW Snowy Mountains for cold weather and high altitude testing intended to address any potential problems in the car's driveline, chassis and heating or cooling systems just a few weeks before it was revealed to the public.

It makes the world a better place...

The machine's fuel cell powertrain requires extremely thorough air filtration that includes a charcoal trap and humidifier. The result is that it scrubs the atmosphere of harmful particulates as you drive, improving ambient air quality.

While some cars are less harmful to the environment than others, few can claim to have a positive effect on their surroundings.

A dedicated ed display in the car's digital dash tells you how much air the car has cleaned on every drive, using graphics to show you how many people will breathe better air as a result of the car's operation.

...And looks after drivers, too

Hyundai says its new machine will be the first to offer a state-of-the art human machine interface capable of keeping tabs on the driver.

While we don't know too much about the system - it will be a focus of Hyundai's presence at CES - we do know that it will observe driver behaviour for signs of trouble, even checking the driver's heart rate to make sure all is well.

But it won't be cheap

The fuel cell SUV could be the most expensive car ever offered by Hyundai in Australia. The brand has not locked in local pricing for the car, which is expected to cost more than $70,000 - the superseded version would have been around $90,000 on local soil.

Buyers have a right to expect a well-finished cabin at that price, something Hyundai has delivered with a blend of premium materials, high-tech display screens and luxury features such as heated and cooled seats, a 360-degree camera and widescreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay connectivity.

There is a catch...

...And it's a big one. The appeal of fuel cell cars wanes when you consider that there are very few outlets capable of refuelling them.

Hyundai has a station in place for its sole ix35 Fuel Cell demonstrator in Sydney, and there are stations on the way for Canberra and Adelaide. But infrastructure is proving to be the main stalling point for the technology, which requires complex machinery capable of creating or compressing large amounts of hydrogen gas.

Though there are a few interested parties considering investing in hydrogen filling stations, there is no doubt that fuel cell-powered cars are unlikely to make a significant impact for some time yet.

For more information, visit our Hyundai showroom.
Australia will host a world-first trial for hydrogen-powered vehicles in 2018 following a CSIRO breakthrough for fuel cell technology.

The CSIRO will use a new membrane reactor to transform liquid ammonia into pure hydrogen to fuel green cars operated by Hyundai and Toyota.

The research body's expertise in affordably converting liquid ammonia to pure hydrogen could result in Australia becoming a major supplier of sustainable energy throughout the Asia-Pacific.

Dr David Harris, research director of low emissions technology at the CSIRO, said the process is "a missing link" in the drive for sustainable energy in Australia and abroad.

Through electrolysis, electricity sourced from sunlight can separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then be combined with nitrogen to form liquid ammonia.

"Hydrogen is a method of storing solar energy and the ammonia gives us a way to transport it," Dr Harris said.

"You have a mechanism to transport solar energy all over the world using existing infrastructure  ships, ports and railways."

Hyundai revealed a new type of hydrogen fuel cell-powered car in Seoul this week.

More than 20 examples of the yet-to-be-named Hyundai SUV will come to Australia in 2018, when it will become the nation's first commercially available fuel cell vehicle. The semi-autonomous machine has an electric motor and battery with a range of up to 800 kilometres, taking on hydrogen as its fuel source and emitting water as its only waste product.

Hyundai and Toyota already have hydrogen-powered vehicles for research and development in Australia, though neither can be purchased by regular motorists as refuelling infrastructure is extremely limited.

Dr Sae Hoon Kim, head of Hyundai's fuel cell research division, said the new car will meet motorists' requirements once refuelling infrastructure is widespread.

"Technically we are ready, now we only need political decisions or social decisions," Dr Kim said.

"The world is going for renewable [energy], and renewable is abundant, especially in Australia."

"If renewable becomes the main energy in Australia, the most probable way is in hydrogen form."

Renewable Hydrogen director Brett Cooper says the CSIRO's work with Hyundai and Toyota could represent a "significant breakthrough", particularly is Australia invests in sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar power.

"That will be the first time in the world that hydrogen that has come via the ammonia pathway into fuel cell vehicles," Mr Cooper said.

"We think that we can export hydrogen in the form of liquid ammonia.

"Our target markets are going to remorselessly be decarbonising their energy sources - we could be exporting fuel without any carbon in it."

Scott Nargar, Hyundai Australia manager of future mobility and government relations, says the combination of hydrogen and ammonia also has the potential to address "a big problem with fuel security in Australia".
Mini is unquestionably an icon of automotive design - and now it's a Masterpiece.

The BMW-owned British brand has announced two new limited edition models are coming to Australia - Masterpiece and Ice Blue.

Mini product specialist, Daniel Silverwood announced the pair of specials at this week's launch of the John Cooper Works Countryman SUV in Victoria this week.

The first to arrive will be the Masterpiece, which is based on the Clubman Cooper S and will be finished in White Silver metallic paint with a contrasting black roof, mirror caps and bonnet stripes plus 18-inch Masterpiece alloy wheels and LED driving lights.

Inside the Masterpiece picks up an upgraded infotainment system that adds Apple CarPlay and wireless smartphone charging as well as the new Mini Connected system as first seen on the Countryman range.

The Clubman Masterpiece limited edition will be restricted to just 30 units in Australia and is set to go on sale in October. It will cost $55,390 (plus on-road costs) but Mini claims almost $18,000 worth of extra equipment for the additional $11,400 over the regular model.

The Masterpiece will be followed by the Ice Blue edition hatch, based on the standard Cooper specification and available in both three- and five-door body styles with just 20 of each for Australia.

The name commemorates the reintroduction of Ice Blue paint from the previous generation Mini, with black accents for the roof, mirrors and bonnet stripes, 16-inch black alloy wheels, plus LED headlights and bumper-mounted fog lights and interior additions for an extra $5000.

Of the 420 Mini Seven limited editions that went on sale in May this year only a handful of units remain in dealer stock, with Mini Australia managing director Tony Sesto say we could have sold a lot more if we were able to get our hands on those.
Each year I look forward to the start of the U.S. Army War College academic year with the arrival of the new cohort of students. They bring diverse backgrounds, experiences, and talents.

Our students are eager (and somewhat anxious) to begin the year of professional military education as they transition to the next phase of their careers as senior leaders. The resident program brings about 300 American students from active, reserve, and civilian components and across U.S. armed services and government agencies to our community.

The group of 80 International Fellows from 77 countries  over half of whom are accompanied by family members  is an important component of the War College program. While some American students may live on Carlisle Barracks, the International Fellows are interspersed among the Greater Carlisle Community. We invite their families to experience the breadth and depth of our American society with its wide-ranging diversity.

Over the course of the War College year they will travel to Washington DC, New York City, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg. The International Fellows will learn about our system of federal and state government. They will visit historical sites in those cities and across the nation. On their own with family members, International Fellows will visit tourist landmarks like Niagara Falls, Disney World, our national and state parks, and other places they have heard of.

The more impactful experiences for the international families will be here in Carlisle. They will discover the uniqueness of our borough as the county seat and the home to two other educational institutions of higher learning  Dickinson College and Penn State Dickinson School of Law. They will meet and engage with neighbors who are civil servants, college professors and staff members, as well as owners and employees of local businesses.

Over the course of the year, international families will experience the hospitality and culture of our Carlisle Borough during events like the Welcome Jam, holiday parades and ceremonies on the town Square, car shows and the weekly farmers market.

They will also observe U.S. culture through international and national media. They will understandably stay in touch and monitor the events of their home countries and regions. They will also have the opportunity to watch our evening news broadcasts from Harrisburg, New York, and Washington. With those news reports, they will be able to compare the behavior of our citizens and leaders against the values espoused in our founding documents like the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

They may challenge the idea of American exceptionalism by pointing out examples of social and civic issues that other nations also contend with. These are important discussions to have with their War College colleagues and American neighbors.

While individual character is what one does when no one is looking, I submit that our national character is always on display and the world is watching. Perhaps the greatest value in having the International Fellows at the War College is not simply in forging relationships for existing alliances and future partnerships.

We should know how we see ourselves and how we see others. More importantly through them, we will come to know how others see us.
Sydney-based fintech startup Spriggy has closed a $2.5 million funding round, which it will invest in evolving its educational pocket money app and bank card and growing out its user base of more than 35,000 parents and children.

As part of the round, which was led by Alium Capital with additional funding from Perle Ventures plus several high-net investors, Spriggy also welcomed two new advisors  former ING DIRECT Australia CEO Vaughn Richtor and ex-Delivery Hero CTO Scott Fletcher.

Alexander Badran, who co-founded Spriggy with Mario Hasanakos in March 2015, spoke to Dynamic Business about the genesis of their startup, the significance of their latest capital raise and why competition from other pocket money services is good for the market.

DB: What is the elevator pitch for Spriggy?

Badran: Were an independent technology and education company helping parents teach their children about money in the digital age. As we transition to a cashless society, educating children about money has become increasingly complex. Spriggy aims to solve this problem via our prepaid card and mobile app, which allow children to grasp the concepts of earning, saving and responsible spending online.

Parents can sign their kids up for a Spriggy card online in a matter of minutes, draw funds from any Australian bank account to add to the card and set up automated pocket money payments. The app allows parents to manage multiple cards at once, view transactions in real-time, and lock and unlock cards instantly, at their discretion. Further, Kids can set their own savings goals and view their transactions on the app, setting up separate accounts for spending and saving. The Spriggy prepaid card can be used online or in-store, anywhere that accepts Visa.

DB: Can you give a sense of Spriggys success to date?

Badran: Since launching in November 2016, Spriggy has signed up more than 35,000 users with over 200 parents and kids joining us every day. We were also featured on the H2 Ventures/KPMG Fintech 100 Emerging Star list last year. Closing a $2.5 million funding round is, of course, one of our major successes and will enable us to continue evolving as a business and better serve our customers needs. This funding is on top of the $300,000 we raised back in 2015 to help us launch.

DB: What motivated you and Mario to launch Spriggy?

Badran: With backgrounds in education and finance, we realised that money was a serious cause of stress and anxiety for a lot of people  particularly parents. We also shared the view that financial institutions should do more to help their users live happier financial lives. We created Spriggy out of a desire to provide a simpler way for parents to give their kids pocket money, while better teaching them about the value of money in the digital age.

DB: Whats the story behind the companys name?

Badran: It combines the words spring (as in to leap forward) and piggy (as in piggy bank). During our early testing, we operated under the name Piggy but this was just a working title. We chose the name Spriggy because the core team and our earliest customers thought it was more memorable  it harks back to days when piggy banks were used, but it has a modern ring to it. It evokes feelings of fun, youthfulness, and an initial sense of responsibility.

DB: What makes your new investors ideal partners?

Badran: Were all excited by the opportunity to offer innovative products and create value for customers in a space thats remained relatively unchanged for many years. In addition to their capital, each of our investors offers a depth of expertise, which has already proven invaluable.

DB: What do your two new advisors bring to the table?

Badran: Deep knowledge of both the finance and tech industries. Vaughn launched ING in Australia, which is now one of the most recognisable challenger brands in financial services. He is THE expert when it comes to challenging the way people think about banking and delivering simple and straightforward products supported by an exceptional customer experience. Meanwhile, Scotts experience leading billion-dollar tech businesses will play an instrumental role in how we approach growth and meet the challenges that lie ahead.

DB: What has been a key growth challenge for Spriggy?

Badran: One challenge we faced was not being able to meet some of our users needs when we were starting out, simply due to resources and the rate we were growing at. In recent months, weve doubled the size of our team to include more marketing leads and developers. This means were able to add new features at a quicker rate than previously possible, expanding our product even more to meet the needs of mums and dads country-wide. With this latest capital injection, our plan is to continue growing the team, building a delightful product, and increasing our brand awareness.

DB: Are other players in the pocket money space a concern?

Badran: We strongly believe that competition is good for the market and support any business, such as Pennybox, which strives to educate Aussie kids about money in the digital age. Teaching kids about money is no longer as simple buying a piggy bank and giving a weekly coin allowance. We want to inspire change, and as an education company first and foremost, see any movement that does this in a responsible and family-first way as a benefit to the community. The easier we can make the transition to cashless saving for Aussie families, the better. Were currently the only brand, however, to offer Australian families a pre-paid Visa card for kids as young as eight and firmly believe that real-world practice is vital when it comes to reaching youngsters about money.

DB: Looking ahead, what do you have planned for Spriggy?

Badran: We are constantly looking at ways to evolve the product based on what our customer need, and will be focused on building out Spriggys functionality over the next 12 months to help more Aussie mums and dads teach their kids about spending and saving in a digital world. Our latest funding round funding round is critical in this regard as it will enable us to grow our user base and improve the financial lives of more Australians.

See also: Fintech startup Pennybox is on a mission to turn kids into smart savers, savvy investors
Global startup accelerator, Startupbootcamp has partnered with EnergyAustralia for a Melbourne-based accelerator program aimed at scaling smart energy ventures.

The Startupbootcamp EnergyAustralia accelerator is backed by Spotless Group, Amazon Web Services, DiUS, KHQ Lawyers, Cisco and LaunchVic, and will run for three months from January 2018, with places available for ten startups. Applications are open from now until Friday, 27 October to startups, world-wide, with solutions that generate energy efficiencies and promote energy independence, including innovations driven by big data, blockchain and AI.

Startupbootcamp co-founder Ruud Hendriks and the programs managing director, Trevor Townsend  a startup director, founder and investor from Melbourne  spoke to Dynamic Business about the forthcoming accelerator.

DB: How will the program benefit startups and the local energy sector?

Hendrick: In terms of Australias energy needs, the accelerator will help commercialise technologies that will provide a cleaner and more cost effective energy future. Meanwhile, startup founders will receive an unprecedented level of support to scale their business, through connection with corporate customers, investors and industry expert mentors.

Townsend: Startups need customers and investment  we help them to access both. But more importantly, they need to ensure that they have achieved product market fit before they attempt to scale. Product/market fit means being in a good market with a product that can satisfy that market. Our program is about helping startups achieve product market fit within 3 months  rather than the 12 to 18 months it normally takes.

DB: What criteria must startups meet to be accepted into the accelerator?

Townsend: For us, it is all about the team. We are looking for founders that are full of entrepreneurial spirit, who are driven and tenacious, and able to navigate the difficult startup journey. We are visiting 30 cities globally to find the best startups to bring to Melbourne and typically 70% of the startups that join our program are from offshore. We expect to see strong interest throughout Asia and India for our program in Melbourne.

DB: To what extent is Australias energy sector ripe for disruption?

Trevor Townsend: The Australian energy sector has already entered a period of disruption and change through reduction in demand via more energy efficient devices, through the rapid spread of solar PV and renewables in the grid, and the recent emergence of economically viable battery storage technologies. This is changing the nature of the energy market and is having an effect on stability (e.g. Adelaide blackouts) and prices. The energy sector will evolve from a hierarchical network to a distributed system where many non-traditional businesses will participate and small businesses will be able to manage their power usage and costs much more closely in a market that is highly competitive.

See also: Energy startups have to be very smart in how they challenge the big retailers: Evergens CEO
Does your website generate sales? I mean  lots of sales? According to EY, in 2017 94% of consumers research products and services online. So with that in mind, if you are like most businesses, you really should be getting more sales. And if your website is not converting into sales, even if it looks pretty, then frankly it is pointless.

Two of the biggest website sales thieves are: prioritising creativity over reason, and making yourself the audience.

We have become so wrapped up in trying to be the Steven Spielberg of websites that we are putting creativity in front of reason. Creativity is finethis is not about bashing it, but it must have reason. Must should be bolded, underlined, italicised and in a different colour for emphasis!

The other major danger is that we are marketing to ourselves. This is a particular sin of business owners who are in love with their products or services so much that they think everyone will see it with the rose tinted glasses that they do. So they create marketing campaigns that only they will like and then scratch their heads wondering why no sales have come through.

Your core audience may not have the same thoughts and likes that you do, so for the love of all things good and proper, please do not simply create an amazing looking, colourful and flashy website because you think it is amazing and you think you are the audience.

Market specifically to your core audience and your sales will see an upturn, thats a guarantee. We have seen a minimum 30 percent conversion on websites that we have created, because they were designed for the ideal customer. Here are five ideas to consider off the bat.

Colour

When it comes to choosing the colours for your website, dont simply pick colours because they look good to you or because they are the same colours as your logo. Consider aesthetics, but more importantly, consider your audience and what colours may have an impact on them psychologically. Choosing the perfect colour is important as research shows us that people judge a product or service in just 90 seconds. In that small time frame, between 62 and 90 percent of that assessment is based on colour alone.

Attention

90 seconds to judge a product or service. That 90 seconds is vital. Its almost impossible to get someone to purchase in 90 seconds. So your goal is not to make the sale in 90 seconds, but to extend that attention span. What are you doing on the website that is helping extend that time frame? Look at the homepage as a door, the equivalent of what a facade is to a brick-and-mortar store. You want to make people open that door and come in. A homepage has regions of interest where consumers eyes automatically fall. Use these to your advantage and fill those regions with calls-to-action or interesting information.

Ease of use

We all know Apple for its iPhones, Macs and iPads which virtually sell themselves. But a large part of the success was attributed to the website design and how easy it made the path to purchase. How easy is it for visitors to act on your website? Everything on your website should be driving your visitors to do whatever it is you want them to do. If you want a certain behaviour from your audience, you need to tell them in the form of a clear call to action (CTA). For example, shop now, or click here. Without a clear CTA youre just hoping that your audience will put the effort in to figure things out. Which, in most cases, they wont. If you want your website to convert, you need your CTA to be front and centre, loud and clear.

Promotion

One massive reason why your website is not producing sales lies not with your website, but with your marketing plan. How are you attracting people to the website? There are a number of options you have to attract customers. The number one law of marketing is go where the eyeballs are. For example, Australians spend 40 more hours a week on social media than watching TV. Do your research, spend money on promotion on the right channels, trial and test to figure out what works for your business, and make sure that promotion has the right incentives to get consumers to ignore what they were doing and click through to your website.

Data

There is one thing that underpins these tips and almost every other tip around supercharging your website sales. And that is the ability to collect, read and act on data. Even small businesses should be gathering reams of useful information which will give key insights into what your customers want. Use that data to shape everything you do with your website. If you dont know how to read, collect or act on data, bring in an expert. This is not an area you want to skimp on.

This all sounds basic enough, but poor website sales are one of the most common reasons clients come to us. And when done well it will literally transform your business.

About the author
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un appears to have blinked and President Trump can claim a foreign policy victory and justification for his strategy.

Reminiscent of President Ronald Reagans peace through strength approach to deterring adversaries, President Trump stood up to the blustering despot and forced him to back down from his threat to launch missiles at Guam.

China, North Koreas biggest ally, no doubt played a role in getting Kim to change his mind, but primary credit should go to the president.

What a far cry from the policies of the last several administrations. They favored diplomacy over confrontation, allowing North Korea to proceed with its clandestine nuclear program in exchange for empty promises. Former President Jimmy Carter, former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright were among those who visited North Korea on various diplomatic missions. Albright engaged in a champagne toast with Kims father, Kim Jong-il, after claiming success in getting the country to curtail its missile program. We have seen the failure of that approach and are witnessing the success of its opposite.

Though Kim seems to have backed down from launching missiles at Guam and touting his capability to strike targets on the U.S. mainland, He has retained his overheated rhetoric. In a case of the pot calling the kettle black, Kim warned the U.S., as reported by The Wall Street Journal, to take into full account whether the current standoff was to its benefit. He added it was incumbent on the U.S. to stop at once arrogant provocations against the DPRK (North Korea) and unilateral demands and not provoke it any longer.

Who provoked whom?

Kim added, If the Yankees persist in their extremely dangerous reckless actions on the Korean Peninsula and in its vicinity, testing the self-restraint of the DPRK, the [North] will make an important decision as it already declared, meaning he might still order a strike against Guam, or put some missiles offshore to test American resolve.

American resolve has been tested and has prevailed, at least for now. Kim has lost face. His military leaders and others will take notice, as will the rest of the world. The significance of the unanimous UN resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea, which included the support of China, could not have been lost on Kim.

New presidents almost always face a foreign policy test. Some pass, some fail. John F. Kennedy was judged weak by Soviet dictator Nikita Khrushchev, which many believe precipitated the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Iran believed press reports that Ronald Reagan was a cowboy and dangerous, so they released American hostages on the day of his inauguration in 1981.

There is a time for diplomacy and a time for displaying strength. President Obama sent a signal to the world by setting a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan before victory over the Taliban could be achieved. He apologized to the world for what he saw as Americas arrogance. Our enemies took notice and viewed his statements as an invitation to adventurism.

President Trump and his defense secretary, Gen. James Mad Dog Mattis, took another approach, returning Kims rhetorical fire with rhetorical fire of their own. It worked, at least temporarily. Where to go from here remains an open question, but the goal remains the same. North Korea (and Iran) must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons capable of reaching the United States or threatening Americas allies, including South Korea and Japan.

President Trump deserves credit for standing up for the country and confronting one of the worlds most unpredictable dictators. He probably wont get any credit from the media, most Democrats, or the foreign policy establishment, but our adversaries are bound to take notice and perhaps adjust their view of the president in ways that benefit America.

Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
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In the diverse world of today not everyone shares the same passions, work schedule, or even business mission. The Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce Business and Community Luncheon focused on a different type of business during Thursdays event ... a sort of 'monkey' business.

The featured speaker was Nancy Barton, a member of The Simian Society of America, Inc. Barton brought along Sidney, a 17-year-old Black Capped Capuchin.

According to the website, www.simiansociety.org, the society is a s a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1957 to improve the welfare of primates in captivity. Composed primarily of private caretakers, membership also includes veterinarians, primatologists and zoological officials.

Chamber Director of Operations Laura Raymer introduced Barton, saying her love of animals began as a girl growing up on her parents farm.

Barton has been a member of the Farmington Regional Chamber since 2015, so Raymer thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce chamber investors in attendance to the organization and the work of Barton.

She said the society runs completely on donations and fundraising activities. The society was started by a private owner of primates to help those who own a primate to learn more about their care.

We also help out in relocating primates that come from abuse situations or helping people who can no longer care for their primates, she said.

Barton said Sidney has been in her care since April  when the previous owner  a friend of Bartons - was unable to care for Sidney due to declining health.

Im local to her, so she still comes and visits Sidney, she said.

The society takes care in placing primates in homes where the individuals have experience with certain breeds. All are spayed or neutered before being placed in homes.

We try not to put them in a sanctuary because most of the monkeys that need help placingtheyre too imprinted on humans, she said. They would not do well with wild monkeys in the sanctuaries.

The lifespan of these animals can go up to 30 years in captivity - double of the lifespan for those in the wild.

Sidney spent most of the time across the back of Bartons shoulders as she spoke.

I have other monkeys at home that have indoor/outdoor enclosuresSidney said thats not her thing. She lives in the house with me 24/7, Barton said. Other monkeys in the home include Ella, Sadie, Ringo and Cooper.

Barton said anyone interested in owning a monkey should contact the Simian Society and read up on the organization as much as possible. The closest local chapter is in Festus.

The enclosure at Bartons home is 30 feet wide and 20 feet long  with plenty of climbing areas for the primates.

The monkeys need that, she said, noting she goes above what is required for ownership.

Legal requirements vary throughout the state for ownership, Barton said.

Some states ban ownership altogether - one of the jobs of the society to help owners in those states find new homes for the primates.

In St. Louis, owning a primate is outlawed. Barton is required to take a special permit from the health department and animal with her when visiting the veterinary in the city.

Overall in Missouri, she said, the primate has to be registered with the local sheriffs department.

Barton said she is concerned with how the animals will react during the eclipse on Monday. She said she plans to keep them locked in the house.

Barton still lives on a farm with other animals. But, there is no denying when it comes to her favorite.

I would take a monkey over a dog, she said. The thing I was most amazed is that they are so much like humans. They bond with you like a baby.
Country

Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Jamaica Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Mexico, United Mexican States Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
But you knew that

Like voter ID laws, the preservation of Confederate statues polls quite well. This could be an odd correlation, but I think you get what both of these wedge issues are about preserving.

Trump has a preternatural sense of stoking and capitalizing upon white grievance. Its a pattern that he developed well before he met Steve Bannon. And it will be the one great consistency in his life, regardless of what happens to Bannon.

Trump seems to have used white racial anxiety in his youth to increase rents on his familys properties. Its how he became the worlds most famous birther and a hero to the right. Its how he became president, with some help with the too human failings and nefarious forces that collected to oppose Hillary Clinton.

Obviously, Trump doesnt give a shit about the history of the Civil War, or history in general.

You dont fake a Civil War monument or crush actual historic art to save a couple weeks of construction time on Trump Tower if you care about our shared heritage.

Trump doesnt care about the truth. He understands the power of a lie and knows that he has never been hurt by lying. Its when he tells the truth  as in how he feels about Judge Curiel, the Khan family or very fine white supremacists  that the public gets the sense of what hes all about.

Hes all about preserving power, mostly his power and the power of people with his name and, sometimes, of people who look like him. Thats why culture is central to his strategy.

His race-baiting is so repulsive to those on the left that we assume that its not only unhelpful but will sow the seeds of his demise. In reality, its the core of his appeal and the reason he appeals to voters who wouldnt normally consider voting Republican.

The Democrats, the longer they talk about identity politics, I got em. I want them to talk about racism every day, Steve Bannon told the American Prospect. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.

I dont know if this is true. I know that it worked in Michigan last year, with a big help from the Clinton campaign not waging the sort of persuasion campaign the Obama and Kerry campaigns did. Does it work without many on the left voting third party or James Comey and the Republican Party affirming Vladimir Putins active measures?

It could!

Trump is a master of identity politics, white identity politics.

And as CNNs Nia-Malika Henderson explains, Democrats have not yet figured out if they have an answer for working-class white voters who feel usurped by sudden and long-term demographic changes. In fact, many on the left oppose even having one, noting that the partys coalition of minorities, women and college-educated whites is larger than the rights and growing every day, even if it isnt geographically located in a way to deliver legislative majorities.

Non-voters, as Demos Sean McElwee points out, are the most important target for Democrats. Automatic registration and mail-in ballots matter most in the long term and registering and making sure people can and do vote matters most in the short term.

But I think Trump offers an opportunity to expose racism as a strategy and a scam to divide us and empower plutocrats who exploit us all. Well never be able to truly combat climate change, wealth inequality or poverty or avoid disasters like the Great Recession if we do not subvert this extraordinarily effective gambit and win everywhere. So even if we arent going after Trump voters, we need to be winning over their kids.

How do we do this?

David Atkins has been pointing out how Elizabeth Warrens recent Netroots Nation speech as a model for pointing out how the system is rigged, in its own way, against everyone whose not a rich cishet white dude.

Watch it for yourself:

Heres the key passage:

We need to see each others fights as our own. And I believe we can. In the wake of the last election, Ive heard people say we need to decide whether were the party of the white working class or the party of Black Lives Matter. I say we can care about a dad whos worried that his kid will have to move away from their factory town to find good work  and we can care about a mom whos worried that her kid will get shot during a traffic stop. The way I see it, those two parents have something deep down in commonthe system is rigged against both of themand against their kids. Over the last generation, the most powerful people in this country have gotten way more powerful. Corporate profits and CEO pay are near record highs. But workers wages havent budged, and, one after another, workers rights are getting wiped away. Unions are under attack. Millions of people are struggling to piece together two, three, or four jobs just to pay the rent. The balance of power is shifting in other parts of our economy, too. In industry after industry  airlines, banking, health care, agriculture, tech  a handful of corporate giants control more and more and more. The big guys are locking out smaller, newer competitors. They are crushing innovation. Even if you dont see the gears turning, this massive consolidation means prices go up and quality goes down for everything from air travel to broadband service. Rural America is left behind, dismissed by corporate giants as fly-over country. This concentration of power strikes at the heart of our democracy. Our government is supposed to be the one place where everybody gets the same fair shot, no matter how powerful or powerless they might be. But thanks to the revolving door between Capitol Hill, K Street and Wall Street, powerful people have more and more influence in Congress. Thanks to Citizens United, corporate money slithers through Washington like a snake. Washington works great for the rich and powerful, but for everyone else, not so much. Yes, the system is rigged  and if you dont feel like anyone in politics is doing anything to un-rig it, well, thats how a lot of folks who should have been with us last November wound up voting for Donald Trump. For many Americans, it isnt news that the balance of power in our country has seriously tilted away from them. African Americans. LGBTQ Americans. Immigrants. Muslims. Women. Poor people. No, I have not personally experienced the fear, the oppression, and the pain that many of my fellow Americans endure every day. But I do know this: For a lot of our fellow citizens, the system is rigged now and it has been rigged for a long, long time. Dont take my word for it. Just look around.

Trump looks to statues of racist traitors and sees their fight as his own. We just need to figure out a way to do that with everyone else.

[Photo by the great Anne Savage.]
ECSU Legacy Alisa McLean Named Granville County Schools Superintendent

For nearly all of Dr. Alisa McLeans life, Elizabeth City State University has played a major role not only in shaping the person she is today, but also shaping her day-to-day activities. Since she was 4-years old, Dr. McLean has been a Viking.

I grew up in Elizabeth City, just a few blocks from ECSU, says McLean, who was named the Granville County School District superintendent in July. I went to nursery school at ECSU. It used to be in the old ROTC building.

McLean would also attend ECSU, along with her three siblings. All of that, she says, is due in large part to a legacy that began when her grandmother attended ECSU, then her mother and father. And her father, Dr. A.C. Robinson Jr., was the longtime ECSU Vice Chancellor of Business and Finance.

Her life as a Viking, you might say, was a forgone conclusion. Its a life, she says, that has been fulfilling, ripe with meaning, and something that is close to her heart.

For a large part of my life, whether I was playing as a little girl, or listening to the band rehearse, it was for me, when I grow up one day, saying that Im going to go there (ECSU) and when I leave I am going to be successful because they will prepare me, said Dr. McLean.

Dr. McLean knew what she was preparing for: life as an educator. Her father was an educator, and her mother, too. Her mother, Jocelyn Robinson, was a longtime teacher at Northeastern High School in Elizabeth City.

I had wanted to teach English, but I received my masters in school administration and fell in love with that, said Dr. McLean.

Alisa McLean would go on to become the youngest principal in the state, working in the Orange County School District. She was in charge of building Orange Countys newest high school, Cedar Ridge, from the ground up.

Dr. McLean would go on to earn her doctorate in education leadership and administration from UNC Chapel Hill. That led to her role as assistant superintendent in the Burlington-Alamance School District.

She worked for the state Department of Public Instruction for a time in the transformation division, helping schools across the state improve their quality. After that, Dr. McLean became an area superintendent in the Durham Public School system. The system has more than 54 schools, and McLean would be in charge of 18, including all of the area high schools.

Now, since July 19, Dr. McLean is the top officer at the Granville School District, based in Oxford, North Carolina. And while Oxford is in the center part of the state, just north of Raleigh, Dr. McLeans heart, and family, still reside in Elizabeth City.

Its rare that the Viking born and raised educator isnt seen on campus during homecoming. And certainly with her parents still living near the ECSU campus, Dr. McLean and her husband Frankie, an attorney, and their daughter Imari, can be seen around her hometown throughout the year.

I still have an affinity for that place called Vikingland, she said.

Dr. McLean graduated in 1991, when Chancellor Jimmy Jenkins was the chief officer of ECSU. She says she has a lot of fond memories, and a great deal of gratitude for the institution that not only raised her and her family, but also educated them. And going forward, Dr. McLean says she is hopeful that ECSU will continue to do what it has always done, afford young men and women a chance at an education.

I cannot say enough of how proud I am of the institution and the people who have worked to transform it to what it is today, she said. It has been the reason that so many young people have been able to have productive lives.
(Photo:  Peter Kenny)La Rambla sign in Barcelona on 9 November 2016.

Pope Francis and the World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit have strongly condemned the Aug. 17 terrorist attack on Barcelona, in which at least 13 people died and more than a hundred were injured.

The carnage took place on the famed La Ramblas boulevard in the Catalan capital when a white van sped onto the historic promenade, on which tourists thronged, mowing down horror-stricken people.

The Pope expressed his "deepest sympathy" for the victims of the terrorist attack on Barcelona with a telegram to the city's Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Juan Jose Omella.

The telegram was signed by Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin and in it Francis condemned the "blind violence" manifested in the attack, saying it is "a grave offense to the Creator."

He prayed for those who "lost their lives to such an inhuman act".

"In these moments of sorrow and pain," the Pope "wishes also to offer his support and closeness to the many injured, to their families, and to all Catalan and Spanish society," it read.

Tveit called for an end to attacks on innocent people and a unified voice of justice and peace across the world.

"We must stand together in the face of terror attacks that we can't understand or predict," the WCC leader said. "We know we live in a dangerous time. What we can be sure of, is that the God of life wants us all to enjoy the fullness of life equally."

Tveit expressed condolences to those who lost loved ones, those struggling with injuries, and responders who are still treating people at the traumatic scene.

On the Twitter social media tool, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said: "Full of sorrow for those affected by the attack in Barcelona, Christ give eternal light and peace and hope to the bereaved and injured."

The driver of the van that ploughed into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people, was one of five men shot dead by police in a Catalan seaside resort hours later, two Spanish newspapers reported on Aug. 18, but there was no immediate confirmation of the reports, Reuters news agency reported
Biographical Information: Devos was born Jan. 8, 1958, in Grand Rapids, Mich. She graduated from Holland Christian High School in Holland, Mich., and received her bachelors degree from Calvin College in Grand Rapids. Before becoming secretary, DeVos was a Michigan philanthropist focusing on school choice and a GOP political donor. She successfully pushed for the passage of the Wolverine States charter school law in 1993 and has voiced her commitment to improving U.S. education through increased school choice. DeVos faced stiff opposition after her nomination by President Donald Trump and was confirmed by a 51-50 vote in the U.S. Senate on Feb. 7, 2017, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie. Early on in her tenure, DeVos moved to rescind or revise guidance issued under President Barack Obamas administration in areas including transgender students, discipline policies and their effect on students of color, and Title IX as it affects sexual assault and harassment. In the aftermath of the fatal school shootings in Parkland, Fla., in 2018, DeVos chaired the Federal School Safety Commission tasked with coming up with recommendations on how to protect students and staff from mass shootings and other violence. In the policy arena, she made school choice her signature K-12 priority, including support for a proposed $5 billion in federal tax credits to fund private school scholarships.

Served Under: President Donald J. Trump

Dates of Tenure: 2017-2021

Fun Fact: DeVos mother was a public school teacher for a few years.

Major Initiatives and Highlights of Tenure:

 DeVos has continued to push her agenda for school choice during her tenure as secretary.

 Early on in her term, DeVos got pushback for her teams approach to implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act , which some critics saw as meddling in states newfound autonomy under ESSA.

 In response to pair of executive orders from President Donald Trump, the Education Department under DeVos began taking aim at red-tape and regulations.

Archives of Note:

Who is Betsy DeVos? (Facebook Live)

Politics reporter Andrew Ujifusa and editor Mark Bomster produced this Facebook Live video hours after the announcement. They talk about her record on education and what to expect from her as the nations top education official. (Nov. 23, 2016)

Senate Confirms Betsy DeVos as Ed. Secretary, Amid Unprecedented Pushback

Billionaire school choice advocate Betsy DeVos squeaked across the finish line to win Senate confirmation as President Donald Trumps secretary of education, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie. (Feb. 7, 2017)

Reactions to Betsy DeVos Confirmation as Ed. Secretary Range From Joy to Anger

School choice supporters are really happy. Civil rights organizations and teachers unions not so much. Check out what organizations across the political spectrum said after DeVos confirmation. (Feb. 7, 2017)

Trump Administration Rescinds Transgender Guidance

The U.S. departments of Justice and Education rescinded Obama-era guidance on the rights of transgender students, lifting requirements that schools allow students to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. (Feb. 22, 2017)

Betsy DeVos to School Leaders: I Support Great Public Schools (Video)

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos addressed urban school leaders at the Council of the Great City Schools annual legislative and policy conference in Washington. (Mar. 12, 2017)

Trump Ed. Dept. Has Yet to Hit the Accelerator

Nearly two months into the new administration and with ESSA deadlines looming, the agency has yet to fill key positions and faces steep cuts in its proposed budget. (Mar. 17, 2017)

DeVos Challenge: Tuning Her Message as New Education Secretary

After a rough start on the communications front, Betsy DeVos faces a steep climb to get her points across to the public while settling into her policy role. (Mar. 21, 2017)

Rifts Remain as Betsy DeVos, Randi Weingarten Tour Ohio District

The education secretary and the American Federation of Teachers president agree the Van Wert district is great, but dont see eye-to-eye on vouchers, the budget, and more. (Apr. 20, 2017)

Q&A: One-on-One with U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is not giving up on a school choice initiative, she said in a wide-ranging Education Week interview. (Sept 17, 2017)

Betsy DeVos: A One-Year Progress Report

The U.S. secretary of education faced a steep learning curve when she took office last year. See how her tenure is shaping up in key issue areas. (Feb. 8, 2018)

Betsy DeVos Still Challenged in Delivering Policy Message

The past two weeks show the education secretary is still a prime target of vitriol from her critics and sometimes her own worst enemy in making her case in the public arena. (Mar. 20, 2018)

Betsy DeVos an Attractive Boogeyman for Political Campaigns

Candidates seek to use the education secretary and the Trump administrations education policies as ammunition against challengers in this years midterm elections. (Sept. 27, 2018)

DeVos Rewrites Title IX Guidance on Sexual Assault and Harassment

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos office for civil rights is reversing itself on several key changes to how it investigates civil rights claims that had infuriated the civil rights community. (Nov. 27, 2018)

Betsy DeVos Revokes Obama Discipline Guidance Designed to Protect Students of Color

The 2014 guidance aimed at addressing disparities in school discipline involving black and Latino students had been in the Trump administrations cross hairs for some time. (Dec. 21, 2018)

The Federal School Safety Commission in Six Key Takeaways

States and school districts would bear the weight of implementing most of the recommendations on how to safeguard students and school staff from mass shootings and other violence. (Jan. 15, 2019)

DeVos Pushes Federal Tax Credit to Boost School Choice

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is throwing her weight behind new legislation to establish a new federal tax credit to expand choice, a senior department official said. (Mar. 5, 2019)

DeVos Mends Fences With State Chiefs, Faces Critics in Congress

After weathering a political storm over the Trump administrations proposed budget at the end of March, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos continued her run of public appearances into April, and got widely varied reactions from state education leaders and from lawmakers on Capitol Hill. (Apr. 16, 2019)

Betsy DeVos Tests a Rhetorical Twist on School Choice

The education secretary has been pushing the theme of educational freedom, a rebranding that suggests options like mixing and matching components to build an educational experience from scratch. (Oct. 1, 2019)

Pandemic a High-Stakes Test for Betsy DeVos Leadership

The coronavirus-driven disruption of the nations schools demands both practical and symbolic responses from an education secretary who has endured intense scrutiny and controversy from her first days in office. (Apr. 21, 2020)

How Betsy DeVos Bent the Nations Education Debate in Four Tense Years

President Donald Trumps education secretary decried big government in schools, but wound up keeping her agency at center stage. (Dec. 14, 2020)

Betsy DeVos Resigns a Day After Pro-Trump Mob Storms U.S. Capitol

One of the presidents longest-serving cabinet members, DeVos had previously denounced the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington. (Jan. 7, 2021)

Commentary by Betsy DeVos

Tolerating Low Expectations for Children With Disabilities Must End

When it comes to educating students with special needs, the minimum is not an option, writes U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. (Dec. 8, 2017)

Betsy DeVos: How We Can Catch Up to Other Countries in Education

Following a trip to Europe, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos reflects on how we should restructure education at home. (June 28, 2018)
Biographical Information: Spellings was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Nov. 30, 1957, and then moved to Houston, Texas, with her family when she was in elementary school. She graduated from the University of Houston with a bachelors degree in political science. Spellings launched her political career in Texas, working as a lobbyist for the Texas Association of School Boards, and then as a senior adviser to Gov. George W. Bush. Prior to serving as the education secretary after Bush was elected to his second term as president, she was his White House adviser on domestic policy. After the end of the Bush administration, Spellings founded a consulting firm and served as the president of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. She became the president of the University of North Carolina in 2016.

Served Under: President George W. Bush

Dates of Tenure: 2005-2009

Fun Fact: Spellings was the first mother with school-age children to serve as the secretary of education.

Achievements in Office:



Spellings fought to protect and continue implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. She helped make the law more flexible by allowing states to participate in pilot programs, including one that allowed them to use student progress  instead of straight-up achievement  in rating schools.

She created the Commission on the Future of Higher Education, which was charged with creating a national strategy for postsecondary education.

Archives of Note:

President Picks a Trusted Aide for Secretary

President Bushs decision to nominate Margaret Spellings, his chief domestic-policy adviser, as the new U.S. secretary of education signals a steady course on education policymaking from the administration, analysts say. (Nov. 23, 2004)

In Her Own Words

Education Week Staff Writer Michelle R. Davis sat down with Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings on Jan. 9 in the secretarys office at the U.S. Department of Education. (Jan. 17, 2006)

Spellings Seeks to Cast Her Glow Over NCLB

In her three years as U.S. secretary of education, Spellings has been the nations leading spokeswoman for the No Child Left Behind Act. (Jan. 7, 2008)

Spellings Worldview: Theres No Going Back on K-12 Accountability

The secretary of education works on global education issues, but efforts to help schools comply with the No Child Left Behind Act will be her legacy. (Dec. 8, 2008)

Spellings to Head Bush Foundation

Margaret Spellings, who served as U.S. secretary of education under President George W. Bush, has been hired as the president of the foundation named after her former boss. (Jun. 11, 2013)

Former Education Secretary Margaret Spellings to Lead N.C. University System

As president, Spellings will oversee 17 campuses in the system that serves more than 220,000 students. She currently works as the head of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. (Oct. 23, 2015)

Commentary by Margaret Spellings:

Maintaining the Federal Role in Accountability

The federal government should play a discrete and powerful role in education accountability, writes Margaret Spellings. (Jan. 9, 2012)


Biographical Information: Bell was born Nov. 11, 1921, in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Other than his stint in the Marines during World War II, he spent most of his life working in education. He began as a high school teacher and bus driver in Idaho and then served in multiple leadership roles before going to Washington to serve in the federal Office of Education, then part of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. In 1974, he served as the U.S. commissioner of education.

Bell wrote numerous books, including his memoir titled The Thirteenth Man: A Reagan Cabinet Memoir, published in 1988. It was criticized by his successor, William J. Bennett, who said there should be a limit on how much someone kisses and tells. But others appreciated the books candid insights into the education policy controversies of an administration that had pledged to abolish the new U.S. Department of Education. He died June 22, 1996.

Served Under: President Ronald Reagan

Dates of Tenure: 1981-1984

Fun Fact: The Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding Leadership is awarded each year to a small number of principals who demonstrate outstanding leadership.

Highlights of Tenure:



Initially appointed to oversee the abolition of the Education Department, Bell is often credited with saving it.

Bell oversaw the publication of the landmark report A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform in 1983, which argued for strong measures to end a rising tide of mediocrity in American schools.

Bell resigned his post in 1984, citing his family business, a pending lawsuit, and his Utah state pension as reasons for leaving.

Archives of Note:

Bell Says Panels Work Confirms Academic Decline The National Commission on Excellence in Education is uncovering evidence that corroborates widely held beliefs regarding declines in achievement among the nations students, according to Secretary of Education Terrel H. Bell. (Sept. 22, 1982)

Bell Says Moderate Federal Role Accepted Secretary of Education Terrel H. Bell told an audience of state education officials last month that he had won a two-year battle to establish a moderate federal role in education. (Apr. 6, 1983)

Bell Bids Washington Farewell; Will Return to Utah, Academe Secretary of Education Terrel H. Bell ended months of speculation about his future by announcing last week that he would resign his post effective Dec. 31. President Reagan accepted his letter of resignation with deep regret. (Nov 14, 1984)

Bell Recounts Tenure as Chief Of ED in Book In a forthcoming memoir of his Reagan administration days, former Secretary of Education Terrel H. Bell portrays himself as an embattled champion of education interests, fighting the conservative true believers and White House ideologues who sought to wipe out the federal presence in both education and civil-rights enforcement. (Oct. 28, 1987)

Terrel Bell, Known for Defending Federal Role in Education, Dies Terrel H. Bell served as U.S. secretary of education under President Ronald Reagan from 1981-85. (July 10, 1996)






Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed deep opposition to the idea of Sweden joining NATO, calling its potential membership of the U.S.-led alliance a threat that would need to be eliminated.



If Sweden joins NATO this will affect our relations in a negative way because we will consider that the infrastructure of the military bloc now approaches us from the Swedish side, Putin told state news agency Itar-Tass. We will interpret that as an additional threat for Russia and we will think about how to eliminate this threat.




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Flight heading to IoM declares emergency



FlightRadar tracking shows the flight returns to Manchester Airport shortly after take off

A flight heading to the Isle of Man had to return to Manchester after an emergency was declared.

The Flybe service turned back shortly after taking off from Manchester yesterday evening.

Flights between the Island and Manchester were cancelled later in the evening as a result, leaving passengers stranded overnight.
Kesrick Williams defended seven off the final over in a dramatic finish that saw Jamaica Tallawahs steal a two-run win from Guyana Amazon Warriors

Jamaica Tallawahs 128 for 7 (Phillips 51, Jacobs 2-18, Emrit 2-24) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 126 for 4 (Walton 37, Guptill 33, Williams 3-30) by two runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Kesrick Williams adds another name in the book  Randy Brooks - CPL T20 / Getty

Kesrick Williams defended seven off the final over in a dramatic finish that saw Jamaica Tallawahs steal a two-run win from Guyana Amazon Warriors. With three needed off the last ball, Roshan Primus, facing his first ball, skied a slower ball to deep midwicket to deflate the home team fans at a packed Providence.

Williams took out his imaginary notebook to chalk up his third scalp of the night, and scribbled down another win for Tallawahs - their fourth in a row to move to second, trimming the gap between table-toppers Trinbago Knight Riders to two points. Amazon Warriors missed a valuable opportunity to draw level with Barbados Tridents, who are in fourth place, and remained stuck at fifth with just two points from five games.

Phillips' maiden fifty

Glenn Phillips followed up his 32 on CPL debut in Tuesday night's win in St Lucia with a resolute 51 off 47 balls that anchored the Tallawahs innings. On a traditionally spin-friendly surface where the ball wasn't coming on, Phillips waited for the odd loose ball to cash in for his four fours and two sixes in what ended up as a valuable contribution in a low-scoring thriller.

Rashid v Simmons

One of the eagerly anticipated contests of the night lasted exactly two balls. Lendl Simmons was on 14 off 22 balls when Rashid Khan was introduced in the sixth over. Simmons lashed Rashid's first ball - a full one - over mid-off for six. But Rashid dragged the length back slightly next ball, pitching a perfect googly. Simmons prodded forward and the ball split a sizable bat-pad gap to hit the stumps.

Guyana's own gets two

It was a good homecoming for Steven Jacobs , who took 2 for 18. His first wicket was of Andre McCarthy, who came into the match on the back of two half-centuries in three games. But Jacobs ripped one in to beat McCarthy's heave and bowl him for 8 in the 10th over. In his next over, Sangakkara played for turn and was beaten by an arm ball to be bowled for 5 as Tallawahs struggled to get the run rate up, ambling at 62 for 3 in the 12th over.

Foo fighter

The short but sweet spark provided by Jonathan Foo was pivotal to the Tallawahs innings. For the third match in a row, Foo provided a late boost to a sagging innings. On this occasion, he made 20 off 12, which included two fours and a six off consecutive deliveries against Rashid in the 18th over. The legspinner claimed him off the final ball of the over, but by then, Foo had ruined his figures, and Rashid finished with 2 for 38 in four overs.

Hat-trick of drops

Amazon Warriors' reply was steady, but aided by poor fielding from Tallawahs. In three consecutive overs from the ninth to the 11th, Tallawahs had a chance to break the opening stand between Chadwick Walton and Martin Guptill, but put down straightforward chances all three times.

First, Sangakkara spilled Guptill on 16, diving to his right after Mohammad Sami found the outside edge. Five balls later, Garey Mathurin let a low return catch go through his hands and hit him hard. Imad Wasim too shelled a chest-high catch when Walton drove a full toss on 36.

Williams to the rescue

Williams led Tallawahs' revival when he got Walton to sky a catch to backward point, ending an opening stand of 67. Mathurin bowled Guptill for 33 in the following over, but Amazon Warriors had the match in their grasp, requiring eight from the final over with eight wickets in hand.

After a single and a dot off the first two balls, it seemed like Tallawahs had blown it when Rovman Powell caught Jason Mohammed at long-on. But with Powell falling over, he flicked the ball back to Simmons, who dropped the ball and kicked it 20 yards away to allow a third run and Babar to return to strike.
Spain was yesterday struck by the most violent attacks in its recent history when a jihadist attack in Barcelona left 13 people dead and more than 100 injured after a van had plowed into crowds in the citys renowned Las Ramblas Avenue. More than 80 people had been taken to the hospitals, 15 were seriously hurt. The driver of the van fled on foot and is still at large.

Only a few hours later, six people were injured and five suspected terrorists killed by police in the Catalonian city of Cambrils, southwest of Barcelona. There was also an explosion at a house in the town of Alcanar that left one person dead. Police said that it appeared that the residents of the house had been preparing an explosive device. Authorities said that they are working under assumption that the events are related. The Barcelona attack has not been specifically claimed by ISIS but ISIS media wing, Amaq, commented that the perpetrators of the Barcelona attack were soldiers of the Islamic State.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called the Barcelona attack cowardly, adding that we will never be cowed by such barbarism. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the attack was revolting and her spokesman tweeted: We are mourning the victims of this disgusting attack in Barcelona  in solidarity and friendship side by side with the Spanish. Barcelona is the latest European city to have been effected by a vehicle attack after Nice was targeted during the celebrations of Bastille Day and Berlin during Christmas time. In London, Westminster and London Bridge, as well as Finsbury Park, saw vans used as weapons.
Britain and Germany have strongly condemned the recent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left a 32-year-old woman dead and at least 25 people injured. The protests, which broke out in response to the plans to move a statue of the Confederate general Robert E. Lee from a local park, attracted hundreds of white supremacists and members of neo-Nazi groups.

Donald Trump responded by criticizing violence on many sides without specifically condemning white supremacists and after two days of criticism, he further defended in his remarks some of the protesters by asking whether the removal of Confederate statues would prompt the erasure of monuments to slaveholders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

German Chancellor Angela Merkels spokesman, Steffen Seibert, described the scene at the Unite the Right march as absolutely repulsive, with outrageous racism, anti-Semitism and hate in its most despicable form on display. This is completely contrary to what the chancellor and German government work for, Mr. Seibert said, describing the march as repugnant. He said Germany stood in solidarity with those who stand peacefully against such aggressive extreme-right opinions.

When Theresa Mays spokesman was asked about Donald Trumps words, he commented that the words were a matter for him, but added that we are very clear  We condemn racism, hatred and violence. We condemn the far right. President Trump was also criticized by some members of the Republican Party including as Senator Lindsey Graham, Presidents frequent critic, who warned that his rhetoric is dividing Americans. In the statement he gave to CNN he said: Mr. President, I encourage you to try to bring us together as a nation after this horrific event in Charlottesville. Your words are dividing Americans, not healing them.
Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti said earlier this week that the Italian government was positive about curbing migrant flows from Libya after the number of migrants arriving on Italys shores went down in recent months. The United Nations, however, warned that Romes strategy to draft a code regulating the operations of humanitarian rescue vessels could lead to more deaths.

This code of conduct and the overall action plan suggest that Italy, the EU Commission and the EU Member states deem the risks and the reality of deaths at sea a price worth paying in order to deter migrants and refugees, Agnes Callamard, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement.

Immigration is the number one issue on Italys political agenda and rules the pre-election campaign ahead of general elections due next year. The Italian public is getting increasingly hostile towards migrants since nearly 600,000 have arrived in the country over the past four years. After a rise in migrant arrivals from Libya at the beginning of this year, the influx has slowed down this year with about 97,000 people having reached Italy  a decrease by 4.15% year-on-year.

Italy has addressed the immigration problem with a dual track strategy. Rome is helping Libya to address smuggling but at the same time it is putting pressure on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) pursuing rescue operations in the Mediterranean. It was important to intervene on the other side of the Mediterranean and we have focused on Libya. It seemed difficult, but it now appears that something is moving, he added.

Italy has helped Libya train members of the coastguard and upgrade its fleet supported by EU funding. Mr. Minniti said that Italy would now pay attention to the living conditions of migrants brought back to Libya and distribute aid in the cities of Sabratha and Zowarah  two major hubs for migrant smugglers. Mr. Minniti also added that a democratic country (like Italy) does not chase migrants flows, but governs them ungoverned flows threaten a countrys democracy. Italy is not retreating but remains firmly committed to rescues at sea.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Ms. Neelam Deo (Director of Gateway House and Former Senior Indian Diplomat)

EUBulletin: You are both an academic based in India and a former diplomat who has served in many parts of the world, including in Europe. So you can look at various issues from both an academic and practitioners perspective. What has, in your view, been the greatest achievement in recent EU-India relations?

Neelam Deo: I think EU-India relations actually have not had any achievements. We have been talking about India-EU free trade agreement for 12 years and there has not been much movement. I am sure the EU has its own understanding but what I know from the Indian side is the EUs insistence on opening up on wine imports, namely from France, and automobile imports, which I suppose is the Germans interest, have held up the negotiations. On the Indian side, of course, we are trying to develop our own automobile industry and in fact our big hub for auto components. And there is a nascent wine industry and the demand is growing, so that is what the French would want to tap into.

EUBulletin: You seem to be very pessimistic, indeed

Neelam Deo: Well, it seems to me that why the talks have been going on for so long has also been aggravated over the last 4-5 years by this problem that we have with Italy over the two marines who were sued in India because they have shot and killed two Indian fishermen. So the Italians have or more less had support of the European Union and there is no progress in India-EU affairs. Now, while we could certainly do better in our legal process in handling these two Italian marines, but you know while in India, they have lived in the Italian Culture Centre, not a bad place to live in, and they have been allowed to visit Italy many times because one of them had medical issues, and thus more less lives in Italy.

So I think the attitude has been unnecessarily harsh and maybe it has something to do with the fact that now the EU Commissioner for Foreign Affairs is also of Italian origin and former Italian foreign minister (note: Mrs. Mogherini). So, the bilateral issues between India and Italy have been allowed to hijack the India-EU agenda. It is not very optimistic.

EUBulletin: One of the issues that have hampered the EU-India FTA negotiations was the issue of generic drugs produced in India and the patents held by Western multinationals. There have been many legal disputes and also rallies in the streets of Indian cities slamming the perceived unfair practices of Western companies that try to hold on to these patents. Is there a way to find a compromise solution to overcome this obstacle?

Neelam Deo: You know I mean considering the cost of healthcare, while American and European pharmaceutical multinationals are constantly trying to perpetuate their patents, it is objectionable. In India, we have actually had only one case in which the Supreme Court intervened to enable the medication to ignore the claims for a patent or extending the patent and for the production to continue in India. Besides being it actually both wrong morally and otherwise, India supplies something like 60 percent of generic drugs globally. The HIV epidemic in Africa was bad enough but it would have been rampant otherwise.

All the non-governmental organizations, which the European and the American governments otherwise use to pressurize the developing countries and India, whether Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch etc., they all support the Indian position on patents and particularly on generic drugs. Because you know the governments are only concerned about profits of the multinationals and India is a TRIPS-compliance country, so to insist that India has to do more than TRIPS requires of us and allow these companies to make billions of dollars in profits, when the patents have in fact expired already, is just simply unfair and is not acceptable and it should not be acceptable to anybody, including the European Union. (Note: TRIPS, or the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, is an international legal agreement between all the member nations of the World Trade Organization.)

EUBulletin: So, can you see any solution at the end of this long tunnel?

Neelam Deo: You know considering the price of medication, the fact of increasing inequality, also in Europe, when poor people cant afford to buy medical care anywhere, then we really need to defend our interest. So, one of the American companies has come to an arrangement when they allow that even on a drug where the patent has not expired yet, that it can be produced and sold as a generic by Indian companies to people who cant afford to buy the other one. Surely, it cannot be the European wish to let poor people just die!

EUBulletin: Now moving from economics to geopolitics, while the trade volumes between Europe and China has been considerably higher than its trade volumes with India, at the same time, there has also been a growing concern in Europe  but also in India  about the rise of China, which has been characterized by growing assertiveness. But the question is why the EU is so-to-say obsessed with non-democratic China and not with the worlds largest democracy, India?

Neelam Deo: The EU is trying to persuade India to be a democracy-promoter but the EU is not willing to sacrifice any of its own economic interests. And I think that the EU has to recognize that the India is a developing country, it is a poor country, and if you want to grow a relationship with the European Union, then you have to look at it with your eyes open and not just looking at the size of the trade. Yah, the size of the trade that the EU has with the United States is even larger than it has with China.

So, I think you know that we cannot continue to pretend to accuse China of not being a democracy, of being mercantilist, but then you cannot make progress with India because you want to force India to import some of your products. I think that the EU has to recognize you know that geopolitics and geo-economics are not two separate universes  they converge, they overlap, they impact each other  and so I think that these things will have to come together.

EUBulletin: But with China in mind, when it comes to the Indian Ocean, would not this be the region where the security interests of the EU and India could converge in the long run?

Neelam Deo: India and EU interests have converged there and we have actually cooperated in the Indian Ocean on the piracy issues. But if the EUs assessment is that it has a convergence of security interests, so it better gets on with it. China is increasing its presence in the Indian Ocean region, exactly that is of the concern to India. Through Pakistan, for example, with the port there and also just ships coming around as it is building what it calls the Maritime Silk Road, acquiring ports not just in Pakistan, trying to get access in Sri Lanka, in Bangladesh, everywhere, Maldives, Mauritius  and the European Union, if it thinks it is a shared security concern with India, it should wake up and get on with it.
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My long-stay visitor visa expires in about a week. I need help.



So I went to my prefecture (Hauts-de-seine/Nanterre) two months ago to renew my visa and get a carte de sejour. They turned me away and told me to send my dossier via post to the prefecture, after which I am supposed to receive details regarding an appointment. I did as asked but have not heard anything from them. What are my options now?

Can I get a temporary extension or maybe a document that allows me to stay in France until my visa renewal appointment? Or is there something else I could do I'm not thinking of?



Please help me



(Going back to my prefecture to ask for aid is not an option. I went three times in July. Each time failing to get inside the building until night number 3. I would begin queuing from 1amthe night before. They only let in about 200-300 people at open-time before they shut the gates, so the line is already massive by the time you arrive. I along with hundreds of others, babies, elderly, would sit outside in the rain hoping to be let in the next morning. It was the most horrible and dehumanizing experience I've ever had and would like to avoid going back if I can. Also, they don't reply to emails or answer calls so this forum is my only hope)
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Yes, your boss can fire you for attending a white supremacist rally, or for going to a sex club, or for being gay.

Trying to wrap yourself in the Constitution wont help.

Americans routinely invoke constitutional amendments as protective shields, but the Bill of Rights only protects Americans from the government limiting their freedom to speak, assemble or exercise liberty. Your employer doesnt have to respect those rights, only follow the slightest of laws or regulations.

If youre doing some stuff that reflects poorly on your company, or creates a workplace problem, you become expendable, said Scott McLaughlin, a board-certified labor attorney in Jackson Walkers Houston office.

This week, internet sleuths are combing through thousands of photos taken at the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend. Anti-racism activists aim to name and shame the participants and get them fired.

Companies have little choice when they discover an employee is proclaiming white supremacy or white nationalism.

When it gets floated around to half the world, then the question is: Does the company ratify or reject that statement? And can it reject that statement and really maintain that employees employment? McLaughlin asked. Or to fully reject it, does it terminate the employee?

Imagine the Ku Klux Klan member who returned this week after his image appeared on television screens across the country, and how an African-American co-worker might feel.

Youve got to get rid of the guy in the Ku Klux Klan. You cant have that guy working around an African-American employee and expect to maintain any kind of workplace peace and harmony, McLaughlin said. Racists are not people who are easy to employ.

Another clear-cut case is Google engineer James Damore, who wrote a memo criticizing his employers effort to hire more women and minorities. Instead of merely pointing out that Googles diversity program was not showing results, he wrote that women are biologically unsuited for software engineering and that Google should abandon the effort.

Now, imagine being the woman sitting in the cubicle next to Damore after spending her life trying to overcome the misogyny and junk science hes peddling to coworkers. Google correctly fired him.

As soon as an employee says something that stereotypes people based on gender, race or whatever, you are in foul territory, McLaughlin said.

Federal and state laws, not constitutional amendments, forbid employers from allowing an environment where people are discriminated against based on gender, race, ethnicity, national origin or religion.

However, neither federal law nor Texas law protect people from discrimination based on their sexual orientation or sexual activities.

People who attended a sex club in West Texas learned this in 2010 when a Christian militant group known as Repent Amarillo began recording the license plates in the parking lot. I once edited a story about the groups activities.

Repent Amarillo members publicized the names of people who went to the club and lobbied employers to fire them for breaking the Ten Commandments. Many of the employers complied rather than risk angering Repent Amarillo, which remains active.

Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Sexual orientation and gender identity are more complex topics because many states, counties and cities have passed laws forbidding discrimination. But in most of Texas, an employer may fire someone if it doesnt approve of that persons sexuality.

While such firings are uncommon, civil rights activists worry that the proposed bathroom bill and efforts like it are encouraging more discrimination. Employers should proceed with caution, though, when they cant prove that an employee is doing something that hurts the companys bottom line.

Things can get very complicated when you start firing people all over the place just because they show up on Facebook supporting something that isnt popular, McLaughlin said. What you are seeing is that speech is costing people their jobs at a more increased pace than weve ever seen, and its probably going to become more interesting.

Spreading hate or encouraging bigotry only alienates potential customers, employees and suppliers, therefore limiting the companys, and the economys, growth potential. Employers not only demonstrate moral courage when they fire troublemakers who sow division, but they also act in their self-interest.

Yet businesspeople reveal their intolerance when they fire people whose only misdemeanor is not conforming to a portion of societys expectations, and this is when demonstrating loyalty to a hard worker is critical.

Enforcing the Bill of Rights in the workplace would be foolhardy and troublesome, but all that does is demand that business leaders act wisely, even in the face of a mob bearing torches.

Chris Tomlinson is the Chronicles business columnist. chris.tomlinson@chron.com twitter.com/cltomlinson www.houstonchronicle.com/author/chris-tomlinson
Harlandale Independent School District is under a special accreditation investigation because of complaints about governance, contract procurement and alleged nepotism and conflict of interest, according to a letter the Texas Education Agency sent last week to board members and Superintendent Reynaldo Madrigal.

The letter cited allegations that Madrigal made four agreements with Terracon Consultants in 2015 for construction materials and testing services and six payments to the company totaling nearly $61,000, all without board approval.

The letter alleges that Madrigal bought land from a district vendor in violation of state law and that several employees were hired in violation of anti-nepotism policies. Investigators also will look into allegations that the bidding process was improper for work on Gillette, Vestal and Carroll Bell elementary schools between 2013 and 2016 and that the purchase of insurance from SWBC and First Financial Insurance was done in a way that violated state law.

TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson would not comment except to say that agency officials opened the probe after receiving complaints. Board President Carlos Quezada declined to comment on the investigation or what it might mean for the district. Harlandale administrators referred all questions to the districts lawyers, Mark A. Sanchez and Robert Wilson, who did not return a message left Thursday afternoon.

State Rep. Tomas Uresti, D-San Antonio, a former Harlandale board member, said he complained repeatedly to the TEA about overpayments made to Jasmine Engineering, the districts longtime project manager for construction and renovation work under a series of bond programs. Uresti criticized a contract for $4 million in repairs to Gillette Elementary, a cost he said mushroomed unnecessarily from an initial estimate of $151,000.

Im kind of ashamed because this is my district that I hold very, very dear to my heart, Uresti said. The reason why I chose to run for state representative is to help get the right funding for all school districts, and its a shame that some of the stuff that Ive seen would be considered to be unethical, if not illegal.

Harlandale has until Sept. 8 to comply with the TEAs request for a long list of documentation.

While the agency staff will initiate a preliminary investigation, certain investigative activities may be performed onsite at a later date, wrote Brenda Meyers, director of the TEAs special investigations unit.

Enrolling nearly 15,000 students, the South Side district is the fourth in Bexar County to face an accreditation investigation in recent years. Two of those investigations, in Edgewood and Southside ISDs, ended with the state taking over both districts by appointing its own governing board to each.

A third probe, in South San Antonio ISD, resulted in the appointment of a conservator to oversee the board.

The TEAs letter asked Harlandale for names and contact information of board members from the past five years and statements regarding the bidding process for contracts with SWBC, First Financial Insurance, Jasmine Engineering and any other insurance companies since 2015. It asked for documentation of the bidding process for the three elementary schools, the names and titles of staff and vendors who evaluated repairs to Gillette, and documentation of projected costs and payments for the Gillette project.

Starting in 2007, the board repeatedly handed Jasmine Engineering lucrative contracts without seeking competing proposals. The jobs included a study of existing facilities needs  the public release of which the district fought  that helped shape the size and scope of its 2015 bond projects that Jasmine was in line to handle. Company owner Jasmine Azima and her defenders on the board have argued that the work performed was high quality and on time and that it saved the district millions of dollars.

State investigators are also asking for a number of purchase orders and for statements regarding Madrigals purchase of land in Rockport from Diane Mullen, CEO of Mullen Pension & Benefits Group, and her then-husband Sam Mullen. Trustees reprimanded Madrigal in 2015 for recommending the insurance company for a district contract without disclosing the land purchase.

Samuel Mullen and Joshua Cerna, a former Harlandale trustee who worked for the Mullen insurance firm, pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. Mullen admitted to bribing consultant William Haff to help win insurance contracts from school districts, and Cerna admitted to participating in the conspiracy. Harlandale was not among the districts prosecutors said were defrauded.

The TEA requested information that includes conflict of interest statements filed over the past three years by trustees, Madrigal, Terracon Consultants, the Mullen Insurance Group and Jasmine Engineering; information on district employees who are relatives of board members and Madrigal; and the boards purchasing policy.

Harlandale was named the best large school district in Texas six years ago at the H-E-B Excellence in Education awards. Its popular superintendent at the time, Robert Jaklich, left the next year after his relationship with trustees soured. The board picked Madrigal, a former Harlandale High School principal, to replace him.

AMalik@express-news.net

Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN
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A disgraced federal informant who provided the U.S. and Mexico with information about allegedly corrupt politicians and high-ranking drug traffickers died in a Texas prison earlier this year, state records show.

Jose Salvador Puga Quintanilla was sentenced last year to 35 years in prison for two counts of sexual assault of a child. His victims were 13 years old and 14 years old, according to the Cameron County District Attorneys Office.

In February, staff at the Texas Department of Criminal Justices Garza West Unit in Beeville found Puga unresponsive with a ligature tied around his neck, according to a prison report. An investigation determined that the 35-year-old Puga had killed himself.

Puga was not a U.S. citizen and the Cameron County DAs office said it was not aware of him having legal status.

Puga was better known as the confidential informant Pitufo, Spanish for Smurf, who had provided testimony against public officials accused of corruption in Mexico.

In the spring of 2013, prosecutors in the Austin money laundering trial of Jose Trevino Morales, the brother of Zetas cartel leader Miguel Trevino Morales, and Francisco Colorado Cessa, a Mexican businessman, said they would call Puga, initially identified in court proceedings only as Pitufo, to testify.

The day after the trial began, while Puga was waiting in the federal prosecutors office in Austin, Mexican officials said they were dropping charges against Gen. Tomas Angeles Dauahare, Mexicos former deputy defense minister, because theyd lost confidence in the testimony of their informants, among them Puga. Earlier that month the case against Noe Ramirez Mandujano, the former head of the organized crime unit at Mexicos attorney generals office, fell apart as well. The U.S. had assisted in the investigation that led to Ramirezs and Angeless arrests.

Puga did not testify at the trial in Austin - afterward prosecutors said they did not need him to prove their case - but an FBI agent testified during a September 2013 sentencing hearing that Pitufo had told investigators he met with Trevino in Dallas to discuss narcotics stash locations and described a meeting between Colorado and members of the Zetas in Mexico and that the gang sent $50 million to the businessman sometime between 2008 and 2009.

According to the testimony, Puga was first arrested in 2007, and since 2008 had been an informant for Mexico.

Defense attorney Andres Sanchez pressed FBI Agent Scott Lawson about Pugas past testimony that he had been part of a kidnapping gang in Mexico City, had lived in housing provided by Mexicos government and was paid $5,000 a month, had testified in 83 cases in Mexico and had claimed to work for various cartels despite some of those gangs being at war with each other.

From what I recall, Pitufo said that he was comfortable doing what he did because he did not participate in kidnappings, Lawson said.

In response to concerns voiced by defense attorneys about information provided by Puga, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks said, I dont think its going to be of great influence. Sparks sentenced Trevino and Colorado each to 20 years in prison, the maximum.

Pugas sordid story raises questions about why the U.S. government would be in bed with someone like him, said Houston attorney Chris Flood, who represented Colorado on his retrial after a higher court threw out the 2013 conviction and is currently appealing a second conviction.

This guy Pitufo was just the throw-down witness for the Mexican government, Flood said. Everybody that he ended up testifying against got released from jail. He has a warrant for his arrest issued in Mexico.

JBuch@express-news.net

Twitter: @jlbuch
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Soon after she lost the June mayoral runoff, Ivy Taylor filed a claim for unemployment benefits from the city of San Antonio through the Texas Workforce Commission, sources said.

The city contacted Taylor after she filed the claim, the sources said, and recommended she withdraw it because it otherwise would be rejected.

They said Taylor attempted to, but the Texas Workforce Commission wouldnt allow the claim to be withdrawn.

According to the Unemployment Compensation Act in the states Labor Code, elected officials do not qualify for unemployment benefits.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said Thursday that hed heard Taylor had filed a claim for unemployment benefits  a first for him. He called Taylors actions really strange.

I lost two races. I should have thought of that when I lost, Wolff joked.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who defeated Taylor, declined to comment.

Calls to Taylors cellphone went directly to voicemail, though her mailbox has not been set up and will not receive messages. She also did not respond to a text message inquiring about the matter.

Under the Texas Public Information Act, the San Antonio Express-News sought city records that would confirm that the municipality had been contacted by the Texas Workforce Commission to accept or reject the claim for benefits.

The city has not released any documents and sent the request to the Texas attorney general to make a determination on whether the documents are confidential or must be released.

An assistant city attorney wrote to the AG, citing state law indicating that such records are exempt from disclosure.

But the request to the AG suggests documents responsive to the requests do, indeed, exist.

To the extent any information responsive to the request exists, it is enclosed as Attachment B, the letter states. The nature of the requested information is considered to be confidential by law. Specifically, the information requested concerns confidential unemployment compensation information. The city believes, then, that the requested information, to the extent any exists, is excepted from required disclosure.

Had there not been documents responsive to the request, the city likely would have said as much.

Sources with knowledge of the issue also have confirmed Taylor had sought unemployment benefits.

Taylor served as mayor from summer 2014 until June. The mayor and council members began earning annual salaries of $61,725 and $45,722, respectively. When Taylor was the District 2 councilwoman, she taught classes at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She was a nonprofit housing executive before that.

As mayor, she found herself in an ethical dilemma  she and her husband, Rodney, received income from Section-8 vouchers paid by the San Antonio Housing Authority. The mayor is solely responsible for appointing trustees to the SAHA board.

The housing agency moved the administration of those vouchers to the Bexar County Housing Authority after the Express-News exposed the conflict of interest.

According to the Texas Workforce Commissions unemployment benefits calculator, Taylor likely was seeking $493 a month and would have received up to $12,818, had she qualified for the benefit. Texas employers  both in the private and public sectors  contribute to a fund that pays for those benefits. The funds contributed by the city of San Antonio are taxpayer dollars.

Colin Strother, who managed Taylors runoff campaign, said he hadnt heard about Taylor seeking unemployment benefits.

We didnt discuss losing, he said. That never came up, and Im surprised to hear that. Normally, people think that these elected offices are paths to riches. If you do it the right way, theyre actually not.

Most people who go into public office take a pay cut to do so, he said. Still, he was surprised to learn that Taylor had sought unemployment benefits.

Ive never heard of someone doing that, he said. But its not an unusual situation for someone to leave office worse than they came in.

jbaugh@express-news.net
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In a major policy speech Friday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg laid out his vision for San Antonio, unveiled a task force to address affordable housing and gentrification, and called for an expansion of mass transit while declaring that San Antonio is open for business.

Reading from a teleprompter and rarely deviating from the script, Nirenberg delivered the address at a luncheon for the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. He drove home points that would soothe business leaders worried that his progressive politics might harm their work, particularly the development industry. But he also spoke about ideas favored by his progressive supporters, such as mass transit, the new-energy economy and deterrence of gentrification.

This year, the City Council is prioritizing some spending based on equity, rather than a roughly equal division of funds across each of the 10 council districts. Historically, the South, East and West sides have received less funding for necessary infrastructure, particularly with regard to streets, sidewalks and drainage.

Through an equity lens, Nirenberg and the council are pushing for additional funding for those areas (and District 10 on the Northeast Side) to help increase the average quality of their roads.

Nirenberg never mentioned by name his predecessor  Ivy Taylor, whom he ousted in June  but pulled no punches as he discussed where San Antonio has been and where its headed.

I have a bold vision, not just for the next eight years, but for us today and for my sons generation tomorrow. Hes 9 now, and by the time hes my age, the city will have doubled in population to the size of Chicago. What we do now matters, from transportation and protecting our natural resources to fostering great schools and growing jobs, he said.

My vision today is shaped by Jonahs future. And its a shared vision, guided by community conversations that started years ago with SA2020. It aligns with our own ambitious blueprint for our future, SA Tomorrow, he said. And while weve grappled recently with some doldrums, with sliding back to business as usual, were starting to reclaim our momentum.

Nirenberg, who calls former Mayor Phil Hardberger a mentor and who first served on the council under then-Mayor Julian Castro, saw the momentum those mayors had created come to a halt under Taylor, he said  one of the reasons he decided to run against her.

Looking to the future, Nirenberg said the status quo wont prepare San Antonio, noting 150 vehicles added to the roads here every day. The infrastructure investments voters approved in this years bond election will barely keep up with the pace of growth, and in the ensuing decades, commute times are expected to increase by 75 percent.

The mayor laid out an argument for making a major investment in a modern transit system.

If we dont plan for transit now, we will cripple our economy and erode the quality of life that makes San Antonio so great, he said. We wont blame ourselves, but our children will.

The transit system he envisions is one that connects communities and employment hubs and that supports sustainable development  but its not one that is solely based on rail. It includes better bus service, as well. The citys fiscal year 2018 budget begins to bolster funding for VIA Metropolitan Transit to increase frequency on several of its key routes.

But rail is also a key element for a modern transit system, Nirenberg said, and one that must be citizen-driven and voter-approved.

Nirenberg has repeatedly said he wants to target good-paying jobs for San Antonio, and part of that, he said, is strengthening the local workforce through workforce development programs and education. Beyond that, San Antonio will continue to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and startups, ensuring the city is competitive regionally and internationally. Nirenberg said hell work to reduce municipal red tape and amplify the work of business incubators.

The city is aggressively pursuing expansion of the local Toyota manufacturing plant, he said, declaring that the city is open for business.

And while San Antonios economy is outperforming Texas and the U.S., we cant afford to get complacent, he said.

We will grow our biomedical research and manufacturing industries by targeting new companies, and well work to restore momentum in venture capital investments within our growing technology and biotech community, he said. Working responsibly with our available natural resources, existing businesses and a municipally served consumer market, there is no reason why we cannot become a national leader in the green economy.

Environmentalism is good for business, too.

Nirenberg announced that hes formed a task force charged with developing a comprehensive housing policy for San Antonio, one that will address the lack of affordable housing and gentrification issues here.

The Mayors Housing Policy Task Force will be led by Lourdes Castro-Ramirez, the former CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority who went on to become the principal deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department under then-Secretary Julian Castro.

The task force also includes former Councilwoman Maria Antonietta Berriozabal, Pape-Dawson Engineering owner Gene Dawson, banker Noah Garcia and architect Jim Bailey.

San Antonio is facing a major housing crisis, Nirenberg said, one that can no longer be ignored. In the ensuing two decades, the city will need more than 500,000 new multifamily and single-family residences to accommodate the expected surge in population. A city-funded analysis shows that theres currently a need for 142,000 affordable housing units, and census data show nearly 20 percent of San Antonians are living in poverty, he said.

The task force will develop policy recommendations, working in concert with city and nonprofit staffers. With technical working groups, the task force also will work on topics such as neighborhood stability and gentrification, incentives for development of affordable housing in high-growth areas, bolstering regulations designed to ensure long-term quality in housing construction, and easing of regulations that currently hinder the development of affordable housing.

Nirenberg pushed back against comments that Councilman Greg Brockhouse has made recently deriding the citys plan to budget through a focus on equity. A staunch opponent of the concept, Brockhouse has said it amounts to nothing more than a cool hashtag. The proposed fiscal 2018 budget, a $2.7 billion record-breaking behemoth, attempts to address historically underfunded areas.

Nirenberg, who applauded City Manager Sheryl Sculley for her work on the budget (and described her, as Hardberger and Castro often did, as the greatest city manager in the U.S.), said the concept is much more.

Equity is not a catchphrase or a slogan. Its a process and a value, fiscally responsible and rooted in compassion, he said. If a budget is a moral document, then this one is our most honest. It has required us to confront past mistakes  choices that have made us one of the most economically segregated cities in the country  and restore equity for all of our residents.

JBaugh@express-news.net

Twitter: @jbaugh
President Donald Trump on Thursday assumed the role of leading spokesman for the racially charged cause of preserving Confederate statues on public grounds, couching his defense in historical terms that thrilled his core supporters and signaled his intent to use cultural strife as a political weapon just days after deadly violence in Virginia.

Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments, Trump wrote on Twitter.

So foolish! he added, bemoaning efforts in several municipalities to take down Confederate tributes.

Trumps celebration of monuments from a dark chapter of American history sparked wide debate over its consequences for his embattled presidency and the nations civic fabric, as well as over the challenges facing both parties as he delves into the culture wars.

A chorus of Republicans expressed alarm over Trumps words and their potential cost with voters. But Trumps allies inside and outside the White House, most notably White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, argued that Trumps pronouncements would rally his political base  while also serving as a welcome distraction from the policy stumbles and investigations that have hobbled the administration.

Democrats reacted with horror at Trumps enthusiasm for memorials to the Confederacy more than 150 years after the end of the Civil War and just five days after white nationalist and neo-Nazi protests in Charlottesville left one woman dead and at least 19 more people injured.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and others harshly condemned Trumps statements and called for the removal of Confederate statues from the halls of the U.S. Capitol. Some veteran Democrats, meanwhile, said Trumps remarks seemed aimed at rousing his base.

Hes hitting a raw and ugly political nerve around a certain segment of the electorate, said Democratic consultant Robert Shrum. But thats not enough to sustain him to get things done as president or get reelected.

Trumps comments came as he also ratcheted up his rhetoric on the threat of Muslim extremists in the wake of a deadly van attack Thursday in Barcelona. Taking to Twitter, Trump recycled a discredited tale that he had promoted during the 2016 campaign, asserting that Gen. John Pershing had ordered that bullets be dipped in pigs blood and used to execute Islamic terrorists in the Philippines. Historians have widely debunked the story as a fabrication.

Inside the White House, Trump advisers said the president is being guided chiefly by his own instincts, chafing at critical news coverage of his handling of the Charlottesville protests and charges of racism.

Bannon  a hard-line nationalist whose position has been threatened in recent days by his clashes with moderate colleagues and his blunt remarks to a liberal magazine  has fiercely defended Trump in internal staff discussions, according to White House officials.

In an interview this week with the American Prospect, Bannon expanded on his view that embracing Confederate relics could have political benefits.

The longer they talk about identity politics, I got em, Bannon said of Democrats. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.

Others in Trumps orbit agree with him, believing there is a potential strategy in decrying identity politics and political correctness  a message that resonates with his base. But even within Trumps circle, there are those who wonder whether Trump has gone too far and risks alienating some of the swing voters who voted for him last year with hope for change, not racial division.

He was saying that this political correctness could lead to trying to rewrite American history. The problem is thats not the time to bring this up, said one Republican operative and unofficial White House adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer a candid assessment. Now is the time to lower the emotional temperature of the country.

Many Republican leaders and lawmakers cringed as the president tweeted, and they sought to distance themselves from the White House. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., a moderate, went so far as to call for Bannon to be fired.

Associates of House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Thursday that Trump would be putting the partys already stalled legislative agenda at risk if he continued to carry the cause of defending Confederate statues.

Its a pretty tough transition from white supremacists arent so bad to lets do tax reform,  Josh Holmes, a longtime McConnell ally, said in an interview.

But the concerns ran deeper than prospects on Capitol Hill. Some prominent Republicans said they were unsettled by the caustic nature of Trumps comments this week and what those remarks revealed about his ability to articulate positions on race and history that unite rather than divide the country.

What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised when Tuesday happened, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the GOPs lone black senator, told VICE on Thursday, referring to a news conference in which Trump said both sides shared blame for the violence at the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who has worked closely with Trump in the past, underscored the growing Republican unease when he told reporters Thursday that Trump has not demonstrated that he understands the character of this nation.

He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and hes got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that. And without the things that I just mentioned happening, our nation is going to go through great peril, Corker said.

Anything less than complete & unambiguous condemnation of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK by the @POTUS is unacceptable. Period, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, wrote Thursday on Twitter.

Trump shrugged off the criticism. Earlier Thursday, he slammed Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., for their criticism of his leadership in the wake of the Charlottesville tragedy.

On Twitter, Trump called Flake WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate, and praised Flakes primary challenger.

McConnell responded with a tweet later in the day, calling Flake an excellent Senator and a tireless advocate for Arizona and our nation.

He has my full support, McConnell added.

In his tweets Thursday, Trump appeared to equate Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, who commanded Southern forces in the Civil War to secede from the United States, with Founding Fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as potential targets of criticism because of Washington and Jeffersons status as slave owners  an argument he first advanced at his Tuesday news conference.

You . . . cant change history, but you can learn from it, he tweeted. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson  whos next, Washington, Jefferson?

Charlottesville wasnt the first place that white supremacists had gathered recently to oppose the removal of a Confederate statue, but last weekend was the first rally marked by deadly violence. More rallies are planned for other cities as a show of force to pressure municipal officials into leaving Civil War symbols in place.

Democrats moved aggressively on Thursday to counter what they described as a disturbing turn.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Trumps tweets Thursday represented an attempt to divert attention away from the presidents refusal to unequivocally and full-throatedly denounce white supremacy, neo-Nazism, and other forms of bigotry.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., a member of the House Judiciary Committee, and a small group of Democrats called for a congressional resolution to censure Trump. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said he would seek to introduce articles of impeachment. Neither measure faces a chance of success in the GOP-controlled House.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., announced late Wednesday that he intends to introduce legislation after Congress reconvenes next month calling for the removal of at least a dozen statues of Confederate soldiers and politicians inside the U.S. Capitol.

There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honor across the country, Pelosi said.
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AUSTIN  Three of the six members of the governing board that oversees the Texas Capitol grounds said that while they oppose hate and bigotry, they dont think Confederate memorials should be removed, even as efforts to do that gain momentum.

The goal is to learn from history, all of our history, including events and times that many would like to forget, said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a member of the State Preservation Board, whose duty is to preserve and maintain the Capitol complex. Our goal should be to have a meaningful dialogue for future generations so those moments in our history are not repeated.

But that doesnt set well with those who say some of the memorials are historically inaccurate and want them gone.

Our Capitol Complex should only honor those who exemplify the values that we extol as Texans. The Confederacy exemplified treason against the U.S. and white supremacy, Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, wrote in a letter to the preservation board this week, asking that a plaque near his office be removed.

Patricks words Thursday echoed those of Gov. Greg Abbott, who said that tearing down monuments won't erase our nation's past, and it doesn't advance our nation's future.

Abbott leads the preservation board.

Rep. Charlie Geren, R- Fort Worth, another board member, also is opposed to moving any monuments.

I dont think erasing history is the right thing to do. I think you need to learn from history, said Geren, who is a nine-term lawmaker and chairman of the House Administration Committee.

Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, is the only member of the governing board so far who would like to see a review of the accuracy of signs and monuments around the Capitol, according to his spokesman Jason Embry.

The other two board members are Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, who recently was in the public eye as sponsor of the so-called bathroom bill that would have required transgender individuals to use bathrooms and other public facilities of the gender on their birth certificates, and public representative Iris Moore of Fort Worth, appointed by Abbott and a past member of Cook Childrens Hospital board, among other civic roles.

Neither could be reached for comment.

Efforts in Texas to remove Confederate memorials are accelerating, as they are across the country, in the wake of the racially charged protests in Charlottesville over a statue of Robert E. Lee that left one woman dead and injured many others.

RELATED: More confederate statues around the nation are being removed.





In his letter to the preservation board, Johnson requested the immediate removal of the plaque near his office that claims slavery wasnt the reason for Texas succession. And he asked for a discussion about removing all Confederate imagery, which many associate with slavery and oppression, from the Capitol complex.

Though Abbott seemingly dismissed his ideas, Johnson said hes still hopeful for a meeting with the first-term governor.

To my knowledge, Gov. Abbott has not articulated any specific opposition to the removal of the historically inaccurate Confederate plaque near my Capitol office, Johnson said in a statement. The plaque at issue is simply indefensible on historical grounds, and I believe Gov. Abbott knows that.

The plaque was mounted in 1959 by the Texas Division of the Children of the Confederacy. It reads in part: We therefore pledge ourselves  to study and teach the truths of history one of the most important of which is that the war between the states was not a rebellion nor was its underlying cause to sustain slavery.

Walter Buenger, chief historian at the Texas State Historical Association, said there was a surge in new Confederate memorials in the 1950s as a protest against the civil rights movement and school desegregation.

They would have everything to do with the politics and the culture of that time, and relatively little to do with the Civil War, he said.

At the time Texas seceded, the need to defend slavery was cited as the primary reason for taking the drastic action, Buenger said.

In 1860, a year before the Civil War, slaves were the fastest-growing part of the Texas population.

The four-year war ended in 1865. Beginning in the 1870s, people were talking about state rights as a driver of the war.

It was an attempt to revise and rewrite history to make the south seem more heroic and brave, fighting for something other than slavery, Buenger said.

Abbott did not address the plaque directly in the statement he released Wednesday, but he voiced opposition to moving monuments.

My goal as governor is to eliminate the racist and hate-filled environment we are seeing in our country today. But we must remember that our history isn't perfect, Abbott said. If we do not learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it. Instead of trying to bury our past, we must learn from it and ensure it doesnt happen again.

Its not clear whether Johnson would have any recourse if the preservation board refuses to hear his request; he has yet to get a formal response from the boards executive director, to whom the letter was addressed.

A push to remove Confederate imagery swept the nation several years ago, as cities and colleges took down monument and flags and renamed buildings with ties to Confederate leaders.

In Texas, it was no different. In 2015, the University of Texas relocated a statue of Jefferson Davis from a place of prominence on the UT-Austin Campus to a nearby museum.

Currently, two San Antonio City Council members are seeking to relocate the 40-foot-tall granite monument that includes an 8-foot Confederate soldier at Travis Park.

Efforts to remove Confederate imagery is countered by others, such as state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who wants to stop the removal of Confederate statuary and other memorials statewide.

Creighton condemned the violence in Virginia, but said this week he hopes to refile a bill next session that would block cities and counties from removing any historic monuments on public property.

We have had a lot of support and the conversation is just beginning, Creighton said. Its important for me to have a conversation about the importance of maintaining out Texas history and our heritage.

The state Capitol complex is home to about a dozen Confederate statues, monuments and plaques, the most visible of which is a Confederate Soldiers monument on the South Lawn.

Erected in 1903, its topped with a statue of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America. The granite monument memorializes those who died for state rights during the Civil War.

Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, is among those who takes issue with that monument.

Davis is a symbol of everything the confederacy stood for, Moody said, who is also pushing for a review of some Confederate monuments at the Capitol. I dont think that has any place on Capitol grounds.

AMorris@express-news.net
AUSTIN - A law meant to prevent mail-in ballot fraud at nursing homes while expanding residents voting opportunities will be in place for only a few months before it dies.

Texas legislators voted to repeal the law after hearing concerns from elections administrators over its cost and logistics.

But theres a glitch.

The law takes effect Sept. 1, and its repeal was added to a broader bill that isnt effective until Dec. 1. That gives the nursing home bill a three-month life that will carry it through the November election.

Were scrambling, Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacquelyn Callanen said Thursday.

The secretary of states office sent an email to local officials Tuesday letting them know that the nursing-home law will be in effect for the Nov. 7 election  which features state constitutional amendments and some local contests  and any other election which takes place between Sept. 1, 2017 and Nov. 30, 2017.

In Bexar County, there might be a tax rollback election for a school district during that time period, Callanen said.

The original law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott requires county election officials to send poll workers to nursing homes if they receive more than five applications from the facilities. The poll workers must accommodate not only the people who sent in the applications, but other residents who want to vote.

Glen Maxey, legislative affairs director of the Texas Democratic Party, said the new law would have represented the biggest expansion of access to a ballot in Texas in decades, since early voting was passed in the 1980s.

Maxey denounced the repeal, saying it came after a number of county elections administrators stirred up all kinds of red herrings.

The Republican governor also had praised the original bill, saying on Twitter in May that it was a bipartisan effort and adding,Seniors votes shouldnt be stolen.

But local elections administrators who pressed for the repeal raised a number of concerns.

They said it might create a delay for some mail-in ballot applications since officials would have to wait to see if they get five applications from a facility. They cited privacy issues, saying the law would allow election judges and poll watchers to enter residents private rooms. They also said the measure would add to their election costs.

Read Callanen's letter outlining her concerns.

After the law was passed in the regular session, Callanen budgeted $50,000 to meet its requirements.

When the repeal was signed into law by Abbott, she and other election officials across the state thought the proposed changes had gone by the wayside. Not so, they discovered, but it was too late to get the effective date corrected.

Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart said the new requirements shouldnt pose a problem for the constitutional amendments election, which is expected to be a low-turnout event.

There would be many more mail-in ballot applications to contend with during a presidential election year or next years mid-term election, when statewide offices will be on the ballot.

This election wont be that bad, Stanart said. In a big year, where you have lots of applications, it would be more of a challenge... I think taking a step back and looking at this is the proper thing to have done.

Some elections administrators had suggested a pilot program would make sense, trying the new requirements in small, medium and large counties. Maxey said this election period will amount to a pilot.

Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, authored the original bill on access to the polls for people with disabilities to which the nursing home provisions were added. The nursing-home component was repealed as part of a more comprehensive bill addressing mail-in ballot fraud.

Its odd that the governor signed a bill into law, only to ask the Legislature to repeal it a few months later, Bernal said. I learned that there was no question that it would help clean up elections for many seniors, but there were questions as to which seniors. In other words, it became partisan.

Im not surprised, though, Bernal said. Election law in Texas is never about access, and always about who we hurt and who we help.

An Abbott spokesman didnt respond to a request for comment.

Sen. Kelly Hancock, the author of Senate Bill 5, which included the repeal, said the action was based on concerns from local officials and district attorneys.

From prevention to prosecution, Senate Bill 5 brings much-needed reforms to the mail ballot process aimed at drastically reducing fraud. As we looked at how to most effectively accomplish that, concerns were brought to our attention by county election officials, commissioners courts and even criminal district attorneys that requiring election judges to carry thousands of extra just in case mail ballots with them to residential care facilities  and allowing folks to sign an application and immediately cast their ballot on-the-spot  would lead to more mail ballot abuse, not less, said Hancock, R-North Richland Hills.

Maxey responded, We have in every election some 8,000 election judges that weve trusted for decades upon decades to take election materials to a polling place and return the election materials at the end of the day. If theres a concern, why hasnt there been a concern every election cycle?

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
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NEW BRAUNFELS  The morning that she died, Rhonda Allen sang a song with the phrase: When I see my Jesus face to face.

I know thats what she wanted, Jessica Melott said of her mother. Im only sad for me. Im not sad for her.

Allen, 61, recorded the lyric in a notebook not long before she and a dozen fellow members of the First Baptist Church New Braunfels were killed when a pickup crashed at high speed into their van near Uvalde on March 29.

For months, Melott said nothing about her mothers death outside of a tight circle of family and friends. But this week, she broke her grief-induced silence and began speaking about her mother and the man charged with driving the truck, Jack D. Young, 20, now facing 13 two-count indictments charging him with intoxication manslaughter and manslaughter, and one two-count indictment accusing him of intoxication assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

There are moments when Ill be angry, and I am not so naive to think that when my daughters get married and their grandmas not there that I wont be angry at him, she said in an interview with the Express-News. But right now I just feel bad that his whole life is ruined.

While Melott, 43, laments that her children no longer can enjoy their grandmas company, she takes comfort in her belief that Allen is now in heaven with Curtis Maxey, Melotts dad and Allens first husband, and Allens second late husband, Barry Allen.

Dangers of DUI

Melott spoke to the San Antonio Express-News on Wednesday, elaborating on remarks she made a day earlier about the hazards of drugged driving at an Impaired Driving Policy Summit in Austin, organized by AAA Texas.

Department of Public Safety records show marijuana and prescription drugs were recovered from Youngs crumpled pickup. Authorities say he told officers hed been texting before the head-on crash on U.S. 83 that generated national media coverage.

The grief and the wailing in the room that day as the DPS officer read off the names of the deceased is something Ill never forget, Melott told the audience of about 130 at the Austin summit that included legislators, court officials and law enforcement personnel.

AAA Texas spokesman Daniel Armbruster said Melotts first-hand account of loss and heartache resonated Tuesday with the audience at Palmer Events Center, where other speakers highlighted the hazards of driving while drowsy or drunk.

Shes very passionate about this and wanted to be a part of it, he said. I think the audience was very proud of her for being so brave for standing up there.

Melott, like other relatives of church bus passengers killed, had avoided commenting publicly about the crash that resulted in the indictments being returned in June against Young, who remains in the Uvalde County Jail.

When Young was due in court last week on a defense motion to lower his combined bonds from $380,000, Melott and three other victims relatives were in the courtroom but declined comment, as did Youngs family.

The hearing was reset until next Thursday to coincide with Youngs arraignment.

A joyful life

As three of her five daughters played in Landa Park on Wednesday, Melott expressed little hostility toward Young; rather, she feels an intense longing for her missing mother, a hospice employee who in 2015 had moved into a cottage behind the Melott home.

The obituary for Rhonda Jo Maxey Allen described her as a joyful servant of the Lord, passionate about her nursing profession, who radiated her joy and love for life to all who met her.

Melott recalled the shock of learning of the crash as a blur of endless tears, dry-heaves and an excruciating wait for details on how many had been hurt, or worse.

It was all just really surreal, said Melott, who works part-time at Grace Preparatory Academy, which her daughters attend.

As misinformation, ignorant remarks and faulty theories about the crash appeared on social media sites, Melott wanted to set the record straight, but restrained herself.

My husband said, You shouldnt read those comments. I would type out angry comments and then delete them, she recalled.

Tears flowed again Monday as she practiced her Austin speech in front of her daughters, ages 6 to 15, but she emerged from the actual presentation feeling proud and empowered.

I think it was cathartic and I really think my mom would have been proud that I havent sat in a hole and been sad, wallowed in my grief, Melott said, noting, She was full of joy.

zeke@express-news.net
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When Ted Cruz visited the studios of KTSA six weeks ago, I found myself sitting in the audience next to a local college professor.

This professor is a blood-red conservative Republican. As we discussed GOP efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act, the professor offered this solution for the uninsured: You want health care? Get a damn job! Thats my plan.

While I processed that statement, the professor pivoted to local politics and said, apropos of nothing, I really like that DA weve got.

Thats the strange political zone that Nico LaHood occupies as he gears up for a 2018 re-election campaign as Bexar County district attorney.

When LaHood first ran for DA in 2010, he was a young defense attorney known for his progressive stance on drug rehabilitation and casting himself as a fresh Democratic alternative to the Draconian law-and-order stance of Susan Reed, the Republican who had held the office since 1998.

These days, LaHoods biggest critics tend to be progressive Democrats, who are put off by the way he has used his office to promote anti-vaccine dogma and alarmed by the way his temper erupted last February against defense attorneys Joe Gonzales and Christian Henricksen.

LaHood allegedly threatened to shut down their legal practices because they considered seeking a dismissal of a murder charge because of a prosecutors potential conflict of interest. (LaHood denied making the threat.)

This upside-down political situation not only creates awkwardness for LaHood, it also makes it awkward for any of his potential opponents. Dems are reluctant to challenge a Democratic incumbent, even one as controversial as LaHood, because, after all, it took them 24 years to reclaim the office after a long stretch of GOP dominance.

LaHood is also bolstered by his tight relationship with Manuel Medina, the Bexar County Democratic Party chair, who controls the purse strings and many of the foot soldiers in the party.

As for the GOP, party leaders would love to take back the DAs office, but many rank-and file Republican voters admire LaHoods social conservatism, heart-on-his-sleeve religiosity and pugnacious defiance of political correctness.

As a result, with less than four months from the candidate filing deadline for the 2018 Texas primary, its questionable whether any credible challenger will emerge, from either party, to take on LaHood.

Some Republican insiders had their hearts set on Lori Valenzuela, judge for the 437th Criminal District Court.

For one thing, they loved that Valenzuela testified against LaHood in a court hearing concerning his alleged threats against Gonzales and Henricksen. For another, they believed that the possibility of electing our first-ever Latina DA could persuade Democrats to cross party lines for Valenzuela.

Valenzuela, however, has decided to seek another term on the district court bench.

Sid Harle, a veteran jurist admired across the political divide, also has been urged to run in the Republican primary. Harle, a longtime LaHood family friend, flirted with a GOP primary run against Reed in 2014 but ultimately stayed out. Hes definitely not running this time around.

At this point, the most likely Republican candidate might be Patrick Hancock, a criminal defense attorney who successfully represented fellow lawyer Mike McCrum in a splashy 2014 contempt-of-court case initiated by Reeds DA office.

In a Thursday statement to the San Antonio Express-News, LaHood said this about his re-election campaign: I welcome the voters review of our performance. I have kept the promises I made on the campaign trail in 2014. I will be humbly asking that they allow me to keep serving them for another term.

On the Democratic side, LaHood detractors hold out hope for Therese Huntzinger, a former assistant district attorney who lost to LaHood by only 47 votes in the 2014 primary.

Its a daily dialogue, unfortunately, as soon as I walk into the courthouse, Huntzinger said about the private requests for her to challenge LaHood. I think Ive found those 47 votes many times over during the past three years.

Huntzinger said she appreciates the encouragement, but added, Im not really inclined to do it right now.

Fortunately for LaHood, most of his other potential challengers arent inclined to do it either.

ggarcia@express-news.net

Twitter: @gilgamesh470
LONDON, Ohio  Stan Ernst and Louis McFarland will be inducted into the Farm Science Reviews Hall of Fame during the agricultural exposition Sept. 19-21.

The two will join the 75 individuals who have been recognized for their contribution to and support of the Review since its inception 55 years ago.

The Farm Science Review, which is held at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center near London, Ohio, showcases the latest agricultural innovations in machinery and equipment, and research from experts from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.

Stan Ernst

Ernst has been a champion of the Review for 27 years, specifically of the educational efforts conducted by the college and Ohio State University Extension.

He served as news and media relations coordinator, Extension outreach program manager, and specialty crop/food business program manager and marketing specialist during his tenure at Ohio State.

For many years, Ernst led the program known as Question the Authorities, which still exists today as Ask The Expert, where a variety of speakers discuss current topics in agriculture throughout the three days of the Review.

Stan will be remembered by many as the Question Guy for his years in planning Question the Authorities, but his efforts go far beyond just this program, said Nick Zachrich, the Reviews manager.

On many occasions, Ernst, who joined Penn State Universitys Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education in August 2016, also stepped up to provide operational and physical support to the Reviews programs and projects.

Zachrich lauded Ernsts passion for the agricultural industry and for providing important information to farmers and the rural community on agricultural economics and other current agricultural topics.

The ag economist has enhanced the experience of Review visitors for many years, said Zachrich.

Louis McFarland

The leadership and guidance provided by land improvement contractor Louis McFarland over the past four decades has been instrumental in the construction of many educational and land improvement infrastructures at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center.

Projects, said Zachrich, many of us take for granted.

Many field drainage improvements, pond construction, wetland construction and waterway construction have been led or assisted by McFarland and implemented under his leadership. These projects are located in various areas of the 2,100-square-foot facility including the Review exhibit area, farm fields including field demonstration areas, and the Gwynne Conservation Area.

McFarland, of Circleville, has also been instrumental in the development of an annual Ohio Land Improvement Contractors Association field day held as a portion of the Review field demonstrations. The cropland and field demonstrations at the Review benefit from the drainage improvements that the association continues to make annually.
To many, practical experience is the best education. So a partnership between the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the West Virginia Universitys Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design makes perfect sense. While students gain real-world experience, they also provide NRCS with much-needed support.

The NRCS state office in Morgantown, West Virginia, currently has three interns from WVU. Michael OConor and Addie Thornley are both working on their masters degree in agricultural and resource economics, and Mikenze Poling is working on a bachelors degree in agricultural and extension education.

We are fortunate to have these students interning with the state office programs staff, said Pam Yost, NRCS WV state economist and mentor. They are working on watershed planning activities and occasionally getting out to the field to see what our agency is all about.

Michael OConor

OConor, came to West Virginia from Cleveland, Ohio, to learn more about rural America and its economies.

Through an agreement with the Davis College and the NRCS, I found myself working on watershed conservation throughout the state, he said. I didnt know much about the NRCS before I began my internship, but I quickly learned the importance of this USDA division and how we work with rural communities to maintain healthy and productive working landscapes.

Addie Thornley

Thornley is originally from Damascus, Maryland, and has gained valuable knowledge about West Virginia.

Being a student working in the government really opened my eyes to different job opportunities and what the NRCS really does, she said. Growing up on a farm, we have worked with the NRCS many times, and it is cool to see what goes on from the other side at a state level. I have also gained a knowledge about West Virginia that I would not have otherwise  it has made me appreciate this great state even more than I already had. My favorite part about working here is knowing that I have been part of potentially improving watersheds and flood control throughout the state.

Mikenze Poling

Poling, a West Virginia native from Buckhannon, found her path to NRCS when she was working at a local restaurant. She mentioned her agricultural interests to a patron who just so happened to be an NRCS district conservationist. He suggested she contact the state office about opportunities, and voila! Poling was in the right place at the right time to apply and is now a Pathways intern in soil conservation.

As an intern, I have a great opportunity to work with several different positions in the programs division of NRCS, Poling said. Particularly, I have been working with Pam Yost on several new projects. These entail many different kinds of conservation practices, and I am specifically focusing on floodplain areas in southern West Virginia. I am so thankful for my opportunity to work with the NRCS, and I plan to continue my career in this agency upon graduation.

Value

The youth, energy and ideas of the students are a great addition to the NRCS family. At the same time, it provides them valuable experience, said Laura Smith, assistant state conservationist for programs. Welcome aboard!

For more information regarding Pathways and other Internship Programs, visit the NRCS WV website at www.wv.nrcs.usda.gov or call your local NRCS office.
At Elders we pride ourselves on going above and beyond for our clients, he said. Theyre the lifeline of our business so its always our focus to support them and their communities in any way we can, he said.
The addition of CVT to the Steiger range represents a giant leap forward in the world of high horsepower tractors and we look forward to sharing all the benefits of the technology with visitors to AgQuip, where the tractor will be officially launched to the Australian market, Mr Selsmeyer said.
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Big Pharma Sanofi-Aventis was awarded $38.7 million Thursday as its share of a $465 million False Claims Act settlement by Mylan for knowingly misclassifying EpiPen as a generic drug to avoid paying rebates owed to Medicaid.

Mylan Inc. and Mylan Specialty L.P. settled the allegations. Theyre both wholly owned subsidiaries of Mylan N.V., which is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

The $465 million settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act.

The FCA permits private parties to sue on behalf of the government and share in any recovery.

The whistleblower in this case was the pharmaceutical manufacturer, Sanofi-Aventis US LLC. It will receive approximately $38.7 million as its share of the federal recovery, the DOJ said.

Paris-based Sanofi-Aventis used its U.S. unit to sue Mylan.

The federal government can intervene in False Claims Act suits brought by private parties.

The governments intervention in this matter illustrates the governments emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act, the DOJ said Thursday.

The settlement agreement (pdf) resolved allegations that Mylan wrongly reported EpiPen as a generic drug to Medicaid despite the absence of any therapeutically equivalent drugs. By doing that, Mylan was able to demand massive price increases in the private market while avoiding its corresponding rebate obligations to Medicaid, the DOJ said.

Between 2010 and 2016, Mylan increased the price of the EpiPen by 400 percent. But it paid only a fixed 13 percent rebate to Medicaid during the same period.

Mylan knew its drug was not a generic, according to the DOJ.

Acting U.S. Attorney William Weinreb said: Mylan misclassified its brand name drug, EpiPen, to profit at the expense of the Medicaid program. We will continue to protect the integrity of Medicaid and ensure a level playing field for pharmaceutical companies.

As part of the settlement, Mylan entered into a corporate integrity agreement with the federal government. The integrity agreement requires an annual independent review of Mylans practices in the Medicaid drug rebate program.

The DOJ said Thursday the settlement resolved allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

The case was United States ex rel. Sanofi-Aventis US LLC v. Mylan Inc., et al., No. 16-CV-11572 (D. Mass.).

____

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.
Bridget Malcolm has decided to prioritise her health over her career.

Bridget Malcolm

The Victoria's Secret model has been struggling with anxiety in recent months and has, therefore, opted to reject certain job offers for the benefit of her general well-being.

Writing on her blog, the 25-year-old beauty shared: "This year has been incredibly important for me in this regard; my mental and physical health always comes first.

"I love to work and travel, and have always said yes to jobs that take me to far ends of the globe. It is one of my favorite parts of my awesome job!

"But after a particularly bad run in with anxiety attacks earlier this year, I have learned to really check in with myself before accepting jobs. (sic)"

The blonde beauty, who hails from Perth, Australia, also revealed exercise, meditation and reading have helped to ease her anxiety.

Meanwhile, Bridget recently admitted she feared she would burst into tears at any moment during her first casting for a modelling job.

Recalling the start of her career, she said: "I remember sitting in that [first] meeting with [the agent and] my parents and every time someone would look at me, I'd turn bright red.

"I was so little. I was a young 14, too."

Bridget's reputation within the industry has subsequently gone from strength to strength, which meant she went years without taking a proper break.

She said: "I've been modelling for a long time and working non-stop."

But now, Bridget feels she can "pick and choose" her modelling jobs.

The catwalk star, who has also graced the runway for Ralph Lauren, recently explained: "I can kind of pick and choose jobs now, which is nice."
Natalie Portman says motherhood has impacted on her "beauty maintenance".

Natalie Portman

The 35-year-old actress has admitted she finds it "tricky" perfecting her beauty and skincare routine now she has six-year-old son Aleph and her "small baby" Amalia, who she gave birth to in February this year.

Speaking about her struggles as a parent to Harper's Bazaar magazine, the brunette beauty said: "I don't do much beauty maintenance, and I find it tricky right now having a small baby."

However, the 'Black Swan' star has revealed she relies on the wellness app named PRIV, which gives her direct contact with a hair stylist or make-up expert at the click of the finger, who pamper her with "mani pedis" in the comfort of her own home.

She added: "But I've been using the PRIV beauty app every once in a while to schedule mani-pedis at the house, which has been nice."

And Natalie is set for a busy year ahead, as she is set to star in 'Bronco Belle' and portray an aspiring bull rider in the upcoming movie, which will be directed by Anna Rose Holmer.

However, the 'Jackie' star believes women are still being objectified in movies rather than being portrayed as "complex" individuals.

She thinks the movie business still has a long way to go in terms of the parts on offer for actresses in mainstream movies, just like many other industries still need to offer more to women.

Speaking previously about the industry, she said: "We're having a problem with female leadership - in business, in government, in storytelling. I think it has to do with being a boss. We're still having a problem, first with women in that position, and second there are so many obstacles in their way.

"We are so often put in roles as objects of desire, with a male view, as opposed to subjects of desire with complex weaknesses, and moments of strength and focus - and you can be all of those things."
Set to star opposite Margot Robbie as Elizbaeth I in Josie Rourkes feature directorial debut, the first image of Saoirse Ronan as Mary, Queen of Scots has this week been revealed, which you can check out below:

Saoirse Ronan stars as Mary, Queen of Scots

Adapting a screenplay written by Beau Willimon, Rourkes film Mary, Queen of Scots will be produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title, along with Debra Hayward; all of three of which were nominated for Academy Awards following their work as producers on Les Miserables.

Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, Martin Compston, Brendan Coyle, David Tennant and Guy Pearce all also star in the movie, which will explore the turbulent and chaotic life of Mary Stuart.

Becoming the Queen of France at 16-years-old and then becoming a widow at just 18, Mary defies the pressure on her to remarry, instead returning to her native home of Scotland to reclaim her throne. There, shell face a battle of power with Elizabeth I, who rules over both England and Scotland, but with a determination to rule as more of a figurehead, Mary asserts her claim to the throne and threatens Elizabeth Is sovereignty.

With betrayal, rebellion and conspiracies around every corner, the course of history could be changed forever as the chaos within each court puts both thrones in peril.

Peter Kujawski, chairman at Focus comments: We are privileged to be collaborating with our partners at Working Title on this stellar production, and with Josie as she makes this exciting move from stage to screen work. With two of todays most vital actresses bringing to life two female titans, Mary, Queen of Scots will be one of the movie events of 2018.

Mary, Queen of Scots will hit cinemas next year; well bring you more news about the movie as and when we get it.

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Stan Lee wants to see more of The Silver Surfer character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Stan Lee

The 94-year-old comic book writer is renowned for creating iconic superhero characters, including Iron Man, Captain America and Spider-Man, but Lee has admitted there is one particular hero he wants to see secure a feature-length film.

Speaking to SyFy.com, Lee said: "He's the one I want to see more. He's the most philosophical of all the characters I've ever worked on.

"And I have an idea for my cameo in that one!"

The Silver Surfer has been around since the early days of Marvel Comics and he features in the pages of 'The Fantastic Four' comics.

He originally was working for Galactus and would travel through space to find planets for the creature to feed on.

Finding his way to Earth, it is up to The Fantastic Four to convince him to help them stop Galactus from destroying the world.

This story was brought to the big screen in the 2007 movie 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer', but fans were disappointed with the family-friendly storyline.

Lee has had multiple cameos in many movies based around his iconic comic characters.

But the world-famous American has revealed his favourite appearance was in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron', where he drinks some of Thor's Asgardian alcohol and gets kicked out of their party.

He previously said: "The thing I loved about that cameo is, if you think about it, that is the only cameo I've done that had two scenes.

"It was more than a cameo. It was almost like a role in the movie. So now I'm shooting for cameos that have three scenes, four scenes. Eventually I hope to be the co-star."
Robert Plant is to release new album 'Carry Fire' on October 13.

Robert Plant

The former Led Zeppelin vocalist has unveiled details of his 11th solo album - the follow-up to 2014's 'Lullaby and...The Ceaseless Roar' - which features a guest appearance from Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders on 'Bluebirds Over The Mountain'.

The track was written by rockabilly star Ersel Hickey and later recorded by both Richie Valens and The Beach Boys.

The 68-year-old rocker posted a short clip of the instrumental for the lead track 'A Way With Words' on his official website and his social media profiles on Tuesday (15.08.17).

Robert says fans can expect the new music to provide "dramatic landscapes of mood, melody and instrumentation".

Speaking about the collection of songs, which are accompanied up by his backing group The Sensational Space Shifters, Robert said: "It's about intention, I respect and relish my past works but each time I feel the lure and incentive to create new work.

"I must mix old with new. Consequently, the whole impetus of the band has moved on its axis somewhat, the new sound and different space giving way to exciting and dramatic landscapes of mood, melody and instrumentation."

Seth Lakeman also features on three tracks playing the viola and fiddle.

The 'A Whole Lotta Love' hitmaker will also be embarking on a UK tour, kicking off at Plymouth Pavilions in Devon, South West England on November 16 and wrapping at Birmingham Symphony Hall in North England on December 12.

Robert will return to London's Royal Albert Hall on December 8 for the first time since October 2013.

Tickets for the 15-date tour go on sale August 25 at 9am the full dates can be found at robertplant.com.

Robert Plant's 'Carry Fire' track-listing is as follows:

'The May Queen'

'New World...'

'Season's Song'

'Dance With You Tonight'

'Carving Up The World Again... a wall and not a fence'

'A Way With Words'

'Carry Fire'

'Bones Of Saints'

'Keep It Hid'

'Bluebirds Over The Mountain'

'Heaven Sent'
The late Princess Diana felt her relationship with the Prince of Wales started to get "serious" when she was a teenager.

Princess Diana

The blonde royal - who tragically passed away in 1997 - has admitted she felt her romance with Prince Charles started to blossom two years prior to their wedding day in 1981 when she was "18 and a half" years old.

Speaking in an upcoming documentary titled 'Diana - Her Story', she said: "When the [relationship] really started to get serious ... I must have been 18 and a half. I was asked to stay with some friends in Sussex, and they said, 'Oh, the Prince of Wales is staying the night because he's playing polo.' So I thought, 'Well, I haven't seen him for ages, he's just broken up with his girlfriend; [his great-uncle Lord] Mountbatten's just been killed. And I said it will be nice to see him."

But the Sussex encounter was not the first time the pair had met, as Charles has previously dated Diana's older sibling Lady Sarah.

And Diana, who crossed paths with the 68-year-old royal in 1977, felt "quite impressed" by their following meetings.

She said: "I thought, 'I am quite impressed this time around.'"

Meanwhile, Diana - who has Prince William, 35, and Prince Harry, 32, - has revealed one of her happiest times in her life was living in a flat in London's Old Brompton Road.

She said: "I was so happy there. I had three girls living with me. I had the best time of my life."
The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has urged the Indian Government to clear the confusion over minimum wages for the garment sector after the wage code bill was cleared by the cabinet in July and clarify that the minimum monthly wages are not going to be fixed at Rs 18,000. A clarification will restore the confidence of foreign buyers, it said.The confusion has affected booking of export orders, AEPC chairman Ashok G Rajani wrote to the textile ministry, according to a press release from the council.

The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has urged the Indian Government to clear the confusion over minimum wages for the garment sector after the wage code bill was cleared by the cabinet in July and clarify that the minimum monthly wages are not going to be fixed at Rs 18,000. A clarification will restore the confidence of foreign buyers, it said.#

Incorporated in 1978, AEPC is the official body of apparel exporters in India that assists exporters as well as importers abroad who choose India as their sourcing destination for garments.The cost of wages in the garment export sector is around 30 per cent of freight on board (FOB), the highest by any standard and the apparel industry is passing through a challenging phase due to slowdown of world economy, feels APEC.Doubling the minimum wages from the present about Rs 9,000 per month will make garment manufacturing unviable and unsustainable and affect employment in the sector, said APEC. Moreover, it will have an adverse impact on women as around 70 per cent of the workforce in readymade garments Industry is women.The percentage raise in the monthly minimum wage will be close to 250 in many states where readymade garment exports are concentrated.Garment exports in July 2017 registered a negative growth of 11.86 per cent in dollar terms compared to July 2016. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) plans to focus and fund establishment of the cotton, textiles and garment industry in the country. Minister for national planning and monitoring Richard Maru feels that garmenting skills of local women can be used in the sector, which can bring good returns and contribute to development of the countrys economy.

The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) plans to focus and fund establishment of the cotton, textiles and garment industry in the country. Minister for national planning and monitoring Richard Maru feels that garmenting skills of local women can be used in the sector, which can bring good returns and contribute to development of the country's economy.#

We dont even have an industry body in some sectors like textile for example. Do we keep importing?, Maru asked while addressing officials of his department, PNG media reported.

The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) plans to focus and fund establishment of the cotton, textiles and garment industry in the country. Minister for national planning and monitoring Richard Maru feels that garmenting skills of local women can be used in the sector, which can bring good returns and contribute to development of the country's economy.#

He said the department should now start planning on how it could help development of textile and garment sector which can bring sustainable returns. He added that the development of the industry would benefit local women who can use their garmenting skills to earn a living.

The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) plans to focus and fund establishment of the cotton, textiles and garment industry in the country. Minister for national planning and monitoring Richard Maru feels that garmenting skills of local women can be used in the sector, which can bring good returns and contribute to development of the country's economy.#

Meanwhile, the PNG government is working to register the Garment and Textile Training Institute (GTTI) as a national apprenticeship and trade testing centre to boost the textile industry in the country. This is part of the governments commitment to create an environment conducive to the development of small and medium enterprises (SME).

The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) plans to focus and fund establishment of the cotton, textiles and garment industry in the country. Minister for national planning and monitoring Richard Maru feels that garmenting skills of local women can be used in the sector, which can bring good returns and contribute to development of the country's economy.#

Since its establishment in 2002, more than 3,000 participants have graduated from the government-run GTTI, earlier called Women Textile Training Centre, under the SME Corporation. The institute has been training men and women in tailoring and textile-related skills.

The government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) plans to focus and fund establishment of the cotton, textiles and garment industry in the country. Minister for national planning and monitoring Richard Maru feels that garmenting skills of local women can be used in the sector, which can bring good returns and contribute to development of the country's economy.#

Separately, the ministry of trade, commerce and industry of PNG had last year directed the SME Corporation to conduct a study into the textile and garment industry of the country. The study aims to identify measures and policies that can be put into place for cutting down on import bills and manufacture high quality garments. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Dutch Government and several industry organisations, trade unions and NGOs concluded an agreement in July 2016 on International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) in the garments and textile sector to fight discrimination, child labour and forced labour, to reduce the negative impact of their activities on the environment and to prevent animal abuse.Sixty-four business establishments representing about 80 different clothing and textile brands have signed the agreement so far, representing more than 35 per cent of all textile business units in the Netherlands. The aim is to make 80 per cent of all businesses in this sector in the country to sign by 2021, according to the IRBC website. The agreement will remain in effect for a five-year period.

The Dutch Government and several industry organisations, trade unions and NGOs concluded an agreement in July 2016 on International Responsible Business Conduct (IRBC) in the garments and textile sector to fight discrimination, child labour and forced labour, to reduce the negative impact of their activities on the environment and to prevent animal abuse.#

The participating business entities seek to reduce the amount of water, energy and chemicals they use and produce less chemical waste and waste water. For the first time ever, businesses as a group will state which factories produce their clothing.The trade unions and NGOs involved will support with their expertise and networks and will involve their local partners in implementing the programmes. An independent disputes committee has been appointed with the power to issue binding rulings.Facilitated by the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER), the agreement addresses issues that cannot be resolved by one business acting alone and focuses on collective projects and cooperation, increasing the chances of success.The agreement represents the Dutch approach to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines for multinational enterprises promoting international responsible business conduct. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Turkish ministry of economy has announced imposition of provisional anti-dumping duty on partially oriented yarn (POY) with HS code 5402.46 imported from seven countriesChina, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The ministry said that the volume of imported POY increased considerably during January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016.

The ministry had launched a preliminary investigation in February this year following a petition from Korteks Mensucat ve Sanayi Anonim Sirketi company. According to the data obtained from Turkish Statistical Institute, it was determined that POY imports had increased considerably, especially after 2010, the ministry said in an official communique.

The share of Turkish POY imports from the above mentioned seven countries was 99.1 per cent in 2014 and 2015, and it was 99.2 per cent in 2016. In terms of volume, it has increased from 159,960,807 kg in 2010 to 295,789,479 kg in 2016.

Turkish ministry of economy has announced imposition of provisional anti-dumping duty on partially oriented yarn (POY) with HS code 5402.46 imported from seven countriesChina, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The ministry said that the volume of imported POY increased considerably during January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016.#

The anti-dumping duty on POY from India, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam will be 10.15 per cent, 14.3 per cent, 18.85 per cent and 36.28 per cent respectively. The duty on import of POY from China, Indonesia and Malaysia would be levied at $263 per ton, $120 per ton and $138 per ton respectively, the communique said.

These duties will remain in effect until the final decision on the investigation is announced. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
DUBLIN, August 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global Vapor Permeability Films Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global vapor permeability films market to grow at a CAGR of 8.45% during the period 2017-2021.

The report, Global Vapor Permeability Films Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.



One trend in the market is increasing focus on sustainable solutions. Vendors in the global vapor permeability films market are emphasizing on the usage of sustainable films. For instance, in April 2017, RKW Group showcased a broad range of its products that included its sustainable films and nonwoven portfolio for hygiene, medical, and industrial applications at Index 2017 in Geneva.



According to the report, one driver in the market is growing industrial applications. The global vapor permeability films market is growing because of increasing industrial applications of these films. For instance, in food packaging applications, these films are used to protect perishables from spoilage by controlling the level of oxygen. It offers enhanced taste and quality of food for the consumers. This is because if the food is packed with a non-permeable film, it results in a low-level oxygen content inside the packaging, which leads to decaying of food.

Further, the report states that one challenge in the market is regulatory challenges. Several regulatory challenges impact the global vapor permeability films market. For instance, in January 2017, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the surgical gloves that used powder as a lubricant globally, to prevent any risk of illness. The surgical gloves require vapor permeable films as raw materials. In March 2017, the government of India banned all types of plastic packaging in Delhi to encourage sustainability. Also, in 2016, the state government of Karnataka in India banned the usage of plastic carrier bags and films in the state.



Key vendors

Clopay Plastic Products Company

Mitsui Chemicals

RKW Group

Toray Industries

Other prominent vendors

American Polyfilm

Arkema Group

Celanese

Covestro

Fatra

Innovia Films

Nitto Denko Corporation

Skymark

Trioplast

Key Topics Covered:

Part 01: Executive Summary



Part 02: Scope Of The Report



Part 03: Research Methodology



Part 04: Introduction



Part 05: Market Landscape



Part 06: Market Segmentation By Material



Part 07: Geographical Segmentation



Part 08: Drivers And Challenges



Part 09: Market Trends



Part 10: Vendor Landscape



Part 11: Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/94nggp/global_vapor

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Billionaire investor Mark Cuban reportedly seeks to buy back the Broadcast.com brand name, in order to use it for his start up. Cuban wants to use the name for a tweaked version of a private chat app Cyber Dust, according to tech news site The Information. Cyber Dust is available for iOS and Android devices and claims to be a safe and private way to chat with people. According to reports, an updated version of the app will allow people pay for the privilege to chat privately with well-known people like Cuban. Payment would be made via cryptocurrency. Cuban had sold Broadcast.com brand to Yahoo for $5.7 billion in 1999. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.










Seven Events Diah Putri E: putri@seven-event.com W: www.indonesiaautoshow.com

BSD City, INDONESIA, Aug 18, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - The Indonesian Automotive Industries Association (GAIKINDO) presents the world class auto show series of GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS 2017). Carrying the theme of "Rise of the Future Mobility", GIIAS 2017 was discharged for 10 days and open to the public from 10 - 20 August 2017 at Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD City, near Jakarta.Yohanes Nangoi, the General Chairman of GAIKINDO, mentioned that GIIAS 2017 included more than 40 new vehicle launches, including world premieres, Asian premieres, Indonesian premieres and concept car launches.Three APM launch their world premieres at GIIAS 2017UD Trucks became the first commercial vehicle manufacturer and participant to present a world premiere for its latest product in the light duty segment, the Kuzer Truck. UD Trucks explained that it chose to launch light truck products in Indonesia because the commercial vehicle market in Indonesia was considered to have great potential. In addition, the need for light trucks that are increasing in Indonesia was also the reason for choosing Indonesia & GIIAS 2017 as the location for the launch of the Kuzer Truck.From the passenger cars segment, Mitsubishi launched its small MPV flagship Mitsubishi Xpander for the first time in the world.As a vehicle manufacturer from Japan, Daihatsu helped maximize its participation in GIIAS 2017 by exhibiting two concept vehicles for the first time in the world, namely DN F-Sedan and DN Multisix.About GAIKINDO Indonesia International AUTO SHOW (GIIAS)GAIKINDO hosted the very first Indonesian Autoshow in 1986. In 2006 the exhibition reached a new level, becoming an international-scale exhibition endorsed by OICA (Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles), and changing its name to Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS), and in 2009 moved to a larger venue in Jakarta International Expo - Kemayoran.In 2015 a new chapter began, as the GAIKINDO Indonesia International AUTO SHOW (GIIAS), now the largest in Southeast Asia, is held at the spacious Indonesia Convention Exhibition - Bumi Serpong Damai (ICE - BSD), the new destination of the MICE industry in Indonesia. GIIAS 2016 occupied 96,557 sqm, providing maximum convenience for visitors, transportation systems for easy access, and a series of shows that are both entertaining and educational. For more information, please visit www.indonesiaautoshow.com.Source: GAIKINDO Indonesia International AUTO SHOW (GIIAS)Contact:Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, International builds council with Cincinnati software executive

Cincinnati, Ohio--(Newsfile Corp. - August 17, 2017) - Lantek Sheet Metal Solutions is proud to announce the appointment of Lantek USA Director Adria Haines to the Fabricators & Manufacturer's Association, International (FMA) Software Technology Council. As one of only nine members on the council, Haines brings 20 years of expertise in CAD/CAM and manufacturing solutions software.

FMA's Software Technology Council is comprised of volunteer leaders that provide FMA members and the industry unbiased information about the benefits of software solutions and automation. "We are pleased to have Adria join our Software Technology Council," states Ashly Lantz, Education Products Specialist for FMA. "Adria offers valuable insights into the digitization of manufacturing. This topic is top of mind for our members, so we look forward to her support in the coming year."

Haines has robust experience in the CAD/CAM market. With an educational background in Computer Science from the University of Cincinnati, Haines began her career developing and supporting CAD/CAM software. She went on to serve as an Application Engineer, demonstrating and implementing CAD/CAM Interoperability projects to Fortune 500 manufacturers, before landing in her favorite role - crafting solutions for customers.

"I'm a problem-solver by nature," stated Haines. "Once I began working closely with clients in real-world manufacturing, I was hooked. To see the impact my work has in saving time and money for manufacturers is truly satisfying." In 2009 Lantek selected Haines to assemble a US team as part of their mission to help sheet metal companies digitize their processes with the most innovative software products and services. She has been key in the launch of Advanced Solutions, Lantek's new offering for the Digital Transformation of Sheet Metal companies.

"Today I am helping my clients learn Industry 4.0 technologies and how to achieve their digitization goals. I am honored to be chosen for the FMA Software Council and hope that my knowledge of CAD/CAM, Nesting, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), ERP and Integrated Smart Factory will be an asset to their mission," added Haines.

To learn more about Lantek Sheet Metal Solutions, visit: www.lanteksms.com

About Lantek Sheet Metal Solutions

Lantek Sheet Metal Solutions is the world's largest provider of Industry 4.0 solutions to the Sheet Metal Fabrication Industry. Their solutions include CAD/CAM Nesting, MES, ERP, and specialize in integrating software for Smart Factories. Lantek is globally headquartered in the Basque Country of Spain. Having over 30 years of experience, Lantek supports more than 18,000 customers in 90 countries. Lantek has offices in 15 countries. Lantek's U.S. Headquarters is located in Mason, OH.

About The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA)

FMA is a professional organization with more than 2,500 individual and company members working together to improve the metal processing, forming and fabricating industry. Founded in 1970, FMA brings metal fabricators and equipment manufacturers together through technology councils, educational programs, networking events, and FABTECH, the industry's leading trade show. The official publications of FMA include - The FABRICATOR, The Tube & Pipe Journal, STAMPING Journal, Practical Welding Today, The Fabricator en Espanol, Canadian Metalworking, and Canadian Fabricating & Welding. FMA's charitable foundation, Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs, provides grants to community and technical colleges to produce manufacturing summer camps for youth ages 12-16 to introduce them to manufacturing career options. The foundation provides scholarships for qualified students in post-secondary educational programs leading to careers in manufacturing as well. www.fmanet.org

Media Contact:

Kevin Must

577-805-1028
18 August 2017



Company announcement no. 07-17



FK Distribution expects to sign contracts with new customers, and North Media Aviser reduces costs. Earnings expectations for 2017 adjusted upwards. Earnings expected to improve considerably in 2018.



"Activities in H1 2017 have centred around the development of the business segments to create a basis for improving earnings. At North Media Aviser, we have completed the second phase of a major restructuring process and implemented a new metropolitan strategy. FK Distribution has signed new customer contracts and expects to see an inflow of more new customers in H2 2017. In this connection, FK Distribution is in the process of adjusting production accordingly. We expect that these steps will help improve earnings considerably in 2018 so that the Group's earnings will again be satisfactory and positive," says Kare Wigh, Group Executive Director & CFO of North Media A/S.



Group financial highlights from H1 2017



-- Group revenue reached DKKm 427.3 (2016: DKKm 430.9), which is 1% down on last year. -- EBIT before special items was a loss of DKKm 6.2 (2016: a loss of DKKm 25.0). -- The return on securities reached a positive DKKm 35.0, or 16.2%. The Group's total portfolio of securities amounted to DKKm 255.4 at 30 June 2017. -- The Group's net interest-bearing cash position was DKKm 128.7 at the balance sheet date, and its capital resources amounted to DKKm 283.1. Consequently, the Group's financial resources remain strong.



Outlook for 2017



The revenue expectations range for the Group has been reduced to now be between DKKm 860 and DKKm 890 for 2017. Expected group EBIT before special items has been made more specific and increased to now be between a negative DKKm 20 and DKK 0 for 2017.



Based on the restructuring of North Media Aviser in H1 2017, special items (costs) are expected to be negative by DKKm 5.3 for the financial year.



Outlook for 2018



There will be some uncertainties in 2018 that may have both a positive and a negative effect. Among them are general market developments and FK Distribution's costs for implementing the new mid-week distribution platform. Moreover, FK Distribution expects an inflow of more new customers, and North Media Aviser has reduced its cost base.



In this light, group EBIT is expected to improve considerably in 2018.



FK Distribution - H1 2017



-- Revenue was DKKm 310.0 (H1 2016: DKKm 274.5), up 13%. -- EBITDA was DKKm 19.7 (H1 2016: DKKm 11.9). -- EBIT stood at DKKm 13.9 (H1 2016: DKKm 4.2). -- In March 2017, PostNord announced that they are going to introduce a new production model from 1 January 2018. This has led to FK Distribution signing new customer contracts. FK Distribution expects to see an inflow of more new customers in H2 2017. The new customers will primarily effect operations in 2018.



North Media Aviser - H1 2017



-- Revenue was DKKm 63.8 (H1 2016: DKKm 97.6), down 35%. -- EBITDA was a negative DKKm 2.0 (H1 2016: a negative DKKm 12.6). -- EBIT before special items stood at a negative DKKm 5.4 (H1 2016: a negative DKKm 18.9). Special items (costs) related to restructuring are negative by DKKm 5.3 in H1 2017. -- Following massive restructuring and divestment measures in 2016, H1 2017 has been affected by the completion and implementation of the new metropolitan strategy. The reductions in cost made in 2016 have led to a significant earnings improvement in 2017.



North Media Online - H1 2017



-- Revenue was DKKm 43.5 (H1 2016: DKKm 48.2), down 10%. -- EBITDA was a negative DKKm 8.1 (H1 2016: a negative DKKm 4.3). -- EBIT stood at a negative DKKm 8.7 (H1 2016: a negative DKKm 5.0). -- Decline for the "Job" business line (Ofir and MatchWork) due to Emply ApS' unwarranted termination of Ofir's interminable exclusive distribution right to the Emply Hire e-recruiting system.



BEKEY - H1 2017



-- Revenue was DKKm 10.0 (H1 2016: DKKm 10.6), down 6%. -- EBITDA was a negative DKKm 7.5 (H1 2016: a negative DKKm 8.6). -- EBIT stood at a negative DKKm 7.6 (H1 2016: a negative DKKm 8.7).



Contrary to expectations, revenue growth is negative, which is of course not satisfactory. In view of this, the strategy has been reconsidered, and focus been narrowed



For further information, please contact:



Group Executive Director & CFO Kare Wigh, mobile + 45 25 65 21 45 Chief Executive Officer of FK Distribution Mads Dahl Andersen, mobile +45 20 42 09 85 Chief Executive Officer of North Media Aviser Gorm Wesing Flyvholm, mobile +45 25 45 67 74 Chief Executive Officer of North Media Online Henrik Lvig, mobile +45 61 79 94 31 Chief Executive Officer of BEKEY Sren Holmblad, mobile +45 25 65 21 30.



Yours faithfully North Media A/S



Kare Wigh Group Executive Director & CFO



This Company announcement has been prepared in Danish and English. The Danish text shall be the governing text for all purposes and in case of any discrepancy the Danish wording shall be applicable.



Attachment:

https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=641816

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VADUZ, Liechtenstein, August 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Disruption, panic mode, new world order - the past years have been very challenging for businesses all around the world. Many futurists are preaching that it is already too late if one hasn't already adjusted to the digital trends by now. A Liechtenstein based think-tank that dedicated itself to the potentials of the Digital Modern era doesn't quite agree with the doomsaying. THE HUS.institute could draw a positive balance after their first business year and hosted a panel with representatives of the United Nations Technology Innovation Lab, initiatives of Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT) and the Liechtenstein Institute for Strategic Development at the University of Liechtenstein on Friday 18, August 2017. The topic of the discussion panel "A sustainable ecosystem" indicates the overall vision of the think-tank: Easing the way into a holistically sustainable present and future with the help of the microstate Liechtenstein as a closed living-lab for important game-changing solutions and projects in the Digital Modern Era.

THE HUS.institute founded by futurist Christopher P. Peterka and Liechtenstein visionary Rudolf D. Hilti focuses on the transformation from the Gutenberg era into the Digital Modern era. An innovative network arose in the course of the first business year: Human beings from various countries were enthused by the vision of the think-tank. Argentina, Italy, Iran, Great-Britain, the US or India to only name a few of the origins. The members called "Transformers" are just as diverse in terms of profession. From poet to investment broker, from student to CEO - transformation calls for multifaceted groups to effectively impact outworn systems and affect new tendencies in this time full of disruption. Please visit our media center for more information!

THE HUS.institute

Landstrasse 121

LI-9490 Vaduz

Principality of Liechtenstein

+41(0)79-544-52-74

regina@thehus.institute

www.thehus.institute


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Commodity currencies such as the Australian, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars weakened against their major counterparts in the Asian session on Friday. This was caused by Asian stocks trading in the negative territory after a deadly terrorist attack in Spain that left 13 people dead. Further, doubts grew about U.S. President Donald Trump's ability to push through his economic agenda.



A van mowed down pedestrians in the heart of Spain's second-largest city Barcelona on Thursday, killing at least 13 people in a terror attack claimed by Islamic State. More than 100 others were reportedly injured, many so severely that the death toll could rise.



After Trump disbanded two advisory groups of American business leaders, reports emerged that Gary Cohn, a key force behind Trump's tax reform program, is considering resigning as President Trump's top economic advisor. However, the White House knocked down these rumors.



In the Asian trading, the Australian dollar fell to a 1-week low of 86.03 against the yen and a 2-day low of 1.4881 against the euro, from yesterday's closing quotes of 86.37 and 1.4867, respectively. If the aussie extends its downtrend, it may find support around 85.00 against the yen and 1.51 against the euro.



Against the U.S., the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars, the aussie dropped to 2-day lows of 0.7869, 1.0809 and 0.9985 from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7883, 1.0824 and 0.9997, respectively. The aussie may test support 0.76 against the greenback, 1.06 against the kiwi and 0.98 against the loonie.



The NZ dollar fell to a 2-day low of 0.7276 against the U.S. dollar and a 1-week low of 79.53 against the yen, from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7282 and 79.78, respectively. If the kiwi extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 0.71 against the greenback and 78.00 against the yen.



Against the euro, the kiwi dropped to 1.6105 from yesterday's closing value of 1.6097. The kiwi could find support near the 1.62 region.



The Canadian dollar fell to a 2-day low of 1.2691 against the U.S. dollar and a 4-day low of 86.13 against the yen, from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.2679 and 86.38, respectively. If the loonie extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.28 against the greenback and 85.00 against the yen.



Against the euro, the loonie dropped to 1.4872 from yesterday's closing value of 1.4865. The loonie may test support near the 1.50 region.



Looking ahead, Eurozone current account data and construction output for June are due to be released at 5:00 am ET.



In the New York session, Canada CPI for July, U.S. University of Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment for August and U.S. Baker Hughes rig count data are slated for release.



At 10:15 am ET, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan is expected to speak at the Dallas County Community College.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Col. Dr Narikatipak Saengsanit, Director-General of DASTA









BANGKOK, Aug 18, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Twenty-six years after its World Heritage listing, the 'Historical Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns' has become an archaeological site of national significance, frequented by tourists who are drawn by the glorious past of the Sukhothai kingdom and the majestic, eternal beauty and charm of the Siamese arts. Visitors are guaranteed indulgence in the ultimate experience of the first capital city of Siam.Visiting this gorgeous World Heritage Site, tourists can delve into the past, learn more about the origin of Thai civilisation and gain hands-on experience in, and direct exposure to, historical records, architectural and painting works and the traditional custom, traditions, wisdom and way of life as adopted and possessed by local residents.The cultural arts presented by the historic town of Sukhothai and the associated historic towns of Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet, each of which were major urban centers at the height of the Phra Ruang dynasty, form an invaluable heritage that has been passed down to new generations in the land of Siam, gloriously preserved for more than 700 years.The era of the Sukhothai kingdom, which rapidly rose to prominence in the 12th and 13th centuries, spanning the golden years of Thai Buddhist history. This was particularly true during the reign of Ramkhamhaeng, the kingdom's third King, who successfully united neighbouring principalities and allowed them to flourish, a period which would later be known as the 'Dawn of Happiness'.The Sukhothai architecture, wisdom and way of life marked the origin of Thai cultural arts in later periods. The glorious past is retold by ancient palaces, urban landscape and temples within the area of Sukhothai Historical Park, where the kingdom's administrative center was built and ruins of city gates and walls and more than 26 temples are found, including the largest one, Wat Mahathat Temple, which houses viharas, spires, halls and 200 stupas.UNESCO designated the town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns as World Heritage Site Number 574 in 1991. Thailand's Fine Arts Department rated Si Satchanalai Historical Park as the best-preserved, its town landscape perfectly maintained. There are more than 215 archaeological sites, 204 of which have been surveyed and explored. The Wat Chomchuen Temple and the Sangkhalok ceramic kilns are sites that date to an earlier era.To fully sense the unique atmosphere of the site, one should also visit major towns like Kamphaeng Phet, also known as Chakangrao', where Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park is situated, just a little over an hour's drive from Sukhothai. Kamphseng Phet was a strategic military outpost, and now possesses extensive historical evidence, town walls, moats, fortresses, etc.DASTA, the government agency for sustainable tourism in Thailand, manages this site, and is seeking to promote the region around Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet to become a hub for cultural and heritage tourism in Asia, and a destination that will attract a greater number of higher-quality, foreign tourists to its magnificent sites, while enhancing the regional economy and local standards of living.To learn more, please visit www.dasta.or.th/en/ or contact Pipop Kongwong at +66-8-1929-8864, +66-2612-2081 #124, or by email at baokaban_naja@hotmail.co.th.Source: DASTACopyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Col. Dr Narikatipak Saengsanit, Director-General of DASTA









BANGKOK, Aug 18, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - DASTA, the government agency which aims to develop sustainable tourism in Thailand, is seeking to promote the region of Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet in becoming a hub for cultural and heritage tourism in Asia, and a destination which will attract a greater number of higher-quality, foreign tourists to its magnificent sites, while enhancing the regional economy and local standards of living.Col. Dr Narikatipak Saengsanit, DASTA's Director-General, laid out his agency's plans to transform Sukhothai and the Associated Towns parks into the heritage destination in Asia, highlighting the unique and stunning qualities of the region's many archaeological sites which form the origins of Thai culture and arts and the pervasive sense of ancient civilisation, which qualified the region as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.-DASTA is coordinating efforts with domestic and international development networks with a local presence, encouraging and helping them to participate in area management with an integrated campaign of "Co-Creation", a process that involves "co-thinking, co-planning, co-implementation, co-responsibility and co-enjoyment", stressing the importance of "Low Carbon Tourism" and "Creative Tourism".-DASTA is promoting participation in tourist site improvement activities by local residents from areas surrounding the parks. It has initiated a project whereby locals supply tourist amenities and facilities around the parks, benefitting from the project economically, socially, culturally and environmentally.-DASTA joins hands with local residents in promoting 'moradok phra ruang' products, collectively chosen and representative of local identity and wisdom, reflecting local lifestyles. Sangkhalok ceramic ware, golden ware, silver ware and Tin Chok sarongs, for example, add value as local products while improving the local economy.-DASTA also offers training for producing local guides who are well-informed about the World Heritage sites and are capable of properly informing tourists about them as well."We aim to make the "Historical Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns" a regional hub for Cultural and Heritage Tourism in the Asia-Pacific region and also a destination for foreign tourists with interest in culture and arts as part of our efforts to attract higher quality tourists to the sites while improving economic conditions for the locals within Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet provinces," said the Director-General.DASTA, the government agency which develops and manages sustainable tourism in Thailand, seeks to promote the region of Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet as a hub for cultural and heritage tourism in Asia and a destination that will attract a greater number of quality foreign tourists to its magnificent sites, enhancing the regional economy and local standards of living.To learn more, please visit www.dasta.or.th/en/. For details, contact Pipop Kongwong on +66-8-1929-8864, +66-2612-2081 #124, or by email at baokaban_naja@hotmail.co.th.See "Dawn of Happiness at a World Heritage Site - Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet", http://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/37803/.Source: DASTACopyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.


BENGALURU (dpa-AFX) - Shares of Infosys Technologies Ltd.(INFOSYSTCH, 500209, INFY) were losing around 10 percent in Indian trading on Friday after the Software exporter announced that Vishal Sikka has resigned as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. The company appointed current chief operating officer Pravin Rao as the Interim-Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.



Further, the company appointed Sikka as the Executive Vice-Chairman. Sikka would hold office until Infosys finds a permanent CEO and Managing Director, no later than March 2018.



The decision comes amid the heightened issues between the board and the company's founders led by ex-chairman Narayana Murthy. The company is facing allegations of poor corporate governance, including criticism of acquisitions and executive pay.



Infosys said it has commenced a search for a new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Rao, who joined Infosys in 1986, is also Chairperson of Infosys BPO.



In his new role, Sikka will continue to focus on strategic initiatives, key customer relationships and technology development, and will report to the Board, while Rao will report to Sikka.



In a statement, the company noted that Sikka reiterated his belief in the great potential of Infosys. But, the reasons for leaving included distractions and disruptions over the recent months and quarters, increasingly personal and negative as of late, as preventing management's ability to accelerate the Company's transformation.



'The Board understands and acknowledges Dr. Sikka's reasons for resignation, and regrets his decision....The Board denounces the critics who have amplified and sought to further promote demonstrably false allegations which have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the Company's valued CEO,' the company said.



Since taking the top job three years ago, Sikka helped grow Infosys' revenue by about 25 percent. Over his tenure, the company's shares had gained about 21 percent, before Friday's decline.



Sikka wrote on his blog after the announcement, 'After much contemplation I have decided to leave because the distractions, the very public noise around us, have created an untenable atmosphere. Life is too short to engage in battles of opinions in the public, these add no value, take critical time and focus away from the business, and indeed add more to the noise, to the eardrum buzz.'



In India, Infosys shares were trading at 917.10 Indian Rupee, down 10.2 percent.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. dollar dropped against its most major opponents in early European deals on Friday. The greenback fell to a weekly low of 108.99 against the yen, after having advanced to 109.55 at 9:00 pm ET. The greenback slipped to 1.2899 against the pound and 1.1758 against the euro, off its early highs of 1.2863 and 1.1708, respectively. The greenback dropped to 1.2639 versus the loonie, 0.7904 against the aussie and 0.7310 against the kiwi, from its early 2-day highs of 1.2691, 0.7870 and 0.7276, respectively. The next possible support for the greenback is seen around 106.00 against the yen, 1.29 against the pound, 1.19 against the euro, 1.25 against the loonie, 0.80 against the aussie and 0.74 against the kiwi. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Wien (APA-ots) -

Leistungskennzahlen

Konzern

CCS Operatives Ergebnis vor Sondereffekten stieg um 67% auf EUR 688 Mio

Den Aktionaren zuzurechnender CCS Periodenuberschuss vor Sondereffekten von EUR 367 Mio, CCS Ergebnis je Aktie vor Sondereffekten von EUR 1,12

Starker freier Cashflow nach Dividenden von EUR 1 Mrd im Jahr 2017

Hoher Cashflow aus der Betriebstatigkeit in Hohe von EUR 3,4 Mrd im Jahr 2017

Kosteneinsparungsziel ubererfullt: Im Jahr 2017 Kosteneinsparungen von EUR 330 Mio auf vergleichbarer Basis gegenuber 2015 erzielt

CCS ROACE vor Sondereffekten bei 14%

Dividende je Aktie von EUR 1,50 vorgeschlagen; Anstieg um 25% im Vergleich zum Vorjahr

Upstream

Rekordproduktion von 377 kboe/d, Steigerung um 63 kboe/d

Produktionskosten um 15% auf USD 8,8/boe gesunken

Downstream

OMV Referenz-Raffineriemarge bei USD 5,7/bbl

Erdgas-Verkaufsmengen auf 31 TWh erhoht

Sie konnen den Live-Webcast am 21. Februar 2018 ab 10:00 Uhr unter

folgendem Link mitverfolgen: [http://omv-streaming.com/omv/2018-02-21/] (http://omv-streaming.com/omv/2018-02-21/)

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* Ruckblick 2017 und Ausblick 2018 von Generaldirektor Rainer Seele: [http://bit.ly/2ESCIIJ] (http://bit.ly/2ESCIIJ) * Video zum Jahresergebnis 2017 in Kurze hier: [http://bit.ly/2sDNT3p] (http://bit.ly/2sDNT3p) * Redaktionelle Verwendung honorarfrei.

Ruckfragehinweis: OMV Aktiengesellschaft Andreas Rinofner, Elena Menasse +43 1 40440-21357 public.relations@omv.com http://www.omv.com http://blog.omv.com http://omv-mediadatabase.com Social Media: http://facebook.com/OMV http://twitter.com/omv http://youtube.com/omv http://instagram.com/omv http://linkedin.com/company/omv

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Technavio market research analysts forecast the global automotive rear-view mirror market to grow at a CAGR of above 5% during the forecast period, according to their latest report.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180205005654/en/

Technavio has published a new market research report on the global automotive rear-view mirror market from 2018-2022. (Graphic: Business Wire)

This market research report segments the global automotive rear-view mirror market into the following three major regions (the Americas, APAC, and EMEA). The report also includes the analysis of the parent market, global automotive component market, and the market share contribution of the global automotive rear-view mirror market to its parent market.

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In this report, Technavio analysts highlight the top market drivers that are contributing to the growth of the global automotive rear-view mirror market:

Growing popularity of premium SUVs

Increasing safety concerns in the automotive ecosystem

Growing popularity of premium SUVs

SUVs significantly contribute to the adoption of rear-view mirrors. While reversing, the height of SUVs reduces the visibility of the short obstacles, and therefore, most of the SUVs are equipped with an additional mirror placed on the rear windshield. In developed regions, owing to their ability to provide wider visibility to the driver in more comfortable manner, camera systems are replacing rear-view mirrors. By the end of the forecast period, the camera system is expected to witness maximum adoption. Currently, rear-view mirrors and electronic mirrors are widely employed in the automotive market.

According to a senior analyst at Technavio for automotive components, "Due to their better affordability and lower cost of ownership, the SUV market is witnessing growing volume sales of small SUVs and crossovers. In emerging economies, such as China and India, the popularity of SUVs is increasing. China is leading the global SUV market in terms of volume sales. Companies such as Toyota, Ford, and Nissan, have been driving the global SUV market with some of the well-established SUVs in the C-segment and D-segment categories."

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Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

Global automotive rear-view mirror market segmentation

APAC was the leading region for the global automotive rear-view mirror market in 2017, accounting for a market share of 55%. APAC is expected to increase its market share by more than 2% and continue its dominance. EMEA and the Americas follow APAC respectively, but both the regions are projected to display a decline in market share during the forecast period.

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About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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CRESCO, PA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/18/17 -- NSAV Holding, Inc. (OTC: NSAV), announced today that the record date for its recently declared stock dividend of 20% of its subsidiary, Hemp Beer Inc. has been changed to August 30, 2017 from the previously announced date of August 22, 2017. The change assures the dividend record date is consistent with FINRA notice requirements. The dividend payment date has been changed to September 13, 2017 from the previously announced date of September 5, 2017 accordingly. The ex-dividend date, which was to be today, August 18, 2017 will August 28, 2017.

Following the spin-off, Hemp Beer Inc. will become a separate publicly traded company. NSAV will spin-off 20% of Hemp Beer Inc. to its shareholders, who will be awarded with a share dividend based upon their holdings of NSAV on the record date. Shareholders will receive approximately one share of Hemp Beer Inc. common stock for every 17 shares of NSAV common stock that they hold on the record date.

James Tilton, president of NSAV stated, "My sincere apologies to all NSAV shareholders for the change of the dividend record date. Spin-off's of this kind are extremely complex, even more so than a normal dividend. Rest assured, everything is in order and the Company plans to file the required notification form with FINRA on Monday.

Mr. Tilton, went on to state, " Hemp Beer Inc. will be a separate public company with its own ticker symbol and all NSAV shareholders will truly reap the benefits."

NSAV's vision is the establishment of a fully integrated technology company that provides turnkey technological solutions to the legal medical cannabis and hemp industries, as well as other areas of the medical industry. Over time, the Company plans to provide a wide range of services such as software solutions, e-commerce, advisory services, financial services, patents and trademarks and information technology.

For further information please contact NSAV at 1 (480) 326-8577 or tenassociates33@gmail.com

The NSAV corporate email address is info@nsavholdinginc.com

The NSAV corporate website can be accessed at http://nsavholdinginc.com

The NSAV Twitter account can be accessed at https://twitter.com/NSAV_MJTechCo

The NSAV Facebook account can be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/NSAVHolding

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of NSAV Holding, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. NSAV Holding, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward- looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by NSAV Holding, Inc. or any other person.

Contact

TEN Associates LLC

1 (480) 326-8577

tenassociates33@gmail.com




DUBLIN, August 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Signals Ahead: LTE Small Cell Benchmark Study (LTE-TDD)" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

In this Signals Ahead report, we provide results from our independent and in-depth analysis of LTE small cells, specifically mini-macro cell sites and the Sprint "Magic Box," which is essentially a repeater-like solution that leverages a B41 radio channel for the backhaul and a separate B41 radio channel for the access network.

Our Approach

We tested the Sprint LTE-TDD network in NewYork City and at the SRG Global Headquarters in Minnesota. We used two Galaxy S7 smartphones with one smartphone locked to a macro EARFCN(radio channel) and the other smartphone locked to the mini-macro / MagicBox EARFCN.

The Results

Although much is made about the use of small cells to improve coverage - especially the Sprint Magic Box - we determined that the biggest benefit associated with both small cell configurations was their impact on overall network efficiency due to the much higher SINR these solutions delivered. We quantify the benefits, both for network efficiency as well as the benefit to consumers.



Key Topics Covered:





1.0 Executive Summary



2.0 Key Observations



3.0 Mini-Macro



4.0 Magic Box

4.1 New York City

4.2 SRG Global Headquarters



5.0 Test Methodology



6.0 Final Thoughts



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/thxh8m/signals_ahead





Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
Connected Transaction Asset Management Agreements

Hong Kong Stock Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement.

ZHEJIANG EXPRESSWAY CO. LTD

(A joint stock limited company incorporated in the People's Republic of China with limited liability)

(Stock code: 0576)

CONNECTED TRANSACTION

ASSET MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS

THE ASSET MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS

On 20 September 2016, Zheshang Securities AM, an indirect non wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into the Asset Management Agreement I with Zhejiang Communications Finance, a subsidiary of the controlling shareholder of the Company, pursuant to which Zheshang Securities AM agreed to sell 69,000,000 units (equivalent to RMB69,000,000) of the Specific Asset Management Scheme to Zhejiang Communications Finance . The Asset Management Agreement I was terminated on 1 March 2017.

On 18 August 2017, Zheshang Securities AM entered into the Asset Management Agreement II with Zhejiang Communications Finance, pursuant to which Zheshang Securities AM agreed to sell 100,000,000 units (equivalent to RMB100,000,000) of the Collective Asset Management Scheme to Zhejiang Communications Finance.

LISTING RULES IMPLICATIONS

Communications Group is a controlling shareholder of the Company. Zhejiang Communications Finance is a non wholly-owned subsidiary of Communication Group. Therefore, Zhejiang Communications Finance is a connected person of the Company and as a result, the transactions under the Asset Management Agreements constitute connected transactions for the Company under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules.

As the applicable percentage ratios in respect of the transactions contemplated under the Asset Management Agreement I are more than 0.1% but less than 5%, the Asset Management Agreement I is subject to the reporting, announcement and annual review requirements but exempt from the independent Shareholders' approval requirement under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules.

As the applicable percentage ratios in respect of the transactions contemplated under the Asset Management Agreement II are more than 0.1% but less than 5%, the Asset Management Agreement II is subject to the reporting, announcement and annual review requirements but exempt from the independent Shareholders' approval requirement under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules.

Although the Asset Management Agreement I and the Asset Management Agreement II are entered into by the Group with the same party within a 12-month period and are similar in nature, no aggregation in accordance with Rule 14A.81 of the Listing Rules is required as the Asset Management Agreement I was terminated on 1 March 2017.

THE ASSET MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT I

Principal terms of the Asset Management Agreement I are set out below:

Date: 20 September 2016 Parties: (1) Zhejiang Communications Finance, as the principal; (2)Zheshang Securities AM, as the manager; and (3) Everbright Bank Hangzhou Branch, as the custodian Asset Management Scheme "Zheshang Juyin No.1 Connection Interaction Stocks Income Rights No.3" Specific Asset Management Scheme Term: 6 months Investment amount/entrusted assets: RMB69,000,000 (69,000,000 units) Investment scope: Invest in the target stock income rights held by the financing party. Benchmark rate of returns: 5.5% per annum Fees: (1) Management fee: 0.3% per annum of the net value of entrusted assets as at the establishment date of the Specific Asset Management Scheme. (2) Performance fee: the manager is entitled to collect all the returns in excess of the benchmark rate of returns as the performance fee at the expiration date of the Specific Asset Management Scheme. Governing law: PRC law Withdrawal of entrusted assets: The principal is not entitled to withdraw its entrusted assets during the term of the Specific Asset Management Scheme.

On 1 March 2017, the financing party repurchased all of the stock income rights before the expiration of the Specific Asset Management Scheme in accordance with the Asset Management Agreement I. As a result, the Specific Asset Management Scheme was terminated on the same date.

Due to the inadvertence of the management, the Asset Management Agreement I was discovered only during the review process of the Asset Management Agreement II. As the applic able p erce ntage ratios (other than the pro fits ra tio) in respe ct of the transactions contemplated under the Asset Management Agreement I are more than 0.1% but less than 5%, thus, such transaction is subject to the reporting, annual review and announcement requirements, but exempt from independent shareholders' approval requirements.

Failure to disclose this transaction constitutes a breach of the Listing Rules. The Company will take steps to strengthen its internal control measures in relation to the monitoring connected transactions going forward, in order to avoid repeating similar breach. In this regard, the Company will seek external legal advice on the relevant requirements under the Listing Rules and review the internal communication and reporting system and practice with the relevant departments and staff, particularly over the reporting of potential connected transactions.

THE ASSET MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT II

Principal terms of the Asset Management Agreement II are set out below:

Date: 18 August 2017 Parties: (1) Zhejiang Communications Finance, as the principal; (2) Zheshang Securities AM, as the manager; and (3) Everbright Bank, as the custodian Asset Management Scheme "Zheshang Huijin Enhanced Earnings" Collective Asset Management Scheme Term: No fixed term Investment amount/entrusted assets: RMB100,000,000 (100,000,000 units) Investment scope: Mainly invest in the following financial products legally issued within the PRC: (i) bonds; (ii) repurchase of pledged stocks; (iii) commercial banks' financial management plans with guaranteed proceeds or with guaranteed principal but floating proceeds; (iv) cash; (v) bank deposit; (vi) money market fund; (vii) reverse repurchase of bonds; (viii) repurchase of bonds; (ix) inter-bank deposit certificates; (x) negotiable certificates of deposits. Benchmark rate of returns: Benchmark rate of returns for the period will be announced before the redemption date of the corresponding period Fees: (1) Management fee: 0.6% per annum of the net value of entrusted assets. The management fee is calculated and accrued daily. (2) Performance fee: the manager is entitled to collect the funds no more than the balance of the risk reserve capital (as calculated in the agreement) as the performance fee every quarter. Governing law: PRC law Withdrawal of entrusted assets: Open to redemption on the Monday and Tuesday of the second week of each month after a closed period of two months

REASONS FOR AND BENEFITS OF THE TRANSACTIONS

Asset management is the major business of Zheshang Securities AM. The income generated from asset management has been increased steadily in the past few years. By entering into the Asset Management Agreements, Zheshang Securities AM is able to expand its asset management business and earn the management fees and performance fees, thus beneficial to the Company and Shareholders as a whole. Further, Zhejiang Communications Finance is able to increase its capital gain of idle funds and manage the Communications Group's capital effectively, as such improving the synergy of the Company and Communications Group.

The Group has internal control measures to ensure that the connected transactions contemplated under the Asset Management Agreements are in accordance with the investment policies and the terms and conditions of the agreement, and that the terms and conditions of the Asset Management Agreements are no less favourable than those terms offered to the independent third parties for similar services.

Given the above, the Directors (including the independent non-executive Directors) are of the view that the terms of the Assets Management Agreements are on normal commercial terms, in the ordinary and usual course of business of the Company and are fair and reasonable and in the interests of the Company and the Shareholders as a whole.

LISTING RULES IMPLICATIONS

Communications Group is a controlling shareholder of the Company. Zhejiang Communications Finance is a non wholly-owned subsidiary of Communications Group. Therefore, Zhejiang Communications Finance is a connected person of the Company and as a result, the transactions under the Asset Management Agreements constitutes connected transactions for the Company under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules.

As the applicable percentage ratios in respect of the transactions contemplated under the Asset Management Agreement I are more than 0.1% but less than 5%, the Asset Management Agreement I is subject to the reporting, announcement and annual review requirements but exempt from the independent Shareholders' approval requirement under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules.

As the applicable percentage ratios in respect of the transactions contemplated under the Asset Management Agreement II are more than 0.1% but less than 5%, the Asset Management Agreement II is subject to the reporting, announcement and annual review requirements but exempt from the independent Shareholders' approval requirement under Chapter 14A of the Listing Rules.

Although the Asset Management Agreement I and the Asset Management Agreement II are entered into by the Group with the same party within a 12-month period and are similar in nature, no aggregation in accordance with Rule 14A.81 of the Listing Rules is required as the Asset Management Agreement I was terminated on 1 March 2017.

INFORMATION ON THE PARTIES

The Company is a joint stock company established under the laws of the PRC with limited liability on 1 March 1997, the H Shares of which are listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange. It is principally engaged in investing in, developing and operating high-grade roads in the PRC. The Group also carries on certain other businesses such as securities brokerage, investment banking, asset management and margin financing through Zheshang Securities.

Zheshang Securities AM is an indirect non wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company which is incorporated under the laws of the PRC on 18 April 2013. Zheshang Securities AM is principally engaged in securities asset management and public securities investment funds management.

Zhejiang Communications Finance is a controlling subsidiary of Communications Group which is incorporated under the laws of the PRC on 9 November 2012 and approved by CBRC as a non-banking financial institution on 17 October 2012. As at the date of this announcement, Zhejiang Communications Finance is owned as to 40% and 35% by Communications Group and the Company, respectively, and Zhejiang Communications Finance is an associate of the Company. Zhejiang Communications Finance is principally engaged in the business of providing financial services to the subsidiaries of Communications Group, including but not limited to advising the subsidiaries of Communications Group in relation to financing, letters of credit and other agency services; authorised insurance agency businesses; providing guarantees, accepting and discounting commercial notes, arranging for loans and financial leases, and receiving deposits of the subsidiaries of Communications Group.

DEFINITIONS

In this announcement, unless the context specifies otherwise, the following defined expressions have the following meanings:

"Asset Management Agreements" collectively, Asset Management Agreement I and Asset Management Agreement II "Asset Management Agreement I" the agreement dated 20 September 2016 entered into between Zheshang Securities AM, Zhejiang Communications Finance and Everbright Bank Hangzhou Branch in relation to the Specific Asset Management Scheme in the amount of RMB69,000,000 "Asset Management Agreement II" the agreement dated 18 August 2017 entered into am ong Zhes han g Se curi tie s A M, Z hej iang Communications Finance and Everbright Bank in relation to the Collective Asset Management Scheme in the amount of RMB100,000,000 "Asset Management Schemes" collectively, Collective Asset Management Scheme and Specific Asset Management Scheme "associate" has the meaning ascribed to it under the Listing Rule "Board" the board of Directors "CBRC" China Banking Regulatory Commission of the PRC "Collective Asset Management Scheme" "Zheshang Huijin Enhanced Earnings" Collective Asset Management Scheme*, an asset management scheme operated by Zheshang Securities AM under the Asset Management Agreement II "Communications Group" Zhejiang Communications Investment Group Co., Ltd.*, a wholly state-owned enterprise established in the PRC, and the controlling shareholder of the Company "Company" Zhejiang Expressway Co., Ltd., a joint stock limited company incorporated in the PRC with limited liability "connected person" has the meaning ascribed to it under the Listing Rules "controlling shareholder" has the meaning ascribed to it under the Listing Rule "Director(s)" the directors of the Company "Everbright Bank" China Everbright Bank Co., Ltd, the custodian of the Asset Management Schemes "Group" the Company and its subsidiaries "H Shares" overseas listed foreign shares in the share capital of the Company with a nominal value of RMB1 per share, which are listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange "Hong Kong" the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC "Listing Rules" Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited "percentage ratio" has the meaning ascribed to it under Rule 14.04(9) of the Listing Rules "PRC" the People's Republic of China (for the purpose of this announcement, excludes Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) "RMB" Renminbi, the lawful currency of the PRC "Shareholder(s)" holder(s) of the share(s) of the Company "Specific Asset Management Scheme" "Zheshang Juyin No.1 Connection Interaction Stocks Income Rights No.3" Specific Asset Management Scheme*, an asset management scheme operated by Zheshang Securities AM under the Asset Management Agreement I "Stock Exchange" The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited "subsidiary(ies)" has the meaning ascribed to it under the Listing Rules "%" per cent. "Zhejiang Communications Finance" Zhejiang Communications Investment Group Finance Co., Ltd.*, a limited liability company incorporated in the PRC and owned as to 40% and 35% by Communications Group and the Company, respectively, as at the date of this announcement. "Zheshang Securities" Zhejiang Zheshang Securities Co., Ltd., a limited liability company incorporated in the PRC and a direct non wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company "Zheshang Securities AM" Zhejiang Zheshang Securities Asset Management Co.,Ltd.*, alimited liability company incorporated in the PRC and an indirect non wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company

* English names for reference only

On behalf of the Board

ZHEJIANG EXPRESSWAY CO., LTD.

ZHAN Xiaozhang

Chairman

Hangzhou, the PRC, 18 August 2017

As at the date of this announcement, the executive directors of the Company are: Mr. ZHAN Xiaozhang, Mr. CHENG Tao and Ms. LUO Jianhu; the non-executive directors of the Company are: Mr. WANG Dongjie, Mr. DAI Benmeng, and Mr. ZHOU Jianping; and the independent non-executive directors of the Company are: Mr. ZHOU Jun, Mr. PEI Ker-Wei and Ms. LEE Wai Tsang, Rosa.
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 08/18/17 -- HempAmericana, Inc. (OTC: HMPQ) -- HempAmericana Inc. is excited to announce that the Company has been selected to be the first investment offered on a new and exciting Crowd Funding site designed exclusively for qualified Reg A offerings.

Minivest, www.minivest.com is an innovative crowdfunding Portal that grants access to exclusive investments in microcap issuers, including publicly traded companies. HempAmericana will be the first investment to go live on the website with an initial allocation of $500,000 in its Qualified Tier 1 Reg A offering through the Minivest portal. The offering will be available to the public, both institutional and retail participation is welcome. Due to Blue Sky Laws, HempAmericana will only accept subscriptions from New York based investors at this time. In the event the initial raise is successful and allocation is over-subscribed, the company will consider a subsequent offering with additional Blue Sky approvals. Minivest is partnered with FundAmerica, an SEC and FINRA registered broker dealer to complete the transfer of funds and comply with state and federal regulations

Salvador Rosillo, HempAmericana's CEO stated, "We are excited to be selected as the first company featured on Minivest!" He further stated, "Crowd funding tends to bring a diverse group of investors, creating a stronger shareholder base with long term support. As a small team, we look forward to the additional support from Minivest to help us increase the velocity at which we can raise operating capital. The investment process will be streamlined so that we can focus as much time on achieving the milestones announced earlier in the year. Minivest is not a broker dealer and takes no commission on capital raised. With the exception of minimal maintenance fees, the company will receive virtually all the funds raised through the website."

The company plans to launch on the site by the end of August. We will update our current and prospective shareholders when the offering is posted, at which time, additional information will be available on the offering itself, as well as who can invest, how much and what funds will be used for.

About:

HempAmericana is currently in the rolling paper and CBD oil business using the brand name Weed Got Oil. Search Rolling Thunders hemp papers on YouTube for a product demonstration of the Company's papers. The company owns an extraction machine and now plans to become a leader in the CBD oil market by establishing three laboratories for the extraction and research of the oils contained in the hemp plant. HempAmericana also researches, develops and sells products made of industrial hemp. See more at http://www.HempAmericana.net.

Safe Harbor:

Safe Harbor Provision Cautionary statement for purposes of the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Information in this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the execution and performance of contracts by the Company and its customers, suppliers and partners. Please also review Hemp Americana annual and quarterly financials for a more complete discussion of risk factors. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification of these securities under the laws of any such state.

Minivest Disclaimer:

Minivest.com (the "Site") is a service provider. Minivest.com is not a registered broker-dealer or a registered investment advisor, or a member of any association for other research providers in any jurisdiction whatsoever and we are not qualified to offer financial advice. You understand that the Offerings are not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold this or any other security, or that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for you or any specific person. You further understand that Minivest.com will not advise you personally concerning the nature, potential, value or suitability of any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction, investment strategy or other matter. To the extent any of the information contained in the Offering may be deemed to be investment advice, such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. You acknowledge that you are responsible for your own financial decisions. Site strongly urges you conduct a complete and independent investigation of the Issuer and consideration of all pertinent risks. You are advised to review SEC periodic reports: Forms 10-Q, 10K, Form 8-K, insider reports, Forms 3, 4, 5 Schedule 13D, 1A etc.

The Issuer warrants that it has provided, reviewed and is solely responsible all content about the Issuer that was, is or is to be published on the Site. Neither Minivest.com, it's owners or affiliates warrant that the Content provided by the Issuer to be published on Minivest.com, it's social media accounts and platforms, is accurate, reliable or correct; that the Site will be available at any particular time or location; that any defects or errors in the Site or Content will be corrected; or that the Site or Content are free of viruses or other harmful components. Site is engaged in the business of marketing and advertising for monetary compensation unless otherwise stated. This is not a solicitation to buy or sell securities. Minivest.com and/or our affiliates may currently hold, and may buy or sell securities in the Issuer and any other issuers from time to time.

Pierre Petard

888 977 7985

info@hempamericana.net




VANCOUVER, BC -- (Marketwired) -- 08/18/17 -- Future Farm Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Future Farm") (CSE: FFT) (OTCQB: FFRMF) is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, FFM Consulting Services, LLC, is making progress in California with respect to the management services being provided to the Huntington Park extraction facility and the Riverside County cultivation facility.

Since installation of the extraction equipment at the Huntington Park facility, the team has been scaling up production and dialing in operations using various strains and types of solvents to produce high quality extraction distillates. To date, the team has acquired over 250-lbs of high quality trim material of both THC and distinct CBD strains from various organic producers located in Northern California. All of the acquired trim material is of high quality and fully tested to ensure that it is free of pesticides and microbiological contamination. This week, the team extracted the first CBD batch using organic grape alcohol resulting in a highly pure, potent, and effective medicinal product. This CBD product is suitable for patients seeking therapeutic relief from their symptoms without incurring the "high" associated with THC containing extracts.

The Company is working toward completing multiple purchase orders for its whole flower and extracted oil products that are expected to be completed in early September.

The Riverside County cultivation facility is progressing as well and the team will be harvesting during the end of August. The Company will be able to use this first harvest to execute a side-by-side comparison of its own LED grow lights versus the standard High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights. The HPS lights are currently consuming 1000 watts per light whereas the Company's LED Canada grow lights are utilizing 550 watts per light. The Company expects to use data from the harvest to better understand the savings potential per kilowatt-hour over the lifecycle of each plant.

"We are eagerly anticipating the harvest data from the cultivation facility and expect to yield in excess of 1.5-lbs per light. In addition, the extraction operations are developing well and we expect to soon provide our investors with revenue production. We have been working closely with potential customers to understand their needs to ensure that we provide them with the high-quality product that they expect. We are adjusting operations real-time to ensure we can provide them with consistent supply for ongoing long-term contracts," says Mr. John Sweeney, Future Farm's COO.

For further information, contact William Gildea, Director, at 617.834.9467.

On behalf of the Board,

Future Farm Technologies Inc.

William Gildea, CEO & Chairman

About Future Farm

The Company's business model includes developing and acquiring technologies that will position it as a leader in the evolution of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for the global production of various types of plants. Future Farm provides scalable, indoor CEA systems that utilize minimal land, water and energy regardless of climate, location or time of year and are customized to grow an abundance of crops close to consumers, therefore minimizing food miles and its impact to the environment. The Company holds an exclusive, worldwide license to use a patented vertical farming technology that, when compared to traditional plant production methods, generate yields up to 10 times greater per square foot of land. The contained system provides many other benefits including seed to sale security, scalability, consistency due to year-round production, cost control, product safety and purity by eliminating environmental variability.

The Company is also in the business of designing and distributing LED lighting solutions utilizing the COB and MCOB technology. The Company is focused on delivering cost efficient lighting to North America via advanced e-commerce sites the Company owns and operates. LEDCanada.com which caters to B2B customers is a supplier of the newest and highest demand LED solutions. The Company also owns and operates COBGrowlights.com which caters to both large and small agriculture green houses and controlled cultivation centers.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

William Gildea

CEO & Chairman

617-834-9467

bill@futurefarmtech.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/18/17 -- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) today announced it has signed an agreement to participate in the acquisition of Calpine Corporation (Calpine), one of the largest independent power generators in the United States. CPPIB will make this investment as part of a consortium comprised of funds advised by Energy Capital Partners and other investors for US$5.6 billion in cash. The transaction is subject to regulatory and shareholder approval and other customary closing conditions. CPPIB will invest US$750 million.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Calpine has 80 power plants in operation or under construction with the capacity to generate approximately 26,000 megawatts of electricity from geothermal and natural gas resources - enough to power approximately 20 million homes. Calpine's 13 geothermal geyser assets in northern California are one of the largest sources of renewable energy in the state. Calpine also sells electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers through the Calpine Solutions and Champion Energy retail platforms.

"This investment aligns well with our strategy to expand our natural resources portfolio to include power and renewable assets," said Avik Dey, Managing Director, Head of Natural Resources, CPPIB. "Calpine owns and operates one of the most efficient fleets of natural gas power plants in the U.S. serving critical markets in California, Texas and the Eastern U.S. Coupled with the reliable generation of renewable geothermal energy, Calpine's modern approach to energy production is ideally positioned for ongoing success. We are pleased to partner with Energy Capital Partners, a leader in the energy infrastructure space, on this transaction."

About Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is a professional investment management organization that invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to pay current benefits on behalf of 20 million contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, CPPIB invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, Sao Paulo and Sydney, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At June 30, 2017, the CPP Fund totalled C$326.5 billion. For more information about CPPIB, please visit www.cppib.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Contacts:

Mei Mavin

Director, Global Corporate Communications

+1 646 564 4920

mmavin@cppib.com



Dan Madge

Senior Manager, Media Relations

+1 416 868 8629

dmadge@cppib.com

www.cppib.com




How did you spend your summer vacation?

For many high school students the answer might be a summer job, a family vacation, Snapchatting their friends or witnessing the celestial majesty of the eclipse visitors who are lined up at local gas stations.

But Rachel Murray and Erika Salazar can say they spent part of their summer vacation studying guinea pig chlamydia and learning to do DNA testing.

Murray and Salazar, who will both be high school juniors when school starts, are spending this week learning about careers in veterinary medicine as part of a camp hosted by Oregon State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine. It's the fifth year that the college has held the camp.

Lyn Smith-Gloria, a representative of the college, said the veterinary program funds the camp and scholarships for about half the 24 participants as a way to increase the diversity of students in veterinary fields. For the first time this year, she said, the camp is allowing students from out-of-state to attend.

This is a pretty unique program," she said. "Theres really nothing like it in the country.

Smith-Gloria said many students are from low-income families and all participants are selected on the basis of excellent science grades and a personal essay each wrote.

Students in the camp get hands-on experience with things like equine acupuncture, small animal rehabilitation and surgery skills, in addition to working in campus labs and seeing what the research side of the veterinary field looks like.

You get to experience what real-life vets do. I like the research they are doing, said Murray, who is from Portland.

Many of the counselors and people doing demonstrations for the high school students are students at OSU.

Salazar, who is from Troutdale, said in high school she has to deal with peer pressure from other students who don't want to work hard to get into college. She said it was helpful to see older students at the camp who are succeeding in school.

It really inspires me, she said.

Murray said she was interested in veterinary medicine before the camp and that the camp affirmed her interest.

Its really important to experience different options you might take, she said.

Salazar agreed that she had a better understanding of veterinary careers after participating in the camp.

Its not the same as what you see on TV, she said.

Dan Rockey, in whose lab the pair were working in Thursday, said the camp could well pique the interests of students in veterinary medicine. But he added that the basic skills the students were learning, such as doing DNA tests, would be useful even in other careers.

You learn to do these things in research lab and it applies in a lot of fields, he said.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi led a call by Democratic lawmakers to remove Confederate statues on display in the halls of Congress. The Democrats rejected President Donald Trump's criticism of the removal of 'beautiful' Confederate statues.



The heated nationwide debate over the removal of monuments to the Confederacy reached the Capitol Hill Thursday when Pelosi called on House Speaker Paul Ryan to start the process for removing memorials for leaders of the Confederacy from the marbled halls of the US legislature.



The removal of a statue of Robert E Lee had led to deadly clashes between white nationalists and protesting crowds in Charlottesville, Virginia, last week.



Trump, who blamed 'both sides' for the violence in the white supremacist rally, said on Twitter Thursday, 'Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.'



'You can't change history, but you can learn from it,' he opined.



On Wednesday, Democrat Senator Cory Booker announced he would draft a Bill to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol.



In a statement calling on Speaker Ryan to join Democrats in supporting the legislation, Pelosi said 'There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honor across the country.'



She recalled that under the leadership of Democrats in Congress, more women and people of color have been recognized in Congress' collection of statues, including Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth and Helen Keller.



Nearly 10 Confederate-era figures, including that of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, and Gen. Robert E. Lee, a General who fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the US Civil War, are memorialized along with dozens of other statues at the National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol.



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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2017) - Vgrab Communications Inc. (OTCQB: VGRBF) (the "Company" or "Vgrab") an OTC listed company, announced today that on December 5, 2017, the board of directors of the Company appointed Mr. Liong Fook Weng as director, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer of the Company. Mr. Liong replaced Ms. Chen Weijie, who resigned as director and Chief Operating Officer of the Company on December 5, 2017, and Mr. Jacek P. Skurtys, who resigned from his executive positions on December 5, 2017.

Mr. Liong Fook Weng, age 46, was born in Malaysia and received his master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Durham, the United Kingdom, he also has his business certificate in hospitality from Michigan State University, USA. Since 1991, Mr. Liong has held many senior management positions in several publicly listed and privately owned companies within the manufacturing, and ecommerce industries. He has more than 20 years experience in managing the companies and contributing to their expansion plans through streamlining their financial strategies or corporate restructuring.

The Company is also pleased to announce that to fill the vacancy that resulted from Mr. Skurtys's resignation the Company appointed Mr. Lim, Hun Beng, the Company's current director, as its Chief Executive Officer and President.

Mr. Skurtys will continue to serve on the Company's board of directors.

For more information on the appointment of new director and officers please refer to Vgrab's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 11, 2017.

About Vgrab:

Vgrab is a platform for any lifestyle from shopping to leisure. Through widely connected mega chains to the local street ventures, Vgrab creates an opportunity to combine both consumer and merchants together by promoting brands to a specific group of interest for a fraction of price.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Lim, Hun Beng, President

CONTACT INFORMATION

Vgrab Communications Inc.

604-648-0510

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's limited operating history; the need to comply with governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.
The Moving Company, which has Experienced Unprecedented Success, is Looking Forward to Continued Growth in the Future

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 18, 2017 / Integrity Relocations, a moving company that offers reliable and affordable moving services, is celebrating a very impressive milestone: its 10-year anniversary.

To learn more about Integrity Relocations and the services that they offer, please visit https://integrityrelocations.com/.





As a company spokesperson noted, in honor of their company's 10 year anniversary, the founders are offering new services to their valued customers.

"Integrity Relocations has spent the last 10 years committed to providing our customers with the best moving-related services possible," the spokesperson noted, adding that they are proud to have rolled out new services that will allow them to serve their valued customers even better.

"We can ensure that you get everything you need for your move, all the way from useful moving tips and advice to high-quality professional moving services. Our company has earned a reputation as being the best when it comes to providing these services, and we guarantee that all of your needs will be met."

Also, because the founders of the company understand firsthand how expensive it can be to move, they strive to offer the best and most affordable moving services possible. At Integrity Relocations, they are proud to offer any moving services that their customers need, for a budget-friendly amount.

From residential moves across town or across the country to office moves, employee relocations, vehicle transportation and more, the friendly and experienced team from Integrity Relocations is ready and willing to help.

In addition to their low costs, another reason Integrity Relocations is going strong after 10 years is because of their emphasis on communication. Customers can rest assured that they will never have any issues getting in touch with them when they have a question or issue of any kind.

"Integrity Relocations is dedicated to providing you and many others with the best moving services possible," the spokesperson noted.

"We know that there is a lot of stress associated with moving, which is we do everything we can to help you to just relax while we do all of the work for you."

About Integrity Relocations:

Integrity Relocations can help people get a great deal on the moving services they need so that they won't have to worry about going over their established budget. For people who need to move and want to spend less than the average amount for these services, their agents can help. For more information, please visit https://integrityrelocations.com/.

Contact:

Tyrone Dennis

info@integrityrelocations.com

(855) 545-4331

SOURCE: Integrity Relocations
DEARBORN (dpa-AFX) - Ford Motor Co.'s (F) new CEO Jim Hackett has taken a more cautious approach to the automaker's plans for rolling out autonomous vehicles. Ford is currently undertaking a 100-day review of its operations and Hackett indicated at delays to the company's plans to launch a fully-autonomous vehicle by 2021. 'It will be a progressive thing, just like computing. If you think about a vehicle that can drive anywhere, anytime, in any circumstance, cold, rain - that's longer than 2021. And every manufacturer will tell you that,' Hackett said in an interview with SF Gate. In May, Ford replaced President and CEO Mark Fields with Jim Hackett, who had been serving as the chairman of Ford Mobility LLC. Fields had earlier said that Ford will launch fully autonomous SAE level-4 capable cars for ride-hailing services like Uber around 2021. Hackett also outlined his vision for future mobility at Ford's 'City of Tomorrow' symposium in San Francisco on Thursday. The event is dedicated to exploring challenges, opportunities and emerging solutions that will shape the future of our cities. According to Hackett, autonomous vehicles may not replace human-driven cars outright. He also said he does not foresee a robot takeover with the advent of autonomous vehicles. Rather, Hackett noted that a combination of new technologies and analog will be needed to create a better transportation environment. Ford has invested in a number of technology companies, including ride-sharing startup Chariot, autonomous driving startup Argo AI and LiDar sensor-maker Velodyne, among others. In February, Ford said it will invest $1 billion during the next five years in Argo AI to develop a virtual driver system for Ford's autonomous vehicles. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 27, 2017 / EastCoal Inc. (TSXV: ECX.H) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on Friday, November 24, 2017 in Vancouver, British Columbia. All of the resolutions presented at the meeting were approved by the shareholders, with the votes cast by proxy representing 7.76% of the total shares outstanding as of the proxy cut-off date, October 19, 2017.

Election of Directors

The number of directors was fixed at three members and each of the three nominees listed in the Company's management information circular dated October 27, 2017 (the "Circular") were re-elected to the Company's Board of Directors. Detailed results of the votes cast by proxy are set out below.

Nominee Votes Cast by Proxy For % For Votes Cast by Proxy Withheld % Withheld Hendrik Dietrichsen 506,282 99.97 157 0.03 John Conlon 500,925 98.91 5,514 1.09 Abraham Jonker 500,925 98.91 5,514 1.09

Appointment of Auditors

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was appointed as the auditor of the Company to hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of the Shareholders, or until their successor is otherwise appointed and the directors were authorized to fix the auditor's remuneration.

For Further Information

Damien Forer, Tel: 1 (604) 973 0079

Chief Financial Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: EastCoal Inc.


BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The European markets ended Friday's session firmly in negative territory, extending their losses from the previous session. Investor sentiment was negatively impacted by a deadly terror attack in Spain. Travel and leisure stocks were under heavy pressure following the attack.



A van mowed down pedestrians in the heart of Spain's second-largest city Barcelona on Thursday, killing at least 13 people in a terror attack claimed by Islamic State. More than 100 others were reportedly injured, many so severely that the death toll could rise.



The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index weakened by 0.72 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks decreased 0.46 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, lost 0.69 percent.



The DAX of Germany dropped 0.31 percent and the CAC 40 of France fell 0.64 percent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. declined 0.86 percent and the SMI of Switzerland finished lower by 0.79 percent.



In Frankfurt, Deutsche Lufthansa, which is in talks to buy a majority of insolvent airline Air Berlin's assets, rose 0.15 percent.



In Paris, Air France-KLM dropped 1.59 percent.



In London, British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines fell 1.92 percent, easyJet dropped 0.92 percent, InterContinental Hotels Group shed 1.60 percent and cruise-ship operator Carnival declined 1.21 percent.



Shanta Gold surged 11.54 percent. The company narrowed its first-half loss and said it would not acquire Helio as previously announced.



The euro area current account surplus declined to the lowest in nearly three years in June, the European Central Bank said Friday. The current account surplus fell to EUR 21.2 billion in June from EUR 30.5 billion in May. This was the lowest level since August 2014.



Eurozone construction output decreased for the second straight month in June, Eurostat reported Friday. Construction output declined 0.5 percent month-on-month in June, bigger than the 0.2 percent decrease seen in May.



German producer prices rose at the slowest pace so far this year in July, data from Destatis showed Friday.



Producer prices for industrial products advanced 2.3 percent year-on-year in July, slightly weaker than the 2.4 percent increase seen in June. This was the weakest since December, when prices gained 1 percent. Economists had forecast 2.2 percent annual increase.



With consumer expectations showing a significant rebound, the University of Michigan released a report on Friday showing a much bigger than expected improvement in U.S. consumer sentiment in the month of August.



The report said the preliminary reading on the consumer sentiment index for August jumped to 97.6 from the final July reading of 93.4. Economists had expected the index to inch up to 94.0.



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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has called on President Donald Trump to apologize for his response to last week's violent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, claiming the president is facing a defining moment. Romney said in a post on Facebook on Friday that Trump's comments suggesting both white supremacists and counter-protesters were to blame for the violence 'caused racists to rejoice, minorities to weep, and the vast heart of America to mourn.' 'Jews, blacks, Hispanics, Muslims are as much a part of America as whites and Protestants,' Romney wrote. 'But today they wonder. Where might this lead? To bitterness and tears, or perhaps to anger and violence?' 'The potential consequences are severe in the extreme,' he added. 'Accordingly, the president must take remedial action in the extreme. He should address the American people, acknowledge that he was wrong, apologize.' Romney said Trump should state unequivocally that racists are 100 percent to blame for the violence in Charlottesville, testify that there is no conceivable moral equivalency between the white supremacists and the counter-protesters and definitively repudiate the support of former KKK leader David Duke and his ilk. 'This is a defining moment for President Trump. But much more than that, it is a moment that will define America in the hearts of our children,' Romney wrote. 'They are watching, our soldiers are watching, the world is watching. Mr. President, act now for the good of the country.' Romney has been a frequent critic of Trump but was reportedly still under consideration to be nominated as Secretary of State. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 18, 2017 / CopperBank Resources Corp. ("CopperBank" or the "Company") (CSE: CBK) (OTC PINK: CPPKF) is pleased to announce that the Company has completed a non-brokered private placement of 5,173,366 units at a price of $0.15 per unit for a total of $776,004.90. Each unit will consist of a full five-year warrant exercisable at $0.25 per share. If the common shares of the Company trade at $0.40 per share or higher for twenty consecutive trading days, the Company may accelerate the conversion of the warrants.

The financing consisted of 27 subscribers and no fees were paid.

The private placement is subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange and the securities will be subject to a four month and one day hold period under securities laws.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the private placement for advancing its projects and for general working capital and corporate purposes.

On behalf of CopperBank Resources Corp.

"Gianni Kovacevic"

Executive Chairman

Address: Suite 1500, 409 Granville Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1T2

Tel: 604-889-0852

E-mail: gk@copperbankcorp.com

Website: www.copperbankcorp.com

Advisory Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information in this release constitutes forward looking statements or information ("forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws and necessarily involves risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements included herein are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, CopperBank does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflects management of CopperBank's expectations or beliefs regarding future events. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's ongoing review of its existing portfolio, the involvement of CopperBank in any potential divestiture, spin-out, partnership or other transactions involving the Company's portfolio assets, and the ability of the Company to complete any such transactions, the ability of CopperBank to enter into transactions that will ultimately enhance shareholder value, and potential future work or activities in respect of the Pyramid project or the Contact project. Although CopperBank believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information available to CopperBank. Forward-looking statements are based, in part, on assumptions and factors that may change or prove to be incorrect, thus causing actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking information. Such factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to identify and complete one or more transactions involving the Company's portfolio assets that enhance shareholder value as part of management's ongoing review of strategic alternatives in the current market conditions. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk that the Company will not be able to identify and complete one or more transactions involving the Company's portfolio assets that enhance shareholder value as part of management's ongoing review of strategic alternatives in the current market conditions. Although CopperBank has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For more information on CopperBank and the risks and challenges of its businesses, investors should review the continuous disclosure filings that are available under CopperBank's profile at www.sedar.com.

SOURCE: CopperBank Resources Corp.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Donald Trump traveled to Camp David on Friday to meet with top national security officials to discuss his administration's strategy on Afghanistan. Trump will reportedly discuss several options for Afghanistan with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, CIA Director Mike Pompeo and other national security advisers. The options on the table are said to include maintaining the status quo, increasing the number of American troops, reducing the number of American troops or a total withdrawal from Afghanistan. During a news conference on Thursday, Mattis suggested the meeting would move the administration toward a decision but did not say a conclusion would be reached. 'We will move this toward a decision,' Mattis said. 'We are coming very close to a decision and I anticipate it in the very near future.' U.S. officials told Reuters that National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and some military commanders favor a troop hike, while so-called 'anti-globalists' back withdrawing U.S. forces. The 'anti-globalists' were reportedly led by Steve Bannon, who was removed as White House chief strategist on Friday. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
DUBLIN, August 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Extruded Polypropylene (XPP) Foam Market, 2014 - 2025" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global extruded polypropylene (XPP) foam market is expected to reach USD 1.07 billion by 2025, according to this new report. The growing demand for extruded polypropylene foam in automobiles and packaging industry is expected to boost market growth.



The demand for extruded polypropylene foam is high due to its high strength to weight ratio and durability. Extruded polypropylene foam is available in low-density and high-density foam types. The market share of low-density foam is high due to its growing demand in the automobile industry. The demand for high-density foam is expected to grow rapidly over the forecast period owing to rising application in the construction industry.



Asia Pacific and Europe are the major regional markets. The presence of a large number of manufacturing facilities coupled with growing end-use industries is driving the demand for extruded polypropylene foam in these regions. The growing demand in emerging countries such as China, India, and Romania is expected to boost the market growth over the forecast period.



Companies Mentioned



BASF SE

DS Smith PLC

Borealis AG

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc

JSP Corporation

Sekisui Voltek, LLC

Pregis LLC

NMC SA

Toray Industries, Inc.

Braskem

W.R Grace



Key Topics Covered:



1 Research Methodology



2. Executive Summary



3. Extruded Polypropylene Foam Market Variables, Trends & Scope



4. Extruded Polypropylene Foam: Product Estimates & Trend Analysis



5. Extruded Polypropylene Foam: Application Estimates & Trend Analysis



6. Extruded polypropylene foam Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis



7. Competitive Landscape



8. Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c3mb54/extruded

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
DUBLIN, August 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global Low Power Laser Cutting Machine Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global low power laser cutting machine market to grow at a CAGR of 4.76% during the period 2017-2021



Global Low Power Laser Cutting Machine Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.



The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is rising investments in R&D. Government agencies in the US have started increasing investments in major scientific disciplines, supported by an organization called the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. The organization has been primarily formed to coordinate and enhance public and private investments in future manufacturing technologies and R&D. This body also facilitates the increase in government partnerships in manufacturing innovation and accelerate commercialization.



According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is growing demand for electronics in APAC. Asia is the largest manufacturer and consumer of electronic devices. China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are the key countries contributing to the growth of the PCB industry. The major reason behind this significant growth is that companies are shifting their manufacturing bases and production facilities in these countries because of the availability of cheap labor, land, and low manufacturing costs. Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are the upcoming countries which are showing a high growth rate in the production of electronics.

Key Vendors



Coherent

Full Spectrum Laser

Han's Laser Technology Industry Group

IPG Photonics



Other Prominent Vendors



Hypertherm

Jenoptik

Kern Laser Systems

Laser Photonics

MultiCam

Others



Key Topics Covered:



PART 01: Executive summary



PART 02: Scope of the report



PART 03: Research Methodology



PART 04: Introduction



PART 05: Market landscape



PART 06: Market segmentation by product



PART 07: Market segmentation by end-user



PART 08: Geographical segmentation



PART 09: Decision framework



PART 10: Drivers and challenges



PART 11: Market trends



PART 12: Vendor landscape



PART 13: Key vendor analysis

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3wps6p/global_low_power

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
Washington, DC--(Newsfile Corp. - August 18, 2017) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today issued two releases and the SEC staff released a Staff Accounting Bulletin to update interpretive guidance regarding revenue recognition.

Consistent with developments in private-sector accounting standard setting, the SEC issued a release to update its guidance for bill-and-hold arrangements by stating that registrants should no longer refer to the criteria in Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Release No. 108, In the Matter of Stewart Parness (AAER 108), to recognize revenue for such arrangements upon the registrants' adoption of Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The release states that until a registrant adopts ASC Topic 606, it should continue referring to the guidance included in AAER 108.

In addition, the SEC issued a release to update its 2005 Commission Guidance Regarding Accounting for Sales of Vaccines and Bioterror Countermeasures to the Federal Government for Placement into the Pediatric Vaccine Stockpile or the Strategic National Stockpile. The release states that consistent with ASC Topic 606, manufacturers should recognize revenue for vaccines that are placed into the Vaccines for Children Program and the Strategic National Stockpile. The release states that until a registrant adopts ASC Topic 606, it should continue referring to the guidance included in the 2005 Release.

Separately, the SEC's Office of the Chief Accountant and Division of Corporation Finance released Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 116 that brings existing SEC staff guidance into conformity with the Financial Accounting Standard Board's adoption of and amendments to ASC Topic 606. The SAB modifies SAB Topic 13, Revenue Recognition, SAB Topic 8, Retail Companies, and Section A, Operating-Differential Subsidies of SAB Topic 11, Miscellaneous Disclosure. The guidance in SAB 116 applies upon a registrant's adoption of ASC Topic 606. Until such time, the SAB states that registrants should continue referring to prior staff guidance on revenue recognition.

The statements in Staff Accounting Bulletins are not Commission rules or interpretations nor are they published as bearing the Commission's official approval. They represent interpretations and practices followed by the SEC's Office of the Chief Accountant and the Division of Corporation Finance in administering the federal securities laws.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 18, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Axiom Holdings, Inc. ("Axiom" or the "Company") (OTC PINK: AIOM) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 17-cv-04756, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Axiom securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you are a shareholder who purchased Axiom securities between October 14, 2016 and June 19, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until August 21, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Axiom Holdings, Inc. is an independent power producer and real estate developer that develops, builds, owns, and operates power generation plants and hotels. Axiom continues to leverage its global partnerships with real estate owners and hydropower developers and expand its asset portfolio through acquisition and development of identified pipeline.

On October 10, 2016, Axiom Holdings, Inc. entered into a Share Exchange Agreement (the "Agreement") with CJC Holdings, Ltd. (together with its subsidiaries, "CJC"), a Hong Kong corporation, and the two shareholders of CJC, Hu Dengyang and Yang Chuan (collectively, the "CJC Shareholders"). CJC, through its subsidiaries, operates and constructs hydropower electric generation stations located in China with two in operation, a third under construction and a fourth in the planning stage and slated for operation in 2019. In addition, CJC, through its subsidiaries, operates two hotels in China.

Pursuant to the Agreement, Axiom was to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of CJC from the CJC Shareholders in exchange for the issuance to the CJC Shareholders of 200,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock.

The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Axion lacked control over the merger process sufficient to ensure that the Agreement with CJC would be completed; (ii) accordingly, the Agreement with CJC was never completed; (iii) the Company's issuance of shares to the CJC Shareholders was thus improper; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Axiom's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On June 19, 2017, Axiom issued a press release disclosing that the Company had identified discrepancies related to prior news announcements in response to a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The following day, Axiom issued a second press release, advising investors that "it now appears the merger was never completed" and advising investors that it would rescind the shares that were issued to the CJC Shareholders in connection with the merger.

On this news, Axiom's share price fell $0.44, or 37.93%, over two trading days, to close at $0.72 on June 20, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
Immersv, an Emeryville, California-based interactive advertising platform for mobile 360 and virtual reality, raised $10.5m in Series A financing.

The round was led by Rogers Venture Partners with participation from Foundation Capital, The Venture Reality Fund, Initial Capital, East Ventures, HTC Vive, MCJ Co. Ltd., GREE, i-mobile, Metaps, and Gigi Levy. In conjunction with the funding, Paul Sestili, a general partner at Rogers Venture Partners, and Hironao Kunimitsu, founder and CEO of Gumi, joined Immersvs board of directors.

The company will use the funds to accelerate product development and deployment, expand its available inventory through direct Publisher as well as SSP integrations, and bring global brands and performance marketers into Mobile 360 and Virtual Reality.

Led by Mihir Shah, President and CEO, Immersv combines interactive 360 advertising with a programmatic real time bidding platform to help advertisers connect with consumers while enabling developers to drive both distribution and monetization for their content.

The company has recently signed programmatic deals with more than 15 of the worlds largest Demand Side Platforms (DSPs) and Supply Side Platforms (SSPs).

Partners now include firms such as Tremor Video, YuMe, Bidswitch, ironSource, Supership and United in Japan while major brands such as Nissan, Hawaii Tourism Bureau, and Mountain Dew have executed campaigns as well.

FinSMEs

18/08/2017
Leap Global Partners, a Palo Alto, CA-based cross-border venture capital firm, announced it held its first close to its $15m debut fund.

The close od Leap Global Partners Fund I was led by members of prominent Mexican corporations.

Founded by Goldman Sachs alumni, Roman Leal and Pablo Perez III, Leap is aimed at identifying the most impactful technologies created by entrepreneurs in Mexico and the United States investing in companies at theor seed and series A investment rounds.

The fund has already backed:

 Insikt, a fintech lending as a service startup,

 Wizeline, an AI driven talent and software as a service company,

 PayStand, which leverages Internet, Blockchain, and SaaS technologies to innovate B2B payments, and

 Listo, a socially responsible consumer facing company that offers financial services to underserved Latinos in the US.

It targets ten more investments, split between US and Mexican based companies.

FinSMEs

18/08/2017
Mapi Pharma Ltd., Ness Ziona, Israel-based clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, received $10m in funding.

aMoon Fund, an Israeli vc firm focused on innovative healthcare and life science ventures, founded by Marius Nacht and Dr. Yair Schindel, made the investment.

The funds raised will support Mapis future development and enable the initiation of the Phase III trial for the lead product, Glatiramer Acetate (Copaxone) Depot, or GA Depot, for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Led by Ehud Marom, Chairman and CEO, engaged in the development of life cycle management (LCM) products that target large markets and generic drugs that include complex active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and formulations. The GA Depot injection, administered once every four weeks, is the first in a series of depot long-acting injections in the companys pipeline, for the treatment of MS. The product is an LCM of Copaxone, which requires injections daily or every other day. The company recently completed a Phase II, open-label, two arm, multicenter, study to assess safety, tolerability, and efficacy of once-a-month, long-acting IM (intramuscular) injection of 80mg or 40mg glatiramer acetate in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Mapi has R&D facilities in Israel and China, and an API production facility in the Neot-Hovav Eco Industrial Park south of Beersheba, Israel.

FinSMEs

18/08/2017
Monstar Lab, Inc., a Tokyo, Japan-based software development firm, raised JPY 700 million (US$6.3M) in a new round of equity financing.

Lead investors included YJ Capital Inc., Shinsei Corporate Investment Limited, San-In Chuo Television Broadcasting Co., Ltd., Fenox Venture Capital and Tanabe Corporation, and existing shareholders.

The company, which already has a presence in Asia, including Japan, Singapore, China, Philippines, Vietnam and Bangladesh, intends to use the funds to continue its global expansion by entering into the European and North American markets.

Monstar Lab is a producer of consumer and enterprise mobile apps, business software, and IoT and AR/VR applications, each customized for particular client use cases. The company can offer end-to-end product development services from design, digital strategy consultation, and product development, to product marketing in local and global markets. It has over 800 employees across 9 countries and 17 cities (Tokyo, Osaka, Matsue, Chengdu, Qingdao, Shanghai, Beijing, Hanoi, Da Nang, Singapore, San Francisco, Dhaka, Cebu, Manila, Copenhagen, Aarhus and London).

Lat week, Monstar Lab announced a major investment and partnership with Nodes Group ApS, a Danish mobile application developer with presence in both the Northern European and UK markets.

FinSMEs

18/08/2017
The new Hyundai Verna 2017 has been spotted in a new Fiery Red colour as reported by indianautosblog. This will be the fifth iteration of the Verna, which was originally launched in 2007, by the South Korean car manufacturer.

The new Fiery Red colour is among the four colours the car is being offered in . The other three colours are Siena Brown, Flame Orange and Polar White according to the indianautosblog report.

The Hyundai Verna is slated for 22 August release in India and a brochure of the car had leaked out on 16 August by TeamBHP. The vehicle measures 4,440 x 1,729 x 1,475 mm and has several new features such as LED tail lamps, chrome surrounds, a chrome grille, projector fog lights and more. According to Hyundai, the car will have 50 percent of its frame built on Advanced High Strength Steel.

The brochure also reveals the existence of 4 different sub-models of the new Verna which are E,EX, SX, and SX(O). The top range model, which is the SX(O) has special features such as ventilated seats, sliding front armrest, USB charges on the front seat, sunroof and rear-AC vents and both the SX and SX(O) will have touch screen infotainment systems.

The Verna 2017 edition will have two engine variants namely a 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.6-litre diesel engine according to the leaked brochure. The petrol variety produces 121 PS of power and 151 Nm of torque while the diesel variant has a 126 PS and 260 Nm of torque. Both engines come with a 6-speed manual or an automatic transmission.

Hyundai claims to have sold 8.8 million Verna cars globally and 3.17 lakh units in India. According to IANS pre-bookings have started on 18 August and will continue till 21 August. The report also states that Y.K. Koo, Managing Director, Hyundai India plans on selling 4,500 Verna units per month in the country.
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into alleged over-invoicing of imported electrical equipment by the Adani Group that resulted in consumers paying Rs 2 per unit more for power across the country.

Congress senior spokesperson Ajay Maken demanded that the government should immediately reduce by Rs 2 per unit cost of electricity in the areas where the Group companies operated.

The Adani group, however, denied the statements and reports saying these were "motivated" and brought out with "ulterior motives to create sensationalism".

Maken said on 5 February 2013, the Congress-led UPA government had initiated a probe into alleged over-invoicing on the import of electrical equipment by a subsidiary of the Adani Enterprises in the power sector.

He said on the basis of the investigations conducted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, a 97-page show-cause notice was issued on 25 May, 2014 to an Adani Group subsidiary.

"The BJP government should immediately order a CBI investigation monitored by a judge of the Supreme Court into the corrupt practices of over-invoicing which in turn led to grossly inflated prices for the public," he said.

"Investigating this practice is critical as the price of this equipment has a direct bearing on the price paid by the common man for electricity," Maken said, alleging that the investigations have slowed down ever since the BJP government came to power.

The party spokesperson said tax avoidance and shell company-use should also be looked into as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself talked about this issue and made "loud promises" of acting against them.

"It is time that the BJP demonstrates that its words are not just rhetoric or 'jumlas' on paper," he said.

"Is Adani or other big defaulters being spared because of their proximity to Modi," he asked and questioned the prime minister's "silence" on it and also the alleged delay in the investigations.

An Adani Group spokesperson said, "As a responsible corporate citizen, all our transactions are always conducted within the framework of extant regulatory guidelines and provisions. It is a standard procedure for the Group to follow International Competitive Bidding (ICD) route for major capital expenditures to ensure transparency and competitiveness in the process.

The "Adani Group is aware of the investigations being conducted by the DRI, and has fully cooperated, and shall continue to cooperate with the investigating agencies," the spokesperson said.

Quoting an article in a foreign publication, Maken said, in this case, three methods through which electricity tariffs have been artificially inflated were over-valuation of imported coal, over-valuation of power plant equipment and compensatory tariffs awarded to the tune of thousands of crores of rupees.

The Congress leader said the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) should exercise its powers under Section 79 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to investigate and reopen the affairs of all private power-generating entities to identify such fake over-pricing of all equipment to help bring down electricity tariff in the country.

The Congress party, he claimed, shall pursue this matter to the fullest extent by also filing a petition before the CERC utilising the data available in the public domain.

If the Modi government wanted to go beyond the "hollow rhetoric" there should be an immediate reduction in the power tariffs by upto Rs 2 per unit wherever these companies were producing and transmitting electricity as the cost of over-invoicing of machinery imported by the Adani group and other similarly situated entities was ultimately borne by the consumer, he said.

The money allegedly siphoned off by the Adani Group and other such entities belonged to people of India and consumers should get reduced electricity tariff by at least Rs 2 per unit if not compensation for inflated tariff wrongly charged, Maken said.

He alleged that in a recent expose by an international publication, "it is now clear that the DRI report names the Adani Group and contains crucial allegations that the Adani Group utilised a network of off-shore companies to purchase electrical equipment and then sell it to an Indian counterpart at a much-inflated value and as high as about 860 percent of the original value of the product".
New Delhi: In a scathing attack on N R Narayana Murthy, Infosys Board on Friday blamed his "continuous assault" as the primary reason for CEO Vishal Sikka quitting the company and ruled out a formal role for the co-founder in the company's governance.

There were no immediate comments from Murthy on the allegations.

In a strongly worded statement, the country's second largest software services firm defended Sikka's performance saying under him, Infosys has delivered profitable revenue growth.

The Board alleged that a letter authored by Murthy "has been released to various media houses attacking the integrity of the Board and management alleging falling corporate governance standards in the company".

"Murthy's letter contains factual inaccuracies, already-disproved rumours, and statements extracted out of context from his conversations with Board members," it said.

The Board said Murthy has repeatedly made "inappropriate" demands, which are inconsistent with his stated desire for stronger governance.

The Board argued that Murthy's "campaign" has intensified over time.

"Over time the demands have intensified, which when declined by the Board resulted in the threats of media attacks being carried out," it said.

The Board rued that its efforts to resolve the concerns of the founders - who together own about 12.75 percent stake in Infosys - over the course of a year through a dialogue have not been successful.

The statement added that the Board had tried earnestly to find "feasible solutions within the boundaries of law and without compromising its independence".

It also cautioned that Murthy's actions and demands are damaging the company.

The Board sought to assure shareholders, employees and customers that it "will not be distracted by this misguided campaign" by Murthy and will continue to adhere to the highest international standards of corporate governance.

During an investor call, Sikka said the "continued drumbeat" about former CFO Rajiv Bansal's severance package and Panaya deal in the last 4-5 quarters have been

"sickening".

Infosys co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan said the management is highly distressed by the continuing allegations against Sikka and Board members.

Click here for LIVE updates on Vishal Sikka's resignation
No one at South Albany High School has made a move to alter or eliminate the school's "Rebel" team name in the wake of race-based violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

But just in case, one parent is gathering support to keep it.

Misty Evans read a Facebook request earlier this week by racial justice advocate Sam Sachs, a South Albany graduate, asking people to contact the Greater Albany Public Schools district office and request to change South Albany's mascot. She said she's seen Sachs advocate such a move before and thought the same thing now as she did then: "Not on my watch."

Sachs isn't the only person calling for change at South. At least one petition has been registered on the online site Change.org calling on the school district to remove the "Rebel" name and imagery. The Democrat-Herald was unable to reach the author of the petition at press time.

Evans' father became a freshman at South in the fall of 1971, the first year it was established. Evans herself spent her sophomore year at the school. Her husband is a 2002 graduate and her daughter graduated from there in 2014.

When she saw Sachs' post on a South Albany High Facebook page, Evans decided to start a petition asking that the Rebel name remain regardless of whether people followed through on Sachs' request.

Evans launched her drive around 1 p.m. Tuesday and had more than 1,000 electronic signatures by the end of the day. She's now up to more than 2,600 and has sent an electronic copy of the petition to the district office.

Principal Brent Belveal hasn't made a public statement on the issue, but Superintendent Jim Golden told both Evans and the Democrat-Herald the district office won't lead any charge for change.

If any change occurs, it would come from the student body with guidance from Belveal, Golden wrote.

And, he added: "In this time of screaming and people expressing their opinions through social media, I want our school district to model what it is to engage in positive and respectful discourse. We are educators and we need to model what community building looks like!"

When South was first established, a student committee put together a list of recommendations for students to choose from to decide the new school's mascot, motto, colors, fight song and other items.

In a 2015 interview, Steve Saxton, then the incoming student body president for the new school, said students chose "Rebels" because it went along with "South."

Whenever the word South came up, we identified with the Confederacy that had seceded from the Union, because we were leaving Albany Union," he told the paper. "It made sense to a bunch of teenagers."

The trappings of the Confederacy were more prominent then. Students wore red and gray, cheered for "Johnny Rebel" and hung a Confederate "Stars and Bars" flag in the gym.

The flag came off the wall during the 1989-90 school year, following news reports of white supremacist "skinhead" activity nationwide, activity often linked with the flag.

Today, South's "Rebel" symbol is a saber with a flag bearing either the letters "SA" or the word "Rebels."

Evans told the Democrat-Herald she has no particular attachment to the flag symbol. However, she said, she is attached to both the school colors and the name "Rebels."

While some may see a racial connotation there, too, Evans said to her, the connotation is strictly the Webster's dictionary definition: "Person who rises in opposition or armed resistance against an established government or ruler.

"We the community, parents and alumni are asking that the name not be considered for change," she wrote in her petition. "Students wear the Rebel red proudly. Dont take that away from us and the future Rebel."

Evans said she sees the name as a tradition she's proud to uphold.

Its all about family tradition and pride in your school," she said. "You want to be able to look back and say, 'That was my school and I was proud to attend there.'

Sachs, a 1986 South Albany graduate who founded a Portland nonprofit called the No Hate Zone, acknowledged he's tried to end the "Rebel" name and its trappings before  and probably will again.

As a three-sport athlete, Sachs said he proudly carried the Confederate flag around the field when the Rebels would score. He never thought anything of it.

"Nobody said anything, and I didnt understand what it meant and what significance it had to other people," he said.

That's changed, however. And with the riots in Charlottesville still fresh in people's minds, Sachs said he wants to remind Albany that what it does matters to others.

"Many people say, 'Thats not what it means today, were just trying to rebel.' I say yeah, I guess I can see that, but you cant erase the history of what it was built on," Sachs said.

The issue isn't about current or former students, he added. "It's what it means to other schools that visit South Albany, and the perception about what South Albany and Albany is.

"I grew up there. I know they're not racist," he continued. "But if you have a mascot steeped in that tradition and history, you can't just say, 'Well, that's not us anymore, we don't believe in that, let's just forget about that, we're still Rebels but it means something different.' The only thing you can do is erase that, in my opinion."

Sachs said he applauds Evans for following her passion with action and said he's simply trying to do the same.

"Im in it for the long haul. Words and symbols and images matter," he said. "Im just challenging our school and our alumni and parents and teachers to think differently and act differently, thats all."
Vishal Sikka, the first non-founder CEO of Infosys, has resigned amid heightened acrimony between the board and the high-profile founders led by NR Narayana Murthy. In the letter, Sikka said he faced "false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks".

Pravin Rao, currently holding the chief operating officer position, has been appointed interim CEO, India's second largest software services exporter said in a statement.

Sikka, 50, a former German IT major SAP executive, who was appointed CEO and MD of $10 billion revenue company three years back, will become executive vice-chairman until a new MD and CEO is hired.

While the permanent replacement will be hired no later than 31 March, 2018, Sikka will focus on strategic matters till such time, and also draw an annual salary of $1.

During his not-so-eventful tenure as Infosys CEO, Vishal Sikka has seen many ups and downs. Here is a look at the company's operating performance under his leadership in six charts:

Infosys's revenue grew by 28 percent from Rs 13,342 crore in Jul-Sep 2014 quarter to Rs 17,078 crore in Apr-Jun 2017 quarter. As compared to that, industry leader TCS's revenue rose by 24 percent during the same period.

During the tenure of CEO Vishal Sikka, company's net profit soared by 12.5 percent from Rs 3,096 crore in Jul-Sep 2014 quarter to Rs 3,483 crore in Apr-Jun 2017 quarter. TCS also recorded similar growth (12.4 percent) in profit during the period under review. Infosys posted the highest profit of Rs 3,708 crore in Oct-Dec 2016 quarter under Sikka's leadership.

Operating profit margins of the company remained more or less flat in the range of 24-26 percent during Sikka's tenure whereas operating profit margins of TCS fell from 26.8 percent in Jul-Sep 2014 quarter to 23.4 percent in Apr-Jun 2017 quarter.

Employee attrition rate fell from 20.1 percent when he took over in June 2014 to a low of 17.1 percent in March 2017 quarter, only to rebound at 21 percent in June 2017 quarter. As compared to that software major TCS managed to maintain attrition rate in the range of 10.5-16.2 percent.

During Vishal Sikka's leadership, employee hiring peaked in Jul-Sep 2015 quarter when company added 17,595 employees while in Apr-Jun 2017 quarter, the company added lowest staff of 8,645.

Company Price in Rs Market cap in Rs cr 16 Jun 2014 17 Aug 2017 % chg 16 Jun 2014 17 Aug 2017 Change Infosys 810.55 1021.15 26.0 185259 234555 49295 HCL Technologies 711.38 867.75 22.0 99593 120790 21197 TCS 2268.55 2480.15 9.3 444341 474772 30431 Wipro 267.70 288.80 7.9 132097 140543 8447 Tech Mahindra 505.29 424.40 -16.0 47368 41409 -5958

Investors gave thumbs up to the performance of CEO Vishal Sikka, as company's share price gained by 26 percent from Rs 810.55 to Rs 1,021.15 during his tenure. The company emerged as the outperformer in stock market returns, as shares of other four IT companies gave lower or negative returns during the period. Infosys's market capitalisation has also seen the highest surge of Rs 49,295 crore among the top 5 IT companies during Vishal Sikka's tenure as CEO. After his resignation, company's share price fell over 9 percent to Rs 926 whereas its market capitalisation eroded by Rs 21,775 crore to Rs 2,12,780 crore in today's trades so far.

(With PTI inputs)

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There was much bonhomie and good cheer when Vishal Sikka, former member, Executive Board of SAP AG, was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys in June 2014. A Ph.D in computer science from Stanford University, USA, Sikka was the first-ever Chief Technology Officer at SAP -- a post created for the first time in 2007. Sikka had a longer tenure of 12 years in SAP unlike his short tenure as CEO and MD at Infosys which ended abruptly today with his resignation.

Here is what the board members of Infosys had said about Sikka during his appointment:

N R Narayana Murthy, co-founder and then the executive chariman at Infosys

I am pleased with the selection of Dr. Vishal Sikka as our new CEO. Vishal brings valuable experience as a leader of a large, global corporation. His illustrious track record and value system make him an ideal choice to lead Infosys. On behalf of all of us at Infosys, I would like to thank Mr. Gopalakrishnan, Mr. Shibulal and Mr. Batni for their contributions. I would like to thank our clients, the members of the Board, all my colleagues at Infosys, ex-Infoscions, our investors, the media, and well-wishers of the company for their support and encouragement. I also want to thank the members of my office, the Chief Financial Officer and the head of Human Resources for their fabulous support through my second innings at Infosys.

K V Kamath, Lead Independent Director and Chairman of the Nominations & Governance Committee

The Committee adopted a rigorous selection process with the assistance of reputed global executive search and evaluation firms. Vishal brings a unique combination of technology prowess and business acumen. The Board is committed to support him to strengthen the company's leadership in the global technology industry.

S Gopalakrishnan, Executive Vice-Chairman

I am glad that the Board has chosen a thought leader who has demonstrated how technology can be leveraged to help businesses become more competitive. I wish him all the best.

S D Shibulal, former CEO and MD, Infosys

I would like to thank the Board, employees and investors for the support they have extended to me through the years. I believe that Vishal brings the vision and capability we need to take lnfosys to greater heights

Srinath Batni, former board member

I have spent some of the most enriching years of my life at Infosys and will always cherish the experience. With Vishal, Infosys is well placed to chart its way forward boldly.

Here is the full text of the appointment letter.

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16:28 (ist)

More details about Infosys buyback plans

"There is no change in buyback plans. We have made a commitment on how much and when to return cash to shareholders," Infosys board Chairman R Seshasayee said at a conference.

The share buyback  which will be the first in the company's 36-year history  has been a long-standing demand by some of the founders and high-profile former executives, who have been pushing Infosys to return surplus capital to its shareholders.

"None of the things that have been set in motion... will be stopped," Seshasayee said responding to a specific question on the fate of the buyback amid the high-profile departure of the CEO.

There are concerns that the investors' sentiments could take a beating following the ugly and public spat between the founders and the management of India's second largest software exporter.

The Bengaluru-based company in April had announced that it will pay up to Rs 13,000 crore to shareholders during the current financial year through dividend and/or share buyback. The company has not yet outlined the details of the proposed share buyback.

Share buybacks typically improve earnings per share and return surplus cash to shareholders, while also supporting share price during period of sluggish market condition.

Infosys had cash and cash equivalents worth over $3.5 billion on its books as of 30 June, 2017.

A number of tech companies have announced share buyback programmes this year to offer rich returns to shareholders.

While Infosys' larger rival TCS offered Rs 16,000-crore mega buyback offer to shareholders, rivals like Cognizant, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Mindtree have also made similar announcements. PTI
Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy had taken yet another potshot at its incumbent CEO Vishal Sikka---three of Infosys independent directors had told him in private that while Sikka was a good Chief Technical Officer material he wasnt a good Chief Executive Officer (CEO) material. And he went on to pull his punches in a manner of a double-take by saying he has nothing personal against Sikka whose company he has enjoyed. But Sikka has seen through Murthys duplicity and peeve. He has resigned.

The CEO-CTO debate is as old as hills. A CEO is likened to a general manager who should be a well-rounded professional at ease both with technical and commercial matters an enterprise invariably gets to deal with. To be sure, a CEO should not be a nerd or otherwise obsessed excessively with his core competence lest the company is left behind by externalities including government policies, competitions strategy as well as by simmering discontent in the rank and file and other internal factors.

But then it is equally true that while a technocrat can easily imbibe commercial, legal and financial knowledge crucial to running a modern day company, it is not possible for a non-technical person say an accomplished chartered accountant to imbibe technical knowledge especially if that happens to be the very foundation of the bread and butter functions of the company.

Vishal Sikka filled the CEO bill perfectly as he brought to the table his formidable knowledge and experience of developing SAP and ERP solutions besides using artificial intelligence (AI). In fact these very considerations weighed with the board of Infosys when Sikka was appointed the CEO a couple of years ago, which he himself points out in his resignation letter.

Infosys was lagging behind the other IT majors of India especially TCS. It was expected of him to restore Infosys back to its preeminence. While the jury is still out on whether he has been successful in achieving this goal, it is not as if Sikka has allowed grass to grow under his feet. He has been alive to the need for Infosys moving up the value chain as well as responding to threats from artificial intelligence and robots.

That Sikka is a good CTO material in any case is a tribute to the ex CEO though coming from a ventriloquist. It is a tacit admission that he was not caught in the time-warp. An IT major like Infosys needs to constantly strive to keep pace with the latest technological advances and be alive to the reality of technological obsolescence. In that sense, the choice of Sikka had not been wrong. At least the available evidence including the investigations on acquisition of Panaya does not point to any egregious commercial or financial blunder or impropriety by him.

The disagreements between the founders and the board started in February last year when the board decided to give Sikka a 55 percent pay hike to $11 million. Only 23.57 percent of promoter votes were cast in favor of reappointing Sikka as managing director and CEO in April last year.

Some of the founders were also peeved at the Infosys boards decision to approve a Rs 17.38 crore severance payment to former chief financial officer Rajiv Bansal though part of the munificence was rolled back subsequently. There was a sneaking suspicion that the generous severance pay was to silence Rajiv Bansal who had some reservations about Panaya acquisition.

Murthy is peeved with the salary excesses in favor of the honcho and other bigwigs. At Rs 49 crore, Sikkas 2016-17 salary was 935 times more than the median salary as factually pointed out by the Firstpost story.

Though Murthy would not say this in so many words he has been championing the cause of balance in salary across the companys workforce. He was booed about a decade ago when he pontificated from the CII pulpit that the top remuneration should not be more than 15 times the lowest remuneration. But he did strike a chord. After all, it was the Infosys founders who financially empowered its staff through stock options that made its driver a millionaire.

At the same time the CTO-CEO hairsplitting comes out as pique and projects the industry veteran in a poor light---old order unable to stand the success of the new young order. Murthy should remember he and his successor CEOs before Sikka came on the scene were all technocrats too.

Sikka has been effectively martyred. And Murthy has emerged as the villain of the piece. It is not far-fetched to imagine the Infosys board reinstating Sikka sooner than later. That would sadly make Murthy even more villainous though he hardly deserves this appellation.

Click here for LIVE updates on Vishal Sikka's resignation
New Delhi: The promoter-versus-outsider debate has returned to the fore on running a blue-chip enterprise in India with experts blaming differences between the top management and some founders for Vishal Sikka quitting as Infosys CEO.

Sikka took charge as Infosys' first non-founder CEO in 2014, prior to which the top post at the company was held by one or other founders of the country's second largest IT firm.

The company on Friday announced a surprise resignation by 50 -year-old Sikka, who cited "a continuous stream of distractions and disruptions" for his decision, while the Infosys board was direct in blaming "continuous assault" and "campaign" by founder and ex-chairman NR Narayana Murthy.

This is the second high profile exit of an 'outsider' from the top post of a big enterprise in India, after Cyrus Mistry was removed as the head of the over $100 billion Tata group.

While Mistry's family has a significant stake in Tata Sons, the group's holding company, he was still seen as a non-Tata. The main reason cited for his exit by several experts was differences with Ratan Tata.

Tata group has appointed N Chandrasekaran, again a non-Tata but a long-timer at the group firm TCS, as its new chief.

A large number of Indian blue-chips are run by promoter family members and include Bajaj, Hero Group, Bharti, Mahindras, Dr Reddy's, Lupin and Sun Pharma.

While several of these appoint professional outsiders as CEOs and for other top positions, the topmost executive positions (including as Executive Chairperson) are held by the promoters.

At the same time, there are also large groups like ICICI, HDFC, ITC, L&T and Axis Bank where the top-management positions are held by non-promoters and for several years together without any disruptions in several of such cases.

At several family-run companies, children are seen to be groomed as successors and some of the examples include both the Reliance groups, Wipro, Godrej Cipla and Adani.

While 70-year-old Narayana Murthy's son Rohan Murthy was also associated with Infosys for a while, the IT czar asserted today he is not seeking "any money, position for children, or power" and his concern primarily was the "deteriorating standard" of corporate governance at Infosys.

Still, several experts and industry leaders opined it was the differences between the promoters and the top management that led to Sikka's exit.

Entrepreneur and Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted that it is a low point in the history of Infosys and it is "inconceivable" that a professional CEO appointed by the board and shareholders will be "hounded out".

Low low point in history of @Infosys. Inconceivble tht a Proffsnl CEO appntd by board n shareholdrs wud be hounded out like this https://t.co/VQse4fq8oJ  Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@rajeev_mp) August 18, 2017

Industrialist Harsh Goenka tweeted, "To run an organisation effectively you need to humour and understand the axis of power... Cyrus, Sikka didn't".

To run an organisation effectively you need to humour and understand the axis of power. PM knows its the public and RSS. Cyrus, Sikka didn't  Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) August 18, 2017

Investor advisory firm IiAS said transitioning from a 'promoter' led culture to a professionally managed company is a challenge - for both the company as well as the professional manager.

HDFC Securities' VK Sharma said Sikka's exit draws a long-drawn out boardroom battle to a close.

"While the company did better than the industry during Sikka's tenure, it was nowhere near achieving Sikka's own $20 billion target by 2020. The forthcoming buyback may delay the stock from falling more," he said.

Sharma said Sikka's allegation that he was continuously being distracted does not wash as he had long enough a honeymoon period to make his mark.

Sikka's resignation also led to Infosys' stock plunging sharply and the company's market valuation saw an erosion of over Rs 22,000 crore.

VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said the market has signalled its displeasure with the stock tanking by 10 percent, but this unfortunate incident might turn out to be an opportunity if the board quickly finds a new CEO who can lead from the front without "disruptions" from the promoters.
Vishal Sikka has resigned as the chief executive officer and managing director of Infosys, CNBC TV 18 reported. The latest development just day after reports claimed that Infosys founder Narayana Murthy had been told by three independent directors that Sikka was more of a chief technology officer (CTO) than a CEO. The 9 August letter had also raised questions about Sikka's leadership at a time when the company is going through a difficult period.

UB Pravin Rao, the current COO, has been appointed as the interim CEO and managing director. Rao, who joined Infosys in 1986, has held a number of positions in the company. A graduate with a degree in electrical engineering, Rao is also the chairperson of Infosys BPO, the Business Outsourcing business of the IT giant.

As the COO of the Infosys, Rao handles the overall portfolio of the company. Experienced in sales, Rao is responsible for global sales, delivery and business enabling services. Rao was appointed as COO in June 2014. However, he was considered 'dark horse' when Narayana Murthy had named him as one of the presidents of the company in January 2014. As president, Rao was in charge of spurring growth in multiple portfolios of the company.

In 2015, Rao took home a package of Rs 6.4 crore, while in 2017, he was given a pay hike. The Infosys board had hiked Rao's fixed salary per annum to Rs 4.62 crore, while the variable component of his package was pegged at Rs 3.87 crore, payable on achievement of targets set by the board.

However, his 2017 payhike created a major controversy in the company, as Murthy said that the hike was improper and would "erode the trust and faith of the employees in the management and the board".

Nevertheless, the Infosys board decided to go ahead with the hike and said that the revision was arrived at after benchmarking against peers.

Defending the decision, Sikka had said: "Pravin's commitment and contribution to the company have been immense, and his partnership over the past about three years has been critical to the successes and growth of our company."

Along with Sikka and Rao, the Infosyss board has nine independent directors. The independent directors are R Seshasayee, Ravi Venkatesan, DN Prahlad, Punita Kumar-Sinha, John Etchemendy, Jeffrey Lehman, Roopa Kudva, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and D Sundaram.

One of the original employees of Infosys, Rao's fortunes rose after he was made a full-time director of the Infosys board in December 2013.

Prior to becoming a board member, Rao was a member of the executive council, with the position of a senior vice-president, handling the retail, consumer packaged goods, Logistics and Life Sciences portfolio of Infosys. He also headed the delivery services of the tech giant in Europe and had been the head of Infrastructure Management Services.

Rao is also the director of the Infosys Leadership Institute, which is responsible for identifying and training high-potential leaders for the company.

According to Business Standard, Rao is considered an example of Infosys' culture of creating home grown leaders. The report also quoted several colleagues as saying that it is his patience and perseverence which helped him to survive in the company.

A 2014 Economic Times report noted that Rao is a diligent worker and a great thinker, but not an ambitious man. "Rao is a guru in the setup. He is a person who can give you a strong direction. Nobody understands Infosys like he does," the report quoted a colleague as saying.

With inputs from PTI

Click here for live updates on Infosys row and Vishal Sikka's resignation
New Delhi: Vishal Sikka will receive the princely sum of $1 as his annual salary during his tenure as Executive Vice Chairman. Though his stock options remain, this single piece of information in a lengthy press statement announcing Sikkas sudden resignation as CEO and MD of Infosys, shows the profound impact of the continuous criticism by Infosys founders as far as Sikka and remuneration go. Compassionate or not, capitalism appears in a new light under Sikka 2.0. From being the second-highest paid Indian CEO, Sikka will work for the next few months, virtually for free.

As Infosys stands at the cusp of changes at the very top, perhaps now is as good a time as ever to codify a clear corporate philosophy. A set of values for Infoscions. Will the company, founded by a socialist era leader and his friends steeped in austerity, continue to run with the frugality mantra they espoused? Even when they no longer run the show? Or will it display the quintessential image of a multi-billion dollar global business, where the top honchos show off their riches unabashedly, set off across the globe on private jets? Because, believe it or not, the current state of affairs is almost all about perceptions, it has little to do with the actual performance of the company.

True, it has been facing heat over allegedly falling corporate governance standards and Infosys has already indicated it will not be able to achieve the earlier $20 billion revenue target by 2020  not by a long shot perhaps. But these are not the reasons why it has been thrown in such an upheaval. The Infosys of today must clearly define the path ahead for itself as far a public perceptions go, let performance take a backseat. Already, it is possible that promoters may well get to steer the company once again.

In any case, since Narayana Murthys constant public criticism of the Infosys top management has lead to Sikkas exit, one possibility is that Sikkas successor fits the image that Murthy has of a CEO, that the successor will espouse causes dear to Murthys heart. Will this be necessarily good for a professionally run company, which has to compete in a cut-throat environment globally, in a challenging market battling widespread job losses, is something IT experts will discuss endlessly over the next few days. But it is clear that just having ambitious business goals may no longer be enough for Infy, it needs a clear corporate philosophy on money.

Murthy continues to have strong opinions on Infosyss functioning even now, try and build public opinion against Sikka, which was enough to see why Sikka may have thrown up his hands and resigned this morning, a Mint report said. If, indeed some members of the Infy board have privately expressed their distrust in the CEO and MD, he should have resigned anyway. This and various objections made by Murthy over the last several months have been strongly refuted by Infosys, which has said in a strongly worded statement that Murthys letter contains factual inaccuracies, already-disproved rumours, and statements extracted out of context from his conversations with Board members.

But let us come to the root cause of this entire drama: Murthys pet peeve about compassionate capitalism and why there is too much money being thrown after CEOs with little by way of return. His point has been about drilling some sense into CEO pay, restoring some balance between the median pay that an employee of the company gets versus the top honcho. Sikka was the second highest paid CEO in India last fiscal, a Business Standard report said. And this one speaks of a huge pay gap between CEOs and other employees at Indian companies, with the biggest listed blue-chip firms doling out to their top executives salary packages of up to 1,200-times the median employee remunerations. In fact, median employee remuneration fell or remained almost same during the last fiscal, while the top executive pay jumped further. As the gap between the haves and the have-nots rises, Murthy has a point where he has stressed that CEO pay should be 50-100 times the median pay and not more than that. This is the core of what Infosys needs to debate right now  will there be any compassion while it pursues capitalism?

In his blog post, Sikka has blamed unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks for his shock decision and said he cannot carry out the CEOs job under such circumstances. And as mentioned earlier, Infosys has released a detailed statement not just attacking Murthys outbursts but also stoutly defending its corporate governance standards.

As the dust settles down on Sikka's exit, perhaps the comments below the ex-CEOs twitter announcement of his resignation are more telling than all the other debates. Most people expressed disappointment at Sikkas decision while some even wondered if the employee median pay will drop further if Murthy were to come back to steer Infy.

Whatever Murthy thinks about compassionate capitalism, Infosys employees and fans of Sikka do not seem to find any great solace in this philosophy.
What's more fun than passing off stalking celebrities on social media as work?

Very little, right?

And so, we scanned the Instagram and Twitter accounts of celebs from India and abroad, to bring to you weekly updates from the interwebz. Who tweeted to whom? Who re-posted last night's party pics? Who went on a rant about what. Whatever it is, don't worry, we've got you covered.

We stalk, you read. Deal?

Riya Sen's hush-hush wedding to Shivam Tiwari

Reports of Riya Sen's engagement to longtime beau Shivam Tiwari resurfaced a few days ago. Now, the couple have performed a hush-hush wedding, reportedly in Pune. Her sister Raima Sen posted a picture of Riya and Shivam's traditional Bengali wedding, with mother and veteran actress Moon Moon Sen in the background.

A post shared by Raima Sen  (@raimasen) on Aug 18, 2017 at 12:47am PDT

Sridevi's star-studded birthday bash

Thank you @manishmalhotra05 for making me feel so special  and all my friends for giving me so much love A post shared by Sridevi Kapoor (@sridevi.kapoor) on Aug 17, 2017 at 9:40pm PDT

Sridevi took to Instagram to share a picture of her birthday bash with the who's who of Bollywood in attendance. Rekha, Karan Johar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Vidya Balan, Shabana Azmi, and Manish Malhotra were some of the people seen in the photograph that was shared. Sridevi also thanked Malhotra for making her feel "so special" and hosting the do. Ashmit Patel proposes to Maheck Chahal

She said YES!!! @maheckchahal #downonmyknee #engagement #ring #butwhichfinger #partnerforlife #bae #yesididit A post shared by Ashmit Patel (@ashmitpatel) on Aug 18, 2017 at 12:55am PDT

Actor Ashmit Patel recently broke the news of his engagement on his social media profile by putting up an 'awww'-inducing photograph where we can see him down on one knee as he proposes to his fellow former Bigg Boss contestant Maheck Chahal while the couple vacationed in Marbella, Spain. Chahal too shared a picture on Instagram with the caption "He stole my heart, so Im going to steal his last name. I said YES!" as fans of the couple forwarded their best wishes to them. Dharmendra makes Twitter debut

Me and Bob eventually succeeded in getting dad here.. Welcome Dad!! https://t.co/v42oZb42ij  Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) August 17, 2017

Your love has encouraged me to come more close to you ... so here is me from the sets of YPD Phir se... #newbeginnings #shootmode #hyderabad pic.twitter.com/nWGP1dJW0w  Dharmendra Deol (@aapkadharam) August 17, 2017

Veteran actor Dharmendra finally made his Twitter debut, with his son Sunny Deol announcing his father's arrival on the social media portal via a tweet of his own. The actor credited brother Bobby Deol and himself for getting Dharmendra to finally join Twitter. Dharmendra's first tweet from his (not yet verified) account was a couple of pictures from the sets of Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se. The actor said it was the love from his fans that encouraged him to "come more close" to them. Rannvijay Singh's little bundle of joy

@singhakainaat with her Chachus when she was a day old!! #squadrann #squadrannkillinit #bossbaby @squadrann A post shared by Rannvijay (@rannvijaysingha) on Aug 17, 2017 at 2:24am PDT

Popular reality show host, Rannvijay Singh recently shared an image of his daughter Kainaat and her chachus (father's brothers) back when the infant was only a day old. The (then) new daddy is seen sporting the most beatific smile on his face as Kainaat takes up the center of the frame. Madhuri Dixit confirms show based on her life

Hey people, I'm back online and I missed you. Got lots to talk about and many amazing announcements. First, wanted to confirm the US project with ABC and Mark Gordon productions! Stay tuned for much more... http://www.dnaindia.com/bollywood/report-madhuri-dixit-nene-on-the-inception-of-the-show-based-on-her-life-2533270 A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) on Aug 18, 2017 at 1:43am PDT

Madhuri Dixit Nene took to Instagram to confirm her upcoming US show with ABC and Mark Gordon productions. She also wrote that she missed her fans. All this news was shared with a picture in which the actor is looking flawless as usual.
Legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock's film The Birds is all set to get a new TV adaptation.

The iconic 1963 film will be remade into a contemporary television drama, which will be written by Irish playwright and writer Conor McPherson, reported DigitalSpy. McPherson has previously worked in projects like Saltwater (2000), The Actors (2003) and The Eclipse (2009), where he has donned the cap of both writer and director.

The original movie featured Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels, a wealthy San Francisco socialite, who follows a potential boyfriend to a small town in California where birds have started terrorising the residents. Instead of California, the BBC version will be set in rural Cornwall, where a farmhand and his community is being terrorised by flocks of birds and seagulls shortly after the end of World War II. Despite a few noticeable changes, the story will remain true to Daphne du Maurier's original 1952 novella of the same name.

Much contrary to the popular Hitchcock movies known for overtly horror themes, primarily using extraneous elements, The Birds stands out as a film which had nothing of that sort, but just the birds on a killing spree without revealing anything about the cause of the menace. It is left for the audience to ponder upon, which catapults the chilling nerve-wracking sensation of Hitchcock movies to another level. The BBC show will be produced by Heyday Television, which is owned by David Heyman who has previously backed mammoth projects like Harry Potter (all the eight films), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Gravity to name a few.

(With inputs from PTI)
Los Angeles: David Tennant is coming back to Marvel's second season of Jessica Jones on Netflix in the role of mind-controlling villain Kilgrave.

Despite being the Big Bad of the first season, Kilgrave became quite the fan favourite character, even adding slithers of humour to his performance on varying occasions.

His comeback details are still being kept under wraps, reported Screen Rant. There is no official date confirmed for Jessica Jones Season 2, but the character returns on 18 August when The Defenders hits Netflix.
In Heritage Mall in Albany, members of Altrusa International of Albany hold an over-sized check from the Siletz Tribe, which donated $3,000 to Altrusa's Kidzshop back-to-school shopping program, which was held Aug. 12 at the mall. At that event, the group said 300 kids received new school clothes, shoes, backpacks with school supplies, snack packs, eye exams, dental kits, memberships to the Boys & Girls Club of Albany, along with appointments for free hair cuts and signups for new beds, if needed. Altrusa thanked staff at Heritage Mall and stores Payless Shoes, Old Navy and Target, along with staff and donors from Visionworks, La Belle Boutique, Furniture Share, Coastal Farm, LinnCo Federal Credit Union in Lebanon and Albany, and Blue Angels, plus photographer Stuart Johnson and all of the volunteers who came out to help.
Kochi: The bail plea of superstar Dileep, that was supposed to come up on Friday, 18 August, at the Kerala High Court here, has been postponed for Tuesday, 22 August.

The prosecution requested for the postponement as its lawyers were out of town attending the funeral of former Advocate General MK Damodaran at Kannur.

Dileep on August 10 submitted a fresh bail plea for the third time. His judicial remand had been extended till August 22 in a case involving the abduction and molestation of a popular actress in February.

The actor, arrested on July 10, is since then lodged in the Aluva sub-jail. Dileep's arrest came after police found evidence against him as the abduction's key conspirator. The actress was abducted and molested while travelling from Thrissur to Kochi on 17 February.

A trial court had earlier denied Dileep's first bail plea. The actor then approached the high court, which also turned down his plea. Dileep has employed a new counsel, replacing the previous one who appeared twice on his bail plea.

The police had earlier arrested the prime accused, Pulsar Suni, and his accomplices a week after the incident. However, a conspiracy angle cropped up much later that led to Dileep's arrest.
Almost a year ago, when Pink landed in the theatres, the first thought that ran through most peoples minds was: Taapsee Pannu can act. For the first time, we saw her in a new light. And just like that, the Taapsee that the Telugu audience once knew became a memory of the past. The actress we see today is a lot bolder with her choices, and more confident than ever before about what shes doing. She is harnessing this power of choice quite well, so to speak, and theres no dearth of opportunities for Taapsee 2.0.

In her upcoming Telugu film, Anando Brahma, a comedy horror movie directed by Mahi V Raghav , Taapsee will be sharing screen space with four prominent comedians in the industry, and she has no qualms to accept that they are the real heroes of the film. Its been four years since Saahasam, Taapsees last full-fledged film in Telugu, has released and there have been plenty of changes in her life. She moves to Mumbai and established herself as an actress to reckon with in Bollywood, thanks to films like Baby, Pink and Naam Shabana. And shell soon be seen in David Dhawans Judwaa 2.

So, what prompted her comeback in Telugu cinema after such a long gap? For the past couple of years, I kept on harping that I want to be part of a different film which has a new concept or at least a new role for me. I was bowled over by the concept of Anando Brahmo and its really out of the box. If my name brings any value to the film, then Im happy to be part of it. Its a huge risk, but theres no fun without it. If I had come back and did a regular commercial film, then it doesnt make sense for me to wait for this long. I didnt want to do that.

Although there have been numerous horror comedies in Telugu which follow a template  a bunch of people getting trapped in a house and a ghost haunting them  Anando Brahma adds a twist to this age-old tale. In this comedy horror, its the ghosts that are afraid of the humans. And the promos have already hinted at a ghosts vs humans battle as a plot of the film. But one thing is still uncertain. Is Taapsee playing a human or a ghost in the film? Taapsee bursts out laughing and says, Thats something youll have to watch in the film. We have revealed the key concept of the film, but there are couple of more surprises. Right from the beginning, we were pretty sure that we didnt want to make anything that was cliched. So, whenever I voiced my opinion that something wasnt right, Mahi V Raghav would quickly change it. This is a film which Ive been involved in right from the conceptual stage to the release. It feels like its my baby too.

The actress is all praise for Mahi V Raghav, who, she says, was pretty clear about what he was trying to do. Hes a very intelligent guy and sensible too. He has a reality check about where we stand and what we are trying to do. Hes not someone who comes and tells you that this is going to be a life-changing film in your career (laughs). After I finished shooting for this film, Mahi saw Naam Shabana and came back to me saying, Taapsee I cant believe that I made you do a horror comedy! So, I told him, Dont worry. Im not retiring. Hopefully, we will work together again. Lets hope that this film works! Hes very grounded and hes very open to suggestions. For the first time in my Telugu film career, I worked with a director who reaches out to me after conceiving a scene to take my suggestions and incorporate them into the script if he likes them. Someone listened to me, at least! Taapsee says, before adding, Gosh! I dont know if Im supposed to say all these things. I dont want to get into trouble again (laughs).

Not long ago, the actress was in news for her comments on K Raghavendra Rao, veteran Telugu filmmaker, who also directed Jhummandhi Naadam, Taapsees debut film in Telugu. A clip from Taapsees appearance on East India Comedy show went viral and during the conversation, after a song from the film was played, she ended up saying, I dont know whats so sensuous about throwing a coconut on a womans mid-riff. Her statement irked a lot of Telugu audience and after few days, during which she was trolled mercilessly, Taapsee apologised and clarified that she was, in fact, making fun of herself and also added that she wasnt insulting K Raghavendra Rao or anyone else.

Taapsee recounts the incident which blew out of proportion when she was in Norway on a solo-trip. For the first few days, she admittedly didnt understand why it became a controversial subject as she rewound the whole 15-minute conversation with the stand-up comedians in her head. And then, it struck her that the ground reality was a lot different. Most people here didnt see the whole video which was all about making fun of myself. If you had seen only a 10-second clip, which had those specific comments, then there is no context to it and hence, people reacted the way they did. I will never even dare to insult anyone Ive worked with, even if those films didnt work well. They are part of your journey. Im not that shallow. And Raghavendra Rao garu is a far-fetched bet! During that time, people kept saying that Ive become arrogant after moving to Bollywood. Half of the Hindi film industry doesnt know that Im a Delhi girl. They think that Im a South Indian actress because of my previous work here. I dont bother correcting them because I started my career here, she says.

Another thing that people misconstrued was that I kept saying that I was considered a glamour doll in South, but I never said whether thats a good or a bad thing. And people realised that I could act after seeing me in Pink and Naam Shabana. Honestly, even I realised that I could do that well only after doing those two films (laughs). I was not looking down upon being considered a glamorous actress. Otherwise, I wont take three long struggling years to get a Judwaa 2 in Hindi, where Im playing a glamorous role. People forget all these logics when they want to hate someone. Over the years, Ive made an effort to dub for my roles in Telugu, took a chance to do an out-of-the-box film after so long - so, instead of looking at all the glass half-full, people prefer to see it half-empty. Because of one controversy, which I didnt intend to create, everything good that I had done, until then, was washed out. I dont even know who to blame or what to say, but I can feel sad about the whole situation and hence, I apologised. I dont deserve this hatred after all the love and respect that Ive got from the Telugu audience all these years. I dont want to wake up to so much hatred everyday, Taapsee clarifies.

Now that shes acting in plenty of Hindi films, it has changed a lot of things for her, and going by her own admission, acting in a language that shes more familiar with may have made her more comfortable in front of the camera. You are in command of everything you are doing when you act in a language that youre more comfortable with. People tell me that when I act in Hindi, I take abrupt pauses, but those pauses really do work, because I exactly know at what point what emotion is projected. I try to apply that in Telugu now, but Ill always have a limitation with that because its not my mother tongue. Now I know what I can pull off properlythats what I learnt after acting in Hindi. Language does change a lot of things. I cant do something which is very colloquial, even though I have done a Gundello Godaari. I cant relate to that character, that slang, she admits.

When she isnt shooting, Taapsee loves to travel and her Instagram profile is proof of her penchant for exploring new places. A couple of months ago, she went on a solo trip to Norway, where she explored plenty of locales in and around Oslo. Her social media profiles were filled with so many photos that she had almost become a Japanese tourist who wouldnt stop taking pictures! (Laughs) Thats what happens when you travel alone  you become best friends with your camera. I got a GoPro just for travelling. All Im missing now is a selfie stick. I hate winters. I cant stand snow. And the best time to visit Scandinavia was during summer.

How does someone who grew up in Delhi hate winters so much? How did she survive the winters in Delhi for all those years? Now that youve asked me, I see a pattern. During all those years, when December began, I became a different person altogether. I become very moody. Ill be inside my blanket, I wouldnt stop cribbing, and be groggy all day. It used to take a lot of effort to get outside the blanket. Even I dont like meeting myself during those two months (laughs). But after that, Im like the best person youll meet in your life. Food and weather dictate my mood. If I have a bad meal, then you wouldnt want to meet me. Even London, for that matter, when they tell me that I have to shoot there, I ask them during which months. I am not going to be best of human beings during that time. I saw hail, rain, sun all in the same day. London is so gloomy. Its so gloomy. I can get depressed there.

Now what if someone approaches her with a script for a horror film set amid snow-capped mountains? Taapsee laughs, then says: Ill pray that it doesnt turn out to be a good script!
At the heels of the abduction and molestation of Malayalam actress, another incident has shocked the southern film industry. A Telugu actress has alleged rape attempt by director Chalapathi and actor Srujan in a moving car.

According to a report by Times of India, the actress had filed a police complaint at Patamala police station, Vijaywada on the eve of Independence Day, 15 August. The complaint states that the actress was taken in a car by both the accused on a false excuse of going for a shoot in Bheemavaram. They allegedly tried to rape her, on the way, in the car.

The actress spoke to the media right after filing the complaint, as reported by International Business Times, and said,"I was supposed to be Bheemavaram on 13 August and I was planning to travel from Hyderabad by train. But the director and the hero forced me to travel in my car. They started misbehaving with me, as we approached Vijayawada. They assaulted me and threw me in the backseat when I protested."

Elaborating more on the assault, she added, "To ensure that I don't jump out of the car, they drove fast, but ended up smashing my vehicle against a lorry. That same night, I shared my location with some friends, who rushed here immediately. Following that, I have come to the police station to file a complaint."

The police have registered a case, post her lodging the complaint. The accused duo have been charged with IPC Section 279 for rash driving and damaging a woman's vehicle.

While Chalapathi has been arrested, Srujan is still missing.
The last time we saw a bitter-sweet rivalry between folks from two different Indian states was 2014's Arjun Kapoor-Alia Bhatt starrer which was incidentally titled 2 States.

Indian films and TV have ventured into this space before as well, with Zee TV's 1997 show Ghar Jamai which starred R Madhavan as the 'Madrasi' Subodh who gets married to Chandni (played by Mandira Bedi) whose father, Mr Mehra (Satish Shah) was a staunch 'Punjabi'. What followed was humour-coated insults at each other, because they were from different states; both never missed an opportunity to demean each other and their states.

Keeping up with this theme, the upcoming film, Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi starring Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Vir Das and Payal Ghosh is all set to release on 15 September, 2017.

Das took to Twitter on 17 August and revealed the teaser of the film. He posted:

Meet Hasmukh Patel & Googi Tondon! Coming on 15th September in cinemas near you. https://t.co/eg81paCnN3 #PatelKiPunjabiShaadi  Vir Das (@thevirdas) August 17, 2017

As the name suggests, this one will be a tussle between Gujarati and Punjabi households, both neighbours. The patriarchs, Hasmukh Patel (Rawal) who is an "uncool" Gujarati, and Googi Tandon (Kapoor) who is a staunch drunkard, can't stand the sight of each other and are always on their toes to pick on each other. Amid all this rivalry, their children fall in love and plan to get married. Das plays Kapoor's son (the Punjabi) and Ghosh (supposedly plays Rawal's daughter - the Gujarati) and what follows next is a rom-com with humour punches (some really caustic ones).

Produced by Bharat Patel and Kalapi Nagada, the film is written and directed by Sanjay Chhel.
Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has recommended a CBI probe into the Rs 1,000 crore Srijan scam in which government funds were transferred to private accounts between 2005 and 2013 when now deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi was the finance minister, an official said.

An official in the Chief Minister's Office here said Nitish Kumar on Thursday night recommended the probe and directed the state chief secretary and state DGP to hand over the case to the CBI.

On Thursday, leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav had demanded a CBI probe questioning Nitish Kumar's delay in recommending it given his "repeated claims of zero tolerance against corruption."

His father and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad also reiterated his demand for a CBI probe on Thursday and asked Nitish Kumar to sack his deputy.

On Wednesday, a public interest litigation was also filed in the Patna High Court by advocate Manibhusan Pratap, seeking a CBI probe into the scam.

After days of investigation, a Special Investigation Team said crores were diverted from the bank accounts of different departments, including Mukhyamantri Shahari Vikas Yojna in Bhagalpur district, with the help of NGO Srijan Sahayog Mahila Vikas Samiti.

So far, eight people have been arrested, including Prem Kumar, an aide of the Bhagalpur District Magistrate, in connection with the scam.
Bettiah: Six people were thrashed by cow vigilantes on suspicion of slaughtering a bovine in a house at Dumra village in Bihar's West Champaran district, the police said on Friday.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Jha said some people surrounded a house at Dumra village under Jaitia panchayat on the suspicion of a bovine being slaughtered inside and thrashed six people on Thursday. No arrest has been made so far, he said.

A man named Qudus Kureishi was beaten up when he tried to intervene in the matter, Jha said. On getting the information, he said the police reached the village and pacified angry villagers by assuring action against the guilty. Additional police force has been deployed in the village, the DSP said.
New Delhi: A choked Delhi High Court parking on Thursday led to a situation where emergency and quick response vehicles of security agencies could not enter the premises after the police received an anonymous bomb threat call, which later turned out to be a hoax.

The call was received by the control room from a man who claimed to have planted bombs inside the complex, police said, leading to a frenzied search in the court which has earlier experienced two bomb blasts.

The police traced the call to northeast Delhi's Nand Nagri, but the address of the caller was found to be Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh. However, the phone was switched off, they said. His family told the team, which visited them in Baghpat, that he had left home a few months back and they were not aware of his whereabouts. They also said that he was addicted to liquor, the police said.

The court was put on high alert as the police and other emergency security teams reached the spot. But fire tenders, ambulances, SWAT vehicles of Delhi Police as well as the Bomb Disposal Squad vehicles were unable to enter the High Court precincts from the main gate (Gate 7) due to a mismanaged parking lot meant for lawyers.

A high-level security meeting was held in the afternoon to deal with the situation that was witnessed during the day, when emergency vehicles could not enter the complex due to the parking spaces being clogged by the cars of lawyers.

Sources close to the secretariat of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal told PTI that the meeting was attended by Mittal, two senior HC judges, Special Commissioner Law and Order (South) P Kamraj and Delhi High Court Bar Association President Kirti Uppal.

Soon after the call was received around 11 am, Delhi Police Commandos of the Quick Reaction Team were instantly deployed at Gate 5 of the High Court along with the Bomb Disposal Squad and fire tender vehicles. The bomb squad was alerted and the entire court complex was thoroughly searched. However, the call was found to be a hoax, they said. Intensive search was carried out and sniffer dogs deployed. The police are on the lookout for the caller who switched off the phone.

Senior police officials, including the ACP, were in the high court and held a meeting with the HC Registrar General DK Sharma in this regard, court sources said. DHCBA Ex-officio Abhijat confirmed that the police had received such a call. "The police has received a call and search is going on. However work and court proceedings have not been affected," he said.

During the search operation, policemen were seen frisking the visitors and asking them to produce their identity cards. The court complex has not been locked down and vehicles, visitors and lawyers were allowed to enter and exit the premises after a thorough scrutiny.

On 7 September, 2011, a powerful bomb blast outside Gate 5 of the Delhi High Court had claimed 17 lives and left 76 persons injured. Prior to that, a low-intensity blast had occurred at the High Court outside Gate 7 on 25 May, 2011 but no casualty was reported.
Ahead of Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe's visit to India next month, Ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu expressed Japan's backing for India in the Doka La border standoff with China on Friday. Tokyo's continued support to India and efforts to minimise China's expansionist designs do not come as a surprise because Japan has itself been at the receiving end of a territorial row over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands. Moreover, the growing bonhomie between India-Japan warrants that sort of support in this kind of crisis.

Stating that Tokyo has 'been watching the situation very closely', the ambassador appeared to justify and support New Delhi's position by saying, "We understand that India is involved in this incident based on bilateral agreements with Bhutan."

"What is important in disputed areas is that all parties involved do not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner," he said.

Japan is no stranger to such efforts, particularly involving China. Tokyo has repeatedly warned the Chinese about their deteriorating ties over the Senkaku Islands. While China claims that they were aware of the islands from the 15th century, the Japanese contend that when they surveyed the island in the 1800s, they were uninhabited and showed no signs of Chinese occupation.

China's way of expansion is the same everywhere. Similar to sending troops at the trijunction in Sikkim, it has also been violating the island boundaries by sending both military and fishing ships into the Senkaku waters, as International Policy Digest pointed out. Tensions between Asia's two largest economies have risen since Japan noticed Chinese vessels and other government ships sailing near the disputed island.

In the face of such expansionist attempts by the Chinese, Japan's support to India, who is stuck in a similar situation to maintain the power balance was to be expected.

Former law minister Ashwani Kumar hailed India-Japan ties on Friday, saying, "India and Japan seek harmony and friendship with all our neighbours, with all the countries. India and Japan's engagement is an example of a special, strategic and global relationship in all its dimensions."

The US and Japan have ncreasingly enhanced defence ties with India in recent times with regular military drills together.

India and Japan have also finalised their nuclear deal taking the ties between the two countries another leap together. The landmark civil nuclear cooperation deal between the two countries provides for collaboration between their industries came into force after six years of negotiations this year. The civil nuclear cooperation agreement was signed in November 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tokyo.

"No friend will matter more in realising India's economic dreams than Japan. We have made enormous progress in economic cooperation as also in our regional partnership and security cooperation," said Modi after signing the deal.

India-Japan partnership has witnessed several significant strides especially since 2006. During Abe's visit to India in December 2015, both countries signed a joint statement on 'India-Japan Vision 2025'. The two prime ministers underlined the need for closer coordination and effective communication, bilaterally and with partners, to address existing and emerging challenges in spheres of security, stability and sustainable development.

Hiramatsu in an earlier speech had hailed the broadening partnership between India and Japan, saying while India strikes Japan as a young and vital emerging market, Japan has the technology that India needs in numerous sectors. He mentioned the Malabar naval exercises and pointed out how Japan has become a regular participant in the exercises.

India, Japan and US conducted the naval exercise this year amid growing tension with China. As the warships left Chennai and maritime surveillance aircraft of the Indian and US navies, China also began deploying personnel of its PLA-Navy to Djibouti, a naval base on the Horn of Africa.

Beijing has always regarded the Malabar exercises as an attempt to check mate its rising military clout. The Chinese media believes that the US, India and Japan are ganging up against Beijing.

It is probably prudent for India to have stronger ties with middle powers like Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Japan and South Korea at a time when the United States' global influence is not at an all-time high.

Japan and Australia are integral to India's aspirations of becoming a net security provider, as The Diplomat article points out. Along with India and the US, Japan and Australia constitute the "strategic diamond" promoted by Abe. They can be critical to the US-India Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region, signed by Modi and then US president Barack Obama in January, and to India's own strategic influence in Asia.

India and Vietnam are also reportedly teaming up to check Chinas ambitions to control the South China Sea. Reuters reported that Vietnam granted Indian oil firm ONGC Videsh a two-year extension to explore oil block 128.

Japan has also been deeply involved in several infrastructure projects in India like the Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor, the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, metro projects in Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed railway, setting up of several Japanese industrial townships.

Contending China's claims over the South China Sea, India had said that it supports freedom of navigation and over flight through the disputed waters based on the principles of international laws. Last year, an international tribunal at The Hague had ruled in favour of Philippines, concluding China has no legal basis to claim rights to the bulk of the South China Sea.

Minister of state for external affairs VK Singh had said, "India believes that States should resolve the disputes through peaceful means without threat or use of force." This is oddly similar to Japan's statement on the Doka La standoff. This show of support from its Asian neighbour seems to have been reciprocated by Tokyo in its Fridays statement. While fighting the same force and trying to maintain a regional balance in Asia, Japans unequivocal support to India was a given.

With inputs from agencies
Malkangiri (Odisha): A female Maoist militant carrying a reward of Rs 4 lakh on her head surrendered before Malkangiri Police here on Friday.

The woman ultra, identified as Somey Sodhi (33), is suspected to have been involved in several incidents of murder, including killing of 2 BSF personnel at Kaliajodi forest in 2016, blasting of vehicle carrying special operations group personnel at Mantriamb in 2010, exchange of fire with security forces and destroying mobile phone towers, Malkangiri superintendent of police Jagmohan Meena said.

"She was working as assistant commandant of outlawed CPM's Boipariguda Area Committee in Malkangiri-Vishakha-Koraput border division from 2005 to 2017," he said.

The ultra will get monetary assistance as per the surrender and rehabilitation scheme of Odisha Government. She will also get financial assistance for building her house, pursuing studies and training in a trade of her choice. Meena also called upon Odia maoists to surrender and avail the benefits of the rehabilitation scheme of the state government.
Heavy rains and floods continue to add to the miseries of the over one crore people who have affected in the states of Assam, Bihar and West Bengal. The death toll due to these floods continue to increase rapidly and on Friday, over 140 animal carcasses were found at Kaziranga National Park.

Train and railway services in these states have also been affected, with many lines inundated or damaged by the rains.

Bihar: One of the worst-affected states seems to be Bihar, as the death toll in the state has now climbed to 119, however unconfirmed reports has put the death toll at 150. The Bihar disaster management department official said that over 98 lakh people in 1,532 panchayats under 139 blocks in 16 districts have been affected by the deadly deluge.

"With reports of major rivers in spate breaching banks, inundating new areas and displacing thousands since Thursday night, the number of affected people is likely to cross one crore on Friday," the official said.

The worst-hit Araria district has reported 23 deaths, followed by 12 in Sitamarhi and 11 each in Kishanganj, East Champaran, West Champaran and Supaul. In Madhubani, seven deaths have been reported, followed by Madhepura and Purnea districts where the toll was five each.

The toll in Darbhanga and Saharsa districts was four each, while that in Gopalganj and Khagaria was three each.

Heavy rains have washed away thousands of huts, damaged buildings, roads, bridges and standing crops. Indian Army has been called in to assist the civil administration in relief operations. In the last four days, National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), army and other rescue teams have evacuated 4,08,903 people to safer places.

There is a growing discontentment among the people who are accusing the state government and Centre for not providing any help  although the state government has set up 1,238 relief camps. People are struggling to survive, with many living in the open, using just sarees to resist the heavy downpour.

The health department has also launched a toll-free number 104 to provide information on floods. Hospitals have been directed to maintain a sufficient stock of anti-snake and anti-rabies injections.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed his concern over the "grim flood situation" and said the flood was caused by incessant rains in Nepal. He also conducted an aerial survey of the marooned areas and took stock of the situation. He was accompanied by state deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh.

Calling the situation in the state "worst in almost three decades", Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured all possible help to the state.

Assam: Situation in the eastern state has worsened, with eight rivers flowing above the danger level, inundating 25 of the state's 32 districts and affecting 31.55 lakh people.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 31.55 lakh people are affected at present in the state. Dhubri is the worst affected with 8.13 lakh people hit, followed by Morigaon with 5.30 lakh people hit by the deluge.

Authorities are running 602 relief camps and distribution centres in 21 districts. The NDRF, SDRF and district administration personnel have rescued nearly 3,500 people to safer places in many districts.

The flood has cut off Dhemaji district in the eastern part of the state completely from the rest of the world. The Kumotia bridge, which connects it to Lakhimpur in Assam and to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, has been closed as per the district administration's order.

While the death toll is low this time, the extent of damage is quite high, as Firstpost had previously reported. The devastating flood also gripped the Kaziranga National Park inundating 80 percent of the 481 square kilometre area and claiming lives of over 140 animals, including seven rhinos.

Sensing the urgency in the situation, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday rushed to New Delhi to discuss the flood situation with Modi. Besides drawing the attention of the prime minister, Sonowal also discussed the probable modus operandi for thrashing out a permanent solution to flood and erosion.

Earlier, Modi had called Sonowal twice in as many days and has expressed his concern over the situation.

West Bengal: The neighbour state of Bihar and Assam has also got its share of destruction, claiming 95 lives so far and affecting over a lakh people. Apart from the worst-hit Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts, North Dinajpur, Cooch Behar and Malda districts were also affected in the flood, sources in the district administrations said. Many of the flood affected people have taken shelter in relief camps.

Meanwhile, around 59,398 hectares of paddy seedbed has been damaged out of the 3,17,675 hectares of cultivated land.

The state administration is monitoring the relief and rescue operations round-the-clock as per the instructions by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The chief minister had earlier accused the Centre of not helping the state government to tackle the havoc.

With railway tracks flooded at many places in Katihar and Alipurduar divisions of North East Frontier Railways, a number of long distance trains have either been cancelled, diverted and short terminated.

Meghalaya: Around 1.2 lakh people have been displaced in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya due to floods caused by the rising of the Brahmaputra tributary, the Jingiram river. No loss of life has been reported so far, said an offical on Wednesday while adding that 30 relief camps have been set up to accommodate those affected.

Crops on large tracts of agricultural land, besides fish ponds, have also been damaged. Deputy chief minister of Meghalaya, Roytre Christopher Laloo, incharge of Revenue and Disaster Management, reviewed the flood situation on Wednesday in a meeting with heads of government departments concerned.

Uttar Pradesh: More than 450 villages in several districts across the state has been affected, although the situation has slowly been improving.

NDRF teams are providing food and drinking water to the flood-hit people with the help of 169 boats. With the flood situation worsening, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday spoke to the top officials and sought the latest updates on the flood situation. The flood situation in many districts of western Uttar Pradesh is quite worse and has marooned thousands of people.

While water has started receding in Balrampur district, a vigil is also being maintained on the water level of the Rapti river in Gorakhpur.

With inputs from agencies
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday accused the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government of trying to protect the guilty in the deaths of over 70 children, including infants, at a hospital in Gorakhpur.

"BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is trying to protect the guilty. They should have done post-mortem first of the children who died in Gorakhpur medical college," said Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken.

"Had post-mortem been done it would have been easily established that the deaths took place due to lack of oxygen. They did not do the post-mortems deliberately," he added.

"The list of casualties was also not made available. Then BJP President Amit Shah makes a remarks that 'such incidents do happen'. They are trying to project that deaths took place due to encephalities and not lack of oxygen," he added.

Maken also alleged that the government wants to divert attention from the fact that it took place due to its negligence.

"This is very sad. How can you stop such incidents in future if you don't highlight these things?" he asked.
New Delhi: India has not received hydrological data from China this year despite an agreement, the external affairs ministry said on Friday but maintained that it was "premature" to link it with the recent floods in some parts of the country.

The development comes in the backdrop of the ongoing standoff between Chinese and Indian troops in Doka La in Sikkim sector.

Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also did not confirm whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China next month to attend Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) summit, saying he does not have any information about it.

Asked about the current status of the standoff, he said, "It is a sensitive issue... We will continue to engage with China to find mutually acceptable solution. Peace and tranquillity in border areas are important pre-requisites for smooth development of bilateral relations."

However, he quipped, "I am not an astrologer, so cannot predict", when asked by when the Doka La standoff will be resolved.

Asked if China has shared hydrological data with India in the backdrop of floods in Assam, Kumar said there is an existing expert-level mechanism, established in 2006, and there are two MoUs under which China is expected to share hydrological data on rivers Satluj and Brahmaputra with India during the flood season of 15 May to 15 June.

"For this year, we have not received hydrological data from the Chinese side," the spokesperson said.

However, he added that it was "premature" to link it with the floods in Assam.

He also noted that in view of floods in Bihar, India was closely coordinating with Nepal, both at Centre and state-level.

Asked about the reported comments of the Japanese ambassador on Doka La face off and if India welcomes it, Kumar gave a very guarded reaction, saying the remarks speak for themselves.

The Japanese ambassador was quoted in media as saying that no country should use unilateral forces to alter the status of Doka La.

"We recognise Doka La is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and two countries are engaged in border talks... We also understand that India has a treaty with Bhutan which is why Indian troops got involved in the area," the ambassador had reportedly said.

Kumar also refused to divulge details of communication by other countries to India on the Doka La issue.

Asked about a clash between Chinese troops and Indian border guards in Ladakh on 15 August, the MEA spokesperson said, "Such incidents are not in the interest of either side" but refused to give details about the incident.

He, however, emphasised that the incident should not be linked with what was happening in any sector, apparently referring to Doka La face off.

He said two border personnel meetings (BPMs) had taken place between Indian border guards and Chinese troops recently.

He said one BPM had taken place at Chushul on 16 August and another one at Nathu La a week before.

Asked about a video, posted by Chinese state-run media, which portrayed Indians in a very poor taste, he said he does not want to "dignify" it with a response.
Infosys's former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) Vishal Sikkas resignation has created more rumbles than the constant complaints and intermittent spurts of annoyance that co-founder NR Narayana Murthy has been conveying through interviews in the media.

Sikkas resignation has wiped off investor wealth in Infosys to a whopping Rs 22.519 crore market capitalisation in the bourses. The stock registered a never-heard-before drop of 13 percent in intra-day trade to hit 52-week low of Rs 884.40 and finally closed 9.6 percent down at Rs 923.10 against Thursdays close of Rs 1,021.15. In 2016 October, the stock had touched Rs 1,080.70.

Sikka has come out personally unscathed from the continuous assault (as the Infosys board has mentioned in its mail) from co-founder Murthy.

From Murthys annoyance at hike in salaries of the top management (in February 2016, Infosys board gave a whopping 55 percent hike to Vishal Sikka whose salary went up -- base salary of $1 million to overall compensation of $11 million and $2 million in restricted stock units and $5 million in stock options) to corporate governance issues, the former chairman had a lot to say on each of these.

All that Murthy felt on several issues concerning Infosys were in the media through interviews or snippets of conversation. The latest from Murthy that was reported in some sections of the media was that he was privy to three independent directors of Infosys who told him that Sikka was not CEO but CTO material. The CTO reference is to Sikka holding a job previously as CTO in SAP AG, where the post was specially created for him after which he joined as an executive member of the company's board.

Everything is par for the course, so co-founders presume and assume, as they think they are talking with the interests of the shareholder in mind, analysts said. But when is that fine line transgressed much to the annoyance of the board? The corporate governance principles of transparency cannot come at the cost of the autonomy and independence of the board, said Manoj Kumar, founder  Hammurabi & Solomon and visiting fellow at Observer Research Foundation. He says that the CEO is answerable to the board and not to the promoter or co-founder. When co-founders and promoters go for the overkill, then that is not corporate governance, he said.

In February, Infosys founders -- Murthy, Nandan Nilekani and Kris Gopalakrishnan, had written a letter to the company's board raising issues of governance in some of the decisions the board had taken recently. The issues they raised include the sharp rise in compensation of Sikka, the company's first non-promoter CEO, severance packages given to some of the top executives, and induction of Punit Sinha, wife of Union minister Jayant Sinha, on the board.

It is to be noted that all the founders had only a few years back voluntarily relinquished their respective posts, paving way for the first non-founder CEO to take over. In this context, the founders' letter amounted to unsolicited intervention in the company's affairs.

When Murthy went public with his issues concerning Infosys and the management, he did not factor the independence of the board. The top leadership had to then douse the flames of this distraction when it could have actually engaged itself in the core business especially at a time when the IT sector was undergoing strife in its largest market in the US under President Donald Trump who insisted on local hires instead of outsourcing jobs.

R Seshasayee, chairman of the board, and Sikka both answered and accommodated Murthys concern. In February, when Murthy stated that governance issues remain a key concern, Seshasayee and Sikka promised to maintain higher standards of transparency going ahead.

Inspite of the noise around Infosys created by its co-founders, it is to Sikkas credit that Infosys showed a better annual performance in FY 17. The company's dollar revenue was up at $10 billion for the first time in FY17 against $9.5 billion in FY16.

Support for Sikka

The community has reacted favourably to Sikka. If he was at fault, that would not be the case, pointed out Sanchit Vir Gogia, CEO, Greyhound Research, who said he was not surprised by Sikkas resignation. Calling Sikka a super amazing technocrat, Gogia said he felt sorry for him as he has mentioned personal attacks as the reason for his resignation in his mail.

Gogia said that the founders of Infosys must take ownership for the current state of affairs with Sikka deciding to resign. The onus was on them as much on the board to ensure that Sikka succeeded, Gogia told Firstpost.

The public verbiage, said Gogia, as indulged by some co-founders at Infosys only paints the latter in a bad light. He felt that Indian organisations were not yet ready to accept global talent at senior management levels. If, as quoted in the media, Sikka said; Enough is Enough. Just cant do this anymore, it reflects more on the founders than him, he said.

Sikka had other issues to tackle too, said Kavil Ramachandran, executive director of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at Indian School of Business. "He inherited an organisation that was rapidly losing its relevance. While the targets were too ambitious, the strategy was sound. Figures quoted in his resignation letter look impressive," he said.

Founders versus Board

Observers of corporate sector say that what Narayana Murthy and other co-founders have indulged in at Infosys is unlike in the West where the most successful CEOs and founders have quit and not looked over their shoulder at what their successors have done. Case in point: Bill Gates, founder and CEO, Microsoft. Or even Samuel J Palmisano who served as CEO for around nine years at IBM.

I feel founders and those who have been associated at the board level in organisations should discipline themselves to leave without looking back when they have finished their tenure. That is what Bill Gates who co-founded Microsoft and served as chairman and CEO did, and also Samuel J Palmisano who served as CEO for around nine years at IBM. Closer home, KV Kamath, who was chairman and MD at ICICI Bank for over a decade, moved on to other positions and allowed his successor to flourish and has not commented on any decisions, said Ramachandran.

He doesn't think it is right for leaders who have laid down offices to talk negatively about their successors who they have chosen to succeed them, that too in public. "I don't think they have any moral authority to do so," said Ramachandran.

There are two aspects: corporate governance and transparency. If the issues flagged off by the founders in the case of Infosys are being done in an opaque manner, then it is their right to bring focus to it, said Manoj Kumar, adding that constant needling of the board's decision in the public space was unnecessary though.

Former Nasscom chairman BVR Mohan Reddy said it was very "sad" to see a "good CEO" like Sikka stepping down as the CEO of Infosys, and added that promoters have no say after leaving a company. "The promoters have no locus standi once they leave the company."

If something similar had happened in a western country, shareholders would file class action suits against the company, said Reddy, founder and executive chairman of Cyient, a PTI report said.

"Even assuming that the 12.5 percent create trouble, who suffers is the other 87.5 percent," he said. As of June 2017, the founders of Infosys are holding 12.75 percent shares in the company. Sikka resigned amid heightened acrimony between the board and the high-profile founders led by Murthy.

The path that has been carved for the new incumbent will be not smooth though given what Sikka had to put up with with the promoters commenting publicly on every move of the board. But Ramachandran feels that any new CEO should focus on building upon where Sikka left. "The incumbent has a strong platform to work on. He should seek strong support from the board and ensure that the perceived governance lapses are seriously addressed. However, Infosys has a long and ardous way ahead to reach the leadership position in a rapidly changing IT industry."
With both India and China showing no signs of backing down or coming to a solution, the Doka La standoff in Sikkim has turned into a global talking point. While China is targetting Bhutan because it is the last man standing in India's immediate neighbourhood, the attempt to place its soldiers in the tri-junction is increasingly being seen by experts as a mistake that would push New Delhi closer to Washington and Tokyo.

After the United States urged India and China to work together to come up with some sort of arrangement for peace, Japan on Friday blatantly came out in support of New Delhi.

Japanese Ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu's statement, that there should be no "unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force", comes just a month ahead of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to India.

"We understand that the area is disputed between China and Bhutan and that both countries recognise the existence of a dispute," NDTV quoted him as saying.

While urging all involved parties to resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner, the ambassador said that Japan has been watching the situation very closely because it has the ability to affect the stability of the entire region.

On India's position, he said, "We also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan, that's why Indian troops got involved in the area." According to an India Today report, Hiramatsu said that India's involvement is understandable based on its bilateral agreements with Bhutan.

"External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has made it clear that India would continue to engage with dialogue through diplomatic channels to find a mutually acceptable solution. We consider this attitude towards peaceful resolution important," he added.

Japan's stand and unequivocal support to India is important because China has been trying to redraw the boundaries and position itself as a regional hegemony in Asia by potentially stalling all balancing efforts by countries like India and Japan, as this Firstpost article points out. The Indian Express quoted some sources as saying that Japan itself has been at the receiving end of "Chinese expansionism" and it understands New Delhi's position better than many. Government sources pointed out Japan's difficulties between 2012 and 2014, when ties between China and Japan were frayed by a territorial row over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.

Japan was also the only country who had indicated certain unwillingness to cooperate with China on its ambition One Belt One Road project. US and Japan also conducted the Malabar Naval Exercise with India amid the standoff, possibly indicating their continued support to New Delhi.

After a barrage of neutral arguments from countries like Nepal and the United Kingdom, government sources quoted by The Indian Express feel that Japan's support has reinforced New Delhi's arguments.

With inputs from PTI
Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into "love Jihad" case in Kerala was necessary as "a particular pattern is visible".

The Supreme Court's order had "given some kind of legitimacy" to the NIA probe into the matter, he told the media during a brief interaction on the sidelines of a conference in Hyderabad.

The minister's reaction was sought on the Supreme Court's direction to NIA to probe the case relating to conversion of a Hindu woman and her marriage to a Muslim man.

The minister supported the NIA's argument that it's not one-off case in Kerala and that there is a particular pattern.

Rijiju, however, declined to comment further. "Right now I will not comment on the case as it is under investigation by the Supreme Court," he said.

Replying to a query, he said the nation was capable of dealing with any internal or external threat.

"There are certain issues in our country which includes internal threats that is not to extent that the nation has to worry. India is capable of dealing with any internal or external threat," he said while evading direct reply to National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah's statement that the country faced threat from within and from one person.

"If somebody is making a comment which is political in nature, it's not worthy of giving a political retort from my side because I represent the government," he said when pressed further to comment on Abdullah's remark.

Earlier, replying to questions at the seminar on 'Youth Convention on National Security - Modi government's efforts and achievements', Rijiju said the Central government was not showing discrimination towards any state or section of people.

"Things are reported when there are political equations. And, our responses get ignored if there are no political equations," he said when a student asked him why the Union home ministry voiced concern when an RSS activist was attacked in Kerala but kept mum when a Christian pastor was killed in Punjab.

"The home ministry is concerned about every untoward incident. (Union Home Minister) Rajnath Singhji spoke to Punjab chief minister when the pastor was attacked. He (Rajnath) also gave a similar response when the Kerala incident took place. But, because of political equations, his concern for Kerala incident was highlighted more," he said.
Mumbai: An RTI response has revealed that the Maharashtra government-owned Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai is being used for events like birthdays and cooking competitions in open violation of the rules that strictly reserve the space for official use only.

The shocking revelation came after RTI activist Anil Galgali sought information from the government regarding the rules and regulations governing the usage of the guest house located on the Malabar Hills overlooking the Arabian Sea. The RTI activist also sought details of the programmes conducted in the guest house in the past three years.

According to the RTI response, in the last five months, the IAS Officers' Wives Association reserved the guest house on four occasions. On 9 March this year, the guest house was reserved to celebrate the taking over of presidentship of the association by Tanuja Mallick, wife of Chief Secretary Sumeet Mallick. On 8 July, the facility was reserved for holding a cooking competition for a sum of Rs 6,150. Apart from the above the reservation for dates, 18 April and 20 May were also for purposes beyond the scope of permitted reasons.

As per the government resolution on 24 July 2015, the Sahyadri Guest House can be reserved for meetings, Workshops and press conferences headed by either the chief minister, deputy chief minister, cabinet ministers and ministers of state, chief secretary, additional chief secretary, principal secretary, secretary or officer of similar status.

The RTI response has brought to light several instances of misuse of the guest house including the birthday party of Tanuja Mallick.

On 14 June, BJP MLA Raj Purohit made reservations and joint secretary Lata Nandkumar too made reservations on 22 June 2017 without mentioning the purpose of reservations.

"In spite of the clear government resolution, the reservations were made for the IAS Officers' Wives Association violating the rules of allotment. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should initiate action against the officers who cooperated in the violation of the norms and also commercial rent charges should be recovered from the Association and MLA Purohit," said Galgali.

The General Administration Department of the state government, which looks after the Protocol Department, informed Galgali that from 1 March to 17 July 2017, the guest house was reserved for 139 occasions and a revenue of Rs 28,83,197 was generated as rental charges.

Chief Secretary Suneet Mallick didn't respond to calls or text messages while Purohit categorically denied that neither he nor his office booked the Sahyadri Guest House.

"I don't know who booked the guest house in my name. There should be a proper enquiry and if anyone misused his name," Purohit said.
Editor's note: Parth MN is travelling across Maharashtra's Marathwada province on a People's Archive of Rural India fellowship to chronicle agrarian issues in the region, over a period of 6-8 months. Firstpost will reproduce his reports as and when he files them for Pari.

Anil Khapre has been trying to get into the Bori branch of Parbhanis District Cooperative Bank (PDCB) for the past three days. I got a token today, he says, helplessly. I will have to come again tomorrow and spend the day here.

Khapre, 28, lives in Ridaj village, about eight kilometres away. The bank has distributed around 150 tokens to farmers waiting outside. Many have gone back without a token. The others may not get their turn inside the bank after standing for hours in the heat  there is hardly any rain here this year  even with a token.

I cannot afford to spend days standing in front of the bank while leaving my farm behind, says an agitated Khapre, who cultivates soyabean and cotton on his three acres. It took me three days to gather the required documents that mention land holding, crops we sow, and so on. The village accountant who issues these documents is busy with too many farmers approaching him. Plus, it takes 40 rupees to go [by autorickshaw] to the bank and we also spend on lunch and tea.

(Watch video: Anil Khapre of Ridaj village got a token after days of waiting, but is not sure when he can enter the bank)

The banks staff is swamped too, as farmers come in, one after another, to furnish the documents and pay their crop insurance premium for the kharif season. It takes the staffers around 15 minutes to scrutinise each set of documents, feed the information online and upload one form. With two counters and 4-5 forms uploaded in an hour, the bank can, at most, complete 75-80 forms in a day. And over 400 farmers are waiting outside.

But Khapre cannot afford to lose his temper. The atmosphere is tense. A police van is parked in front of the bank, and a few policemen with lathis are ensuring there is no disorder in the queue. On 27 July, the day before Khapre got his token, 24 farmers were charged  seven were arrested  for pelting stones at the bank.

Agitated farmers got into a fight with bank officials, says inspector Sunil Giri. They did a rasta-roko for two hours in the afternoon [right across the bank branch]. The police tried to pacify things. But when they threw stones, we had to lathi charge. Three police officers got injured and a bus lost its windshield.

This was a few days before the deadline of 31 July, and panic was setting in among the farmers. You know how unpredictable the rainfall has become, says Khapre, who has a bank loan of Rs 1 lakh. Even this year, half of my crop has dried up due to a lack of rain. Crop insurance minimises the losses. But the bank officials were being arrogant and insensitive, which led to friction.

Paying the premium for crop insurance is an annual process. Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, farmers pay the money to insurance companies and the state acts as a bridge. The insurance protects farmers from crop losses caused by extreme weather conditions.

This year too, like every year, the process began around mid-July. But with a big difference: The state government has made it mandatory for the forms to be filled online. Official notices about this started appearing only in the first week of July.

This left farmers with the option of filling up forms at banks with online facilities or visiting local email service centres. These centres, usually run by private contractors, are like cyber cafes, where farmers can upload the forms directly. But because of recurring connectivity issues, the centres are barely used.

The servers cannot take the traffic, says Rajesh Sarode, manager of the Bori branch of the PDCB. And the bank staff is not trained enough to swiftly upload forms. If we accept them offline like we used to until 2016, we now run the risk of not being able to upload all of them before July 31. That will land us in trouble.

* * *

By the time I get to Beed district, the July 31 deadline is three days away. The panic levels have intensified. Perhaps realising that the load is unbearable, the state has issued a notification to the banks allowing them to accept offline forms too. It has asked the District Cooperative Banks  where most farmers have accounts  to share the burden. But many branches of these banks dont have scanners and printers and could not accept the forms. This increased the pressure on the other banks.

Outside the Talkhed branch of the Beed District Cooperative Bank (BDCB), farmers are sitting all along the narrow street. Ganesh Mhaske, the bank manager, says they received 3,000 applications last year. I am able to do 250-300 [offline] in a day, he says without looking at me. But I do not think I will be able to accept even half of what I did last year [so close to the deadline].

Meanwhile, the desperation of farmers and the chaos and crowds at the banks have been growing every day. At the Parli branch of the BDCB, when Umesh Satpute, 23, arrived at 5.30 am to be ahead in the queue, 250 people were already there. I have been trying to pay the premium for five days, he says. I tried at email service centres, but that did not work. Then I arrived here yesterday to see a huge crowd. So I came at 5.30 today, but people were waiting, sleeping on the pavement.

(Watch video: Umesh Satpute, a farmer from Parli village, has been trying to pay the insurance premium for five days)

One of them is 65-year old Sambhaji Satpute. Achche din aane wale hai, he shouts out, and shows me an empty bag. I had brought two bhakris and sabzi. I finished them last evening. Have not eaten much since.

Sambhajis village, Selu, is 15 kilometres from the bank. I have been here for two days, he says. Sambhajis white kurta is muddied at the back from sleeping on the street, his eyes are fatigued I have not had a bath. An autorickshaw or bus will cost 20 rupees one-way. So I thought I would sleep here instead.

People are trying to cut the queue to get in front, hurling abuses at each other. The police are trying to maintain order by brandishing their sticks. We were made to wait to collect our crop insurance [earlier this year], says Sambhaji, who grows soyabean and cotton on his 4.5 acres. Now we have to endure this to pay our own premium. What the hell is going on? When are we supposed to work?

By the time the sun sets on 31 July, many farmers have not been able to complete their paperwork. They are facing the prospect of letting their crops remain unprotected by any insurance. The day had begun with the hope, but is ending with despair.

(Watch video: Sambhaji Satpute of Selu village, who has not eaten much and spent the night sleeping on the street, waiting to pay his premium)

* * *

But 1 August, when I reach Latur, starts on a positive note. The state has extended the deadline to 4 August, and farmers have a few more days to try their luck in the long queues.

At the State Bank of India branch in Jalkot in Latur, Nagesh Kendre, 40, walks out of the bank thanking his stars. His 10 acres of land is divided between five  three brothers and their parents. The bank was insisting on each family member submitting a form individually. My brother is studying in Loha, 50 kilometres from here, he says. They make us wait in queues for days. How can he leave his studies to pay crop insurance premium? And why should each family member submit the form? If the documents are accurate, why cant I do it on their behalf? Who will look after the farm if everyone starts standing here? Finally the bank accepted it today after I fought with them. If the deadline had not been extended, I would be in trouble.

The relief, however, does not last long. At 11 am on 2 August, the banks receive yet another official mail asking them not to accept offline forms  the 4 August deadline remains though for online uploads. I phone Ganesh Mhaske at the Talkhed branch in Beed about these flip-flops. About 100 farmers had gathered in front of the bank this morning, he says. I managed to accept 1,600 forms. I told farmers I cannot do anything now. They protested, then surged towards the email service centre.

The email service centre in Talkhed is a few meters from the bank. At best, about 6-8 people can squeeze in. It is run by a young man, Santosh Gaikwad. On 30 July, he had told me that the website (http://agri-insurance.gov.in) is unable to take the traffic. Downloading, scanning, uploading, making online payments  it takes a lot of time, he said. And if the server breaks down in the middle, you have to start over. In a week, after operating the centre through the day and even nights, he had managed to upload the forms of only 30 farmers. More than a 100 were waiting, hoping and desperate.

Postscript: By 31 July, only 39 lakh forms had been accepted, state agriculture minister Pandurang Fundkar told this reporter. In 2016, 1.09 crore farmers had applied for crop insurance, the state government said in March, while making Aadhar mandatory to be able to access the scheme. Though the government has not yet compiled the final figure for 2017, it is unlikely that the number of crop insurance applications will match last years, considering the volume of applications and the extension of the deadline by a mere four days to 4 August.

Fundkar, however, says the numbers must be read differently: "Until the previous year, we accepted crop insurance based on the number of crops. So if a farmer cultivated four crops, he filled up four forms. This time, it is one farmer one form, which is why the number has reduced. We only accepted offline forms on August 5 and we received 127,000 forms on that day. From August 1 to August 4, we received online forms only. We are expecting the final tally to be around 70 lakhs."

Photos: Parth MN

This piece first appeared in People's Archive of Rural India and is reproduced here by arrangement with Pari.
Mumbai: More than one lakh Mumbai University (MU) students are yet to find out what their exam results are. And it looks like the students still have a bit of a wait left, as MU is still unclear about the declaration date.

Results are usually declared in the last week of June or in the first week of July. But this year, a large number of students, especially in Commerce, Taxation and Law courses, are in the dark. What's making matters worse is a lack of clarity regarding information, with the varsity neither giving out reasons for the delay nor mentioning dates on which they are likely to be announced. Out of a total of 4.77 lakh students, only 3.31 lakh results had been announced till 14 August, meaning 1.46 lakh students are still clueless about their results.

Till 18 August, out of 477 exams results of only 354 have been declared with 123 remaining.

This has also stymied the efforts of students who have applied for admission to colleges abroad. Talking to Firstpost, Prakash Kadam, a parent who had recently visited MU along with his son to find out the latter's results, is in a spot.

"Nobody is taking any responsibility. We have visited the university several times and every single time, the clerk we met had no answer about when we would receive the results. It's a total mess," said Kadam.

A student, Satyavijay Joshi, said, "There are no systems in place there. We have to keep going from official to official for information. The university should have set up the help desk much earlier."

The acting MU Vice-Chancellor Devanand Shinde, who took over authority after Sanjay Deshmukh was sent on leave on 9 August by Maharashtra Governor and Chancellor C Vidyasagar Rao, said, "My aim is to declare the results at the earliest."

He also added that there were some "technical glitches" affecting the online assessments. Additionally, following this delay, the governor sent a showcause notice to the then vice-chancellor of the varsity, Deshmukh, demanding reasons for the delay.

Samir Dubey, a third-year student from Andheri mentioned to Firstpost that the lakhs of students are visiting the MU website for information on the results because of which the website has also slowed down.

Rao did, in fact, call a meeting at Raj Bhavan to look into the whole results delay issue. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Education Minister Vinod Tawde, Devanand Shinde and other senior officials had attended this meeting.

Deshmukh's response to Rao's showcause notice, in which he had alleged sabotage and technical glitches for the delays, didn't cut much ice with the governor. It remains to be seen what action Rao takes ultimately. In 160 years of the Mumbai University's existence, this is the first time a vice-chancellor has been issued a showcause notice for delays in the announcement of exam results.
Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday pulled up the Tamil Nadu government after it wanted to file a fresh counter affidavit on a plea by two lifers in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case seeking premature release.

"How many counters you will file? Justice A Selvam heading a division bench asked the Additional Public Prosecutor (APP), VMR Rajendran.

The bench also comprised Justice Pon Kalaiyarasan.

The judge's reaction came after Rajendran said the government wanted to file a fresh counter affidavit in place of the one dated 10 December, 2012.

The APP sought one week's time for filing the fresh counter stating its stand on the plea by the petitioners.

The bench later adjourned the hearing on the petitions, filed in 2012, to 22 August.

The previous counter served on the petitioners Robert Payas and Jayakumar on 16 August, had opposed their plea for including their names in the list of 180 prisoners proposed to be released prematurely in 2012 on Republic Day eve.

This was in contrast to the state government's decision taken later to set free all the seven convicts in the case, a matter pending in the Supreme Court after the Centre opposed it.

The state government, in the affidavit, had submitted that Payas, according to his own admission, was a Sri Lankan national and hence his claim that his incarceration was violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India was incorrect.

The Centre in its counter had said Payas and Jayakumar have not been entitled to premature release in view of the Supreme Court's ruling that life sentence meant imprisonment for the entire life of a person.

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber on 21 May, 1991 at an election rally in Sriperumbudur.
New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Centre over the plan to deport illegal Rohingya immigrants from Myanmar who are residing in various parts of India.

The Centre had said illegal immigrants like the Rohingyas pose grave security challenges as they may be recruited by terror groups and had asked state governments to identify and deport them.

Taking note of the issue, the NHRC said that till Friday, the country has evolved a practical balance between human and humanitarian obligations on the one hand and security and national interest on the other.

Stating that "India has been home to refugees, for centuries", the Commission has held that from the human rights angle, its "intervention is appropriate" in the matter.

"The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo moto cognisance of media reports regarding the plans of the Government of India to deport about 40,000 illegal Rohingya immigrants from Myanmar, who are residing in various parts of India.

"It has issued a notice to the Union home ministry, through its Secretary, calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks," it said in a statement.

The NHRC observed that "refugees are no doubt foreign nationals but they are human beings and before taking a big step, the government of India has to look into every aspect of the situation".

The NHRC said that the Centre has to look into the situation, "keeping the fact into focus that the members of the Rohingya community, who have crossed the Indian borders and are residing in India for long, have a fear of persecution once they are pushed back to their native country".

The Commission has also observed that the Supreme Court has consistently held that the fundamental right enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution regarding the right to life and personal liberty, "applies to all, irrespective of the fact whether they are citizens of India or not".

"It (India) has continued to receive a large number of refugees from different countries. India is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention on Refugees and also the 1967 Protocol.

"But India is a signatory to a number of United Nations and World Conventions on Human Rights. Till today (Friday), the country has evolved a practical balance between human and humanitarian obligations on the one hand and security and national interest on the other," it observed.

The Rohingyas, who fled to India after violence in the Western Rakhine State of Myanmar, have settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, and Rajasthan.

A home ministry official has, reportedly, said that India was "going ahead with plans" to deport Rohingyas and is in discussions with Myanmar and Bangladesh governments on the issue, the NHRC said.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju had said in Parliament on 9 August 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.

In a communication to all states, the Union home ministry had said the rise of terrorism in last few decades has become a serious concern for most nations as illegal migrants are able to get recruited by terrorist organisations.

The Centre had directed the state governments to set up a task force at the district level to identify and deport illegally-staying foreign nationals.
Last week, the police arrested a 25-year-old man last week for posting the message, I support Pakistan, along with a photo of the Pakistani flag on Facebook. The police are also investigating the 20 people who liked the post on the social networking site along with six other individuals who made favourable comments regarding the message. The arrest has been made as per Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the provision that deals with sedition in India, and certain provisions of the Information Technology Act. The incident reveals a disturbing trend whereby anti-sedition laws are used to arrest individuals over social media posts. It is worth examining the Indian law that deals with sedition and the reasons why Section 124A applies to social media posts.

What constitutes sedition in the Indian context?

Sedition is traditionally understood as conduct or speech which incites people to rebel against the government or monarch established in a state. Sedition laws first crept into the Indian legal system in 1870 when the British colonial government added Section 124A to the IPC, with the purpose of suppressing Indian nationalists and freedom fighters in India.

Section 124A states, Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in India, shall be punished [...]. Explanation 1 to Section 124A states that disaffection includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity. Explanation 2 clarifies that comments which disapprove government measures/actions and administrative measures (without exciting or attempting to excite hatred/contempt/disaffection towards the government) do not constitute sedition.

The use of sedition laws in India to regulate speech on social media

Social media users have been routinely subjected to sedition laws in India. In October 2016, a Facebook user was booked for sedition for posting derogatory remarks against the Haryana government, the BJP and the RSS. In August 2016, the police arrested a Kashmiri engineer on the grounds of sedition, for liking and posting a series of Facebook posts which called for India to withdraw from Kashmir. In December last year, the police charged a Malayali writer and theatre artiste with sedition for allegedly insulting the National Anthem via excerpts from his book that were posted on Facebook. In 2012, free speech activist Aseem Trivedi was arrested for posting caricatures on Facebook which mocked Parliament. One of the charges pressed against him was sedition.

In most of these cases, the Facebook posts in question do not classify as words which instigate hatred/contempt/disaffection towards the Indian government. Take for instance, the most recent case involving the Facebook post, I support Pakistan, along with a picture of the Pakistani flag. The post does not refer to the Indian government at all (either directly or indirectly). In fact, such arrests are often a knee-jerk reaction by the police to appease certain groups which take offence at Facebook posts for being ostensibly anti-India. The objective behind Section 124A is to punish speech which is serious enough to provoke citizens to act with hatred/contempt/disaffection towards the government; therefore, it is wrong to use sedition laws to punish comments which merely lampoon/criticise the government.

When the threat of using sedition laws looms large over internet users, it produces a negative effect on online speech and directly impacts the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Indian Constitution.

Indian courts on sedition

Courts in India have interpreted Section 124A narrowly in the past in order to prevent the misuse of the said laws to wrongly silence individuals. In Kedar Nath v. State of Bihar (AIR 1962 SC 955), a five-judge bench of the SC held that Section 124A is applicable only in cases where there is violence or incitement to violence in the alleged act of sedition. Regarding the Kedar Nath case, the constitution bench had also highlighted the fact that the gist of Section 124A is incitement to violence or the tendency or the intention to create public disorder. In September 2016 the NGO, Common Cause, filed a petition in the SC for directing the police to produce a reasoned order before arresting/filing of FIR under section 124A. While the SC declined the PIL, it affirmed the view adopted in the Kedar Nath case.

Common Causes PIL could have been inspired by the 2015 Bombay High Court order in Sanskar Marathe v. State of Maharashtra (the Aseem Trivedi case) wherein the Bombay HC issued guidelines to the police that a reasoned legal opinion is required from a Public Prosecutor before filing a FIR under Section 124A. In deciding the Sanskar Marathe case, the Bombay HC relied on the Supreme Court' decision in the Kedar Nath case.

Sedition laws worldwide and attempts to amend and/or repeal Section 124A

Sedition laws have historically existed in the legislations of various countries including Australia, the UK and the US. Countries worldwide have amended their sedition laws. For instance, in 2006, Australia reviewed its sedition law under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Criminal Code). Through the National Security Legislation Amendment Act 2010, the Australian government abolished sedition as an offence and replaced with the offence of urging violence, under section 80.2 of the Criminal Code. Interestingly, the UK abolished the offence of sedition through section 73 of the Coroners and Justice Act in 2009.

Section 124A remains controversial in India and its relevance in the present era has been debated both within and outside the precincts of the Parliament. Critics of section 124A argue that the offence of sedition is a relic of the colonial past and needs to be repealed completely. Eminent Indian lawyer Arvind Datar, however, cautions against the abolition of section 124A and argues that despite the provisions misuse, the sedition law is relevant when it comes to tackling rebel groups such as the Maoists.

The Law Commission in its 42nd Report in 1971 reviewed section 124A and while the Commission acknowledged the defects in the provision, it had recommended against the repeal of section 124A. In 2016, the Indian government stated that the definition of sedition was being reviewed by the Law Commission of India.

While there is a need to re-examine the law on sedition in India, it is also important to clarify how sedition law applies to social media users in the country. In the absence of a landmark judgment on this point, the government needs to be proactive and issue guidelines to law enforcement agencies regarding how the law of sedition applies to speech on social media. This will ensure that the right to free speech of internet users is not curbed under the garb of a sedition charge.

The author is a research fellow at Centre for WTO Studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. She is also a volunteer at Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights. Views expressed are personal.
Srinagar: Senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said on Friday that unless the Kashmir issue was resolved in line with the aspirations of Kashmiris, killing one militant will only produce 10 more.

Addressing a huge Friday congregation at the Jamia Masjid in the old city, the Mirwaiz said: "Aggression and repression can never resolve issues but only aggravate them.

"As long as there is repression and force as the state response, you may kill one (militant), but 10 more will stand up. Killing them (militants) is no solution as is evident from the huge attendance at their funerals," he said.

The leader of the moderate wing of the Hurriyat Conference said the people of Jammu and Kashmir were waiting for a final resolution of their political problem which alone, he added, will end their suffering.

He said a resolution of the issue was possible provided there was willingness to accept facts with "compassion, humanity and mutual respect".

Authorities on Friday lifted the six-week-long house arrest restrictions imposed on the Mirwaiz after which he offered Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid and delivered his weekly sermon.
Editor's note: It's ironic that 70 years after India became an Independent country and a democracy, the invocation of aazadi evokes bitter conflicts. Whether it is on university campuses or in the midst of the conflict in the Kashmir Valley  both calling for aazadi and challenging that call as anti-national arouses mighty passions. By comparison, swaraj is hardly ever invoked in the public discourse. It almost seems like a historical artefact, a fragment of fading memories of the Freedom Struggle. This is the fifth part of a series titled Swaraj at 70 that seeks to take a closer look at this dichotomy.

From the global private sector to the innards of Indian bureaucracy, Arun Maira, 73, has dealt with many shades of reality. After a long spell with Tata Administrative Services and later in Tata Motors, Maira moved abroad to work as the leader of Global Organisation Practice at Arthur D Little. In 2000, he became India chairman of Boston Consulting Group and left that role in 2009 to serve as a member of Indias Planning Commission.

Firstpost spoke to Maira, who has been an advocate of formulating scenarios that enable planners to look at systems in totality to understand how positive change can be brought about. He is the author of several books, including 'Redesigning the Aeroplane While Flying: Reforming Institutions' and 'Listening for Well-being: Conversations with People Not Like Us'.

Edited excerpts follow:

What images and feelings does Swaraj evoke for you?

The word swaraj instantly brings to my mind the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, leading the people on the Dandi March. That image evokes three things. One is obviously that it is a march for freedom from colonial rule  oppression and domination by an external power. But more than that it was Gandhiji's struggle for freedom for simple people  freedom from poverty, freedom from the indignities that they suffer due to history, the caste system and not having good livelihoods.

And, it's about people walking calmly, they are not waving big flags and carrying guns, like many other images that you have of people up in arms in a revolution against oppression. It's a calm walk in which people are disciplining themselves for a freedom that is both internal as much as external.

Nowadays, we see so much violence, especially vigilante violence. Do you see any scope for Swaraj through non-violence?I feel there is an extreme necessity for it and so a huge scope for it. What you are asking is  is it feasible? Gandhiji made us realise that one can overthrow oppression by non-violent means. People nowadays believe that if you want something, they need to be violent to get it. I do feel that we have to remind ourselves that others are also very passionate about something and therefore I have to discipline myself to get what I want, without violently imposing my will on to others.

This was the important aspect of Gandhiji's vision  the disciplining of oneself, Swaraj from one's own violent passions.We talk of nonviolent protests nowadays when people gather with a candle at Jantar Mantar or India Gate. But there are no sacrifices in such protests. There is no inner transformation here. It is the convenient thing to do. Light a candle, hold a vigil... you do that and then go home and have a drink.

You have spoken in the past about seeking magnanimity within each one of us and that this capability is still alive

Absolutely. Inner transformation is about becoming still and in that stillness, being able to listen. Or else, one's own turmoil, passion and anger make it difficult to hear the gentle voices on the outside. If you listen to another person, you might start listening to voices within yourself that you weren't otherwise able to. Like a voice telling you that this is not the right time to be angry right now, it's only hurting yourself.

How do you relate your emphasis on the inner journey with the work you have done in the material world? Because there is no possibility of Swaraj without the basic needs being met.

I will give this response at two levels. One, at a personal level. For doing something externally, there must be an internal change for discovering one's purpose. While both the inner and external change must happen together, listening to one's self and understanding the purpose of life must take precedence over what one wants to do outside.

At another level, like if I say I am a leader of a business organisation, I am required to produce wealth for the people who have invested in the organisation. I cannot change the way a business organisation runs unless I help change the whole system. In the first answer, I said that unless you change yourself, you can't change the world around you. But as a business leader, I am going to see the other side  that unless you help the whole system to change, you will not be able to change the way a business runs. This is because the expectations of business, the role that was given to it, is specified by the contract between many institutions.

In your experience with scenario-building exercises in the private sector and your stint as a member of the Planning Commission, did you find that as a society we have a problem of coherence, which is keeping us from realising Swaraj?

Of course, there is. Potential conflicts are everywhere. There needs to be some willingness to acknowledge other people's beliefs. There is a reason, a history behind their belief. And I, because of my history, may have a different belief.

It is not right or wrong. There needs to be a conversation to understand each other as to how we got to where we are. However, we cannot just jump into that conversation because it would be quite artificial. It is important to re-examine the current reality and how we can get out of the past more easily to find a shared aspiration.

What are some of the ways to fulfil the shared aspirations?

I had five wonderful years with the Planning Commission and I got the chance to hear many people representing many causes, many historical injustices, many aspirations. In all that, I could hear strongly one narrative which was the demand for rights  people's rights that they wanted to be converted into a law so if the government is not giving them the right, they can go to the court for action. This rights discourse gets connected fairly easily with handouts and subsidies, which are like compensating people for something which the society could not give them in the past and even now.

Rights-based discourse sounds powerful... it is about justice. But the handouts make people feel demeaned. People are asking for Swaraj, for the freedom to stand-up to be free from all these oppressions and indignities of handouts and subsidies. Within the activist community, this was a very difficult discourse, because if people want real Swaraj then they have to be able to stand on their own feet. While compensation (for unfulfilled rights) is required, it does not help in creating a future that everybody wants.

Has growth of the private sector in the last 25 or so years boosted this process  of people being able to stand on their own feet?

Yes, the evidence over last 25 in India is that there are people setting up small enterprises and some have become big enterprises, more easily. It is giving people the feeling that it can be done  'I could do it too'. This opening up is happening on the business side a lot as well as the activist side, of people saying we can get together and change the world. It is an empowerment of people.

But at the same time, we are seeing a pervasive crisis of institutions not living up to even their minimum functions. So, how can these positive energies help solve this problem in a tangible way?

There are business institutions, civil society institutions, government institutions and media and public discourse institutions. These four must work together to change the system. The challenge within civil society institutions is that there are disagreements over what it is that they must fight for.

Business institutions are driven towards creating more wealth for investors. The government is caught between allowing more economic freedom and growth to enterprises while also being responsible for delivering justice. Thus, the role of the media and public deliberation is extremely important and the quality of the public discourse dismays me the most.

The discourse must include people who we see as being in the other camp and see that their views are necessary for building a future. Without collaboration between various camps, we are not going to be able to change the world  and this is not happening and social media is only making it worse.

Are you despondent about the immediate challenges to realise Swaraj?

No, I am not despondent. If one is able to step back and say, 'ah! I can see what has to be done' then I can see a glimmer of hope. One needs the courage to change the things I can, the patience to accept the things that I can't and the wisdom to know the differences  it is important to apply this construct even to the area of public discourse. I cannot change the fact that there is money and media, social media and the internet.

The methods by which people are listening to each other outside the media could be improved through dialogue amongst people. When people gather outside social media in public meetings... let us improve that discourse. And let media pick up the reports and tweets of those discourses between four or five people which is of a different sort  that is, people who we otherwise think would hate each other and yell at each other. When these people are seen as role models and listening to each other... a hope is there that they could take the next steps together.

The behaviour of organisations does not change by altering the law. There are deeply embedded unwritten rules or what you call 'theory in use'. What does this mean and how can the theory-in-use be transformed from within?

So far, I was talking about formal institutions like business or government which have staff and constitutions and laws to comply with. But institutions are more than that  they are the norms, the principles by which we do things. They are also made up of beliefs and deeply embedded unwritten rules which are the spirit of the law. We can only uncover the unwritten rules that are guiding our behaviour through dialogue and listening to each other.

I really believe that we need to create spaces for deeper listening to people who are not like ourselves but who are part of society around us. The Dalai Lama writes that there are three disciplines in Buddhism. One is listening, second is compassion and third is meditation and reflection. But one needs to listen to reach the second and third discipline.

Many people would say they are willing to do this only if there is a semblance of civility on the other side. Are you are saying that no matter how far out of the boundaries of civil behaviour might seem to be, we can still offer the willingness to listen and engage?

When people are very violent and you are not reacting to it, you are understanding their hate, understanding why they do it but they don't know themselves what they are doing. It's a very deep transformation that is required and you can say that it sounds like accepting violence.

What Gandhiji was trying to say is that unless you come to a deeper realisation about the nature of the world, you cannot have any hope of changing the system.There presently are people who are different from us and there is hate.

Swaraj at 70: The concept of aazadi is no longer enough

Part 1: Past 25 years are a matter of pride, but there's a long way to go, says Baijayant 'Jay' Panda

Part 2: Not being able to disagree without causing upheaval is dangerous, says Sushobha Barve

Part 3: Alternative brand of politics has disappeared from India, says Piyush Mishra

Part 4: Youth can play a significant role in solving farm crisis, says Kavitha Kuruganti

Part 6: People's aspirations are no longer limited by age and class, says Ashni Biyani

Part 7: India needs a more inclusive model of development, says Vijay Mahajan

Part 8: Politicising of human rights issues has pushed liberal discourse into corner, says Kalyani Menon-Sen

Part 9: Technology has the potential to redefine social fabric of India, says Siddharth Sthalekar

Part 10: Food sovereignty should be ultimate goal of democracy, says Jean Dreze


New Delhi: A court in New Delhi on Friday allowed the NIA to quiz Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, arrested on charges of receiving funds from Pakistan to sponsor terror activities and stone-pelting in Kashmir, till 28 August.

During the in-camera proceedings, District Judge Poonam Bamba remanded Watali to the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) custody for 10 days. He was arrested on Thursday.

In July, the agency arrested seven separatist leaders for their alleged involvement in Pakistan-funded unrest in the valley.

Watali is known to be friends with Pakistani leaders as well as separatists, besides the mainstream politicians in Kashmir, the NIA said.

Zahoor Watali is considered to be one of the top aides of pro-Pakistan separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Watali, an influential Kashmiri businessman, is believed to be one of the Hurriyat's top financers.

Sources said Watali, who has been under the NIA scanner for nearly two months, was called for repeated questioning at the agency's Delhi headquarters before his arrest.
Angry at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for not visiting their flood-hit village, dozens of irate villagers in Hatwa in Lakhimpur Kheri district have started a 'jal satyagraha'.

The villagers started the 'jal satyagraha' on late Thursday by standing in the neck-deep water of river Ghagra, officials said on Friday.

Officials had a tough time in trying to convince the protesters to withdraw the unconventional protest and assured them that immediate relief operations would be set rolling in their village.

The villagers, however, threatened they would again enter the deep water of the Ghaghra if adequate relief material is not sent to the village within the next 24 hours.

Adityanath's scheduled visit to the village on Wednesday had to be called off at the last moment, officials said. The Chief Minister flew back from Sisaiyya.

Hatwa village and its nearby areas have been badly affected as Ghaghra river continues to be in spate.

There are reports from many places of poor relief and rescue measures, an allegation denied by the state government.

Many parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh including Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich and Balrampur have been ravaged by excessive rains and also due to the water released by neighbouring Nepal.

Vast stretches of land in these districts have been submerged and thousands of people displaced.

Adityanath, along with senior ministers and officials, has been conducting an aerial survey of the flood affected areas and on Friday flew to Siddharthanagar and Balrampur to distribute relief materials to the people and to meet them to ascertain the truth on the ground.

According to officials, more than 22 districts and 2,013 villages have been effected by the floods this year and 1,217 villages have been marooned in the floods and over 14 lakh affected.
Lucknow: The current spell of floods in Uttar Pradesh has claimed 36 lives, especially in eastern parts of the state pounded by incessant rains, prompting authorities to seek the army's help for relief and rescue operations, officials said on Friday.

With 22 of the 75 districts bearing the brunt of flood fury, the Indian Army's assistance has been sought in around six worst-hit districts, including Gorakhpur and Siddharthnagar, they said.

According to a report of the disaster management department of the state, nearly 14.5 lakh people were hit in 2,013 villages.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday undertook an aerial survey of the worst-affected areas in Balrampur and Siddhartnagar districts to take stock of the situation.

He directed the officials to ensure airdropping of food packets in case the marooned areas were inaccessible even by boats.

"All arrangements must be made to provide succor to the needy," he said and warned that there should be no laxity in flood relief and rescue works.

Instructing the officials to prepare a work plan to deal with floods which are an annual feature, the chief minister said no leave will be sanctioned to officials and employees in the affected districts.

The government is very sensitive towards the plight of the people hit by floods and there will be no laxity in extending them all possible help, he said in Balrampur.

Three more deaths have been reported since Thursday taking the toll this season to 36, the flood report said, adding that 646 flood outposts have been set up and 209 relief camps were operational in which 19,564 people have taken shelter.

Besides, 49,034 people have been shifted to safer places with the help of NDRF and PAC personnel.

Reports from Gorakhpur said the movement of traffic on the Gorakhpur-Sonauli road towards Nepal has come to a standstill with the waters of the Rohin river inundating Maniram township and the national highway.

District Magistrate Rajiv Rautela has ordered the closure of all schools up to Class 12 till Friday and sought the help of the army in relief and rescue operations.

After the authorities undertook works to plug the breach in the embankment on the Rohin river in the Campierganj area in Gorakhpur on Wednesday to prevent water from entering the city, another breach was noticed this morning leading to panic.

Teams of the NDRF are providing food and drinking water to the affected people with the help of 169 boats.

A report from Bahraich said that with Ghaghra and Saryu rising continuously for the past four days, villages in Mahsi, Nanpara, and Kaiserganj townships have been hit hard and 11 lives have been lost in the district.

In Barabanki, about 50 meters of the Elgin-Charsandi embankment has been submerged affecting eight villages.

According to a report from Siddhartnagar, the relief and rescue operations have gained momentum with IAF choppers assisting in evacuating people from the affected areas.

According to a Central Water Commission report, Rapti at Balrampur, Bansi (Siddhartnagar), Rigauli and Birdghat (Gorakhpur), Budhi Rapti river at Kakrahi and Uska Bazar (Siddhartnagar), Rohin river at Trimohanighat (Maharajganj) and Quano at Chandradeep ghat (Gonda) were flowing above the red mark.

Ghaghra is flowing well above the danger mark at Ayodhya, Elgin Bridge (Barabanki) and Turtipar (Ballia) and Sharda is also flowing above the red mark at Palia Kalan (Kheri), it added.
New Delhi: Sounding the bugle for the next general election, BJP chief Amit Shah on Thursday chaired a meeting of party leaders in New Delhi to chalk out a strategy for "Mission 2019" and on ways to bag more than 350 seats.

As part of the strategy, Shah asked leaders to focus on the 150 seats which the party lost in the 2014 election, sources in the BJP said.

These seats were in various states including West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka and in the north east.

The meeting was attended by 31 party leaders including Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ananth Kumar and JP Nadda. Party office bearers Ram Lal, Anil Jain and Bhupender Yadav were also present at the meet.

Power-point presentations were also shown at the meeting, elaborating on the party's plans for the elections.

Shah told the leaders the party was eyeing a two-third majority, or more than 350 seats in the next general elections.

The BJP president, who has been visiting states as part of a 110-day country-wide tour to expand the party's base and win new states, believes that the BJP should also remain in power at the Centre.

After 30 years, a single party crossed the halfway mark when the BJP won 282 seats in the 2014 elections. It bagged 10 more than the required number for a majority in the 543-member House.

Shah was the party in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP won an unprecedented 71 out of 80 seats in the last general poll.
After Amit Shah finished his first speech as BJP president at partys National Council Meeting on 9 August 2014, assembled leaders got a clear sense that the party had turned into a gigantic electoral war machine, which will always be on an aggressive pitch to strengthen, expand and win in all parts of the country. The party will have no place for complacency and leaders would have less time to rest as there would always be new targets and they will keep sweating to vanquish rival parties' fortresses.

"Focus on all every forthcoming election from panchayat to Parliament and win them with full commitment and hard work. Expand our base in states along the eastern coast from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu and also Kerala and convert our votes into seats.... We must focus on them in our march ahead to reach out every nook and corner of the country. We should make BJPs effective presence felt in each and every village panchayat, zilla parishad, municipal corporation and other elected bodies. Let there be no state or Union territory where BJP is not a force to reckon with, Shah had said.

The BJP national president has now set a stiff target of 350 seats for the party in the upcoming 2019 General Election to Lok Sabha. Though it is highly unusual for the president of a ruling party to sound the poll bugle 20 months ahead of the actual elections, given his insatiable appetite to grow and win, the news was not really surprising. Shah set this target after having gone to most of the states during his over 100 days tour, spending a great deal of time with local state, district and block-level workers spread out in far-flung areas across the country.

The select group of 30 leaders including nine Union ministers invited for the meeting was deeply impressed by the kind of homework Shah had done on the issue. The group was given a presentation where 130 winnable seats were divided into several clusters, each cluster containing five-seven parliamentary seats. The criterion for identification of such winnable seats was the jump in vote percentage and party candidates position that these constituencies witnessed in the last parliamentary election. The BJP president believes that if these constituencies were nurtured with the right focus and manpower then the party will have a fair chance of winning them in the upcoming parliamentary election.

A Union minister who attended the meeting and has been assigned a cluster told Firstpost that the work is already in progress in these constituencies. Our full timers are working there. Its not that we (those who have been assigned supervisory task) will begin from the scratch. All of us who have been assigned identified clusters have to visit there twice a month and spend two days (four days in a month) on each visit."

While handing over this assignment, Shah departed from the past. He has chosen a mix of state and central leaders, ministers or otherwise. The basic criterion that he followed was simple  each individual chosen for this assignment had sound rooting in organisational structure.

There is no parallel, not even in Congress during the Indira Gandhi regime, where a ruling party worked so exhaustively for expansion, howsoever far they may be, as the current-day BJP has under Narendra Modi-Amit Shah dispensation.

Shah has picked some ideas from Congress. The Congress for historical reasons never needed to work so hard to win elections. The BJP does not have that advantage but what struck the Modi-Shah leadership was the other pattern behind Congresss sustained victory in parliamentary elections  if Congress did poorly in one state in an election, some other state would counter-balance the loss with surprise gains.

In the 2014 General Election to Lok Sabha, BJP peaked in states where it was strong or had substantive organisational base, winning 282 of the 427 seats where it contested.

Modi created history by winning all the Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Goa and the Union territories of Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Chandigarh and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands. In Uttar Pradesh, BJP won 73 out of 80 seats and showed commendable performance in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhatisgarh. The party also crossed the 50 percent mark in Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The poll percentage average was more than 40 percent in Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Karnataka, UP and Jharkhand.

In contrast, Congress, which once ruled the Centre and practically all states, couldnt even open account in 14 states and seven Union territories. In seven states, Congress either won only one or two seats.

The Modi-Shah leadership know that the 2014 peak in Hindi heartland states cant be repeated in 2019 election and elections thereafter, thus it was important to strengthen and expand.

It was incidental that hours before Shah sounded the poll bugle with a target of 350 seats, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi discovered value in unifying opposition forces to defeat the Narendra Modi-led BJP in 2019. Its a different matter though that to achieve the purpose Gandhi chose to put Congress' might behind so called socialist Sharad Yadav, a leader without a party, without state and without support base of any kind.

Rahul, Yadav and a host of other leaders gathered at the Congress event talked of the need to protect the "sanjhi virasat" (shared legacy) and let that be the guiding force to take on Modi. Noone however, cared to explain how Congress, Left, TMC, RLD, JMM, SP, BSP, RJD, etc had some common legacy to share.

A disunited and directionless Opposition with Rahu in the lead role is the biggest asset for BJP. But thats an issue of common knowledge.

But Modi and Shah are not content with that reasoning. In one of the party meetings, Shah said, "Some of our opponents are yet to reconcile to their humiliating defeat in the polls and are currently engaged in forging an unholy alliance of non-BJP parties. They are bewildered and not able to come to terms with the realities of the electoral outcome. We must guard against this Machiavellian political tactics and frustrate their designs."
New Delhi/Bhopal: BJP chief Amit Shah will attend a series of meetings, including that of state unit office bearers, address students, release a book and meet heads of various social groups during a visit to Madhya Pradesh beginning on Friday.

Shah was to leave for Bhopal on Thursday but his plane developed a technical problem and hence he will now travel Friday morning, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said late on Thursday.

The visit from Friday is part of his 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen the party ahead of 2019 general elections. He will pay tributes to Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Raja Bhoj in Bhopal on Friday morning, BJP said in a statement.

He will attend a series of meetings with local party leaders including state unit office bearers, central office bearers, core group members, state spokespersons, MPs, MLAs, district presidents among others during his hectic three-day visit. The BJP chief will also address intellectuals and meritorious students, besides releasing a book written by Kailash Narayan Sarang.

During his visit Shah will plant a sapling at Kaliasot dam near Chhaoni village. He will meet chiefs of various social groups and saints at the Chief Minister's residence on second day of his visit.
State-run broadcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio find themselves sandwiched as two political powers  one seeking to usurp and the other firm on retaining domination  prepare to lock horns in the electoral battle in Tripura due in six months. There are other players in the ring but the bulls with bigger horns matter for now.

The Independence Day speech row which suddenly catapulted the tiny northeastern state and its chief minister to national headlines is another political drill in disguise to draw maximum mileage ahead of the polls to the 60-seat Assembly. BJP's posture as a conqueror may worry the Left Front in Tripura but it would be akin to building castles in the air if one expects the party that won 49 seats in the 2013 Assembly to surrender meekly.

Despite allegations by the BJP that the speech  which was not aired by the national broadcasters on 15 August  is an outright, unnecessary political assault on the central government, the chief minister rejected the charge vehemently.

"I have not said anything about the BJP. What I have commented upon is the stand of the Prasar Bharati with regard to my speech recorded on 12 August scheduled to be telecast on 15 August morning which they gagged. That is undemocratic, authoritarian, and an expression of intolerance," Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar told Firstpost from Agartala.

Significantly enough, although the speech was not allowed to be aired by Doordarshan and AIR, the criticism of their action by the chief minister (who called it "undemocratic, authoritarian, and an expression of intolerance") carried the same sentiment of the recorded speech. It now probably got delivered with a bigger bang.

"Conspiracies and attempts are underway to create an undesirable complexity and divisions in our society; to invade our national consciousness in the name of religion, caste and community, by inciting passions to convert India into a particular religious country and in the name of protecting cow," Sarkar had apparently said in his Independence Day speech which was shared by CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Twitter.

The text of the Independence Day speech by Tripura CM, Manik Sarkar: blacked out by DD & AIR after orders from Delhi. #UndeclaredEmergency pic.twitter.com/90ECzoqLMQ  Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) August 16, 2017

Soon after the controversy erupted, the chief minister firmly said that he did not make any reference to or named any political party. Literally speaking, that cannot be contested but the speech itself was loaded with connotations that were meant to be read between the lines. It was quite obvious for the politically-inclined that the speech did target the BJP and right-wing fringe elements.

Unperturbed by the clamour on the content of the speech, the chief minister made it clear that it was the national broadcasters who requested for a speech from him which was supposed to be aired before the official flag hoisting on Independence Day.

"I have not said anything with regard to any political party in this regard because it was recorded by All India Radio and Doordarshan Agartala on the auspices of Prasar Bharati. They have actually raised the objection with regard to my recorded speech and they said that it should be 'reshaped', otherwise it can't go. I have to confine my comments on this, I won't like to comment on other things. It is not the proper occasion," Sarkar said, treading a rather thin line between political and non-political while indicating that he was not willing to say anything on the BJP.

However, the chief minister also clearly said "nothing of that sort" has happened yet when asked if the public broadcasters have tendered any apology. Finding itself under tremendous scrutiny for its role in the whole episode, Doordarshan Kendra Agartala did try to wriggle itself out free by issuing a letter to the editors of national dailies only to shoot itself in the foot.

In a release addressed to the editors of all national level dailies on Wednesday, UK Sahoo, head of office, Doordarshan Kendra, Agartala claimed that "the News Unit of the local station of Doordarshan at Agartala has given wide coverage to the public address of the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tripura and the development activities of the State Government."

"On August 15, 2017, Doordarshan also gave wide coverage to the Chief Minister's Independence Day programme and telecast report running to 29 minutes and 45 seconds. Out of which, the Hon'ble Chief Minister's speech coverage was for 12 minutes. This was telecast at 1900 hrs," Sahoo said.

The chief minister simply refuted all the claims made by the Doordarshan station head in Agartala.

"That is also not correct. I have received it (the Doordarshan letter to the editors). It has also been clarified from our side. They have diverted the question. What they are saying is that on 15 August at Agartala at 9.10 in the morning, they (covered) the state central function where the chief minister addressed the people. Not only this, so many programmes were held. On 15 August in the evening, they did telecast the programme of the state which was organised in connection with the observance of Independence Day. In that programme, they have also telecasted the speech delivered by the chief minister on the Assam Rifles ground," he said.

The chief minister called the letter by Doordarshan a sheer attempt to deflect from the real issue.

"That is not the point from our side. Our point was this was what happened to the speech recorded on 12 August which was scheduled to be telecast on 15 August morning on which they have raised the question. They have not answered anything. Actually, now they are trying to mislead the people. They have now realised the reaction of the sensible people of our country. Because of that gusto, they have tried to escape. They have adopted this tactic now," Sarkar said.

It is quite evident that Doordarshan and AIR are mere pawns in this David and Goliath contest. Taken aback by this unusually sharp and indirect attack by the chief minister, the BJP did try to match in response.

"Whatever he said it is highly objectionable. The speech during the flag-hoisting has to be non-political. The chief minister must talk about achievements and challenges. What he did was to criticise the Centre in extremely bad words. The Tripura chief minister was mannerless in his conduct. However, we have not decided on our next course of action," BJP central observer for Tripura, Sunil Deodhar, had told Firstpost.

Although the poll bugle has not been sounded officially yet, battle lines are clearly drawn with BJP going out all guns blazing to end the four-term continuous trot of CPM strongman and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. The party made its intentions already clear when in a swift and stealthy operation, it took Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress by surprise and roped in all six Trinamool MLAs to its fold.

Aware of the opponent's Mossad-like techniques to outfox its political enemies, Sarkar knows very well that he must up the ante to prevent a ripple from becoming a wave. The battle has only begun in Tripura and Narendra Modi is yet to land.
While Bihar chief minister and national president of Janata Dal (United) Nitish Kumar is busy drafting strategies for the party national executive meeting to be held on Saturday rebel leaders, led by Sharad Yadav, are also gearing up to showcase their strength on the same day in Patna.

Just before the meeting, both factions have resorted to 'poster wars' and verbal jibes with each claiming to represent the real JD(U).

Nitish had invited Sharad to participate in the national executive meet but the latter announced to hold a parallel meeting instead.

Sharads close associate and Rajya Sabha member Ali Anwar told News18 that they would not attend the meeting called by Nitish. He added that Nitish betrayed peoples mandate by forging an alliance with BJP against whom Nitish had got the mandate to rule Bihar during the 2015 Assembly election.

Nitish might have the support of MLAs but we have the support of the party organisation. One hundred and thirty-eight party officials from different states will participate in our meeting. We are representing the real JD(U) and if needed, we will approach the election commission for this, Anwar said.

On the other hand, JD(U) national general secretary Sanjay Jha, Nitish's close aide, dismissed Sharads claims that the party is recognised as a regional party by the Election Commission. Party spokesman Ajay Alok warned that disciplinary action will be taken against leaders calling a parallel meeting.

Posters put up by the Sharad faction read: Mahagathbandhan Jaari Hai (Mahagathbandhan continues).

The JD(U) faction supporting Sharad can take solace in the fact that the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan (save our composite culture conference) was attended by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, and other Opposition parties, and that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also extended her support to Sharad on Saturday.

However, Nitish, it seems has now made up his mind to take action against Sharad for challenging his decision to break the grand alliance with Congress and RJD, and form a new government with the support of BJP.

Nitish has already suspended 23 leaders from the party and a decision on Sharad might be taken at the national executive meeting on Saturday. Nitish is likely to formally announce joining NDA in the meeting as well, which will pave way for JD(U)s participation in the Union cabinet.
Jammu: The BJP on Thursday attacked National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, saying he was fooling the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Article 35A which grants special privileges to the citizens of the state.

The state unit of the party said Kashmiris are settling in Jammu province under a "design" even while they are vehemently opposing the settlement of Kashmiri Hindus and construction of Sainik Colony for the defence personnel in the valley.

"Omar Abdullah is befooling the people of the state by saying that Article 35A in the state does not allow any sex or gender or regional discrimination," party unit's spokesperson Virender Gupta said. "State Subject and Article 35A are basic issues that not only allow discrimination on the basis of sex but also violate Article 14 and 16 of Indian Constitution," he added.

Gupta talked about the issue of stringent conditions that have been imposed by the state government for getting State Subject (special residency certificate) issued in favour of its bonafide citizens.

"The people of Jammu region find it difficult to get State Subject issued in favour of their wards and most of the genuine people are facing the prospect of becoming non-State Subjects," he added.

He said such conditions are created by the political class of the Kashmir valley that none among the State Subject holders of Jammu province can settle in the valley. "The settlement of Kashmiri Pandits back in the valley and construction of Sainik Colony for the defence personnel, those who are bonafide State Subjects, are being vehemently opposed," Gupta said.

The spokesperson said that instead of creating hue and cry about the issue of Article 35A, Omar should wait for the outcome of the case in the Supreme Court. Gupta also contradicted the statement of Omar that other states like Himachal Pradesh and North Eastern States have laws similar to that of State Subject prevailing in J&K.

He also rubbished Omar's allegation that BJP is playing divisive politics and dividing the people of the state.
In what can only be considered as a major setback to the Congress party, Ashish Kulkarni, one of Rahul Gandhi's election managers and top aides, resigned as a member of the Congress Coordination Centre on Friday.

Joining a string of resignations and party expulsions, Kulkarni enumerates four reasons behind his decision while expressing disappointment of the party's stand on certain issues in his resignation letter to Rahul Gandhi, obtained exclusively by Firstpost.

Kulkarni blamed Congress for not "identifying, grooming and creating a depth of management required" despite being a recognised national organisation.

"There has been a total mismanagement of the party affairs which have led to many political failures and administrative losses, also resulting in many legal issues. Party's indecisive functioning in Maharashtra, Assam, Goa, Uttarakhand and Arunachal led to defeat in Assembly polls. The same is being repeated with in Himachal and Gujarat. The party is in disarray in almost all states with rampant factionalism," Kulkarni wrote.

Kulkarni further accused Congress of moving away from the centrist ideology to being a far-Left party while culturally supporting "Kashmiri separatists, JNU protesters". He indicated the party was dangerously close to losing its identity and being considered an "Anti-Hindu party" like other Left organisations like Trinamool Congress, CPI, CPM and others.

Kulkarni has been active for a long time in Maharashtra politics and in the workings of Congress. A key strategist in election planning and management, he was closely associated with erstwhile chief ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh and Ashok Chavan as the general secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. In 2009, he was drafted by the Congress central leadership to be a part of the newly formed Congress Coordination Centre (War Room) at 15 GRG, New Delhi.

As a member of the core team, Kulkarni was responsible for election data analysis, poll management and co-ordination for all the state Assembly elections. In the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he was thoroughly involved analysing surveys of all the 543 parliamentary constituencies and was a co-member with Madhusudan Mistry and Randeep Surjewala for evaluating candidates to the Central Election Committee.

In his letter, Kulkarni also acknowledged that the present narrative adopted by the Congress as the leading Opposition party isn't appealing to the new voters. He wrote: "We continue to be distant from the grass root reality of India."

He further added that a lack of discussion over key areas like economy, foreign policy and development is playing a key role in the party's stagnation.

Kulkarni also pointed out that the the trappings of power have led senior party leaders to fail to work towards the party's interests. He wrote political stalwarts failed to learn from the 2014 Lok Sabha defeat and continued to blame Rahul Gandhi to create a perception of unstable leadership at the helm of party affairs.

In perhaps his strongest criticism of Congress, Kulkarni called the party nepotistic and feudal and called it the 'Tragedy of the Congress', in a reference to a speech Gandhi made earlier 'Tragedy of India' at a party conclave in Jaipur.

"Even today, only the privileged with political lineage and/or money power are the ones being selected. [...] The party is influenced by a coterie of people who won't allow fresh blood and fresh ideas to disturb their secure position in the citadels of power and influence. There seems virtually no scope and opportunity to party workers with commoner's background at the leadership level," he said.

You can read the entire letter here:
Mumbai: Accusing Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar of "insulting" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NDA-ally Shiv Sena on Friday "prayed" for his defeat in the upcoming Assembly bypoll which he is contesting.

It also took strong umbrage at Parrikar's reported statement that he "cared less" if he loses the 23 August by-poll in Panaji assembly constituency, for he would return to the Centre and head the defence ministry.

"The Prime Minister elevated Parrikar from Goa chief minister to the defence ministry, after he failed there miserably, he again returned to the state. Now, he goes around threatening that if he indeed fails to win the by-polls, he will go back to the Centre as defence minister," the Shiv Sena said in a sharp editorial in party mouthpieces Saamana and Dopahar Ka Saamana.

This, the Sena pointed out, was tantamount to not only "rubbishing" the post of Goa chief minister but also belittling the post of the country's defence minister. "By such irresponsible and juvenile utterances, Parrikar has insulted Modi, who first promoted him to national politics, and later entrusted him with Goa's leadership after the BJP failed to secure a majority in 2016 assembly elections in the state," the Sena said.

The editorial added that Parrikar's remarks clearly proved that he was "mortally scared" of the prospect of losing the by-election. But, Parrikar "has already lost his bearings" by taking the wise voters "so lightly and treating the state as his personal fiefdom with little faith in the democratic process", the Sena said. "Is the post of defence minister so cheap and rendered as orphan without Parrikar? Modi must clarify, especially given the current tense situation on our country's borders," the Sena demanded.

On one hand, while Modi is worried about tackling the challenges from both Pakistan and China, on the other, Parrikar is blatantly trying to degrade and undermine the defence ministry by his statements, the editorial said. "In such circumstances, Parrikar must lose the Goa assembly by-polls. Let his worst fears come true. And after the loss, whether he still becomes the defence minister, at least let the people of his state witness (this)," the Sena noted sternly.

The editorial said if Parrikar was indeed a "mahatma" as was being bandied about, he should have been elected unopposed, but the truth is when the country faced crises at the borders, instead of leading the nation, he retreated back to Goa for savouring "rice-and-fish-curry". "For this act of bravado alone, he should have been conferred a 'Shaurya Chakra', but he was made the chief minister of a rag-tag outfit though the state poll was lost under his leadership," it concluded.
Raagdesh, directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, recently brought to the big screen, the story of Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army. More specifically, it dealt with the stories of three INA soldiers  Shah Nawaz Khan (played by a Kunal Kapoor), Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon (Amit Sadh) and Prem Sahgal (Mohit Marwah)  and their Red Fort trials, that made for a rare display of retreat by the British Raj. The trio was charged with 'waging war against the King-Emperor' and handed over to the Japanese Imperial Army.

In an episode of Hangout, Kunal and Mohit spoke to host Renil Abraham about their roles in the historical drama.

Kunal had said in a previous interview with Firstpost: I was fascinated by the script but also felt a sense of shame that I know so little about what is an important event in our history. We have read about a few people (who we believe) are the ones responsible for our freedom, so its important for people of my generation to know the truth and get to learn about the Red Fort trial, formation of the INA, contribution of Subhash Chandra Bose and the circumstances under which the INA soldiers fought. When I started researching, I was shocked because I read that people in the British administration, intelligence and politicians, said that if anything that broke the back of the British it was the formation of INA. I dont understand the politics behind it, but I do feel that there was an effort to sideline them and play down their contribution intentionally.

To find out what Kunal and Mohit had to say about Raagdesh, watch this episode:
IANS

"SafeDrive"  an innovative smart car gadget that turns vehicles into "safe, smart and connected" car was launched in Thiruvananthapuram, on 17 August.

Designed, developed and manufactured by Elsys Intelligent Devices, a former startup incubated by the Kerala Startup Mission, the easy-to-install gadget is compatible with most cars in India.

Equipped with crash sensors, GPS module, microphone, speaker and cellular connectivity, SafeDrive offers an "In-Vehicle Emergency Call" feature that automatically notifies the emergency cenitre for help in the event of a severe collision - even when the victims are unable to respond due to injury or shock.

Launching the gadget, Kerala Police chief Loknath Behera called for an awareness and an increased emphasis on innovation in vehicular safety, as around 2,000 lives were lost in accidents on state's roads in the first-half of the current year.

"While the Kerala Police will do its best to enforce traffic safety rules, society must realise that we share a collective responsibility to prevent accidents. Enforcement will only work if coupled with awareness. A driving licence is not a licence to kill," said Behera.

Upon detecting a serious impact, SafeDrive initiates a voice call and sends out a "Minimum Set of Data" that includes the exact location of the incident and speed of the vehicle.

This helps the emergency centre assess the situation, speak with the victims, notify their family/friends and coordinate emergency assistance.

Other features include a one-touch assistance button, hands-free two-way calling, live vehicle tracking, trip history, smart alerts, roadside assistance, driving analysis and score.

"SafeDrive is a made-in-India solution to a global concern. As the automobile industry is racing towards connected and self-driving cars, we are building a network of emergency and essential services that all existing cars and the future cars can connect to.

"We have so far aggregated a network of over 3,500 road-emergency service providers across India. We are approaching automobile manufacturers, insurance providers, road transport entities and law enforcement agencies to extend this network to as many people as possible," said Elsys co-founder and CEO Prasad Pillai.
Reuters

Uber Technologies Inc on Thursday won a victory in its effort to keep unhappy customers from suing in court, persuading a federal appeals court to send a Connecticut passenger's price-fixing case against the ride-service company into arbitration.

Overturning a lower court ruling, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said Uber and former Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick properly notified customers in online user agreements that disputes should be arbitrated.

In a 3-0 decision, the appeals court also said the passenger, Spencer Meyer, agreed to arbitrate his own claims, but could try to show Uber waived its right to arbitration by actively fighting him in court. Brian Feldman, a lawyer for Meyer, in a statement said Uber did waive that right, and "we look forward to pressing ahead with the litigation."

Uber and its outside lawyer welcomed the decision. "The Second Circuit's powerful and commonsense opinion will serve to protect online contracting and strengthen commerce nationwide," the lawyer, Theodore Boutrous, said in a statement. "We are thrilled with the decision."

Thursday's closely watched decision was a boost for efforts to enforce arbitration requirements, which are often buried in long lists of terms and conditions that customers never see. Internet companies and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned that a loss by Uber could inhibit growth in mobile commerce and call into question the enforceability of online contracts.

The decision also offered a lift to San Francisco-based Uber, which has been besieged by high-profile problems. Kalanick resigned as CEO in June after a shareholder revolt, and is the target of a lawsuit by Uber investor Benchmark Capital to force him off the company's board.

Uber also faces sexual harassment and bias accusations by female staff, a federal inquiry into software that helps drivers avoid police, and a trade secrets lawsuit by Google parent Alphabet Inc's self-driving car unit Waymo.

Surge pricing

Meyer accused Uber and Kalanick of conspiring with drivers, whose earnings are shared with Uber, to charge "surge pricing" fares during peak demand periods.

He claimed he never saw a hyperlink to Uber's arbitration requirement when he used his smartphone to sign up. Internet users often agree to such terms and conditions through "clickwrap" agreements by checking an "I agree" box, or "browsewrap" agreements where terms are posted via hyperlinks.

U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan denied Uber's request for arbitration in July 2016, saying the company never properly alerted Meyer to its policies. In overturning that ruling, Circuit Judge Denny Chin said typical smartphone users would find the disclosures "reasonably conspicuous," even on smaller screens common to mobile devices, and Meyer was not excused for not following the hyperlink.

"While it may be the case that many users will not bother reading the additional terms, that is the choice the user makes," Chin wrote. Rakoff will decide whether Uber waived its right to arbitrate with Meyer.

On Sept. 20, a federal appeals court in San Francisco will hear arguments on whether some Uber drivers can recoup expenses and tips in a class action because they are employees, or must arbitrate their claims. The case is Meyer v. Uber Technologies Inc, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 16-2750.
tech2 News Staff

As neo-Nazi agitation claimed the life of a 32-year old paralegal, Heather Heyer, historically neutral tech companies have stepped out of their comfort zone and openly condemned far-right extremism.

The Daily Stormer, an alt-right website, which used to be hosted by GoDaddy, had organized the rally in Charlottesville. Anti-racism protesters marched out in a counter-rally, but then things turned lethal. Amidst sporadic violence, an alt-right protester drove his car into the ranks of anti-racism protesters, killing Heyer. If that wasn't bad enough, The Daily Stormer, in an article, were reportedly jubilant about the death of the woman and appeared to have taken great pleasure in denigrating her.

While Democrats and Republicans alike denounced the violence, Donald Trump's response did yet more damage by arriving late and accusing both sides of causing the carnage. Apple CEO Tim Cook called out Trump's response in a letter to employees stating that equating racists, white supremacists and Nazis with people standing up for human rights "runs counter to our ideals as Americans."

Tech companies in the past few months have been criticized of giving shelter to terrorist and extremist groups by giving them a space to conspire against fellow humans. These companies normally stay neutral by claiming that they stand for free speech. The Charlottesville violence, however, appears to have forced Silicon Valley into action and they have taken pro-active steps to condemn such behaviour and take a stand against white supremacists.

One of the first to be impacted by Silicon Valley's new stance was the organiser of the protest, The Daily Stormer. GoDaddy, horrified by The Daily Stormer's article on Heyer, promptly kicked the domain from its platform. It did not end there. Cloudflare, which provides CDN services and notorious for its stance on free speech, kicked Stormer further and dropped support as well. The site then sought refuge with a Russian host. Within 24 hours, the company was kicked off that host as well. The Russian govt cited intolerance for extremism as their reason.

In the meantime, Apples CEO, Tim Cook, not only condemned Trump's speech and the actions of the white supremacists, but even offered a donation to Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC) and Anti-Defamation League. Both are human rights groups. In his letter to Apple employees he said, Hate is a cancer and left unchecked it destroys everything in its path. Its scars last generations. Apple will also match employee donations to humanitarian organisations on a 2-to-1 basis and provide Apple users with an easy payment option for donating to SPLC via iTunes.

Meanwhile, Apple has also taken steps to corner these extremist forces by dropping Apple Pay support to sites supplying neo-Nazi and white-supremacist related merchandise. As per Buzzfeed News, Apple has disabled payments to retailers identified as servicing white supremacists.

PayPal, which has blocked extremist sites in the past, is now actively seeking out and blocking more such sites.

In a similar attempt, even hospitality service provider AirBnB in October 2016 had pledged to treat everyone equally regardless of their background or orientation. In a statement given to The Verge, company CEO, Brian Chesky had said, The violence, racism and hatred in demonstrated by neo-Nazis, the alt-right and white supremacist should have no place in this world.

Meanwhile, Facebooks CEO Mark Zuckerberg has condemned the attacks. Calling it equivalent to terrorism, the issue seems to be closer home for him, considering his Jewish ancestry. Mentioning his ancestry, Zuckerberg also said that Facebook would be deleting any comments or posts that glorify neo-Nazis. It will delete all white supremacist groups and does not intend to support them.

Moreover, Microsofts Satya Nadella and Googles Sundar Pichai have condemned the attack. Calling for glorifying diversity, Nadella said, There is no place in our society for the bias, bigotry and the senseless violence we witnessed this weekend in Virginia provoked by white nationalists, he said in a note sent to his employees, in a report by PTI.

Google recently came under the scanner for a leaked memo on gender discrimination. Pichai tweeted his and the companys unwillingness to glorify such trends of discrimination in the US.

Condemnation has reached even with dating sites, where OKCupid received an alert from users of an existing user who resembled Cristopher Cantwell, a neo-Nazi from a VICE documentary where he was upfront about his belief in white supremacy. The man was identified and banned for life within ten minutes of the alert, tweeted OKCupid. Company CEO, in a statement to Gizmodo said, We make a lot of decisions everyday that are tough. Banning Christopher Cantwell was not one of them. As per the company, the removal was done based on the code of conduct, which every user must agree to before signing on for the service.

We were alerted that white supremacist Chris Cantwell was on OkCupid. Within 10 minutes we banned him for life.  OkCupid (@okcupid) August 17, 2017

Even Discord, a free chat service has shut down accounts related to Nazi ideology, one such being altright.com. According to a report by Gizmodo, the chat service meant for gamers community was also hosting forums for extremist groups.

Meanwhile, GoFundMe, a fundraising website, has generated close to $800,000 according to The Washington Post. This money generated would be used for those injured during counter protests. However, it has removed campaigns created for neo-Nazi or white supremacy agenda. In a similar fashion, Uber, in a message to its users, condemned these attacks and promised to provide round-the-clock assistance to its users.

These actions send a strong message of support for equality and diversity from tech companies, but a number of white nationalist, racist and neo-nazi sites still remain available online. Wiping out such content is never going to be easy, however.

Meanwhile, US digital rights group, Electronic Frontier Foundation, believe that by taking a political stance, the tech firms are infringing neo-Nazis right to online freedom of expression. However, the entire point of white supremacy means exclusivity and no diversity. Tech firms, especially Silicon Valley, which has tech CEOs belonging to different races, who are catering to a global audience on an everyday basis, cannot shy away from the responsibility they must shoulder.
Asheeta Regidi

As per an Economic Times report, the government is questioning 21 smartphone companies on their security. The government has questioned the security practices, architecture, frameworks, guidelines and standards they follow for providing secure transmission and storage of data. It has warned of action for failure to meet security standards.

Privacy and cybersecurity norms currently applicable in India impose penalties under limited circumstances. These do not compare with the international penalties for data privacy violations which, unfortunately, have no application to India. Knowing that the government is in the process of filing a data protection law, this investigation can be expected to have an impact on the law finally framed. While the trigger behind the move is unclear, if it results in greater privacy and security, it is a very welcome one.

The threat to national security

As per the ET report, this move of the government has followed reports of data leakage and theft. The current Indo-Chinese tensions are also considered to be a factor, especially because several of the smartphone companies being questioned are Chinese.

The dangers of leaks of smartphone data to national security are very real. This was seen in India about a year ago with the Smeshapp cyberterrorism attack. Here, crucial data from army personnel, like location data, was disclosed, revealing critical security information such as troop movements and counter-terrorism moves. This data was said to have aided in the Pathankot attacks. Here, the leak was not because of a smartphone defect, but because of a vulnerability introduced by an app.

2014 security accusations against Xiaomi

A smartphone-based vulnerability is usually in the form of a flaw in the operating system. One example of this was the smartphone-based data leaks which emerged in 2014/15 in India. Here, Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi, was accused of automatically transferring user data to servers located in China. The Indian Air Force, in fact, was reported to have warned its officers and their families against using Xiaomi phones. As per a Shanghai Daily report, Xiaomi admitted to the security flaw in its operating system, and fixed it immediately.

More recently, last week, a security company, eScan, released a report alleging multiple flaws in Xiaomi smartphones affecting user data, a claim which Xiaomi has denied. It is unclear if this report in combination with previous allegations have triggered the governments investigation into smartphone security.

Limited application of Indian privacy laws

Turning to the laws which will apply to any privacy violations by smartphone companies, the privacy law applicable is Section 43A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The protection offered by this, in combination with the IT Reasonable Security Practices Rules, 2011, as is well known, is minimal. This protects only sensitive personal data, a limited category of data like biometric information and financial information, and not other personal data like messages, location data, etc. Non-compliance with these rules also has very limited consequences, as discussed below.

Lack of enforcement mechanisms on par with international laws

Internationally, there are several laws which prevent such data leaks, and impose severe penalties for them. These laws prohibit transfer of data without user consent and prohibit cross-border transfer of data to any country without privacy laws of the same standard. While these provisions are present in the IT Reasonable Security Practice Rules, the lack of enforcement mechanisms and the restriction to sensitive personal data make them ineffective.

Internationally, violation of these norms is punishable with huge penalties and imprisonment. For example, the European GDPR (to be enforced by 2018) will impose a significant fine of up to 4 percent of the annual global turnover or 20 Million (whichever is greater). Similarly, Singapore imposes a penalty of up to $1 mn, while Hong Kong will impose a penalty of $1 mn and five years of imprisonment. Unfortunately, these laws are inapplicable to India, and will not protect the data of Indians.

No Smartphone specific cybersecurity norms in India

The IT Reasonable Security Practices Rules, 2011, require any body corporate handling sensitive personal data to adopt reasonable security practices, including the adoption of documented information security programs and policies. This requirement will also apply to smartphone companies using user data. While the obligation has been imposed, there are limited consequences for non-compliance, and there is no system of checks or audits in place.

Apart from this, there are no prescribed cybersecurity norms specifically for smartphones in India. Any existing cybersecurity norms are general in nature, taking the form of recommendations, based on which companies are expected to formulate suitable cybersecurity policies. Mandatory minimum standards and consequences for non-compliance have not been prescribed.

Consequences under Indian laws for security loopholes

Where the security loophole in the smartphone is not deliberate, but the result of negligence, and particularly due to the failure to adopt adequate security practices, then Section 43A of the IT Act will apply. However, this will apply only when the negligence results in some kind of monetary loss to the victim. In such a case only, the victim will be entitled to compensation of up to Rs 5 Crores.

Where the loophole is deliberate, or the smartphones are deliberately hacked for the data, then the company will liable to pay a penalty of up to Rs 5 lakhs under Section 66 of the IT Act.

Smartphone companies usually contract with their users for data use and disclosure, via their license agreements for the smartphones. Any disclosure in violation of this agreement is punishable with imprisonment of 3 years and a fine up to Rs 5 lakhs under Section 72A of the IT Act. However, given the wide-ranging consent that is sought from users today, this section is unlikely to apply.

Lastly, in the case of more serious loopholes like the Smeshapp case, which involved deliberate, large-scale disclosure of data threatening national security, provisions on cyberterrorism under Section 66F will apply. This is punishable with life imprisonment.

Hoping for mandatory minimum security standards

If this investigation results in greater privacy and security, through, say, mandatory minimum security requirements, then this move is more than welcome. There is, of course, a fear that the opposite will result, that the government will become conscious of its own inability to access data from the smartphones (as seen in the Apple-FBI fiasco last year), and prescribe lower security standards to enable decryption, surveillance, etc. Another fear is of course, the imposition of too stringent cybersecurity norms, much like China, which had recently, through a cybersecurity law, required companies data to be stored within China only.

Hopefully, the outcome of this move will be positive and will result in the framing of a data protection law on par with international standards in India.

The author is a lawyer specialising in cyber laws and a certified privacy professional
IANS

After a series of hacks and leaks have rocked HBO and its "Game of Thrones" show, actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau says the network should go back to old-school ways of distribution to guard its content.

In an interview with EW Morning Live, the actor said he feels that HBO should employ an old-school approach to protect future content, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

"I think they're basically going to go back to hand-delivering and just giving us scripts," said Coster-Waldau  who plays Jaime Lannister in "Game of Thrones", which is aired in India on Star World and Star World HD.

"Just give us the hard copies instead of all this email and digital stuff. I think that's what's going to happen in a few years' time, because you know, you talk to cops on the street, What's the biggest crime now?' It's all credit card fraud. It's all that stuff. It's digital. So we got to go back to cash," he added.

Coster-Waldau also said the hacks are ironic, because due to the popularity of the series, in order to protect the scripts, he said the actors had to set up several email accounts in order to receive them.

"They had to be triple and quadruple (checked). All this stuff, right? And, of course, now they have this big hack," he added.

HBO has been dealing with anonymous hackers who claim to have stolen 1.5 terabytes of data - including emails, show scripts and unaired episodes of hit series such as "Game of Thrones", "Ballers" and "Room 104"  from the company's servers and have threatened to release it if their ransom demands are not met.

So far, two episodes of "Game of Thrones" have leaked, in addition to episodes of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" upcoming season, as well as script summaries of "Game of Thrones" and one executive's emails.

The network's social media accounts were also hacked on Wednesday by hacking group OurMine.
Sanjay Pandey

Recent Indian government directive to smartphone manufacturers to disclose security measures they adopt towards securing customer data is quite ominous on several counts. One of the most startling facts is that most of these manufacturers have been selling their products in India since long. If it is now suspected that their hardware or software might be complicit in stealing customer data, this directive may be a bit too late as data might already have been stolen.

In addition to this, quite a few of these manufacturers have been investigated for compromising security in India and abroad in the past. Their continuing operations in-spite of known vulnerabilities in itself is worrisome. Besides these obvious facts, this order for disclosures in some way understates the fact that our own policies have not been up to the mark in catching loopholes in these products. A brief look into recent past, nationally and internationally, highlights the immensity of this situation and calls for immediate and stringent measures.

In 2013, one of the smartphone manufacturing companies, Huawei, was investigated for possible hacking into BSNL networks in Rajahmundry. It was suspected that Huawei hacked into BSNL as revenge for losing out the contract of BSNL to its competitor, ZTE, another telecom manufacturer. In the aftermath of this hacking attack, it was reported then that a security lab would be setup to test all equipment coming into India. It appears that this lab too has not been able to check possible vulnerabilities, leading to this current order of disclosure of security measures to the manufacturers.

Internationally, in 2012 both Huawei and ZTE were banned from entering US markets on suspicion of them building back doors in their equipment to leak sensitive information from America to China. A claim both companies vehemently deny. It was in the same year, 2012 that the role of Huaweis relationship with British Telecom was investigated by UK parliaments intelligence and security committee for security issues with the Huawei supplied infrastructure. More recently, ZTE in March 2017 accepted USD 900 Million fine for selling US technology to Iran in-spite of US sanctions against such sale of US technology to Iran and North Korea.

In face of such threats to consumer data, strong regulatory measures are being put in place globally to handle this. One of the most prominent examples is the European Union. It adopted General Data Protection Regulation on 27th April 2016. Its primary objective is to give control back to citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU. It mandates data breaches to be reported within 72 hours. Fines which can be imposed could be as high as 20 Million Euros or 4% of the worldwide turnover of the company, whichever is higher. This will become enforceable from 25th May 2018.

In India Information Technology (Reasonable security practices and procedures and sensitive personal data or information) Rules, 2011 were made under provisions of section 43A of IT Act 2008. These rules generically mention security control measures to be followed to safeguard personal information. There are provisions for claims of compensation and also imprisonment up to three years and fine up to 5 lakh rupees. While these are great steps, there is scope for improvement. Fine is too low and handling of compensation claims through adjudication may be diluting the criminal element of such instances. Besides this, it could be made mandatory for any manufacturer to have its source code both of firmware and software disclosed to authorities for possible security leaks.

In the end, these directives though welcome, without the backing of a strong policy framework and commensurate sanctions, possibly on lines of European Union, may fall short of producing intended results.
IANS

India and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to a secure and accessible cyberspace during the Second India-Japan Cyber Dialogue held here on Thursday, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"Japan and India reaffirmed their commitment to an open, free, secure, stable, peaceful and accessible cyberspace, enabling economic growth and innovation," the statement said.

"In particular, both sides reaffirmed that existing international law is generally applicable in cyberspace and that no country should conduct or support ICT-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, with the intent of providing competitive advantages to its companies or commercial sector," it stated.

According to the statement, the areas of discussion included domestic cyber policy landscape, cyber threats and mitigation, mechanism on bilateral cooperation and possible cooperation at various international and regional fora.

The Indian delegation also made a presentation on the 5th Global Conference on Cyber Space to be held in New Delhi on 23-24 November this year.

"Both sides shared the view that they will deepen the dialogues at various levels including through the Japan-India Cyber Dialogue," the statement said.

The Indian side comprised representatives from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Home Affairs, National Security Council Secretariat, Central Bureau of Investigation, Department of Telecommunication, National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre and the National Investigation Agency and was led by Sanjay Kumar Verma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Japanese delegation was led Masato Otaka, Ambassador in-charge of Cyber Policy and Deputy Director General of Foreign Policy Bureau in Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and included representatives from National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity, Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office and the National Police Agency.
Rehan Hooda

HMD Global, the company behind the re-entry of Nokia in the smartphone market has launched its first, true flagship, the Nokia 8. The Nokia 8 will compete with smartphones from both the high-end and the premium segment because of its odd combination of hardware, features and price.

The Nokia 8 features a 5.3-inch QHD (1440x2560 pixels) IPS LCD display with a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 screen. The IPS LCD panel comes with a 554 PPI pixel density, which is pretty high. The phone is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor clocked at 2.45 GHz along with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage.

The company is also offering a variant with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage, but that will only be limited to the 'Polished Blue' colour variant. It offers expandable memory using microSD cards of up to 256 GB via the microSD card slot. The smartphone runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box.

There's a 4G-enabled nano-SIM slot along with a hybrid nano-SIM slot that can be used as a micro-SD card slot to expand storage up to 256 GB. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v5 A2DP and LE, GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, NFC, FM Radio, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a reversible Type-C USB 3.1 port in terms of connectivity. HMD Global has also added an IP54 rating to ensure that dust and minor water splashes dont damage the smartphone.

As for the battery, there's a 3,090 mAh non-removable Lithium-Ion battery that supports Quick Charge 3.0. The device will be available in four color options, Tempered Blue, Polished Blue, Steel and Polished Copper. The smartphone will be available in Europe for EUR 599. The company has not announced the pricing and availability of the flagship for the Indian market at the time of writing.

With the launch of the much-awaited flagship from Nokia, it is sure to generate interest amongst potential smartphone buyers. The reason for this interest is both because of the nostalgia associated with the Nokia brand in addition to the sturdy build quality that we expect from the company. With this in mind, we've pitted the Nokia 8 against the 2017 flagships currently available in the Indian market.

We have chosen the Nokia 8, the OnePlus 5, the Samsung Galaxy S8+ and the HTC U11 for the comparison. Even though, the Nokia 8 is not available in the Indian market, we can expect the device to arrive here in the coming months. Availability in the Indian market is the reason we have not included flagships from Lenovo-owned Motorola and Xiaomi. You can check all the specifications for the devices in the table below:

Smartphone Nokia 8 OnePlus 5 Samsung S8+ HTC U11 Display Size (inches) 5.3 5.5 6.2 5.5 Resolution (pixels) 1,440 x 2,560 1,080 x 1,920 1,440 x 2,960 1,440 x 2,560 Pixel Density (PPI) 554 401 529 534 Display Type IPS LCD Optic AMOLED Super AMOLED Super LCD5 Dimensions (mm) 151.5 x 73.7 x 7.9 154.7  74.1  7.3 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 153.9 x 75.9 x 7.9 Weight (gm) 160 153 173 169 Dual SIM Yes Yes Yes (Variant) Yes SIM Type Nano-SIM Nano-SIM Nano-SIM Nano-SIM Connectivity Types GSM / HSPA / LTE GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / VoLTE GSM / HSPA / LTE GSM / HSPA / LTE Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, Exynos 8895 Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 CPU Cores Octa-core Octa-core Octa-core, Octa-core Octa-core CPU Clock Speed 4x Kryo 280 @ 2.45 GHz & 4x Kryo 280 @ 1.9 GHz 4x Kryo 280 @ 2.45 & 4 Kryo 280 @ 1.9 4x Kryo 280 @ 2.35 & 4x Kryo 280 @ 1.9 and 4x Cortex A73 @ 2.3 & 4x Cortex A53 @ 1.7 4x Kryo 280 @ 2.45 GHz & 4x Kryo 280 @ 1.9 GHz GPU Adreno 540 Adreno 540 Adreno 540, Mali G71MP20 Adreno 540 RAM 6 GB, 4 GB 6 GB, 8 GB 4 GB, 6 GB 6 GB Ruggedness IP54  IP68 IP67 Onboard Memory 64 GB, 128 GB 64 GB, 128 GB 64 GB 128 GB Expandable Memory Yes, up to 256 GB  Yes, up to 256 GB Yes, up to 256 GB Sensors Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass, Heart rate Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass Iris scanner, fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass, Barometer, Heart-rate, SpO2 Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Compass Primary Camera 13 MP f/2.0 and 13 MP f/2.0 16 MP f/1.7, 20 MP f/2.6 12 MP f/1.7 12 MP f/1.7 Optical Image Stabilization Yes No Yes Yes Camera Array Dual Camera Dual Camera Single Camera Single Camera Autofocus System Phase detection, Laser Autofocus Phase detection Phase detection Phase detection Secondary Camera 13 MP f/2.0 16 MP f/2.0 8 MP f/1.7 16 MP, f/2.0 Video Capture 4K 4K 4K 4K Flash Dual-LED Dual-LED LED Dual-LED OS Version Android 7.1.1 Android 7.1.1 Nougat Android 7.0 Nougat Android 7.1 Nougat Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, Hotspot Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot Bluetooth v5, A2DP, LE v5, A2DP, LE, aptX HD v5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX v5, A2DP, aptX NFC Yes Yes Yes Yes Fingerprint Scanner Yes, Home button Yes, Home button Yes, Rear button Yes, Home button 3.5 mm jack Yes Yes Yes Yes Radio - No No No USB Type Type-C Reversible connector Type-C Reversible connector Type-C Reversible connector Type-C Reversible connector USB Standard USB v3.1 USB 2.0 USB 3.1 USB 3.1 Battery capacity (mAh) 3,090 3,300 3,500 3,000 Fast charging Yes, Quick Charge 3 Yes, DASH Charge Yes Yes, Quick Charge 3 Colours Tempered Blue, Polished Blue, Steel, Polished Copper Midnight Black, Slate Gray Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue, Maple Gold Amazing Silver, Sapphire Blue, Brilliant Black, Ice White, Solar Red Price in India 599 Euros (approx. Rs 45,000) Starting Rs 32,999 Rs 64,900 Rs. 51,990

Conclusion:

The Nokia 8 will face heavy competition from rivals in the Indian market at launch. One thing to note here is that it does not bring anything new in terms of design or specifications. The only new feature that Nokia brings to the table are in terms of software with the Bothie feature that uses both the front and back camera modules at the same time to capture a photo or video. The company has also added Dual-Sight video where users can livestream using both the front and back camera at the same time. The smartphone also captures 360-degree spatial audio with the help of OZO Audio feature.

There are a few things that may work for the company as it packs Carl Zeiss lenses on both the camera modules at the back. Another neat addition is stock Android Nougat 7.1.1 out of the box along with a clean UI. Last but not the least, the nostalgia factor would work for Nokia once the smartphone launches in the market. The unique features like Dual-Sight and Bothie may attract some users and content creators.

However, the problem here is not the new software features but the fact that Nokia has not launched anything revolutionary in terms of the hardware. The company was known to take risks and bring different hardware innovations to the market. The Nokia 8 cant compete with OnePlus 5 in terms of the value for money proposition either. The design is also not as bold as that of the Galaxy S8, but the appreciation of this is a subjective choice. It looks similar to the HTC U11 in terms of looks without adding anything new, like the U11's squeezable frame gimmick.

So far, Nokia's flagship seems like a very safe design. It offers a pure Android experience, plain design and a brand name. We're not sure if that'e enough to get everyone to take notice of the fact that Nokia is back. For now, judging by the specs on paper, Nokia appears to be pinning its hopes on the camera. Let's just hope that it's a good one.
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By Asheeta Regidi

The increasing use of technology and the highly digitised world we live in made cyberterrorism a possibility a long time ago. The alleged use of SmeshApp by Pakistan Intelligence Agencies to spy on Indian army personnel is a rude reminder that cyberterrorism is more than a mere possibility, it's real.

Indian army personnel were tricked into installing SmeshApp on their smartphones. This gave Pakistan access to a wealth of critical security information such as troop movements and the counter-terrorism moves of the army. The data collected through this app also may have been used to aid the Pathankot attack. If confirmed, this will be the first major incident of cyberterrorism in India.

What forms can cyberterrorism take?

Cyberterrorism, generally speaking, is the use of computers to commit terrorist attacks. The target of the attack might be computers, information systems and data. This data may be used to conduct terrorist activities in the real world. Section 66F of the Information Technology Act, 2000 defines cyberterrorism and identifies two types of attacks.

One form of cyberterrorism is when a computer system is hacked into to access restricted information, such as military information. The disclosure of such information will be a threat to the security or integrity of the nation. The use of SmeshApp directly demonstrates this type of cyberterrorism. Once installed, this app allegedly collected information on the soldiers every movement, which included phone logs, texts, e-mails and even real-time geolocation information (GPS data).

It is also feared that pictures were surreptitiously clicked through the hacked smartphones. The data collected from each individual soldiers phone collectively revealed crucial security information to the spies. The spies also lured the soldiers using fake Facebook accounts. Once they were befriended, they hacked into the soldiers personal computers. There is no way of estimating how much confidential information the spies had access to through these systems.

The hacking and defacement of Indian government websites is very commonly reported. There is a wealth of confidential information which is available on these websites, and it can be stolen by the hackers. In the past however, actual theft of this information has not been reported.

Another form of cyberterrorism is when the hacking of a computer or introducing a virus into a computer results in a threat to people. For example, a hacker may hack into a hospitals computer systems and make changes which will result in the administration of wrong medicines to patients. This can be fatal for the patients and at the very least, will severely affect their health. Another example of this type of attack is when people are denied access to critical systems such as mobile phone networks.

This form of cyberterrorism actually happened in Estonia, which faced a large scale distributed denial of service attack in 2007. The highly technologically dependent state was rendered completely offline for a period of three weeks. Access to Estonias online infrastructure was completely blocked, which stopped essential services such as mobile phone networks, the internet, online banking and government services.

As cities become increasingly dependent on technology to operate, they become increasingly vulnerable to cyber terrorism. Any system which uses computers or software can be affected this way. For example, the GPS tracking systems which are so common in taxis these days can easily be the object of an attack.

Hackers, software developers can be held liable

The SmeshApp spying scandal reveals a wide range of people who would have been involved in the attack. For example, the app will have needed software developers to create the apps. It would have needed expert hackers who could hack into and take over the smartphones and computers of soldiers. Yet other experts would have been involved for the collection and analysis of the data from the hacked systems.

For instance, if the collected data is encrypted, experts will be required to decrypt it. Under the provisions of the IT Act, not only the hackers themselves, but anyone conspiring with them to commit cyberterrorism will also be liable. This will include all such hackers and other experts involved, including the persons who created the fake Facebook accounts.

If such a person did not know what the app was being used for, then he may not be liable for cyberterrorism specifically. For cyberterrorism, these persons will be punishable with imprisonment for life under the Information Technology Act. These persons will also be punishable under other Indian terrorism laws.

Computers Aiding 26/11 Attacks

Apart from a few isolated incidents around the world, cyberterrorism has been rare. The use of computers to aid terrorist attacks, however, is not so rare, even in India. In fact, they were used extensively to aid the 26/11 attacks. Google Maps was used to guide the terrorists into the city, and Voice-over-IP systems using fake routers were used to communicate. The terrorists also attempted to hack into hotel computers to acquire information on the people staying in the hotels.

The targets of the attack, the two luxury hotels and the Jewish hotel, were also searched for and finalised on the basis of an online search. The sad part is that intelligence agencies abroad and in India had access to this information, but were unable to figure out the terrorists plan in time. E-mail routers were also used to send e-mails from fake IP addresses in the Ahmedabad blasts of 2008. This use of computers to aid terrorist attacks is, however, not cyberterrorism. This is, at best, one of the major drawbacks of technology.

Terrorists are becoming more and more familiar with technology. The more tech-savvy they become, the larger the avenues of cyberterrorism that will open up for them. The Indian army has issued a new internet advisory after the SmeshApp incident came to light. However, in view of the extent of information that may have been revealed, a lot of the damage has already been done.

It is surprising that these measures were not already in place, but it is also possible that the reality of cyberterrorism as a threat did not hit until now. It is hoped that now, stricter measures will be put in place to guard against cyberterrorism.

The author is a lawyer with a specialisation in cyber laws and has co-authored books on the subject.
tech2 News Staff

White supremacist site Daily Stormer is once again homeless as its Russian domain registrar has also banned the site.

Notorious for promoting hatred and violence against minority communities, the site finally bit off more than it could chew when it attacked Heather Heyer, a protester who was killed by a car at the Charlottesville protest, reports ArsTechnica.

First, the sites original registrar GoDaddy booted the site from its servers. Daily Stormer then moved to Googles domain registration service before being booted off yet again. Soon after, Cloudflare, a famously neutral content delivery network (CDN) and internet security provider decided to drop protection for the site as well. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince had some choice words for the site and in a blog, explained why he decided to dump Daily Stormer.

The story doesnt end there. Daily Stormer found a Russian host for itself. This seemed to work for a while, but it turns out that the sites content was too strong even for Russian stomachs. A Russian government inquiry into the hosting of the site resulted in the suspension of Daily Stormer's .ru domain as well reports Radio Free Europe.

Ru-Center, the Russian web host used by Daily Stormer, received a letter from the Roskomnadzor, a federal service that supervises communications, IT and mass media in Russia. The letter requested that Ru-Center look into the possibility of register suspension due to extremist content of this domain. Ru-Center then suspended the domain.

Facebook and Twitter have also suspended accounts linked to the white supremacist site and have removed websites linking to Daily Stormer, adds Radio Free Europe.

Silicon Valley has come together in condemnation of the Charlottesville attacks as well as for US President Donald Trumps response to the situation.
tech2 News Staff

After a grand entry into the Indian market earlier this year and making its presence felt with unique flash sales and zero-advertising expenditure, Xiaomi has now allegedly found itself embroiled in a new controversy- snooping and stealing data. If the chatter online is to be believed then Xiaomi has been accused by the Indian Air Force (IAF) of sending user data to servers in remote located in China.

In fact, IAF is also believed to have alerted all its Commands and Squadrons and suggested that air force officers and their families should refrain from using Chinese mobile devices. This isn't the first time the Indian defense forces have made such an accusation. The Indian Army had issued a similar security alert against Chinese mobile applications. The Army claimed that the location-sharing features of some of the applications may be wrongly used to track and target people working in defence, research, government sector and so on.

According to New Indian Express, the latest IAF alert note reads, "F-secure, a leading security solution company, recently carried out a test of Xiaomi Redmi 1s, the companys budget smartphone, and found that the phone was forwarding carrier name, phone number, IMEI (the device identifier) plus numbers from address book and text messages back to Beijing."

Talking about incidents of Xiaomi devices sending user data to China, the note further states that a Hong-Kong-based phone user has tested the Redmi Note and found that it has been designed to automatically connect to an IP address that is hosted somewhere in China. The data sent to the server includes media storage and SMSes.

Xiaomi has faced several allegations of security leaks in recent months. In August, the Taiwanese government had started investigating whether Xiaomi is a cyber security threat and said it will make a decision within three months. The government had begun performing independent tests on Xiaomi phones after reports about some models automatically sending user data back to the firm's servers in mainland China surfaced.

The note also cites Phonearena that claims the Chinese government may be involved. According to the PhoneArena report, looking up the website of the company owning the IP address in the range 42.62.48.0-42.62.48.255 reveals that the website owner is www.cnnic.cn. CNNIC is the administrative agency responsible for Internet affairs under the Ministry of Information Industry of Peoples Republic of China. It is based in the Zhongguancun high tech district of Beijing," IAF adds in the note.

Xiaomi has been tight lipped and hasn't commented on the matter yet. India is an extremely crucial market for Xiaomi and the company has almost shed the Chinese brand image to woo audiences here. In a very short span of time, the company has managed to sell well over 2,50,000 units here. In an earlier interview, Barra had said, India as a market has a lot of potential for smartphones, but it will probably take a couple of years for it to reach this potential. Its like quarter of a size of Chinas smartphone market or maybe even a fifth, so obviously theres a long way to go. If the Xiaomi system turns out to have loopholes, it could be a huge setback for the company's image and obvious sales in India.
Washington: President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to endorse the idea of mass executions for Islamist extremists, as he alluded to a widely debunked account of summary punishment by a US general in the Philippines in the early 1900s.

It was another provocative tweet from an increasingly isolated leader who uses Twitter to take shots at perceived opponents  and even announce big policy changes.

Thursday's tweet also suggested Trump actually believes a story that many historians say is apocryphal.

Trump first sent out a tweet offering aid to Spain after Thursday's van attack in Barcelona that left at least 13 dead and more than 50 wounded. About an hour later, Trump tweeted: "Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!"

Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

He was referring to General John "Black Jack" Pershing who was the US governor of largely Muslim Moro province from 1909 to 1913. At the time, the Philippines was a US colony. And Pershing's forces had to fight Muslim counter-insurgencies.

The debunked account  which Trump has referred to in the past  is as follows: Pershing's forces rounded up 50 Muslim insurgents and executed 49 of them with bullets dipped in pig's blood  considered by Muslims to be unholy.

"You heard that, right?" Trump said as a candidate during a rally in February 2016 in South Carolina, alluding to the pig blood part. "They were having terrorism problems, just like we do," Trump said.

As the story goes, the 50th prisoner was released to tell his fellow fighters about what the Americans had done. "And for 25 years, there wasn't a problem. Okay? Twenty-five years, there wasn't a problem," Trump said.

Historians have expressed skepticism or outright denial that this event took place.

According to the fact checking website Politifact, the late military historian Frank Vandiver said in 2003, referring to Pershing: "I never found any indication that it was true in extensive research on his Moro experiences. This kind of thing would have run completely against his character." Politifact quoted four historians who denied the account.

Trump endorsed waterboarding  widely held now to be a torture technique, used during the George W Bush administration in its war on terror and halted by Barack Obama  during the presidential campaign.

Once in office, however, after US generals advised him against reverting to waterboarding, with some saying torture simply did not work as a way to extract information, Trump said he would yield to them. And he stopped making public endorsements of the technique.
Barcelona: A crowd in Barcelona's main square defiantly shouted "not afraid" on Friday following a minute's silence attended by Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy and King Felipe VI, held for the victims of a double vehicle attack.

Standing silent in the Plaza de Catalunya, Rajoy joined the king and Carles Puigdemont, the president of the Catalonia region where Barcelona is located, in mourning the victims of attacks that left 14 dead and more than 100 injured.

At loggerheads as the separatist Catalan government attempts to break away from Spain, Rajoy and Puigdemont put their differences aside as they held the minute of silence in the square near the scene of the Barcelona attack.

Just after, crowds at the square broke out in loud applause, shouting "I'm not afraid."

Spain is reeling from a double attack on Thursday and Friday that saw drivers in Barcelona and another seaside town, Cambrils, plough into pedestrians.

Police said they killed five "suspected terrorists" during the night and three others were arrested, although the driver of the van in Barcelona remains at large.
Barcelona: Drivers have ploughed into pedestrians in two quick-succession, separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city, leaving 13 people dead and injuring more than 100 others.

In the first incident, which was claimed by Islamic State, a white van sped into a street packed full of tourists in central Barcelona on Thursday afternoon, knocking people out of the way and killing 13 in a scene of chaos and horror.

Some eight hours later in Cambrils, a city 120 kms south of Barcelona, an Audi A3 car rammed into pedestrians, injuring six civilians  one of them critical  and a police officer, authorities said.

Gunfire ensued during which police killed the five attackers, some of whom were wearing explosive belts. Police said they were "working on the hypothesis that the terrorists shot dead in Cambrils are linked to what happened in Barcelona".

United in grief

Witnesses in Barcelona recounted how bodies were strewn along the famous Las Ramblas boulevard where the driver went on a rampage as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic. The carnage in a city hugely popular with tourists from around the world is the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror.

As world leaders united in condemning the carnage, the Islamic State propaganda agency Amaq claimed that it was carried out by "soldiers" from the jihadist group.

Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run.

"We're united in grief," Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona, the biggest city in Catalonia, a region in Spain's northeast whose separatist government is defying Madrid with a drive for independence. "Above all we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us."

There were at least 18 nationalities among the Barcelona victims who came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency. Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat reported three nationals had been wounded  a woman and her two children.

'Whole street started to run'

Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night. "When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP. "There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners."

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas, said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard. "It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.

In Cambrils, meanwhile, Markel Artabe, a 20-year-old restaurant worker, said he was on the seaside promenade when he heard what he initially thought were fireworks, but soon realised were gunshots. "I saw a foreigner dead with a gunshot in the head. His friends were crying out 'help'. I also saw dead bodies that seemed to be terrorists because they were wearing explosive belts."

Europe's deadliest attack

Spain, the world's third tourism destination, had until now been spared the kind of extremist violence that has rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany. It had even seen a surge in tourists as visitors fled other restive sunshine destinations like Tunisia and Egypt.

But it is no stranger to jihadist attacks, having been hit by what is still Europe's deadliest in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Police said Thursday that one of the arrested suspects in the Barcelona attack was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory on Morocco's north coast, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.

The Spaniard was arrested in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, the scene of an explosion in a house late Wednesday that left one person dead and seven wounded and is believed to be linked to Thursday's assault.

"We suspect that they (the occupants) were preparing an explosive device," Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional Catalonia police told reporters.

'Revolting attack'

Thursday's attack drew condemnation from across the globe.

US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the United States "will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

France's President Emmanuel Macron  whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people  said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack". The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first Islamic State claim of an attack in Spain.

Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.
Among the 100 or more people who were injured in the attack in Barcelona on Thursday are 26 French citizens, at least 11 of whom are in a serious condition, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Friday.

For his part, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told RTL radio that "the number of those who have been seriously injured may perhaps be even higher at around 17."

Expressing his "deep emotion" over the attack, Le Drian said in a statement that he would travel to Barcelona on Friday "to visit the French victims of this cowardly act and affirm France's support to the Spanish people and authorities."

President Emmanuel Macron earlier said France and Spain remain "united" after the "tragic attack".

In an incident claimed by the Islamic State group, a white van sped into a street packed full of tourists in central Barcelona on Thursday afternoon, knocking people over and killing 13 in a scene of chaos and horror.

Some eight hours later in Cambrils, a town 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, an Audi A3 car rammed into pedestrians, injuring six civilians -- one of them critical -- and a police officer, authorities said.

There were at least 18 nationalities among the dead and injured, who came from countries as varied as France, Italy, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency.

One Belgian was among the dead, said Belgium's foreign minister Didier Reynders.
A van veered onto a promenade Thursday and barreled down the busy walkway in central Barcelona, swerving back and forth as it mowed pedestrians down and turned a picturesque tourist destination into a bloody killing zone. Thirteen people were killed and 100 were injured, 15 of them seriously, in what authorities called a terror attack.

The late Thursday afternoon attack in the city's Las Ramblas district left victims sprawled in the historic street, spattered with blood or writhing in pain from broken limbs. Others were ushered inside shops by officers with their guns drawn or fled in panic, screaming and carrying young children in their arms.

Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run, AFP reported. Hours later in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, police said e they shot dead "four suspected terrorists" and left another injured in a "possible terrorist attack."

The incident in Cambrils took place in the early hours of Friday, but police gave no further details, nor did they mention whether the shooting was linked to the Barcelona attack, the report further added.

"It was clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible," Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior police official for Spain's Catalonia region told reporters late Thursday.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, saying in a statement on its Aamaq news agency that the attack was carried out by "soldiers of the Islamic State" in response to the extremist group's calls for followers to target countries participating in the coalition trying to drive it from Syria and Iraq.

Early Friday, Catalan police posted a tweet saying they shot and killed four suspects and wounded a fifth in a resort town south of Barcelona. They said officers "shot down the perpetrators" to "respond to a terrorist attack." It wasn't immediately clear from the tweet if the five shot were suspects in the Las Ramblas attack or were allegedly targeting another location.

Spain's public broadcaster, RTVE, reported that police suspected them of planning to carry out an attack in Cambrils, a seaside town about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Barcelona.

The Catalan regional government said citizens from 24 countries were among the people killed and injured during the Barcelona van attack.

Authorities said the dead included a Belgian and a Greek woman was among the injured. Germany's foreign ministry said it was checking reports that German citizens were among the victims. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the killings a "savage terrorist attack" and said Spaniards "are not just united in mourning, but especially in the firm determination to beat those who want to rob us of our values and our way of life."

After the Thursday afternoon attack, Las Ramblas went into lockdown. Swarms of officers brandishing hand guns and automatic weapons launched a manhunt in the downtown district, ordering stores and cafes and public transport to shut down.

Several hours later authorities reported two arrests, one a Spanish national from Melilla, a Spanish-run Mediterranean seafront enclave in North Africa, and the other a Moroccan. They declined to identify them.

Trapero said neither of them was the van's driver, who remained at large after abandoning the van and fleeing on foot. The arrests took place in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll and in Alcanar, the site of a gas explosion at a house on Wednesday night. Police said they were investigating a possible link between the explosion and Thursday's attack.

Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and other news outlets named one of the detained as Driss Oukabir, a French citizen of Moroccan origin. RTVE reported said Oukabir went to police in Ripoll to report that his identity documents had been stolen. Various Spanish media said the IDs with his name were found in the attack van and that he claimed his brother might have stolen them.

Media outlets ran photographs of Oukabir they said police had issued to identify one of the suspects. The regional police told the Associated Press that they had not distributed the photograph. They refused to say if he was one of the two detained.

Barcelona is the latest European city to experience a terror attack carried out using a vehicle as a weapon to target a popular tourist destination, after similar attacks in France, Germany, Sweden and Britain.

"London, Brussels, Paris and some other European cities have had the same experience. It's been Barcelona's turn today," Carles Puigdemont, president of Catalonia's government.

Thursday's bloodshed was Spain's deadliest attack since 2004, when al-Qaida-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated assaults on Madrid's commuter trains. In the years since, Spanish authorities have arrested nearly 200 jihadists.

The only deadly attacks were bombings claimed by the Basque separatist group ETA that killed five people over the past decade but declared a cease-fire in 2011. "Unfortunately, Spaniards know the absurd and irrational pain that terrorism causes. We have received blows like this in recent years, but we also that terrorists can be beaten," Rajoy said.

Hours after Thursday's attack, the police force for Spain's northeastern Catalonia region said troopers searching for the perpetrators shot and killed a man who was in a vehicle that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. But Trapero the driver's actions were not linked to the van attack.

Las Ramblas is a wide avenue of stalls and shops that cuts through the center of Barcelona and is one of the city's top tourist destinations. It features a pedestrian-only walkway in the center while cars can travel on either side. "When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP.

"There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners." Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars.

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard.

"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.

A taxi driver who witnessed Thursday's attack, Oscar Cano, said the white van suddenly jumped the curb and sped down the central pedestrian area at a high speed for about 500 yards (457 meters), veering from side to side as it targeted people.

"I heard a lot of people screaming and then I saw the van going down the boulevard," another witness, Miguel Angel Rizo, told The Associated Press. "You could see all the bodies lying through Las Ramblas. It was brutal. A very tough image to see."

Jordi Laparra, a 55-year-old physical education teacher and Barcelona resident, said it initially looked like a terrible traffic accident.

"At first I thought it was an accident, as the van crashed into 10 people or so and seemed to get stuck. But then he maneuvered left and accelerated full speed down the Ramblas and I realized it was a terrorist attack," Laparra said. "He zigzagged from side to side into the kiosks, pinning as many people as he could, so they had no escape."

Carol Augustin, a manager at La Palau Moja, an 18th-century former palace on Las Ramblas that now houses offices and a tourism center, said the van passed in front of the building.

"People started screaming and running into the office. It was such a chaotic situation. There were families with children," she said.

Tamara Jurgen, a visitor from the Netherlands, said she and a friend were inside a clothing store steps from the scene and were kept inside until it was safe to leave.

"We were downstairs when it happened and everyone was screaming and running. We had to run up to the roof and throw our bags over a wall," Jurgen said. "We were all together along this wall and we were scared we were going to have to jump."

Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau announced a minute of silence to be held Friday in Barcelona's main square "to show that we are not scared." The prime minister announced three days of national mourning.

Leaders around the world offered their support and condolences to Barcelona after the attack.

US President Donald Trump on Twitter wrote: "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!"

British Prime Minister Theresa May said the UK "stands with Spain against terror" while French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted Thursday evening: "All my thoughts and solidarity from France for the victims of the tragic attack in Barcelona. We will remain united and determined."

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa.

Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016, killing 86 people. In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked truck to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

There have been multiple attacks this year in London, where a man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June. Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a London mosque later in June.

Click here for photos from Thursday's attack
Spanish police said they have stopped a second attempted terror attack on Friday after an earlier one in Barcelona. They killed five persons in Cambrils town to foil the attack.

This was after they ploughed a car into several people on the street in the popular seaside resort to the south-west of Barcelona, injuring six, including one police officer.

The fifth attacker later died after being injured.

Police said their technical teams were working to determine whether the alleged terrorists in Cambrils were wearing explosive belts, the CNN said.

Earlier reports said the terrorists were carrying explosives attached to their body. They were driving along a street near a yacht club after ramming into the crowd, when they were intercepted by the police team.

In the chase the attackers' vehicle appeared to have overturned, Efe news reported.

When the terrorists tried to escape their vehicle, the shootout occurred. The injured suspect tried to escape but was arrested by the police.

Thirteen persons were killed and many injured in the Barcelona attack when a van ploughed into crowds in Las Ramblas area on Thursday afternoon. The driver of the van fled and is still at large.
New Delhi: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday condemned the terrorist attack in Barcelona in Spain in which at least 13 people died and said terrorism is the biggest menace humanity is facing.

"I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured," Naidu said in a message.

"There can be no justification for such barbaric and reprehensible acts," he added.

The vice-president said that terrorism is the "biggest menace humanity is facing with all pluralist societies increasingly encountering new levels of threat".

"International terrorism can only be defeated by coordinated global efforts. We stand with the people and the government of Spain and commend their swift action in dealing with the attackers," he said.

"I join the nation in praying for the bereaved families and early recovery of the injured," he added.

Spanish police on Friday said that they killed five persons in the town of Cambrils to stop a second attempted van attack after an earlier one in Barcelona that claimed the lives of 13 people and injured over 100 others.
World leaders have strongly condemned the Barcelona terror attack claimed by the Islamic State group in which at least 13 people were killed and another hundred were injured on Thursday.

A van driver ploughed into crowds of pedestrians in Barcelona's picturesque Las Ramblas district. From US president Donald Trump to Russian president Vladimir Putin, leaders across the globe expressed solidarity with Spain.

The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Referring to an American general for his tough attitude towards terrorists, Donald Trump said:

Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy said the attack was "jihadist terrorism" which required a global response. "Today, the fight against terrorism is the principal priority for free and open societies like ours. It is a global threat and the response has to be global," Rajoy was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

UK prime minister Theresa May said, "I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today. The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support."

"Following the attacks in Manchester and London, Spain stood alongside the British people. Tonight, Britain stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism."

PM: My thoughts are with the victims of todays terrible attack in Barcelona(1/2)  UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) August 17, 2017

...and the emergency services responding to this ongoing incident. The UK stands with Spain against terror. (2/2)  UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) August 17, 2017

British Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn said:

Terrible reports from Barcelona. My thoughts are with those killed and injured, and the emergency services working to save lives.  Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) August 17, 2017

According to The Telegraph, the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said they were thinking of the victims of the "revolting attack" with "profound sadness". Russian president Vladimir Putin offered his condolences to the King of Spain, Felipe VI, over the attack, Russian state news agency TASS reported. "We strongly condemn this brutal and cynical crime against civilians," Putin said in his condolence message. "What has happened once again emphasises the need for the global community to join efforts to fight against the forces of terror," the Russian president was quoted as saying by TASS. Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev called the attacks a heinous crime. (Dmitry Medvedev: My deepest condolences to the family and loved ones in attack in Barcelona. And a speedy recovery to the victims. A terrorist attack in Barcelona, in the most crowded place in the city, is a monstrous crime. I am sure that we can defeat international terrorism only by the common efforts of the entire world community).

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, condemning the terror attack in Barcelona, said the United Nations stands in solidarity with the government and people of Spain in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, The UN News Centre reported. A statement issued by UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said, "He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those killed and to the Government and people of Spain. He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured and hopes that those responsible for this heinous violence will be swiftly brought to justice." The president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said:

My deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, to @marianorajoy and the people of #Spain. https://t.co/NQEjjuyoev  Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) August 17, 2017

My thoughts are with the people of #Barcelona. We will never be cowed by such barbarism. https://t.co/NQEjjuyoev  Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) August 17, 2017

Juncker also issued a statement and said that "the Commission is at the full disposal of the authorities for any help or assistance necessary." Former United States president Barack Obama said:

Michelle and I are thinking of the victims and their families in Barcelona. Americans will always stand with our Spanish friends. Un abrazo.  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 17, 2017

French president Emmanuel Macron said, "All my thoughts and solidarity from France for the victims of the tragic attack in Barcelona. We will remain united and determined."

Toutes mes pensees et la solidarite de la France pour les victimes de la tragique attaque a #Barcelone. Nous restons unis et determines.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 17, 2017

Sky News quoted the Spanish royal family in a statement as saying, "They are assassins, criminals who won't terrorise us. All of Spain is Barcelona."
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on 5 June after the Borough High Street attack. It is being updated and republished in light of Thursday night's terror attack in Barcelona that saw a van mow down pedestrians in a tourist area, killing 13 and injuring 100.

On Thursday afternoon, a van drove down a promenade in the busy central Barcelona area of Las Ramblas, moving from side-to-side running over scores of pedestrians. While 13 people were killed, the attack left several victims in its wake and induced widespread panic. Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior police official for Spain's Catalonia region confirmed the horrible reality of the attack to reporters that this was no road accident or case of a driver losing control of his vehicle. "It was clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible," he said late on Thursday.

But before that, it was on 22 May that a series of events set into motion a trend of vicious, brutal, up-close-and-personal manifestations of violent extremism in Western Europe.

That's 22 May, 2013, in case you were wondering, and not 22 May this year  which is when the bombing at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena took place  to which a reference is being drawn. On that day four years ago, the British Army's fusilier Lee Rigby was run over by a vehicle and then hacked to death by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale.

In a video shot immediately after the heinous act of butchery, Adebolajo  with bloodied hands still wielding the cleaver and knife  was recorded on video by a bystander as saying, "You people will never be safe... You think (then prime minister) David Cameron is gonna get caught in the street when we start busting our guns? Do you think politicians are going to die? No, it's going to be the average guy, like you and your children."

The video did the rounds of television channels across the world and attained the sort of 'virality' most clips of this nature tend to these days.

And in the four years since Rigby's gruesome murder, three tools have emerged as the new weapons of terrorism: blades, vehicles and cameras.

New weapons of terrorism: Part one

Let's examine the blades and vehicles part first, since these are the most visible weapons being deployed.

26 February, 2016 - Hannover: A German-Moroccan teenager stabbed a policeman in the neck, injuring him, at the city's busy train station. Investigations found that the 16-year-old girl had been influenced by Islamic State propaganda.

14 July, 2016 - Nice: Forty-one-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel used a truck to mow down revellers watching a seaside fireworks display to mark Bastille Day. Eighty-four were killed, while hundreds of others were injured.

18 July, 2016 - Berlin: A 17-year-old Afghan refugee attacked passengers on a German train with an axe, injuring at least four people.

26 July, 2016 - Normandy: Two armed men stormed a church in Saint Etienne du Rouvray, slit the throat of an elderly priest and wounded several others.

19 December, 2016 - Berlin: Twenty-three-year-old Anis Amri drove a truck into a crowded Christmas market, killing 12 and wounding over 50 people. While there was nothing concrete to suggest it was an act of terror, local authorities concluded it was 'probably' a terror attack.

3 February, 2017 - Paris: A machete-wielding man was shot dead while trying to attack a group of soldiers guarding the Louvre. While this attack was foiled, it's frightening to consider what could have happened if he had been able to run amok amidst the sort of crowds that flock to the Louvre.

22 March, 2017 - London: Fifty-two-year-old Khalid Masood mowed down pedestrians on Westminster Bridge  killing four and wounding many others  in his car, before driving into the steel fence around the Parliament building and stabbing a policeman to death.

7 April, 2017 - Stockholm: Rakhmat Akilov, an Uzbek seeking aslyum in Sweden, killed four and injured around 15 people when he drove a truck into pedestrians along a busy shopping street.

And this brings us to Saturday night's attack at London Bridge and Borough Market that saw seven people lose their lives, with a further 48 left injured. The modus operandi appears to be similar to that of the 22 March Westminster Bridge-Parliament attack, in which the attacker indiscriminately mowed down pedestrians, before crashing the vehicle and taking to the street on foot, wielding blades.

The choice of weapon here is closely linked to the concept of the 'lone wolf', highlighted by this article. The author rightly argues that "(a) lone terrorist is far less likely to trigger an alarm or come under the police scanner". And even if the actions of these perpetrators are brought to the attention of the police, it's likely they are set aside because law enforcement authorities tend to focus on more tangible and immediate threats. Case in point: One of the terrorists involved in Saturday night's attack had twice been reported to the police in connection with his radicalisation. Similarly, Masood, who carried out the Westminster Bridge attack, had been "investigated in relation to concerns about violent extremism", according to Prime Minister Theresa May, but was a 'peripheral figure' in the present day's intelligence picture.

And in order to keep a low profile, knives and motor vehicles play an important role.

Unlike the US, firearms are very hard to come by for civilians in Western Europe, particularly in the UK. Knives, on the other hand, are freely available in all departmental stores and can be purchased without raising so much as an eyebrow. Unlike IEDs, self-destructing vests or even firearms, no training is required for how to cause pandemonium with knives. As for motor vehicles, training is provided by governments of all countries and ability is certified in the form of a driver's licence.

The common elements here are that both these tools create nearly as much fear and paranoia as an explosion in the vicinity, and the fact that neither knives nor vehicles require the sort of training that can only be provided in terror camps, which means that potential perpetrators can stay under the radar until they actually carry out the act. There's no travel history, no suspicious cash transactions and nothing linking them to terrorist entities. And this is aside from the fact that these tools are cost-effective for the terrorist and the organisation in whose name the act is being carried out.

New weapons of terrorism: Part two

Obviously, there is a very minuscule number of people who will get into motor vehicles and intentionally plough through a crowd of innocent civilians before setting upon them with machetes, in the absence of some sort of external stimulus. And that is where the third of these new weapons of terrorism  cameras  come in. The word 'camera' refers not only to the actual device, but to the entire process of documentation and propaganda-creation. Propaganda is by no means a new concept; it has existed for as long as human beings have been familiar with the written and spoken word. However, it's the speed with which today's propaganda is created, received, absorbed and executed that is the unique part.

Considering the availability of mobile phones with high-quality cameras, rapidly increasing internet speeds and the variety of social media websites on which videos can be published, the growing instances of self-radicalisation show that potential terrorists need not even leave their homes  never mind traipsing all the way to Muridke  to become beholden to a cause, no matter how misguided. And most extremist videos that go online tend to go viral in hours, demonstrating that there's a ready audience for this sort of content. All within a matter of hours.

This 'instant propaganda' then works in two ways.

First, it motivates, inspires and brainwashes some into carrying out violent acts for a cause they deem to be noble.

Second, it frightens others to view the world through this prism. In other words, wittingly or unwittingly, what this surfeit of knife and vehicle attacks has ensured is that every case of a 'hit-and-run' or a stabbing (perhaps even as part of a simple mugging) will be viewed as a potential terror strike. A case in point was the 25 July, 2016 incident in Reutlingen near Stuttgart, wherein a machete-wielding 21-year-old killed a pregnant woman in broad daylight. The local police eventually ruled out terrorism, but for the first few hours, it was believed that another terror attack was underway. And striking fear into the hearts and minds of the public at large is half the battle won for most terrorist groups like the Islamic State, much like Adebolajo said in his chilling words to the camera.

So what's the solution?

Should knives be sold after background checks? Should there be similar checks carried out for everyone who passes a driving test? Should the internet be subject to complete government surveillance?

None of these are the answer. Treating the symptom, in this case the low-intensity manner in which terror attacks are being carried out, has never been the solution. Unfortunately, when it comes to treating the disease, we're still a long way from discovering a cure. It's back to the drawing boards.
In the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror, a van ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight on Thursday, killing 13 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State. Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run.

Hours later in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, police said they shot dead "four suspected terrorists" and left another injured in a "possible terrorist attack." The incident in Cambrils took place in the early hours of Friday, but police gave no further details, nor did they mention whether the shooting was linked to the Barcelona attack.

Witnesses in Barcelona told of scenes of chaos and horror, with bodies strewn along the famous Las Ramblas boulevard  a hugely popular street with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night  as other people fled for their lives screaming in panic.

"When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP. "There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners," he added.

Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars. Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard.

"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.

A taxi driver who witnessed Thursday's attack, Oscar Cano, said the white van suddenly jumped the curb and sped down the central pedestrian area at a high speed for about 500 yards (457 meters), veering from side to side as it targeted people.

"I heard a lot of people screaming and then I saw the van going down the boulevard," another witness, Miguel Angel Rizo, told The Associated Press. "You could see all the bodies lying through Las Ramblas. It was brutal. A very tough image to see."

Jordi Laparra, a 55-year-old physical education teacher and Barcelona resident, said it initially looked like a terrible traffic accident.

"At first I thought it was an accident, as the van crashed into 10 people or so and seemed to get stuck. But then he maneuvered left and accelerated full speed down the Ramblas and I realized it was a terrorist attack," Laparra said. "He zigzagged from side to side into the kiosks, pinning as many people as he could, so they had no escape."

Carol Augustin, a manager at La Palau Moja, an 18th-century former palace on Las Ramblas that now houses offices and a tourism center, said the van passed in front of the building.

"People started screaming and running into the office. It was such a chaotic situation. There were families with children," she said.

Tamara Jurgen, a visitor from the Netherlands, said she and a friend were inside a clothing store steps from the scene and were kept inside until it was safe to leave.

"We were downstairs when it happened and everyone was screaming and running. We had to run up to the roof and throw our bags over a wall," Jurgen said. "We were all together along this wall and we were scared we were going to have to jump."

With inputs from agenices
Washington: Susan Bro, whose daughter Heather Heyer was killed when a suspected white supremacist drove his car into a group of protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, said Friday she will not speak to US president Donald Trump "after what he said about my child."

Bro, in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America, said the White House had reached out to her several times this week.

"At first, I just missed his calls," said Bro, whose 32-year-old daughter, Heather Heyer, was among the anti-racism protestors who turned out to oppose white nationalists in Charlottesville on Saturday.

"The first call it looked like it actually came during the funeral," Bro said. "I was home recovering from the exhaustion of the funeral, and I thought 'Well I'd get to him later.'"

But Bro said she changed her mind after watching Trump's controversial remarks on Tuesday.

"I'm not talking to the president now," she said. "I'm sorry. After what he said about my child," she said.

"I saw an actual clip of him at a press conference equating the protestors like Ms. Heyer with the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) and the white supremacists," she said.

"You can't wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying 'I'm sorry,'" she said.

Trump on Tuesday said that he'd heard that Heyer was a "fantastic young woman" and her mother had said "the nicest things" about him.

He said the driver of the car that killed Heyer had done a "horrible, inexcusable thing" and condemned the white supremacists and neo-Nazis who organized the rally in Charlottesville.

But Trump has come under fire from Republicans and Democrats alike for insisting the anti-racism protesters were equally to blame for the violence.

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney urged the president on Friday to apologize "for the good of the country."

"Whether he intended to or not, what he communicated caused racists to rejoice, minorities to weep, and the vast heart of America to mourn," Romney said in a Facebook post.

"His apologists strain to explain that he didn't mean what we heard," he said. "But what we heard is now the reality, and unless it is addressed by the president as such, with unprecedented candor and strength, there may commence an unraveling of our national fabric.

"Our allies around the world are stunned and our enemies celebrate," Romney said. "The potential consequences are severe in the extreme.

"Accordingly, the president must take remedial action in the extreme," Romney said. "He should address the American people, acknowledge that he was wrong, apologize.

"State forcefully and unequivocally that racists are 100 percent to blame for the murder and violence in Charlottesville," Romney said.

"This is a defining moment for President Trump," he added, before finishing with a personal appeal.
The power of social media seems to be known to no one better than Donald Trump. The US president has wiped off billions of dollars of the net worth of American companies with just his tweets. Trump has shown that he is capable of doing more damage to the American dream with his tweets than a presidential order. According to The Independent, Trump's tweet resulted in the loss of $5 billion for Amazon.

The company saw its shares lose 1.2 percent of their value within two hours of pre-market trading after Trump's tweet:

Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers. Towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt - many jobs being lost!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2017

Though Amazon was able to regain its lost value by lunchtime, this wasn't the first time the mighty President of the United States (POTUS) made things difficult for an American company. In another instance in December 2016, Boeing became the victim of Trump's social power, when the then president-elect's comments led to the loss of $1 billion of market value, as per The Independent.

Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but I don't want them to have a better plane than me! Cancel order!  Donald J. Trump (@reelDonldTrump) December 7, 2016

Trump had sought cancellation of a government contract worth $4 billion with the airline. The Independent reported that "before the president-elect's tweet, the company was trading at $152.16 per share. After the tweet, it fell close to 1 percent during pre-market trading to $149.75 per share."

In January 2016, it seemed that Toyota motor company was being targeted. Toyota's market capitalisation fell by 1.7 percent in Tokyo, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. All Trump had said was:

Toyota Motor said will build a new plant in Baja, Mexico, to build Corolla cars for U.S. NO WAY! Build plant in U.S. or pay big border tax.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2017

Aerospace company Lockheed Martin also faced the brunt of Trump's twitter rants. According to The Independent, the ammunition giant lost $3.5 billion of market value when he said:

The F-35 program and cost is out of control. We can buy Chinese J20s at substantial savings, and still charge 35% tariff. #LockheedMartin  Donald J. Trump (@MediocreDonald) December 12, 2016

Lockheed's shares fell by more than 4 percent in early trade after Trump tweeted, as per The Independent. Furthermore, "shares in Northrop Grumman were down four percent, while Britain's BAE Systems saw its stock slip 1.3 per cent after Trump's tweet".

Considering that such information has been directly coming from the president, a lot of people might tend to take the tweets at face value. But in making America great again, Trump seems to be low on maintaining accountability in his tweets.

John Kerry said that there is a serious issue if Trump sets state policy within 140 characters: "If policy is gonna be made in 140 characters on Twitter and every reasonable measurement of accountability is being bypassed and people dont care about it, we have a problem, Kerry told Politico.

The report further mentioned that Trump's tweets are at times devoid of fact and lack context in other instances.

Even though often Trump uses his own personal account @realDonaldTrump and not the official Twitter handle @POTUS for these public outbursts, he has been unequivocal.

Accountability, be it of any kind, should be primary for a high position like the POTUS. Lack of accountability will certainly affect Trump's supporters, which will further affect his campaign. Besides the lack of accountability in tweets, Trump is known to tweet without having complete knowledge.

Business Insider India correlates ignorance with Trump's tweets: "Trump has no understanding of the modern, global auto industry, and yet he isn't afraid to take to Twitter to show off his ignorance." The report goes on to say that the auto industry is not bothered about what Trump tweets.

In the same vein, Forbes stated that the president knows very little about the auto industry. And his tweets can simply be dismissed as comments pandering to a certain American audience.

All that could have had been ignored if Trump was just a billionaire businessmen sitting tweeting from his comfy office in one of the many Trump towers across the world, especially since social media is known to be a place for public outbursts. But what seems to be out of place here is an American president slamming American companies seemingly due to no reason at all, and that too after becoming the president of the US on the premise of making "America Great Again".

Was this the America Trump was talking about? He seems to have no regrets.

According to CNN, seven out of 10 Americans opine that Twitter is a "risky way for a president to communicate." Further denting Trump's image, "more than six in 10 say his tweets 'too often turn out to be misleading' and are 'easy to misunderstand'.'

A serious red flag here  if Americans themselves are slightly suspicious about their own president's tweets, leading America on to the path to greatness might be like a mountain to climb.

Even Trump's party members have their doubts about the former businessman: "Fifty-seven percent of Republicans say his tweets are too often a response to what he sees on TV. Forty-nine percent of Republicans say his tweets don't send the right message to world leaders. Fifty percent of Republicans believe the US president's tweets are a risky way to communicate," as stated in the CNN article.

The vision of making America great again might be difficult, keeping in mind that the Republicans themselves are not supporting Trump.

Trump occupies the highest position in America, and his tweets also create ripples in financial markets. An FXCM article touches upon Twitter and volatility in financial markets: "As a general rule, financial markets are not receptive to surprises and uncertainty. Twitter has the ability to supply both, periodically spiking short-term volatilities facing a wide variety of openly traded financial instruments."

Concerning Trump's tweets, the website mentions that although the negative repercussions might not affect the company, in the long run, short term implications can be noted when "pricing and market value may enhance risk to those traders with short investment horizons or large positions on margin".

The effects of the American president's tweets seem to be looming large on any company. If Trump tweets against a company, one can say that its shares might drop and its market value will decrease. The question then arises is just how long do these negative effects last. Do Donald Trump's tweets have sufficient potency to bring a company down?

Reuters says no. The news agency prepared a list of companies targeted in Trump's tweets. The report does acknowledge the fact that values did drop but it says that they fell for a short period of time. Fortune notes that "shares of companies that Trump has criticised rebounded from their losses on the same day he mentioned them."

In light of the protests in Charlottesville, in an effort to make America great again, the least that Trump could do was condemn the white supremacists; instead he chose this time to go silent: "The most positive review of his initial response came from the Daily Stormer, a neo-Nazi and white supremacist website, which wrote, 'Trump's comments were good,' noting that he 'refused to answer a question about white nationalists supporting him' and that, 'when asked to condemn, (Trump) just walked out of the room'," as reported by CNN.

Andrew Weinstein was appointed by Barack Obama to the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. His tweet might just be the accurate maxim for Trump to follow:
New Delhi: India on Friday welcomed the US' decision to designate Kashmiri terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen as a foreign terrorist organisation and said it reflected the joint commitment of the two countries to firmly deal with terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

"We welcome the designation of the Hizbul Mujahideen that has been responsible for carrying out heinous acts of terrorism and taking innocent lives in the state of Jammu and Kashmir as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

He also referred to the US declaring the group's Pakistan-based chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist nearly two months ago.

"We feel that these designations reflect the joint commitment of India and the US to firmly deal with terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," Kumar told reporters.

The MEA spokesperson said it is an obligation for everyone to end moral, diplomatic and material support to such internationally designated terror outfits and individuals.

"No cause or reason can justify continued provision of support, shelter and sanctuary to such entities and individuals in any manner," he said.

The US on Wednesday had designated Hizbul Mujahideen as a "foreign terrorist organisation".

The designation, which slaps a series of US sanctions on the outfit, came against the backdrop of upsurge in the terror activities of the militant group in Kashmir in recent months.

The US decision marks a severe blow to Pakistan which has been projecting the militant group as a voice of Kashmiri people.

Pakistan's powerful army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif have repeatedly praised the militant group's slain commander Burhan Wani who was killed in July last year in an encounter in Kashmir.

Formed in 1989, Hizbul Mujahideen is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir.
An almost centurian's vehicle to expound at nonspecific intervals on his opinions regarding politics-local to international, health care, life,society,and perhaps religion plus periodic vignettes about Plainfield N.J. In addition to "blowing off",I enjoyed my second career as an amateur public advocate.
Helsinki: Two people were killed and six were injured in a stabbing spree in the Finnish city of Turku on Friday, police said, after officers shot one suspect and warned several others could be at large.

"There are eight victims in the stabbing. Two dead and six injured," Turku police tweeted.

Police shot one suspect in the legs and arrested him. Security forces wrote on Twitter that police were "looking for other possible perpetrators".

"Police shot the suspected perpetrator in the legs," police wrote on Twitter. "The person has been arrested. We recommend that people avoid central Turku."

Public television station Yle reported that central Turku was on lockdown, with witnesses saying they had seen bodies lying on the ground in a busy area of the town. Businesses were shut.

"The government is following the situation in Turku closely and a police operation is under way," tweeted Prime Minister Juha Sippila ahead of a cabinet meeting.

MTV3 television reported that police have raised security at Helsinki airport and at train stations.

In 2012, Finland's then-prime minister Jyrki Katainen escaped a knife attack in Turku while campaigning for municipal elections.

The man who approached him carrying a knife was found to be psychologically disturbed and no charges were brought against him.
Lahore: Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons are unlikely to appear before the country's top anti-graft body on Friday for interrogation in connection with money laundering and corruption cases.

Sharif, after receiving the summons, has decided not to join the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation till the Supreme Court decides his review petition against the apex court's 28 July verdict to disqualify him from office, a senior PML-N leader told PTI.

A NAB team of 10 members reached Lahore from Rawalpindi to record the statements of Sharif and his two sons. One of the three applications filed by Sharif in the Supreme Court has called for staying "further implementation of the judgement till a decision on the review petition is taken". The apex court is likely to take up Sharif's review petition early next month after the judges' vacation.

Sharif has expressed serious concerns on the NAB investigation against him and his family members, saying that it was unprecedented for a Supreme Court judge to supervise NAB proceedings against him and his family members to get a "desired result".

"Mr Sharif has also been advised by some of his party to boycott the NAB investigations as he would not get any relief as it has already been decided to grill him," the PML-N leader said on condition of anonymity.

The NAB, however, said it will issue second summons to Sharif and his sons if they do not join the investigations after the first summons. The third and final summons will be issued next month if there is no compliance with the second summons.

The NAB on the directive of the Supreme Court issued summons to Sharif and his sons to interrogate them in its Lahore office in connection with their offshore properties revealed by the Panama Papers case.

On July 28, the five-member bench of the Supreme Court had disqualified Sharif for possessing a work permit in the firm of his son in the UAE.

Sharif and his family members two sons Hussain and Hasan, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Safdar and relatives Ishaq Dar and Tariq Shafi -- are facing many cases, including over the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, the Hill Metal Establishment and Hudabiya Papers Mills.
Freetown (Sierra Leone): More than 400 people have died in mudslides and flooding in Sierra Leone with 600 people still missing in the stricken capital, the Red Cross said on Friday, as Britain promised 5 million in fresh aid.

The disaster began on Monday when heavy rains hit the city and the partial collapse of a hillside triggered mudslides, engulfing homes and wreaking destruction.

"Today we are counting more than 400 people dead," the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, Elhadj As Sy, told reporters in Geneva.

Citizens and experts alike have questioned why the government has not done more to tackle illegal construction and deforestation on the outskirts of the overcrowded capital of Freetown.

An unofficial morgue estimate had previously put the toll at around 400 dead, but the figure had not been confirmed until Friday.

Sy said the government of the west African country was facing a crisis "way beyond (its) capacity" and appealed to the international community to significantly ramp up its support.

The displaced are still sleeping outside "because there are not enough shelters for everybody," he said.

More than 300 victims were buried on Thursday in a ceremony in the nearby town of Waterloo, laid to rest alongside victims of the country's last crisis, Ebola. Around a third of them were children.

'Step up to the plate'

Britain meanwhile announced 5 million ($6.45 million) in funding for several charities working on the ground, targeting children's bedding and clothing and clean water and sanitation for all survivors, as well as medical supplies.

"Our new support will provide basic life-saving supplies like food, water, shelter and clothing to people who have lost everything. The international community must follow our lead and step up to the plate," said Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel.

The Red Cross said it will launch an emergency funding appeal later on Friday, while China has pledged $1 million, Togo $500,000, and Israel and several west African nations have contributed food and cash.

The organisation has warned that smaller mudslides have occurred since Monday in eastern Freetown and in Sierra Leone's second city of Bo, with the rainy season far from over.

So far evacuations have been voluntary from affected areas, which Sy said would remain the policy for the foreseeable future. "Coming by force in the middle of hardship may not be the best way," he added.

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, told reporters the toll "may rise" noting the number of people still missing.

'Nothing can be enough'

In affected communities, many said the emergency response had been too slow.

AFP visited a school building in the devastated Regent community where 350 people were living crammed together. Aid workers said survivors lacked basic necessities to stay warm.

"Nothing can be enough for now," said Rosemary Blake of the Living Water SL charity. "We need blankets; we need used clothing or even unused clothing. We need shoes on their feet."

In Pentagon, the community directly below Regent where rocks and mud rained down on homes on Monday, resident Tamba James said the future looked bleak.

"If they do not locate us to a better place, nobody will care about food. It is not the government that used to feed us; we used to feed ourselves. But we don't have a place to live," he told AFP.

In recent years, trees have been cut down from the Western peninsular forest on Freetown's limits, with everything from shacks to mansions springing up haphazardly on the slopes.

The government has said that in the light of the catastrophe, relocation and a new settlement around the Freetown peninsula would be considered, but similar measures have failed in the past as people seek to live close to the city center for work.
Barcelona: Suspects in Spain's deadly twin terror attacks were preparing an even bigger assault but were thwarted in their plans and forced to act in a "more rudimentary" way, police said on Friday.

Catalonia police spokesman Josep Lluis Trapero added that a driver who mowed down crowds of pedestrians in the first attack in a busy Barcelona street on Thursday could be among five suspects later shot dead in a nearby city.

"They were preparing one or several attacks in Barcelona and an explosion in Alcanar stopped this as they no longer had the material they needed to commit attacks of an even bigger scope," he told reporters.

He was referring to a blast in a house in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday evening. Police believe the explosion, which killed one person and injured seven others, was caused on an attempt to make explosive devices.

Trapero said that after this, the suspects  who formed part of a cell  allegedly went on to commit "more rudimentary" attacks.

These involved vehicles ploughing into pedestrians in Barcelona and then again in the seaside city of Cambrils some eight hours later.

At least 14 people were killed and some 100 others were injured.

Police shot dead five "alleged terrorists" in Cambrils, but not before they had injured seven people, one of whom later died of her wounds.

"The alleged terrorists in Cambrils had an axe and knives in the car as well as fake explosive belts stuck to their bodies," police in Catalonia tweeted.

Asked if the van driver in the first attack was among the five killed, Trapero said "the investigation points in this direction". But while there were "clues" that this was the case there was no "concrete proof", he added.

Three out of the five suspects shot dead have been identified, he added, without giving further details.

So far, authorities have arrested four suspects, including three Moroccans and a Spaniard, none of whom had a criminal record related to "terrorism", police said.
Steve Bannon, the most divisive and combative staffer in the Trump White House and self-described "economic nationalist behind Trumps most controversial plans, is out. This brings to an end Bannons tumultous tenure as the Trump White House is swept up in a storm over the US Presidents remarks on last week's white supremacist-led violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Related link: Trump's policies and white men in America

Bannon, 63, the dishevelled chief of Trumps presidential campaign and his stunning election victory, is said to have offered his resignation to Trump on August 7.

Before joining Trump's campaign, Bannon was the publisher of Breitbart, a provocative right-wing news outlet which serves as a platform for the alt-right, a movement of white men clamouring for white nationalism to be given pride of place in a country swiftly becoming brown.

As Bannon became the fifth high-profile casualty in Trump's inner circle in just six months, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and James Murdoch, son of conservative media tycoon Rupert, added their voices to those criticizing the president.

After Bannons exit, will Trump change? With Trumpisms lynchpin gone, what happens to Trumps nationalist project, executed by Bannon all this while?

Key takeways from a red-hot Friday in Washington D.C:

Bannon may get back to his corner office in Breitbart. In an op-ed, the paper said that Trump sacked Bannon in "an effort to save his presidency after Charlottesville" but warned Trump not to turn away from the right. Breitbart was always designed to counter what its founder saw as the left's grip on the news agenda, which has been Trumps line ever since Bannon got a handle on the campaign in 2016.

With Bannon as an angry outsider, new concerns are rife. Unlikely that Bannon will sit back and watch traditional Republicans go about their gig. Bannon is likely to become more aggressive which may fuel anger in the far-right fringe which is the chief architect of the Charlottesville violence.

Inside the White House, the new chief of staff, John Kelly is a moderate on immigration and has even gotten Trump to let go the idea of a border wall.

Although Steve Bannon exemplifies both xenophobic and economic nationalism, its the former that Trump has borrowed heavily from, not the latter. With Bannon gone and Trumps pet daughter Ivanka clearly against alt-right wingnuts, the push factor for a lot of Trumps unhinged rhetoric is gone.

But Bannon isn't sailing away to a faraway island anytime soon.

"Trump had the seeds. Bannon watered them and made sure they got enough sun. The full bloom Trump you've seen over the last week is because of what Bannon did over the past several years -- inside and outside of Trump's inner circle.

Don't assume that simply because Trump has fired Bannon as his chief White House strategist that their relationship is over. Bannon may be gone from the White House. But his influence won't be disappearing any time soon," says CNN.

.@realDonaldTrump Congrats on removing your first monument to racism! https://t.co/XF4XIQyAO3  Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) August 18, 2017

Trump's Rasputin has left the building. That doesn't mean he still won't be whispering in the president's ear. https://t.co/uabXFsoWRV  Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) August 18, 2017

By all accounts, this is just Round One.

A Bannon kicked out of the White House will likely be more lethal.

Politico reports that in the days leading up to his exit Friday, Steve Bannon told his coterie that he was itching to return to the kind of militant political combat that catapulted him to national fame and thrust him into the center of Trumps orbit.

Time for Bannon da barbarian, he reportedly said.

Elsewhere in the gilded corridors of the Trump estate, an exquisitely dressed lady in pointy stilletoes plots her next move for the 2024 campaign.

Soon after Bannon's exit, she posted this on her Twitter handle.

On Monday, the US will witness its first total solar #eclipse since 1979. It will be visible in every state. Where will you be? #Eclipse2017 pic.twitter.com/Jo2yjQJ1So  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) August 18, 2017

No fingerprints.

Twitter | @byniknat
Washington: The US and Japan have agreed to advance their multilateral security and defence co-operation with countries like India, South Korea and Australia in view of North Korea's dangerous provocative behaviour, leaders of the countries have said.

The threat posed by North Korea was discussed by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, Secretary of Defence James Mattis and his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera.

The four officials have strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action.

"We will cooperate to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and other southeast Asian countries," Tillerson told reporters at a joint news conference with Kono, Mattis and Onodera.

The four leaders addressed the conference after their two plus two meeting at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, during which the threat posed by North Korea consumed much of their time.

"As you might imagine, we've spent a fair amount of time discussing North Korea. North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile and other missile launches are unacceptable provocations, and they must stop immediately.

"We agreed to bolster our alliance capabilities to deter and respond to North Korea's unacceptable behaviour and othe challenges to regional security," Tillerson said.

"In cooperation with other nations, we will continue to employ diplomatic and economic pressure to convince Nort Korea to end its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile program. We will remain vigilant against the North Korean threats through our military preparedness. The US will honour our treaty agreements with Japan without reservation whether time - in times of peace or in the face of conflict," he said.

Tillerson said the North Koreans should understand the consequences should they make a bad choice.

In a joint statement, the four officials strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action.

According to the joint statement, they highlighted the ongoing alliance efforts to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries.

They underscored the importance of cooperating to promote a rules-based international order, taking note of the US' continued commitment to maintain a strong presence in the region and Japan's initiatives demonstrated by its "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy".

Kono said the two countries agreed to ramp up effective pressure.

According to him, South Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries will increase their cooperation in security and defence more than ever.

"We will call on China to take specific measures to make North Korea change its behaviour. On the threat of ballistic missiles, as an alliance, we will strengthen our defence posture and capabilities, and respond. We have agreed on this point. We have confirmed the importance of cooperation through the security treaty," he said.

Noting that the international community recognises North Korea as a threat to Asia and to the world, Mattis said Japan and South Korea are on the front line against the North Korean threat.

"We in the United States recognise any confrontation with North Korea would pose an immediate danger to our allies and their populations," he said.

Onodera said North Korea has plans to launch ballistic missiles to the waters close to Guam, and it is also advancing on their efforts to launch ICBM-class ballistic missiles, miniaturising nuclear weapons to warheads.

"So for this threat of North Korea, at this meeting we agreed to increase the pressure and to strengthen the alliance's capability. In light of the threat of North Korea, the four of us confirmed the importance of the unwavering US commitment to extend the deterrence," he added.
Beirut (Lebanon): Lebanon's parliament on Wednesday scrapped a controversial law allowing rapists who marry their victims to go free, official media and activists said, after a high-profile campaign for its repeal.

A proposal to repeal Article 522 of the penal code  which deals with rape, assault, kidnapping and forced marriage  was introduced last year and approved by a parliamentary committee in February. On Wednesday, it was ratified by the full parliament, the official National News Agency and activist group ABAAD said.

"Congratulations to women in Lebanon," the NGO wrote in a statement on its Facebook page. "Today's win is a victory for the dignity of women," it added. "It is no longer possible to escape punishment for rape and sexual acts carried out by force and coercion," said the group, which has spearheaded the campaign to repeal the much-reviled article.

The article, which also dealt with the rape of minors, allowed for the perpetrator of sexual assault to avoid prosecution by marrying their victim. There are no precise figures on how many rapists marry their victims to avoid punishment, but activists say the practice mainly took place in rural areas.

Lebanon's decision comes just over two weeks after Jordan's parliament binned a similar article in its penal code. In July, Tunisia passed legislation doing the same as part of a bill designed to "end all violence against women."
London: Pakistani rights activist Malala Yousafzai on Thursday secured a place at Oxford University after getting her A-level results as the Nobel Peace Prize winner follows in the footsteps of numerous world leaders by studying philosophy, politics and economics at the prestigious varsity.

The UN Messenger of Peace, who lives in Birmingham since she was airlifted for a life-saving surgery after being shot in the head by the Taliban nearly five years ago, confirmed the news in a tweet congratulating all students getting their board level exam results on Thursday.

So excited to go to Oxford!! Well done to all A-level students - the hardest year. Best wishes for life ahead! pic.twitter.com/miIwK6fNSf  Malala (@Malala) August 17, 2017

In March, the 20-year-old had revealed her "conditional offer" to study the three subjects at the world-famous university if she achieved three As in her A-level results. It would seem she has got the grades that she required.

"So excited to go to Oxford!! Well done to all A-level students  the hardest year. Best wishes for life ahead!" she tweeted.

Malala will be following in the footsteps of world leaders by studying philosophy, politics and economics (PPE)  a course that has been dubbed the degree 'that rules Britain' by the media.

Notable alumni of PPE at Oxford University include former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, someone Malala describes as her heroine. PPE is also one of the prestigious university's most over-subscribed courses.

Other famous alumni include Myanmar's pro-democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi as well as former British prime minister David Cameron and his one-time Labour opponent Ed Miliband.

Malala's father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, tweeted: "My heart is full of gratitude. We are grateful to Allah and thank you to al' those who support Malala for the grand cause of education."

My heart is full of gratitude. We are grateful to Allah & thank u 2 al those who support @Malala 4 the grand cause of education @MalalaFund https://t.co/Cgro6vpPXV  Ziauddin Yousafzai (@ZiauddinY) August 17, 2017

Malala was shot in the head on her way home from school after writing her anonymous diary about life under Taliban rule in the Swat Valley of northwest Pakistan.

Militants boarded her school bus and opened fire, also injuring two of her school friends. She became internationally known after the incident and relocated with her family to Birmingham for further rehabilitation.

In April, Malala was made the youngest ever UN Messenger of Peace. She was also the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize aged 17 in 2014.
BAKER  Great Basin National Park hosted a Lichen BioBlitz, a short-term biodiversity event, July 17-19.

Two workshops and seven guided hikes were offered. Specialists shared information about lichens and their habitats. In addition, participants had the opportunity to attend night-time moth trapping and an Astronomy Program offered by the parks Dark Rangers.

Over 50 participants attended, including lichenologists, naturalists, and those who were just curious to experience the park in a different way. Five states were represented. Also in attendance were park administrators from Toubkal National Park in Morocco, Great Basin National Parks sister park.

Hundreds of specimens were collected under scientific permit, and Dr. Brad Kropp from Utah State University and Dr. Steve Leavitt from Brigham Young University are working on identifying these. They have already identified species that are new to the park at least one lichen species that is new to science. Every hour in the field collecting results in about half a day in the laboratory, so it will still be a few months before a final list is known.

It was inspiring to see how the enthusiasm of the lichenologists spilled over to the citizen scientists unfamiliar with lichens, said BioBlitz organizer and park ecologist Gretchen Baker. Quite a few people said they will never look at lichens in the same way.

Lichens were found on soil as soil crusts, on tree branches and dead wood, and on a variety of rock types. Some notable lichens included wolf lichens on bristlecone pine trees and the bright orange elegant sunburst lichen found at all elevations. Lead taxonomist Brad Kropp said he found the biggest diversity on the top of Wheeler Peak.

The BioBlitz concluded with a lunch sponsored by the Great Basin National Park Foundation and raffle prizes from the Western National Parks Association.

This was the ninth BioBlitz held at Great Basin National Park. To get further information about BioBlitzes or be added to next years mailing list, visit https://www.nps.gov/grba/learn/nature/great-basin-bioblitz.htm.
After Mumbai and Delhi, Uber has expanded its food delivery service  UberEats to Bangalore. UberEATS will go live in Bangalore after 4 pm today.



Uber has partnered with 300 restaurants in Koramangala, HSR and BTM Layout for UberEATS. Customers can order from restaurants like Adigas, Madurai Idly and Truffles to national brands like Barista, Krispy Kreme, Chai Point and FreshMenu. Vartika Bansal has been appointed as the General Manager for UberEATS in Bengaluru. She will be focussing on partnering with and driving value for restaurants and delivery partners.

HOW DOES UBEREATS WORK? Download the app (Android | iOS) Pick delivery location  Input your address where youd like your meal delivered Find the perfect meal  Browse local restaurants or search by cuisine type to find exactly what your taste buds are asking for Place your order  Pick the items you want right now or schedule your order to arrive whenever is most convenient for you Pay through PayTM Track the progress of the delivery  Get updates as your order is prepared and delivered to your destination

Bhavik Rathod, Head of UberEATS India, said

Were excited to launch UberEATS in Bengaluru within four months of starting operations in India. As most people in the city are known to explore new cuisines beyond their culinary borders, were committed to grow our restaurant community and build an expansive delivery network to connect people with the food they love. With the aim to make UberEATS synonymous with effortless food delivery, we want people across the country to experience the ease of ordering their favorite food at the push of a button. Whether its ordering a chicken roll in Gurugram, vada pav in Mumbai or dosa in Bengaluru, all consumers should have to do is fire up the UberEATS app.
Nevada stands alone among the states in an unprecedented rush to Early Start recreational marijuana sales that began on July 1. This wild ride to Early Start resulted in national embarrassment with a self-created pot emergency being declared on July 6  just five days later.

The July 1 Early Start date was unilaterally and arbitrarily announced by Department of Taxation Executive Director Deonne Contine last December. There were no public hearings and there was no vote of approval by the governing Nevada Tax Commission. In passing Question 2, Nevada voters had been assured recreational sales would begin six months later, on January 1, 2018, after adoption of permanent regulations.

Hidden from public scrutiny, the Early Start program involved an unholy alliance of medical marijuana licensees and Nevada politicians. Under Question 2, medical marijuana licensees were given exclusive rights to sell recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana owners, including Las Vegas Sun publisher Brian Greenspun, made it clear their businesses were unprofitable without recreational marijuana sales. The result was a hastily conceived Early Start program  a state bail out of medical marijuana licensees who were losing money. In exchange, state officials imposed a 10 percent retail marijuana tax that would yield a rosy forecast of $60-70 million over two years.

On June 20, Early Start was thrown into legal turmoil when an injunction was granted to Nevada liquor wholesalers against the Nevada Tax Commission. Judge James Wilson found the tax commission to have adopted invalid temporary regulations and engaged in improper ad hoc rulemaking. The judge noted that Question 2 provided an exclusive right for liquor wholesalers to act as marijuana distributors. The tax commission appealed the case, now pending in the Nevada Supreme Court.

The Nevada liquor wholesalers lawsuit was based on their being denied exclusive rights to act as marijuana distributors. Tax Commission Director Contine found there was an insufficient number of liquor wholesalers to serve the market. If that were true, Contine would be allowed to license marijuana companies as distributors. Judge Wilson ruled there to be no basis for Contines finding of insufficiency and ordered the tax commission to adopt valid new rules for determining sufficiency.

As a result of Judge Wilsons decision, a Statement of Emergency was endorsed by Governor Sandoval to allow new expedited regulations to be adopted for marijuana distribution. One newspaper headlined: Governor declares state of emergency as marijuana stash runs short. The action was widely lampooned in media across the country. These new regulations were adopted by the tax commission and are now the subject of a second lawsuit for injunctive relief by liquor wholesalers.

With media attention on the supply issue, dispensaries also became attractive magnets for theft of both product and cash. A Las Vegas dispensary reported four burglars stole $50,000 of material from their vault  before July 1. Almost a dozen other businesses experienced similar break-ins before opening day, according to the Nevada Dispensary Association. One news outlet described the first 13 days of legalization as total mayhem.

Rather than spend inordinate time distracted by who distributes marijuana in Nevada, Tax Commission Director Contine needs to focus on mechanisms that have been proven to work: inventory tracking, product testing, data collection, public health awareness, traffic safety, consumer education and youth prevention.
CNNs Wolf Blitzer on Thursday suggested the question would come up of whether the Barcelona attack may be a copycat of the attack in Charlottesville, Virginia last Saturday. The FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney, of Varney & Co., responded to the comments, saying, Thats sheer desperation to link President Trump with a terror attack in Spain, thats what hes just done.

The FOX Business Networks Liz MacDonald then pointed out, Terrorists have been using vehicles for two years for terror attacks.

Former CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder proposed that this is just the latest attempt in the lefts efforts to defeat President Trump.

They lost, they no longer have the Russian collusion story, theres no collusion, the story last week, a week or so ago, was that Trump was going to create a war with North Korea. Well, you know, the U.N. passed a resolution unanimously, Chinas on board, thats not going to happen.

Puzder then reiterated MacDonalds point, saying ISIS is using cars as a tool in these terrorist attacksThat comparison he made was ridiculous.
If you want to find high-yield stocks trading on the cheap, there's no better place to look than the energy market today. Much to the chagrin of investors who thought that oil and gas prices would finally start to rise again, a barrel of oil has stubbornly remained in the $45-$55 per barrel range for most of the year and tested many investors' patience. For those of us who want to invest over the long term, these oil price chasing traders are providing an excellent opportunity to load up on energy stocks again.

Today, three companies that look particularly compelling with fat dividends are Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A) (NYSE: RDS-B), Helmerich & Payne (NYSE: HP), and Terra Nitrogen Company (NYSE: TNH). Here's why investors should consider taking a look at these stocks today.

An old dog that learned a new trick

Investing in Shell just a couple of years ago looked like a dubious proposition. The company's portfolio was heavily dependent on deepwater and liquefied natural gas (LNG) investments that had rather high breakeven prices compared to most of its peers. Also, the company was in the middle of a major asset sale related to the acquisition of BG Group that made the picture of what exactly an investor was buying a little fuzzy.

Since that time, though, Shell's management has brought the investment picture into focus, and it's looking rather good for a stock that yields 6.6%. The company is generating a lot of free cash flow it can use to lower its debt levels or boost shareholder returns. Also, the company has been able to use the downturn to lower the breakeven costs on several of its growth projects.

Looking at Shell's stock, it isn't selling at a substantial discount to its historical average, but there are two things to consider when you look at stock valuation. First, you have to consider the valuation and where we are in the oil cycle. Earnings should start to rise as oil prices increase modestly and Shell wrings out costs, and cyclical stocks like this will typically trade at a higher valuation when the market is bad and look pretty cheap when times are good.

Also, Shell has historically not been known as a company that generates high margins and returns, so it has typically traded at a lower valuation than its peers. If the company can hit CEO Ben Van Beurden's target returns on invested capital of 11% across the entire portfolio, then this stock could start to be valued for a much higher premium than it commands today.

Improving business, deteriorating valuation

The shale industry has been a fascinating market to follow over the past couple years. Sometimes it's hard to fathom how much better producers and oil services companies have become at drilling for oil. To give you an example, the active rig count in the U.S. today is about half what it was before prices started to crash -- 900 versus 1,800. With only half the assets deployed in the field, U.S. oil production is up 600,000 barrels per day over the past nine months to near pre-cash levels and growing.

For rig owners like Helmerich & Payne, this isn't good news, because it means the industry needs fewer rigs to achieve the same results. As of the most recent quarter, H&P had about half of its rigs deployed, and it's looking like the appetite for new rigs is drying up fast. This has sent shares plummeting so far in 2017 to the point that Helmerich & Payne's dividend yield is at 6%.

This particular thesis -- that a flattening rig count means this is as good as it gets for rig companies -- overlooks some of H&P's strengths. The land rig market is still in a state of considerable fleet turnover, Helmerich & Payne is in a position to take market share, and its management team has been great stewards of shareholder capital for more than four decades.

As management said on its most recent conference call, it is possible that it could revisit its dividend payout policy if the market were to take another turn downwards. However, the chances of that happening seem less likely than the market staying flat or modestly increasing over the next few years. With shares trading at prices close to what we saw when oil prices were less than $30 a barrel in 2016, Helmerich & Payne could be both a good dividend investment and an opportunity for some sizable gains over the next several quarters.

The market continues to worsen, but the thesis remains intact

Anyone invested in Terra Nitrogen company has to be extremely frustrated with the results over the past few years. I know I am, because I'm a shareholder. While the company isn't necessarily an energy investment, its stock has been significantly affected by the energy markets. The nitrogen fertilizer industry has been in thrown on its head over the past several years thanks to cheap natural gas in the United States, which is a feedstock for producing fertilizer. Gas-based fertilizer production in the U.S. went from one of the most expensive sources in the world to one of the least expensive sources in a matter of a few years, and companies have flocked to build out new domestic facilities to benefit from the cheap feedstock.

Here's the problem: All of that new, cheap production needs to be absorbed by higher demand, or higher cost supplies of product need to go away. Neither of these two factors have materialized enough to support prices, and it has hit the bottom line of Terra Nitrogen Partners. What's worse for income investors is that since Terra Nitrogen is a variable rate master limited partnership that pays out all available cash at the end of each quarter, its payout has declined with the price of fertilizer.

This fall has been hard to swallow as an investor, but investors shouldn't be too quick to give up on this stock. The original investment thesis for this business is still intact. Terra Nitrogen remains the lowest cost producer (its net income margin last quarter was 41%); its facility is in the heart of a major U.S. shale basin to provide it with ample, cheap gas supplies; and it is completely debt-free, so all of the cash the company produces flows directly into investors' pockets.

When cyclical commodity markets like this one get completely up-ended, it takes a long time for them to find equilibrium. When it does, Terra Nitrogen is going to reap the rewards, and investors will likely find themselves with an extremely high-yielding stock.

10 stocks we like better than Terra NitrogenWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*

David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now and Terra Nitrogen wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

Click here to learn about these picks!

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2017

Tyler Crowe owns shares of Terra Nitrogen. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
White House adviser Steve Bannon isn't alone in pondering America's possibly generation-defining question about China's emerging superpower status  but his call for an "economic war" puts him far outside the mainstream.

In an interview reflecting on some of his big-thinking projects, Bannon said the country should be "maniacally focused" on a confrontation with Beijing over who will be the global "hegemon" of the next 25 to 30 years. The former Breitbart News executive  who works steps from President Donald Trump in the West Wing  told The American Prospect that "the economic war with China is everything."

For decades, American economists, military strategists and policymakers of all stripes have wrestled with how the United States and China, the world's biggest and soon-to-be biggest economies, manage differences on trade and security. But no one in a position of power has adopted a strategy that entails the almost messianic zeal of Bannon's world view.

For good reason, according to advocates of more measured approaches to dealing with China, who argue that an economic war would hurt everyone.

"Steve Bannon's view is too simplistic and arrogant," Seattle trade attorney William Perry declared, saying such talk "could get the U.S. in big trouble." He said Bannon's position is "built around the idea that the United States is the biggest market in the world and everybody has to kowtow to us."

Bannon's comments do reflect sentiments Trump himself has channeled on narrowing America's vast trade deficit with China and bringing manufacturing jobs back home. They also underscore the ways in which the U.S. administration is in conflict with itself on China and other foreign policy issues.

Bannon was stunningly candid about purging rivals from the Defense and State departments who supposedly resist the tough trade line with China. And he contradicted Trump by calling his boss' bluff on threatening to attack North Korea, saying there is no military solution to the nuclear standoff.

Bannon characterized the focus on North Korea as a "sideshow" to a more significant, U.S.-Chinese struggle for world control.

Past U.S. administrations, Republican and Democrat, have cooperated with China since it initiated market-opening reforms more than three decades ago. The Clinton administration, for example, supported China's World Trade Organization entry in 2001.

But as China's economic and military might has grown, hopes it would open its markets and play by WTO rules like other rising economies have receded. U.S. views have hardened.

While American consumers have benefited from cheaper Chinese-made goods, the imports have caused massive U.S. trade deficits. Last year, for instance, America's trade gap in goods with China was $347 billion. That represented nearly half the U.S. trade deficit with the entire world.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Zurich and the University of California, San Diego, found the U.S. lost 2.4 million jobs from 1999 to 2011 because of Chinese import competition. For Americans, that is the biggest concern and one Trump tapped into among blue-collar voters, at Bannon's urging.

Of his economic war with China, Bannon said: "We have to be maniacally focused on that. If we continue to lose it, we're five years away, I think, ten years at the most, of hitting an inflection point from which we'll never be able to recover."

Such doom-and-gloom talk may be getting Trump's receptive ear. His administration has recently dusted off some little-used trade weapons, starting a process that could lead to penalties on Chinese steel and aluminum imports. On Monday, Trump announced the U.S. is investigating China for allegedly stealing American technology and intellectual property.

But Bannon is surrounded by rivals for the president's favor, clashing with top officials such as H.R. McMaster, Trump's national security adviser. Trump himself passed up an opportunity this week to express confidence in Bannon, who has been with Trump since before the presidential election.

Of The American Prospect interview, a White House spokeswoman on Thursday only said, "Bannon's comments stand on their own."

An individual outside government who met recently with Bannon described him ordering up voluminous dossiers about China from various government agencies in recent weeks, possibly to prepare for Trump's trade action this week. Trump's announcement drew an angry reaction from Beijing, which also pushed back on Bannon's remarks.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunyin called Thursday for "sound and steady growth of China-U.S. relations."

"There is no winner in a trade war," Hua told reporters in Beijing.

For years, China manipulated its currency to give its exporters an advantage over foreign competition. It demanded foreign companies turn over technology to access China's vast market, and its firms rampantly stole the intellectual property of foreign companies. Government subsidies and cheap loans encouraged Chinese factories to overproduce steel, aluminum and other products, driving down global prices and putting U.S. and other firms out of business.

But Washington hasn't ignored violations. The Obama administration, for instance, filed 16 WTO cases against China. The U.S. has almost completely blocked steel imports from China. The Peterson Institute for International Economics found in a report this year that more than 9 percent of Chinese imports face trade barriers in the United States, versus less than 4 percent of overall imports.

And China stopped manipulating its currency a few years ago.

Bannon's comments suggest potentially harsher measures. During the presidential campaign, Trump threatened 45 percent tariffs on Chinese imports, even if that would likely prompt Chinese retaliation.

"The notion that we slap some tariffs on them, and they're going to cave  that, I'm sure, is wrong," said David Dollar, a former U.S. Treasury and World Bank official now at the Brookings Institution.

____

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Darlene Superville in Bridgewater, N.J., contributed to this report.
FoolFest is a gathering of members of Motley Fool ONE, Supernova, Pro, and Options that happens every year at Fool HQ.

In this episode of Motley Fool Answers, we pick through a tasty crop of questions that we harvested from the crowd at this year's FoolFest. Find out why some of the world's biggest robo advisors allocate over 50% of their portfolios in international stocks; how to know if you're saving too much during your retirement; how it's possible to earn more money and keep on aggressively investing during retirement; why we at Motley Fool Answers usually recommend index funds over mutual funds and individual stocks; what you need to know before investing in a long-term care insurance policy; and more.

A full transcript follows the video.

10 stocks we like better than Wal-MartWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*

David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Wal-Mart wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

Click here to learn about these picks!

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2017The author(s) may have a position in any stocks mentioned.

This video was recorded on June 20, 2017.

Alison Southwick: This is Motley Fool Answers. I'm Alison Southwick, and I'm joined, as always, by Robert Brokamp, personal finance expert here at The Motley Fool. We're also joined by Sean Gates. He's a financial planner with Motley Fool Wealth Management.

Robert Brokamp: A sister company of The Motley Fool.

Sean Gates: A sister company of The Motley Fool.

Southwick: A sister company of The Motley Fool. Thanks, guys, for coming in and helping me on that intro. Every year, members of Motley Fool ONE, Supernova, Pro, and Options get together at Fool HQ to learn and laugh at an event we call FoolFest. So for today's episode, we're answering questions from FoolFest. I basically ran around and put my phone in people's faces and said, "Ask a question."

So questions like: "How much should you allocate to international stocks, is long-term insurance worth it, and did Bro really go to seminary? All that and more on this week's episode of Motley Fool Answers.

[...]

Southwick: So we just had FoolFest a couple of weeks ago, which is this great, big, get-together of Motley Fool members.

Brokamp: It's the Woodstock for Fools. How's that?

Southwick: I guess, so, yeah. I mean, there's a lot of old-school Fools there who are like, "I've been reading you since the AOL days." But it's great. It's a great time to just get together and hang out with people who love to talk about stocks and investing.

I had a great time every time someone would say, "I love the podcast." I would say, "Great! Ask a question." And some people were very nice to actually have questions for us, so we're just going to go through them today. Now, the audio might have a lot of noise in the background because, like Bro said, it's kind of a rowdy Woodstock for investing. So our first question comes to us from Paige.

Paige Searle: Hi, I'm Paige, and I'm from San Diego. Robert had mentioned he thinks that international stocks are going to outperform U.S. stocks over the next several years. I was wondering if that impacts his recommendation for how much of your portfolio you should have in international stocks right now?

Brokamp: Hi, Paige. It's always great to hear from Paige. I don't know if you know Paige, but she is quite awesome.

Gates: She seems lovely.

Brokamp: She is lovely. My expectation -- and it's, of course, not a guaranteed expectation -- is that international stocks will outpace U.S. stocks. It really comes down to valuation. There is a website run by a company called STAR Capital. It's a German wealth-advisory firm, and they rank the valuations of the 40 biggest national stock markets from cheapest to most expensive. The U.S. is No. 35, so it's the sixth priciest market right now. It's reflected in the P/Es, but also in dividend yields, so if you were to look at the yield on U.S. stock markets, it's like 1.8%. A diversified portfolio of international stocks is yielding closer to 3%, which is another way to gauge valuation. That's really what it comes down to.

So has it affected my recommendations? About a year-and-a-half ago, or so, I upped the international allocation in the RYR [Rule Your Retirement] model portfolios, so it has reflected the general allocation that I recommend for people.

Gates: And I just always like to provide some real-world examples. I'm in the robo-advisor space with Motley Fool Wealth Management. One of our primary competitors is Betterment, and for an aggressive allocation, their allocation is pushing over 50% in combined international exposure between developed markets and emerging markets...

Southwick: That seems high.

Brokamp: Really high.

Gates: ...which is super high, and the underlying component of that is that most of the robo-advisor firms use Black-Litterman models, which is sort of a [mathematical] formula to calculate risk versus reward and where you want to target capital allocation. Motley Fool Wealth Management -- our Black-Litterman -- would have us allocating close to 50% in those areas.

Southwick: But we don't follow that?

Gates: We put our finger on the scale a little bit to rein it in. It gets closer to the Rule Your Retirement statistics.

Brokamp: Right. And in our model portfolios, it ranges from 10% to 30% depending on your risk tolerance. And part of why some people might limit it -- and I don't want to speak for your group -- is that, frankly, international stocks are more volatile, and part of it is just behavioral. People are less likely to stick with international stocks because they perceive them as riskier and they're not as familiar with them. So that's part of why someone might limit them.

And I will say in a recent Bloomberg article, Jack Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, says, "I've never invested in international stocks currently and I probably never will."

Southwick: Really?

Brokamp: At 88, he's split evenly between stocks and bonds, and they're all U.S. index funds. If you look at the period that he cites from 1993 to the recent time, it's proved true. U.S. stocks have outperformed international stocks. It's a little bit of cherry picking the figures, because there are times like the '80s and the first decade of the 2000s when international stocks won.

We all love Jack Bogle here at The Motley Fool, so you don't need international stocks, but I personally have a good allocation [of] them.

Gates: And I think, to your point about behavior, these things take such a long time line to play out. [If] the math model says you should have 50% in [international], is someone who is in that portfolio with 50% of their money in international stocks actually going to hold it to have the returns play out?

Brokamp: Right, exactly.

Gates: And the answer is usually no. We have folks call into Motley Fool Wealth Management who see our allocation with 20%-30% in international, and they're like, "I want 0%."

Southwick: Well, we've talked about that before on the show. Not only are the investor protections better here in the United States, but also our markets are a little bit more stable, so you can't compare international markets to the U.S. for a number of reasons.

Brokamp: And some people will say -- and I think Jack Bogle would be warning these people -- that if you own a diversified portfolio of U.S. companies, you're already getting international exposure. Almost half of the revenue from the companies in the S&P 500 comes from overseas. So it's not like you won't benefit by global growth if you just stay with the U.S. But for me, personally, when you look at a diversified portfolio that's regularly rebalanced, you do get a little bit of a diversification boost [and] a little bit of a performance boost depending on the time frame you're looking at.

Southwick: So generally, bottom line, international exposure roughly 20%?

Brokamp: I think 10%-30%. Ten percent for people who are conservative or in retirement, up to 30% if you're more aggressive. But you just have to plan to stick with it, because there will be long periods where international stocks don't do as well.

Southwick: Our next question comes to us from Marc.

Marc Seeman: Marc Seeman from Canada. I was on the plane down to FoolFest. I was reading an article from The Fool about: "Should you spend your money in retirement or should you invest it?" Something to that effect. I'm looking for guidance as to when you're saving and investing too much money and you're not living life and spending enough of it.

Brokamp: So Marc is talking about an article that I wrote, actually, and it was based on a couple of recent studies that have found that in roughly that first decade of the 2000s, retirees could have been spending more than they did. Basically, what they saw is that the wealth of the retirees grew through that first decade of the 2000s despite the fact that we had two brutal bear markets. So how could that be? Well, part of it was they were conservative in their spending to begin with, and their spending declined about 2.5% every year.

The conclusion of these two studies was basically: "Hey, retirees. Relax a little bit. Spend a little bit more." One of the studies found that, actually, wealthy retirees could spend up to 50% more. I'm not sure I totally agree with that, but I think it's a worthwhile question. If you save your entire life, maybe you should be spending a little bit more. How do you help people determine that, Sean, down in your area of Fooldom?

Gates: It's a great question. I think I should clarify first that you need to stop stealing my articles.

Southwick: What?

Gates: But the short answer is this is a common question, and actually one of the primary value-adds that Motley Fool Wealth Management can offer folks is a lot of people who come to us are already money minded. They're in much better shape than the median or average person is already. And so we can, with some specificity, tell them, "You can actually spend more money and here's by how much." That is a valuable thing, because you get to the core of Marc's question, which is that you don't need to be frugal anymore, or pay attention to the longer-term goals. You should actually enjoy your retirement now.

I recently helped a woman retire early, and she gets to travel, now. She wouldn't have done that, I don't think, if it wasn't for the guidance that we were able to provide. This question comes up all the time, and I think people overestimate. In our models, we will reduce annual spending by about 1%-2%. I think in your article, it was referencing a potential 2.5% decline, on average.

There are many studies that it's in that range of 1%-2%, and I think most people don't account for that in their retirement projections. Any online calculator just inflates your 80% retirement goal, and it doesn't account for that decreasing spend in retirement.

Brokamp: And so, basically, what you're saying is that you help people do this through financial planning software, so it does take a tool to figure this out.

Gates: Yeah. There are some simple shortcuts. I think, as a function of the 4% withdrawal rule, one of the monikers is you can take your desired annual spend, multiply it by 25, and that gives you the rough figure that you need to retire. There are some people who might argue for or against that, but that multiplied by 25 implies a 4% withdrawal rate.

And so, if you assume that you're deflating retirement expenses a little bit, that 25 number might be 20, so you can multiply your annual spend by 20. If it's $50,000, just as an example, that would be $1 million that you need to have saved for retirement if your all-in retirement expense was $50,000.

Brokamp: Right. I will say one of the points they were trying to make in these studies is people are being too frugal. They're too afraid of running out of money. In my opinion, if that's the way they are, so be it. I don't think there's anything wrong by having a big, fat emergency fund in your portfolio, and some people do get stressed out by seeing the size of their portfolio go down in retirement. If that will cause you distress and will cause you not be able to enjoy your retirement, then fine.

Gates: And I think another component that gets lost is folks want to leave assets to the next generation, so that bucket of money might not just be for their retirement spend. It might be, "I want to maximize as much as I can leave to charities, or my kids, or things like that." So there's another component, there, but I think, generally, people are a little bit overcautious.

Southwick: That's a good segue to our next question. Did you do that on purpose?

Gates: Totally.

Tim Parrish: I'm Tim Parrish, and I'm from Harrisonburg, Virginia. I have a question for Alison and Robert. I've been convinced that money is mostly important for building a future. So I have retirement funds. I'm 57. I want, when I graduate and pass on, to have at least the same amount of money in my retirement accounts to pass on to my family, or even more. So I'm looking for ideas of [the best way] to do that.

Brokamp: I'm assuming he means graduate from life.

Gates: Don't we all?

Brokamp: Don't we all? So here's an example of someone who wants to play it a little safer. Has the next generation in mind, and I think that's perfectly fine as long as you can do that and enjoy your retirement, because you probably saved and scrimped for decades to build up your retirement funds. You want to be able to enjoy a little bit of it.

Southwick: Is it crazy to think, "I want to make this much money in retirement to not deplete my funds at all, or even make more money in retirement?" Is that a crazy idea?

Brokamp: No. In fact, that's what some of these studies have shown... that that's what most retirees are actually doing.

Southwick: Making more money in retirement.

Brokamp: Right. There was a study that we talked about probably two years ago, because I went to...

Southwick: I don't remember.

Brokamp: ... it was a retirement consortium and there were other studies that showed that people generally don't deplete their wealth throughout retirement. The only exception is people who have significant healthcare costs or long-term care. Those are the factors that will cause you to deplete your portfolio.

Otherwise most people actually don't deplete their portfolio, because, I think, first of all, it just makes them nervous. And second of all, if you are living off 4%-5% of your portfolio, and your portfolio is growing 6%-10%, it's perfectly doable.

Gates: Yes, and another thing that I think comes into this equation is there's this really key fulcrum point which is when you retire. So when you're allocating your portfolio to risk-reward assets, you're usually aggressive at a younger age, and then as you approach that fulcrum point, you become more conservative, and a lot of folks then stay conservative.

And there's an opportunity, once you've bridged that 3- to 5-year retirement-transition gap, to become more aggressive in your portfolio over time, because you've met your needs, you've figured out your retirement budget, and you can start to become more aggressive for the causes that we're referring to here, or passing on wealth to kids. It starts to take on their time line. So I think it is very possible to have the estate goals, or the wealth goals, that you want in retirement.

Southwick: So is it just about being more aggressive and having riskier stocks in your portfolio? What should Tim do to not deplete this?

Brokamp: That could part of it. The other part is that Tim would just have to adjust his spending in retirement based on what happens to his portfolio. So if his goal is to leave $500,000 to his kids, if his portfolio grows beyond that, you can spend more. If something happens to the stock market where it drops below that, then he has to be willing to cut back until his portfolio recovers. But if I were a financial planner, I would say, "So how much do you want to leave as a bequest and then let's just manage your retirement expenses and investments around that."

Gates: Another thing that you can do to help calculate it is a lot of folks wait. They leave an inheritance. You can come up with annual gifting plans which will allow you to figure out, as part of your retirement budget, how much you should be gifting. So in this case, if he wanted to leave as much as in retirement, if he starts mapping that out and he says, "OK, I'm giving $24,000 a year to the causes that I want," then you start to quickly realize how much you can actually add back and say, "Well, 10 years in retirement, I've gifted $500,000 and I spent $500,000, so I'm track." So it gives you a way to measure these goals.

Brokamp: I think that's a great point. If one of your goals is to give money to charity or to relatives, why not do it while you're still alive and bask in their gratitude.

[...]

Southwick: Back to the questions. The next one comes from our friend here at The Fool, Brian Withers.

Brian Withers: Brian Withers, New Jersey. Robert talked about, one time, the bigger the house you have, the more money you spend to put stuff in it, and I was wondering if he had any facts or backup data on that?

Southwick: I love that question.

Brokamp: So no, Brian, I never have facts backing up what I say. I have this 10-year-old in another country who writes all my articles, so I have no idea. No, I'm just kidding.

Southwick: Oh, next question. The answer is no, Brian.

Brokamp: So, Sean, what do you think? Am I full of BS, or are there facts behind this?

Gates: This is actually a really great question, because it is hard to find hard statistics about whether your expenses are higher as a function of the size of your house, but...

Southwick: Oh, wait. You actually did research.

Gates: I did.

Southwick: This is why we have Sean on, because he actually does research.

Brokamp: I might have some research, but continue, Sean.

Gates: No! You already said you didn't. So the Census Bureau comes out with a study called the Characteristics of New Housing. As of 2014, an interesting fact is that, over the last 40 years, the median average home size has increased 1,000 square feet, while the average and median household per-person unit has decreased by half a person. And so if you look at those statistics in aggregate, that's a 95% increase in per-person square footage and you have to assume that the expenses have increased. There's no way that fewer people in a [house twice as big] have less things. It would just be an empty, vacant ghost house.

Brokamp: Right. And I will say that a lot of the research on this is really about price more than size, but generally, of course, within the same market, a bigger house is going to cost you more money. So just intuitively, you would know a house that is more expensive, you're going to pay more for property taxes. You're going to pay more for homeowner's insurance and things like that. Obviously, with a bigger house there's more to furnish.

There is a report that came out from the Center for Retirement Research from Boston College that said if someone who is retired who had a $250,000 house downsized to a $150,000 house, their expenses should drop by more than $3,000 a year because of utilities, taxes, and things like that. So yes, Brian, there is some research behind what I said.

Southwick: I happen to know that Brian is in the middle of downsizing, so he's really pretty excited to hear that.

Brokamp: I think he was looking for some validation on that.

Southwick: The next question comes to us from Daryl.

Daryl Huggins: I'm Daryl from New York City. I'm real curious on why you decided to go toward just recommending index funds and not recommending any more mutual funds, as you have shown on the newsletters a few months ago.

Southwick: I should also add that Daryl's first question was how do I get the best mortgage for my new spanking house?

Gates: Does it actually spank him?

Southwick: I got so much grief...

Brokamp: So Alison, in one episode meant to say, "brand-spanking new house," but instead she said, "her brand new spanking house."

Gates: That's amazing.

Southwick: So I got so much grief at FoolFest for this. I'm continuing to get grief to this day for saying that and Daryl was no exception.

Brokamp: Isn't he also the one who made the Fraggle Rock observation?

Southwick: Yes. Apparently, when Darryl hears this show, he pictures me as Red Fraggle and Bro is Boober, which is visually pretty spot-on. That's why I'm thinking we need to go as Red and Boober for our Halloween next year.

Brokamp: That sounds great. Anyway, to answer Daryl's question...

Gates: Physically spot-on, too.

Brokamp: [Laughs] I know. Boober. So I think what Daryl is referring to is in the history of the Rule Your Retirement service, of which I've been an advisor now, and our anniversary is just now 13 years this month...

Southwick: Aw! Happy Anniversary!

Gates: Congrats!

Brokamp: Thank you so very much. At one point, we also had a separate service called Champion Funds, and then the two joined so that we had RYR, but also we were covering actively managed funds and an actively managed fund portfolio up until the last few months.

Why did we do that? Well, first of all, the evidence is clear that generally speaking, most actively managed funds have difficulty outperforming a relevant index fund. The recent research from the Standard & Poor's Indices versus Active Score Card finds that over the last five years, 85% of actively managed funds could not beat a relevant index fund. So just by those numbers alone, it makes sense to at least have part of your portfolio in index funds.

I will say as I explained in the article when I made this announcement, part of it was an editorial decision because, based on article clicks and surveys of our readers, most people really weren't buying actively managed funds, so we just decided it wasn't worth writing about them. But as I made clear in that article, that doesn't mean we don't think you shouldn't own actively managed funds. I own many actively managed funds. I'm on The Fool's 401(k) committee. We have plenty of actively managed funds within our 401(k). Just this morning, I rebalanced my 401(k). I sold some money that I have in U.S. index funds to buy more of my international...

Southwick: Eating your own cooking!

Brokamp: That's right. It's an actively managed fund. So we're not saying you shouldn't have actively managed funds, but just for the RYR service, it just made sense for us to focus on ETFs and index funds.

Southwick: Now someone else at FoolFest was like, "Why does Bro hate individual stocks so much?"

Brokamp: Where does that come from?

Southwick: I think maybe it comes from the fact that that's not what we really focus on, on this show. If you want to talk about individual stocks, try any one of our other shows. Our focus is really more about retirement.

Brokamp: And I would say 20% of my 401(k) is individual stocks just looking at it from this morning.

Gates: I would say almost 100% of mine is in individual stocks. But I'm younger.

Southwick: Bro doesn't hate stocks. He doesn't hate actively managed funds.

Gates: I think we've referenced the Dalbar study on this program several times, but a huge component of why, as a financial advisor, it's easy to recommend index funds is because it can lead to good results in just investor behavior. It's much easier to stick with index funds because there's no expectation of underperformance.

You get market return, so if the market is down 10%, you're down 10%. You're not down 20%. Or if the market is up 10% and you're up 5%, you're like, "Well, now I've got to find the next thing that's up 12%." These things lead to the Dalbar Effect and underperformance, so having index funds as your bulwark or spine of your portfolio is an easy recommendation to lead to better results.

Brokamp: Right. It's just some people aren't familiar with the Dalbar Study and there are some criticisms of it. Basically, people tend to underperform the actual funds that they own just because they buy when they're high and they sell when they're low.

Southwick: They move in and out at the wrong times. A lot of people, though, don't really care about beating the market. They just don't want to lose money.

Gates: True.

Southwick: With your experience with people, are most people really actively focused on, "Oh, did we beat the market today, Sean?" Or are they just, "I just don't want to lose any money."

Gates: I think you're spot-on in that most people, if they are gaining money, are fine. But there is a component where, "I heard that the market is up X. Why am I not up X?" And that's the component that I'm speaking to, where in index funds, that can't happen. You are up X, or whatever it is.

Brokamp: Also when you go with index funds, you're skipping a step that you may not want to take. When you start with your portfolio, you start with saying, "How much do I want in U.S. stocks? How much in international? How much in bonds?" That's the first decision. And if you choose index funds, you're done. You just buy those index funds. If you're going in actively managed funds, then you have to find actively managed funds for each of those categories and stay on top of them.

So I don't know if I would call it laziness, but by just going with index funds, you're just making the one allocation decision and you're done.

Gates: This conversation is super interesting, because we didn't even touch on expenses. Obviously, they're lower. There is an argument that says if everyone starts to invest in indexing, then the price valuation component... There are stocks like Google and Apple that have crazy price multiples and that's because they're so heavily weighted. And when you invest in the index, everyone is buying that weighting. And so it opens up the opportunity for active managers to perform better, because they can pick better valuation stocks. But it's an interesting topic.

Southwick: The next question actually comes to us from a Fool employee who was at FoolFest.

Mike Mulligan: My name is Mike. My question is, how do I know when the right time to have a second kid and buy a new house is?

Brokamp: Never! No, I'm just kidding.

Southwick: That's what I said. The answer is never.

Brokamp: Sean, what do you think?

Gates: I was looking at it and I was like, "I don't have kids. I'm not qualified to answer that."

Brokamp: And you don't own a house, either.

Gates: That's true.

Brokamp: That just shows how smart you are.

Gates: Yeah, I know. But one of the relevant factors that can help in this decision is just how much does a kid cost? You can find this online, but the most recent studies or statistics say that the average cost to raise a kid to 17 years old is $233,000, roughly.

Brokamp: And where does that number come from? Do you know? It's the Department of Agriculture.

Gates: Yes, Agriculture.

Brokamp: I just find that so funny.

Southwick: A bumper crop of kids coming up. But get them out in the fields.

Gates: In this sort of shorthand that I mentioned earlier, where you take your annual retirement spend and multiply it by a figure like 20 to 25 to come up with your lump that you need to save for, it's just an easy way to say: "OK. If it's $230,000 to raise a kid, amortize that over the remaining life expectancy. That gives me that incremental average annual cost and that will just help you decide if you can save for that kid."

Brokamp: For me, if I were talking to Mike about this in a financial planning context, I would say it starts with your cash flow. Can you afford to do either? And then which is the priority. And I assume it's the kid, but who knows? You never know.

Southwick: He did just have one kid, didn't he?

Brokamp: Anyway, so you look at your cash flow. Can you afford both? If not, which one are you going to prioritize? And we've talked many times on this show that you can be a perfectly fine human being with a solid financial future without ever owning a house. So in my opinion, it's fine to focus on having the kid and renting for a while until you've determined how many kids you're ultimately going to have, which school district you want to live in, and then focus on the house.

Southwick: And there's no statute of limitations on when you can buy a house, but there is kind of window on when you can have kids.

Brokamp: Yes, that's true.

[...]

Southwick: Here's the next question. It comes from Bill.

Bill Kern: My wife and I are facing the question of do we invest in a long-term care insurance policy now and they are incredibly expensive. What advice do you have for us in that situation?

Southwick: I will add that Bill is amazing because he's also given me a ton of advice about what to do for our vacation to Hawaii. It went on for a mile. The email was amazing. So thank you, Bill, not only for your question, but also for your advice about our Hawaii vacation.

Brokamp: This is a tough one, really, because depending on which stats you look at, you can become very terrified about long-term care, or feel like it's actually not that big of a deal. So one stat, according to LongTermCare.gov, is that 70% of people turning 65 will need some sort of long-term care. That sounds pretty scary.

However, other stats indicate that of that care, only like 10%-15% will actually be in a nursing home, which can be very expensive -- anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000 a year. What most people need is someone to come over and help them with the so-called activities of daily living. Cleaning, shopping, toileting, things like that, which is not as expensive, but it does mean you have to pay someone, like, $20 an hour to do that.

So where is that money going to come from?

If you have a large portfolio -- we're talking maybe $500,000 or more -- you might be able to pay for that out of pocket. If you don't have very much money at all, frankly speaking, the No. 1 provider of long-term services in this country is the government through Medicaid. This is not something that I necessarily feel comfortable saying, but some people do just say, "I'm going to let the government take care of me." You don't have much choice, by the way, at that point. You're not going to have a choice of the best nursing home, but that's what some people choose to do.

Gates: And it's a terrible way to live, because you have to spend down all your assets to qualify for it.

Brokamp: Right. It's not a great strategy. But generally speaking, long-term care insurance is for people sort of in that middle ground -- but it's not cheap. If you are in your 50s, it's going to cost anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 a year. You wait until your 60s, like 65, you're looking at like $2,500 to $4,000, and depending on what study you read, something like one-quarter of people who apply for long-term care don't get it because they already have some sort of health problem that basically an insurance company says we're not going to insure you.

So it is not cheap, but if you want to be in a position of having some back-up coverage if you need it, there is certainly some value to that.

Gates: And most people will utilize their family to take care of the component that you're talking about -- having someone come in and help with the ADLs.

Brokamp: Ninety percent, by the way, of all that type of long-term care is provided by friends and family.

Gates: So you can save the expense, but then you're shifting it to your family as a burden, so that's something to consider. Another thing to consider is, other than just direct long-term care, which is probably your best bang for your buck in terms of the value that you'll derive from each dollar unit that you put toward the premiums, there are hybrid policies that exist now, that serve the purpose of two types of insurance.

You can basically do a single payment or a one-sum payment into an insurance policy and it creates a bucket of money that's there for you either for long-term care costs, or as a death benefit to you if you don't utilize the funds. Because one of the risks of a long-term care premium policy is that you never end up using it, but you've spent all this money on the premium.

So it gives you a way to try and cover two risks. It's not as valuable in terms of per dollar.

Brokamp: Right. You're paying for the convenience of getting a hybrid, long-term care life insurance policy, and there are more things like hybrid annuity and long-term care policies. So if you buy those separately, it might be more efficient, but some people like to have the flexibility within the policies. But you need to go to an insurance agent to get these because they can be pretty complicated.

My bottom line with long-term care is, if someone asks me about it, [do] they own their own home -- they have $200,000-500,000 in home equity -- that is something they can also use for long-term care, either through downsizing, or a reverse mortgage. So that always, for me, is part of the discussion of how you would pay for long-term care.

If you have a big house that's worth a lot of money and you own it outright, and you don't plan to tap the equity, that might be your long-term care insurance policy.

Gates: And just to give a little bit of perspective in case you're curious about the hybrid policy, it could be close to half as much as a dedicated long-term care policy. I just want you to have all the facts.

Southwick: That is a tough one.

Brokamp: That is a tough one.

Tobin Anthony: Tobin Anthony, Great Falls, Virginia. Hey, Bro. Did you really go to seminary?

Brokamp: Yes! The answer is yes! When I was in high school, I either wanted to fly helicopters for the Coast Guard, or be a priest. So I got accepted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, Minnesota, as well as the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. I thought I'd give the seminary a try. I did it for a year and then I transferred to Catholic University in Washington, D.C., which is how I ended up in this area. Obviously, I did not become a priest, but at one point, I did teach at a Catholic school for five years and taught religion. I was a higher-level catechist than the three nuns at the school, I'm very proud to say.

Southwick: So have you ever actually flown a helicopter?

Brokamp: I have not. I have been in one, but that's what I was going to do.

Southwick: I just find it so hard to believe. No, I don't actually find it that hard to believe.

Brokamp: What? That I was going to be a priest?

Southwick: Well, I have a hard time imagining you being celibate, but I don't have a hard time believing that you would go into a profession that is there to help people. That is primarily there to serve... serve your fellow man.

Brokamp: I'll take that as a compliment.

Gates: Isn't that what he's doing currently? As a financial planner?

Southwick: Exactly. You still ended up doing that. You're still in a job where you serve people and help them, and help make their lives better.

Brokamp: But I don't have to be celibate.

Southwick: But you also have a bunch of kids running around, so best of both worlds.

Brokamp: Sorry, mom. I wasn't celibate.

Southwick: I think she knows, considering your oldest is in her twenties. I think your mom figured it out by now. All right, well that's the show. I want to thank you, Sean, for coming and helping us answer questions.

Gates: Always a blast.

Southwick: I appreciate it. Oh, well, it's more of a blast for us. So that's the show. Keep those postcards coming. Our address is 2000 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Eric from Knoxville -- I want to thank you for sending a postcard from the Great Smoky Mountains.

Brokamp: I love the Smoky Mountains. One of my favorites.

Southwick: Aw! Be like Eric and make my day with a postcard. Again, our address is 2000 Duke Street, 2nd Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. Sean, thanks again for joining us. The show is edited FoolFestingly -- something like that -- by Rick Engdahl.

Gates: Celibately.

Southwick: He also has kids running around town. For Robert Brokamp and Sean Gates, I'm Alison Southwick. Stay Foolish, everybody!

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Alison Southwick has no position in any stocks mentioned. Robert Brokamp, CFP has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sean Gates owns shares of Alphabet (A shares) and Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Customer satisfaction is critical to any restaurant's long-term success. Diners who are thrilled with their experiences tend to become repeat visitors, while also enthusiastically recommending the business to friends. This virtuous cycle boosts sales and profit growth while keeping marketing costs to a minimum.

Here are the fast-food restaurants that dominated the latest annual ranking by the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

10. Little Caesars

Pizza specialists take up three of the top 10 spots, thanks to their focus on value and speed. Little Caesars remains high on this year's list, but also suffered from the biggest drop in satisfaction of the group as its score dipped to 78% from 81% in 2016.

9. KFC

KFC, owned by Yum Brands (NYSE:YUM), has cashed in on its strong customer-satisfaction levels. In fact, they helped the fried-chicken titan just post its best year of sales growth since 2012. Its 2% revenue uptick was still far below Yum Brands' Taco Bell, though, which expanded by a hefty 6% in 2016.

8. Domino's

Domino's (NYSE:DPZ) stock has trounced the market lately, thanks to its delivery-powered sales growth. A capital-light business model -- most of its locations don't have eat-in space at all -- means that more of its revenue trickles down to the bottom line. Earnings jumped a healthy 11% in its most recent fiscal year.

7. Dunkin Donuts

Dunkin Brands' (NASDAQ:DNKN) Dunkin Donuts saw its satisfaction score slip this year, but the chain still stayed on top of chief rival Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), which didn't crack the top 10. Both coffee specialists are struggling with declining customer traffic, so breakfast fans can expect fierce competition as the companies battle for breakfast market share.

6. Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle's (NYSE:CMG) slow recovery continued this year as its satisfaction score crept up by a point, to put it in sixth place. The Tex-Mex giant has been spending more cash on labor to better staff its restaurants and keep them sparkling clean. However, a new food-safety incident and the slump it caused the stock suggests it has a long road ahead toward full recovery.

5. Arby's

Customers gave Arby's high marks this year as the fast-food chain tied with fellow sandwich specialist, Subway. With most of its business centered around the lunch hour, Arby's success at quickly delivering a variety of high-quality food has been critical. Its brand emphasis on meat resonates with hungry consumers, too.

4. Subway

Subway's focus on fresh ingredients and its highly efficient ordering system make it difficult for competitors to beat the sandwich giant on speed or value. But while the company gets top marks in diner satisfaction, it has more work to do at protecting customer loyalty in the wake of negative press.

3. Papa John's

Papa John's (NASDAQ:PZZA) trounces all the other pizza chains on this list, which points to continued solid growth for the delivery specialist. Its stock, meanwhile, hasn't had nearly the run that rival Domino's has enjoyed (it's up 200% in the past five years compared to a 450% spike for Domino's). Management is aiming to take advantage of that gap by using debt to repurchase a significant portion of its outstanding shares.

2. Panera Bread

Casual-dining leader Panera Bread's second-place showing is a testament to the strength of this founder-led business. Unfortunately for investors, it's no longer possible to own a piece of this highly regarded, fast-growing sandwich chain. The company was taken off the market this year in a $7.5 billion acquisition.

1. Chick-fil-A

Customers love many aspects of Chick-fil-A's business. The high points include: a menu that pairs its hit chicken sandwiches with plenty of limited-time offerings, an ordering system that helps it process huge customer volumes, and a network of clean, well-maintained restaurants that cater particularly well to families.

Chick-fil-A not only scored the top spot in this year's customer-satisfaction list, but its rating left all other limited-service restaurants well behind for yet another year.

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Demitrios Kalogeropoulos owns shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Dunkin' Brands Group, and Starbucks. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill and Starbucks. The Motley Fool recommends Dunkin' Brands Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is skewering a lawsuit filed by a former ally, describing it as a malicious attempt to sever his remaining ties to the widely used ride-hailing service that he co-founded.

Kalanick lashed out in legal documents filed late Thursday in response to a Delaware Chancery Court lawsuit filed against Uber last week by one of its major investors and a former Kalanick supporter, Benchmark Capital.

The acrimony sets the stage for what could be a bitter battle pitting the pugnacious Kalanick against Benchmark, a major Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Benchmark has seen its 2011 investment of $12 million in Uber grow into a stake now worth more than $7 billion, based on recent valuations of the company.

Uber is being thrust into the crossfire at a time it is trying to recover from revelations of rampant sexual harassment within the company and allegations that it stole trade secrets from a Google spin-off, Waymo, to build self-driving cars. The San Francisco company is also still looking for a new CEO to replace Kalanick, who resigned in late June under pressure from Benchmark and other investors worried about Uber's direction.

Benchmark alleges Kalanick has been interfering in the CEO search and manipulating Uber's board in a scheme to bring him back as the company's leader.

After his resignation as CEO, Kalanick re-appointed himself to Uber's board as part of special powers that gives him control over three board seats. Benchmark now wants those powers taken away, contending they were given to Kalanick under false pretenses.

In his filing, Kalanick contends that Benchmark had secretly plotting against him, and launched its plan to oust him from Uber "at the most shameful of times" - shortly after his mother was killed and his father critically injured in a boating accident on May 27.

Benchmark had no comment on Kalanick filing, referring back to an earlier statement explaining that the firm felt it had no other choice but to sue to stop unacceptable behavior at Uber.

Kalanick notified Uber of his plans to take an indefinite leave of absence as CEO on June 11 - two days after his mother's funeral. Uber's board, including Benchmark partner Bill Gurley, supported that move and assured him he could return as CEO whenever he was emotionally ready, according to Kalanick's filing.

But just nine days after he went on leave, Benchmark partners Peter Fenton and Matt Cohler came to Kalanick's hotel in Chicago to demand that he submit his permanent resignation as CEO, the filing said. If Kalanick refused, Fenton and Cohler threatened to sully his reputation in a public campaign, according to the filing.
It wasn't so long ago that the Great Recession wracked our country, and brought more layoffs than the workforce had seen in decades. Even now, with the official unemployment rate back down to a modest 4.3%, countless Americans are still feeling the aftereffects of that period, and struggling to recover financially. And that stressful period has only exacerbated people's natural fear of finding themselves out of work in the future.

But surprisingly, it's not older people who were actually in the workforce during the recession who are most concerned about losing their jobs. It's millennials who today spend the most time stressing out about the possibility of getting let go.

In fact, 53% of millennials experience high to moderate levels of anxiety over losing their jobs, according to a recent study by financial services company Northwestern Mutual. When we compare that to the 29% of the general population who are similarly stressed out, it begs the question: Why are younger workers so much more apt to be worried?

Should millennials be stressed about layoffs?

In some regards, younger workers' tendency to worry about layoffs makes sense. It stands to reason that those with the least experience or tenure might be the first to go if a company downsizes. Furthermore, research from Gallup suggests that 67% of millennials are at medium to high risk of losing a job due to automation down the line. Throw in the fact that millennials are more likely to have high levels of student debt, and lower amounts of emergency cash, and it's no wonder that fear of getting laid off is keeping so many of them up at night.

On the other hand, recent history tells us that millennials tend to have an easier time recovering from layoffs than older workers. After the Great Recession hit, the average laid-off worker who was 55 or older remained unemployed for 40.6 weeks, compared to just 31.6 weeks for younger workers. In addition, a study by the Urban Institute found that workers between the ages of 25 and 34 are 20% more likely to find new jobs than seasoned professionals in their 50s.

And that makes sense as well. Companies are often hesitant to sink time and resources into older employees who might end up being just steps away from retirement. Millennials don't pose the same risk, but they do carry a reputation for being flighty, so while they have much to offer in the way of fresh ideas and energy, they're not always viewed as the ideal pick.

At the end of the day, however, millennials shouldn't really be more concerned with layoffs than the rest of the population. If you're one of those people stressing over the idea of getting pink slipped, you'd be better off spending that energy coming up with ways to do better at work. While it's true that sometimes even the most experienced and respected employees can fall victim to layoffs, you'll gain a degree of protection if you do your part to make yourself valuable to your company. This could mean volunteering to take the lead on new projects, building relationships with other teams, or growing your skill set to make yourself a more well-rounded employee.

Having a healthy network of business contacts can also provide some peace of mind. In 2015 and 2016, an estimated 85% of jobs were filled via networking, so it pays to make an effort to get to know the right people in your industry.

Have an emergency fund

Of course, the most stressful aspect of getting laid off is the loss of income that comes with it. That's why it's critical to establish an emergency fund with enough cash to cover three to six months' worth of your living expenses. This way, if it does take you some time to find another role, you'll have a means of paying the bills in the interim.

Beyond that, it can also buy you some flexibility regarding your next job. If you lack cash reserves, you might feel compelled to accept the first offer that comes your way just to snag a paycheck, even if it isn't a good fit. On the other hand, if you have some savings to work with, you'll feel less pressure to take a job you don't want because you're desperate for the money.

If you map out your current expenses and start cutting corners, you should be able to save small amounts of cash on a regular basis that will amount to a sizable sum over time. Or, consider the now-ubiquitous "side gig" option. An estimated 44 million Americans currently have some form of second job, and of those, 36% earn more than $500 extra a month from them. If you're willing to put in the time, that sort of cash might help you establish that safety net fairly quickly.

Though nobody is immune to layoffs, rather than worrying about losing your job, you're better off focusing on the ways you can succeed at your company while building up a savings cushion that can tide you over just in case. The good thing about being young is that you still have decades in the workforce ahead of you, so if your career hits a snag, you'll have more than enough time to recover.

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Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) is the largest energy infrastructure company in North America. It operates a diverse set of businesses including oil and gas pipelines, utilities, renewable power plants, and a whole host of other assets. That said, despite the diversity of its asset base, at its core Enbridge is an oil pipeline company, which is how it makes most of its money. Here's a closer look at that segment and what to expect from it in the future.

The oil superhighway

Last year Enbridge generated 7.5 billion Canadian dollars ($5.9 billion) in earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) on a pro forma basis that includes the recently closed acquisition of Spectra Energy. Of that amount, 50% came from its liquids pipelines segment. That percentage had been over 75% as recently as 2015, but has come down thanks to the addition of the gas-focused Spectra to its portfolio.

One reason why Enbridge makes so much money operating oil pipelines is that it runs the longest and most sophisticated crude oil and liquids transportation system in the world, with 17,511 miles of active pipe. For perspective, that's enough pipe that if laid end-to-end could stretch from the company's headquarters in Calgary to Perth, Australia, with enough pipe left over to go from Calgary to Mexico City and back again. The company currently transports an average of 2.8 million barrels of crude per day across that network, which is 28% of the oil produced in North America. Furthermore, Enbridge supplies about 64% of U.S.-bound Canadian oil exports, which amounts to about 28% of America's total oil imports.

Enbridge collects relatively steady income by operating these pipelines because long-term take-or-pay and cost-over-service agreements underpin the bulk of its assets. As a result, the company has minimal exposure to volume fluctuations since its contracts mandate that it gets paid whether or not customers use the contracted capacity. In fact, only 4% of the company's total EBIT has any direct exposure to volumes.

Building more toll booths

While Enbridge already holds the title of North America's largest energy infrastructure company, it has no plans to stop expanding. In fact, the company has already secured CA$31 billion ($24.5 billion) of growth projects that should enter service through 2020. The company currently has nine liquids-focused projects underway that account for about half of the value of its backlog. About CA$5.2 billion ($4.1 billion) of its projects should enter service by the end of this year, including Norlite and the Wood Buffalo Extension, which it's building to support Suncor Energy's (NYSE: SU) Fort Hills oil sands project in Canada. The 277-mile Norlite pipeline will ship diluent -- which is a product that makes heavy oil lighter and easier to ship -- to the region so that Suncor can mix it with the bitumen it produces at Fort Hills and then ship the diluted bitumen out of the area via the 66-mile Wood Buffalo Extension.

Meanwhile, Enbridge's largest liquids pipeline project is its Line 3 Replacement, which will return the line up to its original capacity of 760,000 barrels per day after having operated at about 50% for the last several years. The Canadian segment will cost it CA$5.3 billion ($4.2 billion) while the U.S. portion should run it $2.9 billion. If construction goes as planned, the company should finish the project by the middle of 2019.

Enbridge's current slate projects have the potential to generate more than CA$3.5 billion ($2.8 billion) of earnings on an annualized basis by 2020. The liquids pipelines projects represent about half that growth, with Line 3 alone supplying more than half of the segment's increase. Suffice it to say, liquids pipelines should remain Enbridge's biggest moneymaker unless it makes another significant gas-focused deal.

A key cog supporting the dividend

Enbridge's liquids pipeline segment is vital to the company given that it supplies half of its earnings and is on pace to support a similar share of its growth over the next several years. If everything goes according to plan, then the company should have no problem achieving its long-term dividend growth target to expand the payment by a 10% to 12% compound annual growth rate through 2024. That said, if Enbridge runs into issues along the way, especially with its important Line 3 Replacement project, then it could impact the company's dividend growth forecast. Income investors should keep a close eye on that project.

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Shares of Bangalore-based technology consulting company Infosys (NYSE: INFY) were trading as much as 9% lower on Friday morning. Nervous investors took the stock lower as CEO Vishal Sikka unexpectedly announced his resignation from Infosys' executive team.

Sikka is stepping back to an executive vice chairman's role for now. Interim CEO Pravin Rao will technically report to Sikka until a permanent replacement has been found and vetted, so the exiting CEO will still have some influence over the short-term direction of Infosys.

What's going on?

Sikka has been locking horns with Infosys' founding fathers, led by former chairman Narayana Murthy. In a February interview with India Times, Murthy blasted the state of Infosys' corporate governance practices and Sikka's inflated compensation package. The company's co-founders still own about 13% of Infosys, so they should expect to be taken seriously in the boardroom. The company has largely avoided acting on recent suggestions and board appointment nominations from Murthy and his fellow founders, so the proposals have kept coming.

Sikka's letter of resignation after three years on the job referred to this pressure as a "constant drumbeat of the same issues over and over again, while ignoring and undermining the good work that has been done." Citing "malicious and increasingly personal attacks" that have proven false in official investigations, Sikka said that these distractions have made it difficult to focus on the job at hand.

"The structural challenges this engenders within the organization, has a very damaging effect on our ability to carry out any kind of a transformation, especially one that is as fundamental as transforming from a cost-oriented to an innovation-oriented value delivery to clients," Sikka stated.

Along the way, Sikka's letter mentioned the rise of artificial intelligence and automation, Brexit, President Donald Trump, and the recent violence in Charlottesville. It got both emotional and personal, reflecting a difficult decision process.

What's next for Infosys?

The company's official acceptance of Sikka's withdrawal attempted to smooth over the rough patches a bit. That document noted Sikka's achievements as the first non-founder CEO of Infosys, like a 24% increase in annual revenues and rising profit margins during his three-year tenure. Coming from a highly technical background, including 12 years as the chief technology officer at German IT giant SAP (NYSE: SAP), Sikka turned Infosys' focus away from cost-cutting and toward driving positive growth via innovation.

That attitude should remain as long as he holds that vice chairmanship at Infosys, and a generally Sikka-friendly board is likely to pick a new CEO with similar long-term interests. Several large shareholders have already stated their support of Sikka's management style, so Murthy and friends can expect some pushback if they attempt to regain control of the company they created.

After this sudden price drop, Infosys shares are trading at the lowest P/E ratios seen since before Sikka took the helm. Sales and EBITDA profits have posted steady gains over the last three years, but share prices have not followed suit.

So this price drop could be seen as a buy-in opportunity, but only if you are comfortable with the assumption that Infosys will continue down the innovation-powered path that Sikka started to explore. That's not a guarantee, even if the deck seems to be stacked in his favor.

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Like all North Korean adults, Song Un Pyol wears the faces of leader Kim Jong Un's father and grandfather pinned neatly to her left lapel, above her heart. But on her right glitters a diamond-and-gold brooch.

Song is what a success story in Kim Jong Un's North Korea is supposed to look like. Just after Kim assumed power in late 2011, she started managing the supermarket floor at a state-run department store, which has freezers stocked full of pork and beef and rows of dairy, bakery and canned goods. She watches as customers fill their shopping carts, take their groceries directly to be scanned at the checkout counter and pay with cash or bank debit cards.

Song is part of a paradigm shift within North Korea: Three generations into the Kim family's ruling dynasty, markets have blossomed and a consumer culture is taking root. From 120 varieties of "May Day Stadium" brand ice cream to the widespread use of plastic to pay the bills, it's a change visibly and irreversibly transforming her nation.

While Kim has in recent weeks gained attention for his threat to fire missiles near Guam, his trademark two-track policy focuses on the development of both nuclear weapons and the economy. His acceptance of a more consumer-friendly economy is meant to foster economic growth and bring profits into the regime's coffers. But like his pursuit of nuclear weapons, it's a risky business.

Facing even more international sanctions and a flood of Chinese imports that has generated a huge trade imbalance, there are good reasons to believe the North Korean economy is in a bubble that could soon burst. Prices for gasoline imports have soared more than 200 percent in less than six months, the AP has found. The price of rice is also believed to be sharply rising, although harder to independently confirm because of the difficulty in visiting local markets.

The new round of sanctions announced by the U.N. earlier this month will make it harder for the North to export its goods, cap the number of laborers it can send abroad  an important source of foreign currency for the regime  and limit the growth of joint ventures. North Korea will be hit particularly strongly by a Chinese ban on several key products, including coal, iron ore and seafood.

The problem, however, goes deeper than that.

Market forces bring new forms of competition, uncertainty and change that are the antithesis of the centrally controlled, state-run economy of the North Korea of old. Markets are like a genie offering to grant the wish of wealth  but at the potential cost of political instability.

Once the genie has been released from its bottle, it's very hard to put it back in.

GUNS AND BUTTER

The North Korean consumer landscape has evolved dramatically under Kim Jong Un.

In keeping with his father, whose motto was "Military First," Kim devotes nearly a quarter of North Korea's estimated $30 billion GDP to defense spending, which is a far higher military burden than any other country in the world. But his new slogan of "Parallel Development"  guns and butter, so to speak  reflects an inescapable reality of his era:

In the 1990s, North Korea nearly imploded when the Soviet Union and its satellite empire collapsed. Reeling from floods, famine and an overwhelmed bureaucracy, it could no longer afford the public distribution system many North Koreans had depended on for their basic needs. This change sparked a wave of grassroots barter and trade, which has swollen into the burgeoning market economy today.

Life in rural North Korea is still marked by far more hardship and scarcity than in its urban areas, and is hard even to compare to the showcase capital, Pyongyang. Yet there is, surprisingly, a bustling, almost booming, feeling in many parts of the country.

Under a 5-year plan for the economy Kim Jong Un announced last May, North Korean factories are putting a new priority on making more and better daily-life products. Managers, meanwhile, have more freedom to decide what to make, how much to pay their workers and how to forge profitable partnerships.

Along the roads into virtually every city, street vendors, usually weather-beaten old women, sell fruits, vegetables and other food. In the cities, bazaar-style markets, shops and department stores are full of people. The shelves are lined with dozens of brands of domestically made cigarettes, sugary soft drinks and colorfully packaged chips or canned soups.

In specialty shops, the latest "Pyongyang" model smartphones  probably Chinese-made but rebranded to have a locally made appearance  go for $200. Apps to put on them, like the popular "Boy General" role-playing game, are $2 a pop. Pyongyang's premier brewery, Taedonggang, just added an eighth kind of beer to its product line, which already includes beers dark and light, and even one that is chocolatey.

Despite the ever-tightening sanctions, consumer products are still coming in from all over the world. Buying a can of Pokka coffee from Japan is easy, and costs about 80 cents. Purchasing a Mercedes-Benz Viano might require some connections, but it is doable  for a $63,000 sticker price.

On the country's bumpy highways, caravans of cram-packed long-distance buses and trucks hauling goods from city to city are common. More products made in Pyongyang are found in rural areas these days, and vice versa. Although the use of U.S. dollars or Chinese yuan remains widespread, more people are using prepaid cards or local bills at the checkout counter  suggesting greater buying power in general and more confidence in the stability of the national currency.

Some blatant manifestations of commercialism remain taboo. There are only three billboards in Pyongyang, a city of about 3 million. They advertise the local automaker, Pyonghwa Motors, and are more for the benefit of impressing foreign visitors than selling cars. There are no advertisements on television or in the newspapers.

But stores are under instructions to be more consumer-friendly.

"At first, we opened the store from 10 in the morning to 6 in the evening," said Song. "But in 2015, our dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un made sure that we serve from 10 in the morning to 8 in the evening so one can use late night at any given time, as many working people often used the shop during the evening after work."

Stores now commonly offer buy-two-get-one-free type sales and discounts on products the management wants to move off the shelves. Posters for new medicines or sports drinks can be seen inside shops and customers can sign up for "loyalty cards" to get points toward ever more discounts.

"In today's North Korea there is a growing competition between the domestic companies themselves as they try to attract customers and establish reputable brands," said Michael Spavor, a Canadian entrepreneur and the director of Paektu Cultural Exchange who visits the North frequently and is one of the only Westerners to have ever met Kim Jong Un.

Spavor calls it a "brilliant strategy."

But the emphasis on locally produced consumer goods isn't just because Kim wants to make good on his promise to give his people a higher standard of living.

It's also an attempt to counter the gravitational pull of China.

THE POWER OF CHINA

As sanctions advocates rightly point out, cutting off trade with China would be catastrophic for Pyongyang. But North Korean leaders, including Kim Jong Un himself, have shown a great deal of concern over the flip side of that coin: what might happen to their country if trade continues, or grows even larger.

The expansion of trade increases Chinese leverage on the ground and feeds market forces that are hard for Pyongyang to keep under control. China already accounts for nearly all of North Korea's trade and its fuel. While the North has minimal dealings with the rest of the world, it did $2 billion worth of business with China in the first five months of this year alone.

During Kim Jong Un's first three years in power, North Korea's exports to China of coal, garments, minerals and seafood were all growing. But what North Korea was able to sell to China fell far short of what it needed to buy, particularly because of its need for oil and fuel products.

That imbalance has widened dramatically this year as China cut back on buying from the North. The new U.N. sanctions will further squeeze the North's main sources of export income.

Georgetown University economist William Brown estimates the North is suffering an outflow of $200 million in foreign exchange every month. This is crucial because the more Pyongyang owes Beijing, the less it has to spend on other things. But it still needs essential commodities like food and fuel, which can deepen the problems of both shortages and inflation.

Signs of trouble are already appearing.

Right around April, according to data compiled by the AP, gasoline prices started to soar. Many stations either closed their gates or restricted the amount they would sell each customer. As of late July, the price surge had yet to abate.

Few North Koreans have their own cars. But gasoline, virtually all of which comes from China, fuels the transportation of goods and people in the new economy.

Brown said the price of rice was also up nearly 20 percent in July from May and was significantly higher than a year ago. There could be a trickle-down effect, since tractors and even the fertilizer used to grow rice require petroleum products. Fears of a poor harvest in the fall could send prices shooting up much higher.

"This may represent the greatest near-term threat to the regime stability," Brown said.

North Korea has proven it is nothing if not resilient, often finding a way out of its economic problems. Even so, the longer-term changes to society won't be easy to address.

The goods and trading opportunities spilling across the Chinese border are also spurring the growth of profitable enterprises, which has substantial financial benefits for well-connected individuals and, at least initially, the regime's elite. For this tier of North Korean society  and for farmers who can profit from their excess produce  the new economy has opened up a way to get money from sometimes under-the-table businesses.

Loyalty to the regime and party ties remain an important means of social advancement. But, in Kim Jong Un's North Korea these days, so is a good sense for how to run a proper side hustle to augment what are often paltry official paychecks.

However, the same opportunities have widened the gap between the rich by North Korean standards and the poor. The haves benefit disproportionately from the new economy, while a far larger number of have-nots live mostly outside the Pyongyang bubble of affluence. Ambiguity over what officials will overlook and what they will strictly enforce has also created a gray area that opens the door to corruption and bribery.

ARE STATE GOODS GOOD ENOUGH?

The regime is not blind to what's happening. It knows the new consumerism can be a destabilizing force. But it also knows it needs the markets.

North Korean officials insist markets are a stopgap coping measure for the economy that will be overcome. Kang Chol Min, a researcher with the Economics Institute of the Academy of Social Science, said the regime is trying to produce more, and better, goods to woo consumers away from the markets and back to state-run businesses.

"The number of people relying on the state-run commercial networks is increasing," he said in an interview with AP Television News.

But many outside experts believe state enterprises and farms are too inefficient to provide enough goods and services for the whole nation without the help of markets and private activities.

If they are right, it's hard to imagine North Korea's economic future will lie in Kang's vow to produce more goods locally. Nor is it likely to be model worker Song, the state-sanctioned success story.

It might, however, be a Miniso store.

Miniso is decidedly not trying to appeal to the shoppers by filling its shelves with products made in North Korea. It's an international brand name  found in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney  selling bargain-priced goods such as backpacks and consumer electronics. Its Pyongyang store just opened in April, near two of the capital's most prestigious universities in a newly built high-rise district appropriately called Ryomyong Gori, the "Avenue of Dawn."

It's the trendiest shop in town.

And it's a joint venture. With China.

___

Eric Talmadge, the only American journalist regularly allowed to work in North Korea, has been the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief since 2013. Follow him on Twitter at EricTalmadge. His photos from North Korea are on Instagram @erictalmadge.
Top Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) investors Fidelity Investments and T. Rowe Price cut their holdings in the second quarter and indicated they were taking profits from the electric car maker stock, which is up 65 percent this year.

Sellers included Fidelity funds like Fidelity OTC Portfolio, which sold 1.62 million shares, or 43 percent of its position during the quarter, as well as funds managed by T. Rowe Price Group (NASDAQ:TROW), including T. Rowe Price Growth Stock Fund, which sold 1.33 million shares during the quarter or 48 percent of its position, recent securities filings show.

Both funds remain among the ten largest fund investors in Tesla, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Other big sellers of Tesla during the quarter were Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) funds including Morgan Stanley Institutional Growth Portfolio.

In total, institutional investors held 95.2 million shares of Tesla at the end of June, 10.7 million fewer shares than at the end of March, according to an analysis of filings by edgaronline.com.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Aug. 3 alone Tesla shares rose more than 6 percent as its quarterly earnings report fueled expectations its new Model 3 sedan would help turn the Palo Alto, California company into a mainstream carmaker. Tesla is now the highest valued U.S. car maker with a market capitalization of some $60 billion.

It had $3 billion cash on hand at June 30, reassuring investors who had worried after Chief Executive Elon Musk warned it would face six months of "manufacturing hell" in ramping up Model 3 production, and raised $1.8 billion in debt last week.

A quarterly commentary posted on Fidelity's website for OTC Portfolio called Tesla a "market darling" that was the top contributor to the fund's returns but noted some concerns.

"Some investors worried whether the Model 3 electric vehicle was 'too good,' with potential to cannibalize sales from Tesla's more-expensive models," it states. "We banked some profit by reducing our stake  at least for now," the commentary says.

Asked about the stock sales, a spokesman for T. Rowe Price said in an e-mailed statement that "We're not afraid to trim and take profits on appreciated stocks where appropriate. TSLA is still a significant holding in several of our portfolios and we continue to be excited about the Model 3 ramp."

A Morgan Stanley spokeswoman declined to comment.

Shares in Tesla closed at $351.92 on Thursday. They closed at $361.61 on June 30, having risen 23 percent during the second quarter.

The company's rapid rise and lack of profit has drawn concerns it could be overvalued. In a recent note to clients BMO Capital Markets economists noted how Tesla is worth more than Ford Motor Co (NYSE:F) "even though the latter has 22 times more revenue and regularly makes a profit."

About a fifth of the shares available for trading, or float, has been sold short by investors betting the stock will fall, according to S3 Partners, a financial analytics firm.
The United States on Friday formally launched an investigation into China's alleged theft of U.S. intellectual property, a widely expected move following a call from President Donald Trump earlier this week to determine whether a probe was needed.

The probe is the administration's first direct measure against Chinese trade practices, which the White House and U.S. business groups say are bruising American industry.

"After consulting with stakeholders and other government agencies, I have determined that these critical issues merit a thorough investigation," U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the nation's top trade negotiator, said in a statement.

Trump repeatedly railed against Chinese trade practices on the campaign trail, but as president he had not taken significant action until this week.

China had rebuffed attempts by previous American presidents to take action against its IP practices. Administration officials have said that China's theft of U.S. intellectual property could amount to as much as $600 million.

The probe will likely further complicate the U.S. relationship with China, the country's largest trading partner. The Trump administration has been pressing Beijing to take steps to encourage North Korea to curb its nuclear and missile programs.

(Reporting by Tim Ahmann; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Eric Beech and Leslie Adler)
Kate Moss' natural breasts helped her land modeling gigs.

Calvin Klein said he chose the British beauty for his iconic 1993 Obsession ad because he was growing tired of the era's busty supermodels.

"I didn't want these girls...who had big bosoms," Klein told George Wayne in an interview for his Iris Covet Book, the New York Post reports.

The fashion designer added, "They augment their bodies. They used artificial impants and things. They were doing crazy things to their bodies."

Klein said he found "that offensive."

"I found it really unattractive, unhealthy and a bad message to send."

Moss spoke about her 1993 ad recently to Harper's Bazaar.

She said the photos became iconic due to their "un-styled" nature.

"People cant take pictures like that anymore. The photos werent styled. There was nobody doing my hair and makeup. It was just raw. It captured a moment in our lives," Moss told the mag.
Lynne Austin had no idea how much her life would change after she agreed to pose for a billboard advertising a new restaurant opening in Clearwater, Florida.

I literally started before the restaurant opened, the 56-year-old told Fox News.

She became the poster girl for Hooters in 1983.

We were delayed in getting the restaurant opened, so by that time I was pretty broke. Being a young girl, I joined this new venture. I actually cleaned the restaurant equipment for five bucks an hour before we opened.

Before Austin accepted the opportunity, she was working at a telephone company and modeling on the side. She was spotted by Hooters co-founder Ed Droste at the Miss Jose Cuervo bikini pageant that year, which she won. She accepted Drostes offer to appear in a new ad for Hooters, not thinking much of it.

The [Hooters] building -- [there] had been about four awful businesses there, explained Austin. I think it was a biker bar at one point and a pizza shop.

Austin was craving something new. She quit her job with the telephone company and worked at Hooters as a waitress. While Hooters was the ideal spot to savor hot wings and cold beer after unwinding at the local beach, it was the American blonde wearing a white tank top and tiny orange shorts that enticed patrons.

The first time I ever saw the billboard, it was kind of surreal, Austin recalled. Like, 'Oh my Lord, there I am, my big ol face is up here' And quickly, they started marketing from there. They did taxi tops. I was on the front of a boat, I was on the side of a delivery truck I was everywhere. For 15 years I had billboards up The thrill of being the face never got old. Still doesnt.

And the tactic worked. For six years, Austin quickly garnered regulars and fans hoping to be served by the pinup. Word spread that the actual Hooters girl was in the restaurant and it didnt take long for lines of admirers to form and wait up to three hours.

People would send me flowers to the restaurant, they would come in and sit at my table for hours, trying to get my attention, she said. A lot of it was very flattering but Ive been married for 20 years now so I dont even remember those kinds of stories! But there were plenty of guys trying to get my attention.

"[But] who doesnt love that? Who doesnt love people wanting to see you, be around you, and love your personality? Of course I loved it. I still do! People still come to me and want a picture with me. And Im always so flattered and grateful that people still care.

Hooters soon transformed from a casual pit stop into an iconic chain. There are currently more than 420 restaurants in 42 states and 29 countries all serving its winning combo: tasty grub, televised sports, ever-flowing beer and plenty of friendly women. However, some critics have slammed Hooters over the years, accusing the restaurant of exploiting scantily clad women on the job.

Austin doesnt hesitate to dismiss the allegations.

I was there from the beginning, she explained. We wore running shorts and a tank top and I get it, thats not the attire of another restaurant. But you saw way more at the beach then you ever saw in our restaurant. We patterned our uniform after one of the owners who was a runner. So we got the runner shorts. And theres certainly nothing wrong with runners wearing shorts. Ive never had a problem with it.

"But Im a beach girl Its honestly hard to convince me that theres anything wrong with our uniform. And wed had nurses, lawyers, and I think even a judge who were former Hooters girls. Our accomplishments are remarkable. Its way more than serving wings and wearing shorts. Im proud of it.

Austin also credited Hooters for granting her the flexibility to pursue modeling career on the side.

There are so many girls pursuing education, modeling, acting, whatever, but they still call Hooters home, she insisted. They did that for me also. They worked around my schedule while I was modeling and traveling. But when I was in town, I would pick up a couple of shifts.

And Austins newfound fame led to another title  that of Playboy Playmate in 1986.

[Hugh Hefner] was very nice, she said. A very intelligent man, very well-spoken, very educated -- just a nice man. He was always very polite, a gentleman, and a nice host! But I couldnt tell you his favorite color. We werent that friendly!

Austin would also go on to guest-star in two episodes of the hit sitcom Married with Children in 1989. She also appeared on Star Search, and hosted Hooters Movie of the Week every Saturday on television for seven years.

Austin also did radio for 18 years. Back in July, she served as one of the judges for the Hooters International Swimsuit Pageant. Currently, the mother of four hosts a podcast and is writing a memoir about her adventures.

Just about everything I do, Hooters is always my base, my heart, she said. Any success Ive ever had, I always brought them along with me. They were a launching pad for me. And the Hooters girl? Shes an icon. All you need to do is see those orange shorts.

Even her children are proud of their mothers accomplishments.

Oh they love the title of [first Hooters girl], she said. Back in elementary school, they would go, Mom! My teacher knows who you are! My teacher loves Hooters I would totally let my daughter be a Hooters girl if she didnt have to drive back home at night alone. But if I could drive her there and back? Absolutely.

Still, dont expect Austin to slip into her old uniform anytime soon.

No, I can never do that uniform justice, she claimed. That uniform doesnt need me anymore. Theres too many other girls that could wear it way better than I could.

This article originally ran in August 2017. It is being rerun on the 35th anniversary of Hooters.
Its been 12 years since American student Natalee Holloway vanished on May 30, 2005 while on a high school graduation trip to Aruba  and human remains that were discovered by her father and a private investigator are bringing her story back to life.

However, Dave Holloway isnt feeling too optimistic of what DNA results might unveil, which could take up to a month.

You always have your doubts, he told Fox News. I put myself in a position where there could be great disappointment I was so defensive about getting hurt or even testing And so when the test came back and showed they were human remains, I was shocked.

He added, Weve chased a lot of leads and you have your hopes up, but when they fall through, you basically go to a funeral. Over and over again. So you have a wall built up, which I do, and so you just wait and see and try not to think about it. And thats the only way I can cope with it. Im sure when that day comes very soon Ill probably be disappointed once again, if its not [Natalees].

The lead first came from an informant named Gabriel, who befriended the former roommate of Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch man the 18-year-old was last seen with outside a bar before her disappearance.

Joran, now 30, is currently serving a 28-year sentence in a Peruvian jail for killing business student Stephany Flores  a murder that occurred five years to the day after Natalees disappearance.

Daves quest to find out what happened to his daughter, alongside private investigator T.J. Ward, is chronicled in a series titled The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway on the Oxygen channel premiering Saturday. The remains found in Aruba were proven to be human just a week ago.

While Dave has spent the last 12 years following every lead hes received, the one he encountered in late 2015 was different.

Gabriel first met the man at a casino, quickly earning his friendship and trust in a matter of months. It was then that Gabriel decided to track down Dave and give him a call.

He said, Look, Ive been in contact with someone whos apparently directly involved in the disappearance of your daughter, Dave recalled. I have two daughters of my own and I know that if something happened to them, Id hope I get the same kind of response I already called the FBI, they didnt return my calls. I called [Natalees mother] Beth, she hasnt returned my call. And now Ive called you. Just give me five minutes of your time and Ill tell you all that I know.'

"And he did I asked T.J. to look into this and get more information and determine whether or not we should pursue it. Because we pursued a lot of leads and they ended up nowhere. So thats what he did. He met up with Gabriel, interviewed him, and told me, Dave, this guy knows enough. Weve got to pursue this until the end.

According to Gabriel, Joran attempted to kiss Natalie after her drink was spiked with date rape drug GHB. However, when Natalie began to foam at the mouth, he panicked and she fatally choked on her vomit. Within a few hours, a frightened Joran asked his father, Paulus van der Sloot, for help.

The judge in training allegedly stomped on her legs and placed Natalees folded corpse in a burlap sack. From there, they drove to an Aruban park where she was buried. They planted a cactus over the spot to cover their tracks. Paulus reportedly instructed his son never to say a word about what happened. However, Joran allegedly confessed to his friend in confidence.

They lived together for several months and during those months, Joran shared a lot of information with him that is not public knowledge And thats one of the reasons we pursued this," claimed Dave.

Paulus passed away in 2010 from a heart attack at age 57.

Relying on their new information, Dave and T.J. made several trips to Aruba and ended up collecting evidence that tested positive for human remains. Dave also noted that there wasnt immediate movement from law enforcement concerning their discovery.

We havent heard a word, he claimed. I cant answer that question because you have to go back to 2005 [Back then], I figure, these are police, they know what theyre talking about Their direction in how they operate is [that] theres no sense of urgency. So Im just wondering if were dealing with the same thing right now.

And while reliving the loss of his daughter on camera was painful, the still-grieving father believes the press will continue to keep the case alive.

The media has always been great to us and has really kept the investigation on track, he said. And if this turns out to be true, we need some documentation because of what weve experienced in the past I learned from my mistakes in 2005 that when I go to the island, theres going to be a camera and were going to document things. And thats exactly what we did. And it started probably in February or March of this year.

While Dave is trying not to wonder whether those remains are of his child, he is certain of one thing if the DNA test comes back positive.

If it is Natalee, then thats the end for me and my family. I mean, thats the end. We finally found out what happened and its resolved, he said.

And Dave believes he will someday find out what happened. In 2014, PEOPLE Magazine reported Joran will face U.S. criminal charges sometime in 2038 after he served his Peruvian sentence. He is accused of extortion for taking $25,000 from Natalees mother in exchange for false information.

But despite the newfound interest in Natalees story, Dave also hopes people will discover who she was before Aruba.

Natalee was an all-American kid, he said. Straight A student. Very pretty girl. Had her life and goals already planned out. She was going to go to the University of Alabama with a scholarship You know, her goal was to be a pediatrician and theres no doubt in my mind that if this havent happened in Aruba, wed be calling her Dr. Holloway And in a blink of an eye, all those hopes and dreams were gone forever.

"The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway" premieres August 19th on Oxygen.
A 10-year-old rape victim who was denied an abortion by the Indian Supreme Court and was kept in the dark about her pregnancy, has reportedly given birth to a baby girl. The unidentified girl, whose uncle was arrested after she accused him of raping her several times over the last seven months, is said to be in good condition, BBC News reported.

The baby was born at 35 weeks gestation via Caesarean section in Chandigarh, and weighs 4.8 pounds, the news outlet reported. The girls parents reportedly plan to put the baby up for adoption and did not see the newborn.

SUSPENDED ORAL SURGEON DIES OF SUSPECTED OVERDOSE

The case made international headlines after the girl was taken to the hospital for complaints of a stomach ache, only for doctors to discover she was several months pregnant. Indian law does not allow for abortions past 20 weeks of gestation unless there is a threat to the mothers health. The countrys Supreme Court did not find an exception for her case.

Child welfare activists told the BBC News that the girl does not know what has happened to her, and that the parents did not see the signs of pregnancy due to her young age. She was reportedly told her growing stomach was due to a big stone.
When you go to the hospital, you expect safe care, helpful staff, and a clean environment. You dont expect to get sick, much less from a harmful infection going around among patients.

Theoretically, you should not be able to get a hospital-acquired infection if the hospital is taking the proper precautions. However, this simple expectation may not always be the case.

HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM MASSAGE THERAPY

Some hospitals actually spend a lot of time, energy and money on getting rid of hospital-acquired infections. For instance, doctors and staff in England have been battling a hardy Japanese fungus called Candida auris in their hospitals since 2013. According to BBC News, this fungus has been showing resistance against commonly prescribed medicines, a problem undoubtedly caused by the overuse of antibiotics.

At the same time, England knows that this infection and the cause of its spreading is a problem. Some 20 separate hospitals have experienced outbreaks this year, and over 30 more have seen cases of infection.

To make matters worse, a few outbreaks have occurred in which hospitals had trouble controlling the fungal infection from spreading. However, according to Public Health England, these outbreaks have been officially declared over.

Spotting Candida Auris

One of the reasons that Candida auris can spread so easily is that this type of fungus actually lives on the skin as well as in the body. Hospitals in the UK have reported the infections spread within a few hours from initial contact.

IT'S TIME TO WATCH THE SOLAR EXCLIPSE SAFELY

Since it does spread so quickly, researchers think that the fungus must be transferred through physical contact. This conclusion also means that hospital staff may not always be properly disinfecting themselves and their equipment.

In addition, another reason that this infection can spread easily is that patients dont always show symptoms. In Englands case, most doctors were diagnosing patients through screenings rather than symptom checks. These screenings include the doctors performing tests on several swabs from a patients body.

If a patient does show signs of infection, the infection is likely more severe. Symptoms include an infection that does not respond to common antifungal treatment, fever, chills, and sepsis (infection of the blood). Thankfully, only a handful of patients have suffered from sepsis in England, and none have died from the infection.

Hospital-Acquired Infections

Although this problem has declined in recent years, getting an infection while in the hospital happens more often than doctors would care to admit. According to the CDC, 1 out of every 25 patients gets some type of infection related to their hospital care.

TODDLER CHOKES TO DEATH ON GRAPES

Because the number of hospital infections is so high, doctors, hospital staff, and patients should make strides to prevent infection from happening. As the patient, you can bring your own antibacterial wipes to use on areas that often get touched. Wipe down bed rails, remote controls, and any tables that you may be using.

Then, take notice of whether medical staff are washing up before handling your care. You may find it uncomfortable at first, but you should always ask the staff to wash their hands if they havent already done so.

These caring professionals most likely have plans to wash up anyway, but they may get sidetracked by their duties. Reminding them to wash their hands could save you from a serious illness.

Finally, make sure to ask plenty of questions if your doctor prescribes an antibiotic. You can talk through whether the medicine is just a precaution or necessary for your situation.

If you do need medicine, ask whether there are any other options that you can explore first. Not only do antibiotics cause resistance in certain infections, but they also get rid of good bacteria in your body. Using a little extra precaution and working with your doctor, you can reduce the risk for an infection.

This article first appeared on AskDrManny.com.
As potentially millions of Americans travel to see the total solar eclipse on Monday (Aug. 21), doctors are bracing for a spike in visits to emergency rooms (ERs) across the country, experts say.

"I suspect there will be an increase in patient traffic to ERs, especially in areas expecting a large influx of eclipse watchers," Dr. Becky Parker, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), said in a statement. These include areas in the path of the total solar eclipse, which will span from Oregon to South Carolina.

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 2017: 6 BEST APPS FOR THE BIG EVENT

"When a population surges, even temporarily, ER visits tends to rise," Parker said. Anything that shakes up people's regular routines, including an eclipse, or even daylight saving time switches, can lead to more car accidents on roads, Parker said. "Be mindful of that."

Indeed, the website GreatAmericanEclipse.com estimates that between 1.8 million and 7.4 million people will travel to an area inside the path of the total solar eclipse, many by car.

GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE OF 2017: WHAT IT IS, WHEN ITS HAPPENING AND WHY YOU HAVE TO SEE IT

In Idaho, officials predict that town and city populations will triple, which will put pressure on local hospitals to handle a large rise in patients, the ACEP said.

Experts also stress that eclipse watchers should take precautions to protect their eyes during the eclipse. "If you choose to look at it, you must use proper eye protection for safe viewing." That's because looking directly at the sun, even for a short period of time, can cause severe eye damage.

WHAT CAUSES A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE?

People can safely view the eclipse with special "eclipse glasses" or handheld solar viewers that contain solar filters, according to American Astronomical Society (AAS). The four manufacturers with certified eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers are: Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17.

Monday's solar eclipse will be a historic event  it will be the first time since 1918 that a total solar eclipse will be visible across the continental United States (from the West Coast to the East Coast), according to the AAS.

"For many in this country, Monday's solar eclipse will be a once-in-a-lifetime event," Parker said. "We want you to enjoy but to enjoy it safely and be mindful of the risks."

Original article on Live Science.
An Alabama couple hoping to give their three boys a sibling turned to fertility medication after suffering a miscarriage in January, and just a few weeks later learned that theyre now expecting sextuplets.

It was the shock of our lives, Courtney Waldrop, of Albertville, told The Gadsden Times.

Waldrop and her husband, Eric, were in for another shock when a second ultrasound revealed eight sacs.

10-YEAR-OLD INDIA RAPE VICTIM UNKNOWINGLY GIVES BIRTH TO BABY GIRL, REPORT SAYS

We were distraught, worried, scared, she told the news outlet, before adding that a third appointment showed two of the sacs were empty.

In addition to the health risks Waldrop, who is 13 weeks pregnant, now faces, doctors are hoping the babies make it to 28 weeks gestation before they are born. She is scheduled to deliver at Huntsville Hospital, which has never delivered sextuplet siblings before, The Gadsden Times reported.

The risks are crazy, she told the news outlet. They are monitoring me closely, taking good care of me.

The couple, who have been together since middle school, said their faith in God took over after they heard all six fetal heartbeats.

TERMINALLY ILL DAD TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS EARLY WITH 4 KIDS

We turned it over to God and we realized he was going to get us through it, Eric, a landscaping business owner, told WHNT.

The family, which includes an 8-year-old big brother and 5-year-old twins, is hosting a gender reveal party and Glow Run 5K fundraiser on Aug. 26 at a local park. While theres no cost to register, any donations will go toward caring for the sextuplets.

Waldrop started the Gods Divine Nine-Miracles in the Making - Waldrop Sextuplets Facebook page to share the familys experience with their community.

God has given us these babies, and He has a plan, she told The Gadsden Times. And its bigger than ours was.
A 14-year-old Oklahoma teen who woke one morning in 2014 unable to walk or move her arms was told for a year that her debilitating headaches and other symptoms were nothing to worry about. But this time, Haily Flatts mother refused to leave without a brain scan, which revealed a large tumor wrapped around her brain steam, KFOR reported.

It was like all the oxygen in the room was just sucked, Tinisha Lairson, the teens mother, told KFOR. I couldnt breathe.

10-YEAR-OLD RAPE VICTIM UNKNOWINGLY GIVES BIRTH TO BABY GIRL, REPORT SAYS

Flatt was diagnosed with a juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA) tumor, which was found to be benign but required surgery that left her deaf in one ear and involves follow-up chemotherapy to shrink the remaining mass.

These low-grade gliomas tend to burn themselves out as a child finishes adolescence, Dr. Rene McNall, a pediatric oncologist at Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer, where Flatt is a patient, told KFOR. We dont understand that, its something well have to watch for the rest of her life, but its something that the cure rate is excellent.

In addition to surgery, Flatt faced months worth of physical and occupational therapy to regain movement in her face and legs. On the Prayers for Hailey Facebook page, Lairson shared that Flatt suffers from anxiety and depression, particularly around the time of MRI scans to monitor tumor growth.

SUSPENDED ORAL SURGEON DIES OF SUSPECTED OVERDOSE

The teens grandmother has created custom face masks to match her outfits, and she is currently undergoing another round of chemotherapy to combat the tumors growth. On Aug. 16, a post on the support page said doctors were concerned about Flatts allergic reaction to vinblastine, and that they were administering Benadryl before the next chemotherapy treatment.

Shes the toughest girl I know, Lairson told KFOR.
Off-the-shoulder tops are a popular fashion trend right now, but a group of high schoolers in California are wearing them for a different reason.

Students of San Benito High School in Hollister returned to school August 14. But many of the female students were in for a surprise when they found themselves being cited for dress code violations. Turns out, their off-shoulder-tops are against school policy. And while theyve technically been banned for years, the students claim this rule was only recently enforced, according to Yahoo Style.

TEXAS WOMAN PLANS TO LIVE STREAM HER BREAST AUGMENTATION ON INSTAGRAM

In protest of the dress code, many of the around 3,000-population student body decided to also wear off-the-shoulder tops, including several male students wishing to show their solidarity with their fellow female classmates.

Students are baffled by the increased notice school administrators are paying to the dress code, which one Junior says hasnt been a concern since shes attended the school. The dress code policy hasnt been an issue the past two years I have been here, the 16-year-old told Yahoo Style.

But this year, she says she saw 50 girls and two boys in trouble for dress code violations, including wearing off-the-shoulder tops.

The student notes that, according to administration, the dress code is for their own safety, but she fails to understand what theyre keeping us safe from, Yahoo Style reports.

Another student on social media took notice that, despite off-the-shoulder tops violating dress code, the female seniors all wear an off-the-shoulder wrap in their yearbook portraits.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

The San Benito High School principal told Yahoo Style that the recent events regarding the tops have offered some major teachable moments to the entire school community.
Following more terrorist attacks in Europe  this time in the Spanish cities of Barcelona and Cambrils  the worlds leaders are once again expressing their outrage at jihadist terror.

Missing from these statements, however, is the fiery resolve of British Prime Minister Theresa Mays condemnation made last June after her nation was assaulted on the streets of London.

The recent attacks, she explained, are connected  by the single evil ideology of Islamist extremism that preaches hatred, sows division and promotes sectarianism.

Its possible that frank assessments like this will still come in the days ahead. As a former CIA officer, I certainly hope so. Prime Minister May was in fact on to something critical.

Islam is at war with itself and the West isnt helping. Heres why:

Reflect for a moment on the attacks in America and Europe over the past 20 years. New York. Washington. Boston. Fort Hood. Paris. Brussels. Madrid. London.

And now Barcelona.

What do these attacks have in common? All were inspired by the teachings of Salafi Islam.

Many Americans will be puzzled by the word Salafi. And thats precisely the problem.

Lets start with the basics. Islam is a religion comprised of different types of believers who largely fall into two branches: Sunni and Shia. In very rough terms, its like the split between Protestants and Catholics, each with important doctrinal differences.

Most Muslims around the world are Sunni, while the Shia are fewer in number and predominantly live in Iran.

Within Sunni Islam, there are dozens of different types of sects with distinct beliefs. The vast majority are moderate and want to live in peace. Indeed, theyre willing and eager to live amongst diverse groups of people, including Christians and atheists.

Not the Salafi sect, however. These Sunni Muslims follow an ultra-conservative set of beliefs that originated in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab nations. Salafis reject a separation of mosque and state, believing that governments should be made up of religious clerics  and only clerics  that use the Quran to justify their governing decisions.

Their world is a very dark and dangerous place. Women face many restrictions on what they can do, where they can go and what they can wear. Dancing, music and other forms of art are banned. The penalty for being gay can be death.

Democracy? Totally unacceptable.

It is this ideology that forms the backbone of Al Qaeda, ISIS, and other jihadist groups.

Sadly, the worlds political leaders have let Salafis take advantage of our open, liberal societies by allowing the operation of Salafi mosques and madrassas (religious schools). From Bangladesh to Los Angeles, Salafis spread their violent beliefs shielded by the constitutional guarantees of free speech and religious liberty.

This radical ideology is the dirty little secret in our war on terror. Most politicians dont want you to understand it. Why? If you did, the implications would be profound.

A religion in crisis: First, we would stop saying, Islam is a religion of peace, and instead say, Islam is a religion in crisis. Our politicians would make it clear that our fight is against a religious ideology rather than a random group of fanatics.

Accordingly, the people and governments who embrace and spread Salafi Islam would be labeled enemies of the state.

Meanwhile, our Departments of State and Homeland Security would support the moderate, non-Salafi Muslims who are battling the extremist agenda. This includes collaborating with reformist academics, clerics, womens rights activists, and others who understand the importance of separating mosque and state.

For older Americans who remember the Cold War, our approach would resemble the fight against the Communist ideology.

Rewrite the ban: Next, President Trump would fundamentally change his travel ban. As of now, the president is focused on six Muslim nations. But the truth is that the Salafi ideology reaches every continent, every country, and every city. In Germany, for instance, they number nearly 10,000 strong.

Additionally, the administration would acknowledge that the Salafi sect is in the United States too, some as citizens. The FBI would work more closely with local law enforcement to prioritize the monitoring of these individuals and the mosques that indoctrinate them. Where laws need adjusting to allow for it, Congress would move quickly.

Self-inflicted wounds: Third, wed recognize that some of our foreign policy decisions are working against us. From our war in Iraq to our efforts in Libya, it is we who have helped spread the virus of radical Islam. Recent case in point: we have provided money and military weaponry to Salafi Islamist rebels in Syria.

The Saudis and Gulf Arabs: Finally, we would publically address the role that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab nations have played in sponsoring and spreading Salafi Islam. Ever since 15 Saudis launched attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Americas politicians have made half-hearted demands of the kingdom to do something about their terror ideology.

Almost 16 years later, very little has changed. Saudi Arabia still operates terror mosques and madrassas around the globe, focusing on nations like Kosovo and Albania that are too weak to fight back.

Meanwhile, even President Trump has faltered on taking a strong stance against the Saudis. Indeed, he spent his first overseas trip offering the Saudis a $110 billion weapons sale, including advanced arms, and billions more in other business deals. Not to be outdone, CIA Director Mike Pompeo gave a Saudi prince a medal for his work on countering terrorism.

In other words, we continue to reward an arsonist for being a part-time firefighter.

None of this will change until and unless politicians of all stripes start being honest about why our citizens, soldiers, and spies continue to die at the hands of Islamic extremists.

Its the ideology. And its time were honest about it.
As the coverage of the Charlottesville fallout seemingly escalates by the hour, President Trump took a whack at the press Thursday. His tweet:

The public is learning (even more so) how dishonest the Fake News is. They totally misrepresent what I say about hate, bigotry etc. Shame!

Of course, by ripping the media on Charlottesville, the president is keeping alive a story that, by any measure, has been politically damaging for him. The same goes for his tweets calling it foolish to tear down our beautiful statues and monuments to Confederate leaders because you cant change history.

Whether you agree or disagree with Trumps handling of the deadly episode, hes the one who elevated this into a political furor. His formulation of blame on many sides ignited the controversy Saturday; his explicit condemnation of white supremacists and neo-Nazis on Monday cooled the temperatures a bit; and his return to the both-sides-are-to-blame formulation Tuesday (and inclusion of nice people among the protesters) led to the current firestorm.

As I said on Special Report, the media shouldnt pretend theres some false equivalence between the KKK and Nazi types and the counter-protesters in Charlottesville, even if some in the latter group engaged in violence. But when you look at the coverage on some cable news networks, its hour after hour of moral outrage with very few dissenting voices. Even on this hypersensitive subject, there is a need in journalism for some degree of balance.

On that point, a new CBS poll shows that 67 percent of Republicans approve of Trumps handling of Charlottesville, a finding completely at variance with the tone of the coverage. But with 82 percent of Democrats giving his response a thumbs down, the overall disapproval rate stands at 55 percent.

Meanwhile, there has been a torrent of leaks as some of those who work for Trump try to distance themselves from what they view as a mess.

The New York Times has this killer graf: The presidents top advisers described themselves as stunned, despondent and numb. Several said they were unable to see how Mr. Trumps presidency would recover, and others expressed doubts about his capacity to do the job.

And then there is John Kelly, the retired general who was lauded for his presumed ability to bring order to an undisciplined White House. The Times says that the new chief of staff, who watched the presidents performance on Tuesday with his head hung low, grimacing at some of Mr. Trumps remarks, is frustrated, according to people inside the White House.

The Times describes the dismay of Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, who stood near Trump on Tuesday, and in the Washington Post, those close to Cohn described him as disgusted and frantically unhappy, although he did not threaten to resign.

But Trump felt vindicated after the remarks, said people familiar with his thinking. He believes that his base agrees with his assertion that both sides are guilty of violence and that the nation risks sliding into a cauldron of political correctness.

And then theres Steve Bannon, who made a splash by sounding off in a call to Robert Kuttner, the liberal co-editor of the American Prospect (whose first issue after the election was Resisting Trump). The presidents chief strategist made news on the showdown with North Korea, a trade war with China and his internal war against Cohn, but he said this about Charlottesville:

Ethno-nationalism  it's losers. It's a fringe element. I think the media plays it up too much, and we gotta help crush it, you know, uh, help crush it more.  These guys are a collection of clowns. He said the White House can crush the Democrats if they talk about racism and the administration focuses on economic nationalism.

Some associates said Bannon thought he was speaking off the record, a la Scaramucci, but Bannon told the Daily Mail that his comments drew fire away from POTUS and changed the narrative.

Bannon also told the Times: President Trump, by asking, Where does this all end?  Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln  connects with the American people about their history, culture and traditions.

In this view, Trump is right where he wants to be, even if the media and political reaction has been overwhelmingly negative.
President Trump's proposed federal budget calls for slashing U.S. funding for the United Nations peacekeeping efforts by almost $275 million in the next fiscal year. The cut  more than 12 percent below what our nation is spending on U.N. peacekeeping this year  is supposed to prioritize domestic initiatives and further the presidents goal of America First. It doesnt.

Instead of enabling our nation to focus on taking care of problems at home rather than worrying about problems all around the world, the proposed peacekeeping cuts would damage Americas vital interests and hurt us on the home front.

As a result, those who agree with the president that we need to put American interests first, fight terrorism and stem the flow of migrants to our shores should oppose the proposed cuts to U.N. funding. The reasoning is simple  peacekeeping works.

And while keeping the peace costs money, war costs us far more  not just in dollars, but in lost lives and damage to American national security.

U.N. peacekeeping missions play a vital role in stabilizing war-torn countries that are making the difficult transition to peace. The U.N. reports that nearly 113,000 troops and military observers, police, international and local civilians, and volunteers are now participating in peacekeeping missions in 15 countries around the world. A total of 124 nations have contributed members of the military and police to these peacekeeping missions.

The peacekeepers directly benefit the United States because they decrease the threat of terrorism and refugee and migrant crises. In congressional hearings earlier this summer, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley and members of the House Appropriations Committee rightly focused on the benefits U.S. taxpayers get from government spending. Any way you look at it, peacekeeping is a remarkably cost-effective way to safeguard American lives and interests.

Study after study has shown that peacekeeping reduces the risk that conflicts will erupt again. My own research indicates peacekeeping cuts the risk of conflict dramatically  by 75 to 85 percent.

Peacekeeping also reduces the level of violence in ongoing wars, and helps prevent the contagion of conflicts to neighboring countries. These effects combined mean that spending on peacekeeping has dramatic positive effects over time. Peacekeeping saves lives, saves money and makes the world less violent and more stable.

So why should those who prioritize American lives and interests spend their hard-earned tax dollars on saving lives abroad?

First, it's just not that expensive. The U.S. contribution to U.N. peacekeeping this year is about $2.25 billion. Thats certainly a significant amount, but to put that in perspective, it is about half the budget of the City of Houston, and about half the budget of the New York City Police Department. A mere 0.0006 percent of this years federal budget goes to fund U.N. peacekeeping operations.

But more importantly, peacekeeping can reduce and prevent overseas conflicts that jeopardize us at home. Wars elsewhere risk the lives of American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines if we get sucked into military intervention. And even if we don't, foreign conflicts increase the risk of terrorism, and create refugee and migrant crises.

President Trump campaigned on promises to keep us safe from terrorism and to stem the flow of foreigners to our shores. Every dollar we spend on U.N. peacekeeping helps us achieve these goals.

We know that peacekeeping has helped reduce violence, but it's hard to appreciate the dangers of wars that didn't happen. So to see how peacekeeping can protect Americans, imagine (as a recent study does) if there had been substantially more investment in making and keeping peace in the last few decades.

Recurring wars in Afghanistan might have been prevented or drastically reduced. Al-Qaida might not have had the safe haven that instability in Afghanistan made possible. The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 might not have occurred, and the U.S. might not have intervened in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Perhaps ISIS might never have come into existence. If the wars in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and elsewhere could have been averted, hundreds of thousands of refugees would not have fled their homes for Europe and North America.

Similarly, wars in Central America might have been prevented or contained, stemming the flow of migrants north to the U.S. border.

This is just thought exercise of course; we can't know for sure what the world would look like today if we had invested more in peacekeeping yesterday.

But even if more and better-funded peacekeeping only decreased the probability of some of the instability and prevented some of the deaths the world has seen lately, every dollar spent on peacekeeping would have been worth it.

More funding for peacekeeping wont magically lead to the end of all wars, of course. And funding levels aren't the only constraints on the U.N.s ability to deploy effective peacekeepers. Ambassador Haleys testimony makes clear that she sees the value in peacekeeping, but wants to trim the fat around the edges.

There may be ways to reduce the budgets of some individual peacekeeping missions, but most peacekeeping efforts are chronically underfunded  they need more resources to be more effective, not fewer.

The draconian cuts proposed in President Trumps budget will not put American interests first; they will gut one of the most cost-effective ways we have to safeguard American security and American borders. Peacekeeping is a good deal for America. There should be bipartisan support for investing in this critically important activity.
Embattled White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is out at the White House, a source told Fox News Friday afternoon.

A source close to the strategist told the New York Times Bannon had submitted his resignation to the president on Aug. 7, but the announcement was delayed after the protest violence broke out last weekend in Charlottesville, Va.

Bannons appointment pitted him against the Republican mainstream, and the controversial advisers clashes with other senior West Wing advisers and members of the presidents family have intensified since. More rumors began circulating about Bannons imminent departure when John Kelly was named chief of staff in late July.

STEPHEN BANNON OUT AT THE WHITE HOUSE, SOURCE SAYS

Bannon is a right-wing nationalist and formerly the driving force behind conservative Breitbart News, where he was executive chairman before turning to the Trump campaign. As campaign manager, Bannon helped propel Trump to the White House, later playing an instrumental role in Trumps policy implementation to overhaul free trade deals and crack down on immigration.

His influence is apparent in some key decisions made by the president. For instance, he was a key player at Trumps June 1 announcement that he would withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement -- one of Bannons top policy objectives.

The president first signaled his public dissatisfaction with Bannon in April, declining to affirm his support for the top aide. In a New York Post interview, he downplayed Bannons role, declaring, Im my own strategist.

PRESIDENT TRUMP'S LOYALTY TO BANNON TESTED

Earlier this week, Bannon gave a candid interview to a liberal magazine where he slammed some of his colleagues within the administration.

Born in Virginia in 1953, Bannon was a U.S. Navy officer for four years. He studied at Georgetown University and earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Turning toward investment banking, he had a stint at Goldman Sachs before he moved into media financing, helping to launch the sitcom "Seinfeld" and others to popularity.

Bannon then segued into film production, working in Hollywood before shifting to producing independent political documentaries. His films backed former President Ronald Regan, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and the Tea Party movement.

It was through that work he met Andrew Breitbart, a staunchly conservative media entrepreneur who said he wanted to inject news into the cycle that would counter the liberal-dominated mainstream media.

When Breitbart died of a heart attack in 2012, Bannon took over as head of Breitbart News, fueling its rise as a contentious, populist, conspiracy-tinged outlet for right-wing Americans disillusioned with mainstream politics.

Trump briefly addressed the speculation of Mr. Bannons removal during remarks with reporters at Trump Tower on Tuesday, stopping short of saying whether Bannon would stay.

I like Mr. Bannon, hes a friend of mine, Trump said. I like him. Hes a good man. Hes not a racist  but well see what happens with Mr. Bannon.
The federal case against Imran Awan, a former IT aide for Democratic Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, expanded Thursday with an indictment on four counts including conspiracy and making false statements.

He originally was charged with a single bank fraud count; his wife Hina Alvi also was indicted Thursday.

The grand jury decision in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia comes roughly a month after Awan was arrested at Dulles airport in Virginia trying to board a plane to Pakistan, where his family is from.

Awan and other IT aides for House Democrats have been on investigators radar for months over concerns of possible double-billing, alleged equipment theft, and access to sensitive computer systems. Most lawmakers fired Awan in February, but Schultz had kept him on until his arrest in July.

The indictment itself, which merely represents formal charges and is not a finding of guilt, addresses separate allegations that Awan and his wife engaged in a conspiracy to obtain home equity lines of credit from the Congressional Federal Credit Union by giving false information about two properties  and then sending the proceeds to individuals in Pakistan.

The case has put renewed scrutiny on Wasserman Schultz for keeping Awan on the payroll for months, even after a criminal investigation was revealed and he was barred from the House IT network.

Awan and other family members for years had a lucrative arrangement for IT-related work on Capitol Hill for House Democrats. According to The Daily Caller, the members of the Pakistani family made at least $4 million since 2009.

In a recent interview published in the Sun Sentinel, Wasserman Schultz blamed the right-wing media circus fringe for the attention on Awan.

The former head of the Democratic National Committee suggested it's all part of an effort to distract from the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign and possible ties to President Trump's team.

Any opportunity they can to pull peoples eyes and ears away from that they take, Wasserman Schultz told the newspaper.

Her colleagues in Congress, though, say there are serious security implications in her former staffer's case.

We have to investigate how our systems may have been compromised, Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., recently told Fox & Friends.

Though Awan was barred from the IT network, Wasserman Schultz spokesman David Damron told Fox News their office worked with the House Chief Administrative Officer to arrange for the employee to keep providing valuable services without access to the House network.

Awan, 37, of Virginia, earlier pleaded not guilty to a single count of bank fraud.

Attorney Christopher Gowen told Fox News that federal authorities have no evidence of misconduct by Awan relating to his IT duties.

Fox News Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
Washington Democrats are facing a new backlash from pro-choice and liberal groups, after a party leader declared no "litmus test" for pro-life, 2018 House candidates.

The internal conflict got started this spring but exploded in late July when Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee leader Rep. Ben Ray Lujan said they will not withhold financial support from anti-abortion candidates.

The New Mexico lawmakers comments sparked an immediate backlash from liberal supporters that continued this week.

Cecile Richards, who runs Planned Parenthood and its political action committee, called Lujans statement shocking. The abortion divide creates new complications as Democrats try to raise money for their ambitious plan to retake the House and perhaps the Senate.

Democrats know they desperately need a message that appeals to voters beyond those on the countrys liberal East and West coasts -- especially after now-President Trump and down-ticket candidates romped last year through such Democratic strongholds as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. But they also want to keep their allies on the left.

DEMS' NEW SLOGAN MERCILESSLY MOCKED

Richards told Politico in an interview published Tuesday that she has no idea whether Lujans comments were part of Democrats attempts at a broader appeal.

Its a shocking sort of misunderstanding of actually where the country is  which is overwhelmingly supportive of abortion rights, she said. I think hes totally wrong, and Ill use every opportunity to convince him of that.

Planned Parenthood and its PAC have considerable financial clout.

Federal records show they collectively gave nearly $1.4 million to candidates in the 2016 election cycle. Though Richards told Politico that Planned Parenthood is non-partisan, more than 99 percent of the money last cycle went to Democratic candidates.

Her comments follow NARAL Pro-Choice America, EMILYs List and several other progressive groups issuing a statement of principles two days after Lujans stated DCCC position.

Democrats will fail to retake power in 2018 if we allow ourselves to be forced into a false choice between a populist progressive agenda and reproductive justice, said Charles Chamberlain, Democracy for Americas executive director.

Whether a candidate will support abortion rights is not the only issue dividing Democrats, as the party tries to tout a pro-jobs message with the 2018 primaries now just months away.

Democratic leaders and voters remain largely separated between the Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders camps of the 2016 race, in which independent Vermont Sen. Sanders ran as a Democrat and pushed the party further to the left.

The stubborn divide was on full display in California this summer when Democratic lawmakers split on a plan to create a universal health care system for residents.

House Speaker Anthony Rendon shelved the Senate-approved $400 billion proposal, arguing it had no funding plan -- a decision he said resulted in death threats.

Sanders, a champion of government-run or so-called single payer health care systems, said he was extremely disappointed by Rendons decision.

A GOP leadership source told Fox News on Tuesday the challenges House Democrats face over such issues are understandable.

"The DCCC has to get to 218 seats," the source said. "The math is the math. You cannot make the math work unless you expand the playing field. And you cannot expand the playing field unless you have a wide field of candidates."

Washington Democrats split over the abortion issue first ignited in April when new Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez told The Huffington Post: Every Democrat, like every American, should support a womans right to make her own choices about her body and her health. That is not negotiable.

House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat raised Catholic, swiftly and repeatedly has rejected the so-called ideological purity test, saying of course the party is open to candidates with contrasting views on the deeply-personal abortion issue.

To be sure, Democrats cannot afford to alienate or lose major donors, considering the DCCC wants to compete in more than 70 GOP-held districts, in the effort to win at least 24 Republican-held House seats next year and take control of the chamber.

The DCCC and its counterpart, the National Republican Congressional Committee, are essentially tied at $60 million in fundraising so far this year.

However, the Democratic National Committee significantly trails the Republican National Committee.

The RNC has raised roughly $62 million through May, compared with the DNCs $32.7 million, according to the Federal Election Commission.

Nobody has the keys in their head as to how Democrats are going to win back the House, Mac Zilber, a California-based Democratic political consultant, said Wednesday.

There are so many seats in play. And in deep-red districts, so many people might be offended by Trump, some just might want an alternative. Lets let the marketplace of ideas decide.
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens joined calls Friday for state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal to be expelled from the legislature after saying she hopes President Trump is assassinated.

The Republican governor put out a string of tweets noting that lawmakers have called on the Democratic lawmaker to resign and urged the Senate to kick her out if she refuses.

Senator Chappelle-Nadal said she hopes the President is killed. Republicans and Democrats have called on her to resign, he wrote.  Last night, in an interview, she refused to apologizetwice. If she will not resign, the Senate can vote to remove her. I believe they should.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Lt. Gov. Mike Parson backed the call, saying if she does not resign before an upcoming September session, he will seek her expulsion in his capacity as state Senate president.

The Senate could do so with a two-thirds vote.

Chappelle-Nadal made the original comment, since deleted, on Facebook.

I hope Trump is assassinated! she wrote.

Chappelle-Nadal eventually removed the post, but a screenshot was saved and shared on Twitter. In interviews with local outlets, Chapelle-Nadal said she regretted her post but not her anger at the president. She blamed her outburst on the president's response to the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville.

I posted something on my personal Facebook and I should not have done that, and for that I am sorry for that," Chapelle-Nadal told St. Louis television station KMOV. "But I am not going to shy away from what caused that anger at all, I'm not going to shy away from that."

The Secret Service told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch it is investigating Chapelle-Nadals post.

Meanwhile, top Missouri Democrats  including Sen. Claire McCaskill and the chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party  also are calling on Chapelle-Nadal to resign.

I condemn it," McCaskill told the Post-Dispatch. "It's outrageous. And she should resign.

Missouri Party Chair Stephen Webber called Chappelle-Nadals comments "indefensible.

I believe she should resign, Webber said.

But Chappelle-Nadal told KMOX Radio she wont quit.

There is no way in hell that Im resigning, she said.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi on Friday touted a campaign to formally censure President Trump following his controversial response to the violence that resulted from a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.

Every day, the president gives us further evidence of why such a censure is necessary, Pelosi said in a written statement. Democrats will use every avenue to challenge the repulsiveness of President Trumps words and actions.

Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Jerrold Nadler of New York and Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey filed a formal resolution of censure Friday during a pro forma session.

Were at a very significant juncture here, Coleman told The Washington Post. We can either have peace, or we can have this president fuel and fan the fires of violence, and that is scary. He needs to be held accountable.

The resolution asks to censure Trump for his inadequate response to the violence and failure to immediately and specifically name and condemn the white supremacist groups responsible for actions of domestic terrorism.

It also takes issue with comments Trump made Tuesday from Trump Tower that some very fine people were among those who participated in the white-supremacist march that led to the death of a Charlottesville woman and injured 19 others.

Censure is a largely symbolic vote that doesnt carry a lot of legal weight with it. Its basically a strongly worded letter of disapproval thats on the record.

Indeed, with each passing day, it becomes clearer that the Republican Congress must declare whether it stands for our sacred American values or with the president who embraces white nationalism, Pelosi said.

So far, the resolution has 79 co-sponsors. No Republicans have signed on.

The last time the House censured a president was in 1848. Lawmakers rebuked President James K. Polk for starting the Mexican-American War without congressional approval. The Senate voted to censure President Andrew Jackson in 1834 for trying to dismantle the Bank of the United States.
Vice President Mike Pence wrapped up his recent trip to Latin America on Thursday looking perhaps a little presidential.

The five-day tour through Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Panama -- which ended a day early, with the vice president expected to meet with President Trump at Camp David in Maryland on Friday -- was seen as another damage-control mission to help calm allies who may be on edge, similar to recent trips he made to Europe.

The purpose in Latin America was to give a sign of the high importance [Trump] places on this region, a White House statement said.

I will build on the good work that has been done throughout President Trumps Administration to bolster our shared economic and security goals, it quoted the vice president as saying.

But Pence also found himself forced to comment on events at home -- including the powder-keg situation in Charlottesville, Va., and the controversial comments that Trump made afterward. The vice president even felt compelled to address Thursdays terror attack in Barcelona.

The way Pence presented himself in Latin America has helped to further fuel rumors that he is poised to make a presidential run in 2020, as the New York Times reported earlier this month. The vice president vehemently denied the claims at the time, but news also surfaced this week that he launched a personal PAC in May, something no other White House second-in-command has done so soon into the job.

This weeks trip, and how Pence handled his duties, may be an indication of his ambitions for 2020.

Sunday:

Pence met with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in Cartegena, where both commented on the political crisis in neighboring Venezuela.

"I've told Vice President Pence the possibility of military intervention shouldn't even be considered," Santos said during a joint news conference, an apparent reference to President Trump's comment that a "military option" was possible for the U.S. in Venezuela. "The Latin American continent, every country in Latin America, would not favor any form of military intervention and that is why we are saying we are intent on looking into other measures, some of which are already underway and others to be implemented in the future."

Pence weighed in with a measured response, saying the U.S. has "many options" for Venezuela and that the administration would work with its Latin American allies toward a peaceable solution.

"In Venezuela, we're seeing the tragedy of tyranny play out before our eyes," he said. "Venezuela is sliding into dictatorship, and as President Trump has said, the United States will not stand by as Venezuela crumbles."

The vice president also commented on the situation in Charlottesville, calling out the media for criticizing Trump over comments he made about both sides inciting violence. But Pence also called the white nationalists at the rally to task  something the president was slow to do.

"We have no tolerance for hate and violence from white supremacists, neo-Nazis or the KKK," Pence said. "These dangerous fringe groups have no place in American public life and in the American debate, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms."

Monday:

Pence visited the Calvary Chapel in Cartagena, where he met with faith leaders and Venezuelan families. His wife, Karen Pence, helped lead a prayer circle, where she prayed for "comfort to the Venezuelan refugees."

The vice president and his wife also spent time with the migrants, listening to their emotional stories. Reporters were not able to hear their conversations, but watched the vice president comfort several women, including at least one who was seen wiping away tears.

He said he heard "heartbreaking" stories of their struggle for food and doubled down on statements he made the previous day.

"President Trump's made it very clear we will not stand by while Venezuela collapses into dictatorship," Pence said, arguing that "a failed state in Venezuela threatens the security and prosperity of our entire hemispheres and the people of the United States."

Tuesday:

Pence met with Argentine President Mauricio Macri in Buenos Aires and praised the leader for his bold reform agenda, hailing the country as a model for the region, in contrast to the downward spiral of Venezuela.

While speaking at the citys old stock exchange building, Pence attempted to reassure Argentina that Trumps America First policy does not mean America alone, arguing that a more prosperous Latin America will lead to a more prosperous U.S.

When Latin America embraces economic reforms, Latin America succeeds and so does the United States, he said.

Wednesday:

Pence headed to Santiago, Chile, for a meeting with President Michelle Bachelet. Although the vice president was not scheduled to take questions from reporters, he came to Trumps defense when asked about comments on Charlottesville that the president made a day earlier at Trump Tower.

When asked whether he agrees with Trump that there were good people among the white supremacists who protested in Charlottesville and whether, as the president said, there was blame on both sides, Pence said, "What happened in Charlottesville was a tragedy." He pointed to comments he'd made Sunday night, saying: "I stand with the president, and I stand by those words."

Earlier in the day, Pence also called on Chile to break all diplomatic and commercial ties with North Korea.

The vice president also announced he would cut his trip short by one day, so he can attend a meeting at Camp David on Friday with Trump and the president's national security team.

Thursday:

The vice president made Panama the final stop on his tour. He visited the newly expanded Panama Canal after delivering public remarks in response to the terror attack in Barcelona that killed at least 13 people and left more than 80 wounded.

"Whoever is responsible should know the United States of America, along with our allies, will find and punish those responsible and drive the evil of radical Islamic terror from the face of the Earth," Pence said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story
Mississippi lawmakers are renewing calls to change the state flag, which prominently features the Confederate emblem, after violence erupted during a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend.

The Republican governor is facing pressure to convene a special session to officially order the change, and even the state's Republican senators are backing the push.

Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives Philip Gunn, who would preside over a possible special session, also said he supports the change.

I want to see the flag changed. But, we must acknowledge that changing our state flag, alone, is not going to solve the problem of bigotry, hatred or racial superiority, Gunn, a Republican, wrote in a Facebook post. Only changes in the hearts of men are going to solve these problems.

The push to remove Confederate statues has fueled an intense debate in cities across the country, with defenders warning of a slippery slope in taking down historical monuments deemed offensive.

But Mississippi is unique. The Magnolia State is the last in the union to prominently feature the Confederate emblem on its flag, though at least four other states use elements of the Confederate design on their flags including Arkansas, Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus asked Gov. Phil Bryant to call a special session. Chairwoman State Rep. Sonya Williams-Barnes, D-Miss., said the events in Charlottesville remind people that Confederate symbols have no place in Mississippis state flag.

When there is a pending economic development deal, the Governor declares a special session and calls representatives and senators back to Jackson to pass legislation, Williams-Barnes said in a press release. Simply, there is no legislation that would do more to improve the image and economy of Mississippi than changing the flag.

This years regular session for the Mississippi State Legislature ended in late March but the governor has the power to call lawmakers back to the capital for an extraordinary session.

In a statement provided to Fox News, Bryant rejected the rhetoric from last weekend but stopped short of calling a special session to change the flag.

Those who practice the extremist ideals of Neo-Nazism or white supremacy have no place in Mississippi. I condemn these groups in the strongest possible terms, Bryant said in a statement.

Bryant added the decision should be left up to the citizens of the state as he has previously expressed.

My position has not changed. Whatever the state flag is or is not should be decided by Mississippi voters, Bryant added.

The state's two GOP senators, Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, have called on legislators to change the flag.

The debate surrounding the state flag, which has been used since 1894, has been ongoing for years. All eight public universities in the state no longer fly it on campus grounds. An attempt earlier this year to force universities to fly the flag or lose tax breaks failed in the state legislature.

In 2001, Mississippians voted to keep the state flag by 64-36 percent in a statewide referendum. Another vote for a new flag design would require over 86,000 signatures to get on the ballot and must pass with a majority vote.

Any change at the legislative level would require support from both houses and the governors signature. The next legislative session is scheduled to start in January 2018.
President Trump's controversial chief strategist Steve Bannon is leaving the White House, in another major staff shakeup announced at the close of another tumultuous week in Washington.

The White House confirmed in a brief statement that Bannon, a hardcore populist who often sparred with his West Wing colleagues, would make Friday his last day -- just over a year after he joined the Trump presidential campaign.

"White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. "We are grateful for his service and wish him the best."

One White House aide told Fox News the departure was a long time coming, and that Bannon actually submitted his resignation in writing two weeks ago.

This would have been just days after Kelly joined as chief of staff. Kelly was said to have been the driving force in the ouster of former communications director Anthony Scaramucci, and speculation swiftly centered on Bannon as the next one to go.

Sources say Bannon has become increasingly isolated in the White House. Adding to the pressure, some critics also publicly attacked Bannon in the wake of last weekend's Charlottesville violence, in which a counter-protester was killed at a white nationalist rally. Trump came under intense criticism for his response to that violence, and some blamed Bannon for the tone -- though it's unclear how much influence he had in Trump's remarks.

Bannon formally joined Trumps team last summer, when the former head of Breitbart News was tapped as chief executive of the campaign. After Trump won the presidential race, Bannon was appointed to a senior adviser role at the same time Reince Priebus was named chief of staff.

The Drudge Report first reported Bannons exit, saying he could return to Breitbart.

Earlier this week, Bannon gave a candid interview to a liberal magazine where he slammed some of his adversaries inside the administration.

Speaking to The American Prospect, Bannon contradicted the administration's statements on North Korea. He said despite threats to attack the regime, "There's no military solution [to North Korea's nuclear threats], forget it."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday rebuffed those remarks.

Bannon has long been a target of mainstream Republican ire  and until now had survived even as top Trump lieutenants like Sean Spicer and Priebus have resigned.

Trump briefly addressed the speculation about Bannon's future during a wide-ranging Q&A with reporters at Trump Tower on Tuesday afternoon.

I like Mr. Bannon, hes a friend of mine, Trump said, while downplaying his impact in the 2016 campaign. I like him. Hes a good man. Hes not a racist  but well see what happens with Mr. Bannon.

The departure eased criticism of the administration only slightly.

The Democratic National Committee reacted to the news by saying there is one less white supremacist in the White House, but that doesn't change the man sitting behind the Resolute desk.



Some conservatives expressed worry in recent days about Bannons potential departure.

Since the first day they joined the Trump campaign there have been two people we conservatives could rely upon to share our ideas and values and take our concerns and issues directly to Donald Trump: Kellyanne Conway and Steve Bannon, conservative activist Richard Viguerie wrote to his email list this week.

During his time at the White House, Bannon clashed with National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and National Economic Council Chairman Gary Cohn.

On Thursday, longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone wrote a column saying that while he liked Bannon, he thought it was time for him to go.

I am one who had publicly defended Bannon from false charges of racism and anti-Semitism yet I have concluded he is a spent force, never being willing to spend his political capital to help his friends and in some cases helping empower the very globalists he claims to oppose, Stone said.

Fox News' Brooke Singman, John Roberts and Serafin Gomez contributed to this report.
The United Nations is taking heat for warning that racism and xenophobia are on the rise in America in the wake of last weekends Charlottesville violence  amid criticism that their sudden concern with anti-Semitism is disingenuous given the U.N.s past treatment of Israel.

The group called on the Trump administration to open an investigation into the tragic events last weekend in Charlottesville, Va., where a car attack killed a counter-protester at a white supremacist rally.

A statement published on the website for the U.N. Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner website called on U.S. authorities to prosecute racist hate crimes and for an independent investigation into the events.

Racism and xenophobia are on the rise across the USA, a group of U.N. human rights "experts" said.

We call upon the U.S. Government and State authorities to adopt effective policies as a matter of priority, to urgently tackle the manifestations of incitement to racial violence, and to understand how they affect social cohesion, the statement read.

The Justice Department has launched a federal civil rights investigation into the weekend violence.

The U.N. experts demanded continued attention from the administration, saying: The government must be vigilant in combating all acts of racism, xenophobia and racist violence, wherever they occur. Recent incidents in California, Oregon, New Orleans and Kentucky, as well as Charlottesville, demonstrate the geographical spread of the problem.

Numerous groups and political leaders have specifically criticized President Trumps response to the violence, for initially blaming many sides  and returning to faulting both sides even after condemning white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

But some challenge the U.N.s credibility on the issue, considering their history of hammering Israel while overlooking the offenses of other Middle Eastern countries.

Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and president of Human Rights Voices, complained of a double standard employed by the U.N. experts.

The trouble with so-called U.N. human rights experts is that their notorious selectivity makes it hard to take them seriously, she told Fox News.

Bayefsky, an NGO delegate at the Human Rights Council, warned of its long history of anti-U.S. bias.

Those who welcome this U.N. intervention should be aware that their comments  can be added to a long list of anti-American outbursts, like the former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights questioning the legality of killing of Usama bin Laden, she said.

The statement mentioned anti-Semitism once, in reference to the demonstrators in Charlottesville shouting anti-Semitic chants, but Bayefsky questioned their professed concern on the issue.

These same authorities on racism champion the U.N.'s racist Durban Declaration, support the U.N.'s rampant discriminatory treatment of the Jewish state, and turn a blind eye to modern forms of anti-Semitism. So their sudden concern with anti-Semitism in the United States appears disingenuous, to say the least, she said.

Earlier this week, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres refrained from directly criticizing Trump over his Charlottesville comments, while warning that racism and xenophobia are poisoning our societies.

I do not comment on what presidents say. I affirm principles, and the principles I affirm are very clear, he told reporters at the world body in New York, as he cited racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia as some of the ills plaguing societies.

Fox News sent questions to the three U.N. experts through their spokesman that asked what their findings were based upon and whether the U.S. was singled out; Fox News has not yet received a response.

The three U.N. experts are Mutuma Ruteere, special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Sabelo Gumezde, who chairs a group of experts on people of African descent; and Anastasia Crickley, chairwoman of the committee on the elimination of racial discrimination.
Glowing "jellyfish" galaxies have revealed a new way to power some of the most powerful objects in the universe. The same process that feeds the most voracious black holes at the galactic centers may also create dangling "tentacles" of newborn stars, a new study found.

While most galaxies, including the Milky Way, hide massive black holes at their centers, only a few produce enough electromagnetic radiation as they eat to create active galactic nuclei (AGN). AGN shine brilliantly in the universe, and why they form around some black holes and not others has been an ongoing mystery. But jellyfish galaxies may help crack the case.

"When a galaxy enters a galaxy cluster, falling into it at high velocity, the hot, dense gas that fills the cluster  the so-called intracluster gas  acts like a strong wind on the galaxy gas," Bianca Poggianti, lead author on the new study, told Space.com by email. "It strips it away and creates the tails," which give the galaxies their "jellyfish" nickname. [When Galaxies Collide: Photos of Great Galactic Crashes]

This same wind that forms the jellyfish galaxies may also feed growing AGNs, she said.

Poggianti, a researcher at the INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Padova in Italy, is part of an international team of scientists using the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument on the European Space Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile to examine jellyfish galaxies. The researchers found that an unexpectedly high fraction of the tentacled galaxies contain AGN.

"Ours is the first study that systematically searches for [jellyfish galaxies] and tries to have a complete census in different regions of the local universe," Poggianti said.

Solving a mystery

Supermassive black holes constantly feed. As they draw in surrounding gas and dust, they produce intense radiation that can sometimes be seen from Earth, leaving scientists to ponder these objects' food source. While black holes are common, the more powerful and visible AGN are rare.

Poggianti and her team are part of an ongoing program to observe 114 jellyfish galaxies, an order of magnitude more than previously observed in detail, she said. Of the seven galaxies with the longest tails, the researchers found that six housed a supermassive black hole, suggesting a link between the two types of object. Previous studies suggested that the powerful cluster winds stretched the tentacles out for tens of light-years in a process known as ram-pressure stripping. These same winds could feed the supermassive black holes, constantly nourishing them by carrying material to the center of the galaxy.

But, the scientists wondered, did the winds feed the black holes, or did the black holes produce the winds?

"In a sense, this is similar to the problem of the chicken and the egg  which one comes first," Poggianti said. "While both effects are probably at work, we have good reason to think that the first effect prevails."

By studying the positioning and velocity of the galaxies, the researchers found that all of these objects lie close to the center of the cluster and have high speeds compared to that of the cluster itself.

"They are in the ideal conditions for ram-pressure stripping to be the strongest," Poggianti said.

On the other hand, if effects from the galactic center formed the massive tentacles, she said, the galaxies would be scattered more randomly.

The new work was detailed Aug. 16 in the journal Nature.

Blooming jellyfish

As cluster winds sweep away the dust and gas in a galaxy, the tentacles they create fill with brilliant young stars. These stars shine brightly in optical wavelengths of light, making the objects stand out to researchers who picked through images of over 70 galaxy clusters hunting for tails, Poggianti said. The scientists also found jellyfish outside of clusters, some as part of galaxy groups and others off on their own. Galaxies found in groups tend to lack the spectacular tails of their cluster compatriots, and all of those found with AGN lie in clusters, Poggianti said.

Simulations combining ram-pressure stripping and AGN-hosting galaxies would be both complicated and computationally expensive, requiring significant time and computer power, Poggianti said. That's why no such simulations exist  yet, she said.

"I imagine that, following our discovery, there will be research groups in the world that will attempt to simulate the two processes together," she said. The paper said that such simulations would be valuable for interpreting the new connection.

The seven jellyfish are only part of a larger swarm. Within the GAs Stripping Phenomena in galaxies with MUSE (GASP) program, Poggianti and her colleagues are continuing to investigate over a hundred more of the intriguing galaxies. [Amazing Space Views of ESO's Very Large Telescope (Photos)]

"When all of the observations will be in our hands  I expect [in] about a year from now  we will be able to have a complete picture," Poggianti said. Once the researchers have obtained all of the data, the team will be able to see how features change and evolve. Observing the jellyfish  some at the beginning of gas removal, others with long tails and still others devoid of gas with no fuel to birth young stars  will allow the researchers to investigate the various stages of the jellyfish lifecycle, Poggianti said.

"This is like seeing galaxy evolution happening in front of your eyes from a front row," she said.

The team is planning, and in some case already working, to observe the galaxies at different wavelengths with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in New Mexico and the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile, Poggianti said. Such observations will help researchers to understand how gas in the jellyfish galaxies evolve over time, she said.

"This is really great, because these are the most powerful astronomical observational facilities in the world, each in its own field and wavelength," Poggianti said. "Their combination will allow us to study all the different gas phases, [and] how they relate to each other and to the formation of new stars."

Follow Nola Taylor Redd at @NolaTRedd , Facebook or Google+ . Follow us at @Spacedotcom , Facebook or Google+ . Originally published on Space.com .
A total solar eclipse is slated to happen on Monday, as the Moon will cross in front of the Sun, blotting out the light from our favorite star for a couple of minutes along a 70-mile-wide swath of the U.S. that runs from Oregon to South Carolina.

Countless millions of Americans will be watching  but most of them will not be in the small zone of totality. And thats what petrifies Lou Tomososki of Oregon City, Oregon.

Tomososki, 70, was a high school kid in 1962 when he and a friend looked up to glance at a partial solar eclipse  We were just doing it for a short time, he says  and saw a flash of light similar to that of a camera flash.

DOCTORS BRACE FOR RISE IN ER VISITS AHEAD OF SOLAR ECLIPSE

But the sun is not a camera. The next morning, Tomososki still had a blind spot in his right eye. And 55 years later, Nothing has changed," he told TODAY. It doesnt get any worse or better.

The condition is called solar retinopathy  permanent damage to the retina caused by looking directly at the sun.

"Anyone who stares at the sun can get this blind spot, Dr. Russell N. Van Gelder, a professor of ophthalmology at University of Washington School of Medicine and clinical spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, told TODAY. When you know that you have a problem is if that blind spot has not gone away (the next day)."

Van Gelder said its safe to look directly at the sun only if youre in the area of totality  that 70-mile swath that will be plunged into darkness on Monday  and only for the duration of totality (a bit more than two minutes, depending on the location).

WHAT CAUSES A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE?

When the disc of the moon has completely blocked out the sun and the corona of the sun is visible, it is safe to look at the corona, Van Gelder said. The second the sun comes out, the eclipse glasses have to go back on.

The same goes for your smartphone. You can burn out your camera in the cellphone just like your retina, he said.

The next solar eclipse in the U.S. will take place in seven years  on April 8, 2024, carving a path from Texas to Maine. If you want to watch that one, then its time to see the light and take proper precautions: Dont even think about looking at Mondays eclipse without proper eye protection.

Millions of people out there are going to be looking out at it, Tomososki says. How many of them are going to say, Something happened to my eyes? That makes me sick.

I am just so concerned that somebody isnt going to listen.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation warns the decision by Google, GoDaddy and Cloudflare to expel white supremacist site the Daily Stormer from their services has worrying free speech implications.

In a statement released Thursday, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) warned the tech companies move could set a precedent. We strongly believe that what GoDaddy, Google, and Cloudflare did here was dangerous, it said. Thats because, even when the facts are the most vile, we must remain vigilant when platforms exercise these rights. Because Internet intermediaries, especially those with few competitors, control so much online speech, the consequences of their decisions have far-reaching impacts on speech around the world.

Domain provider GoDaddy expelled the Daily Stormer on Aug. 14 after an online post on the white supremacist site disparaging Heather Heyer, who was killed during protests in Charlottesville on Aug. 12. Daily Stormer registered its domain with Google Domains, but was promptly expelled by the tech giant.

DAILY STORMER DOWN: WHITE SUPREMACIST SITE LOSES DOMAIN IN WAKE OF CHARLOTTESVILLE VIOLENCE

Cloudflare, which provides distributed domain name server services, terminated the Daily Stormers account Wednesday.

The EFF condemned hateful violence and aggression in its statement but cautioned that we must also recognize that on the Internet, any tactic used now to silence neo-Nazis will soon be used against others, including people whose opinions we agree with.

In an email to Fox News, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince said that the company wholeheartedly agrees with the risks outlined by the EFF, and highlighted Cloudflares blog post on the Daily Stormers removal. In the blog, Prince acknowledged the dangers of censoring, but explained the circumstances surrounding the termination of the Daily Stormers account.

GODADDY EXPELSWHITE SUPREMACIST SITE DAILY STORMER AFTER ARTICLE ON CHARLOTTESVILLE VICTIM

Our terms of service reserve the right for us to terminate users of our network at our sole discretion, he wrote. The tipping point for us making this decision was that the team behind Daily Stormer made the claim that we were secretly supporters of their ideology.

In an email obtained by Gizmodo, Prince wrote an email to his employees, explaining his decision, noting: "the people behind the Daily Stormer are assholes and Id had enough."

Google declined to make additional comment beyond the statement it released earlier this week. On Monday, Google explained that it cancelled Daily Stormers registration with Google Domains for violating the tech giants terms of service.

GoDaddy has yet to respond to a request for comment on this story from Fox News.

TWITTER USERS IDENTIFY WHITE SUPREMACISTS AT CHARLOTTESVILLE PROTESTS

Users of the Daily Stormer website have reportedly moved to a dark web version of the site.

The dark web, or darknet, refers to private networks built from connections between trusted peers using unconventional protocols. Dark web is just one part of what is known as deep web  a vast network that is not indexed by search engines such as Google and Bing.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," August 17, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: Welcome to 'Hannity.' This is a Fox News Alert. We are following three major breaking news stories tonight -- a massive terror attack in Spain. A van was used to viciously mow down and murder innocent people in a crowded shopping area. This is in Barcelona, Spain. We have the chilling video tonight. It is just horrific. So far, 13 are dead, over 100 injured in what police are calling a terrorist attack, President Trump tonight saying the U.S. will do whatever is necessary to help.

And also tonight, according to a brand-new report, Julian Assange of WikiLeaks -- he tells Republican congressman of California Dana Rohrabacher, that he has proof the DNC documents that he published did not come from Russia. One guy that would know for sure. Could this potentially blow the entire Russia collusion narrative completely out of the water?

The Hill's John Solomon -- he will have all those exclusive details exclusively tonight.

And the left -- they continue to just melt down over President Trump's response to Charlottesville. A Democratic state senator is under fire tonight after hoping the president gets assassinated and is refusing tonight to apologize. We need a resignation and a Secret Service investigation.

Also, the left rushing to remove Confederate symbols from all across the country. It's a busy major breaking news night tonight on "Hannity." This is our "Opening Monologue."

An absolutely shocking scene took place earlier today in a busy tourist town area of Barcelona, Spain, a van piling onto a sidewalk swerved side to side, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction.

We do have a viewer warning. We are about to show you very, very graphic and video of the scene immediately after this tragic attack. And if children are in the room, you may want to have them look away. Take a look.

(VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Unbelievable. As you just saw, complete chaos, bodies, debris all over the place. Tonight, ISIS claiming responsibility. Police have arrested two suspects, a Spanish national and a person from nearby Morocco, the driver of the van still at large. We'll have a full report in just a minute.

Also tonight, the Associated Press is reporting that Spanish police say they have killed four suspects in what is being described as a separate alleged terror plot just south of Barcelona.

In an exclusive report from The Hill's John Solomon, who will be here coming up later, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange told Republican congressman from California Dana Rohrabacher that he has evidence to prove that the emails that he published about the DNC never came from Russia. The U.S. intelligence community -- now, they said they have different evidence. They have yet to release any of it to the public.

But if Assange can back up this claim -- and we'll have this report -- it would blow a huge hole in an 11-plus-month narrative of Russia collusion, Russia collusion, a conspiracy theory without evidence the Democrats, the destroy Trump media have been pushing now month after month. What Assange is saying now is exactly the same thing he told me on this show when I interviewed him back in January at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Take a quick look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Did Russia give you this information or anybody associated with Russia?

JULIAN ASSANGE, WIKILEAKS: Our source is not a state party. So the answer for our interactions is no.

HANNITY: You did not get this information about the DNC, John Podesta's emails. Can you tell the American people a thousand percent you did not get it from Russia or anybody associated with Russia?

ASSANGE: We can say and we have said repeatedly over the last few months that our source is not the Russian government. And it is not a state party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Keep in mind WikiLeaks has never been wrong once in 11 years of publishing. So the special counsel tonight, Robert Mueller, should be getting on a plane and going to meet with Assange to find out if, in fact, he has this evidence and is telling the world the truth.

If he wants to get to the truth, he owes this to the American people. He owes to the president and Congress, now should immediately open an investigation. This is the one guy we know who has the information. He's the one that put it up. We'll have more later tonight with John Solomon.

And finally tonight, the left still in a complete and utter meltdown over the tragedy in Charlottesville, and of course, the president's response.

We have shown you over and over and over again on this program how President Trump has repeatedly condemned white supremacists, the KKK, David Duke over the years and in Charlottesville. He denounced these people over the course of decades. But the left, the media -- they still refuse to accept it.

And now tonight, the rhetoric has gotten much worse. Here's a perfect example, a Democratic state senator from Missouri apparently so enraged with the president, she posts a comment on Facebook hoping for President Trump's assassination! After facing backlash over her vile comment, OK, she said she regrets it. She refused to apologize. I hope the Secret Service is watching. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIA CHAPPELLE-NADAL, D-MISSOURI: It was inappropriate. I've said that three times now. And...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) apologizing for it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. When the president apologizes for what he says, I'll apologize. But...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... your statement was inappropriate, you're not apologizing for...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. It was inappropriate. It was wrong. I posted it to my personal Facebook page and I deleted it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But you're not apologizing for it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Frankly, she should be removed from the Senate and arrested. This is disgusting. And it shows you the level of out-of-control hate that is spewing, you know, from the alt-left in this country.

There's also Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, according to a new report, well, he may have actually lied about the white supremacists storing weapons all around Charlottesville. Police are saying tonight it never happened.

Democrats and the left -- they have -- as I've been saying, they're using this tragedy in Charlottesville to call for the removal also of Confederate statues, symbols all across the country. And earlier today, the president warned this could be a very slippery slope.

He tweeted out, "Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson -- who's next? Washington? Jefferson? So foolish.

Also, "the beauty that is being taken out of our cities and towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replace."

According to a new poll tonight, 62 percent of Americans do agree with him now that these pieces of American history should, in fact, be left. But Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Senator Cory Booker all saying that all Confederate statues should be removed from the U.S. Capitol. Wait until we show you what -- what Al Sharpton is saying tonight.

What we're seeing play out here in the aftermath of Charlottesville in the media, with the Democrats -- they are politicizing a terrible, horrible incident by, yes, evil people. Yes, white supremacists are evil. They have completely ignored the facts, and they are trying to politically bludgeon President Trump, conservatives and Republicans and paint them unfairly as racists and bigots.

But here's what they won't tell you. Democrats, as I pointed out in great detail last night, have a very disturbing history when it does come to race. It was Southern Democrats who voted against the '60s, '64 Civil Rights Act and the '65 Voting Rights Act, including the person Bill Clinton has praised many times as his mentor, J. William Fulbright. Hillary Clinton's mentor, former Klansman, former head of the Democrats in the U.S. Senate not that long ago, Robert Byrd. Al Gore's father, Al Gore, Senior -- he voted against the Civil Rights Act. Republicans -- they're the party of Lincoln. Democrats have been the party of slavery and segregation.

Theyve also ignored how President Obama had stoked racial divisions. He rushed to judgment in four specific high-profile race cases, Cambridge, Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman, what happened in Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri. And he also praised anti-police groups like Black Lives Matter, even invited the head of Black Lives Matter to the White House after, "What do we want, dead cops, when do we want it, now."

Where was the media backlash over all of that? Why would a sitting president do that? And what we're seeing now is the media, the Democrats -- they're just playing the race card, just like they do politically every two and four years, as we showed you that history last night.

And when it comes to Confederate statues and symbols, well, I think the president is right. Local communities and states -- they have the right to decide.

Here's my advice. Republicans in the House and Senate, it's time to work for the forgotten men and women of this country, OK? Get tax reform done. Get energy independence done. Create jobs, build the wall, chip away at ObamaCare for seven-and-a-half years that you said you'd repeal and replace. Let's work on the economy first. Let's help those Americans in poverty, on food stamps and out of the labor force.

Otherwise, Republicans in the House and Senate -- you're going to lose in 2018. So let's not the media and Democrats direct the direction of the country here.

With reaction, joining us, the host, "Michelle Malkin Investigates" on CRTV Michelle Malkin. All right, let's respond to the whole picture here with -

- first, I want to get to the terrorism story. I'm going to play the images again to warn parents that may have the kids in the room. We see the carnage, we see the viciousness, we see the evil. And it is spread all the way through all throughout Europe, and it is connected to a lack of assimilation.

We have sharia courts in Great Britain and also a huge influx of migrants and zero vetting process. Is that why it's so bad in Europe? And is at a preview of coming attractions here?

MICHELLE MALKIN, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: It is, and it's been festering a long time, Sean. What we're seeing, of course, is all of these European countries reaping the bloody consequences of open borders. And it is the open borders to Western Europe that the Spanish people have suffered from not just this summer, not just the past couple of summers, not just in 2004, when the Madrid rail bombings should have shook that country to its core. It dates all the way back to 1985, the roots and the seeds planted of Islamic jihad in that country. And of course, it has spread across Western Europe.

And how many more of these incidents do we need? I mean, if you just talk about vehicular jihad alone, it is stunning the amnesia not just from European elites, but of course, here in the U.S. we've got the progressive left, the open borders lobby that has done everything in its power to fight President Trump, who's trying to make sure that we don't have Madrid-style bombings and more vehicular jihad attacks like this on our shorts.

And what do they do? Exactly what you've been talking about, all week long, Sean, which is play the race card not only to demonize personally their political opponents but to obstruct them from achieving our most basic goals of government in ensuring our sovereignty and the safety of our people.

HANNITY: All right, I want to stay on this terror issue for just a second, because I don't think you can defeat an enemy, Michelle, if you don't identify an enemy. And for eight years, we wouldn't identify an enemy.

And listen, I -- we can cast aspersions and blame all we want here. But if the world doesn't wise up, how bad is this going to get? And if the president doesn't secure the border, if he doesn't get his vetting proposal through, what does that mean for the American people?

MALKIN: Well, it's a disaster worldwide, of course. And what you have in so many of these European countries is not just apathy anymore but the sense that the London mayor himself, I think a paragon and textbook example of dhimmitude -- in other words, capitulation to Islamic extremism and Islamic supremacy, if you want to use a word that's been overused and not really truly appreciated in the context of jihad -- basically, capitulating and saying, Well, we just got to accept this as an everyday part of life.

No! That was not the attitude of people here in America in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. It wasn't the attitude of the people on the plane who -- who embraced the slogan that we have all forgotten since then with the snooze alert, Let's roll. No! What you have now around the world are people who are accepting Islamic terrorism as a fact of life and who have just given in! It's no longer, Let's roll, it's, Let's roll over!

And finally, we have a commander-in-chief who does not accept that as a reality, and all we get is this constant drubbing from the baying hounds of the partisan enablers of jihad, the partisan enablers of division in this country who will not accept that we must, as you said, Sean, name the enemy and do everything in our power.

HANNITY: Well, let me ask you this...

MALKIN: It is a fundamental duty of government to stop these people from getting into our country and kicking them out when we find them!

HANNITY: I've identified on this program five forces that are up against this president. And they are real and week after week and month after month, it seems like it's consuming way too much of the president's time.

That's the deep state, that's the unmasking, that's the surveillance, that's the leaking, especially as we go back into the last election year and beyond. We're going to have a report on Julian Assange, the one guy that knows where that information came from, and he's saying he's got the proof. All right, let's call him out. Mueller ought to go there. The Congress ought to investigate, but -- so you got Democrats. They don't want to help the president. You got the media. They're out to destroy the president.

I mean, the president says how many times he's against racism, he disavows it, finds it repugnant. He used the word "evil" and it's still not enough. He didn't identify them by name on Saturday, but he did over the years again and again and again and all throughout the election, even back in

2,000 and as he said, his entire life. That's not enough.

So you got these deep forces, deep state. You got Democrats. You got the media. Then you got Republicans. They can't even get a simple piece of agenda passed. They don't have any backbone of support. And never- Trumpers are, like, giddy because they want to tell everybody, I told you so, see, see, because they want to be proven right.

How do you govern when it consumes 65, 75 percent of your time?

MALKIN: I think it is extraordinarily unprecedented, the forces that this president is up against and the constant drumbeat, as I said, those baying hounds. Every one of those groups that you mentioned has, Sean, its own special interest and agenda in bringing this president, and along with it, this country down.

And that agenda has to be illuminated. Here they all were, demanding disavowals, disavowels, and as you said, it's never enough for these people. It has never been enough. And it has always been the strategy of the progressive left and the media enablers and the Republican traitors, as well, to tar people who believe in immigration enforcement, and yes, making America great again as racist, xenophobic, true anti-American forces in this country!

HANNITY: Yes, by the way, we just got this coming across our wires. A fifth suspect has been killed in the terror incident south of Barcelona. Remember, ISIS Islamic radicals -- they often cluster attacks, one, two, three at a time. It's not uncommon. We saw it on 9/11.

But I want to ask with the Republicans -- forget about how they feel about the president or what disagreements they have. These are their promises on tax cuts for the middle class, tax cuts for corporations, repatriation of money. It's their promise on energy independence. They have a duty to protect the border and get a lot of these things done and create jobs for people and get them out of poverty and off of food stamps.

Why don't they just do it because it's what they said? Never mind whatever the president -- it seems that there's agreement there, and they can't meet in the middle!

MALKIN: I agree with you. And we've seen this fecklessness from the GOP establishment for so long now. It's been evermore frustrating. I believed that during the Tea Party years that things were really going to change, and then we still ended up with Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. Of course, if you do the same thing over and over again and expect different results, you are just subjecting yourself to the same kind of Beltway swamp insanity that we have suffered from so long.

Now there's an opportunity for people, for example, in Arizona...

HANNITY: Right.

MALKIN: ... to make a change after so many years. Why don't you do it?

In the end, I think, this really goes back to the voters. You get what you voted for! And it's time that people understand that we've made a change here in the White House, and we should have new fresh blood in, quote, unquote, "leadership" in the GOP!

HANNITY: I went through a history in very great detail tonight. I gave them more of a summary Cliff Notes version tonight, about the Democratic Party and race. Hillary Clinton's mentor is a former Klansman. Bill Clinton's mentor was a known segregationist, voted against the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act. Al Gore's father was part of it. Robert Byrd, you know, filibustered this thing for months, as we remember.

And we're watching this whole narrative unfold in Charlottesville -- I mentioned the president has a history of condemning, condemning, disavowing, disavowing, disavowing -- the media never mentions that. And their only thing is, Well, he didn't say the group fast enough, even though he said it repeatedly over the years.

And I want to get your reaction to that and your reaction of Democrats, the Confederate symbols of any kind in history must be removed. What's your reaction to that?

MALKIN: Well, this is about the whitewashing of history by progressive leftists. It bubbled up first on campuses, where you saw militant Black Lives Matters activists and other social justice warriors try to tear down every last statue. And now it has spread across the country. We had a statue of Lincoln that was defaced in Chicago! You've got people...

HANNITY: We have a copy -- we have a picture of it, I think.

MALKIN: ... in Philadelphia -- right?

HANNITY: Yes.

MALKIN: There you go.

HANNITY: Go ahead. We have that image.

MALKIN: What a disgrace! And that's what we've come to? And so everybody's piling on with their special interests. For some reason in Philadelphia, people are trying to tear down a statue of the former mayor there, Frank Rizzo! What? What is going on here? And I absolutely agree with President Trump, but you don't whitewash history, you confront it!

You teach...

HANNITY: So then here's my question. We're watching -- this is in Durham. This is when they pulled down this statue. Only one person finally got arrested on that. And I'm all in favor...

MALKIN: Right, a supporter of North Korea and communism, by the way!

HANNITY: Right. But here's my question for you. And I know the president -- he likes to make points. Is it -- should the president just be focused on his agenda and stay out of these battles like this because with the media and with Democrats, you can never win! You can't have an intellectual discussion. Is he better off just focusing on the tax cuts, the economy, people in property, on food stamps, out of the labor force?

MALKIN: I think that he can do both because I actually think, especially living outside of the Beltway and coastal bubbles for almost 10 years now, I absolutely think that his message is getting through to ordinary, decent people, informed people, people who understand the ramifications of history in this regard.

And I also believe it is very effective, Sean, not only for you and the supporters of President Trump, to turn the race card back and smack that race card over the head, figuratively, of the progressive left because somebody has to push back. This is why President Trump was elected. And you can't change that. And I think that's what you see.

I believe that is an admirable thing that he's not going to let himself be pushed around and be labeled as a racist or supremacist by people who embrace Planned Parenthood! You want to take down a statue? How about the sculpture of Margaret Sanger, the godmother of the abortion movement, who was a champion of the worst...

HANNITY: Hey, Michelle...

MALKIN: ... and most evil kind of eugenics! Why don't you start with that?

HANNITY: Between statues -- there's a statue in the West Virginia statehouse of Robert Byrd. Take that down, too.

MALKIN: There you go!

HANNITY: And we got to -- there are 56 schools, highways, buildings, named after Robert former Klansman Byrd. Should they all come down, Hillary Clinton's mentor? Is she going to lead that effort?

MALKIN: Yes, that's right. What are we going to be left with? And you know, it was President Trump just earlier this week who said, What's next, George Washington? And I thought all the tittering and the sneering from all the people in the Beltway, Oh, that's so ridiculous! And now we've got people who want to tear down the Jefferson Memorial! He was right.

HANNITY: Well, he is. I mean, now they want to defund it with tax dollars, but that would only be the first of it. You mentioned the -- I saw the defaced image of Lincoln, but we don't know if that happened in this time period or maybe before, and there's some questions and there are some issues here.

MALKIN: Got you.

HANNITY: We're going to have John Solomon on in a second. And actually, we're going to have to let you go, I see, Michelle. Michelle Malkin, it's always good to see you. We really appreciate you being with us. Thank you.

MALKIN: You bet.

HANNITY: It's been too long.

MALKIN: Thank you, Sean.

HANNITY: All right, thank you,

And as we mentioned in my "Opening Monologue," Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher says he met with Julia Assange earlier this week, claims that the meeting went on over three hours. And Assange says -- he's is one guy that would know -- he could prove Russia did not give WikiLeaks the DNC emails. He joins us now with reaction, the executive vice president of The Hill, John Solomon.

John, he -- I played this at the beginning of the show. Julian Assange told me this on radio at least four times. I asked him very specifically again and again. He told me on this show very specifically it was not Russia. It was not a state.

Tell us what you got.

JOHN SOLOMON, THE HILL: Yes. I think the most important thing that happened in the last 24 hours is that Julian Assange reached out to an American official and basically signaled he's open to a deal. He's open to talking. He's open to possibly telling us how this -- how he can prove that Russia didn't give him the documents, and that might add some new information to an investigation that has already had some conclusions to it, but there's a lot of uncertainty about certain aspects of this case yet.

And you know, I think he's signaling, with the right deal, he might be able to talk about where he got the documents. That's, I really think, the news here. I think his insistence he didn't get it from Russia we've known for a long time.

HANNITY: All right, this is important because wasn't the original directive from the deputy attorney, Rosenstein, to look into potential Trump-Russia collusion? It wasn't the whole narrative about whether or not the Russians were responsible for the leaks to Julian Assange and WikiLeaks and the impact on the campaign and Trump collusion? Doesn't Robert Mueller have an obligation to get this question answered? There is one guy in the world that probably knows more than anybody else where it came from, right?

SOLOMON: Yes. There's lot of things we don't know, right? The embassy that Julian Assange is holed up in London could be very well monitored by the United States and they may already know everything they need to know about Assange.

It's possible that Assange has some information that's entirely new. It's also possible that the intelligence community could be right that certain things were hacked by Russia and Julian Assange got them from a different source of people who had nothing to do with Russia.

I think the fact that we don't know those answers, that there's some ambiguity here, certainly makes a good case that somebody should go talk and try to get the evidence to clear up these issues.

HANNITY: And that would include Congress because they have investigative powers. And considering it has now consumed the attention of the American people for 11 months and that -- the intelligence community has never offered the American people any evidence, have they.

SOLOMON: They haven't, no, because they say it's classified, and I think we have to respect that that's probably true, that they're monitoring and listening, and how they came to certain conclusions probably is a classified thing. We don't need to spell all those out there. But somebody -- you know, many times in counterintelligence investigations, what happens is the initial assessment changes. You make an early assessment. You learn new things. Let's take, for instance, the Intelligence about the Iraq war. That changed, right? Let's talk about times where the intelligence community made assessments about...

HANNITY: John, I hate to interrupt you. Stay right there. We're going to have more with The Hill's John Solomon on his explosive report, Julian Assange now meeting with Dana Rohrabacher, claiming he has the evidence it was not Russia. They did not give him the DNC emails. We'll continue our investigation, asking the tough questions.

All of that plus the very latest on the Barcelona terror attack and much more straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HANNITY, FOX NEWS HOST: Did Russia give you this information, or anybody associated with Russia?

JULIAN ASSANGE, FOUNDER, WIKILEAKS: Our source is not a state party. So the answer for our interactions is no.

HANNITY: You did not get this information about the DNC, John Podesta's emails. Can you tell the American people 1,000 percent you did not get it from Russia or anybody associated with Russia?

ASSANGE: We can say and we have said repeatedly over the last few months that our source is not the Russian government and it is not a state party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: That was WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on this program back in January saying and denying that Russia had anything to do with giving WikiLeaks the hacked Democratic emails during the 2016 election. This is important as we continue with the executive vice president of "The Hill" John Solomon.

I've interviewed him, as I said, four times on the radio. I've interviewed him once on television. And here's an interesting sidebar. Whether you like WikiLeaks or not, and I know that at time Democrats like them, at times Republicans like them, but here's a guy that hacked into the DOD and NASA when he was 16. I think he is now 45. At some point we've got to say shame on you, shame on you, shame on you, now shame on America for not building the cyber-security that they should have. And so there's a lot of angry people which I understand, but they also have a responsibility.

But 11 years WikiLeaks has never gotten it wrong. So Rohrabacher, the Congressman from California meets with him. And Julian is saying he's got the proof it wasn't Russia. He would be the one guy in the whole world that would know more than anybody. So here's the question. Rohrabacher now has a message for the president. What did he tell you about that?

JOHN SOLOMON, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, "THE HILL": He said that he has some nonpublic information that Julian Assange gave him that he's going to take back to the president. He also had a request from Assange which he was willing to talk about which is Assange would like WikiLeaks to have a seat in the White House press corps. So there's a little horse trading going on in these negotiations.

And I think you're seeing Julian Assange signal that he might be open to do some sort of deal. The question is, is the American government, is the Congress interested in doing such a deal with a guy who has brought a lot of harm to national intelligence sources from the information he's released? He's not a hero in the intelligence community, that's for sure.

HANNITY: I know he's not a hero in the intelligence community, but again, I go back to -- when we saw how corrupt Hillary Clinton was. We learned an awful lot about what happened to Bernie Sanders, didn't we, in that whole mess. That primary was rigged. There was a story with Debbie Wasserman Schultz, because she got fired on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, right?

SOLOMON: That's right. No, listen, there's three things that Julian Assange over the last 10 years has brought to light. One, how penetrable our supposedly secure systems in government were, how easy it was to hack.

Two, how much surveillance was going on of Americans that no one really knew about.

HANNITY: How corrupt Hillary is.

SOLOMON: And then three, the entire Democratic National Committee storyline where it looked like the party was trying to hamper the election opportunities of Bernie Sanders. And I think those are three storylines that are not in question. People recognize that WikiLeaks had a contribution to that.

I did something before I came on tonight. I made a couple calls in the intelligence community. I had one interesting response I want to share with you, Sean. One of the big intelligence sources I've talked to said, listen, we've said all along we're confident Russia did some hacking in the election. We didn't say they were the only ones that hacked. And I think that was the first time in any time I've talked to someone in intelligence that there might be some room.

HANNITY: What's really I think important, and it's interesting with Chelsea Manning now, and you factor that into this equation. And I've been to the Ecuadorian embassy. It's a tiny space. He's holding firm. He believes in his principles. He said to me that he says I'm reporting things that people need to know.

There is a real danger, and you and Sara Carter were probably at the forefront of investigating this, and that is thank God for intelligence as we saw in Barcelona earlier today against ISIS and radical Islam and against Iran and China and Russia and all these countries, they are not our friends. They are not our friends and we need to know about dangers that we may face. We give them the most powerful tools, but if those tools are turned against the American people and used against the American people illegally because we have laws that prevent that, that's a very dangerous scenario, what about the i.t. guy of Debbie Wasserman Schultz that got four counts today charged with?

SOLOMON: Yes, very interesting, right. There's a lot we don't know in that case as well. But this is a gentleman that worked in the IT department, had access to Congressional computers, Congressional secrets, possibly her DNC email. And he's now been indicted on four charges, mostly related to bank fraud and other questions that have come up. But there's a lot of new information that I'm hearing in law enforcement circles that they're developing about what he did day and night. And I they're looking at some possible connections to other activity besides the charges that were filed today. And I think we're going to learn a lot from the capitol police, the FBI in the coming months about that case. That's a very open and uncertain question about what happened to Debbie Wasserman Schultz's emails.

HANNITY: It's going to be interesting to see what Dana Rohrabacher came back with. And I think the American people need to know the truth. I'm calling on Robert Mueller tonight. He is investigating supposed collusion.

He has a duty to find out what that information is, and the same thing with Congress. The Republicans are in charge, they have subpoena powers, investigative powers. They need to do their job because this has been 11 months long, no evidence yet presented. Thank you, John Solomon, keep up the good work.

When we come back, Democratic hate reaching a new low, a state senator under fire. Why? Hoping the president gets assassinated, and will not apologize tonight. Secret Service, I hope you're watching.



(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to HANNITY. So in the wake of the horrible violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend many on the left have become so totally unhinged and unfair that one Democratic Missouri lawmaker actually said that she hopes the president of the United States, President Trump, is assassinated. And that's not all. "The Economist," "The New Yorker," two magazines are now featuring covers equating the president to the Ku Klux Klan. And there is the Reverend Al Sharpton. He is now calling for the Jefferson Memorial to be defunded. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REV. AL SHARPTON: When you look at the fact that public monuments are supported by public funds, you're asking me to subsidize the insult of my family.



UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thomas Jefferson had slaves.



SHARPTON: And I would repeat that the public should not be paying to uphold somebody who has had that kind of background.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANNITY: Here now with reaction, FOX News correspondent at large Geraldo Rivera, former Trump transition team executive committee member and he's also on the National Committee of Diversity, the Reverend Darrell Scott.

Geraldo, because we're the two sinners here, we have to go to the reverent first.



(LAUGHTER)



HANNITY: He prays for me every Sunday he told me.



GERALDO RIVERA, FOX NEWS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: That's appropriate.



HANNITY: Thanks a lot. He's got to pray for you, too, OK? So the two of us together because we're best friends.



Reverend, I look at those covers, I hear assassination attempts, and there were many times in the Obama years, and I have all the tape to prove it, I said we must protect our president, must, and our elected officials. This transcends all politics, but it's getting worse every day. What's your reaction?

REV. DARRELL SCOTT, NEW SPIRIT REVIVAL CHURCH: It's absolutely ridiculous and it's also despicable what that lady said. She had no business calling for the assassination of the president, and she is supposed to be a public figure. She needs to resign or she needs to be impeached to get her out of office.

HANNITY: Arrested.

SCOTT: Yes, and arrested and interrogated by the Secret Service. And now Al Sharpton and others, now they're on that slippery slope that the president talked about, they're skidding on that slippery slope because everyone wants to disassociate themselves from America's racist history.

But you know what, and I heard this today from a young lady out of Detroit, Christine Barr (ph), a Twitter friend of mine, Facebook friend of mine. She made a very powerful statement. If you really want to, as a black person, you really wants to disassociate yourself from America's racist past, then you need to quit the Democratic Party because the Democratic Party was the engine that drove racism in America. It was the engine behind the Confederacy. It was the engine behind Jim Crow laws, segregation, black code laws. It was the engine behind all the racial injustices that we experience. So if you really want to disassociate yourself from America's racist past, disband the Democratic Party.

HANNITY: Bill Clinton's mentor, J. William Fulbright, signs onto the southern manifesto. Robert "Ku Klux Klan" Byrd, Hillary's mentor, filibusters the civil rights act. Are you going to take down the 56 monuments, streets, schools named after him?

Geraldo, I want to ask you this, especially about the assassination call. Madonna, I want to blow up the White House or I think about it, Johnny Depp, when's the last time an actor assassinated a president? Robert De Niro wants to punch him in the face. I did all the examples last night. I don't have time. When do we start arresting people?

RIVERA: That's my point. I have zero tolerance for people, whether the president is Barack Obama or Donald Trump, I have zero tolerance for those who allude to the murder, the assassination of the president of the United States. That is a crime. If you mean it, you're going to go to jail. And I think the best cure for it is to have two hulking Secret Service guys go visit this state senator and say pardon me ma'am, what exactly did you say, what exactly did you mean? How do we know you weren't serious about this?

How do we know you're not a plotter? I think there's a line. I am all for the First Amendment, I am all for freedom of speech. But when you begin threatening the life of the commander in chief, of the president of the United States, I have zero, zero tolerance.

HANNITY: Should they be arrested? You're a lawyer, too. You're a friend and a lawyer.

SCOTT: They should be arrested.

RIVERA: I want to say to the law enforcement folks in Spain tonight, you reported at the top of the show, Sean. But they killed five is suiciders wearing suicide belts in a town just south of Barcelona, so they got the five of them, killed five of them in Cambrils. They killed another one on the outskirts of Barcelona, that's six. They have two in custody from the main bombing in Barcelona. So while tragically 13 innocent civilians were killed and dozens more were grievously injured, the Spanish authorities have hit back hard at ISIS.

And the reason it's relevant to this discussion about monuments is simply this. When you think about ISIS, aside from their crimes against humanity, there's also their crimes against culture, their crimes against history itself. They've destroyed the historic city of Palmyra, for instance, in Syria. They have destroyed archaeological ruins everywhere, artifacts everywhere, they've turned them to dust. Why? Because to ISIS what those historic sites represented was anathema. It was counter to their strict, sick view of the Muslim faith.



I'm not comparing ISIS to the people who want to tear down Confederate monuments. I merely say this. There is grave danger when you start to rewrite history based on contemporary feelings. We cannot go there. If a city wants to remove a monument and that's what the majority says, then you could do it in a democratic way.

HANNITY: I've got to take a break. And I want to hear everything you have to say. And Reverend, I was just thinking, because I've been to your church. I know how amazing it is. And I know you preach all have sinned and fallen short of the glory, especially me and Geraldo, you can chastise us. But can't you tell the truth about people? The good, the bad, the ugly, can't you tell it all? And I want to ask you that question when we get back. We'll have more with Geraldo, Reverend Darrell Scott right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: This is a Fox News alert. A fifth suspect who was shot and wounded in what the Spanish police are calling a separate terrorist attack has now died. This comes after that van attack earlier today in Barcelona that killed 13, over 100 injured. We continue now with the Reverend Darrell Scott and Geraldo. And of course our thoughts and prayers, Reverend, go there.

But I want to specifically go into this issue of what I said earlier. This is evil, by the way, we're dealing with in our time. We all find white supremacy -- it's so sad such ignorant, evil people exist in our society.

And everybody agrees with that except the few idiots who are involved with it. They are anti-Semitic. They hate whites -- I'm sorry. They hate blacks, they hate Hispanics, they hate Catholics, they hate Jews. They are ignorant, evil people.

With that said, where do you -- when the president says over and over again I disavow, I denounce, I renounce, I don't want any part of them I don't what these people around me, and he says it again and again and the media reacts this way, what are you thinking?

SCOTT: It's getting ridiculous because they are micro-analyzing every single thing the president says, looking for flaws.

HANNITY: Are they purposely lying, though?

SCOTT: Excuse me?

HANNITY: Are they purposefully lying, just not telling the truth?

SCOTT: They're purposefully misleading. They are purposely trying to twist and take away from what he is saying. They're trying to drive the narrative. Anything that's anti-Trump and the anti-Trump narrative, anything they can perceive as anti-Trump or project as anti-Trump, that's what they are latching onto.

RIVERA: The thing is, Reverend, that's why the president has to be purer than, they used to say, Caesar's wife. He's got to understand that some things are black and white. I don't mean that in the race way. Some things are so clear that they bespeak explanation. In other words, when you're dealing with neo-Nazis or the KKK or the hatemongers, it's clear.

There are no good Nazi's. There are no good KKK members.

SCOTT: When you're dealing with snipers that assassinated five Dallas cops last year, it shouldn't have taken two days to get the response to that.

RIVERA: I agree.

SCOTT: There has to be a clear line --

(CROSSTALK)

RIVERA: But we've known President Trump, I have known President Trump since 1976. He's a sharp guy. He's a compassionate guy. He's obviously a very successful person before he got into politics.

SCOTT: And he's not a racist. You know he's not a racist.

RIVERA: And I know him. He doesn't have a racist bone in his body. But when you allow the ambiguity that he recklessly allowed on Saturday, then you reap what you sow. I guarantee you it will never happen again. There will never be a time when Donald Trump makes this mistake again.

SCOTT: But Donald Trump is not walking on eggshells in his presentation and has discourse with the American public. He's not used to walking on eggshells. You have to understand, he's still making a transition into a politician. This is a guy that went from private citizen to president. He didn't go through --

RIVERA: Wait a second, when you have Nazis coming to town, it's just like when you have David Duke. You don't have a lot of thought about that. The Nazis are coming, will there be some good Nazis and bad Nazis and not so bad Nazis, and David Duke, maybe there's a good side to David Duke, maybe he likes puppies. You don't equivocate about, you just state right now --

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: Can I interject one thing, and I'll throw it to Pastor Scott. He said it all throughout the campaign. I've got tape of him saying it years and years, 15 and 20 years ago. I've got him saying it's evil.

RIVERA: It's about the moment. You have to rise to the moment. The moment was Saturday. The president was informed as we all were, Sean, and you know that we speak here from of supporting the president.

HANNITY: I think at this point he needs to focus on the agenda. But reverend?

SCOTT: Sean, if we know that he has already disavowed, why do we keep repeating this over and over and over again?

RIVERA: Because it's only to stay off the cover of TIME magazine blowing up the KKK robe as a sail, or using a KKK cone hat as a megaphone. That's why you do it.

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: I've got a roll. Listen, I've got a roll. But you're two of my favorite people and will have you both on together again soon. More HANNITY after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HANNITY: Welcome back to HANNITY. Welcome back to HANNITY. Unfortunately that is all the time we have left this evening. As always, thank you for being with us. Our promise, our pledged to you. This show will always be the balance to the establishment, destroy-Trump media. You'll get news and information you won't get anywhere else. Please stay with the Fox News Channel tonight, continuing live coverage of the terrible terrorist attack in Spain. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of all that and their families.

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A father and daughter were kicked off a Frontier Airlines flight in Orlando Wednesday after allegedly privately expressing their displeasure with the airline, News 6 reports.

Eric and Whitney Miller had just boarded the flight to St. Louis after a six-hour delay when they were asked to leave because the crew felt threatened by their behavior.

In a Facebook post, Whitney wrote that they were removed after 15 minutes of sitting in their seats and were humiliated for getting kicked off the plane. The post had vanished from Facebook by Friday night.

The incident was caught on video by another passenger a few rows back. While it doesnt show the initial conversation between Whitney and her father, it shows their interaction with flight crew as theyre being told they have to leave the plane.

After asking the Millers to leave their seats, a crew member mentions getting the police involved, prompting Eric to say You are going to call the police? Then Whitney can be heard asking, What did we do wrong? Why are we getting kicked off the plane?

SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS REMOVES CONFEDERATE FLAG, REVERSING EARLIER DECISION

Eric then says, This is the most loathsome experience I can actually say I've indulged in 70 years of flying on an airplane. This is absolutely incredible. We have a conversation, you're threatened and we are going to have to leave after spending 12 hours in this airport waiting for this plane to leave. Absolutely shameful.

Whitneys post says her and her father were privately discussing the awful travel experience and customer service of the airline, which prompted them to be removed from the flight. But according to Richard Oliver, who works in corporate communications for Frontier, the incident report states that the Millers were being disrespectful and calling the flight attendants stupid b-----s.

Oliver said that after making disrespectful remarks during the boarding process, the Millers were asked to stop but didnt, so the flight attendant notified the captain about the situation. Oliver said if they had been compliant, they would have been allowed to travel.

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In an official statement obtained by Fox News, Frontier said: Our Flight Attendants are customer service and safety professionals who are trained to recognize situations that may impact comfort and safety of passengers and crew onboard our aircraft. The behaviors and comments exhibited by these passengers prior to departure were inappropriate; and as a result they were asked to leave our aircraft. Safety and security of our passengers and crew is our number one priority.
Contractors in Baltimore worked through the dark, early morning hours on Wednesday to quietly remove a massive bronze statue of Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson that had stood just steps from the citys main art museum and John Hopkins University since 1948.

After violent clashes last weekend between white supremacists and counter-protestors over the planned removal of another Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh promptly ordered the Lee-Jackson Monument and her citys three other Confederate-linked memorials taken down and shipped away on flatbed trucks.

But where are they going?

That is one of the biggest questions being asked as cities and towns from Baltimore to Los Angeles hasten their plans to remove the 718 statues, plaques and other homages to the Confederacy amid a nationwide debate over whether they should be on public display.

Some private groups are clamoring to receive some Confederate monuments while other statues could end up at museums or cemeteries. Others may be destroyed.

While their fate is unclear, what is certain is that the violence that broke out in Charlottesville is fast-tracking plans nationwide to take down monuments honoring Confederate soldiers.

The South seceding from the Union made the process of ending slavery happen much more quickly than if they hadnt left, John Fabian Witt, a professor at Yale Law School, told Fox News. It seems now like neo-Nazis and white supremacists are doing the same thing. Their protests are only making the monuments come down quicker.

In Baltimore, Pugh said that while she will soon provide details on the cost of the monument removals, the city is keeping the ultimate location of the statues a secret. The same goes for a little-known monument commemorating Confederate veterans that stood for decades in Los Angeles Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

While some cities are choosing to stay quiet about what they plan to do with their newly removed monuments, others have been less coy.

In the college town of Gainesville, Fla., the United Daughters of the Confederacy were given a statue of a Confederate soldier known as Ole Joe on Monday after a local history museum declined to accept it and a veterans group objected to its transfer to a nearby park. The United Daughters of the Confederacy, a heritage group that has been accused of supporting white supremacist ideas, erected the monument in 1904 in front of the Alachua County courthouse.

Aside from private groups, some smaller municipalities and even private businesses have been open to accepting Confederate monuments.

The small Kentucky city of Brandenburg earlier this year accepted a 70-foot-tall concrete plinth with an oversized statue of a rebel soldier that the University of Louisville had removed after years of criticism from faculty and students. Brandenburg Mayor Ronnie Joyner, who placed the monument in a riverside park that hosts a biennial Civil War reenactment, said that he didnt see the monument as a black vs. white issue or as a slavery issue.

The way I look at it, its part of our history," Joyner told Reuters. "We need to preserve our history."

Following the 2015 massacre on nine people inside a Charleston, South Carolina by white supremacist Dylan Roof, Marylands Montgomery County executive decided to remove a Confederate monument in the Washington D.C. suburb of Rockville. The 13-ton statue of the Confederate soldier, which had stood in the town since 1913, was transferred to White's Ferry, a privately run Potomac River ferry named after a Confederate general.

Another place where Confederate monuments have ended up after being removed from parks and other public locations are in cemeteries dedicated to Confederate soldiers. Orlando city officials in June moved a statue known as Johnny Reb to a section of the nearby Greenwood Cemetery where 37 Confederate soldiers are interred.

This is the Confederate section of the cemetery so, historically, it belongs here, Don Price, sexton for the cemetery, told the Orlando Sentinel. Were the keeper of the history.

In the case of the Lee-Jackson monument in Baltimore there are numerous cemeteries that are the final resting places of Confederate soldiers  the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs alone owns three in Maryland  but the Baltimore Sun reported that there have not been any requests for the burial grounds to accept the statue.

Some monuments already in cemeteries should be left in place if they commemorate the dead rather than honor their cause, Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, told Fox News. There are cemeteries in Germany where the dead from World War I and World War II are buried and there is more about remembering those who died while not harkening back to the cause.

There have so far been no suggestions of creating parks where these statues can been displayed collectively  like in the countries of the former Soviet Union, where outdoor exhibitions in cities have been constructed to house massive busts of Lenin, Stalin and Marx.

One of the logical places for some of these monuments would be museums, where experts say they can be preserved for history and as a teaching tool.

Putting these statues in museums would be a great idea, Witt said. That way we are able to keep these things and allow people to learn about an ugly part of this countrys history, but keep them outside of the public space.

Not all museums, however, are willing to accept these monuments. The Smithsonian flatly denied it was going to take the monuments that were recently removed from the New Orleans area.

The Smithsonian does not collect monuments or memorials, Smithsonian chief spokesperson Linda St. Thomas told Newsweek. The Civil War, protest movements, segregation, the civil rights movement and many other eras in American history are well represented in our collections.

Instead of heading to the Smithsonian, New Orleans Confederate monuments  like many of the other memorials that remain in limbo  have been tucked away in a city warehouse where they will either be destroyed or relocated to a new home sometime in the future.

It may desirable to keep some of these monuments in museums if there is an educational value and helps people learn about what these figures did, Somin said But there are some cases where there isnt any historical, educational or artistic value and it is the best move just to destroy them.
The top three leaders aboard the USS Fitzgerald  which was badly damaged in a collision off the coast of Japan that killed seven sailors in June  will be removed from duty, a U.S. Navy admiral said Friday.

Navy Commander Bryce Benson, the commanding officer of USS Fitzgerald, along with the warships second in command and the command master chief will be detached for cause on Friday, Admiral William Moran, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, said at the Pentagon.

As the USS Fitzgerald, a guided-missile destroyer, proceeded south from her homeport of Yokosuka, Japan at 20 knots in the early morning hours of June 17, more ships appeared and the area became congested, Moran said.

Seven sailors drowned in the compartment known as Berthing 2. There were 28 other sailors who made it out of the compartment, which flooded quickly.

Clearly at some point the bridge team lost situational awareness, said Moran, describing the group of officers and sailors responsible for driving the warship through the water.

It is somewhat amazing that we didnt lose far more, Moran said.

According to a report detailing the crews effort to keep the ship afloat, sailors escaped flooding spaces in chest and sometimes neck deep water seconds after hitting the Philippines-flagged cargo ship ACX Crystal on USS Fitzgeralds starboard side.

The report described the last sailor to escape the flooded Berthing 2. He was swimming towards the watertight scuttle when he was pulled from the water, red-faced and with bloodshot eyes. He reported that when taking his final breath before being saved, he was already submerged and breathed in water.

Several sailors -- both those in the compartment and out of the compartment -- clearly gave of themselves to make sure others got out," Moran said.

The Commanding Officers cabin was hit and it took about 25 minutes to recover him, Moran said.

The rescue team tied themselves together with a belt in order to create a makeshift harness as they retrieved the (commanding officer), who was hanging from the side of the ship, according to the report.

In addition to relieving the warships top leadership, several junior officers were relieved of their duties due to poor seamanship and flawed teamwork as bridge and combat information center watch standers, according to a statement from U.S. Navys 7th Fleet Commander from Japan.

The statement added that the collision was avoidable and both ships demonstrated poor seamanship, noting that the flawed watch stander teamwork and inadequate leadership were factors in the collision which resulted in the death of seven Fitzgerald Sailors, multiple injuries and damage to both ships.

U.S. Navys 7th Fleet Commander also acknowledged that the entire Fitzgerald crew demonstrated real toughness that night.

Following the collision these Sailors responded with urgency, determination and creativity to save their ship. Their rigorous damage control efforts and dauntless fighting in the immediate wake of the accident prevented further loss of life, the statement read.

The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John M. Richardson, is expected to release details of the full investigation in a matter of weeks, Moran said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Jason Kessler, who organized the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., told Fox News late Thursday he's in hiding after getting a string of death threats.

Last Saturday, a car rammed into a crowd of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, killing one woman and injuring some 19 other people. The next day, protesters chased Kessler from a press conference he was trying to hold.

The nationalist blogger maintains his group is not a collection of white supremacists, but rather a civil rights group. He said he graduated from the University of Virginia, voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and once attended an Occupy Wall Street rally in Charlottesville.

His grievances are rooted in what he calls the identity politics of today. Some are the discriminatory policies of affirmative action, college admissions, history books being rewritten, blaming American whites for slavery, when it was a worldwide institution.

Every culture had slavery, he said.

He also blamed the existential crisis of immigration, mass immigration from third world countries.

Kessler said he never met James Alex Fields Jr., the suspected driver in the deadly crash. As for the death of the woman, Heather Heyer, Kessler said: no comment.

In preparation for last Saturdays rally, he met repeatedly with Charlottesville police and was assigned a police liaison. He says she went over the citys safety plan with him, let him see it, but would not let him photograph it. He said that the captain let slip that in preparation for the rally, the city and police did not use government servers because they did not want to get FOIAd  referring to the Freedom of Information Act.

He said he has received no calls, no visits from police or federal investigators since the event. Ive done nothing wrong, Kessler said.

Kessler said the organizations funding came from donations to our PayPal account, before it was shut down. Now, we fund ourselves, because most of us have or used to have jobs, before this.

He said that police had given the white nationalists a specific entry way to the park. But that as they arrived at the park at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, the road to that entrance was blocked by police. The caravan of shuttle busses that the nationalists had rented had to detour to the opposite side of the park, where most of the Antifa demonstrators were positioned.

That was the point at which tensions rose meteorically, he said. They had to pass through Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and other opponents at close range.

The body armor, clubs and helmets his people wore during the rally were strictly defensive, for our own safety, he said.
Airline stocks stabilized Friday, a day after the shares were pummeled following a terrorist attack in Spain during the busy summer travel season.

Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. fell 48 cents to $45.55; United Continental Holdings Inc. rose 5 cents to $64.75; Southwest Airlines Co. gained 2 cents to $53.17; and Delta Air Lines Inc. was unchanged at $47.53. The four stocks had each fallen from about 3 to 5 percent Thursday.

Cowen analyst Helane Becker said in a note to clients that travel bookings would probably slow "for a few days" after the Barcelona attack but pick up in September.

Airline stocks have slumped since mid-July over concern the carriers are diluting prices by adding seats too quickly. Becker said the pullback created a buying opportunity for investors.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. disclosed this week that it trimmed its airline investments. The firm's stakes in American, Delta, United and Southwest fell by about $415 million on Thursday and $20 million on Friday. They're still worth more than $9 billion.
The father of a Northern California man identified as the American citizen killed in the deadly truck ISIS terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, says his only consolation is that 42-year-old Jared Tucker likely died happy.

His father, Dan Tucker, said he had not seen his son happier than he had been in the last year.

He had a magnetic personality and people loved him, his dad said. He liked to fish, play golf and other sports, and he was deeply in love with his wife, his father said.

Heidi Nunes, 40, of Walnut Creek, Calif., said she and her husband were in Europe celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary, according to NBC News. The two already had made stops in Paris and Venice. Nunes said the couple were savoring drinks in the famous tourist area of Las Ramblas when chaos broke out.

CIA WARNED BARCELONA ABOUT TERROR THREAT, REPORT SAYS

Nunes said the attack occurred shortly after her husband left to go to the bathroom, and she went off to look at some jewelry.

"Next thing I know there's screaming, yelling," Nunes told NBC News. "I got pushed inside the souvenir kiosk and stayed there hiding while everybody kept running by screaming."

Nunes shared a picture taken of her and her husband, who leaves behind three daughters, shortly before the terror attack, smiling and enjoying drinks.

BARCELONA TERROR ATTACK DEATH TOLL RISES, FOURTH SUSPECT ARRESTED

"The picture was taken about an hour before the attack while we were sitting at a little patio," Nunes said.

The couple had sent joyful pictures from their first trip to Europe, a vacation theyd saved for to their kin back home. The last pictures arrived to his family in Northern California a day before tragedy struck.

Jared Tucker worked with his father at a family-owned pool business in the San Francisco Bay Area since he was 16, his father said.

About eight hours after a vehicle rammed into a crowd of pedestrians in Las Ramblas, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens of others, another attack was carried out in the Spanish resort town of Cambrils, where at least one person was killed. Police have arrested four people in connection with the terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Nicholas Fuentes, an 18-year-old student who attended the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., this past weekend, said that he's received death threats for months over his conservative viewpoints -- enough for him to decide it's time to leave Boston University.

Fuentes said he made the decision to abandon his Political Science degree a month ago after being constantly threatened over his conservative views. He said no longer felt safe on campus, and will not return for the fall semester.

Still, despite the intensity of the backlash he's received, he has absolutely no regrets about taking part in the controversial white-nationalist movement.

I went to represent this new strain of conservatives, of people in the right wing who are opposed to mass immigration and multiculturalism, Fuentes told Fox News on Thursday. For a long time, this existed on the fringes. I thought it was a political victory  we exposed the removal of Confederate statues, and this disenfranchised group of white males.

A Boston University spokesman confirmed to Fox News that the student had indeed left the school earlier this week and that "the safety and security of our students is our highest priority."

While the ideology of the movement, he contended, used to be associated only with older men in America like Pat Buchanan and Samuel Francis, he believes a significant wave in the younger generation have been captivated by the ideology.

We have basically been told our whole lives that white people are racist and evil and should be erased, Fuentes explained. We have basically been told that it is a crime to be born a white male.

The student, who hails from a suburb of Chicago, is of Mexican lineage and contends that he and almost all other attendees did not go to the rally out of racist motivations, but rather most were like him and consider themselves to be preservationists staunchly against high levels of immigration.

The picture the media keeps using is of one person with a Nazi flag, there were more one thousand there who didnt have Nazi flags, Fuentes said. The vast majority of people there were regular, decent people. I didnt meet a single violent person. Our side is just preservationist.

CHARLOTTESVILLE WHITE NATIONALIST RALLY BLAMED FOR 3 DEATHS, DOZENS OF INJURIES

Fuentes noted that the Charlottesville rally had been in the works for about three months, and that people joined the fray not only from all over the U.S., but from Canada and various countries in Europe. But after posting on social media about going to the event  which turned tragic after a driver rammed a car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a woman  Fuentes own firestorm began.

I suddenly got dozens of messages on Twitter and Facebook telling me to go and kill myself and that if they see me they will beat the sh-- out of me. Stuff of that nature, he said. At least 10 to 20 of them were death threats.

Fuentes said Boston University had given him opportunities to express his political views -- and his support of Donald Trump -- leading up to the November presidential election last year.

CHARLOTTESVILLE AND A 'NEW GENERATION OF WHITE SUPREMACISTS'

I made a short video presentation about my support for Trump before the election and that caused a major uproar. People wanted to organize a debate between myself and a big Hillary supporter, Fuentes recalled. We went to the Dean and they gave us an auditorium, a police officer for security detail, they really made it happen.

He is now taking a semester off and then intends to start at Auburn University in Alabama in the spring.

It was one of my first picks after high school, Fuentes continued, adding that the friendly territory of the Deep South will enable him to express his opinions freely without jeopardizing his safety.

TRUMP 'ENTIRELY CORRECT' TO BLAME BOTH SIDES FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE VIOLENCE, WHITE HOUSE SAYS

In addition to studies, he hosts his own YouTube talk show modeled after Trumps key campaign catchphrase Make America Great Again, and highlighted that he mostly has liberal-leaning friends  but the few who are conservative have experienced widespread backlash from their university peers across the country.

Even worse than the threats I have received, Fuentes surmised.

And even though he stands staunchly by his beliefs and makes no apology about making his mark in Charlottesville, he doesnt plan on attending any such rallies in the near future.

Everyone is a little shaken up, Fuentes added. The political climate has become so intense and so violent and toxic.
Violence during a weekend protest in Virginia sparked major debates on race across the nation -- and is now igniting conversations about a South Carolina monument memorializing a controversial doctor.



Steve Benjamin, the first black mayor in Columbia, is passionately opposed to a monument on South Carolina's State House grounds honoring Dr. J. Marion Sims, a gynecologist who carried out experiments on female slaves from 1845 to 1849.

That argument is deeply profound in the South and certainly in the wake of Charlottesville, everyone is talking about it, Benjamin told Fox News regarding the larger issue surrounding Confederate memorials. I had mentioned this statue of Marion Sims that I found personally offensive as a husband and father of two daughters. The experiments he had conducted in the 19th century in the name of medicine were torturous, they were despicable and its gone without a great deal of notice."

Benjamin said the monument of Sims should not be displayed in a position of honor in the most traveled intersection in the state of South Carolina.

Sims, famously known as the founder of modern surgical gynecology, developed an operation that helped women who were experiencing a complication during labor known as Vesicovaginal fistula. Eight decades later a statue of Sims was erected by the Women's Auxiliary of the South Carolina Medical Association in 1929.

This monument speaks to a dark time in our past, Benjamin said. If we can find some reasonable dialogue to move maybe this monument, then maybe these other major issues we can really start focusing on together.

Benjamin is certainly not alone in his position.

Its always time to revisit how we chose to remember our history, Greensboro College History Professor Mike Sistrom told Fox News.

Sistrom said debates about public monuments, school curriculum, southern art or literature is something southerners have wrestled with for years.

Theres misunderstanding, not enough awareness of the complexity of the history," Sistrom said. "Particularly of those who are quick to defend these monuments and claim that any reconsideration of this monument is erasing history -- which it is not.

Sistrom said its important to understand statues are on public property, not in a book or museum.

If someone takes offense, thats as relevant as someone that feels pride in seeing a monument or a flag," he said. "After all, the purpose of these monuments is to serve the communities where they are and that purpose can change over time.

Top state officials, however, are not pushing to remove the statue at this point.

The #SCHouse will not engage in or debate the specifics of monuments, memorials, state buildings, South Carolina House speaker Jay Lucas tweeted.

The current controversy comes two years after the Confederate flag displayed on the State House grounds was removed.

South Carolina House Speaker Jay Lucus did not respond to Fox News' request for comment.
An Illinois teenager was found late Friday after her family told police she may have run away with her high schools former track supervisor and janitor, local media reported.

Anna Racine, 14, disappeared early Monday from her mothers residence in Bureau Junction, according to Crime Online. Karen Podobinski, the teens mom, said she believed her daughter was with Morgan Burcham, 21.

Both were spotted around 7 p.m. local time in Minnesota, the News Tribune reported.

SIGN REFERENCING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE DEFENDED AS SATIRE

The initial information on Anna went out to a network for law enforcement, Gary Becket, an investigator with Bureau County Sheriffs Department, told the newspaper.

It was not immediately clear whether Burcham would face any charges. His father helped investigators find the pair, the News Tribune added.
A Michigan man convicted in the 1995 murder of another man who expressed romantic interest in him on national television is expected to be released from prison.

Jonathan Schmitz was 24 years old when his acquaintance Scott Amedure, 32, revealed he was romantically interested in him during a taping of the Jenny Jones Show. Schmitz, who said he wasn't gay, fatally shot Amedure in Lake Orion three days after the taping.

Schmitz turned himself in to police, saying he killed Amedure because he was embarrassed on national television. He was sentenced 25 to 50 years for second-degree murder.

Schmitz, now 47, was granted parole after a March hearing and is scheduled to be released from Parnall Correctional Institution next week.

Scott's older brother, Frank Amedure Jr., said he's troubled by the parole decision and that he's unsure Schmitz "learned what he should have" in prison.

"I wanted assurance that the (parole board's) decision was not based on just good behavior in prison," he said. "I'd like to know that he learned something, that he's a changed man, is no longer homophobic and has gotten psychological care."

Geoffrey Fieger, who served as an attorney for the Amedure family, said that everybody involved in the Jenny Jones Show also deserved imprisonment.

"That show set him (Schmitz) up and certainly took Scott Amedure's life for no reason," Fieger said.

The episode never aired but clips were shown on news shows.

The Michigan Department of Corrections doesn't list an attorney for Schmitz.
One of several wildfires burning in Montana destroyed two homes after jumping control lines as firefighters braved another day Friday of high temperatures, gusty winds and low humidity.

The homes, southwest of the town of Lolo, were among 750 residences evacuated after the fire, started by lightning in July, blew up late Wednesday. Several outbuildings were burned late Thursday.

"We've got a couple of very challenging days ahead of us," fire operations manager Mark Goeller said late Thursday. "You're going to see a lot of smoke in the air and a lot of ash fallout."

The blaze burned nearly 30 square miles (76 square kilometers) of forest land. Evacuations were in effect along the U.S. Highway 93 and U.S. Highway 12 corridors. The town of Florence was under an evacuation warning.

Fire commander Greg Poncin said the fire is going to burn for a long time, and he did not know how long people would be out of their homes.

"I wish at this point I could give you a definitive answer," Poncin said.

Heavy smoke from other wildfires made air quality hazardous in the town of Seeley Lake in northwestern Montana and unhealthy in Butte.

In Oregon, more than two dozen wildfires were burning around the state, including 10 fires in the so-called "zone of totality" for Monday's solar eclipse. Totality is when the moon appears to completely blot out the sun.

The blazes prompted authorities to close large portions of Mt. Jefferson Wilderness and Three Sisters Wilderness, both in central Oregon's Willamette National Forest and both considered top eclipse-viewing locations.

Residents about 6 miles (10 kilometers) west of the city of Sisters were told to prepare for evacuation after a wildfire there grew Thursday.

In California, crews fighting a fire in Yosemite National Park were trying to guide the flames away from the small town of Wawona and into wilderness. The fire has closed campgrounds and trails in the park but authorities have not ordered anyone to leave. No structures have been damaged.
There were late-night developments after Thursdays Barcelona terror attack. Authorities have arrested three people hours after a van plowed into group of people in Barcelona, killing at least 13 and injuring about 100.

Witnesses described the scene as sheer chaos. Injured pedestrians could be seen scattered in the streets with emergency crews working to transport the injured. There are few details about the attack and its perpetrators, even though ISIS has claimed responsibility. A major Spanish newspaper reported late Thursday that the CIA warned Barcelona about a terror threat, but Fox News could not immediately confirm the report.

President Trump condemned the attack on Twitter, and Nigel Farage, the former U.K. Independence Party leader, told Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight that the Islamic State continues its terror attacks in Europe because leaders take no action and do little more than stand in solidarity.

And not once do we ever hear a single leader in Europe offer any policy solutions whatsoever, he told Tucker Carlson. They are still in denial because they are so embarrassed by the fact that they have caused this.

GONE INTO HIDING

Jason Kessler, who organized the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., told Fox News late Thursday he's in hiding after getting a string of death threats.

Last Saturday, a car rammed into a crowd of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, killing one woman and injuring some 19 other people. The next day, protesters chased Kessler from a press conference he was trying to hold.

RELIEVED OF DUTY

Navy Commander Bryce Benson, the commanding officer of USS Fitzgerald, along with the warships second in command and the command master chief will be detached for cause on Friday, Admiral William Moran, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, said at The Pentagon.

HIGHER-PROFILE PENCE

Vice President Mike Pence wrapped up his recent trip to Latin America on Thursday looking perhaps a little presidential.

The five-day tour through Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Panama -- which ended a day early, with the vice president expected to meet with President Trump at Camp David in Maryland on Friday -- was seen as another damage-control mission to help calm allies who may be on edge, similar to recent trips he made to Europe.

COMING UP ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL

2 PM ET: State Department briefing with Heather Nauert. Watch live on Fox News Channel and FoxNews.com
A Pennsylvania school teacher vacationing in Mexico died Monday when she fell off a roof-top balcony -- because she was laughing too hard.

Sharon Regoli Ciferno, 50, a teacher at Charles A. Huston Middle School in western Pennsylvania, was with her daughter at a friends house in Mexico when she sat on a deck ledge that doubled as a bench, her brother told PennLive.

CONTAMINATED, DRUGGED LIQUOR MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FRO WOMAN'S MYSTERIOUS DEATH AT MEXICAN RESORT, DAD SAYS

She started laughing very hard and when she put her head back she lost her balance and fell back, her brother, David Regoli, told the website. She suffered multiple injuries to her body and brain.

Alcohol was not a factor, he said. The building code standards in Mexico are not as stringent as in the U.S.

Unfortunately, there was no back on the deck, Regoli said.

Regoli Ciferno was taken to a hospital in San Diego and died of her injuries.

This was a tragic accident that has devastated our very close-knit family, her brother said.

SUSPECTED CAR THIEF PLUMMETS TO DEATH FROM CRANE AT LOS ANGELES PORT AFTER STANDOFF

The tragedy happened just as her students were getting ready to return to school from summer break. Huston Middle School Principal Brian Ferra told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Regoli Ciferno's death will leave a void at the school.

"She wore her heart on her sleeve," Ferra told the website. "She would do anything for anyone."

Regoli Ciferno was married and a mother of two teens, ages 15 and 17, according to her obituary.
Nebraska authorities have launched an investigation into a natural gas explosion that seriously injured two people, leveled a house and significantly damaged nearly 20 other homes in Lincoln.

Police are focusing on the home where authorities believe the explosion occurred Monday, the Lincoln Journal Star reported . Witnesses said the two homeowners were thrown from the house during the blast. Police said Thursday that both were hospitalized in medically induced comas.

Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said investigators have obtained a search warrant and are conducting interviews. Investigators also are evaluating financial and cellphone records, and sending evidence off for forensic testing, he said.

But the chief cautioned that the nature of the investigation isn't uncommon.

"(In) many, many of the investigations that we begin as criminal, we're looking to conclusively prove or disprove whether or not a crime was committed," Bliemeister said.

Tests have confirmed that the blast didn't start outside the home, because there were no issues with the house's delivery of natural gas.

Natural gas is an odorless gas and has an added chemical marker, which sometimes smells of rotten eggs, to help people detect leaks. Chief Fire Investigator Bill Moody said the severity of the blast suggests gas had been leaking for hours.

The blast scattered debris and caused damage to homes for several blocks. Police Capt. Mike Woolman expects one affected street to reopen by the weekend. Another closed street, being used as the staging area for authorities, should open by early next week.

"There's a lot of people with damaged homes in the surrounding area, and they're working with restoration companies and insurance companies to try to bring back some semblance of normalcy into their lives," Bliemeister said.

___

Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com
President Trump is meeting with his top national security advisers Friday at Camp David, and one of the most anticipated decisions expected to come from the session concerns U.S. military involvement in a place that hasn't been in the headlines quite as often lately: Afghanistan.

The meeting at the presidential retreat was expected to focus on a variety of national security issues, both at home and in places like South Asia, including India and Pakistan. Also notable, however, is the fact that this meeting was expected to represent the culmination of a long-awaited review on the way forward in Afghanistan, a nation that Trump points out is now the home of America's longest-running war.

Vice President Mike Pence attended after cutting short a long-planned trip to Latin America by a day, and following more than a week of the administration being peppered with questions on when a decision would be made.

Last week, the president suggested he had taken over a "mess" in Afghanistan, before adding that "we're going to make it a lot less messy" with a decision "that will be made soon."

Thursday, Defense Secretary James Mattis confirmed that after a long review of U.S Afghanistan policy, the administration was "very close to a decision" that would likely come "in the very near future."

Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly also are among nearly two dozen advisers and other officials attending the summit. Absent from the list, however, is the current commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson.

Trump reportedly has mused about firing Nicholson in the past, something that Mattis responded to on Monday.

Mattis suggested reporters should "ask the president" if the commander-in-chief has confidence in Nicholson, before adding that Nicholson "is our commander in the field, he has the confidence of NATO, he has the confidence of Afghanistan, he has the confidence of the United States; and the president, again, is looking at all aspects of -- of our effort over there, as he must in his responsibilities as the commander-in-chief."

On Wednesday, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters that "the president has looked at [the situation in Afghanistan] and said, 'nothing has worked in the 16 years that we've been in Afghanistan.' Although we have nearly 10,000 U.S. forces serving there right now, our forces, the Afghan people, have not been forgotten, that is an important issue for us, and that's why the president has asked for a full review of our Afghan policy."

A day earlier, Nauert was asked whether withdrawal is still being considered as an option. While she refused to speculate on the decisions the president or his advisers would be making, she noted that all options are being considered. In a tweet ahead of his meeting, the commander-in-chief wrote "Heading to Camp David for major meeting on National Security, the Border and the Military (which we are rapidly building to strongest ever)."
Triplets born prematurely just five days before a deadly tornado slammed Joplin, Missouri, have started school.

The Joplin Globe reports that the sisters arrived eight weeks early and weighing a combined 6 pounds before the tornado struck in May 2011, killing 161 people.

Addison, Reagan and Lauren Harper had health problems that forced them to remain in the hospital long after their birth. Their family's home was among those destroyed in the tornado. One of the triplets had multiple surgeries for congenital heart disease and has a pacemaker.

But on Thursday, the giggling 6-year-olds piled out of their mother's minivan wearing matching T-shirts that read "Hello, Kindergarten." Their mother, Jayme Harper, says the strength of the girls "amazes" her. She says she is "kind of envious of them because of how strong they are."

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Information from: The Joplin (Mo.) Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com
The U.S. Coast Guard continues to search for Army soldiers who went missing after their Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed in the waters off Hawaii Tuesday night.

It was the latest in a series of high-profile accidents involving military aircrafts  raising questions about their safety. Experts say the recent crashes underscore the pressing need to update the militarys aging aircraft fleet, which is increasingly putting members of the military at risk.

Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said hes concerned about U.S. militarys readiness to fight.

We've got a lot of ground to make up for the good of the nation and for the good of the men and women who are risking their lives by flying, he told Fox News recently.

Last week, the U.S. Marine Corps grounded its entire fleet of aircrafts  some 850 jets, helicopters and Ospreys  for a day following two deadly crashes in the Mississippi Delta and off the coast of Australia in the past few weeks that killed 18 Marines and a sailor.

US NAVY PILOT EJECTS IN CRASH LANDING IN BAHRAIN, OFFICIALS SAY

A Fox News analysis found in the past year there have been 14 non-combat aviation crashes involving U.S. military aircrafts, a 40 percent spike from this point a year ago. There have been at least 112 Americans killed in military aviation crashes since January 2012.

Just last month, for the first time in the three-year-old war against ISIS, a U.S. Navy fighter squadron was grounded for a week aboard USS George H.W. Bush from July 12 to 19.

As U.S.-backed Syrian forces were battling ISIS in Syria, the U.S. Navy was forced to ground all 10 F/A-18 fighter jets in VFA-37, after two pilots flying the older model F-18C Hornets fell ill with decompression sickness, a long-standing problem with the jets cabin pressure.

NAVY, MARINE CORPS HORNET FIGHTER PILOTS RAISE ALARM OVER SAFETY ISSUES

The two pilots required treatment in a decompression-chamber-like machine.

The USS George H.W. Bush is the first aircraft carrier to deploy with a chamber aboard after a spike in what the Navy calls "physiological episodes," which many officials blame on flying old planes.

Every deployed aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy now carries decompression chambers onboard.

A U.S. Navy spokesman confirmed the grounding to Fox News.

"Naval Aviation Leadership directed an operational pause for Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA-37) at the conclusion of the flight schedule July 12the pause was lifted on 19 July, said Cmdr. Jeanette Groeneveld.

Groeneveld said there was no operational impact on the aircraft carriers ability to support the ISIS fight in Syria, where the majority of strikes are now conducted. She noted that there were 34 other more advanced F-18 Super Hornets that remained operational among the three other strike fighter squadrons in the carriers airwing.

The VFA-37 is one of four operational Navy squadrons continuing to fly older F-18 C model Hornets. The Navy has made it a priority to remove these older jets from deployed aircraft carriers to build a more ready and capable forward-deployed force and allow cost savings, according to Groeneveld, that go along with fixing these legacy jets.

Because the F-18C is no longer produced anymore, there's a shortage of spare parts in the supply system, which exacerbates the challenge of keeping the jets airborne.

PILOT, 2 TRAINEES DEAD IN MILITARY PLANE CRASH IN DJIBOUTI

The Navy's Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John M. Richardson, recently decided to accelerate the phase-out of the early model F-18s beginning this month with one squadron and ending in 2019, according to Navy officials.

USS George H.W. Bush is currently headed back to her homeport of Norfolk, Va. following a seven-month deployment. USS Nimitz, another aircraft carrier, is currently conducting airstrikes against ISIS from the Persian Gulf and keeping an eye on Iran.

The Marine Corps exclusively flies the older model F-18A-D Hornets, which have long suffered from a lack of spare parts grounding jets and robbing young pilots of valuable training. Currently, about 70 percent of Marine Corps F-18s cant fly and only about half the Navys Hornets are fully mission capable right now, according to the services.

The former head of U.S. Marine Corps aviation, Lt. Gen. Jon M. Dog Davis, raised alarm bells about the problems in an exclusive interview with Fox News last year.

What they need is more spare parts and a little more time to get those airplanes ready to go and do the flying and training they know they need to do as Marines, he said.

Davis has since retired.

Thornberry said aging aircrafts are flying much longer than their intended use.

We're working these airplanes beyond their design life so that when they do have to go in for maintenance they stay there longer because there are more problems to fix, he said.

The military has argued that the problems facing aviation units were limited to trainers back home, not with deployed forces. But there is increasing evidence the problem has spread and is now affecting those deployed overseas.

Over the weekend an F/A-18 Super Hornet crash-landed in Bahrain after taking off from the USS Nimitz. The pilot ejected safely.

And then, just days after grounding its fleet, the U.S. Marine Corps announced more problems with its aircrafts.

The Marines say a C-130J cargo plane experienced a loss of cabin pressure shortly after takeoff from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California, causing four Marines and a sailor to suffer from decompression sickness.

The Marines and sailor did not require hospitalization, according to a statement.

The Pentagon says it has requested nearly $30 billion to fix the readiness issue.

Leonard Balducci contributed to this report.
Spanish media reported Thursday that police had named a suspect arrested hours after the terror attack in Barcelona -- but soon afterwards, a man with that name reportedly stepped forward to say he was not involved.

Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and other news outlets named one of the detained as Driss Oukabir, a French citizen of Moroccan origin. Later, Spanish media agency La Vanguardia reported a man with that name approached police to say his identity documents had been stolen.

Various Spanish media said the IDs with his name were found in the van that rammed into a crowd -- and that he claimed his brother might have stolen them.

Authorities reportedly said they found a Spanish passport inside the van, but Oukabir had an identification number of foreigners, according to El Pais.

Investigators said that in all, they arrested at least two people: a Spanish national from Melilla, a Spanish-run Mediterranean seafront enclave in North Africa, and a Moroccan. Those investigators did not release names of the people arrested.

The van plowed in a crowd of people in a popular tourist area in the city Thursday, leaving at least 13 people dead and more than 100 injured.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Former U.K. Independence Party leader and Brexit advocate Nigel Farage told Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight on Thursday that the Islamic State continues its terror attacks in Europe because leaders take no action and do little more than stand in solidarity.

And not once do we ever hear a single leader in Europe offer any policy solutions whatsoever, he told Tucker Carlson. They are still in denial because they are so embarrassed by the fact that they have caused this.

A van rammed into a crowd in Barcelona on Thursday, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 100 others. ISIS claimed responsibility for the terror attack on Thursday through its propaganda arm, according to the SITE Intel Group.

The Thursday attack came after a string of incidents in Europe where vehicles were used as weapons. In the last year, Paris, London, Stockholm, Berlin, and Nice have faced terror attacks by vehicles.

There is a direct link and relationship between the number of people you let in from different religions and different cultures and the number of terror attacks, Farage said.

He said the ISIS terror attacks have not occurred in Central and Eastern Europe because countries such as Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia refuse to indulge European Union quotas of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

The countries from this region of Europe who have lived under Nazism and Communism within living memory, he said, wont buckle under the pressure to allow Islamic migration.

Farage also noted that Brexit was about protection and safety: not about being anti-Islam but rather leaving the EU and controlling immigration.

We actually want to control our borders, not because we dislike anybody, but because we believe firstly in sensible border controls, he said.

Noting he believes the European project is falling apart, and that its a continent of various diverse peoples and not the United States of Europe  he also simultaneously doesnt understand whats happening across the pond.

Whats happening in America is that amazes me, Farage said. Theres a large section of America that is much more concerned with tearing down historical statues that date back to the Civil War than recognizing who the real enemy of the West is!
Police in Spain announced early Friday they killed five people in a suspected second terror attack in Cambrils, hours after a van rammed into a crowd about 70 miles away in Barcelona, killing at least 13 people.

State-run broadcaster RTVE reported the suspects attempted to carry out a similar attack to the one in Barcelona, by driving a vehicle into pedestrians. It said seven people were injured  two seriously  by the suspects.

Authorities said the suspects were wearing bomb belts.

The Catalan government says an attack in the seaside resort town of Cambrils has been linked to the vehicle attack in Barcelona. The region's Interior Minister Joaquin Forn told local radio RAC1 early Friday that the Cambrils attack "follows the same trail. There is a connection."

He did not explain what connected the attacks.

BARCELONA ATTACK: WITNESSES DESCRIBE 'CHAOS' IN THE STREETS AFTER DEADLY CRASH

Meantime, authorities were on the hunt for the van driver that killed at least 13 people and injured more than 100. It was not immediately clear how the suspects killed in Cambrils may have been connected to the Barcelona attack.

At least three people have been arrested as suspects in the Barcelona incident, according to the regional president of Catalonia. One of the suspects is a Spanish national from Melilla, and the other is a Moroccan citizen who lived in Spain legally.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the terror attack on Thursday through its propaganda arm, according to SITE Intel Group.

"The perpetrators of the attack in #Barcelona are Islamic state soldiers and carried out the operation on command of [ISIS' leader] of targeting coalition countries," the ISIS release stated.

A senior police official said the van attack is connected to a gas explosion inside a house in the town of Alcanar Wednesday, in which one person was killed and seven were injured.

Authorities confirmed that police fatally shot the driver of a vehicle that drove through a police checkpoint and struck two officers earlier, but a Catalan police official said the dead driver "doesn't have any connection with the terrorist attack we are investigating."

Police initially named Driss Oukabir, the Moroccan, as a suspect in the attack. However, local media are reporting a man with that name told police that his identification documents were stolen, possibly by his younger brother.

BARCELONA TERROR ATTACK: TIMELINE OF RECENT VEHICLE INCIDENTS IN EUROPE

The white van jumped onto a promenade and sped through a pedestrian zone on Las Ramblas of Barcelona, the famous main pedestrian walk way that crosses the city. The van swerved from side to side as it plowed into tourists and residents.

"It was clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible," senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said at a news conference.

RTVE reported that investigators think two vans were used  one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

Police killed a gunman in a shootout a few miles from Barcelona soon after the crash, El Mundo newspaper reported. However, police said later the gunman was not linked to the terror attack.

Local media originally reported two men involved in the attack had been holed up in a bar, but that was dispelled by Catalan police.

Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau announced a minute of silence will be held Friday in the city's main square "to show that we are not scared." The moment of silence will be followed by three days of mourning.

"We are a strong city in its diversity and values. Barcelona is a city of peace, of dialogue, of democracy, valient, open to the world. The cowards that have tried to plant terror will not get away with it," Colau said.

"London, Brussels, Paris and some other European cities have had the same experience. It's been Barcelona's turn today," said Carles Puigdemont, the head of the regional government.

Prime Minister of Spain Mariano Rajoy tweeted that he is going to Barcelona.

BARCELONA TERROR ATTACK: LAWMAKERS AND NATIONAL FIGURES REACT

A grisly video of the incident appeared to show at least five people lying motionless on the ground, with legs twisted and heads bloodied.

"It was real chaos, people started running, screaming. There was a loud bang," eyewitness Ethan Spibey told Sky News.

Footage from reporters on the ground shows armed officers combing a market.

Albert Tort, a 47-year-old nurse who lives near Las Ramblas, told El Pais that what he saw at the scene was an "authentic disaster."

"Police would not let me go through but I identified myself as a nurse and I went in," he said. "What I saw was an authentic disaster. I counted at least 6 dead, I tried to revive a young [man] but it was impossible."

"I heard a lot of people screaming and then I saw the van going down the boulevard," another witness, Miguel Angel Rizo, said. "You can see all the bodies lying through Las Ramblas. It was brutal. A very tough image to see."

Barcelona resident Keith Fleming told the Associated Press he was watching television in his building on a side street just off Las Ramblas when he heard a noise and went out to the balcony to investigate.

Fleming said he saw "women and children just running and they looked terrified," he then heard a bang, possibly from someone rolling down a store shutter, as more people raced by.

The American living in the Spanish city said police arrived, and pushed everyone a full block down the street. He says the officers are still there with guns drawn and riot police are stationed at the end of the block.

President Trump condemned the attack, saying in a tweet, "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!"

Speaking from Panama, Vice President Pence called the day "tragic." He acknowledged that ISIS took credit for the attack, and said "whoever is responsible should know, together with our allies, we will punish those responsible" and rid "Islamic terror" from the world.

"This latest attack, the worst terror attack on Spanish soil since the 2004 Madrid train bombings, shows us again that radical Islamic terrorism is one of the greatest threats that we face today," Pence said.

"ISIS has taken credit for this barbaric attack, but whoever is responsible should know that the United States of America, together with our allies, will find and punish those responsible and drive the evil of radical Islamic terror from the face of the Earth."

BARCELONA 'TERROR': TRUMP, STATE DEPARTMENT MONITORING SPAIN ATTACK

Emergency services in Catalonia say they have asked the Metro and train services in the area to close. Police cordoned off the broad street and shut down its stores, and asked people to stay away from the area so as not to get in the way of the emergency services.

Facebook has activated its Safety Check feature that lets users notify friends and family that they are safe following the Barcelona attack.

Barcelona's tourism association has offered rooms in area hotels to tourists who have been displaced by the attack.

The U.S consulate in Barcelona said on Twitter it was "aware of a reported incident at Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Please avoid the area and monitor local police @mossos for updates."

"Americans in Spain: If you are safe, be sure to notify friends and loved ones. If you use social media, be sure to update your status," the consulate tweeted.

The National Counterterrorism Center, the government hub for threat analysis, confirmed to Fox News the center is monitoring the events in Barcelona and note the use of a vehicle as a weapon.

TRUMP CONDEMNS BARCELONA TERROR, SAYS US 'WILL DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO HELP'

The Department of Homeland Security said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke has been briefed on the situation. "DHS has reached out to Spanish authorities, and the Department is standing by to support our allies as they respond to and recover from this horrendous attack. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and those affected," the agency said in a statement.

On Twitter, the Department said those who need information on U.S. citizens in Spain, to call 888-407-4747 if in the U.S. or Canada.

Spain has been the target of numerous terror attacks in the last few years, drawing the attention of the U.S. State Department.

The attack was the country's deadlist since 2004, when Al Qaeda-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coorindated attacks on Madrid's commuter trains.

Since July 2016, vehicles have been used to ram into crowds in terror attacks across Europe, killing well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm.

Las Ramblas is a packed tourist area in central Barcelona whose central feature is a broad promenade leading to the water. The stretch is lined with numerous shops, restaurants, a sprawling market and Gaudi architecture.

People walk down a wide, pedestrianized path in the center of the street, but cars can travel on either side of the area.

Fox News' Catherine Herridge, Lucia Suarez, Jake Gibson, Cody Derespina, James Rogers, Judson Berger, Michael Arroyo, Wes Barrett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Thursday's ISIS-claimed terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain  which killed at least 13 people and left many injured  coincided with a new effort to bring the terrorist group to justice for crimes committed against humanity in Iraq.

The draft resolution, sponsored by Great Britain and Iraq, was circulated in the last 24 hours among the 15-member Security Council  following a letter written to the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres from the Iraqi foreign minister urging support of Iraqi efforts to bring ISIS terrorists to justice.

The crimes committed by Daesh terrorist organization against civilians and destruction of infrastructure and archeological sites in Iraq are crimes against humanity, Iraqs foreign minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari wrote in the letter about ISIS, known by the Arab acronym Daesh.

Which makes it important to bring its perpetrators from Daesh terrorist gangs to justice, in accordance with Iraqi law, he wrote.

One Security Council diplomat told Fox News that the draft resolution is about collecting and preserving evidence and ensuring that the crimes are properly documented and can be then prosecuted later.

While we never preview how we will vote on Security Council resolutions, we do support the U.K and Iraqs efforts, a spokesperson from the U.S. mission to the U.N. told Fox News.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia seemed optimistic. Of course well support it, he said before adding a caveat: Well have to see the resolution.

Great Britains Deputy U.N. Ambassador Jonathan Allen said he hoped that a vote would come soon.

We are going to work with them and our partners in the Security Council to bring forward a resolution that will achieve just that  leaving no hiding place for Daesh anywhere, he said.

While Iraq will have full jurisdiction over the ISIS crimes, it also will be possible that terrorists who have left still can be prosecuted in other countries. The aim of collating and preserving the evidence is so it can be accepted in foreign jurisdictions.

With the likelihood of such a resolution passing, some critics warn that by only focusing on ISIS and not dealing with other groups could lead to problems down the road given the influence of Iran on its neighboring country.

While the Iraqi government should work to hold the Islamic State accountable for its crimes against humanity, a full accountability would include crimes committed by Iranian-backed Shiite militias and Iraqi security forces, Bill Roggio, editor of the FDDs Long War journal, told Fox News.

A one sided inquiry will only fuel Sunni alienation at the hands of the Shia-led and Iranian influenced Iraqi government, said Roggio, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) reported that in 2016 alone nearly 7,000 civilians were killed and nearly 13,000 injured in terrorist attacks that were mostly carried out by ISIS.
The State Department announced Friday that one American was among the 14 people killed in a pair of deadly terror attacks in Spain.

The assaults -- in Barcelona and Cambrils -- wounded more than 100 others, and one U.S. citizen was also among that count, officials said.

Neither person's name was immediately released.

The news comes as a fourth person was arrested on Friday in connection with the terror attacks. Spanish police also announced that they are searching for four suspects connected to the attacks.

Police shot and killed five suspects who were equipped with bomb belts in Cambrils. The belts were found later to be fake. It was not immediately clear if the Barcelona van driver was among the arrested or dead suspects but police said they are investigating it.

Local government confirmed the incident in Cambrils was linked to the attack in central Barcelona.

The after effects of the vicious vehicle attack in Barcelona, which also wounded more than 100, were still being felt in the Spanish capital even as officials foiled a second extremist plot in an early morning shootout and hunted for other militants involved in the attacks.

In particular, the driver of the van remained elusive Friday as Spain conducted a major anti-terror operation to locate the man.

Fifteen of those injured on Thursday remained in serious condition and authorities warned the death toll could continue to rise.

Security forces mobilized quickly following the Barcelona attack, where authorities say a jihadist used a van to target people on one of the Catalonia capitals most popular streets and managed to escape the scene by foot.

The injured and dead were from 34 different countries, including France, Germany, Pakistan and the Philippines, a government statement said. A U.S. man was unaccounted for, his family said.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack and said the perpetrators were soldiers of the Islamic State, the terrorist organizations propaganda agency said.

"The perpetrators of the attack in #Barcelona are Islamic state soldiers and carried out the operation on command of [ISIS' leader] of targeting coalition countries," the statement read.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rejoy, meanwhile, called the tragedy a "jihadist attack" and announced three days of official mourning, Reuters reported.

Initial reports in the Spanish media named Driss Oukabir, a French citizen of Moroccan origin, as the person driving the van after his identification documents were found in the vehicle used in the terror attack.

But shortly afterwards, the man turned himself in to police, denying any involvement in the terror plot and claiming his documents were stolen, possibly by his brother, La Vanguardia reported. Police haven't confirmed that the man's brother was the driver of the van.

It remained unclear how many people were involved in the terror attack.

Police have detained four people, including a Moroccan man, a man from Spain's autonomous African city of Melilla, and one man whose identity was unknown.

According to El Periodico, as Fox News reported earlier, the CIA warned local Spanish authorities two months ago about a possible terror attack, following a number of similar vehicular attacks across Europe, including in London, Nice, Berlin and Stockholm.

The latest terror attack was the deadliest attack in Spain since the 2004 Madrid train bombings that killed 192 people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The CIA warned local police in Barcelona two months ago that the citys popular tourist area, Las Ramblas, could be the target of a terrorist attack just like Thursdays deadly vehicular attack, a Spanish newspaper reported.

The warning from the American intelligence agency followed repeated vehicular attacks across Europe -- including in London, Nice, Berlin and Stockholm, El Periodico reported, although Fox News has not independently confirmed the reports contents.

The CIA warned the Mossos [local police] two months ago that Barcelona, and in particular the Rambla, could be the scene of a terrorist attack like the one that occurred this afternoon, the report said.

"The CIA warned the Mossos [local police] two months ago that Barcelona, and in particular the Rambla, could be the scene of a terrorist attack like the one that occurred this afternoon.  El Periodico, a Spanish newspaper

At least 13 people were killed when a van rammed into pedestrians along the popular thoroughfare in central Barcelona on Thursday. More than 100 were injured.

Meanwhile, a separate attack in Cambrils, Spain, that reportedly injured at least seven people, resulted in five suspects being killed by police.

The identity of the suspect in Thursdays earlier attack remained unclear as a large-scale anti-terror operation got underway to find the driver.

Initial reports claimed Driss Oukabir, a French citizen of Moroccan origin, had been detained as a possible suspect, but Spanish media agency La Vanguardia reported that a man with that name told police his identification documents had been stolen.

According to various Spanish media outlets, IDs with the mans name were found in the van that was used to commit Thursdays earlier attack. He said his brother could have stolen his documents.

Five suspects killed

Police announced early Friday that they killed five suspects in connection with a second terror attack in Cambrils.

The suspects launched an attack similar to the one in Barcelona, by driving a vehicle into a crowd of people, police said. State-run broadcaster RTVE reported that seven people were injured, including two seriously.

Authorities said the suspects were equipped with bomb belts.

Police were working to determine if the Cambrils attack was directly linked to the attack in Barcelona and to a Wednesday night gas explosion in Alcanar that left one person dead.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Tourists and Barcelona residents tentatively returned to Las Ramblas on Friday morning for a subdued stroll down the leafy boulevard, a day after a van attack filled it with fear and bloodshed.

Dozens of armed police officers in blue and neon-yellow uniforms were stationed near Placa de Catalunya and the street was still closed to vehicles, but all other signs of the previous day's terror had been cleared away.

Newsstands were open selling papers and souvenirs, and by midmorning, some ice cream shops were starting to lift their gates. Notable exceptions were the iconic flower stalls near where the van came to a halt after killing at least 13 and injuring 100. And metal gates were closed at the entrance of La Boqueria, the expansive market that is one of the city's most famous tourist attractions.

Enrique Camprubi, a city resident for 40 years who walks down Las Ramblas nearly every day, said besides the police, the scene didn't appear very changed.

"We don't have to be afraid," said Camprubi, who volunteers at a nearby center named after Mother Theresa. "And we aren't afraid because that's what they want, the Islamic State, they want to scare us so that we stay at home. That is last thing we're going to do."

The number of pedestrians was about the same as a regular summer morning, but the crowd was much quieter than usual. Many somberly walked in silence, staring down at the distinctive curved paving stones.

A family from New York said outside La Boqueria that they were undeterred when they boarded a plane last night after hearing about the attack.

"We all feel fine, right?" Tara Lanza said as the whole family exchanged reassuring looks.

"It's sad," said her husband, John Lanza. "You can tell it's obviously quieter than it usually is, but I think people are trying to get on with their lives."

Their tour guide, Gaston Magrinat, an American who came to Barcelona in 1999, said he couldn't help thinking that he or his kids could have been among the victims.

"Thinking how often I come down this avenue? Not just for work but also with family," he said. "It's a recreational area as well. You come with the kids and get ice cream and stuff like that. It could have easily been me."
A renowned conservationist who devoted his life to stopping the runaway slaughter of elephants in East Africa has been shot and killed by suspected ivory poachers.

Wayne Lotter, a 51-year-old South African, was killed Wednesday night in Tanzania. His two killers ambushed him in a taxi heading to his hotel in Dar es Salaam.

He had received death threats before the attack, The London Times reported.

Lotter pioneered new tactics that led to the arrest of more than 1,000 wildlife poachers, the jailing of more than 300 and the dismantling of several large-scale trafficking syndicates in the past two years, the paper reported.

He founded a conservation organization, the PAMS Foundation, which helped train thousands of game scouts throughout Tanzania to gather intelligence on poachers.

Azzedine Downes, chief executive of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said he was absolutely shocked by the killing, The Times of London reported.

"He was a larger than life character, seriously committed to ending the slaughter of Africas wildlife but with a sense of humor second to none, Downes said.

Tanzania lost two thirds of its elephant population between 2009 and 2014 because of rampant poaching and wildlife trafficking, which was able to thrive because of government corruption and in some cases complicity, the paper reported.

Lotter rarely took credit for PAMS success in helping reduce poaching in Tanzania, The Guardian reported.

Wayne devoted his life to Africas wildlife. From working as a ranger in his native South Africa as a young man to leading the charge against poaching in Tanzania, Wayne cared deeply about the people and animals that populate this world, PAMS said in a statement. The foundation vowed to continue his work.

Lotter helped fund Tanzanias National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit, which successfully pursued a number of high-profile ivory traffickers, The Washington Post reported.

In 2015, the unit arrested Yang Feng Glan, the so-called Queen of Ivory who was charged with smuggling more than 700 elephant tusks out of Africa.

It is hard to describe the exact feeling, but my stomach still knots every time I see an elephant carcass. I have seen hundreds over the last three years, Lotter wrote in 2014 for ITV News, according to the paper.

Tanzania authorities are investigating the killing.
At least two people were injured and six others were wounded during a mass stabbing assault in Finland on Friday, Sky News reported.

The suspected attacker, who was not immediately identified, was shot in the leg and was in police custody, the BBC reported. The assault occurred in the Puutori-Market Square area. One of those stabbed was pushing a stroller, The Sun reported.

Authorities had not labeled the incident in Finland as terrorism and were set to hold a news conference later on Friday.

"The government is closely following the events in Turku and the ongoing police operation. The government will meet later today," Prime Minister Juha Sipila wrote on Twitter.

Images on social media showed at least one body -- that had been covered -- laying on the ground.

Police have asked people to stay away from the area amid an ongoing search for other possible attackers.

The attack in Turku, a city on the southwest coast of Finland, comes one day after a horrific vehicle assault in Barcelona, Spain that killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 100 others. A second terror attack in Spain earlier Friday killed another person.

Turku is the oldest city in Finland and the sixth-largest city in the country. It's about 100 miles west of Helsinki.
A heroic Spanish police officer on Friday single-handedly killed four of the five suspects who were believed to have carried out a terror attack in the Catalan seaside town of Cambrils, a senior police official said.

At least one of the suspected terrorists appeared to be laughing and taunting a police officer who shot and killed him, according to video footage of the incident and a witness who saw the stunning encounter.

"Police jumped out the car and started shouting at the guy, he was saying something else, and then 'pop, pop,' a couple of shots and then he stood back up and then he stepped over the fence and he started like taunting and smiling," witness Fitzroy Davies told BBC Radio 4. Then he carried on walking to the police and then they gave it to him again, a couple more shots, and then he fell to the ground and thats when I decided to go.

Catalan regional police official Josep Lluis Trapero said the incident was not easy for the officer involved. At least one person was killed and six others were injured in the Cambrils terror attack, when a car rammed into a crowd of pedestrians.

All five suspects were reportedly wearing fake bomb belts, a tactic that has been used by terrorists in prior attacks, a U.S. government official told Fox News. The official said police cannot tell from a far distance if the explosive belts are real or fake. The suspects also carried an ax and knives in the car. Mossos police, Catalonias police force, tweeted one of the suspects slashed a person in the face before the terrorist was killed.

AMERICAN DEAD IN SPAIN, US CITIZEN ALSO INJURED IN TERROR ATTACK

Hours earlier in Barcelona, a van struck a crowd of pedestrians, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 100 others.

One American was reported killed and one was reported injured in the twin attacks, the State Department said on Friday. Neither individual was immediately identified.

Trapero said police believe the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks were linked. He also said the two attacks may have possibly been connected to an explosion in a house in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday in which one person was killed. Police believe one of the people injured in that blast and now arrested had links to the two attacks.

Police are also investigating whether the attacks are connected to an incident Thursday in which the driver of a Ford Focus plowed through a police checkpoint leaving Barcelona after the Las Ramblas attack, injuring two police officers. The driver of the Ford Focus was killed.

Police have arrested four people in connection with the terror attacks. On Friday, two people were arrested and two others were arrested Thursday. Of those being detained, three are Moroccan natives and one is a Spaniard, none with terror records. At least three of them were found in the northern town of Ripoll. Another arrest was made in Alcanar, south of Barcelona.

The Spanish court issued an order to search and capture four suspects in the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks. According to Le Parisien, police have named the four suspects including a 17-year-old man who is suspected of driving the van in Barcelona.

CALIFORNIA WOMAN SAYS HUSBAND MISSING AFTER BARCELONA TERROR ATTACK

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The injured and dead were from 34 different countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, the Philippines and the U.S. A man from California has been reported missing.

A number of political leaders have spoken out to condemn the attack. Pope Francis said the attack is a very grave offense to the Creator. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the fight against terrorism is a global battle. He thanked emergency services for their quick response. President Donald Trump tweeted that the United States condemned the terror attack and will do everything necessary to assist Spain.

Fox News' Catherine Herridge and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Officials in Europe were beginning Friday to identify those killed or injured in Thursdays vehicular terrorist attack in Barcelona that killed at least 14 people and injured more than 100.

Belgian officials identified Elke Vanbockrijck, 44, as one of the victims. Mayor Patrick Dewael, of Tongeren, Belgium, east of Brussels, said she lived in his town and he presided over her wedding in 2014.

According to Belgian media, the woman was on vacation in Spain with her husband and sons.

Foreign Minister Didier Reynders also confirmed two Belgian citizens were injured in the terror attack, one seriously.

Irish and Romanian officials said citizens from those countries were hurt in the attack as well.

Irish officials said a 5-year-old boy and his father were among the injured, but emphasized the injuries were not life-threatening. The two were part of a family of four celebrating the boy's birthday in Barcelona.

Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said he was thankful there weren't more Irish nationals hurt, as there are so many Irish people in Spain -- Barcelona and Cambrils -- at this time of year.

Romanian officials said three of their nationals were injured but none suffered serious injuries.

The French government reported that 26 of their nationals were injured.

Australia said one of its citizens hasnt been accounted for and Danish officials said two Danes were lightly wounded.

Meanwhile, as the hunt continues for the driver of the van who plowed into the crowd of people on one of Barcelona's busiest streets, European leaders have issued condemnations of the attack and condolences to the victims.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said he was "horrified by reports from Barcelona," while Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen expressed frustration that the continent has "again been attacked by terror."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi lashed out at the terrorists, saying: "so long as the terrorists underestimate the spirit of the societies they seek to undermine, they will lose."

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel and other politicians, agreed to tone down the nations election rhetoric as a sign of solidarity for those people affected in Spain.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A radical Islamic cleric granted an early release from prison to mark Indonesia's Independence Day has been re-arrested for alleged involvement in several militant attacks.

Aman Abdurrahman, who has led an Islamic State group-affiliated militant network from prison, was included among more than 90,000 inmates granted sentence reductions for Thursday's national holiday.

Ibnu Chuldun, who heads the Justice Ministry's provincial office in Central Java, said Friday that Abdurrahman was transferred from Nusa Kambangan prison island to a police detention center near Jakarta.

Chuldun says the cleric is being questioned about his role in attacks including a January 2016 suicide bombing in central Jakarta that killed four civilians and four attackers.

Abdurrahman was serving a nine-year sentence for helping set up a jihadi training camp.
For 16 years, North Korea has been ranked the most oppressive place in the world for Christians, and this week the U.S. State Department re-asserted it as one of the worlds worst religious persecutors  torturing and executing those even suspected of worshipping God. But that still hasnt stopped an estimated 36 percent of the population  around 9 million  from practicing Christianity.

Life is extremely difficult for all North Koreans, but Christians face an even tougher road, Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern told Fox News.

Christians are accused of being imperialists seeking to overthrow the government and those who are caught practicing their faith are arrested, horrendously tortured, imprisoned and [sometimes] immediately put to death.

So how do these brave devotees do it in the most closed country on earth?

On the surface, Christianity does exist in North Korea. Its constitution on paper vows to protect religious freedom and forbids discrimination based on ones faith. Thus, the capital, Pyongyang, is currently host to five state-controlled churches  the Protestant Bongsu, Chilgol and Jeil Churches, the Catholic Jangchung Cathedral and the most recent being the Orthodox Holy Trinity Russian Church. Yet all are deemed to be little more than fraudulent showpieces for visiting officials and tourists.

Foreign visitors are routinely paraded around these sites, in which aptly dressed church officials clutch Bibles and bow at the altar. But Chad OCarroll, managing director of the Seoul-based news and analysis firm Korea Risk Group, told Fox News that these are generally just hand-picked state workers whose vocation is to feign religion. The collection plates are passed through congregations and locals appear to donate as foreigners look on, but the plate ends up empty at the end.

Guides often complain about having to go to church and put on the show because some diplomatic figure is in town, he continued. Theres a mosque in Pyongyang to keep the Iranian officials happy, and the Russians have their church.

Indeed, the Russian Embassy to North Korea boasts that the decision to build the first Orthodox Church was made in 2002 after former leader Kim Jong il visited a church on an official trip to the Russian Far East. The Russians state that their Orthodox Church donated bells, icons and church utensils to the project, and that services are held every Saturday and Sunday and that the Russian Embassy traditionally invites heads and personnel of the diplomatic missions and international organizations to participate in services on the biggest Christian holidays, such as Christmas and Easter Holiday.

But below the surface, there is an authentic Christian movement  with extreme risk. It is estimated that there up to 70,000 Christian prisoners in concentration camps in North Korea, and the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights conjectures that more than 75 percent of Christians who are dealt this fate do not survive. Defectors have spoken of Christians being crushed by steamrollers and used to test biological weapons, or hung on a cross over a fire.

NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR ACCELERATION PROMPTS CHURCH INTERVENTION

TILLERSON, MATTIS REBUFF BANNON CLAIM OF NO 'MILITARY SOLUTION' FOR NORTH KOREA

DEFECTORS FROM NORTH KOREA DESCRIBE CONCENTRATION CAMP, DAILY LIFE

One of the biggest obstacles Christians face is paranoia and snitching from even close confidantes, as the Kim Jong Un regime encourages tattling for rewards.

A famous saying in North Korean culture is: 'The walls have eyes and the fields have ears. Christians must be extremely careful to hide their faith as much as possible, they must practice in the dark and be very wary of neighbors, friends and family members turning them in as all citizens must spy on each other, King said. Most parents refrain from introducing their children to the Christian faith until they are older in order to protect the family.

Case in point: Vernon Brewer, founder and president of humanitarian organization World Help told Fox News that he often thinks about a case involving a girl named Eun, whose third-grade teacher gave the class a special assignment to go home and look for a book and if its the right book, the student will be honored. Eun ended up finding a Bible.

Defectors have spoken of Christians being crushed by steamrollers and used to test biological weapons, or hung on a cross over a fire.

The next day she received a prize at her school. But when Eun returned home, her parents werent there, he recalled. Its hard to imagine such cruelty that would unknowingly turn children on their own parents.

Not only does the regime jail suspected culprits without trial, but they will often snatch up relatives  irrespective of whether they share the Christian belief  and are known to punish families up to three generations, Brewer said.

Parents brave enough to share their faith with their children, or extended families, are known to gather in lightless back rooms of their homes where they can only whisper their prayers and hymns. Often their Bibles are scattered pages to disguise the book.

North Koreans are sometimes granted permission to visit China, where some are believed to access Bibles and other Christian literature and smuggle them back in -- at their utmost peril. OCarroll also pointed out that Christian missionaries sometimes operate orphanages and other services in border areas, but they do this without any religious symbolism.

They preach and practice through their actions rather than traditional ways, he explained.

From the late 19th century until the Korean War, North Korea was a Christian stronghold  and Pyongyang was considered the Jerusalem of the East. While it is now anything but friendly to the faithful, activists claim Christianity is still burgeoning in the deeply tyrannical country.

Despite efforts to eradicate Christians, we have found the church is North Korea is actually growing, Brewer added. They know only God is powerful enough to break through the darkness of the most oppressive regime on earth.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame is being inaugurated Friday after winning re-election with nearly 99 percent of the vote.

Many African leaders are expected to attend the ceremony in Kigali, the capital.

The longtime president had described the Aug. 4 election as "a formality" while campaigning.

The East African nation has virtually no political opposition, and critics accuse Kagame of being intolerant of dissent. He denies it.

Kagame has been de facto leader or president since the end of the 1994 genocide. Because of a change to the constitution in 2015, he can legally stay in power until 2034.

A Human Rights Watch statement says Rwanda's election "took place in a context of very limited free speech or open political space."

Amnesty International had described a "climate of fear" ahead of the vote.

The Rwandan election is just the latest example of a history of apparently rigged elections in Africa. Countries throughout the continent have had rulers and presidents that seemingly stay in power for an eternity.

The most well-known example is President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, who has been in power for over 30 years and is regarded as one of the worlds most controversial leaders. Originally praised as revolutionary hero who helped free his country from British colonialism, he has been accused of being a dictator responsible for economic mismanagement and widespread political corruption.

Mugabe's regime has perpetrated anti-white racial discrimination, human right abuses, suppression of political critics and crimes against humanity. He has also been accused of election rigging as recently as 2013, when his party won a landslide victory with 61 percent of the vote.

As recently as last week, elections were also questioned in Kenya, where opposition leader Raila Odinga refused to accept the results of the presidential campaign.

Odinga claimed the election was rigged in favor of incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta and did not trust the paper forms, saying they could have been manipulated already.

On Wednesday, he vowed to take his challenge of the election to Kenyas Supreme Court.

"This is just the beginning," he said at a news conference. "We will not accept and move on."

"No one should believe  and especially not those behind this election fraud  that Kenyans are sheep who will willingly go along with the democracy's slaughter. This country is now divided between those prepared to live under autocracy and the forces of freedom and democracy."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Spanish police have launched a nationwide manhunt for a group of wanted Moroccan suspects after the terror attacks in Spain earlier this week.

Meantime, one wanted man, Moussa Oukabir, was among the suspects killed by police early Friday in Cambrils, an official with a union for Spain's Civil Guard police force told The Associated Press.

Oukabir, Said Aallaa, Mohamed Hychami and Younes Abouyaaqoub were listed as wanted men in connection with the attacks, according to a document confirmed as valid by a Spanish police union official speaking to the AP.

All four men were from the small city of Ripoll near the Pyrenees Mountains and Spains border with France. The document showed that Oukabir was born in Ripoll and also held Moroccan citizenship. The document also said the other three were born in Morocco and have Spanish residency.

Oukabir's brother, Driss, was identified as a possible suspect Thursday before he went to police saying they had the wrong man, Spanish media reported.

A French security official also confirmed Spanish police are looking for a Kangoo utility vehicle rented by suspects in the Barcelona attacks that may have crossed into France.

The official, who was not authorized to be publicly named speaking of an ongoing manhunt, said Spanish police alerted French authorities to the vehicle, rented Thursday in Spain. The official said French police nationwide are on the lookout for the car, and were given information from Spain about the four suspects believed to be on the run.

After two deadly vehicle attacks in Barcelona and a nearby resort, Frances interior minister said his country reinforced police surveillance Friday of what is normally an open border between Spain and France.

French officials said Friday evening that no one has been detained so far in the Spanish investigation.

Authorities were still dealing with the Barcelona van attack when police in Cambrils, 80 miles to the south, fatally shot the five attackers who had plowed into tourists and locals with their car near the towns boardwalk.

The five were wearing fake bomb belts.

One woman in Cambrils died from her injuries and five others were wounded, Catalan police said.

The attacks Thursday and early Friday in Spain killed 14 people and wounded 126 others.

The injured and dead were from 34 different countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, the Philippines and the U.S.

Daniel Tucker told The Daily News that his son Jared Tuckers body was identified by his wife at the morgue Friday.

Jared Tucker and his wife, Heidi Nunes, were visiting Barcelona for their first wedding anniversary. Tucker and his father worked together installing swimming pools. The elder Tucker said that everybody loved him.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack and said the perpetrators were soldiers of the Islamic State, the terrorist organizations propaganda agency said.

The perpetrators of the attack in #Barcelona are Islamic state soldiers and carried out the operation on command of [ISIS leader] of targeting coalition countries, the statement read.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Law enforcement officers who raided a Spotsylvania County home looking for drugs Thursday had to quickly change focus when a number of explosive devices were discovered, police said.

Sheriffs Lt. C.A. Carey said detectives and others went to a home in the 9700 block of Brock Road in the Todds Tavern area Thursday to execute a drug-related search warrant. Once inside, police discovered that the residence contained several improvised explosive devices.

Carey said he didnt yet have the details about the makeup of the explosives, how powerful they are or what they were intended for, but he said they quickly got the attention of investigators.

A narcotics investigation was the reason for the search warrant and getting drugs off the streets is always a high priority, Carey said. But it was quickly decided that these devices needed more immediate attention.

Kenneth James Francis Jr., 52, of the residence was charged with a felony offense of manufacturing explosive devices. He was placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail under no bond.

Carey said it was his understanding that some drugs were also recovered, but he did not have information regarding the quantity or types of drugs.

He said Francis was the only one at the home during the raid and was the only person arrested. Carey said Francis, who has not been charged with any drug offenses, was taken into custody without incident.

Tactical teams from the Sheriffs Office and the Virginia State Police assisted detectives in the search. Carey said the operation took most of the day, though only a portion of the time was spent at the house.
ITS A RAINY and humid afternoon in mid-August and Gen. George Washington, commander of the Continental Army, and I are talking about what a new nation called the United States of America is going to do about the peculiar institution of slavery now that its won its freedom from England.

Or rather, Im having the conversation with Ron Carnegie, a historical interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, whos spent years portraying, well, the Foundingest of all the Founding Fathers.

Washington, he tells me, struggled with slavery, even though he owned slaves for 56 years. As president, he stayed publicly silent on the subject, expecting that the ugly blight on our national conscience would collapse under its own weighteven though it took decades longer, and a bloody Civil War, for that to finally happen.

Washington, it should be noted, freed his slaves in his will, making him one of the only Founding Fathers to do so.

Its a hugely engrossing conversation. And time melts away as Carnegie, a deep student of Washington, whose enthusiasm for his subject is beyond contagious, shares his knowledge.

It was one of many conversations over several days I had recently with the historical interpreters who bring this landmark to life for scores of tourists from across the country and around the world.

Colonial Williamsburgs mission, were all told more than once, is to tell Americas enduring story, just as its been doing since 1926, when the Rev. W.A.R Goodwin, rector of the Bruton Parish Church here, first pitched philanthropist John D. Rockefeller on his plan to restore Virginias colonial capital.

But history isnt what it used to be.

As multiple news outlets reported earlier this summer, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the nonprofit group that runs the tourist attraction in Virginias Tidewater country, has cut and outsourced dozens of jobs to grapple with $300 million in debt and losses that totaled $54 million at the end of 2016.

Its a very modern problem for an institution that bends over backward to make visitors think theyve crash-landed in an 18th century town.

But as painful as the cuts were, the alternative, doing nothing, would mean the end of this national treasure, Mitchell Reiss, the foundations chief executive officer, wrote in a letter to the Williamsburg community, Bloomberg News reported in late June.

It would mean the end of our mission, Reiss wrote.

Walking along the lovingly restored streets, ducking in and out of buildings, and chatting with employees who have, in many cases, been performing their roles for decades, its not pleasant to consider an America without Colonial Williamsburg.

Yes, this place is expensive. And yes, its a little kitschy. But its also exhilarating.

Because wrapped up in the questions that Carnegie and his colleagues pose to the patrons at Colonial Williamsburg is a very modern, yet still eternal, challenge to the way we think about ourselves as Americans.

Theyre questions that go to the heart of our national character: How hard would we fight to preserve our own liberty in the face of a tyrannical government? How much do we treasure the right to determine our own fate as a nation? And when that government oversteps, what rights what dutydo we have as citizens to rein it back in again?

The questions are open-ended enough to allow each visitor to answer them according to his or her own political leanings and philosophy.

A conservative visitor, for instance, might agree with Jefferson that a limited federal government, one with very tightly prescribed powers, is the most preferable form of government.

They might also agree with Jeffersons observation to James Madison, in 1787, that a little rebellion from time to time is a good thing.

A more traditionally liberal visitor, meanwhile, might agree with the federalist George Wythe (the Williamsburg town father who schooled Jefferson in the law), who favored a stronger central government.

Theyre the same arguments the Founders had with each other more than two centuries ago. And given our own times and the challenges we face, those questions prompt deep contemplation and provoke active discussion.

So its hard to leave this place with anything other than a reawakened passion for our early history, a fresh appreciation for the magnitude of the tale, and just utter awe at the heroic sacrifice that birthed Americas enduring story.

Its also tough to leave here without feeling the weight of your own responsibility to add to that enduring story, as were exhorted to do more than once.

Toughest of all, though, is imagining Colonial Williamsburg not being here to help tell it.

John Micek is the opinion editor and political columnist for PennLive/The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa. Readers may follow him on Twitter @ByJohnLMicek and email him at jmicek@pennlive.com.
If there were ever a ludicrous school policy that needed to be trashed quicker than month-old leftovers in the back of the fridge, it is lunch shaming, the term given to denying a hot lunch to a child when his or her account has run dry.

Most likely, the circumstance arose when a parent forgot to replenish the account, or the student has gone through a certain amount more quickly than anticipated. Hungry students do that. But in any event, it is embarrassing for the child involved.

The topic came up in Stafford County recently when School Board member Scott Hirons became aware of the practice. Stafford is by no means the only school district that handles the situation in this way. School officials in every locality should determine if this policy exists and, if it does, do away with it in time for the 2017-18 school year.

First off, it makes sense that schools cant just look the other way forever when a childs lunch money account is depleted. As recently as a couple of years ago, Stafford was ending years with some $10,000 in unpaid student account debt.

To get a rein on that, Stafford school officials set up an automatic call system to let parents know the account is empty. If that doesnt work, a staffer might reach out and call the parent directly. Stafford school officials credit this change with reducing unpaid debt to just $1,300 at the end of the 2016-17 school year.

Nevertheless, the shaming method persists. If the students account is empty at checkout, his or her hot lunch is taken away and anything not pre-packaged, like slices of pizza or side dishes, is thrown away. The child is then given the modified lunch instead: a cheese sandwich, a piece of fruit and milk. Thats a clear signal to all the other kids that somebody has come up short.

When the student gets home, he or she will no doubt communicate the days embarrassing, unfortunate episode to his or her parents, who will then, hopefully, rectify the situation.

If its not ridiculous enough that the hot lunch is thrown away, it gets worse. That modified meal with the cheese sandwich saves the school only 11 cents versus the typical standard meal the student picked out, considering that it ended up in the trash and the school is paying for the discarded meal as well.

Under federal law, schools must have a policy for dealing with depleted lunch accounts. It doesnt specify a particular policy, but it does require schools to inform parents what the policy is.

Stafford appears close to arriving at the only commonsense solution: Let the kid have the doggone lunch. If the situation is chronic, and the robo-call doesnt work, maybe because its going to a landline the family never checks, make sure other avenues of communication are attempted. If there are other family issues involved, then deal with those.

We noted in this space recently that a survey found that teachers often provide school supplies, paid for out of their own pockets, when their students show up without them. Now, another survey indicates that teachers also reach into their own pockets to help out kids who are shy on their lunch money. This is altruism at its finest.

Certainly, school systems cant be expected to eat this debt, so to speak, so in Stafford, school nutrition director Berkley Dunbrack has been asked to come up with a plan for how to recoup it. Hopefully, it doesnt rise to holding transcripts and report cards hostage until the bill is paid, though some sort of leverage might be needed.

What we dont need to do is stigmatize a student by handing out an alternative lunch that barely saves the school system a dime.
"We already know the expanded units are very good, Milano said. Now lets see if the expanded unit can be used in a setting where we use only one matched cord-blood unit along with the unmatched, expanded unit.

The goal is to reduce early transplant-related mortality while taking advantage of cord-blood stem cells anti-leukemia effects after transplantation, leading to improved long-term survival.

This is a very important step in the clinical development of this universal donor cell therapy, which has been under clinical investigation since the first trial in 2006, Delaney said.

The Phase 2 clinical trial, which is expected to begin next year, will involve 15 patients. Half of them will be treated at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Fred Hutchs clinical care partner; the other half will undergo treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, a collaborator on the trial.

Milano expects promising results. Already, a pilot study has generated strong data on the preliminary efficacy of this therapy, and he is enthusiastic about future work.

First of all, Im a big fan of easy things, Milano said, adding that he hopes to simplify the three-unit approach. So, going down to two [units] is better. Especially going down to two, when one is already off the shelf, which you can give to everyone as a universal donor product, is going to be very exciting.

Cord-blood donors are currently considered an alternative to traditional adult hematopoietic stem cell donors. With traditional bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplants, the donors must be matched to a patients unique genetic background to minimize the risk of graft-vs.-host-disease, or GVHD. This complication occurs when newly transplanted donor cells attack the organs and tissues of the transplant recipient, regarding them as foreign.

Since the donor cells in cord blood come from a baby whose immune system is naive, the cells can adapt and dont have to be a complete match to the patient. This is a particularly viable option for leukemia patients of mixed-race ancestry who often cant find a matched donor in the stem cell registry.

According to Milano, doctors can find suitable cord-blood donors for about 95 percent of patients. The approach also makes lifesaving use of cord blood that would otherwise be discarded as medical waste.

Based in San Antonio, Texas, the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation has a particular interest in funding medical and basic science research, as well as conservation, community services, arts and humanities, wildlife, conservation and animal science.

Note: Scientists at Fred Hutch played a role in developing these discoveries, and Fred Hutch and certain of its scientists may benefit financially from this work in the future.

 Fritz Freudenberger / Fred Hutch News Service
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The 2017 Farmers Weekly Awards finalists have been announced and the judges have visited each of the finalists for a three-hour interview and tour.

While each of our finalists is unique, all share a keen understanding of the challenges facing farming and know exactly what they want from university to push their agricultural careers forward and make their mark in the industry.

See also: Book your table for the 2017 Farmers Weekly Awards night

The 2017 Ag Student of the Year finalists are: Helen Brown

Josh Dowbiggin

Robbie Stevenson The judges: Claire Simonetta, last years winner

Emma Northam, Farmers Weekly

Ian Pigott, independent judge

Helen Brown, Kirkbampton, Cumbria

Student life

Student notes Age 22

22 College Harper Adams University, Shropshire

Harper Adams University, Shropshire Course BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Crop Management, fourth year

BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Crop Management, fourth year Ambition Work as an agronomist in Cumbria

On paper, Helen Brown, who grew up on a mixed family farm in Cumbria, has more of a livestock background. But work experience at 16 with a local agronomist cemented her desire to become one herself.

Outstanding academic performance helped part-fund her course through a scholarship and grant, while her third-year placement was secured when she called Hutchinsons on-spec in her first year.

Her bold approach impressed, they stayed in touch and eventually gave her the placement, even though they dont normally take on students.

This characteristic fearlessness has contributed to much of Helens success, including winning the Agrovista placement award for her work on a project looking at blackgrass control through variable spring barley seed rates.

Her competitive nature also saw her flex her agronomy skills as a member of the Harper Adams Niab Tag Agronomy Cup team and as team captain for the universitys Cereals Challenge.

Young farmer

A keen YFC member, Helen is shortly to take on the role of secretary of Carlisle YFC. Previously she won the Northern Area Junior Young Farmer of the Year, and the YFC farm planning competition.

She also served in a national role as the vice-chairman of the National Young Farmers Youth Forum.

Helen believes the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs holds the key to improve the publics perception of farming.

She was involved in a farm-fork initiative aimed at improving city dwellers knowledge of where food comes from, and has appeared on The One Show as part of a feature on Forage Aid after the wet 2012 harvest.

What does the future hold?

Self-confessed adventurer Helen has spent time on farms in New Zealand, Canada and Switzerland, where she experienced very different economies of scale.

They were getting less than 1t/acre in Canada, but that was OK because they have so much land, she says, while in Switzerland, farms were much smaller but nothing was wasted.

In New Zealand, Helen witnessed the benefits of share farming and sees it as a solid succession model that could be applied on her family farm in years to come.

For now, Dad remains at the helm back home. She is still involved, though, and through her new trainee position with Hutchinsons has set up a varietal/fungicide/herbicide trial site on the family farm.

The judges liked

Passion for agronomy, and understanding of the need for precision technologies, such as variable seed rates

Extensive YFC involvement, including Youth Forum

Agronomy trials on family farm to establish best varieties for local area

Keen to champion the role of farming to the public

Good understanding of the figures  as shown in her success in numerous competitions

Helen throws herself into everything she does. An A-student with a passion for agronomy, she has the crucial ability to distil a technical subject so others can understand it and put theoretical understanding into practice.

Josh Dowbiggin, Barnoldswick, Lancashire

Student life

Student notes Age 21

21 College Harper Adams University, Shropshire

Harper Adams University, Shropshire Course BSc (Hons) Agriculture, third year

BSc (Hons) Agriculture, third year Ambition Continue to build up his stud business, and one day buy land and farm it

Summer holidays spent on his grandparents dairy farm made Josh Dowbiggin farming obsessed at an early age.

He saved up to buy two pedigree Hereford heifers and in 2011 started a business, Ghyll Beck Herefords, breeding bulls to sell to local dairy farmers.

A travel bursary for young Hereford breeders allowed Josh to join the UK contingent at the World Hereford Conference in Uruguay.

He also visited the USA and Canada, where he worked on a ranch to gain experience.

Encouraged by farmers he met at home and abroad, Josh applied to Harper Adams University. He sold the heifers to fund his studies via a new venture, Ghyll Beck Hereford Stud, which supplies beef bulls to Lancashire dairy farms.

Last year, he also set up a flock of 30 Easy Care ewes and aims to expand numbers to 100 by 2020.

Balancing the demands of his business with college work has not been easy and Josh often has to work weekends. Despite the pressures, he has found time to be student ambassador and social secretary of the Harper Yorkshire club.

He is active in several youth organisations, too, including the UK Hereford Youth and the Aberdeen Angus Youth Development Programme.

Young farmer

Now in its fourth year, Joshs stud business imports Hereford semen and embryos from around the world and sells them to breeders across the UK and EU.

His course has helped Josh get to grips with agri-marketing for his business  with 78% of orders taken through Facebook  and made him savvy enough to do his own accounts.

His latest venture saw him organise an elite sale of pedigree Herefords, from selecting the entries to producing the brochure. The sale last year broke a number of records to become the UKs highest averaging Hereford sale.

What does the future hold?

While Josh eventually wants to buy land and run his own farm, his placement year at the Co-op and ABP has opened his eyes to opportunities in the supply chain. He wouldnt rule out working for a genetics firm or breed society, either.

But whichever route he takes, he will keep running Ghyll Beck and building contacts through visits to global events such as Western Agribition, Canadas largest livestock exhibition. Josh will host 30 UK cattle breeders on this years trip, which he has been organising annually since 2012.

The judges liked

Innovation and entrepreneurism that have paid his way through university

Organised a pedigree sale, set to become an annual event

Impressive knowledge of Hereford breed

Keen to make an impact on the beef industry globally

Proactive approach  rang Canadian ranch to get work experience

Not afraid to admit mistakes and learn from them

Josh is passionate about agriculture and making a difference to the industry. He isnt afraid to try new things and learn from them, and his mantra if you dont ask, you dont get has clearly driven his business success.

Robbie Stevenson, Holm, Orkney

Student life

Student notes Age 21

College SRUC, Aberdeen

Course BSc Agriculture, third year

Ambition To help provide a sustainable future for Orkney agriculture

At age 18, and with help from his accountant mother, Robbie Stevenson put together a business plan to buy out other family members after his grandfather died.

In the past two years he has put a team in place to help him run the farm while he splits his time between coursework and farm work, travelling to and from Orkney and Aberdeen on a regular basis.

Not everybody would be able to juggle such a priority list, but Robbies belief that getting an education in agriculture is essential to the future success of his farm business has helped him stay focused on his studies as well as his duties as SRUC student representative.

Meanwhile, his competitive nature has seen him take bronze in the Pinnacle Awards for Excellence in business management and make the semi-finals of the AgriScot Business Skills Challenge.

Young farmer

When he is not at university, Robbie runs 70 easy-calving Simmental-cross and Aberdeen Angus-cross cows and 175 Texel-cross breeding ewes on his 105ha Orkney farm, and is looking to increase stocking density and improve infrastructure through environmental schemes.

He has worked tirelessly to cut fixed costs, contracting out big jobs to reduce machinery overheads and hiring his slurry spreader to other farmers to help it pay its way. In addition, silaging  once a seven-man operation  is now a two-man job, reducing the feed bill by half.

Robbie is helping put Orkney on the map through his YFC stock judging, which earned him Beef Stockman of the Year in 2016. He also volunteers with the Orkney Agricultural Society, which organises the annual county show.

Outside of farming, his interest in traditional Scottish music has won him awards from the age of 14 and seen him perform in the Music for Youth Proms at the Royal Albert Hall as well as in smaller bands abroad.

What does the future hold?

A great believer in the business supporting itself, Robbie is full of ideas for diversifications such as holiday lets.

He also sees a future for Orkney-branded meat and hopes one day there will be enough local support to reopen the abattoir.

This sort of thinking is typical of Robbie, who looks beyond his own farm gate in everything he does.

His degree now complete, Robbie has just started with feed specialist Norvite. This not only provides a secure income for the farm, it gives Robbie yet another opportunity to develop and grow his knowledge to the good of his business  and the islands as a whole.

The judges liked

Applied for loan and prepared own business plan

Thinking long term and not relying on subsidies

Deep understanding of his business and the industry

Recognises the need for change to drive things forward

Ideas for abattoir and diversifications

Approach to resource management and fixed costs

Robbie is a mature and modest individual who has a great handle on his business and the industry. He has a clear awareness of how he comes across and appreciates the importance of collaboration.

The Woodland Trust is sponsoring the 2017 Farmers Weekly Awards Ag Student of the Year

Woodland Trust are delighted to support the Ag Student of the Year category, which has seen some outstanding entries. Were an innovative charity. We want to back and support pioneers of innovative farming who are championing new, exciting ways to keep farms strong for the future.

Helen Chesshire, senior farming adviser
A Farmers Weekly investigation has exposed the chronic failure of police forces to tackle sheep rustling.

A Freedom of Information (FoI) request for crime statistics held by all police forces in the UK has revealed that the problem is being ignored.

We requested data on the number of reported thefts of sheep made to each of the 45 forces in the UK between April 2012 and April 2017.

Thirty-one forces could provide data, including three from Wales. However, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Police Scotland could not provide any information because it would take too much police time.

See also: News background: The NFUs manifesto on rural crime

In total, there were 1,203 incidents of sheep rustling reported over the five-year period  which is the equivalent of 4.62 incidents every week.

Cumbria Constabulary recorded 262 incidents over this period, the highest of all forces, followed by West Mercia Police and Devon and Cornwall Police with 130 and 122 cases, respectively. North Wales Police recorded 67 cases, and South Wales Police 42.

Despite hundreds of sheep rustling incidents reported across the UK, just nine of these cases resulted in a conviction.

Thats a conviction rate of 0.75%.

Unreported crime

However, it is important not to place the blame entirely on the police. Our investigation uncovered examples of farmers offering vague scraps of information on the incident, often long after the theft was likely to have occurred.

This is a typical example of a reported crime: Unknown person/persons have entered a field and removed two lambs from the field, making off by unknown means in unknown direction.

Tim Price, a rural crime specialist at rural insurer NFU Mutual, says the police statistics do not paint the full picture.

He insists that sheep rustling is seriously under-reported. The only people likely to report cases are the ones with insurance policies making claims, but a third of farmers are estimated to not have cover.

Mr Price says that while NFU Mutual claims that statistics show sheep rustling cost UK farmers 2.2m in 2016, the true cost is likely to be far higher  as much as 6m.

Rise in numbers stolen

According to Mr Price, sheep rustling has always been a persistent problem for farmers. However, since 2011 the insurer has seen a worrying trend for rustlers taking more sheep at a time, sometimes more than 100 in a single theft.

British farmers have always had to contend with rustling  but until five years ago we rarely saw claims for more than a dozen being stolen in one go, he says.

Now we are regularly seeing claims for 50 or more sheep  and some thefts of over 100 sheep taken in one raid.

Some farmers have resorted to unusual tactics to prevent sheep rustling. For example Devon sheep producer John Heard dip-dyed 250 blackface ewes orange after 200 of his flock vanished from Dartmoor in just a few years.

Nowadays, sheep rustling often involves organised criminal gangs using large vehicles to move sheep, with few of the stolen animals ever recovered, he adds.

What happens to the stolen sheep?

Most stolen animals are thought to enter the food chain illegally, or are slaughtered through legal routes on false ear tags in the days immediately following the theft.

As prosecutions rely entirely on evidence being recovered, and in both of these scenarios the evidence will have been eaten, Mr Price says a conviction is virtually impossible.

But in the rare cases where stolen sheep are identified alive, a big step forward in bringing a prosecution with the help of DNA testing has been made thanks to Lancashire farmer John Taylor.

When sheep stolen from his farm were located through social media, police did not know how or where to keep the suspect sheep while the investigation proceeded.

The solution was to keep them safe on a neighbouring farm as evidence for the duration of the case, while not subjecting the holding farm to undue movement restrictions.

This has evolved through the help of the NFU and NFU Mutual into the Lancashire Livestock Initiative  a network of farmers and auctions that can assist police when suspect sheep are located by sheltering them in Ewe Hostels.

Similar networks are now being rolled out across the country.

DNA testing was also key to solving a high-profile case in Wales earlier this year. A flock of 50 missing sheep were identified by the Dyfed-Powys Police at the local market two weeks after they vanished.

As the sheep were in lamb when they were taken, DNA testing was able to link them back to rams still owned by the farmer.

DNA testing will used in any similar cases in the future, increasing the likelihood of a conviction.

Anti-rustling schemes

NFU Mutuals local agent in Appleby, Amanda Wallbank, has been instrumental in setting up Countrywatch Eden, a scheme in Cumbria that has linked sheep farmers with police.

It has resulted in a 16.5% reduction in all types of rural crime in the area from 2015 to 2016.

The scheme has seen local farmers educate 35 police officers about sheep farming, including practising catching sheep and carrying out ear tagging, and also visiting local auctions.

If police saw a sheep trailer at an odd time they wouldnt have known that they should be suspicious, but now they know that they should ask for things such as movement documents, Ms Wallbank says.

Although police have yet to actively intercept any stolen sheep in the field, the scheme is proving to be an effective deterrent.

It has also had the benefit of proving to farmers that police will take the matter seriously, which Mrs Wallbank hopes will help to encourage more farmers to report missing sheep.

Some farmers will have 15-20 sheep missing every year and wont report it. There was a lot of distrust between farmers and police, but now when two or three of the police officers go to the auctions, farmers will go up and have a chat, so thats changed.

The schemes Facebook page publicises incidences of sheep theft, but Mrs Wallbank says more education of farmers is needed for such tools and the police to actually be effective.

A farmer who gathers in his flock from the hills and finds 50 are missing wont report it until all his neighbours have gathered theirs in  that can be two weeks later.

By then there is nothing the Facebook page, or the police, can really do.

Having seen the results in Eden, Cumbria police are now rolling out similar schemes across the county.

Crucial to report thefts

Phil Stocker, chief executive of the National Sheep Association, says many farmers do not want to reveal that they fail to notice large numbers of sheep disappearing from their farms.

But he said farmers must overcome this fear of embarrassment if police are to dedicate more resources towards tackling the problem.

Unless people report it, it is impossible to get a handle on whats going on, says Mr Stocker. It can be difficult to report when you dont have the answers, but its crucial farmers do.

Often cases involve people with a knowledge of farming, he adds.

Despite fears criminals will merely be pushed to other areas there are no plans for a joined-up national scheme.

Advice on sheep rustling Padlock field gates

Ensure stock is clearly marked and records are up to date

When possible graze livestock in fields away from roads

Check stock regularly  and vary times of feeding/check-ups

Ask neighbours to report any sightings of unusual vehicles loading sheep

Join a FarmWatch scheme

Report all thefts as soon as they are noticed  do not let a lack of detail stop you

Look into technology available now, such as movement-activated CCTV

See also: Ultimate guide to farm security kit
There currently are 93 Fisher Houses in the United States and in Europe with plans for more.
The grants are made possible by the Oregon Arts Commission, the Ford Family Foundation and the Oregon Community Foundation. Stone received $4,680 to travel to Assisi, Italy, in July to participate in LaMaMa Umbria 2017

The grants support individual Oregon artists by enabling them to take advantage of opportunities to enhance their artistic careers. The three agencies collectively awarded $88,246 for career development projects.

The Ford Family Foundation and The Oregon Community Foundation funds are available only to established Oregon artists who are older than 30 years of age and actively producing new work. The Ford Family Foundation grants are awarded to artists in the fields of contemporary fine art and craft; The Oregon Community Foundation grants are awarded only to established Oregon artists in the literary and performing arts fields. Most of the grants from both foundations support the artists' participation in residencies, exhibitions or performance opportunities.
A 39-year-old Corvallis man admitted in court Thursday to being involved in the robbery of a Subway restaurant last month.

Steven Lance Thompson pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree robbery. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, but a plea agreement with state prosecutors calls for Thompson to be sentenced to 56 months, or about four-and-a-half years, behind bars.

Deputy District Attorney Andrew Jordan said the deal is contingent upon Thompson cooperating with prosecutors. Thompsons defense attorney, John Rich, said Thompson plans to testify in front of a grand jury against his co-defendants.

Police have said Thompson conspired to plan and carry out the armed robbery along with Patrick Ambrose Daly, 28, of Albany, and Kevin Maurice Mitchell, 18, of Corvallis.

According to police, a man wearing a mask entered the restaurant at 2479 NW Monroe Ave. about 3:45 a.m. on July 18. The suspect showed a handgun to an employee and left with an undisclosed amount of cash. He fled before officers arrived at the scene, police said. No one was injured during the robbery.

Rich said Thompson acted as a lookout during the incident.

Thompson will remain in jail pending his sentencing hearing, which is set for Aug. 31.
Nov. 9, 1949  Aug. 13, 2017

Gary Lee Rose, 67, passed away with his family by his side on August 13, 2017 at his home in Klamath Falls.

Gary was born in Albany to Lawrence Red and Nema (Laxton) Rose on November 9, 1949. He went to school in Halsey.

He married Denise Rose-Spicher. This marriage later ended in divorce.

On December 7, 2008 Gary married Lori Rose in Klamath Falls.

He graduated from Oregon State University and was a diehard Beavers fan.

He worked for the State of Oregon as a Senior Liquor Enforcement Inspector with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission for 24 years before he retired.

After his retirement from the Commission, he went to work for Klamath County Human Resources until he retired in 2012.

He was proud to be a veteran and served in the US Army as a missile man from 1971 to 1975.

Gary loved fishing, big game and bird hunting, travel, and annual coast trips with his family and friends.

His grandchildren were the apple of his eye and he enjoyed spending most of his free time with them.

He was actively involved with Ducks Unlimited for over thirty years and held the positions of State Chairman, Assistant State Chairman and State Council Chairman.

Gary was a stranger to no one and a friend to all.

Gary is preceded in death by his father, Lawrence Red Rose and step son David Spivey.

Gary is survived by his wife, Lori Rose; son and daughter-in-law Jason and Misty Rose, step children and their spouses, Brent Tremblay of Medford, Ryan and Staci Stilwell of Salem, Michael Stilwell of Klamath Falls and Lane Stilwell of San Francisco; sisters, Charlotte Collins of Halsey and Beverly Robinson of Medford; mother Nema Rose of Halsey; grandchildren Kylee Rose, Tyler Rose, Emma Stilwell and Callen Stilwell; nephew and spouse, Travis and Kelly Robinson of Medford; niece and spouse, Katie and Randy McMillen of Halsey. Gary also leaves many very special friends.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday August 25, 2017 at Fisher Funeral Home, Albany. Graveside services with full military honors will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, 2017 at Pine Grove Cemetery, Halsey.

Memorial donations may be made to Oregon Ducks Unlimited in care of Fisher Funeral Home, 306 SW Washington St., Albany, Oregon 97321.

The Rose family wishes to extend sincere thanks to the Seattle VA Hospital Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Portland VA Oncology team, Doctor Honda and Sharon from the Klamath Falls VA clinic, and High Desert Hospice.

Online condolences for the family may be posted at www.fisherfuneralhome.com.
July 15, 1952  Aug. 15, 2017

Ronny Gassner, 65, of Nashville, Oregon, passed away from a timber cutting accident on Tuesday, August 15, 2017.

Born in Corvallis to Richard and Dorothy (Dallas) Gassner, Ronny grew up near Summit where he attended grade school. He graduated from Philomath High School in 1970.

Ronny started work for the family business as a young teenager. He later became a partner with his dad and brothers. Eventually, he became a co-owner of Gassner Logging, Inc., where he shared the role with family, including his three sons.

On September 17, 1970 he married Sharon Stephens. They resided in the Nashville area where they raised their four children.

Rons greatest love was his family. His profession as a timber cutter, a close second. He took pride in hard work and easily conversed in topics related to his career. Ron enjoyed the outdoors, especially taking his wife for warm weather motorcycle rides to their cabin in Crescent.

He was preceded in death by his father, Richard; brother, Larry; and grandson, Holden.

Ron is survived by his wife of 47 years, Sharon; sons, Steven (Lisa), Kevin (Katie), Ryan (Paula); and daughter; Amber Russell (Shane); mother, Dorothy; brothers Thomas and Terry; 11 grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 22 at Blodgett Community Church. Potluck reception immediately following. Burial at Summit Cemetery.

Arrangements made by McHenry Funeral Home.
It disturbs me to see the Republican congress celebrating its one success to date, the elevation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Mr. Gorsuch appears to be a very capable guy who does not deserve the asterisk that will be forever beside his name. Two asterisks, in fact: one because his nomination should never have happened and one because he is the only one on that bench who was unable to gain the support of 60 percent of the Senate. Think of that - left wingers and right, nominees of both parties, all were able to clear that hurdle - all except Gorsuch.
After almost seven months in office Donald Trump has been unable to formulate a coherent policy on any issue. His words, tone and manner have served only to inflame and polarize every issue he has spoken to.

Some have compared the current Korean situation with the Cuban missile crisis. Do not confuse Donald Trump with JFK nor Kim Jong Un with Nikita Khrushchev. It was Khrushchev who observed that in the event nuclear war "the survivors would envy the dead." Neither Trump nor Kim can comprehend this. Trump and Kim are two posturing, nuclear armed, schoolyard bullies.

Donald Trump is unfit to carry out the duties of president. It is time for Congress to invoke Section 4 of the 25th Amendment. It is time to remove Donald Trump from office and his finger from the nuclear trigger.

James Emanuel

Corvallis (Aug. 12)
A woman was bitten by a rabid bat in the Waterloo area on Monday after investigating a hissing noise near her camper, according to the Linn County Environmental Health Program.

Public health officials are urging caution in the wake of the incident.

The bat was sent to the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory for testing, and results confirmed that it had rabies.

The woman went to a local emergency room and received rabies shots, said Emilio DeBess, state public health veterinarian.

Everything should be fine, he added.

This is the second rabid bat bite in the mid-Willamette Valley in roughly six weeks, however.

In early July, a woman was bit after she saw a bat behaving strangely on the porch of her house in a rural neighborhood north of Corvallis, according to the Benton County Health Department.

It looks like that mid-central-valley seems to have a lot of activity. You guys have a little bit of a hot spot there, DeBess said.

Bat bites sometimes occur when people try to help an animal they perceive to be injured or dispose of one they mistakenly think is dead.

In other instances, a pet brings a bat into a house, and a resident then will handle the bat, DeBess said. If it is necessary to pick up a bat, its best to wear heavy gloves, use a shovel, or use both.

Animals that are exhibiting odd behavior, including bats and stray cats and dogs, should not be approached. If you find such an animal on your property, take children and pets indoors and call the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife South Willamette Watershed District Office at 541-757-4186.

In the event of a bite or scratch, an attempt should be made to safety capture the bat, without destroying the head, for testing for the rabies virus.

Immediately seek medical attention and report the incident.

Authorities emphasized that the main protection for humans is to make sure pets are vaccinated and to avoid contact with stray animals and wildlife.

In terms of pets, cats are the animal that is most likely going to be exposed to rabies, DeBess said. Both cats and bats are most active at night, so that creates greater potential for interaction.

According to the Oregon Health Authority, bats are the most common carriers of rabies in the state. About 8 percent of bats tested for rabies are positive every year. So far in 2017, six bats have tested positive for rabies in Oregon.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Online portal study results : Favorite mini-vacation destinations for Bonners

Bonn Bonn and Cologne residents are attracted to the Eifel, while Dusseldorfers prefer the Lower Rhine. And wellness is a little more important for Bonners than nature activities. These are the results of an online booking study.

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For Bonn residents looking to take a short break, the most popular region is the Eifel (21 percent), followed by Westerwald (17 percent), Mosel Valley (16 percent), Sauerland (14 percent) and the Lower Rhine (7 percent). These are the results of a new study on short-term travel behavior recently commissioned by Rheinland Tourismus GmbH. For the study, a travel period of two to four days was considered a mini-vacation.

This probably explains why the Ahr valley only landed in ninth place for Bonn residents. For day trips, the numbers would likely be much higher.

Of Cologne resident bookings, nine percent had the Ahr as their top mini-vacation destination, putting it in fifth place. Also popular in Cologne was the Eifel (16 percent), the Mosel Valley (15 percent), Westerwald (14 percent) and Sauerland with 13 percent.

While the Lower Rhine is not considered an important recreation area for Cologne residents (2 percent), Dusseldorfers are very attracted to the area (15 percent). Inhabitants of those two cities are known for their traditional love-hate relationship and that statistic certainly keeps them apart north of Cologne. But in the Eifel, they can come together. This is also a popular destination for Dusseldorf residents (14 percent), putting it at second place in their rankings.

The distance traveled on average for Bonners in pursuit of a mini-vacation is 95 kilometers in one direction. For Dusseldorfers, 110 kilometers is the average and Cologne residents travel 120 kilometers on average to their short destination getaways. According to the study, Bonners also appear to be connoisseurs (and just a little less natural born athletes): The most popular mini-vacation theme is wellness (33 percent), followed by activities and nature (31 percent). In Cologne and Dusseldorf, that result was reversed.

Rheinland Tourismus GmbH is the operator of the short vacation website portal Auszeit-Hotels.de. It evaluated the most popular travel destinations, holiday regions (no cities) and other criteria over a six month period. English language website for the Castle of Reinhardstein featured in the photo.
Inspiration fur Hanks-Film The Terminal : Fluchtling lebte 18 Jahre im Flughafen - und starb dort nun auch
Train track crossing : UN-Campus stop means longer wait at Ollenhauer Strae

Bonn For many, the new UN-Campus stop will be a great convenience. But for residents who need to cross the train tracks at Ollenhauer Strae, it means an even longer wait.

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Theres a saying one mans pleasure is another mans pain. Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) wants to have the new UN-Campus stop completed in time for the beginning of November when 20,000 people pour into the Rheinaue and WCCB for the World Climate Conference. And that new UN-Campus stop will be a bonus for many riders. But for others, it will test their patience even further. Pedestrians, bicycle riders and motorists who wait at the Ollenhauer train track crossing will have a longer wait once the UN-Campus stop is operating.

Up to four local trains will stop at the UN-Campus stop hourly. A Deutsche Bahn (DB) spokesperson said that because of trains running to the new stop, the tracks between Rheinweg and Ollenhauer Strae will have to be gated for a slightly longer period of time. With the additional trains passing through, the gate is expected to remain closed around one-and-a-half to two minutes longer. These are the concrete numbers given by the city, referring back to a previous statement from DB. For those affected, especially commuters and students attending high schools in the area, it is not an easy situation. Sometimes, the gates are already shut up to 20 minutes.

Plans were still being drawn up for the new stop, according to a DB spokesperson. But it was expected to be in operation at the beginning of November.

For years already, there has been talk about the situation at the Ollenhauer crossing and how to relax the traffic situation. Despite this, a DB spokesperson said they were still in an early planning phase. A proposed underpass would run about 8.5 to 10 million euros but there is no concrete plan for building this in the foreseeable future. Financing regulations call for the costs to be shared between Deutsche Bahn, the federal government and the city but this seems not to be a clear cut case. Political and strategic discussion is ongoing about exactly who uses the tracks and who should pay for any new construction.
clarajancita at 18-08-2017 02:11 PM (5 years ago) (f)

President Muhammad Buhari will reportedly return to the country next week, according to an unnamed source in the presidency. This information comes a day after the Senate president, Bukola Saraki and the House of Representatives speaker, Yakubu Dogara visited the Nigerian leader at Abuja House in London.

President Muhammad Buhari will reportedly return to the country next week, according to an unnamed source in the presidency. This information comes a day after the Senate president, Bukola Saraki and the House of Representatives speaker, Yakubu Dogara visited the Nigerian leader at Abuja House in London.

Independent reports an unnamed source in the Presidency as stating final plans had been concluded for the presidents arrival in Nigeria next week. Buharis aides in a series of interviews after their meeting with their principal in London, last week, did not say when he would return but expressed optimism that he would return soon as his health had improved significantly.

Buhari said he will obey the orders of his doctors, as if his failure to do so lat time resulted in complications to his undefined ailment Independent reports an unnamed source in the Presidency as stating final plans had been concluded for the presidents arrival in Nigeria next week. Buharis aides in a series of interviews after their meeting with their principal in London, last week, did not say when he would return but expressed optimism that he would return soon as his health had improved significantly.Buhari said he will obey the orders of his doctors, as if his failure to do so lat time resulted in complications to his undefined ailment

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 18-08-2017 02:11 PM (5 years ago) | Hero
Danville School Board members spoke out on both local gun violence that claimed the life of a high school student, as well as the white supremacy rally that led to violence in Charlottesville the previous weekend, during comments at a board meeting Thursday.

I really believe we are better than this, said board member Phillip Campbell.

Campbell spoke at length about the gun violence in Danville that recently led to the death of rising George Washington High School senior Nataya Adams. Campbell said he attended Adams funeral over the weekend, and told board members he was saddened by the crying friends and family members.

A parent should not have to bury a child, Campbell said.

He encouraged all community members to reach out to the youth of Danville and talk about the cost of violence and revenge.

Fellow board member Steven Gould also took time to denounce the white supremacy groups who led a rally in Charlottesville over the weekend. Gould said he was horrified by the groups and their ideologies. He said it was morally imperative for public figures to denounce the groups.

Make no mistake, the ideology on display was contrary to the ideals of our commonwealth, Gould said.

Board members also took time to recognize all of the principals, assistant principals and other school-level administrators, many of whom were present at the meeting. Danville Superintendent Stanley Jones said the administrators made the first week of school one of the smoothest in his tenure.

Im glad youre here, Jones said addressing administrators at the meeting. Im glad youre still smiling.

The school board also approved a financial advisor to assist the school district in adopting an energy efficiency project.

We would like to move forward with Davenport and Co. as our financial advisor, said Chief Operations Officer Kathy Osborne.

Replacing all light bulbs and other fixtures at school could save the district thousands of dollars a year, according to a recently completed energy audit.

Board members also discussed the creation of s policy committee due in part to recommendation by the Virginia School Board Association. Members said they plan to take action on the creation of the committees during a future meeting.
Susan Paynter was sipping a cup of coffee on her deck in the Friday morning humidity when she got an email from a friend about sheriffs deputies looking for an escaped inmate in north Chatham.

James Herron Jones, 38, escaped from a Pittsylvania County Jail work detail at about 6:30 a.m., authorities said, and was on the loose in the Chatham area.

I looked over at my shed and saw the latch was open, Paynter, a Chatham resident, said during a telephone interview Friday morning.

That was unusual, because she normally keeps it latched.

It was when she approached the shed and opened the door that she saw a man standing behind it.

I jumped back, way back, she said.

I dont want to hurt you, the man replied. He apologized for scaring her, she recalled.

But Paynter was having none of it, so she ordered him to walk away from her Holt Street property immediately.

When he headed toward the woods on her property, she told him to walk toward the driveway. She wanted to see him leave her property.

He just stood there for a while, she said, adding that he told her to let me just talk.

If you dont walk away from my property now, Im going to make some loud noise, Paynter told him.

He finally left. The encounter  which occurred just before 8 a.m.  lasted about three minutes, she said.

I didnt know what he was wanted for, so I was a little bit uneasy, Paynter said. You never know what can happen. You never know what hes wanted for.

Paynter called 911.

Sheriffs deputies showed up with dogs. The Virginia State Police and Chatham police also responded.

They searched Paynters property and the surrounding area for a couple of hours. They had a bloodhound sniff Paynter to eliminate her scent as the one they wanted the dogs to go after.

A Chatham police office told her to keep her doors locked.

Paynter said she wished she had called law enforcement instead of taking it upon herself to investigate the open shed.

They would probably have him by now, she said.

Police with dogs at their side would spend the rest of the day searching the wooded area surrounding the town for Jones, but to no avail.

As for Paynter, she will lock her shed, instead of just latching it, from now on.
Logo of the event

According to the organizing board, many practical activities will take place during the 4-day event in order to create a useful playground for youth and students, contributing to strengthening solidarity among Vietnamese communities in Europe.

In addition to visits and exchanges, a lot of meaningful contents such as contests on culture, history and geography of Vietnam, workshops on scientific research, sharing life experiences and working abroad will also be held.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Dieu Linh, Head of the organization board, so far, the preparation has been completed and Prague is ready to welcome delegates.

"We have prepared a lot of practical contents for young people who are living, learning and working in Europe. Most of the participants are born in Europe, their Vietnamese language and knowledge of Vietnamese culture are not plentiful, and participation in the camp would create opportunity for them to experience Vietnamese culture and speak more Vietnamese," she said.

"Through the summer camp, we want to create a useful, interesting and attractive playground, as well as a forum for Vietnamese students and youth in Europe to share experiences, thereby contributing to connecting and strengthening solidarity among overseas Vietnamese in general and in Europe in particular, said Ms. Linh.

As of August 15th, more than 300 Vietnamese youth and students from 13 European countries of Germany, France, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and the Czech Republic have registered to attend the summer camp.

The organizing board will mobilize dozens of volunteers to guide the delegations during the camp.

This is the first time the Vietnamese Youth and Student Association in the Czech Republic is honored to host the important event for Vietnamese young people across the continent.

Over the two events hosted in France (2015) and in Germany (2016), the festival has helped young people have more connections and knowledge to gain more confidence in the local country and preserve their national cultural identity.

The organizing board hopes that Vietheart Summer Camp 2017 will leave many beautiful impressions on the delegations./.
Its taken 60 years and billions of dollars, but mass transit is finally coming to Dulles International Airport outside the nations capital. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is ready to open the second and final phase of its Silver Line Metrorail extension on Nov. 15. The six new stations will for the first time connect the airport and the outer suburbs of Loudoun County to the regions flagship mass transit system. But the Silver Line extension comes at a time when ridership on Metro remains at roughly half of what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Metro officials say the long-term vision of those who pushed for the line will be vindicated as riders return.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe, at various points in his political career an opponent and proponent of oil-and-gas drilling off Virginia's coast, told the federal government Thursday that he opposes including Virginia waters in the new leasing program being assembled by President Donald Trump's administration.

"A primary concern that must be satisfied in order for Virginia to be included in the leasing area is a revenue-sharing agreement between participating Atlantic Coast states and the federal government," McAuliffe wrote to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. "Today we are no closer to resolving this issue than when I became governor."

The bureau is in the middle of drawing up a new oil-and-gas leasing program for 2019-2024, a plan that could include the Atlantic and will replace the existing 2017-2022 program.

Though former President Barack Obama's Interior Department ultimately opted to exclude the Atlantic from the program it put together, Trump's administration reversed course, rescinding an order prohibiting seismic surveying in the Atlantic and opening up a public comment period for the new leasing program that ends today. A draft proposed program will go out for public comment later this year, said Tracey Moriarty, a BOEM spokeswoman

McAuliffe requested that Virginia be excluded from the leasing program, noting that Trump's proposed budget includes a repeal of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, which provides the framework for revenue sharing with Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

"The commonwealth cannot be beholden to the reckless actions of a federal government that refuses to acknowledge the legitimate and necessary role states play in driving the national economy," McAuliffe wrote.

"This concern is heightened where President Trump's proposed budget also includes cuts to the very agencies that are responsible for ensuring compliance with statutory safeguards and environmental protections. In the absence of willingness by the federal government to work together and collectively reap the rewards of that collaboration, Virginia is left with only one option."

Environmental groups have pushed McAuliffe to oppose drilling regardless of whether the state gets any money but cheered his decision anyway.

"It's just really good news that McAuliffe is standing up for the Virginia coast," said Deborah Murray, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center in Charlottesville.

Murray noted that the governors of North Carolina and South Carolina oppose drilling. The Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast, a group representing thousands of East Coast businesses, says local governments up and down the Atlantic seaboard, including Virginia Beach and Norfolk, have passed resolutions against oil drilling.

"We're very glad and think it's time for Washington to listen," Murray said.
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Aug 17, 2017) - US Oil Sands Inc. ("US Oil Sands" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:USO), an innovator of oil extraction technologies, announces that it has filed its unaudited interim financial statements ("Interim Report") for the three and six-month period ended June 30, 2017 ("Q2 2017") along with the management discussion and analysis ("MD&A") of the financial results of US Oil Sands for such period.

Copies of the aforementioned documents are available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval website at www.sedar.com as well as US Oil Sands' website at www.usoilsandsinc.com.

The Interim Report and MD&A contain disclosure that the information has been prepared on a going concern basis, which asserts the Company has the ability to continue to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities and commitments in a planned manner. The Company's ability to remain a going concern is dependent upon securing the second tranche of the recently amended loan facility, successful commercialization of the Company's proprietary bitumen extraction technology, the generation of positive cashflows from operations and the ability to discharge obligations as they become due. The Company will use the US$2.5 million second tranche of financing to fund excess capital costs that may arise during the start-up activities, operating losses until reaching positive cashflows from operations, the discharge of its current liabilities, and shortfalls in cashflow due to timing of receivables collection. At June 30, 2017, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $4.4 million, a working capital deficit of $1.3 million, and no commitments for capital expenditures.

Since March 31, 2017 the Company has initiated operations into all areas of the PR Spring Project's extraction plant. This process has involved the sequential introduction of water, clean solids and finally oil sand into various sections of the plant in a staged approach. The final stage involving the introduction of diluted bitumen into the distillation section was initiated this week.

The plant has been running in a batch mode allowing for the optimization of each stage. Continued tuning of the process will be required to allow final polishing of oil production to meet sales specifications.

SELECTED QUARTERLY HIGHLIGHTS

In addition, during Q2, the Company had the following accomplishments:

Repaired the decanting centrifuge that failed during clean solids circulation through equipment loop two;

Furthered evaluation of markets for the PR Spring bitumen, including the asphalt and alternative fuels markets;

Submitted provisional patent applications to enhance the Company's patent protection; and

Closed a US$5.0 million amendment to its existing US$7.5 million senior secured loan facility, of which an initial US$2.5 million tranche has been funded.

LIQUIDITY

As at June 30, 2017, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $4.4 million, a working capital deficit of $1.3 million, and no commitments for capital expenditures. As of the date hereof, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $1.9 million and a working capital deficit of $0.6 million. Included in the working capital deficit are approximately US$2.4 million of current liabilities directly related to the PR Spring Project. There is minimal capital required to complete the remaining start-up activities, barring encountering any major construction and/or design deficiencies. Upon production of 500 barrels of oil per day for five consecutive days, an additional US$2.5 million will be available under the second tranche of the loan amendment. This additional financing will fund excess capital costs that may arise during the start-up activities, operating losses incurred until reaching positive cashflows form operations, the discharge of its current liabilities, and shortfalls in cashflow due to timing of receivables collection.

The Company's ability to remain a going concern is dependent upon the funding of the second tranche of financing, successful commercialization of the Company's proprietary bitumen extraction technology, the generation of positive cashflows from operations and the ability to discharge obligations as they become due. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in achieving the second tranche funding milestone of producing 500 barrels of oil per day for five consecutive days. As such, there is significant doubt and there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to continue as a going concern.

OUTLOOK FOR 2017

The Company intends to continue optimizing Phase 1 of the PR Spring Project until commercial operations are achieved. The Company continues to evaluate specific markets for sales of crude oil and other petroleum products, along with optimal product transportation logistics.

Management will continue to investigate and pursue business development opportunities for the Company's technology, including opportunities to work with Athabasca oil sands developers to demonstrate the technology's favourable extraction outcomes. The Company will broaden its working relationships with leaseholders and government agencies supporting development of Canadian oil sands.

ABOUT US OIL SANDS INC.

US Oil Sands is engaged in the exploration and development of oil sands properties and, through its wholly owned United States subsidiary US Oil Sands (Utah) Inc., has a 100% interest in bitumen leases covering 32,005 acres of land in Utah's Uinta Basin. The Company plans to develop its oil sands properties using its proprietary extraction process which uses a bio-solvent to extract bitumen from oil sands without the need for tailings ponds. The Company is in the pre-production stage, anticipating the commencement of bitumen production and sales once it has completed start-up of the PR Spring Project.

The foregoing contains forward-looking information relating to the future performance of the Company including expectations relating to capital requirements, financing, operations and business development activities. Forward looking information is subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the ability of the Company to achieve the necessary oil production in a timely manner in order to continue development of the PR Spring Project, the actual results of operational activities, changes in world commodity markets or equity markets, the risks of the petroleum industry generally including, without limitation, those associated with the environment, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, title disputes, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the oil and gas industry, and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities (available at www.SEDAR.com). Forward-looking statements are made based on various assumptions and on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made.

Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking information contained herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these assumptions, beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law.
Almonty Industries Inc. (Almonty or the Company) (TSXV: AII):

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Almonty Industries Inc. (Almonty or the Company) (TSXV: AII) announces that it has closed the second tranche of its previously announced financing (see press release dated August 11, 2017).

The second tranche was a subscription for 5,175,000 common shares (Common Shares) of the Company at a price of $0.30 for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,552,500 pursuant to a subscription agreement the Company entered into with Mr. Lewis Black, Almontys Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. The total amount subscribed for by Mr. Black pursuant to the two tranches under the subscription agreement was 21,175,000 Common Shares for an aggregate subscription price of $6,352,500.

The Company satisfied the condition to the second tranche closing by receiving the written consent of shareholders of the Company holding 53.4% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (excluding any Common Shares beneficially owned, or controlled or directed, directly or indirectly, by Mr. Black) to the creation of Mr. Black as a Control Person of the Company, as required by the Corporate Finance Manual of the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV).

With the closing of the second tranche, Mr. Black now beneficially owns or controls or directs the voting rights in respect of 36,509,420 Common Shares, representing approximately 22.55% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis.

The Common Shares issued on the second tranche are subject to a four-month hold period until December 19, 2017 as prescribed by the TSXV and applicable securities laws.

Almonty intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement for the equity portion of the development financing necessary for the Sangdong Project and for general working capital purposes.

About Almonty

The principal business of Almonty is the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate from its Los Santos Mine in western Spain, its Wolfram Camp Mine in north Queensland, Australia and its Panasqueira mine in Portugal as well as the development of the Sangdong tungsten mine in Gangwon Province, Korea and the Valtreixal tin/tungsten project in north western Spain. The Los Santos Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2011 and is located approximately 50 kilometres from Salamanca in western Spain and produces tungsten concentrate. The Wolfram Camp Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2014 and is located approximately 130 kilometres west of Cairns in northern Queensland, Australia and produces tungsten and molybdenum concentrate. The Panasqueira mine, which has been in production since 1896, is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, was acquired in January 2016 and produces tungsten concentrate. The Sangdong mine, which was historically one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and one of the few long-life, high-grade tungsten deposits outside of China, was acquired in September 2015 through the acquisition of a 100% interest in Woulfe Mining Corp. Almonty owns 100% of the Valtreixal tin-tungsten project in northwestern Spain. Further information about Almontys activities may be found at www.almonty.com and under Almontys profile at www.sedar.com.

Legal Notice

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

When used in this press release, the words estimate, project, belief, anticipate, intend, expect, plan, predict, may or should and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements and information are based on managements beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and reflect Almontys current expectations.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Almonty to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: any specific risks relating to fluctuations in the price of ammonium para tungstate from which the sale price of Almontys tungsten concentrate is derived, actual results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdictions in which Almontys operations are located and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, forecasts and assessments relating to Almontys business, credit and liquidity risks, hedging risk, competition in the mining industry, risks related to the market price of Almontys shares, the ability of Almonty to retain key management employees or procure the services of skilled and experienced personnel, risks related to claims and legal proceedings against Almonty and any of its operating mines, risks relating to unknown defects and impairments, risks related to the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, risks related to governmental regulations, including environmental regulations, risks related to international operations of Almonty, risks relating to exploration, development and operations at Almontys tungsten mines, the ability of Almonty to obtain and maintain necessary permits, the ability of Almonty to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable infrastructure and employees to support Almontys mining operations, uncertainty in the accuracy of mineral reserves and mineral resources estimates, production estimates from Almontys mining operations, inability to replace and expand mineral reserves, uncertainties related to title and indigenous rights with respect to mineral properties owned directly or indirectly by Almonty, the ability of Almonty to obtain adequate financing, the ability of Almonty to complete permitting, construction, development and expansion, challenges related to global financial conditions, risks related to future sales or issuance of equity securities, differences in the interpretation or application of tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules and acceptance of the TSX-V of the listing of Almonty shares on the TSX-V.

Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to, no material adverse change in the market price of ammonium para tungstate, the continuing ability to fund or obtain funding for outstanding commitments, expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters, no negative change to applicable laws, the ability to secure local contractors, employees and assistance as and when required and on reasonable terms, and such other assumptions and factors as are set out herein. Although Almonty has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and even if events or results described in the forward-looking statements are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Almonty. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary.

Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Almonty cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on Almontys forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events.

Almonty has also assumed that material factors will not cause any forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF ALMONTY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE ALMONTY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817006051/en/

Contact

For further information, please contact:

Almonty

Lewis Black, +1 647 438-9766

Chairman, President and CEO

lewis.black@almonty.com
Vancouver, August 17, 2017 - Jaxon Minerals Inc. (TSXV: JAX) (FSE: 0U3) is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Foremore Property, located 30 km north of Eskay Creek and 75 km north of Pretium's Brucejack property in the Golden Triangle, northwest British Columbia. The Foremore Property extends north to Jaxon's 3,900-hectare Wishbone Property, expanding the Company's contiguous land holdings in the region to almost 20,000 ha. Jaxon has renamed the new consolidated property the More Creek Property.

"This acquisition places us in the heart of one of the most prolific regions in Canada with another district scale project," commented Jason Cubitt, Jaxon's President and CEO. "Historic exploration has returned some truly impressive results and we're intent on applying new technology and innovation to follow up on the excellent work that's already been done."

More Creek Property Highlights include:

162g/t gold sulphide boulder initial discovery

3.1m drill intercept: 14.6g/t gold, 1,114 g/t silver, 6.6% Zinc

3,240.9 g/t gold, 82,514 g/t silver in outcrop vein

250m thick drill intercept, highly anomalous in base and precious metals

More Creek Property Background

Since Cominco's original 1987 discovery of a 162 g/t gold sulphide mineralized boulder in glacial debris, the More Creek property has seen over $10m in focussed exploration expenditure targeting volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) and epithermal/mesothermal mineralized vein systems.

Much of the property remains underexplored. Field results have seen little follow-up, including a 3.1 metre drill intercept grading 14.6 g/t gold, 1,114 g/t silver and 6.6% zinc; and an assay from outcrop containing visible gold assaying 3,240.9 g/t gold and 82,514 g/t silver.

The last drilling on the property was completed in 2008. This program included six holes totalling just over 2,000 metres testing chargeability anomalies at the BRT/Ryder Zone. The last hole, FM08-54 "intersected a 250m thick altered, dominantly felsic sequence, highly anomalous in base and precious metals, indicating that the volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) system remains open to the northwest. Drilling was curtailed due to the onset of winter." April 25, 2009 Report on 2008 Fieldwork, David Melling and Paul Albers.

The Project hosts an abundance of known precious and base metal-rich mineralized boulder fields and mineralised outcrops, as well as multiple geochemical and geophysical anomalies, with 19 named showings and boulder fields being the most advanced targets.

Data Compilation and Preliminary Reconnaissance

Jaxon is currently compiling the extensive historical data set on the More Creek Property, re-integrating the Wishbone Property data with the goal of producing an updated geological model.

Special emphasis will be given to fully consolidate work from the last year of significant exploration (during 2008), which included 78 line-km of gridding in four areas, 52.6 line-km of Induced Polarization (IP) and 57.7 line-km of Total Field Ground Magnetometer surveys, 3,300 metres of drilling, and 301 rock and 197 soil samples taken during the course of geological mapping.

About the Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle of British Columbia is among the world's most prolific mining districts. Over 130 million oz. of gold, and 800 million oz. of silver have been found within its borders. Significant infrastructure improvements in recent years including paved road, electrical transmission and ocean port facilities are supporting a new breed of explorers in the region - host to past major mining operations at Snip, Eskay Creek and Premier and current exploration, development and/or mining operations including KSM, Galore Creek, Schaft Creek, Johnny Mountain, Red Mountain, Golden Bear, Valley of the Kings and Red Chris, amongst others.

Acquisition Terms

Please see Terms as stated in Jaxon's June 1, 2017 news release, defining staged payments and share issuances totalling $700,000 cash, 2,550,000 shares as well as an additional $2,500,000 cash and 2,500,000 shares upon commercial production. This transaction is subject to TSX Approval.

The technical information present above is historical in nature from previous operators and has not been verified by Jaxon. However, Jaxon intends to use these results to focus its future exploration.

Technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Derrick Strickland, P. Geo, a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

About Jaxon

Jaxon is a base and precious metals exploration company with a regional focus on Western Canada. The company is currently focused on advancing its Hazelton Project in north-central British Columbia and the Wishbone/Foremore property in BC's Golden Triangle.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jaxon Minerals Inc.

"Jason Cubitt"

Jason Cubitt, President.

For further information regarding Jaxon Minerals Inc., please contact 604-608-0400, Toll free: 1-877-608-0007.

This news release may contain forward-looking information, which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release may include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames. or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Neither TSX Venture exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release


Winning Is the Easy Part

Governing Is the Hard Part

The Trend Continues in 2017 and 2018

In politics, they say, money talks. But rarely has that been as true as it is now, at least among the nation's governorships.Three current governors -- Mark Dayton of Minnesota, Bill Haslam of Tennessee and Jim Justice of West Virginia -- are believed to be billionaires. Numerous other governors are also thought to be millionaires, including Bruce Rauner of Illinois, Rick Scott of Florida, Doug Burgum of North Dakota, Matt Bevin of Kentucky, Rick Snyder of Michigan and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska.In each case, personal wealth has helped smooth the path to the governor's mansion. To many voters, a candidate's success in business -- or even the wealth they've accumulated from an inheritance -- connotes distance from a political system widely seen as corrupt and out of touch. But once in office, their deep pockets have not necessarily aided successful governance.With several wealthy candidates looking to run for their state's top office in 2017 and 2018, we thought it would be a good time to weigh the pluses and minuses of bringing a ton of money, but relatively little political experience, to the governorship.Having lots of money can overcome many campaign obstacles. In fact, it is "essential" for these candidacies, according to political observers.Let's start with Scott, a former health company CEO who had never run for office before. He began the Florida Republican gubernatorial primary in 2010 as the underdog against then-state Attorney General Bill McCollum."Scott's ability to self-fund was a critical component in winning the Republican primary," says Aubrey Jewett, a University of Central Florida political scientist. "He was able to spend millions on advertising to raise his own name recognition and attack McCollum as being insufficiently conservative and a career politician. It was the decisive factor."Scott's deep pockets eventually helped him narrowly win the general election against Democrat Alex Sink.That same year in Minnesota, Dayton, the heir to the Target retail fortune, failed to get the Democratic Party's endorsement. Undeterred, he worked around it by spending heavily to win the primary. "It gave him a big advantage," says Blois Olson, a veteran political analyst based in the Twin Cities.In 2014, Rauner, whose money came from private equity, used his fortune to defeat incumbent Illinois Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn. In the primary, Rauner spent $16 million and won by three percentage points in a four-way race. In the general election, he spent $54 million."We've never had a candidate for governor in my 40 years watching politics who even came close to having Rauner's financial resources," says Bernard Schoenburg, a political columnist atin Springfield, Ill. "It enabled him to get his message across on lots of platforms."More recently, Bevin, who became wealthy from manufacturing and finance, ran successfully for governor of Kentucky in 2015. He came into the race without much establishment support within the Republican party, since he had just come off an unsuccessful primary challenge to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. So, he loaned his primary and general election campaign more than $3.5 million.And last year, Republican Burgum, a computer industry executive who scored a surprise GOP primary victory in North Dakota, rolled to an easy victory in the general election.For each of these candidates, initially framing their wealth for voters can be a challenge. Look no further than Ricketts, who was elected governor of Nebraska in 2014. The Republican comes from the family that founded the brokerage firm Ameritrade."There were those who were reluctant to believe a wealthy person could really understand the needs and concerns of ordinary people, particularly those in rural areas," says John Hibbing, a University of Nebraska political scientist. "That may be why Ricketts' commercials stressed that he was an ordinary guy, [showing him] with his kids and making fun of him for being bald."The downside of winning the governorship as a wealthy outsider is that they more often than not have to learn politics on the job. The exceptions to this rule have been Dayton, who previously served as state auditor and U.S. senator, and Haslam, who was the mayor of Knoxville first.Indeed, Haslam's political experience has helped him avoid some of the pitfalls of his wealthy outsider peers, says John Geer, a Vanderbilt University political scientist. Haslam has skillfully navigated tricky ideological currents in the staunchly conservative legislature, putting his more pragmatic stamp on legislation by signing or vetoing measures as he sees fit. "He will go down as one of our great governors," Geer says.Sometimes these rookie governors are helped by circumstances.In Bevin's case, the long-delayed shift in the state from Democratic to Republican control of the governorship and the legislature has enabled him to sign a stream of legislation that had long been on the GOP wish list. Laura Cullen Glasscock, who publishes the, says "the Bevin-GOP agenda rolled through Frankfort." That agenda has included right-to-work legislation, a repeal of prevailing wage laws, charter school legislation and abortion limits.More often, though, the learning curve for wealthy outsider governors has been steep. Even those who have managed to win a second term haven't necessarily thrived in office.In Florida, Scott seems "stiff and uncomfortable making speeches, and his approval ratings have been quite low for much of this tenure," Jewett says. "The legislature has largely ignored Gov. Scott's priorities, except when those priorities coincide with their own."In Minnesota, Dayton has been beset by difficult relations with the Republican-controlled legislature. And in Michigan, Snyder -- a self-styled "nerd" -- struggled when the Flint water crisis emerged. Flint "caused him to take a huge hit in approval ratings from which he's never recovered," says Bill Ballenger, who publishes the Ballenger Report, a newsletter on Michigan politics.The poster child for difficult governorships, however, has been Rauner's. His ongoing budget war with the Democratic-controlled legislature has drawn threats of junk bond status from credit ratings agencies and loss of university accreditation following two years of steep cuts and unpaid bills."Rather than recognize that he had to deal with strong pro-labor Democratic legislative majorities in a blue state," says Kent Redfield, a University of Illinois-Springfield political scientist, "he pushed a strong anti-union, right-to-work agenda from the beginning that unified all parts of labor against him."And those weren't the only enemies Rauner made, Redfield says: The governor "tried to hold the budget hostage to leverage his 'Turnaround Agenda,' which initially included tort reform and cuts in social services spending to health facilities in addition to anti-collective bargaining, worker's comp reform and pension reform measures. This unified the major funders of the Democratic Party against him -- labor, the trial lawyers, and the hospitals and nursing homes."One thing seems clear: Wealthy candidates aren't deterred.The Democratic nominee for the New Jersey gubernatorial race this November is Phil Murphy, who spent more than two decades at Goldman Sachs and is making his first run for elective office. Outgoing New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie and President Trump are so unpopular in the state that Murphy -- who easily survived a quiet primary -- is seen as the odds-on favorite this fall.In Illinois, at least two wealthy Democratic candidates are expected to run: J.B. Pritzker and Chris Kennedy. Given Rauner's willingness to spend from his own pocketbook, a credible Democratic candidate who's wealthy would have a huge leg up. "People think the race could cost each side a far-unprecedented $150 million," Schoenburg says.Then there's Colorado, where the race next year to succeed two-term Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper includes at least one deep-pocketed Democrat: multimillionaire U.S. Rep. Jared Polis.In the Democratic field, "Polis is the front-runner and will spend all the money needed," says Denver-based pollster Floyd Ciruli. "He poured $5 million into a small-time Democratic primary to win his congressional seat in 2008. Beating Polis in a Democratic primary will require a very smart and tough campaign."With a high-stakes gubernatorial cycle -- the last big cycle before the once-every-decade redistricting process -- each of these races will be closely watched by both parties. "I expect a tough, expensive race [in Colorado]," Ciruli says. "Republicans have their first chance in years to win it, and Democrats see it as important to the presidency."
Under the cover of night, a work crew removed the statue of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney from the grounds of the State House, ending the monument's 145-year perch on the prominent spot in Annapolis.At 12:20 a.m. Friday, flatbed trucks with equipment including a large crane pulled onto State Circle, the street that surrounds the State House. Workers cordoned off the front lawn of the historic building and placed straps around the statue.Just before 2 a.m., the statue was slowly lifted from its base and clipped a few tree branches as it was guided onto a flatbed truck and wrapped. The statue will be moved to a secure Maryland State Archives storage facility, according to an email outlining the operation obtained by The Baltimore Sun.The move comes after mounting pressure to do away with the Taney statue culminated in Republican Gov. Larry Hogan announcing his support for removing it and the State House Trust voting Wednesday to do so. Potential changes to the historic building and its grounds must be approved by the four-member trust.Taney was chief justice of the United States and author of the infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision, which upheld slavery and found that black Americans could not be citizens.The decision has led Taney to be linked to leaders of the Confederacy. Efforts to remove his statue in Annapolis over the years have failed.But such efforts became more urgent in the past week, and the Annapolis statue -- installed in 1872 -- is the latest monument linked to the Confederate era to go.Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh ordered middle-of-the-night removals of four monuments in the city this week: one of Taney, another of Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, a Confederate Soldiers and Sailors monument and a Confederate Women's monument. The Democratic mayor's decision came a year and a half after a city panel recommended that the monuments be moved or altered to add more historical context.The statue of former U.S. Chief Justice Roger Taney, located outside of the Maryland State House in Annapolis, was removed early Friday.The Baltimore monuments were stored under tarps in a city lot under police protection.The Taney statue in Annapolis was under close watch by Maryland Capitol Police officers all week. In advance of the late-night removal, a team of workers inspected the statue and took measurements at midday on Thursday.In the evening, no-parking signs were posted around narrow State Circle.About two-dozen onlookers gathered around the street as word spread that the statue might come down. About 1:20 a.m., sprinklers turned on, dousing onlookers and workers until the water was shut off about 15 minutes later.Gwen Norman of Baltimore happened upon the crowd watching the removal of the statue after a night out in Annapolis with friends.She was pleased that Baltimore had removed its Taney statue and three Confederate monuments, and felt fortunate to witness the Taney removal in Annapolis."It was a beautiful thing to wake up and see something so beautiful happened when I was asleep," said Norman, 27."It was nice to see Annapolis get prettier tonight," said her companion, 30-year-old Ian Wolfe of Frederick.The removals were spurred by last weekend's rally by Neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va. -- ostensibly to protest plans to remove a statue of Lee there. The rally turned deadly: A counter-protester was killed when a Neo-Nazi sympathizer allegedly drove his car into a crowd, and two police officers monitoring the scene died when their helicopter crashed.When the Maryland State House Trust members were polled by email on Wednesday, three members voted for removal: Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, who represents Hogan on the trust; House Speaker Michael E. Busch; and Charles L. Edson, who represents the Maryland Historical Trust. The trust's fourth member, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, did not vote.Busch, an Anne Arundel County Democrat, called for the statue's removal Monday. "It certainly doesn't belong there," the speaker said. "It's the appropriate time to remove it."He said leaving it in place after white supremacists openly rallied "would send a message that we condone what took place, that slavery is alright."Miller, who does not support removing the statue, sent a letter to Hogan Thursday evening saying the vote lacked transparency because it was held by email rather than in public."This was certainly a matter of such consequence that the transparency of a public meeting and public conversation should have occurred," Miller wrote. "This was not an ordinary matter of business before the Trust."The State House Trust rarely meets in person, often casting votes by email for matters such as approving new plantings on the grounds or giving the go-ahead for performances in the building.Miller, a Calvert County Democrat, acknowledged "the inflammatory and derogatory language" and the fallout of the Dred Scott decision. But he noted that Taney also "served with distinction" in a series of public offices, including as a state lawmaker, state attorney general and U.S. attorney general.Miller also noted that Taney freed his slaves and remained loyal to the Union. Miller said Taney's "complex history" is often lost amid discussion.Doug Mayer, a spokesman for Hogan, said "Miller is completely within his right to continue defending Roger Taney. We have to agree to disagree."Hogan previously supported keeping the Taney statue in place. He reversed course this week, saying removing the monument was "the right thing to do.""While we cannot hide from our history -- nor should we -- the time has come to make clear the difference between properly acknowledging our past and glorifying the darkest chapters of our history," Hogan said Tuesday in a statement.Miller said the installation of a statue of late Justice Thurgood Marshall -- the first African-American appointed to the high court -- on the opposite side of the State House was "a very public and purposeful compromise to give balance to the State House grounds recognizing our State and our Country have a flawed history."President Donald J. Trump, who was criticized this week for saying blame for the Charlottesville violence was shared by both sides instead of condemning the white supremacist groups, weighed in on the removal of Confederate monuments in a series of tweets Thursday morning."Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments," the Republican president said on Twitter, a day after Baltimore removed its monuments. "You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson -- who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!"Now that the four Confederate-linked monuments have been taken down, the City of Baltimore must decide what to do with them.
A rally by right-wing demonstrators on the famed Boston Common, planned for this Saturday, failed to register on Marty Walshs radar last week.The Boston mayor knew little about the Boston Free Speech Coalition, the group that defines itself as a coalition of libertarians, progressives, conservatives, and independents that seeks to peaceably engage in open dialogue about the threats to, and importance of, free speech and civil liberties.By that definition, it sounds like a tame gathering of First Amendment lovers. But the group -- which has also expressed interest in marching against immigrant sanctuary cities -- invited two white nationalists to address the crowd at its upcoming rally.After last weekend's "Unite the Right" event in Charlottesville, Va., in which neo-Nazis and white nationalists clashed violently with anti-racism protesters, leaving one counter-protester dead and more than a dozen people injured, Walsh and city leaders are rushing to make preparations that hopefully keep the same sort of violence from happening in Boston.The Boston free speech rally is part of a coordinated nine-city protest against tech giant Google's decision to fire a software engineer after he circulated a controversial 3,300-word memo against diversity. Other protests are planned for this Saturday in Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Mountain View, Calif.After the violence in Charlottesville, Boston's Democratic mayor initially vowed to stop the protest altogether.Boston does not welcome you here. Boston does not want you here. Boston rejects your message, Walsh told media in front of City Hall on Monday, according to the Boston Globe . We are going to do everything we can that this march does not happen or this demonstration does not happen on Saturday.Despite those strong words, the march has been permitted, and Boston is now bracing for both sides to converge on one of the most highly trafficked spots in the city.The Boston-based Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice called on the city to release its safety plan.If these back-to-back rallies are any indication, this threat is metastasizing, says Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. The proposed rally should not move forward until Boston has a comprehensive public safety plan. We cannot be the next Charlottesville.The Boston Police Department, however, has offered few details about their preparations.I am not going to give away our game plan," says Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans. "We will have barriers; we will have pedal bikes; we will have plenty of assets to keep them at bay."Walsh and Evans express confidence that the city and state police can keep the opposing sides of the demonstration separate and therefore minimize violence. Charlottesville police had a similar plan, but protesters did not abide by their rules.The lack of details and the lack of time for the city of Boston to prepare for the rally has drawn further criticism from Espinoza-Madrigal. He wants at least portions of the Boston PD's plan released to allay any fears the public might have. There are also worries that Boston's extensive mass transit network will make it easy for any conflicts that might occur to spread throughout the city.The Boston Free Speech Coalition claims to have no ties to the white nationalist groups in Charlottesville and said their event will not promote racism and hate. But Boston city leaders worry there may be some overlap between the free speech groups and the white nationalists, and that an event like the one planned for Saturday will attract hate groups to the Boston Common.At least two of the speakers originally booked for the Boston rally, Gavin McInnes and Augustus Invictus, also spoke in Charlottesville and are regulars at white nationalist events around the country. McInnes was a co-founder of Vice Media and founder of the Proud Boys, an alt-right fraternity. McInnes backed out of the Boston rally, and Invictus was uninvited.However,Joe Biggs, who once worked for Alex Jones alt-right websiteand promoted the "Pizzagate" conspiracy , is reportedly planning to attend.The Charlottesville rally was held in response to that city's plan to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. At least 26 cities across the nation have either removed or have plans to remove Confederate memorials. While most of the memorials are clustered in the South, Confederate monuments have been or are planned to be removed in Los Angeles, San Diego and New York City . Lexington, Ky., Mayor Jim Gray announced on Saturday that two Confederate statues in his city would be taken down and relocated.Political pressure from progressives and the African-American community to remove the statues has mounted. But in the wake of last weekend's violence in Charlottesville, the memorials have also begun to raise questions about public safety: Do the controversial statues, which have become flashpoints for protest, make cities less safe?That was the reasoning behind Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's decision to remove four Confederate statues in her city this week. The violence in Charlottesville expedited her plans, she says, and the statues were taken down in the early morning hours on Wednesday . Removing the memorials in Baltimore, says Pugh, squelches protests and decreases the potential for violence that stems from those demonstrations."I can say for every city who has a Confederate statue in their city, you dont want to invite those elements to your city," Pugh says.Pugh's actions echoed the strategy used earlier this year by New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. He made a unilateral decision to take down four Confederate memorials in the middle of the night. Landrieu also made national headlines for his speech explaining why he believed the statues needed to come down."These monuments," said Landrieu, "purposefully celebrate a fictional, sanitized Confederacy; ignoring the death, ignoring the enslavement, and the terror that it actually stood for."
Louisiana's Public Safety and Corrections officials are reviewing the sentences of 16,000 inmates who could have their prison time shortened as criminal law changes take effect Nov. 1. That's around 45 percent of the 35,500 people the state has locked up now.Gov. John Bel Edwards and the state Legislature overhauled the criminal justice system this past spring, aiming to reduce Louisiana's highest-in-the-world incarceration rate. Some law changes have already taken place, but changes that mostly retroactively affect low-level offenders in prison go into place in November -- driving the review.The 16,000 prison terms being reconsidered are for nonviolent offenses only and many will likely remain unchanged, said Jimmy LeBlanc, secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. For example, some inmates who are serving sentences for multiple offenses won't be affected. Also, the majority of people whose sentences are affected won't necessarily be getting out anytime soon, LeBlanc said.Still, there will be an initial surge in releases from prison right after Nov. 1. About 3,000 to 4,000 of the 16,000 sentences being reviewed could be changed to make inmates eligible for release before the end of the year.
Description

GIS - 18 August 2017: A total of Rs 3.5 million has been allocated for the renovation of the three Maisons des Pecheurs located at Tamarin, Cap Malheureux and Mahebourg respectively. This decision follows discussions with the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. The objective is to provide support and the necessary facilities to the various fishermen cooperative societies into commercialising their fish catch.

This statement was made yesterday by the Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, during a site visit at the Maison des Pecheurs of Tamarin whereby he stated that renovation works will start at the Maison des Pecheurs of Tamarin.

He highlighted the need to give a boost to the existing Maisons des Pecheurs and recalled that the fishermen community is already benefiting from various schemes among which the acquisition of semi-industrial vehicles as announced in budget 2017-2018. He further underlined that the three Maisons des Pecheurs, which are under the responsibility of his Ministry, were put at the avail of the Mauritius Fishermens Cooperative Federation (MFCF) since 1970 with the objective to provide the fishermen cooperatives with the various amenities to store and transform their fish catch into value-added fish products and its derivatives.

The Minister also pointed out that the MFCF will be empowered to provide better assistance to the different fishermens cooperative societies. The Federation will also have the possibility of setting up joint ventures with other stakeholders so as to acquire the necessary expertise and continuous training, added Mr Bholah. The joint ventures, he said, will subsequently enable the Maisons des Pecheurs to commercialise value-added fish products more easily in order to generate maximum revenue possible.
Description

GIS - 18 August, 2017: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at consolidating the collaboration between the Mauritius Prisons Service (MPS) and the Mauritius Institute for Training and Development (MITD) was signed yesterday at the MITD House in Phoenix. The signatories were the Chairman of the MITD Board, Mr Francois de Grivel, and the Commissioner of Prisons, Mr Premananda Appadoo. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at consolidating the collaboration between the Mauritius Prisons Service (MPS) and the Mauritius Institute for Training and Development (MITD) was signed yesterday at the MITD House in Phoenix. The signatories were the Chairman of the MITD Board, Mr Francois de Grivel, and the Commissioner of Prisons, Mr Premananda Appadoo.

The responsibilities of the MITD, through the MoU, are to assist the MPS in developing training programmes, secure MQA accreditation, register for courses and trainers, run courses, conduct examinations, ensure quality assurance through monitoring of courses, provide resource persons to deliver specific topics, issue exam results / certificates, and train the trainers of MPS.

In his address, the Chairman of the MITD Board, Mr Francois de Grivel, underlined that the MITD, as a responsible organisation contributing to the betterment of the society, is fully engaged in reforming prison inmates who are undergoing their respective sentences at the Mauritius Prisons.

This reform, he said, is being carried out through the provision of TVET courses which have proven to rehabilitate prisoners by equipping them with the necessary skills or training to function as law-abiding citizens upon their reintegration in society. The effect of TVET on recidivism can be attributed to the fact that it provides an ex-offender with a ready means for earning a living through employment. Indirectly, employment helps reintegration into the society as the ex-offender is able to bypass negative attitudes and contribute meaningfully to the society, he added.

For his part, the Commissioner of Prisons, Mr Premananda Appadoo, highlighted that training of detainees is a major component of the rehabilitation process in prisons while adding that a significant amount of resources is used in imparting knowledge and equipping detainees with skills in a bid to break the offending cycle.

He recalled that since 2002, the training of detainees was given more thrust when the MITD/MQA approved courses were implemented in the training curriculum. Our Vocational Training Centre emerged as a Tremplin in the social re-integration of released detainees and from 2002, the Tremplin Vocational Training Centre is spearheading four MITD/MQA approved courses namely welding, garment making, wood trade and pastry, he added.

The Commissioner of Prisons pointed out that some 213 detainees and 11 officers have already undergone training in these four courses. According to him, the training programmes addresses the needs of both men and women while recalling that participants came out first at national level in welding and garment making on several occasions.

Mr Appadoo expressed the wish for a greater number of detainees to benefit from vocational training in particular those with high illiteracy rates and short sentenced detainees. He appealed to the MITD to consider second chance learning, the Recognition of Prior Learning, attendance courses and training for juveniles.

Training programmes for the MPS

A series of training programmes are being run by the MITD for the MPS. They are: National Trade Certificate (NTC) 3 in Welding for 107 detainees and three prison officers; National Certificate (NC3) in Wood Trade for 23 detainees; NC3 in Garment Making for female detainees of Beau Bassin, among which 41 prisoners and 7 prison officers were the recipients of the course; NC3 in Pastry for 29 detainees of Petit Verger Prison, 13 female detainees of Beau Bassin, 24 detainees of Melrose Prison and one prison officer; NC3 in Housekeeping to 15 prison officers; NC3 in Hairdressing to13 female detainees; and Train the Trainer programme for a batch of 21 prison officers. A series of tailor-made programmes were also mounted in Farming, Basketry, Shoemaking, Vegetable Production in Green House for detainees.
Description

GIS - 18 August, 2017: Mauritius will host, in November 2017, the Meeting of the International Scientific Committee of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Slave Route Project. A conference on slavery will be also held.

The main objectives of the Slave Route Project are to break the silence and make universally known the subject of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery in the Indian Ocean, Caribbean and the Mediterranean regions, with its causes and modalities.

The other goals are also to highlight the global transformations and cultural interactions that have resulted from the history of slave trade and contribute to a culture of peace by promoting reflection on cultural pluralism, intercultural dialogue and the construction of new identities and citizenships.

The Slave Route is an intercultural project administered, coordinated and monitored by the UNESCOs Department of Intercultural Dialogue and Pluralism for a Culture of Peace to gain better understanding of the transatlantic slave trade in the 18th century.
Hawaii is preparing to welcome hundreds of programmers, software developers and innovators to the states month-long innovation competition inspired by hackathons.

The primary difference between Hawaii's event and a normal hackathon is that traditional hackathons take place over the course of a day or a weekend, and arent nearly as elaborate as this event. Named the Hawaii Annual Code Challenge, the event involves technologists working directly with public servants, as well as a healthy dose of prize money. The official start date is Saturday, Aug. 26.

We invite the local tech community to join us in working toward improving how our state government interacts with and serves the public, Gov. David Ige said in a press release. The 2017 Hawaii Annual Code Challenge is on track to exceed the success of last years inaugural event, which brought together hundreds of participants with our state employees and partners.

This is the second year Hawaii has done the event this way. Last years version gave rise to many successful projects, a number of which have proofs of concept that are in development and scheduled to launch later this year.

Those who would like to participate are heavily encouraged to register in advance of the competition in order to guarantee themselves a seat. The list of challenges for the developers to work on will be announced at the official launch. To register, or for more information, visit HACC.hawaii.gov





Arkansas governor announces computer science tour of schools, state website for high-tech jobs

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson will be doing a computer coding tour of high schools throughout the state beginning next week and lasting through the end of the month.

This tour, which marks the fifth of its kind since Hutchinson took office in 2015, is focused on promoting the discipline of computer science, as well as encouraging students to enroll in related courses come fall  all with the eventual goal of creating broader employment opportunities for them while deepening the pool of employable technologists in the state.

Also related to technology jobs in Arkansas, Hutchinson recently announced the launch of a website that would centralize listings for high-tech work throughout the state. The site is ArTechJobs.com , and its part of the governors Computer Coding initiative, which requires school districts to offer coding and computer science. The new website's mission is to bridge the gap between potential employers and tech employees in Arkansas in a variety of industries, including IT, Web development and design, database administration, software development, computer science architecture, and information security.

Arkansas is the first state to create a statewide database of available tech jobs.

The number of high school students participating in computer science and coding courses has increased almost 400 percent since we began our initiative, Hutchinson said in a statement . Now it is time to focus on connecting tech-savvy young people to the growing number of available tech jobs in our state. By connecting those searching for jobs with local employers, ArTechJobs.com will simplify the job-search process and keep more of our tech talent right here in Arkansas.





Judge dismisses AT&T lawsuit against Louisville related to utility poles being cleared for broadband providers

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by AT&T against the city government in Louisville, Ky., over a law related to utility poles that was striving to clear the local infrastructure for broadband providers such as Google Fiber.

outlets throughout the Louisville area are reporting that AT&T brought the lawsuit over a controversial law called One Touch, which seeks to entice high-speed Internet providers such as Google Fiber by expanding the citys broadband infrastructure. The way it does this is by streamlining the process for Internet providers to install new equipment on utility poles throughout Louisville. City officials pushed hard for this ordinance in order to ensure that companies like Google Fiber would make their technology available in the city, thereby improving local connectivity.

The new law would allow Google Fiber, for example, to rearrange existing service providers equipment on utility poles, instead of having to request that company to move its own equipment, which could at times create delays of up to six months.

This decision is likely to be of great interest to another major city in the region  Nashville, Tenn., where AT&T has filed a similar lawsuit that seeks to slow down the availability of Google Fiber in that city.
(TNS) - English is Gilberto Cruz's second language. But his first, Spanish, has been vital in a career where every second counts."It means a lot to a patient when someone else can speak their language," says Cruz, one of the few, and possibly the first, Latino paramedics in the area.Working in housekeeping and later as a young orderly at Cottage Hospital in Galesburg, Cruz would sometimes be called upon to translate when patients with limited English-language skills arrived at the hospital. After almost 30 years as a paramedic  the last 23 at Advanced Medical Transport  he's still called upon to translate.Cruz has seen the need for his interpreting skills rise steadily over the years.Peoria's Spanish-speaking population is growing, he says. "And we're not just seeing people from Mexico anymore, they're from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and from South American countries, Colombia and Argentina."He has also noticed an uptick in new residents from Asian and Middle Eastern countries. "We're just seeing more people from different ethnic groups."Communications during emergencies can be stressful even when all parties speak the same language. Communications breakdowns caused by language differences can turn an emergency into a disaster."It's one of those barriers we try to make sure we can bridge," says Peoria Fire Chief Chuck Lauss.With a scarcity of bilingual police officers, firefighters and other first responders, Peoria's Emergency Communications Center has relied on a language translation service for more than 20 years. The center, which handles emergency calls for the city and county, currently uses the 24-hour language service, Voiance. The Arizona-based company is one of a growing number of customer service companies that specialize in language interpretation by phone, video or mobile app.Like Cruz, David Tuttle, manager of the communications center, says he has seen calls from people with limited English increase "dramatically" in the past decade.From June 2016 to June 2017, the center used Voiance translators for 145 calls. The majority, 87 percent, or 126 calls, were for Spanish translation. The second highest, French, was just 12 calls, followed by Arabic (four calls), Vietnamese (two calls) and Mandarin (one call).Less than 150 calls in one year may not seem like much for a dispatch center that handles more than 9,000 calls a month. But, Tuttle says of the translation service, "We wouldn't be able to provide 911 services effectively without it."Dispatchers simply push a button on the console to connect a translator to all parties in what amounts to a bilingual emergency conference call.The city of Peoria uses a similar telephone translation service, but a different company, when police officers and firefighters need language interpreters. In some cases, use of the services overlap, according to Tuttle. For instance, first responders at the scene may use the communication center's translation service.If a Spanish-speaking officer is on duty, that officer may assist another officer who needs an interpreter.Tuttle and Cruz say they'd like to see more bilingual first responders.Cruz is familiar with hospitals that use translation services."I'd like to observe, just to see what it's like," he says. "Sometimes it's not the same as translating person to person."He has seen the issue from all sides, the anxious patients who can't make themselves understood, the paramedic who feels lost because he doesn't understand, and with him, either on the scene or getting patched in by phone.The son of a migrant worker who traveled from Mexico to Princeville every season, the family moved to Galesburg in 1973 after Cruz's father was hired at a foundry. Cruz graduated from high school in 1977 and began working at the hospital. He had always wanted to be a police officer, but Galesburg paramedics he met at the hospital convinced him to become a paramedic.He's intimate enough with the Spanish language and the Latino community to know Latinos call the universal emergency number 9-11 instead of 9-1-1. He also knows, in many instances, children are able to translate for their parents.Cruz currently works as an assistant in AMT's communications center, where, if needed, he translates for everything from emergencies to the billing department and the 2-1-1 helpline, which is also housed at AMT. But his days as a paramedic in the field, a supervisor of field staff or director of operations are still fresh enough that he jumps when a phone rings. And he still knows what it's like to translate both at the scene or to be patched in from the office or another location."When did the chest pains start? Are you nauseated? Short of breath?" He reels off the questions he'd ask."All of that is critical," he says. "Those are valuable minutes you want to give to a patient right away."Pam Adams can be reached at 686-3245 or padams@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @padamspam.2017 the Journal Star (Peoria, Ill.)Visit the Journal Star (Peoria, Ill.) at www.PJStar.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Stunned by reports of Silicon Valley venture capitalists making unwanted sexual advances on female entrepreneurs, one state senator wants to make the law clear: investors must not act inappropriately with those who seek their help.Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, on Thursday announced legislation that would expand the states civil rights act and explicitly prohibit sexual harassment between investors and entrepreneurs.Jackson intends to officially introduce her bill when lawmakers return Monday from their summer recess, however, she said she wont attempt to push for its passage in the last four weeks of session. Instead, she plans to work with the tech industry and others to ensure a successful bill when the Legislature reconvenes in January.We want to send a strong signal to the tech industry that this behavior will not be tolerated, Jackson told reporters on a media call.The bill comes after a spate of recent media reports this summer, where dozens of female tech entrepreneurs detailed unwanted sexual advances from influential and wealthy men who had the power to fund their ideas.The stories of sexual harassment, critics say, reflect a culture of misbehavior in the male-dominated tech industry. Its a problem that Jackson described as pervasive and one that demands a systemic and strong response.One survey of men and women in the tech industry found that 53 percent of women reported being sexually harassed, according to results released Wednesday by the nonprofit Women Who Tech. And 65 percent of women founders were propositioned sex in exchange for funding, the survey found.This behavior has become normalized within the tech and startup world, said Allyson Kapin, founder of Women Who Tech. This is a huge issue that needs to be addressed.Californias Unruh Civil Rights Act already prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace, with specific references to certain professions such as attorneys, teachers, landlords and physicians. Jackson, who is chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said she believes the law should be updated to specifically name investors.Such a change in the law would send a clear signal to an industry that already understands it needs to change, said Noreen Farrell, executive director of Equal Rights Advocates, who joined Jackson on the call.Were saying to women everywhere that the law has their back, Farrell said. They can get down to the business of launching their businesses.Already, allegations by female entrepreneurs have led to the departure of high-profile venture capitalists, including Dave McClure of 500 Startups and Justin Caldbeck, the co-founder of Binary Capital.
Ireland's Ryanair, a leading European low cost airline, has said that filing of claims by Ukraine International Airlines (UIA, Kyiv) seeking to declare the memorandum signed by the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry and Ryanair are groundless legal threats.

Ryanair said in a press release issued on Friday that UIA threatened to file a lawsuit against the airline, the Infrastructure Ministry and Lviv airport over the alleged loss of income after UIA is forced to compete with Ryanair.

Last month Ryanair announced that "Europe's No.1 airline has cancelled its planned entry into Ukraine following Kyiv airport's failure to honor a growth agreement reached at the Ministry of Infrastructure with airport officials, which deprives Ukrainian consumers/visitors access to Europe's lowest air fares and widest route network," Ryanair said in a press release.

Ryanair said that these claims of UIA are intended to block entry of low cost airlines to Ukraine, as they do not want to compete with Ryanair.

This ridiculous claim of UIA shows that they would not stop to hinder Ukrainian consumers and visitors to use cheap flights that Ryanair services in 33 other countries, Ryanair Chief Commercial Officer David O'Brien said. Instead of trying to compete with Ryaniar, UIA uses false and groundless legal threats to keep their high tariffs for flights and the ineffective model, he said.

He said that the airline welcomes the fact that even without Ryanair's entry to the market expensive UIA had to cut their prices and Ukrainian consumers and tourists would benefit from this.

The airline keeps hope that Ukraine once in the future would be able to fully use access to the widest route network and low tariffs that only Ryanair could offer, he said.
El Prat International Airport (Barcelona, Spain) has returned to normal operation after the strike, the Department of Consular Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has reported.

"El Prat International Airport in Barcelona operates as usual - the strike has been stopped," the department of the consular service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on its Twitter on Friday.

As reported, on August 4 security officers of the international airport of El Prat began an indefinite strike action, demanding to reduce the burden on them.

El Prat is the second largest airport in Spain. Last year, more than 44 million people used it.

From 2009 to 2016 passenger traffic at the airport of Barcelona grew by 60%, AFP said. During the same period, the number of security personnel decreased from 500 to 360 people, the strike participants said.
The Kusto Agro Group has introduced the land bank state monitoring system, which allows tracking the effectiveness of the use of land and have a single land parcel leasing contract database.

The company said on its official website that the system permits to analyze land parcels how they are cultivated.

The software signals in graphics where the leasing term is expiring.

"We have received the unified leasing contract database, including the scanned document database pegged to land parcels on a map. We have received a single storage of map information and contracts," the company saidl

Kusto Agro also said that thanks to the system the company can draw up contracts to exchange information with other companies for effective use of own assets.

Kusto Agro is part of Kusto Group (Singapore) having business in the oil, energy, agricultural, construction and other areas.

The company's land bank in Ukraine is 12,000 ha in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr and Khmelnytsky regions. The company also has three elevators with a total storage capacity of 90,000 tonnes.
Philip Morris Ukraine, a large tobacco company in Ukraine, has announced that the company started exporting the products of Kharkiv tobacco factory to Saudi Arabia and Albania.

According to a company press release, the Ukrainian factory will produce over 10 items for these countries.

Kharkiv tobacco factory produces over 150 items of finished products, which are also shipped to Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Japan.

"Today the Philip Morris Ukraine's tobacco factory in Kharkiv is an integral export industrial hub of the company for EEMA markets. Over 40% of cigarettes made at the factory are supplied to foreign markets," Deputy CEO Ihor Kroshko said.

He said that the factory in Kharkiv also produces cut filler for Egypt and filters for other industrial centers of the company in EEMA and the EU.
Green River may not be in the path of totality for the 2017 total solar eclipse. Ninety-nine years ago, however, Green River became the temporary home of the worlds leading astronomers who came here for the best view of the 1918 total solar eclipse. During that eclipse, both Rock Springs and Green River were in the exact path of the eclipse, which was visible here June 8 at 5:17 p.m. Months earlier, various railroads began advertising eclipse excursions and the newspapers were touting the eclipse as a once-in-a-lifetime, not-to-be-missed event, just as hotels and other hospitality...
With budget shortfalls and potential additional cuts to Wyoming schools, school funding has been a hot topic across the state.

Residents and school employees from throughout the region converged at Rock Springs Junior High School Monday evening to make their voices heard regarding the upcoming recalibration of school funding from the state.

Recalibration is a process mandated to adjust funding levels to school districts in the state as a result of five separate lawsuits filed against the Wyoming Legislature. The states constitution explicitly states the legislature shall provide for t...
Sweetwater Countys group for Wyoming Promise will collect petition signatures on the corner of S. 2nd E. and E. 4th S. adjacent to Evers Park in Green River Friday between 1-8 p.m., and on Saturday between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wyoming Promise is an organization whose effort is aimed at overturning the Supreme Courts 2010 decision that prohibits the government from restricting independent political expenditures by nonprofit corporations, for-profit corporations, labor unions and other associations.

The mission of Wyoming Promise is simple: to call for a 28th amendment to the U.S. Con...
Dehydration, altitude sickness and car crash trauma are just a few of the potential health issues Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County could be called upon to help with during the days leading up to, the day of and the days following the total solar eclipse.

The health care professionals at Memorial Hospital are prepared with staff, supplies and services. MHSC emergency management staff and department leaders have been in meetings for months planning for potential emergency scenarios, said MHSC Emergency Management Coordinator David Beltran. Hospital leaders believe its important to le...
With the start of River Festival this weekend, residents are likely to see U.S. Sen. John Barrasso during the annual Cajun Shrimp Boil. The dinner is a favorite event of Barrassos and hes attended yearly.

While his visits are appreciated by local officials as it gives them a chance to discuss what Green River and Sweetwater County need from their representation in Washington, D.C., there are groups of people who want to talk with the senator and his cohorts to have their voices heard. A group in Cheyenne have arranged a public forum in the states capital to give residents a chance...
The Sweetwater County Events Complex will host hundreds of square dancers from 22 states and three countries this Thursday, Friday and Saturday and the public is invited to watch free of charge.

Dancing begins daily in four separate dance halls at 10 a.m. with a lunch break from noon to 1 p.m. and continues until 10 p.m. with a dinner break from 5-7 p.m. each day.

On Saturday, the big tent on the Midway will open up to the public with free dance lessons. Beginning line dancing will be taught from 1-2 p.m., square dancing will be taught from 2-3 p.m., round dancing will be taught from 3-4...
The Security Service of Ukraine know Ukrainian companies providers that despite the ban of Russian Internet services and websites on the territory of Ukraine continue working with this market segment, SBU Chief Vasyl Hrytsak has said.

"You know that Russians spread information how to access blocked [Russian] social networks. We are tracking these things Yes, we know [Ukrainian companies that are working on the market], but I do not want to name them, as we are working," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.

Asked if the fact that these companies are left on the Ukrainian market is a threat to the national security, he said they are and that is for sure.
Corruption in the energy sector is the largest among all economic sectors, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has said.

"Eighteen months of NABU's investigation showed that corruption in the energy sector is the largest among all economic sectors both due to the uniqueness of enterprises and due to the large number of persons implicated in the corruption scams and the amount of losses. According to tentative estimates, the total loss from crimes linked to operations of enterprises in the energy sector is UAH 11.18 billion," the press service of the NABU said.

The law enforcers took the investigation into embezzlement of oil at public joint-stock company Ukrnafta for over UAH 7 billion as an example.

"The essence of the corruption scam used at the enterprise in 2015 was to sell oil to concrete companies in advance and these companies "forgot" to pay for it," the NABU said.

The press service said that the story with embezzlement of UAH 40 million at Zaporizhiaoblenergo, which were returned under a court ruling.

"Some court rulings that would allow returning almost UAH 90 million to state-owned enterprises of the energy sector are at the stage of enforcement: UAH 57 million to public joint-stock company Cherkasyoblenergo, UAH 30 million to public joint-stock company Ukrgazvydobuvannia and UAH 1.4 million to National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom," the NABU said.
Updated at 2:21 p.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  Hundreds of anti-racist demonstrators are marching through the streets of a North Carolina city in response to rumors of a white supremacist march.

The sheriff had issued a statement that he was investigating the rumors, but no gathering of white supremacists was apparent by midafternoon Friday. However, officers blocked streets and businesses closed.

Hundreds of others gathered downtown with signs such as "Black Lives Matter" and "We Will Not Be Intimidated." They marched for several blocks and then held an impromptu rally in front of where a Confederate statue was toppled Monday. On Friday, protesters altered an inscription on the statue's base that had read "In memory of the boys who wore the gray" with the phrase "Death to the Klan."

The protest was largely peaceful, but two white men and some protesters engaged in a shouting match, and then the men entered a government building.

Willis Brown, who is black, said he came out to support racial unity. He said protesters are "trying to live in harmony."

DURHAM - The Durham County Sheriffs Office is preparing for a possible march by white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan marching in Durham today.

The sheriff has closed East Main Street in front of the old courthouse.

The Sheriffs Office is thoroughly researching the potential of several groups with opposing viewpoints holding demonstrations in Durham, Sheriff Mike Andrews said in a statement.

This is partly why the Sheriffs Office continues to remind demonstrators to first obtain a permit and most importantly, abide by the law. I expect demonstrators to conduct themselves in such a manner that is legal and respectful of the Durham County community. Again, I call upon city and county leaders to establish rules for demonstrators.

City Manager Tom Bonfield said he is unaware of any permit being obtained for a march, but some downtown businesses aee closing and a county worker confirmed the countys administrative offices at 200 E. Main St. closed at 10 a.m.

Mayor Bill Bell said he was heading to City Hall to get more information.

Scratch Baker Manager Thurmond Buckelew said they made the decision to close because of growing anxieties. A representative of the nearby Suntrust Bank came in to the restaurant and said the bank also would be closing early, he said.

We just wanted to be home and not be in the middle of it, Buckelew said.

Suntrust Bank officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

Eight people have been charged in Durham this week after a Monday protest tore down a Confederate statue in downtown Durham. The protest was a response to last weekends violence at a white supremacist demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia.

This is a developing story. Come back for updates.
GREENWICH  A woman with a history of trouble with law-enforcement and alleged harassment of municipal officials is now behind bars.

Saima Qamar, 46, of Division Street, Greenwich, is being held in state custody following an altercation last month with state officials in which she was accused of kicking a state trooper.

In Greenwich, Qamar was charged with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct in 2016 after she was accused of throwing a letter in the face of a town-hall employee and screaming profanities. In 2015, she was arrested for creating a public disturbance and interfering with an officer following an incident in the town clerks office.

Qamar had been in Hartford in mid-July to complain to judicial authorities about how she felt her earlier cases were being handled. She was charged with breach of peace in a public place and criminal trespass for her alleged misbehavior involving a court official, allegedly refusing to leave the premises.

As troopers were handcuffing her for a court appearance in connection with the earlier incident, Qamar turned quickly and kicked (a state trooper) in the right thigh, according to the arrest report. There were no injuries reported to the trooper, a woman.

Qamar is now facing a felony in connection with that incident July 19, assault on a public-safety officer, as well as a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.

Bail was set at $25,000 for Qamar, and unable to post it, she has been held in custody at the York Correctional Institution in Niantic.

As in all the other previous arrests involving Qamar, state police said she refused to have her fingerprints taken after she was booked  adding another criminal charge against her.

Her next court date is Sept. 14.

In her neighborhood on Division Street, Qamar has been embroiled in a longtime effort to expand her house. A neighbor said recently she was a sore point on the block for an unfriendly disposition and generating animosity with the expansion plans she has been pursuing.

At zoning meetings, Qamar has frequently interrupted board members and refused explanations provided to her. She has videotaped town officials at meetings and during appearances at Town Hall.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
Headed soon to a national park near you? Photo: Patrick Farrell/Miami Herald via Getty Images

The Trump administration has proudly announced that parched hikers can finally buy bottled water again at all of Americas national parks. The National Park Service said Wednesday that, effective immediately, it was ending a six-year-old ban on the sale of plastic water bottles. The policy was enacted under Obama after studies showed water bottles were among the worst sources of litter in forests and lakes. The ban was also optional  only 23 of the countrys 417 national parks had implemented the policy so far, although they included some of the most popular sites (like Mount Rushmore, Zion National Park, and the Grand Canyon, where Park Service officials estimate almost 20 percent of the waste is just empty water bottles). Now, 23 extra sets of national park gift shops and parking-lot vending machines will again flow with overpriced, sorta cold water.

Its worth noting the industrys primary complaint wasnt necessarily illegitimate: They felt the ban unfairly let sodas and energy drinks off the hook. Lobbyists argued it made no sense to outlaw pure water, but allow sugary drinks sold in bottles that are often even more horribly enviro-unfriendly. In a statement to the AP, an International Bottled Water Association spokesperson basically cast it as a fight to prevent outdoorsy Americans from staying hydrated, calling the policy seriously flawed, since drinking water should always be encouraged in any and every form.

The move sure doesnt hurt thirsty day hikers who forget their CamelBaks or Nalgene bottles, but the biggest winner is probably still the water industry. The reversal comes literally weeks after David Bernhardt got confirmed as deputy secretary of the Interior Department; Democrats called him a walking conflict of interest because  guess what?  his lobby firm worked for Nestle Waters, one of the countrys biggest distributors of bottled water. At least if the reversal moves more water, maybe Nestle will stop trying to foist its LaCroix knockoff, Pure Life Exotics, on Americans?

Update: A rep from Nestle Waters says the Washington Posts claim about the deputy Interior secretary lobbying for the company is categorically false. The storys reporter, Darryl Fears, clarified in a tweet this afternoon that while Bernhardts old legal firm (Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck) has represented Nestle, the deputy didnt rep the company himself. Brownstein also adds it only handled Nestles legal matters, nothing related to lobbying.
The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia has sent a further request to the Ukrainian prosecutor's office to extradite former President of the republic, ex-governor of the Odesa region of Ukraine Mikheil Saakashvili.

"On the issue of Mikheil Saakashvili the Georgian Prosecutor General's Office sent a legal appeal to the Ukrainian side about his extradition to Georgia. Prosecutors of the two countries are actively cooperating with each other," the statement of the Georgian supervisory authority says.

The Ukrainian side repeatedly refused to extradite Saakashvili to Georgia.

Meanwhile, Georgia's Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani said that four criminal cases had been opened against Saakashvili, and Tbilisi would demand his extradition from any country where he decides to stay.

On July 26, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko issued a decree revoking Saakashvili's Ukrainian citizenship. The politician was in the United States at the time, after which he arrived in Poland with a Ukrainian passport and then went on to Lithuania.

Saakashvili promised that he would return to Ukraine on September 10. The politician expressed hope that his supporters would gather at the border near the checkpoint.

At the same time, Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yevhen Yenin said on August 11 that Saakashvili would be able to enter Ukraine only if he has a Ukrainian visa.
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According to the Migration Service of Ukraine, the foreign passport of MP Boryslav Rozenblat was lost and he applied for a new one, prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) Maksym Kravchenko has said.

"According to the information we have, Mr. Rozenblat was handed over two documents for traveling abroad: a passport for travelling abroad [foreign one], and a passport of a citizen of Ukraine which, according to the State Migration Service, is registered as the lost one," he told journalists in Kyiv on Thursday.

The prosecutor suggested that such information is based on the relevant application of the passport holder.

"Secondly, we have information received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Rozenblat has handed over his foreign passport, which is diplomatic. That is why we can not say in this case that he failed to fulfill the court's decision," Kravchenko said.

At the same time, he said that the decision of the court, by which Rozenblat is obliged to hand over his foreign passport, applies not only to the documents which are currently in his possession, but also to future ones.

The Solomiansky District Court began considering the motion to review the court's decision on pretrial restriction to Rozenblat in connection with the newly emerged circumstances. The judge announced a break in the meeting in order to give time to the trial participants and the court to receive the case materials and study them. The date and time for the continuation of the hearing have not been determined yet.




Haiti - Canada : More than 6,400 Haitians have illegally crossed the Quebec border !





Thursday morning in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, border village a few kilometers from the border post, the Chief Superintendent of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Claude Castonguay revealed at a joint press conference that since early June, an unprecedented number of people, more than 7,500 had been intercepted after illegally crossed the border between Quebec and the United States to Roxham road. 85%, or nearly 6,400 people (including nearly 500 children) are of Haitian origin.



Only for the first two weeks of August, 3,800 people were intercepted in Canada against 2,984 in July and "only" 781 in June...



Representatives from the Canada Border Services Agency and of the Immigration and Refugee Commission, present at the conference insisted that the border crossing was not "a pass for Canada," they stated that if after analysis of the file, it is showing that the applicant does not need the protection of Canada, that person will be returned to his country of origin. Recalling that refugee status is granted to those fleeing war, persecution and terror in their country.



Louis Dumas, Director General, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, bounds in the same direction noting that "[...] enter outside the border crossings is illegal and gives no guarantee to remain in the country," recalling that barely 50% of Haitian asylum seekers had been successful in Canada in recent years.



According to Stephane Handfield, a lawyer specializing in immigration, Haitian families who will see their asylum application refused, risks being separated. He explains that children born in the United States of Haitian parents are US citizens and Canada must, according to law, send parents back to Haiti and children in the United States, an unacceptable situation for families...



The camp at the border currently accommodates nearly 1,200 people and many children who stay on average 2 to 4 days before being transferred to temporary accommodation in Montreal.



Claude Castonguay said that the rate of illegal migrants arriving daily from the United States is relatively constant and varies between 200 and 300 every day 5 to 10% are children.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21788-haiti-politics-haitian-migrant-file-end-of-mission-in-canada.html

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



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Ambassador of Haiti to the OAS recalled

On Wednesday, the Ambassador of Haiti to the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS), Jean Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, appointed in 2016 under the Privert Transitional Government to replace Ambassador Edmond Bocchit, was recalled by the Haitian Chancellery. Leon Charles, the Minister Counselor at the Permanent Representation of Haiti to the OAS in Washington DC, will assume his acting position pending the appointment of a new Ambassador.



Barcelona attack, message from Moise

Following the attack of Barcelona, Spain, which killed 14 people and wounded over 100, the President Jovenel Moise sent his deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the victims...



Haiti excluded from a world report

The recently published World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2016-2017 does not include Haiti because Haiti has not met the minimum requirements, just as Guinea, Guyana, Myanmar, Seychelles and Swaziland "For this reason, these economies are not included in this year's edition of this report."



Minister of Economy defends his budget in the Senate

On Thursday, Patrick Salomon, Minister of the Economy and Finance, gave the reasons for the 2017-2018 budget law in the Senate. This new stage follows the favorable vote obtained in the Chamber of Deputies where the draft budget law obtained a favorable vote https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21758-haiti-politics-finance-bill-2017-2018-voted-almost-unanimously.html . Preliminary discussions took place between the Minister and Senators Herve Fourcand, Nahoum Marcellus and Sorel Jacinthe, before the quorum was reached and the session opened by Youri Latortue.



Moise inspects work at the airport

Thursday, President Jovenel Moise went to Toussaint Louverture International Airport to inspect the modernization and rehabilitation work in progress https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21771-haiti-politics-follow-up-of-works-at-the-toussaint-louverture-international-airport.html



Installation of the Deputy DG to the UCREF

Jean Claudy Pierre, the Director General of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) acting on behalf of Minister Heidi Fortune, has installed Ronald D'Mezart as head of the Central Financial Intelligence Unit (UCREF), an institution under the authority of the MJSP. He succeeds to this postion to Me Clevens Sanon.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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Russia's hybrid military forces have attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 27 times in the past 24 hours, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action, the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters has reported.

The intensity of attacks on Ukrainian positions in the ATO area by Russian-occupation groups did not diminish at the end of the day. [...] Almost all the fire provocations were met by ATO forces with dense fire to defeat the enemy," the ATO staff said on Facebook on Friday morning.

Like several days in a row, the enemy was most active near the Avdiyivka industrial zone. From 18:00 until midnight, the militants shelled the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces five times, using mortars, grenade launchers and small arms. In addition, the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Novoselivka Druha came under enemy fire twice. And at about 21:00 Kyiv time, the invaders once again started firing small arms on civilian houses in the village of Zaitseve.

In the Luhansk sector, the enemy opened fire near the villages of Krymske, Stanytsia Luhanska and Novo-Oleksandrivka. One Ukrainian soldier was injured as a result of grenade launcher shelling of the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Troyitske.

It was rather quiet in the Mariupol sector at the end of the day. The Russian-backed militants only used an 82mm mortar near the village of Shyrokyne.
Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine Artem Sytnyk has denied NABU meddled in the U.S. presidential election.

"NABU has nothing to do with any meddling in the U.S. election. If we remember the situation a year ago, we received many questions from journalists, including foreign journalists, about [Trump campaign manager Paul] Manafort. The essence of our response was as follows: Yes, that surname exists in the so-called Party of Regions' black ledger. We stated repeatedly that no investigation of Manafort had been conducted. He is not in our jurisdiction," Sytnyk said in an interview appearing in the Kyiv-based Den (Day) newspaper published on Friday.

"Why Verkhovna Rada member Andriy Derkach has decided to appeal to the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) about the matter is beyond me. I am not surprised by such requests to law-enforcement authorities," the NABU director said.

As earlier reported, on August 15, 2017 media published a PGO document about the start of a criminal investigation into NABU meddling in the U.S. presidential elections. The investigation was triggered by a statement made by MP Derkach based on an investigation made by Era-media.

Derkach confirmed requesting the PGO to investigate the matter, publishing his request on his Facebook page.
The recent announcement has introduced an element of uncertainty. Even after all new legislation is enacted and fine-tuned, the uncertainty may linger in the long-term, as the Governments announcement has signalled to employers that it can, and will, make changes to the visa program, without warning.There is some good news for Business Sponsors, with accredited status and the benefit of faster processing times, becoming available to more employers. However, the time required for preparation of decision-ready applications has increased, given new requirements from 1 July 2017 for more English language testing (such as IELTS), skills assessments and police checks. From March 2018, mandatory labour market testing (with some likely exemptions) will also be introduced for all occupations. Given the usual urgency associated with visa applications, the time taken to gather this additional documentation will need to be factored into advice provided to recruiters and employees.Over and above the costs associated with the additional documentary requirements outlined above, the new training levy will impose additional costs on all Business Sponsors from March 2018. Annual contributions to the Skilling Australians Fund will be based on the number of temporary visa holders in their employment ($1,200-1,800 per employee, depending on annual turnover) as well as the number of applications for permanent residence (one-off payment of $3,000-5000 per application). The contributions of some employers will be substantially more than expenditure required to meet the current Training Benchmark, and as there will be no off-set of current training expenditure, this will need to be factored into overall employment costs.The two new occupation lists have been quite controversial as they will be used to determine whether a position is suitable for sponsorship, whether a 2 or 4 year visa will be granted, and whether there is a pathway to permanent residence for overseas employees. Some professional organisations and industry bodies have been successful in lobbying for the changes to the revised 1 July lists; there are ongoing opportunities for advocacy, as the Short Term Skilled Occupations List will be revised every 6 months, and the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List, every 12 months. The Department of Immigration is keen to engage with stakeholders, and HR professionals are well placed to advocate for change, based on expert knowledge and hard data.Some current (and prospective) employees will be greatly disadvantaged by the changes, in particular, the reduced options to apply for 4 year visas, and ultimately permanent residence. However the Government is unapologetic about breaking the nexus between temporary and permanent skilled visas  as well as reducing the age limit for permanent residence from 50 to 45 years which will further impact many senior level employees  and expectations must be carefully managed.The changes have and will continue to keep law firms busy as we navigate through them, find solutions for clients and support their efforts to advocate the Government for some changes to the reforms.

Lillian Ajuria is an accredited specialist in Immigration Law and principal at Immigration Law specialists, Ajuria Lawyers. For further information visit www.ajurialawyers.com.au
The world is rapidly moving towards digitalisation and automation in all areas of society. Yet some of the most digitally advanced economies in the world are struggling to sustain digital growth and innovation  Finland being one of them. This years Digital Evolution Index places Finland in the Stall Out Zone; a category for digitally advanced countries that have reached so-called digital plateaus of slowing momentum in terms of digital growth.

Moving past these digital plateaus will require a conscious effort by these countries to reinvent themselves, to bet on a rising digital technology in which it has leadership, and to eliminate impediments to innovation, the researchers behind the Digital Evolution Index suggest. The states in the Stall Out category  among them all Nordic nations  seem to suffer from issues on both the supply and demand sides of digital growth; past digitalisation is not translating into future innovation because of market saturation and a lacking start-up culture.

Yet, compared to its Nordic neighbours, Finland has fared quite well in adding fresh fuel to its digital innovation engine to keep it running. The past years have been a turbulent time for Finnish business, with a long economic recession following the decline of Nokias mobile phone production, yet Finlands digital sector is now evolving faster than those in any other Nordic countries. In fact, Finland is not far away from being included in the Stand Out zone for digitally advanced countries with a fast-paced digital evolution.

Nevertheless, the road from the stall out category to the stand out zone is a slippery one, and as noted in the Harvard Business Review, all countries need to continuously generate new demand to avoid stalling out. Countries in the Break Out zone, with China in the forefront, are evolving rapidly and have the potential to become the leaders of digital business and technology in a matter of years. China has gone from almost no digital innovation at the turn of the century to having a population of 730 million Internet users today. This rapid development has made China the country with the largest number of Internet users in the entire world, and thus a lucrative market for e-commerce.

If Finland wants to remain at the vanguard of digitalisation, it should look to countries with a similar population size but with a faster digital evolution. Examples of such countries are Estonia, Singapore and New Zealand. Estonia is, of course, a particularly interesting example  not only because of its geographical proximity to Finland, but also because of its leading position in e-government.

As the data used to measure each countrys pace of digital evolution in this years Digital Evolution Index was gathered between 2008 and 2015, it is worth keeping in mind that Finland only declared its recessionary era to be over as recently as last year. Digital evolution in Finland is thus likely to pick up speed in the coming few years, if it has not already done so. A promising example for Finlands digital future is Slush  a phenomenally successful start-up event that brings together the global tech scene in the winter darkness of Helsinki.

Nicole Berglund

Helsinki Times
No details of the agenda of the meeting were disclosed, but the timing of the meeting may provide an indication of the issues on the agenda and the objectives of the United States. The meeting is to take place roughly a month after Niinisto met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Savonlinna, Eastern Finland.

The Office of the President of Finland announced yesterday that President Sauli Niinisto will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington DC on Tuesday, 29 August.

Niinisto himself estimated that the invitation is an indication of American interest in Finland and the foreign policy role of Finland. He refused, however, to declare himself as an intermediary between the two world powers.

Im not comfortable declaring myself as an intermediary. I have a very pragmatic approach. If we can get something done, thats what well do, he was quoted as saying in a meeting with senior editors-in-chief by Helsingin Sanomat on Thursday.

He also revealed that he was invited to the White House already in December. Earlier attempts to schedule the meeting, however, were unsuccessful.

The meeting will be of great significance to Finland, Mika Aaltola, a programme director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, estimated in an interview on ISTV on Thursday.

Having a functioning relationship with the United States is extremely important for Finland, he said, highlighting that the meeting will present the country's foreign policy leaders a unique opportunity to find out what is going on in Washington under the unpredictable rule of President Trump.

This is great news.

The United States, he believes, is likely to be interested in picking the brain of Niinisto on Russia but also in discussing the situation in the Arctic, the Baltic Sea Region and the defence co-operation of Finland. The United States handed the chairmanship of the Arctic Council over to Finland in May, 2017.

Niinisto has just met Putin. He may be able to tell whats going on in the mind of Putin, said Aaltola.

Finland has recently hosted a number of influential heads of state. Putin visited the country in late July; Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, earlier in July; and Xi Jinping, the President of the Peoples Republic of China, in early April.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Roni Rekomaa  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
Lithuanian Seimas has initiated the so-called "Marshall Plan" for Ukraine, which provides at least EUR 5 billion a year to support reforms, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv has said.

"A Lithuanian plan for Ukraine for 2017-2020 and the New European Plan for Ukraine (the so-called Marshall Plan) were discussed with Hanna Hopko (MP, the chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Affairs). This initiative of the Seimas of Lithuania provides economic, political and financial assistance for Ukraine in the context of European integration," Kubiv wrote on his social networking page on Friday.

He noted that they were talking about at least EUR 5 billion of annual support for reforms aimed at economic growth and development.

"Now the project is actively discussed in key international institutions to ensure 'a group of friends of Ukraine' is formed and the necessary support is found for the plan in order to implement it," the deputy prime minister said.
The intended target of the gruesome double murder had recently discovered a tracking device on a car he used.

Ballymun criminal Derek 'Bottler' Devoy (37) has been involved in a bitter local feud for more than a year and is considered the chief motive for Wednesday's gangland attack.

Last night it emerged that gardai were made aware that Devoy had found the device, which his enemies were using to track his movements.

The discovery was made earlier this month and it is understood that the device was handed over to detectives at Ballymun Garda Station.

Senior sources said gardai were braced for revenge attacks following the shooting.

Topless

Volatile criminal Devoy is said to be "completely devastated" about the shocking murder of his sister Antoinette (48) who was killed along with his friend Clinton Shannon (30) in a hail of gunfire.

Gardai are investigating reports that Bottler was spotted storming topless around streets near his home in the early hours of yesterday morning "screaming and roaring".

"Obviously, this is a very, very serious situation," one source said.

"Devoy has been advised to leave Dublin for a few days but he is not an individual who normally listens to garda advice.

"Ballymun is going to be on lockdown now.

"The word is that Bottler was going around like an absolute nutter. He loved his sister, he is completely devastated.

"Everyone is worried about what happens next."

Sources also confirmed that Devoy was recently officially warned by officers about an active threat on his life as part of the Ballymun feud.

There had previously been fears that Devoy would avenge the murder of his brother Michael 'Mad Mickey' (41).

Ultimately this did not happen. A significant reason for this, gardai believe, was that Mad Mickey was murdered by members of the Kinahan cartel, an organisation that Devoy would not have the firepower to tackle.

Devoy was released from prison in February 2015, where he was locked up since 2007, after serving separate sentences for the attempted armed robbery of a post office in Balbriggan and a non-fatal drive-by shooting at two of his neighbours in Ballymun, in 2005.

At the drive-by shooting trial in 2007, evidence was given of how he was recognised when a scarf slipped from his face after he shot at the two men from a car which then drove away at speed.

Just months after being released from jail, Devoy fled Ireland and the Herald revealed that he was in the process of moving more than 100,000 to a bank in the UK when his account was frozen by detectives in Dublin.

The 'going-away money' was frozen under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Finances Act 2010. Devoy returned to Ireland more than a year ago and has been regularly spotted in the company of other criminals.
Contact Group in Minsk could discuss Donbas truce at beginning of new school year, Kyiv says

The Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Ukraine could discuss Donbas truce on the eve of September 1 at its meeting in Minsk on August 23, Olha Aivazovska, Ukraine's representative in the TCG political subgroup, said.

"The main issue, which concerns security, will most likely be truce on the eve of September 1, among others. And I am very hopeful that it will be supported in a way that no party could back away from it," Aivazovska said on Channel 5 on Friday.

To implement such a truce, the issue must be tackled not only on the TCG level, she said.

The August 23 meeting in Minsk will also focus on the upcoming Normandy Four summit, the Ukrainian representative said. "This is not organized directly in Minsk, but these processes are interrelated," Aivazovska said.
A man who told gardai "it was self-defence" when he was charged with the murder of a Dublin grandmother has been further remanded in custody.

Kieran Green (32) is alleged to have murdered Patricia O'Connor at the family home in south Dublin. He is the partner of Ms O'Connor's daughter.

Ms O'Connor's dismembered remains were found scattered across a 30km area of the Wicklow Mountains in June. It is alleged she was killed at the end of May.

Mr Green, of Mountain View Park, Churchtown, is charged with the murder of Ms O'Connor at a time unknown between May 29 and May 30.

Det Gda David Connolly told a previous court sitting that, when charged with murder, Mr Green replied: "It was self- defence."

He must apply to the High Court for bail on a murder charge.

Suspicious

The accused made his fourth appearance on the charge when he appeared via videolink at Cloverhill District Court.

Mr Green spoke only to confirm his name and that he could see and hear the court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions' directions have been sought in relation to the murder charge.

Judge Kathryn Hutton further remanded Mr Green in custody to appear before Clov- erhill District Court on a date next month.

Ms O'Connor, a mother-of-two and a grandmother, worked as a chef in a south Dublin hospital.

She was first reported missing on June 2, but at the time her disappearance was not considered suspicious.

Nine body parts were subsequently found scattered over a 30km area across the Wicklow Mountains, including a head and arms in a plastic bag.

A family out walking initially discovered the torso in a plastic bag near Military Road and a major investigation was launched.

Mr Green has not yet indicated a plea to the charge.
A taxi driver has been credited with saving the life of an elderly man in Dublin.

Neville Brennan (76) was driving through heavy rain with his wife and grandson on the Drumcondra Road on Monday evening when he suddenly fell ill.

He suffered a heart attack and a stroke, leading him to swerve on to the wrong side of the road and crash his car.

Luckily, an off-duty garda was driving behind and began to flag down other cars to help.

Pulse

Taxi driver Brian Herron pulled over and began to administer CPR.

Mr Brennan's daughter Hazel said she had no doubt that the two men saved her father's life.

"The hospital were very clear - it was the immediate action of CPR that saved his life," she said.

"There was no pulse, they were looking for a defibrillator but they couldn't get one. He would be dead if it wasn't for those men."

The family launched a Facebook campaign to find the taxi driver - and struck lucky within 24 hours.

"I just wanted to thank him," added Hazel.

"I knew I had a few Facebook friends who were taxi drivers - they all shared the post I wrote."

Brian said: "A colleague saw the Facebook post and he rang me to see if he could give out my number. I was delighted to talk to the family and find out what happened.

"It was raining really heavily and I was soaked. But it never entered my head - I was focused on keeping this man alive," he added

The hero cabbie also works at Emerald Diving Ireland and credits this for his quick thinking.

He said he now wanted to publicise the need for more people to feel comfortable performing first aid.

Friends

"A lot of people are afraid that they're going to do something wrong. But just do what you can, even if it's only ringing an ambulance and providing comfort," he said.

"If people are on the ground when an accident happens, the benefits are unbelievable."

Mr Brennan is in a stable condition in the Mater Hospital and his family are now planning to meet with Brian.

"I'd love to meet him," Brian said. "Hopefully we'll be friends for a long time."
Sometimes, even when something works in your favor, everyone still loses. Thats certainly the case with Abingdon Town Councils recent FOIA violation.

On Tuesday, Abingdon Town Council, three council members and the town attorney were found in violation of the Freedom of Information Act. A letter sent by town attorney Deborah Icenhour on behalf of the three council members  Mayor Cathy Lowe, Vice Mayor Rick Humphreys and Councilman Bob Howard  to a circuit court judge requesting aide and guidance on another Town Council member, Cindy Patterson, failed to satisfy open meetings law. The decision to draft the letter didnt emerge from a public meeting, hence excluding public comment, and even excluded both Patterson and another Town Council member, Wayne Craig.

Like many readers, were pleased with the ruling  its a clear win for transparency. Its no matter that the individuals were not given fines; the symbolism of a disinterested partys decision does enough to validate the ethical oversight that the three Town Council members continue to deny.

Moreover, the decision more than suffices to set a precedent for Town Council moving forward. With an example of what not to do, Town Council members can collectively and openly make informed, balanced decisions and hopefully work toward dissipating the tension thats brewed among them over the past year.

Now, like the Abingdon resident who filed the suit, we citizens should continue to hold Town Council accountable. Lets advocate for harsher punishment if Town Council violates FOIA laws again  including civil penalties.

Lets reinforce the gravity of transparency with a citizen-composed board dedicated to examining FOIA and open meetings compliance  first at a local level and, if successful, at a state level. Though its unfortunate our local government needed to be shown why secrecy and selective disclosure can be dishonest and illegal, its a lesson on record reliable enough to reiterate the dangers and consequences to elected officials.

So it seems justice has been served. Right?

Although were in an apt position to close this chapter and focus on both prevention and communication, theres a lingering feeling of apprehension with this. Why did it take a court hearing to declare the obvious? Why was it impossible for the Town Council members in question to admit a possible misstep with the letter, regardless of the occurrence of any preceding meeting? Would Town Council members have publicly disclosed the letters existence if the circuit court judge hadnt directed his response to Patterson, which exposed it instead?

That Lowe, Humphreys and Howard denied wrongdoing, regardless of the intent, displays a concerning disconnect between those actions and their impressions, an absence of conscience that should have compelled them to say something to preclude needless litigation. Instead, we only have two words for this: For shame.

Shame on Town Council for forcing citizens to resort to a court to connect the dots for them between, essentially, three points. If anything, it doesnt help their image to remain steadfast to their guns; it makes them look worse.

Shame on Town Council for failing to repair the corroded trust from a pattern of blatantly disregarding public opinion. Flaring skepticism with Town Councils capability is boiling over, and this is a lost opportunity to confront that with humility and dignity.

Shame on Town Council for opposing transparency. Open government is a mutually beneficial tool, and taking Town Councils history of clashing with citizens and striking down public commentary at meetings, choosing transparency would have demonstrated a turning point for them. And that transparency applies internally to Town Council itself, too.

And shame on Town Council for inadvertently assuring that we all lost here: Despite the ruling, the town now has to pay all court and attorney-related fees. So, not only have we wasted time, now weve wasted taxpayer money, too.

Theres got to be more initiative from Town Council to ensure that, fundamentally, applicable laws are followed, truth is dispersed and representation is full. More needs to be done to negate extra steps like this and, ultimately, to reinforce their qualifications to act in a leadership role  a trait thats becoming more and more suspect.

Council members claim the letter intended to seek guidance  and although its likely not what they had in mind, they certainly got it. For everyone involved, lets hope they follow it.
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.
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The army has caught a man for entering its training centre in Madhya Pradeshs Mhow with a fake identity card.

Pritish Pal (25), resident of Betul, was wearing army camouflage and possessed foreign currency when arrested, police sources said.

He is being questioned by the police to find out where he got the duplicate army card and which areas he accessed in the cantonment, which is out of bounds for non-military personnel.

Pal had tried to get ration from the military canteen. Defence personnel get subsidised items from the canteen on producing their ID number. However, the number Pal produced did not match the armys database, which raised suspicion.

After being caught, police recovered had small denomination currency notes of Pakistan, Qatar, Sri Lanka and some other countries, sources said.

Police are also mulling charging him with impersonation, sources said.

Pal is believed to have some relatives living him Mhow, but it is not yet clear what he wanted to achieve here.

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Actor Kalki Koechlin has posted a new picture on Instagram, telling her fans to be more body positive. She used the hashtag #loveyournakedness with the post. The black-and-white photo shows Kalki posing in the nude with her back to the camera. She is curled up in a ball with her hair falling on her face.

Half way between shadow and light by @rivabubber #blackandwhite #loveyournakedness, she captioned the photo.

Half way between shadow and light by @rivabubber #blackandwhite #loveyournakedness A post shared by Kalki (@kalkikanmani) on Aug 17, 2017 at 11:43pm PDT

Kalki will soon be seen with Richa Chadha in Jia Aur Jia, a film about two women travelling together, which releases this winter. Kalki and I really enjoyed filming this in the picturesque locales of Sweden. Its a slice-of-life film about two girls on a road trip. They meet a guy in Sweden and the story takes an unexpected turn. Its massive fun, Richa said in a statement.

The film will present the story of two strangers, played by Richa and Kalki. They go on a life-changing road trip who both by destiny have only one thing in common - their names. Richa and Kalki both play Jia in the film, directed by Howard Rosemeyer.

Kalki was also seen at the Lakme Fashion Week with Tillotama Shome and Rasika Duggal on Thursday.

@anavila_m girls be like all watchful at LFW @tillotamashome @rasikadugal #fashionrestart #sustainablefashion A post shared by Kalki (@kalkikanmani) on Aug 17, 2017 at 9:20am PDT

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Just a couple of days back the world got to know that Bollywood actor Riya Sen is engaged to her long-time boyfriend Shivam Tiwari and the two may get married in a months time. Now, comes the news that the two have got married. Riya and Shivam tied the knot in a hush-hush ceremony in Pune on Wednesday with just family and friends in attendance, reports Indian Express quoting an unnamed source.

Riyas sister, raima Sen, shared pictures of the wedding on social media accounts. Riya looks resplendent as a Bengali bride in a red saree and her husband can also be seen dressed traditionally and sporting a topor. Raima also shared images from the haldi ceremony.

A post shared by Raima Sen  (@raimasen) on Aug 18, 2017 at 12:47am PDT

Red hot chilly peppers  #shanghainights #china A post shared by Riya Sen Dev Varma (@riyasendv) on May 17, 2017 at 9:50pm PDT

There isnt any formal announcement yet as her own social media account or that of her sister, actor Raima Sen. Mother Moon Moon Sen has also not spoken about the wedding. However, Riyas Instagram account is full of her pictures with Shivam, which led to speculation that they two were dating.

Riya hasnt been seen of late in Bollywood films though she has worked in a number of Bengali films such as Noukadubi and Jaatishwar. She is currently busy shooting for Ekta Kapoors web series Ragini MMS 2.2.

#prague #prague2017 #absinthe #futurenow #czechrepublic A post shared by Riya Sen Dev Varma (@riyasendv) on Jun 15, 2017 at 12:22pm PDT

She is best remembered for her Hindi films such as Style, Jhankaar Beats and Apna Sapna Money Money. Riya has also worked in a Tamil film directed Bharathiraja called Taj Mahal. Riyas last film was Agnidev Chatterjees Bengali film Dark Chocolate where her character was loosely based on Sheena Bora.

Shivam is a photography enthusiast.

Riya has a rich family history -- she is granddaughter of the legendary screen goddess Suchitra Sen.

Speaking about her daughter, Moon Moon had told Times of India that her daughter was high maintenance, that she needed to find a guy with money and looks mattered for her. Raima likes tall and witty guys, while good looks matter the most to Riya. Money is not important for them as they dont realise its value. But both my girls are high-maintenance, so they need to find boys who are rich, if nothing else, Times Of India quoted the 63-year-old actress as saying.

Riya has dated actors John Abraham and Ashmit Patel in the past.

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Actor Varun Sharma, who debuted in Fukrey (2013), and then went on to do Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon (2015) and Dilwale (2015), feels happy that he got a chance to start his acting career with comedy, which he feels is a difficult genre. He says, Its very tough to make people laugh or put a smile on their face. Many people advise me that if I keep doing such roles, I will get typecast. But after the love Ive received from audience in Delhi and Punjab, Ive made up my mind that I wont give up comedy, at any cost. However, the 27-year old explains that he is keen on trying other roles as well. As an actor, I crave to do different genres. But comedy will always be the one which brought me to this industry.

His upcoming film Fukrey Returns, which is a sequel to the 2013 sleeper hit Fukrey, will see Varun reprising his role as Choocha, a character that brought him much love and appreciation. In the films sequel, he has the power to see the future. Asked if he feels that the popularity of the role will be an impediment for him as an actor later, Varun says, The biggest victory for any actor is to be known by his characters name, like Vijay Deenanath Chauhan, Gabbar, Circuit and Munnabhai left a mark on everyones minds. I am glad that the first image that comes to anyones mind upon hearing the name Choocha is that of my character from the film.

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A treasure trove of Yeats family material, including hundreds of passionate, rueful and philosophical letters from the poet William Butler to the first of his many loves, and the desk at which he wrote them, will go on public display for the first time in Dublin and London in September. The items would then be sold at a Sothebys auction in London.

The sale will include books, paintings, furniture and personal possessions relating to all the members of the extraordinarily artistic family, whose lives and work were also woven into the history of 20th century Ireland. The material includes not just the letters from the Nobel laureate poet WB Yeats but also his hair brushes, many works by his painter brother Jack B Yeats, an important group by their artist father, John B Yeats, including family portraits and his last self-portrait, and original artworks founded by the poets sisters, Lolly and Lily.

Among the highlights are more than 130 handwritten letters to WBs first lover, Olivia Shakespear. They met in the 1890s when she was unhappily married and he had proposed and been rejected for the first of many times by the formidable Maud Gonne. He and Shakespear exchanged gossip, news, reflections on the politics of the day, philosophy and literary criticism including his views on her novels and hers on his poems. In 1926, he wrote that he had found two early photographs of her and, in a phrase which became his poem The Empty Cup, added: One looks back at ones youth as to a cup that a madman dying of thirst left half tasted. He wrote to her in 1922 while reading the first edition of James Joyces Ulysses: The Martello Tower pages are full of beauty  a cruel playful mind  like a great soft tiger cat.

Image of a plaque on the wall where the Irish poet William Butler Yeats lived: 82 Merrion Square, Dublin, Ireland. (Wikimedia Commons)

The letters survived in the collection because, after Shakespears death, her son-in-law, the poet Ezra Pound , returned all the originals  though his biographers believe Yeats then did a bit of judicious weeding. The letters are estimated to sell for up to 350,000.

The collection reflects the tangles of Yeatss romantic life, including a portrait by Maud Gonne of her daughter Iseult: after being rejected many times by Maud, Yeats then proposed to her daughter  who also turned him down.

He may have had his shortcomings as a lover, but he was a wonderful friend to women, and drew so much of his energy and inspiration from women such as Olivia, said Gabriel Heaton, a books specialist at Sothebys.

This is likely to be the last sale of such a large and intimate Yeats collection. It follows the death in 2007 of the poets son Michael, who became an Irish senator and MEP, and the recent sale of his home in Dalkey, on the outskirts of Dublin, after the death of his widow, the musician Grainne Ni Eigeartaigh.

I visited the house many times, and the material they had there was just extraordinary, Heaton said. They were very well aware of its importance and took great care of it, and they were extraordinary generous in sharing it with scholars from all over the world.

Letter by William Butler Yeats to poet Ezra Pound, dated 15 July 1918. (Wikimedia Commons)

The sale includes the largest collection in one sale of paintings and drawings by John B Yeats, including tender portraits of his four children, and the self-portrait that, after 11 years, he was still working on when he died in 1922. He encouraged all the children to draw and paint, and the collection includes a family sketchbook to which they contributed dozens of sketches, including the very first self-portrait by Jack, which shows him sitting in a farmers field, aged eight.

Other lots include Jacks palette, and his collapsible silk top hat; a model boat made by the poet laureate John Masefield  who is best known for his I must go down to the seas again Sea Fever poem  given to WB; two tall brass candlesticks originally made for an altar that stood in front of the fireplace at Thoor Ballylee, Yeatss Galway castle; and a textile by Lily illustrating the poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree.

The grave of W B Yeats at Drumcliff, Ireland. (Wikimedia Commons)

Part of the collection, including letters and a postcard from Joyce, has already been acquired by the Irish National Library, and the family last year presented the library with the poets 1923 Nobel medal and citation.

In a statement, the Yeats family said: Our family has enjoyed these items for many years. We are delighted that they will now be exhibited and available for everyone to see in Dublin and in London and for collectors to have the opportunity to acquire their own piece of Irish history.
Around 10 lakh bankers will go on strike on August 22 as talks between the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) on one side and Indian Banks Association, chief labour commissioner and the Department of Financial Services (DFS) failed on Friday, said a union leader.

The forum is an umbrella body of nine unions in the Indian banking sector.

The UFBU has given notice of a nationwide strike on August 22 to protest against reforms in the banking sector and other issues.

The officials from IBA and DFS said there is no merger of government-owned banks or privatisation in the immediate future and urged us to withdraw our strike call. The talks were not satisfactory as there was nothing concrete coming from their side, D Thomas Franco Rajendra Dev, general secretary of the All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC) told IANS after the meeting.

He said that around 10 lakh bankers working in around 132,000 branches would be on strike on August 22.
Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy on Friday said he is not seeking any money, position for children, or power, while expressing anguish over the boards allegations that his continuous assault led to Vishal Sikka quitting as CEO.

Murthy, who has been in a long-running battle with the board and top management of the company he founded with six others over three decades ago, said his concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance at Infosys.

He also questioned the investigations that cleared the technology major of all charges of mismanagement.

In a surprise announcement, Infosys today said Sikka has quit as CEO after nearly three years on the post.

It issued a strongly-worded statement earlier in the day blaming Murthys continuous assault as the primary reason for Sikkas quitting.

The companys board alleged that Murthy has repeatedly made inappropriate demands, which are inconsistent with his stated desire for stronger governance and that his campaign has intensified over time.

I am extremely anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of the statements... I will reply to these allegations in the right manner and in the right forum and at the appropriate time, Murthy said in an emailed statement.

Murthy said several shareholders, who have read the whistle-blower report, had told him that an impartial and objective investigation is not held in the manner in which Infosys probe happened.

...several shareholders who have read the whistle-blower report have told me that it is hard to believe a report produced by a set of lawyers hired by a set of accused, giving a clean chit to the accused and the accused refusing to disclose why they got a clean chit! Murthy quipped.

He further said: They say that this is not the way an impartial and objective investigation should be held.

Infosys Chairman R Seshasayee responded to Murthys allegations saying the suggestion that renowned law and audit firms will connive with the Board and overlook misdeeds of the CEO and post a clean report, is completely untenable.

Seshasayee and co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan, however, ruled out any legal action against Murthy.

Here is Narayana Murthys full statement:

I have read the statement issued by the Board of Directors of Infosys.

I am extremely anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of the statements. I voluntarily left the Board in 2014 and am not seeking any money, position for children or power. My concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance which I have repeatedly brought to the notice of the Infosys board.

It is below my dignity to respond to such baseless insinuations. However, several shareholders who have read the whistle-blower report have told me that it is hard to believe a report produced by a set of accused, giving a clean chit to the accused, and the accused refusing to disclose why they got a clean chit! They say that this is not the way an impartial and objective investigation should be held.

I will reply to these allegations in the right manner and in the right forum and at the appropriate time.
Telcos could end up paying a heavier penalty for call drops with the telecom regulator reworking the way it assesses the service being provided to about 1 billion cellphone users in India, source said on Thursday.

Infrastructure in the worlds second-largest mobile phone market is struggling to keep up with the rising number of users and call-drop continues to be a big headache even after assurances from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) and the government.

The Trai would now measure call drops on the basis of data collected on the performance of telecom towers and back-end information from telcos, not from area offices of telecom companies as is the practice.

Report on telecom towers will show the exact amount of activity. This will help us analyse signal strength, call-drop rate and call set-up success rate, a government official, who did not wish to be named, told Hindustan Times.

A service provider is fined Rs 50,000 for not meeting the benchmark of 2% call drops per quarter. The penalty is likely to go up many manifold.

Telecom department officials say the reluctance of operators to invest in infrastructure is one of the reasons for poor call quality. An industry estimate shows the need for investing at least Rs 50,000 crore in the next 2-3 years by companies on telecom infrastructure.

The service providers, in turn, blame it on difficulty in getting the nod for cellphone towers.

With debt of more than Rs 7 lakh crore plaguing the sector, the companies have little headroom to spend more. India also has one of the lowest call rates in the world.

Telecom companies can complain but if they charge consumers, they will also have to provide good services, said an officer in the telecom department who did not wish to be named, as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Signal strength of towers is one of many factors that decide call quality but strong signals from different providers can interfere, resulting in poor connection.

Frequency is another factor. But the biggest issue, say telecom companies, is the difficulty in getting permission to set up towers, which leads to too many signals nesting in one.

Continuing to penalise telecom companies only increases litigation between them and the government. So let us work together in improving the customer experience, Rajan Mathews, director general of Cellular Operators Association of India, said.

The last time the regulator tried to penalise companies, the Supreme Court quashed the Trais proposal that customers be paid Re 1 for every dropped call with a maximum of Rs 3 in a day.

The physics of frequency is extremely complicated and there cannot be one reason for call drop. So, penalties levied by Trai are going to be challenged in court, an official with a telecom major said on condition of anonymity.

To ascertain the extent of call drops, Trai recently conducted a customer-satisfaction survey. Consumers in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka were very unhappy with the service, the survey report released last week said.

In Delhi and Karnataka, around 65% customers said the quality of signal and network was poor. In Madhya Pradesh, the 58% of users were unhappy.

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Infosys chief executive officer (CEO) Vishal Sikka stepped down from his position on Thursday, signalling an end to a protracted boardroom battle between him and the companys founders  led by former chairman NR Narayana Murthy.

While Sikka will remain as the executive vice chairman on the board to ensure continuity for the time being, chief operating officer Pravin Rao is expected to take over as the interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found.

Infosys shares fell by as much as 7.6% after the Bangalore-based IT firm made the announcement.

An email on Sikkas resignation, which was later shared on his blog, listed the achievements made by him and other members of the board over the last three years. The decision to quit, the former CEO said, was taken because he was unable to carry out his job as CEO while constantly defending himself against unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks.

The mail begins by describing how Sikka arrived at Infosys at a time when growth rates were slow and attrition was high. He had several intentions in mind, and they included reshaping the company around innovation and entrepreneurship; delivering breakthrough value for clients; helping elevate our work, our standing, ourselves, on the basis of a dual strategy; and bringing together dualities of renew and new, automation and innovation, people and software, to show a new path forward in a time of unprecedented disruption within the industry and beyond.

Sikka said his efforts had begun bearing fruit, with revenues growing from $2.13 billion in the first quarter of FY-2015 to $2.65 billion in the corresponding period this year.The company, he added, was doing better in every dimension I can think of.

But the successes, in themselves, werent enough to hold Sikka back. The former CEO said he finally decided to quit because of the distractions and the very public noise around us (that have) created an untenable atmosphere.

Quoting Apple CEO Steve Jobs to further drive home the reason for his decision, Sikka said: Your time is limited, dont waste it living someone elses life. Dont be trapped by dogma. Dont let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become.

This, the former Infosys CEO said in his email, was why he had decided to move forward and return to an environment of respect, trust and empowerment, where I can take on new challenges.

You may read the blog post, titled Moving On, here.

Infosys, in a statement, claimed to understand and acknowledge Sikkas reasons for resigning. The board denounces the critics who have amplified and sought to further promote demonstrably false allegations that have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the companys valued CEO, it added.

Murthy and Sikka have been at loggerheads for quite some time now, with the founder repeatedly condemning the company CEOs policies and business choices. Murthy even claimed in an email to a few of his advisors that he had heard people speak of Sikka as a better choice for the post of CTO (chief technology officer) than CEO.

Sikka was a member of the executive board and global managing board of SAP AG, a German multinational software corporation, before joining Infosys.
Vishal Sikka has resigned as the MD and CEO of Indias second largest IT services firm Infosys.

Infosys COO U B Pravin Rao has been named as the Interim -MD and CEO of the firm.

Sikka has been appointed as the Executive Vice-Chairman, Infosys said.

Here is the full text of the resignation letter that Sikka sent Infosys:

Dear Board Colleagues,

Over the last few days, since our earlier call, Ive met Sesh several times, talked to you individually at length, and spent time thinking things thru with Vandana. During this time, one of our employees, Sandeep Karamongikar, died in his sleep, likely of a massive heart attack. He was working on the chatbot frontend in Nia. Also over the weekend, in possibly the greatest demonstration of AI capability ever, a bot built by the researchers at OpenAI (yes, that OpenAI), defeated the worlds best players of DOTA2, a multiplayer online video game, a game where the bot learned to play entirely from scratch. Further demonstrating that the force to automate routine, even advanced, activities is an unstoppable and exponential one. And the Charlottesville incident here in the US demonstrated once again the power of words and silences to cause real damage, or to heal.

After much reflection, I have concluded that it is indeed time for me to leave my current positions as MD and CEO, and I have communicated my resignation to Sesh. I will be working closely with Sesh, Ravi, Pravin, with all of you, and the senior management team to plan out the details and the timelines to ensure a smooth transition and in the meantime, continue our work without disruption, and ensuring that we protect our company, the employees, the clients, and the interests of every shareholder. You can count on my commitment to this.

I came here to help navigate the company through what I saw as a massive transformation opportunity, to transform our company and restore strong profitable growth, as well as help transform the business of our customers. I came to do this with the power of technology, given my experiences with similar transformations, my background in AI, and the structural changes that I saw happening in the IT services industry. This needed new skills, new thinking, new initiatives, and a transformation in the culture, from a cost-oriented value delivery, to entrepreneurship oriented value delivery. You have heard me articulate this many times before.

This type of a transformation has always been a passion for me, indeed I took this job for this reason. We have achieved much in the last 3+ years, and for sure we can all be proud of the powerful seeds of transformation that have already been sowed. No one anticipated the additional headwinds like the geo-political disruptions (Brexit, Trump, visa etc.) that made this transformation even more challenging, but also rewarding. But, the distractions that we have seen, the constant drumbeat of the same issues over and over again, while ignoring and undermining the good work that has been done, take the excitement and passion out of this amazing journey. Over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks. Allegations that have been repeatedly proven false and baseless by multiple, independent investigations. But despite this, the attacks continue, and worse still, amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation. This continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity over the last several months/quarters, inhibits our ability to make positive change and stay focused on value creation. Addressing the noise by itself is damaging; hundreds of hours of my own time has gone into this recently. But the structural challenges this engenders within the organization, has a very damaging effect on our ability to carry out any kind of a transformation, especially one that is as fundamental as transforming from a cost-oriented to an innovationoriented value delivery to clients.

Therefore, I have come to this moment and the end of this journey. I hope that it gives everyone a chance to reflect, and give the transformation effort another big push and move the company forward rapidly to build its future, to build upon the foundation that we have laid over these past 3 years. If these types of attacks continue, I hope each of you will continue to be the voice of fairness and reason - providing the active, emphatic and unequivocal support that the company, the management, the employees, and all of the stakeholders and friends of the company need in order to succeed. Since the board deeply believes in the cause we have started, I will be happy to support all of you to achieve a smooth transition, and serve as your Executive Vice Chair as discussed.

I would like to thank each one of you, my dear colleagues, my friends and mentors, and look forward to working with you to close this chapter and open a great new one for all of us.

Best,

V
Infosys Ltd founder NR Narayana Murthy claimed in an email to some of his advisors that he had been told by at least three independent directors of the company that Vishal Sikka was more chief technology officer (CTO) material than chief executive officer (CEO) material.

The contents of the email from Murthy raise the spectre of deep divisions on the board of Infosys and, more worryingly, also raise questions about Sikkas future at the company at a time when he is already battling against time to orchestrate a turnaround amid several key top-level executive departures.

Mint has seen a copy of the email dated August 9 and also independently ascertained its authenticity from a company executive, a board member and a third person, all of whom asked not to be named; it couldnt independently confirm the claims made in the e-mail.

All that I hear from at least three independent directors, including Mr Ravi Venkatesan (co-chairman), are complaints about Dr Sikka. They have told me umpteen times that Dr Sikka is not a CEO material but CTO material. This is the view of at least three members of the board, and not my view since I have not seen him operate from the vantage point of an Infosys board member, Murthy said in the email.

Murthy has publicly lambasted Infosys over the course of the past six to seven months for lapses in corporate governance (allegations the company has denied repeatedly). In the latest email, he went on to criticize the board for failing to uphold the companys famed governance standards and not creating checks and balances required in any well-run company.

I have nothing against Dr Vishal Sikka. I enjoy spending time with him. I have never commented about his strategy or its execution, Murthy wrote in the email. My problem is with governance at Infosys. I believe that the fault lies with the current board. Murthy did not name the two other independent directors who do not have confidence in Sikka, who took over as CEO in August 2014.

Murthy did not respond to repeated requests for comment over email, phone calls and text messages.

Venkatesan declined to comment

Infosys did not respond to specific questions related to Murthys claims but reiterated that there had been no wrongdoing.

The board member who confirmed the contents of the mail also confirmed a separate email written by Murthy on July 8, highlighting several reasons why the board of Infosys should make reports of all investigations into various issues raised by whistle blowers public. One of these had to do with alleged irregularities in the acquisition of Panaya by Infosys. The board member declined to elaborate further, but shared Venkatesans reply to Murthy on July 14 that said there had been no wrongdoing.

On Thursday, Infosys said: Each of the professional, exhaustive, expensive and time consuming investigations unequivocally found that the complaints were false and that there was no evidence whatsoever of wrongdoing. The Board has described the results of those investigations publicly, and most recently, on June 23, 2017 released publicly a report by Gibson Dunn, the investigating firm, that investigated the allegations (including alleged improprieties in the acquisition of Panaya) made by an anonymous complainant to SEBI in February 2017. The report was addressed to the Audit Committee and summarized their findings that there was no wrongdoing.

It added: The Board welcomes feedback, input, and criticism regarding substantive matters, but it denounces the repeated and unfounded personal attacks on Dr Sikka and the members of the Board. The Board will continue to judge itself, management and the Company based on substantive performance as established by demonstrable evidence, and not on unsubstantiated complaints by anonymous persons or media reports of statements made by critics who promote or rely on incorrect information.
Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka has announced his resignation following differences with some founders of the company, including NR Narayana Murthy.

The Infosys board of directors accepted Sikkas resignation and appointed UB Pravin Rao as interim CEO and managing director, a company statement said.

Hours after Sikka announced his resignation, two business leaders tweeted about Sikkas resignation in rare public reactions by corporate biggies over matters of disputes at a top firm.

Harsh Goenka, chairman of the $3.1 billion (revenue) RPG Group, tweeted: To run an organisation effectively you need to humour and understand the axis of power. PM knows its the public and RSS. Cyrus, Sikka didnt.

Cyrus Mistry was ousted as chairman of Tata Sons in a boardroom coup in October last year after the company criticised his performance.

Post demonetisation, old sikkas not working. Vishal change in Infosys. Old guard wins, Goenka added in another tweet.

Sikka said he was leaving because of a continuous stream of distractions and disruptions that were hindering management of the company. He was the first non-founder CEO of the Bengaluru-based company. He joined Infosys in 2014.

Anand Mahindra, executive chairman of the Mahindra Group who tweets frequently and is followed by five million people, posted: Crises are like a furnace that forges more durable steel. Infy is iconic & will always have people cheering for it. I certainly will..

Murthy and some other founders recently complained over salary issues and large compensation packages paid to some senior employees who had quit the company.

The company said Sikka was made an executive vice-chairman. He will stay in that capacity until a new permanent CEO and managing director takes charge by March 31.

Many Twitter users supported Sikka over the issue as they reacted to Goenkas tweet:

Even in today's corporate world, there is no freedom to the BOD, everything has to be sanctioned by the founders. Classical Irony!  Divyu Hira Nandani (@divyu_hira) August 18, 2017

Hope #Infosys ne kuch Sikkha hoga  Vivek Sarnobat (@vivek1312) August 18, 2017

Same with Tata's. It is like with the Casinos. The house always wins.  Mayur Shetty TOI (@mayurshetty01) August 18, 2017

Shares fell as Sikkas resignation sent the stock tumbling. Infosys shares fell as much 9.4% to their lowest since June 28, on way to their steepest intraday percentage loss since April 2013.

TV Mohandas Pai, former CFO of Infosys and former board member, told CNBC-TV18 there were several corporate governance issues that couldnt be brushed under the carpet. Vishal did well in the first two years but I think it was not working out, he said. You cannot take compensation for yourself and top 20 people and not pay others who deliver and get the revenue. There was a considerable amount of unhappiness among the employees, he added.

With inputs from Reuters
Telecom operators may face a maximum penalty of Rs 10 lakh for call drops which will now be measured at mobile tower level instead of telecom circle, as per the new quality of service rules issued by regulator TRAI on Friday.

We have proposed financial disincentive in the range of Rs 1-5 lakh. It is a graded penalty system depending on the performance of a network, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chairman RS Sharma told reporters in New Delhi.

TRAI secretary in-charge SK Gupta said if an operator fails to meet call drop benchmark in consecutive quarters, the penalty amount will be increased 1.5 times and in the third consecutive quarter it will doubled.

However, there is cap of Rs 10 lakh on financial disincentive, Gupta said.

Under the previous quality of service rules, penalty on call drop was Rs 1 lakh per violation and could go up to Rs 2 lakh in case of third subsequent violation.

The new rules will come into effect from October 1.

Sharma told reporters that the previous rules did not address temporary issues in telecom network like non- functioning of mobile towers or geographical issues like network quality in an under-served town.

The average taken at circle level would hide many things. It did not take care of temporary or spatial problems. Therefore, we have decided that 90% BTSs (base transceiver station) should meet 2% call drop benchmark (in a quarter), Sharma said.

Similarly, he said, call drop during 97% of time should not be more than 3% on 90% of mobile sites in a telecom circle during peak hours of the day.

The TRAI also fixed benchmark for radio-link time out technology (RLT)- allegedly used by operators for masking call drops.

RLT is used for continuation of a call in case a subscriber is moving or is in base network area for short period. It is the time used for connecting call of a subscriber from one mobile tower to another.

RLT parameter can be in range of 4 to 64 but the regulator has said telecom operators increasing it beyond 48 will have to explain reason for increasing RLT level.

Telecom operators body COAI said that it is still studying the voluminous amendment with multiple recommendations in the new regulations, adding that consumer experience is key for the industry and new rules are in place to ensure that the operators remain fully compliant.

However, it must be noted that the quality of service provided by a network is beyond the absolute control of a network service provider, COAI director general Rajan S Mathews said.

He said that the quality of service available from a network is dependent on a number of extraneous factors which may not only be environmental such as the number of users accessing the network at that time, area covered by the base station, whether the customer is indoors or outdoors etc.

Over and above this, issues like Right-of-Way and misinformation amongst citizens around EMF emission issues are still major problems, refusing to die down, preventing TSPs from accessing crucial sites for seamless connectivity. The courts have also recognised the challenges on this front faced by the operators, Mathews said.
Infosys Ltd faults what it termed founder NR Narayana Murthys continuous assault and misguided campaign as the primary reason behind the abrupt exit of chief executive Vishal Sikka.

Mr. Murthys continuous assault, including this latest letter, is the primary reason that the CEO, Dr. Vishal Sikka, has resigned despite strong board support, said a statement by Infosys to the stock exchange on Friday. Mr. Murthys campaign against the board and the company has had the unfortunate effect to undermine the companys efforts to transform itself. The board has been engaged in a dialogue with the founder to resolve his concerns over the course of a year, trying earnestly to find feasible solutions within the boundaries of law and without compromising its independence. These dialogues have unfortunately not been successful

In a scathing six-page letter to the stock exchange, Infosys said that the board believed it should set the record straight on the false and misleading charges made by Murthy because the founders actions and demands are damaging the company.

The board declines to speculate about Mr. Murthys motive for carrying out this campaign, including the latest letter.

Infosys declined to state which letter it is referring but Murthy claimed in an email, dated 9 August, to some of his advisers that he had been told by at least three independent directors of the company that Vishal Sikka was more chief technology officer (CTO) material than chief executive officer (CEO) material.

All that I hear from at least three independent directors, including Mr Ravi Venkatesan (co-chairman), are complaints about Dr Sikka. They have told me umpteen times that Dr Sikka is not a CEO material but CTO material. This is the view of at least three members of the board, and not my view since I have not seen him operate from the vantage point of an Infosys board member, Murthy said in the email.

This development, according to people familiar with the development, could possibly make it difficult for Murthy to return to the company.

The same news of Rajiv (Bansal; the former CFO) separation, Panaya acquisition, over and over and over and over again gets published. And it is sickening. Im here in California and every time you wake up in the morning, and you read that, and then you say this is too much. It makes it difficult to bring about a change culture, said Sikka in an investor call with analysts on Friday. All this slows down your ability to bring about a change

It is a disservice to the company as it creates a negative environment and I had two long meetings with Ravi (Venkatesan; co-chairman) over the last couple of months. Sesh (R Seshsayee; chairman) has been here in Palo (Alto) and I met with him with six or seven times. And like Ravi said this morning we came to this conclusion this morning, and I told him, I just could not do this anymore

Mint is reaching out to Murthy and will update this article with his response soon.
The promoter-versus-outsider debate has returned to the fore on running a blue-chip enterprise in India with experts blaming differences between the top management and some founders for Vishal Sikka quitting as Infosys CEO.

Sikka took charge as Infosys first non-founder CEO in 2014, prior to which the top post at the company was held by one or other founders of the countrys second largest IT firm.

The company announced on Friday a surprise resignation by 50 -year-old Sikka, who cited a continuous stream of distractions and disruptions for his decision, while the Infosys board was direct in blaming continuous assault and campaign by founder and ex-chairman NR Narayana Murthy.

This is the second high profile exit of an outsider from the top post of a big enterprise in India, after Cyrus Mistry was removed as the head of the over USD 100 billion Tata group.

While Mistrys family has a significant stake in Tata Sons, the groups holding company, he was still seen as a non-Tata. The main reason cited for his exit by several experts was differences with Ratan Tata.

Tata group has appointed N Chandrasekaran, again a non- Tata but a long-timer at the group firm TCS, as its new chief.

A large number of Indian blue-chips are run by promoter family members and include Bajaj, Hero Group, Bharti, Mahindras, Dr Reddys, Lupin and Sun Pharma.

While several of these appoint professional outsiders as CEOs and for other top positions, the top-most executive positions (including Executive Chairperson) are held by the promoters.

At the same time, there are also large groups like ICICI, HDFC, ITC, L&T and Axis Bank where the top-management positions are held by non-promoters and for several years together without any disruptions in several of such cases.

At several family-run companies, children are seen to be groomed as successors and some of the examples include both the Reliance groups, Wipro, Godrej Cipla and Adani.

While 70-year-old Narayana Murthys son Rohan Murthy was also associated with Infosys for a while, the IT czar asserted on Friday he is not seeking any money, position for children, or power and his concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance at Infosys.

Still, several experts and industry leaders opined it was the differences between the promoters and the top management that led to Sikkas exit.

Entrepreneur and Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted that it is a low point in the history of Infosys and it is inconceivable that a professional CEO appointed by the board and shareholders will be hounded out.

Industrialist Harsh Goenka tweeted, To run an organisation effectively you need to humour and understand the axis of power... Cyrus, Sikka didnt.

Investor advisory firm IiAS said transitioning from a promoter led culture to a professionally managed company is a challenge - for both the company as well as the professional manager.

HDFC Securities V K Sharma said Sikkas exit draws a long-drawn out boardroom battle to a close.

While the company did better than the industry during Sikkas tenure, it was no where near achieving Sikkas own USD 20 billion target by 2020. The forthcoming buyback may delay the stock from falling more, he said.

Sharma said Sikkas allegation that he was continuously being distracted does not wash as he had long enough a honeymoon period to make his mark.

Sikkas resignation also led to Infosys stock plunging sharply and the companys market valuation saw an erosion of over Rs 22,000 crore.

V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said the market has signalled its displeasure with the stock tanking by 10 per cent, but this unfortunate incident might turn out to be an opportunity if the board quickly finds a new CEO who can lead from the front without disruptions from the promoters.
Vishal Sikka has resigned as managing director and chief executive of Infosys, blaming a continuous stream of distractions and disruptions for his decision.

Sikka, a former member of the executive board at German software firm SAP, took the top job at Infosys in 2014, becoming the first CEO not to be a founder. However, soon he was in troubled waters. Sore points between the Infosys board and the companys founders included corporate governance and Sikkas salary.

Here are key points to know about Sikkas controversial stint as Infosys boss:

1. Infosys legendary founder NR Narayana Murthy claimed in an email to some of his advisors that he had been told by at least three independent directors of the company that Sikka was more chief technology officer (CTO) material than CEO material, Mint reported on Thursday.

2. Murthy has publicly lambasted Infosys in the past six to seven months for lapses in corporate governance (allegations the company has denied repeatedly). He criticised the board for failing to uphold the companys governance standards and not creating checks and balances required in any well-run company.

3. A Hindustan Times report in February noted that Sikka had changed the way Infosys works: overhauling the organisational structure, increasing the thrust on artificial intelligence and setting the goal for 2020: achieve $20 billion in revenue at 30 per cent net margin (23 per cent) and revenue per employee of $80,000 ($49,000).

4. A Mint report in August noted that Infosys was in a Mexican stand-off between founder-promoters, led by Murthy and the companys board (led by R Seshasayee) and management led by Sikka. Sikka and Murthy have not met or spoken for close to five months, the report said.

5. A Mint report says 10 senior level executives holdind the rank of associate vice president and above have quit since March 2017 last year.

6. Infosys had an ambitious target of more than doubling its revenue to $20 billion by March 2021, but the companys 2016-17 annual report made no mention of the targeted goals, not even as a footnote.

7. But Sikka did deliver: Since outlining this target, Sikka steered Infosys to dollar revenue growth of 9.1% in 2015-16 and 7.4% in 2016-17. A Mint report notes that for the second consecutive year, Infosys will grow faster than rivals TCS and Wipro.

8. Infosys was once the poster boy of the $140 billion IT industry, but TCS, Wipro, Cognizant, and other companies have chipped off its clients. Sikka was transforming the company towards areas of automation, internet of things, and analytics. I am a kshatriya warrior. I am here to stay and fight, he said in a TV interview in February.

9. It is true that I could be doing a far less stressful job for far more money much more easily. There is no doubt about that, Sikka told Hindustan Times in an interview last year.
Vishal Sikkas surprise resignation as Infosys CEO threw markets off-track on Friday as the Sensex careened off 271 points while the Nifty managed to end above 9,800.

The fast-paced developments at Indias second-largest IT firm were the talking point throughout as the stock took a severe beating dragging down the markets. It ended up as the biggest loser on the 30-share Sensex map -- sinking as much as 9.60% to Rs 923.10, the lowest since May 2, 2017. Intra-day, it had even hit a 52-week low, but then recovered somewhat.

The companys market valuation slumped Rs 22,518.98 crore to Rs 2,12,033.02 crore.

Moreover, a deadly attack in Spain and growing concerns over the direction of US President Donald Trumps economic agenda cast a long shadow, analysts said.

After three straight sessions of gains, the Sensex opened lower and dropped further before ending down 270.78 points, or 0.85%, at 31,524.68. It had rallied 581.87 points in the previous three sessions.

Weighed down by the IT index, the 50-share Nifty too closed lower 66.75 points, or 0.67%, at 9,837.40. During the session, it shuttled between 9,783.65 and 9,865.95.

For the week, both Sensex and Nifty recorded gains of 311.09 points, or 0.99%, and 126.60 points, or 1.30%. This is markets sixth weekly rise in seven.

Markets slid due to the unprecedented exit of Infosys CEO, which put investors and stakeholders in doldrums. On the global front, investors were jittery on account of a terrorist attack in Europe, which also dampened sentiment, said Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Financial Services Ltd.

Persistent capital outflows by foreign institutional investors, who have been selling for the past six straight days, and the end of the quarterly earnings season amid absence of any positive trigger hastened the downfall.

The broader markets too cracked, with BSE small- and mid-cap indices ending in the red.

Other scrips that contributed to the overall slide were Sun Pharma, NTPC, HDFC and Coal India which fell by up to 3.81%.

Buying in Hindustan Unilever, PowerGrid, TCS, Bharti Airtel, ITC, RIL and M&M arrested the fall.

The BSE IT index burnt its fingers as the worst performer, down 3.53%. The weakness in technology, healthcare and realty indices only made things worse.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) remained net sellers offloading shares worth Rs 981.05 crore while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 828.59 crore on Thursday, showed provisional data.

Other Asian markets finished lower. European stocks also moved down in their early session.
In 2014, Vishal Sikka moved into the Infosys corner room that was once occupied by NR Narayana Murthy and became the first non-founder CEO of Infosys. Three years later, Sikka abruptly resigned on Friday amid reports of deep divisions on the Infosys board and questions about Sikkas future at the company.

The kshatriya warrior  Vishal Sikka calls himself one  changed many things at Infosys: he overhauled the organisational structure, increased the thrust on artificial intelligence and based on this laid down Vision 2020.

His experiences include research in artificial intelligence, intelligent systems, programming languages and models, and information management.

Sikka was ranked 39th in India Today magazines list of 50 most powerful people in India because as the first person in Infosys 35-year history brought in to lead from outside, he scripted a successful turnaround for the company... 

Before Infosys, Sikka held various roles at SAP for 12 years, leading all products and technologies, including all of product development and driving innovation.

But Sikka had wanted to leave SAP because he wanted to move on with his life after a 2008 accident in Costa Rica where he was vacationing with his family, the Business Standard said. Eventually, he created one of SAPs most successful products after the founder Hasso Plattner gave him a free hand to renew the company. According to reports, the German companys fortunes peaked under Sikkas leadership and plunged after he left the company.

Sikka worked at Xeroxs research Palo Alto Labs before he founded two companies -- iBrain with his brother, and Bodha.com. He became the vice president for Platform Technologies after the acquisition of his startups.

Sikka received his BS in Computer Science from Syracuse University and has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford University, his profile said on the Infosys website.

Sikka introduces himself as a husband, dad, son, brother, friend, student on his Twitter profile before mentioning Infosys. In a blog post, he said his wife -- who jokingly calls him a fake punjabi -- was his anchor, companion and his compass. Her singular support, strength, dedication, selflessness and passion have reminded me of what unquestioned support is all about, what love means and makes us do.

The former Infosys CEOs blog Timelessness features an occasional poem and a tribute for his mother. One of his pieces from November 2014 reads:

In the moment

With its momentum

The rain drop slides down the window

Purposeful, making its way to its potential

Does it know it is the rain?
Last year, a young Chinese citizen and I were trying to connect for a conversation. Skype seemed to be the most convenient medium, although once our chat commenced, she started apologising. That was not just for the quality of the connection, which kept dropping as during a cellphone conversation in Delhi. It was also because she had to use a virtual private network since she was in Beijing and foreign-owned instant messaging services are considered illegal there. The virtual private network (VPN), anonymising her local network, bypassed that block. This year, we wouldnt be able to re-connect on Skype, since VPNs are now blocked by China. Obviously, VPNs with their ability to circumvent the Chinese checkers and gatekeepers of the Great Firewall, allowed access to content that the Communists find abhorrent, like those about same-sex relationships.

Silicon Valleys behemoths that have been at the forefront of social justice combat in the United States, have happily capitulated before Beijing as is their collective track record since the advent of the Web. Freedom of expression, in their corporate calculus, is an optional extra, one, that at times is unaffordable.

But in coddling the Chinese censor, they compensate by getting a little more strident where free speech is protected. These are, obviously, democracies, like the US, Canada and India, three countries where Ive spent the majority of my life. As a journalist, Ive found each of their leaders has attracted less than laudatory lines, though the current US President, Donald Trump, has taken that to another level.

As India celebrated the 70th year of its freedom, it has largely maintained the part of its destiny that relates to being home to particularly argumentative people. Social media have amplified that noisy contest for duelling ideas, even if trolls go to war with weaponised words. In the US, Trump attracts historic opprobrium. Even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a global liberal darling, isnt exempt from extreme opinions, both of the fawning and flaming varieties.

Which is great, actually. The thing about democracy is that its an equal opportunity offender; it often leaves half, sometimes more, of the population miserable. And the volume of that angst has been pumped up recently. This right to debate and dissent exists in exactly one system.

As British author EM Forster wrote in What I Believe: Two Cheers for Democracy: one because it admits variety and two because it permits criticism. Two cheers are quite enough: there is no occasion to give three. And it offers plenty of latitude for jeers, as with the righteous chorus of outrage against the neo-Nazi extremists storming Charlottesville, Virginia.

This, then is a pause for praise before returning to our regularly planned panning. And relief that residents of democracies dont often require VPNs to get their messages across. Today, I will take a deep breath and thank a system that allows me the space to vent; tomorrow, I can do just that, if I so wish.

Anirudh Bhattacharyya is a Toronto-based commentator on American affairs

The views expressed are personal

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The Uttarakhand governments growth strategy will now revolve around BJP icon Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyays philosophy of antyodaya that means upliftment of the societys weakest section, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said on Friday.

Welfare of the poorest is the essence of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyays philosophy of antyodaya and ekatma manavvad (integral humanism), Rawat said at an event hosted at his official residence here to mark Upadhyays birth centenary.

All the schemes and projects that we will introduce in the coming five years would be based on his (Upadhyay) philosophy, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi often reiterates that his government is dedicated to the welfare of the poorest of the poor, Rawat said.

The BJP is celebrating 2017 as the birth centenary year of Upadhyay across the country.

Before Upadhyay emerged on the scene, only two economic thoughts  capitalism and communism or socialism - ruled the roost and they both were imported philosophies, he said.

Conversely, economic and cultural philosophy he (Upadhyay) introduced during his lifetime was a philosophy that was not only humane but was also rooted in our cultural ethos, Rawat said.

The Rawat government had named a key scheme  Maire Bujurga Maire Teerth after the party ideologue. Introduced by the previous Congress government, under the scheme free pilgrimage is organised for citizens above 60 to the Chardham - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yomnotri shrines.

Likewise all fresh schemes meant for the poor as well as institutions and offices would now be named after him, BJP state unit president Ajay Bhatt told HT, referring to Upadhyay.

He said the BJP was also celebrating Upadhyays birth centenary year as Gareeb Kalyan Varsha, a year dedicated to the poor. Our (Rawat) government has therefore spared 3/4th of its annual budget for the welfare schemes meant for the poorest of the poor, Bhatt said.

Political observers though see nothing unusual in the ruling BJP naming welfare schemes after Upadhyay. There is nothing unusual about the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state naming welfare schemes or institutions after the leaders of the ruling party, said Prof MM Semwal of HNB Garhwal (central) University.

Before that the Congress which was ruling at the Centre and in the state also did the same.

Prof LM Joshi of Kumaon University described the ruling partys move of naming its welfare schemes after Upadhyay as something like putting old wine into new bottles.

What they are doing is something like that because Upadhyays economic philosophy is similar to that of the Congress Nehruvian model of development, which was also based on the philosophy of socialism, he told Hindustan Times.

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Myanmar National Airlines (MNA), a state-owned airline, will extend wing to China's Chengdu, a report quoted a chief executive officer of the airline as reporting Friday.

The planned schedule-flight will be introduced in addition to 26 domestic destinations and some international routes including Singapore, China's Hong Kong, Bangkok, Chaing Mai and Gaya, MNA Chief Executive Officer U Than Tun said.

With Boeing 737-800 aircraft, MNA launched its first international flight to Singapore in August 2015, followed by the second to China's Hong Kong in December the same year and to Bangkok in February 2016.

The country's oldest airline, founded in 1948, carried out reforms in 2015, expanding its regional and foreign destinations in a bid to keep up with international airlines flying between international airports of Myanmar.

MNA was renamed from state-run Myanmar Airways (MA) in December 2014 after corporatization.

Domestic private airlines in operation in Myanmar have reached eight, while foreign airlines that fly Myanmar remain as 24, according to figures so far available.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi reached his alma mater The Doon School on Friday where his nephew Raihan Vadra was chairing the Lok Sabha at the 11th Doon School Model United Nations (DSMUN) Conference.

Raihan, Rahuls sister Priyanka Vadras son, is heading the Lok Sabha  one of the 14 committees at the conference, an educational simulation of the United Nations where students debate contemporary issues.

More than 500 delegates from over 40 schools across three countries are participating in the three-day conference that commenced on Friday. The programme was kept out of bounds for the media.

It was a private visit for (Rahul) Gandhi who attended the DSMUN in which his nephew (a Class 12 humanities student) is participating, a school official told HT.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi arrived at the Jollygrant airport to a rousing welcome by a large number of Congress leaders and workers. From there, he left straight for the school. He was accompanied by his sister.

Both Priyanka and Rahul had lunch on the campus and then took a tour around the school, which is set in the (69-acre) Chandbagh Estate, a source at the school told HT.

Raihan is not only bright academically, but is also active outside the classroom and loves photography and shooting its his last year at the school so Rahul decided to visit him, the source said.

Interestingly, the Lok Sabha committee led by Raihan is discussing two hotly debated topics of contemporary India - demonetisation of two high value bank notes by the Centre in November and Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalises homosexuality.

He may not be a politician yet, but for the conference, Raihan advised student parliamentarians to find acceptable solutions to the problems faced by the people, while keeping in mind all sections of society and upholding Indias constitutional values.

As representatives of the people, it is our duty to espouse their causes while balancing political reality, Raihan was quoted as saying on the DSMUN 2017 portal.

According to the sources, Rahul Gandhi kept his visit a very low-profile one and went about strolling the campus in a relaxed mood. He witnessed discussions by various student committees.

Late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhis father, too had studied at The Doon School. Raihan, who had joined in 2013, founded and manages a youth parliament and also co-authored a research paper on the Well Being Index for India.

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The union department of economic affairs gave the go-ahead on Thursday to a project for conserving snow leopards in higher reaches of Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.

The project titled SECURE (Securing Livelihoods, Conservation, Sustainable Use and Restoration of High Range Himalayan Ecosystem) has got a funding of USD 12 million (nearly Rs 77 crore) from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The four states will get funds for three main components -- securing livelihood opportunities of people residing in snow leopard-dominated habitat, conserving the habitat and protection of the endangered species.

After a meeting with the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) on August 16 over the plan of action and constitution of committees for its implementation, the project was presented before the department of economic affairs for final clearance as foreign funding was involved.

Uttarakhand will get Rs 24 crore under the project, officials said. The project was cleared for funding and now we will start working on conserving the high-altitude species, Digvijay Singh Khati, Uttarakhand chief wildlife warden who participated in the two-day meeting in Delhi, told Hindustan Times.

In February 2016, HT reported findings of a 2015 survey in which evidence of snow leopards presence was found in six valleys in the hill state. No direct evidence was, however, reported.

The project will mainly focus on Gangotri-Govind landscape; Darma-Byans landscape will also be covered.

Uttarakhand does not have major potential threats to snow leopard as compared to other Himalayan states. We will work on the guidelines and components provided to us for bettering the habitat of the species, said Dhananjai Mohan, additional principal chief conservator of forest (APCCF) who is nominated as the state coordinator for the project.

The 2015 survey did not give an estimation of the elusive big cat; officials plan to conduct a rigorous exercise for understanding its population.

The 15-day survey done for understanding the habitat of snow leopard was based on indirect evidence. With this project, we will able to do a comprehensive analysis of the population estimation, Mohan said.

A 2013 report of the Wildlife Institute of India estimated 200-600 snow leopards in Uttarakhand. Over 15 snow leopards were camera-trapped by the forest department and WII in Uttarakhand -- 14 were from Gangotri landscape -- between 2000 and 2015.

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A 33-year-old woman executive at a hotel in Delhis Aerocity has accused the hotels security manager of molesting and trying to disrobe her on her birthday late last month.

The incident occurred inside the hotels CCTV room and was captured by a CCTV camera. The woman alleged that she complained to the hotels HR officials, but instead of acting against the security manager, they sacked her. The woman then approached the police with a complaint on August 1.

Police finally arrested the man on Friday after TV news channels ran a video of the alleged molestation. The accused was arrested on Friday and produced in a court. He was granted bail by the court, said Dependra Pathak, Delhi Police spokesperson.

Delhi: Security Manager of a 5-star hotel in Aerocity allegedly molested a woman staff on July 29, case registered. (CCTV) pic.twitter.com/xSayblDsp0  ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2017

The victim, who worked on the front desk of the hotel, has told police that the hotels security manager had been pressuring her to establish physical relations with him for quite some time, but she had rejected his advances.

One evening late last month, on her birthday, the security chief approached her and allegedly offered to buy her a gift. When she refused the offer, he allegedly pulled her by her saree in front of another male employee.

The CCTV footage showed the security officer seated on a wheeled-chair suddenly pulling her by her saree. But she managed to keep him away after a brief tussle. When the male employee left the room, the security manager allegedly proposed that she should spend the night with him in the hotel.

The woman alleged that when she left the hotel, the man accosted her in his car some distance away and tried to forcibly pull her in. However, the woman managed to escape again. Police say they have the footage of this too and are analysing it.

The woman said once she got rid of the security manager that evening, she called the hotels assistant manager of the human resource department to inform about the alleged harassment. But the HR officials allegedly did not act on her complaint and instead sacked her on Thursday afternoon.

I was summoned by the HR department on Thursday afternoon and informed that I was being terminated from job. They did not offer any reason when I asked them on what basis they were sacking me. I resisted their action and said I would neither take the termination letter, nor resign, but the HR ordered that I be made to leave the hotel building, the woman told Hindustan Times over phone.

But a spokesperson of the hotel claimed that the woman was never fired from job. She has stopped reporting to duty for the last three-four days, the spokesperson said, adding that the accused security manager was suspended the very next day after the woman approached the police.

The accused has been booked for sexual harassment, stalking and assaulting a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty.
A week after the National Green Tribunal in an interim order banned plastic bags less than 50 microns, civic bodies and other government agencies finally cracked down on the citys markets from Thursday.

Nearly 200 kilos of plastic bags were seized by the civic bodies and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). The South Delhi civic body collected Rs 75,000 by penalising vendors and traders.

Sources said that the drive would continue as the agencies would have to submit their Action Taken Report to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee next Friday.

Four teams fanned out in NDMC area and seized 25 kilos of plastic from Gole Market, Khanna Market, Udayan Marg among others. A special drive would be conducted in the Sarojini Nagar market, which is the biggest market in the NDMC area, said a spokesperson of NDMC

The north Delhi municipal body seized around 150 kilos of plastic bags. While around 80 kilos were sized from Azadpur mandi area, 70 kg of polythene bags were seized by Sadar Pahar Ganj Zone staff.

Our teams issued challans to 32 vendors and recovered 17 kg of plastic from them. While 17 were court challans, rest were fined Rs 5,000 each for possessing the banned product. An amount of R 75,000 recovered from them, said senior SDMC official.

Sources said that as soon as the drive started, distributors started resisting and gathered in large numbers. Civic officials had to take the help of local police.

Read: NGT bans use of plastic bags of less than 50 microns in Delhi

We are not against the orders but ideally the civic agency should have informed the shopkeepers before penalising them, said Mahesh Sharma, owner of a coffee shop at Yusuf Saria Market who was issued a challan.

Plastic manufacturers claimed that civic agencies should carry better tools to prove that the plastic is below 50 microns. The NDMC is planning to purchase four screw gauges.

We know how to identify plastic less than 50 micros. If 200 bags could be accommodated within one centimetre, then each bag will be equal to 50 microns. But we would still carry screw gauges to measure the width, said an official of north Delhi civic body.

Read: NGT ban on plastic bags: Delhi cannot afford to falter on implementation of order

Rajesh Mittal, member, Plastic Manufacturers and Traders Association in Delhi said that agencies need to start action drive against illegal manufactures so that production is stopped.

Earlier in 2009 when the Delhi High Court had issued order, the drive was only carried out by the environment department in some malls. But this time it is a concerted effort and markets are being targeted. It is a welcome move, said Vinod Jain of TAPAS who had played a leading role in 2009 and took the matter to court.
Extension being granted to senior officials posted in municipal corporations on deputation has triggered concerns in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi. The party leaders are not pleased with the way top municipal functionaries are approving continuation of service without having consultation with the leadership.

Recently, three leaders of EDMC  Mayor, Leader of House, and a senior member of the standing committee  jointly approved extension for a senior official, who is currently posted on deputation since 2015. Even, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari was not aware of the development, said a senior party functionary.

Sources said around two dozen officers in North and South Delhi Municipal Corporations have been continuing in the same department despite the directives by the top leadership.

A senior Delhi BJP leader said the party has taken strong exception of the development and is contemplating ways to rein in those councillors on key positions, who are allegedly defying the directions of the leadership.

There were clear directives from the party that no officer on deputation should be given time after three years of service and those who are posted in particular department for more than three years should be moved out. We had denied tickets to all sitting councillors in view of rampant corruption allegations in three municipalities. The idea was to bring clean administration and weed out corrupt practices. But their action is against the partys policy, he said.

Neema Bhagat, EDMC Mayor told HT if the tensure of any officer who is long serving in the corporation had been extended, she will look into the matter.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said there is clear-cut policy for posting and transfer for clean and transparent civic administration and there will be no compromise on the issue of corruption. Soon after the election results, I had made my intension clear that there will be no room for corruption. We had said no extension will be given to officers who have completed their terms of deputation, he said.

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Delhi governments proposal to take over 449 private unaided schools, after they failed to refund excess fee charged from parents despite government orders, will not impact the current students and teachers directly, officials said.

The proposal, if approved by the Lieutenant Governor, will allow the schools to first reply to a show cause notice in two weeks on why the school should not be taken over by the government.

Schools also have the option of going to the court to get a stay on the matter.

Atishi Marlena, adviser to the education minister Manish Sisodia, said the government takeover of the schools will initially be for one year, and later this period can be extended to three years, if deemed necessary.

She said the students and teachers will not be directly impacted by the change as academics will continue as it is.

The teachers will remain same and so will be other academic matters. There will be no change in the fee. Only the management will be taken over by the government to take care of the financial issues of the school, she said.

Marlena said after taking the school, the government will settle the finances and see if there is a need to continue with the takeover or allow the management to come back.

Only in cases where the management does reclaim the school, will the government stay. Otherwise, it is a temporary measure, she said.

Reverse swing: 900 students choose this Delhi govt school over private ones

However, private schools said the move was impractical and impossible. SK Bhattacharya, president of Action Committee Unaided Recognized Private School, an umbrella body of private schools, said, It will only happen if the schools dont comply with the order. But is it even possible for the government to take over so many schools? It is impractical and only a move to threaten the schools, he said.

Bhattacharya said schools should refund any excess fee charged from parents but, that needs to be calculated properly. If there are some grievances of the schools then it should be taken into account.

The schools, which include some of the top schools in Delhi, had charged increased fee from parents on the pretext of implementing sixth pay commission in 2008.

But a high court-appointed committee found the hike to be unreasonable and recommended that the hiked fee be refunded to parents along with a 9% interest.

The government has been issuing orders to these schools to refund the fee but with no results so now the government has proposed to take them over. The proposal has been sent to the L-G for approval.
A Nigerian man fell from the fourth floor of a south Delhi building on Friday afternoon and died, apparently trying to evade arrest after a police team raided the house for narcotics.

Police said 25 kilos of Ketamine, a drug believed to induce a trance effect, were found during a search.

The seized contraband could fetch Rs 20 crore in the clandestine international drug market.

Police said inquest proceedings were initiated for 40-year-old Cyprian Ama Ogbonnaya, a native of Nigeria, though no FIR was registered over his death.

Ogbonnaya fell to his death in Phase-1 of Chhatarpur Enclave around 12.15pm.

The deputy commissioner of Delhi Polices special cell, Pramod Kushwaha, said a team was sent to the neighbourhood following a tip-off that drugs were stored and peddled from a building.

A head constable was sent as a decoy customer during the raid.

Ogbonnaya, who was with two women from his country, was allegedly talking to the staff of a local restaurant when he sensed that police were heading for his room.

He must have been taken by surprise. There was no escape route. So, he jumped off a window without grills, said an investigator.

In the past too Nigerian drug dealers in the city have jumped off buildings to flee, he added.

A woman with Ogbonnaya tried to jump after him, but police stopped her. The two women were arrested on the charge of drug peddling.

The fatal jump was captured by a CCTV camera and witnessed by locals, said Dependra Pathak, the police spokesperson.

He also clarified that the police team had no hand in the mans death.

Eyewitnesses reaffirmed the police version. I was standing outside my building when I noticed the man jump off the window. He was wearing a helmet. But midway he hit an airconditioner and his helmet came off, said Suresh, a resident of the area.

He then landed on the floor. His right hand was fractured and he was muttering something I could not understand.

Deputy commissioner Kushwaha said the injured Nigerian was taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre in a police van, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Students of East Delhi had reason to rejoice as the Delhi government on Friday inaugurated the east Delhi campus of the Delhi Technological University in Vivek Vihar Phase-2.

Education minister Manish Sisodia said this is just the beginning and another campus, offering technical and engineering courses, will soon be set up in Khichripur.

Higher educational institutions can be a rarity in east Delhi, with most colleges concentrated in north and south Delhi. There are a few off-campus Delhi University colleges in east Delhi, and four of these are fully funded by the Delhi government while a fifth receives 5% of its funds from the government.

The Delhi government also has Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) in the area  in Nand Nagri, Khichripur, Shahdara and Vivek Vihar.

Until now, people thought of going to the north or south Delhi campus, but today is the beginning of when people will start saying go to the east Delhi campus. Residents of east Delhi can proudly say that even we have a campus, said Ram Niwas Goel, Delhi Assembly speaker and MLA from east Delhis Shahdara, while addressing the gathering.

The east campus of the DTU currently offers two undergraduate courses BA(Hons) Economics and BBA  and an MBA programme. The UG courses have 120 seats each, while the MBA programme has 60.

Next year, we are planning to introduce more MBA programmes, with an intake of 60 each, in public policy, data analytics, family business and entrepreneurship, marketing, and financial markets, said Yogesh Singh, vice-chancellor, DTU.

Singh said a new building is expected to be constructed in the vacant plot next to the Khichripur ITI to accommodate the new campus and may be ready by next year.

The DTU, formerly known as the Delhi College of Engineering, is expected to expand further in the coming years, with another campus in the pipeline.

This is east Delhi Campus one and East Delhi Campus two will open soon... While this will remain a centre of expertise of management and business, the other may be an engineering campus, Sisodia said.

Sisodia also said that meritorious students of the institute, who maintain a 60% grade and come from economically weaker backgrounds, will have a percentage of their fee reimbursed.

If the family income is up to Rs 6 lakh per year, 25% of the fee would be reimbursed. For those earning up to Rs 2.5 lakh a year, half the fee will be reimbursed. Those earning Rs 1 lakh or less a year will have their entire fee reimbursed.

Speaking at the inaugural function, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal set three objectives for the institute  nurture an entrepreneurial spirit in students to cultivate job creators rather than job seekers; make the institute a premier research organisation that conducts relevant studies; and elevate it to the standards of a global university.

He also asked the university officials to submit a blueprint on how they plan to accomplish the objectives within a month.
A group of seven Delhi students were allegedly attacked by some locals during a trip to Bhardwaj Lake in Asola near Delhi.

Students, who study at Jawaharlal Nehru University and St Stephens college in Delhi University, alleged that some locals roughed them up and allegedly made communal remarks. A woman who was part of the group complained that she was threatened with rape and alleged that when they approached Haryana police officials they refused to file an FIR.

A zero FIR has now been filed on the basis of her complaint at the Vasant Kunj police station, under the appropriate sections. JNUSU president Mohit Pandey said the woman is in deep trauma after the incident. Today we are going to meet Commissioner of Police in Faridabad. The girl is in deep trauma. Police is very carelessly saying that they will ask Surajkund Police station to take statements, Pandey said on Friday.

In their complaint, the students have said that the incident took place when they were on their way back on August 15 after an evening at the lake. The woman hitched a ride with two of her friends on a bike till the main road, when they were allegedly intercepted by an elderly man with lathi, who called for others to join him.

Four people tried to grab us. The guy who stopped us was drunk and asked we were doing there. The other guy slapped me and abused me, says the FIR.

The woman has alleged that she was groped and questioned about her relationship with the boys in the group. She was then allegedly dragged to a temporary shed by a man.

The other people assaulting us supported the move of the guy and advised him to forcefully push me inside the shed to rape me, the woman has said in her complaint.

Though the students managed to escape and approached the Surajkund police station, the cops allegedly refused to file their complaint.

My character was questioned by the police officials, the student has stated in the FIR. She said that they were allowed to leave only after they wrote an apology letter that had been dictated to them by the policemen.

Haryana Police has now begun probe into allegation that cops at Surajkund police station did not register case on the complaint of the students. We are investigating who was on duty at the police station and why an FIR was not registered, said Surajkund SHO Pankaj Kumar.

I have just come to know about the incident. We are investigating it, ACP NIT Shakir Hussain said, confirming that the students had visited Surajkund police station.

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Passengers travelling with Indigo, Spicejet and GoAir will have to go to Terminal 2 from October 1 for boarding their flights. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which manages Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, has written to these three airlines asking them to shift 30% of the flights to T2 by October.

Currently these airlines operate from T1 and DIAL wanted at least two of them to shift to T2 as they want to expand Terminal 1. The ministry of civil aviation had given time till July 15 to these airlines to decide the date of shifting to Terminal 2 of Delhi airport.

Airlines will have to give the details of flights they want to operate from T2 by the end of this month.

In a strong worded letter, the ministry had told airlines that if they failed to decide, they will be forced to shift out of Terminal 1, which is operating beyond its capacity.

Delhi has two operational terminals  T1 and T3. While T1 is operating beyond its capacity, T3 is also congested due to an increase in number of flights.

The capacity of Terminal 1 is 20 million while it handles 24 million passengers.

The two terminals of Delhi airport  T1 and T3  together have the capacity to handle 62 million passengers per year. It handled 55.6 million passengers in 2016 and the number is likely to cross 62 million for both the terminals this year. Against the 1050 average flight movements in a day in 2015, the number has increased to 1185 flights per day in 2017.

Terminal 2 was renovated to accommodate at least two of the three low-cost airlines operating from Delhi airports Terminal 1. International flights used to operate from T2 before T3 was commissioned in 2010. Since then T2 has been lying abandoned and was being used to only handle Haj operations once a year.

The airlines will have to decide the destination, to which they want the flight to operate from T2. Once they give us the details, we will start informing passengers accordingly, an airport official said.

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) took up the renovation work a year ago and it has been completed but airlines are reluctant to shift their fearing a rise in operational cost.

Airlines were also given the option of shifting some flights to T2 or the new flights they are planning in the future. But the deadlock, which the civil aviation minister termed as undesirable, continues.

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Your wait at the security check at Delhi airport will soon get shorter with security agencies planning to introduce new baggage roller, which will segregate the suspicious baggage from the normal ones automatically. At present, if something suspicious is noticed in the bag through baggage scanner, the machine is stopped to collect that bag manually leading to increase in waiting time at the security queue.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has proposed to introduce two-level baggage roller connected with the X-ray machines to segregate suspicious baggage.

Passenger will put baggage in the machine and if the CISF staff watching the screen notices something suspicious, he will press a button, which will send the baggage to the lower level. This way, the machine will continue to run and suspicious baggage will also be kept away from the reach of owner. There will be a separate area where baggage will automatically go for manual checking, said a CISF official, requesting anonymity.

The CISF said that such machines are used at other international airports and it will be helpful in reducing the threat and reducing the waiting time.

The check-in luggage of passenger is screened this way only. Delhi airport has a five-level in line baggage screening system where there is no manual interference. Based on the level of suspicion, the baggage goes a level up. But for the hand baggage, the system is manual and often leads to long queues, the official added.

As the passenger traffic continues to grow faster than the expected rate; the Delhi airport operator has started expansion of Terminal 3 and planned expansion of T1 in phased manner. The new equipments will also help in smooth flow of passengers.

At the security check, passengers used to complain of less space where they put the electronics in the tray. The design of that portion will be changed to accommodate more passengers, the official added.

Delhi airport currently has 130 immigration counters and about 40 security check counters at the Terminal 3. Sources said that the airport is planning to add at least 30 immigration counters at both departure and arrival while decongestion at security check will be removed through design change.

The CISF has also planned dedicated corridor and express security check for domestic travellers carrying only hand baggage to bypass check-in and security areas. The CISF plans to replicate Hyderabad airport model where express security check has been introduced. Under this set up, a passenger is frisked at the entry gate and can go straight to the boarding point bypassing check-in and security area.

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Baba Farid University of Health Sciences on Friday allotted 1,360 seats of undergraduate medical and dental studies in Punjab government institutes in the second round of counselling for state quota. The state quota, including NRI seats, has 2,255 seats  1,125 in MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) seats in eight colleges, and 1,130 in BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) in 14 colleges.

Authorities said that all seats were allotted in the first online counselling on July 24, except some of the 15% NRI quota seats in each college. During counselling for NRI seats on August 4, only 35 were filled out of the 300, including 136 MBBS seats. The vacant NRI seats in government colleges were merged with the usual state quota; in private colleges, these were merged into their management quota.

However, as some students did not take admission after opting for other courses or colleges, several seats were re-allotted to different aspirants in the second counselling. There were 500 fresh allotments  included NRI seats conevrted to general government quota  on Friday.

The preferences of colleges was already filled by candidates on the website, www.bfuhs.ac.in. The list of allotment has been put up on the site.

The university is the nodal agency for the state counselling as per the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2017. In all, the state has 85% seats in its quota including NRI seats, while the remaining are in all-India.

Meanwhile, 23 of the 75 MBBS seats under the all-India quota in three medical colleges are vacant (11 in Amritsar, 10 in Patiala, and two in Faridkot). These had been allotted before, but the students did not join by the August 16 deadline, so these are now considered surrendered. Dr Raj Bahadur, vice-chancellor, BFUHS, said, We will invite fresh applications. Students from any state will be eligible now, and we will fill these seats in the special counselling scheduled for August 26.
As students start working on their college essays, one of the more challenging ones they tend to face isnt the wacky or the emotionally searching topics. Its actually the one about giving their reasons for choosing a particular college.

Students, we work with, tend to struggle with this topic more partly because it is so open ended. The reason behind the fumble could also be the fact that students in India rarely have the chance to visit a college abroad and get a sense of what the school is really like. So when they approach this essay, students often write about mascots, professors, and clubs, and end up writing a paper that feels superficial at best.

Students struggle to make their essays distinct and original and specific and really arent sure about how to convince the school that they really do want to go there. It makes what should be a fairly simple essay far more difficult and they end up frustrated and overwhelmed, which is just another sinkhole of stress in the already overwhelming process of seeking admission.

So here are my top three tips for approaching your Why This College essays:

1. Treat the college like you would like to be treated

So often I see students prepare one essay and just cut and paste the name of the school. This is a terrible way to approach this task. First of all, imagine if the situations were reversed and your application was substituted with someone elses. You could be lumped in with 10 other people, who had the same qualifications, similar scores, similar activities, and were also from India and even from your own city or region.

How would you feel? You want the school to treat you like an individual, to learn about you and your hopes and dreams and interests. You dont want to be treated like an interchangeable unit and want to be seen as you, the unique person that you are. You should treat the school the exact same way.

When you write this essay look at what makes this school different. Every school on your list probably shares a bunch of qualities. So what makes this one unique? Its not the clubs or the classes because, frankly, most of those will be similar or the same. What is it about the school that you havent seen anywhere else? What is it about the philosophy of learning there that excites you? Does the school claim to want its students to engage strongly in the world? How does it actually do that, what programs are in place for that, and how do those excite you? Is this a program focused on interdisciplinary learning? Why does that work for you?

Drill into the bedrock of what makes this school unique and not what makes it like everything else you are looking at, and for the love of god, be specific. After all, thats what you want them to be with you.

2. Remember its not just the school but the people you will meet

So many students forget that there is going to be a whole community of people who will also attend the school with them. These people are going to be your friends, your classmates, your collaborators, your future business partners, your fellow app developers, and your colleagues. You will learn as much from your fellow students as you will from your teachers and they are going to be the people who really define your college experience and your educational environment. So thinking and writing about whom you want to meet in college, who you will have around you to inspire you and educate you about the world is really important. Who do you think this school will attract? What kind of people are you excited to be in college with? What is the average student like at this school and how does that excite you? You arent going to be in college alone. So stop writing like you are.

3. Professors come and go, schools philosophy stays the same

Students often write about professors and classes in these essays. While thats not a terrible idea, its often a little off because, frankly, professors leave a school. Unless they have tenure, chances are they might be moving on. So, if you as an applicant talk about loving this one teacher or this one class, you arent really seeing the whole picture and gushing about something that might not exist in a year. So if there is a specific program, a class thats always held, a professor who is the head of a department that you love, discuss them away but reciting names of people and courses like a list doesnt show the college that you really understand the school, it just shows that you can use a website.

This essay, in sum, should be fun. It should be a chance for you to place yourself at this amazing school and really think about what it is you love about this place you are planning to spend your four formative years in, so treat it that way. Think of it as a chance to get excited about your future and let that excitement live on the page. As long as you have that, you should be fine.

(Ganeriwala is the co-founder of Collegify. Views expressed here are personal.)
Villagers decided against paying property tax to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and also hold a demonstration at the mini secretariat on August 28 at a meeting of representatives from 46 villages at Gwal Pahari on Thursday.

Villagers claimed that since 2008 when the MCG came into existence and their land were brought within the jurisdiction of the MCG, all local panchayats were disbanded and plots land worth crores were transferred illegally.

The meeting was held at a government school in Gwal Pahari and representatives from Ghata, Bandhwari, Wazirabad, Sukhrali, Tigra and Fazilpur, apart from other villages, took part in it.

Members of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) were also present at the meeting.

Villagers were unanimous in their decision that they wont pay property tax to the MCG, as the latter does not have a rightful claim to their plots.

The MCG is attempting to exploit villagers by charging property tax. This injustice will not be tolerated at any cost. No one can be strong-armed into paying taxes, Rajaram, the chief of the panchayat at Bandhwari before the area was brought within the MCGs jurisdiction.

We are currently sealing properties of property tax defaulters across the city and since these areas also fall under the MCG, property owners arent exempted from paying taxes, SS Rohilla, spokesperson, MCG, said.

Despite repeated calls, MCG commissioner V Umashankar was unavailable for comment.

MCG officials and villagers in Gurgaon have been at loggerheads in the past. There have been incidents of violence during which MCG officials were allegedly thrashed by villagers after the civic body tried to demolish buildings in villages which they claimed were built on MCG land.

Read I Gurgaon: After fiscal ends in deficit, MCG opens Paytm option

As many as 10 MCG officials were injured by villagers at Sarai Alawardi village near Palam Vihar in November 2015 during a demolition drive. The drive came in the light of a Punjab and Haryana high court order, sanctioning demolition of properties on MCG land.

Similarly, tension flared as MCG officials tried to take possession of an illegal colony across 13 acres of panchayat land at Fatehpur Jharsa village in May 2015.

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A French appeal court has ordered US stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to pay 568,000 euros ($667,000, Rs 4.2 crore) to a lighting designer they employed for their chateau in southern France, judicial sources said Friday.

The court ruled on April 19 in favour of Odile Soudant, whose company went bankrupt, in the dispute with Chateau Miraval, the firm that manages the sprawling 17th-century property.

Pitt and Jolie -- now separated -- bought the property in the southern Provence region in 2008 and the actors were married in its chapel in 2014.

French lighting designer Odile Soudant poses next to her creations in her studio in Paris. (AP)

The multi-million dollar project to illuminate the 40-room chateau and three outbuildings involved as many as 17 full-time workers at one point but was not covered by a contract, according to the French daily Liberation.

The renovation of the chateau ran smoothly for two years, by which time it ran up 25 million euros in costs, Liberation reported, before technical problems and delays began cropping up, culminating in a billing dispute that brought payments to a halt.

Pitt and Jolie have been ordered to pay nearly 450,000 euros to the administrator of Soudants company Lumieres Studio to pay unpaid bills and compensate for harm to its reputation, the sources said.

In addition, Chateau Miraval must pay 60,000 euros to Soudant herself for harm to her reputation and some 8,000 euros in unpaid fees.

It owes another 50,000 euros in court costs.

Soudant headed the lighting section of prominent French architect Jean Nouvels studio before setting up Lumieres Studio in 2009.

This May 31, 2008 file photo, shows the Miraval property in Correns, near Brignoles, southern France. (AP)

It was this connection that prompted Pitt -- an avid fan of Nouvel to the point of naming one of his daughters Shiloh Nouvel -- to seek out Soudant for the work, Liberation reported.

Liberation said Soudant intends to pursue the dispute further for alleged copyright infringement.

Brad Pitt bankrupted my company and appropriated my work, she told the paper, saying Pitt claims authorship of the lighting at the property, which spreads over 400 hectares (1,000 acres) of woodland and vineyards near Aix-en-Provence.

According to Liberation, she has also warned the French perfumer Guerlain over an advert featuring Jolie at the chateau that includes shots of the actress on a stairway for which Soudant designed the lighting.

Pitt and Jolie said in March that despite their separation they did not intend to sell the chateau.

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On Friday, a full week too late, we get Gurinder Chadhas new film Viceroys House. Released as Partition: 1947 in India, the film traces a love story set during the 1947 partition. Its a Romeo and Juliet-inspired tale of a Hindu man falling in love with a Muslim girl. Both of them work for the last British Viceroy to India, Lord Mountbatten.

Surrounded by political upheaval, and clashing ideologies of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Jawaharlal Nehru, the film mostly ignores the reality of what the two countries were going through, choosing instead to go the route of Pearl Harbor, the Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale film that was criticised for sugar-coating a terrible historical event with schmaltzy romance.

Writing for the Guardian, Fatima Bhutto, daughter of former Pakistani president Benazir Bhutto, said: I watched this servile pantomime and wept.

All the riots in Chadhas film seem to be caused by Muslims, she continued, accusing Chadhas film of being anti-Pakistan.

So in honour of the liberties Viceroys House has taken with history, here are five other films that chose to play it fast and loose with facts.

1.Argo (2012)

While Ben Affleck would like you to believe that a white man named Tony rescued those hostages during the Iran Hostage Crisis with the help of the Canadian PM, it was actually a Hispanic man named Tony who rescued them with the help of the British and the New Zealanders and the Canadians, who, according to then President Jimmy Carter, did 90% of the work.

2.300 (2007)

What are the first two things you think of when someone mentions 300? Chances are, the first thing that pops into your mind is chiselled Spartans, 300 of them, running in slow motion to battle a bald giant with immense bling. Well, actually, the 300 Spartans were more like 7000 after alliances with other Greek states were made, the chiselled chests were hidden under armour and Xerxes was probably not a giant. And lets not forget the fantasy elephants.

3.10,000 BC (2008)

Director Roland Emmerich, known for his destructive tendencies, tried building a world this time for a change. Only, he got woolly mammoths to help build the Pyramids in Egypt thousands of years after their extinction. Also, woolly mammoths. In the desert. Lets not ignore that.

4.Marie Antoinette (2006)

Aside from director Sofia Coppolas liberal use of punk rock music in a movie set during the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette plays more like a teen drama about a spoilt rich kid who wears Converse sneakers than a historical film.

5.Pearl Harbor (2001)

The movie that will forever be known as the one that gave President Franklin D Roosevelt the use of his legs again.

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Death can be divisive, a stalled burial and a cremation under police protection have revealed in the Northeast.

A 42-year-old woman in Manipur has been refused burial for 12 days by her Baptist Christian-dominated village that excommunicated her family seven years ago for allegedly becoming a Catholic Christian.

Rita Haorei died on August 7 and her body has been lying since in a Catholic Church in Ukhrul districts Litan village, 40 kilometres north of state capital Imphal. Her husband Yangmi Haorei, who lives in Litan, has refused to bury her anywhere else other than his native village Leingangching.

Leingangching and Litan are both inhabited by the Tangkhuls, a community of Nagas dominant in the Ukhrul district.

The stalemate has grabbed statewide attention. On Thursday, a joint action committee (JAC) of Catholics carried out a rally in Manipur capital Imphal demanding the womans burial of the woman.

The JAC submitted a memorandum to Manipur chief minister N Biren, seeking his help so that Rita could be buried in Leingangching under security. The committee also demanded abolition of an unwritten rural law  that of One Village, One Denomination  as it is inhuman and violates basic fundamental rights.

The Catholic congregation in Ukhrul district too organised a public rally on Wednesday in district headquarters Ukhrul, 84km north of Imphal, against the village diktat disallowing the burial.

Similarly, the Delhi-based North East Catholic Community and Tangkhul Christian Fellowship have been critical of the corpse controversy. They called for tolerance, peace and harmony while pointing out parochialism negates the principles of secular, democratic and progressive society.

But the Leingangching village elders are not keen on relenting. He (Yangmi, the widower) has no right to claim that he is a native of our village because he was excommunicated and banished from our village for violating village norms repeatedly. It is our internal matter and has nothing to do with Christian denominations, village headman Wungreikhan Kasar said.

This is the second death-related controversy in the Northeast this month.

Four days after Ritas death, Christian residents of Mylliem in Meghalaya tried to prevent adherents of Niam Khasi, an indigenous faith, from cremating a village elder named Kulam Nongrum.

Mylliem, in East Khasi Hills district, is 15km from Meghalaya capital Shillong.

The Christians of the village objected when relatives of Nongrum sought to cremate him in accordance with Niam Khasi rituals. We sorted things out and let the body be cremated, Davis Marak, the districts superintendent of police, told HT.

Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR), a progressive peoples body, said the cremation could be done only after the Seng Khasi, a traditional body of Niam Khasi adherents, provided space.

The intolerance shown by the Christian-majority village is not an aberration. This has been happening for 20 years. This climate of intolerance has meant that most adherents of Niam Khasi in this area have no choice but to bury their dead against their deeply held religious belief of cremation, a TUR spokesperson said.

The NGO said Niam Khasis had been targeted earlier for violence besides being slapped with legal suits. Their allotted space for rituals has been desecrated too.
The family of a 38-year-old politician in West Bengal alleged on Friday that she committed suicide after a litany of abuse by local Trinamool Congress workers an hour after she suffered a shock defeat in the recently concluded municipal polls.

Supriya Dey, a former two-time Congress councillor who migrated to the ruling Trinamool Congress and contested as an independent candidate after being denied a ticket, allegedly killed herself when she lost the elections by 30 votes in ward 1 of Coopers Camp municipality in Nadia district.

The results  that showed the Trinamool Congress has swept the polls across the state -- were declared around 9am. By 10am, 25 young men allegedly descended on her single-storey house, kicking the door, banging on the grilles and showering abuse. This allegedly shocked Dey, who slipped into her room and popped sleeping pills.

The youth came on motorbikes in the sort of rally that supporters take out to celebrate the victory of their candidates. My wife could not digest the abuses from supporters of the party for which she worked for so many years, said husband Samir Dey.

Supriya Dey lost to the Trinamool Congress Ashok Sarkar by 30 votes. Another former Trinamool worker, Prasanta Mondal, contested as an independent secured 179 votes  indicating that Dey could have won if Mondal did not contest.

She was taken to two hospitals -- first to the sub-divisional hospital in Ranaghat and then to JNM Hospital in Kalyani -- where doctors declared her dead around 2:30 pm.

Samir and Supriya Dey along with their only son, Soumyadeep, were at home when the youth allegedly came to her house. But they could not enter as the door was closed.

None humiliated her. Every contest throws up winners and losers. But that does not mean one has to end ones life, Sarkar, the victorious candidate, told the media.

Local residents said a group of about 100 young men hit the roads and lanes of ward 1 of the municipality to celebrate Sarkars victory, and rode towards Deys house. The abuses they shouted were unprintable and would hurt the dignity of any woman. They were protesting her audacity to contest against the Trinamool Congress candidate, remarked Samir Dey.

Samir Dey has decided against lodging any formal complaint either with the police or the party. I am loyal to the party. I leave it to the party leaders to take whatever action they think fit, he said.

Police have seized empty strips of pills from her room. She was cremated on Thursday night. No district level ruling party leader attended her funeral.

A section of the Nadia district Trinamool leaders told HT that Dey was a follower of Shankar Singh, the local MLA who switched from Congress to the ruling party recently. Dey won from ward 1 in the civic polls in 2007 and 2012, both time as a Congress candidate. After the victory in 2012, she joined Trinamool along with other Congress councillors.

My wife was confident that she would win. She planned to return to Trinamool Congress after the victory, said her husband.
A horse broke into a jig while Muslim women showered flowers as the ruling BJP on Friday pulled out all the stops to give a rousing welcome to party national president Amit Shah to Bhopal on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh.

The visit is part of his 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen the party ahead of 2019 general elections. Shah set a target of winning over 350 parliamentary seats in the elections.

Scores of welcome stalls dotted the 12 km-stretch of road from airport to the party headquarters at the capital citys Pandit Deendayal Parisar.

All along the route, youth wing members of the BJP and people from Old Bhopal followed Shahs motorcade on two-wheelers and jeeps, trying to take selfies with Shahs vehicle as and when it slowed down.

It took Shah nearly one-and-a-half hour to complete the journey as his motorcade had to be slowed down in front of welcome stalls put up by various wings of the BJP, local politicians and social organisations. They competed with each others to get the party presidents attention.

The minority wing of the BJP tried to catch Shahs attention with a horse that danced to the tune of the beating drums, while others organised traditional and tribal dances.

On VIP Road, many burqa-clad women from old city area, welcomed Shah showering flowers on his vehicle.

On the way, Shah garlanded the statue of Raja Bhoj and paid tributes to the legendary king after whom the city was named Bhojpal, which eventually became Bhopal.

On the Link Road Number 1, some party activists donned the tiger attire to perform bagh nritya (tiger dance). On the same stretch of road, supporters of Vishwas Sarang, the minister of state for panchayat and rural development, were holding colourful umbrellas with welcome messages for Shah.

But the gala welcome was not without its share of uneasiness for the BJP. One Dalit leader Amit Tavre managed to put up hoardings at few points along Shahs route highlighting alleged discrimination he was subjected to.

Earlier on his arrival at 9.15am, Shah was received at the airport by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state BJP president Nandkumar Singh Chouhan and other senior party leaders.

On his way to the party office, the BJP president unveiled a statue of party ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya at Lal Ghat Square.

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BJP national president Amit Shah on Friday ruled out possibility of imposing any age bar for allocation of tickets for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, an announcement which is likely to come as a relief to several party veterans.

Many party stalwarts, including L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, are sidelined allegedly because of their growing age, prompting another senior party leader Yashwant Sinha to claim in 2015 that present BJP leadership had declared leaders above 75 as brain dead.

Last year BJP dropped two ministers from the Madhya Pradesh government on the ground they have crossed 75 years, which sparked speculation about an unstated age-restriction rule being imposed in the party.

Setting to rest all such speculations, Shah during informal talks with newspapers editors and other senior journalists in Bhopal said party had no intention of pursuing such policy.

The BJP chief is on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh as part of his 110-day nationwide tour to galvanize the party ahead of 2019 general elections.

In reply to another question, the BJP president also reiterated he had no intention of joining Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre.

Shahs election to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat triggered speculation about him joining the Union ministry. He said he opted for the Upper house of the parliament as his tenure as an MLA was about to end as Gujarat will go to polls later this year.

I wont join the central cabinet, Shah categorically said.

The BJP chief also announced that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan would be the partys chief ministerial candidate in the 2018 Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

During the interactions, Shah lauded demonetisation of high-value currency notes last year and recent introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (TAX) by the central government.

It was because of the demonetisation that there was an increase of more than 90 lakh income tax payee in the country, he claimed, adding the GST was also introduced in the greater interest of the country.

Later, speaking at a seminar on Naya Bharat Manthan-Sankalp Se Siddhi, Shah claimed his party was not in politics for power.

It came into politics to correct and provide alternatives to Nehruvian policies, which were influenced by western world and not rooted in Indias ancient civilizational ethos.

At a time when the Congress was at its peak, people like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and some RSS leaders realised this and founded the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, which eventually led to the formation of BJP, that has now over 11 crore members, becoming the worlds largest political party, he said.

Jan Sangh was founded not to achieve power, to become a prime minister or a chief minister. It was not even conceivable at that time when Congress was at its peak. But difference was that the Congress wanted to shun old values and create a new India, while Jan Sangh leaders wanted to reconstruct India keeping old Indian civilizational ethos at the core. The Congress felt old Indian values were outdated, he claimed.

Shah focused his nearly one-hour-long speech on comparative study regarding why BJP was better than other political parties that according to him are mostly dynastic.

He elaborated his arguments on three points-- internal democracy in a party, whether the party is based on core principles/values or just rhetoric aimed at glorifying its leaders and delivery or governance.

It is because of the internal democracy in BJP that a poor political worker like me who would paste party posters in 1980s has now become the president of worlds largest political party, he said.

This has become possible because our party is based on principles and values, unlike most of other parties, except for the Communist party, he said.

Shah further claimed that whenever the BJP comes into power, the pace of development fastens. The growth rate improved during Atal Bihari Vajpayees tenure, then it declined during economist PM Manmohan Singhs time and again showed growth during Narendra Modis last three years, he said.
Three Chinese tourists were injured during a terrorist attack on Thursday in Barcelona, according to Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying has confirmed that three Chinese tourists were injured in the attack.

Two Taiwanese Friday were badly injured and are now receiving medical treatment. Another victim from Hong Kong suffered minor injuries and has since been discharged from the hospital.

The shop owner told us to close the door immediately when I was serving my clients. Then I heard noises outside, while our guard said he had seen a van hitting people, a Chinese female surnamed Liu, who worked in Barcelona told Thepaper.cn.

Weve been hiding in our basement for three hours already, and we dont know when we can get out of here. We can only get updates of the incident from social media and media outlets here, said Liu.

The terrorist attack, which claimed 13 lives and injured 80 others, happened on the famous street of Las Ramblas Thursday afternoon as a van rammed into the crowd of people and caused public panic.

The consulate has issued a warning, advising all Chinese citizens not to approach the area where the attack happened. The incident has worried many Chinese tourists who wish to spend their upcoming national holiday in Spain, with many cancelling their plans.

Ive decided to give up my travel plan to Barcelona next month, because it might be unsafe to go there after what happened. Im not sure if the terrorists have accomplices, or if another attack will take place in the near future, said Wu Jinyun, a 27-year IT engineer based in Beijing.

I hope tourism will not be affected by the incident, as it is the pillar of Barcelonas economy. I hope Chinese tourists will come to our city, as they account for a large proportion of our tourism market, said Mirea Alvarez, a travel agent in Barcelona.
Australian high commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu feels that when two nations are forging a relationship they usually talk about political, diplomatic or economical tie-ups but what matters most is the link between people.

Sidhu says Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop emphasises on creating bonds through fashion diplomacy and India is one of the countries that tops the chart.

We have been looking at different ways of building relationships with India. A good relationship has many levels to it and for the first time we have a female foreign minister who is very keen on fashion diplomacy, and this is the term we are taking forward, Sidhu told IANS on the sidelines of Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2017, in Mumbai.

It (the association through fashion) has been incredibly successful. I feel that not just fashion brings people together but its also a very large industry in its own right.

Australia is one of the big producers of products like cotton and wool and India is home to a great deal of creativity and I think these collaborations are cementing the whole dimension of relations between the two countries, she added.

Sidhu was here to support designer Gaurav Jai Gupta of the brand Akaaro.

The designers show, that was supported by the Australian Foreign Affairs and Trade departments, used Australian homegrown Merino Wool as one of the fabrics in his line.

Asked about the relationship between the two countries, Sidhu said: I think a lot of time when we talk about relationships between two countries, we talk about political, diplomatic, economic or trade relations.

All these things matter a lot but what is glue between two countries is actually the link between its people.

How we grow to understand each other better when we are together in collaboration matters a lot, she said.

So will there be more associations with Indian designers?

I am staggered by how much talent India has. I think absolutely. We have a coupe of collaborations already and we are prepared to be more adventurous and really reach out a lot more.

Few collaborations that we had, led to deeper understanding of both the countries. And Australians now are much more comfortable working with Indian designers as they are really making their mark, she told IANS.

Sidhu also added that the Indian population in Australia is growing very fast and that is building more and more people connection.

Australians are thinking about Indian places to collaborate in all fields. I think the relationship between Australia and India is stronger than ever now.

Australians are making movies about Indian experiences, many more Indians are going to Australia for study and vice versa. So at many layers this relationship is improving deeper and deeper, she said.

Lakme Fashion Week is taking place in Mumbai from August 16-20.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh asserted on Friday that by 2022, a solution would be found to the Kashmir problem as also other problems like terrorism and insurgency in the northeast.

There are a lot of problems -- terrorism, naxalism, Kashmir problem. Much is not needed to be said about these problems. But I can assure you this much that by 2022, we have pledged to create a new India... So a solution will be found to all these problems before 2022. We want to assure the countrymen on this, he said.

Rajnath Singh was addressing a programme in Lucknow titled Sankalp se Siddhi - New India Movement (2017-2022) Naye Bharat kaa nirmaan.

On the occasion, he administered oath to the gathering for making India swachh (clean), poverty-free, corruption- free, terror-free, communalism-free and casteism-free.

If people could take (Quit India) pledge in 1942 and get freedom in 1947, then why is it so that after 70 years of Independence, India is not that self-reliant which it should had been?

I would congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking a pledge to create a new India before the country celebrates its 75th year of freedom, he said.

He said Mahatma Gandhi understood the importance of cleanliness and made it a campaign but it was Modi who gave it the shape of a mass movement.

For 85 long years after the first war of Independence in 1857, India understood the countrys power and kept on gathering it.

In 1942, the entire nation stood united when Mahatma Gandhi said British should Quit India and gave the clarion call of do or die. It was the result of this pledge which bore fruit five years later, Singh said.

He said that if in five years after the launch of the Quit India movement, India could achieve Independence, then why cant we make a new India after taking pledge in 2017 and realising it in 2022?

He said the Pandavas also achieved victory in the Mahabharata because of their pledge and resoluteness.

This (new India) will be an India where there will be no poverty or illiteracy, every person will have a house, no one will die of shortage of medicine. On the global stage, India will emerge as a powerful nation.

Talking about corruption, the home minister said, In the first meeting of the Union Cabinet, we took a pledge to fight corruption. Our pledge was to change power and system.

Referring to GST which was rolled out on July 1, he said, Many of our friends are having problems but after a few months, all will praise GST. We passed GST with the pledge of one-nation, one-tax.

Singh said BJP does not indulge in politics of government formation but for nation building and development.
After the show of strength by rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav in Delhi on Thursday, the Congress is now planning a mega opposition rally in Gujarat on September 1.

Congress sources said the conclave of like-minded opposition parties will be held at Padri in Valsad district of south Gujarat.

With this, the Congress will also kick-off its campaign for the upcoming assembly elections in the state, scheduled to be held in November-December this year.

The rally comes days after the Congress tasted success in the August 8 Rajya Sabha elections that saw senior leader Ahmed Patel emerging victorious despite the ruling BJPs desperate bid to stall his fifth term in the Upper House of Parliament. Ahead of the rally in Gujarat, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad is scheduled to host a similar public meeting in Patna on August 27.

The Congress is keen to give a tough fight to the BJP that has been in power in the state for the past 19 years. Despite being weakened by the exit of senior leader Shankersinh Vaghela, Patels victory has boosted the grand old partys morale.

At his meeting with party leaders from Gujarat on Thursday, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi asked them to fight the assembly elections and defeat the BJP with same zeal and vigour they had shown in the Rajya Sabha polls. The Congress is struggling to regain power in the western state for the past 22 years. Late Chhabildas Mehta was the last Congress chief minister in Gujarat from 1994-1995.

Read more: I am not in race for CMs post: Ahmed Patel

It was also decided at Thursdays meeting that Gandhi will campaign extensively in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, and stay there for spells of 4-5 days.

Gandhis last visit to Gujarat on August 4 to assess flood damage had turned into slugfest between the Congress and the BJP after his car was attacked allegedly the workers of the ruling party. However, home minister Rajnath Singh dismissed the charge and claimed that Gandhi had violated the security norm by refusing to travel in a bullet proof car.

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The Congress demanded on Friday a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into an alleged Rs 50,000-crore scam engineered by a subsidiary of the Adani Enterprises and some shell companies by over-invoicing imported power plant equipment that resulted in inflated electricity tariffs.

The main opposition party also insisted that it will soon file a petition before the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) on the issue.

Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken cited a 97-page Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) report, which was first published by The Guardian, to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Maken asked the PM why he was seen being accompanied by Adani Group head Gautam Adani on foreign tours.

On February 5, 2013, the Congress-led UPA government initiated an enquiry into the practice of over invoicing on import of electrical equipment by a subsidiary of the Adani Enterprises Ltd, a leading power company in India, he told reporters.

But with a change of guard, the BJP-led NDA government decided to go slow on this important matter, and as a result, till today, the investigation has not reached its logical end, Maken said.

The Congress leader claimed that the detailed findings of the DRI investigation in 2014 gave clear and compelling evidence of over-invoicing of imported equipment by the Adani group, saying it had a direct bearing on the power tariff paid by the common man.

The findings hold Adani Group and its shell companies responsible for inflating the cost of electricity by up to 860% more than its actual purchase value for a project in Maharashtra using a front company in Dubai, he alleged.

The Dubai firm allegedly sold back the same equipment to Adani Group-controlled businesses in India at massively inflated prices, in some instances eight times the sale price The effect of these transactions was that the Adani Group spent an average 400% more for materials. If these allegations are proven, it will demonstrate that Adani utilised off-shore havens to inflate invoices and siphon off funds partly borrowed from state-run bank, thereby inflating the wheeling and generation charges.

Maken further alleged that the three methods through which electricity tariffs had been artificially inflated were over-valuation of imported coal to the tune of Rs 29,000 crore, over-valuation of power plant equipment to the tune of Rs 9,000 crore and compensatory tariffs awarded to the tune of at least Rs 10,000 crore, or possibly higher.

The Congress also demanded that there should be an immediate reduction in power costs by up to a factor of Rs 2 per unit wherever these companies were producing and transmitting electricity.
Former law minister in the Delhi government Jitendra Singh Tomar was granted anticipatory bail by fourth additional district and sessions judge Kumud Ranjan Singh, at Bhagalpur in south eastern Bihar on Friday.

Tomar had moved the court for anticipatory bail after an FIR was lodged against him by TM Bhagalpur University (TMBU) last month for committing fraud by way of procuring a fake law degree from the university.

The order on his bail plea was reserved by the court on August 8, following completion of argumens by the two sides. Kameshwar Pandey, lawyer of Tomar, confirmed anticipatory bail had been granted to Tomar by the court. He has been given time of 20 days for furnishing a bail bond, Pandey said.

In its hearing held earlier, the prayer for anticipatory bail had been opposed by Satya Naryan Sah, Public Prosecutor (PP), on the ground that the FIR lodged against Tomar by TMBU was different form the one that was lodged against him previously by Delhi Bar Council.

The lawyer for Tomar had brought to the notice of the court that another FIR could not be lodged against him when an FIR had been already lodged against him on the same issue of procuring a fake degree earlier.

In the FIR lodged against Tomar, by registrar,TMBU, details of the fabricated documents that were submitted by him for seeking admission, besides alleged fraud committed by him for procuring law degree from university, had been mentioned.

The university had initiated legal action against the former Delhi law minster, by lodging FIR against him roughly seven months after his degree was cancelled, following approval of academic council, syndicate and university senate.

Earlier, the examination board and disciplinary committee of the university had given their consent for cancellation of Tomars law degree. Even the Delhi police, in its inquiry conducted separately, had found that Tomars law degree was fake.

Tomar was arrested by the Delhi police on June 9, 2015 in connection with the fake degree case. He had submitted his resignation to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the following day, just hours after a Delhi court remanded him to four-day police custody.

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The Hyderabad police on Friday arrested a 40-year old man who allegedly raped a 20-year old maid servant from New Delhi at gunpoint at a hotel in the upscale Banjara Hills in the city in the early hours of Wednesday.

The police also arrested three other persons in the age group of 35-40 years, who assisted the accused in committing the offence. All the four hail from Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh state.

According to the police, the maid servant, a resident of Mahipalpur in Delhi, accompanied Payal, daughter of her employer and her friend Ramu to Hyderabad for holidaying on August 5. They checked into a hotel in Banjara Hills. While Payal and her friend stayed in the second floor, the maid was alone in the fourth floor.

At around 11 pm on August 15, the maid was going out for ice cream after having dinner with Payal and Ramu. While she was about to enter the lift, she noticed that there were already four people inside. She avoided lift and took the stairs, but they followed her. Suspecting foul, she returned to Payals room on the second floor.

In the early hours, the accused rang the doorbell and claimed that he was from room service.

When the maid opened the door, the four accused barged into the room and dragged her out at gun point. They snatched the mobile phones of the inmates, so that they would not make any calls.

The terrified woman escaped from them and rushed to the reception, but they followed her. After threatening the receptionist, they took her to a room in the fourth floor.

Read more: Telangana: Sarpanch tries to settle rape case for Rs 2,000, booked

The survivor called up the police a day later who took the four accused in custody before formally arresting them on Friday. Police also seized a country-made hand gun from them.

One of them tied her with ropes and raped her. The other three persons went to Payals room and threatened her with dire consequences if she raised any alarm, Banjara Hills police inspector Kasthuri Srinivas told HT.

He said the all the four accused had a room on the fourth floor and had noticed that the maid was staying alone in the room and hatched a plan.

We have registered cases against them under Section 376, 354, 342 and 506 read with 109 of Indian Penal Code. Investigation is going on, the inspector said.

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Critical of the political narrative that places a premium on winning, election commissioner OP Rawat has pitched for action against practices that are in contravention to free and fair elections that perpetuate peoples faith in democracy.

Rawat was speaking at a consultation on election reforms organised by the election watchdog, Association for Democratic Reforms on Thursday.

Democracy thrives when elections are free, fair and transparent. However, it appears to a cynical common man that we have been scripting a narrative that places maximum premium on winning at all costs  to the total exclusion of ethical considerations, he said.

He slammed the practice of using money and muscle to impact election outcomes and said poaching of legislators and use of money as allurement are being extolled as strategic poll management and commended as resourcefulness.

The winner can commit no sin; a defector crossing over to the ruling camp stands cleansed of all the guilt as also possible criminality etc. It is this creeping new normal of political morality that should be the target for exemplary action by all political parties, politicians, media, civil society organisations, constitutional authorities and all those having faith in democratic polity for better election, a better tomorrow, he said.

The commissioners statement comes close on the heels of its decision to reject votes cast by two rebel Congress MLAs in the Rajya Sabha polls held in Gujarat. A political furore had erupted in Gujarat where Congress Ahmed Patel was fighting a pitched battle to retain his Rajya Sabha berth after six party MLAs in the state shifted allegiance to the BJP ahead of the August 8 elections.

The Congress had to fly out 44 legislators to a luxury resort in Karnataka to prevent any further defections.

Earlier, the poll panel received complaints from the Congress before the Manipur Assembly polls over allegations made by Irom Sharmila that she was offered a bribe of 36 crore by the BJP to contest on their ticket.
Japan on Thursday said no country should use unilateral forces to alter the status of Doklam, in the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction where the standoff between India and China entered the second month.

In an interview to Hindustan Times Japanese ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said Doklam is a disputed territory between China and Bhutan and his country understands why India has got involved in the dispute.

We recognize Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and two countries are engaged in border talks We also understand that the India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan thats why Indian troops got involved in the area, the envoy said.

Japan is the first major power to talk openly about Doklam standoff.

The government of Bhutan last week refuted Chinese foreign ministry claims about Thimpu telling Beijing that the stand-off area in Doklam in the Sikkim sector is not Bhutan's territory.

Chinese diplomat Wang Wenli, deputy director general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs in China's foreign ministry had claimed that Bhutan had conveyed to Beijing through diplomatic channels that the area of the standoff is not its territory.

The envoy said that no country should use force to change the status of Doklam. India said the Chinese road construction in Doklam  which was objected to by Bhutan  was a move to alter the status of tri-junction which is of huge national security implications for India. India cited a 2012 understanding with China which says any change in the status of tri-junction, the third party (in this case, Bhutan) needs to be consulted. The envoy said Japan welcomes external affairs minister Sushma Swarajs statement that India is trying to find out a solution to the faceoff through diplomatic means.

When asked whether he sees the Doklam standoff as part of the larger issue of China getting aggressive about issues of sovereignty, he said it is not easy to make such assumptions and some instances could be seen as they are. Japan is also engaged with sovereignty tussle with China over East China sea.

Replying to another question on One Road One Belt, a vanity project of Chinese president Xi Jingping the envoy said Japan and India have discussed the project many a time. Unlike India, Japan had attended the OBOR conference, which the envoy said was a decision based on the bilateral ties between the two countries. He also pointed about infrastructure development is something Japan is also focusing on.

He said the terms of loans, environmental issues, and respecting the regulations of each countries are some issues that Japan, like India, is concerned about the implementation of OBOR.

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The BJP has declared its mission for 2019: winning more than 350 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats for Narendra Modi. That is a tall order, but its president Amit Shah believes it is within the realm of possibility.

Shah is currently on a 110-day-long nationwide tour to connect with partys booth-level workers and set out specific targets for party leaders for the next general election to the Lok Sabha. He met a group of senior BJP leaders on Thursday to give them a pep talk and lay before them a blueprint to achieve the mission. Here are five reasons why Amit Shah is confident of BJPs return to power in 2019 and with a greater victory.

120 seats: The BJP won 282 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. There are about 120 Lok Sabha seats that the BJP has never won in the past. Shah has appointed mentors for these Lok Sabha seats. The target is to nurture them over the next one and a half year and convert them into a BJP bastion. Even if we can win half of these 120 seats, we will touch 350 figure, a union minister who attended the Thursday meeting told HT.

Narendra Modi: The prime minister continues to be the BJPs most popular leader, and Shah is confident there is no dip in Modis personal appeal. Several surveys conducted by Shah have shown that Modis popularity has increased since 2014 and he continues to be several miles ahead of his nearest rivals. With no clarity about oppositions prime ministerial candidate, who will take on Modi in 2019, the BJP is confident it will have an advantage in the next election.

Read more: Three years of Modi govt: How the PM has transformed the political landscape, writes Swapan Dasgupta

Pro-poor policies: The BJP is pinning its hopes on several populist schemes, such as free LPG connection for BPL families, to do wonders in the next election. Shah believes it was the effective rollout of these schemes that helped the party win states such as Uttar Pradesh with a three fourths majority. The BJP has managed to shed its pro-rich and pro-corporate image, something which even prompted Congress Rahul Gandhi to take suit boot ki Sarkar jibe at Modi in the past.

Congress : The Congress continues to be the main rivals of the BJP, nationally. Shah has told BJP leaders that any anti-Modi formulation will not survive without the support of the grand old party. But it is feeding grounds to the BJP. The Congress has lost a series of election, Punjab being an exception, and there is no immediate relief in the sight. The BJP is confident of winning Himachal Pradesh later this year and Karnataka next year. Both are currently ruled by the Congress. With Congress weakening in the states, Shah is hopeful it will not be able to survive BJP onslaught in the next election.

Read more: Congress needs a new slogan and India needs a new opposition, writes Barkha Dutt

New areas: Shah is excited with the response BJP is getting in states such as Odisha, West Bengal, Kerala and the northeast. The BJP has its government is Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and six Trinamool Congress MLAs have merged with BJP in Tripura. It has won an assembly seat for the first time in Kerala and done well in the panchayat election in Odisha, replacing Congress as the principal opposition to ruling Biju Janta Dal. Odisha and Bengal alone account for 63 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP expects to increase its tally in these states.

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Floodwaters receded in some parts of Assam in the past 24 hours but 11 deaths were reported on Friday, taking the toll in the second deluge this season to 60.

Twenty of the states 33 districts still continue to remain affected, down from 25 on Thursday. Nearly 26 lakh people continue to remain affected, with 2,210 villages remaining submerged.

Over 90,000 displaced people continue to take shelter in 488 relief camps in 15 districts.

On Friday, 11 deaths were reported in eight districts due to drowning and electrocution.

The total number of deaths due to floods since July when the first deluge hit the state rose to 144.

The Brahmaputra continued to flow above the danger level at three places: Neematighat, Goalpara and Dhubri, while floodwaters came below the red mark in Guwahati and Tezpur in the past 24 hours.

Dhansiri, Jia Bharali, Kopili and Beki continued to flow above the danger level at one place each.

On Friday, 1,267 persons were evacuated by boats from inundated areas and taken to safer places. Over 1.22 lakh hectares of crop area continued to remain under water.

Floods also continued to affected 38% of Kaziranga National Park, according to state disaster management authority.

Rail connection between rest of the country and the northeast remain disrupted. Non-arrival of essential items from outside the state for close to a week has led to sharp rise in prices.

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Brhane Gebrekirstos, the newly appointed Ethiopian Ambassador to China

Ethiopia has appointed Brhane Gebrekirstos as the next ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China.

Ethiopias President Doctor Mulatu Tehome announced that Brehanes appointment as ambassador to Beijing-at large for better strengthening the countrys strategic relationship with China.

Ambassador Brhane Gebrekristos is currently serving as Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegns Special Envoy to foreign mission since last year.

He also served as State Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2015.

From 2002 to 2010, Berhane served as Ambassador of Ethiopia to the European Union and the Benelux which includes the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

From1992 to 2002, he served as Ethiopia's Ambassador to the United States.

China's Eastern Industrial Zone in Ethiopian

Brehane will replace Seyuom Mesfin, who served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to China for the last six years.

During the Belt and Road Forum which was held in Beijing last May, China and Ethiopia have elevated their partnership to a strategic higher level that makes Ethiopia the first African country to enter into a strategic partnership with China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minster Hailemariam Desalegn have reiterated their effervescent diplomatic ties in their discussion including the cooperation agreement that allows the two countries to work and share experience on humanitarian issues.

Ethiopia and China have also signed economic cooperation agreements translating into substantial works and various Chinese companies that have invested in Ethiopia created job opportunities for many.

The appointment of senior diplomats to an ambassadorship in China will further boost bilateral cooperation of the two countries to an advanced echelon.

Chinese shoemaker Hujian investment expansion project in Ethiopia

China takes Ethiopia as the gateway to Africa and more than 80 percent of Chinas connections to Africa are being conducted through Ethiopian Airlines, which is playing key role in linking China with Africa.

Considering the potential of the airline, China has decided to make Addis Ababa for its aviation core and Ethiopia has become a pilot country and hub to many of the projects envisaged and launched by China.

Moreover, Ethiopia is a pilot country for the industry production capacity cooperation aimed to move Chinese manufacturers to Africa, and the Djibouti-Dakar railway system connects East and West Africa periphery that commenced with the Ethio-Djibouti railway line.

Having a former Minister and wide range of diplomatic experience in the role of ambassadorship will raise Ethio-China cooperation a step-forward.

Local employees working in Huajian Shoe Factory in Ethiopia

Ethiopia and China have started economic relations about 100 B.C when the Han Dynasty of China and the Axumite Empire of Ethiopia had trade exchanges.

Nevertheless the two countries had made official relationship when they opened embassies in their respective capitals in 1970.

Currently their relationship has reached a greater height over the past two decades and the bilateral relation is comprehensive and upholding the economic growth of both countries promising.

Getachew Yalew is Senior-Editor for Ethiopian News Agency in Ethiopia. He is currently on media attachment with China Daily.
India on Friday said it will continue to engage with China to find a mutually acceptable solution to the Doklam standoff, while confirming that an incident did take place with Chinese troops near Pangong Lake in Ladakh three days ago.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said peace and tranquility in the border areas is an important pre-requisite for smooth development of bilateral relationship.

We will continue to engage with China to find a mutually acceptable solution, he said.

Asked about incident between Chinese troops and Indian border guards in Ladakh on August 15, the Kumar said, I can confirm that there was an incident at Pangong Tso on August 15...Such incidents are not in the interest of either side.

According to reports, Chinese soldiers were said to have attempted to cross the Line of Actual Control near Pangong Lake, but were stopped by Indian soldiers. Sources said, there was a heated exchange of words and a standoff between the troops continued for more than an hour, during which stone-pelting was also reported.

Kumar said two border personnel meetings (BPMs) had taken place between Indian border guards and Chinese troops recently -- one in Chushul on August 16 and another at Nathu La a week before.

When asked whether China had shared hydrological data with India as floods have severely hit Assam and Bihar, Kumar said no such data was received from Beijing on Brahmaputra this year.

India and China have an existing mechanism under which both countries share hydrological data.

Kumar said non sharing of hydrological data by China cannot be linked to the current standoff as there can be technical reasons for it.
India has not received hydrological data from China this year despite a bilateral agreement, the external affairs ministry (MEA) said on Friday, but maintained that it was premature to link it with the recent floods in some parts of the country.

The development comes at the backdrop of the ongoing standoff between Chinese and Indian troops in Doklam in the Sikkim sector.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also did not confirm whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China next month to attend Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) summit, saying he does not have any information about it. Asked about the current status of the standoff, he said It is a sensitive issue... We will continue to engage with China to find a mutually acceptable solution. Peace and tranquillity in border areas are important pre-requisites for smooth development of bilateral relations.

However, when asked by when the standoff will be resolved, he said, I am not an astrologer, so cannot predict.

Asked if China has shared hydrological data with India in the backdrop of floods in Assam, Kumar said there is an existing expert-level mechanism, established in 2006, and there are two MoUs under which China is expected to share hydrological data on rivers Satluj and Brahmaputra with India between May and October every year.

For this year, we have not received hydrological data from the Chinese side, the spokesperson said. He added that it was premature to link it with the floods in Assam as there can be technical reasons behind China not sharing the data.

He also noted that in view of the floods in Bihar, India was closely coordinating with Nepal, both at Centre and state level.

Asked if India welcomes the comments of the Japanese Ambassador on the Doklam standoff in an interview to Hindustan Times, Kumar gave a very guarded reaction, saying the remarks speak for themselves. The envoy said that no country should use unilateral forces to alter the status of Dokalam.

Kumar also refused to divulge details of communication by other countries to India on the Dokalam issue.

Asked about a clash between Chinese troops and Indian border guards in Ladakh on August 15, the MEA spokesperson said, Such incidents are not in the interest of either side but refused to give details about the incident.

He, however, emphasised that the incident should not be linked with what was happening in any sector, apparently referring to Dokalam face off.

Doklam is a disputed territory between China and Bhutan and his country understands why India has got involved in the dispute.

We recognize Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and two countries are engaged in border talks We also understand that the India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan thats why Indian troops got involved in the area, Japanese ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said. Japan is the first major power to talk openly about Doklam standoff.

The Government of Bhutan last week refuted Chinese foreign ministry claims about Thimpu telling Beijing that the stand-off area in Doklam in the Sikkim sector is not Bhutans territory

A top Chinese diplomat Wang Wenli, deputy director general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs in Chinas foreign ministry had claimed that Bhutan had conveyed to Beijing through diplomatic channels that the area of the standoff is not its territory.

The envoy said that no country should use force to change the status of Doklam. India said the Chinese road construction in Doklam which was objected to by Bhutan, saying its a move to alter the status of tri-junction which is of huge national security implications for India. India cited a 2012 understanding with China which says any change in the status of tri-junction, the third party (in this case, Bhutan) needs to be consulted. The envoy said Japan welcomes external affairs minister Sushma Swarajs statement that India is trying to find out a solution to the faceoff through diplomatic means.

When asked whether he sees the Doklam standoff as part of the larger issue of China getting aggressive about issues of sovereignty, he said it is not easy to make such assumptions and some instances could be seen as they are. Japan is also engaged with sovereignty tussle with China over East China sea.

Replying to another question on One Road One Belt, a vanity project of Chinese president Xi Jingping the envoy said Japan and India have discussed the project many a time. Unlike India, Japan had attended the OBOR conference, which the envoy said was a decision based on the bilateral ties between the two countries. He also pointed about infrastructure development is something Japan is also focusing on.

He said the terms of loans, environmental issues, and respecting the regulations of each countries are some issues that Japan, like India, is concerned about the implementation of OBOR.
Two states strongly opposed before the Supreme Court on Friday the proposal to have a centralized examination system for selection of trial court judges, which the Centre is pushing for on the ground it will speed up filling of vacancies in the subordinate judiciary.

There are vacancies in High Courts too. Should the collegium system be changed then, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi told a bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar who took cognizance of law secretarys letter to the SC registrar general on having a central selection mechanism  on the lines of NEET  to appoint subordinate judges.

Dwivedi and his colleagues  senior advocate Jaideep Gupta appearing for Kerala  made scathing submissions before the court and said the move was against the basic structure of the Constitution. The centralised system would dislocate the scheme for appointment provided under Article 233 of the Constitution.

According to the provision the Governor in consultation with the High Court makes appointments, postings and promotions of district judges in any state.

Dwivedi said the term appointment in Article 233 was a comprehensive expression, which included the entire process. It has to be construed like that only, he submitted.

And, if the court wanted to alter the procedure then it has to do the same after a detailed hearing that too by a Constitution Bench. Let the court hold that Article 233 does not exist. There should be no hurry, he said.

Gupta supported Dwivedi and submitted the proposed system would not only go against federalism and independence of state judiciary but would make a mockery of the process envisaged under the Constitution. Also, it would not be under the control of a state and people from outside will take decisions without consulting the governor

Since arguments remained inconclusive, the court posted the case for a hearing on August 21. CJI Khehar said the court will give first opportunity to those opposing the system. A day later it will then hear the ones supporting it.

Due to retire on August 27, CJI Khehar had on an earlier hearing said the court had in principle agreed to have the system. However, the modalities need to be set out, he had told the state counsels not favouring a single-window test.

High Courts that have objected to the proposal include Calcutta, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has questioned a close relative of a senior law officer of Himachal Pradesh in connection with Kotkhai gang rape and murder case.

He is a suspect in the case, said an agency official who requested anonymity.

The official added that agency sleuths so far have questioned around 100 people, suspects as well as witnesses, in the case.

This particular suspects photo was uploaded on a social media account of Himachal chief minister Virbhadra Singh along with three more suspects but was taken down within an hour, the official said.

Another suspect whose photograph was posted on the social media account has also been questioned by the CBI.

In his post dated July 12, the chief minister wrote: I would like to inform the people of Himachal Pradesh that four suspects have been taken into police custody and further investigation is being conducted (in the case).

The chief minister added said that IGP Zahur Zaidi and SP DW Negi are conducting further investigation in the case.

The agency is now planning to conduct a lie detector test of some of the suspects and arrested accused. It has moved the court for permission in this regard.

The Himachal police had arrested six accused persons in the gang rape and murder of a minor school girl whose naked body was found in isolated woods in Kotkhai tehsils Halaila.

The six accused were identified as management graduate and techie Ashish Chauhan (29), Rajinder Singh (32) of Sharaal village, Subash Singh Bisht (42) of Pauri Garhwal, Surat Singh (29) of Nepal, Lok Jan (19) of Nepal and Deepak (38) of Garhwal. Chauhan was described as one of the four suspects in a post on the CMs social media account.

But one of the accused in the case, Suraj Singh, died in police custody in Kotkhai in mysterious circumstances. It is being suspected that Suraj Singh was murdered by another co-accused in the case.

CBI spokesman RK Gaur refused to comment saying that investigations were on. I have nothing to say. Every aspect related to the rape and murder is being looked into said Gaur.

(With inputs from Gaurav Bisht in Shimla)

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A drug bust resulting in the seizure of about 66 kilograms of heroin worth an estimated Rs 300 crore has disrupted the India-Pakistan border trade operated wholly on a barter system since 2008 between the two neighbours.

Police in Kashmir recovered the huge stash of heroin from the cavity of a truck coming from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and bound for Salamabad on the Indian side. The driver was arrested and the truck seized, prompting both countries to cease the barter trade across the Line of Control (LoC).

India, however, has resumed the trade since August 8 and is continuing to send some trucks laden with goods across the border. Pakistan though has stopped reciprocating, demanding that the driver be freed immediately. On Friday, nearly a month after trade ceased, Pakistan sent a jeep carrying goods more as a tokenism. Indian traders sending trucks across are hoping that Pakistan will relent and start sending the goods in exchange.

The barter trade in which no money changes hand but only goods are exchanged by local population on either side has been a unique initiative in force since 2008 as a key confidence building measure (CBM) between the two often-quarrelling neighbours.

The trade took place four days a week at two places: One on a route connecting Uri in India to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan and the other linking Indias Poonch to Pakistans Rawalakot.

Indian officials, however, are pushing for an early resumption of the trade. From our side, we are committed to continuing the cross-LoC trade, which is a CBM, within the parameters of a proper security system. As far as the case of the arrested driver is concerned, it will reach its logical conclusion through a trial, Sagar D Doifode, the sub-divisional magistrate of Uri and the custodian of the cross-border trade, said.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has also strongly argued for restarting the barter trade. There are many difficulties through the Wagah border charas and ganja come from there but no one talks about closing it. Just because a mistake happens on the Uri-Muzaffarabad road, we should not talk about closing it. We will not allow that to happen, she said at a rally in Srinagar recently. She said there should be proper banking facilities and scanners at the check-points to facilitate the trade.

State director general of police, SP Vaid, has also called for stricter precautions to be put in place to prevent the barter trade from being misused by unscrupulous elements. Full body truck scanners (FBTS) are to be installed soon and efforts are on to implement certain other security measures, he said.

Indian authorities, meanwhile, have barred Pakistan-based trader Anjum Zaman and 34 firms owned by him from participating in the barter trade hereafter. The truck carrying the drugs was part of a consignment sent by a company owned by Zaman.

Hilal Turkie, president of the Salamabad cross-LoC traders union and a trader himself, said bringing transparency and better monitoring were key to securing the barter trade, under which a trader from the Indian side exports an item worth a certain amount across the LoC and his counterpart there sends back goods worth an equal amount.

The goods that are exchanged have to be from a list of 21 items mutually accepted by both sides.

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The Hyderabad police on Friday arrested two brokers and father of the 16-year old girl in the old city, who was forcibly married off to a 65-year old Oman national in June last.

According to the police, the girls father Syed Anwar had colluded with his sister Ghousia and her husband Sikandar and sold the girl to the Oman national with the help of two brokers, Ahmed and Haji.

The father submitted a forged affidavit stating that the girls age is 21 in order to obtain passport and visa for her, deputy commissioner of police, Hyderabad (south zone), V Satyanarayana told Hindustan Times.

The police took Anwar, Ahmed and Haji into custody and are interrogating them. The qazi, who performed the marriage, could not be questioned as he had just undergone bypass surgery.

The police registered a case of cheating and criminal intimidation against the Omani, the girls father, his sister, her husband, the qazi and others.

We are trying to find the credentials of the Oman national, whose name was mentioned as Ahmed in the complaint. There were instances in the past that such aged sheiks were not actually rich, but belonged to poor families. In a couple of cases, it was found that the so-called Arab Sheiks were actually beggars and had also forced their wives taken from Hyderabad to beg, Satyanarayana said. In the present case, we were told the Oman national had paid Rs 5 lakh to Goushia and Sikandar. We are investigating into the claim.

The DCP said efforts were on to rescue the minor girl. We are hopeful to bring her back to Hyderabad in 3-4 days, he said.

The marriage was performed in May at a guest house in Jalpally where the Omani national was staying. He returned home after the marriage and sent a visa for the girl, who later joined him in Muscat. Later, the girl informed her parents over phone that her husband was mentally and physically torturing her.

Her mother Sayeeda lodged a complaint with Falaknuma police station that her husband, his sister and brother-in-law sold the girl to the Omani man for Rs 5 lakh.

Union minister for women and child development, Maneka Gandhi had on Thursday described the incident as deeply disturbing. She urged external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to intervene.

The DCP said the police were keeping a close watch on 60 brokers identified during the investigation of these cases in recent years. However, brokers based in Mumbai and even abroad were carrying on their activities by duping poor and illiterate families.

We are planning to create awareness camps in the Old City to educate the poor Muslims and refrain them from selling their daughters to the Arab nationals, he said.

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Japan shares Indias concerns about Chinese President Xi Jingpings One Belt One Road (OBOR) project although Tokyo attended a meet on it for bilateral reasons.

In an exclusive interview with HT, Japanese ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu said he understands why India is involved in the standoff in Doklam and backed external affairs minister Sushma Swarajs statement on finding a diplomatic solution to the issue.

Here are the excerpts:

Q. Unlike India, which boycotted the One Road One Belt conference, Japan took part in it. Is this signature project of (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping) a topic of continuing discussion between India and Japan?

We attended the conference because it was on infrastructure, an area Japan is focusing on. Also, we factored in the bilateral relationship between the two countries. But we believe these projects should have viable funding that doesnt leave behind debt traps, protect environment and respect local regulations.

Q. So, barring concerns of sovereignty issues (with China-Pakistan economic corridor of OBOR that New Delhi objected to), you have similar concerns like India?

Thats right. India and Japan are strategic partners. We continue to discuss the OBOR project between the two countries. Also promoting quality infrastructure is something Japan is focusing on in many parts of the world.

Q. How do you see the Doklam standoff and Indian position about China trying to alter the status of the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction?

First of all, Doklam is a dispute between Bhutan and China... and the two countries are engaged in border talks... We understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan; thats why Indian troops got involved in the area.

We believe no country should change the status of Doklam by unilateral use of force.

Q. Japan has territorial disputes with China in East China Sea. Do you think incidents like Doklam is a sign of Beijing getting increasingly assertive on the issues of sovereignty?

We support the statement of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj that India is engaged with China in finding a diplomatic solution to the standoff. To answer the question, it is not easy to make such assumptions, and some instances could be seen as they are.

Q. But do you think that China could be trying to change the status of the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction?

I have already told you what I have to say on this issue.

Q. Do you think India-Japan-US tri-lateral Malabar exercises should be expanded to include countries such as Australia?

The tri-lateral Malabar exercise is going on and expanding into newer areas. We welcome participation of a country like Australia. But at this stage, our attempt is to consolidate the trilateral cooperation and then expand to include more members.

Q. India has remained the largest recipient of largest overseas development assistance project of Japan and are you going to have a re-look at it in any manner?

Not really, because the projects are funded on Indias request and their decision on what projects are best for them. But we are looking at expanding the coverage of ODA to include projects in environment and to develop sewerage, an area where we have advanced technology.

We have been in touch with the Indian government and will expand our participation in the clean Ganga and Ganga rejuvenation plan.

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Killing all militants will not solve the Kashmir problem, moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said on Friday, warning the government that for each youth killed, ten more will stand up.

The problem  unrest and militancy in Kashmir  will continue as long as there was repression, the Mirwaiz said at the Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid Srinagar after 57 days of house arrest, according to a statement.

Each day, young educated boys are being killed and there is a belief in some that once all of them are killed, the problem will be over. But those that think this forget that these boys took to arms as a reaction to repression and for the resolution of the dispute, and as long as there is repression and force as a state response, while you may kill one, ten more will stand up, he said.

The Mirwaizs statement comes as state forces have gone all out targeting militants in villages and towns of the Valley. NIA has also registered cases and arrested many separatist leaders in alleged terror funding cases.

The actions came after many BJP leaders at the Centre publicly claimed that Kashmir problem would be solved soon as the situation in the Valley was not improving even a year after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.

The Mirwaiz said that killing militants will not kill the sentiment as is evident during their funeral prayers.

The agitation and protests by students in colleges and universities across the Valley that force the state to frequently shut them down again indicate to how the youth of Kashmir sees the situation and his reaction to it, he said.

The moderate leader said that for the past 70 years, people of Kashmir are born, raised, live and die with the fact that Kashmir is a disputed place awaiting a final resolution.

That fact has its foundation in the highest world bodys (United Nations) ratification of it through passing of resolutions to this effect and the commitment made by no less than the PM of India there, he said.

He said the resolution of the issue can always be reached provided there is a willingness to accept the facts, and compassion, humanity and mutual respect among the parties involved while addressing the problem and a keenness to work towards real peace by all.

The Mirwaiz said aggression and repression can never resolve anything but only aggravate it.

The Hurriyat leader was aghast over persecution of leadership through so-called investigations and spreading lies and creating a huge propaganda through print, electronic and even social media against them, involving their families friends and acquaintances.

I once again appeal to all people in India to see Kashmir not as a piece of real estate nor as a territorial dispute between two hostile neighbours but as a human issue concerning hundreds of thousands of people and divided families hanging by fire since the last 70 years, leading to great suffering and loss of life on all sides that begs for a just resolution, he said.
The Kolkata Police have inducted five Harley-Davidson bikes in their squad that they plan to use during VIP visits and for other ceremonial purposes, according to reports.

The high-end bikes were bought two months ago but were brought onto the streets for the first time on August 15 as part of the Independence Day celebrations, NDTV reported.

The report quoted V Solomon Nesakumar, deputy commissioner of police, traffic department, as saying: said, We have 5 Harley-Davidson Street 750s and they were bought around two months ago by the Kolkata Police Department for Rs 5.5 lakh each.

The Street 750 has a cruiser typical front end and classic round headlamp. Another highlight of the bike are the flowing silencers.

The Harleys will not replace the trademark Royal Enfield bikes of the Kolkata Police, the report added.

Another report said reason behind the switch was that the Street 750 was a lot quicker and faster than the Royal Enfield motorcycles. It said the police force is in talks to also include TVS Apache in their fleet.
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday gave a months time to Haryana police to get to the bottom of the alleged Murthal gangrapes, reported during the February 2016 Jat quota violence, in Sonepat, Haryana.

The high court bench of justice SS Saron and justice Avneesh Jhingan was dissatisfied over the submissions of Haryana government, which informed the court that it had not been able to get either a victim or accused in this case. The alleged gangrapes took place in Sonepat district during the pro-quota violence in February. The high court took suo motu note of news reports and later Haryana was forced to register an FIR in April 2016. Widespread violence was reported during the protests in nearly eight districts of the state for which the police registered 2,100 FIRs.

Impartial adviser in the matter, senior advocate Anupam Gupta, took strong objections to the submissions of the state on Murthal gangrapes and argued that initially the government was not ready to register the FIR and now it claimed of not getting any victim or accused in the case. He submitted that the matter should be handed over to the CBI for probe as the states special investigation team (SIT) headed by inspector general of police, Mamta Singh, had failed in cracking the case.

Later, the high court division bench gave a months time to Haryana and observed that it could not shut its eyes to the issue. The court would have to transfer the investigation to CBI if the state police fails to take the investigation to its logical conclusion, the HC observed while deferring hearing till October 12.

CBI seeks time for status report

Meanwhile, the CBI sought time to submit a status report on cases transferred to it either by the state or high court. The cases transferred to CBI include destruction of properties owned by states finance minister, Captain Abhimanyu and his relatives in Rohtak and damage caused to Munak canal, which carries water to national capital.

Meanwhile, an SIT headed IGP (Hisar range) Amitabh Dhillon would scrutinise the closure reports and untraced reports prepared by different districts police related to February 2016 Jat quota violence. In Rohtak district alone 1212 FIRs were registered but the police had prepared untraced reports in 921 cases. There are a total of 2,100 FIRs registered by Haryana police for February 2016 quota violence.
In a dramatic three-hour search-and-rescue operation Thursday evening, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) saved 15 people after their country boat capsized in Bihars flood-hit Sitamarhi district.

A team of NDRF received a distress message at 6:07 pm on Thursday, just as it was returning to its base near Behra village in Pupri sub-division of Sitamarhi district after winding up its operation for the day.

The NDRF team, which was close by, immediately rushed to the accident site on their motorised inflatable boats. With passengers of the capsized boat already scattered by the raging water of the Lakhandei river which had overflown its banks, 12 NDRF rescuers plunged into the river and rescued six men, four women and five children.

Commandant of the 9th batallion, NDRF, in Patna, Vijay Sinha said, The team initially recued 14 people. One person trapped in nearby bushes in an inundated area near the village was also eventually rescued after a search.

NDRF personnel after the search-and-rescue operation in Sitamarhi. (Handout by NDRF)

He said the team continued its search for more victims till 9.20pm before calling it off after the sub-divisional magistrate of the area confirmed that all 15 people on the ill-fated boat had been rescued.

Read more: As Kosi swells, people of Saharsa in flood ravaged Bihar panic and migrate

Around 120 people have already lost their lives due to floods in 15 of Bihars 38 districts, affecting a population of over 72 lakh.

Meanwhile, at least five engineers of the water resources department (WRD) are facing the heat for dereliction of duty in Sitamarhi, Darbhanga and West Champaran (Padrauna) districts. We are monitoring the performance of all our engineers. We will take uniform and severest action against those found to be wanting in their responsibility, said a senior WRD officer, requesting anonymity.

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A team from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has found there is no hospital in Gorakhpur and nearby districts in Uttar Pradesh to manage encephalitis, a disease that affects the brain.

The report assumes significance in the wake of more than 60 child deaths in a week since August 9 in Gorakhpurs BRD Medical College.

The government attributed most of the fatalities to Japanese encephalitis amid allegations that the children died because the hospitals oxygen supply was cut over a payment dispute with the private supplier.

In a statement on Friday, the IMA said it took cognizance of the seriousness of the Gorakhpur tragedy, which killed more than 30 children in 48 hours, and constituted an independent inquiry committee.

although there is no evidence of medical clinical negligence against Dr Rajiv Mishra and Dr Kafeel Khan, prima facie it appears that a case of administrative negligence against them cannot be ruled out. Hence, administrative inquiry and action may be taken against them, it said.

IMA team report Oxygen supply was interrupted for a short time on the night of August 10 The liquid oxygen supplier wasnt paid dues for 5-6 months Cleanliness of hospital and wards was unsatisfactory. Presence of dogs and rats in hospitals is not acceptable The hospital was handling patients much more than its capacity There is no facility in Gorakhpur and nearby districts to manage encephalitis There is a lack of staff such as paediatricians, nurses and other paramedical staff in hospitals ICUs in 10 districts of Poorvanchal area are not functioning because of lack of staff and resources No alert was issued by the hospital administration regarding shortage of oxygen

The committee asked the doctors at BRD Medical College to join the inquiry and to present their case. But none of them showed up.

The team decided to visit the department of pediatrics People there were hesitant to speak. The scope of the committee was to only examine the working of the doctors as other issues such as lack of oxygen, inadequate staff and any structural deficiency were being investigated by the chief secretary, UP government, the statement said.

The team included KP Kushwaha, a former principal and head of paediatrics at BRD Medical College, Ashok Agarwal, the IMA vice president, and BB Gupta, president of the IMAs Gorakhpur branch.

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The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) said on Friday there is no place for corruption and middlemen in the country.

It said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments priority was to create a corruption-free India and that it had taken several initiatives for uprooting corruption from the system.

NDA Government's priority is a corruption free India. pic.twitter.com/Z3MdAkfGp8  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 18, 2017

There is no place for corruption and middlemen. The NDA governments priority is a corruption free India. It is uprooting corruption from the system, the PMO tweeted.
Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar on Friday said his government will not go to court against the censorship of his Independence Day speech by national broadcaster Prasar Bharati, but the ruling CPI-M said they would raise the issue in Parliament.

We are not thinking of going to court against Prasar Bharati for censoring my recorded Independence Day speech, Sarkar told reporters.

Instead of going to court, we will tell the people about the undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant steps of Prasar Bharati.

Sarkar, a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member who has been Chief Minister of Tripura for 19 years, said that Independence Day is a political event and as a political worker in the recorded speech I have expressed my political thoughts.

The censorship of the Independence Day speech of a Chief Minister by Prasar Bharati has generated huge reaction and condemnation, Sarkar said.

On the denials by All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan Kendra (DDK), Agartala, of having censored his speech, the chief minister said that Prasar Bharati was trying to fool the people as we never said anything about the other coverages of the AIR and DDK, Agartala. Our objection was only against the censorship of my recorded Independence Day speech.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Lok Sabha member Sankar Prasad Datta said they would raise the issue during the winter session of Parliament in November.

Opposition Congress legislator Ratan Lal Nath, who is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has met party chief Amit Shah and other senior leaders several times, said that Manik Sarkar and his CPI-M party are trying to raise new issues for political mileage with an eye on next years assembly elections.

As the ruling Left Front will lose the assembly elections they are raising non-issues by accusing the autonomous bodies like Prasar Bharati, Nath told the media.

The state and central leaders of the Congress have strongly criticised Prasar Bharatis decision, while BJP has supported it.
The Supreme Court issued on Friday notice to the Centre, CBI and army on a petition challenging an order of the Jammu and Kashmir high court which had dismissed a petition against the militarys decision to close proceedings against five officers involved in the March 2000 Pathribal encounter.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra gave six weeks to the respondents.

Filed by the families of the five men killed in the encounter, the petition said forensic tests had exposed armys claim that those killed were Pakistani militants. A CBI probe also established this.

The dead men are the kin of the petitioners as the DNA examination by CDFD Hyderabad and CFSL Kolkata reveal. Therefore the case is one of cold blooded murder as found by CBI, it said.

Those killed were local villagers, the petition said, and alleged that the fake encounter was staged by the army to save face in the view of public criticism of their operational efficiency and lack of control in area in the wake of Chittisinghpora massacre.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday strongly condemned the terror attacks in Spain and wrote to his counterpart Mariano Rajoy to convey Indias readiness to work with his country to develop a strong global response to defeat terrorism. President Ram Nath Kovind also condemned the terror attacks.

Modi underlined that terrorism has become a global menace threatening the entire humanity and those who stand on the side of peace cannot allow these forces to endanger our cherished values of democracy and freedom.

Drivers ploughed into pedestrians in quick succession in two separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city, leaving 14 people dead and injuring more than 100 others.

I am deeply shocked and saddened by the barbaric terrorist attack in Barcelona yesterday and condemn it in strongest terms, Modi wrote.

On behalf of the people of India and on my own behalf, I offer heartfelt condolences for the lives lost in this heinous and cowardly act and wish speedy recovery for those injured, he added.

Modi said the perpetrators of terror have been most ruthless in unleashing violence.

India fully supports Your Excellencys Government in effectively responding to such attacks. We also stand ready to work with Spain to develop a strong global response to defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, he said.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday condemned the terror attack in Spains Barcelona which has left at least 14 people dead and over 130 people injured.

In his message to King Felipe VI, Kovind expressed solidarity with the people of Spain in the difficult hour.

I am deeply shocked and saddened by the horrific terror attack in Barcelona. India condemns the attack in strongest possible terms. I offer my heartfelt condolences for the victims and wish speedy recovery for those injured, he said, as per a Rashtrapati Bhavan release.

Kovind added that the terrorism posed the gravest threat to humanity today.

Its perpetrators are determined to destroy peace-loving communities and peoples. The global community must come together and give them a befitting response. India remains fully committed to work with Spain in defeating these evil forces, he said.
Six people were thrashed by cow vigilantes on suspicion of slaughtering a cow in Dumra village in Bihars West Champaran district, police said on Friday.

Deputy superintendent of police Sanjay Kumar Jha said some people surrounded a house in Dumra village under Jaitia panchayat on suspicion of a cow being slaughtered inside and thrashed six people on Thursday.

No arrest has been made so far, he said.

Qudus Kureishi, husband of the village head, was also beaten up when he tried to intervene in the matter, Jha said.

On getting information, he said police reached the village and pacified the angry villagers by assuring action against the guilty. Additional police force has been deployed in the village.
A senior Uttar Pradesh bureaucrat allegedly faced a harrowing time at Kanpurs UHM hospital while trying to procure medicines.

Mukul Singhal, principal secretary, housing and urban planning, was on a surprise check of the citys second-largest hospital when he sent away tersely by the on-duty pharmacist, eyewitnesses said. HT spoke to patients, staff and eyewitnesses at the hospital to piece together this account.

Jao nahin hai, bahar se le lo (medicines are not available, buy it from outside), he was allegedly told.

Singhal later found that the medicines were indeed available and meant for free distribution. He has asked district magistrate Surendra Singh to take action against the hospital administration.

Singhal was at UHM hospital when he noticed a woman patient angry.

He came and asked me the reason for my annoyance; I told him that I was denied medicines at the counter, said the patient, identified as Shaheen Begum of Colonelganj. She said she had been prescribed Diclofenac, Paracetamol and Norflox TZ.

The doctors accompanying Singhal told him these basic medicines were available for all. Shaheen said Singhal accompanied her to the counter where he joined the queue with her prescription. Singhal then handed over the prescription to the pharmacist, who went through it and told him the medicines were not available, Shaheen said.

Singhal returned to the office of the CMO and summoned the doctor and pharmacist in the presence of UHM director Uma Kant and medical superintendent ML Vishwakarma.

The pharmacist told Singhal that the supplier gave the medicine with a different name and hence they couldnt be placed in the stock, sources present at the meeting told HT.

This comes amid the deaths of more than 100 children at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur. Patients and their family have repeatedly complained of a chronic shortage of medicines.
The probe into a phone call received by Delhi Police, in which an unidentified caller threatened to kill Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, has been handed over to the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

We have handed over the probe to the ATS. As the call was made using Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP), it could not be traced. We are working on it, additional director general of police (law-and-order) Anand Kumar told reporters in Lucknow.

Delhi Police went into a tizzy after a duty officer in the police control room received the call on his landline number at 3 pm on Thursday.

According to a senior police officer, The caller said you have only an hour to save Adityanath and disconnected the call.

Delhi Police subsequently said the call turned out to be a hoax. Delhi Polices Special Cell is also looking into the matter.
Organisations came forward to help the family of 19-year-old Neetu Sharma after Hindustan Times published a report on Friday that highlighted how she took to milk supply to fund her education and raise money for her sisters wedding.

The Lupin Human Welfare and Research Foundation gave the family a cheque of Rs 15,000 for purchase of items for the grocery shop that Neetus elder sister and mother run in Bhador Khurd village near Bharatpur. The foundation also donated a computer to the family.

HT reported how Neetu and her elder sister, Sushma, get up at 4am every morning to collect milk from houses in her village and then bring it to Bharatpur city on a motorcycle for door-to-door delivery.

Neetu began doing this when her father asked her to discontinue her studies because he didnt have money. She earns Rs 12,000 from milk supply to fund her education and save the rest amount for her two elder sisters wedding.

After delivering milk, Neetu parks the bike at a relatives house, changes her clothes and attends computer classes offered by Rajasthan State Certificate Course in Information Technology.

Lupin foundation director Sitaram Gupta said a team was sent to the village to consider more help to the family. We will support her in her education and give vocational training to her elder sisters, he said.

The foundation, Gupta said, will work towards extending benefits of government welfare schemes to the family.

Parshuram Sena Youth Wing, a Brahmin organisation, said its members would visit the family on Sunday to offer them help. Rajasthan Hindu Jan Manch president Dinesh Chand Tiwari said his organisation would find grooms for the two sisters and fund the weddings.

Among the five sisters, two are married, the third, Radha, sits at the grocery store, and the fourth, Sushma, helps Neetu, the youngest, in milk business. They also have a brother, younger to Neetu, who is in Class 10.

Deeg government college economics lecturer Anil Kumar Nagar came forward to help the girl to continue her education. His wife Sarita Singh Nagar, also an economics lecturer in Maharani Shri Jaya college in Bharatpur, inspired him to help the girl complete Bachelor of Art and Bachelor of Education, so that she can be a teacher.

The family thanked HT for highlighting their story, which got them help.
A pilot poses for photos in front of a fighter plane at Gary Jet Center, Chicago, the United States, Aug. 17, 2017. The Media Day for the 59th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show was opened at Gary Jet Center on Thursday for reporters and photographers. The show will kick off at North Avenue Beach on Saturday and Sunday. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)
Eyebrows are being raised over chief minister Yogi Adityanaths Wednesday statement that the government had no business to stop Janmashtami celebrations in police stations if it could not stop people from offering namaz on streets.

Agar mai sadak par eid ke din namaz padhne par rok nahi laga sakta toh phir mujhe thano mein janmashtami ke parv ko rokne ka bhi koi adhikar nahi (If I cant stop Eid namaz being offered on the streets then I have no right to stop Janmashtami celebrations at police stations either), Adityanath had said at a function in Lucknow.

This was no off the cuff remark as ahead of the festival, the UP government had issued an order asking the police to celebrate Janmashtami in a grand but dignified manner.

While the order also claimed Janmashtami celebrations were disrupted in the past, there was little to support the CMs contention.

Senior police officers whom HT contacted too werent able to confirm if the celebrations were disrupted in the past.

UP has around 1500 (including those of the GRP) police stations where celebrations are held as per the space.

Every year the DGP has been issuing similar order about celebrating the festival in a dignified manner. Vulgar dances and women dancers have been banned but not the celebrations, a senior IPS officer said on conditions of anonymity.

According to mythology, Krishna was born in a prison in Mathura.

That is why special celebrations are held in police lines and prisons on the occasion. I have seen Janmashtami celebrations in police lines for decades now, said former DGP Prakash Singh, who wasnt so sure about celebrations in police stations though.

Yogiji must realise that he is now the chief minister and stop engaging in communal politics, AIMIM state president Shaukat Ali said.

Yogis comment provided the opposition parties a chance to accuse the chief minister of playing vote bank politics.

Why is he flagging a non-issue? As CM he must speak responsibly. There is nothing to support his view on Janmashtami celebrations being disrupted, former UP minister Rajendra Chowdhary said.

Yadi hum keh dein ki garv se kaho hum Hindu hain toh log kahenge sampradayik hai ... Aap aaraam se Christmas manaiye, namaaz padhiye .. koi nahi rok raha hai ... lekin kanoon ke daayre main reh kar ... (If we say be proud to be a Hindu, then we would be dubbed communal ... you celebrate Christmas, offer namaz ... none would stop you if its within the law), the CM had said.

Adityanath had also justified his governments decision to lift ban on DJ and music systems to be played during the yatra. Maine poocha yeh kanwar yatra hai ya Shav yatra ...(I asked the officials whether its a kanwar yatra or funeral procession), he said saying the yatra is a celebration.

There has never been any demand from Muslims to stop Janmashtami celebrations in prisons. So the comparison was uncalled for. As CM, Yogiji should build bridges between communities, not destroy them. His responsibility is much bigger given the impressive mandate his party has got, said Athar Siddiqui from the Centre of Objective Research and Development (CORD).

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Slamming the Yogi Adityanath-led government for the death of children at the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in Gorakhpur, former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday demanded a CBI inquiry.

It is not the death of 60 children alone. God knows how many children have similarly died in other hospitals in the state. And at the root of all this is rampant corruption. But the UP CM is not bothered what is happening in his own home district. The CBI should be asked to probe the cause of deaths in BRD, said Yadav.

However, in the same breath, he accused the state government of being hand in glove with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

This government has a special attachment with the premier investigation agency, he said in an apparent reference to a host of CBI probes that the government has ordered on projects executed under the Samajwadi Party regime.

Yadav, who was detained in Unnao when he was on his way to Auraiya to attend a protest rally there on Thursday, appeared battle-ready to take on the government over its alleged failures. We will not sit idle now, and (will) continue with our public contact programme to expose the lies of the government, he said.

Yadav further targeted Yogi for his remark on Janmashtami celebrations in police stations.

He (Yogi) is a digital CM; he should browse the records and tell us that when Janmashtami was not celebrated in police stations in the past 100 years, he said.

Taking his attack further, he said if voted to power, the Samajwadi Party would give at least Rs 5 lakh to each police station to celebrate Christmas, Eid, Diwali, Holi and other festival.

This government would not talk about developing smart cities but instead would like us to focus on issues like cows, Janmashtami and Eid. Cows are roaming on roads and expressways. Those raising objection over namaz on roads would be better off if they get the roads cleaned of cow-dung, the party chief said.

Yadav said people had understood the reality and would not be fooled by BJP's false promises. The whole country is now aware that the BJP is not a party which delivers on its promises. They say something else and do something else, he said and asked the ruling party to name one achievement in UP.
Lucknows iconic Chattar Manzil is all set to get back its 1862 look once the restoration work at the monument is complete.

We have procured a rare photograph of Chattar Manzil shot by English photographers Charles Shepherd and Arthur Robertson in 1862. Its a southern view of the structure that highlights bothChattar Manzil and Kothi Farhat Baksh (adjacent to the building) in great detail, said project engineer of the construction body UPRNN Sandeep Singh.

Historical Facts Chattar Manzil was built in the nineteenth century. Nawab Sadat Ali Khan wanted to build the monument in the memory of his mother Chattar Kunwar. The building, with its Indo-Italian architecture and several doors and windows, was completed by Nasiruddin Haider. The begums of Awadh stayed in the building during summers because of its cool ambience. After the mutiny of 1857, the building was occupied by the British, who opened a club and library on the premises. In 1950, it was handed over to CSIR which in turn gave it to the CDRI.

Officials with the Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) said the 1862 look will bring back the lost glory to the Nawabi era structure.

Taking reference from these photographs, UPRNN aims to restore the monument the way it appeared in 1862 after it was repaired to conceal the damages caused during the first war of Independence.

Restoration of the structure is likely to be carried out on the same pattern. But prior to restoring its old look the wall, base and foundation need to be strengthened. It is being done under the expertise of professors from IIT- BHU in the ongoing conservation and restoration project, Singh added.

According to UPRNN officials, IIT-BHU experts have given nod to the restoration of the structure and issued guidelines for the same. Strengthening of the structure is top priority and will be carried out as per their directives, another UPRNN official told HT.

IIT-BHU experts have also given their nod to excavation at the site after another floor of the monument was recently discovered.

We discovered the floor while digging to reach the base of the structure. On digging further, we also discovered a room and a hidden basement area, said Nitin Kohli, the contractor associated with the restoration project.

Once the original structure is unearthed, the beautification and restoration work will start, he added.

Initially, the construction agencies had blamed the Central Drug and Research Institute (CDRI) for distorting the original structure of Chhattar Manzil. In 1950, the structure was allocated to CDRI the multidisciplinary research laboratory to carry out research work. However, CDRI built modern structures as per its convenience and also elevated the ground level as a preventive measure for flood as it is situated close to the river Gomti.

Officials said CDRI also laid a water pipeline, electricity lines beneath and also constructed underground water tanks, putting the structure at risk.

According to Archaeological Survey of India records, it delisted 11 Nawabi-era-architectural-marvels in 1962, including Chattar Manzil, Lal Baradari, Kothi Farhat Baksh, Kaiser Pasand. These monuments were given the status of protected monuments in 1920s.
It was a big day for some 7574 farmers who gathered at Smriti Upvan to take part in governments loan waiver programme in Lucknow on Thursday.

Some hailed the Uttar Pradesh governments move, calling it one of its kind by any government so far. Then there were a few who termed the government as pro-farmers. I have never seen any government thinking so much for the farmers. Its indeed a big waiver and a big favour from the government, said one of the beneficiaries of the scheme Mohammed Usman of Sarsawa village in BKT.

Usman said he took a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh, of which the government waived a sum of Rs 1 lakh. It will indeed help the farmers in fulfilling their financial needs and will surely make them strong economically, he added.

Another farmer Raghunath, from Mohanlalganj, hailed the governments plans to help farmers financially. After fulfilling this promise, we hope the government will also fulfil its promise to double the farmers earnings by 2022, said Raghunath.

The UP government has shortlisted around 56537 farmers for the scheme. Of these, around 7574 farmers were shortlisted in the initial phase. A total of Rs43.92 crore got distributed today, said Kaushal Raj Sharma, district magistrate, Lucknow.

Of the total 7574 farmers, 448 were from Sarojini Nagar tehsil, 625 from Sadar, 1727 from BKT, 2117 from Malihabad and 2657 from Mohanlalganj.

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The flood situation worsened in eastern UP districts adjoining Nepal on Friday following continuous rains and discharge of water in rivers with the district administration here seeking the help of Army in relief and rescue operations.

The movement of traffic on the Gorakhpur-Sonauli road towards Nepal has come to a standstill with the waters of Rohin river inundating Maniram township and the national highway, sources in the administration said.

In view of the situation, district magistrate Rajiv Rautela has ordered closure of all schools till tomorrow and sought the help of the Army in relief and rescue operations.

After the authorities undertook works to plug the breach in the embankment on Rohin river in Campierganj area two days ago to save water reaching some areas in the city, another breach was observed in it Friday morning leading to panic.

As many as 105 villages of the district have been hit by the floods of which 35 are totally submerged and the villagers have been shifted to safer places, they said.

Teams of NDRF are providing food and drinking water to the flood-hit people with the help of 169 boats.

According to a report from Siddhartnagar, Army helicopters assisted in extending relief material to the affected people on Thursday.

The number of affected villages has gone upto 450 of which 200 are marooned.

Several districts in the eastern region of the state including Balrampur, Basti, Siddhartnagar, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Lakhimpur, Mahrajganj, Gonda are facing floods.

According to the Central Water Commission report, Rapti at Balrampur, Bansi (Siddhartnagar), Rigauli and Birdghat (Gorakhpur), Budhi Rapti river at Kakrahi and Uska Bazar (Siddhartnagar), Rohin river at Trimohanighat (Maharajganj) and Quano at Chandradeep ghat (Gonda) were flowing above the red mark.

Ghaghra is flowing well above the danger mark at Ayodhya, Elgin Bridge (Barabanki) and Turtipar (Ballia) and Sharda is also flowing above the red mark at Palia Kalan (Kheri).
For the residents of Ramnagar village, located 10 km north of Gorakhpurs BRD Medical College, Kamlesh Kumar (40) is the saviour of the lives of their children.

An intermediate in biology from a government college in Bhathat, Kumar runs his clinic on the Gorakhpur-Maharajganj highway.

Kamlesh is not alone. As many as 200 unregistered medical practitioners, commonly known as quacks or jhola chhap doctors, are running clinics in localities and villages near the BRD Medical College.

HT found such clinics on the highways, by-lanes of villages and even in the fields.

The quacks claimed to have pursued BEMS, BHMS and BAMS courses from private medical colleges but refused to show their certificates.

It was found that they had stored medicines and also had makeshift operation theatres in their clinics.

About 10-15 children daily visit my clinic for treatment. By seeing the symptoms, I can say if a child is infected with Japanese encephalitis, acute encephalitis syndrome (JE/AES) or common fever, said Kamlesh Kumar.

Children infected with JE/AES are under shock and their body quivers at regular intervals. After diagnosis and check-up, I administer them medicine available in my clinic, he said.

When told that the state government has ordered action against unqualified and unregistered medical practitioners, he said: I have worked as a compounder at the clinic of a qualified medical practitioner in Gorakhpur for a decade. After learning the basics of medicine, I opened a clinic in my village in 2007.

If the patients are in a critical condition, I get them admitted to private hospitals or tell the parents to take them to the medical college, Kumar said.

Another quack Sonu Nishad, who runs a clinic in Gulriha village near the BRD Medical College, said the influx of patients increased during monsoon. Though the medical college is merely 2 km from my clinic but to avoid long queues and harassment, patients prefer to come here. I give them medicine and charge minimum fee, Nishad said.

People have no option but to visit our clinic for treatment. There is crisis of doctors in rural areas, said Raja Ram, who runs a clinic in Jainpur village.

He said the primary health centre (PHC) in his village had only one doctor and the community health centre (CHC) in Bhathat area also faced a shortage of doctors.

Instead of ordering action, the state government should provide us training and make us a part of the medical services, he said.

A daily wager Shailendra, whose one-month old son died at the BRD Medical College on Tuesday, said: When my son fell ill, I took him to a local doctor (quack). After a fortnight, I admitted my son to the medical college when there was no improvement in his condition. But it was too late.

Quacks have a strong network around medical college. They have agents spread in villages who take patients to their clinics, said Madhusudan Singh, who runs a chemist shop near the medical college.

They fleece the patients and only when their condition deteriorates, they refer them to the medical college, he said.

Former principal of BRD Medical College Dr KP Kushwaha said quacks were mainly responsible for the increase in the death rate of patients.

Majority of rural patients get into the trap of quacks. They rush to the medical college only when their condition starts deteriorating. It is difficult for doctors to revive such patients. The state government should organise awareness campaigns in rural areas, he said.

The Allahabad high court, in its order in 2006, had directed the state government to check quackery. It seems there are few takers of the court order in UP otherwise how one can explain the increase in the number of unregistered medical practitioners from 32,245 in 2006 to 85,656 in 2017? The health department has identified 2,200 clinics being run by quacks, social activist Sanjay Singh said.

Chief medical officer, Gorakhpur, Dr Rajendra Kumar said the district health department had launched a drive against quacks. Cases will be registered against unqualified doctors who are caught running clinic, he said.

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Over two dozen residents of flood-hit Hatwa village in Dhaurahra tehsil observed a Jal Satyagrah in the overflowing Ghaghra river on Thursday. The villagers were irked over the cancellation of chief minister Yogi Adityanaths scheduled visit to their village on Wednesday. They went deep into the Ghaghra to register their protest.

Even heavy rain could not dampen their resolve. The protest lasted around three hours. The Jal Satyagrah was called off after Dhaurahra SDM Ghanshyam Tripathi and deputy superintendent of police Nishtha Upadhyay rushed to the spot and talked to them.

Read more: Flood situation worsens in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Army help sought

The officials convinced the villagers that CMs visit was cancelled as his helicopter could not land there due to floods. He assured them that the administration will provide all aid and relief to them as per the chief ministers instructions. The authorities felt relieved when agitating villagers agreed to call off their protest. A boat was rushed to rescue them safely to the banks. ---Deokant Pandey

Caption Residents of Hatwa village observing a Jal Satyagrah in Ghaghra river on Thursday. HT photo
Newborns cannot catch Japanese encephalitis since they remain immune to the mosquito-borne virus responsible for widespread deaths in India, experts said on Friday.

The comments assume significance as the Uttar Pradesh government blamed the disease for the death of at least 60 children at the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur within a week this August. The victims included neonates, or infants less than four weeks old.

Newborns cannot catch the JE virus since they are born with immunity against such diseases for at least three months, said professor UK Mishra of Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow.

Mishra has done extensive research on the disease and published 25 research papers.

Also, he has recommended measures to control Japanese encephalitis and dengue to the Council of Science and Technology and the state government.

Its wrong to say JE caused the deaths of neonates in Gorakhpur as they cannot catch the disease. They may be suffering from neonatal sepsis or septicemia, said the doctor, who visited Gorakhpur between 2010 and 2016 and suggested ways to prevent deaths.

VK Paul, the head of paediatrics in New Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), offered a similar opinion.

Its true that babies have antibodies against many illnesses that the mother has experienced. So, if the mother has experienced JE, the child will not get it for about three to six months, he said.

Japanese encephalitis and acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) became national buzzwords after 30 children died between August 9 and 11 in Gorakhpurs largest government hospital amid allegations that a private company contracted to supply oxygen cylinders cut supply over a payment dispute.

The states BJP government admitted the shortage but dismissed allegations that an interruption in oxygen supplementation, which is crucial for critical care patients, caused the deaths.

It said the vector-borne disease and other complications were responsible. However, opposition parties blamed government apathy for the tragedy.

According to hospital records, 49 neonates died between August 9 and 16. If professor Mishra is right, Japanese encephalitis cannot be the cause.

Former principal of BRD Medical College, RP Kushwaha, seconded Mishras comments.

Neonates cannot suffer from JE as they are immune to it. So anyone saying neonates died due to JE is wrong. Newborns can die because of encephalopathy, which is caused by asphyxia and neonatal sepsis or septicaemia, he said.

Like much of eastern UP, Gorakhpur is a Japanese-encephalitis-prone area and chief minister Yogi Adityanath wants a research centre in the area.

But experts believe previous studies were good enough to reduce the number of deaths.

A Centre of Excellence in Encephalitis Research was opened in Lucknows SGPGIMS in 2010 for research and training in clinically relevant areas of the disease, Mishra said. The states Council of Science and Technology supported the endeavour.

I visited encephalitis-endemic areas of Gorakhpur almost every year and brought out research papers with my team.

The centre trained around 100 paediatricians and doctors in diagnosis and treatment.

The experts proposed low-cost intensive care units for encephalitis treatment. The technique was adopted by tropical countries such as Vietnam, which has controlled the disease significantly.

But in 2016, the science council withdrew its aid for research and no SGPGIMS expert went to Gorakhpur for field study since then.

The experts advised that the government should implement their recommendations, instead of setting up local research centres.

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For the past 15 years, UPs politics revolved around caste and family, but now it will be centered around youths and farmers, said chief minister Yogi Adityanath at a function to distribute loan waiver certificates to farmers, here on Thursday.

Adityanath and union home minister Rajnath Singh distributed certificates to farmers in keeping with the BJPs assembly election promise.

In all 7,574 farmers received certificates. The CM and Rajnath personally distributed certificates to 50 beneficiaries.

Speaking on the occasion, Adityanath said: Transfer and posting was a business and criminalisation of politics was part of the government in the past 15 years.

In the past 15 years in Uttar Pradesh no political party thought about farmers. Even those living (politicians) have got their memorials constructed, said the CM referring to BSP chief Mayawati

Assuring farmers that no notices would be served to loan defaulters, the CM said: I personally presided over a meeting with banks officials and told them that no notices must be served to farmers who default on loan.

By waiving loan the government is not doing any favour to farmers. It is your right. Farmers were the most oppressed lot among all in the state, said the CM.

He said camps would be organised in every block and district for distribution of loan waiver certificates to farmers.

The CM further assured that loans of all farmers up to Rs 1 lakh till March 31, 2016 would be waived off as promised by the BJP. He also assured them that their land records (khatauni) would now be linked with their Aadhaar numbers to prevent land mafias from grabbing their land.

The state government has constituted an anti-land mafia task force, he said.

The chief minister also announced that the state government would procure paddy from farmers like it had procured wheat. The government will be give Rs 15 per quintal more to farmers in addition to the minimum support price of the paddy, said the CM. The amount would be directly transferred to farmers bank accounts, he added.

Earlier addressing the gathering, Rajnath was all praise for the Yogi government for fulfilling the loan waiver promise.

It was due to PM Narendra Modi that the cost of urea came down. Earlier, farmers had to wait in long queues for hours to get urea. But now not only urea is also easily available but its cost has also come down, he said.

It is after 15 years that any government in the state has directly procured wheat from farmers, said Rajnath.

It was during the tenure of Rajnath as chief minister that the government had directly procured wheat from farmers.

The union home minister also requested the chief minister to make some arrangement for stray cows that cause damage to crops. It is common practice to abandon cows in Bundelkhand once they stop giving milk. In local parlance the system is called Anna Pratha. These cows damage crops.

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Enraged over alleged incidents of sexual harassment of junior students by seniors, one of which also proved fatal for a boy, hundreds of people ransacked the premises of a private day boarding school in Lucknows Bazar Khala area on Thursday.

The state of affairs in the school came to light when parents of a few victims lodged a police complaint on Thursday.

The parents alleged that sexual harassment incidents took place because the school administration allowed senior boys to stay with junior girls and boys in the same room.

They alleged that while several children have fallen ill due to harassment, a Class 5 boy had also died around 10 days back.

An FIR under IPC sections 376 (rape), 377 (sodomy) and 304 (for causing death due to negligence) has been registered against unidentified boys, school administration and its manager Bal Govind Rastogi, said Sujeet Dubey, inspector, Bazar Khala police station.

He said a recent case is of a Class 4 girl, whose parents have alleged that she was sexually harassed by senior boys. The school administration, however, stated that the girl is not coming to school since March.

Read more| Four-year-old raped by peon: Heres 5 ways Mumbai schools can protect your child

Dubey said another person alleged that his 12-year-old son was sodomised by senior boys in a school room. He said the complainant alleged that his son got ill due to sexual harassment and succumbed during treatment at KGMUs trauma centre on August 7.

While no arrests have been made so far, the school staff has been told not to leave the city without police permission.
New Development Bank (NDB) launched its African Regional Center (ARC) in Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday to herald new opportunities for developing countries in Africa.

The ARC will be an important contributor to sustain infrastructure development in South Africa and also a useful participant in the development agenda of the continent, NDB said in a press release.

The establishment of the ARC, which is the first regional office of the NDB, is an important milestone for the bank. It marks the fulfillment of a commitment made by the founders of the bank in its Articles of Agreement, said NDB President K. V. Kamath.

The launch of ARC will help the continent to defeat poverty, inequality and unemployment, said Naledi Pandor, South African Minister of Science and Technology, Xinhua reported Friday.

The ARCs initial emphasis will be on identification and preparation of sustainable infrastructure and sustainable development projects in South Africa in line with the country's development strategy with focuses on sectors as water, transport, energy and urban development, according to the NDB.

Moreover, the bank will continue to explore opportunities to raise capital in local currency to meet the borrowers demand.

"It will enable our state-owned enterprises to address our critical areas of infrastructure development." South Africa's Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said, according to Xinhua.

When engaging with traditional multilateral development banks, many developing countries face challenges such as lengthy loan approval time, heavy bureaucracy and external conditions posed, said Cyril Prinsloo, senior researcher at the Economic Diplomacy Program at South African Institute of International Affairs, expecting the ARC will address these shortcomings in operation, according to Xinhua.

BRICS countries, which stand for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, launched the NDB in 2015 to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects at home and in other underserved emerging economies.

The NDB approved a first set of loans involving financial assistance of 1.5 billion US dollars for projects in renewable and green energy, and transportation in 2016 and aims at a lending target of 2.5 billion US dollars in 2017.
As the sun sets, the narrow lanes of Kabir Chaura reverberate with the sounds of tabla, sarangi and alaap (renditions).

It was in these lanes of this mohalla of musicians that the Banaras gharana thrived and gave renowned music maestros to the world.

And the legacy continues even today. The mohalla still preserves the guru-shishya tradition and nurtures classical music.

Now, on the suggestion of classical vocalists Rajan and Sajan Mishra, the Centre has incorporated Heritage Walk scheme in its ambitious Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) to make Varanasi a tourism hub.

After the beautification of lanes and houses of Kabir Chaura area, a walk will be promoted to allow foreign tourists and music lovers experience the rich legacy of Banaras gharana.

Kabir Chaura has been home to classical musicians like Pt Bade Ramdas Ji, Pt Harishankar Mishra and Pt Gopal Prasad Mishra. Under their tutelage, many musicians of international repute have blossomed.

Padma awardees and classical vocalists Pt Rajan and Sajan Mishra are the sons of sarangi maestro Pt Hanuman Prasad Mishra. The brothers are famous for Khayal style of Indian classical music.

This area is known for legendary classical musicians such as Pt Ramsahay Mishra. He is known as the pravartak (promoter) of Banaras gharana of tabla recital. Tabla legend Pt Godai Maharaj spent all his life in these lanes, said Rajkumar Mishra, a tabla maestro who lives in Kabir Chaura area.

Tabla maestro Pt Kishan Maharaj, a Padma Vibhushan awardee, carried forward the legacy of classical tabla and developed his unique style.

Tabla player Sandip Das, who won a Grammy award in 2017, is among the pupils of Pt Kishan Maharaj and spent several years in Kabir Chaura area. Pt Kishan Maharajs son Pt Puran Maharaj lives in his ancestral house in a lane and trains budding musicians every evening.

I cant live without tabla. I am trying to preserve the legacy of classical musical that my father has left behind. He was also a guru to me, he said.

Legendry kathak dancers late Sitara Devi and Gopi Krishna lived in a lane that has been named after Sitara Devi. Her grandson Vishal Krishna is also a kathak artiste.

I have a big responsibility to carry forward the legacy of my grandmother Sitara Devi. I am serving the art of kathak, Krishna said.

Vikas Maharaj, a descendant of Pt Nankau Maharaj, is serving classical music not only in India but in other countries too. He plays sarod and has given a number of performances in many countries.

I took lessons in music from my grandfather Pt Bade Ramdas Ji, father Pt Nanhkau Maharaj and uncle Kishan Maharaj besides Pt Kanthe Maharaj. With the blessings of great musicians, I am serving the Banaras Gharana and want to popularise it further across the world, Pt Vikas Maharaj said.

It is a matter of great pride to be born in the family of legendary musicians, he added.

Vocalist Pt Rajeshwar Mishra, who is in his 70s, said he was spreading the essence of music that he got from his guru Pt Bade Ramdas Ji Maharaj.

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Uttar Pradesh government will soon set up committees to ensure clean environment in every ward of the city.

Speaking at a programme Uttar Pradesh Riding High on Smart Cities: Swacch Bharat and Digital India Mission here on Thursday, urban development minister Suresh Khanna said the committees, called Swacch Vatavaran Nirman Samitis, would consist of 7 to 11 members of the area, specially youths and prominent people who would help the authorities in keeping the area clean.

For disease prevention Urban development minister Suresh Khanna said the committees, called Swacch Vatavaran Nirman Samitis, would consist of 7 to 11 members of the area, specially youths and prominent people who would help the authorities in keeping the area clean. He said sanitation was important to stop the outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis, dengue, chikangunya and other diseases.

Small countries like Israel are marching ahead in technology but India is lagging behind due to lack of discipline. However, Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam has tied up with Israel for water treatment technology based on which 90 % of the citys used water would be recycled in the days to come, Khanna said.

He said sanitation was important to stop the outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis, dengue, chikangunya and other diseases.

Khanna termed the deaths in Gorakhpur Medical College as unfortunate and called on the municipal corporations to ensure proper cleanliness to stop spread of diseases.

He said seven cities had been selected for smart city project but in the next round, he would like to see selection of all 13 cities which had applied.

Principal secretary, Board of Revenue Praveer Kumar said, The department has put everything thing online. Now a software is being prepared to monitor and detect benami properties, as all the properties would be linked with Aadhar number.

Ambassador of Belgium Jan Luykx gave a detailed account of the best practices followed by his country for smart transport system, green environment and eco-friendly energy.

He said his country was willing to help the UP government in the smart city project.

Dinah McDougal,l commercial officer, embassy of United States of America, said that the US companies were also willing to help the state in its smart city programme and ready to invest in the projects.

Director, Queensland University of Technology and Head, Australian Consortium on Smart Cities Professor Sheel Nuna also addressed the programme.

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Just a week after a fashion designer was stalked by a techie, who chased her in a car and landed up at her doorstep in the middle of the night, another chilling case of stalking has emerged from the city. A 25-year-old journalist was chased by two men on a bike for almost 3km in Andheri on late Wednesday night.

Recounting the harrowing experience, Asira Tarannum spoke to Hindustan Times on Friday and narrated how she was harassed on her way back home from an assignment, at 1am on Friday.

She was at Chitrakoot Grounds in Andheri (West), from where she got into an autorickshaw, and the two men started riding their scooter next to her vehicle. While one of them made lewd gestures at her, the other one asked her to accompany them. Tarannum said even as she warned them about calling the police, they continued their chase.

They were constantly trying to stop my auto. I clicked their photo and calling 100 I immediately received a call back from the police, said Tarannum.

2 boys on a dio number 5994, chased my rick from Chitrakoot grounds in Andheri to Juhu circle. Anyone who knows these guys (1/2) pic.twitter.com/iDEd4Ztmwe  Asira (@Asira_Tarannum) August 17, 2017

The duo did not appear drunk, the woman said, but instead laughed even as she clicked their photo.

Meanwhile, the caller from the Mumbai police control room directed Tarannum to take a route towards the next police checkpoint.

The journalist said that even the auto driver initially indulged her harasses by conversing with them, but once she threatened him with police action, he sped ahead.

Spotting a nakabandi near Juhu Circle, the men took a diversion and fled towards Vile Parle, she said.

The police called me thrice to check if I had reached home safely. A lot of times, women do not speak about such issues and that is why these people go scot-free, said Tarannum. She even posted photos of the duo on social media, requesting people to help her identify them.

The police have registered a case against the unidentified duo under Section 354d (stalking) of the IPC.

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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will in an internal meeting on Wednesday take stock of the partys activities in rural Maharashtra towards ensuring the implementation of the Rs34,022-crore farm loan waiver promised by the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.

Thackeray will chair a meeting of ministers, party leaders, deputy leaders and heads of districts at the party headquarters at Shiv Sena Bhavan on Wednesday at noon.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena Member of Parliament (MP) from the Rajya Sabha, said, It is just a routine meeting where the Sena chief will look at the kind of work being done by heads of districts of the party across the state, take any feedback or resolve issues.

But, among other things, he is likely to look into how much work has been done by party representatives in rural areas to enroll farmers for the farm loan waiver and ensure its implementation.

The party last month firmed up a plan to hold the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, of which it is a part, to task on the implementation of the farm loan waiver, for which the Shiv Sena had taken to the streets to demand.

The Sena chief asked his party leaders to go door-to-door in villages and inquire about the farmers debt burden, while separately demanding a list of all farmers who stand to benefit from the loan waiver scheme from the district cooperative banks.

After protests by farmers across the state, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis last month sanctioned Rs34,022 crore as loan waiver for farmers.

The scheme will benefit 89 lakh farmers in the state and make 40 lakh completely debt-free.

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Two bikers who chased Mumbai woman at night and passed lewd comments were arrested on Thursday. Officials also caught a 42-year-old man who tried to board a Hyderabad-bound flight on Wednesday by pasting his own photograph on his relatives Aadhaar card and using his air ticket. The CCTV footage of Mumbai-Goa luxury train showed a railway guard stealing a faucet worth Rs180 from the trains lavatory.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) has set up a trap to catch a leopard suspected to have attacked four children and killed one.

Also, theres good news for Sai Baba devotees in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi. You will soon be able to take flights to the temple town of Shirdi.

Here are our top five picks:

1. Bikers who chased Mumbai woman at night, passed lewd comments study in college, arrested

The Amboli police arrested two men who stalked a journalist for almost 3km at 1 am on Thursday. The accused men were traced within two hours after the case was registered, said officials. The accused  identified as Clifford Samuel, 25, and Sagar Singh, 21  are residents of Marol, Andheri (East)

2. To save cash, man sticks his photo on relatives Aadhaar card, tries to board Mumbai-Hyd flight

Pasting his own photograph on his relatives Aadhaar card and using his air ticket  this is how a 42-year-old man from Mumbai tried to board a Hyderabad-bound flight on Wednesday. However, domestic airport authorities at Vile Parle (East) caught him and handed him over to the airport police, who arrested him on charges of impersonation, cheating and forgery.

3. Mumbai-Goa Tejas Express: Railway guard steals faucet worth Rs180 from lavatory

Passengers on the Mumbai-Goa luxury train, the Tejas Express, have been damaging its infotainment screens and stealing its earphones since it was flagged off. However, in a first, a guard has now stolen a faucet worth Rs180 from the trains lavatory.

A trap cage that has been covered with leaves to camouflage it. (HT)

4. Mumbai leopard that attacked 4 kids, killed one still at large, forest officials set up third trap cage

After failing to trap a leopard suspected to have attacked four children and killed one, forest guards from Mumbais Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) have set up a third cage to nab the animal. Forest guards said they believe the leopard is still at Aarey Milk Colony, south of the national park, as there have been sightings near a guest house.

5. Sai Baba devotees in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, you can soon take a flight to Shirdi

Good news for Sai Baba devotees in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi, you will soon be able to take flights to the temple town of Shirdi. An airport 11 km to the east of Shirdi will be owned and operated by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd. (MADC). The airport closest to the shrine as of now is at Aurangabad, 125 km away. There is one at Pune, which is 200 km away. Mumbais airport is more than 300 km from the shrine.
By the beginning of August, scores of makeshift sheds of hideous blue plastic sheets held up by bamboo poles line the rain-soaked bylanes of Lalbaug, Parel. Walk into one of these dimly lit work spaces and you will find men in tattered clothes, covered in plaster of Paris (PoP) and paint, often hanging precariously from rickety bamboo scaffolding, silently crafting with stunning artistry Ganpati idols as big as 20 feet high and more. Welcome to where the magic happens.

In the second half of every year, this time from August 25, Mumbai plays host to its favourite God for up to 12 days. The preparations, however, begin months in advance.

After Ganeshotsav was transformed into a mass event by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in the late 1800s as a way to bridge the gap between Brahmins and non-Brahmins, it has supported many a livelihood, with generations invested in the making of the idol. And what a back-breaking process it is, sometimes literally.

Apart from Lalbaug, make-shift workshops start springing up in Chinchpokli and Wadala from March onwards. The smaller idols are made using either PoP or clay. Pen in Raigad is a hub of small Ganpatis, and idol-makers from the town bring truckloads of them every year to the city. But its the bigger ones that require months of painstaking work.

Step one involves procuring the main ingredient for these mammoth structures  PoP. We buy hundreds of truckloads from Bikaner, says artist Krunal Patil, who has two workshops in Wadala where idols up to 25 feet tall are made. Most idol-makers buy the material from Rajasthan because it is cheap and hence cost-effective. And for good reason. One 20-foot idol would require 30 bags of POP each weighing about 25kilos, says Patil. And he makes at least 60 idols ranging from six to 20 feet every year.

How the idol will look is decided down to the last detail, including the expression on the face, in discussions the artist has with the Ganpati mandal that commissions it. A sketch is then made, which the workers have to follow to the tee.

These workers are artists extraordinaire. Their main job: To bring to life their bosss vision. Gaining entry into these workshops isnt easy. Some idol makers like Ramesh Rawale to mentor their workers. His family has been in the business, Rawale claims, for 98 years. We have mentored not just boys and girls from Maharashtra, but also from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Of course, you cannot learn if you dont have an inherent love for the art, says Rawale.

In another part of Lalbaug lies a makeshift workshop built on leased railway ground, which was started by the late Vijay Khatu. Here, workers are in mourning for their Sheth, who passed away at the end of July, but work continues as usual, albeit in eerie silence. Khatus nephew, Nikhil, who is overseeing the work, says, My uncle would go to the interiors of Maharashtra in search of artists for the workshop. My father does the same. Once the artists are picked, we get them to Mumbai and they are given a one-year apprenticeship. If we like their work, we keep them on permanently.

Now comes the hard part. Making moulds for the idol  for the hands, feet, head, torso and trunk. But first, an armature  or a frame around which the idol is moulded  is created. If the idol is standing, the armature is usually made of metal, and if Ganpati is sitting on a throne, we use wood, says Patil.

The first mould to go up is the torso, followed by the head, hands and legs. The moulds are stuck together using glue and coir or coconut fibre. They are cut and refitted depending on the position of the hands and legs. Then it is the turn of the finishing team, as Patil calls them.

Zoom to get a view of a workshop in Chinchpokli:

A separate team applies a base coat, another applies the body tone, and then shading is done using spray paint. A jewellery team then dresses up the idol with accessories, which generally include bangles, a crown, a trishul (trident), if required, and any other request the mandal may have. The last step is painting the eyes. And voila! The idol is ready for the devotees.

The labourers work day and night to make an idol.

Every idol-maker has a different technique, says Rawale. He claims 10 of his workers can erect one idol, in its rough form, in a couple of days. Most of these artists who come from JJ School of Arts would take a month. But we have experience, and our technique is more practical hence we take just two days, he says.

The owners of Kambli Arts, who have been making Lalbaugcha Raja since 1935, however, keep the moulds ready and erect the idol just one week before the festival, to keep the design a secret.

It all, naturally, comes at a cost. A standard 15-inch household idol will set you back by around Rs2,000 if made of PoP. Environment-friendly clay idols will cost you around Rs5,000 because they are handmade, unlike the PoP ones that use moulds. The range for the cost of mandal idols is anywhere between Rs80,000 and Rs4 lakh, depending on the concept, says Patil.

Back at the Khatu workshop in Lalbaug, 5-6 workers are readying an idol to be taken to Kolhapur, piling sand on to the truck bed to keep it stable. We will take turns to drive the whole day and the entire night to deliver Bappa to the mandal there, says a worker as the truck drives off amid chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya.

Videos and photos by Anshuman Poyrekar

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Many Ganesh mandals across the city and the suburbs are rooting for a noble cause through festivities  organ donation.

Around 10 mandals in Thane and Kalyan, 20 in Andheri and a few in Vasai plan to spread awareness on organ donation this year.

We will have a small act running for our visitors. It will show how a person who died while clicking a selfie is blessed with a heavenly abode because he donated his organs, said organisers from the Ganpati mandal next to Vasai court.

We have written to the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) and Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) to draft a letter to the Municipal Commissioner and get us an approval, so we can run the campaign during festivities. We will receive permission in a day or two, said Prakash Desai, secretary, Jan Jagruti Creation Sanstha, in Andheri.

On the other hand, Dr Kamakshi Bhate, associate professor, department of preventive and social medicine, King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, said that they had spoken to assistant commissioners of all 26 wards, and around 200 pandals have been informed about the campaign.

There are around five lakh people who die every year because they do not receive organs. So, the civic body grants permission to spread the message for organ donation during these festivities, she said.

A few days back, Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, known for its support to social causes apart from its famous Ganpati, organised a blood donation drive. It was supported by the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC), and the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP). Approximately 20,000 people donated blood, and 15,248 bags passed the tests and were taken to blood banks.

The day the drive ended, around 2,000 bags were airlifted to government-run hospitals in Nagpur, Gondia and Chandrapur. We also donated 1,500 bags to Military Hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir and some to various districts in Aurangabad, said Balasaheb Kamble, president of the mandal. Some of the bags were passed on to Delhi, Kolkata and Pune.

The mandal also runs a dialysis centre all year round, where patients are provided treatment and snacks for Rs 100.

Kanmanagar Vikhroli Sarvajanik Ganesh Chaturthi provides physiotherapy services to the needy not only during the festival, but all year around.

9000 kms in 40 days

Lourd Vijay, a professional dancer from Bangalore, had to wait for two-and-half years before he could get a kidney, thats when he decided that he would spread awareness regarding organ donation.

Vijay, along with his team of three people of Spread Hope foundation, is on a 9000 kms, 40 days drive from Chennai to Ladakh, wherein he will be visiting 13 cities, 17 towns and 80 villages for the cause.

I aim to reach out to 10 million people in five years. Right now, since I am passionate about travelling, I am going across length and breadth of the country to spread a word about organ donation, said Vijay.

(With inputs from Shasta Kaul)
Commuters in Kalwa east will soon see an upgraded and improved station area, which will resolve traffic problems and connect the areas east and west.

The town planning department of the Thane Municipal Corporation has proposed Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS) at Kalwa  this will be the third after Thane west and east. The project will link Parsik, Kharegaon and Navi Mumbai.

After the liquidation of the Mafatlal mill land was cleared, all hurdles have been cleared for the Kalwa east to be developed.

The land has been freed up for residential projects and the cluster scheme will also increase the areas population.

An official from town planning department requesting anonymity said, The Mafatlal mill land, which was stuck in a dispute between mill workers and owners, has got the courts permission for liquidation. The 123-acre plot worth Rs1,100 crore is now open for major residential projects.

The authorities have proposed implementation of cluster development scheme in the east side. The areas population is set to increase multifold and so we need to plan the traffic and public transport management. The SATIS scheme aims at easing congestion, said the official.

The department has proposed to acquire all City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) plots near Kalwa east station for SATIS.

Though repeated calls to Cidco went unanswered, the TMC has claimed that they have informed the planning authority about the acquisition.

Kalwa west is congested and there is no space to develop SATIS, said the official.

The SATIS planned in Kalwa east will have special decks for bus, elevated corridors, parking facility and arrangement for easy dispersal of vehicles from the station.

We will have to acquire land belonging to Cidco. The new SATIS will link Kalwa east, Kharegaon, Parsik and Airoli and will pave way for a smooth traffic movement, he added.

The first SATIS project in Thane west was completed in 2010. The second SATIS has been proposed for Thane east.

Why should we care

The east side of Kalwa is hilly with most parts coming under the forest departments jurisdiction. The area filled with slums is a crime hub with most illegal businesses operated from the slums in the area. The transport facility in the area is insufficient to meet the demand of residents. For years, people have been crossing the railway track from west to east. The new SATIS will connect the two areas.

The project in Thane west

The Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS) was mooted by the TMC in 2006 and the Rs35.5-crore project was completed in 2010. Implemented by MMRDA and TMC, there is an elevated deck for TMT buses, two skywalks connecting the north and south of the station and foot overbridges connecting the station. This ensures a seamless and smooth travel for commuters.

SATIS at Thane East (proposed)

The second SATIS project in Thane will cost Rs266 crore. It will have multilevel parking and a separate deck for bus terminus. The proposed commercial building will have food plaza, rest rooms, ticket counter and citizen facilitation centre. TMC will build elevated road from Thane (West) to Thane east SATIS to solve the traffic conjunction.

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After failing to trap a leopard suspected to have attacked four children and killed one, forest guards from Mumbais Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) have set up a third cage to nab the animal.

Forest guards said they believe the leopard is still at Aarey Milk Colony, south of the national park, as there have been sightings near a guest house. Two other leopards  a mother and her cub  are also suspected to be in the area, complicating matters. The forest department has stopped all outdoor shoots at the nearby Film City in Goregaon until the leopard is caught.

Based on the leopards pattern of movement, it was necessary to install another cage near the VIP guest house at Aarey, said Jitendra Ramgaonkar, deputy conservator of forest, Thane. Forest officials and the guest house staff have also spotted another female leopard and her cub. We are trying to ensure that we do not accidentally trap the wrong animal, he added.

What should you do if you spot a leopard? Be alert when it is dark as that is when leopards are active. Put on loud music so the big cat avoids you. Do not venture out alone after dark. Mere sightings of a leopard do not translate into danger. Do not crowd around the animal. Ensure that the garbage is disposed and no feral dogs are present in the locality as leopards often prey on them (Source: Sanjay Gandhi National Park)

SGNP has 35 leopards, which sometimes enter Aarey in search of prey. Forest officials said there could be seven leopards in the area bordering the park near Film City and Aarey Colony which has eight tribal villages, dairies and slums.

We have 15 forest officers stationed out near this trap cage every night to conduct intensive, selective and close monitoring of all animals in the area, said Ramgaokar.

Forest officials said it is hard to convince villagers to follow safety guidelines. They still roam around in the evening and at night with their children. They dispose of garbage haphazardly, which attracts stray dogs, on which leopards prey, he said. He added that the team was taking measures to ensure that another attack would not occur.

We will reiterate how important these safety guidelines are. Plans to install street lights in this area are underway, said Nathu Rathod, chief executive officer, Aarey Colony.

Who has the leopard attacked?

July 28: 13-year-old Aarey Milk Colony resident Aniket Dileep Page was attacked near the pump house around 3.30pm.

July 22: Two-year-old Vihaan Nilesh Garuda, son of an SGNP staff member, was attacked and killed near Maroshipada, a hamlet near Film City.

May 29: A four-year-old boy, who lived at Royal Palms, Goregaon, was attacked

March 17: A three-year-old boy was attacked near Khadakpada, a tribal hamlet. The boy escaped with injuries on his chest and throat after residents scared the leopard away.

May 21: A three-year-old boy was saved by his mother, who snatched him away from the claws of a leopard that had pounced on him in Chafyachapada, Aarey. The boy suffered minor injuries.

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A day after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the possibility of the BJP-led Maharashtra government becoming unstable in an apparent dig at the Shiv Sena, the Sena stepped up its aggression, targeting the government on a range of issues from the farm loan waiver to the countrys security.

After the partys internal meeting at its headquarters, Shiv Sena Bhavan, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, On the one hand, we are hearing about the number of farmers who have so far applied and been declared eligible for a loan waiver, and on the other hand we are hearing that a large number of farmers having committed suicide. Why are farmers committing suicide if the government is really trying to help them? This should be clarified. Assure us that farmers are really being made debt-free.

He reiterated his demand of getting a full list of all 89 lakh farmers who are to benefit from the BJP-led governments promised Rs34,022-crore loan waiver, along with their addresses. Thackeray also criticised Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who left the post of the defence minister earlier this year, to take charge of the government at Goa, for reportedly saying he would go back to the Union defence ministry if the BJP loses an upcoming by-election in Goa. Amid clouds of war with China on one side and Pakistan on the other, it is treachery with the country if he is making such statements and playing with the defence ministry, jumping from the Centre to the state depending on whether the party wins certain elections, Thackeray said.

He also said his party has started preparations for the next election and hopes to at least double its strength of elected representatives. The party currently has 63 legislators in the state assembly and 18 parliamentarians. He appointed Sena MP Sanjay Raut to lead preparations in North Maharashtra, Diwakar Raote in Vidarbha, Subhash Desai in the Konkan region, Ramdas Kadam in Marathwada and Gajanan Kirtikar in the Satara, Sangli and Solapur districts.

At the BJPs executive body meeting on Thursday, Fadnavis sent a loud and clear message that he will stay as the chief minister and dismissed any concerns of there being instability in the government, assuring that the next election will not be before 2019.

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Wary of the chaos that will ensue if the results of the University of Mumbai (MU) are delayed further, the state government on Friday asked the university to declare the results for papers that have been assessed so far. Further, directives were issued to start the re-evaluation process immediately to avoid delay in issuing revised mark sheets.

The decisions were taken in a review meeting between Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and other senior officials at Raj Bhavan on Friday.

Moreover, MU has been asked to extend the deadline to submit applications for admission to post-graduate courses. The state higher and technical education department will issue a notification to all universities to allow provisional admission to candidates based on a copy of the online result. The academic calendar will also be revised.

Vinod Tawde, state higher and technical education minister, who was also present, said MUs Board of Examination and Evaluation has been asked to check if some results can be declared without waiting for the entire assessment process to be completed for each course.

The university can declare results for a course by holding back a maximum of 10% of the unchecked papers. If the exam board allows, the university can declare almost 96% results, said Tawde, but refused to reveal a deadline for completion of assessment. Of 477 results, MU declared 354 results till August 17.

Sources privy to the development said that delay is likely to extend as there were many technical glitches. For instance, the varsity didn't have a standard mechanism to assign unique numbers to the question papers.

HT on August 13 had reported how state government had opposed the idea of adopting online assessment of answer papers which is called  On-Screen Marking System (OMS) in one go and advised the university vice-chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh to introduce the system gradually in phases.

In addition, the state higher and technical department has been asked to issue notifications to all the universities except MU to give provisional admissions to students based on a copy of the online result. It is to ask them to postpone the dates of registration and allocate seats over and above the quota to MU students.

The university is currently facing flak for unprecedented delay in declaring results of most of the courses risking future of thousands of students

A result grievance redressal cell will be set up by the university to resolve issues, said Tawde.

The university's Board of Examination and Evaluation, in a recent meeting, decided to partially declare the results of courses whose 90% papers have been assessed. Declaring results with missing data is not good. We are speeding up the process, said Arjun Ghatule, in-charge director of the board.

Calling it a scam, Shiv Sena has demanded a thorough probe into the delay and appointing administrator for the MU. Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray said, A harassment case should be filed against all those who are responsible for this mess, he said.

With inputs from Musab Qazi

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Ganeshotsav went from being an intimate family affair to being a publically celebrated festival in the late 19th century with freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak providing the fillip. Tilak wanted to foster community spirit through Ganapati (in which gana means group).

Keshavji Naik Chawl in Girgaum, home to Tilaks friends at the time, was one of the first in Mumbai to join this unifying endeavor. And, this year, the Ganesh mandal at the now famous Keshavji Naik Chawl is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

The celebration at the mandal. (File)

Lokmanya Tilak used to come here often to visit his friend Raosaheb Limaye. Limaye and his other friend Naraharshastri Ghodse helped in putting together the first few celebrations, and Tilak himself visited the 1901 celebrations, said Vinod Satpute, trustee of the mandal.

In 2001, the community celebrated the centenary of this visit with great enthusiasm. Girgaum witnessed a grand procession and a re-enactment of the visit, said Vinay Rahatekar, another trustee.

From 1987-1995, a series of lectures called the Lokmanya Vyakhyamala also ran during the celebrations, which were graced by historians Setu Madhavrao Pagdi and Yashawant Dinkar Phadke, among other speakers.

In general, the mandal has had celebrities, politicians and dignitaries visiting its celebrations. Yet, it has remained low-key  looked after by the residents of the chawl, who design the decor and often erect the pandal themselves.

The preparation in progress. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

This year, we are expecting higher footfalls because of the special anniversary, so we have hired somebody to do the decor. The structure being constructed is inspired by the Ganapatipule Temple near Ratnagiri, but the murti is the same as every year, said Satpute.

The two-feet tall clay murti is made by Rajendra More, who is the fourth generation sculptor from the More family associated with the mandal.

Comprising of six buildings, which are home to approximately 150 residents, the chawl is made up of some families who have lived there for seven to eight decades and others who have moved in recently. Everyone synergises to put together a rich cultural program every year.

This place, said Rahatekar, pointing to the small shared space between the buildings, Was totally muddy until 1925, when the residents appealed to the municipal corporation to have it paved. This is where all the events happen now.
A 20-year-old man, who was arrested in connection with a cheating case, allegedly hanged himself with his vest in the washroom of Andheri police station on Thursday noon.

The local crime branch unit is investigating if there was any foul play. According to the Andheri police, somewhere between 11.45 am and 12pm, Vijay Ramesh Salvi hanged himself in the toilet of a detection room. He used his vest to hang from the window grill after locking himself in, said an officer. After hearing a commotion, the detection officer broke open the door and found him hanging. He was rushed to CritiCare hospital where he was declared dead.

Before the incident, Salvi and three others were arrested for allegedly duping a bank employee on August 13. They took money from the employee and exchanged it with fake notes, said the police. They were arrested on August 15.

He was produced before a magistrate court and remanded in police custody till August 21. Salvi from Samta nagar in Kandivali (East) was a Class 7 dropout and did odd jobs for a living.

Salvis post mortem will be conducted at a government hospital to ascertain the cause of his death.The report will also clear the air if there was any external or internal injury on his body. The unit X of the crime branch has asked for CCTV footage.

The crime branch will speak to the parents, the detection officer and the other three arrested men to find out the sequence of events.
Many students who are seeking admission to foreign universities said they had a tough time getting their results at the University of Mumbai's (MU's) help desk.

Students complained that university officials lost their applications for results and they had to file fresh ones. They also had to wait for a long time at the desk and had to run from one official to the other, mostly in vain. Many are afraid that they will miss the admission deadline at the new universities.

The help desk was set up in the wake of an unprecedented delay in declaring results, so that students who need their results urgently for applying to foreign universities can get them. On Tuesday, MU had appointed a five-member 'task force' to help these students. A student who needs his or her results immediately would have to apply for a confidential result, which the university is to hand over to them in a sealed envelope.

A group of three students from Rithambara College, who are seeking admission to De Montfort University in the UK, said that they had applied for the results on Monday, but are yet to know the status of the assessment.

"The officials told us that they lost our applications, so we filed fresh ones on Wednesday. But when we went to the university on Thursday to track its progress, the officials couldn't find the new application either," said one of the students. "Instead of making us aware of the status of our papers' assessment, the officials are passing the buck," said another student.

MU saw a delay in announcement of results for the exams held in the first half of the year due to its decision to adopt an on-screen assessment system. The delay affected thousands of students aspiring for higher education and job opportunities.

A member of the task force said MU had processed more than 7 applications for confidential results in the past two days. "We are no longer using old applications and have asked all the students to file new requests," he said.

Some students complained that their host universities were not ready to accept the confidential results, and have instead asked for an actual mark-sheet. "I need my mark-sheet before I fly out tonight," said a student.

Students, however, accepted that there was a crisis. "One can't blame the officials. They are doing whatever they can to help us. But the university should have set up the desk much earlier. There should be more such desks now," said a student.

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The family of Nadeem Idrisi, the drug addict who was killed by his mother on Tuesday night, used to keep him tied up to prevent him from getting violent on regular occasions. Nadeems pregnant wife, who also used to be beaten, has been staying at her friends house for a few weeks.

Nadeem, 25, used to stay with his wife, two brothers and his mother Anwari at Ambedkar Chawl in Mankhurd.

Nadeem got married around two years ago. He used to often assault his wife said police. Disturbed by the constant beatings, she has been going to sleep at her friends house nearby.

Tired of his behaviour, Anwari had even sent her two daughters to her native place so they could escape his abuses

On Tuesday, Nadeem again started abusing at home and got violent, after which his 19-year-old brother and Anwari tied him up. After a while, when Nadeems brother Nazim went to sleep outside, Anwari was alone in the house. Then, Nadeem started verbally abusing Anwari.

Anwari picked up a dupatta and strangled him with it. She was later arrested after she confessed to the murder, said an officer from Mankhurd police station.

The Mankhurd police have arrested Anwari on charges of murder. Anwari was produced before a metropolitan court that remanded her in police custody till August 21.

The police also received the post mortem report that states, Opinion reserved with evidences of ligature mark over neck associated with multiple injuries over body.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday sent out a loud and clear message that he will continue to hold the states top job until the 2019 Assembly elections, ruling out any possibility of him moving to Delhi.

Addressing Maharashtras Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries and leaders at the state executive body meeting, Fadnavis took a dig at his opponents and ally-turned-rival Shiv Sena, saying that no one had the power to destabilise his government and the next big battle for the party would be the 2019 polls.

My request to you is do not believe the media, but have faith in the BJPs functioning... I am still the chief minister and not going anywhere. There is no possibility of my being called to Delhi, as of now. Raosaheb Danve will also continue as the state units president. We have won the elections under his leadership, said Fadnavis.

We have won all the important battles so far, and now our next big challenge is the 2019 polls. Until then, no one has the power to topple our government.

The chief ministers remarks were in response to speculation in the media over a possible cabinet reshuffle, to drop embattled minister Prakash Mehta, or change the partys leadership in the state, which would have meant Danves ouster.

There was also talk of Fadnavis being chosen as a likely candidate in the Union cabinet after BJP leader and Union minister Venkaiah Naidu became the vice-president and Manohar Parrikar moved out as defence minister to become Goas chief minister.

Training his guns on the media, a visibly irked Fadnavis told the party cadre that they were fighting a battle of perception in which media interests were not aligned with the party and should be ignored.

They will have to close shop if they report only good news. They would prefer news about internal rivalry, etc., he said.

Fadnavis, however, did not directly address the controversy involving Mehta, who is facing a probe by the Lokayukta following allegations of graft.

Focusing on the partys expansion, the chief minister told his party cadre that they could no longer rely on the media to publicise decisions or policies of the government. Instead, he said, party workers must reach out directly to the common man across 90,000 booths ahead of the 2019 polls.

The chief minister also slammed the farmers steering committee, which has continued protests against the government, demanding a complete loan waiver for all farmers in the state. Such protests are nothing but an attempt to spread anarchy. What do statements like we will not allow you to unfurl the national flag mean? That is treason, and we will not allow this, said Fadnavis.

He indicated that those fanning such protests were communists, who had little support at ground level and had more allegiance with China than India. The steering committee of farmers had announced chakka jam protests to revive demand for complete loan waiver and better remuneration for farm produce.

The CM also took on the Opposition, blaming them for the current agrarian crisis in the state. I would like to meet anyone who can explain to me the good economics in handing over a loan waiver of Rs1.25 lakh crore to all farmers. Which state will be able to survive such a burden? The Congress and NCP government gave a waiver of maximum Rs8,500 crore in their tenure, and they question our waiver of Rs34,000 crore, Fadnavis said.

The state executive committee meeting was held in the backdrop of several challenges faced by the BJP-led state government including the ongoing farmers protests, possible drought, allegations of corruptions against senior minister Mehta and internal strife within the party. Sources in the party said that the focus would now be squarely on expanding the party base booth-wise until the next polls.

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If chief minister Devendra Fadnavis address to party workers is any indication, the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is readying itself for the 2019 polls. The state government completes three years of governance in October.

With good performance in all local polls this year, Fadnavis on Thursday announced that the party should expand its presence across the state by re-organising and connecting with voters in 90,000 electoral booths in Maharashtra. He was speaking at the state BJPs executive body meeting at Prabhodankar Thackeray auditorium in Borivli.

The electoral booth is the smallest unit in every constituency with only 1,200 to 1,500 voters. The BJP is keen on mapping its weakest constituencies.

However, the chief minister warned that the party is now facing a battle of perception, and with the media not aligning with the BJP, workers should stop depending on the fourth estate.

We have not been successful in taking all government decisions and policies to the ground level. We can no longer look at the media because the news will be altered. We will have to reach out the common man through the Vistar Yojana (outreach programme), said Fadnavis.

I am going to take responsibility of one booth myself because unless seniors take interest in such endeavors, it will not percolate, he added.

He said that the party would soon release a mobile application that will help it consolidate its base.

Similarly, WhatsApp groups would be formed to combat media versions of a decision and expand party base. Sources in the BJP said cabinet decisions were going out independently to over one lakh citizens directly via text and WhatsApp messages and such parallel systems would only be strengthened in the next two years.
The Bombay high court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government to decide on the Mumbai Metro One Private Limiteds plea seeking exemption from paying Rs1,702 crore towards property taxes and octroi within three months.

The MMOPL had approached the high court seeking exemption from payment of municipal taxes for Metro line-1 connecting Ghatkopar with Versova in Andheri.

The Metro operator wants the state government to ask the BMC to exempt them from the payment or decide the legal status of the Metro line.

In its presentation to the state in December 2016, MMOPL questioned BMCs argument that the Metro line was tramway  being a rail-guided mass rapid transit system having a dedicated right of way  and so was not entitled to exemption from payment of municipal taxes, a facility which is available to railways.

The MMOPL claimed they were facing acute financial problems and had accumulated huge losses.

The estimated project cost had escalated to Rs4,026 crore from Rs2,356 crore, in addition to the net loss of Rs277 crore in the first year of operation. The net loss rose to Rs287 crore in the subsequent financial year and was Rs278 crore was recorded in the last financial year.

Responding to the petition, additional government pleader Abhay Patki said they would decide on the MMOPLs plea within six months. A division bench of justice Anoop Mohta and justice Anuja Prabhudessai directed the government to decide on it as expeditiously as possible.
Good news for Sai Baba devotees in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi, as they will soon be able to take flights to the temple town of Shirdi. Three flights from Shirdi will be operated for Mumbai and one each for Hyderabad and Delhi, which means 12 flights per day for Shirdi.

Four flights daily will be operated for Mumbai, one from Hyderabad and one from Delhi making the airport have twelve operations per day.

An airport 11 km to the south west of Shirdi, near Kakadi village, will be owned and operated by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd. (MADC). The airport closest to the shrine as of now is at Aurangabad, 125 km away. There is one at Pune, which is 200 km away. Mumbais airport is more than 300 km from the shrine.

Sources in the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said the flights are likely to begin after the monsoon ends. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the AAI and the state government have completed an audit of civil work at the Shirdi airport. While it did not find any substantial issues, a final report is awaited.

Sources said that an MADC official presented a compliance report to DGCA on Friday. According to MADC, all the issues pointed out in the audit have been worked on and two of them will be completed in the coming week. Suresh Kakani, vice chairman and managing director of MADC, said, Manpower issues raised in the audit have been solved and new employees have commenced their duties. We are expecting the license for the airport to be given maximum by this month end.

We have completed all the procedures and have released Rs50 crore as funding for the airport. All the remaining work will begin shortly, said Rubal Agrawal, CEO, Saibaba Sansthan Trust, the government body that manages the shrine.

Sources said the Shirdi airports runway is as long as the Mumbai airports and should be able to handle large aircraft such Boeing jets and Airbuses. The Shirdi airport has a 12,000-foot-long runway, which can handle not only smaller aircraft but also large planes, said a source.

They added that the airport will eventually be equipped with an instrument landing system  a highly accurate radio signal navigation aid.

As many as 1 lakh devotees visit the shrine of the 19th century saint Sai Baba daily, which means the airport is likely to be busy. A few airlines, including a major low-cost carrier, have shown interest in operating flights to the town, sources said.

The Shirdi airport will be inaugurated much before the end of the year. Officials are seeking a VIP who can inaugurate it, said a senior AAI official.
The Maharashtra government is likely to ink deals for big-ticket infrastructure projects in the state during his three-nation visit in September.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will lead a delegation to South Korea, Japan and Singapore, where he is expected to sign a deal with the Korean government for the Mumbai-Nagpur expressway project.

Maharashtra has already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Korean Land and Housing Corporation, an undertaking of the South Korean government that specialises in land development, town planning and creation of housing stock.

A senior bureaucrat said the KLHC will invest in the development of nodes or agro prosperity centres. The Korean government had initially expressed interest in building the expressway, but we do projects through competitive bidding. Then they were keen to build the nodes. We have prepared detailed notes and presentations in Korean, and we are likely to sign a deal that would bring investment for the expressway project as well as others, the bureaucrat said.

The official said the KLHC will help the government plan all new townships that are to be created along the proposed expressway, and may also take up the development of a couple of nodes by themselves. The 24 new townships are likely to require an investment of Rs12,000 crore.

Apart from the Expressway project, the Korean government plans to invest in smart city projects, which are being implemented in Maharashtra under the Centres Smart Cities mission, and the revamp of Bandras government colony  a 93-acre sprawl of crumbling buildings near the Bandra-Kurla Complex.

The 706km expressway is touted to change the economic landscape of Maharashtra. Nodes are planned to give a boost to agro-based industries and generate employment. The nodes along the expressway are chiefly being planned as agro-based centres with processing plants and cold storage facilities that would allow farmers in the hinterland access to markets.
Pasting his own photograph on his relatives Aadhaar card and using his air ticket  this is how a 42-year-old man from Mumbai tried to board a Hyderabad-bound flight on Wednesday.

However, domestic airport authorities at Vile Parle (East) caught him and handed him over to the airport police, who arrested him on charges of impersonation, cheating and forgery.

The accused, Sayyed Khan, told police his relative had booked a late flight. However, as he was unable to make it, Khan decided to go in his place as the ticket was non-refundable and he did not want to waste money.

Khan took his relatives air ticket, boarding pass and Aadhaar card to the airport. He had pasted his photo on top of that of his relatives on the card. However, he was caught by Central Industrial Security Force during a check at 9 pm, said a police official from the airport police station.

Khan has been remanded in police custody till August 19. Investigations are ongoing.
The anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch arrested a Unani doctor for allegedly possessing two pistols, two countrymade revolvers and a revolver on Thursday.

Abdul Sattar Abdul Rehman Shaikh, 39, a resident of Dongri area in south Mumbai who hails from Darbhanga district in Bihar, has been living in the city for the past two decades. He has been a professional Unani doctor for 17 years and few years ago he started his own practice in Dongri.

An AEC official got information that Shaikh deals in arms and ammunition and was going to meet one of his associates for a deal. The official laid a trap in New Bengali Pura area in Dongri and nabbed Shaikh. They found two 7.65 bore pistols with magazines, two countrymade revolvers, one six chambers 0.32 bore revolver, two extra magazines of 7.65 bore pistol, 39 live cartridges of 7.65 bore, 22 live cartridges of 8MM and six live cartridges of .32 bore from Shaikh.

The accused was arrested red handed and during interrogation he revealed that he procured arms and ammunition around one and half years ago. He was facing cash crunch so decided to sell it all said deputy commissioner of police Dilip Sawant.

We have been questioning him to find out from whom and where he procured all the arms. Also, we are trying to find if he is connected to any gang member. We are also checking if he has a criminal record in Mumbai or in his native place added Sawant.
The magisterial inquiry officer probing the unexplained death of class IV student Arman Sehgal on August 1 inspected GD Goenka School in Indirapuram on Friday morning.

This was the first inspection by the officer ever since the incident after which the school was shut for nearly a week. The officer spent nearly two hours at the school where Arman died.

On August 1, Arman was declared brought dead at Shanti Gopal Hospital, minutes after an alleged fall on the second floor corridor of his school.

Later, Armans parents lodged an FIR against school officials for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence. They said the spot was cleaned in haste and alleged negligence by school officials.

The school maintains it was just an incident and denied any foul play.

The circle officer and station house officer from Indirapuram were also present. They had taken the DVR recordings of CCTVs at the school. I asked for the CCTV recording at the time when Arman was moving to his class upstairs and the time when he sustained injuries and was taken by a teacher to the ground floor. The police could not provide the footage. I asked them to get the recordings at the earliest. This will be part of the inquiry process, said Rajesh Kumar Yadav, additional district magistrate (finance & revenue), who is also the inquiry officer.

Yadav met the school staff and recorded the statements of 13 persons. Eight persons, including the school principal, have already appeared before the officer and recorded their statements.

We have come to know that the flow meter of the oxygen cylinder was not functioning properly. The additional district magistrate (city) had found the issue soon after the incident. Her report will be included in the inquiry. Apart from this, the staff told us that Arman was showing signs of breathlessness soon after the incident. In order to find out if he was given some treatment at medical room or not, we recorded the statements of the staff nurse of the school, he said.

The magisterial probe will get over by August 22. Armans parents are also expected to get their statements recorded before the inquiry officer on Saturday.

Armans parents alleged laxity on the part of police and had met the senior superintendent of police twice to put across their points.

A couple of days ago, SSP HN Singh had sent yet another forensic team to the school premises. The first team was sent by district police officials on August 3, two days after the incident.

We have requested Lucknow officials and they sent a forensic team to investigate the incident site. Their findings will arrive and will be part of the police report, which will be submitted before the high court, SSP Singh said.

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A 27-year-old robber, part of a gang which had looted a young man in an auto, died on Thursday after jumping down from the elevated section of NH-24 and NH-58 Link Road.

The robber, police said, jumped off the elevated section of the newly constructed Link Road while being chased by a PCR van and died from internal injuries.

The incident took place when the victim, Devendra Pratap Singh, 24, had boarded an auto on NH-24 near Khoda around 6am and was on his way to appear for an interview at a company in Noidas Sector 63.

The auto already had three men seated in it when I boarded it. When the auto reached Kala Pathar at Indirapuram, the men suddenly whipped out pistols and hit me on my head, severely injuring me. They took out Rs 1,000 cash from my wallet and snatched my mobile before kicking me out of the auto. I became unconscious and luckily landed on some bushes, Singh said.

After regaining consciousness, I found that I was bleeding but decided to chase the auto and requested a lift from a biker who was heading towards Vijay Nagar. The biker said he will drop me to the nearest police PCR van. He dropped me near Vijay Nagar where a PCR van was stationed. I told the policemen there about the robbery and they agreed to help me, Singh added.

Singh added that the PCR raced towards the NH-24 and NH-58 Link Road first.

The gang of robbers spotted a PCR van waiting on Link Road and panicked. While three men got down from the auto and made a run for it near the Link Road, the fourth drove the auto on to the Link Road in a bid to escape. It is here that he noticed a second PCR van chasing him. He then stopped the auto and decided to jump from the elevated section of the road to avoid being nabbed, said Brajesh Kumar Singh, superintendent of police (crime).

The man fell down from nearly 30 feet. He was later rushed to MMG Hospital, where he succumbed to internal injuries.

We have received a complaint by the victim about the incident. The auto has a registration number of Hapur district. On the basis of this, the three absconding robbers is likely to be traced soon. The robber who died is yet to be identified, Brajesh Kumar Singh added.

The police suspect that the gang robbed passengers by offering them seat in their auto on the highway.

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Noida Police arrested four alleged robbers after they crashed into a police barrier and fired at the teams that were deployed to locate them following a chase late on Thursday night, officials said.

According to officials, a patrol team pursued the men around 12.30 am after they broke through the barrier in a car in Sector 88 area under Phase II police station. The team alerted other police posts and a search was launched.

The four were intercepted in an isolated area under Phase II police station and a cross fire ensued between the men in the car and police teams, Love Kumar, Gautam Budh Nagars senior superintendent of police, said.

One of the men sustained an injury to his leg. All the four men were arrested and were found to be involved in a loot of a double barrel gun belonging to the security guard of a high rise [building] under Phase II police station and a case was registered. The gun was also recovered, he added

The officials said the men, who are said to belong to Aligarh, allegedly looted the guard a night before Rakshabandhan was celebrated on August 7.

No policemen got injured during the cross fire incident. Our teams are trying to check the criminal history of the four arrested robbers and their Hyundai car has also been seized. They had come with the intent to perform robbery in Noida but their plan was foiled, Kumar added.

In a similar incident on August 12, four robbers offered a lift to a man in their car and robbed him of Rs 1 lakh. The police later chased the men and arrested two of them after a gun battle in Kasna area of Greater Noida.
Three major elections in the next four years and several adverse developments are enough to shake the confidence of most political leaders, but Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee seems to be an exception. Against the backdrop of an array of investigations in corruption charges against more than a dozen prominent leaders in her party, and the increasing noise and presence of the BJP on the streets of Bengal, she has essayed a victory in a few municipalities in West Bengal that seems to suggest there is no challenge to her position till 2021, the year the next assembly polls are slated to be held.

Banerjee is in her seventh year in power, and the results suggest that instead of anti-incumbency she is going from strength to strength. The numbers are quite revealing  victory in all seven municipalities with the ruling party making a clean sweep of all the wards in Durgapur, Haldia and Coopers Camp. In total, it won 142 of the 150 wards, or 95% of the seats in the fray. Though seven municipalities are rather a small number in a state with a population of more than nine crore, the point to note is that these civic bodies are uniformly distributed across the length of the state  Dhupguri and Buniadpur in the north, Durgapur and Nalhati in the middle and Coopers Camp, Haldia and Paskura in the south.

On paper, however, the ruling party had a number of formidable challenges. The Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate have started investigations into the high-profile Narada scam where no fewer than a dozen Trinamool leaders  ministers, MLAs and MPs  were seen accepting cash from the representative of a fictitious company. Two MPs  Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Tapas Pal  were held for a few months by the CBI in connection with the Rose Valley (another chit fund) scam.

To compound Banerjees troubles, there was a communal flare-up in Basirhat, an area adjacent to the West Bengal-Bangladesh border and the BJP accused the ruling party of creating a situation in the state that has increasingly made the Hindus vulnerable to attacks from the minorities.

But none of these worked.

To say the Trinamool juggernaut crushed the Opposition is understating the Oppositions misery. The BJP came second, but won six wards. The CPI(M) and Congress drew a blank.

After the results Banerjee made it clear that she was relishing an Opposition mukt Bengal. The numbers indicate that more than posing a challenge to her, the challenge is actually before the BJP  to close the wide gulf that exists between itself and the Trinamool. The ruling party at the Centre has certainly emerged as the second force in West Bengal, but a very distant second. It came second in 77 wards, but that will hardly please party president Amit Shah who has declared Bengal to be one of the focus states for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

To explain the results, all Opposition parties have pointed out to the Trinamools muscle flexing both during the run-up to the polls and on August 13, the day of the elections. But in private some are candid enough to admit that even without this, the results would not have been vastly different.

The challenge before the BJP is to win seats, and push the vote share. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, it cornered about 17% votes but only two seats of the 42 in the state. In 2016, it won about 10% votes but got only three MLAs in a house of 294. In the August 13 elections, it won four wards out of 16  its best show  in Dhupguri municipality where the party could manage 41.59% of the votes against 48.51% of the Trinamool that won 12 wards.

The saffron camp has got seven to eight months to better its Dhupguri show in the rural polls next year to pose any challenge to the ruling party in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

avijit.ghosal@hindustantimes.com

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I would be the last person to highlight the compulsive Hindu- or India-bashing as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of our nation. But almost as striking as Indias achievements are some of our mean and mealy-mouthed detractors. Dont get me wrong. I am all for a genuine introspection, even far-reaching criticism, especially if the latter is constructive. What better conjuncture than our Independence Day for such conjecture and reflection?

But the bellyaching niggling and whining, especially of our celebrity pedants and self-proclaimed prophets, is in such bad taste on such an occasion. India at 70, and the Passing of Another Illusion by Pankaj Mishra (11 August, New York Times) is an example. The entire piece is one unremitting jeremiad on religious-racial supremacists, xenophobic and racial Hindus, lynching of Muslims, assaults on couples, threats of rape against women, Hindu supremacists troll army, mob frenzy, jingoistic television, nationwide hunt for enemies, reactionary upper-caste Hindus, Indias lynch mobs, and so on. The damning conclusion is as predictable as it is prejudiced: Mr. Modis rule represents the most devastating, and perhaps final, defeat of Indias noble postcolonial ambition to create a moral world order. As if this were not enough, Mishra asks us to mourn this Aug.15 as marking the end of Indias tryst with destiny or, more accurately, the collapse of our exalted ideas about ourselves.

Ourselves? Mishra must be delusive. If not in solitary confinement, he stands isolated with a few fellow doomsayers, similarly marooned in their solipsistic, if not sponsored, splendour. Married well or highly privileged, talented writers like Mishra routinely fall into the gadfly trapor should I say, trip? Do they consider themselves the divinely ordained conscience keepers of a people who would remain eternally benighted but for their gloomy auguries? Of course, it pays to trash India. What other motive can we ascribe to such egregious self-reproach? But these disgruntled Hindus dont seem to do it purely for the money. They are not your ordinary sepoys or mercenaries. It is their passion, even pathology perhaps. But complain as they may till they go blue in the face, their carping amounts to little more than baying at the moon. For all practical purposes, India has passed them by.

In Mishras case, by tracing the rot way back to 1948, via the 1984 Congress pogrom of Sikhs in Delhi, he seriously undermines his condemnation of Modi. If, as he alleges, up to 40,000 Muslims were killed, under Jawaharlal Nehrus watch in the police action on Hyderabad in 1948, how is Modi responsible for the demise of the idea of India? With the ravages of Partition and creation of a theocratic Muslim state, wasnt Nehrus tryst with destiny already a disaster? How could 15 August 1947, in the words of W.E.B. Du Bois, be celebrated as the greatest historical date in modern times with the lonely Mahatma fire-fighting Hindu-Muslim riots in Calcutta on this very day instead of presiding over the honours in the Viceregal Palace? If the idea of India was still-born, then why blame Modi for killing it?

If Mishras sense of history is wrong even more is his ethical inclination mistaken. In the case of Hyderabad he confidently maintains that the 40,000 killed were Muslims without substantiating either claim. The Razakaar atrocities and excesses on Hindus, the Nizams plan to create another Pakistan within India, Hyderabads appeal to the UN Security Council against Indiaall this is conveniently elided. If his figure of 40,000 killed is from the Pandit Sunderal Committee, then the actual number in the report is between 26,000-40,000, with the religion of the casualties not clearly identified. Mishra shows himself up not as a true critic, let alone friend of India, but as partisan, motivated, and unreliable.

Dont commentators listen when President Ram Nath Kovind pitches for compassionate society or Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorts citizens against religious intolerance or hatred? Why dont they find a single positive thing to say about Indias numberless achievements? Why does international media subject India to such scathing criticism when failed states such as Pakistan or authoritarian regimes such as China are seldom held accountable? Whenever anyone needs an excuse to sledge us, it is such unbalanced India-trashers who are sure to be quoted. No wonder Mishra earned the sobriquet of general hater-in-chief of anything Indian. But as he himself once confessed, My dominant feeling every day is one of great ignorance. We should take him at his word here and discount his rants.

To end on a positive note, a great civilization, society, or state must not be overly touchy. Such hypersensitivity only reveals our own insecurities. To so seek the approbation and sympathy of friends and foes alike is unnecessary. This, indeed, was Jawaharlal Nehrus undoing. An elephant does not slow down, let alone, stop at every barking cur. Similarly, India must move forward calmly, purposefully, and confidently to reassert her economic, cultural, political, and military power, not only in the region, but also in the world. But in doing so, we should never deviate from the path of dharma or righteousness. Therein lies our manifest destiny.

Makarand Paranjape is a professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University

The views expressed are personal
Jitendra Kumar, 20, a college student based in the north eastern Bihar district headquarters town of Purnia, is one deeply worried man.

His father, Chamak Lal Sardar is seriously ill at his native Amgachi village in Sikti block of adjacent Araria district, about 125 km north east of Purnia. But there seems to be no way of reaching it as all roads have been destroyed in heavy flood or of knowing Sardars exact condition.

Desperate, Jitendra borrow some money from this reporter, buys medicines for his father and steps into the unknown. He is determined to reach his village but has no way of knowing how that would be possible. Ditto is the plight of his co-villager Rahit Kumar.

Thousands of villagers flood ravaged north eastern Bihar are stuck at difference places after road, rail and mobile phone connectivity has fallen into complete disarray.

Most of the village roads in Kursakanta, Araria and Forbesganj blocks of Araria, Baisi, Baisa, Amour and Dagarua blocks in Purnia, Barsoi, Azamanagar, Hasanganj Pranpur blocks in Katihar and Bahadurganj, Teragachh and Kishanganj blocks of Kishanganj district are badly damaged.

The roads of virtually ceased to exist, leaving people stranded at one place or another, said Ashish Ranjan of Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan (JJSS), a non-governmental organization (NGO) which visited flood affected areas of Araria.

The rescue and relief efforts are highly deficient, said other JJSS members Kamayani Swami, Ranjeet Paswan and Shiv Narayan.

The flood that hit Seemanchal districts had also damaged Dighi bridge on NH-31, near Baisi, causing north east states to be cut off for a week and thousands of trucks to remain stranded between Gulabbagh and Baisi.

However, movement of traffic on NH-31 was restored on Thursday, much to the relief of all concerned.

Trains going to Northeast stand cancelled after flood waters overtopped railway tracks at many places.

Thanks to damage caused to mobile towers, only BSNL and Reliance Jio seem to be providing some network in my area, said Amardeep Singh of Bahadurganj.

Water level of all rivers in the region has been falling in the past 24 hours. But the real challenge before the administration was to get things going again. The sooner the government restores the road network, the better it will be for people, said Gobind Das of Chandpur under Kadwa block of Katihar.

In Motihari, NDRF assistant commandant Jay Prakash Prasad and inspector Kalimuddin told HT their teams had rescued hundreds of people in north Bihars east Champaran district but thousands of others remained trapped in the remote villages, waiting for help.

Recalling a operation in Dhaka locality, Prasad recalls how his team rescued five people in Sirni village.  it was twilight when we spotted three people hanging from a tree branch and two others holding a bush.

It was a tough call as the river was in spate and darkness was approaching. But we took the plunge and after an hours struggle rescued all five. But carrying out operations amid wading snakes and carcasses of cattle was a new experience, Prasad said.

In areas where water was still rising, the challenge was to rescue people. But areas in which the water level was falling, the risk of diseases was high.

As such, civil surgeon Prashant Kumar had cancelled leave granted to medical personnel, issuing an SOS to counter water borne diseases and snakes bites.

Flood victims at many places complained of insufficient availability of food. Marachiya Devi of visited her village. People launched protests in Raghunathpur and Sikrahana, complaining that food packets had not reached them.

Former DM Anupam Kumar, sent to help out in controlling the situation, said aerial surveillance had been undertaken to find out the flood condition in remote villages. We will now drop food from choppers among people in marooned villages, he said.
More than 3,000 city women called at the emergency helpline number 100 and 1091 in past seven months, seeking help in incidents of harassment, stalking, domestic violence and other cases of crime against of women.

According to figures provided by the police, 1,030 women contacted the Police Control Room (PCR) while 2,001 calls were received by women helpline (1091) till July 31. In 2016, PCR reported 1,362 such complaints and women helpline got 3,389.

Harassment common

Harassment is the most common complain which were received by the PCR. This year, out of 700 spots (cases in which police is sent) registered with the PCR, 325 spots were of harassment. A similar trend was reported last year, in which 550 spots out of 800 were of similar nature.

The number of complaints of attempt to rape cases has shown a comparative dip this year. As many as 12 complaints of attempt to rape were reported last year as compared to five such cases till July 31, 2017 .

Daily, we receive at least 16 calls from women. They are either college girls, complaining of harassment, stalking, cyber-bullying, or are house wives, complaining of domestic violence, said a woman police officer at the PCR.

PCR answers 3,000 calls a day

Police Control Room, located at the fifth floor of the Police head quarters, Sector 9 is a beehive of activities where phones do not stop ringing even for a minute. It receives over 3,000 calls in a day and over 300 spots. The number increases to 4,000 during the festival seasons.

In 2016, the Police Control Room received over 1 lakh spots. The calls received were 10 times more.

The most common calls received at the PCR are related to scuffles followed by accidents, noise pollution, women safety, traffic related issues and others.

In 2016, the PCR received over 1 lakh spots, out of which 37,000 (2017: 22,400) were about quarrels, 17,000 (2017: 10,300) were about accidents, 5000 (2017: 2700) related to noise pollution. Around 7,000 calls related to traffic issues in two years (crosshead) (If needed please delete)

The PCR has received 4000 calls in 2016 and 2900 calls this year, so far about people complaining of wrong parking.

Feedback mechanism

One person has been assigned the duty to get feedback from people who had called 100 number. Daily 5-6 people show their displeasure from the police , so we forward that complaint to the concerned police station, he said.

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Molestation has emerged as the most reported crime against women in Chandigarh this year. Of the 90 cases of sexual harassment against women registered since January this year, 50 were against molestation.

This is followed by 31 complaints against rape.

The same trend is also reflected in the data made available by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). In 2016, of the 169 cases of crime against women, 84 were of molestation. Similarly, in 2015, of the 190 cases, 102 were against molestation.

Experts opine that this may just be the tip of the iceberg as many cases still go unreported despite an increased awareness level among women which has resulted in relatively more cases of crimes being reported.

The recent public outcry over the stalking and kidnapping attempt against 29-year-old Varnika Kundu, a disc jockey, by Vikas Bararla, son of Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala, and his friend Ashish Kumar, had brought the issue of harassment faced by women in the city to the fore.

Besides this, on August 10, police had arrested Sunil, a Mohali resident, for trying to sexually exploit the 13-year-old daughter of his friend. The victims sister had informed her teacher, who in turn alerted the authorities.

On July 24, a vegetable vendor had protested against the harassment being faced by his school-going daughters. He was hospitalised after the accused attacked him with swords and even tried to burn down his house in Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, Chandigarh.

Chandigarh second among UTs in crime against women

The data made available by the NCRB for cases registered in 2016 places Chandigarh at the second place among the seven union territories in terms of crimes against women. With 17,104 cases, Delhi was the most unsafe for women, followed by Chandigarh with 463 cases in 2015.

The NCRB data reveals that in 2015, a total of 463 cases of crime against women were registered in Chandigarh. Furthermore, of the 78 rape cases, an immediate family member was an accused in 11 of them. Besides, 24 women were raped on pretext of marriage. Neighbours were accused in four cases and 33 women were raped by unknown people.

Conviction remain low despite increased awareness

Another concerning factor is that despite increased awareness, which authorities say is reflected in the increased reporting of cases, the conviction rate has failed to accelerate. The conviction rate for crimes against women flounders at a meagre 49%. Legal experts reason that this is largely because the witness turns hostile under societal pressure. Besides this, the lackadaisical attitude of the law enforcing agencies is also an important factor, they say.

A senior officer of the Chandigarh Police, on condition on anonymity, said, The increased number of cases being reported shows the rising intolerance to crime against women. It is a positive sign. The conviction rate will definitely improve in the future. He added that the amended laws on crime against women have redefined the offences leaving no place for vagueness or ambiguity.

Veena Sharma, director of Human Rights Law Network, says societal pressure is a major factor responsible for many sexual harassment cases being unreported. Non conviction does not imply that the case was false. Lack of sustained support to the victim and the social stigma is what often force them to backtrack, he said.

Meanwhile, advocate Gagan Aggarwal says, In cases of sexual harassment, the onus of proving the allegations is on the complainant. This is one of the major drawbacks of our legal system. In most cases, cross-examination of the victim is conducted in such a way that contradictions emerge in her statements, thus weakening the case.

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China warns of geological disasters in some regions

Meteorological authorities Thursday warned of possible geological disasters in southwestern China as heavy rain is expected in the region.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) and the Ministry of Land and Resources warned of high risks of geological disasters in quake-hit Jiuzhaigou County and central areas of Sichuan Province as well as parts of Gansu, Tibet, Yunnan, Guangxi, Jiangxi and Anhui from Thursday to Friday evening.

A 7.0-magnitude quake rocked Jiuzhaigou County last Tuesday, leaving 24 dead and hundreds injured.

The NMC revoked a blue alert for a rainstorm on Thursday, but the forecast for rainstorms in north, east and south China will continue.

People in rain-affected areas should take precautions against possible mountain torrents, mud-rock flows and landslides, the NMC warned.

China has a four-tier color-coded warning system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Over the past years, China has suffered some large-scale natural disasters, from extreme weather to geological events, causing huge losses of life and property.
The Chandigarh Police have failed to present a challan against the security guard who was arrested more than a month back on charges of raping and impregnating his 10-year-old niece.

On Thursday, the victim gave birth to a bay girl. However, the trial against the accused, her maternal uncle, is yet to see the light of the day. The case was highlighted after the school-going girl was found to be nearly 30 weeks pregnant when she was taken for a checkup to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32.

On one hand the police claims to have completed their investigations and submitted the challan to the district attorney (DA) in the Chandigarh district court over a week ago, while on the other, public prosecutors maintain that the same has yet not been committed and put up before the special court for POCSO cases.

Speaking to Hindustan Times on condition of anonymity, one of the public prosecutors said, The challan can be submitted within 90 days from the day of the FIR. We still have some time.

Meanwhile, sources said the police file was sent back after the judicial officers concerned raised objections. Despite repeated attempts, deputy superintendent of police Deepak Yadav could not be reached for his comments on the matter.

Delay in submitting challan hampers case: Lawyers

In the past, it has been advocated that challans in cases of crimes against women, especially those involving minors, must be submitted within 30 days of the crime. The same was highlighted in the aftermaths of the Nirbhaya gangrape case. On December 31, 2012, the Haryana cabinet had also resolved to file challans in all cases relating to women, children and weaker sections within 30 days.

Inderjit Bassi, a lawyer at the Chandigarh district court, said, If the challan is submitted in time, it helps in speeding the trials. Otherwise, the process of getting DNA sampling and CFSL reports gets delayed.

A deputy district attorney at the said court, requesting anonymity, said, It is preferred that challan in such cases is submitted in time. The Chandigarh administration had issued a notification in this regard in the past. However, we cant say it is mandatory. Sometimes, investigation also requires additional time.

Speaking in a similar vein, Gursharan Kaur, a criminal lawyer, said, Timely submission of challan is a must as any delay in it results in further victimisation of the victim.

Samples collected for DNA profiling

Meanwhile, the police have asked the jail authorities to furnish blood samples of the accused for DNA profiling. The samples of the newborn and the 10-year-old mother were collected on Thursday for paternity test. The samples have been handed over to the investigating officer, who will send them to CFSL for testing.

On the other hand, the accused who is lodged in Burail Jail was reportedly indifferent to the news of his niece delivering a baby girl. He was arrested on July 14 after the victims medical examination confirmed her pregnancy. Police has said the accused had raped the victim six to seven times.

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The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea seeking compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the ten-year-old rape survivor who delivered a baby in Chandigarh a day earlier.

A bench of Justice MB Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta asked Chandigarh administration to respond to the plea and posted the matter for hearing on August 22.

Notices were also issued to National and District Services Authorities, which as per an earlier court order, have been in touch with the hospital authorities and the girls parents.

Doctors operated the girl on Thursday after medical advice opined that her body cannot take the stress of a normal delivery.

The child was made to deliver because the SC had refused to abort the 32-week-old foetus after a panel of experts advised against it, saying a midway termination would be detrimental for both her and the unborn baby.

The top court was informed that the authorities in Chandigarh were insisting that compensation would be granted to her only after a charge sheet was filed in the case.

That is no answer ... What they say is absurd. We will issue notice to the Chandigarh administration also, the bench said.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, who assisted the court in the case, mentioned the plea. She told the bench that a compensation of Rs 10 lakh should be given to the rape victim as she was only ten years old and cannot look after the child.

A ten-year-old mother cannot look after the child. Nothing has been paid to her so far, Jaising told the bench.

The senior counsel referred to Thursdays SC order where Rs 10 lakh compensation was granted to a destitute from Bihar who was raped and then forced to deliver the child because the authorities took time to decide her representation to terminate her pregnancy.

By the time the administration responded, the rape survivor had crossed the 20-week-limit the law prescribed for abortion. Her plea to drop the baby was also rejected by SC after a panel of doctors held continuation of pregnancy was not harmful to her. Law allows more than 20-week-old pregnant woman to abort if it is a risk to her or the childs life.

(With PTI inputs)
Prabhas is a shy and reticent star. He is on Facebook but his posts are rather infrequent. So on the rare occasions when he speaks, his fans listen. Nearly a month after his last post, Prabhas has mentioned that he has begun shooting for his next film, Saaho. In a Facebook post, he writes: Its Shoot Time.... Almost after 4 and half years of Baahubali journey, excited to enter a new action world called Saaho...

Saaho, a Telugu-Hindi bilingual, is the next film Prabhas will be seen in after the release of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion in April this year. Saahos universe is said to be very different from the one of Baahubali. If SS Rajamoulis fantasy drama was about a noble man fighting for good and taking on his own blood, Saaho is expected to be a gritty, urban crime-cum-action drama that plays out in modern times. One can expect that the difference between the good and the bad will blur to an extent here.

Soon after Baahubali 2 released, Prabhas went to the US, away from all the craze, hype and hoopla around the film. He returned only in June when the frenzy had died down.

Saaho, meanwhile, has been making news for interesting reasons -- first, there was much talk about Prabhas, darling to his Telugu fans, being paired with Anushka Shetty for a fifth time. Given how successful this pairing has been in the past (with strong dating rumours to boot), there was considerable excitement among the fans of the duo. Sadly, that came a cropper as Anushka could not manage to give dates since she was already committed to a big budget Tamil film from before.

Prabhas and Anushka Shetty have worked in a number of films together and are believed to be a pair. The duo has always denied it.

Neil Nitin Mukesh was finalised by the makers to star as the antagonist in Saaho.

But it is the casting of the female lead that again took centre-stage. Sometime in the beginning of August came the first rumours that Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor has been zeroed in to star opposite Prabhas. On August 16, came the confirmation that she has indeed been added to the Saaho cast, though she came with a hefty pay package. She will reportedly be paid Rs 5 crore for the film.

Meanwhile, Prabhas who was given Rs 25 crore for the Baahubali franchise, now charges Rs 30 crore as his remuneration.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Delhi is the cultural capital of India, but try finding regular cultural dos from the vibrant Northeast, your efforts will come to naught. Things do change for the better in the winter when Northeast food and cultural festivals are organised. Thankfully, this year you dont need to wait for the winter to savour the regions diverse culture: The India International Centre (IIC) and the North East Media Forum are holding a film festival from the region and the focus is on young directors.

For those who have not yet managed to overcome the tyranny of distance, filmmaking is not an easy job in the region. It has been always a struggle because of limited space for theatrical release and the enormous linguistic diversity. Apart from films in Assamese and Manipuri, which have a relatively bigger viewership, films made in most of the languages have almost nil commercial viability because of smaller populations speaking these languages and the lack of cinema halls, in most of these areas. Most of these filmmakers pursue their art with self or private funding, making low budget yet quality films.

Loktak Lairembee (Lady of the Lake, a Manipuri film) directed by Haobam Paban Kumar. (Photo courtesy: IIC )

Some filmmakers, such as Pradip Kurbah, have devised their own strategy by choosing to take their films from village to village. For example, Kurbah takes his Khasi language films to villages in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya along with a portable projector and screen, and organise screenings for a fee, Utpal Borjupari, the curator of the fest, told HT. Borjupari is a 2003 Swarna Kamal Awardee at the 50th National Film Awards for film criticism and a journalist/film critic-turned-filmmaker.

Though this is not the first time such a fest is being held in the capital, the focus this time is on fresh talent from the region. The festival will also screen the last film of acclaimed documentary filmmaker Altaf Majid who passed away last year. The festival comprises feature films, documentaries, and a short film.

Any film lover would love the cinema being showcased in this fest. But more than that, for the people of the capital, its a wonderful opportunity to get a peek at the society and cultures of the people and how contemporary issues get reflected in the cinema of the region, added Borjupari.

The festival opened on Friday with Amar Kaushiks Berlin Film Festival Award winner Aaba. While Kaushik does not belong to the Northeast, he spent his childhood years in Arunachal Pradesh and has made this film which also won the National Award for Best Short Film this year in the Apatani language.

A still from the film Antardhrishti, an Assamese film made by Rima Das. (Photo: IIC)

Another highlight of the festival is acclaimed Manipuri documentary filmmaker Haobam Paban Kumars debut feature Loktak Leirembee (The Lady of the Lake), which has been screened at Busan and Berlin film festivals.It was also the winner of the Grand Prize at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festivals India Gold section last year and the National Award for the Best Film on Environment this year.

Then there is Alifa by Deep Choudhury, which won the Indira Gandhi Award for the Best First Film of a director at the National Awards this year; Beautiful Lives by Kangkan Deka and Antardrishti by Rima Das, all debut films, and two documentaries, Altaf Majids Sabin Alun and Sesino Yhoshus The Pangti Story.

Here are few names that one must watch out for other than those mentioned above: Pradip Kurbah and Dominic Sangma from Meghalaya, Prashant Rasaily from Sikkim, Rima Das, Reema Borah, Dhruv J Bordoloi, Bidyut Kotoky, Bhaskar Hazarika, Kenny Basumatary and Monjul Baruah from Assam, and Mapuia Chongthu from Mizoram.

For Assamese Subimal Bhattacharjee, a defence and cyber expert, who produced the feature length documentary Memories of a Forgotten War, which is about young soldiers and locals who participated or witnessed the battles in World War II in Nagaland and Manipur, the two must-watch films are Loktak Lairembee by Haobam Paban Kumar and Beautiful Lives by Kangkan Barua.

The first one has been shot in the background of the famous Loktak lake in Manipur and touches on environmental concerns. It also depicts the other reality of the region: the gun culture, which pervades Northeast India, and how people are forced to take up arms. The characters in the film will help viewers understand some of the issues in Northeast, added Bhattacharjee.

Beautiful Lives is a touching film that shows the struggle of an autorickshaw driver after a bomb blast and dwells on how such violence impacts him financially and emotionally, the larger point being the emotional scar that continuous violence leaves on society.

This special festival, said Bhattacharjee, is an effort that goes well in line with the 2014 MK Bezbaurah panel recommendations on how to stop discrimination and racial attacks on people from the Northeast. These, he hoped, will help people understand the ground realities in the region and also appreciate their varied culture.

Unfortunately, there is little scope to catch these films after the festival: Very few are available online. Some should become available on various video on demand platforms in the near future, said Borjupari.

Programme details

What: The Fresh Lens: New Cinematic Voices from Northeast India

When: Aug 18 (6:30 pm), Aug 19 (11 am)

Where: CD Deshmukh Auditorium, Main Building, India International Centre, IIC, 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate. Entry : Free

Nearest metro station: Jorbagh, Khan Market

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The trailer of ALT Balajis new show Bose Dead/Alive starts with Rajkummar Rao explaining the difference between a revolutionary and a slave. He is playing Subhash Chandra Bose in the show that will try to trace his journey to become the number one enemy of the British Empire in India.

It then begins with speculation about his death and we meet other characters who suggest how he has vanished in the past as well. Basically they all are suggesting his possible return, but the video clearly says that he was killed in a plane crash in 1945.

But then, the video shows the flashbacks from Boses life and how he started a movement against the British rule. He was once a fiery student leader who showed the courage to take on the opponents much mightier than him.

The 2.12-minute video ends with the news of Boses death published in a newspaper, but a voice in background predicts his return. Also, the one reading the newspaper looks suspiciously like Bose himself.

Directed by Pulkit, the web series aims to revive the legend of Subhash Chandra Bose. It will also feature Patralekha and Edward Sonnenblick in important roles.

Hansal Mehta, creative producer of the show, talked to IANS earlier, The show is not another boring biography. It is the unveiling of Indias biggest cover up. It is a fast-paced, gripping tale on a man whose trajectory is one of the most fascinating stories ever.

The streaming date of the web series hasnt been declared yet.
A young woman contacts a male entrepreneur for professional advice. What she gets is disgraceful talk about her relationship status and sexuality.

Lydia Jones, 18, North West England, sent a message to a male entrepreneur and industry influencer, on a Facebook group called London Startups and Entrepreneur group.

Jones owns a start-up and she sought the mans help as she thought he might know industry advisers and mentors whom she could contact. What was supposed to be a professional conversation however took an unexpected turn when the man started to ask Lydia about her age and her relationship status.

I simply asked him if he could introduce me to any mentors or advisors in London for growth and funding, Jones said to Mashable.

After Jones replied to the mans horrendous questions without indulging herself in any conversation, the man continued asking questions.

When Jones told him that shes lesbian, the man asked if a man turns her on at all.

Realising that the conversation she started has been completely derailed, Jones asked, I thought you was a businessman [sic]?

The man replied to this saying, haha I am with heart-eyed emoji, adding, Im also a human being right [sic]?

Jones took the screenshots of the conversation and posted them on Twitter with hashtags like womenintech

This tech scene needs to wake up, she wrote in a tweet which has been retweeted by over 6,000 people and liked by more than 8000.

The male entrepreneur responded by saying that his words had been misunderstood as the conversation took place over the message not in person.

The digital and text word can be misunderstood but if this was said in person it wouldnt have been a big deal, he told to Mashable in an interview.

Richard Branson said all publicity is good publicity so Im glad shes spreading my brand around. I havent committed a crime here, he continued.

Twitter users, on the other hand, has come to Jones support, calling the mans behaviour disgraceful.

He's disgusting. I hope people stop inviting him to speaking engagements/ working with him. Super creep.  Sarah Constantino (@sewzinski) August 15, 2017

He's not well known. Just another parasite that self promotes a lot and creates the impression of being well known.  Lea Verou (@LeaVerou) August 15, 2017

He's disgusting. I hope people stop inviting him to speaking engagements/ working with him. Super creep.  Sarah Constantino (@sewzinski) August 15, 2017

Disgraceful. But a good tech start up guy who might be able to put you in touch with someone is @mikebutcher mikebutcher  JacJac (@JacJac_) August 15, 2017

Disgraceful. But a good tech start up guy who might be able to put you in touch with someone is @mikebutcher mikebutcher  JacJac (@JacJac_) August 15, 2017

Dang.



The tech scene version of a casting couch.



I'm sorry this happened to you.   Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 16, 2017
Police killed at least 13 people in Manila on the third night of an escalation in President Rodrigo Dutertes ruthless war on drugs and crime, taking the toll for one of the bloodiest weeks so far to 80, Reuters witnesses and media reported on Friday.

Earlier this week, 67 people were gunned down and more than 200 arrested in Manila and provinces adjoining the Philippines capital, in what police described as a One-Time, Big-Time push to curb drugs and street crimes.

The term has been used by Philippines police to describe a coordinated anti-crime drive in crime-prone districts, usually slums or low-income neighbourhoods, often with additional police deployed.

The spike in killings drew condemnation from vice president Leni Robredo, who belongs to a party opposed to Duterte.

Branding it something to be outraged about, she has been a constant critic of the crackdown that has killed thousands of Filipinos and caused international alarm since Duterte took office over a year ago.

A team of Reuters journalists went to five communities in Manila on Thursday night, where four men died in shootouts with undercover police in drug buy-bust or sting operations.

Police prevented the journalists from getting near the scene in the northwestern neighbourhood of Caloocan but they saw three body bags being taken from a maze of narrow alleys. Elsewhere in Caloocan, they saw the corpse of a man slumped on an iron fence at the back of a mini-bus terminal.

Another man was killed near the Manila post office building, four died in hospitals in the northern area of Malabon and another died on the spot near a former garbage dump in the sprawling Quezon City district.

Three others were killed elsewhere on Thursday night, according to a radio report, including a man who was shot by masked men on a motorcycle in the eastern area of Marikina City.

Call for protest

The killing spree must stop even as we also demand a stop to the proliferation of illegal drugs, Renato Reyes, secretary-general of the left-wing Bayan (Nation) movement, said.

A long-term and thorough solution is necessary. A fascist solution is doomed to fail.

Reyes urged Filipinos to join a protest organised by a group of artists in Quezon City, saying in a flyer on social media: Let us condemn the recent spike in the killings under the Duterte regime.

Police say there has been no instruction from higher authorities to step up their anti-drug operations and they are only doing their job.

The president did not instruct me to kill and kill, national police chief Ronald dela Rosa said on Thursday. I also dont have any instructions to my men to kill and kill. But the instruction coming from the president is very clear that our war on drugs is unrelenting. Those who were killed fought back.

Duterte indicated this week that the escalation had his blessing, saying it was good that 32 criminals had been killed in a province north of Manila and adding: Lets kill another 32 every day. Maybe we can reduce what ails this country.

On Thursday, he said he would not just pardon police officers who killed drug offenders during the anti-narcotics campaign, but also promote them.

Critics maintain that members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are executing suspects and say it is likely they have a hand in thousands of unsolved murders of drug users by mysterious vigilantes. The PNP and government reject that.

Although the violence has been criticised by much of the international community, Filipinos largely support the campaign and domestic opposition to it has been muted.
The Sikh community rallied to offer shelter and food in gurudwaras after a van rammed into a crowd of pedestrians at Barcelonas iconic Las Ramblas killing several and injuring more than 50 people.

Harjinder S Kukreja from Punjab tweeted the details of the gurudwaras that can offer shelter and food to those in need.

If anyone needs shelter, food, Sikh houses of worship in the Spanish city are open for all, Kukreja tweeted. His post was retweeted 4,500 times and more than 200 people commented on it.

#Barcelona If anyone needs shelter, food, Sikh houses of worship in the the Spanish city are open for all #BarcelonaAttack pic.twitter.com/Etx7Uzc2Rl  Harjinder S Kukreja (@SinghLions) August 17, 2017

In his tweet, Kukreja has posted information of two Gurdwaras in Barcelona:

Twitter users appreciated the beautiful gesture by the community to open their places of worship during emergencies. As ever the #Sikh community is a credit to humanity at a time of unspeakable cruelty & tragedy (sic), tweeted Chas Peeps.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed there is no report of any Indian casualty in the attack. In case of emergency, Indians can contact the Indian embassy in Spain at +34-608769335.

I am in constant touch with Indian Embassy in Spain. As of now, there is no report of an Indian casualty, Swaraj tweeted.

Facebook has also activated its safety check mechanism, allowing users near #Barcelona attack to mark themselves as safe.

Police in Barcelona have asked people around that region to stay indoors. They have urged those concerned about friends and family to use social media, rather than cellphone calls to avoid overloading phone networks.

This isnt the first time the Sikh community has stepped up to offer help following terror attacks. Gurudwaras in Britain offered food, water and shelter to many tourists who were stranded after the attacks on London Bridge and the Borough Market in June, repeating the communitys widely appreciated help after the May 22 attack in Manchester.
Turning a vehicle into a weapon of terror is a tactic well known to intelligence agencies, with the Islamic State and al Qaeda calling on jihadis around the world to carry out such attacks on Americans and Europeans.

On Thursday, a van mowed down pedestrians in central Barcelona, killing 13 people and injuring around 100 others in what authorities called a terrorist attack.

Security establishments around the world have had to deal with several similar attacks in the recent years.

In September 2014, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, an Islamic State spokesman issued chilling instructions. If you cannot (detonate) a bomb or (fire) a bullet, arrange to meet alone with a French or an American infidel and bash his skull in with a rock, slaughter him with a knife, run him over with your car, throw him off a cliff, strangle him, or inject him with poison, he said.

Al-Adnani said there was no need to consult anyone as all unbelievers are fair game: It is immaterial if the infidel is a combatant or a civilian... They are both enemies. The blood of both is permitted.

Here is a list (in chronological order) of terrorist attacks that were carried out with vehicles as the primary weapons:

1. June 2007: Two men in a burning jeep loaded with propane canisters smashed into the main terminal building at Scotlands Glasgow Airport. One of the attackers, who was born in India, died and the other was jailed for life, with the judge describing him as a religious extremist.

2. October 2013: Three attackers and two tourists were killed when a group of men drove a SUV into a crowd at Tiananmen Square, described as the first major suicide attack in Beijing. The attack was claimed by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

3. May 2013: Two Islamic militants of Nigerian descent rammed their car into British soldier Lee Rigby before trying to behead him on a London street. They said they carried out the attack to avenge the deaths of Muslims at the hands of British troops.

4. October 2014: Muslim convert Martin Couture-Rouleau, 25, used his car to run down two Canadian soldiers in Quebec. One soldier died and the attacker was shot dead after a chase. Couture-Rouleau called a police emergency line to dedicate his attack to the cause of jihad.

5. July 2016: A truck smashed into revellers celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing 86 and injuring scores more. The attacker was shot dead by police, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility.

6. December 2016: A man hijacked a truck and ploughed into shoppers at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people. The attacker was shot dead by police in Milan four days later, and the rampage was claimed by the Islamic State.

7. March 22, 2017: Five people died exactly a year after the Brussels attacks, when a man rammed his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London and then fatally stabbed a police officer outside parliament. The attacker was shot dead by police.

8. April 7, 2017: A truck ploughed into shoppers outside a busy department store in central Stockholm, killing five people including an 11-year-old girl. Police say an Uzbek suspect who was denied a residency permit in 2016 confessed.

9. June 2017: A van rammed into a crowd on London Bridge, then the three assailants left the vehicle armed with knives and attacked people. Eight people were killed and around 50 wounded. Police shot dead the attackers. IS claimed responsibility.

10. June 2017: One person died and around a dozen were injured when a van was driven into a crowd of Muslim worshippers in north Londons Finsbury Park. The incident was declared a terrorist attack.

With inputs from AFP
A large near-Earth asteroid will pass safely by our planet on September 1, at a distance of about seven million kilometres, NASA has said.

Asteroid Florence - named in honour of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the founder of modern nursing - is about 4.4 kilometres in size, according to measurements from NASAs Spitzer Space Telescope and the asteroids and comets hunting NEOWISE mission.

While many known asteroids have passed by closer to Earth than Florence will on September 1, all of those were estimated to be smaller, said Paul Chodas, Manager of NASAs Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at the agencys Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Florence is the largest asteroid to pass by our planet this close since the NASA programme to detect and track near-Earth asteroids began, Chodas said.

Asteroid Florence, a large near-Earth asteroid, will pass safely by Earth on September 1. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)

The 2017 encounter is the closest by this asteroid since 1890 and the closest it will ever be until after 2500.

Florence will brighten to ninth magnitude in late August and early September, when it will be visible in small telescopes for several nights as it moves through the constellations Piscis Austrinus, Capricornus, Aquarius and Delphinus, NASA said.

This relatively close encounter provides an opportunity for scientists to study this asteroid up close.

Asteroid Florence was discovered by Schelte Bobby Bus at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia in March 1981.

Florence is expected to be an excellent target for ground-based radar observations.

Radar imaging is planned at NASAs Goldstone Solar System Radar in California and at the National Science Foundations Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

The resulting radar images will show the real size of Florence and also could reveal surface details as small as about 10 metres.
An activist in the US state of North Carolina has made it his mission to expose the white supremacists, who took part in the protest march in Charlottesville, Virginia last Saturday.

Logan Smith sought to crowdsource the identities of neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan supporters, and white supremacists on his Twitter account - Yes, Youre Racist - hours after they gathered in Charlottesville against the planned removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee.

If you recognize any of the Nazis marching in #Charlottesville, send me their names/profiles and Ill make them famous, Smith tweeted on Saturday.

Responses soon poured in and in a few days, several participants of the protest had been identified.

Among them was Cole White, who was reportedly fired by his employer the Top Dog hot dog restaurant chain in Berkeley, California, and a man was publically disowned by his family for being a participant.

A 20-year-old student Peter Cvjetanovic was also named and shamed on social media but he defended his right to attend the rally, BBC reported on Tuesday.

These two torchbearers are Ryan Martin (L) and Jacob Dix (R) of Centerville, Ohio #ExposeTheAltRight #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/9AzH3qlAfM  Yes, You're Racist (@YesYoureRacist) August 13, 2017

If theyre really so proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with white supremacists and neo-Nazis then I think that their communities need to know who these people are, Smith told MSNBC on Tuesday.

Smith, who reportedly works as a spokesperson for Progress North Carolina Action, isnt alone. Others, including journalists, have chimed in to find out who the far-Right protesters were.

Senior New York Daily News justice writer posted a video on Twitter saying: We are looking for the Nazi in the sunglasses and the white shirt. Here his friend clearly calls him Doug.

We are looking for the Nazi in the sunglasses and the white shirt. Here his friend clearly calls him "Doug."



He assaulted Deandre Harris. pic.twitter.com/ZF4Cwb95vB  Shaun King (@ShaunKing) August 17, 2017

More than 2800 miles away, Silicon Valley companies GoDaddy Inc, Alphabets Google, security firm CloudFlare, and other technology companies moved this week to block hate groups after violence in Virginia.

Internet domains, including the Russian RU-CENTRE, blocked the neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer, which helped organise the protest in Charlottesville, CNN reported. The website cheered the death of a 32-year-old woman, who was killed, and 19 people injured when a vehicle drove into counter-protesters.

Vice News posted a 22-minute video on Monday that followed a white nationalist Chris Cantwell as the group marched through Charlottesville. The documentary, which has 4,455,910 views and more than 18,000 comments on YouTube, shows the participants of the alt-Right march shouting slogans against Jews and criminal n****s.

Vox listed out some of their slogans to make a statement after US President Donald Trump said on Charlottesville that both sides (white supremacists and counter protesters) were at fault for the violence.

Here are some of the chants:

Jews will not replace us! Jews will not replace us! Jews will not replace us!

This city is run by Jewish communists and criminal n*****s! Thats exactly what it is. And thats true, by the way.

In response to the video, Cantwell was banned by online dating site Ok Cupid for life.

Mistaken identities, doxxing

Activists decision to fight hate crimes through crowd sourcing as a method to collect data can be unreliable.

A professor in Arkansas said he was mistakenly identified as one of the hundreds of protesters at the far-Right rally. Professor Kyle Quinns received a flood of threats despite his justifications on Twitter.

According to Mashable, Yes, Youre Racist also mistook pro-Trump comedian Joey Salads, who claimed to be denouncing Nazis by wearing a Swastika at another Trump rally as a participant in Charlottesville.

Multiple white nationalist groups march with torches through the UVA campus in Charlottesville. (AP Photo)

Critics have spoken against doxxing or publishing the details of an anonymous social media user and said it can expose people to possible harassment.

But reports say Smith is aware of the risks and despite the threats, he is willing to expose the neo-Nazis, KKK and white supremacists.

(With inputs from agencies)
The death toll from devastating floods in Sierra Leone has passed 400 with 600 people still missing in the stricken capital, the Red Cross said Friday, as Britain promised 5 million in fresh aid.

The disaster began on Monday when heavy rains hit the city and the partial collapse of a hillside triggered mudslides, engulfing homes and wreaking destruction.

Today we are counting more than 400 people dead, the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, Elhadj As Sy, told reporters in Geneva.

Citizens and experts alike have questioned why the government has not done more to tackle illegal construction and deforestation on the outskirts of the overcrowded capital of Freetown.

An unofficial morgue estimate had previously put the toll at around 400 dead, but the figure had not been officially confirmed until Friday.

More than 300 victims were buried on Thursday in a ceremony in the nearby town of Waterloo, laid to rest alongside victims of the countrys last crisis, Ebola. Around a third of them were children.

Updated close-up map of Freetown, hit by massive flooding which has left more than 400 people dead. (AFP)

Sy said the government of the west African country was facing a crisis way beyond (its) capacity and appealed to the international community to significantly ramp up its support.

The displaced are still sleeping outside because there are not enough shelters for everybody, he said.

Britain meanwhile announced 5 million ($6.45 million) in funding for several charities working on the ground, targeting childrens bedding and clothing and clean water and sanitation for all victims, as well as medical supplies.

Our new support will provide basic life-saving supplies like food, water, shelter and clothing to people who have lost everything. The international community must follow our lead and step up to the plate, said Britains international development secretary Priti Patel.

The Red Cross said it will launch an emergency funding appeal later on Friday, while China has pledged $1 million, Togo $500,000, and Israel and several west African nations have contributed food and cash.

The Red Cross has warned that smaller mudslides have occurred since Monday in eastern Freetown and in Sierra Leones second city of Bo, with the rainy season far from over.

So far evacuations have been voluntary from affected areas, which Sy said was best practice Coming by force in the middle of hardship may not be the best way, he added.

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva, told reporters the toll may rise noting the number of people still missing.
It is India, and not China, which has attempted to change the status quo in Doklam area near the Sikkim border, the foreign ministry said on Friday, dismissing Japans expression of support for Indias stance as factually incorrect.

The Japanese envoy to India, Kenji Hiramatsu, told Hindustan Times on Thursday that no country should use unilateral force to alter the status of the Doklam or Donglang region, which is under Chinese control but claimed by Bhutan.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying dismissed Hiramatsus statement as uninformed.

I have seen that the Japanese ambassador to India really wants to support India (on the military standoff.) And I want to remind him not to randomly make comments before clarifying relevant facts, Hua told a regular news briefing.

In Doklam, there is no territorial dispute. The boundary has been delimited and recognised by both sides (India and China), she said. The attempt to change the status quo illegally is by India, not China.

The Japanese envoy had said in response to a question on the standoff: We recognise Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and two countries are engaged in border talksWe also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan, thats why Indian troops got involved in the area.

Hua reiterated Chinas demand that India should immediately withdraw its border troops unconditionally, saying this a precondition for any meaningful talks between the two sides.

China has blamed India for the impasse at Doklam, now into its second month, and accused Indian soldiers of trespass and preventing Chinese soldiers from building a road in the region.

India says the road, if built, will have serious security implications for India. The Indian troops intervened in coordination with the Bhutan government when Chinese forces tried to build the road in mid-June.

India has asserted that Chinas construction activity changes the status quo and goes against an understanding reached by the two sides in 2012 that the tri-junction boundary points between India, China and third countries will be finalised in consultation with the concerned countries.

Beijing, on its part, has referred to the 1890 convention between Great Britain and China and a non-paper provided by the Indian side during a May 2006 meeting of the Special Representatives on the boundary issue to back up its claims.

Both sides agree on the boundary alignment in the Sikkim Sector, a 15-page Chinese statement released earlier this month quoted the non-paper as saying.
Soon after the Barcelona attack that left 13 people dead, Facebook and Google activated their safety check features to let users in the vicinity inform their friends that they were safe and get nearby support.

Facebook created a page, titled The attack in Barcelona, Spain which users used to check in as safe, The Telegraph reported on Thursday.

Recently launched SOS alert feature by Google gave people up-to-date news and information about Barcelona attack.

The page also included helpful phrases for those who might be affected.

Facebook Safety Check was introduced in 2011 and was used for only natural disasters until 2015 Paris attack.

It was later widely used in terror attacks that took place in London, Nice and Berlin.

When Safety Check is activated, users who Facebook determines to live or spend a lot of time in the affected area are sent a push notification asking if they want to check in as safe, the report explained.

The feature sends a notification to friends of those who check in -- confirming they have been marked as safe.

This also opens up ways for the people to offer help for those who are in need of help like food, shelter or medicines.

On the similar lines, Facebook introduced Community Help feature in February and claimed that it was inspired by the response to flooding in Chennai in which many people opened up their homes for the affected.
Facebook Inc founder Mark Zuckerberg said on Friday he would be taking two months of paternity leave after the birth of his second daughter.

Zuckerberg said he would be taking advantage of Facebooks option to take leaves in parts

Ill take a month off to be with Priscilla (Chan) and the girls at the beginning, and then well spend the whole month of December together as well, Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post.

Zuckerberg had also taken a two-month paternity leave following the birth of his first child, Maxima Chan Zuckerberg, in 2015.

The billionaire internet mogul said in March that the couple was expecting a second child.

Paternity leave in India

India is not among the 78 countries that offer decent paid paternity leave, according to the International Labour Organisation.

Government rules say that men working in government jobs can take just 15 days of paid paternity leave. There is no legislation to mandate compulsory paternity leave in the private sector.

(With inputs from Reuters)
A humanitarian crisis is unfolding across large areas of South Asia, with more than 16 million people affected by monsoon floods in Nepal, Bangladesh and India, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in statement in Kathmandu on Friday.

This is fast becoming one of the most serious humanitarian crises this region has seen in many years and urgent action is needed to meet the growing needs of millions of people affected by these devastating floods, said Martin Faller, deputy regional director for Asia Pacific, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Millions of people across Nepal, Bangladesh and India face severe food shortages and disease caused by polluted flood waters, he said.

A medical official distributes medicine to children in the flood-affected Sagolikota area of Morigaon district in India's northeastern Assam state on August 18, 2017. (AFP)

Flood levels have already reached record highs in Bangladesh, according to local authorities. Flooding of major rivers such as the Jamuna has surpassed levels since 1988 - the deadliest floods Bangladesh ever faced.

More than one-third of Bangladesh and Nepal have been flooded and we fear the humanitarian crisis will get worse in the days and weeks ahead, Faller said.

In Nepal, many areas remain cut off after the most recent floods and landslides on August 11 and 12. Villages and communities are stranded without food, water and electricity.

Children rest in a makeshift tent set up along a road in flood-affected Purnia district of Bihar state on August 18, 2017. (AFP)

This tragic flooding in Nepal has claimed at least 128 lives and 33 people are still missing, said Dev Ratna Dhakhwa, secretary general of the Nepal Red Cross Society.

Red Cross is providing aid to people, including tarpaulins for temporary shelter, food and water.

Food crops have been wiped out by the floods in Nepals major farming and agricultural lands in the south of the country. We fear that this destruction will lead to severe food shortages, Dhakhwa said.

In India, more than 11 million people have been affected by floods in four states across the countrys north. India's meteorological department is forecasting more heavy rain in the coming days. Volunteers from Indian Red Cross and Bangladesh Red Crescent are working non-stop along with local authorities to help communities be safe and prepare for worsening floods.

Youngsters stand on a narrow strip of land surrounded by floodwaters in Purnia district of Bihar state on August 18, 2017. (AFP)

The IFRC has released millions of dollars in late July to support the immediate needs of 25,000 of the worst affected people in eastern Bangladesh, India and Nepal. With the full picture of needs still emerging, this support may increase in the coming days, it said.

In Bangladesh, floods are likely to get worse as swollen rivers from India pour into the low-lying and densely populated areas in the north and center of the country. Over 3.9 million people have been affected by the rising flood waters.
The van attack that mowed down pedestrians on Barcelonas most famous street on Thursday killing at least 13 people was the latest fatal assault on a European city.

Here are some of the major attacks in Europe over the past two years:

Belgium

 March 22, 2016: Suicide bombings claimed by IS killed 32 people and injured 230 more at Brussels airport and Maelbeek metro station, near the EU headquarters. The attacks were led by an Islamic State cell that was also responsible for the carnage in Paris in November 2015.

Britain

 March 22, 2017: Five people died exactly a year after the Brussels attacks, when a man rammed his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London and then fatally stabbed a police officer outside parliament. The attacker was shot dead by police.

 May 22, 2017: A bombing at a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in the British city of Manchester killed 22 people including children. Islamic State (IS) extremists claimed responsibility.

 June 3, 2017: A van rammed into a crowd on London Bridge, then the three assailants left the vehicle armed with knives and attacked people. Eight people were killed and around 50 wounded. Police shot dead the attackers. IS claimed responsibility.

Denmark

 February 14, 2015: A gunman opened fire at a cultural centre in Copenhagen as it hosted a forum on Islam and free speech. A filmmaker was killed. Hours later another man was shot dead at the citys main synagogue. Police later killed the gunman, who had vowed allegiance to IS.

France

France has been the hardest hit among EU states, with 238 deaths.

 January 7, 2015: Two brothers who had vowed allegiance to Al-Qaeda gunned down 12 people at satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris. The next day, a man linked to the IS group shot and killed a policewoman in a Paris suburb. He took hostages at a Jewish supermarket just outside Paris the following day, killing four more. All three gunmen were killed by police.

 November 13, 2015: France suffered its worst terror attack when 130 people died in a string of bombings and shootings at the Bataclan concert hall and several bars and restaurants in Paris, and at the Stade de France stadium. IS claimed responsibility.

 July 14, 2016: On a national holiday, Bastille Day, a man rammed a truck into a crowd in the Mediterranean resort of Nice, killing 86 people. He was shot dead by police, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility.

A vigil to pay tributes to the victims of the Bastille Day attack in Nice, France, in 2016. (AFP file)

In 2016-2017, there have been several attacks on members of the French police and security forces.

Germany

 December 19, 2016: A man hijacked a truck and ploughed into shoppers at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people. The attacker was shot dead by police in Milan four days later, and the rampage was claimed by the Islamic State.

Russia

 April 3, 2017: Five people were killed when a bomb ripped through an underground train in Russias second city of Saint Petersburg. A group suspected of links to Al-Qaeda claimed the attack, which was blamed on a Russian suicide bomber born in Kyrgyzstan.

Sweden

 April 7, 2017: A truck ploughed into shoppers outside a busy department store in central Stockholm, killing five people including an 11-year-old girl. Police say an Uzbek suspect who was denied a residency permit in 2016 confessed.

Turkey

 October 10, 2015: In the bloodiest attack in Turkeys history, 103 people were killed in twin suicide bombings targeting a pro-Kurdish rally in Ankara. Authorities blamed IS.

 January 1, 2017: An Uzbek gunman went on the rampage inside the Reina nightclub, killing 39 people celebrating New Year, mainly Arab tourists. The bloodshed was claimed by IS, the first clear claim it has made for an attack in Turkey, although a number of other bombings have been attributed to the jihadist group.
If he looked at news stands this week, US president Donald Trump would certainly not be happy. The covers of leading magazines such as the New Yorker, Economist and Time sharply criticised the president over his defence of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia that ended in the murder of Heather Heyer.

The Economists cover shows Donald Trump holding up a Ku Klux Klan hood as a megaphone. The KKK, which first reared its ugly head in late 1860s, is a white-supremacist movement, with a history of violence against African Americans. The Klansmen typically wore pointy white hats with slits for eyes and white hoods.

The accompanying editorial is equally scathing, calling Trump a politically inept, morally barren and temperamentally unfit for office.

Our cover this week pic.twitter.com/lYD3HLXvSC  The Economist (@TheEconomist) August 17, 2017

The cover of the New Yorker also makes a strong connection between Trump and white supremacy. The KKKs signature hood pops up here too, this time as the sail of a ship that Trumps sailing in. The cover is simply titled Blowhard. David Plunkett, the artist behind the cover told the New Yorker,  President Trumps weak pushback to hate groupsas if he was trying not to alienate them as voterscompelled me to take up my pen.

My first cover for The New Yorker entitled "Blowhard." pic.twitter.com/OjnjELalVP  David Plunkert (@plunkert) August 17, 2017

The Klan hat is featured in a blistering cartoon by the Guardian, where it seamlessly merges with the White House architecture.

@Guardian cartoon today gets it right; a black president in the White House was too much for many Americans. And so, Trump. pic.twitter.com/OOYeE8gWvJ  Michael E. Smith (@ProfMESmith) August 14, 2017

Time Magazines latest cover, titled Hate in America, shows a man in draped in the American star-and-stripes in the middle of a Nazi salute.

My new cover for TIME magazine, at the newsstand today. Art by @edelstudio pic.twitter.com/qEaqIvwTID  Edel Rodriguez (@edelstudio) August 17, 2017

Trump had initially apportioned the blame equally on both sides, but was pressured into condemning the violence and bigotry at display in the far-right rally. However, on Tuesday, he backtracked again, blaming the alt-left as much as the alt-right.

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North Korea warned the United States that it will never put its nuclear weapons program on the negotiating table as long as the Trump administration keeps up its hostile policy and nuclear threat.

The warning came from North Koreas deputy UN ambassador Kim In Ryong in the transcript of his conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday. The transcript was sent to The Associated Press on Thursday by North Koreas UN Mission.

Guterres remarks were not included but the UN chief told reporters Wednesday that he had spoken to the North Koreans and the five other parties in talks on Pyongyangs nuclear program that have been stalled since 2009.

The secretary-general warned that tensions on the Korean peninsula are at their highest level in decades and said its important now to dial down the rhetoric and to dial up diplomacy.

Ambassador Kim repeated to the secretary-general the decision by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to hold off on launching missiles into waters near the US territory of Guam.

The North Korean leader said that the US imperialists put their own necks into the noose through their reckless military confrontation racket, adding that he would watch a little longer the conduct of the foolish and stupid Yankees, the ambassador told Guterres.

Ambassador Kim reiterated his leaders demand that the US immediately stop its arrogant provocation and its extremely dangerous actions around the Korean Peninsula, including deploying huge nuclear strategic equipment.

In order to defuse the tensions and prevent the dangerous military conflict on the Korean Peninsula, it is necessary for the US to make a proper option first and show it in action, the ambassador said.

President Donald Trump last week declared the US military locked and loaded and said he was ready to unleash fire and fury if North Korea continued to threaten the United States. The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, said Wednesday the U.S. wants to peacefully resolve tensions with North Korea, but is also ready to use the full range of its military capabilities.

If the US persists and tests the Norths self-restraint, the ambassador said his country will make a crucial decision as it had already declared.

Ambassador Kim accused the United States of instigating the latest UN sanctions against North Korea to isolate and stifle the country and completely block its economic development and improve the peoples livelihood.

He told Guterres the Security Council resolution, adopted unanimously on August 5, is more heinous than ever, placing a total ban even on normal trade and economic exchanges with his country, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

The resolution imposes the toughest sanctions yet on North Korea including banning all exports of coal, iron, lead, and fish and seafood products valued at $1 billion  about a third of the countrys total exports.

As long as the U.S. hostile policy and nuclear threat continue, the DPRK, no matter who may say what, will never place its self-defensive nuclear deterrence on the negotiation table or flinch an inch from the road chosen by itself, the road of bolstering up the state nuclear force, ambassador Kim said.
One man was killed and another injured in a stabbing in the western German city of Wuppertal on Friday police said, adding that the attacker was still on the loose.

We can confirm there has been a deadly crime. One man has died and another man is in hospital, a police spokeswoman told AFP.

The police said they were hunting for one or more assailants, but could not immediately provide more information about the circumstances of the attack.

The stabbing happened at around 1245 GMT in the citys Elberfeld area.

Also on Friday afternoon, several people were stabbed in the street in the Finnish city of Turku, with police shooting one suspect and warning several others could be at large.

The stabbing in Germany also comes a day after 14 people were killed in twin terror attacks in Spain.
Five people were killed and at least 60 others injured when two buses collided on a highway just outside the city of Suez, state new agency MENA and Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.

Eyewitnesses said one bus, which was travelling on the highway to the Red Sea resort city of Ain El-Sokhna, suddenly swerved, colliding into another bus travelling in the opposite direction.

Five people were killed and at least 60 others injured, provincal health ministry official Mohamed Saad Ghazal told Al-Ahram. The identities of the deceased have not yet been establsihed.

Twenty-five ambulances were rushed to the scene of the crash, according to Mohamed Gad, Suez's security chief.

Deadly road accidents take place on a near-daily basis in Egypt, which is notorious for poor road safety conditions, badly maintained infrastructure and loosely enforced traffic regulations.

In 2015, the country saw 25,500 road fatalities, while the total number of car accidents was 14,500, according to a study published by the official statistics body CAPMAS in August 2016.

In one of the deadliest transport accidents in recent years, 42 people were killed and dozens others injured last week when two trains collided near Alexandria.



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The recent removal of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister was seen as another example of Pakistan allegedly having a bonsai democracy at a seminar here that was addressed by academics from Britain and the United States.

The event organised on Thursday by the Democracy Forum saw robust exchanges between speakers and a section of the audience that opposed viewing Pakistan in critical terms. The forum is headed by Charles Bruce (Liberal Democrats), a member of the House of Lords.

Farzana Shaikh, a Pakistani-origin fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, described Pakistan as a bonsai democracy or a state restricted by its environment: Nowhere has this been more keenly felt in recent times than in the dismissal of Nawaz Sharif.

According to Christine Fair, associate professor at Washingtons Georgetown University, Sharif was ousted in a judicial coup. She did not see the Pakistani judiciary as independent, but as a new condominium emerging" between the army and the Supreme Court.

The army has to develop new tools to keep pruning the grass of democracy, to prevent it from taking root in Pakistan, she added.

Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court last month for being dishonest while declaring his assets. The court gave its ruling in the Panama Papers case after a joint investigation team probed the Sharif familys assets.

Lawrence Saez of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) said he initially considered the ousting of the corrupt Nawaz Sharif as a positive step, but had since revised the view since it increased unaccountability in Pakistan.

Burzine Waghmar, also based at SOAS, highlighted the alleged complicity of Pakistans deep state with the pick up and dump routine while trying to suppress the freedom struggle in Balochistan province.

Marie Carine-Lall of London Universitys Institute of Education user her research to say: Democracy does not seem to be the system of choice among the young in Pakistan and there is a tendency towards a pro-order and/or pro-army view, especially among the more educated youth.

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Public anger at the monarchy following the death of Princess Diana marked a turning point for the royal family, forcing a revolution in its communications machine that helped revive the brand.

As mourners left thousands of bouquets of flowers at the gates of Buckingham Palace and nearby Kensington Palace, after Dianas death on August 31, 1997, the royal family were nowhere to be seen.

Prince Charles, divorced from Diana, and his mother Queen Elizabeth II remained at their Scottish residence of Balmoral, saying nothing for days.

Despite the British publics mounting anger at the royal response - or lack thereof - it was not until the day before Dianas funeral that the queen finally broke her silence with a live broadcast to the nation.

The monarchs distance from the public outpouring of grief for the woman dubbed the peoples princess by then prime minister Tony Blair caused resentment.

Having been immersed in protocol and tradition for centuries, the royals quickly realised they were in urgent need of an image overhaul.

In her tribute to Diana, the queen said: I for one believe that there are lessons to be drawn from her life and from the extraordinary and moving reaction to her death.

The result was royals having to become more professional, and having to take real control and take outside advice and better professional people, public relations expert Mark Borkowski told AFP.

Human image

The out-of-touch Buckingham Palace press office, which Borkowski remembers used to close over the weekends while some of the most interesting Diana stories unfolded, underwent a shake-up.

Sluggish employees were replaced with PR-savvy professionals.

Patrick Jephson, Dianas former private secretary, said the current image of the monarchy was the product of a very sophisticated news management campaign.

This file photo taken on August 31, 1997 shows tributes AT the gates of Buckingham Palace in London. (AFP)

The current media strategy focusses on distributing positive information about the monarchy, while at the same time protecting the royals privacy.

One of the first tasks post-Diana was to create a more human image for the queen, who had been reported as being more concerned about her dogs and horses than her citizens.

Charles, mocked for being haughty and stiff, has also gone through a revamp since his ex-wifes death.

He has spent an enormous amount of money hiring very sophisticated, professional, political-style spin doctors to manage his image, Jephson said.

The investment has paid off, with the publics gradual acceptance of Charless relationship with his former mistress Camilla, whom he married in 2005.

Queen impresses at Olympics

The extent of the royal recovery could be seen in 2011, when Dianas eldest son Prince William married Kate in a ceremony watched worldwide as Britons held street parties in the couples honour.

What they tried to do was to promote what was good about the royal family, said Robert Jobson, co-author of the book Diana: Closely Guarded Secret.

Elizabeth II fell well and truly back in favour at the 2012 Olympic Games, when she approved a stunt which appeared to show her leaping out of a helicopter into the London stadium alongside James Bond, played by Daniel Craig.

They want to be a more approachable, less aloof family... Not these upper-class aristocrats who dont understand the people, said Borkowski.

The media strategy appears to have succeeded, with the queen continuing her record-breaking reign with the support of her subjects.

I think the monarchy under the stewardship of Her Majesty the Queen has certainly learnt lessons throughout the time.

And as the monarch slowly steps back from some royal duties, her grandchildren Princes William and Harry are taking on more public roles -- helped by a well-oiled media machine that helped burnish their image in the public eye.

The whole place has been revolutionised, Borkowski said.
Qatar expressed concern about the safety of its citizens in Saudi Arabia following the reopening of the countries border enabling Qataris to attend the annual haj pilgrimage in Mecca.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said during a visit to Norway that Saudi authorities had yet to respond to queries from the Qatari Ministry of Islamic Affairs regarding the security of Qatari citizens during haj.

The level of tension between the two nations, the language and the tone of the Saudi media spreading hatred against Qatari people represents a great concern for us, he told a news conference.

Those people crossing the border right now are under the responsibility of the Saudi authorities for their security and safety, he said, adding that more than 100 citizens had crossed since the border was reopened.
James Murdoch, the chief executive of 21st Century Fox whose father Rupert has been a Donald Trump ally, criticized the US presidents response to recent violence in Virginia and pledged to donate $1 million to countering hate.

The unusual political intervention from an executive who has cultivated a more low-key persona than his father, was notable, coming from the top echelons of a media empire that includes Fox News.

Trump is said to assiduously watch the news network, whose viewers include many of his staunchest supporters.

The US president has come under blistering attack across the political spectrum for saying anti-racism protestors deserved equal blame for violence at a neo-Nazi and white supremacist rally that left one woman dead last Saturday.

Nineteen other people were injured when a suspected white nationalist drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters at the rally in Charlottesville to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

In an email addressed to friends, a copy of which has been seen by AFP, Murdoch said he had been moved to act as a concerned citizen and a father.

What we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the president of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people, wrote Murdoch.

The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob, he said.

I cant even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so.

Murdoch said he and his wife Kathryn were donating $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League, which calls itself the worlds leading organization fighting anti-Semitism, and which also counters hate crimes and threats to democracy.

The ADL is an extraordinary force for vigilance and strength in the face of bigotry, Murdoch wrote, calling on recipients of the email to donate as well.

Rupert Murdoch, the media tycoon and Fox News founder, has repeatedly urged Trump to sack his far-right chief strategist Steve Bannon, The New York Times reported this week.

jm/sg
Police on Friday shot and killed five people wearing fake bomb belts who staged a car attack in a seaside resort in Spains Catalonia region hours after a van plowed into pedestrians on a busy Barcelona promenade, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 100 others.

Authorities said the back-to-back vehicle attacks  as well as an explosion earlier this week elsewhere in Catalonia were connected and the work of a large terrorist group. Three people were arrested, but the driver of the van used in the Barcelona attack remained at large and the manhunt intensified for the perpetrators of the latest European rampage claimed by the Islamic State group.

Authorities were still reeling from Thursdays Barcelona attack when police in the popular seaside town of Cambrils, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the south, fatally shot five people near the towns boardwalk who had plowed into a group of tourists and locals with their blue Audi 3. Six people, including a police officer, were injured, though it wasnt clear how badly.

Catalonias interior minister, Joaquim Forn, told Onda Cero radio that the five suspects killed in a subsequent shootout with police were wearing fake bomb belts.

They were fakes, but very well made, and it wasnt until the bomb squad carried out the controlled explosion of one that they could determine they were fakes, he said.

The Audi and a damaged police car were towed from the scene Friday.

The Cambrils attack came hours after a white van veered onto Barcelonas picturesque Las Ramblas promenade and mowed down pedestrians, zig-zagging down the strip packed with locals and tourists from around the world.

Forn, told local radio RAC1 the Cambrils attack follows the same trail. There is a connection.

He told Onda Cero that the Cambrils and Barcelona attacks were being investigated together, as well as a Wednesday night explosion in the town of Alcanar in which one person was killed.

We are not talking about a group of one or two people, but rather a numerous group, he said. He added that the Alcanar explosion had been caused by butane tanks stored in a house, and that firefighters and police responding to the blast had been injured.

The Barcelona attack at the peak of Spains tourist season left victims sprawled across the street, spattered with blood and writhing in pain from broken limbs. Others were ushered inside shops by officers with their guns drawn or fled in panic, screaming and carrying young children in their arms.

It was clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible, Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior police official for Spains Catalonia region told reporters late Thursday.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, saying in a statement on its Aamaq news agency that the attack was carried out by soldiers of the Islamic State in response to the extremist groups calls for followers to target countries participating in the coalition trying to drive it from Syria and Iraq.

Cambrils Mayor Cami Mendoza said the town had taken precautions after the Barcelona attack, but that the suspects had centered their assault early Friday on the narrow path to Cambrilss boardwalk, which is usually packed with locals and tourists late into the evening.

We were on a terrace, like many others, said bystander Jose Antonio Saez. We heard the crash and intense gun shots, then the dead bodies on the floor, shot by the police. They had what looked like explosive belts on.

Others described scenes of panic, and found safety inside bars and restaurants until police had secured the area.

Local resident Markel Artabe said he was heading to the seafront to get an ice cream when he heard the shots.

We began to run. We saw one person lying on the pavement with a shot in his head then 20-30 meters further on we saw two more people, who must have been terrorists as they had explosive belts around them. We were worried so we hid.

A third Barcelona suspect was arrested Friday in the northern town of Ripoll, where one of the two detained on Thursday had also been nabbed. The third arrest was made in Alcanar, where the gas explosion in a house was being investigated.

There could be more people in Ripoll connected to the group, Forn told TV3 television, adding that police were focusing their investigation on identifying the five dead in Cambrils as well as the driver of the Barcelona van.

Police said the two suspects arrested Thursday were a Spanish national from Melilla, a Spanish-run Mediterranean seafront enclave in North Africa, and the other a Moroccan.

Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and other news outlets named one of the detained as Driss Oukabir, a French citizen of Moroccan origin. RTVE reported said Oukabir went to police in Ripoll to report that his identity documents had been stolen. Various Spanish media said the IDs with his name were found in the attack van and that he claimed his brother might have stolen them.

Media outlets ran photographs of Oukabir they said police had issued to identify one of the suspects. The regional police told The Associated Press that they had not distributed the photograph. They refused to say if he was one of the two detained.

The driver, however, remained at large.

We dont know if the driver is still in Barcelona or not, or what direction he fled in, Forn, the Catalan interior minister, told SER Radio. We had local police on the scene, but we were unable to shoot him, as the Ramblas were packed with people.

The Catalan regional government said people from 24 countries were among those killed and injured in Barcelona.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the killings a savage terrorist attack and said Spaniards are not just united in mourning, but especially in the firm determination to beat those who want to rob us of our values and our way of life.

After the afternoon attack, Las Ramblas went into lockdown. Swarms of officers brandishing hand guns and automatic weapons launched a manhunt in the downtown district, ordering stores and cafes and public transport to shut down.

By Friday morning, the promenade had reopened to the public, and neighbors and tourist were allowed past police lines to go back to their homes and hotels. The city center remained under heavy surveillance.

At noon Friday, a minute of silence honoring the victims was to be observed at the Plaza Catalunya, near the top of the Ramblas where the van attack started. Rajoy declared three days of national mourning.

Similar vehicle attacks have been carried out at tourist sites in France, Germany, Sweden and Britain.

London, Brussels, Paris and some other European cities have had the same experience. Its been Barcelonas turn today, said Carles Puigdemont, president of Catalonias government.

The bloodshed was Spains deadliest attack since 2004, when al-Qaida-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated assaults on Madrids commuter trains. In the years since, Spanish authorities have arrested nearly 200 jihadists. The only deadly attacks were bombings claimed by the Basque separatist group ETA that killed five people over the past decade but it declared a cease-fire in 2011.

Unfortunately, Spaniards know the absurd and irrational pain that terrorism causes. We have received blows like this in recent years, but we also that terrorists can be beaten, Rajoy said
Suspects in Spains deadly twin terror attacks were preparing an even bigger assault that was foiled as events unfolded, police said Friday as the death toll rose to 14 with over 100 injured.

Officers also said the driver of the white van which mowed down tourists in the packed centre of Barcelona Thursday evening may have been among suspects killed in the hours since the mayhem started.

Police said they killed five suspected terrorists during the night and arrested three others as Spain reeled from the double tragedy in Barcelona and in Cambrils, some 120 kilometres (75 miles) south.

In a poignant moment Friday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, King Felipe VI and the president of Catalonia  where both attacks took place  held a minute of silence in Barcelona. It was followed by applause and shouts of not afraid.

In what has been a fast-moving investigation, police were quick to connect the two attacks, and at a briefing Friday afternoon revealed the suspects had apparently been planning something bigger.

They were preparing one or several attacks in Barcelona and an explosion in Alcanar stopped this as they no longer had the material they needed to commit attacks of an even bigger scope, said Josep Lluis Trapero of Catalonias police.

He was referring to a blast in a house in the town of Alcanar Wednesday evening, which police said killed one person. They said it was caused by an attempt to make explosive devices.

Trapero said that after this, the suspects  who formed part of a cell  allegedly went on to commit more rudimentary attacks. These involved the vehicles ploughing into pedestrians in Barcelona and Cambrils.

The Cambril suspects had an axe and knives in the car as well as fake explosive belts stuck to their bodies, said police.

The police chief added that the driver of the van in Barcelona could be among the five suspects shot dead by security forces in Cambrils. But while some evidence indicated this, there was no conclusive proof.

Organised cell

Both the Spanish attacks followed the same modus operandi.

Drivers deliberately targeted pedestrians with their vehicles, just the latest in a series of such assaults in Europe, where cars and vans have been used to lethal effect.

Javier Zaragoza, a prosecutor advising the attorney general in terrorism matters, told AFP the attacks were most likely the work of an organised cell.

Otso Iho of Janes Terrorism and Insurgency Centre added there appeared to be a much higher level of coordination than has been typically present in previous attacks.

As world leaders united in condemning the violence, the Islamic State group propaganda agency Amaq claimed that one of its soldiers had carried out the rampage in Barcelona.

It is believed to be the first time IS has claimed an attack in Spain.

Relatives separated

In the Barcelona incident, a white van sped down the popular Las Ramblas avenue packed full of tourists Thursday afternoon, knocking people down and killing 13 in a scene of chaos and horror.

The driver left the vehicle on the busy boulevard and fled on foot.

Witnesses described how the van pushed through the crowd, leaving bodies strewn along the boulevard as people fled for their lives, screaming in panic.

We were on the city tour bus, we were 20 feet from the accident when it happened, said Alex Luque, a 19-year-old student from New York.

We heard the van and the impact with people and then we saw people running.

Then just eight hours later attackers struck again in the early hours of Friday.

This time, the attack was in the seaside resort of Cambrils where an Audi A3 car rammed into pedestrians, injuring six civilians and a police officer. One of the civilians later died.

The police shot dead the five attackers. The also said the had arrested four suspects, including three Moroccans and a Spaniard.

There were at least 34 nationalities among the dead and injured, from countries including Algeria, Australia, China, France, Ireland, Peru and Venezuela, according to Spains civil protection agency.

At least two Italians were among the dead, said officials in Rome. At least one American was killed, according to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Belgium said one of its nationals had also died.

Europes deadliest attack

Spain, the worlds third most popular tourism destination, had until now been spared in the recent wave of extremist attacks that have rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

It had even seen a surge in tourists as visitors fled other restive sunshine destinations like Tunisia and Egypt.

But it is nevertheless no stranger to jihadist attacks.

In March 2004, it was hit by what is still Europes deadliest, when bombs on commuter trains in Madrid killed 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Spain has also had to deal with a decades-long campaign of violence waged by Basque separatist group ETA, which only declared a ceasefire in 2011.

Police said Thursday that one of the suspects arrested in the Barcelona attack was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory in North Africa. Another suspect was a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.
Nicholas Fuentes is dropping out of Boston University and heading south, pressing ahead with his right-wing politics despite receiving online death threats.

The 19-year-old joined a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend and posted a defiant Facebook message promising that a tidal wave of white identity is coming, less than an hour after a car plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters.

Now, hes hoping to transfer to Auburn University in Alabama.

Im ready to return to my base, return to my roots, to rally the troops and see what I can do down there, Fuentes said in an interview this week.

At college campuses, far-right extremist groups have found fertile ground to spread their messages and attract new followers.

And for many schools, the rally in Virginia served as a warning that these groups will no longer limit their efforts to social media or to flyers furtively posted around campus.

It seems like what might have been a little in the shadows has come into full sun, and now its out there and exposed for everyone to see, said Sue Riseling, a former police chief at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who is executive director of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

The violence in Charlottesville introduced many Americans to a new brand of hate, bred on internet message boards and migrating to the streets with increasing frequency.

On the eve of Saturdays rally, young white men wearing khakis and white polo shirts marched through the University of Virginias campus, holding torches as they chanted racist and anti-Semitic slogans. The next morning, many donned helmets and shields and clashed with counter-protesters before a car drove into the crowd, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 19 others.

On Monday, Texas A&M University cancelled plans for a White Lives Matter rally in September. On Wednesday, the University of Florida denied a request for white nationalist Richard Spencer to rent space on campus for a September event. Spencer and his supporters are promising court challenges.

Demonstrators shout during a rally in Coolidge Park on Thursday in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in response to Saturday's rally by white nationalists in Charlottesville. (AP photo)

Expecting more rallies to come, Riselings group is planning a series of training events to help campus police prepare.

If youre sitting on a campus where this hasnt happened, consider this your wake-up call that it might, she said.

Last school year, racist flyers popped up on college campuses at a rate that experts called unprecedented. The Anti-Defamation League counted 161 white supremacist flyering incidents on 110 college campuses between September and June. Oren Segal, director of the groups Center on Extremism, said the culprits cant be dismissed as harmless trolls.

You might have a few that dont take it seriously. But those that do, those are the ones were concerned about, Segal said.

Matthew Heimbach, the 26-year-old leader of the white nationalist Traditionalist Worker Party, admits that dropping leaflets on campuses is a cheap way to generate media coverage.

A dollar worth of paper, if it triggers the right person, can become $100,000 in media attention, he said.

As a student at Towson University in Maryland, Heimbach made headlines for forming a White Student Union and scrawling messages like white pride in chalk on campus sidewalks. His college years are behind him, but Heimbach still views colleges as promising venues to expand his groups ranks. College students are running four of his groups chapters, he said.

The entire dynamic has changed, Heimbach said. I used to be the youngest person at white nationalist meetings by 20 or 30 years.

The Foundation for the Marketplace of Ideas, a self-described alt-right nonprofit educational group, says its offering legal assistance to students caught hanging up posters or flyers containing hate facts. The alt-right is a fringe movement loosely mixing white nationalism, anti-Semitism and anti-immigration populism.

One of the foundations attorneys, Jason Van Dyke, said he represented a student at Southern Methodist University who was accused last year of posting flyers on campus that said, Why White Women Shouldnt Date Black Men. The student wasnt suspended or expelled, Van Dyke added.

Charlottesville community members leave candles and flowers at the base of a statue of Thomas Jefferson north of University of Virginia's Rotunda at a vigil for Heather Heyer following last Saturday's protest organised by white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Reuters)

Just because speech makes someone uncomfortable or offends somebody does not make it a violation of the student code of conduct, he said.

Scores of schools publicly denounced the violence in Virginia this week, including some that learned they enroll students who attended the Unite the Right rally.

The University of Nevada, Reno, said it stands against bigotry and racism but concluded theres no constitutional or legal reason to expel Peter Cvjetanovic, a 20-year-old student and school employee who attended the rally, as an online petition demanded.

Other schools, including Washington State University, condemned the rally but didnt specifically address their students who attended it.

Campus leaders say they walk a fine line when trying to combat messages from hate groups. Many strive to protect speech even if its offensive but also recognize hate speech can make students feel unsafe. Some schools have sought to counter extremist messages with town halls and events promoting diversity. Others try to avoid drawing attention to hate speech.

After flyers promoting white supremacy were posted at Purdue University last school year, Purdue President Mitch Daniels refused to dwell on the incident.

This is a transparent effort to bait people into overreacting, thereby giving a minuscule fringe group attention it does not deserve, and that we decline to do, Daniels said in a statement at the time.

Cameron Padgett, a 23-year-old senior at Georgia State University, only dabbled in campus activism before he decided to organize a speaking engagement for Spencer this year. Padgett sued  successfully  for Spencer to speak at Auburn University in April after the school tried to cancel the event.

My motivation from the beginning was just free speech, he said.

Padgett calls himself an identitarian  not a white nationalist  and insists advocating for the interests of white people doesnt make him a racist. Padgett said he hasnt faced harassment for working with Spencer and doesnt fear any.

There are a lot of people who just sit behind keyboards, he said. But what are we doing this for if no one wants to show their face?

At Boston University, Fuentes says he met a few others with similar views  he considers himself a white advocate  but mostly found political kinship online. He hosts his own YouTube show and is prolific on social media, but when he heard about the Unite the Right rally, he saw it as a chance to network in the real world.

It was going from online to actually physically assembling somewhere, he said. We shake hands, we look people in the eye. We actually have some solidarity in the movement.

So, along with a friend from Chicago, Fuentes booked a flight and headed to Virginia.
Americas top military official reiterated on Friday his countrys pledge to defend Japan against a North Korean missile attack, as western Japan carried out a test of an emergency alert system.

I think we made it clear to North Korea and anyone else in the region that an attack on one is an attack on both of us, Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said in Tokyo.

North Korea has threatened to test-fire missiles that would fly over Japan and land in waters off the US territory of Guam. The US is treaty-bound to defend Japan from outside attacks.

Dunford and his Japanese counterpart Katsutoshi Kawano agreed to work together to strengthen missile defense systems. The US general is on the last stop of an Asia tour that took him to China and South Korea and has been dominated by talk of the North Korean threat.

Sirens wailed across nine prefectures in western Japan in the test of the emergency system. Twitter users in the region said the sirens didnt work in some areas.

The flight path of the North Korean missile test would cross that part of the country.
A Pennsylvania mother is accused of burning her 3-year-old with chemicals, putting him on a leash and keeping him in a dog cage.

Police in St. Marys charged Arwen Kuhn last week with a slew of charges including aggravated assault and false imprisonment of a minor.

According to a police affidavit, the childs dad says he dropped the boy off at Kuhns house for three days last year. He says when he picked the child up, he noticed a scab on his bellybutton and bruises on his head.

Investigators say they determined the 38-year-old Kuhn dropped the boy on his stomach and burned him with chemicals, in addition to leashing him and locking him in a cage.

No attorney information is available. No phone number is listed for Kuhn.
President Donald Trump on Friday fired Stephen Bannon as his chief strategist in the latest high-level White House shake-up, removing a powerful and controversial figure known for far-right political views.

Bannon was a force behind some of Trumps most contentious policies, including a travel ban on people from several Muslim-majority nations, and has fought with more moderate factions inside a White House riven with rivalries and back-stabbing.

Bannons ouster comes with the president, seven months into his term in office, increasingly isolated over his comments following white supremacist violence in the Virginia college town of Charlottesville last Saturday.

As Trump came under fire from prominent fellow Republicans, business leaders and US allies abroad, he faced mounting calls for Bannons ouster.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steves last day, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement on Friday. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best.

A champion of economic nationalism and a political provocateur, Bannon, 63, is a former US Navy officer, Goldman Sachs investment banker and Hollywood movie producer.

Bannon had been in a precarious position before but Trump opted to keep him, in part because his chief strategist played a major role in his 2016 election victory and is backed by many of the presidents most loyal rank-and-file supporters.

The decision to fire Bannon could undermine Trumps support among far-right voters but might ease tensions within the White House and with party leaders. Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress but have been unable to pass major legislative goals including a healthcare legislation overhaul because of fierce intra-party divisions.

Trump ran into trouble in recent days after saying anti-racist demonstrators in Charlottesville were as responsible for the violence as the neo-Nazis and white supremacists who instigated the protests.

Those remarks sparked rebukes from fellow Republicans, top corporate executives and some close allies even as some supporters, including vice president Mike Pence, stood by Trump.

Under pressure from moderate Republicans to fire Bannon, Trump declined to publicly back him on Tuesday, although he left his options open. Well see what happens with Mr. Bannon, he told reporters at Trump Tower in New York.

On July 28, Trump replaced his beleaguered White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, installing retired General John Kelly in his place in a major shake-up of his top team. Trump then ousted White House communications chief Anthony Scaramucci on July 31 over an obscene tirade just 10 days after the president named him to the post. Scaramuccis hiring had prompted Sean Spicer, a Priebus ally, to abruptly resign as press secretary.

A source familiar with the decision, which had been under consideration for a while, said Bannon had been given an opportunity to depart on his own terms. The president made up his mind on it over the past couple of weeks, the source said.

Kelly had been evaluating Bannons role within the White House. They gave him an opportunity to step down knowing that he was going to be forced to, the source said.

Bannon damaged his standing by giving an interview to the liberal American Prospect this week in which he was seen to be undercutting Trumps position on North Korea. Bannon told associates he thought he was talking to an academic and thought he was off the record.

He has told friends he could go back to Breitbart News if he were to leave the White House.

Kellys appointment was intended to bring order to a fractious White House beset with behind-the-scenes intrigue and back-stabbing.

Bannon formerly headed the right-wing Breitbart News website and spearheaded its shift into a forum for the alt-right, a loose online confederation of neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-Semitics. Under Bannons leadership, the Breitbart site presented a number of conspiracy theories about former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, as well as Republicans deemed to be lacking in conservative bona fides.

In recent weeks, Breitbart has published a series of articles making a case for Lieutenant General HR McMasters ouster as national security advisor on the basis that he is not a strong ally of Israel and that he has staffed the National Security Council with holdovers from the Obama administration.

Critics have accused Bannon of harboring anti-Semitic and white nationalist sentiments. In a 2007 court filing during divorce proceedings, Bannons former wife accused him of making anti-Semitic comments on at least three occasions.

Just a year ago, Bannon took over as head of Trumps presidential campaign. In that role, Bannon helped engineer Trumps surprise victory over Clinton.
Egypt will continue to see hot weather over the next three days, with a slight rise in temperatures of 1-2 degree Celsius forecast, a senior meteorologist said.

Hot, humid weather is forecast for Cairo and the Nile Delta, with high temperatures predicted at 35-36C over the next 72 hours, Wahid Saudi, spokesperson for the Egyptian Meteorological Authority, told Ahram Online on Friday.

Coastal cities in the country's north, including the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, are expected to see highs of 31-32C.

Egypt's southern cities are likely to see hotter weather, with highs expected to hover around 36-37C in the northern part of Upper Egypt and 40-42C degrees in the southern part.

The waters of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean will be suitable for navigation, except for the Gulf of Suez on the northern end of the Red Sea, where weather is predicted to yield high wind speeds and high waves of 2-2.5 metres.

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A van rammed into a crowded street in Barcelona, killing 13 people and injuring over a 100 injured in a terror attack on Thursday. In a report in Hindustan Times, the head of the Spanish region of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont said two people had been arrested. It was still not clear how many attackers had been involved. This attack was followed by another attack in Cambrils, some 120km away from Barcelona.

Media professional Vivek Makker was holidaying in Spain with two friends, Shalabh Bhasin and Riaz Munshi when the attack happened. He gives us a first-person account of what unfolded at Las Ramblas.

People wanted to run away and nobody knew what was happening

We were in Ibiza, and from there, we had come to Barcelona two days back. Las Ramblas is to Barcelona what Connaught Place is to Delhi. Its kind of a walking street with shops, restaurants and cafeterias. Its so packed at times that there is no space to even walk properly. Yesterday, at around 2pm, when the attack happened, we were there. We were having lunch at a place very close to the site of the attack. We saw loads of police vans and police personnel. I must say that the police and the ambulance services are very efficient as within seconds of this happening, there were around 300-400 vans all over the place. It was such kind of an alert that everyone knew that something bad had happened. That was the time when the commotion started. People wanted to run away and nobody knew what was happening. Even we wanted to go back to our hotel, not exactly knowing what was happening. We waited for our cab, but realised other people, especially women and children, also needed cabs, so we offered our ride to them. Our taxi driver was using Zello app (a walkie-talkie kind of app) which helped us figure out the safest route to take and he was also sharing this information with others.

By evening, police helicopters were monitoring the entire area. The area was cordoned off and there was a curfew-like situation. At 9 pm, we wanted to visit the area, but our hotel advised against it. But we went, and it was still guarded. We were about to party that night, but cancelled our plans. The fear is there, so much so that we are trying to re-schedule our flight and return sooner than planned. People here are gearing up to help each other. They are marking themselves safe on social media and offering food and shelter. Whoever is in Barcelona is trying to help. Otherwise, we might have never chatted, or even bothered to mingle ...but there was solidarity and everyone was standing by each other.

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The white nationalists behind last weekends violent rally found an appealing target in the historic town where Thomas Jefferson founded a university and an outspoken, progressive mayor declared his city the capital of the resistance to US President Donald Trump.

For more than a year, the Charlottesville government has also been engaged in contentious public soul searching over its Confederate monuments, a process that led to the decision to remove a statue of General Robert E Lee. All those factors made this community a symbolically powerful backdrop for whats considered the largest white nationalist gathering in at least a decade.

We are a progressive, tolerant city. We are also a Southern city, mayor Mike Signer said. About a year and a half ago, Charlottesville decided to launch on the difficult but essential work of finally telling the truth about race. That made us a target for tons of people who dont want to change the narrative.

On the eve of Saturdays rally, hundreds of white men marched through the University of Virginia campus, holding torches and chanting racist and anti-Semitic slogans. The next morning, many looked like they were dressed for war as they made their way to Emancipation Park.

They clashed with counter-protesters in a stunning display of violence before authorities forced the crowd to disperse. Later, a car plowed into a crowd of demonstrators, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others.

With a population of around 47,000, Charlottesville is a progressive island in a conservative part of Virginia.

The funky, cosmopolitan town is nestled in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its known for being home to Jeffersons plantation, Monticello, and the place where the Dave Matthews Band got its start.

The heart of its downtown is an open-air pedestrian mall lined with restaurants, bars and quirky boutiques. Tourists flock to Charlottesville not only for the history and culture but also to visit the wineries that dot the countryside just outside of town.

Charlottesville was easily overwhelmed by the numbers that showed up Saturday, said Ed Ayers, a leading Civil War scholar who taught at UVA for decades before moving to Richmond.

Despite Virginias bloody part in the Civil War, Ayers said, the Lee statue does not have a significant historical connection to Charlottesville. The city did not play a central role in the war at all, he explained, and the statue was not erected until the 1920s, when Jim Crow laws were eroding the rights of black citizens.

Charlottesville was just a very clear symbol they could go to and have a protest, Ayers said.

A group of protesters rally against members of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12 (Reuters file)

The city is proud of Jeffersons university, a prestigious school with graduates that include prominent figures such as Robert F. Kennedy. But UVA is also a school largely built by slaves and where professors had ideological connections to the resistance movement that followed the Brown vs. Board of Education school desegregation decision.

The university did not admit black students until 1950. Last year, figures provided by the school show only 6 percent of students were black.

White nationalist leader Richard Spencer  a UVA grad who was one of the most high-profile speakers lined up for the rally  echoed Ayers perspective. He said that the Confederate monuments are a metaphor for something much bigger, referring to white dispossession and the de-legitimization of white people in this country and around the world.

Saturday was not Spencers first demonstration in Charlottesville. In May, he was among another torch-wielding group that rallied around the statue at night, chanting, You will not replace us. Later that month, local right-wing blogger and UVA graduate Jason Kessler applied for the permit for Saturdays event.

Then, in July, about 50 Ku Klux Klan members rallied at the statue, where they were met by more than 1,000 protesters. That, too, made national news.

Oren Segal, director of Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, said hate groups are eager to exploit media attention.

When they saw a built-in opportunity to build off the other two rallies, it was clear they decided, This is the place. Were going to get more attention here, he said.

Virginias closely watched governors race, one of only two in the nation this year, also helped draw attention.

Republican Corey Stewart successfully made the statues proposed removal a key talking point in the GOP primary, which he almost won despite being an underdog.

Stewart, a one-time state chairman of Trumps campaign, made several campaign stops in Charlottesville. At least one public appearance was with Kessler.

Katie Straight, who stood outside the downtown theater Wednesday where a memorial service for Heyer took place, agreed that the citys democratic discussion about what to do with the statues had contributed to the scope of what happened Saturday.

I also think that you have a group of angry people in this country who are looking for a place to physically terrorize those who might challenge their legacy of power, Straight said. And Charlottesville, in this historic moment, happens to be that place. I hope and pray its the last place, but I dont think it will be.
South African pilot Pat Pattles star burned brightly over North Africa and Greece during his meteoric combat career.

April 20, 1941: one week before Greece capitulated to German and Italian invaders. As waves of Luftwaffe Ju-88s and Do-17s rained bombs down on Allied shipping at Piraeus, the port of Athens, a Royal Air Force Hurricane pilot swooped to the aid of a lone comrade who had recklessly charged into a swarm of escorting Me-110s. Although unable to save his friend from the Messerschmitts cannon fire, the Hurricane pilot shot down the lead Me-110 in flames. In doing so, however, he sealed his own fate. Seconds later, Squadron Leader Pat Pattle, the RAFs Balkan top scorer, lay slumped over the controls of his stricken fighter as it plunged into the sea.

Born into a British military family in South Africas Cape Province on July 3, 1914, young Marmaduke Thomas St. John Pattle honed his marksmanship during tough hunting safaris across the African veldt. Rejected for pilot training by the small South African Air Force in 1933, he had almost given up hope of a flying career when in March 1936 he saw a newspaper ad for short service commissions in the RAF. Pattle had to pay his own fare to England, but by late June he was undergoing basic flight training at RAF Station Prestwick, Scotland, soloing after 6 hours dual instruction. Advanced training at Ternhill in England was followed by armament training at Penrhos in Wales. Assessed as a phenomenally good shot with exceptional flying skills, Pilot Officer Pattle was selected for the elite No. 80 (Fighter) Squadron at Debden in Essex, flying Gloster Gauntlet biplanes.

The Gauntlets were replaced in 1937 by the derivative Gloster Gladiator, powered by a Bristol Mercury IX radial engine that gave it a top speed of 257 mph. The RAFs last biplane fighter, the Gladiator was also its first with an enclosed cockpit. Armed with four .303-inch Browning machine guns, the responsive Gladiator was a pilots delight.

In April 1938, the squadron was posted to Ismailia, Egypt, assigned to provide air cover for the Suez Canal. Meanwhile, as intelligence sources monitored the expansion of Italian air power in nearby Libya, No. 80 found itself periodically involved in policing tribal insurgents. Many of these Arabs were expert marksmen who had learned deflection shooting from Lawrence of Arabia during the World War I campaign against the Turks, and they regularly scored hits on the engines and fuel tanks of overflying RAF aircraft. Forced landings in the desert were common. After one such emergency, due to an engine failure, Pattle was rescued by the doughty warriors of the Black Watch regiment. When their convoy was ambushed on the way back to Jerusalem, the diminutive Pattle grabbed a rifle and, yelling Zulu war cries, joined in a headlong bayonet charge that routed the rebels.

At the outbreak of war with Germany in September 1939, Pattle was stationed at Helwan, Egypt, where training continued with renewed urgency. During exercises defending Alexandria against mock air raids by the Bristol Blenheims of No. 211 Squadron, the obsolescent Gladiators had difficulty making more than one attack on the faster Blenheims. New tactics were plainly needed to deal with the Italian and German bombers.

When Italy finally declared war on June 10, 1940, 80 Squadrons B Flight was scrambled to investigate an unidentified aircraft flying southwest of their base at Amriya. Eager for action, and with the sharp-eyed Flight Lt. Pattle leading them, the Gladiator pilots rapidly converged on the intruder. But their elation turned to disappointment when their quarry turned out to be a lumbering Egyptian airliner.

The squadrons first actual combat of the war came on June 19, when Flying Officer Peter Wykeham-Barnes, piloting one of the Hawker Hurricanes with which the squadron was briefly equipped, joined four Gladiators from No. 33 Squadron patrolling around Sollum. In a clash with Fiat C.R.42 fighters of the Regia Aeronautica (RA), Wykeham-Barnes shot down two, while one Gladiator was lost.

The open-cockpit C.R.42 Falco, which the RAF Gladiators would frequently encounter in the coming months, was the Italian counterpart of the British biplane in all but the details. Slightly faster but fractionally less maneuverable, it was fitted with a variable-pitch prop that gave it a significantly better rate of climb and higher diving speed than the Gladiator, with its fixed-pitch airscrew. Against the Gladiators four machine guns, however, the C.R.42 mounted only two 12.7mm weapons, firing explosive ammunition that detonated on impact with virtually no penetration. And unlike the Gladiator, the C.R.42 had no radio.

In late July the eight Gladiators of Pattles B Flight relocated to the forward airfield at Sidi Barrani, 60 miles from the Libyan border. After they had refueled, four aircraft led by Pattle went looking for trouble near the border. Failing to find the enemy air force, they devastated an Italian road convoy with tracer fire.

Pattles baptism of fire in the air came on August 4. Assigned to escort a Westland Lysander on a reconnaissance mission, his four Gladiators were 30 miles inside Libya when the Lysander fired a Very light, signifying it was under attack. Diving to its rescue, Pattle and his wingman, Pilot Officer John Lancaster, at first failed to spot the enemy flight of Breda Ba.65 ground-attack aircraft escorted by Fiat C.R.32 biplane fighters, heading home after striking a British road convoy. But the other section leader, Peter Wykeham-Barnes, saw them and led his wingman, Sergeant Kenneth Rew, into an attack. Only then did Pattle observe the seven Ba.65s closing in on the Lysander. Wykeham-Barnes sent one Breda down in flames, and the others scattered northward toward the Italian base at El Adem. Rew was bounced by a C.R.32 and killed during the attack. Lancaster, with all four guns jammed, was wounded in the left arm by an explosive bullet. He returned to base with his right thumb clamped against his left radial artery, holding the stick between his knees.

No sooner had Pattle opened fire on the fleeing Bredas than two of his guns jammed. Pressing home his attack regardless, he sent one Breda down to crash-land in the desert. When the C.R.32s joined in the fight, Wykeham-Barnes accounted for one before his Gladiator was badly damaged and he was wounded. After taking to his parachute, he began a long trek across the desert. He was eventually rescued by the armored cars of the 11th Hussars.

Now alone, Pattle was 10 miles southeast of El Adem when five C.R.42s pounced, attacking independently from different directions. One of the Fiats fell to a close-range deflection shot from Pattles two remaining guns, but then another gun jammed. Turning for home some 40 miles inside enemy lines, he was beset by a dozen C.R.42s and three Ba.65s. Soon defenseless when his last gun jammed, Pattle was attacked from all angles, his rudder controls were shot away and he was forced to bail out.

Walking through the desert night toward what he thought was the Egyptian border, Pattle was dismayed to find at daybreak that he had actually been marching farther into Libya. He began retracing his steps, and was lying exhausted by the track when an 11th Hussars officer happened by and asked him, Are you doing this for fun, or would you like a lift? Back at Sidi Barrani the supposedly bush-wise South African endured much leg-pulling, particularly as city boy Wykeham-Barnes had returned to base well before him. But Pattle had scored his first aerial victories, and that, as well as avenging the ignominy of being shot down by the Italians, was all that mattered.

Having lost three Gladiators and a pilot, No. 80s Squadron Leader Patrick Dunn decided that the best way to restore morale was to mount a squadron-strength sortie into the triangle regularly patrolled by the C.R.42s around El Adem. Thirteen Gladiators duly took off from Sidi Barrani on August 8, heading west toward the Libyan border. Approaching Bir el Gobi, they spotted a formation of Falcos estimated at 27 strong. The perfect ambush was about to be sprung.

Placing themselves in the classic 6 oclock high position above the Italian aircraft, the Gladiators under Pattles tactical command prepared to attack. After a shattering first pass, British and Italians became locked into a monumental reenactment of a World War I dogfight. It was every man for himself as machine guns chattered and the biplanes swooped, climbed, looped and dived. Quickly engaged, Pattle dispatched a C.R.42 from 50 yards, firing two short bursts that sent it spinning down to explode in flames. Five other aircraft had already been shot downbut whether British or Italian, he could not tell. Sighting a lone C.R.42 close below, Pattle stall-turned his Gladiator to come down directly behind the Italian. A brief machine gun burst turned the Falco into a mass of fiery debris.

Back at Sidi Barrani, the exultant RAF pilots claimed nine confirmed kills and six probables, for the loss of two Gladiators and one pilot. (Actual Italian losses were four destroyed and four crash-landed.) The encounter confirmed to the British that sound tactics and flight discipline, enhanced by radio coordination, would always prevail over the purely aerobatic skills at which the Italians excelled. As it happened, the Italian unit most closely involved in the engagement, the elite 73a Squadriglia, which lost five C.R.42s during the first pass, had formed the nucleus of the last prewar RA aerobatic team.

A lull followed during which the chastened Italians seemed to be avoiding the RAFs patrolling Gladiators and Hurricanes. Pattles last North African combat came on September 15, when he damaged a Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 trimotor, one of a gaggle attacking Sidi Barrani during the ultimately unsuccessful Italian invasion of Egypt. Although the South African set one of its engines on fire, the bomber escaped thanks to its superior speed.

After reequipping with Gladiator Mk.IIs, and with a Bristol Bombay to transport its ground personnel across the Mediterranean, 80 Squadron set out from Egypt for Greece, via Crete, landing at Eleusis, near Athens, on November 18. Their task was to provide fighter cover for one Vickers Wellington and two Blenheim squadrons sent to reinforce the small Greek air force, which had fought valiantly on the Albanian front since the ill-timed Italian invasion of Greece on October 28. Anxious not to antagonize the Germans, the Greeks were initially reluctant to let the RAF use their northern aerodromes, a severe operational handicap during the short winter days.

The British presence in Greece was a reflection of Winston Churchills determination to take the fight against the Axis back onto European soil after the Dunkirk evacuation and the Norwegian debacle. There would eventually be 62,000 British and Commonwealth forces on the ground.

Moving up to Trikkala, in the central mountains, 80 Squadron flew its first mission between the snow-capped peaks into Italian-occupied Albania on November 19, four days after a successful Greek counterattack had driven the Italians 60 kilometers back across the border. In combat with Italian fighters that swarmed up from Koritza, the Gladiator pilots claimed nine destroyed. Pattle himself accounted for two C.R.42s, for his ace-making fifth and sixth kills.

Grounded by rain until November 25, the squadron seemed to shoot down Italians almost at will after that. On December 2, flying from Yanina, Pattle downed two Meridionali Ro.37 reconnaissance planes. Two days later he destroyed three C.R.42s. In the bitterly cold air, the pilots sometimes flew with the stick between their knees while banging their hands together to maintain their circulation. The Italian pilots, in their open-cockpit C.R.42s, no doubt fared even worse.

An S.M.79 and an S.M.81 fell to Pattles guns on December 20. The next day he sent a Falco down in flames during a savage dogfight over the Albanian front that claimed the lives of, among others, Squadron Leader William Hickey, who died after his parachute caught fire.

On January 28, 1941, Pattle shared credit for the destruction of a Cant Z.1007bis trimotor during an offensive patrol between Kelcyre and Premeti in Albania. With him was redoubtable Flying Officer Nigel Cullen. Nicknamed the Ape because of his phenomenal strength, Cullen was a former motorcycle racer and Spanish Civil War veteran who favored head-on aggression over aerobatic subtlety. He would soon rack up an impressive number of kills.

The new commanding officer, Squadron Leader Edward Tap Jones, led an offensive patrol into the strategically important Tepelene area on February 9. A series of individual dogfights soon developed, with Pattle destroying a C.R.42 after closing to within 50 yards during a rooftop chase. Cullen claimed two victims, as did two other British pilots. Pattle later learned that he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the citation noting he has been absolutely fearless and undeterred by superior numbers of the enemy. Throughout the following weeks, Pattles score increased steadily, in line with his reputation as an inspirational fighter leader and tactician.

Yanina itself came under Italian attack the following day, with 150 heavy bombs falling on the airfield before the raiders were driven off in a series of furious engagements. Pattle claimed a Z.1007 and a Fiat B.R.20 damaged in what turned out to be his last fights in a Gladiator. Shortly after that, the first six Hurricanes arrived, and Pattle was given command of the monoplanes as a detached flight based at Paramythia, home to No. 211 Squadrons Blenheims. Situated in mountains 30 miles southwest of the frontier, Paramythia airfield was a rough, stony landing ground without any permanent buildings.

Pattle and his pilots immediately took to the Hurricane, although they missed the Gladiators acrobatic abilities. Declared operational on February 20, the flight was tasked to escort a strong force of Blenheims and Wellingtons in a raid on the Italian base at Berat. When a group of Fiat G.50s attacked the bombers, the six Hurricanes led by Pattle rushed down to their defense. Pattles destruction of the lead aircraft was later described by a Blenheim gunner: A G.50 came for us and in a flash a Hurricane just shot it off our wingtip. It was wizard. On a similar mission the next day, the South African destroyed another C.R.42.

In late February, intent on gaining as much ground as possible before German forces joined in the hostilities, the Italians mounted another massive offensive. Its eventual catastrophic failure would finally convince the Germans that they had no alternative but to assist their faltering ally.

Meanwhile, February 28 saw eight Hurricanes and 19 Gladiators involved in a sprawling dogfight over Albania that resulted in the RAF claiming 27 victories, its largest single tally of the Greek campaign. Pattle himself accounted for two C.R.42s and two B.R.20s, with another Falco probable. That brought his personal score to over 20, plus numerous probables, and 80 Squadrons tally to more than 100. Ape Cullen claimed five enemy aircraft in the encounter.

On March 4, alerted to an impending raid by the Italian navy on the Greek-held Albanian port of Himare, 15 Blenheims took off from Paramythia to strike the warships. The bombers were escorted by 17 Gladiators and 10 Hurricanes, with Pattles flight protecting the right flank. When G.50s attacked the fighters, Pattle destroyed three, and later probably downed a C.R.42. But his wingman, the seemingly indestructible Cullen, was shot down by a G.50 and killed.

A week later Pattle was promoted to squadron leader, to command 33 Squadron, a unit of cosmopolitan individualists rather than a closely integrated outfit like 80 Squadron. By Pattles demanding standards, the men lacked flying discipline, a point he rammed home by trouncing one of No. 33s best pilots in a mock dogfight. Lingering doubts about his command ability were removed when, leading the squadron for the first time on March 23, he destroyed a G.50 in the air, plus one probable, and three more on the ground. That mission coincided with the award of a bar to his DFC, when his official score stood at 23 confirmed.

On April 6, having finally lost patience with their Italian ally, the Germans invaded Greece from Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. On that same day, during an offensive sweep over Bulgaria, Pattles Larissa-based Hurricanes first encountered the mighty Luftwaffe. In the arterial Rupel Pass, they engaged a formation of 20 Me-109s, quickly shooting down five, without any losses. Pattles wingman later said: I never had a chancewe came up right behind this pair of 109sPat gave them a left and a right and it was all over. Both went down in flames.

Soon the greatly superior German ground and air formations drove back the stubborn Greek and British ground forces. For the RAF, the retreat held depressing reminders of the fall of France, with exhausted ground crews constantly moving from one makeshift landing ground to another and then, as bases on the Larissa Plain became untenable, relocating to beleaguered airfields around Athens. Their improvisation skills were tested to the limit by the lack of spares, and maintenance was carried out under the constant threat of strafing by marauding Luftwaffe aircraft from Salonika. Pattle himself was almost continuously in action, despite suffering from influenza as well as exhaustion.

During the chaotic period when the British fighter squadrons fell back on Eleusis, Pattle certainly destroyed many more enemy aircraft, although from this point on it becomes increasingly difficult to validate the precise number. Ignoring his weakened state, he continued to lead his usual high number of sorties. Between missions he lay on a couch, feverishly sweating under a pile of blankets. From April 7 to 12, he reportedly claimed three Do-17s, a Ju-88, He-111, Me-109, Me-110 and an S.M.79 destroyed. On April 14, he claimed two Ju-88s plus an Me-109, Me-110 and S.M.79.

When Flying Officer Roald Dahl, the future author, joined 80 Squadron at Eleusis, he wrote of Pattle, He was a very small man and very soft spoken, and he possessed the deeply wrinkled face of a cat who knew that all of its nine lives had been used up. Time was indeed running out for Pattle, but he was back in action again on April 19, destroying three Ju-88s and three Me-109s, and sharing in downing a Henschel 126.

On April 20, after he destroyed two Me-109s in the early afternoon, the by now very sick Pattle insisted on taking off again with the defiant remnants of Nos. 33 and 80 squadrons to intercept more than 100 German aircraft homing in on Allied shipping anchored around Athens. After destroying a Ju-88 and gallantly shooting a Me-110 off the tail of Flight Lt. William Timber Woods over Eleusis Bay, Pattle was himself shot down and killed.

By late April, the war in Greece was over. The most experienced fighter pilots had flown the surviving Hurricanes to Crete, while other fliers were evacuated to Egypt. Meanwhile RAF Blenheims and Short Sunderland flying boats ran a shuttle service to Crete for ground crews and army personnel. Despite the air and sea evacuations, 14,000 British servicemen were captured.

Exactly how many enemy aircraft Pattle destroyed will probably never be known. All official records of the last few weeks in Greece were lost, although the 33 Squadron operations book was partially reconstructed later from intelligence summaries and personal recollections. Unofficial sources indicate he destroyed at least 44 confirmed, with 50 as a possible final total. Of those, 27 were authenticated through Italian and German records. It should be noted that Pattle himself never worried about his score; in the modest South Africans mind, the efficiency of the squadron and the safety of his pilots were always uppermost.

Although Pattle may well have been the RAFs ace of aces, today he is hardly known outside aviation circles. This unfortunate historical oversight is largely attributable to the early Middle Eastern and Greek campaigns being widely regarded as sideshows, lacking the fascination of the Battle of Britain, El Alamein, the Normandy invasion or the Pacific War. There is no doubt, however, that in a combat career of only nine months Pat Pattle earned himself a lasting place among the immortals of air combat.

RAF veteran Derek OConnor recommends for further reading: Ace of Aces, by E.C.R. Baker; and Wings Over Olympus, by T.H. Wisdom.

Originally published in the November 2012 issue of Aviation History. To subscribe, click here.
Gold miners first drove picks in Arizona Territory along the Colorado River north of Fort Yuma, afterward fanning out north and east and entering the Hassayampa River valley. In November 1863 German immigrant Henry Wickenburg set out south along the Hassayampa from his central Arizona Territory ranch with E.A. Van Bibber and Theodore Rusk to search for rumored gold in the Harquahala Mountains. They found none, but on the return trip Wickenburg noted a white quartz ledge in a ridge west of the Hassayampa.

Returning alone to the ridge a month later, Wickenburg brought back goldflecked samples to his compatriots, and the three posted a location notice (though not a formal claim), calling the site the Vulture. In an 1897 Arizona Republican interview Wickenburg claimed, I always liked short names, and it just came into my head to call it the Vulture.

Van Bibber and Rusk moved on, so in May 1864Wickenburg returned with four new partners and filed a proper claim with territorial officials in Prescott. The men organized the Wickenburg Mining District and built an arrastra (grinding tub) nine miles away on the Hassayampa. Wickenburg had others work the claim, charging them $15 per ton of ore removed.

By June 1865 some 40 mule-powered arrastras and a new five-stamp mill were crushing ore on the Hassayampa. The scattered miners eventually coalesced around the mill, at Martinez Wash, and around Wickenburgs home, a mile south. Businesses and a post office opened, and the town of Wickenburg was born.

Later that year Wickenburg sold his interest in the mine and mill for $25,000 to a group of New Yorkers, who incorporated the Vulture Mining Co. In 1866 the company replaced the five-stamp mill with a modern 20-stamp processor, and by 1870 the mine was producing half of all gold coming out of the territory.

At its height the company employed some 150 men and paid wages of $70 a week (workers at Virginia Citys rich Comstock Lode averaged only $4 a day). We made money right from the start, boasted blacksmith D.S. Chamberlain.Ten loaded [mule] teams would leave the mine daily for the mill.Money was plentiful, wages high, and all seemed good spenders.

Yavapai raids proved costly. The warring tribe forced the company to employ armed men to escort all supply trains and parties coming to or from the mines. In 1868 one digger complained to the Arizona Miner: The Indians can come here at night and kill us.We cannot watch them at night, as every man works during the day and needs rest at night.

More financial woes loomed. In 1872 the company hit water at the 300-foot level, flooded the mine and had to suspend operations. The financial panic of 1873 struck before it could reopen the main shaft, and Maricopa County seized the property for failure to pay taxes.What mining remained shifted to the reprocessing of low-grade tailings and discarded gold quartz.

In 1878, with arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad 50 miles to the south, Seymour, Hunt & Co. bought the mine and formed the Central Arizona Mining Co. To cut costs, it decided to process ore at the Vulture itself, using discarded ore to construct an office building, boardinghouse and assay room, as well as a state-of-the-art 80- stamp mill. In 187980 work crews built a 12-mile pipeline and steam-powered pump station to drive water uphill from the Hassayampa to the new mill.

A new town, Vulture, formed at the mine, comprising a few stores, a Wells Fargo office, a post office, a school and even a free reading hall. But even after grossing $210,000 in 1883, the Central Arizona remained in the red due to its costly mill and pumping system. The mine closed again the following year.

In 1887 silver baron Horace Tabor purchased the Vulture as a speculative venture for $265,000. By 1896 Tabor had resorted to extracting ore from discarded tailings via a new cyanide process. He even tore down the office building and boardinghouse to process their walls. But the Vulture was played out, and in 1897 the bankrupt mine sold at a sheriffs auction. An obsessed Tabor fought in vain to regain the property until his death in 1899.

From its founding through the turn of the century the Vulture made between $4 million and $6 million. Miners managed one final spurt from 1908 to 1917, after which major operations ceased.

In 2011 Wickenburg resident Michael Smith purchased the mine. He plans to restart operations and told The Wickenburg Sun, My group is working with the preservation group [www.savevulture mine.org]  and I think we can preserve a vast amount of the structures. Thus the Vultures fortunes wax once again.

Originally published in the February 2012 issue of Wild West. To subscribe, click here.
The territorial lawmen also carried large-caliber Colts.

Shortly after World War II a panoramic photo started showing up in Western magazines and advertisements that depicted 25 men standing in a row, wearing badges and mostly holding Model 1895 Winchester carbines. At first identified as legendary Texas Rangers, these lawmen were, as Old West historians soon pointed out, all but one of the 26-man force of the lesser-known Arizona Rangers, who, on June 11, 1903, posed during a mine strike at Morenci, Arizona Territory (another photo taken at the same time of the same 25 men appears above).

Just two years earlier, on March 21, 1901, the Territorial Legislative Assembly had created the Arizona Rangers, primarily to police the Mexican border against cattle rustling and other crimes. The ranger force was originally limited to 14 menone captain ($120 a month salary), one sergeant ($75) and 12 privates ($55). On March 19, 1903, the force was expanded to 26 men, with one lieutenant and another sergeant added. The pay scale was now $175 for captain, $130 for lieutenant, $110 for sergeants and $100 for privates. Detailed records were kept of each enlistee and the individually numbered badge that he wore until the short-lived Arizona Rangers were disbanded for political reasons. The Last Ranger, Harry Wheeler, the third captain, left office on March 25, 1909.

In eight years 107 men served as Arizona Rangers, 44 of them from Texas and only nine native Arizonans, according to M. David DeSoucys 2008 photo history Arizona Rangers. About a quarter of them had previously served as Texas Rangers, deputy sheriffs, and peace officers, DeSoucy writes. Well over half had been cattlemen, cowboys, or stockmen. Several had previously served as soldiers during the Indian wars and the Spanish-American War [seven had been Rough Riders with Teddy Roosevelt].

In addition to their salaries the Arizona Rangers received stipends for basic expenses like feed. But they had to supply their own horses, tack and weapons. The first captain, Burton C. Mossman, also stipulated that their long guns be the latest Model 1895 Winchester smokeless-powder carbines in .30-40 Krag Army caliber, and their six-guns be of Army size.

The Model 1895 Winchester was the last of the repeating lever-action rifles designed for Winchester by Americas most prolific firearms inventor, John M. Browning. All of the previous Winchester repeaters, including Brownings designs, had one thing in common tubular magazines under the length of the barrel. So each cartridge rode in the magazine tube with the nose of its bullet pressing hard against the primer of the cartridge ahead of it. This design flaw sometimes caused the nose of the bullet of one cartridge to accidentally fire off the cartridge ahead of it if the rifle was jostled hard or the butt or barrel was knocked against a hard object. The result was usually a blown-up magazine tube, or worse, the loss of a few fingers. And with the development in the 1890s of smokeless-powder, high-powered cartridges with high-velocity pointed bullets in them, the danger of cartridges in a tubular magazine setting off one another was even greater.

So Browning resolved that seldom publicized problem by eliminating the magazine tube and designing a box magazine in the bottom of the mechanism of the Model 1895. The box magazine stacked its capacity of five cartridges on top of each other instead of them being end to end with each other. This unique design also created an expanded lower frame that visually distinguishes the Model 1895 from all other lever-action Winchester rifles.

Ranger sidearms were also distinctive. Most lawmen of the Old West preferred to use ordinary, plain, workhorse Colts rather than fancy, engraved, pearl- or ivory-gripped ones.Yet based on known photographs, at least some of the men of the Arizona Rangers seem to have preferred the fancy ones.

In 2001 San Diego historical antiques dealer Richard Angelo stumbled onto the estate of exArizona Ranger William Sparks. Richard and I bought from it a treasure-trove of Ranger cabinet photos, some of which show Sergeant Jeff Kidder wearing his engraved, pearl-handled .45-caliber Colt, which is now on display at the Arizona Rangers Museum and Archives in Nogales, Ariz. And just recently, Arizona historian Scott Dyke located cowman Dick Siebeck, the grandson of former Arizona Ranger William Parmer, who wore badge No. 12. Siebeck still has his grandfathers engraved .45- caliber Colt Single Action Army, Serial No. 311387 (see photo below), which has original ivory grips with a steer head carved on the right grip. So it is presumed that, in addition to the Model 1895 Winchesters, most of the other Rangers complied with Mossmans orders and carried the trusty Colts in .45 smokeless-powder caliber, either fancy or workhorse plain.

In 1970 I had an antique gun store east of Los Angeles. One day I learned that one of the last of the original Arizona Rangers was living in nearby El Monte. But when I visited him, my efforts to get him to talk were no more successful than trying to float a horseshoe in a bucket of beer. No, he explained politely, I had to kill some men, and Im not proud of that. Ive never talked about it to my family. And Ill never talk about it to anyone! I tried to explain that I only wanted to record his lawman history before it was lost forever, but he still refused to talk.

He did mention, with ice-hard anger in his voice, that he had recently loaned his favorite Colt revolver to anold friend who had never returned it. But he still had his original Arizona Rangers badge hanging in a frame above his sofa. I dont even remember his name now, but I do remember that he was one of the Mexican-American Arizona Rangers, and he was damn proud of it.

There was also very little in print from the mouths of others Rangers. But the tales about them are many and bloody. The first to die in the line of duty was Private Carlos Taffola, shot down on October 8, 1901, in a gunfight with the unglamorously named Bill Smith Gang. Probably the most colorful Ranger was Jeff Kidder, who got into a controversial gunfight with Mexican police on April 4, 1908, in a saloon on the Mexican side of the cross-border town of Naco and died the next day.

Thomas Rynning, the second captain, wrote about some of the Ranger exploits in Gun Notches (1931), as did Joseph Miller in The Arizona Rangers (1972). And in 1987 legendary Old West historian Bill ONeal published his definitive The Arizona Rangers. He lists every man who served as an Arizona Ranger and includes enough anecdotes and photos to make any Old West aficionado as happy as a hog in a wallow when hes reading it.

Originally published in the February 2012 issue of Wild West. To subscribe, click here.
For Americans involved in ground operations during the Vietnam War, combat had many faces. Search-and-clear missions through jungles or rice paddies were typical, but troops also engaged in conventional battlesthe largest of which was fought in 1968 at Khe Sanh.

In the rugged highlands of western Quang Tri Province, 6 miles from the border with Laos, the village lay just south of the demilitarized zone between Soviet- and Chinese-backed communist North Vietnam and the U.S.-backed republic of South Vietnam. The Ho Chi Minh Trail, the network of pathways along which North Vietnam transported supplies to its troops in the south, snaked through the Laotian mountains to the west. In late 1964 U.S. Special Forces troops established a rudimentary post on the site of an old French airstrip north of the village.

In 1965, General William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, sought to establish a combat base at Khe Sanh to disrupt the communist supply chain and provide a launching pad for a possible invasion of Laos. Other senior Americans countered that such a base could become dangerously isolated. Never far from the minds of U.S. leaders was the 1954 Battle of Dien Bien Phu, in which Viet Minh forces had besieged an isolated garrison in the mountains of then French Indochina, forcing France to withdraw from the country after nearly a century of colonial rule.

Westmoreland prevailed. In late 1966 Navy Seabees improved fortifications and the existing airstrip carved into the red dirt on a plateau north of Khe Sanh village. A battalion of Marines reinforced the base in early 1967, soon wresting control of several hills north of the airstrip from the communists. By January 1968 the Khe Sanh Combat Base hosted 6,000 Marines.

As American forces consolidated at Khe Sanh, several North Vietnamese Army divisions filtered into the area, and fighting erupted on Jan. 20, 1968. Enemy gunners poured mortar and rocket fire onto the Marine positions, igniting the ammunition dump and severely hindering air operations. Communist troops also moved into Khe Sanh village and cut critical Route 9 to the east. The enemy surrounded the base, as folks back home watched anxiously on television.

The communists seemed to intent on a prolonged siege like Dien Bien Phu. Westmoreland instead planned to crush them in a decisive battle. He unleashed Operation Niagaraone of the most concentrated aerial bombing campaigns in historyto break the NVA. It was an election year, and President Lyndon Johnson understood the political implications of a defeat. I dont want any damn Dien Bien Phu! he thundered.

But did North Vietnam have something else in mind? On January 30 the communists launched the Tet Offensivea wave of attacks across South Vietnam. Most historians agree Khe Sanh was probably a feint to draw U.S. attention away from the main thrust of the Tet onslaught.

The Marines at Khe Sanh endured shelling and ground assaults for 77 days. Relief came in April, when elements of the 1st Marine Regiment and the Armys 1st Cavalry Division pushed up Route 9, though the defiant Marines at Khe Sanh insisted they did not need to be rescued. U.S. forces had successfully held their ground against some 30,000 to 40,000 communist troops. Regardless, within months American commanders decided to abandon Khe Sanh.

Today thousands of Americans travel to Vietnam, many to wartime sites. To visit Khe Sanh, its best to engage a tour company or hire a driver. All car rentals come with a driver, and after experiencing the chaos of Vietnamese traffic, one will be happy to let someone else do the driving. Khe Sanh is a featured stop on the tours out of Dong Ha and Hue.

Farmers have long since filled in the bomb craters to grow coffee and bananas. On the grounds of the Khe Sanh Combat Base is a small museum devoted to the battleof course, from the communist perspective. Among the exhibits are the rusted remnants of sensors U.S. aircraft dropped into nearby jungles to detect communist troop movements and an early-war U.S. M14 rifle a local communist guerrilla claimed to have used against the Marines.

Traces of the base remain. The airstrip is discernible, and one can imagine the harrowing experience of trying to take off or land under rocket and mortar fire. Curators have re-created several bunkers, and U.S. aircraft are on display, including a Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter and a Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane. To one side is a pile of bomb fragmentsreminders of Operation Niagara.

A half-century has passed since the Battle of Khe Sanh. It was not another Dien Bien Phu, nor did it deliver the communists a fatal blow, but its ambiguous result should not obscure the skill and heart of those Americans who fought one of the toughest, most lopsided battles in U.S. history. MH
Egypt's Al-Azhar has strongly condemned a terror attack in Barcelona on Thursday that killed and injured a number of civilians.

In a statement on its official website on Thursday, Al-Azhar, the highest seat in Sunni Islam, reaffirmed "its rejection of all criminal actions carried out by terrorist organisations anywhere in the world."

The statement asserted that Islam confirms the right of all people to live in peace regardless of their religion, colour, gender, or language.

The Sunni religious institution also called on the international community to make further efforts to combat violence and eliminate terrorism by all available means, and stressed the need to work on a clear strategy to extend world peace, and consolidate the values of social peace and mutual cohabitation against extremism and terrorism.

On Thursday, a van ploughed into crowds in Barcelona's Las Ramblas avenue in the city centre. A suspect of a Moroccan origin was arrested following the attack, according to Spanish police.

A second vehicle attack in the town of Cambrils saw a number of suspects arrested.

The attacks killed 14 and wounded over 100 more, and injured people of at least 34 different nationalities.

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O nline marketplace Etsy has partnered up with paint expert Annie Sloan to bring out a limited edition upcycled homeware collection.

Ten Etsy makers went to visit Annie at her workshops in Oxfordshire and Scotland to learn different chalk paint techniques...

The end result is a capsule collection of 18 different pieces, modelled on furnishings already available in the designer's shops, from a mid-century vinyl record cabinet to small painted plant pots.

These geometric wooden storage boxes cost 22

A lead figure in the paint industry, with a career now into its third decade, Annie Sloan explains why she was keen for a collaboration.

"Etsy have made a fantastic platform to support makers like I once was, and its an amazing place' for people to buy one-off, handmade pieces. I wish it had been around earlier in my career  it would have made my life so much easier!"

Scroll through our gallery above to see our favourite pieces...
News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits.

Tuesday, October 25, 4:30  7 p.m.

Orr Area EMS Open House

Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798.

Orr Fire Hall

4540 Lake St., Orr

Tuesday, October 25, 12  6 p.m.

Essentia Health Job Fair

Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org.

901 9th St. N., Virginia
Its been a long time coming, since November to be exact when he first announced the project Still Striving, but after months of anticipation ASAP Fergs junior album has arrived.

Laced with 14 tracks in total, the follow up to last years sophomore album Always Strive & Prosper features a star-studded line up of guest appearances, including Meek Mill, ASAP Rocky, Migos, French Montana, Rick Ross, Dave East, Nav, Playboi Carti, Lil Yachty, Snoop Dogg, Famous Dex & more. Meanwhile production is handled by the likes of Malay Raw, Frankie P, DJ Khalil, & Kirk Knight among others.

Speaking on the album with Billboard, Ferg had the following to say about its sound

This sound is definitely more turnt-up. I gave people some boom-bap on Always Strive and Prosper. The Psycho joint in particular, Let It Bang, and just some spoken word on Beautiful People. That was more introspective, I would say, as far as getting people to know who Ferg is; the trials and tribulations of my life. He then added that he wanted to make club records this time around,

With Still Striving, I wanted to hit the clubs. I wanted to have some fun, since we were so serious on Always Strive and Prosper. I want to hit people with some bangers thatll keep them moving. 

Led by the previously heard singles Plain Jane, East Coast (Remix) & Aww Yeah, fans can now stream the project in its entirety via Apple Music. Hit play & let us know what record youre fuckin with the most?

Dont forget that Ferg will also be contributing to the A$AP Mobs upcoming Cozy Tapes Vol. 2 project that is set to drop next week on August 25th as well. So stay tuned, more from Fergenstein is on the way, including an upcoming tour with fellow mob members too (peep dates for that right here).
Gunmen killed seven family members of an Iraqi police officer, including a teenage son, in a pre-dawn attack Friday on their home near the northern city of Kirkuk, security officials told AFP.

A Kirkuk police captain, asking not to be named, said the unidentified assailants had kidnapped the seven family members, among them three of the officer's children.

The officer himself managed to escape during clashes between police and the gunmen, but the seven relatives including a son aged 15 were killed, he said.

Another security official, blaming the Islamic State jihadist group for the attack, said the assailants also blew up a car at the officer's house.

IS, which seized swathes of northern Iraq in a 2014 campaign, has been on the defensive since its ouster last month by Iraqi security forces from second city Mosul.

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Countless celebrities have been sharing on social media their thoughts, prayers and condolences for the victims of the Barcelona terrorists attacks...

Twitter addict President Donald Trump was naturally enough one of the first to respond on social media. "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!" he wrote.

While Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said: Terrorists will never defeat a united people that loves freedom over barbarism.The whole of Spain is with the victims and their families.

The Obamas and Clintons also expressed their deepest condolences. Barack Obama stated: "Michelle and I are thinking of the victims and their families in Barcelona. Americans will always stand with our Spanish friends. Un abrazo."

Bill Clinton said: "Standing with and grieving for the people of Barcelona in the wake of this despicable terror attack."

While from the world of show business the likes of Liam Gallagher, Cher, Ryan Adams, Jennifer Lopez and Ellen DeGeneres have all expressed their sorrow. All my love to Barcelona today," stated DeGeneres.

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While Cher touchingly wrote: "Sending love & Condolences 2 all The wonderful Ppl of Barcelona.I spent time in your glorious city ,It Was filled with laughter & Beauty."

And actress Patricia Arquette said: "So sad to hear about this attack. I know there are many families heartbroken tonight. I'm so sorry."

Here's some more reactions:

Thoughts and prayers to #Barcelona  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 17, 2017

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Michelle and I are thinking of the victims and their families in Barcelona. Americans will always stand with our Spanish friends. Un abrazo.  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 17, 2017

The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Enviandole mucho amor y paz a la gran ciudad de #Barcelona y toda su gente hermosa. #barcelonaContigo #barcelonaAmbTu  Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) August 17, 2017

Barcelona, I love you. You remain in my thoughts tonight and my heart always and forever.  Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) August 17, 2017

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Thoughts and prayers with all my brothers n sisters in Barcelona LG x  Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) August 17, 2017

In honor of Barcelona, two movies came to mind... Las Hurdes (Bunuel, 1933), an absurdly great short by an absurdly great Spanish filmmaker. pic.twitter.com/LM3hSg3PDH  Damien Chazelle (@DSChazelle) August 17, 2017

All my love to Barcelona today. ??  Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 17, 2017

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Standing with and grieving for the people of Barcelona in the wake of this despicable terror attack.  Bill Clinton (@billclinton) August 17, 2017

Barcelona, you have our resolve and support in the face of this cowardly attack. We stand together against terrorism wherever it strikes.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 17, 2017

Sending love & Condolences 2 all The wonderful Ppl of Barcelona.I spent time in your glorious city ,It Was filled with laughter & Beauty??  Cher (@cher) August 17, 2017

#Barcelona, we stand with you. There is no place for terrorism on Earth. My thoughts are with all those affected in today's horrific attack. pic.twitter.com/HRNtj94pXb  Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) August 17, 2017

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Mes

Naturally, self-confessed Twitter addict US President Donald Trump, who has just arrived in Barcelona this morning, was one of the first to take to social media to express his condolences.

"The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!" he wrote.

While the likes of the Clintons and Obamas also expressed their deepest sadness at the horrific attacks. "Michelle and I are thinking of the victims and their families in Barcelona, Obama wrote. "Americans will always stand with our Spanish friends. Un abrazo."

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said: "Terrorists will never defeat a united people that loves freedom over barbarism. The whole of Spain is with the victims and their families.

Here's some of the other reactions from the likes of Liam Gallagher and others...

que mai tots junts contra aquest atac a la nostra ciutat. Tot el meu suport als afectats d'aquesta barbarie. #Barcelona  Gerard Pique (@3gerardpique) August 17, 2017

This is, and will always be Barcelona for me. Love, energy and unity. Forever in my heart.  pic.twitter.com/vg5DJa6tZ8  James McVey (@TheVampsJames) August 17, 2017

#barcelona So sad to hear about this attack. I know there are many families heartbroken tonight. I'm so sorry.  Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) August 17, 2017

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I  #Barcellona and the beautiful people who are the spirit of that city. All my thoughts and prayers are with you today. Stay strong!  Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) August 17, 2017
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A few months ago, a small Fort Worth driller sold off tens of thousands of acres it had cobbled together in West Texas, earning $2.8 billion for drilling wells during the worst oil bust in a generation.

Now, armed with a $400 million private equity investment, Double Eagle Energy Permian wants to build another foothold in the world's hottest oil field and start drilling there early next year. But this time, buying and flipping gushing oil land in the Permian Basin is going to be much more difficult and expensive.

"The availability of land is diminishing every day," said Garrett Martin, Double Eagle's senior vice president of engineering in Fort Worth. "Everyone wants to be there. Nothing out there is cheap anymore."

Over the past few months, the pace of transactions in the Permian Basin has slowed dramatically through a combination of low oil prices and the oil industry's buying spree in West Texas earlier this year, which consolidated large swaths of land and left behind a much smaller amount of contiguous acreage suitable for modern drilling. The rush of geologists and drilling rigs into the world's hottest oil play will make it far more difficult and costly to invest in oil fields in West Texas, a region investors and executives still believe could provide huge returns to wildcatters, oil industry professionals said at this summer's NAPE, a semiannual gathering of energy deal-makers at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.

More than 2,800 people walked the convention halls during the two-day event this week, networking and seeking land against the backdrop of colorful displays and maps of oil fields in West Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and Pennsylvania.

Attendance increased slightly compared with last summer's expo.

In the second quarter, the number of land deals in West Texas fell by one-third to 30, and the combined value of those Permian Basin acquisitions sank 85 percent to $2.8 billion after a flurry of giant multibillion-dollar transactions in the first three months of the year.

"It's going to be piecemeal," said Allen Gilmer, executive chairman of the consultancy Drillinginfo in Austin. "It's going to be harder to make the bigger deals."

For some recent acquisitions, Permian Basin land prices still topped $30,000 an acre and $50,000 an acre, a dramatic increase from prices years ago, according to the Houston consultancy Petroleum Listing Service. It is possible those large, pricey deals could slow if investors find returns aren't what they anticipated, oil executives said.

"We're seeing capital chasing deals, but it's going be years before we find out what the economics look like," said Josh Lorenz, chief operating officer of EnCore Permian, a 6-month-old Midland driller with $200 million in private backing, "and whether we're seeing a business that's getting traded on asset value, not on cash flow. That definitely feels like a bubble."

Among the challenges is finding broad swaths of land that will accommodate horizontal drilling, the technique of drilling sideways for thousands of feet to plumb once-inaccessible rock formations. Lorenz said his small company is trying to find the tracts left behind by the bigger players, putting together blocks of acreage through land swaps and trades.

Martin of Double Eagle agreed, saying it takes even more creativity now to put together large enough parcels of land to drill horizontally.

And it's expensive. West Texas landowners expect oil companies to pay a high price for land sitting on multiple layers of oil-soaked rock. The payoff for that could be great, but most small independent oil companies can't afford the cost of entry unless they have a major financial backer, said Jeff Kelley, an exploration petrophysicist and geologist from Oklahoma.

Julian Ayala, a landman at oil producer Winchester Energy in Houston, said mineral owners in West Texas have become more sophisticated as the oil fields have boomed, having dealt with incoming drilling companies several times over, and knowing ways to figure out the market value of their property.

"They know they can get more if they want more," Ayala said, adding he's glad his company acquired its acreage on the edge of the Permian Basin three years ago. "They talk to each other in the coffee shops. They watch each other go to and from the Cadillac dealership. It sounds funny, but that's the reality of it. They've been at this a long time."

Red Stone Resources, a mineral purchasing company in Oklahoma, has recently ventured into the Permian Basin, buying up mineral rights in anticipation that the land there will eventually be developed by oil companies.

The company has tried to pinpoint the best spots to buy mineral rights in under-developed areas by watching the ebbs and flows of drilling rigs in the Delaware and Midland basins, and made its deals in West Texas a month ago.

"We go out and find individuals and families who want to sell their minerals because they don't want to sit around and wait for a well to be drilled" by an oil company," said Clayton Deering, a petroleum engineer at Red Stone. "We're willing to pay them topdollar. But what we do is not easy."

Oil companies are still flocking to the Permian Basin, but much of the region, particularly the Delaware Basin to the west, lacks the robust system of roads needed for the thousands of trucks hauling sand, water and oil to and from scattered drilling sites.

It's an area rife with financial challenges and logistical obstacles, and the high cost of entry means new entrants will have to make every dollar count. And to reach long-term profitability, that means developing efficient operations, rather than simply boring infertile holes in the ground to hold onto drilling rights, executives said at the conference.

"The ones who are going to make it are the ones who are drilling to develop - they're not just drilling to hold the acreage," Gilmer of Drillinginfo said. "They're going to recoup that acreage value back a lot faster."

"The availability of land is diminishing every day, Everyone wants to be there. Nothing out there is cheap anymore."

Garrett Martin, Double Eagle's senior vice president of engineering in Fort Worth

"They know they can get more if they want more.  They watch each other go to and from the Cadillac dealership."

Julian Ayala, a landman at Winchester Energy, talking about mineral owners in West Texas
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Calpine announced on Friday morning that it has agreed to a sale to Energy Capital Partners in a deal valued at $17 billion. Energy Capital will pay $15.25 a share in cash, about a 50 percent premium to Calpine's share price before reports surfaced in May that the power company, one of the nation's largest, was considering putting itself up for sale.

Calpine's stock climbed sharply in after-hours trading. Calpine and Energy Capital must get regulatory approval from the Public Utility Commission of Texas, among other agencies, Kerr said.

If the deal goes through, it will result in a more than $9.1 million payoff for Calpine CEO Thad Hill, who owns nearly 600,000 shares of the company's stock, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Late last month, Hill confirmed that the company was negotiating a sale with a potential buyer, which he declined to name. Media reports, however, identified the suitor as Energy Capital Partners.

Calpine, which employs about 800 in Houston, has struggled in recent years in the face of persistently low electricity prices, a surge of renewable energy and the high costs of operating fossil fuel power plants. The company reported a second-quarter loss of $219 million, significantly larger than its $29 million loss in the second quarter of 2016.

Calpine is not alone. NRG, which recently reported a second-quarter loss of $642 million, said in July that it will sell up to $4 billion of its assets. Last month, the Houston company launched a round of layoffs across the country but would not disclose the number of job cuts.

Dynegy, another Houston company, is said to be in talks with Dallas-based Vistra Energy about a possible merger. Dynegy earlier this month reported a second-quarter loss of nearly $300 million.

Calpine, founded in California, moved its headquarters to Houston from San Jose, Calif., in 2009, after emerging from bankruptcy in 2008. Calpine also owns the retail electricity provider Champion Energy Services, which it bought for $240 million in 2015.

Energy Capital Partners, which has offices on Louisiana in Houston, is a private equity firm that invests in power plants, pipelines, transmission and other energy assets. The firm helped Dynegy finance its $3.3 billion acquisition of 17 U.S. power plants, including six in Texas, from French energy company Engie. Dynegy last year bought out Energy Capital's stake in plants for $750 million.
When it comes to Texas, some people think of cowboys, and others imagine oil wells. For one generation, it's oilman J.R. Ewing, while maybe for their children, it's Ranger Cordell Walker. For Norwegians, it's slang for chaos.

Locals learn that Texas means "friends" in the Native American Caddo language, but the name can conjure so many different things. Which is why promoters have tried to create a positive brand image for Texas ever since Spanish colonialists built a road to San Antonio hoping their compatriots would follow.

Today a debate is raging over the Texas brand and what it represents. And the implications for our economy.

Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas' big cities are ruining our brand by banning plastic bags, protecting trees and trying to manage growth. He has warned that if state lawmakers don't disempower city councils quickly, our great state may soon resemble, God forbid, California.

Convention and visitors bureaus, meanwhile, warn that Texas' reputation as a friendly and welcoming place is suffering because our lawmakers have been weighing bathroom bills that discriminate against transgender people.

While experts can debate Abbott's questionable ideas about liberty and democracy, the state's hospitality industry has some hard statistics that show the Texas brand is tarnished. And the industry has some ideas about how to polish it up.

"We've begun to see feedback from event organizers, conference organizers and some general travelers who are saying the bathroom bill was a big deal for them, that this was a factor in their decision-making process," said David Teel, president of the Texas Travel Industry Association, which has 700 member organizations. "We have other convention bureaus across the state who have been told by groups that they are not coming because we are debating that policy."

The Legislature adjourned last week without passing any kind of legalized discrimination, so the controversy has subsided for now. The bill's supporters, including Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have suggested they will target Republicans who opposed the bill in the 2018 primary elections so they can pass it in 2019.

Until then, tourism boosters are trying to reinforce what most visitors say they like most about Texas.

"What the research showed us is that one of the greatest attributes, one of the most enjoyable things about traveling to Texas, was the hospitality, the friendliness of the experiences they would get here," Teel, who served as a tourism director under former Govs. George Bush and Rick Perry, explained. "If we start to put out that that's not who we are, from a branding standpoint, then what makes us think those people will come?"

Teel said the officials have had great success with the "Texas, It's Like a Whole Other Country" campaign because it promotes Texas' diversity, in people, geography, ecology and history. That campaign challenged negative stereotypes.

More from Chris Tomlinson Arts contribute big to Texas economy

"One of the biggest things we had to fight was the perception of John Wayne movies, that Texas was hot, flat, dry, dusty, and people here ride horses and carry guns," Tell said. "Nothing to see, nothing to do, and wild people."

That's ironic since Texas businesspeople in the 1940s promoted Texas as the Wild West to overcome the state's reputation as part of the cotton-growing, Confederacy-loving, racially charged South.

Dallas had gained a national reputation as a Ku Klux Klan stronghold in the 1920s, and the 1936 Centennial Exhibition had promoted Texas' Southern identity. To shake off that reputation, and to take advantage of the popularity of western movies, Texas businesspeople promoted Texas as the home of the cowboy, the knight of the range. The construction of 49-foot-tall Big Tex at the State Fair in 1949 was part of the rebranding effort.

So making sure Texas has the right image has always been critical to attracting visitors and supporting the livelihoods of the 1.4 million who work in hospitality.

"You're competing with every country and every city that's out there. And you fight for your spot in the marketplace by developing a robust brand that separates yours from everybody else," Teel said.

Responding to the negative feedback he was hearing from outside the state, Teel worked with Thomas Graham of Crosswind PR to develop the #WhatILikeAboutTexas social media campaign. Musician Gary P. Nunn, who wrote a hit country song by the same name, is the celebrity spokesman asking people to share their favorite parts of Texas. Perry participated in the first video.

"It's real Texans from all walks of life telling what it is they think is great about this state. And the experience, that if you come to see us, you'll get, politics aside," Teel said. "We've always been that way in Texas, come as you are, we'll take you as you are, love to have you, come on down and we'll show you a great experience."

That's the reputation we want. So, let's get back to the true meaning of Texas, make some money and have a good time doing it.
"Populist Pictures" reads the buzzer to Steven Soderbergh's Tribeca office. You might easily mistake it as ironic. It's a grand title for a little nameplate on an otherwise nondescript Manhattan building.

But he means it.

Four years after dramatically quitting moviemaking, Soderbergh is back Friday with "Logan Lucky." His hiatus hasn't been spent toying with a Major Artistic Statement to be showered in Oscar buzz. (He long ago lost his taste for self-serious prestige films.) Nor has he drastically remade himself as a filmmaker. "Logan Lucky" is a heist movie so similar to his "Ocean's Eleven" films that the more down-and-out West Virginia characters of his caper even refer to their plot as "Ocean's 7-11."

"I thought the first line of every review would be, 'He came out of retirement for this?' " said Soderbergh in a recent interview. "Of course my answer to that would have been: The only thing I would have come out of retirement for is to make something like this. I wasn't going to come out of retirement and not make something fun. Why would I do that?"

Instead, Soderbergh wants to prove a point. When he said goodbye to the movie business four years ago, he exited fed up with a risk-adverse Hollywood unwilling to innovate, to problem solve, to shake up anything.

"Logan Lucky" isn't just a comeback movie, it's a grand experiment. Soderbergh independently financed the film, selling distribution rights to foreign territories to pay for the budget and then making ancillary deals (like Amazon) to pay for prints and ads. While ballooning marketing costs have made little beside franchise films appealing to major studios, Soderbergh believes he can put out "Logan Lucky" with a more modest marketing approach centered on the 10 days before release and the social-media followings of its stars - notably Channing Tatum.

It's a way to prove that the broad-appeal movie can be made by a filmmaker with a plan, without committee or corporation

"I've been very vocal about my issues and it's an opportunity to learn some stuff. And I'm prepared for any scenario. But at least we got to do it the way we wanted to do it," says Soderbergh. "And that's a win. We're going to learn something. We may learn a lot. I'm hoping it works so I can continue to put my work through this system and have other like-minded filmmakers put their work through this system."

"We don't need another boutique distributor," he adds. "This is designed for wide-release movies. This isn't an art-house proposition."

Movie financing arrangements are infamously byzantine, but Soderbergh has set up an account that anyone who has put money into the movie can log on to and check to see the movie's expenses, grosses and their cut. The whole scheme is more than a little like the plot of "Logan Lucky," in which an out-of-work miner (Tatum) rallies a team to rip off a NASCAR track. A tongue-in-cheek line at the end of the credits reads: "No one was robbed during the making of this film except you."

"We don't know whether it's going to work or not. We certainly hope like hell it does. We'll know after a couple weeks. One way or another, we'll get to prove our point," said executive producer Dan Fellman, Warner Bros.' former distribution chief.

"There's a lot of people watching, I can tell you that," says Fellman.

Ahead of the big theft - er, release date - Soderbergh has less the fidgety energy of someone about to rob a bank than the calmness of a mastermind. "Everything's gone right so far," he says.

He has other innovations planned, too. "Mosaic," his interactive movie for HBO, is coming in November. And with a number of other projects he's producing, Soderbergh sometimes seems like he's become his own studio head.

Soderbergh says he's considered it. Three or four years ago, he spent a year researching how to put a subscription-based platform together. "I really got pretty granular with it," he says, but he ultimately said it would only work if he had a back catalog to give subscribers enough content.

But Soderbergh's way of doing things - fast, instinctual, efficient - has many people lining up behind him.

"He found a way to do it where it's on his terms and he has the control that he wants," says Adam Driver, who plays Tatum's brother. "His setups move so fast that there's no momentum lost. He's very economical about how he shoots. It's freeing for us as actors. There's  no time wasted, so it almost feels like a protest."

There are still unsolved mysteries. The first-timer credited with the script, Rebecca Blunt, is unknown and may be a pseudonym. Soderbergh will only say, despite conjecture, that it's not him but a friend's wife.

And then there's the question of why anyone who loves moviemaking so much ever wanted to quit. Soderbergh shoots his own films (under the name Peter Andrews) and, during production, considers editing a day's shooting his nightly reward.

When he retired, Soderbergh had designs on dedicating himself to painting, but he acknowledges, "I didn't get very far in my second career."

"When I got back to the set of 'The Knick,' it definitely had the sense of: This is your job. This is what you should be doing.' That was a good thing to feel," says Soderbergh.
Houston Community College trustee Dave Wilson, expressing doubt with the impartiality of the college system's internal investigation into procurement practices, has hired consultant Wayne Dolcefino and attorney Keith Gross to investigate procurement, facilities, employment and related financial matters.

The college system had retained former Harris County Commissioner Gene Locke and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Vidal Martinez to examine Houston Community College's procurement processes and policies after trustee Chris Oliver pleaded guilty to bribery in documents unsealed in July.

That investigation, Wilson said Thursday, is "tainted with the appearance of insider dealings," citing business ties between Martinez, Locke and HCC employees and the system as a whole.

Dolcefino, a former KTRK reporter who now leads a consulting firm, said he would be firing off records request to the college system in the next 24 hours.

His investigation will include administrators and trustees  including possibly Wilson.

"I don't believe in sacred cows," he said.

Gross will focus on legal work while Dolcefino will zero in on trustee and administrator conduct.

Wilson said he is funding the investigation himself and stressed that his work does not represent the board.

The group pledged to be open about its findings.

Carolyn Evans-Shabazz was voted vice-chair at the afternoon meeting, the position Oliver was stripped of after his bribery conviction.

Chancellor Cesar Maldonado said in a statement that the system aims to be transparent and remains focused on educating students and their success.
A pre-eminent scientist who discovered a gene that makes people more likely to get hooked on cigarettes and develop lung cancer is returning to Houston with the help of a major grant from the scholar recruitment program of Texas' cancer agency.

Christopher Amos, formerly at MD Anderson Cancer Center and currently at Dartmouth College, will join Baylor College of Medicine this fall as head of its Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. He will also develop a program that seeks to identify people at risk of developing cancer based on their genetic make-up and other factors.

"It'll be like being a kid in a candy store," Amos said about the coming return. "I still have a lot of friends in Houston, from MD Anderson to the UT School of Public Health."

Dr. Melissa Bondy, associate director of Baylor's Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, called Amos a "big-time recruit" for Baylor. Currently the interim director of Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Amos worked at MD Anderson for 19 years before leaving five years ago to become head of Dartmouth's Center for Genomic Medicine.

Amos' recruitment package was one of the biggest grants awarded this week by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, the state agency tasked with awarding $3 billion for cancer research. The agency awarded 60 grants totaling $102 million.

Amos was awarded one of two $6 million "established investigator" grants. The other would bring Dr. Carlos Arteaga, an expert on targeted therapy and breast cancer, from Vanderbilt to UT Southwestern. In addition, 12 first-time tenure-track researchers each were awarded $2 million packages to come to Texas.

In all, the 14 recruits would get $36 million, the latest outlay under CPRIT's scholar recruitment program, which has allowed Texas to raid other top institutions for powerhouse scientists, "rising stars" and promising first-time faculty.

Among those first-time faculty members receiving the latest grants are scientists from laboratories at Harvard University, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, the California Institute of Technology, the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences, Dana Farber Cancer Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Eight years after the agency was launched, CPRIT has so far paid out $436 million for 135 cancer researchers under the program, eight of them members of the National Academy of Sciences, the nation's most distinguished organization of scientists.

The war chest has helped Texas build a reputation as a hotbed of cancer research rather than just the home of MD Anderson, considered the world's No. 1 cancer center. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, in particular, has used CPRIT grants to elevate its cancer center's reputation.

The recruits have brought into Texas roughly $227 million in peer-reviewed grant money from national funding sources.

The program's most famous recruit is James Allison, the Lasker Award-winning scientist who discovered a natural brake on the immune system, then developed a drug to release the body's defenses to attack the patient's tumor, the new paradigm of cancer treatment. In 2012, he was recruited to MD Anderson from Memorial Sloan Kettering with a $10 million recruitment grant.

But the program has lured other big names too: Sean Morrison to UT Southwestern; Dr. Matthew Ellis to Baylor; Frank McKeon to the University of Houston; Dr. Gail Eckhardt to UT Austin; and K.C. Nicolaou to Rice University.

Amos is another well-known figure, mostly due to his 2008 discovery at MD Anderson identifying the inherited gene variations that raise smokers' chance of getting lung cancer by as much as 80 percent compared to tobacco users without the genes. The research also found those with the variants are more likely to become addicted to nicotine.

"It's a kind of a double-whammy gene," Bondy said at the time. Amos is expected to start at Baylor sometime this fall.

The discovery marked the first time researchers had found a common genetic variant that influences the risk of getting cancer.

The largest grant awarded by CPRIT this week was a $9 million package to ViraCyte LLC, a Texas Medical Center company spun out of Baylor immunotherapy research. The award will fund the company's efforts to improve outcomes of stem cell transplants using immune cells manipulated to target viruses that can cause cancer.

All told, CPRIT has now awarded 1,189 grants totaling more than $1.89 billion, nearly two-thirds of the $3 billion assault on cancer Texas voters overwhelmingly approved in 2007 and the agency began giving out in 2009. The agency has until 2023 to award the rest of the money.

You can read a full round-up of the grants here.
For two long days, President Donald Trump's responses to the violent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, has been recorded as a disaster. News shows and editorial boards have condemned him. Chatter of replacing him on the 2020 Republican ticket has picked up again. Two corporate advisory councils shuttered after a steady exodus of their members - all of them citing Trump's insistence that a murderous Saturday in Charlottesville was the fault of "both sides," not specifically of white supremacists who organized a "Unite the Right" rally that turned deadly.

Trump has been here before. The president's ability to dive into controversies and come safely out the other end has given pause to critics, right and left, who wonder how the debate over racism will play out. Trump's Thursday tweets, which attempted to shift the discussion to the wisdom of keeping Confederate monuments in place, appeared to put him on firmer political ground. Comments by political adviser Stephen Bannon suggested that the White House was betting on protesters to overreact, and shift the discussion further.

"The race-identity politics of the left wants to say it's all racist," Bannon told the New York Times. "Just give me more. Tear down more statues. Say the revolution is coming. I can't get enough of it."

"I'm not sure that he has great political skills, so his calculations are hard to figure," said Jason McDaniel, a political scientist who co-authored a report this year on the shifting white vote. "He doesn't like to back down, and he identifies with groups that are more likely to hold these kinds of negative views. We saw during the election that people who identify with white racial identity were more likely to support him."

The evidence that the story will help Trump comes from a small number of moments in the 2016 election. The defining moment came on March 11, 2016, when Trump was scheduled to appear at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Protesters swarmed the room where he was supposed to speak, and the event was canceled, with images of cheering left-wing activists and brawling Trump supporters covered live on television.

In public, Republicans condemned Trump. "If he's our nominee, this is what the Republican Party's going to be defined by," said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who at that point was fighting unsuccessfully to win his home state's primary.

"I think a campaign bears responsibility for creating an environment," said Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. "When the candidate urges supporters to engage in physical violence, to punch people in the face, the predictable consequence of that is that it escalate."

Four days later, Trump won the Florida, Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina primaries, knocking Rubio out of the race. According to strategists with knowledge of internal polling, the mess in Chicago did not hurt Trump. It moved his numbers up, helping secure razor-thin victories in Missouri and North Carolina over Cruz - in retrospect, stopping the last chance Republican leaders had of stopping the front-runner.

The Trump campaign benefited from a reaction that other Republicans did not understand. Rubio et al hoped that voters would see Trump as a shambling agent of chaos, making it harder for the party to unite and win. To most Republican voters, the chaos was not Trump's fault - it was the fault of an angry (and, on TV, notably diverse) left. That interpretation became permanent in October, when Trump-backing right-wing video journalist James O'Keefe caught Democratic operatives on camera, bragging (with little evidence but their egos) that they had organized the "riot" against Trump.

But Democrats misread Trump in a more fundamental way. Since at least 2001, after George W. Bush lost the popular vote but won the presidency, Republicans had worked to appeal to more nonwhite voters, softening their stance on immigration and electing nonwhite representatives. In 2012, famously, Mitt Romney won the same share of the white vote as Ronald Reagan had in 1984. What was good for a landslide in the Reagan decade was good for 47 percent of the vote against Barack Obama.

Trump's eventual strategy, as was pointed out after the election - after a good deal of smug analysis about the diversity of an "emerging electorate" - was successful because it won more white voters. Thanks in large part to declining nonwhite turnout, Trump did slightly better among nonwhite voters than Obama's two opponents. (He did worse than any other Republican since the 1960s.)

But in key midwestern states, he did far better than any post-Reagan Republican with white voters. In Michigan, Obama had lost the white vote by only 11 points. Clinton lost it by 21 points. In Ohio, where Obama had lost white voters by 16 points, Clinton lost them by 28. In Pennsylvania, Clinton only underperformed Obama by one point among white voters, but the white share of the electorate rose from 78 percent to 81 percent.

This was the sort of liberating breakthrough that some "paleo-conservatives" had been pining for since the end of Reagan's presidency. In an interview last year with The Washington Post, three-time presidential candidate Pat Buchanan put it more starkly - if white voters in the Midwest voted like white voters in the Deep South, Democrats could not win an election. In a series of essays, starting in 2000, the writer Steve Sailer accurately predicted that a white voter surge in the right states could elect someone like Trump.

"An increase in white working class share and turnout gives him such a margin of error with other groups makes me certain that a Trump presidency is a real possibility," Sailer wrote in 2015.

That increase was hard for many Democrats to see. Only after the election did some of them begin asking whether Trump had successfully exploited "identity politics" to turn some voters who had sat out previous elections, or even cast hopeful votes for Obama, into nationalists.

Post-election issue polls found that several racial questions, rarely explored in the campaign, strongly animated some Trump voters. In a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll this year, 44 percent of Trump voters said that "whites losing out due to preferences for blacks and Hispanics" remained a problem, bigger than the problem of nonwhites losing out themselves. In a 2016 American National Election Studies poll, 28 percent of white Trump voters said blacks would be as well off as whites if they tried harder; just 5 percent of people who thought so backed Hillary Clinton.

And during the election itself, Clinton's campaign tried and largely failed to make an issue of Trump's focus on white identity politics. Several times, she said that some Trump supporters could fit into a "basket of deplorables." Once, she said that "half" of his supporters could - a gaffe that became a rallying cry for Trump fans.

The gaffe came about, said former Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon, because moderate voters kept resisting the charge that Trump represented an unacceptable amount of racism. In an email interview, he placed some of the blame on the media. Clinton had tried to define the kind of campaign Trump was running in a speech that attacked Bannon's endorsement of the "alt-right." It made a splash and did not move poll numbers.

"On the very same day we gave the alt-right speech, Trump responded in his usual way: hurling the same charge back at the accuser," said Fallon. "On this particular occasion, he called Hillary a 'bigot.' It was without evidence and not backed up by anything approaching the very detailed case Clinton made in her Reno speech. But he picked a fiery word, and so most of the coverage just devolved into 'Trump, Clinton trade barbs on racism' and the accompanying commentary was about how the campaign rhetoric was reaching new depths of nastiness."

Since then, Trump has won an election, helped his party avert losses in some special elections, but achieved little of what he promised on the campaign trail. He has, however, shifted domestic policy priorities on race and immigration in ways that have activated both his base and the Democrats. His favorability numbers have sunk - but in the states that handed him the presidency, they've sunk by less.

A Gallup survey of all 50 states, released last month, found Trump with higher support in Iowa and Ohio, two states that have been closely contested by presidential candidates since the 1980s, than in several diverse states that have been safely Republican. In Ohio, his approval rating was 47 percent - it was lower in Arizona, Georgia and Texas, where large and growing nonwhite populations strongly oppose Trump. (It was in the 30s in Virginia, which goes some way toward explaining why the state's Democratic nominee for governor, Ralph Northam, has confidently endorsed Charlottesville's decision to remove the Robert E. Lee statue that inspired "Unite the Right.")

The Confederate statue controversy would not appear to be relevant in midwestern states, where there are few monuments to tear down. But it was in the Midwest, in Chicago, where Trump first showed the base-motivating power of a "law and order" pitch being dramatized by left-wing protesters.

- - -

The Washington Post's Scott Clement contributed to this report.
A van ploughed into crowds in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Thursday and a regional official said 13 people were killed in what police said they were treating as a terrorist attack.

Police said they had arrested a man but did not identify him or describe his role. Earlier they were searching for the van's driver who, according to local media, fled the scene on foot.

It was not immediately clear how many attackers were involved. La Vanguardia newspaper said one of the suspected perpetrators had been killed in a shootout with police on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Witnesses said the van zigzagged down one of Barcelona's busiest tourist avenues, Las Ramblas, mowing down pedestrians and leaving bodies strewn across the ground.

A government official in the region of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, said on Twitter that at least 50 people were injured.

Eyewitness Tom Gueller told the BBC: "I heard screams and a bit of a crash and then I just saw the crowd parting and this van going full pelt down the middle of the Ramblas and I immediately knew that it was a terrorist attack or something like that.

"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds," he added.

Vehicles have been used to ram into crowds in a series of militant attacks across Europe since July 2016, killing well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Twitter he was en route to Barcelona. "Maximum coordination to arrest the attackers, reinforce security and attend to all those affected," he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said: "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help."

He added: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

Mobile phone footage showed several bodies strewn along the Ramblas, some motionless. Paramedics and bystanders bent over them, treating them and trying to comfort those still conscious.

Around them, the boulevard was deserted, covered in rubbish and abandoned objects including hats, flip-flops, bags and a pram.

"We saw a white van collide with people. We saw people going flying," holidaymaker Ellen Vercamm told El Pais newspaper.

An eyewitness named Rebecca told La Vanguardia: "I've seen a lot of people knocked down on the floor and the people are running and crying. The van drove down the middle of the street dragging everyone with it."

Police sources told news agency Europa Press that one policeman was hurt by a car at a control point set up in Barcelona, although they could not immediately confirm if the incident was linked to the attack.

TOURIST DRAW

The incident took place at the height of the tourist season in Barcelona, which is one of Europe's top travel destinations with at least 11 million visitors a year.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose nation has suffered some of Europe's deadliest militant attacks in recent years, tweeted: "All my thoughts and France's solidarity to the victims of the tragic attack in Barcelona."

A Vatican spokesman said Pope Francis was praying for the victims and wanted to express his closeness to all Spanish people, especially the victims and their families.

Witness Ethan Spibey told Britain's Sky News: "People just started running screaming, there were loud bangs. People just started running into shops, there was a kind of mini-stampede where we were, down one of the alleyways."

He said he had taken refuge with dozens of other people in a nearby church.

"They've locked the doors because I'm not sure whether the person who may have done it has actually been caught."

Authorities in Vic, a small town outside Barcelona, said a van had been found there in connection with the attack. Spanish media had earlier reported that a second van had been hired as a getaway vehicle.

Barcelona is the capital of the wealthy northeastern region of Catalonia, which plans to hold a popular vote on Oct. 1 on whether it should secede from Spain. It is in dispute with the central government, which says the vote cannot go ahead because it is unconstitutional.

Following the attack, security staff at Barcelona airport suspended a strike that started in early August. "Our work is now more necessary than ever," a spokesman said.

It was the deadliest attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.

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ARLINGTON, Va. - On the western edge of Arlington National Cemetery stands a 32-foot-tall bronze hymn to soldiers of a bygone past. Such monuments are common on the hallowed ground where more than 400,000 are buried and honored for service to the country.

But the one in Section 16 commemorates those who fought for another cause. It is the Confederate Memorial. A soaring testament to Southern pride, placed in Arlington nearly 50 years after the Civil War ended, the monument features a frieze depicting Rebels shouldering rifles, a black slave following his master and an enslaved woman - described on the cemetery's website as a "mammy" - cradling a Confederate officer's infant.

Across the country, monuments to the Confederacy and slavery defenders in the antebellum South have come under fresh scrutiny after white nationalists and white supremacists protested plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a Charlottesville park. Their protests spiraled into a weekend of chaos in the college town as a counterdemonstrator was killed and two state troopers who had been monitoring the protest died when their helicopter crashed.

There are many Rebel monuments on federal property - in battlefields, cemeteries and parks. The Confederate Memorial stands out, opponents say, for its location on sacred space in Arlington and its offensive depiction of slaves. But it seems unlikely President Donald Trump would agree to remove it: He has pronounced himself a skeptic of monument movers, pointing out that Founding Fathers owned slaves.

"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments," Trump tweeted on Thursday. "You . . . . . . can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!"

This week, one Confederate statue was toppled in Durham, North Carolina, and others were yanked overnight from pedestals in Baltimore. The mayor of Lexington, Kentucky, announced plans to move Confederate memorials. The Congressional Black Caucus chairman called for the removal of Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol. Democratic state lawmakers from Alexandria, Virginia, previously reluctant to propose a bill to take down the Confederate statue "Appomattox" in Old Town, now say they intend to do so when the legislature reconvenes.

In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced support for removing from the State House grounds in Annapolis a statue of a 19th century Supreme Court justice, Roger B. Taney, known for the infamous proslavery Dred Scott decision. "The right thing to do," Hogan said.

The Arlington cemetery, occupying what was once Lee's estate, is on property administered by the Department of the Army. The Confederate Memorial, erected in the early 20th century, is encircled by 482 graves of Rebel officers, enlisted men and others affiliated with their cause. Plenty of critics support its removal, including the NAACP, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Association of Black Veterans.

Many local and state officials opposed to Confederate monuments say that all those gallant Southern generals astride horses represent efforts to promote white supremacy. The Confederate Memorial features slavery outright, rendering them under the command of masters in perpetuity.

"It's a memorial that says the people who fought to keep a boot on your neck and to keep you as property are heroes," said Jeffery Robinson, director of the Trone Center for Justice and Equality with the American Civil Liberties Union. Robinson, who is black, called it "a monument to men who fought for the proposition that they own people who looked like me and then treat them as less than human."

But there is little evidence of any public campaign to remove the memorial. Even if there were, it is unclear what legal path exists for it to be taken down.

Courtney Dock, a spokeswoman at the cemetery, said its leadership would not answer questions about the issue.

"We cannot comment on a hypothetical matter that would require actions outside the purview of the Secretary of the Army," Dock said. "Due to the complex nature of the history of the monument and the fact that it is a contributing element to a historic district, the Secretary of the Army cannot unilaterally remove the monument."

Acting Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy did not respond to a request for comment. Nor did Patricia Bryson, president general of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the group that funded and commissioned the monument.

Frank Earnest, heritage defense coordinator for the Virginia division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said the public is largely unaware of the memorial.

"One little corner is not too much to ask," said Earnest, of Virginia Beach. "They didn't know about it until someone told them to be offended by it. So how is that just ripping people's hearts out when most people don't even know it's there?"

Early in President Barack Obama's first term, a group of professors urged him to abandon a presidential tradition of sending a wreath to the monument for Memorial Day. The professors described the memorial as a "symbol of white nationalism" that emboldens the "modern neo-Confederate movement."

But Obama continued the tradition while starting a new one: sending a wreath to the African American Civil War Memorial in the District of Columbia, which honors the 200,000 blacks who fought for the Union.

Slavery is woven deep into the history of Arlington. At the beginning of the Civil War, as many as 63 slaves worked on the Lee family plantation and inside the columned mansion that still stands on the grounds.

When Virginia seceded in April 1861, Union forces took over the property across the Potomac River from Washington. After President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, former slaves flocked to the capital. Many settled in what became known as Freedman's Village on Lee's old estate.

"One sees more than poetic justice in the fact that its rich lands, so long the domain of the great general of the rebellion, now afford labor and support to hundreds of enfranchised slaves," a journalist wrote in the Washington Independent in January 1867, according to Robert M. Poole's 2009 history of the cemetery, "On Hallowed Ground."

Union graves also proliferated on the estate in the final year of the war as casualties mounted, the genesis of the national cemetery. In 1900, Congress authorized a separate burial area for the Confederate dead as a gesture of national reconciliation.

Soon after, the United Daughters of the Confederacy petitioned the government to allow a new monument for what is now called Section 16. William Howard Taft, then secretary of war, approved the request in 1906. The work was designed by sculptor Moses Ezekiel, a Confederate veteran whose works include a statue of Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia. Atop the monument in Arlington is a figure of a woman holding a laurel wreath, facing south. Beneath her is a plinth with symbols of the Confederate states and the frieze depicting Southern scenes.

On June 4, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson led a dedication ceremony for the finished monument. He called it an "emblem of a reunited people." The event was held the day after the birthday of the late Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

"My privilege is this, ladies and gentlemen: To declare this chapter in the history of the United States closed and ended," Wilson said, "and I bid you turn with me with your faces to the future, quickened by the memories of the past, but with nothing to do with the contests of the past, knowing, as we have shed our blood upon opposite sides, we now face and admire one another."

Wilson made no mention of slavery.

Nowadays, the issue is given scant attention at the cemetery, beyond a dim and musty room in a former slave quarters behind the mansion. There is also no physical trace of Freedman's Village, which at its peak was home to 1,500 former slaves. The government razed the settlement in 1900.

Tamara Moore, 66, a retiree who lives in Arlington, is a descendant of slaves owned by Lee. She said that regardless of what the future holds for the Confederate Memorial, the cemetery should do more to recognize the role of her ancestors on the estate.

"There should be more inclusion in terms of talking about their contributions there," said Moore. Her great-grandfather James Parks was born into slavery at Arlington in about 1843 and died there Aug. 21, 1929. His grave lies in Section 15, within sight of the shining bronze memorial to those who fought in vain to preserve slavery.
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Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke will bring his statewide campaign tour to Pearland Saturday, hoping to connect with voters in a traditionally Republican area that overwhelmingly supported Ted Cruz -- whose job O'Rourke covets -- in the 2012 election for the U.S. Senate.

O'Rourke, a three-term Democrat from El Paso, has visited 80 counties about halfway through the 34-day trip. But even the most energetic campaigner cannot visit every town in Texas, and the venues for town halls and meet-and-greets are not chosen at random. So, why Pearland?

One clue lies in the results of Pearland's city election in May and runoff in June. These elections are officially nonpartisan, but the Texas Democratic Party provided assistance to mayoral candidate Quentin Wiltz, who got Republicans' attention when he forced longtime incumbent Tom Reid into a runoff.

A late contribution of more than $30,000 from Republican congressman Pete Olson's campaign helped turn out thousands of additional Republican voters, and Reid, then 91, prevailed. Even in defeat, though, Wiltz and a young City Council candidate who campaigned with him, Dalia Kasseb, received far more votes in the runoff than in the general election, reversing the usual pattern.

The message: There are votes to be had for Democrats in suburbs like Pearland, even though they sit in counties that continue to be GOP strongholds. The changing mix of voters in these communities will be a key factor in Democrats' efforts next year to win statewide office for the first time since 1994.

The high turnout in the runoff election probably figured in O'Rourke's decision to appear in Pearland, according to Wiltz, who has been active in Democratic Party politics in Pearland for years. Wiltz said this was the first time he had seen a statewide candidate campaign in the city some 15 miles south of downtown Houston.

"Prominent figures always go to Houston," he said.

As Jeremy Wallace of the Chronicle's Austin bureau reported in July, O'Rourke and Cruz are both visiting parts of the state where the opposing party is dominant. In this context, the suburbs of the state's biggest cities hold a distinct strategic significance. Cruz also visited a Houston suburb this week, touring the Igloo Products Corp. plant in Katy and chatting with employees about helping businesses grow and create jobs.

"These fast-growth suburban places are some of the places where we think we can make our case to voters," said Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party.

O'Rourke made the same point in a phone interview this week.

"We've been to Sugar Land and Baytown and The Woodlands since our campaign started" on March 31, said O'Rourke, who will appear at the Pearland ISD administrative building at 10 a.m. Saturday. "We're hearing from folks on all sides who are contributing to the changes in the greater Houston area."

The opportunity that O'Rourke and his advisers see in these suburbs lies in their growing diversity -- coupled, perhaps, with concerns among some Republican voters about the words and policies of those on their party's extreme right wing.

At the national level, this concern is focused on President Donald Trump's controversial comments about recent violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.

In Austin, it's a response to the continued push for measures like the so-called "bathroom bill," which failed in the recent special session. State business leaders opposed the bill, which would have limited the public bathroom access of transgender Texans.

Cruz sees these shifting dynamics as well, said Robert Stein, a Rice University political science professor.

Stein said he was startled when he saw reports that Cruz had called for a federal civil rights investigation of the Charlottesville episode. Cruz took a far stronger stand than Trump had, denouncing the "lies, bigotry, anti-Semitism and hatred" of the white nationalists involved.

"He (Cruz) has figured out that something is happening in this state," said Stein, adding that his recent polling shows fewer Texans identifying as strong Republicans. "He is smart enough to be where voters are before they know where they are."

Stein and other analysts I spoke with agree that an O'Rourke victory is a long shot. But if the 44-year-old ex-punk rocker gets enough votes to throw a scare into the incumbent, it may boost the party's fortunes in future campaigns.

"I don't think he's going to be senator," Stein said of O'Rourke. "But nobody expected Donald Trump to be president."
FAYETTEVILLE - Semi-retired architect Clovis Heimsath credits his old friend Bill Hobby with introducing him to this Fayette County village a dozen miles southwest of La Grange. In the 1960s, when Heimsath and his wife Maryann were Houston residents, he and the future lieutenant governor were driving from Houston to Austin one day for some sort of board meeting. They took a detour.

"Let's drive through a place I know you'll enjoy," Hobby told his friend. San Antonio native Heimsath, a painter as well as a Yale-trained architect, was smitten by the rolling, green countryside and the little farming town that time seemed to have forgotten.

"I couldn't believe it, because it was so much like the communities we'd seen in Italy, built around a square," he recalled earlier this week. He and Maryann had lived in Italy when he was the recipient of a fellowship a few years earlier.

For the next few years the Heimsaths found themselves spending more time in and around the drowsy, little village. On weekend getaways they'd load their five kids into the family station wagon, head eastward toward the historic Czech and German communities in Fayette and Austin counties and mosey around the countryside, looking for pioneer barns, houses and outbuildings for Maryann to photograph. The photos would become illustrations for Clovis' 1968 book, "Pioneer Texas Buildings."

Settled by German immigrants in the 1830s and Moravian Czech immigrants in the 1850s, the community that claimed their heart was off the beaten path, particularly after passenger trains abandoned Fayetteville. Maybe its relative anonymity guaranteed the survival of shady streets lined with tidy Victorian cottages and a town square built around a handsome precinct courthouse from the 1880s.

"It was quiet," Maryann recalled. "There was an auto mechanic's, a cafe, a dry goods store, a butcher. The hotel on the square was empty."

Following one of Houston's periodic downturns, the Heimsaths decided to become country folks. In 1972, they sold their house on Westmoreland in Montrose, and bought a farm just outside Fayetteville. They enrolled their kids in the Fayetteville schools and set up their architectural practice in a venerable mercantile building on the square. That building would become the focus of their lives for the next 40-odd years.

In 1900, Hugo Zapp constructed a two-story red-brick building accented with yellow-brick trim for his mercantile business. Anchoring the northwest corner of the town square, Zapp's building was meant to be the most fabulous in town. Over the years it has housed a dry goods store, a photography studio, a hospital, a school, a cafe and a boarding house. During Prohibition local beer drinkers sneaked into its basement speakeasy. For the past 14 years it's been the Heimsaths' Country Place Hotel, but in a few weeks it will assume its most ambitious incarnation yet, a boutique hotel new owners have christened the Grand Fayette.

'A wonderful time'

After the Heimsaths moved their architecture firm to Austin some years back - their son Ben now runs it - they began musing about turning their historic building into a hotel. They usually spent summers in Maine and on drives up and back would gently interrogate owners of country inns and B&Bs where they stayed. They learned that you had to like people, that good bedding was essential and that a hearty breakfast, not just a couple of muffins laid out on the kitchen counter, brought people back.

Despite their lack of experience in the hospitality industry, they decided they could make a go of it. They wangled a loan from the local bank to get the old building in shape and in their early 70s embarked on their new life.

Fifteen dollars a night those first few years at the Country Place - quite a bit more in recent years - included Maryann's fresh-baked bread for breakfast, comfortable rocking chairs on the upstairs porches and ceiling fans not air conditioning to combat the Central Texas heat. Their guests included school groups, Austinites and Houstonians on weekend getaways from the city, young people from UT, antique buyers.

"We had no idea what we were doing," Maryann said earlier this week, laughing, "but over 14 years we developed a pattern that worked. We've had a wonderful time."

Following in footsteps

Now in their mid-80s, a new chapter opens. Just the other day, they sold the hotel to former Houstonians Joan and Jerry Herring and to the Herrings' friends, Mary and Evan Quiros. Mary is a painter who moved to Fayette County with her husband in 2008, when Evan sold his Laredo title business and retired.

The Herrings are following in the Heimsaths' 35-year-old footsteps. Jerry was a prominent graphic designer and Joan a framer and photographers' representative when they sold their businesses and built a country home outside town in 2009. Soon they began buying historic structures in and around Fayetteville, including the venerable Red&White Grocery on the square and a log cabin built in 1850 and hidden inside a farm house built around it decades later. They have a knack for transforming forlorn and forgotten structures into exquisite B&Bs.

"We had no idea that someday we'd own 30 toilets," Jerry said the other day as he stood amid ladders and lumber and newly delivered furnishings inside a freshly painted room that soon will be a wine bar.

The Grand Fayette - Joan came up with the name - is their most ambitious venture yet. The hotel will include 10 (air conditioned) rooms; the wine bar; a lobby store featuring local crafts; and a public space that will serve as an art gallery and gathering place. Grand opening is Sept. 23.

Quiros and the Herrings have a different concept for the hotel than the Heimsaths had, but the new owners are quick to express their appreciation for what the couple has meant to Fayetteville. The Heimsaths not only restored their historic building but also were instrumental in helping the town get National Historic District designation and enacting ordinances to preserve the square. More than anyone else, they put the little town on the map.

"They were good stewards," Joan Herring said.

The Heimsaths aren't going anywhere. They sold the farm and moved recently into a cottage on the square a block from the hotel. Clovis has his art studio ready to go and Maryann her workshop. They drive to Austin one day a week to help son Ben with the family architecture business.

They fully expect the Grand Fayette to be a grand success, although Maryann confesses to one reservation about their friends' new venture. "I think Joan and Jerry are going to up everything, including the prices," she said, "but I'm not sure they can pull off my breakfasts."
AUSTIN - State lawmakers agreed to spend $40 million on school district programs for children with dyslexia and autism, but the Legislature botched the fine print in drafting the final version of the bill, and special education advocates worry the result could cut that check in half.

After lawmakers spent much of the last year working to address shortcomings in the state's special education system, the governor Wednesday signed a bill to give $20 million in grants to prop up model programs for students with autism and $20 million in grants for students with dyslexia. But the wording in the bill could be construed in such a way that only $10 million would be distributed for programs focusing on each disability, potentially shrinking the program that advocates say is already too small.

"It may only reach half the students that we originally envisioned," said Steven Aleman, policy specialist with Disability Rights Texas, an advocacy group.

The law bars the state from issuing grants for the two parallel programs until the 2018-19 school year and are limited to $10 million in grants a year for each.

But here's the problem: the final wording of the law restricts the funding to the 2018-19 biennium, meaning the law only allows grant spending in the second year before the rest of the funding disappears.

"We're working it out," said Lauren Callahan, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency, which is in charge of carrying out the law and acknowledged the legal conundrum. "It is our intention to spend the $20 million on dyslexia and the $20 million on autism. That is our intention."

Whether and how the TEA will work around the particulars of the law are unknown. The agency has the better part of a year to write rules outlining how the grant program will work before it commences.

The bill was the last to pass in this summer's special session, in which Gov. Greg Abbott challenged the Legislature to approve bills on 20 of his priority issues in 30 days. The to-do list consisted mostly of red meat Republican primary issues like curtailing health insurance coverage for abortions to passing a bathroom bill restricting which restrooms transgender people can use. Several other issues involved education, like addressing school funding and allowing special needs students to attend private schools using public dollars.

For more than a decade, Texas denied tens of thousands of students from special needs services. A 2016 Houston Chronicle investigation found the state set an arbitrary limit on the number of students who could receive special education services, setting the cap at 8.5 percent, far below the near national average of 13 percent.

Texas' special education enrollment rate plummeted to the worst in the country, spurring an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education, which is expected to publish a report of its findings by September.

The Senate tried to capitalize on the plight of families who have children struggling to get special education services in their schools during the regular session by narrowing its attempt to pass a school voucher program to students with special needs. That proposal failed to gain traction in the regular session and the special session, which ended this week.

House Public Education Chairman Dan Huberty, who has a son with dyslexia, instead offered a slate of reforms to the state's school funding formula. Among other changes, he proposed creating a new weight in the formula used to divvy out almost $650 in state funding for each student with dyslexia.

The Republican from Humble also proposed a five-year autism grant program to invest in and learn from campuses that specialize in teaching students with autism in order to identify and replicate best practices across the state.

In the 2015-16 school year, about 141,000 Texas public school students were identified as dyslexic and more than 47,500 students as autistic.

The Senate added Huberty's autism program to a paired down school finance bill late at night on the second to last day of the special legislative session after what had become months of negotiations which had turned into a stalemate. Led By Senate Education Committee Chairman Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, the chamber created a two-year autism grant program and an identical dyslexia grant program in seeking a compromise.

The late changes then had to be written into the legislation, and that's where the problem arose. Language cutting the program from five years to two years without changing other details in the bill created much of the conundrum, limiting the state spending to the last year of the 2018-19 biennium.

Coupled with several other major education issues -- such as addressing benefits for retiring teachers and bailing out small schools losing money from the expiration of an antiquated tax break program and unable to break the stalemate -- the House reluctantly agreed to the Senate's version the next day, and adjourned minutes later, essentially ending the special session.

Calls to Huberty and Taylor were not returned Thursday.

Rep. Diego Bernal, a San Antonio Democrat and vice chair of the Public Education Committee, was frustrated both with the error in the bill and the Senate's decision to change the direction of it.

"The dyslexia weight was supposed to get to every student in the state and not only did the Senate refuse to add it into the system, into the formula, but it looks like they also made it so only a very few students benefit from it. That wasn't the intent at all."
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RICHMOND - The obelisk looms largely unnoticed beside City Hall.

Few know the story it commemorates. No plaque explains what is left untold. A notation at the base reads, "OUR HEROES."

Its support for three men who died championing white supremacy is all but lost to history.

While debate over Confederate statues is sweeping the nation, not all monuments enshrining racist beliefs have yet been caught in its wake.

In Richmond, a small but growing city 30 miles southwest of Houston, no one is demanding removal of the obscure obelisk. Some residents believe their fellow townspeople are too scared to take action, or don't believe in capacity for change. Others see it differently.

"It's sort of been forgotten," said Mayor Evalyn Moore, who is white. "It doesn't have any significance anymore."

Fast-growing Fort Bend County stakes its reputation on its diverse population. At last count, more than half of the Richmond's 11,679 residents were Latino, a quarter were white and nearly one-fifth were black.

Still, the city is far from integrated - and far from unified.

Several black residents said that, of course, they would like to see the statue go. Others saw no reason to revisit the past.

"Black people have been wishing things were different ever since there was existence," said James Foley, 71. "It is what it is."

Some white residents, meanwhile, contend the obelisk is not about race. They believe it stands in homage to men who kept corruption out of government.

"They fought for what they believed in," said Becky Haas, 59, a white Richmond native who sits on the city historical commission and offers ghost tours from her antique shop.

The divisions can be seen clearly, however, if one knows where to look. The brick mansions on a hill are occupied by prominent white residents, including the mayor. The historically black Freedmen's Town is down below. The neighborhood north of the railroad tracks, bounded by the Brazos River, is home to mostly black and Hispanic residents.

Then there is the monument standing watch by City Hall, free of public protest.

Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle

Walking through history

Richmond today can feel like a place stuck in time. In ways, that is intentional. It's a city that respects its history, where leaders made efforts to preserve their heritage.

Members of Stephen F. Austin's famous "Old 300" first settled there in 1822 in the bend of the Brazos River. Some of their descendants remain residents today.

Buildings and homes owned by the town's earliest residents still stand. There is a cottage that once belonged to Jane Long, known as the mother of Texas. And the home of John M. Moore Sr., a state legislator and congressman whose late grandson, Hilmar, served as Richmond's mayor for 63 years - the longest mayoral tenure in the country. A shining statue of the younger Moore also stands by City Hall; the current mayor was his wife.

A brochure for an historical walking tour traces each stop. A church founded in 1839. The Fort Bend County Courthouse built in 1908, with its statue of former Richmond resident Mirabeau B. Lamar, a one-time president of the Republic of Texas.

Joseph's coffee shop, established in 1903 as a retail business, sits at one end of nearby Morton Street. Men meet there to smoke cigars in a back room. Nearby is the Morton Masonic Lodge, located there since at least 1913.

The Richmond Barber Shop operates a few blocks down, as it has for more than 100 years, marked by a candy-striped pole. Owner A.D. Eversole, 77, has looked out the shop windows at a street largely unchanged since he began there as a barber in the 1960s. The late mayor routinely came in for a haircut and beard trim.

"It still is Richmond," he said. "We still have something a little different."

Farther along, the walking tour mentions the home of one freed slave. Several sites across the tracks are also listed - the cemetery, the former county jail and the old train depot, among them.

The tour lists the monument at City Hall, too, calling it "a tribute to those who lost their lives in a political feud."

U.S. Census: Fort Bend Demographics

Jaybird-Woodpecker War

The Jaybird Woodpecker monument, as it's known, pays homage to three men: H. H. Frost, L. E. Gibson and J. M. Shamblin.

Together, the trio supported the so-called Jaybirds, a group that jockeyed for power in Richmond in the years following the end of the Civil War. Jaybirds, many of whose fathers and grandfathers had fought for the Confederacy, permitted only white men to hold local political office.

Their opponents, known as the Woodpeckers, allowed former slaves to run in elections. The Woodpeckers swept elections in the predominantly black county.

Tensions increased. The killings began, according to historians.

Shamblin became the first Jaybird to die, shot in August 1888, allegedly by a black man accused of stealing Shamblin's cotton. Gibson died next, in June 1889, murdered by a Woodpecker.

Conflict built - and then erupted. The results would lay the political foundation for generations to come.

The storied Jaybird-Woodpecker shoot-out occurred Aug. 16, 1889, at the monument's location on Morton Street.

The Jaybirds won, but Frost, the third and last name on the monument, died from his wounds. As the story goes, he asked on his death bed for the monument to be erected.

And so the statue was unveiled March 18, 1896, according to local author and researcher Pauline Yelderman. It rises from a pedestal, topped with a stone bird figurine.

"These brave and noble sons of Fort Bend County, whose names are here enshrined, gave their lives in order that the people of this county might have a just, honest, and capable county government," the inscription reads, "and their fellow citizens have reared this monument to their memory and as a promise to them that their principles shall be maintained for all time to come."

From time to time, storms have knocked the bird off its perch at the monument's top. It has always been replaced.

Differing viewpoints

Historian Haas knows the story of the Jaybird-Woodpecker War by heart.

She can imagine the day of the shoot-out. The dirt roads. The horses.

The aftermath is something of which she is not proud and was not right, admits Haas, an Old 300 descendant. But she urges people not to jump to conclusions. Race was not the central issue, she says. White men fought other white men.

"You have to have an open mind," she said recently at her antique store, Jay-Wood Trading Co. "You have to think about it."

Yelderman, the local author, described the Jaybirds as "courageous and determined white men whose efforts brought honest and decent government to Fort Bend County." Her 1979 book includes details provided by local residents, newspaper clippings and records.

Rice University graduate student Leslie Lovett, in her 1994 master's thesis, argued another take, based on newspapers, books, articles and other accounts. Lovett found that the conflict has more to do with race than corruption. The war, she wrote, "brought a violent end to a unique twenty-year period of biracial government in Fort Bend County, notable for outlasting reconstruction in the rest of the former Confederacy."

After the shoot-out, a Jaybird primary preceded the Democratic primary, so only white men could participate. As a result, only white men could hold county office.

"They held their political power like that for the next 60 years," Fort Bend History Association Chief Curator Chris Gobold said.

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the practice in 1953, saying Jaybirds illegally denied political participation based on race.

The Jaybirds disbanded, leaving their remaining funds to the museum. Today, it displays a small diorama of the fight.

"Fort Bend County has an extremely rich, and at times violent, history," the display concedes.

Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle

Life across the tracks

A racial divide in Richmond today remains obvious but complex. Morton Street, where the statue stands, illustrates it well. Many white clientele fill establishments like the famed lunch spot Sandy McGee's, while black residents gather nightly behind it and across the railroad tracks to play dominoes on a concrete slab.

Sixty-one-year-old Debrah Cobbin, who is black, arrived at the slab Wednesday evening, dancing as she stepped out of her car. She wholeheartedly supports the mayor, who is white. Cobbin's mother once worked for the mayor's family. And making improvements in the city takes time.

"We are family, we are family here in Richmond," Cobbin said.

The slab is all that remains of a stretch of black-owned businesses known as "mud alley," which nearby residents say was cleared in an effort to rid the area of drugs.

The community held a funeral for it.

Addressing the drug issue marked a step in the right direction, but residents in largely black and Latino North Richmond still lack city improvements, explained residents Henry Wilkerson Jr., 55, and Henry Bonner Jr., 75.

Sitting on Bonner's porch as a slight breeze cut through the heat Wednesday, the pair listed the problems. Without sidewalks, kids had to walk on the streets, lined by ditches on either side. Cars whizzed so quickly down one thoroughfare that they refer to it as "little 59."

An overpass crossing the river around them has yet to be built, leaving the only way in and out of the neighborhood over the railroad tracks.

Stray dogs wander the streets. Homes sit vacant. They have no fire station but they do have the police department and its jail.The community endures the burden so well that it appears they don't see the issues, said Curtis Ray Lucas, 65, the pastor of First Mount Carmel Baptist Church, which dates to 1865. "We make it," Lucas said. "We just help each other and go on."

Wilkerson and Bonner felt an anger their neighbors perhaps didn't share. Residents didn't mobilize to vote in May for a black mayoral candidate, whom Wilkerson, Bonner and Lucas supported. People remain in a "slavery mindset," resigned to how things are, Bonner said.

"It never evolves," Bonner said. "It just revolves."Neither Lucas, Bonner nor Wilkerson much like the Jaybird statue. It wasn't at the top of their concerns.

Wilkerson laughs when he talks about the monument and other inequities.

Otherwise, he said, he'd cry.

***
Six Flags Over Texas will remove the Confederate States of America flag from its lineup, and fly only U.S. flags, the company told mySA.com Friday morning following backlash earlier this week.

Media outlets first reported Thursday the park would not remove its Confederate flag following a week of intense national conversation regarding what the country should do with its Confederate monuments and memorabilia after a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The company flipped its decision Friday morning saying they strive to "make people happy and to create a fun, thrilling and safe family friendly experience for our guests."

RELATED: Six Flags Fiesta Texas to get Wonder Woman roller coaster

"We always choose to focus on celebrating the things that unite us versus those that divide us. As such, we have changed the flag displays in our parks to feature American flags," the park said in a statement.

Since the park's inception in 1961, the Confederate states, the Republic of Texas, U.S., France, Spain, and Mexico flags have flown over parks, including Fiesta Texas in San Antonio.

Now, only the U.S. flag will fly.

Sandra Daniels, vice president of corporate communications for Six Flags, said the park would keep its name.

"Yes, of course we are keeping our name we are Six Flags!" she said, adding that no plaque or sign would be put up explaining the flag change.

"We think our guests will appreciate us flying the American flag and view it as a positive," she said.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
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DENVER - Researchers say they have found a new clue into the mysterious exodus of ancient cliff-dwelling people from the Mesa Verde area of Colorado more than 700 years ago: DNA from the bones of domesticated turkeys.

The DNA shows the Mesa Verde people raised turkeys that had telltale similarities to turkeys kept by ancient people in the Rio Grande Valley of northern New Mexico - and that those birds became more common in New Mexico about the same time the Mesa Verde people were leaving their cliff dwellings, according to a paper published last month in the journal PLoS One.

That supports the hypothesis that when the cliff dwellers left the Mesa Verde region in the late 1200s, many migrated to northern New Mexico's Rio Grande Valley, about 170 miles to the southeast, and that the Pueblo Indians who live there today are their descendants, the archaeologists wrote.

No written record

The cliff dwellers would have taken some turkeys with them, accounting for the increase in numbers in New Mexico, the authors said.

Researchers have long debated what became of the people sometimes called Ancestral Puebloans, who lived in the elaborate Mesa Verde cliff dwellings and other communities across the Four Corners region, where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet.

Archaeologists believe the Ancestral Puebloans were a flourishing population of about 30,000 in 1200, but by 1280 they were gone, driven off by a devastating drought, social turbulence and warfare.

Because they left no written record, their paths are not known with certainty. Many archaeologists and present-day Pueblo Indians believe the Ancestral Puebloans moved to villages across New Mexico and Arizona, and that their descendants live there today.

Scott Ortman, a University of Colorado archaeologist and a co-author of the PLoS One paper, said the turkey DNA supports the explanation that many migrated to an area along the Rio Grande north of present-day Santa Fe, N.M.

"The patterns that we found are consistent with several other studies and several other lines of evidence," he said in an interview.

Jim Allison, an archaeologist at Brigham Young University who was not involved in the paper, agreed the findings mesh with other evidence of a southeastward migration.

But a weakness of the study is the number of DNA samples used, he said. Researchers examined DNA from nearly 270 sets of turkey remains - some from before 1280 and some from after that date. But only 11 sets of remains came from the Rio Grande before 1280.

"It would have been really nice to have 10 times as many," Allison said, but they were not available.

Ortman acknowledged that the turkey DNA alone is not conclusive evidence of migration to the Rio Grande Valley.

The New Mexico turkeys could have come from someplace other than the Mesa Verde region, or turkey-herding communities could already have sprung up in New Mexico before the Ancestral Puebloans left their Mesa Verde communities, he said.

'Very compelling' mystery

Some archaeologists argue the evidence for a migration to the Rio Grande Valley is thin. Even supporters, such as Allison, acknowledge that some evidence does not fit, including differences in pottery and architectural styles.

Tim Hovezak, an archaeologist at Mesa Verde National Park, said he is not convinced the Ancestral Puebloans moved to the Rio Grande, but he tries to keep an open mind.

"I think it's still a mystery, and it's a very compelling one," he said.

Ortman said other evidence besides the turkey DNA points to the migration.

The Tewa language spoken by some northern New Mexico Pueblo Indians today includes vocabulary "that seems to harken back to the material culture of the Mesa Verde area," he said.
Islamic State (IS) militant group claimed responsibility for the attack in which a van ploughed into crowds in the Spanish city of Barcelona on Thursday, the group's Amaq news agency said.

"The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states," the agency said, referring to a United States-led coalition against the Sunni militant group.

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Our state lawmakers can't figure out how to cut our property taxes or fix our broken method of financing public schools. But when it comes to devising new ways of harassing women who want to end pregnancies, they're as inventive as Thomas Edison.

Witness one of the few pieces of legislation they managed to pass in Austin this month, a bill mandating that standard health insurance plans no longer cover abortions performed outside of medical emergencies. So any woman in Texas who wants abortions covered as part of her health insurance would presumably have to pay a premium for a supplemental policy.

Unlike many other anti-abortion laws, this measure does not include exceptions for rape survivors, incest victims or mothers who discover they're carrying fetuses with terrible abnormalities. Texas becomes the 26th state to ban health exchange plans from providing abortion coverage, but only eight other states impose this additional burden on rape and incest victims.

Legislators who supported the bill touted it as "economic freedom." They argued that abortion opponents have basically been forced to pay premiums into insurance pools that fund procedures for women who want to end their pregnancies. The bill's lead author, Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, said "if you want to buy this coverage, you can buy it."

But the economic reality is that Texas women actually may not be able to get that coverage. That's because insurers may not offer it, for the simple reason that there won't be much of a market for it because people generally don't plan to have abortions.

"Women don't plan to be raped," said state Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie. "Parents don't plan for their children to become victims of incest. Asking a woman or a parent to foresee something like that and buy supplemental insurance to cover that horrific possibility is not only ridiculous, it's cruel."

That's why opponents of this legislation call it the "rape insurance" law. Surviving sexual assault is not only traumatic, it can also be expensive. Carly Mee, a rape survivor who's now an attorney representing victims of sexual assault, recounted in The Washington Post earlier this year the myriad expenses she racked up in the wake of her attack, from moving costs to therapy bills to pharmacy payments. Imagine, in addition to all those expenses, being a rape victim who also has to pay for an abortion because of the legislation Gov. Greg Abbott just signed into law.

Meanwhile, a couple of other anti-abortion bills harass clinics with a requirement they keep more detailed records and file more paperwork with the state government. One of these bills gives physicians just three days to send state officials detailed reports on patients who undergo abortion, revealing everything from their marital status to the date of their last menstrual cycle. Another law requires doctors performing abortions on minors to document how their patients obtained authorization for the procedure.

All of this fits a calculated pattern of anti-abortion legislation in Texas. Our state's elected leaders couch it in all sorts of arguments about public safety and protecting women, but they clearly want to do whatever they can get away with to hassle abortion providers out of business and make it as difficult as possible for Texas women to end pregnancies.

Our governor, lieutenant governor and state lawmakers need to accept that Texas women have a constitutional right to end their pregnancies. It's the law of the land guaranteed by the U.S. Supreme Court. And there's no reason why the state government should forbid insurers from offering it as part of their standard health insurance plans.
Address past

As our nation grapples with the horrific events in Charlottesville, Houstonians are in a public dialogue about the Confederate monuments that sit on publicly owned land. These monuments are maintained with public dollars; yet they fail to reflect Houston's public values of inclusivity and opportunity for all.

As a diverse and innovative community, we look to our elected leadership for a plan on how to proceed - whether it is to remove or reframe the Confederate symbols on public property.

Mayor Sylvester Turner heard from Houstonians who expressed concern that their tax dollars are being used to maintain Confederate monuments. He commissioned a study of all monuments located on public property. This evaluation and self-reflection is long overdue.

The inventory of public monuments will reveal one startling fact: There are currently no statues dedicated to any women on public property in the city of Houston. I suggest the late Congresswoman and civil rights leader Barbara Jordan and the "mother of Houston" Charlotte Marie Baldwin Allen be at the top of the list of people we should honor. This moment of soul searching is an opportunity to determine how we value who we honor and how we frame our history.

The local Daughters of the Confederacy paid to build the Spirit of the Confederacy memorial statue in the first place, so we know that private residents can also raise the funds necessary to remove or recontextualize the Confederate symbols on public property.

City officials must find a way to honestly address our past without glorifying the instigators of the bloodiest and most grotesque era in our nation's history.

Christina Canales Gorczynski, Houston

Explain history

The "Spirit of the Confederacy" statue has resided in our downtown park for over 100 years in peaceful slumber. Now all of a sudden there is an uproar to tear it down. Most people who stroll by it would not be able to articulate the history of slavery and how it became a major cause of our Civil War. Why not turn the statue into what some like to call a "teachable moment" by adding a plaque with a short history of how and why some of our citizens caused it to be erected there and why their fond memories of the Confederacy would not be supported today.

Our city government can and should try to explain our history rather than erasing it, as some advocate.

Larry Lambertz, Houston

Study what?

I read that Mayor Turner has requested a study on whether or not we should remove Houston's Confederate monuments. What is there to study? Is the city of Houston really not aware of the history of the Civil War and slavery? Do we need to study to understand that these monuments venerate racism and some of the worst parts of American history?

It seems obvious that, in the most diverse city in America, every Confederate monument should be taken down immediately. There is no need to wait on the results of a "study."

Tawny Tidwell, Houston
As the U.S. grapples with the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic, the nation has been forced into a deeper conversation about drug addiction and its causes. While we continue to debate solutions, the science is clear: Drug addiction is a disease, and scientists, lawmakers, and the public must come together in support of robust funding for biomedical research to combat this disease.

As a Ph.D candidate at Baylor College of Medicine, my research seeks to develop a deeper understanding of the brain, including identifying risk factors that make some individuals more susceptible than others to the effects of addictive drugs. These advancements, which will assist in the development of novel therapeutic approaches to prevent drug addiction, are contingent upon robust federal funding of keystone agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Recognizing the critical importance of supporting scientific research, Congress has expressed opposition to the substantial cuts to NIH and NSF proposed in the president's fiscal year 2018 budget. Although House lawmakers are showing support for NIH in their draft funding bill, they have proposed cuts to NSF. Any cuts to research would have widespread repercussions, including delayed progress toward life-saving medical advancements.

With support from NIH, our lab has identified a molecular process that explains why adolescents are more vulnerable to the effects of addictive drugs. We have also pinpointed a genetic variation in the same molecular process that alters the effects of naturally rewarding substances, suggesting that genetic predisposition is a risk factor for drug addiction. In addition to supporting discoveries like these, federal funding of biomedical research benefits our local and national economy.

In FY 2016 alone, NIH awarded Texas institutions nearly $1.1 billion, directly supporting 23,442 jobs and bringing $3.7 billion in economic activity to our state - a return on investment of well over 200 percent. These investments have also contributed to the thousands of bioscience industries in our state, which employ more than 75,000 Texans.

Inconsistent and insufficient federal funding for biomedical research will also have a devastating impact on the future of scientific research in this country. Without adequate funding, young scientists like myself will not have the same opportunities as our predecessors to conduct rigorous, high-quality research, and the field will not be able to retain its best and brightest young scientists. This squanders years of public investment in our training and robs our country of talent that could help us find treatments for the most devastating diseases. Without a new generation of skilled scientists, treatment for the more than 20 million Americans suffering from addiction will remain insufficient.

Investments made today will help develop more effective approaches to drug addiction, improving lives and reducing the more than $740 billion spent annually on costs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care.

As a society, we must engage in thoughtful conversations about the importance of federal funding for scientific research to ensure that America remains at the cutting edge of medical advancement.

I urge U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as U.S. Rep. John Culberson, to increase funding for scientific research and give hope to those struggling with life-threatening and debilitating diseases."

Sanjeev Khatiwada is a candidate for a doctorate at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He conducts his research in the Laboratory of Dr. Mauro Costa-Mattioli within the Memory and Brain Research Center, focusing on identifying risk factors that confer vulnerability to the addictive effects of drugs of abuse.
The special legislative session from you know where is all over but the crying. And, boy, is there crying.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are both blasting House Speaker Joe Straus for allowing the House to adjourn early on Tuesday and, in doing so, killing property-tax reform and school-finance changes among 10 other issues that were among the 20 that Abbott wanted passed.

In an unusual step, Abbott says Straus either needs to come aboard on his brand of conservative agenda or the House needs to think about electing a replacement. And he says he plans to get involved in some House races to make sure the right candidates win.

Translation: He and Straus are no longer GOP buddies, as if there had been any doubt remaining.

Patrick, a longtime Straus rival, even went to far as to suggest that had Straus been at the Alamo, he would have been among those who fled over the wall and escaped before the battle began.

Ouch.

In a week when President Trump had another meltdown, this time with the press over the Charlottesville tragedy, officials across Texas came under increasing pressure to remove statutes and public displays honoring the Confederacy -- including several at the Texas Capitol.

Even historical figures like Sam Houston are under fire, because Houston was a slaveholder -- much in the same way that protesters in Virginia are complaining about statues of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and even George Washington, slaveholders one and all.

So far, while cities and other states are ordering their vestiges to the Old South taken down or moved to museums, Abbott is a no as far as the Texas Capitol is concerned.

The same week that a civil war in the Republican Party of Texas seems to gain new momentum, so does the memory of the War Between the States or War of Northern Aggression, depending on where you're from.

We've got the lowdown on all the political action under the Pink Dome in this week's Texas Take, where we give the inside scoop on what's really going on in state government. And, this week, the show gives a history lesson, to boot.

From Mike Ward, the Houston Chronicle's Austin Bureau chief, and Scott Braddock, editor of the Quorum Report, comes Texas' leading online podcast about Lone Star politics -- now coming to you in collaboration with Texas Public Radio.
I would also be interested in looking at some other systems which forgo the CV altogether and seek to minimise other aspects of conventional processes such as the Halo effect which can skew how applications are perceived depending on the order in which they are considered.

Spencer said fairness, and recruiting the best person for the role, irrespective of background, should be the goal.

However, going blind will not be a magic bullet against unconscious bias which may just be postponed until the interview.

Bernadette Gates, Head of human resources, Australian Military Bank said despite a great deal of research on unconscious bias and subsequent education in recent times, it is evident to her that it well and truly exists in the corporate world today.

I agree that there should be an opportunity for recruiters to go blind as a way of trying to combat this age old issue. We need options to dismiss this ineffective recruitment process that people are allowed to get away with. This is one such option, she said.
In light of the recent dog culling in Jessore, Chittagong and Feni, Humane Society International in Bangladesh Country Director Maya Barolo-Rizvi issued the following statement:

The recent culling of stray dogs is based on the misplaced belief that indiscriminate killing of dogs is the solution to rabies. Dog culling actually increases the spread of rabies. According to the World Health Organisation the most effective and cost-efficient strategy to prevent rabies is mass vaccination of dogs, along with humane methods of population control through animal birth control, such as sterilisation. The animal birth control, or ABC, approach to rabies elimination is backed by evidence showing that it results in the overall reduction of dog population, as well as reduced aggression in stray dogs and reduced biting incidents. Dealing with stray dogs in a manner that is inconsistent with the ABC approach is counterproductive and measures to undertake culling of stray dogs are unlawful  the practice has been banned in Bangladesh.

Become a Street Dog Defender.

In 2010, the Centre for Disease Control at the Ministry of Health and Welfare stablished a national strategy for rabies control in Bangladesh, based on the two-pronged approach of mass dog vaccination and treatment for humans who were exposed to rabies. Since then, according to Health Ministry figures, the average number of deaths from rabies has dropped from 2,000 people each year to under 200.

Bangladesh has one of the lowest dog populations per capita in the world, with an estimated 0.5 dogs per 100 people in Dhaka, according to a Humane Society International (HSI) survey conducted in 2014. The stray dog population in Bangladesh can easily be managed through ABC, as has been shown by the Dog Population Management Programme, a programme jointly run by the HSI and Dhaka North City Corporation since 2012. In the past year, the HSI clinic has sterilised and vaccinated almost 4,000 dogs in Dhaka North alone. Preventing the transmission of rabies through dog vaccination costs 240 taka per animal, whereas the average cost of rabies treatment in humans is 7,000 taka per person.

Barolo-Rizvi adds: Bangladesh can eradicate rabies domestically and reduce the global burden of rabies if it continues with its national street dog population management plan, supported by trained human resources and sufficient budget. Indiscriminate dog culling will prevent Bangladesh from achieving this goal.

Media contact:

USA: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1-301-721-6440
Having recently graduated I won't be affected by further rises in tuition fees under the Tories or the scrapping of student maintenance grants, but those who are unlucky enough to study after me will have to pay more while receiving less financial support.

Justine Greening's decision as Education Secretary to maintain the government's high-fees trajectory has ensured that students from low-income backgrounds will continue to face more obstacles in a climate already characterised by catastrophically low social mobility and stagnant wages. That Greening is now in danger of losing her seat in Putney should come as no surprise given that she has done nothing to prevent campuses from becoming playgrounds for the privileged.

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Now students from the lowest income backgrounds are expected to borrow more in order to pay rent and bills. So despite paying lip service to social mobility, it is obvious that Greening has no issue with throwing away one of the few lifelines for the least wealthy students and is happy to punish young people for wanting an education. Combined with continued real-terms cuts to schools and Greening's personal backing for creating new grammar schools, despite the damage selective schooling does to social mobility, it is clear that her record is to create more obstacles for those from ordinary backgrounds.

Momentum's #Unseat campaign is the next crucial step in the fightback against Theresa May's disastrous government and its dire record on education. The campaign is a clear reminder that few Tory seats can be viewed as 'safe' anymore.

Few suspected that Boris Johnson's Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat would be a marginal after the election, that Greening's majority would be slashed by over 80% or that former leadership candidate Stephen Crabb would be a few hundred votes away from losing his seat. These potential 'Portillo' moments, in which Labour can unseat leading Tories - including some of the most regressive MPs in parliament, are a golden opportunity for the Labour Party.

These are the architects of Tory policies which have done huge damage, entrenching poverty and inequality, ushered in an era of mass student debt, undermined social mobility further and transformed the welfare state into a system of remorseless sanctions.

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The first event of the campaign will be Greening's seat of Putney, a seat not in Labour's sights during the election but which ended up with Labour close to a victory. The choice of Putney is fitting, contrasting Momentum's youthful energy against the Tories' betrayal of young people from tuition fees to school cuts and the attempted resurrection of grammar schools. Nick Clegg has already paid the political price for his role in the trebling of university tuition fees when Momentum's vigorous campaigning for Jared O'Mara in Sheffield Hallam helped cost the former Deputy PM his seat.
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A report published in July revealed how poverty-stricken families are forced to choose between eating and keeping clean in what has been described as a 'hidden crisis'. Charity, In Kind Direct, who led the report say that the problem is most acute amongst young people and that a growing number of young girls are struggling to afford essential hygiene products, including sanitary products, directly impacting on their health, dignity and life opportunities.

Earlier this year, the BBC reported the findings of a study that showed that girls as young as 11 were missing school every month for the simple reason that they couldn't afford to have a period. I decided to try and do something about it. I started a campaign and online petition on Change.Org called #FreePeriods, calling on the government to provide free sanitary products to girls in need.

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Almost immediately, it became clear that this was a subject that divided signers into two distinct camps: for every person that who said they had experienced the pain of period poverty first hand, another two would express utter disbelief. Horror, exasperation and sadness were the overwhelming emotions that became the thread running through the stream of comments left on the petition. What is disturbing is that the comment, 'I was that girl', is repeated with disturbing frequency. This is chilling.

It's 2017. Period poverty isn't something we should be talking about. When a girl misses school every month, for days at a time, it's clear that her educational progress is irreparably impacted. Soon, any ambition starts to dissipate as her goals start to feel unattainable. The cycle of poverty keeps turning, refusing to loosen its grip. All because she's born with a uterus.

Since I started the campaign, women have contacted me to say that 20 years ago, they remember combing the back of the sofa looking for lost pennies to buy sanitary protection. It appears that not much has changed, as I see the same comments from young girls today. One girl explained how her mum would give them beans on toast for dinner on payday, and when it was just toast, she knew that money was scarce - what, then, was the point of asking for money for pads? She would improvise with old towels which she had torn up to use for her makeshift protection. For her, missing school was the only way to avoid the humiliation of leaking onto school uniform.

Those intrepid enough to risk going to school during their period and without adequate protection have confessed that during lessons, they would be disengaged and disconnected. Their minds would be plotting plans around how to exit the classroom without anyone spotting the blood leaked onto their skirt. These are accounts from girls who live in our neighbourhoods, who possibly attend our local schools.

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There is enough evidence out there for this Government to acknowledge that a fundamental change in policy is needed. As a teenager myself, I know how challenging this period of our lives can be. The additional stress, lack of dignity and social isolation is something these girls can do without.

It's time for action. Please add your name to the petition on Change.org, donate sanitary products to your local foodbank, and write to your local MP demanding change.
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I am a proud Liverpudlian of Nigerian origin. As a trained athlete, I have been competing all my life and now I am about to sign up to a very different kind of race - to end malaria.

I have just become a special ambassador for Malaria No More UK, a small but ambitious charity who also have a very focused end game, of ending malaria within a generation.

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As I started writing this blog, I heard that millions were at risk from a malaria outbreak in my parent's birth country. Following more than eight years of conflict in Borno state in north-eastern Nigeria, some 3.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and all are at risk for malaria. The World Health Organization estimates that every week, around 8500 people are infected with the disease in the region. With the high transmission season for malaria lasting through October, it is expected these numbers will rise. In Borno state, WHO estimates more than half of deaths recorded are currently due to malaria, more than all other causes of death combined, including cholera, measles and hepatitis E.

Malaria is both preventable and treatable, yet despite this it causes 429,000 deaths globally. Having the disease is terrifying and I talk from experience.

Ten months before the Rio Olympics, a trip to my late father's village of Nri in Nigeria changed my life. I was bitten by an anopheles malaria carrying mosquito. I had taken anti malaria tablets and as an athlete am physically fit and healthy, so what happened next was totally unexpected.

When I got back to the UK and before resuming training, I went on holiday to the Dominican Republic. That's when I started to feel dizzy. At night I'd start shivering and would go from having hot sweats to cold sweats. Back in the UK my symptoms worsened.

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I managed to drive from my training ground in Loughborough to a specialist hospital in St John's Wood, before collapsing in the hospital car park. Malaria was diagnosed. During the next few hours my body started shaking uncontrollably and the pain in my brain and forehead were unbearable.

My temperature was now 39 degrees so to cool my body down my bed was filled with ice. Exhausted, I wasn't allowed to sleep in case I lost consciousness. I remember thinking 'I am going to die.' It was only after I was transferred to a tropical diseases unit at University College London (UCL) hospital, that I started to make a slow recovery. But upmost in my mind were the Rio Olympics, and all the hard work and training over the last four years. My ambition lay in tatters as I could barely walk let alone run a professional race.

But never say never that is my moto. I had lost all of my strength, and was unable to walk a short distance without collapsing, but I was determined to get fit again. I began with a daily 15 metres walk around the ward, trailing my drip. Gradually I jogged a few steps, but it took many weeks before she could start doing 150m, 200m, 350m. In an amazing 40 weeks I moved from having a serious life threatening illness to the Olympic podium, where I won a Bronze medal as part of the Team GB 4x400m team, one of the proudest moments of my life so far.

I am lucky to have survived malaria when so many don't. Knowing that a child dies every two minutes from the same disease I pulled through is heart-breaking. I want to see other people given the same chance of survival with the availability of life-saving interventions. I want the young children living in Nigeria and other malaria affected countries to have the same opportunities as me to fulfil their dreams and ambitions. UK Aid has made a huge impact and helped save over 6 million lives since 2000.

But we are at a turning point to make sure this progress continues. Next year the UK Government has a unique opportunity to put malaria at the heart of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting it is hosting in London where bold action by leaders home and away would help keep us on track to end malaria within a generation. We have to make sure no one dies from a mosquito bite.

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On Monday 14th August I woke to news of devastating flooding and mudslides in the capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown. As the authorities began to react to the situation, it became clear that hundreds had died and thousands had been left homeless. On Tuesday, although I didn't know it at the time, what lay before me was an incredibly long day and one of the toughest days of my career.

I have been working for Street Child for about a year; working in Makeni in Sierra Leone - the country's third largest city and the hub for Street Child's work - supporting our projects to help some of the country's most vulnerable children to go to school. But on Tuesday, it was not Makeni, but Freetown, that my efforts were focused.

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I left at 4am and took the three-hour car journey to the capital. As I approached Freetown, the mudslide was visible from miles away. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. The sheer size of it was frightening.

Arriving at our office in Freetown, our first priority was to understand the immediate needs. Our amazing team of social workers were out in the field, talking to victims and finding out how Street Child could best help.

They returned with harrowing stories of mothers so paralysed with grief they couldn't speak, fathers who had left for work and returned to find their home buried in mud, with no sign of their family. Children, lost with nowhere to go. This was the first time in my life responding to a humanitarian disaster. It was the first time in my life where I truly saw what this meant on an individual level. They had been left with nothing.

It was time to co-ordinate a response plan.

Our team told us many people had not eaten or drunk anything for over a day - urgent action was required. So, armed with huge amounts of food and clean water, we headed to Regent, the site of the mudslide. The local government had setup registration points for victims of the disaster. Together with the army, we began to distribute the food. It was hectic. There were people everywhere. Red Cross volunteers were working to remove bodies from the mud. The smell was overwhelming.

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After providing hundreds of people with emergency relief, we returned to the office, exhausted. Once there, we saw just how many donations had arrived from local Sierra Leoneans and expats - desperate to help in any way they could. There were thousands of packets of water and huge bundles of clothing. The Street Child UK office informed us thousands of pounds had been raised internationally. Sierra Leone was facing its next challenge, and the world had responded. It was inspiring.

I have never prouder to work for Street Child than on that day, alongside a great local team. We do amazing work, supporting some of the world's most vulnerable children and on that day, the real difference we can make to so many people's lives has never been clearer.
Uganda is now hosting one million South Sudanese refugees  World Vision 2017

It's been one year since Bidi Bidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda opened its doors to a flood of war-beaten people fleeing conflict and hunger in South Sudan. Then, it was vast bushland overrun with wildlife. Now it's a sprawling, bustling quasi-town, with 300km of roads and home to 272,000 people, making it the largest refugee camp in the world.

And it's surrounded by camps of rivalling size, all bursting with people forced to leave their entire lives behind and run. The UN announced this week that Uganda is now hosting more than one million South Sudanese refugees, and that's on top of the three million who are either internally displaced or spread across countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan.

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More than half of them are children, many of whom lost their parents along the way, or even saw them ruthlessly killed right in front of them. It's been a brutal conflict, with thousands of untold tragedies.

I spent a week in northern Uganda last month - hearing first hand of the treacherous journeys these refugees undertook. Running through the bush at night and hiding during the day; constantly living in fear of ambush and that this day would be their last. Bodies piling up by the side of the road, loved ones having no time to bury them.

In Imvepi refugee settlement, a couple of hours' drive from Bidi Bidi, I met James. At just 13 years old, he already knows all too well the horrors of war.

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James, Stephen and David sit outside their tent, which they share with their foster family  World Vision 2017

He and his younger brothers, Stephen and David, fled South Sudan last year after their parents were killed in the conflict. They were taken in by a neighbour, but he refused to leave when the fighting intensified.

James believed it was the best possible chance of survival for he and his brothers, so he decided they would go alone. They packed only one small bag each, and ran.

It's impossible to imagine the burden of that decision on someone so young. To take responsibility for his brothers, while still just a child himself.

Thankfully, James, Stephen and David were looked after by World Vision when they arrived in Uganda, and now live with a foster family who also fled South Sudan. It's an unbelievable act of generosity, and one of many glimmers of hope in the midst of this forgotten crisis.

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Eva and her sister fled into Uganda alone after their mother was taken by soldiers, and their brother was shot dead by rebels  World Vision 2017

Eva lost her mother and brother when they were ambushed by rebels on their journey to Uganda. Then, she was raped - and at just 16 years old is now four months pregnant. She doesn't know how she'll cope when the baby arrives; she already sells a portion of her food rations to help pay for necessities for her eight-year-old sister. When I asked if there was anything she needed, Eva asked for soap and books - "to keep my mind safe".

My heart broke. Here was a young girl whose short life has already been marred by horror, and all she wanted was to be able to wash her clothes, and escape for a little while. The injustice of her situation was overwhelming.

But Eva, too, is being looked after by World Vision staff, who regularly visit her and are hoping to get her back into school. There's a long road ahead, but her future is already starting to look more hopeful.

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It's thanks to the tireless work of government and NGO staff on the ground that children like James and Eva have a chance of a normal life one day. The generosity of Ugandans stands in stark contrast to the rhetoric we hear so often here in the West. While we build fences to keep refugees out, Uganda welcomes those fleeing with open arms and the promise of safety. It's a sobering comparison. Especially so, given that Uganda's resources - already limited - are being stretched to breaking point.

Bidi Bidi's commandant, Robert Baryamwesiga, summed up the heart behind Uganda's open-handedness when I met him at his small, humble office on the outskirts of the settlement.

"Refugees are people. They deserve to be treated like human beings," he said.

While Uganda struggles with the reality of accommodating more than a million arrivals from South Sudan, its priority remains simple, human dignity. And for that, the world should sit up and take note.

Find out more about the South Sudan refugee crisis, and how you can help, here.
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There has been a plethora of recent media attention about mentally unwell people in prison (stoked, sadly, by some tragic suicides). Tempers have been flaring with a lot of anger from the dark depths of the internet.

I can understand the anger; it's a reasonable response to seeing the vulnerable suffer and be discriminated against. Psychiatric patients who have been charged with a crime are arguably doubly vulnerable and doubly condemned. As a society, we need to look out for them and not just judge them. Anger is not enough, though. Anger rarely achieves solutions. We need to understand the issues and talk about them. I'd like to share some of the difficulties I face (as do my colleagues) as a prison psychiatrist.

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I am a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist. Part of my job is working as a psychiatrist within a major prison, under an NHS contract. I oversee the care of the most psychiatrically unwell; those that have been transferred to our Healthcare Unit (like a psychiatric ward inside a prison). I also carry out medico-legal assessments in other prisons, YOIs and immigration centres. I've seen some very troubling case. I've helped some prisoners get better. For those that I can't treat (because they are too unwell, or are refusing treatment), I make referrals to secure psychiatric units so they can be transferred under the Mental Health Act to receive the care they need.

Mental health treatment in prison is an area of contention. It is very familiar territory for me.

A recent BBC article suggested that all mentally ill people should be treated in hospital and not in prison. I agree with this sentiment (even though it would probably put me out of a job). But there are significant challenges and problems with making this a reality. Here are some difficulties, born from my personal experiences that mental health workers in prison on the front line, face on a daily basis.

Workload / throughput of prisoners

It's not exactly a secret; the NHS is overstretched and under-resourced. This, unsurprisingly, is reflected (and even amplified) in prison care. There are long waiting lists for my psychiatry clinics. Dozens of new prisoners arrive every week. They spookily disappear just as quickly; either suddenly transferred to other prisons without any notice (presumably by some mystical ever-powerful God of prison) or released at court hearings. This means our ability to observe their progress is severely disabled (for example charting their response to a new medication).

No background information

In my experience, sometimes prisoners arrive with no background information whatsoever; their old medical notes seemingly swallowed up into the ether. With no background knowledge, it is hard to make an accurate snapshot diagnosis with our limited power of observations; we might see our patients once every couple of weeks, and don't have the benefit of assessing their mental state daily, as my colleagues in psychiatric hospitals have. On a day-to-day basis, our eyes on the ground are prison officers, untrained in mental health issues, not trained nurses.

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Mental illness is not always obvious, clear or linear

Some symptoms are subtle. Some people are insightless and can be paranoid, so they isolate themselves and deny or hid or minimise their symptoms. They can easily get lost (or even intentionally hide) in the vastness of prison. I have had many refuse to attend the appointments I have offered them, and even refuse to speak to me in their cells.

Some symptoms and illnesses are temporary, changeable or short-lived

Drug-induced psychosis is a perfect specimen of this slippery hard-to-treat creature. Drugs are often freely available in prison. I once saw a delusional woman, who was convinced that she was pregnant and carrying the devil's child. Worryingly, she talked about getting a knife and cutting out the unborn foetus within her. In this case it transpired that she was suffering from a temporary drug-induced psychosis after smoking Spice (as opposed to a more permanent, trenchant psychosis). With such a sudden inexplicable change in mental state, I suspected this diagnosis. We transferred her to the Healthcare Unit, and within days she had completely and reversed back to her normal self (after the Spice had left her system). The change was unbelievably dramatic. I almost felt like I myself had to question my own reality.

If variety is the spice of life, then Spice is the flavour of death in prison

This horrible, nasty substance can cause extreme agitation and temporary psychosis. These cases need to be monitored but shouldn't (and realistically couldn't) be treated in a hospital setting.

Some prisoners fake / exaggerate symptoms

This might come as a revelation but there are some criminals in prison. I have personally assessed numerous prisoners who have tried to fake mental illness in order to be shipped out to 'Easy Street" (their skewed, and very mistaken perception of a psychiatric hospital). This muddies the waters and makes it harder to pick out the genuinely unwell and vulnerable.

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Mental illness isn't always black and white

Like a beautiful rainbow of insanity, mental illness is a spectrum. On one end is the floridly psychotic prisoner, clearly agitated and tormented by hallucinations and delusions. They obviously should be transferred to hospital - no argument there. I would like to think that even the most bitter, cynical, right-wing, Daily Mail reader would agree with that.

On the other end, there might be a fully compos mentis career criminal who might have only a mild depression, which is completely unrelated to their offending or previous violence. I think they should be offered a level of psychiatric support within prison and I do this kind of work regularly. However, they should remain in prison and not go to hospital. Again- this judgement call is fairly obviously.

The trouble is, the vast majority of psychiatrically disturbed prisoners lie somewhere in between these two extremes. Throw into the mix - the natural fluctuation of some mental illness, difficulty observing prisoners within the vast belly of the beast of the prison wings (with prison officers, not nurses, as our eyes), a small (though significant) proportion of salubrious fakers and also illicit drugs - it is often not as easy as you may think to decipher who is genuinely ill and who to prioritise transferring to a psychiatric unit.

The process of assessing prisoners (to make the decision to refer somebody to hospital) has enough hurdles. But that's the easy part. Next, I have to make the referral for hospital admission.

I became a psychiatrist because I wanted to help the mentally unwell. I did not become a psychiatrist because I wanted to chase-up emails, make dozens of phone-calls and generally work through mazes of complex referral processes. Unfortunately, there is often a long and frustrating wait between sending the referral and getting a reply or acknowledgement. Frequently, I get no acknowledgement, and need to relentlessly and assiduously keep following this up.

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About a year ago, I assessed a man in prison with chronic schizophrenia. Unfortunately, he became very unwell, very quickly; he refused his medication as he was paranoid and convinced that the tablets were being tampered with. He rambled to himself all day, flooded his cell and was clearly hearing voices. He was aggressive when approached (paranoid delusions, not malice). He was placed on a 'three-man unlock'; i.e. he was deemed to be dangerous to leave without three prison guards escorting him. Predictably, this eventuated in him being locked in his cell 24 hours a day for most days; there was always a shortage of prison guards.

After I made a referral I spent several weeks waiting; for the referral to be accepted, for him to be assessed, and before the transfer to hospital was arranged. To be fair, I think there were genuine reasons for this delay; some polite disagreement about his catchment area, as well the appropriate and necessary level of security (both which determined which psych unit he would go to). During this time, the poor man was left festering alone in his cell, untreated. At his worst, he had covered his wall in faeces and literally pulled his own hair out. As time went on, I felt like doing the same (pulling my hair out that is).

Why does it take so long for referrals to be processed?

Frustratingly, most NHS Trusts don't have a central referral hub so it is a challenge to even figure out where to send referrals in the first place. A large proportion of the ones that I send out get batted back. There are so many different teams (e.g. covering close geographical areas or particular psychiatry specialisms) and also so many factors that determine whether or not any given prisoner will be accepted by a service; place of birth; place of current residence; place of GP registration and place of arrest. These can all be used as potential reasons to 'bounce back' a referral; this usually elongates the process by a couple of more weeks. Some prisoners, unsurprisingly, have chaotic lives and might be homeless or may not have registered with a GP for quite some time. These issues makes it all the more complicated to navigate through the thorny referral process and are often used as reasons to reject a referral. I am sure there are good reasons for this; stretched, underfunded services (see earlier gripe). Nevertheless, I find it frustrating, when I just want to source treatment for somebody who really needs it.

Why is it so difficult to find beds in secured units?

The number of beds in medium secure units has increased significantly over the last couple of decades, yet waiting lists remain long in many areas. Why is this? This is a complicated subject, with many factors at play. The typical type of patient for these units is very complex and has serious mental illness and potential risks. An admission may typically last a few years and patients needing containment for decades are not unheard of. Medium Secure Units are expensive; costing upwards of 200,000 per patient, per year. These specialist units have to work on the assumption that many of their patients are potentially dangerous and violent (almost by definition, to qualify for a place there). Therefore, they need additional security measures; for example seclusion rooms, airlocks units, specially adapted furniture, big fences and extra staff. High secure hospitals (like Broadmoor) are even more expensive, and there has been a drive to reduce their intake and move patients over to lower levels of security. Government cuts to a wide range of services (non-forensic psych units, community mental health services, drug and alcohol rehab, etc) has gradually pushed a group of vulnerable individuals with mental illness away from mainstream services and towards lower socio-economic status (known as 'social drift') and sometimes towards crime (often, low-level offending in the context of being unwell, confused and not fully in control of their actions, and sometimes preyed on by nefarious criminals).

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So what's the solution?

What's the solution for all issues related to healthcare?

More funding.

Although mental ill-health accounts for around 28% of the total burden of disease, it gets just around 13% of the NHS's budget. Despite this being public knowledge for a number of years, research indicates that only half of the mental health trusts have received a real-terms increase in their budgets in recent years (further details in this Guardian article).

If we had better facilities in the community, less mentally ill prisoners would find themselves trapped within the criminal justice system. If we had better facilities within prisons (to treat the unwell, as well as more, better trained staff), we could treat more effectively in-house, and cut down on the numbers that need those precious limited hospital beds. If we had more beds in secure hospitals, we can cut down waiting lists and, thereby decrease the time lag to get people assessed and out to hospital. If we had more general (non-secure, non-forensic) psychiatric beds, forensic services wouldn't get clogged up. Hopefully, this would also stop the bottleneck of referrals.

I firmly believe that criminals should be punished but also rehabilitated. However, those with severe mental illness shouldn't be assumed to be the same as criminals (though I acknowledge there is an overlap and a whole intricate grey area). The unwell deserve to be treated with dignity and need to be treated with our full arsenal of mental health therapies (be that medication or psychotherapy, etc). In many cases, this can only effectively be done in a hospital environment.

Severely psychiatrically unwell prisoners are people who, very likely, have been failed by services over and over again. They are very likely to have had horrific experiences (abuse seems to come as standard for the women, and even the men that I have assessed in prison). Sure, some of them have made poor choices and may have wronged others, and that can't be ignored. Nevertheless, for those who are too unwell to look out for themselves, we, as an apparently mature, developed society should step in and shoulder some of the responsibilities. It is not always simple; there are complications and barriers, but there are no excuses for floridly unwell psychotic prisoners to be trapped inside cells for weeks and months awaiting treatment.

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Mental illness, like physical illness can affect anyone, at any time. Just as with many physical illnesses, mental illness can wreak havoc with every aspect of a person's life. And it's not just the individual suffering who is affected, the impact extends to their friends and families as well.

But while we feel able to talk openly about the physical illnesses that devastate people's lives, too often this is not the case for mental illness.

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Considering one in four people in the UK is living with a mental health condition, this needs to change. There are nearly 15million people living with an illness that affects their wellbeing, their relationships with family and friends, and their ability to work - many of whom feel unable to ask for support in their time of need.

Mental health issues also disproportionately affect our young people, with over half of mental health problems starting by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 18. We need to make sure these children and young adults feel they can ask for the help they need.

I care passionately about ending the difficulty many experience when trying to discuss their own mental health. In my role as the Chair of the APPG on Mental Health and in my career before I became an MP, I have campaigned for better care and an end to the stigma that surrounds mental health problems. So I am delighted that Theresa May has committed to fight the burning injustice of inadequate treatment, to step up the momentum on prevention, and is making mental health a defining issue for this Conservative Government.

As I write this, thousands of young people up and down the country are receiving their A Level results. For many it's a time of celebration and the start of an exciting new chapter in their lives. However there are those for whom these results will bring disappointment. While such moments can turn out to be for the better, it rarely feels like it at the time as your self-esteem takes a battering, and you struggle with uncertainty about your future.

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Everyone has to learn to cope with ups and downs in life, but recent evidence to the Health Select Committee suggests young people are facing particularly challenging times at the moment, not least living lives constantly in the social media spotlight. Friendships, self-esteem, body image and problems at home are just some of the many issues young people are struggling with, with knock-on consequences for emotional wellbeing.

That is why I am so pleased that the Government is teaming up with the National Citizen Service (NCS) to introduce a dedicated mental health awareness course for teenagers taking part in NCS. The NCS programme, enables young people to come together to take part in a series of new experiences and challenges, make new connections and skills then put these to use in social action projects in their local communities. In 2017 more than 100,000 young people will take part in an NCS programme and they aim for all 15-17 year olds to benefit from the scheme in the future.

It's good to see the Prime Minister backing this new initiative to raise awareness of mental health among young people and improve their knowledge of support available. Talking is an important part of reducing the stigma that surrounds mental illness and it can also be a part of an individual's recovery or even a way of preventing illness in the first place.

I feel lucky to be an MP at a time when mental health reform is being taken so seriously - when people like me who want to see mental health care improve are pushing at an open door. The head of one of the UK's leading mental health charities said to me this is a "golden moment" for mental health campaigners. Legislation for Parity of Esteem, the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, extra funding for mental health, the determination to stop people ending up in cells during a mental health crisis - this is a steady and sustained commitment. And I welcome the Prime Minister's personal commitment to mental health, made on the steps of Downing Street, re-iterated to me since and being continued here with this announcement.

Mental Health should not be seen as a problem for the NHS to solve. We need to take steps in every part of life - at home, at school, at work, in our other activities. We need to think creatively about the opportunities to have meaningful conversations and improve our understanding. The National Citizen Service is one of those opportunities. I hope in the next few years we will reach a point where young people across the UK have the confidence to discuss and prioritise their mental health in the same way they would physical health.

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WaterAid

I remember the day vividly. I awoke that morning at about 6:30 to the sound of children laughing and singing. I jumped out of bed and took a photo which I quickly posted on Instagram, "Good morning from Kenema #SierraLeone", the post read, it was accompanied by a colourful photo of a rain-soaked hillside with some children walking to school. Little did I know that in a few hours my happiness would turn to heartache and sorrow and I would be throwing up in my hotel bathroom. This was to be the hardest day of my career so far.

We arrived at Kenema government hospital at about 7:30 am, ready for the day ahead. I'd been asked by the NGO WaterAid to report on and capture the joyous occasion of new life, whilst highlighting the plight of midwives and mothers who have to deliver in hospitals that lack clean water and sanitation. I knew it wasn't going to be easy. The Ebola crisis had brought Sierra Leone's healthcare system to its knees, this hospital alone lost 37 staff members to the deadly outbreak. Across the country the effect Ebola had was not just related to the disease itself, but on public health services and in particular maternal and newborn care.

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The first person I met was 18-year-old Kemi, who'd travelled to the hospital on a motorbike whilst in labour. With very few ambulances in Sierra Leone she had no other way of getting from her remote rural village. Looking anxious and scared, as any woman in labour would be, she was immediately taken to the delivery room. As she laid on the bed waiting to deliver, Kemi told me all about herself, her hopes and dreams for the future and how she was really excited about the prospect of being a new mum. Proudly smiling, she showed me the new Kitenge, an African style cloth, which she'd bought to take her baby home in.

After about 20 minutes, Kemi was close to delivering. "Push!" the midwife told her, as Kemi let out a loud scream. The midwives then began talking amongst themselves in Creole. I couldn't understand what they were saying and didn't want to interrupt but from the look on their faces I gathered that the baby was in distress. Seconds later Kemi's baby was delivered. I closed my eyes waiting for the sound of crying to fill the room, but it never came. Her baby boy was quickly taken to the emergency room next door where they started resuscitating him.

As I was waiting in the delivery room for news of Kemi's baby boy, I noticed another woman sat on the bed in pain. Her name was Kadiatu, she too was very young at just 18. The midwives explained that she was suffering from an infection and it was important they delivered her baby as quickly as possible. They moved beds, and began trying to bring the baby out. But I could see something was wrong. "Call the doctor," one of the midwives shouted. Minutes later Kadiatu had delivered her baby but tragically he was still born. Kadiatu had also fallen unconscious. She died moments later from losing too much blood.

I couldn't believe the horror which had just unfolded in the delivery room, within minutes. A place meant for new life, was suddenly filled with death.

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Kemi's little boy clung on to life for another five days and sadly passed away.

I spent a week in Kenema government hospital and witnessed five births in total. None of the babies survived. My heart ached with pain for the mum's and midwives who had to endure this suffering. But this was and is the daily reality of life in Kenema government hospital, and it's a story repeated across Sierra Leone. You only have to travel to a cemetery to see the rows and rows of tiny graves which fill the graveyard.

In the western world we often only hear about the disasters which effect Sierra Leone, such as the Ebola outbreak, or the awful mudslides and floods which hit this week. But when the cameras stop rolling and the news reporters go home, there is still a story to be told. Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal and neo-natal death rates in the world. One woman in every 21 who gives birth here will have a baby die in the first month. The stark reality is the lack of access to water and sanitation just compounds these problems as the risk of infection is greater.
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Too many people go to university in this country. This may not be a popular statement, or one which those getting their A-Level results today will want to hear, but it is true nonetheless.

Society teaches young people that to be successful you must go to university; that it is the fast track to earning lots of money. This is an incredibly easy message for UK universities to sell to eighteen-year olds, and one that is confirmed by society.

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University simply isn't for everyone. It is supposed to be for the academically gifted; those who will go on to solve the greatest challenges society faces, and their achievements should be celebrated, today of all days. But is it not now time that we are honest with the next generation, who are making a 50,000 decision about their futures?

When I left school in the 1970s I didn't go to university. I got a Michelin tyre apprenticeship in Staffordshire, which at the time was roughly the equivalent to degree level. It gave me a solid understanding of engineering, business and heavy industry - the ideal platform I needed and a skill set that stood me in good stead for the rest of my career.

Vocational training slipped because of the push to send more people to university. The man we have to thank for that is Tony Blair - better qualified young people, who get high-paid jobs, and pay more tax is a great idea, but sending over half of this country's eighteen-year olds to university is not how you do it.

Jeremy Corbyn's vision of free university education, is also not the answer. Despite the policy's popularity with young voters, it is again peddling the lie that university is the solution to the UK's chronic skills shortage. This is aside from the fact that the proposition of free university education is economically illiterate and will unfairly impact the taxpayer. Why should those in work pay for their peers to study?

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We are twenty years down the line and the pitfalls of Tony Blair's university policy are still not fully recognised. We now have a situation where the majority of graduates end up in non-graduate jobs. For those that graduated in 2015, the first year of students who paid 9,000 per year in tuition fees, over 50 per cent of them will have a mountain of student debt to pay off in a job which didn't even require a degree.

Worse still for those that have worked hard, paid their way through university, and come out the other side, is the devaluation of their degree. As a Press Association survey revealed in July, the proportion of top degree grades being awarded by UK universities has soared. We now have a situation where supposedly world-class universities are awarding over 40 per cent of their students a first-class degree.

As an employer, I want to be able to differentiate between those people who worked hard at university, and those that didn't. For me, degree classifications are no longer a trusted barometer of performance when so many students are awarded firsts.

Politicians need to face up to the reality that university is not for everyone. Moreover, politicians need to recognise that attitudes towards university are now doing more harm than good for the UK economy. We need to stop sending students for third-rate degrees, and burdening them with insurmountable debts for a piece of paper - young people deserve better.

We need to look at the alternatives. Increasing the number of apprenticeships available to school leavers would be a useful first step in popping the university bubble. But I think we need to be more creative than that.

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At Phones4U, we provided opportunities in some of our stores for those wanting to experience the workplace, getting them used to a sales environment and providing key transferable skills which simply aren't learnt as part of a business degree at university.

Businesses need to be supported by the government, and rewarded for taking the plunge and hiring young, unskilled people who have great potential. These are the entrepreneurs of the future, and alternatives to university must be signposted from a young age.

We owe it to the next generation to make every possible provision for them to realise their dreams. If this is to be a doctor, lawyer, academic, or vet, then we must absolutely ensure that the UK maintains its reputation as a first class provider of university education.
Surely there is nothing new to say about Japanese whaling -- they continue to do it and many of us continue to deplore it, right?

Well, actually Japan has just made some moves that have deepened even further the rift between nations on this issue into a vast gaping chasm. In recent weeks, Japan has relaunched its North Pacific whaling program, with a bigger kill quota than before for sei whales in the North Pacific. Perhaps even more significantly, Japan has passed a new Whaling Act that dramatically underpins its whaling activities.

Japan conducts its commercial whaling in the guise of scientific or 'special permit' whaling, claiming that this is covered under Article VIII of the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling. However, as described in previousarticles, the International Court of Justice found that Japan's whaling did not comply with Article VIII of the ICRW. Nonetheless, Japan has made new 'research plans' and issued itself new permits for this activity, which in reality provides whale meat to the Japanese marketplace.

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Japan's new Whaling Act - 'for the implementation of scientific research of cetaceans aimed at implementation of commercial whaling matters' - enshrines a lot of what Japan was, in fact, already doing. It boldly and officially makes whale killing a legal commitment of the state, paid for by the Japanese public. It is also now very clear that the primary aim of this lethal whale research is in fact to support the resumption of commercial whaling, which the International Whaling Commission currently bans. Significantly, the new law also contains a strong legal commitment for the Japanese government to allocate sufficient funding out of the national budget to establish and maintain the resources necessary to hunt whales, including crews and ships. This is important as the 8,000-ton behemoth "factory ship" that is used in Japan's whaling expeditions to both the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific, is clearly in need of replacement. It will take an enormous financial commitment to do this and the law appears to pave the way for a new vessel.

The law, which the Japanese parliament passed surprisingly rapidly and with bipartisan support, also contains provisions that empower individuals to address 'acts of interference' with whaling, extending to the refusal of disembarkation and other measures relating to immigration of individuals. These measures may apply to interference with cetacean hunting beyond that on the high seas, including Japan's domestic dolphin hunts.

This renewed commitment to whaling has been greeted with dismay around the world. For example, the 28 member nations of the European Union (including the UK) have responded with a message published on the IWC website. Wrapped in diplomatic language, it expresses regret at Japan's resumption of the North Pacific hunt and 'extreme concern' at the risk it poses to an endangered population of minke whales, known as the J-stock that the hunt will clearly take. This follows other recent diplomatic actions by the EU, including joining a demarche (the highest form of diplomatic protest) led by New Zealand against Japanese whaling in December 2015 and, in January 2017, sending a letter to the Government of Japan expressing serious concerns following the announcement of its new Scientific Whale Research Program in the western North Pacific.

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The Australian Minister for the Environment and Energy, The Hon. Josh Frydenberg MP, issued an even clearer message. In a media release dated July 20th he says:

Australia is deeply disappointed by Japan's recent announcement that they have resumed another of their so-called 'scientific' whaling programs, this one in the North Pacific. This comes despite the clear and unambiguous conclusions of the International Whaling Commission's review process that Japan has not demonstrated the scientific need for the whaling.

This is a useful reminder that the IWC's own expert body has not only not approved the North Pacific research plan but has heavily criticised it. Japanese news reports suggest that the IWC Scientific Committee's conclusions have been misrepresented, reporting that the Committee supports the whaling programme. However, a letter published last month in the journal 'Nature' and supported by 40 members of the IWC's Scientific Committee clarifies the truth. It says:

Last month, the country issued permits for a new scientific whaling programme (NEWREP-NP) in the North Pacific. This is despite the assessment by an International Whaling Commission (IWC) expert panel in February 2017 that Japan's lethal sampling remains unjustified. The panel also concluded that the NEWREP-NP proposal gave insufficient justification for sampling design and sample size, and failed to show that additional age data from dead whales could improve management of whale stocks. There were further concerns about the impact of proposed catches on minke whales around Japan and South Korea -- populations that are already threatened by high fisheries bycatch.

And the letter goes on to note that Japan's lethal research continues despite the availability of widely used non-lethal alternatives for acquiring the information needed for stock management.

So, where does this leave us? The theories of those who believed that some rapprochement could be reached with Japan are now firmly impaled on its new legal harpoon and latest whaling activity. There is no space for negotiation and at this time of high-level concerns on other matters, including national and regional security, it is unlikely that diplomatic efforts will intensify or have any effect.
Neil Hall / Reuters

The announcement yesterday that the Prime Minister has accepted the recommendations of Sir Martin Moore-Bick on the terms of reference for the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster is not surprising. She was hardly likely to restrict them any further than Moore-Bick has himself. But for those who want to get to the truth of how this horror was allowed to happen, the terms of reference will be seen as the latest betrayal of the victims.

Moore-Bick is well aware of the concern which his recommendations will arouse and refers to the demands of many of those involved for a broad ranging inquiry. But he has chosen to exclude "questions of a social, economic and political nature." How is it remotely possible to seriously examine the causes, spread and results of the fire without examining "social, economic and political" matters?

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He argues that wider issues can be examined elsewhere, even though this inquiry is the one tasked with looking at this terrible event. His suggestion that "social, economic and political" matters can be dealt with elsewhere is a mighty kick of some really fundamental issues into some very long grass. There is clearly no intent from government for any wider inquiry or serious debate.

Investigations by the fire service and the police will be able to discover where and how the fire started and look at how it spread. They will be able to discover which contractor made which alteration to the building and which official agreed the relevant contract. They will be able to uncover the series of decisions which appear to have compromised the fire protection originally designed into Grenfell Tower.

These are all essential parts of the jigsaw. But they miss crucial questions. Firefighters attending the incident were initially struck by the fact that a fire of that nature was "impossible." If the agency responsible believes a fire on this scale to be so impossible that it has made no plans to react on such a scale, Moore-Bick is missing a blatantly obvious question: how could this even happen?

This question is not simply about the individual decisions of a local authority or a landlord. Nor is it simply about the actions of a particular contractor (although all these should be examined as well.) It is about the overarching regime, the political climate under which they operate. People across the world are asking how, in the UK, it is possible to apply flammable systems of cladding to residential tower blocks. The risk in Moore-Bick's terms of reference is that the inquiry is able to avoid probing deeper to examine the regime which allowed these deaths to happen, conveniently taking the spotlight off government ministers and any policies that were or weren't in place that may have had an impact.

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Moore-Bick will look at the "response of central and local government in the days immediately following the fire." Good. Both were utterly inadequate and were rightly condemned by local residents. Anyone who visited the scene in the days after the fire would have been shocked at the total absence of those who would be expected to step in, respond and address immediate needs.

How is it possible, however, that the actions of central and local government after the fire are more important than the actions of central and local government before the fire, especially since a key question is how such a thing could even happen in 2017?

The Fire Brigades Union argued in our submission to the terms of reference consultation that the advice given to, and actions taken by, government ministers must be thoroughly examined. Central government has created the housing and fire safety regime and central government must be held to account for any failings in it. Yet the terms of reference signed off by Theresa May appear designed to avoid this.

The Prime Minister was subject to severe criticism in the days after the fire. Since then we have seen the start of a campaign to protect the government and place the blame anywhere else - anywhere but Whitehall.

In his speech to the Local Government Association last month (link) Communities Secretary Sajid Javid warned Council leaders that local government faced a "crisis of trust." This was an early example of central government seeking to pass the buck. It appears that Mr. Javid is happy for a few heads to roll. That may mean a contractor here and there. It may mean the fall of the leader of a former flagship Tory council. It may even mean prosecutions. But it becomes increasingly clear that the agenda is to protect central government and key ministers at all costs.

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A politician can issue as many mission statements as they like. They can write a comprehensive manifesto that sets out a plan of action. And they can make as many promises as they think they can keep. But ultimately, as history shows time and time again, the true measure of their success, their effectiveness and their authority comes from how they react to the unforeseen. Events, dear boy, as Harold Macmillan put it.

So it has proved with Andy Burnham's first 100 days as Greater Manchester's first directly elected metro Mayor.

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Less than two weeks into his three year term, the Ariane Grande concert at the Manchester required an immediate response from services on the ground. As the city region woke the news, it also required a confident, empathetic and unifying leadership. By any measure he achieved that. The cameras pointed to him, the public looked to him. He didn't need the public platform of the vigil in Albert Square, that moment was for Tony Walsh, the poet. But in the days following his tone, his message, was spot on.

His swift response to the appalling fire at Grenfell Tower in west London was also a tribute to his convening power and capacity to pull together the relevant players. A group was drawn together in the immediate aftermath to display confidence to Greater Manchester residents.

His work rate, his visibility, and therefore his moral authority, is sky high. A Digital Summit that successfully brought together the disparate tribes of Manchester's tech community was a great success, largely down to his convening power, but also his commitment on the day. He insisted that Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry come to him at the Museum of Science and Industry, while the event was taking place, and where he was committed to stay for the day.

A summit on homelessness at Salford University pulled in a huge range of expertise committed to solving one of the city region's wicked problems, his number one commitment.

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When he attended a forum to tackle the blight of the synthetic drug spice, organised by MetroPolis, the think tank we established at Manchester Metropolitan University, he did so in order to listen and take soundings from those who know what they're talking about.

He's chosen his top team well too - putting Sir Richard Leese and Beverley Hughes at his side from the start was a strong signal. It had to wait until after the General Election, but his Tory opponent and Trafford council leader, Sean Anstee, was a smart choice as skills lead. But make no mistake, this is his administration.

In many ways the system wasn't designed for a politician like this. Greater Manchester's strength has been pragmatism, ambition and collective working. Unlike other local politicians that the civic officials have been working with, Burnham wakes up in the morning thinking about Politics with a big P. He isn't in this to manage an existing strategy for Greater Manchester, but to open up policy making and politics, or as he said at the Peoples Powerhouse conference in Doncaster, to create positive social change in Greater Manchester that others take inspiration from.

That's where his relationship with the Labour Party starts to get curious. He won 359,000 votes across Greater Manchester, 63% of the total vote, winning wards where Labour never comes close (like the one I live in and in the parliamentary constituency I stood in). His status as a nationally recognised politician has been a real game changer. A perceived snub to Jeremy Corbyn on the day of his election has, it is alleged, led to him being denied a major speech at Labour Party conference in Brighton. That may prove to be silly season speculation, but the sense that he's building Brand Burnham is unmistakeable, and in doing so he's gone unilateral in many of his statements, initiatives and pronouncements. The first 100 days ambition was something he pointed to in his own campaign and he's stuck to the commitments on action to tackle rough sleeping (a problem he acknowledges may even have got worse), host a digital summit and lower bus fares for teenagers. But the momentum and energy he's had to demonstrate is precisely because this is a punishingly short term - three years in politics is nothing. 100 days is a blink of an eye.

So what's next? In the Manchester Evening News, Jennifer Williams points to some of the under the surface tensions in the Greater Manchester family as Burnham makes moves on his promised "radical rewrite" of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, an ambitious programme of development, housebuilding and incursions into the greenbelt.
This week is a nerve-wracking time for young people all over the UK. A-level results day will see tens of thousands of sixth form and college students eagerly refreshing the UCAS website and checking their phones to find out whether they've made it on to their preferred university place.

It's certainly a memorable experience, and for many, it's a positive one. However, the prospect of not getting into a university can be daunting, and the thought of Clearing can be stressful for a lot of students.

However, far from being the end of the world, Clearing is simply another way to get into university. Last year, the UCAS online system for Clearing was used by over 64,000 students, which means that one in eight people were accepted into university in this way. Here at UCLan, we've seen students who went through Clearing progress into successful careers in a range of sectors, including pharmacy, engineering and law.

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If you're a student yourself, or know someone who will be getting their results and is looking for advice, a good way to be prepared is to make a list of all of the universities and courses available through Clearing that sound like they might be of interest the night before results day.

There will be call centres set up in universities across the country, and they will often ask for details including personal information and grades over the phone, so it's a good idea to have these to hand.

Most importantly, people shouldn't feel anxious. Clearing can be a positive experience for many reasons. If students open their A-level results envelope and don't see what they were expecting, what comes next is an opportunity to have a real think about the right course for them.

The initial university application process happens early on in the year, with a gap of up to 11 months in between starting the process of applying and getting those final results. A lot can change in this time, and after plenty of hard work and exams, students might not be so sure about the course or university that they had originally decided on.

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Choosing a university is undoubtedly a big decision and can play an important part in shaping careers and opportunities in the years that follow. It's therefore crucial that students choose the right course and institution for them.

There are often careers advisors on hand at sixth forms and colleges to help advise students on what to do next, while course leaders and lecturers at universities will be on hand to discuss all of the opportunities and options that are available. It's important to remember that everyone is there to help.

Many students feel panicked on the day, but there's no need to rush into a decision. Carefully considering all of the available options after a phone call is the best way forward, and it's worth noting that Clearing is open from July until September for people who haven't secured a university place, missed the application deadline for university, or have simply changed their mind about what they want to do.
A driver ran over two police officers at a checkpoint in Barcelona following a van attack in the city centre, Catalan police said on Twitter.

Spanish media had earlier reported that at least one policeman was injured at the checkpoint.

It was not immediately clear whether the incident was linked to the van attack in the city centre, which killed at least 13 people on Las Ramblas avenue.

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Susana Vera / Reuters

The Newcastle grooming case, involving the sexual abuse of more than 20 vulnerable women and girls, has appalled us all. It has clear similarities to grooming cases in Rotherham, Oxford and Rochdale, involving gangs of British Asian men abusing white girls. The perpetrators in Newcastle are from a wider range of backgrounds but we cannot hide from the fact that the perpetrators of these appalling crimes were mostly Muslims. So that means we need to raise this issue and have this conversation within the Muslim community. Everyone in Britain has a responsibility to uphold the law and protect the most vulnerable, and that means British Muslims do too.

That's why I and other Imams, throughout the country, used last week's Friday prayers to, once again, address the gross acts of the offenders.

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We need to condemn, unequivocally, the actions of these predators. They may call themselves Muslims but their actions are in opposition to Islam. My faith obliges me and all others to be active in preventing any unacceptable sexual behaviour and abuse of women. If it is cultural prejudices that have led these men to prey on white girls, seeing them as 'fair game', then this needs to be openly addressed.

This needs to be addressed in a way that does not result in "us versus them", Pakistani versus white. The key issue is protecting our young vulnerable girls. The Newcastle grooming case again raises some key questions: how can we better protect young vulnerable women, irrespective of their faith, colour and background and how can we dismantle the systematic models that the perpetrators have developed to exploit or abuse young vulnerable individuals? How can we bring about behavioural change in some men of our country?

There can be no excuse if anyone is aware of people exploiting children and young girls and not reporting the wrongdoers to the authorities. If we see something not right, like older men with young girls buying drinks and gifts, we should not be afraid to report it. It does not mean that people have to become spies and whistle-blowers, rather good neighbours in order to protect their own families and communities.

But that responsibility cannot be limited to a community. It is the duty of every community to do everything they can to prevent abuse of young people. We need to send out a loud and clear message that abuse and abusers will not be tolerated within any of our communities.

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The focus on race and religion of the perverse criminals detracts from the real issue. Sexual abuse is not an 'Asian issue' or a 'Muslim issue' - when it comes to wider child abuse nearly 90% of those convicted and on the sex offenders register are white men. Therefore, headlines such as "British Pakistanis are raping white girls" are factually incorrect and demonise a whole community. We must not stigmatise whole communities because of the evil few that we have within them because this will only peddle hatred and division in our society and not deal with the real issue.

The coverage of the sex-offenders convictions, and how it has been painted in the media as predominantly an issue of one race or religion detracts from the key issue that the offences are male-led sexual exploitation of vulnerable women.

As a country, we have to ask ourselves how come these men believe that sexual and physical abuse against young girls, passing them around between each other is normal. Attitudes to women and to sex and relationships need to be addressed. We need to bring about behavioural change in our society to protect the vulnerable and challenge misogyny.

As far the Muslim or Pakistani community, we need to acknowledge that Pakistani men are disproportionately involved in grooming gangs and this particular model of abuse. Some of our elders sometimes prefer to blame women - or even evil spirits - rather than accept that these young men can be responsible for such grotesque behaviours. We must accept that these abuses could be happening in our own neighbourhoods and take necessary actions to stop them.

The solution must come from within - our faith and our family traditions provide us with critical tools to eradicate sexual exploitation. We all know that their criminal acts are alien to the religion of Islam and against the cultures of the perpetrators so it's high time we started speaking out against the offenders because they are not acting like "our own". As the Qur'an says: "stand for justice even if it be against yourselves, your parents, your close relatives ... "

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That's the message the Sun newspaper and Trevor Kavanagh have put across. The repercussion of such a message is fear and ignorance ultimately manifesting in hate towards my community and the communities that I work with.

The press and the media have a huge responsibility as a source of information for millions of people, to put out stories in which they are accountable for. If you write a story that scapegoats and boxes a community into a specific negative category you harbour people's fear and insecurities, you are held accountable to the violence and hate that comes after.

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As a young Muslim and a community organiser, I worry for my community and those that I represent. My dad, who wears a cap and has a full-length beard, has to travel to work everyday on public transport; my sisters, who adopt the hijab, take the train to college and university and I have to think about whether they're ok and safe everyday.

The Islamic institutions I work with face the full brunt of hate too. Just two months ago we had a horrific incident occur at Muslim Welfare House in Islington, a member of North London Citizens. Because of the hate and ignorance exacerbated by the press, a man decided that it was ok to run over Muslims congregating after taraweeh prayers leading to the death of one man and severe injuries of others.

It's not just the Muslim community that feel the impact of ignorant and ill-mannered articles written irresponsibly by the Sun and other papers. We have concerned parents of primary school children from eastern European backgrounds whom recall stories of how their kids are told by other kids to 'go home' and 'go back to where you came from'. We have one of our campaign leaders of Stand Up, Stand Out, Arjun, whom is a young Sikh man being harassed and racially abused on public transport. Arjun recalls stories of how he was called 'Talban' on the train by other passengers for wearing a Turban.

The issue of hate reaches far and wide, and the papers do a good job at catalysing it.

Despite the hate we receive our communities are doing an amazing job at showing solidarity and demanding a more accountable press. Immediately after the attack at Muslim Welfare House, our Citizens UK members across London came together every night during the last week of Ramadan delivering dates and protecting those entering the mosque to break their fast. These members were Churches, Synagogues, schools and other local mosques.

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Stand Up, Stand Out is a campaign group led by young people from migrant backgrounds. We are working to ensure that the press are held accountable for what they write.

The campaign started because our founder, Keren had heard that some of her family members were on one of the boats that Katie Hopkins wrote the infamous 'rescue boats? I'd use gunships to stop migrants' article about. Keren's family members died that day. Since then SUSO, all of who have tales similar to Keren and Arjun have been working to get big advertisers like Body Shop and Vodafone stop paying money out to papers like the Sun.

With the help of our friends Stop Funding Hate we managed to convince Body Shop to stop advertising with the Daily Mail through our action and campaigning.

Stop Funding Hate are today launching their phone campaign encouraging phone companies to stop advertising with such papers. As a Muslim and loyal EE customer I find it very disappointing to see them advertising next to an article that calls my community a 'problem.'

Stand Up, Stand Out and Stop Funding Hate encourage customers of phone companies such as EE, Three and Vodafone to stop advertising next to such hateful articles. We as all communities and backgrounds need to stand together against hate just like those that showed solidarity to Muslim Welfare House.

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Johnny Cash Family Condemns Neo- Nazi Use Of Fathers Image

The family of Johnny Cash have demanded that Neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups not associate the image of their late father with the discriminatory ideas. In an open letter posted to Roseanne Cash's Facebook page, the family took issue with a protester during the confrontation in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend who appeared in a video wearing a Johnny Cash t-shirt.

Rosanne Cash

"We were alerted to a video of a young man in Charlottesville, a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi, spewing hatred and bile. He was wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the name of Johnny Cash, our father. We were sickened by the association," the letter, signed by the entire Cash family.

"Johnny Cash was a man whose heart beat with the rhythm of love and social justice. He received humanitarian awards from, among others, the Jewish National Fund, Bnai Brith, and the United Nations. He championed the rights of Native Americans, protested the war in Vietnam, was a voice for the poor, the struggling and the disenfranchised, and an advocate for the rights of prisoners. Along with our sister Rosanne, he was on the advisory board of an organization solely devoted to preventing gun violence among children. His pacifism and inclusive patriotism were two of his most defining characteristics. He would be horrified at even a casual use of his name or image for an idea or a cause founded in persecution and hatred. The white supremacists and neo-Nazis who marched in Charlottesville are poison in our society, and an insult to every American hero who wore a uniform to fight the Nazis in WWII. Several men in the extended Cash family were among those who served with honor," the family added.

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NBCC and The Family Place gave out 275 backpacks and loads of school supplies and donated books on Thursday. PreviousNext

NBCC Distributes Nearly 300 Backpacks Filled With School Supplies

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The crowd lined up at the door to the former Sleepy's couldn't wait to get inside and start picking out  school supplies.

Thursday was the fourth year of the Backpacked to Success back to school program hosted by The Family Place and Northern Berkshire Community Coalition.

Some 275 backpacks in a rainbow of colors were ready for pick up and to be filled with an assortment of pens, pencils, erasers, notebook, folders and a plethora of other school needs.

"It's a really nice way to start the school year off," said Brayton Elementary Principal John Franzoni, who was volunteering at a table piled high with secondhand children's books. "They do a great job supporting the families and we really appreciate that ... our families really need that."

Jenn McCue said was there to help three of her four children get the supplies they needed to start school.

"The kids can pick out what they want and it's helpful because I'm a single mom with four and I don't have a lot of money," she said. Her children were excited to be able select their own backpacks and fill them with supplies.

The back-to-school program is open to any family in North Berkshire, but they had to register for the program by last Friday to ensure there would be enough supplies to go around.

This is the largest number of backpacks given out so far, said Amber Besaw, NBCC's executive directer.

The most we've done is 200 to 225," she said. "The staff of The Family Place did a good job of letting families know about it and we were able to do more. ...

"We want to give the kids the experience of shopping and being able to pick out what to put in their backpacks and give them free books and get them all set up for the school year."

Families entered the space, which currently hosts Game On, a free family gathering area with analog games and toys, to sign in, select a backpack and then peruse the tables set up with just about every school supply in every bright color imaginable.

Volunteers were on hand to help out. There were some other school representatives, including interim Hoosac Valley Middle School Principal Christopher Sposato, local high school students chipping in, and community members.

"We try to make it as fun as possible," Besaw said. "I know kids aren't exactly excited to go back to school if we can get them a little bit of fun to get them ready to go, then that's a bonus."
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The vehicle attacks that killed 14 and wounded over 100 more in a bustling tourist area of Barcelona and another Spanish seaside resort affected people of at least 34 different nationalities.

The dead and injured came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China.





-- BELGIUM

A woman from the eastern Belgian town of Tongres, visiting Barcelona with her family, was killed, the Belgian foreign minister said.



-- ITALY

Rome said two Italians were killed in Barcelona.

One was named by computer company Tom's Hardware as its employee Bruno Gulotta, who worked in sales and marketing.

The 35-year-old had been on holiday in Barcelona with his wife and their two young children, the company announced, saying they were in mourning for their "friend and colleague".

Italian media reported that Gulotta had been holding five-year-old son Alessandro's hand just before he was hit by the van. His wife Martina had one-year-old daughter Aria in a baby carrier and managed to pull her son out of the way too.



-- PORTUGAL

A Portguese woman was among the dead, according to the government.





-- FRANCE

France appears to have the most injured in the attack. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian gave a total of 26 wounded, including 11 seriously, while Interior Minister Gerard Collomb later said as many as 17 were gravely hurt.



-- GERMANY

Foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer said 13 Germans were injured in the Barcelona attack, some of them "fighting for their lives".

He said he could also not rule out that there may be Germans among the dead.



-- IRELAND

A family of four Irish citizens needed hospital treatment after the attack, Dublin said. The parents were originally from the Philippines, and Manila said its honorary consul in Barcelona had been to check on them.



-- NETHERLANDS

Three Dutch people were wounded, all of whom are out of danger, the government said.



-- BELGIUM

There are two Belgians among the wounded, one in a serious condition, according to Foreign Minister Didier Reynders.



-- ROMANIA Three wounded -- two men aged 33 and 42 who are in a stable condition in hospital and another who suffered only minor injuries.



-- AUSTRALIA

Three wounded, according to the Australian government.



-- GREECE

Two children wounded along with their mother, who has German nationality. The father was unhurt but is in shock, Greek officials said.



-- REST OF EUROPE

One person each from Hungary, Macedonia, Austria and Turkey was wounded.



-- ASIA

Two Taiwanese were wounded as well as one person from Hong Kong.

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Spanish police hunted Friday for the driver who ploughed a van into crowds of pedestrians on a busy avenue in Barcelona, just hours before a second such assault hit a nearby resort, in twin attacks that left 14 dead and over 100 injured.

Police said they killed five "suspected terrorists" during the night and three others were arrested as Spain reeled from the double tragedy in Barcelona and in Cambrils, some 120 kilometres (75 miles) south.

But the driver responsible for the carnage in Spain's second largest city remained at large, authorities warned, while police said they believed the two attacks were connected.

In a poignant moment, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, King Felipe VI and the president of Catalonia where both places are located held a minute of silence in Barcelona that was followed by applause and shouts of "not afraid."

Both attacks followed the same modus operandi, with drivers deliberately targeting pedestrians with their vehicles, slamming them to the ground or sending them flying in the latest such assault in Europe where cars and vans have been used as weapons of terror before.

Javier Zaragoza, a prosecutor advising the attorney general in terrorism matters, told AFP the attacks were most likely the work of an organised "cell."

Otso Iho of Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre added there appeared to be "a much higher level of coordination than has been typically present in previous attacks."

In an additional twist, police said an explosion in a house in another part of Catalonia Wednesday evening was potentially linked to the attacks, believing those inside "were preparing an explosive device."

As world leaders united in condemning the violence, the Islamic State group propaganda agency Amaq claimed one of its "soldiers" carried out the rampage in Barcelona.

In the Barcelona incident, a white van sped down the popular Las Ramblas avenue packed full of tourists on Thursday afternoon, knocking people down and killing 13 in a scene of chaos and horror.

The driver left the vehicle on the busy boulevard lined with shops and restaurants, and fled on foot.

Witnesses recounted how the van pushed through the crowd, leaving bodies strewn along the boulevard as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic in scenes of chaos and confusion.

"We were on the city tour bus, we were 20 feet from the accident when it happened. We heard the van and the impact with people and then we saw people running," said Alex Luque, a 19-year-old student from New York.

"We got separated from my grandparents and I had to take my younger sister to try to find safety," he said Friday, adding he has since been reunited with his relatives.

Then just eight hours later attackers struck again in the early hours of Friday morning, this time in the seaside resort of Cambrils where an Audi A3 car rammed into pedestrians, injuring six civilians and a police officer. One of the civilians later died.

Gunfire ensued during which police killed the five attackers.

Markel Artabe, a 20-year-old restaurant worker, said he was on the seaside promenade when he heard what he initially thought were fireworks, but soon realised were gunshots.

He said he saw a person lying on the floor "with a gunshot in the head. His friends were crying out 'help'."

Police announced the arrest of three suspects, including a Spaniard and a Moroccan.

Carles Puigdemont, Catalonia's president, warned the suspect still on the run was potentially dangerous, saying "these types of people have already demonstrated they have the will to harm whatever happens."

There were at least 34 nationalities among the dead and injured, who came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency.

At least two Italians were among the dead, according to the foreign ministry in Rome and the employer of one of the victims, while Belgium said one Belgian national died.

"We're united in grief," Rajoy said Thursday in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona, the biggest city in Catalonia, a region in Spain's northeast whose separatist government is defying Madrid with a drive for independence.

Spain, the world's third most popular tourism destination, had until now been spared the recent extremist attacks that have rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

It had even seen a surge in tourists as visitors fled other restive sunshine destinations like Tunisia and Egypt.

But it is nevertheless no stranger to jihadist attacks, having been hit by what is still Europe's deadliest in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

It also had to deal with a decades-long campaign of violence waged by Basque separatist group ETA, which only declared a ceasefire in 2011.

Police said Thursday that one of the arrested suspects in the Barcelona attack was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory in North Africa, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.

This is believed to be the first IS claim of an attack in Spain.

Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla that border Morocco.

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U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis will travel to Jordan, Turkey and Ukraine later this month, the Pentagon said on Friday.

Mattis will begin his trip in Jordan where he will meet with King Abdullah. Jordan is a member of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria and Iraq. The visit will be Mattis' first to Jordan as defense secretary.

Mattis will also travel to NATO-ally Turkey where he will meet top Turkish officials including President Tayyip Erdogan.

"Secretary Mattis will emphasize the steadfast commitment of the United States to Turkey as a NATO ally and strategic partner, seek to collaborate on efforts to advance regional stability, and look for ways to help Turkey address its legitimate security concerns - including the fight against the PKK," the Pentagon said in the statement.

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984 and is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Turkey and Europe.

In Kiev, Mattis will meet with the Ukrainian defense secretary and President Petro Poroshenko. A 2015 ceasefire between Kiev's forces and Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of Ukraine is regularly violated. Washington cites the conflict as a key obstacle to improving its relations with Russia.



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President Donald Trump decried on Thursday the removal of monuments to the pro-slavery Civil War Confederacy, echoing white nationalists and drawing stinging rebukes from fellow Republicans in a controversy that has inflamed racial tensions.

Trump has alienated Republicans, corporate leaders and U.S. allies, rattled markets and prompted speculation about possible White House resignations with his comments since Saturday's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, which came in the aftermath of a white nationalist protest against the removal of a Confederate statue.

Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, questioned Trump's capacity to govern.

"The president ... has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful," said Corker, who Trump had considered for the job of secretary of state. Corker said Trump needed to make "radical changes."

Trump unleashed attacks on two Republican U.S. senators, Jeff Flake and Lindsey Graham, in a series of Twitter posts on Thursday, raising fresh doubts about his ability to work with lawmakers in his own party to win passage of his legislative agenda, which includes tax cuts and infrastructure spending.

He took aim at the removal or consideration for removal of Confederate statues and monuments in a long list of cities in California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, Virginia, and Texas, as well as Washington, D.C.

"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it," Trump wrote on Twitter, refusing to move past the controversy.

"Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!" Trump said. He was referring to two Confederate generals in the Civil War that ended in 1865, and to early U.S. presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who owned slaves but whose legacies are overwhelmingly honored.

Opponents call the statues a festering symbol of racism, while supporters say they honor American history. Some of the monuments have become rallying points for white nationalists but also have the support of some people interested in historical preservation.

Trump also denied he had spoken of "moral equivalency" between white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members who clashed with anti-racism activists in Charlottesville.

COHN RUMORS

U.S. stocks suffered their biggest drop in three months on Thursday as the turmoil surrounding the White House sapped investor confidence that Trump's ambitious economic agenda would become reality. Equity index futures fell a bit further after the close of regular trading, with S&P 500 emini futures heading into the overnight trading session about 2 points lower.

The U.S. stock market has not followed a 1 percent-down day with a second straight day of losses since Trump was elected in November, so Fridays session is being watched as a significant test of the markets resilience.

Amid the controversy, the White House knocked down rumors that Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn might resign. An official said Cohn "intends to remain in his position" as National Economic Council director at the White House.

Trump announced the disbanding of two high-profile business advisory councils on Wednesday after the resignation of several corporate executives over his Charlottesville remarks. On Thursday, a White House official said Trump had dropped plans for an advisory council on infrastructure.

In another indication of businesses not wanting to be associated with the president, the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic canceled a planned 2018 Florida fundraiser at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Florida resort, where it had held such events for seven straight years. Spokeswoman Eileen Sheil said the Cleveland Clinic considered "a variety of factors" in deciding to cancel an event that typically generates $1 million a year.

The clinic's chief executive, Toby Cosgrove, was a member of a one of the two councils that disbanded on Wednesday.

James Murdoch, chairman of Twenty-First Century Fox Inc and son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, slammed Trumps response to Charlottesville in an email to friends and pledged to donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League, the New York Times reported.

James Murdoch wrote that Trumps comments should "concern all of us as Americans and free people," the Times said. Twenty-First Century Fox owns Fox News Channel, a favorite with Trump and his conservative supporters.

'HATE-FILLED INDIVIDUALS'

The Charlottesville violence erupted when white nationalists marched to protest against the planned removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. A 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyer, was killed when a man described as a white nationalist crashed his car into the counter-protesters.

Trump has blamed the Charlottesville violence on not just the white nationalist rally organizers but also the counter-protesters, and said there were "very fine people" among both groups. He also expressed distaste for removing Confederate statues in a heated news conference on Tuesday.

After Trump blasted Graham on Twitter, the senator who was one of Trump's rivals for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination fired back.

"Because of the manner in which you have handled the Charlottesville tragedy you are now receiving praise from some of the most racist and hate-filled individuals and groups in our country. For the sake of our Nation - as our President - please fix this," Graham said. "History is watching us all."

Another Republican senator, Dan Sullivan, also said on Twitter: "Anything less than complete & unambiguous condemnation of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK by (Trump) is unacceptable. Period."

Graham had said on Wednesday Trump's remarks at his news conference the day before had suggested "moral equivalency" between the white nationalists and anti-racism demonstrators and called on the president to use his words to heal Americans.

"Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists and people like Ms. Heyer. Such a disgusting lie. He just can't forget his election trouncing. The people of South Carolina will remember!" Trump wrote.

In a separate tweet, Trump called Flake "WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!" and appeared to endorse Kelli Ward, Flake's Republican challenger in his 2018 re-election race.

Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives, called for the immediate removal of Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol. U.S. Senator Cory Booker, also a Democrat, said he would introduce legislation so that could be done.

"There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honor across the country," Pelosi said in a statement.

A spokesman for Republican U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said it was up to U.S. states to determine which statues were displayed on their behalf in the Capitol building.

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Israelis You Should Know: Abraham Sutzkever

The Fellowship | May 8, 2015 Project Spotlight: Eshkol Trauma Center

Name: Abraham Sutzkever

Life: July 15, 1913  January 20, 2010

Known for: Sutzkever is an acclaimed Yiddish poet; he has been called the greatest poet of the Holocaust.

About him: Abraham Sutzkever was born in modern-day Belarus (what was then part of the Russian Empire) in 1913. During World War I, his family fled to Siberia, where his father passed away, and three years after the war, Sutzkever moved to Lithuania with his mother. He began writing poetry at a young age, and his first volume of Yiddish poetry was published in 1937.

Sutzkever got married in 1939 one day before World War II broke out. In 1941, he and his wife were sent to the Vilna Ghetto. Here, he was ordered by the Nazis to round up important Jewish manuscripts, but Sutzkever and his friends instead hid important Jewish works  including a diary by Theodor Herzl  in the walls of the ghetto.

He and his wife fled the ghetto in 1943 and were airlifted to Moscow, where Sutzkever wrote a chronicle of his experiences in the ghetto. They then traveled to Poland and Paris before settling in Tel Aviv in 1947. Sadly, his mother and son did not survive the ghetto.

While in Israel, he continued writing poetry primarily in Yiddish, though Hebrew was the countrys primary language. He founded and edited Israels leading Yiddish literary journal, and in the 1970s, began writing a series of poems entitled Lider fun togbukh (Poems from a Diary, 19741981), which many consider to be his masterpiece. The theme in many of these poems is that destroyed societies can be reborn, and those who were murdered in the Holocaust live on in the memories of the survivors. His poems have been republished in 30 languages.

In 1985, Sutzkever was awarded the Israel Prize for Yiddish literature. He passed away in 2010, and is survived by his two daughters and two grandchildren.

His impact: In the post-war world, he was the most important Jewish poet and a world class poet in general.  Dr. Paul Glasser, associate dean of the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced Jewish Studies at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research in Manhattan.
Excavations started in 2008 when the mission uncovered the remains of a fifth-century church mud-brick church and a number of chambers

Excavation work in Minya has uncovered an ancient settlement that might be a monks complex, the antiquities ministry have said.

Ayman Ashmawi, the head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Department at the ministry, said that the settlement in the area besides the Al-Nassara necropolis in Al-Bahnasa includes a collection of rock-hewn tombs and a residential area, dating from the 5th century AD.

Gamal El-Semestawi, director-general of Antiquities of Middle Egypt, explains that the rock-hewn tombs are composed of a collection of burial chambers that are 50x70 metres in total.

The residential area is 100x130 metres in size and include the remains of houses, among them the remains of a mud-brick house of a monk.

"This fact suggests that the archaeological site beside Al-Nassara necropolis was a monks complex," El-Semestawi told Ahram Online.

He added that the antiquities' ministry archaeological mission has also found a collection of monks' cells and a water well.

Excavations started in the area in 2008 when the mission uncovered the remains of a fifth-century church built of mud-brick, as well as a shrine; a prayer hall and a number of chambers with walls covered with plaster and decorated with coloured decorative elements and hymns written in the Coptic language.

Regretfully, said El-Semestawi, these remains were subjected to destruction during the lack of security in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution.

Gamal Mohamed, director of Maghagha antiquities, said that in 2013 the excavation work resumed and the mission discovered the remains of a monks chamber, a prayer hall, a kitchen and a grain store with walls decorated with red crosses.

The lower part of a monk's tomb stone was unearthed as well as a collection of metal coins and clay pots. The coins and pots are now under restoration and study.

The town of Al-Bahnasa is located on the West Bank of the Nile, near Beni Mazzar.

During the Hellenistic era Al-Bahnasa was called "Oxirenkhos" and in the Islamic period it was known as Al-Bahnasa referring to the daughter of the town's ruler at that time.

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Kaspersky Lab experts have discovered a backdoor planted in a server management software product used by hundreds of large businesses around the world. When activated, the backdoor allows attackers to download further malicious modules or steal data. Kaspersky Lab has alerted NetSarang, the vendor of the affected software, and it has promptly removed the malicious code and released an update for customers.

ShadowPad is one of the largest known supply-chain attacks. Had it not been detected and patched so quickly, it could potentially have targeted hundreds of organizations worldwide.

In July, 2017 Kaspersky Labs Global Research and Analysis (GReAT) team was approached by one of its partners  a financial institution. The organizations security specialists were worried about suspicious DNS (domain name server) requests originating on a system involved in the processing of financial transactions.

Further investigation showed that the source of these requests was server management software produced by a legitimate company and used by hundreds of customers in industries like financial services, education, telecoms, manufacturing, energy, and transportation. The most worrying finding was the fact that the vendor did not mean for the software to make these requests.

Further Kaspersky Lab analysis showed that the suspicious requests were actually the result of the activity of a malicious module hidden inside a recent version of the legitimate software.

Following the installation of an infected software update, the malicious module would start sending DNS-queries to specific domains (its command and control server) at a frequency of once every eight hours. The request would contain basic information about the victim system (user name, domain name, host name).

If the attackers considered the system to be interesting, the command server would reply and activate a fully-fledged backdoor platform that would silently deploy itself inside the attacked computer. After that, on command from the attackers, the backdoor platform would be able to download and execute further malicious code.

Following the discovery, Kaspersky Lab researchers immediately contacted NetSarang. The company reacted fast and released an updated version of the software without the malicious code.

So far, according to Kaspersky Lab research, the malicious module has been activated in Hong Kong, but it could be lying dormant on many other systems worldwide, especially if the users have not installed the updated version of the affected software.

While analyzing the tools techniques and procedures used by the attackers, Kaspersky Lab researchers came to the conclusion that some similarities exist that point to PlugX malware variants used by the Winnti APT, a known Chinese-speaking cyberespionage group. This information, however, is not enough to establish a precise connection to these actors.

ShadowPad is an example of how dangerous and wide-scale a successful supply-chain attack can be. Given the opportunities for reach and data collection it gives to the attackers, most likely it will be reproduced again and again with some other widely used software component. Luckily NetSarang was fast to react to our notification and released a clean software update, most likely preventing hundreds of data stealing attacks against its clients. However, this case shows that large companies should rely on advanced solutions capable of monitoring network activity and detecting anomalies. This is where you can spot malicious activity even if the attackers were sophisticated enough to hide their malware inside legitimate software, said Igor Soumenkov, security expert, Global Research and Analysis Team, Kaspersky Lab.

NetSarang Statement

To combat the ever-changing landscape of cyberattacks NetSarang has incorporated various methods and measures to prevent our line of products from being compromised, infected, or utilized by cyberespionage groups. Regretfully, the Build release of our full line of products on July 18th, 2017 was unknowingly shipped with a backdoor which had the potential to be exploited by its creator.

The security of our customers and user base is our highest priority and ultimately, our responsibility. The fact that malicious groups and entities are utilizing commercial and legitimate software for illicit gain is an ever-growing concern and one that NetSarang, as well as others in the computer software industry, is taking very seriously.

NetSarang is committed to its users privacy and has incorporated a more robust system to ensure that never again will a compromised product be delivered to its users. NetSarang will continue to evaluate and improve our security not only to combat the efforts of cyber espionage groups around the world but also in order to regain the trust of its loyal user base.

All Kaspersky Lab products detect and protect against the ShadowPad malware as Backdoor.Win32.ShadowPad.a.

Kaspersky Lab advises users to update immediately to the latest version of the NetSarang software, from which the malicious module has been removed, and to check their systems for signs of DNS queries to unusual domains. A list of the command server domains used by the malicious module can be found in the Securelist blogpost, which also includes further technical information on the backdoor.




This Isnt Our Last Love Letter



Dear Don Don,

Way back in 92



I walked into the room and knew



Never felt this way before



I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes



And the feeling grew



As I took a seat I knew



A love that would have my heart



Forever



I knew



Way back in 92





They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true



We were the exception to that rule



Our love had no where to hide



A spark set fire



As if this is how the universe started





I never doubted our love or what we could do



Together we grew



Forming a bond everlasting



That became our glue



My euphoria was YOU



Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared



For how fortunate we were :



to have and to hold

through sickness and in health

Til death do us part



Until we are together again



This isnt our last love letter



I love you with all my heart and soul



Yours forever,



Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow)





Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus.









A True American Hero

I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.



I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.



I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.

But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us.

In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.



Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle.

I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.

I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life.

No one will ever do what he did.

I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO





David Jurist

IMUS IN THE MORNING

FIRST DAY BACK!
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Veteran entertainer Bruce Forsyth has passed away at the age of 89 leaving behind an illustrious career spanning more than 75 years.

The presenter of such classic game shows as The Generation Game and Play Your Cards Right was even making history as recently as 2013 when he became the oldest performer in the history of Glastonbury Festival.

At the age of 85, Forsyth arrived on the Avalon stage to the Strictly Come Dancing theme tune where he entertained around 2,500 festivalgoers who had turned up to see the legend in action.



Speaking after his hour-long set, the ever-humble Forsyth told Metro: You can only be as good as your audience - and they were incredible.

Im a bit shocked now because I didnt expect it to affect me so much, he added. It was so emotional at the end; I wanted to grab them and give them a big hug because they were so happy and so friendly.

Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures British entertainer and broadcaster Bruce Forsyth in 1950s Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth, getting ready in his dressing room, London, 1964 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Entertainer Bruce Forsyth with his three daughters and a toy duck in 1964 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Kathy Kirby rehearses for her guest appearance with British television personality Bruce Forsyth at the ABC Television Studios in Teddington, south-west London, 1966 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures English comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and entertainer Bruce Forsyth in santa outfits at a reception to welcome the stars of ITV television's Christmas season, London, 1970 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures British model Twiggy with entertainer Bruce Forsyth who won the Schweppes Award for Show Business in 1975 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Lee Trevino fooling around during a match with entertainer Bruce Forsyth on the Epsom golf course, 1980 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth, with singer and dancer Sammy Davis Jnr in 1980 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth does one of his famous poses in Sanya, China, 2003 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth poses with the award for Best Entertainment Show for Srictly Come Dancing at the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane in London, 2006 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth and Wilnelia Forsyth arrive for the British Academy Television Awards 2008 at The Palladium in London Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Sir Bruce Forsyth poses after he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London, 2011 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth sets off with the Olympic Torch from BBC White City on the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay AFP Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly attend the red carpet launch for 'Strictly Come Dancing' at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, 2013 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth and his wife Wilnelia Merced attend Royal Ascot 2015 Getty Images

The legendary entertainer said that his time at Worthy Farm was unlike anything else he'd ever experienced

I do my one-man show, but there was a difference between that and what happened today. That was more than good, it was over the top.

Concern had surrounded the British entertainer's health earlier this year after he was admitted to hospital following a severe chest infection. The entertainer was later deemed too unwell to attend the funerals of his close friends Ronnie Corbett and Terry Wogan.

BBC director general Sir Tony Hall praised Sir Bruce's talents, hailing him one of the greatest entertainers our country has ever known.
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Tributes are being paid to legendary entertainer Bruce Forsyth after he passed away age 89.

Ian Wildon, his manager, released a statement, reading: It is with great sadness that the Forsyth family announce that Sir Bruce passed away this afternoon, peacefully at his home surrounded by his wife Wilnelia and all his children.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend visited him and asked him what he had been doing these last 18 months. With a twinkle in his eye, he responded 'I've been very, very busy... being ill!'

Responding to the news on Twitter, Stephen Fry wrote that there was "only one Brucie" and quipped that it was "more than nice to see you, to see you more than nice", referring to his famous catchphrase.

British gymnast Louis Smith, who won the 2012 series of Strictly Come Dancing when Forsyth was still a host, said he had been a legend on TV when he was growing up.

Actor Samuel West remembered his first ever appearance on television:

His illustrious career began when he was just 14 and spanned more than 75 years. Considered a veteran of British television, he was at one time Britain's highest-paid TV star after hosting a string of popular game shows.

Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures British entertainer and broadcaster Bruce Forsyth in 1950s Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth, getting ready in his dressing room, London, 1964 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Entertainer Bruce Forsyth with his three daughters and a toy duck in 1964 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Kathy Kirby rehearses for her guest appearance with British television personality Bruce Forsyth at the ABC Television Studios in Teddington, south-west London, 1966 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures English comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and entertainer Bruce Forsyth in santa outfits at a reception to welcome the stars of ITV television's Christmas season, London, 1970 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures British model Twiggy with entertainer Bruce Forsyth who won the Schweppes Award for Show Business in 1975 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Lee Trevino fooling around during a match with entertainer Bruce Forsyth on the Epsom golf course, 1980 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth, with singer and dancer Sammy Davis Jnr in 1980 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth does one of his famous poses in Sanya, China, 2003 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth poses with the award for Best Entertainment Show for Srictly Come Dancing at the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane in London, 2006 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth and Wilnelia Forsyth arrive for the British Academy Television Awards 2008 at The Palladium in London Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Sir Bruce Forsyth poses after he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London, 2011 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth sets off with the Olympic Torch from BBC White City on the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay AFP Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly attend the red carpet launch for 'Strictly Come Dancing' at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, 2013 Getty Images Bruce Forsyth: life in pictures Bruce Forsyth and his wife Wilnelia Merced attend Royal Ascot 2015 Getty Images

He came to national attention hosting ITV series Sunday Night at the London Palladium, and would go onto host some of Britain's most beloved TV game shows, including The Generation Game and The Price Is Right.

From 2004 to 2013 he hosted Strictly Come Dancing with Tess Daly. In 2013 he also became the oldest person to perform at Glastonbury Festival, age 85.
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Paris Hilton has backpedalled on her controversial remarks about the women who accused Donald Trump of sexual assault after she was criticised on social media.

In an interview conducted last year and published in a feature on Hilton in Marie Claire, Hilton dismissed disparaging and sexual comments Mr Trump had made about her when she was 12-years-old as people saying things that they normally wouldnt say. She said that the comment wasnt creepy at all.

Journalist Irin Carmon also asked her about Mr Trumps now-infamous Access Hollywood conversation with Billy Bush, where he told the talk show host that he could grab [women] by the pussy because he was rich and famous.

 Donald Trump apologises for 'grab them by the p****' remarks, says Bill Clinton has done 'far worse'

Ive heard guys say some pretty crazy things, Hilton said in apparent defence of the now US President. Like, worse than that. So I think that when someone doesnt realise theyre being filmed or recorded, they say things. Especially with a guy.

However, it was her response to Ms Carmons question about the women who had accused Mr Trump of sexual harassment and assault that caused uproar on social media. Mr Trump has always denied any accusations of sexual assault made against him.

Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images

I think that they are just trying to get attention and fame, the former reality star said. I feel like, a lot of people, when something happens all these opportunities will come out. They want to get money or get paid to not say anything or get a settlement when nothing really happened. So I dont believe any of that.

Thousands of people on social media called her out over the remarks, while other publications ran articles accusing her of hypocrisy, as she has previously claimed that she is a feminist.

Attempting to backtrack, Hilton has since released a statement which said: I want to apologise for my comments from an interview I did last year. They were part of a much longer story and I am regretful that they were not delivered in the way I had intended. I was speaking about my own experiences of life and the role of media and fame in our society and it was never my intention for my comments to be misapplied almost a year later.

I always believe in helping women have their voices heard and helping create an environment where women feel empowered and believe in themselves. I am deeply hurt by how this has played out and also deeply sorry. Moving forward, I will continue to do what I can to be an advocate for girls and women with the hopes of providing a louder voice for those who may desperately need it.

Hilton previously claimed that she voted for Mr Trump in the presidential election. In the Marie Claire interview, however, she said that she had not voted at all.
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A woman is suing American Airlines after a flight attendant allegedly poured red wine on her wedding dress during a flight.

In August 2015, Yewande Oteh, who now lives in Boston, was flying from Philadelphia to Montego Bay in Jamaica for her wedding ceremony.

She claims an air steward called Melanie Masters egregiously destroyed her wedding dress during the flight and the airline failed to investigate properly. Oteh has now filed a $3.4m lawsuit against American Airlines.

American Airlines and its personnel robbed all of us of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, Otehs mother and attorney Yvette Sterling said.

The incident allegedly took place after Oteh, then 31, was told she couldnt hang up her wedding dress on the plane and had to put it in overhead storage in the First Class section.

According to the lawsuit, Masters became indignant and agitated while talking to Oteh, claiming she laughed when the passenger said she would file a complaint.

She was sitting in economy but tried to keep an eye on the dress  Oteh says she saw Masters and another flight attendant open the storage bin at one point during the flight.

It was her belief that the flight attendants were placing something in the bin and making fun of [Oteh] and her wedding gown, the lawsuit says.

When they landed in Jamaica, Oteh realised her wedding dress was stained with red wine  she was devastated.

Oteh, a recent law school graduate, says she suffered severe diarrhoea, dehydration and depressive symptoms after the flight.

She is seeking damages of more than $75,000 (58,200) each for herself and four family members on the flight for the sustained and continued emotional and physical distress.

The lawsuit claims that Masters willful and wanton conduct has caused a lifetime of damage.

Masters, however, says Otehs description of the event is false: It really didn't go like that at all.

American Airlines have released a statement, saying they are reviewing the lawsuit.
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In an email to Apple employees late Wednesday, CEO Tim Cook denounced the deadly violence in

last weekend, criticised President Trump's response and pledged to donate $2 million to organisations battling hate groups.

"What occurred in Charlottesville has no place in our country," the email said, according to BuzzFeed, which obtained a copy. "Hate is a cancer, and left unchecked it destroys everything in its path. Its scars last generations. History has taught us this time and time again, both in the United States and countries around the world."

Cook joins a long list of prominent business leaders critical of Trump's response to the throng of white nationalists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan and white supremacy groups that stormed into Charlottesville to protest the planned removal of a Confederate statue. In the chaos, one woman was killed and several injured when a car, allegedly driven by a rally attendee, sped into a crowd of counterprotesters.

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.

The president has said "many sides" were to blame for the violence. So many prominent business leaders took issue with Trump's position that he was forced to shut down his major business advisory councils after several people resigned.

"We must not witness or permit such hate and bigotry in our country, and we must be unequivocal about it," Cook said in the email. "I disagree with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists and Nazis, and those who oppose them by standing up for human rights. Equating the two runs counter to our ideals as Americans."

He said this position was not a matter of politics, but about "human decency and morality."

In light of Charlottesville, Cook said Apple will donate $1 million each to the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center - organizations that track hate groups. The company will also match "two-for-one" employee donations to these and other human rights groups through the end of September, the email said.

"In an email to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook announces that the company is donating $1 million each to the ADL and SPLC.

Yashar Ali (@yashar) August 17, 2017"

"We've seen the terror of white supremacy & racist violence before. It's a moral issue - an affront to America. We must all stand against it

Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 14, 2017"

"Heartbreaking scenes in #Charlottesville. Violence and racism have no place in America.

Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 12, 2017"

c) 2017, The Washington Post 
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A couple have spoken out about the importance of a mothers intuition after they woke to find their eight-week old baby dead from sepsis just hours after being sent home from hospital.

Upon noticing that their daughter, Felicity, had a temperature, wasnt feeding and becoming more and more difficult to rouse, Emma and Lee George quickly rushed their baby to a hospital urgent care centre.

But, when they arrived Mrs George says the patronising doctors simply took her temperature before sending them home, adding, You look like a sensible mother, if she gets any worse bring her back tomorrow.

Within a matter of hours, the couple work to find that their daughter had stopped breathing. Despite calling an ambulance, which took her to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, Felicity passed away.

Felicity's parents are sharing their heartbreaking story so no other parents go through the same ordeal (Just Giving)

A post-mortem examination revealed the infant had died of sepsis, caused by pneumonia.

A mothers intuition is key  the doctor is not always right. People need to trust their instincts, Mrs George told the Daily Mail.

I knew there was something wrong with Fliss but the doctor was horrible. He looked at her and took her temperature but did no other checks.

I have never felt so lost and broken in my life.

Despite calling an ambulance, which took her to Russells Hall Hospital, sadly Felicity passed away

The couple, who believe that their daughter could have been saved if more thorough checks were carried out, have decided to share their heartbreaking story so that no other parents go through the same ordeal and have lodged a complaint with Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

With the hopes of making Felicity a proud big sister Mr and Mrs George hope to try for another baby but following a vasectomy Mr George had when his wife was five-months pregnant, this might not be possible.

Despite applying to have the vasectomy reversed, the NHS has declined their claim so they have now started a Just Giving page to raise the 3,500 needed for the operation.

 National Sepsis Awareness campaign

An illness that affects 150,000 people in the UK, the NHS suggest you go straight to A&E or call 99 if your child under the age of five has any of the following symptoms; bluish or pale skin, difficult to wake, feels abnormally cold to touch, is breathing very fast, has a rash that doesnt fade when pressed, has a fit.

Other signs include a temperature over 38c in babies under three months, over 39c in babies aged three to six months, no interest in feeding, not had a wet nappy for 12 hours, a stiff neck and weak, continuous crying.

A spokesman Dudley Clinical Commissioning Trust offered condolences to Mrs George and her family, and said that as the complaints raised are being investigated it would not be appropriate to comment further.
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Spanish police say they have shot dead five suspected terrorists attempting to carry out a second attack in a seaside resort an hour away from Barcelona, where at least 13 people were killed and more than 100 injured by a van ploughing into crowds on Barcelonas historic Las Ramblas.

Detectives say they believe the Barcelona attack and the later incident in Cambrils are linked. Six members of the public and a police officer were injured in the attack when the suspects ran them over in a car, before police shot them dead and carried out controlled explosions. Detectives are connecting the attacks to a house explosion down the coast on Wednesday, where people are thought to have been preparing bombs.

Police continue working to piece together the events that led to the Barcelona tragedy, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy saying it was a "jihadist attack". A manhunt goes on for those involved after the driver fled the scene on foot.

Two suspects were said to be in custody in connection to the attack last night, a Spanish national from the enclave of Melilla which borders Morocco, and a Moroccan. Neither were believed to be the driver of the van. Another man was shot dead by police having run over two police officers at a checkpoint around six miles away in the wake of the van attack, although authorities later revealed that the incidents were not connected.

And a third man was arrested on Friday morning in the Catalan town of Ripoll in relation to the Barcelona attack, according to Catalan radio.

Isis was quick to claim responsibility, which follows a number of vehicle-based atrocities over the last year. The jihadi group has repeatedly called for such attacks on European targets, although it is currently unclear whether those behind the attack had any direct connection to Isis.

The head of Catalonias interior department, Joaquin Form, said that the incident was clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible as he announced three days of mourning. Belgium was first to say that one of its nationals was one among the dead.

The van was said to have been driven down the pedestrian walkway from the top of Las Ramblas to near the citys opera house. Witnesses on the scene told of hearing a loud bang followed by hordes of people screaming as the attack took place.

Emma Waterhouse, 24, who was with her family at the time of the attack, told The Independent: We heard screeching noises and then screaming. Everyone started running in different directions and me, my mum and sister jumped on to the pavement behind a pillar as the van sped down the street.

My dad ran across the road to join us as he had gone in the other direction and said there were lots of bodies. He saw people being hit.

The van ploughed into the seating outside restaurants and people were struggling to run away because of the chairs, she added. Everyone was running to the sides of the street and then either into shops or down the side streets... We are in shock. I honestly thought the van was going to hit us.

 13 dead and more than 100 injured as van driver brings terror to Barcelona

Mr Form warned that the death toll was likely to increase thanks to the nature of some of the injuries, although the humanity of people in the city was also on display with long queues forming to give blood to help the victims.

Ethan Spibey, 25, told The Independent there was a stampede as tourists and locals sprinted away from the scene of the attack.

He said: I was with my boyfriend just about to cross Las Ramblas and all of a sudden there was an immediate stampede and police shouting at people to run. There was a stampede in the streets alongside Las Ramblas as everyone tried to run away. People were running into shops and taking refuge in cafes. There was a lot of screaming.

People just turned and sprinted in the opposite direction as the police were screaming at people to run away. They were telling people to get away as soon as possible. It was very scary.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

By Thursday evening, the usual bustle of the city centre streets was gone, as tourists and locals stayed away from Plaza Catalunya and Las Ramblas. Police blocked off all entrances to the area where the attack took place, causing the odd moment of tension between officers and people trying to get through.

For Gods sake, there has been a terrorist attack here, shouted one at a citizen who was refusing to turn back, but mostly the mood was quiet, as people tried to take stock of what had happened.

Mr Spibey said he had taken refuge in a church and was locked in as police dealt with the scene. My boyfriend and I have come into a church with about 80 people, tourists and Spaniards, he said. Shoppers in the Corte Ingles department store were forced to stay in the shop for two hours after the attack while the shutters came down in many other outlets surrounding La Rambla, the main thoroughfare in the district.

Robert Yelito, a US citizen but resident in Madrid, was trapped in one with his husband, where they were forced to stay for an hour until the police let them out.

It is not clear how many were involved directly in the attack, although the two arrests came in two separate towns in the region of Catalonia, Ripoli and Alcanar  the latter was the location for the explosion in a house on Wednesday that police said appeared to be linked to the van attack. That explosion killed one person and injured another.

Police also released the image of a man named as Driss Oukabir, whose documents were allegedly used to rent the van involved in the attack.

But local reports later suggested that a man had walked into a a police station in Ripoli, a small town around 90 miles north of Barcelona, identifying himself as Mr Oukabir.

He was said to have told officers that that his 18-year-old brother Moussa, who lives in Barcelona, had stolen his documents. The elder brother is thought to have been arrested in connection with the atrocity.

Following the van attack leaders from Spain lined up to condemn it  with the tragedy striking at the height of tourist season. It was the deadliest attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.

 World reacts: Barcelona terror attack

Taking to Twitter, the Spanish royal household said: They are murderers, nothing more than criminals who are not going to terrorise us. All of Spain is Barcelona. Las Ramblas will go back to being everyones.

Leaders from around the world also sent messages of support. Prime Minister Theresa May said that the the UK stands with Spain against terror, while French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: All my thoughts and solidarity from France for the victims of the tragic attack in Barcelona. We will remain united and determined.

Donald Trump said that the US will do whatever is necessary to help, tweeting: Be tough and strong, we love you!

For now the investigation goes on. Catalonias regional president, Carles Puigdemont, told Barcelona broadcaster TV3: Our priority is to save lives. And our second priority is the police investigation, to find the people responsible of this attack and anyone who has helped them directly or indirectly.
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Whisky, salmon and beer helped UK exporters see record growth in the first half of the year, according to figures released on Friday.

Salmon exports surged up by 53 per cent  pushing its total export valuation at 408m.

Whiskey topped the UK exports, changing in value by over 3 per cent, the Federation of Food and Drink said.

Recommended UK exporter confidence dents over skilled worker concerns

Chocolate, cheese, wine and pork are among other the UKs more successful exports across the first six months of 2017.

A weak pound helped to boost UK competitiveness abroad, but the FDF said the currency weakness led to a rise in the cost of imported ingredients and raw materials.

Ireland, France and the US are the UKs top destinations for food and drink exporters.

Sales to Spain and Japan slumped due to a drop in commodities such as wheat and barley.

Overall, the UK exported more food and drink to EU countries than to countries outside the EU, suggesting the bloc has helped UK food and drink businesses.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

The report said the food and drink industrys ambition is to grow exports of food and non-alcoholic drinks by a third, reaching 6bn by 2020

Ian Wright, director of the FDF, said: The EU remains an essential market for UK exports as well as for supplies of key ingredients and raw materials used by our industry. We believe there are significant opportunities to grow our sector's exports further still.

He added: The continuing weakness of sterling is a concern.

Food Minister George Eustice said the figures were encouraging and cited further market access in China for UK meat producers as a region of opportunity.
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The number of NHS patients being treated in mixed sex wards rocketed in the last year, new figures reveal  despite ministers promises to eliminate the practice.

Statistics from NHS England show hospitals breached rules on mixed sex wards 908 times in July 2017  more than twice as many as the 408 recorded in the same month last year.

A total of 9,004 patients were placed in mixed sex wards in the last year  55 per cent more than in the previous 12 months.

The July figures mark the second highest number of breaches since January 2011 and more than a fivefold increase in the last three years.

It comes despite ministers having consistently promised to end the use of mixed sex wards in the NHS, which many patients find humiliating and inappropriate.

In 2013 Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, claimed mixed sex wards were virtually gone. Two years later, David Cameron claimed he had delivered on his promise to sort our mixed sex wards.

The 2015 Conservative manifesto promised: We will ensure that English hospitals and GP surgeries are the safest in the world, places where you are treated with dignity and respect. We will continue to eliminate mixed-sex wards.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

Despite the number of patients being placed on mixed sex wards having soared in recent years, the 2017 Conservative manifesto contained no mention of plans to improve gender segregation in hospitals.

Labour said the new statistics highlighted an unprecedented failure by the Government.

Justin Madders, the partys Shadow Health Minister, said: Theresa Mays first year as Prime Minister has been characterised by a collapse in patient standards, with hospitals bursting at the seams and wards overstretched.

This unprecedented failure on mixed sex wards has left thousands more patients humiliated and lacking the basic dignity and respect they expect when being treated in hospital.

 Jeremy Corbyn blasts Theresa May's NHS record

Shockingly, the Prime Minister even abandoned her partys 2015 manifesto commitment to eliminate mixed sex accommodation breaches. Unlike the Tories, Labour will end the unacceptable practice of mixed sex wards and ensure our health service receives the funding it urgently needs.

Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrats Shadow Health spokesman, said:

Under Theresa Mays watch, weve seen a scandalous rise in the number of patients being forced to stay in mixed-sex wards.

Men and women shouldnt have to share hospital wards, its an affront to basic human dignity.

The Conservatives once pledged to end mixed-sex wards, now it seems theyve given up. The Government must recommit to closing mixed-sex wards instead of turning a blind eye.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: All patients deserve to be treated with dignity and respect while in the care of the NHS and men and women shouldnt be forced to share hospital accommodation.

Whilst this month has seen slight increases, since 2010 mixed-sex accommodation breaches are down from almost 12,000 a month to less than 1,000 in July this year.
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Norway can become the worlds first fully electric-powered country with a concerted push for sustainability, according to an energy think tank.

Energi Norge, a industry advisory body, set out its green energy programme and said it was possible for the country to operate entirely using clean electricity by 2050.

Hydro power is currently the source of over 96 per cent of Norways electricity and there are more than 110,000 electric cars in use in the country.

Ministers recently declared that no vehicles powered by fossil fuels will be sold in Norway after 2025. A full conversion to electric cars would require considerable effort within the transport industry, Energi Norge said.

Oluf Ulseth, director of the organisation, said greater sustainability had huge potential to assuage the dual problems of climate change and oil industry job losses faced by Norway.

The existing system gives us a unique opportunity to convert other sectors to electricity and thereby reduce emissions, Mr Ulseth told NTB.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

Our target is for Norway, based on hydro power and better collaboration between businesses and the authorities, to become the worlds first fully electric society by 2050. That will enable us to take a leading role in climate work while improving our competitiveness.

Mr Ulseth noted that conversion to electricity would create new jobs and technologies and over 100 companies are already signed up to the programme. We hope that capital production in the sustainable energy industry can be doubled by 2050, he said.

Energi Norge has published a 24-point plan for the switch to electricity, including providing free charging for electric cars across the country and tax exemptions for drivers.
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Forest rangers are on high alert amid fears that the eclipse could encourage wildfires to spread across the US.

Tourists are flocking to western states like Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming, ready for the sky to go dark as the moon moves in front of the sun. But they will bring unprecedented challenges with them: with blocked roads and strained resources adding to already significant worries.

The region is already carpeted by dry wood that experts worry could light anyway. But the extra worries added by unattended campfires, discarded cigarettes, hot tailpipes and all the other danger that new campers bring.

Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world Show all 26 1 /26 Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520461.bin PA Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520442.bin GETTY IMAGES Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520443.bin GETTY IMAGES Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520444.bin GETTY IMAGES Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520462.bin PA Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520481.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520482.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520483.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520485.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520486.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520484.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520488.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520489.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520487.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520490.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 520491.bin Getty Images/ NASA Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519942.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519941.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519943.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519944.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519946.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519947.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519948.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519949.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519950.bin Getty Images Lunar eclipse delight for sky watchers around the world 519951.bin Getty Images

"It's all hands on deck," said U.S. Forest Service ranger Kurt Nelson, who works in the Sawtooth National Forest near the affluent resort of Sun Valley in central Idaho.

The eclipse will arrive on the west coast of the US on 21 August, going on to spread across the country. It will be the first time such an event has been visible at all in the lower 48 states since 1979  and the first in 99 years that will sweep across the whole country.

Recommended Man who damaged his eyes 55 years ago issues warning ahead of eclipse

The excitement is leading to what is expected to be the biggest movement of people for tourism reasons in history. People are travelling to the US to take in the sight, and even those who live in the country are driving thousands of miles to make sure they see the total eclipse.

Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming are the first three states traversed by the narrow 2,500-mile "path of totality," mostly through rural areas unaccustomed to heavy traffic.

Roads through Idaho's Sawtooth, for example, are likely to see bumper-to-bumper traffic in the days before and during the eclipse, Nelson said.

That has prompted a regional hospital to park a life-flight helicopter nearby in case of a medical emergency. Extra firefighting crews are also on standby.

Months of bone-dry heat have already brought restrictions on campfires and smoking in many Western forests. But authorities see the fire risks ratcheting up with the influx of travelers, few of whom may understand the dangers.

A wildfire in Oregon's Willamette National Forest prompted the closure this month of access to Mount Jefferson, the state's second-highest peak and a would-be destination for those hoping to see the total eclipse, said Kirk Copic, visitor services information assistant for the forest.

On Thursday, a separate blaze 30 miles south near the town of Sisters, Oregon, also in the path of totality, prompted Governor Kate Brown to invoke the state's Emergency Conflagration Act, freeing up additional firefighting resources. She cited the need "to keep community, visitors and property safe" in the run-up to the eclipse.

In Idaho, state police spokesman Tim Marsano warned that first responders there may not be able to help travelers as quickly as in a normal situation, adding, "The 911 system is going to be pushed to its limit."

 Nasa jets will chase the total solar eclipse across the US

In the Sawtooth alone, forest rangers expect as many as 30,000 people to inundate an area around the small town of Stanley, home to just 68 year-round residents.

Nelson said the grass has been mowed down in eight eclipse-viewing areas set up for the public, to ensure fire-safe temporary roadside parking.

Smoke from wildfires already burning in Idaho, Oregon, Montana and elsewhere could impair eclipse-viewing for some, but forecasters say smoke conditions, driven largely by wind speeds and direction, will remain uncertain until a day or two before.

The sun will be so high in the sky that smoke should be of little consequence, unless it's extremely thick, said Michael Zeiler, an avowed "eclipse-chaser" who made a 650-mile (1,000- km) drive, to Casper, Wyoming from his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in hopes of witnessing his ninth total solar eclipse.

"This will be the most amazing event you have seen in your life," said Zeiler, a member of an American Astronomical Society panel for public guidance.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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US allies and several other countries may think Russian President Vladimir Putin is a threat, but they trust him more than Donald Trump.

Although confidence in Putins handling of foreign affairs is generally low, in many countries he is more trusted than American President Donald Trump, the Pew Center wrote about its new poll that asked which leader they felt would "do the the right thing".

A range of 852 to 2,464 interviews of adults were conducted in 37 countries as part of the centre's Spring 2017 Global Attitudes Survey from February to April 2017.

"About a third of the nations surveyed see Russia as a major threat to their country, similar to the level of concern caused by China and the US," Bloomberg reported.

Additionally, 60 per cent of the people surveyed, including those in the US, said they had "a lack of confidence" in the Russian leader regarding world affairs.

In the US and Canada almost three times more people "disliked" Mr Putin versus those that find him favourable.

However, in June Pew released a statistic about Mr Trump from the same poll which found only 22 per cent of interviewees trusted the US leader to do the right thing when it came to foreign affairs.

Greece and Germany produced the largest disparity of trust between the two leaders. They trusted Mr Putin by 31 and 14 points more than Mr Trump, respectively.

In Germany particularly, Mr Trump only garnered an 11 per cent vote of confidence. This is likely driven by his tense relationship with Chancellor Angela Merkel over the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, trade, and climate change.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

Ms Merkel and several European leaders vehemently opposed Mr Trump's lack of endorsement of Article 5 of Nato - which states that when one member of the military alliance is attacked it is as if all are attacked. It was invoked in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

They also expressed disapproval of Mr Trump withdrawing the US from the global Paris Agreement on climate change, an accord nearly 200 countries signed in order to lower greenhouse gas emissions and address an already-changing planet for poorer countries.

In South Korea, 27 per cent of those polled had trust in Mr Putin and Mr Trump garnered 17 per cent.

Mr Trump fiery rhetoric regarding North Korea's nuclear missile tests and technological advancement may have lowered that number as South Korean President Moon Jae-in had campaigned on a "sunshine policy" with Pyongyang, preferring to address the ongoing tensions with economic and trade policies rather than military options.

"Elsewhere, confidence in [Mr] Putin outpaced that of Trump by 31 points in Lebanon, 21 points in Vietnam and 14 points in Mexico," according to the Associated Press.

Mr Trump did have a large lead over Mr Putin of 29 points in Israel. However, the survey was conducted before the recent violence erupted at a Charlottesville, Virginia protest involving neo-Nazis and other white supremacist groups.

The US leader did not initially condemn the groups, though he did later. However, he insisted in several subsequent statements that there were some "innocent" protesters who wanted to keep the "culture" and "history" of the American South alive by preserving a statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E Lee.

The Confederacy fought to preserve slavery in the south and lost in what became America's bloodiest war. Israel has since condemned Mr Trump's comments.

Mr Trump also edged out Mr Putin - by small margins - in Australia, Canada, Poland, the Netherlands, and the UK. All together he outscored Mr Putin in 13 countries out of 37.
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Jeremy Corbyn has written to Theresa May to demand the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire is widened to cover social issues linked to the disaster.

The Labour leader said he was deeply concerned that the inquiry, led by Sir Martin Moore-Bick, will not consider issues such as social housing, austerity and deprivation linked to the fire, which left at least 80 people dead.

The terms of reference of Mr Moore-Bicks investigation were announced earlier in the week after Ms May accepted the retired judges recommendations on what it should cover.

While the inquiry will focus on the immediate causes of the Grenfell fire and the broader regulations relating to high-rise buildings, wider issues about housing and poverty will not be included in its remit.

In his letter, Mr Corbyn suggested the nature of the inquiry is a sign that Ms Mays priority is to avoid criticism of your partys policy failures rather than secure justice for Grenfell survivors.

He said: I am deeply concerned by the decision to exclude the broader social and political issues raised by the fire from the terms of reference of the inquiry. The fire has raised profound concerns about the way that social housing is provided and managed in this country, and I  as well as many survivors  worry that, without a wider focus, the inquiry will fail to get fully to grips with the causes of the fire.

The fear is that the priority is to avoid criticism of your partys policy failures rather than secure justice for Grenfell survivors, along with the safety of the many other people who live in social housing in this country.

In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Show all 51 1 /51 In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police have released images from inside the tower where at least 58 people have died Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by polices what appears to be a stationary bicycle sitting among the ashes In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by police shows the remnants of a burnt-out bathroom In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Picture showing the lifts on an unknown floor Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency crews outside the front entrance to the tower Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Fire crews inspecting flats in the burnt out tower London Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Grenfell Tower is seen in the distance PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A drone flies near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire 'Theresa May Stay Away' message written on the messages of support at Latymer Community Church for those affected by the fire Ray Tang/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire An aerial view of the area surrounding Grenfall tower Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Donated shoes sit in the Westway Sports Centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of support for those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower are displayed on a well near the tower in London AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A local resident stands on her balcony by the gutted Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of condolence are left at a relief centre close to the scene of the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower, EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A police officer stands by a security cordon outside Latimer Road station Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firemen examine the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London on a huge ladder AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A search dog is led through the rubble of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comforts a local resident (name not given) at St Clement's Church in west London where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hugs councillor Mushtaq Lasharie as he arrives at St Clement's Church in Latimer Road, where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meeting staff and volunteers at St Clementis Church in Latimer Road David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firefighters with a dog walk around the base of the Grenfell Tower REUTERS/Peter Nicholls In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Debris hangs from the blackened exterior of Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman speaks to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman holds a missing person posters near the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Sadiq Khan speaking with a resident James Gourley/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Ken Livingstone walks near the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is confronted by Kai Ramos, 7, near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to a woman outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers distribute aid near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People gather to observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People light candles as they observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man distributes food from the back of a van near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A firefighter is cheered near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A T-shirt with a written message from the London Fire Brigade hangs from a fence near The Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A young girl on her way to lay flowers near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire The remains of residential tower block Grenfell Tower are seen from Dixon House a nearby tower block Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers prepare supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block which was destroyed in a fire REUTERS/Neil Hall In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers move a car to make space for a lorry picking up supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People distribute boxes of food near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower bloc REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman touches a missing poster for 12-year-old Jessica Urbano on a tribute wall after laying flowers on the side of Latymer Community Church next to the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man looks at messages written on a wall near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Candles and messages of condolence near where the fire broke out at Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry a stretcher towards Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency services at Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry out a body from Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Rick Findler/PA Wire

Mr Corbyn asked the Prime Minister to immediately set out a clear, independent and thorough process for identifying and addressing the broader failings that led to the Grenfell fire.

This should cover social housing policy and the relationship between residents and Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council, as well as its tenant management organisation, he said.

The Labour leader said he was troubled that the Government has only promised Grenfell survivors a 12-month immigration amnesty.

Amid concerns that some survivors are wary of speaking to authorities because of their immigration status, Mr Moore-Bick asked ministers to confirm that anyone living in the country illegally would not be deported. However, the Government has refused to extend the 12-month amnesty.

Mr Corbyn said: I therefore urge you to grant indefinite right to remain in the UK to all survivors who need it, on a discretionary basis. Failure to do so will impede their ability to contribute to the inquiry and may undermine the inquiry itself.
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Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham face being left off the speaker list at Labours annual conference next month in order to give Labours expanded membership a greater role.

The conference  the partys first since Jeremy Corbyn defied pundits at the general election and increased the number of Labour seats  is expected to be stripped-back from the usual affair, with less time for speakers on the platform.

But the drive to bolster the involvement of members at the conference on Brightons seafront could see Mr Khan, the Mayor of London, and Mr Burnham, who was earlier this year elected as the new Mayor of Manchester, given reduced roles at the event.

A Labour source told The Independent that while arrangements for the conference have not yet been finalised there is a strong enthusiasm for opening it up to more of our members, who played such a vital role in the general election campaign.

This would mean more time for debate for members, which could reduce speaking time from the platform, the source added.

A report in the Huffington Post also claimed the party is drawing up plans for just five keynote speakers at the partys conference in Brighton next month, including senior allies, John McDonnell, Emily Thornberry, Diane Abbott and Keir Starmer.

But a source close to the London Mayor said it would be extraordinary if Mr Khan did not address the conference after the year London has had, with the Grenfell fire and three terror attacks, as well as critical local council elections next year.

The omission of the city mayors from the conferences keynote speakers will undoubtedly be viewed by some as revenge for swipes at the Labour leadership before the general election result.

Andy Burnham was elected as the Mayor of Manchester earlier this year (Getty)

Last year, Mr Khan wrote an article during the tumultuous summer for the party, under the headline: We cannot win with Corbynso I will vote for Owen Smith. In his opinion piece Mr Khan said that while the Labour leader is a principled man he had decided to back Mr Smith because the British people need Labour to win the general election.

He continued: By every measure, if Jeremy remains as leader, Labour is extremely unlikely to win the next general election. The hopes of the members who have joined our party would be dashed again.

And Mr Burnham, who was elected as the Mayor of Manchester earlier this year, was forced to deny snubbing the leadership when he failed to accompany Mr Corbyn to celebrate his victory in Manchester.

Party figures are expecting one of the biggest turnouts in 30 years at the conference next month, with about 1,200 people expected to attend.
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Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith has been accused of using terrorism for scoring political points by sharing a post attempting to link a Barcelona attacker with the left-wing campaign group Momentum.

Less than 24 hours after 14 people were killed in the popular Spanish city by terrorists, Mr Goldsmiths brother, Ben, commented on a post which suggested one of the men involved in the attack had shared an anti-Semitic video, alleging a global Jewish conspiracy to take over the world.

Responding to the post on Twitter, Ben Goldsmith asked: Maybe he got it from Labours Momentum movement? They make for weird bedfellows, Islamism and hard-leftism, but theyre joined at the hip.

The Richmond MP, Mr Goldsmith, then shared his brothers provocative remarks.

A spokesperson for Momentum  the group set up to support Jeremy Corbyns leadership  told The Independent: It is outrageous and deeply shameful that a sitting member of Parliament would use this tragic attack to spread lies and score political points.

On behalf of Momentum, I offer our solidarity and condolences to all of those affected, and urge Zac Goldsmith to retract his comments, apologise and show some respect for those who have died in this tragic attack, added Emma Rees, the groups national coordinator.

Mr Goldsmith retweeted his brother, Ben, on his social media account

Responding to the post, Guardian journalist Owen Jones added: Its not just sick to use terrorism for political gain, its defamatory.

Zac Goldsmith using the Barcelona terrorist atrocity which killed at least 13 people to attack Momentum. The absolute state of that man, he added.

It comes after Theresa May said she was sickened by the senseless loss of life on Las Ramblas  the popular tourist strip  after terrorists mounted the pavement in a van.

The Prime Minister added: The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in the appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support.

Following the attacks in Manchester and London, Spain stood alongside the British people. Tonight, Britain stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism.

The Foreign Office has since said it was helping a small number of British nationals caught up in the attack.

A spokeswoman added: Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible attacks and the people of Spain. We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help. We have deployed additional staff to Barcelona and have offered support to the Spanish authorities.

Mr Goldsmiths office did not respond to a request for comment when asked by The Independent.
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Air France has cancelled its Paris-Bamako flight after gunmen attacked a hotel in the Mali capital.

The airline's spokesman Ulli Gendrot said the "3852 flight has been cancelled." It was due later on Friday.

In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Show all 20 1 /20 In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack People run to flee from the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, Mali. The company that runs the Radisson Blu Hotel in Mali's capital says assailants have taken hostages in a brazen assault involving grenades AP In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Security force personnel escort people fleeing from the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Malian troops take position near the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Security personnel, right, attend close to the scene of an attack on a hotel in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Malian troops take position outside the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Malian security forces evacuate two women from an area surrounding the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Security forces drive an armored vehicle near the Radisson hotel in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Security forces, center left, escorts a man, center right, from the Radisson Blu hotel entrance area were gunmen attacked in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Onlookers gather near the Radisson Blu hotel after gunmen stormed the building in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Malian security forces take position near the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Malian troops take position outside the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako In pictures: Mali Radisson hotel attack Malian troops take position outside the Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako

The attackers seized about 170 hostages on Friday morning at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

A Malian military official has said at least three people are confirmed dead in the attack and that more than 100 hostages are believed to be held.

 Cell phone video filmed by Chinese tourist taken hostage in Mali

The Radisson Blu hotel, to the west of the centre of the city, is believed to have been 90 per cent full when the two gunmen stormed the building.

A security source told AFP the attack was unfolding on the seventh floor, jihadists are firing in the corridor. Additional reports from local media indicated an explosion may have been heard, with district residents reporting hearing on-going gunfire.

Recommended Read more Witnesses describe moment masked gunmen storm hotel in Mali

Malian army commander Modibo Nama Traore told the Associated Press news agency as many as 10 gunmen were involved in the assault.

Mr Traore also claimed the men shouted Allah Akbar before they fired on the guards and took hostages.

A hotel spokesperson confirmed they were aware of the hostage situation, and that they believed 140 guests had been locked inside with around 30 members of staff.
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A leading conservationist who battled elephant poachers in East Africa has been shot dead in Tanzania.

Wayne Lotter, 51, was described as a hero to many by Dr Jane Goodall, who said he and colleagues at the PAMS Foundation had worked tirelessly to fight both poachers and corruption.

Mr Lotter helped fund Tanzanias National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit, which in 2015 arrested a Chinese woman, Yang Feng Glan, alleged to be the Queen of Ivory and accused of running a $2.6m ivory smuggling ring.

The PAMS Foundation, which he set up with two other experts, Krissie Clark and Ally Namangaya, said it was heartbroken to report that the South African had been killed in the Masa-ki area of Dar es Salaam on Wednesday night.

His ground-breaking work in developing an intelligence-based approach to anti-poaching helped successfully reverse the rampant rates of poaching facing Tanzania, the group wrote in a post on its website.

In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Traditional Maasai tribesmen pose for a photograph near elephant tusks, part of an estimated 105 tonnes of confiscated ivory to be set ablaze, stacked onto a pyre at Nairobi National Park near Nairobi, Kenya, April 28, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history A Kenya Wildlife Services ranger guards the burning of an estimated 105 tonnes of Elephant tusks confiscated ivory from smugglers and poachers at the Nairobi National Park near Nairobi, Kenya, April 30, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters

Waynes charm, brilliance and eccentric sense of humour gave him the unique ability to make those around him constantly laugh and smile.

He died bravely fighting for the cause he was most passionate about.

Dr Goodall, a leading expert on chimpanzees who has worked in Tanzania since the 1960s, wrote that Mr Lotter was "a hero of mine, a hero to many, someone who devoted his life to protecting Africas wildlife.

There is no doubt in my mind but that Waynes anti-poaching efforts made a big difference in the fight to save Tanzania's elephants from the illegal ivory trade, she said.

Moreover his courage in the face of stiff opposition and personal threats, and his determination to keep on fighting, has inspired many, and encouraged them also to keep fighting for wildlife.

If this cowardly shooting was an attempt to bring the work of the PAMS Foundation to an end it will fail.

Those who have been inspired by Wayne will fight on. But he will be sadly missed by so many.

She said powerful vest interests had attempted to blacken Waynes name and close down the PAMS Foundation.

I was asked to bring the issue to the attention of people who could help him fight this, including the American Embassy. Fortunately his good name and that of PAMS was salvaged, Dr Goodall said.

WildAid, which works to persuade people not to buy wildlife products such as elephant ivory, rhino horn and shark fin, said Mr Lotter was a fearless and vocal advocate for wildlife and wild places.

Despite the obstacles that he faced, and there were many, Wayne was always planning the next step, looking for ways to extend PAMS reach and, to his dismay, spending precious time seeking funds to do it with. Many people and organizations were only too glad to give him those funds, it said.

The tide was starting to turn in Tanzania, elephant poaching had decreased in a number of areas, and this was in no small measure because of PAMS and the extraordinary partnership that it forged with the National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit (NTSCIU).

The world of conservation has lost one of its brightest and best.

Mr Lotter is survived by his wife Inge, daughters Cara Jayne and Tamsin, and parents Vera and Charles Lotter.

Tanzanian police have launched an investigation into his death.


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A school teacher accused of repeatedly punching what she described as Nazi scum during a protest has defended her actions  saying that standing up to white nationalists is not a crime.

Yvette Felarca was among some 300 protesters who turned out for an anti-fascist demonstration on the steps of the capitol building in Sacramento, California.

But the peaceful gathering turned violent when a lone extremist approached the protesters, goading them into a confrontation by waving a neo-Nazi flag, a video of the incident appears to show.

Recommended Nazi website that helped organised Charlottesville revived on dark web

One activist charged at the man and tried to grab his flag, while another sprayed a substance in his face before the white nationalist started swinging his flagpole at the activists.

He later retreated before a woman believed to be Ms Felarca confronts him, shouting get the f**k off our streets before appearing to throw several punches. Ms Felarca's lawyer has told local media the video does not show the full story of what happened.

The stand-off caused a clash between the Traditionalist Worker Party, a white nationalist group described as a front for neo-Nazi sympathisers, and the activists.

The violence left 14 people suffering stab wounds and cuts and bruises. Two of the injured survived critical stab wounds.

Ms Felarca, 47, was this week levelled with charges including a felony assault and force likely to inflict great bodily injury and two misdemeanour counts of inciting and taking part in a riot.

In an earlier hearing last month in a Sacramento court, she called for the charges against her to be dropped.

Ms Felarca said: Standing up against fascism and the rise of Nazism and fascism in this country is not a crime. We have the right to defend ourselves.

After the clash last year, she had told reporters that the goal of the left-wing demonstration was to shut down the Nazi scum.

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. 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They are organising to attack and kill us," she said. "So we have a right to self-defence. That is why we have to shut them down by any means necessary.

Police arrested Ms Felarca over the riot in Sacramento following an eight month investigation, after viewing the video footage that surfaced of her stand-off with the white nationalist protestor.

Her lawyer Shanta Driver suggested police in Sacramento on the day of the trouble were too slow to act when violence broke out.

She said: I think anyone has the right to self-defence. I think whats shown in that video is partial and incomplete, according to a report on KPIX 5.

Ms Felarca is a member of activist group By Any Means Necessary and has been involved in other high-profile demonstrations, including Black Lives Matters protests, in California in the past.

She is due to stand trial in a Sacramento court in early October.
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The number of asylum seekers illegally crossing the US border into Canada has tripled amid an influx of Haitians.

Apprehensions of asylum-seekers by authorities soared from 884 in June to 3,135 in July, according to government data.

Most of those contacts occurred in Quebec, where the Canadian military has constructed a camp to accommodate the volume of mostly Haitian refugees making the crossing.

In contrast to America, where Donald Trump has followed through on campaign vows to tighten immigration laws by seeking a halt on refugee entries and advocating a drastic cut in legal immigration slots, Canada has taken a more welcoming stance.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has openly embraced refugees, and the government has characterised a rising ceiling in the number of immigrants allowed in as a boost to the economy. An online ad from a Canadian law firm seeks to attract customers with the line Illegal in the US & Afraid? Immigrate to Canada.

But a hoax may have played a part in the growing number of Haitians arriving in Canada, with an erroneous message claiming that Canada was openly encouraging refugees from the impoverished nation to emigrate.

In the aftermath of a devastating 2010 earthquake, tens of thousands of Haitians living in the United States have been shielded from deportation by the governments grant of temporary protected status.

In May the Trump administration decided to extend that protection for another six months. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly made it clear at the time that the window for Haitians to remain was closing, saying in a statement that the six-month period should allow people to make necessary arrangements for their ultimate departure from the United States.
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A US state senator is being investigated by the Secret Service for saying she hopes President Donald Trump will be assassinated.

Maria Chappelle-Nadal, a Democrat state senator from Missouri, made the remarks on her personal Facebook page but then later deleted them.

The politician said I hope Trump is assassinated! in response to a post suggesting Vice President Mike Pence would try to oust Mr Trump from the Oval Office.

The Secret Service said they are looking into the comments and say all threats against the President will be subject to investigation.

Recommended Depp apologises for comments about assassinating Trump

Ms Chappelle-Nadal, who gained prominence for criticising the Ferguson police shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, has since deleted the comment and apologised.

But the politician, who has been an outspoken activist while in the Legislature, has been insistent she will not be stepping down over the furore and said her comment was borne out of frustration with the current political landscape.

She also said she was frustrated with the presidents response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville.

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.

I am not resigning. When people of colour are respected by this White House and they are willing to do real work, I'll sit down with them. People are traumatized! she said on Twitter.

She told the St Louis Post-Dispatch: "I didn't mean what I put up. Absolutely not. I have deleted it, and it should have been deleted.

"I am not resigning. What I said was wrong, but I am not going to stop talking about what led to that, which is the frustration and anger that many people across America are feeling right now."

The comments about assassination have drawn swift condemnation from Republicans and fellow democrats and some have called for her to step down,

Stephen Webber, the chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party, said the remarks were indefensible and the party will absolutely not tolerate calls for the assassination of the president.

Democrat Senator Claire McCaskill said: I condemn it. Its outrageous and she should resign.

Ms Chappelle-Nadal, who has been subject to frequent vitriolic abuse from Trump supporters online, became a leading critic during the protests in Ferguson, Missouri after the police killing of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black resident who was unarmed when fatally shot by an officer in 2014.

The politician, who is from the St. Louis suburb of University City, took part in protests against the fatal shooting and was among the protesters who were tear-gassed by law enforcement officials.

She argued institutional inequality was a critical issue which lay behind the civil unrest in Ferguson and had contributed to heightened tensions between police and the community, saying: "I have to tell you that there has been systematic racism, institutionally in state government for decades, including my own state party, she said. People are angry, and they are hurt, and theyre trying to figure out: how are they going to receive justice?

Johnny Depp was also recently forced to apologise for joking about assassinating President Trump, saying his remarks were in poor taste.

Speaking during an appearance at Glastonbury music festival, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor publicly pondered how long it had been since an actor had killed a US president.

"I apologise for the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about President Trump," Depp said in a statement.

"It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I was only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone."
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An unhappy Uber customer's lawsuit alleging price-fixing has been diverted from a court battle, a victory for both the ride-hailing giant and for tech companies hoping to enforce the fine print of service agreements.

The argument underpinning the decision revolved around a scenario familiar to anyone with a smartphone: what happens when a customer assents to the often-dense terms of service attached to using a new app.

Recommended Smartphone demand hits fresh record for the second quarter of 2017

In directing the case to arbitration, the United States District Court of Appeals for the Second District, vindicated Uber and other tech firms who argued customers should be expected to be bound by what they agreed to - even if that would mean wading into a thicket of text.

"While it may be the case that many users will not bother reading the additional terms, that is the choice the user makes," the Second Circuit's decision says.

That is a significant point for companies that gain new customers through online agreements, often using their phones. Uber attorney Theodore Boutros said the decision "will serve to protect online contracting and strengthen commerce nationwide."

Connecticut resident Spencer Meyer filed an antitrust lawsuit against Uber for what a complaint characterised as a deliberate scheme "to fix prices among competitors and take a cut of the profits." The lawsuit cites Uber's policy of surge-pricing, or hiking the cost of transportation when demand for cars spikes.

Beyond the implications for Uber's pricing policy, the lawsuit threatened to have a broader impact on whether companies can settle such challenges in arbitration rather than in court. Consumer advocates and trial lawyers often assail arbitration as favouring businesses over employees or customers, while supporters view the process as a speedier way of resolving disputes. Arbitration clauses often involve waiving the right to a jury trial or a class action lawsuit, as Uber's does.

Brian Feldman, an attorney representing Mr Meyer, disputed that the case would go to arbitration, saying in an email to the Independent that Uber waived that right.

We look forward to pressing ahead with the litigation, Mr Feldman said.

Slaves to our smartphones? New study details digital amnesia

An initial ruling supported Mr Meyer's attempt to take Uber to trial despite the company's argument that Mr Meyer had agreed to arbitration in signing up for Uber and accepting its terms of service. Judge Jed Rakoff ruled last year that those terms were "barely legible" for customers signing up on their phones, as Mr Meyer had, and required deciphering "highly legalistic language that no ordinary consumer could be expected to understand."

"One might be tempted to argue that the nature of electronic contracts is such that consumers do not read them, however conspicuous these contracts are, and that consumers have resigned themselves simply to clicking away their rights," Judge Rakoff wrote. "But that would be too cynical and hasty a view, and certainly not the law."

That ruling could have caused significant repercussions for companies that rely on customers agreeing to terms with the tap of a finger. An industry group called the Internet Association objected to Mr Rakoff's decision, arguing in a court filing that the "increasingly ubiquitous use of smartphones" makes such transactions commonplace - and that customers understand should understand they're agreeing to terms when they use their devices to sign up for services.

"Such a consumer understands the limitations  such as, most basically, screen size  involved in transacting over their smartphones and tablets, but engages in those transactions anyway," the filing argues.
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An editor at Breitbart says that his publication is going to war with the White House now that former chief strategist Steve Bannon is out of the picture.

Joel Pollak, an editor for Breitbart in California, made the statement with a simple tweet, after it was announced that Mr Bannon had tendered his resignation to Donald Trump.

 Strategist Steve Bannon leaves Trump's turbulent White House

#WAR, Mr Pollak wrote, echoing similar sentiments reportedly made by people connected to Breitbart.

That harsh response is apparently in response to a significant shift in power away from anti-globalists  a group of which Mr Bannon is a member  and so-called globalists like Mr Trumps son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner. Throughout Mr Trumps presidency, Mr Bannon and Mr Kushner have reportedly battled for influence over their boss.

"It's now a Democrat White House," a Breitbart source reportedly told journalist Gabriel Sherman.

Mr Bannon had pushed for nationalist policies, and was generally opposed to military intervention in Syria. Mr Kushner and his circle, on the other hand, have argued that military intervention in Syria is necessary to punish the Syrian regime for alleged use of chemical weapons.

Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images

News of that infighting had previously led individuals affiliated with the far-right Breitbart news site to claim that firing Mr Bannon would lead to open warfare between the website and Mr Trump.

It would be open warfare from the outside in, former Breitbart employee Kurt Bardella said in April.

And all of the sudden the pages of Breitbart, who have been incredibly generous to Donald Trump to say the least, will start turning their fire on him or, at the very least, assign blame saying Trump betrayed the conservative right because of Jared Kushner and liberal Democrats inside the White House have turned them against us, he said.

It is unclear if Mr Bannon will choose to return to Breitbart now that he has left the White House.
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Donald Trump's controversial chief strategist Steve Bannon is leaving the White House - after seven controversial months.

Mr Bannon was the force behind some of Mr Trumps most contentious policies, including the travel ban on people from a number of Muslim-majority countries. He also appeared to relish the battles with more moderate factions in a Trump administration that has been riven with rivalries - with Mr Trump making no secret of the fact he likes competition

The 63-year-old and the White House parted company - it was not immediately clear if he was fired or quit - a year after the took over the management of Mr Trump's presidential campaign.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders spokeswoman said in a statement: White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day We are grateful for his service and wish him the best.

Trump officials suggested that a number of leaks in recent weeks about his potential fate were aimed at obtaining Mr Bannons resignation, while Bannon allies said that the soon-to-be former White House strategist had actually submitted his resignation more than two weeks ago.

That violence, which started during a white nationalist protest about the removal of a Confederate statue in the city, and included the killing of a counter-protester by a car being driven through a crowd - may have sealed the timing of Mr Bannons departure. Mr Trump has faced days of criticism over his response to the violence having flip-flopped between blaming both sides and condemning white nationalist, KKK and neo-Nazi groups specifically. Many have said his condemnation has been nowhere near strong enough.

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

Mr Bannon former editor-in-chief for the Breitbart website - which he had previously called a platform for the alt-right was a man known for his right-wing nationalist views and in the wake of Charlottesville many called for his dismissal.

Democrats were quick to jump on the news to push for further change. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said the departure of Mr Bannon is welcome news, but called on President Trump to fire additional staff.

Ms Pelosi said in a statement that Mr Bannon's departure doesn't disguise where President Trump himself stands on white supremacists and the bigoted beliefs they advance.

Ms Pelosi said Mr Trump's administration must not only purge itself of the remaining white supremacists on staff, but abandon the bigoted ideology that clearly governs its decisions.

There is one less white supremacist in the White House, but that doesn't change the man sitting behind the Resolute desk, Democratic National Committee spokesman Michael Tyler said, referring to Trump's Oval Office desk. Donald Trump has spent decades fueling hate in communities, including his recent attempts to divide our country and give a voice to white supremacists.

 Scaramucci to Colbert: 'If it were up to me, Bannon would be gone'

When Mr Bannon was hired in 2016, he was said to be impressed by Mr Trump's ability to launch an aggressive, populist campaign that played into the concerns and anxieties of many working Americans. He encouraged to press this approach on every issue and was delighted to see the New York tycoon frequently act like a political cage fighter, rather than a typical political candidate. He also relished in his role as man who considered the media the opposition.

There had been speculation about Mr Bannon being fired almost as soon as he took on the role of special advisor to the President and occupied an office in the West Wing. There were reports that he clashed with Mr Trumps original chief of staff Reince Preibus, National Economic Council chairman Gary Cohn - as well as Mr Trumps daughter, Ivanka, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. It would appear to have been a clash of styles, with his rivals preferring a push for the centre ground, while Mr Bannon preferred to stick to his hard conservative agenda.

Yet reports also said that the former Naval officer was one of the few people whom Mr Trump felt he could connect with on a visceral level. It was Mr Bannon, reports said, who got Mr Trump. Mr Bannon was also the lone White House senior staff member to staunchly defend Mr Trump over his Charlottesville comments, telling the New York Times: President Trump, by asking, Where does this all end?  Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln  connects with the American people about their history, culture and traditions.

In a tumultuous tenure Mr Bannon quickly a reputation for potentially being the power behind the throne, with a Time magazine cover proclaiming him the great manipulator. But the one-time investment banker and movie producer, retreated to the background in recent months after the assorted problems with the travel ban and reports Mr Trump had been irked by his increased profile.

But a clear indication that Mr Bannon was heading for the door came earlier this week when Mr Trump gave only a half-hearted defence of him as he spoke about his presidential campaign.

I like Mr Bannon, he said Hes a friend of mine. But Mr Bannon came on very late, you know that.

I went through 17 senators, governors, and I won all the primaries. Mr Bannon came on very much later than that, and I like him.

Another clue that Mr Bannon knew his time was up came the following day when the strategist placed a call to a journalist from American Prospect magazine. In the call he described the far right a fringe element, and a collection of clowns.

I think the media plays it up too much, and we gotta help crush it, you know, uh, help crush it more, he said, just days after Mr Trump said two sides were to blame for the violence in Charlottesville.

He said he was also confident about his ability to defeat his opponents with the Departments of State and Treasury. He said: They're wetting themselves.

Mr Bannon is the third senior member of staff to leave the White House in less than a month, following Mr Priebus and Anthony Scaramucci. His departure will also cast a cloud over the future of the group of allies he had brought into the White House, such as Sebastian Gorka, who presents himself on frequent cable TV appearances as a national security expert but is not part of the National Security Council team.

Barry Bennett, a former Trump campaign adviser, said Bannon's departure was a sign of Chief of Staff Mr Kelly's strength, despite Mr Bannon being popular with Mr Trump's supporter base..

What it means is there is a strong chief of staff and that's good, Mr Bennett said. It's not only good. It's needed.
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Jobs in Donald Trump's administration increasingly appear to come with an expiration date.

The long-rumored departure of White House strategist Steve Bannon has added to a growing list of former aides who have left their jobs less than a year into the Trump administration, demonstrating the turmoil of an administration that has lurched from crisis to crisis.

A photo that began circulating widely in response to news of Mr Bannon stepping down helps illustrate the rate of turnover.

Taken in January, the image depicts Mr Trump encircled by a ring of staffers. Of the six men featured in the image, only two - Mr Trump and Vice President Mike Pence - remain.

First to go was former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who was fired after it emerged that he had lied about contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak.

He was followed by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who resigned the post in June after having generated controversy with some of his statements to reporters.

 Strategist Steve Bannon leaves Trump's turbulent White House

After that came erstwhile Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, a representative of the Republican Party establishment who was ousted in July amid infighting between different factions in the administration.

And the image does not capture the full extent of the changes that have roiled the administration so far.

Not pictured is short-lived Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, who survived for less than two week; KT McFarland, who served as a deputy national security advisor; and Rich Higgins, a member of the National Security Council who was removed after penning a conspiratorial memo that warned of dark forces arrayed against Mr Trump.
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Every member of Donald Trump's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities has resigned in protest at his comments on the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Mr Trump has maintained his view that "many sides" were to blame for the tragic deaths of Heather Heyer, a counter-protester to neo-Nazis, the Klu Klux Klan, and other white supremacists, as well as Virginia state police officers H Jay Cullen and Berke MM Bates.

 Donald Trump blames both sides for Charlottesville violence

Ignoring your hateful rhetoric would have made us complicit in your words and actions, the letter read. It was posted by actor and former Obama White House administration adviser Kal Penn on Twitter.

Recommended Donald Trump disbands key business councils after CEOs quit

The strongly worded letter said Mr Trump's values "are not American".

When taken together, the first letters of each of the paragraphs in the letter also read "RESIST"

Supremacy, discrimination, and vitriol are not American values...We must be better than this. We are better than this. If this is not clear to you, then we call on you to resign your office, too, the letter reads.

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

The council was composed of Mr Penn, best-selling author Jhumpa Lahiri, painter Chuck Close, lawyer and arts consultant to the Smithsonian Jill Cooper Udall among others.

They wrote that they felt Mr Trump's defence of what he called some "innocent" protesters on the side to keep the statute of Civil War Confederate General Robert E Lee statue intact was reprehensible.

His denouncement of those wanting to keep a reminder of traitors to the US and horrific slavery was not nearly as full-throated as it should have been - reproach and censure in the strongest possible terms are necessary".

The President's "false equivalency" of counter-protesters' violence and that of neo-Nazi "further emboldens those who wish America ill," the artists said.

The move follows a mass exodus from two of the President's business-related councils, which saw CEOs lambasting the President for his comments. He later disbanded the committees.



Apple's Tim Cook has decided to donate $2 million to the anti-hate groups as a result as well.

"Speaking truth to power is never easy Mr President. But it is our role as commissioners on [this commission] to do so. Art is about inclusion".
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Donald Trump has once again taken to Twitter in the wake of the recent terrorism in Barcelona, attacking the US courts and Democrats for undermining national security.

He tweeted: "Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary" in light of the terrorism in Spain that has resulted in at least 14 deaths and scores of injuries after a van drove into crowds in on the busy Las Ramblas street.

Mr Trump appears to be referring to his travel ban, which placed a hold on people from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.

The so-called 'Muslim ban' was upheld by the US Supreme Court on 29 June 2017. It restricted travel from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days, and limits all refugee admissions for 120 days.

Mr Trump signed the executive order his first week in office and had repeatedly claimed on the campaign trail such a ban was necessary "until we know what's going on" with Muslim travellers from these countries and their supposed, possible ties with terror groups.

"The courts must give us back our protective rights," he tweeted, furthering his rhetoric that the ban is to protect the American people from extremists and acts of terror like what took place in Barcelona.

For its part, Spain's anti-immigration right wing has stayed on the "fringe" and not taken the hold that it has in the UK and France, NPR reported.

The country's history of dictatorship has not pushed economically downtrodden Spaniards to take their frustrations out on immigrants and flock to the right wing or fostered anti-Islam sentiment despite thousands of refugees and immigrants in recent years.

The City Hall in Madrid had a "Refugees Welcome" banner.

He blamed "obstructionist Democrats" for "using" the courts to delay a full ruling and implementation of the ban. Many Democrats opposed the ban because it singled out one particular religious group and the administration's lack of legal reasoning for the decision to lump together Muslims and Islamist extemists.

The highest court in the country left some lower court provisions in place, which the State department officially adopted as policy. Per US District Court Judge Derrick Watson in Hawaii, refugees formally working with resettlement agencies are allowed to enter the country.

Mr Watson also ruled to expand the types of family relationships people can use to enter the US to include grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws.

The Supreme Court is expected to formally rule on the legality of the travel ban in its entirety in the fall when its next session opens.
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Donald Trumps comments on a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia have cost him two advisory councils, the support of legislators, and any hope of a peaceful vacation. Now, they could cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars, too.

Seven prominent charities have cancelled their fundraisers at Mr Trumps South Florida property in the wake of his comments, in which he blamed many sides for the violence that occurred over the weekend.

The American Cancer Society was the first to announce that they would re-locate their event in the wake of these comments.

"Our values and commitment to diversity are critical as we work to address the impact of cancer in every community, the charity said in a statement. It has become increasingly clear that the challenge to those values is outweighing other business considerations."

The Cleveland Clinic, one of the countrys pre-eminent medical centres, also announced they were pulling their event out of Mar-a-lago, citing a variety of factors. While the clinic declined to elaborate further on their reasoning, they had recently received a letter  signed by hundreds of medical professionals  urging them to find a new location.

Hosting the event on Trump property is a symbolic and financial endorsement of the Presidents policies and statements, many of which threaten our patients health  particularly the very young, the very old, cancer patients, and the chronically ill, the letter read.

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.

The American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, The Autism Project of Palm Beach County, The American Friends of Magen David Adom, and Susan G Komen for the Cure also announced this week that they would find new venues.

The Friends of Magen David Adom, which raises money for the Israeli Red Cross, hosted one of the biggest events at Mar-a-lago last year, with about 600 people in attendance. According to the Washington Post, similar-size events have often earned the club between $100,000 and $275,000.

Mar-a-Lago, previously a fixture of the Palm Beach social scene, has been steadily losing business throughout Mr Trumps political career. Every year since Mr Trump announced his presidential run, Mar-a-Lago has lost more events than it gained, according to the Post's analysis.

This latest round of defections came after the President's controversial press conference at Trump Tower. At one point, the President suggested that white supremacist rally-goers were right to protest the removal of a Confederate statue. At another, he described some members of the group as very fine people.

Even Laurel Baker, the head of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, began discouraging businesses from hosting events at Mar-a-Lago in response.

If youre looking at your mission statement, she in an interview with the Post, can you honestly say having an event at Mar-a-Lago, given all that has transpired, is the best stewardship of your efforts?

She added: The club is a member of the chamber. But right is right.
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The leader of Donald Trumps personal legal team is said to have forwarded an email to conservative journalists and government officials that echoed secessionist Civil War propaganda.

John Dowd, Mr Trumps personal lawyer, is reported to have received the email on Tuesday night and forwarded it on Wednesday morning  less than a day after Mr Trump controversially compared the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee to one of George Washington.

You cannot be against General Lee and be for General Washington, the email, obtained by the New York Times, reads. There literally is no difference between the two men.

Recommended Democrat launches effort to impeach Trump

In a list giving examples of why Mr Lee and Mr Washington are similar, the email says that both saved America despite the fact that the Confederacy lost the Civil War.

According to the Times, the emails author, Jerome Almon, runs several websites alleging government conspiracies and asserting that Islamic terrorists have infiltrated the FBI.

Mr Almons email also asserts that Black Lives Matter, a group that campaigns against violence and systemic racism toward black people, is being directed by terrorists.

The Times reported that Mr Dowd sent Mr Almons email to more than two dozen people, including a senior official at the Department of Homeland Security, The Wall Street Journal editorial page and journalists at Fox News and The Washington Times.

There is no evidence that any of the journalists used the contents of the email in their coverage, the Times said.

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.

The contents of the email reflect a muddy controversy over race and history. Mr Trump has received bipartisan criticism for his for his comments on Tuesday insisting that white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other hate groups did not deserve 100 per cent of the blame for the violence that engulfed Charlottesville, Virginia last Saturday.

White nationalist demonstrators descended on the city in Virginia to protest the removal of Lee's statue. The rally, met by counter-protests, quickly became violent  prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency.

The President, speaking at a news conference in Trump Tower, also criticised alt-left groups that he claimed were very, very violent when they sought to confront the nationalist and Nazi groups, again saying there is blame on both sides and that there are two sides to the story.

Many of those people were there to protest the taking down of the statue of Robert E Lee, Mr Trump said. This week, it is Robert E Lee and this week, Stonewall Jackson. Is it George Washington next? You have to ask yourself, where does it stop? he said, later noting that both the first and third American presidents had owned slaves.

George Washington was a slave owner. Are we gonna take down statues of George Washington? ... you're changing history, you're changing culture...you had many people in that group other than neo-Nazis and white nationalists. And the press has treated them absolutely unfairly.

Republicans and Democrats alike have slammed the President for his remarks, saying there are no good neo-Nazis and there isnt a moral equivalency between racists and Americans standing up to defy hate and bigotry.
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North Korea has warned that Washington and Seoul will cause a "catastrophe" by holding their annual joint military drill in the Korean Peninsula.

The US and South Korea claim the exercises are defensive, but North Korea has said they are a practice run for a nuclear war against it.

The military drills, set to take place on Monday, would "further drive the situation on the Korean Peninsula into catastrophe", the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Recommended US seeks to pressure North Korea to resume diplomatic talks

The danger of a US-North Korean nuclear confrontation has escalated in recent weeks after Pyongyang's first successful tests of ballistic missiles capable of reaching America.

US President Donald Trump has traded threats with the communist government. Last week, the leader vowed to respond to North Korean aggression with fire and fury.

In pictures: North Korea military drill Show all 8 1 /8 In pictures: North Korea military drill In pictures: North Korea military drill North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un watches a military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) is seen in this handout photo by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill A military drill marking the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People's Army (KPA) KCNA/Handout via REUTERS In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video In pictures: North Korea military drill This image made from video of still images broadcast in a news bulletin by North Korea's KRT, shows what was said to be a 'Combined Fire Demonstration' held to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the North Korean army, in Wonsan, North Korea. KRT via AP Video

He also said a military solution was locked and loaded after reports the isolationist nation was planning on firing missiles into waters near the US Pacific island of Guam.

Associated Press contributed to this report
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The CIA warned Catalan police two months ago that Las Ramblas in Barcelona could be a target for a terrorist attack, reports suggest.

After attacks in Paris, London, Berlin and Brussels, US counter-terrorism officials reportedly believed Islamist terrorists could be planning a massacre in the Spanish city.

At least 13 people were killed and more than 100 injured when a van ploughed into crowds of people on Las Ramblas on Thursday. Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack.

US officials had reportedly warned their Spanish counterparts that Las Ramblas could be a prime terrorist target, according to El Periodico.

Concerns were first raised a year ago when, reports suggest, an Isis leader distributed an image showing world tourist sites and suggesting they could be subjected to future attacks. The Colosseum in Rome, the Statue of Liberty in New York and Big Ben in London were all included, as was Las Ramblas.

That warning led to improved security outside Gaudis Sagrada Familia in Barcelona but no major changes were made to Las Ramblas.

In a 2007 report later leaked by Wikileaks, the then US ambassador to Spain, Eduardo Aguirre, wrote: Spanish and American authorities have identified Catalonia as the largest Mediterranean centre for Islamist radical activity.

Spanish media also reports that, on 30 July, a Twitter account associated with Isis posted a message saying: We are going to install the caliphate in Spain and we will recover our land. Attack imminent in Al-Andalus [the medieval Muslim name for Spain], God willing.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

Spain is considered to be a target for Isis because the group sees its duty as establishing Islam everywhere, particularly in areas, like much of Spain, that were once Muslim.

After the attack, Isis-affiliated accounts posted messages celebrating the murders. One wrote: To all the Spaniards, now is the time to pay for everything that your governments have done to our countries."

 World reacts: Barcelona terror attack

Catalan police have so far made three arrests in connection with the Barcelona attack. One of the main initial suspects, Driss Oukabir, was detained in the town of Ripoll, around 65 miles north of Barcelona, after reportedly handing himself in having seen his name in media reports.

The 28-year-olds ID had been found in the van that was used in the attack but he reportedly told police the document had been stolen by his younger brother, Moussa Oukabir. A major police manhunt is now underway for the younger of the two siblings, who are of Moroccan descent.

Two other men have also been arrested, one in Ripoll and one in the Spanish territory of Melilla in Morocco.

Elsewhere, five suspected attackers were shot dead by police in the coastal town of Cambrils after using a car to ram into people, killing one person and injuring several more.

The attackers were wearing suicide vests that were later discovered to be fake.
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A suspect in the Cambrils terror attack was seen smiling and taunting after being shot twice by Spanish police, an eyewitness has claimed.

Fitzroy Davies, a British man on holiday in the region, spoke of the horrendous night that saw attackers plough a van through crowds in Barcelona killing at least 13 people before launching a second assault an hour south of the city, injuring six.

Catalan police shot dead five people to foil the second attack in the seaside town but the Wolverhampton man told how one of the suspected terrorists continued to provoke officers even after being shot with a first round of bullets.

:: Follow the latest updates live

Police jumped out the car and started shouting at the guy, he was saying something else again, and then 'pop, pop', a couple of shots and he fell down and then he stood back up and then he stepped over the fence and he started like taunting and smiling, he told BBC Radio 4.

Then he carried on walking to the police and then they gave it to him again, a couple more shots, and then he fell to the ground and thats when I decided to go.

All five suspects were carrying what appeared to be suicide belts, which were later detonated by the force's bomb squad.

Mr Davies said: He did have something on, but I couldn't tell exactly what it was but it was shiny stuff...it would have scared anybody and he had something in his hand. He was shouting and running up and down the street.

The belts were later confirmed to have been fake.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

The force said it was working on the theory that the Cambrils suspects were linked to an attack late Thursday afternoon on Barcelona's Las Ramblas area and an earlier explosion in the town of Alcanar in which one person was killed.

Recommended Police link house explosion with Barcelona attack

The regional police said they could not yet confirm how the civilians and police officer were injured in Cambrils.

Local media have reported a vehicle crashed into a police car and nearby civilians and that police shot the attackers, included one brandishing a knife.

A spokeswoman for the force said that officers shot dead four alleged perpetrators, with a fifth later dying from injuries sustained during the raid.
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The family of a seven-year-old British boy who was separated from his mother after the Barcelona attack have made a plea to find the missing boy - as fears grow for his safety after the tragedy.

Julian Alessandro Cadman was out walking with his mother Jom when terrorists rammed a van into the packed Las Ramblas street, leaving at least 13 dead and 100 injured amid the horror.

Theresa May said the authorities in the UK are urgently looking into reports that the child, who holds dual British and Australian citizenship, has yet to be accounted for after the attack.

His mother Jom is in hospital after being injured in the attack but is in a serious but stable condition, according to the family.

Ms May spoke out after Julian's grandfather made an appeal on social media for any information about the boy's whereabouts.

Recommended Barcelona survivor caught up in third terror attack this year

Julians father Andrew Cadman, from Sydney, said he had spoken to his son only hours before he went missing. He is travelling to Barcelona to search for the boy.

Now Julians wider family have launched a social media campaign in a bid to find him as the authorities fear the number of dead in the atrocity in the Spanish city may grow.

His grandfather Tony Cadman, who lives in Sydney but is originally from Gillingham, Dorset, posted his appeal on Facebook.

He wrote: "My Grandson, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. Please like and share. We have found Jom (my daughter in law) and she is serious but stable condition in hospital.

Julian is 7 years old and was out with Jom when they were separated, due to the recent terrorist activity. Please share if you have family or friends in Barcelona.

Australias foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop said one Australian is missing and four others have been injured in the attack in the Spanish city, the capital of Catalonia.

Ms May, speaking from her country residence Chequers, said the UK authorities were "urgently looking into reports" that Julian is missing.

She said: "Sadly I must tell you that we do believe that a number of British nationals were caught up in the attack and we are urgently looking into reports of a child believed missing, who is a British dual national."

The Prime Minister added: "The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Spain in confronting and dealing with the evil of terrorism, and I have offered any assistance we can provide."

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The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. 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Nationalities of 24 countries were among those killed and injured when terrorists ploughed a white Fiat van into crowds on the historic Las Ramblas street, which was packed with tourists.

Citizens from countries including Belgium and Germany were among the dead when terrorists ploughed their vehicle into bystanders along the popular walkway, turning it into a bloodbath.

Isis claimed responsibility for the terror in Barcelona and a separate attack 70 miles away in the coastal resort of Cambrils.
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Four people have now been arrested in connection with the terror attacks in Catalunya, police have said.

The Mossos d'Esquadra regional police said early on Friday afternoon they had arrested a fourth suspect over the vehicle rampages in Barcelona and Cambrils, which are being linked and have killed a total of 14.

A third had been detained in the town of Ripoll earlier in the day. Two people have been arrested there and another in Alcanar. It was not immediately clear where the fourth arrest had taken place,.

It comes after the arrest of Driss Oukabir, a resident of Ripoll which lies about 60 miles north of Barcelona, in connection with the first attack in Barcelona's busy La Rambla promenade.

Mr Oukabir, 28, a French citizen of Moroccan descent, presented voluntarily to police in Ripoll and claimed his younger brother Moussa, 18, had stolen his identity documents.

Focus has intensified on the younger man, who remains at large.

Some 100 people were injured in Thursday afternoon's attack, including more than a dozen with serious wounds. Authorities say the death toll may rise due to the severity of some people's injuries.

Recommended Spanish police shoot dead five suspects to stop second attack

Isis claimed responsibility for the massacre, which followed the pattern of numerous others in recent months that used vehicles to target pedestrians. The van driver fled after mowing down his victims, and witnesses said he did not appear to be armed.

"All of a sudden there was an immediate stampede and police shouting at people to run," one told The Independent.

La Rambla is a wide, tree-lined boulevard and is home to dozens of shops, restaurants and bars. It is popular with tourists and would have been packed in the early evening.

The central part of the street is a tiled pedestrian promenade through which the terrorist's van was driven.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

Ethan Spibey, 25, told The Independent: "People were running into shops and taking refuge in cafes. There was a lot of screaming.

"People just turned and sprinted in the opposite direction as the police were screaming at people to run away. They were telling people to get away as soon as possible. It was very scary."

People from 34 countries were among the dead and injured.

In a second incident in the town of Cambrils during the early hours of Friday, police shot dead five people to end another attack using the same method as the first.

A gang wearing suicide belts rammed civilians with a car before being brought down, leaving seven people, including a police officer, injured. A woman later died, bringing the overall death toll to 14, health authorities said on Friday.

The suicide belts were later revealed to have been fake, in an echo of the London Bridge attack earlier this year.

 Terrorists wearing explosive belts shot dead in second Spain attack

Police are linking the two incidents, as well as a house explosion in Alcanar on Wednesday that left one person dead.

A cell of up to 12 people may have been involved in a plot using gas canisters, authorities announced on Friday morning.

The La Rambla massacre is the deadliest terror attack in Spain since more than 190 people were killed in the 2004 Madrid train bombings.

King Felipe and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy were due to attend a vigil in Placa Catalunya at 12pm local time.

Barcelona's city leadership was to meet an hour earlier in an extraordinary session, La Vanguardia reported.

Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, have warned people walking in the area of Placa Catalunya not to wear backpacks or carry large bags.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible attacks and the people of Spain.

"We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help.

"We have deployed additional staff to Barcelona and have offered support to the Spanish authorities."
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Authorities continue to investigate the terror attacks in Spain continue to hunt for one more suspect they think it connected to the attack.

Moussa Oukabir, the suspected driver of a van which killed 13 people in Barcelona, was reportedly one of the attackers shot dead by police in Cambrils.

They continue to hunt for Younnes Abouyaaqoub.

Investigators believe a cell of at least eight people may have been involved and had been planning to use gas canisters, according to a judicial source. Here is the latest:

Please wait a moment for the live blog to load

The driver of a van used to kill at least 13 people in Barcelona remains at large, with police focusing their manhunt on 18-year-old Moussa Oukabir.

Spanish media reported statements allegedly made by the teenager on social media two years ago, where he was asked what he would do if made ruler of the world.

Kill all infidels and only allow Muslims to continue the religion," Moussa reportedly answered, going on to say the only country he would never live in is the Vatican.

He is the brother of Driss Oukabir, an arrested suspect who told police his brother stole his ID to rent the van used in the attack.

Spanish authorities believe there were at least eight people involved in the attacks and that the group had planned to use butane gas canisters, a judicial source has said.

Another source told Spanish newspaper El Pais at least 12 members of the cell had been identified.

Separately, a Catalan government official told local radio that it was possible that attackers had meant to use canisters in Tuesday's attacks.

Four people have so far been arrested in connection with the attacks, which left 14 people dead and more than 100 injured.

 World reacts: Barcelona terror attack

The casualties included several children and came from 24 different countries, the Catalan government said, ranging from France and Germany to Pakistan and the Philippines.

The attack on Barcelonas famous La Rambla street, a favourite of tourists and locals alike, was suspected to be the first of a planned wave of attacks.

Isis claimed responsibility for the ramming, which mirrored previous attacks in London and other European cities, on Thursday night.

A statement released via its Amaq propaganda agency said the assault was perpetrated by soldiers of the Islamic State [who] carried out the operation in response to calls targeting coalition countries, referring to the US-led coalition bombing its territories in Iraq and Syria.

The wording echoed previous claims of responsibility for atrocities that were inspired by the groups propaganda but not directed by militants abroad.

As security forces hunted for the van's driver, who was seen escaping on foot, police said killed five attackers who rammed a car into five civilians and a police officer in the town of Cambrils.

A woman injured in the ramming died of her injuries in hospital on Friday, Catalan authorities said, bringing the death toll of the two attacks to 14.

The suspected terrorists, who were wearing fake explosives belts, were shot dead and authorities carried out a series of controlled explosions.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

The priority right now is work out the identity of these people, to prove and show the relationship between the different people involved, those that took the van and those that have been able to escape, said Joaquim Forn, a Catalan government official.

Police said the incident was linked to the Barcelona attack, as was an explosion that destroyed a house in Alcanar, Catalonia.

Around 20 bottles of gas were reportedly found within the ruins of the house, which analysts say could be packed into a vehicle to create an explosive device  a technique previously used by foiled Isis plotters in Paris.

Vans, lorries and cars have also been used in previous Isis-linked attacks in London, Nice, Berlin, Stockholm and Paris.

One person died in the explosion in Alcanar but has not yet been named by police.

One of the attack suspects was arrested in the town on Thursday, which lies around 120 miles south of Barcelona.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has announced three days of official mourning for what he called a jihadist attack.

It was the deadliest atrocity in Spain since March 2004, when militants inspired by al-Qaeda placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.
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The secrecy and subterfuge behind the Iraq war links Spain to Islamist terror. Jose Maria Aznar, the Prime Minister at the time, and his government misled the country by claiming that a devastating massacre in Madrid, a direct retaliation for the invasion, was the work of Basque separatists rather than al-Qaeda.

Mr Aznar had backed George W Bush and Tony Blair in the conflict which is now recognised as a catalyst for the upsurge in jihad which continues to this day. The coordinated attack on commuter trains at the Spanish capital in March 2004, killing 192 people and wounding 1,800, remains the deadliest terrorist attack on Europe this century and was among the first of the murderous backlash.

Spain had escaped the worst of the Islamist terror attacks suffered by other European states since then. Some government ministers had claimed that this was due to the experience in confronting the Basque militants of ETA over decades and also because the countrys Muslim population was relatively assimilated.

A similar conceit had existed, to an extent, in the UK with its experience with the IRA and a similar view about the Muslim population before this was blown away by the 7/7 bombings and the atrocities which followed.

Security officials had been warning for a while that Spain, too, would be an arena for global jihad. The Iberian peninsula, which was under Moorish rule from the early 8th to the end of the 15th century, features regularly in Isis and al-Qaeda messages as Muslim land stolen by Christians which should be a primary target for retribution. One recent Isis exhortation was for assaults on tourist venues using guns, bombs and trucks.

A number of planned attacks had been averted, including one three months ago by two men of Moroccan origin who were allegedly planning to use vehicles and explosives in Madrid. One of them had sought to get a licence for a specific type of truck, the same as the one used to murder 86 people in Nice on Bastille Day last year. Another suspect detained five months earlier had also said he wanted to emulate what happened at Nice.

Europol figures show that Spain had the second highest number of Islamist terrorist arrests, with 187, in 2015. France was top with 424. However, the Muslim community make up 2.1 per cent of the population in Spain compared to 7.5 per cent in France.

As in other countries, there has been increasing evidence in Spain that prisons had become recruiting ground for jihad. According to reports in Spain some of those who plotted the Barcelona and Cambrils attacks had previous criminal convictions.

A study by academics from the University of Granada and officials from the Union of Prisons found that: The activities of jihadist recruiters are not curtailed once they are arrested and deprived of their liberties but can be continued within penitentiary institutions. Radical extremists are able to carry out various activities within prison walls, indoctrinate, generate group identity, legitimise terrorism Activities that may be considered favourable for Islamist radicalism and recruitment.

There are now additional pressures on public safety. Around 170 Spanish Muslims have gone to fight in Syria. This is a lower number than some other European states, but the whereabouts of most of them are unknown. In addition the security agencies say they are monitoring 1,100 people with extremist views. The country is also receiving large numbers of refugees from North Africa with 9,000 arriving in the last eight months, three times as many as last year. Although the vast majority are genuinely seeking refugee status there are indications, say security officials, that Isis, as it loses its bases in Libya, is trying to infiltrate fighters.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

Spain announced in 2015 that it would not join the US-led air campaign against Isis in Iraq and Syria. It has an army training team in Iraq but its members do not take part in combat.

In 2003 the Aznar government had sent a small force to join the Iraq invasion. Twelve years later Mr Aznar was claiming that in terms of international support for our goals, Spain emerged a winner. In 2005 a Spanish parliamentary panel investigating the Madrid bombing concluded that the Aznar government had manipulated and twisted information to blame the Basques rather than al-Qaeda for the attacks.

General Francisco Jose Gan, a former head of the intelligence service, spoke in May of the Basque factor in facing the security threat: I do not say Spain is safe. I say it is better prepared because we learnt in a very traumatic way. ETA announced in April this year that it has disarmed and will not take up weapons again. But as the attacks on Thursday have shown, the trauma from terrorism is not about to end.
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A man arrested in connection with the terrorist attack in Barcelona claims his younger brother stole his identity documents in order to rent the van used to mow down innocents in La Rambla, it has been reported.

Driss Oukabir, said to be 28, was arrested in the Catalan town of Ripoll and told police his younger brother, Moussa, had stolen his ID, according to Spanish media.

Mr Oukabir is of Moroccan origin and holds French citizenship, La Vanguardia reported. The site said he lives in Ripoll, a town some 60 miles north of Barcelona.

Recommended Spanish police shoot dead five suspects to stop second attack

RTVE said Mr Oukabir went voluntarily to police in Ripoll to report that his identity documents had been stolen.

His brother, 18, has been named as a suspect in the attack that killed 13 and left 100 injured.

It has been claimed that a social media post in his name, on the Kiwi site, had called for the killing of infidels.

On Friday morning Catalan police, the Mossos d'Esquadra, said they had arrested a third person in Ripoll.
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The terror cell behind two attacks in Spain was planning a far more deadly massacre before an accidental explosion foiled their plans, police have said.

Josep Lluis Trapero, the head of Catalonias police force, said investigators believe plotters were preparing multiple assaults for some time before their base was destroyed by a gas explosion that killed one person on Wednesday night.

Around 20 bottles of butane were discovered in the ruins of a house in Alcanar following the explosion, which analysts said could have been loaded into a vehicle and combusted in a ramming attack.

Follow the latest updates on our live blog here

One or more attack was being planned in Barcelona and the perpetrators had material to carry out a much bigger assault, Mr Trapero told a press conference.

Because of [the explosion in Alcanar] the attack in Barcelona and the one in Cambrils were carried out in a more rudimentary way than originally planned, he added.

The house was leveled by the explosion (EPA/Jaume Sellart) (EPA/JAUME SELLART)

A second van found in the town of Vic in Catalonia is also being investigated by police amid reports that the attackers may have intended to hire a lorry.

Investigators told the New York Times that they first attempted to hire one from a rental company, but were foiled when the driver failed to produce the necessary permit for an HGV.

If loaded with gas canisters, a lorry could have caused a devastating explosion if rammed into a building at speed, but the attackers were forced to switch to two small vans.

The destruction of the gas canisters in Wednesdays explosion appears to have disrupted the plot further, resulting in the unsophisticated attack in Barcelona and a second ramming in a Catalan resort town.

Hours later, a police officer shot five suspected terrorists dead after they ploughed an Audi car into pedestrians in Cambrils, with one woman dying of her injuries in hospital.

Officials said the occupants of the car were wearing fake suicide vests and had been armed with an axe and knives to be used as part of the attack. One person was stabbed in the face before they were shot dead.

 Eyewitness: Cambrils terror suspect was 'smiling and taunting' after being shot by Spanish police

The method closely follows guidance issued by Isis on what it calls just terror tactics, which advises followers to hire lorries and other large vehicles to run over victims in crowded public places.

Updated orders issued earlier this year urged attackers to have a secondary weapon in the vehicle like a gun, knife or explosives to continue the massacre after crashing, and included instructions on how to make incendiary devices.

The advice has been echoed in the attacks in Nice, Westminster, Berlin, London Bridge.

A foiled plot in Paris last year saw Isis supporters load a car with gas canisters, while a man died in June after ramming a car full of explosives into police on the Champs-Elysees, and a lorry attacker in Stockholm had put an explosive device in the front seat that failed to properly explode on impact.

Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack in Barcelona, saying it was carried out by soldiers of the Islamic State responding to calls to target countries in the US-led coalition bombing its territories in Syria and Iraq.

Police have not identified any of the dead suspects but Mr Trapero said investigators were looking into the possibility that the man who drove the van in Barcelona could have been among them.

We are investigating whether one of the people shot dead in Cambrils might be the driver [of the van in Barcelona] but at the moment we dont have any confirmed information, he said.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

We are analysing footprints but we dont yet have all the analysis so we are going through the process.

It could be one of the people that was shot in Cambrils  we dont know yet but hopefully the investigation will clarify this later.

He said the driver of the van used in the Barcelona attack has not yet been formally identified, amid local reports that police are hunting 18-year-old Moussa Oukabir, whose brother claimed stole his ID to hire the vehicle.

Mr Trapero said the number of people under investigation, reported to be around a dozen, keeps changing and that a separate incident where a car drove into a police checkpoint is not being treated as linked.

Four people have been arrested so far, one in Alcunar and three in Ripoll.

Three are Moroccan nationals and one is Spanish, while none have a criminal background linked with terrorism.

Their profile in general is a young person, the youngest was 21, and the others are 28, 34 and 27 years old, Mr Trapero said, adding that officers are working to identify the suspects based in Alcanar and inside the car in Cambrils.

Moussa Oukabir, from Barcelona, is the brother of arrested suspect Driss Oukabir (Kiwi)

As the investigation continues, he urged people not to gather en masse in public unless it is at an official event under protection from security forces.

Carles Puigdemont, the head of the Catalan government, praised thousands of people in Barcelona who started spontaneous chants of I am not afraid following a minutes silence on Friday.

We will win this battle against terrorism ... with solidarity, freedom and respect, he said.

These terrorist attacks have tried to break the way we understand and live life but the answer we have seen this morning has been the return to normality, without fear.

Mariano Rajoy, the Prime Minister, said all of Spains political parties are uniting to combat terrorism and will have the same attitude of victory towards vanquishing terrorism ... we have had enough attacks.

He says the global battle will be fought by all countries that defend democracy, freedom and human rights.

Mr Rajoy has attended a meeting of Spains crisis cabinet with interior ministry and security officials and another meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, where the countrys terror threat level will be assessed.
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Bruno Gulotta, an Italian father-of-two, has been named among the victims of the attack in Barcelona after being run down while walking with his family.

His employer, Tom's Hardware, announced the death of its colleague and friend in the atrocity online, saying he had been on holiday in the city with his partner and their two young children.

One of them, Mr Gulottas daughter Aria, is only seven months old and will never know her father, friends said.

Follow the latest updates on our live blog here

Bruno Gulotta, an Italian father-of-two killed in the Barcelona attack, with colleagues from Tom's Hardware (Tom's Hardware) (Tom's Hardware)

The 35-year-old was walking down La Rambla with his partner, who was carrying their baby daughter tied to her chest, La Repubblica reported.

Mr Gulotta was holding his five-year-old sons hand when he was hit by the van, with the boy dragged to safety by his mother.

"His Facebook posts showed the different stages of his journey and everything seemed to be going as one would expect from a holiday, a statement from manager Roberto Buonanno added.

"A photo from Cannes, another from the Ramblas in Barcelona.

"And then what no one expects: the death of a young man, father and life-long partner of the mother of his children.

The firm said it spent the night communicating with friends and trying to support Mr Gulotta's partner, Martina, and his children Alexander and Aria.

 13 dead and more than 100 injured as van driver brings terror to Barcelona

We put ourselves in the shoes of little Alexander, who is preparing to start elementary school in the knowledge that his life and family will no longer be the same, Mr Buonanno said.

And then we think of little Aria, who will not remember the horrible scene but will never know her dad.

Mr Gulotta, who was the marketing and sales manager for Toms Hardware, was shown smiling at the centre of a photo surrounded by colleagues and friends.

Anyone who met him was impressed by his kindness and professionalism, Mr Buonanno added, adding that there had never been a more capable person in his role.

He loved to study every aspect of his life and profession, he was an insatiable reader and a searcher of perfectionBruno was a truly generous and heartfelt person.

He was able to lead a rich family life and a brilliant professional career with an enviable balance.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

Mr Buonanno, who founded the company, said Mr Gulotta had become a friend who he would miss as a companion in life and work.

Rest in peace Bruno, we will remember you forever he added.

Since you have been a master of life, I swear that I will also take a deep lesson from this last act on earth.

And you will always be in my mind whenever I feel the need for a friendly voice, as if I were always available, as you have always been, at any time of the day and at any time.

Mr Gulotta was one of two Italians killed, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni confirmed, naming the second victim from the country as Luca Rosso.

"Freedom will conquer the barbarianism of terrorism," Mr Gentiloni added,

Mr Russo, 25, had been on holiday with his girlfriend, who suffered fractures during the attack and remains in hospital. He held a university degree in engineering and lived in northern Italy.

They were among 14 people killed and more than 130 injured in the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, with casualties coming from at least 34 different countries, the Catalan regional government said.

At least 26 French nationals were hurt, 11 seriously, while Australia said some citizens were unaccounted for and people from Germany, Pakistan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Greece and Hong Kong were also hurt.
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A woman says she has survived the Barcelona van attack months after also being caught up in the terrorist rampages in London Bridge and Paris.

Julia Monaco, 26, was shopping with friends when a van ploughed through nearby crowds killing 13 people and injuring more than 100.

It was her third brush with terror while travelling through Europe this year.

 Terror in Spain: What we know so far

The Melbourne woman was also placed on lockdown on the Tube as three knifemen rampaged in London Bridge and was in Notre Dame the day a police officer was stabbed outside the famous cathedral.

Ms Monaco told of "absolute pandemonium" as she was locked in a shop in Placa de Catalyuna, at the top of Las Ramblas, after terrorists mowed down pedestrians in the busy street on Thursday.

All of a sudden we were locked in the shop and confusion started to sprinkle among the people, she told Australian radio station 3AW.

"The next second we knew we were literally running for our lives to the very back of the store where we were told to get on the ground away from the windows and lay as flat as possible."

She told 9 News: "We didn't see the van, we could just see the crowds and the police and some people who had clearly seen something terrible happen.

"We were looking at about 200 people crowded out in the square.

"Suddenly everyone outside just started screaming and everyone turned at the same time.

 Spain terror suspects: What we know so far

"People were literally pushing to get into the store off the street... We were genuinely terrified."

Ms Monaco described children screaming amid "considerable panic" in the shop before they were evacuated by police through a side door.

I feel a bit rattled, its not how I really expected today to go, she added.

But I don't feel like I want to go home. I feel like I want to stay here and not let them, whoever they might be, win."

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

Isis have claimed responsibility for the atrocity.

A message released through the jihadi group's news agency Amaq: "The perpetrators of the attack in Barcelona are Islamic State soldiers and carried out the operation on command of Khilafah of targeting coalition countries"

Spanish police have arrested three suspects, including 28-year-old Driss Oukabir. They are still hunting for the driver of the van.

Armed officers also shot dead five suspected terrorists wearing fake suicide vests as they attempted to carry out a second attack in the seaside resort of Cambrils, 70 miles from Barcelona, in the early hours of Friday morning.
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A single Catalan police officer shot dead four of the five terrorists killed in the wake of the Barcelona attacks.

The officer, reportedly from the Mossos d'Esquadra regional force, responded after the terrorists' car smashed through a roadblock in Cambrils and seriously injured another officer, according to La Vanguardia.

Catalan regional police official Josep Lluis Trapero said it was "not easy" for the officer involved despite being a professional.

A total of five suspects were killed after the Cambrils attack in which a car ploughed into a crowd, killing a woman, at about 1am on Friday.

The fifth terrorist was killed by a sergeant from a separate force, La Vanguardia reported, after he fled the scene. Suicide vests worn by the gang turned out to be fake.

The combined death toll from the Cambrils and La Rambla attacks has reached 14, authorities said on Friday.

People from 34 countries are among the dead and injured. The US State Department said at least one of those killed was an American citizen.

Four suspects have been arrested as police investigate an alleged cell of up to 12.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

The manhunt is focusing on Moussa Oukabir, 18, the younger brother of one of the detained men.

His sibling, Driss, 28, handed himself into police in the town of Ripoll and claimed the younger man had stolen his identity documents in order to rent the van used to mow down pedestrians in central Barcelona.

Police are linking the Cambrils and La Rambla attacks as well as a house explosion in Alcanar on Wednesday.

Isis claimed responsibility for the killings.

Additional reporting by agencies
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A European FBI must be formed to tackle terrorism in the wake of the Barcelona attacks, a French politician has urged.

Georges Fenech, a former Les Republicains MP, said collaboration between European countries was imperative following a spate of deadly attacks using similar modus operandi on the continent.

Mr Fenech, a former president of the 2015 inquiry into Frances terror attacks, said Europe was at war with terror and called for an overhaul in how the extremist threat is managed.

Borders no longer exist. It is important we understand the necessity of European collaboration...a proposition that I would put forward would be a kind of European FBI, a real common intelligence base to stop these basically completely unchallenged border crossings. We are moving forward, he told BFMTV.

We are arriving late in this war being waged by the jihadists. Today it is Barcelona, tomorrow whose turn will it be? We need to change tack and stop repeating the same old mistakes.

It comes after Spanish police shot dead five suspected terrorists attempting to carry out an attack in a seaside resort just hours after a van ploughed into crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, killing at least 14 people.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

More than a hundred people were injured in the two attacks and detectives say they believe them to be linked.

Authorities believe a cell of at least eight people may have been involved and had been planning to use gas canisters, according to a judicial source.

A similar style of attack was thwarted in Paris last year after a suspected group of Isis supporters abandoned a car filled with gas cylinders near Notre Dame cathedral.

Officials said they had been planning to attack one of Paris largest railway stations.

Recommended The lessons we need to learn after the Barcelona terror attack

In July last year, a Tunisian Isis supporter killed 86 people by ploughing a lorry into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, then in December, 12 victims were killed by another Isis militant who drove a lorry into a Berlin Christmas market.

In the first terror attack claimed by Isis in the UK, Khalid Masood drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before stabbing a police officer to death outside the Houses of Parliament in March 2017.

Another attacker hijacked a lorry and drove it down a high street and into a department store in Stockholm in April, killing five people.
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Two people have died and six others have been injured after a knife attack in a busy market square in Finland.

Police shot a suspect and are hunting possible other attackers after several people were stabbed in the city of Turku on Friday afternoon.

Authorities placed the city centre on lockdown and have reinforced security nationwide. They did not yet know if the attack was linked to terrorism.

"Nothing is yet known about the motives," said Finland's top police chief Seppo Kolehmainen.

Emergency services gathered following multiple stabbings in Turku's market square (EPA)

Witnesses reported seeing a man wielding a large knife and hearing gunshots and screams at the city centre's Puutori market square. Some said they saw a lifeless body lying on ground.

One of those stabbed was reported to be a woman pushing a buggy.

An attacker was taken into custody and was being treated in hospital after being shot in the thigh by armed officers.

Police urged people to keep clear of the city centre while officers searched for other perpetrators.

Police tend to an injured man inTurku (AFP/GettyImages) (AFP/Getty Images)

South-West Finland police tweeted at 4.40pm local time: "Several people stabbed in central Turku. People are requested to avoid the city centre."

They later added: "The police is searching for possible more perpetrators in Turku. People are asked to leave and avoid the centre of Turku.

Witnesses told of hearing screams of terror at the corner of the market square.

Laura Laine told Finnish broadcaster YLE: "We heard that a young woman was screaming. We saw a man on the square and a knife glittered. He was waving it in the air.

"I understood that he had stabbed someone."

 Finland stabbings - locator map

Police warned people to be on alert at train stations and airports, while Turku's local government opened a crisis line for people in need of emergency help.

Officers were inspecting departing trains and buses, and carrying out patrols and additional surveillance.

Armed police were seen at Turku's harbour, where a helicopter circled overheard, and security has been heightened at Helsinki airport.

Interior Minister Paula Risikko she did not yet know whether the attack was related to terrorism.

Prime Minister Juha Sipila said the government was "closely following the events in Turku and ongoing police operation" and said ministers would meet on Friday.

Witnesses took to social media to tell people to avoid the city centre.

Jesse Brown said: "I saw the police shoot a man. There was some talk about a knife attack. People were running."

Video shared online appeared to show people running away from danger, reportedly shouting warnings in Finnish.

Turku is on Finland's south-west coast, about 85 miles west of the capital Helsinki.

Finland is traditionally peaceful but the Finnish Security Intelligence Service raised the terrorism threat level in June, saying it had become aware of more threats to the country.

The stabbings came a day after suspected Islamist militants ploughed into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people.

Hours five attackers rammed into people in Cambrils, 70 miles from the Catalan city, killing one woman. They were then shot dead by police.
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Russia is treating feminists as extremists as part its crackdown on dissident voices, a human rights organisation has warned.

A group of women who travelled to the southwest of the country for a feminist gathering were questioned on two occasions and warned against carrying out extremist activity, according to Human Rights Watch.

Police broke into a cottage near Dzhubga, a village in Russias southern Black Sea region of Krasnodar, earllier this week and took five women to the police station, the group said.

The women  Lolita Agamalova, Lada Garina, Elena Ivanova, Taisia Simonova, and Oksana Vasyakina  were then searched, questioned on suspicion of breaching public order and required to give written statements about the purpose of their trip.

They were released without charge several hours later.

When four of the women then travelled to a camping site near the town of Gelendzhik to meet other feminists, they were allegedly confronted by a Cossack group who demanded to see their documentation.

Cossacks  who identify as a separate ethnic group in Russia  are known to maintain semi-military communities.

Several Cossacks had allegedly threatened to attack the feminist camp previously, claiming they contraditcted "traditional values".

When police arrived at the scene of the dispute and suggested the women come with them, the women agreed "fearing for their safety", Human Rights Watch said.

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The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. 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. 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Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. 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But when they arrived at Divnomorskoe police station, the officers began treating them as suspects and attempting to have them fingerprinted, the group claimed.

"Instead of protecting the women from the Cossacks, the police played alongside them, seemingly also hoping to prevent feminists from gathering," Russian programme director Tanya Lokshina said.

The women were then made to sign a letter saying they had been warned against carrying out "extremist activities", Human Rights Watch said.
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Isis has quickly claimed the twin terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils  but even before a statement was issued by the groups media channel Amaq, supporters online were celebrating the latest jihadi carnage on European soil.

At least 13 people died and more than 100 were injured after a van ploughed into people on Barcelonas Las Ramblas on Thursday evening. Later that night, police shot and killed five men in the coastal town of Cambrils  some of whom are reported to have been wearing explosive belts  after six bystanders and one police officer were also run over.

It is common for Isis to claim international terror incidents, even if they have been carried out by so-called lone wolves with no conclusive links to Isis members in Syria and Iraq.

Barcelona Attack Show all 30 1 /30 Barcelona Attack Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack Getty Images Barcelona Attack Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona on Thursday. Spanish police have also killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils to stop a second terrorist attack. Getty Images Barcelona Attack People leave a fastfood with hands up as asked by policemen after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing two persons and injuring several others on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least two people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar". The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack REUTERS Barcelona Attack AP Barcelona Attack People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue Reuters Barcelona Attack A policeman stands next to an ambulance after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Reuters Barcelona Attack Firefighters stands outside an evacuated mall after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Policemen stand next to vehicles in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Plain-clothes policemen phone as they walk past police cars in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A policemen and a medical staff member stand past police cars and an ambulance in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona said they were dealing with a "terrorist attack" after a vehicle ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians on the city's famous Las Ramblas boulevard on August 17, 2017. Police were clearing the area after the incident, which has left a number of people injured. AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack Children, some in tears, are escorted down a road in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in Barcelona say a white van has mounted a sidewalk, struck several people in the city's Las Ramblas district. AP Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured man, after a van crashes into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Mossos d'Esquadra Police officers attend injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas, downtown Barcelona, Spain, 17 August 2017. According to initial reports a van crashed into a crowd in Barcelona's famous Placa Catalunya square at Las Ramblas area injuring several. Local media report the van driver ran away, metro and train stations were closed. The number of people injured and the reasons behind the incident are not yet known. Official sources have not confirmed that the incident is a terrorist attack. EPA Barcelona Attack A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. AP Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images Barcelona Attack AFP/Getty Images

A statement carried on Amaq said that the perpetrators of Barcelona attack are [Isis] soldiers and carried out the operation in response to appeals targeting coalition countries. Spain is part of the international coalition lending military support and airpower to local Iraqi and Syrian forces targeting the group in its so-called caliphate.

As has become the norm in the aftermath of these attacks, social media posts celebrating the violence quickly popped up in Telegram channels used by Isis supporters.

Images and posts praising the carnage appeared. Previous threats to reconquer al-Andalus and of an imminent attack in Spain were also recirculated, although its not clear if they have any connection to Thursdays events.

Several pro-Isis channels put out messages in Spanish such as Kill the Spanish pigs and users changed their profile pictures to Driss Oukabir, the Moroccan national in custody on suspicion of carrying out the Barcelona attack. We are doing their children a favour by killing them, one supporter said.

Earlier this year Isis issued detailed guidance to its followers on how to commit low tech massacres using lorries, vans and cars, as well as instructions on how to launch knife attacks and take hostages.

The move away from sophisticated explosives and firearms is supposed to make it harder for the authorities to detect planned attacks.

The events in Spain mirror several other incidents across Europe over the past two years: the UK suffered from car ramming attacks near Parliament in March and in London Bridge and Finsbury Park in June.

Another attacker hijacked a lorry and drove it into a department store in Stockholm in April, killing five people.

In 2016, the Berlin Christmas market attack killed 12, and the Bastille Day attack in Nice killed 86.

Thursdays incidents in Spain are Isiss first successful attack in the country, and the first jihadi terror attack in the country since 2004, when a cell linked to al-Qaeda blew up four commuter trains in Madrid, killing 192.
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An ex-firefighter has driven up and down the country in order to collect firefighting and lifesaving equipment to donate to the White Helmets volunteer civil defence service in Syria.

Phil Richards, now of the UKs International Search and Rescue (ISR) team, asked search and rescue services all over the UK for unneeded metal cutters, stretchers, drills and protective clothing - as well as the famous white helmets themselves.

The idea came from MayDay Rescue, the charity that the UK funds to train the White Helmets, Terry Jewell of ISR said. [They] suggested that all this equipment we can no longer use in the UK - maybe the spares not available - be donated to the White Helmets."

Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Show all 12 1 /12 Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man crosses a street in Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A vendor sits inside an antique shop in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors walk inside Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk inside the Khan al-Shounah market, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man walks past shops in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk along an alley in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors tour Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A general view shows the Old City of Aleppo as seen from Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk near Aleppo's Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower, Syria October 6, 2010 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man stands inside Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters

The volunteer rescue group, nicknamed for their distinctive safety gear uniform, is made up of around 3,000 people across 114 centres operating in rebel-held areas of Syria. The majority of its funding now comes from Dutch and UK sources.

The White Helmets estimate they have pulled more than 40,000 people from the rubble caused by regime  and later Russian  air strikes since they began as a loosely organised collection of volunteers in 2013.

Arresting images and footage of rescues, including that of five-year-old Omran Daqneesh, known as the boy in the orange ambulance seat, have resonated around the world.

They have paid and continue to pay a price. Over 100 volunteers have died while carrying out rescues  often because of the so called double tap, when warplanes circle back and hit a target again once first responders have arrived.

Last week, seven White Helmets were brutally murdered in Idlib province - increasingly run by extremists - and their equipment stolen.

 White Helmets - Official Trailer

Ammar Alselmo, who used to head the White Helmets efforts in east Aleppo and after the fall of the city ended up in Idlib, told The Independent he believed the shipment was headed to Daraa in Syrias south.

It will be very useful there. The support is needed, he said.

The equipment is now its way to Jordan, where the Department for International Development (DFID) has long funded MayDay Rescue, a not-for-profit which trains first responders such as the White Helmets.

The donation coincides with World Humanitarian Day on Saturday - held every year to pay tribute to the brave men and women who risk their lives to provide humanitarian aid for others.

Today we thank the men and women who demonstrate the goodness of humanity in places shadowed by despair, poverty and violence, International Development Secretary Priti Patel said in a statement.

These extremely brave humanitarian heroes represent the best of us, while those who attack them represent the opposite.

As we remember those who have unfairly lost their lives doing this incredible work, I want to thank those who continue to take the risks which allow the UK to stand tall with pride and make the lives of so many better. Aid workers should never be targets, every effort should always be made to give them full access to disaster areas and the protection they need to do their life-saving work.

I have had the fortune of meeting the White Helmets, said Phil Richards, who collected the donations.

They are an extremely dedicated, committed and formidable bunch of volunteers. While it fills you with sadness that this continues, it fills you with hope that there are people who are willing to put themselves in that place knowing full well this could be their last rescue.

Syria's complex civil war is now in its seventh year. The UN estimates more than 400,000 people have died in the violence, and half of the country's 19 million people have fled their homes.
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The Saudi military coalition  which receives logistical support, weapons and political backing from the US and UK  has been accused of killing hundreds of children in Yemen, according to a confidential UN report.

The report, which has yet to be made public and could still be changed, says that 51 per cent of all child deaths and injuries in Yemen last year were the result of the Saudi-led military operation. It says the deaths were unacceptably high. Saudi Arabia has insisted it is operating within international law.

Attacks carried out by air caused over half of all child casualties, with at least 349 killed and 333 injured, said the report, which was obtained by Reuters.

The United Nations was informed of measures taken by the coalition in 2016 to reduce the impact of conflict on children. However, despite these measures, grave violations against children continued at unacceptably high levels in 2016.

Saudi Arabia has always insisted that its operations follow international guidelines. Its UN mission said in a statement there was no justification whatsoever for including the coalitions name on the blacklist.

We trust that the United Nations will make the appropriate decision on this matter, and the positive exchange of information on the coalitions activities, the statement said. It declined to comment on the findings in the draft report for 2016.

Saudi Arabia is leading a nine-nation coalition in a bombing campaign that started in March 2015 to defeat Iran-allied Houthi rebels. The US and UK have offered logistical and political support.

Britain has also continued to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia despite mounting worries over civilian deaths, believed to total around 3,000. Last month, a British court ruled that such sales could continue despite humanitarian concerns and rejected an appeal by the Campaign Against Arms Trade to stop them.

The role of the UK and US in supporting Riyadh has come under mounting scrutiny as concern about civilian deaths has grown.

 Yemen crisis: More than one million children suffering from malnutrition

Last year, the UK Government considered suspending arms sales after a strike in October 2016 killed 140 civilians attending a funeral. In the end, Britain, which has sold around $3.8bn of weapons to Saudi Arabia over the past two years and is its biggest supplies of arms, decided to continue with the sales.

In May, US President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia where he delivered a major speech before Muslim leaders and announced multiple agreements between American and Saudi companies, including between the Saudi oil giant Aramco.

That was a tremendous day. Tremendous investments in the United States, he said. Hundreds of billions of dollars of investments into the United States and jobs, jobs, jobs.

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said of the UN report: The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is among the worst in the world, and the bombardment is making it even worse. This couldn't have happened without the complicit support of governments like the UK, which have armed and supported Saudi forces every step of the way.

For decades now, the Saudi regime has had one of the worst human rights records in the world, and that brutality has been on full display in its destruction of Yemen.

Reports suggest it will be up to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to decide whether the report, which blamed the Saudi coalition for more than 680 child casualties and three-quarters of the attacks on schools and hospitals, is made public. It was written by the UN special envoy for children and armed conflict, Virginia Gamba.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Reuters said it will also be up to Mr Guterres whether to return the Saudi-led coalition to a child rights blacklist annexed to the report. The coalition was briefly added last year and then removed by then-UN chief Ban Ki-moon pending a review.

The Saudi-led coalition had been named on the blacklist last year after the UN report blamed it for 60 per cent of child deaths and injuries in Yemen in 2015 and half the attacks on schools and hospitals.

A spokesman for the UK Foreign Office said: We call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to avoid any civilian casualties, particularly that of children, and to permit humanitarian access.

Noel Clay, a spokesman for the US State Department, said: "We wouldnt comment on a draft report and would refer you to the UN for anything further."

The draft report said the Houthi rebels and affiliated forces were responsible for nearly a third of the total 1,340 child casualties verified by the United Nations.
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More right-wing people are worried about Isis than left-wing people in North America and many European countries, according to a major new survey.

The respected Pew Research Centre found that 85 per cent of those on the right of the political spectrum in the US viewed Isis as a major threat to our country, compared to 63 per cent on the left.

In the UK, the split was 74 per cent of right-wingers to 51 per cent on the left.

The biggest difference was in Canada where just 33 per cent on the left were concerned about the Islamist terrorist movement, compared to 59 per cent on the right, followed by the Netherlands, with 47 per cent to 72 per cent.

There was also a substantial difference in attitudes towards refugees fleeing countries such as Iraq and Syria.

Just 14 per cent of left-wingers in the UK viewed them as a major threat to Britain, compared to 45 per cent on the right.

In the US, 14 per cent on the left shared those concerns compared to 60 per cent on the right. In Germany, the left-right political divide on the issue was 14 to 51 and in Canada it was five to 35.

The people most concerned about such refugees were right-wingers in Italy (78 per cent), Greece (75) and Hungary (70).

Within the countries of Europe and North America, concern over many of the listed threats differs substantially between demographic groups, Pew said in a report.

One of the starker divides is that of political ideology. The most significant differences by ideology are on the refugee threat. In all of the countries surveyed in Europe and North America, those on the political right are more concerned about the large number of refugees coming from the Middle East than those on the left.

A similar right-left divide also exists for those who see Isis as a major threat. In Canada, 59 per cemt on the right say that Isis is a major threat, compared with only 33 per cent of those on the left.

Significant political divides on the Isis threat also exist in the US (a 22-percentage-point difference) and seven other EU countries.

Age also appears to be a significant factor.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

In seven countries in Europe, North America and Russia, people ages 50 and older are much more concerned about the threat from the extremist group than are the young, the Pew report said.

For example, in the Netherlands, 78 per cent of people 50 or older say that Isis is a major threat to their country, while only 46 per cent among Dutch youth say the same.

A majority of people on both sides of the political spectrum in the main European countries viewed climate change as a major threat to their countries.

The only exceptions to that were right-wingers in the UK (48 per cent were concerned) and Polish people of any political persuasion, ranging from 37 per cent on the right to 46 per cent on the left.

The most concerned about climate change in Europe were left-wingers in Spain (90), right-wingers in Spain (87) and Dutch left-wingers (81).

Eighty-six per cent of left-wing Americans viewed climate change as a major threat, compared to 31 per cent on the right. In Canada, the split was 86 to 50.


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Thats where they found the eyeball in the fortune cookie, says Stu Tinker, turning to point out a suburban Chinese restaurant from the window of his tour van. Steve used to go with his wife Tabby to the Oriental Jade and its the inspiration for the scene in It. But you know he renamed it the Jade of the Orient, right?

Stu Tinker is undeniably Americas biggest Stephen King fanboy, having owned a book shop for nine years that only sold titles by the horror author, and hes once again stepped through the looking glass to chew over his favourite scene. Its 9am on a dreary Saturday and we are sat in his van, the windscreen wipers adding a syncopated Psycho-like stab, while Stu obsesses over the devilish plot lines of It that lurk on the streets he grew up on.

The northern Maine town of Bangor is justifiably famous for its association with King, an author with more than 60 novels and close to 200 short stories, and its getting in the mood for two new film adaptations this summer. The first, The Dark Tower, starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba, arrived last week while an updated version of his cult classic It (famous for Pennywise the clown, whose chuckling, rotten voice still scares the bejesus out of plenty of adults) is out next month. The producers wanted to film the new It here, says Stu, noticeably irritated. But they couldnt get the money together, so they shot in Ottawa instead. Still, Bangor is Derry.

It takes the best part of a day to see Stephen Kings Bangor, or Derry, the boundary-crossing fictional Maine town King has imagined in novels including It, Dreamcatcher, Pet Sematary, Carrie and The Running Man. Though born in Portland two hours to the south, he has lived here for decades, prompting some locals to argue that a life-sized statue of him should be erected. Others go further, calling King the best president America has never had, particularly following his ongoing social media spat with Donald Trump (a few recent tweets include Ineptitude, thy name is Trump and Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, currently in a battle to see who is the craziest man on the planet).

Bangor enjoys its reputation as the capital of horror (Getty) (Getty Images)

Few cities in America are so indebted to the work of one man and theres little doubting Kings credentials. Not only does he own three local rock radio stations, including WKIT-FM (the K for King, IT for It) and WZON (so-named because of The Dead Zone), but he fronted $1.8m (1.4m) for the childrens wing at the East Maine Medical Centre (clowns are banned from the hospital). The towns librarians, meanwhile, claim the novelist is responsible for making Bangor the best read town in all of New England. This may be the town that horror built, but it has a caring, studious heart.

As we continue past the Bangor Waterworks, the setting for Graveyard Shifts army of dog-sized rats, I suggest its the way King looks (serious, inscrutable, a little like Charles Manson, especially when he was at college) that may belie the way he really acts. Stu agrees, recounting a tale when the multimillionaire was asked by a tuxedo-wearing businessman to change his tyre for $20 in a car park. Yet there was no acrimony. He did it, of course, says Stu. But thats Steve. So down-to-earth its creepy.

Bangor is the inspiration for the fictional town of Derry (Getty/iStockphoto) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

As for King himself, its often easy for fans to spot him having breakfast at Nickys Cruisin Diner on Union Street, buying scratch-off lottery tickets at The Corner Store (appearing as The Red Apple in Insomnia), or walking his dog at Hayford Park (where Thinner, originally released under his Richard Bachman pseudonym, comes to its grisly conclusion).

Not that were so lucky. We stop at a number of whisper-quiet King-related sites, including the Thomas Hill Standpipe (inspiration for the haunted water tower in It), then move to Hampden Academy (where King was once a gonzo English teacher), before stopping at the Mount Hope Cemetery. Here, among the crypts and tombs where much of the film Pet Sematary was shot, is the headstone for one Randall Flagg, Kings alias for his recurring devil-like sorcerer. Superstitions are discussed  I admit to being a little jumpy  before we continue onto the intersection of Jackson and Union where King sets his most famous characters story in motion. Look, cries Stu, hamming it up with a joke shop prop, a bloody, severed hand coming out of the kerb drain. Pennywise is back!

Much of Pet Sematary was filmed in Mount Hope Cemetery (Thomas Burby)

This last goofy episode forgiven, the van parks up one last time on West Broadway, long the most prestigious address in the city where Bangors lumber lords once lived. Unlike other American celebrities, the exact location of Kings family home is hardly a close secret, and on approach to number 47 its pretty clear the house on the hill isnt the kind that needs to get dressed up for Halloween. Behind a horror show tribute gate, adorned with inky cobwebs, iron spiders, bats and three-headed dragons, sits a blood-red Queen Anne clapboard mansion guarded by stone gargoyles. A silhouette flits past a veiled curtain as we peer through the gates, and for a moment  if only a split second  a shadowy hand waves back at us. Even Steve thought the house was haunted when he bought it, adds Stu. And, you know, its not that hard to believe.

They say to be successful, you have to write about what you know. And for Stephen King that means Bangor, Maine. Because on these streets, horror starts to come alive if you know where to look for it.

Travel essentials

Getting there

Norwegian (norwegian.com) flies from London Gatwick, Edinburgh and Belfast to Providence/Boston-TF Green, with fares from 142 one way. Bangor, Maine is a four hour and 45 minute drive north via I-495 N and I-95 N.

More information

Stu Tinkers SK Tours of Maine run every day at 9am and 2pm (35; sk-tours.com).

visitmaine.com
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Aircraft nicknames are funny things. Im not talking about military planes, rather too many of which are known as The Widowmaker. Nor cargo jets, such as Airbuss comedy A300 freighter the Beluga.

I mean civil airliners, which rarely acquire lasting alternative names. Concorde was known as The Rocket by relatively few people, mostly airline insiders. Conversely, the Boeing 747 became the Jumbo Jet by popular acclaim. The only passenger plane to trump it in scale, though, the double-deck Airbus A380, struggles to be widely known as the Superjumbo.

Yet the Boeing 787, first rolled out a decade ago this summer, was born with a name: the Dreamliner.

Our customers tell us that flying on the Dreamliner is like flying on no other aircraft theyve flown, said Carl Gissing, when he was director of customer experience at Thomson Airways.

The holiday airline uses the Boeing 787 for the role it was intended, opening up new non-stop routes to long-range destinations such as Phuket in Thailand and Puerto Vallarta on Mexicos Pacific Coast. You might also be lucky enough to step aboard a Thomson Dreamliner on a Mediterranean trip to Greece or Turkey  another case of long-haul standards on a short-haul route. But I imagined short hops were the exception.

Most 787s are employed to show off their long legs on routes such as Norwegians impending link between Gatwick and Buenos Aires, or to allow carriers such as British Airways to test out a new connection  like Heathrow to New Orleans, coming next year.

This was surely a plane built to connect Europe with the Americas, filling in the gaps in the route map?

I was comprehensively wrong. Starting an investigation into what the 787 ever did for us, I sought guidance from Routes Online.

The results are remarkable. Of the top five 787 airlines, who between them account for one-third of all Dreamliners, one is North American (Air Canada), two are Asian (Air India and All Nippon Airways) and one is a Gulf carrier (Qatar Airways). The fifth? Not a European airline, but Africas leading carrier, Ethiopian Airlines.

Europe does not get a look-in among the top 10 operators, and the US only scrapes in with United Airlines in 10th place.

Among the top Dreamliner routes  those carrying the most passengers  two transatlantic links appear: Heathrow-Chicago, thanks to American Airlines four-daily service on the 4,000-mile journey, and Madrid-Bogota, with Avianca running three flights a day on the 5,000-mile haul. But the top five above them are all routes that could be flown by a Douglas DC-3 piston-engined plane  which would still have enough range to fly back without refuelling.

In fifth place, at 400 miles: Tokyo-Hiroshima. Fourth is the only international link: Tokyo to Seoul, at 740 miles. Third and second also start or end in the Japanese capital, with destinations of Osaka (250 miles) and Fukuoka (550).

Top route for the Dreamliner by a long chalk, though, is the 720-mile, two-hour link between Vietnams capital and largest city.

Living the dream? Between the seat-belt light going out after take-off from Hanoi and back on during the approach to Ho Chi Minh City, passengers will barely have time to read an article about the planned Qantas link from Heathrow to Perth in Australia. But at 9,009 miles this will not be the worlds longest flight: that title goes to the Qatar Airways link between Doha and Auckland. Thats a 9,100-mile route, at least by the time the pilot has diverted around UAE airspace because of the current flying ban. And what sort of plane flies it? A dull old Boeing 777, which has no nickname worth the name.
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Ahead of Mondays Great American Eclipse, demand to see the biggest cosmic event in the US for almost a century is soaring  along with prices.

A total solar eclipse that begins in the north Pacific will blot out the sun as it races across the United States between 6.18pm and 7.48pm British time. It is the first total solar eclipse visible from anywhere in the continental US since 1979.

Several state capitals, including Salem in Oregon, St Louis in Missouri and Nashville in Tennessee are on the line of totality  the narrow band of territory from which the eclipse is total.

Because of concerns about traffic chaos on Monday, any hotel or motel on the line of totality is able to charge astronomical sums for the night before the eclipse. Every room in Jackson, Wyoming is sold out, with a ranch 30 miles out of town advertising three rooms at $1,500 (1,165) each. A week later the same room at the Heart Six Ranch falls to $100 (77).

Dozens of British eclipse-chasers on organised and DIY tours have flown from Heathrow to Salt Lake City, the nearest gateway to popular viewing sites in Idaho and Wyoming. Air fares have been steadily increasing, with the non-stop Delta flight rising from around 1,000 to over 1,500. Fares to other eclipse destinations are even higher, as demand from eclipse-chasers coincides with peak season on transatlantic flights.

From the London area flights to Charleston, South Carolina, which is both the final and the most historic city on the line of totality, have risen to over 1,600 return. Similar fares are being charged to and from Nashville.

On the ground, enterprising locals are seeking to cash in on interest from Americans living in other cities. Central Oregon, where the eclipse first meets land, is attracting visitors from San Francisco and Seattle as well as the states biggest city, Portland. Some parking lots have raised their rates to $100 a day, with higher charges for RVs (camper vans).

The Oregon authorities are warning that around a million visitors may arrive and want to stay on either side of the eclipse. Since August is already prime vacation season in many areas of the state, expect nearly everything to be above capacity for nearly a week total, said officials in Salem.

Malheur County, in the south-east of the state, claims the best prospects of clear skies at 93 per cent. Les Zaitz, who runs the local newspaper, Malheur Enterprise, said: Were expecting the population to quadruple.
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As a scholar of modern German history, I've been working on a study of anti-Semitism in Germany and the United States in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. What I saw unfold over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia, and then at Bedminster, New Jersey, gave me the horrible, sinking feeling that my book is going to need a new chapter.

On Saturday 12 August 2017, thousands of young Americans marched through the streets of Charlottesville, chanting hate-filled slogans like blood and soil and Jews will not replace us, and carrying the swastika flag. They clashed with protesters and caused dozens of injuries. A car ploughed into a crowd of people protesting the white supremacist demonstration, killing one person and injuring many more.

Later that day, President Donald Trump issued a statement: 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.

The hatred, bigotry and violence he said, came from many sides (a point he apparently felt he needed to stress). He did not mention the fact that one side was carrying swastika flags, the flag of Adolf Hitlers National Socialist Party, the flag of Nazi Germany. He did not specifically condemn those who carried that flag. They were, according to the president, all equally responsible: those who marched under the Nazi banner, and those who opposed them. All equal. Nazis and anti-Nazis.

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.

But how is that possible? How can it be that in 2017, the President of the United States, a country that fought Hitlers Germany and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of its young men in order to ensure its ultimate defeat, could not or would not bring himself to condemn Americans who marched under the flag of the Third Reich?

What does it mean to march under the swastika flag? What does the swastika flag symbolise? What did it mean to the people who hoisted it in Germany  the people who inspired the Americans who marched this weekend in Charlottesville?

Those who inspired the marchers in Charlottesville marched through the streets of Germany, provoking violence, and singing when Jewish blood spurts from the knife.

Those who inspired the marchers destroyed democracy and eliminated all civil liberties in Germany.

Those who inspired the marchers demonised Jewish citizens, physically assaulted them, removed them from all aspects of public life, stripped them of their rights, their property, their very ability to survive in the only country they had ever called home.

Those who inspired the marchers carried out the biggest pogrom in modern German history, destroying 267 synagogues, vandalising Jewish businesses, attacking Jews in their homes, and killing hundreds, all in a single night in November 1938.

They demonised and physically attacked political opponents, homosexuals, Roma and Sinti, the handicapped, and any others they considered outside the boundaries of the German racial community.

They murdered more than 70,000 men, women, and children  German citizens!  who had been diagnosed with mental and physical disabilities in just two years between 1939 and 1941.

They started the most destructive war in the history of the world, causing the deaths of tens of millions of people, mostly innocent civilians.

They murdered more than 33,000 Jews in just two days at Babi Yar, outside Kiev, Ukraine, in 1941.

They shot one million unarmed Jewish civilians  men, women, and children  across Eastern Europe in just the last six months of 1941.

They murdered close to three million Jews in the gas chambers of Chelmno, Treblinka, Sobibor, Belzec, Majdanek and Auschwitz.

They enslaved millions of people  Jews and non-Jews  from across Europe to work for their war of conquest.

They fought to destroy the most basic values that America has claimed to stand for over more than two centuries: the fundamental dignity and equality of all people.

The world is a complicated place. There are rarely simple, black and white answers to the problems that confront us. But sometimes, every once in a while, there are. And this is one such moment. If the President of the United States cannot condemn individuals who march under the flag of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany, how can he possibly claim to represent America, its values, and all of its citizens? In perhaps the easiest test of his young presidency, Donald Trump has failed, and failed miserably.

 Jeremy Corbyn slams Donald Trump over Charlottesville response

It isnt often that historians get to see their work gain such relevance in the present. And for those of us who study the history of hatred, bigotry, and the evils of Nazi Germany, the prospect of such relevance is most uncomfortable. If my work has taught me anything, its the importance of keeping the boundaries of ones moral universe as wide as possible. In the early twentieth century, too many Germans pushed too many others beyond the boundaries of their moral universe  beyond the borders of the German racial community  where their fate was at best no longer of any concern to them, at worst, they represented an existential threat.

When that happens, the horrors committed under the swastika flag become possible. How safe are we today? How extensive are the boundaries of our own moral universe  each and every one of us? Those who marched in Charlottesville under Hitlers flag and the President who chose not to condemn them revealed the boundaries of their moral universe to be sadly and frighteningly small. The flag that flew on that horrible day  with that symbol of ultimate evil at its heart  should remind us all just where such a limited sense of fellow feeling can lead.

Richard E Frankel is associate professor of modern German history at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the author of Bismarck's Shadow. This piece originally appeared on History News Network
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I dont know what the people of Barcelona think about Trumps demented and repulsive tale of bullets and pigs blood  but I know what Mark Twain would have said. He was the finest American political writer of his time  perhaps of all time  and he wrote with bitterness, sarcasm and disgust about the US militarys war crimes in the Philippines in 1906. No doubt Trump would have approved of them.

As so often, theres no proof  and thus no truth  to the story that General Pershing ever told his soldiers to execute Filipino fighters with bullets dipped in pigs blood. Besides, Pershing had left the islands and the Philippine-US war was officially over when the Americans slaughtered the Moro Muslims in their hundreds  men, women and children  in what became known as the Battle of Bud Dajo. With Trump-like enthusiasm, Republican President Theodore Roosevelt congratulated the US commanders on their brilliant feat of arms.

Twain  Samuel Clemens, to use his real name  thought differently. The American military had brutally crushed an uprising by the ethnic Muslim Moro people, a final and hopeless battle in the Philippine war of independence against the United States. It is a tale not without significance in any study of Americas recent occupation of both Afghanistan and Iraq.

He wrote a deeply cynical essay about the battle of Bud Dajo a few days later. Up to 1,000 Moro men, women and children were killed by US forces who had surrounded them in their mountain refuge 2,200 feet above sea level, a volcanic crater in which all but six of the Muslims were killed. A surviving photograph of the atrocity shows uniformed US troops standing above piles of corpses, one of them a bare-breasted woman.

 Duterte: 'Give me a terrorist and I'll eat their liver with salt and vinegar'

With 600 engaged on each side, Twain wrote, we lost 15 men killed outright, and we had 32 wounded  The enemy numbered 600  including women and children  and we abolished them utterly, leaving not even a baby alive to cry for its dead mother. This is incomparably the greatest victory that was ever achieved by the Christian soldiers of the United States  The splendid news appeared with splendid display  heads in every newspaper in this city  But there was not a single reference to it in the editorial columns of any one of those newspapers.

Twain observed that not one reader wrote to support the US victory. But President Theodore Roosevelt sent his congratulations to the US Commander, Major General Leonard Wood, in Manila: I congratulate you and the officers and men of your command upon the brilliant feat of arms wherein you and they so well upheld the honour of the American flag.

Twain recorded the headlines over the following days  Women Slain in Moro Massacre, With Children They Mixed in Mob in Crater, and All Died Together, Death List is Now 900, Impossible to Tell Sexes Apart in Fierce Battle on Top of Mount Dajo  and remarked that the naked savages were so far away, down in the bottom of that trap, that our soldiers could not tell the breasts of a woman from the rudimentary paps of a man  so far away that they couldnt tell a toddling child from a black six-footer. A headline announcing Lieutenant Johnson Blown from Parapet by Exploding Artillery Gallantly Leading Charge convinced Twain that the soldier must have been wounded by his own side  since the Moros had no artillery.

But he shrewdly noted that Johnson had been a member of the volunteer Rough Riders unit raised to fight in the Spanish-American war  the conflict which gave the US possession of the Philippines  and commanded by the same Major General Wood who oversaw the massacre in 1906. Woods second-in-command was the same Theodore Roosevelt who was now President. No wonder Roosevelt cabled his wounded men: How are you? Johnson replied: Fine, thanks. This, Twain cynically observed, is historical. This will go down to posterity.

 Rodrigo Duterte hails Donald Trump a pragmatist and deep thinker

Twain described a subsequent luncheon party at which his wealthy publisher George Harvey, a Democrat who supported Woodrow Wilson, said he believed that the shock and shame of this episode would eat down deeper and deeper into the hearts of the nation and fester there and produce results  I cannot believe that the prediction will come true, for the reason that prophecies which promise valuable things, desirable things, good things, worthy things, never come true. Prophecies of this kind are like wars fought in a good cause  they are so rare that they dont count.

The Moro massacre was initially, as Twain predicted, a public relations disaster. It could not be regarded as a brilliant feat of arms, even if Christian America, represented by its salaried soldiers, had shot them down with Bibles  instead of bullets.

Later accounts of the mass killings  readers must keep a straight face when they remember more recent quotations of this kind  claimed that the Moro women had been used as human shields by the men in the crowd and were thus what we would today call collateral damage. US troops wrote home about other atrocities in the Philippines, including the torching of villages and the killing of their occupants. A form of water torture was also used to extract information during the eight-year anti-independence campaign.

The Philippines was the first imperial war fought by the United States  it never claimed possession of Korea or Vietnam, even of Japan after the Second World War  and the pattern of shock and awe inflicted on the Moro people was to be repeated, as we know, in the Middle East.

The Moro Muslims were a minority among the countrys then more than 80 per cent Christian Catholic population. But well over a century after general Woods killings in the volcano, his military descendants have assisted the Philippine government in its battle against Muslim insurgents from  and readers may have guessed the identity  the Moro Liberation Front.

The Philippines current president Rodrigo Duterte, who has several times used the 1906 slaughter of the Moros to condemn America, is now using his police death squads to kill thousands in his war on drugs. Trump has said that Duterte is doing an unbelievable job. Kind of important, I guess, to remember the facts of history  even if Trump gets them all wrong.
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It is not defeatist nor disrespectful to those who were killed in the terror attacks in Spain to state that more such atrocities are inevitable.

Inevitable, that is, because it takes so few resources and so little ingenuity or planning on the part of violent fanatics to cause such devastation to innocent, civilian lives.

As we have witnessed in so many places in Europe in recent times  Nice, Berlin, London, Stockholm and elsewhere  all that may be needed is a car or a lorry. Not much more sophistication is required to carry out a bombing such as that at the Manchester Arena. And while Western Europeans are shocked and appalled by this recent wave of terror, in great swathes of the world, especially in the Middle East, civilians have become wearily used to it.

Indeed in Northern Ireland there was for most of the Troubles what was once unfortunately but tellingly described by a British government minister as an acceptable level of violence, a sort of background noise of terrorism persisting for decades. It lasted then as it is lasting now in this new wave because the authorities, even with the most draconian measures or accurate intelligence, will never be enough entirely to eliminate terror. When matters descend into tit for tat killings across a cultural divide, then controlling the violence becomes even more difficult. While there have been some such low-level retaliations, Europe has so far been spared an escalation of this kind.

 13 dead and more than 100 injured as van driver brings terror to Barcelona

What next, then? Another review of security surrounding tourist and commercial centres in global cities is essential, and there can never be too much vigilance about protecting high-profile venues, sporting events, festivals, concerts and political or state ceremonies, for example.

Vulnerable thoroughfares need more obstacles to be placed in the way of a casual low-tech terror attack. There may be case, even, for more random security checks by the police and in private premises by security guards. Life, in other words, will become more irksome for many of us.

We will have to get used to it, tough, as we have with air travel, where the terrorists no longer favour targeting aircraft. The ring of steel of barriers and checkpoints that was thrown around the City of London during the IRAs campaign against the financial centre in the 1990s is one such exercise that enjoyed success, though suicidal bombers obviously present a still more potent threat.

The more difficult issue to balance in countries where human rights and civil liberties are rightly cherished is what to do about those individuals known to the authorities as a potential threat, but are yet to commit any crime. The intelligence agencies, military and police already have sweeping powers and massively increased funding at their disposal. Still more, though, needs to be done if we are to avoid calls for the kind of internment without trial that does so much to alienate communities and, in fact, succeeds surprisingly little in combating terrorism (the truly determined jihadi finding detection and arrest easy to evade).

There may be a case to strengthen TPIMs (Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures) on certain individuals, or to bring back the tougher control orders which were abolished in 2011. These do erode but do not destroy civil rights in some cases, and the right balance between community safety and the freedoms that the nation is supposed to be defending in its struggle against terror has yet to be found. As with the more draconian calls for internment, though, the professional terrorists and their organisers  including those who have already served sentences  would not be greatly deterred. It would also be difficult to enforce.

 World reacts: Barcelona terror attack

Certainly the rabidly anti-Muslim keyboard warriors calling for revenge and worse on website comment sections might not wish for their activities to be placed under surveillance. Better, by far, would be to adapt and make more effective the Prevent strategy, flawed as some claim it is, to change hearts and minds, and, if true, to stem the flow of funds coming from Saudi Arabian or other sources that have been paying for extremist violent perversions of Islam to be spread. (And surely the time has come for Amber Rudd and the Home Office to publish their report into this).

Last, there is migration, or rather the lies and myths around it. The argument runs, as so often, that the migration crisis has created a crisis of security, though the geopolitical truth is that the cause and effect are precisely the other way round.

There are far too many home-grown terrorists, and victims of terror among refugees or economic migrants, for this to hold force. It is true that there will be some hardened jihadists and radicalised youths returning from Syria or Iraq, say, who may smuggle themselves into Europe, with our without a British passport, and with or without secreting themselves in rickety vessels trying to cross the Mediterranean. They will not be stopped by the navies of Europe returning every single migrant or refugee to North Africa, even if that were possible.

The truth about these modern terrorists is the same as it has been through the whole history of nationalist or political violence and sedition going back to the 19th century and way beyond: policing, security and intelligence are by far the best methods of protecting peace and the lives of our citizens. Where there is the possibility, peace or political process ought to be pursued, though with Islamists that is not a viable option now.

In any case, persecuting minorities has never worked and usually made matters far worse. That, indeed, is what the terrorists would like governments to do, because it simply foments more violence. We neglect that lesson at a very great, and continuing, cost.
A five-year-old Irish boy suffered a broken leg when his family was caught up in the terror attack in Barcelona.

The boy's father also has leg injuries after a van was driven into innocent people in Las Ramblas, one of the busiest avenues in the Spanish city.

Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister, Simon Coveney, said: "They are not life-threatening, I'm relieved to say.

"But in a way it's a miracle that more Irish people weren't involved, given that there are so many Irish people in Spain, Barcelona and Cambrils at this time of year."

The father and son were part a family of four, including the mother and a daughter, and are understood to have been on a trip to celebrate the boy's birthday.

The youngster suffered a broken femur.

The mother and father are understood to be from Cebu in the Philippines and are naturalised Irish citizens. They hold dual citizenship. The children were born in Ireland.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs is assisting the family.

Its officials opened a hotline in Dublin for anyone concerned about relatives in Spain on 01-408 2000 while the Irish Embassy in Madrid was also fielding calls on +34 9143 64093.

President Michael D Higgins led condemnation of the attacks and sent a message of condolence.

"Barcelona has a long history of hospitality and has over the years received so many people from around the world," he said.

"As President of Ireland, I want to send the people of this great and welcoming city not only our sympathy but also the solidarity of the people of Ireland."

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: "An attack of this nature, targeting the people of Barcelona and visitors enjoying that wonderful city in the height of the tourist season, is both wanton and cowardly and has no place in our society.

"At this time of immense grief, I want to offer our solidarity and support to the people of Spain, with whom we have such close relations."

Mr Coveney said he was appalled by the attacks.

"On behalf of the Irish Government, I wish to convey our condolences and solidarity with the people of Spain at this time," he said.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan described it as an unspeakable act of terrorism and vowed that gardai would liaise closely with Spanish counterparts.

"It is clear that the intention of those who carried out this appalling, evil act was to kill, wound and terrorise innocent people enjoying the freedoms we share and cherish," he said.

"Our thoughts are with the victims and their families."
Farmers transporting livestock have been livestock to be vigilant and be certain of identification of anyone asking to inspect their vehicles.

The warning comes from authorities in Northern Ireland after a recent incident where a vehicle transporting livestock was stopped on a motorway by persons purporting to be official inspectors.
The departing chief executive of Kerry Group Stan McCarthy would "love" to see the stalemate over the 'thirteenth' milk price payment resolved.

Mr McCarthy, who hands over the top spot to Edmond Scanlon at the end of next month, said the negotiations with the Kerry Co-op for the 3,300 farmer suppliers were still continuing.

"Irrespective of whether I leave I would just prefer if that was resolved," said Mr McCarthy.

The boss of the multi-billion euro taste and nutrition giant said there would be no change of mind on the decision taken that saw Mr McCarthy step down as chief executive of the Co-op.

"I wouldn't see that reversing," said Mr McCarthy.

Farmers have been critical of the milk price on offer, as they've felt it has lagged behind their neighbours in west Cork.

Mr McCarthy said he continued to be optimistic for the Irish dairy industry as it was in a "good position".

"The demand for butter has seen it reincarnate itself as being a good quality food that people want to consume," he said. The half year results saw group revenue increase by 4.8pc to 3.2bn, with the volumes of trade in the taste and nutrition business up over 4pc.

The firm confirmed it was continuing to target acquisitions in the developing world with 1bn spent over the past two years.

However, the half year results heard an interim dividend per share of 18.8c would be paid, up almost 12pc.

The co-op holds a 13.7pc stake of around 24 million shares in the Kerry Group, while farmer shareholders hold an estimated 30pc.
A 7m solar energy project planned by Gaelectric on a 154-acre site in north Dublin has been rejected.

The local council said it would set an unwanted precedent and would contravene a zoning objective to preserve the rural landscape.

The project is the latest from a number of solar energy firms to fall foul of local authorities around the country.

The planned Gaelectric scheme - called Mainscourt - would have cost about 6.8m to develop and would take a total of nine months to build.

The renewable energy firm told Fingal County Council that the project would have generated up to 10MW of electricity, sufficient to power about 5,300 homes a year.

But despite extensive engagement with the local council and residents in the area, the plans have been rejected.

"Due to its scale, and notwithstanding the mitigation measures proposed, the proposal would alter significantly the prevailing land use in the area, which is agriculture, and would represent an incongruous and dominant feature on the rural landscape," the council said.

The authority also cited the lack of a national framework on which decisions regarding solar farm developments can be based.

"There is a lack of guidance at national, regional and local level in relation to the appropriate location, scale and distribution of future proposals for solar power," it noted.

Read more: Ireland 'ideally positioned' to be a global leader in wave and tidal energy

The 'Sunday Independent' reported this week that 225 applications have been made in Ireland since June 2015 to develop solar projects.

An analysis by planning and research consultancy PHR found that there are applications being considered that would deliver just over 1.5 gigawatts of power.

This week, plans for a large solar scheme in Co Kildare were rejected by the local council.

Earlier this year, An Bord Pleanala warned that there has been a "sudden wave" of applications to build solar farms in Ireland, but that no strategic plan for development exists.

In relation to the proposed Gaelectric solar farm, Fingal County Council said that the authority is "not satisfied that the proposed development would not seriously injure the amenities of the area, and that, if permitted ... the proposed development would not be premature, pending the adoption of national, regional or local strategy or guidance for solar power".

Galeectric's CEO is Eamonn McGrath. The company is involved in a number of renewable energy projects. Last month, it opened two wind farms in Northern Ireland, built at a cost of 41m (45m).
Ricoh Ireland has donated a managed print solution worth 30,000 to social enterprise FoodCloud.

The tech firm installed three multifunctional print devices in FoodClouds offices and distribution centres in Dublin, Cork and Galway.

Established in 2013, the success of FoodCloud - which takes food waste from supermarkets and donates to charities and community groups - has seen the firm grown rapidly.

The company, which has developed its own app, has now redistributed more than 20 million meals from almost 2,000 businesses across Ireland and the UK.

Supermarkets such as Tesco, Lidl and Aldi can upload information regarding surplus foods to the app, which then sends out a message to charities that the food is available for collection at their stores.

Ricoh's tech donation will play a vital role in allowing the social enterprise to continue to assist local charities every week - and the tech firm will provide proactive support and management of the print infrastructure.

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A suite of office furniture has also been given to FoodCloud by Ricoh, and will be installed at the enterprises headquarters in Broomhill Business Park, Tallaght.

Expand Close Robert Viljoen, business development manager, Ricoh Ireland and Aoibheann OBrien, general manager, FoodCloud / Facebook

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Aoibheann OBrien, general manager, FoodCloud, said she was "truly grateful" for the donations.

"Printers are an invaluable cog in our operation as they allow us to seamlessly produce documentation which is essential for delivering food quickly and cost-effectively to our charity partners," she said.

"This advanced print technology will enable us to carry out this much-needed service even more effectively than before, while the ongoing managed print service from Ricoh ensures great business continuity and peace of mind."

With an estimated 1 million tonnes of food waste generated in Ireland annually, FoodCloud's approach to find an environmentally sound solution to help solve the issue of food poverty appealed to Ricohs sustainability ethos.

"We have been hugely impressed by FoodClouds unique ability to help businesses redistribute surplus food to people who really need it," Robert Viljoen, business development manager, Ricoh Ireland, said.
Lufthansa is considering buying a majority of Air Berlin's fleet of aircraft as the German government and rivals race to carve it up, according to sources.

Ryanair chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs lashed out this week at the fire sale of the insolvent Air Berlin's assets, saying the German government was "salami slicing" the failed carrier while excluding other airlines from the process. The German authorities have denied the charge.

Air Berlin, Germany's second-largest airline, filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday after shareholder Etihad Airways withdrew funding following years of losses.

The insolvency comes as many Germans enjoy summer holidays, and just ahead of a September general election, both factors which have put pressure on the German government to help minimise travel disruptions and job losses.

Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt backed Lufthansa to buy a major portion of Air Berlin's assets, saying Germany needed a "national champion" in international aviation.

"That is why it is urgently necessary that Lufthansa can take over significant parts of Air Berlin," he told daily newspaper 'Rheinische Post'.

Berlin has granted a bridging loan of 150m that will keep Air Berlin's planes in the air for up to three months, bringing holidaymakers home and securing 7,200 jobs in Germany while buyers for its assets are found.

Air Berlin's demise offers Lufthansa and rivals a chance to acquire slots at airports such as Berlin Tegel and Dusseldorf, with Germany's largest airline keen to defend its domestic position against Ryanair.

Ryanair has about an 8pc share of the German market. Mr Jacobs said following Air Berlin's demise, it could have 20pc within a couple of years.

One scenario Lufthansa's chief executive Carsten Spohr has apparently presented to the flagship carrier's supervisory board is that it could take on as many as 90 of Air Berlin's roughly 140 planes, all of which are leased.

That would include 38 aircraft Lufthansa is already leasing from Air Berlin.

The 'Sueddeutsche Zeitung' newspaper earlier cited company sources as saying that Mr Spohr was due to hold talks with Air Berlin's administrator and its management today.

RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND), a group which represents German newspapers, cited government sources as saying that Lufthansa, its budget carrier Eurowings and Thomas Cook's German airline Condor would likely snap up Air Berlin's most valuable landing slots. A source has said EasyJet was also part of the negotiations.

RND said a few slots could also go to Ryanair, which has filed a complaint with German and European Union competition authorities over the insolvency process. (Additional reporting Reuters)
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press about protests in Charlottesville. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

President Donald Trump decried on Thursday the removal of monuments to the pro-slavery Civil War Confederacy, echoing white nationalists and drawing stinging rebukes from fellow Republicans in a controversy that has inflamed racial tensions.

Trump has alienated Republicans, corporate leaders and U.S. allies, rattled markets and prompted speculation about possible White House resignations with his comments since Saturday's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, which came in the aftermath of a white nationalist protest against the removal of a Confederate statue.

Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, questioned Trump's capacity to govern.

"The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the ability or the competence that he needs to be successful," said Corker, who Trump had considered for the job of secretary of state. Corker said Trump needed to make "radical changes."

Read more: 'I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance' - Merck CEO resigns from Trump's presidential council after Charlottesville

Trump unleashed attacks on two Republican U.S. senators, Jeff Flake and Lindsey Graham, in a series of Twitter posts on Thursday, raising fresh doubts about his ability to work with lawmakers in his own party to win passage of his legislative agenda, which includes tax cuts and infrastructure spending.

He took aim at the removal or consideration for removal of Confederate statues and monuments in a long list of cities in California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, Virginia, and Texas, as well as Washington, D.C.

"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it," Trump wrote on Twitter, refusing to move past the controversy.

"Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!" Trump said. He was referring to two Confederate generals in the Civil War that ended in 1865, and to early U.S. presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who owned slaves but whose legacies are overwhelmingly honoured.

Opponents call the statues a festering symbol of racism, while supporters say they honor American history. Some of the monuments have become rallying points for white nationalists but also have the support of some people interested in historical preservation.

Trump also denied he had spoken of "moral equivalency" between white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members who clashed with anti-racism activists in Charlottesville.

Cohn Rumours

U.S. stocks suffered their biggest drop in three months on Thursday as the turmoil surrounding the White House sapped investor confidence that Trump's ambitious economic agenda would become reality. Equity index futures fell a bit further after the close of regular trading, with S&P 500 emini futures heading into the overnight trading session about 2 points lower.

The U.S. stock market has not followed a 1 percent-down day with a second straight day of losses since Trump was elected in November, so Fridays session is being watched as a significant test of the markets resilience.

Amid the controversy, the White House knocked down rumors that Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn might resign. An official said Cohn "intends to remain in his position" as National Economic Council director at the White House.

Trump announced the disbanding of two high-profile business advisory councils on Wednesday after the resignation of several corporate executives over his Charlottesville remarks. On Thursday, a White House official said Trump had dropped plans for an advisory council on infrastructure.

In another indication of businesses not wanting to be associated with the president, the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic canceled a planned 2018 Florida fundraiser at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Florida resort, where it had held such events for seven straight years. Spokeswoman Eileen Sheil said the Cleveland Clinic considered "a variety of factors" in deciding to cancel an event that typically generates $1m a year.

The clinic's chief executive, Toby Cosgrove, was a member of a one of the two councils that disbanded on Wednesday.

James Murdoch, chairman of Twenty-First Century Fox and son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, slammed Trumps response to Charlottesville in an email to friends and pledged to donate $1m to the Anti-Defamation League, the New York Times reported.

James Murdoch wrote that Trumps comments should "concern all of us as Americans and free people," the Times said. Twenty-First Century Fox owns Fox News Channel, a favourite with Trump and his conservative supporters.

Hate-filled Individuals

The Charlottesville violence erupted when white nationalists marched to protest against the planned removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. A 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyer, was killed when a man described as a white nationalist crashed his car into the counter-protesters.

Trump has blamed the Charlottesville violence on not just the white nationalist rally organizers but also the counter-protesters, and said there were "very fine people" among both groups. He also expressed distaste for removing Confederate statues in a heated news conference on Tuesday.

After Trump blasted Graham on Twitter, the senator who was one of Trump's rivals for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination fired back.

"Because of the manner in which you have handled the Charlottesville tragedy you are now receiving praise from some of the most racist and hate-filled individuals and groups in our country. For the sake of our Nation - as our President - please fix this," Graham said. "History is watching us all."

Another Republican senator, Dan Sullivan, also said on Twitter: "Anything less than complete & unambiguous condemnation of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK by (Trump) is unacceptable. Period."

Graham had said on Wednesday Trump's remarks at his news conference the day before had suggested "moral equivalency" between the white nationalists and anti-racism demonstrators and called on the president to use his words to heal Americans.

"Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists and people like Ms. Heyer. Such a disgusting lie. He just can't forget his election trouncing. The people of South Carolina will remember!" Trump wrote.

In a separate tweet, Trump called Flake "WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!" and appeared to endorse Kelli Ward, Flake's Republican challenger in his 2018 re-election race.

Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives, called for the immediate removal of Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol. U.S. Senator Cory Booker, also a Democrat, said he would introduce legislation so that could be done.

"There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honor across the country," Pelosi said in a statement.

A spokesman for Republican U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said it was up to U.S. states to determine which statues were displayed on their behalf in the Capitol building.
Ivan Yates is returning to daily radio, taking over the drivetime slot at Newstalk.

Yates, a former Fine Gael minister, who currently presents a Sunday show, will return to a full-time role at the station - taking over on 'Newstalk Drive' from September 4.

A columnist with the Irish Independent on Saturday, he had also been linked with the late night position at TV3 vacated by Vincent Browne.

Newstalk says Yates will bring his "straight-talking, opinion-led" commentary to the slot while not specifying what roles await the current hosts, Chris Donohue and Sarah McInerney.

But it is understood Donohue will be appointed as the station's group political editor - a role he is certain to be more than comfortable with given his extensive knowledge of current affairs.

It is also believed he will be given a slot on Sunday, which is currently filled by Yates.

Yates hosted the station's breakfast show with Donoghue until April 2016, pulling 164,000 listeners.

The latest JNLR radio figures show 'Newstalk Drive' has 130,000 listeners, only 2,000 less than 'The Right Hook' with George Hook enjoyed in the evening slot.

Newstalk managing editor Patricia Monahan said Yates is "one of Ireland's foremost commentators".

"His brand of straight-talking, opinion-led commentary will provide an engaging forum for listeners. This is an exciting time for the business as we continue to develop a brand of opinion-led content."

The station's plans for McInerney's future are unclear. She had been presenting the early evening show with Donoghue for the past year. She is a former and very respected political correspondent for 'The Sunday Times'. It is not known if she could yet be moved to a breakfast slot.

"We are currently in discussions with both Chris Donoghue and Sarah McInerney about alternative roles within the Communicorp Group," Ms Monahan said
Gardai are conducting "background checks" into the finances of a man charged with firearms offences and conspiracy to murder a Dublin man, a court has heard.

The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is involved in looking to Gary Gleeson's financial situation, a detective said.

Mr Gleeson (33) and his co-accused Stephen Dunne (38) were further remanded in custody when they appeared before Cloverhill District Court.

The two men were arrested on Bank Holiday Monday after gardai intercepted a van during an operation targeting organised crime in Dublin.

Mr Dunne, with an address at Meile an Ri Drive in Lucan, and Mr Gleeson, of Muskerry Road in Ballyfermot, are charged with conspiracy to murder Dublin man Michael Frazer on dates between July 28 and August 7 last.

They are also charged with possession of a 9mm Luger semi-automatic pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm calibre Sellier and Bellot ammunition with intent to endanger life at Naas Road in Crumlin on August 7 last.

The men must apply to the High Court for bail on a conspiracy to commit murder charge.

Free legal aid has been deferred in the case of Mr Gleeson, after the court heard he has assets of a Rolex watch, worth 4,000, an Audi, valued at 14,000 and an Astra, worth 500.

Detectives claimed that Mr Gleeson is not working, not claiming social welfare and "appears to be living beyond his means".

When the case came before Cloverhill court, defence lawyer Aoife O'Halloran asked the judge to grant legal aid, saying gardai have seized Mr Gleeson's assets and he no longer has those assets available to him to fund his defence.

Detective Garda Val Russell, of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, said gardai are conducting "background checks" and "CAB is involved".

Gda Russell said these checks will "take some time".

Ms O'Halloran asked the judge not to leave Mr Gleeson "in limbo", claiming there will be no consultations in custody between the accused and his solicitor if legal aid is not granted.

Judge Kathryn Hutton adjourned Mr Gleeson's case for one week, saying she will grant legal aid unless gardai can provide evidence to refute the accused's entitlement to legal aid.

The court heard that DPP's directions are outstanding on the charges, and the men are facing the possibility of further charges.

In relation to Mr Dunne, Judge Hutton further remanded him in custody for two weeks.

Mr Dunne is on disability and free legal aid was previously granted in his case.
A handyman has launched an "opportunistic bid to secure a substantial pay-off" and is blocking the development of 350 student bed spaces, a court heard.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott was told that "a handyman" occasionally employed by landlord and businessman John Cantwell had now launched "a groundless claim for adverse possession" of a house within the area of planned redevelopment in Dublin's Brewery Quarter

Barrister Barra McCabe, counsel for Mr Cantwell, said Thomas Malone was alleging he had been in possession of Number 13 Ardee Street, Dublin 8, for more than 30 years.

Mr McCabe said Mr Cantwell had agreed terms of sale of a group of buildings to Summix FRC Developments Limited.

Mr Cantwell said he was prevented from completing the sale, fearful of the legal consequences of the delay Mr Malone's assertions would cause, and the losses he and Summix may face.

Mr Cantwell told the court Mr Malone had unsuccessfully attempted to register No 13 in his own name with the Land Registry and had lodged an objection to Summix's planning application for the three-to-seven storey student apartment block.

He said Mr Malone's late father, also Thomas, who carried out maintenance work for his late wife Noelle Cantwell, had the use of a store at No 13 to keep tools.

But the High Court heard he had always invoiced them from his home address in Bangor Road, Kimmage, Dublin 12.

He also engaged Thomas Malone Junior from time to time but he was always on the site with his permission, he said.

Mr Cantwell said Mr Malone had enormous ability to cause huge financial loss and damage to him and Summix that might never be recoverable.

Mr McCabe is seeking to apply for injunctive reliefs against Mr Malone. The application was made on an ex-parte basis. The case was adjourned until next week.
Ian Bailey said he was pleased with the decision. Picture: Collins

Ian Bailey has welcomed a decision that will ensure he is not extradited to France over the murder of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier.

The former journalist, originally from England but who has been living in west Cork since the early 1990s, will not face any costs from a lengthy High Court action either.

The Chief State Solicitor's Office yesterday told Judge Tony Hunt it did not intend to challenge his order not to extradite Mr Bailey to Paris.

Authorities in the French capital want the 60-year-old from The Prairie, Liscaha, Schull, on charges of voluntary manslaughter over Ms Toscan du Plantier's death.

The 39-year-old's badly beaten body was found on an isolated hillside in Toormore, near Schull, two days before Christmas in 1996.

Mr Bailey was arrested twice in connection with the filmmaker's killing.

He was never charged and has vehemently protested his innocence. The DPP decided he should not be prosecuted. But under French law, authorities have the power to investigate the death of a citizen overseas and seek a prosecution. Investigators in Paris have unsuccessfully sought to extradite Mr Bailey on two occasions over the last five years.

Judge Hunt branded the latest attempt an "abuse of process" when he ruled against it last month.

At a brief hearing in the High Court yesterday, the Chief State Solicitor's Office said there would not be an appeal and that there was no objection to Mr Bailey's application for costs.

Mr Bailey was not in court but later welcomed the decision. "Obviously myself, my partner Jules Thomas and my legal team, we are very pleased," he said. "We are pleased with the result but there are many challenges ahead."

Last year in Paris, an indictment of voluntary homicide was issued by investigating magistrate Nathalie Turquey against Mr Bailey and a European Arrest Warrant sent to Irish authorities. The penalty for the offence is up to 30 years in jail.

A ruling on the indictment is expected in a Paris court in September. It is understood that will determine if Mr Bailey can be put on trial in his absence.

In a separate legal case, also last month, Mr Bailey was denied a full retrial in his lawsuit against the Irish State over the investigation into Ms Toscan du Plantier's death.

He was granted an appeal on one claim of alleged wrongful disclosure of information by gardai.
Modern Ballymun is just over 50 years old - but much of its history has been linked with deprivation, drugs and crime.

Its beginnings stem from the housing crisis of the 1960s, when hundreds of low-income families were housed in tenements across Dublin city centre.

But in the summer of 1963, two elderly residents died on Bolton Street when their home collapsed. Two weeks later, two girls walking on Fenian Street died when two other homes fell. More than 1,000 families were moved out of dangerous buildings in the weeks that followed, and in May 1964, the Department of Local Government recommended the Ballymun housing scheme to Dublin Corporation.

More than 3,000 homes were planned, the bulk of which were in high-rise towers up to 15 storeys high, along with shops, schools, play areas and more than 30 acres of parkland, to be delivered at a cost of IR10m, equivalent to around 220m today.

By August 1966, the first families had moved in, and while delighted with their new homes, there were concerns about the lack of amenities and basic services. The lack of a town centre prompted concerns about development of serious social problems, while a swimming pool and parklands were shelved due to a lack of money.

"By 1969, an entire community had been created miles from Dublin city with none of the amenities necessary to satisfactorily conduct their daily lives. For three years considerable hardships and inconveniences were imposed on the new residents," Dr Robert Somerville-Woodward says in 'Ballymun, A History'.

Problems with lifts and the central heating systems were among the reasons that more affluent tenants began to leave from the 1970s. By the 1980s, the area was rife with high unemployment, a growing heroin and crime problem, and a transient population. Local paper the 'Ballymun Echo' noted in June 1987 that Ballymun was treated as a dumping ground for people with social problems, and tenants in a position to refuse allocations to the area did so.

Dublin City Council began to regenerate the area from the late 1990s, which included demolition of the tower blocks and provision of thousands of new homes. But much remains to be done. A promised replacement for the old town centre has yet to materialise. According to the Ballymun Jobs Centre, the unemployment rate is higher than the rest of the city, as is the number of unskilled workers. Levels of educational attainment are lower. Plans for Metro North have been shelved, and house prices are among the lowest in the city.

But there have been successes, including the development of the Axis Arts Centre, refurbishment of the swimming pool and provision of new homes. Children are staying in school for longer and going on to higher education. Unemployment is falling, and incidents of recorded crime are also down.

While Dublin City Council has proposed a new plan for Ballymun, which includes more homes, services and employment opportunities, it's not the first time the community has heard similar promises. The 'Evening Herald' noted in December 1971 that there was a dearth of creche spaces, playgrounds and other basics to facilitate development of a sustainable community.

"Until these services are provided there can be no stability of population...tenants will come and go like a simultaneous blood transfusion and haemorrhage and Ballymun will become a limbo where some rest for a time before passing to a better place," it said. "People have human needs as well as housing needs. That is what the planners forgot."
Drones have been banned from flying over a three-acre site in Dublin where gardai are searching for the remains of missing man Trevor Deely.

The Irish Aviation Authority and the Department of Justice have prohibited drones from flying over the Chapelizod woodland in west Dublin.

A Garda team is carrying out an intensive search of the council-owned site following a tip-off that the 22-year-old bank worker from Naas, Co Kildare, was murdered by a criminal after an office Christmas party in Dublin in 2000 and his body was hidden there.

Meanwhile, the mother of missing Offaly woman Fiona Pender said she hoped the search will have "a positive outcome".

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It is almost 21 years since Ms Pender (25) disappeared without trace from her apartment in Tullamore.

"I hope that they have some outcome for poor Trevor in the search for the parents' sake," said Josephine Pender.

"I am thinking of the parents all the time " she said.

The annual walk and run along the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore in memory of Ms Pender takes place on Sunday, August 27 along a stretch named 'Fiona's Way'.
Atrociously poor family planning found me with a Junior and Leaving Cert in the house in the same year. We barely survived. They bickered over study space, stationery, chairs and who got temporary ownership of the family pet as a 'calming device'.

Any parent will tell you boys study differently to girls. The latter have colour-coded sticky notes, luminous highlighters, excel spreadsheets and notes in alphabetical and cross-referenced chronological folders. The lads roll out of bed onto piles of screwed up paper and cross their fingers the morning of the exam.

Is that a generalisation? Perhaps. In all our striving for equality, is it time to throw in the towel and admit that actually, when it comes to curriculum subjects, they're just different? Does it go against the sisterhood to admit the whole left brain/right brain stuff?

Yet again this year, girls are to the fore of Leaving Cert results. They top their male classmates across the board. History, geography, English, Irish, indeed all languages (bar Japanese for some reason), art, biology, music and theology. They're winners, in some cases by a long mile, leaving the boys trailing.

The lads, meanwhile, continue to show their prowess at the narrower skill set of maths, engineering, accounting and chemistry.

But the consequence of this skewed reality is that it is the boys who will end up with the lion's share of bonus points for being better at sums, and given preferential treatment for targeted STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) courses, which are where the big bucks reside. The system is simply designed against women to reward the minority getting points in the 'right' subjects rather than incentivising those who show a broader and more rounded ability.

The Government has been intent for years on shovelling kids into maths and science subjects, ignoring, by extension, the linguists, artists and writers Ireland used to pride itself on.

It's all about meeting multi-nationals' quota of bright boys so that our foreign direct investment strategy stays on track.

So are lads simply better at boys' subjects then and if so, is it fair to promote the few they are scoring higher in to the detriment of the fantastic, hard-working girls who out-perform them in almost every other sphere?

How and when did Pythagoras's theorem become more important than Hamlet's soliloquy, for instance? Who decided algebra is more vital to life success than Seamus Heaney's allusions?

Why is society better served at knowing how levers are applied rather than how history has taught us as a nation?

Universities, increasingly geared toward courses from which the tech and pharma companies will hoover up their crop of students, continue to push maths-based courses, so the squeeze on humanities or arts gets ever tighter.

Arts degrees that a student getting 380 points would have qualified for a few years ago are now routinely 500 - points that simply aren't needed for the content, which in itself leads to higher drop-out rates as unsuitable candidates apply.

Our skewing of the system has resulted in some kids getting to the top in STEM, as per Government policy, but leaving others feeling stuck with 'second-tier' courses which simply aren't valued to the same degree.

Maybe it's time we woke up and rewarded girls for their better results instead of giving boys an artificial leg up. English literature or music is certainly as timeless, valuable and merited as maths. But not as quantifiable to the bean-counters in the Department of Education.
Sending your five-year-old daughter to a dance class may translate into impressive results in the Leaving Certificate 13 or 14 years later.

The better performance by female candidates in the exam can be traced back to when they are much younger and were more likely to engage in activities such as music, drama or dance classes.

The class of 2017 continued the familiar pattern of girls doing better than boys in the Leaving Certificate, according to a gender breakdown of results from the State Examinations Commission.

The girls have proportionately more top grades at higher level in all subjects, except maths, applied maths, chemistry, engineering, accounting, Japanese, and Polish. They are also less likely to "fail". The trends are broadly similar at ordinary level.

Leading education researcher Dr Emer Smyth said there was no one reason to explain the gender gap in exam achievement, but there were a number of pointers.

Dr Smyth, of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), cited her own research, published last year, that reading for pleasure and activities such as dancing boosted cognitive skills and enhanced attitudes to school.

The research was based on data about children aged nine and 13 from the 'Growing Up in Ireland' study, which also found that girls were much more likely to engage in such out of school learning activities.

Dr Smyth said while the study looked at the experiences of nine and 13 year olds, "it is there even at five", and made a difference in terms of a child's engagement with, and performance in, education.

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An annual analysis of Leaving and Junior Cert candidature also shows girls tend to aim higher and are more likely to study at "honours" level.

Previous research done by Dr Smyth on the experiences of students progressing through the second-level education system in Ireland shows that from second year up, girls spend more time on homework than boys.

She said an "image perfection" thing goes on and girls will "do hard work and study and put themselves under enormous pressure to do well".

There is a raft of international research seeking to explain why girls "do better" than boys, and a study about a decade ago pointed to how the exam and assessment system tended to demand writing skills, such as narrative and descriptive, at which girls are generally good.

Other studies have found girls do better when coursework forms part of the assessment process, while boys, who are more likely to take risks, tend to shine in multiple choice question exams.

The "under-achievement" of male pupils is often attributed to "laddish culture" and the notion of boys being "too cool for school". Dr Smyth said behaviour had been identified as a factor in education performance, with boys more likely to get into situations where they are reprimanded, which can lead to disengagement. This tends to be more obvious in areas of disadvantage.

Recent UK research suggests that the gender differences in subject choice should be of greater concern than gender differences in exams, which don't really translate into long-term consequences, but subject choices do. This was among the concerns expressed this week after the Leaving Cert results were issued.

Commenting on the gender of the physics entrants, the chair of Institute of Physics Ireland, Dr Mark Lang, said uptake of the subject by girls in Ireland remained stubbornly low at school level, with only about a quarter of the Leaving Certificate cohort being female.

He said it represented "a significant loss of science capital to the country and, on an individual level, indicates that many women are not fulfilling their potential in this area".
An investigation has been launched into how the body of a dead woman lay undiscovered in a hospital toilet for "up to 10" hours.

The body of the woman - who is understood to be a Polish national - was found in a disabled toilet beside the Emergency Department of University Hospital Galway over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Cllr Niall McNelis has questioned how the woman was not found sooner.

The Labour Councillor told Independent.ie: "I've requested an update from the hospital manager to find out exactly what happened.

"It's a public toilet very close to the A&E department so surely there must have been checks from staff to keep the toilets clean and also from security.

"How did this happen over such a long period of time?"

Mr McNelis, who is also a member of the HSE West Regional Health Forum, added: "My other main concern is that if it's up to ten hours, what are the procedures for strangers and for other visitors to the hospital?"

The Connacht Tribune reports that the woman lay dead in the toilet for up to ten hours before she was found.

It's understood that the toilet was locked from the inside and she was found when the facilities were being cleaned.

A spokeswoman for the Saolta University Hospital Group, who represents the University Hospital Galway, confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the incident.

She said: "The circumstances relating to the discovery of a deceased person in a disabled toilet which was locked in a public area adjacent to the Emergency Department at UHG are being investigated.

"The person entered the hospital building unknown to any member of staff.

"The deceased was a member of the public and was not registered as a patient either in the hospital or the ED."

The case has been referred to the Coroner and a public inquest may follow.
The man was travelling with his partner in a van when they stopped to ask for directions at a gas station at La Garzas de La Mira (Photo; Google Maps)

An Irishman was shot dead in Mexico while "defending his girlfriend" according to a local prosecutor.

The victim, named locally as Noel Maguire (29), was killed during an apparent carjacking near the town of Lazaro Cardenas in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan.

The killing occurred on Tuesday but details of the tragedy have only recently emerged.

Local authorities initially believed the victim to be a Swiss national, but further enquiries established the victim was Mr Maguire and the Irish embassy in Mexico was contacted.

Mr Maguire, originally from Co Louth, was shot dead by two armed men as they attempted to steal the vehicle he was travelling in with his girlfriend.

This female, who is originally from the US state of Arizona, had known Mr Maguire for the past three months according to the local prosecutor.

She told authorities she met Mr Maguire on social media and the pair had been dating for a number of months.

It has been reported locally that the couple asked for directions at a petrol station before they were threatened and Mr Maguire attacked.

A spokeswoman for Michoacan attorney general Jose Martin Godoy Castro has confirmed that the office is investigating the homicide of an Irish national.

"We can confirm that the office is investigating the homicide of an Irishman, Noel N on Tuesday," she said.

Enquiries made by the AG's office have determined that the gunmen demanded Mr Maguire and his female friend hand over the pick-up truck and the woman's handbag.

When the pair refused to hand over the keys to the criminals, at least one man opened fire and fatally wounded Mr Maguire.

The thieves then escaped in the truck while emergency services were alerted. Tragically, Mr Maguire was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Castro has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice and said Mr Maguire's partner was being provided psychological and legal assistance.

Mr Maguire's remains were transferred from the scene to a medical facility nearby.

The victim's family are travelling to Mexico before his body will be repatriated.

It is understood that Mr Maguire, who was travelling with an Irish passport, was also in possession of a UK driver's licence.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it has been made aware of the case and that it is providing consular assistance. Local police are also investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and are liaising with the Irish embassy in Mexico.

Louth TD Fergus O'Dowd described the killing of Mr Maguire as "an absolute tragedy" and expressed his sympathies to the victim's family.

"For something like this to happen is an absolute tragedy, and is such a tragic loss of life for a young man.

"My sympathies go out to his family and friends at such an extremely sad time for everyone who knew him," the Fine Gael TD said.

Recently, the state of Michoacan has suffered some of the worst drug-related violence which has plagued Mexico.

Extortion and assassinations became so widespread, armed civilian militias were deputised by the government to combat the dominant Knights Templar cartel.

In May of this year, two members of the local police force died in an ambush in the same town where the Irishman was shot.
Police have launched a murder investigation after an Irishman (34) died from serious head injuries in Birmingham on Monday.

Phillip Leonard (34) from Ireland was found lying unconscious in Essex Street at around 1.30am on July 28.

The 34 year-old believed to be from Co Louth was taken to hospital but died on Monday (14 August). A forensic post mortem has revealed he died as a result of his head injuries.

Daniel Fitzpatrick, aged 26, also from Ireland, was arrested and charged with the attack last month. He is currently remanded in custody.

Officers are appealing for information and are keen to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time.

Detective Inspector Ian Iliffe, from Force CID in Birmingham, said: "Following the sad death of Phillip this is now a murder investigation.

"His injuries were consistent with being attacked and we are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen what happened in the early hours of 28 July.

"We already have one person in custody on suspicion of wounding and we will now be reviewing this."

Anyone with information can contact DI Iliffe from the Homicide Team on 101, extension 863 2127.
The van that ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

An Irish family injured in the Barcelona terror attack were in Spain to celebrate their son's birthday.

Norman and Pederlita Putot - who were born in the Philippines but are naturalised Irish citizens and their children Nathaniel and Pearl, who were born in Ireland, were caught up in the terrifying attack.

Mr Putot suffered leg injuries and Nathaniel (5) broke his leg during Thursday's attack, they are still in hospital but their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Mrs Putot and Pearl were uninjured in the attack.

At least 13 people were killed and over 100 were hurt when a white van ploughed into pedestrians in the busy Las Ramblas area of the Spanish city.

The driver fled the scene but police have confirmed that two people were arrested in connection with the attack and a second attacker has reportedly been killed in a shoot-out.

Dr Emmanuel Fernandez, Consul General of the Embassy of the Philippines in Madrid, gave an update on the Irish citizens aught up in the incident.

Speaking on Morning Ireland on RTE Radio One, he said: "The father and son are in hospital still.

"The boy has a knee injury and he may need an operation.

"The others are okay, the mother of the family and their daughter were not injured.

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"They are tourists who had come from Ireland to celebrate their son's birthday but obviously that didn't happen."

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney told RTE Radio this morning that one of the children - a five-year-old boy - had a broken femur.

Mr Coveney added that it was "a miracle" that no other Irish have so far been confirmed as having been caught up in the incident, and added that there was no travel warning issued for Spain.

He said: "But in a way it's a miracle that more Irish people weren't involved, given that there are so many Irish people in Spain, Barcelona and Cambrils at this time of year."

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said that there may be further Irish casualties.

A newlywed Northern Irish couple who were enjoying their honeymoon in Barcelona and have spoken about the "chaos" after the attack.

Martin (53) and Sharon (48) Kane had been on a coach tour of Barcelona yesterday afternoon. The coach was about to reach its last stop when they realised something was wrong.

"The driver came around to us all panicky," Martin explained.

"He said, 'The police have cordoned off Las Ramblas - if you want to go down there, you go down at your own risk'."

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The couple got off the coach and were walking down the street towards their hotel when police started to push them back.

"We were panicking. We didn't know how to get back to our hotel," he said.

"The next minute everyone started running. One girl slipped and fell on her face in the chaos.

"People were screaming and crying. It was a stampede. Then the sirens began.

"We just ran into the nearest hotel - there were no taxis, nothing.

"Nobody was helping us, nobody was telling us what was going on.

"We were all panicking. My wife was crying her eyes out."

An Irish man living in Barcelona said he is shaken following the attack.

Aidan McGovern originally from Carrigaline, Co Cork owns a gallery in the Spanish city centre. He told Independent.ie that the attack has left him shaken.

"I'm pretty shook up and taken aback. I'm close to the area. It's very scary.

"A buddy of mine saw the van plough through the crowd and get out of the van running. It's pretty grim here right now."

Dublin-based journalist Alana Fearon was spending time in Barcelona and was due to fly home that evening when the attack happened.

The Armagh native told RTE: "We started to get really, really panicked," she said.

"All of a sudden a police car came up with police shouting through a megaphone: 'Indoors, indoors'.

"All I can see is cordons, sirens, police, helicopters."

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has offered his condolences to those affected "at this time of immense grief."

He said: "An attack of this nature, targeting the people of Barcelona and visitors enjoying that wonderful city in the height of the tourist season, is both wanton and cowardly and has no place in our society.

"At this time of immense grief, I want to offer our solidarity and support to the people of Spain, with whom we have such close relations."

President Michael D Higgins also condemned the attacks.

He said: "Barcelona has a long history of hospitality and has over the years received so many people from around the world.

"As President of Ireland, I want to send the people of this great and welcoming city not only our sympathy but also the solidarity of the people of Ireland."

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Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has expressed his solidarity with the victims.

He said: "On behalf of the Irish Government, I wish to convey our condolences and solidarity with the people of Spain at this time."

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan described it as an unspeakable act of terrorism and vowed that gardai would liaise closely with Spanish counterparts.

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"It is clear that the intention of those who carried out this appalling, evil act was to kill, wound and terrorise innocent people enjoying the freedoms we share and cherish," he said.

"Our thoughts are with the victims and their families."

The Spanish authorities said that one of the two men arrested was Moroccan and the other was from the Spanish enclave of Melilla in North Africa. They were arrested in two different towns in the region of Catalonia, Ripoll and Alcanar.

One of the arrested men was named as Driss Oukabir. He is suspected of renting the van, but later denied involvement and reportedly said his documents had been stolen.

Islamic State have now claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the group's Amaq news agency.

Meanwhile, four suspected attackers have been shot dead and another injured by Spanish police in a second attack to hit Catalonia.

Seven people were reportedly injured in the coastal town of Cambrils when a group, said to be wearing "explosive belts", launched a van attack similar to the incident in Barcelona.

Catalan emergency services said six civilians and a police officer had been injured in the attack.

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The Irish are among people from at least 24 countries who were killed or injured in the attacks.

French authorities confirmed that 26 of their citizens were injured and 11 of these are in a serious condition.

Three Germans and one Belgian person were among those killed.

It's also been confirmed that three Dutch people, an American person and a citizen of Hong Kong were all injured in the incident.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that two women are in a serious but stable condition, while two other men sustained minor injuries.

Ms Bishop said that one Australian person is still missing.

Three Greek nationals - a mother and her two children - are said to have been hurt.

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Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that an explosion on Wednesday night in Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, is now believed to be connected to Thursday's attack.

At the time police thought it was a gas explosion. The house was destroyed, with six people injured and one dead.

Inside the house, which police believe was occupied for a few months, they found around 20 canisters of butane and propane gas.

A woman was found dead inside and a man, discovered among the rubble, was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

The explosion could be heard for several miles.

Irish citizens in the vicinity of the incident are advised to follow the advice of local authorities.

Anyone with concerns for the safety of loved ones in Barcelona can contact the Consular Assistance team in the Department on 01-4082000 or the Irish Embassy in Madrid on +34 914364093.4
The stereotype of the know-all, mouthy Corkman is not a recent creation. Safe to say that ever since Corkonians have stalked God's green earth they have been telling the rest of humanity how things should be done and why Cork is the place to do it.

So when Cha and Miah showed up on RTE's hugely popular 'Hall's Pictorial Weekly' in the 1970s they fulfilled a need they probably didn't even know existed.

Here at last was a show where the rest of the country could laugh at the delusional notions of a city that had somehow managed to convince itself that it was, well, the real capital.

But if the joke was on Cork, it didn't notice.

Instead, the success of Cha and Miah over the ensuing years was only seen as more proof that the second city was really a first among equals.

Fantasy? Of course.

But growing up there at the time, I had no reason not to believe it.

But Cork did have things to boast about in the 1970s. The most popular politician in the history of the State in Jack Lynch, for one, and Jimmy Barry Murphy, the GAA's first sex symbol, for another.

In those days too, Cork used to do hurling three-in-a-rows without breaking into a sweat. Imagine. And did I mention Danny la Rue?

'Hall's Pictorial' was capable of biting political satire. Some commentators suggested that the show helped unseat the Coalition government in 1977.

But Cha and Miah wouldn't have known how to be nasty. Their sketches were gentle and often whimsical.

Whatever the subject, the punchline was always about the effortless intellectual superiority of Cork people.

Michael Twomey, who played straight-man Miah to Frank Duggan's Cha, cleverly created and developed a character who could make the rest of the nation belly-laugh at Cork's grandiose notions, while still managing to keep the home crowd smiling.

But most importantly, Cha and Miah were truly funny, the sketches were polished and the delivery exquisite.

Comedy doesn't often age well, but their 'Hall's Pictorial' vignettes are worthy of a revisit, if only for the warm glow of nostalgia that will wash over anyone of a certain age.

It's always sad to see a true funny man pass and Twomey's ability to make Corkonians feel better about themselves, while having a laugh at their expense, was a very clever two-step from a true song and dance man.
The Olympic Council of Ireland risks losing its State funding unless it can find a way to end a 10-year contract with the company at the centre of the Rio ticketing scandal.

Transport Minister Shane Ross wants to resume funding to the body "as soon as possible" but says the OCI must disengage with THG first.

The OCI is now facing a major crisis after losing all of its sponsors in the wake of last summer's controversy.

After its former president Pat Hickey's arrest in Brazil, it was decided to cut off the OCI from taxpayers' money.

A total of 130,000 was withheld in 2016 and under normal circumstances the OCI would have expected to receive another 300,000 this year through Sport Ireland. Mr Ross told the Oireachtas Committee on Sport that decisions on funding had not yet been made because he wanted to be "absolutely sure that their house is completely in order".

It emerged earlier this week that Mr Hickey entered into an agreement with THG that gives the British company the right to be Ireland's ticket agent at every Olympics Games until 2026.

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"That is a problem for them. It's a big problem. I don't know many of the details about the contract that was signed.

"But we would certainly not like to fund them if there are any outstanding issues which are a legacy of this particular controversy," Mr Ross said.

He used his appearance at the special committee sitting to defend the Moran Inquiry, which he said had "shone a light" on the "shameful standards of corporate governance" at the OCI under Pat Hickey.

He said events in Brazil justified an inquiry which "revealed a hitherto unknown rotten culture at the heart of the OCI".

However, Fianna Fail's Robert Troy said: "It's a sad reflection on ourselves and our own checks and balances that we relied upon another jurisdiction, which probably wouldn't be held in the highest esteem as being the most honourable country in terms of doing business. Yet it took that jurisdiction to highlight the gross inadequacies of the OCI."

Mr Ross insisted that non-cooperation with the inquiry by Mr Hickey and others had not undermined its work.

The new head of the OCI, Sarah Keane, and representatives of Sport Ireland were also due before the committee yesterday but the hearing had to be abruptly adjourned after a staff member became seriously ill.

Proceedings will resume this morning.
Military recruits and privates are to receive a pay rise that will result in a wage increase of up to 6,000 a year at the top of the scale.

The increase results from discussions between the Department of Defence and representative body Pdforra, under the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

The new rates are expected to be announced today by Defence Minister Paul Kehoe and comes amid growing unrest within the military over pay.

Over the past few years, hard-hit soldiers have qualified for family income supplements because they could not survive financially on their wage packets. A long commute to work for many soldiers, arising from the closure of some barracks, has added to the financial hardship, according to Pdforra.

A wives and partners support group has been lobbying the Government to deal with the plight of the military.

Recent figures from the CSO showed that military personnel were at the bottom of the public worker pay scale.

The new pay scale, which is backdated to July 1, 2016, will apply to general service recruits and privates who joined the Defence Forces since the start of 2013. When combined with other increases paid recently under Lansdowne Road, the troops will be given a rise of between 8pc and 14pc, depending on their point in the pay scales.

In real terms, according to Mr Kehoe, this will mean that recruits will get a gross pay rise of more than 38 per week for their 17 weeks of training and around 78 per gross pay week for private two stars during their 12 weeks' training.

Mr Kehoe said that when added to the military service allowance, private three stars, who joined since 2013, would receive an extra 2,000 to 6,000 per year. The rises will also apply to new recruits starting their careers.

Mr Kehoe said the Government was committed to the implementation of Lansdowne Road, which allowed for a programme of pay restoration for all public servants, including members of the Defence Forces.

"It recognises the contribution made by public servants during the economic crisis to restoring the public finances and ensures greater pay increases for the lower paid, who are usually new entrants," he said.

Mr Kehoe said the pay deal followed extensive talks between his department officials, Pdforra and the Department of Public Expenditure.

The new pay scales, he said, were in addition to recent increases of 2.5pc from January last year on annualised salaries of up to 24,000; and 1pc for salaries between 24,000 and 31,000. These were paid in July.

An increase of 1,000 dating back to April on salaries of up to 65,000 was also paid in recent weeks.
Norman Potot (45) with an address in Ballsbridge in Dublin was on holiday with his wife, Pearly Fernandez Potot (39) and his two children Nailah Pearl Potot (9) and Nathaniel Paul Potot (5).

An Irish - Filipino family who were injured in the Barcelona terror attack said that they have been left traumatised after their family holiday turned into a nightmare.

Norman Potot (45) from Ballsbridge Co Dublin was on holiday with his wife, Pederlita Fernandez Potot (39) and their two children Nailah Pearl Potot (9) and Nathaniel Paul Potot (5) when the tragedy occurred.

The family were on holiday to celebrate Nathaniel's fifth birthday when a van mounted the pavement in Las Ramblas, killing 13 and injuring more than 100 people.

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We were on Las Ramblas Raval, the main road, while looking for presents, Mr Potot told Independent.ie from his hospital bed in Barcelona.

There were hundreds of people around when suddenly a white van came running through us.

The father-of-two, who has been living in Ireland since 2007, was left with kidney injuries when the van struck him on the pavement.

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The van hit me in my rib cage, I never heard any screaming, I only saw the white van coming through us very fast, hitting the little shop and me.

It was scary. I dont know what happen next because I was unconscious.

Mr Potots young family were not hit by the van, but they were injured after a stampede of people tried to flee the scene.

The commotions of the people got them, especially my son, I think someone stood on his legs when he fell down.

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My wife and daughter were ok, theyve got loads of bruises around their body.

Mr Potot described the terrifying scenes when he regained consciousness.

I could see policemen and people running and screaming, everyone was covered in blood, including me.

Due to the threat of more attacks, he added that the family were not immediately able to receive medical treatment.

The policemen told us to hide in the basement of the restaurant because there might be gunmen or something. They told us they would call an ambulance when the coast was clear.

The shaken family are now recovering in hospital in Barcelona.

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Were ok, my son is in a recovery room, he just finished his operation due to a fractured leg.

Im under observation for 48 hours due to my kidney. They found a blood inside it, perhaps from the impact of van that hit me in the left side of my rib cage.

My kids are traumatised all of us are traumatised, he said.

The Potots are active members of the Lumad nga Bisaya Ireland community.

The groups founder and president Ringo Olavario has spoken to Independent.ie about the family's ordeal.

He said: The family were in Spain to celebrate Nathaniels fifth birthday.

Nathaniel broke his leg in the attack and had an operation earlier today and it went well, thankfully.

Norman is covered in bruises, he was hit full on by the van and will have to undergo a lot of tests but he seems okay.

They are both in the Hospital del Mar.

Mr Olavario said he has been speaking to Pederlitas sister Aiza today, who he said is understandably very upset.

He said: Shes been very worried since this happened, she asked her boyfriend to travel over to be with them and help in any way he can.

I am also contacting anyone I know in Barcelona who might be able to help them until they can come home.

Their little girl Pearl is really shocked but the bottom line is at least theyre alive.

The trauma will be with them for years to come but thank God theyre going to be okay.

Terrorists seem to be targeting every corner of the world now and it just shows you never know whats around the corner.

Who would think going on holiday that something like this could happen?

He also said that he has known the Potots for a long time and will be relieved when theyre back in Ireland.

He said: Theyve been living here for over ten years and are very involved in the Lumad community.

Pederlitas aunt is also a very good friend of mine.

Were all looking forward to welcoming them back to Ireland in the near future.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 18: Police officers patrol on Las Ramblas following a terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images

A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. Photo: JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images

Following this week's terror attacks in Barcelona, Pol O Conghaile is monitoring the latest travel and transport advice.

Is Barcelona safe to visit?

More than a dozen people have been killed and over 100 injured by a rampaging van driver in Barcelona. There have also been incidents in Cambrils.

"Irish citizens are advised to exercise extreme caution and follow all of the advice of the local authorities," according to the Department of Foreign Affairs travel advisory for Spain.

In the wake of the attacks, people were advised to stay away from Las Ramblas. Metro stations at Catalunya and Liceu are closed until c. 1pm Friday (see metro info here). Other bus and metro services are disrupted within the security perimeter. The Bus Turistic service has also been suspended.

Spain is Ireland's most popular overseas holiday destination, with almost two million Irish expected to visit this year, according to the Irish Travel Agents' Association.

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The Department has not advised against travel, however.

What can I do if I have concerns about a loved one?

Anyone with safety concerns for loved ones in Barcelona can contact the Consular Assistance team in the Department at 01 408-2000.

Tourists can contact the local Barcelona phone service on extended hours at +34 932 853 832 (the Spanish Emergency Services are on 112.

Facebook has activated its safety check feature here.

What is the threat from terrorism in Spain?

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"There is a general threat from terrorism in Europe, and the threat in Spain is considered to be high," the Department advises.

Indiscriminate attacks are a risk, it adds, and "targets could include areas frequented by tourists" (this week's attack centred on Las Ramblas).

This is Spain's first terror attack since 2009, though Spanish police have reportedly disrupted a number of groups suspected of plotting attacks in Europe.

Generally speaking, Spain remains a very safe holiday destination.

Are flights going ahead as normal?

Yes. We have received no reports of delays from Aer Lingus, Ryanair or other airlines flying between Ireland and Spain.

"Our thoughts are with all of those affected," Ryanair said in a statement. "Our flights are operating as scheduled and we will inform customers of any further travel updates."

Aer Lingus is also operating a full schedule. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the attacks in Spain," it says.

Passengers should prepare for extra checks at airports, however, leave plenty of time for connections and check with their airline website for updates before travel.

Can I cancel my trip?

You can, but you will likely have to pay any extra costs you incur.

If you cancel a holiday without the Department of Foreign Affairs declaring travel to be unsafe, it could be deemed "disinclination to travel".

Tour operators, airlines and travel agents are not obliged to offer free cancellation or repatriation unless the Department advises against travel.

However, the Irish Travel Agents' Association (itaa.ie) says it is working with its members across Ireland "to support holidaymakers in the region".

"Tour operators are working with local authorities to support any Irish travellers who may require assistance," it says, offering condolences and solidarity.

"Passengers are likely to experience disruption and delays and are advised to stay in touch with their travel agent, carrier airline or tour operator."

What about my travel insurance?

Travel insurance won't cover the cost of a trip cancellation due to a terror attack, but it's essential to have a policy in case of medical emergencies.

Whenever you travel in Europe, Independent.ie Travel recommends having an EHIC card and comprehensive travel insurance.

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NB: This story is being updated to reflect developments.
Ireland is "the most globe-trotting nation" on the planet, according to data based on holiday bookings to 170 countries.

Research looking at overseas and domestic holiday bookings since 2014, and calculated per head of population, found people living in Ireland to be the most travelled.

Australia and New Zealand ranked second and third in the data, published by Hostelworld, the online hostel-booking platform.

Hostelworld's 10 most travelled nations (per capita)

Ireland Australia New Zealand England Canada Netherlands Switzerland Scotland Sweden Denmark

Overseas trips from Ireland plunged during the post-Celtic Tiger recession, but have been steadily picking up since 2011, according to the Central Statistics Office.

In 2016, 7.4 million overseas trips by Irish residents were recorded - up 6pc from the previous year, and with no signs of slowing down.

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73pc of its members have seen bookings rise between April and June of this year, according to the latest quarterly survey by the Irish Travel Agents' Association (ITAA).

Spain (including the Canary and Balearic Islands) is Ireland's favourite overseas holiday destination, according to the ITAA - followed by Portugal and the USA.

Hostelworld's data, based on some seven million bookings a year for hotels, B&Bs, apartments and campsites as well as hostels, shows Irish people also love their staycations - with Dublin, Galway, Cork and Belfast among the ten most-booked destinations.

Hostelworld's Top 10 destinations booked by Irish residents

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Dublin Galway London Amsterdam Berlin Budapest Cork Prague Belfast Barcelona

In an encouraging sign for inbound tourism, Ireland also ranked 8th on the platform's list of countries receiving most bookings - behind titans like Spain, the USA and Italy, but ahead of France - the most visited destination in the world for 2016, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation.

The news comes as Dublin Airport reported its busiest-ever July, with 3.1 million passengers - the first time in its 77-year history that more than three million customers were facilitated in a single month.

In terms of pure volume (i.e. not adjusted for population size), people living in the USA make the most bookings, Hostelworld found, followed by England, Germany, Australia and Canada.

Read more:
Brigitte Trogneux arrives to attend the handover ceremony between her husband, French President-elect Emmanuel Macron, and outgoing President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 14, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Brigitte Macron, wife of French President, leaves the Hotel San Domenico for an official visit in Catania on the sidelines of the Heads of State and of Government G7 summit, on May 26, 2017 in Taormina, Sicily

Brigitte Macron on the cover of the August issue of French Elle.

Singer Bono of Irish band U2 and co-founder of ONE organization and Brigitte Macron, wife of the French President, speak at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 24, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

Brigitte Macron (C), wife of French President, smiles ahead of the start of the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris on July 14, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / ALAIN JOCARD (Photo credit: ALAIN JOCARD/AFP/Getty Images)

Brigitte Macron is French Elles new cover star, appearing in jeans and one of her signature tailored power jackets.

In the accompanying 10-page feature, Madame Macron opens up about everything from her relationship with her husband to her views on the controversy surrounding their 25 year age gap, but also reveals a lot about her much-talked-about sense of style.

The Telegraph spoke to French Elle's fashion director, Brune de Margerie, who styled Brigitte for the shoot at the Palais de l'Elysee just a few weeks ago, to get the inside fashion story...

Her casual-chic look is a mainstay

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Photographed at the Elysee Palace, 64 year-old Macron wears a cream tailored jacket by Dior with a white T-shirt and jeans by Saint Laurent on the cover of the magazine. The look echoes that which she wore to meet Rihanna last month and is perhaps a go-to for occasions when she doesnt want to come across as a 'stuffy politician'.

"We did want to do a 'fashion statement', but wanted something timeless and modern," said de Margerie. "And we loved the idea of mixing jeans, jacket and a T-shirt, which is very French. It's classic and chic."

She has something to say about miniskirt-gate

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Macron has forever been a fan of shorter hemlines even before she became a public figure, but has come under fire from critics who have suggested that she is too old to wear them. I wear above-the-knee, not minis! she tells Elle, putting the record straight. Although I loved to wear minis when I was younger, we would hide them in our bags when we went out. and wed slip bloomers on underneath to dance to rock n roll. We went from very short to very long  that was until my grandmother spotted me in one and exclaimed, My goodness, you look like a frumpy old granny. Never again!

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She considers Karl Lagerfeld and Nicolas Ghesquiere to be friends

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Macron has championed Parisian labels since entering the public eye but in her Elle interview, she reveals that she counts designers including Karl Lagerfeld and Nicolas Ghesquiere as not just acquaintances but friends, too.

"Her only request was to wear Louis Vuitton because she is close to Nicolas Ghesquiere," de Margerie reveals. "And Elle proposed to her Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Azzedine Alaia."

She lists her favourite designers

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And they are, perhaps unsurprisingly, all French. Why not, if it does some good for the French fashion industry, she responds when asked if it bothers her that people continuously comment on her clothes. Im really into fashion, and theres this fascination the world over around this idea of the French woman. Balmains Olivier Rousteing, Alexandre Vauthier and Azzedine Alaia are all namechecked, and in the photoshoot, she wears a tailored red jacket by the latter.

Good style is important to her

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I have always put a lot of effort into the way I present myself, just ask my children or students! Macron says in the interview. I would never leave the house before choosing an outfit and doing my hair  the results may vary, but I cannot do otherwise.

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Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Our no-nonsense agony uncle gets straight to the point of your most pressing issues.

Dear Brian,

I have been with my partner for almost 5 years and we live together Monday to Friday when I work in Dublin and then I go home to my own house on the weekends. Prior to meeting my now partner I had a friends with benefit relationship with a friend I have known since school.

Although we carried the friends with benefits status our relationship was a little more then that - we would talk everyday on the phone, we would go out for meals cinema etc but never mixed with each other friends/families etc. This was ongoing for 10 years plus.

Throughout my current relationship I have still remained friends with him and we still continue to talk daily by phone and I would see him on the weekends as he usually calls when I am home.

He as never suggested anything official except from some light throw away comments when we're discussing our future and he'll say "maybe I'll marry you."

My current partner is so nice, so trustworthy and I know he plans on proposing soon as I found the ring accidentally. Ever since I found it I am questioning my relationship with my current partner and I cant stop thinking about my friend and the what if's.

Is this just general nervousness? I can't focus on anything thinking about the situation. I am terrified I will make the wrong decision, is there any hope for a friends with benefit relationship leading to anything after 10 years?

Brian replies:

Hi Anon,

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I think you're almost certainly just suffering from a bout of nerves - getting married is a massive commitment and makes us put our relationships under the microscope.

The possibility of a proposal has brought all the 'what ifs' of the friends-with-benefits relationship to the fore in your mind.

I wouldn't be thinking what if, but why haven't you and this friend ever actually made a go of things and had a proper relationship?

There's a reason things have never progressed beyond you being friends with benefits. I'm sure there's been ample opportunities over the last ten years to make a go of things if you both wanted.

I certainly wouldn't be backing out of your current relationship on a what if.

However it's certainly possible that the idea of getting married is making you ask perfectly reasonable questions about your current relationship, and you should allow yourself the time to think about that.

Is the relationship right for you? Can you see yourself being with him for the rest of your life?

It's possible the thought or marriage has brought your current relationship into stark focus for you - and you owe it to yourself to think about things properly.

But don't allow your judgement to be clouded by 'what ifs' from your friend.

You either want to commit to your partner or you don't - that's not a decision you make based on the possibility of a fantasy relationship with someone else. You make that decision based on how happy you are now.

Yes, you are almost certainly just suffering a bout of nerves. Don't make any hasty decisions and give yourself time to think about things.

But whatever decision you do make should have nothing to with a relationship that doesn't exist - and probably never will.

Do you have a problem you'd like some advice on? Email askbrian@independent.ie to submit in confidence.
Donald Trump has seemingly referenced a highly controversial and dubious legend about killing Islamic militants with bullets drenched in pigs blood  in the wake of the Barcelona terror attack.

The US president earlier condemned the attack, which saw a van drive through crowds in the popular tourist district Las Ramblas and cost the lives of at least 13 people and injured around 80 more.

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Shortly afterwards however he sent a rather more cryptic tweet, asking people to study the actions of John Pershing, a US Army commander active 100 years ago.

General Pershing became famous for his leadership in World War I, but was governor of the Philippiness Moro province  a mainly Muslim area  between 1909 and 1913.

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So, what is Trump going on about? Well, he has referenced the legend of General Black Jack Pershing before  at a rally in South Carolina last year while Trump was on his campaign trail.

According to Trump back then, Pershing had managed to halt Muslim attacks in the Philippines where he was based by shooting Islamic militants with bullets dipped in pigs blood  pork being a taboo in Muslim culture.

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He caught 50 terrorists who did tremendous damage and killed many people, said Trump at the rally. They shot 49 of those people. And the 50th person, he said: You go back to your people, and you tell them what happened.

Trump claimed for 25 years there wasnt a problem  a number he has seemingly increased to 35 in his tweet.

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Trumps story was widely discredited and debunked, with fact-checking organisation Politifact rating the claims about Pershing as false. However, they note the general did write in a memoir that he saw other commanding officers publicly burying Muslim insurgents in the same grave as a dead pig.

It was not pleasant to have to take such measures, but the prospect of going to hell instead of heaven sometimes deterred the would-be assassins, wrote Pershing.

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Lacking more specifics, it is not certain Trump is referring to the same story he gave in February 2016 in his latest tweet  but the allusion to it in the wake of the fatalities in Spain has drawn severe criticism.

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Whether Trump will explain himself further, time will tell.

Watch this space.
Mars is red because of an abundance of iron oxide in its surface material  put simply, its covered in rust.

So, when the creative and planet-loving Barry Abrams made a portrait of the Red Planet, he decided to make it using the very thing which gives it its fiery hue.

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The 34-year-old is a web designer and developer based in Champaign, Illinois by day, but a passionate screen printer in his evenings.

He started his piece with a square of sheet metal.

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He then used adhesive vinyl to create circular masks on the metal  to imitate the round shape of the planet.

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Then comes the clever bit.

Abrams sprayed the metal with hydrogen peroxide, causing the metal to rust  which is quite a sight.

Then, after removing the mask, Abrams sprayed the metal with a coating to protect the other areas of metal from rusting.

Using Photoshop, Abrams made a positive image of Mars.

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He then used this to screen print the image of Mars onto the rust.

Burning a screen covered in emulsion, lighter areas allow ink to pass through.

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Then, after a quick blow with a heat gun to cure the ink

 Abrams inspired masterpiece was finished.

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The Mars print was actually pretty straightforward to make, Abrams told the Press Association. I knew I could get the metal to rust in a selective area, but I didnt know if the black ink would adhere to the metal.

Luckily with some coaxing from a heat gun, it did!

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Ive been screen printing out of my basement for the last year or so, said Abrams. The posters I print mostly are space-themed.

Indeed they are  just take a look at the art show Abrams put on at a gallery in April this year.

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Truly an out-of-this-world talent.

To see more of Abrams work, click here.
Steve Bannon, a forceful but divisive presence in President Donald Trumps White House, is leaving his post.

The combative and unorthodox Republican has been a prominent character in the first seven months of Trumps presidency, but how did he make his way into the White House in the first place?

Early life

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Born in Virginia in 1953, Bannon went through a number of career moves before finding himself in politics.

The now-former White House chief strategist spent four years in the Navy before completing an MBA at Harvard, going on to work in investment banking, including time at Goldman Sachs.

He went on to work in media financing, film production in Hollywood, and independent political documentaries  before his involvement in Breitbart News began.

Breitbart News

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In 2012 Bannon took over as executive chairman at conservative Breitbart News after founder Andrew Breitbart died of a heart attack.

The controversial website was read by right-wing people disillusioned with mainstream politics, and has been criticised for alleged xenophobia and misogyny. Bannon once described Breitbart as the platform for the alt-right.

Articles entitled Theres no hiring bias against women in tech, they just suck at interviews as well as Hoist it high and proud: The Confederate flag proclaims a glorious heritage prompted criticism.

Breitbart News was reportedly in favour of Trump  a man with no previous experience in public office  becoming president during the election campaign.

Joining the Presidential trail

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Trump appointed Bannon his campaign CEO in August 2016, around three months before election day in November.

Bannon helped shape the America First message, part of Trumps election campaign that saw the businessman tell voters that Americas interests would be a priority in a Trump administration.

And after Trumps campaign sealed victory in the presidential race, Bannon was given a key role in the White House: chief strategist.

Attention in the White House

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Once in the White House the public became more aware of Bannon, his beliefs, and his involvement in Breitbart  the Democrats criticised the appointment, while civil rights groups did also.

The former leader of Breitbart News has reportedly pushed Mr Trump to follow through on his campaign promises and was the man behind many of his most controversial efforts, including the presidents travel ban and decision to pull out of the Paris Climate agreement.

However, the president had also repeatedly diminished Bannons role in his campaign in recent remarks and refused to express confidence during an impromptu news conference on Tuesday.

Hes a good person. He actually gets very unfair press in that regard, Trump said. But well see what happens with Mr Bannon.

Fall from grace

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Trump accepted Bannons resignation on Friday, ending a turbulent seven months for his chief strategist, who becomes the latest to depart from the presidents administration.

Bannon, a forceful but divisive presence, repeatedly clashed with other top White House advisers and often ran afoul of the president himself.

The chief strategist had been on shaky ground for weeks, and his standing appeared in jeopardy when Trumps new chief of staff, John Kelly, embarked on a personnel review of West Wing staff.

Mr Kelly had indicated to aides that significant changes could be coming, according to an official familiar with Kellys plans but not authorised to speak publicly.

White House spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday would be Bannons last day on the job.

We are grateful for his service and wish him the best, she said in a statement confirming reports of Bannons departure.
Terrorists have struck in two separate locations in Spain, with an explosion taking place in a third.

Heres what is known so far.

What happened

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Five terrorists wearing suicide belts rammed civilians with a car in a Spanish seaside town before being shot dead by police early on Friday morning.

Seven people, including a police officer, were injured during the incident in Cambrils, hours after a rampaging van driver left 13 people dead and more than 100 wounded in Barcelona.

Bystanders ran for their lives as gunfire broke out close to the coastal towns beachfront promenade early on Friday morning.

Residents of the popular tourist spot were ordered to take cover indoors as bullets tore through the air and footage later showed several bodies on the ground.

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In the wake of the carnage several controlled blasts were carried out in the area, with police later saying the attackers had been wearing explosive belts.

Mossos, Catalonias police force, said four of the attackers were shot dead at the scene and later confirmed a fifth had died of his injuries.

Of the six civilians caught up in the attack, two were said to be in a serious condition.

Is this linked to the Barcelona attack?

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Investigators said they are working on that theory  that the attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona, as well as an explosion in the town of Alancar on Wednesday, are linked.

Shortly after 5pm local time on Thursday a white Fiat van tore through Las Ramblas, a major tourist attraction packed with families and holidaymakers, in a horror described as jihad terrorism by the countrys prime minister, Mariano Rajoy.

The van drove on to the pavement, swerving among pedestrians in a crowded area, and was clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible, senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said.

The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest on Spanish soil since more than 190 people died in the Madrid train bombs in 2004.

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According to the Catalan regional government, citizens from some 24 countries were among those killed and injured, with one Belgian national confirmed to have died.

An Irish family of four were caught up in the attack, with their injuries understood to be non life-threatening.

The mother and father are originally from the Philippines and are naturalised Irish citizens, while their two children were both born in Ireland.

Irelands Department of Foreign Affairs is assisting the family. Its officials opened a hotline in Dublin for anyone concerned about relatives in Spain on 01-408 2000, while the Irish Embassy in Madrid is also fielding calls on +34 9143 64093.

The French foreign ministry said 26 French nationals were injured, including 11 seriously.

Authorities have warned that the death toll may rise, with 15 people receiving treatment for serious injuries.

Have the suspects in the Barcelona attack been located?

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A major manhunt for the suspected driver of the van that mowed down holidaymakers and locals in Barcelona, around 68 miles (109km) east of Cambrils, was continuing on Friday.

So far two people have been arrested over the attack  a Spanish national from Melilla and a Moroccan were taken into custody.

The arrests were made in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll and in Alcanar, the site of an explosion on Wednesday night which killed one person and is thought to be linked to the van attack, authorities said.

The whereabouts of the van driver were unclear after police said he made off unarmed.

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There were also reports that detectives believe two vans were used -one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

Hours after Thursdays attack, police shot and killed a man who was in a car that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. However, Mr Trapero said it was not linked to the van attack.

What have world leaders said?

Theresa May said the UK stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism in the wake of recent attacks in Manchester and London.

I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today, she said.

The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support.

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron also tweeted their solidarity.

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FC Barcelona said their thoughts are with the citys people.
A 10-year-old rape victim whose plea for an abortion was rejected by India's Supreme Court has given birth to a baby girl in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh, a doctor said yesterday.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was allegedly raped repeatedly by her uncle for several months. The crime came to light when the victim was taken to hospital complaining of stomach pains last month where she was found to be more than 30 weeks pregnant.

On July 28, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea to terminate the 32-week-old pregnancy after taking note of a medical report that abortion was neither good for the girl nor for the foetus.

Last month, her parents asked the country's top court to allow her to have a late-term abortion but the request was turned down. Indian law does not allow medical terminations after 20 weeks unless there is a threat to either the life of the mother or her child.

"She gave birth through C-section today. Both the girl and her baby are doing fine," doctor Dasari Harish told AFP.

"The surgery was uneventful. There were no complications whatsoever. The baby weighed 2.2kg and is in the neonatal ICU for now."

Surgery

The Press Trust of India news agency said the girl was unaware she had delivered a child and the parents had decided to put the baby up for adoption.

Her parents have told her that she had a stone in her stomach and had undergone surgery to remove it, PTI said.

India has a grim record of sexual assaults on minors with 20,000 cases of rape or sexual assaults reported in 2015, according to government data.

Separately, rights groups condemned India's plan to deport 40,000 Rohingya Muslims, saying India should abide by its legal obligations and protect the stateless refugees who face persecution in Myanmar.

Junior Interior Minister Kiren Rijiju told parliament last week the central government had directed state authorities to identify and deport all illegal immigrants including Rohingya, even those registered with the UN refugee agency.

"Indian authorities are well aware of the human rights violations Rohingya Muslims have had to face in Myanmar and it would be outrageous to abandon them to their fates," said Raghu Menon of Amnesty International India.

The Rohingya are generally vilified in India, and there has been a series of anti-Rohingya protests in the past few months.
Australian One Nation party leader, Senator Pauline Hanson pulls off a burqa in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. Photo: Reuters

An Australian Greens Party MP has revealed how he shook hands with firebrand anti-immigrant MP Pauline Hanson wearing a burqa in "solidarity", not realising it was a stunt.

Ms Hanson, leader of the right-wing One Nation party, caused a furore when she entered the Senate wearing the face-covering garment.

Greens MP Peter Whish-Wilson told BuzzFeed News Australia's political podcast 'Is It On?' that he saw a "woman in full dress and burqa" being followed around by security guards as he walked to Question Time.

"My initial reaction was anger and a bit of frustration, 'why are these guys following a woman in a burqa, who is allowed to be in that dress in parliament house?'," he said.

Not realising it was actually a fellow MP wearing the burqa, Mr Whish-Wilson decided to approach the woman to show his support.

"I went up to her and said, 'good on you' and put my hand out," he added.

Ms Hanson claimed she wore the Islamic garment in the chamber to highlight what she said were the security issues it posed, linking it to terrorism as fellow senators heckled her.
A sign saying Hether Heyer Park is placed at the base of the statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville (AP/Cliff Owen)

The mayor of Charlottesville has called on the governor to convene an emergency meeting of state lawmakers to allow the city to remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Mike Signer's statement comes nearly a week after white supremacists descended on the city in Virginia for a rally and clashed with counter protesters.

One woman was killed on Saturday when a car ploughed into a crowd of counter protesters.

News media outlets report that Mr Signer said the attack turned the monuments from "equestrian statues into lightning rods".

He said the city must respond "by denying the Nazis and the KKK and the so-called alt-right the twisted totem they seek".

Mr Signer also wants lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow communities to bar people from carrying open or concealed weapons in public events "reasonably deemed to pose a potential security threat".

Mr Signer called on Governor Terry McAuliffe to convene a special session of the General Assembly.

Also on Friday, the mother of the woman who was killed said that she will not talk to President Donald Trump because of comments he made after her daughter's death.

Speaking on ABC's Good Morning America, Susan Bro said she initially missed the first few calls to her from the White House.

But she said "now I will not" talk to the president after a news conference in which Mr Trump equated violence by white supremacists at the rally with violence by those protesting against the rally.

Ms Bro's daughter, 32-year-old Heather Heyer, was killed and 19 others were injured when the driver rammed a car into a crowd of demonstrators. An Ohio man, James Alex Fields Jr, has been arrested and charged with murder and other offences.

In the hours afterwards, Mr Trump drew criticism when he addressed the violence in broad strokes, saying he condemned "in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides".

Pressured by advisers, the president had softened his words on the dispute by Monday, but returned to his combative stance on Tuesday, insisting during an unexpected and contentious news conference at Trump Tower that "both sides" were to blame.

"You can't wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying 'I'm sorry'," Ms Bro said of the president. She also advised Mr Trump to "think before you speak".

AP

Mr McAuliffe's spokesman Brian Coy said the governor will not call a special session while the issue is being decided in court.

"The governor hopes the court will rule in the city's favour soon and encourages Mayor Signer to focus on that important litigation rather than a redundant emergency session," Mr Coy said.

Mr McAuliffe did sign an executive order Friday afternoon temporarily banning any public demonstrations at a monument in Richmond.

Unlike the Charlottesville statue that sits in a city park, the Richmond monument to Lee is in the middle of a traffic circle on Monument Avenue, a boulevard with heavy traffic.
Finnish police patrols on motorbike after stabbings in Turku, in Central Helsinki, Finland Photo: Reuters

Finnish police patrol in front of the Central Railway Station Photo: Reuters

Two people have died and at least six people have been hospitalised following an attack in the Finnish city of Turku.

A man was shot dead by police this afternoon after stabbing multiple people in the Puutori-Market Square area.

Reuters report that the man has been arrested and taken into custody.

Finnish police say it is "unclear" if incident is related to terrorism.

Broadcaster YLE said several people were seen lying on the ground in the central part of the city.

On Twitter, police urged people to avoid that part of Turku.

The tabloid Ilta-Sanomat said six people were injured, one man and five women, and that a woman with a buggy was attacked by a man with a large knife.

Finnish police are calling for security to be reinforced at Helsinki Airport and train stations following the attack.

Prime minister Juha Sipila said the government is closely monitoring the ongoing police operation and will hold an emergency meeting later.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs says there are no reports of any Irish citizens being affected at this stage.

"We are monitoring developments through the Irish Embassy in Helsinki, which is in close contact with the local emergency services.

Anyone with concerns for loved ones in Turku can contact the Departments consular assistance team on 01 4082000.
Moussa Oukabir is believed to be the younger brother of Driss Oukabir, who was arrested in Ripoll, north of Barcelona.

People flee from the scene after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district of Barcelona, Spain, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. According to witnesses the white van swerved from side to side as it plowed into tourists and residents. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

Spanish police are looking for four suspects believed to be in France that are linked to the deadly terror attacks in Barcelona and the seaside resort of Cambrils, according to several reports.

A French security official says Spanish police are looking for a Kangoo utility vehicle rented by suspects that may have crossed into France, AP reports.

The official said Spanish police alerted French authorities to the vehicle, rented on Thursday in Spain. The official said French police nationwide are on the lookout for the car, and were given information from Spain about four more suspects believed to be on the run.

The driver of the van which killed 13 people in Barcelona was one of the 5 terrorists shot dead by police earlier.

Four of the dead men were identified earlier. They were aged 21, 27, 28 and 34. Three were Moroccan and one was Spanish, and police said none of them were previously known to the security services for terror-related reasons.

According to Reuters, the driver of the van was one of five men shot by police in the Catalan seaside resort of Cambrils hours later, Spain's El Pais and El Periodico newspapers reported.

A senior Catalan police official says one police officer killed 4 of the suspects in the Cambrils attack.

Meanwhile, police have revealed that the suspects had been preparing even bigger attacks in Barcelona "for some time". Local media reports the suspects were intending to put the gas canisters in a car for the attack.

Dramatic video footage has emerged of one of the Cambrils terrorists, who taunted and smiled at police, being repeatedly shot in a scene described by witnesses as being like "watching a horror film".

Police chief Josep Lluis Trapero said an explosion at a house in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday had meant the attacks were more "rudimentary" than planned.

"We are working on the hypothesis that these attacks were being prepared for a while around this private home in Alcanar," he said.

"We think they were preparing at least one or more attacks in Barcelona.

"The explosion in Alcanar at least avoided some of the material they were counting on to carry out even bigger attacks than the ones that happened.

"Because of that the attack in Barcelona and the one in Cambrils were carried out in a bit more rudimentary way than the one they had initially planned."

A woman injured in Friday's attack in the Catalan coastal town later died, bringing the body count from the twin attacks to 14, plus 130 injured.

Prime Minister Theresa May said a child with dual British nationality was believed to be among those unaccounted for.

The grandfather of Julian Alessandro Cadman made a plea for information about the boy, who became separated from his mother during the attack in Barcelona.

Tony Cadman, whose Facebook profile says he lives in Sydney and is from Gillingham, Dorset, posted a photograph of Julian, writing: "My grandson, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. Please like and share."

Speaking later from Chequers, Mrs May said: "The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Spain in confronting and dealing with the evil of terrorism, and I have offered any assistance we can provide.

"Sadly I must tell you that we do believe that a number of British nationals were caught up in the attack and we are urgently looking into reports of a child believed missing, who is a British dual national."

The attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, some 70 miles south west from the city on the Mediterranean coast, took place around eight hours apart on Thursday afternoon and in the early hours of Friday.

In a chilling echo of the London Bridge attack in June, Catalonia president Carles Puigdemont said the five terrorists in the Cambrils car were wearing fake suicide belts when they were stopped.

Police revealed that an axe and knives were also found in the vehicle, with one of the latter used to wound one person in the face before the terrorists were gunned down.

Barcelona, a hugely popular tourist destination, came to a halt at noon on Friday as a minute's silence was observed in the Placa Catalunya, close to the scene of the attack.

Led by King Felipe and PM Mariano Rajoy, the silence was followed by applause for the victims.

Three days of mourning have been declared by the government of Catalonia.
An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

People flee from the scene after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district of Barcelona, Spain, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. According to witnesses the white van swerved from side to side as it plowed into tourists and residents. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

A handout picture downloaded on August 17, 2017 on Moroccan Driss Oukabir's Facebook account shows himself posing past a dog. Oukabir is an alleged suspect linked to the attack of Barcelona on August 17, 2017 when a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 80 on the Rambla in Barcelona. A driver deliberately rammed a van into a crowd on Barcelona's most popular street on August 17, 2017 killing at least 13 people before fleeing to a nearby bar, police said. Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack". / AFP PHOTO / FACEBOOK / HO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/ FACEBOOK" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS HO/AFP/Getty Images

Members of the NYPD Counterterrorism Unit stand guard in Time Square as security is increased as a result of a attack in Barcelona, Spain earlier on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, at in New York. (AP Photo/Michael Noble Jr.)

Moroccan Driss Oukabir, bottom left, whose ID card may may have been taken by his brother and, elsehwere, scenes on Las Ramblas in Barcelona Credit: AFP

Moussa Oukabir is believed to be the younger brother of Driss Oukabir, who was arrested in Ripoll, north of Barcelona.

FIVE terrorists wearing fake suicide belts rammed civilians with a car in a Spanish seaside town before being shot dead by police in a second attack to hit the country.

Seven people including a police officer were injured during the incident in Cambrils, hours after a rampaging van driver left 13 people dead and over 100 wounded in Barcelona.

A woman who was critically injured in the attack in Cambrils has died bringing the total number of dead from the two attacks to 14, Catalonian authorities said

Bystanders ran for their lives as a gunfire broke out close to the coastal town's beachfront promenade early on Friday morning.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 80 on the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images The van that ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images The van that ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo:AFP/Getty Images The van who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is seen momnets before being towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images The van who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Policemen check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Tourists wait for the police to allow them to come back to their hotel on the Rambla boulevard after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire Police and emergency services attend to injured persons at the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of @Vil_Music/via REUTERS Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) A still image from video shows a police officer gesturing while walking across a road, after a van crashed into people in the centre of Barcelona, Spain, August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS People flee the scene in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of McKenzie Tavoda/via REUTERS A still image from video shows a police officer ushering people away on a street, after a van crashed into people in the centre of Barcelona, Spain, August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS People run away after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @c.artisan/via REUTERS A still image from video shows a police cordon on a street in Barcelona, Spain following a van crash August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS People run away after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS Handout photo taken with permission from the Twitter feed of @Vil_Music of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Vil_Music/PA Wire Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Armed police officers patrol an empty street, after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Armed police officers patrol an empty street, after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Mossos d'Esquadra officers (Catalan Regional Police) stand guard in front of Civil Guard headquarters during a protest in Barcelona, Spain July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo People walk by Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain August 16, 2015. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 80 on the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Residents of the popular tourist spot were ordered to take cover indoors as bullets tore through the air and footage later showed several lifeless bodies on the ground.

In the wake of the carnage several controlled blasts were carried out in the area, with police later saying the attackers had been wearing explosive belts.

Mossos, Catalonia's police force, said four of the attackers were shot dead at the scene and later confirmed a fifth had died of his injuries.

Of the six civilians caught up in the attack two were said to be in a serious condition.

Reports in Spain suggested detectives were investigating a possible cell of eight people thought to have been involved in planning the attacks.

Two suspects, a Spanish national from Melilla and a Moroccan, were taken into custody in the wake of the attack. A third was arrested later.

Police confirmed that they arrested a fourth person over the terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils on Friday afternoon.

The Spanish broadcaster RTVE has published an image of the 18-year-old Las Ramblas suspect Moussa Oukabir.

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It is understood that Moussa Oukabir is the younger brother of Driss Oukabir, who was arrested in Ripoll, north of Barcelona.

He is reported to have told police that his identity documents were stolen before they were used to rent the van.

The Department of Foriegn Affairs said that a family of four, who are Filipinos but who are naturalised Irish citizens living in Ireland, are among the injured in Barcelona. Their injuries are understood to be serious but not life-threatening.

Norman and Pederlita Putot - who were born in the Philippines but are naturalised Irish citizens and their children Nathaniel and Pearl, who were born in Ireland - are understood to have been on holiday in Barcelona when they were caught up in the terror attack on Thursday.

Mr Putot and Nathaniel (5) are still in hospital but their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

It is not yet known if other Irish are among the victims.

Can't believe this I'm on Ramblas, heard screaming & whole street ran- a car believed drove in2crowd- had walked down 10secs earlier pic.twitter.com/LPGBCYupfv  Aamer Anwar (@AamerAnwar) August 17, 2017

Estampida ahora mismo en El Corte Ingles de Plaza Catalunya en Barcelona pic.twitter.com/72LLRmJjRk  Jordi Perez Colome (@jordipc) August 17, 2017

Meanwhile, UK authorities are "urgently looking into reports" of a British dual-nationality child believed to be missing in Spain following the terror attacks, Prime Minister Theresa May said.

Seven people, including a police officer, were injured in the incident in Cambrils.

Bystanders ran for their lives as gunfire broke out close to the coastal town's beachfront promenade, while residents of the popular tourist spot were ordered to take cover indoors as bullets tore through the air.

The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Fitzroy Davies, from Wolverhampton, was caught up in the second attack and described how police shot dead one of the attackers.

He told the BBC he was in Spain for a judo camp and was in a meeting with the coaches when the incident unfolded.

"This guy came running up the road and was shouting something," he said.

"I didn't know what it was, so we said call the police.

"Within 30 seconds the police was already there, jumped out of the car, started shouting at the guy; the guy was then saying something else again.

"And then they - 'pop, pop' - did a couple of shots and he fell down.

"He stood back up and then he stepped over the fence and he started, he was taunting, smiling and he carried on walking to the police, and then they gave it to him again, a couple more shots and then he fell to the ground."

Several controlled blasts were carried out in the area in the wake of the attacks.

Here's what we know so far:

* The first attack began shortly after 5pm local time (4pm BST), when a white Fiat van sped through Las Ramblas, a busy street in Barcelona.

* At least 1d people were killed and more than 100 injured as the driver ploughed into people along a 500m stretch of the pedestrianised area.

* The driver then fled, leaving a scene of widespread panic, with crowds running in waves away from the area.

* Citizens of 34 countries were among those killed and injured in Barcelona, including 35-year-old Italian holidaymaker Bruno Gulotta, who was the first to be named, and one Belgian national confirmed to have died.

* The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland is aware of one Irish family who were caught up in the event, but their injuries are not life-threatening

* The French foreign ministry said 26 French nationals were injured, including 11 seriously.

* Police made two arrests in connection with the incident, including Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan who was initially believed to have rented the van.

* But the driver is believed to be still on the run, and may be his younger brother.

* Eight hours later terrorists struck again, this time in Cambrils, a coastal town and resort 68 miles (109km) down the coast from Barcelona.

* In the second attack, a gang of five men wearing suicide belts rammed civilians with a car before being shot dead by police.

* Seven people including a police officer were injured in Cambrils.

* A woman who was critically injured in the second attack later became the 14th fatality of the Spanish atrocity.

* Four of the attackers were shot dead at the scene and a fifth died later of his injuries.

* Of the six civilians caught up in the Cambrils attack, two were said to be in a serious condition.

* Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack, the deadliest in Spain since more than 190 people died in the 2004 Madrid train bombs.

Investigators said they are working on the theory that the attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona, as well as an explosion in the town of Alancar on Wednesday, are linked.

A major manhunt for the suspected driver of the van that mowed down holidaymakers and locals in Barcelona, around 68 miles east of Cambrils, was continuing on Friday.

So far two people have been arrested over the attack that saw the Catalonia capital become the latest European city to fall victim to a major terrorist outrage.

Shortly after 5pm local time on Thursday a white Fiat van tore through Las Ramblas, a major tourist attraction packed with families and holidaymakers, in a horror described as "jihad terrorism" by the country's prime minister Mariano Rajoy.

The van drove on to the pavement, swerving among pedestrians in a crowded area, and was "clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible", senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said.

The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest on Spanish soil since more than 190 people died in the Madrid train bombs in 2004.

According to the Catalan regional government citizens of some 24 countries were among those killed and injured, with one Belgian national confirmed to have died.

Authorities have warned that the death-toll may rise, with 15 people receiving treatment for serious injuries.

There were also reports that detectives believe two vans were used, one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

Hours after Thursday's attack, police shot and killed a man who was in a car that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. However, Mr Trapero said it was not linked to the van attack.

Witnesses to the attack described how the van hurtled through crowds without slowing down, sending scores of people scattering and many taking shelter in nearby shops.

Islamic State's Amaq news agency said the attackers had carried out the operation "in response to calls for targeting coalition states" - a reference to a U.S.-led coalition against the Sunni militant group. Spain has several hundred soldiers in Iraq training local forces in the fight against Islamic State.

There was no immediate indication though that Islamic State had directed or organised the attack, although some of those responsible for similar attacks in Europe have been inspired by the jihadist group.

Islamist militants have staged a string of attacks across Europe in the past 13 months, killing well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm.

The Barcelona attack was the deadliest in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of official mourning for what he called a "jihadist attack" while the Spanish royal household said on Twitter: "They are murderers, nothing more than criminals who are not going to terrorise us. All of Spain is Barcelona."

U.S. President Donald Trump said: "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help."

He added: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"
An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

As more details of the terrorist attack in Barcelona emerge, here is a timeline of the events as they unfolded.

Wednesday

One person is killed in an explosion in Alcanar, which authorities believe is linked to the Barcelona van attack.

Thursday

5pm - A white Fiat van speeds through Las Ramblas, a busy street in Barcelona. At least 13 people are killed and more than 100 others injured as the driver ploughs into the crowds along a 500m stretch of the pedestrianised area. The driver then flees, leaving a scene of widespread panic, with people running in waves away from the area.

7pm - In a tweet before 7pm, Catalonia's police force says the protocol for terrorist attacks has been activated.

8pm - Two men are arrested in connection with the incident. One is named as Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan who is believed to have rented the van.

8.40pm - The Islamic State terror group claims responsibility for the attack.

Friday

1am - Seven people are reported injured when a group, said to be wearing fake explosive belts, launch a vehicle attack in the coastal town of Cambrils, similar to the one in Barcelona. Footage posted on social media, which appears to have been filmed on the town's beachfront promenade, shows bystanders running for cover and several gunshots are heard. Spanish police shoot four suspected terrorists dead and injure another.

3am - Police say the fifth suspect has died.

8am - Spanish police arrest a third person in Ripoll, and tweet that the belts worn by the five men shot dead in Cambrils were "simulated explosives".

11.30am - Catalonian authorities say a woman who was critically injured in the Cambrils attack has died. At around the same time, the Foreign Office says a "small number" of Brits were injured in the attacks.

1pm - police say a fourth suspect had been arrested.

1.30pm - US Secretary of State confirms an American citizen is among those killed.

2pm - Buckingham Palace says The Queen had sent a message of sympathy to the King of Spain.

5.30pm - Spanish media report the driver of the van was one of five men shot by police.

8:40pm - Spanish police are looking for four suspects in France linked to the deadly terror attacks in Barcelona and the seaside resort of Cambril
A gay man left for dead in a suspected hate crime was violently attacked as he lay "curled up in a ball" after he went to a pub in his new area to make friends, his family say.

Carl Johnson, 25, had moved to Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in recent weeks after getting a job there and on Saturday night went out and got chatting to a group of people in a bar in the city.

But when he walked home in the early hours of Sunday he was set upon by three men and a woman in a vicious and unprovoked attack where kicks and punches rained down on him.

Carl suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain in the assault and his family say doctors said he was lucky he wasn't killed.

His brother Mark believes the attack was a hate crime, saying it was "obvious" his brother was gay because of his mannerisms.

Carl remains in a brain injury unit in hospital, where he is slipping and out of consciousness, and faces up to six months in recovery.

Expand Close Carl Johnson (Left) and his brother Mark / Facebook

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Whatsapp Carl Johnson (Left) and his brother Mark

His family are distraught and hope police will be able to identify the culprits and find any witnesses to the attack in Drake Street.

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Carl had moved to Rochdale from the Salem area of Oldham, and had found work in a distribution centre.

On Saturday evening he rang his brother Mark and told him he wanted to go to the Rochdale Feel Good Festival, a series of free concerts there last weekend headlined by indie-rock band Razorlight.

Mark believes he went into the town centre to try and get tickets, but he went to a pub when he couldnt get a hold of any because he was keen to meet new people.

He said: He had just moved to Rochdale and went out to make friends because he has none. He had met some people in the pub. Then outside he was attacked down the road.

They knocked him to the ground before punching him and kicking him as he lay defenceless. He had to curl up into a ball, Mark said. Had they hit him a bit harder they would have killed him.

Hes no fighter. A gust of wind would blow him over.

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Paramedics found Carl at 1.50am after the attack on Drake Street and he was rushed to Royal Oldham Hospital after suffering injuries including a broken jaw, damaged ribs and a broken thumb.

But he was transferred to a specialist brain injury unit in Salford Royal Hospital after he was found to have also suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.

Mark said: Hes not doing great. Hes coming in and out of concussion and has had to switch to a stronger painkiller.

He has spoken to police about the attack but could only give them a hazy account.

Mark believes Carl was targeted because he is homosexual. He is obviously gay because of his mannerisms and the way he speaks, he said.

Carls mother, Lynn Johnson, 52, is coming to terms with the violent assault on Carl. When she got the news she found it difficult. Shes distraught but shes made of strong stuff.

Mark has since started a Facebook campaign in a bid to help find any witnesses or any information that could help police find the culprits behind the attack.

Im in a desperate bid to get the people who did this into custody. I have a lot of people on Facebook from over the years. So its been quite successful in getting profile.

Were hoping on the goodwill and the humanity of people that something will come out of it.

Police are examining CCTV footage recorded in Drake Street at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident number 272 of August 13 - or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

Moroccan Driss Oukabir, bottom left, whose ID card may may have been taken by his brother and, elsehwere, scenes on Las Ramblas in Barcelona Credit: AFP

It looks like the site of an earthquake - a heap of rubble and tangled wreckage that marks the spot where a two-storey home was destroyed by a massive gas explosion just before midnight on Wednesday.

Spanish police said they initially thought the blast in the small coastal town of Alcanar, which killed at least one person and injured seven, was connected to a clandestine drugs laboratory.

Now they are linking it to the deadly attack that took place less than 24 hours later, when a white van swerved at speed down Barcelona's most famous boulevard and mowed down people at random, killing 13.

Josep Lluis Trapero, police chief for the region of Catalonia, said on Friday that investigators believed the authors of the van attack had originally planned to trigger a bomb using gas canisters, of which about 20 were discovered in the ruins of the collapsed building.

The people there were 'manipulating' the propane and butane canisters at the time of the accidental explosion, he said.

This had forced the conspirators to scale down their plans and to hurriedly carry out more "rudimentary" attacks in Barcelona and the resort of Cambrils, where a group of men drove a car at pedestrians and police before being shot dead. One woman was killed in the Cambrils incident.

"The Alcanar blast triggered the attacks...It's not what they had in mind initially," Trapero said.

"Our hypothesis is that an attack was being prepared for some time from this Alcanar house," he added. "The blast has prevented a larger bombing from happening."

It is still unclear who lived in the two-storey foreclosed house in the small Montecarlo neighbourhood, a rundown area between a cement factory and the sea. After thriving during Spain's boom years before the financial crash, it is now occupied mostly in summer, by just a handful of tourists and locals.

Neighbours told Reuters the place had been illegally occupied for months but nobody had ever seen any of those who lived there.

"A friend of mine owns the house on the other side of the street but we've never seen anything," said Marc Esteban Carmona, a 22-year-old university student.

"Initially we were joking about it. OK, a drug laboratory exploded, but that's it. But now I'm a bit more freaked out."

At least two men were in the house when it was wiped out by the blast on Wednesday night and at least one was killed by the explosion, the police said. They said they found biological traces that could be from a second body, though it was too early to confirm.

A man who survived the blast is now under arrest in the city of Tortosa after being treated for his injuries at the local hospital. His identity was not revealed.

According to local emergency services, the seven injured people were four French, an Italian, a Moroccan and a Spaniard.

Nuria Gil, a 50-year-old entrepreneur who lives in Montecarlo all year long, said she was aware the house had been occupied for several months but was not sure whether it was by the same people or by different groups.

"I never bumped into anybody (...) It's a very quiet area. I thought I lived in paradise," she said.
Luco Russo pictured next to a woman believed to be his fiancee Photo: Facebook

At least 14 people were killed in the terror attacks in Spain, and the names of the victims are beginning to emerge.

Among them are:

*Bruno Gulotta

The 35-year-old Italian was on holiday in Barcelona with his partner and two children when the attackers struck, according to an account given to La Repubblica.

Mr Gulotta was a marketing and sales manager at Tom's Hardware and is understood to have been a resident of Legnano, north-west of Milan.

Mr Gulotta was crushed to death on the Ramblas by the terrorist lorry while strolling down the Ramblas hand in hand with his 5-year-old son who his wife Martina managed to snatch to safety in the nick of time, she was quoted as telling friends.

Expand Close The desperate family of Julian Cadman have posted on Facebook begging for information after the little boy was separated from his severely injured mother CREDIT: THE FAMILY OF JULIAN CADMAN / Facebook

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Whatsapp The desperate family of Julian Cadman have posted on Facebook begging for information after the little boy was separated from his severely injured mother CREDIT: THE FAMILY OF JULIAN CADMAN

Martina was following her husband carrying their seven-month-old baby girl Aria in a rucksack she was wearing on her chest when Bruno was run down, la Repubblica newspaper quoted her telling his workmates.

Martina grabbed their son Alessandro, aged 5, and rushed both children to safety but Gulotta, aged 35, was killed instantly.

Tom's Hardware announced his death on its website and paid tribute to Mr Gulotta, saying that everyone who came into contact with him were impressed with his kindness and professionalism.

A colleague wrote of him: "He was able to lead a rich family life and a brilliant professional career with a balance- and that I will always envy him."

His colleague said his heart was going out to the children, "little Alexander, who is preparing to start elementary school with the awareness that his life and family will no longer be the same.

"And then we think of the little Aria, who does not have the horrible scene in her eyes but will never know her dad."

* Elke Vanbockrijck

The 44-year-old Belgian, from the town of Tongeren, is understood to have been on holiday in Barcelona with her husband and two sons.

Ms Vanbockrijck was described as very committed by the president of the KFC Heur Tongeren football team, who said she was at the club nearly every day with her sons, who are aged 10 and 14, the Associated Press reported.

In a post on Facebook, the club passed on their condolences to her family, and described her as a caring mother.

A three-year-old child is among those confirmed dead, Spanish media reported.

The child was apparently taken to San Pau hospital but could not be saved. More details are yet to emerge.

* Seven-year-old Julian Cadman

Expand Close Julian Alessandro Cadman, seven, who is missing in the aftermath of Thursday's terror attack in Barcelona / Facebook

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Whatsapp Julian Alessandro Cadman, seven, who is missing in the aftermath of Thursday's terror attack in Barcelona

Julian Cadman, from Australia, was out in Barcelona on holiday with his mother, when the terrorist's van struck where they standing.

In a statement, released by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia, his family said: "Julian was a much loved and adored member of our family.

"As he was enjoying the sights of Barcelona with his mother, Julian was sadly taken from us.

"He was so energetic, funny and cheeky, always bringing a smile to our faces.

"We are so blessed to have had him in our lives and will remember his smiles and hold his memory dear to our hearts.

"We would like to thank all those who helped us in searching for Julian.

"Your kindness was incredible during a difficult time.

"We also acknowledge we are not the only family to be affected by the events, our prayers and thoughts are with all people affected."

* Luco Russo

Expand Close Luco Russo pictured next to a woman believed to be his fiancee Photo: Facebook / Facebook

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The 25-year-old Italian is believed to have been in the city with his girlfriend when the attack unfolded.

Mr Russo, from Bassano del Grappa in the province of Vicenza, northern Italy, was an engineering graduate, La Repubblica reported.

Italian prime minister Paolo Gentiloni tweeted about both Mr Gulotta and Mr Russo, saying that Italy will gather tight around their families.

His sister wrote an hour before he was identified as dead: "Help me bring him home, please".

"We are born without bringing anything, we die without taking away anything. And in the middle we argue for something," was the last thing he posted on his Facebook page.

In 215, after the Paris attacks, Luca Russo had posted a Eiffel tower, writing "peace" and "Religion is the opium of the people".

The President of Veneto, Luca Zaia, said: "Veneto loses one of its children.

"Memory can only return to the Bataclan attack, where our Valeria Solesin was barbarously killed".

* Francisco Lopez Rodriguez

Spaniard Mr Rodriguez, who is reported to be from Lanteira in Granada, died at the scene after being hit by the van in Las Ramblas, his niece said on Twitter.

Raquel Baron Lopez posted a series of tweets in the aftermath of the attack as the family desperately tried to find him, but confirmed news of his death on Friday.

It is believed Mr Rodriguez was walking with four other family members at the time of the attack.

* Pepita Codina

Pepita Codina, 75, from the Spanish town of Sant Hipolit de Voltrega was named as one of the thirteen victims.

The town's mayor, Xavier Vilamala, confirmed her death in a message on Twitter.

* Jared Tucker

Californian Jared Tucker, 42, has been confirmed as among those killed in the deadly truck attack, according to his father Daniel.

He told the New York Daily News: "We just got the text - Jared's body was identified at the morgue by his wife. It's just something we really just don't understand. I don't know what else to say."

The American was reportedly on an anniversary trip with his wife.

* Ana Maria Suarez

Ana Maria Suarez was the sole fatality of the attack in the seaside resort of Cambrils.

The 61-year-old, from Zaragoza, north east Spain, was with her husband and sister, who were both injured in the attack, according to Radio Television Espanola.

The Spanish Royal Family Twitter account confirmed her death, offering their thoughts to her family.

* Ian Moore Wilson

Canadian Ian Moore Wilson has been confirmed as among those killed, according to his daughter Fiona, a staff sergeant at Vancouver Police Department.

In a statement released on the force's website, she said: "My dad's passing leaves an immense void in our tight-knit family. He was desperately loved by us all and will be dearly missed."

Ms Wilson said her father was married to his wife Valerie for 53 years.

She paid tribute to those who assisted Mr Wilson in his final moments and to those who focused their attention on her mother's urgent medical attention and aftercare in the wake of the attack.

* Carmen Lopardo

Italian Carmen Lopardo was killed in the "vile terrorist attack in Barcelona", Italy's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

It has been reported that the 80-year-old had emigrated to Argentina in 1950 and was on holiday in Barcelona.
The wife of France's President Emmanuel Macron has broken her silence after the controversy surrounding her role as the country's 'first lady'.

Brigitte Macron's role as the first lady will be an informal one, according to her interview with France's 'Elle' magazine, extracts of which were published yesterday.

"Like all of those before me, I will take on my public role, but the French people will know the resources at my disposal," she told the magazine.

Her comments come after a backlash from the French public over Mr Macron's plans to make his wife France's first official first lady.

That move turned heads at the time, particularly as the government moved to ban MPs from hiring family members as assistants in an anti-corruption drive.

But after 315,000 people signed a petition over the past three weeks in an attempt to block the president's wife from having a salary, the government back-pedalled and said that it would issue what it called a "transparency charter" to make clear the funds and staff that would go towards Mrs Macron's activity.

Mrs Macron appeared to welcome the news in her interview with the magazine.

"We'll post my meetings and my commitments on the presidency website, so that the French people know exactly what I'm doing," Mrs Macron said. "What's important is that it is clear."

She added that she apparently didn't like the title of first lady anyway.

"I don't feel like a first lady.

"That's the translation of an American expression, and I don't like anything about it. I don't feel like the first, or the last, or a lady.

"I am Brigitte Macron!"

Though Mrs Macron is frequently referred to as the 'first lady' in French and international press, she has no official status under the French constitution.

Technically, France has never had a first lady, although the position as the wife of the country's president is typically a costly one.

Former president Francois Hollande's wife Valerie Trierweiler cost the public 400,000 in 2013, public figures show.

Mrs Macron is said to currently have a team of two or three aides, two secretaries, and two security guards.

Mrs Macron also tackled the matter of her unusual relationship with the president - and the fact that she is 25 years older than him.

"With Emmanuel, I am very used to extraordinary things happening to me and I always wonder what the next adventure will be. This has lasted 20 years.

"When I read about us, I always have the impression I'm reading someone else's story," she said.

"Our story is so simple. The only problem with Emmanuel is that he's younger than me," she added. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire

Mossos d'Esquadra officers (Catalan Regional Police) stand guard in front of Civil Guard headquarters during a protest in Barcelona, Spain July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo

Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Armed police officers patrol an empty street, after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS

A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Armed police officers patrol an empty street, after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS

Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Handout photo taken with permission from the Twitter feed of @Vil_Music of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Vil_Music/PA Wire

People run away after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS

A still image from video shows a police cordon on a street in Barcelona, Spain following a van crash August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS

People run away after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @c.artisan/via REUTERS

A still image from video shows a police officer ushering people away on a street, after a van crashed into people in the centre of Barcelona, Spain, August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS

People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of McKenzie Tavoda/via REUTERS

People flee the scene in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

A still image from video shows a police officer gesturing while walking across a road, after a van crashed into people in the centre of Barcelona, Spain, August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS

An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran)

Police and emergency services attend to injured persons at the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of @Vil_Music/via REUTERS

Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire

Tourists wait for the police to allow them to come back to their hotel on the Rambla boulevard after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Policemen check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

The van who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

The van who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is seen momnets before being towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

The van that ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo:AFP/Getty Images

The van that ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 80 on the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Four suspected attackers have been shot dead and another injured by Spanish police in a second attack to hit Catalonia.

Seven people were reportedly injured in the coastal town of Cambrils when a group, said to be wearing "explosive belts", launched a van attack similar to that which left 13 people dead and over 100 injured in Barcelona.

Catalan emergency services said six civilians and a police officer had been injured in the attack, which police said was linked to Thursday's Barcelona van attack.

Police urged locals to take cover as they swooped on an area close to Cambrils' beach-front promenade in the early hours of Friday morning.

Expand Close Moroccan Driss Oukabir, whose ID card may may have been taken by his brother Credit: AFP / Facebook

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Whatsapp Moroccan Driss Oukabir, whose ID card may may have been taken by his brother Credit: AFP

Bystanders could be seen running for cover and several gunshots were heard in footage posted on social media, with a later clip showing several dead bodies lying on the floor.

Earlier, police released a photo of a terror suspect, after a white van ploughed through a crowd in Barcelona's city centre killing at least 13 and leaving at least 100 people injured.

One of the suspected attackers involved in mowing down people in La Rambla, Barcelona on Thursday has been killed in a shootout with police on the outskirts of the city, La Vanguardia newspaper reported.

Two men were arrested after the van attack in Barcelona and police say they were connected to the incident but neither was the driver of the vehicle.

Expand Close A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Police confirmed that another man who ran over two officers at a checkpoint in Barcelona was shot dead, but added that it did not appear that the incident was linked to the van attack.

The driver of the van which mowed people down on the busy Las Ramblas avenue left the vehicle on foot and did not appear to be armed, a Catalan police official told a news conference.

They said that one of the two men arrested was Moroccan and the other was from the Spanish enclave of Melilla in North Africa. They were arrested in two different towns in the region of Catalonia, Ripoll and Alcanar.

One of the arrested men was named as Driss Oukabir. He is suspected of renting the van, but later denied involvement and reportedly said his documents had been stolen.

Islamic State have now claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the group's Amaq news agency.

Explosion

Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that an explosion on Wednesday night in Alcanar, 120 miles south of Barcelona, is now believed to be connected to Thursday's attack.

At the time police thought it was a gas explosion. The house was destroyed, with six people injured and one dead.

Inside the house, which police believe was occupied for a few months, they found around 20 canisters of butane and propane gas.

A woman was found dead inside and a man, discovered among the rubble, was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

The explosion could be heard for several miles.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 80 on the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images The van that ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images The van that ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo:AFP/Getty Images The van who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is seen momnets before being towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images The van who ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Policemen check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Tourists wait for the police to allow them to come back to their hotel on the Rambla boulevard after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire Police and emergency services attend to injured persons at the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of @Vil_Music/via REUTERS Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) A still image from video shows a police officer gesturing while walking across a road, after a van crashed into people in the centre of Barcelona, Spain, August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS People flee the scene in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. (AP Photo/Oriol Duran) People move from the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of McKenzie Tavoda/via REUTERS A still image from video shows a police officer ushering people away on a street, after a van crashed into people in the centre of Barcelona, Spain, August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS People run away after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @c.artisan/via REUTERS A still image from video shows a police cordon on a street in Barcelona, Spain following a van crash August 17, 2017. REUTERS TV via REUTERS People run away after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS Handout photo taken with permission from the Twitter feed of @Vil_Music of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Vil_Music/PA Wire Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Armed police officers patrol an empty street, after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS A police officer cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. Police in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona say a white van has jumped the sidewalk in the city's historic Las Ramblas district, injuring several people. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Armed police officers patrol an empty street, after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain August 17, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. Courtesy of INSTAGRAM / @pavel_lisovtsov/via REUTERS Police officers tell members of the public to leave the scene in a street in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Mossos d'Esquadra officers (Catalan Regional Police) stand guard in front of Civil Guard headquarters during a protest in Barcelona, Spain July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo People walk by Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain August 16, 2015. REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo Screengrab taken with permission from video posted on twitter by @pawilerma of the scene in Las Ramblas, Barcelona after several people have been injured after a van crashed on a pavement in a popular tourist area of the Spanish city. Pawi Lerma/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp Forensic policemen arrive in the cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 80 on the Rambla in Barcelona. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Attack

Moments after the van crash at Las Ramblas, it was reported that two armed men entered a restaurant in Barcelona.

However Spanish police have confirmed, in reaction to these reports, that there was nobody held up in a bar.

Catalan emergency services said people should not go to the area around Placa Catalunya.

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It's believed the driver of the vehicle had fled on foot after mowing down dozens of people.

He was arrested several hours later following a massive police hunt in the centre of the city.

Catalan police say they cannot confirm a motive for the attack.

A second van believed to be connected to the attack has been found by police in the small town of Vic in Catalonia, local authorities said on Twitter. Vic is approximately 70km from the city of Barcelona.

Police had cordoned off the area and were inspecting the vehicle, the city council said.

Police are also asking people to let their families know if they are 'okay' if they are in the designated 'red zone'. They have asked people to use social media networks so as not to block the phone lines.

Witness

A witness told Independent.ie; "A load of people screaming just ran into the museum I'm just after walking into and they've shut the whole place down."

Another witness described how people "have taken shelter in shops".

The man, writing on Twitter, said people are being treated by medical personnel at the scene.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he was in contact with authorities after a van mowed down dozens of people in Barcelona's city centre.

Rajoy said on Twitter the priority was to attend to the injured.

An Irish man living in Barcelona said he is shaken following the attack.

Aidan McGovern originally from Carrigaline, Co Cork owns a gallery in the Spanish city centre. He told Independent.ie that the attack has left him shaken.

"I'm pretty shook up and taken aback. I'm close to the area. It's very scary.

"A buddy of mine saw the van plough through the crowd and get out of the van running. It's pretty grim here right now."

Student Marc Esparcia (20) told the BBC: "There was a loud noise and everybody ran for cover. There were a lot people, lots of families [at the site], this is one of the most visited sites in Barcelona.

"I think several people were hit. It was horrible, there was panic. Terrible."

Witness Ethan Spibey told Britain's Sky News: "All of sudden it was real chaos. People just started running screaming, there were loud bangs. People just started running into shops, there was a kind of mini-stampede where we were, down one of the alleyways."

He said he had taken refuge with dozens of other people in a nearby church.

"They've locked the doors because I'm not sure whether the person who may have done it has actually been caught, so they've locked the doors and told people just to wait in here."

He said he was now taking cover inside a Starbucks coffee shop.

Advice

The Department of Foreign Affairs said they are monitoring developments closely through the Irish Embassy in Madrid and Irelands Honorary Consul in Barcelona.

Irish citizens in the vicinity of the incident are advised to follow the advice of local authorities. Anyone with concerns for the safety of loved ones in Barcelona can contact the Consular Assistance team in the Department on 01-4082000 or the Irish Embassy in Madrid on +34 914364093.

Minister Simon Coveney said he was "appalled" by the events.

"I am appalled by the incident in Barcelona this afternoon. On behalf of the Irish government, I wish to convey our condolences and solidarity with the people of Spain at this time."

In the US, White House's chief of staff said it was keeping President Trump closely informed about the situation.

Meanwhile, people in Barcelona have begun to open up their homes to those affected by the incident.

One man wrote on Twitter; "Anyone in #Barcelona stuck in the centre you welcome at my apartment behind Placa Jaume. Cups of tea offered! #lasramblas #larambla"

People in Barcelona are also making use of Facebook to mark themselves as safe as well as offer aid to those in need.

One woman marked herself as available for volunteer work.

She added a Facebook status, reading; "I speak English and I can help if you are around Born area."

Dozens of other posts can be seen offering help, including people offering places to stay, food and water, baby supplies and blood donations.

Another woman marked herself as "offering help" at a location metres away from the terrorist attack.

Her status reads; "Hi everyone in Barcelona. If you don't speak Spanish and need any help, Im here for you! Be careful, be safe, and stay home!!"

Additional reporting by Reuters
People in Barcelona are coming together in a show of unity after yesterday's devastating terrorist attack.

Hundreds of people gathered in Placa de Catalunya, which is metres from the boulevard where yesterdays terrorist attacks occurred.

The video below shows people applauding after a moments silence that was held to honour the victims.

Gordon Toal (29) from Co Dublin has been living in Barcelona for the last five years.

He spoke about the atmosphere in Barcelona today.

The streets are getting back to normal again now, full of police of course but the people seem to be getting back to normal life again now today, Gordon told Independent.ie

Gordon lives on a street connecting to Las Ramblas, where the attacks happened.

He was at work one street over when the attack unfolded and spoke about what happened.

We got an emergency email at work to say don't leave the building.

Then word got around about a big crash on Las Ramblas but not sure if terror related.

"After a lot of initial confusion, it became clear that the crash was no accident and that it was a terrorist attack.

Then we were told the buildings and areas were on lockdown. They said that people were on the run and that people had been killed.

Gordon was locked inside his office on Portal de Langel with around 60 other people.

He described the attitude that inside the office while people waited nervously to hear news of what was happening outside.

At that time nobody knew who the victims were so everyone was making or receiving calls from family and friends.

You could only hear the helicopter nothing else as the streets were all cordoned off. He said.
Volunteers bury coffins during a mass funeral for victims of heavy flooding and mudslides in Regent at a cemetery in Freetown, Sierra Leone on Thursday

Rescuers in Sierra Leone have warned that the chances of finding survivors in the debris of this week's mudslides which have killed more than 400 people "are getting smaller every day".

Burials and rescue efforts have continued amid amid the threat of further disaster after mudslides hit the capital Freetown, with some 600 people missing and feared dead.

At least 122 of the victims are children, and a similar number have been orphaned by the disaster, aid group Save the Children said.

The UN humanitarian agency puts the death toll at 409.

Burials have begun in a cemetery which holds victims of the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak which killed thousands in the West African country.

Many people have been unable to find loved ones, while it has proven impossible to identify many bodies. The government has vowed to hold respectful burials for all.

"The death toll is climbing by the day," Elhadj As Sy, secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, told reporters in Geneva.

He added that dealing with the disaster is "way beyond the capacity of the government alone".

The government has warned Freetown residents to evacuate a mountainside where a large crack has opened. Rainfall is also forecast for the coming days, slowing recovery efforts.

Some critics accused the government of not learning from past disasters in a city where many poor areas are near sea level and lack good drainage.

The capital is also plagued by unregulated construction on its hillsides.

Zuliatu Cooper, the deputy minister of health and sanitation, said the government's main focus right now is getting people away from areas still under threat.

He added: "The rains are still pending and there is a possibility that we will have another incident."

Some parts of the capital are without clean drinking water because of damage to pipelines. Malaria is also a concern, as many of the estimated 3,000 homeless are sleeping without mosquito nets.

AP
The rally by white nationalists to defend the monument to Robert E Lee in Charlottesville and the destruction of a monument to Confederate soldiers in Durham, North Carolina, two days later have stoked the ongoing debate over Confederate statues.

US President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that the torchlight rally by neo-Nazis and other white supremacists was merely a defence of the past.

He said: "So this week it's Robert E Lee. I noticed that Stonewall Jackson is coming down. I wonder, is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? Where does it stop?"

But are these monuments truly innocuous symbols of Confederate heritage, as their defenders argue? History tells us otherwise.

Almost none of the monuments was put up right after the civil war. Some were erected during the civil-rights era in the early 1960s, which coincided with the war's centennial - but the vast majority of monuments date to between 1895 and World War I.

They were part of a campaign to paint the southern cause in the civil war as just and slavery as a benevolent institution.

Their installation came against a backdrop of violence and oppression of African-Americans. The monuments were put up as explicit symbols of white supremacy.

The group responsible for the majority of these memorials was the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), the most influential white women's organisation in the south in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Honouring Confederate heroes, generals and soldiers alike, was one of the group's primary objectives and the hundreds of monuments throughout the south - and beyond - serve as testimony to their aggressive agenda to vindicate the Confederacy.

That lasting power of the mythology they made is still evident today in the raging battles over the fate of the memorials.

The 1890s, when the UDC was founded and monument-building began in earnest, represented a decade of virulent racism across the south. Not content to disenfranchise black men, southern whites went on a lynching spree.

Violence against blacks only increased in the early decades of the 20th century.

Amid that brutality, the pace of Confederate monument construction increased. The UDC and other like-minded heritage organisations were intent on honouring the Confederate generation, establishing a revisionist history of the civil war.

According to this, the south went to war to defend states' rights and slavery was essentially a benevolent institution that imparted Christianity to African "savages". The Daughters regarded the Ku Klux Klan as a heroic organisation, necessary to return order to the south. Order, of course, meant the use of violence to subdue newly freed blacks.

During the era of segregation, Confederate monuments could be placed almost anywhere. Some were in a cemetery or a park, but far more were placed on the grounds of local and state courthouses.

These monuments, then, represented not only reverence for soldiers who fought in a war to defend slavery; they also made a very pointed statement about the rule of white supremacy. All who enter the courthouse are subject to the laws of white men.

Monument building, and the suppression of African Americans, did not occur in a southern Jim Crow vacuum. White northerners were complicit, either through their silence or via the process of sectional reconciliation.

They shared white southerners' beliefs about what was then called "Anglo Saxon" supremacy.

Monuments were tangible signs of reconciliation. The ultimate such symbol was the Confederate memorial unveiled in Arlington National Cemetery in the summer of 1914.

On June 3, Jefferson Davis's birthday, Union veterans joined Confederate veterans and members of the Daughters of the American Revolution joined members of the UDC, for the unveiling of what was billed as a "peace monument".

The "peace" may have been about ending hostility between the regions, but the monument itself honours a narrative that met the white south's litmus test, as it contains images of heroic Confederate soldiers, faithful slaves and wording that vindicates their cause.

While Confederate monuments did honour their white heroes, they did not always rely on the true history of what took place between 1861 and 1865.

Nor was that their intent. Rather, they served to rehabilitate white manhood - not as the losers of a war, but, as the monument in Charlotte states, preservers of "the Anglo Saxon civilisation of the south".

Today's defenders of Confederate monuments are either unaware of the historical context or do not care.

Like generations of whites before them, they are more invested in the mythology that has attached itself to these sentinels of white supremacy, because it serves their cause.

Karen Cox is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the author, most recently, of 'Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race and the Gothic South'.

( Washington Post)
President Donald Trump has attacked members of his own party as the row over white supremacist violence and Confederate memorials escalates (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

A Republican senator has said President Donald Trump "muddies the water" when he assigns blame to anyone other than white nationalist groups for the deadly violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said the unrest in Charlottesville "was solely the responsibility of the white nationalists that were ... provoking what was occurring there".

Mr Lankford added that Mr Trump needs "to stay very consistent and clear" in his opposition to white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other hate groups.

The senator is being less critical of the president than several of his party colleagues after Mr Trump declared there "there is blame on both sides" for Charlottesville.

Mr Lankford said: "Any time he steps up and tries to equate two groups or two conversations, I think that muddies the water."
The damaged USS Fitzgerald docked in Yokosuka after colliding with a Philippine-flagged container ship off Japan in June (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

The captain of a US warship that lost seven sailors in a collision with a commercial container ship in June will be relieved of command and more than a dozen others face punishment.

Admiral William Moran, the vice chief of naval operations, told reporters the senior leaders on the USS Fitzgerald, which was badly damaged in the collision off the coast of Japan, will be removed from duty aboard the ship.

They are the commanding officer, Commander Bryce Benson, the executive officer, Commander Sean Babbitt and Master Chief Petty Officer Brice Baldwin, who as the ship's command master chief is its most senior enlisted sailor.

The actions are being taken by Rear Admiral Joseph Aucoin, commander of the navy's 7th Fleet, based at Yokosuka, Japan, because he lost confidence in the three, Admiral Moran said.

In addition, nearly a dozen face non-judicial punishment that has yet to be determined, he said, adding that details on those actions are to be announced on Friday after they are completed.

Admiral Moran said the actions will be taken shortly, although the investigation into how and why the USS Fitzgerald collided with the container ship in June has not yet been completed.

"Serious mistakes were made by members of the crew," he said, adding that he could not fully detail those mistakes because the investigation is continuing.

He said "the bridge team," or the sailors responsible for keeping watch on the ship's bridge to ensure it remains safe, had "lost situational awareness," which left them unable to respond quickly enough to avoid the disaster once the oncoming container ship was spotted.

Separately, the navy released the results of a review of events that took place aboard the ship after the collision, focusing on the crew's efforts to control damage, save lives and keep the ship afloat.

The crash occurred in the pre-dawn hours of June 17 in an accident-prone area known for congestion within Japanese territorial waters. The seas were relatively calm, and visibility was unrestricted.

The bow of the container ship, the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal, slammed into the Fitzgerald's right side above the waterline, quickly flooding several areas inside the ship, including a berthing, or sleeping, area.

Of the 35 sailors who were in Berthing 2 at the time, 28 escaped. Seven drowned.

The collision knocked out external communications and cut power in the forward portion of the ship.

The navy review of what happened aboard the ship following the collision found that the seven deaths could not be blamed on misconduct.

It commended the response by the ship's crew, singling out two sailors for taking extra steps to help others out of the flooded berthing space - actions that it said probably saved the lives of at least two of their shipmates.

"No damage control efforts, however, would have prevented Berthing 2 from flooding completely within the first two minutes following the collision, or the deadly circumstances in that situation," the review said.

The report said although some in Berthing 2 heard a loud noise at the time of the collision or were thrown from their beds by the force of the impact, some did not realise what had happened and remained in bed. Some remained asleep.

"At least one sailor had to be pulled from his rack and into the water before he woke up," it said.

AP
Amnesty International activists erect a six-feet-high gravestone in Parliament Square, London, in memory of thousands of Yemeni civilians killed by air strikes

International rights groups have urged Yemen's Shia rebels to free a prominent activist who used social media to document the war which has ravaged the impoverished Arab nation.

Human Rights Watch said Hisham al-Omeisy, a vocal critic of Yemen's warring parties, is being held without charge in an undisclosed location after he was detained on August 14 in the capital, Sanaa.

The New York-based group says Mr al-Omeisy's family and lawyers have had no access to him.

Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said Yemen "more than ever needs activists like Hisham al-Omeisy to bring attention to the devastation that war, famine, and disease have wrought on the country and its people".

Amnesty International also made a similar appeal for the release of Mr al-Omeisy.
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

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The Rally for Rivers is a campaign that aims at saving rivers like Ganga, Krishna, Narmada and Kaveri, which are at the risk of depleting fast. And lending support to the campaign are Bollywood actors Salman Khan, Rishi Kapoor and Anupam Kher are among Bollywood celebrities who have extended their support to Rally for Rivers campaign, urging fans and followers to help save the countrys rivers.

twitter/screen grab

The initiative has been started by spiritual leader and yogi Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, who has established Isha Foundation. The campaign is called #RallyforRivers and Sadhguru himself will drive from Kanyakumari to the Himalayas to create awareness, according to the foundations official website.

Make a difference by being an active participant of the #RallyforRivers movement. Give a missed call aaj..abhi! pic.twitter.com/mFyRLLRmyZ  Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) August 17, 2017

He said: Namastey. I am Salman Khan. The rivers of our country have taken good care of us since thousands of years, but it is sad that today these rivers are drying up quickly. These rivers are our and our countrys lifeline. No river, No us. So to save the rivers and for saving us, I am campaigning for Rally for rivers. To save our rivers, Im giving a missed call on 8000980009. I request you to do so too.

He captioned the video as,

Make a difference by being an active participant of the Rally For Rivers movement. Give a missed call aaj abhi (today right now)!

twitter/screen grab

A few weeks ago, Rishi Kapoor too shared a similar video clip, captioning it: Our rivers are dying. They have embraced us for millions of years.

Our rivers are dying they have embraced us for millions of years. To save India's rivers, give a missed call to 8000980009 #RallyForRivers pic.twitter.com/pMha5eDbWB  Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) August 8, 2017

On the similar lines, Anupam Kher wrote, Save Indias rivers. Please give a missed call on 8000980009.

Salmans brother, actor and filmmaker Arbaaz Khan, too, called for bringing awareness for a better future.

Lets save our rivers. Lets bring awareness and campaign for our future generations. Rally for rivers, he tweeted.

Other celebrities supporting the cause include Juhi Chawla, Tamannaah Bhatia, Kajal Aggarwal, Mithali Raj, P.V. Sindhu and Kunal Nayyar.
It's been more than two decades since Titanic released but the equation that Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet share have only grown stronger with time. Be it rooting for each other at award shows or talking to each other on chat shows, both the actors have always spoken the best things about each other.

Screengrab

And now, the internet is busy rejoicing because vacation pictures of Titanic co-stars, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have paved their way to the internet.

Both the stars were vacationing in Saint-Tropez in July and before heading for DiCaprios climate change fundraiser, they spent some time together on the pool side. The Titanic co-stars chatted outside DiCaprios villa before heading to his foundations annual fund-raising gala in Saint-Tropez, US Weekly reported. The pictures of Jack and Rose's reunion will you some major BFF goals. Have a look.

#1

Ooo God.... this is just awesome... proving their true friendship with Love #leo #leonardodicaprio #katewinslet #kateandleo #titanic #revolutionaryroad #jackandrose #jackdawson #rosedewittbukater A post shared by Leonardo X kate (@kate_x_leonardo_) on Aug 16, 2017 at 11:21pm PDT

#2

 #leonardodicaprio #katewinslet #katewinsletandleonardodicaprio #dicaprio #love #cute #beautiful #sea #sttropez A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio Fan Page (@leo_dicaprio_11) on Aug 17, 2017 at 1:13am PDT

#3

Ecco le famose foto di Leo e Kate in spiaggia/piscina a Saint Tropez lo scorso 25/07.#leonardodicaprio #katewinslet A post shared by DiCaprioItaly (@leodicaprioitaly) on Aug 17, 2017 at 1:47am PDT

#4

Love them so  #KATEWINSLET #LEONARDODICAPRIO #kleo #friendshipgoals  A post shared by Reeves_DiCaprio . INDONESIA  (@reeves_dicaprio) on Aug 16, 2017 at 9:42pm PDT

#5

PSA- #LeonardoDiCaprio & #KateWinslet reunited after 20 years. Our hearts can finally go on (: Best Image/BACKGRID) A post shared by Us Weekly (@usweekly) on Aug 16, 2017 at 3:38pm PDT

And even after more than two decades, their equation and bond still remain the same.
A religious whiskey drinker may insist having his drink on the rocks or with a dash of water added to it. Well, it turns out theres good reason for that and it's one that now even science backs.

alkotraz.ru

Researchers at the Linnaeus University in Sweden carried out a test to examine how compounds such as guaiacol in whiskey moved around with the presence of water in it.

They concurred that adding water to your drink frees guaiacol from its entrapments and enhances its smell and taste!

The flavour in whiskey comes from the molecule called guaiacol, which is what gives whiskey its smoky, spicy and peaty flavour. It resembles other compounds such as vanillin (a compound that tastes like vanilla).

majesticwinespiritspa.com

The study published in the journal Scientific Reports was conducted to simulate what happens to guaiacol in different concentrations of water.

Since water and ethanol don't mix that well drinks contain clusters of ethanol, which trap aromatic compounds such as guaiacol, hampering what the drink should ideally taste like.

Whisky is distilled at concentrations of alcohol above 59 percent. But whiskeys like Jack Daniels come bottled at a dilution of 40 to 45 percent where the ethanol and guaiacol accumulate at the surface.

shayorepublic.com

Diluting it to around 27 percent overall alcohol by adding a dash of water allows the guaiacol to aerosolize and dispersed away from the surface, which allows the fragrant compounds to waft into your nose and keep your spirits high and holding on to your favourite drink!

hellorf.com

Since the taste, smell and flavour of your drink go hand-in-hand and the fact that the right amount of water is what is needed to enhance the flavour, it makes you wonder why whiskey isnt manufactured at lower concentrations?
India has made great strides in GDP growth, life expectancy, infant mortality, and literacy 70 years since independence.

But how does any of that matter when a 16-year-old is forcefully married off to 65-year-old Sheikh!?

Image Source

According to reports, the girl's aunt allegedly got a deal of Rs 5 lakh and lured the girl into the marriage with the old man living a 'comfortable' life in the gulf. She was also shown videos about a lavish lifestyle she might lead in Oman if she married the sheik.

The minor's mother, Syeeda Unnisa, a resident of Nawab Saheb Kunta, on Wednesday lodged a complaint with police pleading the girl be brought back to India from Muscat.

The mother charged her husband's sister Ghousia and her husband Sikander for getting the girl married to the sheik, who had come to Hyderabad before Ramzan.

Unnisa said she had refused to allow her daughter to be married to the sheik, but Sikander had got a qazi to perform the wedding at a hotel at Barkas, reports TOI.

"The sheik is saying he had bought my daughter for Rs 5 lakh. He said this was paid to Sikander. Only if this amount is paid, he said he would send my daughter back to India," Unnisa said in the complaint lodged with the Falakunuma police on Wednesday.

Image Source

According to the TOI report the 6-year-old Shiekh stayed at a hotel for four days with his minor bride and then fled to Oman leaving her alone with Sikander.

Sikander on the other hand arranged passports and other documents for the girl to fly to Oman.

Meanwhile, Falaknuma Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Tajuddeen Ahmed who is investigating the case told reporters, "We are trying to get the girl back to Hyderabad," added the police official. On the other hand, Sikendar is being questioned.

Maneka Gandhi Seeks Sushma Swarajs Help to Rescue The Girl

Soon after the incident was reported, Union minister Maneka Gandhi on Thursday reached out to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to rescue the minor girl.

I would request Smt. @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman.  Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) 17 August 2017

This incident of a 16-yr-old being forcibly married to an elderly man in Oman is deeply disturbing. https://t.co/FB4NbDtq8i via @indiatoday  Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) 17 August 2017

She also asked the Hyderabad Commissioner of Police to investigate the case and identify the persons who forced this illegal marriage and has directed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to contact the family members of the victim girl.

Have asked the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to investigate the case and identify the persons who forced this illegal marriage.  Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) 17 August 2017

In response to Gandhi's tweet, the Indian Embassy in Oman pushed for more details about the accused Omani national to take up with Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A 20- year-old woman from Delhi lodged a complaint with the Banjara Hills police in Hyderabad against a man who introduced himself as hotel service boy and molested her.

reuters/representational image

The police lon Thursday night registered a case and detained the suspect.

According to the police, the woman came to the city with her friends on August 13 to a visit Hyderabad. They were staying at a hotel on Road No. 10 in the upmarket Banjara Hills area.

She said in her complaint that four youths troubled her in the lift on August 15 night when she returned from the city tour around 9pm, insisting that she should come to their room. She managed to escape and reach her room.

ap/representational image

Early next morning, the accused knocked on her door introducing himself as service boy and took her to his room on the same floor by force. He allegedly tied her to the bed and violated her.

The woman said that the youth was following her since her arrival in the city and purposely took a room in the same hotel.
Analysts say this is the new normal. Another European city, another terror attack, once again involving an unsuspecting weapon - a car.

The vehicle, a Renault Traffic was driven into pedestrians on the busy Las Ramblas street, a tourist hotspot.

The terror attack in Barcelona on Thursday once again shows how the Islamic State has managed to terrorize Europe without even firing a bullet. This was the eighth such attack in Europe so far in 2017.

In fact, in the past couple of years, the ISIS has mastered the art of using vehicles to carry out terror attacks.

One of the first and most high-profile such attacks took place in French coastal city of Nice on July 14, 2016. A truck driven by a Tunisian origin man ploughed into revellers celebrating the Bastille Day fireworks killing 86 people, and injuring over 450 others, the deadliest-ever vehicle attack on European soil.

AFP/ File

The truck was driven by a man identified as Mohamed Bouhlel. ISIS claimed he was one of its soldiers.

Berlin, December 19, 2016

A Tunisian national identified as Anis Amri drove a stolen truck on to people in a busy Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring more than 50.

Reuters/ File

This was one of the worst terror attacks in Germany. The suspect was shot dead by police near Milan in Italy four days later.

London, 22 March 2017

In what was described as the first terror attack in the UK claimed by the ISIS, a British born 52-year-old man named as Khalid Masood rammed a Hyundai i40 into civilians on Westminster Bridge in London, killing five people.

Reuters/ File

He then left the vehicle and went on a stabbing spree, killing a policeman before he was shot dead.

Stockholm, April 2017

Four people were killed and at least fifteen were injured when a man drove a truck down a busy shopping street in the Swedish capital. Rakhmat Akilov, a failed asylum seeker from Uzbekistan, has been arrested and charged in connection with the attack.

AP/ File

The 39-year-old has allegedly admitted being a member of ISIS and told police investigators that he had achieved what he set out to do.

London, 3 June 2017

Three ISIS supporters on a hired van rammed pedestrians walking on London Bridge and then went on a stabbing rampage in neighbouring Borough Market, killing eight people.

Reuters/ File

The three men, who were wearing what turned out to be hoax suicide vests, were later shot dead by armed police.

London, 19 June 2017

The only non-ISIS linked the attack to date involving a vehicle as weapon happened in June this year when a with far-right sympathies ran his van into Muslim worshippers leaving a mosque during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

AFP/ File

The attack killed one person and injured several others. The assailant who was detained by police claimed the attack was in revenge for the London Bridge incident.

Paris, 19 June 2017

A Renault Megane containing explosives and an AK-47 rifle was driven into a Gendarmerie vehicle on the famous Champs-Elysees in Paris.

AFP/ File

The car hit a police van before bursting into flames killing only the attacker. Police said it was a 'botched' suicide attack.

Paris, 9 August 2017

Six French soldiers were injured after a man deliberately drove a BMW on to them while patrolling a Parisian suburb.

The driver was shot at and later arrested by French police after a dramatic chase.

Barcelona, 17 August 2017

A Renault Traffic van down Barcelona's busy Las Ramblas district, a popular street in the centre of the city, killing at least 13 people and injuring over a hundred people.

AFP

The man who drove the car is still at large. ISSI has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Indian forces are bracing for more "shallow intrusions" or "needling probes" from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) in vulnerable spots along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), according to sources in the Indian defence establishment.

reuters/representational image

This assessment comes even as the two forces held a border personnel meeting (BPM) in eastern Ladakh on Wednesday to calm down tempers, a day after Indian and Chinese soldiers pelted stones at each other near Pangong Lake.

Also Read: As Indian And Chinese Armies Engage In Doklam Standoff, Here's What The Conflict Is All About

The PLA is unlikely to try anything near the already restive Sikkim-Bhutan-Sikkim tri-junction because Indian troops are militarily much better-placed there and can easily threaten China's narrow Chumbi Valley in the region, if required, the according to India's assessment.

"But the PLA could try something in eastern Ladakh, as was seen on Tuesday, or eastern Arunachal Pradesh or Lipulekh Pass and Barahoti in the central sector (Himachal-Uttarakhand)," one of the sources said.

The Indian defence establishment, however, is sticking to its belief that China will not risk a full-fledged war despite its major build-up of troops, artillery, air defence, armoured and other units in the southern part of the Tibet Military District that falls under the Western Theatre Command (WTC) of the PLA, after the Doklam confrontation erupted on the eastern front in mid-June.

Also Read: Nosy Neighbour Pakistan Now Wants To Meddle In The India-China Stand-Off In Doklam

The stepped-up "needling" in some areas along the 4,057-km LAC, which stretches from Ladakh to Arunachal, will be part of the PLA's game-plan to ratchet up pressure on India to unilaterally withdraw from the face-off site in the Bhutanese territory of Doklam before winter sets in November-December. "India is ready for mutual troop withdrawal to defuse the stand-off. But China is not. So, our troops are prepared for the long haul," said the source.

reuters/representational image

But the channels of communication are also being kept open, with some sweeteners thrown in for good measure. Though the PLA declined the invite for the August 15 celebrations at different BPM points on the LAC, Indian soldiers did hand over "sweets" to their Chinese counterparts at multiple locations, including Doklam, on Tuesday.

Also Read: China Looks To Settle Doklam Standoff As Indian Security Advisor Holds Talks In Beijing

On Wednesday, at the longish BPM held at Spanggur Gap in Chushul sector of Ladakh in the afternoon, official sources said the two armies led by brigadier-rank officers discussed the "incident" at the Pangong Tso (Tso means lake) as well as the need "to strengthen the existing mechanism to maintain peace and tranquility" to avoid confrontations.

Also Read: Chinese President's Meeting With Ajit Doval Doesn't Yield Result, The Doklam Logjam Continues

Usually, the troops pull back after some jostling and banner drills in the disputed "Finger-5 to Finger-8" (mountainous spurs) area on the northern bank of the 134-km long Pangong Tso, two-thirds of which is controlled by China as it extends from Tibet to India.

reuters/representational image

But on Wednesday, they hurled stones and used iron rods to injure each other for the first time in recent years, in a clear indicator of the tense situation prevailing along the entire LAC. Pangong Tso, which is located at an altitude of 13,900-feet across the Changla Pass, and other areas like Chumar, Trig Heights and Depsang in eastern Ladakh have emerged as major flashpoints over the recent years.

Indian troops till some years ago were at a huge disadvantage in the Pangong Lake, saddled as they were with old patrol boats. There were even a few instances of faster and sturdier Chinese boats ramming into Indian ones to disable them. But after the Indian troops inducted 17 new high-speed interceptor boats, each of which can carry 16 to 18 soldiers, they have been conducting strong reconnaissance and area domination patrols in the region over the last few years.
The Army will finally get its own heavy-duty attack helicopters after a bitter tussle with the IAF over the last several years. The defence ministry on Thursday cleared the acquisition of six Apache attack helicopters, armed with Hellfire and Stinger missiles, for the Army at a cost of Rs 4,168 crore.

afp

The 1.3-million strong Army had earlier sought the government's approval for the acquisition of 11 Apache helicopters from the US as "a follow-on contract" to the Rs 13,952 crore deal inked for 22 such choppers for the IAF in September 2015.

But after stiff opposition from the IAF, the Arun Jaitley-led Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC) on Thursday cleared the Army's whittled down a proposal for the six AH-64E Apache helicopters, which are manufactured by Boeing.

The apaches will be deployed on the Western Front in support of tank formations in a role similar to that of Indian Air Force helicopters. The first Apaches are expected to enter service with the army in 2021.

reuters/representational image

The Army for long has been pushing for three squadrons of attack helicopters, among other choppers, for its three primary "strike" corps geared for rapid armoured thrusts into enemy territory.

reuters/representational image

The Army believes it should have "full command and control" over "tactical air assets" for rapid deployment along with its strike corps, while the IAF should concentrate on its "larger strategic role". As of now, IAF's two existing but ageing squadrons of Russian-origin Mi-25/35 attack helicopters are supposed to play that role.
The Spanish security agencies have gunned down five terror suspects after a terror attack in the busy walkway in central Barcelona. Thirteen people were killed and 100 were injured, 15 of them seriously, in what authorities called a terror attack.

afp

"It was clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible," Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior police official for Spain's Catalonia region told reporters late Thursday.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, saying in a statement on its Aamaq news agency that the attack was carried out by "soldiers of the Islamic State" in response to the extremist group's calls for followers to target countries participating in the coalition trying to drive it from Syria and Iraq.

afp

According to AP report, Catalan police said they shot and killed five suspects in a seaside resort town south of Barcelona in response to a terrorist attack. They also said six civilians were injured in Cambrils but didn't immediately say how. The force is working on the theory that the Cambrils suspects are linked to the Barcelona attack, as well as to a Wednesday night explosion in the town of Alcanar in which one person was killed.

afp

After the afternoon attack, Las Ramblas went into lockdown. Swarms of officers brandishing hand guns and automatic weapons launched a manhunt in the downtown district, ordering stores and cafes and public transport to shut down.
Asteroids are whizzing past Earth all the time, though they dont come too close to hitting us. NASA has now predicted another fly by the incident to occur next month, but its slightly different.

For one thing, the space agency is saying the rock thatll hurtle past us is the largest near-Earth object (NEO) weve seen since we began tracking them 20 years ago.

Measuring 4.4 km across, asteroid Florence, as its called, is more than large enough to cause massive destruction, were it to hit Earth. Even the 20 m wide Chelyabinsk meteorite that made contact in 2013 wrought havoc, and any object larger than 1 km impacting Earth could cause a global extinction. And NASA has tracked over 880 such NEOs in our vicinity.

But, though asteroid Florence is about making its closest pass of Earth at a distance of 7 million km, the space agency theres no chance of a collision anytime in the next 500 years.

While many known asteroids have passed by closer to Earth than Florence will on September 1, all of those were estimated to be smaller, says Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). Florence is the largest asteroid to pass by our planet this close since the NASA program to detect and track near-Earth asteroids began.

The rock will zip past our planet on September 1, and will be visible to small telescopes for a few nights from late August to early September.
The Israel Lobby vs the First Amendment

By Ramzy Baroud

August 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The adage goes, "Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it." Indeed, this is the very predicament in which the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) could soon find itself.

In its obsessive efforts to defeat the Palestinian-led boycott movement, AIPAC will soon force the revisitation of a long-dormant debate on the illegal Israeli military occupation of Palestine .

US mainstream media has long avoided an honest discussion on Israel and Palestine as if the mere acknowledgment of a Palestinian point of view, let alone Palestinian rights, is in itself a sinister act.

If it were not for alternative media and varied margins available in international media, the Palestinian voice would have been completely silenced, and Palestinians would merely exist as notorious "terrorist" figures standing obstacle to Israel's supposedly Western-style democracy.

In fact, this is the very image that is constantly peddled by the Israeli government, its official propaganda (hasbara) machine and its many allies in the United States .

A large network that is purportedly motivated by its undying "love" for Israel, encompasses among its ranks powerful politicians, end-of-time religious fanatics, business interests and media moguls.

It is this conglomerate of individuals and the massive interests they represent that we often refer to as the "lobby". AIPAC is the central piece in the lobby's intricate web , which has to a large degree succeeded in tainting the oppressed Palestinian as an aggressor, and the militarily powerful Israel as a victim.

To ensure that ordinary Americans never understand that reality is entirely different from what the media reports, the Palestinian voice is habitually muffled and the Palestinian intellectual is hidden from view. For many years, the "debate" has rarely focused on Palestinian rights, but has been a one-sided Israeli diatribe about its security, future and its twisted, convenient and ever-flexible definition of anti-Semitism.

But the rise of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement posed a serious challenge to Israel's self-tailored narrative.

Anti-Palestinian measures in the US are nothing new. In fact, ardent support for Israel and the complete disregard for Palestinians is the only aspect which Democrats and Republicans have in common.

Contrary to the typical behaviour of the Israeli lobby, the BDS movement sought the solidarity of civil society organisations, churches and student groups. It engaged people in meaningful discussion and used direct democracy as a vehicle to propel action.

At first, the boycott efforts seemed minuscule and unthreatening.

In its early years, the mission of combating any kind of dissent against Israel within the US was entrusted to the likes of notorious Zionist Daniel Pipes and his "Campus Watch", a Big Brother type of organisation aimed at intimidating teachers, scaring off students and monitoring and reporting nonconformist educational institutions across the country.

Not only did Pipes miserably fail, but his tactics unwittingly inspired real, often heated debates and discussions across American campuses, where BDS began taking the initiative and ultimately prevailing. Thanks to BDS-affiliated student groups, many campuses either declared their support of Palestinian rights, or pushed university boards to divest from Israeli companies or firms that contribute to the oppression of the Palestinians. Churches, companies, academic collectives, artists and others followed suit.

Thus far, every attempt at demonising and silencing BDS has failed, simply because the movement's just demands speak for themselves: ending the Israeli military occupation, equal rights to Palestinian-Arab citizens of Israel, right of return for Palestinian refugees . Every single demand is supported by international and humanitarian laws, and needless to say, basic human rights and morality.

Aware of its failure, and the notable success of BDS, the Israeli government and its wealthy supporters across the US began deliberating the need for a well-financed, coherent strategy to combat the boycott movement.

The pinnacle of the Israeli campaign is now to lobby the US Congress to officially ban BDS and punish its supporters.

By doing so, Israel and the lobby entered new, uncharted waters as the war on Palestinians is now becoming a war on freedom of speech in the US as protected by the First Amendment.

The plot thickens

Cheered on by AIPAC and others, the US Congress is now leading the Israeli war on Palestinians and their supporters. In the process, they are attempting to demolish the very core of American democratic values.

The build-up to this particular battle began when AIPAC declared in its "2017 Lobbying Agenda" ( PDF ) that criminalising the boycott of Israel is a top priority.

The US Congress, which has historically proven subservient to the Israeli government and its lobbies, enthusiastically embraced AIPAC's efforts. This resulted in the Senate Bill S.720 - also known as the "Anti-Israel Boycott Act" - which aims to ban the boycott of Israel and its illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank .

Thus far, the bill has the support of 48 Senators and 234 House members. Unsurprisingly, it was drafted mostly by AIPAC itself.

Punishment of those who violate the proposed law ranges from $250,000 to $1 million and 10 years in prison.

Anti-Palestinian measures in the US are nothing new. In fact, ardent support for Israel and the complete disregard for Palestinians is the only aspect which Democrats and Republicans have in common.

But S.720 marks a completely different story. It is part of a massive campaign that would, once and for all, make it illegal for even ordinary Americans to be critical of Israel.

Initiated in 2014, this process has been gathering steam without much challenge from either major political parties, government or mainstream media.

Since then, 21 US states have passed and enacted legislation to criminalise boycott efforts. State attorney generals have shamelessly and systematically coordinated to push their agendas from a state level to Washington, DC, itself.

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The very individuals who were meant to guard the Constitution are the ones openly violating it. The First Amendment to the US Constitution has been the pillar in defence of the people's right to free speech, freedom of the press , "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances".

The more the lobby tries to defeat BDS, the more it exposes itself and its stranglehold on the American government and media.

This right has, however, often been curtailed when it applies to Israel. The Center for Constitutional Rights refers to this fact as " The Palestine Exception ".

S.720, if it passes, will cement the new US status, that of "flawed democracy" as opposed to a fully democratic nation that legislates and applies all laws fairly and equally to all of its citizens.

On July 17, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) issued a letter calling on legislators who signed the senate version of the bill to reconsider their decision.

"The bill would punish businesses and individuals, based solely on their point of view," The ACLU said. "Such a penalty is in direct violation of the First Amendment".

An opportunity

Dire as it may seem, there is something positive in this. For many years, it has been wrongly perceived that Israel's solicitation of American support against Palestinians and Arabs is, by no means, a foreign country meddling or interfering in the US political system or undermining US democracy.

The "Israel Anti-Boycott Act", however, is the most egregious of such interventions, for it strikes down the First Amendment, the very foundation of American democracy, by using America's own legislators to be its executors.

This bill exposes Israel, as well as its hordes of supporters in US Congress. Moreover, it presents human rights defenders with the opportunity to champion BDS, hence, the rights of the Palestinian people and also the rights of all Americans.

It would be the first time in many years that the battle for Palestinian rights can be openly discussed and contextualised in a way that most Americans find relevant to their everyday life.

This was one of the aims of BDS from the very beginning. While the boycott and delegitimisation of the Israeli military occupation of Palestine are at the core of the civil society-backed movement, BDS also aims at generating an urgent discussion on Israel and Palestine.

Although inadvertently, the US Congress is now making this very much possible.

Interestingly, the mobilisation of the US - and other western governments - to punish the boycott movement is largely consistent with its targeting of the South African anti-Apartheid movement in the past.

The US government strongly opposed the South African liberation movement, condemned the international boycott against the country, and backed the racist authoritarian role of PW Botha to the very end. Former President Ronald Reagan perceived Nelson Mandela as a "terrorist". In fact, Mandela was not removed from the US terror list until 2008.

Now, it seems history is repeating itself. The Israeli version of Apartheid is fighting for legitimacy and refuses to concede. It aims to colonise all of Palestine, mistreat and oppress its people, and violate international law without any form of censure from either individuals or organisations.

Failure guaranteed

But none of this will succeed, because, put simply, noble ideas cannot be defeated.

Moreover, for Israel, this is a new kind of battle, one which is foolishly attempting to fight using the same traditional tactics: threats and intimidation backed by blind US support.

The more the lobby tries to defeat BDS, the more it exposes itself and its stranglehold on the American government and media.

Israel is no student of history. It has learned nothing from the experience of the anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa. It is no surprise that Israel remained the last supporter of the Apartheid regime in that country until its demise.

As for true champions of human rights, regardless of their race, religion or citizenship, this is their moment, as no meaningful change ever occurs without people being united in struggle and sacrifice.

Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and editor of Palestine Chronicle. His forthcoming book is 'The Last Earth: A Palestinian Story' (Pluto Press, London). Baroud has a PhD in Palestine studies from the University of Exeter and is a non-resident Scholar at Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, University of California Santa Barbara. His website is www.ramzybaroud.net .
Is the Trump Administration Censoring a New Book on Government Torture?

By Alberto Mora

August 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Three years ago, the Senate Intelligence Committee released the summary of its torture report, replete with shocking details about the way the CIA once waged the war on terror. Yet it was only part of the story. Of the full 6,000-page report, only 525 pages were released to the public, and those were heavily redacted.

Today, there is much we still dont know about the George W. Bush administrations fateful decision to use torture as a weapon of war, including how the agencies applying the policy interacted with one another. But a new book could offer some insightif the Trump administration ever permits it to be released.

The book, Unjustifiable Means , is a forthcoming memoir by Mark Fallon, a former official for the Defense Department and Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Fallon retired in 2010 after a distinguished 31-year careermuch of it on the front lines in the fight against Al-Qaeda. Before 9/11, Fallon worked with the task force that investigated the first World Trade Center attack and was the leader of the NCIS team that probed the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole. After 9/11, he was NCIS chief of counterintelligence for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and later served as the deputy commander and chief investigator of the DOD Criminal Investigation Task Force, which gathered evidence to prosecute terrorism suspects by military commissions at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay . Given Fallons insider background, his book may be an incredibly important account of the policy failures that damaged our national security by helping boost jihadi recruitment, among other things.

Yet the book may never be releasedor, if it is, may appear only in a heavily redacted, bowdlerized form. Fallons story is currently undergoing a pre-publication security clearance review. Ten agencies, including the Departments of Defense and Justice and the CIA, the three agencies most responsible for the torture fiasco, are combing through it. And some, myself included, worry that the censors may be more concerned about protecting individual reputations than improper disclosures. Fallon was initially promised this process would take no longer than six weeks; it has now dragged on for more than seven months, with no end in sight.

As someone who has closely followedand participatedin the war on terror, Im dismayed by the prospect of Fallons book being censored. When I was the Navys general counsel, Fallon was one of several NCIS officials who came to my office in November 2002 to present me with his concerns. He, along with NCIS Director David Brant and others, had obtained evidence that some Guantanamo detainees were being subjected to unlawful physical abuse during interrogations. If unchecked, they felt, the abuse would rise to the level of torture. Leaving aside whether torture was legal, they also felt that the harsh interrogation techniques being used were inherently counterproductive and demonstrated shocking incompetence. Lastly, they told me, the brutality was rumored to have been authorized at the highest level of the Bush administration.

The NCIS team in my office was composed of the types of officials that our nation values most: tough, courageous, capable and experienced people who are eager to combat the enemy andno less importantfaithful to the laws and values that define our country. None of them wanted to condone illegality, incompetence or dishonor, no matter how high the rank of the official ordering otherwise. By refusing to participate in and speaking out against the abuse of enemy captives, Fallon and his NCIS colleagues were defending their integrity and our nation.

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Fallon, who believes that it is as important to learn from our mistakes as from our successes, continues to serve our nation. Unjustifiable Means delves into how key officials were able to manipulate governmental processes to adopt counterproductive policies; it recounts the leadership, ethical and moral challenges that he and others faced in telling truth to power and illuminates how torture contributed to the proliferation of the global violent extremism that jeopardizes our national security.

These lessons are critical. The Obama administration commendably banned torture, but it was mistaken in believing that we could erase the temptation to use these harsh measures without meaningful accountability. Now, we are led by a president who is an unabashed torture enthusiast, is appointing architects or apologists of the Bush-era interrogation policies to key government positions, has abandoned U.S. leadership on human rights and treats police brutality as a laughing matter. The slide toward brutishness continues.

Unjustifiable Means can help thwart that slideif the Trump administration would release it already, in its unredacted form.

Alberto Mora, a former Navy general counsel, is a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Carr Center for Human Rights Policy.

This article was first published by News Week -
Fake News on Russia and Other Official Enemies





The New York Times, 19172017



By Edward S. Herman

August 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - It has been amusing to watch the New York Times and other mainstream media outlets express their dismay over the rise and spread of fake news. These publications take it as an obvious truth that what they provide is straightforward, unbiased, fact-based reporting. They do offer such news, but they also provide a steady flow of their own varied forms of fake news, often by disseminating false or misleading information supplied to them by the national security state, other branches of government, and sites of corporate power.

An important form of mainstream media fake news is that which is presented while suppressing information that calls the preferred news into question. This was the case with The Lie That Wasnt Shot Down, the title of a January 18, 1988, Times editorial referring to a propaganda claim of five years earlier that the editors had swallowed and never looked into any further. The liethat the Soviets knew that Korean airliner 007, which they shot down on August 31, 1983, was a civilian planewas eventually uncovered by congressman Lee Hamilton, not by the Times.

Mainstream media fake news is especially likely where a party line is quickly formed on a topic, with any deviations therefore immediately dismissed as naive, unpatriotic, or simply wrong. In a dramatic illustration, for a book chapter entitled Worthy and Unworthy Victims, Noam Chomsky and I showed that coverage by Time, Newsweek, CBS News, and the New York Times of the 1984 murder of the priest Jerzy Popieluzko in Communist Poland, a dramatic and politically useful event for the politicized Western mainstream media, exceeded all their coverage of the murders of a hundred religious figures killed in Latin America by U.S. client states in the post-Second World War years taken together. 1 It was cheap and safe to focus heavily on the worthy victim, whereas looking closely at the deaths of those hundred would have required an expensive and sometimes dangerous research effort that would have upset the State Department. But it was in effect a form of fake news to so selectively devote coverage (and indignation) to a politically useful victim, while ignoring large numbers whose murder the political establishment sought to downplay or completely suppress.

Fake news on Russia is a Times tradition that can be traced back at least as far as the 1917 revolution. In a classic study of the papers coverage of Russia from February 1917 to March 1920, Walter Lippmann and Charles Merz found that From the point of view of professional journalism the reporting of the Russian Revolution is nothing short of a disaster. On the essential questions the net effect was almost always misleading, and misleading news is worse than none at all. They can fairly be charged with boundless credulity, and an untiring readiness to be gulled, and on many occasions with a downright lack of common sense. 2 Lippmann and Merz found that strong editorial bias clearly fed into news reporting. The editors zealous opposition to the communists led the paper to report atrocities that never happened, and to predict the imminent collapse of the Bolshevik regime no fewer than ninety-one times in three years. Journalists uncritically accepted official statements and relied on reports from unidentified high authority. This was standard Times practice.

This fake news performance of 191720 was repeated often in the years that followed. The Soviet Union was an enemy target up to the Second World War, and through it all, Times coverage was consistently hostile. With the end of the war and the emergence of the Soviet Union as a military rival, and soon a competing nuclear power, the Cold War was on. In the United States, anti-communism became a national religion, and the Soviet Union was portrayed in official discourse and the news media as a global menace in urgent need of containment. With this ideology in place and with U.S. plans for its own global expansion of power established, the Communist threat would help sustain the steady growth of the military-industrial complex and repeated interventions to counter purported Soviet aggressions. 3

An Early Great Crime: Guatemala

One of the most flagrant cases in which the Soviet threat was exploited to justify U.S.-sponsored violence was the overthrow of the social democratic government of Guatemala in 1954 by a small proxy army invading from U.S. ally Somozas Nicaragua. This action was provoked by government reforms that upset U.S. officials, including a 1947 law permitting the formation of labor unions, and plans to buy back (at tax-rate valuations) and distribute to landless peasants some of the unused property owned by United Fruit Company and other large landowners. The United States, which had been perfectly content with the earlier fourteen-year-long dictatorship of Jose Ubico, could not tolerate this democratic challenge, and the elected government, led by Jacobo Arbenz, was soon charged with assorted villainies, based on an alleged Red capture of the Guatemalan government. 4

In the pre-invasion propaganda campaign, the mainstream media fell into line behind false charges of extreme government repression, threats to its neighbors, and the Communist takeover. The Times repeatedly reported these alleged abuses and threats from 1950 onward (my favorite: Sidney Grusons How Communists Won Control of Guatemala, March 1, 1953). Arbenz and his predecessor, Juan Jose Arevalo, had carefully avoided establishing any embassies with Soviet bloc countries, fearing U.S. reprisalsto no avail. Following the removal of Arbenz and the installation of a right-wing dictatorship, court historian Ronald Schneider, after studying 50,000 documents seized from Communist sources in Guatemala, found that not only did Communists never control the country, but that the Soviet Union made no significant or even material investment in the Arbenz regime, and was at the time too preoccupied with internal problems to concern itself with Central America. 5

The coup government quickly attacked and decimated the new social groups that had formed in the democratic era, mainly peasant, worker, and teacher organizations. Arbenz had won 65 percent of the votes in a free election, but the liberator Castillo Armas quickly won a plebiscite with 99.6 percent of the vote. Although this is a result familiar in totalitarian regimes, the mainstream media had by then lost interest in Guatemala, barely mentioning this electoral outcome. The Times had claimed in 1950 that U.S. Guatemala policy is not trying to block social and economic progress but is interested in seeing that Guatemala becomes a liberal democracy. 6 But in the aftermath, the editors failed to note that the result of U.S. policy was precisely to block social and economic progress, through the installation of a regime of reactionary terror.

In 2011, more than half a century after 1954, the Times reported that Guatemalan president Alvaro Colom had apologized for that Great Crime, the violent overthrow of the Arbenz government, an act of aggression to a government starting its democratic spring. 7 The article mentions that, according to president Colom, the Arbenz family is seeking an apology from the United States for its role in the Great Crime. The Times has never made any apology or even acknowledgement of its own role in the Great Crime.

Another Great Crime: Vietnam

Fake news abounded in the Times and other mainstream publications during the Vietnam War. The common perception that the papers editors opposed the war is misleading and essentially false. In Without Fear or Favor, former Times reporter Harrison Salisbury acknowledged that in 1962, when U.S. intervention escalated, the Times was deeply and consistently supportive of the war policy. 8 He contends that the paper grew steadily more oppositional from 1965, culminating in the publication of the Pentagon Papers in 1971. But Salisbury fails to recognize that from 1954 to the present, the Times never abandoned the Cold War framework and vocabulary, according to which the United States was resisting another nations aggression and protecting South Vietnam. The paper never applied the word aggression to this country, but used it freely in referring to North Vietnamese actions and those of the National Liberation Front in the southern half of Vietnam.

The various pauses in the U.S. bombing war in 1965 and after, in the alleged interest of giving peace a chance, were also the basis of fake news as the Johnson administration used these temporary halts to quiet antiwar protests, while making it clear to the Vietnamese that U.S. officials demanded full surrender. The Times and its colleagues swallowed this bait without a murmur of dissent. 9

Furthermore, although from 1965 onward the Times was willing to publish more reports that put the war in a less favorable light, it never broke from its heavy dependence on official sources, or from its reluctance to confront the damage wrought on Vietnam and its civilian population by the U.S. war machine. In contrast with its eager pursuit of Cambodian refugees from the Khmer Rouge after April 1975, the paper rarely sought testimony from the millions of Vietnamese refugees fleeing U.S. bombing and chemical warfare. In its opinion columns as well, the new openness was limited to commentators who accepted the premises of the war and would confine their criticisms to its tactical problems and domestic costs. From beginning to end, those who criticized the war as an immoral campaign of sheer aggression were excluded from the debate. 10

The 1981 Papal Assassination Attempt

The mainstream media gave a further boost to Cold War propaganda in reporting on the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II in Rome in May 1981. At a time when the Reagan administration was seeking to demonize the Soviet Union as an evil empire, the shooting of the pope by Turkish fascist Ali Agca was quickly tied to Moscow, helped by Agcas confessionafter seventeen months of imprisonment, interrogations, threats, inducements, and access to the mediathat the Bulgarians and Soviet KGB were behind it all. No credible evidence supported this connection, the claims were implausible, and the corruption in the process was remarkable. (Agca also periodically claimed to be Jesus Christ.) The case against the Bulgarians (and implicitly the KGB) was lost even in Italys extremely biased and politicized judicial framework. But the Times bought it, and gave it prolonged, intense, and completely unquestioning attention, as did most of the U.S. media.

During the 1991 Senate hearings on the nomination of Robert Gates to head the CIA, former agency officer Melvin Goodman testified that the CIA knew from the start that Agcas confessions were false, because they had very good penetration of the Bulgarian secret services. The Times omitted this statement in its reporting on Goodmans testimony. During the same year, with Bulgaria now a member of the free world, conservative analyst Allen Weinstein obtained permission to examine Bulgarian secret service files on the assassination attempt. His mission was widely reported, including in the Times, but when he returned without having found anything implicating Bulgaria or the KGB, several papers, including the Times, found his investigations no longer newsworthy.

Missile Gap

From roughly 1975 to 1986, much of the reporting on the purported missile gap between the United States and the Soviet Union was little more than fake news, with Times reporters passing along a steady stream of inflammatory official statements and baseless claims. An important case occurred in the mid-1970s, as right-wing hawks in the Ford administration were trying to escalate the Cold War and arms race. A 1975 CIA report had found that the Soviets were aiming only for nuclear parity. This was unsatisfactory, so CIA head George H. W. Bush appointed a new team of hardliners, who soon found that the Soviets were achieving nuclear superiority and preparing to fight a nuclear war. This so-called Team B report was taken at face value in a Times front page article of December 26, 1976, by David Binder, who failed to mention its political bias or purpose, and made no attempt to consult experts with differing views. The CIA finally admitted in 1983 that the Team B estimates were fabrications. But throughout this period, the Times supported the case for militarization by disseminating false information, much of it convincingly refuted by Tom Gervasi in his classic The Myth of Soviet Military Supremacy, a book never reviewed in the Times.

Yugoslavia and Humanitarian Intervention

The 1990s wars of dismantlement in Yugoslavia succeeded in removing an independent government from power and replacing it with a broken Serbian remnant and poor and unstable failed states in Bosnia and Kosovo. It also provided unwarranted support for the concept of humanitarian intervention, which rested on a mass of misrepresentations and selective reporting. The demonized Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic was not an ultra-nationalist seeking a Greater Serbia, but rather a non-aligned leader on the Western hit list who tried to help Serb minorities in Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo remain in Yugoslavia as the United States and the European Union supported a legally questionable exodus by several constituent Yugoslav Republics. He supported each of the proposed settlements of these conflicts, which were sabotaged by Bosnian and U.S. officials who wanted better terms or the outright military defeat of Serbia, ultimately achieving the latter. Milosevic had nothing to do with the July 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in which Bosnian Serbs took revenge on Bosnian Muslim soldiers who had been ravaging nearby Bosnian Serb villages from their base in Srebrenica under NATO protection. The several thousand Serb civilian deaths were essentially unreported in the mainstream media, while the numbers of Srebrenicas executed victims were correspondingly inflated. 11

The Putin Era

The U.S. political establishment was shocked and delighted by the 198991 fall of the Soviet Union, and its members were similarly pleased with the policies of President Boris Yeltsin, a virtual U.S. client, under whose rule ordinary Russians suffered a calamitous fall in living standards, while a small set of oligarchs were able to loot the broken state. Yeltsins election victory in 1996, greatly assisted by U.S. consultants, advice, and money, was, for the editors of the Times, A Victory for Russian Democracy. 12 They were not bothered by either the electoral corruption, the creation of a grand-larceny-based economic oligarchy, or, shortly thereafter, the new rules centralizing power in the office of president. 13

Yeltsins successor, Vladimir Putin, gradually abandoned the formers subservience to Western interests, and was thereby perceived as a menace. His reelection in 2012, although surely less corrupt than Yeltsins in 1996, was castigated in the U.S. media. The lead Times article on May 5, 2012, featured a slap in the face from Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe observers, claims of no real competition, and thousands of antigovernment protesters gathered in Moscow square to chant Russia without Putin.' 14 There had been no challenges to legitimacy reported in the Times after Yeltsins tainted victory in 1996.

The demonization of Putin escalated with the Ukraine crisis of 2014 and subsequent Kiev warfare in Eastern Ukraine, Russian support of the East Ukraine resistance, and the Crimean referendum and absorption of Crimea by Russia. This was all declared aggression by the United States and its allies and clients, and sanctions were imposed on Russia, and a major U.S.-NATO military buildup was initiated on Russias borders. Tensions mounted further with the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over southeastern Ukrainepromptly, but almost surely falsely, blamed on the pro-Russian rebels and Russia itself. 15

Anti-Russian hostilities were further inflamed by the countrys escalated intervention in Syria from 2015 on, in support of Bashar al-Assad and against rebel forces that had come to be dominated by ISIS and al-Nusra, an offshoot of al-Qaeda. The United States and its NATO and Middle East allies had been committing aggression against Syria, in de facto alliance with al-Nusra and other extremist Islamic factions, for several years. Russian intervention turned the tide, frustrating the U.S. and Saudi goal of regime change against Assad, and weakening tacit U.S. allies.

The Times has covered these developments with unstinting apologeticsfor the February 2014 coup in Kievwhich it has never labeled as such, for the U.S. role in the overthrow of the elected government of Victor Yanukovych, and with anger and horror at the Crimea referendum and Russian absorption, which it never allows might be a defensive response to the Kiev coup. Its calls for punishment for the casualty-free Russian aggression in Crimea is in marked contrast to its apologetics for the million-plus casualties caused by U.S. aggression of choice (not defensive) in Iraq from March 2003 on. The papers editors and columnists condemn Putins disregard for international law, while exempting their own country from criticism for its repeated violations of that same law. 16

In the Timess reporting and opinion columns Russia is regularly assailed as expansionist and threatening its neighbors, but virtually no mention is made of NATOs expansion up to the Russian borders and first-strike-threat placement of anti-missile weapons in Eastern Europethe latter earlier claimed to be in response to a missile threat from Iran! Analyses by political scientist John Mearsheimer and Russia scholar Stephen F. Cohen that noted this NATO advance were excluded from the opinion pages of the Times. 17 In contrast, a member of the Russian band Pussy Riot, Maria Alyokhina, was given op-ed space to denounce Putin and Russia, and the punk rock group was granted a meeting with the Times editorial board. 18 Between January 1 and March 31, 2014, the paper ran twenty-three articles featuring Pussy Riot and its alleged significance as a symbol of Russian limits on free speech. Pussy Riot had disrupted a church service in Moscow and only stopped after police intervened, at the request of church authorities. A two-year prison sentence followed. Meanwhile, in February 2014, eighty-four-year-old nun Sister Megan Rice was sentenced to four years in prison for having entered a U.S. nuclear weapons site in July 2012 and carried out a symbolic protest. The Times gave this news a tiny mention in its National Briefing section, under the title Tennessee Nun is Sentenced for Peace Protest. No op-ed columns or meeting with the Times board for Rice. There are worthy and unworthy protesters, just as there are victims.

In Syria, with Russian help, Assads army and allied militias were able to dislodge the rebels from Aleppo, to the dismay of Washington and the mainstream media. It has been enlightening to see the alarm expressed over civilian casualties in Aleppo, with accompanying photographs of forsaken children and stories of civilian suffering and deprivation. The Timess focus on those civilians and children and its indignation at Putin-Assad inhumanity stands in sharp contrast with their virtual silence on massive civilian casualties in Fallujah in 2004 and beyond, and more recently in rebel-held areas of Syria, and in the Iraqi city of Mosul, under U.S. and allied attack. 19 The differential treatment of worthy and unworthy victims has been in full force in coverage of Syria.

A further phase of intensifying Russophobia may be dated from the October 2016 presidential debates, in which Hillary Clinton declared that Donald Trump would be a Putin puppet as president, a theme her campaign began to stress. This emphasis only increased after the election, with the help of the media and intelligence services, as the Clinton camp sought to explain their electoral loss, maintain party control, and possibly even have the election results overturned in the courts or electoral college by attributing Trumps victory to Russian interference.

A major impetus for the Putin connection came with the January 2017 release of a report by the Office of Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Background of Assessing Russian Activities and Intention in Recent US Elections. More than half of this short document is devoted to the Russian-sponsored RT news network, which the report treats as an illegitimate propaganda source. The organization is allegedly part of Russias influence campaign[that] aspired to help President-elect Trumps chances of victory when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to the President-elect. No semblance of proof is offered that there was any planned campaign, rather than an ongoing expression of opinion and news judgments. The same standards used to identify a Russian influence campaign could be applied with equal force to U.S. media and Radio Free Europes treatment of any Russian electionand of course, the U.S. intervention in the 1996 Russian election was overt, direct, and went far beyond any covert influence campaign.

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Regarding more direct Russian intervention in the U.S. election, the DNI authors concede the absence of full supporting evidence, but in fact provide no supporting evidence at allonly speculative assertions, assumptions, and guesses. We assess thatPutin ordered an influence campaign in 2015, they write, designed to defeat Mrs. Clinton, and to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, but provide no proof of any such order. The report also contains no evidence that Russia hacked the communications of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) or the emails of Clinton and former Clinton campaign manager John Podesta, or that it gave hacked information to WikiLeaks. Julian Assange and former British diplomat Craig Murray have repeatedly claimed that these sources were leaked by local insiders, not hacked from outside. Veteran intelligence experts William Binney and Ray McGovern likewise contend that the WikiLeaks evidence was leaked, not hacked. 20 It is also notable that of the three intelligence agencies who signed the DNI document, the National Security Agencythe agency most likely to have proof of Russian hacking and its transmission to WikiLeaks, as well as of any orders from Putinonly expressed moderate confidence in its findings.

But as with the Reds ruling Guatemala, the Soviets outpacing U.S. missile capabilities, or the KGB plotting to assassinate the pope, the Times has taken the Russian hacking story as established fact, despite the absence of hard evidence. Times reporter David Sanger refers to the reports damning and surprisingly detailed account of Russias efforts to undermine the American electoral system, only to then acknowledge that the published report contains no information about how the agencies had come to their conclusions. 21 The report itself includes the astonishing statement that Judgments are not intended to imply that we have proof that shows something to be a fact. Furthermore, if the report was based on intercepts of conversations as well as on hacked computer data, as Sanger and the DNI claim, why has the DNI failed to quote a single conversation showing Putins alleged orders and plans?

The Times has never cited or given op-ed space to William Binney, Ray McGovern, or Craig Murray, leading dissident authorities on hacking technology, methodology, and the specifics of the DNC hacks. But room was found for Louise Menschs op-ed What to Ask about Russian Hacking. Mensch is a notorious conspiracy theorist with no relevant technical background, described by writers Nathan Robinson and Alex Nichols as best-known for spending most of her time on Twitter issuing frenzied denunciations of imagined armies of online Putinbots,' making her one of the least credible people on the internet. 22 But she is published in the Times because, in contrast with the informed and credible Binney and Murray, she follows the party line, taking Russian hacking of the DNC as a premise.

The CIAs brazen intervention in the electoral process in 2016 and 2017 broke new ground in the agencys politicization. Former CIA head Michael Morell announced in an August 2016 op-ed in the Times: I Ran the C.I.A. Now Im Endorsing Hillary Clinton, and former CIA boss Michael Hayden published an op-ed in the Washington Post just days before the election, entitled Former CIA Chief: Trump is Russias Useful Fool. Morell had yet another op-ed in the Times on January 6, now openly assailing the new president. These attacks were unrelievedly insulting to Trump and laudatory to Clinton, even portraying Trump as a traitor; they also made clear that Clintons more pugnacious stance toward Syria and Russia was preferable by far to Trumps leanings toward negotiation and cooperation with Russia.

This was also true of the scandal surrounding former Trump Defense Intelligence nominee Michael Flynns telephone call with the Russian ambassador, which may have included a discussion of the incoming administrations policy actions. The political possibilities of this interaction were quickly grasped by outgoing Obama officials, security personnel, and the mainstream media, with the FBI interrogating Flynn and with widespread expressions of horror at Flynns action, which could have allegedly exposed him to Russian blackmail. But such pre-inauguration meetings with Russian diplomats have been a common practice according to Jack Matlock, the U.S. ambassador to Russia under Reagan and Bush, and Matlock had personally arranged such a meeting for Jimmy Carter. 23 Obamas own ambassador to the country, Michael McFaul, admitted visiting Moscow for talks with officials in 2008, even before the election. Daniel Lazare has made a good case not only that the illegality and blackmail threat are implausible, but that the FBIs interrogation of Flynn reeks of entrapment. Yet anti-Trump liberals are trying to convince the public that its all worse than Watergate.' 24

The political point of the DNI report thus seems to have been, at minimum, to tie the Trump administrations hands in its dealings with Russia. Some analysts outside the mainstream have argued that we may have been witnessing an incipient spy or palace coup that fell short, but still had the desired effect of weakening the new administration. 25 The Times has not offered a word of criticism of this politicization and intervention in the election process by intelligence agencies, and in fact the editors have been working with them and the Democratic Party as a loose-knit team in a distinctly un- and anti-democratic program designed to undermine or reverse the results of the 2016 election, on the pretext of alleged foreign electoral interference.

The Times and the mainstream media in general have also barely mentioned the awkward fact that the allegedly hacked disclosures of the DNC and Clinton and Podesta emails disclosed uncontested facts about real electoral manipulations on behalf of the Clinton campaign, facts that the public had a right to know and that might well have affected the election results. The focus on the evidence-free claims of a Russian hacking intrusion have helped divert attention from the real electoral abuses disclosed by the WikiLeaks material. Here again, official and mainstream media fake news helped bury real news.

Another arrow in the Russophobia quiver was a private intelligence dossier compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence agent working for Orbis Business Intelligence, a private firm hired by the DNC to dig up dirt on Trump. Steeles first report, delivered in June 2016, made numerous serious accusations against Trump, most notably that Trump had been caught in a sexual escapade in Moscow, that his political advance had been supported by the Kremlin for at least five years, under Putins direction, in order to sow discord within the U.S. political establishment and disrupt the Western alliance. This document was based on alleged conversations by Steele with distant (Russian) officials: that is, strictly on hearsay evidence, whose assertions, where verifiable, are sometimes erroneous. 26 But it said just what the Democrats, the mainstream media, and the CIA wanted to hear, and intelligence officials accordingly declared the author credible, and the media lapped it up. The Times hedged somewhat on its own cooperation in this tawdry campaign by calling the report unverified, but nevertheless reported its claims. 27

The Steele dossier also became a central part of the investigation and hearings on Russia-gate held by the House Intelligence Committee starting in March 2017, led by Democratic Representative Adam Schiff. While basing his opening statement on the hearsay-laden dossier, Schiff expressed no interest in establishing who funded the Steele effort, the identity and exact status of the Russian officials quoted, or how much they were paid. Apparently talking to Russians with a design of influencing an American presidential election is perfectly acceptable if the candidate supported by this intrusion is anti-Russian!

The Times has played a major role in this latest wave of Russophobia, reminiscent of its 191720 performance in which, as Lippmann and Merz noted in 1920, boundless credulity, and an untiring readiness to be gulled characterized the news-making process. While quoting the CIAs admission that it had no hard evidence, relying instead on circumstantial evidence and capabilities, the Times was happy to describe these capabilities at great length and to imply that they proved something. 28 Editorials and news articles have worked uniformly on the false supposition that Russian hacking was proved, and that the Russians had given these data to WikiLeaks, also unproven and strenuously denied by Assange and Murray.

The Times has run neck-and-neck with the Washington Post in stirring up fears of the Russian information war and illicit involvement with Trump. The Times now easily conflates fake news with any criticism of established institutions, as in Mark Scott and Melissa Eddys Europe Combats a New Foe of Political Stability: Fake News, February 20, 2017. 29 But what is more extraordinary is the uniformity with which the papers regular columnists accept as a given the CIAs assessment of the Russian hacking and transmission to WikiLeaks, the possibility or likelihood that Trump is a Putin puppet, and the urgent need of a congressional and non-partisan investigation of these claims. This swallowing of a new war-party line has extended widely in the liberal media. Both the Times and Washington Post have lent tacit support to the idea that this fake news threat needs to be curbed, possibly by some form of voluntary media-organized censorship or government intervention that would at least expose the fakery.

The most remarkable media episode in this anti-influence-campaign was the Posts piece by Craig Timberg, Russian propaganda effort helped spread fake news during election, experts say, which featured a report by a group of anonymous experts entity called PropOrNot that claimed to have identified two hundred websites that, wittingly or not, were routine peddlers of Russian propaganda. While smearing these websites, many of them independent news outlets whose only shared trait was their critical stance toward U.S. foreign policy, the experts refused to identify themselves, allegedly out of fear of being targeted by legions of skilled hackers. As journalist Matt Taibbi wrote, You want to blacklist hundreds of people, but you wont put your name to your claims? Take a hike. 30 But the Post welcomed and promoted this McCarthyite effort, which might well be a product of Pentagon or CIA information warfare. (And these entities are themselves well-funded and heavily into the propaganda business.)

On December 23, 2016, President Obama signed the Portman-Murphy Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act, which will supposedly allow the United States to more effectively combat foreign (namely Russian and Chinese) propaganda and disinformation. It will encourage more government counter-propaganda efforts, and provide funding to non-government entities to help in this enterprise. It is clearly a follow-on to the claims of Russian hacking and propaganda, and shares the spirit of the listing of two hundred tools of Moscow featured in the Washington Post. (Perhaps PropOrNot will qualify for a subsidy and be able to enlarge its list.) Liberals have been quiet on this new threat to freedom of speech, undoubtedly influenced by their fears of Russian-based fake news and propaganda. But they may yet take notice, even if belatedly, when Trump or one of his successors puts it to work on their own notions of fake news and propaganda.

The success of the war partys campaign to contain or reverse any tendency to ease tensions with Russia was made dramatically clear in the Trump administrations speedy bombing response to the April 4, 2017, Syrian chemical weapons deaths. The Times and other mainstream media editors and journalists greeted this aggressive move with almost uniform enthusiasm, and once again did not require evidence of Assads guilt beyond their governments claims. 31 The action was damaging to Assad and Russia, but served the rebels well.

But the mainstream media never ask cui bono? in cases like this. In 2013, a similar charge against Assad, which brought the United States to the brink of a full-scale bombing war in Syria, turned out to be a false flag operation, and some authorities believe the current case is equally problematic. 32 Nevertheless, Trump moved quickly (and illegally), dealing a blow to any further rapprochement between the United States and Russia. The CIA, the Pentagon, leading Democrats, and the rest of the war party had won an important skirmish in the struggle over permanent war.

Edward S. Herman is professor emeritus of finance at the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvaniaand a media analyst with a specialty in corporate and regulatory issues as well as political economy. He also teaches at Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. He is perhaps best known for developing the propaganda model of media criticism with Noam Chomsky.

Notes

This article was first published by Monthly Review -
Dear Outraged Liberals: Trumps Just Taking Over Where Obama Left Off





As an unprecedented wave of outrage swells against the Trump administration, Mnar Muhawesh, host of Behind the Headline, wonders why people werent more outraged with Obamas policies on mass surveillance, whistleblowers, and war.



By Mnar Muhawesh

August 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Remember our former commander in chief  Barack Obama?Well hes on vacation. After eight years in the Oval Office, hes decided to unwind with billionaire Richard Branson. His recent kitesurfing adventure seems to be the only news item competing with President Trumps Muslim ban and the opposition to it and the contentious confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Education secretary.

Attention is turning to Obamas post-presidency antics as we move further into the Trump administration.

The weekend that Trump took the oath of office, this country saw the largest political mobilization in U.S. history. And with each passing day of his presidency many Americans are growing increasingly outraged by the actions of the real estate mogul-turned reality TV-star-turned commander in chief.

And while the Democratic Party and the establishment left mourn Obamas exit from the White House, theyre warning that weve entered a period of fascism in U.S. history. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have taken to the streets in protest. Theyre also mobilizing online and over the phone in a swell of engagement and outrage that seems unprecedented in recent memory.

And to a certain point their outrage is justified: Our president is a man who campaigned on a platform of bigotry.

He drove racism, Islamophobia, misogyny, and xenophobia into the mainstream, railing against political correctness and bringing into stark contrast the deep divisions among us.

Trump is waging war on the media and issuing orders that put a blanket ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries  nations that have been a target of U.S. imperialism and destabilization for more than 30 years. These orders are illegal, unconstitutional, and, frankly, morally reprehensible.

He could even breach international law if the U.S. Embassy in Israel is moved from Tel Aviv to occupied East Jerusalem, as he recently gave the green light for Israel to do so.

Trump has put Iran on notice  whatever that means  for an attack on the U.S. Navy which the Islamic Republic never committed. This has driven the United States into the closest military confrontation with Iran since 1979.

Millions of people gathered around the world in Womens March protests the day after the inauguration. But as these protests swelled, one perhaps couldnt help but wonder why there wasnt any mobilization even remotely on this scale in the previous eight years during Obamas presidency.

Perhaps its not too late to remind those who blindly followed the former commander in cool, who stamped each of his authoritarian policies with the platitudes of Hope and Change, of just how Trumps new policies wouldnt be possible without the full dictators toolkit that Obama and the Democratic Party prepared for him.

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It was Obama who dropped more than 26,000 bombs on foreign soil  and that was just in 2016. It was Obama who destabilized and destroyed the very countries these victims of war are fleeing. And it was Obama who simultaneously approved arms sales to terror groups and dictatorships while expanding the war on terror.

It was Obama who expanded Bushs drone war  a practically invisible war in which thousands of people have been killed without trial. Worse yet, many of those killed in drone strikes in countries like Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia and Afghanistan, have been civilians whose only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It was Obama who gave Israel a record rate of $6 billion in military aid, more than any other administration in US history, emboldening the apartheid colony.

It was Obama who waged an unprecedented war on whistleblowers. During Obamas presidency there were eight prosecutions under the 1917 Espionage Act  thats more than double those under all previous administrations combined .

It was Obama who continued to expand executive powers  including the ability to declare war unilaterally, meaning a president wouldnt need congressional approval that had already been dramatically expanded under the George W. Bush administration.

It was Obama who expanded Bushs surveillance state right up until the very end .

Obamas use of a secret court system, known as the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court , allowed his administration to ignore a federal court ruling that found bulk surveillance illegal. This ended up granting the National Security Agency the power to collect the phone records of millions of Americans.

With all the outrage over Trumps so-called Muslim ban and other policies, it seems logical that there would have been a similar blow back when Obama created the conditions for the death and destruction which refugees now hope to flee. Yet the same people calling executive overreach under Bush suddenly got quiet when Obama the Democrat came into office. But now that a Republican or Trump is behind the wheel of this enormous vehicle of practically unlimited power, those once quiet voices are rising up again.

Rather than reflecting on these and other horrendous acts perpetrated by the Obama administration, however, much of the Democratic and liberal bases are looking back on the Obama administration as  the good old days . They and many others are demonstrating, en masse, against the powers that Donald Trump now has access to, ignoring the fact that not only did Obama himself use those powers, in many ways, his administration created and expanded them for the next successor.

The role of the independent press during times of great political upheaval is to wade through the chaos in order to provide the public with hard-hitting truths that transcend party lines.

Because the truth is, it doesnt matter if a Republican or Democrat is in office  the policies from both parties look the same.

But we cant begin to fight against the looming attacks against our civil liberties and the human rights of people everywhere  not just in the United States  without first acknowledging the crimes of previous administrations Republican or Democrat  and the powers that they expanded for their successors.

If theres going to be any genuine resistance to the Trump administration, then we have to be prepared for what tools he now has available, thanks largely to the former Democratic and Republican administrations before him, especially Obama.

With large swathes of America ready to protest, its time for the real anti-war movement to seize on that momentum and push for real change that actually creates conditions for a more peaceful world. Its time to empty out the dictators toolbox and dismantle the system thats brought us to this point. To Hope and Change, we say: Your move.

This article was first published by

Mint Press

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Why Does North Korea Hate Us?

By Robert C. Koehler

The bombing was long, leisurely and merciless . . .

August 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - And so we return to the Korean War, when North Korea was carpet-bombed to the edge of existence. The American media doesnt have a memory that stretches quite so far back, at least not under present circumstances. One commentator at MSNBC recently explained, for instance, that the tiny pariah nation has been preparing for war for 63 years.

That would be since, uh, 1954, the year after the war ended. But the war wasnt mentioned. It never is. Doing so would disrupt the consensus attitude that Kim Jong-Un is a nuclear-armed crazy and that North Koreas hatred of the United States is just . . . hatred, dark and bitter, the kind of rancor youd expect from a communist dictatorship and certified member of the Axis of Evil.

And now Donald Trump is taunting the crazy guy, disrupting the U.S.-maintained normalcy of global relations and putting this country at risk. And thats almost always the focus: not the use of nuclear weapons per se, but the possibility that a North Korean nuke could reach the United States, as though American lives and national security mattered more than, or were separate from, the safety of the whole planet.

Indeed, the concept of national security justifies pretty much every action, however destructive and horrifically consequential in the long term. The concept justifies armed short-sightedness, which equals militarism. Apparently protecting national security also means forgetting the Korean War, or never facing the reality of what we did to North Korea from 1950 to 1953.

But as Trump plays war in his own special way, the time to explore this media memory void is now.

I return to my opening quote, which is from a two-year-old story in the Washington Post : The bombing was long, leisurely and merciless, even by the assessment of Americas own leaders. Over a period of three years or so, we killed off  what  20 percent of the population, Air Force Gen. Curtis LeMay, head of the Strategic Air Command during the Korean War, told the Office of Air Force History in 1984. Dean Rusk, a supporter of the war and later secretary of state, said the United States bombed everything that moved in North Korea, every brick standing on top of another. After running low on urban targets, U.S. bombers destroyed hydroelectric and irrigation dams in the later stages of the war, flooding farmland and destroying crops.

Specifically, the U.S. dropped 635,000 tons of explosives on North Korea, including 32,557 tons of napalm, an incendiary liquid that can clear forested areas and cause devastating burns to human skin, Tom OConnor wrote recently in Newsweek . This is more bomb tonnage than the U.S. dropped in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

He quoted historian Bruce Cumings: Most Americans are completely unaware that we destroyed more cities in the North then we did in Japan or Germany during World War II.

And so we start to open the wound of this war, in which possibly as many as 3 million North Koreans died, a number that would have been even higher had Gen. Douglas MacArthur gotten his way. He proposed nuclear holocaust in the name of national security, figuring he could win the war in ten days.

Between 30 and 50 atomic bombs would have more than done the job, he said in an interview shortly after the end of the war. Dropped under cover of darkness, they would have destroyed the enemys air force on the ground, wiped out his maintenance and his airmen.

For the Americans, strategic bombing made perfect sense, giving advantage to American technological prowess against the enemys numerical superiority, historian Charles K. Armstrong wrote for the Asia Pacific Journal . . . . But for the North Koreans, living in fear of B-29 attacks for nearly three years, including the possibility of atomic bombs, the American air war left a deep and lasting impression. The (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) government never forgot the lesson of North Koreas vulnerability to American air attack, and for half a century after the Armistice continued to strengthen anti-aircraft defenses, build underground installations, and eventually develop nuclear weapons to ensure that North Korea would not find itself in such a position again. The long-term psychological effect of the war on the whole of North Korean society cannot be overestimated.

Why is this reality not part of the current news? In what way is American safety furthered by such willful ignorance?

Cumings, writing recently in The Nation , noted that he participated in a forum about North Korea in Seoul last fall with Strobe Talbott, deputy secretary of state in the Bill Clinton administration. At one point, Cumings brought up Robert McNamaras comment in the documentary The Fog of War, regarding Vietnam, that we never put ourselves in the shoes of the enemy and attempted to see the world as they did. Shouldnt this apply to our negotiations with North Korea?

Talbott, Cumings wrote, then blurted, Its a grotesque regime! There you have it: Its our number-one problem, but so grotesque that theres no point trying to understand Pyongyangs point of view (or even that it might have some valid concerns).

And so we remain caged in military thinking and the need to win, rather than understand. But as long as we feel no need to understand North Korea, we dont have to bother trying to understand ourselves. Or face what we have done.
Former NSA Official: Dems' Russia Hacking Story Likely Bogus

Watch

August 17, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Former National Security Administration Technical Director Bill Binney told Tucker Carlson he has data showing that the Democrats' narrative regarding Russia hacking the DNC and 2016 election are untrue.

Binney, a member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), said the story spread around the mainstream media that Russia is at fault can't necessarily be proven.

He said that during a prior Chinese hack of government systems, NSA agents were able to use "trace route programs" to track the "packets" of information back to a specific building in Shanghai.

Binney said that could be the reason Democrats did not want the FBI to look at their systems- ostensibly because they may not trace back to Russia.

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How Both Sides Forge U.S. Supremacy The Nationalistic Hypocrisies of Violence and Free Speech



By Sam Husseini August 18, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Many have focused on President Donald Trumps statements on Charlottesville condemning the violence from both sides. Which is understandable, since the killing of Heather Heyer and overwhelming violence came from white supremacists. But virtually no one has scrutinized the first half of his remarks: Trump criticizing the violence of others.

How is it that Trump is designated to be in a position of judging the perpetrators of violence? The U.S. government is regularly bombing a number of countries. Just last week, Trump threatened North Korea with nuclear destruction in unusually blunt language  fire and fury rather than the typical Obama administration veiled nuclear attack code lingo all options are on the table.

On Monday, the same day Trump read a scripted condemnation of white supremacist violence, Airwars.org reported that in Syria:  Marwa, Mariam and Ahmad Mazen died with their mother and 19 other civilians in a likely Coalition strike at Raqqa .

Children killed with their mother in International Coalition forces shelling on... August 15, 2017. The children Marwa, Mariam and Ahmad Mazen ...

Youd be hard pressed to find a news story about them. Thats the concern with the effects of violence when it emanates from the U.S. government.

But the threats and use of violence are not new, nor is the hypocrisy. As he was ordering the ongoing bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, President Bill Clinton took time out of his schedule to address the shooting at Columbine High School: We must do more to reach out to our children and teach them to express their anger and to resolve their conflicts with words, not weapons.

Such outbreaks of domestic political violence are used not as openings for introspection about longstanding violence in U.S. society, but for rallying cries to uphold alleged virtues of the nation. The recent attacks are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans Trump claims.

Since we live under law and under the Constitutionresponding to hate with love, division with unity, and violence with an unwavering resolve for justice. No matter the color of our skin, we all live under the same laws, we all salute the same great flag, and we are all made by the same almighty God.

The words Trump uttered seemed to echo Saint Augustine. Charles Avila in Ownership: Early Christian Teaching , outlines Augustines beliefs: The Creator, who alone is Absolute Owner, did not make us human beings so many islands, without any relation to each other, but one human family, made from one mud and sustained on one earth.We enjoy the same natural conditions: born under one law, living by one light, breathing one air and dying one death .'

Thus, what seemingly originated as a universal theological admonition  to attack the notion of private property no less  has been perverted into a narrow nationalist one with universalist trappings. It simultaneously seems to condemn violence while actually facilitating it.

Nor is this new, either. during the presidency of Bill Clinton, he ordered up an Initiative on Race. Its largely forgotten because its primary goal wasnt actually improving relations between different ethnic groups. Its goal was noted in its title: One America in the 21st Century. Not Finally Overcoming Racism. Not Towards an America of Equality.

National cohesion is the driving concern here. How can we make these differing ethnicities get along well enough to ensure that this stays one nation is a question elites must ask themselves. See my piece at the time:  One America  To what Ends? 

Theres a tightrope being walked here. Theres a functionality to the debate between both sides. The system requires a great deal of tension to keep people in their partisan boxes. The main thing that each political faction has going for it is the hatred towards the other.

But theres the threat that it could reach a threshold that tears at national unity, which is why you get Terry McAuliffe and other political figures making Trump-like brazen contradictory statements, pleading for unity one minute and denouncing white supremacists as being repugnant to American values the next, wholly unworthy of engagement.

The Democratic Party has to offer people something more than Russia-bashing, and that something seems to be opposition to a war that the party of Jefferson was on the losing side of.

Many were aghast at Trumps remarks about Washington and Jefferson: So this week, it is Robert E. Lee. I noticed that Stonewall Jackson is coming down. I wonder, is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You know, you really do have to ask yourself, where does it stop?

If we do honest history, it doesnt stop. Thats the point. It condemns most of the political class. And would do so to most of current political class. But thats not a conclusion many in the political class are interested in. A line can certainly be drawn from Washington to Lee, as Confederates frequently argued.

As historian Gerald Horne has argued , the U.S. Revolutionary War was largely a war to ensure the continuation of slavery . Part of the genius of the U.S. was the unification of many non-black and non-native people as white, including southern and eastern Europeans and Arabs. So you have a large immigration pool to forge the nation.

Nor of course is slavery the only crime. Its perhaps focused on to at least some extent in our current political discourse because its the main aspect of the imperial project that created, rather than destroyed, a major domestic constituency that was a victim of it. Native Americans are not a major domestic constituency because, unlike black folks in the U.S., their ancestors were not chained and brought to U.S. shores as slaves, but were driven out, killed en mass or made to die or be confined and marginalized.

And that project predated the formal creation of the United States. Kent A. MacDougall notes in  EmpireAmerican as Apple Pie  in Monthly Review that George Washington called the nascent nation a rising empire. John Adams said it was destined to overspread all North America. And Thomas Jefferson viewed it as the nest from which all America, North and South, is to be peopled.'

Of course, Trump isnt raising Washington and Jefferson to broaden the critique of the crimes of white supremacy, but to try to limit it. This is somewhat similar to when Bill OReilly said in an interview with Trump that Putin is a killer  Trump replied: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Trump thus becomes the only honest person on the national stage, but largely not for the purpose of positive change. Hes using what is mostly a left wing critique to entrench the establishment, which is similar to what neocons have done.

Trumps statements, understated as they were, about current U.S. government violence were roundly condemned by most of the political class. CNNs chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto called them relativistic  when they were they are the exact opposite. Whats relativistic is condemning the actions of others while approving of similar actions by ones own side. Of course, Trump is relativistic when he condemns the violence from many sides in Charlottesville.

So we have two relativistic dead ends: Trump vs the rest of the establishment. One victim for the time being is peoples brain cells who have to endure and try to parse through the constant machinations.

Comments like those about U.S. violence or the history of Washington give Trump a legitimacy of sorts. The establishment media effectively keep the microphone away from anyone else who would note such defining facts, while giving reams of coverage to Trump. He effectively becomes the leading dissident while also being the head inquisitor. This discourse effectively immunizes the establishment from meaningful change or even dialogue.

Contrast Trumps realistic statement with what passes for dissent on Democracy Now, which recently reverentially interviewed Ta-Nehisi Coates of the once somewhat dignified journal The Atlantic. Coates stated: The Civil War was the most lethal war in American history. The casualties in the Civil War amount to more than all other warsall other American wars combined. More people died in that war than World War II, World War I, Vietnam, etc.

People.

Martin Luther King warned African Americans were integrating into a burning house. Robert E. Lee said of blacks in the U.S.: The painful discipline they are undergoing, is necessary for their instruction as a race, & I hope will prepare & lead them to better things. Many have seemingly accepted such instruction.

A path for acceptance by the establishment for African Americans, immigrants and others is to kiss the ring of U.S. supremacy.

This insular discussion of both sides in the U.S. context frequently renders the non-U.S. other even more expendable. As I wrote in 2015:  How #AllLivesMatter and #BlackLivesMatter Can Devalue Life :

Both sides limit who they mean by lives. They effectively exclude the victims of the U.S.s highest officials. When most people use #BlackLivesMatter, they seem to be saying that all black U.S. lives matter when taken unlawfully by the government. And when most people who use #AllLivesMatter use it, they seem to be saying all U.S. lives matter when taken at the hands of police authorities  not just black U.S. lives. But the formulation effectively excludes the lives of millions of people who U.S. officials have deemed expendable for reasons of state.

Coates also claimed: What you have to understand is, Donald Trumps very essence, his very identity, is the anti-Obama.  I mean, there was a piece, I think, like just last week in BuzzFeed. It was talking about, you know, Trumps foreign policy. And his basic deal is: Is Obama for it? Well, Im against it.'

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This shows remarkable ignorance or deceit about the continuity of U.S. foreign policy in recent decades, which obviously extends to include Obama and Trump. This is especially the case for someone who lives outside the United States. Certainly, the branding and rhetoric is different, but its supposed to be the job of public intellectuals to see beyond that, not calcify it.

There are many ramifications of the nationalistic blinders that are dutifully imposed by so many. Take the discussion of the ACLUs role in defending the white supremacists marching. The both sides here are: We should care so much about bigotry and violence that we should curtail the right of gun wielding white supremacists to march wherever they want. The other side is: Our devotion to free speech is so great that we should even allow this.

They both ring hollow to me. It is not at all clear that what is happening will root out structural racism; it has been at the level of symbols, which is where the establishment wants it to remain contained. Nor do I see a serious commitment to freedom of speech being displayed by the ACLU and others, as serious infringement of freedom of speech occur with hardly an objection. Partisan establishment apparatchiks dominate media at virtually every level, with government facilitation. Google , Facebook , Twitter and others have effectively taken over much of the town square and are increasingly skewing what speech gets heard. Such is the nature of corporate power, backed by the state, right now.

The likely collateral damage of such debates will be critics of U.S. empire. Consider that as the national ACLU seemed to be backtracking from their position , the California ACLU put out a statement that read in part  First Amendment does not protect people who incite or engage in violence . Who is going to be the likely victim of this? White supremacists  or someone who explains why Hezbollah might want to lob missiles at Israel? The line that the California ACLU seeks to draw would seemingly ironically lynch John Brown, whose actual execution was overseen by none other than Robert E. Lee in blue uniform.

Twitter suspended hundreds of thousands of accounts last year allegedly linked to ISIS , with hardly a word of protest.

Hezbollahs Al-Manar television channel  possibly the most anti-ISIS outlet going  is banned in the U.S. without outcry; with barely a note.

The very discussion about hate groups is perverse. The entire political culture in the U.S. lives off of hate. The pro Hillary Clinton rhetoric is Love Trumps Hate, but Clinton, like Trump, feeds off hate. There certainly are explicitly white supremacist groups. And there can be some distinction made between them and the merely implicitly structurally racist establishment. But the Democratic and Republican Parties would implode in a minute if it were not for the hatred of the other.

Whats needed is that freedom of speech triumph and in todays world its not clear if that is compatible with the nation state and corporate power in their current construct. In its present form and use, the internet is ceasing to be world wide web  it is constricted in a myriad of ways by national boundaries and unaccountable corporate diktat that need to be questioned if not obliterated in our contemporary world.

The taking down of Confederate monuments poses a some opportunity  a groundswell of democratic grassroots action could happen. But the tearing down needs to be built upon. In Baltimore, faced with the prospect of activists taking down Confederate statues, city officials abruptly arranged for their overnight disappearance. Local artists put a sculpture of an African American woman atop the pedestal in their place.

This hints at a greater solution to the immediate controversy over Confederate monuments. I recall the first time I saw, or at least comprehended, a Confederate memorial  with Lee or some other general atop a horse, I think in New Orleans. I thought the solution would be not to remove them, but to build around them. A tree could hover above with strange fruit hanging down, for example.

This would diminish the beauty that Donald Trump sees in the Confederate statues while acknowledging the history, both in its illusion as to what it pretends to depict  and the reality of the selective erection of such statues.

Indeed, perhaps we need more  not fewer  monuments to the Civil War, to all wars. If done right, they would actually be monuments for peace . Consider the nature of war, the consequences, the actual reality of mangled corpses beneath the great men atop their horses.

But there are perils at every turn. When the U.S. Treasury decided to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill last year, many welcomed it. But it seemed to me to be a subtle but real step to co-opting the legacy of the Underground Railroad to one that could be used to help justify humanitarian interventionism  ie, U.S. militarism with some bogus moral pretext attached. That is, the language of the U.S. Civil War could be used to free people around the world as the State Department sees fit, as now with Venezuela . As Simon Bolivar said: The United States seems destined by Providence to plague America with torments in the name of freedom.

Ironically, some denouncing Trumps fascist proclivities have taken refuge in the actions of corporate bosses who have resigned from the American Manufacturing Council that Trump launched earlier this year. As Noam Chomsky and others have long noted, corporate structure is totalitarian. The saviors here are part of the threat. Perhaps doubly so since the Council was a corporate-government cooperative entity.

The pretexts and posturing run throughout public discourse in the U.S., as its dominated by apparatchiks around Trump and around the Democratic Party. Only an ever vigilant parsing of the deceits and actions that are rooted in principles and a sense of the global commons will see us through.

Special thanks to Berkley Bragg.

Sam Husseini is founder of VotePact.org , which advocates principled left-right cooperation to break the duopoly. Hes also the founder of CompassRoses.org , an art project to make apparent the one world we inhabit.

This article was first published by Counterpunch -
We Were Guinea Pigs: Jailed Inmates Agreed To Birth Control

By Jessica Lussenhop

August 18, 2017 " Information Clearing House " -In a small county in rural Tennessee, inmates were offered 30 days off their sentences in exchange for a vasectomy or a long-acting birth control implant. County officials say it was a tool in the fight against opiate abuse - opponents call it eugenics.

This spring, Deonna Tollison found herself in Judge Sam Benningfield's courtroom in Sparta, Tennessee - a large, neon-lit room filled with wooden pews for the public. Tollison was accused of violating the conditions of her house arrest, the latest issue in a lifetime of trouble, which at its worst saw her living in her car, addicted to opiates.

On the stand, Tollison testified she'd been trying to get her life on the right track - she was off the drugs and raising her two youngest daughters, as well as the daughter of a sister who died in a car wreck. Relapses and run-ins with the law, however, kept stalling her progress, and here she was again, accused of making unsanctioned trips to the grocery store and allowing the batteries on her ankle monitor to die.

She faced the possibility of another stay in the local jail.

"I'm a single mother of three beautiful girls and a brand new grandson. My mother is disabled. My sister is disabled," Tollison pleaded on the stand. "Each and every one of them depend on me because I'm the only one with a [driver's] license. I love my family very dearly...the last four years I've done everything in my power to get my life back."

The hearing did not go well for Tollison. Judge Benningfield ruled that her continued missteps and her lack of employment made her unfit for home arrest. He ordered her to serve out the rest of her sentence in the county jail.

Shortly afterward, Benningfield made a surprising announcement to the entire courtroom: a new programme would allow inmates like Tollison to shave time off her sentence - 30 days - if she agreed to sign up for a free long-lasting form of birth control. For the male inmates, Benningfield's new order would offer free vasectomies.

Not long after Tollison arrived to the jail, sign-up sheets started going around to have an implant called Nexplanon inserted, which prevents pregnancy for up to four years. Tollison signed up, along with at least 30 other women. Over on the men's side, 38 men signed up for vasectomies. With an average daily population of 221 inmates, that represented a sizeable portion of the jail.

Tollison first had to attend a neonatal health class which focused on the effects of drug abuse during pregnancy can have on foetuses. Then, a nurse used a special, needle-like device to puncture her upper left arm, and slide the matchstick-sized vinyl implant under the skin. The male inmates were scheduled for appointments with a local urologist.

About two months later, after the local media caught wind of the programme, tiny Sparta, Tennessee, became the subject of national and international interest.

"The unspeakable evil of the Tennessee eugenics program," one headline read .

"Judge Benningfield's eugenics program is an outrage," opined one blogger . "He need not serve on the bench any longer, and he need not keep his law degree any longer."

The US has a long history of forced sterilisations on the poor, the mentally ill, and on minorities. In surprisingly recent history, Native Americans, Mexican Americans and African Americans have faced sterilisation by force or under deceptive practices by members of US state and local governments.

Though the US eugenics movement - which was admired by Adolf Hitler and replicated by the Nazis - reached the zenith of its popularity in the 1920s, states forced sterilisations into the 1980s.

At one time or another, thirty-two states had a federally funded sterilisation programme in their prisons or asylums. Gay men were compelled into sterilisation if mental institutions deemed them to be "sexual deviants", as were mothers receiving welfare. In some places, sterilisation was a condition of release from prison.

Individual cases continue to crop up around the country. In 2014, the governor of California signed a ban on sterilisation in prisons, after dozens of women underwent tubal ligations while behind bars, without giving the proper consent.

Officials in Tennessee argued no-one was forced. All of the inmates signed up, and the programme was cancelled before any of the men could receive their vasectomies.

But questions of whether or not an inmate can make informed consent to such a procedure if it is in exchange for a lesser sentence could be the crux of the forthcoming federal lawsuits over what occurred in White County.

"It doesn't meet the bar for autonomous decision-making. You have built into it a hierarchical relationship," says Alexandra Minna Stern, a historian at the University of Michigan and author of Eugenic Nation.

"You can say people made a choice but that's why sterilisations are not allowed in federal prisons - the asymmetry of the relationship."

The arguments could lead all the way to the US Supreme Court, where the 1927 decision approving the forced sterilisation of "mental defectives" is still on the books, and has been cited in cases as recently as 2001.

Adam Cohen, author of Imbeciles, a book on the 1927 Buck v Bell case, stopped short of calling the judge in Tennessee an eugenicist, but said the programme itself comes dangerously close.

"It may be that this judge really thinks he's doing something helpful," says Cohen. "That said, I am sure that a lot of people who do support eugenics like what he is doing."

When Tollison made the decision to get the implant, she wasn't thinking about her reproductive health, or the health of any prospective children. She was thinking about the little house on a winding road in the rural countryside of White County, Tennessee, filled with ailing family members and her three young daughters.

Seated on the cement patio behind that house, the yard around her busy with butterflies and winged ants, Tollison says her only reason for getting the implant was so she could go home. Even though she is free, it is a decision she now regrets.

"I feel like we were guinea pigs," she says. "People will do anything to get out of there."

Sparta sits in the bull's-eye of circular-shaped White County, a bucolic part of central Tennessee populated by cattle farmers and factory workers. Over 90% of the population is white, with a politically conservative, church-going majority.

"Salt of the earth kind of people," says Brandon Griffin, a local defence lawyer with two former clients who got an implant. "They're not necessarily the most fond of outsiders getting involved in their stuff as a general rule."

The local newspaper publishes every White County arrestees' mugshot in the paper on Thursdays, and around town it's not difficult to find supporters of Judge Benningfield, who took the bench in 1998 and has won re-election twice.

Christopher Sapp, the owner of a computer repair shop in Sparta, said he lost his wife to an opiate addiction. A woman he considers a daughter to him is currently behind bars in White County over drugs. He heard she opted into Benningfield's programme and got the implant.

"I thought that was pretty responsible of her," says Sapp. "[Opiate addiction] is terrible in this area. There's not a family in this area that hasn't been touched by it in some way."

Down the street from Sapp's computer shop, Mike Gilbert, the owner of a local antiques store disagrees slightly. He doesn't approve of inmates getting an early release or government getting involved in reproductive rights.

"I think a lot of times the judges in this world, they go overboard with things," he says. "They step above what they're supposed to be doing."

In his office one morning before court began, Sam Benningfield expressed bafflement by the amount of attention and condemnation he's received.

"It was a real, total surprise to me," he says. "No-one lifted even an eyebrow until cameras got stuck in their face."

The people who end up in Benningfield's courtroom are there for misdemeanour crimes - everything from drug possession and driving while intoxicated, to thefts of under $1,000 or failing to pay child support.

The maximum sentence he can hand down is 11 months and 29 days.

According to Benningfield, the programme began when the state health department approached him about a two-day class on effects of drug use on foetuses. To entice inmate participation, anyone who signed up received two days off of his or her sentence.

(A spokeswoman for the department of health said its employees had partnered with White County for the classes, but denied involvement in developing any policy. The department declined to comment when asked if their employees administered the implants).

Believing that the next logical step would be to incentivise inmates to get reproductive services, Benningfield says he decided to write the order. He compared it to getting time off for picking up litter on the side of the highway, or agreeing to become a confidential informant for law enforcement.

"It occurred to me that many of the same women I had incarcerated were the very same from whom I was having to remove their children in my role as the juvenile judge because they were born addicted to drugs," he wrote in a statement.

When the story began blowing up, Benningfield says he was shocked by the thought that an inmate would have a vasectomy for the sole purpose to get 30 days

He drafted a new document for the inmates to sign certifying they were not signing up solely for the reduced sentence.

But by then the condemnation had grown to include the ACLU of Tennessee, other local judges, the district attorney and state legislators.

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Six weeks in, the judge cancelled the order altogether. According to county officials, none of the vasectomies took place.

He insists that his intent was not to control who is reproducing in White County, but to prevent babies being born sick.

"My number one concern was about children," he says. "To me a lot of controversy got started when everybody used the word sterilisation. Because it was never about that - it was never forced."

At one point, he crossed over to his desk and picked up a small stack of letters he received about the programme, "all but one positive".

"You are my hero!" wrote one person. "We need more freebie contraception in this country. Help these poor kids get on the right track. Most of all saving these unwanted babies."

"Rest assured that the majority of White Countians appreciate your effort but many are forced to wear a gag - ironic isn't it, we are the oppressed?" wrote another.

And another: "Your very considerate practice of offering a reduced sentence to criminals is brilliant and ahead of its time. Criminals are the last people on earth that should be multiplying."

Kristi Seibers has neither children nor a long rap sheet of drugs charges. When she went to the White County jail in February on a probation violation, it was the first time she'd been locked up.

She usually got a free shot of Depo-Provera at the county health department every six months as her means of birth control, but when she heard she could go home a month early if she got the implant, she jumped at the opportunity.

The side effects, she said, started almost immediately. A two month-long period. A vaginal infection. Cramping and weight gain. And Seibers said she never got her 30-day credit.

"The only reason I did it was they promised me days off so I could go home," she said. "I don't think it's right."

Of the six inmates BBC News spoke to who signed up for the programme, only one expressed some interest in the potential health and family planning benefits of the free services - in her case, to help with her endometriosis, a painful uterine condition that can cause infertility.

The rest said their only concern was getting out as soon as possible. The facility is on the brink of being decertified by the state for its chronic overcrowding, and multiple people described it as a dirty and unpleasant place.

"Voluntary consent is no consent at all if it's tainted with coercion from the government," said Mario Williams, a civil rights lawyer for the former inmates. "You're really preying on vulnerable people."

David Stoll signed up to have a vasectomy, but ultimately decided against it. He believed that "99%" of the men he spoke to in the jail were motivated only by the time off their sentences.

"I don't want to say play God but they was trying to control something that wasn't none of their business really," said Stoll.

Three women told BBC News that they wanted their implants removed, but were told either they had to wait 60 days or that removal would cost $250. There were other problems, including women too old to get pregnant signing up. Judge Benningfield confirmed that he heard one account of an inmate who'd had a hysterectomy getting the implant.

Inmates also signed up for services even if they had no history of drug abuse, which Williams says proves the county was interested in preventing former inmates from procreating, not just protecting babies from neonatal conditions.

Seibers was also not the only former inmate to say she did not receive her reduced sentence.

Lawyers for former inmate Christel Ward wrote she also was not given her 30-day credit because her case originated in criminal court, not Judge Benningfield's general sessions court. Regardless of the fact Ward and Seibers were ineligible for early release, the lawsuit alleges, the programme - which the complaint calls out as "eugenics" - was offered anyway.

In front of the Nashville federal courthouse building on Thursday, Williams and Ward appeared for a short press conference.

"We're not going to stop until a judge declares this unconstitutional," Williams said.

He said he currently represents 16 former inmates, and that the total number could double.

There is a twist to Ward's lawsuit - she showed BBC News a copy of a wallet-sized card she said was given to the inmates after the Nexplanon implant was inserted, showing the date of insertion: 5 May, a full ten days before Judge Benningfield's order dated the 15th of May.

It isn't clear if county employees were running some type of ad hoc version of the programme before the judge's order, and if so, for how long.

The suit claims that White County Sheriff Oddie Shoupe, not Judge Benningfield, is the true creator of the programme, and that Benningfield created his order at Shoupe's request.

Sheriff Shoupe did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The judge declined to comment further after the lawsuit was filed.

Ward's case is just the first in what lawyer Williams said will be a string of lawsuits against the county, including those who were "punished" by not signing up for birth control.

Williams argued that bringing down the legal hammer on White County is the only way to prevent a slippery-slope effect where the programme expands to other jails and prisons.

"People just have a negative perception of incarcerated people, regardless of the reason. 'These are bad people for society - who cares about these people?'" says Williams. "With all the racial tension going on in the country, those are real thoughts in people. If you don't kill it as soon as it raises its head, then it just festers and grows into something much larger."

Seibers wants her implant out as soon as possible, though it's not clear how she'll pay for it. As soon as she does, she should theoretically be able to have children, barring other medical issues.

Since coming home, the 30-year-old got a job as a home healthcare worker, and was able to again help her boyfriend make the rent on their home and pay bills.

But she feels different - she said her sex drive is gone. Her relationship with her boyfriend has suffered. She feels tricked by the county.

"I'm just depressed," she said. "I don't want nothing to do with my old man."

Still, she holds hope the media spotlight on "little bitty" White County will bring about changes to the way the inmates are treated.

"I got high hopes that it will. I feel like it's going to be something big," she said. "I think things will be done differently after this."

This article was first published by

BBC

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The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
Steve Bannon Removed From White House Role



Source says White House tried to pressure ex-Breitbart editor to quit, a fall from grace for adviser once viewed as unofficially running Trump administration



By Ben Jacobs



August 18, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Steve Bannon is out as White House chief strategist, a source has told the Guardian, ending his highly contentious career at the center of the Trump administration.



Multiple news reports confirmed his departure, attributing the information to senior administration sources.



Reports from multiple outlets on Friday stated that Donald Trump had decided to remove Bannon but that the White House was trying to work out the details. A Trump ally told the Guardian that the leaks about Bannons fate were part of an effort to pressure the White House aide to step down. They are trying to get him to quit, the source said.



Minutes later, the Guardian learned that Bannon was out.



The removal of the former Breitbart editor as Trumps chief strategist marks a remarkable rise and fall for a rightwing ideologue regarded by some as the power behind the throne.



Bannon had retreated from the limelight in recent months, after bearing much of the blame for the failure of the presidents initial travel ban and amid speculation that his increased profile had drawn Trumps ire.



But a bizarre interview that Bannon gave to the liberal magazine the American Prospect  in which he claimed there was no military solution for North Korea, called the far right a collection of clowns, and said the lefts focus on racism would allow him to crush the Democrats  may have altered the balance of the power inside the West Wing. For an aide long suspected of leaking freely about rivals, Bannons excuse that he thought the call was off the record was not helpful.



Bannons departure leaves a major void in the White House, depriving it of a man seen by some as Cardinal Richelieu in cargo pants, an unkempt schemer adept at manipulating the president, who was famously depicted as a childlike naif to his aides Grim Reaper in a Saturday Night Live sketch. The characterization  summed up in a Time magazine cover that hailed the great manipulator  reportedly annoyed the famously thin-skinned president.



Josh Green, the author of the book Devils Bargain about Bannon and Trump, told the Guardian: Bannon may be the only person in the White House with clear and distinct politics of his own.



His absence means more power and influence for figures such as Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and the national economic council chair, Gary Cohn, who have few, if any, ideological ties to the Republican party and the conservative movement. This article was first published by The Guardian - See also - Bannons Dovish Side Emerges as He Contradicts Trump on North Korea See also - Trump Tells Aides He Has Decided to Remove Stephen Bannon Steve Bannon, Unrepentant Newt Offers Warning: "Trump's Much More Isolated Than He Realizes" No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Get Your Free Daily Newsletter The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
Historic Settlement Reached on Behalf of CIA Torture Victims

By Alex Emmons

August 18, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Two victims of the CIAs torture program have reached a historic legal settlement with the contract psychologists who designed and helped implement it. The U.S. government has never publicly compensated any of the men tortured in CIA custody, and this legal settlement  the terms of which are confidential  is the first of its kind.

Under former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, the Justice Department repeatedly moved to block lawsuits at their early stages, arguing that court cases about government torture in clandestine prisons would reveal state secrets. In 2015, however, the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, the two psychologists the CIA paid to create torture techniques.

The lawsuit argued that those techniques were later used on the plaintiffs in the case  Suleiman Abdullah Salim and Mohamed Ben Soud, who had been tortured in CIA custody before being released without charges, as well as the family of a third man, Gul Rahman, who was tortured to death in U.S. custody in 2002.

After overcoming multiple government attempts to dismiss the case, the suit was set to go to trial Sept. 5. Today, the ACLU announced the last-minute settlement. Because the settlement mandates confidentiality, lawyers for the ACLU declined to discuss the terms with The Intercept.

Every previous case involving the CIA torture program was shut down before it even began, said Dror Ladin, an ACLU attorney. But our clients prevailed over three separate attempts to dismiss their claims, were able to force top CIA officials to answer questions under oath, and secured a first-of-its-kind settlement.

Ben Soud told the New York Times: I feel that justice has been served. Our goal from the beginning was justice and for the people to know what happened in this black hole that was run by the C.I.A.s offices.

As part of the settlement, the plaintiffs and defendants released a joint statement admitting that Salim and Ben Soud were subject to coercive methods, and that Mitchell and Jessen had contemplated the use of specific coercive methods to interrogate certain detainees. In the statement, Mitchell and Jessen maintain that they had no direct knowledge or involvement in the plaintiffs interrogations.

As the case had progressed, Mitchell and Jessen maintained that they were not the architects of the program, and that they were merely following government orders. In a bizarre legal defense, the psychologists lawyers compared their clients to the contractors who supplied the Nazis with Zyklon B, the poison gas used to murder millions of Jews and others during the Holocaust.

Senate investigators found that Mitchell and Jessen were intimately involved in the programs formation, and even personally waterboarded Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee in CIA custody. Investigators also found that the psychologists later formed their own company to consult with the CIA, which was paid $81 million before the program was shut down in 2009.

In an opinion to deny a motion of summary judgment last week, Judge Justin Quackenbush dismissed Mitchell and Jessens claim that they were not the creators. It is not credible to argue Defendants were paid $80 million for suggesting some techniques the Air Force  already knew about, Quackenbush said. It is also undisputed that defendants did not merely suggest [enhanced interrogation techniques], they actually applied EITs to Zubaydah, interrogated Rahman, and participated in the program for several years.

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According to the original lawsuit , Salim and Ben Soud were both subjected to beatings, starvation, stress positions, confinement in coffin-like boxes, and various forms of water torture. Both had suffered lasting physical and psychological damage. In November 2002, Rahman was stripped naked, beaten, immersed in cold water, and put in an isolation cell overnight, where he died from hypothermia.

Although the government was not a defendant in the case, Mitchell and Jessen likely had access to CIA coffers to cover their legal fees. In 2013, Senate investigators found that Mitchell and Jessen had signed a multimillion-dollar indemnification contract with the CIA, saying that the government would foot their legal bills through 2021 if they were ever sued or prosecuted.

After Obama shut down the CIAs torture program in 2009, his administration was widely criticized by human rights groups, who argued that the administrations failure to prosecute officials involved in the program opened the door for future administrations to ignore the law and practice torture again.

This article was first published by

The Intercept

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President Trumps White Blindness

By defending beautiful Confederate statues, President Trump shows how little he understands about the evils of slavery and the cruelty on lynchings and segregation, but he is by no means alone, writes Robert Parry. By Robert Parry August 18, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The blindness of President Trump regarding racial bigotry  and indeed that of many white Americans  is that whatever they say to the contrary, they really dont appreciate the evils of slavery or the ensuing century of lynchings and segregation

And, much of that ignorance comes from the systematic rationalizing and romanticizing of the ante-bellum South while shielding from criticism many of slaverys historical apologists, including both Confederate heroes and earlier icons such as Thomas Jefferson who became a staunch advocate for expanding slavery all the better to increase his financial bottom line.

Although I grew up in Massachusetts in the 1950s and 1960s, our history textbooks could easily have passed muster in the Deep South. They treated slavery as an unfortunate feature of Americas past but not really all that bad, an institution in which most slave owners were kindly masters but a few employed cruel overseers who committed some isolated abuses like whippings.

And, if that recollection of my grade-school experience sounds hard to believe, just watch the 1939 movie classic Gone with the Wind, which presents Taras plantation slaves as mostly content with their enslavement and loyal to their masters. That was pretty much what Americans were taught for generations and explains why the 1977 TV miniseries Roots was such a shocking event, because it showed the systematic cruelty of slavery from the perspective of the slaves.

By 1980, the decades-old conventional wisdom about the quaint-and-misguided-but-mostly-okay institution of human bondage was shattered not only by TVs dramatic portrayal of slavery but also by sound historic scholarship, which gained greater attention due to the Civil Rights Movement and growing popular resistance to patriotic propaganda.

Reagans Dog Whistle

Still, many white Americans rejected the notion of white guilt for those past crimes and rallied to Ronald Reagans crude caricatures about welfare queens and people who used food stamps to buy vodka and other luxuries. While Reagan was careful not to say outright that he was referring to blacks, he didnt have to because his listeners understood the coded messages.

Similarly, when Reagans Vice President George H.W. Bush ran for and won the presidency in 1988, he exploited the story of Willie Horton, a black convict who raped a white woman while on a Massachusetts prison furlough that Bush blamed on his Democratic rival, Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis.

Indeed, the Republican Party had been playing the race card since Richard Nixons Southern Strategy of 1968. Its not a coincidence that this racial messaging swung the Democrats once-solid South overwhelmingly into the Republican electoral column.

So, its a bit ironic when the U.S. mainstream media cites Republicans who have benefited from these race-baiting dog whistles as responsible leaders when they decry Trumps slightly more overt appeals to white nationalists and other racists. On the immediate issue of Confederate statues and other honors, the Republicans have long led the way in protecting these tributes to white supremacy under the guise of defending history.

On Thursday, Trump retreated to that safer GOP position after days of criticism for his rhetorical excuse-making and moral equivalence following last Saturdays violent rally by neo-Nazis, the KKK and white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, in defense of a Confederate monument to Gen. Robert E. Lee, which the local government had voted to remove.

Trump tweeted: Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You cant change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson  whos next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!

Neo-Confederate Thinking

But that is the classic defense of neo-Confederate racist thinking. The pretense is that these monuments and other honors are simply a recognition of history when they were clearly intended to glorify the Confederacy and its rebellion against the United States over the Southern fear that slavery would be abolished and the wealth of plantation owners effectively negated.

Most of these monuments were erected in the Twentieth Century, often as symbolic rebukes to progress being made by the descendants of African-American slaves. These were monuments to white supremacy  and for Trump and other white Americans to pretend otherwise is anti-historical nonsense.

Beyond monuments, other public spaces were named after Confederate leaders. For instance, in the 1920s  at the height of the Jim Crow era as lynchings were used to terrorize black communities energized by the return of African-American soldiers from World War I  the Daughters of the Confederacy succeeded in attaching the name of Confederate President Jefferson Davis to sections of Route 1, including in Arlington County, Virginia, near predominately black neighborhoods.

In 1964, as Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement gained passage of a landmark civil rights law, the Virginia legislature added Jefferson Daviss name to a section of Route 110 that passed by the Pentagon and near Arlington National Cemetery, which was begun in the Civil War to bury dead Union soldiers, including black troops who joined the Army to fight for their freedom.

On Jefferson Daviss authority, Confederate soldiers were permitted to summarily execute African-American Union soldiers upon their surrender, a practice that was carried out in several notorious massacres, such as at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, on April 12, 1864; the Battle of Poison Springs, Arkansas, in April 1864; and the Battle of the Crater in Virginia. Scores of black prisoners were executed in Saltville, Virginia, on Oct. 2, 1864. It should be noted that the Confederate troops of Virginia were under the command of the esteemed Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Democratic Cowardice

A few years back, I wrote to the five members of the Arlington County Board and urged them to rename Jefferson Davis Highway. When my letter went public, it was treated with some amusement by the local paper, the Sun-Gazette, which described me as rankled, and prompted some hate mail.

One angry letter from an Arlington resident declared that it was now her turn to be RANKLED by outsiders like Mr. Parry who want to change history because it is not to his liking. I am very proud of my Commonwealths history, but not of the current times, as Im sure many others are. Those current times included the election of Barack Obama, the first African-American president.

I was even confronted by a senior Democratic county official at a meeting about a different topic and urged to desist in my proposal to give the highway a new name because the idea would alienate state politicians in Richmond who would think that liberal Arlington County had gone crazy.

However, since a number of Arlington residents apparently shared my disgust over Jefferson Davis Highway, the county board eventually agreed to send a request to the state legislature that the roads name be changed, but it was clearly not a priority for the board or for other Virginia Democratic officials who feared offending pro-Confederate voters (although in the wake of the bloody Charlottesville riot, Gov. Terry McAuliffe has finally come out in favor of removing the monuments honoring the Confederacy).

Honoring Treason

The dishonesty of Trumps history argument  and its well-worn use by Confederate apologists  is underscored by the obvious fact that statues and other honors are meant to transform historical figures into icons to be emulated. Governments do not bestow these honors on criminals or traitors just because they are historical figures.

You dont see many government statues to Al Capone or Benedict Arnold. And, Americans would be rightly alarmed if Germany began erecting statues to Adolf Hitler and his Nazi henchmen. So, to pretend that these Confederate statues are not meant to glorify the Souths battle to protect the institution (or industry) of slavery is simply a lie.

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Arguably, Trump does have a point about the historical ambiguity surrounding the nations Founders, many of whom owned slaves although Trumps argument amounts to another rhetorical dodge. There is a distinct difference between George Washington who led the War for Independence, presided at the Constitutional Convention and served as the first President (and who grew increasingly uncomfortable with slavery) and the Confederates who turned their guns against the United States in a disastrous war to protect the interests of slaveholders.

In any evaluation of history, distinctions must be made. Nobody is perfect. Even Founders who were opposed to slavery, such as Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, can be rightly criticized for other political positions that they took as the United States sought to find its footing in its early years.

Jeffersons Hypocrisy

More troubling is the legacy of Thomas Jefferson, who is hailed for penning the Declaration of Independence and its noble words that all men are created equal  although Jefferson in his other writings, such as Notes on the State of Virginia, made clear that he did not believe that at all. Jefferson was a hypocrite of the first order .

Recent historical revelations also reveal Jefferson to have been a much more ruthless slave master than his admirers have wanted to believe. He countenanced the whipping of boys, calculated the financial value of child-bearing females, and apparently helped the breeding along by imposing himself sexually on one and likely more of his slave girls.

Also, left out of many Jefferson biographies is why he established the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. It wasnt simply his devotion to learning; he feared that young Southern aristocrats going north to school would be contaminated by the arguments against slavery and in favor of a strong national government, twin evils that the erudite Jefferson called anti-Missourism, and Consolidationism.

Further contributing to the nations divisions, Jefferson propounded theories about state secession and pushed for expansion of slavery throughout the Louisiana Territories. In his later years, he became what you might call a pre-Confederate. [For details, see Consortiumnews.coms  Thomas Jefferson: Americas Founding Sociopath. ]

Still, even in his hypocrisy, Jefferson deserves credit for enunciating what would become an important American contribution to global human rights, the proposition that governments should treat all citizens equally, a principle that Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders wielded in their own battles against racial injustice.

Despite their faults, to put Washington and Jefferson on the same historical plane as Jefferson Davis and the Confederates makes a mockery of historical distinctions.

That the United States would honor people responsible for a horrific war designed to perpetuate slavery  leaders who authorized the outright murder of unarmed soldiers just because of the color of their skin  should shock the conscience of any moral human being although apparently not President Trump.

Investigative reporter Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for The Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. You can buy his latest book, Americas Stolen Narrative, either in print here or as an e-book (from Amazon and barnesandnoble.com ).

This article was first published by Consortium News -
The Story of Charlottesville Was Written in Blood in the Ukraine





By Ajamu Baraka

August 18, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - What is the character of racist right-wing politics today? Is it the crazed white supremacist who plows into an anti-fascist demonstration in Charlottesville, VA or can it also be the assurance by Lindsay Graham that an attack against North Korea would result in thousands of lives lost. but those lives will be over there? What about the recent unanimous resolution by both houses of Congress in support of Israel and criticism of the United Nations for its alleged anti-Israeli bias? Would that qualify as racist and right-wing, since it appears that the ongoing suffering of the Palestinians is of no concern? And what about the vote by the U.S. House of Representatives to go even beyond the obscene proposal of the Trump administration to increase the military budget by $54 billion dollars and instead add a whopping $74 billion to the Pentagon budget?

What I find interesting about the current discussion around what many are referring to as the emboldening of the radical white supremacist right is how easy it is to mobilize opposition against the crude and overt white supremacists we saw in Charlottesville. So easy, in fact, that its really a distraction from the more difficult and dangerous work that needs to be done to confront the real right-wing power brokers.

The white supremacy that some of us see as more insidious is not reflected in the simple, stereotypical images of the angry, Nazi-saluting alt-righter or even Donald Trump. Instead, it is the normalized and thus invisible white supremacist ideology inculcated into cultural and educational institutions and the policies that stem from those ideas. That process doesnt just produce the storm troopers of the armed and crazed radical right but also such covert true believers as Robert Ruben from Goldman Sachs, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Tony Blair and Nancy Pelosi  decent individuals who have never questioned for a moment the superiority of Western civilization, who believe completely in the White Wests right and responsibility to determine which nations should have sovereignty and who should be the leaders of lesser nations. And who believe that there is no alternative to the wonders of global capitalism even if it means that billions of human beings are consigned permanently to what Fanon called the zone of non-being.

This is the white supremacy that I am concerned with. And while I recognize the danger of the violent right-wing movement, I am more concerned with the right-wing policies that are being enacted into law and policy by both Democrats and Republicans at every level of government.

More than two years ago I wrote that:

The brutal repression and dehumanization witnessed across Europe in the 1930s has not found generalized expression in the U.S. and Europe, at least not yet. Nevertheless, large sectors of the U.S. and European left appear to be unable to recognize that the U.S./NATO/EU axis that is committed to maintaining the hegemony of Western capital is resulting in dangerous collaborations with rightist forces both inside and outside of governments.

The impetus of that article was to critique the inherent danger of the Obama Administrations cynical manipulation of right-wing elements in Ukraine to overthrow the democratically elected government of Viktor Yanukovych. Not only was it dangerous and predictably disastrous for the Ukrainian people, but because U.S. support for a neo-fascist movement in Ukraine took place within a context in which the political right was gaining legitimacy and strength across Europe, the political impact of the right gaining power in Ukraine could not be isolated from the growing power of the right elsewhere. Which meant that the Obama Admirations selfish, short-term objective to undermine Russia in Ukraine had the effect of empowering the right and shifting the balance of forces toward the right throughout Europe.

But because Obama was incorrectly seen as a liberal, he was able to avoid most criticism of his policies in Ukraine, in Europe and domestically. In fact, liberals and the left both in the U.S. and in Europe generally supported his Ukraine policies.

However, playing footsie with right-wing elements in the Ukraine and underestimating the growing power of the right has resulted in powerful and dangerous right-wing movements on both sides of the Atlantic who have effectively exploited endemic white racism and the contradictions of neoliberal capitalist globalization. The ascendancy of Donald Trump cannot be decontextualized from the racial, class and gender politics of this moment here and abroad.

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The alt-right that showed up in Charlottesville this past weekend was mimicking the tactics of the frontline neo-fascist soldiers who orchestrated the coup in the Ukraine, yet everyone is saying this is a result of Trump. The objective fact is that the U.S. has become a dangerous right-wing society as a result of a steady shift to the right over the past four decades. The idea that Trumps election somehow created the right cannot be taken seriously and cannot be reduced to the crude expressions of the alt-right.

The structures of white power, that is the structures and institutions that provide the material base for Euro-American white supremacy and its ideological reproduction, should be the focus of radical opposition. But the capitalist order and its institutions  the World Trade Organization, IMF, World Bank, and global Westernized higher education that serves as the material basis for hegemonic white supremacist power  escape critical scrutiny because popular attention is directed against a David Duke and a Donald Trump.

Trump and the alt-right have become useful diversions for white supremacist liberals and leftists who would rather fight against those superficial caricatures of racism than engage in more difficult ideological work involving real self-sacrifice  purging themselves of all racial sentimentality associated with the mythology of the place of white people, white civilization and whiteness in the world in order to pursue a course for justice that will result in the loss of white material privilege.

Looking at white supremacy from this wider-angle lens, it is clear that support for the Israeli state, war on North Korea, mass black and brown incarceration, a grotesque military budget, urban gentrification, the subversion of Venezuela, the state war on black and brown people of all genders, and the war on reproductive rights are among the many manifestations of an entrenched right-wing ideology that cannot be conveniently and opportunistically reduced to Trump and the Republicans.

And when we understand that white supremacy is not just what is in someones head but is also a global structure with ongoing, devastating impacts on the people of the world, we will understand better why some of us have said that in order for the world to live, the 525-year-old white supremacist Pan-European, colonial/capitalist patriarchy must die.

Your choice will be clear: Either you join us as gravediggers or you surrender to class and racial privilege and join the cross-class white united front. The alt-right is waiting, and they are taking recruits from the left who are tired of identity politics.

Ajamu Baraka is the national organizer of the Black Alliance for Peace and was the 2016 candidate for vice president on the Green Party ticket. He is an editor and contributing columnist for the Black Agenda Report and contributing columnist for Counterpunch magazine.

This article was first published by Counterpunch -
Do Your Best To Get Featured By Davido Or Phyno And Watch Your Music Appreciated  Fan Tells Efe

Ibinabo Emmanuel Bagshaw

Read what he said below:

I earlier wrote an article clapping back at persons who take it as a part-time job to criticize the BBNaija Winner 2017, Efe.

On this piece, Ill be stating some things Efe is failing to do; and I hope he takes note.

I am a real fan of Efe, and to be frank I cherish his music; its not easy to compose lyrics and implement it in a studio perfectly. To be precise, before or after he emerged winner of BBNaija, some prominent Nigeria artistes have promised to help carry him through the road of being famous to an extent  if I should mention names, one person is YBNL Boss, Olamide  but ever since weve not heard any form of advances between them.

Lets use Mr Eazi as an example, there was a time he featured artistes who have their heads raised high in the industry, and that catapulted him far above his initial level. Yes! that was his album, but he was wise.

CHECK OUT ALSO: MUSIC: Efe  Mercy Is A Bad Girl (Prod. By Duktor Sett)

Now, back to Efe; give making new singles a pause for now, go out there fight to feature artistes like Davido, Falz, Olamide, Phyno, Reminisce, Ola Dips, Ice Prince, Sarkodie and lots more. Make those singles youve released already stand out, many of your fans have been waiting for a remix of your tracks with famous artistes  thats what we want, do it and watch it shoot you to an unexpected height.

I saw an headline that depicts I wont be popular in next 3months or so (if I should rephrase). Efe, if you really said that, drop it at once; work smartly in the Music Industry and youll gain real popularity.

Ill always be your fan Efe; I only hope you utilize the hints stressed in this article.

God Bless You.

Source: Nairaland
Nigerian comedian Seyi Law has reacted to the leader of the indigious people of Biafra Nnamdi Kanus recent inauguration of the Biafran Secret Service.

The comedian who wondered when Nnamdi Kanu will be rearrested or when Nigerias acting President Yemi Osibanjo will call for a referendum.

He wrote;

Have you heard that BIAFRA now has a SECRET SERVICE? When will the Government rearrest Nnamdi Kanu or have a referendum? Is Osinbajo trying to be politically correct or just following the silence is golden rubbish? There are certain things you dont condone and this is one of it. The build up of Al Qaelda, ISIS, Boko Haram etc all started like this. From formation to subtle killings and then, massive bombing and we will beginning to look for a needle in the forest.

The IGBOs in the NORTH will not come out to jointly condemn Nnamdis act now, but once the North start issuing threats which is not right by the way, they will break the code of SILENCE. If you dont support this, speak now and not later.

He also said;

Walls and borders have created disunity amongst us. Natural resources has become the bane of our agony. I hope we will not fold our arms and watch this Nation plunge into an unnecessary war. Anyway, before you crucify me, remember and know that my wife is Igbo and I have a daughter who is Yoru-Igbo.

SILENCE on this means APPROVAL.
Georgina said this in a post she shared on her IG page. She wrote

Warning To Any Ignorant Nigerian oblivious of his or her basic history or civics lessons Who will Come on my Page To Display Their Ignorance.

These are the type of men you vote for, Men with Questionable characters and zero morals let alone befitting to be called leaders. Yet you take 2 thousand naira and a bag of rice, sell your future and conscience to them and expect me to be your mouthpiece in criticizing them! You must be a joker.

Listen Up Now: @saddam_bin_castro most of you come on my page and display your ignorance , you know its laughable and pathetic. Given its my country of birth and I am proud to be a Nigerian and an Igbo woman at that, Ive been gone over a decade, dont live there nor work there. Didnt participate in your ignorant election of Buhari. Majority of you folks voted for him, so why the hell should I help you criticize buhari? Live your shit and deal with it. Dont ever come on my page to educate me about my views and who to call out. When good people of conscience cried out to Nigerians not to vote Buhari, did you morons listen? You all castigated anyone who did not believe in your beclouded change from a former dictator who overthrew a democratically elected government of shagari! So why should I be your spokeswoman? Have you ever seen me campaign for any Nigerian politician? Have you ever seen me vote for any of your rouged politician or endorsed anyone of them? Since you all equate dictators as strong men. So with all due respect never you come to my page and tell me how to express my views and opinions on my wall. If you dont like my political views, move on, you can disagree with me on facts and we dialogue respectfully, dont tell me how to view life and its incorrigible rulers. I dont do politicians, dont campaign for them and not in bed with any of them. I will not compromise my moral dignity and authority for two kobos. Thank you and God help Nigeria

Source: Linda Ikejis blog
Popular Yoruba film actor and producer, Yomi Fabiyi, owes his career to a food vendor. Almost 20 years ago, when he was a young school leaver, unemployed and lived in the Shomolu area of Lagos, his favourite food vendor had opened his eyes to film acting.

Fabiyi, recounting his encounter with the vendor in an interview with our correspondent, said, This woman was what I would call my foremost fan. I used to patronise her small bukateria in those days. One day, she told me that each time I came to eat in her shop other people would like to come, too, just to listen to me talk. Then she advised me to find any of the outfits that produce films and join them.

When I told her that it would be difficult for me to become an actor, she promised to sponsor me. Before then, a lot of people had tried to encourage me to join the movie people, but I didnt listen to them until this woman spoke to me. I had to make up my mind.

A relative of mine told me how I could find and hook up with a film production company around Ebute-Metta. I already had it in mind to approach two popular actors that were my favourites. So I searched for them. Fortunately, one of them, who happened to be Baba Suwe, accepted me. That was how my journey into the world of movies started.

The actor said that initially he doubted if he really possessed the qualities that could shape him into a movie star. In his eyes, movie stars were not ordinary people and they had special qualities that made them to stand out in a crowd. Eventually, with close supervision and guidance from Baba Suwe, he learned the ropes in no time.

But the going was not as smooth as he had expected. Soon he found out that being apprenticed to a popular Yoruba movie actor had its fair share of challenges. In my position, it was not enough to be humble, committed, trustworthy and a hundred per cent loyal to my boss; I realised that I had to make a lot of sacrifice, too. In order to earn the approval of my boss and to move forward, I had to have these qualities. In addition, there must be proof that I had talent, he said.

For an aspiring actor in those days, Fabiyi noted, the path to success was often littered with obstacles and there was nothing anyone could do about it. I just had to endure. Some days I had very little food or nothing to eat. Sometimes, I had to depend on the kindness of a Hausa shopkeeper who allowed me to buy things on credit. And there were days when I slept outside because there was so much work to do. I didnt dare to complain to my boss about my suffering. I didnt have to bother him about food. He wasnt my father, after all. He was doing me a favour because I came to learn about film acting and production from him, he said.

The actor, who is also a director cum producer, counted himself lucky that his parents did not object to his choice of career. Instead, they chose to support him with prayers. My father was not always around. But my mum was quite worried when she observed that I was coming home late some nights. One day, when she asked me where I had been, I told her that I went in search of my destiny, he said.

Making a comparison between the older generation of actors and the younger generation, Fabiyi said the former had better training and more exposure than the latter. To be honest, many of us lack adequate training and exposure. This has significantly affected the quality of many films produced in this country.

The producer, who was caught up in a controversy over his marriage to a British lady last year, is still worried about the distance that exists between both of them.

We are still living apart. She insists that she will not settle in Nigeria, he said.

Contrary to general opinion, he denied that they were divorced. I have only initiated the idea of suing for a divorce. I am still considering that option, though. The only problem is that my wife has to be physically present in Nigeria to be served the divorce papers. But she has refused to come, he said.

Source; Punch
Controversial media personality, Kemi Olunloyo who was recently released from prison has declared her intention to contest for Oyo state governor in 2019.

Kemi posted a photo on her Instagram page with the message;

#BREAKING I am waking up today as a #Politician. YES! I am running for Governor of #OyoState Nigeria in 2019 as an independent #MadamKOO2019

Invite your friends to my rebranded campaign pages Facebook.com/HNNAfrica and Twitter @HNNAfrica plus Instagram @KemiOlunloyo. Lets start rebranding Oyo state.

Our campaign hashtag is #OyosBiggerPicture and #MadamKOO2019

We will REOPEN #Lautech, empower women, feed children and put all the area boys thru education so they can get good jobs. Affordable EVERYTHING! We start on the streets!! Our Campaign donation portal is coming and phone number is posted.

I am running a social media and grassroots campaign. Lets change Oyo state now.

Kemi Olunloyo is the daughter of former Oyo State governor Victor Omololu Olunloyo and the second of ten children. She lived for 14 years in Nigeria, 30 years in the United States, and five years in Canada before being deported to Nigeria.

Source: The Nigerian News
Nigerian comedian Seyi Law has raised an alarm over IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanus inauguration of Biafra Secret Service.

The ace Nigerian comedian who wondered when Nnamdi Kanu will be rearrested or when Nigerias acting President Yemi Osibanjo will call for a referendum wrote;

Have you heard that BIAFRA now has a SECRET SERVICE? When will the Government rearrest Nnamdi Kanu or have a referendum? Is Osinbajo trying to be politically correct or just following the silence is golden rubbish? There are certain things you dont condone and this is one of it. The build up of Al Qaelda, ISIS, Boko Haram etc all started like this. From formation to subtle killings and then, massive bombing and we will beginning to look for a needle in the forest.

The IGBOs in the NORTH will not come out to jointly condemn Nnamdis act now, but once the North start issuing threats which is not right by the way, they will break the code of SILENCE. If you dont support this, speak now and not later.

Walls and borders have created disunity amongst us. Natural resources has become the bane of our agony. I hope we will not fold our arms and watch this Nation plunge into an unnecessary war. Anyway, before you crucify me, remember and know that my wife is Igbo and I have a daughter who is Yoru-Igbo.

SILENCE on this means APPROVAL.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has announced that it has acquired a Michigan-based employee benefits brokerage.Gallagher has acquired Ballard Benefit Works, an employee-benefit and healthcare finance brokerage founded in 2009 by Justin Spewock. The company also offers consulting services to public, private and not-for-profit clients primarily in Michigan, Washington, D.C., and Florida. Spewock and his employees will continue to operate the business, reporting to Gallaghers head of Great Lakes employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations, John Neumaier.Justin and his team are highly regarded within their community, and Justin is an industry thought leader in the development of alternative models for healthcare delivery, said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., chairman, president and CEO of Arthur J. Gallagher& Co. I am delighted to welcome Justin and his team to our growing Gallagher family of professionals.
Global reinsurer Swiss Re has announced its preliminary economic loss estimates for the first half of 2017  and the results are significantly lower than last year.In the first six months of the year (H1), global and man-made catastrophes resulted in US$44 billion in losses, much lower than the US$117 billion loss estimates in the first half of 2016. This is due to a number of factors, including fewer and less intense catastrophe events.Insured losses from disasters were US$23 billion in H1 2017, down from $36 billion in H1 2016. Of the US$44 billion total global economic losses in H1 2017, natural catastrophes counted for US$41 billion, while the remaining US$3 billion came from man-made disasters.Global disaster losses were below their 10-year average, both on an economic and insured level. They were among the lowest in the last 10 years, said Thomas Holzheu, chief economist, Americas, Swiss Re. There was a lower number of events and no multi-billion dollar loss events.As a general long-term trend, uninsured losses are growing (in relation to economic activity as measured by GDP), and we see a shift of exposures moving to emerging economies, which are less resilient in coping with the economic disruptions caused by large catastrophes.Swiss Re found the largest losses were caused by severe thunderstorms in the US. Four separate severe weather events between February and May caused US$8.2 billion in economic damages, of which 78% was insured, according to Holzheu. The costliest event was the four-day long storm in May, which caused severe hail damage to properties in Colorado and other southern and central states.Severe convective storms were the costliest peril due to a record high number of thunderstorms in the US, including hailstorms and tornado outbreaks, Holzheu told Insurance Business. Losses from this peril were among the highest of the past 10 years, due to an early start of the tornado season and a high number of tornadoes, in addition to intense hail activity. Individually, though, none of these events crossed the multi-billion dollar loss threshold.Swiss Res sigma data shows economic losses from natural disaster events averaged $171 billion each year in the last decade, with 72% uninsured.Holzheu commented: Insurance penetration is much lower in most emerging countries and also in the US for certain important perils such as flood and earthquake.The largest insurance event outside of the US was Cyclone Debbie, a category four tropical cyclone that hit the north-eastern coast of Australia in late March. Strong winds of up to 263 km/h and severe flooding in central and southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales led to insured losses of US$1.3 billion.Other large events included floods in Peru and frost damage in parts of Europe. At the beginning of the year, there was also a cold spell in Europe that claimed dozens of hypothermia victims. This was followed by a summer of heatwaves and record temperatures in several European locations, making H1 2017 a period of weather extremes.High temperatures and dry weather have continued through the northern hemispheres summer season, igniting wildfires in many parts of the world, including in British Columbia.Overall, larger markets for catastrophe reinsurance are well integrated globally through international reinsurers. Some re/insurance markets in smaller economies can be less resilient due to more restrictive regulations and more closed financial markets, said Holzheu.
During the first half of the year, there were 320 insurance agency mergers and acquisitions across the United States and Canada  a record six months. Cashed-up private equity firms continue to chase the safe North American insurance dollar.Despite the seemingly never-ending supply of agencies putting themselves on the market, individual agency values continue to inflate - but surely there must come a point when the bubble bursts? So is that time near and should agencies be selling up now? And what are the consequences of this PE feeding frenzy?PE firms have been buying into the agency space since pre-crash times, but the activity has been ramping up, says Tim Cunningham, managing director of OPTIS Partners, an investment banking and financial consulting firm specializing in the insurance industry.Im seeing valuations remain at record high-levels for longer than I wouldve anticipated, he says. I dont see anything changing dramatically in the near future short of an economic or geopolitical global catastrophe.Part of it is, I think, competition. In a sense, its a little bit like a feeding frenzy. But weve been in this pretty high-valuation territory for  a year or a year-plus.There were 135 reported US and Canadian transactions in the second quarter of 2017, according to OPTIS Partners, following 185 deals reported in Q1.Unsurprisingly, PE-backed buyers continued to lead the charge with 75 transactions in Q2, up from 60 in Q2 last year. Privately held brokers were second, making 39 deals, three more than in Q2 2016.Ultimately, they have investor money they need to spend, and they want something to invest in thats safe and profitable. And the timing, right now, couldnt be better, as career insurance agents from the Boomer generation look to cash up and get out of the workforce.They [PE] recognize [insurance agencies are] a medium-margin business, continued Cunningham. [But] what they like about the business is the cash flow is reasonably predictable and it doesnt require any capital expenditure.I would say, in a positive way, its a perfect storm. Theres a lot of Baby Boomers that own equity in firms [and are looking to retire]. So thats my perfect storm: a lot of capital, great inventory, lots of deals. Its as basic and simple as that.But what is the end-game of the PE investment in the sector?PE firms need to sell their portfolio companies approximately every five years, as a liquidity event for their investors  but then theyll buy again. And the agencies theyre selling are going to other PE firms. So, essentially, its a financial merry-go-round, with insurance brokers riding the dancing horses.Its interesting. Youll see the same ones are fairly active in the sector, so theyll invest in one, sell it, and, sure enough, six, 12, 18 months later, theyre buying another one. Frequently their equity interest is being sold to another private equity firm, Cunningham says.While M&As are rampant, theyre not necessarily doing the industry any favours in a reputational sense  at least, according to Allen Hudson, vice president of commercial insurance at Sahouri, a Washington, DC-headquartered independent agency, whos been keeping an eye on whats been happening around the industry.The sellers are making out big, as are the PE firms, and the merger agency groups are getting stronger. It seems like a win-win-win, but the reputation of the industry may be taking a hit, Hudson says.It is becoming a pretty big cause for concern, he said. I mean, in my humble opinion its great for the independent agency, but its not going to help the insurance industry reputation as a whole.Private equity is acquiring, cutting costs and repackaging agencies as better companies, he says.What is that doing on the customer side? Ive probably won a dozen accounts between $100,000-$250,000, you know, 500-person companies, and theyre like, wait a minute, Ive been dialled into a service center. Im clearly not getting the account manager I used to get, he explained. And were glad to take those on, but its also just leaving a terrible taste in the consumers mouth.The insurance is at risk of becoming a commodity, Hudson says. The mass mergers, and the efficiencies the companies create across their acquired agency groups have gone beyond efficient, to the point of [being] bad  and inefficient for whoever is going to buy it next, he says.One take is that the number of indie agencies is actually on the rise, even in the face of unprecedented merger activity.The reality is, though, that the system is regenerating itself very rapidly, Kevin Stipe, president of Reagan Consulting, which provides strategic consulting, valuation, and M&A services to independent insurance agencies, told Insurance Business magazine earlier in June.Theres this kind of instinctive belief  that the independent agency is going to go away, that at some point its going to disappear off the face of the map, having been hunted to extinction by these buyers, he explained.As it turns out, over the last five years, there are over 3,000 new agencies that have been created. So youve got this system that looks like its shrinking because of all the [buyer] activity and yet [new] agencies are  basically filling the pipeline back up. So its a very interesting time.However, Cunningham is less sure the future is as cheery as all that. The numbers may not quite stack up evenly on the insurance revenue scales.One may be sold, and one may be created, but if the one thats being sold is $10 million of revenue, and the one thats being created is $100,000 of revenue  I dont think its a valid statistic, Cunningham says. I know the Big I [the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America] like to tout that the numbers of independent agents have stayed about the same, but I would suggest that the big are getting bigger and theres much more concentration at the big size.If youre looking for your exit in the next three-five years, I think I would consider going to market now, because I dont think valuations are going to get any bigger, Cunningham says.If youre looking for an exit probably five years out, Id say stay the course and keep building your firm, be profitable, and have fun doing it.Do you have an issue you wish to discuss or see featured in our new market analysis section? Reach out to Sam Boyer now  [email protected]
The Florida legislature will once again consider a proposal to do away with the states no-fault insurance system.



State Sen. Tom Lee (R) filed a bill this week to repeal the system. It will come before the state legislature in 2018.



Celebrate excellence in insurance. Nominate a worthy colleague for the Insurance Business Awards!



Floridas current no-fault system requires motorists to carry $10,000 in personal-injury (PIP) coverage. Lees bill would replace that necessity with a requirement to carry bodily-injury and medical-payment coverage, according to the Orlando Sentinel.



Florida lawmakers have long talked about overhauling the states auto insurance laws, the Sentinel reported. In 2012, they passed a law aimed at clamping down on fraud and lowering rates. But Lee said the current system was still rife with fraud and expensive to motorists.



While well-intentioned anecdotally, Floridas Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law has resulted in widespread fraud, abuse and a complex litigation process, he said. Since its enactment (in the) 70s, the value of the PIP benefit has eroded, while Floridas auto insurance premiums continue to rise.




An insurance agent who was arrested in connection with a Florida telemarketing law  and whose charges were later dropped  wants a federal court to declare the law unconstitutional.Mohammad Ali, owner of the now-closed Royal Investment Group Holdings, was arrested last year during a police search of his company that he said involved guns being drawn on employees. The search came during an investigation into RIGs supposed violations of the Florida Telemarketing Act.Ali, however, argued that he fell under one of the many exemptions to the law  an exemption for insurance brokers acting within the scope of their license. Ali refused to make a plea agreement in the case, and the prosecutor dropped the charges before the case went to trial.However, Ali said that both his business and his reputation were destroyed.Due to Alis arrest and the resulting damage to his reputation, RIG (had) to close down within a few months of his arrest, the lawsuit claimed.Now Ali wants the Florida Telemarketing Act declared unconstitutional for vagueness.Alis suit also names Michael Stevens, the detective who led the investigation into RIG. According to the lawsuit, it was obvious that Stevens did not understand what constituted a violation of the telemarketing act.
Leader has "delivered on ambitious operational and financial objectives"
The following is an opinion article from Mark Paccione, EVP of Commercial Management Solutions, and Kelly Barron, Vice President, Product Manager, EPL and Middle Market, at AXIS Insurance, looking at what brokers can do to combat underinsurance in private businesses.



The environment in which private companies operate is increasingly litigious. This is exacerbated by a world consumed by political and economic uncertainty. Hackers are becoming more astute, employment law and ways of working are increasingly complex, and businesses are under the spotlight more than ever before. This creates a perfect storm of risks facing those who manage insurance.



Private companies are more likely to fall victim to underinsurance, according to a research study identifying concerns brokers have for their clients. This is due to the fact that many risks that private companies face today were not present when the business was formed, resulting in a protection gap. This leaves private companies vulnerable during a time of need, likely with limited resources, expertise and budget to cope with a problem.



Private companies are particularly vulnerable to these risks. For example, while public companies face hacking attempts on a large scale, shrewd cyber criminals looking to profit by understanding the protection gaps that plague private companies.



Potential Areas of Underinsurance



With these mounting challenges, and limited budgets, brokers can help private companies to identify emerging protection gaps they face and find the right insurance coverage that will help mitigate this risk exposure.



Protecting against problems at the top



A rise in new technology and social media platforms is increasingly empowering stakeholders to challenge businesses- from consumers and employees to regulators and shareholders. Private companies often face antitrust claims. These lawsuits can feature a number of different allegations against a private firm, such as unfair competition, cooperation with a competitor, manipulating the market to raise the costs of production or goods or services, and operating as a monopoly in an industry sector. Seeking directors and officers liability cover for this area is now an essential pillar of a private company insurance policy.



Employment issues



Employment practices liability is often an essential purchase for private companies. Such liability provides coverage against a range of employment-related issues, including discrimination, harassment, social media bullying, and wrongful termination.



Workplace violence



Protecting against a workplace violence incident is important, particularly if you work in a high-risk sector. Policies can include expense coverage for everything related to an incident, ranging from business interruption expenses, to loss of profits and the hiring of public relations experts or security firms.



Beating the hackers



Cyber is fast working its way to the top of global economic and business agendas. Attacks are increasing, and working their way down from large, publicly traded corporations to now being fully ensconced as an issue every private business owner is likely to face in the future. Recent global cyberattacks, such as WannaCry and Petya, have proven just how rapidly the damage can spread. Many private companies are underinsured in this area, so more needs to be done by insurers and brokers to help firms adapt to this new reality.

Insurers often offer risk mitigation and management services that help a company in the event of a breach or suspected breach, this is vital as most private companies do not have CTOs or CIOs.



Crime



Crime is a risk faced by all businesses. As the means of committing crimes increase, particularly driven by the rise in new technology, its essential that private companies consider this in their insurance mix. Crime insurance can reimburse everything from petty employee theft to sophisticated social engineering schemes.



Claims



A sophisticated claims team can guide and help private firms that may not have resources in house. Insurance companies with experienced claims professionals are a valuable resource to private companies and can help to minimise damages.



Private companies face a unique set of challenges across the board, and insurance is not always a top priority, particularly in the absence of an in-house risk manager. It is important that brokers educate the Insured about crucial areas of coverage, and that private companies understand all the risk factors and exposures facing them for which insurance coverage is available. Managing the litany of risks associated with private companies is difficult, but with proper insurance coverage companies will be better equipped to manage their business with minor interruptions and financial loss.



Brokers need to work with private businesses to help tackle the problem of underinsurance. The preceding article was composed by Mark Paccione, EVP of Commercial Management Solutions, and Kelly Barron, Vice President, Product Manager, EPL and Middle Market, at AXIS Insurance.








Two men pleaded guilty on Thursday in connection with a federal investigation into a massive prescription-benefits fraud case.Matthew Tedesco, of New Jersey, and Robert Bessey, of Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud in a $25 million scam. Each could face up to 10 years in prison.As part of his plea, Tedesco must forfeit $11 million and pay restitution of at least $28.7 million, according to a report by the Press of Atlantic City. Bessey must forfeit at least $485,540 and pay restitution of $2.7 million.According to prosecutors, Tedesco led the scam and Bessey acted as a recruiter. They persuaded others  including firefighters, teachers and police officers  to get medically unnecessary prescriptions in exchange for kickbacks from the compounding pharmacy and the prescription benefits administrator.Using a network of recruiters, doctors, and state and local government employees, the defendants defrauded the state of New Jersey and other health insurers out of millions of dollars by getting reimbursed for phony prescriptions on expensive and unnecessary compounded medications, Acting US Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick said in a statement.This conduct, which fraudulently exploited state benefits programs and left New Jersey taxpayers on the hook for millions in losses, is especially brazen in an era when health insurance is a constant concern for many Americans.
A lawsuit claims a suburban Philadelphia woman got an extra topping on her Chick-fil-A sandwich: a dead rodent.

Ellen Manfalouti sued in Bucks County Court over the tiny rodent she claims was baked into the bottom bun of her chicken sandwich.

A co-worker picked up the sandwich for her at a Langhorne restaurant in November, and the two started to eat in a conference room at the insurance agency where they work.

I felt something funny on the bottom of the bun, Manfalouti told The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday. I turned it over. I said to (my co-worker), They burned my roll really bad.

Her co-worker, Cara Phelan, said that as soon as Manfalouti threw the sandwich on the table, I realized it was a small rodent of some sort. I could see the whiskers and the tail.

Manfaloutis lawyer Bill Davis told the newspaper that he filed the lawsuit last week against Chick-fil-A franchise owner Dave Heffernan and the store after they werent responsive to complaints.

Heffernan and the Atlanta-based fast-food chain said they cant comment on litigation.

Manfalouti is seeking more than $50,000 for physical and psychological damages.

She told the newspaper she was treated at a hospital for nausea, had to see a therapist for anxiety and could hardly eat for weeks.

Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer

Topics Lawsuits Claims Pennsylvania
Five suspected terrorists were killed by police and six civilians were injured in a confrontation in a town south of Barcelona, hours after 13 people died when a van rampaged down the citys iconic Las Ramblas avenue.

One Catalan police officer was also injured in the incident in the town of Cambrils, local police said on Twitter. Two of the injured civilians were seriously hurt. Investigators were inspecting belts the suspects were wearing to determine whether they held explosives.

Earlier, at least 100 more people were injured when an assailant drove a white van down a section of the iconic Las Ramblas avenue just before 5 p.m. local time on Thursday. Witnesses said it hit a speed of about 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour, throwing people into the air.

Two suspects were arrested, though officials said the driver wasnt among them. Islamic State claimed the carnage, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.

The deadly attack raises questions again about how authorities can protect citizens from crude attacks that can be planned under their radar. Britain responded to similar incidents in London this year by erecting concrete and metal barriers to shield pedestrians at key sites of the city. Spain has long been used to bombing campaigns by Basque and Islamist terrorists, but the rampage was the first of its kind on Spanish soil.

Unfortunately, as weve seen before, theres not a lot authorities can do to prevent this type of attack, which is quite easy for someone to plan and to execute, said Federico Santi, an analyst at political risk firm Eurasia Group. It requires a huge amount of resources to actually monitor the very large number of people who are at risk.

Familiar Scene

Images of bloody victims lying on the sidewalk have become all too familiar in Europe of late. Terrorists in London drove into passersby on bridges in two deadly incidents this year. There was also an attack using a commercial vehicle in Stockholm. Last year, trucks plowed through crowds in Berlin and Nice. Barcelona may have been targeted simply because its a major tourist destination for Europeans as a whole, Santi said.

The van zigzagged into people, a witness told state broadcaster TVE. Las Ramblas  a busy avenue with bars and street artists at the heart of Barcelonas tourist circuit  was strewn with bodies and debris as people ran to help the wounded.

The car came toward me, people were flying in the air  there were bodies everywhere, Shari Weise, a 54-year-old visitor to Barcelona from California, said by telephone. The man next to me got hit and I jumped behind a pole and pulled a 15 year-old boy behind the pole with me.

Police raised the possibility that an explosion at a home earlier on Thursday that killed one person and brought down a building may be connected to the attack.

Islamist Threat

Islamic State has threatened more attacks in Europe as its militants lost territory in Syria and Iraq. While some of the previous terrorists had training, others have just been inspired by the extremists with little or no formal contact.

When the group claimed responsibility for the more than 80 deaths in Nice, it said the assailant in a truck loaded with arms was responding to its call to target countries fighting its militants in the Middle East.

Preventing attackers using vehicles as weapons is now the latest challenge for security services in Spain, even though the country isnt a leading member of coalition strikes on Islamic State strongholds.

The nation has been a target of Islamist terrorism before. About 200 people were killed by bombs on early morning commuter trains in Madrid in 2004. Though like in most capitals until recently, tourist thoroughfares typically dont have the barriers used to protect institutions.

United Front

The task is potentially further complicated in Spain by its devolved administrations. Power over home affairs and police lie with some regional governments, including Catalonia. While attacks in other cities have fueled anti-immigrant nationalist parties, Spain has no such mainstream group. Any political fallout is more likely to focus on the rifts between the administrations in Madrid and Barcelona.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy traveled to Barcelona with his deputy and interior minister. Catalan National Assembly, a separatist group, meanwhile halted planned campaigning ahead of an independence referendum planned for October. Rajoy has called the vote illegal.

I want to express the solidarity of Spain with the city of Barcelona, which today has been hit by the jihadist terrorism as before were hit other cities around the world, Rajoy said in a televised address from the city.

Spain is the worlds biggest tourist destination after France and the U.S. and the Catalan city of Barcelona is among its star attractions. Spain received more than 75 million foreign visitors last year and tourism is a key provider of jobs.

London, Brussels, Paris, and other European cities have suffered this experience, Catalonias regional president, Carles Puigdemont, told reporters. And today it has happened to Barcelona.

Related:

Update: Vehicle Plows into Barcelona Pedestrians with 13 Dead, 50 Injured

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Auto Europe Law Enforcement London
A UK trade deal with the European Union after Brexit is desirable but not essential, the Institute of Economic Affairs said, in support of Prime Minister Theresa Mays repeated assertion that no deal is better than a bad deal.

Britain should walk away from talks on a post-Brexit trade deal if the EU offers bad terms that lead to a protectionist and costly agreement, the IEA, a free-market think tank, said in a report on Friday. Instead, it said the country should trade with the EU under World Trade Organization rules, seeking a policy of zero tariffs while brokering free-trade agreements with major trading partners including the U.S.

Many people believe that disaster will befall us if we do not forge a deal with the EU, said Jamie Whyte, research director at the IEA. In fact, we could unilaterally eliminate all import tariffs, which would give us most of the benefits of trade, and export to the EU under the umbrella of the WTO rules.

Looming trade discussions are shaping up to be one of the trickiest tasks on the agenda of Brexit negotiators. Britain and its business lobby groups are seeking as frictionless as possible commerce with the EU post-Brexit, while EU politicians signal that Britain wont be able to benefit from the same access once its no longer a member.

Fantasy Plans

For now, the talks are in abeyance, with the EU saying it will not discuss a future deal until the issues of citizens rights and Britains exit bill are resolved. The slow pace of talks so far has stoked fears Britain will leave the EU before trade talks conclude.

The IEA paper comes days after the UK released a document on customs which Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments point person on Brexit, derided as a fantasy. In a tacit acknowledgment that time is ticking down, Britain is seeking a transition period between Brexit day in March 2019 and the day when new trade arrangements can set in. During that period, the UK would leave the EUs customs Union, allowing it to broker new trade deals with third countries, but customs arrangements with the bloc would be largely unchanged.

Trade will not stop after Brexit even if the two sides fail to agree to a deal, the IEA said. Instead, the exchange of goods would continue under WTO rules, which would prevent the EU from charging punitive taxes on goods, while tariffs would hurt EU consumers, according to the policy analyst. It recommended that Britain unilaterally get rid of such duties with trade partners including Europe, while encouraging them to do the same.

Bargaining Chip

Compared to an outcome in which the UK and the EU traded under WTO terms, there would be benefits for the UK to unilaterally liberalizing as it would reduce the cost of imports, said Thomas Sampson, an economist at the London School of Economics, who hadnt seen the IEA report. The cost is youre giving away the bargaining chip that you would normally use to get concessions out of the EU.

The UK should pursue its own trade policy regardless of threats from the EU, the IEA said. The country could seek free-trade agreements with countries such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand and use a tariff-free approach to become a super-Singapore or super-Dubai.

However, Sampson cautioned against dismissing the importance of the EU when negotiating future deals. The bloc is the U.K.s largest trading partner accounting for almost half of all imports and exports in 2016.

The U.K.s priority should be to do everything it can to secure an agreement with the EU, he said. The potential gains from securing an ambitious new agreement with the EU are much larger than those of negotiating with the U.S. or any other country.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Europe
A group led by Yunfeng Financial Group Ltd., the company backed by billionaire Jack Ma, agreed to buy an Asian unit from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. to add insurance products to the array of financial services it offers to clients.

The consortium, which includes Sina Corp., Giant Network Group Co., Ant Financial, a GIC Pte-managed entity and others, will pay HK$13 billion ($1.7 billion) for Hong Kong-based MassMutual Asia Ltd., the seller said Thursday in a statement. Yunfeng will own a 60 percent stake in MassMutual Asia, with the other investors holding the remaining interest. Yunfeng shares surged by the most in more than a year.

Yunfeng, which is known for catering to wealthier individuals, has been broadening its reach, creating a robo-adviser to help manage the wealth of regular Chinese and Hong Kong investors. The business being acquired posted premium income of HK$6.88 billion last year, the buyer said in a separate statement.

MassMutual Asias insurance products will broaden Yunfeng FGs financial product offerings and significantly contribute to the building of its financial service ecosystem, given that insurance and annuity products are indispensable in overall financial planning, Yunfeng Chairman David Yu said in the statement. This transaction will also enable cross-referrals of existing customers of Yunfeng FG and MassMutual Asia, thereby facilitating a wider customer reach.

Yunfeng shares soared 19 percent in Hong Kong, the most since May 2016, bringing its gains this year to 36 percent. MassMutual, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, is owned by its policyholders.

Under the terms of the transaction, Yunfeng will pay HK$7.86 billion for its stake, about HK$5.2 billion of which will be paid for through stock. The remaining HK$2.66 billion will be paid through the issuance of interest-free installment note or cash.

Significant Step

MassMutual, founded in 1851, has been reshaping its business mix under Chief Executive Officer Roger Crandall. The company has been seeking to expand in asset management and added a network of thousands of advisers in a deal last year with MetLife Inc.

This transaction represents a significant step forward for MassMutual and its policyowners by affording us the distinct opportunity to capitalize on the long term success and value of MassMutual Asia, Crandall said in the statement. We will continue to participate in the growing and attractive Asian markets through our ongoing stake in the combined Yunfeng FG and MassMutual Asia business.

Ma is the founder of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which created Chinas largest online bazaar.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. was the banker for the buyer, which got legal advice from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, according to the sellers statement. MassMutual used Citigroup Inc. and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

MassMutual said its operation in Japan and a joint venture in China arent part of the transaction. MassMutual Asia, wholly owned by MassMutual since 2000, has offices in Hong Kong and Macau, the firm said in an emailed statement. One of its primary units in Hong Kong manages mandatory retirement fund contributions and the other operates a general insurance business. It had 350 employees as of July 1, with an agency force of about 3,000 and 450 advisers.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions China
North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread has said that since taking office at the beginning of this year he has focused on ensuring the agency he runs is available and responsive to insurance consumers, producers and companies alike. As part of that initiative, the North Dakota Insurance Department recently released an outline of legislation passed this year by the states legislative assembly.

Following is a summary of some of the insurance-related legislation passed by the 65th Legislative Assembly in 2017:

HB 1010, the departments appropriation bill for the 2017-2019 biennium, reduced the number of full-time equivalent positions from 49.5 to 46 and reduced the overall appropriation for salaries, benefits operating expenses and capital assets from $11,545,139 to $10,729,344, for an overall reduction of 7.06 percent.

It became law on July 1, 2017.

HB 1112 addresses producer licensing and conduct, and protects the commissioners ability to censure individuals who are not fit to conduct insurance business and deny them licenses. The legislation defines breach of trust and dishonesty, and clarifies the types of crimes that are considered felonies involving dishonesty or breach of trust. It requires the insurance commissioner to deny, revoke or refuse to renew an insurance producer license where an applicant or licensee has been convicted of such a felony, or if a license applicant is found not to be competent, trustworthy, financially responsible and of good personal and business reputation. It applies to both applications for an insurance producer license and an application to renew an existing license.

It went into effect in March 2017.

HB 1147 allows county mutual insurance companies to insure non-commercial structures within the platted limits of incorporated cities.

HB 1198 clarifies that binders are allowed to be used for commercial lines of insurance.

HB 1247 clarifies that an insurance company or an insured may terminate an initial insurance policy when an insured has subsequently purchased a policy that provides duplicate coverage. Termination of the initial policy is considered effective on the effective date of the replacement policy. The insured is entitled to a refund of premium back to the effective date.

SB 2103 eliminates the $10 fee checks the department collects and processes, and increases fees collected from companies in three other areas: the annual renewal fee for a companys Certificate of Authority increases from $50 to $100; the fee for filing an annual report for a fraternal benefit society and for issuing a license or permit to the society, and for each renewal thereof, increases from $25 to $100; the fee for issuing a certificate to a domestic insurance company showing a compliance with the compulsory reserve provisions of the insurance code and the maintenance of proper security deposits, along with the fee for any renewal of this certificate, increases from $10 to $25.

SB 2103 became law on July 1, 2017.

SB 2105 exempts a producers home address from the states open records laws and expands the definition of personal, financial, or health information.

SB 2140 allows an insurance producer, subject to limitations, to give certain gifts to customers or prospective customers of up to $100 per person per year.

More information on insurance legislation passed in North Dakota in 2017 may be found on the legislative assemblys website, www.legis.nd.gov, and the North Dakota Insurance Department website, www. nd.gov/ndins/.

Topics Legislation
Hellman & Friedman LLC is exploring the sale of a stake in HUB International Ltd. in a deal that could value one of the largest North American insurance brokerages at between $6 billion and $7 billion, including debt, people familiar with the matter said.

The move follows private equity firm Hellman & Friedmans acquisition of HUB four years ago from another private equity firm, Apax Partners LLP, for $4.4 billion including debt. It indicates Hellman & Friedmans likely interest in cashing out partly on that investment, while keeping HUB in its investment portfolio.

Hellman & Friedman has hired an investment bank to explore the stake sale, the sources said this week. The size of the potential deal could not be learned, though Hellman & Friedman would maintain control over HUB in any deal, the sources added.

Several private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds and public pension funds are considering an investment in HUB, one of the sources added.

The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Hellman & Friedman declined to comment, while HUB did not respond to a request for comment.

Chicago-based HUB provides personal, business and employee benefit insurance products through more than 400 brokerages across Canada and the United States. The company generated total revenue of $1.6 billion for the 12 months through September 2016, according to Moodys Investors Service Inc.

The latest major private equity deal in the insurance brokerage sector was clinched in March, when buyout firm KKR & Co. LP and Canadian pension fund manager Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec teamed up to buy USI Insurance Services for $4.3 billion from private equity firm Onex Corp.

Insurance brokerages have been consolidating to gain more scale and be able to charge higher prices, following years of falling rates in the insurance industry.

HUB itself has been highly acquisitive, snapping up hundreds of small and mid-sized brokers. It was founded in 1998 with the merger of 11 privately held insurance brokerages.

(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis and David French in New York and John Tilak in Toronto; Editing by Tom Brown)

Topics Agencies
Republican lawmakers in six states have pushed this year for legal protections for motorists who hit protesters blocking traffic. Fairly or not, theyre facing an intense backlash now that violent images of a car ramming into a crowd protesting a white supremacist rally have been seen around the world.

The lawmakers say their goal has never been to incite violence, but to shield drivers from costly lawsuits for accidents they blame on illegal street protests. Bills in Texas and North Carolina to protect drivers from civil liability if they unintentionally injure or kill protesters remain pending, but their chances of passage appear dim after Saturdays attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, which killed a woman and injured at least 19 people. The four other bills were voted down or failed without advancing.

The bills are part of a backlash to large, disruptive protests over the last year against police shootings of black men, the Dakota Access pipeline and policies of the Trump administration. Some shut down major freeways, angering motorists and drawing concern from public safety officials. Lawmakers responded with new laws across the country, passing a $200 fine in Tennessee for blocking emergency vehicles, a South Dakota measure that criminalizes highway protests and tougher trespassing laws in North Dakota and Oklahoma.

The driver immunity proposals have been particularly contentious. Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union, labeled them hit and kill bills that undermine free assembly and embolden extremists by suggesting they have a free pass to drive through protesters.

Bill sponsors have been inundated with criticism on social media following the arrest of James A. Fields Jr. for allegedly ramming his Dodge Challenger through a crowd of counter-protesters in Charlottesville. The attack killed 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injured others who had gathered in the streets to oppose white nationalists, who were protesting the removal of a confederate monument. Scores of critics have bluntly told the lawmakers on Twitter and Facebook that they are complicit in Heyers death.

Bill supporters have rejected that claim and denounced the Charlottesville attack. They note that the wording of their bills would not protect drivers who deliberately target protesters, and any intentional attackers would still face criminal and civil liability.

It is intellectually dishonest and a gross mischaracterization to portray North Carolina House Bill 330 as a protection measure for the act of violence that occurred in Charlottesville this past weekend, that bills sponsors, Reps. Justin Burr and Chris Millis, said in a joint statement.

Burr explained the intent in April as the House voted 67-48 to pass the bill: You shouldnt run out in front of cars on the interstate or the highway and attempt to illegally protest. If you do, it should be at your risk, not at the risk of the liability of those individuals driving down the road.

A North Carolina state senator said Monday there are no plans to advance the measure in that chamber.

In Florida, Sen. George Gainer said the intent of his now-failed bill was to protect only those motorists who unintentionally strike protesters blocking traffic. He denounced the reprehensible actions of the evil person in Virginia.

Texas Rep. Pat Fallon wrote that he had received outrageous hate from critics of the bill he introduced last month, and said the Virginia attack was murder.

The debate over Tennessees bill, which would have shielded drivers exercising due care, showed how the measures have been divisive.

During a March hearing, Democratic Rep. G.A. Hardaway said he worried the law would allow extremists to deliberately attack protesters and then claim it was accidental. He cited social media posts from Trump supporters that suggested the bill would make it legal to run down protesters when the president visited Tennessee.

It was providing them the type of motivation, inspiration to get out there and be violent, he said. Those who seek to harm others, they think this gives them cover.

All Lives Splatter, read one internet meme that showed a car driving over protesters.

The sponsor, Republican Rep. Matthew Hill, said he did not condone such posts, which he dismissed as ignorant or unfunny. He said he simply did not want someone to lose their livelihood, their home, their savings after accidentally hitting a protester they didnt see. A committee rejected his bill.

Critics say it can be hard to know whether a driver striking protesters did so intentionally, citing a January incident at a Nashville protest over Trumps immigration restrictions.

Vanderbilt University graduate student Peter Capretto, 29, said he and three other members of a protest safety team were wearing neon vests and protecting a crosswalk at an intersection when they were struck and carried 200 feet on the hood of an SUV. He recalled screaming for his life until the driver stopped.

He turned into us, hit us at a relatively moderate speed and accelerated while we were on the hood, Capretto said. It was absolutely intentional.

The driver and his wife told police they feared for their lives after protesters surrounded their SUV, claiming protesters jumped on the hood as they tried to drive away. No charges were filed, and the driver hasnt faced legal action.

Capretto, who testified against the Tennessee bill, said the Virginia attack triggered painful memories, and confirmed for me that Republican legislation about driver immunity is emboldening drivers to attack protesters.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Personal Auto Virginia North Carolina Tennessee Politics
A new lawsuit accuses the U.S. government of being too slow to implement rules requiring that rear seat vehicle passengers be warned when they fail to buckle their seat belts.

In a complaint filed on Wednesday, two nonprofits said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has done nothing to implement legislation signed in July 2012 by former President Barack Obama that required the warnings.

The Center for Auto Safety, and Kids and Cars Inc, said nearly 1,000 people are killed annually in the rear seats of U.S. passenger vehicles because they do not buckle up, and proper belt usage would lower the risk of death by 44 percent.

No one disagrees that seat belts save lives, Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, said in a phone interview. We dont think the lives of people in the back seat are worth less than those in the front.

The lawsuit seeks to require NHTSA, part of the Department of Transportation, to start the rulemaking process immediately and within one year implement a final rule, which was supposed to take effect by October 2015.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao was also named as a defendant. Her agency had no immediate comment.

Earlier this month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said 91 percent of adults claim to always buckle up in the front seat, but just 72 percent use seat belts in the back.

The IIHS said one-fourth of the rear seat holdouts believed sitting in the back was safer. Smaller percentages said they did not use belts out of habit, because they forgot, or because they found belts uncomfortable or ill-fitting.

According to NHTSA, 35,092 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2015, the most in seven years, but 13,941 lives were saved by seat belts.

NHTSA also said seat belts saved more than 343,000 lives from 1976 to 2015, and would have saved another 368,000 had everyone worn them.

New Hampshire is the only U.S. state that does not require adults to buckle up.

While not excusing the Obama administration for failing to implement seat belt warnings, Levine said the persistent absence looks like an example of the Trump administration looking to delay rules rather than issue a mandated rule.

The case is Kids and Cars Inc. et al v. Chao et al, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, No. 17-01660.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Tom Brown)

Topics Lawsuits USA Claims
The head of the Florida agency that oversees states highway patrol insists troopers dont have ticket quotas.

Terry Rhodes on Tuesday told Gov. Rick Scott and members of the state Cabinet that her agency is reminding all supervisors that quotas are not allowed. She says the reminder is being added to the highway patrols training materials.

Rhodes, the executive director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, is making the changes after it was reported that a top official with the Florida Highway Patrol told troopers they arent writing enough speeding tickets.

The Tampa Bay Times reported earlier this month that Maj. Mark Welch told troopers under his command via email that the patrol wants to see two citations each hour adding that its not a quota.

He said its what we are asking you to do to support this important initiative.

Under the SOAR  Statewide Overtime Action Response  initiative, troopers can make extra money by working the road.

Welch noted the 5 percent pay raise the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott recently gave troopers, adding it has also increased your overtime rate.

State figures show troopers wrote 934,965 citations in 2014 compared to 749,241 last year.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Florida
A West Virginia citys lawsuit against a drug company has led to a dispute over which is at fault in the opioid epidemic.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported last week that one of the nations largest drug wholesalers is attempting to dilute responsibility for the opioid crisis after Huntington filed a lawsuit against it.

According to its federal court filling, Cardinal Health asserts nearly 2,000 organizations, businesses and medical professionals could potentially be held accountable for the epidemic.

Huntington alleges that prescription painkiller shipments from Cardinal and other distributors helped fuel the problem, which has led to record numbers of fatal overdoses.

A jury may be asked to assign percentages of blame if the case goes to trial, but only named defendants could be held liable and required to pay damages.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Virginia Drugs
A deadly February 2017 industrial gas leak at a sperm bank in Augusta, Ga. was caused by the over-pressurization of a bulk storage tank, according to findings from an investigation by state inspectors released Thursday by Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens.

As a result of the investigation by the Georgia Office of Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner, Hudgens has issued civil penalties against the sperm banks gas supplier Airgas USA totaling $302,500.

The investigation revealed that on Dec. 13, 2016, Airgas USA installed a 3,000-gallon bulk storage tank at Xytex Cryo International for the storing and dispensing of liquid nitrogen. On Dec. 22, a Xytex employee attempted to cool cryogenic freezers with the liquid nitrogen but terminated the action when relief devices began discharging the nitrogen inside the freezer room, according to a report from the commissioners office.

On Jan. 24, an Airgas USA service manager determined that the tank would require recalibration from 30 psi to approximately 20 psi, below the setting of Xytexs cryogenic cooling system. The service manager indicated to Xytex employees that the tanks servicing instruction decal which displayed 30 psi would be updated to reflect the new pressure fill setting.

On Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, a tanker truck from Airgas USA arrived at the Xytex facility delivering liquid nitrogen. The driver connected the discharge hose from the truck to the storage tank and began to fill as instructed by the tanks servicing decal. The system became over-pressurized and started leaking liquid nitrogen gas inside the building.

State inspectors determined that Airgas USA had failed to update the decal to the new pressure fill setting.

This industrial gas leak may have been avoided if the proper servicing decal had been affixed to the bulk storage tank, Hudgens said. Either an employee not following through with the proper procedures or a lack of communication between the two companies led to this tragic event.

Xytex employee Anita Wylds and Richmond County Sheriffs Deputy Sergeant Greg Meagher both responded to an alarm at the facility located at 1100 Emmett Street. Shortly after entering the building

Wylds fell unconscious and was severely injured from exposure to hypothermia hazards. Sergeant Meagher entered the building in search of Wylds but also collapsed moments later. He later died from environmental suffocation.

As a result of the incident at Xytex Cryo International, Hudgens ordered Airgas USA to pay the maximum penalty allowed by Georgia law of $5,000 for failure to report the incident to his office promptly. State inspectors learned of the incident the following day from news reports.

Additionally, Hudgens is ordering Airgas USA to pay civil penalties totaling $297,500 for violation of Georgias Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety Act. State inspectors discovered that in many instances, and over a period of several years, Airgas USA had failed to comply with state law requirements for inspection and reinspection of its bulk storage tanks.

The civil penalties are for the following violations:

$96,500 for failing to have one triennial re-inspection on 193 of its pressure vessels throughout the state since installation.

$201,000 for failing to have two triennial re-inspections on 201 of its pressure vessels throughout the state since installation.

Source: Georgia Office of Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner

Topics Georgia
Brown & Riding has named Mike Boseman chief operating officer.

Boseman is based out of the companys Los Angeles, Calif. headquarters and will be responsible for strategic operations, including client and carrier development, enhancing information technology service offerings, and enforcing the companys service standards and regulatory compliance.

Boseman joined B&Rs casualty division in 2007 before transitioning to property broker. Boseman became vice president of operations in 2015, and senior vice president in 2016.

Brown & Riding is a wholesaler and specialty insurance brokerage.

Topics California
A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a man who died in an ambulance helicopter crash has been thrown out by a judge who said the case must go through Californias workers compensation death benefits program.

The Fresno Bee reported that Kyle Juarezs widow, Brooke Juarez, and their children sued Rogers Helicopters and American Airborne, claiming a lack of maintenance to the helicopter led to the crash.

Kyle Juarez died December 2015 at the age of 37 along with three others when the Skylife helicopter crashed in Kern County. He was a flight and ground paramedic and nine-year veteran of American Ambulance.

The judge said Kyle Juarezs family must go through the workers compensation program because his death occurred while he was working.

Topics Lawsuits California Legislation Workers' Compensation
E stata presentata la stagione 2017/18 del Teatro dellOpera di Roma. Un palinsesto ricco e articolato tra decine di opere, balletti, concerti sinfonici, tournee e molto altro.

La stagione operistica

La stagione operistica 2017-18 del Teatro dellOpera di Roma continua sulle linee guida che hanno segnato gli scorsi anni. Ci sembra  si legge nel sito del teatroTeatro Costanzi, dal nome del suo artefice, dedicato allopera lirica e al balletto e diretto dal 2015 da Eleonora Abbagnato  di essere riusciti a convincere coloro che ci seguono con affetto da molti anni, ma anche ad avvicinare un pubblico nuovo, e specialmente giovanile, allopera, questa forma di spettacolo che arriva da un passato lontano e che ha saputo attraversare epoche e linguaggi diversi, mantenendo una sua specificita. In particolare la rilettura di melodrammi noti, che molti registi hanno saputo elaborare in maniera del tutto nuova, ha suscitato grande favore, insieme a un confronto di opinioni che testimonia la viva partecipazione del nostro pubblico, si legge nel sito. Questa rilettura dei capolavori sette-ottocenteschi e stata accostata a titoli del Novecento e anche contemporanei: unapertura al nuovo che ritornera nei prossimi mesi.

Proponiamo questanno al nostro pubblico 10 produzioni dopera (di cui 7 nuovi allestimenti) per 78 recite, 6 spettacoli di balletto (di cui un nuovo allestimento) per 46 recite e 4 concerti sinfonici. Se a questi numeri aggiungiamo la stagione di Caracalla 2018 per la quale prevediamo tre titoli per 25 recite, si superano le 150 recite. Queste cifre confermano dunque la crescita del Teatro, in linea con gli aumenti gia registrati nelle ultime stagioni.

La damnation de Faust

La prima opera in scena per la stagione 2017-18 manca dal Teatro dellOpera di Roma da piu di sessantanni: La damnation de Faust di Hector Berlioz, eseguita lultima volta nel 1955 diretta da Franco Capuana, torna (6 recite dal 12 al 23 dicembre 2017) in un nuovo allestimento, in coproduzione con il Regio di Torino e il Palau de Les Arts di Valencia. Il mito del Faust raccontato da Goethe acquista nuove tinte in questa versione, non a caso ideata dal compositore francese piu vicino al clima romantico tedesco. Lopera vedra impegnati il direttore Daniele Gatti e il regista Damiano Michieletto. Tornano cosi due artisti che hanno avuto grande successo nella scorsa stagione, il primo con il Tristan und Isolde inaugurale, il secondo con un intelligente, personalissimo allestimento de Il viaggio a Reims di Rossini. Le scene saranno di Paolo Fantin, i costumi di Carla Teti, le luci di Alessandro Carletti. Tra gli interpreti Pavel Cernoh, Alex Esposito, Veronica Simeoni e Goran Juric.

I masnadieri di Verdi

Molto rara, e anchessa con ascendenze tedesche e romantiche, e la seconda opera in cartellone. Solo unaltra volta (nel lontano 1972, diretta da Gavazzeni con la regia di Missiroli) I masnadieri di Verdi, su un libretto tratto da Schiller, erano approdati al Costanzi. Ritornano in un nuovo allestimento (6 recite dal 21 gennaio al 4 febbraio 2018), diretti da Roberto Abbado, ormai di casa al nostro Teatro, e con Massimo Popolizio che debutta cosi nella regia dopera. Riccardo Zanellato, Stefano Secco (che si alterna con Andeka Gorrotxategi) Artur Rucinski e Roberta Mantegna interpretano questo lavoro dalle forti tinte drammatiche, di rara esecuzione. Motivo di particolare interesse sta anche nel fatto che si tratta della prima opera con cui un Verdi trentaquattrenne debutto allestero, per giunta sullimportante piazza di Londra, nel 1847.

La sonnambula di Vincenzo Bellini

La sonnambula di Vincenzo Bellini (6 recite dal 18 febbraio al 3 marzo) vede il ritorno sul podio di Speranza Scappucci, dopo il successo ottenuto col Cosi fan tutte nel gennaio scorso, e la regia di Giorgio Barberio Corsetti, regista gia ben noto al pubblico dellopera. Anche questo un nuovo allestimento, in coproduzione con il Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, e con il ritorno di una regina di questo repertorio, Jessica Pratt, protagonista lo scorso anno della Linda di Chamounix; con lei si alternera Jessica Nuccio; il ruolo del Conte Rodolfo sara interpretato da Riccardo Zanellato e Dario Russo, quello di Teresa da Reut Ventorero e Juan Francisco Gatell sara Elvino.

Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci di Rizzi

Il dittico Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci (5 recite dal 5 al 15 aprile) e un appuntamento sempre atteso dagli amanti dellopera. Viene proposto diretto da Carlo Rizzi, in un nuovo allestimento, in coproduzione con il San Carlo di Napoli, molto atteso anche per la regia di Pippo Delbono, al debutto allOpera di Roma. In Cavalleria rusticana canteranno Anita Rachvelishvili (Santuzza), Martina Belli (Lola), e Alfred Kim (Turiddu); George Gagnidze e Gevorg Hakobyan si alterneranno come Alfio e Anna Malavasi sara Lucia. In Pagliacci Fabio Sartori e Diego Cavazzin canteranno il ruolo di Canio, Carmela Remigio sara Nedda, George Gagnidze e Gevorg Hakobyan interpreteranno la parte di Tonio.

Billy Budd di Benjamin Britten

Un grande capolavoro del Novecento Billy Budd di Benjamin Britten viene presentato per la prima volta a Roma (5 recite dall8 al 15 maggio). James Conlon dirigera il nuovo allestimento (una coproduzione col Teatro Real di Madrid, lOpera National di Parigi e la Finnish National Opera) mentre lambigua, inquietante vicenda del marinaio narrata da Herman Melville sara raccontata dalla regia coinvolgente di Deborah Warner, una delle piu quotate registe di opera di oggi. Jacques Imbrailo sara nel ruolo del titolo, Toby Spence il Capitano Vere, John Relya sara Claggart.

La boheme pucciniana

La stagione ripropone anche un titolo pucciniano molto amato dal pubblico, in un nuovo allestimento coprodotto con il Regio di Torino. La boheme (11 recite dal 13 al 24 giugno) sara diretta da Henrik Nanasi (con cui si alternera Pietro Rizzo) e avra la regia di Alex Olle (La Fura dels Baus). Anita Hartig, Victoria Yeo e Roberta Mantegna si alterneranno nel ruolo di Mimi, Giorgio Berrugi e Ivan Ayon-Rivas in quello di Rodolfo, Olga Kukchynska e Valentina Nafornita saranno Musetta, nella parte di Marcello canteranno Massimo Cavalletti e Alessandro Luongo. Anche a questa, come alla precedente produzione, prendera parte la Scuola di Canto Corale del Teatro dellOpera di Roma diretta dal maestro Jose Maria Sciutto.

Mozart

E poi due capolavori di Mozart. Barrie Kosky e Suzanne Andrade firmano a quattro mani lallestimento di Die Zauberflote della Komische Oper di Berlino, con la direzione di Henrik Nanasi (8 recite dal 9 al 17 ottobre). Uno spettacolo strabiliante, che include parti di film danimazione ed e reduce da un grandissimo successo in tutto il mondo, dagli USA a Edimburgo a Pechino. Tra gli interpreti Amanda Forsythe e Kiandra Howarth come Pamina; Ben Bliss e Giulio Pelligra come Tamino. Christina Poulitsti e Olga Pudova canteranno il ruolo della Regina della Notte, Sarastro sara interpretato da Antonio Di Matteo e Gianluca Buratto, Papageno da Alessio Arduini e Joan Martin-Royo e Monostatos da Andrea Giovannini.

Le nozze di Figaro

Molto attesa e anche la seconda lettura della trilogia Mozart/da Ponte proposta da Graham Vick dopo il Cosi fan tutte dello scorso inverno. Le nozze di Figaro (10 recite dal 30 ottobre all11 novembre) in questo nuovo allestimento saranno dirette da Stefano Montanari, reduce dal recentissimo successo del Viaggio a Reims. Insieme, direttore e regista riusciranno certamente a dare tutto il brio necessario alla folle giornata del piu musicato dei barbieri!

Nella parte del Conte di Almaviva sentiremo Andrey Zhilikhovsky e Alessandro Luongo, Federica Lombardi e Valentina Varriale in quello della Contessa. I due sposi promessi saranno Elena Sancho Pereg e Benedetta Torre (Susanna) e Vito Priante e Simone Del Savio (Figaro). Miriam Albano e Reut Ventorero canteranno nel ruolo di Cherubino. Paolo Bordogna sara Don Bartolo, Matteo Falcier Don Basilio, Angela Nisi Barbarina.

La traviata e la Tosca

La nuova stagione vedra anche la ripresa di due allestimenti del Teatro, che hanno ottenuto grande successo. Torna cosi La traviata (5 recite dal 24 febbraio al 4 marzo) con la regia di Sofia Coppola, i costumi di Valentino, Maria Grazia Chiuri e Pierpaolo Piccioli, e le scene di Nathan Crowley. Protagonista sara Maria Grazia Schiavo, insieme con lei Antonio Poli (Alfredo), Stefano Antonucci (Giorgio Germont) e Anna Malavasi (Flora).

E sara riproposta anche Tosca, nellallestimento con la regia di Alessandro Talevi sulle scene e i costumi originali di Adolf Hohenstein ricostruiti rispettivamente da Carlo Savi e da Anna Biagiotti. Lopera sara diretta da Jordi Bernacer (5 recite dal 7 al 17 aprile) e poi ripresa, con la direzione di Stefano Ranzani (4 recite dal 15 al 18 novembre). Tra gli interpreti principali si alterneranno Monica Zanettin e Virginia Tola nel ruolo della protagonista, Stefano La Colla che si alterna con Andeka Gorrotxategi e Diego Cavazzin come Mario, mentre Fabian Veloz sara il barone Scarpia.

Tutti i titoli vedranno protagonista la nostra Orchestra (peraltro impegnata anche in quattro concerti sinfonici) e, laddove la partitura lo richiede, il Coro del Teatro dellOpera di Roma diretto dal maestro Roberto Gabbiani: due compagini che sono la prima garanzia di qualita delle nostre produzioni.

La stagione di balletto

Una sorprendente prima mondiale, unavvincente storia damore e un eccitante trittico contemporaneo per la prima volta in scena al Teatro Costanzi, una memorabile serata tutta francese e due straordinarie riprese, tracciano la nuova stagione di balletto 2017-18 del Teatro dellOpera di Roma con letoile, i Primi Ballerini, i Solisti e il Corpo di Ballo diretti da Eleonora Abbagnato.

Lintera stagione 2017-18 del Teatro dellOpera di Roma sinaugura con un balletto in prima mondiale, mercoledi 15 novembre al Teatro Costanzi.

Don Chisciotte

Si comincia infatti con Don Chisciotte  balletto in tre atti tratto dal romanzo di Miguel De Cervantes, Don Chisciotte della Mancia  nel nuovo allestimento della Fondazione lirico-sinfonica della Capitale con la coreografia di Laurent Hilaire, ispirata alla versione originale per LAmerican Ballet Theatre di Mikhail Baryshnikov, da Marius Petipa e Alexander Gorsky, su musica di Ludwig Minkus.

Si tratta di un evento unico enfatizzato dalla presenza di due grandi protagonisti della storia mondiale del balletto, letoile Laurent Hilaire attualmente Direttore Artistico dello Stanislavsky Ballet e il mito vivente Mikhail Baryshnikov.

La coreografia del francese Hilaire dal punto di vista dellazione sara molto teatrale e cinematografica e, pur rimanendo fedele a quella di Baryshnikov  che fu presentata per la prima volta il 28 marzo 1978 al Kennedy Center Opera House di Washington e danzata dalle maggiori compagnie internazionali, tra cui, nel 1993, il Royal Ballet di Londra  intende aggiungere delle danze che rimandano alla struttura originaria di Petipa. Tutta questa tradizione ballettistica e ora nelle mani del maestro coreografo Hilaire che intende realizzare un balletto narrativo e ludico, realista e vivace, rendendo la tradizione e la pantomima accessibili al grande pubblico.

Gli straordinari Iana Salenko principal dancer dello Staatsballett, Isaac Hernandez principal dancer dellEnglish National Ballet e Angelo Greco principal dancer del San Francisco Ballet, sono gli ospiti deccezione che, insieme ai Primi Ballerini, i Solisti e il Corpo di Ballo del Teatro dellOpera di Roma, restituiranno con la loro bravura e interpretazione tutta la briosita di questo balletto, sostenuta, in questa versione, da una scena pop art originale di grande impatto e una varieta di costumi dal sapore fumettistico, entrambi del Maestro Vladimir Radunsky. Le luci sono di A. J. Weissbard. Alla direzione dellOrchestra del Teatro dellOpera di Roma il Maestro David Garforth. Otto le repliche fino a giovedi 23 novembre 2017.

Lo schiaccianoci

La stagione continua domenica 31 dicembre con la ripresa del balletto Lo schiaccianoci di Giuliano Peparini che al suo debutto, nel dicembre 2015, raccolse il consenso di pubblico e critica, registro incassi da record diventando subito un successo senza precedenti per la stagione di balletto del Teatro dellOpera di Roma. Il coreografo e regista romano, dallimportante carriera internazionale, torna al Teatro Costanzi con la sua visione della societa, per parlare in maniera diretta al pubblico di tutte le generazioni e rendere questa storia cult del periodo natalizio un appuntamento imperdibile e unesperienza avvolgente. I protagonisti di questo balletto in due atti, tratto da un racconto di E.T.A. Hoffmann su adattamento dello stesso Peparini e musica di Petr Ilic Cajkovskij, sono i Primi Ballerini Rebecca Bianchi e Claudio Cocino con i Solisti e il Corpo di Ballo del Teatro dellOpera di Roma. Balleranno in unatmosfera da sogno, tra giochi di luce, straordinarie proiezioni e magiche illusioni realizzate da una squadra di eccellenti professionisti: Lucia DAngelo e Cristina Querzola (scene), Frederic Olivier (costumi), Gilles Papain (video grafica), Jean-Michel Desire (luci). Dirige lOrchestra del Teatro dellOpera di Roma il Maestro Alexei Baklan. Sette le repliche fino a domenica 7 gennaio 2018.

Soiree Francaise

Il terzo appuntamento e domenica 28 gennaio con la Soiree Francaise, un doppio programma che vede protagonisti due icone del panorama ballettistico francese e mondiale: Serge Lifar con Suite en blanc (1943) e Roland Petit con Pink Floyd Ballet (1972).

Serge Lifar (1905-1986), ballerino e coreografo ucraino, scrittore e illustratore di diversi libri sulla danza, inizia la sua carriera in seno ai Ballets Russes dove Diaghilev gli concede lopportunita di realizzare la sua prima coreografia, Renard. E il 1929, anno in cui balla e crea allOpera di Parigi Les creatures de Promethee. LOpera di Parigi diventa per lui un punto di riferimento: e qui primo ballerino, Maitre de Ballet e fervido rinnovatore. Attivo su piu fronti, svolge un ruolo fondamentale nellevoluzione della danza e nellattrarre un pubblico sempre piu numeroso a teatro. Nella tradizione francese dopo Lifar, il rinnovamento passa attraverso unaltra figura chiave, il geniale Roland Petit (1924  2011). Entrambi legati allOpera di Parigi, entrambi instancabili creatori di nuove coreografie, entrambi affascinati dallicona della danza francese e internazionale Yvette Chauvire, alla quale il Teatro dellOpera di Roma con questo programma francese vuole dedicare un omaggio in bianco, luminoso come la sua danza sublime. Per la premiere sara letoile Eleonora Abbagnato a ballare lAdage di Suite en blanc per ricordare la stella delle stelle.

La poesia di Suite en blanc, uno dei pochi balletti non narrativi di Lifar, apre la serata, la tecnica, il carattere e la fisicita di Pink Floyd Ballet la chiudono. Due protagonisti di spicco della scena internazionale sono invitati dal Teatro dellOpera di Roma a riallestire questi due capolavori: Claude Bessy il primo e Luigi Bonino il secondo. La musica di Edouard Lalo e eseguita dallOrchestra del Teatro dellOpera di Roma, diretta dal Maestro Carlo Donadio. Le musiche dei Pink Floyd per Pink Floyd Ballet sono su base registrata. Quattro le repliche fino a sabato 3 febbraio 2018, alle quali si aggiunge lanteprima giovani di venerdi 26 gennaio 2018.

Kylian/Forsythe/Inge

Il quarto appuntamento e giovedi 15 marzo con il trittico contemporaneo Kylian/Forsythe/Inger. Tre eccellenti coreografi della scena mondiale si trovano riuniti in un appuntamento che esplora gli orizzonti del balletto contemporaneo attraverso tre titoli mai presentati prima al Teatro Costanzi. Tre coreografi molto diversi, tre opere dal piglio diametralmente opposto, tre linguaggi unici fanno di questa serata unoccasione straordinaria per apprezzare laltra danza di qualita e tracciare una linea sottile che lega i tre che hanno operato, con ruoli diversi, nellambito del Nederlands Dans Theater, tempio europeo della danza neoclassica deccellenza. La serata si apre con il famoso pezzo Petite Mort (1991) di Jiri Kylian. Sulle note di Mozart il coreografo praghese, olandese dadozione, celebra la coppia e il suo ideale di bellezza che vuole le donne delicate e forti, gli uomini atletici e attraenti. Sei coppie in scena, con grandi gonne e spade, simboleggiano leros che sottende a tutto il balletto a partire gia dal titolo che in francese rimanda allorgasmo. Il Bolero di Ravel armonizza e spinge la danza di Walking Mad (2001) di Johan Inger  coreografo svedese anchegli olandese dadozione  alla liberazione sfrenata del movimento in un crescendo di grande attrazione fisica. Il pezzo nasce per il Nederlands Dans Theater e riscuote subito un grande successo di pubblico, incontrando i consensi della critica. Riceve il Lucas Hoving Production Award (2001) e il Premio Danza&Danza (2005). Chiude la serata Artifact Suite di William Forsythe. Artifact Suite e la versione ridotta di Artifact, primo balletto a serata intera che Forsythe creo nel 1984 per il Frankfurt Ballet. Il coreografo espone qui le sue teorie sullillusione della percezione, la decostruzione, la rottura degli equilibri e la proiezione dei corpi. Il soggetto del balletto e la danza classica stessa, la sua storia. Artifact Suite e un balletto in due parti. Nella prima parte, sulla famosa Ciaccona BWV 1004 di J. S. Bach, due coppie principali si alternano in anellamenti coreografici di stupefacente bellezza; nella seconda, su musica di Eva Crossmann-Hecht, tutto il corpo di ballo si misura con complessi movimenti accademici messi in relazione tra di loro. La musica dei tre titoli e su base registrata. Sei le repliche fino a mercoledi 21 marzo 2018, alle quali si aggiunge lanteprima giovani di mercoledi 14 marzo 2018.

Manon

Il quinto appuntamento e venerdi 25 maggio con letoile de lOpera di Parigi e Direttrice del Corpo di Ballo del Teatro dellOpera di Roma Eleonora Abbagnato in Manon, balletto in tre atti dello scozzese Kenneth MacMillan (1929-1992), tratto dal romanzo dellAbate Prevost, LHistoire du Chevalier Des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut.

Per la prima volta al Teatro Costanzi, Manon di MacMillan, nellallestimento dello Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre su musiche di Jules Massenet, narra la tormentata storia della bellissima Manon che, divisa tra il desiderio di emanciparsi dalla sua poverta e lamore per lo studente Des Grieux, commette una serie di azioni vili e ingannatrici fino a trovare la morte. Il personaggio di Manon richiede una bellezza magnetica e un grande talento interpretativo; e un ruolo carismatico che illumina tutti gli altri personaggi, da Des Grieux a Monsieur GM. Per questo motivo letoile Eleonora Abbagnato e affiancata da Friedemann Vogel, principal dancer dello Stuttgart Ballet e dalletoile Benjamin Pech, assistente alla Direzione del Ballo al Teatro Costanzi dal 2016.

Il balletto viene creato da MacMillan nel 1974 ed e il secondo durante la sua direzione artistica del Royal Ballet. Nel repertorio della Royal Opera House erano gia presenti gli adattamenti in opera di Giacomo Puccini e di Jules Massenet. MacMillan, desideroso di creare unarmonizzazione totale tra la narrazione e la musica, sceglie quello di Massenet, meno conosciuto, e lo affida a Leighton Lucas chiedendogli di orchestrare una selezione di musiche provenienti da ouvertures, balletti, musiche di scena per spettacoli teatrali, opere e oratori. Nel 2011 Martin Yates realizza una nuova orchestrazione, quella che sara eseguita dallOrchestra del Teatro dellOpera di Roma e diretta dallo stesso Yates. Le scene e i costumi sono di Nicholas Georgiadis. Cinque le repliche fino a giovedi 31 maggio 2018, alle quali si aggiunge lanteprima giovani di giovedi 24 maggio 2018.

La bella addormentata

Il sesto e ultimo appuntamento e sabato 15 settembre con la ripresa de La bella addormentata di Jean-Guillaume Bart con Iana Salenko nel ruolo di Aurora.

Nel corso del 2017 la versione del francese Bart  molto raffinata ed elegante, con le magnifiche scenografie e i preziosi costumi del Maestro Aldo Buti  e stata ben accolta dalla critica e molto amata dal pubblico del Costanzi e del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, dove il Balletto del Teatro dellOpera di Roma ha danzato lo scorso maggio riscuotendo un notevole successo. Si tratta di un titolo fondamentale per una stagione di balletto che si fonda, per la sua quasi interezza, sul repertorio classico.

La bella addormentata e, per cronologia, il secondo dei tre balletti di Petr Ilic Cajkovskij. La prima rappresentazione fu al Teatro Mariinsky di San Pietroburgo nel gennaio 1890.

Nel maggio 1888 Cajkovskij ricevette dal direttore dei Teatri Imperiali di San Pietroburgo, Ivan Vsevolozskij, lincarico di comporre un balletto ispirato alla favola di Charles Perrault La belle au bois dormant. La coreografia fu affidata a Marius Petipa, co-autore del libretto insieme a Vsevolozskij. Jean-Guillaume Bart ha lavorato a questo titolo concentrando la sua attenzione sulla coerenza drammaturgica. Ha ascoltato la partitura musicale con altro approccio rispetto a quello di Petipa e lha utilizzata nella sua interezza per dare una maggiore unita teatrale allopera coreografica. In questa sua versione il Corpo di Ballo non e unimmagine sullo sfondo, ma e protagonista cosi come lo e il principe Desire al quale e dato molto piu spazio danzato. Nel riallestimento Bart e affiancato da Patricia Ruanne che per questa stagione 2017-18 e anche coreografo assistente, insieme a Gillian Whittingham, per laltro grande classico dapertura, Don Chisciotte. Dirige lOrchestra del Teatro dellOpera di Roma il Maestro Nicholas Brochot. Sette le repliche fino a domenica 23 settembre 2018.

La stagione di balletto 2017-18 del Teatro dellOpera di Roma conta in totale sei titoli ai quali si aggiunge una data in Francia il prossimo 10 dicembre 2018 a Cannes al Palais des Festivals  Grand Auditorium con Soiree Roland Petit.

I concerti sinfonici

Limpegno nel repertorio sinfonico non solo amplia lattivita di unorchestra dedita con eccellenti risultati alla lirica, ma da anche ai nostri professori loccasione di sfide nuove, con direttori che spesso vengono da esperienze diverse. Nei concerti sinfonici lorchestra, esposta alla vista del pubblico, diventa la star della serata e i singoli strumentisti hanno non di rado un ruolo protagonista.

Anche questanno quattro concerti sinfonici vedranno impegnata lOrchestra del Teatro, con una particolare attenzione al repertorio novecentesco e contemporaneo.

Il 22 dicembre 2017 Maxime Pascal in un programma aperto dalle Danze dallopera Powder her Face di Ades e da Rendering di Berio, dirigera La voix humaine di Poulenc con la voce di Anna Caterina Antonacci.

Dennis Russell Davies sara sul podio l11 gennaio 2018 per la Sesta sinfonia di Bruckner preceduta dal Tirol Concerto di Philip Glass interpretato da Maki Namekawa al pianoforte.

Due brani di Mussorgskij molto amati dal pubblico, Una notte sul monte Calvo e Quadri da unesposizione (nella trascrizione di Ravel), saranno diretti da Constantinos Carydis il 23 marzo, in un concerto che si aprira con le Quattro immagini del compositore greco Nikos Skalkottas.

Lultimo concerto, diretto da Lothar Koenigs il 17 maggio, vedra in programma due pagine di Schonberg: la sua trascrizione per orchestra del Quartetto in sol minore di Brahms e il monodramma Erwartung con la voce di Rachel Nicholls, che il pubblico ha apprezzato come Isotta nella scorsa inaugurazione.

Le tournee

Portare in tournee gli allestimenti del nostro Teatro non e soltanto loccasione di far conoscere in altri Stati il Teatro dellOpera di Roma. Le rappresentazioni allestero, in Paesi che da tempo sono appassionati alla nostra cultura e in altri che da poco si aprono ad essa, testimoniano anche della stima che i nostri allestimenti riscuotono da parte delle direzioni di molte altre istituzioni rivolte allopera lirica, un brand italiano che sempre piu successo va riscuotendo allestero. Per questi motivi ci aspettiamo grandi soddisfazioni dalle tournee che attendono i complessi del Teatro nella prossima stagione.

A Cannes, al Palais des Festivals, domenica 10 dicembre 2017, primi ballerini, solisti e corpo di Ballo del Teatro dellOpera di Roma saranno interpreti della Soiree Roland Petit, un omaggio al grande coreografo francese del quale proporranno tre capolavori sotto la supervisione di Lugi Bonino e con le luci di Jean-Michel Desire. Nel primo, La rose malade su musica di Gustav Mahler e con i costumi di Yves Saint Laurent, danzera anche Eleonora Abbagnato, direttore del Corpo di Ballo. Secondo titolo sara LArlesienne, su musiche di Georges Bizet, scene di Rene Allio e costumi di Christine Laurent e per finire Carmen, sempre su musiche di Bizet e con scene e costumi di Antoni Clave; questultimo balletto vedra la partecipazione di Natalya Kusch.

A Muscat, capitale del Sultanato dellOman, giovedi 15 e sabato 17 marzo 2018, andra in scena Pagliacci, lopera di Ruggero Leoncavallo, diretta da Paolo Olmi con regia e scene di Franco Zeffirelli; costumi di Raimonda Gaetani e luci di Agostino Angelini. Tra gli interpreti Jose Cura, Davinia Rodriguez e Marco Vratogna.

Due opere saranno allestite in settembre a Tokyo. Il 9 , 12 e 15 settembre 2018 La traviata di Giuseppe Verdi, diretta da Jader Bignamini con la regia di Sofia Coppola, i costumi di Valentino, Maria Grazia Chiuri e Pierpaolo Piccioli e le scene di Nathan Crowley. Tra gli interpreti Francesca Dotto, Antonio Poli, Leo Nucci e Anna Malavasi. Il 16, 20 e 22 settembre 2018 sara in scena Manon Lescaut di Giacomo Puccini, diretta da Donato Renzetti, con la regia di Chiara Muti, le scene di Carlo Centolavigna e i costumi di Alessandro Lai. Tra gli interpreti Kristine Opolais, Gregory Kunde e Maurizio Muraro.

Gli altri appuntamenti

Proseguiranno le Lezioni di Opera tenute da Giovanni Bietti che, oltre a un pubblico fisso di appassionati, raccolgono sempre nuovi ascoltatori di ogni eta che vogliono apprezzare meglio le particolarita del linguaggio musicale. Saranno guidati con una terminologia semplice e accessibile, e non per questo superficiale, che permette di ricostruire ogni volta gli elementi specifici di ogni produzione operistica.

Anche il balletto, come lopera, presenta un ciclo di incontri su alcuni titoli in programma con il progetto I coreografi, i ballerini e noi: tre appuntamenti per introdurre il grande pubblico nel mondo dei coreografi e dei protagonisti di questa stagione. Gli incontri, condotti dalla saggista e critico di danza Leonetta Bentivoglio, propongono un approccio informale ai balletti, attraverso brevi conversazioni con i coreografi ospiti, ritratti monografici, proiezioni video ed estratti di danze con i Primi Ballerini e i Solisti del Teatro dellOpera di Roma.

Continuera nella stagione 2017-18 anche lattivita di Fabbrica  Young Artist Program che ha permesso agli artisti prescelti di collaborare gia a molte produzioni del Teatro e di vivere dallinterno il modo in cui si mette in scena un melodramma. I giovani talenti inseriti nel progetto hanno anche modo di perfezionarsi sotto la guida dei vari artisti che realizzano gli spettacoli della stagione e anche di mettersi alla prova in lavori autonomi.

Se in generale e stato rilevato nella scorsa stagione un aumento del numero di spettatori, e stata di particolare soddisfazione la presenza nutrita di giovani (e anche giovanissimi!) nel nostro Teatro. A loro abbiamo dedicato due particolari iniziative che proseguiranno nella prossima stagione. Con lo slogan Vietato ai maggiori di 26 anni, alle prove generali potranno accedere coloro che non hanno ancora compiuto i 26 anni pagando solo 15 euro. Inoltre con liniziativa Last minute per alcune serate (a discrezione della Direzione) e prevista la riduzione del 25% sul prezzo dei biglietti in vendita, a partire da unora prima dellinizio dello spettacolo.

Sara ripreso anche il progetto OperaCamion, con una nuova opera che girera per le piazze di Roma e del Lazio sul camion, ormai famoso, appositamente attrezzato per contenere le scene e i cantanti.. Si trattera come sempre di una scelta essenziale, ma di grande qualita, di uno spettacolo dopera che raggiungera gratuitamente un grandissimo numero di spettatori. La parte strumentale del lopera sara curata ancora una volta dalla nostra Youth Orchestra. Si tratta di una nuova realta giovanile istituita dal Dipartimento Didattica e Formazione del Teatro dellOpera di Roma e formata da oltre cento musicisti, che ha gia al suo attivo un ricco curriculum di attivita.

Non manchera neanche il prossimo anno lattenzione per i giovanissimi: a loro non e solo dedicata la Scuola di Canto Corale del Teatro dellOpera ma anche il progetto Canta con me!, che ha anche terminato il suo primo percorso il 29 maggio con un grande concerto al Teatro Costanzi cui hanno preso parte con grande entusiasmo circa quattrocento bambini di quattro scuole delle periferie romane. Anche questa uniniziativa non secondaria del Teatro dellOpera, rivolta agli spettatori del futuro e che intendiamo proseguire anche nella prossima stagione.

La Scuola di Danza del Teatro dellOpera di Roma e i suoi giovani talenti sono anchessi al centro delle nostre attenzioni. Oltre ai consueti appuntamenti annuali con la Lezione Aperta e Il Saggio Spettacolo di fine anno, gli allievi partecipano ad alcuni balletti in programma nella Stagione 2017-18. La Scuola per la sua finalita e da sempre impegnata, attraverso una mirata selezione, a preparare bambini, adolescenti e giovani che intendono avviarsi alla professione del danzatore, con ammissioni annue di bambini provenienti da ogni parte dItalia e non solo.
Relations between the two countries drew closer in the wake of Tehrans support for the autocratic Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the wake of a coup attempt. But tensions quickly resurfaced as a result of divergent interests related to the Syrian Civil War. Iran has been a steadfast supporter of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and has been credited with saving the existing government from the brink of overthrow in the early days of the more than six year war. Turkey, meanwhile, supports rebel groups that, although predominantly Sunni, are regarded as moderate and as having no affiliation with the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Numerous international reports are describing ISIL as being on the brink of defeat in both Syria and Iraq, and this fact has raised various crucial questions about the future prospects for those regions, where foreign powers including the Islamic Republic have established a foothold through local allies. In the case of Iran, many of those local allies have explicitly sworn allegiance to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, sometimes over and above local authorities. This makes countering Iranian influence a particularly important priority for some other stakeholders, but Turkeys prospective role in this is less clear than that of longstanding Iranian adversaries like the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Baqeris visit to Ankara comprises three days of talks, which were expected to focus on the future of Syrias Idlib Province, which is essentially the last major stronghold of rebel forces. The area may be crucial to Iranian plans for creating a transit and supply corridor running between Tehran and its allies in Lebanon, near the Mediterranean coast. It remains to be seen whether Turkey can be convinced that Tehrans interests in the region might overlap with its own. But in any event, the Baqeri visit seems to be a clear example of the Islamic Republic striving to further expand its regional influence in the wake of ISILs collapse.

It is not just foreign powers that are committed to preventing that expansion. Local political forces within Syria and especially Iraq have clearly taken the same position, and some have begun to pursue cooperation with those foreign stakeholders, even overlooking established differences to do so. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that the Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr had met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the end of July, despite the two mens sectarian differences and the stark contrast between their past relations with the United States. The reason for this unlikely coming-together was mutual concern over the possibility of a long-term Iranian foothold within Iraqi government and society.

Sadr proceeded from Saudi Arabia to a similar meeting with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, who has also taken an assertive line against Tehran, according to Reuters. The same report notes that the Iraqi cooperation with fellow Arab powers does not end with Sadr but also includes cooperation between Iraqi lawmakers and Saudi officials regarding the reopening of the border between the two countries, the expansion of flights across that border, and the development of joint energy policies.

Reuters indicates that the issue of pushing back against Iran and specifically the issue of dismantling the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces were expected to be major issues in the Iraqi national elections that are scheduled for September. However, the given report is doubtful about the prospects for success in this endeavor, largely because Tehran has so far maintained a much more comprehensive strategy than Saudi Arabia for expanding influence among Iraqi allies. This strategy includes not just money but also intelligence-sharing, diplomatic support, and the enforcement of consequences for those who step away from prior loyalties.

The New York Times expressed similar doubts on Tuesday in a report that asked the question, Can anyone stop Iran from taking over Iraq? The report elaborated upon these doubts by saying that although the vast majority of Iraqs political factions seem to be opposed to sustained Iranian influence, they are so deeply divided over other issues that it is unlikely they will be able to afford an effective coalition after the September elections. The Times suggests that this betrays a weakness that the Islamic Republic will exploit.

As it stands, the Times reports that the wind-down of the war against ISIL is only deepening Iranian influence, while local proxies are digging in their heels and refusing to vacate the public sphere after that war is concluded. The report points out: Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a paramilitary commander who is considered one of Irans closest Iraqi allies, declared on July 4 that the Popular Mobilization Forces will not go away, even if the government orders them to dissolve.

This intransigence raises issues that go beyond the Iranian challenge to the local interests of adversaries in the West and the broader Middle East. It has the potential to also amplify human rights crises that have drawn international attention during the war against ISIL. Human rights organizations and critics of the Iranian regime like the National Council of Resistance of Iran have accused Iran-backed militants of human rights abuses rivaling those committed by ISIL. Whats more, the United Nations has confirmed that the militant groups making up the Popular Mobilization Forces have broken international laws, including laws regarding the recruitment of child soldiers.

The Tower issued a report on this topic on Wednesday, picking up on original research by the Kurdish news outlet Rudaw, which determined that at least 100 PMF recruits who were under the age of 18 completed military training in Bashir village so far this year, in addition to at least 180 last year. The report added that the UN verified in April of last year that 12 such minor recruits were killed in combat. Additionally, Human Rights Watch reported child soldiers to be prevalent in a number of armed organizations including the PMF. Although this coalition of militant groups has been formally legitimized by the Iraqi parliament, its ideological statements have been shown to include explicit praise for teenaged martyrs.

This, of course, poses a particular challenge to any Iraqi politicians who continue to stand behind Iran-backed groups. It may also add fuel to international efforts to push back against Iranian influence, but it is still not a foregone conclusion that these efforts will be successful in the wake of years of entrenchment by Iranian operatives and proxies in Iraq and other areas of the Middle East.
Update August 22, 7.58am: Craig Boylan has been found safe and well.

Earlier: Gardai are looking for assistance in tracing a missing 16-year-old boy.

Craig Boylan from Geashill, Co Offaly has been missing since Wednesday.

Craig is described as 5 ft 10, of medium build with short red hair and blue eyes.

When last seen he was wearing a black jacket and grey tracksuit bottoms.

Gardai believe Craig may be in the Ballymun or Blanchardstown areas of Dublin.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Portlaoise Garda Station on 057 8674100.
An investigation is underway after a woman was found dead in a disabled toilet at Galway University Hospital.

It is believed she may have remained undiscovered in the locked toilet for up to 10 hours over the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
Boss of Dublin-based IT security firm Ward Solutions, Pat Larkin said failure to take cybersecurity breaches seriously was costing some firms hundreds of thousands of euro in the short term following a breach.

He said it was also having an impact in the medium to long term with share prices dropping and not recovering because of investor concerns over security.

Mr Larkin was speaking in the wake of the worlds biggest shipping company admitting it faces a $300m (255m) bill following an online breach in June.

Danish shipping group Moller Maersk said it expected a $200m to $300m bill from a cyber attack that disrupted its container shipping operations for weeks.

The attack contributed to Mollers $264m loss in the second quarter, highlighting the toll on corporate earnings of a June 27 malware attack.

Cyence, which helps insurers measure cyber risk, said economic costs from the attack would total $850m.

Mr Larkin said cybercrime was now more lucrative than the global drugs trade.

Cybercrime is now bigger than the drugs trade and firms have to get serious about it. Information security is a continuous journey.

Europol, the EU-wide intelligence network, has warned the global impact of cybercrime has risen to $3 trillion, making it more profitable than the global trade in marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined.

A recent survey by British IT research firm Juniper said criminal data breaches will cost businesses a total of $8 trillion over the next five years, due to higher levels of Internet connectivity and inadequate enterprise-wide security. It found that SMEs are particularly at risk from cyberattacks .

Juniper forecasts that the number of personal data records stolen by cybercriminals will reach 2.8 billion in 2017, almost doubling to five billion in 2020.

Mr Larkin said boardrooms had to get more informed about the risks of cyber breaches.

We are starting to see a much more serious approach thankfully. Historically, information security and risk has been seen as merely an IT department problem. It never really surfaced at executive level. However, the amount of time we are spending at executive briefings is up around 500% in the past three years, he said.

Mr Larkin said the damage that could be done from a perception point of view was damaging enough, but that the long-term effects also had to be considered.

Whether it is malware or a data breach, the bad PR alone is enough to cause damage. Companies and executives are beginning to understand that. However, it can also have a major impact on a share price post-breach. You see 2-3% being knocked off in the medium term. The ongoing damage is very measurable, he said.

Mr Larkin said executives and their IT departments had to improve communication in order to get better at dealing with cybercrime.

There is a communication gap, as in how much is really understood by executives when it comes to technical language by IT professionals. That must get better and companies must work to try and create a common language, he said.

Additional reporting,

Bloomberg
Air Berlin, Germanys second-largest airline, filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday after shareholder Etihad Airways withdrew funding following years of losses.

German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt has backed Lufthansa to buy a major portion of Air Berlins assets, saying Germany needed a national champion in international aviation. Berlin has granted a bridging loan of 150m that will keep Air Berlins planes in the air for up to three months, securing 7,200 jobs in Germany while buyers for its assets are found.

Air Berlins demise offers Lufthansa and rivals a chance to acquire slots at airports such as Berlin Tegel and Duesseldorf, with Germanys largest airline keen to defend its domestic position against low-cost rival Ryanair.

According to sources, one scenario Lufthansas chief executive Carsten Spohr has presented to the flagship carriers supervisory board is that it could take on as many as 90 of Air Berlins roughly 140 planes. Air Berlin has said it is in talks with three aviation firms and aims to strike deals with at least two of them by the end of September.

German media has cited government sources as saying that Lufthansa, its budget carrier Eurowings, and Thomas Cooks German airline Condor would likely snap up Air Berlins most valuable landing slots.

Sources suggest a few slots could also go to Ryanair, which has filed a complaint with German and EU competition authorities over the insolvency process, which it describes as a conspiracy.

Reuters
Mr Coveney said the Government had received assurances that Ibrahim would be allowed home, either as a free man or to serve a sentence here. He told Newstalk radio he expected that agreement to be fulfilled.

He was speaking as Ibrahim, from Firhouse in Dublin, marked his fourth year in detention in Egypt following his arrest during anti-government protests in Cairo where he was holidaying with relatives while waiting for his Leaving Certificate results in 2013.

Amnesty, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, and other human rights groups and supporters, gathered to protest at the Egyptian Embassy in Dublin.

Ibrahim, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, is one of 493 defendants arrested in the crackdown on protesters and who are charged with a range of offences, including murder.

The marathon mass trial, which is expected to end in the next few months, has been widely denounced as a farce that meets none of the standards for the administration of criminal justice demanded by international law.

Egyptian ambassador to Ireland, Soha Gendi, said the proceedings were not a mass trial, insisting all the defendants were adequately represented even though she conceded they were kept in glass containers separated from the proceedings.

It was an exceptional situation. It was a situation of turmoil, she said.

Some of the defendants are very remarkably dangerous people.

She also dismissed human rights groups reports about the ill-treatment of prisoners and Ibrahims own accounts of the treatment he has suffered.

Mr Coveney said he had sent a personal message to Ibrahim yesterday to assure him the Government was doing everything to get him home and to encourage him to stay hopeful.
The man, originally from Louth, was murdered in the Lazaro Cardenas region in the State of Michoacan on Tuesday.

According to local media reports, the man was travelling with his American partner in a white Ford pick-up truck and had stopped at a petrol station in La Garzas de La Mira to look for directions to a beach.

At least two men, armed with pistols, approached the couple and attempted to rob the woman of her bag.

The Irishman is believed to have moved to defend the woman but was shot repeatedly in the process.

He was then dragged from the vehicle, while his attackers stole the truck and fled the scene.

Emergency services attended the scene and the woman was taken to hospital for treatment.

The man is believed to have lived for a number of hours after being shot.

The woman is understood to be 28 years old and from Tucson, Arizona.

She told investigating authorities that she met the deceased on social media and had been dating him for three months.

The victim is understood to have been travelling on an Irish passport but using a UK driving licence.

Michoacan attorney general Jose Martin Godoy Castro told reporters that the victims partner had already provided assistance to the investigation.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has also been notified of the death and is providing consular assistance.

Michoacan is noted as a very dangerous region in Mexico, while the port city of Lazaro Cardenas is a hub for numerous Mexican drug cartels, namely the Knights Templar cartel and the Jalisco New Generation cartel.
Almost half a million euro in funding has been withheld for this year and last after after it was caught up in the Rio ticketing scandal and its then president Pat Hickey was arrested in Brazil.

The minister told the Oireachtas Committee on Sport it was clear from a judge-led inquiry into the scandal, that Pat Hickey had run his own fiefdom and the OCI let him.

The flagship of Irish sport was very much in the hands of one man.

The minister outlined events leading up to arrests in Brazil during the Olympics and the subsequent decision to hold an inquiry.

There was criticism this week that, while the report uncovered the chaotic handling of tickets and a lack of governance at the OCI, many individuals refused to co-operate. Mr Hickey and others claimed it could prejudice investigations in Brazil.

Mr Ross said that, prior to the ticketing scandal, no concern was expressed about the OCI.

This changed when Irish businessman Kevin Mallon, with ticketing agents THG, was arrested in Rio. It emerged tickets linked to allegations of touting were assigned to the OCI.

Mr Ross had found attempts to make inquiries blocked by Mr Hickey. The OCI president was subsequently arrested, which prompted the Government to set up an inquiry.

Mr Ross told the committee the Moran report outlined shambolic behaviour towards athletes from OCI and agents Pro10, who were a front for THG. THG had been banned from Rio.

Mr Ross said the department wanted to resume funding for the OCI provided we get the answers that are necessary.

His department told the Irish Examiner that 130,000 last year and another 360,000 this year have not been approved.

Mr Ross said the OCI must reform and get outstanding issues around records of ticket deals or reconciliation payments resolved.

OCI president Sarah Keane maintains her predecessor secretly tied the council into contracts with THG until the 2026 Olympics. This only emerged this week and the OCI is trying to exit these.

Mr Ross added: We need a clear line of acceptable behaviour, a code of governance. We would certainly not like to fund them if there are outstanding issues which are a legacy of this controversy.

Committee hearings resume today. Members will also discuss whether to compel Mr Hickey to attend.
The victim was named locally as Clinton Shannon, and it is understood he had a clean record but was a close associate of the intended target, Derek Devoy, 37.

Mr Shannon, 30, was shot while sitting in his car on Balbutcher Drive, Ballymun, Dublin, at 4pm on Wednesday while Mr Devoy went into the home of his mother, Anne Devoy, 69, with a baby boy.

Mr Devoys sister, Antoinette Corbally, a 48-year-old mother of six, who was in the house at the time, was shot dead as two gunmen followed their intended target into the property with a handgun and a submachine gun.

The men opened fire in the home, killing Ms Corbally and injuring her pregnant daughter, Andrea, 18; another man, Brian Moran, 52; and an infant boy whom Mr Devoy had dropped off at the house.

Mr Devoy fled the property through the back garden and the attackers left in a getaway vehicle.

Gardai are looking for two vehicles they believe were used in the attack and were later found partially burnt out. One is a silver Opel Safira with a 08 Laois registration and the other is a Volkswagen Golf GTI with a 06 Louth registration.

There was a very strong police presence in the area yesterday as the entrance to Balbutcher Drive was sealed off, as was the house where the shooting took place.

Neighbours described the Devoys as very good neighbours, while adding we all have our problems.

Several children were playing near the scene yesterday while neighbours came in and out of their front doors to watch developments.

My heart was in my chest and Im on a frame. That couldnt move and I couldnt move. I got an awful fright. I didnt know if they were coming or going, said an elderly woman who lives in the area.

Another woman described how she was having her dinner at the time of the attack.

I didnt enjoy my dinner, it was stuck in my chest. I opened the door, Jesus Christ, whats after happening? I couldnt believe it, she said.

The shooting is not thought to be related to the Kinahan-Hutch feud but is instead linked to an unpaid debt of 30,000.

One of Mr Devoys siblings, Mickey Devoy, was shot dead in January 2014, shortly after he was released from prison. The man had approximately 70 convictions.

Derek Devoy was jailed in 2007 for attempted armed robbery and a non-fatal drive-by shooting, and was released in 2015.

Sinn Fein councillor Noeleen Reilly said tensions had been building in the area in recent months.

There was a sense, I suppose, in the community that something like this was going to happen because of past incidences, said Ms Reilly. About two months ago people in [nearby] Shangan were taken out of their beds at six oclock in the morning because of a pipe bomb. The incidences continued to happen.

I always felt they were just taunting each other but now its just notched up another level.
Mr Trumps presidency has been further engulfed in controversy over his response to last Saturdays events in the Virginia college town of Charlottesville.

Violence erupted when white nationalists marched in protest over the planned removal of a statute of Robert E. Lee, the Confederate army commander in the Civil War that ended in 1865. A woman was killed when a man described as a white nationalist crashed his car into the counter-protesters.

Mr Trump blamed the violence on not just the white supremacist rally organisers but also the anti-racism counter-protesters, and said there were very fine people among both groups. He has been rebuked by lawmakers of both parties, numerous American business leaders, and US allies abroad.

Last night, he showed no sign of backing down.

He took aim at the removal or consideration for removal of Confederate statues and monuments in a long list of cities in states such as California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, and New York.

Opponents call the statues a festering symbol of racism, while supporters say they honour American history. Some of the monuments have become rallying points for white nationalists.

Mr Trump also sharply criticised two fellow Republicans in the US Senate, Jeff Flake and Lindsey Graham, while denying he had spoken of moral equivalency between white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan, and anti-racism activists.

Since taking office in January, Trump has periodically feuded with lawmakers in his own party. The latest spats could hinder his efforts to work with the Republican-controlled Congress on a legislative agenda that includes tax cuts and spending bills when lawmakers return next month from their summer break.
The controversy concerning the boundary between Cork city and county and whether the two should be merged is the inevitable outcome of longstanding defects in Irelands local government system. Failure to address these defects means that such controversies will continue to recur in the future.

The two main problems are the lack of a regional tier of government in Ireland and the territorial configuration of local authorities.

As regards the latter, Ireland inherited from Britain the current system which separates urban centres from their surrounding rural hinterlands. This creates difficulties where urban centres provide public services (e.g. education, health and transport services) which extend into these hinterlands.

More immediately, problems arise where population growth causes urban centres to expand beyond their legal boundaries and overspill into adjoining jurisdictions.

These problems are exacerbated by the increasing tendency of commercial activities such as retailing, warehousing, factories and offices to locate on the fringes of urban areas.

As a result, these activities are frequently located in the jurisdictions of adjoining county councils to which they pay commercial rates. Since these rates are a major source of local government funding, not surprisingly there is resistance on the part of county councils to attempts by town and city councils to extend their boundaries to encompass the commercial activities in question.

The absence of any provision in legislation for periodic reviews and adjustment of urban boundaries, combined with the inability of the Irish political process to take hard decisions, means that boundary adjustments have been a rare occurrence.

This explains why there has been no extension of Cork citys boundary since 1965.

In the intervening period, the population of the citys built-up area lying outside the city boundary grew from just 3,000 in 1966 to 83,000 in 2016.

This situation does not arise in continental European countries where the municipalities which constitute the basic unit of local government embrace both urban centres and their rural hinterlands. The latter basically comprise those zones from which the centres draw commuting workers, weekly shoppers and those attending second level education.

This is a much more sensible arrangement than that which prevails in Ireland. The combination of urban centre and hinterland represents a natural unit as regards planning and the provision of services. There is no artificial division between the two which would require, but may not receive, regular adjustment.

Continental European countries also have a regional tier of government which is responsible for functions with a regional scope such as hospitals, higher education institutions, regional economic development and transport planning. Municipalities, by contrast, are responsible for everyday local services such as primary and secondary education, social and environmental services, and primary healthcare.

These regions are normally based on the major regional cities and their hinterlands. In this case the hinterlands comprise the zones from which clients are drawn to avail of the higher level services provided by the central cities, such as specialist health care, shops and professional services.

Ireland has no regional tier of government. For those who argue that Ireland is too small for this, it is worth pointing out that Denmark, which is just 60% of the size of the Republic of Ireland, is divided into five popularly-elected regional councils which were created as recently as 2007.

Cork City Council offices

In Ireland, local government is now based exclusively on the counties, which are too big for effective municipal government and too small to have a regional remit (with the possible exception of Cork). The Irish counties were all created in the Middle Ages, and have little relevance to the modern structure of the economy and population.

Ireland is unique in the developed world in not having carried out a profound reform of its local government structure in the last 100 years. Ireland should abolish the counties as administrative units and replace them with the local/municipal and regional structures which obtain elsewhere and work well.

This does not necessarily entail the destruction of the strong county identity which most Irish people possess. Other countries have been able to preserve these historical identities in conjunction with administrative reform which focuses on more efficient planning and provision of services for the population at large.

In the case of Cork, the choice should not be between merging the city and county councils or keeping them separate. Cork city provides both regional services serving the entire county and more localised services serving its immediate hinterland.

The former functions should be transferred to the county council, acting as a regional entity, and the latter retained by the city council, acting as a municipal entity. At the same time, the municipal functions carried out by the county council should be devolved to the countys main towns, such as Youghal, Mallow and Skibbereen, along with their adjacent hinterlands.

Analysis of commuting patterns conducted in the Maynooth University Geography Department indicates that a municipal district focused on Cork city and defined along European lines would be much more extensive than the expanded boundary proposed by the Cork Expert Advisory Report. It would extend to Kinsale in the south, Coachford to the west, Grenagh to the north and Carrigtwohill to the east.

The rest of the county would be divided into 11 municipal districts focused on the countys main towns. In some cases the hinterlands of these towns extend to neighbouring counties.

Irelands system of local government is long overdue major reform. The fact that this has not occurred is linked to the very limited range of functions performed at this level in Ireland compared with other European countries.

As a result, local government lacks the status required to impel the central state to take serious action to address its profound structural defects. In this respect, badly-needed change in the territorial configuration of local government should go hand-in-hand with wide-ranging devolution of functions to the local and regional levels.

Dr Proinnsias Breathnach is senior lecturer emeritus in the Geography Department at Maynooth University.
A vast majority of countries want to eliminate the existential threat of nuclear catastrophe, and rightly so. But achieving a world free of nuclear weapons is easier said than done, and there is a risk that some attempts to do so could prove self-defeating.

Since the end of the Cold War, nuclear stockpiles around the world have been significantly reduced. Russia and the US have each shrunk their nuclear arsenals by 80%, and during Barack Obamas presidency, the US urged Russia to pursue further reductions. In Western Europe, the US and France have both made their already small arsenals even smaller.

These countries had various reasons for reducing their stockpiles. But, as signatories to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)  the foundation of global efforts to reduce the threat posed by nuclear weapons  they also had an obligation to do so.

In recent years, progress towards nuclear disarmament has stalled. Russia is modernising its strategic nuclear forces, and has started to mention its nuclear capacity more often in public statements. That explains why efforts to reduce nuclear arsenals in Western Europe have come to a halt. The US, for its part, is also reviewing its options for modernising its nuclear arsenal.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has continued to produce the fissile materials used in nuclear weapons. Efforts to make the Middle East a nuclear-free zone have gone nowhere, largely because of Israel. The international community could not agree on a way forward at NPT review conferences in 2005 and 2015. And, of course, North Koreas nuclear ambitions have created another nuclear crisis in East Asia.

Against this backdrop, a large bloc of countries has proposed a far-reaching Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a draft of which was endorsed by 122 UN member states in early July. Unfortunately, what started as a worthwhile humanitarian effort has culminated in a severely flawed proposal.

Three issues stand out. First, since no nuclear states support a nuclear-ban treaty, the current proposal, by itself, would not rid the world of a single nuclear warhead. Worse, the new treaty could undermine the NPT, which, despite its own flaws, has far wider backing, including that of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia, UK, US). Finally, by treating the concept of extended nuclear deterrence as illegal, or at least immoral, the draft treaty could actually threaten security in Europe and East Asia.

The initial draft treaty, unveiled earlier this year, did not include language explicitly banning the use of nuclear weapons as a deterrent. But the version that countries voted on in July did. This is a critical change. The threat of a

nuclear counterstrike is what keeps countries from using nuclear weapons in the first place. And so-called extended deterrence through alliances is what protects non-nuclear states from being blackmailed by nuclear states. Without extended deterrence, non-nuclear countries could see fit to acquire nuclear weapons of their own.

It is for this reason that the Netherlands, the only Nato country to participate in developing the nuclear-ban treaty, ultimately voted against it. Japan, the only country that has ever been attacked with nuclear weapons, has also withheld support for the treaty, because it relies on extended nuclear deterrence from the US.

Without such protection, Japan would be completely vulnerable to

Chinese nuclear blackmail and North Korean missile attacks. Indeed, since diplomacy and deep sanctions have not put an end to North Koreas nuclear programme, nuclear deterrence stands as the only practical way to protect East Asian countries from nuclear blackmail or attack. Likewise, the vast

majority of European countries  from Finland to Portugal  have no wish to reside in the shadow of Russian nuclear warheads with nothing to protect them.

By effectively banning deterrence, the draft treaty could make the world even less safe than it already is. Of course, proponents of the treaty argue that it would build up public support for a nuclear-weapons ban over time, eventually forcing the governments of nuclear states to give up their arsenals.

But this is pure naivete. No one with any connection to reality could seriously believe that the governments of China, Israel, Pakistan, and Russia will simply abandon their nuclear weapons because public opinion has turned against them.

Unfortunately, nuclear weapons

are broadly popular in these countries, because they are seen as a security guarantor and a realisation of national ambitions on the world stage. Those of us who want a nuclear-free world do not have to agree with this outlook; but we had better not ignore it.

A more realistic approach would be to pursue further nuclear-weapons reductions in the US and Russia, where serious risks still need to be addressed. To that end, it is vital that neither country modernises its nuclear arsenal in a way that is seen as expanding its nuclear capabilities. Instead, they must pave the way for further reductions.

In the Middle East, ending current conflicts and developing conflict-resolution mechanisms could help drive progress toward nuclear-free status over time. In this regard, the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany) is an important first step.

As for South Asia, one hopes that a detente between India and Pakistan will facilitate better nuclear-arms control, even if the shadow of China  which sees its bomb as part of its place in the world  will still hang over India.

In the end, full-scale nuclear disarmament probably cannot be achieved with a single Big Bang. The world would be better served by an incremental approach based on the NPT, strategic arms reductions by the major powers, and conflict resolution in key regions.

In the best-case scenario, the proposed nuclear-ban treaty will be just a sideshow. But there is reason to fear it will complicate ongoing efforts to reduce nuclear arsenals further, deepen the divide between nuclear- and non-nuclear states, and, in the worst-case scenario, even increase the risk of a nuclear conflict in key regions.

Carl Bildt is a former prime minister and foreign minister of Sweden.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017.
An Australian senator provoked an angry backlash from lawmakers by wearing a burqa in Parliament on Thursday as part of her campaign for a national ban on Islamic face covers.

Pauline Hanson, leader of the anti-Muslim, anti-immigration One Nation minor party, sat wearing the black head-to-ankle garment for more than 10 minutes before taking it off as she rose to explain that she wanted such outfits banned on national security grounds.

"There has been a large majority of Australians [who] wish to see the banning of the burqa," said Hanson, an outspoken fan of President Donald Trump, as senators objected.

 'Appalling'

Attorney-General George Brandis drew applause when he said his government would not ban the burqa, and chastised Hanson for what he described as a "stunt" that offended Australia's Muslim minority.

"To ridicule that community, to drive it into a corner, to mock its religious garments is an appalling thing to do and I would ask you to reflect on what you have done," Brandis said.

Opposition Senate leader Penny Wong told Hanson: "It is one thing to wear religious dress as a sincere act of faith; it is another to wear it as a stunt here in the Senate."

Sam Dastyari, an opposition senator and an Iranian-born Muslim, said: "We have seen the stunt of all stunts in this chamber by Sen. Hanson."
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
Prime Minister Theresa May said "it can't be right for Big Ben to be silent for four years."

When the repairs were announced last year, officials said the massive bell in Parliament's clock tower would be silenced for several months. But this week they said the ringing pause would last until 2021.

British Parliament officials said Wednesday they will review plans to silence Big Ben during four years of repairs after senior politicians criticized the lengthy muting of the beloved bell.

The 13.5 British ton (15.1 U.S. ton, 13.7 metric ton) bell has sounded the time almost uninterrupted since 1859, but it's due to fall silent on Monday so repairs can be carried out on the Victorian clock and the Elizabeth Tower. Officials say the silencing is needed to ensure the safety of workers.

Adam Watrobski, principal architect at the Houses of Parliament, rejected claims that the great bell that survived German bombing raids was the victim of overcautious health and safety regulations. "It is quite simply that we can't have the bells working with those people adjacent to it. It simply isn't practical to do that," he said.

In a statement Wednesday headlined "update on Big Ben's bongs," Parliament officials said that in light of the concerns expressed by lawmakers, authorities "will consider the length of time'' Big Ben is stifled. But they rejected calls to allow the bell to strike at night once workers have gone home. "Starting and stopping Big Ben is a complex and lengthy process,'' they said.

The sound of Big Ben's bongs became associated with Britain around the world during wartime BBC news broadcasts. It's still heard live each day on BBC radio through a microphone in the belfry.

The BBC says it will use a recording during the renovation works.
"I would consider that North Korea is crossing a red line if it launches an intercontinental ballistic missile again and weaponizes it by putting a nuclear warhead on top," Moon added.

He was speaking at a press conference marking his first 100 days in office. The "red line" has been set down by South Korea and the U.S. for North Korean provocations to trigger a military response.

But critics wondered whether Moon has already started moving the goal posts. He only mentioned an ICBM as crossing the line, but not short- or mid-range North Korean missiles which are capable of striking targets in South Korea.

Kim Hee-sang of the Korea Institute for National Security Affairs, who was a defense adviser to former President Roh Moo-hyun, said, "Nuclear-armed ICBMs constitute the red line in the president's view, but the red line that places South Korea within striking range of a nuclear attack is Scud and Rodong missiles, and it has been crossed a long time ago."

Moon acknowledged that South Korea is the country most affected by North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles, but did not say whether this is already a clear and present danger.

Moon once again stressed that "there will be no war here again," as he did in his Liberation Day address earlier this week. "Nobody can make a decision on military action on the peninsula without South Korea's consent," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump "also said whatever option he would use, he would fully discuss it with South Korea and seek its consent beforehand. It is a firm agreement between South Korea and the U.S."

He said dialogue with the North is necessary, but any meeting must produce results.
CHAPEL HILL  As controversy swirls around North Carolinas Confederate monuments, an online petition is aimed at perhaps the most well-known statue  Silent Sam.

A change.org petition this week had drawn nearly 2,000 signatures by Thursday afternoon from people who want UNC to remove Silent Sam and other relics of racism on campus. The petition is targeted at the UNC Board of Governors, which oversees the public university system.

Many signers suggested that the statue is a blight on the university and belongs in a museum.

Im signing because this is shameful to North Carolina and all of our people, wrote Cathy Bridge of Durham. My daughter goes to UNC and it is the only horrifyingly embarrassing part of of her experience. Shame on the people that make decisions not to change things!

The Confederate soldier statue at the edge of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus has long been a site of protests, including Sunday when a black hood was placed over the monument a day after the racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

University officials have not revealed details of their security measures for the statue, which has been under 24-hour video surveillance for some time. Two statues have been vandalized this week in Durham  a Confederate statue that was toppled downtown and a depiction of Robert E. Lee that was damaged at the entrance of Duke Chapel.

Silent Sam, near Franklin Street at the entrance to campus, was erected in 1913 as a memorial to more than 300 alumni who lost their lives in the Civil War. It features a Confederate soldier with a rifle in hand. When the monument was installed, Julian Carr, namesake of Carrboro, gave a speech saying he had whipped a Negro woman until her skirt was in tatters, because she insulted a Southern lady.

The Confederate statue has been a flashpoint for student activists and others who want it removed. It has been vandalized several times with spray paint.

Two years ago, the universitys Board of Trustees renamed a building on campus that had been named for William Saunders, a 19th Century Ku Klux Klan leader. At the time the board also enacted a 16-year freeze on renaming other buildings but started a broad effort to curate UNCs history with markers and historical collections. A task force has been researching the universitys history since, and last year installed an exhibit in the lobby of the former Saunders Hall, now renamed Carolina Hall.

At this point, university officials dont have the power to take down Silent Sam. The Republican-led legislature passed a law in 2015 preventing the removal of historic statues without legislative approval.

Earlier this week, Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, called for the laws repeal and the ultimate removal of Confederate monuments. We cannot continue to glorify a war against the United States of America fought in the defense of slavery, he said in a statement. These monuments should come down.

The proposal drew opposition from a Civil War history group and criticism from Senate leader Phil Berger, a Republican who called Coopers statements reactionary and divisive.
The Chinese fishermen then sell the products in China labeled as domestic catch. The source said that this has been going on for a long time.

RFA quoted a source in China as saying that "maritime markets" crop up at night on the West Sea, where Chinese trawlers buy fish and other seafood from North Korean vessels.

The North continues to export seafood to China despite a blanket ban under UN sanctions by trading it on the high seas before it is labeled as Chinese, Radio Free Asia reported Thursday.

Another source who travels back and forth by ferry from Incheon to Dandong and Dalian, China, told RFA, "When you stand on the deck of the ferry at night, you can see many fishing boasts that flicker their lights. Those are signals exchanged by North Korean and Chinese vessels to engage in illicit trade on the open seas."

It is apparently an open secret among Chinese fishermen that it is cheaper to pay U.S. dollars for North Korean fish and other seafood than it is to hire Chinese crew.

Chinese fishermen pay for the fuel of North Korean fishing boats and buy their catches on the high seas for dollars. One North Korea expert in Beijing said, "As long as this type of illicit trade is allowed to continue, you can say there is a glaring hole in the latest sanctions against North Korea."

According to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, China officially imported $192.5 million worth of North Korean fish and seafood products last year, up 75.9 percent compared to 2015 and making up 7.8 percent of bilateral trade, up from 4.4 percent in 2015.
Hyundai on Thursday unveiled plans to roll out 31 eco-friendly models by 2020, including hybrids, electric and hydrogen-powered cars.

The goal is to bolster the automaker's current lineup of 14 eco-friendly cars to become the world's No. 2 in the field.

The carmaker said it will unveil an electric version of the Kona small SUV in the first half of next year that is capable of running up to 390 km on a single charge.
A married same-sex couple filed a lawsuit [complaint, PDF] against a former employer on Thursday in the US District Court for the Central District of California [official website] that alleges the company discriminated by refusing to provide spousal health insurance. Judith Dominguez was employed by Cherry Creek Mortgage [official website] when she enrolled herself and her wife, Patricia Martinez, in the UnitedHealthcare [official website] plan offered by the company in 2016. When Dominguez attempted to re-enroll the following year, her application was denied because Cherry Creek only covers spouses who are in a legal union between one man and one woman. The company also retroactively cancelled Martinezs coverage. Martinez, who suffered two heart attacks in 2015 and requires regular cardiology checkups, has received more than $40,000 in bills from care that was previously covered. Additionally, Dominguez says Cherry Creek retaliated against her when she filed a complaint with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [official website] by moving her to a branch office that was soon closing and then firing her. An attorney for Cherry Creek said [LAT report] that the company does not comment on pending litigation but a representative of UnitedHealthcare stated that Cherry Creek is a Christian-based company and that as their healthcare provider, they are obligated to operate at the companys direction.

LGBT protections are still disputed and many rights groups have raised concerns about the future of LGBT rights within the US since the November elections. In July the US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an amicus curiae brief [JURIST report] urging the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a man who claims he was fired for his sexual orientation. The Supreme Court of Texas held [JURIST report] earlier in July that the Houstons benefits policy need not extend to same-sex couples. In June the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit lifted an injunction [JURIST report] on a Mississippi law that critics say allows individuals, including government employees, to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people for religious reasons. Also in June the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld [JURIST report] North Carolinas Senate Bill 2, which allows magistrates to refuse to perform same-sex marriages if doing so would conflict with their religious beliefs. In May the US Supreme Court declined to hear [JURIST report] an appeal challenging Californias 2012 ban on gay conversion therapy. In April the US Department of Justice dropped [JURIST report] a federal lawsuit against the state of North Carolina over a bill requiring transgender people to use the public bathroom associated with their birth gender. In February the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] that a Fayetteville city ordinance broadening nondiscrimination laws to include sexual orientation or gender identity was invalid under a state statute that prohibited cities from adopting or enforcing ordinances prohibiting discrimination beyond what is barred by state law.
Venezuelas new chief prosecutor announced plans on Thursday to pursue and imprison those responsible for leading violent protests that have plagued the country since April. The statement came the day before a proposed measure targeting hate crimes was expected to be approved by President Nicolas Maduros National Constituent Assembly (ANC). The vaguely-worded bill [Reuters report] will punish those found guilty of hate or intolerance with up to 25 years imprisonment. Critics of the bill, which include advocacy groups such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website], fear the new law is aimed at silencing dissent and opposition. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] said [press release] earlier this month that government security forces are responsible for at least 46 of the 124 deaths that occurred during the political unrest, and that another 27 deaths can be tied to armed pro-government groups called colectivos. The report attributes the violence and abuses carried out during the protests to the breakdown of the rule of law in Venezuela and that the responsibility for the human rights violations we are recording lies at the highest levels of Government.

Venezuela has been going through significant political unrest between the government and anti-government opposition recently. Earlier this month Venezuelas ANC created [JURIST report] a Commission for Truth, Justice and Public Legitimacy that will be able to strip the public duties from those that are found to have acted in the protests. Also in August the Venezuela Supreme Court ordered the arrest [JURIST report] and removal of the mayor of Chacao, Ramon Muchacho. Muchacho was sentenced to 15 months in prison after he refused to take down barricades set up during anti-government demonstrations. In July violent protests erupted [JURIST report] after a controversial election for a new assembly that would have the power to rewrite the nations constitution. Earlier in July Venezuelas opposition party made a call [JURIST report] for a 48-hour general strike to be held in response to the scheduled election. A non-binding referendum vote [JURIST report] was held in Venezuela earlier in July in regards to the proposed new constitution which showed that 98 percent of the voters rejected the new constitution. The vote was boycotted by many government supporters. In May the US Department of the Treasury announced sanctions [JURIST report] against Venezuelan Supreme Court justices for usurping democracy. In October the National Assembly voted to open criminal impeachment [JURIST report] proceedings against Maduro, alleging that he manipulated the constitution to remain in power. That same month the Assembly also declared [JURIST report] that there was a breakdown of constitutional order and that the government had staged a coup by blocking an attempt to remove Maduro from power. Instability peaked on March 30 when the Supreme Court of Venezuela dissolved [JURIST report] the opposition-controlled National Assembly and assumed all legislative powers.
Hero of Mollywood's first musical hit 'Thiramala' shares his Hollywood stint, directing Prem Nazir and more
KEARNEY  Anywhere from several thousand people to tens of thousands of viewers might visit Kearney for the 2017 Great American Eclipse on Aug. 21.

The key word? Might.

Were expecting anywhere from 5,000 to 15,000 people (in Kearney), but weather can play a factor in those numbers, said Sarah Focke, convention sales and tourism manager at the Kearney Visitors Bureau. We could see a greater influx of people as people might travel here if the weather is cloudy anywhere around us.

As a tourism professional, Focke hopes the throngs of eclipse watchers will stay around to enjoy events in Kearney.

Regardless of the weather, Focke understands that many visitors will travel to Kearney because of friends and family.

They wont leave because of the weather, she said. I think well still see a large amount of people here for the eclipse.

The numbers for the state are even more complex.

Alex Duryea, ecotourism consultant at the Nebraska Tourism Commission, expects anywhere from 100,000 to 400,000 people will travel to Nebraska for the Great American Eclipse 2017. He based those figures on the number of people who live closest to the path of totality that cuts through Nebraska.

About 33 million people live in that corridor, Duryea said in an interview from his office in Lincoln. That depends if there is cloud cover in the forecast, but all signs are pointing to having quite a few people coming to the state during the weekend and the day of the eclipse.

Most hotel and motel rooms in Kearney have been booked for months.

Kelly Krier, the general manager of the Best Western Plus Mid Nebraska Inn & Suites in Kearney, estimated that she booked the last room for Aug. 20 sometime in March.

We are sold out for the 20th, but we still have some rooms for the day before and the day after, she said earlier this month. But those are selling quickly, too.

The majority of reservations were made from third-party websites and dont contain hometowns of the guests. Looking through the information from guests who listed addresses, Krier noted the number of international guests.

It does look like we have a significant amount of travelers from other countries, she said.

The rates for the rooms increased by about $50 per booking during the eclipse.

We didnt go over the top like I understand some properties have done, Krier said. We tried to keep it fair.

Patty Wallace, assistant manager of the Ramada Inn of Kearney, also reported selling out all rooms for Aug. 20 in March.

The rest of the rooms for Aug. 19 and Aug. 21-23 sold out later.

Heres one from Budapest, she said while looking through the list of reservations.

Wallace said she receives calls daily checking on cancellations.

Duryea of the Nebraska Tourism Commission hopes the visitors stick around  or at least leave with a good impression of the Cornhusker state.

Thats always the hope, he said. What a lot of these communities are working towards is planning events all weekend leading up to the eclipse, activities for people to do and a chance to check out the towns along the path of totality. If their stay here is good enough, maybe theyll come back in the future. We hope to show them some good, old-fashioned Nebraska hospitality while theyre here.

Focke is confident that Kearneyites will handle the flood of visitors with ease and aplomb.

Kearney is used to hosting a lot of events of different sizes, she said. Cruise Nite is an example of the amount of people we can host in Kearney. I dont think we need to worry about getting our milk and groceries a week in advance. The interesting part is going to be the influx of people we see in a matter of a few hours, or over the course of a week.

The Buffalo County Fairgrounds will allow camping during the eclipse, offering dry camping for $35 a night with a two-night minimum. There will be port-a-potties but no bath facilities. Electrical hookup spots will be available for $50 per night with a two-night minimum. For more information, call 236-1201 or email info@buffalocountyfairgounds.com.
HOLDREGE  Weather permitting, the Nebraska Kansas Colorado Railway will replace the grade crossing on US. Highway 6/34 in Holdrege beginning Aug. 26.

According to a Nebraska Department of Transportation press release, the railroad work will require closing of Highway 6/Highway 34 from Gustin Street to state Highway 23.

Traffic will be detoured using Gustin Street and Highway 23. Highway 6/34 is anticipated to be re-opened late on Aug. 29.
KEARNEY  For University of Nebraska at Kearney astronomer Mariana Lazarova, the total solar eclipse on Monday feels special.

For any specific location, an eclipse is rare, she said. For the Earth in general, theyre not so rare. There are two to five eclipses each year, but most of them happen over water. So were talking about a sliver of the moons shadow crossing the surface of the Earth. The one this time is about 70 miles across.

Kearney lies well within that boundary, offering Lazarova and her colleagues a rare opportunity.

From the standpoint of actually seeing something that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, this eclipse is very special, she said. The previous one in the continental United States was in 1979.

Due to the path of the eclipse  from Oregon through South Carolina  scientists can collect images of the sun, blocked by the moon, for about 90 minutes.

We now have the technology to actually record the eclipse, Lazarova said. We can literally make a continuous 90-minute observation of the atmosphere of the sun, the part we call the corona.

Lazarova will coordinate the Citizen Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse Experiment in Nebraska on Monday during the total eclipse. The project seeks to capture 68,000 images of the suns corona with 68 identical telescopes scattered along the path of the eclipse.

Operated by citizen scientists, high school groups, universities, astronomy clubs and research labs, the project will give scientists a wealth of information about the sun. Citizen CATE is organized by the National Solar Observatory.

Were placing telescopes about 50 to 60 miles apart, starting from the coast of Oregon all the way through the 13 states the eclipse passes through, Lazarova said. Were really targeting the central line. The central line is where the totality is the longest.

Each location will experience the darkness of the moons shadow for only about two minutes.

All these recordings can be stitched together to make one continuous video recording of the corona, she said. The exciting thing about that is we can actually study the dynamics of the corona, how it changes with time.

The very nature of the sun prevents scientists from observing it under normal conditions. An eclipse exposes the corona of the sun to viewing on Earth.

In the past, observations were taken from a single spot or just a few spots, Lazarova said. We didnt have many images to see what is happening with the gases around the sun. The longest eclipse ever in history was about seven minutes or so. This one is somewhat shorter.

Volunteers will use identical equipment to gather information, including a 500mm focal length telescope, solar filters, mounts, camera systems and software for laptop computers.

Everybody will follow the same procedures, Lazarova said. Whats interesting about the state of Nebraska is that we are such a long state. The eclipse crosses diagonally across. The shadow path is the longest stretch here, almost 500 miles. The path of the shadow will cross the country in about 90 minutes. Twelve of that will be in Nebraska.

As for weather, Lazarova feels confident that Nebraska has a better chance for clear skies than a place such as South Carolina.

You can look at historical data and see the likelihood of clouds, she said. On the East Coast, cloud coverage is about 90 percent at this time of the year. The more east you move, the more likely it will be cloudy. The more west you move, less clouds but the eclipse gets a little shorter. Nebraska is right in the middle where you really strike a balance of greatest length of totality and a 50-50 chance of cloud cover. We believe were in a pretty good position, right here in Kearney.
KEARNEY  The Calvin T. Ryan Library at the University of Nebraska at Kearney will have a number of items on display celebrating the upcoming Great American Eclipse.

Displays will include historical photos, news clips from past eclipse events and visualizations NASA produced for the current eclipse. Childrens books and other items of interest to younger visitors also will be displayed.

One featured item is a photo from 1918, the last time an eclipse crossed mainland United States. The image was taken by photographer John Stryker, a former UNK employee.

John A. Stryker taught penmanship at the Kearney Normal School, said Laurinda Weisse, University of Nebraska at Kearney archivist. He went on to a career in photography. A university in Texas has all of his photographic materials.

The display will combine artifacts from historical eclipses with events happening on Aug. 21 in North America.

Our goal is to bring the historical precedence of eclipses that have been seen in Kearney together with more modern information, Weisse said. We will have some modern materials like the NASA simulations and other materials like that to explain the process. We will also show how people have reacted to eclipses over the years.

As the university archivist, Weisse plans on documenting the 2017 Great American Eclipse by gathering information and two- and three-dimensional artifacts from the event.

For things that happen on campus, wed love documentation of that along with anything that happens in the community, she said. Were partnering with local organizations to make sure that information is recorded and preserved.

On the day of eclipse, Weisse plans to help with some of the events on campus but will make sure to take the time to watch the sky during totality.

The special display can be viewed at the UNK library from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 19 and 1 to 6 p.m. Aug. 20. It will remain through the end of August.

The eclipse occurs in Kearney Aug. 21. UNK plans a free community watch party that day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cope Stadium.

Kearney will experience totality (total coverage) at 12:57:30 p.m., with a duration of 1 minute, 54 seconds. Partial coverage begins at Kearney at about 11:30 a.m. and continues until about 2:30 p.m.
Every year my office welcomes new interns, both in Nebraska and on Capitol Hill. Throughout my time in the Senate, the interns who have served in my office have proven to be invaluable. They are often the first person you meet when Nebraskans come to share their opinions with me. Their assistance helps me better serve our state.

In Lincoln, Kearney, Scottsbluff and Omaha, our interns join with permanent staff to help find solutions to issues affecting Nebraskans. Eric Kros, of Omaha who interns in my Omaha office, for example, said that his internship was a good way to bridge my interest in politics with my desire to serve Nebraska. JB Davis, also from Omaha, agreed with Eric. He told me he enjoyed interning with and learning from many wonderful people dedicated to making sure the voice of Nebraska is heard in Washington.

Our interns didnt just answer phones or grab coffees, they went out and did real work in our communities. Those experiences, Alex Kuszak from Lincoln, told me were unlike any other. He particularly enjoyed one of the most fun projects our office has done. He said his favorite part of the internship has been working with the Veterans History Project, interviewing veterans, and helping tell their stories so that generations to come can look back and understand the sacrifices made by those who came before them.

I recently had the honor of sharing Alexs work with the Library of Congress. His interviews with veterans will be archived so future generations can learn from Nebraskans who served in war.

In Washington, our interns are the ones who first answer your calls, lead tours of the Capitol, and process requests for flags flown over the U.S. Capitol. Amanda Kowalewski, from Gothenburg, said interning in Washington gave her a chance to be in the trenches of our public policy debates, and Justus Hanson, from Kearney, explained, It has been so rewarding to know that the work we do here every day is being done to serve this nation and the great people of Nebraska. Along with Molly Abboud from Omaha, they both agreed that interning gave them the opportunity to serve others.

All of my interns have helped me better serve Nebraska. At our weekly Nebraska Breakfast, which occurs every Wednesday when both the House and Senate are in session, all of the Nebraska delegation used some of their time to personally thank their interns. Id like to use this space to thank them, as well. They have worked tirelessly to assist the people of our state this summer. I hope they learned a lot from their experiences and trust they found serving the state of Nebraska to be as rewarding as I find it to be.

Internships are available throughout the year in my Washington, D.C. and Nebraska offices. We are always looking for Nebraska college students who are interested in serving their community. I encourage all Nebraskans who are interested to apply for this opportunity to learn more about our government and the legislative process. Details about the application process can be found on my website.

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.

Deb Fischer is Nebraskas senior representative in the U.S. Senate.
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Doctor Vu Minh Dien, left, examines dengue patient Tran Thi Xuyen at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, Vietnam, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Vietnam has been battling raging dengue fever outbreaks with more than 10,000 new infections reported over the past week stretching its medical system. (AP Photo/Tran Van Minh)
Volunteers bury coffins during a mass funeral for victims of heavy flooding and mudslides in Regent at a cemetery in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. The government has begun burying the hundreds of people killed earlier this week in mudslides in Sierra Leone's capital, and it warned Thursday of new danger from a large crack that has opened on a mountainside where residents were told to evacuate. (AP Photo/Manika Kamara)
FILE- In this Aug. 16. 2017, file photo, a South Korean soldier watches the north side at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea. The U.S. intelligence agenciesAo assessments of the size of North KoreaAos nuclear arsenal have a wide gap between high and low estimates. Size matters and not knowing makes it harder for the United States to develop a policy for deterrence and defend itself and allies in the region. The secrecy of North Korea's nuclear program, the underground nature of its test explosions and the location of its uranium-enrichment activity has made it historically difficult to assess its capabilities. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
A soldier walks up the ramp of the Planalto Presidential Palace, illuminated with the colors of Spain, in honor of the victims of the Barcelona attack, at dawn in Brasilia, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. Spanish police shot and killed five people carrying bomb belts who were connected to the Barcelona van attack that killed at least 13, as the manhunt intensified for the perpetrators of Europe's latest rampage claimed by the Islamic State group. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
The referee in a case brought against former Kenosha County District Attorney Robert Zapf recommends suspending his law license and barring him from ever again serving as a prosecutor.

Dennis J. Flynn filed his recommendations Thursday with the Wisconsin Supreme Court after finding in favor of two of the three counts brought by the states Office of Lawyer Regulation against Zapf.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court will make a final ruling in the case.

The OLR complaint accused Zapf of prosecutorial misconduct in the trials of Markese Tibbs and Joseph J. Brantley, who were convicted in the April 2014 shooting death of Anthony Edwards of Kenosha.

The complaint was filed in January against Zapf, who already had announced his retirement and and his intent not to run for re-election.

It stems from Zapfs failure to disclose to defense attorneys evidence planted by former Kenosha Police Department officer Kyle Baars.

In addition, Flynn cited Zapf for not disclosing Baars subsequent resignation after Baars made his misconduct known to superiors, including then-Police Chief John Morrissey.

The OLR, which prosecutes allegations of attorney misconduct, was seeking a 90-day suspension of Zapfs license to practice law.

However, based on his findings, Flynn is recommending:

A one-year suspension.

Permanently barring Zapf from serving as a Wisconsin prosecutor.

Have Zapf pay all costs of prosecuting the case against him.

Have Zapf complete 25 hours of courses focusing on the ethical obligations of attorneys and particularly prosecuting attorneys in criminal cases.

Report blasts Zapf

Flynn didnt pull any punches in an 85-page report to the state Supreme Court.

It includes scathing criticism that accuses the Kenosha Police Department of engaging in a cover-up in the case at the highest levels, up to and including Morrissey, who retired in early spring.

But Flynn held Zapf responsible, above all, for doing nothing when Morrissey, detectives involved in questioning Baars, and their supervisors failed to obey Zapfs orders that they provide him with written reports in the evidence-planting matter.

He said Zapfs policy of not recognizing oral reports by credible officials about Baars misconduct was a convenient excuse for Zapf in his decision not to disclose the evidence planting.

Moreover, Flynns report rips Zapf for deciding on his own that he didnt need to disclose Baars misconduct in the case to the defense attorneys because Zapf didnt feel the information was exculpatory to the defendants.

Flynn cited U.S. and Wisconsin Supreme Court rulings that dictated otherwise. He said withholding the information prevented defense attorneys from investigating the effects of the police misconduct and proceeding from there.

Wrote Flynn: This matter reflects the actions of a prosecuting District Attorney taking action, or not taking action, in (two) very important homicide cases in an effort to win regardless of the rights of both sides in the matter have to fundamental fairness in the trial. There was a corrupt police officer here who planted evidence in a homicide case then resigned because of that misconduct.

Zapf, Flynn continued, did nothing to facilitate truth and justice as he was obligated to under case law, the Wisconsin statutes and our Supreme Court rules. ... And then he made a false statement to the Court about his prior knowledge in this corrupt prosecution.

The hide the truth and win at all costs approach, evidenced here by the actions of this prosecutor, acted to undermine the ability of our citizens to have confidence in the outcomes of our criminal prosecutions and the sentences that result from them, Flynn added.

Second tenure as DA

Zapf, who has practiced law for 43 years, first served in the Kenosha County District Attorneys Office as an assistant DA from 1974-80, then as District Attorney from 1981-89. He practiced as a private attorney until he was elected again as District Attorney in 2005 and served until his retirement earlier this year.

This isnt Zapfs first time being formally accused of prosecutorial misconduct.

In 1985, he was found to have engaged in misconduct for not disclosing necessary information to a defendant. Flynn noted similarities in that case to the present complaint against Zapf.

It is recognized here that others were involved in serious law enforcement misconduct, Flynn wrote. This is all the more reason for the gatekeeper, the prosecuting attorney, ... to be at the forefront of the effort to ensure ... not just a conviction, but justice through Constitutional fairness.
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Riya Sen secretly got married, Is pregnancy the reason!



A few days back, a leading tabloid reported that the Riya Sen was all set to tie the knot by the end of August to boyfriend, Shivam Tewari. However, now news suggest that she tied the knot on Wednesday in Pune with close family members and friends in attendance. A source close to the actress told indianexpress.com that it was an intimate affair. While we don't know much about Shivam, reports suggest he is a music and photography enthusiast. Riya has happily posted snaps of the couple of her Instagram account, some of which are from their trips to Slovakia and China. On the professional front, she is making a comeback with Ekta Kapoor's web-series, Ragini MMS 2.2.

Read More...


A colour party from the James Stephens Barracks accompanied by a marching band helped escort some unusual guests of honour through the streets of Kilkenny last Saturday.

Constance Markievicz, Eamon De Valera, Jack Magennis and WT Cosgrave were some of those who made speeches and sought votes from the courthouse balcony on Parliament Street. The speeches were as historically accurate as possible, put together from accounts of the time  and they clearly resonated with the sizable crowd who turned out to watch proceedings, as well as the curious tourists who couldnt help having a look.

The replica election posters and polling booth added a touch of authenticity to the occasion, as did the numerous locals who turned out in 20th Century attire.

Venerable editor of this newspaper, ET Keanegot things under way. The Kilkenny People was little over 20 years old at the time, andwas being suppressed by the British authorities. Keane introduced DeV and the Countess Markievicz, who was back in Kilkenny less than a month on from having been granted Freedom of the City.

Her speech had us all looking over our shoulders for the G men she assured us were moving through the crowd reporting back to Dublin Castle.

You awarded me the freedom of your city on the July 17 last, she said

There is no better way that I can think of repaying that kindness than asking you to give yourself that very same freedom  by voting 'no' at the ballot box. Say no to coercion and acquiesence. Say no to the imperial parliament. And help us to establish our own national assembly in Dublin, she urged the crowd.

Cosgraves opponent, Jack Magennis, appealed to the rowdy electoratenot to be swayed by pageantry and ideas of romance.

But the ovation that greeted Cosgrave as he stepped forward to speak was evidence enough the result of 100 years previously was likely to be repeated.

Today is the day when you can join those in Roscommon and Clare, who have sent a resounding message to the heart of the British empire, he told the crowd, to loud cheers.

An irrefutable message to that empire, that we  the Irish people  will be the masters of our own affairs. That we will no longer accept being serfs or subjects, that we will only accept being equal citizens of an Irish republic.

Today is the day when you go down to the polling booth and cast your vote for me.
Back in April of this year, I wrote an article entitled Novo Resources Presents a Golden Opportunity , which was about the massive potential of a micro-cap Canadian junior exploring for elephant sized gold deposits in Western Australia. As you are probably aware by now, the stock has become the most talked about junior in the sector since Novo made a major discovery in mid-July. In six weeks since this discovery, the stock has zoomed over 700% while weakness in the share price below C$5.00 is being bought this week.

The news of this discovery has brought credibility to the President of the firm Quinton Hennighs theory of the Pilbara region of Western Australia having similar mineralization potential as the famous Witwatersrand Basin in South Africa. Since 1886, the Wits has produced over 1.5 billion ounces of gold, which represents about 50% of all the gold ever mined on Earth.

The mining space has been waiting over 20 years for a major discovery which can be significant enough to bring in much more retail investment into this tiny sector. The last time we had such a finding was in the fall of 1994, when micro-cap junior Diamond Fields stock began a run from C$0.40c to an eventual buy-out by Inco at the pre-split price of C$174 ($4.3 billion) per share just 2 years later, on the back of the now famous Voiseys Bay discovery. Even though this was a nickel deposit, the publicity brought in a massive amount of investment capital into the entire mining space, making millionaires out of investors who made large bets into 1994 on a select few micro-cap junior resource stocks.

Moreover, just six months after the Voiseys Bay find, the Bre-X discovery was responsible for bringing even more investment capital into the mining sector. However, a few years after bilking fortunes from countless investors, what was to eventually become the $6 billion Bre-X fraud was also responsible for bringing shame to the industry and utter contempt for mining stocks into the end of 2000. Most of the huge moves by many resource firms respective stocks after the Voiseys Bay discovery came to an end when the infamous Bre-X deception was announced in March, 1997.

Fast forward to mid-July of this year when Novo made the significant discovery at its recently 50/50 joint ventured property named Purdys Reward. The 25km Purdys Reward area is less than 1% of Novos land package of over 7,600sq km in the Karratha region of Western Australia. The 2x2x.5 meter pit for the bulk sample was 2 ounces of gold per ton at surface, but they still will not know the significance until the area has been drill tested. They do not know the dimensions of the deposit, how thick it is, if its all mineralized, or even if or how far it extends under the basalt. It is way too soon to be sure this discovery has Wits sized potential until some of these questions are answered.

Nevertheless, the market is pricing Novo as if these questions have already been answered and the stock is trading at a must have in my portfolio at any price valuation now. In other words, the market is telling us the risk is not being into possibly the greatest gold discovery of the past 130 years, as opposed to worrying about paying too much for it. I believe the market may also begin to tell us that a discovery with this much potential could very well ignite the entire mining sector in the not too distant future.

In a recent interview with sector analyst and newsletter writer Jay Taylor, Quinton Hennigh mentioned the company will be announcing a trenching and drilling program on the Purdys Reward property in early September. As of today, 26.5 million shares of Novo, or 22.7% of issued shares (16.5% of fully diluted shares), have been sold short. There will be around 23 million shares from the most recent financing becoming free trading just after Labor Day, which will also be the week most of the big money traders and fund managers will be back from their summer vacations. If you already own the stock, prepare yourself for some volatility. I, for one, will not be selling a single share until this fascinating story has played out.

Full Disclosure: I participated in the most recent Novo Resources Private Placement and have also recommended the shares to my subscribers since April of this year. Please do your own due diligence before purchasing shares in any of the companies mentioned in this article.
SHANGHAI, Aug 18 (Reuters) - China's Ministry of Finance auctioned 80 billion yuan ($11.98 billion) of three-month deposits at an average yield of 4.46 percent on Friday, traders said.

That was slightly lower than the yield of 4.50 percent in the previous three-month auction.

The sale, like previous auctions, is part of the ministry's cash-management programme. Banks bid for the right to take the deposits. ($1 = 6.6760 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by the Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
* Banks get feedback for rare hybrid bonds

* Investors open to issuance as hunt for yield continues

* Product revival dependant on clearing various hurdles

By Laura Benitez

LONDON, Aug 18 (IFR) - Banks are gauging investor interest for corporate hybrid bonds with high equity content, a product feasible for the first time in years as a strong backdrop allows issuers to push market boundaries.

Hybrids have been a popular choice with corporate borrowers in recent years as a way of bolstering balance sheets, protecting credit ratings or funding M&A transactions.

Deals with intermediate equity content have formed the bulk of recent European issuance, whereas high equity content bonds have not been printed since 2011.

"We've been pitched this a few times from different banks; it hasn't been the same bank each time," one investor said.

"It would obviously be dependent on the name and very much the price - it would need to be very yieldy," he said, adding that his company would be open to buying such an instrument.

Another investor said banks have been keen to meet and discuss the idea, although timing has not been detailed.

While the first investor said it was unclear whether specific issuers were being lined up, some bankers and investors feel the meetings hint at a potential near-term trade.

A third account said discussions around the instrument have been raised "for a while now" in recent hybrid conferences.

The product could appeal to investors forced to looked to higher returns in a bid to escape the yield compression caused by central bank purchases elsewhere in the sector.

"We are having conversations with issuers about high equity hybrids now. There's a lot of interest, but some don't want to be the first to go ahead. But the market is so good, if you can't take a punt now then when can you?" one banker said.

Strong markets have seen hybrids perform well. The differential between corporates' senior and subordinated debt is now at around 175-230bp, compared to 300bp in August 2016, bankers say.

ROAD BLOCKS

Before taking the plunge, issuers will have to assess uncertainties around shifting rating agency approaches, which have on previous occasions caught the market off guard.

"There's such a large hybrid universe now that any erratic methodology changes would dramatically move the market, and investors understandably don't like that risk," the banker said.

Unlike banks, which adhere to guidelines set by regulators, corporates are at the mercy of rating agencies as the de facto arbitrators of the features hybrids need to include.

"Every other issuer that has done the 100% equity hybrid has since lost the equity credit, and this hasn't been done since Dong in 2011 so if anyone was going to do this then of course it would be new," a second banker said.

Dong Energy lost the 100% equity credit it received for a 7.75% deal when S&P altered its methodology in 2013. Santos and Origin were similarly affected by the change.

In a further blow, S&P removed the equity content of 29 deals in October 2015 - a decision made to reinforce the importance of keeping hybrids as a permanent part of companies' capital structures.

WATCH THE SMALL PRINT

Rating agency concerns are not the only hurdle. A high equity content deal is riskier than an intermediate one.

Issuers are obliged to suspend coupon payments on such deals if they are downgraded within three notches from the initial rating.

"Investors have to get their head around that increased risk and what price premium they need to be paid," the first banker said.

S&P does not allow step-ups for high equity content deals as they give issuers an incentive to redeem. Step-ups mean coupons increase if a deal is not called, giving investors a layer of comfort.

"The other risk is around that price element. It's an illiquid market so there's not a lot to comp these hybrids on," the first banker said.

Even supply of intermediate equity content paper has dried up of late having peaked at nearly 30bn in 2015.

More volatile markets and the rating agency changes stifled issuance last year, causing issuance to nosedive to 7.8bn.

While activity has picked up in 2017 with 7bn-equivalent printed so far, it is still a far cry from the market's heyday.

POTENTIAL CANDIDATES

Any investment-grade issuer considering structuring a hybrid with 100% equity content would have to be rated by S&P or Fitch, both of which - unlike Moody's - can assign such high credit.

Moody's on the other hand only gives 100% equity credit to investment-grade corporates' mandatory convertible hybrids meeting its criteria.

An S&P rated deal would have to include a minimum 10-year non-call period, another banker said, while any issuer considering this is likely to be at best BBB+.

S&P does not allow issuers rated A- or higher to have high equity credit since a mandatory coupon deferral - on a downgrade - must not occur while the issuer is still investment grade.

S&P's rationale is that an investment-grade entity might be under pressure for reputational reasons to redeem or call an instrument to avoid deferring coupons.

"We would then assess the instrument as not being sufficiently permanent if the trigger were set at a level whereby the entity could still be considered investment grade," S&P said.

Any company considering issuing high equity hybrids is expected be a non-acquisitive, or somewhat stable rated, innovative company, which doesn't have too many outstanding hybrids already, the banker said.

(Reporting By Laura Benitez, editing by Helene Durand and Julian Baker)
LONDON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - European travel stocks fell sharply in early trading on Friday after a deadly attack in tourist hotspot Barcelona, with investors also increasingly concerned the Trump administration was fraying at the seams.

As a global sell-off spread, the pan-European STOXX 600 was down 0.9 percent by 0725 GMT, with blue-chips down 1 percent, following falls in Asian and U.S. stocks overnight.

Travel and leisure stocks led sector losers, down 1.4 percent, with airlines the worst-performing as investors dropped stocks exposed to tourist flows. Easyjet , Ryanair , British Airways owner IAG and Lufthansa were down 2.3 to 3.2 percent.

Spanish airport company AENA fell 2 percent after Thursday'a attack, in which a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds in central Barcelona, killing 13 people. The risk-off moves also hit banks , down 1.2 percent, with Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas among the worst performers.

Though company news was thin on the ground, earnings drove some moves.

Dutch storage firm Vopak fell 4.5 percent after it said profit would be 5 to 10 percent lower this year than last due to lower occupancy rates. Fiat Chrysler fell 1.5 percent after Guangzhou Automobile denied it was planning to take over the Italian carmaker. Speculation over a potential Chinese buyer sent its shares soaring this week. The European earnings season was drawing to a close, with 86 percent of second-quarter company reports through.

Some 60 percent of these have beaten or met expectations, and earnings estimates were trending up, though they were still negative overall after being revised down sharply since the start of earnings season due to concerns about a stronger euro.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ STOXX 600 earnings estimates revised down ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Helen Reid; editing by John Stonestreet)
By Marton Dunai

BUDAPEST, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Emerging European stocks fell on Friday over concern raised by attacks in Spain and U.S. economic policy while currencies trod water ahead of the release of Polish economic data.

Spain mounted an anti-terrorism operation on Friday after a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people, in what police suspect was one of a planned wave of attacks. A slide on European stock markets set the mood for the eastern half of the continent. Asian stock investors also joined a global retreat from riskier assets on doubts about U.S. President Donald Trump's ability to deliver his economic agenda. Investors eyed Poland's release of July Industry output, producer price and retail sales data due at 1200 GMT.

"We will get a clearer picture of the region's largest economy by this afternoon after some important data and we also eye an American sentiment index due out later today," Takarekbank analysts wrote in a note to clients in Budapest.

Hungarian shares shed half a percent after setting an all-time record high on Thursday mainly on the back of expectations from its leading stock, the regional lender OTP Bank . The bank broke through the 10,000 forint barrier after a string of acquisitions and record-setting second-quarter result.

Czech stocks were two-thirds of a percent lower while Warsaw was 0.4 percent weaker.

Hungary's central bank (NBH) is expected to keep its base rate on hold at a record-low 0.9 percent at its meeting on Aug. 22 and until the end of 2018, bucking a trend towards higher rates elsewhere, a Reuters poll of analysts showed on Thursday. Poland's deputy finance minister told Reuters Warsaw would keep its central budget deficit in check after a 6 billion zloty first-half surplus, its best result since the country's transformation from communism in the early 1990s. CEE MARKETS SNAPSH AT 1004 CET

OT

CURRENCIES

Latest Previo Daily Change

us

bid close change in

2017 Czech crown 26.075 26.053 -0.08% 3.57%

0 5 Hungary 303.50 303.62 +0.04 1.75% forint 00 00 % Polish zloty 4.2730 4.2737 +0.02 3.06%

% Romanian leu 4.5832 4.5883 +0.11 -1.05%

% Croatian 7.4020 7.4092 +0.10 2.07% kuna % Serbian 119.17 119.30 +0.11 3.51% dinar 00 00 % Note: daily calculated previo close 1800 change from us at CET

STOCKS

Latest Previo Daily Change

us

close change in

2017 Prague 1030.6 1037.5 -0.66% +11.8

5 2 3% Budapest 37013. 37187. -0.47% +15.6

67 29 6% Warsaw 2343.1 2353.1 -0.43% +20.2

2 8 9% Bucharest 8323.4 8332.3 -0.11% +17.4

1 6 8% Ljubljana 804.97 804.97 +0.00 +12.1

% 8% Zagreb 1901.7 1900.4 +0.07 -4.67%

6 0 % Belgrade 720.07 721.38 -0.18% +0.38

% Sofia 726.68 729.19 -0.34% +23.9

2%

BONDS

Yield Yield Spread Daily

(bid) change vs change

Bund in Czech spread Republic 2-year 0.005 0 +072b +1bps

ps 5-year 0.038 0 +031b +2bps

ps 10-year 0.882 0.005 +047b +2bps

ps Poland 2-year 1.828 -0.013 +254b +0bps

ps 5-year 2.681 -0.019 +295b +0bps

ps 10-year 3.337 -0.023 +293b -1bps

ps

FORWARD RATE AGREEMENT

3x6 6x9 9x12 3M

interb

ank Czech Rep <PR 0.61 0.71 0.8 0

IBOR=> Hungary <BU 0.21 0.25 0.31 0.15

BOR=> Poland <WI 1.7575 1.7825 1.8375 1.73

BOR=> Note: FRA are for ask quotes prices ********************************************************* *****

(Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
* Duty difference between refined, crude palm widens to 10 pct

* Crude share in palm imports to rise to 90 pct vs 69 pct yr ago

By Rajendra Jadhav and Emily Chow

MUMBAI/KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Reuters) - India's refined palm oil imports are likely to plunge in the next marketing year, industry officials said, as changes in trade tariffs make imports of crude palm oil cheaper, a boon for refiners previously hit by cheaper imports of rivals' goods.

Indonesian and Malaysian refiners, which ramped up capacity to cater to India's demand, are likely to come under pressure due to the decision by India, the world's biggest palm oil importer, to widen the import duty gap between refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) palm olein and crude palm oil (CPO).

In a move designed to protect domestic farmers, India last week doubled import duty on CPO to 15 percent, and raised the levy on RBD palm olein by 10 percent to 25 percent. The move widened the gap in duties between refined and crude palm oil to 10 percent from 7.5 percent previously. "We expect a significant shift from imports of RBD palm olein to CPO due to the hike in duty differential," said Dinesh Shahra, managing director of Ruchi Soya Industries , a leading Indian refiner. "Share of CPO in total palm imports is expected to rise to over 90 percent from 69 percent last year."

If the change is good news for Indian refiners, reactions among exporters suggest concern.

"It's not going to be easy now, there will be an impact where refiners will be getting a lot of the blow," said an upstream manager with a Malaysian plantations company, speaking on condition of anonymity.

India's imports are traditionally dominated by crude oils which are then refined for the domestic market. But moves by Indonesia and Malaysia to put higher taxes on exports of crude palm oil than refined products - an effort to promote domestic refining industries - made imports of refined products cheaper for India.

The changes allowed refined palm oil to corner 31 percent of India's total palm oil imports in 2015/16 year ended in October, up from 17.4 percent a year ago in 2016/17 and just 3.6 percent in 2006/07.

"We believe that (palm) prices are likely to be more biased towards the downside once...the increase in import duties in an important market like India work its way through," said Sunny Verghese, chief executive of Olam International Ltd. .

Since the duty change, some Indian importers have already begun requesting sellers to replace refined palm shipments with CPO, said Sandeep Bajoria, chief executive of the Sunvin group, a Mumbai-based vegetable oil importer.

In the first nine months of the current marketing year started on Nov. 1, India has imported 6.74 million tonnes of palm oil, including 2.2 million tonnes of refined palm oil.

Palm oil's share in India's total edible oil imports has been falling consistently due to competition from rival soyoil and sunflower oil. In 2015/16 palm's share fell to 58 percent from 80 percent in 2012/13.

After the recent duty changes, crude soy oil now attracts 17.5 percent duty, lower than 25 percent for CPO, which could encourage imports of soyoil, dealers said.

"Regular demand will always be there but because soyoil duty is less, buyers may switch to soy," said one Kuala Lumpur trader, who declined to be named.

(Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav in MUMBAI and Emily Chow in KUALA LUMPUR, additional reporting by Aradhana Aravindan in SINGAPORE; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
Aug 18 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Friday.

DEBT TENDER

Romania sold a planned 300 million lei ($76.62 million) of December 2022 treasury bonds on Thursday, setting the average accepted yield at 2.90 percent, central bank data showed.

Debt managers last issued the paper in July at 2.93 percent. CEE MARKETS

Central European assets firmed on Thursday, after robust second-quarter economic output figures in the region and ahead of bond auctions in Budapest and Bucharest.

In most regional countries, economic growth picked up from already strong levels in the first quarter, with Romania reporting the fastest annual growth at 5.9 percent. For the long-term Romanian diary, click on For emerging markets economic events, click on For an index of all diaries, click on For other related news, double click on: --------------------------------------------------------------- Romanian equities RO-E E.Europe equities .CEE Romanian money RO-M Romanian debt RO-D Eastern Europe EEU All emerging markets EMRG Hot stocks HOT Stock markets STX Market debt news DBT Forex news FRX For real-time index quotes, double click on: Bucharest BETI Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX --------------------------------------------------------------- ($1 = 3.9165 lei)
Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0431 GMT.

August 18 USD/VND mid-point 22,450 USD/VND interbank 22,726/22,728 USD/VND unofficial 22,720/22,740 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.24/36.46

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.4-1.0

1 week 0.5-1.0

1 month 1.3-1.8

3 months 3.0-3.5

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
COLOMBO, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan shares rose on Friday on bargain-hunting following five consecutive sessions of falls and after a top official said the government would address concerns about a possible tax on trading stocks.

The Colombo stock index rose 0.44 percent, or 28.16 points, to 6,436.28, but shed 0.8 percent for the week. On Thursday, it had closed at its lowest level since April 18.

"The market bounced back with bargain hunting," said Hussain Gani, deputy CEO at Softlogic Stockbrokers.

"The government addressing tax concerns also helped to install investor confidence."

The Colombo stock index had shed 3.9 percent through Thursday since July 27 and slid in 14 out of 15 sessions due to a string of disappointing June-quarter corporate results and speculation that the new tax reform bill will impose a tax on trading stocks.

Junior Finance Minister Eran Wickramaratne said on Thursday that these concerns would be addressed before the proposed bill is passed in the parliament. Foreign investors bought shares worth a net 42.9 million rupees ($279,843.44) on Friday, extending the year-to-date net inflow to 27.7 billion rupees.

Turnover was 622.4 million rupees, less than this year's daily average of around 870 million rupees.

Shares of Lanka ORIX Leasing Co Plc gained 4.5 percent, Sri Lanka Telecom Plc ended up 2.7 percent, Hatton National Bank Plc ended 1.2 percent firmer and conglomerate John Keells Holdings Plc rose 0.3 percent. ($1 = 153.3000 Sri Lankan rupees)

(Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
NEW YORK, Aug 18 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury yields turned flat on Friday, paring an earlier fall following a report on the Axios website that a decision from White House chief of staff John Kelly is imminent on whether chief strategist Steve Bannon will keep his job. At 12:04 p.m. (1904 GMT), the yield on 10-year Treasury notes was 2.194 percent, down marginally from Thursday's close. It fell to a near seven-week low earlier Friday at 2.162 percent, according to Reuters data.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Axios report on Chief of Staff John Kelly and his decision on Trump adviser Steve Bannon ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea will start a joint exercise called Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) on Aug. 21 lasting through Aug. 31, the Pentagon said on Friday, as tensions had escalated over North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons program.

The statement said about 17,500 U.S. service members would join in the exercise in addition to troops from Australia, Canada, Columbia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Britain.

"UFG is computer simulated defensive exercise designed to enhance readiness, protect the region and maintain stability on the Korean peninsula," the statement said.

(Corrects paragraph 2 spelling to Colombia)

Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama
HARARE, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has ordered platinum and chrome miners to surrender 80 percent of their export earnings to the central bank as the country struggles to contain a crippling dollar note shortage.

Previously miners in the southern African nation were required to retain 50 percent of their earnings.

Mining is the single largest earner of foreign currency in Zimbabwe, making up 62 percent of total exports in 2016.

"...with immediate effect, 80 percent of all foreign exchange receipts from Platinum Group Metals (PGM) and Chrome shall be transferred to the Reserve Bank Nostro Account on receipt," a central bank directive dated Aug. 4 said.

The bank said the measure was to ensure effective administration of foreign exchange and spread liquidity in the foreign exchange market.

In exchange for the foreign currency the central bank will pay the exporter using real time gross settlement (RTGS), crediting the exporter's account with local currency.

(Reporting by Kuda Chideme, editing by David Evans)


100 business leaders to visit Vladivostok forum next month

By Kang Seung-woo

The government seeks to take 100 leading businesspeople to Russia to enhance bilateral economic cooperation.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Friday, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has sent letters to major companies asking whether they will join Trade Minister Paik Un-gyu's visit to the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), scheduled for Sept. 6 and 7 in Vladivostok.

The annual forum is a venue to discuss regional cooperation in developing Russia's resource-rich Far East. Russian President Vladimir Putin has attended it since its inception in 2015.

Putin invited President Moon Jae-in to the forum during their bilateral summit on the sidelines of the G20 in Germany last month. Cheong Wa Dae has yet to confirm Moon's attendance.

The two leaders agreed to intensify their cooperation in the development of the Russian Far East, as well as joint development of a new Arctic shipping line and the expansion of future growth engines in areas including energy, gas and post-nuclear energy last month.

The highlight of the EEF will be the Korea-Russia Business Dialogue on the second day at the Far Eastern Federal University, which Paik and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev, along with 100 Korean delegates and their 250 Russian counterparts, will attend.

In that respect, the nation's four major conglomerates _ Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG _ and other firms that run businesses there or want to do so are expected to participate in the forum. Applications will be accepted until this week.

However, the detailed schedule has yet to be unveiled.

"High-profile government officials of the two nations will attend the Korea-Russia Business Dialogue and their companies are likely to hold talks for cooperation," an official of the business industry said.

A government official also said previous administrations typically promoted multiple memoranda of understanding with much fanfare, with many of them falling through, so the Moon government is exploring ways to achieve tangible results with Russian partners.

Meanwhile, the government is set to enhance economic cooperation with Northeast Asian countries, taking advantage of the EEF. In this regard, a presidential committee focusing on the tasks will be set up later this month, with Rep. Song Young-gil taking the helm.

The committee will review projects such as the idea of a northeast Asian super-grid that uses wind farms in Mongolia to power Korea, Japan, China and Russia and importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Sakhalin, Russia.

The Moon administration strives to take part in the Northeast Asia super-grid project in partnership with Japan's SoftBank group.

The project is to build a power grid that links electricity supply networks of five neighboring countries to share energy. They are Korea, Japan, China, Russia and Mongolia.

Rep. Song is also in charge of the Korean team to join the project.
By Yoon Ja-young



Korea and the United States will begin talks on possible revisions to the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) in Seoul, Tuesday, according to the trade ministry, Friday.



The ministry said that Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer will open the meeting via a video conference, which will be followed by a face-to-face meeting of senior-level officials.



For the meeting, the U.S. delegation led by USTR chief of staff Jamieson Greer and Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Michael Beeman will visit Seoul. Lighthizer will be in Washington D.C.



The two countries agreed to hold a special session following Lighthizer's official letter sent July 13. With U.S. President Donald Trump insisting that the bilateral deal be renegotiated to lessen his country's trade deficit with Korea, the USTR had requested convening "a special joint committee meeting under the KORUS FTA to start the process of negotiations."



According to KORUS FTA Article 22-4, "the special session of the joint committee shall convene within 30 days of the request of a party unless both sides agree otherwise, with such sessions to be held in the territory of the other party or at such a location the parties may agree on."



Korea's trade ministry sent a reply July 24, agreeing to hold the joint committee in accordance with the due procedures set forth in the deal.



While the USTR had suggested that the meeting take place in Washington D.C., Korea's trade ministry suggested holding it in Seoul as stipulated in the KORUS FTA.



It also suggested that it be convened after the completion of government restructuring here and appointment of a new minister for trade.



"The two countries have determined the date and the venue following discussions since then," the trade ministry said in a press release.



While the United States is likely to demand that the two parties start negotiations for revisions as soon as possible, Seoul plans to emphasize the fact that the KORUS FTA has been beneficial to both countries in terms of trade, investment and employment, during the past five years after it went into force.



It also plans to discuss the best ways to objectively examine, analyze and assess the effects of the deal since its enforcement.



A top government official at the trade ministry said that revisions are not the only way to reach a balance of interests between the two countries, hinting that Korea may suggest other solutions such as increasing imports of U.S. shale gas.



FTA experts have been pointing out that contrary to the U.S. president's belief, it will not be easy to decrease the trade deficit through FTA revisions.



President Moon Jae-in also stressed in a press conference Thursday that Korea is seeing a deficit in the services trade with the United States while it is recording a surplus in the trade of goods. The U.S. beef industry, one of the biggest beneficiaries of the bilateral pact, is also opposing revisions which could jeopardize their exports to Korea.




The royal seal of Queen Munjeong, front , and the royal seal of King Hyeonjong are on display at "The Return of the Royal Seals" exhibition at the National Palace Museum of Korea, Friday. / Yonhap



By Kwon Mee-yoo

Royal seals from the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), including those returned home from the United States after being looted, are on view at the National Palace Museum of Korea in central Seoul, starting Saturday.

The centerpieces of "The Return of the Royal Seals" exhibit are the royal seal of Queen Munjeong and the royal seal of King Hyeonjong, which were illegally taken out of Korea over 65 years ago. The two "eobo," or royal seals, were returned home in July, accompanied by President Moon Jae-in heading back to Korea from his first summit with U.S President Donald Trump.

The mid-Joseon era seal was in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), which purchased them from a private collector in 2000.

The Korean National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage studied Korean artifacts in the U.S. museums and found the looted seal and the country's Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) asked the U.S. to return the cultural assets to its rightful home.

The royal seal of Queen Munjeong is about 10x10 centimeters in size and in guilt bronze. It was produced in 1547 and reproduced in 1554, after being burnt in 1553. Joseon's 13th King Myeongjong created the seal to commemorate a eulogistic title given to his mother when she was ruling as regent.

King Hyeonjong's royal seal is made from jade and was created in 1651 to mark his becoming crown prince. It was in possession of the collector who sold Queen Munjeong's royal seal to the museum and later confiscated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations along with Queen Munjeong's seal.

The seals were stored in the Jongmyo (the royal ancestral shrine) and assumed to be looted from the shrine during the 1950-53 Korean War at an unknown time, the CHA said.

The royal seals were used for ceremonial purpose and represent the legitimacy and authority of the state and royal family.

'Deokjongeobo' turns out to be reproduction

The exhibit also features other royal seals returned home in recent years.

"Deokjong Eobo," or the royal seal of King Deokjong, donated by the Seattle Art Museum in 2015 is one of them.

This seal sparked controversy as it was originally promoted as a 15th-century relic, but later turned out to be reproduced in the early 20th century.

Originally, the CHA announced that the seal was produced in 1471 by Joseon's ninth King Seongjong in honor of his late father King Deokjong (1438-1457).

However, research conducted after the return revealed that it was made after the 1924 robbery at the Jongmyo shrine.

Ven. Hyemun, the Buddhist priest who leads the civic group dedicated to reclaiming Korean cultural assets, criticized the CHA for self-praising its achievement.

The CHA explained that the royal seals in question are reproduced, but not fake.

"The seal was lost during the Japanese colonial era and there is a document proving that it was reproduced by the Joseon Craftwork Manufactory immediately after the theft and enshrined in Jongmyo. We didn't know it was a reproduction when we retrieved it from Seattle and later found out it was not from the 15th century," the CHA said.

The exhibit runs through Oct. 29. For more information, visit www.gogung.go.kr or call 02-3701-7500.
By Lee Kyung-min

A special committee will be up next month to help two Austrian nurses win this year's Nobel Peace Prize for their more than 40 years of dedication to treating leprosy patients on Sorok island, South Jeolla Province, the government said Friday.

The government confirmed former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik will lead the committee, along with first lady Kim Jung-sook. The nomination process for this year's prize starts in September.

Marianne Stoeger, 83, and Margaritha Pissarek, 81, came to the island in 1962 and 1966, respectively, and left for their home country on Nov. 11, 2005. They are called "angels of Sorok Island."

In April, "Marianne and Margaret," a two-hour documentary was released, and Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon who was moved by the film came up with the initiative.

Leprosy patients were exiled to the remote island and were subjected to alleged abuses as well as social stigmatization.

While most Korean medical service professionals shunned the patients, the two nurses stayed there until 2005. It is said the two had worn only white gowns while treating almost 6,000 patients, unlike workers at the hospital that wore masks, gloves and quarantine gear.

Last April, the nurses visited the island at the invitation of Sorokdo Catholic Church and Goheung County in the province to attend the centennial anniversary of the Sorok National Hospital.

Stoeger was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, and Pissarek is showing mild symptoms of dementia, according to officials.
This file photo taken on March 13 shows White House chief strategist Steve Bannon as U.S. President Donald Trump (out of frame) speaks to the press before a meeting with his Cabinet at the White House in Washington, DC. / AFP-Yonhap



US president's strategist talks of USFK withdrawal

By Jun Ji-hye

U.S. President Donald Trump's key adviser says he would be open to a potential deal in which the United States removed its troops from South Korea in exchange for China persuading North Korea to freeze its nuclear programs.

White House chief strategist Steve Bannon also said there was no military option to counter North Korean threats.

His statements are provoking controversy in and outside the country because they stand in contrast to decades of U.S. policy, only confusing Washington's Asian allies amid the evolving nuclear and missile threats from Pyongyang.

Bannon made the remarks in an interview published on Wednesday by American Prospect, during which he explained his trade strategy to win the "economic war" with China.

He claimed issues related to the Korean Peninsula were just a "sideshow" in this war.

"We're at economic war with China," Bannon told the liberal media outlet. "One of us is going to be a hegemony in 25 or 30 years and it's going to be them if we go down this path. On Korea, they're just tapping us along. It's just a sideshow."

Noting that a potential deal to withdraw U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) from the Korean Peninsula in exchange for a verifiable freeze in the North's nuclear buildup seemed remote, Bannon said there was no reason not to push for tough economic sanctions against Beijing because China was not expected to do much more about the North.

He then made another controversial statement, saying, "There's no military solution (to North Korea's nuclear threats), until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me that 10 million people in Seoul don't die in the first 30 minutes from conventional weapons."












By Kim Bo-eun



A group of 500,000 teachers are taking collective action against the government's plan to provide regular teacher status for irreuglar instructors.



On Thursday, the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) sent out documents to 11,000 schools nationwide to encourage teachers to sign the petition.



The move comes after nationwide education offices announced earlier this month they would be cutting down on new recruitments for elementary and middle school teachers next year, reflecting the decreasing student population due to the low birthrate.



"By drastically cutting down the number of teacher recruitments, the government is putting the burden of its policy failure on aspiring teachers," the teachers' group said. "The education ministry and offices have only provided an unverified makeshift measure of having two teachers for each class."



The group also pointed out that schools need more, not fewer, teachers because the teacher to student ratio in Korea is higher than the average in OECD states.



The group has encouraged not only teachers but also teachers college students and parents of schoolchildren to take part in the petition.



It will collect signatures through the end of August and submit the petition to the government, the National Assembly and Cheong Wa Dae.



"President Moon Jae-in promised the people, during the election campaigns, that opportunities will be equal, processes fair and the results just," KFTA President Ha Yun-su said.



"In order to become a teacher, people put in great effort and go through a difficult process to take the teacher certification examination, but if this process collapses, the principles Moon promised will not be guaranteed."



Meanwhile, teachers college students are also demanding for the government to scrap the system of hiring irregular instructors and for them to take part in a review committee to provide these instructors with regular status.



Students in Seoul, Jeonju, Daegu, and Jinju held protests at regional education offices.



"The system of hiring irregular instructors is based on the notion that schools are a means to create jobs and this is increasing the number of irregular teachers," Seoul National University of Education students said in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Thursday.



Currently, elementary schools hire irregular instructors to teach English and physical education classes.



These teachers are calling for job security, amid the government's drive to improve working conditions for irregular workers.



"Because elementary level education system requires teachers to be proficient in all subjects, those with expertise in only one subject cannot assume the role," students said.



"The government must guarantee sufficient discussions with aspiring teachers in solving the system of irregular instructors," they said.




By Jun Ji-hye



The government is moving in earnest to enhance the nation's own defense capabilities as President Moon Jae-in vowed to do better in dealing with North Korean threats and ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula.



The ongoing efforts include pushing to build the nuclear-powered submarines and lift the limit on the maximum weight of a warhead to be mounted on an 800-kilometer range ballistic missile.



Supporters for these efforts say having their own nuclear submarines would be the only way to counter threats from North Korean submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM). They also say increasing the payload of the missile arsenal would bolster Seoul's capability of striking Pyongyang's underground bunker facilities in which the North Korean leadership would hide in the event of war.



Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said on a live news show Wednesday, "I think the time is ripe for us to review a plan to build the nuclear-powered submarines."



The comment was in line with what President Moon vowed during the presidential campaign. At the time, Moon said "we need nuclear submarines in this era," and toward that end, "I will discuss the revision of the nuclear cooperation deal between South Korea and the United States."



The deal, revised in 2015, allows Seoul to enrich uranium to a level of 20 percent when using U.S. ingredients, but disallows uranium enrichment for military purposes.



When Moon held a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month to discuss the mounting military tension here, he also broadly mentioned the need for the nation to have these subs.



In 2003, the Roh Moo-hyun government, for which Moon served as presidential chief of staff, secretly pushed for building the nuclear submarines and deploying three by 2020. But this plan was dropped after it was leaked to the media and caused protests from neighboring countries.



Calls for developing nuclear subs were reignited last year mostly by conservative politicians after North Korea successfully launched a SLBM from underwater in April of that year.



To increase the warhead's weight, President Moon ordered his security aides to begin discussions with the United States to amend the two countries' 2012 revision of missile guidelines after the North test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, July 28.



The 2012 revision allows Seoul to extend the maximum range of its ballistic missiles from 300 kilometers to 800 kilometers. But the payload is not allowed to exceed 500 kilograms when mounted on this missile.



The government was originally seeking to double the maximum weight of the warhead to 1 ton from the current 500 kilograms, but this plan has been changed to put no limit on the missile payload, according to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin.



Gen. Lee told a National Assembly session, Monday, that discussions between Seoul and Washington are ongoing to allow Korea to increase the weight of a warhead without any restriction.



Military officials said the payload increase will strengthen Seoul's overall deterrence capabilities as the missile's penetration capability will be significantly improved.








An artillery unit from South Korea's 15th Army Division fires 155 millimeter shells from an off-limit range close to the inter-Korean border in Cherwon, Gangwon Province, Jan. 3, 2011. / Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan



One Army soldier was killed and six others were injured in an explosion during an artillery drill at a shooting range near the inter-Korean border on Friday.

The servicemen, from a unit in the border town of Cherwon, were taken to hospital and one of them, a 27-year-old sergeant first class, died during the transport, the military said.

An official said "an unidentified explosion" occurred.

An investigation was under way, he said.



Flames erupted from inside one of the 10 K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers during the training session, injuring the seven soldiers attending it, according to the officer.
By Kim Hyo-jin



The President's definition of a "red line" for North Korea has fueled controversy, with critics questioning its adequacy.



At a press conference to mark his 100th day in office Thursday, President Moon Jae-in said that he would consider North Korea had crossed a red line "if it completes development of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and weaponizes it by fitting a nuclear warhead on it."



He also said, "North Korea is nearing the threshold of the red line."



Some people, including Moon's aides, interpreted the rare remarks as a warning to the North on its rapid progress in developing nuclear weapons and missiles. But criticism of his "diplomatic immaturity" was prevalent.



Pundits expressed concerns that the statement narrowed the Moon administration's policy options in dealing with North Korea.



"Moon must be the first leader in the world who went into details of what constitutes a red line," said Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University's department of unification and diplomacy. "Keeping ambiguity suits national interests. Moon may have said so to prevent a U.S. preemptive attack, but still, it exposed our intentions."



Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University, had a similar view. "Development of a nuclear-tipped ICBM targeting the U.S. mainland is North Korea's ultimate goal and there's a high possibility that it will achieve it soon," he said. "What will be our option when it actually happens? Moon has limited his options."



Seoul and Washington have repeatedly urged Pyongyang not to cross a red line, but have not previously stated what level of provocations they considered to be a red line that would activate military options.



Even while ramping up his warning to North Korea, U.S. President Donald Trump has been ambiguous about the red line.



He told the press on Aug. 10, "I'm not like the other administration that would say we're going into Mosul in four months. I don't talk about it." His national security adviser Gen. H. R. McMaster also said in an NBC interview on Sunday, "Trump doesn't draw red lines."



Moon's abrupt revelation of the red line could cause trouble in coordinating North Korea policy with the Trump administration, pundits pointed out.



"Moon's remark was reckless because it appears Seoul has yet to see eye-to-eye with Washington on what level should be the threshold of the red line," Prof. Park said.



He pointed out that South Korea and the U.S. had not established a security consultative body as agreed in the summit between the leaders in June.



Opposition parties upped their offensive against Moon. Main opposition Liberty Korea Party floor leader Chung Woo-taik called it an "unrealistic" red line, saying the North's missile capability had already reached the destructive level for South Korea.



"The completion of developing a nuclear warhead that fits atop an ICBM is a concern of the U.S," Chung said. "For South Korea, the North has many other military options. It has already crossed the red line for us."



Kim Young-woo of the minor opposition Bareun Party, who chairs the National Assembly Defense Committee, also said Moon's remark reflected his complacency in security matters. "He sent a wrong signal to North Korea that he would wait until it completes a nuclear-tipped ICBM," he said.



Meanwhile, North Korea gave a harsh assessment of Moon's 100 days in office through its official newspaper, saying he especially "failed" in terms of inter-Korean relations.



"Moon's conciliatory overture ended in mere rhetoric because he was still under U.S. control," the Rodong Sinmun wrote Friday.




President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook lay bouquets at Seoul National Cemetery, Friday, to pay tribute to the late President Kim Dae-jung in a ceremony to commemorate the eighth anniversary of his death. Appreciating Kim for improving inter-Korean relations with his Sunshine Policy of reconciliation with the North, Moon vowed to take the initiative in building peace and security on the Korean Peninsula to respect Kim's legacy. / Yonhap
Sunita Bandey

By Lee Kyung-min

Sunita Bandey, 39, has run a community center over the past seven years in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, to help Nepalese migrant workers in Korea.

For the nearly 2,000 people from her home country living in the province, the center run by her and her husband is where they can get the most help in a country that is known to mistreat migrant workers.

"Many people from my country come to Korea to earn money. Most of them experience difficulties including workplace mistreatment, unpaid wages, health problems, the language barrier and all sorts of other issues," she said.

"They can seek help from the Korean government, but they feel more comfortable coming to me as they think I can understand their hardship and sympathize with them better. And I actually do."

She first came to Korea in 2006 when she was admitted to Chungbuk National University where she earned a master's degree in computer science. Her husband came here to earn a doctorate in missiology (practical theology regarding missionary work) at Hanshin University.

Some Nepalese workers give the couple cash to help them run the center, but they need a lot more money to support the workers visiting there. But what makes the work more demanding is that it takes up a lot of personal time.

"After all, I am a mom. And helping migrant workers from my country with their problems takes a lot of my time. But I am willing to keep doing this because I believe it is the right thing to do. I cannot ignore them because I know I'm needed."

While running the center is hard and requires a lot of time, she always makes time to volunteer as an interpreter at police stations, prosecutors' offices, courts, immigration offices and labor ministry affiliated organizations _ wherever migrant workers need help. She plans on doing the work as long as she can.

She said it is hurtful to see Koreans discriminate against people from less developed countries including her own.

"My husband and I have a 12-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son, both fluent in Korean. I once heard they felt Koreans mistreat people based on the color of their skin, saying Koreans like light-colored Caucasians and disliked those darker-colored. It hurts me to see my children already facing this social challenge. I hope Koreans treat foreigners from all countries with respect."
By Stephen Costello

It now seems clear that the White House, having provoked the current crisis with North Korea, is unable to diffuse it for very long. Some hope for a clever and surprising twist to US tactics that would achieve the North's backing down and the US victorious. Yet not one official in the current US administration has said anything to indicate that planning is underway to return to a deal, trading DPRK weapons capabilities for diplomatic ties, credible security, and access to economic development. That is the only deal that would attract North Korea, since it has pursued these goals for 20 years. The US also sought those goals until 2001.

The Chinese government has recently clarified that it would assist North Korea to repel any US first strike. That promise  previously assumed but not explicitly made  almost certainly takes the strike contemplated by Trump and his military off the table for good. Kim Jung Un may be expected to strike first, but he seems far more rational and level-headed than the US commander-in-chief, and is judged unlikely to do so.

A way out of this impasse is available. The new South Korean government could lead a new initiative.

The necessary steps are not new, nor are they untried. Even the fresh element of South Korean leadership has been successfully deployed before, from 1998 to 2008. Diplomats, generals, Assemblymen and others achieved remarkable results then, and could again. Korean officials worked against strong opposition from many directions. But they achieved two things. First, they steered ROK policy in a way that was dynamic, assumed leadership, and influenced all actors, including the US, North Korea and China. Second, they demonstrated that in the post-Cold War environment, Seoul has the capability to advance its interests in unprecedented ways. Today the Blue House again wants to be the main organizer.

To address the US-DPRK standoff, the US, as the more powerful and secure party, must make the first move. That move is the one many experienced former officials and others have been urging for over a decade: it could postpone or significantly scale back military exercises that are meant to provoke insecurity in Pyongyang. This adjustment to scheduling and location has been made before for diplomatic reasons, and it has been useful. It gives up nothing of value.

When the US  once again  adjusts military exercises in favor of talks, recent statements and proposals from China, Russia, North Korea, and the best American specialists can then be acted upon. The "freeze for freeze" proposal that would halt Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development could be implemented. There would be no more nuclear tests or missile launches while negotiations were under way. Among early agreements, the introduction of IAEA inspectors would confirm this. The North would be expected to put its nuclear programs back on the table.

Two other US actions would be required along with the adjustment in military exercises. The Trump administration would have to halt its global campaign to economically starve and sanction North Korea, leaving only existing UN sanctions in place. Only then could talks commence without additional coercion. And the US administration would have to enter into good-faith and no-preconditions talks, so that the real issues could be finally aired.

All three policy changes should be acceptable to the US, since they come at no cost, each contradicted previous US public pledges, and changing them could achieve longstanding US goals. The DPRK would be making the greatest policy change. Unlike the US, it is realistically threatened  existentially  with military force, while also being economically sanctioned and politically isolated. Freezing its deterrent  before it is perfected  should be seen as significant. Because both governments have reneged on past agreements, there will have to be oversight of each action by other governments, and by the UN.

Only South Korea and the UN are in positions to organize, lead and manage this transition from crisis to opportunity. While difficult, it is achievable.

The current crisis atmosphere provides a very rare chance for Seoul to act on its long-delayed responsibilities and use its latent but significant diplomatic capabilities. The fact that the US is uniquely incapacitated  diplomatically, institutionally, and increasingly politically  is regrettable. However, it allows Seoul to help its ally in ways that are unprecedented and would be strategically and historically priceless.

South Korea could ask Chinese, German, Russian, French and Australian leaders to agree to jointly present Trump with this new roadmap. UN Secretary General Gutierres could also be briefed, and asked to give it his public support. The Japanese Prime Minister also has multiple reasons to give his support. Kim Jung Un should also be directly briefed and asked. All could be convinced as long as Korea has a solid roadmap, and a short but realistic timeline for achievement. This coalition-building should be done before a meeting with Trump.

A joint meeting with the US President at the UN General Assembly next month would be the ideal time and place to urge him to agree.

President Trump would have several pressing reasons to agree. First, he could say he had been quietly supporting the ROK, China and others all along. Second, he could say  correctly  that he was aiming to achieve what Clinton, Bush and Obama could not: a durable end to the DPRK nuclear programs, an end to the Korean War, and a region at peace with US support. The security, strategic, economic and political advantages to the US from the new talks must be described quickly and colorfully, with maps and photos.

The US/ROK Ulchi-Freedom Guardian military exercises are scheduled to begin on 21 August. In one month, on 12 September, the UN General Assembly will convene in New York, with many heads of government attending. There may not be a better time to get the cooperation of other leaders. A clear effort by Moon, with maps and photos, showing the multiple advantages of getting back to deals with the DPRK, would have a great impact at this time. Such a briefing; short, visually and logically powerful, could be used across many platforms, to governments, the UN, and media.

This cannot be a request. The coalition should go ahead regardless of the US position. But it would be far more effective, and can begin sooner, if the US was in agreement.

Stephen Costello is a producer of AsiaEast, a web and broadcast-based policy roundtable focused on security, development and politics in Northeast Asia. He writes from Washington, D.C. He can be reached at scost55@gmail.com.
By Bruce E. Bechtol Jr.





Last week the government of North Korea announced that it would launch Hwasong-14 missiles toward Guam, followed up by propaganda statements claiming Kim Jong-un had "reviewed their plan."

This is actually a very clever move on Pyongyang's part. They have already declared that the firing of missiles (four) will be a demonstration  not an attack (the plan is for the missiles to land in the ocean "near" Guam). Thus, they have already told us that this will not be an act of war. But if missiles are headed toward Guam, the USA will have no choice but to activate its Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) systems (in fact the missile launch may have occurred already by the time this piece is published  or it may never occur).

If the USA fires its BMD systems (THAAD for example) at the missiles and misses one or more of them, Pyongyang can claim that in a real attack North Korea would have the ability to get at least one missile through that would potentially be armed with a nuclear warhead. If the American BMD takes out all of the missiles, North Korea will have ammunition for yet more bombastic rhetoric as tests continue in ongoing brinkmanship  in other words, a win-win for Pyongyang. This is only the latest spate of provocative behavior North Korea has engaged in. Thus the question (again): How to handle the North Korean challenge?

The United States can take important actions that can put real pressure on Pyongyang and eventually reduce the threat from DPRK's ballistic missiles. There are two key ways Washington can do this.

In order to better defend the sovereign territory of the United States, Washington must renew focus on BMD programs  immediately and with a sense of urgency. Funding for these programs was woefully inadequate during the Obama administration. While this move may have had the best of intentions, it is now obvious it was the wrong policy. BMD must be funded, resourced, tested, and fielded along the earliest possible timeline.

BMD gives the US and its allies the opportunity to defend and deter against North Korean missile threats. But it is not yet where it needs to be. Only by beefing up and modernizing its systems and capabilities, can Washington truly defend against threats that have now been proven to be capable and deadly.

But there is more Washington can do. Sanctions and related initiatives are well intentioned but have often been ineffective. The key reason behind this has almost always been a lack of enforcement.

While UN sanctions are an important symbol of international unity, Washington must also take robust initiatives against Pyongyang through the departments of the treasury and state. Initiatives associated with the Patriot Act Section 311 allow the US to go after banks, front companies, and individuals who are using and laundering funds used to support terrorism and WMD development and proliferation.

It is important to remember that it is not just the banks and it is not just China. Washington must go after front companies and banks in places such as Singapore, Malaysia, and nations in Africa (and yes, China)  sometimes nations that are allies of the United States. By squeezing the sources of North Korea's illicit income, its "Soprano economy" if you will, the US and its allies can put real economic pressure on North Korea that will affect its development of threatening military systems.

If America takes strong, comprehensive action against North Korea's illicit economy along with key allies and financial institutions (in other words, initiatives that are actually enforced), this will put real pressure on the Kim regime. But this must be accompanied by action that makes the US BMD systems as capable and ready as they need to be.

The time for action is now. The threat is now. The United States can and should move forward on initiatives that will improve our ballistic missile defense and put real pressure on the rogue regime in Pyongyang.

Bruce E. Bechtol Jr. is an award winning professor of political science at Angelo State University, and the author of "The Last Days of Kim Jong-il: The North Korean Threat in a Changing Era." Contact him at bruce.bechtol@angelo.edu.
By Oh Young-jin





How would the United States differ from South Korea in dealing with North Korea's nuclear and missile threat?

Is there any way of influencing the North in pursuit of weapons of mass destruction?

For the first question, the answer would be not much. For the second, there is.

These are the conclusions I came to after a long chat recently with Dr. Bruce Bennett, a Korea expert at the U.S. Rand Corp.

Here is what Bennett has to say about the North Korean threat:

Let's go back to 2006 when the North detonated its first nuclear weapon. If there was a war to remove North Korean nuclear capabilities then, we would have far fewer targets to hit. The North would retaliate, but it would not have nuclear weapons with which to retaliate. The damage then would have been less than it would be now. Let's think about 10 or 15 years from now at a point when the North has, say, 200 nuclear weapons. Would it be time to have war with the North? If war were to happen sooner or later, it would be now.

Here is my take:

The U.S. does not want to repeat its mistake of letting the North's threat get bigger. The Trump administration has left no doubt about it. It has put the North "front and center" on its list of diplomatic challenges, while insisting on the death of the "strategic patience" advocated by the previous Obama administration _ ignoring the North without taking positive action.

For the U.S., the North is now a pariah state on the verge of acquiring a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile. But in the future, the North could be a pariah state that has a formidable nuclear arsenal. For the U.S., the choice between the present North and the future North could not be clearer. The North Korean issue should be settled now.

So, what is left is how? It is easy to think of force as the first option. That tumbles down the list when casualties to the tune of millions are considered. Plus, the next war on the Korean Peninsula could be a nuclear war, considering that if the North does not use its nuclear weapons first, it might be the first target by the South and the U.S. and it would lose the chance to use nuclear weapons completely.

Therefore, dialogue would be an alternative, but the problem is that this has proven to be an ineffective way of resolving long-running differences. The North believes a U.S. withdrawal from the South would be its ultimate goal that surpasses any U.S. guarantees. Even if the U.S. leaves the South, it would be unlikely to lead to the immediate repetition of a North Korean attempt to take over the South as it did during the 1950-53 Korean War for a variety of reasons.

Above all, the world  China and the U.S. included  would not want one of the world's key economies to fall into turmoil with the consequences hard to fathom. South Korea does not want a nuclear-armed North Korea as much as the U.S. does not want it. But it far more strongly opposes war than the U.S. does.

Regarding non-military options, here are Bennett's remarks:

If Kim Jong-un does not think he will suffer, he will not stop. Kim Jong-un has to convince his elites that he is strong, powerful and capable or he could face an overthrow. All we have to do is we can weaken him and make his people unhappy about him. The Korean government could tell Kim Jong-un, "If you do a missile launch, we will flood the missile base with leaflets [and] usb drives to advertise a reward of $500,000 for any defector from the missile forces."

Also Kim Jong-un is unlikely to have a red button on his desk for missile launches. He would likely have a chain of command to execute his order from chief of general staff, through chief of strategic forces and base commander down to particular squadron commander. We can affect those people in between by telling them Kim is not a good leader. Our efforts could be to tell those commanders to think that launching nuclear missiles is not good for them because the U.S. would likely fire nuclear weapons back because the North launched the first missile.

Here is my take: Bennett compared this information attack to the death of the beast by a thousand cuts rather than through one stab into its heart. Considering our sense of helplessness, let's start and give him the first cut.

Oh Young-jin is The Korea Times' chief editorial writer. Contact foolsdie5@ktimes.com and foolsdie@gmail.com.




By Kang Seung-woo

Hyundai Merchant Marine, the nation's largest container carrier, is seeking to sail through Arctic Ocean routes, north of Russia.

According to the shipping industry, Friday, the Seoul-based company is considering trial runs as early as 2020. If successful, it would be the first time for a Korean player in the sector to carry cargo through the maritime routes on a regular basis.

"Hyundai is expected to explore the routes, using 2,500 to 3,500 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) ships," an industry source said.

Korean ships, now using the conventional shipping route through the Indian Ocean and Suez Canal to reach Europe, take about 40 days from Busan to Rotterdam, the Netherlands. But the Arctic routes are expected to shorten travel time to 30 days, substantially cutting shipping costs.

Currently, the routes can only be used between July and October and vessels need help from icebreakers, but it is expected to be available all year round by 2030 due to the thawing of ice sheets.

Given the need for ice-breakers, the company is also looking at using an ice-breaking class vessel, according to the source.

Since 2013, a few Korean logistics companies, including Hyundai Glovis and CJ Korea Express, have attempted to navigate the routes for shorter and cheaper shipments.

Hyundai's bid comes as the Moon Jae-in administration is seeking to intensify its cooperation with Russia in a variety of economic projects, including a joint development of the Arctic Ocean shipping routes.

Moon met with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany and agreed on this.

In addition, the development plan is likely to be accelerated next month when the Eastern Economic Forum is held in Vladivostok on Sept. 6 and 7, which many government officials will attend it.

"To raise profitability from the Arctic routes, we will need help from Russia, which owns the most ice-breakers in the world," an industry official said.

"A joint development between Korea and Russia is expected to generate big synergy."

Hyundai is said to be reviewing whether a trial operation will be available in three to four years.
Feng Yalong says he used to sell 1,500kg of North Korean shellfish a day, mostly to restaurants in Beijing and Hebei province.



By Laura Zhou

Chinese seafood traders are among the first to feel the sting from new international sanctions imposed on North Korea over its latest missile tests.

Some said they were caught off guard by the ban on North Korean seafood that took effect on Tuesday, when delivery trucks trying to cross the border were sent back  meaning traders had to source local, cheaper products for their clients instead.

China's Ministry of Commerce has banned imports of seafood, iron and iron ore from its neighbour to comply with the latest United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea.

By stopping seafood exports to China, it has cut off a revenue stream that generated US$190 million for Pyongyang last year.

Feng Yalong, a seafood vendor in Beijing, said he used to sell 1,500kg of North Korean shellfish a day, mostly to restaurants in the capital and neighbouring Hebei province. Now, very little seafood was arriving from over the border.

He said shellfish from the North usually cost 20 yuan more per kilogram than local shellfish.

"Today we only had 250kg," Feng said. "Our clients have to buy local shellfish instead. Every morning we have many people asking for North Korean shellfish, but all we can tell them is that we don't have enough."

The preference for seafood from over the border is a relatively recent trend. Demand began to grow two years ago, when Chinese started developing a taste for North Korean seafood that is considered bigger and fresher tasting than that available locally.

"It's because there's no pollution there and you don't even have to clean the seafood before you cook it," Feng said.

The ban has hit traders in the border city of Huichun, in northeastern Jilin province, especially hard.

One trader, identified as Zhang, told the South China Morning Post that it came out of the blue, and they only heard about it hours before it came into effect on Tuesday.

The commerce ministry has said that cargo which was already on its way to China would be cleared by customs before the UN sanctions deadline of September 5.

Zhang said he was worried about what would happen to the refrigeration storage he had built in North Korea at a cost of 1.5 million yuan (US$224,150).

"We had heard that all seafood imports from North Korea would be suspended on September 5. But on Monday afternoon we were suddenly told that the ban would take effect the next day. Now it seems we don't have any other options," he said.

Zhang's seafood had been sent back to North Korea since Tuesday, but he said 30 trucks on their way to deliver fresh or frozen seafood to other Chinese traders were stuck on a bridge connecting the city with the bordering North Hamygong province.

"I'm the lucky one here, but who knows what will happen to those with trucks stuck on the bridge," Zhang said. "This has never happened before."

The UN Security Council imposed the latest sanctions on North Korea on August 6 in response to two intercontinental ballistic missile tests  which it claimed could reach the US Pacific territory of Guam  last month. The sanctions could choke off more than a third of the regime's US$3 billion in annual export revenue.

The Chinese authorities moved faster than expected to introduce the ban, a move analysts said reflected Beijing's desire to de-escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula.

In a regional summit in Manila last week, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said Beijing was willing to "pay the price for the implementation of [the sanctions]" given its economic ties with the North.
Will Kong Wai fell from the 12th-floor railings of a building in Central.



By Clifford Lo





A Hong Kong fitness trainer fell to his death from a commercial block in Central while standing on railings to take photos of two other instructors on Thursday morning.

The incident happened on the 12th floor of Li Dong Building in Li Yuen Street East.

Will Kong Wai, 25, was standing on railings to get a better position to take photographs when he fell at about 9am.

The trainer was helping a 38-year-old photographer take promotional pictures of two other fitness instructors  an expatriate aged 27 and a 25-year-old Hong Kong woman  according to a police source.

"We believe the victim lost balance and fell off the building," the source said.

The man fell on to the podium on the fourth floor of the building. He was certified dead at the scene by paramedics.

A police spokesman said initial investigations found nothing suspicious.

It is understood Kong had been working as a freelance trainer in a fitness centre in the same building for less than two months.

According to his Facebook page, Kong came second in the Olympia Amateur Hong Kong Men's Physique 2016 event and was sixth in this year's Hong Kong Federation of Body Building and Fitness Hong Kong Men's Physique competition.

He previously had four years of experience at one of the city's top personal training gyms.
Injured people are treated in Barcelona, Spain, Aug. 17, after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists and injuring several people, police said. / AP-Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan

A van mowed down pedestrians on a promenade in central Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, killing 13 and injuring 100, 15 seriously, in what authorities called a terror attack.

The late afternoon attack happened in the popular Las Ramblas district. Police ushered survivors into shops; other people fled in panic.

Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior police official for Spain's Catalonia region, told reporters late Thursday it was "clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible."

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, saying on its Aamaq news agency that "soldiers of the Islamic State"carried out the attack.

The extremist group had called for followers to target countries participating in the coalition trying to drive the group out of Syria and Iraq.

Early on Friday, Catalan police tweeted that they had shot and killed four suspects and wounded a fifth in a resort town south of Barcelona. The Associated Press said it was not immediately clear from the tweet if the five were suspects in the Las Ramblas attack or were allegedly targeting another location.

The Catalan regional government said citizens from 24 countries were among the people killed and injured during the Barcelona attack.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the killings a "savage terrorist attack" and said Spaniards "are not just united in mourning, but especially in the firm determination to beat those who want to rob us of our values and our way of life."

Las Ramblas went into lockdown following the attack. Officers with hand guns and automatic weapons launched a manhunt in the downtown district, ordering stores and cafes and public transport to shut down.

Several hours later authorities reported two arrests, one a Spanish national from Melilla, a Spanish-run Mediterranean seafront enclave in North Africa, and the other a Moroccan. Authorities declined to identify them.

Barcelona is the latest European city to experience a terror attack carried out using a vehicle as a weapon to target a popular tourist destination, after similar attacks in France, Germany, Sweden and Britain.

Thursday's bloodshed was Spain's deadliest attack since 2004, when al-Qaeda-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated assaults on Madrid's commuter trains. In the years since, Spanish authorities have arrested nearly 200 jihadists.
This transcipt is in the August 18, 2017 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

LAROUCHES URGENT MESSAGE

TO THE U.S. PRESIDENT AND PEOPLE

Cancel the British System,

Save the People

[Print version of this transcript]

The following transcript is an edited version of a presentation given by Will Wertz on the Aug. 11 LaRouche PAC Weekly Webcast. A video of the full interview may be found here.

Jason Ross: Today on our show we are going to have a special guest whom we will be hearing from, EIR Editorial Board member Will Wertz. Will is going to help us understand that there is far more to the ongoing coup attempt against the Donald Trump Presidency than whats sometimes called the Deep State. The roots of this coup operation go beyond the bounds of the United States, and go very prominently to Britain, to the still-existing British empire. So, lets turn it over. Will, what can you tell us about the deeper implications that we should take from this attempted coup against the President? What does this mean; where is it coming from?

Will Wertz: Lyndon LaRouche made the following comment: The American people must demand that the ongoing treasonous British coup against the U.S. Presidency and the nation itself must be stopped, and the perpetrators prosecuted and imprisoned. The British system must be cancelled, and the President must make every effort to save the people of this country and the rest of humanity from further British-directed depredations against their lives. Cancel the British system; save the people.

What Im going to do today is to present the documentation which shows that what we have here is not a Russian interference in the domestic affairs of the United States of America, but rather a very directed interference on the part of the British empire. This is what should be investigated, as opposed to so-called collusion between President Trumps campaign team and the Russians. This is very important to document, and its absolutely critical that this coup be stopped; because we are, at this moment in world history, on the brink of another financial breakdown, far larger than in 2008. We are in a situation where the British, to preserve their bankrupt financial system based in the City of London and in Wall Street, are committed to bringing down the U.S. President to prevent the alternative to that collapse from being realized.

The alternative to that collapse is what Lyndon LaRouche has called the Four Powers concept, an alliance among the United States, Russia, China, and potentially India, which represent the industrial power on this planet and the vast majority of the worlds population. That combination can solve virtually any problem with which we are faced on planet Earth and beyond. For instance, the Korean Peninsula crisis requires the collaboration of the United States with China, and Russia; both of which are neighbors of North and South Korea. The fight against terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa, which extends even beyond those areas, requires such collaboration. The rebuilding of the world economy requires such collaboration, particularly by the United States joining the efforts initiated by Chinathe so-called Silk Road or the One Belt, One Road initiative, which Lyndon and Helga LaRouche have fought for for decades, when it was referred to as the World Land-Bridge.

All of these problems can be solved with that collaboration, and that collaboration would destroy the British empire once and for all. That is what is at stake right now. I would also point out that the British empire has historically been committed to massive population reduction, genocide, reducing the worlds population from the current level of more than seven billion, to one billion. That empire is willing to bring the world to the brink of thermonuclear war, with its geopolitical strategy against Russia and China. That is the underlying issue which is behind the current attempt to carry out a coup against the President of the United States.

The British Hand in Russia-Gate

The evidence of the British involvement is transparent. Donald Trump announced his Presidential campaign on June 16, 2015. An article appeared in the London Guardian on April 13, 2017, in which the authors say that British intelligence first became aware in late 2015that is, just months after Donald Trump announced his Presidential campaignof what they call suspicious interactions between figures connected to Trump and known or suspected Russian agents. The title of this article is British Spies Were First to Spot Trump Teams Links with Russia. In that article, they say that these so-called interactions were first uncovered by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) which is the equivalent of our NSA. They go to great lengths to point out that It is understood that GCHQ was at no point carrying out a targetted operation against Trump or his team, or proactively seeking information. The alleged conversations were picked up by chance.

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They also say that the GCHQ played an early prominent role in kick-starting the FBIs Trump-Russia investigation, which began in late July, 2016. It should be recalled that the Republican Convention which nominated Donald Trump occurred on July 18-21, 2016. So, GCHQ is following Donald Trump within months of his announcement for the Republican nomination for President, and the GCHQ kick-starts the FBI investigation of Donald Trump, probably within days of his getting the Republican nomination in July of 2016. The Guardian article continues, saying that The FBI and CIA were slow to appreciate the extensive nature of the contacts between Trumps team and Moscow ahead of the U.S. election. This was in part due to U.S. law that prohibits U.S. agencies from examining the private communications of American citizens without warrants. They were trained not to do this. Of course the law that theyre referring to is the U.S. Constitution; which unfortunately U.S. intelligence agencies have not so closely adhered to, as was exposed by Edward Snowden.

They also then report that Robert Hannigan, head of the GCHQ, passed material in the summer of 2016 to CIA chief John Brennan, and that Brennan used this information to launch a major interagency investigation. He further briefed the Gang of Eightthats the chairs and the ranking members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committeesin August and September, about this so-called information from GCHQ. So, what you have here is the British equivalent of the NSA, kick-starting an investigation of Donald Trump soon after the Republican nominating convention. Then, John Brennan launches an interagency investigation into a domestic affairone wonders if it is a violation of the CIAs charter that such an investigation is being launched in the first placeand began briefing the leadership of the Democratic and Republican chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, on this information, which even to this day is not verified.

So, this is an intervention on the part of British Intelligence into the elections. Add to this the dossier which was prepared by so-called former MI6 agent Christopher Steele. This has functioned as the roadmap for the FBIs investigation. Copies of it were given directly to the FBI, if not by GCHQ, by MI6. We know that John McCain gave a copy to the FBI when he was given such a copy. What do we have here in terms of Christopher Steele? Christopher Steele is a former MI6 operative; he worked under cover of the British Foreign Ministry in the Moscow Embassy, but was an intelligence operative. He formed a company called Orbis Business Intelligence back in 2009.

From at least 2010 on, Steele had been working with the Eurasian Organized Crime Unit of the FBI, based in New York City. In the same year that Orbis Business Intelligence was launched2009another company in the United States called Fusion GPS was launchedsame year. As early as 2010, according to court documents, those two companies had a confidentiality agreement. So, although the public story is that Fusion GPS hired Orbis Business Intelligence to do opposition research against Donald Trump on behalf of Hillary Clinton, the reality is that these two companies have been working together since their founding in 2009, and their confidentiality agreement goes back to one year later, 2010. That confidentiality agreement is being used by Fusion GPS as a reason for not handing over information to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has requested it with respect to this dossier.

What do we have here? We have GCHQ kick-starting an investigation through international surveillance; we have former MI6 agent Christopher Steele getting information from Russians, which in this case is not very reliable; we have the use of all of this as a roadmap for launching an investigation of the President of the United States after he was elected.

It should be pointed out that one of the key people in the FBI who has been involved in this is the former acting Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe. He was acting director of the FBI after Comey left, and now hes been replaced by Christopher Wray. But, in his early career, McCabe was head of the Eurasian Organized Crime Unit of the FBI in New York City. Senator Grassley has sent a whole series of questions to the Deputy Attorney General, Rod Rosenstein, about Andrew McCabe, because the suspicion is that Andrew McCabe was directly involved as the handler of Christopher Steele. It should also be pointed out that at a certain point, the FBI entertained the idea of paying Christopher Steele to continue his so-called research.

Picture credits, left to right: OGL/Foreign and Commonwealth Office, CIA portrait, fbi.gov

The question that Grassley asks is, was McCabe involved in that situation specifically? You have to understand that Andrew McCabe is under investigation right now because he was involved in a decision that his wife, Jill McCabe, would run for State Senator in the state of Virginia against Senator Dick Black. This was arranged through Governor McAuliffe, a close supporter of Hillary Clinton, who herself at the time was under investigation by the FBI. McCabe is also believed to have been involved in the investigation of Hillary Clintons emails. The issue here is a complete conflict of interest on the part of McCabe, who may have been the key person working at the FBI with Christopher Steele.

This is the British empire nexus that is directly involved in the operation against the President of the United States. The purpose of it is to destroy the Presidency of the United States, so that President Trump cannot develop collaborative relations with Russia and China, in particular, in the fight against terrorism, and cannot move forward in order to bring the United States into collaboration with Russia and China on the One Belt, One Road perspective, which would be crucial to developing the economy of the United States using American system methods.

Geopolitics or Human Development

Ross: You discussed the difference between what the motivation would be behind a British outlook versus what America might do. Could you describe for us, or help us understand, the difference between British geopolitics and what the United States could adopt as a national policy orientation?

Wertz: Yes. British policy is a policy of geopolitics, and this is a longstanding policy. In 1919, Halford Mackinder wrote a paper entitled The Geographical Pivot of History. What he wrote there, in summary, is as follows: Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland. Who rules the Heartland commands the World Island. Who rules the World Island commands the World. Russia is the pivot area, the heartland. Surrounding it is an area which is called the Inner Crescent, which today would be called the Arc of Crisis, as defined by another geopolitician, Bernard Lewis, who was born in Britain but later became an American citizen. Thats the policy that weve been carrying out. Who rules East Europe? Think about the move eastward by NATO to the very borders of Russia. Think about the policy of regime change in the entire Arc of Crisis area surrounding Russia.

This is the policy that was implemented under Zbigniew Brzezinski during the Carter Administration. Its continuing today, with the regime change policies in Libya, and in Egypt, before it was reversed by el-Sisi against Morsi. We see it in Iraq beginning in 2003; we see it today in the attempt in Syria. Before that, we saw it in Afghanistan, and thats still a crisis today. We see it in Ukraine, today. This is the geopolitical policy of the British, which led to World War II by the way, because this was the policy of Hitler. The Mackinder policy was picked up by Haushofer, who was instrumental in defining Hitlers policy of marching East to Russiathe Soviet Union at that time. So this is the geopolitical policy which is operative today.

Now, contrast that to the World Land-Bridge policy. This is the policy proposed by Lyndon and Helga LaRouche. The world island is essentially Asia, Europe, and Africa. The World Land-Bridge policy is not limited to the so-called world island; this is a policy for all of humanity, extending into the Western Hemisphere. The policy is one of economic developmentas the Chinese say, a win-win strategy, of peace based upon economic development. That is the central conception, so as to realize the actual potential of humanity for further improvements in its standard of living, its quality of mentation, and its ability not only to develop the planet Earth for mans benefit, but eventually to colonize outer space, which is mans fundamental mission.

So, these are the two contrasting views, and what Americans and others throughout the world need to know, is that the British empire is alive, and it is carrying out the same policy which it has carried out at least over the last 100 years, which led previously to world wars, and threatens to lead to world wars today. But there is an alternative, which is the World Land-Bridge, the One Belt, One Road policy; the Silk Road, which has been adopted by a vast majority of countries throughout the world.

Nature of the British empire

Ross: You talked about the British empire and the geopolitical objectives of Halford Mackinder. This is some time in the past. Today, I think that most people believe that there is no British empire; or that the power of the British empire has waned so dramatically from its peak that its hardly a driving force in world affairs today. Why do you speak about the importance of the British empire? Whats its power? How does it exist?

Wertz: Most people dont understand that the British empire is really based upon the Venetian system. Venice was not big in terms of military forces, or geography; its a city. Yet, the Venetian system, as a financial system, was an imperial system, and the British system, from its inception, is modeled upon that financial imperial system. The goals of the British empire are really totally anti-human. You could compare it to the Greek mythological figure Zeus, who did not want mankind to develop; did not want mankind to have science; and did not want mankind to have technology. In opposition to that, you had Prometheus, who gave man firescience, the means of developing the human mind so as to further the mission of humanity. The British policy is fundamentally a policy of financial imperialism, particularly after World War II, and it is also a policy based upon a perspective of destroying the notion of the sovereign nation-state, of reducing world population from the current level of over seven billion to a level of one billion or less, as I said earlier.

CC

I want to indicate two of the leading figures in developing the British conception of empire. One is H.G. Wells, who wrote a book called The Open Conspiracy in the year 1928. What he said there is the following: It lies within the power of the Atlantic communities to impose a world state, a world directorate upon the world. The open conspiracy rests upon a disrespect for national sovereignty. Its main political idea, its political strategy is to weaken, deface, incorporate, or supersede existing governments. It considers all existing governments as entirely provisional in nature. At one point he says, There will be little need for a President. Thats the policy of H.G. Wells.

As you can see, this is the policy of so-called limited sovereignty; its the policy of supra-national institutions, like, for instance, the European Union has become. The basic idea is to eliminate national sovereignty, and create supra-national institutions in which youd have no need for a President. Of course thats the view that the British take today. They would just as soon there not be a President who would assert the principle of national sovereignty and develop the people, through developing the economy of the nation, and working with other nations to have the same effect with respect to the world population.

Bassano

Lyndon LaRouche at one point called Bertrand Russell the most evil man of the 20th Century. Hes often known as an advocate of peace. Well, H.G. Wells made the same kind of argument for world peace; that was his justification for dictatorial methods. In the case of Bertrand Russell, after World War II Bertrand Russell actually proposedwhen he thought the United States had a monopoly on nuclear weaponsthat the United States threaten to use nuclear weapons against the then Soviet Union. He was not able to act on that idea, because as it turned out, the Soviet Union had developed nuclear weapons.

Let me just read an interchange with Bertrand Russell on this subject. He was asked, Is it true or untrue that in recent years you advocated that a preventive war might be made against Communism, against Soviet Russia? Russell: Its entirely true. And I dont repent of it now. It was not inconsistent with what I think now. There was a time just after the last war when the Americans had a monopoly of nuclear weapons, and offered to internationalize nuclear weapons by the Baruch Proposal. I thought this was an extremely generous proposal on their part, one which it would be very desirable that the world should accept. Not that I advocated a nuclear war, but I did think that great pressure should be put upon Russia to accept the Baruch Proposal, and I did think that if they continued to refuse, it might be necessary actually to go to war. At that time, nuclear weapons existed only on one side, and therefore the odds were the Russians would have given way. I thought they would. Question: Suppose they hadnt given way? Russell: I thought and hoped that the Russians would give way. But of course, you cant threaten unless youre prepared to have your bluff called.

So, this is the policy of Bertrand Russell, to create a one-world directorate as in the case of H.G. Wells, and to threaten pre-emptive nuclear war against the then-Soviet Union in order to enforce such a perspective. Now we are once again on the verge of, in this case, thermonuclear war, and that is the policy of the British empire. The British basically view war as one means by which they can reduce world population.

Americas Historic Enemy

Ross: In the American Revolution, the first of the complaints in the Declaration of Independence wasnt about taxation without representation; it was that the King had refused his assent to laws that were necessary for the common good. This must have shifted at some point. Now, there are so many factions in the United States who are adopting policies that sound very much like British policies. When did the United States begin to adopt an almost British outlook on foreign affairs?

Wertz: Its important for people to maintain a perspective involving a long arc of history. People know that the United States fought, before it became officially the United States and adopted a Constitution, fought a Revolution against the British empire. In 1814, it was the British who burned down the White House. This has been an ongoing conflict between the British and the United States. And when Im referring to the British, Im not referring to the British people; Im referring to the British Monarchy, the British empire as a system of government. Now, the British also supported the Confederacy in the Civil War. Lincoln was assassinated at the end of that war by individuals who it is believed were actually funded by the British, specifically by one James Bulloch, the uncle of Theodore Roosevelt, who was based in Great Britain during the entire Civil War, and was essentially the foreign agent of the Confederacy based in Britain.

But the United States was able to proceed after the Civil War, and I think it became clear to the British that they were not going to be able to take over the United States by military means, but rather they had to use other meansthose other means continued to involve assassination. One of the key breaking points in the whole process was the assassination of President McKinley in 1901, and of course the person who became President at that point was Theodore Roosevelt. This is in the period leading into World War I. Under McKinley, and prior to his assassination, the United States had very close relations with Germany, with Russia, and with Japan. This was reversed by Teddy Roosevelt, who established the so-called U.S.-British special relationship. Undoubtedly, the influence of his uncle on Teddy Roosevelt played a critical role in his perspective.

Now, Franklin Roosevelt had a completely different perspective. He traced his heritage back to Isaac Roosevelt, who worked closely with Alexander Hamilton. Roosevelts entire policy was based on the American system of economy, the same kind of American system of economy which President Trump has advocated, in recent speeches in Kentucky, Detroit, and elsewhere, including Glass-Steagall.

During World War II, the British, who had earlier backed Hitler, backed Mussolini and Franco, realized when Hitler turned westward into France and threatened Great Britain, that they needed the United States to defeat Hitler at that point. What you have from that point on, is a situation where the British operated in the United States to help bring the United States into that war.

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Roosevelts policy was always anti-colonial and anti-empire. In 1941, there was a famous meeting between Roosevelt and Churchill reported by Roosevelts son, Elliott Rooseveltin which the senior Roosevelt said, were not fighting World War II in order to preserve the British empire, but rather, after this war were going to use American system methods of economic development to develop the entire world and to end colonialism altogether.

When Roosevelt died in 1945, the British, through Churchill, through their intelligence agencies, and through Harry Truman, moved to begin the process of attempting to bring the United States into this British empire orbitto reverse what Roosevelt had doneand that has been the ongoing conflict that weve had over the last seventy years or more. Its not resolved to this day, and it has to be resolved by defeating the British empire.

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CIA

During World War II, the British set up intelligence operations in the United States. There was an individual by the name of Sir William S. Stephenson, Canadian-born. He set up British covert operations, which operated under the cover of the British Security Coordination, which was located in Rockefeller Center. They ran covert operations in the United States during this whole period, basically from 1939 through 1944. He represented both MI6 and MI5; he worked directly with Allen Dulles who had an office in the same building, on the same floor as Stephenson. Dulles, of course, later became head of the CIA, until he was relieved of duty by John F. Kennedy. Stephenson also worked very closely with the FBI, with J. Edgar Hoover.

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In 1946, the British-U.S. Communication Agreement was signed as a secret treaty. It was an agreement to have intelligence collaboration between the United States and the U.K. with respect to the Soviet Union and the East Bloc countries. This later was transformed into the Five Eyes, which is the United States, U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. In a very real sense, the United States became a part of the British empire intelligence apparatus. And what we see today with GCHQ/MI6, their work with Brennan at the CIA, with Comey and McCabe at the FBI, and with Clapper as Director of National Intelligence, is a continuation of that U.S.-U.K. Agreement. The surveillance was done under the codename Echelon, and its still being done under that name, even after the Soviet Union collapsedits directed against the former Soviet Union and East Bloc countries.

And that is what we see today, as I said. Edward Snowden, in describing this relationship, said, the Five Eyes are a supranational intelligence organization that doesnt answer to the known laws of its own countries. Thats the picture I can give you.

What Is To Be Done?

Ross: This is a chilling picture, a very scary picture. What is it that we ought to do? This is much bigger I think, than people, even those who understand that a coup is in process or that Russia-gate is a whole bunch of baloneythis is a lot deeper than what most people believe theyre up against. How do we fight against this? and what do we create in its stead? Whats our objective here?

Wertz: Lyndon LaRouche yesterday said that we have to pour it on. We have to really escalate the mobilization to get a breakthrough with respect to the VIPS memorandum which we discussed at the very beginning. The whole edifice of the lie that the Russians interfered in the elections, and that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians, is about to fall. We have to make sure that it falls. As you indicated in the beginning, the VIPS memo was produced in July, it was sent to the President, its been sent to the Justice Department, and its been widely circulated. We, in our movement, distributed something like one hundred copies of the VIPS memo in offices in Washington, D.C. two weeks ago, concentrating on the Intelligence Committees of both the House and Senate, as well as the Judiciary Committee. We also got this out, this week, at the Old Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. and at the Justice Department.

The story is beginning to break: You mentioned the article in The Nation. This is a very powerful article that just appeared, and what the author, Patrick Lawrence, says is the following: Under no circumstance can it be acceptable that the relevant authorities, the National Security Agency, the Justice Department (via the Federal Bureau of Investigation), and the Central Intelligence Agency leave these new findings without reply.

Now, the company that the DNC hired, CrowdStrike, the one that claimed that it had evidence that the Russians had hacked the DNC computers, it just said, we continue to stand by our report, arguing that by July 5, all malware had been removed from the DNCs computers. As Patrick Lawrence points out, But the presence or absence of malware by that time is entirely immaterial, because the event of July 5 is proven to have been a leak and not a hack.

The point here is, you have The Nation article, you have Newsmax, which gave coverage to this; Bloomberg News had an article yesterday on the VIPS and their conclusions. Whats required is for the American people to take back our country and ensure that the Constitution survives, that the republic of the United States survives. We have to mobilize to force a situation where, instead of investigating Trump, what should be investigated is the British role in all of this, and the role of members of U.S. intelligence in participating in this attempt at a coup against the United States of America and against the President of the United States of America. John Brennan recently argued that if President Trump were to fire Mueller as Special Counsel, that members of the Executive should refuse to obey his orders: Thats a call for a coup by the ex-CIA director.

Lyndon LaRouche said at the beginning, weve got to cancel the British system; weve got to save our people. Whats being run in this country is the equivalent of the British Opium Wars against China of the Nineteenth Century, in the opioid and other widespread drug addiction thats destroying this country. We have to free the President, to be able to carry out the policies which he at least has indicated he has an intention to implement, to the benefit of this country and the benefit of the world. Thats the issue thats before us right now.

Contact the President!

What I would encourage every American citizen to do, is to contact the President: Tell him that he has your support to move on this issue. It was not a hack, it was a leak. A lie has been used as a pretext for overthrowing the President of the United States, and its being conducted by a foreign government, in collusion with traitors in the United States like Brennan and others. Those people should be investigated. Here you have a situation where a crime was allegedly committed at the Democratic National Committee (DNC); the DNC hired its own private investigator, and that private investigator announced what the conclusion of its investigation was. The police were never invited to the scene. They never secured the crime scene, they never investigated the crime scene, and the computers have never been seen by the FBI. This is completely preposterous!

The entire country has been put in jeopardy as a result of something which is unheard of! Have you ever heard of a crime where the police were not allowed to secure the crime scene and investigate the crime? The alleged victim of the crime, whos now carrying out a campaign against the President of the United States, is allowed to determine how the investigation is conducted, and also what the conclusion of the investigation is.

This is intolerable! As Patrick Lawrence wrote in The Nation, it cannot stand, that there is not a reply. The forensic evidence is solid. It has been presented by experts from the NSA itself, who know how this is done.

We have to ensure that this lie collapses immediately, that the people involved in this coup against the President are investigated, and imprisoned if found guilty. That is whats required. So contact the President, tell him that you support him in going public with this. Demand that the representatives of the VIPS be allowed to testify before the various committees of Congress, to get to the bottom of this crime, which has been committed against our President and against our country.

If we do that, then we create the basis for collaboration between the United States, Russia, China, and India, which, as Lyndon LaRouche said in his Four Powers concept, is the necessary means for dismantling the British empire once and for all. What we need to do, is to destroy Zeus and free Prometheus.
PRESS RELEASE

Austria Mobilized Army Stop Refugees Crossing from Italy

Aug. 17, 2017 (EIRNS)While it likes to consider itself a happy family of nations without borders, the European Union has revealed itself once again to be a fraud. Now the Austrian government announced that they are sending 70 troops to the Italian border to prevent illegal migrants from crossing into Austria aboard freight train cars. The soldiers will be deployed at the Brenner Pass, which defines an Alpine border between Italy and Austria. Helmut Tomac, a senior Austrian police official, said the government would send armored military vehicles as well against the unarmed refugees, including women and children.

The announcement drew a sharp response from Italy.

"We shall not accept lessons and much less threats such as those we have heard from our neighbors in recent days," said Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. "We are doing our duty and expect the whole of Europe to do the same alongside Italy."

Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti said in a press conference that after the two days of June 27-28, when 27 ships unloaded 12,000 refugees in Italy, the European Union offered Italy "only more money to create new hotspots." And hotspots are real prison camps, where nobody can get out. "Think about it: they proposed to us to create detention centers, real jails, even for unaccompanied minors," said a government official quoted by Il GIornale. The money offered by Brussels aimed at guaranteeing that refugees do not move from Italy into France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia.

That is why the Italian government, Minniti explained, decided to go its own way and implement a different policy, which included regulating non-governmental organizations' activities and the deal with the Libyan coast guard.
Paul Yoons new collection, The Mountain, is not what youd call delightful  the stories are sober and the prose is quiet, yet in that is the howling of the human condition that makes the best short fiction stand out. Only six stories long, it is also a small collection and an almost unfailingly tight one from Yoon, author of the short story collection Once the Shore and the novel Snow Hunters.

In the first story, A Willow and the Moon, the narrator remembers his childhood in upstate New York, where his mother worked at a sanitarium after World War I and liberally partook in of her patients morphine. He remembers a man named Henri Loze; years later, after he has been part of another world war, the narrator meets Lozes daughter at the long-abandoned sanitarium, which she is visiting in memory of her father, who became a painter after his convalescence.

This kind of chance meeting occurs in several of the stories. In fact, chance plays a large part in Yoons characters lives. In Still a Fire, set in France soon after WWII, one of the main characters, Mikel, is the sole survivor of a mine explosion that killed his friend Artur. Mikels nurse (a morphine addict, like the mother of the narrator in the first story) finds a strange path to sobriety with Arturs brother (who is a painter as well) in the shantytown Mikel once inhabited.

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The characters peopling these pages share certain commonalities: as children, most were raised by one parent, with the other dying or abandoning the family; their adulthood is full of nostalgia for childhood intimacy; their shaky memory is impeded by sometimes unspecified trauma; and their friendships are rare and tend to end violently.

This is where much of the drama in these stories occurs: rippling, under the surface, in that quiet desperation for safety.

It is the trust exchanged with strangers that often carries the emotional weight in these stories. Such moments of recognition are occasionally founded on some actual shared history, but not always; in Galicia, for instance, a woman named Antje works as a hotel maid in present-day Spain and a guest startles her while shes cleaning. A few days later, when she is waiting for her husband to return from a business trip, she meets the guest again, and he says, There you are! as if he had been waiting for her all along. And she, in her anxiety over her husband not showing up and the rift between them, takes a leap of faith and accompanies this stranger to Galicia. Leaps of faith are also common to many characters, as is a certain trust in strangers to help them get to where they need to go.

In the title story, The Mountain, a woman named Faye is homeless in South Korea until she is recruited by a man who mysteriously tells her to come back home. The job she is recruited for is factory work in Shanghai, where she connects with several other characters, but ultimately, its the man who originally rescued her from the street  who is not much of a protector  with whom she feels safe. This is where much of the drama in these stories occurs: rippling, under the surface, in that quiet desperation for safety. While the stories are seemingly quiet, they are all set against the backdrop of violence, from World War II to present-day fights for independence and confusing acts of terrorism.

Set in present-day England, the final story in the collection, Milner Field, features a narrator who is a father and his extremely close, innocent relationship with his daughter. Though he is divorced from her mother, and though part of his daughters leg was amputated after a bad accident, he is content. My feet were cold. I was cold. Still I kept going. I was cold but happy, the narrator tells us; it is the only story in which a character expresses such an emotion, and its clear that its the existence of family, even broken and damaged, that allows for it.

The stories in The Mountain are linked through key themes as well as a somewhat overemphasized use of shared images. The moon, a bicycle, a horse that is taken for a ghost or a living statue, company names with the word Sunshine in them: For close readers, these shared images and character backgrounds may be a little on the nose, a little forced. This is a small grievance, though, in what is ultimately a fantastic collection.

Masad is an Israeli American writer living in New York.

The Mountain

Paul Yoon

Simon & Schuster: 256 pp., $25
Many Internet users cheered when the Daily Stormer, a website openly devoted to white supremacy and neo-Nazism, was sent packing by its Web domain host, GoDaddy, following last weekends racist violence in Charlottesville, Va.

GoDaddys action, which turned the Daily Stormer into a site without a host, seemed like a beacon of effective response to an era of rising hate speech online  years of vicious attacks that had driven many women, blacks, LGBTQ individuals and others off such popular platforms as Twitter and Facebook, and seemed only to have intensified with the rise of Donald Trump.

But a counter-narrative already has emerged: Is this response really a good thing?

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Dailystormer.coms forced march in search of an Internet home began Sunday, when GoDaddy gave the site 24 hours to find another domain host service. GoDaddy provided the link between its Internet protocol address, which is a series of numbers, and its URL, which is what users typed into their browsers to reach it.

Charlottesville is a flashpoint.... With this event the connection between hate speech and real-world violence is quite obvious.  Brittan Heller, Anti-Defamation League

The Daily Stormer fetched up the next day at Googles hosting service, which promptly sent it packing. Later the site appeared to be using a Russian hosting service, but by late in the week it seemed to be inaccessible anywhere on the Web.

Meanwhile, other online services said they would look askance at any potential clients associated white supremacist or neo-Nazi activities. After Charlottesville, PayPal issued a statement emphasizing that its Acceptable Use Policy bars accepting payments or donations for activities that promote hate, violence or racial intolerance, including organizations that advocate racist views, such as the KKK, white supremacist groups or Nazi groups. As my colleague Tracey Lien reported, Apple shut off Apple Pay services to several websites selling Nazi or white supremacist products.

We informed The Daily Stormer that they have 24 hours to move the domain to another provider, as they have violated our terms of service.  GoDaddy (@GoDaddy) August 14, 2017

Cloudflare, which speeds up and protects websites from hackers, terminated the Daily Stormers account after initially resisting calls to do so. As its co-founder and Chief Executive Matthew Prince explained in a blog post, Cloudflare took that action not because of the content per se, but because he was irritated that the Daily Stormer was bragging that we were secretly supporters of their ideology.

These actions turn an uncomfortable spotlight on the power that Internet gatekeepers have to deny services to websites they dislike.

Theres no question that GoDaddy, Google, and the other services have the legal right to refuse to do business with anyone they wish. Their actions dont implicate the 1st Amendments guarantee of freedom of speech, since the amendment applies only to government agencies.

This part of the Charlottesville story makes people think about who controls speech on the Internet, says Daphne Keller of Stanford Law Schools Center for Internet and Society. We dont have 1st Amendment rights to stop private companies from shutting down our speech, and most of the Internet is run by private companies. Most of us want some intermediaries to play that role  when we go on Twitter, we dont want to be barraged with obscenities and on Facebook we dont want to see racism. But its kind of scary that all these other companies can also be shutting down speech willy-nilly, and thats certainly their right under the law.

By almost any standard, the Daily Stormer is an easy target for total eradication from the Web. Brimming with unapologetically bigoted and anti-Semitic content, the site is named after Der Sturmer, a Nazi propaganda newspaper that promoted violence against Jews during the Third Reich. Its proprietor, Julius Streicher, was convicted of crimes against humanity at Nuremberg and hanged. Wherever one chooses to draw the line separating appropriate discourse from hate speech, the Daily Stormer lies outside the boundaries of civilization. The Southern Poverty Law Center, a leading hate-group tracker, has endowed it with the label of the top hate site in America.

Nor is it hard to argue that the website crosses the line from mere speech to incitement. Thats the rationale cited by GoDaddy, which says it generally does not take action on complaints that would constitute censorship of content, except where a site  crosses over to promoting, encouraging, or otherwise engaging in violence against any person. Dailystormer.com, the firm says, crossed the line and encouraged and promoted violence.

Other Internet services came to the same conclusion. Charlottesville is a flashpoint, says Brittan Heller, the Anti-Defamation Leagues director of technology and society and its liaison to Silicon Valley. The reason that companies feel they can take action now, where they were uncertain earlier, is that with this event the connection between hate speech and real-world violence is quite obvious.

Companies may have been reluctant to play Internet police in the past in part because vetting every website or utterance online could be a superhuman task. Distinguishing hate speech from political commentary can be daunting, Heller says, because much of it consists of dog whistles audible to a sites followers but not outsiders. She mentions memes such as Pepe the Frog, an originally innocent cartoon character that was adopted by neo-Nazi groups despite the objections of its creator, and the triple parentheses that white supremacists and Neo-Nazis placed around the Twitter handles of users to identify them as ostensibly Jewish. That symbol eventually got co-opted as a symbol of solidarity among Jewish and progressive Twitter users.

As hate speech has proliferated on the Internet, especially over the last year, companies have been seeking out more tools to fight it. We have now crossed the Rubicon, Heller told me. They feel they must do something because their users and the public are demanding it.

But what if Internet gatekeepers begin to shun any potentially controversial speech to avoid disturbing some users or groups? The standard 1st Amendment mantra is that we dont need to worry about popular content, says Eric Goldman, a cyberlaw expert at Santa Clara University law school. Its the unpopular content we need to fight for. Almost anything in public discourse will be controversial to somebody: If we decide we can suppress content because of its unpopularity, then no content is safe, he says.

Some experts argue that the risk that any but the most noxious sources will entirely lose access to the Internet is vanishingly small, thanks to the sheer multiplicity of service providers. What makes this not terribly troubling, says Eugene Volokh of UCLA law school and a prominent blogger on 1st Amendment issues, is that there are a lot of domain registrars and hosting services out there, and its pretty easy to switch.

Thats a virtue, but it may eventually prove cold comfort. Consolidation among Internet services is proceeding apace, with little interference from regulators. Todays multiplicity may morph into a small number of dominant providers and a few inefficient little ones.

In his post defending his shutdown of the Daily Stormer, Cloudflares Prince listed 14 categories of Internet service providers that could be choke points limiting someones access to the Internet or closing it off entirely, for reasons of their own. They include publishing platforms such as Facebook and WordPress, infrastructure providers such as Amazon Web Services, domain registrars such as GoDaddy, and search engines such as Google.

Any of the above could regulate content online, Prince observed. The question is: which of them should?

No one has come up with a surefire way to distinguish all hate speech from more innocuous expression online and act against it without being too heavy. In 2014, Hellers department at the ADL worked with the tech community to develop a roster of best practices for responding to cyberhate on their platforms. They included terms of service with clear definitions of hateful content, user-friendly mechanisms and procedures for reporting it, and consistent enforcement and sanctions.

But she acknowledges that many have fallen short in execution. You need both strong and transparent terms of service and effective and transparent mechanisms for enforcement, she says. Sometimes theres a gap between having the ambition for a responsible response and having the bandwidth to enforce it. Up to now, moreover, companies have relied on their users to report hate online rather than proactively looking for it.

The response by GoDaddy, Google, Cloudflare and other companies suggests that Charlottesville may have changed that, at least in the near term and for gross violations. When people are using their platforms to plan violence, incite violence, and celebrate violence, thats different, Heller says. Thats the Rubicon.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

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MORE FROM MICHAEL HILTZIK

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CBO confirms canceling Obamacares cost-sharing subsidies would be a disaster  for Republicans
With Republicans seeming to have abandoned their repeal-or-bust attack on the Affordable Care Act, the path to improving Americans health coverage is wide open.

That has given the idea of single-payer a jump-start. But it hasnt done much to clarify the most important question: How do we get there from here?

Several routes go through Medicare, an enormously popular program that currently covers Americans 65 and older, many dialysis patients, and the disabled. Indeed, Medicare for All is a common mantra among single-payer advocates. But expanding Medicare to take up the slack in our health coverage system will create almost as many problems as it solves. And those will have to be addressed. Lets see how.

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In most countries, they basically say, Youre covered....They dont make your coverage contingent on your ability to hunt down the money to pay for it.  Jacob Hacker, Yale University

The political ground has shifted in two ways, observes political scientist Jacob Hacker of Yale, who outlined a universal healthcare proposal as long ago as 2002. During the course of the debate, there was pressure on Democrats to outline a vision of where they wanted to go. The result was a non-trivial boomlet for Medicare-for-all. That concept is at the heart of healthcare plans from Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

But by leaving the ACA in place, the end of the GOP repeal campaign encouraged Democrats to build on the existing law for the next phase of health coverage expansion. If the ACA had been completely wiped out, Hacker says, there would have been more pressure on Democrats to go for single-payer completely. Medicare-for-all and the expansion of the ACA, he says, arent entirely compatible with one another.

Before going further, a couple of general points: Single-payer and universal coverage are often used interchangeably, but that wrong. Its possible to have the latter without the former  indeed, every major country with universal coverage has multiple payers to some extent, though payments to doctors and hospitals for services typically are much more centrally regulated than in the U.S.

Almost every industrialized country finances its health coverage through a combination of public, private (typically employer-paid), and out-of-pocket spending. The key difference among them is the share of each category. As the accompanying chart from the Nation shows, the United States funds far more than any other country privately  at 40% of all healthcare spending, thats nearly three times the share of the runners-up, Ireland (15%), Canada (15%) and France (14%).

The public share of healthcare spending in the U.S., meanwhile, is well below that of other industrialized countries  49%  even though Medicaid and Medicare are two of our biggest government programs. No other country contributes less than 64% of health spending from public funds. Thats Switzerland. Countries known for their universal health coverage, such as Britain, France, Japan and the Scandinavian countries, all contribute at least 80% of healthcare costs from the public till.

In most countries, they basically say, Youre covered, and then they figure out how to get money from you or your employer or anybody else to finance your care, Hacker says. But they dont make your coverage contingent on your ability to hunt down the money and pay for it in advance.

That brings us back to Medicare, which resembles a single-payer program in that reimbursements to doctors and hospitals, along with mandated benefits, are centrally regulated. Part A, which covers hospitalization, is premium-free for most Americans who have paid payroll taxes during their working years. But Part B, which covers physicians, requires a monthly premium based on income, as does prescription coverage under Part D.

A and B charge enrollees deductibles and co-pays, as do some Part D plans. And Parts A and B dont have caps on out-of-pocket spending. Thats why about one-third of enrollees choose Medicare Advantage plans, which cap out-of-pocket expenses and offer enhanced benefits, and others buy Medigap plans, which are offered by private insurers to fill in Medicares blanks. Both are offered by private insurers.

The U.S. is roughly in the middle of the pack when it comes to out-of-pocket spending as a share of the total. But its proper to keep in mind that U.S. healthcare costs are grossly out of line compared with other countries  at more than $9,000 per capita, its roughly twice the average among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD. That means that American pocketbooks are disproportionately affected by out-of-pocket spending, even at average ratios.

So the goal really is universal coverage. Single-payer, in which the government pays all healthcare costs for everyone, is one way to get there, but not the only way. As we wrote in May, when a single-payer plan was before the California Legislature (it failed), single-payer almost certainly would be cheaper and simpler than the ridiculous contraption we have now, a mishmash of employer, government and private plans all with different rules and standards and is favored by a clear majority of Americans in opinion polls, at least in theory. But covering everyone is Job One, and figuring out how to pay for it is Job Two.

So traditional Medicare isnt as good as the typical large-employer plan or even ACA plans, which cap out-of-pocket spending. For a non-elderly population, Medicare benefits would have to be expanded to cover such services as pediatric care, maternity and birth control.

That suggests that replacing existing health coverage with Medicare for all without a lengthy transition period would be a heavy political lift, as Paul Starr of Princeton observed in March, during the heat of the GOP attack on the ACA. Medicare-for-all faces two enormous obstacles, he wrote. Moving everyone under age 65 into Medicare would require a huge increase in taxes; employees who now receive health care as a fringe benefit would inevitably look at those taxes as an additional burden, even if reformers try to assure them that their wages would rise once health care was financed by taxes. The second obstacle is seniors fear that extending the program to others will jeopardize their coverage.

Overcoming these obstacles would require lengthy political debates over the breadth of coverage and how to distribute costs, especially to the extent that it would involve raising taxes on the rich  very similar to the debate about those issues during the drafting of the Affordable Care Act and in the seven years since its enactment.

Yet some intermediate steps suggest themselves. In an essay published this month in Health Affairs, Hacker, Starr, and Gerard Anderson of Johns Hopkins University suggest making Medicare available on the ACA exchanges, say in any county or region with two or fewer competing private insurers. That would turn Medicare into a sort of public option of the sort that was initially contemplated for the ACA. They also propose that private insurers offering Medicare Advantage plans in any region be required to offer such plans within the exchanges as well  a trade-off using the insurers desire for the profits they reap from Medicare Advantage, which are substantial, to goad them into improving the offerings in the individual exchanges. (Weve recommended a similar arrangement that would require insurers bidding for desirable Medicaid expansion contracts in a state to participate in the exchanges.)

We know that Medicare Advantage plans already operate in counties where there are no private insurers, Hacker says. We know how to do this. Over time, the Medicare offerings could be expanded into counties with more competing insurers, and eventually nationwide. A lot of questions would remain and this is not going to happen overnight be any means, but you can see how it works in discrete steps and moves us in the direction of Medicare for all.

Hacker would couple that arrangement with a pay-or-play requirement for employers  not a mere tax on those that dont offer coverage to their workers, as exists under the ACAs employer mandate, but a requirement that they actually contribute to the cost of their coverage within a Medicare-like system. For small businesses this could be a modest charge, but as Hacker argued in a 2007 version of his Health Care for America plan, it would ensure that no one with a direct or family tie to the workforce would remain uninsured.

Other proposals for gradually extending Medicare include lowering the eligibility age from the current 65 in stages  say to 60 or 55 in the near term. (Starr called this midlife Medicare.) This has the virtue of guaranteeing coverage to a segment of the uninsured population most at risk of heavy medical expenses, since on average they have greater medical needs than younger Americans and even under the ACA can be charged higher premiums. On the downside, theyre expensive to cover, which means finding new funding for their care.

The most important political shift resulting from the failed GOP repeal effort may be the assumption that everyone should be covered. Thats implied bythe Congressional Budget Offices determination that the GOPs repeal plans would deprive more than 20 million Americans of their coverage  a finding that arguably delivered the death blow to the GOPs repeal dream. That shift may finally have put the U.S. on the path to universal coverage, and all were really arguing about now is how to pay for it.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

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James Murdoch, chief executive of Fox News parent company, became the latest corporate leader to blast President Trump over his response to the recent racially charged attack in Charlottesville, Va.

[W]hat we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the president of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people, Murdoch wrote in an email letter to friends. These events remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation  a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals.

Murdochs letter was noteworthy because of his companys ownership of the conservative-leaning Fox News Channel, which is one of Trumps favorite news sources. Fox News has been a staunch defender of Trumps presidency. In addition, Rupert Murdoch, James Murdochs 86-year-old father and the companys founder, has become an informal advisor to the president.

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I cant even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so, Murdoch wrote.

His missive comes in the wake of several other CEOs quitting Trumps business councils and publicly admonishing him for not taking a tougher stand against extremism.

Trump was widely criticized for blaming both sides in the deadly violence that followed a Friday night march in which some white nationalists chanted anti-Jewish statements. Murdoch said that he and his wife, Kathryn, had made a $1-million donation to the Anti-Defamation League.

Resignations from Trumps business councils began on Monday and snowballed until Trump said he was disbanding the manufacturing and economic advisory councils Wednesday morning. Many of the executives cited their personal beliefs  and not just business reasons  as the impetus for their action.

Kenneth Frazier, the CEO of pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. and one of corporate Americas leading black executives, was the first to quit on Monday.

Americas leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal, Frazier said. As CEO of Merck and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.

Management and brand experts said the business leaders were trying to distance themselves and their companies from Trump.

Theres not enough spin in the world to justify [Trumps] position on this, Marlene Towns, a professor at Georgetowns McDonough School of Business, told The Times on Wednesday.

Generally, its a bad idea to align your brand with the KKK and white nationalists. You dont need a PhD in marketing to arrive at that conclusion, she added.

Murdochs position continues a generational change at 21st Century Fox. It was James Murdoch and his older brother, Lachlan Murdoch, who serves as co-chairman of Fox and sister company News Corp., who pressed for the firing of Roger Ailes, the once-powerful founder and architect of Fox News, in July 2016 amid allegations of widespread sexual harassment at the news unit. (Ailes died in May.)

Full text of the letter sent by James Murdoch:

Friends,

Im writing to you in a personal capacity, as a concerned citizen and a father. It has not been my habit to widely offer running commentary on current affairs, nor to presume to weigh in on the events of a given day save those that might be of particular or specific concern to 21CF and my colleagues. But what we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people.

These events remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation  a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals. The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob. I cant even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so.

Diverse storytellers, and stories, can make a difference, and that diversity, around the world, is a crucial strength and an animating force in my business. Often times not everyone agrees with the stories and positions that emerge from this, and that can be difficult. Certainly no company can be perfect. But Im proud of the powerful art that can emerge, and Im grateful to all of my colleagues who make this happen.

From the potent and compelling narrative of 12 Years a Slave, to the streets of Pakistan and the bravery of an extraordinary young woman that we saw in He Named Me Malala, to name just a few, weve never been afraid to help storytellers and artists say important things  hard things, too. To further demonstrate our commitment, Kathryn and I are donating 1 million dollars to the Anti-Defamation League, and I encourage you to give what you think is right as well. We hardly ever talk about our charitable giving, but in this case I wanted to tell you and encourage you to be generous too.

Many of you are supporters of the Anti-Defamation League already  now is a great time to give more. The ADL is an extraordinary force for vigilance and strength in the face of bigotry  you can learn more here:

https://www.adl.org.

My very best to you and with all my gratitude,

JRM

meg.james@latimes.com

@MegJamesLAT

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UPDATES:

9:25 p.m. This article was updated to include the full text of James Murdochs letter.

This article was first published at 8:35 p.m.
The livelihoods of Hollywood musicians have long been under siege as major movie and TV productions continue to outsource scoring to other states as well as abroad.

Local instrumentalists have tried pressuring the major studios to bring more scoring back to Los Angeles and many are backing a new state bill from Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon (D-Whittier) that would increase tax credits doled out to movie productions that choose to do their music scoring in California.

On Saturday, musicians will step up their protest by staging a free concert at L.A. City Hall, starting at 10:30 a.m. The event is designed to raise awareness of the state bill and bring attention to the issue of runaway scoring.

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Among the musicians scheduled to perform is Rickey Minor, who worked as the bandleader on NBCs The Tonight Show until 2014, when the show decamped from Burbank and moved to New York.

L.A. is losing a significant number of scoring jobs to Britain, as well as to New York, according to John Acosta, president of AFM Local 47, the union that represents professional musicians in the L.A. area.

In recent years, the union has organized rallies against Marvel Studios for hiring British musicians to work on movies such as Iron Man 3" and The Avengers, even though those films were shot in the United States.

Movies in The Hunger Games and Twilight franchises were also scored in Britain.

The new bill proposes new tax incentives designed to encourage productions to do their scoring locally. Tax credits arent always the most popular thing to get through the Legislature, Acosta said. But this is a jobs-producing bill.

AB 1300, which is expected to be up for vote next year, calls for a 30% credit to offset scoring expenses for movies shot outside of North America employing 35 or more musicians and completing at least 75% of the scoring in California. It also features an incentive for lower budget projects costing $5 million or lower.

To fund the initiative, the bill proposes reallocating previously dedicated credits from the states revised film and TV tax credit program that went into effect two years ago.

For local musicians, movies provide a more stable source of income than TV, according to Marc Sazer, an L.A.-based violinist.

TV doesnt provide a middle-class livelihood for musicians, he said, noting that series dont typically hire as many instrumentalists as major studio films.

Music scoring for motion pictures is really where the jobs are for musicians, he said, and thats not happening in L.A.

david.ng@latimes.com

Twitter: @DavidNgLAT
For years, Richard Spencers white nationalist think tank, the National Policy Institute, was able to accept donations online through its PayPal account and through credit card payments processed by San Francisco start-up Stripe.

And those online channels accounted for the vast majority of NPIs support. Now, in the wake of the deadly rally in Charlottesville, Va., and a crackdown on white supremacist groups by some tech companies, that once-wide-open door is quickly closing.

PayPal shut down NPIs account earlier this week. And on Thursday, Stripe appeared to have ceased processing credit card payments for the group.

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Spencer confirmed that an account with a payment processor, one he said had worked with his group for years, had been closed, but he would not identify Stripe by name. (NPIs donation page included Stripe computer code on Wednesday.)

This is a huge obstacle were going to have to overcome, Spencer said. I do occasionally get a $25 check in the mail, but for every one check, I get 100 $25 donations online.

Advocacy groups and lawmakers have for years pushed credit card networks and other big players in the payments system to block particular types of bad actors, from companies that publish criminal mug shots online  with the promise of taking them down for a price  to anti-gay and anti-Muslim groups to Wikileaks.

Some of those campaigns have had wins here and there, but now, after Charlottesville, theres been a flurry of activity by payment providers to cut off access to online payments for white supremacist, white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups.

Along with PayPal and Stripe, which have shut down numerous accounts, Apple said its Apple Pay service would no longer be a payment option for websites that sell white nationalist- or Nazi-themed apparel.

As a company, through our actions, our products and our voice, we will always work to ensure that everyone is treated equally and with respect, said Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook in an email to employees.

Online advocacy group Color of Change has been pushing credit card companies for months to cut off hate groups that it believes promote or incite violence. This week, it stepped up its campaign with the launch of website Bloodmoney.org, which calls out credit card companies for helping hatemongers personally profit off their hate.

The nations two largest credit card networks, Visa and Mastercard, now say they have cut off some groups, but only if they believe the groups have engaged in illegal activity such as inciting violence. Card network Discover went a step further, saying that hate groups will no longer be able to accept its cards even if they do not incite violence directly.

A spokeswoman for American Express said Amex cards are not a payment option at about 120 organizations identified by Color of Change.

Still, cutting hate groups out of the payment system entirely is not a simple process, and its fraught with questions about censorship.

David Greene, civil liberties director at the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation, said payment companies wield immense power yet are private entities.

In this situation, many people are not sad about these groups being denied services, Greene said. But where we have to be really careful is institutionalizing and normalizing these entities being the moderators of whats available. Today its Nazis, but tomorrow it might be someone on the other end of the spectrum.

Whats more, those decisions are being made by a web of interconnected players, all of which have different policies dictating whats allowed and whats prohibited.

Visa, Mastercard and the other card networks dont work directly with the stores, websites and other merchants that accept their cards. Instead, thats left to banks, which actually move money between accounts when a purchase is made. But banks sometimes dont have a direct relationship with merchants either, relying instead on third-party service providers such as Stripe and Square.

The card networks themselves have generally taken a permissive approach, banning only illegal activity. Discover aside, networks do not appear to have changed their thinking after Charlottesville.

We generally do not prohibit the acceptance of Mastercard-branded payment cards by merchants based on our disagreement with specific views espoused or promoted, Mastercard spokesman Seth Eisen said in an email.

Banks and the third-party companies they work with often have somewhat more robust rules. PayPal, for instance, says users may not use its services for transactions that involve the promotion of hate, violence, racial intolerance or the financial exploitation of a crime.

Representatives for Bank of America Merchant Services, Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase all say they have policies against working with groups that promote hate, violence or harassment.

Some rules are quite vague. Stripe, for instance, says it will block any business that we believe poses elevated financial risk, legal liability, or violates card network or bank policies.

And its not clear how consistently any of these rules are enforced. Though card networks and banks say they conduct ongoing monitoring, they also suggest they sometimes move to block merchants only when complaints emerge.

In an emailed statement, Visa spokeswoman Amanda Pires said the company shut down payment access for several hate groups only after the company was given a list of offensive groups. She said the groups were blocked because they were participating in illegal activity or were in violation of bank rules.

Spencer said the companies that have blocked payments to the National Policy Institute have cited nonspecific violations of their terms of service. But he said that if NPI is violating those terms, it has been doing so for some time  and that the new developments are nothing more than an attempt to suppress speech.

They have changed their interpretation of their own policies, he said. Nothing has changed. We have been advocating for the same things for years; Ive been using the same language for years. Ive always been upfront with who I am and what our organization is.

PayPal did not respond to requests for comment. Stripe spokesman Ted Ladd said he could not comment on specific users.

Still, Spencer said he hasnt been cut out of the payments system entirely. He would not provide more details but said he had some short-term options he could turn to for fundraising.

Without PayPal or Stripe, NPI may be able to find another payment processor. Organizers of white nationalist groups might be able to take other steps as well, such as accepting payments through their personal PayPal or Venmo accounts.

They could also try to mimic what Wikileaks has done. In late 2010, shortly after Wikileaks published a trove of classified cables sent by the State Department, Visa and Mastercard blocked the site from accepting credit card donations, saying it was engaged in illegal activity. But donors can still give money to Wikileaks, if indirectly.

Click the donate button on Wikileaks site, and youll be presented with options to make donations to two other nonprofits  the Wau Holland Foundation and the Freedom of the Press Foundation  that will funnel donations back to Wikileaks.

Rashad Robinson, executive director of Color of Change, said it may not be possible to cut hate groups out of the financial ecosystem entirely, but thats not his immediate goal. Rather, he said, he simply hopes to make it harder for hate groups to raise money online.

If everyone has to write a check, that changes peoples ability to do recurring donations, he said. It changes the amount of time it takes for people to support these groups. Cutting off what will be a significant portion of their funds will limit their ability to do the things theyre doing.

Indeed, Spencer acknowledged that losing online payment access is a big inconvenience. Even if he finds a payment processor willing to work with him, that provider may bail out, too.

We cant spend half our time jumping from service to service, he said.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

james.koren@latimes.com

Follow me: @jrkoren
Question: After my husband receives his annual review and cost-of-living raise, he will be in a new pay bracket. When this happens, the cost of his health insurance will increase as well -- way beyond the raise he would receive -- so he will be bringing home significantly less in his paycheck. His coverage and benefits will not change. Getting a raise is actually going to cost us money! How is this legal?

Answer: As healthcare costs have risen in the last two decades, more employers have adopted a the more you make, the more you pay approach to healthcare coverage, says Gary Kushner, president of Michigan-based human resources consulting and benefits administration firm Kushner & Co. Generally, under traditional fully insured employer-provided plans -- in which employers provide healthcare coverage through a third-party insurer -- employees can be required to pay a larger share of their healthcare costs based on their age (if the employer is also incurring higher coverage costs based on age) or income, Kushner said.

But just as your employer can adjust employee contributions, it should be able to tweak its rules so rewards dont become punishments. For example, employers can implement corridors between pay brackets that allow workers to transition gradually to the higher contribution tier, Kushner says. He recommends your husband start by outlining his situation to HR: This cant be the result you wanted.

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Alternatively, Pittsburgh lawyer and benefits specialist Terry Connerton suggests investigating whether your husband can opt out of his employers coverage and find a better deal at HealthCare.gov.

Question: My boss has become obsessed with Googles reviews for our business. He has now made the reviews a mandatory part of the sales process: We literally cant let customers leave without having them complete a survey, and were allowed only four refusals every month, for which we have to provide compelling explanations to the boss. Im often asked if we are owned by Google when I say we require a review. I have begun to write fake reviews. I know its wrong, but I feel its worse to strong-arm a client.

Answer: As Im sure you know, the Google My Business review policy frowns on business owners and employees publishing their own reviews. Other users can flag those self-serving plants for removal, although deliberately mediocre reviews could probably slip under the radar without helping or harming your employer.

But although that route spares your clients some hassle, its not as effective as letting them provide their own feedback. A string of one-star reviews complaining about being detained and hounded to fill out surveys -- or an on-the-spot conversation with the manager including threats to cancel a purchase -- stands a better chance of getting the policy changed.

PRO TIP: Workers can seek answers about employer-provided health insurance from the Labor Departments benefits administration (askebsa.dol.gov).

Karla L. Miller writes about work dramas and traumas for the Washington Post.
A June cyberattack that snarled shipping terminal operations worldwide  and briefly shut down the Port of Los Angeles largest cargo terminal  has cost the Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk $200 million to $300 million, the company said this week.

The unprecedented attack forced workers to improvise with Twitter, WhatsApp and Post-It notes as they struggled to get goods moving from ships to shore again, the company said.

The crisis put Maersk in uncharted territory. It responded as best it could, but theres no benchmark for this, company spokeswoman Katherine Mosquera said. Is it good? is it bad? We dont know. It happened.

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Maersks revelations were part of an interim second-quarter earnings report in which the Copenhagen-based global transport and energy company gave investors a preview of expected costs from the malware attack. The worm, dubbed NotPetya, locked access to systems that Maersk uses to operate shipping terminals all over the world and took two weeks to fix.

The company said the attack is expected to dampen its third-quarter results, but not enough to overshadow a generally good performance due to improving global economic conditions.

NotPetya, which has been traced to compromised tax-accounting software widely used in Ukraine, began spreading in late June, a few weeks after a similar ransomware attack called WannaCry seized computers in British health clinics. Like WannaCry, NotPetya exploited a vulnerability in unpatched Microsoft Windows operating systems and relied on a break-in technique that may have been stolen from the U.S. National Security Agency.

NotPetyas malware looked like ransomware on screens. But its function appeared merely to be wreaking havoc. Maersk was just one of about 7,000 companies attacked globally, Maersk Chief Executive Soren Skou said in an investor call.

Ukraine and Russia were hit especially hard in the attack, but the worm also reportedly struck operations of a British advertising agency, a maker of skin-care products, a German broadcaster and U.S. pharmaceutical giant Merck.

For the most part, NotPetya victims have been tight-lipped. Thats typical for companies hit by cyberattacks, and the closer you get to industrials  utilities and gas  the more secretive they are, said Earl Perkins, research analyst at Gartner Inc.

So its significant that Maersk decided to publicly air some of its struggles, he said. The move is laudable, Perkins said, and signals a shift toward more collaboration as businesses grapple with their dependence on vulnerable technologies.

Maersks experience should serve as a warning, he added: Im afraid this is the future.

Maersk chief Skou told investors that NotPetya made all of our applications and data unavailable for a while. No data was lost, no workers were endangered, and ships operated normally throughout the ordeal, he said. But for up to two days, affected terminals couldnt move cargo.

Goods started flowing normally again bit by bit, thanks to many work-arounds devised by hard-pressed Maersk employees, Skou said. Two weeks later, business was back to normal, he said.

At the Port of Los Angeles, Maersks APM Terminal at Pier 400 was closed June 27 to July 1, leaving at least one anchored ship waiting in the harbor. Cargo operations ramped back up in subsequent days.

NotPetya affected three of Maersks global businesses: Maersk Line, Damco and APM Terminals. Not only did the company lose business during the shutdown and subsequent slow period, but it also bled money as it cobbled together ways to operate without the digital systems on which it normally relies, Skou said. Later, he said, the task of rebuilding IT incurred additional costs.

Maersks overall business has improved, however, as rising freight rates have given the company a boost and global trade has ticked back up. Not only are the U.S., Europe and China doing well economically, but also the economies of some struggling countries such as Russia and Brazil that depend on oil and raw materials have stopped shrinking  all good news for shipping, Skou said.

Maersk reported $389 million in underlying net income for the second quarter for its consolidated business, almost three times last years $134 million second-quarter profit. But because the consolidated company also recorded a substantial charge from lower asset valuations in its tanker businesses, total net loss for the quarter came to $264 million. Revenue was $9.6 billion.

The companys transport and logistics arm, which controls 15% of the total global container-ship fleet capacity, reported total revenue of $7.7 billion for the quarter. Thats up nearly $1 billion from the corresponding period last year.

Second-quarter results also included a $339-million profit in the Maersk Line unit.

Maersks financial outlook for the year is good, Skou said. What we see now is probably the strongest fundamentals for container shipping that we have had for quite a while and certainly since the 2010 financial crisis.

jill.leovy@latimes.com
California moved a step closer Friday to banning a widely used agricultural pesticide linked to birth defects, openly departing from the Trump administrations decision to walk back an Obama-era effort to ban the chemical.

Growers and other users will be asked to increase the buffer zone between fields where they spray the pesticide and inhabited areas such as homes and schools, the state Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday.

The agency will proceed with plans to list the chemical, chlorpyrifos, as a known hazard to humans, under Proposition 65. The agency also updated its scientific assessment of the chemical, which has been linked to birth defects and reproductive maladies.

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While chlorpyrifos has been protecting crops for more than 50 years, new information in the scientific community leads us to believe the level of risk it poses is greater than previously known, said state EPA Secretary Matthew Rodriquez. We need to better understand the science to ensure our actions protect public health.

California growers in 2015 used more than 1 million pounds of the chemical on more than 60 crops, including almonds, grapes, walnuts, oranges and cotton, according to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, part of the state EPA. Use has declined by about half from 2005 to 2015, the last year for which data were available.

The chemical was blamed for sickening 37 farmworkers on a field south of Bakersfield in May. Authorities said the pesticide had drifted more than a half-mile from the fields where it was being applied. Several of the farmworkers required medical attention.

The Kern County Department of Agriculture last week fined two nearby growers for violating pesticide application rules.

California last month joined five states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against the federal EPA over its decision to halt a recommendation by the Obama administration to ban the chemical, marketed by Dow AgroSciences.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitts decision in March came in response to complaints by the agricultural and chemical industries that a scientific review of the chemicals effects on humans had been cut short.

The Obama administration had been under pressure from an order by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to speed up its ruling on the safety of the chemical.

Environmental activists on Friday said California was still moving too slowly.

Pesticide regulators need to create a clear timetable for getting brain-harming chlorpyrifos out of our fields rather than further delay, said Paul Towers, a spokesman for the Pesticide Action Network of North America, one of the groups that has pressured regulators to eliminate the chemical from use on crops.

Towers noted that the agency is issuing voluntary guidance, not new rules, about how the chemical is applied. He also faulted agency scientists for not adequately focusing on the chemicals effects on childrens brains.

A UC Berkeley study found that 7-year-old children in the Salinas Valley who were exposed to high levels during pregnancy had slightly lower IQ scores than their peers. A Columbia University study showed similar effects at lower exposure.

Dow AgroSciences did not immediately respond to the California actions Friday, but the company has said it believes federal regulators made the correct decision in March.

Dow AgroSciences remains confident that authorized uses of chlorpyrifos products offer wide margins of protection for human health and safety, the company said at the time.

Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual, an industry advocacy group, said it will now be more difficult to produce food for consumers.

This is a solution looking for a problem, Nelsen said. This chemical has been a critical tool for years, without any problems.

In 2006, the EPA revised its tolerance levels for the chemical and limited the crops on which it can be applied.

California restricted use of chlorpyrifos in 2015, requiring licensing, training and oversight by county agriculture commissions. It also tightened buffer zone requirements around fields where the chemical was applied, and banned its use near schools and other facilities when winds exceed 10 miles per hour.

About 5 million to 10 million pounds of chlorpyrifos are used annually on crops nationwide. The chemical is an organophosphate, a class of chemicals originally designed as a nerve agent weapon.

Chlorpyrifos has been banned from consumer products and residential use nationwide for more than 15 years.

geoffrey.mohan@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATgeoffmohan
The manager of Californias electric grid told state regulators that clean energy could be substituted for a proposed natural gas plant in Ventura County but at a higher cost.

A 46-page report issued late Wednesday by the California Independent System Operator offered three alternatives to building the Puente natural gas plant in Oxnard, focusing largely on the use of solar power and energy storage to ensure reliability of electricity service in the local area. The report also looked at using less electricity as an alternative in combination with things such as storing power in batteries.

The report pegged the new plants cost at $299 million while the three alternatives would cost between $309 million and $1.1 billion.

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Even with the statement about potentially higher costs, the report received praise from opponents of the proposed natural gas plant who argue that building the power facility would continue a long practice of locating industrial operations in disadvantaged communities. The proposed natural gas plant would replace an older facility.

In addition, Los Angeles Times investigations have shown that the state has overbuilt the electricity system, primarily with natural gas plants, and has so much clean energy that it has to shut down some plants while paying other states to take the power California cant use. The overbuilding has added billions of dollars to ratepayers bills in recent years.

For generations, the fossil fuel industry has used Oxnard as a sacrifice zone for polluting power plants under the pretense that we had no better alternatives. said Lucas Zucker, policy and communications director at Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy.

This analysis shows that a better future is possible if the California Energy Commission decides that Oxnard deserves it, Zucker said. The people of Oxnard are counting on our state policymakers to stop the Puente project and pursue clean energy solutions to power our region.

The energy commission still must decide whether to move forward with the proposed natural gas plant or consider clean energy alternatives.

Regulators, utilities and the grid operator say there is a need for power plants in the Los Angeles Basin to ensure reliability of electricity service when solar farms in the desert arent operating, during natural disasters and as other emergencies arise.

Residents in Ventura County have flooded the California Energy Commission in recent months with letters objecting to the project.

They contend that clean energy alternatives align more with the states objectives to reduce and even eliminate use of fossil fuels.

Under California mandates, 50% of the states electricity must come from clean energy sources by 2030. State lawmakers are considering a bill that would increase the mandate to 100% by 2045.

ivan.penn@latimes.com

For more energy news, follow Ivan Penn on Twitter: @ivanlpenn
Brent Callinicos, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Hyperloop One, has bought a home in La Canada Flintridge for $10.5 million, eclipsing the previous price record for the community by about $1.6 million. The sellers were Kerry McCluggage, the former chairman of Paramount Television Group, and his wife, Victoria, records show.

Dating to 1929, the Irish-country-style manor has been rebuilt and expanded to nearly 11,300 square feet of living space. Original details include mahogany walls and limestone flooring. There are stone fireplaces in the living and family rooms as well as the outdoor cabana.

A glass-domed breakfast room, a screening room, a bar, a billiard room, five bedrooms and five full bathrooms are among living spaces. Front and rear staircases and a paneled elevator connect each of the homes three floors.

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1 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 2 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 3 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 4 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 5 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 6 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 7 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 8 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 9 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 10 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 11 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 12 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 13 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 14 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 15 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 16 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 17 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 18 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 19 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 20 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography) 21 / 21 A record home sale in La Canada Flintridge | Hot Property (Marc Angeles / Unlimited Style Real Estate Photography)

Outdoors, tree-topped grounds include a three-hole pitch and putt, a swimming pool and an outdoor kitchen. Also on the 2-plus-acre property is a two-story guesthouse.

The home last changed hands more than a decade ago for $5.75 million, property records show.

Laura Brandt and Rachel Ashton of Partners Trust Real Estate were the listing agents, according to the Combined LA/Westside Multiple Listing Service. Heidi Lake of Sothebys International Realty and Janice McGlashan of Coldwell Banker represented the buyer.

The previous price record for the area was set more than two decades ago, when a home on Meadow Grove Street sold for approximately $8.909 million, according to CoreLogic. More recently, a Moorish-style house designed by Henry Harwood Hewitt sold a year ago for $7.85 million.

Callinicos joined the high-speed transportation start-up last year as a strategic advisor, and in January was elevated to the dual role of COO and CFO. He previously served as the chief financial officer at Uber, which enjoyed tremendous growth during his tenure from 2013 to 2015.

McCluggage served as president of Universal Television, where he oversaw development of such shows as Magnum, P.I. and Miami Vice, prior to joining Paramount Pictures in 1991. He is the owner and president of Craftsman Films.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATHotProperty

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Neighborhood Spotlight: Close-knit Leimert Park is primed to be well-connected again
In 1923, as Los Angeles continued the aqueduct-fueled boom that saw the city expand from its densely packed historic core to a sprawling metropolis, an enterprising Oakland real estate developer sought to capitalize on the frenzied demand for new homes.

Walter Leimert, having already developed tracts in Glendale and City Terrace, turned his attention to what was then considered the far west side of Los Angeles, where he was able to buy a 230-acre swath of the late Lucky Baldwins Rancho La Cienega.

There, on fallow pastureland nestled in the flats below the Baldwin Hills, he envisioned a planned community consisting of homes, apartment buildings, schools and a small commercial district.

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He brought in the Olmsted Brothers, with whom he had worked before, to create the tracts master plan, and engaged architects such as Gordon Kaufman (whose other works include the L.A. Times building and the Hoover Dam) to design model homes that would appeal to middle-income workers.

Leimert Park sold well right out of the gate. An extremely effective marketing plan trumpeted its relative proximity to the corner of 7th and Broadway, then the center of gravity for the city, as well as its tree-lined streets and the LARy Yellow Car line that serviced the neighborhood.

It also boasted of restrictions, which had the effect of excluding anyone other than whites from Leimert Park. That began to change in the 1950s, as middle-class African-American and Japanese-American Angelenos began to move, tentatively at first, into the neighborhood.

They were met with a fierce backlash from some whites, and for a time a group called Neighborly Endeavors tried to intimidate new minority homeowners by burning crosses on their lawns. The campaign of terror was unsuccessful and, according to the citys SurveyLA study of the area, from 1950 to 1960 the number of African American residents grew from fewer than 100 to nearly 4,200.

Leimert Park would soon become a major center of African American arts and culture and a favored neighborhood to live and work for celebrities of all stripes, including legendary musicians Ray Charles and Miles Davis, and Mayor Tom Bradley.

(Angelica Quintero / @latimesgraphics)

Neighborhood highlights

Living the L.A. dream: Leimert succeeded in his plan to build a great neighborhood in which to live and play. The tidy homes, plentiful trees and curved streets make Leimert Park a truly special place.

Historic and vibrant: Few neighborhoods in L.A. have been as well-preserved as Leimert Park. The original homes still stand, and the area around the plaza is still a thriving center of culture and commerce.

The return of the streetcar: Actually its a light-rail train, but the new Crenshaw Line will reconnect the neighborhood to the citys rail system, just as it was in the 1920s.

Neighborhood challenges

Winds of change: Just as its proximity to downtown was behind its initial popularity, Leimert Parks short commute to red-hot Culver City is drawing more upscale buyers, spurring concerns about gentrification.

Expert insight

Rafael Oseguera, an agent with Century 21 Hollywood, said Leimert Park is a hidden gem that is family-friendly and becoming more well known, especially among the younger demographic.

The community tends to stick together and bond, unlike other parts of L.A., where people do not usually venture out to get to know their neighbors, Oseguera said. People will walk up to you and say hi to you.

Oseguera said homes in Leimert Park are unique in design and architecture, with many still obtaining aspects of their original design, such as stained glass.

Market snapshot

In the 90008 ZIP Code, which encompasses parts of Baldwin Hills, Crenshaw and Leimert Park, the median sales price for single-family homes in June was $750,000 based on 17 sales, according to CoreLogic. That was a 4.1% increase in median price year over year.

Report card

The Leimert Park area includes Forty-Second Street Elementary, which had a score of 641 out of 1,000 in the 2013 Academic Performance Index. Audubon Middle had a score of 696, and Tom Bradley Environmental Science and Humanities Magnate scored 687.

Nearby schools include Sixth Avenue Elementary, which scored 681, and Barack Obama Global Preparation Academy, which scored 620. Crenshaw High had a score of 550.

Times staff writer Rachel Spacek contributed to this report.

hotproperty@latimes.com

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Data on 1.8 million Chicago voters, including addresses, phone numbers and partial Social Security numbers, were left exposed on a downloadable cloud-storage site operated by an Omaha election-services company until a cybersecurity researcher discovered it, the company said Thursday.

The data appeared to have been produced for the November 2016 election and were discovered by a researcher working for Mountain View, Calif.-based UpGuard on Aug. 11. UpGuard revealed the problem to the company, Election Systems & Software, and the data were promptly secured, UpGuard officials said.

Election officials were notified of the problem at 5:37 p.m. and had secured the data by 9:44 p.m. the same evening, said Chicago Board of Election Commissioners spokesman James Allen.

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It was deeply troubling and frustrating for us because we purposefully build walls around Web systems so no personal, private information is available, Allen said.

The data were exposed by the citys poll-book vendor, which had placed on an Amazon Web Services server a backup file containing information on every voter in the city, he said.

Voter records were not altered, and no vote tabulations or election results were affected, Allen said. The city is reviewing its contract with Election Systems & Software.

jill.leovy@latimes.com
More than two years after Hamilton: An American Musical had its world premiere at New Yorks Public Theater, becoming the biggest theatrical sensation in at least a generation, its still up for grabs whether it was the brilliant hip-hop inflected score or the inclusive vision of American history or the kinetic ensemble production that turned Lin-Manuel Mirandas creation into a pop cultural powerhouse.

At the Hollywood Pantages, where the show was greeted with pomp, stardust and boisterous love at its official Los Angeles opening on Wednesday, the musical revealed another quality in its stunning repertoire: perfect timing.

After the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend exposed the rise of extremist groups and their hateful ideologies, we could all use a reminder of what it means to be an American. Hamilton offers healing balm for the countrys bruised soul. The show might be prohibitively expensive, but its embodiment of pluralism and diversity will touch anyone who longs to see America live up to its ideals.

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The excitement in the house was sparked by the arrival of the best new musical in decades, but the emotion came from a deeper hunger. Miranda turns the story of our nations birth into a singing drama that channels and celebrates, in the words of Walt Whitman, the varied carols of our democratic experience.

For those concerned about how this tour production might play in the vast and not always acoustically friendly Pantages, let me assure you that the show looks and sounds perfectly at home. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is the right address for this supernova musical, whose biggest star is the dynamic company itself. The electricity generated by the cast could light all of Southern California and part of Mexico.

Hamilton, which sprung from the unlikely source of Ron Chernows biography of Alexander Hamilton, retreads the life of this lesser-known yet profoundly influential Founding Father in the context of the countrys emergence from its revolutionary infancy to its constitutional toddlerhood. Americans have a reputation for not caring all that much about history, but Hamilton lures us into caring by centering the action on an immigrant self-starter whose drive for freedom is matched only by his desire to leave a lasting legacy.

The first secretary of the Treasury who masterminded our financial system, Hamilton was the most prolific author of the Federalist Papers, the series of essays defending the Constitution. Exceptional as his story is, it cant help but resonate with every American underdog chasing after a dream of greatness.

Jealously watching this human whirlwind on stage is Aaron Burr, Hamiltons rival turned bitter enemy. Burr shares Hamiltons ambition but lacks his integrity. Hes portrayed here as a slick politician who will say anything to win votes. The conflict between them is more personal than partisan, but it broadens the scope of a musical that homes in on some basic schisms in the American character.

Miranda, a prodigy whose first major effort (In the Heights) won the Tony for best musical, wrote the book, music and lyrics for Hamilton, which monopolized the 2016 Tonys (taking home 11 awards) and picked up just about every other accolade you can think of, including the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

Story and score are inseparable in this sung-through show that mixes rap and R&B in a Broadway package that could only be wrought by an artist steeped in musical theater tradition. Rodgers and Hammerstein are as embedded in the shows DNA as Grandmaster Flash. Miranda has even acknowledged a debt to Andrew Lloyd Webber for the initial concept album idea that evolved over time into the best book musical since, I dont know, pick a Sondheim.

The production, under the propulsive direction of Thomas Kail, seizes hold of the audience from the opening number. Alexander Hamilton introduces the shows protagonist by recapping his rocky start in life and asking how an immigrant of low birth from the Caribbean could grow up to become one of the architects of our system of government.

Mirandas lyrics are a good deal funkier than my polite paraphrasing. And the music (which has retained all its vitality under the expert music supervision of Alex Lacamoire, Mirandas orchestrator and right hand music man) communicates directly the relentless determination of a striver who works like hes running out of time.

The numbers come fast and furious in a score that has become so popular that even first-timers to the show are mouthing the lyrics. The rapping may not be as sharp as it was with the original cast, but the men eventually step up their game, and the women are flawless in their flow.

Michael Luwoye, who plays Hamilton, has grown into the part. Short of stature, he lends a scrappiness to the character, who is perpetually fighting to overcome the hurdles of his underprivileged background.

In San Francisco, where this tour began, I worried that the show might need to be renamed Burr, so overpowering was Joshua Henrys performance in the role that won Leslie Odom Jr. the Tony for lead actor in a musical (beating Miranda, whose hands were already full of trophies). But the balance is more even now. Henry (so memorable in The Scottsboro Boys) still brings the house down with The Room Where It Happens, but Luwoye impresses with his versatility.

One moment Hamilton is trading barbs in a hip-hop contest with Thomas Jefferson (Jordan Donica, employing all his lanky body English in his two foppish roles, the other being the Marquis de Lafayette, who departs after the first act). The next hes venting his grief after tragedy strikes home. Luwoye lets the music transform him while maintaining that sense of a man on a mission who dimly intuits that his days are numbered.

Hamilton is a true ensemble musical, and I found myself admiring more than ever Andy Blankenbuehlers choreography, which unifies the cast and translates the drama into physical language thats as lyrical as any of the songwriting. The dancing is heart-stoppingly coordinated with Howell Binkleys lighting, and the tableaux on David Korins nimble set of exposed brick and wooden scaffolding are etched with rousing bodily fluidity.

Three performances deserve special commendation. Solea Pfeiffer captures the soul of Hamiltons wife, Eliza, in her sublime voice and sympathetic demeanor. (Shes as exquisitely tuneful as Phillipa Soo, who originated the role, and every bit as affecting.) Emmy Raver-Lampman, sporting a chic mohawk, is a fierce Angelica, Elizas devoted sister who concedes Hamilton though her heart is always with him. And Rory OMalley is such an ingenious chuckle as King George tooting out British pop as his colonies go rogue that I was secretly hoping Miranda would have written a few scenes for the character in the months that have passed since I last saw the show.

But wait, Ive left out Isaiah Johnson, who performs George Washingtons farewell address, One Last Time, with the grave showmanship the song and our first president deserve. Even when the storytelling occasionally seems cluttered, the cast restores the show to clarity through its magnificent singing.

Before the fatal duel with Burr, Hamilton refers to America as you great unfinished symphony. He appreciates the opportunity of having been part of the founding of a nation where even orphan immigrants can leave their fingerprints and rise up, but he knows that the work is just beginning.

In these dark times when the definition of America is once again being tested, I am grateful that Hamilton is continuing the legacy of these early patriots who enshrined and defended our most sacred democratic values. The multicultural future is now in this watershed show that extends the music of this never-to-be-completed American symphony, bending the notes toward the sound of justice.

         

Hamilton: An American Musical

Where: Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., L.A.

When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 7 p.m. Sundays; ends Dec. 30

Tickets: $85-$650 (subject to change; up to $750 for Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks); daily lottery for $10 tickets

Information: www.hollywoodpantages.com or www.ticketmaster.com or (800) 982-2787

Running time: 2 hours, 50 minutes

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charles.mcnulty@latimes.com

Follow me @charlesmcnulty

MORE HAMILTON:

A Hamilton backlash? Why none of that matters with this history-making tour

Hamilton opening night in Hollywood: Stars, song and some tears

Oskar Eustis: The birth of Hamilton, told by a man who was in the room where it happened

Actor Joshua Henry on why kids in the audience move him  monumentally

Emmy Raver-Lampman, the Cinderella of Hamilton
True Detective season three, starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, is officially confirmed at HBO By Sarah Rodman Mahershala Ali accepting his Oscar for Moonlight. The actor will star in the third season of the HBO drama True Detective (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) During the HBO executive session at the summer edition of the Television Critics Assn. press tour, programming president Casey Bloys confirmed reports that Moonlight Oscar winner Mahershala Ali would star in a third season of True Detective. Although he was mum at the time on when it might happen, he did say that he had read five scripts and thought they were terrific. Thursday night, the premium pay cabler released a statement officially confirming that the series will indeed return for a third installment. While no episode count or premiere date was included in the release, an enclosed synopsis stated that the next iteration of the show tells the story of a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks, and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods. Ali will star as Wayne Hays, a state police detective from northwest Arkansas. (Ali follows in the footsteps of season one stars, and continuing executive producers, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, and season twos Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn. No word yet on whether hell have a partner.) The show will once again be helmed by creator Nic Pizzolatto, who penned all the episodes of the upcoming series, save the fourth, which he co-wrote with David Milch (Deadwood, NYPD Blue). He will share directing duties with fellow executive producer Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin.) Im tremendously thrilled to be working with artists at the level of Mahershala and Jeremy, said Pizzolatto in a statement. I hope the material can do justice to their talents, and were all very excited to tell this story. Bloys noted that Nic has written truly remarkable scripts. With his ambitious vision and Mahershala Ali and Jeremy Saulnier aboard, we are excited to embark on the next installment of True Detective.  Facebook

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Newly reopened Angels Flight has long been a popular L.A. shooting location By Mark Olsen Its among the more unusual landmarks in Los Angeles, a short, steep railway that gets people up and down a single hill. So it makes sense that Angels Flight has been featured in many movies and television shows over the years. Angels Flight resumed regular service Thursday after being closed since 2013 (it did operate for one day of shooting on La La Land). It remains to be seen if it starts to appear again in movies and television shows. (Not that it ever really stopped.) Speaking to The Times at last years Toronto International Film Festival, La La Land star Ryan Gosling reflected on the use of historic locations in the movie. This was an opportunity to show an L.A. thats still there.... Youve got to squint your eyes a little, but there are still places in L.A. that are still part of the golden years of Los Angeles when Hollywood was in its heyday, Gosling said. I lived around the corner for a long time from Angels Flight and Grand Central Market, although I never got to ride Angels Flight because it had been shut down, Gosling added. Those places are still there... these gems that are there, and we were able to shoot them one by one. Angels Flight reopened on Thursday. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The small piece of land next to the top of Angels Flight, known as Angels Knoll, was also prominently featured in (500) Days of Summer. The location has appeared in a wide variety of movies over the years, as early as 1916s Good Night, Nurse, 1918s Up She Goes and 1920s All Jazzed Up. It has also had high-profile cameos in Act of Violence (1949), M (1951), Kiss Me Deadly (1955), The Exiles (1961), The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1963) -- all the way up to to 2011s The Muppets and last years La La Land. And on television, Angels Flight has been seen on Perry Mason, Dragnet and the recent series Bosch. READ MORE: Angels Flight: How it works and what its been through in its 100-year history Facebook

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Jamie Foxx announces telethon for Harvey relief By Libby Hill (Andrew Krech / News & Record via Associated Press) A new stream of celebrity support for victims of Hurricane Harvey opened Wednesday, as Jamie Foxx announced that a telethon fundraiser is in the works. In an Instagram post where the actor revealed his own donation of $25,000 to GlobalGiving, Foxx also shared preliminary plans for the upcoming benefit. From a fellow Texan, my heart goes out. My prayers go out, Foxx, from Terrell east of Dallas, said. September 12 we have a telethon that were doing. Well give you more details, so we can raise as much money as we can for everybody down there. View Instagram post Scooter Braun, talent manager and mastermind of One Love Manchester, is helming the event along with rapper and Houston native Bun B. TMZ reported that Foxx, Reese Witherspoon, Blake Shelton, Hilary Duff and Michael Strahan are all involved with the project, with commitments from the four major broadcast networks to air the special for an hour on Sept. 12. In an interview with TMZ, Bun B said that fellow Houston natives Beyonce and Jim Parsons are high on his wish list for the telethon. The outlet also reported that Bun B would only want President Trumps presence if it was via a show of unity with other former presidents. Solange also announced Wednesday that she will be holding a benefit show at Bostons Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 28. Featuring the Sun Ra Arkestra, the performance is titled Orions Rise and all proceeds will go to Hurricane Harvey relief. View Instagram post Facebook

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Gwyneth Paltrows love life? Yeah, she admits shes screwed up plenty of relationships By Libby Hill Gwyneth Paltrow takes full responsibility for her romantic failings. She admitted as much in a recent interview with the podcast Girlboss Radio, during which Paltrow went deep on some of her lost loves. Oh, my god, Ive [screwed] up so many relationships, so many, Paltrow said. Im actually a pretty good friend and a good sister and a daughter and a mother, but I am at my potentially most vulnerable  in the romantic slice of the pie. So its taken me a lot of work to get to the place where I have a good romantic relationship. Paltrow consciously uncoupled from ex-husband Chris Martin in 2014 after 10 years of marriage and has been romantically linked to American Horror Story creator Brad Falchuk for the past three years. On Girlboss Radio, Paltrow sent a shout-out to former beau Brad Pitt, whom she dated from 1994 through 1997, and was at one point engaged to. I [screwed] that up, Brad, Paltrow said. Paltrow also delved into her experiences as founder and CEO of her lifestyle brand Goop, sharing that once shes in the boardroom with investors, no one cares if shes a celebrity. I go into the room, and for the first 90 seconds, Im Gwyneth Paltrow, she said. And theyre like, Oh, my god, my wife loves you .... And then, about 90 seconds later, Im just getting grilled like anyone else. But she doesnt get offended; she relishes the challenge. It was such a beautiful chapter of my life when I started raising [venture capital financing], because it knocked me down so many pegs. I was like, Oh, Im, like, no one. Im nothing. This [stuff] is real. I have to know the most granular aspects of my business and be able to defend it. The celebrity just completely drains out of the room. Its irrelevant, she said. Paltrows full conversation with Sophia Amoruso can be streamed at Girlboss. Facebook

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Longtime Simpsons composer Alf Clausen fired from the show after 27 years By Randall Roberts When the 29th season of The Simpsons premieres in the fall, it will, for the first time in decades, be doing so without its longtime musical contributor, Alf Clausen. Clausen, who composed the Fox animated shows incidental music, was told that the show was looking for a different kind of music moving forward, according to Variety. Clausen confirmed his firing via Twitter. Thank you for all of the support...unfortunately, the news is true... https://t.co/jBQH0b40cz  Alf Clausen (@TheAlfClausen) August 31, 2017 The composers orchestral scores supported the familys foibles since the shows primitively drawn early days. And although The Simpsons theme song was penned by Danny Elfman, the sonic feel of the series has been defined by Clausens grandiose, often epic productions. Hes responsible for scoring Mr. Burns breakout See My Vest moment and crafted the tunes for the Springfield musical theater companys A Streetcar Named Desire adaptation. Ditto The Planet of the Apes musical. In short, nearly every classic music moment of The Simpsons has featured Clausens fingerprints. On Twitter, fans thanked Clausen for his work while expressing outrage at the circumstances surrounding his departure. Fired over the phone, yet, wrote one user. Clausen quickly corrected him with a one-word reply: Email ... On Thursday, producers for The Simpsons issued a statement to Variety. It stressed that Clausen will continue to contribute to the series: We tremendously value Alf Clausens contributions to The Simpsons and he will continue to have an ongoing role in the show. We remain committed to the finest in music for The Simpsons, absolutely including orchestral. The statement concluded: This is the part where we would make a joke but neither Alfs work nor the music of The Simpsons is treated as anything but seriously by us. Update, 1:16 p.m.: This story was updated with a statement from The Simpsons. Facebook

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Instead of statues, Trevor Noah and Roy Wood Jr. have another idea for honoring Confederate history By Chris Barton With the country still reeling from the harrowing impact of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Wednesday nights Daily Show looked at one of the summers ongoing controversies: Confederate monuments. Occasionally setting aside the shows usual comedic tone, Trevor Noah enlisted correspondent Roy Wood Jr. to consider whether these statues honor Southern heritage, as their supporters claim, or the nations history and lingering problem with racism. After showing a montage of guests on network news shows who reminded viewers that these statues were erected during the Jim Crow era, decades after the Civil War, Wood equated slavery to another tragedy. Its like if a woman got out of an abusive relationship and then she had to keep pictures of her ex up in her house to remember the time, a straight-faced Wood explained. No, I dont need pictures to remember pain. People say, We want to remember the history of the Civil War, Noah added. Theres an easier way to remember what happened in the Civil War: Just walk around in the South. And if you see free black people, then you know what happened. Watch the segment above. Facebook

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Gloria Gaynor sings to Texas Harvey victims: You will survive By Christie DZurilla (Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images) Gloria Gaynor wants people affected by Harvey to know they will survive, and shes communicating that message through a new version of the song that has defined her career. Gaynor, whose I Will Survive became an anthem over the years, rewrote the 1978 disco hit to reach out to victims in Texas and posted her rendition on social media Wednesday. Hi, my neighbors in Texas, she said in a video shot while she sat at a piano she was about to play. This is Gloria Gaynor with a song that hopefully will cheer you up just a little bit. @SylvesterTurner @rashivats @SallyMacFox26 @TheRitaGarcia @kaitlinmonte @ChrisdyannUribe @MsCoCoDominguez @JMartinFOX26 TX WILL SURVIVE  pic.twitter.com/FCNOnDr85o  Gloria Gaynor (@gloriagaynor) August 30, 2017 Here are the tweaked lyrics, for those who dont want to hit play with the sound on. First we were afraid

We were petrified

Thinking Texas couldnt live

With floodwaters this high

We know you spent plenty of time

Preparing for this hurricane

Who couldve known that it would come

With so much devastating rain

But we will strive

And youll survive

With all our love and help and prayers

We will stay strongly by your side

We are your neighbors tried and true

Well do all we can for you

And youll survive

You will survive, you will survive Similarly on Monday night, Coldplay unleashed a new original song written after the band was forced to cancel its Friday show in Houston with Hurricane Harvey bearing down. This is a new song, and well never play it again, frontman Chris Martin told an audience in Miami. Its a once-off. Its called Houston. Were going to sing it in Miami for everybody here, and then were going to send it over there to everyone who missed the show. Facebook

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Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation donates $1 million to Harvey recovery By Christie DZurilla (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) Leonardo DiCaprio has stepped up with a $1-million donation to aid the victims of Hurricane Harvey, now a tropical storm, which has dumped historic levels of rain on the Gulf Coast over the last several days. United Way Worldwide announced Wednesday that it has started the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund with a seven-figure donation from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. The money  100% of it, according to the charity  will go to help victims of flooding with mid- and long-term recovery over the coming years. There are 23 United Ways that operate in the path of the storm, which made landfall Aug. 24. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Leonardo DiCaprio and his foundation, United Way Worldwide President and CEO Brian Gallagher said in a statement. Responding to Hurricane Harvey requires the best of all of us  and thats what this gift represents. DiCaprio has been urging support of the United Way and American Red Cross this week on his Twitter account and retweeting stories talking about Harvey and climate change. Di Caprios foundation has been committed to climate-related issues and environmental projects since 1998, Terry Tamminen, president and CEO of the foundation, said in a statement. We support efforts to build climate resilient communities and protect vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems across the planet, and have supported disaster relief and victim funds in the past. We hope others will step up and support the United Way and other organizations. Earlier this week, Sandra Bullock, who has a home in Texas, gave $1 million to the American Red Cross, repeating the lump-sum generosity she showed after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. Ellen DeGeneres was also in the seven-figure donation tier. The comic and talk-show host dropped $1 million in the relief bucket on Wednesday via J.J. Watts foundation. The effort by the Houston Texans star player topped $10 million on Thursday, with Watt chronicling its progress all week via videos on social media. Update, 8:50 a.m.: This post was updated with information about DeGeneres donation to Watts fund. Facebook

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A Star Is Born: Chris Tucker turns 45 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Iris Schneider / Los Angeles Times) I had a dream as a kid: I wanted to be big, big like Richard [Pryor] and Eddie [Murphy]. I imagined it. I studied it. I had a passion.  Chris Tucker, 2001 FROM THE ARCHIVES: In a Big Rush Facebook

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Springsteen on Broadway was born to run, is extended through February By Libby Hill Bruce Springsteens solo shows on Broadway have been extended through February, just hours after the original run sold out. (Greg Allen / Invision/Associated Press) Good news for Bruce Springsteen fans who were locked out of purchasing tickets Wednesday morning for his upcoming run of shows on Broadway. Ticketmaster announced that Springsteen on Broadway, an intimate stage experience that launches in October and features the rock legend performing solo, will be extending for 10 additional weeks. Originally scheduled to close in November, the show was extended through February after the original block of tickets sold out in a matter of minutes Wednesday. "#SpringsteenBroadway has been EXTENDED! the ticket outlet tweeted, with a follow-up tweet explaining that fans who had previously registered to purchase tickets will not have to register again. #SpringsteenBroadway has been EXTENDED!

More information coming today.

There will NOT be any additional codes released for today's onsale. pic.twitter.com/xGY3rj3Yrl  Ticketmaster (@Ticketmaster) August 30, 2017 #SpringsteenBroadway extended run information 

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REGISTER AGAIN!

NEW #VerifiedFan registration: https://t.co/2xNBBhcVES pic.twitter.com/FT3mLaTLPV  Ticketmaster (@Ticketmaster) August 30, 2017 Springsteen will be performing at New York Citys Walter Kerr Theater, which houses fewer than 1,000 seats. To curtail ticket scalping, Ticketmaster relied on its Verified Fan program. The program forces fans to register to even have an opportunity to purchase tickets and are limited to two tickets per purchase. For all of Ticketmasters efforts, resale sites already are flooded with Springsteen on Broadway tickets, with some reaching $10,000 apiece. Fans interested in trying their luck for the second batch of performance dates will need to register with Ticketmaster Verified Fan by Sept. 3 (at 7 p.m. Pacific). Tickets will be available for purchase 10 a.m. Pacific on Sept. 7. Facebook

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Sandra Bullock donates $1 million to Harvey relief efforts By Libby Hill Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to the American Red Cross for storm relief. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) With the Gulf Coast still battling the aftereffects of Tropical Storm Harvey, celebrities continue to come forward to help with relief efforts for the humanitarian crisis. Sandra Bullock, who has a home in Texas, donated $1 million to the American Red Cross emergency efforts, the organization confirmed to The Times on Wednesday. We are so thankful for the overwhelming and generous response from those who want to help those affected by this devastating storm, Elizabeth Penniman, vice president of communications for American Red Cross national headquarters, said in an email. Massive disasters like Hurricane Harvey create many critical and immediate needs, so we are heartened by donations like this  which allow us to provide immediate shelter, food and comfort to thousands in need, Penniman continued. The entertainment community has been so supportive to the Red Cross in response to this devastating disaster, and we are so grateful. Bullock is just the latest star who has donated to recovery efforts in Texas. The Kardashian family pledged $500,000 to the Salvation Army and Red Cross on Tuesday. Kevin Hart also spearheaded a celebrity-driven fundraising campaign on Crowdrise that has brought in more than $1 million for the Red Cross. Facebook

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Corinne Olympios wants DeMario Jackson to know she doesnt blame him for anything By Christie DZurilla Corinne Olympios doesnt have any hard feelings toward DeMario Jackson, the fellow Bachelor in Paradise cast member who was with her at the center of a scandal that shut down production on the reality TV series in June. I dont blame DeMario. I never pointed fingers at DeMario. I never said a bad word about DeMario, the 25-year-old told host Chris Harrison in an early-August taped interview that aired Tuesday night on ABC. She and Jackson havent spoken since production was halted after allegations of misconduct were made by a producer, leading to an investigation of what happened during a period when, Olympios now says, she was blacked out. I was almost a little bit nervous to talk to [DeMario], because he did run to the media and I didnt want to add fuel to the fire, she said. Before she had a chance to collect her thoughts, he was out there and so on the defensive, she said. He was doing his thing and I didnt want to get messed up in that. ... I cant help but feel like maybe he felt like I thought he did something to me. Jackson did not do anything bad, she insisted. Seeing him start crying in a clip from his own interview with Harrison, which had aired on the show last week, Olympios welled up a bit too. It was hard for me to go through something like that. I know exactly how he feels. The media wants to paint you a certain way that you know youre just not, she said. Olympios told Harrison the same things she had said in a Tuesday morning interview with Good Morning America about blacking out from drinking too much and mixing alcohol with medication. However, she didnt directly address her I am a victim statement that was released at the height of the scandal. On GMA, she said she meant she was a victim of the media. Regarding Bachelor in Paradise with Harrison, she simply talked about how awful it was to have so many people acting like they had been there or were suddenly experts on her life. To even get up and go get eggs at the grocery store ... my face was all over every magazine and I had to check out and everyones staring, Olympios said. Youre looking at them and its like, Im not what youre thinking right now. Then, near the end of the interview, she shared one big wish. Obviously hindsight is 20/20, she said, and I wish it could have been handled differently. Facebook

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Tomi Lahren finds new home at Fox News By Libby Hill Conservative firebrand Tomi Lahren is again gainfully employed after being fired from Glenn Becks The Blaze in March. On Wednesday, Lahren announced via her Facebook page that she is joining the Fox News team as a contributor. This exciting new step will allow me to give voice to all the America-loving patriots who have had my back since day one, Lahren wrote. I will remain a solid and passionate advocate for you. Though 25-year-old Lahren has made television appearances before -- including a contentious appearance on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah -- much of her career has been in digital media. She hosted On Point With Tomi Lahren for One America News Network, and her Final Thought videos have garnered her over 4.4 million Facebook followers. In addition to her role as a contributor, Lahren will also have a signature role on a Fox News digital product in development, according to a press release issued by the network. Lahren makes her debut on Wednesdays edition of Hannity at 7 p.m. PDT. Facebook

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Trevor Noah is shocked  shocked  by the latest revelations about Trump and Moscow By Robert Lloyd Even as the Earth offers humanity another taste of its weather future  and President Trump keeps Sheriff Joe Arpaio out of jail and North Korean missiles fly over Japan  late-night TV hosts have disappeared from their chairs as if it were August in France. Trevor Noah is on the job, though, hosting The Daily Show. Tuesday night, he had some mirthful words about the ongoing investigation into the Trump campaigns Russian affairs. Specifically, he reflected on the revelation of a letter of intent, signed by POTUS himself, to build a Trump Tower skyscraper in Moscow  and make it the tallest building in the world  despite Trumps repeated claims to have no business, no interests, no nothing in Russia. How can one person lie so big? HOW? Noah asked, amazedly. Its like if your friend said he had never heard of Mumford and Sons and then one day you see the album cover and youre like, wait a minute, youre Mumford. Were those connections strictly business, or were they getting out on the votey-votey action? Thats not clear yet, he said. What was clear is that a typically dubious character was at the center of it  namely Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer once convicted of stabbing a man in the neck and face with the stem of a broken margarita glass. Of all the glasses to stab someone with, a margarita glass is the worst, Noah said. Youre literally putting salt into the wounds. There was also a conviction for Saters involvement in a $40-million stock fraud, Noah added, which came as no surprise to the host. You never trust someone with a cat name. If a human goes by Felix or Whiskers or Mittens, you should probably just stay away. There were emails, of course; there are always emails. Buddy, our boy can become President of the USA and we can engineer it. I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, Sater wrote to Trumps personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen. This buddy boy email may not be the smoking gun for Trump, Noah concluded, but what it could end up being is the broken taillight  the thing that gives law enforcement the excuse they need to look into Trumps trunk. And we all know, he said, as a picture of the golfing presidents derriere appeared over his shoulder, hes got a lot of junk in that trunk. Facebook

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Jury president Annette Bening addresses lack of female representation at Venice Film Festival By Nardine Saad (Claudio Onorati / Associated Press) Though there arent as many women represented at this years Venice Film Festival as she would like, jury president Annette Bening believes things are changing. The four-time Oscar nominee, whose film credits include American Beauty, The Kids Are All Right, 20th Century Women and Bugsy, addressed the lack of female directors Wednesday during the 74th annual Venice Film Festivals opening press conference. (Only one of the 21 films in competition is directed by a woman this year.) As women, we have to be sharp, shrewd and creative in what we choose to make. Sexism does exist and there is no question about it. But things are changing, the actress said at the opening press conference, according to Variety. The more we can make films that speak to everybody, the more we will be regarded as filmmakers, she added. Bening, the first woman to chair the jury in more than a decade, said she knew of both veteran and rookie filmmakers struggling to get their movies made whether they are men or women. She said the industry has a long way to go, in terms of parity but was confident that the direction were going is positive. Facebook

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A Star Is Born: Lisa Ling turns 44 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) [People have said to me], When you were in the worlds largest slum [in India], you could almost smell what it was like by your expression.' Its not that Im trying to force myself on the viewer. Im just their eyes and ears. I think our work is quite pure.  Lisa Ling, 1997 FROM THE ARCHIVES: Taking news personally Facebook

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In wake of Charlottesville strife, Virginia Film Festival to host director Spike Lee as special guest By Josh Rottenberg Director Spike Lee photographed in 2015. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) As the city of Charlottesville, Va., and the nation as a whole continues to grapple with the violent racial strife that erupted earlier this month, the Virginia Film Festival announced on Tuesday that it will host filmmaker Spike Lee as a special guest at the upcoming festival as part of a program around the legacy of slavery. Lee, who has tackled thorny issues of race throughout his career, will present his Oscar-nominated documentary 4 Little Girls about the 1963 bombing of a Baptist church in Birmingham, Ala., that claimed the lives of four African American girls, an act of white supremacist terrorism that marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. We have for many years been interested in bringing Spike Lee to the Virginia Film Festival as he remains one of the most talented, innovative, and socially conscious filmmakers in our world today, said Jody Kielbasa, director of the film festival and vice provost for the arts at the University of Virginia. We first reached out to Mr. Lee in the spring to include him in our upcoming collaboration with Montpelier, and of course, the recent events in Charlottesville have made his participation more compelling, relevant and vital. The festival program will also include a short film titled I Cant Breathe that combines footage of the 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner during his arrest by a New York City police officer with footage of the death of Radio Raheem under similar circumstances in Lees 1989 film Do the Right Thing. The program is part of a larger collaboration with Montpelier, the Virginia plantation of President James Madison, who owned more than 100 slaves, that will explore both how the legacy of slavery continues to affect the lives of African Americans and how they are depicted in film and other media. The 30th annual Virginia Film Festival will run from Nov. 9 to 12 in Charlottesville. Facebook

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Jerry Seinfeld recaps childhood in Netflixs first Jerry Before Seinfeld trailer By Nardine Saad The first trailer for Netflixs stand-up special Jerry Before Seinfeld has arrived, and its a madcap recap of Jerry Seinfelds humble beginnings, quirky family dynamics and bits of everyday observations. The teaser opens with Johnny Carson introducing the iconic comic in 1981 during his debut on The Tonight Show. Then it showcases the sitcom star back at the mike at the Comic Strip, the famous New York comedy club where he launched his career. Throwback photos, videos and interviews with Seinfeld are woven throughout. Hes back where he began, the title reads, doing what he loves. The original comedy special is the first of two stand-up specials Seinfeld will deliver in his massive deal with the streaming giant. (The deal also includes the entirety of his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee catalog and 24 new episodes of the Emmy-nominated talk show, which will launch later this year.) Seinfeld and Netflix teased to the special last week with several clips posted on Instagram and a close-up look at the numerous legal pads scrawled with handwritten jokes hes kept from the 1970s. Jerry Before Seinfeld begins streaming Sept. 19. Facebook

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Kermit the Frog finds his new voice in Matt Vogel By Nardine Saad The new Kermit the Frog has arrived and hes following his dreams -- literally. New Muppeteer Matt Vogel made his vocal debut as the iconic frog on Monday in a Muppet Thought of the Week video posted on YouTube. Dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. Life is how we get there, he says in the brief clip. Im headed this way. The veteran voice actor has worked on Sesame Street and also operates the Muppets Floyd, Constantine and Sweetums. He is only the third puppeteer to take on Kermit the Frog full time since the character was created in 1955. He replaced former puppeteer Steve Whitmire, who began work on The Muppet Show in 1978 and inherited the role of Kermit when creator Jim Henson died in 1990. Whitmire was dismissed over concerns about his repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years and he consistently failed to address the feedback, the Muppets Studio said at the time. Whitmire claimed he was fired in October 2016 and kept quiet about it until Vogel was announced as his replacement in July. It was his opinionated communication style that earned him his walking papers, he said. Facebook

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Trevor Noah says Trumps pardon of Sheriff Arpaio renders courts powerless By Nardine Saad The Daily Show host Trevor Noah broke down former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaios presidential pardon on Monday, explaining how President Trumps decision undermines the judicial branch of government. The controversial Maricopa County lawman, who was convicted of criminal contempt of court for violating Latinos rights, earned himself a thuggish reputation as a sheriff, Noah said, citing his agencys use of tent cities, stun guns, jail overcrowding and numerous cases of inmate deaths and police brutality. But those were just his extracurriculars, Noah said. It turns out his full-time job is racism. The 85-year-old Arpaio was found guilty in July of defying a 2011 court order barring officers from stopping and detaining Latino motorists to check their immigration status. As much as Sheriff Arpaio presented himself as anti-illegal immigrants, it turned out really he was just anti being a decent human being, Noah said. When the president of the United States steps in and pardons someones contempt conviction, hes essentially rendering the courts powerless.  Daily Show host Trevor Noah His abuses hurt inmates and taxpayers, costing the state $142 million in legal fees, settlements and compliance costs, Noah said. Other things they could have spent that money on? Schools, roads or they could have just paid Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather to just punch Arpaio in the face. But Noah made the point that Trumps decision completely undercut the judiciary. Remember how the three branches of government are supposed to be equal? Well, convicting someone of contempt is the one and only way the judicial branch can put muscle behind its decisions. So when the president of the United States steps in and pardons someones contempt conviction, hes essentially rendering the courts powerless, he said. Watch the full segment above. Facebook

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Watch Coldplay dedicate new song to Harvey victims -- and vow never to play it again By Randall Roberts (Jens Meyer / Associated Press) On Monday night in Miami, Coldplays Chris Martin drew attention to the victims of Tropical Storm Harvey by unveiling a new song called Houston -- and then vowed never to play it again. The band, which was forced to cancel its Houston show days earlier due to the storm, wrote the song as the region was enduring historic flooding. After acknowledging that he and the band all grew up loving country music, and, of course, thats kind of what we think of when we go to Texas, Martin asked the crowd to bear with them. This is a new song, and well never play it again, Martin said. Its a once-off. Its called Houston. Were going to sing it in Miami for everybody here and then were going to send it over there to everyone who missed the show. Vowing to return to Houston, Martin and band huddled and tentatively started a twangy little number. Im dreaming of when I get back to Houston, sang Martin, replete with a touch of Johnny Cash-ian twang. Describing it as that city where they send you into space, Martin crooned of Corpus Christi, Harris County, Galveston, of a harmony that hums down there in Houston, and urged the region to keep on keeping on. Merle Haggard it wasnt (and everyones a critic), but the performance drew huge applause from fans and went viral on Tuesday morning. Coldplays quick-turnaround ditty is hardly the first to document such deluges. Johnny Cashs Three Feet High and Rising occurred in real time as a family struggled to keep dry. In Charley Pattons High Water Everywhere, the country blues singer recalled the lives lost in the Great Flood of 1927, which consumed the Mississippi Delta and spawned dozens of songs: Oh, Lordy, women is groaning down / Oh, Lordy, women and children sinking down, Patton sang. I couldnt see nobody home, and was no one to be found. Below is another song about the flood of 27: Bessie Smiths Backwater Blues. Facebook

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Corinne Olympios on Bachelor in Paradise scandal: I was really a victim of the media By Christie DZurilla (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images) Corinne Olympios says medication, the booze and the media were key players in Junes production-stopping Bachelor in Paradise scandal and its aftermath. Calling the situation just really unfortunate, she said Tuesday on Good Morning America that she doesnt remember anything that happened. Seeing video of what transpired on the first day of production on the looking-for-love reality show was like watching not-me, she said. Im watching someone else. On that day, Olympios and fellow cast member DeMario Jackson allegedly wound up in the pool or hot tub together in a situation that a producer thought went too far. Allegations of misconduct were made, and production shut down the next day for an investigation that ultimately determined nothing untoward had happened. The show, sans Corinne and DeMario, premiered its fourth season Aug. 14, a week later than originally planned. I did drink, too much, I definitely understand that, Olympios said. But I was also on a medication that severely blacks you out and impairs your judgment and messes with your balance, that I didnt know you were not supposed to not drink on, and so it really just caused a horrible, horrible blackout. It was like I went under like anesthesia and then just like woke up. Shes now weaning off the medication, she said, and cutting down on her drinking. But in explaining her provocative official statement that she was a victim living out her worst nightmare, Olympios revealed her specific definition of victimhood, which had little or nothing to do with consent, which was a hot topic throughout the scandal. I was really a victim of the media, Olympios said. It was just, all of a sudden people became an expert on the situation and on what happened, and it was like, Im still trying to figure out exactly what happened. It was just horrible to deal with. It got really, really bad. ..., she added. The things people say are just insane. When the remaining Paradise cast met as a whole on the first episode of the season, their sympathies seemed to lie with Jackson as they worried about the long-term effects the scandal would have on him and any future career opportunities, especially given the lingering racial issues of alleged misconduct between a white woman and a black man. However, they were quick to say they were not slut-shaming Olympios either. Jackson spoke last week on Bachelor in Paradise, sitting down with host Chris Harrison to give his take on what happened. Heres a taste of that, courtesy of GMA: Facebook

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Victorias Secret Fashion Show heads to Shanghai this year By Nardine Saad Angels will fly over the Great Wall of China in November as the Victorias Secret Fashion Show heads to Shanghai for the first time. Supermodels Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge and more will strut their stuff for the annual lingerie extravaganza, Victorias Secret and CBS said in a statement on Tuesday. The iconic pre-holiday show  replete with teensy underwear and massive angel wings  is usually filmed in New York, but Miami, Los Angeles and London have also hosted the scantily clad runway walk. The broadcast will air on CBS on Nov. 28 and will be shown in more than 190 countries. Models Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell and Taylor Hill will also walk in this years show. Musical performers will be announced at a later date, the statement said. Ni hao, China! This year's #VSFashionShow is headed to Shanghai. Watch it Nov 28, 10/9C on @CBS. Learn more: https://t.co/AHWHWjKOCI pic.twitter.com/tgIVJs7Lsr  Victoria's Secret (@VictoriasSecret) August 29, 2017 Facebook

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A Star Is Born: William Friedkin turns 82 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) I love the experience of making films. I love the mud. I love the dirt. I love all the inconveniences. Thats why you do it. If you do it because youre looking to be the Great American film maker, youre liable to experience disappointment.  William Friedkin, 1989 FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Exorcisms of William Friedkin Facebook

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Taylor Swifts Look What You Made Me Do video bashes another YouTube record By Randy Lewis Taylor Swifts official video for her first new music in three years, Look What You Made Me Do, has blasted through the existing YouTube record for most views tallied during its first 24 hours of release. The clip logged 43.2 million views since the video was posted Sunday evening. That far surpasses the record set in 2013 by Korean pop star Psys Gentleman, which racked up 36 million views in its first day. It also hasnt slowed interest in Swifts previously released lyric video for the same song, which set a record for lyric video viewership by drawing 19 million views in the first 24 hours. That version has now surpassed 47 million views in less than four days. Both videos have generated flurries of debate and analysis among Swifts fans and her dissenters, the former seemingly outnumbering the latter by a margin of nearly 5 to 1. Likes have surpassed the 1 million mark, while dislikes stood at 232,000 at the 24-hour mark. The song is the first single from her forthcoming album Reputation, due Nov. 10. It will be Swifts sixth studio album. Each of her last three albums sold more than 1 million copies during the first week of release. Swift is the only artist with that achievement to her credit. Update Aug. 29, 10:30 a.m.: This post has been updated with the finalized 24-hour viewer total. Facebook

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Watch the Game of Thrones cast and crew break down some of Season 7s best scenes By Tracy Brown Game of Thrones Season 7 may have concluded Sunday, but there is still plenty left for fans to unpack before Thrones"-withdrawal sets in. Along with all the burning questions left in the wake of the season finale, HBO has left us with some behind-the-scenes videos from this seasons most epic moments. The production magic of Game of Thrones is undeniable and it extends to beyond special effects dragons. From Arya donning Walder Freys face to dole out her brand of vengeance to Daenerys walking into Dragonstone for the first time, there is plenty to explore from just the first episode alone. The video above dives deep into what it took to craft the Season 7 premiere, including how Cerseis fancy new giant map came to be. Of course, plenty of fans are probably still contemplating the latest episode and what Jon and Danys new level of intimacy means going into the final season. Can this be how the actual prince that was promised is conceived? And if you were a bit squicked out by the pairs developing relationship, youre not alone. Unlike Jon and Daenerys, Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington are definitely aware that they are both Targaryens. For us as actors its just weird, said Clarke in a video about the coupling. The reality of what they are to each other. In fact, the actors had more facial expressions and sound effects to convey their feelings about this union than words. Watch in the video below. Facebook

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Ed Skrein leaves Hellboy after whitewashing furor By Christie DZurilla (Jordan Strauss / Associated Press) Ed Skrein will not play Maj. Ben Daimio in a reboot of Hellboy, the English actor said Monday, noting that when he accepted the role he didnt know that in the comics the character was of mixed Asian descent. Just a week ago, Skrein had tweeted his excitement over taking on the role. Backlash  in the form of whitewashing allegations  ensued. It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts, the 34-year-old Deadpool actor said in a statement announcing that he had changed his mind about portraying Daimio. Calling it a moral decision, he said he was sad to leave the movie but hoped his action would make a difference in making equal representation in the arts a reality. David Harbour, the Stranger Things actor slated to play Hellboy, tweeted, Hey internet. Thank you for your voices. An injustice was done and will be corrected. Many thanks to @edskrein for doing what is right. Mike Mignola, who created the Hellboy comics, also thanked Skrein on Monday and said the move was very nicely done. Hey internet. Thank you for your voices.



An injustice was done and will be corrected.



Many thanks to @edskrein for doing what is right. https://t.co/tUvP6YibgG  David Harbour (@DavidKHarbour) August 28, 2017 In addition to Harbour, the 2018 version of the story so far stars Milla Jovovich as Nimue, Ian McShane as Professor Broom and Alice Monaghan as Sasha Lane, according to IMDb. Neil Marshall, who among other things has helmed episodes of Game of Thrones and Westworld, is set to direct. The Daimio character didnt appear in the 2004 or 2008 Guillermo del Toro films based on the Hellboy comics. Heres Skreins full explanation: pic.twitter.com/8WoSsHXDFO  Ed Skrein (@edskrein) August 28, 2017 Updated, 2:39 p.m.: This story was updated with comments from Harbour and Mignola. Facebook

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Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper are super-friends no more By Libby Hill Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin (Rob Kim / Getty Images) What began as a tasteless joke at the expense of President Trump continues to have real-life consequences for comedian Kathy Griffin. In an extensive interview with The Cut, Griffin admitted that her 17-year friendship with Anderson Cooper, with whom she co-hosted CNNs New Years Eve gig for a decade, ended in the wake of the Trump controversy. In May, Griffin publicized a photo shoot that featured her holding a bloodied imitation severed head bearing a strong resemblance to the president. The backlash was immediate and largely bipartisan, as many saw the images as glorifying violence and furthering political division. Griffin quickly apologized for the misstep but the damage had been done, with condemnation from the White House, investigation by the Secret Service and the loss of several jobs, including her CNN gig. On May 30, Cooper tweeted his disapproval of Griffins artistic expression, calling it disgusting and completely inappropriate, and Griffin admitted at a June 2 news conference that Coopers comments hurt her. For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.  Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) May 31, 2017 In July, Cooper appeared on Bravos Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen and stated that he and Griffin were still friends. Yeah, were still friends, and look I said what I said about  I didnt think what she said was appropriate, but I wish her the best and I hope she bounces back, he stated. But Griffin claimed that at that point, nearly two months after the fact, she had yet to hear from Cooper privately. In reality, it wasnt until Aug. 10 that Cooper finally reached out to Griffin in a series of text messages, CNN confirmed to The Cut  at which point Griffin informed him that their friendship was over. Facebook

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In One Mississippi Season 2 trailer, Tig Notaro prays for the gay to stay By Christie DZurilla Tig Notaros One Mississippi is coming back for a second season, one in which her character is getting used to life back in her small Mississippi hometown. Season 1 of the Amazon Prime Video series took viewers through a fictionalized series of events that echoed Notaros own life: a potentially deadly intestinal illness, breast cancer, a double mastectomy, the unexpected death of her beloved mother and a romantic breakup. Yup, its a dark comedy. In Season 2, L.A. transplant Tig is navigating her new environs, including strategizing about how to proceed with a crush on Straight Kate and dealing with some well-meaning, pray-the-gay-away critics of her radio show. Plus, theres her stepfathers whole dishwasher drill to contend with, not to mention the story line that has to do with sexual assault. The new season of One Mississippi starts streaming Sept. 8. Facebook

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Watch Frank Oceans lyric video for new song Provider By Randall Roberts As is his wont these days, R&B superstar Frank Ocean unveiled a new song, Provider, his own way: during the newest installment of Blonded Radio, the Apple Music/Beats 1 radio show he hosts and curates. The ballads a meditation that name-checks Aphex Twin, shoegaze, Talking Heads, Jaws, Patagonia sportswear and Stanley Kubrick, and moves through verses without much regard for structure. Immediately following the Sunday premiere, Ocean dropped the lyric video on his website. Featuring a souped-up mini-boombox retrofitted with bigger speaker cones and a Velcro-attached machete, the clip suggests an owner getting ready to hunt prey while using Provider as the lure. Ocean hasnt uploaded the clip to YouTube, but you can listen and watch on his blonded.co website. Facebook

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Gone With the Wind, deemed insensitive, has been pulled from a Memphis theater By Christie DZurilla Gone With the Wind will not be shown in the future by a Tennessee theater that decided it was insensitive to many in the local community. The 1939 movie, which marked the first Oscar win by a black actor, depicts a romanticized view of slavery and life on a Southern plantation before, during and after the Civil War. Gone With the Wind, which won 10 Academy Awards in 1940, including for best picture, had been shown by the Orpheum Theatre Group for years as part of an annual Summer Movie Series, according to Memphis Commercial-Appeal. At times, it was screened more than once a year, the paper said. This year, however, a different climate prevailed. The recent screening of Gone With the Wind at the Orpheum on Friday, Aug. 11, 2017, generated numerous comments, Brett Batterson, president of the theater group, said Friday in a statement (via the New York Times). The Orpheum carefully reviewed all of them. As an organization whose stated mission is to entertain, educate and enlighten the communities it serves, the Orpheum cannot show a film that is insensitive to a large segment of its local population. The majority of Memphis residents are black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The screening happened, coincidentally, on the day before a rally of white nationalists that turned violent in Charlottesville, Va.  a rally that has been followed by a national conversation about whether to purge monuments to Civil War generals and soldiers from public spaces. In an interview with the Commercial-Appeal, Batterson said the appropriateness of screening Gone With the Wind had been discussed every year, but the social media storm this year really brought it home. By Monday, comments on social media, including on the Facebook post announcing the screening, had shifted in large part to defense of Gone With the Wind as a product of its time that, despite its romanticized portrayal of the Old South and of slavery, was still part of movie history and worth showing on a big screen. The Orpheum did not respond Monday to The Times requests for comment. Hattie McDaniels Oscar win for supporting actress was a significant first but was also loaded with a lot of political and racial issues given that the film was the classic archetype of the Mammy, said Adilifu Nama, associate professor of African American Studies at Loyola Marymount University, speaking to The Times in 2014. McDaniels role of Mammy is fundamentally a subservient role and is part of a film that is a Southern racial fantasy, Nama said. Facebook

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Taylor Swift gets petty and Pink talks pretty in the must-see moments from MTVs Video Music Awards By Libby Hill Were you too busy watching [spoiler] revealed as [spoiler] on Sunday nights Game of Thrones finale to watch MTVs Video Music Awards? Fear not! Weve gathered up four must-see moments from the socially conscious affair (and one lackluster video debut from Taylor Swift) to keep you in the loop. Pinks PowerPoint presentation It was a banner night for singer Pink, who received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for her body of work and used the occasion to share an anecdote about her daughter Willow. Recently, Pink stated, her daughter referred to herself as the ugliest person she knew and complained that she looked like a boy with long hair. At first, the Raise Your Glass singer was taken aback by her daughters words but soon swung into action, compiling an elaborate PowerPoint presentation about the history of androgynous rock stars, including Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Annie Lennox. Pink relayed a simple sentiment that most of us could learn a lot from: So, baby, girl, we dont change. We take the gravel and the shell and we make a pearl. Logic talks emotions Plenty of artists used the VMAs stage to speak passionately about issues they care about, but few did so as extensively as rapper Logic. After his performance of 1-800-273-8255" with Khalid and Alessia Cara, the title of which is the phone number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Logic talked about mental health and equality. Beginning at 3:50 in the above video, Logic first thanked the audience for giving him a platform to discuss the important issue of mental health. He then quickly pivoted to other pressing social issues including discrimination, sexism and domestic violence. I dont give a damn if youre black, white or any color in between, Logic said. I dont care if youre Christian, youre Muslim, youre gay, youre straight, I am gonna fight for your equality because I believe that we are all born equal, but we are not treated equally and that is why we must fight. Jared Leto honors Chester Bennington Logics performance and subsequent speech were particularly moving given the past years loss of two rock musicians to suicide  Linkin Parks Chester Bennington and Soundgardens Chris Cornell. Jared Leto, an Academy Award winner and frontman of Thirty Seconds to Mars, spoke about both men at Sundays ceremony. MTV asked me to come here to say a few words about Chester and the late, great, Chris Cornell, two artists I had the absolute pleasure of touring with, Leto said of the two singers who were also close friends. Chester said of Chris, Your voice was joy and pain and anger and forgiveness, love and heartache, all wrapped up into one, Leto recalled. Leto also recounted his own memories of Bennington. I think about his heart, Leto said. And I remember his voice. At once ferocious and delicate, that voice will live forever. Fifth Harmony gets shady Despite the pleas for equality and the heartfelt speeches, there was still plenty of time for pettiness at the VMAs, as evidenced by Fifth Harmonys performance. As the group took the stage to perform its latest single, Angel, a mystery fifth member appeared in the lineup before being unceremoniously yanked offstage as the song began. What appeared as an inexplicable stunt to the uninitiated was likely a shady reference to former Fifth Harmony frontwoman Camila Cabello, who exited the group in December to pursue a solo career. It wasnt so much that Cabellos departure stung her former colleagues but that she reportedly failed to inform them of her decision before announcing it to the world. Oops. Also Taylor Swift Unless you were in a coma for the whole of last week, you probably heard that Taylor Swift announced the release date for her upcoming album, Reputation, as well as releasing the first single, Look What You Made Me Do. Its fine. Sunday night, Swift debuted the video for Look What You Made Me Do. It is also fine. This has been your daily Taylor Swift update. Facebook

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Kevin Hart, Beyonce and Drake lead charge for Hurricane Harvey flood relief By Nardine Saad (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) As Harvey lashed southeastern Texas over the weekend, celebrities rallied for the relief effort. Comedian Kevin Hart led the charge Sunday night, donating $25,000 and challenging his celebrity friends to donate to the Red Cross amid catastrophic flooding in the Lone Star State. I think weve participated in a lot of challenges on the Internet, some meaningful, some meaningless, but weve all done them. Ive been a person thats partaken in several of them, Hart said in an Instagram video. At this point, this is a serious matter, he continued. I think the people are in bad shape and they need help. Im going to lead the charge and step up in this way. The Jumanji star called on his co-star Dwayne Johnson, comics Steve Harvey, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and Jerry Seinfeld, as well as musicians Jay-Z, Beyonce and Justin Timberlake to make donations and tag someone else to do the same. At that point, Houston native Beyonce and Kelly Rowland of Destinys Child had already posted notes about their hometown on Instagram, sending thoughts and prayers to the state that launched their careers. View Instagram post View Instagram post The deluge of support continued with country star Chris Young. The Man I Want to Be singer posted an emotional YouTube video about his certainty that his Texas home was destroyed and concern for his friends and family in the state. He donated $100,000 to relief efforts to a GoFundMe campaign to benefit the Red Cross. Harvey, one of the worst natural disasters in the states history, slammed onshore Friday as a Category 4 hurricane, then weakened to a tropical storm on Saturday, dropping up to 24 inches of rain on Houston in 24 hours. The National Weather Service reported that at least five people had died as of Sunday evening, but that number was expected to increase as the floodwaters recede. More than 30,000 people across the Gulf Coast are likely to seek temporary shelter as the tropical storm continues to drench southeastern Texas and Louisiana with heavy rains and surging floodwaters, The Times reported. Toronto native Drake, who has lived in Houston for the last eight years, said that he and DJ Future the Prince are working with local relief groups to aid and assist the people of Texas in anyway we can and in the most immediate way possible. I also want to thank all the men and women of service and volunteers for their courageous efforts to help people in need, the rapper said on Instagram. I encourage everyone to do what they can to assist the people of Texas knowing whatever effort you can make to help will go a long way. View Instagram post Also, during the MTV Video Music Awards Awards on Sunday, host Katy Perry touched upon the catastrophic event. She too urged viewers to donate to the Red Cross. All of us here at the VMAs are sending love to the people of southeastern Texas and everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey right now, Perry said onstage. Were praying for your safety in the days to come and we stand with you as you rebuild because were all in this together. According to the Houston Chronicle, more than 15 inches of rain could fall on several more southeastern Texas cities. Corpus Christi, where Harvey first made landfall, saw upward of 20 inches of rain in two days. By Monday morning, up to 40 inches of rain had fallen on northeast Houston. Another 20 inches were expected Monday before Tropical Storm Harvey travels farther east. Facebook

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Susan Bro, mother of slain Charlottesville protester Heather Heyer, announces anti-hate foundation at the MTV VMAs By Randall Roberts (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) During an evening filled with defiant messages against racism, homophobia and body shaming, the mother of Heather Heyer announced some concrete actions to further the cause. Susan Bro, whose daughter was killed two weeks ago during protests in Charlottesville, Va., has worked through her grief by speaking out against racism, and took a further step by creating the Heather Heyer Foundation. Describing it as a nonprofit organization that will provide scholarships to help more people to join Heathers fight against hatred, Bro requested that viewers visit the new site to help me make Heathers death count. Added Bro: Heather never marched alone. She was always joined by people from every race and every background in this country. Bro was introduced by Robert Lee IV -- a descendant of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee -- who said his ancestor has became of idol of white supremacy and hate. Lee went on to describe racism as Americas original sin. He went on to ask all of those with privilege to confront white supremacy and racism head-on. Watch his speech below. I call on all of us with privilege and power to confront racism and white supremacy head-on" - Robert Lee IV #VMAs pic.twitter.com/ko4SM9VnaU  MTV (@MTV) August 28, 2017 Facebook

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Watch Pinks inspiring MTV VMA speech to individuality By Randall Roberts In receiving her Video Vanguard award at the MTV VMAs on Sunday at the Forum -- the shows equivalent of a lifetime achievement trophy -- the pop star Pink told a story about a conversation shed recently had with her young daughter. They were driving to school and her daughter said, Mama, Im the ugliest girl I know. Pink replied, Huh? And she was like, Yeah, I look like a boy with long hair. Pink said that she immediately thought, My god, youre 6. Where is this coming from? The artist and mom didnt lecture her daughter. Instead, said Pink: I went home and made a PowerPoint presentation for her, and in that presentation were androgynous rock stars and artists that live their truth; are probably made fun of every day of their lives and carry on and wave their flag; and inspire the rest of us. These are artists like Michael Jackson and David Bowie and Freddie Mercury and Annie Lennox and Prince and Janis Joplin and George Michael, Elton John, so many artists. Pink said that her daughters eyes glazed over, but Pink pressed her about why she felt that way about herself. What do you think I look like? She said, Youre beautiful. The pop singer explained that she gets critiqued, too. They say I look like a boy or Im too masculine or Im too -- I have too many opinions. My body is too strong. I said to her, Do you see me growing my hair? She said No Mama. I said, Do you see me changing my body? She said, No Mama. Do you see me changing the way I present myself to the world? No Mama. Do you see me selling out arenas all over the world. Yes Mama. OK baby girl. We dont change. We take the gravel and the shell and we make a pearl. And we help other people to change so that they can see more kinds of beauty. Added Pink in closing: To all the artists here, Im so inspired by you. Thank you for being your true selves and for lighting the way for us. Facebook

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Watch Jared Leto offer touching tribute to Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington at the MTV VMAs By Randall Roberts In a moving tribute to two fallen musicians, the actor and musician Jared Leto honored the lives of Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park at the MTV VMAs on Sunday. Cornell and Bennington committed suicide in 2017, and Leto was friends with both. In 1976 in Phoenix, Ariz., a child was born. He was precocious, full of life, and determined, and grew up to become the singer of one of the greatest rock bands in the history of music, Leto said. His name was Chester Bennington, and the band is Linkin Park. Leto added that MTV asked him to say a few words about Bennington and Cornell, who he described as two artists that I had the absolute pleasure of touring with. They were close friends with one another -- Chester even singing the cover of the classic Hallelujah at Chris funeral. Recalling Benningtons words at Cornells funeral service, Leto said: Chester said of Chris, Your voice was joy and pain and anger and forgiveness, love and heartache all wrapped up into one. Just weeks later, Chester himself was gone. Chester was my friend. As he was to so many. Witnessing his life taught me important things -- especially about working relentlessly, pursuing dreams and being kind and caring while doing it. Facebook

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Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert and more steal the MTV VMA spotlight By Gerrick Kennedy Kodak Black arriving at the MTV VMAs. (Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press) The line near a concession stand inside the Forum minutes before the MTV VMAs kicked off on Sunday was lengthy, but no one was waiting on food or drinks. Instead, a dozen or so folks waited patiently to get a selfie with Kodak Black, who high-fived and posed with as fans fumbled with smartphones. The VMAs are typically rife with heavyweights (Kendrick Lamar, Katy Perry, etc.) but this years ceremony looked to tap into the wide scene of rising acts that have been dominating streaming services and social media all summer. Before the telecast even began Lil Uzi Vert clinched a major win, taking the trophy for song of summer for XO Tour Llif3" and he later joined Ed Sheeran for the tune, no doubt the nights most surprising collaboration. Meanwhile, Khalids pre-show medley could have easily anchored the main show while reality star turned breakout rap sensation Cardi B was another highlight of the pre-show festivities. Her viral hit Bodak Yellow rattled throughout the Forum during nearly every commercial break. Fifth Harmony later made its debut at the VMAs with an explosive main stage performance of Down, a song that also won the award for pop video. Facebook

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Jack Antonoff is living his best life at the MTV VMAs By Mikael Wood Jack Antonoff performs onstage during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show. (Joshua Blanchard / Getty Images) Has anyone at MTVs Video Music Awards had more screen time so far than Jack Antonoff? First the A-list producer and songwriter turned up on the nights pre-show ceremony for a performance with his band Bleachers. Then he introduced Lorde by noting that hed seen her eat gas-station sushi during the two years they spent together working on her album Melodrama. He also accepted the award for best collaboration  for Taylor Swift and Zayns I Dont Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker), which he helped create  because the singers couldnt be there. But Antonoffs best moment? Obviously the candid reaction shot in which he was shown casually eating a banana, as his girlfriend, Lena Dunham, described it on Twitter. My boyfriend just casually eating a banana at the VMAs is a good reminder of why we've been at it half a decade  Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) August 28, 2017 Facebook

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Watch Taylor Swifts bold Look What You Made Me Do video, which premiered during the MTV VMAs By Randall Roberts Taylor Swifts new video for Look What You Made Me Do, which premiered during the 2017 MTV VMAs on Sunday night, features her dressed as a zombie, a diamond-drenched queen, a red-dressed seductress, a car-crash victim, a bird in a cage, a kitty-masked thief with a baseball bat, a biker chick wearing studded leather and a whip-snapping dominatrix. As she poses and pretends, Swift makes a not-so-veiled reference to her ongoing feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, getting all combative behind the microphone as a feather-light melody jumps behind her. The video premiered during a ceremony hosted by pop star and avowed Swift nemesis Katy Perry. Perry didnt introduce the clip, a hint that the two probably still arent besties. Inside the Forum, the video premiered on multiple big screen TVs rose that from the stage, and Perry was nowhere in sight. As the clip seems to be winding down, the music fades. But Swift hasnt fully made her point. In its final moments arrive a dozen-odd versions of Swift standing in front of a black private jet with the name of her new album, Reputation, scrawled on it. The many Swifts start bickering and referencing the various criticisms that have been lobbied at her over the years. Stop making that face, its so annoying, the zombie Swift says, a nod to what some believe is the exaggerated excitement the artist shows when she wins awards. A young version of Swift interrupts with an innocent Yall! but is shot down by an embittered Swift: Oh stop acting like youre so nice. Youre so fake! Standing in the center of the line is Swift seemingly dressed as she was at the 2009 VMAs, when West interrupted her victory speech to decry Beyonce's loss. Holding her VMA trophy, she says, Id like very much to be excluded from this narrative, both a nod to to the musical Hamilton and a repeat of a phrase Swift posted on social media in wake of controversy resulting from Wests song Famous. In that 2016 tune, he he boasted that I made that [profanity] famous and, therefore, that he and Swift might still have sex. The other Swifts reply in unison: Oh shut up! Facebook

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Kendrick Lamar opens 2017 VMAs with fiery performances of DNA and Humble By Randall Roberts Wearing a red scarf on his head and a poofy winter coat onstage, Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar opened the 2017 MTV VMAs needing neither. Within a few minutes of launching with DNA a dancer center stage burst into flames. You could almost feel the heat simmering through the screen. I was born like this, since one like this, Lamar rapped. Immaculate conception/I transform like this, perform like this. Perform he did, moving into a second track, Humble, from his recent album Damn. Shedding the coat, he stood in front of a fiery backdrop grid that burned as dancers scaled it. As they did so, Lamar rapped, My left stroke just went viral/Right stroke put lil baby in a spiral. It was the opening shot of a VMAs in which politics and protest may end up taking center stage. Indeed, moments later presenter Paris Jackson drew a rousing applause when she denounced the racism and hatred propogated by white supremacists and neo-Nazis. Facebook

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Heidi Klum, Jack Antonoff and others stand in support of transgender military service members at VMAs By Randall Roberts View Instagram post As the 2017 Video Music Awards were approaching, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) was out in full force at the Forum. Its president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, walked the red carpet along with her invited guests: six transgender members of the military. The action came in the wake of President Donald Trumps direction to the Pentagon on Friday, as reported in The Times, to return to the long-standing policy and practice barring military service by transgender individuals. Praising MTV as a pioneering advocate for the LGBTQ community, Ellis said in a statement, Throughout all the tweets, memos, and speculation, brave transgender Americans are still serving their country and defending the freedoms of this nation while meeting the same rigorous standards of their peers. We are proud to stand with them. Posing in support: musicians and celebrities including Jack Antonoff (Bleachers), supermodel Heidi Klum, actor-comedian Billy Eichner and others, who stood alongside transgender service members including Jennifer Peace, Logan Ireland, Sterling James Crutcher and Akira Wyatt, as well as trans veterans Laila Ireland and Brynn Tannehil. Also joining them was LGBTQ philanthropist August Getty, who in his other life is a fashion designer responsible for Miley Cyruss red carpet dress. Facebook

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MTV VMAs return to Southern California with an overwhelmingly impressive setup By Gerrick Kennedy Cardi B performing at the pre-show for the MTV VMAs. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press) After heading to the East Coast last year, the MTV VMAs have returned to Southern California. And tonight at the Forum in Inglewood, it was clear that the network decided to go big  huge really. Upon arrival to the venue it appeared that the scale of this years show was unlike anything MTV had done in recent history. A structure that looked like a space shuttle swallowed the lot in front of the venue, and stars such as Cardi B and Big Freedia could be seen pumping through the red carpet (its a deep shade of blue this year). Inside the Forum, the stage took up the entirety of the venues ground floor. The imprint of the stage was impressive, even overwhelming in size as a maze of catwalks and secondary stages traced the floor, all of which was outlined by hundreds of glowing triangles and projection screens. It made for a futuristic playground of geometric glowing shapes that show opener Kendrick Lamar put to use immediately as he emerged from the center of the venue for the explosive DNA, strutting through half of the venue before making it to the main stage. Facebook

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Taylor Swift breaks YouTube record with Look What You Made Me Do video By Randy Lewis Taylor Swift set a YouTube record with the lyric video for her new single Look What You Made Me Do, tallying 19 million views in just the first 24 hours. Thats more than double the previous first-day record for a lyric video, which was set in February by the lyric video for the Chainsmokers Something Just Like This featuring Coldplay, which registered 9 million views upon its release. Its also the best 24-hour figure Swift has logged, besting the first-day result for her 2015 official video for Bad Blood, which attracted 17 million views, and has since totaled more than 1.1 billion views. As of Sunday morning, the tally for Look What You Made Me Do had surpassed 35 million. It sets the stage for the premiere tonight of Swifts official video for the new single, which will be introduced during the MTV Video Music Awards Ceremony, taking place at the Forum in Inglewood. The overall record for viewership in the first 24 hours for any music video belongs to Adele, who registered 27.7 million views in 2015 at the premiere of the official video for her song Hello. Facebook

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Why William Friedkin called Tobe Hoopers Texas Chain Saw Massacre an Umami Burger of a movie By Mark Olsen Director Tobe Hooper, who died in Los Angeles on Saturday at age 74, created many movies and TV shows during his long career  including stepping to helm the filming of Poltergeist when Steven Spielberg was contractually banned from directing other films during the production of ET: The Extra Terrestrial. Hoopers most admired film, of course, was 1974s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. In 2014, on the occasion of the films 40th anniversary, The Exorcist director William Friedkin interviewed Hooper before an overflow audience at Los Angeles Vista theater. During the engaging conversation, Friedkin called Hooper one of the sweetest, nicest guys Ive ever known. And then added, So I often wonder where this stuff comes from. Hooper talked about purposely pitting his actors against each other to keep the on-screen tension high, how an unlikely pair of albums  Elton Johns Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Lou Reeds Berlin  inspired him during the writing of the screenplay, and about how damn strong women are, referring to the resilent character played by Marilyn Burns. Shes just not going to die. At one point, Friedkin provocatively asked, Do you think this is a work of art? Hooper first asked, Should I be modest? before responding with a salty confirmation, Its a ... work of art. The Times Mark Olsen was there for the interview. At the end of his article, theres this affirmation of the film from Friedkin: No 3-D, no CGI, welcome to this Umami Burger of a movie. Read on to find his reasoning. Read More Facebook

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Cinefamily suspends all activities in wake of sexual misconduct allegations By Sonaiya Kelley The Cinefamily on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times) Following the resignations Tuesday of two leadership figures at Cinefamily, the Los Angeles independent film venue has announced that it is temporarily suspending all activities to allow for the investigation and necessary restructure of management and the board. Recently, claims were made alleging improper behavior by one of more members of the organization, reads a release posted on the organizations website and social media pages. The Board of Directors of The Cinefamily has no tolerance for any form of behavior that does not conform to the high standards demanded by our members and staff and that of common human decency. The letter also says that Cinefamily is bringing on an independent third party, Giles Miller at Lynx Insights & Investigations, to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations. View Twitter post A spokesperson for the theater could not immediately be reached for comment. The announcement comes in the wake of two high profile exits: co-founder and executive creative director, Hadrian Belove, and vice president of its board of directors, Shadie Elnashai, resigned on Tuesday following allegations of sexual misconduct. The exits were announced in postings on Cinefamilys social media accounts. In light of recent events, Shadie Elnashai has resigned from Cinefamilys Board of Directors and Hadrian Belove has resigned as the Executive Creative Director of Cinefamily, read the statement. Addressing the anonymous allegations in a post to his personal Facebook account following his resignation, Belove described the emails contents as demonstrable lies and half-truths, and allegations without known victims. It is not clear whether screenings currently scheduled will still run, and there has been grumbling by monthly billed members as to whether or not automated charges will be suspended or cancelled. Facebook

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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper dies in Los Angeles at 74 By Associated Press Tobe Hooper, the horror-movie pioneer whose low-budget sensation The Texas Chain Saw Massacre took a buzz saw to audiences with its brutally frightful vision, has died. He was 74. The Los Angeles County coroners office says Hooper died Saturday in Sherman Oaks. It was reported as a natural death. Hooper and contemporaries like George Romero crafted some of the scariest nightmares that ever haunted moviegoers. He directed 1982s Poltergeist from a script by Steven Spielberg and was behind the 1979 miniseries Salems Lot, based on the Stephen King novel. Read More Facebook

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Is Taylor Swift trying to turn off her listeners? By Mikael Wood We can skip the rundown of Taylor Swifts feud with Kanye West, right? Less than 24 hours after the worlds biggest pop star unleashed her new single on a waiting commentariat, Im already exhausted by the idea of having to read (let alone write) yet another rehash of this deeply tiresome conflict. But you know whos not over it? Taylor Swift. In Look What You Made Me Do  released online Thursday night as the lead single from a new album, Reputation, due in November  the singer sounds positively fired up as she takes whack after brutal whack at the rapper who once interrupted her at an awards show. (Swift doesnt name West, to be clear, but with her reference to a tilted stage, she doesnt need to.) I dont like your perfect crime / How you laugh when you lie, she seethes over a throbbing electronic groove, You said the gun was mine / Isnt cool  no, I dont like you. Later in the tune, which Swift created with Jack Antonoff, she pretends to answer a phone call from someone evidently looking for the old Taylor  the sucker, you presume, who mightve let bygones be bygones. But she cant come to the phone, Swift tells the caller. Why? she adds. Oh, cause shes dead. Whats surprising about Look What You Made Me Do  beyond the harsh industrial production that makes it feel like Swifts response to her enemys Yeezus  is that it suggests the singer no longer cares (or is no longer able to tell) what pop fans want. Swift rose to superstardom by anticipating listeners desires; she knew just when to pivot from acoustic guitars to sleek synthesizers, from the fairy-tale romance of early hits like Love Story to the more grown-up depiction found on her last album, 2014s smash 1989. On tour behind that record, she spent a good portion of her show every night telling the members of her audience how closely shed been paying attention to them. But dredging up Taylor v. Kanye again? I mean, I cant be the only one whos sick of this topic  something Swift wouldve known a few years ago without even having to think about it. OK, so she hardly lacks for company among A-listers eager to cook expired beef. Earlier this summer Katy Perry revived her ancient tussle with Swift  I believe it had something to do with backup dancers?  for Swish Swish. But Perrys song takes delight in its own pettiness, whereas Look What You Made Me Do just makes me think of President Trump whining endlessly about fake news. (Crediting Right Said Fred for the songs supposed debt to Im Too Sexy is funny in writing, but the inspiration adds little humor to the dour music.) Maybe Swift isnt aiming for me, though. Maybe this polarizing song is meant to galvanize her base  which, sure enough, is rhapsodizing about the track on social media  even at the expense of the wider world shes dominated for much of the last decade. If thats her play, its a wild one, especially coming after her powerful testimony during the recent trial regarding her alleged sexual assault at the hands of a Denver radio DJ. In court, Swift appeared driven to speak with a voice loud enough for others. Now, just days later, she seems uninterested in that job. Have we ever seen a pop star so happily give up a portion of her following? Thats an idea Im not tired of considering. Maybe Reputation will take it up. Facebook

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Concerts by Coldplay, other acts canceled as Hurricane Harvey nears Texas By August Brown Coldplay performs at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in 2016. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) As the potentially devastating Hurricane Harvey approaches the Texas coast, major acts including Coldplay, Lady Antebellum and Mary J. Blige have canceled or rescheduled their Houston-area concerts. Coldplay on Friday postponed a show scheduled for NRG Stadium in Houston. We really wanted to play tonight, but sitting here all together watching the news about the storm, we feel that we cant ask anyone to put their safety at risk. So, sadly, we will have to postpone, the band wrote. Live Nation Houston said ticket-holders would be updated when there was further information. We urge all fans in the area to stay safe, it said. A makeup date has not yet been scheduled. The country trio Lady Antebellum canceled its Sunday show at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in the Woodlands, citing the storm. Blige postponed her Friday show at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land. The venue announced that the concert had been rescheduled to Sept. 19. The Category 3 storm, which would be the first major hurricane to hit the United States since 2005, is expected to make landfall in coastal Texas on Saturday morning, bringing 100-mph winds and up to 35 inches of rain in some areas. Facebook

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Bachelor couple Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi break off their engagement By Christie DZurilla (Leon Bennett / Getty Images) Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi, who got engaged on the most recent season of The Bachelor, have  with a great amount of heartbreak  called the whole thing off. We gave this relationship our all and we are saddened that we did not get the fairytale ending we hoped for, they said Friday in a statement to E! News. The relationship lasted five months after the proposal aired on the Season 21 finale of The Bachelor in March. The two said in their statement that theyre parting with love and admiration for one another. The silver lining to what they called a difficult decision? This means Nick is potentially available for yet another TV stint in the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. That as-yet-imaginary gig would be his fifth ride on the looking-for-love roller coaster. In Bachelor Nation, its always good to dream. Facebook

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Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher settle lawsuit over websites photos of their kids By Nardine Saad (Michael Nelson / EPA) Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis legal battle with British website MailOnline has been settled. The Two and a Half Men actor, the Bad Moms actress and the outlet have reached a satisfactory resolution of their legal action regarding the publication of photos of their children, their legal representatives said in a joint statement to The Times on Friday. The couple, who starred in That 70s Show together years before they began dating, took the websites publisher, Associated Newspapers, to Londons High Court in July 2015 over two articles featuring their daughter, who was 1 at the time. The U.K.'s MailOnline.com published images of Wyatt taken during a private family outing to the beach. A paparazzo used a long-lens camera to obtain the images, and the couple said they were unaware the photos were being taken. They claimed that the photos breached the Data Protection Act and were used for the unauthorized promotion of clothing on the website. [T]hey have reached a satisfactory resolution of their legal action, which includes an agreement to pixelate photographs of their daughter, Wyatt, their son, Dimitri, and any future children they should have together.  Joint statement from Kutcher, Kunis and the MailOnline announcing their lawsuit settlement Per the agreement announced Friday, the outlet will pixelate photographs of Kutchers and Kunis daughter, Wyatt, their son, Dimitri, and any future children they should have together. The settlement is the latest legal blow to MailOnline and its associated newspaper, the Daily Mail. (The U.S. version of the website, DailyMail.com, is run by a separate news team.) In April, the tabloids parent company settled a libel suit with First Lady Melania Trump over an article it ran in the paper and online that suggested she may have once worked as an escort. In July 2014, George Clooney lambasted the Daily Mail in a USA Today op-ed that accused it of making up stories in the wake of an article it published about his mother-in-law. He got an apology and an acknowledgement that the story was inaccurate. That same month, Angelina Jolie reportedly threatened to take legal action after it published a video that claimed to show her under the influence of heroin in the 1990s. Facebook

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Taylor Swifts Look What You Made Me Do lyrics: Let the analysis begin By Randy Lewis As if there were any doubt as to the level of interest in Taylor Swifts first new music in three years, her first single from her forthcoming album, Reputation, has been blowing up since it premiered Thursday night. The lyric video for Look What You Made Me Do had logged more than 7 million views as of 9:30 a.m. Friday. Additionally, Swift tweeted that the official video for the song will premiere Sunday during the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony. For those who want to dig in and attempt to decode what and to whom the I dont like you references might refer, here are the full lyrics to the song: Look What You Made Me Do FIRST VERSE I dont like your little games Dont like your tilted stage The role you made me play Of the fool, no, I dont like you I dont like your perfect crime How you laugh when you lie You said the gun was mine Isnt cool, no, I dont like you PRE-CHORUS But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time Ive got a list of names and yours is in red, underlined I check it once, then I check it twice, oh! CHORUS Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do Ooh, look what you made me do Look What you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do SECOND VERSE I dont like your kingdom keys They once belonged to me You ask for a place to sleep Locked me out and threw a feast (what?) The world goes on, another day, another drama, drama But not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma And then the world moves on, but one things for sure Baby, I got mine, but youll all get yours PRE CHORUS REPEATS But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time Ive got a list of names and yours is in red, underlined I check it once, then I check it twice, oh! CHORUS REPEATS Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do THIRD VERSE I dont trust nobody and nobody trusts me Ill be the actress starring in your bad dreams I dont trust nobody and nobody trusts me Ill be the actress starring in your bad dreams I dont trust nobody and nobody trusts me Ill be the actress starring in your bad dreams I dont trust nobody and nobody trusts me Ill be the actress starring in your bad dreams (Look what you made me do) (Look what you made me do) ANSWERING MACHINE INTERLUDE Im sorry, the old Taylor cant come to the phone right now. Why? Oh cause shes dead! CHORUS REPEATS Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do Facebook

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Patty Jenkins isnt surprised James Cameron doesnt get Wonder Woman By Tracy Brown Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins has some words about James Camerons comments on the Amazonian warrior goddess: Of course he doesnt get it. Following the Avatar directors claims that Wonder Woman is a step backwards for women, Jenkins responded in a tweet that Camerons thoughts are unsurprising because he is not a woman. In an interview with the Guardian, Cameron threw some shade on Wonder Womans success by trying to compare Diana Prince to Sarah Connor from his Terminator franchise. "[Sarah Connor] was strong, she was troubled, she was a terrible mother, and she earned the respect of the audience through pure grit, Cameron said. Nothing like the objectified beauty icon he considers Wonder Woman to be. Jenkins points out that Camerons narrow qualifications for what makes a good female hero are restrictive and not at all progressive. If women have to always be hard, tough and troubled to be strong, and we arent free to be multidimensional or celebrate an icon of women everywhere because she is attractive and loving, then we havent come very far have we, Jenkins wrote. Jenkins also insisted that there should be room for all types of female lead characters and that women themselves should be the judge of these icons of progress. There is no right and wrong kind of powerful woman, she wrote. Read Jenkins full statement below. pic.twitter.com/8zkJXHLCJW  Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) August 25, 2017 Facebook

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James Cameron thinks Wonder Womans success is misguided: Shes an objectified icon By Nardine Saad (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) James Cameron isnt here for Wonder Womans blockbuster success. In fact, the moviemaker calls the much-loved superhero flick (Wonder Woman is currently at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes) a step back from the female heroes he created in the 80s and 90s. It appears that the Titanic and Terminator 2" director, whose films often put tough women at the center of the action, doesnt think that Gal Gadots character was complicated or groundbreaking enough to merit so much acclaim -- $800 million at the worldwide box office aside. All of the self-congratulatory back-patting Hollywoods been doing over Wonder Woman has been so misguided. Shes an objectified icon, and its just male Hollywood doing the same old thing! Cameron said in an interview with the Guardian. All of the self-congratulatory back-patting Hollywoods been doing over Wonder Woman has been so misguided. Shes an objectified icon, and its just male Hollywood doing the same old thing!  Filmmaker James Cameron on Wonder Woman The director, who was cast in the article as softened and evolved from his bone-crushing early movie-making days, believes that Wonder Woman was a step backwards. (Dont get him wrong, he did like Patty Jenkins summer blockbuster -- the first-ever feature-film incarnation of the DC Comics heroine and the highest-grossing live-action film directed by a woman -- just not enough to let it pass without throwing a little shade Diana Princes way.) Backwards in comparison with Camerons complex Sarah Connor character from the Terminator franchise. Sarah Connor was not a beauty icon. She was strong, she was troubled, she was a terrible mother, and she earned the respect of the audience through pure grit. And to me, [the benefit of characters like Sarah] is so obvious. I mean, half the audience is female! Cameron said. The three-time Oscar wi
Japanese Arthouse Classics The series begins with the Los Angeles premiere of the 4K restoration of Kenji Mizoguchis 1953 cautionary period drama Ugetsu, in which a married peasant farmer finds himself seduced by a ghostly noblewoman; its paired with Mizoguchis The Life of Oharu (1952), a tragic drama about the downward odyssey of a samurais daughter. The series continues with a Hiroshi Teshigahara double feature Woman in the Dunes (1964) and The Face of Another (1966), and concludes with Yasujiro Ozus Tokyo Story (1953) and An Autumn Afternoon (1962). American Cinematheque, Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. (310) 260-1528. Ugetsu and The Life of Oharu, Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m. Woman in the Dunes and The Face of Another, Aug. 25, 7:30 p.m. Tokyo Story and An Autumn Afternoon, Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. $12; $10 for seniors (65+) and students with ID; $8 for Cinematheque members. www.americancinematheque.com

The (Stephen) King of Horror The tribute to Americas favorite author of horror and suspense is cleverly curated into themes. Lethal Wheels night features killer car flick Christine (1983), directed by John Carpenter, and monster truck thriller Maximum Overdrive (1986), Kings sole directorial effort. (The 1958 Christine Plymouth will be on display in the courtyard. Approach at your discretion.) Horror Anthology Triple Feature for hardcore King fans includes Creepshow (1982), Cats Eye (1985), and Creepshow 2 (1987). The Killer Critters triple slate is Cujo (1983), Pet Sematary (1989) and Graveyard Shift (1990). The series continues Aug. 27 with Authors in Peril: Misery (1990) and The Dark Half (1993). American Cinematheque, Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. (323) 461-2020. Christine and Maximum Overdrive, Aug. 24, 7:30 p.m.; Creepshow, Cats Eye and Creepshow 2, Aug. 25, 7:30 p.m.; Cujo, Pet Sematary and Graveyard Shift, Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. $12; $8 for Cinematheque members; the triple features are $15; $13 for Cinematheque members. www.americancinematheque.com

Jerry Becks Animation Madness Animation historian Beck introduces a selection of wacky, rare, and vintage toons that were regularly shown at the midnight screenings of cult classics in the 1970s and 80s. Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969) and The Cobweb Hotel (1936) are among the animated shorts to be screened. The Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 655-2510. Aug. 25, 10 p.m. $12; free for Cinefamily members. www.cinefamily.org

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1950s Science Fiction Film Festival In the mid-20th century, the promise of space travel paired with the free-floating paranoia of the Cold War led to a spate of out-of-this-world sci-fi films, some classic, some campy, but almost all fun to watch. This years lineup includes Ed Woods Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) featuring Vampira and Woods friend Bela Lugosi (using footage shot before the actors 1956 death). Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St., El Segundo. (310) 322-2592. Tarantula (1954), Aug. 25, 8:15 p.m. It Came From Outer Space (1953), Aug. 26, 2:30 p.m. Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959), Aug. 26, 8:15 p.m. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), Aug. 27, 2:30 p.m. $10; $8 for ages 62+. No credit cards. www.oldtownmusichall.org

Night of the Living Dead The late director George A. Romeros 1968 low-budget horror classic is credited with introducing the enduring archetype of the zombie to movie audiences. The film about seven people, mostly strangers, holed up in a Pennsylvania farmhouse as they battle an endless army of the undead, was highly controversial during its initial release for its depiction of violence and gore and has been reevaluated over the years as everything from an allegory about the Vietnam War to a study of race in America. The Cinefamily at the Vista, 4473 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 655-2510. Aug. 26, 11:59 p.m. $12; free for Cinefamily members. www.cinefamily.org

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Jeremy Scott, the Los Angeles-based fashion designer, was all smiles at a July party at the West Hollywood Moschino boutique in celebration of his first foray into cosmetics. Scott, who also designs an eponymous fashion label, has served as creative director for the Italian fashion house since 2013.

The designer wore black leather motocross pants and the same $225 white Moschino T-shirt with the slogan Couture is an attitude on the front and Its not a price point on the back that he donned at the February presentation of his fall 2017 Moschino collection in Milan, Italy.

As for the new beauty line, the Moschino + Sephora Limited-Edition Collection ($18-$54) is available now on sephora.com. According to Sephoras website, several pieces from the collection are already out of stock online, but limited quantities will be available in stores on Aug. 24.

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The collection consists of seven items: A set of five makeup brushes, a compact mirror, an eye sleep mask, two eyeshadow palettes, a highlighting powder duo and a lip gloss-holding necklace that comes with six colored glosses.

Aside from a palette of six eye shadows housed in a miniature Moschino shopping bag, the other pieces are adorned with golden teddy bears, a popular brand motif that dates to 1980s designs by the labels founder, Franco Moschino. Also, a plush teddy bear clad in a This is not a Moschino toy T-shirt serves as the bottle design for the fragrance Toy by Moschino that Scott introduced in 2014.

In keeping with the playful mood of the new cosmetics line, the Moschino boutique was decorated for the soiree with an oversize version of the golden bear, and guests were treated to bear-shaped sugar cookies, miniature bottles of Champagne and piles of candy, including Pop Rocks, Pixy Stix and gummy bears.

The bear has been such a wonderful mascot for the brand, and so when Sephora wanted to do this collaboration, it was really clear that it had to be around Toy, Scott said. I think its such a wonderful way to celebrate the bear and to celebrate Moschino and beauty, which is a really big element of everything that I do.

The looks Scott shows on the runway arent usually subtle, and, in his words, his fashion presentations come down to the makeup.

Its a way of conveying the ultimate look of the collection, Scott said. So as a designer, its such an important tool for telling my story. ... I love makeup. I love the way it transforms. You can change your whole attitude with a lipstick. You know what I mean? Its like having a new pair of shoes. You can think, I want to feel sassy, and put on your tried-and-true red [lipstick] or whatever the color. The collection is really fun and playful. Its unbearably cute.

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Five months after the so-called Battle of Berkeley began, Alameda County prosecutors are pressing charges against those accused of causing the violent clashes between far-right and far-left demonstrators.

The latest charged were filed this week against Kyle Chapman, an extreme-right organizer who has said on social media that hes planning to hold other rallies later this month.



For the record: An earlier version of this article misreported Eric Clantons age as 48. He is 28.

Chapman, 41, was seen on video swinging a heavy wooden rod at counter-demonstrators during a March 4 demonstration in Berkeley in support of President Trump. The commercial diver from Daly City is accused of felony possession of a leaded cane/billy  described in police detectives statements as a tape-wrapped stick, adorned with two stickers of the U.S. flag. He has a history of weapons-related charges.

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The complaint alleges that, if he is convicted, this would be Chapmans third strike under Californias three-strikes law, which enhances penalties for multiple convictions. He has a 2009 burglary conviction for which he served time in prison.

He was one of hundreds of demonstrators who clashed and brawled on the streets of Berkeley.

In a post to his Facebook page, Chapman declared that he was ready to go to jail for this movement, taunting the district attorney and cursing the trumped up bogus charges. Im speaking in Boston! Catch me if you can punk!

There is a free-speech rally planned in Boston on Saturday that is expected to attract activists on the far-right and left.

Assistant Dist. Atty. Teresa Dresnick said the case against Chapman is unrelated to his role in rallies scheduled Aug. 26 at a national park in San Francisco and Aug. 27 at a city park in Berkeley.

Its related to what happened on March 4. There has been an enormous amount of evidence for us to meticulously and methodically review, Dresnick said Friday.

Court files show felony charges have been filed against two others related to the demonstrations. Eric Clanton, 28, is charged with four counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Clanton, a former community college professor affiliated with the anarchist movement, has been arraigned on charges of hitting multiple people on the head with a bicycle lock.

A third rally participant, Berkeley resident and Trump supporter Robert Peete, 53, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, wearing a mask and possession of a billy stick, in this case an ax handle. According to a probable cause statement, Peete allegedly hit a counter-protester with the weapon during an April 15 rally, knocking the unknown victim to the ground.

Misdemeanor charges are pending against seven other individuals. Dockets show most of the cases were filed in late July and early August.

The demonstrations and protests have resulted in dozens of reported injuries and scores of arrests, including 23 people at an April rally held after conservative commentator Ann Coulter canceled an appearance at the college.

Most of those individuals have not been charged. Dresnick said she did not know if further charges were pending.

The image of Chapman  bearing a plywood shield, his face covered by a gas mask and helmet as he lunged at demonstrators with his raised stick  earned him viral fame among the radical right.

Chapman has become a well-known figure in the far-right world, vowing violent responses to anti-fascists, anarchists and other demonstrators who turn out in opposition to white nationalist and self-proclaimed patriot rallies.

He recently told a reporter from Mother Jones that he intended to promote a comic book character modeled after himself.

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

For updates and more, follow @paigestjohn.
Put dozens of boys in a new school in South L.A., the first one in Los Angeles Unified devoted to young men.

Give them ties to knot over sweater vests bearing their names and the logo of the Boys Academic Leadership Academy.

Bring them to USC to show them what college looks like, and then return them to class. All on the first day of school.

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Anything might happen.

One student might feel like he isnt good enough to be there.

Whats the point of putting this tie on? a boy said to teacher Tommy Johnson. I dont deserve it.

Johnson reassured him, Youre exactly the type of kid that needs this.

Another might express glee.

A sixth-grader named Josh started dancing the second he saw a camera. After it stopped recording, he asked Johnson, Did I just embarrass myself? (The answer was no.)

Joshua wanted show off his dancing skills. pic.twitter.com/xzoRmDzmT6  Joy (@Joy_Resmovits) August 15, 2017

Another might be upset because his cellphone was confiscated  and return to class only when the districts police chief tells him he can turn his day around.

At the new boys' school, chief Zipperman found a student looking dejected. This happened next. #lausd https://t.co/Omqfvyo06E  Joy (@Joy_Resmovits) August 15, 2017

One might feel alienated enough from the new environment to leave class and try to escape through the front gate.

A pastor named Brian Davis  whose son attends BALA  was on hand to catch the boy who gave that a try. The boy told Davis he didnt have a father figure at home and that he had been routinely told he was dumb. Davis told him that he belonged at BALA and escorted him back to class  where he stayed only after Davis gently held him by one arm and his teacher by the other.

L.A. Unified opened a boys school after it launched the single-sex Girls Academic Leadership Academy in Mid-City last year  in part to comply with its interpretation of a federal regulation. But its also the kind of unusual offering that the district hopes will help its ongoing fight to recapture enrollment  and revenue  lost to charter schools.

The district is trying to give parents a unique opportunity they feel they cant get through charter schools, said Tyrone Howard, a professor and associate dean for equity and inclusion at UCLAs education and information school. But, he said, you cant just say it; you have to ensure the quality.

You also have to get students to enroll, which so far is a problem. The school, starting with grades six and seven (with plans to eventually grow into a high school), attracted 87 students on the first day of classes. As of August 24, 94 students were enrolled.

It is also on its second principal: Jeremy McDavid built out the program but in July was transferred to another school, the one previously led by current BALA Principal Donald Moorer. The switch happened because the numbers were low, said George McKenna, the L.A. Unified school board member who pushed for BALAs creation. He said it wasnt McDavids fault.

The leadership change has been noticed. At an orientation before the school year began, Amber Banks, one of just three parents or guardians present, asked for McDavid because shed learned about the school from him at a presentation to a Boy Scouts troop.

Moorer said he was glad to inherit a fully developed school. Growing up, I would have benefited from this program, he said.

BALA is modeled after Eagle Academies, a group of all-boys schools in New York. Rosemary Salomone, a professor at St. Johns University law school who wrote the book Same, Different, Equal: Rethinking Single-Sex Schooling, said she was impressed by the Bronx sites communal feel. It gave students, she said, a positive image of what it means to be an African American male.

Others question the need for the schools. Sarah Bradshaw, West Coast political director of the Feminist Majority Foundation, said creating a STEM-focused all-boys school only widens the gap between males and females represented in those fields. How do we catch up when extra resources are diverted to ... supporting boys education? she said.

L.A. Unified Supt. Michelle King said in an interview that boys from South L.A. are also underrepresented in STEM. Theres different types of underrepresentation, she said. Theres a gender gap, and there is a minority gap.

Students at the Boys Academic Leadership Academy. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Each day at BALA will start with a schoolwide town hall in which students will pour libations. The boys will also recite the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley: I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.

On Aug. 15, the first day of classes, Moorer invited district officials to join his students in libations, which consist of watering a potted tree and expressing gratitude.

My libation is thankfulness, King said. Youre pioneers in this work.

Moorer told parents at the orientation that he wanted to create a culture in which right answers are rewarded and students feel comfortable owning up to what they dont know. Each classroom, he said, will have a mistake board on which a student can volunteer his mistake of the day.

The school, Moorer said, will be divided into four houses, which compete for points and rewards based on character. Boys who misbehave or struggle wont be suspended. Theyll face a tribunal or an intervention circle to discuss the root causes.

There will be a mentoring program, a digital portfolio of students work, an effort to teach students to be aware of how they think and process information. Every student will take music and contemplate college early  they visited USC on the first day. Eighth-graders eventually will be able to earn college credits at nearby Middle City College. Students will have a daily wellness break, an afternoon period to recharge through tai chi, yoga or meditation.

Christina Fuller, a Willowbrook mother who liked Moorers pitch so much she chose to send her son to BALA, said she hoped her son Robert continued to socialize with girls. Its a cool idea to be with all boys, she said. But maybe thats just an idealized, romantic view of education.

Jamion Brown wants to be a NASCAR driver when he grows up, and thinks the #LAUSD all-boys school can help him get there. pic.twitter.com/6igenWQrHG  Joy (@Joy_Resmovits) August 15, 2017

The boys had their own reasons for coming. Jamion Brown, 11, who transferred from a private school, said he wanted to be a NASCAR driver.

I can learn coding and engineering, he said. I can learn a lot about cars or engines. I can make my own cars.

Joy.Resmovits@LATimes.com

@Joy_Resmovits

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A Northern California man was one of the 13 people killed in Thursdays terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, family members confirmed.

The father of Jared Tucker, a 42-year-old Lafayette resident, told KGO-TV that his sons wife had tentatively identified his remains.

Tucker and his wife, Heidi Nunes, were vacationing in Europe on their honeymoon, said his father, Dan Tucker. The couple married a year ago and had delayed their honeymoon, he told the station. Jared Tucker had three daughters, his father said.

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Dan Tucker, interviewed by KNTV-TV, said he wasnt angry over his sons death but was struggling to grasp the randomness of the tragedy.

Its just hard to understand how anything like that could happen, he told the station. Whats really bizarre is  what are the chances of one person in the whole United States being in Barcelona and being involved out of the 13 people that were fatally attacked by the terrorists would be Jared?

Dan Tucker says daughter-in-law is making final confirmation that his son Jared Tucker is one of fatal victims in #BarcelonaTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/2PubMK6Ahm  Jodi Hernandez (@JodiHernandezTV) August 18, 2017

On Thursday, the couple visited Las Ramblas, a pedestrian walkway popular with tourists in the heart of the Spanish city, Nunes, 40, told NBC News. They had drinks in an outside restaurant and briefly separated, she told the station.

Nunes told her husband she wanted to look at some jewelry, so Tucker headed to the restroom, she said.

Thats when a white van jumped the curb onto the walkway and sped down the center of Las Ramblas, hitting crowds of people.

Barcelona police said 13 people were killed and more than 100 were injured in the attack. The extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility.

Nunes told NBC that, during the attack, she was pushed into a souvenir shop by crowds of screaming people running from the area.

They were walking through downtown when he stopped to use the restroom. Moments later, all hell broke loose and Heidi was swept up in the terrified crowd and she lost sight of Jared, Nunes brother-in-law, Kalani Kalanui, told KGO.

The State Department announced Friday that one American was killed and another was injured in the attack. It did not identify the victims.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and his friends, Heather Nauert, a department spokeswoman, said of the dead American in a video statement.

Nunes told the station she had seen a photograph of someone coming to the aid of her husband.

On Friday, Tuckers niece, Carissa Steinburg, said on Facebook that her family found the man who was with him after the attack.

Thank you so much for your help with that, and we do plan on thanking him for trying to save him, she wrote.

Steinburg asked that donations be made to a GoFundMe account to help Tuckers family.

You never in a million years think terrorism will hurt your family, she wrote. His soul mate, his daughters, and loving family are left behind in this terrible tragedy.

In a separate statement on GoFundMe, Steinburg recalled that, as a child, she called Tucker Uncle BoBo, and had thought that was his name. As a teen, she learned his real name.

I honest to God thought that was your real name, she said. Thank you for your smile, humor, and laugh that will forever be remembered.

Tucker and his father operated a swimming pool-resurfacing business in Martinez, Calif. Nunes is a sixth-grade teacher at El Sobrante Christian School in El Sobrante, Calif.

I know how loved Mrs. Nunes-Tucker is, and while we cannot be with her physically to pray with her, I trust that God will provide comfort and peace that transcends all understanding to Mrs. Nunes-Tucker during this difficult time, the school said in a statement on Facebook.

The violence on Las Ramblas is believed to be linked to a similar attack in Cambrils, a coastal community south of Barcelona, and a deadly home explosion in Alcanar, farther down the coast. In Cambrils, five suspects were killed. Six civilians were injured and one died, police said.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

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UPDATES:

2:30 p.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from Carissa Steinburg.

12:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from Dan Tucker and El Sobrante Christian School.

11:50 a.m.: This article was updated with a statement from a State Department spokeswoman.

This article was originally published at 11:15 p.m.
When far-right activist Kyle Chapman took to Facebook last week urging followers to attend upcoming rallies in the Bay Area, he was downright gleeful about taking the fight to the celebrated liberal bastion.

Talk about kicking the hornets nest! This is sure to be barn burner, wrote Chapman, who became a hero to the extreme-right and earned the nickname Based Stickman when he battled counter-protesters armed with a shield and staff earlier this year. Lets show these intolerant Communist we will not be silenced or intimidated!

Left-leaning, multicultural California might not seem like an ideal place for the extreme-right and white-nationalist groups to make a stand. But the movement has increasingly targeted the state in recent years, with optics as much as membership in mind.

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Seeking media attention and validation for their us vs. the world narrative, far-right activists find desired attention and conflict in California, leading to clashes that often end in blood and bruises, experts say.

Some of the biggest clashes have been in Berkeley, where a swath of far-right combatants ranging from ardent supporters of President Trump to avowed white nationalists have engaged in rolling street brawls with masked anti-fascists and anarchists who also see violence as the only way to defeat their rivals.

In the wake of violence in Charlottesville, Va., that left one woman dead and sparked furious debate about the limits of free speech and the need to condemn white supremacists, some of these groups are again turning to California, to the dismay of some local officials.

I dont think its an accident that Berkeley is being targeted. The home of the free-speech movement. The home of liberalism in academia. A place where they dont feel welcome, said Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino. This is about battles over symbology and turf.

There have been at least two dozen political events that ended in violent conflict in California in the past two years, including Trump campaign events that devolved into pugilism and clashes between white supremacists and anti-fascists, said Levin, who has been tracking the events.

Officials in San Francisco and Berkeley are trying to stop far-right protests planned for this month. And the American Civil Liberties Union of California this week took the unusual step of releasing a statement saying the First Amendment does not support activists bent on violence.

If white supremacists march into our towns armed to the teeth and with the intent to harm people, they are not engaging in activity protected by the United States Constitution, the statement said. The 1st Amendment should never be used as a shield or sword to justify violence.

While the organizer of the San Francisco event has disavowed white nationalists, far-right figures linked to past violence and the Charlottesville fiasco have said they will attend. Anti-fascist groups in the Bay Area  who have been criticized by police for their violent behavior  have already condemned the events as white-supremacist gatherings and vowed to disrupt them.

(David Butow / For The Times)

Experts say those who identify as white nationalists or white supremacists often travel to diverse, liberal areas hoping to prompt a violent reaction. Footage of their members being physically assaulted makes for effective propaganda videos, experts say.

Members of the Loyal White Knights, the largest segment of the Ku Klux Klan in the U.S., staged a demonstration in Anaheim that resulted in several stabbings last year after counter-protesters assaulted the Klan members, law enforcement officials have said. Seven people, all counter-protesters, were charged with crimes.

A bloody street battle between anti-fascists and members of the Golden State Skinheads and Traditionalist Worker Party, a well-known white-nationalist group, ended with seven people stabbed last summer near the state Capitol. Earlier this year, four people were criminally charged in that spasm of violence.

Joey Gibson, who is organizing the Aug. 26 rally near Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, said the event has nothing to do with white supremacy. Gibson is Asian, and the list of speakers for his event includes a black man and a transgender woman. He said he has disavowed white nationalist groups in the past and is simply aiming at San Francisco to reach people whose politics may be at odds with his own.

Theres no point in going into areas where theres not a bunch of hatred and theres not a bunch of misunderstanding, said Gibson, of Vancouver, Wash. Youve got to go into these areas where the kids have been lied to, where the kids have been deceived.

Gibson distanced himself from violence and the events of Charlottesville, but also acknowledged that added media attention could attract extremists. At least two of the figures expected to speak at the weekend rallies have also been linked to violence in the past.

Chapman, who did not respond to a request for comment, gained notoriety for filmed brawls with anti-fascists and has formed a group called the Fraternal Order of The Alt-Knights with the purpose of fighting off counter-protesters.

Augustus Invictus, described by the Anti-Defamation League as a Florida-based white supremacist, has said on Twitter that he plans to speak at the Aug. 27 rally in Berkeley. Invictus filmed himself among a mob of torch-carrying demonstrators chanting blood and soil, a known Nazi refrain, in Charlottesville last weekend.

Joanna Mendelson, an investigative researcher with the California branch of the Anti-Defamation League, said far-right groups hold events in historically liberal cities because they expect, and desire, a confrontational response. When their events gain strong media coverage, they tend to return, according to Mendelson, who said such tactics have made several cities in California, as well as Seattle and Portland, Ore., prime targets.

Targeting progressive bastions is a strategic approach by these groups, she said. For where there are flashpoints and conflict, there is media attention and publicity.

The Bay Area is certainly familiar with that result. In April, hundreds of protesters representing forces aligned with and opposed to President Trump clashed before a Patriots Day rally that ended with 21 arrested and countless people injured by pepper spray, improvised weapons or thrown rocks. A similar clash erupted in March, and violent protests at UC Berkeley led to the cancellation of a speech by far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.

Gibsons rally is set to take place on federal land, in Crissy Park. The National Park Service has issued a permit to the group but is conducting a public safety review in conjunction with local officials before making a final decision, according to a statement released by the agency.

What weve seen is people coming prepared to fight with helmets and shields and knee pads.  Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, citing violence at past rallies

Several California lawmakers, including San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, issued a letter this week asking the park service to rescind the permit, citing concerns over the violence in Charlottesville.

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin said he is also considering ways to block the Aug. 27 event, described online as an anti-Marxism rally, including declaring a state of emergency.

We welcome peaceful assembly and debate, but what weve seen is people coming prepared to fight with helmets and shields and knee pads, he said, referring to past violence.

Counter-protesters say they believe the furious reaction to the Charlottesville rally will draw more people to their side, creating a situation where the rallies can be defeated by speech instead of fists.

Shanta Driver, a Chicago-based civil rights lawyer who serves as executive director of the group By Any Means Necessary, said her group is hoping to avoid the one-on-one brawling that has marked past clashes in the Bay Area.

The alt-right will be defeated in San Francisco and Berkeley, and thats extremely, extremely important after Charlottesville, she said. They claim they are able to grow.  They want to prove they can take the streets.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

Times staff writer Matt Pearce contributed to this report.

james.queally@latimes.com

paige.stjohn@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT and @paigestjohn for news on protests in California.

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A man accused of strangling a repairwoman in his Lancaster home pleaded not guilty Friday to murder, officials said.

Williams Franklin Hughes III, 30, is charged in the death of Lyndi Fisher, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. He is being held on $2.5-million bail.

Hughes was arrested July 15, a day after deputies found Fisher dead inside his home in the 43200 block of Doverwood Court, authorities said.

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The district attorneys office said Fisher, 36, was sent to Hughes home on July 14 to do repair work on an appliance. She had completed similar repairs on an appliance at his home a month before the July visit.

When she arrived, prosecutors allege, Hughes strangled her.

Soon after, deputies were called to his home.

When they arrived, Hughes told them he had stepped out of his home while Fisher worked on the appliance, according to a Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments statement.

Hughes told deputies he later returned and noticed Fisher was lying unconscious on the floor, authorities said.

But evidence at the scene connected Hughes to her death, the Sheriffs Department said. Hughes also gave conflicting statements, deputies said.

The job was Fishers last service call of the day, according to her employer, Arrow Appliance.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA
For years, allegations that Orange County law enforcement officials used a secret network of jailhouse informants to violate inmates constitutional rights have roiled the regions criminal justice system.

The so-called snitch scandal has led to the retrial of several convicted killers, sparked criticism of Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas and Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and led to a federal investigation.

The countys beleaguered law enforcement leaders received their most stinging rebuke yet on Friday, when Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals blocked prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty against a man who confessed to slaughtering eight people in a Seal Beach salon, ruling that the countys mishandling of information regarding informants would prevent a fair trial.

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For some of those who lost loved ones at the hands of Scott Dekraai in 2011, the moment seemed one of relief that the years-long legal drama was now coming to a close. Several relatives of victims stood and hugged after Goethals delivered his ruling in a Santa Ana courtroom. Then they turned their ire toward a law enforcement community they say victimized them all over again by bungling a slam-dunk prosecution.

Its been six years for nothing. We couldnt control the murder. We couldnt stop that. We couldnt stop this, said Butch Fournier, whose sister Michelle was Dekraais ex-wife, the main target of his shooting. They caused us pain and suffering that was unnecessary. It was a cut-and-dry case.

Barring an appeal from the California attorney generals office, Dekraai will be sentenced next month to consecutive life sentences in state prison without the possibility of parole. Several of the victims relatives have asked the attorney generals office not to appeal.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Justice said the agency was reviewing the decision and declined to comment further.

As he has through years of hearings, Goethals sharply criticized the conduct of sheriffs officials and prosecutors. Time and time again, he said, the Sheriffs Department failed to comply with his orders to turn over information about the use of informants in the county jail.

The Orange County Sheriffs Department has consistently responded to this courts lawful orders with such indolence and obfuscation that this court has lost confidence that it can ever secure compliance from the prosecution team, Goethals wrote in his 19-page decision.

If not for missteps by prosecutors and sheriffs officials, Goethals wrote, Dekraai would likely today be living alongside other convicted killers on Californias Death Row.

The Sheriffs Department almost immediately lashed out at Goethals, releasing a statement expressing disappointment at the judges ruling and arguing that the facts in this case clearly supported a death penalty verdict.

Notwithstanding the issues that were raised by the courts ruling, we believe the defendant would have received a fair trial during the penalty phase of the criminal proceedings, the department said. The decision to remove the death penalty rests at the feet of Judge Goethals and nobody else.

In a separate statement, the district attorneys office said it was not surprised by Goethals ruling, adding that any failure by the Sheriffs Department to produce tangential information in a timely manner has nothing to do with what Dekraai did and the fact that Dekraai deserves the death penalty.

Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who will run for district attorney next year and attended Dekraais hearing, defended the ruling and called for Rauckauckas and Hutchens to immediately resign.

This has nothing to do with the judge, Spitzer said. This has to do with the fact that the sheriff and the D.A. cheated.

Dekraai, a former tugboat captain, pleaded guilty to the salon murders in 2014. But the penalty phase of his trial has been in limbo for years as evidence surfaced that sheriffs deputies housed a longtime informant near him in the hopes of extracting evidence that could lead to a death sentence.

That discovery set off a chain of events that led Goethals and an appellate court to rule that the Sheriffs Department was running a sophisticated jailhouse informant network in order to coax confessions out of people held in the countys jail system.

Dekraais attorney, Orange County Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders, has contended that jailhouse informants and their handlers violated the rights of inmates for years by coaxing information from defendants who are represented by lawyers.

The district attorneys office and Sheriffs Department have denied running a coordinated informant operation. In Dekraais case, prosecutors argued it was a coincidence that Fernando Perez, a reputed Mexican Mafia shot caller who had cooperated with law enforcement in the past, wound up housed near Dekraai.

Perez was facing 40 years to life in prison for a weapons charge but ultimately received a reduced sentence and could be freed in less than seven years.

Appellate court rulings have upheld Goethals finding that sheriffs deputies were moving informants around the jail to place them near specific inmates.

Sanders said Fridays ruling ensures a fair punishment for a client who committed terrible crimes while showing the district attorneys office that there are consequences for cutting corners.

To have a judge make this type of ruling sends such an important message beyond the case, said Sanders, who called for a thorough review to determine if other criminal cases had been tainted.

After the scandal exploded, a number of high-profile murder convictions involving informants were tossed because authorities failed to turn over evidence to the defense.

The prosecution team is either unable, or unwilling, to comply with these lawful orders.  Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals

Earlier this year, the Orange County grand jury released a report that the jailhouse scandal was a myth, finding that the misconduct was limited to a few rogue deputies. Hutchens and Rackauckas hailed the report as vindication.

Defense attorneys panned the report as a whitewash. Weeks later, an appellate court upheld Goethals order for a new trial in a 1998 murder because the district attorneys office had failed to disclose information about an informant in the case.

Both the U.S. Department of Justice and the California attorney generals office have launched investigations into the use of jailhouse informants in Orange County.

In evidentiary hearings that have dragged on for years, sheriffs officials repeatedly told the judge there were no more records to be found  only for other material to be subsequently discovered.

How does this happen? Goethals asked the sheriff when she testified last month. They were dead wrong.

They possibly did not look hard enough, replied Hutchens, who acknowledged that informants had been placed near targeted inmates in the Orange County jail for years, with the aim of eliciting incriminating statements. She testified that some of her deputies may have flouted rules regarding jailhouse informants, but that such conduct was committed only by a few.

Bethany Webb, whose sister Laura Webb-Elody died in the shootings, said she hopes Fridays ruling results in Dekraai fading quietly into the hell he deserves.

Webb scoffed at the idea that prosecutors sought the death penalty in the hopes of bringing the victims relatives closure or justice.

Even if he was executed, it would have been a drug-induced easy out, she said.

Paul Wilson, whose wife of 26 years was killed in the mass shooting, wore a pin bearing her picture as he spoke to reporters. He said he was relieved that the legal proceedings were drawing to an end, and while he initially wanted Dekraai to be executed, the six-year court saga has left him exhausted and frustrated with Rackauckas and Hutchens.

Those are our two top cops, and they need to be held accountable and responsible, he said.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT on Twitter for crime and police news in California.

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UPDATES:

2:55 p.m.: This story was updated with comments from Orange County Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders, a statement from the district attorneys office and more details from Goethals ruling.

11:05 a.m.: This article was updated with a statement from the Orange County Sheriffs Department and comments from relatives of Scott Dekraais victims.

10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with more details from the court hearing and a comment from Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer.

9:50 a.m.: This article was updated with the judges decision.

This article was originally published at 4 a.m.
Facing criticism over his departments handling of a drug overdose involving the then-dean of USCs medical school, Pasadenas police chief this week issued a directive reminding officers they must promptly file reports on overdose investigations.

Chief Phillip L. Sanchez made the move while acknowledging that the department erred by not immediately writing a report when police responded last year to a young womans overdose in a hotel room registered to the dean, Dr. Carmen Puliafito.

The responding officer did not file a report on the incident until three months later, after a Times reporter repeatedly sought information. The woman who overdosed, Sarah Warren, then 21, said police never interviewed her.

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The Pasadena Police Departments handling of the March 4, 2016, incident sparked controversy after The Times reported last month that Puliafito used drugs and partied with a group of criminals, prostitutes and addicts during his tenure as dean. Warrens overdose at the Hotel Constance occurred three weeks before Puliafito, 66, resigned from his post at the Keck School of Medicine. USC kept him on the medical school faculty and allowed him to accept new patients.

Joseph Giacalone, a former New York City homicide sergeant who teaches investigations at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said it was mind-boggling that the officer had not written a report until prompted by questions.

He said officers should treat every overdose that requires a trip to the hospital as a potential death, which should mandate a report.

You dont get a second chance to do it right, he said. Once you leave that scene, its gone.

In his first public comments on the matter, Sanchez said Wednesday at a meeting of the Pasadena City Councils public safety committee that, apart from the failure to write a report, his department dealt with the overdose and its aftermath properly.

He also said Puliafito did not receive any kind of special treatment because of his position.

It does look or can present the appearance that, oh you knew who Dr. [Puliafito] was and so, as ludicrous as this might sound, there was a directive from on high to have the officer forgo that report because of this persons prominence, Sanchez said. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Pasadena Police Departments policy manual states that an officer must write a report on any incident resulting in an injury from a drug overdose. Sanchezs order this week was aimed at reinforcing that policy in the wake of the Puliafito revelations. The officer who handled the Warren investigation has since been disciplined.

After The Times story was published in July, USC moved to fire Puliafito and barred him from campus. The doctor did not respond to a voicemail message Thursday seeking comment.

Sanchez said the officers initial investigation included recorded interviews with Puliafito, hotel staffers and medical professionals. The officer uploaded those recordings to the departments digital storage system, he said.

The officer seized a small amount of methamphetamine from the room and booked it into evidence. Sanchez said the officer attempted to interview Warren at the hospital but could not because she was incoherent.

In addressing why no arrests were made, Sanchez cited Californias good Samaritan overdose law, which took effect in 2013. The law aims to reduce drug deaths by encouraging those present at an overdose to call for medical aid without fear of legal repercussions.

The law gives limited immunity to those involved in an overdose who in good faith seek medical help for the victim and cooperate with authorities.

A witness told The Times that Puliafito tried to dissuade hotel staff from alerting paramedics, and in a recording of a 911 call, Puliafito told the dispatcher that the woman had been drinking, but he did not mention drugs.

The Harvard-trained ophthalmologist identified the woman as his girlfriend in the 911 call. In an interview with the police officer at Huntington Memorial Hospital, Puliafito said he was a friend of Warrens father, according to a recording released in response to a California Public Records Act request by The Times.

When the officer asked if he slept overnight at the hotel, he said, I visited her in the room, but I did not spend the night.

Later in the recording, the officer was asked by a social worker at the hospital what he thought of the deans account.

You buy it? says the social worker.

No, the officer replies.

The social worker later laughs and says: A friend of the father. Excuse me? Thats funny.

As for the drugs found in the hotel room, Sanchez said he didnt think that they alone should warrant an arrest.

The 1.16 grams of methamphetamine found inside an unoccupied hotel room were not in anyones physical possession, limiting the value as possible evidence for prosecution, Sanchez said.

He said the department still lacks evidence showing Puliafito committed a crime  a point that drew a sharp rebuke from a small group of attendees at the meeting.

Of course not, said civil rights attorney Dale Gronemeier. You didnt investigate it.

Gronemeier, a frequent critic of the Police Department, told the public safety committee that the officer didnt investigate the drugs and the overdose thoroughly enough.

Dale Gronemeier, a civil rights attorney, called for an independent investigation into Pasadena polices handling of the March 2016 drug overdose. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

We need an independent investigation, because this doesnt cut it, Gronemeier said.

David Llanes, a board member for the union representing Pasadenas rank-and-file officers, told the committee that police treat overdoses as medical emergencies  a shift in public policy thats been largely applauded by civil rights groups.

Llanes said it was ironic that those same people supporting the decriminalization of drug violations were criticizing police for not pursuing a criminal case. If you expect us to take each misdemeanor crime and investigate it like its a homicide and spend the hard-earned tax dollars  then take that into consideration and allocate it in a budget.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

Twitter: @MattHjourno

paul.pringle@latimes.com

Twitter: @PringleLATimes
Californias attorney general says 157 people died during encounters with police in the state last year  and more than a third of those deaths occurred in L.A. County.

A report released Thursday by state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra marks the first time California has publicly released statewide statistics on police use of force.

The report said there were 782 incidents in 2016 in which a police officer either used force that resulted in serious injury or death, or fired their weapon. And more than a quarter of those incidents happened in L.A. County, with the vast majority involving either the Los Angeles Police Department or the L.A. County Sheriffs Department. (The Long Beach Police Department was the only other agency in double digits: 21.)

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With 55 deaths  nearly all included in The Times Homicide Report database  L.A. County accounts for about 35% of last years fatalities at the hands of law enforcement across the state, according to the report.

Forty-two percent of the civilians involved were Latino. Although black people make up just 6% of the states population, according to the most recent Census data, they represented nearly 20% of the use-of-force and shooting cases last year. More than half of the officers involved were white.

A state law requires California police departments to report the data to the state attorney generals office. Though some departments already tracked such data on their own, many did not.

Times staff writer Marisa Gerber contributed to this report.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber

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An Alhambra couple has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against a former employer, alleging the company refused to provide spousal health insurance coverage because of their sexual orientation and rescinded previous coverage, leaving them with tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills.

Judith Dominguez, 59, began working as a loan originator for Colorado-based Cherry Creek Mortgage at a branch office in Diamond Bar in 2016 and enrolled herself and her wife, Patricia Martinez, 55, in the UnitedHealthcare plan offered by the company. The couple had been covered for most of the year when, in November, Dominguez submitted her annual re-enrollment employee + spouse forms.

The company told Dominguez it would not allow the women to re-enroll in a spousal plan because Cherry Creek covers spouses who are in a legal union between one man and one woman, according to the lawsuit, which the couple filed Thursday in federal court in downtown Los Angeles.

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The company also told Dominguez it was retroactively canceling Martinezs coverage from March 2016 onward, according to the suit.

Martinez suffered two heart attacks in 2015 and requires regular cardiology checkups and other care. They have received more than $40,000 in bills for past treatment that was previously covered, the couple said at a news conference Thursday. Bill collectors have now started calling, Dominguez said.

When I first started to work for Cherry Creek, they told me that they put family first, Dominguez said. Family before business. I soon found out that that meant some families, not all families.

Michael Norton, an attorney for Cherry Creek, said the company does not comment on pending litigation. UnitedHealthcare, which also is named as a defendant in the suit, could not be reached for comment.

In January, the suit alleges, John Carson, a vice president for Cherry Creek, wrote to the womens attorneys, saying their marriage did not meet the companys clear criteria for spousal benefits. Carson also referenced religious views that employees should not marry a same-sex spouse, according to the lawsuit.

Days later, the lawsuit states, a UnitedHealthcare representative wrote the attorneys, saying that Cherry Creek is a Christian-based company, and, as its healthcare administrators, they had to follow the companys direction.

We intend to put an end to this despicable practice of using religion as a mechanism for discrimination. We intend to not let them hide behind religion in order to prevent people from living on the same, equal basis as all others during the course of their marriage, said Dan Stormer, one of the couples attorneys.

Stormer, a Pasadena-based civil rights attorney, said he believed the company was emboldened by the election of Donald Trump, whose Justice Department has argued that federal civil rights laws do not protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

It is absolutely clear to us that once Trump was elected, these people saw their opportunity to carry out their bigotry  that without the election of Trump, the [federal] Civil Rights Division would clearly have moved on them, would clearly have determined that their actions were unlawful, Stormer said.

Dominguez and Martinez have been a couple for 29 years and legally wed in 2013, after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for same-sex marriage in California. Both have worked for years in the real estate and insurance industries.

In the male-dominated business world, they have been verbally and physically harassed by men who believed they just needed to meet the right man, their lawsuit states.

The women say that after Dominguez filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Cherry Creek retaliated against her, moving her to another branch office that was soon closing and then firing her.

Dominguez says that after she was fired, the company continued to use her photograph on its website, saying she worked in a Rancho Cucamonga office  where she has never worked  and featuring a promotional statement with a forged signature of her name.

Dominguez said Thursday that she believed the company continued to use her image and name to appeal to Latino customers.

The suit says Cherry Creek profits from offering mortgages to customers who are same-sex spouses and trains employees on how to enter them into their computer system.

The lawsuit alleges discrimination based on sex, retaliation, violation of the Equal Pay Act, violation of the Affordable Care Act, wrongful termination, violation of multiple California laws and unauthorized use of a name or likeness for commercial purposes.

Im afraid that I wont be able to afford to stay healthy, Martinez said. Judith and I are family. This is my companion, my soulmate. And for some reason to go in and rip apart who we are is just not right.

hailey.branson@latimes.com

Twitter: @haileybranson
A civil liberties group has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a photographer alleging the city of Los Angeles is enforcing an unconstitutional ban on professional camera equipment at its Pershing Square summer concert series.

Cliff Cheng arrived at Pershing Square on Saturday to photograph a concert by the B-52s as well as a petition-drive by an anti-oil industry group, according to the suit filed Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.

He was wearing multiple press identification cards and carried a Canon digital single-lens reflex camera.

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Security guards prevented Cheng from entering the park, citing the ban on cameras, the suit said.

Professional photographers typically use DSLR cameras with interchangeable lenses such as the one Cheng had.

The ban originally included video, photo and audio devices, such as iPads and professional photography equipment, but did not extend to cellphone cameras.

After Cheng, who works for publications at Los Angeles City College, complained and the ACLU wrote a letter, the ban was redefined.

According to the website for the Saturday night concert series, which includes bands such as the Wallflowers and Toad the Wet Sprocket, flash photography and professional camera equipment, including camera stands and cameras with detachable lenses, are prohibited.

The website also states that promotional fliers cannot be distributed at the concerts without written permission.

Rose Watson, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, said the performers requested that there be no flash photography. The concerts are so crowded that photographers, even professionals, need to make do with smaller cameras, she said.

Space is so tight, bumper to bumper, wall to wall, she said.

The ban on photography equipment has been in place for nine years, since the concert series inception, she added.

The National Press Photographers Assn. is a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit, which alleges that Chengs 1st Amendment rights were violated. The plaintiffs, represented by civil rights attorney Carol Sobel and attorneys from the ACLU, are seeking a court injunction to end the bans on photography equipment and distributing fliers.

Mickey Osterreicher, the associations general counsel, wrote in a legal declaration that professional photographers typically do not carry much equipment and are used to moving unobtrusively in large crowds.

If there are legitimate fears that the crowd is so large that it is dangerous, the appropriate response is to limit the overall crowd size, not ban photographers, Osterreicher wrote.

The last concert in the series, featuring the bands X and Meat Puppets, takes place Saturday.

cindy.chang@latimes.com

For more news on the Los Angeles Police Department, follow me on Twitter: @cindychangLA
UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ just cant seem to resist.

As she walked the campus this week, she gravitated toward students and waded right in. She posed for pictures. She quickly connected with a freshman who shared her New Jersey background. She greeted new arrivals on orientation tours.

Welcome to Cal. Im so glad youre here, she called out as they gawked, clapped and smiled.

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Christ, who took the helm in July, opened the new academic year this week as the 11th chancellor and first woman to lead the states oldest public university and global research powerhouse.

She is a former president of Smith College and an esteemed scholar of Victorian literature with more than three decades of teaching and administrative experience at Berkeley.

But it is her personable style, her penchant to listen and learn, and her natural instinct to connect that draw people in. Those qualities have helped stir new optimism and excitement on a campus battered by financial woes, free speech controversies, sexual harassment scandals and a leadership crisis under her predecessor.

New UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ took the helm in July. (David Butow / For The Times)

This represents a new day for Berkeley, said Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Paul Alivisatos, a renowned chemist. Chancellor Christ has a clear idea of what needs to be done to address the challenges we face. Her history here affords her a great deal of credibility among the campus community. Everywhere I go on campus, I am hearing enthusiastic comments from students, staff and faculty about the confidence they have in her as a leader and the hope she is kindling in our community.

Christ, who earns a base salary of $531,939, has a full plate of pressing issues. But the first priority she mentioned in a recent interview was the need to rebuild a sense of community. Her predecessor, Nicholas Dirks, was widely perceived as a well-meaning but aloof administrator who bungled major issues and spent too much time away from campus.

The campus has been through a very rough past several years: the financial challenges that we face, the controversies about free speech, the governance crisis. And not all members of the campus community feel equally welcome, Christ said. So both rebuilding community and building an inclusive community is really important to me.

The new chancellor, who is 73, said she was planning open hours for students, community-building events, a new blog and visits to students, staff and faculty. Rigel Robinson, the student external affairs vice president, said he believes shell make good on those plans.

Christ dropped by a student government orientation this week and already has sent out invitations to her first campus fireside chat, he said. Earlier this year, as provost, he said, she impressed student leaders by showing up at a meeting to talk about the campus housing crisis.

It meant something for her to come out instead of begging the chancellor to show up, as we so often do, Robinson said.

Robert Powell, the outgoing Academic Senate chairman, said faculty members were impressed by Christs leadership in the painful effort to reduce a crippling budget deficit, calling her style very consultative in a meaningful way.

That style was on display Tuesday, when she made her way through meetings, media interviews, a welcome ceremony for new students and an attempt to break a world record.

She started her day as usual  rising at 5:30 a.m., eating a breakfast of bread, fruit and a soft-boiled egg, and practicing her viola.

Wearing a Berkeley blue jacket and pearl earrings, she convened an 8:30 a.m. Cabinet meeting in the wood-paneled conference room of the century-old California Hall. She listened to those who spoke  and noticed those who did not  in a discussion about expanding learning projects to enrich the undergraduate experience.

You look like youre thinking something, she said to Rosemarie Rae, the vice chancellor-chief financial officer. Sure enough, Rae said she was pondering the resources required to make the effort work.

Thank you for your good work, she told her team as the discussion wrapped up.

In morning media interviews, Christ laid out her priorities:

Develop a new financial model to stabilize the campus and eliminate a crippling deficit. Campus officials project reducing a shortfall that was $150 million last year to $56 million by June 2018. Theyve eliminated 400 jobs and are working to increase revenue. As the percentage of its budget covered by state funding remains well below what it once was, Christ said Berkeley must raise more money on its own through philanthropy, extension programs and other noncredit classes, self-supporting degree programs, research grants and real estate and entrepreneurial income.

Increase support for undergraduates, including campus housing. Berkeley has the smallest housing capacity in the UC system, currently offering rooms  usually for one year  to only 22% of undergraduates and 9% of graduate students. Christ calls that unacceptable and wants to double the available space.

Promote free speech. Christ has declared a Free Speech Year with point-counterpoint forums to demonstrate how to exchange opposing views in a civil manner. Other events will explore constitutional questions, the history of Berkeleys 1964 free speech movement and the impact of that movement on such figures as acclaimed chef Alice Waters.

Boost student and faculty diversity. Last fall, of the nine UC undergraduate campuses, Berkeley had the lowest percentage of underrepresented minorities (18%), low-income Pell Grant recipients (27%) and students who are the first in their families to attend college (28%). Christ said the campus would step up outreach.

Support faculty research. Berkeley received $848 million in research money in fiscal year 2017, about half of it from the federal government. Trump questioned Berkeleys federal funding this year after violence shut down a campus appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. But three months later, Congress approved a 5% increase in research funds for 2017.

On Tuesday afternoon, just before 2 p.m., Christ donned a ceremonial robe  one from Yale University, where she earned her doctorate, but blue enough for Berkeley. She strode into Haas Pavilion to welcome 9,500 excited new freshmen and transfer students. They ranged in age from 14 to 64. They came from all 50 states and 54 foreign countries. In the crowds were those who sang opera, farmed onions, developed robotic body parts, drew cartoons and won admission to Berkeley from prison.

UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ speaks during the convocation on a busy day of orientation for the freshman class. (David Butow / For The Times)

You are a remarkable group, she told them. We are thrilled to have you here, with your energy, your ambition, your intelligence, your imagination.

Be curious, she told them. Embrace diversity with empathy. Cultivate your best self to change the world.

After a sushi dinner, Christ headed to the universitys Memorial Stadium. There, at 9:25 p.m., the chancellor and 7,195 other Cal Bears broke the Guinness World Record for the largest human letter by forming a C.

Then Christ went home about 10 p.m. to her private joys  music, books. She has chosen not to live in the palatial chancellors residence, but to stay grounded in her own house, less than a mile from campus, with her son and grandchildren under the same roof.

She did another hour of work, then went to bed.

teresa.watanabe@latimes.com

Twitter: @teresawatanabe

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It was 1934 and fascism was on the march not only in Europe but in America. People who admired Adolf Hitler, who had taken power in Germany, formed Nazi organizations in the United States.

The American Civil Liberties Union, represented by lawyers who were Jewish, faced an existential question: Should the freedoms it stood for since its founding in 1920 apply even to racist groups that would like nothing more than to strip them away?

Ultimately, after much internal dissent, the ACLU decided: Yes, the principles were what mattered most. The ACLU would stand up for the free-speech rights of Nazis.

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We do not choose our clients, the ACLUs board of directors wrote in an October 1934 pamphlet called Shall We Defend Free Speech for Nazis In America? Lawless authorities denying their rights choose them for us. To those who support suppressing propaganda they hate, we ask  where do you draw the line?

Once again, the ACLU is wrestling with how to respond to a far-right movement in the U.S. whose rising visibility is prompting concerns from elected officials and activists.

In response to the deadly violence at a rally in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend, the ACLUs three California affiliates released a statement Wednesday declaring that white supremacist violence is not free speech.

The national organization said Thursday that it would not represent white supremacist groups that want to demonstrate with guns. That stance is a new interpretation of the ACLUs official position that reasonable gun regulation does not violate the 2nd Amendment.

Officials in Charlottesville had initially denied organizers of the Unite the Right rally a permit to hold the event at the site of a Robert E. Lee statue. But the ACLU filed a lawsuit defending protesters rights to gather there. The rally ended with one woman killed and dozens of people injured as neo-Nazis and other far-right groups that had come armed with shields, helmets and even guns clashed violently with counter-protesters.

Now, with more far-right events scheduled in California, the states ACLU affiliates are warning that there are limits to what they will defend.

We review each request for help on a case-by-case basis, but take the clear position that the 1st Amendment does not protect people who incite or engage in violence, said the statement, which was signed by the executive directors of the ACLU affiliates of Southern California, Northern California, and of San Diego and Imperial Counties.

If white supremacists march into our towns armed to the teeth and with the intent to harm people, they are not engaging in activity protected by the United States Constitution, the statement continued. The 1st Amendment should never be used as a shield or sword to justify violence.

That statement drew some criticism from former ACLU board member Samuel Walker, a history professor at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, who supports the ACLUs historical stance on far-right groups. He called the remarks irresponsible.

How is the 1st Amendment being a shield for violence? he said. They need to be clear on that, and this statement is not clear.

Ahilan Arulanantham, the legal director of the ACLU of Southern California, said it was not the organizations perspective on civil liberties that had changed, but the nature of the far-right groups themselves  a willingness to come to events ready for violence.

The factual context here is shifting, given the extent to which the particular marches were seeing in this historical moment are armed, Arulanantham said.

For decades, the ACLU has defended the speech rights of far-right groups like neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan on the principle that if those groups rights are not upheld, the government will try to restrict the free-speech rights of other groups as well.

Most famously, the ACLU successfully defended the rights of neo-Nazis to march in the Chicago suburb of Skokie, Ill., in 1978, which was home to many Holocaust survivors.

But the ACLUs stance was costly. The groups membership and donations  which had soared during the Nixon administration  declined sharply after the Skokie case, with thousands of supporters abandoning the group. A left-wing civil liberties counterpart, the National Lawyers Guild, accused the ACLU of poisonous evenhandedness.

The group has seen its membership and its donations soar under the Trump administration as left-leaning Americans embrace the organization as a bulwark against the administration.

But some emerging factions of the left do not share the ACLUs values on free speech and assembly. Surveys have shown that young people are more likely than older Americans to support a government ban on hate speech, which is constitutionally protected.

Leftists who call themselves anti-facists and in many cases endorse illegal violence, viewing it as a morally just tactic to prevent neo-Nazis from gathering publicly, have also seen their numbers grow since Trumps election, which was supported by far-right groups.

The ACLUs decision this month to file a 1st Amendment lawsuit on behalf of right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos  whose rhetoric about immigrants and minorities has made him a target of violent protests  prompted a high-profile ACLU attorney to publicly object.

Though his ability to speak is protected by the 1st Amendment, I dont believe in protecting principle for the sake of principle in all cases, wrote Chase Strangio, who stressed he was speaking in a private capacity. His actions have consequences for people that I care about and for me.

The outcry from the ACLUs California affiliates prompted the groups national leader, Anthony D. Romero, to respond with a statement of his own.

We agree with every word in the statement from our colleagues in California, Romero said. The 1st Amendment absolutely does not protect white supremacists seeking to incite or engage in violence. We condemn the views of white supremacists, and fight against them every day.

But, Romero added: At the same time, we believe that even odious hate speech, with which we vehemently disagree, garners the protection of the 1st Amendment when expressed non-violently. We make decisions on whom well represent and in what context on a case-by-case basis. The horrible events in Charlottesville last weekend will certainly inform those decisions going forward.

matt.pearce@latimes.com

Matt Pearce is a national reporter for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @mattdpearce.

4:55 p.m.: This story was updated to change the name of the 1934 ACLU pamphlet.

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Trumps defense of a neo-Nazi rally crossed a line for many Republicans. What will they do about it?

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More national headlines

UPDATES:

6:55 p.m.: The article was updated to include the ACLUs decision not to represent white supremacist groups that want to demonstrate with guns.

The article was originally published at 4:55 p.m.
Most weekdays, a steady stream of cars and pickups winds down U.S. Route 441 through this tiny mountain town.

Locals stop to stock up on bread and eggs at the Piggly Wiggly. Tourists browse a string of antique stores. Nearly everyone pulls over at the Osage Farm stand to pick up ripe peaches, silver queen corn and heirloom tomatoes.

This Monday will be different.

Dillard, population 330, is the prime spot in Georgia for viewing the first total solar eclipse in 99 years to sweep the continental U.S. The town sits in the Appalachian foothills north of Rabun County, where authorities expect an extra 50,000 cars on its two narrow highways and small state and county roads.

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Theres no way tens of thousands of extra cars can pass this skinny road going up the mountain, said Louis Meinhardt, 74, a resident of nearby Scaly Mountain, N.C. Just one accident and everyone will be backed up for miles.

Local sheriffs and highway patrol officers from across the country are bracing for what they say could be the largest traffic snarl in U.S. history as the so-called Great American Eclipse cuts a diagonal, 70-mile-wide path through 14 states from Oregon to South Carolina.

With 200 million people living within a days drive of that path, millions are expected to travel from urban hubs to sparsely populated, rural areas on narrow state and county roads that are poorly equipped to handle massive traffic.

Imagine 20 Woodstock festivals occurring simultaneously across the nation, Michael Zeiler, a geographer and cartographer, wrote on GreatAmericanEclipse.com. He estimated that up to 7.4 million people across the country could attempt to travel to the path of totality.

In 1918, the last time a total solar eclipse swept across the U.S., there were about 6.2 million cars registered nationwide, said Doug Hecox, spokesman for the Federal Highway Administration. Today, there are 263 million.

Ultimately, Hecox said, traffic experts do not know what to expect.

I would love to say this is as significant an event as 15 Super Bowls all combined, but we dont really have good baseline data to compare it against, he said.

We know there could be traffic jams in places that have never seen a traffic jam, Hecox said. Its just basic math. The risk of a crash or a driver being distracted, or hitting another car or a pedestrian or a bicyclist, is considerably greater today than it was a hundred years ago.

In Oregon, where the eclipse first comes into view at 9:04 a.m.  with the full eclipse at 10:16 a.m.  near the town of Depoe Bay, the biggest traffic problems are expected in the central part of the state.

Traffic was already backed up for miles on U.S. Highway 26 on Wednesday night when visitors flocked to an eclipse-themed festival in the tiny high desert town of Madras. Locals are expecting up to 100,000 visitors.

Just know, there will be delays, said Peter Murphy, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation. Were two lane roads up here and its going to get clogged up.

In Wyoming, which has just under 600,000 residents, tourism officials anticipate at least 350,000 visitors. Grand Teton National Park, in the states rugged, northwestern corner, could have its busiest day in history.

 Eclipse chasers will tell you that seeing a total eclipse will change your life. But keep in mind, a total eclipse is a fleeting phenomenon. (Aug. 15, 2017) (Sign up for our free video newsletter here http://bit.ly/2n6VKPR)

South Carolina is expected to be one of the most crowded destinations, with estimates ranging from 600,000 to 2 million visitors. The state Highway Patrol plans to station 160 extra officers along Interstate 26 and nearby roads Monday as the eclipse passes three of the states biggest cities: Columbia, Greenville and Charleston.

But the most crowded hot spot in the country, according to Zeiler, could be Santee, a resort town in central South Carolina that has roughly 900 residents. Its proximity to I-95 makes it the closest destination for 74.6 million people from Florida to Maine.

Even in states outside the path of totality, officials are warning motorists to expect delays of more than several hours.

In Colorado, state officials estimate as many as 400,000 residents could travel to Wyoming and Nebraska, snarling traffic on I-25 and all roads heading north.

Officials across the nation have been planning for months to ease congestion.

The Federal Highway Administration is instructing drivers to leave plenty of time to avoid being stuck in traffic during the eclipse and warning them not to stop in the middle of highways or on the shoulders.

We want to make sure people dont make rookie mistakes, like driving with eclipse glasses or taking photographs while driving, Hecox said.

In Rabun County, where a few stretches of the main interstate narrow to just one lane, pastures are being turned into parking lots, and extra sheriffs deputies from neighboring counties and highway patrol officers are being brought in to manage congestion.

Weve never had anything like the amount of traffic it will bring to our area, said Sheriff Chad Nichols, who has urged locals to prepare as they would for a snowstorm. The main question is where will people go? Will the main road turn into a parking lot?

Mike Brown, owner of 12 Spies Vineyards in Rabun Gap, has warned guests coming from as far afield as Arizona, California and New Jersey to expect delays and be patient as they traverse local roads.

Were expecting Atlanta traffic, but we dont have Atlanta roads, he said.

While Rabun County is home to several state parks with mountain trails and sweeping vistas, tourism officials here note that parking is limited and first-come, first-served.

What people love about the mountains is that there are not a lot of flat, cemented places, said Teka Earnhardt, executive director of Rabun County Tourism Development Authority. They do not have a lot of parking  thats their beauty.

Many residents said they plan to stay home and avoid the roads at all cost.

I dont like crowds that much, shrugged Belinda Turpin, a 49-year-old medical assistant, as she filled her Toyota Camry with gas at a BP station advertising eclipse tailgating. Im not that curious.

Still, Turpin has to make it to her 3 p.m. shift at an assisted living facility just minutes before the eclipse passes through her home town of Clayton. Its normally a five-minute drive.

Ill take the back roads and hope for the best, she said. Maybe Ill go to work early.

Special correspondent Jarvie reported from Georgia. Times staff writer Lee reported from Los Angeles.

kurtis.lee@latimes.com

Twitter: @kurtisalee

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It was before dawn, and most of the ships crew lay asleep in their berths aboard the Fitzgerald, a U.S. destroyer, when suddenly the ocean flooded in on the starboard side and disaster loomed.

Water on deck! the sailors yelled. Get out!

Seawater poured in so fast that it was already waist-deep before the first of 42 sailors in the worst-affected room could climb to safety in the dark. Thirty-five made it. Seven did not.

Those harrowing details stood out in a 41-page Navy report on the collision between the Fitzgerald and a vastly larger container ship in calm seas in a shipping lane off the coast of Japan early on June 17, one of the worst naval accidents in years.

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The commander and executive officer of the Fitzgerald were relieved from command Thursday and up to a dozen crew were disciplined, including the top enlisted sailor, for failing to avoid a mid-ocean crash with the ACX Crysta, a Philippine-flagged container ship.

Cmdr. Bryce Benson, commander of the Fitzgerald, and Cmdr. Sean Babbitt, the ships second-in-command, were fired from their positions because the Navy lost trust and confidence in their ability to lead, Adm. William F. Moran, vice chief of naval operations, told reporters Thursday.

Its still unclear why the two huge ships didnt see and avoid each other  an issue subject to another investigation  given modern radar and other sophisticated tracking marine gear, especially on the warship.

But the Navy said Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, commander of the 7th Fleet, had enough information to assign punishments for the collision, which occurred about 50 nautical miles southwest of the Japanese port of Yokosuka.

The predawn sky was still dark with scattered clouds when the ACX Crystal, which is 728 feet long and weighs 29,000 tons, smashed into the Fitzgerald, which is 505 feet long and 9,000 tons.

The crash carved a 13-by-17-foot gash into the Fitzgeralds forward starboard side above and below the water line, where the sleeping area known as Berthing 2 was located.

The warship listed as it took on more water, while mattresses, furniture and other debris made sailors escape more difficult.

The skin of the ship and outer bulkhead were gone and the night sky could be seen through the hanging wires and ripped steel.  Navy report

The last one rescued, who was in the bathroom when the ships collided, told investigators he was pinned between the lockers and the ceiling of Berthing 2. He grabbed a pipe in the ceiling to pull himself free.

Desperate, he swam to the only light he could see, taking a final breath before being saved.

He was already submerged and breathed in water, the report said, adding that the area flooded in 30 to 60 seconds.

With little visibility, sailors felt for other crew members as the cold water continued to rise. At the top of the ladder, they yelled into the flooded space below in an attempt to determine if anyone was still alive.

No shadows were seen moving and no response was given, the report said.

The survivors made the wrenching decision to close the watertight hatch to stop the flood of water pouring in. It also entombed those still below.

Benson, the ships captain, was trapped and injured in a nearby cabin. He was freed after sailors hit his door several times with a sledgehammer to break it from the hinges. They pushed debris out of the way and crawled in.

The skin of the ship and outer bulkhead were gone and the night sky could be seen through the hanging wires and ripped steel, the report said. The rescue team tied themselves together with a belt in order to create a makeshift harness as they retrieved [Benson], who was hanging from the side of the ship.

Keeping the ship afloat and getting it back to Yokosuka, home to the Navys 7th Fleet, took unusual efforts, the report said,

Through their swift and, in many cases, heroic actions, members of the Fitzgerald crew saved lives, the report said.

No damage control efforts, however, would have prevented Berthing 2 from flooding completely within the first two minutes following the collision, or the deadly circumstances in that situation.

The Japanese Coast Guard sent vessels to assist in rescue efforts while Japanese helicopters and a U.S. patrol aircraft flew near the destroyer.

Three sailors required medical evacuation, including Benson.

william.hennigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @wjhenn

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Is it George Washington next week?

President Trump was railing against the removal of Confederate monuments, including one of Gen. Robert E. Lee at the center of the protest last weekend in Charlottesville, Va., that led to deadly violence.

His suggestion to reporters that Washington and Lee were similar figures in history and that if memorials to one had to go, so did memorials to the other  is not new.

To examine this argument, we turned to Barton Myers, an associate professor of history at  wait for it  Washington and Lee University, in Lexington, Va.

The school was founded in 1749 as Augusta Academy. It went through two name changes before 1796, when Washington endowed the school with $20,000 to help it survive and the trustees showed their appreciation by renaming it Washington Academy. It later became Washington College. Lee became president of the school in 1865. After his death in 1870, the trustees gave the school its current name.

Myers answers have been edited for length and clarity.

What are the similarities and differences between President George Washington and Gen. Robert E. Lee?

I think there are strong similarities in terms of their backgrounds. They were both Virginians. Both men had served in the United States armed forces. Both men were recognized as great military figures and great battlefield commanders during their own time.

These men both became figures of unity for their individual cause and symbols of their individual causes  men that the soldiers could rally around and see as symbols of their cause.

There is also the family connection.

What is that family connection?

Lee ends up marrying into the Custis family [Martha Dandridge Custis, the widow of a wealthy Virginian named Daniel Parke Custis, married George Washington in 1759] and ultimately ends up administering the Arlington estate [the grounds of which were selected as the site of Arlington Cemetery]. He ends up inheriting even dueling pistols that belonged to George Washington.

How were these men different?

I think Lee really admired Washington as an example, as a military figure in particular, but ultimately departing from Washingtons example. Washington had actually worked during his presidency to put down a tax rebellion, the Whiskey Rebellion, that occurred during 1791, during his administration. But Robert E. Lee joined the rebellion, ultimately choosing the state of Virginia after Virginia seceded from the Union.

Both men did capable jobs.

It took Washington a little bit of time to develop as a military commander at the level of general and army command, but ultimately he chose a Fabian Strategy of battle avoidance that ultimately saved the American cause during the revolution, kept that army together as a symbol and ultimately was able to win that conflict.

Lee, on the other hand, chose a very different path, a path of large-scale engagements that ultimately bled the Confederate Army, although winning many major victories along the way. But subsequently finding defeat during the overland campaign and against Ulysses S. Grant, an equally gifted American commander.

Gilbert Stuarts portrait of George Washington. (Gilbert Stuart Williamstown) (Gilbert Stuart Williamstown)

What were other differences between these two men in terms of the paths that they took?

I think from Lees perspective he agonized over the decision to secede from the Union in 1861. Initially, he was offered command of all Union forces in the field by Gen. Winfield Scott, and he chose at first to ask Scott if he could sit the war out. And Winfield Scott, who is the greatest soldier in the republic at that point, said, There is no room for equivocal men in my army.

And that was almost like a direct rebuke of Lees attempt to equivocate and be neutral. Lee ultimately went home, thought about it, and I think he knew the position of Virginia. Virginia, at that point, was headed out of the Union. Within days, Lee made the decision to resign his officers position, and within a few days after resigning subsequently was offered command of all Virginia state forces in the field, and ultimately Virginia joined the Confederacy.

It was a very difficult decision for Lee, but he made a calculated loyalty decision, a loyalty decision that tiered Virginia and his family over the United States, an institution that he observed for decades as a dedicated, loyal U.S. Army officer. He made a decision to tier his loyalty to his family and to the state of Virginia over that.

And what about Washingtons direction?

Washington is a very interesting case. In some ways, Washington would be easily seen by the British government as committing treason early on  his part of instigating a rebellion and supporting that rebellion, though Virginia was a latecomer to the rebellion.

But ultimately, Washington rises to be a central figure of unity in America. He was a figure of unity that brought together the colonies, Virginia being a leading one because of the command power and prestige. He was one of the wealthiest individuals in the country. He was a man of stature and respect because of his service during the French and Indian War and in the militia in Virginia during the [Revolutionary] War. And ultimately he became a unifying figure for all colonies to get behind.

I think Lee has a similar purpose by 1864 for the Confederate armies.

What about the argument that since both men owned slaves they were morally corrupt and should not be honored?

Washington was certainly one of the largest slave owners in the country. A sum of his wealth came from ownership of slaves. He was also a huge landowner in the Ohio country and in Virginia was actively working to develop that throughout most of his life. When Washington dies, he takes the tact of freeing his slaves, directly in his will. Therein lies the partial separation.

Washington, I think, saw the writing on the wall and saw the future of America, and in his farewell address as president worked very hard to tamp down ideas like sectionalism and division within America, and party politics.

And he was in line with what was the Federalist Party at that point, which was a party of national institutions and supported things like road and bridge building. He was very much turning toward becoming a nationalist at a time when Americas colonies were very weak and needed unity.

Lee administered the Arlington estate in the 1850s, was involved in punishing slaves. Some historical accounts, newspaper accounts that are reporting through hearsay, do account for Lee being involved in actually personally whipping a slave. They are not direct eyewitness accounts, but he was definitely involved in administering the day-to-day operations of a plantation. He clearly was involved in the recapture of slaves that had run away and the administration of the estate.

I think Lee found slavery quite annoying as a day-to-day institution to run. His public comments on this are out there in a letter from 1856 to his wife where he talks about slavery being a great evil, but a great evil primarily to white people, because of what it was doing to the lower classes within the South and that it was a moral drag on those people.

A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Va. (Steve Helber / Associated Press) (Steve Helber / Associated Press)

Is it reasonable in any way to say that Washington and Lee were equivalent figures in U.S. history?

I think there was a time in the American South, especially immediately after the Civil War, when they were looking for heroes who were going to help bind up very open wounds. And as a result, people who participated in the veneration of Lee after his death, the lost cause mythology and its erection, after the war, would have made that equivalent comparison.

When the Confederacy was established in 1861, they put Washington on the Great Seal of the Confederacy. He was directly linked in symbolic fashion to what the Confederate cause was doing, by Confederates. I think there was an effort to make Lee an equivalent figure, by white Southerners in particular. After the war, people who had fought with Lee in his army wanted him to be that figure.

So yes, there was a time in this country where there were a lot of people, millions of people perhaps, who felt that way.

When and why were these statues erected in the first place?

It really comes in three phases.

Most of the monuments [went] up around the 50-year anniversary mark of the American Civil War, which corresponds to veterans organizations meetings and the Jim Crow period of American history. Many of those monuments are directly related to the lost cause mythology and the effort to reestablish firm white supremacy, and even the rise of the second order of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s.

Then theres a second wave of monuments that come and spike during the civil rights movement, but also the centennial period, which was a very celebratory moment during John F. Kennedys administration, looking at the American Civil War and reunion as a celebratory moment in American history.

And then there was a third wave of monuments that has come within the last 30 or 40 years, that are predominantly markers on battlefields designed to either honor veterans of the war that are Confederates or actually interpret the specific places of units on battlefields.

Should statues of both men be taken down?

There are many concentric circles to this discussion. In part because there are national battlefields that include Confederate monuments, there are national historical landmarks that include Confederate markers and monuments, there are national military parks that include Confederate monuments  all of which are actually interpreted and well-interpreted by federal historians and people who work in the National Park Service.

And theres been a long-standing, established set of policies and debates within the National Park Service establishing that set of guidelines on how to interpret these monuments. So at the federal sites, ultimately I would say NPS policy is directly what should hold.

I think local municipalities are going to make these decisions as they see fit and as they have public discussions and forums about them and were seeing that.

ann.simmons@latimes.com

For more on global development news, see our Global Development Watch page, and follow me @AMSimmons1 on Twitter

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A settlement in a landmark lawsuit against two psychologists who helped design the CIAs harsh interrogation methods used in the war on terror marked the first time the agency or its private contractors have been held accountable for the program, legal experts said.

The deal in the lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union also makes it unlikely the CIA will again pursue the tactics, which included beatings and waterboarding, said Deborah Pearlstein, professor at the Cardozo Law School in New York.

This sends a signal to those who might consider doing this in the future, Pearlstein said, adding, This puts an exclamation mark at the end of dont torture.

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Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but it avoided a civil trial set for Sept. 5 in federal court in Spokane.

The ACLU sued psychologists James Mitchell and John Bruce Jessen on behalf of three former detainees, including one who died in custody, who contended they were tortured at secret CIA prisons overseas. Mitchell and Jessen were under contract with the federal government following the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

The lawsuit claimed they designed, implemented and personally administered an experimental torture program. The techniques they developed included waterboarding, slamming the three men into walls, stuffing them inside coffin-like boxes, exposing them to extreme temperatures, starving them and keeping them awake for days, the ACLU said.

James T. Smith, lead defense attorney, said the psychologists were public servants whose interrogation methods were authorized by the government.

The facts would have borne out that while the plaintiffs suffered mistreatment by some of their captors, none of that mistreatment was conducted, condoned or caused by Drs. Mitchell and Jessen, Smith said.

Jessen said in a statement that he and Mitchell served our country at a time when freedom and safety hung in the balance.

Mitchell also defended their work, saying, I am confident that our efforts were necessary, legal and helped save countless lives.

But the group Physicians for Human Rights said the case shows that health professionals who participate in torture will be held accountable.

These two psychologists had a fundamental ethical obligation to do no harm, which they perverted to inflict severe pain and suffering on human beings in captivity, said Donna McKay, executive director of the group.

The lawsuit sought unspecified monetary damages from the psychologists on behalf of Suleiman Abdullah Salim, Mohamed Ahmed Ben Soud and the estate of Gul Rahman.

Rahman, an Afghan, was taken from his home in Pakistan in 2002 to a secret CIA prison in Afghanistan. He died of hypothermia several weeks later after being shackled to a floor in near-freezing conditions.

According to the lawsuit, Salim and Ben Soud both were subjected to waterboarding, daily beatings and sleep deprivation at secret CIA sites. Salim, a Tanzanian, and Ben Soud, a Libyan, were later released after officials determined they posed no threat.

A U.S. Senate investigation in 2014 found that Mitchell and Jessens techniques produced no useful intelligence. They were paid $81 million for their work. President Obama terminated the contract in 2009.

Mitchell and Jessen previously worked at the Air Force survival school at Fairchild Air Force Base outside Spokane, where they trained pilots to avoid capture and resist interrogation and torture. The CIA hired them to reverse-engineer their methods to break terrorism suspects.
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Friday, Aug. 18, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

Why the extreme right loves California

Extreme-right and white nationalist groups have been rallying in liberal California, seeking media attention and validation for their us versus the world narrative, experts say. There have been at least two dozen political events that ended violently in California in the last two years, one researcher found. And after the violence in Charlottesville, Va., the far right is planning new events in California that have officials on edge. Los Angeles Times

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Plus: Once again, the American Civil Liberties Union is wrestling with how to respond to a far-right movement in the U.S. whose rising visibility is prompting concerns from elected officials and activists and stirring debate within the ACLU. In response to the deadly violence at a rally in Charlottesville, last weekend, the ACLUs three California affiliates released a statement Wednesday declaring that white supremacist violence is not free speech. Los Angeles Times

And: Can banks block white supremacists from raising money? Los Angeles Times

Pasadena faces fallout over USC dean

Facing criticism over his departments handling of a drug overdose involving the then-dean of USCs medical school, Pasadenas police chief this week issued a directive to officers reiterating that they must promptly file reports on overdose investigations. Chief Phillip L. Sanchez made the move while acknowledging the department erred by not immediately writing a report when police responded last year to an overdose call involving a young woman in a hotel room rented to the dean, Dr. Carmen Puliafito. Los Angeles Times

Big money on the line

Californians could vote on billions of dollars in new spending for low-income housing developments and water and parks improvements next year. Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers are considering five proposals that would finance new homes for low-income residents, build parks in neighborhoods without them, and restore rivers, streams and creeks, among dozens of other projects. Voters have long backed bond financing, which allows the state immediately to spend more money than is otherwise available and pay back the debt with interest over time. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

Jet blues: JetBlue Airways, the busiest carrier at Long Beach Airport, has violated the citys noise curfew so often this year that if a proposed noise crackdown is adopted, the New York-based carrier could face being shut out of the airport. Los Angeles Times

Presidential question: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti may not be running for president, but his actions keep fueling speculation. He will travel to New Hampshire this month to campaign for a fellow Democrat, the politicians latest trip to a presidential swing state. Los Angeles Times

South Bay development: Amid a housing crisis that has hit the state, Redondo Beach has put the brakes on mixed-used developments. Some officials say the city doesnt have a housing shortage. Daily Breeze

Take a breather: There are a lot of grim photos of Los Angeles. But photographer Beth Dubber looks at the city much more lightheartedly. New York Times

Period thriller: Inside a Nazi plot in 1930s Hollywood  and how the movie industry helped uncover it. LA Weekly

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Calexit 3: A new ballot initiative was submitted to state officials Thursday advocating for a federal constitutional convention that could lead to Californias independence. This is the third official effort this year to try to make California an independent state, a push known informally as Calexit. Los Angeles Times

Bay backlash: A second Bay Area man has lost his job because of his association with the white supremacist actions in Virginia last weekend. SF Gate

Housing crisis: San Diego officials and military commanders are concerned that an influx of thousands of sailors could make a tough housing market even more difficult. San Diego Union-Tribune

Focused rage: Should angry taxpayers be directing their wrath on California Republicans? Los Angeles Times

Wiki what? A bizarre international political tale gets stranger. Orange County Rep. Dana Rohrabacher on meeting with WikiLeaks Julian Assange: We talked about what might be necessary to get him out. Los Angeles Times

CRIME AND COURTS

Gunplay: For almost two years now, the San Francisco Bay Areas freeways have averaged at least one car-to-car shooting a week. The reasons for some are unknown, some others were the result of road rage, but most, according to the California Highway Patrol, are tied to gangs. Los Angeles Times

Judge in trouble: The state judicial discipline agency issued a severe public censure against San Diego Superior Court Judge Gary Kreep on Wednesday, stopping just short of removing him from the bench. Los Angeles Times

Recorded incident: A video of a pregnant womans dealings with Sacramento police has finally been released and raises new concerns. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Ride from hell: Inside the crazy commute from Stockton to the Bay Area. Driven out by high prices, commuters are finding great housing deals in the Central Valley, but getting from home to work is a nightmare. New York Times

Up and downs: Southern Californias newest roller coaster will be full of fast dives and turns  and Knotts Berry Farm has a lot riding on it. Orange County Register

Movie money: Logan Lucky, a $29-million action-comedy that Steven Soderbergh is releasing in more than 3,000 domestic theaters this weekend, says something profound about how films are financed today. Los Angeles Times

The battle: Silicon Valley is stepping up its war on white supremacy, but it faces some free speech concerns. Washington Post

Plus: The wool shoes that have taken over Silicon Valley. New York Times

Mystery at the core: Apple is leasing a bunch of buildings in Santa Clara, but there is much mystery about what the tech giant is up to. Mercury News

Treasure hunt: She was mining for gold in the Sierra  and found a diamond. Sacramento Bee

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: sunny and 79. San Diego: partly cloudy and 74. San Francisco area: partly cloudy and 69. Sacramento: sunny and 94. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Todays California memory comes from B.J. Schweiger:

Orange Julius, now that is a fond memory in these hot days. And also a fond memory is that in the 1950s it was quite safe to drink raw eggs mixed with orange juice and other secret flavorings. So much for progress. But on to cool foods from Foster Freeze  malts, chocolate or vanilla, double- and triple-stacked ice cream cones (eat em fast before they fall over)  and root beer floats from A&W Root Beer Store. Im rolling in these cooling fun memories.

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.
In the long, fraught history of colleges and universities dealing with sexual assault on their campuses, problems have ranged from officials shamefully covering up student complaints to administrators, absurdly, micro-managing how students should signal their consent to sex. Now, the Trump administration is looking for shortcomings in a new area: the guidelines the Obama administration issued for how to enforce Title IX, the 1972 federal statute banning sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Six years ago, the Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights offered new guidance to colleges and universities in an effort to clarify just how they should conduct disciplinary proceedings in cases involving complaints of sexual assault. In addition to instructing schools to treat both the accuser and the accused equally, the document said the cases should be decided based on a preponderance of the evidence  in other words, whether the accuser offered more evidence that was credible than the accused did. That evidentiary standard is the same one courts use in many civil cases, but its not as rigorous as the one for criminal cases, which requires prosecutors to prove a defendants guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The guidance responded to widespread concerns about the alarming incidence of sexual assault on campus, with surveys showing roughly 1 in 5 female students experiencing some form of sexual assault. Nevertheless, it sparked an outcry from advocates for accused students, who claimed that they were not getting fair treatment. Last month, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, after meeting separately with educators, victims of sexual assault and students who had been accused of assault, signaled that she would look at policies governing sexual assault investigations and consider changing that evidentiary standard. A spokesperson for the secretary said the review was ongoing.

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The Department of Education and its Office of Civil Rights should be ensuring that schools are following the guidance that has already been laid down.

DeVos should not make that change. A campus investigation into a complaint of sexual assault is not a criminal proceeding, nor is it a substitute for one. Its goals are different. The aim isnt to enforce the law; its to enforce the rules the campus sets for behavior by its students, staff and faculty. The preponderance-of-the-evidence standard is appropriate for judging alleged violations of any of those rules, whether it be the ones regarding plagiarism, underage drinking or sexual misconduct.

That said, the stakes of a disciplinary proceeding can still be high for all involved, particularly in the case of an alleged sexual assault. Someone who has been assaulted must cope with the trauma of the incident and the potential stress of the investigation. Someone accused faces the possibility of expulsion. That seems fair punishment if the person committed the assault. But if he (or she) is wrongly accused and found responsible anyway, thats unjustly stigmatizing and costly.

Some accused students have complained that their colleges have violated their due process rights  and some have sued, at times successfully. But the procedural problems theyve identified were rooted in the way the schools implement the Title IX instructions, not in the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard. An appeals court ruling in the case of two accused students at the University of Cincinnati found that school disciplinary panels were not criminal proceedings, and therefore an accused student didnt need to have a full-scale adversarial proceeding. Rather, the court held, the student simply needed an opportunity to respond, explain, and defend.

What is crucial here is that schools respect the rights of both the accuser and the accused, offering them the chance to present witnesses and evidence to investigators and at hearings. Both parties should have the same access to whatever types of advisors are allowed and the same rights to whatever kind of testimony is allowed. This is all part of the written guidance that the Office of Civil Rights has published.

To the extent that schools are pursuing these steps carelessly or truncating the process in a way that puts a thumb on the scales, that is unacceptable. The Department of Education and its Office of Civil Rights should be ensuring that schools are following the guidance that has already been laid down. Office of Civil Rights officials should also welcome school officials calls for assistance with this process.

Resolving complaints of campus sexual assault can be rife with challenges. But rescinding the standards and guidance in place will only make the task murkier and more frustrating.

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The Internet and social media did not create white supremacist movements in the United States, such as the hate groups that rallied in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend to deadly results. Nor did the Internet create Donald Trump, who defended the Nazi protesters as very fine people. Trump was a demagogue long before he became @realDonaldTrump on Twitter. And there was plenty of fake news before there was Facebook.

The rise of what we might call cheap speech has, however, fundamentally altered both how we communicate and the nature of our politics, endangering the health of our democracy. The path back to a more normal political scene will not be easy.

In the old days, just a handful of TV networks controlled the airwaves, and newspapers served as gatekeepers for news and opinion content. A big debate back in the 1980s and earlier was how to enable free expression for those who did not own or work for a media company and wanted to get a message out.

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In 1995, UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh wrote a remarkably prescient Yale Law Journal article looking ahead to the coming Internet era. In Cheap Speech and What It Will Do, Volokh foresaw the rise of streaming music and video services such as Spotify and Netflix, the emergence of handheld tablets for reading books, the demise of classified advertising in the newspaper business, and more generally how technology would usher in radical new opportunities for readers, viewers and listeners to custom design what they read, saw and heard, while at the same time undermining the power of intermediaries including publishers and bookstore owners.

Cheap speech has undermined mediating and stabilizing institutions of American democracy, including newspapers and political parties.

To Volokh, these changes were exciting and democratizing. But 22 years later, the picture of what the cheap-speech boom has wrought seems considerably darker. No doubt the Internet has dramatically lowered the costs of obtaining information and spurred the creation and consumption of content from radically diverse sources. Anyone with an idea can now get it out on Facebook, Twitter or any number of other sites accessible to anyone in the world with an Internet connection. And cheap speech has been a boon to those fighting oppressive regimes around the world, as truthful messages and relevant information can spread despite government censorship efforts.

Less positively, cheap speech has undermined mediating and stabilizing institutions of American democracy, including newspapers and political parties, with negative social and political consequences.

The newspaper business has been decimated. In 2001, approximately 411,800 people were employed in the journalism industry. By 2016, that number had fallen below 174,000. Between 2000 and 2015, newspaper print advertising revenue declined from $60 billion to $20 billion a year. As a 2009 Columbia Journalism Review report concluded, What is under threat is independent reporting that provides information, investigation, analysis, and community knowledge, particularly in the coverage of local affairs.

In place of media scarcity, we now have a media fire hose. Because the barrier to entry is so low  virtually nonexistent  its easy for both domestic and foreign sources to spread falsehoods and propaganda for political or pecuniary purposes. People no longer rely on Walter Cronkite to tell them the way it is or for the Los Angeles Times to screen out the kooks. Instead, Macedonian kids make money and the Russian government makes trouble inventing news stories  like Hillary Clinton is a murderer, or Trump was endorsed by the Pope.

Since fake news websites look just like legitimate sites when links are shared on Facebook, email or otherwise, even readers who want to distinguish truth from fiction may have a hard time. The problem is compounded by polarization: People share stories that reinforce what they are already inclined to believe. The echo chamber may make us less tolerant and less able to recognize falsehoods.

Fake news is far from the only problem associated with cheap speech. The demise of local newspapers sets the stage for an increase in corruption among state and local officials. Without newspapers watching, as the Los Angeles Times did in its Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of corruption in Bell, chicanery can flourish.

Cheap speech is also hastening the irrelevancy of political parties by facilitating direct communication between politicians and voters. Social media, for instance, provided Trump a vehicle to get around the GOP in launching his unorthodox campaign. Now that hes president, social media allows him to circumvent not only the media but also his staff as he lies to the public.

Social media can help activists overcome collective action problems  to identify fellow travelers and stage peaceful protests, or violent and hateful ones. It should have come as no surprise that the organizers of the Charlottesville rally promoted it heavily on social media and then used the fallout to look for more recruits.

What can be done?

As Trumps presidency should make obvious, we do not want the government to have the power to ban speech it dislikes  what the White House considers fake news. 1st Amendment protections rightfully would prevent such legislation, anyway.

Still, in the era of cheap speech, some shifts in 1st Amendment doctrine seem desirable to assist citizens in ascertaining the truth. The courts should not stand in the way of possible future laws aimed at requiring social media sites to identify and police false political advertising, for instance.

Of course a new conservative Supreme Court is more likely to make things worse than better. It might hold, for example, that it violates the 1st Amendment to bar fake campaign news distributed over social media by foreign governments. Or it might strike down laws that help voters figure out who is paying for political activity (under the dubious argument that transparency measures violate a right to anonymity).

Ultimately, nongovernmental actors may be best suited to counter the problems created by cheap speech. Tech companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter can assist audiences in ferreting out the truth. Consumer pressure may be necessary to get there, but it is not clear if consumers or shareholders will have the power to move dominant market players who do not want to be moved.

Subsidies for (especially local) investigative reporting can also help the problems of corruption and boost the credibility of newspapers as well as other supports for civil society. But nothing is certain to work in these precarious times.

It seems cheap speech, despite its undeniable benefits, has come with a steep price for our democracy.

Richard L. Hasen is the Chancellors Professor of Law and Political Science at UC Irvine. This is adapted from a forthcoming law review article, Cheap Speech and What It Has Done (to American Democracy).

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With threats, bribes, diplomacy and sanctions, American presidents of both parties have sought for 25 years to try to halt, or at least slow, North Koreas quest for a nuclear arsenal  to no avail.

Though the brinksmanship of the last few weeks has subsided, President Trump still faces the prospect of a madman  Kim Jong Un  in control of a nuclear arsenal. What the United States and its allies must now do is find options between conventional war, or even nuclear holocaust, on the one hand, and appeasement on the other. The answer could be robotic, cyber, and space weapons  if we have the will to deploy them.

Three types of technology hold promise for facing down North Korea and similar threats.

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First, drones and robots. They already have been used for pinpoint strikes on terrorist leaders and insurgent forces in the Mideast. More advanced drones could potentially locate and destroy Pyongyangs nuclear arsenals, research facilities and missile sites. Robotic naval vessels and submarines could blockade North Korea, and manned and unmanned forces could form a layered anti-missile shield.

New technologies give the U.S. and its allies an opportunity to preempt looming threats or respond quickly with proportional force in a crisis.

The United States should also unleash cyber capabilities it has steadily built over the last decade. Computer viruses alone cant prevent North Korea from launching nuclear missiles, but they could degrade the Kim regimes ability to conduct research and development, test and control weapons and gather intelligence. Cyberwarfare could also complement economic sanctions by freezing North Korean offshore bank accounts, paralyzing communications and disrupting Chinese companies that continue to trade with Pyongyang.

Third, with launch costs falling (thank you SpaceX), and the capabilities of precision-guided munitions improving, the United States could rush the development of an anti-missile system. Though still on the drawing board, space weapons will be able to target intercontinental ballistic missiles during their initial boost phase, when the large plume of their engines makes them easiest to detect and their slow upward ascent makes them most vulnerable.

Using advanced technology should appeal to a commander in chief who rails against the waste of American blood and treasure expended abroad and at the same time deplores the very sad depletion of our military. Fire and fury and America first mesh poorly, unless technology is employed to resolve the paradox.

The potential is clear. In the Kosovo air war, the U.S. Air Force dropped graphite bombs to disable the Serbian electrical grid; in the Iraq invasion, allied air power crippled Saddam Husseins military and civilian transportation network. New technologies can create those pressures  and more  with far greater effect, less permanent damage and less risk to troops. They can be deployed quickly and precisely in a crisis, and they provide strategic deterrence as well.

The main obstacle to deploying such weapons will be hearts and minds in the West. There are already calls to ban new weapons because they are destabilizing. United Nations officials, for example, attacked President Obamas drone campaign because it made it too easy to wage war. Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX, recently called artificial intelligence the greatest risk we face as a civilization and predicted that it could trigger wars. These critics fear a new technology arms race that will encourage the promiscuous use of these weapons.

Every advance in warfare has met with such arguments. The Catholic Church and European aristocrats tried to ban the crossbow. During World War I, it was argued that long-range artillery, aerial bombing and submarine attacks violated the laws of war by removing the face-to-face element of combat. This summer, 122 nations joined a treaty banning nuclear weapons, and the International Court of Justice has come close to declaring them a violation of international law.

And yet there is every reason not to limit our ability to bring dangerous nations to heel, not least because new technologies give the U.S. and its allies an opportunity to preempt looming threats or respond quickly with proportional force in a crisis.

The U.N. charter and modern warfare conventions frown on preemption; nations can use force only for self-defense or when authorized by the Security Council. But violations have been tolerated: President Reagan bombed Libya in retaliation for a terror attack on U.S. soldiers at a Berlin nightclub, Israel destroyed Iraqi and Syrian nuclear reactors, and President Clinton launched cruise missiles against Iraq for barring inspections of nuclear sites. Neither the Bush nor Obama administrations consulted the U.N. before launching the Stuxnet virus to disrupt Irans uranium processing facilities.

Developing and deploying more sophisticated robotic, cyber and space weaponry may amplify an arms race, but the key word is amplify. Our adversaries are already off and running  witness the Russian, Chinese and North Korean hacking of U.S. government and commercial systems. Our rivals are unlikely to obey a treaty limiting such weapons, except as a ruse. (They see cyberweapons, for example, as a counterbalance to our superiority in conventional and strategic weapons.) Treaty inspectors are unlikely to detect secret cyber or robotics programs, as we have learned from trying to monitor nuclear R&D programs.

High-tech weaponry challenges long-cherished arms control norms, but it is already too late to prevent our rivals from developing and using these technologies. Should sanctions, threats and diplomacy fail, the U.S. may need to strike first, but with the caution and precision afforded by new technology.

John Yoo is a law professor at UC Berkeley, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and a former official in the George W. Bush Justice Department. He is the co-author of Striking Power: How Cyber, Robots, and Space Weapons Change the Rules of War, to be published in September.

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To the editor: It is beyond belief that any rational parent in the 21st century would not vaccinate their children. Myths of vaccinations causing autism and other side effects have been debunked for years. (Despite Californias strict new law, hundreds of schools still dont have enough vaccinated kids, Aug. 13)

If Californias tough new law requiring vaccination for all kindergartners except those with a valid medical reason can still be gotten around, let each school district have a campus where only non-immunized children can attend.

When hundreds of children become ill from diphtheria or measles, these parents will reap the potentially deadly consequences of their choices.

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Kim Righetti, Upland

..

To the editor: Something must be done to stop corrupt or foolish doctors from giving medical exemptions for vaccines to healthy children. This is a matter of life and death and cannot turn into a joke like the current medical marijuana prescription racket.

Name and shame doctors with statistically implausible rates of medical exemptions and make them ineligible for reimbursements from the state.

Matthew Ryan, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Its a shameful badge for the medical profession. For the sake of the public good, its high time that medical exemptions be reviewed by a second physician.

Susanne Spira, MD, Beverly Hills

..

To the editor: The American Medical Assn. and the state of California should subsidize a documentary showing children suffering from measles, whooping cough or polio. It should be required viewing in the doctors office by any parent seeking a medical exemption from immunization.

Doctors who fail to insist that parents watch this before getting medical exemptions should be brought before the state licensing board.

Sidney Rubinstein, Rosemead

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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.
Five days after President Trump took office, he signed an executive order that promised a swift, sharp crackdown on illegal immigration  immediate construction of a massive border wall, quick hiring of 5,000 new Border Patrol agents and stepped-up deportation of undocumented migrants.

Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders, Trump declared at the Jan. 25 ceremony at the Department of Homeland Security, which controls federal immigration agencies.

Seven months later, construction of the wall has yet to begin, the number of Border Patrol officers has actually dropped by 220, and immigration agents are on track to deport 10,000 fewer people this year than in President Obamas last year in office, the latest figures show.

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To be sure, part of Trumps crackdown is showing dramatic results. Illegal border crossings are down 22% compared with last summer. Arrests of people in the country illegally have surged 43% since January, including longtime residents who bought homes, paid taxes and raised families here.

The sharpest increase in arrests was of undocumented migrants without criminal convictions  24,189 under Trump, nearly three times as many as Obama in the first seven months of last year.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say the slower pace in deportations  from 240,000 last fiscal year to an expected 230,000 this year  is misleading. Sarah Rodriguez, an ICE spokeswoman, attributed the shift to fewer people being caught and sent back at the border. Removals from inside the country have surged.

But other pledges that Trump made the keystone of his campaign have stalled, or even slid backward, a reflection of the gap between his broad promises and the practical reality of remaking the governments vast immigration enforcement apparatus.

The challenges are especially steep at the long-troubled Border Patrol, the nations largest law enforcement agency. Operating from boats, planes, cars and horses, the green-uniformed Border Patrol officers hold the front line to secure the 2,000-mile Southwest border.

After the terrorist attacks of 2001, Congress doubled the size of the Border Patrol to more than 20,000 to enhance border security. But hampered by poor morale, hiring problems and high attrition, as well as rampant corruption, the agency hasnt met that goal since 2013.

Staffing has drifted downward since 2010, and the agency now has about 2,000 vacancies  with 220 fewer agents than when Trump took office, records show.

More importantly, based on current attrition and hiring rates, the agency would need to screen about 750,000 applicants to meet Trumps goal of hiring 5,000 qualified agents, according to a July report by the inspector general at the Department of Homeland Security.

Theyre going to have a tough time because they hardly have anyone in the pipeline right now, said Victor M. Manjarrez Jr., a retired Border Patrol supervisor who studies border issues at the University of Texas at El Paso. They dont even have enough to cover attrition.

Linda Jacksta, an assistant commissioner in charge of human resources at Customs and Border Protection, parent agency of the Border Patrol, said officials are determined to reverse that slide. But she said they probably wont do so before 2018.

The Border Patrol now has a goal of hiring 500 officers next year, she said, and is trying to recruit former military and law enforcement officers to join the ranks.

Its a corner that we have been trying to turn for the past two years, Jacksta said. The low hiring numbers this year doesnt really reflect where were headed, she added.

Getting there wont be easy. Most applicants wash out in a gantlet of screening reviews and tests  drug tests, fitness tests, a background criminal investigation and a polygraph test.

One reason: Drug traffickers have repeatedly bribed or otherwise compromised Border Patrol officers. More than 170 officers have been arrested and convicted of corruption in recent years, including some caught working for the Mexican drug cartels they were supposed to be fighting.

Many of the agencys hiring troubles are of its own making, according to a series of stinging internal audit reports that describe a hiring process mired in inefficiency.

Another inspector generals report in July found that the agency spent more than $5 million giving polygraph tests to applicants who had already admitted in their job interviews to crimes or other conduct that disqualified them.

For example, applicants admitted to illegal drug use, drug smuggling, human trafficking and to having close personal relationships with people who commit these crimes, said an inspector generals report on Aug. 4.

One applicant admitted to participating in the gang rape of an unconscious and intoxicated woman, but the examiner went ahead with a five-hour polygraph exam anyway, the report said.

The governments requirement that each applicant pass a polygraph test also has long hindered hiring at the Border Patrol. In recent years, more than 70% of applicants flunked the lie detector test.

Former agency leaders say the tests werent done properly, producing failure rates far higher than at other law enforcement agencies.

In response, both the House and Senate recently passed bills to allow the agency to skip the test for some applicants, including former police officers or members of the military.

Some present and former agency officials think thats a bad idea. During the last hiring surge, in the mid-2000s, the agency had trouble maintaining hiring standards and corruption soared.

If we had our druthers we would have hired slower, said David Aguilar, a retired Border Patrol chief. We were using literally every background investigator who could conduct investigations, and that was still not enough. It was a very hairy time.

In Texas, one agent was arrested with his brothers and charged with killing and beheading a man on the orders of the Sinaloa drug cartel. He was acquitted of murder in January but convicted of working for the drug organization.

When you have cases like that, what happens is it causes you to be a lot more cautious in what youre doing, said Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, the union representing agents. You dont want to make the same mistakes and let the same people in.

A bigger problem may be keeping up with people leaving.

In a 2016 survey of job satisfaction in federal agencies, Customs and Border Protection ranked 291 out of 305 agencies, even with a slight improvement in the scores. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the group that handles deportations, came in at 299.

Were putting a burden on the taxpayers that is exponential because of this continual hiring, Judd said, adding that it costs about $100,000 to hire and train an agent.

When we lose that agent, thats just $100,000 down the drain that were going to have to spend again, he said.

Jacksta said that the attrition rate has dropped in the last two years and that other trends are moving in the right direction. The average time to hire an agent was once 469 days, she said, leading many to just bail out and get new jobs.

She said thats been cut to about 160 days. The agency has seen an increase in applicants and lower rates of people dropping out or flunking the tests, she said.

Trumps promised border wall, still a staple applause line at his political rallies, has become a headache for the administration.

He not only failed in his attempts to persuade Mexico to pay for the wall, as he repeatedly vowed. Trumps request to Congress for $1.6 billion to start construction of 74 miles of barrier wall passed the House in a defense bill but probably will be stripped out or trimmed back in the Senate.

And the bulk of the massive project has been hung up in routine federal contracting delays, the kind of problems Trump said would be history as soon as he brought his experience as a real estate developer and negotiator to the White House.

Customs and Border Protection had plans for contractors to begin putting up prototypes in San Diego this summer. But the plans have been put on hold until at least November because of protest from other bidders.

Trump, at least in public, isnt deterred. Our borders are far tougher than ever before! he said on Twitter on Friday.

joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

Twitter: @jtanfani

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Exactly a year and a day ago, Donald Trump tapped the conservative media insurgent Stephen K. Bannon as chief executive of his campaign, affirming that while Trump was the nominee, his was a hostile takeover of the Republican Party: With Bannon, he would take the party in a new direction  nationalist, nativist and economically populist.

Bannon got considerable credit for Trumps upset win and then, as chief strategist in the White House, for his early orders against immigrants and refugees, and more.

On Friday, he was out.

Perhaps appropriately, his ouster came in a week in which Trump left no doubt that his own voice  and the racially divisive rhetoric that comes with it  is his own. Bannon was no ventriloquist.

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The White House made the dismissal official in a statement to reporters: White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steves last day. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best.

Long-simmering speculation that Bannon would be forced out intensified in the two weeks since Kelly, a retired Marine general, replaced Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff, charged with imposing discipline and order. Among other things, Bannon is suspected of stoking a recent campaign of right-wing opposition to national security advisor H.R. McMaster.

By Friday, he had apparently also lost the support of the president, after months of alienating many others within the administration.

Ironically, for a man who often expressed disdain for the mainstream media, a magazine interview in which Bannon publicly disagreed with administration policy toward North Korea may have been the final trigger for Trump and Kelly. But there was also little doubt that the president, who shares top billing with no one, had grown unhappy with Bannons image as the strategist of his electoral victory.

Earlier this week, Trump had betrayed that resentment as he declined to guarantee Bannons job when he was asked about it during a news conference.

Well, well see, Trump said about his aides future. I like Mr. Bannon. Hes a friend of mine. But Mr. Bannon came on very late  you know that. I went through 17 senators, governors, and I won all the primaries. Mr. Bannon came on very much later than that.

Even as he failed to embrace Bannon fully, Trump also pushed back against moderates and liberals who saw the strategist as a racially divisive figure who has encouraged Trumps most nativist instincts.

He is not a racist, I can tell you that. Hes a good person. He actually gets a very unfair press in that regard, Trump said. But well see what happens with Mr. Bannon.

In that same free-wheeling exchange with reporters on Tuesday at Trump Tower, Trump made plain that he was quite able to express divisive ideas on his own  saying both sides were to blame for the weekends deadly violence in Charlottesville, Va., and expressing support for preserving monuments to Confederate generals, thereby roiling racially charged local debates in communities throughout the country, but especially in the South.

The comments cheered some of Trumps backers and white supremacist groups, but caused an uproar that has left the president increasingly isolated, with many congressional Republicans and leaders of the military and business communities telegraphing their distance from Trump, and some breaking with him.

Few Republican officials or members of Congress had anything to say about Bannons departure, reflecting his broad unpopularity with the political establishment he scorned.

The lack of comment may also reflect fear of what Bannon may do now that hes returning to Breitbart, the militantly conservative website he headed before joining Trump. The website announced his return in a headline declaring him a populist hero.

Earlier in the week, 19 conservative groups and a faction of hardline Republicans in the House, the Freedom Caucus, lobbied the president to keep Bannon, seeing him as their in-house ally.

Ed Martin, president of the conservative Eagle Forum Fund, said on Fox News that he was sorry Bannon was leaving but added he was confident that Trump would not bend, that he was no Manchurian candidate controlled by the strategist.

Kurt Bardella, a onetime Republican congressional aide and former spokesman for Breitbart News, said he expected little would change inside the White House with Bannons departure.

Its Trump who tweets day and night. Its Trump who has consciously decided to pander to racists and white supremacists. Its Trump who has engaged in a dangerous game of chicken with North Korea, Bardella, now a vocal critic of the administration, wrote in a widely circulated email.

At the end of the day, while some of the internal West Wing infighting may calm down, the real root of the problem is in the Oval Office, he added.

Bardella said he expected Bannon would once again use Breitbart as a platform for attacking his main adversaries, Jared, Ivanka, Cohn, etc.  referring to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Trumps son-in-law and daughter, and former Goldman Sachs president Gary Cohn, chief White House economic counselor. The trio are disparagingly referred to as the White House Democrats by some conservatives.

Trepidation within the presidents inner circle that Bannon, if forced out, might freely use his conservative media network against perceived enemies in and out of the White House was a factor in Trump keeping him for as long as he did, people familiar with the internal White House debates have said over the last two weeks.

As publisher, Bannon had promoted Breitbart as a platform of the alt-right, and made it a bane of Republican leaders.

Breitbart signaled the rough coverage that might be ahead, listing national security advisor McMaster, McMasters deputy, Dina Powell, and Cohn as Bannons enemies in the White House.

Subsequently, Joel Pollak, the websites political editor at large, wrote that Bannons dismissal could be the beginning of the end for Trump. Without Bannon to guarantee that Trump will stick to the plan as laid out in his campaign, the president could follow the path taken by former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican who turned left after his initial conservative period in office, Pollak warned.

Bannon is just the latest, if one of the most high-profile, of Trump insiders pushed out in an administration that has packed unprecedented amounts of turmoil into its first seven months.

A widely circulated photo of Trump and his top advisors in the Oval Office in January illustrates the turnover: Of six men in the picture, only Trump and Vice President Mike Pence remain. Gone are Priebus, former Press Secretary Sean Spicer, former national security advisor Mike Flynn and Bannon.

Bannons exit had an unlikely parallel in the recent departure of one of his White House nemeses, Anthony Scaramucci, who had been brought in to be communications director but was ousted before he officially took over. Bannon and Scaramucci both appeared to seal their fates when they criticized fellow staff members in provocative remarks to journalists.

Bannon gave several interviews this week after having kept a low media profile since the campaign. The most damaging was perhaps the first  to the liberal editor of the American Prospect magazine. In it, he disparaged the presidents North Korea policy, spoke of purging the Defense and State departments, called the white supremacists in Charlottesville clowns and urged an economic war with China.

Strikingly, he contradicted the presidents tough talk toward North Korea, saying, Theres no military solution here, they got us.

Like Scaramucci, Bannon  no naif to media  reportedly said he thought those remarks were off the record. Later he told another interviewer he had spoken intentionally and strategically to draw fire away from Trump.

Bannon saw himself as Trumps chief promise-keeper, displaying a white board in his office with a list of campaign vows, separated by topic: immigration, national defense, Obamacare, tax reform and infrastructure. Most remain unrealized  stalled, defeated or under court challenge.

In a recent interview just after his dismissal, with Peter Boyer for the conservative Weekly Standard, Bannon said: The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over.

He added, we still have a huge movement, and we will make something of this Trump presidency. But that presidency is over. Itll be something else.

At a conservative conference in February, Bannon talked about being in the first inning of shaping a new political order and beginning the deconstruction of the administrative state.

He framed the administrations chief enemy as the media  the opposition party  a term for the press, and an attitude, that Trump echoed.

Theyre corporatist, globalist media that are adamantly opposed to an economic nationalist agenda like Donald Trump has, Bannon said. If you think theyre going to give you your country back without a fight, he added, you are sadly mistaken.

jackie.calmes@latimes.com

Twitter: @jackiekcalmes

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @noahbierman

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4:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional detail and reaction.

The article was first published at 9:40 a.m.
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.
Keep your eyes on the skies: The Great American Eclipse is almost here.

On Monday, the moon will pass in front of the sun. The path of the total eclipse will start in Oregon and cross the United States. In places along the path of totality, youll see a total eclipse, where the moon completely blots out the sun and darkness falls in the middle of the day.

Great American Eclipse: Everything you need to know 

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If youre here in Los Angeles, youll only be able to see a partial eclipse. (Plug in your address here to find out what it will look like from where you are.)

Above Southern California, the moon will start to edge into the sun just after 9 a.m. Pacific time. The maximum eclipse will happen at 10:21 a.m. The partial eclipse will end at 11:45 a.m., and the sun  and daylight  will go back to normal.

E.C. Krupp, the director of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, told The Times that when the eclipse is at its peak, the sun will kind of look like a tilted smile in the sky at that time, kind of like a crescent moon. Though there wont be total darkness, you will be able to see glowing crescents on the ground near trees and other things that cast shadows.

NASA has created an interactive eclipse map where you can find out exactly what time the eclipse starts where you are by clicking your location.

Before you go stargazing, make sure your eyes are protected from the sun. (No, your sunglasses wont do the trick.) Heres our guide to watching the eclipse safely.

jessica.roy@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @jessica_roy and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.

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I want to thank the two good Samaritans who helped me in Ralphs parking lot on Victory Boulevard, Friday, Aug. 11. A woman backed into my car and was leaving the scene. A lady who witnessed the incident yelled for her to stop. I got out of my car and also yelled for her to stop, which she did.

When my witness told her she had hit my car, the woman started screaming liar, liar and verbally abusing my witness, causing a scene. My witness made two phone calls to the police department and waited with me in the hot sun until a motorcycle officer finally arrived. Another lady brought me a cold drink and offered a banana.

I didnt get these two nice ladies names, but I want to thank them so very much for their good deeds.

Chuck Vanole

Burbank

It is almost ironic that volunteers from Nestle USA assisted the Boys & Girls Club in stressing the importance of water conservation. Nestle, which is part of a giant Swiss conglomerate, virtually steals millions of gallons of water from California and several other states and sells it back to them in plastic bottles for billions of dollars in profit. This practice and its history have been well documented and publicized.

Nestle acquired Arrowhead in 1992, but the practice of getting free water from the state and selling it began more than a century ago. Nestle currently pays $524 annually for its permit to take more than 700 million gallons of water from California, much of it from the San Bernardino Mountains and depleting the Strawberry Creek ecosystem. The Arrowhead permit actually expired 30 years ago, but the Forest Service, which administers the permits, claims its pressing workload has prevented it from addressing the matter.

There have been many lawsuits related to this situation, and the old water-rights issues have yet to be fully sorted out. In the meantime, Nestle will continue to get millions of gallons of free water from California. The Boys & Girls Club needs to be more aware of who is teaching them about water conservation. The next time you purchase Arrowhead bottled water, remember that you are actually paying for water that already belongs to you and your neighbors.

Thomas Saito

Burbank
Chef Mark McDonald grew up in Huntington Beach, but the heart of his cooking  accessible tasting menus and bistro breakfasts are the backbone of his Costa Mesa restaurant, Old Vine Cafe  comes straight from southern Italy, a place he calls a home away from home.

McDonald opened Old Vine at The Camp 10 years ago after leaving years of work in Orange Countys service industry to attend the Italian Culinary Institute in Calabria, the mostly undeveloped state that covers the tip of Italys boot.

There, while working under certified Master Chef John Nocita, he explored the countrys regional culinary nuances while learning everything from cheese making and charcuterie prepping to the subtle art of wine pairing.

The most important thing I took away from my time in Italy is simplicity, McDonald says. I learned to focus on quality ingredients and let those ingredients shine, versus some of these contrived techniques I had learned along the way.

At Old Vine, McDonald has put these ideas into practice and then some, building a reputation for innovative morning grub (lengua omelette with your stacked berry French toast, anyone?) and, for dinner, one of the best and most underrated prix-fixe experiences in O.C.

Since 2010, McDonald also has become known as the only local chef with a following so loyal that he leads intimate annual culinary tours abroad. His destination of choice? Italy, of course.

Every spring, McDonald and a paying group of restaurant regulars fly out to his mentor Nocita and, over 10 days in the region, leisurely explore their favorite villages, farms, family-owned restaurants and culinary traditions of Calabria and eastern Sicily.

Last fall, Nocita and McDonald launched a Splendors of Northern Italy tour (it returns Oct. 21-30), which starts in Verona and hits up Bologna and Lake Garda, while visiting some sustainable wineries and rural food producers along the way.

Trips include cooking instruction, historic context and dinners prepared by the host chefs and their friends. The goal with both, McDonald says, is to expose people to the vast regional differences within Italy by giving everyone the chance to live like a local for a few days.

What I realized when I traveled and live there is theres so much tucked away and so much hidden in different areas that its absolutely amazing the layers of history and the different cuisines and different food cultures in each region, McDonald says. It was my goal before I opened my restaurant to one day bring groups of people here and share some of the experiences Ive had.

Even if you cant afford to take the full culinary tour with McDonald, dinner at Old Vine Cafe is an educational excursion around the world all its own, with seven tasting menus offered each night, each dish for which comes with nearly a full glass of wine (or bottle of beer) for less than $100.

Before each course is delivered, sommelier Kate Perry will pour your drink and  as casually as a friend would explain a movie they saw  tell you why the unusual grapes in your glass were carefully selected to complement the corresponding flavors in the food you are about to eat. (A dry white Gruner Veltliner from Austria with a citrusy seared octopus, perhaps.)

Her excitement about giving you a wine youve likely never had before is infectious and the more questions you ask her about them, the more she smiles as she answers. McDonald often emerges from the kitchen too, checking in on the meal and providing insight into dishes like his pristine soju-sauteed curry prawns or a pan-seared polenta thats more souffle than cornmeal.

Between the quirky staff and deep list of obscure (but affordable) wines, its hard not to leave Old Vine Cafe hurting from too much laughter and full of food, knowledge and lots of vino. McDonalds culinary tours seem to promise more of the same.

I liked some of the classic elements to fine dining but the one thing I didnt like about it was that it was pretentious. So I knew I wanted my restaurant to practice elements of fine dining but make it more comfortable and relaxed, McDonald says. I really like the idea of a European cafe  a place in France or Italy that might serve breakfast or you can have a glass of wine on the patio with a light lunch, but at nighttime you can go back to the same place and theyve dimmed the lights and have a bistro concept. That was the inspiration for what we wanted to be.

Old Vine Cafe is located at 2937 Bristol St. A102, Costa Mesa, (714) 545-1411; www.oldvinecafe.com. The next Splendors of North Italy tour is Oct. 21-30, and the next Splendors of South Italy tour is March 23-April 1. For more information, visit www.oldvinecafe.com.

SARAH BENNETT is a freelance journalist covering food, drink, music, culture and more. She is the former food editor at L.A. Weekly and a founding editor of Beer Paper L.A. Follow her on Twitter @thesarahbennett.
When Newport Beach native Sophia Leveque first saw the name Gwendolyn Ann Smith, she was intrigued.

Leveque, 23, was taking part in a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon held at her alma mater, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. The event  typically held at universities, museums and cultural institutions  encourages participants to write a Wikipedia page about a person, place or topic that has not been widely covered.

As Leveque scanned through a list of possible topics provided for the Edit-a-thon, she decided on Smith, a transgender woman who began Transgender Day of Remembrance in honor of those who have been killed because of anti-transgender prejudice.

There wasnt a lot [of information] about her, but I was inspired by what I did find, said Leveque, a Newport Harbor High School alumna. This woman deserved a well-written Wikipedia page.

After choosing to write a page about Smith, Leveques curiosity eventually led her to write Trans/Active: A Biography of Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a book now available on Amazon.

This past spring, Leveque amassed multiple interviews with Smith to compose her biography.

I found that she wrote a column in San Francisco and I emailed the editorial board to see if I could reach her, said Leveque, who eventually got Smiths email address.

After sending Smith a message inquiring about interviews for a potential book for future researchers, Leveque got a response 10 minutes later saying: Sure, Im game.

I figured Why not?  Smith said. I think [Leveque] did a good job with it. I was very impressed.

The bulk of the book, told in narrative form and sometimes from Leveques first-person perspective, consists of five chapters.

It chronicles pieces of Smiths childhood such as the day her stash of womens clothing in her room as a teenager disappeared after her parents discovered it. According to Smiths biography, after the clothes vanished Smiths father told her, We dont want to know.

Trans/Active also highlights Smiths work as an activist for the transgender community.

She said she founded Transgender Day of Remembrance in November 1999 in part because of the killings of two African American transgender women in Massachusetts, Chanelle Pickett on November 1995 and Rita Hester on November 1998.

The annual observance is held Nov. 20.

I was talking to friends in Boston and I was taken aback by the fact that they never heard of the Chanelle Pickett case  that our history was being forgotten, Smith said.

The Day of Remembrance is now acknowledged nationally and internationally with acts such as marches, candlelight vigils and dignitaries speeches, Smith said.

Smith is quoted in the book: Its my feelings that make me a woman. Its my history that makes me transgendered. I opt to celebrate both.

The end of the book also features a list of available names and information about anti-transgender murders that took place between 1970 and 2017. The list compiled in memory of the victims includes more than 800 names.

I hope that something like this helps to just inform people about the legitimacy of being trans, Leveque said. We cant truly understand someone elses experience, but we can be good allies and listen and try to make the world a better place.

For each copy of Trans/Active sold, proceeds will go to the National Center for Transgender Equality based in Washington, D.C., Trans Lifeline, Trans Law Help and the TransActive Gender Center based in Portland. Ore.

One of the things Ive often said over the years is that when we [trans people] are discussing our rights, one of those rights for us is to simply exist, Smith said. When you look at the fight over bathrooms or serving in the military  what youre seeing is an attempt at removing our rights from the public sphere. Those who fail to remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Alexandra.Chan@latimes.com

Twitter: @AlexandraChan10
An Orange County Superior Court jury will begin deliberating Monday in the trial of a 79-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a urologist in the doctors Newport Beach office in 2013.

The jury is being asked to consider whether Stanwood Elkus, a retired barber from Lake Elsinore, committed murder by plotting and consciously carrying out the killing of Dr. Ronald Gilbert of Huntington Beach, or if he was acting as a result of brain damage and under the influence of medication that made him aggressive.

Elkus is facing a special-circumstances murder charge with a possible sentencing enhancement involving use of a firearm. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, according to court records.

Prosecutor Matt Murphy told jurors during closing statements Thursday that Elkus was enraged and fixated on an unsuccessful prostate surgery performed 21 years earlier when he drove to Gilberts office and shot him. Elkus blamed the operation for incontinence, erectile dysfunction, diminished sex drive and the loss of a steady girlfriend.

He figures he has nothing left to lose, Murphy said. He puts his affairs in order and he goes to settle that score.

However, Elkus defense attorney Colleen OHara said her client was not in a coherent state of mind the day of the shooting. Elkus, she said, has dementia and severe brain damage that affects his inhibitions and impulse control. She said Elkus did not intend to harm the doctor when he made an appointment with him, but that an anti-depressant he had begun taking weakened his inhibitions and led to the deadly shooting.

OHara cited a video of Elkus speaking with police immediately after the shooting in which he complains about his prostate.

He just killed a man and hes talking about his prostate, she told jurors. Theres something wrong with this man. Mr. Elkus is not playing with a full deck.

If the jury renders a guilty verdict, the trial would move to the sanity phase in which jurors would be asked to determine whether Elkus is legally insane.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
At a filled-to-capacity Laguna Hills community center recently, hundreds of Muslim women gathered for what has been billed as the countrys largest modest fashion event, a marketplace of long-sleeve floral print summer dresses, flowing full-length skirts, feather-accented scarves and other items that are both trendy and cover the whole body  a combination many Muslim women say can be difficult to find in mainstream stores.

The Perfect For Her convention, which boasted more than 500 attendees and 25 vendors on Aug. 13, featured a wide range of apparel, including maxi dresses, evening wear, swimsuits, scarves, Middle Eastern-style kaftans and abayas and a design your own hijab booth for customers to accent their head coverings with Swarovski crystals.

The idea behind the event, now in its fourth year, grew out of organizer Hassanah El-Yacoubis struggle to find trendy attire that also met her religious standards for modesty.

It was very difficult to find that one piece that was ready to go with a high neck, a to-the-floor hem and the long sleeve, she said of the fashion industry 10 years ago. So a lot of layering had to happen. A lot of just looking frumpy and feeling disenfranchised as a Muslim woman in terms of the mainstream markets.

So El-Yacoubi, 28, started a lifestyle blog and online boutique  also called PFH, Perfect For Her  that collected modest wear from a variety of existing brands. From there, she developed the PFH convention to bring together more apparel, and to give customers an in-person shopping experience.

Her first event in 2014 was held at her friends home in Irvine and had just four vendors.

People were buying four or five dresses and the line was out the door, she said. I said, Were on to something, and decided to host it annually.

Since then, the PFH convention has only grown in size, and this year El-Yacoubi will be co-hosting PFH events in five other cities across the country.

According to El-Yacoubi, a doctoral student at UC Riversides Department of Religious Studies, PFH has flourished alongside an expansion in the modest fashion industry at large  which she sees as primarily the result of Muslim women creating their own clothing brands to fill the gaps in the market.

Zain Abdullah, founder of the San Francisco-based scarf company Framed People and one of the vendors at the PFH convention, said that she also became interested in the fashion industry after seeing the limited clothing options available to Muslim women.

I was seeing a lack of fashionable headscarves for Muslim women  something innovative, something unique and cool, but also something high quality, she said.

So Abdullah developed a line of scarves made from fair-trade fabrics that feature creative textures and accents such as feathers, velvet, chains and metallic piping.

I used to go overseas and buy my scarves there, she said. Now we have Muslim women-owned brands in America.

But for El-Yacoubi, the PFH convention is about more than just clothing.

Theres always a sense of frivolity associated with fashion, she said.

And I want people to understand that these events arent just about fashion fashion is the medium through which were communicating a much larger and more powerful message, which is supporting female Muslim entrepreneurship.

A majority of the conventions vendors were Muslim women business owners from Orange County to Dubai. In addition to apparel, shops also sold jewelry, chocolates, home decor, photography services and skin care products.

These days its not the easiest to be a woman, not the easiest to be a Muslim or an entrepreneur, El-Yacoubi said. And against all the odds, these Muslim women are thriving and succeeding at putting themselves out there, taking the leap.

And its because of these Muslim women business owners, she said, that the broader fashion industry has taken notice, so that now mainstream brands such as DKNY, H&M, Dolce & Gabbana, American Eagle and Nike have designed clothing specifically targeted to Muslim women.

Its not that all of a sudden Muslim women have become fashionable, El-Yacoubi said. No, theyve always been fashionable.

But now its become this global force as a result of Muslim women coming together, taking matters into their own hands and starting companies that cater to the sartorial needs of Muslim women that global markets have taken note. I absolutely believe its because of the hard work of Muslim women on the ground.

CAITLIN YOSHIKO KANDIL is a contributor to Times Community News.
Mythical wildlife may not exist, but because of Todd Calgi Gallicanos book, they will be alive in the imaginations of children and adults.

Gallicano, an author who spent part of his childhood in Huntington Beach, will release Guardians of the Gryphons Claw, the first tale in the Sam London adventure series, on Aug. 29. The books publisher is Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Childrens Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

The book for young readers tells the tale of an ordinary boy, Sam London, who gets caught up in extraordinary circumstances when he finds out mythical wildlife exists. He goes on adventures throughout national parks.

My experience with national parks has been amazing, Gallicano said. I want kids to get excited to visit the places Sam does and hopefully it gets them interested in looking up cool mythical creatures from different cultures.

While this is Gallicanos first book, he is a screenplay writer whose script credits include Ash, which sold to Dreamworks SKG and The Holiday Letter, which is currently in development.

Writing the book was like writing a bunch of cliffhangers, all leading to the next chapter, he said. It took Gallicano about two years to go from the idea he had based on a dream to the full manuscript.

Todd has an uncanny insight into young people and writes funny, touching and original young characters, said Charles Shyer, Gallicanos friend and colleague who is directing The Holiday Letter. That unique skill is evident in both Guardians and in The Holiday Letter. 

In Shyers opinion, Gallicanos ability to write for young people is because he is a bit of a kid himself.

You can always find him at the front of the line waiting to see every new Marvel movie the day it hits the big screen, Shyer said.

State Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach) has known Gallicano since high school, where they were part of the schools TV production program in which they wrote, used cameras and were on-air personalities.

Creating this world is very much within his character, Harper said. Todds very imaginative and can communicate on a personal level very well. If someone has one of those, they may not be a very good writer but with both of those, it could be a start of a long and very bountiful career in writing.

Im just really happy for him and I think this is something thats the beginning of something great for him, Harper said.

Gallicano, who now lives in North Carolina with his family, said he was very much like the books character, Sam, when he was younger because like Sam, he didnt know his passions.

I moved to Huntington Beach from New York when I was 12 or 13 and it was very much a culture shock. I was a New York kid surrounded by all these surfers, Gallicano said.

But not knowing his interests didnt last long. He attended Dwyer Middle School and found he liked doing video production, and he continued the courses with Harper at Huntington Beach High School, where he was voted Most Talented.

The second book in the Sam London series is slated for June 2018. For more information, visit mythicalwildlife.com.

JENNIFER LANE is a contributor to Times Community News.
Facing increasing backlash from Glendales Armenian community, the Americana at Brand will now allow an advertisement for a documentary about the Armenian Genocide to be displayed after initially rejecting it.

The decision came Thursday morning just hours before the Glendale chapter of the Armenian National Committee of America was set to announce a boycott of all Caruso-owned properties, including the Americana.

Rather than calling a boycott, the committee instead announced the companys change in course.

During a press conference at the Americana, committee chair Artin Manoukian announced that the mall will display the ad for Architects of Denial free of charge.

The documentary examines the Armenian Genocide through interviews with many of its survivors.

We appreciate these initial positive steps the Americana and Caruso Affiliated are taking, Manoukian said. Caruso must seek a relationship with the community that demonstrates, in concrete terms, its understanding and care for the surrounding community and our city.

Additionally, the mall will also hold a free public screening of the movie.

Press conference begins now as @ANCAGlendale statement is read pic.twitter.com/FAKkmUzS1r  Andy Nguyen (@Andy_Truc) August 17, 2017

Actor Dean Cain, who produced the movie, along with talk show host Montel Williams, said during the press conference that genocide is not a political issue.

Its a historical fact. The idea behind this film is to educate the people as to what happened, he said. As is said in the film, genocide denied is genocide continued.

Jackie Levy, executive vice president of operations for Caruso, said in a letter sent to the committee that the companys position on human rights has been misunderstood and apologized for the ads rejection.

Although he said the ad is in violation of the citys zoning rules, Caruso will work with the films producers and city officials in an effort to display the advertisement.

We have the utmost respect for and appreciate the deep values of the Armenian community in this great city, Levy said.

The uproar began earlier this month after Caruso rejected an ad for the movie because it was too political, according to the committee.

The company also said it was trying to keep its properties neutral and impartial and had received comments from the Turkish consulate in addition to the Armenian community about the advertisement.

This led residents across Glendale, which is home to more than 65,000 Armenian Americans, to speak out. Many took to City Council meetings and urged officials to take action against Caruso and the mall.

Multiple residents called the companys decision tantamount to genocide denial.

One woman, a former Glendale Unified School District teacher, said during the councils Tuesday meeting that the rejection was insulting to the large Armenian-American population in Glendale, which the Americana benefits from every single day.

State Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) even called on Caruso to reconsider.

After Thursdays press conference, Councilman Ara Najarian said he was looking forward to working with Caruso and was relieved that a boycott was avoided.

However, he said the advertisement should have been approved two weeks ago.

Since its initial rejection, Najarian said the issue had taken on a greater life than just the four corners of the poster.

It highlights the seriousness that the Armenian community places on genocide recognition and genocide acceptance, he said.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
As police hunted Friday for the driver who plowed into pedestrians on a popular promenade in Barcelona, evidence emerged of a wider plot that could have inflicted even more carnage.

Authorities in the Spanish region of Catalonia had four people in custody and were searching for three others in connection with Thursdays vehicular assault and a similar attack hours later in the resort town of Cambrils, about 80 miles southwest of Barcelona. At least 14 people were killed in all and more than 100 injured.

Investigators were trying to determine whether any of the suspects being sought were among the five assailants fatally shot by police in Cambrils or two people killed in an explosion Wednesday night in Alcanar, a town about 20 miles farther down the coast.

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Police believe the plotters, who were all ofMoroccan descent, may have been using the house where the blast took place to build bombs. Had they succeeded, the bloodshed Thursday could have been far more devastating, Catalonias police chief, Josep Lluis Trapero, told reporters Friday.

The extremist group Islamic State claimed that its soldiers carried out the Barcelona attack, which killed 13 people  the deadliest terrorist strike in Spain in more than a decade.

The growing list of suspects and multiple targets recalled the kind of coordination and planning seen in Paris in 2015, when Islamic State-trained attackers armed with bombs and guns struck at a sports stadium, concert hall and other nightspots.

Since then, the group has been losing ground in its self-declared caliphate in Syria and Iraq and has encouraged supporters to plan attacks on their own. More recent assaults in Berlin, London, Stockholm and Nice, France, were carried out by individuals using more rudimentary weapons such as vehicles and knives.

As investigators raced to crack the terrorism network in Spain, two people were killed and six injured by a knife-wielding assailant in Turku, Finland, police said. The suspect was shot in the leg and arrested, according to the Southwestern Finland Police Service.

There were also reports of a person killed and another injured in a stabbing at a store in Wuppertal, Germany. As many as three suspects were being sought in connection with that attack.

The motives for the latest violence were not immediately clear.

Victims of the Barcelona attack included people from at least 34 nations, including the United States and countries across Europe, for whom Spain is a popular vacation destination.

Officials in Europe were beginning to identify those killed, including Jered Tucker, a 43-year-old from Lafayette, Calif., who was in Barcelona on his honeymoon; Elke Vanbockrijck, 44, of Belguim; Bruno Gulotta of Italy; and Francisco Lopez Rodriguez, 60, from the Spanish province of Granada.

An Australian man, Tony Cadman, posted on Facebook that his 7-year-old grandson, Julian, was missing and the childs mother was in serious but stable condition in a hospital.

The bloodshed began Thursday evening when a white van sped down a pedestrian walkway in the middle of Las Ramblas, a popular Barcelona thoroughfare, leaving scores of bloodied people sprawled on the pavement. The driver fled on foot, prompting a manhunt throughout northeastern Spain.

At around 1 a.m. Friday, an Audi sedan carrying five men ran into a group of people near the boardwalk in Cambrils. The men exited the overturned vehicle armed with knives, axes and what looked like explosives belts, which turned out to be fakes, police said.

Six people were injured, including a police officer, before police shot the attackers. One of the victims, a woman, later died of her injuries.

1 / 22 People gather around roses laid on the ground on Las Ramblas after one minutes silence for the victims of Thursdays terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain. (Carl Court / Getty Images) 2 / 22 A girl holds up a banner as people gather in Placa de Catalunya to observe one minutes silence for the victims of Thursdays terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain. (Carl Court / Getty Images) 3 / 22 Catalonian regional policemen patrol Las Ramblas avenue a day after a deadly van attack in Barcelona, Spain. (Quique Garcia / EPA) 4 / 22 Several members of security forces look at a car used by attackers in the coastal city of Cambrils, Spain. Five alleged terrorists, who apparently wore bomb belts, were shot dead by security forces as they ran away. (Jaume Sellart / EPA) 5 / 22 A police officer patrols on the spot where five terrorists were shot by police in Cambrils, Spain. (Alex Caparros / Getty Images) 6 / 22 A police officer patrols on the spot where five terrorists were shot by police in Cambrils, Spain. (Alex Caparros / Getty Images) 7 / 22 Forensics officers examine a damaged van believed to be the one used in the attack in the Las Ramblas area in Barcelona, Spain. (David Ramos / Getty Images) 8 / 22 The van that plowed into pedestrians is towed away from the Rambla in Barcelona. (Javier Soriano / AFP / Getty Images) 9 / 22 Medics and police tend to the injured after the van attack in Barcelona. (Nicolas Carvalho Ochoa / Getty Images) 10 / 22 People run down a street in Barcelona, Spain, after the van attack. (Manu Fernandez / AP) 11 / 22 Spanish police accompany people leaving the cordoned-off area after the van attack. (Josep Lago / AFP/Getty Images) 12 / 22 An injured person is carried from the scene after the van attack. (Oriol Duran / Associated Press) 13 / 22 Injured people are treated after the van attack in Barcelona. (Oriol Duran / Associated Press) 14 / 22 Injured people are helped away from the scene after the van attack. (David Armengou / EPA) 15 / 22 Emergency workers move an injured person from the scene in Barcelona. (Quique Garcia / EPA) 16 / 22 Police accompany a woman near a cordoned-off area in Barcelona after the van attack. (Pau Barrena / AFP/Getty Images) 17 / 22 Children are led away from the scene after the van attack in Barcelona. (Manu Fernandez / Associated Press) 18 / 22 Police tell people to move away after the van attack. (Manu Fernandez / Associated Press) 19 / 22 Police officers tell people to move away after the van attack. (Manu Fernandez / Associated Press) 20 / 22 Medical crews treat the injured after the attack. (Josep Lago / AFP/Getty Images) 21 / 22 Police tell people to move away after the van attack. (Manu Fernandez / Associated Press) 22 / 22 Medical crews and police stand in a cordoned-off area after the van attack. (Josep Lago / AFP/Getty Images)

Investigators believe the two attacks were carried out by a large cell and had been in the works for a long time, Trapero said.

Authorities identified three of the five dead assailants: Moussa Oukabir, 17, Mohamed Hychami, 24, and Said Aallaa, 18.

Oukabir is the younger brother of a man whose identity documents were found in the van used in the Barcelona attack. The man, who was arrested Thursday, denies any involvement and has said his brother may have stolen the documents.

Anti-terrorism police were going door to door in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll, where the brothers were born, residents said.

Oukabir was initially suspected to have carried out the attack in Barcelona, but Catalonias Interior minister, Joaquim Forn, said that no longer appeared to have been the case.

Two years ago, someone using that name said in an online forum that if he were king, he would kill all infidels and only leave Muslims who follow the religion.

Police were still trying to determine the whereabouts of Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, and two other suspects.

On Friday, the Las Ramblas walkway quietly reopened to the public, with residents and tourists allowed past police lines to slowly trickle back to their homes and hotels. The city center remained under heavy surveillance.

More than 100,000 people, including King Felipe VI and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, gathered at midday Friday near the promenade for a moment of silence. Afterward, the crowd erupted in applause and chants of I am not afraid.

The attacks shattered the sense among some tourists that Spain, until now spared the recent spate of Islamist-inspired violence seen in Britain, France and other countries, was somehow safer than the rest of Europe.

On the first leg of their honeymoon, in London, Bianca Passos Fox and her husband, Dan Fox, were on high alert because of the June attack on London Bridge in which three assailants crashed a car into pedestrians before attacking them with knives. The couple let go of some of that anxiety when they landed in Spain for the second part of the trip.

All I was concerned about was pickpocketing, said Passos Fox, 31, a nutritionist who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The couple spent part of their day Thursday strolling Las Ramblas before ducking into a large indoor market to pick up a bottle of wine for dinner. Less than a minute later, they heard loud banging, and then saw crowds of screaming people rush through the market seeking a back exit. They followed the crowd, even though they didnt know what had happened.

The couple spent much of Friday holed up in their Airbnb. In the afternoon, they ventured out, and passed by the plaza where the van began its violent path. Gone was the former frivolity of tourists enjoying a late-summer holiday.

I felt this quiet, sullen, eerie energy, Passos Fox said.

A small group of far-right nationalist protesters gathered in the evening to demonstrate near the makeshift memorial erected at the site where the van came to rest after its deadly rampage. Spain is Christian and not Muslim! demonstrators chanted while waving flags and banners.

Police clad in riot helmets stood between them and a larger counter-protest, before dispersing the far-right protesters.

Messages of support for Barcelona poured in from across Europe and beyond after the attacks Thursday.. One World Trade Center in New York lighted up in the colors of the Spanish flag, and in Paris the Eiffel Tower went dark.

Special correspondent Cavazos reported from Barcelona and Times staff writers Linthicum and Zavis reported from Mexico City and Los Angeles, respectively. Staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report from Washington.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

alexandra.zavis@latimes.com

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UPDATES:

6:20 p.m.: This article was updated with more details about the investigation.

4:10 p.m.: This article was updated with details on the investigation, protests on Las Ramblas and a new witness account.

9:50 a.m.: This article was updated with the stabbing of eight people in Finland, two of whom died, and the shooting and arrest of the alleged assailant.

7:15 a.m.: This article was updated with news of a stabbing in Finland as well as additional details about the victims in Spain.

5:11 a.m.: This article was updated with the arrest of a fourth suspect.

3:40 a.m.: This article was updated with the death of a female victim of the attack in Cambrils.

This article was originally published at 1:25 a.m.
4 / 22

Several members of security forces look at a car used by attackers in the coastal city of Cambrils, Spain. Five alleged terrorists, who apparently wore bomb belts, were shot dead by security forces as they ran away.

(Jaume Sellart / EPA)
Ayman Hujairis stone quarry in the barren hills outside the town of Arsal on Lebanons northeast border closed its doors after fighting broke out between Syrian militant groups and the Lebanese army three years ago.

Then his stone-cutting factory, also shuttered, was looted of all its machines and equipment, down to the wiring.



For the record: An earlier version of this article reported that there were 1 million Syrian refugees in Arsal, Lebanon. There are 1 million Syrian refugees in the entire country of Lebanon.

But last month the Islamist group formerly known as Al Nusra Front was routed from the outskirts of Arsal. Hujairi and other residents are hoping life will return to normal for a town that has become emblematic of the destabilizing effects of the Syrian civil war next door.

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All the people living inside Arsal are just waiting for the factories to go back to work, Hujairi said Friday, sipping strong Arabic coffee on the veranda of his home  its walls constructed from the rose and brown-patterned stone he used to mine and cut, known in Arabic as tigers skin.

The Syrian civil war was evident in Arsal from its beginning in 2011, as refugees began streaming across the nearby border and turning empty lots into makeshift encampments. Today, refugees outnumber Lebanese residents 2 to 1, with an estimated 80,000 refugees to 40,000 Lebanese citizens, the towns mayor said.

In 2014, after extremist groups Islamic State and Al Nusra Front launched attacks on the Lebanese Army in the area, Arsal became representative of fears that the bloodshed next door would spill into Lebanon  and the town became a de facto prison to both the refugees and Lebanese residents.

The Lebanese Army cordoned off Arsal, making travel to and from the town cumbersome at best and impossible at worst. Aid groups were largely unable to reach the refugee camps.

The quarries, stone factories and orchards that had driven Arsals economy largely shut their doors.

The towns isolation even extended to daily communications  the Army cut off access to mobile data networks in the area, in a bid to keep militant groups from accessing the Internet.

Now the town has become evidence of turning political tides in Syria and in Lebanon. Last month, the Lebanese militia Hezbollah  an Iran-backed group that supports the Syrian government  launched a military offensive that routed Nusra from Arsal.

The Lebanese army has since launched an operation against pockets of Islamic State fighters nearby. As of Friday, the only evidence in Arsal of that battle was an occasional boom in the distance.

But there was a more obvious sign of the towns changing fortune: For the first time in three years, 3G networks had been restored.

Arsals mayor, Basil Hujairi, said soon the factories and quarries will also be able to reopen.

The fate of the towns refugees is still an open question. The recent Hezbollah offensive ended in an agreement between Hezbollah and the rebel coalition Hayat Tahrir Sham that sent as many as 9,000 Syrian militants and civilian refugees back to so-called safe zones in Syria, while several thousand more civilian refugees fled from the areas controlled by the militants into the town of Arsal.

Another 3,000 Syrian fighters and refugees left this month under a separate deal worked out between Hezbollah and the moderate rebel group Saraya Ahl Sham, which was also operating in the area, raising fears in some quarters that the deals could herald a forced return of refugees from Lebanon to Syria.

Hezbollah supports Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Saraya Ahl Sham wants him removed from power.

Mayor Hujairi said negotiations are underway for another deal that would return about 1,000 refugees living in and around Arsal to Syria. He said the system would be voluntary.

The only thing the municipality of Arsal wants is for the fighters to go out from Arsal, but as for the refugees, the municipality welcomes them, Hujairi said. No one is forcing them to leave.

Like the refugees coming from Syria, the Lebanese population of Arsal is primarily Sunni Muslim, and the towns government supports Lebanese political factions that oppose the Syrian regime  as do most of the refugees. Because of that, there has been less tension in Arsal than in some other areas of Lebanon. The country hosts more than 1 million Syrian refugees, while its own population was about 4 million before the Syrian war.

The mayor and factory owner said there had been no major tensions between the Syrians and Lebanese in the town. Fears that Islamic State sleeper cells might emerge in Arsal have not materialized.

On Friday, many of the tents in the informal refugee encampments scattered throughout the town were flying the Lebanese flag as a signal that their loyalties lie with their host country, not with the militant Islamist groups.

At the same time, Lebanese have complained about the influx of Syrians taking away already scarce jobs and business opportunities. The mayor noted that Syrian-operated stores sell goods for cheaper and undercut the Lebanese.

The owner of one of those stores, who asked to be identified only as Abu Aadel because of concerns about his safety, said even with the business, he can barely make ends meet.

Although he and his brother run a womens clothing store in the center of downtown Arsal, Abu Aadel still lives in a tent provided by the United Nations refugee agency, for which he pays about $50 a month in rent to the landowner. He said he cant afford the $250 monthly rent for an apartment on top of the $200 a month he pays for the storefront.

Like many refugees in Arsal, Abu Aadel said he is not yet prepared to consider going back to his home town, Qusayr, which he fled in 2013.

I will think about going back when the Syrian Army gets out of Qusayr, he said.

The Lebanese residents also remain cautious in their hopes that better days are coming for Arsal.

There is security now, but thing are not normal yet, said the factory owner, Hujairi. When I start work again, I will feel that the situation is normal.

Sewell is a special correspondent.
TRENTON -- A corrections officer was indicted Thursday on charges he sexually abused two inmates at New Jersey's only women's prison, a facility that has grappled with sexual misconduct among its staff in recent months.

Joel Mercado, 36, faces two counts of official misconduct and two counts of sexual assault, according to Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony Kearns.

Authorities say Mercado, of Lyndhurst, "engaged in a sexual relationship with two different inmates" at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Union Township.

Joel Mercado (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Under state law, any sexual contact between prison staff and inmates is considered sexual assault.

An attorney for Mercado, Anthony Iacullo, told NJ Advance Media the officer would plead not guilty.

"Joel maintains his innocence and looks forward to defending against those allegations in a court of law," Iacullo said.

Public payroll records show the 10-year veteran worked as a senior corrections officer at the women's prison, where he received a $72,933 salary.

An NJ Advance Media special report earlier this year found a troubling history of sexual abuse at the facility, including one officer who was fired for sexually abusing multiple women but never criminally charged.

Following the indictment of four other corrections officers on similar charges in January, authorities in Hunterdon County pledged to work with corrections staff to review allegations of sexual abuse at the prison.

Five of the six employees across the department that were fired last year over abuse claims worked at Edna Mahan, according to state data.

State Department of Corrections Commissioner Gary Lanigan told state lawmakers earlier this year the department was revamping sexual assault training for its staff to stem allegations of abuse.

Kearns said in a statement Thursday the charges against Mercado resulted from a joint investigation between prosecutors and internal investigators at the prison.

"All inmates have a right to be safe within the institutions where we as a society demand they be detained," Kearns said. "It is our responsibility to ensure that public servants, who betray their oath, and the public trust, are held accountable and prosecuted to fullest extent of the law."

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Another four homes in a former ghost estate in Graiguecullen are being handed over for people on Laois County Councils housing waiting list.

It brings to 19 the number of houses in Fruithill Manor given to Laois people or families waiting for a home, with Carlow given 40 homes for their waiting tenants.

The news was welcomed at the July 31 monthly council meeting, but one or two issues related to existing tenants in the large estate concerned councillors.

Cllr Ben Brennan speaking about Fruithill said It is fabulous, but it will be in ruins in a few years.

He also asked that nearby Laois people get priority for Fruithill houses, rather than people from 30 or 40 km away.

Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Padraig Fleming acknowledged there were certain difficulties.

The housing co-operative is trying to deal with them. It is great to see four more houses allocated to Laois tenants. The opening was a lovely occasion, there was a lot of positivity, he said.

Laois Director of Services over Housing Gerry Murphy, said that each council nominates and interviews tenants to pick the most suitable for houses in Fruithill Manor.

I am aware there are one or two issues, but both ourselves, Carlow County Council and the voluntary housing body are trying to address them. Hopefully it will be sorted out in the month of August, he said.

Fruithill Manor on the Laois side of the Carlow border was one of the largest ghost estate in Ireland, with 39 out of 800 homes built, and the gates then padlocked for six years.

Co-operative Housing Ireland has now finished 74 homes, with 15 rented out to private tenants and the rest allocated between Carlow and Laois County Councils.

Last June Maria Butler from CHI stated that there were ongoing legal issues.

"There is ongoing legal proceedings but the place is well run. Everybody in there is happy there. Any issues we have are dealt with in private. If there are issues they are minor. Nobody is in danger of imminent eviction that doesnt already know about it, she told the Leinster Express.

In response to a requested update on legal issues last week, CHI stated the following.

Co-operative Housing Ireland never comments on individual tenancies and is unable to provide further information on any cases currently in progress.

Fruithill Manor is a development of 74 homes in private rental and co-operative social rental occupation.

All of the homes are currently occupied and we have a significant waiting list of families who would like to access private rental accommodation when it becomes available.

The cooperative has a very active management committee for member-tenants that leads on community development activities and oversees the management of the estate, the company said.
A man who is suspected of involvement in a robbery in Ballybrittas, Co Laois and a number of other shops in three days has been remanded in custody after Gardai objected to bail at Naas District Court earlier today.

The public were cleared from the court when a man aged 25, who is from south county Dublin, appeared before Judge Miriam Walsh. The court heard from Gardai that the accused has a major drug debt, and believes he can only meet that debt through robbery.

Gardai objected to bail based on their fear that he will commit further offences, because he believes he has no alternative. They allege that he committed five similar-type robberies over the course of four days earlier this week in an attempt to raise money for the drug debt.

He told us: Ill do time to protect my family, Sgt Dara Diffily told Judge Miriam Walsh.

Sgt Diffily outlined to the court details of allegations against the defendant. He is suspected to be one of two men involved in robberies last Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, August 12, 14 and 15.

It is alleged that on August 12 he entered a shop in Newcastle village and after threatening staff, got away with 250.

Gardai allege that on August 15, at Centra in Johnstown he entered the shop, threatened staff with a lump hammer, and got away with 757.

On Tuesday, August 15, they allege that he entered a shop in Rochfortbridge, Co. Westmeath at 4.25pm, jumped the counter, threatened staff with a lump hammer and got away with 500 and six packets of cigarettes.

Later the same day, it is alleged that he entered Murphys Food Store in Ballybrittas, Laois and took 300 in cash.

At 9.11pm the same evening, it is alleged that he entered Jordans Centra in Caragh and, once again brandishing a lump hammer, he ran in from the back and got away with 1,847.

At various points, Sgt Diffily alleged, he, and an accomplice were caught on CCTV brandishing the lump hammer with a red and white handle, using the same car, a Honda Accord with the registration 05 WD 2888, and wearing the same clothing.

It is also alleged that they wore balaclavas during some of incidents and in some their faces were visible.

It is alleged that Gardai found an electronic tablet device with a text message discussion about robbing a shop on it.

Sgt Diffily expressed the view that the fact that the defendant allegedly used the same car, clothes and lump hammer in a sudden spate of robberies suggests a total lack of clarity of thought.

He is not acting a rational manner, the Sargent suggested to the court.

He described the events as a sudden escalation in criminal activity. He said that in interviews, the defendant had told Gardai that the drug debt was 2,000, although Gardai suspected it could be far more.

For this reason, he believed the defendant was likely, as a result of the drug debt, to continue to commit alleged robberies to meet that debt. He added that the mans mother had been approached at her home by people looking for money.

Representing the defendant, Cairbre Finan suggested that if the issue with threats to the mans family could be dealt with, would the Gardai be happy to see the man get bail?

But Sgt Diffily doubted that this could be achieved, remarking I dont think that drug dealers are honourable people.

He told the court that the defendant has a serious cocaine habit, going through at least 600 worth a week. We believe hes buying it on tick, not paying for it, and it built up.

The man is a 25 year old mechanic. He has been in full time employment since his mid teens and has recently gone out on his own.

Judge Walsh refused bail. She directed that the defendant get the benefit addiction services while in custody. She also indicated that he not be named.

A second man, a male aged 22, also from Dublin was brought to a seperate court last week.
#World University Games Chuncheong named host of 2027 World University Games The South Korean central region of Chungcheong was named the host of the 2027 Summer World University Games on Saturday, bringing the biennial event to the country for the fourth t...

#first lady First lady visits home of Cambodian child with heart disease First lady Kim Keon-hee visited the home of a Cambodian child with a heart disease Saturday and comforted the family, urging them not to give up under any circumstances, the presid...
Kildare families are facing rising back to school costs according to the annual Barnardos School Costs Survey, which has estimated that the cost of sending a child into secondary school is 800.

While the cost of sending a child into senior infants was put at 355, rising to 395 for fourth class.

The survey goes on to state that almost half the States parents with school-going children will be unable to afford other bills or essentials once education costs have been covered.

The Minister for Education sent out a circular in April calling on schools to take a more proactive approach in reducing the burden of costs on parents.

Kildare South TD Fiona OLoughlin said that despite this move, parents still have to fork out huge sums of money to equip their children for the new school year.

The bottom line is that the government does not adequately fund schools to allow them to function properly. Parents are being expected to make up the shortfall, regardless of whether they can afford a voluntary contribution or not. Families are under severe pressure to meet the extra costs, including families where parents are working.

She added that Barnardos estimates that just 20 million is all that is required to make textbooks completely free for all primary school students and that 103 million would make education completely free for all children.
The 2016 Ascot Gold Cup winner Order Of St George will seek a third successive win in the Group 3 Comer Group Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh tomorrow, one of the highlights of Longines Irish Champion Trials Weekend taking place at the County Kildare venue.

Aidan OBriens two-time Group 1 winner will face a field of five rivals which includes last years Irish St Leger winner Wicklow Brave, who is one of three horses declared by Willie Mullins, with Aussie Reigns and recent Galway winner Renneti also declared to run.

Joseph OBrien saddles the leading St Leger hope, Rekindling, who got the better of Wicklow Brave in the Group 2 Curragh Cup last month. The strong line-up is completed by the Jim Bolger-trained Twilight Payment.

Sundays action features the exciting clash between the Aidan OBrien duo of Happily and September in the Group 2 Breast Cancer Research Debutante Stakes.

OBrien has won the race a record 11-times and has a strong hand for three-in-a-row here with the recent Leopardstown winner Happily being pitched in against her Royal Ascot winning stable companion, September. OBrien has also included Cork maiden winner Magical, who is a full-sister to last years winner Rhododendron.

Godolphin are double handed in the Debutante Stakes with Jim Bolgers Dawn Delivers taking her chance alongside the Willie McCreery-trained Mary Tudor who was beaten just a head by Magical on debut earlier in the month.

Curragh winner Black Sails, the Galway maiden winner Shekiba and Brendan Dukes Feisty Katerina make up the line-up.

Also on Sundays card the Ger Lyons-trained Camelback, who was just half a length behind Keeneland Phoenix Stakes winner Sioux Nation when making his debut, will look to make it three wins on the trot in the Group 2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity Stakes.

Jim Bolgers Theobald has been runner-up twice in Group 3 company on his two outings and will warrant plenty of respect for a trainer with a good record in the race, while Aidan OBrien, who won this race with Churchill last year, has declared, Berkeley Square, Coat Of Arms and Rostropovich.

After winning the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh last month with Nezwaah, trainer Roger Varian will return in search of more big race honours at the Curragh on Sunday with Central Square heading the field for the Qatar Airways Royal Whip Stakes.

Central Square will meet Shamreen, Reckless Gold, Qatari Hunter and Massif Central in a race that carries free entry to the Irish Champion Stakes for the winner.
The second bike run in memory of the late Noirin Conlan is taking place on September 9 next.

Noirin passed away in October 2015 from breast cancer.

SEE ALSO: Bike run for cancer charity in memory of Newbridge woman Noirin

Her husband, Brian, organised the inaugural Noirins Run on October 9 last year, with the help of East Ireland Bikers, which was a huge success.

SEE ALSO: VIDEO: Bikers turn out at Toughers for 'Noirin's Run'

150 turned up to do the 100-mile round trip motorcycle run which travelled through Naas, Sallins, Clane, Kilcock, Kilbeggan, Tullamore, Portarlington, Monasterevin, Kildare town and Newbridge.

Bikers dressed up in pink vests and stuck pink mohicans on their helmets to raise awareness of breast cancer.

Over 4,000 was raised and all funds went to St Brigids Hospice on the Curragh, who cared for Noirin up until she sadly passed away.

Originally from Hillsboro, near Baroda Stud, Noirin worked in Burns Nowlan Solicitors in Newbridge.

She was diagnosed with breat cancer at 40, and died aged 43.

The pair were married 18 years, and have a teenage son named Adam.

They settled in Moorefield Park, and had many happy years there.

This year's run on September 9 will set off from Tougher's Business Park on the Naas-Newbridge road, at midday. Registration opens at 10am with the cost just 10 per bike.

All proceeds will again go to St. Brigid's Hopsice.

All are welcome.
SOME of Ireland's latest adventures in space are the subject of a talk at Maynooth University on September 7.

The talk, The Dangers of Landing on a Comet Twice, takes place at the IONTAS Lecture Theatre at 20:00.

Free Tickets can be booked athttps://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-dangers-of-landing-on-a-comettwice-tickets-36859853815?aff=eac2

The free public talk is being hosted by Maynooth University and The Astronomical Sciences Group of Ireland as part of the Irish National Astronomy Meeting 2017.

Emma Whelan, from the Department of Experimental Physics, Maynooth University, Maynooth, said that Laurence O'Rourke, a Maynooth graduate and native of Westmeath, and a engineer and scientist working for the European Space Agency, will talk about his work on the Rosetta mission.

His talk will describe the engineering challenges and the dangers of the Rosetta mission with a focus on the two landings that were performed on the comet  the first being the Philae lander in November 2014 and the second the Rosetta spacecraft itself when it landed to end the mission on 30th September 30 last year.

More information can be found at www.astrophysics.ie or by emailing asgisec@gmail.com
The dramatic fall in the uptake of the HPV vaccine in the Sligo and Leitrim area requires urgent action for it to be addressed, the newly-formed HPV Vaccination Alliance has told the Leitrim Observer this week.

The Sligo/Leitrim region has seen a steep drop in the uptake of the HPV vaccine, which protects against the strains of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which cause seven in 10 cases of cervical cancer in women.

In the 2015/2016 school year 197 Sligo/Leitrim schoolgirls declined uptake of the vaccine. This meant just 70.9% of girls eligible to receive the vaccine in Sligo and Leitrim actually got it, down from 87.2% the previous year.

Provisional figures show that uptake fell even more sharply in 2016/2017, falling to as low as 50% nationally.

Responding to this, more than 30 organisations have come together to express their alarm at this decline.

In a statement issued to the Leitrim Observer the newly formed HPV Vaccination Alliance noted: This year alone, up to 420 people in Ireland will be diagnosed with a cancer caused by HPV infection. Almost 300 of these will be cervical cancer cases. A further 6,500 women will need hospital treatment to remove precancerous growths in their cervix caused by HPV.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cause of death due to cancer in women aged 25 to 39. In 2017, more than 90 Irish women will die from cervical cancer and those who survive will need intensive treatment, such as surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, to help them overcome this invasive disease. This treatment almost always results in infertility.

This new school term around 30,000 first-year secondary school girls will be offered the vaccine as part of a national vaccination programme which began in 2010. While national uptake of the vaccine reached a high of 87% in the 2014/2015 academic year, in just two years this has fallen to 50%, largely due to misinformation about the vaccine spreading on social media, said the Alliance.

Last years low uptake will result in a minimum of 40 deaths. Another 100 girls will need life-changing treatment and 1,000 more will need invasive therapy.

In coming together, the HPV Vaccination Alliance is unequivocal: the HPV vaccine is safe and saves lives. To highlight this, Alliance member organisations have signed a Contract Against Cancer.

Donal Buggy, Head of Services and Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society, added: When it comes to the HPV vaccine, the jury is in  the vaccine is safe and saves lives. The Irish Cancer Society has been vocal on this issue for quite some time.

Its only natural that parents are fearful when they hear claims about a vaccine. Its terrible that young girls get sick, but to link their illness to a life-saving vaccine when all the research shows no link is dangerous and threatens lives.

Mr Buggy said studies looking at 3-4 million women, vaccinated and unvaccinated, found no evidence whatsoever that HPV vaccination causes any immune or nervous system disorder.

The World Health Organisation and the European Medicines Agency have concluded that the injection is safe and has no link to any serious illnesses, he said.

All the evidence does show, however, that the vaccine prevents cervical cancer. Thats why the decision parents make now on the vaccine can have serious consequences for their daughters.

However, Annaduff teenager Rebecca Hollidge and her family blame the severe medical issues Rebecca has been suffering from on the HPV vaccination she received three years ago.

Rebecca suffers chronic pain, muscle weakness and short term memory loss as well as severe exhaustion that means, at times, she sleeps almost 20 hours each day and has to use a wheelchair to get around. In the end Rebecca had to go abroad for treatment in a bid to get help and some relief from her symptoms.
The second terrorist attack that occurred in Spain last night targetted a resort that is particularly popular with Irish holiday makers.

Cambrils was a scene of violence and bloodshed overnight as five men were shot dead by police after driving their car into a crowd of people, injuring a policeman and six members of the public.

Tourists from Leitrim and this region would know this area of Spain quite well. Regular flights operate from Ireland West Airport Knock to nearby Reus Airport where people holiday in resorts along the Costa Dorada including Cambrils, Salou and La Pineda, as well as using it as a base to visit nearby Barcelona.

Barcelona was a scene of devastation yesterday as the popular Las Ramblas area was targetted by jihadists who drove a van through the packed street, murdering 13 people and injuring many more.

With many Irish tourists in that area of Spain at this time of the year, the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) has responded to the terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils to say it is working with its members across Ireland to support holidaymakers in the region. Tour operators are working with local authorities to support any Irish travellers who may require assistance.

Cormac Meehan, President of the ITAA said, We are deeply saddened by the news of the terror attack in Barcelona yesterday. On behalf of the ITAA, I wish to convey our sincere condolences and solidarity with people of Barcelona and Spain. Spain and Ireland have been important tourist partners for many years. This year, almost 2 million Irish citizens will visit Spain making it Irelands most popular holiday destination.

He continued, Our advice to Irish holidaymakers in Barcelona or intending to travel to Barcelona is to exercise a high degree of caution and to follow all the advice of the local authorities. Passengers are likely to experience disruption and delays and are advised to stay in touch with their travel agent, carrier airline or tour operator.

Anyone with concerns for the safety of loved ones in Barcelona can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs Consular Assistance team on +353 1 4082000.

If anyone from Co. Leitrim was caught up in the attacks and would like to share their story or any photos or video they might have, please email same to editor@leitrimobserver.ie
One of the key elements in my campaign for election as Oxfordshire County Councillor was the cut in funding many of the Childrens Centres throughout Oxfordshire.

The closure of the Maple Tree Childrens Centre, Wheatley, in my patch inflamed the local community. Many parents and carers relied on the services and support provided at the Childrens Centre for health advice, parenting support, breast-feeding counselling, and meeting other local parents/carers.

This has been a big local issue. Our new Oxford West and Abingdon MP, Layla Moran, secured a debate in Westminster Hall on Childrens Centres. She moved that, That this House has considered the role of childrens centres in tackling social inequality. You can read the full debate here.

Of those childrens centres slated for closure, communities were given the opportunity to keep their centres open. Residents of Wheatley rallied and a group was set up. The hope is that they will re-open the Maple Tree Childrens Centre from September, albeit with more limited services.

My gripe is this: why cut funding for services which support the newest members of our society? Yes, savings needed to be made, but I would argue this is a false economy. Providing support for young parents, for single-parent families, for carers, for the children themselves, gives children a much better start in life.

These centres also build community. I remember when my three girls were young, and how my husband and I took it in turns to access local play groups, health visitor clinics, etc. The friendships made, and the peer-support offered, were invaluable.

Relying on volunteer groups to run these childrens centres is an ask too far. These centres should be government-funded services. They need to be offered and run for the benefit of local communities.

Families and children need support from day 1. Cutting these services is endangering children and isolating families. And, to reiterate Laylas point, does not help tackle social inequality.

* Kirsten Johnson was the PPC for Oxford East in the 2017 General Election. She is a pianist and composer at www.kirstenjohnsonpiano.com.
It was interesting to read the free daily Worldview newsletter put out by the Washington Post yesterday.

Talking about the unprecedented spectacle of an American President equivocating about how evil heavily armed, swastikas and KKK regalia-wearing racists and neo-Nazis are, the WP draws our attention to how these scary shenanigans embarrass the foreign allies and friends of the USA, especially those who (out of national interests, seldom out of personal sympathy) so far tried to get into Trumps good allies book. The WP takes Theresa May as its case in point in this aspect.

They remind us of the spectacle of May visiting Trumps White House in January, holding his hand and trumpeting that the Special Relationship was well and continuing.

The WP thinks this show of support was a contributing factor when May, a wooden campaigner anyway, held her snap election in June, losing her majority and seeing her ministers returned with lesser majorities. Trump surely didnt help, attacking London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

The WP only quotes May seeing no equivalence between those who propound fascist views and those who oppose them, saying she didnt mention Trump by name, and her then going on about Big Ben being silenced. WP concludes she is still too cautious to explicitly condemn Trump, contrasting her overall treatment of Trump with the more distance-keeping approach of Merkel and Macron. The WP mentions Tory criticism of Trump from for example minister Sajid Javid MP.

The WP also points to the remarkable milquetoast reaction of Israeli prime minister Netanyahu, with his son even trying to put the emphasis on the Antifa counter-demonstrators.

But (in my opinion) someone who will be especially embarrassed is the Dutch-born Republican Trump selected for his ambassador in the Netherlands: Pete Hoekstra. Hoekstra will know this hurts Dutch feelings towards the USA and especially Trump. Hoekstra, born in 1953 in the Netherlands (his family emigrated 1956 to the US) represented the US federal House district (in Michigan) with the most voters of Dutch descent in 1992-2010. His parents and family will have told him of the German occupation of the Netherlands, which was more intense and brutal than other (Wehrmacht-occupied) European countries, and his former constituents will have known about it too. Hoekstra and his evangelical constituents are Trump enthusiasts, but these Trump equivocations hurt a very raw Dutch nerve which can override that sympathy. And Hoekstra knows his reception in The Hague will be overshadowed by these shenanigans whatever Trump says or does next.

* Dr. Bernard Aris is a historian, a D66 parliamentary researcher and a LibDem supporting member.
Three by-elections took place for Aylesbury Vale District Council last night. We successfully defended two seats and missed out on another by only fifteen votes:

Well done Waheed Khan Raja (Liberal Democrat) has held Southcourt Ward on Aylesbury Town Council, with 478 votes (38.6%). @AylesburyLibDem pic.twitter.com/7s6rsl4PNb  ALDC (@ALDC) August 17, 2017

Sally-Anne Jarvis (Liberal Democrat) has held the Southcourt District Ward by-election, with 456 votes (36.8%). @AylesburyLibDem pic.twitter.com/HPpKFKyKaF  ALDC (@ALDC) August 17, 2017

Near miss for Lib Dem Jason Bingley in Aylesbury Riverside Ward: only 15 votes away from gaining the seat from the Tories   ALDC (@ALDC) August 17, 2017

And there was good news from Epping where Cherry McCredie gained a Town Council seat from the Conservatives by some margin:

Well done Cherry and the Epping team  Epping TC (Hemnall ward): Lib Dem (Cherry McCredie) 805; Con 481; t/o 25.8%. LD gain from Con. pic.twitter.com/frUOiHBUms  ALDC (@ALDC) August 17, 2017

Congratulations to all involved  and huge thanks to Ian Hardman for making sure voters had an option to vote Liberal Democrat in Peterborough.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
A JUDGE has expressed her disbelief that a 15-year-old boy in Limerick is being paid by the State not to smoke.

And, as an added bonus, the Child and Family Agency's pocket money scheme' also pays the boy to be in bed on time.

Details of the payments, which are being made at a number of residential centres in Limerick, emerged at a sitting of the Childrens Court after the presiding judge expressed her disbelief at the practice.

While reading a detailed report prepared for the court in relation to a teenage boy who is facing criminal charges, Judge Marian O'Leary expressed her surprise at some of the contents of the report.

While the judge did not go into detail in open court, she did seek to confirm the 15-year-old defendant was being paid small amounts of money not to smoke and to stay in bed at night.

She indicated that according to the report the teenager is being paid 1.50 per day not to smoke and 2 to stay in bed at night.

This was confirmed by a social worker who was present in court while solicitor John Herbert said it was a way of "incentivising" his client to behave.

Appearing surprised, Judge OLeary questioned the practice and suggested the teenager should do what he is told to rather than being paid to obey the rules.

If the figures mentioned in court are correct, the youth could be receiving up to 24.50 a week  5.50 more than what asylum seekers in direct provision centres receive.

Following queries from the Limerick Leader, Tusla confirmed that pocket money schemes are commonly used in Limerick and across the country.

In general, childrens residential services operate a pocket money system as you might find in many family homes. This can be linked to completion of normal household chores and, in some cases, can be related to a behavioural goal, said a spokesperson for Tusla.

The spokesperson added: For some young people, incentives work very well and help them achieve their goals.

It is understood the centre relating to the specific defendant is located in the city and is privately operated and is not run directly by Tusla. The agency has defended the practice of paying young children not to smoke - despite the fact that it is illegal from them to do so.

Tusla is implementing a number of measures to create an environment that promotes smoking cessation and is committed to supporting young people to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Young people who smoke are encouraged not to do so by staff, said the spokesperson. Tusla says a Tobacco Free Campus Policy was implemented in all statutory centres nationally at the end of 2016 and that it hopes to roll-out a similar policy in all centres during 2018.
THE LIMERICK U21 hurlers bid to extend the sporting summer into September this Saturday evening.

Laden with rising stars, Limerick bid to reach just a sixth ever All-Ireland U21 hurling final when they play high-flying Galway in Thurles.

The Tribesmen have already secured places in the senior and minor finals but Limerick are the hottest of 1/6 favourites to end their dream of a hat-trick.

Limericks quest for an All-Ireland U21 final spot on September 9 is powered by a remarkable 14 survivors from the panel which won the title just two years ago.

Managed by Pat Donnelly - an All-Ireland U21 winner in 1987- a Limerick win would most likely set up a first final at this level against Kilkenny.

Saturdays semi-final has a 6pm start and is live on TG4.

The Limerick U21 hurling manager insists his side are ready to build on their Munster final win over Cork.

All has been excellent - there are no injuries. We have been lucky and can have no complaints. We have trained very hard in the last week, explained Pat Donnelly.

They (Galway) have good players and if they click and get a run on us they will cause problems. But its the same for us, we have good players and will look to get a run on them.

Limerick are captained by Ahanes Tom Morrissey, who is one of seven players who played senior championship hurling this summer.

There is a lot of experience there - a lot from last year and from the year before - there are no excuses in that regard, said Donnelly of his Limerick team that have already beaten Cork, Clare and Tipperary.
NEW figures show that University Hospital Limerick handled the highest number of ambulance call-outs in the country during May.

The figures which are contained in a reply to a Parliamentary Question submitted by Fianna Fail TD Billy Kelleher, show that 1,485 ambulances attended the hospitals emergency department during the month having been dispatched on emergency or urgent calls.

St Vincents Hospital in Dublin catered for 1,351 ambulances while Cork University Hospital had 1,279.

Excluding childrens and maternity hospitals, Bantry General Hospital in West Cork dealt with the fewest ambulances calls (111) during May.

According to the figures, the average turnover time for ambulances arriving at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) during May was 35 minutes 25 seconds placing it in the bottom ten of hospitals nationwide.

According to the National Ambulance Service (NAS), more than 92.1% of the ambulances which attended UHL in May left the hospital and returned to service within an hour.

However, there were 111 incidents (7.5%) where the turnaround time was between one and two hours while there were six incidents of ambulances being detained at the hospital for more than two hours.

The quickest average turnaround time (17.19) was recorded at Tallaght Pediatric Hospital while the slowest (43.54) was recorded at Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar where there were 17 incidents of ambulances being delayed for more than two hours.

Deputy Kelleher says its worrying that just a quarter of all ambulance visits were completed within the required 20 minute deadline.

Every minute an ambulance spends at Emergency Department is a minute it isnt in the community available to answer emergency call outs. When ambulances are stuck at hospitals, there will be situations where sick people, sometimes critically ill, are left waiting for attention. Lives will be lost if this situation isnt dealt with, he said.
LIMERICK is to see another jobs boost as Bord na Mona readies the site for its 20m smokeless coal facility in West Limerick.

This Friday, the company launched site preparation works for its plant at Foynes, which will create 80 jobs during the construction phase and a futher 25 when it becomes operational.

Bord na Mona said there was the likelihood that further indirect employment will arise from stevedoring, material handling and local haulage.

Head of Bord na Mona Fuels, Eddie Scaife said: Im delighted to be here today to announce the start of works at Foynes. The Government has clear objectives around clean air, and new smokeless fuels will be a key part of meeting those aims. Bord na Mona is the market leader in solid fuels and the construction of this plant will see it maintain that leadership through and beyond the transition to smokeless fuel.

Todays launch means we are starting this new phase of the conversation with our customers. Weve been supplying Irish consumers with what they need to heat their homes for generations and we are looking forward to supplying them with cleaner, smokeless coal that they can rely on when the new regulations come into effect.

Once operational we will be producing a high quality product here in Foynes that will be cleaner and that crucially will perform as well as traditional coal products. This development is good for the environment, good for jobs and good for consumers.

The plant will be built on the existing Bord na Mona site near Foynes port where the company already operates a substantial fuel bagging operation

When fully operational, it will produce up to 150,000 tonnes of home heating fuels, which will be supplied to the Irish market.

It is part of the companys move toward smokeless coal, with a total ban on bituminous coal is planned to be introduced by the Government over the next two to three years.

Bord na Mona first applied for planning permission to develop a plant at its existing site on Foynes docks in June 2015 and received the green light in July of last year.
LIMERICKs two mayors have united in condemnation of the terror attacks in Spain.

Mayor Stephen Keary and metropolitan mayor Cllr Sean Lynch say Limerick stands in solidarity with the people of Barcelona, where a terrorist attack killed 14 people, and the port town of Cambrils, where police killed five people as they tried to mow down pedestrians.

A county Limerick man, who was in Barcelona at the time of the first attack has spoken of his disbelief such an incident could happen on his doorstep.

James Curtin, of Athlacca, who moved to Spain to teach English, told Limericks Live95FM: I never thought id be in a country where id see something as horrible as this. I never thought this would come to Spain.

Dozens of people are also injured in the attack in Barcelona, where a man drove his van into crowds in the tourist hotspot of La Rambla yesterday. So-called Islamic State is claiming responsibility.

On Monday morning, a book of condolences will open at City Hall in Merchant's Quay to allow Limerick people to offer their thoughts and prayers, while flags flew at half mast at its offices today.

Flag flying at half mast today in our Merchant's Quay & Dooradoyle offices for the victims of the Spanish terror attacks #RIP pic.twitter.com/SO5hZ6eufI  Limerick Council (@LimerickCouncil) August 18, 2017

Mayor Keary said: On behalf of the people of Limerick City and County, I want to express my sincere condolences to all concerned in Barcelona and beyond. Its a desperate tragedy, and very difficult to comprehend.

Cllr Lynch added: Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured and fatally injured. We cannot take the foot off the pedal in relation to these terrible atrocities, and we have to be mindful it is not going to go away in the near future.

The metropolitan mayor  a former detective gardai  repeated his call for Irish security to be beefed up, amid fears terrorists could strike this island in future.

Speaking this morning, Mr Curtin said people in Barcelona are not sitting down and being intimidated by the attacks.

A lot of people are emotional, but they are not backing down. They are very strong and united together, rallying behind each other, and willing to help out those who suffered in the terror attacks, he said.

He pointed out how many people in the city are providing assistance with translations and opening up their homes to those worst affected by the atrocity.

How these people get into Barcelona is a little beyond me. These are the same people who would have been checked by the police and security services before coming in, Mr Curtin said, If we have learnt anything from these terror attacks, its that we need to be completely on the ball.

A huge anti-terror operation has swung into operation on the Iberian Peninsula, as Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of national mourning.
FROM kayaking on the Shannon to a tour of one of Irelands oldest graveyards, Limerick city is to play host to dozens of events this Heritage Week.

And a host of events are likewise taking place around the county between August 19 and 27, with a record number of free and heavily subsidised offerings taking place in Limerick to mark National Heritage Week.

A national initiative, co-ordinated by the Heritage Council, the week will see more than 250,000 people take part in 2,000 events around the country.

This year, National Heritage Week aims to highlight the work of local organisations and voluntary groups.

Among the highlights are a guided tour of Limericks new city museum at the former Franciscans Church in Henry Street on Wednesday, August 23.

The oldest local authority museum in the state, the city museum has nearly 60,000 objects on display telling the story of Limerick and its people.

Earlier on the same day at City Hall, renowned local historian Tom Toomey, who wrote The War of Independence in Limerick, gives a lecture on the urban areas revolutionary history.

People are being encouraged to get in the saddle and take an early evening riverside tour of Limericks riverside heritage between Thursday, August 24, and the following Sunday, August 27.

Kicking off at St Marys Cathedral, the cycle tours are being organised by both Limerick Smarter Travel and the Limerick Pipe Organ Festival committee.

Also placing a focus on Limericks natural history will be John Grimes of the Limerick and District Photographic Society, who will present a slide show and a question-and-answer session.

The event is on at Punchs Pub in Patrickswell, is free to the public and begins at 8pm on Saturday, August 26.

Sharon Slater will also give a talk on the Abbey Fishermen at the Hunt Museum on Monday, August 21, from 1pm.

For those who prefer working with their hands, there will be a free workshop to make Limerick lace on Monday, August 21, and Friday, August 25, at City Hall.

The same day will also bring with it a tour of Mount St Lawrence Cemetery, which is the fifth largest in the state.

Led by historian Dr Matthew Potter, this kicks off at 3pm.

In the county, from discovering the medieval marvels of Kilmallock and local invasive river species to tracing Bruffs connection to JFK, there is great choice of events taking place to encourage young and old to celebrate and appreciate our unique heritage.

To mark National Heritage Week children under 12 are encouraged to capture the everyday natural beauty of their local land through an online competition which is being run in conjunction with the De Valera Museum in Bruree and Bruree Heritage Centre.

Castleconnell is delving into its past for Heritage Week 2017. The theme is its in your nature! and organisers are exploring the parishs proud history. Nicky McNamara, founding member of the heritage centre on Castle Street, said they will begin with a look at the history of the local bog.

On Sunday, August 20 you are invited to explore this wilderness, its natural habitat and wildlife, and to discover the history of the land that, over the years, has not only provided local families with winter fuel, but also survived the construction of the M7 motorway!

Local historian, Paddy Tuohy, will start the afternoon at 2pm at the ACM Community Centre in Castle Street, visit the local bog and returning at 4pm. Transport can be provided and you are advised to wear suitable footwear, said Nicky.

The West Limerick Heritage Network is getting in ahead of the posse, planning to launch its annual journal, its second, on Friday, August 18, in the Desmond Complex, Newcastle West.

The network is still a young organisation, its chairman Donie OConnor explained but in the past two years or so, they have managed to bring together representatives from all over West Limerick, from Mungret to Abbeyfeale.

Two very attractive events are planned for the Desmond Castle in Newcastle West, the first this Sunday when there will be a demonstration of Early Irish Music, with a variety of ancient Irish instruments from 4,000 year-old Bronze Age trumpets to Medieval fiddles. This begins at 4pm with musician, folklorist and archaeologist Dr. Billy MagFhloinn.

A minibeast safari, a blacksmiths forge, and the story of German settlers in Rathkeale are just some of the marvellous attractions taking place in various parts of west Limerick as part of National Heritage Week.

Both those interested in history or just those with a curiosity about their local town will be well-informed after a visit to the Irish Palatine Centre in Rathkeale on either August 20 or August 26 from 2pm to 5pm.

Across Limerick city and county, there are a total of 40 events being lined up for Heritage Week this year.

For a full directory, visit www.heritageweek.ie, or telephone 1800-200878.
A LIMERICKMAN charged in connection with the discovery of a sawn-off shotgun in a fridge-freezer has been granted permission to return to his home address in Kings Island despite a garda objection.

William Coady, aged 27, who has an address at Verdant Crescent is charged with unlawful possession of a sawn-off Beretta at Clancy Strand on June 10, 2015.

The weapon was seized at around 11.45am when gardai stopped and searched a Toyota pick-up truck which was allegedly being driven by the defendant.

Mr Coady who was arrested and questioned at the time was only charged last month after directions were received from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

While there was no objection to bail, gardai did seek the imposition of a number of conditions including that the defendant live at an address away from St Marys Park.

Seeking to vary the residency condition during a vacation sitting of Limerick District Court, Solicitor Sarah Ryan said the address where her client has been living since his first court appearance is no longer available to him and that he was facing homelessness.

She said her client was seeking permission to enter three of the 170 acres which make up St Marys Park.

Opposing the application, Detective Garda Mairead Reidy said gardai were concerned the presence of Mr Coady in the area would escalate tensions.

She said it will be alleged the offence was feud related and that the weapon was to be used for feud-related activity.

She agreed with Ms Ryan that Mr Coady was living at the address at Verdant Crescent for more than two years between the seizure of the weapon and charges being preferred against him.

However she said there were concerns of increased tensions now that he is charged and before the courts.

Ms Ryan submitted her client is unlikely to have his case dealt with before the end of next year given the lengthy of the circuit court lists.

Judge Marie Keane granted the application on condition that Mr Coady only access his home on foot and that he does not enter other parts of St Marys Park.
Aug 18, 2017, 3 AM

Henry Gitner and Rick Millers tip of the week for the Broken Hat variety of the United States 1893 2 Landing of Columbus stamp was the top post on Linns.com.

By Charles Snee

Its time to catch up on the week that was in stamp-collecting insights and news.

Linns Stamp News is looking back at its five most-read stories of the week.

Click the links to read the stories.

5. Bigalke to return to Linns as new editor-in-chief: Jay Bigalke started his philatelic journalism career at Linns, where as senior editor he covered U.S. stamp stories.

4. USPS heeds stamp collectors demands for smaller minimum quantities for coil stamps: Lets hope the reduction in minimum quantities for purchasing coil stamps is not a test but is to be common practice for most coil stamps, writes Linns editorial director Donna Houseman.

3. North Korean stamps honor recent missile tests: Previous stamps from North Korea have commemorated events that led up to the intercontinental ballistic missile launch, including the launch of the Kwangmyongsong 2 rocket in 2009.

2. Father Ted Hesburgh stamp planned as pane of 20, coil of 50: This will be the first commemorative coil stamp issued by the United States Postal Service since the 2008-12 series of 60 Flags of our Nation coil stamps.

1. The subtle 2 Landing of Columbus variety worth pursuing: One of the more affordable varieties that is in more or less constant demand is the Broken Hat variety of the 2 Landing of Columbus stamp.

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Aug 18, 2017, 11 AM

In Dollar-Sign Stamps in the Sept. 4 issue, Charles Snee writes about an unlikely reunion of a pair of U.S. Postal Service Express Mail service receipts from 1979. One (shown) resides in Snees collection; the other belongs to a Linns reader who wrote t

By Charles Snee

Stamps have been in the news quite a bit of late, what with North Korea bashing the United States via recent issues depicting, among other things, missiles raining down on the U.S. Capitol Building. We, on the other hand, are feeling upbeat because the Sept. 4 issue of Linns Stamp News is snaking its way through the presses and will go in the mail to subscribers Monday, Aug. 21. If youre a digital subscriber, you get early access Saturday, Aug. 19. In the meantime, we serve up these three glimpses of the exciting content that awaits within. Happy collecting!

A tale of two Express Mail receipts, reunited

In this months Dollar-Sign Stamps column, Charles Snee features two United States Postal Service Express Mail service receipts that, remarkably, were processed on the exact same day and time in 1979. Both bear multiple examples of one of Snees favorite postage heavyweights  the $5 John Bassett Moore stamp.

Searching for a fascinating topical subject? Try stamps picturing deadly, poisonous mushrooms

George Wistreich collects stamps emphasizing science, microbiology, and infectious diseases. In this entertaining feature, he explains how some countries stamps do a better job than others depicting mushrooms that can pack a powerful (and sometimes fatal) punch if ingested.

Check out this U.S. back-of-the-book bargain

In Stamp Market Tips, Henry Gitner and Rick Miller recommend looking for the United States $5 Minute Man savings stamp (Scott S5), which they last tipped more than seven years ago. This is a very difficult stamp to find on offer, and we think it is undervalued, they write.

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Truffle hunt: Foraging for black gold A truffle hunt in the hills surrounding Florence, guided by one of Italy's best truffle hunters, is a great primer in harvesting this valuable fungus /news/talking-point/truffle-hunt-foraging-for-black-gold-111646984696545.html 111646984696545 story

Perched upon the mist-shrouded hills, a little south of Florence, is a beige limestone home in the tiny region of Bagno a Ripoli. Its filled with character and embellished by the patina of time. Its inhabitants, Eda and Giulio Benuzzi, are a dynamic, truffle-hunting duo blessed with unsurmountable amounts of vim and vigour, along with the appropriately heightened olfactory senses one would expect from them. And, as I was soon to discover that cold May morning, they are sticklers for routines as well. Up at 5.45 every morning, they set out for their morning walk, all bleary-eyed and tousled salt and pepper hair, ready to eke out their existence in the undulating hills they both so love. With some of the greatest hits" of the Renaissance in full view on most days, they have very little to complain about. Vista-wise, that is. But today seems to be an aberration.

The fog is so thick that one can barely see the glistening concave top of Filippo Brunelleschis Duomo in Florence below. Lets hope the truffle gods arent colluding with the weather gods today!" laughs Giulio, as Eda walks ahead. Shes upset with me today because Ive started limiting her coffee intake to a few drops in her bowl, instead of the usual half cup."

As you might have gathered by now, Eda is Giulios six-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo breed of truffle-hunting dog, with a predilection for coffee and the occasional sliver of truffle. As for me, I was at the very early morning start of a 4-hour truffle hunt with Giuliooften regarded as one of Florencesnay, Italys, greatest truffle huntersas part of the recently launched Airbnb Trips initiative that offers local experiential-based tours and trips on its website. It helps pair travellers like myself with people like Giulio for curated, immersive experiences.

Even dogs trained for work, like Eda, can tell you that trufflesor tartufo, as we call them in Italianare an expensive delicacy and love to eat them," says Giulio, debunking the myth that dogs have an aversion to trufflesthis, in fact, was believed to be the reason they replaced pigs as the animals sniffing out truffles. Its just that pigs are extremely unyielding when it comes to trying to retrieve the freshly dug-up truffles from their mouths. In fact, you often come across older truffle hunters with missing fingers that have been bitten off by their pigs. In the case of the Lagotto Romagnolo breed of dogs, being retrievers, they are perfect for foraging, and more so the females, as they have better concentration powers."

And just like that our hunt begins, with Eda suddenly picking up a scent and dashing towards a thickly wooded area behind the house. Rich, as Giulio points out, with lime-saturated, well-drained soil that he then goes on to pick up and sniff. This area is known for its black summer truffles called scorzone, whose spores prefer to anchor themselves in soil such as this, where the underlying geology is chalk or limestone. You will find truffles near the roots of shady trees like oak, hazelnut, chestnut, elm and poplar," he says, as Eda starts furiously digging the loose soil under a juvenile oak tree that seems to have been foraged recently. More often than not, newly grown truffles are found in spots which were last foraged. This is because the new truffle spores from the previous ones. But theres no guaranteeing that. Which is why it is very hard to grow or cultivate truffles. They are the masters of their own whim and fancy."

Giulio and Eda on a truffle hunt. Photos: Rebecca Marshall

As if on cue, Edas forepaws make contact with a knobbly, coal-like black truffle that Giulio is quick to dig up with his bare hands, blowing away the errant specks of dirt that cling to it. Heavier than it seems, the truffles aroma, or noble funk" as Giulio calls it, permeates the air.

This brings things back to the now redundant truffle-hunting pigs. Interestingly, when truffles are ripe, Im told, they produce a chemical almost identical to a type of pheromone found in a male pigs saliva. And that is also why right up until 1970, sows, more than pigs, were used to hunt the stuff. Its nuggets of information like this that are part of the curriculum one needs to cram in order to obtain the Italian truffle (hunting) licence that Giulio got in 2003. This, four years after he gave up his managerial job in Milan at the famed Le Api restaurant on a sudden whim to become a truffle hunter.

These ones are similar to the French Perigord trufflethe most expensive truffle variety along with our very own Italian white specimen called Piedmont or Alba truffles. Though these black ones dont smell as strong as the Perigord truffle, as we age them for a few days the aroma does get intensified," says Giulio, fishing out a tissue paper to put the truffle in.

Back home at Casa Benuzzi, this time with a neat little cache of five, decent-sized tartufi nestled in the front pocket of Giulios fishing vest, both man and dog settle down for a well-earned meal.

The simple cucina rustica meal enhanced by freshly shaved truffles at Giulios home.

Giulio deftly slices some cheese from a block. But in keeping with the truffle-centric leitmotif of the morning, this is no ordinary cheese. The pale yellow Sottocenere is a semi-soft cows milk cheese to which slices of truffle are added when setting. When close to maturity, the cheese is rubbed with various herbs and spices and then covered with a light layer of ash which is what gives it its rather mellifluous name, Sottocenereunder ash" in Italian.

Suitably al dente spaghetti carbonara made with an unctuous emulsion of heavy cream, egg yolks, pancetta lardons and olive oil (truffle-infused, of course) is our pasta course. Quickly anointed with a halo of black truffle shavings that cascade on to the plate, the humble dish, made in the cucina rustica homestyle of Italian cooking, is elevated to the gastronomic equivalent of high heaven. And its the indescribable allure of the truffle that has made it so very prized and sought after for centuries. Truly worth risking early morning wake-up calls for.

One truffle at a time

While white truffles are mainly found in northern and central Italy, especially Piedmont, Tuscany and Le Marche, one can also find white truffles in Croatia.

There are two types of Asian truffle, the Chinese black truffle and the Mid-Eastern Terfez. The Chinese black truffle is found in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and the Szechwan and Yunnan provinces in China, while the Terfez truffle is found in the semi-arid regions of North Africa and Middle East, from Morocco to Iraq.

 Though truffles are best eaten shaved over pasta, risotto or even scrambled eggs, they can be used in desserts such as panna cotta.

 A fresh truffle can last for up to two weeks wrapped in absorbent paper napkins. However, truffles preserved in olive oil can last up to three months.

 Most bottled varieties of truffle oil are merely oils to which a truffle-identical flavouring agent such as 2,4-dithiapentane has been added.

 While people have been eating truffles for almost 4,000 years, their value went up after World War II, when truffle groves planted in the 19th century stopped being productive, owing to depletion in soil nutrients.
Kallol Datta shows at Experimenter Gallery Kolkata-based designer Kallol Datta's show at Gallery Experimenter reveals the fault lines of fashion /how-to-lounge/movies-tv/kallol-datta-shows-at-experimenter-gallery-111646833824855.html 111646833824855 story

Twenty-four sculptural figures stand in the 1,100 sq. ft L-shaped white space of Kolkatas Experimenter gallery. Billowing drapes of black cotton-silk-plastic cover the gender-neutral, human-like figures. Miniature brass sculptures dot the gallery, setting off a contrast in colour, scale and material.

With his exhibit Random Access, Kolkata-based designer Kallol Datta examines our sense of proportion. He refers to himself as a clothes maker, but his practice exists at the intersection of fashion and art.

This year, Datta has given the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week a miss. This is my presentation for the year. Prateek and Priyanka (Raja, founders of Experimenter) approached me about a year ago and I thought they werent serious. Not many art galleries show design," says Datta.

The designer is not new to a conceptual approach to fashion. Even within the context of fashion week, its never been just the clothes, but to ask why the clothes were made so, accompanied by a journal or soundtrack. For me this didnt seem much of a stretch," he says.

A work on display at Random Access.

Datta, who started his label Kallol Datta 1955 in 2008, has been experimenting in the art space, taking part in residencies at the Khoj International Artists Association, first in 2011 and then in 2013, and Galleryske in 2014. Im a big believer in collaboration. I like doing non-textile things as well." In March, Datta collaborated with Delhi-based lighting designer Nikhil Paul of Paul Matter to create a collection of ceiling-hung and floor light sculptures whose metal lampshades beautifully embody the ripple of fabric.

Not just models or mannequins, Datta even does away with a dressform to exhibit his creations. The canvas, then, is a cylindrical form, with no shoulders, front or back, no armholes, the waist is not thinner than the shoulders"questioning our assumptions of ideal body proportions. The only resemblance to a human form is a globe-like head, reminiscent of wooden dolls. It makes me question my practice: Am I cutting clothes like I always cut? Should clothing always fit a desired body?" asks Datta.

The subversion continues in the material. Datta has been using cotton and silk, often reclaimed from waste, but this time hes added a layer of plastic film to the fabric, forcing the textile to behave differently", and playing with notions of beauty.

Dattas skill as a designer lies in pattern cutting and that is what comes into focus, for a gallery setting allows a closer, more intimate look at how a garment has been cut and put together.

Dattas influences come from architecture, culture and, of course, fashion. Ive always admired how Martin Margiela would deconstruct and reconstruct items of clothing to form shapes and silhouettes." His early days in Dubai and Bahrain only strengthened his inclination towards free, billowing forms. In that part of the world, you see men and women wearing the same flowing silhouette. I also find that I like to cover up the body rather than uncover parts."

In trying to clothe the cylindrical forms, Datta compares his experience to collapsed structures after a demolition crew took them down".

A work on display at Random Access.

Random Access embodies Dattas nomadic inclination to simultaneously inhabit the worlds of fashion, design, art, architecture and more.Ive never been satisfied with just staying in one place. Yet the only thing I know is making clothes. But clothes are not always just clothes. When we study the history of costume, we get to know about a civilization by what people wore. Im fascinated with how there might be metadata attributed to clothing," he says. Dattas addition to this metadata is almost an undoing of what weve attributed to it so far. I try to push what fashion believes should beproportion, drape, structureand what we believe should be the body." Because, as he says, they, of all people, should not be so exclusive all the time".

Random Access is on view till 31 August, at Experimenter, Kolkata. For details, visit Experimenter.in.
Herringbone & Sui: Old school with a twist Affordable luxury, sprezzatura and craftsmanshipsuit makers Samarth Hegde and Kabir Mehra's three-step formula to style Indian men /news/talking-point/herringbone-sui-old-school-with-a-twist-111646984318599.html 111646984318599 story

Herringbone is the classic V-shaped pattern of the twill weave, and sui is Hindi for needle. Co-founders of the bespoke mens suit brand Herringbone & Sui (H&S), Samarth Hegde and Kabir Mehra, fuse fun, diverse elements not just in their brand name but also in their sense of style and business model.

Originally from Mumbai, the two became friends when they met at graduate school in Ohio in 2005. They discovered their mutual love for dressing well and, on their return to India in 2012, started a conversation about a gap in the market". If you want a good suit, youd have to go to the likes of Zegna or Canali, and it would be upwards of a lakh and a half rupees. On the other end, there are tailors who will stitch you a suit but you might have to compromise on quality. H&S is luxury thats affordable," says Hegde.

Started in 2014, H&S sources its fabric from Italian millsprimarily Biella, the hub of Italian textilesand makes in India. The basic Neapolitan suit construction is tweaked to fit the Indian body type and weather conditions. A technology-driven business model allows the duo to retain the processes of hand-stitching and craftsmanship with a turnaround time of two weeks.

Mehra prefers the classic, with a lot of blues, browns and blacks"; Hegde is more experimental. I like changing up colours, Ill wear different pants with different jackets, layer tonal colours and love windowpanes (a suit pattern)," says Hegde. Their atelier and showroom in Colaba, Mumbai, is a sun-filled space with an elaborate, wall-mounted, very Edward Scissorhands installation right at the entrance. Sitting on a pop-red sofa set against an art deco window frame, with a row of sample suits lining the wall, Mehra and Hegde talk about mens style and the making of a business. Edited excerpts:

Silk scarves by H&S.

Did fashion come first or business?

Hegde: We always liked to dress well. During (our) university days, everyone was kind of preppy, and we were two boys at a bar wearing polos and hats. We probably spent all our pocket money on clothing. But, of course, plenty of research went into it when we decided to take it up professionally.

Mehra: My family has been in the textile industry for about 70 years. So you can imagine a lot of dinner-table conversations about fabric. We did know where to look, and so we went straight to Italy to source the fabric, but still, building the supply chain took a lot of work. Especially when youre not just buying 10-15 fabrics but everything that the mill has to offer.

Mehras pure-wool Jaipur jacket; and Hegdes unstructured baby-blue herringbone-weave linen jacket.

How important is fabric to mens clothing?

Mehra: Its the heart of the product. There are few suit-makers who will give you the label of the fabric. If I was to show you a 100% wool fabric and a wool-polyester blend, you wont be able to tell one from the other. A customer who comes in may not care about the difference between wool and poly wool, because he doesnt know the difference. They may weigh and look the same, but polyester is synthetic, it doesnt breathe. So in Mumbais weather, one would sweat profusely. Whereas you can wear a really lightweight pure-wool suit and be fine, because its a natural fibre and it breathes, contrary to the common misconception that wool is too hot to wear here.

In bringing Italian fabric and suit construction to India, was something lost in translation?

Mehra: In terms of fabric its fine, but the construction needed work. For instance, apart from Italy, in Europe people wear very structured jackets. The shoulders are a little higher, they are heavier and the look is formal. We are specializing in Neapolitan jackets. They belong to Naples, where the climate is similar to ours. The jackets are unstructured, lightweight, have less shoulder padding and lining. The aim is to look effortless. They have this word, sprezzatura, which means effortless (or studied carelessness). Youll notice this about the Italians; theyll be dressed to the hilt, theyll layer colours, have a funky hat, some quirks, yet look as if theyve just woken up and thrown some stuff on.

Hand-painted ostrich-print cufflinks by H&S

What is the value central to the H&S ethos?

Mehra: The skill of the craftsmen is most important to us. The craftsmanship differentiates our product from what you find typically in the market. For instance, it takes 4 hours to construct the shoulders. Almost all the jackets that you find in India are fused jackets. Theres the outer fabric, the non-woven interlining, and its pressed in a machine. In a few seconds, it behaves like a single surface, but also robs the fabric of its vitality, or just the way it falls.

We do half canvas construction, where a tailor has to hand-stitch the non-woven lining. We add more layers, in fact, like horse hair from the tail of the horse, to give it more resilience. It falls in a nicer way than a fused jacket would fall. Fused jackets tend to break or pop at the chest. I think the Indian consumer still has to notice these nuances.

Hegde: If you look at our lapels, you will notice the way they roll. Normally, the lapel is flat. This roll happens because they spend more time stitching rather than fusing.

Brett Cohens pocketbook lists essentials for men such as tying knots and swaddling babies

Is craftsmanship increasingly becoming the yardstick for mens style in general?

Hegde: I find men, currently, are experimenting, mixing and matching different things, like wearing sneakers with a suit. Its all about personal style. The hipster is on its way out. But yes, there is a lot of focus on the actual tailoring of the garment. Well-crafted is a value people care about. Its kind of old school with a twist.

Hegdes Dior calfskin trainers.

Tell us about your one evergreen accessory and one trend-based thing that has perhaps come and gone from your wardrobes?

Mehra: I love collar pins and tie-pins. They go well with the classic look. If I feel like stepping it up a notch, it works within my comfort zone.

Hegde: For me, Ive been wearing my navy suit since college. Ive always had one well-stitched one. But the one thing thats come and gone from my wardrobe is my chalk stripes. I still love them but dont really wear them. There are some things you keep just for the sake of nostalgia.

Is there a faux pas you often notice in mens dressing?

Mehra: Some rules are good to stick to. For instance, the width of your tie at its widest should match the width of your lapel. Thats generally good proportion and aesthetic. But youll see a lot of guys wearing very skinny ties with these four-and-a-half-inch-wide Tom Ford lapels. Its quite ridiculous.
But can you make your mind float? You can now step into Dead Sea-like float tanks or sensory deprivation tanks in Pune, Bengaluru and Delhi /news/talking-point/but-can-you-make-your-mind-float-111646984470203.html 111646984470203 story

Make sure your face is completely dry after you shower and before you step into the tank." This was Chirag Lilaramanis chief instruction to me in the 45-minute briefing session before I stepped into the float tank at Liquid Sanctuary, his newly opened floatation centre in Delhi, the Capitals first.

A standard float tank is filled with 10ft of highly concentrated Epsom salt solution (approximately 750kg of magnesium sulphate), which creates a buoyancy that allows you to float effortlesslyocean water is about 3% salt, float tanks are about 35%, much like the Dead Sea.

Lilaramani had anticipated, correctly, that asking people to step into a float tank, also known as sensory deprivation tanks" or isolation tanks", in a pitch-dark, soundproof room for an hour would require some preparation. I, however, had thought he was mansplaining. I wasnt afraid of the dark or quiet. I had done a 10-day Vipassana programme when I was 20.

In my indignation, I missed following his instruction. Also, I was eager to get started. Since I cannot swim, the idea of floating in a safe indoor chamber held a special attraction.

So it was only after I was in the tank that I remembered I was supposed to dry my face. Going pitch-dark was optional; there were two levels of light controls. Obviously, I had chosen to go all out. Imagine trying to step out of a regular swimming pool in the dark and looking for a towel. Now imagine doing this with excessively salty, slimy water in the picture. I wholly advise listening to instructions carefully before stepping into a float tank.

Designed in 1954 by the American neuroscientist and writer John C. Lilly, who is known for his work with dolphin communication, float tanks were created to eliminate sensory stimuli and encourage relaxation and meditative states. While there is scientific documentation of floatation therapy being used to help patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, fibromyalgia and anxiety, its recreational uses are more recent. A 2015 Time magazine article says there were 85 float centres in the US in 2011, and more than 250 by 2015. Apart from Liquid Sanctuary, which opened this April, there are three other float centres in India, all less than two years old: Shalom Float & Mind Spa and Relax Essence Float Spa in Pune, and 1000 Petals in Bengaluru. Lilaramani has recently been commissioned by the Taj Groups Jiva Spa to set up a floatation centre in Mumbai, scheduled to open later this year.

I spoke to Binny Paul, the Pune-based founder-director of Shalom Float & Mind Spa, the first floatation centre to open in India. Paul has a family business in water treatment solutions and was prompted to create his trademark RelaxoPod three years ago after receiving business enquiries. His RelaxoPod is an oyster-shaped floatation pod that closes in on itself. Claustrophobia is in the mind," Paul assures me over the phone. While I didnt need much convincing to step into a float tank, the idea of closing myself in a pod seems less appealing (the centres in Pune and Bengaluru only offer pods, while Liquid Sanctuary has two 5x8ft open tanks). Paul also shares that he has just supplied pods to three more upcoming centres in Mumbai.

Paul has been trying floatation himself for 2 hours a week for the last three years and rates it above a relaxing massage because it allows you to let go 100%" and offers holistic relaxation for the mind as well as the body. Lilaramani, who hails from New Zealand and got hooked to weekly float sessions back home before deciding to bring them to India, is a big advocate of floatation therapy to treat post-workout pains, hangovers and focus on a creative project". And the Epsom salt, he says, comes with the added benefit of softening skin and hair.

Both Paul and Lilaramani stress on the uses of floatation as a multipurpose tool to help with everything from chronic backaches to increased concentration. I do feel the novelty factor needs to wear off before one can use floatation as a meditational device. My millennial mind wouldnt switch off while I was in the tank. All I could think about was what I would write about it. Now that its out of the way, I must float again.

She tweets at @aninditaghose
When human beings go past language The People's Linguistic Survey of India, which Ganesh Devy spearheads, is on the final leg of its journey in recording India's living languages. Devy is now focused on studying how long it will be before we move away from speech-based communication /news/talking-point/when-human-beings-go-past-language-111646984548735.html 111646984548735 story

India is one of four countries, along with Nigeria, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, with the largest number of living languages. Since 2010, in a project initiated by Prof. G.N. Devy, founder of the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre in Vadodara, a large team of scholars has been conducting a comprehensive survey of Indian languages, publishing their findings in state-wise volumes from 2013 onwards.This month, the Peoples Linguistic Survey Of India (PLSI) brought out another 11 volumes, taking the total to 37, and proposes to complete its task of publishing 92 books by 2020.

Prof. Devys interest in documenting languages doesnt come from any form of romanticism about preserving them, but from a keenness to further livelihood opportunities for the speakers of these languages.

At an event in New Delhi presided over by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Prof. Devy also spoke of a new project that he is leading: the Global Language Status Report (GLSR), which proposes to cover 6,000 living languages around the world, and assess how long they will survive. He believes it may not be long before we become a world without languages and move on to an image-based means of communication. In the first phase, research teams will start work this year with Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and India; they hope to publish the findings by 2020. Edited excerpts from an interview:

Will the PLSI project end with the publication of 92 volumes in 2020?

With that, this project makes a beginning. After every 10 years, it will be updated. Im an old man, but we already have a team in place for the next two decades. We have chosen a symbol for this project, a great painting by Gulam Mohammed Sheikh of a tree, half of which dies, and half comes to life. Similarly, the project will never end.

The PLSI has recorded 780 languages. Have you covered all the living languages?

We could not capture another 70-80 languages, which maybe 10 years from now we will. Some were in disturbed areas: Mizoram, on the border of Myanmar. Some because they came to our notice after the volume was prepared. Some because of interpretation. The coastal languages of Gujaratwe have seven, but now it comes about that there is an eighth language. Thats because community names are nearly identical. We have issued an appeal that if anybody identifies a language missing, they should report to us.

The 1961 census recorded 1,652 mother tongues. The PLSI has recorded 780 languages. Are the rest dead?

The term mother tongue does not have a fixed meaning in the English language. Sometimes it means the language of the area, at other times the language of the family, at times the language of the biological mother. The census list of mother tongues is a very accurate report of what every citizen of India (said) they speak. These 1,652 names of languages are actually mother-tongue labels. The census itself does not determine whether something is a language or not; its scholars who (do).

They concluded that at that stage there were approximately 1,100 languages. The others were subsets of languages, duplications of the same language or names of non-languages which data-entry persons entered. You know, for 256 of the labels, there were less than five speakers, which means they were errors. Out of the approximately 1,100 languages, we have identified 780. About 70-80 might have escaped our attention. So I will put the figure at 850. That is, 250 no longer exist; they have disappeared.

Is the primary motivation behind PLSI to save languages from disappearing?

The primary motivation is elsewhere. After print technology came to India, the languages which developed printed literature were put in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution after independence. Those languages were considered for giving full statehood during the linguistic reorganization. In the process, the languages which do not have the status of a scheduled language, they were divided between states. Gondi is now spoken in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha and a bit of Andhra Pradesh . Bhili is divided between Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Santhali is divided between Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar. So Santhali, Bhili and Gondi, they are major linguistic zones, but because of the division, they become minority languages.

So, in the educational structure, their importance is less. Therefore, their ability to provide a livelihood to people is diminished. So, the effect on peoples lives: Migration starts, their cultural loss is tremendous, their traditional knowledge collapses. It leads to cultural loss, knowledge loss and social and economic imbalance. So we thought it is good to provide a voice to these languages and register their linguistic citizenship in the official records. That was the motivation.

Most of us involved in the survey were not linguists who were romantic about having documented the languages. That is not the passion; the passion is that people who speak these languages must survive.

And has the state taken note of your findings and responded?

After our work was done in 2013, the then education minister invited me to give a presentation. He had called the census authorities and officials from the education and culture ministries. At the time, the census department, which had also been doing a survey for the last seven Five-Year Plans, which means 35 years, had completed the survey of four states. After the presentation, they decided to change the orientation of their survey. They said, now the linguistic survey is done, we will do audiovisual documentation of languages. This is one impact.

Secondly, the University Grants Commission set up a special committee and they wrote a glorious letter saying that your linguistic survey work should be immortalized and we would like to release a very big grant to you. Eventually, the grant did not come, but the letter has come.

When we see television debates about diversity, and people state our country has 780 languages, it is clear to me that their impression has come from PLSI data. It is part of national folklore. People know that such a thing has happened.

I think our country has tremendous diversity. We are among the four countries in the world with the maximum number of languages: Nigeria, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and India. All other nations are talking about the decline of languages. I wanted to talk about the great diversity of living languages; the presence of languages rather than the death of languages. Im not here to bemoan the death of a language, but to celebrate that such a diversity exists. If we dont pay attention, even that will go.

Since 2013, when the last batch of books was published, what are the interesting findings?

Scriptsinitially I thought there were 66 scripts in the country; now I find there are more ways of writing. Then, Dakhani, spoken in eastern Maharashtra and parts of Telangana, is acquiring a higher status than before. Earlier, people used to laugh at it. That prejudice against Dakhani speakers has gone down. Even non-Dakhani speakers have switched to Dakhani.

Code-mixing (mixing two languages or language varieties in speech) in India is a direct result of political oppression. Look up Tripura and Kerala and you will find very small languages which should have disappeared, they are actually gaining status. In Gujarat, Bhili has gained status, Dakhani in Maharashtra and Telangana is gaining status. The reason is in oppressive political systems. Wherever governments identified Naxals as existing, in that state some small language has suddenly started going up.

We have not done enough anthropological study on this phenomenon but it is like, if there is a very fearsome father, you notice the child starts grumbling. Its the same relationship with the state that the small communities have. Some small language starts becoming active, developing new words, new ways of irony, humour, satire, metaphor. The best indicator of political dissatisfaction is fluctuations in language use. In Russia, such studies have been carried out.

This month, the Peoples Linguistic Survey Of India (PLSI) brought out another 11 volumes, taking the total to 37, and proposes to complete its task of publishing 92 books by 2020.

The GLSR that you have started working on now is an extension of the PLSI?

The PLSI is a snapshot of languages. In GLSR, we are going to do a janampatri of languages, a horoscope. I am going to predict for how long every language will remain alive, survive. This (PLSI) is about the present of the language, that is about the future of the languages. It will ultimately say when human beings will go past language as a means of communication. It will show a world when we are without languages.

Is that even possible?

The first 200,000 years of its existence, the homo sapien used theatre as its language. It was a pre-lingual, pre-voice-based language: moving hands, bending bodies, enlarging your eyes, scratching your head, patting on the back. Then we used tonal languages, like when you say hmmm, or if we laugh. That laughter is not Hindi, it is universal. We started using sound-based languages only 70,000 years ago.

Humans have passed through these communication phases: theatre, music, voice. Now we are very, very rapidly moving into a new means of communication, which is image-based communication. The semantic payload of the words will be reduced. Well use visual languages more. That is because we have 85 billion neurons in the brain which does analysis of the sounds we hear and draws meaning, saves the memory of the meaning, retrieves them. That takes a little longer because the sounds go to the neurons through the ears; the images go through the pre-frontal cortex and take much less time. That means less energy is required.

So now, instead of the left side of the brain, which does the language analysis, it is the pre-frontal side of the brain which is becoming more active. This wont take too long; it can happen in another 100 years, or 1,000 years. Thats why oral languages are dying. And new image-based ways of communication are emerging.

(Where there are oppressive political systems) some small language starts becoming active, developing new words, new ways of irony, humour, satire, metaphor. The best indicator of political dissatisfaction is fluctuations in language use.-

You were also involved in a Unesco project to conserve languages.

Unesco had conceptualized a world-class institute on this subject. I was asked to draw out the concept. But there was a tussle among 16 nations about where this work would go. And the result was very interesting: It did not go anywhere.

But then Unesco made a second attempt. They have drawn up a set of 33 parameters to determine the health of languages. It wants to do a survey of all living languages in the world. What Im doing (in GLSR) is not a survey of living languages. A survey is always about the present of a language. Ill do an assessment of the future of these languages. Thats why it is called status report. Will it survive or not? Mathematical modelling is one way of doing this.

Is it important, in your opinion, to make an effort to conserve languages?

It is very important in my opinion to conserve the wisdom that these languages have gathered. That wisdom should be taken forward. I am not a lover of language just for the sake or love of the language, I have no romantic engagement in languages. Languages are extremely important because they are the holders of culture, of collective memory. So all that a given language holds, that needs to be taken forward in some format and handed down to the next generation. The best way to conserve a language is to create livelihood, opportunities for those who speak the language. Otherwise they will migrate to another language zone and their own language will disappear.

You have been involved in an effort to create livelihood as well?

When I started work with tribals, I started first with livelihood. I must confess: I am not a trained linguist. I started teaching literature and because I saw that many languages were disappearing, I started feeling guilty about drawing my salary teaching English literature. We cannot stop the flow of time and languages coming up and going down. But livelihood support can be helped. And I had done that for the first 20 years in a limited geographical area of nine districts of Gujarat. My work benefited about 800,000 families. That is not enough. If we take into account all the declining languages now, that number will go up to about 200 million. Language is still not an evident consideration in the economic planning of the country.

If a language is not recognized and the community feels the language has no market value, they collectively and unconsciously decide to give up on that language. Nobody keeps a language going just for the pride of it. People feel speaking Hindi is a good idea, but they all feel that learning English is a better idea. If livelihood opportunities are not there, people start giving up on languages. If theres no education in the mother tongue, children tend to drop out when they go to the high-school stage. If there is no technology such as TV, mobile apps, printed material, then the status of the language goes down in the eyes of the people. They will discard those languages because there is no market for those languages.

Whats your view on the imposition of Hindi across states?

Governments never give birth to any language. No government can end a language. Governments better keep off the language issue. Language is the most democratic among the systems that humans have invented. Government policy is immaterial to languages.

The reason cited is the simplicity of communication in such a diverse country. Does that make sense?

No, thats my fear. In communication we need complexity, not simplicity, because there is a lot to communicate. All of it cannot be communicated in a single language. Having more languages allows us to communicate more.
Musing on Muziris Architect Benny Kuriakose updates us on the ongoing Muziris Heritage project in Kerala /news/talking-point/musing-on-muziris-111646984277171.html 111646984277171 story

A vibrant trading port of the Chera kingdom, Muziris figures extensively in Tamil Sangam literature (300 BC to 300 AD) and Roman philosopher Pliny mentions it in his Natural History account of 77 AD. Dating back to the first century BC, this bustling centre of trade on the historic Spice Route disappeared during a natural disaster in 1341. Excavations by the Kerala Council for Historical Research at the small village of Pattanam, starting 2006, have revealed a rich, layered past. And the Muziris Heritage Project (MHP) took shape in 2008 as a government venture aimed at recreating the historic significance of this gateway town.

The MHP brought together around 750 people, including historians, archaeologists, architects, engineers, construction labour and excavation and survey team. Benny Kuriakose , who has a Masters in conservation studies from York University, interned with sustainable architect Laurie Baker in 1984 and is reputed for heritage projects such as DakshinaChitra in Tamil Nadu, was selected as conservation consultant for the MHP in 2007. The MHPs artefacts and monuments are spread out over an area of 150 sq. km, and Kuriakoses team has located clusters, including 400 buildings of historic importance and architectural interest.

At the end of the first phase, 32 sites were opened to the public, such as the revitalized Kottappuram market where original structures were renovated and nine of the 27 museums planned, including Paliam Palace and Paravur Synagogue. With this, the project was formally launched in February 2016 by then president Pranab Mukherjee. Now in its second phase, the project is estimated to be completed by 2019. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, launched in 2012, has drawn attention to Muziris legacy.

In Chennai last month, at a talk hosted by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach), Kuriakose spoke about these linkages: The history of Muziris is the history of Kerala. The history of Kerala is the history of India. The history of India is the history of the world." Edited excerpts:

What was the starting point of the Muziris project?

The project was the brainchild of Thomas Isaac, who had grown up in this area. An economics professor from Jawaharlal Nehru University, he became the finance minister of Kerala in 2006. He envisioned Muziris as a non-formal education project for future generations. Children and adults could come and learn the different layers of history. He allocated funds to the Kerala Council for Historical Research. It was the budget provision that started the excavation and this led to a holistic project.

What was the state governments vision and how did that pan out?

The Kerala government felt the loss of heritage and decided that conservation should be the prime criterion. The Muziris Cultural Heritage Conservation is an entirely government-funded project, with Rs180 crore having been spent so far. Theres also support from the Central government, but there is no foreign funding.

How did you evolve the integrated conservation approach for Muziris?

We had a certain vision and broad aims for the project. One is involvement of the community. Second, conservation is done strictly according to international guidelines. Third, natural resources are equally important though they are not part of the built environment, such as the backwaters. This is not just about building but about heritage as a wholea notebook, a letter or a piece of furniture, interviews with local people to understand their way of life.

What influenced you to think on this scale, beyond buildings?

Post-tsunami (2004), at Tharangambadi, we did a rehabilitation project for fishermen, building customized designs for over 1,000 homes. It was not expensive to do it that way and it was greatly appreciated by the government. People willingly took part. The success of a project depends on the participation of its stakeholders.

Can you mention an achievement linked to your mission of development through conservation?

One of the major breakthroughs in the project happened when we saw the villages with narrow roads and the difficulty of buses coming in and turning around. We found that many of these historic areas are planned around water bodies and canals, so we planned for boat jetties, where people can hop on and off boats. It is more roundabout by car. The shortest route is by boat.
Altaf Mohamedis art of dissent As a retrospective on the late artist Altaf Mohamedi opens, his wife, artist Navjot Altaf, talks about censorship and art /news/talking-point/altaf-mohamedi-s-art-of-dissent-111646984588304.html 111646984588304 story

Altaf Mohamedi was quintessentially an artist of the 1960s. His college years in London influenced the politics of his early career as an artist. And after returning to his home in Mumbai in 1967, he joined Proyom (Progressive Youth Movement), which was Marxist-Leninist and sympathetic to the Naxalbari cause.

In those years, Mohamedi took his posters to the streets, and his paintings to the schools and Dalit colonies of Mumbai. He and his artist wife Navjot, who was also interested in looking outward, but in more experimental ways, believed that the social, interactive nature of art could help transform the status quo.

A retrospective of the works of Mohamedi (who died in 2005) opens at the DAG Modern Art Gallery in Mumbai today. The paintings, from the 1960s to the late 1990s, in oil or watercolour, cover contemporary Indian history, including the Emergency, the Bhopal gas tragedy and the Gujarat riots of 1992. Mohamedis signature palette is dark colours in contrasting shades.

A deeply introspective strand runs through Mohamedis art, driven by personal experiences of loss, self-discovery and suffering. Throughout his life, Mohamedi tried to distance himself from the privileges that came from being born into an affluent family (his sister is the renowned artist Nasreen Mohamedi). His portrait series in the show etches the introvert and the extrovert, sexuality, alienation and death.

Navjot, now in her late 60s, was born in Meerut and studied at the Sir JJ School of Art before becoming part of Mumbais artistic-intellectual circle of the 1970s.

Mohamedi never moved away from the canvas. But Navjot, and contemporaries such as Vivan Sundaram and Nalini Malani, extended their practice to installations and video-art. Navjot has worked extensively with rural artists in Bastar, lending a voice to the organic intellectuals" of the region.

In an interview, Navjot Altaf speaks about Mohamedis art, and art in the age of censorship. Edited excerpts:

What are your earliest memories of meeting and interacting with Mohamedi?

I first met Altaf in 1970 during his exhibition on the pavement outside the Jehangir Art Gallery. The Pavement Gallery was started by an artist called Nelson. Later, he came to the JJ School of Art, where I was a student, to give a talk on private and public art galleries, the difference between the two, and how the gallery system works. And the discussion moved to existing art institutions, the art education curriculum originally designed by the British, and the need for alternative institutions. Students, including me, asked some basic questions, but it stimulated the political imagination of some of us who believed in change, though at that time one did not know what the turning point could be.

Altaf was a politically and socially conscious artist and was already engaged with activities which exposed him to the world outside his personal studio space.

Besides the Marxist ideology, did the work of any artist, author or thinker directly influence his art?

The artist he liked the most was Francis Bacon. Altaf was an ardent reader. The thinker who influenced him and his art to a great extent from a very young age is Albert Camus. The idea of the absurd interested him.

What, apart from his political and social concerns, shaped his art?

Altafs art stemmed from personal anxieties concerning individual sensibility over collective precept, though the concept of joint efforts and solidarity was of great importance to him. His philosophical questions about death and the human condition led to the Hospital series in the mid-1980s, then a lot of his paintings were responses to political upheavals in Mumbai in 1992-93 and the 2002 Gujarat massacres.

Artists now arent directly engaged with the politics of the time. Would he be a misfit today?

Every generation deals with the politics of their time in their own way. Today also, there are artists who are deeply engaged with communities and current issues at various levels. Their number may be small. The modes of art-making have expanded. Artists are making art inclusive of peoples participation. Historically, what is important is how and in what context the questions in Altafs art enter contemporary art discourse.

What were Altafs views on how to combat offence and intolerance, big threats to artistic freedom?

Altaf would have said that the persecution of artists and artistic freedom have to be recognized as political. And that people come together to resist fundamentalism and threats to freedom of expression. I personally believe it is only the persecution of famous artists which gets attention. For a big change, people from minority cultures need to be supported.

He was actively involved with the Matunga Labour Camp, a communist organization in Mumbai. Was he part of the community at that time? What are your memories of those days?

Altaf was involved with the Matunga Labour Camp through Proyom in the early 1970sa community of artists with leftist thoughts. Proyom comprised students from various colleges and Bombay university, lecturers, journalists and a few artists. There was a sense of community engaged in social change. Around the same time, film-maker Kumar Shahani and some other intellectuals used to organize rallies, artists like Sudhir Patwardhan were active in the Thane area, film-maker Anand Patwardhan was involved with other organizations in Bombay, and Vivan Sundaram was part of similar groups in Delhi. There was a link between the broader social context of what was happening in India and other parts of the world at that time.

AltafA Retrospective is on till 4 November, 11am-7pm (Sundays closed), at DAG Modern Art Gallery, VB Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai.
Pour some love on Ashiesh Shahs Lingam Bench A limited edition of 12 pairs, the Lingam Bench is the designer's way of 'giving away' his craft /relationships/it-s-complicated/pour-some-love-on-ashiesh-shah-s-lingam-bench-111646913884222.html 111646913884222 story

The phallic form of the Shiva lingam has always had a strong appeal among artists and designers. For instance, the late Italian modernist, Ettore Sottsasswhose retrospectives are being held at the Met Breuer, New York, and the Venice Art Biennaleexplored the form in his own whimsical rendition in the 1990s, creating Lingam vases and the Ceramiche di Shiva.

Mumbai-based interior designer and architect Ashiesh Shah is no exception. The Shiva lingam is a form that recurs in my work, one way or another; in rounded arches, in combining domes and cylinders, theres always an undercurrent. It is one form that hasnt been owned by the West. Its completely ours and has such a strong spiritual connect," says Shah, who decided to devote a project to the exploration of the form.

Made in black and white marble, the Lingam Bench, a limited edition of 2412 in white and 12 in blackcombines sliced forms of the lingam. With the edges gently rounded, it is a sleek, seductive piece. Its sturdy, however, and Shah demonstrates this by stepping on to one extreme edgeit holds steady. There is an artistic bent to this but design has to be functional," says Shah.

The first prototype was made in wood and Shah sent it over to artist Subodh Gupta for his initial thoughts". Shah narrates Guptas reaction with much amusement. Subodh loved it, but asked what kind of Shiva lingam is in wood?"

Marble brought with it its own set of challenges. Marble is heavy, it chips, the joinery is difficult. We didnt want to use any metal clasps to join the pieces because we wanted to retain the purity of the material." The breakthrough came from the tacit and experiential knowledge of a craftsman. I work with an artisan in Rajasthan, and he suggested an age-old technique of limestone joinery. We chiselled the whole piece, screwed it manually, and then grouted it with limestone. The marble dust is mixed with silicon and it acts like a glue," says Shah.

Aparajita Jain, director of the Nature Morte gallery in New Delhi, first showed the Lingam Bench at the India Art Fair in January. By the end of the show, Aparajita called me and said pairs of benches had been sold, and patrons included the likes of Roshni Vadehra, Sangita Jindal, Subodh Gupta and Bharti Kher. I felt really encouraged," says Shah, who has decided to give away the proceeds from these sales to a cancer-related charity.The Lingam Bench is a passion project. However much money it makes, I want to pledge it away for a cause that is close to my heart," says Shah.
Kapil Sekhris wine brotherhood The CEO of Fratelli Wines on challenges in the wine business, the importance of patient capital, and support from the family /food/drink/kapil-sekhri-s-wine-brotherhood-111646830485428.html 111646830485428 story

I think Im ageing faster than wine," says Kapil Sekhri, the chief executive officer of Fratelli Wines Pvt. Ltd. I am 42 years old but I feel like 50." Sekhri says he would not have entered the wine business if he had known what it entailed. Its just so damn difficult; requires too much patience and a lot of capital."

And when Fratelli started in 2007, it wasnt my money, it was my familys". So there were a lot of nervous moments, and many close calls, some too close for comfort.

Today, of course, Fratelli is Indias second-most widely distributed wine, after Sula. In fiscal 2017, sales stood at 172,000 9-litre cases in terms of volume and Rs65 crore in terms of value. In the current fiscal, Sekhri says, the target is to grow 40% in volume and 50% in value from the last fiscal.

Winemaking is a capital-intensive business. Right from picking the correct variety of grapes and managing different parts of the manufacturing process, to dealing with the bottlenecks in the distribution and supply chain, the business requires continuous capital inflow and a never-ending reserve of patience, or patient capital, as Sekhri calls it.

So it makes sense when he says that the company is not in the five- or 10-year game". If you look at wine families in the West, the business goes from one generation to the other. Look at JCB, for instance," says Sekhri. Thats the kind of long haul we have in mind." In 2015, Fratelli forged a partnership with Jean-Charles Boisset, or JCB (a second-generation winemaker and president of Boisset Collection, one of the biggest French winemaking groups), to import some of its labels into India. It also imports about 40 other brands, including Fortant and Mullineux.

*****

We are meeting at Fratellis Chhatarpur office in Delhi on a rainy, humid evening. Tucked away in one of the quieter pockets of south Delhi, the address is almost elusive, even on GPS, on a day that has seen a heavy downpour and traffic.

Fratelli, Sekhri says, is Italian for brothers. We are primarily a group of seven people who fight like brothers and stick to each other in times of need," he says. The company was formed when three sets of brothersKapil and Gaurav Sekhri; Ranjitsinh and Arjunsinh Mohite-Patil; Andrea and Alessio Secci, long-time business partners of Sekhris fatherand Tuscan winemaker Piero Masi came together to create a wine of international standard using centuries-long Italian wine-making traditions from grapes that are grown in India".

The idea came to Sekhri in 2006, when he was vacationing in Italy with his wife, and was fuelled by a love for the drink and a nagging entrepreneurial instinct.

When you have seen your father starting a business from scratch and still going at it about four decades later, you get that relentless urge to do something new," says Sekhri.

During the Italy trip, the couple met the Secci brothers in Tuscany over dinner. They expressed their willingness to start a business venture in India and around that time, I wanted to do something different. And we all loved wine," recalls Sekhri.

It helped that this was a time when the wine industry was growing at about 30% annually in India and that the Sekhri family had experience in agro-processing.

So things were falling into place," says Sekhri. The Seccis invited me to meet Piero Masi, who is considered one of the best viticulturists and winemakers from Tuscany." Masi was persuaded to visit India, taken around wine-producing regions, and given a taste of the wines produced here.

Sekhris brief to him was simple: I dont want to hide behind the table when my wine is opened."

Masi, unimpressed, told him that the soil quality wasnt up to the mark for a signature wine.

Another couple of rounds of soil testing and visits later, they found the soil suitable in Akluj, a small town in Maharashtras Solapur district.

And thats how, with an initial investment of Rs35 crore, Fratelli started in 2007. In 2010, the first vintage year, Fratelli produced 30,000 litres of wine. But they soon realized they were in trouble.

The idea was to come out with 50,000 cases of premium wines and we worked towards that plan," says Sekhri. But we realized soon after the launch that if we needed to be in the premium wine business, we needed to feed the other big end of the market, which was the sub-Rs700 market. So we had to go back to the drawing board. We made our cheapest wine at Rs600."

The business plan changed, volumes increased, and more investments were made to scale up capacity.

They stumbled again, not having planned a clear road to the market. Thats where lots of brands falter. We made the wine and thought it was so good that people will come themselves. We didnt realize the difficulties in the distribution channel," says Sekhri.

Luckily, he had his familys support.

*****

Eat, drink, sleep, business, repeat. This is how Sekhri describes his daily life, rather boring compared with someone like Jean-Charles Boisset (his flamboyant peer, who is also known as the James Bond of winemaking), he chuckles. An avid reader of non-fiction, he is currently reading One Child: The Story Of Chinas Most Radical Experiment. There are six other books in the pipeline, he says.

Sekhri was born in Delhi to a family of refugees. His great-grandfather and grandfather migrated from Gujranwala, now in Pakistan. Till the age of 17, he lived with his extended family of 21 in Patel Nagar.

The only thing I have seen my father doing was working," says Sekhri. He didnt even know which class we were in, but every year he tried to make our lives a bit better."

In 1977, his father, along with his five brothers, started Tinna Industries, which expanded into rubber compounding, footwear manufacturing, merchant exports, agro-processing and edible oil manufacturing. The brothers have gone their separate ways over the years, but Sekhris family is still invested in Tinna Rubber and Infrastructure, Tinna Trades, and Fratelli.

Sekhri did his schooling from Springdales and a bachelors in business administration from Richmond, the American International University in London. He joined the family business in 1996, right after college, and started looking after international footwear sales. He moved to India in 2000. The family exited the footwear business two years later. Around the same time, we were launching the rubberized performance-based asphalt business and I was given charge of marketing for that venture. Within four years, the business was more stable, and by 2006 I was looking to do something different."

Sekhri, however, wasnt always a wine drinker. I still remember the first time I got hooked to wine," he says. It was during a meal with Andrea and Alessios father in Florence in 1997. He asked for a bottle of wine and I couldnt ask for a beer in front of an Italian in Florence," Sekhri recalls. The bottle came, he tasted it and sent it back for some reason. I loved the fact that the fate of the product was decided by the customer on the table. This was a product that was about flavours and conversations, art for your senses. Thats what got me."

In fact, in August 1999, on his first dinner date with his would-be wife, she too opted for wine. She also thought it culturally looks more acceptable if she asked for wine," says Sekhri.

*****

In India, wine is seen as a healthier, classy and socially acceptable beverage and people are ready to spend more on wines to impress", according to a study based on a survey commissioned by the Mumbai-based Sonal Holland Wine Academy.

Wine production in India is expected to reach 18 million litres this year and 21 million litres by 2018, PTI reported in July, quoting an Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India study.

Clocking a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of about 20%, wine consumption in India is likely to reach 22 million litres this year and about 37 million litres by 2018," the study said.

Sekhri, however, doesnt want to put a number on where the company will be in another decade. If there is a need to grow, we will, but we dont want to get into the greed to grow mode. Because if the market is growing at 15-20% and Fratelli is growing about 50% this year, and lets say 30% the year after, I cant ask for more.

If we sell 10 bottles, eight customers come back. So we are on the right track. But if we start becoming greedy now, it will be counter-productive."

He says it will take five years for Fratelli to become comfortable with free cash flows, when they can invest more freely in projects that need to grow inorganically.

Fratelli directly employs about 500 people in the company and the vineyard, which is spread across 240 acres. It currently has more than 20 different kinds of wines and sells in 16 states. Fratelli is also available in the UK, Japan, Italy, Denmark, South Africa, Australia and Hong Kong. And for now, the idea is to continue working without thinking too much about margins and growth plans.

Though Sekhri says he wouldnt have got into the wine business had he known about the rigours involved, he is proud of what we have achieved so far".

Especially after a rocky start.

In 2006, about 350,000 wine saplings handpicked by Masi were to be imported from France and Italy, and planted in Akluj. When we got them, we were very nervous because the plants had overslept," says Sekhri.

Saplings are frozen when they are to be transferred over long distances, and generally sleep" for about 20 days. But in our case, they had slept for close to four months," Sekhri recalls. The transfer got delayed due to regulatory hurdles. Even the vendor was not sure whether the plants would survive."

So they leased a local dairy and brought the saplings to a normal temperature over several weeks, increasing the temperature by, say, 5 degrees Celsius each week. It was nerve-wracking," Sekhri admits. We were monitoring the saplings every day. When the first bud came out, it was magical. I remember sending that photo to my father and brother, saying that the journey has began."

As he narrates the story, there is a smile on Sekhris face that tells me the man will do this business again and again, no matter how many times he has to return to the drawing board.
In search of Shirui Lily Hiking up a foggy trail in the only place in the world where the ephemeral Shirui Lily grows /news/talking-point/in-search-of-shirui-lily-111646984642740.html 111646984642740 story

Up in the hills of Ukhrul district in Manipur, a rare flower called the Shirui Lily grows for less than a month in what the calendar insists is summer. The lily is not found anywhere else in the world.

Summer, like rare, is a relative concept. As our four-wheel-drive Scorpio drove up from Imphal valley, the temperature started to fall, and the clouds closed in until we were driving through them. The craggy, forested hills became blanketed in white. I pulled on my jacket; it was just a regular Ukhrul day in the middle of May, around 21 degrees Celsius.

Shirui village, at the foot of a hill on which the rare land lily grows, was festive despite the fog and drizzle. The first Shirui Lily Festival was being inaugurated (16-20 May). Regular police, police commandos with assault rifles, and soldiers of the Indian Reserve Battalion and Assam Rifles in combat gear had secured the road and the venue. Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh, legislative assembly member (MLA) Alfred Arthur and a host of other dignitaries were expected. This area has long been a hotbed of insurgency; former chief minister O. Ibobi Singhs landing in the district last October had to be aborted after his helicopter was shot at.

Stalls were selling the local rice beer called cha thur in hollowed bamboos, with reed straws to drink through. Pork and buffalo meat spiced with the lethal Ukhrul chilli, a close relative of the variety known as bhut jolokia or ghost pepper in Assam and raja mirchi or king pepper in Nagaland, provided accompaniment.

The rain pelted down, turning the fields that were the venues for the many scheduled performances into mud pits. The roads, little better than mud tracks, turned into tests of balance, character and endurance. Doughty rally cyclists and motorcyclists rode up, slipping and sliding, along with nonchalant locals out in their fashionable best, trying to step from one relatively solid patch of earth to another.

We visitors didnt have those skills, and were advised to invest in a pair of gumboots. The hottest-selling products in Ukhrul, these come in a wide variety. Early next morning, before starting on the trek up the Shirui peak, 2,835m above sea level, I picked one with a camouflage pattern to blend in with the locals. Sadly, in my inexperience I picked a snug fit rather than a loose fita crucial error, as I was to discover later, when my toes turned black and blue owing to the painful pressure they had to withstand climbing downhill.

The track was muddy and steep, and led through glades of ferns, shrubs and grass interspersed with trees, which became more numerous as we ascended. The fog thickened. The track got narrower and steeper, until it was a staircase of stones. We huffed and puffed our way up. After what seemed like an eternity, we reached a small patch of flat earth, and stopped for a break. I asked one of our two local guides, Zaza, how many steps there were in all. Around 1,000," he said. Around 2,000," said one of the Manipuri boys from the plains. I think 3,000," I said.

The Shirui hill.

We pushed on, past tree trunks green with lichen and moss, and bare leafless trees, and heard in a glade, through the now impenetrable fog, a baby crying. Is that a baby?" I asked. Must be a ghost," a voice from somewhere behind me said.

It turned out to be a family of locals out for a stroll; father, mother and baby, in their Sunday best. Baby was not too happy, but it was nothing a nice song couldnt set right. The festive air had wafted up the peak, along with sounds of distant music. Hard rock was playing somewhere. It sounded like the AC/DC superhit Highway To Hell. Baby stopped wailing.

We soldiered on, in our gumboots and hiking gear, past old ladies in sarongs walking barefoot. Suddenly there was a sound of heavy breathing and a man ran past us, up the muddy 45-degree incline. He was followed by another. A race was on. I managed to run 10m after them before resuming the walk at a stately and dignified pace.

The fog limited our visibility to 30-40m or less. We were denied the spectacular views that we might have had on a clear day, but, in a sense, the fog saved us. The size of the peak, and the distance we might fall if one of us were to slip off the track, were hidden from us.

Suddenly, in the little section of the green glade that was visible, I spotted a dash of white tinged with pink...the Shirui Lily.

The flower is known as Kashong Timrawon in the Ukhrul dialect of the local Tangkhul language, which has at least 150 variations, many of them mutually unintelligible. British botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward, who arrived in the Shirui hills in 1948 with his wife Jean Macklin, told the world of its existence. For this discovery", he was able to name the rare lily after his wife; the Shirui Lilys scientific name is Lilium mackliniae.

Ukhrul town.

The first plant I saw was a small one, a little over a foot tall, with a single flower on the delicate stem. As we got closer to the top, there were more, until just before the summit, we came to a glade full of them. A rusted barbed-wire fence had long given way in most places, and there was a faded sign indicating this was a Restricted Area".

There was no one to enforce the restriction. In the fog, the sign itself would have been invisible to most climbers. I asked Zaza, whether the area is protected. He said that it is not.

In that case, we have the mystery of the national park that disappeared, because a Shirui National Park was apparently created in 1982.

In Tangkhul legend, the Shirui hill is associated with a fairy princess named Kashong Philava. She is said to be the protector of the rare plants and creatures on the hill, which include birds such as Blythes tragopan.

The venue of the Shirui Lily Festival in Shirui village.

If the birds, animals and flowers of the area survive, it will be due to a miracle by the fairy princess. Deforestation, climate change, invasion by plant species from other places, and the pressures of hordes wandering unrestricted in the highland glades of Shirui pose threats that the delicate ecosystem may not be designed to handle.

The height of the Shirui Lily plant has apparently decreased from Kingdon-Wards time. The number of flowers on a plant has also come down, according to locals.

The Shirui Lily, a delicate and rare beauty, appears to be shrinking, from healthy oblivion towards celebrity extinction.
A July slowdown in employment in Texas and the San Antonio area pulled down the job-growth projections for 2017, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reported Friday.

But the unemployment rate fell for both the state and San Antonio as fewer people sought jobs. The state still will experience much better employment growth than last year, and San Antonio should catch up to its job-creation rate of last year of 2 percent or higher, said Dallas Fed Senior Economist Keith Phillips in San Antonio.

Texas employment expanded by only 9,700 jobs in July, down from 35,800 in June, a revision from the 36,100 reported last month by the Dallas Fed. Julys job-growth rate was only 1 percent annualized. Still, the states jobless rate declined to 4.3 percent in July, compared to 4.6 percent in June.

Based on the slower July job-growth pace, the Dallas Fed reduced its 2017 job-growth forecast for Texas to 2.6 percent from the June forecast of 2.6 percent. Thats still better than Texas 1.2 percent growth in all of 2016.

The San Antonio area lost 100 jobs last month, a 0.1 percent decline after adding 2,300, or 2.8 percent, in June. Phillips said he believes the San Antonio number for July will be revised into positive territory next month after more information is obtained. With fewer people looking for work, San Antonios unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent from Junes 3.8 percent.

The states economics is poised to improve the rest of the year.

While job growth was somewhat soft in July, strength in the leading index components suggests continued growth above trend in the latter half of the year. Energy and manufacturing continue to rebound, Phillips said, citing survey information in the energy and manufacturing sectors.

The states manufacturing job-growth rate of 5.7 percent in July was the highest since 1990, Phillips said. Real estate employment was up at a 9.3 percent annualized rate, he added, citing the service sector that covers real estate agents and leasing agents. The housing market continues to do well, he said.

Phillips cited several factors for slower job in July. In Texas, state government employment declined after two strong months of hiring in May and June, he said.

In San Antonio, with its low 3.6 percent jobless rate, employers simply cant find enough qualified workers to hire or find workers willing to accept jobs at the wages being offered, he said. The tight labor market may be containing growth, Phillips said.

Because of its large tourism trade, San Antonio is vulnerable to a negative, long-term national trend in retail hiring. Nationally, retail sales are slowing in stores but are booming in online transactions. Also, in San Antonio, fewer tourists, especially from Mexico, are visiting San Antonio, he said, possibly because of concerns about the current administration in Washington, a factor also hurting tourism hiring, Phillips said.

Retail jobs are down 2.8 percent year to date in San Antonio, he said, adding: This is a true slowing in retail.

But the health care sector, a core San Antonio industry, grew strongly in July in the area, as did construction, real estate and energy, Phillips said. As in the state, manufacturing jobs in San Antonio increased, by 700.

We have these offsetting effects. Theres weakness in retail, and federal government hiring is close to flat. But I dont think theres a lot of slowing that is consistent with the July numbers, he said. By the end of the year, San Antonio will be closer to the what we saw last year, 2 percent job growth or more. Overall, it will be a pretty good year for San Antonio.

San Antonios jobless rate of 3.6 percent is lower than in Dallas at 3.7 percent, Fort Worth at 4.4 percent and Houston at 4.8 percent. Austin is the large Texas city with the lowest unemployment rate with 2.8 percent. The national unemployment rate for July is 4.3 percent.

Im hearing from employers that it is getting harder to find folks, but the other side of the coin is that there is a fair amount of people who are looking for a job, said San Antonio Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Richard Perez.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, 42,300 people are looking for jobs in the San Antonio area.

It may be that they are unskilled people who are looking while the employers are looking for people with technical skills and who have degrees, Perez said. The market is pretty hot. The lower unemployment rate indicates that. Theres a lot of things happening, a lot of people moving.

Employers are having a more difficult time finding people to employ, said Jennifer Delgado, CEO and president of Stability Staffing and Consulting in San Antonio. Our clients are always looking for experience, so it is becoming harder, Delgado said.

Some clients are raising wages to attract the candidates they need to fill positions, Delgado said.

They are finding that if they raise the wage by 50 cents or $1 (an hour), that gets them the tenure and experience they are looking for, she said.

Stability Staffing specializes in the medical and administrative professional fields. The city of San Antonio, including the Metropolitan Health District and the police department, and Pre-K 4 SA are among its clients.

During a July job fair held at the national convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens, Frank Ramos was looking for work, having been laid off in February when a commercial cable installation company that employed Ramos lost a contract.

Im looking for something in construction, he said. Im not an indoors person. I dont want to be stuck in a cubicle, Ramos said.

Ramos said the job fair was helping him find education opportunities. He cited one exhibitor, the Heavy Equipment Colleges of America, which offers a three-week certification program that would help in qualifying for a job.

dhendricks@express-news.net
A man driving a white BMW stabbed another man driving a green Toyota pickup in what police described as a road-rage incident Thursday afternoon in Santa Rosa.

The BMW driver, Fernando Delgado, 34, of Santa Rosa, was booked into county jail and faced possible charges of assault with a deadly weapon.
The city of Columbus, Ind. - home, somewhat incongruously, to dozens of buildings designed by such architectural giants as Eero and Eliel Saarinen, I.M. Pei and James Polshek - has been called a "Midwestern Mecca" of midcentury modernism and "Oz for architecture nerds." One of those nerds has made a movie about the place.

"Columbus" marks the feature debut of director Kogonada, but it's not a travelogue. Rather, it's a story that uses place - and buildings - to tell a story about something far less concrete. The story centers on the unlikely friendship between Jin (John Cho), a Korean American translator who rushes from Seoul to Columbus when his father falls into a coma, and Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), a young woman who lives in town but who dreams of leaving to study architecture. It's structured around a serious of conversations - sometimes philosophical, sometimes metaphysical and often deeply personal - set against several of the city's landmarks. Jin, the son of an architecture scholar, is jaded about buildings; Casey, who has stayed in Columbus to care for her mother, a recovering meth-head, is a passionate believer in the power of buildings.

Among the featured structures are Pei's Cleo Rogers Memorial County Library, where Casey works, and the Eero Saarinen-designed home of J. Irwin Miller, now a house museum owned by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. (Miller, an industrialist, philanthropist and architecture patron, was responsible for bringing to Columbus many big design names.)

In a phone interview, the Nashville-based Kogonada, a video artist known for making clip compilations, or supercuts, of the work of such filmmakers as Alfred Hitchcock and Jean-Luc Godard, prefers to give neither his age nor his real name. His nom de cinema, he says, is only partly a nod to Kogo Noda, the longtime screenwriting partner of the Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu, a hero of Kogonada's. About the film's use of architecture, he is similarly cagey - not because he's hiding anything, but because, as he puts it, "the minute you try to fully explain something, there's nothing else to pursue."

Q: Aside from serving as a beautiful backdrop, how does the architecture in "Columbus" function as a vehicle to express your ideas?

A: As I was writing, I was thinking about children and the burden of the parent - the departure of the parent - whether it's old age, and they might be dying, or for someone Casey's age who has to leave a parent that she feels responsible for. This question has haunted me for a while: How do we make meaning of absence? Not all architecture addresses absence, but there's a lot that does. I stumbled on Columbus, Indiana, after reading an article on the town. I visited, not for location, but just out of curiosity. I'm a bit of an architecture nerd myself. When I saw the town, it felt like it was telling that kind of story. It had a mood to it that drew me in. That very day, I thought, "I need to set this story in this town." It really did make everything come together. Maybe characters are just floating around in your head, and not grounded, until you set them down in a physical space.

Q: Casey has a top-five list of favorite buildings, which she takes Jin on a tour of. I noticed that she doesn't ever say what her number four is.

A: She doesn't. That's right. [Laughs]

Q: Did you have one in mind?

A: I know what her number four is. It's the Polshek building, the one that goes across the stream, like a bridge.

Q: The Mental Health Services wing of the Columbus Regional Hospital?

A: Yes. I wanted to leave one unspecified. I had an idea of why certain buildings were going to hit Casey in a certain way, and I didn't want it to look like the sensibility of someone who has loved architecture for 15 years and has studied it. That would be a different list.

Q: What does Saarinen's Miller House - number one on Casey's list - tell us about her sensibility?

A: It tells you that she's really been influenced by architect Deborah Berke, because the Miller House is Berke's favorite building in the world. If you are a young woman who loves architecture, Berke is going to be a hero to you, because there aren't a lot of woman architects. The Miller House is probably the most significant building in Columbus. But Casey is looking at it through the eyes of her hero.

Q: Berke, a follower of Saarinen, designed Casey's third-favorite building: the former Irwin Union Bank, which Casey explains that she fell in love with during the time she was coping with her mom's addiction. It's an odd choice, isn't it? It's sort of humble and strip-mall-ish.

A: It literally is in a strip mall. It isn't really seen as architectural, if you don't have the eyes to see it. It's unassuming, but a really thoughtful building. It's difficult for myself - and for Casey - to articulate why it hits her so powerfully.

Q: The building that houses the Republic newspaper is Casey's fifth-favorite. What's the appeal there?

A: Casey's life is really messy. There was a period when it felt very chaotic. There's something about the clean lines of that building - the transparency, even the way in which emptiness is revealed and structured - that she might not be able to articulate. But you can see the desire for order in her home. If we had shot the interior of her house three years before the action of the film, it wouldn't look nearly as clean as it does. I wanted her house to look like she had taken over it. There's something about the modern form itself - which is most obvious in the Mies van der Rohe simplicity that you see in early modernism - that registers with her.

Q: Casey's number two is another bank, also by Saarinen. And the film features two churches: one by Eero Saarinen, and one by his father, Eliel. What is it with banks and churches?

A: Some of the most prominent modernist structures are churches and banks, which, in regard to what you are designing for, are almost opposites: God and mammon. But Casey's not thinking about it that way. She's simply lived around these buildings her whole life. This is the case with a lot of people in Columbus. Some notice buildings, and for others they're just banks and churches. Jin has been raised by someone who intellectualizes architecture, and he's grown cynical about it. When he presses Casey to say what moves her about a bank, he's trying to get her to connect with an emotional response. He wants to know if it's authentic. I will says this: When Casey answers, I kind of conceal her reasons, purposefully. I don't want to fully explain her. What's important to know is that she does have an emotional response.

Q: One question comes up a couple of times in the film: Can a building heal?

A: I don't want to be coy, because that's an important question for me: What is the function of art, of architecture or, for that matter, of cinema? Is it just a distraction? Is it something we just do as a career? Does it have power? If so, what does that mean? Polshek wrote about the "responsibility" of an architect. He said the decisions an architect makes are, in some ways, moral decisions. In a world where religion sometimes no longer seems tenable, can art play a role in helping us process what it means to be human? Maybe that involves the healing of certain messiness, or certain wounds.

Q: There are scenes set at the Bartholomew County Veterans Memorial. Are they meant to underscore the theme of absence?

A: Yes, it's definitely something that's infused throughout the film. I don't want to be hyperliteral, but we can't see space - absence - until someone frames it. The effort to understand our relationship to nothingness is ongoing for me. I suppose it will be, until I turn into nothingness.

Q: You said that Columbus has a mood to it that "drew you in." What is that mood?

A: Something about that town is, at the same time, very hopeful and very sad. There is something about it that is very pregnant. Mike Pence grew up there. On the one hand, it's this conservative place. On the other, you have this progressive industrialist, Miller, who believed that architecture and design mattered, and who almost treated Columbus as a kind of case study. He put money down, betting that it mattered. And it definitely has. But it also hasn't. Columbus isn't utopian. Architecture didn't change everything. There's something that I love about that, because I want to believe so desperately that these things matter, but it also reveals the limits of utopia. There's is something really lovely, but also haunting, to have a vision of what art can and can't do.

---

"Columbus" (Unrated, 104 minutes).
When the signature item at Christie's New York antiquities auction was sold in April, the art collector Michael Steinhardt thought he had pocketed $12.7 million. His 5,000 year-old stone idol, called the Guennol Stargazer, went for more than twice its pre-sale estimate.

But now a lawsuit brought by the government of Turkey against Steinhardt and Christie's has derailed the sale. It alleges Steinhardt should have known the ancient idol was looted from the country. And Turkey's lawyers have argued that Christie's failed to conduct proper due diligence and rushed forward with the auction in spite of objections.

The auction house also resisted disclosing the dispute to prospective buyers until the court ordered it to do so. The idol now remains locked away in Christie's vault while questions over its ownership are resolved.

The dispute has cast an awkward spotlight on a closely held company better known for its discretion as well as on a hedge-fund pioneer -- and a member of Christie's advisory board -- who has repeatedly been caught up in disputes about the provenance of antiquities linked to him.

A money manager who has poured his wealth into philanthropy, art and a venture called WisdomTree, Steinhardt said Turkey should have raised its claim years earlier, since the idol has been displayed publicly for decades. He said the provenance questions he has faced are typical for major antiquities collectors, calling the episodes "a little bit of bad luck."

Steinhardt wanted to sell Stargazer, along with several other pieces, because art became too big a portion of his net worth. Now, he's hoping Turkey's claims are dismissed, adding, "You bet I am not planning to return it."

Steinhardt owned the figurine anonymously for more than two decades. His identity as the idol's seller was only recently revealed in the legal fracas with Turkey.

Christie's, the largest auction house in the world by sales, said in a statement: "While Christie's has significant respect for the cultural property rights of countries of origin, this particular work is very well documented outside of Turkey, and has been extensively exhibited in the public realm over the last 50 years." Steinhardt's participation on Christie's advisory board was not a factor in the handling of the sale, the auction house said.

Lawyers representing Turkey argue that its national patrimony law, dating to 1906, governs the matter. That law says that all antiquities discovered within Turkish territory belong to the state. The clash comes at a time of strained relations between the U.S. and Turkey, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has challenged the U.S. on issues ranging from Syria strategy to the U.S. harboring an exiled Turkish cleric. His government has raised the dispute over the Stargazer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to records from Turkey's lawsuit.

Ultimately, the fight may turn on two questions: Whether Turkey can conclusively show the piece was discovered in that country, and whether it laid claim to the artifact in a timely fashion.

Increasingly, courts and public opinion have supported claims by foreign governments to return stolen treasures, in challenges to museums, auction houses and collectors. In recent months, Italy regained two ancient pieces: a vase from New York's Met that was looted by tomb raiders in 1971, and a marble statue of Zeus from the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, after museum officials agreed that it matched a fragment found near Naples.

Gary Vikan, former director of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, said the pendulum has swung too far in favor of foreign governments. "The enthusiasm for disputing things -- which is borne from very just cases -- has gone beyond the boundaries of common sense.

"If objects have been in the public domain, they acquire good title over time," said Vikan, the author of 2016's "Sacred and Stolen: Confessions of a Museum Director." He is not involved in the Stargazer litigation.

The Stargazer is a 9-inch (23 centimeters), strikingly modern figurine whose upturned head inspired its name. Similar idols were produced during the Bronze Age in the southern coastal region of Anatolia, an area now contained within Turkey. Turkey said the Stargazer was illegally excavated and smuggled out of the country in the early 1960s.

The Stargazer surfaced in the public realm in 1966, when it was exhibited at the Met. Over subsequent decades, it was exhibited multiple times, even after Steinhardt purchased the idol in 1993, according to court documents. He said he bought it through a gallery for less than $2 million.

After he decided to sell it, the Stargazer graced the cover of the Christie's auction catalog, and it was promoted in the window of the auction house's New York headquarters near Rockefeller Center.

Turkey learned that Christie's had the idol in late March and lodged a protest a week before the April 28 auction, according to court records. When the two sides were unable to reach an agreement, Turkey sued to block the auction. U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan denied that request, but -- over Christie's objections -- ordered the auction house to announce before the sale that Turkey had raised an ownership claim. She allowed the auction to proceed after Christie's agreed to an extra month delay in the hopes the dispute would be resolved before the deal was consummated.

Nathan said she found it interesting that Christie's would go forward with the auction under the circumstances. The judge ordered Christie's to reveal the identity of the prospective buyer, who has since walked away from the deal. (The Stargazer's final price of $14.5 million included Christie's commission).

"The bidder was on notice that Turkey had laid claim to the idol, prior to bidding, and nevertheless entered the highest bid," the judge wrote. As such, he or she might have information "about Christie's vigilance in determining the provenance of the idol." The buyer has tried to remain anonymous, claiming through a lawyer that he or she knew nothing of substance.

A voracious collector, Steinhardt, 76, and his wife, Judy, have spent at least $200 million assembling a trove of antiquities, modern art and textiles. The couple also owns a private zoo of exotic animals at their estate in Bedford, New York.

The Stargazer feud marks at least the fourth time provenance questions have cropped up over a piece tied to Steinhardt.

Last month, the Met turned over an ancient Lebanese bull's head to New York prosecutors after one of its curators raised concerns about its provenance. Several years ago, it was briefly owned by Steinhardt until he learned of Lebanon's claim to it and demanded the sellers buy it back.

In 2011, U.S. authorities in Newark, New Jersey, seized a fragment of a painted stone tomb as it arrived from Switzerland. Documents on the artifact claimed it was from Macedonia, but it was later traced to an archaeological site in Italy. Its export wasn't approved either. Steinhardt was listed as the recipient but never received it. He said he didn't recall details of the incident.

And in the 1990s, Steinhardt fought all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend his ownership of an antique gold platter seized from his apartment at Italy's request. Prosecutors said the evidence showed he was "eager to know as little as possible about the source" of the piece, despite having paid more than $1 million to buy it.

Steinhardt never got the gold platter back.

In making Turkey's case that Steinhardt should have known the Stargazer was stolen, its lawyers noted his connection to several cases involving allegedly looted antiquities and his stated love of the risks inherent in the business. Steinhardt doesn't deny it.

"It's my nature," he said. "As an investor, I welcomed the qualities of risk in all sorts of investments, and I didn't necessarily shy away from risk."
After a year of compiling, writing and editing, the Liberty County Historical Commission is nearly ready to begin selling its new book titled "Historic Churches of Liberty County." Beginning Sept. 10, the book will be offered for $8 per copy.

An event to sell the books will be held on Sept. 10, 1 to 3 p.m, at the A.J. "Jack" Hartel Building, 318 San Jacinto St., Liberty. Anyone wanting to buy a copy is encouraged to attend. Copies also will be donated to all public libraries in the county.

According to a statement from the historical commission, churches in Liberty County that are over 50 years old are included. The Commission asked all churches that qualified as "historic" to submit any printed or oral histories along with any early photographs for inclusion in this book. An LCHC committee was formed to gather these materials, edit and compile this book.

"Much to our amazement, there were numerous churches in our county which had been continuously active for more than 150 years, some more than 175 years. Early churches were the backbone of most communities, particularly in rural areas and often the first structure built even before permanent homes," the statement reads. "Many times, families gathered together in a newly formed community under temporary structures known as 'brush arbors.' These coverings were roughly constructed from trees, vines and twigs to protect worshipers from inclement weather. Social interaction among neighbors and families was centered around the community church."

These early churches in Liberty County included many denominations: Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Episcopalian, Lutheran and others. These histories tell stories of the early settlers in our county and the struggles of black churches after emancipation.

"The Liberty County Historical Commission feels it is our duty and obligation to preserve and safeguard the history of our county for future generations. In publishing 'Historic Churches of Liberty County, Texas,' we hope we have achieved the goal of preserving the rich heritage of this very important part of our history," the statement reads.

For more information, call LCHC Chair Linda Jamison at 936-334-5813 or email lchc318@gmail.com.
Not everyone in Silicon Valley agrees with how major tech companies have grappled with white supremacy in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, a major player in debates over civil liberties and digital privacy said in a blog post Thursday that Google and GoDaddy booting a far-right website from their services was "dangerous" and not the right way to fight extremism.

"All fair-minded people must stand against the hateful violence and aggression that seems to be growing across our country," the EFF wrote. "But we must also recognize that on the Internet, any tactic used now to silence neo-Nazis will soon be used against others, including people whose opinions we agree with."

To illustrate its point, the EFF noted that in the civil rights era, it was the NAACP's right to express its views that came under attack.

EFF's vocal criticism stands in sharp contrast to Silicon Valley's growing antagonism to white supremacists, highlighting the contradictory, dueling approaches to combating extremist speech following the disturbing events in Charlottesville.

A host of companies have recently refused their services to white supremacists or businesses tied to them, including Apple, Cloudflare and Paypal. But even some of these companies recognize the complexity of choosing to discriminate based on content. "It's important that what we did today not set a precedent," Cloudfare Chief Executive Matthew Prince said in an email to employees after choosing to terminate service to the known neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer. "The right answer is for us to be consistently content neutral."

The EFF does not dispute that tech platforms have the right to choose what kinds of speech to host or protect. But the organization said the decisions of Internet gatekeepers such as GoDaddy, and Google have far-reaching consequences that echo around the world. One such consequence, the EFF argued, is that other entities such as foreign governments might invoke the same power to de-list websites based on political considerations. And further down the Internet ecosystem, companies may continue to ban accounts without explanation or accountability, the EFF suggested.

In a statement, Google confirmed that it canceled the Daily Stormer's registration for violating its terms of service but declined to comment on EFF's blog post.

The aggressive moves by Web companies has also called into question the power of tech platforms to control public spaces."We take a lot of these sites and places for granted, but they are really private operations," said Roy Gutterman, director at the Tully Center for Free Speech at Syracuse University.

Unlike the government, which is bound by the First Amendment, corporations have more power to exclude expression, Gutterman said. A boldly assertive approach against extremist groups has heightened concerns that massive tech platforms are effectively becoming the arbiters of free speech in America. "They don't like the Nazis today, but tomorrow it's somebody else," he said. "You may get to the point where you have a whimsical CEO who wants to de-list a political group or a movement."

"Protecting free speech is not something we do because we agree with all of the speech that gets protected," the EFF said. "We do it because we believe that no one-not the government and not private commercial enterprises - should decide who gets to speak and who doesn't."

GoDaddy and Cloudflare did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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When they are together, it's not hard to see the Boy Scouts they were when they met seven decades ago, in the barbed-wire Japanese internment camp that sprawled over desolate fields. One was imprisoned here; one belonged to the only troop that agreed to a jamboree on the inside.

Norman Mineta went on to become a mayor, a Democratic congressman and a Cabinet secretary to two presidents. Alan K. Simpson went on to serve Wyoming as its Republican senator for 18 years. And they have returned to speak out against the racism that led to Heart Mountain's opening 75 years ago this month.

On this day, they are goofing around after dinner on the front porch of one of Simpson's favorite haunts in Cody, where storefront signs once read "No Japs Allowed."

They rib each other relentlessly. Simpson, almost a foot taller, bends down to plant a goodbye kiss on Mineta's head. When they hug, Mineta's face is squashed into Simpson's chest.

"You need to shave," Mineta quips.

Simpson rubs his chin and grins.

Nearby, their wives shake their heads and roll their eyes. They've seen this show before. "It's like they're 12 years old again," says Deni Mineta. "Look at the two of them."

The men take a cruise most years with their wives, but the trip they treasure most is this annual pilgrimage. Their personal story is a highlight for the former internees and their descendants, who visit and reflect on a particularly dark chapter in American history.

---

Two months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt signed an order ordering all Japanese Americans away from the Pacific Coast.

Mineta and his family were among 120,000 who were "relocated" inland to one of 10 internment camps that opened amid the wartime hysteria. The majority were citizens, forced to leave behind their homes, jobs, belongings and crops. Families lost everything. Mineta remembers tears streaming down his father's face as they left San Jose and headed first for a way station at the Santa Anita Racetrack, then to the Heart Mountain camp, 15 miles outside of Simpson's home town of Cody.

Simpson remembered how the rows of tar-paper barracks appeared almost overnight on a sagebrush flat. There was nothing near the camp but the railroad tracks that transported the internees. With more than 10,000 usually there, the camp dwarfed the population of Cody, then at just more than 2,500.

"The townspeople in Cody were not thrilled," Simpson said. "We didn't know who was in there except it must have been a pretty bad group with all that activity."

"I remember the day we got there in November [1942]," Mineta said. "The wind was blowing, all this silt was hitting our faces, cold as blazes. . . . The restrooms were quite a ways away, so when it would get cold and either raining or the snow, you had to go to the bathroom at 11 or 12 at night and trudge through all that mud and muck and mire.

"And then each of the units had one single globe in the middle of the room and a potbelly stove in the middle. My job was to get the coal from the bin and then bring it - and that's what kept us warm."

He was 11.

No schools had been built for the thousands of children who were among the internees, so to keep the children occupied, camp elders decided to form Boy Scout troops.

Long before internment, scouting had deep roots in the Japanese community. Immigrant parents viewed it as a very American tradition and admired the organization's values of good citizenship, loyalty and service. When Mineta's family left their house for the train ride to the assembly center in Southern California, young Norman wore his Cub Scout uniform.

So Heart Mountain troop leaders wrote to troops in nearby towns, inviting them to participate in Boy Scout jamborees. All refused. They were afraid of the armed guards and uneasy about the unfamiliar faces inside.

"It was a confusing time," Simpson said. As a young boy, "You were sorting out your world when nobody was there to teach you what the hell was going on, but you knew it was mess."

But his troop's leader, Glenn Livingston, was "a scoutmaster ahead of his time," Simpson said. He told his young scouts that the boys behind the barbed-wire fence were just like them, and he was right: The Heart Mountain scouts, Simpson said, read the same comics and earned the same merit badges.

Even as a young kid, Simpson said: "You knew these were Americans, especially when you met the Scouts. They didn't even know where Japan was."

By chance, he was matched up with Mineta, who remembers Simpson as a "roly-poly kid with lots of hair."

Among their tasks that day was pitching a tent.

There is some dispute between the two, as usual, as they recount what happened next. Mineta claimed that when it came time to build a small moat around the tent, Simpson suggested routing it so that it would flow toward the tent of another Scout - one known as a bully.

"It was no skin off my nose, so I said 'Sure,' " Mineta recalled. By chance it rained, and the moat worked perfectly to flood the kid's tent.

"Oh, he laughed, 'hee hee hee, haw haw haw, hee hee hee,' " Mineta said. "I had to say, 'Alan, stop laughing so we can get some rest.' "

Said Simpson: "He said I laughed hideously at the event. I don't recall any cackling, but it was fun."

They spent a day together. Then Simpson went back to a comfortable life as the son of a prominent family in Cody. Mineta stayed behind the barbed wire for a year.

---

That might have been that, had it not been for a small news item that ran in the Cody Enterprise in 1971.

Like the thousands of other Japanese families, Mineta and his family had returned home after the war to rebuild their lives. Mineta's family was among the fortunate: A friend had taken care of their property, so they had a home. But prejudice persisted, and his father struggled to restart his insurance business.

Mineta got a business administration degree at the University of California at Berkeley, joined the Army and fought in Korea. In 1971, he was elected mayor of San Jose and became the first Japanese American to lead a major U.S. city.

Simpson, by then a young lawyer practicing in Cody, spotted an Associated Press story in the local paper about that election. Buried deep in the text was a mention that Mineta and his family had been interned at the Heart Mountain camp.

Simpson, realizing this was the same pesky kid, dashed off a note.

"Dear Norm, congratulations on being elected mayor - I have been wondering what you've been up to all these years . . ." Mineta recalled. "He still complains, to this day, that I never responded to him."

Did he?

"You know, I don't remember that I did - so I fall silent whenever he's talking about that," he said with a sheepish grin.

Three years later, Mineta was elected to Congress, and Simpson wrote again. This time, the newly minted congressman wrote back.

After Simpson was elected to the Senate from Wyoming in 1978, the two former Boy Scouts finally were reunited face-to-face - 35 years after they met on the sagebrush flat.

Politically, they were opposites. Simpson is a Republican. Mineta is a Democrat.

Once, when Mineta signed on to support a gun control bill, Simpson called him up. "He said, 'You know what gun control is in my state?' " Mineta recalled. "It's how steady you hold the gun." That argument didn't persuade Mineta, but it did make him laugh.

The two were in Congress at the same time for 16 years. Outsiders thought their bipartisan friendship was curious.

Mineta, again: "One time this guy asked Alan, 'I don't understand. You're a conservative Republican, and he's a liberal Democrat, so what's the big difference between you and Mineta?' And Alan said, 'Well, I wear a 17 1/2 shoe and he wears 8.' "

In 1995, when Simpson decided he would not run for reelection, Mineta was among the first people he called. The exchange was trademark Simpson.

"He said, 'I want to talk to you, and I said, 'Why don't you come on over Wednesday at 2 p.m.,' " Mineta said. "And then he said, "May I remind you that I'm a U.S. senator, and you are a mere representative of the House?' So I said, 'Okay you imperial so-and-so, I'll come over to your side.' "

Perhaps their most memorable legislative collaboration came on the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, in which the government formally apologized to the Japanese American internees and created a $1.25 billion trust fund to provide reparations to those who were interned. Mineta and his colleagues, including Sens. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii, and Spark M. Matsunaga, D-Hawaii, worked with many others for more than a decade to get the bill passed.

Simpson plays down his role in the bill's passage, but Mineta insists his friend was a key supporter despite Simpson's opposition to the provision providing $20,000 payments to living internees.

Speaking in support of the bill from the Senate floor, Simpson recounted how his trip with the Boy Scouts into the Heart Mountain detention camp had "put a new twist" on his own wartime perception of Japanese Americans "because we thought of them as something else - as aliens, we thought of them as spies, we thought of them as people who were behind wire because of what they were trying to do in our country."

Instead, he said, they were Boy Scouts from California, wearing "the same merit badges, same Scout sashes, same clothing. . . . But in my mind you had to see it, you had to have it etched on the back of the rim of your eye, to understand that these people were put in an extraordinary situation where they lost their constitutional rights in the United States of America. They were not, as I say, aliens. They were U.S. citizens."

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At the site of the camp where more than 14,000 people were confined, just a few old buildings remain. They have been preserved by a nonprofit foundation as part of the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, which aims to remind visitors of the need for tolerance and upholding basic civil rights when protecting national security.

Simpson and Mineta helped raise millions of dollars for the center, much of it by telling the story of their friendship. Mineta always tells people how much he treasures Simpson's humor and loyalty. Simpson always expresses his admiration for how Mineta moved on after Heart Mountain to "do good," for refusing to give in to bitterness.

In an interview in Simpson's living room, he and Mineta reflected on their long bond.

"It wasn't anything mystical," Simpson said. "It was just two boys - just two curious, inquisitive kids - pesky, good-humored, full of fun, who met each other and who remembered - at least I remembered."

Said Mineta: "He is a great friend all around. Even though he's a conservative Republican, and I'm a liberal Democrat, we're just the best of friends."

That makes them rare specimens of a nearly extinct species, as they well know.

"People may like the aspects . . . of bipartisanship. . . . And certainly an Asian and a Caucasian, there's another blend," Simpson said. "And maybe they pine for that, I don't know."

Up the hill from the center, an American flag flaps in the wind. At the flagpole's base sits a plaque with the names of 800 who were drafted or enlisted from Heart Mountain. It includes 15 internees who died fighting for the United States, two of whom were awarded the Medal of Honor.

"This is not about the past," Mineta said at the center's opening in 2011. "This is about the future . . . because history already has the ability to repeat itself, and what you are doing here is drawing that line in the sand, to say that never again will there be something like what happened here."

This summer, a record number of people made the pilgrimage, boarding yellow school buses that took them through fertile farmland. First-timers such as Mitch Homma, whose parents and grandparents were interned here, joined Bacon Sakatani, now in his 80s, who has made 30 trips to Heart Mountain since his confinement there as an eighth-grader. Raymond Uno, a judge, led 50 members of his family to see where he had been interned.

For many, the trips are a contemplation of family history that is both painful and prideful. John S. Toyama, who was born at Heart Mountain, said that one of the first times he returned to the camp as an adult, he cried.

"It was very emotional," he said. Now, he is more at peace when he sees the mountain and wanders through the center.

"There is good energy here," Toyama said, energies that he thinks helped the Japanese Americans interned at Heart Mountain survive.

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The visitors also see the durability of the unlikely Boy Scout friendship as a powerful energy, a testament to resilience and mutual respect. When Mineta and Simpson arrive, the 85-year-olds are greeted like favorite uncles and dear friends. Instead of handshakes, there are hugs and kisses and, among the younger members of the crowd, plenty of selfies.

"Every year [the crowd] gets bigger, and Norm and I get smaller," Simpson jokes to the crowd. "Thanks for keeping [Heart Mountain] alive."

Later that afternoon, Mineta grips a cane and climbs slowly up the stairs to a refurbished barracks like the one he lived in for a year. Internment "was a bad memory," he had said in a previous interview. "It's something you don't forget, but you don't let that become a chain around your neck."

Now, he looks out the window.

"Same old dust is still here," he says while picking at dirt in the windowsill. His wife takes a picture.

"Smile," she says.

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Video: Norman Mineta and Alan Simpson first met in middle-of-nowhere Wyoming in the 1940s, as two Boy Scouts at an internment camp for Japanese Americans. They met again in Congress, forming a bipartisan friendship that has endured into their 80s. (Lee Powell/The Washington Post)

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Several white nationalist and hate groups came together in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend for a "Unite the Right" rally.

Those assembled for the rally chanted slogans like: "Jews will not replace us," "Blood and soil," and "White lives matter." Others organized to protest these hate groups, and as the day went on things turned violent. Activist Heather Heyer was killed and many more were injured when a car drove into a crowd of protesters.

President Donald Trump's initial response to the events in Charlottesville condemned "hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides," and failed to name or condemn the Ku Klux Klan, white nationalists or other white supremacist groups.

Facing pressure following those remarks, Trump gave a scripted speech Monday afternoon condemning those aforementioned hate groups and calling racism "evil."

But then, on Tuesday, Trump went off-script and doubled down on his initial comments about Charlottesville, blaming both sides and asserting that each side had "fine people" on it.

Trump's response to this national crisis has been met with a lot of criticism and raised questions about his leadership. At a moment of crisis, presidents seek to unify the country. Trump has failed to do so in the aftermath of violence in Charlottesville.

So, can a president govern by division? Can a president who fails to denounce hate still bring the country together?

On this week's episode of the "Can He Do That?" podcast, the award-winning Washington Post reporter Wesley Lowery - author of "They Can't Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America's Racial Justice Movement" - weighs in on the state of race relations in America.

Plus, we examine the history of political appeals to white fear with John Powell, professor of law at University of California at Berkeley and director of the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society. And finally, we look at the ways that presidents have responded to various national crises in the past with Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law and former director of speechwriting for President Bill Clinton.

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Each week, "Can He Do That?" examines the powers and limitations of the American presidency, focusing on one area where Trump is seemingly breaking precedent. We answer the critical questions about what today's news means for the future of the highest office in the nation.

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In the aftermath of violence in Charlottesville, Va., we examine the history of political appeals to white fear and how past presidents have responded to crises.

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Community members in Arlington, Virginia, are pressing the school board to change the name of Washington-Lee High, a campaign that comes in response to last weekend's events in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a white supremacist rally around a statue of Robert E. Lee descended into violence.

While the school's name has come under occasional scrutiny, school board members this time indicated they are weighing establishing better criteria for how schools are named, potentially opening the door to renaming the high school.

Thursday evening, the school board held a moment of silence for those killed Saturday, including two state troopers whose helicopter crashed as they monitored the protest, and Heather Heyer, a counterprotester who was run down by a car allegedly driven by a white nationalist.

Board chairwoman Barbara Kanninen then delivered a statement on behalf of the board, saying that the events in Charlottesville - and the opening of new school buildings - raise important questions about how schools are named.

"It's time to talk about the names of our schools, and what they mean, and why they matter. It is time to talk about the values these names reflect and the messages we are sending to our children," Kanninen said.

At the same meeting, a student, parents and several other community members associated with the organization Indivisible Arlington spoke in favor of changing the name.

"It emits the hypocritical and shameful message of moral equivalency between those who fought for freedom and those who fought for slavery," said Marc Beallor, a retired union organizer and member of Indivisible Arlington. "Let us act now in the memory of Heather Heyer, who gave her life in this cause."

Leonie Alder, who will be a senior at Washington-Lee High this year, told board members she walks by two or three portraits of Lee as she walks the school's hallways.

"Especially as a black student, I don't want to be going to a school named for an oppressor of my ancestors," Alder said.

The events in Charlottesville have reignited the debate over whether schools and roads should continue to bear the names of Confederate figures and whether statues honoring them should remain standing. President Trump lamented the loss of "the beautiful statues and monuments" that honor Confederate figures.

While the vast majority of speakers favored removing the name, two alumni defended keeping it, saying it would interrupt the legacy of a well-regarded school.

John Peck, an architect who graduated from the school in 1996, urged the board to consider Lee's post-war legacy, not just his role as the leader of the Confederacy.
A deputy sheriff with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office was injured while working off-duty traffic control at the ExxonMobil polyethylene plant in Beaumont, Deputy Marcus McLellan of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said.

The deputy sheriff was working at the crossover in front of the plant on U.S. 90 at 5 p.m. on Thursday when his vehicle was broadsided by another car. Both the deputy sheriff and the other driver were taken to Christus St. Elizabeth, where they were treated for their injuries and released.
CAIRO - In Yemen's often-ignored war, Hisham al-Omeisy has been one of its most visible documenters. He has used social media to provide the world a window into the nation's deepening humanitarian crisis and criticized all sides of the conflict.

On Monday, security agents with Yemen's rebel Houthi movement arrested Omeisy in the capital, Sanaa, and they are holding him in an undisclosed location without access to a lawyer or his family, two international human rights groups said Friday in statements.

"Hisham al-Omeisy has been detained without charge or a court appearance in breach of Yemen's constitution, which requires anybody arrested to be presented in court within 24 hours," Samah Hadid, director of Amnesty International's advocacy campaigns in the Middle East, said in statement.

In recent months, dozens of activists, journalists, lawyers and others critical of the rebel Houthi government and its partner, former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have been arbitrarily arrested or have vanished into the security apparatus, human rights groups say. Some have been tortured or have died in custody, the groups say.

What makes Omeisy's detention surprising is that he was mostly critical of the Saudi-led coalition backing the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who is trying to oust the rebels from Sanaa and much of the north. The coalition has launched numerous airstrikes that have killed thousands of civilians, including children, according to the United Nations.

Omeisy, 38, frequently tweeted in English and Arabic and regularly sent pictures and video to his nearly 24,000 followers. The warring sides have sought to restrict visas and access to flights for Western journalists to cover Yemen's conflict, so activists such as Omeisy have become important voices illuminating the unfolding tragedy.

"Yemen more than ever needs activists like Hisham al-Omeisy to bring attention to the devastation that war, famine and disease have wrought on the country and its people," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

Yemen, the Middle East's poorest country, has been besieged since March 2015 after the Houthi overthrow of the Hadi government. That prompted Saudi Arabia and other regional Sunni Muslim powers to enter into the conflict to restore Hadi to power. The Shiite Houthis are widely believed to be backed by Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival.

More than 10,000 civilians have died, and some 3 million people have been displaced from their homes, according to the U.N. humanitarian-affairs office. A deepening hunger crisis is propelling the country to the brink of famine, and a cholera outbreak is devastating the population.

Omeisy, a political activist who gained attention during Yemen's Arab Spring revolts that ousted Saleh five years ago, tweeted multiple times a day, and his comments were often scathing. In one, four days before his arrest, he wrote: "Sana'a airport closure by Saudi-led coalition & preventing medical evac, killed more people than airstrikes. #Yemen"

It is unclear why Omeisy was targeted. Two days before his arrest, he wrote in a tweet: "Armed goons backed by corrupt officials are forcefully taking real estate properties in Sana'a. They just showed up at my door. #Yemen"

On Monday, Omeisy was arrested by 15 security officers about 2:45 p.m. and was being held by the country's National Security Bureau, said human rights activists.

"Hisham al-Omeisy is a prisoner of conscience, whose only 'crime' is peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression, and he must be released immediately," Hadid said.
NAIROBI, Kenya - A leading wildlife conservationist, who pioneered new techniques to catch elephant poachers and ivory smugglers, was shot and killed in Tanzania on Wednesday.

Wayne Lotter, a 51-year-old South African, was in a taxi in Dar es Salaam when it was stopped by another vehicle. Two men opened the car door and one shot him.

Lotter had for years received threats against his life, according to his organization, the PAMS Foundation, which he founded in 2009. He worked closely with the Tanzanian government during a period in which poaching surged. From 2009 to 2014, the elephant population in Tanzania collapsed from 109,051 to 43,330, according to government data.

Lotter's killing is being investigated by Tanzanian authorities. It remains unclear whether his death is related to his anti-poaching work. Reuters reported that his laptop was stolen in the attack.

"Through his work with PAMS he helped train thousands of village game scouts in every corner of the country. His ground-breaking work in developing an intelligence-based approach to anti-poaching helped successfully reverse the rampant rates of poaching facing Tanzania," the organization posted on its Facebook page.

Lotter helped fund Tanzania's National and Transnational Serious Crimes Investigation Unit, which successfully pursued a number of high-profile ivory traffickers. In 2015, the unit arrested Yang Feng Glan, the so-called "Queen of Ivory," who is accused of smuggling more than 700 elephant tusks out of Africa.

PAMS, which stands for Protected Area Management System, works with local communities to curb poaching and has also helped support the Tanzanian government to prosecute and extradite alleged smugglers. It has promoted so-called "Intelligence-led policing" to use modern surveillance techniques to pursue wildlife traffickers.

Lotter helped extradite another alleged smuggling kingpin, Gakou Fodie, from Uganda to Tanzania. Lotter has said that Fodie was involved in the shipment of six tons of pangolin scales, a rare mammal that is considered the world's most hunted animal.

But some of Lotter's most important, and most emotional, work was related to elephants.

"It is hard to describe the exact feeling, but my stomach still knots every time I see an elephant carcass. I have seen hundreds over the last three years," Lotter wrote in 2014 for ITV News.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared on Friday that hate is not an American value in his most extended remarks on racism and bigotry since last weekend's violence in Charlottesville.

In a speech announcing a new effort to expand diversity at the State Department, Tillerson did not explicitly mention either Charlottesville or President Donald Trump's reactions to the presence of white supremacists and neo-Nazis there, but he said the events of the past week were on everyone's mind.

"We do honor, protect and defend freedom of speech, First Amendment rights," he said. "It's what sets us apart from every other government regime in the world, in allowing people a right to expression. These are good things.

"But we do not honor, nor do we promote or accept hate speech in any form. And those who embrace it poison our public discourse and they damage the very country that they claim to love. So we condemn racism, bigotry in all its forms. Racism is evil; it is antithetical to America's values. It's antithetical to the American idea."

Tillerson also reached into history, quoting both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln for their words condemning bigotry and the need to heal divisions.

"George Washington said in an address to the synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, that his vision for our country was, I quote, 'a government which to bigotry gives no sanction; to persecution, no assistance.' In his second inaugural address in the middle of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln called on Americans to 'bind up the nation's wounds.'

"What Lincoln knew, and that we are sadly reminded today, that painful racial tensions are part of our experience as a nation. We too today should seek to bind up the wounds. We must pursue reconciliation, understanding and respect regardless of skin color, ethnicity or religious, or political views."

Tillerson's remarks on racial intolerance were part of a speech he made to students with fellowships and internships at the State Department. He announced a new initiative to increase diversity at the State Department, including the recruitment of minorities in colleges that are not Ivy League schools and an effort to get more minority ambassadors.

Tillerson noted that only 12 percent of senior Foreign Service officers are nonwhite, and a third are women.

"We have a great diversity gap in the State Department," he said. "We need a State Department that reflects the American people, reflects who we are."

Since Tillerson arrived at the State Department six months ago, he has been looking at ways to reorganize and reform a huge bureaucracy that employs 75,000 people around the world. The diversity outreach he announced Friday is the first concrete step to come out of months of employee surveys and draft memos.

Tillerson said he has ordered that at least one minority candidate be included for every ambassador post that comes open. That will help target future leaders, he said, so their careers can be nurtured.

"We need a more deliberate process to cultivate the abundance of minority talent we already have in the State Department," he said.

Tillerson said the State Department will step up recruitment of African Americans at historically black colleges and universities. Colleges in Miami and Chicago with large Hispanic populations will also be seeing State Department recruiters, he said. And he said the recruitment and promotion drive should include women and members of the LGBT community.

"This enriches the quality of our work," he said. "We know we are a stronger organization when we embrace, incorporate diverse points of view into our work product."

Tillerson also noted that many current diplomats and civil servants come to the State Department after completing military service, "So we know this is a rich talent pool from which to fish."
President Donald Trump has summoned his defense and foreign policy team to Camp David Friday in an effort to resolve months of debate over the future U.S. role in Afghanistan, where 8,400 American troops continue to fight a war Trump has long questioned.

"We will move this toward a decision," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters Thursday when asked about the gathering at the presidential retreat in rural Maryland. "We are coming very close to a decision and I anticipate it in the very near future."

Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster back a proposal to add troops focused on training Afghan special forces. It's intended to show a U.S. commitment to stay in the country, prod Taliban fighters to the negotiating table and stem the increased presence of terrorist groups including Islamic State, according to people familiar with the plan who asked not to be identified discussing internal deliberations.

The main obstacle to that plan may be Trump: Venting his frustration with the stalemate in Afghanistan -- the U.S.'s longest war -- the president said at a White House luncheon on July 18, "I want to find out why we've been there for 17 years."

He's the third U.S. president struggling to stabilize Afghanistan since George W. Bush sent special forces to help oust the Taliban government for harboring Osama bin Laden after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Trump's unhappiness helped fuel interest by some at the White House in a plan floated by Erik Prince, the founder and former chief of the Blackwater security firm, who's proposed contracting out much of the effort. He pledged it'd save billions of dollars and indicated he'd like to bid on the job. But the people familiar with the deliberations suggested Prince's idea has lost favor.

The plan backed by "my generals," as Trump has called top military officials, would seek to apply lessons learned from the campaign against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, while bolstering the capabilities of Afghanistan's paramilitary troops. The U.S. would expand its close air support, providing cover for troops that the nascent Afghan air force can't yet guarantee, and give commanders on the ground more authority over how troops are used.

The move, which would bring U.S. troop levels to about 13,000, would be an extension of an order that Trump gave in June granting Mattis authority to determine troop levels, essentially lifting force limits imposed during the Obama administration. Mattis has said he won't exercise that authority until there's an approved strategy.

Faced with Trump's concern that the Afghanistan war can't ever be won, those who urge a renewed effort warn the departure of the U.S. and its allies would create opportunities for forces opposed to American interests, including Islamic State, Iran and Russia.

"It's a difficult situation and there's no real silver bullet, but what's clear is the policy of leave now and precipitously withdraw our troops is a real recipe for disaster," said Andrew Wilder, vice president of Asia programs at the U.S. Institute of Peace, who advocates a modest troop increase.

"We could reverse the impression that the U.S. is abandoning Afghanistan, which only incentivizes the Taliban to keep fighting and regional neighbors to continue supporting proxies," he said.

Officials say Trump wasn't happy with ideas presented to him in June, demanding more options. That put Mattis in an awkward spot: He told the Senate Armed Services Committee in June that he'd have a plan by July. Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, chairman of the committee, has said the administration has "no strategy at all."

In July of last year the Obama administration announced 8,400 troops would stay in Afghanistan into this year, rather than cutting the force to 5,500 as planned. Barack Obama's reversal was viewed as an acknowledgment the Taliban had gained ground and the Afghan government of President Ashraf Ghani wasn't capable of standing on its own.

U.S. engagement in Afghanistan has deteriorated, with personnel hunkered down behind blast walls, the U.S. inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction said in a report this month. The Afghan government controls only 60 percent of territory and civilian deaths are hovering near a record, according to the report.

Like other disputes in the Trump administration, the argument over Afghanistan has pitted foreign policy traditionalists including Tillerson, Mattis and McMaster against nationalist opponents of foreign entanglements such as strategist Stephen Bannon. That produced the period of interest in the proposal from Prince, who's the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

Prince, who acknowledged that Mattis opposes his idea, said on "CBS This Morning" that it would use "contracted people, attaching them to the Afghan army for the long term at the battalion level." He said "the U.S. is not doing any training, or mentoring really, at the battalion level where the rubber really meets the road."

The meeting at Camp David is being billed as a discussion of "South Asia," not just Afghanistan. That reflects the view of Mattis and Tillerson that any solution for Afghanistan requires getting tough on neighboring Pakistan for sheltering the Taliban and other groups. It's not possible to "separate the two," Mattis said this week.

In Afghanistan, there's an expectation the U.S. will announce a policy that offers continued support to the government, said Mujib Rahman Rahimi, spokesman for chief executive officer Abdullah Abdullah.

"From conversations with State officials and also with Congressional delegations, we are expecting a long-term commitment by the U.S. government and the new administration to support Afghanistan and also the fight against terrorism," Rahimi said by phone Friday. "If you want to deal with terrorism in the region, you have to deal with their sanctuaries and safe havens, and those are mainly in Pakistan."

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Bloomberg's Iain Marlow contributed.
BRUSSELS - Spain came under repeated attack starting Thursday in what authorities called linked terrorist incidents, when a driver swerved a van into crowds in Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas district, killing more than a dozen people and injuring scores of others. Early Friday, an attempted attack unfolded in a town down the coast. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Barcelona violence.

The initial attack broke the peace of a warm summer afternoon in a packed, tourist-friendly area of Barcelona at the peak of vacation season, and the victims came from well beyond the city's borders. Authorities said that 15 people had suffered serious injuries and that the death toll could rise. More than 100 people were hurt, said Joaquim Forn, the interior minister of the Catalan regional government.

Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior Catalan police official, told reporters that two men were arrested in connection with the attack, a Moroccan national and a Spanish citizen from the enclave of Melilla. The driver is still thought to be at large, he said.

Early Friday, police said they thwarted what they thought was an attempt at a second, connected attack, in the Catalan town of Cambrils, 60 miles southwest of Barcelona, by fatally shooting four suspects. A fifth suspect later died of his injuries. Seven other people were injured in the incident, including a police officer, police said. They offered no additional details.

Amateur video aired by Spain's state TVE broadcaster showed several police cars speeding along what appeared to be a seafront boulevard as people screamed, followed by a brief volley of about 10 bullets.

A second video showed three bodies on the ground in front of the town's yacht club.

Authorities later carried out controlled detonations of the suspected explosives.

Spain had been spared a large-scale terrorist attack since the 2004 bombing of the Madrid rail system that killed 192 people and injured about 2,000, but authorities had long braced for another hit. The attack Thursday brought to Spain the same sort of vehicular carnage that has visited Britain, France, Germany and Sweden since 2016, and highlighted the difficulty of defending dense city centers from violence that requires no explosives or training.

"Terrorists will never defeat a united people who love freedom in the face of barbarism," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy wrote via Twitter as he rushed to Barcelona.

The Islamic State's Amaq news agency said that "the people who executed the Barcelona attack are soldiers from the Islamic State and they did this operation as a response to calls to target coalition states." Spain is a member of a broad U.S.-led coalition battling the Islamic State.

It was not immediately clear how closely the Islamic State had worked with the attackers. The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks inspired by its rhetoric but not directly planned by Islamic State leaders.

Police later said they were looking into a potential link between the van attack and a pair of explosions that destroyed a house in Alcanar, about 100 miles southeast of Barcelona, earlier in the day. One person was killed there and 16 were injured, including police officers and firefighters who were investigating the initial blast. The blast at the house, which apparently contained propane canisters, was initially reported to be a gas explosion.

The connection was not fully explained, but it raised the question of whether the attackers were attempting to use gas canisters in Las Ramblas to cause even more casualties.

The Thursday attack, which took place over a few terror-filled minutes just before 6 p.m. local time, set off a wave of panic and confusion as authorities sought to track down the perpetrator, and fearful people hid for hours in barricaded shops, restaurants and churches.

Witnesses described chaos as the white delivery van suddenly swung off a street and onto the wide pedestrian mall that draws strolling tourists and residents to its bars, cafes and shops. As people started to run away, the driver swerved the vehicle from side to side, in an apparent effort to inflict more damage.

When the van came to a halt, its front was smashed and crumpled inward from the impact of the people hit. People were sprawled on the sidewalk, some not moving. Hats, handbags and other items were strewn about.

"All of sudden, everyone started running, so we ran, too," Andrew Roby, 35, who was visiting from Washington, said in a phone interview.

Roby said he saw several people, apparently wounded, lying in front of and beside the van.

"We saw people on the ground," he said. "I heard a bunch of people screaming."

Some locals expressed frustration at authorities' failure to place barricades at the entrances to the boulevard in a new era of vehicular terrorism. Las Ramblas is one of the city's top tourist areas, with a wide pedestrian promenade flanked by roadways.

The van was "going entirely too fast. It looked to me as if he was going left to right, hitting people with the little stand," Tom Markwell, another American tourist, told the BBC. "All of a sudden, people were just screaming and running."

One British tourist said she hid beneath the counters of a phone shop with 20 other people for half an hour.

"We heard gunshots and people were running and screaming," said Mandy Wood.

"By the grace of God, we could have been here two minutes earlier," she said. "We would have been on the street where it happened."

Another witness said police suddenly told the crowd to run.

"There was a really loud kind of crashing noise. I didn't stop to look back," Ethan Spieby, a witness caught up in the commotion, told the BBC.

Hours after the attack, he said he was holed up in a church with about 80 tourists and locals.

"They have locked the doors, and I think the police are outside. We're just waiting in here right now to hear more news. It's quite scary to be caught up in it," he said.

More than four hours after the attack, police finally started evacuating those who were hiding in nearby buildings.

Citizens of Australia, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands were among the dead and injured, said officials from those countries, a measure of the international draw of the cosmopolitan Las Ramblas area, which has long stood at the heart of Barcelona.

Underlining the confusion after the attack, police found the identification card of one local resident in the cab of the van and spent hours searching for him. After his name was widely circulated in local media, he turned himself in to police and said that he had lost his identification card, a security official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss an open investigation.

And adding to the sense of unease, the Catalan Interior Ministry said late Thursday that a car broke through a police checkpoint outside Barcelona and injured two officers. It was not immediately clear whether the incident, which took place near the town of Sant Just Desvern, just west of Barcelona, was connected to the attack.

Spanish police did not immediately give details about the driver or the incident.

After the attack, Spanish authorities shared the names of at least two people with European and Arab intelligence agencies, but the suspects did not appear to have been flagged for connections to extremism, according to an Arab and a European intelligence official, neither of whom was authorized to speak on the record.

Authorities appear to think that a small group of two or three people planned the attack, the Arab intelligence official said.

Catalan authorities said they will stand firm in the face of terrorism.

"There have been people arrested, and this investigation is still ongoing," Carles Puigdemont, president of the Catalan regional government, told reporters in Barcelona. "Catalonia will always prevail in the face of terrorism. We will always stand for democracy and freedom. We will always be united."

Islamic State supporters celebrated the Barcelona attack Thursday and promoted previous threats made against Spain, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist activity.

The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has called on supporters to carry out attacks using vehicles. The group has claimed responsibility for car attacks in Europe, as well as at Ohio State University last year.

After the attack Thursday, offers of assistance flooded in from around the world, including the United States.

"The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!" President Trump wrote via Twitter.

Later in the day, Vice President Pence said that the United States would punish the perpetrators.

"Whoever is responsible should know that the United States of America, together with our allies, will find and punish those responsible, and drive the evil of radical Islamic terror from the face of the Earth," he told reporters in Panama City, where he is wrapping up a tour of Latin America.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said U.S. authorities will offer to help in any way they can.

The Catalonia region of Spain has faced repeated terrorist attacks over decades from the ETA Basque separatist group. Catalonia is planning an independence vote Oct. 1 over the objections of the national government in Madrid, which calls it unconstitutional.

In July 2016, a truck was driven into Bastille Day crowds along a seaside corniche in the southern French city of Nice, killing 86 people. In December 2016, 12 people were killed when a driver used a hijacked truck to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

In March, a man in a rented sport-utility vehicle plowed into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and fatally stabbed a police officer. A month later in Stockholm, a rejected asylum-seeker from Uzbekistan crashed a truck into a central department store in an attack that killed five people.

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Booth reported from London and Branigin from Washington. Raul Gallego Abellan in Barcelona, Karla Adam and Anne-Marie O'Connor in London, Souad Mekhennet in Edinburgh, Philip Rucker in Panama City, and Brian Murphy, Mark Berman and David Nakamura in Washington contributed to this report.

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Van attack kills at least 13 in Barcelona

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CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela's new pro-government Constituent Assembly formally moved Friday to assume the powers of the opposition-dominated congress, completing what critics call a power grab that effectively puts all branches of government under the control of President Nicolas Maduro.

The Constituent Assembly, created in a July 30 vote decried as fraud by the opposition and a host of nations, had begun to assume the role of the National Assembly, whose members were democratically elected in 2015.

But in a move likely to spark further international condemnation, the motion Friday formalized the arrangement. The body was also poised to pass a new law that critics say could be used to punish opposition leaders and anti- government protesters with as much as 25 years in prison.

The body had invited the National Assembly to attend Friday's session - an invitation that was declined. Before the vote to assume their powers, the Constituent Assembly's president, Delcy Rodriguez - a top Maduro ally - theatrically pointed to the empty seats reserved for them.

"When they're called for national dialogue, cameras please, see? Empty seats, There's the definition of the Venezuelan right," she said.

The opposition-led congress decried the vote as an attempt to finally "close" congress and said via its official Twitter account that it does not recognize the "fraudulent" move. It called on Venezuelans to join legislators in a session at the Constituent Assembly's legislative palace Saturday morning.

"The Constituent Assembly is null, and its acts are illegal and unconstitutional. The National Assembly, the international community and the people will not abide by the annulment decision," the opposition tweeted.

Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States, tweeted, "Fraudulent dissolution of the National Assembly by the Constituent Assembly deepens the coup d'etat in Venezuela."

But Diosdado Cabello, a senior member of Maduro's inner circle, said that the decision had stopped short of disbanding congress and that the assembly was simply assuming congressional powers.

"For those raving, the Constituent Assembly has not eliminated the National Assembly," Cabello tweeted. "It is only assuming the functions of those who have placed themselves on the margins of the constitution."

Nevertheless, Venezuela's congress appeared to be left in an even more precarious legal limbo. The pro-government supreme court robbed the congress of its authority in March. Yet even after the new Constituent Assembly began to meet in its legislative palace this month, opposition lawmakers have continued to convene there in a separate chamber. It remained unclear whether opposition leaders could continue that arrangement.

Maduro - the anointed successor of Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013 - has billed the Constituent Assembly as the cornerstone of his completing Chavez's socialist dream. The assembly's members - ranging from student leaders to fishermen to top government officials - are being vested with vast powers to change the constitution, and will be used to streamline efforts to funnel more power and authority to local communities. But critics say that in practice it will be used to consolidate Maduro's power and ensure more political largesse in poor communities in exchange for their loyalty.

The U.S. Department of State condemned the move Friday evening.

"The United States strongly condemns the assumption of legislative powers by the illegitimate Constituent Assembly," a State Department news release said. "This power grab is designed to supplant the democratically-elected National Assembly with an authoritarian committee operating above the law. In our view, the democratically-elected National Assembly is the only legitimate legislative body. . . . As long as the Maduro regime continues to conduct itself as an authoritarian dictatorship, we are prepared to bring the full weight of American economic and diplomatic power to bear in support of the Venezuelan people as they seek to restore their democracy.

The moves come amid an escalating crackdown on dissent after four months of anti-government street protests have left more than 100 dead.

The Constituent Assembly moved Thursday night to strip legislative immunity from German Ferrer, a member of the elected congress. It came as he and his wife, Luisa Ortega Diaz - Venezuela's former chief prosecutor who was removed from office this month - appeared to join a rising number of dissidents fleeing the country to escape a broadening crackdown.

On Wednesday, the supreme court issued an arrest order for Ferrer. Both he and Ortega were previous government loyalists who turned against Maduro amid mounting allegations of human rights abuses and corruption. They had emerged as two of the most vocal and influential government critics.

Nicmer Evans, a political ally of the couple, told The Washington Post that they had left Venezuela.

Late Friday, Colombia's immigration agency confirmed that Ortega and Ferrer had arrived in Bogota via a private flight from Aruba. In the afternoon, Ortega participated via a video call in a meeting with top prosecutors from across Latin America. She said she had proof that Maduro and his circle were involved in the Odebrecht corruption scandal, that her removal was the "materialization of the systematic persecution" against her and her office, and that the new chief prosecutor's office would destroy any evidence that came his way.

"I will not stop fighting. And I ask you to not abandon Venezuela," she said.

Since the Constituent Assembly's creation, three opposition mayors have gone into hiding, and two have fled the country.

Addressing the increased targeting of dissenters, opposition lawmakers said in a statement that "Nicolas Maduro needs silence to consummate injustice. Any expression of the people's voice is being criminalized."

The arrest warrant for Ferrer was connected to government charges that had used his wife's former post to extort $6 million from business executives. Ferrer has strongly denied the charges, describing them as political persecution.

In an interview with The Washington Post this month, Ortega denounced the creation of the Constituent Assembly - members of which include Maduro's wife and son - as "the birth of a dictatorship."

"We are just a tiny sample of what comes to anyone who dares to oppose the totalitarian way of governing," she said. "I will continue fighting for Venezuelans, for their liberties and rights, until my last breath."

- - -

Faiola reported from Miami.
Workers came to the Maryland State House grounds after midnight on Friday to dismantle a controversial statue of Supreme Court justice and segregationist Roger B. Taney, the latest ripple effect from the deadly violence at a rally of white supremacists in Charlottesville.

Activists had sought for years to remove the 145-year-old statue from the State House complex in Annapolis, saying that to honor Taney - the chief justice whose 1857 Dred Scott decision defended slavery and said blacks could never be U.S. citizens - was hurtful and wrong.

But top state politicians, including Gov. Larry Hogan (R), defended the memorial as an important piece of Maryland history. Until Charlottesville.

Hogan said his revulsion at the demonstration in Virginia, purportedly in defense of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, prompted him to change his mind about the Taney statute and push for its removal.

"We can't wipe out all of our history, nor should we try to," the governor said Thursday. "But when it reaches the point where some of these symbols, whether they have historical significance or not, when they become a focal point for racism and violence, then it's time to do something about it."

The State House Trust board, which Hogan chairs, voted Wednesday to remove the statue. Thursday night, police blocked off the streets around the State House complex. Soon, a crane and two flatbed trucks arrived.

More than two dozen bystanders looked on as a crew began removing the memorial from its base. Among them was Jolene Ivey, an African American former state delegate from Prince George's County who began advocating a decade ago for the state to take down the statue. She said that when the legislature voted to erect the statue, a few years after the Civil War, lawmakers were quoted calling the Dred Scott decision "just, righteous and right."

"How in the world could we continue to have it at the doors of the State House?" Ivey said. "Not at this time."

As the crane's arm extended toward the monument shortly after 1 a.m., sprinklers were activated on the State House lawn, briefly disrupting the effort. After work resumed, the crane lifted the statue and maneuvered it to a flatbed truck, where it was wrapped in a tarp and driven away around 2:20 a.m.

The onlookers, who had been largely quiet, chanted "Na, na, na, na, hey, hey, hey, goodbye." Some said Taney's likeness appeared to be bowing its head in shame as workers pulled straps around the frame.

"It's just a bad statue overall," said Robb Tufts, 43, of Annapolis. "We deserve to celebrate the heroes of Maryland, not the villains of history."

Cookie Washington, an African American who turned 59 on Friday and has lived in Annapolis since childhood, said the demise of the statue "felt like a birthday treat."

"With what's happening in this country lately, it doesn't feel welcoming for everyone," she said. "I'm glad to see this."

The monument was to be placed in an undisclosed state storage facility, Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer said. Its base remained on the lawn, covered by a wooden box.

A different statue of Taney and three Confederate memorials were taken down in Baltimore early Wednesday.

President Donald Trump, who has made conflicting statements about who is to blame for the violence in Charlottesville, has decried the removal of monuments, saying on Thursday that the "history and culture of our great country" was "being ripped apart."

Hogan countered that the president "probably should stop talking about the issue because not very many people are agreeing with him these days."

Not everyone agreed with Hogan, either. Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Calvert, lashed out at the governor in a letter Thursday for not holding a public hearing on whether to remove the statue.

Miller, an avid reader of history who also sits on the State House Trust board, said the memorial should stay put to help educate people about the past. He credited Taney for "anti-slavery words and actions," saying that "unlike George Washington who freed his slaves upon his death, Taney freed his slaves early in his life." He also noted Taney's many roles in public service, including state lawmaker and attorney general, U.S. secretary of war, U.S. attorney general and U.S. treasury secretary.

Voting by email - the board's traditional way of doing business - was "just plain wrong," Miller wrote, adding that the matter was "of such consequence that the transparency of a public meeting and public conversation should have occurred."

House Speaker Michael E. Busch, D-Anne Arundel, who is also on the board and voted to remove the statue, said he was "pleased" it was gone. "One hundred and fifty two years after the end of the Civil War, we don't need a symbol on the front of the Maryland State House that continues to divide people," he said in a statement.

Conservative blogger Greg Kline, describing himself as a "proud and unabashed apologist" for Hogan, wrote on RedMaryland.com that for once he could not support the governor. "Here are words I thought I would never write: Senate President Mike Miller is exactly right on this issue and Governor Hogan is lamentably wrong," Kline wrote.

The governor also received some critical comments on his Facebook page. "I voted for Hogan once," Pat Rollins wrote. "Fool me once. He is a coward for removing that statue of Taney in the middle of the night."

Maryland placed the Taney statue on the lawn of the capitol complex in 1872. Since then, it has added interpretive plaques explaining the Dred Scott opinion and erected a statue of Thurgood Marshall, a Baltimore native who was the first African American Supreme Court justice, on the opposite side of the State House. The trust agreed last year to erect statues in the State House honoring abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass.

Benjamin Jealous, the former NAACP president who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Hogan in 2018, says he would push to take down all Confederate statues in the state if he is elected."There's no room for symbols of hate in our state," he said.

But Hogan said Friday that choice is up to localities. "We're not going to tell every jurisdiction what to do," he said. "They have to make the decision for themselves."
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A law professor at St. Marys University has come under fire for offering to beat the living daylights out of racists  comments he made while defending the statue honoring Confederate soldiers in Travis Park.

Jeffrey Addicott, director of the Center for Terrorism Law, said at a Saturday rally that the issue of whether Confederate statues should be removed had nothing to do with racism. He then made his challenge to racists, according to Texas Public Radio, which quoted Addicotts comments in full.

Weve got black individuals out here, weve got white, weve got gray, weve got yellow, weve got a diversity of people. This is not about racism. And if any of you are racist in here please see me afterwards, Id love to beat the living daylights out of you, Addicott reportedly said.

Addicott did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Addicotts statements were deeply troubling, St. Marys President Thomas Mengler said in a statement released Thursday after the professor was criticized online by alumni.

The University is and should be strong and steadfast in defense of all St. Marys faculty members to speak and to write on campus, through their scholarship and in the public square, whether faculty communications are reasonably conveyed or not, whether we agree with the substance or not, Mengler said. St. Marys does not, however, support or defend hateful and violent speech.

Mengler later declined to say if Addicott had been placed on leave. The problem, Mengler said, was with the reference to violence and not with Addicots position on Confederate monuments.

The principle of academic freedom is most important in the thorniest of moments, Mengler said.

Mengler said he hopes the incident will provide St. Marys with an opportunity to talk about the importance of respectful dialogue, especially in circumstances in which we might have some disagreements.

lcaruba@express-news.net
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Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee recently reacted to the firing of top Trump advisor Steve Bannon on Friday.

"Steven Bannon has a long history of promoting racial and ethnic bigotry, sexism, religious intolerance, and misogyny," said Lee in a prepared statement in which she applauded the removal of the White House Chief Strategist.

Lee criticized Bannon for his former leadership of Breitbart, a far-right news site she called "the media arm of the racist 'Alt-Right' movement."

ALT-RIGHT: 'Texas doesn't need to listen to their garbage,' says Ted Cruz of canceled Texas A&M rally

"However, the removal of a hateful demagogue like Bannon is worthless so long as the inflammatory, reckless, and insensitive rhetoric and tactics employed by the Trump campaign continue to be a part of this Administration's standard operating procedure," Lee said.

"It is my sincere hope that the firing of Steve Bannon will precipitate not only a full purge of all remaining personnel that share the views of the 'Alt-Right' in the White House, but also a wholesale disavowal of the racist ideology that clearly informs the Trump Administration's decisions," she said.

According to The New York Times, Trump claimed it was his decision to remove Bannon, although a person close to the former Breitbart head honcho said leaving the administration was his idea.

See things to know about Steve Bannon above.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has disavowed white supremacists but wasn't so steadfast when it comes to Confederate statues.

Cruz spoke about the recent events in Charlottesville on Thursday while visiting North Texas, telling reporters that the Ku Klux Klan and Nazis are "unambiguously evil," reports news station KXAS-TV. Cruz also spoke about the growing protests surrounding Confederate monuments, advocating for cities to take an individual approach.
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Paramedics revived a woman at the scene of a crash on the West Side Thursday and rushed her to a nearby hospital along with three other victims, authorities said.

Two vehicles, a Ford Focus carrying three people and a Mitsubishi Monterrey carrying two, collided around 11:30 a.m. on Callaghan Road near State Highway 151.

Police said the Focus made an unprotected left turn onto eastbound State Highway 151 and the Monterrey T-boned the vehicle.

"Hit them right in the door," said Sgt. Lloyd Jackel. "I mean, I don't even know if an airbag would've helped. Right square in the door."

The front seat passenger in the Focus, 45-year-old Rhonda Augustson, was critically injured in the crash. According to a GoFundMe page created by her son, Ashton, who was also involved in the crash, Augustson's heart stopped immediately upon impact with the Monterrey.

Police said paramedics were able to revive her at the scene and then transported her to University Hospital. She remains in critical condition and was still on life support Friday afternoon, according to the GoFundMe page.

According to her Facebook profile, Augustson was an employee at Children's Methodist Hospital.

Three other people were hospitalized with minor injuries, and another person was treated at the scene but did not require hospitalization, officials said.

RELATED: SAPD officer shoots knife-wielding teen who was allegedly trying to break into neighbor's home

Now Playing: Police and paramedics respond to a major accident, Aug. 17, 2017. Video: JW Player

Shortly after the crash, Ashton Augustson, whose face was covered in blood from a head wound suffered in the crash, screamed in anguish after seeing the paramedics perform life saving measures on Augustson. A woman at the scene, now identified as his girlfriend Alyssa Rodriguez, hugged him and tried to console him.

"I ask if y'all can please join us in prayer and hopeful thoughts during this tough time," Rodriguez wrote Friday on her Facebook profile. "NEVER DOUBT THE POWER OF PRAYER!!"

Traffic investigators are investigating the crash.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

cdowns@mysa.com

Twitter: @calebjdowns
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San Antonio police arrested an 18-year-old woman Thursday night who is accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old boy.

The woman, Esmeralda Medellin, allegedly committed the sexual assault on March 28, while she was babysitting the child, according to an arrest affidavit.

The child told his mother Medellin made him perform a sexual act on her, authorities said.

RELATED: Massive Houston sex sting, prostitution bust leads to 250+ arrests

The mother called police while Medellin was still in the home, according to the affidavit.

Medellin and the child were both taken to the hospital for a sexual assault examination after police arrived, officials said.

Officers then took Medellin to police headquarters, where she gave a voluntary statement denying the allegations. She was released after her statement, according to the affidavit.

RELATED: Teen driver leaving work from North Star Mall strikes, kills woman with pickup truck, police say

When detectives received the results of the examinations on Aug. 16, the boy's DNA was found on Medellin's breast, according to the affidavit. Male DNA was also found on her genitals, but the sample was not sufficient enough to make a positive comparison.

Police arrested Medellin on suspicion of aggravated sexual assault after the test results. She remained in Bexar County Jail Friday on a $75,000 bond.

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Key provisions of tree-protection laws in more than 100 Texas cities will remain in effect after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a scaled-back tree-regulation bill that emerged from the special session.

Abbott wanted legislators to remove cities' authority to regulate trees on private property, a prospect that alarmed city officials and leaders of nonprofit tree preservation groups across the state. The issue was of particular concern in Galveston, which is struggling to restore the tree canopy lost to Hurricane Ike in 2008.

But House Bill 7, which Abbott signed on Wednesday, stops far short of the governor's original goal. Its main effect is to allow property owners to offset municipal fees for removing trees on their land by planting new trees in their place. Many local ordinances already include a version of this concept.

As noted by Emma Platoff in the Texas Tribune, HB 7 is similar to a measure Abbott had vetoed in June, saying it didn't go far enough.

"I believe we can do better for private property owners in the upcoming special session," Abbott said at the time.

Tree preservation activists across the state see the outcome as a victory, said Jackie Cole, the president of the Galveston Island Tree Conservancy.

"It speaks to the love that Texans have of their trees and the knowledge they have of how critical they are," said Cole.

One difference between HB7 and the bill Abbott vetoed is that the new measure does not allow cities to charge homeowners fees for removing trees under 10 inches in diameter. That 10-inch size is what's specified in the Galveston ordinance, meaning this provision will have no effect on the island, Cole said.
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WASHINGTON  Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the second-most powerful Republican in the Senate, added his voice Friday to a chorus of top party and business leaders breaking from President Donald Trump over his handling of the white supremacist violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Va.

"We've all been shocked that the unhealed wounds of the nation's racial divide flared up in such a surprising and disturbing way," Cornyn said in a Chronicle interview. "I think the president had an opportunity to send a message that would unite America behind our common resolve to heal those wounds and unite our country, and unfortunately I don't think he did that."

CANCELED RALLY: 'Texas doesn't need to listen to their garbage,' Cruz of Texas A&M

Cornyn's remarks on the controversy were his first since last weekend when he took to Twitter to condemn the violence: "No place for the bigotry & hate-filled violence in #Charlottesville. These actions should be condemned in the strongest possible terms."

They also came as Trump parted ways with White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, the former Breitbart executive believed responsible for much of the president's nationalist rhetoric.

Cornyn had gone to Twitter earlier in the week to defend Majority Leader Mitch McConnell against a barrage of criticism from White House over the Senate's failure to pass legislation repealing Obamcare.

But Cornyn's remarks on Friday  after returning from a congressional delegation trip to the Balkans  were his first to address Trump's ambiguous response to the melee in Virginia that left one counter-protester dead and scores of others injured.

"Sometimes, when you try to have it both ways, you satisfy people on neither side, and I think that's what he did," Cornyn said.

Cornyn's comments came a day after Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said that Trump "has not demonstrated he understands the character of this nation."

Corker had also told reporters in Chattanooga that Trump "has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful."

The comments by Cornyn and Corker followed the criticism of several other Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona, who both received return fire from Trump.

Other high-profile Republicans, including Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, have issued statements condemning racism and bigotry, though without faulting Trump.

But while Cornyn said Trump had missed an "opportunity" to send a message of unity, he stopped short of echoing Corker's challenge to Trump's stability and competence.

"I don't think it's useful to criticize the president," Cornyn said. "My goal is to try to help the president succeed and to help the country succeed in the process."

The Texas Republican acknowledged, however, that the continuing controversy has not helped president's agenda in Congress, where Republicans are trying to build momentum for an overhaul of the U.S. tax code by the end of the year.

"It certainly doesn't make things easier," said Cornyn, the Republican Whip. "It takes a lot focus and teamwork and unity to be able to get things done in the Congress... All of this distracts us from the president's attempt to try to do things that he ran on, and that by and large he has support for, certainly among Republicans."

Cornyn also lamented the growing friction between Trump and top Republicans in Congress. "What the president is missing is that when get gets into a fight with the very people he's depending on to get his legislative agenda passed, it's not constructive. It's the opposite."
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/STF

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump will be making his first presidential visit to Texas next month to replenish Republican campaign coffers.

The Sept. 27 trip to Dallas, first reported in the Texas Tribune, was confirmed by two Republican sources  but not the White House, which generally does not telegraph the president's travel plans this far in advance.
Sid Harle is a good choice to serve as the presiding judge of the Fourth Administrative Judicial Region.

The appointment made Thursday by Gov. Greg Abbott comes after months of behind the scenes political maneuvering over the appointment to the coveted judicial post.

The responsibilities of an administrative judge of a judicial region include the assigning of visiting judges, handling motions for recusal and advising local judges on judicial management.

David Peeples who served as the Fourth Judicial Region administrative judge for more than 20 years had sought another four year reappointment earlier this year.

There were doubts about the likelihood about his reappointment under the new govenor because Peeples had ruled against the state on several issues while Abbott was attorney general. The governor, however, came through with an appointment through December year 2020  but it required state Senate approval.

The gubernatorial appointment met a roadblock when it did not get the necessary backing from State Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, in whose district Peeples resides. That prompted Peeples to withdraw his application. In May, Abbott asked the Senate y to withdraw Peeples name from consideration.

Chief Justice Nathan Hecht has been handling the responsibilities of the Fourth Judicial Region since Peeples departure. He has been making visiting judge assignment, but had delegated many of the administrative duties to Harle.

Harle, 61, a Republican who has served as 226th District Court Judge for 29 years, was one of at least four judges who applied for the appointment.

The presiding judge may be a regular elected or retired district judge, a former judge with at least 12 years of service as a district judge, or a retired appellate judge with judicial experience on a district court, according to the Texas courts website.

Peeples was a retired district and appellate judge.

Harle has announced he will seek re-election to his district court bench at the end of his current term, which ends in 2018. He said he may consider vacating his district court bench following next years Republican primary if there is a contested race. Such a move would allow Abbott to make an appointment to the vacated seat and giving the Republican candidate in the 226th court race the benefit of incumbency come November.

Harle benefited from such a move at the start of his judicial career. He was appointed to the 226th bench in August 1988 by then-governor Bill Clements after he won the Republican nomination for the post. He then captured the seat in November of that same year to fill the unexpired term of Ted Butler, who had retired in the middle of his term.

Harle has long been considered one of the best judges in Bexar County.

Last year Harle, who has presided over more capital murder trials than any judges in Texas, made a bid for the state Court of Criminal Appeals. Although he was the best qualified candidate in that race, he lost to a little-known North Texas candidate who happens to share the Wisconsin governors name.

A former chief prosecutor under Bexar County District Attorney Sam Millsap, Harle has not had an opponent for office since 1990. He has served as chairman of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct and teaches at St. Marys University.

His impressive resume and extensive judicial experience he brings to his new job will benefit the Fourth Judicial Region.
Associated Press

Raiders cornerback Sean Smith was arrested Thursday on a felony assault charge for allegedly stomping on a mans head in the early hours of July 4 in Pasadena.

The Los Angeles County district attorneys office alleges Smith beat and then stomped the head of his sisters boyfriend in an incident that inflicted great bodily injury upon the victim.
Ms Watanabs parents who hail from Drumlish and Corlea, has visited the county on a number of occasions, but this is the first in her newly elected local government role.

She was elected to Santa Clara City Council in 2016 and has since been appointed to a number of committees there.

Regeneration, social integration and community development are her key areas of interest, factors that it seems are as equally important in County Longford as they are in her native Santa Clara.

Ms Watanabs father Kevin was born and reared in Ohill, Drumlish and her mother was a native of Corlea in Kenagh.

Her maternal grandfather, John Francis Reynolds was a member of the North Longford Flying Column and this signifies an important connection between her family and General Sean McEoin, Thomas Ashe, Michael Collins and the other revolutionaries of the time.

Her great uncle was Jim Sheerin.

I am delighted to be here in Longford, Kathleen said in conversation with the Leader, before pointing out that her father back in the States was looking forward to hearing all about her trip to Co Longford.

My parents actually arrived in the States separately even though they were both from Co Longford; the families knew each other, but mum and dad actually met at an Irish dance in the Bronx.

The couple later married and had three children, Kathleen being the eldest.

After a few years in America, the Carolans decided to bring their children back to Ireland and Kathleen subsequently began her national school education in Ballinalee.

That was 1965.

Myself and my sister attended school in Ballinalee for about three years, she said, recalling some very fond memories.

Gaelic was part of the curriculum at the time and I really appreciated that; there are some things that have stuck with me as a result and that is one of them - I can still count to ten in Irish!

I remember that when you would come back into the school after being outside you would have to wipe your feet on about 10 different mats to ensure that the dirt wasn't brought inside.

The years rolled by, and it was soon 1968 and that year the family returned to the United States where Kathleen continued with her education and later entered the legal profession.

She married Karl and the couple have one daughter, Keleigh.

Kathleen always had an interest in politics and was acutely aware of social systems in her home town.

From an early age she advocated and supported democracy.

So, needless to say, she, like many other Americans, looked on in utter shock and disbelief as the election of Donald Trump to the presidential seat in the States took place late last year.

We really believed, all along that Hillary Clinton would become president, she lamented, before pointing out that, while she was a Democrat, the Council she represented was non partisan.

The feeling throughout the campaign was that Hillary would win; because many people felt this strong assurance that she would win, they didnt become as involved in the campaign then.

And the controversies surrounding Trump went on and on with many left reeling from his behaviour during his first 100 days office.

While there have been many controversies then and since, there are a number of questionable matters that really stand out for the American people including his attack on China, labeling it a currency manipulator, which has undoubtedly gone down in history.

The travel ban on Muslims entering the US saw a huge backlash with millions of Americans taking to the streets and airports in protest.

He has also signed two executive orders banning immigration from multiple Muslim majority countries, but on both occasions the courts have halted the orders. He has also promised to fund a wall along the American border with Mexico!

Just last week he sparked what many people believe will result in a nuclear war with South Korea.

When you heard the continued rhetoric that came from Trump during the campaign, you just felt that there was no way he was going to become president, said Kathleen.

Then on election night when we saw all those red States lighting up on the board, there was a lot of concern.

During his campaign, Trump talked about immigration and about building a wall and I had very strong concerns, I have to tell you; especially when you consider all the people who came to the United States from all over the world and built the country up to what it is today.

I know what my father contributed to my country; I know what my relatives contributed too and I know what all the other immigrants contributed as well.

She said that she, along with many others, felt that Trumps wish to deport people was terribly wrong and as a direct result of the Presidents move, the county of Santa Clara took a position of solidarity and the local council issued a statement saying that anyone who came to Santa Clara was welcome.

Nobody was going to be discriminated against; we are not a city that looks upon people differently, everyone is welcome, Kathleen continued, before pointing to the importance, at that stage, to get that statement into the public domain.

It's because it is necessary to protect those that would be immediately affected by Trumps policy.

As we now know there are millions of people in the US living in fear of President Trump's deportation drive, and Kathleen says she knows families in her county that immediately went into hiding too.

Those people were initially getting assistance from doctors and welfare, but once that deportation drive began, they stopped accessing the services and hid.

They were afraid of being deported.

The whole situation created a real sense of concern and fear for all of us.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has said that his fire and fury threats against North Korea have not been tough enough and warned Pyongyang that he risks being in trouble like few nations have ever been.

And as the escalating rhetoric between the Trump administration and North Korea over the threat posed by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes continues, American people are now bracing themselves for all out war.We are genuinely afraid that this will escalate, added Kathleen.

The interaction that is going on between our President and North Korea is very much at the forefront of peoples minds now.

I think the United States is under threat from North Korea.

Back here in Longford, the Californian politician wants to build bridges and create friendships between Longford and Santa Clara.

Just watching Longfords resurrection after the recession I realise that a lot of the issues here that are very similar to those in California, she smiled.

As the world becomes smaller we are being provided with a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other and to get through these hard times together.

Going forward, and as the world changes, we have to constantly reinvent ourselves and become more and more sustainable.

People want to come to bigger cities where they can get good jobs and, in order to provide that, the core services must be in place.

That means revenue is needed, so we are all faced with coming up with new ways to generate that revenue too.

It is through working together that we can achieve so much.
The piece of land which is owned by Longford Co Council was purchased a number of years ago but delays and other issues have led to no movement on its transfer and the cemetery, meanwhile, has reached its full capacity.

Parish Priest Fr Tom Barden says the local graveyard is now full and the next person who dies in the area may not have a final place of rest in their local graveyard.

Basically the land needed to extend the cemetery was purchased by Longford Co Council six or seven years ago and at the time the Parish was told that we would have to contribute 10,000 towards the purchase, said Fr Barden, before pointing out that the Parish understood, at the time, it was under no obligation to provide that sum of money.

Three years later another engineer came along and told us that we would not have to pay any money.

Meanwhile, planning permission was sought for the extension but the land was never transferred over to the Parish.

Now there is no space left in the current cemetery and Fr Barden is both concerned about the matter and angry that it has come to this.

Im very annoyed over this, he fumed.

It is only a matter of transferring ownership of that piece of land from Longford Co Council over to the Parish and I am being told now that the matter is in the hands of solicitors.

If someone dies now, there is nowhere to bury them and this is a very unacceptable situation to find ourselves in.

In a statement, Longford Co Council said that while it was working to bring the matter to a conclusion, it did appreciate that those endeavours were slow-moving.

"Longford County Council have been engaged in discussions with the local cemetery committee on this matter," a spokesperson said.

"While progress has been slow we are hopeful of a positive outcome."
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By Long Island News & PR Published: August 18 2017

Lawsuit Filed By New York State Cites Ocean Dumping Act And Coastal Zone Management Act Violations And EPAs Failure To Address Environmental Impacts On The Long Island Sound.

Albany, NY - August 18, 2017 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York State has filed a lawsuit against the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York challenging EPAs decision to designate a permanent open water disposal site in eastern Long Island Sound for tens of millions of cubic yards of dredged sediments. The EPAs site designation violates the Ocean Dumping Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act.

Our waters are not dumping grounds. EPAs first job is to protect our natural resources  yet by designating this unneeded disposal site, EPA is allowing huge amounts of dredged waste to be poured into yet another area of the Long Island Sound. Thats unacceptable, said Attorney General Schneiderman. We wont hesitate to act when the federal government fails to uphold its obligation to protect New Yorkers health and environment.

We will continue to do everything in our power to protect New Yorks environment, and with the EPAs unfathomable and destructive decision to turn the eastern Long Island Sound into a dumping ground  now is the time for action, Governor Cuomo said. We will establish that this designation not only poses a major threat to a significant commercial and recreational resource, but that it also undermines New Yorks long-standing efforts to end dumping in our treasured waters.

In August 2016, the Governor announced New York's intention to fight the EPA's designation of the eastern Long Island Sound disposal site because of its adverse effects to the waterway. Subsequently, the New York Department of State objected the EPAs proposed site designation as being inconsistent with the Long Island Sound Coastal Management Program policies. In December 2016, New York State filed a Notice of Intent to Sue immediately after the EPA finalized its designation.

New Yorks waters remain one of our States most valuable and cherished assets, said New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado. This action directed by Governor Cuomo to protect Long Island Sound sends a clear message that he will utilize any and all legal means to prevent any use of the Eastern Site as we continue efforts to safeguard this and other natural resources throughout the state.

The Long Island Sound is a vital economic and ecological treasure that needs to be protected  not undermined by the U.S. EPAs outdated dredging management decisions, said Basil Seggos, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Governor Cuomo has made it clear that New York State will not tolerate the federal government gutting its commitment and denying its responsibility for reducing or eliminating the disposal of dredge spoils in the open waters of this irreplaceable ecosystem.

In 2005, the states of New York and Connecticut called for, and EPA subsequently established by regulation, the important and long necessary goal of reducing or eliminating dredged material disposal in the estuarine waters of Long Island Sound. In contravention of the intent of that regulation, in 2016, EPA increased the number of permanent open water dump sites in Long Island Sound by designating a third one in eastern Long Island Sound.

The lawsuit charges that, in designating the dump site, EPA failed: to identify the navigational conflicts that will be caused by the dump site location, to examine the environmental impacts of dumping dredged materials under differing testing regimes, to designate historically used or ocean disposal sites and to properly quantify the existing capacity at already designated sites. Further, the EPA has been unresponsive to New Yorks stated concerns about the reliability of sediment testing and has made insufficient assurances that the dredged material will not have a negative impact on the environment, as it has in the past.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 18 2017

Access to public transportation is a civil right long denied to many with mobility issues.

Amityville, NY - August 18, 2017 - Standing outside of the Standing outside of the Amityville Long Island Railroad (LIRR) station today, Senator John E. Brooks and Assemblymembers Kimberly Jean-Pierre and Christine Pellegrino signed a letter to the LIRR calling on them to develop renovation plans at local stations to provide access for individuals with disabilities and comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

Nearly three decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was made the law of the land, Long Islanders with disability and mobility issues are still unable to access LIRR transportation at many stations.

At a recent town hall meeting, Senator Brooks met Raymond Harewood, a disabled United States Air Force veteran, who must travel five miles from his home in Amityville on his scooter, along busy streets, to reach Massapequa , the closest accessible LIRR station. In Senate District 8, there are four consecutive stations without elevator access: Massapequa Park , Amityville, Copiague and Lindenhurst . As a result, individuals with disabilities must travel far too many miles to reach an accessible station.

Senator John E. Brooks said, It is unimaginable that nearly 30 years after the passage of the ADA we are pleading for citizens to obtain equal, safe access to public transportation. No one should ever have to risk their life traveling five miles to a station with elevator access, nor should anyone be subjected to navigating stairs or escalators when they are not able. It is crucial that the installation of elevators be made a top priority in LIRR station upgrade plans to improve the quality of life for all Long Islanders.

USAF Veteran, Raymond Harewood said, It was very disheartening for me to be stuck up on a railroad platform with no way to get down. All LIRR stations need to be accessible, not just for someone like me who uses a scooter, but for the elderly, and parents with strollers and small children. LIRR should not be making excuses or saying it will be O.K. in years to come. Im very grateful that Senator Brooks is working to fix this.

Brooks, Jean-Pierre and Pellegrino were also joined by Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, Amityville Mayor Dennis Siry, Independent Living, Transportation and Disabilities Advocates, and local residents affected by inaccessible LIRR stations.

Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre said, Long Islanders rely heavily on public transportation as a means to commute to and from our area, and access to the railroad is a fundamental right to everyone, regardless of physical ability. I am proud to join with my colleagues in calling on the MTA to complete the installation of elevators at these LIRR stations.

Assemblywoman Christine Pellegrino said, "Veterans, children and all people that are unable to navigate stairs or escalators have the right to access the Long Island Railroad. I am calling on the MTA to implement an upgrade to these stations that is long overdue and make them fully accessible. This is one of many issues that we need to improve to make the LIRR work better for Long Island families."

Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory said, It is truly disappointing that almost three decades after the ADA was signed, many of our most vulnerable residents are still fighting for equal, safe access to something as critical as public transportation. I want to thank Senator Brooks for bringing attention to this important issue.

Mayor Dennis Siry, Village of Amityville said, Unfortunately, MTA bases their priority of maintenance and improvements on ridership. This leaves the smaller villages, where ridership is lower than larger populated towns, at a disadvantage. In our Villages case, we are left lacking what we consider necessary amenities and important quality of life issues. We are looking forward to working with the MTA to rectify their policy and procedures so they are deemed equal and nondiscriminatory to all MTA riders.

Frank Krotschinsky, Director, Suffolk County Office for People with Disabilities said, County Executive Bellone is committed to making Suffolk County more accessible to people with disabilities, and that includes the train stations. We look forward to working with the MTA to make the Amityville Long Island Railroad train station, as well as all the train stations, accessible and convenient for all our residents and visitors.

Therese Aprile-Brzezinski, Director of Planning and Public Policy for the Long Island Center for Independent Living, Inc. said, People with disabilities are entitled to ride the train with the same level of service, safety, choice and convenience as those without disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) made that clear when it was signed into law 27 years ago this past July. At long last, the LIRR must pledge to work together with citizens with disabilities and community leaders to create a commuter landscape where every station is equipped with a working elevator.
The Syrian regime is conducting a multi-axis offensive against the Islamic States stronghold in the Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria. Russian support, including the negotiation of safe zones and air support, has been essential to the ongoing offensive. The Assad government, along with Iranian-backed fighters and its Russian allies, are advancing from both the west and the north, as depicted in the map above.

A victory in Deir Ezzor would be a landmark event for the regime, as its forces have been besieged by the Islamic States jihadists at the Deir Ezzor Airbase and the 137th Mechanized Army Base since July 2014. In January, the self-declared caliphate launched its own offensive in the city of Deir Ezzor, effectively cutting the Assad regimes positions in two.

Therefore, turning the tide of battle in Deir Ezzor would be a boon for the regime. Furthermore, the province is rich in natural resources and provides access to Iraq, where other Iranian-backed forces are stationed.

The recent Russian safe zones in western Syria have facilitated the regimes eastern offensive. Russia has implemented three safe zones in western Syria, including one with the United States. According to pro-regime news sources, the safe zones have freed up tens of thousands of troops, including the elite Republican Guards. The eastern offensive is likely the intended effect of the Russian safe zones. A Russian military briefing in early May indicated that Syrian troops would advance toward the Euphrates River Valley following the establishment of safe zones.

Palmyra: The principal approach capitalizes on regime control of Palmyra in the Homs province to project force eastward towards Deir Ezzor. The regime recaptured Palmyra in March 2017, after three months of Islamic State control. The regime has continued to progress along the M20 highway, retaking Suknah earlier this month. Pro-regime sources describe Russian air support as imperative to the Suknah offensive. According to a pro-Assad news source, at least two Iranian-affiliated units are participating in this offensive: the Syrian Army 5th Corp, which includes embedded Hezbollah commanders, and Liwa al-Fatemiyoun, an Iranian proxy composed of Afghan fighters.

Raqqa: The regime has also cleared terrain in the countryside southeast of the city of Raqqa, opening a northern approach along the Euphrates. The regime is currently advancing towards the village of al-Jabar, located approximately 55 kilometers southeast of Raqqa. The US-backed, Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are presently clearing Raqqa city, which US officials estimate is 55% complete. Russian airpower is supporting the regime, with strikes further down the Euphrates between Madan and al-Tabni. A commander in the regions elite Tiger Forces assessed that regime forces will reach Deir Ezzor on this axis by early September, according to pro-regime media.

Both the US and the Assad regime are attempting to mobilize local fighters to defeat the Islamic State in the Euphrates River Valley.

The US is training Syrian militants to operate in the Middle Euphrates River Valley at a garrison in Tanf, a border crossing to Iraq in southeastern Syria. Jaish Maghawir al-Thawra, a US-backed Syrian rebel group, is reportedly in discussions to be transported from Tanf to Shaddadi in order to battle the Islamic State in Deir Ezzor.

The regime, however, is mobilizing its own local fighters for its eastern offensive. Tribal fighters, including from the Sunni Shaitat tribe, have mobilized as Suqur al-Furat (Euphrates Falcons) to support the regimes advance towards Deir Ezzor. According to Al Masdar News, a pro-Assad outlet, Syrian Arab Army (SAA) commander Major General Mohammad Khaddour emphasized the role of the Suqur al-Furat in the Suknah operation. The Shaitat tribe previously rejected the Islamic States presence in eastern Syria, resulting in the massacre of approximately 700 members in 2014.

As the battle raged in recent weeks, the Islamic States media arms claimed that Assads forces have suffered heavy casualties. It is impossible to verify the self-declared caliphates claims, but the jihadists clearly arent going to give up Deir Ezzor without a fight. The organization has moved some of its leaders to the province, prompting a string of targeted airstrikes by the US-led coalition.

Alexandra Gutowski is the senior military affairs analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

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Sun Xiaoxi's book designs usually feature simple elements but are able to convey emotions. His signature works include Che Pi, which won him the German Red Dot Design Award this year, Murmurs of Earth and director Wang Xiaoshuai's book Bobo De Guxiang (Flimsy Hometown). [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese designer Sun Xiaoxi wins Red Dot award for book design. Xing Yi reports.

When Sun Xiaoxi bought a collection of poems in high school, he didn't like the book cover at allthe title was in regular typeface atop a portrait of the poet. He found the cover "stiff and dull".

It is a collection of poems by Zha Haisheng, or Hai Zi as known by his pen name. The renowned modern poet committed suicide at age 25.

Sun felt the book cover didn't convey the personality of his favorite poet: romantic, passionate and free. So, he drew a new one himself. On a white paper, Sun wrote the different poems in black ink again and again until scratches filled up the whole space, looking like a black-and-white graffiti. He then wrapped the paper around the book as a jacket.

"That was my first book design," the 35-year-old designer says. "It still stands out on my bookshelf."

But it is Sun's latest book design that has won him this year's German Red Dot Design Award in the "best of the best" in the communication design category.

On Aug 10, the award jury announced the winners from more than 8,000 projects submitted from 50 countries.

The book is a collection of media interviews with musician and artist Wu Hongjin, or Zuoxiao Zuzhou (his stage name), who's known for his unconventional songs, poems and art.

The characteristics of the renegade are represented in Sun's design, and, in some ways, resemble his first design.
Since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China and Africa have made significant progress in advancing numerous aspects of human resource development.

The Chinese government has steadfastly fulfilled its promise to provide human resource assistance to African countries within the stipulated time; and in the face of a dawdling global economic recovery in recent years, China-Africa trade cooperation and development have sustained a relatively positive momentum.

China became Africa's primary trade partner in 2009, and since then, the scale of trade has expanded rapidly, with Africa becoming China's major import source, second-largest overseas infrastructure project market and fourth-largest investment destination.

What then could be the reasons underpinning such expansion? The answers lie in the nature of China-Africa relations.

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has improved people's lives and diversified economic development in many African countries, provided strong support for China's socioeconomic development, and contributed to promoting South-South cooperation and balanced world economic development. How?

China's entry into the African trade and development space offered the continent another choice of economic partnership, which traditionally relied on Europe and the United States. China's trade and economic development with Africa can be categorized into three models.

First, attitude matters: China views Africa as an equal partner, and it does not attach any political strings for development to take place.

Second, hard work: China is able to complete infrastructure projects in the shortest time, at so-called China speed.

For instance, the Ethiopia-Djibouti electric railway was 70 percent financed by China's Exim Bank and built by China Railway Group and China Civil Engineering Construction. It took seven years to complete - from 2011 to 2017.

Third, township enterprise: China's trade and development cooperation with Africa seeks to address inequalities between urban and rural development.

In addition, China's massive trade and investment in Africa have been boosted by its rapid infrastructure development projects - in areas such as railways, roads and regional aviation.

In this regard, China's own experience in industrial development through special manufacturing hubs offers valuable lessons and opportunities for Africa's future growth and development. China introduced special economic zones in the early 1980s as part of its policy to open up to international investment.

Such economic reforms became a defining moment in its market-oriented economy as it spearheaded the establishment of SEZs that became the driving force for growth.

These SEZs are geographically designated trade zones used to attract foreign investors and boost local industrialization. They generally have trade laws that differ from the rest of the country, and companies are offered tax incentives for setting up operations.

Therefore, what Africa can learn from China's SEZ model is to set up and implement long-term and sustainable market-oriented economic policies that boost trade and investment.

Another lesson for Africa is that setting up special manufacturing hubs can boost the diversification of their economies and promote industrial development. China's experience shows that for hubs to succeed, African governments must improve infrastructure and technology and have an educated and competent labor force as well as efficient and effective administration.

Moreover, many African states produce raw materials of a similar nature, connoting strong competition between them. To minimize such competition, they will need to develop economic strategies based on competitive advantages that can maximize potential.

What Africa also needs to learn from the Chinese experience is that due to the continent's massive rural population and high levels of illiteracy, the State must be the primary driver of economic development.

In China, State-driven economic reforms commenced with the formation of rural enterprises, investment in manufacturing, and midlevel training. In this way, a series of reforms that were introduced and directed by the state hastened industrial productivity, leading to increased economic growth.

Another important note for African governments to grasp here is that Chinese economic growth did not come from the forces of the free market, as conventional theories of economic development dictate, but from State-led economic reforms.

Furthermore, Chinese SEZs may be instructive for Africa, given its large agricultural and rural-based population, because by encouraging the growth of rural enterprises and not focusing exclusively on the urban industrial sector, China has successfully moved millions of workers from agriculture into industrial units without creating an urban crisis.

Africa can achieve this through public-private sector partnerships for strategic national-interest-led investments, given that the productivity of the labor force can be more important than capital.

Overall, for Africa's urgent development needs, that have profound effects on the population, such as infrastructure, health and education, the Chinese manufacturing model of development is as important as the China-Africa partnership.

The author is a research assistant at the Institute for Global Dialogue associated with the University of South Africa. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily European Weekly 08/18/2017 page9)
Chinese group has turned around ailing manufacturer with good management

After a year of imaginative management, HBIS Group of China has succeeded in turning around the troubled Smederevo steel mill, Serbia's largest, reinforcing the view that the conglomerate's go-global strategy is yielding positive results.

Hebei-based HBIS, one of China's largest iron and steel manufacturers, bought the ailing, loss-making Smederevo for 46 million euros ($54 million; 42 million) in April last year and started to manage it in July.

The takeover ended seven years of losses, and the 105-year-old Smederevo, which has since been renamed HBIS Group Serbia Iron & Steel, was back in the black by the end of last year, says CEO Song Sihai.

Chinese and Serbian employees (above and below) of HBIS Group work together at HBIS Group Serbia Iron & Steel in Serbia. Photos Provided to China Daily

Yu Yong, chairman of HBIS Group, says, "It took only half a year for HBIS Serbia to turn a loss into a profit."

HBIS Serbia's output in the second half of last year increased by more than 50 percent from the first half, reaching the highest level since 2010.

Additionally, in the same period, the output of high value-added cold-rolled sheets rose by 112 percent.

With its worldwide sales network, HBIS Group has opened up new markets like the United States, Egypt, Turkey, Germany and Italy for its Serbian unit. In the second half of 2016, the mill was the second-largest exporter in Serbia.

The dramatic turnaround was brought about by sustained efforts. Since the takeover, HBIS has sent nearly 200 Chinese personnel to deal with the problems of then Smederevo relating to mill management, finance, equipment, technology and craftsmanship.

"The biggest change for me is that I don't receive angry calls from suppliers any more," says Subotic Zarko, 41, director of the materials management department at the Serbian mill. He has been working at the mill for 13 years now.

He says it was hard for the mill to get all the materials needed because it had no stable finances, and it didn't pay suppliers regularly before the takeover by HBIS.

Employees like Zarko used to worry about their future. "Young colleagues delayed their plans for weddings and buying new houses, because they didn't know if their next salary was going to come and if they could repay bank loans," he says.

After the takeover, however, things improved. "I didn't spend time on daily problems anymore, but focused on preparing ideas and projects for the future," he says.

According to Zarko, HBIS Serbia started to forge long-term contracts with suppliers in place of short-term and one-off ones. "That makes supply and price stable," he says.

Lazicc Polina, who works in the mill's finance department, visited HBIS' subsidiary in Tangshan, Hebei, in June. She says she hopes that one day the Serbian mill will thrive like HBIS.

"We're grateful to HBIS for bringing new hope to the 5,000 workers at the steel mill, including myself," she says, adding that HBIS' effective management has benefited common people like her.

Their salaries have increased by an average of 10 percent from the pre-acquisition level, she says.

HBIS Group chairman Yu says HBIS will make the Serbian steel mill competitive in European and global markets.

HBIS will invest $120 million to strengthen the steel mill with new equipment and technology this year, according to Xinhua News Agency.

"Success in foreign investment means win-win for everyone concerned," Yu says.

HBIS Serbia says it respects local customs and cultural traditions and does not lose sight of them while introducing advanced technological and managerial expertise in the company. Among its employees, only 15 are Chinese, which reflects HBIS' policy of relying on local talent.

zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn

( China Daily European Weekly 08/18/2017 page28)
MARTINSVILLE  Got an idea for a project to boost Southern Virginias economy but need money to put words into action? An opportunity to receive funding is approaching.

A regional revitalization plan adopted by the GO Virginia Region 3 Council is being forwarded to the state headquarters for approval. Once that approval is received, grant applications will start being taken, perhaps before September is over, council representatives told local business people and government officials during a meeting Wednesday night at the New College Institute (NCI).

Region 3 Council Chairman Charles Majors didnt detail the 329-page plan. He said it will be posted online soon.

However, he said the plan focuses on three areas of critical opportunity  workforce development, other sectoral development and cyberinfrastructure development.

Workforce development involves helping businesses recruit, develop and retain talented employees. Sectoral development involves focusing on recruiting types of businesses that might be attracted to the region, ranging from advanced manufacturers and materials providers to business and data services, as well as improving educational opportunities. Cyberinfrastructure development involved expanding Internet and broadband telecommunications systems, according to Majors.

About $11.3 million in grants will be available for projects statewide, said Elizabeth Rafferty, policy and legislative director for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, of which GO Virginia is an offshoot.

No single region will be able to receive more than 25 percent of the money, Rafferty said.

Types of projects that might be funded include ones to help small- to medium-sized businesses grow, ones to help businesses develop talented employees and help them earn academic credentials and ones to help new products resulting from research and development be produced commercially, she said.

Grants generally will require local funding matches, but the matches may be waived for economically distressed communities, said Rafferty.

Responding to a question from Martinsville City Councilwoman Sharon Brooks Hodge, Rafferty said its small population would not put Region 3 at a disadvantage in receiving grants for projects.

If people want to start working on applications (for funding), they certainly can, but the state likely wont decide on full criteria for accepting applications until September, said Majors, who also is the board chairman for American National Bank & Trust.

He suggested that potential applicants instead submit brief summaries, maybe two pages in length, of ideas for projects to GO Virginia to see if they fall into realms in which they will be considered for funds.

GO Virginia, formally the Virginia Initiative for Growth and Opportunity in Each Region, is a coalition of business leaders statewide promoting regional cooperation in efforts to create jobs and growth within the private sector, as well as to prepare workers for careers.

There are nine GO Virginia regions statewide. Martinsville-Henry County is in Region 3 along with Danville and Pittsylvania, Patrick, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Brunswick, Nottoway, Prince Edward, Amelia, Lunenburg, Buckingham, Cumberland and Charlotte counties.

GO Virginia is creating separate plans to help spark economic improvements in each region. Coalition officials have said a plan especially is needed for Region 3 because although it is larger than Rhode Island and Connecticut combined, the region has the smallest population among the districts.

Census figures show the cities and largely rural counties in the region have a total population of only about 400,000 people, and that number is declining.

Its a long way between Brunswick County and Patrick County, Majors said. Because the region is large, communication is going to be extremely important if joint projects by communities or their businesses and industries are going to be successful.

But were going to benefit as a region by beginning to think and talk and work collaboratively, he said.

Businesses dont think about (city, town and county) boundaries in determining where to locate, Rafferty said. Rather, they examine a region and factors such as the quality of life for residents and how well people are educated to do jobs they need done, she said.

Any projects funded must be joint projects of localities and/or businesses, officials emphasized.

Were very hopeful that were going to have projects involving not just two jurisdictions but (localities) throughout the region, Majors said.

Anyone wanting more information about GO Virginia can call (434) 447-7101
Commerce Ministry says bloc's moves on steel and truck tires have been wrongly imposed

The European Commission must stop using the "surrogate country" method in anti-dumping investigations into imports from China and immediately withdraw wrongly imposed penalties on China's steel, ceramic and photovoltaic industries, the Ministry of Commerce said on Aug 11.

Its comments follow anti-dumping duties of up to 28.5 percent imposed on Aug 9 by the EC on certain corrosion-resistant steels from China.

The EC is the European Union's executive arm. Surrogate country is a term used to describe countries found to have so-called market distortions.

A worker operates a production line at a steel plant in Dalian, Liaoning province. Liu Debin / For China Daily

The EC imposed the duties after an eight-month probe, and it claimed that Chinese corrosion-resistant steels benefited from unfair government subsidies.

The EC also announced on Aug 11 that it will launch an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese truck tire products.

Wang Hejun, head of the trade remedy and investigation bureau at the Ministry of Commerce, says China's truck tire prices dropped due to a fall in raw material prices in global markets over the past two years.

So European truck tire manufacturers' accusations that their Chinese counterparts benefited from State subsidies are unfounded and lack adequate proof, Wang says.

Earlier this year, the United States halted its investigation into China's truck tire product exports as it found they had caused no harm to its domestic manufacturers.

"The EU continued the use of the unfair and unreasonable surrogate country method in the investigation. It has resulted in artificially determined high anti-dumping duties on Chinese products and therefore seriously undermined Chinese companies' interests," says Wang.

The new EU import duties on corrosion-resistant steel will range from 17.2 percent to 28.5 percent, and will affect Shougang Group, Shagang Group, Hesteel Group and a number of Chinese companies.

"It was provisionally concluded that the imposition of measures would contribute to the recovery of the European Union industry by allowing price increases, enabling the sector as a whole to return to a profitable situation," the EC said in a statement.

Chinese manufacturers can challenge the EU decision by Sept 3.

Bai Ming, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, says that if the EU fulfills its obligations according to World Trade Organization rules and maintains its status as a leading advocate of free trade within the WTO, it would be a win-win for both sides. He says China and the EU share growth-related goals, such as a bilateral investment treaty and other treaties. These far outweigh the current dispute about anti-dumping cases, he adds.

Huo Jianguo, vice-president of the China Institute for WTO Studies, says it is easy for politicians in some countries to blame other countries for their problems, and to accuse other trade partners of destroying their industries or stealing jobs.

zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 08/18/2017 page29)
COLLINSVILLEA Georgia woman races possible prison time, after being found guilty on multiple drug charges in Henry County.

The charges stem from an arrest last year, where officers seized nearly two pounds of methamphetamine inside of owl figurines and a pistol during a warrantless search of a vehicle.

Elaine M. Pennington, 21, of Savannah, was convicted of possessing 100 grams or more of methamphetamine or 200 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture with intent to distribute, transporting methamphetamine into the commonwealth with intent to sell or distribute, and possessing firearm while possessing methamphetamine.

Judge David V. Williams ordered a presentence report and set sentencing for Nov. 29.

The evidence, presented by Henry County Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Jessica Henson, claimed that on May 26, 2016, the Virginia State Police Counter Terrorism and Criminal Interdiction Unit Area 76 (Salem) was requested to assist the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) Task Force with a traffic stop on a suspected narcotic smuggler in the Henry County area.

Trooper D. Gott with the Virginia State Police was told that the vehicle holding the suspected narcotics was on the move and in the area. Gott caught up with the vehicle one mile west of Mt. Olivet Road on U.S. Route 58 eastbound. Gott observed that the windows on the black 2013 Ford Taurus appeared to be darker than allowed in Virginia and pulled the car over. The car had a Georgia plate.

Pennington was driving and Dahneilia Newmius of Charlotte, North Carolina, was the front-seat passenger. Pennington did not have her operators license but gave Gott her military ID. Pennington stated they were on their way to Baltimore, Maryland, from Savannah via Charlotte. She said they ended up in Henry County and were just leaving the hotel and headed to Baltimore. Gott noticed they were traveling in what appeared to be the wrong direction of Baltimore.

Trooper M. Morehead arrived on scene and Pennington appeared to get nervous. Gott received information that Penningtons license was valid in Georgia. Newmius told Gott they were headed to Maryland to see her brother after the birth of his baby. While talking with her, Gott smelled a faint odor of burnt marijuana in the vehicle,

Morehead scanned the vehicle with his narcotic canine, and the dog alerted to the odor of narcotics in or on the car. Gott explained to Pennington they now had probable cause to search the car and asked her if there were any illegal narcotics in the car. She said no. Gott asked if there was any marijuana, and she responded no. He asked if there was any methamphetamine and she responded, Not that I am aware of. Gott asked her if there was any cocaine or any large amounts of currency, and she said no.

Gott saw through the drivers side window of the Taurus what appeared to be the handle of a semi-automatic pistol in the passenger side door pocket. Then he retrieved the gun and secured it.

Gott asked Pennington and Newmius if they were responsible for everything in the car, and Pennington said yes except for the gun and a bag that her friend left in the vehicle. She also stated that she thought her friend may also have a duffle bag in the trunk. Gott and Morehead began searching the car. Gott located a Limited shopping bag containing two owl statues, wrapped in green bubble wrap. Gott previously had been notified that the suspected narcotics were inside statues of owls and that was part of a larger investigation.

The paint pattern, seams and bottoms of the owl statues did not appear to be consistent with each other.

Morehead located a plastic bag in Newmius bag that appeared to have marijuana residue in it.

Gott showed the Limited bag containing the owl statues to Pennington, and she said the bag and its contents belonged to her friend.

Morehead made a hole in the bottom of one of the owl statues and could see electrical tape as well as a plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance. The substance field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Pennington and Newmius were placed under arrest.

After being given her Miranda rights, Pennington initially told DEA Agent Allen Ruis (who has since retired) that she had no knowledge of the meth but then changed her story and said she was delivering the package of owls to an unknown person in Virginia as a favor for a friend in Georgia. She said she had worked for the manat his taco stand and was in a relationship with him.

Pennington said the man asked her to take a package to a friend of his in Virginia the beginning of the week of May 23 because she had been talking about going to Baltimore. After she agreed, the man gave her the bag with two owls and instructed her to take the package to Axton to his friend. Pennington said she looked in the bag at some point and saw the owls.

Pennington said she picked up Newmius, a friend of hers, in Charlotte, and Newmius was going to ride with her to Baltimore to see family after the package was delivered. Pennington said the two of them got lost at some point and ended up in West Virginia on the night of May 25. Pennington said she talked by phone several times with her friend, telling him she was lost and decided not to deliver the package, adding she was going to Baltimore and then would return to Georgia.

Pennington said her friend insisted that she deliver the package as soon as she could and said he would pay for her expenses and a motel room once she got to Martinsville. Pennington said at this point she suspected there were drugs in the package.

Pennington and Newmius then went to Martinsville, got a hotel room and carried all the bags from the car into the hotel, including the bag with the two owls. After sleeping until late in the morning of May 26, Pennington said, she contacted a number of an unknown person in Axton, where she was given an address on Daniels Road to deliver the package.

Pennington said she had brought the gun along on the trip and that it belonged to the owner of the car. She said she had been asked by her friend in Georgia on about five other occasions to make package deliveries for him and one other time was in Virginia, but she had declined each of the previous occasions.

The contents of the owls were analyzed at a laboratory in Largo, Maryland, and determined to be 877 grams of methamphetamine.

Newmius was charged with the same offenses as Pennington, but has not yet been tried.
In his column earlier this month in the Bulletin, 9th District Rep. Morgan Griffith expressed his frustration at the Senates filibuster/cloture rule, claiming that it sidelines Congress and stands in the way of solving some of our countrys problems.

Griffith offered a couple of examples of legislation that have been sidelined by the rule, such as the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and Kates Law. Griffith also said that some minor progress had been made this year when the 60-vote threshold for Supreme Court nominations was abolished after a minority threatened to obstruct the eminently-qualified Neil Gorsuch.

Let us begin by addressing Kates Law, inspired by the tragic death of Kate Steinle, who was shot and killed in San Francisco by an undocumented immigrant. The immigrant in question had been deported five times but returned to San Francisco, a sanctuary city that does not comply with all federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Kates Law would have required a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years for any undocumented immigrant convicted of illegally re-entering the United States after having been deported.

The death of Steinle was a terrible incident, the sort of act of violence that inspired people to want to do something, anything to prevent it from ever happening again. But in those cases, why would we want to add these people, already admittedly breaking the law, to an overcrowded prison system?

According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, Kates Law was estimated to add 60,000 people to federal prisons over a five-year period, increasing the federal prison population by 28 percent and costing taxpayers $2 billion per year. The vast majority of these new additions to our federal prisons would be non-violent offenders.

If these are people that we do not want in our country, why should we make taxpayers cover the cost of housing them for five years, as well as paying for food and other necessities?

Advocating for mandatory minimum sentences is a popular campaign platform, and Steinles death was a galvanizing incident. One can make the argument that legislation should be passed to prevent similar tragedies in the future. One can also make the argument that Kates Law was not that piece of legislation, but a snap judgment that would have cost taxpayers too much money while unduly punishing non-violent offenders.

Returning to the minor progress that Griffith references regarding the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court, a minority did indeed threaten to obstruct Gorsuch  though whether he is eminently qualified depends on who you ask.

At the time, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that No Supreme Court Justice has ever, in the history of our country, been stopped by a partisan filibuster, ever.

McConnell apparently had forgotten about Merrick Garland, another eminently qualified Supreme Court nominee, whom McConnell himself blocked because former President Barack Obama nominated him during the final year of his presidency. McConnell said there was an unwritten rule against such things. It was the first time in Senate history that the Senate refused to give a Supreme Court nominee a hearing and a vote.

The point here is that changing the filibuster/cloture rule, as Griffith suggests, would be the equivalent of the child who changes the rules of the schoolyard game whenever he isnt winning. If a Republican President, a Republican-controlled Senate and a Republican-controlled House cannot pass legislation, the problem is not with the structure of government. The problem is with the legislation or a lack of consensus in that majority party.

If a minority of 40 senators continues to obstruct solutions, confidence in our institutions will further erode, Griffith wrote.

The reason that we have the three-fifths majority rule required to end a filibuster in the Senate is because of an old principle known as majority rule and minority rights. That meddlesome minority of 40 senators are still duly elected representatives of the American people. Any attempt to sideline their voices is a step down a dangerous path.

The Bulletin Editorial Board consists of Brian Carlton, Ben Williams and Trisha Long
A still image from video shows a police officer gesturing while walking across a road, after a van crashed into people in the centre of Barcelona, Spain, Aug 17, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

A manhunt is underway after a van ploughed into a crowd of people in Barcelona's busy tourist area, in what local police are calling a terrorist attack.

At least thirteen people have been killed and dozens injured, according to Reuters.

According to early reports, a white van sped from the Placa Catalunya down the Las Ramblas thoroughfare which has pedestrian areas on each side of the street and in the middle. Dozens of pedestrians were hit until the van hit a newspaper kiosk and stopped.

Catalan police say there's an operation underway to search for the driver and urged people not to get close to the affected area.

Unconfirmed reports say that suspects have taken refuge in a restaurant.

The Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he has been in contact with authorities after the incident and said the priority is to attend to the wounded.

The Ministry of the Interior in Spain said on Twitter: "There has just been a massive crash on the Ramblas in Barcelona by a person with a van. There are injured."

Carles Puigdement, the president of the government of Catalonia, has called for "maximum caution" in the wake of the terrorist van attack in Barcelona.

He added that "all the attention" should be on the victims of the attack.

Reuters reported that Catalan emergency services have requested the closure of metro and train stations in the vicinity of the incident.

The Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing police sources, said the driver of the vehicle fled on foot.

The US Consulate in Barcelona tweeted "We are aware of a reported incident at Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Please avoid the area and monitor local police @mossos for updates".

Police in Barcelona have asked people around Placa Catalunya to stay indoors and to use social media to get in touch with friends and relatives to avoid overloading phone networks.
A Tianjin kite maker exhibits his kite at an exhibition in London on Aug 17, 2017. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The British public will get a glimpse of a large collection of China's century-old traditional crafts from Tianjin, a Chinese port rich in cultural heritage.

The Tianjjin Intangible Culture Heritage Association brought colorful hand-mades kite, tea sets, jade decoration, pearl jewelry, paintings, fans, special paper-made umbrellas and other things to China Exchange in London's Chinatown.

Li Zhibang, chairman of Tianjin Intangible Heritage Protection Association said: "Tianjin's history as an important port city means it has gathered extensive cultural influence from all over the world, and these cultural influences became a part of our heritage, which we treasure and do our best to preserve."

"These craft items' exhibition in the UK comes at an important time, as we are celebrating the 45th anniversary of ambassadorial diplomatic relations between the two countries this year. Going forward, cultural exchanges will be a big part of our bilateral relations," said Li.

Skills are classified as intangible cultural heritage if the craftsmanship is passed down over generations and they are part of an area's cultural diversity. Tianjin has a total of 237 intangible cultural heritage items, and 33 of them are classified as national level intangible cultural heritage items.

After Thursday's exhibition at London Chinatown's China Exchange, the items will again be exhibited at London's Leicester Square. The crafts will be shown in Edinburgh on August 21st. Most of the crafts belong to privately-run Tianjin-based companies, who also have their own design and manufacturing studios.

After the UK exhibition, the association will again organize the crafts makers to showcase their works in countries along the Belt and Road routes from next year onward.

Cindy Yang, general manager of Time Memory, a Tianjin-based company which is also a key sponsor for the event, said: "We hope these overseas tours will help Tianjin heritage brands to find international commercial partnership opportunities. The overseas exhibitions can also help our brands' designers to draw inspirations from overseas culture, so they can make their products more international."

Yang's comments are echoed by Dong Jianshe, general manager of Tianjin Laomeihua Shoe and Dress Co, a 109-year-old Tianjin company specializing in fashion, such as shoes with intricately hand-embroidered decoration patterns, and colourfully threaded buttons.

"Coming to London and looking at British fashion actually provided me with lots of inspirations, which I will incorporate into our products in the future," said Dong.

Contact the writer at Cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com
State and local leaders joined workers at Boeings fabrication facility in Helena Thursday morning to celebrate a major expansion.

"These are momentous events for all of us who are partnered up around whats going on here," said Helena Mayor Jim Smith.

Boeing Helena has added more than 90,000 square feet to its facility, bringing it to more than 250,000 square feet in total. The extra space will let them greatly expand their capacity.

By

Jonathon Ambarian

Full Story: http://www.ktvh.com/2017/08/boeing-helena-celebrates-major-expansion-at-production-facility

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Governor Bullock Celebrates Boeings Latest Expansion into Montana

Bullock applauds employees for hard work making Boeing Helena a competitive and important part of the companys supply chain

Full Story: http://commerce.mt.gov/News/PressReleases/governor-bullock-celebrates-boeings-latest-expansion-into-montana
A group of high-tech business owners joined Montana Sen. Jon Tester on Thursday at the Bozeman Public Library to discuss how the state could continue to attract and retain high-paying jobs for the state.

The forum, Tester said, was to hear from the technology community about issues important to them. The senator sat alongside a panel of four business owners in the Gallatin County area and heard from each of them before taking questions from the audience.

"To the folks out there doing, I want to say thank you," he said.

Ali Knapp, president at Wisetail said the state should extend STEM  science, technology, engineering and mathematic programs  across the state to rural areas. Montana is really great at having the programs in Bozeman and Missoula, she said, but in rural areas these programs are lacking or dont exist.

Lance Trebesch, CEO of Ticket River https://www.ticketprinting.com/ in Harlowton, said that rural Montana is in decline. The company is the biggest employer in its county and aims to employ people from Harlowton, he said.

"But its tough," Trebesch said. "And its tough because the education. The schools in these rural places, and you know this very well, are not getting enough funding."

By Freddy Monares Chronicle Staff Writer

Full Story: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/tester-talks-technology-with-local-business-leaders/article_55ef3385-bf7d-5d3d-ad7e-81e8ca4be932.html

***

Tech firms are forgetting about STEM and focusing on STEAM http://www.matr.net/article-78416.html
I hope I havent seen a future scenario for Boise, but with our recent community growth, I worry a bit.

In late July and August, I was in Hanoi, Vietnam, a place Ive known and worked in for two decades. When I started visiting, there were few buildings over three stories, and the streets were filled with bicycles and a few motorbikes, but no automobiles. Granted, the country was poor and dependent upon aid donor support for infrastructure and capacity building.

BY NANCY NAPIER

Full Story: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/article167635842.html
Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations.
China and the UK have announced an initiative to combat drug-resistant infections.

The governments will launch a competition for funding for UK - Chinese collaborations to develop solutions to fight the threat of antibiotic-resistant infections.

Innovate UK, which funds science and technology projects in the UK economy, will invest up to 10 million pounds ($12 million) in UK businesses on behalf of the Department of Health.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology will invest up to 60 million yuan ($9 million) to fund the Chinese partners.

The World Health Organization warned that antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security and development, with major diseases becoming harder to treat because the drugs used on them are becoming less effective.

Although new drugs can be developed, the pace of this development cannot catch up with the speed of bacteria evolution. One new antibiotic was discovered last year  the first in nearly 30 years.

Innovate UK said the aim is to support projects that neither country would be able to conduct within the same timeframe without the other's expertise. Both sides should develop new products or services to fight against antimicrobial resistance.

There are a number of goals for the project including exploring traditional Chinese medicine for treatment or prevention of infectious diseases in humans or animals and advancing the discovery of new agents to prevent or treat drug-resistant bacterial infections in humans or livestock

Other plans Innovate UK is hoping the UK-Chinese partnership will identify are new agents that will increase the feed energy conversion in livestock without use of antibiotics or hormones, maximise the clinical utility of current antibiotics and improve capabilities for the diagnosis, treatment selection and surveillance of bacterial infections and antibacterial resistance.

An Innovate UK spokesperson said: "Failure to tackle drug-resistant infections will lead to at least 10 million extra deaths a year by 2050. This would cost the global economy up to $100 trillion. A major research and innovation effort is needed to address the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. This competition can help to tackle this issue."

Applicants wanting to lead a project must be a UK-based business of any size and there must be at least one partner from the UK and one from China in a project team.

This competition is just the latest in a series of UK efforts to work with Chinese counterparts.

Last month, the Department of International Trade launched an initiative to encourage British nurseries to expand into China as a way to market the UK's expertise abroad.

Contact the writer at boleung@mail.chindailyuk.com
Photo taken on April 11, 2017 shows a cargo of China Railway Express being moved at Duisburg Intermodal Terminal (DIT) in Duisburg, western Germany. Since "YUXIN'OU" (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe) railway line came into use in 2011, China-Europe freight train services, with a growing number of trans-continental railway lines and increasing cargo volume, have become important to the ancient Silk Road. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese companies' acquisition activities along the Belt and Road countries has increased this year in spite of a dramatic fall in overall Chinese outbound investment, according to the latest Thomson Reuters data.

The data showed that Chinese firms have invested in mergers and acquisitions to the value of $33 billion in the 68 countries along the Belt and Road map as of August 14, surpassing the $31 billion figure for the whole of 2016.

The increase in investments in the Belt and Road countries compares to a 42 percent drop in all Chinese international mergers and acquisitions over the same period, the Thomson Reuters data showed.

The UK has also proven a major target for Chinese buyers. Thomson Reuters tracked 29 Chinese takeovers of UK companies worth a total of 13 billion pounds ($16.7 billion). At the same time last year, 25 deals worth 3 billion pounds had been agreed.

Mike Wang, partner at the Chinese law firm King & Wood Mallesons said the data matched their business experience. "Our clients are finding it much easier to foster constructive relationships with target companies on the Belt and Road map, with support from both the Chinese government and the target company's government," he said.

First proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, the China-led Belt and Road initiative aims to increase trade and investment between Asia, Europe and Africa.

President Xi also said at Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in May that China will contribute an additional 100 billion yuan ($14.49 billion) to the Silk Road Fund for investments in Belt and Road countries.

Xue Haibin, managing partner of Zhong Lun Law Firm's London subsidiary, said the growth in UK-focused deals is supported by the UK government's attempt to foster closer ties with China and Asia amidst Brexit uncertainties.

"The UK is proactively positioning itself as an important part of the Belt and Road map. Because Belt and Road strategy development needs both real economy and financial collaboration, the UK's strength in financial services gives it a unique advantage," Xue said.

The number of Chinese deals targeting Belt and Road countries totalled 109 this year, compared to 175 in the whole of last year and 134 in 2015, the Thomson Reuters data showed.

The largest deal in a Belt and Road country so far this year was a Chinese consortium's $11.6 billion buyout of the Singapore-based Global Logistics Properties, announced in July. The consortium comprises Hopu Investment Management, Hillhouse Capital Group, Vanke Group and Bank of China Group Investment.

Another top deal is China National Petroleum Corp's $1.8 billion purchase of an 8 percent stake in Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, announced in February.

Andrew Monk, CEO of VSA Capital Plc, a London-based investment bank with a subsidiary in Shanghai, said from his observations most of China's outbound deals along the Belt and Road countries fit into China's strategic development.

"The deals done so far are in sectors that add value to China's strategic growth, especially in areas such as technology, renewable energy and green industries," he said.

Contact the writer at Cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com
HELSINKI - Several people were stabbed in the Finnish city of Turku, police said on Friday, adding they had shot at and arrested one person.

People should stay away from the city centre, police said on their Twitter account.

The Turun Sanomat newspaper reported that at least one person was killed in the attack.

REUTERS
Innovative research demonstrates how weakening specific fear-related connections in the brain of a mouse can erase previous fear responses to a stimulus. The work may help to build future treatment programs for post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias. Share on Pinterest Science is one step closer to removing specific fears. As we evolved, swiftly learning to be afraid of dangerous situations or objects was a vital skill. If we are injured by something, our brain forms a memory linking the stimulus to the production of fear, ensuring that we will always avoid it in the future. This mechanism works well throughout the animal kingdom; creatures quickly learn what stimuli are dangerous and will, going forward, give them a wide berth. Sometimes, however, a learned fear response is not healthy. For instance, following a car crash, some people have to relive the experience each time they get into a car. Similarly, individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may have disproportionately strong fear responses to certain sights, smells, or sounds. Although medications are available that reduce fear and anxiety across the board, as it stands, it is not possible to target specific stimuli and remove particular fears.

Understanding the fear response Recently, a group of researchers from the University of California, Riverside designed a way to unhitch benign stimuli from their learned fear response. The team was led by Dr. Jun-Hyeong Cho, an assistant professor of molecular, cell, and systems biology, and Woong Bin Kim, his postdoctoral researcher. In a nutshell, the team wanted to see if they could weaken the connections between the neurons responsible for an inappropriate fear response. The investigation, using a mouse model, was published in the journal Neuron this week. Mice were presented with either a high-pitch or low-pitch tone. At the beginning of the study, the mice showed fear to neither sound. Then, each time the high-pitched sound was played, the mice received a mild electric shock to the feet. Once this pairing had been learned, the high-pitch sound elicited a fear response called freezing behavior in the mice, even when no shock was given, while the low-pitch sound continued to produce no fear response. When the brains of the mice were examined, the team found that synaptic connections that relayed the high-pitch sound to the amygdala were strengthened. Dr. Cho explains, In the brain, neurons communicate with each other through synaptic connections, in which signals from one neuron are transmitted to another neuron by means of neurotransmitters. We demonstrated that the formation of fear memory associated with a specific auditory cue involves selective strengthening in synaptic connections which convey the auditory signals to the amygdala, a brain area essential for fear learning and memory.

Using light to remove fear In the next phase of the study, the team wanted to understand whether they could remove or at least reduce this newly learned fear response. They weakened the synaptic connection using a method called optogenetics, which is a procedure wherein genetically modified neurons can be switched on or off by pulses of light. The researchers found that the neurons responsible for receiving high- and low-pitch sounds were intermingled, but they were able to single out just those responsible for responding to the high-pitch sound. We were able [] to experimentally stimulate just those neurons that responded to the high-pitch sound. Using low-frequency stimulations with light, we were able to erase the fear memory by artificially weakening the connections conveying the signals of the sensory cue  a high-pitch tone in our experiments  that are associated with the aversive event, namely, the foot shock. Dr. Jun-Hyeong Cho
New findings from a nationwide program that links neurologists with patients with Parkinson's disease in their homes via video conferencing shows that telemedicine can successfully deliver quality care. The study, which appears today in the journal Neurology, points to a new way to improve care for people who suffer from the disease, but may have not have access to a neurologist.

"Virtual house calls for chronic diseases like Parkinson's are not only as effective as in-person care but broader adoption of this technology has the potential to expand access to patient-centered care," said Ray Dorsey, M.D., the David M. Levy Professor of Neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and lead author of the study. "We now have the ability to reach anyone, anywhere but the promise and benefits of telemedicine will not be fully realized until the changes are made in Medicare policy."

"Telemedicine is especially valuable to patients in remote, rural, and underserved areas because it gives them the ability to consult specialists they would otherwise have to travel hours to see," said Peter Schmidt, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Chief Research and Clinical Officer of the Parkinson's Foundation. "The Parkinson's Foundation aims to narrow these gaps in Parkinson's care, which is why we are working with experts from URMC, a Parkinson's Foundation Center of Excellence."

The results in the paper come from the Connect.Parkinson project, a research study funded by the federal Patient-Centered Outcome Research Institute. Connect.Parkinson is led by URMC in collaboration with the Parkinson's Foundation and with additional support from PatientsLikeMe, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, SBR Health, Vidyo, and IDSolutions. The study is the first national randomized controlled clinical trial of telemedicine for Parkinson's disease.

It is estimated that 40 percent of people who have Parkinson's disease do not see a neurologist soon after diagnosis. This places them at significantly greater risk of falls leading to hip fractures, ending up in a nursing home or hospital, and even death. This challenge of providing care to these individuals will become ever greater as the population ages--it is projected that the number of people with Parkinson's disease will double by 2030.

The most significant barriers to appropriate care for Parkinson's patients are distance and disability. Most movement disorder specialists are located in academic medical centers in large urban areas. Most patients live in suburban and rural areas, have impaired mobility and driving ability, and are faced with the challenge of making frequent trips to the doctor's office - a task that becomes more difficult as the disease progresses.

The goal of the Connect.Parkinson study was to see if telemedicine would allow neurologists to deliver care to patients in the comfort of their homes. A total of 195 individuals with Parkinson's from across the U.S. were selected to participate in the study. Participants either received care through their primary care physician or had that care supplemented with up to four visits via video conference with the neurologist they had not seen before.

Parkinson's disease particularly lends itself to telemedicine because many aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of the disease are "visual" - meaning that the interaction with the doctor primarily consists of listening to the patient and observing them perform certain tasks such as holding their hands out or walking.

The researchers found that the telemedicine visits were as effective as in-person visits in the doctor's office, with the quality of life reported by the participants as no better or worse for people who received care in their homes compared with those who received standard care. The virtual house calls also saved patients an average of 169 minutes and nearly 100 miles of travel per visit.

While the current study is one of several that have demonstrated the potential benefits of telemedicine, widespread adoption of this technology is hindered by federal healthcare policies. Approximately two-thirds of Parkinson's patients are on Medicare. However, the program does not reimburse for in-home telemedicine care. Legislation has been introduced in Congress to allow Medicare to expand reimbursement for telemedicine.

"We can shop, bank, make travel reservations, take classes, and buy groceries via the internet from the comfort of our own homes, but too many patients still cannot access health care," said Dorsey. "Telemedicine is an option if you are a veteran, a member of the Armed Services, a Medicaid beneficiary, or a Canadian, but not if you have a chronic condition and are a Medicare beneficiary."

Article: National randomized controlled trial of virtual house calls for Parkinson disease, Christopher A. Beck et al., Neurology, doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004357, published online 16 August 2017.
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
An Army helicopter pilot kept flying for five hours in support of a Delta Force ground raid into Syria in 2014, even after he was wounded by gunfire during the initial assault, according to new documents released by the Pentagon.

Then-Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Siler piloted one of two MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator helicopters (DAPS) on a "mission deep inside enemy territory" during a classified nighttime mission in July 2014.

Siler was the lead pilot during the 10-hour-long raid, which he "meticulously planned and flawlessly executed."

The new details emerged from the award citation for his Silver Star, which Siler received later that month in addition to the Purple Heart for combat wounds. It was recently released in response to a Freedom of Information Request from Business Insider.

Going into Syria with 'zero illumination'

After receiving the go-ahead from President Barack Obama, the Army's elite Delta Force loaded into helicopters piloted by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) during the late and early morning hours of July 2 and 3, 2014 to find and rescue journalist James Foley and other hostages taken by ISIS.

The raid into northern Syria happened in pitch black "zero illumination" -- perfect conditions for pilots attempting to stealthily insert troops, both of whom were outfitted with sophisticated night vision goggles. Still, the citation notes the flight encountered "harsh environmental conditions" without getting into specifics.

In what was described by officials speaking to The New York Times as a "complicated operation," several helicopters dropped off two dozen Delta operators at an oil refinery outside Raqqa, while heavily-armed DAPS helicopters circled overhead to provide air support.

Siler was shot in his right leg by ground fire during the initial assault, according to his citation and other media reports. He was on crutches and wore a walking cast at his award ceremony.

"Staying in the air with a wounded leg for five hours is no small feat, whether or not he's on the controls," another Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot told Business Insider. "That is pretty heroic."

According to the pilot, who spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to speak, a gunshot wound to the leg would make it very difficult for Siler to manipulate his foot pedals, which control the yaw of the aircraft. That's not to mention "the loss of blood and the shattered leg," the pilot said. "The sheer pain of that."

The pilot speculated that the copilot likely took control of the aircraft at that point, while Siler tended to his wounds, helped direct fire, and navigated.

Meanwhile, as drones and fixed-wing aircraft flew overhead, the team of soldiers on the ground moved quickly into the safe house where James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and other hostages were believed to be held. But the operators found only ISIS fighters, two of which were quickly dispatched in a gunfight, according to The New Yorker.

"By the time we got there, it was too late," a Pentagon official told The New York Times in 2014.

We moved 'aggressively to recover our citizens'

Although the raid did not result in the rescue of Americans from ISIS captivity, it was notable in that it was the first time the government acknowledged US troops had operated inside Syria since the war began in 2012, The Times reported.

"The US government had what we believed was sufficient intelligence, and when the opportunity presented itself, the president authorized the Department of Defense to move aggressively to recover our citizens," Lisa Monaco, Obama's counterterrorism adviser, told The Times.

After the area was secure, the Delta operators gathered up anything that could yield intelligence or forensic value, according to The New Yorker. After about an hour, they departed on Black Hawks back to an unspecified "neighboring country."

The secret mission was made public more than a month later on Aug. 20, 2014, a day after ISIS posted a video showing the beheading of Foley by a masked man later identified as Mohammed Emwazi. The British-born ISIS militant carried out the executions of many American, British, and other hostages throughout 2014 and 2015 until he was killed by a coalition drone strike in Nov. 2015.

Siler, now a Chief Warrant Officer-5, still serves with the 160th at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, according to an Army spokesman. He was recognized as the Army Aviator of the Year in 2014.

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Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is set to travel to Ukraine, becoming the first U.S. defense secretary to visit the country since Robert Gates, the Pentagon announced Friday.

Mattis will meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak on Aug. 24, Ukraine's independence day.

"During these engagements, the secretary will reassure our Ukrainian partners that the U.S. remains firmly committed to the goal of restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as strengthening the strategic defense partnership between our two countries," the Defense Department said.

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Mattis' trip comes as the United States is mulling giving Ukraine lethal weapons after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its ongoing incursion into Ukraine's eastern border regions.

The U.S. has given Ukraine's military non-lethal supplies, including night-vision goggles, uniforms and surveillance equipment such as Raven RQ-11B Analog mini-drones.

But U.S. officials worry -- with seemingly endless breakouts of hostilities between pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine's national guard -- that the conflict will prolong without expanded support.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, an avid supporter of arming Ukraine since then-President Barack Obama cautioned against lethal weapons, has raised the issue repeatedly with defense officials.

During Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan's confirmation hearing in June, McCain was unhappy with the incoming deputy's answers about providing arms to Ukraine.

"It's still disturbing to me after all these years that you would say that you have to look at the issue," the senator said. "Have you not been aware of the issue? Have you not been aware of the actions of the Senate Armed Services Committee? Have you not been aware of the thousands of people that have been killed by Vladimir Putin? Have you missed all that in your duties at one of the major defense corporations in this country?"

Mattis will also travel to Turkey and Jordan next week, meeting with his counterparts to discuss the ongoing air war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The SecDef will begin his overseas trip in Jordan -- his first visit there in his current job -- on Aug. 21, meeting with King Abdullah II, supreme commander, and Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, chairman of Jordan's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the DoD said.

Mattis will then travel to Turkey to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Minister of National Defense Nurettin Canikli and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu.

U.S. relations with Turkey, a key ally in the fight against ISIS, have degraded in recent months, given tensions over Kurdish militia operating in Syria close to Turkey's borders.

The U.S. backs the Kurds, and in May began sending small arms to the group. Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG, or the People's Protection Units, a terrorist group linked to the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party, which has carried out attacks in southeastern Turkey.

The U.S. regards the YPG as the most effective anti-ISIS force in northeastern Syria.

"Secretary Mattis will emphasize the steadfast commitment of the United States to Turkey as a NATO ally and strategic partner, seek to collaborate on efforts to advance regional stability, and look for ways to help Turkey address its legitimate security concerns -- including the fight against the PKK," the DoD said.

Turkey, meanwhile, has cozied up to Russia and Iran in recent weeks.

In July, the NATO member agreed to purchase four Russian-made S-400 mobile missile batteries for $2.5 billion over the next few years.

Erdogan this month agreed to expand military cooperation with joint drills with Iran after sitting down with Iran's Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Baqeri.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
DETROIT, MI - Job recruitment and social networking website LinkedIn is opening a Detroit office and looking to hire employees to offer talent and staff solutions in Motor City.

Senior vice president Mike Gamson announced the news in a blog post published fittingly enough on the LinkedIn website on August 18, and said the Detroit office would be the first opened by the company in ten years.

"Why Detroit? After evaluating more than 10 U.S. cities, we chose Detroit because we believe the Motor City presents a unique opportunity for LinkedIn to hire top talent and be a part of an exciting economic turnaround story," Gamson said. "This new office gives us a chance to marry LinkedIn's uniquely powerful culture with Detroit's dynamic talent to create economic opportunity for our employees, the city and our company."

He said Detroit is a place where LinkedIn believes it can hire "great people," and where talent is already present.

LinkedIn is in the final stages of securing a temporary office space in downtown Detroit in order to get operations running as soon as possible, while also searching for a permanent location.

"Our goal is to have our first employees in that office within the next few months, and as such, we are actively searching for incredible sales professionals at all levels," Gamson said.

He also detailed what LinkedIn is looking for when it comes to employees: people who dream big and know how to have fun.

"If you're in the Detroit area or know someone who may be looking for a way into a new opportunity, we're looking for motivated candidates interested in transforming themselves, the company they work for and the world," Gamson said.

LinkedIn already has five positions posted online for the Detroit office, including employees who would work in social and talent solutions and small business relationship managers.
By JOHN D. GONZALEZ | gonzo@mlive.com

MACKINAC ISLAND, MI -- Greetings from one of my favorite vacation spots in Michigan!

We'll be here this weekend for the annual Mackinac Island Fudge Festival, which runs Aug. 18-20, 2017.

If you're looking for a schedule of events, we've go you covered:

10 things to do at Mackinac Island Fudge Festival

Oh, if you're on the Island, too, please stop by to say hello. Amy Sherman and I will be emceeing events at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20 at Windermere Park, where the first 100 kids get a slice of FREE FUDGE!

Now, let's get to that list of things to do this weekend.

If I left off your favorite event, email me ASAP and I will try to add it to this list. Or put the information in the comments. Email me at gonzo@mlive.com.

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ExperienceGR.com

Grand Rapids Restaurant Week, through Aug. 20; Various restaurants in Grand Rapids area; www.experiencegr.com

I'm checking out Stella's Lounge on Friday. Go to my Facebook page for a review.

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John Gonzalez | gonzo@mlive.com

Frankenmuth Summer Music Fest, Aug. 18-19; Frankenmuth; www.frankenmuthfestivals.com

The town is alive with music all over town!

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Danielle McGrew | MLive.com

Cheeseburger in Caseville

Through Aug. 20; Caseville; www.cheeseburgerincasevillefest.com

Fireworks at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 at the Caseville County Beach.

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Through Aug. 19; Midland; www.midlandfair.com

Friday, August 18, 7:00p.m. SuperCross by SJO Productions All seats general admission. $12.00 per person/$5.00 12 Years and Under.

Saturday, August 19, 7:30p.m. Autocross/Demolition Derby by USA Demolition All seats general admission. $12.00 per person/$5.00 12 Years and Under.

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Berrien County Youth Fair

Through Aug. 19; Berrien County Fairgrounds in Berrien Springs; www.bcyf.us

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Aug. 14-20; Armada Fairgrounds in Armada; www.armadafair.org

Lost Nations Rodeo, Friday, August 18, 2017 7:00pm 10:00pm

Tractor and Truck Pull, Saturday, August 19, 2017 12:00pm 10:00pm

Tractor and Truck Pull, Sunday, August 20, 2017 12:00pm 6:00pm

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upstatefair.org

Michigan's State Fair in the Upper Peninsula, through Aug. 20; Escanaba; www.upstatefair.org

Aug. 18: The Prince Experience

Aug. 19: Sawyer Brown

Aug. 20: Fireworks presented by Skerbeck Entertainment Group at Dusk.

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Ogemaw County Fair

Through Aug. 20; West Branch; www.ogemawcountyfair.com

Aug. 18: Aaron Tippin and Keith Anderson. Tickets $25 at the Gate.

Aug. 19: Hypnotist Show in the Entertainment Tent in the Antique Village FREE (7 & 9 pm); Teen Glow and Paint Party FREE (7-11 pm); and Mud Bog at the Grandstands (7:30 pm).

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Through Aug. 19; Gaylord; www.otsegocountyfairgrounds.org

Aug. 18: TTPA Pulls (7:00pm)

Aug. 19: Unique Motor Sports Night of Destruction (Bump N Run, Chairn & Wire Derby, Burnout, Tough Truck and Power Wheels) -6:00pm

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Back To The Bricks Cruise & Car Show

Through Aug. 19; Flint; www.backtothebricks.org

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Montrose Blueberry Festival, through Aug. 20; Montrose; www.montroseblueberryfestival.net

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Michigan Fiber Festival, Aug. 16-20; Allegan; www.michiganfiberfestival.info

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danishfestival.org

Danish Festival

Aug. 17-20; Greenville; www.danishfestival.org

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Aug. 18-20; Wealthy Street Theatre in Grand Rapids; www.hom.org/2017-events (Fundraiser for Hospice of Michigan).

Also, Aug. 24-26; Wharton Center in East Lansing; www.hockeymusical.com

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Aug. 18-20; Howell; www.howellmelonfestival.com

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Edmore Potato Festival

Aug. 18-20; Edmore; www.edmorechamber.com

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The great Johnny Winter and his band performing at one of the free Sunday concerts at Ann Arbor's Otis Spann Memorial... Posted by Ann Arbor Blues Festival on Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Ann Arbor Blues Festival

Aug. 19; WFC Fairgrounds and Event Center in Ann Arbor; www.washtenawfarmcouncil.org

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Suds on the Shore

Suds On The Shore Craft Beer and Wine Festival, 1-7 p.m. Aug. 19; Ludington; www.sudsontheshore.com

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Grand Rapids Greek Cultural Festival, Aug. 18-20; Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids; www.grgreekfest.com

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Columbus Ships Replicas, Aug. 18 - 22; Clinch Park Marina in Traverse City; www.ninapinta.org

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lapeerdays.com

Aug. 18-20; Lapeer; www.lapeerdays.com

Aug. 18: Bryan White, country singer

Aug. 19: Parade, 11 a.m.



Aug. 19: Hinder, rock band

Aug. 20: Bruce Carroll, Christian artist (noon); Jack Russell's Great White (4:30 p.m.)

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Grand Jazz Fest, Aug. 19-20; Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids; www.grandjazzfest.org

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Linwood National Pickle Festival, Aug. 18-20; Linwood; www.linwoodpicklefestival.org

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fifththirdballpark.com

Ludacris, Aug. 19; WSNX Party in the Park; Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park; www.fifththirdballpark.com

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Founders Brewing Company

Tribute on the Grand, 2-10 pm Aug. 19; Ah-Nab-Awen Park in Grand Rapids; www.grandrapidswhitewater.org

Proceeds from this event will benefit Grand Rapids Whitewater and our ongoing efforts to restore the rapids in the Grand River for everyone!

Last year over 3,000 people filled Ah-Nab-Awen park to enjoy great food, beer, and music on the banks of the Grand River. The event raised over $200,000 for Grand Rapids Whitewater.

This event (sponsored by Founders Brewing Company) is FREE to the public and all ages are welcome. Family activities, beer, music and more. Chairs or blankets to sit on in the park are suggested.

2-3pm: free yoga hosted by AM Yoga

2-3pm: family-friendly activities hosted by the Downtown Market

2-10pm: food trucks and beer tent open and serving

3-10pm: live music from: Saved by the 90s, Ramones Tribute, Sweet Diesel Jenkens and Hotel California along with returning local act, Brother Wolf and the Wolfpack from Mars.

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downtownmarquette.org

Saturday, Aug. 19: A first-year event in Marquette to remember the late Jessica Drummond who lost her life to domestic abuse. The car show is on 3rd Street and presented by the city of Marquette and Third Base Bar, 726 N 3rd St Marquette, Michigan 49855.

Cars will line up between Hewitt and Park Street.

Registration from 10 a.m.-12 noon.

Judging from 12-3 p.m.

Awards at 4 p.m.

More info at 906-226-9581

Proceeds will go to The Women's Center.

More info at downtownmarquette.org

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localfirst

Lakeshore Street Party

Noon-5 pm Aug. 19; Washington Square in Holland; www.localfirst.com

FREE. Kids Activities, Food Vendors, Live Entertainment and More!

BEER TENT (CIDER TOO!): Fireside Brewing Co. Macatawa Ale Company New Holland Brewing Pub on 8th.

LOCATION: Washington Ave between W. 18th & W. 19th Street.

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Michelle Tessier | MLive.com

Michigan Renaissance Festival

Aug. 19-Oct. 1; Holly; www.michrenfest.com

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Jake May | MLive.com

Eat Chicken Wings!

As some of you know, Amy Sherman and I just wrapped up our trip around the state looking for Michigan's Best Chicken Wings.

Overall we visited 38 restaurants from Marquette to Detroit and Pinconning to Kalamazoo.

Look for our results next week.

In the meantime, check out all of our finalists across the state.

Follow the search at mlive.com/michigansbest.com.

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ANN ARBOR, MI - Accomplished University of Michigan professor and architect Gunnar Birkerts, who designed some of the most notable buildings in southeast Michigan, including Domino's Farms and an addition to the UM Law Library in Ann Arbor, died Tuesday, Aug. 15. He was 92.

His son, Sven Birkerts, said his father died of congestive heart failure at his home in Needham, Massachusetts, according to The Associated Press.

Birkerts was born in Riga, Latvia, on Jan. 17, 1925, but fled during World War II when he was in his teens. In 1949, Birkerts emigrated to the United States.

He was based in the Detroit area for much of his career and worked for several different architecture firms before he and a colleague, Frank Straub, founded Birkerts and Straub in 1962. He eventually went on to lead his own firm, Gunnar Birkerts and Associates, for decades.

Gunnar Birkerts. (Sven Birkerts via AP)

Birkerts taught at UM for 31 years, beginning in 1959, and received awards from the American Institute of Architects in 1962, 1970 and 1973. According to his biography from the Bentley Historical Library, he was appointed professor of architecture in 1969. He was awarded the position of professor emeritus in 1990.

According to the Bentley Library, the 1960s were prolific years for the practice, as Birkerts designed buildings which contained the "bold forms, space before structure, minimal detailing, stratified walls and daylight in interior spaces," which were the hallmarks of his work during this decade.

Among his many buildings of this period were the University Reformed Church (1960-1964) in Ann Arbor, the Detroit Institute of Arts' south wing addition (1964) and the University of Detroit Fisher Brothers Administration Center (1964-1966).

In 1970, he was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and he received a Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects in 1975. He was also honored by an appointment as Architect in Residence at the American Academy in Rome in 1976.

Some of his many notable buildings from the decade were the Contemporary Arts Museum (1970-1972) in Houston, the Dance Instructional Facility (1970-1976) at the State University of New York, Purchase and the UM Law School Addition (1974-1981) in Ann Arbor. Birkerts also is credited with designing the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis and the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York.

In his work on the UM campus and Ann Arbor, he was well-known for his innovative and sensitive use of light at the University Reformed Church, with its indirect lighting, and the University of Michigan Law School Library Addition, which is filled with light despite being below ground.

The Allan and Alene Smith Law Library Addition began in 1978, according to UM, when the university decided the best building for its iconic law library would be underground, presenting challenges both architecturally and structurally.



Its high ceilings, large "light wells" that bring in light from several directions and direct it to even the lowest of the three levels, and on open structure make it surprisingly bright and airy, according to the university.

In the mid-1980s, Birkerts designed Domino's Farms Office Park, on 300 acres of farmland. The 1-million-square-foot office building redefined the northeast Ann Arbor office corridor between Plymouth Road and M-14, serving as corporate headquarters of Domino's Pizza. The building lives today as a multi-tenant facility, including the UM Health System outpatient primary care, specialty care and medical services. Part of the campus also includes a chapel and petting farm.

Birkerts is survived by his wife, Sylvia, a fellow Latvian who he met in Germany and married in 1950, their three children and seven grandchildren.
PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI - Local, state and federal officials are planning to gather next week to discuss the ongoing opioid crisis in Washtenaw County and Michigan.

With nearly 300 fatal opioid overdoses, including heroin overdoses, among Washtenaw County residents since 2011, the area's elected leaders want to have another community conversation.

Residents are invited to join in the conversation Monday night, Aug. 21, in Pittsfield Township, just south of Ann Arbor.

The meeting is expected to last from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Saline High School, 1300 Campus Parkway.

Elected officials expected to attend include state Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor; U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn; U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton; and County Sheriff Jerry Clayton.

According to Zemke's office, this is expected to be one of many community meetings about the opioid crisis and other substance abuse issues. All are encouraged to attend to help identify solutions.

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and prescription pain relievers such as OxyContin, Vicodin and codeine.

Michigan opioid OD deaths jumped 54% between 2015 and 2016

Michigan has more annual opioid prescriptions than people

According to statistics tracked by Washtenaw County Public Health, there have been 34 opioid overdose deaths in the county so far this year from January through July. That's up from 30 fatal overdoses for the same seven months in 2016.

Altogether, the county has reported nearly 300 fatal opioid overdoses among Washtenaw residents since 2011, including 59 in 2016, 49 in 2015, 65 in 2014, 26 in 2013, 32 in 2012 and 29 in 2011.

According to WCPH, 25-30 percent of opioid-related overdoses for Washtenaw residents result in death, and the fatality rate is likely affected by type of opioid used, with synthetics such as fentanyl or carfentanyl considered to be more lethal. Other factors include access to emergency care and naloxone, the overdose reversal drug.

The fatality rate also can increase when drugs such as alcohol or benzodiazepines are used in combination with opioids.

Last year, Ypsilanti residents represented about half of the total number of opioid-related overdoses, while Ann Arbor residents represented about one-third of the overdoses.

However, the fatality rate for Ann Arbor residents was higher at about 33 percent, compared to 20 percent in Ypsilanti.

More than 7 percent of Washtenaw middle school students responded in a 2015 county health survey that they've used a needle to inject drugs to get high. For other age groups, 4.6 percent of people 18-24 said they had, 5.7 percent of people 25-34 said they had, and 5 percent of people 35-49 said they had.

According to WCPH's findings, county residents ages 18-49 who have injected drugs are more likely to have inadequate social support, poor mental health, serious suicidal thoughts, identify as gay or bisexual and not receive needed mental health care.

Most opioids go to those with mental health issues, UMich study says

'Jessie's Law' named after Ann Arbor woman who died of opioid overdose

The county board recently took action to put a new tax for mental health and public safety services on the November ballot.

If approved by voters, it would be levied in December 2018 for use in 2019. It's an eight-year, 1-mill tax that's estimated to raise more than $15.4 million in the first year, with funds divided this way:
BAY CITY, MI -- Police are alleging that when a Monitor Township man's dog ran away to his neighbors' house, he felt the best course of action was to pummel the canine with his fists.

When his neighbors intervened, he proceeded to tear through the property in their yard.

His violent tantrum has resulted in him facing three criminal charges.

About 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 14, Michigan State Police troopers responded to a home in the 3700 block of South Swiss Drive in Alpine Village Mobile Home Park. A 59-year-old man had called 911 to report that he, his wife, and a male neighbor were holed up in their house due to neighbor Ryan F. King threatening to harm them with a weapon, court records show.

Upon arrival, troopers spoke with the caller, who said that King's pit bull had come onto his porch. The man gathered up the dog and handed it over to King a few seconds later. While on his neighbors' property, King grabbed the dog by its collard, yanked it off the ground, and punched it six to eight times in the face with a closed fist, the neighbor told police.

When the neighbor told him to stop, the 28-year-old King responded that he could "do whatever the f*** I want to my dog," the neighbor told police.

As they argued, King began ripping boards off a nearby dog house, flipped two glass patio tables, threw a plastic table into the street, and pulled a decorative shepherd's hook from the ground and bent it, court records show. The older man told King to leave his property, at which point King replied that he was going to fetch his gun and come back to "take care of all of you," court records show.

King did leave the man's yard, but came back a half-hour later. The neighbor told police he, his wife, and another neighbor stayed in their home and called 911. He said he never saw the gun, but was in fear for his life.

The man's wife and his neighbor gave police matching accounts.

Troopers went to King's trailer and encountered his father, who said his son wasn't home, but that he'd recently called him to apologize. When the dad asked King what he was apologizing for, his son said "because he was probably going to jail tonight."

As police spoke with King's father, King walked onto the property. Noticing the police, he took off running. A trooper chased him through several yards before catching him and placing him under arrest.

King told police he went to his neighbors' house because "they were pedophiles and talking to 13-year-old girls," court records show. He said he brought his dog with him and held him by its collar, but never struck it. He also denied damaging his neighbors' property or threatening them.

King's dad told police his son regularly beats his dog, despite his disapproval. He added it's not uncommon for his son to outright punch the dog in its face.

Troopers left the dog with King's father. They contacted Bay County Animal Control so that agency's officers could follow up on the matter.

King on Tuesday, Aug. 15, appeared in Bay County District Court for arraignment on single counts of assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police, cruelty to or abandonment of one animal, and second-offense malicious destruction of property less than $200. The first charge is a two-year felony, while the latter two counts are 93-day misdemeanors.

The arraigning judge set King's bond at $50,000 cash-surety. If he posts it, he is to not be within a quarter-mile of his victims' home, not own any animals, or live in a residence with pets.

King is to appear for a preliminary examination at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31.

King has a lengthy criminal record in Bay County, with convictions of malicious destruction of property, assault and battery, indecent exposure, drunk and disorderly conduct dating back to 2011. As of Aug. 17, he still owes $2,151.81 in court fines and costs from his sundry criminal escapades.
Infosys_Vishal_Sikka_Vishal-Sikka1

Vishal Sikka resigned from the position of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys and he was named Executive Vice-Chairman on Friday. He spent three years as CEO of the Bengaluru headquartered company.

Here are the things to know about the man who is claimed to have pioneered the concept of timeless software:

1) Sikka was born in Madhya Pradesh to Punjabi parents. He spent his childhood and later his adolescence in Vadodara after he moved there at the age of six. His father was an officer with the Indian Railways and his mother a teacher.

Also Read: Full text: What Vishal Sikka said in his resignation letter to Infosys

2) After completing his schooling from Rosary High School, he joined Bachelor course in Computer Science at Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara but dropped it to later join Syracuse University in New York where he earned a BS in Computer Science. He also holds a PhD from Stanford University.

3) He founded two startups, Bodha.coma company developing innovative e-commerce technologies using knowledge-based information integration, and iBrain Softwarewhich was later acquired by PatternRx, Inc., a bioinformatics firm.

4) In his initial days, he worked at research positions with Xerox (Fuji) Palo Alto Labs, CommerceNet, and Stanford University.

5) Starting from 2002, he had a long stint of 12 years at SAP SEa German MNC which provides software solutions. At SAP, he donned multiple hats from time to time, before becoming its first Chief Technology Officer in 2007. In 2010, he also joined the executive board of the company.

6) Sikka was responsible for overall technology architecture and ensuring coherence in SAPs product strategy and is credited for bringing a deep focus on design and user experience.

7) Sikka is also credited with creating SAPs breakthrough in-memory data platform SAP HANA, the fastest growing product in SAPs history.

8) The customer-first approach of Sikka led him to pioneer the concept of timeless software, in simple words, products which allow the update and renewal of software without any disruption in user experience.

9) Sikka eventually joined Infosys in June 2014 as its CEO and MD. Here he continued his focus on user experience and he was credited to drive down company costs using automation and artificial intelligence. He also introduced initiatives like Zero Distance, which focuses on finding innovation in every project for every client.

10) However, lately, he has been embroiled in controversies with founders and primary investors of the software giant. The core issues of founders' concerns were hefty compensation which Sikka was privy to and governance at Infosys.
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The Mahindra & Mahindra management is scrambling to put in place counter measures to insulate the company from the volume hit it on account of cess hike under GST on hybrid vehicles. Three of four, or 75 percent, M&M Scorpio models are affected by the increase in cess under GST.

Under the GST regime, taxes on the Scorpio, which is M&Ms second highest-selling utility vehicle (UV), surged to 43 percent from 30 percent earlier. This has forced M&M to increase prices of the vehicle, however, M&M did not pass on the full extent of the hike to the buyer. The company absorbed some of the cost hit instead.

Roughly 75 percent of Scorpio volumes are hybrid. So, out of 4,000 Scorpio units roughly 3,000 will be hybrids, said Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra.

V S Parthasarathy (L) with Pawan Goenka (R)

We have taken a marginal price increase, not covering the whole of the change but a small price increase and therefore to that extent, there may be impact in the market, said Goenka.

With governments focus now solely on promoting electric vehicle technology there was no keenness to retain the low taxes on hybrids under the GST regime. Hybrids are essentially powered by a traditional fuel like petrol or diesel and an electric motor.

The governments decision on hybrids is going to slow down launches and demand for hybrid in India. If we have to pass on the full cost of hybrid in terms of pricing, we will not sell any hybrids at all Therefore, hybrid will definitely slow down unless there is a rethink on that," he said.

"We do believe that in the longer run we have to have both hybrid and electric vehicle in our portfolios in India. Unless something is done, hybrid will definitely see a slowdown in India, added Goenka.

M&M is one of handful of companies that has hybrid vehicles on sale in India. Maruti Suzuki, Toyota Kirloskar and Honda also have mild and full hybrid models on sale.

The automotive industry did approach the finance ministry expressing concerns over the raised tax on hybrids and requesting for a reconsideration. However, the government has stood firm ruling out any reduction in taxes.

M&M is, however, preparing counter measures. A non-hybrid Scorpio is in the works and will be launched soon. The new Scorpio, which is expected to be in showrooms before Diwali, will get some minor styling tweaks to its front.

Addressing concerns over declining market share and rising competition for the M&M range of products Goenka said that as part of the counter measures planned by the company it aims to tap into the consumer who is looking at the new segment of crossovers.

Bolero, Scorpio and TUV 300 are giving us about 14,000 to 15,000 volume which is the strong part of our portfolio. Where we need to get more volume is the crossover segments. The Bolero, Scorpio, TUV are chassis segment, we have no concern, we are doing very well, rural or urban. It is in the crossover segment where we need to get a little bit more volume and that is what we are going to do right now, added Goenka.
AirHelp

Air India plans to sell as many as 41 flats in different parts of Mumbai, according to a notice by the national carrier which is continuing with the efforts to monetise its assets.

The proposed sale of properties also comes at a time when the government is working on the modalities for strategic disinvestment of the loss-making airline. The carrier has immovable properties, including land and buildings at prime locations.

While efforts have been going on for quite some time, there has not been much headway. According to a public notice, the airline has sought bids for the sale of properties in Mumbai. As many as 41 flats spread across Mumbai has been put up for sale.

These include both two bedroom and three bedroom flats. As part of efforts to revive the national carrier, the Cabinet has given in-principle approval for divestment and the final contours are being worked out by a group of ministers.

The airline, which is staying afloat on a little over Rs 30,000 crore bailout package extended by the previous UPA regime, reported an operating profit of Rs 105 crore in 2015- 16 - the first time it turned operationally profitable in a decade. Air India has a debt burden of more than Rs 50,000 crore.

Recently, the government told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture a Parliamentary panel that Air India's current business is "not sustainable" as it is neither able to generate enough cash flow nor start repaying even the principal amount of its debt.

In a report submitted to the government in May, a government think-tank Niti Aayog had proposed strategic disinvestment of Air India on various grounds, including the airline's fragile financial situation.

Since aviation is not a strategic priority business, there is no need for the government to be involved in it, Niti Aayog had observed. On June 28, the Cabinet had given its in-principle approval for the disinvestment of the airline. A group of ministers, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, is looking into various aspects related to Air India.

It would look into the treatment of unsustainable debts of the national carrier, hiving off certain assets to a shell company and de-merger and strategic disinvestment of three profit-making subsidiaries, among others.
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Attached herewith the Notice of the 42nd Annual General Meeting of our company to be held on Saturday, 23rd September, 2017 at 11.00 A.M. at SP-825, Road No. 14, Vishwakarma Industrial Area, Jaipur - 302013.This for the information of the members.Source : BSE

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The Board of Directors of the Company in their meeting held on Friday, August 18, 2017 inter alia considered and approved the following matters:1. The Directors have recommended the Final Dividend @ 5% of Rs. 0.05 per Equity Share of Rs. 1 each for the financial year ended March 31, 2017 subject to the approval by the shareholders at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting of the Company.2.The 26th Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held on Saturday; September 30, 2017 at the Registered Office of the Company at E-1/1, Arera Colony, Bhopal (M.P.)  462016 at 9.00 AM.'In addition; since the Company is venturing into the FMCG Sector; the Company is foraying into direct retail by opening up company owned retail outlets under the brand name 'Sanwaria Kirana' to reach the end customer directly. The Company has already opened upto 25 stores at different locations of Madhya Pradesh and the Board has approved the opening of 10-15 more stores shortly in M.P. and Maharashtra.Source : BSE

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Sandeep Wagle of powermywealth.com told CNBC-TV18, "I would go with a buy in Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) with a stop loss of Rs 182 and target of Rs 192. A sell in Punjab National Bank (PNB), stop loss of Rs 144 and target of Rs 137."

"On Infosys , I am looking at a level of Rs 900-920, probably that is a level to buy into and nearer Rs 1,000-1,020; in fact yesterday I had suggested that around Rs 1,020-1,030 one should sell or book out and in that sense, that has worked out right. At lower levels, at this level, definitely one should not sell," he added.
Chandan Taparia of Motilal Oswal Securities told CNBC-TV18, "First trade is a buy on Havells India. The stock has recently given the breakout from a symmetrical triangle pattern and witnessed the correction from higher levels. So recommending to buy on small declines with a stop loss of Rs 460 for an upside target of Rs 490."

"Second trade is a buy on NTPC. We have seen strong buying interest in the counter with built up of long position. It has given a consolidation breakout with the significant surge in the volume as well as the open interest activity. So, the major trend is positive. Here also I will suggest to buy on a small dip with a stop loss of Rs 171 and expecting this stock to head towards Rs 185."

"Punjab National Bank (PNB) is a sell where we have seen built up of short positions with Call writing at 145 and 150 strike. So, here I am recommending to buy 145 Put with a stop loss of Rs 2 and this Put can go up towards Rs 8 and stock can correct towards Rs 140 kind of levels," he said.

"The last trade that is option Bull Call Spread, recently we have seen the strong breakout on IT heavyweight Infosys . We had recommended buy couple of days back and still expecting this stock to start fresh leg of rally. The stock has surged up with Call unwinding and Put writing activity. So, expecting this stock to head towards Rs 155-160. So one can be with bull Call Spread by buying 1,020 Call and selling 1,060 Call and in the entire strategy risk is only 12 points. If stock moves up, then one can get profit of around 28 points. So, a 1:2 risk reward ratio and expecting Infosys to continue its positive momentum," he added.
Just two weeks back, Vishal Sikka was celebrating the completion of three years as the first non-founder CEO of one of India's most iconic company Infosys. Today, he has stepped down as the CEO after public battle that has played out over the past several months. Sikka has virtually said "enough is enough".

In an unusual and very personalised attack, the Infosys board has issued a scathing 6-page letter, putting the blame for Sikka's exit on Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy. The letter to the stock exchange said, "Mr. Murthy's continuous assault, including this latest letter, is the primary reason that the CEO, Dr. Vishal Sikka, has resigned despite strong board support."

It is not clear what letter the board is referring to but in an e-mail to advisors on the August 9th Murthy wrote, "Dr Sikka is not a CEO material but CTO material. This is the view of at least three members of the board, and not my view since I have not seen him operate from the vantage point of an Infosys board member."

Naranaya Murthy has responded to the statements from the Infosys board, he said, "I am extremely anguished by the allegations, the tone and tenor of the statements. I voluntarily left the board in 2014 and am not seeking any money, position for children or power. My concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance which I have repeatedly brought to the notice of the Infosys board. It is below my dignity to respond to such baseless insinuations."

Sikka today said, "There has been continuous drumbeat of allegations in the last few quarters that have been sickening."

Infosys stock took a beating in trade today with Rs 22500 crore getting wiped out in market capitalisation. Pravin Rao has been appointed interim CEO and Sikka will continue as executive vice chairman. However there is uncertainty at the top which is not going down well with many investors. CNBC-TV18's Shereen Bhan caught up with Mohandas Pai Former HR Head, Infosys, Sandeep Parekh Founder, Finsec Law Advisors, JN Gupta Former ED, SEBI, Shriram Subramanian MD, InGovern, HP Ranina Corporate Lawyer and Amit Tandon MD, IIAS to find about the corporate governance allegations raised by the founders and how the new CEO will make this tight-rope walk.
Under the shadow of the year long promoter-management conflict, Vishal Sikka resigns as the Infosys top boss.

Below are comments from experts after the conference call:

JN Gupta, Founder and MD, Stakeholders Empowerment Services & Former ED, Sebi

"I find it a very difficult situation for a simple reason - the founders just because of the weight of their reputation are trying to bulldoze their way.

With a miniscule shareholding they are putting other 90 percent or 85 percent of shareholders to their hostage."

Pramod Gubbi, Head-Equities, Ambit Capital

"We just had our buy recommendation lifted just three days ago. Simply from governance standpoint we thought that the board was coming up short in terms of disclosure levels. Obviously we are not privy to what the motives are or we simply do not want to comment on that but for a company that has been perhaps at the highest levels of governance since its inception, we thought it was in everybody's best interest that any details of the investigation results should be disclosed in the public domain or at least to the shareholders in general to allay any sort of concerns or at least put to rest any darts that there might be something untoward.

Despite our positive view on the fundamentals, the whole issue about lack of disclosures is creating this uncertainty among us as well as the investors."

Suresh Senapaty, Former CFO, Wipro

"The outcome is not something a surprise to us, it is pretty much expected to happen, one did not know when it will happen. If you go to the bottom of it, over the past few months, concerns were repeatedly being raised about corporate governance practices in terms of lack of transparency to shareholders in that company and these concerns were expressed by the people who are respected and practiced high quality corporate governance. So it was reiterated that the intent was not to target any individual but were made at the best interest of the company and the shareholders.

The current development, which is a resignation of Dr Sikka, does not necessarily address the primary issue raised but it is just a noise which further distracts from the core issue. To say that there is one voice which was objecting and there weren't enough other voices is perhaps undermining some of the valid reasons why there has been questions to be raised. It only means that the board has to come together, discuss with the stakeholders in a language, in a best persuasive manner in terms of how the issues are being handled well but this kind of an outcome which has come today is pretty unfortunate. I don't think it is going to close the issue but it is going to add fuel to fire."

Shriram Subramanian, Founder & MD, Ingovern

"A short while ago, the Infosys has put out a media release where again they have attacked NR Narayana Murthy. I think this is just going to get intense. At the end of the day, it is sad but there is misalignment between the board and one of the founders. For the first time probably Infosys is referring to Mr Murthy and not the founders as a collective. This has become a very personal battle now which is sad and unfortunate.

I don't think Vishal Sikka getting down is just the end of the story yet."

Jonathan Schiessl, Ashburton

"I think it is very-very negative for investors and unfortunately for shareholders what has been doing on. The reality is that the board and the company will find it extremely difficult in my opinion to get decent candidate to step-up into the shoes of the CEO."
Infosys

It is all out war at Infosys. After months of maintaining restraint over the founders' allegations against chief executive Vishal Sikka and the current management style at the company, the Board on Friday made it clear that it will not let NR Narayana Murthy be a part of the company.

At this point the Board has no intention of inviting Narayana Murthy to be a part of the formal governance of the company, said Ravi Venkatesan, co-chairman of the Infosys board in the first investor call after Sikka stepped down.

Beginning the call by thanking Sikka for setting the vision for Infosys in the coming few years, Venkatesan said the board was thankful to the former SAP executive. This is no longer just Vishals vision. This is now Infosys' vision; thanks Vishal for embedding it deeply. The Board constituted a committee of directors, and we engaged very deeply with Vishal and the management team to accelerate the execution of it, he said.

Sikka has been focusing on the themes of digitisation, artificial intelligence, increasing local onshore workforce and improving company performance.

Thanking the board and Infosys for the opportunity, Sikka said that over the last year, the industry has grappled with issues such as Brexit, US President Donald Trumps election and rising protectionism in other markets, which were in some ways, welcome challenges.

That sort of things are things you can deal with, but whats been going on since the last four or five quarters, especially since February, this continuous drumbeat of these allegations, news stories, the same stuff over Rajivs [Bansal] separation, Panaya [acquisition controversy]..is absolutely sickening, he said on the call.

Calling news reports and media coverage questioning and asking for 4000th regurgitation of the same nonsense, Sikka said he was left spending way too much time dealing with and responding to the noise.

Infosys has been embroiled in a bitter battle of allegations and counter allegations by its co-founders, primarily NR Narayana Murthy, questioning corporate governance practices at the IT services major.

Beginning from questions such as former chief financial officer Rajiv Bansals severance pay, to appointment of independent director Punita Sinha to the companys board, and irregularities in the acquisition of Israeli software firm Panaya, the issues have refused to die down.

The latest affront was a letter written by Murthy saying Board members think Sikka was chief technology officer material and not CEO material, and also questioned corporate governance at Infosys.

It has gotten increasingly malicious and personal, Sikka said on the call on Friday.

The companys Board also sent out a strongly worded reply to the allegations in Murthys latest letter, citing his continuous assault, as the primary reason that the CEO, Dr. Vishal Sikka, has resigned despite strong Board support.

Sikka was at pains to say that while everyone on the Board asked him to reconsider his decision, the issue drains so much energy that it does not create an atmosphere that is conducive to transformation.

Noticeably, Sikka did not mention Murthy by name, either in his letter to the employees or during the call. He thanked several of his colleagues by name but refrained from referring to Murthy.

Venkatesan added that the board has engaged with the founders over the past year and thinks it has done everything that is reasonable. "We have reached a situation that is not tenable," he said, adding that the Board's decisions have not gone down well with the founders.

However, to a question about whether Infosys Board enjoys investors and shareholders confidence, Venkatesan said that the company will continue to assess their sentiment over the next few weeks.

UB Pravin Rao, the interim CEO and managing director, was also on the call.
Pravin_rao_infosys

As Vishal Sikka resigned from the posts of MD and CEO of Infosys, UB Pravin Rao has been appointed as the interim MD and CEO of the Bengaluru based tech giant. Rao will now head the company which has close to 2 lakh employees and a net value of $35 billion.

LIVE: Sick of 'distractions and disruptions', Sikka resigns as Infosys CEO



An alumnus of the Bangalore University, Rao holds a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering.



Rao joined the company in 1986 and since then he has held many key positions in the company.



He currently looks after important functions of the company including global sales, global delivery and business enabling functions.



UB Pravin Rao, at present, is the Chairman of Infosys BPO service.



According to the profile on UB Pravin Rao by Infosys, he drives and oversees the continuous renewal of key processes, systems and policies across the company in client relationship management, sales effectiveness, delivery excellence, quality, talent management and leadership development.



Rao has held several leadership positions in the company including Chief Operating Officer, Head of Infrastructure Management Services, Delivery Head for Europe, and Head of Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, Logistics and Life Sciences.



Rao is also a member of the Executive Council of Nasscom and the National Council of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Here are few things to know about UB Pravin Rao who will now lead the second largest IT company in the country.
Infosys

Infosys is one of the most owned stocks by mutual funds in equity schemes.

Vishal Sikka, resigned from his post of MD & CEO of Infosys effective today. The stock was the top loser on both S&P BSE Sensex and Nifty.

The stock is down nearly 5 percent so far in 2017 compared to 20 percent rally seen in Nifty.

As per mutual fund research firm Morningstar, in July, the market value of mutual fund holdings in Infosys stood at Rs 21,094 crore compared with Rs 16,376 in July 2016.

Mutual funds held 21.23 crore shares of Infosys as on July 2017 compared with 15.42 shares a year ago.

According to the research data by Motilal Oswal that was released recently, during July, certain fund managers had shown conviction in Infosys as 12 funds had more than 2 percent exposure, while 8 had less than 2 percent holding.

Below is the quarterly change in mutual fund holdings in Infosys:

HDFC Mutual Fund had the highest exposure of 2 percent in Infosys until June 2017, followed by ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund (1.5 percent) and SBI Mutual Fund (1.16 percent).

The fund houses that held below 1 percent in Infosys  UTI Mutual Fund, Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund, Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund, L&T Mutual Fund, DSP BlackRock Mutual Fund.

The underlined stock remained among the favourite large caps in June with mutual funds holding shares worth Rs 19,274 crore.

In June 2017, is one of the most-owned stocks by mutual fund managers with an allocation of over 3 percent, or slightly over Rs 19,500 crore, of the total equity asset under management.

Nearly 460 equity schemes including exchange-traded funds or ETFs, Equity Linked Savings Scheme, and balanced funds have invested in shares of

Put together, mutual funds owned 191 million shares of IT bellwether, making it the most-owned stock in the sector.
Overemphasis on renewable energy would create a 'double whammy' for the government by reducing the viability of thermal power plants and raising bad loans of state-owned banks, Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian said on Thursday.

While renewable energy needs to be tapped, in the short-to-medium run the nation ought to focus on traditional sources of energy like coal, he said.

"Over-expansion, fuelled by the growth optimism of the mid-2000s, combined with stresses in the discoms and slowdown in the economy has led to plummeting Plant Load Factors (PLFs), declining profitability, and the spectre of large amounts of stranded power assets, and consequentially stranded coal assets as well," Subramanian said.

"All this can have a detrimental effect on the health of the banking sector, especially the public sector banks, in the country, which in turn can adversely impact the health of the Indian economy, already afflicted by the Twin Balance Sheet challenge," he said at the Sixteenth Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture here.

The CEA added that the financial impact for the government arises from having to recapitalise the public sector banks that have lent to power companies and to the reduced profitability of the coal industry.

"This seems a double whammy for the government," he said. Noting that coal and renewables must be joint focus of policy, Subramanian said, "For India, today, social cost of renewables is higher than that of thermal power and it is highly unlikely for the converse to be true, at least for some time."

He stressed that the world needs to embark on a programme to clean coal, almost akin to the Manhattan Project. Subramanian pointed out that for India, a country struggling to provide basic electricity to about 25 percent of its population, coal will provide about 60 percent of India's power needs until 2030.

"It will, and perhaps should, remain the countrys primary energy source because it is the cheapest fuel available," he said, adding that India must shape the national and global narrative and not be stampeded by the rhetoric of carbon imperialism.

He also observed that India should maximise the use of national assets to the greatest extent possible and then gradually ramp up the use of the free global assets  sunlight and wind  when it becomes advantageous to do so.

Speaking on the occasion, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said that global consolidation on mitigation efforts is key to combating climate change. India's energy policy is far more forward looking and adequate now to achieve overall economic growth as it captures the linkage between economy, environment and social development, he added.
The State Bank of India (SBI) is looking to launch an initial public offering (IPO) of two rural banks in the next one year, said a Livemint report.

This is the first time that such a move will be taken up a public sector bank, two senior bankers privy to the process told Mint.

Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank and Saurashtra Gramin Bank are the rural regional banks (RRBs) which will float IPOs, with the main intention of improving efficiency and creating value.

SBI was able to carry out the IPO of the RRBs with the creation of the RRB Act in 2015. It allowed the RRBs to raise capital from other sources apart from the government and sponsor banks.

According to the Mint, Andhra Pradesh Grameen Bank has an asset size of Rs 25,000 crore and capital adequacy of 14 percent. It is the largest associate RRB of SBI. Saurashtra Gramin Bank is smaller, with Rs7,000 crore as asset size and a capital adequacy of 10 percent.

Both RRBs have 250 branches each.

Dinesh Kumar Khara, managing director (MD) of SBI told Mint that the rationale of listing these RRBs was that their financials were comparable to the private sector and small finance banks. Seeing how they brought about a sizeable valuation in the market made SBI confident of their move.

Khara also told Mint that operational costs of these banks are very high and so is the level of local political interference, which would be addressed accordingly.

A banking analyst with Reliance Securities told Mint that the RRBs would face significant growth challenges because of their location specificity. This means that the banks cannot do business beyond the particular state, which may not be appealing to potential investors. He also stated that the move to list will bring about more transparency and efficiency.

As per provisional data available with National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development, close to Rs 1.19 trillion was handed out as loans to the agriculture sector during the fiscal year 2015-16.
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The government has threatened Philip Morris International Inc with "punitive action" over the tobacco giant's alleged violation of the country's anti-smoking laws, according to a letter sent to the company by the health ministry.

The letter was prompted by a Reuters investigation last month that revealed how Philip Morriswas deploying marketing tactics in India, some targeting young people, that officials said were illegal.

The letter cites the Reuters story in the opening paragraph, listing Philip Morris' marketing methods as outlined in the article, including cigarette advertisements at kiosks, the free distribution of Marlboro smokes at nightclubs and bars, and the use of TV screens to promote the world's best-selling cigarette brand at these events.

These promotional activities are a violation of the country's tobacco control law and are subject to punishment under the act, says the letter, dated August 10.

"You are requested to clarify your position and to show cause why appropriate punitive action be not initiated against the company and its directors," the letter continues.

Such infractions can carry a fine of up to Rs 1,000 (about $15) and a sentence of up to two years in prison for the first conviction, according to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act.

The India unit of Philip Morris International did not respond to questions from Reuters.

The health ministry also sent a letter to ITC Ltd, India's leading cigarette maker, which Reuters also reported last month was using some of the same promotional methods as PhilipMorris, such as point of sale displays. In its letter to ITC, the health ministry said the company's advertisements at kiosks were illegal.

"Advertisement other than listing type of tobacco products available, whether displayed inside or outside the shop is prohibited and attracts punishment," the ministry said. It also called on ITC to explain why "punitive action" should not be taken against the company.

ITC did not respond to questions.

Targeting Young Indians

Indian officials have repeatedly said that tobacco advertisements that use brand names, pack images or promotional messages are banned at kiosks - inside and outside. Philip Morris and ITC have said they are in compliance with tobacco control regulations and that the law allows advertising inside a kiosk.

Philip Morris' marketing strategy for India is laid out in hundreds of pages of internal documents that cover the period from 2009 to 2016. A key goal, according to the documents, is "winning the hearts and minds of LA-24"  people between legal age, 18, and 24. The documents can be viewed in a searchable repository, The Philip Morris Files, published by Reuters.

The tobacco shop displays and the distribution of cigarettes at events attended by young people have helped to more than quadruple Marlboro's market share in India, where Philip Morris is battling to win ground from ITC, which dominates the industry.

India, with a population of 1.3 billion, has about 100 million smokers. Tobacco use kills more than 900,000 people a year, according to government data.

Since October last year, the New Delhi government has sent at least four letters to Philip Morris and at least three to ITC telling them to remove their advertisements at kiosks. Indian officials say tobacco companies get away with violations of anti-smoking regulations because law enforcement is weak.

The health ministry also instructed state governments this month to move against cigarette advertising at kiosks, as well as the distribution of free cigarettes. The ministry requested that states submit a progress report on their actions.

Following the Reuters story, Delhi state tobacco control chief S K Arora said he quizzed Philip Morris about the distribution of free cigarettes. In internal documents, Philip Morris calls distribution of free cigarettes "sampling" and says it is allowed under the law in India. The company has spent millions of dollars promoting its Marlboro brand at social events, the documents show.

At several parties attended by Reuters reporters in Delhi over the past year, young women dressed in the colors of the latest Marlboro variant handed out free packs of cigarettes after asking people for their name, age and preferred brand.

In recent weeks, Arora said he had detected a decline in the number of cigarette ads at kiosks in Delhi. Since the Reuters article last month, some Philip Morris ads have disappeared from several tobacco shops in Mumbai.
The Saudi Arabian creator of Sarahah, Zain al-Abidin Tawfiq has an Indian connection. The first company he worked for was the Indian software giant Wipro.

Indians have taught me programming in university, Indians have taught me programming in the company. I had Indian colleagues and I also have Indian friends, he said in an interview with India Today.

The computer engineer expressed happiness over the popularity of the app in India. I am really proud that Sarahah has reached Indiaand I am very proud and happy to see Indians coming to Sarahah. He added.

Road ahead

On the plans of expanding the app, he informed that there are going to be good surprises and he is going to introduce new features in the app. But, before that, the immediate plan is Sarahah's scalability  to create a large business for it. I know the challenges of this project in general and I have planned for lots of features. We have lot in plan, he said. As of now, the source of revenue for the creator of the app is advertisements only.

Also Read: Saudi Arabian 'honesty' app Sarahah takes Internet by storm, raises concerns of cyber bullying

Privacy

Talking about the privacy concerns with the app, Tawfiq ensured that identity of the person posting the message will not be revealed unless he or she consents. Users of the app have an option to block the senders from sending more messages as well, however, he refused to give details on how it works. If we reveal details it will make abusers to misuse the app easier, India Today quoted Tawfiq.

Also Read: The new viral: What is the Sarahah 'honesty' app and is it safe?

Account locked

Currently, the app locks the account if there are attempts of logging in to the app more than a certain number of tries. Tawfiq advised that a user should wait for 12 hours and the account will unlock itself automatically.
Vishal

Sikka

Infosys

Sikka

Sikka

Pravin

stream of distractions and disruptions" among reasons for quitting* Infosys says co-founder Narayana Murthy's campaign against board key reason for Sikka quitting* Murthy says will he respond to allegations at 'right forum'to stay on at company as Executive Vice-Chairman* UBRao appointed interim MD and CEO

* Infosys stock slips, m-cap falls Rs 22,000 crore

20:18 That's all from our side for now. Stay tuned to Moneycontrol for the latest updates.

19:58 The 'Vishal' Salary

19:47 This is how Twitter reacted to Vishal Sikka's resignation.

19:31 Narayana Murthy is currently at the ET Startup Awards.

19:20 Infosys board has failed to uphold tenets of corporate governance: Mohandas Pai. Read more here.

19:06 Vishal Sikka will not receive severance pay. Read more here.

18:56 A look at all of Infosys' CEOs:

18:40 Despite controversies NR Narayana Murthy has not commented on execution, strategy, the management has said. Don't see anyone beyond the board playing a role in selection of the next leader, it added.

18:35 Here's a timeline of the saga that has played out at Infosys

18:30 Meanwhile, Infosys Founder NR Narayana Murthy is expected to speak at the ET Startup Awards later this evening.

18:25 At this stage we remain optimistic and committed to the guidance mentioned earlier, the management says.

18:20 The new CEO must have a great understanding of Infosys culture, the management says. You have to have a right strategy and implementation, but the leader should be mindful of the culture of the organisation, it adds.

18:17 Infosys investor call has begun. The management says, "Infosys remains a strong brand". The new CEO of Infosys must be a transformational leader, the management says.

17:50 COMMENT: The buyback may keep a rudderless Infosys afloat, but resolving the spat is key. Read more here.

17:36 Here's what fall in Infosys stock means for Mutual fund houses.

17:26 The cumulative notional loss which Narayana Murthy suffered today is a little above Rs 100 crore while other members of the members of the family saw a notional loss of little over Rs 900 crore. Read more here.

17:13 UB Pravin Rao has stepped-in as the interim MD and CEO of Infosys.

Rao holds a bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering and is an An alumni of the Bangalore University. Here's all you need to know about him.

16:57 Narayana Murthy had sent a letter to advisors on August 14.

Here's an excerpt from the letter:

"My problem is with governance at Infosys. I believe that the fault lies with the current board. If the board had not made inaction its strategy since September 2015, and had ensured proper governance, then the board could have created checks and balances required in any well-run company. That, alas, does not exist today."

16:50 Sikkas exit is not only bad for the company but also for Indias information technology sector as a whole. Murthy and co may have driven the final nail into ITs coffin. Read more here.

16:43 After resigning as Infosys CEO, Vishal Sikka will now take on the role of Executive Vice Chairman at the company. Here is what's next for Sikka.

16:34 Is Vishal Sikkas exit a nasty hiccup or the beginning of the end for Infosys? The succession will tell. Read more here.

16:27 Experts are calling Sikka's exit unfortunate for Infosys. The stock fall has eroded nearly Rs 27,000 crore in m-cap. Read more here.

The D-Street has been left stunned by Vishal Sikka's sudden exit!

Here's what you should do with the Infosys stock.

16:10 There's a small change in Vishal Sikka's Twitter bio:

15:45 The turn of events at Infosys is expected to cause considerable problems for mutual fund managers, many of whom were betting heavily on the possibility of a turnaround being produced by Vishal Sikka.

Prior to Sikka taking over as CEO, Infosys stock was underperforming while revenue growth had fallen behind peers.

HDFC AMC owns as much as 2 percent in Infosys while ICICI, SBI and Reliance own between 1 and 1.5 percent. Collectively, funds own about Rs 20,000 crore in Infosys shares.

See the full story here.

15.35 The market has now closed, with Infosys falling 9.6 percent, posting its biggest fall in four years. The Nifty fell 0.65 percent, or 66 points, about 51 of which was straight because of the crash in Infosys' shares.

15:25 Even as Narayana Murthy railed against slipping corporate governance standards at Infosys on Vishal Sikka's watch, the stock performance is quite another story.

Not only has Infosys beaten the IT index (22 percent absolute vs 9 percent for the index), it has beaten all three of its peers: TCS (-1.4 percent), Wipro (7.8 percent) and Tech Mahindra (-20.2 percent).

Read the full story here.

15:11 The Infosys management will address a second investor call at 6pm today. The board will also go ahead with a scheduled meeting on Saturday where it will consider a proposal to buy back equity shares.

15:04 With half an hour to go for closing bell, Infosys has trimmed its losses to a 10 percent intraday fall.

15:02 Is Sikkas exit a nasty hiccup or the beginning of the end for Infy? Moneycontrol's Madhuchanda Dey says the succession will tell. Read the story here.

14:59 Seshasayee sums it up by saying it is legitimate to have concerns about governance, but the company did its job by investigating the claims.

14:48 Seshasayee says the board has investigated allegations with regard to the Panaya acquisition and Rajiv Bansal's severance pay on three occasions and no proof of wrongdoing has been found.

14:46 Seshasayee says the board tried its best to address the concerns of the co-founders, but with limited success.

14:42 There will be no change in buyback plans, says Seshasayee, adding that none of the projects in motion will be stopped.

14:40 Infosys needs a people-oriented person without pre-conceived notions to be its next CEO, says Venkatesan.

14:39 Seshasayee says there is no dissent among Board members.

14:37 Events of the last 48 hours have made it impossible to consider Murthy for a permanent role at Infosys, says Venkatesan.

14:32 Ravi Venkatesan says he is not in contention for MD and CEO's post.

14:28 With regard to Murthy's letter, Venkatesan says comments on Sikka being only 'CTO material' appear to have been taken out of context.

14:26 Infosys Chairman R Seshasayee thanks Vishal Sikka for giving the company a new direction during his tenure.

14:24 Meanwhile, at the press conference, Vishal Sikka guarantees a smooth transition.

14:22 Here is Narayana Murthy's full statement:

Infosys

Infosys

I have read the statement issued by the Board of Directors ofI voluntarily left the Board in 2014 and am not seeking any money, position for children or power. My concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance which I have repeatedly brought to the notice of theboard.

It is below my dignity to respond to such baseless insinuations. However, several shareholders who have read the whistle-blower report have told me that it is hard to believe a report produced by a set of accused, giving a clean chit to the accused, and the accused refusing to disclose why they got a clean chit! They say that this is not the way an impartial and objective investigation should be held.

I will reply to these allegations in the right manner and in the right forum and at the appropriate time

14:20 Murthy said he will reply to the allegations in the "right manner and at the right forum".

14:17 Just before this conference began, Narayana Murthy released a statement saying it his 'below his dignity' to respond to Infosys' accusations.

14:11 Press conference begins. Infosys Co-Chairman Ravi Venkatesan says the board fully understands Sikka's reasons for stepping down.

14:07 What next for Sikka? After his stint as Executive Vice-Chairman ends, he's keen on going surfing.

14:02 The Infosys press conference is expected to start any minute now.

13:45 Missed the Infosys investor call? Here's a lowdown on what Vishal Sikka and other members of the management had to say.

13:31 The Infosys management will hold a press conference in half an hour.

13:20 The Infosys stock has now fallen more than 11 percent intraday, a 52-week low.

13:14 More strong words from that Infosys: "The Board declines to speculate about Mr. Murthys motive for carrying out this campaign, including the latest letter. The Board believes it must set the record straight on the false and misleading charges made by Mr. Murthy because his actions and demands are damaging the Company and misrepresent its commitment to good corporate governance."

13:07 Market update: Infosys has fallen 10 percent intraday, contributing 65 percent to the Nifty's losses.

12:59 The Infosys board has pulled no punches: "Mr. Murthy's continuous assault, including this latest letter, is the primary reason that the CEO, Dr. Vishal Sikka, has resigned despite strong Board support."

12:50 A reminder that there will be a press conference at 2pm, followed by another investor call at 6pm.

12:48 Here's the full text of the Infosys board fact checking Narayana Murthy's allegations.

12:41 Infosys has lashed out at Narayana Murthy saying repeated 'assaults by the co-founder against the board has led to the resignation of CEO Vishal Sikka.

Mr. Murthy's continuous assault, including this latest letter, is the primary reason that the CEO, Dr. Vishal Sikka, has resigned despite strong Board support, a note to the exchanges said.

12:38 Meanwhile, the fall in Infosys' stock has led to a steep fall in the market capitalisation of the company. It fell over Rs 16,600 crore on the back of the fall in the stock.

12:36 The conference call has ended. We're now going to review the Board's comments on Narayana Murthy which it made in a separate press release.

12:31 Ravi Venkatesan says Vishal Sikka has had the full confidence of the board throughout.

12:28 He adds that he has no job lined up, and will take time off and go surfing after a new CEO is chosen.

12:26 "We'll see it how goes," says Sikka when asked if there is a remote possibility of him reconsidering his decision to quit.

12:23 Venkatesan says the company will focus on performance now.

12:20 Ravi Venkatesan says the Board has NO INTENTION of inviting Narayana Murthy to be a part of the formal governance of the company.

12:17 Venkatesan says investor confidence is crucial and the Board is hopeful of being able to stay the course.

12:13 Ravi Venkatesan says the board has engaged with the founders over the past year and thinks it has done everything that is reasonable. "We have reached a situation that is not tenable," he says, adding that the Board's decisions have not gone down well with the founders.

12:10 "This company does an exemplary job of maintaining other people's products, so I am sure we can maintain our own," says Sikka.

12:08 "You hear Panaya in the news for all the wrong reasons [controversy over acquisition], but it is a very integral part of our work," says Sikka.

12:06 "I am still here to guide the change," says Sikka.

12:04 Venkatesan reiterates that the management will work towards achieving "stability" before the next CEO takes over.

12:03 UB Pravin Rao says there will be some disruptions in the short-term and the company will work towards improving communication.

12:02 On choosing the next CEO, Venkatesan says: We have some people coming up inside, but will also look outside.

12:00 "I hope some of the founder-related issues will be put to bed in the interim period so that the next CEO has an easier time." says Infosys co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan.

11:59 Venkatesan says it will be challenging to find the right candidate for CEO.

11:58 In the end the company is bigger and stronger than all of us, the company will live longer than all of us: Sikka

11:56 Sikka says the attacks against him have gotten increasingly "malicious and personal" in recent months. Says the Board asked him to reconsider his decision.

11:54 Interim CEO UB Pravin Rao says there will be extra focus on engagement with stakeholders.

11:51 Sikka says Pravin Rao will continue to report to him as part of the interim management setup.

11:50 "What has been going on since the last 4-5 quarters, especially since February, this continuous drumbeat of these allegations, news stories, the same stuff over Rajivs [Bansal] separation, Panaya [acquisition].. it is absolutely sickening," says Sikka.

11:48 Sikka says the "negative environment" led him to introspect. "I just couldn't do it anymore," he says, adding that he is thankful to the Board for appointing him as executive vice-chairman.

11:45 Sikka says headwinds are an exciting challenge, but drumbeat of allegations has been "sickening".

11:44 "Thanks for last three years of really wonderful support and all of your commitment," says Sikka.

11:42 Sikka speaking now. Says he is proud of his team's achievements over the last three years.

11:40 Distressed by continuing allegations against Dr. Sikka and other members of the board, says Venkatesan. He says that all the claims have been proved false.

11:38 Infosys has just issued a fresh press release in which it has said that co-founder Narayana Murthy's campaign against the Board is a key reason for Sikka's resignation.

11:36 Infosys co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan thanks Sikka for making Infosys "relevant again".

11:34 Vishal Sikka will be addressing investors during the call.

11:33 The Infosys investor call has begun.

11:27 With Sikka stepping down as CEO, here's 10 things to know about him.

11:23 Before being appointed interim MD and CEO, UB Pravin Rao was the Chief Operating Officer of Infosys.

11:13 The Infosys investor call has been postponed to 11.30am.

11:08 Here's the crux of Sikka's resignation letter:

"Over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks. Allegations that have been repeatedly proven false and baseless by multiple, independent investigations. But despite this, the attacks continue, and worse still, amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation.

This continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity over the last several months/quarters, inhibits our ability to make positive change and stay focused on value creation. Addressing the noise by itself is damaging; hundreds of hours of my own time has gone into this recently. But the structural challenges this engenders within the organization, has a very damaging effect on our ability to carry out any kind of a transformation, especially one that is as fundamental as transforming from a cost-oriented to an innovationoriented value delivery to clients."

11:05 Meanwhile, the Infosys stock has registered its highest intraday fall since January this year.

11:02 Both Sikka's resignation letter and his email to employees make no mention of Narayana Murthy.

10:54 As the focus will inevitably turn to Narayana Murthy, here's a take on the retired co-founder's relationship with the company: Narayana Murthy should be hands-off at Infosys, because wistfulness is not a wish.

10:47 Last week, Narayana Murthy said he had no intention of returning to Infosys and was only interested in improving corporate governance at the software major.

10:45 In case you're wondering, there has been no reaction yet from Narayana Murthy.

10:40 The company will organise two investor calls at 11am and 6pm today. There will also be a press conference at 2pm.

10:31 Sikka has also tweeted with a simple "Moving on..." followed by a link to his resignation email to employees.

10:27 For live updates on how the Infosys stock is faring, follow our running market blog.

10:24 Ravi Venkatesan, Co-Chairman of the Board, said: "I want to thank Vishal for his commitment to ensure a smooth transition and his commitment to a seamless experience for our clients. Pravin is a veteran Infoscion with deep knowledge of the business, and his long experience in the Company will help ensure a smooth transition."

Sikka

Infosys

What willdo next?' filing to the exchanges says he will continue to focus on strategic initiatives, key customer relationships and

technology development.

10:17 Sikka will receive an annual salary of USD 1 in his role as Executive Vice Chairman. He had earned Rs 45.11 crore in 2016-17.

10:10 The immediate concern for investors is how the stock has reacted. Infosys slipped as much as 7.5 percent in morning trade on Friday. Read the full story here.

10:06 Just last week, activist shareholder Anil Sanghvi had told Moneycontrol that investors were asking if Vishal Sikka was the right person to lead Infosys.

09:59 In an email dated August 9 that was accessed by Mint, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy reportedly wrote to his advisers that "All that I hear from at least three independent directors, including Mr Ravi Venkatesan (co-chairman), are complaints about Dr Sikka. They have told me umpteen times that Dr Sikka is not a CEO material but CTO material."

09:50 In the communication to the exchanges, the Board said it "denounces the critics who have amplified and sought to further promote demonstrably false allegations which have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the Companys valued CEO."

09:45: Here's the full text of Vishal Sikka's resignation letter to Infosys.

9.35 am: In his resignation letter to the board, Sikka has cited "continuous distraction and disruption" as the reason behind his exit. Excerpt from the letter.

"Dear Board Colleagues,

Over the last few days, since our earlier call, I've met Sesh (Chairman Seshasayee) several times, talked to you individually at length, and spent time thinking things thru with Vandana. During this time, one of our employees, Sandeep Karamongikar, died in his sleep, likely of a massive heart attack. He was working on the chatbot frontend in Nia. Also over the weekend, in possibly the greatest demonstration of AI capability ever, a bot built by the researchers at OpenAI (yes, that OpenAI), defeated the world's best players of DOTA2, a multiplayer online video game, a game where the bot learned to play entirely from scratch. Further demonstrating that the force to automate routine, even advanced, activities is an unstoppable and exponential one. And the Charlottesville incident here in the US demonstrated once again the power of words and silences to cause real damage, or to heal.

After much reflection, I have concluded that it is indeed time for me to leave my current positions as MD and CEO, and I have communicated my resignation to Sesh.

I will be working closely with Sesh, Ravi, Pravin, with all of you, and the senior management team to plan out the details and the timelines to ensure a smooth transition and in the meantime, continue our work without disruption, and ensuring that we protect our company, the employees, the clients, and the interests of every shareholder. You can count on my commitment to this."

9.30 am: Sikka's resignation shouldn't come as a surprise to investors even as the stock has taken a beating. The counter is now down 6.4 percent in early trade even though analysts are cautioning investors to not make a hasty exit.

9.25 am: The company today said the board had "accepted the resignation of Dr Sikka as MD and CEO with immediate effect". It further said that Sikka had been appointed as Executive Vice Chairman. Till a permanent CEO is found, COO Pravin Rao will be the interim CEO and MD.

Vishal Sikka has resigned as MD and CEO, the company has informed exchanges. The development comes after a history of tensions between him and ex-promoters such as Narayana Murthy. Stay posted.
Vishal Sikka | Infosys: The former CEO and MD of the IT giant was hand-picked by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy in 2014 to lead the company during a time when it was battling a severe slowdown, amid broader challenges in the industry. But soon, Sikka came under fire from Murthy himself, who attacked several decisions taken at Infosys besides Sikka's supposed lavish lifestyle. For Sikka, the final straw appeared to be a leaked letter by the co-founder, in which he said Sikka was only 'CTO material, not CEO material'. The board, which sided with Sikka at the time, attacked Murthy's campaign for carrying out 'continuous assaults' against the CEO. (Image: Reuters)

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On August 1, 2014, Vishal Sikka walked into the Infosys campus as the company's first outside CEO.

His mandate was clear: turn around the company's flagging performance -- Infosys had fallen behind peers in revenue growth and its stock had underperformed for years.

Three years on, he has resigned from the position, following a series of murky allegations by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy questioning both his executive decisions and lifestyle.

Also read: Repeated 'assaults' by Narayana Murthy led to Vishal Sikka's exit, says Infosys board

Following the resignation announcement, Infosys stock fell over 9 percent, driving home the market's disappointment with the development.

During Sikka's tenure, the companys stock jumped 22 percent from Rs 835.33 on August 1, 2014 at close to Rs 1,020.85 on Thursday. (Interestingly, shares of its rival TCS rose.)

In the three year period, Infosys stock outperformed all of its large peers  Wipro, TCS and HCL Tech. Rival TCS fell 1.4 percent during the period, while Wipro rose 7.8 percent and Tech Mahindra fell 20.2 percent.

Infosys also outperformed the S&P BSE Information Technology, with the index rising only 9 percent during the period.

In his letter to the board of directors, he said: I came here to help navigate the company through what I saw as a massive transformation opportunity, to transform our company and restore strong profitable growth. We have achieved much in the last 3+ years, and for sure we can all be proud of the powerful seeds of transformation that have already been sowed.

Also read: Full text: What Vishal Sikka said in his resignation letter to Infosys

The board of directors of Infosys is expected to meet on Saturday to consider a buyback proposal of up to Rs 13,000-crore share. In fact, the stock was one of the top gainers in trade on Thursday, supporting the benchmark index.
3:30 pm Market at Close: Dragged largely by a weak day of trade on Infosys, benchmark indices ended the session and the week on a negative note, with the Nifty snapping 9900-mark.

The Sensex closed down 270.78 points at 31524.68, while the Nifty ended lower by 66.75 points at 9837.40. The market breadth was negative as 1,003 shares advanced, against a decline of 1,527 shares, while 124 shares were unchanged.

IT stocks fell the most, followed by pharmaceuticals, which also witnessed some weak movements. Midcaps, on the other hand, cut a good chunk of its losses, while OMCs and FMCG gained.

HUL, Bharti Airtel and BPCL gained the most on both indices, while Infosys and Sun Pharma lost the most.

3:10 pm Market Check: Benchmark indices were seen trimming a good chunk of its losses, with the Nifty trading above 9800-mark.

The Sensex was down 288.14 points at 31507.32, while the Nifty was down 69.95 points at 9834.20. The market breadth was negative as 821 shares advanced against a decline of 1,597 shares, while 113 shares were unchanged.

2:50 pm Sikka's exit weighs on Murthy's portfolio: The surprise exit of Vishal Sikka from Infosys weighed heavily on D-Street which cost its shareholders a notional loss in market capitalisation of about Rs 27,000 crore while the cumulative investment of Narayana Murthys family saw a decline of about Rs 1,000 crores as stocks touched multi-year low.

Infosys which started with a gap on the lower side slipped over 13 percent to touch its multi-year low of Rs884.20 in trade on Friday.

The promoter and the promoter group cumulatively holds nearly 29,28,06,199 shares in Infosys and out of that Narayana Murthy and his family holds 7,90,02,104 shares according to BSEIndia website.

N Narayana Murthy holds 87,18,688 shares while Akshata Murthy held 2,04,25,648 shares. Sudha Murthy holds 1,80,58,640 shares and Rohan Murthy held 3,17,99,128 shares as of June quarterly shareholding data.

The cumulative notional loss which Narayana Murthy suffered today is a little above Rs 100 crore while other members of the members of the family saw a national loss of little over Rs 900 crores (refer table) from Thursdays closing price of Rs 1020.85 on the NSE.

2:30 pm Europe Update: European stocks were sharply lower on Friday morning as investors reacted to Spain's worst terror attack in more than 13 years.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 was down 0.77 percent shortly after the opening bell with almost all sectors and major bourses in negative territory.

Europe's travel and leisure sector led the losses on Friday morning, in reaction to the attack in Spain. Airlines including Easyjet, Ryanair and Lufthansa were all among the biggest fallers in early deals, each down more than 2 percent.

2:15 pm Market Check: Fall in IT bellwether, Infosys, continued to weigh on benchmark indices as they continued to trade weak. Having said that, indices were off the days low points.

The Sensex was down 354.42 points at 31441.04, and the Nifty was down 95.40 points at 9808.75. The market breadth was negative as 674 shares advanced against a decline of 1,686 shares, while 102 shares were unchanged.

TCS, Hindustan Unilever, Bharti Infratel and UltraTech Cement gained the most, while Infosys and Sun Pharma were the top losers.

1:50 pm Management Speak: In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Rajesh Kothari, Managing Director of Alfaccurate Advisors discussed fundamentals of the market as well as shared his views and outlook on specific stocks.

On Infosys, he said, it is not a good news, its a disappointment. Till the time next leadership for Infosys is announced, there is going to be some uncertainty and surely investors do not like uncertainty.

New leadership will take its own course of action which may postpone the expected returns. That impacts the short-term earnings growth of the company, he added.

1:30 pm Cigarette companies in focus: The government has threatened Philip Morris International Inc with "punitive action" over the tobacco giant's alleged violation of the country's anti-smoking laws, according to a letter sent to the company by the health ministry.

The letter was prompted by a Reuters investigation last month that revealed how Philip Morriswas deploying marketing tactics in India, some targeting young people, that officials said were illegal.

The letter cites the Reuters story in the opening paragraph, listing Philip Morris' marketing methods as outlined in the article, including cigarette advertisements at kiosks, the free distribution of Marlboro smokes at nightclubs and bars, and the use of TV screens to promote the world's best-selling cigarette brand at these events.

1:10 pm Market Check: Selling pressure on the market dominated for the larger part of the trading session so far, dragged largely by a fall in Infosys due to the exit of Vishal Sikka as its MD and CEO.

The Sensex was down 397.20 points or 1.25% at 31398.26, while the Nifty was down 108.60 points or 1.10% at 9795.55. The market breadth was negative as 628 shares advanced against a decline of 1,669 shares, while 113 shares were unchanged.

TCS, HUL, Bharti Infratel and BPCL gained the most on both indices, while Infosys, Sun Pharma, and Zee Entertainment were the top losers.

According to a CNBC-TV18 alert, the fall in Infosys contributed to almost 65 percent to the Niftys losses, while the stock collectively eroded market cap worth Rs 27,000 crore.

12:40 pm Expert Speak: VK Sharma, Head - Private Client Group, HDFC Securities said this in a statement.

"Sikkas exit draws a long drawn out board room battle to a close. While the company did better than the industry during Sikkas tenure, it was no where near achieving Sikkas own $20 bn target by 2020. The forthcoming buy back may belay the stock from falling more. Sikkas allegation that he was continuously being distracted does not wash as he had long enough a honeymoon period to make his mark."

12:28 pm Infosys' m-cap tanks: The fall in Infosys' stock has led to a steep fall in the market capitalisation of the company. It fell over Rs 16,600 crore on the back of the fall in the stock.

As of closing price on Thursday, Infosys had a market cap at Rs 2,34,554.78 crore. Meanwhile, this figure came down to Rs 2,17,924.74 crore.

12:20 pm Market Check: Indices continued to trade lower in the afternoon session, with the Nifty firmly trading below 9850.

The Sensex was down 301.30 points at 31494.16, while the Nifty was down 82.05 points at 9822.10. The market breadth was negative as 740 shares advanced against a decline of 1,498 shares, while 94 shares were unchanged.

ITC, TCS, BPCL and Bharti Infratel gained the most on both indices, while

Among global markets, European stocks were set to open sharply lower on Friday morning as investors reacted to Spain's worst terror attack in more than 13 years.

The FTSE 100 is seen 48 points lower at 7,345; the DAX is expected to open down by 84 points at 12,123 and the CAC 40 is set to open 39 points lower at 5,110.

11:55 am FII View: Small correction can be possible but the major fall is unlikely in the market as it has strong liquidity support (from FIIs as well as DIIs), Inderjeet Bhatia of Macquarie Research said.

He is not worried if the market corrects 3-5 percent from hereon, especially after more than 20 percent rally since the beginning of current calendar year.

He advised buying on every correction as fundamentals of the economy are strong and earnings recovery will start from second half of FY18 and will be strong in next financial year.

11:38 am Management Speak: The government has capped prices of orthopedic knee implants at a significantly lower rate than current market rates.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Suneeta Reddy, Joint MD of Apollo Hospitals Enterprises spoke about the latest happenings in her company and sector.

Capping the prices of orthopedic knee implants at lower rate is feasible, she said.

Whatever is happening with the stent or the knee is not going to impact the profitability of the entire hospital significantly, she added.

11:15 am Market Check: The decline in benchmark indices halted in the previous session, Sensex and Nifty steadying at lower levels.

The Sensex was down 243.16 points at 31552.30, while the Nifty was down 61.65 points at 9842.50. The market breadth was negative as 717 shares have advanced, 1322 shares declined, and 102 shares are unchanged.

10:37 am Infosys stock trends: Shares of Infosys have taken a beating on the back of the development around Vishal Sikka. A look at the stock's movement in the past three years between August 1, 2014 and August 18, 2017, it has moved up 22 percent. Take a look at the chart below.

10:15 am Market Check: Weakness in the market continued in the first hour of trade, as the Street digested news of Infosys MD & CEO Vishal Sikka stepping down with immediate effect.

Frontline indices were in the red, but ex-Infosys reaction, the Streets performance was steady.

At 10:13 hrs, the Sensex was down 219.85 points at 31575.61, while the Nifty was down 57.50 points at 9846.65. The market breadth was negative as 574 shares advanced against a decline of 1,274 shares, while 67 shares were unchanged.

Among the broader markets, midcaps and smallcaps saw corrective pressure as Nifty midcap fell over half a percent, while BSE mid and smallcap index fell between 0.2 and 0.5 percent. The Nifty IT index was lower by over half a percent.

TCS, ITC, and Bharti Infratel were the top gainers on both indices, while Infosys, Sun Pharma and Zee Entertainment lost the most.

Read all about the news and developments surrounding Infosys CEO and MD in our live blog here

9:45 am Currency update: The Indian rupee opened marginally lower at 64.18 per dollar on Friday versus 64.15 Wednesday.

Bhaskar Panda of HDFC Bank said, "Dollar index bounced on the basis of European Central Bank (ECB) concerns on euro strength. The USD-INR pair consequently could move a little higher keeping pace with other Asian currencies. We expect a range of 64.15-64.40 for the day."

He further added, "The 10-year benchmark yield is expected to trade within the 6.52-6.54 percent range today."

Also Read: Hit by slowing growth and automation, IT industry has started sacking freshers

9:30 am Infosys declines post Sikka's news: Infosys slipped as much as 6.09 percent in morning trade on Friday after the board of directors of Infosys Ltd said that they have accepted the notice of resignation of Dr. Vishal Sikka as the Managing Director and CEO, effective immediately.

Mr. U. B. Pravin Rao has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director reporting to Dr. Sikka under the overall supervision and control of the Companys Board.

In his notice of resignation to the Board, Dr. Sikka reiterated his belief in the great potential of Infosys, but cited among his reasons for leaving a continuous stream of distractions and disruptions over the recent months and quarters, increasingly personal and negative as of late, as preventing management's ability to accelerate the Company's transformation.

9:15 am Market Opens: After consecutive sessions of positive movements in the ongoing week, benchmark indices witnessed a gap-down opening, dragged by weak movements on Infosys on the back of developments in the top management exit.

At 09:18 hrs, the Sensex was down 210.84 points at 31584.62, while the Nifty was down 62.20 points at 9841.95. The market breadth was negative as 209 shares advanced against a decline of 742 shares, while 34 shares were unchanged.

ITC, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), Bharti Infratel and UltraTech Cement gained the most on both indices, while Infosys, State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda were the top losers.

Among global markets, Asia markets were pressured in early Friday trade after investors on Wall Street sold off on growing uncertainty over the Trump administration's ability to follow through on its economic policies.

Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.31 percent as risk off trade from the US session followed through into the Asian trading day. Across the Korean strait, the Kospi declined 0.81 percent.

Meanwhile, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 tumbled 1.10 percent, driven by broad-based losses across all sub-indexes barring the health care sector. The heavily-weighted financials sub-index recorded a 1.59 percent fall.

US stocks sold off on Thursday, with the S&P 500 recording its biggest daily percentage drop in three months as escalating worries about the Trump administration's ability to push through its economic agenda rattled investors.

The benchmark index also closed at its lowest since July 11, with the day's move marking the first time since the November 8 election of two days with more than 1 percent declines so close together. The index dropped 1.4 percent last Thursday, as concern over a possible conflict between the United States and North Korea hit the market.

The falls mark a break from a period of low volatility and subdued moves. The S&P 500 has had just four 1 percent declines this year.
N. R. Narayana Murthy, founder and chairman of Infosys, listens to a question during an interview with Reuters at the company's office in Bangalore February 28, 2012. Picture taken on February 28, 2012. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash (REUTERS - Tags: BUSINESS SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY PROFILE HEADSHOT) - RTR30CV2

Vishal Sikka resigned earlier today from the post of Infosys' CEO, saying that the constant allegations from the company's founders was making it difficult to create value in the company.

Co-founder of Infosys, Narayana Murthy said in a statement that his primarily concern was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance which he repeatedly brought to the notice of the company's board.

Below is the complete text of Murthy's statement:

I have read the statement issued by the Board of Directors of Infosys.

I am extremely anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of the statements. I voluntarily left the Board in 2014 and am not seeking any money, position for children or power. My concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance which I have repeatedly brought to the notice of the Infosys board.

It is below my dignity to respond to such baseless insinuations. However, several shareholders who have read the whistle-blower report have told me that it is hard to believe a report produced by a set of accused, giving a clean chit to the accused, and the accused refusing to disclose why they got a clean chit! They say that this is not the way an impartial and objective investigation should be held.

I will reply to these allegations in the right manner and in the right forum and at the appropriate time.

Naryana MurthyFounder - Infosys limited
By CNBCTV18.COM

Corporations that use ThoughtSpot already include Bed Bath & Beyond, Capital One, Celebrity Cruises, DeBeers and Scotiabank among others

Lora Kolodny

CNBC

Given a Cambrian explosion of digital data over the last decade, businesses are struggling to make sense of all the information in their possession and turn it into something comprehensible. On Thursday, a search start-up called ThoughtSpot revealed a new product called SpotIQ to automate that task.

SpotIQ employs artificial intelligence to create hundreds of insights from data in a company's cloud or on-premise storage systems. These include charts that are tailored to the interests of a particular worker, team or executive.

Normally, this work would take days and involve teams of business analysts, data scientists and graphic designers, said ThoughtSpot CEO Ajeet Singh. His company claims it can now do a job that would take 40,000 man hours in a single click, once its software is set up.

The first time a worker uses SpotIQ, the ThoughtSpot platform asks them to input a little bit of information about what they focus on at work, then to rate various charts, much like they would rate a song on a streaming music app.

Singh, who previously co-founded cloud computing company Nutanix, describes SpotIQ as something like Amazon recommendations for business intelligence. Customers who have been piloting the system already were able to rapidly identify anomalies in their business operations, and find easy ways to either save money, or increase the speed of delivery of goods, he said.

Corporations that use ThoughtSpot already include Bed Bath & Beyond, Capital One, Celebrity Cruises, DeBeers and Scotiabank among others.

Earlier this year, ThoughtSpot raised $60 million in new venture funding from LightSpeed Venture Partners and Capital One Growth Ventures , bringing its total capital raised to about $160 million in funding to date.

Singh said that money will go toward ongoing research and development, hiring, and international expansion. All ThoughtSpot users will have access to SpotIQ by the end of September. The company will not charge its users for the new feature.

ThoughSpot is competing against the likes of Microsoft Power BI and Tableau software for a piece of the massive big data and business analytics market. According to research from International Data Corp., worldwide revenue for big data and business analytics will surpass $203 billion by 2020.
Infosys

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Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com told CNBC-TV18, "Infosys has broken a very important support level of around Rs 900, even momentarily, but trading at Rs 917, that is not good enough. When I look at the structure, it has negated a buy signal on a monthly timeframe which basically means downside is on. Where does it go from here? Three levels I have, Rs 850, Rs 800, and Rs 731."

"It is quite possible it can even slide there. Should you buy today? Ill wait for tomorrow. Before the buyback? Maybe it might see a good down move tomorrow. That perhaps could be a buying opportunity closer to these levels if it happens," he added.

At 15:27 hrs Infosys was quoting at Rs 922, down Rs 99.15, or 9.71 percent.

It has touched a 52-week low of Rs 884.40.
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Overall the market has been under pressure since previous week, though there was some recovery during the current truncated week. It, so far, corrected 4 percent from its record highs hit on August 2, 2017.

Geopolitical tensions in North America, SEBI's order on 'shell companies' and disappointing earnings from some major Nifty companies spoiled the party in previous week. The market recouped some of that losses but Vishal Sikka's sudden resignation as MD & CEO of Infosys on Friday dented sentiment in current week. The Sensex lost more than 400 points intraday today.

Experts expect the market to remain rangebound in near term, at least till the middle of September and can fall another 1,000 points on the Sensex. Such correction in current structural bull run is always healthy for market.

They expect the market to gain strength around Diwali and to start its northward journey again as fundamentals of the economy remained strong and earnings recovery will be fast in FY19.

Inderjeet Bhatia of Macquarie Research is not worried if the market corrects 3-5 percent from hereon, especially after more than 20 percent rally since the beginning of current calendar year.

He advised buying on every correction.

Long term growth story of India is intact as macro reforms and likely increase in government spending ahead of general elections (which are 18-19 months away) will boost economy along with support from good monsoon, Bhatia said in an interview to CNBC-TV18.

These 3 stocks advised by Motilal Oswal can give up to 43 percent return:-

Maruti Suzuki | Rating - Buy | Target Rs 8,819 | Upside - 15%

Motilal Oswal remains positive on Maruti Suzuki India, considering multi-year favorable product lifecycle; improvement in product mix (increasing share of premium products) aiding realisations and consequently margins; reducing Japanese yen exposure; lower capex intensity; improvement in free cash flow conversion; and sharp improvement in return on invested capital.

The stock trades at 27.3x/20.6x FY18/19 EPS.

The research house has maintained buy rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 8,819. MSIL is one of its top-picks in the auto sector.

Tata Elxsi | Rating - Buy | Target Rs 1,992 | Upside - 18%

Motilal Oswal believes significant growth opportunities lie ahead for Tata Elxsi.

Considering this and the companys continuous efforts to optimise cost, it expects revenue CAGR of 16 percent and PAT CAGR of 19 percent over FY17-19. The company has further hinted to try new deals on part payment for effort and part for success of product with a view to boost margins above 25 percent over the next 2-3 years.

With offshore contributing around 60 percent of overall revenue and being much higher in terms of efforts, a revenue sharing model linked to efforts as well as success is set to boost margins by 100-200bp.

The research house valued the stock at 25x FY19 EPS, arriving at a target price of Rs 1,992.

Dish TV | Rating - Buy | Target Rs 106 | Upside - 43%

After Q1 earnings, Motilal Oswal has largely maintained revenue and EBITDA estimates, factoring in margin recovery in FY18, led by content cost reduction and synergy gains from merger.

The stock is trading at EV/EBITDA 8.8x on FY18. It has maintained buy with DCF-based target price of Rs 106.

Bucking the trend of the last two quarters, Dish's operating revenue grew 4.3 percent QoQ to Rs 740 crore. The fading impact of demonetisation drove subscription revenue by 11.5 percent QoQ to Rs 692 crore. This was steered by healthy 10 percent QoQ jump in ARPU to Rs 148 (4 percent beat) and net adds of 1.86 lakh (+12.7 percent QoQ, reaching net subscriber base of 15.7 million).

The views and investment tips expressed by brokerage houses on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
FINEST KIND CLINIC AND FISHMARKET.... Discussing medicine, culture, and the joys of cooking Pansit.
People use makeshift boats as they try to move to safer places along a flooded road in Jakhalabandha area in Nagaon district, in the northeastern state of Assam, India August 14, 2017. REUTERS/Anuwar Hazarika - RTS1BPXA

The flood situation in north Bengal improved further on Friday with no rainfall in the last 24 hours and the water level receding in all the major rivers. However, three more deaths were reported from the flood-hit districts, taking the toll to 52.

According to an officer at the state disaster management department's control room, three more deaths in flood-related incidents were reported from the north Bengal in the last 24 hours.

As the situation has improved, the authorities have expedited the relief works.

"We are constantly monitoring the situation in the six districts. The district magistrates are working 24x7 distributing relief materials  dry food, cooked food, drinking water pouches and medicines," the officer said.

He added that medical officers were conducting regular health check-ups of those living in the affected areas in order to counter an outbreak of water-bourne diseases.

West Bengal Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee said the roads, as well as the pipelines supplying drinking water, were badly damaged due to the floods.

"We are worried over the situation in the six north Bengal districts. We are also worried about the damage to the pipelines supplying water and the submersible pumps. The floods have destroyed many roads. The panchayat and rural development department will conduct a survey to assess the damage," he added.

The floods have affected about 15 lakh people in Coochbehar, Dakshin Dinajpur, Uttar Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Malda districts of north Bengal since July 21.

With surface communication in the region still affected, the private airlines have hiked the price of air tickets between Kolkata and Bagdogra, the only functional airport in north Bengal. They are charging anywhere between Rs 12,000 and Rs 25,000 per ticket for a 456-km distance.

National carrier Air India's (AI) lowest price for a Bagdogra-Kolkata air ticket was Rs 3,315 and the highest Rs 9,736 on Friday.

A Kolkata-Bagdogra AI ticket was priced between Rs 3,804 and Rs 9,421, an official from the airline said, adding, "We are trying to make available as many low-priced tickets as possible for this sector."

The state government had yesterday written to the civil aviation ministry about the "exorbitant" air tickets of some private airlines on the route.

"The state chief secretary has sent a letter to the civil aviation secretary, seeking his intervention as some private airlines are taking advantage of the situation and charging exorbitantly for a ticket between Bagdogra and Kolkata," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said.

The Eastern Railway (ER) is operating trains up to Malda from Kolkata. Train services beyond Malda have been suspended due to inundation of the railway tracks in north Bengal, Bihar and Assam.

Train services to different destinations of north Bengal and Assam from Howrah and Sealdah stations remained suspended for the sixth consecutive day today, an ER spokesman said.

The state government is plying 41 pairs of North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) buses between different destinations of north Bengal, state Transport Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay said.

Bus services between the southern and northern parts of the state have remained suspended for the last five days owing to inundation of national highways 34 and 31 and state highways at different places of north Bengal.
Indians are ahead of Chinese in obtaining the Canadian work visas under Canadas international mobility programme.

In the first half of the year 2017, from January to June, 13,670 Indians have been issued work visas as compared to 8,680 for the Chinese, as per department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) statistics published in Business Insider.

Watch | How The New H1-B Visa Rules Will Impact Indian IT Professionals

Even under the temporary foreign workers program, Indians left Chinese behind. 2,190 temporary workers from India were successful in obtaining Canadian visas compared to 635 Chinese workers.

This comes at a time when the Trump-led US government is slashing the number of visas issued to Indian expats. As a result, Canada is becoming an attractive destination for the Indians.

Also Read: Visa woes force Indian IT workers to return home, H-1B visa applications fall

The Justin Trudeau led government has been welcoming refugees and immigrants with open arms. The Canadian government, in a bid to attract talent from all over the world, is running the Global Talent Stream Program (GTSP). Under this, the country has started fast tracking the visa applications and it attempts to process the visa within two weeks. Canada has also made a provision of exemption from labour market impact assessments.

GTSP can be opted by companies sponsoring highly qualified foreign workers from ten occupations including computer, electrical and information technology. The caveat, however, is that GTSP applies only for short trips. Managers and professional workers who need to go to Canada can avail GTSP only for a term of 15-days in a six month period, that is, 30-days in a year.
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A 16-year-old girl in Hyderabad was married to a 65-year-old Arab man three months back. The girl's mother has come forward saying that her brother-in-law had conducted the marriage without her consent in return of Rs 5 lakh.

According to a report in The Times of India, the girls mother approached the police on Wednesday. She accused that her sister in law and her husband brainwashed and married off her daughter to an Omani sheikh for a sum of Rs 5 lakh. The mother also presented the wedding photos of that marriage.

The man soon returned to Muscat and sent visa for the girl. The girl later left for Muscat allegedly with the help of her uncle.

The mother had talked to the Omani national after her daughter reportedly messaged her requesting to rescue her or she will die. "I spoke directly with the Omani national who married my daughter. He is saying that he paid Rs 5 lakh to Sikander (brother-in-law) and his wife and purchased my daughter and wants that money back, then only he will send back my daughter," the woman said in her complaint.

Maneka Gandhi, Minister for Women and Child Development, tweeted that she would request Sushma Swaraj to take necessary steps for the safe return of the victim from Oman.



This incident of a 16-yr-old being forcibly married to an elderly man in Oman is deeply disturbing. https://t.co/FB4NbDtq8i via @indiatoday  Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) August 17, 2017



Have asked the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to investigate the case and identify the persons who forced this illegal marriage. August 17, 2017



I would request Smt. @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman.  Maneka Gandhi (@Manekagandhibjp) August 17, 2017

In her tweets Maneka Gandhi said, "This incident of a 16-yr-old being forcibly married to an elderly man in Oman is deeply disturbing. Have asked the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to investigate the case and identify the persons who forced this illegal marriage. I would request @SushmaSwaraj to intervene and bring the girl back to India from Oman."

The minister also asked the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to contact the 16-year-old girl's family.
The Supreme Court today directed Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram, to appear before investigators at the CBI headquarters here on August 23 for questioning in a corruption case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud allowed Karti to be accompanied by a lawyer at the CBI headquarters during the questioning.

"During the course of hearing, the counsel for respondent number 1 (Karti) states that the respondent is ready and willing to appear before the investigating officer.

"We, therefore, hereby direct respondent number 1 to appear before the investigating officer on August 23 at CBI headquarters in New Delhi," the bench said.

It gave CBI the liberty to question him for as many days as it wants till August 28, the next date of hearing.

It also asked Karti to carry all necessary documents required to defend himself against the allegations made by the CBI in the FIR.

The bench, however, clarified that the accompanying lawyer would sit in an adjoining room to the place where Karti will be quizzed by CBI investigators.

The bench has now posted the matter for consideration on August 28 and asked both parties to file their respective reports with regard to the investigation and other aspects of the case.

The apex court had on August 14 said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the corruption case.

The apex court, which stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the look out circular (LOC) issued by the Centre against Karti, had sought to know when he would make his appearance for questioning before CBI.

The case lodged by CBI in Delhi is related to alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of almost Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Union Finance Minister.

The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".

The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge here and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.

The Madras High Court had on August 10 stayed the look out circulars issued against Karti and four others by the Centre under the Passport Act over the corruption case filed by the CBI.

The order had come on petitions filed by Karti and others seeking to quash the circulars, issued against Karti on June 16 last year and against the four others on July 18 this year.
The US and Japan have agreed to advance their multilateral security and defence cooperation with countries like India, South Korea and Australia in view of North Korea's dangerous provocative behaviour, leaders of the countries have said.

The threat posed by North Korea was discussed by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, Defence Secretary James Mattis and his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera.

The four officials have strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action.

"We will cooperate to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and other southeast Asian countries," Tillerson told reporters at a joint news conference with Kono, Mattis and Onodera.

The four leaders addressed the conference after their two plus two meeting at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, during which the threat posed by North Korea consumed much of their time.

"As you might imagine, we've spent a fair amount of time discussing North Korea. North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile and other missile launches are unacceptable provocations, and they must stop immediately.

"We agreed to bolster our alliance capabilities to deter and respond to North Korea's unacceptable behaviour and other challenges to regional security," Tillerson said.

"In cooperation with other nations, we will continue to employ diplomatic and economic pressure to convince North Korea to end its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile program. We will remain vigilant against the North Korean threats through our military preparedness. The US will honour our treaty agreements with Japan without reservation whether time - in times of peace or in the face of conflict," he said.

Tillerson said the North Koreans should understand the consequences should they make a bad choice.

In a joint statement, the four officials strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action.

According to the joint statement, they highlighted the ongoing alliance efforts to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries.

They underscored the importance of cooperating to promote a rules-based international order, taking note of the US' continued commitment to maintain a strong presence in the region and Japan's initiatives demonstrated by its "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy".

Kono said the two countries agreed to ramp up effective pressure.

According to him, South Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries will increase their cooperation in security and defence more than ever.

"We will call on China to take specific measures to make North Korea change its behaviour. On the threat of ballistic missiles, as an alliance, we will strengthen our defence posture and capabilities, and respond. We have agreed on this point. We have confirmed the importance of cooperation through the security treaty," he said.

Noting that the international community recognises North Korea as a threat to Asia and to the world, Mattis said Japan and South Korea are on the front line against the North Korean threat.

"We in the United States recognise any confrontation with North Korea would pose an immediate danger to our allies and their populations," he said.

Onodera said North Korea has plans to launch ballistic missiles to the waters close to Guam, and it is also advancing on their efforts to launch ICBM-class ballistic missiles, miniaturising nuclear weapons to warheads.

"So for this threat of North Korea, at this meeting we agreed to increase the pressure and to strengthen the alliance's capability. In light of the threat of North Korea, the four of us confirmed the importance of the unwavering US commitment to extend the deterrence," he added.
Representative image

The Western Railway which runs the suburban (local) trains in Mumbai is realising the importance of a point while writing decimal numbers. One of its clerk at railway booking counter at Borivali West mistakenly deducted Rs 1.3 lakh instead of Rs 1,333 from a credit card of a resident of Dahisar in the city.

The commuter, Vikas Manchekar was purchasing a quarterly first class pass using his credit card on August 4. "The amount to be deducted was Rs 1,333.30. However, the booking clerk inadvertently keyed in 1,33,330. Now, I have been chasing Western Railway authorities to get the money refunded," a report in The Times of India quoted Manchekar.

Also Read: Upcoming Targhar station in Mumbai Metropolitan Region to have Metro, Local and sky train access

Manchekar immediately informed the station officials about the mistake and also contacted the bank regarding the mistake, but to no respite. He pursued the matter further and paid a visit to Western Railways Mumbai division office at Mumbai Central, taking time out of his work, Manchekar said to The Times of India.

"The stress is bound to increase further as an interest of Rs 4,000-5,000 will be levied on the amount after the due date of August 24. Along with the deducted amount, Western Railway should also pay me the interest if it is charged by the bank," he added.

The public relations officer of the Railways, Ravinder Bhakar assured that disciplinary action has been initiated against the concerned clerk and the matter has been taken up with State Bank of India to refund the amount back to the customers account.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received 74 percent share of total corporate funding - worth 950 crore -given to five political parties in four years till 2016, showed a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

According to the report by ADR, which works towards political transparency, national political parties received donations worth Rs 956.77 crore between FY13 and Fy16.

The parties which received funds include Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI), and Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The data accessed by ADR is declared by the political parties themselves. The Election Commission mandates political parties to disclose each year the details of donors who contribute more than Rs 20,000 in a financial year.

While BJP got the maximum - a whopping Rs 705.81 crore- CPI and CPI(M) had the lowest donation amount of Rs 0.18 crore and Rs 1.89 crore respectively.

Congress, which trailed the BJP by a big margin, was second with Rs 198 crore in funding.

The role of the electoral trusts in such donations become crucial. They have emerged as major sources of political funding by corporations and act as a buffer between the funder and the receiver; this eliminates direct contact between the two sides.

Satya Electoral Trust was the highest donor to BJP, INC and NCP between FY 2013-14 and 2015-16, with BJP again topping the list. "The Trust donated a total of 35 number of times in 3 years, amounting to Rs 260.87 cr," stated the report.

Among the corporations donating to Satya Electoral Trust in FY 15 were Hero MotoCorp, Jubiliant Foodworks, GMMCO, National Engineering Industries, Orient Cement, DLF, JK Tyres and Industries, India Bulls Housing Finance, and Kalpataru Power Transmission. Bharti Group made the highest contribution among them by giving Rs 31 crore out of the Rs 141 crore the Trust collected for political funding in FY15.

The report shows that of the total four-year period, 60 percent of the corporate donations were given in FY 2014-15 - the year of Lok Sabha election wherein the BJP won.

Although in these four years BJP got a total of around 705 crore, its spending on the 2014 general election campaign alone was Rs 714 crore as per the contribution report the party submitted to the ECI.

The question of transparency remains blurred as the ADR report only shows the funding received from declared sources.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in line with his party's anti-corruption stance, that he would take it up with all political parties to make the opaque nature of funding more transparent.

The question of transparency

As per a 2013 Supreme Court judgement, none of the fields in the Form 24A--submitted by political parties to declare details of contributions over Rs 20,000--should be left blank.

Yet, 1933 donations worth Rs 384 crore did not have PAN details in the contribution form whereas 1546 donations worth Rs 355 crore did not have address details.

Contrary to the BJP-led government's otherwise staunch stance on transparency regarding money received by political parties, Finance Bill 2017 has introduced a new instrument called electoral bond which lets a donor contribute to a political party without disclosing his or her identity. The bonds are issued by the Reserve Bank of India and can be bought and deposited to a political party's account.

But the bonds have a cap of Rs 2,000, and any donations above that sum it has to be paid through other modes. In the Union budget earlier this year, the government reduced the maximum anonymous cash donation limit to political parties from one source to Rs 2,000 from earlier Rs 20,000.
Representative Image

Adding water to whiskey may not be the most favoured option for the lovers of the beverage. But a recent study shows that diluting the drink with a bit of water will, in fact, improve its taste.

Ran Friedman and Bjorn Karlsson, two researchers from the Linnaeus University Center for Biomaterials Chemistry in Sweden conducted the research on the subject. Their study which was published in the journal Scientific Reports on Thursday, according to a report in CNN, dwells into the chemical reason for this.

Whiskey as per the report is a combination of several molecules. Among them, it is the guaiacol that renders whiskey its smokiness. When water is mixed with bottled whiskey which has an alcohol volume of 40 percent they discovered that guaiacol becomes mostly concentrated on the surface, thereby enhancing the taste. Thus the taste is increased as the taste molecules are concentrated on the top.

According to Ran Friedman who did the research this taste increase will only happen until the water is mixed to a certain limit. If mixed too much the water will end up diluting the taste. Similarly, the improvement in taste does not happen in whiskies which have higher volume of alcohol as the molecules do not react to the presence of water because the taste molecules are surrounded by ethanol.
A logo is pictured at Google's European Engineering Center in Zurich April16, 2015. The European Union accused Google Inc on Wednesday of cheating competitors by distorting Internet search results in favour of its Google Shopping service and also launched an antitrust probe into its Android mobile operating system. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann - RTR4XK1M

Moneycontrol News

A lot of debate has ensued about the infamous Google anti-diversity memo writer James Damore and his views and whether he deserved to get fired or not.

A few weeks back, havoc raged at the search giant's office over a memo forwarded internally by Damore, triggering a debate over the perception of women as engineers and freedom of speech in the organisation.

Google employees had taken sides, few of them agreeing to the allegation that women are not good coders like men are, whereas others rejecting his view.

Business Insider in a recent report did a one-on-one talk with Damore on why he felt his memo was what was needed to be told.

Also Read: Numbers don't lie: Diversity data reveal big gaps in gender and demographics of Google's workforce

Damore stated that he was not trying to attack women but present his views about a broken culture within Google and was unapologetic about what he said in the document.

He also stated that he was fired for his conservative views at Google and he did not make note of the fact that he violated Googles code of conduct and making assumptions about women as CEO Sundar Pichai had later said in a statement.

When asked about what people felt about his comments, he said:

Obviously no one should feel attacked. I was simply trying to fix the culture in any ways. And really help a lot of people who are currently marginalized at Google by pointing out these huge biases that we have in this monolithic culture where anyone with a dissenting view can't even express themselves.

When asked about the assumptions, Damore replied that he was talking about population level distributions.

"It's just like being gay in the 1950s," he said.

Google sacks employee who wrote viral 10-page anti-diversity memo

He further claimed that a female employee at Google with whom he talked a few days back supported his memo.

The woman, according to him, said, "We talk a lot about how women at Google are a minority. We're not a minority outside of Google, but we kind of are inside. But to have us all lumped into one sort of category like that and to have such a baseless claim made about who we are and have it positioned as fact - as scientific fact - I don't know how we could feel anything but attacked by that."

When pointed out about CEO Sundar Pichais recent comment regarding inclusion of conservatives, Damore went on to add that right now he has to wait until Google actually does something.

To say that they'll just make some basic PR statement and that that'll change everything is misguided, Damore said, further adding fuel to the fire.

Fired Google employee James Damore takes up queries on Reddit

On his primary reason for being fired he said that there is one dominant ideology at Google and if anyone protests against it then they are ostracized.

Damore further claimed that all of the companys management and HR mailing all the upper executives were in a frantic effort to get him fired ever since the memo went viral within the company.

When asked about the future course of action, Damore said that he had a lawyer and they were at the beginning stages so [were] evaluating stuff.
Moneycontrol News

Xiaomi is set to announce its next budget smartphone the Redmi Note 5A, in China on Monday August 21. The retail packaging of the phone had leaked a few days back, followed by an official confirmation by the company of an August 21 launch.

Lei Jun, Chiarman and CEO of Xiaomi, unveiled images of the upcoming Note 5A on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo.

The upcoming Redmi Note 5A (Courtesy: Weibo)

The upcoming Redmi Note 5A is expected to come in two variants: one featuring the fingerprint sensor at the back while another without one.

As per Chinese certification site TENAA, the two variants are codenamed as MDT6 and MDT6S.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A may feature the 5.5-inch HD display, a metal unibody with a Snapdragon 425 processor under its hood. It is likely to feature a 2 GB RAM and 16 GB inbuilt storage.

The handset will also have an expandable storage through a MicroSD card by up to 128GB. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A is most likely to run Android Nougat 7.1.1 with MIUI 8 on top and it will support dual-sim.

Also Read: Xiaomi counters reports of security leaks in MIUI operating system

On the optics front, it is expected to come with a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 5-megapixel front camera. The phone will reportedly have an infrared sensor.

The phone will likely weigh around 150 grams and will come with the dimensions of 153 x 76 x 7 mm, and will pack a 3,000 mAH battery.

The handset is expected to arrive in two configurations: 2 GB RAM variant with 16 GB storage and 3 GB RAM variant with 32 GB storage. It will be powered by either a Snapdragon 425 or Snapdragon 430 chipset.

Also Read: The product which Xiaomi now sells more than Apple

The 3 GB RAM variant is said to feature a combination of 16 MP rear and 13 MP front cameras. The 2 GB RAM model is expected to sport a 13 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front camera.

The smartphone will be made available in the black, rose gold, gold, white, blue, red, pink, gray and silver coloured variants.

Previous leaks attribute the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A to be priced at around 1,000 Yuan (approximately Rs 9,500). There is no information about the phone's India launch as yet.
President Donald Trump has strongly condemned the terror attack in Spain and extended the US' help to the country.

A van driver yesterday ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight, killing at least 13 people.

"The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!" Trump said in a tweet yesterday.

In another tweet, he referred to an American general for taking tough attitude towards terrorists.

"Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more radical Islamic terror for 35 years!"

US Vice President Mike Pence described this as a tragic day and warned the perpetrators of the terrorist attack.

The attack was claimed by the Islamic State terror group.

"This latest attack, the worst terror attack on Spanish soil since the 2004 Madrid train bombings, shows us again that radical Islamic terrorism is one of the greatest threats that we face in the world ... Whoever is responsible should know that the US, together with our allies, will find and punish those responsible, and drive the evil of radical Islamic terror from the face of the earth," he said.

Pence said this at a joint press conference with the president of Panama where he is travelling now.

"This is a tragic day, and the latest scenes of carnage and mayhem sicken us all...People in Barcelona should know, our prayers and the prayers of all of the American people, are with the victims and their families, and all the good people of Spain," he said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the US is monitoring the situation and the country is ready to assist law enforcement and national security authorities in Spain.

"Our consulates in Barcelona and our entire Mission Spain team are currently assisting Americans in Spain who are affected by these events. We ask US citizens in the area to let your loved ones know you are safe. Terrorists around the world should know the United States and our allies are resolved to find you and bring you to justice," he said.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said all Americans are horrified and saddened by the news of the vicious terror attack in Barcelona.

"Terrorists will not break our strength or our spirit. While we wait for further news, may the people of Barcelona know that the United States stands in solidarity with them at this dark hour. The US will continue to fight shoulder-to- shoulder with Spain against the vile scourge of terror," she said.

It is horrific to again see graphic images of innocent victims hit by a car that was driven by hate, Senator Dianne Feinstein said.

"This attack is yet another reminder that we must do more to combat all forms of extremism. Terrorists need to be identified and stopped before they are able to commit an attack," she said.

Condemning the attack, Congressman Eliot Engel, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said: "In the days ahead, the United States will stand with our ally as authorities investigate what happened and work to bring all those responsible to justice."

"The brutal and cowardly attack on innocent people at Las Ramblas is a reminder that we are all obligated to stand against violence and hatred wherever it lives," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

"The perpetrators of this heinous attack must be brought to justice, and we will not rest until the purveyors of hate and terror around the world are defeated," said the House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer.

Two suspects of the deadly attack, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, have been arrested but the driver is still on the run.
White supremacists clash with counter protesters during a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 12, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RTS1BJIL

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Apple chief Tim Cook and Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg have condemned the violence at the white nationalist rally in Virginia, saying there is no place for hate and senseless violence.

Terming the last week's violence at Charlottesville where a 32-year-old woman was killed as 'horrific', 49-year-old Nadella said Microsoft valued diversity and asked employees to empathise with 'the hurt happening around us'.

"There is no place in our society for the bias, bigotry and senseless violence we witnessed this weekend in Virginia provoked by white nationalists," he said in a note sent to his employees at the Redmond-based company.

Nadella said it is an 'especially important' time to continue to be connected with people, and listen and learn from each other's experiences.

"As I've said, across Microsoft, we will stand together with those who are standing for positive change in the communities where we live, work, and serve. Together, we must embrace our shared humanity, and aspire to create a society that is filled with respect, empathy and opportunity for all," he said in the memo, apparently sent to senior managers, the Seattle Times reported.

Nadella's note comes as several high-profile executives, including the leaders of Intel and drugmaker Merck, quit a government advisory panel, some in protest of US President Donald Trump's initially subdued response to the violence.

'Unite the Right' march had been organised to protest against the proposed removal of a statue of General Robert E Lee, who commanded the pro-slavery Confederate forces during the American Civil War. Violence broke out after they were confronted by anti-racism groups and later a car ploughed into one group of anti-racism protesters in Charlottesville.

Trump had blamed 'both sides' including the 'alt-left' for the deadly violence in which three people were killed, including two policemen.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also criticised Trump over his response to the rallies.

"I disagree with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists and Nazis, and those who oppose them by standing up for human rights," Cook said in an email to his staff accessed by ReCode.

In a Facebook post-Zuckerberg said, "there is no place for hate in our community. That's why we've always taken down any post that promotes or celebrates hate crimes or acts of terrorism - including what happened in Charlottesville".

"With the potential for more rallies, we're watching the situation closely and will take down threats of physical harm. We won't always be perfect, but you have my commitment that we'll keep working to make Facebook a place where everyone can feel safe," he said.
The United States is prepared to use force against North Korea in the event of a missile launch towards Japan, Guam or South Korea, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

Notably, the statement comes a day after US President Donald Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon said there was no military solution to the threat posed by North Korea and its nuclear ambitions, despite the president's recent pledge to answer further aggression with "fire and fury."

Speaking at a news conference jointly addressed by US Defence Secretary James Mattis, Japanese Foreign minister Taro Kono and Defence minister Itsunori Onodera, Tillerson said the country was prepared to meet "any eventuality" from the North Koreans, and sought to make it clear that use of the force was not the "preferred pathway" of the US.

"We are prepared, we are prepared militarily, we are prepared with our allies to respond, if that is necessary. That (military) is not our preferred pathway. That's been made clear as well," he said.

Defence Secretary Mattis said that the US would take immediate specific actions in the event of a missile launch towards US or its allies.

"In the event of a missile launch towards the territory of Japan, Guam, the United States, Korea (South Korea), we would take immediate specific actions to take it down," Mattis said.

Responding to a question after the 'two-plus-two' US- Japan talks, Japanese Defence minister Onodera said that in the event there is an attack on Japan, they will use assets available to them for the missile defence.

"But should different circumstances occur, then we will solidify the relation that we have with the US with close communication. We will defend the country, and that is what we discussed today," he said.

Tillerson said the North Korean regime should engage in diplomatic talks to bring better results, unlike in the past.

"So, our effort is to cause them (North Korean regime) to want to engage in talks, but engage in talks with an understanding that these talks will lead to a different conclusion than talks of the past. We will continue that effort diplomatically, first and foremost," he said.

But, knowing that North Korea sits with a significant capability already within their grasp, I think it is only prudent that they fully understand the consequences, should they make a bad choice for themselves. And, obviously, there are consequences for others as well," Tillerson added.

According to Onodera, North Korea has plans to launch ballistic missiles to the waters close to Guam. It is also advancing on their efforts to launch ICBM-class ballistic missiles, miniaturising nuclear weapons to warheads.

"So for this threat of North Korea, at this meeting we agreed to increase the pressure and to strengthen the alliance's capability. The four of us confirmed the importance of the unwavering US commitment to extend the deterrence," he said.

Observing that Japan and South Korea are on the front line against the North Korean threat, Mattis said the US recognises that any confrontation with North Korea would pose an immediate danger to its allies and their populations.

"The US-Japan ministerial meeting is a reminder that each nation gains security in concert with other nations. The international community is speaking with one voice. North Korea must stop its dangerous actions as we work to maintain security and denuclearise the Korean peninsula," he said.

"We are accelerating implementation of the 2015 guidelines for US-Japan defence cooperation and continuing to realign US forces in Japan and Guam. Our militaries are also cooperating in new ways. This includes our emerging cooperation in areas such as space and cyberspace, as well as ballistic missile defence and maritime security," Mattis said.

"Together, we will deter and if necessary defeat any threat. Any initiation of hostilities will be met with an effective and overwhelming response. Our two nations will demonstrate the strength of our alliance by continuing those bilateral activities and by enhancing cooperation with the Republic of Korea." he said.

Mattis said that the path of provocations and threats chosen by North Korea was not in the best interests of any nation.

"We call on North Korea to choose a better path than one of provocations and threats. Such a path is not in its own best interests nor in the best interests of any other nation," the Defence Secretary said.
Drop box worries, ballot harvesting concerns, voter intimidation fears, lengthy delays and long-awaited results: The fretting over Election Day procedures was on full display in the weeks before the mid-term election on Tuesday. Add to those unfounded worries were the...
Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,
Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity
August 18, 2017

Syria Summary - Crossing The Euphrates At Deir Ezzor

The last three weeks in Syria were marked by further consolidation of the Syrian government positions. While this will likely continue, a new front of contention with the U.S. occupation force in north-east Syria is building up over Deir Ezzor city and the oil-rich rural areas east of it.



Map by Weekend Warrior - bigger

Last week the Syrian army liberated Sukhnah east of Palmyra from the Islamic State occupation. The fighting was less severe than anticipated. After nearly surrounding the city and the killing of the local ISIS commander the enemy forces mostly fled towards the Euphrates and Deir Ezzor.

Two large ISIS held pockets are forming in the east-Hama area. The 3,000 square-kilometer western encirclement is by now complete and remaining ISIS forces within the pocket are hunted down by Russian helicopters and Syrian army commandos. This will eliminate any danger for the narrow supply route to Aleppo city. The second pocket will soon close too. Within the next week the Syrian army will have consolidated the whole area. Troops currently concerned with surrounding the pockets will be freed for the push further east towards Deir Ezzor. There will be no more danger of large surprise attacks in the back of advancing forces.

One such attack recently overran a desert outpost and killed 18 fighters from an Iran-supported group on the Syrian government side. These lost units were replaced by Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The injection of IRGC units is a new phenomenon. So far IRGC involvement was restricted to commanders of irregular units recruited from Iraq or Afghanistan or as advisors to Syrian army units, While Iran adds forces to the Syrian government side the Lebanese Hizbullah has reportedly reduced its involvement from a peak 20,000 forces to about 5,000. This was possible after several "rebel" held areas in west-Syria and near the Lebanese border were pacified and consolidated. The only area in the western part of Syria with active fighting is now the east-Ghouta enclave to the east of Damascus. A mix of fighters from al-Qaeda (Jabhat al-Nusra) and Salafists of the Faylaq Al-Rahman continued to reject ceasefire offers. After increasing losses over the past weeks and a difficult supply situation Faylaq Al-Rahman today gave up its resistance. It is only a question of time until the al-Qaeda elements will also agree to give up their fight and accept offers for an evacuation to Idleb province.

After the total defeat of Ahrar al-Sham Salafist groups Idleb has become the al-Qaeda refuge and stronghold in Syria. Turkey has limited supplies to the area to humanitarian goods and infighting between various local groups and al-Qaeda is causing daily carnage. For now no party - Syria, Turkey or the U.S. and its Kurdish proxies - is interested in the costly venture of liberating the area. It will be left to rot until spring.

Strategically the U.S. has lost the war it waged against Syria. All that is left is to defeat ISIS at Raqqa and to leave. But the imperial U.S. military, the neoconservatives and the liberal interventionists will not be happy with that outcome. They attempt to resist the inevitable.

The U.S. occupation force in the north east of Syria and its Kurdish proxy forces make slow progress in their assault on Raqqa. ISIS resistance continues to be strong and the city is being "destroyed to save it". The Kurdish forces assume that a prolonged fighting might be to their advantage in accumulating more U.S. support and equipment.

The U.S. has set up 12 smaller and bigger bases in the Kurdish held north-east Syria. The Kurds, under control of the authoritarian, anarcho-marxist YPG group, hope for a long lasting support and a permanent stationing of U.S. forces. But the U.S. is an unreliable partner and its strategic interest is determined by its relations to Turkey which vehemently opposes any Kurdish control over any parts of Syria.

The U.S. military has plans to move from Raqqa along the Euphrates towards Deir Ezzor and further east to the border city of Abu Kamal. A second front would move from the north towards the Euphrates and capture the al-Omar oil fields. That would consolidate the significant oil reserves north of the Euphrates and currently under ISIS control into the U.S. occupied zone. It seems unlikely that these U.S plans will succeed. The (assumed) Syrian plan (below) currently looks more viable.



Map by Fabrice Balanche - bigger (with legend)

In these plans the Syrian army will approach Deir Ezzor from the north-west along the southern bank of the Euphrates and from the south-west through the Syrian semi-desert. After liberating Deir Ezzor the Syrian army would cross the Euphrates and continue on both banks of the river up to the Iraqi border until it has liberated all areas under ISIS control. The crossing of the Euphrates would require significant Russian support.

The U.S. does not have enough proxy forces to move towards the east and south and to attack Deir Ezzor. The areas are Arab and U.S. recruiting of Arab proxy forces there has proven abysmal. A few hundred more or less reliable fighters is insufficient for any larger endeavor. Attempts to move tribal proxy fighters from the Jordanian border area towards the northern Kurdish held areas have mostly failed. Everyone anticipates the U.S. engagement in east-Syria, surrounded by countries which reject a Kurdish controlled entity in Syria, will be temporary. The long term interests of the Arab tribes lie with the Syrian government.

Israel is pressing for further U.S. engagement. A full reestablishment of Syrian government control over Syria is seen as a "nightmare scenario". The preferred outcome is a balkanized Syria in which Israel can play off various sectarian or ethnic groups against each other. While its optimal outcome is now unlikely to be achievable Israel will continue to press for an autonomous Kurdish area under U.S. control. To be economical viable that area needs the oil fields north of the Euphrates. We can therefore expect some resistance from the U.S. military and Israel influenced experts against a Syrian army move across the Euphrates and to capture the oil fields.

I expect the Euphrates crossing and the consolidation of the oil-fields to become the next contentious issue between the U.S. and Russia in the Syrian war theater.

Posted by b on August 18, 2017 at 18:45 UTC | Permalink

Comments
The public will have an opportunity to get in-depth look at local history Saturday through a special showcase organized by the Burke County Genealogical Society and the Burke County Public Library.

The inaugural Hometown History and Heritage Fair will be held from 1-4 p.m. in the Kistler Wing of the lobby of the Morganton Public Library and is free to attend. The event will feature several local history authors, local and regional museums, and groups whose mission is to preserve the history of the area in and around Burke County, such as the Historic Burke Foundation, the Burke County Historical Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Local authors attending the event will include:

 Patricia Baker

 Larry Clark

 Louisa Emmons

 Fred Epley

 Gretchen Griffith

 Michael C. Hardy

 Leslie McKesson

 Helen Norman

 Pat Page

Laurie Johnston, the curator of the North Carolina Room at the library, who is helping to organize the event, said the authors will be available to sell and sign copies of their books and discuss their work.

All of these authors have different focuses, Johnston said. Some of them have written about their families. One author wrote a genealogy book, but has also written a couple Revolutionary War novels that take place in Burke County for kids. Theres something for everybody.

Sandy West, a member of the BCGS who is working with Johnston to coordinate the event, said Michael Hardy is an expert in Civil War history who has published 19 books and spoken on the topic at events across the Eastern seaboard.

Johnston will show visitors how the NC Room is dedicated to preserving local history and facilitating historic research. During the fair, she will demonstrate how to research old land grants online through a program called DeedMapper, an important tool for those looking to find out more about their ancestors.

Land grants were essentially the first land that was owned in the country, Johnston said. Burke County was formed in 1777, and around that time people were speculating for land. The way you had to do it was that you went out and found a piece of property and had to be able to describe it, and then you came to the land office and paid a fee and asked for registration for that land to be yours. Theres a handwritten grant that describes the land, and usually a map associated with it. We have copies of all of those for old Burke County, which used to encompass whats now 14 other counties.

She said a lot of late 18th and early 19th century deeds stored at the old Burke County courthouse were destroyed during the Civil War, which makes local ancestry searches more complicated, since people have to turn to other sources for information.

We use things like tax lists and census records to try to determine relationships (between ancestors), Johnston said.

Members of the BCGS who have successfully researched their families histories will present their findings for visitors to study. Johnston said the group also will offer a genealogy help desk, where people can get one-on-one assistance with researching their ancestry online for free.

Mark Lackey will share information about cemetery preservation. Historic cemeteries are another valuable resource for those looking for clues to their ancestors lives.

Burke County Historical Society member Don Stevenson will bring his painstakingly intricate, bird-house-scale replicas of local historic buildings to show attendees. Johnston said Stevenson originally made the structures to sell as bird houses, but people thought they were too much like works of art to use for that purpose.

In addition to museums in Burke County, representatives from the Mountain Gateway Museum of Old Fort will present a display at the event.

The BCGS got the idea for the fair after a similar event that took place in Avery County was met with enthusiasm by the community there.

It enabled a lot of people to connect up with some of their family, find some new relatives and find out about their familys history, West said. I think (people who attend will) realize how many resources are available to them if theyre interested in learning more about their family history, especially in the North Carolina Room, and that there are people here in Burke County, like the Genealogical Society, that are trying to help people with that, to preserve some of those stories and that heritage.

She expressed appreciation for those in the community working hard to keep Burke Countys history alive and vibrant.

I think Burke County is one of the counties that has done a good job at preserving their family history, their heritage and their houses, West said. Were fortunate that weve got a lot of people who are helping to make that happen.

For more information about the Hometown History and Heritage Fair, contact the library at 828-764-9266.

Tammie Gercken can be reached at tgercken@morganton.com.
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Veteran finds his place at Moorpark College Moorpark College student Jarrett Tillis-Herron spent five years at Camp Humphreys duty station in South Korea. The experience changed his life. Originally from Houston, Tillis Herron decided to enlist in...

Posse saddles up to help children Russell Libby describes his golden palomino horse, Sonny, as the calmest, sweetest guy and his best friend for nearly two decades. Sonny is the reason Libby and his wife, Laura,...

Kris Kringle to support library programs The Moorpark Friends of the Library is offering the second annual Letter from Santa fundraiser. For a $25 donation to the Moorpark Friends of the Library, children will receive a...
Calpine executives said Friday that Houston power company's management would stay in place after a takeover by a New Jersey private equity firm.

"It's business as usual," said Brett Kerr, a Calpine spokesman.

The Houston power company Calpine said Friday morning that it has agreed to a sale to the New Jersey private equity firm Energy Capital Partners in a deal with an enterprise value of $17 billion.

"It is important to remember that this transaction is about the value of Calpine as it is run today -- the people, assets and customers of Calpine, and operational savings is not the focus," Kerr said.

Energy Capital and a group of investors will pay $15.25 a share in cash, or $5.6 billion, about a 50 percent premium to Calpine's share price before reports surfaced in May that the power company, one of the nation's largest, was considering putting itself up for sale. Calpine has more than $11 billion in debt.

Energy Capital's group of investors includes Access Industries, a New York-based holding company, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, which invests in pension plans on behalf of the Canadian government.

Energy Capital did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

RELATED: Calpine confirms its close to a sale

Calpine's stock climbed sharply in after-hours trading, and by mid-morning had risen more than 10 percent to $14.87, up from $13.50 at market close.

Calpine and Energy Capital must get shareholder as well as regulatory approval from the Public Utility Commission of Texas, among other agencies, Kerr said. On Friday, two law firms, New York-based Levi & Korsinsky and San Diego-based Johnson & Weaver, notified shareholders that they are investigating the terms of the deal.

If the deal goes through, it will result in a more than $9.1 million payoff for Calpine CEO Thad Hill, who owns nearly 600,000 shares of the company's stock, according to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Late last month, Hill confirmed that the company was negotiating a sale with a potential buyer, which he declined to name. Media reports, however, identified the suitor as Energy Capital Partners.

RELATED: Forces combine to squeeze power companies

Calpine, which employs about 800 in Houston, has struggled in recent years in the face of persistently low electricity prices, a surge of renewable energy and the high costs of operating fossil fuel power plants. The company reported a second-quarter loss of $219 million, significantly larger than its $29 million loss in the second quarter of 2016.

The deal can't change the market, but nor would it change Calpine's long-term plan of becoming replacing coal-fired and nuclear power plants and sharing power demand with renewable sources, analysts say.

"I think ultimately it's a good near-term option for shareholders, as there is continual uncertainty in the power market," said Andy Bischof, a senior equity analyst at the Chicago-based research firm Morningstar.

Calpine is not alone in its struggles with the market. NRG, which recently reported a second-quarter loss of $642 million, said in July that it will sell up to $4 billion of its assets. Last month, the Houston company launched a round of layoffs across the country but would not disclose the number of job cuts.

Dynegy, another Houston company, is said to be in talks with Dallas-based Vistra Energy about a possible merger. Dynegy earlier this month reported a second-quarter loss of nearly $300 million.

Calpine, founded in California, moved its headquarters to Houston from San Jose, Calif., in 2009, after emerging from bankruptcy in 2008. Calpine also owns the retail electricity provider Champion Energy Services, which it bought for $240 million in 2015.

Energy Capital Partners, which has offices on Louisiana in Houston, is a private equity firm that invests in power plants, pipelines, transmission and other energy assets. The firm helped Dynegy finance its $3.3 billion acquisition of 17 U.S. power plants, including six in Texas, from French energy company Engie. Dynegy last year bought out Energy Capital's stake in plants for $750 million.

Bloomberg News contributed.

Clarification: An earlier version of this story suggested no layoffs would follow Calpine's sale, but company officials said that is premature.
Assistant Chief of Operations Chuck Blumenauer has been named as the new interim chief for the Midland Fire Department.

Midland City Manager Courtney Sharp told the Reporter-Telegram this week that Blumenauer replaces former interim chief Chip Balzer, who retired recently.

Sharp said the city currently is conducting searches for a new fire chief and a new police chief to replace Chief Price Robinson, who is retiring at the end of the month.

The city is working with a search firm to come up with candidates for each position. Sharp said candidates for each position will interview with different city groups -- one made of law enforcement/fire department officials, another made of residents and a third made of city department heads.

Those groups will make recommendations, and Sharp will interview the top three.

Robinson makes an annual salary of $153,845; former Fire Chief Robert Isbell made $153,375. Blumenauer receives a salary of $112,200 as the interim head of the department.

Sharp said a Texas Rangers investigation involving Balzer continues. He said the investigation involves an off-the-job infraction and could end up being criminal.

A city spokesperson said in June that the city was made aware in May of an allegation concerning Balzer and that the allegations were immediately turned over to the Texas Rangers for an independent investigation.






Marilyn Nieves/Getty Image

A former Ector County sheriffs deputy was sentenced on Thursday to 15 months in federal prison for extortion under color of law, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Texas.

U.S. District Judge Robert Junell ordered that David Oscar Limon, 47, pay a $13,200 fine and perform 100 hours of community service while on three years of supervised release after completing his prison term. Limon is to surrender within the next 60 days to begin serving his prison term.
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Six Flags Over Texas has flown the Confederate States of America flag since the park opened in 1961, and that is not going to change despite growing pressure around the country following the violence in Charlottesville.

The "Stars and bars" was the first official flag of the confederacy. It flies alongside the American flag near the entrance to the park.

PROPOSED: New bill would protect iconic Sam Houston statue in Hermann Park

The flag features seven stars representing the original Confederate States; South Carolina (Dec. 20, 1860), Mississippi (Jan. 9, 1861), Florida (Jan. 10,1861), Alabama (Jan. 11, 1861), Georgia (Jan. 19, 1861), Louisiana (Jan. 26, 1861), and Texas (Feb. 1, 1861), Sharon Parker, manager for communications, told Chron.com.

The company's logo and flags flown at the park have featured the flags and historical architecture from Spain (1519-1821), France (1685-1690), Mexico (1821-1836), Republic of Texas (1836-1845), Confederate States of America (1861-1865), and United States (1845-1861; 1865-present), Parker added.

"Six Flags Over Texas continues to fly the Confederate States of America Flag and does not fly or sell any variation of the Confederate Battle Flag," Parker said.

PASSING THE BUCK: 'Unite the Right' organizer, Jason Kessler, blames Charlottesville government officials for violence

Many cities around the country have removed Confederate statues or are considering their removal following protests in Charlottesville, Va., over the proposed removal of a Robert E. Lee statue.

In Baltimore, Md., early Wednesday morning, Confederate statues were removed using a large crane by order of Mayor Catherine Pugh. In Lexington, Ky., the urban council unanimously voted Tuesday to remove two Confederate statues from the lawn of the former Fayette County courthouse.



A Texas lawmaker proposed a bill in early August that would protect historical monuments from being taken down. Senate Bill 112 was inspired by fake attempts in late May to have the Sam Houston statue in Hermann Park removed.

As of Thursday morning, a change.org petition called "Remove Houston's 'Spirit of the Confederacy' Monument" had collected more than 2,100 signatures.

"The Confederacy represents not only treason against the United States but a system of institutionalized terrorism against non-white people and a militant defense of one of the most brutal forms of chattel slavery to ever exist in human history. We do not seek to erase this past from our history; what we seek is to erase attempts to romanticize, praise, and glorify this past," the petition stated.
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For Frank Krizon, patrolling for the Volusia County's Citizen Observer Program is not a job, but a civic duty.

Volusia County Citizen Observer Program needs volunteers

COP volunteers act as eyes and ears for law enforcement

Our duties are only eyes and ears, said Krizon, 80, when asked about what happens when he sees something suspicious.

Deputies do the work, we are their eyes and ears, said Krizon.

Krizons been volunteering for 17 years. He and other civilians help the sheriffs office with non-law enforcement duties.

But for the last several years, volunteer numbers are way down.

We are down to about 140 to 150, depending on time of year it is, said Tim Lamprey, Volusia COP Coordinator. Hopefully we can get a few more people involved in it. Its a very rewarding thing, and it helps the community.

Looking for a good way to volunteer? The @VolusiaSheriff is in need of more Citizen Observance Program volunteers. @MyNews13 pic.twitter.com/bBFG7S2LHi  Erin Murray News 13 (@emurray1) August 18, 2017

There are 48 roles with the Volusia County Sheriffs Office a volunteer can help with, like monitoring schools and parks. Basically each task helps free up a deputy to be able to pursue more pressing police work.

Saves the county a lot of money, said Lamprey.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood isnt sure the exact amount of money they save the county, but he knows its a lot.

If you paid them $10 an hour, they were putting in 50,000 hours a year. You multiply that out, that is a huge savings to the counties and the cities, because of the passion of these folks, said Sheriff Mike Chitwood.

Most of the volunteers are also part of the older generation; on average age 60 and up.

That is how they were raised. They retired here, and they wanted to give back and this is their way of giving back to their community. And they are passionate about it. The generation behind them doesnt see volunteerism the same way that this group does, said Sheriff Chitwood.

Over the years, Krizon has helped more than 4,000 hours. He said its all very rewarding.

We are out there to do everything we can. We are more public servants than law enforcement, said Krizon.

To learn more about the Citizen Observe Program, click here.

Or questions can be directed to Tim Lamprey: 386-736-5961, Ext. 16542, or email at: tlamprey@vcso.us
The City of Plainview and Hale County continue to make progress on the proposed Plainview/Hale County Business Park.

The city and county have acquired approximately 140 acres of land located west of Interstate 27 and just north of Highway 194 (Dimmitt Highway) for this project. The majority of the site is currently undeveloped farm land, and the project is now in the design phase and construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2018.

We are excited to see this project continue to take shape, says Plainview Mayor Wendell Dunlap. Special thank you to the county for its partnership on this catalyst project.

One of the first steps was selecting Parkhill, Smith & Cooper (PSC) to assist in the development and design of the new business park in Plainview. The next step included the creation of a steering committee of City, County and EDC officials last October. The committee has held several meetings over this past year to discuss road design, water and sewer infrastructure, park entrance options as well as coordinating with electric and gas utilities, BNSF rail and WATCO rail services. A few weeks ago included a meeting with adjacent landowners to answer questions and work together on any concerns. The project is nearing the 65 percent design completion stage and is coming together very well, said City Manager Jeffrey Snyder.

The Business Park project reflects the great cooperation that exists between the city, county and EDC, says Mike Fox, Plainview/Hale County EDC director.

The proposed Business Park will be zoned for commercial and industrial use. Approximately half of the 140-acre industrial park will be subdivided into 5- and 10-acre tracts and the remaining acreage will not be subdivided under the current phase and will be reserved for future tenant needs.

The proposed location was chosen for the diverse transportation accessibility. The park has immediate access to Interstate 27, which spans from Amarillo to Lubbock and is a part of the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor. Another unique asset for this particular property is its close proximity to rail access, which runs adjacent to the southern boundary of the proposed business park.

One of the most important, if not the most important demographic in any community is 18-to-35-year-olds, said John Hamilton, PE, the transportation director for PSC and Plainview native. A key measurable of vibrant community is the success with which they not only retain but attract citizens from this demographic to stay in the community after graduation to work, raise families, build businesses and contribute to the community as a whole.

My 30th Plainview High School reunion is next year. If this project would have been initiated in 1988, when I was a senior in high school, instead of now, it would be interesting to see how many jobs the park would have helped the community generate during this time period. How many of my fellow classmates would be driving across town  instead of across the state  to attend our class reunion next summer.

When completed, the proposed Business Park will be a new area zoned for industrial use with shovel ready sites for new development. In addition to Plainviews great location, this will give the community a great asset to market to potential employers.

A business park is a must for any community in the Panhandle of Texas that aspires to grow, says County Judge Bill Coleman. This park will be an essential piece in the puzzle for this community going forward.
LUBBOCK -- After almost seven long months of intense training, the 61st Texas Game Warden cadet class graduated and have since moved into their assigned duty stations.

In recent years, due to retirements and lateral transfers of wardens to other duty stations in Texas, the current Lubbock district game wardens have been patrolling their own assigned areas, as well as answering vacant district county calls.
MERIDEN  Enrollment at the new Middlesex Community College center in Platt High School begins Monday. Officials say they are ready to begin a new chapter in the freshly renovated high school.



Were really excited, said Steven Minkler, academic dean and interim president of Middlesex Community College. Its terrific to have college programming in a high school and the opportunities it brings to students.



The one-year pilot program, branded as MxCC@Platt, will be open for registration from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday in the schools media center. Classes begin Aug. 29.



Middlesex administrators worked with Meriden School Superintendent Mark Benigni and Platt High School Principal Robert Montemurro to carve out a suitable location that would allow the college to maintain a city presence.



After several years of budgetary setbacks, Middlesex was forced to close the Meriden Center at 55 W. Main St. last spring, forcing city students to find transportation to the Middletown campus, enroll at another school or drop out.



Educators said the decision to open a branch in the high school will hopefully solve the problem and could provide educational opportunities for Meriden high school students and staff. In lieu of rent, five slots in each course will be reserved for high school students and staff eligible to take college courses. The college will provide its own security.



Montemurro reserved 10 classes near the schools media center and an office and computer space in the media center for college use. The remainder of the high school will be cut off to the college students. Classes will run from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. after the last high school bell has rung and students have exited the building.



The college will bring textbooks, laptops and other supplies to the high school campus. It will also offer tutoring assistance, academic advising, student services and online library resources. Montemurro has set aside a large office space for faculty and student meetings. About 25 college faculty will work at the new center, Minkler said.



The 2017 fall schedule in Meriden offers more than 50 course selections from the general education curriculum, including English, freshman seminar, history, mathematics, music appreciation, psychology and sociology. The new location also allows MxCC to offer science courses in the schools new classroom laboratories, something it was unable to do at its downtown campus.



The completion of renovations at Platt frees up the media center for other uses after school.



This was our hub without an auditorium and a gym, Montemurro said of the media center. We had parent meetings here and other events. But now we have the best auditorium ever.



The limited hours may reduce enrollment at MxCCs Meriden campus in Platt, but Winkler said it could be as many as 500 students. Platt will also house the Saturday enrichment program for middle school students in the city.



Dean of Students Adrienne Maslin will be the administrator in charge at MxCC@Platt until a permanent evening coordinator is hired, Minkler said.










President Donald Trump has told senior aides that he has decided to remove Stephen Bannon, the embattled White House chief strategist who helped Trump win the 2016 election, according to two administration officials briefed on the discussion.



The president and senior White House officials were debating when and how to dismiss Bannon. The two administration officials cautioned that Trump is known to be averse to confrontation within his inner circle, and could decide to keep on Bannon for some time.



As of Friday morning, the two men were still discussing Bannons future, the officials said. A person close to Bannon insisted the parting of ways was his idea, and that he had submitted his resignation to the president on Aug. 7, to be announced at the start of this week, but it was delayed in the wake of the racial unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia.



Bannon had clashed for months with other senior West Wing advisers and members of the presidents family.



But the loss of Bannon, the right-wing nationalist who helped propel some of Trumps campaign promises into policy reality, raises the potential for the president to face criticism from the conservative media base that supported him over the past year.



Bannons many critics bore down after the violence in Charlottesville. Outraged over Trumps insistence that both sides were to blame for the violence that erupted at a white nationalist rally, leaving one woman dead, human rights activists demanded that the president fire nationalists working in the West Wing. That group of hard-right populists in the White House is led by Bannon.



On Tuesday at Trump Tower in New York, Trump refused to guarantee Bannons job security but defended him as not a racist and a friend.



Well see what happens with Mr. Bannon, Trump said.



Bannons dismissal followed an Aug. 16 interview he initiated with a writer with whom he had never spoken, with the progressive publication The American Prospect. In it, Bannon mockingly played down the U.S. military threat to North Korea as nonsensical: Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me that 10 million people in Seoul dont die in the first 30 minutes from conventional weapons, I dont know what youre talking about, theres no military solution here, they got us.



He also bad-mouthed his colleagues in the Trump administration, vowed to oust a female diplomat at the State Department and mocked officials as wetting themselves over the consequences of radically changing trade policy.



Of the far right, he said, These guys are a collection of clowns, and he called it a fringe element of losers.



We gotta help crush it, he said in the interview, which people close to Bannon said he believed was off the record.



Bannons departure was long rumored in Washington. The presidents new chief of staff, John F. Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general who was brought on for his ability to organize a chaotic staff, was said to have grown weary of the chief strategists long-running feud with Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, the national security adviser.



Bannon had been aligned with Kellys predecessor, Reince Priebus, who was forced out in late July. More significantly, Bannon has been in a battle with Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser, since the spring.



Bannon, whose campaign against globalists was a hallmark of his tenure steering the right-wing website Breitbart.com, and Kushner had been allies throughout the transition process and through the beginning of the administration.



But their alliance ruptured as Trump elevated the roles of Gary D. Cohn, his top economic policy adviser and a former official at Goldman Sachs, and Dina Powell, a former Bush administration official who also worked on Wall Street. Cohn is a registered Democrat, and both he and Powell have been denounced by conservative media outlets as being antithetical to Trumps populist message.






A Lafayette man on a belated honeymoon with his wife of one year was identified Friday as one of the 13 people killed in the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain.

On Friday, hours after Jared Tuckers wife, Heidi Nunes-Tucker, identified his remains in the Spanish seaside city, his family struggled to reconcile with the odds of him being killed half a world away in a deliberate act apparently committed in the name of the Islamic State.

The U.S. State Department confirmed that one American was killed when a terrorist drove a van through a crowd of people in a tourist area Thursday, but it did not release the persons name. More than 100 people were injured in Barcelona, and another victim was killed later in a related attack in a nearby town.

I dont know how to feel, Tuckers father, Dan Tucker, told reporters. Im not angry necessarily. But more importantly, I just dont understand it. Its hard to understand how anything like that could happen. ... What are the chances (that the) one person in the whole United States being in Barcelona and being one of the (people)... fatally attacked by terrorists would be Jared?

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The 42-year-old was vacationing in Barcelona with his wife as a honeymoon and a celebration of their first wedding anniversary. It was Tuckers first time in Europe, and he and his wife had spent a couple weeks exploring the Spanish city. The attack occurred on their last full day in Spain, before they were to return home Friday.

In photos the couple took, he is riding a brass lion in a city square and bobbing in the ocean with both hands reaching toward the sky.

In the last picture, taken hours before the attack, Tucker and his wife flash wide smiles as they lean into each other. They are dressed in short sleeves, dining al fresco at a restaurant, glasses of sangria on the table.

Later Thursday afternoon, they went to the popular Las Ramblas shopping district in the heart of Barcelona. Nunes-Tucker, a schoolteacher, was perusing the many kiosks for trinkets when a van plowed into a crowd of people on the pedestrian walkway. Tucker had just left his wifes side to use the restroom at a nearby restaurant, their relatives said. Nunes-Tucker was pushed over a kiosk and lost her husband in the ensuing chaos.

The Islamic State quickly took responsibility for the massacre.

My mother is boarding a flight tonight to be with (Tuckers) wife tomorrow, Tuckers nephew Paul Luke said in an online Reddit thread that was created Thursday to help find his uncle. It has since been taken down.

Jareds burial wishes were to be cremated, but that cannot be done until the investigations have finished, Luke wrote. My mother and his wife will be in Barcelona for an undetermined amount of time until final arrangements can be made.

Luke posted photos on Reddit from a plaza in the Las Ramblas area after the attack showing a man wearing a blue shirt and khaki shorts, lying on the ground with blood on his head. Another photo posted by Luke showed Tucker wearing the same outfit about one hour before the attack.

In the aftermath, Nunes-Tucker visited area hospitals and the Red Cross in search of her husband, family members said.

Tuckers family gathered at his home in Lafayette on Friday morning, comforting each other in their grief. A police officer was stationed outside.

They have launched a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral costs, living expenses and his three daughters educations.

We loved Jared, we love you, and we are grateful that in this time of turmoil in this world we can still band together in a time of need and support each other, the Tucker family said in a statement. Pray for Jared and his family, pray for Barcelona, but most importantly pray that we can someday rid ourselves of the hate that takes our loved ones before their time.

Tucker owned a company, Fiberglass Pool Resurfacing, with his father, which they founded in 1994. They resurface nearly 200 swimming pools a year, according to the company website.

He and Nunes-Tucker got married last year. Nunes-Tucker wore a sleek white gown and held pastel pink roses and white babys breath. In one photo, Tucker and her teenage son each kiss one of her cheeks. In another, she and Tucker walk up a staircase. They are caught in mid-laugh, both heads tilted to the left and seemingly unaware of the camera.

To everyone who helped call, translate, find phone numbers, and physically visit hospitals I am grateful, Luke wrote in an online post. Amidst terrible sadness, the people of Barcelona came out in droves to help us.

Lizzie Johnson and Alison Graham are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, agraham@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn, @alisonkgraham

Fund for Bay Area victim of attack

Donations to the GoFundMe account to help Jared Tuckers survivors can be made at bit.ly/2ieRL5y
A divisive proposal to create a historic district on East Mistletoe Avenue, a quiet residential street in Tobin Hill, was voted down by City Council on Thursday after an effort at compromise failed.

The streets residents and property owners spent more than two hours trying to sway council members, with supporters arguing that the district would protect the street from overly dense development and rising property values. Opponents said the district would infringe on their right to do what they want with their properties.

Council voted 7-1 against the district. The lone dissenting vote came from District 9 City Councilman John Courage, who said a historic district would help preserve the streets quality of life.

The creation of a historic district should bring a community together and not draw dividing lines down the middle of the block, said District 1 City Councilman Roberto Trevino, whose district includes the street.

Trevino left open the possibility that another district with different boundaries could be formed on the north side of Tobin Hill, a neighborhood just north of downtown that includes The Pearl and San Antonio College. The southern part of the neighborhood was declared historic more than a decade ago  a struggle that divided the neighborhood so fiercely that its neighborhood association split into two.

More than two dozen residents showed up to speak Thursday. Each side claimed to represent the heart and soul of the neighborhood, accusing the other of spreading misinformation and intimidating elderly residents. Opponents speculated that the district was only being proposed to block six townhomes that local developer Terramark Urban Homes wants to build on the street.

The silent majority is here today to stop this attempt by the minority to grab control and power over us and our properties, said Bill Oakley, who owns property on Mistletoe.

Supporters of the district proposed cutting it in half, limiting it to the west side of Mistletoe, which has a larger proportion of supporters, but to no avail.

Anisa Schell, who led the campaign for the district, told council that our historic homes in Tobin Hill North are in great risk. Other residents said they feared a land grab by developers who would turn the street into a suburban neighborhood a la Stone Oak.

The council today voted for development. They didnt vote for neighborhoods, Schell said after the meeting.

The struggle began in October, when Terramark Urban Homes tore down two humdrum duplexes in the middle of Mistletoe in order to build six townhomes on the 0.37-acre property.

Residents debate whether the 1940s-era flat-roofed duplexes had architectural value. Regardless, the demolition awakened fears that developers would disrupt Tobin Hills single-family character by building apartments and townhomes in the middle of residential streets. Newcomers are flocking to the neighborhood, which is cradled between downtown, The Pearl and the St. Marys Strip.

The district seemed headed for approval late last year after Schell, leader of the campaign for historic designation, and others collected signatures from 51 percent of residents in support. In December, the citys Historic and Design Review Commission unanimously recommended approval.

Then the districts foes gained ground. They went door to door to personally discuss it with other residents. As of Thursday, support had fallen to 35.2 percent of residents, with 52.3 percent opposed. As support waned, the citys Office of Historic Preservation withdrew its support for the district.

Schell said that she and other supporters had plans to gather Thursday night, but she doesnt expect them to come up with any new strategy right away.

RWebner@express-news.net
The Institute for Womens Health warned patients that hackers may have stolen some of their personal information or credit or debit card data, the physicians group said Thursday.

The San Antonio OBGYN practice said a so-called keylogger virus was installed on its network on June 5. The virus was discovered July 6 and the company took action to remove it from the majority of all network computers and terminal servers by July 11, 2017, resolving it completely by July 13, 2017, it said in a statement.

The company didnt disclose how many patients might have been affected.

A keylogger virus can be the equivalent of digital surveillance, revealing every click and touch, according to virus protection company McAfee.

Cybercriminals use keyloggers to steal passwords or financial information as you type it into your computer. That information can then be used to steal your money or identity, warned McAfee in a 2013 blog post.

If a patient paid for services with a credit or debit card from June 5, 2017 through July 11, 2017, some of their credit or debit information may have been captured, the company said. Other types of information found to be affected generally include the following: names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers, scheduling notes, current procedural technology and other billing codes, and any other information that may have been keyed (typed) into the IFWH system during this time period.

Patient Portal information was not accessed at any point, IFWH added.

The company sent letters to patients who could have been affected and is offering them identity theft protection services through ID Experts.

MyIDCare services include: Twelve months of credit monitoring, a $1,000,000 insurance reimbursement policy, exclusive educational materials and fully managed ID theft recovery services, the company said.

IFWH said it also notified both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services.

A variety of security measures were in place before this incident, including network filtering and security monitoring, firewalls, antivirus software and password protection, the doctors office said. After the incident, IFWH implemented additional safeguards to improve data security on its web server infrastructure and reduce the risk of exploitation. IFWH continues to assess its security systems and work with the appropriate law enforcement agencies to prevent future breaches.

SEhlinger@express-news.net

Twitter: @samehlinger
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Two people barricaded in a Fairfield house voluntarily exited after police deployed tear gas shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday.

The six-hour standoff, which started with shots fired, forced local residents to shelter in place while SWAT teams and crisis negotiators attempted to resolve the situation.

Police said a man and a woman were safely detained. They said no one else was in the home.

The incident started after Fairfield police responded to a call at 3:09 p.m. about a disturbance inside a house on the 1400 block of Michigan Street and, as officers arrived, they heard several gunshots from the area of the home.

After setting up a perimeter and closing off traffic to the cul-de-sac where the home is located, officers were able to make telephone contact with a male suspect.

Police said they were aware there was more than one person in the house, but didnt know if the other person or people were being held against their will, said police spokesman, Lt. Rob Lenke.

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While officers heard a few more gunshots after they arrived, there was no indication anyone was injured, Lenke said.

Police were in frequent contact with the man during the incident, but were unable to resolve the situation. About 8 p.m., police instructed nearby residents to remain inside and close their windows as tear gas was deployed.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
Californias violent crime rate went up 4.1 percent in 2016, rising for a second consecutive year, according to state data released Thursday.

The Department of Justices annual Crime in California report said there were 174,701 homicides, rapes, robberies and assaults last year. Police recorded 1,930 killings, the most since 2009.

While many law enforcement leaders across the Bay Area and state have expressed concern about the trend, violent crimes are still off by more than 50 percent since the spikes of the early 1990s.

San Francisco has reported decreases in overall violent crime over the past two years, with a 7.7 drop in 2015 and an 8 percent drop in 2016, officials said.

Property crime fell 2.9 percent last year across the state, the state data show. Break-ins, thefts and car burglaries have been relatively flat in the past decade, despite fears that reforms meant to shrink the prison and jail populations would fuel a crime surge.

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San Francisco, which has been struck by an epidemic of vehicle break-ins in recent years, saw property crime fall about 10 percent in 2016 compared with the year before.

According to the state data, San Francisco police made arrests in 36 percent of violent crimes and 7 percent of property crimes. Statewide, law enforcement agencies made arrests in 45 percent of violent crimes and 12 percent of property crimes.

Hate crimes increased about 11 percent last year, with 931 reported incidents. There were 519 crimes involving a racial bias, a jump of more than 21 percent, and 207 crimes involving a sexual-orientation bias, a rise of more than 10 percent.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
San Antonians across the city will have a front row seat on Monday when the moon covers the sun.

If you want to experience the rare celestial event with others, you're in luck. Libraries, the Scobee Planetarium and restaurants are hosting watch parties and events this weekend and on Monday afternoon when the sun will be eclipsed around 1 p.m.
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NEWTOWN - The retirements of Joe Erardi as the towns top educator and Pat Llodra as its top elected official represent a turning point in Newtowns recovery from the Sandy Hook massacre five years ago.

Leadership change is part of the normal democratic cycle, but nothing has been normal in Newtown since 20 first-graders and six educators were slain at Sandy Hook School in 2012.

Their retirements will definitely have a major impact - absolutely, said Monsignor Robert Weiss, the pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church. This really is transition stage for our community.

But observers say the stability Erardi and Llodra helped foster with their strong and calming leadership in the aftermath of Connecticuts worst crime leaves future leaders in a good position to continue the towns recovery.

It is incredible to think about it, but the town is 100 percent in a better position than it was when this happened, said Kyle Lyddy, who heads a commission that is developing a memorial to the victims. Every decision they have made has helped the community come together.

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The leadership transition has already begun in the schools with Erardis retirement on July 31 and the appointment of Newtown High School Principal Lorrie Rodrigue as interim superintendent. Llodras successor will be decided in November by voters, who will chose among a Democrat and as many as three Republicans preparing for a primary in September.

Whenever you lose very strong leadership like Pats and Dr. Erardis, it is always a challenge, said Rodrigue. But we will have new challenges as we look ahead, and we will have new people to face them.

Observers say the towns new leadership will be successful if it commits to the style of collaborative governance that Erardi and Lloda championed during projects such as the construction of the new $50 million Sandy Hook School, which opened a year ago.

But the intangibles that Erardi and Llodra brought to public service will be harder to replace.

Both Joe and Pat will be missed for their approachability and the heart they both poured into their respective roles, said Jennifer Crane, the director of the Newtown Center for Support and Wellness.

Observers said the most remarkable thing about the pairs leadership is that there was no precedent in Connecticut for what happened on Dec. 14, 2012, and yet Llodra and Erardi made the right decisions with uncanny consistency.

The keys to their success, observers said, was their ability to listen, their willingness to be available and their determination to put the towns greater good before anything else.

An outside expert in crisis leadership agreed, saying the way to bring a community together in times of strife is to be calm, resolved and determined to find solutions at all costs.

I do believe that Newtown has done this, said John Baldoni, a Michigan-based consultant and author of 12 books about leadership. In a crisis you need to do whatever the situation demands, whether people need to scream at you, or they need to put their arms around you, or they need you to mobilize all the resources you can to help.

Model leaders

Observers describe Erardi and Llodra as model crisis leaders whose presence and patience created a safe environment for people to grieve an irreplaceable loss  and to face a future they did not choose.

They both have a strong sense of spirituality that brings a balance to their leadership, said Weiss. That helped to strengthen us.

Erardi became Newtowns schools superintendent in 2014 as an outsider, and earned the confidence of a devastated community with his openness and his availability.

Joe gained our respect so quickly in such a difficult time that we were like, Where did this guy come from? Lyddy said. People trusted him because anything we needed, he embraced.

Llodra brought together people whose hearts had been ripped apart, creating a vision for Newtown as a community that would never forget its loss but would never be defined by it either.

Without a playbook, she led our community through the darkest days that any community could experience, and she did it with integrity and grace, said Monte Frank, an attorney who has been active in Newtowns recovery.

Baldoni said Newtown was a model for crisis leadership.

To bring people together, you need to be seen and you need to be heard, he said. You need to get your message out and you need to listen to what people have to say, and from what I have seen, Newtown did that.

For their own part, Erardi and Llodra encouraged new leaders to govern to Newtowns strengths.

Llodra said a key to Newtowns future was finding new ways to engage and communicate with residents.

It has become increasingly difficult to find the community voice and engage interest and activism in pursuit of matters that serve the common good, Llodra said Friday. Community growth and development is only successful when it responds to mutual values and aspirations.

Erardi agreed.

Communication, communication, communication is the key to moving the district forward, he said.

rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342
J: Where were you born?

C: I was born right here in Greenwich ... I lived here my whole life with the exception of 10 years when I was upstate in Windham, Conn.  that was when I was married. But when I divorced I came back. Now I'm back in the house I was born and raised in.

J: Were your parents also born here, or in the area?

C: No. My mom was born in Brooklyn and my father was born in Italy, and came here as a really little baby  so for all intents and purposes really, he was here. (I was born in) 1943  I think they were married a while before they had me. I was their first  I have two sisters and a brother, so there were four of us.

J: So  what did you do for fun?

C: I lived on Bible Street then, and we lived across the street from the park. That park was open all summer and fall. There were counselors there, and wed go early in the morning and go home when the lights went on. So we never had a problem with, we had nothing to do, because if we said that to our parents, they found us something to do! And I also have many, many cousins. My grandfather built two three-family houses and we had a big yard  and I had all those cousins, so we always had somebody to play with or fight with or whatever we were doing in the backyard.

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J: That's good.

C: I remember one of my cousins, my cousin Linda  shes in real estate here now; the majority of us have stayed here  but one day, she made me mad about something and I cant remember what it was ... and I cut her braids off. Oh my aunt almost killed me! All of us have memories of being raised in a lovely environment by loving people. The sisters-in-law were always there, husbands went to work, and whoever was home watched the kids. And every Sunday we had Sunday dinner in somebodys apartment. That's just how it was. And the apartments were divvied up by what your needs were. So in the top bedroom there was no heat; so the honeymooners got that apartment, because it was thought they didnt need the heat.

J: (laughs)

C: And then, as they had babies, they moved down through the various apartments. And then when they went to war, the men went off to ... World War II (before I was born)  my two younger uncles; one went in the Navy and one went into the Army, I think. And they were away, so ... we all came together and lived in my moms apartment. So there were a lot of us ... But we got along and we made it work. I think we all are the better for it. After the war, they all had houses that were built for them ... the G.I. Bill helped them get houses.

J: What were your dreams while you were in school?

C: I think I always wanted to be a nurse, and that is what I did do. And that was at St. Elizabeths ... I had a scholarship from Dr. Bria -- he died some time ago now -- from the Lions Club, but I did not want it and I didnt take it. I wanted to go to the big city, so I went to Boston. And I spent the rest of my time trying to get back home  But it was worth it. It was a good career; I did it for almost 40 years. Greenwich Hospital was my first job, but then I went to Windham Community Hospital for 10 years when I lived up there. When I came back, I went back to Greenwich Hospital.

J: And so how did you meet your husband?

C: That I divorced? Well, he was friends of the husband of a friend, and I was the godmother for the baby and he was the godfather for the baby. It was like that. Windham is a nice place; its a nice place to raise kids.

J: How many children do you have?

C: A daughter and two sons.

J: So you came back with your kids... Were they old enough to kind of take care of each other?

C: No, the youngest was 2 years old  it was a lot of work. But my daughter, who was 10 at the time, grew up really fast and she ended up being fairly responsible for the two boys  but there was a family downstairs. Should there be a crisis, they could always call. I would see them in the morning, ready and dressed having breakfast. To this day when my daughter says, Jump, they say, How high?

J: And ... what kinds of things did you do together as a family when you came back to Greenwich?

C: You know, the boys went to the Y or the Boys Club. And you know, we went to a lot of the PTA things and stuff like that, and I went out with some friends and wed go to a movie. But wed always have some family thing going on. Somebodys birthday, somebodys this, always getting together in the main backyard. There wed all be. I had an uncle who played the accordion, had a little bit of a band, and he would play.

J: That sounds great.

C: Yeah, it was mainly family-oriented ... Trying to get a family together is really hard now.

J: So what do you do now?

C: I babysit. I have two great-grandchildren and eight grandchildren.

J: Congratulations  You know, I always ask people what advice they have for future generations.

C: That would be my advice: to stay with your family and your community ... The community as a whole  be a part of it, do things in it, keep your family close because its hard. You have to work at that, because were all so busy ... I would say, put aside some time. Make ... a playdate. Call your cousins and say, Lets go to lunch. Lets go do this, lets go do that. Now they have these nice concerts. You can go bring a chair and listen to it  I think that's something we all should do. Take a little time to do that.

J: And ... of course there are so many benefits.

C: It gives you a sense of security. Even if they werent right there, you knew they were there if you needed them. You could ask for help and you'd get it. Its a sense of safety and a sense of security because we all came out of a place where we felt so safe, so cared for and so loved ... And I remember just being in that house ... that being there was a safe, secure place. I sit on my porch, I watch Bible Street go by and I'm happy.

J: Theres always someone.

C: So that's it. I enjoy going out on my porch and watching people. Its a Little Italy; theyre all immigrants there. Even though my parents were not necessarily immigrants, my maternal and paternal grandparents were. We are children of immigrants and we were raised that way, which is a safe and secure way to be raised. I dont know why people are so against it. Its the way we were raised.

J: Theres a very tight-knit sense of family, different than America today.

C: Yeah, and I have pictures of all of us in the backyard: big picnic tables, all the food and my uncle playing his accordion ... When the people from downstairs, the tenants, came to pay their rent, it was a happening. I mean it was a happening. They all went out, they cracked open the bottle of wine that had been made  I cant even begin to tell you how horrible that tasted  and they broke that open, and this and that, and they played the music. They just made a happening of that. They made a happening of everything, and in the process of that, the rent got paid.

J: Wow, a rent party.

C: Yes, it was just an excuse to have a party. Nowadays you get it in the mail. Yeah, that was a big happening though. We all went out, we all danced.

E: JTuriano@greenwichtime.com; T: @jturianoGT; IG: @greenwichgreen
1 Polanski case: A Los Angeles judge on Friday denied the impassioned plea of Roman Polanskis victim to end the criminal case against the fugitive director. Judge Scott Gordon ruled Polanski must appear in a Los Angeles court if he expects to have his four-decade-old case resolved. Gordons ruling follows a fervent request by Samantha Geimer to end a 40-year sentence she says was imposed on both perpetrator and victim. Polanski pleaded guilty to having unlawful sex with Geimer when she was 13. He fled the country on the eve of sentencing in 1978. Polanskis attorneys have failed to persuade judges to sentence him in absentia for the 42 days he was incarcerated for psychological testing before he fled. Geimer has long supported Polanskis efforts but made her plea in court for the first time in June.

2 Wildfires: One of several wildfires burning in Montana destroyed two homes Friday after jumping control lines as firefighters braved another day of high temperatures, gusty winds and low humidity. The homes, southwest of Lolo, were among 750 residences evacuated after the fire, started by lightning in July, blew up late Wednesday. The blaze has burned nearly 30 square miles of forest. In Californias, crews fighting a fire in Yosemite National Park were trying to guide the flames away from the small town of Wawona (Mariposa County). The fire has closed campgrounds and trails in the park, but authorities have not ordered anyone to leave.
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There's a bottleneck in Washington. Coming from a conservative, most would expect Congressman Dr. Brian Babin to point the finger across the aisle at Democrats, but Babin's frustration rests with his own colleagues in the U. S. Senate, and it's mystifying for the congressman.

Spending most of his day in Liberty County on Thursday, the dentist by profession stopped by the Dayton Rotary to share the real news of what's going on in Washington, D. C. and describe for the business group the obstacles and obstructionism being thrown at Republicans by Democrats and even some in his own party.

"The House passed repeal and replace of Obamacare. The problem was the United States Senate," he said, falling one vote short of getting rid of Obamacare which. Babin claims the medical program is "hurting America."

"We've passed over 225 bills in the House of Representatives and sent them over to the Senate and they're sitting there not being voted on. These are some of the things that we have to deal with inside the beltway in Washington," he said.

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The failure of Obamacare was foremost on the minds of many Rotarians.

"We must act. Under Obamacare, premiums have gone up 105 percent including 82 percent in the state of Texas. The fact that the Senate didn't do their job, Obamacare is in a death spiral and headed down the tubes," the dentist-turned-congressman said.

Babin said former President Obama promised a $2,500 reduction in health care costs, but in reality, most Americans have seen their health care costs skyrocket more than $5,000 or higher.

Babin predicts most Americans will face double-digit increases again in 2018.

"Paying health care premiums are like paying a second mortgage," Babin said.

With the exit of insurance companies who can no longer support their bottom line with the legislation of Obamacare, 30 percent of the country now has only one company to choose from.

"One by one, the insurance companies are dropping out like flies," he said. "Only having one to choose from is a monopoly!"

The Port Arthur native focused on four main talking points he said were the mission of this congress: Reining in the federal bureaucracy, securing the borders, rebuilding the military and creating new jobs.

Some of that regulatory relief has come from the president himself.

"Regulatory relief is simply getting the bureaucracy out of our lives as much as possible. We have to have some regulation or we'd have chaos, but there has to be a balance," he said. "The last eight years we have seen an extreme intrusion and burden of the federal government into almost every aspect of our life."

Regulatory relief, he said, equals more jobs, more opportunity, and more freedom.

Since January, the Congress has passed a historic number of Congressional Review Act resolutions to repeal last-minute or midnight rules that the Obama administration passed within the last few days and few hours of his administration.

They passed a record-breaking 15, and 14 were signed into law.

According to estimates provided by Babin, the regulatory actions could produce more than $86 billion in savings for taxpayers in compliance costs.

Babin also pointed the finger at other obstructionists - bureaucrats.

"They are elected by no one," he said. He estimated that more than 100,000 works in the executive branch of the federal government.

President Trump has mandated that for every new regulation that is passed, two must be abolished.

In other executive orders, he approved the Keystone Excel Pipeline and repealed Obama's WOTUS (Waters of the United States) rule.

The rule written by the Environmental Protection Agency gave government unprecedented authority to regulate all bodies of water including ditches, holes and ruts in the fields.

"If it holds water anytime during the year, they are going to regulate it," he said. "This is one of the biggest takings by the federal government of private property in the history of the United States."

The congressman said it would have been a killer for agriculture, ranchers and farmers, and the development of private property.

Trump also eliminated the Paris Climate Accord that Babin said saw no benefit to the US and would have shipped more jobs to India, China and other Third World countries.

"The stipulation would have had the U.S. taking $3 billion out of the treasury and giving it to China and India, the biggest polluters in the world today. It would have increased the cost of our goods and up to 50 percent higher or more on your utilities and energy," he said.

The former dentist said the economy appears to be improving under the Trump administration.

"One million new jobs have been created since January. At least 209,000 just in the month of July. Unemployment rate is at a 16-year low. The stock market keeps banging through record after record since this president took office. Consumer confidence is at a 16-year high. We're headed in the right direction, but there's plenty of work to be done," he said.

Some of those included tax reform and health care, which are still on the table, he said.

Other measures the Republican congress had addressed including a replacement of Dodd-Frank, reforms at the Veterans Administration and funding the southern wall, but all of it sits in the Senate awaiting approval.

"We're making progress. Is it going as smooth and as rapidly as I'd like? No, it's not," the congressman said. "You see a problem and you know how to solve it yet you can't do it because of politics."

Babin also said they face stiff resistance from the other side of the aisle.

"I have had dealings with the president and vice president and they are good men," he said. "I'm going to say unequivocally that I believe that there's a conspiracy to destroy the Trump administration. I've seen this with my own eyes."

"If we weren't making progress, you wouldn't be hearing the shrieking coming from the swamp creatures inside the beltway in Washington, D.C.," he said. "They have a reason because we're trying to restore this country back to the mainstream with less government, lower taxes, less regulations, strong military, strong foreign policy, traditional family values, and putting entrepreneurship and job creation at the top of our economy."

All of which are contrary to the left, he said.

The doctor admits America has never been perfect, but said it's still the greatest nation on earth.

"I can promise you this, I'm going to keep fighting and pushing as hard as I can for all these principles that I have articulated," he said.
Police have arrested a Pearland man, 19, and a Friendswood man, 18, for the Aug. 1 theft of a donation jar from Rancho Mexican Restaurant, 146 W. Parkwood Avenue.

The pair reportedly dined at the restaurant and stole the donation jar before leaving in a green Toyota 4Runner, police said. The 18-year-old suspect, arrested Aug. 14 at Polly Ranch Park in the 2400 block of Airline Drive, told police the two had used the cash from the donation jar to buy marijuana. The second man was arrested later that evening.

Both men are in the Galveston County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

BURGLARY

A woman's purse was stolen out of her vehicle Aug. 6 at Centennial Park, 2200 S. Friendswood Drive, police said. She told officers she parked her vehicle between 10 a.m. and noon and left it unlocked with her purse inside, according to an Aug. 7 police report. When she returned to her vehicle at 1 p.m., the purse was gone and she had fraudulent transactions on her debit card, police said.

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The roof of Edgewood Pharmacy, 120 S. Friendswood Drive, was damaged and two ceiling panels were removed, according to an Aug. 12 police report. During an investigation, the officer determined forced entry had been made through the roof of the strip center above the pharmacy. Suspended ceiling tiles were moved, and the officer believes the suspect had second thoughts upon seeing a 12-foot distance from the ceiling to the ground. Nothing inside the pharmacy was stolen.

A vehicle burglary was reported Aug. 12 at Stevenson Park, 1100 S. Friendswood Drive, police said. The driver's side window was smashed, but nothing appeared to be missing, according to the report.

A vehicle window was smashed and a purse stolen out of a vehicle parked at Friendswood Junior High School, 1000 Manison Parkway, according to an Aug. 13 police report.

THEFT

A male suspect reportedly took a 24-pack of Budweiser out of his cart and sprinted into the parking lot Aug. 7 at Kroger, 151 N. Friendswood Drive, police said. The man got into an SUV, but a witness was able to identify him by name. When officers went to suspect's residence in the 16600 block of Hibiscus Lane, the occupants refused to answer the door. Once video surveillance is released, police said they may have enough evidence for an arrest warrant.

Police charged a Manvel man, 31, with theft and possession of a controlled substance after he reportedly stole two orange lawn trimmers from a city truck Aug. 9 near Wilderness Trails. A Precinct 4 Galveston County deputy constable located a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle's description and stopped it in the 300 block of West Main Street in League City. Two trimmers were found in the back seat, and the suspect was taken into custody. During a vehicle inventory, officers reportedly found morphine and oxycodone pills. The trimmers were returned to the Friendswood city worker, and bond was set at $3,000.

Theft of hydrocodone was reported Aug. 10 at Friendswood Health Care Center, 213 E. Heritage Drive, police said. A nurse reportedly left 90 hydrocodone pills in an unlocked office and found them gone upon her return from a meeting.

Lawn trimmers, mowers and loading ramps were stolen Aug. 11 in the 200 block of Winding Road, police said. The owner had returned home to find one of his push mowers in the driveway and several pieces of equipment missing.

A diesel pump inside a blue container was stolen Aug. 11 in the 400 block of Woodlawn Drive, an area near road construction, police said.

FRAUD

A Friendswood woman received a bill in the mail from a debt collector for a fraudulently created account with an electrical provider, according to an Aug. 7 police report. The residence associated with the electricity service does not belong to the victim, police said.

A Friendswood woman discovered 26 fraudulent transactions totaling more than $2,000 after she attempted to use her credit card July 7 and it was declined, police said.

A Friendswood woman told police Aug. 10 someone fraudulently opened a Fingerhut subscription in her name. She checked her credit report and found additional fraudulent accounts with Macy's and Kohl's, police said.

A Friendswood man discovered someone had used his personal information to fill out a credit application for T-Mobile online after he received a letter from Zales stating he had opened an account and had nearly reached the credit limit, according to an Aug. 11 police report. When he checked his credit report, he found several other inquiries for credit.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

Police suspect a Friendswood man of breaking a window at Best Clips Salon, 301 W. Edgewood Drive, in the early morning hours of Aug. 7. The suspect left blood evidence at the scene, and the business owner retrieved surveillance video that showed a white SUV parked in front of the salon at 3:12 a.m., police said. Night-shift officers responding to a 3:17 a.m. call to Hut Mobile Home Park, 110 Woodlawn Drive, found a man who reportedly also had been driving a white SUV. He had a deep laceration on his wrist and was transported to the hospital, police said. During a hospital interview, the suspect reportedly told police he had been intoxicated and confused the business complex with his residence. He believes he shattered the window with his fist, according to the report.

A vehicle was "keyed" along the passenger-side doors while parked in the 200 block of St. Cloud Drive, according to an Aug. 8 police report. The words "no parking" were etched into the dirt on the tailgate. The vehicle reportedly was parked legally along the curb Aug. 7.

NARCOTICS

Police charged a 16-year-old Friendswood boy with marijuana possession after an officer reportedly noticed two suspicious males near Polly Ranch Park Aug. 7 in the 2400 block of Airline Drive. A K-9 officer alerted to the presence of narcotics near a vehicle, and a phone call to the vehicle's owner led to the arrival of the two males' parents. One juvenile was released to his father without charges, but the 16-year-old was taken into custody after a vehicle search yielded marijuana and a digital scale, police said.

Police charged a Houston woman, 17, with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a tobacco product by a minor after a traffic stop for driving without headlights Aug. 10 in the 100 block of East Edgewood Drive. During a search of the vehicle, the officer reportedly found a small amount of marijuana, a pack of cigarettes and a backpack containing rolling papers, lighters, a butane torch and marijuana inside plastic bags. The backpack belonged to a 16-year-old Houston teen who was taken into custody and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Police charged a Friendswood woman, 24, with possession of a controlled substance after a call to check on a person sleeping in a car Aug. 11 at Kroger, 3161 FM 528. Officers arrived to find the woman standing next to her vehicle, arguing with a person who had taken her keys. She then tried to hide a clear plastic bag containing large white, round pills, police said. The bag reportedly contained cocaine, Soma, Xanax and hydrocodone. The woman is on probation for a January cocaine possession charge, police said.

DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED

Police charged a Pearland woman, 31, with DWI after she reportedly ran a red light Aug. 9 in the 1500 block of Winding Way. She failed a field sobriety test and voluntarily submitted to a breath test, police said. Bond was set at $1,500.

Police charged a Dickinson woman, 54, with DWI after a traffic stop Aug. 12 in the 3700 block of FM 528. She reportedly failed a field sobriety test and refused a breath test. The passenger, a Dickinson man, 65, was charged with public intoxication and taken into custody after an officer observed miniature wine bottles at his feet, police said.

RESISTING ARREST

A Streetman man, 30, was charged with resisting arrest after a disturbance Aug. 10 at Friends Pub, 2407 W. Parkwood Ave., police said. When an officer approached the suspect in an attempt to identify him, he reportedly made aggressive moves and fought with police as they attempted to detain him. At jail, he refused to remove his belongings from his pockets and struggled again with police officers. Bond was set at $1,500.

TRAFFIC

Police charged a Galena Park man, 18, with failure to identify after a traffic stop for an unreadable temporary license plate Aug. 7 in the 1700 block of FM 528. The man, a passenger, provided a false name before an officer found his Texas Identification card during a vehicle search, police said. He reportedly was wanted in Pasadena and Galena Park.

Police charged a Houston man, 27, with driving while license invalid and possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop for expired registration Aug. 9 in the 5100 block of FM 2351. During a vehicle search, the officer reportedly found marijuana residue throughout the floorboard and a digital scale in the center console.

A Dickinson man, 24, was charged with driving while license invalid after a stop for an insurance violation Aug. 9 in the 2900 block of West Bay Area Boulevard, police said. His driver's license reportedly was suspended, and none of the vehicle's occupants could produce identification. Two passengers, a 23-year-old Houston man and a 19-year-old Webster man, had warrants for their arrest. A third passenger was released from the scene.

Police charged a Friendswood man, 60, with failure to stop and give information after a hit-and-run accident Aug. 10 in the 700 block of West Parkwood Avenue. An officer located the suspect vehicle in the 2900 block of West Parkwood Avenue. The driver told police he knew he was involved in a crash but did not stop because he didn't feel he was at fault. Bond was set at $1,000.

Police charged a Huntsville man, 26, with no driver's license and no insurance after a traffic stop Aug. 12 in the 3300 block of FM 528. He reportedly did not have a driver's license and was only able to produce an identification card from El Salvador. He also had expired insurance, police said.
An unassuming grass-covered stone mound outside of Dublin, Ireland, may be home to the world's oldest visual representation of a solar eclipse.

The Loughcrew Cairns in Meath County, Ireland, date back to approximately 3,300 years B.C., predating the more well-known structures at Stonehenge, in southern England, by about 1,000 years. The 5,000-year-old Loughcrew structures appear to have served as burial sites for the some of the region's inhabitants during the neolithic era.

The cairns contain a number of large stones with intricate carvings representing spirals, diamonds and other seemingly abstract shapes. Some researchers who have studied the site believe that the placement of the stones and drawings suggests that, like Stonehenge, the structures were built to reflect various astronomical phenomena, like solstices and equinoxes.

In 2002, one investigator took this idea even further. Paul Griffin, an "archaeoastronomer" from Ireland, considered the stone carvings and the age of the site against calculations of when solar eclipses may have been visible from the area. Those calculations suggested that a near-total eclipse occurred at the site around 3340 BC, around the time it was built.

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One of the Loughcrew cairns also contains a large stone carving of overlapping concentric circles which could represent a view of the moon partially occluding the sun during an eclipse.

In Griffin's telling, the larger concentric circle to the left represents the moon, while the partially-occluded circle immediately adjacent represents the sun. Those circles do indeed bear a striking resemblance to a partial solar eclipse.

Other circles surrounding the pair may represent stars suddenly visible in the sky during the near-total eclipse, while the diamonds to the right could refer to stone pillars elsewhere at the site.

According to Griffin's calculations, this eclipse would have happened around sunset on a day in the late autumn, or November 30, 3340 BC in Universal Time.

Previous archaeologists working at the site had discovered charred human remains from nearly 50 individuals placed beneath a basin immediately in front of the carving, suggesting a monument of great ritual importance -- "a possible human sacrifice to 'save' the Neolithic 'sky God' (Sun) from dying as it descended to the 'underworld' at the horizon, with 15 percent of its surface still 'eaten away,'" as Griffin speculates.

Is Griffin's interpretation correct? It's impossible to know for sure. The people who created the carvings didn't leave behind any writings to explain their purpose to curious onlookers 5,000 years in the future.

But Griffin's explanations were convincing enough for NASA to include his ideas in their roundup of eclipse history. Lunar scientist John Dvorak also included them in his recent book on eclipses, "Mask of the Sun," although he notes that the meaning of the carvings is "open to debate," and that "no one knows for sure exactly what the concentric circles represent."

Other experts on astronomy and ancient culture are more skeptical of the Loughcrew eclipse hypothesis. Anthony Aveni, a professor of astronomy and anthropology at Colgate University and author of the book "In the Shadow of the Moon," said in an email that he sees "no reason to tie [the Loughcrew carvings] in any way to eclipses. In my view you need a written record to imply with any certainty that eclipses are being referenced."

"There's no evidence I know of to suggest that neolithic people anywhere kept track of eclipse cycles," he added.

These disagreements are bound to arise when you peer back 5,000 years into the past -- there's little certainty when it comes to the motives and ideas of a culture that far removed from our own, particularly one that had not adopted any sort of written language.

But that mystery is, of course, part of the draw -- both of ancient cultures, and of the solar eclipses that we know they would have seen, regardless of whether they commemorated them with carvings or inscriptions.

For those of us in the States, some of that mystery will be on full display in just a few days.
BARCELONA - Spain was seized Friday with the realization that it had incubated a large-scale terrorist plot, as authorities across Europe mounted a manhunt following the deadliest attacks to strike the country in more than a decade: two vehicle assaults in Barcelona and a Catalan coastal town.

Investigators believe that at least eight people plotted the attacks, putting them at a level of sophistication comparable to major strikes in Paris and Brussels in recent years. Other more recent attacks in London, Berlin and the southern French city of Nice were perpetrated by individuals operating largely on their own.

Spanish counterterrorism officers were scrambling to untangle the terrorist network, which involved at least four Moroccan citizens under age 25, according to intelligence officials. In addition to those four, authorities have detained three Moroccan men and a Spaniard.

In a sign that the attack could have been significantly worse, police said they believed the assailants were planning to use propane and butane canisters in an explosive assault against civilians. Instead, the gas ignited prematurely, destroying a house in Alcanar, about 100 miles southwest of Barcelona that was being used by the suspects. The explosion killed at least two people and injured 16, including police officers and firefighters investigating the site.

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Hours later, police said, one of the suspects set out for the touristy Las Ramblas area of Barcelona in a white delivery van, which he used to mow down pedestrians strolling along the tree-lined promenade.

As of Friday evening, the fate of the main suspect - the driver of the van, who fled on foot after the rampage - was unclear. Police were investigating the possibility that he was among five assailants killed early Friday in a second vehicle attack in Cambrils, a seaside town about 70 miles southwest of Barcelona.

Meanwhile, the nation began to mourn the international group of 13 victims - including at least one American - who were fatally struck in the heart of Barcelona's tourist district late Thursday afternoon. A 14th victim was killed in the second ramming attack.

The slain American was identified by his family as Jared Tucker, 42, of the San Francisco Bay Area, who was on a European vacation with his wife to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.

In Washington, the State Department said Friday that Spanish authorities still have not identified all of the casualties, so the U.S. Consulate in Barcelona is working with them to determine whether any more Americans were killed or injured.

The bloodshed prompted France to announce it was reinforcing its frontier with Spain, a sign of fears that further violence could spill beyond Spanish borders. Anti-immigrant Central European leaders seized on the suspects' nationalities to call for tighter controls on migration.

In Finland, two people were killed and six others wounded in a stabbing Friday in the southwestern city of Turku, police said. They said the incident was not being investigated as terrorism, although the motive and identity of the suspect, who was apprehended, were not immediately clear, and Finnish intelligence services joined the investigation.

The Islamic State claimed that its "soldiers" carried out the Barcelona attack, but the level of actual involvement by the terrorist group was unclear.

Spanish intelligence officials were circulating at least four names among their European counterparts Friday, according to a Spanish intelligence official and a European intelligence official, both of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the situation.

The four men, all holding Moroccan citizenship, ranged in age from 17 to 24. Three were born in the North African country: Said Aallaa, 18; Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22; and Mohamed Hychami, 24. The fourth was identified in a Spanish police document as Moussa Oukabir, 17, but the European intelligence official said Spanish officials had flagged someone with the same family name but a different first name. All lived in or near the Catalan town of Ripoll, close to the French border.

At least three of the men were killed in the attack in Cambrils, the Spanish intelligence official said, without identifying which of them were dead.

Two Spanish security officials said police originally sought Oukabir's older brother because his identity card was found in the truck used for the Barcelona attack. The older brother, who is currently in custody, denies any connection to the attack and said his brother may have stolen his identity card, the official said.

"We cannot rule out further attacks," Maj. Josep Lluis Trapero, a Catalan police official, told reporters in Barcelona.

Authorities were not aware of any previous connection to extremism among the detained men, he said.

All five men involved in the second attack in Cambrils were shot dead after plowing an Audi into people along the corniche at about 1 a.m., Trapero said.

The nationality of the men was sure to raise alarm in European counterterrorism circles. Moroccan networks also were connected to major terrorist attacks in France and Belgium in recent years. Spain has a significant Moroccan population, and there has been a spike in arrivals of migrants from Morocco by sea this year.

Their background also prompted Europe's anti-migrant politicians to condemn what they said was a connection between migration and terrorism, even though there was no evidence that the men were part of the waves of migration from Africa and the Middle East in recent years.

"It is evident to everyone that there is a correlation between illegal immigration and terrorism," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told his country's MTI news agency. "Europe must protect itself, and the security of the people must be guaranteed."

In Barcelona, thousands of people gathered at midday Friday in a square at the top of Las Ramblas for a minute of silence, led by Spanish King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Afterward, they cheered, held single red roses to the sky and chanted in Catalan: "I am not afraid."

The whole Las Ramblas neighborhood was eerily quiet in the morning as heavily armed police patrolled on Friday.

Later in the day, tourists and onlookers filled the long boulevard, turning what is ordinarily a vacation hot spot into a site of mourning. Some set out candles to commemorate the victims.

Less than 24 hours after the attack - and before many details were confirmed - a fierce debate erupted in Barcelona over the meaning of what had happened. Demonstrations materialized Friday evening over the place of Islam in Europe. A small group of far-right demonstrators gathered in Barcelona's main square to protest what they called the "Islamicization of Europe." They were met by thousands of counterprotesters who decried Islamophobia, waved rainbow flags and shouted slogans such as "Barcelona! Anti-fascist!"

In a series of tweets, President Trump said U.S. agencies were "on alert" and charged that court challenges and opposition from Democrats have made security "very difficult." He gave no specifics.

"Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary!" Trump wrote. "The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!"

The attacks on Thursday and Friday marked the latest uses of vehicles in terrorist strikes against civilians, following attacks since the middle of 2016 in Britain, France, Germany and Sweden.

Spain's civil protection agency said 120 people were injured in the attack in Barcelona, and an additional six in Cambrils. There were casualties among people of at least 34 nationalities, underscoring the international draw of the cosmopolitan Las Ramblas area, which has long stood at the heart of the city. France's Foreign Ministry said 26 of its citizens were injured, 11 of them seriously.

Residents of Barcelona said they had long feared an attack on their bustling city.

"This is a huge city, and somehow we were always expecting something like this, but of course you're never prepared," said Cristina Nadal, 44, an aide for the Catalan government, who came to the moment of silence on Friday.

The crowd was "exactly what we wanted to show - that although the terrorists want to beat us, we can show to the world that we can still stand strong," she said.

Two longtime Muslim residents of Barcelona said they were furious about the violence.

"What Islam teaches us is that killing one person is like killing all of humanity," said Nagma Jawed, 40, who moved to the city 20 years ago from her native India and runs a textile shop in the city.

"First of all, we are human beings. Our religion comes after that," said Jawed, who was wearing a headscarf on Friday as she stood in the square with her husband for the mourning ceremony.

- - -

Birnbaum reported from Brussels and Mekhennet reported from Frankfurt, Germany. William Booth and Raul Gallego Abellan in Barcelona, Paul Schemm in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report.

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Video: Spanish police said an attack on a pedestrian area in Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas district caused "massive" damage Aug. 17. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

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If you think solar eclipses on Earth are cool, wait till you get a load of an eclipse on Mars.

Earth typically experiences anywhere from four to seven eclipses in a year, counting partial solar eclipses (when the moon doesn't fully obscure the sun) and lunar eclipses (when the earth's shadow partially obscures the moon).

On Mars, however, solar eclipses are practically a daily event. Mars has two moons - tiny, potato-shaped satellites named Phobos and Deimos, after the Greek deities of fear and dread, respectively. For a sense of how small they are, here's a NASA illustration comparing them with the size of Earth's moon.

But Mars's moons orbit at a much closer distance than our own Moon orbits ours. While the moon is about 238,000 miles away from Earth (give or take), Phobos is only about 6,000 miles away from the surface of Mars.

Among other things, that proximity causes it to rotate incredibly fast, circling around Mars in under eight hours. A person standing on Mars would see it cross the sky twice in one day. Because of its small size, it appears smaller than our own moon does to us.

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Phobos's close, fast orbit makes it cross paths with the sun fairly often - near-daily. But because the moon is so small it never fully occludes the sun to create a total eclipse. Part of the sun's disc is always visible.

"Because this eclipse occurred near midday at Curiosity's location on Mars," NASA explains, "Phobos was nearly overhead, closer to the rover than it would have been earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon. This timing made Phobos' silhouette larger against the sun - as close to a total eclipse of the sun as is possible from Mars."

What about the other Martian moon? Deimos orbits more than twice as far away from Mars and is smaller to boot, making it much less visible in the Martian sky. When Deimos crosses paths with the sun, it's more properly called a transit, rather than an eclipse.

Other planets experience eclipses, too, although we haven't observed any of them from the ground up. Here, for instance, is a Hubble telescope image of Jupiter's moon Io casting a shadow on Jupiter's surface.

From Jupiter, the sun appears much smaller than it does in our own sky. A number of the planet's moons obscure it completely, creating not an eclipse but an occultation - an astronomical term for when one object is completely hidden by another one of much larger apparent size. Because Jupiter has at least 69 moons, it sometimes experiences multiple eclipses and occultations simultaneously.

A similar situation holds on Saturn, Uranus and even faraway Neptune. Eclipses can happen on Pluto, too.

But our own total eclipses on Earth are one-of-a-kind. Because of the similarity between the apparent sizes of the moon and sun when viewed from Earth, our total eclipses block out the entirety of the sun's disc while leaving the luminous corona - the sun's fiery atmosphere - plainly visible in the darkened sky.

That event happens nowhere else in the solar system - not even on Mars.

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Video: A solar eclipse on Mars.

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Tens of thousands of troops from the U.S., South Korea and several other countries will conduct drills over the next few weeks to prepare for a possible war with Kim Jong Un's regime.

The annual Ulchi-Freedom Guardian military exercises starting Monday routinely spark condemnation from North Korea, and this year is no different. The state-run Korean Central News Agency this week called them "reckless saber-rattling" and warned that they could spark an accidental war.

The drills are important for another reason: China has called on the U.S. to halt them to start talks with North Korea, part of its "suspension-for-suspension" proposal that would also require Kim to freeze nuclear and missile tests. The U.S. rejects this outright, and scaling down the drills now would make President Donald Trump look weak so soon after his warnings of "fire and fury."

Still, some former American officials and analysts are saying at least some drills should be up for negotiation.

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William McKinney, a retired Army colonel who spent more than 40 years involved in U.S.-Korea military relations and planning, said the U.S. should consider suspending larger exercises -- provided it gets something in return. Neither the one next week or a large one usually held in March would impact U.S. readiness, and they could be replaced with more targeted drills that focus on command-and-control systems, he said.

"If there is a point in time when a degree of trust exists between the two parties for a quid pro quo agreement, then one or both exercises might be up for being suspended," said McKinney, the non-resident Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "I am not looking to see a unilateral suspension, but at some point they might be a bargaining chip."

Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Thursday that the exercises were important for the alliance to maintain the ability to defend itself. They could be reduced if North Korea were to pursue denuclearization and cease ballistic missile tests, he said.

"As long as the threat from North Korea exists, we need to maintain a high state of readiness to respond to that threat," Dunford told reporters in Beijing. Military exercises are "not currently on the table as part of the negotiations in any way."

Tensions on the Korean peninsula appeared to calm down this week after Trump praised Kim for waiting to fire missiles over Japan into waters near Guam. He has previously said military force is an option to prevent Kim from gaining an intercontinental ballistic missile that could deliver a nuclear weapon to the U.S.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday repeated that military force is still on the table, rejecting an assertion by senior White House adviser Stephen Bannon that there's no such option.

In the past, the drills have raised tensions. During last year's exercises, North Korea launched a ballistic missile from a submarine and put its military on the highest alert.

Formal talks on North Korea's nuclear program collapsed in 2009, and the U.S. has resisted restarting them until Kim demonstrates a commitment to denuclearization and halts tests of missiles and nuclear devices. North Korea, on the other hand, wants the U.S. to drop its hostile policies before agreeing to talks.

China's proposal for talks isn't sincere, according to Ryan Hass, a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

"The dual-freeze approach is China's attempt at buck-passing and moral equivalency between U.S. actions and North Korean actions," Hass said. "Buck-passing in the sense that Beijing is not making a genuine effort to leverage a freeze. They are making a genuine effort to pin responsibility on the United States."

This year's Ulchi-Freedom Guardian drill is a computerized command-and-control simulation and will be of similar size to last year's event with no field training, a spokeswoman for U.S. Forces in Korea said.

Some analysts see room to maneuver. Kim's regime only wants the U.S. to cancel military drills that prepare for removing him from power and detonating nuclear weapons, Joel Wit, a former state department official, wrote in the Atlantic magazine on Aug. 13.

"As any informed military planner will tell you, that's possible while also maintaining the readiness of American forces on the Korean peninsula," wrote Wit, who met with North Korean officials in Geneva after Trump's election win. "And had Pyongyang halted testing in 2015, Washington wouldn't be facing the imminent threat of a North Korean ICBM today."

The U.S. has been burned before when it suspended military exercises.

In the 1990s, the large-scale Team Spirit exercises between the U.S. and South Korea were canceled several times in a bid to get the North Koreans to abandon their nuclear program. Pyongyang eventually reneged on an agreement to dismantle its nuclear reactors -- one among many reasons the U.S. doesn't trust North Korea.

Still, that shouldn't stop the U.S. from exploring a deal, said John Delury, an associate professor of Chinese studies at Yonsei University in Seoul.

"If you are going to suspend exercises you should get something pretty good from the North Koreans for it," Delury said. "It is not something to do as a simple goodwill gesture."

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Bloomberg's Peter Martin contributed.
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It's not even close to approaching the election season, but the rhetoric is already heating up in a campaign that's pitting a Tomball Democrat who's never held a significant public office against a veteran politician who's one of the most powerful members of Congress.

On the same day U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, gave a televised speech on tax reform from the Reagan Ranch in California -- virtually hallowed ground for Republicans -- challenger Steven David was kicking off his campaign from the rather modest Conroe Activity Center. They would not meet until the November 2018 general election, if they both win their respective March primaries. Neither has a primary opponent at this time.

Accompanied by three other members of the Ways and Means Committee -- a committee Brady chairs -- Brady continued his push for a federal tax overhaul he and his fellow Republicans say will save the average Texas family of four about $5,000 a year.

"Bold legislation to reduce paychecks on every American and grow jobs and paychecks nationwide," Brady said in describing the plan.

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A few hours later, David, spoke in front of about 100 people at the activity center in Conroe. He disputed the promised savings.

"If he can put forward a tax reform bill," David questioned. "He's lied to us before. He said there's going to be no negative impact on your health care," as he pivoted to health care, another topic that Republicans and Democrats remain on opposite sides of the political spectrum.

Brady previously expressed confidence in Republican attempts to overturn, or at least dramatically alter Obamacare, officially known as the Affordable Care Act -- an attempt that failed.

"Health care is difficult," Brady acknowledged to The Courier back in June after the Republican healthcare package had passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, but before it failed to pass the Senate.

"We had to unravel a current law that, frankly, is collapsing and put in place the first steps of a new law," he said. "That whose main purpose in the Republican plan is to lower the cost of health care for those who don't get it at work and those who don't get it in a government program like medicare or through the VA."

David's views on health care are more simple, saying he thinks it should be a "fundamental right."

Before Brady delivered his speech on tax reform from the Reagan Ranch, he was welcomed on national television, with at least soundbites of his speech played throughout the day on network stations across the nation.

As for David, he received rather healthy applause from the gathering of locals he had just spoken to at the activity center. Earlier in his talk, the crowd chuckled as David noted he would have to carry the chairs out at the end of the talk.

Besides the extreme contrasts of their speaking venues and of their political views, there's another vast chasm between David, the 32-year-old political novice and the 62-year-old Brady, an experienced political veteran -- money.

David claims that he's raised more cash in the first two weeks of his campaign than any other Democrat in the 8th Congressional District has raised in the past 14 years. David wouldn't provide the exact amount, although he did acknowledge he had raised $15,000 during the first week of his campaign.

As for Brady, The Houston Chronicle reports he took in more than $1 million in the past three months in campaign money, with his latest filings showing him with a war chest of $2.2 million.

Meanwhile, Brady is on his way back to Texas where his office says he has at least 12 more district events before returning to Washington after Labor Day. David had no specific campaign events planned, but said he was working on setting up a series of breakfast meetings.
RIO DE JANEIRO - In the year since Rio de Janeiro hosted the Summer Olympics, the fallout from the enormously expensive event has only mounted: crime has risen, the "violent death" rate is the highest in nearly a decade, Olympic-related corruption charges are piling up and the city's shiny new stadiums are already falling apart.

But perhaps no symbol of Rio's decline is more troubling and emotional for Rio residents than the recent closure of UERJ, the State University of Rio de Janeiro, a beacon of educational mobility for Brazil as well as a major employer and provider of social services for Rio.

On July 31, an official announcement was made that the university's 30,000 students need not show up to class that day: in fact, they could clear their calendars for the whole year because class has been canceled for an indeterminate amount of time. According to the statement , there is simply not enough money to keep the university open, and the situation has reached an "insupportable level."

In truth, the university has been limping along for some time now. For many people linked to UERJ, the school's closure did not come as a complete surprise. "Nobody is happy with the decision to cancel the school year," UERJ professor of politics Mauricio Santoro said, "but there is a general feeling that it is a necessary decision because there is no other way to go on."

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As Santoro pointed out, the state of Rio de Janeiro is facing "the worst financial crisis of its history." The university was already bailed out once last year, by the federal government on the eve of the Olympics. But the bailout was a "bandage, not a fix," Santoro said. This year, a strike over late pay derailed the academic calendar, and now the university hasn't paid its professors in four months. The now-canceled semester that was supposed to start this month was originally scheduled for March.

Yet even as the state's flagship university is in dire straits, Rio's governor offered up a million-dollar contract last week for a six-seat private jet, fueling anger among those whose lives have been upturned by UERJ's closure.

Leandro Pimentel, a professor of photography at UERJ, notes the situation began deteriorating a year ago, when the state was late on paying the salaries of the janitorial staff, and then the professors. Despite not receiving his salary, Pimentel continued teaching under increasingly difficult conditions.

"I was in a situation where the projector wouldn't work so I'd have to move to another room, but the lights wouldn't work there so we'd move to another," he recalled. "It ended up being an improvised kind of thing, which is not how it should be."

Pimentel earns a side income via consulting work, which keeps him afloat for the time being. But many professors ended up in more dire straits, missing rent payments or worse.

Images of esteemed professors with sterling resumes standing at Rio traffic intersections begging for money went viral on Brazilian social media. Advertisements in the city's paper promoted donation events where citizens could donate canned goods to unpaid professors. "I ended up feeling ridiculous complaining about not having a projector when other professors were having to ask for food donations," Pimentel said. "My minimum expectations became a luxury."

Beatriz Serapiao Lucchetti, a sociology graduate student at UERJ, said "the last salary I got was in May." Rio's financial problems also mean Lucchetti is not receiving her salary from her job with the state's Culture Secretariat.

"My job is dependent on my finishing this course," she said. "And now with the job market as it is during this economic crisis, the whole situation becomes really difficult, almost impossible." She said she plans to move back in with her family in the Rio suburb of Niteroi and try to study from home.

But many of UERJ's students are not as lucky as Lucchetti. UERJ has the reputation for being not only one of the best universities in the country, but also the school that has done the most to address educational inequality in Rio. It was the first Brazilian institution to establish quotas for students from different ethnic backgrounds, a system that transformed the country's education system.

"A huge amount of students at UERJ are here thanks to scholarships," Pimentel said. For that reason, the university's closure is deeply symbolic for the city and its population. Pimentel said when many scholarship students stopped receiving funds because of the fiscal crisis, some professors went on strike, refusing to teach if it meant only teaching to the students who could afford to be there.

The closure does not only affect professors and students. UERJ's heavily-used hospital is located in one of Rio's most populous and needy areas.

For Lucchetti and others, the future is now a waiting game. Maybe the school will open in January, she said. Maybe some state money will reappear, but maybe not. In conversations about UERJ with professors and researchers and students these days, the refrain rings the same: " nao tem previsao" - "There is no forecast."
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Two more men have been charged in the July 19 shooting death of 4-year-old De-Earlvion Whitley at his home after officers reviewed surveillance video of a stash house in San Antonio.

Neither Tramone Mykel Anderson, 25, nor John Lee Chatman, 35, were charged with murder, however, but with one federal charge each of being a felon with a gun.

Their arrests, along with the third suspect, Charles Lee Bethany, came as part of operations federal agents have been conducting on the East Side to try to help curb mounting violence there.

After reviewing surveillance video seized during a raid connected to Bethany, agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the FBI identified Anderson and Chatman as among the men who left the stash house before the drive-by shooting on the Whitley home. They also identified Anderson as the driver of a sedan that arrived at the stash house after that shooting, and Chatman as a passenger.

Anderson was arrested on a criminal complaint Friday, while Chatman was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday. Bethany, 36, was also indicted Wednesday on federal drug charges stemming from the feds investigation that has now overlapped the San Antonio Police Departments investigation into the shooting death of the boy.

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Bethanys lawyer has denied Bethanys involvement in the boys shooting.

Andersons court-appointed lawyer, Alan Futrell, suggested that federal prosecutors sometimes file so-called hold-over charges while law officers have a chance to investigate further.

Read more about the latest arrests in connection with the fatal shooting of De-Earlvion Whitley.
Edwardsville, IL  St. Marys School families are getting ready for Mondays solar eclipse in more ways than just wearing eye protection.

Kindergarten through eighth grade students spent Friday afternoon at an Eclipse Fair in the St. Marys gymnasium where they visited twelve different stations, each teaching a fun lesson about the 2017 Solar Eclipse taking place on Monday. Stations such as Solar Safety, My Corona, Solar Selfies, and Electromagnetic Spectrum offered hands-on experiences for the student body and their parents.

We couldnt pass up the opportunity to use the solar eclipse as a learning experience, Dr. Lynne Miller, St. Marys parent and SIUE Chemistry Professor said, Students of all ages can learn to appreciate this rare occurrence and hopefully get excited that theres still so much to learn about space and planetary science. Dr. Miller has planned the Eclipse Fair where student scientists will receive a lab notebook in which they will record data at various stations that will have models, activities, contests, and quizzes for all grade levels.

St. Marys Junior High science teacher, Kirsten Tucker, is excited about Fridays Eclipse Fair and St. Marys Eclipse Viewing Picnic on Monday. This is what science is all about, Mrs. Tucker said, Students will forever remember watching the eclipse with their classmates and friends, and the Eclipse Fair will teach a respect and appreciation for planetary science.

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St. Marys Kindergarten through eighth grade students and many parents will celebrate Eclipse Day on Monday with a lunchtime picnic on the lawn followed by solar eclipse viewing with NASA-approved eye protection. Alternatively, students and parent volunteers are welcome to view live feed video broadcast of the solar eclipse in the gymnasium if they prefer.

St. Marys is a preschool through eighth grade parochial school open to the whole community. For more information, visit www.stmaryedw.org and follow the St. Marys School link.

For more information on St. Marys Eclipse Fair/Eclipse Day, contact St. Marys School at 618-656-1230.

Reporters and/or photographers are welcome to attend the Eclipse Fair or Eclipse Day at St. Marys School.

Please report to the school office through the main entrance for a visitor badge upon visiting campus.
The top two officers and the top enlisted sailor who were aboard the destroyer USS Fitzgerald are among about a dozen sailors who will face discipline following an early-morning collision June 17 that killed seven crew members, a senior Navy officer said Thursday.

Adm. William Moran, the vice chief of naval operations, told reporters at the Pentagon that the majority of the punishments will be delivered Friday in Yokosuka, Japan, where the ship is homeported. One sailor received an undisclosed administrative punishment Thursday. Moran declined to describe what occurred in the moments before the collision, saying that remains under investigation.

The discipline will include likely career-ending actions against Cmdr. Bryce Benson, the ship's captain at the time, and his second in command, Cmdr. Sean Babbitt, Moran said. They and the senior enlisted sailor for the ship, Command Master Chief Brice Baldwin, will be removed as leaders of the ship permanently, Moran said.

The admiral said that sailors who were on watch in the ship's bridge - its nerve center - also are among those who will be disciplined. Neither Benson nor Babbitt was in the bridge at the time of the collision, in which the 505-foot destroyer was struck off the coast of Japan by a much heavier container ship, the Philippine-flagged MV ACX Crystal.

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"Clearly at some point, the bridge team lost situational awareness," Moran said.

The ongoing investigation is still determining if the Fitzgerald's crew was entirely to blame for the disaster, but Moran said the senior officer overseeing the probe, Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, has collected more than 3,000 page of information and has reviewed enough information already to take initial disciplinary actions. It is not yet clear whether any sailor will face a court-martial trial.

The 29,000-ton container ship's bulbous nose ripped a 13-foot by 17-foot hole in the starboard size of the 9,000-ton Fitzgerald about 1:20 a.m., flooding one compartment where 35 sailors were inside in less than a minute, Moran said. The ensuing flooding left disoriented sailors scrambling for their lives amid a soupy mix of personal items, electronics and mattresses, and some of the survivors were forced to seal a door with other sailors still inside in an effort to prevent the ship from sinking.

"It is somewhat amazing that we didn't lose far more," Moran said. "By the time that the last two sailors reached the ladder-way up to the scuttle and out of that compartment was about 90 seconds, and by that time the water was up to their neck and quickly flooding the compartment."

Documents released by the Navy on Thursday describe the chaos as sailors, mostly sleeping awoke to a crash and realized their lives were in danger. Some began yelling "Water on deck!" and "Get out!" the documents said. At least one sailor was pulled from his bed into the water before he awoke, and another was knocked out of his bed by rushing water. The majority of the sailors who eventually died slept closest to the incoming rushing water.

The last sailor to be pulled from the flooding compartment of the ship was in the bathroom when the collision occurred, and knocked off his feet. Lockers floated past him, and he scrambled across them toward the main room, where he was pinned between lockers and the ceiling and eventually pulled himself free by reaching for a pipe, the documents said.

"He made his way to the only light he could see, which was coming from the port-side watertight scuttle," the documents said. "He was swimming toward the watertight scuttle when he was pulled from the water, red-faced and with bloodshot eyes. He reported that when taking his final breath before being saved, he was already submerged and breathed in water."

Benson's stateroom also was flattened by the collision, injuring him and leaving him incapacitated. He was eventually medically evacuated from the Fitzgerald by a Japanese helicopter.

The sailors killed included Gunner's Mate Seaman Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19; Yeoman 3rd Class Shingo Alexander Douglass, 25; Sonar Technician 3rd Class Ngoc T. Truong Huynh, 25; Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez, 26; Fire Controlman 2nd Class Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan, 23; Personnel Specialist 1st Class Xavier Alec Martin, 24, and Firecontrolman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr., 37.
A coalition of mayors on Friday condemned President Donald Trump for his comments on Charlottesville, Virginia, and announced a new campaign aimed at combating racism.

"The Compact," a project of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Anti-Defamation League, aims to refocus American cities on problems of extremism, bigotry and domestic terrorism. It calls on cities to strengthen civil rights laws and collect data on hate crimes, and to increase dialogue on racial issues in schools and community gatherings. And it asks that city leaders condemn hate in the strongest terms when it rears its head.

"To combat prejudice and bigotry, it will take a dedicated effort, and mayors have long been a beacon for inclusion and tolerance and respect," said Jonathan Greenblatt, national director of the Anti-Defamation League. "Times like this require both moral leadership and strong action," a kind that mayors can provide "whether or not we are seeing that from the president," Greenblatt said.

Several of the mayors who announced the effort, including Mitch Landrieu of New Orleans, have been on the front lines of efforts to remove Confederate symbols from public areas. But "The Compact" does not explicitly address how cities should handle such monuments, and it does not wade into the issue of "sanctuary cities" that refuse to help detain and deport illegal immigrants.

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Still, in a teleconference with reporters, the mayors called it a strong gesture on the part of leaders who are on the front lines of heightening tensions over race exposed in Charlottesville, where one woman died and others were injured during a rally by white supremacists that turned violent. Already, they said, more than 400 cities have signed on to the pledge, including large cities like Los Angeles and New York, smaller communities like Gresham, Oregon, and jurisdictions led by Democrats and Republicans.

The announcement comes as U.S. cities are under new pressure to delicately handle requests by white supremacist groups to stage similar rallies, and to respond to demands by citizens to remove confederate statues and symbols. This weekend, cities are bracing for a possible wave of demonstrations by white racist groups and leftist counter-protesters, with Boston imposing strict rules in hopes of keeping a planned protest there Saturday nonviolent.

It also comes as criticism is mounting against Trump, who this week blamed "both sides" in Charlottesville for the violence and lamented the removal of "beautiful" Confederate monuments. In a call with reporters, several mayors said it was up to leaders like them to unabashedly call out racism in the absence of such language from the president.

"Mayors would never divide their community like that. We just can't," Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis, a Republican, said on the call. "We are not suffering from any moral confusion here at city hall."
Vernon Ehlers, a Michigan Republican who became the first research physicist elected to Congress, where he championed science funding and environmental protections and won plaudits for the scientific rigor he brought to the rough-and-tumble of politics, died Aug. 15 in Grand Rapids, Mich. He was 83.

Rick Treur, a family spokesman and the congressman's former campaign manager, confirmed the death and said he had Alzheimer's disease.

A former nuclear physicist, professor and Michigan legislator, Dr. Ehlers served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 until his retirement in 2010. He represented Grand Rapids, a Republican stronghold in the western part of the state and the childhood home town of President Gerald R. Ford, whom Ehlers served as science adviser when Ford held the same congressional seat.

Ehlers won a special election to replace Rep. Paul Henry (R), who died in office of a brain tumor. The incoming congressman was later joined by Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., a former assistant director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, and Bill Foster, D-Ill., a former Fermilab physicist, to form what they called the three-person physics caucus.

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In a statement on Ehlers's death, Holt recalled his colleague saying that "we could meet anywhere - even in a phone booth - as long as it had a blackboard where we could discuss such things as the quadrupole moment of the nucleus, or impedance matching of simple machines, or congressional debates."

The Almanac of American Politics credited the freshman Ehlers with bringing "to House Republicans, then entering their 40th year in the minority, a majority mind-set." Rep. Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., who became speaker after the Republicans regained control of the House in 1994, appointed him to oversee the modernization of House technology, including what were then its 11 email systems.

"It was easier to send an email to Moscow than to send it 20 feet down the hall to a colleague," Ehlers once told Congressional Quarterly. He also oversaw the establishment of THOMAS.gov, the online legislative information source later succeeded by Congress.gov.

Because of his professional expertise, Ehlers led a review of science policy in the United States. A 1998 report concluded that the country's strategy required "not a major overhaul, but rather a fine-tuning and rejuvenation." He was considered a chief advocate on Capitol Hill for science, technology, engineering and mathematics training for the young.

Displaying what the Almanac described as a "penchant for compromise," Ehlers opposed Republican-supported initiatives that he considered harmful to the country's scientific goals or scientifically unsound. In particular, he strenuously defended the National Science Foundation, the grant-giving organization that, he noted, had supported him when he was a physics professor seeking to train elementary schoolteachers.

"I couldn't say what I really think of this proposal," he told the New York Times in 2004, when President George W. Bush proposed transferring $120 million in NSF funds to the Education Department. Ehlers had supported the Education Department's math-science programming but did not wish to see the NSF overlooked. "My language would be too bad, you'd have to rule me out of order," he remarked.

On environmental issues, he opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and obtained $270 million for cleanup of the Great Lakes. He expressed his frustration with those who denied scientific evidence of climate change.

"They sort of reject our reasoning," he told the Times. "But they will come back and say, 'Science will find a way.' "

Although Ehlers was perhaps best known for his service on the House science and education committees, he also chaired the Administration Committee after Rep. Robert Ney, R-Ohio, stepped down from the post in 2006. Ney later pleaded guilty to corruption charges stemming from the influence-peddling scandal involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Vernon James Ehlers, the son of a Christian Reform minister, was born in Pipestone, Minnesota, on Feb. 6, 1934. He received a bachelor's degree in 1956 and a PhD in 1960, both from the University of California at Berkeley and both in physics.

After research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ehlers became a physics professor at Calvin College, a Christian liberal arts college in Grand Rapids. He simultaneously served on the county commission, including as chairman, before devoting himself full time to public service.

He was a member of the Michigan state House from 1983 to 1985 and the state Senate, with a stint as president pro tempore, from 1985 to 1993.

Survivors include his wife of 59 years, the former Johanna Meulink of Grand Rapids; four children, Heidi Rienstra, Brian Ehlers and Marla Ehlers, all of Grand Rapids, and Todd Ehlers of Tubingen, Germany; two sisters; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Ehlers at times bemoaned the general lack of scientific knowledge - or interest - that he encountered on Capitol Hill. He recalled arguing with a colleague who wanted to defer to the banking industry for "A.T.M. research."

The acronym A.T.M., Ehlers had to inform his fellow House member, stood not for "automated teller machine," but rather for "asynchronous transfer mode," a type of data transfer.

He helped form Ben Franklin's List, a political action committee to support scientists seeking public office.

"Just get involved; the country needs your expertise, your analytical thinking and your approach to issues," he told aspirants. "If you can learn nuclear physics, you can learn politics."
WASHINGTON - Days after Betsy DeVos was sworn in as education secretary in February, she tapped Robert Eitel, an attorney at for-profit college operator Bridgepoint Education, to serve as a special assistant. Consumer advocates said at the time they feared he would dismantle regulations to the benefit of his employer.

Now, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is questioning whether Eitel did just that.

The liberal lawmaker sent DeVos a letter this week requesting information about Eitel's involvement in the suspension of two rules designed to protect students from predatory for-profit colleges, known as borrower defense to repayment and gainful employment. Warren said she wants to determine whether Eitel violated conflict-of-interest laws by working for the department while being employed by Bridgepoint.

Eitel was unavailable for comment. Education Department spokeswoman Liz Hill said he followed ethics rules and did nothing wrong.

Eitel took unpaid leave from Bridgepoint for several weeks to advise DeVos, before she appointed him as her senior counselor in April. Warren questions whether Eitel helped his employer in March by encouraging the department to extend the deadline for vocational programs to submit appeals and disclosures under the gainful rule-a regulation that threatens to withhold federal financial aid from career-training programs whose graduates are unable to earn enough to repay their student loans.

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"If Eitel provided any advice. . .that affects the financial interest of Bridgepoint-between February 13, 2017, and April 5, 2017, and did so without receiving any relevant waiver, then it appears that Eitel may have violated the criminal conflict-of-interest statute," Warren wrote. She is a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Department spokeswoman Hill said Warren's allegations were not only "outrageous but also defamatory." She said Eitel, like most other members of any transition team, took a leave of absence from Bridgepoint and then resigned from the company once he was formally appointed.

"There is absolutely nothing untoward about that process," Hill said. "Bob met with the department's ethics officer. During that conversation it was decided that Bob would recuse himself from working on any particular matters related to his former employer, including existing borrower defense claims filed by Bridgepoint students."

But Warren took issue with Eitel being involved with any aspect related to borrower defense-a statute that discharges the federal education loans of students defrauded by their colleges. Agency ethics official Marcella Goodridge-Keller wrote Warren in June saying that there was no conflict of interest in Eitel reviewing and rewriting the regulation.

"Given this information and the department's failure to require his recusal, it appears highly likely that Mr. Eitel was involved in the implementation and delay of the borrower defense rule before April 5, when he was still employed at Bridgepoint," wrote Warren.

Bridgepoint, like other for-profit college operators, has said its business could suffer under the borrower defense and gainful rules. In a November 2016 regulatory filing, the company said the defense rule would "expand the circumstances in which students may assert a defense to repayment against an institution. . .that could result in the imposition of significant restrictions on us and our ability to operate." And in March, Bridgepoint told investors the rule "could damage our reputation in the industry and have a material adverse effect on enrollments and our revenues, financial conditions, cash flow and results of operations."

From the outset, Bridgepoint has insisted that Eitel had no input on company business and no work-related communications with employees while he was on leave or after he left the company in April.

Eitel worked at Bridgepoint, owner of Ashford University and the University of the Rockies, when the company agreed to a $32 million settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The watchdog agency made the company refund and discharge $24 million in debt that students accumulated through an in-house loan program that allegedly misled borrowers about the total cost of the loans.

In February, the Education Department's inspector general determined that Bridgepoint owes the department a $300,000 fine for miscalculating the refund of federal aid provided to Ashford students, according to a regulatory filing. The company can appeal the inspector general's audit directly to DeVos, but department officials said Eitel will have no role in the matter since he has recused himself from anything related to the company.
Mayor Ivy Taylor, soon after she lost her June runoff, filed a claim for unemployment benefits from the city of San Antonio through the Texas Workforce Commission, sources said.

The city contacted Taylor after she filed the claim, the sources said, and recommended that she withdraw it because it would otherwise be rejected. Taylor tried, they said, but the Texas Workforce Commission would not allow the claim to be withdrawn.
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AUSTIN  Taking aim at House Speaker Joe Straus, Rep. Eric Johnson said Friday that no study committee is needed to remove a Confederate plaque near his Capitol office that denies that slavery led to Texas secession, only a history book and a crowbar.

So far, Straus is the only member of the board that oversees the Texas Capitol grounds who has even indicated a desire to review the accuracy of signs and monuments on the complex, amid a push by Johnson to remove all Confederate imagery in the wake of deadly protests in Charlottesville.

Johnson, D-Dallas, contends that this kind of review could take years, and he said previous efforts, including one after the racially motivated mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, resulted with no meetings ever taking place.

With all due respect to Speaker Straus, weve been down this road before, and it has gotten us nowhere, he said. A spokesman for Straus, R-San Antonio, did not immediately return a request for comment.

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Johnson wrote a letter to the State Preservation Board this week calling for the removal of all Confederate imagery on the Capitol grounds, in addition to the plaque.

At least half of the six members who govern the board, however, are opposed to removing monuments and say the state should learn from its past, instead of trying to bury it.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who chairs the board, condemned the violence in Virginia but said that tearing down monuments wont erase our nations past, and it doesnt advance our nations future.

But in a written response released late Friday, Rod Walsh, the board's executive director, assured Johnson that the board has initiated a review of the plaque and applicable state law.

Texas is one of several states considering removal of Confederate imagery after the racially driven protests in Charlottesville, which left one woman dead and dozens more injured.

Several rallies and counter-rallies are in the works; a rally set to take place in Austin to promote the true Confederate heritage has been delayed until Sept. 23 after discussion with the citys police, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

AMorris@express-news.net
The sighting of a wanted man caused San Antonio police to swarm a neighborhood on the West Side, Friday afternoon.

Multiple units were called to the 6700 block of Monterey Street after an officer reported encountering a man wanted for aggravated robbery, who fled from the officer, according to SAPD spokesman Officer Doug Greene.

RELATED: SAPD: Babysitter forced 4-year-old boy to perform sex acts on her

In addition to a K-9 unit, police also dispatched a helicopter to aid officers in the search, but to no avail.

Police report they were unable to locate the man after about a 2-hour search, Greene said.

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WASHINGTON  Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, the second-most powerful Republican in the Senate, added his voice Friday to a chorus of top party and business leaders breaking from President Donald Trump over his handling of the white supremacist violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Va.

"We've all been shocked that the unhealed wounds of the nation's racial divide flared up in such a surprising and disturbing way," Cornyn said in a Chronicle interview. "I think the president had an opportunity to send a message that would unite America behind our common resolve to heal those wounds and unite our country, and unfortunately I don't think he did that."

CANCELED RALLY: 'Texas doesn't need to listen to their garbage,' Cruz of Texas A&M

Cornyn's remarks on the controversy were his first since last weekend when he took to Twitter to condemn the violence: "No place for the bigotry & hate-filled violence in #Charlottesville. These actions should be condemned in the strongest possible terms."

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They also came as Trump parted ways with White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, the former Breitbart executive believed responsible for much of the president's nationalist rhetoric.

Cornyn had gone to Twitter earlier in the week to defend Majority Leader Mitch McConnell against a barrage of criticism from White House over the Senate's failure to pass legislation repealing Obamcare.

But Cornyn's remarks on Friday  after returning from a congressional delegation trip to the Balkans  were his first to address Trump's ambiguous response to the melee in Virginia that left one counter-protester dead and scores of others injured.

"Sometimes, when you try to have it both ways, you satisfy people on neither side, and I think that's what he did," Cornyn said.

Cornyn's comments came a day after Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said that Trump "has not demonstrated he understands the character of this nation."

Corker had also told reporters in Chattanooga that Trump "has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful."

The comments by Cornyn and Corker followed the criticism of several other Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jeff Flake of Arizona, who both received return fire from Trump.

Other high-profile Republicans, including Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, have issued statements condemning racism and bigotry, though without faulting Trump.

But while Cornyn said Trump had missed an "opportunity" to send a message of unity, he stopped short of echoing Corker's challenge to Trump's stability and competence.

"I don't think it's useful to criticize the president," Cornyn said. "My goal is to try to help the president succeed and to help the country succeed in the process."

The Texas Republican acknowledged, however, that the continuing controversy has not helped president's agenda in Congress, where Republicans are trying to build momentum for an overhaul of the U.S. tax code by the end of the year.

"It certainly doesn't make things easier," said Cornyn, the Republican Whip. "It takes a lot focus and teamwork and unity to be able to get things done in the Congress... All of this distracts us from the president's attempt to try to do things that he ran on, and that by and large he has support for, certainly among Republicans."

Cornyn also lamented the growing friction between Trump and top Republicans in Congress. "What the president is missing is that when get gets into a fight with the very people he's depending on to get his legislative agenda passed, it's not constructive. It's the opposite."
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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are now chowing down on Texas' favorite creamy dessert.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule recently delivered 6,400 pounds of cargo for crew members, including lab equipment, supplies and 30 individual cups of Blue Bell ice cream.

Astronauts have had the luxury of eating ice cream in the past, but room inside the ISS freezer has traditionally been precious real estate.

NASA VIDEO: How the total solar eclipse will look in Texas

Thankfully, the SpaceX Dragon capsule is equipped with freezers, allowing astronauts to clear up fridge space aboard the ISS and send stuff back to Earth, according to NPR.

Now, instead of urine and blood samples, astronauts will be able to stock their fridge with chocolate, vanilla and birthday cake-flavored ice cream.

As for freeze-dried ice cream, NASA isn't using it anymore, so it's not really fair to call it "astronaut ice cream."

VOYAGER 1: NASA is asking the public for a message to beam 12 billion miles into space

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In 2005, Vickie Kloeris, now-manager of NASA's Space Food Systems Laboratory, explained in a NASA article that "space ice cream was a special request for one of the Apollo missions," but "it wasn't that popular" and "most of the crew really didn't like it," leading to its discontinuation.

At least for now, Snickers ice cream bars and Blue Bell can be considered the unofficial "astronaut ice cream."

Check out the slideshow about to see a ranking for the flavors of Blue Bell ice cream.
Though Frank I. Gonzales had little formal education, his brilliance in mathematics took him far.

Receiving training in the Civilian Conservation Corps, where they were so impressed with his ability they had him teach classes in mathematics and physics, Gonzales then served in World War II and was sent to what was then the Alaska Territory to work on aircraft.

He was very good, his daughter Della May Moore said. When he got out, he was offered a job with the Flying Tigers, the nickname for the Flying Tiger Line, the first independent air cargo carriers in the United States.

From there Gonzales went on to hold positions with Slick Airways and Kelly AFB, from which he retired in the late 1980s.

Gonzales died Aug. 11 at 93.

Raised in Seguin during the Depression, Gonzales dropped out of school in the seventh grade to help support his family.

There were eight children, and he was the oldest boy, Moore said. They worked in the fields, and my grandfather was also a plumber.

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Joining the Conservation Corps as a teen, Gonzales was drafted during World War II and served in the Army Air Forces in Fairbanks, Alaska Territory.

Gonzales met his future wife, who was working at the now-defunct Bruners Department Store downtown, after returning from Alaska.

More Information Frank I. Gonzales Born: Nov. 5, 1923, Seguin Died: Aug. 11, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Son Daniel Gonzales; parents Francisco and Maria Gonzales; two sisters; three brothers Survived by: Wife Mary S. Gonzales; daughters Gilda Bratt and son-in-law Burt, Della May Moore and son-in-law John; three grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two sisters Services: Visitation at 5 p.m., rosary at 6 p.m. Sunday at Porter Loring Mortuary, 1101 McCullough Ave.; Mass at 9:30 a.m. Monday at San Fernando Cathedral, 115 Main Plaza See More Collapse

Trying to impress his new love, Gonzales would take off from Stinson field and buzz her house in South San Antonio, Moore said. It caught her attention.

Marrying in 1947, the couple immediately hopped on a train and went to California, where Gonzales began working for the Flying Tigers in Burbank, Moore said.

It was while working there that Gonzales was recruited by Tom Slick to go back to San Antonio to oversee a huge government contract Slick Airways had won.

The man who was running the Flying Tigers knew Tom Slick  told him about my dad, Moore said.

Slick paid him $2.20 an hour, a decent amount in the late 1940s when Gonzales was hired, Moore said.

Gonzales transitioned to Kelly AFB in the mid-1950s, where he specialized in aircraft sheet metal repair.

At home, Gonzales was adamant about his children getting their educations and did everything he could to open their minds.

At dinner, after wed said grace hed give us a  word problem, Moore recalled. We couldnt eat until wed solved the problem.

Gonzales also enjoyed raising his children in the outdoors as much as possible.

We always had boats  went camping and we always skied, Moore said. We did everything; I think because he didnt have the means growing up.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
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Taipei, Aug. 18 (CNA) Premier Lin Chuan () said in a recent interview that the government will do its best to maintain a stable electricity supply although he admitted it is not an easy task given the needs to reduce the use of nuclear and coal-fired power.
To the editor,

Persons across the political spectrum have, with great justification, expressed their sadness and dismay at the tragic events in Charlottesville  events instigated by a belligerent invasion of the city by racist, xenophobic, homophobic, and anti-Semitic groups. These events are not isolated. They join Orlando, Charleston, Boston, San Bernardino, Oklahoma City, Sandy Hook, and Wisconsin as instances of domestic terror.

Sadness and dismay are inadequate. Words are not enough.

The time has come for action. The action should take four forms:

1. The Justice Department should be required to declare the KKK, neo-Nazis, and similar supremacists groups as domestic terrorists, and Congress should devote adequate funding to fight their virulent form of terror.

2. The Justice Departments investigation of affirmative action in colleges endorses the misperception that white America is under attack. It should be cancelled.

3. American citizens have the right to express their opinions, whatever they are. They should also have the right to express those opinions in the voting booth without hindrance. The Voting Rights Act should be reinstated, while the unnecessary and baseless voter fraud investigation under the direction of Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach should be cancelled.

4. Both national parties, Republican and Democrat, should incorporate platform planks that specifically and emphatically denounce and disavow domestic terrorists, citing the KKK, Jihadists, Neo-Nazis, and The Order (among others) by name.

These actions will not only allow the nation to begin to heal after the Charlottesville (and other) tragedies, but will make their recurrence much less likely.

Words are not enough.The time has come for action.

Anthony Holtz

Laura Rundell

Norwalk
In the United States of America, theres always been tension between cities and rural areas.

It is a long-standing American myth that cities are dens of iniquity and cauldrons of corruption, while the nations small towns and rural areas are vessels of virtue and decency. That notion remains in todays politics.

Here in Texas, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick recently redefined the problem with cities. Its not so much the notion of corruption. Its political orientation. Their problem, he says, is that they are run by Democrats. Democrat mayors and Democrat city councils.

Actually, city elections in Texas and throughout the Sun Belt are nonpartisan. We dont ask candidates about their political parties. City officials are, clearly, more liberal than state officials. But they are practical liberals. They have to be.

City officials are faced daily with problems that need solving, usually mundane ones: traffic, outbreaks of crime or disease, dealing with poverty while promoting new jobs. They have to work with business leaders as well as neighborhood activists. They dont have time to make political hay by inventing problems where none exist.

Recently Gov. Greg Abbott joined Patrick in his hostility toward cities. Abbott waxed poetic in front of a group of Bell County Republicans.

When you leave Austin and start heading north, you start feeling different, he said. Once you cross the Travis County line, then it starts smelling different. And you know what that fragrance is? Freedom! Its the smell of freedom that does not exist in Austin, Texas.

Abbott thinks Austin and most Texas cities have too many regulations. So in calling the special session of the Legislature that ended this week, nearly half the 20 items he put on the agenda were designed to reduce the power of city governments. It was a list that wouldnt get him elected mayor, but it would play well in the Republican primary.

So how did he do? Thankfully, not very well.

The infamous bathroom bill telling local governments and school districts they must mess with Americas smallest and most vulnerable minority died. House Speaker Joe Straus enraged Patrick by killing it.

Other bills died in various ways. These included:

A bill that would have banned local governments from contracting with Planned Parenthood to provide non-abortion health services.

Abbotts proposed ban on ordinances protecting trees. It was reduced by the House to a bill that would reduce the fees that cities could charge homeowners for removing downed trees if they planted replacement trees.

Developer-backed bills providing that building permits would be automatically approved if not processed within 30 days, and barring enforcement of regulations not in place when a piece of property was purchased.

A bill revoking ordinances in more than 40 cities regulating the use of cellphones by drivers. During its regular session, the Legislature passed and Abbott signed a ban on texting while driving.

A bill prohibiting cities and school districts from honoring the request of employees to deduct union dues from their paychecks. Politically powerful police and fire unions were exempted, making this bill a slap at the likes of teachers and garbage collectors.

The biggest loss for Abbott and Patrick was a Senate bill that would have provided automatic voter approval of any budget, even without a property tax-rate hike, that increased revenues by more than 4 percent. The House offered a compromise setting the bar at 6 percent, but the Senate refused.

So in the end, Abbott and Patrick had only one significant anti-city victory: a bill that prevents cities from annexing neighboring communities without putting it to a vote of those communities.

Their special session war on cities fizzled.

This column first appeared as the Last Word on KLRNs Texas Week with Rick Casey. The program appears Friday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
News of the Charlottesville killing of an anti-racism demonstrator woke me from a long hibernation. Id have preferred to have remained undisturbed.

The death of Heather Heyer made me think back to the two summers I spent as a civil rights worker in Demopolis, Ala., 1965-66. The first of those was a hard year for the movement. At least four civil rights workers, three white and one black, were murdered in Alabama that year. Even their names are now nearly forgotten: James Reeb, Viola Liuzzo, Jimmie Lee Jackson, Johnathan Daniels.

My first response was to check my closet to see if I still had my old freedom suit, the overalls-and-collared-shirt get-up that by 1965 had become the uniform of civil rights field staffers in Dixie.

But then I realized something. The times Ive seen aging World War II veterans in their uniforms, Ive felt sorry for them. They seem withered. And for all I know, maybe they are just as withered within as without, as I am today. In Alabama I never hesitated before the possibility of death. Like nearly all young people, I felt invincible. And I also figured that if any of us were killed, our movement would ultimately triumph and make our martyrs into eternal heroes.

I guess one could say that Im older and wiser now. I havent seen the triumph of any of the movements in which I participated, though I have seen liberal politicians claim credit for the supposed victory of a couple of them. What Ive seen is the inching back and forth of public opinion. Black liberation? The slums of our ghettos are more despairing today than they were 50 years ago. And end to the war in Vietnam? If our nation listened to those of us who protested it, why did it repeat its error in Iraq?

But my withering is more than that of hope. Today I have a back bad, I wear hearing aids and eyeglasses  and Id run from any fight. I feel frightened, not challenged, by the dangers before us today. And even if its not so much death that I fear, the specter of a mauling terrifies me. I have become a timorous old man.

My guess is that the assaults on anti-racist demonstrators will increase. If the movement against Confederate monuments continues  and I think it will intensify  racists will learn from what happened in Charlottesville and the killings of the now-distant past. I wont say what they will learn, but everyone should realize that such actions are subject to tactical or technical evaluation and improvement.

These last few mornings, upon awakening I go to the web, the newspapers and the TV. I want to know more about the Charlottesville killer. I also want to see a clear statement: Did the police helicopter at Charlottesville fall from the sky  or was it brought down? Some of the fascists had semi-auto rifles, didnt they?

I also joined a protest last weekend at Robert E. Lee Park, near my home in Dallas. The handsome old general and a young aide were still astride their horses, and the lawns behind them, leading up to a three-quarters copy of Lees mansion at Arlington, were freshly mowed, on the citys dime.

The movement to remove Confederate icons will prosper over time, not because of anything gradualists propose but because even bronze is subject to rust. In all things racial, most white Americans prefer the gradualist path, putting things off.

Their slogan, Wait! has always meant Forever. At 71, I believe that Lee will still be in the saddle when we surviving civil rights workers, the aides who rode behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., are ashes and dust.

Dick J. Reavis is a retired Texas journalist, now living in Dallas. Versions of this first appeared on Facebook and in D Magazine.
Whats convenient isnt always fair and right.

I dont like President Donald Trump. I dont like racism. So it would be convenient to blame the former for the latter. But it wouldnt be fair or right.

After white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, sparked a racial melee that killed three and injured 19, the hyperbolic outcry on the left would make you think that Americans of different colors got along swimmingly before Trump came along.

Havent the same people who are now criticizing Trump told us for decades that America is racist to the core and that we need an honest discussion about race? Well, pull up a chair. The conversation has begun.

And since were so concerned with prejudice, can we spare a few words to confront how the media so often prejudges Trump? His critics never let up. They pick on him constantly, finding fault with every word and deed. Theyre forever questioning his motives, sincerity and legitimacy.

Even for me, a Mexican-American O.N.T.  Original Never Trumper (raise your hand if he also called your immigrant grandfather a rapist and a criminal)  it gets old.

And confusing. On the one hand, Trumps liberal critics think he is a bumbling dunderhead who cant do anything right. On the other, theyre quick to give him credit for creating a scourge as powerful and cancerous as racism.

Within minutes of the unrest, Trumps critics took to social media to insist that he set the stage for the violence. Some insisted that a country racist enough to elect Trump was bound to explode. Others blamed Trump for bringing back racism.

I wasnt aware it had ever disappeared.

Still, Democrats wont let a crisis go to waste. So Michael Signer  the Democratic mayor of Charlottesville  was quick to lay blame for the unrest in his city at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president.

Trump wasted no time in deploring the violence. On Saturday, hours after the worst of the chaos erupted, he said it had no place in America and condemned in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.

Its always the little things. It was the on many sides phrasing that got Trump in hot water. While counterprotesters clashed with white nationalists from the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party, those who see themselves as standing on the moral high ground will always resent being lumped together with the rabble.

Besides, as liberals see it, its OK to be intolerant toward the intolerant. You and your opponent might both bring weapons to a demonstration. But hes a terrorist; youre a freedom fighter.

Two days later, from the White House, Trump amplified his remarks. Racism is evil. And those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans. (On Tuesday, he was back to many sides, also blaming the alt-left.)

The critics still werent satisfied after his Monday clarification. Some of the same people who usually urge restraint when confronting acts of radical Islamic terrorism criticized Trump for being too restrained in condemning white supremacists.

Once again, the media are so tangled up in their own self-centered agenda of running Trump out of office that they are missing the real story. Here goes: Contrary to what you hear, what happened in Charlottesville wasnt an expression of white people emboldened by Trumps victory. It was the exact opposite.

White nationalists picked up tiki torches because they felt brushed aside by busybody city officials who want to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a public park.

It turns out that the politically correct mob wont stop at banning Confederate flags. You give it a flag, itll take a statue, school or highway.

The protesters chanted, You will not remove us. That tells us theyre afraid that they  and their Civil War heroes  will be expunged from history. These people arent emboldened. They are weak, terrified and pathetic.

Behold Trumps real legacy. The carnival barker attracts those who have nothing, lures them into the tent by promising everything, and makes sure that  when the show is over  they leave with less than they had when they went in.

ruben@rubennavarrette.com
Talks over updating the North American Free Trade Agreement have finally begun, and Texas has a lot to potentially gain or lose with the outcome.

But in one way, Texas and the U.S. have already won. These talks are about modernizing the 23-year-old agreement that has tripled trade between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Thats a far cry from tearing up NAFTA and starting an unnecessary and harmful trade war with our neighbors.

As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump ripped NAFTA as one of the worst deals ever and economic undevelopment. The facts have never supported this rhetoric, especially in Texas. By and large, economists have described the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship as productive and beneficial.

Texas led the nation with $232 billion in exports in 2016, according to the International Trade Administration. About $93 billion in goods went to Mexico. Canada was a distant second at about $19.9 billion in goods. This trade supports thousands of relatively high-paying jobs.

So, no, its not the worst deal ever. Fortunately, recent statements from the Trump White House are closer to reality. For example, White House chief economic adviser Gary Cohn issued a statement talking about working together to modernize and improve the agreement.

There are many areas where the agreement could be, and should be, updated

Dispute resolution is a point of contention, although its hard to see resolution there. Some tariffs could be used to modestly lower our trade deficit with Mexico.

Increasing the pay of Mexican workers and improving labor standards would create a more even playing field and a better work environment. Folding environmental and labor standards into the main text could improve enforcement. Mexicos energy, banking and telecommunications sectors should be incorporated into the agreement. They were under government control when the original agreement was negotiated.

Talks will take months at locations in all three countries. San Antonio should be one of those sites.

Any agreement would need congressional approval  no small feat in this polarized environment. Through his rhetoric, Trump has alienated Mexican voters, who will elect a president in 2018. That new president may be very resistant to any agreement with the Trump administration.

A modestly improved NAFTA 2.0 would be welcome. But NAFTA 1.0 would be far better than a trade war with our two closest allies.
San Antonio is the largest city in Texas, and one of the largest in the country, to meet federal ozone standards.

But the dirty truth about air quality in San Antonio is that ozone levels, while trending down, have been above federal standards.

Just not officially.

That may change soon.

The EPA has said it will make decisions by Oct. 1 about whether cities are in compliance with 2015 ozone limits. This is a reversal, of sorts, for the EPA. Several months ago, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had recommended delaying enforcement of that standard for another year.

A nonattainment designation would be an economic hit. It would create obstacles for federal transportation funding, business expansion and delivery of air quality permits. But this is something the San Antonio region has been expecting for some time.

San Antonios ozone levels have been above the 2015 federal standard of 70 parts per billion. And as the Express-News Brendan Gibbons has reported, ozone levels here lead to 52 preventable deaths per year, according to the American Thoracic Institute.

There is potential wiggle room in the EPAs about-face on ozone standard enforcement. Pruitt could extend the timeline to make a designation.

Such uncertainty only underscores the importance for local officials to continue clean air policies to reduce ozone levels. These include continued air quality monitoring, anti-idling ordinances, education and outreach, and CPS Energys plans to shutter its J.T. Deely coal-fired plant.

The primary goal is cleaner air, but the region has to be prepared for a nonattainment designation. The city and region needs to keep moving forward to reduce ozone levels.
OK, call me paranoid or a crazy, old woman. It does not matter to me. But after six months of antics and false claims by Donald Trump, I have reached a conclusion about his actions. Either he is out of touch with reality or he accepts no truth but his own.

After his undisclosed meeting with Vladimir Putin, I believe he is working to destabilize our democratic way of life. He already told the police it is OK to use violence during arrests. If he sparks enough unrest, he can declare an authoritarian regime, just as in Russia. Somebody needs to rein him in before it is too late.

And do not tell me he caused the stock market to go up and unemployment to go down. Just remember, the Trump balloon can hold only so much hot air. And then it goes kaboom!

Leafy Travis

 or strategic chaos?

Re: Americans yearning to understand one another, Gary Abernathy, Other Views; A heartless measure on immigration, editorial; GOP senators book indicting Trump a profile in courage, Michael Gerson, Other Views; and President rips Democratic senator again, Nation & World, Aug. 8:

The Abernathy commentary viewed the Trump administration as crafted chaos. On the previous page, an Express-News editorial asks if Trump thinks love for families diminished with age. Crafted or mindless?

Just under Abernathy, Gersons column shows GOP Sen. Jeff Flake finds Trump guilty of erratic behavior, unmoored from principle. Crafted or mindless?

And a national story in the preceding section showed NBC News found no evidence for Donald Trumps claims against Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Crafted or mindless?

Louise Raphael

Step up, liberals

Re: The gall of Trump, Your Turn, Aug 8:

The author wrote of the many letters you publish daily bashing the egomaniac we have in the White House. She sees the rope tightening so hell hang himself but asks, In the meantime, what should we do?

Well, Ill tell you what you and the left-wingers in D.C. should do.

Stop making it your 24/7 passion to be obstructionists and bring Trump down, and step up to the plate and do something constructive.

Bring some ideas to the table for a health care bill that bails out Obamacare so it doesnt implode. Work in a nonpartisan fashion to create a robust tax cut and reform bill. Identify how we can move toward a more balanced budget. Take the lead on creating a much-needed infrastructure strategy.

Stop whining and contribute. Thats what you can do.

Fred Martin, Fair Oaks Ranch
A Houston investment company has taken over the Lone Star Brewery, possibly opening a new chapter in the 20-year struggle to redevelop the site.

Parkview Capital Credit assumed control in June of Lone Star Brewery Development Inc., which owns the 32-acre brewery, according to federal securities filings reported this week.
Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga yesterday warned rogue members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) that they were living on borrowed time as the force had moved a gear up to flush out unruly elements as part of its rebranding exercise.

Addressing police officers during a provincial tour in Gweru, Matanga said he was prepared to vouch for police officers if they in turn were prepared to execute their constitutional mandate diligently.

Matanga said he was aware that at times, members of the public, unfairly criticised police officers, due to misinformation and lack of appreciation of the role of the police in the socio-economic development of the country.

To this end, I wish to make it very clear that for as long as you do your work properly and within the confines of the law, I am prepared to put my head on the block in defence of your policing actions, Matanga said.

Let me hasten to remind you that my office is no refuge for police officers whose actions make a mockery of our motto. Anyone who strays from the path of righteousness in terms of policing, then such an individual is working at cross purposes with the organisation and naturally has no place in the organisation.

He said no one was above the law, including members of the police force, adding that if there were corrupt elements in the force, they were living on borrowed time.

Matanga reiterated that police officers should increase their visibility through increased patrol units to reduce the crime rate.

The police boss challenged his subordinates to ensure a violent-free election.

I wish to reiterate that you are duty-bound to create an environment that is conducive to the holding of free, fair, peaceful, credible and transparent elections in this province, he said.

As a province, you must ensure that all your personnel are fully acquainted and conversant with their duties and responsibilities as outlined in the 2018 elections handbook which the organisation prepared for distribution to all members.

He appealed to police officers to increase awareness campaigns, discouraging members of the public from engaging in politically-motivated violence, but to tolerate divergent views.

 NewsDay

Breaking News via Email
FORMER first lady Grace Mugabe this week poured her heart out to visiting South Africas opposition leader Julius Malema, chronicling the ordeal the late president Robert Mugabe reportedly endured from the time he was toppled from power through a millitary coup until his death in Singapore.

Malema, who leads the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, jetted into the country aboard a chartered plane this week and was whisked to the expansive Mugabe home in Borrowdale, Harare, where he paid his condolences to the family of the late former president.

Sources said after concluding viewing the body inside the Mugabe mansion, commonly known as the Blue Roof on Monday, Malema and his EFF delegation held a lengthy meeting with Grace, her children Bona, Robert Junior and Chatunga, as well as other close family relatives and a few trusted family friends who are still keeping the family company.

Grace, sources said, keenly narrated to Malema and his team how President Emmerson Mnangagwas administration had persecuted Mugabe since he was dethroned in a military coup in 2017.

Malema later addressed a press conference, castigating those who tormented Mugabe to his death, appearing to pluck a leaf from the briefing.

Sources close to the Mugabe family vividly narrated how Grace walked Malema through the journey from the time Mugabe was toppled from power, right to his last days in Singapore.

Malema paid his condolences to Grace, offering his sympathy. After that she (Grace) then told him that Mugabe had travelled to Singapore not necessarily on medical grounds as government earlier thought. She said he was only admitted to hospital five days before he passed away, a source who attended the meeting briefed the Zimbabwe Independent on Wednesday.

Another source said Grace indicated that Mugabe may have died from stress-related illnesses, contrary to Mnangagwas disclosures at a gathering in New York on Sunday that the fallen former political stalwart had died from cancer.

Although Mugabe had cancer, they believe his demise was accelerated by the persecution he endured. She clearly stated that the former president was in good health when he went to Singapore and was only admitted to hospital nearly two months or so after his arrival there, a source said.

Grace also said Mugabe never had peace since he left office and always complained about the state of affairs in the country and felt his family was insecure.

Malema however came out guns blazing urging the government not to force the Mugabe family to bury the former president at the Heroes Acre against his dying wish and the familys wishes.

Graces averments dovetail with the narrative of Mugabes nephew Patrick Zhuwao who has said Mugabe travelled to Singapore to escape from his tormentors.

The old man loved watching news on television. However, since his unceremonious ousting from power in a coup in 2017, most of his former allies had turned against him and were uttering obscenities against him on a regular basis, something that scarred him immensely.

For his own peace of mind, he decided to leave the country. For the five months that he spent in Singapore, only five days leading up to his death were spent in hospital receiving medical care, Zhuwao said during a live television interview in South Africa at the time of Mugabes death.

Mugabes first born daughter, Bona, also indicated in her speech at the rural home in Zvimba that the former strongman did not have peace during the last days of his life.

I wish he could have had more joy in this life. It breaks my heart when I think about his life. I want to thank to thank my mother for holding it down during the whole time taking care of father, even during the hard time she was alone taking care of him. And she did an amazing job, Bona said.

In his press conference address, Malema appeared to follow a carefully crafted script as he used his trademark bluntness to take a dig at Mnangagwa and his administration, describing them as chancers who can never fill Mugabes big shoes.

We are here to tell her (former First Lady Grace Mugabe) in person that we are very proud of her and she serves as an inspiration to a lot of us and that she must protect ex-President Mugabes legacy with everything against any form of opportunism which will want to ride behind the legacy of President Mugabe even when they tormented him to the last day, Malema said in his address.

Mugabe himself at one time pointed out that he did not feel safe in the country and that his helpers were being harassed by the state.

Mugabe told the African Unions Moussa Faki Mahamat when he visited him last year that his family was unsafe.They told you I was safe, but how can I be in this environment? Mugabe told Faki.

My wife is crying daily. They are persecuting her What am I without my wife and family? We are not safe.

 Zimbabwe Independent

Breaking News via Email
YORK, Pa.  To continue Rutters record charitable giving efforts, the convenience retailer donated $60,000 of their Pre-K EITC funding to three organizations in the Duncansville, Pennsylvania, area. Each of the donations will be used to provide scholarship funding for children.

The following organizations received checks during Rutters Grand Opening of its Duncansville store:

Penn-Mont Academy received a $25,000 donation. Penn-Mont Academy caters their childrens learning experience to each individual childs periods of interest.

Second Century Scholarship Fund received a $25,000 donation. The Second-Century Scholarship Fund is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown and uses donations to assist students attending Catholic Schools in Blair County.

Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation received a donation of $10,000. The Central Pennsylvania Community Foundation uses donations to have more than 60 scholarships available to students.

At Rutters, we strive to give back to the local community in as many ways as we can. We are excited to provide scholarship support to children through donations to three well-deserving organizations in a new market that has welcomed us into their community, said Derek Gaskins, chief customer officer, at Rutters.

With roots dating back to 1747, Rutters 270-year history makes it the oldest vertically-integrated food company in the United States. Rutters is currently guided by the familys third generation of leadership with Scott Hartman as president and CEO, Todd Rutter as president of Rutters Dairy, and Tim Rutter as president of M&G Realty.
Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including favourite documentary series and films Free Solo, The Rescue, Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
Irish Girl Guides have thanked the people of Cashel for their tremendous welcome before and during their international camp, IGGNITE2017, which was held at Rockwell College from 30 July to 6 August.

1,800 Girl Guides and Leaders attended in total with the grounds of Rockwell College being transformed into a tented village.

250 of the girls came from 12 different countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Malaysia, the Philippines, Georgia, Finland, St Vincent and the Grenadines, England and Scotland.

All the girls had a fantastic experience both on and off-site, says Camp Chief Jenny Gannon.

They tried out a range of activities and grew in confidence during the course of the week and enjoyed their trips to Cashel, Fethard, Cloughjordan and Fota.

We were given such a warm welcome by local businesses who went to great lengths to help us in whatever way they could and we want to say a big thank you to every local person and business who helped make the camp such a success.

We all went home tired at the end of the week but happy too  happy that we have made memories and friends for life - and determined too to make this world a better place.
In July Meaghan Perdue from Cashel set out on an experience of a lifetime to Nansana, Uganda.

Nansana is a small area just outside of Ugandas capital of Kampala where Nurture Africa has set up their headquarters. Nurture Africa is an Irish founded NGO and Volunteer Sending Agency focused on empowering vulnerable children and their families in the East African nation.

For three weeks, the volunteers were split into groups due to their profession/ training such as teachers, nurses, and general skills. Based on this, the morning activities were assigned.

Meaghan is currently going into her final year at Mary Immaculate College and so in the mornings, she and the other volunteer teachers taught in St. Stevens and Kassengejje primary schools. The children at the schools were amazingly positive and eager to learn despite class sizes ranging from low 70s to around 140 pupils. Kassengejje school is also the pilot school for a project supported by Nurture Africa called Bia le Beatha. This initiative involves schools in becoming self-sustaining by growing the necessary crops to provide break and lunch to every child at school.

The volunteers got to witness this project in action. Meaghan and the volunteers also took part in various afternoon activities such as first aid workshops, home visits and library visits thus visiting and interacting with many of the community members in the area.

The experience was enlightening, and thought provoking. A once in a lifetime opportunity which she would recommend to anyone. Meaghan would like to thank everyone who helped in her fundraising for Uganda.
Eight Serbian scientists are leading a research project to develop the commercial production of biofuel from algae. The pioneering project is supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme and is carried out by Belgrades Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in cooperation with Manchester University in the United Kingdom and Baylor University in the United States.

I expect that our results will encourage the development of green technologies in the energy sector, said the projects leader Ivan Spasojevic. Successful completion of this project will, I believe, make it possible for fuel prices to drop by 1/5 in the next five years, he explained.

The research into producing biofuels from algae will last three years. The project gives us exactly what we need, equipment and supplies and scholarships for the most gifted young researchers who remain in the country thanks to that, Spasojevic said.

Serbia has benefitted from several NATO SPS activities since 2007, including projects on defence against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents, counter-terrorism, and raising the profile of women in peace and security. We have great experience with our Serbian partners who are engaged on several important projects, said the Chief of the NATO Office in Belgrade, Brigadier Cesare Marinelli. NATO SPS projects have helped produce seismic charts for the Western Balkan countries, improve the protection of the Sava river water resources, and Serbian and German scientists, for example, are working on developing a decontamination and demining robot called T-Whex, Marinelli added, inviting the countrys academics to apply for research in areas such as cyber defence and energy security.

In addition to the SPS Programme, NATO countries have invested over 15 million Euros in several trust funds which are helping Serbia safely destroy obsolete weapons, landmines and ammunition, and retrain military personnel for civilian jobs.
(Natural News) A common kitchen staple has saved the life of a 57-old woman who had been battling blood cancer for five years. After undergoing three rounds of chemotherapy and four stem cell transplants to treat myeloma, Dieneke Ferguson thought she had exhausted all her options.

Myeloma develops when the white blood cells produced in the bone marrow start to multiply uncontrollably. When this happens, the body stops producing the normal antibodies needed to fight infection, resulting in bone damage, intense pain, fatigue, and nerve damage. Usually, people who develop the disease do not live beyond five years of diagnosis.

Speaking to the Daily Mail Online, Ferguson, who lives in North London and runs Hidden Art, a not-for-profit business helping artists market their work, explained that she had been on all sorts of toxic drugs with terrifying side-effects. At some point these toxic substances made her lose her memory for three days and two vertebrae in her spine collapsed so she couldnt walk. Despite everything she tried, the cancer seemed unstoppable.

As conventional cancer treatments let her down, she thought she was losing the battle. As a last resort, Ferguson turned to a natural product called curcumin. Curcumin is the yellow pigment extracted from turmeric, the healing spice known used in Indian curries and golden milk.

How a kitchen staple changed this womans life

Since she had nothing to lose and learned about curcumins cancer-fighting properties via an internet support group, she decided to try this ancient remedy. Since turmeric only contains two percent of the cancer-fighting compound curcumin, Ferguson started taking eight grams of concentrated curcumin in tablet form daily.

I told my oncologist I was taking it and he was very interested, especially when it apparently made such a difference, said Ferguson.

Where all other conventional treatments failed, curcumin supplements had a tremendous effect. After five years of taking the curcumin tablets, Fergusons cancer cell count is negligible.

Many studies have shown curcumins ability to stop cancer in its tracks, inhibiting cancer cell growth and triggering programmed cell death. Over 2,000 scientific studies have displayed curcumins ability to combat cancers of the breast, prostate, liver, colon, lung, pancreas, and more. Though curcumins powerful anticancer properties have been known for ages, the medical world and mainstream media remained silent until now.

Dieneke Fergusons recovery was so incredible it has been featured in a case report published in the eminent British Medical Journal (BMJ).

When you review her chart, theres no alternative explanation [for her recovery] other than were seeing a response to curcumin, said Jamie Cavenagh, professor of blood diseases at Londons Barts Hospital and co-author of the report.

The cancer-fighting properties of curcumin are real

Ferguson is convinced curcumin could help other people battling cancer. The problem, however, is that the medical world cannot recommend it, she noted. In eastern medicine curcumin has been used for centuries, not only to combat cancer but also in the successful treatment of a host of illnesses, including heart disease, infection, depression, and dementia.

The scientific world has extensively researched its anti-inflammatory, cancer-fighting, and antiseptic effects. Nonetheless, turmeric isnt being promoted as a safe, affordable treatment.

Curcumin is a strong anti-inflammatory agent and chronic inflammation is the precursor of 99 per cent of all cancers, explained Angus Dalgleish, a professor of cancer at St Georges Hospital in South London

Before it can be widely prescribed by doctors, it must be tested in large-scale trials. Sadly, nobody is willing to take up the challenge since these trials cost millions of dollars. An investment that could never be repaid as there is no big money to be made from sales of a natural compound that cannot be patented, the Daily Mail Online reported.

Julie Ryan, a cancer specialist at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, told the journal Nature that the biological activity of curcumin is real. She believes that chemically modified forms may be even more effective at reaching certain tissues.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

TheTruthAboutCancer.com

BMJ.com
(Natural News) Its not an exaggeration to say that battle lines are being drawn in America today. You can see it in the news everyday. As time goes on, people in this country are becoming very tribal, as Americans of different races, religions, and political persuasions turn on each other. What we saw in Charlottesville last weekend was just the latest sign that America is turning into a very dark place, where conflict between different demographics is the norm. And it probably wont be the last indicator to emerge.

(Article by Daniel Lang republished from Shtfplan.com)

So how did we get to this place? How did we reach a point where America resembles Wiemar Germany, with white nationalists and socialist thugs battling it out on the streets and killing people?

If I were to pick one culprit for this mess, it would be the mainstream media. Theyre the ones who have, for the most part, stood behind leftist ideologues for decades, and allowed them to bury public discourse under a wave of identity politics. They are at the very least, partly to blame. Theyve helped stoke divisions in this country that were once faint, or in the process of healing.

And if you dont think the mainstream media is responsible for nudging our country towards war in the streets, then you should read this op-ed that was recently published by the Washington Post. It was written by N.D.B. Collins, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University. In it, he appears to shamelessly call for the left to spawn more riots and violence in this country.

The white nationalist riot in Charlottesville, a city that boasts diversity makes us stronger, made a lot of things clear. One of them is that generic solutions to the racial problem  bland affirmations of inclusiveness, tolerance and free speech  will no longer work. Indeed, they have never worked, at least not on their own.  [I]n April 1968, amid a flurry of other rocks, riots shook American cities following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. It took that rolling unrest, not the promise of further economic growth, to spur President Lyndon Johnson and Congress to action. Within a week they had passed the Fair Housing Act. Over the past century, liberalism, vexed by an ever-sharp, ever-cutting white supremacy, has needed these rocks.  Segregationists have again assumed their pedestals in the Justice Department, the White House and many other American temples. Paper alone wont drive them out. Start throwing rocks.

Let that sink in. At a time when our country has never been so divided, and the proverbial smoke is still clearing from a deadly riot in Virginia, one of the most widely recognized news sources decides to post an article that calls for more rioting.

It looks an awful lot like the media is trying to foment a war on American soil. What other conclusion can you draw from this very public call to violence? They had to have vetted this piece and understood its meaning and intent, before unleashing it on the world. They have to know the consequences of that, and if they know those consequences, then we can infer their goals.

The mainstream media has just shown us all its true colors. Theyve finally revealed what many of us suspected for a long time. They appear to be trying to convince Americans that its okay to hurt, and possibly kill each other for political reasons.

Read more at: Shtfplan.com
(Natural News) In modern times, Democrats and their Marxist allies have portrayed Republicans and conservatives as Alt-Right racists and bigots, even though the Democratic Party was home to the KKK and other racist elements well into the 20th century. Period cartoons published about the time the KKK was formed  in the ashes of the South immediately following the Civil War  directly tie the white supremacist organization to Democrats.

In fact, one of the Democratic Partys icons, Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia  who held several positions of power, including third in line to the presidency during his lengthy tenure  was a leading figure in the KKK, a fact which his partisan supporters in Congress and the establishment press corps routinely brushed off or ignored.

Now, the same Democratic Left is attempting to portray all white conservatives as reincarnations of the Nazi Party, accusing us of being Alt-Right clones of Adolph Hitler and his fascist underlings.

The problem with that characterization, though widely believed by Democratic Party supporters, is that it is historically and factually incorrect: Hitler and the Nazis believed in virtually everything the modern Left currently believes. (Related: Trump clarifies Charlottesville violence: Alt-Left just as responsible and naturally the media and RINOs freak out.)

There is no question that Hitler was an extremist and a German nationalist  itself ironic, given that he was born and raised in Austria-Hungary. But thats where his and the Nazis similarity ends with American white supremacists.

Firstly, Hitler and his followers belonged to the Nationalist Socialist Party, or Nazi Party for short, proving that you can be an extreme nationalist and a socialist, the latter of which is a provable Left-wing political construct.

Libertarian scholar Jonah Goldberg, in his 2009 book Liberal Fascism, explains through exhaustive research that Nazi and fascist origins were Left-wing in nature, not Right-wing. As James Delingpole explained for The Spectator, Liberals are the true heirs of the Nazi spirit. To wit:

What Goldberg very effectively does is to remove from the charge sheet the one possible reason any thinking person could have for not wanting to be right-wing: viz, that being on the right automatically makes you a closet fascist/Nazi scumbag. By accumulating a mass of historical evidence so extensive it borders on the wearisome, Goldberg comprehensively demonstrates that both Nazism and fascism were phenomena of the Left, not of the Right.

Goldberg told Delingpole just days after his eventual New York Times No. 1 bestseller was released, I had a half a dozen emails from total strangers saying, How dare you accuse us caring liberals of being fascists! and then going on to say what a shame it was that my family hadnt been sorted out once and for all a few years back in the concentration camps.

Nice, huh? Compassionate to wish such violence against a man of the Jewish faith.

In conducting his four-year research, Goldberg uncovered a multitude of evidence linking Nazism and fascism to Soviet-style communism.

Delingpole wrote:

The first expressed itself through ideas about racial purity and Jew-hatred, the second with ideas about the primacy of the nation, but in most other respects they were all remarkably similar: seizing the means of production; empowering the masses; rule by experts; the elevation of youth and brute emotion over wisdom, tradition and intellect; the submission of the individual to the will of the state.

As Goldberg noted dryly, The Nazis were not big on property rights and tax cuts.

Much of what Hitler and his closest henchmen said and believed were the same as what the American Left says and believes.

Goldberg provides examples:

 How can you find pleasure in shooting from behind cover at poor creatures browsing on the edge of a wood, innocent, defenceless and unsuspecting? Its really pure murder! Did that come from a PETA spokesperson or someone from the Sierra Club? No; Heinrich Himmler, top Nazi Party member and one of those most responsible for the Holocaust, said it.

 Food is not a private matter! You have the duty to be healthy. While those sentiments sound like something the typical Democrat or Obama administration functionary might say, those statements came directly from the Hitler Youth Manual.

 Goldberg also unearthed evidence proving that liberals, not conservatives, were the biggest advocates of eugenics.

 Americas most racist and fascistic president was uber-Left-wing Woodrow Wilson.

 During the New Deal era of beloved Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a poor immigrant dry cleaner could have his door kicked in by federal agents and imprisoned if he charged five cents less for cleaning suits than the agreed government minimum.

 Nuremberg-style rallies were staged in New York City, leading one visiting British Independent Labor minister of parliament to observe that they too closely resembled Nazi Germany.

Consider what the Nazis and their Brownshirts did to political opponents: They intimidated and committed violence against them. Thats what Antifa, BLM, the Occupy movement and other Left-wing organizations do.

And while Hitler publicly disavowed Soviet-style socialism and communism, in private he was far more open:

Hermann Rauschning, for example, a Danzig Nazi who knew Hitler before and after his accession to power in 1933, tells how in private Hitler acknowledged his profound debt to the Marxian tradition. I have learned a great deal from Marxism he once remarked, as I do not hesitate to admit. He was proud of a knowledge of Marxist texts acquired in his student days before the First World War and later in a Bavarian prison, in 1924, after the failure of the Munich putsch.

There is much more commonality between Hitlers National Socialists and todays American Left than there has ever been with the American Right.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

Independent.co.uk

Spectator.co.uk

NewsTarget.com
A lawsuit filed by a longtime police dispatcher paints a picture of the Gilroy Police Department involved in sex parties, harassment and even alleged sex with underage members of the youth explorer program.

Patricia Harrell, a 27-year veteran police dispatcher, is suing the City of Gilroy, its police department and the police union. She claims she was fired for speaking up about a department culture of alleged sexual misconduct, promiscuity and harassment.

"She was essentially black-balled and eventually pushed out," said Lori Costanzo, Harrell's attorney.

The 90-page lawsuit cites names and incidents, including officers having sex with underage members of the police explorers.

Legal analyst Steven Clark compares the situation to the underage prostitution scandal that rocked the Oakland Police Department in terms of public trust.

"It's something that the public now has recognized can happen," Clark said. "So I think the fact there is precedence in other public agencies like this suggests it's all the more important to get to the bottom of these allegations involving Gilroy PD."

Gilroy Mayor Roland Velasco said the city is monitoring the situation and pointed out while the allegations are disturbing, they are still not proven and just one side of the story.

Officials have 30 days to respond to the lawsuit.

The District Attorney's Office said it is aware of the allegations, but has not received any report from the police department, which it needs to take any criminal action.

The City of Gilroy issued the following statement late Thursday:

Recently the City of Gilroy was served with a lawsuit from a former city employee of the Gilroy Police Department. The allegations mentioned in the lawsuit are simply allegations until fully addressed in a court of law. The City takes this lawsuit very seriously.

The Gilroy Police Department is a professional law enforcement department and holds itself to a high standard of integrity. We understand the public holds the Gilroy Police Department to this high standard as well.

This matter has to be dealt with through the legal process in a court of law. said Gilroy Mayor Roland Velasco, The City Council and I will continue to monitor this lawsuit closely. I have full confidence in the men and women of the Gilroy Police Department to continue to do their duty and serve the people of Gilroy as they always have.

Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee stated, The Gilroy Police Department is full of caring and dedicated public servants. I am proud of our strong history of community service and keeping the public safe. We are determined to maintain our focus on serving the community in a professional and ethical manner.
Oakland Raiders cornerback Sean Smith has been charged with assault, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Thursday.

Smith allegedly beat his sister's boyfriend in Old Town Pasadena on July 4, prosecutors said. He's also accused of stomping on the victim's head in the alleged attack.

Smith faces one felony count each of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury, the District Attorney's Office said. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 29.

If convicted, Smith faces up to seven years in state prison, prosecutors said.

Smith was booked on Thursday and released after posting bail, according to the District Attorney's Office.

The case remains under investigation.

The Oakland Raiders have yet to return calls seeking comment. The team is scheduled to play a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum.

No other information was immediately available.
It took bloodshed in Charlottesville to get tech companies to do what civil rights groups have been calling for for years: take a firmer stand against accounts used to promote hate and violence.

In the wake of the deadly clash at a white-nationalist rally last weekend in Virginia, major companies such as Google, Facebook and PayPal are banishing a growing cadre of extremist groups and individuals for violating service terms.

A white nationalist rally turned violent in Charlottesville, Virginia on Aug. 12.

What took so long? For one thing, tech companies have long seen themselves as bastions of free expression.

But the Charlottesville rally seemed to have a sobering effect. It showed how easily technology can be used to organize and finance such events, and how extreme views online can translate into violence offline.

"There is a difference between freedom of speech and what happened in Charlottesville," said Rashad Robinson, executive director of Color of Change, an online racial justice group. The battle of ideas is "different than people who show up with guns to terrorize communities."

A SLOW REACTION

Tech companies are in a bind. On one hand, they want to be open to as many people as possible so they can show them ads or provide rides, apartments or financial services. On the other hand, some of these users turn out to be white supremacists, terrorists or child molesters.

Keegan Hankes, analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center's intelligence project, said his group has been trying for more than a year to get Facebook and PayPal to shut down these accounts. Even now, he said, the two companies are taking action only in the most extreme cases.

"They have policies against violence, racism, harassment," said Hankes, whose center monitors hate groups and extremism. "The problem is that there has been no enforcement."

Case in point: The neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer has been around since 2013. But it wasn't effectively kicked off the internet until it mocked the woman killed while protesting the white nationalists in Charlottesville.

SHIFTING LINE

PayPal said groups that advocate racist views have no place on its service, but added that there is a "fine line" when it comes to balancing freedom of expression with taking a stand against violent extremism.

Other companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google struggle with the same balancing act. The fine line is constantly moving and being tested.

Ahead of the rally, Airbnb barred housing rentals to people it believed were traveling to participate. Before and after Charlottesville, PayPal cut off payments to groups that promote hate and violence. GoDaddy and Google yanked the domain name for Daily Stormer following the rally. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are removing known hate groups from their services, and the music streaming service Spotify dropped what it considers hate bands.

"Companies are trying to figure out what the right thing is to do and how to do it," said Steve Jones, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago who focuses on communication technology. What happens from here is "partly going to depend on the individual leadership at these companies and company culture  and probably resources, too."

CAT AND MOUSE

While traditional brands such as Tiki had no way of knowing that their torches were being bought for the rally, tech companies have tools to identify and ban people with extremist views.

That's thanks to the troves of data they store on people and to their ability to easily switch off access to users. Airbnb users can link to social media profiles, and the company said it used its existing background checks and "input from the community" to identify users who didn't align with its standards.

Yet these services also allow for anonymity, which makes their jobs more difficult. Banned people can sign up again with a different email address, something they can easily obtain anonymously.

Facebook spokeswoman Ruchika Budhraja said hate groups also know the site's policies and try to keep things just benign enough to ensure they are not in violation.

For instance, the event page for the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville looked fairly innocuous. Budhraja said there was nothing on the page that would suggest it was created by a hate organization. It has since been removed.

Facebook's technology is designed to automatically flag posts that are on the absolute extreme and clearly violate the company's policies. They are sometimes removed before users can even see them. What Facebook can't leave to automation are posts, events and groups in that ever-growing gray area.

THE BROADEST REACH

The First Amendment offers hate groups a lot of speech protection, but it applies only to government and public settings. A private company is typically free to set its own standards.

Christopher Cantwell, a self-described white nationalist who has been labeled an extremist by the Southern Poverty Law Center, said he was banned from Facebook, Instagram and PayPal because the companies are trying to silence him for his views.

"Everybody is going through extraordinary lengths to make sure we are not heard," Cantwell told The Associated Press .

Even Cloudflare, a security company that prides itself on providing services regardless of their content, terminated Daily Stormer on Wednesday. This appears to be the site's final blow.

Daily Stormer founder Andrew Anglin said in an email to the AP that these private companies are "de factor monopolies and oligopolies" and should be regulated as "critical infrastructure."

The Daily Stormer and other banned groups could move to darker corners of the web, where extreme views are welcome. But this won't help with recruitment and won't allow them to disseminate their views as broadly as they could on Facebook or Twitter.

"These are the platforms everyone is using," Hankes said. "They don't want to be pushed to the margins because they want influence."

Because of that, the industry's efforts might just be a game of whack-a-mole, with extremist views returning, perhaps in different guises, once public outrage dies down.

Associated Press Writers Michael Casey in Concord, New Hampshire, and Michael Kunzelman in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.
The bronze statue of Frank Rizzo, Philadelphia's polarizing former police commissioner and mayor, was defaced late Thursday with the words "Black Power" written in white spray paint.

The vandal also wrote "The Black community should be their own police" on the steps of the Municipal Services Building on John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Center City where the statue stands.

Vandalism of statue follows renewed calls for its removal in the wake of the deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and national discussion over how to handle statues and monuments linked to racism and other emotionally charged issues.

A Rizzo supporter covered the statue's vandalized midsection with a sheet overnight. City crews later used soap and brooms to clean up the graffiti and by daybreak the words were gone.



Philadelphia police took the suspected vandal, who investigators say drove off in a Toyota station wagon, into custody before 7 a.m. He has been identified by police as 40-year-old Wali Rahmen of Philadelphia.

Rahmen is charged with three misdemeanors: criminal mischief, institutional vandalism and desecrating objects.



Officers who had been guarding the statue earlier in the day had gone off duty, police said.

The latest act of vandalism came after protesters clashed with police Wednesday near the statue. Earlier that day, a man from Maplewood, New Jersey, was arrested after he was caught on camera throwing eggs at the statue.

On Friday morning, a mohawked man placed trash at Rizzo's feet.

The bronze likeness, unveiled in 1999, depicts a waiving Rizzo bounding down the steps of the Municipal Services Building heading for Philadelphia City Hall across the street. It was donated to the city.



Driven by Philadelphia Councilwoman Helen Gym, there is growing support for removing the tribute to Rizzo, who died of a heart attack in 1991, from city property. Some call it a reminder of Rizzo's strained history with the African-American and gay communities during the late 1960s and 1970s.



Gym, a first-term Democrat, tweeted that "all around the country, we're fighting to remove the monuments to slavery & racism. Philly, we have work to do. Take the Rizzo statue down."



Mayor Jim Kenney hasn't rejected the idea. Kenney said he wasn't thrilled when it was first installed.

"If there's a group of people or folks in the city who want to reconsider the placement of the statue, whether it be removed or relocated, that's up to them to go through the same process as the people who erected it," Kenney said.

It's not the first time activists have demanded the statue be removed. Last year, an anti-police brutality group called Philly Coalition for Real Justice petitioned for its removal.

Rizzo, a hard-charging, big-mouthed icon of head-cracking law enforcement in Philadelphia, served as police commissioner for four years before serving two terms as the citys mayor from 1972 to 1980. His friends, family and fans remember him as a devoted public servant unafraid to speak his mind. Thousands of people signed a recent online petition to keep the statue in place.

Rizzo's detractors saw his police force as corrupt and brutal.



Lowlights from his time as police commissioner include an incident in 1970 of officers raiding the Philadelphia headquarters of the Black Panthers and forcing the men to strip in public.

For those who knew and covered him, like former cop and retired Inquirer reporter Thomas J. Gibbons Jr. and NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell, Rizzo can't be easily compared to other politicians. And Rizzo doesn't belong in the same category as long-gone Confederate leaders whose statues are coming down across the country.

Gibbons remembers Rizzo fondly for his tough policing, describing the 6 feet, 2 inch Italian American from South Philly as the guy who when he entered a room, everything else stopped.



He is not by any means Robert E. Lee, or Chief Justice Roger Taney, who wrote the Dred Scott decision," said Mitchell, who began her career as a radio and television reporter for KYW during much of the Rizzo years. "He was a twice-elected mayor of Philadelphia, who was clearly controversial in his years as police commissioner. But from a distance, I would say he is not analogous to those Confederate leaders who tried to overthrow the government.

When Rizzo said in 1978 that he wouldn't seek a third term in office he vowed to "defend the rights" of whites who had been "kicked around too long," The Washington Post reported.



But Mitchell said that, "For all of this flaws, Rizzo never publicly defended white separatists."
A controversy over water quality is bubbling to the surface, resulting in a class action lawsuit against Maine bottled water company Poland Spring.

The suit, filed in federal court in Connecticut this week, alleges that the Nestle-owned company is misleading consumers by labeling it 100% natural spring water.

The complaint calls the company a colossal fraud, and alleges that the water is ordinary groundwater, not from real springs.

If Poland Spring had been properly labeled as bottled water, well water, drinking water or purified water, people would have bought much less, and they would have paid less for it, said Alexander Schmidt, a lawyer representing the eleven plaintiffs.

He said Poland Spring is using phony, man-made springs, but a spokesperson for parent-company Nestle Waters North America, said their water meets US FDA regulations defining spring water, and all state and federal standards.

The claims made in this lawsuit are without merit and an obvious attempt to manipulate the legal system for personal gain, said the company in a written statement.

Poland Spring settled a similar lawsuit in 2003, and admitted no wrongdoing. In this lawsuit, lawyers are seeking $5 million in damages, and requesting a jury trial.

The company is one of the largest employers in Maine, and has continued to expand operations in the state.

Grassroots groups, like the Community Water Justice, have been concerned about Poland Springs expansion and marketing for years.

Theres a lot of people in rural communities that do take issue with how they promote and market the product, said Nickie Sekera, co-founder of Community Water Justice.
Taking down statues of Confederate figures is "just like" removing a monument to victims of the 9/11 attacks, Gov. Paul LePage said Thursday, adding that the white nationalist and far-left protesters in Charlottesville over the weekend were "equally as bad" and "disgusting."

The Republican governor made the comments during an appearance on WGAN-AM when asked for his reaction to the deadly violence in Virginia at a white nationalist protest over the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

LePage, echoing President Donald Trump, said he condemns "both sides" that went to the city with the intent of inciting violence. He lamented the deaths of 32-year-old Heather Heyer, who was struck by a car that drove into the crowd of protesters, and two state police officers, whose helicopter crashed during an effort to contain the violence.

LePage said left-wing protesters who want to remove Confederate statues are ignorant of history and want to erase it. He compared them to "the Taliban in Afghanistan" in their desire to remove monuments.

"How can future generations learn if we're going to erase history? That's disgusting," he said. "They should study their history  they don't even know the history of this country and they are trying to take monuments down. Listen, whether we like it or not, this is what our history is."

He continued: "To me, it's just like going to New York City right now and taking down the monument of those who perished in 9/11. It will come to that."

LePage also said he didn't find out about the Charlottesville violence until Tuesday because he doesn't watch TV or read newspapers. The governor, who has a long history of feuding with the media, said he thinks newspapers are "pencil terrorists."

Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said Thursday that it's "very difficult to think how anyone would not be aware of these events given the extensive coverage and discussion that people are having about them."

Collins, whom LePage called "downright dangerous" over her vote to oppose the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, added that Maine has its own problems with racial intolerance, including the reported discovery of Ku Klux Klan flyers in Boothbay Harbor this week, and that the governor should focus on those.

Trump, for whom LePage campaigned last year, also voiced criticism of the movement to remove Confederate monuments on Thursday. He said the nation is witnessing "the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart."

The comments from LePage and Trump drew immediate condemnation from Maine Democrats. Maine Democratic Party Chairman Phil Bartlett said both men are doubling down on a "shameful and embarrassing" perspective. He called LePage's comments about Charlottesville "unhinged" and "ill informed."

Diane Russell, a Democratic former state representative who is running for governor, tweeted that it was hypocritical for LePage to argue in favor of preserving history when he once ordered the removal of a labor mural from the Maine Department of Labor in Augusta.

LePage said the mural, which now hangs in the Maine State Museum, was too sympathetic to unions. He is prevented by term limit laws from running for re-election in 2018.

Former Maine Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat, also appeared on WGAN on Thursday morning to address the Charlottesville violence. He said that Trump's role as president is to "comfort the country" and that the president's comments were "tone deaf." Baldacci didn't directly address LePage's comments.
The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) said it is no longer inquiring into the Woodbury restaurant previously linked to the death of ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman's wife, Kathy.

On Tuesday, DCP said they had launched an investigation into the Good News Cafe, where police said Kathy Berman had allegedly been dining before she and another driver died in a car crash last May.

NBC Connecticut reached out to Good News Cafe after the announcement and a manager said DCP and state police were at the restaurant last week asking questions and they were given receipts to prove the establishment was not open on the day of the crash. The manager said the restaurant cooperated fully and that officials were now looking into other restaurants in the area. The restaurant's website says Good News Cafe is not open on Tuesdays.

DCP said on Tuesday that according to all reports, Berman was at Good News Cafe. They said they understand the restaurant is not open on Tuesdays normally and were investigating whether or not she was at a private event.

On Thursday, DCP said they had ended their probe into the restaurant, but a larger investigation with Connecticut State Police continues.

"The Liquor Control Division at DCP has ended its inquiry into the Good News Cafe in association with the May 9 death of Katherine Berman. There were no found violations at the Good News Cafe. We want to thank the owner and staff of the Good News Cafe for their cooperation in our investigation. While we are no longer looking at the Good News Cafe specifically, a larger investigation in coordination with State Police remains ongoing," Lore Rae Anderson, director of communications for the DCP, wrote in a statement.

The deadly crash happened on Route 64 near Tuttle Road at 2:15 p.m. on May 9 after a Lexus SC 430 driven by 67-year-old Berman, of Cheshire, and a Ford Escape collided, according to state police.

The 86-year-old driver of the Ford, Edward Bertulis, was returning from visiting his late wife at the cemetery when the deadly crash happened. His family said he had been going there every day since his wife passed away in 2016.

State police said both vehicles were traveling east on Route 64 when Berman's Lexus rear-ended the Ford, which veered right off the road, hit a utility pole, and landed upside down. Berman also veered right, crashed off the road and down an embankment into a body of water, according to police.

Both drivers died after the crash.

The chief medical examiner's office said Berman died of blunt force trauma and drowning on July 20.

On Tuesday, DCP said the autopsy indicated that Berman had heightened blood alcohol content.

Connecticut State Police and DCP's Liquor Control Division opened a case into the matter, DCP said on Tuesday.

The investigation is expected to take a few months.
The East Haven Animal Shelter is gearing up for Clear the Shelters and getting their dogs ready with some special training.

For 25 years, Owen Little, the shelters control officer, has helped pets in need find forever homes.

That would be my biggest hope, an empty shelter. In 25 years, its never been empty, Little said.

Little brought in expert dog trainer Michael Shikashio of Complete Canines in Mystic to help achieve that goal. Shikashio instructs dog training classes throughout the state, and uses dogs from the East Haven Animal Shelter during his sessions - which helps the dogs as well.

The dogs learn new skills. The dogs get adopted faster and we build this network of trainers in Connecticut, Shikashio said. So, its just a win-win situation for everybody.

Shikashio has volunteered to teach local trainers new skills every few weeks.

I am really grateful to get to have this opportunity to learn from him and then to be able to help the dogs here, said Ellen Carson, a worker at Sandy Paws Pet Training and Dog Sitting in Madison.

Shikashio said when people walk up to caged dogs in shelters, the animals get excited and start barking or jumping. Part of his training works to deter that behavior.

People are going to be able to come and the dogs will be relaxed, calm, and not jumping all over the run, said Sean Godejohn, assistant animal control officer.

Playtime is the first step in socializing and retraining the dogs, Shikashio said. Then teaching the dogs simple commands such as sit and fetch make them more attractive for adoption.

And though the shelters partnership with Shikashio is fairly new, they hope that, with time, and by learning new skills, the shelter will one day be empty.

I hope they clear the shelter! said Shikashio.

On Saturday, August 19, the East Haven Animal Shelter will be waiving all adoption fees as part of NBC Connecticut's Clear the Shelters initiative. Click here for more information or call the East Haven Animal Shelter at (203) 468-3249.
The Office of the Hartford Registrars of Voters has received a fine of nearly $10,000 for the debacle that unfolded at polling locations across the city on election day in November 2014.

A newly released settlement outlines what the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) found were was failures by the Registrars of Voters office leading up to and during the election.

Nearly three years later, representatives from the SEEC found that what occurred on election day in 2014 was, "nothing short of a statewide embarrassment."

Voter lists were not delivered to polling places on time causing 14 locations to open late or open without those lists. In fact, the voting list for the Hartford Seminary polling place, where the governor voted, did not arrive until after 7 a.m. The SEEC also found that moderators at the affected locations were not instructed how to handle the problems.

The investigation was not able to determine exactly how many voters were turned away or how many voters might have decided to stay home when word of the problems spread.

Then-Democratic registrar, Olga Vazquez, defended her office back in 2014.

"Everyone seems to be pointing fingers here," Vazquez said in the evening of November 4, 2014. "Let's look at the whole process. We need to look at this and say collectively how can we improve moving forward."

The SEEC found of Vazques, that her, "wantonly poor decision making reflected either a too-casual approach to her work, or a serious deficiency in her ability to do her job."

The review also found the following:

Failure to Timely Deliver Registry Lists to Moderators.

Failure to Timely Mark Off Absentee Ballot Voters from the Registry List.

Failure to Timely Deliver a Final Registry List to the Town Clerk.

Failure to Timely Open a Polling Place.

Failure to Properly Check in Voters During the Hours of Voting.

Failure to Deliver List of Polling Place Moderators to the Secretary of the State.

Failure to Resolve Discrepancies in the Results.

In 2014, there were two other Registrars besides Vazquez. The SEEC found those three registrars had adequate time to prevent problems but did not work together effectively, which resulted in what was a slowly unfolding calamity.

The Hartford Registrars of Voters office was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $9,600.

Vazquez, meanwhile, has since been succeeded by someone else. Despite attempts, NBC Connecticut has not yet been able to reach Vazquez for comment.

Read the full State Elections Enforcement Commission here:

Hartford Corporation Counsel Howard Rifkin released this statement to NBC Connecticut:



"These settlements stem from election administration issues in 2014 and 2015, and it was my offices judgment that the cases should be resolved. Hartfords current Registrars of Voters have attended State-mandated training and certification as part of Connecticuts broader efforts to improve election administration."


The New Britain fire chief will be on paid administrative leave starting today pending an investigation into racial bias.

Mayor Erin Stewart presented Chief Thomas Ronalter with a report to determine whether racial bias is present at the fire department.

"While I agree the fire department has issues to resolve, I disagree with many of the findings in the report," Ronalter said in a statement Thursday. "Unfortunately, since all employees were not interviewed, I believe the report is not as fair and balanced as it should be. Many firefighters did not participate, because they were informed that the investigation was focused on alleged racism in the Department, and they did not have comments concerning racial bias."

Stewart's office said Ronalter will be placed on leave indefinitely, pending an investigation by the mayor.

On Thursday, Stewart tweeted: "Sometimes it may be tough...but I will ALWAYS do what it (sic) right."

Sometimes It may be tough... but I will ALWAYS do what it right.  Mayor Erin Stewart (@erinstewartct) August 17, 2017

In his statement, Ronalter said he has "embraced" a diverse workforce and claims that out of the firefighters he has hired during his time as fire chief, 50 percent have been minorities and women.

"I detest racism and all of the harm it causes. While I have made mistakes, I have never treated people -- firefighters or otherwise -- differently based on the color of their skin," Ronalter wrote.



He ended the statement by saying he is ready to work with the mayor, the fire department's command staff and all firefighters to address any problems.
Thousands of people are expected at a Saturday evening Dallas rally sponsored by groups opposed to white supremacy, neo-nazism, neo-confederates and the alt-right.

So far, about 4,000 people have indicated on the event's Facebook page that they plan to attend the rally, set for 7:30 p.m. at the Dallas City Hall Plaza and Confederate Monument in Pioneer Park near Dallas City Hall.

Mothers Against Police Brutality is among a number of organizations co-sponsoring the rally. The group's co-founder, John Fullinwider, said the whole idea is to build a movement to remove the statues that he calls icons of Confederacy in Dallas.

Fullinwider said they're not trying to change the past, rather they're trying to claim the future and don't want to be bound by the "myths of white supremacy and racism." He also said they want to build support for Councilman Philip Kingston's resolution to take down the monuments.

Mayor Mike Rawlings has called for appointing a task force to study the topic for 90 days and then report back to the city with recommendations.

Saturday's rally comes after violence last weekend at a Virginia rally staged by groups that support Confederate monuments. Groups on both sides of the issue clashed, and a woman was killed by a car driven into the crowd.

"The police's job is to protect both sides," said security expert Kevin Mellott, with Erase Enterprises in Dallas.

Mellott said Dallas police have extensive experience dealing with large crowds.

"The difference is controlling a large crowd that's coming to an event with the intent to be peaceful, versus controlling a large crowd where certain elements may come with the intent not to be peaceful," Mellott said.

Mellott said police have access to intelligence information from social media and other sources to learn what counter-protest groups may plan to attend the rally.

He expects Dallas officers to be wearing riot gear and to have extensive preparations in place around the area.

"You would want to make sure that they've got a route where the protesters or demonstrators come in to a rally point, and they go from there to their point of demonstration with police presence along that route," Mellott said.

Fullinwider said they have a plan to deal with counter-protesters, but he said the rally attendees are "non-violent warriors" and will stand up for what they believe in.

"The statues are often presented as history, and if you take them down you're somehow trying to erase history. But they're not really history, they're propaganda," Fullinwider said. "I mean, we don't study the history of World War II by putting up a statue of Adolph Hitler, and so the statues of Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis are the same kind of thing. They celebrate an act of treason and the perpetuation of slavery in the United States."

Dallas police declined an interview request Thursday but issued a statement Wednesday saying that protecting everyone is their highest priority.

The statement said officers will be in the crowd and prepared with quick response teams. The Dallas Emergency Operations Center will be activated to communicate with other agencies if extra support is needed.

No permit is required for the rally in the public location, and no street closures have been announced.
In light of a recent efforts to remove Confederate symbols from American cities, Six Flags has decided to stop flying the Confederate flag, as well as other historic flags, at its theme parks.

On Friday, Six Flags said they replaced not only the Confederate flag, but the flags of four other nations that were originally part of the park's branding.

Six Flags is, of course, named after the six nations who at one time or another ruled over Texas. Those nations were France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America and the United States of America.

Flags were replaced Friday at Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags Over Georgia, the only parks where the flags were flown.

Six Flags Over Texas has decided to stop flying the Confederate flag, as well as other historic flags, at its park in Arlington, Texas.

"At Six Flags Over Texas we strive every single day to make people happy and to create a fun, thrilling and safe family friendly experience for our guests. We always choose to focus on celebrating the things that unite us versus those that divide us. As such, we have changed the flag displays in our park to feature American flags," a Six Flags spokesperson told NBC 5 Friday.

In Arlington, each of the six historic flags welcomed guests as they arrived at the park's parking area and inside the main entrance. As of Friday, all of the flags have been replaced with American flags in both locations.

Since the national flags had been used since the park's inception more than five decades ago, Six Flags Over Texas officials said it may take time to remove flags from other areas of the park.

Until Friday, the version of the Confederate flag flown at the theme park was the first national flag of the Confederacy, aka the Stars and Bars, and not the battle flag that has become synonymous in modern times with representing the southern states in the Civil War.

The Stars and Bars version, a name often misappropriated to the battle flag, has a field made up of three "bars" of alternating red and white horizontal stripes with a blue square in the corner housing a ring of white stars.

Six Flags Through the Years

The battle flag, commonly known today as the Rebel flag and the one drawing the most scrutiny for its current use, is a flag with a field of red and a blue "x" across the face. Along the blue "x" were white stars, one for each state in the Confederacy.

While the removal of the national flags is permanent, Six Flags said they routinely change their flag displays for seasonal and holiday displays and that years ago the company changed their branding logo away from the national flags to colored pennants.
Authorities closed eastbound Interstate 30 in Dallas to investigate a deadly crash involving several vehicles Friday morning.

Dallas police and Dallas County Sheriff's deputies responded to the crash, which appeared to involve at least three vehicles.

All eastbound lanes were closed at Buckner Boulevard at about 5:30 a.m.

Texas Sky Ranger video showed cars crossing over the divider to enter the service road, bypassing the crash scene. There's no word yet on when the freeway was expected to reopen.

No further details on the crash were immediately available.

Check back for the latest on this developing story.


After a drone carrying bags of methamphetamine landed in San Diego, a man was arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs nearby.

The drugs were worth about $46,000 and weighed over 13 pounds, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

On Aug. 8, the agent spotted the remote-controlled drone flying over the U.S.-Mexico border around 11:25 p.m. Other agents in the area were immediately placed on the lookout for the drone, said CBP officials.

Due to the agents heightened vigilance, this drone smuggling scheme was stopped before these dangerous narcotics could enter our communities, said Acting Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Boone Smith, in a statement.



An agent driving an all-terrain vehicle found the suspect at about 11:40 p.m. near the border at Servano Avenue and Valentino Street.

When the agent went up to the man, he caught him carrying a large open bag filled with plastic-wrapped packages of methamphetamine.

The CBP agent arrested the man and searched the surrounding area, about two miles west of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. As he investigated the scene, he discovered a drone hidden in the bushes. The drone was about 2 feet tall.

CBP officials said the man was later identified as a 25-year-old U.S. citizen.
The Port of Los Angeles said Thursday it is reviewing its security procedures after a man being chased by police in a stolen SUV was able to drive into a secure terminal area and climb a crane before jumping or falling to his death on Wednesday.

Authorities also identified the man Thursday as James Llamas. The 23-year-old died at the scene from his injuries, said coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter. His home town was not known.

"At the direction of Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, Los Angeles Port Police, in conjunction with the Los Angeles Police Department, have launched a full investigation into all circumstances regarding Wednesday evening's incident, including the security breach at the container terminal,'' the Port of Los Angeles said in a statement. "This thorough review, including protocols necessary to address improvements, will be completed as soon as possible."

The incident began about 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, when officers with the LAPD's Wilshire Division began chasing the white Subaru SUV.

Authorities tracked the suspect as he raced along streets and the Harbor (110) Freeway, driving on the wrong side of roads and scraping the SUV against K-rails along the way before heading into the harbor area.

The suspect, wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey, drove through the terminal area before bailing out of the still-rolling vehicle around 6:15 p.m.

He climbed a gantry crane and perched himself several stories above the piers and channels on the waterfront, where at various times he danced around and lounged on his back before stripping off his clothes.

Law enforcement officers and firefighters positioned themselves below and crews, including divers, waited in boats, ready to attempt a rescue or recovery if the suspect jumped or fell into the water.

About 8:10 p.m. the suspect plunged about 160 feet and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Amy Bastman of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The SUV reportedly was taken from a dealership in San Bernardino.
The knife attack in western Finland that left two people dead and seven others wounded is "a likely terror act," Finland's intelligence agency said Saturday, while police said Europol was investigating if it had any ties to deadly vehicle attacks in Spain.

The suspect  an 18-year-old Moroccan asylum-seeker  was shot and wounded in the thigh by police during his rampage Friday in the city of Turku. He was hospitalized under guard  still in intensive care Saturday  and is being investigated for murder with possible terrorist intent, police said.

His name has not been released but investigators say he came to Finland in early 2016 seeking asylum.

"It's likely at this moment that we're dealing with a terror attack," intelligence agency investigator Pekka Hiltunen said, adding that it was investigating the suspect's connections to the Islamic State group, since IS "has previously encouraged this kind of behavior."

The agency however did not change the country's threat assessment following the Friday attack.

Crista Granroth of the National Bureau of Investigation said the suspect's attack was very focused.

"We think the attacker was going after women," Granroth said, adding that one man was slashed with the knife when he tried to stand between the attacker and a woman.

The suspect has yet to be questioned, while four others, also Moroccans living in Turku who know him, were detained on suspicion of involvement. An international arrest warrant had been issued for a sixth person, police said, declining to elaborate.

The two dead were Finnish women, while the seven wounded included four Finns, and one Italian, one Briton and one Swedish man. Two of the wounded were still in intensive care. The youngest victim was 15, the oldest 67, police said.

Prime Minister Juha Sipila told a news conference that if confirmed as an act of terrorism, "it's the first time Finland has encountered such a terror act."

"Finland is not an island," he said. "We have feared something like this but we have been prepared," Sipila said, called the attack "a cowardly act."

Sipila told reporters he had spoken with several European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, about the attack.

The NBI said investigators were working with colleagues from the Finnish Security Intelligence Service, police in Turku and the European Union's police agency, Europol. Robin Lardot, head of the NBI, said Europol was helping to check whether there are connections to the vehicle attacks in Barcelona but refused to elaborate.

The Swedish security service said it was helping its Finnish colleagues.

In June, the Finnish Security Intelligence Service raised its threat assessment to the second level of a four-step scale, citing the Nordic country's "stronger profile within the radical Islamist propaganda." Finland was now considered part of the coalition against the Islamic State group, it said.

A man from Sweden who was stabbed in the arm had tried to help another victim who died.

"I tried to stop the violent bleeding from her throat ... The woman was so badly injured that she died in my arms," Hassan Zubier told the Expressen tabloid.

The Ilta-Sanomat tabloid said one of the dead was a local Jehovah's Witness who was handing out leaflets at a central Turku square. The religious group told the tabloid they believed the woman was randomly attacked.

Flowers and candles were placed on a square in Turku, and Finnish flags flew at half-staff across the country.

"We need to stick together now, hate is not to be answered by hate," Sipila, the prime minister, said in a tweet. A minute of silence was planned for Sunday at 10 a.m.

Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, wrote on Twitter that "Europeans stand with #Turku and called it "another cowardly terrorist attack on innocents."

Associated Press writer Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark contributed.
Leaving a child alone in a hot car -- or any vehicle, for that matter -- could be illegal by October of next year, according to a new bill filed by the Florida Senate.

The bill comes weeks after a child died in a van just outside of an Orlando day care on a scorching summer day. Three-year-old Myles Hill had been left behind in the vehicle by the day care van driver, who is now facing criminal charges.

Senate Bill 92 states that a parent, legal guardian or other person responsible for a child younger than 6 years of age may not leave a child unattended or unsupervised in a vehicle for any length of time. Anyone who violates the bill would be committing a second-degree misdemeanor.

If the child suffers bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement, the violator would be committing a third-degree felony, the bill says.

The bill was proposed by Senator Lauren Book, of Broward County. If the act passes, it will go into effect on Oct. 1, 2018.

Five kids have died in Florida this year after being left in hot cars, according to Orlando Police Chief John Mina.
What to Know Amanda Morales, who has lived illegally in the U.S. since 2004, has decided to seek sanctuary instead of showing up to her meeting with ICE

Her three children, ages 9, 8 and 2, all U.S. citizens, stood by her side at Holyrood Church in Washington Heights Thursday

City and federal officials say Morales would not leave the church until her situation is solved

A Guatemalan immigrant with no authorization to live in the U.S. entered a church in Manhattan with her three children on Thursday to seek refuge from immigration authorities.

Amanda Morales, who has lived illegally in the U.S. since 2004, said she decided to seek sanctuary instead of showing up to her appointment with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Morales said ICE told her during her last appointment this month that she would be deported and needed to buy a one-way plane ticket to Guatemala.

"I am scared, but at the same time I feel safe here," she said during a press conference at Holyrood Church, in the Washington Heights neighborhood.

Her children, Dulce Carvajal, 9, Daniela Carvajal, 8, and David Carvajal, 2, all U.S. citizens, stood by her side as city and federal officials spoke to reporters. They said they plan to formally request a stay of her deportation so the children are not separated from their mother. They also said that Morales would not leave the church until her situation is solved.

"ICE should not come here. They will not come here," said Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY). "They want to send people back to get hurt. We say no".

Under President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration, detentions of non-authorized immigrants rose 37 percent over the first six months of the year compared with the same period in 2016. The administration says it is focused on those with criminal records, but the number of detainees who do not have a criminal history has more than doubled.

The 33-year-old immigrant said she left Guatemala fleeing violence. Since then she has worked and regularly showed up to her ICE appointments, except on Thursday, she said.

"What I want is to stay in this country with my children so they are not left alone, helpless", she said to reporters.

ICE considers schools or churches "sensitive locations" in which enforcement action is generally avoided although may occur "in limited circumstances," like under special orders from supervisors, ICE's website says.

An ICE spokeswoman in New York said she could not provide information about someone who is not in ICE custody.

Father Luis Barrios, of Holyrood Church, said that any immigrant who needs sanctuary will be taken in by the church.

"We cannot be indifferent to human suffering", he explained.

Holyrood belongs to the New Sanctuary Coalition of NYC, an interfaith network that helps immigrants.

It is not clear how many immigrants are currently living in churches as a way to hide from immigration authorities but several cases have been reported. About 800 churches in the U.S. have agreed to be sanctuaries, up from about 400 a year ago, according to Church World Service, an organization that helps immigrants obtain legal status in the U.S.

In Austin, Texas, Hilda Ramirez and her son Ivan, who is 11, have been living in Saint Andrew's church for just under two years, said pastor Jim Rigby.

Jeanette Vizguerra, a Mexican mother of four who lived in Denver churches for 86 days to avoid deportation, left sanctuary in May after being granted a nearly two-year stay of deportation.

At Holyrood, volunteers will be accepting donations of food and supplies for Morales and her family.
The MTA says it will replace tiles in the Times Square subway station that bear an uncanny resemblance to Confederate flags.

The transit agency wont say if the decision to change the tiles is related to the deadly unrest in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend. But the move comes as state and local governments across the U.S. are taking down symbols of the Confederacy, including a number of statues.

The tiles have been at the 40th Street entrance of the Times Square station since the early 20th Century, when they were created in honor of Adolph Ochs, a former head of the New York Times who was interred with a Confederate flag.

The MTA says the emblems are not Confederate flags, but symbols related to a longtime nickname for Times Square.

"These are not Confederate flags, it is a design based on geometric forms that represent the Crossroads of the World, MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said in a statement.

To avoid absolutely any confusion we will modify them to make that absolutely crystal clear, he said.

Its unknown when work to replace the tiles will begin or how the tiles will be replaced.

The decision comes in the wake of the deadly rally over a Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, which has caused communities across the nation to remove Confederate memorials and symbols.

Earlier this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other politicians pressed the U.S. Army to rename two streets named for Confederate generals Gens. Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson on an Army base in Brooklyn. The Army has so far resisted, saying the streets were named for the generals "in the spirit of reconciliation" and to recognize them as individuals, not representatives of "any particular cause or ideology."

Mayor Bill de Blasio has gone even further by announcing plans to conduct a review of all of the city's public art and statues to identify "symbols of hate" for possible removal. The mayor singled out a sidewalk plaque commemorating Nazi collaborator Philippe Petain located on the "Canyon of Heroes" - the 13 blocks of Broadway in Lower Manhattan where ticker tape parades are held - as a likely candidate.

Both Cuomo and de Blasio have also called for removal of busts of Lee and Jackson featured at the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at Bronx Community College.

"Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson will be removed from the CUNY hall of great Americans because New York stands against racism," Cuomo tweeted. "There are many great Americans, many of them New Yorkers worthy of a spot in this great hall. These two confederates are not among them."
A knife-wielding man was shot and killed by police after lunging at cops responding to a domestic violence call in New Jersey early Friday, authorities say.

The suspect, identified as 60-year-old Leroy Frank, stabbed his estranged wife multiple times in a home on Greenbrook Drive in Bloomfield, prosecutors said. Cops responded to the scene after getting a call shortly before 8 a.m.

When police arrived, they found Leroy still holding the knife, investigators said. The officers tried to disarm him, but he lunged at them, at which point one of the cops fired his service weapon two times, according to officials.

It wasn't clear where Leroy was hit. Investigators had initially said he was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but prosecutors later said he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The stabbed woman, who is 54 but has not been identified, was hospitalized in stable condition. The officer who shot Leroy was taken to a hospital for evaluation after complaining of chest pains.

It wasn't immediately clear if any prior domestic violence calls had been made from the home. The area was cordoned off as authorities investigated.

Neighbor Greg Silverstein was stunned to learn Frank pulled a knife on his estranged wife; he called the couple next door his favorite neighbors.

"He just seemed like a decent guy, it's really shocking," he said.
A new Airbnb-like website lets people rent out their private pools, and officials in New York are warning residents that leasing out pools is illegal in the state and theyre prepared to take legal action against the company.

There are dozens of listings in the New York area on PoolForU.com, including in Brooklyn, Monsey, New City, Pomona and Spring Valley in New York, and Jackson and Lakewood in New Jersey.

The New York-based company has the slogan Stay cool, rent a pool, with listings including amenities of the pool, along with its dimensions, depth and the number of chairs and bathrooms on site.

But officials in Rockland County have issued a warning to residents, saying renting out pools goes against a state sanitary code that regulates the use of pools.

We have become aware of an online business that advertises pools for rent, many of them in Rockland County, Rockland County Executive Edwin Day said in a statement.

The practice is illegal under our sanitary code. It is dangerous and exposes both homeowner and the people using the swimming pool to unacceptable risks, the statement read.

Day said the Rockland County Department of Health will shut down and levy fines against any homeowner who engages in the practice. He also said that the county is reaching out to PoolForU.com to inform them that they must cease the practice.

We will take legal action if necessary, Day said.

Residential pool owners are unlikely to have the permits required by New York State, Day said in a letter to PoolForU.com that was provided to NBC 4 New York. The permits are required by owners and maintainers of pools when the pools are used by the general public and other strangers. Generally, permit requirements do not extend to the use of the pool by family or friends of the owner.

"Pool owners who advertise on your website may be subject to significant fines through the unwitting use of your service," the letter reads.

Pool owners can face fines of up to $2,000 per day.

However, it's not illegal at the local or state level for owners to rent out their entire home, including pool, on sites like Airbnb.

Rockland County has posted an FAQ page about pool rentals.
The oldest known living person in the United States is celebrating her 114th birthday in Pennsylvania.

The state Aging Department says Delphine Gibson hit the milestone Thursday, getting a personal greeting from the governor.

Gibson was born in South Carolina in 1903 and moved to Pennsylvania after marrying Taylor Gibson in 1928.

She's been a resident of AristaCare in Huntingdon Park for the past 15 years.

Aging Secretary Teresa Osborne says Gibson attributes her long life to a faith in God. She's a member of Mount Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

Gibson's status as the nation's oldest person is according to the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks people older than 110 worldwide.
Police in Pennsylvania say four people were taken into custody after a man was found fatally shot inside a crashed car.

Harrisburg police say officers found the man bleeding inside a car that had crashed into a pole late Wednesday. He had suffered a gunshot wound.

The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Witnesses directed officers to a nearby house, where two men and two women were taken into custody. Police say they are being treated as persons of interest.
Every so often, someone asks David Bohrman about his fathers legendary encounter with Frank Rizzo.

The sidewalk confrontation 37 years ago is one of the great moments in Philadelphia broadcasting, what they call great TV."

The barrel-chested former mayor and police commissioner tells Stan Bohrman, an investigative reporter with KYW at the time, to scram. When Bohrman persists, Rizzo calls him everything from a crumb bum to a crumb creep lush coward.

My father was not a lush, David Bohrman said in an interview Wednesday, chuckling at the thought. It was a throw-it-out-there line. Rizzo had to throw out some kind of insult there.

The video, which still floats around on several YouTube channels, is quintessential Rizzo  the hard-charging, big-mouthed icon of head-cracking 1960s and 1970s law enforcement in Philadelphia.

It provides some context to Rizzo's menacing, trench-coat-wearing bluster as protests have arisen in recent days about his legacy, along with calls to erase the most visible symbol of his reign over the city: a 10-foot-tall bronze statue across the street from City Hall.

By then 50 years old in the 1980 video, he offers to go behind a wall across the street from his house in Chestnut Hill and fight Bohrman and two other journalists at the same time.

Ill put my dog away and Ill come back. And you got one, two, three, Rizzo says, pointing at Bohrman and two others off camera, cigar in hand and fedora on head. And Ill do it alone with you, in the back of that fence. Just the three of us, four of us, me and you. Show you what kind of man you are. Youre less than a man. Ok? Youre a crumb creep. And I wouldnt take that off of nobody. And theres three of you, and Im by myself. And when its over, therell be nothing to it. Win or lose, ok?

Here's a portion of the heated exchange:

KYW-TV reporter Stan Bohrman interviewing Frank Rizzo outside the former mayor's home in 1980.

Removing the statue of a waving Rizzo from its prominent location outside the Municipal Services Building on John F. Kennedy Boulevard is gaining steam, thanks to support from a councilwoman, Helen Gym. The first-term Democrat tweeted Tuesday that all around the country, we're fighting to remove the monuments to slavery & racism. Philly, we have work to do. Take the Rizzo statue down.

Mayor Jim Kenney didnt reject the idea.

"If there's a group of people or folks in the city who want to reconsider the placement of the statue, whether it be removed or relocated, that's up to them to go through the same process as the people who erected it," Kenney said.

It's not the first time activists have demanded the stature be removed. Last year, an anti-police brutality group called Philly Coalition for Real Justice petitioned for its removal.

Police on Wednesday and Thursday guarded the statue after a vandal pelted it with eggs.

Lowlights from his time as police commissioner include an incident in 1970 of officers raiding the Philadelphia headquarters of the Black Panthers and forcing the men to strip in public.

For those who knew and covered him, like former cop and retired Inquirer reporter Thomas J. Gibbons Jr. and NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell, Rizzo can't be easily compared to other politicians.

His bark included a bite, unlike President Trump's verbal attacks. And Rizzo doesn't belong in the same category as long-gone Confederate leaders whose statues are coming down across the country, Mitchell and Gibbons said.

He is not by any means Robert E. Lee, or Chief Justice Roger Taney, who wrote the Dred Scott decision," said Mitchell, who began her career as a radio and television reporter for KYW during much of the Rizzo years. "He was a twice-elected mayor of Philadelphia, who was clearly controversial in his years as police commissioner. But from a distance, I would say he is not analogous to those Confederate leaders who tried to overthrow the government.

Still, Mitchell said, she understands why some in Philadelphia want to debate Rizzos legacy, and its embodiment in a statue placed at the heart of the city on public property.

This is a debate around the country. Its a cultural and historical debate that is clearly coming to a head because of the president, and the really irredeemable things he said (Tuesday), she said of Trumps most recent statements regarding the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. For all of this flaws, Rizzo never publicly defended white separatists.

January 1999: City officials dedicate the 10-foot tall bronze statue of former Philadelphia mayor and police commissioner Frank Rizzo, Sr.

Gibbons remembers Rizzo fondly for his tough policing, describing the 6-foot, 2-inch Italian American from South Philly as the guy who when he entered a room, everything else stopped.

He also is uniquely tied to the political and violent tumult of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

A day before the infamous raid and strip searches of the Black Panthers, Gibbons was shot three times, twice in the right arm and once in the back. The bullet in his back ricocheted through his abdomen, causing significant internal damage and four months in a hospital bed.

Six other officers were shot the same weekend as Gibbons in August 1970, including a sergeant who was killed.

Gibbons left the force in 1971 on disability and went on to spend 31 years as a journalist with the Evening Bulletin and Inquirer newspapers.

He said Rizzo was home in bed the night of the Black Panther raid and strip searches.

If anyone should be faulted, it should be the commander at the Panther raids, Gibbons said.

Mitchell said the future of the Rizzo statue belongs in the hands of Philadelphians.

Its a mixed legacy, but Im just not sure, she said. Youd have to weigh the positives and the negatives. Its a decision for the city and its people.

His interaction with Stan Bohrman should be required viewing for local history buffs. Bohrman, who by 1980 had already spent the Watergate and Vietnam War era as a well-known interviewer and reporter on the West Coast, died in 1993. His popular Los Angeles-based show called Tempo included interviews with Sen. Eugene McCarthy, Dalton Trumbo and Sammy Davis Jr.



He wasnt intimidated by it. I think he was amazed that it went there, with the threat of violence, David Bohrman said of the Rizzo interview. Thats how he was. He rode with it.

Moments before Rizzo finally walks off with his dog, he smirks at Bohrman  and the Philadelphia viewers he held as a captive audience for decades.

You dont even know me, Mr. Mayor, Bohrman says after the barrage of insults.

You are a lush, I can tell just by looking at you. I was a cop all my life and I know a lush when I see one. And youre a lush, Rizzo says. Youre going to have a helluva story on that one. Play every word of it, crumb.

About 30 feet away, before the video cuts back to Bohrman in the studio, Rizzo can be heard greeting a neighbor.

Hello, how are you? he says, as the trench coat shrinks into the background, out-of-focus.

Police protect Philadelphias Frank Rizzo statue from protesters demanding that it be torn down. NBC10s Randy Gyllenhaal hears why some say it should stay.
At the height of Europe's recent migration crisis, more than 7,000 people landed every day at the Greek islands that face Turkey. Orange life vests covered the beaches of northern Lesbos while multiplying numbers of new arrivals slept in fields and at the island's main port.

That was the fall of 2015.

[NATL] Dramatic Images: Europe's Migrant Crisis

Now, with international efforts underway to block smugglers and their human cargo on one of the Mediterranean Sea routes to Europe, smugglers are finding alternatives. As a result, Spain is set to overtake Greece this year as a key entry point for migrants, although Italy far and away outpaces the two other countries.

Here's a look at relocation trends so far this year, based on data from the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Refugee Agency.

ITALY APPLIES BRAKES

Italy is bearing the heaviest share of the exodus to Europe, with 97,000 refugees and economic migrants arriving illegally by boat so far this year. The government recently responded with more aggressive policies to prevent migrant boats that typically originate in Libya from reaching its ports.

Actions include sending Italian military ships and personnel to assist Libya's coast guard with patrols and interceptions. Human rights groups warn that stopping the boats will expose refugees and migrants to abuse and inhuman living conditions in Libyan detention camps. The Italian government says the stepped-up enforcement appears to be achieving its goal.

GREEK RELIEF

The number of refugees and migrants making it to Greece dropped dramatically last year after several Balkan countries tightened their borders, closing off a main land route migrants were using to reach their destinations in Europe.

A deal the European Union brokered with Turkey to deter people from setting off for Greece also has largely held, despite the ongoing political crisis in that country. NATO-backed patrolling in the Aegean Sea has helped with enforcement of the agreement.

The number of people arriving to Greek islands fell to 173,450 in 2016 after peaking at more than 850,000 the year before, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. So far this year, 12,440 had arrived as of Aug. 10, the agency said.

SURGE IN SPAIN

The choke points applied to routes that were used to get to Italy and Greece has made Spain a more attractive destination. The 8,385 migrants who reached Spain by sea so far this year is more than double the number for the same period last year.

The recent surge in boat traffic has alarmed authorities, including the videotaped arrival of a migrant dinghy on a beach filling with vacationers.

The EU's border protection agency, Frontex, says migrant smuggling networks operating in southern Europe are becoming more skilled.

"Organized crime groups involved in migrant smuggling have become more flexible and sophisticated," the agency said in a 2017 report .

"Migrant smugglers anticipate law-enforcement actions and prepare for policy changes."
A Pacific Beach resident said she has been glued to her phone, calling loved ones in Spain to make sure they are safe after Thursday's terrorist attack in Barcelona.

Samantha Berns told NBC 7, the attack Thursday hit close to home and it was difficult to process the news.

A van plowed through the crowds on a busy walkway in Barcelona Thursday afternoon, killing 13 people, injuring 100 others.

Berns said her friend explained the chaos during the terror attack through Whatsapp messages.

"He said, 'Right now its really hard here, everything is really hard,'" Berns said, reading off her friend's message.

Berns said her friend told her when he was caught in the attack, "he had and his friends they had to run."

"When everybody started stampeding they did too," she added.

One of the most vibrant cities in the world, she explained, has gone silent Thursday night.

"My friends are terrified. Theyre scared. Theyre angry. They feel very nervous, she told NBC 7.

She said those feelings won't remain forever.

"You have to acknowledge the terror and you have to move on because they're not winning," said Berns. "Tomorrow in Barcelona, at noon, they want everyone to go to the streets and they want to have a moment of silence and that's good and I want everyone to do that, I want to do that here. They don't win, the terrorists don't win."

Early Friday, authorities in Spain confirmed police officers had shot and killed five suspects in a seaside resort town south of Barcelona in response to a terrorist attack.


Disastrous for the Trump administration, which seems on the verge of being coopted by the NeoCons of Republican Party.



Bannon was the one clear voice for economic nationalism in the Administration. Trump has lost his most reliale link to the movement of populist moral nationalism... that IS Trump's base.



Chief of Staff John Kelly, who was behind this, doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground in terms of political ideology. He is an administrator and of no use as an advisor for a reform the American economy.



Trump's administration could fall apart without that philosophical integrity. The globalist free market, libertarian NeoCons will destroy his Presidency. That's their intent, to get someone more malleable and controllable in office, to do the bidding of American imperialism, free trade and denationalization.



Bannon is going to be a thorn in Trump's side back at Breitbart. The revolution might just by pass Trump, because the New Age, Free Market Paradigm we are in has become unsustainable. It is collapsing and looking for a leader.
Whats old is new again. Its a saying that applies perfectly to an idea by the owners of one of San Diegos newest distilleries.

When we first came up with the idea, no one thought it was a good one, said Sam Chereskin, co-owner of Misadventure and Company.

His idea was to take old bread products and use them to make vodka.

Once a week Chereskin takes a van to the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego food bank and picks up a load of more than a thousand pounds of bread products the food bank can no longer give away. Most of them are past their due date, but still useable.

We get twinkies, ho hos, French baguettes, crullers, you name it. The whole bakery aisle goes into our vodka, said co-owner Whitney Rigali. Essentially, all these baked goods have starches and sugars inside them, which are the building blocks to making any type of alcohol.

Rigali walked us through the process which includes combining all the bread products into what could be described as a giant, warm blender. It mashes the mixture up into what he describes as a sweet porridge. From there, yeast is added to eat the sugar and create alcohol. At that point, what Rigali says is essentially a bread beer, is heated to extract the alcohol, which is eventually turned into vodka.

There are multiple reasons for doing it this way.

For one, the bread products they get from the food bank are free, which Chereskin and Rigali say allows them to make and later sell the vodka for less.

The other, more important reason, is about a lot more than alcohol.

If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest contributor of greenhouse gases behind the United States and China, said Chereskin. In 2014, the amount of food wasted could fill the empire state building 90 some times.

According to the USDA, more than $16 billion worth of food is wasted in the U.S. every year. The National Resource Defense Council claims 40 percent of the food made in this country is never eaten.

If other companies catch on, using old bread products to make alcohol could be one way San Diego fights food waste because the distillery industry is growing in the county.

According to Californias Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, there are 17 licensed distilleries in San Diego County, compared to just two, five years ago.

Were piggybacking off the craft brewing scene, the boom, really, said Rigali.

For now, Misadventure and Company is pretty much alone in its process, and Sam Chereskin said he has multiple reasons to feel good about the work theyre doing.

I have a reason to get up in the morning that goes beyond having a drink, but I get to have that too. So, its a pretty fun day.
What began as a vacation to celebrate a Bay Area couple's first wedding anniversary ended in tragedy, Jared Tuckers family said, when the 42-year-old was killed in Thursdays terror attack in Barcelona.

Tucker's father, Dan Tucker, who lives in Walnut Creek, told NBC Bay Area on Friday that his daughter-in-law, Heidi Nunes-Tucker, had identified her husband's remains at a Spanish morgue.

The Lafayette couple visited Paris and Venice before arriving in Barcelona, Nunes-Tucker said Thursday. They were walking in the Catalan city's Las Ramblas shopping district when Nunes-Tucker decided to look at some jewelry while Tucker ducked into a restroom.

Moments later, a van veered onto the promenade and barreled down the busy walkway in the city center Thursday, swerving back and forth as it mowed down pedestrians and turned a picturesque tourist destination into a bloody killing zone. Thirteen people were killed, along with another person in a separate attack hours later in Catalonia.



"Next thing I know theres screaming, yelling," Nunes-Tucker told NBC News. "I got pushed inside the souvenir kiosk and stayed there hiding while everybody kept running by screaming, and then the police eventually made us evacuate."

Nunes-Tucker had said she hadn't seen or heard from Tucker since the deadly attack. She told NBC News Thursday that she was aware of a picture circulating online appearing to show her husband looking injured and being helped by a stranger.

In the photograph, Dan Tucker said Jared Tucker was wearing a blue shirt and tan pants. He had a head wound and there was "quite a lot of blood," he said. But Dan Tucker took solace in the fact that someone was kneeling in front of him.

"That's a good sign," he recalled thinking. "He's hurt, but it's not fatal."

The family learned otherwise, Dan Tucker said, when officials at a consulate  it's unclear whether the officials were Spanish or American  showed Nunes-Tucker pictures of her husband and asked her to identify Jared Tucker.

Dan Tucker said he and his son, one of five children, owned a swimming pool construction business together.

"Jared was a neat, neat guy. Everybody loved him. He and I have worked together  ever since hes been 16 years old," Dan Tucker said, adding that he had a "really nice relationship" with his child.

"Ive just got so much respect for his organizational ability and all he's done. Everybody loves him and so it's going to be a really bitter pill to swallow," he said, choking up.

Jared Tucker, who has three teenage daughters from previous relationships, was visiting Europe for the first time and was booked on a flight back to the United States on Friday, his father said. The victim's sister is now traveling to Spain to support Heidi Nunes-Tucker and help bring Jared Tucker home.

When asked how he was feeling, Dan Tucker paused, struggling to answer.

"I'm not angry necessarily ... It's just hard to understand how anything like that could happen," he said.

Tucker deemed it "really bizarre" that his son was the one American among the 13 people who were fatally struck by the terrorist. "What are the chances?" he wondered.

Friends, family and other supporters gathered Friday at El Sobrante Christian School, where Nunes-Tucker is a teacher, for a vigil prayer for the family.

"Heidi is a beloved teacher here and we hurt when she's hurting," El Sobrante Christian School principal Jeannine Manguit said.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Jared Tucker's family.



A State Department official told NBC News Friday morning that one American was killed and another was missing. The State Department have not confirmed Tucker is the American who died.

Spanish police intensified their manhunt for an unknown number of suspects still on the loose Friday. They shot and killed five people early Friday who were wearing fake bomb belts as they attacked the seaside resort of Cambrils with a speeding car. Police also arrested four others believed linked to the Cambrils attack and the carnage Thursday on the famous Barcelona promenade.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A state police trooper who died in the fatal crash of a helicopter that had been monitoring a violent white-nationalist protest in Charlottesville was remembered Friday as a devoted family man and proud law enforcement officer.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe was among those who attended the funeral for Trooper Berke Bates at St. Paul's Baptist Church in Richmond on Friday. The service also was attended by troopers from around the country.

"He was a character, and I'll miss him greatly," said McAuliffe, who told colorful stories of Bates from his time spent on the governor's protective unit.

Authorities said Bates was a passenger in a helicopter providing video to police of activities in downtown Charlottesville last Saturday before it broke off to lend support to a motorcade for the governor. The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

State police Superintendent Col. Steven Flaherty said Bates' work filming the rally was instrumental in helping police catch the man who they said drove the car that plowed into a group of protesters, killing one woman and injuring at least 19 people.

Bates had recently gotten his pilot's license and had joined the aviation unit only last month.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

A funeral for the helicopter's pilot, Lt. Jay Cullen, is scheduled for Saturday.

See here for information on how to donate to the families of the fallen troopers.
A Fort Myers woman was arrested Wednesday after snorting cocaine in the parent pick-up line of a local middle school, an arrest report stated.

Deputy Christopher Dought was on uninformed patrol at Lexington Middle School when he noticed Christina Hester, 39, take a straw and snort a white, powdery substance off her iPhone screen, the officer said. Hester allegedly used a credit card to "chop up" the drug, which was determined to be cocaine after Dought tested the substance.

When Dought asked if she had anything illegal in her car, Hester said she had "a little bit of drugs," the report said. A bag of cocaine and two straws were discovered in the vehicle, weighing a total of 0.5 grams.

Hester was charged with posession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was transported to the Lee County jail for booking.
As some Massachusetts students get ready to go back to school, a move by the Charlton Board of Selectmen this week to explore de-regionalization has left some people concerned about the future of a high school shared with neighboring Dudley.

The Dudley-Charlton Regional School District is home to Shepherd Hill Regional High School, serving both towns, but located in Dudley.

"This is merely to do a cost-benefit analysis to see what the benefit would be to the residents of Charlton should we go forward," said Charlton Selectwoman Deborah Noble.

De-regionalizing would mean Charlton would have to figure in the significant cost of building a high school, versus remaining in the district, facing its own possible prop 2  override for the schools.

"We want to explore all options based on budgetary concerns," Noble said.

Dudley residents fear this could leave them in the lurch.

"I guess it's a tax issue, and I'm not really interested in paying more taxes," Dudley resident Dave Richer said.

"Fine, let them do their exploration so they can have some answers for the taxpayers," said Dudley resident Susan Mahoney.

Charlton residents say it's not just a financial issue  there are also concerns about long bus rides for Charlton students.

"I think it would be much better for the kids in Charlton to go to their own town for school instead of going all the way to Dudley," said Shepherd Hill graduate and Charlton resident Brittany Burlingame.

"In a year where we're going forward with an override campaign and we felt we didn't need divisiveness, and I think that the selectmen's intentions are good, though," said Dudley-Charlton Schools Superintendent Gregg Desto.

Desto says the district understands funding is tight right now and that Charlton selectmen just don't want to leave any stone unturned  and for now, the district is just focused on the school year ahead of them.

"We don't feel one inch more divided from Charlton than we ever have," said Desto. "We feel like our district is still strong as its ever been."

At this point, all this means is a consultant, already hired by the town to analyze other town expenses, will also analyze the cost of de-regionalizing.
Brandon Roy had two years clean under his belt and a brand new baby girl at home with his fiancee in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, when Bristol County Sheriffs' officials said they found him hanging in his jail cell last November.

He was a good person, said his fiancee, Alicia French. He would give his shirt to anyone. He loved his daughter very much. He loved his family. Family was foremost with him.

Roy, 27, had recently relapsed in his heroin addiction, and when he entered the Bristol County jail in Dartmouth on Halloween, he carried the burden of a serious medical condition and a nationwide epidemic into a system still scrambling to adapt.

He was one of eight inmates in the state who killed themselves in county jails in 2016 - part of a growing wave of suicides in jails that began to build concurrently with the opioid addiction epidemic.

I believe the jails, as I see it, arent trained, are not staffed to take care of this population, Karen Roy, Brandons mother, said in an interview with NBC Boston.

As heroin use and overdoses skyrocket, some sheriff-run jails around the Commonwealth have experimented with different treatment and care ideas. But data from the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association shows a sometimes gaping disparity of treatment staff and options depending on the county a suspect happens to be arrested in.

Inmates suffering from acute drug or alcohol withdrawal may be segregated from the rest of the population, but often are not constantly supervised by medical staff. Instead, they are watched by county corrections officers and given scheduled access to counselors, psychologists, and AA- and NA-like meetings.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms include sweats, nausea, diarrhea and muscle pain. At its worst, withdrawal can include tremors, severe anxiety, and hallucinations.

Addicts often struggle with mental health issues along with addiction, and when coupled with the stress of incarceration, this creates what one former sheriff called a perfect storm.

Ive seen him go through withdrawal here," Karen Roy said of her son. "Its awful, awful. They get sick. Its terrible."

Brandon Roy did not go to the infirmary or seek treatment for addiction or withdrawal while at Bristol County jail last year. His parents and fiancee said at least one of them talked to him every day between Halloween and Nov. 2, the day he was transported unconscious to St. Lukes Hospital in New Bedford.

When he was getting out of jail, he was promising me to go and get a treatment program, whether it was inpatient or out patient, said Karen Roy, recounting her last conversation with her son. He promised me he would get into some treatment. And I know he would have. I just know. I talked to him and he sounded absolutely fine.

He died two days later.

Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, through a spokesman, declined requests for an interview and would not issue a statement on suicides in his jail.

A PERFECT STORM

Massachusetts jails and prisons have the highest inmate suicide rate in the country, more than triple the national average, according to data from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Suicides in county jails now are driving that rate, interviews and a review of county, state, and federal data and reports reveal. The large majority of those jail suicides were pretrial, meaning they had not been tried or convicted of the charges that landed them in jail to begin with.

Drug addiction is a major contributing factor, officials said.

When you look at 90 percent of your population addicted to drugs and alcohol, like in Middleton where youre releasing probably about 1,300 people to the streets yearly, the chance of someone either trying to commit suicide or successfully committing suicide in this climate is very high, former Essex County Sheriff Frank Cousins said.

In December 2015, Cousins launched a full detoxification program inside his jail. That year, four inmates killed themselves while in his custody in Middleton.

No one likes to go and pronounce someones loved one is dead, he said. So its a tough issue. Ive done that multiple times through my career and theyre all very difficult, and theyre all very sad when you go and personally sit down and speak to someone.

The 84-bed unit, split evenly between men and women, treats about 600 people per year, he said.

Inmate suicide in Massachusetts follows two story lines, each unspooling at different times in the states two main incarceration systems.

The first is inmate mental health and suicide prevention efforts in state prisons, which house those with long-term sentences, run by the Massachusetts Department of Correction.

The second, which flared up just as suicides at the state level fell, is of arrestees addicted to heroin awaiting trial in sheriff-run jails.

Suicides in state prisons hit highs in 2006 and 2010, with seven and eight suicides respectively. After a series of investigative pieces by The Boston Globes Spotlight team, the state commissioned a study by a national expert in inmate suicide to produce recommendations for reducing suicides.

That 2007 report, written by Lindsay M. Hayes, reviewed only state prisons and identified a number of administrative shortcomings. Hayes declined to be interviewed for this investigation.

His report resulted in a number of recommendations that included training staff to recognize suicidal risk, improving screening and identification of suicide risk, making housing suicide resistant, and creating an intervention plan for inmates who attempt suicide.

According to Department of Correction data, suicides fell starting in 2007, but spiked again in 2010. A follow up report by Hayes in 2011 concluded that some of the recommendations previously implemented by the DOC and its providers have slipped back from good practices in certain areas, the cause of which is likely attributable to budget cuts and an under-funded quality assurance program.

But he noted that DOC did manage a good suicide prevention program and the issues they continue to struggle with are similarly experienced by other state correctional systems throughout the country.

That second report prompted DOC to draw up a formal action plan, and suicides since have remained below the 2006 and 2010 highs.

But just as suicide numbers fell in state prisons, they began to rise in county jails.

According to data acquired from all 14 county sheriffs departments in Massachusetts, suicides in jails began rising from one in 2011 to between eight and nine per year each year from 2013 to 2016.

There have been four so far this year.

Data from the state Department of Public Health show that opioid-related overdose deaths started increasing in 2011 to 656 from 560 the previous year. Deaths accelerated, hitting 961 in 2013 and 2,069 in 2016.

Bristol County jail had the most suicides from 2006 to 2016, with 12. Ten of those occurred since 2012, when opioid-related deaths began to climb statewide.

Suffolk had nine suicides from 2006 to 2016, followed by Worcester and Essex with eight, and Plymouth and Hampden with seven.

Four county jails - Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Nantucket - had no suicides during that time.

Altogether, 59 inmates committed suicide in county jails - more than half of the 101 total inmates - in that time. Most of them were pretrial detainees, in jail awaiting hearings and trials.

Cousins said the dual problems of a critical lack of addiction treatment beds to help people before they wind up in jail, and a habit of jailing addicts and the mentally ill form a perfect storm.

Its the inability to find treatment beds for people while theyre in crisis, he said. And it doesnt matter if its mental health, drugs or alcohol.

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, filed a bill that would study suicides in jails and prisons, both among inmates and among correctional officers, which he said is also high.

One solution for Eldridge and others is to keep addicts out of jail to begin with.

I really think its about reducing the incarceration of people for drug crimes and just avoiding them being convicted of anything in terms of drug crimes, Eldridge said.

CATCHING UP

The state is starting to focus effort on the problem. In July, the governors office announced $2.3 million in grants to sheriffs, district attorneys and state prison agencies for drug treatment and prevention, or for diversion of suspects from the criminal justice system.

It is the second round of grants, following one last year.

The grant money is for a range of treatment services including clinician and nurses, case managers, beds, Narcan, and a new addiction task force.

And on Aug. 7, the state announced another $500,000 in federal funding for opioid treatment for inmates about to be released.

That program - targeted specifically for Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Middlesex and Worcester counties - includes access to an injectable long-term opioid addiction treatment drug, and case management services. But those things are for inmates about to be released, not those just incarcerated and enduring withdrawal.

Karen Roy and Alicia French think the state and the sheriff failed Brandon.

I think I would slap him across his face, Roy said when asked what she would tell the sheriff if she met him. I would. I would say, Its because of you hes dead. If only your staff would have paid attention to him, maybe he wouldnt have been without oxygen for 30 minutes. I dont think theyre trained.

Brandon Roy was arrested on felony theft charges. The history behind those charges will sound familiar to those close to addicts.

Over the course of a few weeks, he stole money, tools, and jewelry from his family. At one point, he pulled more than a thousand dollars out of his parents bank account using his fathers ATM card.

To get the money back from the bank, Brandon's father, Raymond Roy, said his bank told him he needed to press charges against his son. Reluctantly, and at wits end, he went to Dartmouth police, hoping a run-in with the law would serve as a wakeup call.

At the same time, the family tried to have Brandon involuntarily committed to drug treatment, using a state law called Section 35 that allows family members and police to petition a judge.

But, Karen and Raymond said, it backfired. Police took Brandon Roy into custody on Oct. 31, 2016, for the Section 35 evaluation and hearing.

I was angry and I was so hurt that I dont think it really hit me right away until were in the courthouse and I can see what I did, Raymond Roy said. It just hurt me so bad with everything. It didnt really hit me until a couple days later. You know, now hes in jail.

The court clinician reviewed statements from the Roys, who told the clinician Brandon was using heroin and had threatened suicide earlier in the year. And she evaluated Brandon, who denied everything his parents reported.

Those inconsistencies led the clinician to recommend against commitment for drug treatment. So Brandon Roy was sent to jail to be arraigned on felony theft charges, rather than to a drug treatment center.

I really believe that if they had sent him to detox he would still be with us today, Karen Roy said.
A rapper in Providence, Rhode Island has been arrested in what police believe was a gang-related shooting death of a 22-year-old.

NBC 10 News reports that John Minaya, 23, a Providence rapper who goes by the name "G-Money," was taken into custody as he was leaving a recording studio on Corinth Street.

He is accused of shooting Devin Burney outside Noah Lounge on Broad Street on July 1. Burney was later pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital.
A white supremacist, front and center at the rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, is from Keene, New Hampshire, and his neighbors are shocked.

Most residents in the city are appalled by Chris Cantwell's extremist views, but few people are more surprised than his landlord.

"He never showed that personality to me," Todd Tousley told NBC Boston in an interview outside Cantwell's apartment Thursday.

Tousley couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his own tenant on a Vice News documentary -- featured as one of the leaders of the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville.

"We're not non-violent, we will f****** kill these people if we have to," Cantwell said in the video.

"Pretty surprised, pretty surprised," Tousley said. "It's kind of scary to hear anybody talk like that."

Cantwell has lived in Keene New for about five years. But residents want to make it abundantly clear he was not brought up here.

"That's not New Hampshire, that's not what we are, it's not American," said Ian Hoppock, who calls Keene his hometown.

"Shocking and shameful, it breaks my heart," said Keene High School Teacher Jennifer White.

The self-proclaimed racist was shown several times in the documentary, at one point unloading his weapons, and later reacting to the news that a counter protester was killed by a white nationalist who rammed his car into the crowd.

"The fact that nobody on our side died, I would call that points for us," Cantwell said.

"That's one of the most repulsive and sickening things I have ever heard," Hoppock said.

"It seems we have absolutely gone to the point of self-destruction," said Gardner, Massachusetts, resident Kathleen Innis, who was visiting Keene Thursday.

In a YouTube video posted Wednesday, Cantwell is in tears, blaming the weekend violence on the counter protesters.

"It was done in defense of myself and others," he said in the video. "I would not have done it for any other reasons."

Tousely thinks that latest video shows his tenant's true colors.

"I have a feeling deep down inside, he doesnt really mean it," Tousley said. "It's like a mob mentality."

Cantwell didn't return our calls or emails for comment, but he did post in his blog Thursday. He says there is a warrant out for his arrest in Virginia and he plans to turn himself in.

Cantwell says he's staying in an undisclosed location because death threats have him fearing for his life.
A 28-year-old New London man suspected of dragging a woman after stealing her pickup from the parking lot of a store in New London Wednesday afternoon was taken into custody in New York hours later, according to police, and they said he was high when he was caught.

The victim, a 43-year-old woman, was loading a table into the back of her pickup in front of HomeGoods at 351 North Frontage Road at 3:46 p.m. Wednesday when someone got into the driver's seat and took off, according to police and fire officials.

Police said the woman tried to prevent the theft of her vehicle. The man, later identified as Christian Guzman, dragged her a few feet from the truck and she fell, according to Battalion Chief Edward Sargent.

Westchester County Department of Public Safety found the stolen truck in New York around 9 p.m. and Guzman was crashed into a marked patrol car in White Plains, New York, according to police.

Police said Guzman failed field sobriety tests and they learned by checking computers that he was in a stolen car. Police said he also had the victim's wallet and other personal belongings, $548 in cash and an iPhone.

Guzman was charged with third-degree criminal possession of stolen property and driving while ability impaired by drugs.

New London police said they had previous contact with Guzman on July 14 in association with him seeking a homeless shelter pass.

The investigation into the recent case remains active and charges are pending.

The woman whose vehicle was stolen suffered arm injuries and she was transported to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

Another vehicle was hit while the Guzman was leaving the parking lot with the stolen vehicle, police said.
A judge has ordered a Maine woman to undergo a psychiatric evaluation after police say she struck her former landlord with her car.

The Portland Press Herald reports 51-year-old Paula Finlay had been acting erratically before she hit the man Aug. 12.

Court documents show the man told police he returned to his home in Falmouth and saw Finlay's car parked in his driveway. Police say he had previously evicted Finlay from an apartment in Portland and filed for a protection order against her after the eviction.

Police say Finlay rammed the man with her vehicle after he blocked her in his driveway and warned officers were on their way.

Finlay is facing a felony charge for aggravated assault and other misdemeanor charges.
Dwayne Betts paid his dues to society for stealing a car when he was 16 years old, serving 8 years in prison. Instead of returning to a life of crime, Dwayne went on to become an award-winning poet, graduated from Yale Law School, and passed the Connecticut bar exam.





Sadly, the state bar has now provisionally denied him admission based on a 20-year-old conviction.





But if we don't allow people with criminal records to re-enter society after serving their terms (through employment, housing, education, or voting), how can we be surprised when they reoffend?





As a fellow Yale graduate and a Commissioner for the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department, I know that what Dwayne has accomplished is no easy feat. He took advantage of every opportunity we give juvenile offenders to help them make positive choices. But instead of celebrating his accomplishments, he's being told he can't become a lawyer because of a mistake he made 20 years ago.





Let's tell the Connecticut Bar that Dwayne's redemptive work should be rewarded, not punished.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/opinion/admit-this-ex-con-to-the-connecticut-bar.html

Even though I believe that Dwayne Betts should be admitted to the Connecticut Bar, or that of any other state where he applies; I'm not signing the Change.org petition someone forwarded to me. Here is what that petition says:To clarify, if the Connecticut Bar Examining Committee were to have already denied his application, I'd have gladly signed a petition to support Mr. Better. That is not what has happened...yet.To describe what Mr. Betts did as "stealing a car" is misleading. He carjacked a man at gunpoint and took the man's car. He went on to use that man's credit cards for a "shopping trip" the following day.There is no question that this man is completely rehabilitated and has earned every possible "second chance." But the Connecticut Bar Examining Committee, which is a separate organization from the State Bar itself, has not actually denied his application. They are doing, what they have done in the past and are allowed to do under state law, is to require anyone who has been convicted of a felony to "...prove with clear and convincing evidence that he is of good moral character and fit to practice law."The law in Connecticut is that anyone who was convicted of a felony loses the presumption of fitness to practice the law. That's a fair and appropriate position. Convicted felons who want to practice law should be required to demonstrate that they are fully rehabilitated before being admitted to the bar and become officers of the court.Let's let the process work. If the Bar Examining Committee were to deny Mr. Betts admission to the bar, then the system did not work and we need to sign petitions, write elected officials and make a fuss. To fuss before the final word is in, is premature at best.
A little boy nearly drowned in an above-ground swimming pool Thursday afternoon in East Boston.

The owner of the home on Trenton Street says it was an accident  that the 6-year-old boy was with his babysitter, visiting the home, when he suddenly stopped breathing while he was swimming in the pool.

The owner says he was wearing flotation devices around his arms.

People started yelling for help. Two adults, including a neighbor who heard the commotion, jumped in to pull the boy out.

CPR was tried before paramedics even arrived.

"I know there are a lot of kids in this neighborhood," said neighbor Marie Alessandra. "I think that's the only house on this block with a pool, so I don't know how often the kids use it. It's summertime. If I had a pool, I'd let the kids use it. That's really sad."

The child was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

Police roped off the house, with an investigation underway. Crime scene investigators arrived at the home to determine if anything suspicious or criminal may have taken place.

"Its a terrible situation," said Alessandra. "He was unconscious, too."

Police say the child has life-threatening injuries.
Not made your Christmas pudding yet? Don't know where to start? Come along to a Christmas pudding workshop at Norwich Central Baptist Church on November 21 with MasterChef contestant Jane Wyndham.

Not made your Christmas pudding yet? Don't know where to start? Come along to a Christmas pudding workshop at Norwich Central Baptist Church on November 21 with MasterChef contestant Jane Wyndham.

Norwich Foodbank provides over 4,700 food parcels Norwich Foodbank gave out 4,793 emergency food parcels to people across Norwich in the last year  with 1,790 of these going to children. Read more

Poppies cascading in Sheringham church A fall of poppies cascades from the pulpit in St Andrews Methodist Church in Sheringham, and anyone is welcome to come and see them. Read more

Bishop Graham's prayers for COP27 climate conference Bishop Graham is publishing daily prayers on social media for the current COP27 climate conference, and is asking all to join. Read more

Discovering the Orange in your life The vibrant colours of autumn have been inspiring regular contributor Jane Walters to focus on the positive. Read more

YMCA annual celebration set to inspire YMCA Norfolk is set to hold its much anticipated 2022 annual celebration and awards ceremony on November 17, after almost 3 years since the last event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more

Hub manager vacancy at community shop Earlham Community Shop Community Interest Company is looking to appoint a manager for this new venture being developed in the heart of NR5 Norwich. Read more

Abbey Days brings Christmas Magic to Wymondham Visitors to Wymondham Abbeys Christmas fair will be able to treat their children to a magic show and fun baking workshop while they browse more than 60 stalls. Read more

Salvation Armys new Christmas Appeal in Norfolk The Salvation Army has launched their new Christmas appeal across Norfolk which, this year, has evolved from the much-loved Toys and Tins appeal. Read more

Are we storing up treasures on earth? Rising prices affect us all, and Anna Heydon urges us to spare a thought for those who will be struggling with the cost of living this winter. Read more

Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more

Covid leaf memorial at Norwich church St Peter Mancroft Church Norwich Presents The Leaves of the Trees an installation by sculptor Peter Walker which provides a memorial for those who died of Covid-19 Read more

Community Chaplaincy Norfolk begins a new chapter Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN) celebrated the beginning of a new chapter this week, as the new chair of trustees Chris Tomlinson led his first annual meeting. Read more

Lowestoft Christians launch on-line bible helps app The Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth branch of Good News for Everyone (GNFE), formerly the Gideons, have introduced a new mobile phone app called On-line Bible Helps. Read more

Addicts' rehabilitation centre plan for Drayton Hall Christian addiction charity Teen Challenge London is planning to turn Drayton Hall near Norwich into its headquarters and a rehabilitation centre for men, after it was gifted the freehold of the hall by its owner, the Lind Trust. Read more

The power of positive protest Philip Young encourages us to take a stand for what we believe, and has just written to Therese Coffey regarding climate change and the forthcoming COP 27. He explains why we should be prepared to protest. Read more

Norwich church celebrates with cribs and trees Rosebery Road Methodist Church in Norwich will be holding its annual Cribs and Trees Festival in December. Read more

Transforming Norwich lunch offers ministry tips Ex-Brighton vicar, Rev Phil Moon, will offer tips on how to keep going in ministry to the Transforming Norwich leaders lunch on Wednesday November 16. Read more
A copy of the weather vane at the top of St Mary's Church was presented to mayor of Cormicy

KINGSCLERE Twinning Association has given a copy of the weather vane from the top of St Marys church to its sister town of Cormicy, in north-east France.

During the Twinning Associations visit to the village  near Reims  they presented the mayor of Cormicy with a replica of thebed bug weather vane.

The weather vane has six crosses for legs, and another for its tail.

The legend attached to the weather vane is that in the 13th century King John was hunting in the area.

A thick fog supposedly prevented him returning to his hunting lodge nearby and he had to spend the night at the local inn in Kingsclere.

Legend has it that his sleep was disturbed by bed bugs and he was so annoyed by his interrupted night that he commanded that an effigy of a bed-bug be erected on the church tower.

The visit was to celebrate Bastille Day and started in Cormicy town square with an aperitif and welcome speech by the mayor followed by a Paella supper eaten at long tables and washed down with Champagne.

Member of the Kingsclere Twinning Association, Sarah Davis, said: The French families there made us feel so welcome and many have become firm friends.

We look forward to their visit to Kingsclere next year.

She added: They are going to put it in the town hall on the wall with the twinning agreement we sent them about six years ago.
Sporting event adds to Rosemary Appeal pot

THE Newbury business community recently came together in a sporting extravaganza to raise money for The Rosemary Appeal  a fundraising campaign set up to raise 4.5m for a new cancer care and renal dialysis unit at the West Berkshire Community Hospital.

Hosted by Newbury estate agent Jones Robinson on August 2, teams fielded by local companies took part in a rounders competition at St Bartholomews School.

Organisations that sent teams included Barclays Bank, First Xtra, Gardner Leader, Horsey Lightly Solicitors, Maxx Design and Newbury Building Society, along with a team from Jones Robinson itself.

We enjoy being part of the Newbury community so much that we decided to combine our local working relationships with our ongoing drive to raise money for The Rosemary Appeal, of which we are proud corporate sponsors, said Charles Robinson, a partner at Jones Robinson.

Our rounders event added 1,250 to the fundraising pot and I think we have created a brilliant community event in the process  one we have been asked to repeat again next year and look forward to hosting.

The chief organisers from Jones Robinson, Laura Davenport and Chloe Morey, made sure a team of cake bakers, barbecue volunteers, officials, referees, supporters, teams and even babysitters came together raise money and have fun along the way.

Mr Robinson said: There was a brilliant sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship on the day, but also an element of friendly rivalry, with Maxx Design being crowned winners and Gardner Leader runners-up.

For more pictures visit http://newburyweeklynews.zenfolio.com/p11391333
By Online Desk

Vishal Sikka, the chief executive officer of Infosys Ltd, India's second largest software services provider, today in a surprise move announced his resignation citing "... continuous stream of distractions and disruptions over the recent months and quarters, increasingly personal and negative as of late, preventing management's ability to accelerate the Company's transformation..." as reasons.

The dynamic Indian-American, Infosys' first non-founder CEO, has made headlines right from when he took over the reins of the software major, which was undergoing one of its roughest phases, in June 2014.

Here are ten things you should know about him:



1 Birth

Vishal Sikka was born in Shajapur, Madhya Pradesh on June 1, 1967 to Punjabi parents. His father was an Indian Railways employee and his mother was a teacher. His family moved to Vadodara, Gujarat when he was six.

2 Education

He graduated from Rosary High School in Vadodara. Sikka joined the bachelors in computer engineering course at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, which he discontinued to go to Syracuse University in New York where he earned a B.S. in computer science. Sikka completed his Ph.D. in 1996 from Stanford University.

3 Software entrepreneur

Sikka first worked at Xerox PARC (now PARC), a California-based research and development company, which he quit to start two of his own ventures - iBrain Software and Bodha.com. They were acquired by PatternRX and Peregrine Systems respectively.



4 Career at SAP

Vishal Sikka headed the advanced technology group at German multinational software corporation SAP. Sikka later got promoted to the post of senior vice president of architecture and chief software architect and then became the CTO of SAP. Sikka is rememebered for spearheading the innovative HANA (High Performance Analytic Appliance), SAP's in-memory database technology with support from Hasso Plattner, co-founder of SAP and an influential Silicon Valley figure.

It is believed that Sikka developed HANA after he met with an accident in Costa Rica in 2008. Following the accident, he decided to take stock of his life and informed Hasso Plattner of his decision to leave SAP. However, Plattner challenged him to renew the German major, and that's how HANA was born. HANA grew to become the fastest project in the company's history to generate a billion dollars in revenue.

5 CTO-ship

In 2008, Sikka joined the executive board of the CTO Forum, an influential industry non-profit community. The same year, he articulated his vision of 'Timeless Software'  software that does not cause disruption to the user as technology landscapes evolve  and proposed that this be a key pillar of SAP's future development efforts.

Sikka served as a member of the advisory board for Coghead from 2006 to 2009 along with industry influencers Steve Bourne, Guy Kawasaki and John Seely Brown. Coghead was acquired by SAP in 2009.



6 Innings at Infosys

Infosys Ltd named Sikka as its first non-founder Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director on 12 June 2014. He was inducted as a whole-time director of the Board and CEO & MD (Designate) of Infosys on 14 June. Narayana Murthy, who started Infosys in 1981, along with six others, had stepped down from the companys board in 2014, marking the end of an era of founders. Sikka took over from the then-CEO SD Shibulal, one of Infosys' founders, on 1 August.

His entry was expected to turn the destiny of the software exporter which had posted four years of narrowing profit margins, underperformed peers and was almost losing its status as a pioneer in the I-T industry.

A signboard at Infosys' Bengaluru campus. (Reuters File Photo)

Although the company has recorded both highs and lows since Sikka took over, it has largely seen a turnaround with the Silicon Valley man's focus on technology, innovation, design thinking, the acquisition of automation provider Panaya, the hiring of his fomer SAP colleagues to form his core team, and more.



7 Work culture

The new CEO's initiated a modern, refreshing work culture. Employees were no longer required to wear formals and could choose to wear casual comfortable clothes to work. Maternity leave could be extended, devoid of any hassle. He is also credited with starting a communication trend - used to interact with his employees via blogs, town halls, InfyRadio, InfyT and on Yammer, the enterprise communication platform.



8 Highest-paid CEO

Vishal Sikka is now one of the highest-paid tech executive in India, with a base salary of Rs. 5.96 crore, which amounted to Rs. 48.73 crore in FY 2015-16 inclusive of variable pay (Rs. 14 crore) and bonuses.

9 Sikka maintains a blog 'Timelessness' where he has written about his vision for a 'timeless software' that is forever disruption-free, even as technologies undergo transformation. He has around 200,000 followers on Twitter. His resignation letter has been posted on his blog.



10 Brewing trouble

For over a year, reports of internal fissures over the company's core values, have been coming out. The founders, led by N R Narayana Murthy, were unhappy with the boards revising Vishal Sikkas compensation by 55% to 11 million USD. In the 201-17 period, a lot of the senior management received a steep hike in compensation. Sikka in a letter to the company's shareholders credited the incentives to high performances, saying it was his 'personal endeavour since he joined Infosys to enable all employees to share in the successes of the company...'

Other reported reasons for the discord are the co-founders' displeasure over the large severance package paid to Rajiv Bansal, the IT majors former chief financial officer, and the appointment of Punita Kumar-Sinha as an independent director, who is the spouse of Union minister Jayant Sinha.



Vishal Sikka resigned from Infosys as MD & CEO on 18 August 2017 and will be holding the position of Executive Vice Chairman until a replacement is found.

Vishal Sikka, the chief executive officer of Infosys Ltd, India's second largest software services provider, today in a surprise move announced his resignation citing "... continuous stream of distractions and disruptions over the recent months and quarters, increasingly personal and negative as of late, preventing management's ability to accelerate the Company's transformation..." as reasons. The dynamic Indian-American, Infosys' first non-founder CEO, has made headlines right from when he took over the reins of the software major, which was undergoing one of its roughest phases, in June 2014. Here are ten things you should know about him: 1 Birth Vishal Sikka was born in Shajapur, Madhya Pradesh on June 1, 1967 to Punjabi parents. His father was an Indian Railways employee and his mother was a teacher. His family moved to Vadodara, Gujarat when he was six. 2 Education He graduated from Rosary High School in Vadodara. Sikka joined the bachelors in computer engineering course at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, which he discontinued to go to Syracuse University in New York where he earned a B.S. in computer science. Sikka completed his Ph.D. in 1996 from Stanford University. 3 Software entrepreneur Sikka first worked at Xerox PARC (now PARC), a California-based research and development company, which he quit to start two of his own ventures - iBrain Software and Bodha.com. They were acquired by PatternRX and Peregrine Systems respectively. 4 Career at SAP Vishal Sikka headed the advanced technology group at German multinational software corporation SAP. Sikka later got promoted to the post of senior vice president of architecture and chief software architect and then became the CTO of SAP. Sikka is rememebered for spearheading the innovative HANA (High Performance Analytic Appliance), SAP's in-memory database technology with support from Hasso Plattner, co-founder of SAP and an influential Silicon Valley figure. It is believed that Sikka developed HANA after he met with an accident in Costa Rica in 2008. Following the accident, he decided to take stock of his life and informed Hasso Plattner of his decision to leave SAP. However, Plattner challenged him to renew the German major, and that's how HANA was born. HANA grew to become the fastest project in the company's history to generate a billion dollars in revenue. 5 CTO-ship In 2008, Sikka joined the executive board of the CTO Forum, an influential industry non-profit community. The same year, he articulated his vision of 'Timeless Software'  software that does not cause disruption to the user as technology landscapes evolve  and proposed that this be a key pillar of SAP's future development efforts. Sikka served as a member of the advisory board for Coghead from 2006 to 2009 along with industry influencers Steve Bourne, Guy Kawasaki and John Seely Brown. Coghead was acquired by SAP in 2009. 6 Innings at Infosys Infosys Ltd named Sikka as its first non-founder Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director on 12 June 2014. He was inducted as a whole-time director of the Board and CEO & MD (Designate) of Infosys on 14 June. Narayana Murthy, who started Infosys in 1981, along with six others, had stepped down from the companys board in 2014, marking the end of an era of founders. Sikka took over from the then-CEO SD Shibulal, one of Infosys' founders, on 1 August. His entry was expected to turn the destiny of the software exporter which had posted four years of narrowing profit margins, underperformed peers and was almost losing its status as a pioneer in the I-T industry. A signboard at Infosys' Bengaluru campus. (Reuters File Photo) Although the company has recorded both highs and lows since Sikka took over, it has largely seen a turnaround with the Silicon Valley man's focus on technology, innovation, design thinking, the acquisition of automation provider Panaya, the hiring of his fomer SAP colleagues to form his core team, and more. 7 Work culture The new CEO's initiated a modern, refreshing work culture. Employees were no longer required to wear formals and could choose to wear casual comfortable clothes to work. Maternity leave could be extended, devoid of any hassle. He is also credited with starting a communication trend - used to interact with his employees via blogs, town halls, InfyRadio, InfyT and on Yammer, the enterprise communication platform. 8 Highest-paid CEO Vishal Sikka is now one of the highest-paid tech executive in India, with a base salary of Rs. 5.96 crore, which amounted to Rs. 48.73 crore in FY 2015-16 inclusive of variable pay (Rs. 14 crore) and bonuses. 9 Sikka maintains a blog 'Timelessness' where he has written about his vision for a 'timeless software' that is forever disruption-free, even as technologies undergo transformation. He has around 200,000 followers on Twitter. His resignation letter has been posted on his blog. 10 Brewing trouble For over a year, reports of internal fissures over the company's core values, have been coming out. The founders, led by N R Narayana Murthy, were unhappy with the boards revising Vishal Sikkas compensation by 55% to 11 million USD. In the 201-17 period, a lot of the senior management received a steep hike in compensation. Sikka in a letter to the company's shareholders credited the incentives to high performances, saying it was his 'personal endeavour since he joined Infosys to enable all employees to share in the successes of the company...' Other reported reasons for the discord are the co-founders' displeasure over the large severance package paid to Rajiv Bansal, the IT majors former chief financial officer, and the appointment of Punita Kumar-Sinha as an independent director, who is the spouse of Union minister Jayant Sinha. Vishal Sikka resigned from Infosys as MD & CEO on 18 August 2017 and will be holding the position of Executive Vice Chairman until a replacement is found.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka made no secret of the reasons for his decision to leave the company after months of facing barbs from former CEOs including co-founders N R Narayana Murthy and Nandan Nilekani.

In a letter to Infosys employees that Vishal Sikka posted on his blog, Sikka said he now wishes to return to an environment of respect, trust and empowerment.

Heres the full text of Sikkas letter to his Infosys colleagues.

"Dear Friends,

After a lot of reflection, I have resigned from my position as your MD & CEO effective today. A succession process has been initiated, with Pravin serving as interim MD & CEO, and I will work closely with the Board and management team over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition. In addition, I have agreed to serve as Executive Vice Chairman on the Board to further ensure continuity until the new management is in place.

For days, indeed weeks, this decision has weighed on me. I have wrestled the pros and cons, the issues and the counterbalancing arguments. But now, after much thought, and considering the environment of the last few quarters, I am clear in my decision. It is clear to me that despite our successes over the last three years, and the powerful seeds of innovation that we have sown, I cannot carry out my job as CEO and continue to create value, while also constantly defending against unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks.

In 2014, we started with a very challenging set of conditions, and in the last three years, we have decisively turned things around.

Three years ago, I started this journey with a calling, to help reshape the company around innovation and entrepreneurship, to deliver breakthrough value for clients, and to help elevate our work, our standing, our selves, on the basis of a dual strategy, bringing together dualities of renew and new, automation and innovation, people and software, to show a new path forward in a time of unprecedented disruption within the industry and beyond. That time, around and before June 2014, was a difficult time. Our growth rates were low and attrition was high. There was a sense of apprehension all around and I came here to help enable a great transformation as our core business faced intense pricing pressure, and clients looked increasingly to innovative partners to help shape their digital futures. Now, a bit more than three years later, I am happy to see the company doing better in every dimension I can think of.

We have grown our revenues, from $2.13B in Q1FY15 to $2.65B this past Q1. We did so while keeping a strong focus on margins, closing this past quarter at 24.1% operating margin, beating some competitors for the first time in many years, and improving against most in our industry. Perhaps more importantly, our revenue per employee has grown for six quarters in a row. Our attrition has fallen, from 23.4% in Q1FY15 to 16.9% this past Q1, and high performer attrition is hovering at or below the single-digit threshold for a while now. We grew our $100M+ clients from 12 when I started, to 19, and increased our large deal wins from ~$1.9B in FY15 to ~$3.5B this past year. Weve done all this while improving our overall utilization, to a 10-yr high this past quarter, and an all time high including trainees, while improving our cash reserves, rewarding employees with a new equity plan, and returning cash to our stakeholders. And we have done all this while improving our standing with clients to the highest ever in the 12 years since weve done our client satisfaction survey, and a jump of 22 points in CxO satisfaction.

A few days ago, Nitesh, Radha, and I met a client in our office in Palo Alto. It is one of the largest companies in the world - and the CIO was excited and proud about seeing automation come to life in their landscape. Her reaction to seeing many of our innovation projects, as well as our workspace itself, was thoroughly rewarding, and a testament to all we have achieved. She requested us to bring our innovative work and processes to everything we do with her team in a similar space, and even that we help them establish a similar presence for their company in the valley! This is a sentiment Ive often heard from clients whove visited our 12,000 sqft space here, that has seen 2200 visits over its ~27 months; clients where we saw much faster than average revenue growth following their visits. So, as I look back on the three years as CEO, what brings me the most joy is the new roads that all of you have traveled, the new frontiers that all of you have enabled. From embracing the new ideas in education, teaching ourselves Design Thinking like no one else ever has, learning AI, new development processes, and more, to applying these learnings via Zero Distance, a one-of-a-kind program of massive grassroots innovation, powered by education, by the amazing Zero Bench, and by your creative confidence. With 16500+ ideas generated, 2200+ of which have already been implemented, ZD is proof that innovation need not be the domain of a chosen few in some elite department, but is the prerogative of us all; proof that the extraordinary within each one of us can indeed be unleashed. To complement this grassroots innovation, weve launched 25+ new services that contributed 8.3% of our revenue last quarter, up from zero in April 2015. And our own new software business is now at 1.6% of revenue. Our AI platform, Nia, now with 160+ scenarios deployed at more than 70 clients, is helping drive both automation within the company, and breakthrough new business scenarios outside. Beyond new services and new software, weve ventured into new horizons, from our startup funds investments in promising new businesses, to the work weve done in the last 3 years in local hiring around the world, especially in the US, to the exemplary and inspiring work our US foundation has done in bringing computer science education and a culture of making, to the masses.

And I am proud of how we have upheld our values, our culture, our integrity, whilst we have gone about this massive transformation. I am proud of how our Board has worked, tirelessly, selflessly, these past quarters, despite intense, unfair, and often malicious and personal, criticism, in not only upholding our standards of governance and integrity, but also indeed raising these. None of our successes would be worthwhile for a moment, if this was not the case.

I was, and remain, passionate about the massive transformation opportunity for this company and industry, but we all need to allow the company to move beyond the noise and distractions.

Back in May 2014, when I first met many board colleagues, I thought of the road ahead as a road for the next 33 years of this iconic company. For Infosys is more than a company: it is an idea, a dream, a pioneering possibility. Back then I thought, just as I do today, that the time ahead called for a company that could show the way to a digital future, a future where our humanity, amplified by automation and software, would unleash our creativity, our imagination, to construct great worlds of our futures, and would do so powered by education, by our timeless value of learnability. Such an Infosys, whilst staying true to its core, to her values and timeless principles, would shine the light in an altogether different context, a different reality. Such an Infosys would be one where an individuals entrepreneurship, ability to imagine and create, ability to learn, and to amplify themselves with software, with AI, would create a greater whole. Rather than an overarching system enabling the people, the peoples agility and imagination would create a greater system. Three years later, we can clearly see that the seeds of this idea have taken root and are growing, into beautiful new flowers and plants, and I see no reason why these cannot continue, and help shape our companys future.

For sure this journey has been a difficult one. No one, especially me, thought it would be easy. Transformations are hard to begin with. A massive transformation, of such an iconic institution, with such groundbreaking achievements behind her, would be even tougher, and the exponential rates of change all around us, further amplified by geopolitical matters, would add that much more headwind. But all this was known, and clear, and in many ways added to the calling that I felt. For as the legendary architect Daniel Burnham said, Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir mans blood.

But after much contemplation I have decided to leave because the distractions, the very public noise around us, have created an untenable atmosphere. I deeply believe in creating value in an atmosphere of freedom, trust and empowerment. Life is too short to engage in battles of opinions in the public, these add no value, take critical time and focus away from the business, and indeed add more to the noise, to the eardrum buzz, as I wrote to you a few months ago. The founding principle of the strategy I laid out for our renewal was personal empowerment, working in an entrepreneurial environment. I need this for my own work as well. Steve Jobs, in his famous commencement speech at my alma mater, said:

Your time is limited, dont waste it living someone elses life. Dont be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other peoples thinking. Dont let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become.

I now need to move forward, and return to an environment of respect, trust and empowerment, where I can take on new lofty challenges, as can each of you.

As Steve Jobs said, I must follow my heart and my intuition, build my buildings, give my givings, and do something else. Over the next weeks and months, I look forward to working with the Board and management to create a smooth transition, and simultaneously staring into the great unknown, and to doing something great, something purposeful, for the times ahead. And also to spend some time with my loved ones. Ive been away from home far too often and far too long.

As I completed my three years recently, many people asked me if I have any regrets. This question is more apt today and the answer is a clear NO. Not for a second. However difficult the noise of the last several months has been, I wouldnt trade our time together for anything. I would not give up the experience of seeing the gleam in your eyes as you described a new idea, invention, or contribution. You worked on these confidently, without reward, without arrogance, showing exactly the kind of creative confidence that David Kelley talked about in Design Thinking  a wonderful thing to witness.

I am deeply grateful for the immense support and love Ive received from all of you, from our worthy clients for whom we do our lifes work, and by our shareholders across the globe. I am grateful for your trust, confidence and friendship, and am thankful to our team of amazing leaders, who will help lead our company to greatness. To my first Infoscion colleague and trusted friend Ranga, who enabled us to achieve the things we achieved, to the amazing Ravi, a pocket of passion and energy and execution excellence, to the calm and steadfast Mohit, who introduced me to the band of brothers and lived it, day after day, to the larger than life Rajesh, with his great heart and big laugh, to Binod, a veritable bulldozer brother with his broad shoulders and broader smile, to the one of a kind Ramadas, the architect and protector of our magnificent campuses with his indomitable spirit and world-class excellence, to the always smiling Deepak who helped live the strategy, to Krish and the best HR team in the world, especially the extraordinary Richard, Nanju, Shruthi and their amazing team for helping to carry out some of the craziest and most amazing people initiatives, to Inderpreet, a new voice to the team, a voice of calm, strength, integrity and a stability that far belies the little time shes been with us, to Jayesh and our entire finance team for their dedication, their impeccable meticulous integrity and world-class excellence, and especially to my partner, friend, and pillar of strength, Pravin, who carried all the load in the world, with a smile, impeccable integrity and the most amazing grace, and will now lead you to the next phase of our company's growth. To Zaiba, Bala sir, Nagaraju, Hari and many others for making it possible for me to be me and to do my work, to my Palo Alto family: Sanjay, Abdul, Navin, Ritika, Barbara, Tao, Vinod, Shabana, April, Sudhir and others who have stood by me and have given up so much to be a part of this journey and contributed so much to it, and indeed to thousands of Infoscions whove made it all matter. I am thankful to Sesh and our entire board for their unfailing support and confidence in me throughout this journey.

Together we have achieved a lot. Even in the midst of all of the distractions, even as the tendency was to return to the familiar, we still managed to persevere and make wonderful progress. We have laid the foundation for the next 30 years of Infosys, and I feel deeply proud to have worked alongside all of you in sowing the seeds that will return this company to the bellwether it once was. As youve all often reminded us, Infosys is no bigger and no smaller than any of us, the people, the Infoscions. You are the ones that will take Infosys to the next 30 years and beyond. As I think about the time ahead, for all of us, I can only see us powered by a freedom from the known, of renewing ourselves to thrive in the time ahead. Each one of you has vindicated my deeply held belief that people are capable of doing more, achieving more, being more, than they ever imagined possible. So, keep pushing yourself to do better at whatever you are good at, but also learning to do things you have never done before, indeed, nobody has ever done before. I know I will be doing the same.

The Board, Pravin, and I will communicate additional details as we move forward in this transition, and meanwhile, we continue our work as is. I wish all of you the very best in your journeys ahead.

BENGALURU: Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka made no secret of the reasons for his decision to leave the company after months of facing barbs from former CEOs including co-founders N R Narayana Murthy and Nandan Nilekani. In a letter to Infosys employees that Vishal Sikka posted on his blog, Sikka said he now wishes to return to an environment of respect, trust and empowerment. Heres the full text of Sikkas letter to his Infosys colleagues. "Dear Friends, After a lot of reflection, I have resigned from my position as your MD & CEO effective today. A succession process has been initiated, with Pravin serving as interim MD & CEO, and I will work closely with the Board and management team over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition. In addition, I have agreed to serve as Executive Vice Chairman on the Board to further ensure continuity until the new management is in place. For days, indeed weeks, this decision has weighed on me. I have wrestled the pros and cons, the issues and the counterbalancing arguments. But now, after much thought, and considering the environment of the last few quarters, I am clear in my decision. It is clear to me that despite our successes over the last three years, and the powerful seeds of innovation that we have sown, I cannot carry out my job as CEO and continue to create value, while also constantly defending against unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks. In 2014, we started with a very challenging set of conditions, and in the last three years, we have decisively turned things around. Three years ago, I started this journey with a calling, to help reshape the company around innovation and entrepreneurship, to deliver breakthrough value for clients, and to help elevate our work, our standing, our selves, on the basis of a dual strategy, bringing together dualities of renew and new, automation and innovation, people and software, to show a new path forward in a time of unprecedented disruption within the industry and beyond. That time, around and before June 2014, was a difficult time. Our growth rates were low and attrition was high. There was a sense of apprehension all around and I came here to help enable a great transformation as our core business faced intense pricing pressure, and clients looked increasingly to innovative partners to help shape their digital futures. Now, a bit more than three years later, I am happy to see the company doing better in every dimension I can think of. We have grown our revenues, from $2.13B in Q1FY15 to $2.65B this past Q1. We did so while keeping a strong focus on margins, closing this past quarter at 24.1% operating margin, beating some competitors for the first time in many years, and improving against most in our industry. Perhaps more importantly, our revenue per employee has grown for six quarters in a row. Our attrition has fallen, from 23.4% in Q1FY15 to 16.9% this past Q1, and high performer attrition is hovering at or below the single-digit threshold for a while now. We grew our $100M+ clients from 12 when I started, to 19, and increased our large deal wins from ~$1.9B in FY15 to ~$3.5B this past year. Weve done all this while improving our overall utilization, to a 10-yr high this past quarter, and an all time high including trainees, while improving our cash reserves, rewarding employees with a new equity plan, and returning cash to our stakeholders. And we have done all this while improving our standing with clients to the highest ever in the 12 years since weve done our client satisfaction survey, and a jump of 22 points in CxO satisfaction. A few days ago, Nitesh, Radha, and I met a client in our office in Palo Alto. It is one of the largest companies in the world - and the CIO was excited and proud about seeing automation come to life in their landscape. Her reaction to seeing many of our innovation projects, as well as our workspace itself, was thoroughly rewarding, and a testament to all we have achieved. She requested us to bring our innovative work and processes to everything we do with her team in a similar space, and even that we help them establish a similar presence for their company in the valley! This is a sentiment Ive often heard from clients whove visited our 12,000 sqft space here, that has seen 2200 visits over its ~27 months; clients where we saw much faster than average revenue growth following their visits. So, as I look back on the three years as CEO, what brings me the most joy is the new roads that all of you have traveled, the new frontiers that all of you have enabled. From embracing the new ideas in education, teaching ourselves Design Thinking like no one else ever has, learning AI, new development processes, and more, to applying these learnings via Zero Distance, a one-of-a-kind program of massive grassroots innovation, powered by education, by the amazing Zero Bench, and by your creative confidence. With 16500+ ideas generated, 2200+ of which have already been implemented, ZD is proof that innovation need not be the domain of a chosen few in some elite department, but is the prerogative of us all; proof that the extraordinary within each one of us can indeed be unleashed. To complement this grassroots innovation, weve launched 25+ new services that contributed 8.3% of our revenue last quarter, up from zero in April 2015. And our own new software business is now at 1.6% of revenue. Our AI platform, Nia, now with 160+ scenarios deployed at more than 70 clients, is helping drive both automation within the company, and breakthrough new business scenarios outside. Beyond new services and new software, weve ventured into new horizons, from our startup funds investments in promising new businesses, to the work weve done in the last 3 years in local hiring around the world, especially in the US, to the exemplary and inspiring work our US foundation has done in bringing computer science education and a culture of making, to the masses. And I am proud of how we have upheld our values, our culture, our integrity, whilst we have gone about this massive transformation. I am proud of how our Board has worked, tirelessly, selflessly, these past quarters, despite intense, unfair, and often malicious and personal, criticism, in not only upholding our standards of governance and integrity, but also indeed raising these. None of our successes would be worthwhile for a moment, if this was not the case. I was, and remain, passionate about the massive transformation opportunity for this company and industry, but we all need to allow the company to move beyond the noise and distractions. Back in May 2014, when I first met many board colleagues, I thought of the road ahead as a road for the next 33 years of this iconic company. For Infosys is more than a company: it is an idea, a dream, a pioneering possibility. Back then I thought, just as I do today, that the time ahead called for a company that could show the way to a digital future, a future where our humanity, amplified by automation and software, would unleash our creativity, our imagination, to construct great worlds of our futures, and would do so powered by education, by our timeless value of learnability. Such an Infosys, whilst staying true to its core, to her values and timeless principles, would shine the light in an altogether different context, a different reality. Such an Infosys would be one where an individuals entrepreneurship, ability to imagine and create, ability to learn, and to amplify themselves with software, with AI, would create a greater whole. Rather than an overarching system enabling the people, the peoples agility and imagination would create a greater system. Three years later, we can clearly see that the seeds of this idea have taken root and are growing, into beautiful new flowers and plants, and I see no reason why these cannot continue, and help shape our companys future. For sure this journey has been a difficult one. No one, especially me, thought it would be easy. Transformations are hard to begin with. A massive transformation, of such an iconic institution, with such groundbreaking achievements behind her, would be even tougher, and the exponential rates of change all around us, further amplified by geopolitical matters, would add that much more headwind. But all this was known, and clear, and in many ways added to the calling that I felt. For as the legendary architect Daniel Burnham said, Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir mans blood. But after much contemplation I have decided to leave because the distractions, the very public noise around us, have created an untenable atmosphere. I deeply believe in creating value in an atmosphere of freedom, trust and empowerment. Life is too short to engage in battles of opinions in the public, these add no value, take critical time and focus away from the business, and indeed add more to the noise, to the eardrum buzz, as I wrote to you a few months ago. The founding principle of the strategy I laid out for our renewal was personal empowerment, working in an entrepreneurial environment. I need this for my own work as well. Steve Jobs, in his famous commencement speech at my alma mater, said: Your time is limited, dont waste it living someone elses life. Dont be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other peoples thinking. Dont let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. I now need to move forward, and return to an environment of respect, trust and empowerment, where I can take on new lofty challenges, as can each of you. As Steve Jobs said, I must follow my heart and my intuition, build my buildings, give my givings, and do something else. Over the next weeks and months, I look forward to working with the Board and management to create a smooth transition, and simultaneously staring into the great unknown, and to doing something great, something purposeful, for the times ahead. And also to spend some time with my loved ones. Ive been away from home far too often and far too long. As I completed my three years recently, many people asked me if I have any regrets. This question is more apt today and the answer is a clear NO. Not for a second. However difficult the noise of the last several months has been, I wouldnt trade our time together for anything. I would not give up the experience of seeing the gleam in your eyes as you described a new idea, invention, or contribution. You worked on these confidently, without reward, without arrogance, showing exactly the kind of creative confidence that David Kelley talked about in Design Thinking  a wonderful thing to witness. I am deeply grateful for the immense support and love Ive received from all of you, from our worthy clients for whom we do our lifes work, and by our shareholders across the globe. I am grateful for your trust, confidence and friendship, and am thankful to our team of amazing leaders, who will help lead our company to greatness. To my first Infoscion colleague and trusted friend Ranga, who enabled us to achieve the things we achieved, to the amazing Ravi, a pocket of passion and energy and execution excellence, to the calm and steadfast Mohit, who introduced me to the band of brothers and lived it, day after day, to the larger than life Rajesh, with his great heart and big laugh, to Binod, a veritable bulldozer brother with his broad shoulders and broader smile, to the one of a kind Ramadas, the architect and protector of our magnificent campuses with his indomitable spirit and world-class excellence, to the always smiling Deepak who helped live the strategy, to Krish and the best HR team in the world, especially the extraordinary Richard, Nanju, Shruthi and their amazing team for helping to carry out some of the craziest and most amazing people initiatives, to Inderpreet, a new voice to the team, a voice of calm, strength, integrity and a stability that far belies the little time shes been with us, to Jayesh and our entire finance team for their dedication, their impeccable meticulous integrity and world-class excellence, and especially to my partner, friend, and pillar of strength, Pravin, who carried all the load in the world, with a smile, impeccable integrity and the most amazing grace, and will now lead you to the next phase of our company's growth. To Zaiba, Bala sir, Nagaraju, Hari and many others for making it possible for me to be me and to do my work, to my Palo Alto family: Sanjay, Abdul, Navin, Ritika, Barbara, Tao, Vinod, Shabana, April, Sudhir and others who have stood by me and have given up so much to be a part of this journey and contributed so much to it, and indeed to thousands of Infoscions whove made it all matter. I am thankful to Sesh and our entire board for their unfailing support and confidence in me throughout this journey. Together we have achieved a lot. Even in the midst of all of the distractions, even as the tendency was to return to the familiar, we still managed to persevere and make wonderful progress. We have laid the foundation for the next 30 years of Infosys, and I feel deeply proud to have worked alongside all of you in sowing the seeds that will return this company to the bellwether it once was. As youve all often reminded us, Infosys is no bigger and no smaller than any of us, the people, the Infoscions. You are the ones that will take Infosys to the next 30 years and beyond. As I think about the time ahead, for all of us, I can only see us powered by a freedom from the known, of renewing ourselves to thrive in the time ahead. Each one of you has vindicated my deeply held belief that people are capable of doing more, achieving more, being more, than they ever imagined possible. So, keep pushing yourself to do better at whatever you are good at, but also learning to do things you have never done before, indeed, nobody has ever done before. I know I will be doing the same. The Board, Pravin, and I will communicate additional details as we move forward in this transition, and meanwhile, we continue our work as is. I wish all of you the very best in your journeys ahead.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: After 26 years, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre and the CBI to inform it about the investigation being carried out on the conspiracy behind the making of the bomb that had killed former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The apex court said it wanted to know about the further investigation which was carried out on the issue after one of the convicts in the assassination case claimed that this aspect was not being probed properly.

What is the result of the investigation on this? We want only this. What is the result of the re-investigation or the further investigation on this? Kindly address us on this, a bench comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha said while slating the hearing for August 23. The hearing was based on a report submitted in a sealed cover in court.

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by suicide bomber Dhanu at an election rally. Fourteen others, including Dhanu herself, were killed in the incident.

During the hearing, advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for convict A G Perarivalan, told the bench that several aspects, including the conspiracy angle behind the making of bomb, has not been probed properly. Perarivalan was held guilty of supplying the batteries for the belt-bomb worn Dhanu that killed Rajiv Gandhi.

Sankaranarayanan referred to the directions passed by the Jain Commission of Inquiry that had probed the conspiracy aspect of the assassination, as well as the status report of the Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency which was set up to further investigate the leads thrown up by the probe panel.

The apex court had earlier commuted to life term, the death sentence awarded to Perarivalan in the case.

Sankaranarayanan argued that the government had set up the Jain Commission in August 1991 to examine the conspiracy angle behind the assassination of the former prime minister and the commission, in its report, had said that there were several aspects which needed further detailed investigation.

The apex court was hearing a plea by Perarivalan who has alleged that neither the CBIs special investigation team, nor the MDMA headed by it, had proceeded with the probe in a proper perspective to bring the accused to book, since several top people were involved in it.

NEW DELHI: After 26 years, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre and the CBI to inform it about the investigation being carried out on the conspiracy behind the making of the bomb that had killed former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The apex court said it wanted to know about the further investigation which was carried out on the issue after one of the convicts in the assassination case claimed that this aspect was not being probed properly. What is the result of the investigation on this? We want only this. What is the result of the re-investigation or the further investigation on this? Kindly address us on this, a bench comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha said while slating the hearing for August 23. The hearing was based on a report submitted in a sealed cover in court. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by suicide bomber Dhanu at an election rally. Fourteen others, including Dhanu herself, were killed in the incident. During the hearing, advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for convict A G Perarivalan, told the bench that several aspects, including the conspiracy angle behind the making of bomb, has not been probed properly. Perarivalan was held guilty of supplying the batteries for the belt-bomb worn Dhanu that killed Rajiv Gandhi. Sankaranarayanan referred to the directions passed by the Jain Commission of Inquiry that had probed the conspiracy aspect of the assassination, as well as the status report of the Multi Disciplinary Monitoring Agency which was set up to further investigate the leads thrown up by the probe panel. The apex court had earlier commuted to life term, the death sentence awarded to Perarivalan in the case. Sankaranarayanan argued that the government had set up the Jain Commission in August 1991 to examine the conspiracy angle behind the assassination of the former prime minister and the commission, in its report, had said that there were several aspects which needed further detailed investigation. The apex court was hearing a plea by Perarivalan who has alleged that neither the CBIs special investigation team, nor the MDMA headed by it, had proceeded with the probe in a proper perspective to bring the accused to book, since several top people were involved in it.
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By Express News Service

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday appealed to party workers to bury their differences and unite for the partys win in the 2019 Assembly polls while also witnessing a heated exchange between the office bearers of the party.

Uddhav Thackeray had called a meeting of office bearers above unit heads (Shakha Pramukh) at party headquarters Sena Bhavan at Dadar this afternoon. His idea was to get a ground report on the political situation in each district from the grass root workers and seek their suggestions to strengthen the party. However, the initiative was marred by heated exchanges between the office bearers and ministers.

The worst battle of words ensued between the minister of state for agriculture Gulabrao Patil and Shiv Sena district president Chandrakant Patil. Chandrakant Patil tried to readout many complaints against Gulabrao Patil, but was challenged and not allowed to speak while levelling counter allegations against him, said a senior party leader.

"As ministers, we are answerable to senior party leaders. Leaders of lower ranks should understand this before making complaints. They (low-rank leaders) are not responsible for our decisions. We have to manage several pressures, Gulabrao Patil said while Uddhav Thackeray tried to pacify both parties," sources said.

Uddhav Thackeray who addressed a press conference after the meeting, tried to underplay the differences within his party.

I told party workers that when the BJP has set their target for 2019 Assembly poll, it is very clear that BJP will go alone. In such a situation, we should have to focus on the election, Uddhav Thackeray said at the press conference.

Many senior party officials, however, were visibly disturbed at the outburst during the meeting. During the days of Balasaheb, the party apparatus had primacy over elected representatives. However, now the trend has reversed. Now ministers are getting more importance. Some of them are misusing the situation and trying to grow bigger than the party, Chandrakant Patil said, arguing that the sentiment is widespread in the organisation and would ruin the party.

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday appealed to party workers to bury their differences and unite for the partys win in the 2019 Assembly polls while also witnessing a heated exchange between the office bearers of the party. Uddhav Thackeray had called a meeting of office bearers above unit heads (Shakha Pramukh) at party headquarters Sena Bhavan at Dadar this afternoon. His idea was to get a ground report on the political situation in each district from the grass root workers and seek their suggestions to strengthen the party. However, the initiative was marred by heated exchanges between the office bearers and ministers. The worst battle of words ensued between the minister of state for agriculture Gulabrao Patil and Shiv Sena district president Chandrakant Patil. Chandrakant Patil tried to readout many complaints against Gulabrao Patil, but was challenged and not allowed to speak while levelling counter allegations against him, said a senior party leader. "As ministers, we are answerable to senior party leaders. Leaders of lower ranks should understand this before making complaints. They (low-rank leaders) are not responsible for our decisions. We have to manage several pressures, Gulabrao Patil said while Uddhav Thackeray tried to pacify both parties," sources said. Uddhav Thackeray who addressed a press conference after the meeting, tried to underplay the differences within his party. I told party workers that when the BJP has set their target for 2019 Assembly poll, it is very clear that BJP will go alone. In such a situation, we should have to focus on the election, Uddhav Thackeray said at the press conference. Many senior party officials, however, were visibly disturbed at the outburst during the meeting. During the days of Balasaheb, the party apparatus had primacy over elected representatives. However, now the trend has reversed. Now ministers are getting more importance. Some of them are misusing the situation and trying to grow bigger than the party, Chandrakant Patil said, arguing that the sentiment is widespread in the organisation and would ruin the party.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has stated that winning the elections at all cost, without ethics, is a new normal in politics.

Democracy thrives when elections are free, fair and transparent. However, it appears to a cynical common man. We have been scripting narrative that places maximum premium on winning at all costs to the exclusion of ethical considerations. Winning the elections at all cost, without ethics, is new normal in politics, Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat said, while addressing the press conference.

He also stated that it is this creeping new normal of political morality that should be a target for the exemplary action by all the political parties, politicians, media and civil society organisations, and constitutional authorities.

In this narrative, the poaching of legislators is extolled as smart political management strategic introduction of money for allurement, tough-minded use of state machinery for intimidation - all commended as resourcefulness. It is this creeping new normal of political morality that should be a target for the exemplary action by all the political parties, politicians, media and civil society organisations, constitutional authorities and all those having faith in developing quality for a better election, he said.

The elections watchdog's comments have come in the wake of the recent report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), according to which, the corporate houses donated a total of Rs. 956.77 crore to national parties between 2012-13 and 2015-16, making up 89 per cent of the total contribution from the known sources.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received the most corporate donations at more than Rs. 705 crore.

At least five political parties considered for the report were the BJP, Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM).

Between 2012-13 and 2015-16, five national parties received a total of Rs. 1,070.68 crore via voluntary contributions above Rs. 20,000 out of which 89 per cent of Rs. 956.77 crore was from corporates/business houses," the ADR report said.

Every year, the national political parties are required to submit the details of donors who made donations of more than Rs. 20,000 in a financial year to the Election Commission (EC).

Between 2012-13 and 2015-16, BJP's and INC's voluntary contributions above Rs. 20,000 from corporate/business houses was 92 per cent and 85 per cent, respectively, the report said.

However, the CPI and the CPM have the lowest share of corporate donations at 4 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was not considered for analysis in the report as the party has stated that it received no charitable contributions above Rs. 20,000 from any donor during the particular period.

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has stated that winning the elections at all cost, without ethics, is a new normal in politics. Democracy thrives when elections are free, fair and transparent. However, it appears to a cynical common man. We have been scripting narrative that places maximum premium on winning at all costs to the exclusion of ethical considerations. Winning the elections at all cost, without ethics, is new normal in politics, Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat said, while addressing the press conference. He also stated that it is this creeping new normal of political morality that should be a target for the exemplary action by all the political parties, politicians, media and civil society organisations, and constitutional authorities. In this narrative, the poaching of legislators is extolled as smart political management strategic introduction of money for allurement, tough-minded use of state machinery for intimidation - all commended as resourcefulness. It is this creeping new normal of political morality that should be a target for the exemplary action by all the political parties, politicians, media and civil society organisations, constitutional authorities and all those having faith in developing quality for a better election, he said. The elections watchdog's comments have come in the wake of the recent report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), according to which, the corporate houses donated a total of Rs. 956.77 crore to national parties between 2012-13 and 2015-16, making up 89 per cent of the total contribution from the known sources. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received the most corporate donations at more than Rs. 705 crore. At least five political parties considered for the report were the BJP, Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM). Between 2012-13 and 2015-16, five national parties received a total of Rs. 1,070.68 crore via voluntary contributions above Rs. 20,000 out of which 89 per cent of Rs. 956.77 crore was from corporates/business houses," the ADR report said. Every year, the national political parties are required to submit the details of donors who made donations of more than Rs. 20,000 in a financial year to the Election Commission (EC). Between 2012-13 and 2015-16, BJP's and INC's voluntary contributions above Rs. 20,000 from corporate/business houses was 92 per cent and 85 per cent, respectively, the report said. However, the CPI and the CPM have the lowest share of corporate donations at 4 per cent and 17 per cent respectively. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was not considered for analysis in the report as the party has stated that it received no charitable contributions above Rs. 20,000 from any donor during the particular period.
By ANI

MUMBAI: In yet another incident of stalking, a media professional returning home from her workplace by an auto rickshaw from Andheri was followed by unidentified men on a bike yesterday.

Upon noticing the bikers, she called up the Mumbai Police Control Room for help after which they quickly swung into action.

The police kept the track of her route. The woman also shot the pictures of the accused and tweeted a photograph of the two stalkers on the Mumbai police handle and later thanked police

for her response.

"@MumbaiPolice Alert: two boys on a scooty passing lewd comments and chasing the Rick on Andheri Link Road," she tweeted.

"Kudos to @MumbaiPolice. Their quick responce and action time is worth appreciating!"



"2 boys on a dio number 5994, chased my rick from Chitrakoot grounds in Andheri to Juhu circle. Anyone who knows these guys Anyone who knows these guys or recognises the vehicle please

reply with a tag to @MumbaiPolice"

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police took to Twitter and said, "@Asira_Tarannum reported stalking with a picture of the stalker & his vehicle number Didn't take long for us to hunt down the

accused."

Yesterday night, the Amboli Police registered an FIR in the case under Indian Penal Code Section 354D for stalking, which leads to a jail-term of upto three years.

The Mumbai Police has started a Twitter drive #ReportStalking, in which one can take to the micro-blogging site if being stalked by someone, so that the cops can come for rescue.

You surely don't want us to stalk you for stalking a woman! #ReportStalking, the Mumbai Police had tweeted.

MUMBAI: In yet another incident of stalking, a media professional returning home from her workplace by an auto rickshaw from Andheri was followed by unidentified men on a bike yesterday. Upon noticing the bikers, she called up the Mumbai Police Control Room for help after which they quickly swung into action. The police kept the track of her route. The woman also shot the pictures of the accused and tweeted a photograph of the two stalkers on the Mumbai police handle and later thanked police for her response. "@MumbaiPolice Alert: two boys on a scooty passing lewd comments and chasing the Rick on Andheri Link Road," she tweeted. "Kudos to @MumbaiPolice. Their quick responce and action time is worth appreciating!" "2 boys on a dio number 5994, chased my rick from Chitrakoot grounds in Andheri to Juhu circle. Anyone who knows these guys Anyone who knows these guys or recognises the vehicle please reply with a tag to @MumbaiPolice" Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police took to Twitter and said, "@Asira_Tarannum reported stalking with a picture of the stalker & his vehicle number Didn't take long for us to hunt down the accused." Yesterday night, the Amboli Police registered an FIR in the case under Indian Penal Code Section 354D for stalking, which leads to a jail-term of upto three years. The Mumbai Police has started a Twitter drive #ReportStalking, in which one can take to the micro-blogging site if being stalked by someone, so that the cops can come for rescue. You surely don't want us to stalk you for stalking a woman! #ReportStalking, the Mumbai Police had tweeted.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: Maintaining that Garba venues should only be accessible to Hindu men, a Hindu outfit has demanded that Aadhar card be made compulsory at all Garba pandals in Bhopal to prevent entry of non-Hindus during the upcoming Navratri.

The 125-year-old Hindu Utsav Samiti (HUS) has demanded that Aadhar card be made mandatory for every man entering the 20-25 garba pandals in Bhopal, and to prevent any non-Hindus from entering the pandal.

Several non-Hindus posing as Hindus enter the garba pandals right from the time when the garba practice sessions begin. These men first befriend Hindu girls and later exploit them. The garbas are meant for Hindus only and no non-Hindu should be allowed inside the venues at any cost, demanded HUS president Kailash Begwani at the peace committee meeting chaired by the Bhopal district collector Sudama Khade on Wednesday.

The district collector has assured us to take up with garba organisers our demand to make Aadhar card mandatory for men entering the garba venue. If the demand is not met this time, we know our own ways to enforce it from the next garba season, Kailash Begwani told the New Indian Express on Friday.

Kailash Begwani added that making Aadhar card mandatory to enter the venues has been demanded as it cannot be tampered with.

The HUS, which has 6000 members, earlier used to organise all major Hindu festivals in Bhopal but is now engaged in organising festivals like Dussehra, Rang Panchami/Holi and Ram Barat only in the state capital.

Despite repeated attempts, Bhopal district collector Sudam Khade was unavailable for comment.

Ahead of Navratri celebrations in 2014, ruling BJP legislator from Indore-III seat of Indore district, Usha Thakur, had demanded to ban the entry of Muslims at Garba venues.

BHOPAL: Maintaining that Garba venues should only be accessible to Hindu men, a Hindu outfit has demanded that Aadhar card be made compulsory at all Garba pandals in Bhopal to prevent entry of non-Hindus during the upcoming Navratri. The 125-year-old Hindu Utsav Samiti (HUS) has demanded that Aadhar card be made mandatory for every man entering the 20-25 garba pandals in Bhopal, and to prevent any non-Hindus from entering the pandal. Several non-Hindus posing as Hindus enter the garba pandals right from the time when the garba practice sessions begin. These men first befriend Hindu girls and later exploit them. The garbas are meant for Hindus only and no non-Hindu should be allowed inside the venues at any cost, demanded HUS president Kailash Begwani at the peace committee meeting chaired by the Bhopal district collector Sudama Khade on Wednesday. The district collector has assured us to take up with garba organisers our demand to make Aadhar card mandatory for men entering the garba venue. If the demand is not met this time, we know our own ways to enforce it from the next garba season, Kailash Begwani told the New Indian Express on Friday. Kailash Begwani added that making Aadhar card mandatory to enter the venues has been demanded as it cannot be tampered with. The HUS, which has 6000 members, earlier used to organise all major Hindu festivals in Bhopal but is now engaged in organising festivals like Dussehra, Rang Panchami/Holi and Ram Barat only in the state capital. Despite repeated attempts, Bhopal district collector Sudam Khade was unavailable for comment. Ahead of Navratri celebrations in 2014, ruling BJP legislator from Indore-III seat of Indore district, Usha Thakur, had demanded to ban the entry of Muslims at Garba venues.
By IANS

NEW DELHI: India on Friday denied selling BrahMos cruise missiles to Vietnam, after a report said the missiles have been delivered to the Southeast Asian nation which has tense relations with China.

The development comes as tension between India and China continues along the border, with a standoff in Sikkim sector since June, and a fresh scuffle taking place in Ladakh sector.

Defence Ministry sources in New Delhi denied any sale of the BrahMos missiles, jointly developed by India and Russia.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Vietnam has also clarified that there has been no sale of BrahMos missiles.

On Friday, a report in Vietnam Express said the missiles have been delivered. However, later the report was altered.

"I am sure all of you must have already received that clarification from Vietnam on the same matter. The statement was purportedly made by their spokesperson. Following that, there was a press release put out by the foreign ministry. They had clarified that their spokesperson did not confirm the sale of BrahMos but referred to defence and strategic cooperation between the two countries," the MEA spokesperson said.

As per the official website of Vietnam's Foreign Ministry, in response to a question on whether BrahMos missiles have been delivered, their spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang had said the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has been actively developing in many fields, economics, trade, investment, culture, education, security and defence.

She said the "bilateral security and defence ties have been making practical contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large."

"It should be emphasized that Vietnam persistently pursues a national defence policy of peace and of self-defence. Procurement of defence equipment by Vietnam is consistent with the policy of peace and self-defence and is the normal practice in the national defence... We will forward your question to the relevant agency."

India and Russia last year agreed in principal to export the jointly developed cruise missile. According to sources, a number of countries have expressed interest in buying the missile, but no deal has been inked yet.

Sources have earlier said talks were in advanced stage with UAE, Chile, South Africa, and Vietnam. Former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had also said that India is keen on exporting the BrahMos missile.

The BrahMos is a short-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land.

BrahMos Block-III is a joint Russian-Indian project, which is based on Russian P-800 Oniks missile. Block III had advanced guidance and upgraded software, incorporating high manoeuvres at multiple points and steep dive from high altitude.

It is jointly developed by India's DRDO and Russia's NPOM.

The land attack version of the missile has been operationalised in the Indian Army since 2007. The missile had a range of 290 km initially, which was increased to 450 km this year after India became a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

The fire-and-forget BrahMos has the capability to take on surface-based targets by flying a combined hi-lo trajectory, thus evading enemy air defence systems.

Inclusion of the powerful weapon system in the Indian Army has given it a distinct operational advantage to knock down any enemy target even in the most difficult and hidden terrains.

The missile has a Mach 2.8 speed.

NEW DELHI: India on Friday denied selling BrahMos cruise missiles to Vietnam, after a report said the missiles have been delivered to the Southeast Asian nation which has tense relations with China. The development comes as tension between India and China continues along the border, with a standoff in Sikkim sector since June, and a fresh scuffle taking place in Ladakh sector. Defence Ministry sources in New Delhi denied any sale of the BrahMos missiles, jointly developed by India and Russia. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Vietnam has also clarified that there has been no sale of BrahMos missiles. On Friday, a report in Vietnam Express said the missiles have been delivered. However, later the report was altered. "I am sure all of you must have already received that clarification from Vietnam on the same matter. The statement was purportedly made by their spokesperson. Following that, there was a press release put out by the foreign ministry. They had clarified that their spokesperson did not confirm the sale of BrahMos but referred to defence and strategic cooperation between the two countries," the MEA spokesperson said. As per the official website of Vietnam's Foreign Ministry, in response to a question on whether BrahMos missiles have been delivered, their spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang had said the Vietnam-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has been actively developing in many fields, economics, trade, investment, culture, education, security and defence. She said the "bilateral security and defence ties have been making practical contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large." "It should be emphasized that Vietnam persistently pursues a national defence policy of peace and of self-defence. Procurement of defence equipment by Vietnam is consistent with the policy of peace and self-defence and is the normal practice in the national defence... We will forward your question to the relevant agency." India and Russia last year agreed in principal to export the jointly developed cruise missile. According to sources, a number of countries have expressed interest in buying the missile, but no deal has been inked yet. Sources have earlier said talks were in advanced stage with UAE, Chile, South Africa, and Vietnam. Former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had also said that India is keen on exporting the BrahMos missile. The BrahMos is a short-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. BrahMos Block-III is a joint Russian-Indian project, which is based on Russian P-800 Oniks missile. Block III had advanced guidance and upgraded software, incorporating high manoeuvres at multiple points and steep dive from high altitude. It is jointly developed by India's DRDO and Russia's NPOM. The land attack version of the missile has been operationalised in the Indian Army since 2007. The missile had a range of 290 km initially, which was increased to 450 km this year after India became a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The fire-and-forget BrahMos has the capability to take on surface-based targets by flying a combined hi-lo trajectory, thus evading enemy air defence systems. Inclusion of the powerful weapon system in the Indian Army has given it a distinct operational advantage to knock down any enemy target even in the most difficult and hidden terrains. The missile has a Mach 2.8 speed.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: Close aide of separatist Shabir Shah and an alleged hawala dealer Mohammad Aslam Wani will be produced before a Delhi Court today in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir's terror funding case.

The Delhi Court on August 14 extended Enforcement Directorate's (ED) remand of Wani, by six days in the terror funding case.

On August 6, the ED arrested Wani from Srinagar with the help of the state police.

Reportedly, Wani was arrested allegedly with Rs 63 lakh, received through 'hawala' channels from the Middle East, and a large cache of ammunition, on August 26, 2005.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been tough on Separatists regarding the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir.

On July 24, the NIA arrested seven separatists over money laundering charges, for funding terror in the Kashmir Valley.

All seven separatist leaders - Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate - were later sent to 10-day NIA custody.

The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The NIA visited Srinagar in May to probe the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir, and questioned several Separatist leaders on the issue of raising, collecting and transferring funds via the Hawala route and other channels to fund terror activities in Kashmir.

NEW DELHI: Close aide of separatist Shabir Shah and an alleged hawala dealer Mohammad Aslam Wani will be produced before a Delhi Court today in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir's terror funding case. The Delhi Court on August 14 extended Enforcement Directorate's (ED) remand of Wani, by six days in the terror funding case. On August 6, the ED arrested Wani from Srinagar with the help of the state police. Reportedly, Wani was arrested allegedly with Rs 63 lakh, received through 'hawala' channels from the Middle East, and a large cache of ammunition, on August 26, 2005. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been tough on Separatists regarding the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir. On July 24, the NIA arrested seven separatists over money laundering charges, for funding terror in the Kashmir Valley. All seven separatist leaders - Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate - were later sent to 10-day NIA custody. The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The NIA visited Srinagar in May to probe the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir, and questioned several Separatist leaders on the issue of raising, collecting and transferring funds via the Hawala route and other channels to fund terror activities in Kashmir.
By PTI

AGARTALA: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar today said the Left Front government has no plans to go to court against Doordarshan and All India Radio for allegedly not airing his Independence Day recorded speech.

"We are not thinking of going to the court on the issue of censorship on my recorded Independence Day speech," he told reporters here.

However, Sarkar added that the issue would be taken before the people.

"We are not going to the court, but we would go to the people and tell them about the undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant steps of Prasar Bharati," he said.

Sarkar, also a Politburo member of CPI-M, said "as a political activist I expressed my political statement in my Independence Day speech, because I think the day is a political event."

Doordarshan had said it gave "wide coverage" to Sarkar's Independence day programme though it did not tell anything on his complaint that his recorded speech was blacked out.

"On August 15, 2017, Doordarshan gave wide coverage to the chief minister's Independence day programme and telecast report running to 29 minutes and 45 seconds. Out of which, the chief minister's speech coverage was for 12 minutes," U K Sahoo, head of Doordarshan Kendra, said in a letter to the media.

"The allegation that Doordarshan Kendra, Agartala blacked out the Chief Minister on Independence day is totally incorrect and is vehemently refuted," Sahoo said.

CPI(M) MP Sankar Prasad Datta said the issue would be raised in the Parliament's winter session.

Meanwhile, CPI-M activists demonstrated before the Doordarshan Kendra Agartala.

CPI-M Central Committee member Gautam Das said "people of the state would not tolerate this undemocratic step of Prasar Bharati, which is controlled by Modi government".

Opposition Congress MLA and former Leader of the opposition, Ratan Lal Nath said, the CPI-M was trying to "politicise" the issue before the assembly elections due in February next.

"They have no issue, so they are trying to politicise it and making a issue because they know that they are going loose in the elections," he said.

AGARTALA: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar today said the Left Front government has no plans to go to court against Doordarshan and All India Radio for allegedly not airing his Independence Day recorded speech. "We are not thinking of going to the court on the issue of censorship on my recorded Independence Day speech," he told reporters here. However, Sarkar added that the issue would be taken before the people. "We are not going to the court, but we would go to the people and tell them about the undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant steps of Prasar Bharati," he said. Sarkar, also a Politburo member of CPI-M, said "as a political activist I expressed my political statement in my Independence Day speech, because I think the day is a political event." Doordarshan had said it gave "wide coverage" to Sarkar's Independence day programme though it did not tell anything on his complaint that his recorded speech was blacked out. "On August 15, 2017, Doordarshan gave wide coverage to the chief minister's Independence day programme and telecast report running to 29 minutes and 45 seconds. Out of which, the chief minister's speech coverage was for 12 minutes," U K Sahoo, head of Doordarshan Kendra, said in a letter to the media. "The allegation that Doordarshan Kendra, Agartala blacked out the Chief Minister on Independence day is totally incorrect and is vehemently refuted," Sahoo said. CPI(M) MP Sankar Prasad Datta said the issue would be raised in the Parliament's winter session. Meanwhile, CPI-M activists demonstrated before the Doordarshan Kendra Agartala. CPI-M Central Committee member Gautam Das said "people of the state would not tolerate this undemocratic step of Prasar Bharati, which is controlled by Modi government". Opposition Congress MLA and former Leader of the opposition, Ratan Lal Nath said, the CPI-M was trying to "politicise" the issue before the assembly elections due in February next. "They have no issue, so they are trying to politicise it and making a issue because they know that they are going loose in the elections," he said.
By ANI

SAGAR: In a shocking incident, the nose of a woman was allegedly slitten off at the Renvjha village in Madhya Pradeshs Sagar district by two people named Narendra Rajput and Sahab Singh as she, along with her husband, refused to work as bonded labourer.

Reportedly, when the woman was taking her husband to the hospital for treatment after the accused allegedly beat him for denying doing household and field work, the attackers cut off the woman's nose.

The woman, Janaki Dhanak, was immediately admitted to the Bundelkhand Medical College and was in a critical condition.

The Madhya Pradesh Women Commission (MPWC) has taken cognisance into the matter and has ordered Sagars SP to begin the investigation into the matter.

The matter is serious. The woman was being forcefully taken for bonded labour. A strict action will be taken against the accused, MPWC member Lata Wankhede said.

The incident came to light yesterday, when the woman went to a camp organised by the MPWC to hear complaints of breaching of women's rights.

SAGAR: In a shocking incident, the nose of a woman was allegedly slitten off at the Renvjha village in Madhya Pradeshs Sagar district by two people named Narendra Rajput and Sahab Singh as she, along with her husband, refused to work as bonded labourer. Reportedly, when the woman was taking her husband to the hospital for treatment after the accused allegedly beat him for denying doing household and field work, the attackers cut off the woman's nose. The woman, Janaki Dhanak, was immediately admitted to the Bundelkhand Medical College and was in a critical condition. The Madhya Pradesh Women Commission (MPWC) has taken cognisance into the matter and has ordered Sagars SP to begin the investigation into the matter. The matter is serious. The woman was being forcefully taken for bonded labour. A strict action will be taken against the accused, MPWC member Lata Wankhede said. The incident came to light yesterday, when the woman went to a camp organised by the MPWC to hear complaints of breaching of women's rights.
Abhijit Mulye By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to be entrusted with the responsibility to win parliamentary seats for his party from Kerala, as the party gears up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.



The BJP has devised a grand plan to focus on about 130 winnable Lok Sabha seats, which it had missed in 2014, and the added responsibility on Devendra Fadnavis would be part of that plan, said a senior party leader here on Friday.



Under the plan, the winnable seats are clubbed into clusters and promising party leaders from other states are entrusted with mobilising resources and devising strategies to win seats under the clusters.

BJP national president Amit Shah is conducting a series of meetings in this regard. One such meeting was conducted on Thursday, which was attended by prominent leaders from Maharashtra like union minister Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar etc. Some leaders were given responsibilities for such clusters at the meeting.



Education minister Vinod Tawde is entrusted with a cluster in Andhra Pradesh, while Mumbai BJP President Adv. Ashish Shelar is entrusted with a cluster in Karnataka, said the leader adding that Fadnavis is likely to be entrusted with Kerala.



BJP also eyeing BMC



Apart from Lok Sabha seats, the party is also eyeing power in the BMC. The 82-84 seats balance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena will tilt in the partys favour in the coming few days, Ashish Shelar said as Jagruti Patil, daughter-in-law of diseased Congress corporators Pramila Patil joined the BJP in his presence on Friday.



The BJP will contest and win the by-election, said Ashish Shelar adding that many more corporators would join BJP in the coming days giving the party a decisive say in the affairs of Mumbai.



The BJP had left claims of ruling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after falling short to the Shiv Sena tally by two seats earlier this year. Both the parties have again locked horns to win power in the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation neighbouring Mumbai.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to be entrusted with the responsibility to win parliamentary seats for his party from Kerala, as the party gears up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP has devised a grand plan to focus on about 130 winnable Lok Sabha seats, which it had missed in 2014, and the added responsibility on Devendra Fadnavis would be part of that plan, said a senior party leader here on Friday. Under the plan, the winnable seats are clubbed into clusters and promising party leaders from other states are entrusted with mobilising resources and devising strategies to win seats under the clusters. BJP national president Amit Shah is conducting a series of meetings in this regard. One such meeting was conducted on Thursday, which was attended by prominent leaders from Maharashtra like union minister Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar etc. Some leaders were given responsibilities for such clusters at the meeting. Education minister Vinod Tawde is entrusted with a cluster in Andhra Pradesh, while Mumbai BJP President Adv. Ashish Shelar is entrusted with a cluster in Karnataka, said the leader adding that Fadnavis is likely to be entrusted with Kerala. BJP also eyeing BMC Apart from Lok Sabha seats, the party is also eyeing power in the BMC. The 82-84 seats balance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena will tilt in the partys favour in the coming few days, Ashish Shelar said as Jagruti Patil, daughter-in-law of diseased Congress corporators Pramila Patil joined the BJP in his presence on Friday. The BJP will contest and win the by-election, said Ashish Shelar adding that many more corporators would join BJP in the coming days giving the party a decisive say in the affairs of Mumbai. The BJP had left claims of ruling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after falling short to the Shiv Sena tally by two seats earlier this year. Both the parties have again locked horns to win power in the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation neighbouring Mumbai.
By Express News Service

ARIYALUR: When leading advocate Nalini Chidambaram moved the Supreme Court seeking admissions to medical courses only on the basis of NEET score, it was not the State government or the equitable education activists who captured attention from the rival side.

It was a young Dalit girl from a poor family in the backward Ariyalur who recorded spectacular performance in the State Board Class 12 examination, but could not match it in the national test which was based on the CBSE syllabus.

Read: Dalit girl in Tamil Nadu who argued against NEET in Supreme Court kills self

On Thursday, S Anitha, daughter of a casual labourer, impleaded herself as one of the respondents against the plea in Supreme Court by students who cleared the contentious national test.

Anitha scored 1,176 out of 1,200 marks in Class XII. She scored high cut-off marks of 199.75 for engineering and 196.75 for medicine, and was offered a seat in aeronautical engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology. She was also selected for Bachelor of Veterinary Science in Veterinary College at Orathanadu.

But I want to be a doctor, the teenager told Express. However, in the national test, based on a syllabus she is unfamiliar with, the Dalit girl from Senthurai scored only 86 per cent. Hence, if admissions are to be done only under NEET, even a candidate as deserving as her will be out of reckoning for medical seats, prompting her to implead herself in the case in SC.

Read: Anitha had a dream, a poor Dalit village girl who would become a doctor  but it died with her

When the SC agreed to hear the plea by pro-NEET students represented by Nalini Chidambaram, an affidavit was filed in Anithas name, signed by her father T Shanmugham, a casual labourer at the Gandhi Market in Tiruchy, as she is still a minor.

PB Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System, and S Arumai Nathan, president of TN Parent Teachers Association, also filed separate affidavits. Nalini Chidambarams argument is that the TN government is not favouring rural students. She wants the counselling to be based on NEET.

Our argument is based on the 1952 amendment to Article 15 (4) which states nothing shall prevent State from making any special provision for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes or for SC/ST community, Gajendra Babu told Express.

SC pauses TN medical admission

SC has barred admissions to MBBS, BDS courses in TN till August 22 in wake of the ordinance passed by the government to exempt the State.

ARIYALUR: When leading advocate Nalini Chidambaram moved the Supreme Court seeking admissions to medical courses only on the basis of NEET score, it was not the State government or the equitable education activists who captured attention from the rival side. It was a young Dalit girl from a poor family in the backward Ariyalur who recorded spectacular performance in the State Board Class 12 examination, but could not match it in the national test which was based on the CBSE syllabus. Read: Dalit girl in Tamil Nadu who argued against NEET in Supreme Court kills self On Thursday, S Anitha, daughter of a casual labourer, impleaded herself as one of the respondents against the plea in Supreme Court by students who cleared the contentious national test. Anitha scored 1,176 out of 1,200 marks in Class XII. She scored high cut-off marks of 199.75 for engineering and 196.75 for medicine, and was offered a seat in aeronautical engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology. She was also selected for Bachelor of Veterinary Science in Veterinary College at Orathanadu. But I want to be a doctor, the teenager told Express. However, in the national test, based on a syllabus she is unfamiliar with, the Dalit girl from Senthurai scored only 86 per cent. Hence, if admissions are to be done only under NEET, even a candidate as deserving as her will be out of reckoning for medical seats, prompting her to implead herself in the case in SC. Read: Anitha had a dream, a poor Dalit village girl who would become a doctor  but it died with her When the SC agreed to hear the plea by pro-NEET students represented by Nalini Chidambaram, an affidavit was filed in Anithas name, signed by her father T Shanmugham, a casual labourer at the Gandhi Market in Tiruchy, as she is still a minor. PB Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System, and S Arumai Nathan, president of TN Parent Teachers Association, also filed separate affidavits. Nalini Chidambarams argument is that the TN government is not favouring rural students. She wants the counselling to be based on NEET. Our argument is based on the 1952 amendment to Article 15 (4) which states nothing shall prevent State from making any special provision for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes or for SC/ST community, Gajendra Babu told Express. SC pauses TN medical admission SC has barred admissions to MBBS, BDS courses in TN till August 22 in wake of the ordinance passed by the government to exempt the State.
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)the voice of the global business travel industry, kicked off GBTA Conference 2017 New Delhi today as part of its India Conference Series 2017. The annual flagship education and networking event for GBTA India, the conference will deliver a knowledge forum on best practices across the business travel lifecycle through a mix of panel discussions and presentations.

During the one-day event, Gaurav Sundaram, GBTA India Regional Director, will present the GBTA Foundations outlook for the Indian business travel market and will lead a CXO Roundtable on the future of business travel in India. The day will also feature sessions on the implementation of the Goods & Services Tax and its impact on business travel, the travel industrys most innovative solutions and ideas, employee mobility, hotel contracting and smart buying strategies with airlines.

An awards presentation will also take place for two of GBTA Indias advisory board members who were honored with the prestigious Business Travel Professional Service Award during GBTA Convention 2017 last month in Boston. Mritunjaya Chandra Mohan, Regional Travel Manager (INDIA,JAPAC,EMEA) - Global Procurement, Adobe Systems, and Arif Patel, Vice President Sales, Marketing, Distribution & Loyalty, Accor Hotels, are the first ever Indian recipients of this award.

The award is reserved for a select group of experienced travel professionals who have distinguished themselves as industry leaders. These professionals have devoted themselves to GBTA through their region or chapter. They stand out at their jobs, and they are recognised leaders within the industry.

Mritunjaya has been a member of the India advisory board since its inception last year and his valuable contributions have helped develop and deliver the initial symposium as also the workshop series in India. He is recognised by his peers for building strong collaborative relationships with industry partners and for implementing the most innovative elements into his companys business travel program.

Arif is a founding advisory board member of GBTA in India and his unqualified support was critical in ensuring our successful inaugural 2016 event in New Delhi. He has over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry in South Asia and has independently conducted research used by hotel operators, investors and trade analysts to evaluate the feasibility of a hotel in relation to the air capacity within its geography, within India.

GBTA Conference 2017 New Delhi is being held at the Hotel Pullman New Delhi Aerocity today, August 18, 2017. Follow the conference on twitter using #GBTANewDelhi and view the full agenda here
S Godson Wisely Dass By

Express News Service

THOOTHUKUDI: Distribution of Gambusia Affinis fishlings, is one among various anti-dengue measures that has helped the government control mosquito breeding in the Thoothukudi corporation area, corporation commissioner Dr Alby John Varghese told Express. In March this year, Thoothukudi had a near epidemic situation with 598 suspected dengue cases in its 60 wards. The biggest cause spreading dengue was water being stored in containers over large durations to tackle water shortage.

With effective measures in place, dengue cases in the corporation has come down. The number of dengue suspected cases had come down to 32 in July and only 10 cases have been reported in August so far.

One of the primary measures undertaken by the corporation was the distribution of Gambusia Affinis fishlings, also called the mosquito fish. A native of the Mississippi River, the mosquito fish found its way to the stagnant waters of Thoothukudi due to its fame of feeding extensively on mosquito larvae.

Corporation officials sourced 1 lakh Gambusia fishlings from Krishnagiri and put them at a hatchery in the old corporation campus. With the dengue outbreak in March, two more hatcheries were opened.

Thoothukudi corporation health officer Dr Pradeep Krishnakumar said that they identified 18,000 ring wells, the most common water source for residents and supplied five fish to each of the 6,000 owners to eradicate mosquito breeding.

THOOTHUKUDI: Distribution of Gambusia Affinis fishlings, is one among various anti-dengue measures that has helped the government control mosquito breeding in the Thoothukudi corporation area, corporation commissioner Dr Alby John Varghese told Express. In March this year, Thoothukudi had a near epidemic situation with 598 suspected dengue cases in its 60 wards. The biggest cause spreading dengue was water being stored in containers over large durations to tackle water shortage. With effective measures in place, dengue cases in the corporation has come down. The number of dengue suspected cases had come down to 32 in July and only 10 cases have been reported in August so far. One of the primary measures undertaken by the corporation was the distribution of Gambusia Affinis fishlings, also called the mosquito fish. A native of the Mississippi River, the mosquito fish found its way to the stagnant waters of Thoothukudi due to its fame of feeding extensively on mosquito larvae. Corporation officials sourced 1 lakh Gambusia fishlings from Krishnagiri and put them at a hatchery in the old corporation campus. With the dengue outbreak in March, two more hatcheries were opened. Thoothukudi corporation health officer Dr Pradeep Krishnakumar said that they identified 18,000 ring wells, the most common water source for residents and supplied five fish to each of the 6,000 owners to eradicate mosquito breeding.
By AFP

BARCELONA: A van driver ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight on Thursday, killing 13 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run.

Hours later in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, police said e they shot dead "four suspected terrorists" and left another injured in a "possible terrorist attack."

The incident in Cambrils took place in the early hours of Friday, but police gave no further details, nor did they mention whether the shooting was linked to the Barcelona attack.

Witnesses in Barcelona told of scenes of chaos and horror, with bodies strewn along the famous Las Ramblas boulevard as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic.

The rampage in a city hugely popular with tourists from around the world is the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror.

As world leaders united in condemning the carnage, the IS propaganda agency Amaq claimed that it was carried out by "soldiers" from the jihadist group.

"We're united in grief," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona, the biggest city in Catalonia, a region in Spain's northeast whose separatist governement is defying Madrid.

"Above all we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us."

Regional interior minister Joaquim Forn said 14 people had died and another 100 were injured in what police were treating as a "terrorist attack", warning that the death toll could rise further.

There were at least 18 nationalities among the victims who came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency.

Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat reported three nationals had been wounded -- a woman and her two children.

'Whole street started to run'

Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night.

"When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP.

"There were bodies on the ground with people crowding around them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners."

Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars.

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard.

"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.

Europe's deadliest attack

Spain had until now been spared the kind of extremist violence that has rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

But it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest jihadist attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Police said Thursday that one of the arrested suspects was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory on Morocco's north coast, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.

The Spaniard was arrested in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, the scene of an explosion in a house late Wednesday that left one person dead and seven wounded and is believed to be linked to Thursday's assault.

"We suspect that they (the occupants) were preparing an explosive device," Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional Catalonia police told reporters.

Thursday's attack drew condemnation from across the globe.

'Revolting attack'

US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the United States will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

France's President Emmanuel Macron -- whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people -- said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack".

The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first IS claim of an attack in Spain.

Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.

According to the interior ministry, more than 190 "jihadist terrorists" have been arrested since 2015, most of them for propaganda, recruitment for extremist groups or "glorifying terrorism."

On Thursday, the Radicalisation Awareness Network, created by the European Commission, warned that between 1,200 and 3,000 Europeans who lived with and fought for IS in Iraq and Syria could return home.

BARCELONA: A van driver ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight on Thursday, killing 13 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group. Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run. Hours later in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, police said e they shot dead "four suspected terrorists" and left another injured in a "possible terrorist attack." The incident in Cambrils took place in the early hours of Friday, but police gave no further details, nor did they mention whether the shooting was linked to the Barcelona attack. Witnesses in Barcelona told of scenes of chaos and horror, with bodies strewn along the famous Las Ramblas boulevard as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic. The rampage in a city hugely popular with tourists from around the world is the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror. As world leaders united in condemning the carnage, the IS propaganda agency Amaq claimed that it was carried out by "soldiers" from the jihadist group. "We're united in grief," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona, the biggest city in Catalonia, a region in Spain's northeast whose separatist governement is defying Madrid. "Above all we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us." Regional interior minister Joaquim Forn said 14 people had died and another 100 were injured in what police were treating as a "terrorist attack", warning that the death toll could rise further. There were at least 18 nationalities among the victims who came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency. Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat reported three nationals had been wounded -- a woman and her two children. 'Whole street started to run' Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night. "When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP. "There were bodies on the ground with people crowding around them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners." Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars. Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard. "It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio. Europe's deadliest attack Spain had until now been spared the kind of extremist violence that has rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany. But it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest jihadist attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists. Police said Thursday that one of the arrested suspects was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory on Morocco's north coast, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir. The Spaniard was arrested in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, the scene of an explosion in a house late Wednesday that left one person dead and seven wounded and is believed to be linked to Thursday's assault. "We suspect that they (the occupants) were preparing an explosive device," Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional Catalonia police told reporters. Thursday's attack drew condemnation from across the globe. 'Revolting attack' US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the United States will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!" France's President Emmanuel Macron -- whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people -- said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack". The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first IS claim of an attack in Spain. Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco. According to the interior ministry, more than 190 "jihadist terrorists" have been arrested since 2015, most of them for propaganda, recruitment for extremist groups or "glorifying terrorism." On Thursday, the Radicalisation Awareness Network, created by the European Commission, warned that between 1,200 and 3,000 Europeans who lived with and fought for IS in Iraq and Syria could return home.
By Associated Press

CHICAGO: Passengers who were aboard an Emirates plane that crash-landed in August 2016 are suing Chicago-based Boeing for an alleged malfunction of the aircraft's electronics.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court alleges the aircraft's electronics system prevented the operation of a switch at a critical moment. More than a dozen passengers involved in the lawsuit claim the system didn't provide any warning to the crew that the switch wasn't working.

The Emirates Boeing 777-300 flying from India crash-landed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

All 300 people aboard survived, scrambling down emergency slides before flames destroyed the plane. A firefighter was killed battling the blaze.

UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority earlier this month determined there were no mechanical problems leading up to the incident.

A spokesman for Boeing declined to comment on the lawsuit, noting the litigation is pending.

CHICAGO: Passengers who were aboard an Emirates plane that crash-landed in August 2016 are suing Chicago-based Boeing for an alleged malfunction of the aircraft's electronics. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court alleges the aircraft's electronics system prevented the operation of a switch at a critical moment. More than a dozen passengers involved in the lawsuit claim the system didn't provide any warning to the crew that the switch wasn't working. The Emirates Boeing 777-300 flying from India crash-landed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. All 300 people aboard survived, scrambling down emergency slides before flames destroyed the plane. A firefighter was killed battling the blaze. UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority earlier this month determined there were no mechanical problems leading up to the incident. A spokesman for Boeing declined to comment on the lawsuit, noting the litigation is pending.
By IANS

LOS ANGELES: Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called on US President Donald Trump to abandon his ambiguous attitude to racism and immediately reject "the support of white supremacists".

The Hollywood superstar in a video on Thursday condemned the presence of hate groups and followers of Nazism in the US and said Trump as President has a moral responsibility to send an unequivocal message "you won't stand for hate and racism", Xinhua reported.

"There are not two sides to bigotry and there are not two sides to hatred," Schwarzenegger said in the video that received over two million clicks within two hours of its release.

"And if you choose to march with a flag that symbolises the slaughter of millions of people, there are not two sides to that."

The message came days after Trump on Tuesday reignited a firestorm of criticism, saying there was "blame on both sides" for a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that left three persons dead and dozens injured.

Schwarzenegger mocked Trump by talking with a doll of the President in the video.

"Now let me help you write your speech a little bit: As President of the US, and as a Republican, I reject the support of white supremacists. The country that defeated Hitler's armies is no place for Nazi flag," said the 70-year-old, who at the same time picked up a bobble head resembling Trump and asked: "Was is that difficult? You see, I told you."

Schwarzenegger on Sunday donated $100,000 to anti-Nazism organisation Simon Wiesenthal Centre, saying he was "horrified by the images of Nazis and white supremacists" marching in Charlottesville and "heartbroken that a domestic terrorist took an innocent life".



LOS ANGELES: Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called on US President Donald Trump to abandon his ambiguous attitude to racism and immediately reject "the support of white supremacists". The Hollywood superstar in a video on Thursday condemned the presence of hate groups and followers of Nazism in the US and said Trump as President has a moral responsibility to send an unequivocal message "you won't stand for hate and racism", Xinhua reported. "There are not two sides to bigotry and there are not two sides to hatred," Schwarzenegger said in the video that received over two million clicks within two hours of its release. "And if you choose to march with a flag that symbolises the slaughter of millions of people, there are not two sides to that." The message came days after Trump on Tuesday reignited a firestorm of criticism, saying there was "blame on both sides" for a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that left three persons dead and dozens injured. Schwarzenegger mocked Trump by talking with a doll of the President in the video. "Now let me help you write your speech a little bit: As President of the US, and as a Republican, I reject the support of white supremacists. The country that defeated Hitler's armies is no place for Nazi flag," said the 70-year-old, who at the same time picked up a bobble head resembling Trump and asked: "Was is that difficult? You see, I told you." Schwarzenegger on Sunday donated $100,000 to anti-Nazism organisation Simon Wiesenthal Centre, saying he was "horrified by the images of Nazis and white supremacists" marching in Charlottesville and "heartbroken that a domestic terrorist took an innocent life".
By AFP

BARCELONA: Suspects in Spain's twin terror attacks had been planning for an even bigger assault than the deadly car rampages they carried out, police said Friday, as distressing details emerged of families torn apart in the double tragedy.

A 35-year-old Italian man was among 14 killed in the attacks, mowed down in front of his wife and young children Thursday in Barcelona when a driver rammed his van through crowds on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard, before fleeing on foot.

Police said they shot dead five "suspected terrorists" who had knocked pedestrians down in the Catalan seaside resort of Cambrils in a second attack in the early hours of Friday, and arrested four others as Spain reeled from the deadly violence.

Details of the investigation were still sketchy, but police said the Barcelona suspect driver may have been among the five killed.

And according to the daily La Vanguardia newspaper in Barcelona, officers were still on the hunt for four other suspects thought to be involved with the cell that devised the terror project claimed by the Islamic State group.

Bigger plans

In what has been a complex, fast-moving investigation, police revealed Friday afternoon that the suspects had apparently been planning something bigger.

"They were preparing one or several attacks in Barcelona, and an explosion in Alcanar stopped this as they no longer had the material they needed to commit attacks of an even bigger scope," said Josep Lluis Trapero of Catalonia's police.

He was referring to a blast in a house in the town of Alcanar Wednesday evening, which police said killed one person.

Initially treated as a random gas blast, police later linked it to the Barcelona assault, believing occupants of the house were preparing an explosive device inside and slipped up.

Trapero said that after this, the suspects allegedly quickly went on to commit "more rudimentary" attacks. These involved the vehicles ploughing into pedestrians in Barcelona and Cambrils.

The Cambrils suspects had an axe and knives in the car as well as fake explosive belts stuck to their bodies, said police.

High 'level of coordination'

Both Spanish attacks followed the same modus operandi.

Drivers deliberately targeted pedestrians with their vehicles, the latest in a series of such assaults in Europe, where cars and vans have been used to lethal effect.

The Mediterranean resort of Nice in France was particularly hard hit on July 14, 2016, when a man rammed a truck into a crowd, killing 86 people.

But Otso Iho of Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre said the Spanish assaults, which stretched out over two different cities, appeared to be "a much higher level of coordination than has been typically present in previous attacks."

It is also believed to be the first time IS has claimed an attack in Spain.

In a poignant moment Friday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, King Felipe VI and the president of Catalonia -- where both attacks took place -- held a minute of silence in Barcelona. It was followed by the crowd applauding and shouting "not afraid".

Relatives separated

Details started to emerge Friday on the identity of victims, as did tragic stories of families ripped apart.

Witnesses in Barcelona described how the van pushed through the crowd, leaving bodies strewn along the boulevard as people fled for their lives, screaming in panic.

"We were on the city tour bus, we were 20 feet from the accident when it happened," said Alex Luque, a 19-year-old student from New York.

"We heard the van and the impact with people and then we saw people running."

Then just eight hours later attackers struck in the early hours of Friday in the seaside resort of Cambrils. An Audi A3 car rammed into pedestrians, injuring six civilians and a police officer. One civilian, a woman, later died of her injuries.

The police shot dead the five attackers. They also said they had arrested four suspects -- three Moroccans and a Spaniard.

There were some three dozen nationalities among the dead and injured, from countries including Algeria, Australia, China, France, Ireland, Peru and Venezuela, according to Spain's civil protection agency.

Among the dead were at least two Italians, a 74-year-old Portuguese woman, and an American, officials from their countries said.

Families posted messages on Facebook looking for lost relatives including one heartbreaking appeal for a missing seven-year-old boy, Julian Alessandro Cadman.

Europe's deadliest attack

Spain, the world's third most popular tourism destination, had until now been spared in the recent wave of extremist attacks that have rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

It had even seen a surge in tourists as visitors fled other restive sunshine destinations like Tunisia and Egypt.

But it is nevertheless no stranger to jihadist attacks.

In March 2004, it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest, when bombs on commuter trains in Madrid killed 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Spain has also had to deal with a decades-long campaign of violence waged by Basque separatist group ETA, which only declared a ceasefire in 2011.

BARCELONA: Suspects in Spain's twin terror attacks had been planning for an even bigger assault than the deadly car rampages they carried out, police said Friday, as distressing details emerged of families torn apart in the double tragedy. A 35-year-old Italian man was among 14 killed in the attacks, mowed down in front of his wife and young children Thursday in Barcelona when a driver rammed his van through crowds on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard, before fleeing on foot. Police said they shot dead five "suspected terrorists" who had knocked pedestrians down in the Catalan seaside resort of Cambrils in a second attack in the early hours of Friday, and arrested four others as Spain reeled from the deadly violence. Details of the investigation were still sketchy, but police said the Barcelona suspect driver may have been among the five killed. And according to the daily La Vanguardia newspaper in Barcelona, officers were still on the hunt for four other suspects thought to be involved with the cell that devised the terror project claimed by the Islamic State group. Bigger plans In what has been a complex, fast-moving investigation, police revealed Friday afternoon that the suspects had apparently been planning something bigger. "They were preparing one or several attacks in Barcelona, and an explosion in Alcanar stopped this as they no longer had the material they needed to commit attacks of an even bigger scope," said Josep Lluis Trapero of Catalonia's police. He was referring to a blast in a house in the town of Alcanar Wednesday evening, which police said killed one person. Initially treated as a random gas blast, police later linked it to the Barcelona assault, believing occupants of the house were preparing an explosive device inside and slipped up. Trapero said that after this, the suspects allegedly quickly went on to commit "more rudimentary" attacks. These involved the vehicles ploughing into pedestrians in Barcelona and Cambrils. The Cambrils suspects had an axe and knives in the car as well as fake explosive belts stuck to their bodies, said police. High 'level of coordination' Both Spanish attacks followed the same modus operandi. Drivers deliberately targeted pedestrians with their vehicles, the latest in a series of such assaults in Europe, where cars and vans have been used to lethal effect. The Mediterranean resort of Nice in France was particularly hard hit on July 14, 2016, when a man rammed a truck into a crowd, killing 86 people. But Otso Iho of Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre said the Spanish assaults, which stretched out over two different cities, appeared to be "a much higher level of coordination than has been typically present in previous attacks." It is also believed to be the first time IS has claimed an attack in Spain. In a poignant moment Friday, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, King Felipe VI and the president of Catalonia -- where both attacks took place -- held a minute of silence in Barcelona. It was followed by the crowd applauding and shouting "not afraid". Relatives separated Details started to emerge Friday on the identity of victims, as did tragic stories of families ripped apart. Witnesses in Barcelona described how the van pushed through the crowd, leaving bodies strewn along the boulevard as people fled for their lives, screaming in panic. "We were on the city tour bus, we were 20 feet from the accident when it happened," said Alex Luque, a 19-year-old student from New York. "We heard the van and the impact with people and then we saw people running." Then just eight hours later attackers struck in the early hours of Friday in the seaside resort of Cambrils. An Audi A3 car rammed into pedestrians, injuring six civilians and a police officer. One civilian, a woman, later died of her injuries. The police shot dead the five attackers. They also said they had arrested four suspects -- three Moroccans and a Spaniard. There were some three dozen nationalities among the dead and injured, from countries including Algeria, Australia, China, France, Ireland, Peru and Venezuela, according to Spain's civil protection agency. Among the dead were at least two Italians, a 74-year-old Portuguese woman, and an American, officials from their countries said. Families posted messages on Facebook looking for lost relatives including one heartbreaking appeal for a missing seven-year-old boy, Julian Alessandro Cadman. Europe's deadliest attack Spain, the world's third most popular tourism destination, had until now been spared in the recent wave of extremist attacks that have rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany. It had even seen a surge in tourists as visitors fled other restive sunshine destinations like Tunisia and Egypt. But it is nevertheless no stranger to jihadist attacks. In March 2004, it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest, when bombs on commuter trains in Madrid killed 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists. Spain has also had to deal with a decades-long campaign of violence waged by Basque separatist group ETA, which only declared a ceasefire in 2011.
By IANS

EDINBURG: A rare species of the endangered white-letter hairstreak butterfly has been spotted in Scotland for the first time since it was last seen in 1884, the media reported.

The sighting in a field in Berwickshire, 100 metres from the English border, has raised hopes that climate change has helped it become the 34th butterfly species to live and breed in Scotland, reports the Guardian.

"Climate change is a double-edged sword but it's an exciting time to be in the Scottish borders," Paul Kirkland of the Butterfly Conservation Scotland said.

More than a quarter of Britain's 59 butterfly species have crossed the border to Scotland.

The white-letter hairstreak normally lives out of sight at the tops of elm trees but was earlier this month spotted in the field.

It suffered its worst year on record in 2016, according to the UK butterfly monitoring survey. Although widespread across England and Wales, it has suffered a 72 per cent decline over the last decade.

Its numbers were down by 96 per cent over the last 40 years.

EDINBURG: A rare species of the endangered white-letter hairstreak butterfly has been spotted in Scotland for the first time since it was last seen in 1884, the media reported. The sighting in a field in Berwickshire, 100 metres from the English border, has raised hopes that climate change has helped it become the 34th butterfly species to live and breed in Scotland, reports the Guardian. "Climate change is a double-edged sword but it's an exciting time to be in the Scottish borders," Paul Kirkland of the Butterfly Conservation Scotland said. More than a quarter of Britain's 59 butterfly species have crossed the border to Scotland. The white-letter hairstreak normally lives out of sight at the tops of elm trees but was earlier this month spotted in the field. It suffered its worst year on record in 2016, according to the UK butterfly monitoring survey. Although widespread across England and Wales, it has suffered a 72 per cent decline over the last decade. Its numbers were down by 96 per cent over the last 40 years.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: The US and Japan have agreed to advance their multilateral security and defence cooperation with countries like India, South Korea and Australia in view of North Korea's dangerous provocative behaviour, leaders of the countries have said.

The threat posed by North Korea was discussed by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, Defence Secretary James Mattis and his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera.

The four officials have strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action.

"We will cooperate to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and other southeast Asian countries," Tillerson told reporters at a joint news conference with Kono, Mattis and Onodera.

The four leaders addressed the conference after their two plus two meeting at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, during which the threat posed by North Korea consumed much of their time.

"As you might imagine, we've spent a fair amount of time discussing North Korea. North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile and other missile launches are unacceptable provocations, and they must stop immediately.

"We agreed to bolster our alliance capabilities to deter and respond to North Korea's unacceptable behaviour and other challenges to regional security," Tillerson said.

"In cooperation with other nations, we will continue to employ diplomatic and economic pressure to convince North Korea to end its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile program. We will remain vigilant against the North Korean threats through our military preparedness. The US will honour our treaty agreements with Japan without reservation whether time - in times of peace or in the face of conflict," he said.

Tillerson said the North Koreans should understand the consequences should they make a bad choice.

In a joint statement, the four officials strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action.

According to the joint statement, they highlighted the ongoing alliance efforts to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries.

They underscored the importance of cooperating to promote a rules-based international order, taking note of the US'

continued commitment to maintain a strong presence in the region and Japan's initiatives demonstrated by its "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy".

Kono said the two countries agreed to ramp up effective pressure.

According to him, South Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries will increase their cooperation in security and defence more than ever.

"We will call on China to take specific measures to make North Korea change its behaviour. On the threat of ballistic missiles, as an alliance, we will strengthen our defence posture and capabilities, and respond. We have agreed on this point. We have confirmed the importance of cooperation through the security treaty," he said.

Noting that the international community recognises North Korea as a threat to Asia and to the world, Mattis said Japan and South Korea are on the front line against the North Korean threat.

"We in the United States recognise any confrontation with North Korea would pose an immediate danger to our allies and their populations," he said.

Onodera said North Korea has plans to launch ballistic missiles to the waters close to Guam, and it is also advancing on their efforts to launch ICBM-class ballistic missiles, miniaturising nuclear weapons to warheads.

"So for this threat of North Korea, at this meeting we agreed to increase the pressure and to strengthen the alliance's capability. In light of the threat of North Korea, the four of us confirmed the importance of the unwavering US commitment to extend the deterrence," he added.

WASHINGTON: The US and Japan have agreed to advance their multilateral security and defence cooperation with countries like India, South Korea and Australia in view of North Korea's dangerous provocative behaviour, leaders of the countries have said. The threat posed by North Korea was discussed by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, Defence Secretary James Mattis and his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera. The four officials have strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action. "We will cooperate to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and other southeast Asian countries," Tillerson told reporters at a joint news conference with Kono, Mattis and Onodera. The four leaders addressed the conference after their two plus two meeting at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department, during which the threat posed by North Korea consumed much of their time. "As you might imagine, we've spent a fair amount of time discussing North Korea. North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile and other missile launches are unacceptable provocations, and they must stop immediately. "We agreed to bolster our alliance capabilities to deter and respond to North Korea's unacceptable behaviour and other challenges to regional security," Tillerson said. "In cooperation with other nations, we will continue to employ diplomatic and economic pressure to convince North Korea to end its illegal nuclear and ballistic missile program. We will remain vigilant against the North Korean threats through our military preparedness. The US will honour our treaty agreements with Japan without reservation whether time - in times of peace or in the face of conflict," he said. Tillerson said the North Koreans should understand the consequences should they make a bad choice. In a joint statement, the four officials strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action. According to the joint statement, they highlighted the ongoing alliance efforts to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries. They underscored the importance of cooperating to promote a rules-based international order, taking note of the US' continued commitment to maintain a strong presence in the region and Japan's initiatives demonstrated by its "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy". Kono said the two countries agreed to ramp up effective pressure. According to him, South Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries will increase their cooperation in security and defence more than ever. "We will call on China to take specific measures to make North Korea change its behaviour. On the threat of ballistic missiles, as an alliance, we will strengthen our defence posture and capabilities, and respond. We have agreed on this point. We have confirmed the importance of cooperation through the security treaty," he said. Noting that the international community recognises North Korea as a threat to Asia and to the world, Mattis said Japan and South Korea are on the front line against the North Korean threat. "We in the United States recognise any confrontation with North Korea would pose an immediate danger to our allies and their populations," he said. Onodera said North Korea has plans to launch ballistic missiles to the waters close to Guam, and it is also advancing on their efforts to launch ICBM-class ballistic missiles, miniaturising nuclear weapons to warheads. "So for this threat of North Korea, at this meeting we agreed to increase the pressure and to strengthen the alliance's capability. In light of the threat of North Korea, the four of us confirmed the importance of the unwavering US commitment to extend the deterrence," he added.
WTM has boosted its executive team with a new Portfolio Head of Marketing, Jeannette Gilbert joins WTM from her role as Head of Marketing at Fastjet  the rapidly growing new low-cost airline in Africa.

She has also previously worked at Celebrity Cruises and will run marketing across all events in the WTM portfolio including; WTM London, Arabian Travel Market, WTM Latin America and WTM Africa.

Jeanette joins a team of accomplished travel industry veterans, and her expertise will further cement the wealth of travel trade knowledge and experience in the WTM portfolio and parent company Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE).

Her appointment follows that of Jonathan Hull  Portfolio Head of Sales, WTM  who joined a year ago, after 11 years at Virgin Atlantic.

Jeannette reports to Nick Pilbeam, RTE, Director, who has more than 17 years of FTSE 100 experience in the travel industry with British Airways, Iberia and Avios. Another key colleague in the marketing team is Carrie Lee  WTM London and Arabian Travel Market Marketing Manager  who joined the company a year ago after 11 years with Flight Centre. WTM Latin America Marketing Manager Thais Del Ben has previously worked for both EMBRATUR  the Brazilian Tourism Board - and Braztoa  the Brazilian Association of Tour Operators. Furthermore, WTM Portfolio Press & PR Manager Paul Nelson, spent seven years at travel trade publication Travel Weekly before managing PR at lastminute.com, looking after travel industry brands including lastminute.com, Travelocity, Holiday Autos and Medhotels.

Jeannette said: I am delighted to join such a respected, well-known global brand, and to work with a team of seasoned travel industry professionals.

Its an exciting time to come on board, as the WTM Portfolio is set to smash last years achievement of $7 billion worldwide industry deals.

There were impressive rises in visitor numbers at recent 2017 events: WTM Latin America, WTM Africa and Arabian Travel Market.

I look forward to helping WTM London maintain that momentum. WTM London generated a record 2.8 billion in industry deals last November and this year it looks set to break yet more records.
Newport Art Museum wraps up fall with variety of programs

Though it hasnt always felt like fall these past few weeks, the museum is in high gear hosting fall events and planning for winter.
Reporter

Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).
The Indian government has launched a mobile application through which FASTags (radio frequency identification or RFID cards) can be bought by highway users, which will be delivered to the users doorsteps within 24 hours, as per a report by The Economic Times.



The report further states that the government will be making all toll lanes on highways RFID-enabled by October 31, 2017. Also, out of all the lanes at toll gates, one toll gate will be reserved exclusively for FASTags from September 1, 2017.



The toll tags, which are only used by 7 lakh vehicles in the county, were developed by the Indian Highways Management Company Ltd (IHMC)  which is a



This development is a result of a tie-up between National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), a tie-up between the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). These were available only at toll plazas and banks which included the likes of ICICI, Axis, and SBI.



The way FASTag would work is that when the users vehicle reaches the designated lane at a toll booth, the sensor mounted on the front windshield is detected followed by a toll charge deduction in the account balance of the user and then the car is allowed to go by. This is meant to make the process of going through a toll booth faster than the conventional method which often leads to traffic jams and bottlenecks during peak traffic hours.



The FASTag account would be rechargeable through the users smartphone via the app.



Interestingly, the cars and other four-wheeler users that have in-built RFID installed on their vehicles by manufacturers will also be able to activate the tags through NHAI app, says the report.


German luxury car maker BMW today said that the government should take a "pragmatic decision" on its proposal to introduce cess for SUV and large cars as the move could slow down the growth in the premium car market. "It has not happened as yet. They are discussing. So very difficult to say what it is at the moment. We just heard that they want to look at it. When they want to do it and how it will happen it is not clear", BMW India, President, Vikram Pawah told PTI.SUVs, mid-sized, large and luxury cars that had become cheaper after GST rollout on July 1 will cost more as the GST Council last week approved a proposal to hike cess on them to 25 percent, from 15 percent now. Under the new GST regime, cars attract the top tax rate of 28 percent. On top of this, a cess of 1-15 percent is levied to create a corpus to compensate states for loss of revenue from GST implementation.Hoping that the government will take a "pragmatic decision", Pawah said if the rates remain same, there will be a growth in the premium car market that means overall revenue for the government will increase. "If the cess or anything increased, supposedly, then that might slow down the growth of this market and then there will be a revenue loss for the government, he said. "We are really hoping that the government will look at It, he said.Stating that he was "surprised" and "shocked" about the levying cess, Pawah said, "it is only one month after introducing the GST. How can you suddenly change after one month? We (automobile manufacturers) don't understand that." "That is why we are requesting the government to have a look at it. Have a pragmatic view towards it and lets make sure that we are looking at a long term. We as manufacturers are here to contribute to the society and increase the market", he said. "This (cess issue) might be counterproductive for that.", he said.Responding to a query, he said the car makers through Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) took up the issue and were yet to receive a response from the government. "Yes we have taken the issue through the industry bodies through SIAM. We have not heard anything. We are happy to have a dialogue. Make sure our voices are heard. he said. "We strongly believe that current GST structure is a very good structure which would actually lead to higher revenue generation for the market", he said.
New Delhi: Ravi Venkatesan, Co-Chairman of the Infosys Board of Directors, hit out at founder Narayana Murthy over unsubstantiated allegations against Vishal Sikka and the Board, aligning the top management of the company against the founder.



The constant unsubstantiated allegations caused substantial damage to the morale and culminated in the departure of Sikka, Venkatesan told investors in a conference call on Friday morning.



He added that three sets of investigations to probe the allegations had not turned up anything.



In a separate statement, the Board also said Narayana Murthy had used the threat of media attacks to make inappropriate demands that were inconsistent with his stated desire for stronger governance and that it had no intention of offering him a formal role in governance.



I just cannot do this anymore, I want to leave, Vishal Sikka said on the call. In the last 4-5 quarters, but particularly since January or February, the constant drum beat of allegations was absolutely sickening. Whenever I would wake up at home in California there was a regurgitation of the same allegations and that made it difficult to carry out the change agenda, Sikka said.



Sikka said that the constant allegations over the past year had made his continuation as CEO of Infosys impossible.



Interim CEO Pravin Rao, who was also on the call, was mostly quiet and a bit nervous. With this, the Board made it clear to investors that it was siding with Sikka, the outgoing CEO, over Narayana Murthy, the founder.



Ravi Venkatesan, in his opening comments, said that while the Board had been fully behind Sikka and had adopted his vision of turning Infosys from a software services provider to an innovation-led company, the bickering between the founders (Narayana Murthy) and the management had got too much.



The co-chairman said that the Board had done everything possible to investigate the allegations levelled by the founders. We believe weve done everything any good, independent Board would do. We had three separate investigations into the allegations. The latest one provided unfettered access to the auditing company, Venkatesan said.



The call was scheduled for 11 am but was delayed by 30 minutes and went on for slightly over an hour.



Analysts from big brokerage firms like Credit Suisse, JP Morgan and Edelweiss were on the call. Most of the investors indicated that they were sorry to see Vishal Sikka go.



Pravin Rao said he echoed the comments made by Venkatesan and Sikka and termed the turn of events unfortunate. We have a strong leadership team and a strong vision, he said.



Ravi Venkatesan said that the vision that Vishal Sikka had brought with him for Infosys had the full support of the Board, comments which may not go down well with Narayana Murthy, who still holds a large chunk of Infosys shares.



A significant number of questions from the investors revolved around stability of the company and whether the Board of Directors was equipped to the task of guiding the company.



A question directed towards Venkatesan asked him how the Board would solve the friction between the founder and the CEO. To this, he replied that dialogue between the Board and the founder had worked partially, it had also failed at some level.



However, he reassured the investors that the Board and the new team would work to improve the confidence of investors, shareholders and employees.



Venkatesan said that a new CEO would be appointed by March 31, 2018 and that Pravin Rao will report to Vishal Sikka till then.
Infosys lashed out at fresh charges by founder NR Narayana Murthy, saying suggestions that world-renowned law firms will connive with the board twice to overlook alleged misdeeds of a CEO and

give a clean chit were completely untenable.

The comments came after Murthy said that several shareholders, who had read the whistle-blower report, had told him that an impartial and objective investigation does not happen in the manner in which Infosys probe was conducted. Infosys Chairman R Seshasayee rubbished the claims saying that probe had been conducted by world renowned firms.

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New Delhi: Vishal Sikka sent two letters outlining his resignation as Infosys CEO: One to the Infosys board of directors and another to Infosys staff. In them he quoted Steve Jobs, Brexit, Donald Trump and the recent Charlottesville disturbances in the United States. Here is what he said.



Steve Jobs



Your time is limited, dont waste it living someone elses life. Dont be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other peoples thinking. Dont let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become.



Charlottesville



And the Charlottesville incident here in the US demonstrated once again the power of words and silences to cause real damage, or to heal.



Brexit/Trump



No one anticipated the additional headwinds like the geo-political disruptions (Brexit, Trump, visa etc.) that made this transformation even more challenging, but also rewarding.
New Delhi: Infosys Co-founder Narayana Murthy in an email claimed that he had been told by independent directors that Vishal Sikka was more suited as a Chief Technology Officer than as Chief Executive Officer.



Mint reported the existence of the email dated August 9 and confirmed its authenticity through a company executive and board member, although it couldnt confirm the claims in the email.



Murthy wrote



All that I hear from at least three independent directors, including Mr Ravi Venkatesan (co-chairman), are complaints about Dr Sikka. They have told me umpteen times that Dr Sikka is not a CEO material but CTO material. This is the view of at least three members of the board, and not my view since I have not seen him operate from the vantage point of an Infosys board member.



Further...



I have nothing against Dr Vishal Sikka. I enjoy spending time with him. I have never commented about his strategy or its execution, Murthy wrote in the email. My problem is with governance at Infosys. I believe that the fault lies with the current board. If the board had not embraced inaction and had ensured proper governance then they could have created checks and balances required in any well-run company. That, alas, does not exist today.



Reacting to the reports, the Infosys Board issued a statement, blaming Murthy for Sikkas exit:



It has come to the attention of the Board that a letter authored by Mr. Murthy, the Founder of Infosys has been released to various media houses attacking the integrity of the Board and Management of the Company alleging falling corporate governance standards in the Company. The Board takes great umbrage to the contents of the letter and places on record the following:



 Mr. Murthy's continuous assault, including this latest letter, is the primary reason that the CEO, Dr. Vishal Sikka, has resigned despite strong Board support.



 Mr. Murthys letter contains factual inaccuracies, already-disproved rumours, and statements extracted out of context from his conversations with Board members.



 The Board assures its shareholders, employees, customers and communities that it is committed not to be distracted by this misguided campaign by Mr. Murthy and will continue to adhere to the highest international standards of corporate governance as it executes its strategy of profitable growth for the benefit of all Infosys stakeholders.



 Mr. Murthys campaign against the Board and the Company has had the unfortunate effect to undermine the Companys efforts to transform itself.



 The Board has been engaged in a dialogue with the Founder to resolve his concerns over the course of a year, trying earnestly to find feasible solutions within the boundaries of law and without compromising its independence. These dialogues have unfortunately not been successful.



 The Board declines to speculate about Mr. Murthys motive for carrying out this campaign, including the latest letter. The Board believes it must set the record straight on the false and misleading charges made by Mr. Murthy because his actions and demands are damaging the Company and misrepresent its commitment to good corporate governance.



FACT: Since Dr. Vishal Sikka was appointed as MD and CEO in August 2014, Infosys has delivered competitive financial performance through profitable revenue growth.



 Infosys has, under the leadership of Vishal, developed and articulated a strategy to transform itself to meet the rapidly changing needs of the marketplace in the 21st century. The Company was lagging significantly behind industry in growth rates when Vishal took over and now we are in top quartile from a performance perspective.



 Infosys has grown in revenues, from $2.13B in Q1FY15 to $2.65B this past Q1. This was done while keeping a strong focus on margins, closing this past quarter at 24.1% operating margin, beating some competitors for the first time in many years, and improving against nearly everyone in the industry.



 The revenue per employee of the Company has grown for six quarters in a row. Attrition has fallen, from 23.4% in Q1FY15 to 16.9% this past Q1, and high performer attrition is much lower than the overall Company attrition.



 The Company grew its $100M+ clients from 12 in Q1FY15, to 18 this past Q1, and increased its large deal wins from ~$1.9B in FY15 to ~$3.5B this past year. This has all been done while improving overall utilization (excluding trainees), to a 15-yr high this past quarter, and an all-time high including trainees, while improving our cash reserves, rewarding Infoscions with a new equity plan, and returning Rs. 19,000 Crores as dividend (including dividend distribution tax) over the last three years. This has all been done while improving standing with clients, to the highest ever in the 12 years with a jump of 22 points in CXO satisfaction.



FACT: Infosys has continued to maintain the highest standards of corporate governance that the Company is known for.



 The Board of Infosys is carrying out its shareholder mandate to be an independent board, working towards the best interest of the stakeholders.



 The Board has sought the counsel of some of the most respected governance experts and legal advisors in the world, which have thoroughly investigated all anonymous allegations and concluded that no wrongdoing occurred. For Mr. Murthy to imply  with no evidence whatsoever  that three well-respected international law firms, members of the Infosys Board and certain employees are engaged in some grand global conspiracy to conceal information is not tenable on its face. It is important to mention here that Mr. Murthy was interviewed as part of the investigation by Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP in pursuance of the investigation in the Panaya acquisition, and was invited and welcomed to provide any information or evidence he believed would support the allegations being investigated. He did not provide any evidence since none exists. However, he has not mentioned this is his media communication against the investigation.



 As previously announced by the Company on June 23, 2017, the Board thoroughly investigated each anonymous allegation with the assistance of highly respected external counsel and experts and determined that the allegations were entirely without merit. The Board will make no additional disclosure of the investigation report because further disclosure would be inconsistent with best corporate audit practices and would compromise the confidence of employees that they could report honestly, openly, and candidly to the company in any future investigation or legal matter.



 The Board also believes that any further use of resources and time on these matters would be a distraction for the Company and would enable those wishing unfairly to attack Company personnel to continue this harmful conduct. Therefore, the Board has formally closed the investigations of the anonymous allegations so that the Company can focus on strategy, performance, and the creation of shareholder value. The Board remains focused to continuing to support Infosyss strategy, which it believes is in the best interests of the Companys shareholders, employees, clients and communities.



FACT: Mr. Murthys has made repeatedly made inappropriate demands which are inconsistent with his stated desire for stronger governance.



Illustratively:



 Mr. Murthy has demanded that the Board adopt certain changes in policy, else he will attack board members in the public, which threat was carried out when the Board did not acquiesce;



 He has demanded that the Board appoint specific individuals onto the Board under similar threat, without appropriate disclosure and without regard to basic determinants of appropriateness or fit of the candidate for the role as a Board member;



 He has demanded operational and management changes under the threat of media attacks;



 Notwithstanding that the remuneration package of senior management was approved overwhelmingly by shareholders (including members of the promoter group), Mr. Murthy preferred his dictat to prevail with no place or tolerance for the outcomes of shareholder democracy.



 Mr. Murthy wanted the demands to be adhered to without attribution to him.



The Board has, in its fiduciary role to consider all shareholder inputs, treated each demand from Mr. Murthy as a suggestion and only acted on suggestions which we believed was in the best interest of the company and declined to act on others. Over time the demands have intensified, which when declined by the Board resulted in the threats of media attacks being carried out.



FACT: Mr. Murthy may be in the process of engaging in discussions with certain key stakeholders of the Company to further his criticisms of the Board and Management.



We are concerned that this type of campaign runs the risk of confusing investors and undermining the Companys management efforts.



FACT: The Board is a fully independent Board, with professionals as its members who have been appointed by a clear majority of the shareholders.



 Given the commitment of the Board to remain independent and pursue a chosen strategy, the Board currently has no intention of asking Mr. Murthy to play a formal role in the governance of the organization.



 Co-chair of the Board, Ravi Venkatesan has repeatedly over the past few weeks publicly stated his and the Boards support for Dr. Sikka. The Company categorically rejects any speculation or allegation of discord between the Infosys Board and Dr. Sikka.



Sikka on Friday stepped down as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of tech giant Infosys. Chief Operating Officer UB Pravin Rao has been given the interim charge, while Sikka has been made the Executive Vice-Chairman.



In his resignation letter, Sikka cited continuous distractions and disruptions", as the reason for his resignation.
Vishal Sikka's resignation as Managing Director & Chief Executive

Officer of Infosys accepted, UB Pravin Rao appointed as Interim MD and CEO pic.twitter.com/nsGH1m54x5  ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2017

Vishal Sikka on Friday stepped down as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of tech giant Infosys citing continuous distractions and disruptions" as the reason.Chief Operating Officer UB Pravin Rao has been given the interim charge, while Sikka has been made the Executive Vice-Chairman.In a letter to Infosys employees, Sikka referred to increasingly personal attacks against him. I cannot carry out my job as CEO and continue to create value, while also constantly defending against unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks, Sikka said in the letter which he later shared on his blog.I now need to move forward, and return to an environment of respect, trust and empowerment, where I can take on new lofty challenges, as can each of you, he added.In its communication to the markers, Infosys said it had accepted Sikkas resignation. "...The board of directors of Infosys Limited has at its meeting today accepted the resignation of Dr Vishal Sikka as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company with immediate effect," the IT firm said in a BSE filing. Sikka has been appointed as the Executive Vice-Chairman, Infosys said."The succession plan for appointment of a new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer has been operationalized by the board and a search for the same has been commenced," Infosys said.The companys stocks tanked over 6% in early morning trade after Vishal Sikkas resignation. Following the announcement, the stock fell to Rs 958.00, registering a fall of 6.62% over its previous closing price on the BSE.Similar movement was seen on the NSE as well where the stock opened at Rs 1,017.90, fell to Rs 952.30, down 6.71 per cent over its previous close.In a statement, the software giant expressed "regret" over Sikka's decision, but said it accepted his resignation.Sikkas resignation comes amid reports that Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, in an email to advisors, quoted three independent directors of the company as saying that Sikka was not CEO material, but more suited to be the chief technology officer.All that I hear from at least three independent directors, including Mr Ravi Venkatesan, are complaints about Dr Sikka. They have told me umpteen times that Dr Sikka is not a CEO material but CTO material. This is the view of at least three members of the board, and not my view since I have not seen him operate from the vantage point of an Infosys board member, Murthy said in the email which was reportedly dated August 9."I have nothing against Dr Vishal Sikka. I enjoy spending time with him. I have never commented about his strategy or its execution My problem is with governance at Infosys. I believe that the fault lies with the current board. If the board had not embraced inaction and had ensured proper governance then they could have created checks and balances required in any well-run company. That, alas, does not exist today," Murthy reportedly said in the email.Sikka had taken over the reins in 2014.His successor, Pravin Rao, has been the Chief Operating Officer with overall strategic and operational responsibility for the entire portfolio of the companys offerings.Hi profile on the companys website said he is also the chairperson of Infosys BPO with over 30 years of experience. Since joining Infosys in 1986, he has held a number of senior leadership roles, including Head of Infrastructure Management Services, Delivery Head for Europe, and Head of Retail, Consumer Packaged Goods, Logistics and Life Sciences, it said.
New Delhi: Vishal Sikka on Friday stepped down as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of tech giant Infosys saying that he cannot continue amid malicious, personal attacks. Chief Operating Officer UB Pravin Rao has been given the interim charge, while Sikka has been made the Executive Vice-Chairman.



Heres the mail he sent to the Infosys Staff:



Dear Friends,



After a lot of reflection, I have resigned from my position as your MD & CEO effective today. A succession process has been initiated, with Pravin serving as interim MD & CEO, and I will work closely with the Board and management team over the next few months to ensure a smooth transition. In addition, I have agreed to serve as Executive Vice Chairman on the Board to further ensure continuity until the new management is in place.



For days, indeed weeks, this decision has weighed on me. I have wrestled the pros and cons, the issues and the counterbalancing arguments. But now, after much thought, and considering the environment of the last few quarters, I am clear in my decision. It is clear to me that despite our successes over the last three years, and the powerful seeds of innovation that we have sown, I cannot carry out my job as CEO and continue to create value, while also constantly defending against unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks.



In 2014, we started with a very challenging set of conditions, and in the last three years, we have decisively turned things around.



Three years ago, I started this journey with a calling, to help reshape the company around innovation and entrepreneurship, to deliver breakthrough value for clients, and to help elevate our work, our standing, our selves, on the basis of a dual strategy, bringing together dualities of renew and new, automation and innovation, people and software, to show a new path forward in a time of unprecedented disruption within the industry and beyond. That time, around and before June 2014, was a difficult time. Our growth rates were low and attrition was high. There was a sense of apprehension all around and I came here to help enable a great transformation as our core business faced intense pricing pressure, and clients looked increasingly to innovative partners to help shape their digital futures. Now, a bit more than three years later, I am happy to see the company doing better in every dimension I can think of.



We have grown our revenues, from $2.13B in Q1FY15 to $2.65B this past Q1. We did so while keeping a strong focus on margins, closing this past quarter at 24.1% operating margin, beating some competitors for the first time in many years, and improving against most in our industry. Perhaps more importantly, our revenue per employee has grown for six quarters in a row. Our attrition has fallen, from 23.4% in Q1FY15 to 16.9% this past Q1, and high performer attrition is hovering at or below the single-digit threshold for a while now. We grew our $100M+ clients from 12 when I started, to 19, and increased our large deal wins from ~$1.9B in FY15 to ~$3.5B this past year. Weve done all this while improving our overall utilization, to a 10-yr high this past quarter, and an all time high including trainees, while improving our cash reserves, rewarding employees with a new equity plan, and returning cash to our stakeholders. And we have done all this while improving our standing with clients to the highest ever in the 12 years since weve done our client satisfaction survey, and a jump of 22 points in CxO satisfaction.



A few days ago, Nitesh, Radha, and I met a client in our office in Palo Alto. It is one of the largest companies in the world - and the CIO was excited and proud about seeing automation come to life in their landscape. Her reaction to seeing many of our innovation projects, as well as our workspace itself, was thoroughly rewarding, and a testament to all we have achieved. She requested us to bring our innovative work and processes to everything we do with her team in a similar space, and even that we help them establish a similar presence for their company in the valley! This is a sentiment Ive often heard from clients whove visited our 12,000 sqft space here, that has seen 2200 visits over its ~27 months; clients where we saw much faster than average revenue growth following their visits. So, as I look back on the three years as CEO, what brings me the most joy is the new roads that all of you have traveled, the new frontiers that all of you have enabled. From embracing the new ideas in education, teaching ourselves Design Thinking like no one else ever has, learning AI, new development processes, and more, to applying these learnings via Zero Distance, a one-of-a-kind program of massive grassroots innovation, powered by education, by the amazing Zero Bench, and by your creative confidence. With 16500+ ideas generated, 2200+ of which have already been implemented, ZD is proof that innovation need not be the domain of a chosen few in some elite department, but is the prerogative of us all; proof that the extraordinary within each one of us can indeed be unleashed. To complement this grassroots innovation, weve launched 25+ new services that contributed 8.3% of our revenue last quarter, up from zero in April 2015. And our own new software business is now at 1.6% of revenue. Our AI platform, Nia, now with 160+ scenarios deployed at more than 70 clients, is helping drive both automation within the company, and breakthrough new business scenarios outside. Beyond new services and new software, weve ventured into new horizons, from our startup funds investments in promising new businesses, to the work weve done in the last 3 years in local hiring around the world, especially in the US, to the exemplary and inspiring work our US foundation has done in bringing computer science education and a culture of making, to the masses.



And I am proud of how we have upheld our values, our culture, our integrity, whilst we have gone about this massive transformation. I am proud of how our Board has worked, tirelessly, selflessly, these past quarters, despite intense, unfair, and often malicious and personal, criticism, in not only upholding our standards of governance and integrity, but also indeed raising these. None of our successes would be worthwhile for a moment, if this was not the case.



I was, and remain, passionate about the massive transformation opportunity for this company and industry, but we all need to allow the company to move beyond the noise and distractions.



Back in May 2014, when I first met many board colleagues, I thought of the road ahead as a road for the next 33 years of this iconic company. For Infosys is more than a company: it is an idea, a dream, a pioneering possibility. Back then I thought, just as I do today, that the time ahead called for a company that could show the way to a digital future, a future where our humanity, amplified by automation and software, would unleash our creativity, our imagination, to construct great worlds of our futures, and would do so powered by education, by our timeless value of learnability. Such an Infosys, whilst staying true to its core, to her values and timeless principles, would shine the light in an altogether different context, a different reality. Such an Infosys would be one where an individuals entrepreneurship, ability to imagine and create, ability to learn, and to amplify themselves with software, with AI, would create a greater whole. Rather than an overarching system enabling the people, the peoples agility and imagination would create a greater system. Three years later, we can clearly see that the seeds of this idea have taken root and are growing, into beautiful new flowers and plants, and I see no reason why these cannot continue, and help shape our companys future.



For sure this journey has been a difficult one. No one, especially me, thought it would be easy. Transformations are hard to begin with. A massive transformation, of such an iconic institution, with such groundbreaking achievements behind her, would be even tougher, and the exponential rates of change all around us, further amplified by geopolitical matters, would add that much more headwind. But all this was known, and clear, and in many ways added to the calling that I felt. For as the legendary architect Daniel Burnham said, Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir mans blood.



But after much contemplation I have decided to leave because the distractions, the very public noise around us, have created an untenable atmosphere. I deeply believe in creating value in an atmosphere of freedom, trust and empowerment. Life is too short to engage in battles of opinions in the public, these add no value, take critical time and focus away from the business, and indeed add more to the noise, to the eardrum buzz, as I wrote to you a few months ago. The founding principle of the strategy I laid out for our renewal was personal empowerment, working in an entrepreneurial environment. I need this for my own work as well. Steve Jobs, in his famous commencement speech at my alma mater, said:



Your time is limited, dont waste it living someone elses life. Dont be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other peoples thinking. Dont let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become.



I now need to move forward, and return to an environment of respect, trust and empowerment, where I can take on new lofty challenges, as can each of you.



As Steve Jobs said, I must follow my heart and my intuition, build my buildings, give my givings, and do something else. Over the next weeks and months, I look forward to working with the Board and management to create a smooth transition, and simultaneously staring into the great unknown, and to doing something great, something purposeful, for the times ahead. And also to spend some time with my loved ones. Ive been away from home far too often and far too long.



As I completed my three years recently, many people asked me if I have any regrets. This question is more apt today and the answer is a clear NO. Not for a second. However difficult the noise of the last several months has been, I wouldnt trade our time together for anything. I would not give up the experience of seeing the gleam in your eyes as you described a new idea, invention, or contribution. You worked on these confidently, without reward, without arrogance, showing exactly the kind of creative confidence that David Kelley talked about in Design Thinking  a wonderful thing to witness.



I am deeply grateful for the immense support and love Ive received from all of you, from our worthy clients for whom we do our lifes work, and by our shareholders across the globe. I am grateful for your trust, confidence and friendship, and am thankful to our team of amazing leaders, who will help lead our company to greatness. To my first Infoscion colleague and trusted friend Ranga, who enabled us to achieve the things we achieved, to the amazing Ravi, a pocket of passion and energy and execution excellence, to the calm and steadfast Mohit, who introduced me to the band of brothers and lived it, day after day, to the larger than life Rajesh, with his great heart and big laugh, to Binod, a veritable bulldozer brother with his broad shoulders and broader smile, to the one of a kind Ramadas, the architect and protector of our magnificent campuses with his indomitable spirit and world-class excellence, to the always smiling Deepak who helped live the strategy, to Krish and the best HR team in the world, especially the extraordinary Richard, Nanju, Shruthi and their amazing team for helping to carry out some of the craziest and most amazing people initiatives, to Inderpreet, a new voice to the team, a voice of calm, strength, integrity and a stability that far belies the little time shes been with us, to Jayesh and our entire finance team for their dedication, their impeccable meticulous integrity and world-class excellence, and especially to my partner, friend, and pillar of strength, Pravin, who carried all the load in the world, with a smile, impeccable integrity and the most amazing grace, and will now lead you to the next phase of our company's growth. To Zaiba, Bala sir, Nagaraju, Hari and many others for making it possible for me to be me and to do my work, to my Palo Alto family: Sanjay, Abdul, Navin, Ritika, Barbara, Tao, Vinod, Shabana, April, Sudhir and others who have stood by me and have given up so much to be a part of this journey and contributed so much to it, and indeed to thousands of Infoscions whove made it all matter. I am thankful to Sesh and our entire board for their unfailing support and confidence in me throughout this journey.



Together we have achieved a lot. Even in the midst of all of the distractions, even as the tendency was to return to the familiar, we still managed to persevere and make wonderful progress. We have laid the foundation for the next 30 years of Infosys, and I feel deeply proud to have worked alongside all of you in sowing the seeds that will return this company to the bellwether it once was. As youve all often reminded us, Infosys is no bigger and no smaller than any of us, the people, the Infoscions. You are the ones that will take Infosys to the next 30 years and beyond. As I think about the time ahead, for all of us, I can only see us powered by a freedom from the known, of renewing ourselves to thrive in the time ahead. Each one of you has vindicated my deeply held belief that people are capable of doing more, achieving more, being more, than they ever imagined possible. So, keep pushing yourself to do better at whatever you are good at, but also learning to do things you have never done before, indeed, nobody has ever done before. I know I will be doing the same.



The Board, Pravin, and I will communicate additional details as we move forward in this transition, and meanwhile, we continue our work as is. I wish all of you the very best in your journeys ahead.



V




Patna: The devastating floods in Bihar have not only affected human beings but have also endangered the wildlife here as the animals have been escaping the jungles to save themselves.



Five rhinoceroses from Nepal have entered the Indian territory and were spotted by the residents of Bagha and Betia villages. Rescuers from Nepal are using elephants to search and rescue the missing animals. One of the rhinos was caught by wildlife officials in Betiah on Thursday.



Assistant warden of Chitwan National Park in Nepal, Narendra Arial said that the remaining four rhinos might have taken refuge on higher ground. They have requested the Indian authorities to help locate the missing animals.



Nepal is consistently releasing water from their dams which has further worsened the situation in Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Champaran. Smaller animals that are afraid of drowning have been fleeing to residential areas exposing themselves to poachers.



Deputy forest officer, Valmiki Reserve, Amit Kumar has said that the forest areas on the Indian side is not suitable for rhino inhabitation and they would return the animals to Nepal.



However, hundreds of hog deer and barking deer from Valimiki Reserves that escaped the forest, were found on roads and villages as far as 100 kilometers away in Muzaffarpur district.



Five deer that were swept away by the raging waters of Gandak River in Motihari, were rescued by villagers of Ijra and Bhawanipur in Motihari, but one of them died on Thursday.



More than a 100 people have died in Bihar as 15 out of 38 districts in the state are facing floods that have displaced about five lakh people. NDRF, SDRF and the Army personnel have been deployed to expedite rescue and relief operations.
New Delhi: Smarting under the One Belt One Road snub and the Doklam stand-off that has been on for over two months now, it appears China is finding other ways to niggle India. China has not shared crucial hydrological data with India during flood season this year.



According to the 2006 India-China Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) on Trans-border Rivers, China is expected to share data with India from 15th May to 15th October each year.



At periodic levels, China is expected to share data with us. As per my knowledge, this year there has been no data shared by China, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.



The hydrological data, especially with regards to Brahmaputra, is extremely crucial for the lower riparian State, India. Assam is reeling under unprecedented floods. West Bengal, Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, too, have been affected. It is during these tough times that data sharing can play a vital role. Though the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said it would be premature to link the floods in North East and preparedness on the ground with China withholding information.



There are two MoUs under ELM pertaining to Brahmaputra and Sutlej. In October 2013, the two governments decided to further strengthen cooperation on trans-border rivers. The joint-statement issued during the Prime Ministers visit in May 2015 said, The two sides will further strengthen cooperation through the Expert Level mechanism on the provision of flood-season hydrological data and emergency management and exchange views on other issues of mutual interest. The last ELM meeting took place on April 12 and 13, 2016, in New Delhi.



Beijings attempts at building dams on the Brahmaputra or Yaluzangbu in China, ostensibly for hydroelectric projects, have also been of concern to India. The Zangmu hydroelectric project was fully operationalised in October 2015. According to reports, three more hydropower projects on the main stream of the Brahmaputra River in Tibet Autonomous Region were approved for implementation by the Chinese authorities.



In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha in December 2015, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti said that the government was carefully monitoring all developments on the Brahmaputra River.

She said, These four projects are considered to be "Run of the River hydroelectric projects". As a lower riparian State with considerable established user rights to the waters of the River, India has conveyed the views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, including at the highest levels of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China. India has urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream States are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas.



On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Durban in March 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping had assured the then India Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, that Beijing was conscious of its responsibilities and the interests of the lower riparian countries. However, four years down the line, with several irritants cropping up in the relationship, China seems to have forgotten the promise that is crucial to safeguard the life and livelihood of people in India.
New Delhi: The Delhi government has issued a show-cause notice to 449 private schools. The schools have been asked to implement Justice Anil Dev Singh's order to roll back unjustified fee hike and pay back excess fees taken to the parents.



The announcement was made by the Delhi government of Friday after the plan was approved by the Delhi LGs office.



Renowned Delhi schools like DPS, Amity International, Sanskriti, Modern School and Springdales are in the list of 449 schools. The Delhi Government says it will ' take over' these private schools if they dont fall in line. They have been given two weeks.



Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, After the 6th pay commission, many private schools hiked fees. Justice Anil Dev Singh committee was set up to probe unjustified fee hike. Many schools did not abide by the directives of the committee.



When the High Court asked the Delhi government on how it will implement the court orders, we assured that we will implement it in its entirety. And schools that do not fall in line, we offered that we will completely take over those schools, he added.



Secretary (education) Punya Salila Srivastava, while appearing in court on Wednesday on behalf of Delhi government, declared that out of 544 schools where refund of excess fees was recommended, 449 will be served a showcause notice in case the proposal is approved by the LG's office.



During the hearing, the bench pointedly questioned the government if it has people trained to run/manage schools and what this entails for students. "Where will you get 449 officers to take charge of these schools? Take over if you have to, but give us a list of 50 officials who are trained. Our paramount interest is to ensure that students don't suffer," it noted.



Delhi government has worked hard to improve the condition of Delhi government schools. Now the people of Delhi have an option which was not there earlier. Many parents have shifted their kids from private to government schools. But having said that, we know there's a lot more to achieve, Kejriwal said.



The Chief Minister also said that he wants to assure private schools that there is no witch hunting. We understand private schools are an indispensable part of education system, he said.
New Delhi: The security manager of a five-star hotel in Aerocity was arrested on Friday for allegedly molesting a 33-year-old woman employee who was sacked from the job for complaining against him.



A CCTV footage of the incident showed the accused trying to pull the womans sari. The woman is seen backing away to safety. Another man can also be seen standing next to the accused, but does nothing to help her.



The woman has alleged that the accused had been pressurising her into a physical relationship and that she had resisted his advances.



On July 29, he invited her to a birthday party where he allegedly tried to disrobe her and even offered to get her the gifts she wanted, the woman alleged.



He has been arrested only after I went to the media. The hotel didnt take any action, neither did the HR. The person who was standing with (the accused) is still working there, the woman told CNN-News18.



The woman told police that she had complained to the Human Resources (HR) department of the hotel, but was fired from her job instead.



I have evidence against him. I did the right thing, but they terminated my employment, she said.



The woman approached the police with a complaint and a case was registered on July 30.



(With PTI inputs)




New Delhi: IndiGo has been forced to ground eight planes, leading to the cancellation of 84 flights, because of issues with its Pratt and Whitney-made engines on its Airbus A320 neo aircraft, agencies quoted airline sources as saying.



In a statement, the carrier, however, said those affected had already been accommodated.



There are misleading informations being spread by section media on IndiGos flight cancellations. This is to clarify that our 8 Neos are grounded. Our schedule has already planned in the month of June on non-availability of these aircraft for the month of July, August and September. No new flight cancellations have been made. The affected passengers have already been accommodated with suitable options, IndiGo said.



IndiGo and rival GoAir have been facing delays in receiving planes from Airbus due to ongoing problems with engines developed by Pratt and Whitney, owned by United Technologies.



IndiGo, which flies four in every 10 Indian air passengers, is owned by InterGlobe Aviation and operates hundreds of flights each day.



Quoting sources, PTI said a total of 667 flights were cancelled by IndiGo between June 21 and July 3 this year, with 61 flights cancelled on June 27 alone, due to the grounding of these planes.



IndiGo president and whole-time director Aditya Ghosh had during the post-Q1 earnings call on July 31 said that "regrettably, there have been days when we have had to ground as many as nine A320 Neo (planes) due to lack of spare engines. While we do receive certain compensation from Pratt & Whitney for these groundings, the operational disruptions are quite challenging and we are not happy with that situation."



The sources also said that of the 667 flights cancelled by IndiGo in 13 days, a total of 504 flights were cancelled between June 21 and June 30, while the remaining 163 were cancelled on the first three days of July.



A text message sent to the Director General of Civil Aviation, BS Bhullar, seeking response to a query whether the DGCA was considering grounding of the entire Airbus A320 Neo fleet with Pratt & Whitney engines, did not yield any response, PTI reported.
New Delhi: A month ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit, Japanese ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu has expressed support for India in the Doklam stand-off.



Media reports on Friday quoted Hiramatsu as saying that his country understood Indias concern over the Chinese army building a road on Bhutanese territory but refrained from commenting on whether he sees this as Chinas growing aggression on the borders.



We recognize Doklam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and two countries are engaged in border talks We also understand that the India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan thats why Indian troops got involved in the area, the Japanese envoy to India told Hindustan Times.



India and China has been engaged in a two-month-long border stand-off over a road that the Chinese army was constructing in Doklam area in Bhutan. This being a tri-junction border area, is a diplomatic hotbed for all the three countries involved.



While a number of countries, including the United States has expressed concern over the ongoing tension between India and China, Japan is the first major nation sharing a border (maritime) with China that has come forward to support Indias stand.



Hiramatsu, who is also the ambassador to Bhutan, has expressed his concerns to both New Delhi and Thimpu. The Japanese ambassador told Indian Express that all parties involved should not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force.



India has maintained that the Chinese Peoples Liberation Armys (PLA) road construction in Doklam was done to change the status of the crucial tri-junction and that it was objected to by Bhutan. New Delhi has also said that according to a 2012 understanding with China, any change in the status of tri-junction, the third party (in this case, Bhutan) has to be consulted.
Hyderabad: Forty-three people have been taken into custody in the poll-bound Nandyal constituency in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and over Rs 12 lakh cash has been seized by the police in just one day. The Assembly by-election is scheduled for August 23.



Police officials confirmed to CNN-News18 that the money was brought to be used to bribe voters. Those arrested include members from the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress Party.



Several of the arrests were made red-handed, when the accused persons were trying to distribute cash on roads.



The State Election Commission is organizing various programmes to curb such illegal practices during the elections.



Speaking to CNN-News18, chief electoral officer said, "We have been receiving such complaints and have taken immediate action in all cases. We have been adopting different strategies to create awareness among voters through advertisements to let the voter know of the importance of voting.



The officer added, We educating them that they should not sell their invaluable vote for RS 2000 or 3000 or any kind of bribe. We have also empowered voter to file complain so that action can be taken.



The election commission has formed 173 flying squads and 57 moral code of conduct teams to ensure strict monitoring in the constituency.

Experts and many political analysts have predicted that the Nandyal by-election could be costliest ever, with expenses to add up to anything between Rs 100-300 crore.



The August 23 by-election was necessitated by the death of sitting MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy on March 12.
The Reserve Bank of India announced that it will be releasing a brand new banknote of the denomination 50 rupees shortly. The base colour of the note will be fluorescent blue on both sides and it will have depict the countrys cultural heritage with a picture of a Hampi chariot. All other banknotes of the denomination of Rs 50 will continue to remain legal tender.The banknote will bear the signature of Governor Urjit Patel and have a picture of Mahatma Gandhi in the centre. The length of the note will be 135 mm and the width 66 mm.The features of the note on the front side will be: See through register with denominational numeral 50, denominational numeral  in Devnagari, Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre, Micro letters RBI, , INDIA and 50, Windowed demetalised security thread with inscriptions  and RBI, Guarantee Clause, Governors signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards right of Mahatma Gandhi portrait, Ashoka Pillar emblem on the right, Mahatma Gandhi portrait and electrotype (50) watermarks, Number panel with numerals growing from small to big on the top left side and bottom right side.On the back the features include: Year of printing of the note on the left, Swachh Bharat logo with slogan, Language panel, Motif of Hampi with Chariot, Denominational numeral  in Devnagari.
New Delhi: A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar on Friday asked former finance minister P Chidambarams son Karti Chidambaram to appear before the CBI on August 23 for interrogation in a corruption case.



Karti has been accused of irregularities in connection with Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to INX Media group for receiving funds from Mauritius when his father was the finance minister.



The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that a firm "indirectly controlled" by Karti had received money from INX Media, run by Indrani and Peter Mukerjea in 2007.



Though Karti Chidambaram, through his lawyer, submitted that he was being harassed in the name of FIPB approval and that the main target was his father, the SC, however, dismissed his claims.



Gopal Subramaniam, appearing for Karti, said it had become a norm to target relatives of important politicians in India.



The Supreme Court has, however, allowed Karti Chidambaram to take a lawyer with him to the CBI headquarters, but the lawyer would not be allowed to be present during interrogation.



On Monday, the top court had directed Karti to appear before the central probe agency in connection with the probe.



The CBI in its petition had submitted that the companies controlled by Karti had taken service charges from INX Media to use their influence in the finance ministry to facilitate the media group in getting over Rs 300 crore investments as against the original FIPB clearance for investment of Rs 4.62 crore.



During the earlier hearing, Gopal Subramaniam had claimed that this was a case of CBI's political vendetta against P Chidambaram.



However, Additional Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, submitted that the Madras HC lacked the jurisdiction to stay the lookout circular and hence it needs to be set aside.



The Supreme Court has now asked both parties to file their respective reports on August 28.
New Delhi: India is tightening the rules for businesses entering its power transmission sector and making stringent checks on both power and telecoms equipment for malware - moves that government and industry officials say aim to check China's advance into sensitive sectors.



Chinese firms such as Harbin Electric, Dongfang Electronics, Shanghai Electric and Sifang Automation either supply equipment or manage power distribution networks in 18 cities in India.



Local firms have long lobbied against Chinese involvement in the power sector, raising security concerns and saying they get no reciprocal access to Chinese markets.



With India and China locked in their most serious military face-off in three decades, the effort to restrict Chinese business has gathered more support from within the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, worried about the possibility of a cyber-attack.



The Indian government is considering a report prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) that sets new conditions for firms bidding for power transmission contracts, tipping the scales in favour of local companies.



According to an official involved in drafting the report, who asked not to be named, it says companies looking to invest in India should have been operating there for at least 10 years, have Indian citizens as top executives, and employees of the foreign firm should have lived in India for a certain period, the official said.



Those companies have to detail where they procure the raw materials for transmission systems, and will be barred from further operations in India if their materials contain malware.



Though the report makes no direct reference to China, the official said the recommendations are intended to deter China from making further headway in India, because of the security risks.



CEA Chairman RK Verma said the possibility of a crippling cyber-attack on India's power systems was a key consideration while drafting the policy. "Cyber-attacks are a challenge," he told Reuters.



A representative of a Chinese enterprise engaged in exporting electric power equipment in India told China's state-run Global Times that India's industry has long tried to block foreign competition under the garb of safety issues.



"Now, as Sino-Indian relations are getting intense, the old tune is on again. But in fact, it is unrealistic to completely ban China and India power investment cooperation. India will pay a huge price for this," the paper said.



Shanghai Electric, Harbin Electric, Dongfang Electronics and state-run China Southern Power Grid Co Ltd, all involved in India or trying to enter, did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on the proposed Indian investment rules.



TELECOMS



The Indian government is moving simultaneously on the telecoms sector, demanding higher security standards in an area dominated by Chinese makers of equipment and smartphones.



In a letter reviewed by Reuters, the ministry of electronics and information technology has asked 21 smartphone makers, most of them Chinese, to provide details about the "safety and security practices, architecture frameworks, guidelines, standards, etc followed in your product/services in the country."



Chinese vendors such as Xiaomi, Lenovo, Oppo, Vivo and Gionee together account for over half of Indias $10 billion smartphone market. The letter, dated Aug 12, was also sent to Apple, Samsung Electronics and local maker Micromax, a ministry source said.



India has also privately raised objections to Chinese firm Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group's proposed $1.3 billion takeover of Indian drugmaker Gland Pharma, it emerged last month.



"There's a lot of resentment against China for meddling in our internal affairs, supporting Pakistan's cross-border terrorism, and, on the other hand, posing a huge loss to our trade and industry each year," said Satish Kumar, national president of the Swadesh Jagran Manch.



The group has this year run a campaign asking Indians not to buy Chinese goods to protect local industry and reset a trade deficit of more than $51 billion.



CHEAP GOODS



India has used Chinese equipment for power generation and distribution as it looks to provide affordable electricity to an estimated 250 million people who are off the grid.



China Southern Power Grid, in association with CLP India Pvt Ltd, is among Chinese firms bidding for power transmission lines, Power Minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament this month.



Sunil Misra, director-general of the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers' Association, said the new rules for power transmission would help local industry and were in line with the limited access China gives to foreigners in its market.



Indian firms engaged in the power sector include Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd and Larsen & Toubro Ltd.



Security agencies have implemented a series of protocols and checks for Chinese equipment coming into the power sector, said another person involved in drafting the CEA report.



"This is recent and happening quietly," he said.
Mumbai: The city police have arrested two men for allegedly stalking a media professional in the wee hours of Thursday. According to a complaint filed by the woman, two men on a motorbike stalked her from Andheri to Juhu Circle while she was travelling in an autorickshaw.



The complainant stated that the two were passing lewd comments at her, when she called up the police.



They took immediate action and stayed in touch with her over the phone. The woman also clicked pictures of the accused and shared it on Facebook.



According to Mumbai Police, their pictures and the registration number of the two wheeler has helped them nab the accused. After registering an FIR under Section 354 (D) of IPC, for stalking, the police swung into action and arrested both the accused on Thursday night.



The official Twitter handle of Mumbai Police also tweeted about the incident warning stalkers and at the same time lauding the effort of the woman who reported the incident on time.



A few weeks back in a similar stalking incident, Chandigarh Police had arrested the son of Haryana BJP chief, Vikas Barala, who was chasing the 29-year-old daughter of a Haryana bureaucrat in a car.



The woman narrated the harrowing incident in a Facebook post, in which Barala and his friend even tried open the door of her car and enter it. The post caused a national hue and cry, which ultimately led to the arrest of Barala, who had otherwise refused to participate in the investigations.




John Delaney says hes a different kind of Democrat.

I work to pursue goals that I think the Democratic Party shares broadly, but I think about how you do that differently, Delaney says.

Delaney is a member of Congress from Maryland and the first officially declared Democratic candidate for president in 2020.

It bears reminding that the 2020 presidential election is more than three years away, and even Iowas first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses are roughly 2 years off.

Yet here was Delaney, making his way around the 2017 Iowa State Fair this past week, holding multiple media interviews and meeting with people interested in his campaign over the span of a couple of days in Des Moines.

The 54-year-old Delaney said he is not a typical Democrat because he believes the best government work is done when both major political parties work together, and that he has a different view on economic issues because of his experience as an entrepreneur.

Assuming he stays in the race for the long haul  during the interview he assured he would  Delaney will be among what almost assuredly will be a large crowd of Democratic candidates. (CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza recently estimated more than 20 possibilities  and that list did not include Delaney.) So Delaney will need a message that differentiates himself from the crowd.

A key element of Delaneys message is that he thinks federal officials are, as he said it, having the wrong conversation. He said too much political debate is about re-litigating battles of the past, and not enough about looking toward the future.

And a critical piece of that forward-looking debate, Delaney said, is technology and the disruption it will have on the global workforce.

Technology, automation, global interconnections, these are changing everything, Delaney said. These things are going to have profound effects over the next 20 or 30 years, and theyre going to create large-scale opportunities and challenges, and were doing nothing to prepare our country and our citizens.

Delaney said the federal government should be doing more to prepare for those profound effects by creating a more competitive and entrepreneurial business climate, creating a better educated and more well-trained workforce, investing in communities, and make smarter investments of government resources to create a healthier budget and environment.

That, to me, is a blueprint for the future, Delaney said.

Delaney founded two companies: a finance company for health care providers and a commercial lender. Both went public within three years of their founding, according to Delaneys biography.

He was first elected to Congress in 2012 and serves on the financial services committee.

Delaney said his business background gives him a different economic perspective that is different that some Democrats, that he does not view the private sector as the enemy.

And that message, Delaney said, is what will help Democrats regain voters they lost in 2016  including in Iowa, which went twice for former President Barack Obama but flipped for Trump.

I dont think its the policy goals of the Democratic Party are wrong. But I definitely think that we are not talking to people about what they care most about. We tend to talk to people about what we care most about. And those are very different things, Delaney said.

Obviously what most people care about is their job and the economy in their local community. Because really at the end of the day everything flows from that: a persons sense of dignity, their ability to raise a family, their ability to support their kids, the ability to make sure the community has the resources it needs so its vital and vibrant. And Democrats arent talking enough about that.

As for his early entry into the race, Delaney said part of the reason is his desire to be straight with voters, who he thinks are tired of all the b.s. in politics.

We all know there are a lot of people running for president right now, Delaney said. Theyre just not saying it.
New Delhi : Atleast six people were beaten for allegedly slaughtering a cow by in Bihar's West Champaran district.



The six were beaten up alleged cow vigilantes on Thursday, Police said on Friday.



Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Jha told PTI some people surrounded a house at Dumra village under Jaitia panchayat on the suspicion of a bovine being slaughtered inside and thrashed six people.



No arrest has been made so far, he said.



Qudus Kureishi, husband of the village head, was also beaten up when he tried to intervene in the matter, Jha said.



On getting the information, he said the police reached the village and pacified angry villagers by assuring action against the guilty.



Additional police force has been deployed in the village, the DSP said.



(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Seven students including one female student of Jawaharlal Nehru University were beaten up while they were returning from Bharadwaj Lake, Asola Wildlife Sanctuary in Faridabad.



The incident took place at around 9.30 pm on August 14. According to the female student, who is the complainant in the case, they were stopped by three men who kept asking about her relationship with the others in the group.



While the students were calmly answering the queries, the trio managed to gather few more people and started beating them with lathis.



According to the complainant, the mob grabbed, slapped and abused her.



The other guy slapped me and called me a slut. They targeted us and called us derogatory terms, she said.

While being asked about her relationship with other group members, the complainant was dragged to a nearby shed and threatened with rape.



They were constantly giving suggestions to torture us. They were planning to tie us from a tree, chop us into pieces and throw us in the lake. One of the men asked to throw the men and keep the woman, shared the woman in her complaint.



The students kept calling the police and also informed the cab driver about the situation. The cab driver got two men with him who helped the group escape from the spot.



Later when they went to Surajkund police their ordeal didn't end there.



They questioned our character. I was slut-shamed again. My dress was questioned. They forced us to write an apology and then allowed us to go, the woman said.



However, when they reached Delhi, they filed a fresh complaint with Delhi Police. A FIR was registered at Vasant Kunj police station under IPC sections 323(Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341(Punishment for wrongful restraint), 509(Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 354(Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 365( Kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully), 511(Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment), 506(Punishment for criminal intimidation), 34( Acts done by several persons in furtherance) and the case was transferred to Faridabad police for further investigation.



On August 18, JNUSU president Mohit Kumar Pandey and other students of JNU went to meet the Faridabad commissioner of police.



The girl is in trauma. Police are very laid back in this case, said Pandey.


Los Angeles: Socialite Paris Hilton, who looked up to "elegant and amazing" women like Princess Diana, says her sex tape with former boyfriend Rick Saloman ruined her image.



Hilton filmed the sex tape with Saloman in 2001 and he released it in 2004.



By doing so, Hilton feels Saloman robbed her of the type of life and image she had, reports dailymail.co.uk.



"It's really hurtful, because my whole life I really looked up to Princess Diana, all these elegant, amazing women, and I feel like (Salomon) just took that all away from me," Hilton told Marie Claire magazine.



"I could have been like that, but because of that tape, I will always be judged and thought of as whatever they say about me because of a private moment between my boyfriend and me.



"I wish I had never met him. That is actually the one regret in my life. I wish that I had never met that guy. I could not leave my house for months. I was so depressed, humiliated. I didn't want to be seen in public," she added.


Image: Youtube/ A still from Viceroy's House trailer

Image: Youtube/ A still from Viceroy's House trailer

If its Gurinder Chadha directing the film, viewers are bound to go expecting a crossover cinema at par with her previous works including Bend It Like Beckham, Bhaji On The Beach and Pride and Prejudice. But the latest offering, Viceroys House, doesnt stand as tall. The film may be one of her most ambitious projects till date, but its neither convincing nor engaging enough.Right at the onset of the film, flashes the Winston Churchills famous line, History was written by the victors, and soon a British man is seen asking servants to work well by saying acha karo in a rather forced tone. The film delineates the stay of Lord Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville), the last Viceroy of India, in the country, where hes sent to overlook the transition of British India to an independent nation, or so he thinks. Hes accompanied by his wife, Lady Edwina Mountbatten (Gillian Anderson) and daughter, Lady Pamela Mountbatten (Lily Travers). All this, at the time when India is facing the brunt of British eras divide and rule policy and battling episodes of communal violence between Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims.Aptly titled, the film sheds light on what went on in the Viceroys house utilizing the age-old concept of upstairs-downstairs feud  upstairs, inside the conference halls between the political representatives of different interests, and downstairs, through the happenings of the servants quarters and their personal lives. While one senses a constant fear and confusion in the minds of Mountbatten and his family as they struggle to forge a nation (or two), free of differences of any kind, and to hand it over to the people, one also sees the unrest disrupting between representatives of different political ideologies including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Tanveer Ghani), Mahatma Gandhi (Neeraj Kabi) and Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Denzil Smith).Meanwhile, in the servant quarters lies the emotional dimension of the film, as an old love story between a Hindu man and a Muslim woman, Jeet Kumar (Manish Dayal) and Alia (Huma Qureshi), rekindles.Despite a bigger latent frame in mind, the film feels like a mere attempt made to remove traces of blame, whatsoever, resting on the shoulders of Mountbatten in the decision of dividing India. The decorated half history lesson of Mountbattens goodwill fails to justify an event as significant as the Partition and in fact, if we may say so, makes the Indian leaders motives look rather facile. As a viewer, you'll understand and follow the narrative, but won't be seeped into it. One may feel a slight despair here and there but the true angst and anguish of a nation coming to blows seem a far-fetched dream.Hugh Bonneville, the popular Downton Abbey star, delivers what hes meant to in the shoes of a helpless but well-intentioned last Viceroy of India. In fact, a particular scene, wherein he orders two Indians to dress him in two minutes, makes one of the finest in the film. While Denzil as Jinnah comes across as too villainous, Tanveer as Nehru feels too animated. Considering that both these historical figures are regarded for their oratory skills, the casting, perhaps is what went wrong here. Gandhi, played by Kabi, is also only partially riveting except for one scene where he asks Mountbatten to taste his goat curd.While Jeet and Alias tale tugs you at times, the fact that it hasnt been tapped to its full potential feels disheartening. The performances of the two, however, are noteworthy. Manish delivers an honest and endearing act all throughout and Huma does as much as is expected out of the character. The late Om Puri, who plays Alias blind father in the film, seems out of purpose. But that, not for once, confines his acting prowess.Named Partition: 1947 in Hindi, the lowest point of the film perhaps lies in its theme. A card, if played well on, can make many recall all that they left behind, all those they lost and all that reminds them of the lives they once had, hasn't been dealt the way it should have.Viceroys House feels like an honest attempt, but not resounding enough. The film is engaging, but only partially.
Bhopal: BJP president Amit Shah on Friday said not a single corruption charge has been levelled against the Narendra Modi government in the last three years, in contrast to the previous Congress-led UPA administration which saw "scams amounting to Rs 12 lakh crore".



Praising the NDA government for taking "bold" decisions like demonetisation of high values notes and the GST rollout, he said the BJP-led coalition's governance mantra is development of the people of the country.



"The BJP government believes in development of the people. The Modi government's 60 per cent time (term) is already over, but not a single corruption charge has been levelled against it by the Opposition," Shah said.



The BJP chief, who arrived in Bhopal on Friday on a three-day visit of Madhya Pradesh, was addressing a meeting of intellectuals in Bhopal.



The newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP said the Manmohan Singh government's tenure was marred by a string of scams. "The UPA government saw scams amounting to Rs 12 lakh crore," he claimed.



He said the UPA government had "lowered" the status of the prime minister and his office, but the ruling NDA has restored the dignity of the top post.



All UPA ministers used to consider themselves "above the PM", but this has changed under the current dispensation, the BJP chief said.



"The present Prime Minister has restored the glory of the post and is taking decisions that are good for the people," he said.



Praising "bold" decisions like demonetisation and the rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said these steps are good for the people. No other government had the courage to take such hard decisions in the interest of the people.



The BJP is committed to development and the states where it has formed governments have seen fast-paced growth, Shah said and cited the examples of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh which were earlier called 'BIMARU' (laggards).



Referring to Bihar, Shah said when the BJP was in power there in alliance with the JD(U), it had seen progress but the state lagged behind when the saffron outfit was no more part of the ruling alliance.



Now, Bihar will again walk on the path of development, he said, apparently referring to the BJP becoming part of the Nitish Kumar government.



Shah lashed out at the Congress for its "family-oriented" politics and alleged that the party had failed to develop the country in the 67 years.



Praising the BJP, Shah said it was the only party in the country which has been founded on certain principles and was upholding them wherever and whenever in power.



It is the largest party in the world and is committed to development of the last man of the society, he asserted.



Shah praised the Modi government for launching welfare schemes like Jan Dhan (aimed at financial inclusion) and Ujjwala (providing LPG connections to BPL families). Till now, more than 2.80 crore LPG connections have been released for the beneficiaries under the Ujjwala scheme, the BJP chief said.



Shah contested Congress leader Ajay Singh's claim that the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh received more funds under the UPA government than the NDA regime.



Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, has made the claim in a letter addressed to the BJP.



The NDA government has given over Rs 5 lakh crore (RPT) Rs 5 lakh crore to Madhya Pradesh for different schemes, Shah said.



In the last three years, the Modi government has launched 106 schemes for welfare of the poor and other disadvantaged sections of the society, he said. Earlier, on his arrival here in the morning from New Delhi, the BJP president was accorded a warm welcome at the airport by the party leaders led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.



Shah later unveiled a statue of Deendayal Upadhyaya, a top Jan Sangh leader and the party's ideologue, near the city's Lal Ghati square.



A large number of BJP workers, many of them sporting saffron turbans, led Shah's entourage to the state party office.



Enroute to the party office, he paid floral tributes to Raja Bhoj, a medieval-era king from the Paramara dynasty, Dalit icon B R Ambedkar and Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.



Soon after arrival at the party office, Shah chaired a series of meetings with the party leaders and ministers. He had lunch at the house of state minister Narottam Mishra and interacted informally with senior journalists.



The visit is part of the BJP chief's 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen and expand the party's support base ahead of the 2019 general elections.



The Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is in power for over a decade, are due in end-2018.



Shah also released a book, "Marching with a Billion, Analysing Narendra Modi's Government At Midterm", authored by noted journalist Uday Mahurkar.
New Delhi: Business houses donated a total of Rs 956.77 crore to national parties between 2012-13 and 2015-16, making up 89% of the total contribution from known sources, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said on Thursday. The BJP, it added, received the most corporate donations at more than Rs 705 crore.



Five national political parties considered for the report were the BJP, Congress, NCP, CPI and CPM.



The Mayawati-led BSP was not considered for this report despite being a national party as it had declared that it did not receive voluntary contributions above Rs 20,000 from any donor between 2012-13 and 2015-16.



The BJP received the maximum corporate donations of Rs 705.81 crore from 2,987 donors, followed by the Congress which received Rs 198.16 crore from 167 corporate donors, said the ADR, citing filings of political parties made to the Election Commission.



The CPI and CPM had the lowest share of corporate donations at 4% and 17%, respectively.



"Between 2012-13 and 2015-16, five national parties received a total of Rs 1,070.68 crore via voluntary contributions above Rs 20,000 out of which 89 per cent of Rs 956.77 crore was from corporates/business houses," the ADR report said.



Political parties are every year required to submit details of donors who made donations of more than Rs 20,000 in a financial year to the Election Commission.



Between 2012-13 and 2015-16, BJP's and INC's voluntary contributions above Rs 20,000 from corporate/business houses was 92 per cent and 85 per cent, respectively, the report said.



National parties received the maximum corporate donations in 2014-15, during which Lok Sabha elections were held, the report by the Delhi-based ADR said.



Corporate donations received in 2014-15 alone form 60% of the total corporate donations received between 2012-13 and 2015-16, it added.



Contributions from corporate/business houses have been divided into 14 sectors by ADR and does not form a part of the submission made by parties to the EC.



The sectors include trusts and group of companies, manufacturing, oil and power, mining, construction, exports/imports, real estate, among others.



The BJP, Congress and NCP received the maximum contributions from trusts and group of companies. The BJP received the highest  Rs 287.69 crore from trusts and group of companies, followed by the Congress (Rs 129.16 crore) and the NCP (Rs 15.78 crore).



Political parties reported receiving 262 donations worth Rs 10.48 crore from such corporate entities who have zero internet presence or if they do, there is ambiguity about the nature of their work, ADR said.



(With PTI inputs)
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister and National president of Janata Dal (United) Nitish Kumar is busy drafting strategies for the national executive meeting slated for Saturday, amid rebel leaders, led by Sharad Yadav, also gearing up to showcase their strength the same day in Patna.



Just before the meeting, both factions resorted to a poster-war and verbal jibes, claiming to represent the "real" JD(U).



Nitish Kumar had invited Sharad to participate in the national executive, but the latter announced to hold a parallel meeting. Sharads close associate and Rajya Sabha member Ali Anwar told news18 that they would not go in the meeting called by Nitish.



Nitish Kumar may have the support of MLAs, but we have the support of party organization. As Many as 138 party officials, from different states, will participate in our meeting. We are representing the real JDI(U), and if needed, will approach the election commission for this, Anwar said.



On the other hand, JD(U) national general secretary Sanjay Jha, who considered close to Nitish, dismissed Sharad Yadavs claims, saying the party is recognized as a regional party by the election commission. Party spokesperson Ajay Alok said that disciplinary action can be taken against the leaders calling a parallel meeting.



Posters put up by Sharad faction read  Mahagathbandhan Jaari Hai (Mahagathbandhan continues). When asked Ali Anwar said that Nitish betrayed peoples mandate by forging an alliance with the BJP against whom he had got the mandate to rule the state in 2015.



Sanjhi Virasat Bachao Sammelan, held in Delhi, has emboldened the Sharad faction after Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, CPM leader Sitaram Yechuri and other opposition parties registered their attendance. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee also extended her support to Sharad on Saturday.



Nitish Kumar has made up his mind to take action against Sharad Yadav for challenging his decision to break the grand alliance, forming a new government with NDA's support.



Nitish Kumar has already suspended 23 leaders from the party and a decision on Sharad could be taken in the national executive meeting. He is likely to formally announce joining hands with NDA in the meeting, which will pave way for JD(U)s participation in the union cabinet.




Acknowledging the reasons for Dr. Vishal Sikkas resignation, the Infosys board in a statement said that it regrets his decision to resign. The Infosys board said that it has accepted the notice of resignation of Dr. Vishal Sikka as the Managing Director and CEO, effective immediately and thanked him for his contributions.



"The Board is profoundly distressed by the unfounded personal attacks on the members of our management team that were made in the anonymous letters and have surfaced in recent months. As the Board has previously stated, a series of careful investigations found no merit to the unsubstantiated and anonymous allegations that had been asserted. The Board denounces the critics who have amplified and sought to further promote demonstrably false allegations which have harmed employee morale and contributed to the loss of the Companys valued CEO," said the company in its statement.



The Infosys Board thanked Dr. Sikka for his outstanding leadership and for his extraordinary contributions during a period of rapid evolution in this industry. "The Board also appreciates Dr. Sikkas commitment to facilitate a smooth transition to new leadership fully equipped to lead Infosys forward in this new era in our industry and to ensure continuity in our service to our valued customers," it added.





"Dr. Sikka will receive an annual salary of $1 during his tenure as Executive Vice Chairman. Any Company equity awards held by Dr. Sikka that remain outstanding and unvested shall, during his term as Executive Vice Chairman, remain outstanding and shall continue to vest (and, in the case of stock options, become exercisable) in accordance with their terms," according to the statement.



According to the statement, the following arrangement (for which shareholder approval will be sought, as applicable) has been put in place:



-Dr. Sikka has been appointed Executive Vice Chairman effective today, and will hold office until the new permanent Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director takes charge, which should be no later than March 31, 2018.



-Dr. Sikka will continue to focus on strategic initiatives, key customer relationships and technology development. He will report to the Companys Board.



- Mr. U. B. Pravin Rao has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director reporting to Dr. Sikka under the overall supervision and control of the Companys Board.





"When Dr. Sikka took over, the company was lagging behind industry growth. During Dr. Sikkas tenure as CEO, Infosys revenues have grown from $2.13B in Q1FY15 to $2.65B this past Q1, with strong margin performance and cash generation, throughout his tenure. Dr. Sikka's approach to profitable growth delivered increase in liquid assets (including cash and cash equivalents) from $4.9B in June 2014 to $6.1B in June 2017, while paying dividends of over INR 19,000 Cr. (including dividend distribution tax) over these three years," it added.




Mi Home in Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. (Image: News18.com)

As opposed to the online channels, offline retail stores have a physical restriction to the number of sales that can take place on a daily basis."

Mi Home in Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. (Image: News18.com)

Xiaomi has announced the opening of its first offline retail store in the Delhi-NCR region. Mi home, as the Xiaomi stores are called, will offer the whole portfolio of products launched by Xiaomi in India. The store boasts of a unique culture wherein the customers can walk-in and experience the Xiaomi offerings first hand, without any time constraint. Customers are free to experience the products for as long as they like, there will be no sales push from the Xiaomi staff whatsoever, says Manu Kumar Jain, Xiaomi India Head. The Xiaomi store in the National Capital Region will be open for its first sale, starting 10 AM on August 19.Xiaomi had started expanding its offline business from January this year. Since then, the Chinese smartphone maker has seen a 10x growth in its offline sales. As per the companys data, offline sales of Xiaomi now account for 20 percent of its overall sales in the country. Xiaomi aims to increase this to 30 percent. For this, the company is following a three-channel strategy by partnering with Large Format Retail Partners, Mi Preferred Partner Stores and opening its own retail stores in the form of Mi homes. The business rationale behind the Mi home is simple, Xiaomi wants to cut down on the middlemens profit that adds to the final cost of its products. The result is a cheaper end-product for the consumer.Currently, Xiaomi is working with 12 LFR partners across 12 states of India, some of which include Sangeetha, Poorvika and BigC. Additionally, Xiaomi serves the offline customer base through Mi Preferred Partner Stores. Spread across 11 states, 600 plus of these stores get Xiaomi stocks on priority. Apart from the partnerships, Xiaomi has 3 operational Mi Homes as of now. The one to be opened in NCR will be its fourth and biggest till date in terms of the area.The big question that looms is how the company will cater to the increasing demand for its products through the various channels, given that its online sales are mostly over in a flash. In an interaction with News18 Tech, Manu Jain explains the companys current business strategy to tackle this:We have ramped up our supplies since the last 6 months. Priority is given to Mi homes and the online Xiaomi channels. An optimum stock is always kept aside just for the Mi homes."How is the optimum quantity judged?"We have made sure that the stocks are kept in enough quantity to match that sales number.What if the Mi Home goes out-of-stock?Just in case a particular product is out of stock at a Mi Home, an F-code will be issued to the walk-in customers using which they can buy the product online through the Xiaomi website.Delhi-NCRS first Mi Home will be open for the public starting August 19 at the Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. Pre-bookings through the store have already been started, which will ensure the availability of the product to the buyers. Those who pre-book can simply walk-in to purchase their choice of Xiaomi product, once the store is open.
Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan: As the Trump administration debates war strategy in Afghanistan, this Afghan pilot in the US-backed Afghan Air Force has more pressing concerns: He's worried the Taliban may kidnap or kill his family.



Like other colleagues flying A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, he said he has received death threats. One came in the form a note left on the door of his home in Kabul.



"It said: 'If you don't quit, we're going to kidnap your kids and kill you'," the pilot said in an interview, asking not to be identified due to fears for his security.



His children are aged 2, 3, 6 and 7. Three other pilots said such threats were common among Super Tucano pilots, whose skills are quickly becoming among the most sought after assets in the Afghan arsenal. Two said they wanted the Afghan government to do more to help protect their families.



Reuters could not independently verify the accounts.



The fledgling Afghan Air Force (AAF) is a bright spot in a 16-year-old war against Taliban insurgents that American commanders say is at a stalemate, and any future US plans to aid the Afghan military will almost certainly involve strengthening its air power.



US President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and his national security team are scheduled to discuss Afghan war strategy, and regional policy guiding it, at a meeting at Camp David on Friday.



Even if Trump approves sending thousands more American troops, recruiting, training and retaining Afghan pilots and aircraft maintenance crews is expected to remain a major priority of the U.S. effort.



The 17 Afghan Super Tucano pilots are particularly precious, taking years to train, including in the United States. After dropping their first bomb in April 2016, Afghan Super Tucano pilots are now regularly flying combat missions, something that was hard to imagine just a few years ago.



That appears to have made them targets.



In one case cited by two Super Tucano pilots, a car bomb badly injured an A-29 pilot last year. Wounded in a leg, he no longer flies, they said.



US Air Force Major General James Hecker, the commander of the 9th Expeditionary Task Force - Afghanistan, said the US military was aware of the pilots' accounts and has discussed the matter with the Afghan government.



"That is something we are very concerned about," Hecker said.



Afghanistan's defense ministry said it was also aware of the concerns. Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said measures had been taken to protect the pilots but he declined to offer details, saying that disclosure could compromise their security.



"Overall, there is a plan to protect them, especially those who are directly involved in operations against the terrorists," Waziri said.



ASYLUM REQUEST



The first female fixed-wing pilot in Afghanistan's air force made headlines in December for requesting asylum in the United States after completing an 18-month training course there. She was certified to fly a C-208 military cargo aircraft.



In a U.S. State Department award citation, it said she and her family had received direct threats not just from the Taliban but also from some relatives, forcing her family to move house several times.



None of the A-29 pilots suggested they were seeking asylum, however, only protection for their families. They appeared proud of their training and eager to fight the Taliban.



The Super Tucanos are built-in the United States under an agreement between their Brazilian manufacturer, Embraer and Sierra Nevada Corp.



The aim of the expanding U.S. assistance is to build an Afghan air force able to support counter-insurgency forces fighting in remote and forbidding terrain with air strikes, supplies and intelligence.



The AAF has about 120 aircraft in service, ranging from small propeller Cessna 208s to old Soviet-era helicopters, as well as the A-29s, MD-530s and veteran C-130 Hercules transporters.



In June, an Afghan air crew parachuted about 400 kg of supplies to an isolated border police outpost, the first time the AAF had conducted an aerial supply drop.



In coming years, the old Russian Mi-17s helicopters, which are increasingly difficult to maintain, will be replaced by American UH-60 Black Hawks.



The planned acquisitions will cost $6.78 billion over the next six years, according to the U.S. military. That does not include maintenance, which is heavily dependent on pricey foreign contractors.



The aim is to increase the effectiveness of the security forces, which advisers hope to get to a point where the Taliban are forced to negotiate a political settlement.



As the AAF has grown, however, it has faced increasing pressure from army units to step up operations. Advisers say one of the main risks it faces is overstretched.
In addition to a good head of hair, a firm handshake and a winning smile, running for governor takes money.

A candidate for governor of Iowa should be prepared to raise upward of $5 million, according to Matt Paul, who has worked on campaigns from city hall to the White House.

In 2014, former Gov. Terry Branstad raised about $10 million. His opponent raised less than $2 million. Campaigns arent all about money, but Branstad carried all but one of Iowas 99 counties.

Potential candidates generally know theyll have to raise a lot. But whatever they think theyll need to raise, theyre usually theyre off by a factor of five, said Paul, who joined Cornerstone Government Affairs in Des Moines after working for two Cedar Rapids mayors, former Gov. Tom Vilsack and more recently as Iowa director of Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and as chief of staff for vice presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine.

There are a lot of similarities between launching a campaign and an entrepreneur going out and setting up company ABC to sell widgets or whatever, said Brian Dumas of Davenport-based Victory Enterprises.

Youve got to have a business plan. Youve got to have a salesman, basically, in the candidate selling their ideas and vision, he said. Then you have to build a team around them. And if you run out of money or cant raise enough venture capital or sell enough widgets you close your doors.

As in business, he added, Youve got to be able to adjust and move quickly  maybe even more so in politics than in business.

Even before raising venture capital, Paul said a candidate must have an absolutely rock-solid answer why they are the best person for the office.

A gubernatorial campaign can last two years, involve three or more nights a week away from family, time away from a job, travel and hours on the phone raising money.

Candidates have to come to be their own north star on why they are doing this in order to get through the day-to-day of the very unglamorous life of being a candidate, Paul said.

Its a troubling sign if a candidate cant articulate why she or he is running, said Jeff Link of LPCA Public Strategies in Des Moines, who works with Democratic candidates. In those cases, he tries to talk them out of running because the work is too hard, too tedious to continue unless you are really passionate.

Those second thoughts happen with some regularity, according to David Kochel, founder of Redwave Communications in Des Moines. They think about. Take a few steps. Then decide against it.

Paul has had four or five conversations in the current election cycle with potential candidates who decided against it after having that conversation.

However, if candidates can answer the why question, then its time to start putting together the building blocks of the campaign, said Kochel, a former Harvard Institute of Politics fellow who worked on campaigns for presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst.

The basic building block is money.

Link, who has worked with former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin and Barack Obama in 2008 as well as with campaigns in the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Africa, asks potential candidates to make a spreadsheet of all the names in their phones and on their Christmas card and wedding guest lists, and next to them write how much money each person would give to the campaign if asked. In 25 years, hes had about three candidates follow through.

Paul tells candidates write the name of every person you will call and ask for $1,000, and come back when your notebook is full.

Its easy for a candidates to say they can raise $300,000, for example, but when you start writing down names and numbers, the numbers get real, real fast, Link said.

For an Iowa gubernatorial primary race, he estimates a candidate must be able to raise at least $1.5 million to run a viable campaign.

From a functional standpoint, launching the campaign is similar to starting a business venture, according to Sam Roecker, Links colleague at LPCA. In addition to employees, a campaign needs to recruit motivated volunteers, people who know how to organize, how to schedule the candidates time, how to keep the campaign on message, get that message out and when, where and how to advertise to build a statewide presence. And, Roecker said, a campaign needs a logo, a slogan, perhaps, and an office.

Nothing too glamorous, he said, because donors dont want to think their money is being spent on prime office space, nice furniture and fancy campaign swag. You do what you can to get by. Look for free furniture.

Technology has made the traditional campaign headquarters less important than in the past, Dumas said.

Twenty years ago, everyone came to the office to make phone calls, he said. Today, you log in from your home computer and make calls or you share a campaign message on Facebook and Twitter.

Candidates can run the day-to-day campaign operation, but Dumas said their time is better spent making personal appearances and raising money.

Campaigns are almost always about the candidate: Who they are, their background, their capacity to lead and how prepared they are, Kochel said. So to maximize their impact, candidates running for governor generally rely on campaign consultants to recommend and recruit professional staffers to help develop messaging and campaign strategies, and help with the fundraising how-to.

To a large degree, Dumas said, Terry Branstad set the precedent for Iowa gubernatorial campaigns and everyone after him is using some variation of the Branstad approach, including the whole 99-county thing, which was borrowed from Sen. Chuck Grassley.

Although there are agencies that will provide a campaign-in-a-box, Kochel and his colleagues are skeptical that off-the-shelf plans work in a state where running for governor is personal.

Iowans want to press the flesh, see and hear the candidate speak, to look them in the eye, have a conversation, Dumas said. They want to personally know their governor.

A candidate has to have a relationship with activists, with volunteers, with voters, Kochel said. You cant hire a professional to provide those things.

In the end, campaigns are sophisticated strategic organizations and the process tests candidates, Paul said. Thats not a bad thing considering the candidates are asking voters to trust them with the leadership of a state of three million people.

As frustrated as we all are with the fundraising side of this, this system does put candidates through the paces in preparation for what is a really complex challenge that impacts people on a daily basis, Paul said. If youre running for governor of Iowa, youre running to be the CEO of a $9 billion operation. So you should be able to handle a $9 (million) or $10 million election budget.
Washington: After months of sometimes heated internal debate, the Trump administration has almost reached a decision on a new approach for fighting the 16-year-old war in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday. He gave no hint of what the strategy would look like.



In remarks at the State Department, Mattis told reporters President Donald Trump will confer with his national security team Friday at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, and said the talks "will move this toward a decision."



"We are coming very close to a decision, and I anticipate it in the very near future," he added.



Months ago the Pentagon had settled on a plan to send approximately 3,800 additional troops to help strengthen the Afghan army, which is stuck in what some call a deteriorating stalemate with the Taliban insurgency. Some in the White House have questioned the wisdom of investing further resources in the war, which is the longest in American history.



The administration has said its Afghanistan strategy will be informed by a review of its approach to the broader region, including Pakistan and India. The Taliban have long used Pakistan as a sanctuary, complicating efforts to defeat the insurgency in Afghanistan and stabilise the country.



The outlook in Afghanistan is clouded by the government's struggle to halt Taliban advances on its own. In its most recent report, the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said the Taliban hold sway in almost half the country.



Government forces also are battling an Islamic State affiliate that has carved out a foothold mostly in eastern Afghanistan. Trump has vowed to crush IS, so the affiliate in Afghanistan poses an additional challenge with no immediate solution. Just this week, a US soldier was killed and nearly a dozen were wounded in combat with the IS affiliate.



The US has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan. Their primary roles are to train and advise Afghan forces and to hunt down and kill members of al-Qaida and other extremist groups.



Trump has expressed frustration at the prolonged fighting in Afghanistan. Earlier this summer he raised the idea of firing the top US commander there, Gen. John Nicholson. On July 18, he said, "I want to find out why we've been there for 17 years."



Asked Monday if Trump has confidence in Nicholson, Mattis demurred.



"Ask the president," Mattis said. "I will tell you right now, he is our commander in the field, he has the confidence of NATO, he has the confidence of Afghanistan, he has the confidence of the United States."



Trump is "looking at all aspects" of US involvement in Afghanistan "as he must in his responsibilities as the commander in chief," Mattis said.



Lawmakers in Congress also are frustrated by the war and the prolonged debate within the administration on how to break the stalemate. Last week, Republican Sen. John McCain declared that "America is adrift in Afghanistan." He proposed a war strategy that would expand the US counterterrorism effort and provide greater support to Afghan security forces.



"Nearly seven months into President Trump's administration, we've had no strategy at all as conditions on the ground have steadily worsened," said McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "The thousands of Americans putting their lives on the line in Afghanistan deserve better from their commander in chief."



McCain said bluntly, "We are losing in Afghanistan and time is of the essence if we intend to turn the tide."
Madrid: Catalan emergency services said six civilians and a police officer had been injured in an attack in the town of Cambrils, which police said was linked to Thursday's Barcelona van attack.



Catalan police said on Twitter that a bomb squad in Cambrils would carry out several controlled explosions after they determined that the attackers were carrying explosive belts.



Police shot four of the attackers dead and left another injured during the operation earlier. The fifth suspect succumbed to his injuries later.



The confrontation came about eight hours after a van swerved through a pedestrian walkway in a popular destination in downtown Barcelona, killing 13 people and injured an estimated 100 more.



A manhunt is still underway for the van's driver who carried out the attack that was claimed by Islamic State.



Authorities said the death toll could rise, with more than 100 people injured, some seriously.



Police said they arrested two men, a Moroccan and a man from Spain's north African enclave of Melilla, though neither was the driver. Witnesses said the driver fled on foot. It was still not clear how many attackers had been involved.



Islamic State's Amaq news agency said, "The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states" - a reference to a US-led coalition against the Sunni militant group.



If the involvement of Islamist militants is confirmed, it would be the latest in a string of attacks in the past 13 months in which they have used vehicles to bring carnage to the streets of European cities.



It was the deadliest attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.
Washington: The ghostwriter who penned Donald Trump's 1987 memoir The Art of the Deal thinks the US president will throw in the towel before the end of his term.



Writer Tony Schwartz tweeted that "Trump is going to resign" before investigators probing alleged ties between the Republican's campaign team and Russia "leave him no choice."



"The circle is closing at blinding speed," the author tweeted. "Trump is going to resign and declare victory before Mueller and congress leave him no choice."



"Trump's presidency is effectively over," he said in a follow-up tweet. "Would be amazed if he survives till end of the year. More likely resigns by fall, if not sooner."



While writing Trump's bestselling breakthrough memoir Schwartz spent 18 months with the billionaire tycoon.



He spoke out last year against the real estate mogul during the presidential campaign, telling The New Yorker magazine that he put "lipstick on a pig."



"I feel a deep sense of remorse that I contributed to presenting Trump in a way that brought him wider attention and made him more appealing than he is."
Lahore: Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons on Friday failed to appear before the top anti-graft body, which wanted to interrogate them over money laundering and corruption charges revealed by the Panama Papers.



On July 28, a five-member Supreme Court bench disqualified Sharif from continuing in his office for possessing a work permit at the firm of his son in the UAE. The court also ordered the NAB to investigate money laundering and other corruption charges against Sharif, his children, son-in-law Safdar and federal finance minister Ishaq Dar, a relative of Sharif, in light of the report of the Joint Investigation Team.he National Accountability Bureau (NAB) following a Supreme Court order had issued summons to Sharif and his sons - Hussain and Hasan - to interrogate them at its Lahore office over their offshore properties revealed last year by the Panama Papers leak.



A 10-member NAB team had reached Lahore from Rawalpindi to record the statements of the Sharifs, but they did not turn up before the office closed at 3 pm local time, a NAB official told PTI.



"Sharif and his sons were supposed to join the investigation on Friday in Lahore office but we are informed by the office of Sharif that he is not coming. No reason has been given to us," the official said.



He said the NAB would issue second summons to them in two weeks.



A leader close to the Sharif family denied receiving any summons. "Nawaz Sharif and his sons had not yet received the NAB summons. Sharif will only decide whether or not to appear before the NAB after receiving the summons," Senator Pervaiz

Rashid said.



But another leader of the ruling PML-N party said Sharif has decided not to join the investigation. He said Sharif will join the probe only after the Supreme Court decides his review petition against the court's verdict that disqualified him.



The 67-year-old three-time prime minister has denied any wrongdoing. Last week, Sharif held a defiant roadshow with thousands of supporters from Islamabad to Lahore to project his political strength after the Supreme Court verdict.



One of the three applications Sharif filed in the Supreme Court calls for staying "further implementation of the judgement till a decision on the review petition is taken".



The apex court is likely to take up Sharif's review petition early next month after judges return from vacation. Sharif has expressed serious concerns on the NAB investigation, saying it was unprecedented for a Supreme Court judge to supervise NAB proceedings against him and his family members to get a "desired result".



"Sharif has also been advised by some of his party members to boycott the NAB investigations. He would not get any relief as it has already been decided to grill him," the PML-N leader said on the condition of anonymity.



The NAB said it will issue second summons to the Sharifs if they do not join the investigation after the first summons. The third and final summons will be issued next month if there is no compliance even after the second summons, it said.



Sharif, his sons, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Safdar and relatives Ishaq Dar and Tariq Shafi - face several cases, including over the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, the Hill Metal Establishment and Hudabiya Papers Mills.
Berlin: One man was killed and another injured in a stabbing in the western German city of Wuppertal, police said on Friday, adding that the attacker was still on the loose.



"We can confirm there has been a deadly crime. One man has died and another man is in hospital," a police spokeswoman told AFP.



The police said they were hunting for one or more assailants, but could not immediately provide more information about the circumstances of the attack.



The stabbing happened at around 1245 GMT in the city's Elberfeld area.



The stabbing in Germany also comes a day after 14 people were killed in twin terror attacks in Spain.



A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said on Friday that he thought 13 German citizens were among those injured when a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds in Barcelona on Thursday.



Martin Schaefer told reporters that some of the Germans had been injured very seriously. He said he could neither confirm nor rule out at this point that Germans were among the dead.



- With agency inputs
United Nations: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says in a draft report that the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for more than half the children killed and injured in Yemen's civil war last year.



The report, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, said the United Nations verified 1,340 casualties and attributed 683  representing 51 percent  to attacks carried out by the coalition.



It said nearly three-quarters of attacks on schools and hospitals  38 of 52  were also carried out by the coalition.



The draft report on children and armed conflict echoes similar findings from last year when the US-backed coalition was put on a UN blacklist for violating child rights.



It was removed by then Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after Saudi Arabia and other coalition supporters threatened to stop funding many UN programs. But Ban said he stood by the report, which said the UN verified a total of 1,953 youngsters killed and injured in Yemen in 2015  a six-fold increase compared with 2014.



Foreign Policy magazine reported Wednesday that Virigina Gamba, the new UN special representative for children and armed conflict, intends to recommend that the Saudi-led coalition be added to the list of countries that kill and maim children.



UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters Thursday that Guterres hasn't seen the draft report that was leaked. He said its contents are still under discussion and the decision of who will be on the blacklist is up to him.



Haq said Guterres is scheduled to meet Gamba on Friday but the report isn't expected to be completed for another month.



Saudi Arabia's UN Mission said in a statement that the coalition maintains its position "that there is no justification whatsoever for including its name in the annex of the secretary-general's report on children and armed conflict."



"We trust that the United Nations will make the appropriate decision on this matter," taking into consideration an ongoing review with the UN and "the positive exchange of information" on the coalition's activities, the statement said.



Yemen, which is on the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has been engulfed in civil war since September 2014, when Houthi Shiite rebels swept into Sanaa and overthrew President Abed-Rabbo Mansour Hadi's internationally recognized government.



In March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition began a campaign against Houthi forces allied with ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh in support of Hadi's government. Since then, the Iranian-backed Houthis have been dislodged from most of the south, but remain in control of Sanaa and much of the north.
: Two people were killed and six others were injured in a stabbing spree in the Finnish city of Turku on Friday, police said, after officers shot one suspect and warned several others could be at large."There are eight victims in the stabbing. Two dead and six injured," Turku police tweeted.Police said that a suspect is in custody and being treated in a hospital after officers shot him in the thigh. Security forces wrote on Twitter that police were "looking for other possible perpetrators".Finland's interior minister said security is being stepped up across the Nordic country after stabbings that killed at least two people in a western city.Paula Risikko made the announcement during a news conference in Turku, where the stabbings happened.Finnish broadcaster YLE said several people were seen lying on the ground in Puutori square in central Turku. On Twitter, police urged people to avoid that part of Turku.Tabloid Ilta-Sanomat said six people were injured, one man and five women, and that a woman with stroller was attacked by a man with a large knife.Prime Minister Juha Sipila said the government was closely monitoring the ongoing police operation and holding an emergency meeting later Friday.Witness Laura Laine told broadcaster YLE that she stood approximately 20 meters (65 feet) from where the stabbing took place.Turku Market Square on Friday, August 18, 2017, with a yellow ambulance on the corner of the square (behind red car). ("We heard that a young woman was screaming. We saw a man on the square and a knife glittered. He was waving it in the air. I understood that he had stabbed someone," Laine was quoted as saying.Police planned a news conference at 7 p.m. (1600 GMT; 12 p.m. EDT) in Turku, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) west of Helsinki, with Finland's interior minister and the national police chief.Finnish television channel MTV said security had been heightened at Helsinki's international airport but didn't give details."Police have told us not to go to the city center so we are in this coffee shop a few blocks away from the city center," said Vanessa Deggins, an American who is studying business in one of Turku's three universities. She didn't witness the actual attack, but heard sirens going past."This is a safe country by American standards. I have gone home alone at 2-3 a.m. ... I feel safe. This is a safe country."- With inputs from AP and AFP
Almost 20 members of Bedford County fire crews gathered near Lynchburgs Kemper Street station Thursday to attend their second day of Passenger Train Emergency Response training.

Members of the Forest Volunteer Fire Department, Bedford County Department of Fire & Rescue, Boonsboro Volunteer Fire and Rescue and the Moneta Volunteer Fire Department attended the three-hour Amtrak-led session, according to Bedford County Department of Fire & Rescue Fire Chief Jack Jones.

Jones said his department and Amtrak contacted each other a few months ago about having a training session.

We seek every opportunity we can because this job is so diverse, he said.  The [trains] fuel, the power, the capacity are all things that have special complexities we have to deal with.

Christopher Bello, an emergency management lead at Amtrak in the Washington, D.C. area, directed both the four-hour classroom session Wednesday and the three-hour practical session Thursday night.

Tonight, we are going to focus on the equipment itself, Bello said before beginning the session. Point out some specifics about how the locomotives, how the cars work.

The training covered popping out windows, turning on and off the electrical power in the train, climbing into the train, spacing issues and more, Bedford County Department of Fire & Rescue Special Operations Chief Monty Coleman said.

Its imperative for our people, the first responders, to understand the Amtrak, especially with the Oct. 31 dead[line] when theyre going to start going from Roanoke to Lynchburg, he said. Its something new for Bedford County, and its a new obstacle for us.

Coleman said the most important lesson he learned during the training was to contact the correct rail authority to shut down the tracks.

In the past, its always been, Hey, call them and tell them were on the tracks, and you go do your work, he said. But after seeing some things and getting some awareness of it [Wednesday], I think thats got to be key.

Jones said a majority of train traffic currently going through Bedford County transports hazmat products or bulk products such as loads of toilet paper.

The News & Advance previously reported a new Amtrak station will open in Roanoke this fall, and in addition, there also will be a new morning southbound train and afternoon northbound train offered in Lynchburg.

With the newer rail line going through Bedford County  it was really important for us to get this organized and get this training, Jones said.

The new line will cause passenger trains to cross through the area with far more regularity than ever before, Jones said, which makes the training all the more important.

When you look at the topography and landscape of Bedford County, theres so few points where theres roads like this right near the rail, Jones said, gesturing to the large section of gravel near the Kemper Station tracks. Its all going through backyards, through fields and down country roads so if there was an emergency  whether an accident or even just a medical emergency on a train  us getting to it is going to be so much more complicated.

The fact that a [train] car holding sixty or eighty people might break down or be in an accident in Goode, like near Bellevue Road, and then the only way to get to it is by four-wheelers and dirt roads and paths  that really increases our problems, he said.

Even if only four, five or six people are hurt and need an ambulance, we would still need to bulk-move the people. How do we do that?

The June incident in which a backhoe driver fell onto an active train track and was hit by an Amtrak train, along with other safety concerns, sparked the Bedford County Department of Fire & Rescues interest in the training, Jones said.

We didnt have to get into the [train] cars because we were fortunate, he said of the June incident.  They were training their staff, so they didnt have a bunch of passengers or citizens on them. It really decreased the complexity of our operation, but the familiarity with the apparatus and with the people and with the noise, it wouldve helped a little bit.

Coleman said that incident played a large role in pushing the department to organize the training.

Its just a hazard that travels up and down the rails  if something does happen, we have to be able to mitigate that incident and handle it, he said.

Jones said Bello will be popping into the county from time to time, and thats another benefit of the training.

We always say we dont want to meet for the first time at an incident, whether its law enforcement, fire and rescue, he said.   Weve spent two days together now developing a great working relationship.

But this training is just a teaser of whats to come, Jones said.

This is to get your attention and later on, [well do] some other types [of] trainings, a little more hands on.

Staff writer Sherese Gore contributed to this report.
A countersuit has been filed against a Lynchburg chef who is taking the owners of the Locust Thicket historic venue to court over claims of back pay in a running feud with his former employer.

Paul Hughes, Sarah Quinn and CDDI Development Group are denying most of the claims made by the former chef and investor, Jason Arbusto, and countering with their own civil action in Lynchburg Circuit Court.

They are seeking $350,000 in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages, plus threefold damages in relation to an alleged business conspiracy against them, as determined by a jury.

Arbusto sued Hughes and his daughter, Quinn, after leaving the top restaurant job at Locust Thicket, a 1700s-era mansion and grounds off Old Forest Road, in May. Roughly a year before, Arbusto had moved from California to accept the chef post and invested in the development group, which was restoring the premises and opening a new high-end restaurant.

Arbustos suit against the pair, filed last month, claims he is owed unpaid salary and the developers misled him about the finances of the operation.

His suit also contends the owners of Locust Thicket may have to repay state tourism grant money for not meeting all the grants requirements. An attorney for Hughes and Quinn has said they are on track to meet their commitments under the grant.

Arbusto claimed $45,000 in unpaid salary and also demanded the return of what he said was kitchen equipment he owns worth about $45,000, or to be reimbursed for it.

In the more recent legal papers, Hughes and Quinn, along with CDDI, deny most of the allegations in Arbustos suit.

They defend how the Locust Thicket development group, in which Arbusto owns a 10 percent share, has been run.

There is nothing that prevents CDDI from fulfilling its intended purpose as dictated by its operating plan, and it is not undercapitalized as claimed by Arbusto, the court papers say. CDDI Development has met its present Tourism Grant requirements and has until June, 2018 to complete future requirements.

In their counterclaims against Arbusto, the developers allege breach of employment contract and breach of fiduciary duty by the chef by walking out May 30 without notice and say he did not adequately train or replace staff before leaving.

The counterclaim alleges the chef and his father, Frank Arbusto, engaged in a business conspiracy to cause the demise of Locust Thicket and recover lost investment dollars.

In a separate filing, Hughes, Quinn and CDDI named Frank Arbusto as a third party to the litigation. A working number for Frank Arbusto, of Huntingtown, Maryland, could not be found, and it is not clear if he was retaining his own legal counsel.

The counterclaim says the chefs actions prevented Locust Thicket from fulfilling seven booked catering events and the return of thousands of dollars paid in advance.

Also, the developers said the claim for restaurant equipment matches his investment in Locust Thicket.

In an attempt to recover his business losses, Jason Arbusto knowingly and purposefully failed to plead these facts, the papers say.

On top of those and several related claims, the document says Jason Arbusto purposely chose to leave in an abrupt manner to jeopardize CDDI from receiving future funds from the grant.

John Falcone, attorney for Jason Arbusto, told The News & Advance this week, referring to the counterclaim: We believe there's absolutely no basis for that suit.

We're certainly going to respond to the counterclaim, he said.
MASON CITY | A Minnesota man pleaded guilty to three counts of forging checks in the Mason City area.

Kyle Deshon Johnson, 36, of Minneapolis, was arrested on five counts of felony check forgery and pleaded guilty to three.

For each count he faces suspended prison time not to exceed five years and a $750 suspended fine. The first two counts are serves concurrent with the third count served consecutively.

Johnson must pay victim restitution, totaling $702. He will be on probation for five years.

Johnson and two other men, James Brown, 37, and Tanner Haugh, 21, were taken into custody during a traffic stop at 10:54 a.m. April 19 near Highway 122 and South Grover Avenue.

Officers suspected one or more people in the red Dodge Durango were involved in check forgeries committed in the last few days in Mason City, according to a Mason City Police Department statement.

The driver, Brown, of Blaine, Minnesota, was charged with misdemeanor driving without a license and driving without vehicle insurance.

Haugh, of Mason City, was taken into custody on a felony theft warrant issued in Black Hawk County.

The Durango was impounded.

 Courtney Fiorini
MASON CITY | The Lime Creek Nature Center and Cerro Gordo County Conservation Board are hosting their annual Fall Festival on Sunday, Sept. 10, at the nature center located just north of Mason City off Highway 65. A variety of activities will be held throughout the day for the public to enjoy.

Activities include canoeing/kayaking, air rifles, archery, trail tram rides, historical artifact display, live reptile and amphibian program, bee house building, bird Smart Trail challenge, nature art activity, Dutch oven cooking, monarch butterfly tagging, flint/steel fire starting, pond life, photo contest display, and minnow races. A complete schedule of activities for the festival is available on the LCNCs website at: www.co.cerro-gordo.ia.us (Departments menu; Lime Creek Nature Center).

A lunch of grilled burgers & brats will be served from 11:30 a.m.  12:30 p.m., with a prize drawing held at the end of the event at 2:30 p.m.

LCNC naturalist Todd Von Ehwegen said the event should appeal to people of all ages. Our goal was to provide a wide variety of recreational activities, so there is something for everyone who attends, he said. People can choose specific activities that appeal to them, or stay for the whole day and enjoy them all.

There is no cost to attend the celebration but registration is required. Registration for Lime Creek Nature Center members will be accepted beginning immediately; and will open for non-members beginning on Aug. 23 and ending at Noon on Thursday, Sept. 7. Please call 641-423-5309 to register or for more information.
SIOUX CITY | U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is in Tanzania on Friday, tweeting that he is pleased to see the return of the so-called miracle kids, as they made it back to their home nation after weeks of medical care in the U.S.

King had a hand in getting three young people to Sioux City for medical treatment after a wreck in Tanzania. The three children were the lone survivors of a May 6 school bus crash in Tanzania that killed 33 other seventh-graders, two teachers and the bus driver.

Wilson, Sadia and Doreen  who suffered severe fractures and neurological problems  landed in Sioux City in a modified cargo plane with their mothers and two Tanzanian doctors in mid-May.

Mercy Medical Center-Sioux City donated tens of thousands of dollars in medical care to treat the kids, and doctors also donated their time.

The trip to Tanzania was for King "to greet the Tanzanian miracle kids from the tarmac as they walk down from the plane that will return them in mid-to-late August. That is something I have been setting up for weeks," he said in a Journal interview in July.

On Friday, King made that event. His tweets included pictures, and one shared, "#TanzaniaMiracleChildren arrive back home in Tanzania. Doreen, paralyzed in May, walking of the plane in August to huge homecoming."

Three medical volunteers with Siouxland Tanzania Educational Medical Ministries (STEMM), were among the first people to come across the crash site, which occurred in the east African nation.

STEMM President Steve Meyer, a Dakota Dunes-based surgeon, said once he had learned about the conditions of the survivors in Tanzania he reached out to King, who is a friend, to see what he could do to get them to the states.

Iowa 4th District Congressman King said he quickly got to work by contacting numerous U.S. embassies requesting any help they could provide.

By 9 a.m. Central Standard Time, King had sent out three tweets about his greeting of the children in Tanzania.
BARCELONA, Spain  A van veered onto a promenade and barreled down the busy walkway in central Barcelona on Thursday, swerving back and forth as it mowed down pedestrians and turned a picturesque tourist destination into a bloody killing zone. Thirteen people were killed and 100 were injured, 15 of them seriously, in what authorities called a terrorist attack.

Two people were arrested but the van driver, who fled on foot, remained at large. Early Friday morning, police killed five suspects engaged in an attack that injured six people in a seaside resort town and that the government for Spain's Catalonia region said was connected to the Barcelona killings.

The late afternoon attack in the city's Las Ramblas district left victims sprawled in the historic street, spattered with blood or writhing in pain from broken limbs. Others were ushered inside shops by officers with their guns drawn or fled in panic, screaming and carrying young children in their arms.

"It was clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible," Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior police official for Catalonia told reporters late Thursday.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, saying in a statement on its Aamaq news agency that the attack was carried out by "soldiers of the Islamic State" in response to the extremist group's calls for followers to target countries participating in the coalition trying to drive it from Syria and Iraq.

Early Friday, Catalan police said they shot and killed five suspects in response to a terrorist attack in the seaside resort town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona. They said the suspects carried bomb belts, which were detonated by a police bomb squad.

Media reports said a car crashed into a police vehicle and nearby civilians and police shot the attackers, one brandishing a knife. Police did not immediately say how the attack was carried out. A police officer and five civilians were injured and two were in serious condition.

Police are working on the theory that the Cambrils and Barcelona attacks are connected, as well as a Wednesday night explosion in the town of Alcanar in which one person was killed.

Catalan Interior Minister Joaquin Forn told local radio RAC1 early Friday that the Cambrils attack "follows the same trail" as the Barcelona attack. "There is a connection."

He did not explain what connected the attacks but confirmed that the driver in the Barcelona attack remains at large.

The Catalan regional government said citizens from 24 countries were among the people killed and injured during the Barcelona van attack.

Authorities said the dead included a Belgian and a Greek woman was among the injured. Australia confirmed three of its citizens were injured; two others were Taiwanese and one was from Hong Kong, according to their governments. Germany was investigating whether its citizens were among the dead or injured.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the killings a "savage terrorist attack" and said Spaniards "are not just united in mourning, but especially in the firm determination to beat those who want to rob us of our values and our way of life."

After the afternoon attack, Las Ramblas went into lockdown. Swarms of officers brandishing hand guns and automatic weapons launched a manhunt in the downtown district, ordering stores and cafes and public transport to shut down.

Several hours later authorities reported two arrests, one a Spanish national from Melilla, a Spanish-run Mediterranean seafront enclave in North Africa, and the other a Moroccan. They declined to identify them.

Trapero said neither of them was the van's driver, who remained at large after abandoning the van and fleeing on foot. The arrests took place in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll and in Alcanar, where a gas explosion in a house is being investigated for a possible connection.

Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and other news outlets named one of the detained as Driss Oukabir, a French citizen of Moroccan origin. RTVE reported said Oukabir went to police in Ripoll to report that his identity documents had been stolen. Various Spanish media said the IDs with his name were found in the attack van and that he claimed his brother might have stolen them.

Media outlets ran photographs of Oukabir they said police had issued to identify one of the suspects. The regional police told the Associated Press that they had not distributed the photograph. They refused to say if he was one of the two detained.

Barcelona is the latest European city where attackers used a vehicle as a weapon of terror against a popular tourist destination, after other deadly attacks in France, Germany, Sweden and Britain.

"London, Brussels, Paris and some other European cities have had the same experience. It's been Barcelona's turn today," Carles Puigdemont, president of Catalonia's government.

Thursday's bloodshed was Spain's deadliest attack since 2004, when al-Qaida-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated assaults on Madrid's commuter trains. In the years since, Spanish authorities have arrested nearly 200 jihadists. The only deadly attacks were bombings claimed by the Basque separatist group ETA that killed five people over the past decade but it declared a cease-fire in 2011.

"Unfortunately, Spaniards know the absurd and irrational pain that terrorism causes. We have received blows like this in recent years, but we also that terrorists can be beaten," Rajoy said.

During the search for the perpetrators, troopers shot and killed a man who was in a vehicle that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. But Trapero said the driver's actions were not linked to the van attack.

Las Ramblas cuts through the center of Barcelona and is one of the city's top tourist destinations. It is a wide avenue of stalls and shops with a pedestrian-only walkway in the center while cars can travel on either side.

A taxi driver who witnessed the attack, Oscar Cano, said the white van suddenly jumped the curb and sped down the central pedestrian area at a high speed for about 500 yards (457 meters), veering from side to side as it targeted people.

"I heard a lot of people screaming and then I saw the van going down the boulevard," another witness, Miguel Angel Rizo, told The Associated Press. "You could see all the bodies lying through Las Ramblas. It was brutal. A very tough image to see."

Jordi Laparra, a 55-year-old physical education teacher and Barcelona resident, said it initially looked like a terrible traffic accident.

"At first I thought it was an accident, as the van crashed into 10 people or so and seemed to get stuck. But then he maneuvered left and accelerated full speed down the Ramblas and I realized it was a terrorist attack," Laparra said. "He zigzagged from side to side into the kiosks, pinning as many people as he could, so they had no escape."

Carol Augustin, a manager at La Palau Moja, an 18th-century former palace on Las Ramblas that now houses offices and a tourism center, said the van passed in front of the building.

"People started screaming and running into the office. It was such a chaotic situation. There were families with children," she said.

Dutch visitor Tamara Jurgen said she and a friend were inside a clothing store steps from the scene and were kept inside until it was safe to leave.

"We were downstairs when it happened and everyone was screaming and running. We had to run up to the roof and throw our bags over a wall," Jurgen said. "We were all together along this wall and we were scared we were going to have to jump."

Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau announced a minute of silence to be held Friday in Barcelona's main square "to show that we are not scared." The prime minister announced three days of national mourning.

Leaders around the world offered their support and condolences to Barcelona after the attack.

President Donald Trump tweeted that the U.S. condemned the attack and "will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!"

British Prime Minister Theresa May said the U.K. "stands with Spain against terror" while French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: "All my thoughts and solidarity from France for the victims of the tragic attack in Barcelona. We will remain united and determined."

Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa.

Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The deadliest targeted Bastille Day revelers in Nice, France, in July 2016, killing 86 people. In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked truck to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

Multiple attacks occurred in London this year. A man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June. Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a London mosque later in June.

Hatton reported from Lisbon. Associated Press writers Ciaran Giles in Madrid, Albert Stumm in Barcelona and Alan Clendenning in Phoenix also contributed to this report.

Barcelona van attack kills 13 in agonizing repeat for EuropeBy BARRY HATTON and JOSEPH WILSON, Associated PressBARCELONA, Spain (AP)  A van veered onto a promenade and barreled down the busy walkway in central Barcelona on Thursday, swerving back and forth as it mowed down pedestrians and turned a picturesque tourist destination into a bloody killing zone. Thirteen people were killed and 100 were injured, 15 of them seriously, in what authorities called a terrorist attack.Two people were arrested but the van driver, who fled on foot, remained at large. Early Friday morning, police killed five suspects engaged in an attack that injured six people in a seaside resort town and that the government for Spain's Catalonia region said was connected to the Barcelona killings.The late afternoon attack in the city's Las Ramblas district left victims sprawled in the historic street, spattered with blood or writhing in pain from broken limbs. Others were ushered inside shops by officers with their guns drawn or fled in panic, screaming and carrying young children in their arms."It was clearly a terror attack, intended to kill as many people as possible," Josep Lluis Trapero, a senior police official for Catalonia told reporters late Thursday.The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, saying in a statement on its Aamaq news agency that the attack was carried out by "soldiers of the Islamic State" in response to the extremist group's calls for followers to target countries participating in the coalition trying to drive it from Syria and Iraq.Early Friday, Catalan police said they shot and killed five suspects in response to a terrorist attack in the seaside resort town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona. They said the suspects carried bomb belts, which were detonated by a police bomb squad.Media reports said a car crashed into a police vehicle and nearby civilians and police shot the attackers, one brandishing a knife. Police did not immediately say how the attack was carried out. A police officer and five civilians were injured and two were in serious condition.Police are working on the theory that the Cambrils and Barcelona attacks are connected, as well as a Wednesday night explosion in the town of Alcanar in which one person was killed.Catalan Interior Minister Joaquin Forn told local radio RAC1 early Friday that the Cambrils attack "follows the same trail" as the Barcelona attack. "There is a connection."He did not explain what connected the attacks but confirmed that the driver in the Barcelona attack remains at large.The Catalan regional government said citizens from 24 countries were among the people killed and injured during the Barcelona van attack.Authorities said the dead included a Belgian and a Greek woman was among the injured. Australia confirmed three of its citizens were injured; two others were Taiwanese and one was from Hong Kong, according to their governments. Germany was investigating whether its citizens were among the dead or injured.Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the killings a "savage terrorist attack" and said Spaniards "are not just united in mourning, but especially in the firm determination to beat those who want to rob us of our values and our way of life."After the afternoon attack, Las Ramblas went into lockdown. Swarms of officers brandishing hand guns and automatic weapons launched a manhunt in the downtown district, ordering stores and cafes and public transport to shut down.Several hours later authorities reported two arrests, one a Spanish national from Melilla, a Spanish-run Mediterranean seafront enclave in North Africa, and the other a Moroccan. They declined to identify them.Trapero said neither of them was the van's driver, who remained at large after abandoning the van and fleeing on foot. The arrests took place in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll and in Alcanar, where a gas explosion in a house is being investigated for a possible connection.Spanish public broadcaster RTVE and other news outlets named one of the detained as Driss Oukabir, a French citizen of Moroccan origin. RTVE reported said Oukabir went to police in Ripoll to report that his identity documents had been stolen. Various Spanish media said the IDs with his name were found in the attack van and that he claimed his brother might have stolen them.Media outlets ran photographs of Oukabir they said police had issued to identify one of the suspects. The regional police told the Associated Press that they had not distributed the photograph. They refused to say if he was one of the two detained.Barcelona is the latest European city where attackers used a vehicle as a weapon of terror against a popular tourist destination, after other deadly attacks in France, Germany, Sweden and Britain."London, Brussels, Paris and some other European cities have had the same experience. It's been Barcelona's turn today," Carles Puigdemont, president of Catalonia's government.Thursday's bloodshed was Spain's deadliest attack since 2004, when al-Qaida-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated assaults on Madrid's commuter trains. In the years since, Spanish authorities have arrested nearly 200 jihadists. The only deadly attacks were bombings claimed by the Basque separatist group ETA that killed five people over the past decade but it declared a cease-fire in 2011."Unfortunately, Spaniards know the absurd and irrational pain that terrorism causes. We have received blows like this in recent years, but we also that terrorists can be beaten," Rajoy said.During the search for the perpetrators, troopers shot and killed a man who was in a vehicle that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. But Trapero said the driver's actions were not linked to the van attack.Las Ramblas cuts through the center of Barcelona and is one of the city's top tourist destinations. It is a wide avenue of stalls and shops with a pedestrian-only walkway in the center while cars can travel on either side.A taxi driver who witnessed the attack, Oscar Cano, said the white van suddenly jumped the curb and sped down the central pedestrian area at a high speed for about 500 yards (457 meters), veering from side to side as it targeted people."I heard a lot of people screaming and then I saw the van going down the boulevard," another witness, Miguel Angel Rizo, told The Associated Press. "You could see all the bodies lying through Las Ramblas. It was brutal. A very tough image to see."Jordi Laparra, a 55-year-old physical education teacher and Barcelona resident, said it initially looked like a terrible traffic accident."At first I thought it was an accident, as the van crashed into 10 people or so and seemed to get stuck. But then he maneuvered left and accelerated full speed down the Ramblas and I realized it was a terrorist attack," Laparra said. "He zigzagged from side to side into the kiosks, pinning as many people as he could, so they had no escape."Carol Augustin, a manager at La Palau Moja, an 18th-century former palace on Las Ramblas that now houses offices and a tourism center, said the van passed in front of the building."People started screaming and running into the office. It was such a chaotic situation. There were families with children," she said.Dutch visitor Tamara Jurgen said she and a friend were inside a clothing store steps from the scene and were kept inside until it was safe to leave."We were downstairs when it happened and everyone was screaming and running. We had to run up to the roof and throw our bags over a wall," Jurgen said. "We were all together along this wall and we were scared we were going to have to jump."Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau announced a minute of silence to be held Friday in Barcelona's main square "to show that we are not scared." The prime minister announced three days of national mourning.Leaders around the world offered their support and condolences to Barcelona after the attack.President Donald Trump tweeted that the U.S. condemned the attack and "will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!"British Prime Minister Theresa May said the U.K. "stands with Spain against terror" while French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: "All my thoughts and solidarity from France for the victims of the tragic attack in Barcelona. We will remain united and determined."Spain has been on a security alert one step below the maximum since June 2015 following attacks elsewhere in Europe and Africa.Cars, trucks and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.The deadliest targeted Bastille Day revelers in Nice, France, in July 2016, killing 86 people. In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked truck to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.Multiple attacks occurred in London this year. A man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June. Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a London mosque later in June.___Hatton reported from Lisbon. Associated Press writers Ciaran Giles in Madrid, Albert Stumm in Barcelona and Alan Clendenning in Phoenix also contributed to this report.__This version corrects that the van veered onto a promenade, not a sidewalk.
BOY 12 CHARGED FOR KILLING

The 12-year-old was charged with manslaughter, granted bail in the sum of $75,000 and placed in the care of his parents. His brother was charged with murder and remanded into custody. They appeared before magistrate Siumongal Ramsaran in the Couva Magistrates Court and are scheduled to reappear on September 14.

The charges were laid early yesterday morning by Sgt Susan John of the Region 3 Homicide Bureau after receiving advice from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul shortly after 11 pm on Wednesday.

In court yesterday the parents of the accused wept as the charges were read to them.

Okera was last seen alive at about 3pm on Thursday last while he was selling vegetables near the Bethel House of God church at Calcutta, Freeport.

When his mother Abia Williams called him on his cellular phone at about 4 pm, she got no response and decided to go to the church and look for her son but he was not found.

She went to the Couva Police Station and reported him missing. Police visited the area and searched. They found traces of blood on the church compound and later found Okeras body floating in a pond at the back of the church.

An autopsy revealed that he was stabbed at least 15 times.

Okera was laid to rest on Wednesday after a funeral service at the same church which allowed him to sell his vegetables, including melongene which he planted, to held support his siblings with their schooling.

At the funeral, Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh described Okera as a respectable businessman even at his tender age.

He should be given a national award for single handedly being able to provide for a family of six, Indarsingh said.

Minister Kenneth Bynoe said, While Emmanuel did could not go to school himself, he was seen accompanying his siblings to school each morning on foot.
Tropical Storm Harvey forms

The National Hurricane Centre in an advisory posted on its website at 5 pm yesterday said an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft found a well-defined circulation in the low pressure area east of the Lesser Antilles, with the center near a cluster of sheared, but strong, convection.

The Centre explained that a tropical storm warning meant that tropical storm conditions were expected somewhere within 24 to 36 hours while a watch meant that conditions were possible within 24 to 36 hours.

The Centre said tropical storm conditions were expected to first reach the Lesser Antilles within the warning area early today.

As for the rainfall, they said Harvey was expected to produce rainfall totals of two to four inches across portions of the Windward Islands from Martinique southward to Grenada.

These rains, they said could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

In an information bulletin, the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service said the leading periphery of the system was expected to affect Barbados last night with rainfall totals of 50 to 100 mm as well as gusty winds across portions of the Windward Islands, north of Trinidad and Tobago from last night into today.

They said, Tropical Storm Harvey posed no immediate threat to this country.
Woman in court for false rape report

Wendy Izahark, 45, an employee at the San Fernando Magistrates Court, appeared in the Princes Town Magistrates Court to answer the charge arising out of an alleged incident on Tuesday night in Barrackpore. She was arrested and taken to the Princes Town Police Station where she was charged.

Yesterday, Magistrate Nalini Singh read the charge to Izahark, of Lengua Village, Princes Town, that she made a false report, causing wasteful employment of police time.

The charge, laid by Corporal Neil Nanan of the Princes Town CID. Izahark pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to her by the magistrate.

Attorneys Subhas Panday and Kiran Panday appeared on Izaharks behalf and made an application for bail to be granted.

Panday (S) said Izahark has no previous convictions or pending matters and she is not a flight risk.

Prosecutor Sgt Shazard Mohammed did not object. The magistrate granted Izahark her own bail in the sum of $10,000 and ordered her to reappear next Thursday.
Sicko terrorising young girls in central

This time, according to their 69-yearold legal guardian, the harassment is coming from a neighbour who, he claims, positions himself in front of their home exposing his private parts and scaring the girls to the point they are now afraid even to venture outdoors on their own.

The latest incident, according to the relative, occurred just after 8 pm on Sunday and was captured on camera and uploaded to social media.

The video was recorded by a neighbour.

Newsday received a copy of the footage in which a man is seen removing his trousers and exposing himself.

A report was made to the Couva Police Station and one of the girls was taken twice to the station the following day but relatives said no statement was recorded from her.

Newsday was also informed it was not the first time the villager had engaged in the lewd and disgusting behaviour while on the public road.

But despite the many reports to the police, he has never been charged.

All they would do is come and warn him, the relative said.

And as they turn their backs, he will behave the same way again. The relative said because of what he calls the police inaction, he was moved to raise his concerns over the safety of his young relatives at a recent police town meeting in the Central Division.

He said promises were made to investigate but, to date, the situation remains the same. The pensioner is now appealing for help from the authorities to protect the girls who are 11 and 14 years old from further psychological damage.

These children are still healing from what they went through in their early lives and dont deserve to be exposed to this kind of behaviour again. They even fraid to go in the front porch. And you know how children like to go in parlour? They dont even want to go. Recalling was happened on Sunday, the man said the 11-yearold girl was in the gallery when she ran inside and told him what the man was doing.

He came outside in time to see the man exposing himself and making suggestive remarks towards the child. Relatives said they called E999 and also visited the police station but police visited and just warned the man and his relatives who were in the road liming.

Newsday spoke to a senior officer who confirmed that a report was made. They said they have warned the man about his behaviour and had spoken to him on several occasions in the past but, so far, there is no evidence to have him charged with any offence.
Former African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Thursday said Zimbabwes first lady, Grace Mugabe, who is accused of beating up a young South African model, must face the law.





Answering questions at her book launch, Dlamini-Zuma said women were capable leaders and the bad behaviour of one woman should not be allowed to taint all women.





Grace Mugabe, 52, allegedly used an electric extension cord with a plug at one end to whip 20-year-old Gabriella Engels and her friend after she found them at the hotel where her sons, Robert Jr and Chatunga Bellarmine, were staying since being evicted from their R74 000-a-month Sandton apartment for brawling.





The attack, which left Engels with a gash on the face and bruises to the body, took place on Sunday.





Grace Mugabe, who has been previously accused of beating up reporters in Asia, remains

at the centre of a diplomatic riddle as questions over her immunity from prosecution persist.

Whether one beats another  it is wrong and the law must take its course  but women are capable  they can not be judged on that, said Dlamini-Zuma, who is in the running to lead the African National Congress (ANC) in December when the party will elect a fresh leadership.





We are sexist, we are in a patriarchal society, and we must get out of it.

Dismissing suggestions that Grace Mugabes alleged bad behaviour was a blight on women aspiring to lead, the former AU Commission chair said women are human beings  like anybody else some make mistakes  just like men do.





President Robert Mugabe, 93, arrived in South Africa late Wednesday for this weeks 37th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Pretoria. Reports said the nonagenarian arrived earlier than initially planed in order to deal with his wifes woes.





The South African Police Service said the Zimbabwean first lady had failed to honour agreements to hand herself over leading to speculations that she had slipped out of the country, but it has since been established that she remains holed up at a secret location.

Zimbabwean authorities have told their South African counterparts that Mugabe enjoys diplomatic immunity because she had specific duties at the SADC summit. The matter is with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in South Africa.





*Titled the African Union Commission Under the Leadership of Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the book gives a glimpse of the her work between 15 October 2012 and 14 March 2017, when she handed over the reins to Chadian diplomat, Moussa Faki Mahamat. citizen
Some stories went to the extent that perhaps he was poisoned, some went to the extent that he ate ice cream from Gushungo Dairies. What the doctors think happened is that perhaps he ate some stale food which then means it is really not poison in the sense that the people are trying to allege, Mushowe said.
There has been a lot of fallout from Donald Trump's comments regarding the attack on counter-protesters by a white supremacist in Charlottesville which resulted in one dead and 19 injured. He implied that counter-protesters are morally equivalent to white supremacist protesters and also at fault for this tragic incident.

Meanwhile, many prominent Republicans are distancing themselves from the President and his racist comments, including the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate. Of course, Iowa's infamous vocal anti-immigrant Rep. Steve King has made no comment. David Duke, former leader of the Klu Klux Clan, thanked Trump for blaming the leftist terrorists in Charlottesville.

A couple of weeks ago Trump revealed his plans for immigration reform. To legally immigrate to the United States, candidates must speak English and have needed job skills. Both my maternal and paternal grandmothers spoke German at home as children. Their grandparents did not arrive to Wisconsin speaking English. My father's grandmother, who was born in St. Louis, was of French ancestry. Her ancestors didn't arrive speaking English either. As far as I know, only my [Gannett] ancestor who spoke English arrived to Plymouth Colony. Like most Americans, I don't know where many of my ancestors came from. How many of your ancestors would have passed the English test or had a college education to qualify them for immigration?

Immigrants in this country do many hard, low-paying jobs which have high injury rates that Americans don't want. Do you know many Iowans who aspire to work in hog confinements? Would you like to work six, long days a week in restaurants?

Wake up, Trump. America has always been a diverse nation, with different nationalities, religions, and races. Supporting white supremacists and deporting law-abiding immigrants isn't going to change that.

Kris Gannett-Sanchez, Mason City
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A 1-year-old in Arizona is critically ill after doctors say he tested positive for botulism, the Arizona Republic reports. On Aug. 5, the day before Cole Hansberger's first birthday, his mom, Jackie, noticed a few strange things: first, his drooping head while he was crawling around, then a complete cessation of crawling by 5pm that day, and finally, an inability to sit up by early the next morning. Cole was rushed to the ER at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, where doctors at first scratched their heads on what caused this sudden deterioration. On a GoFundMe page set up by Robert Hansberger, ID'd by Fox News as Cole's dad, Robert explains how the baby underwent a plethora of CT scans, blood and urine analysis, and "tests upon tests with no answers," until finally, on Wednesday, an update revealed that Cole had tested positive for botulism.

A Banner Thunderbird spokesperson tells ABC15 Cole may have contracted the diseasea rare condition in which toxins attack the body's nervesfrom soil and dust near his home in Peoria. Dr. Rahul Chawla, the doctor treating Cole, tells the Republic Cole's symptoms were textbook: weakness starting in his face before drifting to other parts of his body. The CDC also notes that infants with this disease will often seem lethargic, appear "floppy," and not want to eat. Even though Cole is still on a ventilator and can barely move his arms and legs, Chawla says after a stay of another week to 10 days in ICU, he should eventually start getting back to normal if all goes well. He'll have to go to physical therapy, though, and regain muscle memory in his motor skills. Jackie, whom Chawla calls "a rock" who hasn't left Cole's side, says, "Sometimes you get frustrated with your children, but I would pay a million dollars just to hear my son cry." (A dad of two died of botulism from nacho cheese.)
It might be the strangest advice imaginable for survivors of a nuclear attack: Don't use hair conditioner. But it turns out to be sound advice as well, reports Live Science. The matter came up when Guam, under threat of an attack by North Korea, recently issued safety guidelines to the public. And there among the usual seek-shelter nuggets was the warning that people should use soap and water to rid themselves of toxic dust but avoid the conditioner. It's all because of how the stuff works, and the upshot it that it could actually cause radioactive particles to bind to your hair.

Hair is shaped almost like scales, which can open up and come apart throughout the day. Conditioner uses compounds like silicone and cationic polymers to pull these scales back down and smooth it, one cosmetic chemist tells Racked. Conditioner is also oily, and any oily products like lotions or cosmetics are likely to encourage fallout to stick around. So there you have it: Wash with soap and shampoo, but let your hair frizz out. NPR also took a look at those safety guidelines and highlights one that would come in handy should doomsday arrive: If you see a flash, get inside anywhere as fast as you can to reduce exposure to fallout, and remove your outer layer of clothing. (Dandruff shampoo could be harming our water.)
The captain of a Navy warship that lost seven sailors in a collision with a commercial container ship in June will be relieved of command and nearly a dozen others face punishment, the vice chief of naval operations said Thursday. The AP reports Adm. William Moran told reporters the top three leaders aboard the USS Fitzgerald, which was badly damaged in the collision off the coast of Japan, will be removed from duty aboard the ship. They are the commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson; the executive officer, Cmrd. Sean Babbitt; and Master Chief Petty Officer Brice Baldwin. The actions are being taken by Rear Adm. Joseph Aucoin, commander of the Navy's 7th Fleet, because he lost confidence in the three, Moran said. In addition, nearly a dozen face non-judicial punishment yet to be determined, Moran said.

Moran said the actions are to be taken shortly, although the Navy's investigation into how and why the USS Fitzgerald collided with the container ship in June has not yet been completed. "Serious mistakes were made by members of the crew," Moran said, adding that he could not fully detail those mistakes because the investigation is ongoing. He said "the bridge team," or the sailors responsible for keeping watch on the ship's bridge to ensure it remains safe, had "lost situational awareness," which left them unable to respond quickly enough to avoid the disaster once the oncoming container ship was spotted. The crash occurred in the pre-dawn hours of June 17 off the coast of Japan in an accident-prone area known for congestion. (Read more Navy stories.)
Police in Spain say they killed five terror suspects Thursday night during a second terrorist attack hours after a van plowed into pedestrians in Barcelona, killing 13 people and injuring more 100. Police have released few details on the suspects killed in the town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona, though there are unconfirmed reports that they were wearing explosive belts. Authorities say the Cambrils suspects deliberately drove an Audi A3 into pedestrians before encountering a police patrol. Police say six bystanders and one police officer were also injured, the Guardian reports.

Two other suspects have been arrested in connection with the Barcelona attack, authorities say, though the van's driver, who fled on foot after creating scenes of horror on a pedestrian walkway, is still believed to be at large. Police say they believe the Cambrils attack was linked to the Barcelona attack. ISIS has claimed responsibility for Spain's deadliest terrorist attack since 2004, saying it was carried out by "soldiers of the Islamic State," the AP reports. Authorities say that before the Barcelona attack, a person was killed in a blast in Alcanar, a town southwest of the city, where people in a house were apparently preparing explosives, Reuters reports. (Read more Barcelona stories.)
Another Republican senator is openly questioning President Trump's ability to lead the nation. Tennessee's Sen. Bob Corker said Thursday that Trump "has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability, nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful," NPR reports. With his response to the Charlottesville violence, Corker said, Trump has "not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today." Corker, the influential chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for "radical change" at the White House, reports the Tennessean.

Trump needs to do some "self-reflection" and "take stock of the role he plays in our nation and move beyond himself," said Corker. His remarks were his strongest criticism yet of Trump, whose Charlottesville response was also criticized by Sens. Marco Rubio, Jeff Flake, and John McCain. Anything that makes white supremacist groups "feel that their standing in our nation is enhanced is repugnant," Corker said. "It needs to end." Al Gore, meanwhile, called for Trump to leave office in an interview with LadBible, reports Politico. Asked if he had one piece of advice for the president, Gore said: "Resign." (Read more Bob Corker stories.)
America's business leaders are working on ways to distance themselves from President Trump without completely giving up on influencing the White House, analysts say. With the White House business advisory councils disbanded and CEOs steering clear of Trump after his remarks on Charlottesville, companies plan to try to deal with people like Vice President Mike Pence and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn to make their cases on issues like taxation and regulation, analysts tell Politico. The loss of public support from business leaders means much more lobbying is expected to take place behind the scenes.

"Businesses will continue to engage on the issues important to the American economy, just through different venues," says Michael Steel at PR firm Hamilton Place Strategies. "Many people in the business community are frustrated by the presidents words and tweets on Charlottesville," he says, but they're not about to give up on lobbying the government. Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs exec, has strong ties to the business world and is seen as a "lifeline" for worried execs, the Washington Post reports. Sources say Cohn, who is Jewish, was very unhappy with Trump's Charlottesville comments, though the White House announced Thursday that he will not be resigning. (Read more President Trump stories.)
To answer requests from shareholders the company is pleased to announce the Adjusted EBITDA corresponding to the second quarter. During the period, Interoil E&P had several "One Time Expenses", mainly related to a personnel resizing policy, a PeruPetro dispute provision and an extraordinary compensation to Management for recent discoveries. Please find below a disaggregation of this extraordinary payments:

Employee Severance for USD 89,433

PetroPeru Provision for USD 400,000

Former management Bonus for USD 285,000

As a result, the companys Adjusted EBITDA is USD 1.2 million.

Contact: ir@interoil.no

***************************

Interoil Exploration and Production ASA is a Norwegian based exploration and production company - listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange - with focus on Latin-America. The Company is the operator of several production and exploration assets in Colombia. Interoil currently employs approximately 71 people and is headquartered in Oslo.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were ordered to pay $730,000all because Pitt apparently wanted to light up their French chateau. In an April court case only now being reported, the former couple were ordered to pay $660,000 plus $70,000 in reputation-related damages after allegedly stopping payments to the designer overseeing a lighting update to their 17th-century property in Provence. Odile Soudant tells Liberation that Pitt sought her services in 2010 to ensure natural light flooded the 40-room Chateau Miraval, where Pitt and Jolie got married, per the Guardian. Soudant says she employed 17 people who worked on the project for months. But Soudant adds she was nearly driven to ruin when Pitt stopped paying.

Lawyers claimed Pitt stopped paying Soudant because he believed she had demanded nearly $6 million. But a French appeals court determined the amount had been overstated. Soudant says Pitt in an email demanded she "finish the project and be proud of it." Another email reportedly read, "Don't waste time with legal action. Follow your artistic journey and don't worry about the rest." Despite the April payout, Soudant says she's still fighting to get credit for the remodel, later taken over by another designer. A rep for Pitt confirms April's ruling "does not address any copyright issues involving [lighting] designs," per Vanity Fair. Pitt's lawyer, however, says the lighting work was based on Pitt's own ideas. (Read more Brad Pitt stories.)
Sign of the times? Several hundred Pacific walruses began amassing on an island off Alaskas northwest coast in the first week of August in what wildlife officials say is the earliest date yet for their annual "haulout." The culprit appears to be shrinking Arctic ice. Walruses tend to head ashore two weeks after warm temperatures cause sea ice to recede too far north for them in the Chukchi Sea. This year, it happened earlier than ever. Walruses typically use sea ice for protection and as a home base, particularly for juveniles, while adults dive to the ocean floor for food. But "when that ice retreats to the deeper water, they can't do that," Fish and Wildlife rep Andrea Medeiros tells Alaska Public Media.

For the past several years, a barrier island near Point Lay has served as an alternative home base. Last year, thousands of walruses had arrived there by Oct. 7. This year, however, the haulout was observed beginning on Aug. 3a full two weeks ahead of the next earliest date observed back in 2011, reports Alaska Dispatch News. Medeiros tells the AP that last week some 2,000 walruses were observed on the island, where they're expected to stay until the fall. Hoping to head north to observe the animals? Officials would rather you not. Not only is it illegal to disturb them, the walruses are known to stampede to the water in response to plane and boat activity in the area, which spells bad news for juvenile walruses. (Read more Alaska stories.)
The oldest known living person in the United States is celebrating her 114th birthday in Pennsylvania. The state Aging Department says Delphine Gibson hit the milestone Thursday, getting a personal greeting from the governor, the AP reports. Gibson was born in South Carolina in 1903 and moved to Pennsylvania after marrying Taylor Gibson in 1928. She's been a resident of AristaCare in Huntingdon Park for the past 15 years. Teresa Osborne, Pennsylvania's secretary of aging, says Gibson attributes her long life to a faith in God. She's a member of Mount Hope Missionary Baptist Church. (A 114-year-old New Jersey woman died earlier this year.)
A huge manhunt is underway in Spain for the driver of a van that plowed into pedestrians in Barcelona, killing 14 people in a terrorist attack claimed by ISIS. Spanish police have named the suspect as 18-year-old Moussa Oukabir, the Guardian reports. The suspect's brother, 28-year-old Moroccan national Driss Oukabir, was arrested after the attack and reportedly told authorities that his identity documents, which were used to rent the van, were stolen. In other developments:

Police say five suspects shot dead after injuring people in a second attack Thursday night were wearing fake explosive belts, CNN reports. The suspects engaged in a shootout with police after driving their Audi A3 into pedestrians in the town of Cambrils, authorities say. Their vehicle overturned during the attack. The suicide belts were so realistic that security forces didn't know they were fake until controlled explosions had been carried out, authorities say.

Investigators believe a 12-person terror cell was behind both attacks and an explosion that killed a person at a house in the town of Alcanar, the Telegraph reports. They suspect the terrorists were planning to use gas canisters in another attack.

A counterterrorism expert tell the New York Times that authorities believe the attackers initially planned to use a large truck loaded with explosives, but they rented multiple smaller vehicles after they couldn't get a permit for a larger one.

Police say the three people arrested so far include a man from Melilla, Spain's North African enclave, reports Reuters.

A 7-year-old Australian boy is missing after the Barcelona attack, the Guardian reports. Family members are pleading for help in the search for Julian Cadman, whose mother was hospitalized in serious condition after the attack.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Spaniards "are not just united in mourning, but especially in the firm determination to beat those who want to rob us of our values and our way of life," the AP reports. He has declared three days of national mourning.

This is the latest atrocity in what the BBC calls a "worrying trend" of attackers using vehicles to attack "soft" targets. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, though it's not clear whether the attackers are directly linked to the group or only inspired by them.

(The victims, including more than 100 injured, came from at least 24 countrie s.)
Thursday's horrific terrorist attack in Barcelona's Las Ramblas tourist district was in some ways an attack on the world: Authorities say citizens of no fewer than 24 countries were among the victims of the attack, which killed 13 people and injured more than 100. One of the dead has been identified as a Belgian woman, the Independent reports. Greece's foreign ministry says a Greek woman was injured in the attack, and there are also believed to be victims from Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy and Taiwan. France says 26 of its citizens were injured. The attacker, who drove a van into people on a busy pedestrian walkway, fled on foot and is believed to still be on the loose.

Witnesses described seeing chilling scenes as the van barreled down the walkway, leaving a trail of bodies behind it. "At first I thought it was an accident, as the van crashed into 10 people or so and seemed to get stuck. But then he maneuvered left and accelerated full speed down the Ramblas and I realized it was a terrorist attack," Barcelona resident Jordi Laparra tells the AP. "He zigzagged from side to side into the kiosks, pinning as many people as he could, so they had no escape." Police killed five suspects after several people were injured in what was believed to be a related attack in Cambrils, a seaside town south of Barcelona, around eight hours later. (Read more Barcelona attack stories.)
The latest CEO to turn against President Trump may be the most surprising: It's James Murdoch, head of 21st Century Fox, parent company of the president's favorite news channel. Murdoch also is the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who is not only the acting CEO of Fox News but has become what the Los Angeles Times describes as an informal adviser to Trump. "I can't even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis," the younger Murdoch wrote in an email addressed to "friends" obtained by the New York Times. "Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so."

In the email, James Murdoch explicitly calls out Trump, saying that the violence in Charlottesville "and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people." (Read the full text.) He also announced that he and his wife, Kathryn, were donating $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League, and he urged those he was emailing to also make a donation. The Guardian notes that Kathryn on Wednesday tweeted a link to an essay in Politico written by a former speechwriter for George W. Bush urging his fellow Republicans to put aside party loyalty and stand up to Trump. (Read more Rupert Murdoch stories.)
The latest to come out against President Trump after his words on Charlottesville: author Michael Chabon and his wife. The writer, who has a Pulitzer Prize under his belt for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, penned "an open letter to our fellow Jews" on Medium. In it, he and spouse/fellow author Ayelet Waldman reach out to Jewish people in the US, Israel, and elsewhere who initially held judgment on the president, despite his "long and appalling record of racist statements" and his "troubling" hires. "The President has no filter, no self-control, you have told yourself," they write. "If he were an anti-Semite  we would know about it, by now. By now, he would surely have told us." With Charlottesville, they say, "Trump told us."

Chabon and Waldman appeal to Jews to "show a little self-respect," offering words of advice for those who've chosen to work for or support Trump. That includes telling Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council head Gary Cohn to "resign," Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to "fire your client," and son-in-law Jared Kushner to realize he has "one minute to do whatever it takes to keep the history of your people from looking back on you as among its greatest traitors, and greatest fools." For Ivanka, who converted to Judaism before she married: "Allow us to teach you an ancient and venerable phrase, long employed by Jewish parents and children to one another at such moments of family crisis: I'll sit shiva for you. Try it out on your father; see how it goes." As for all other Jews around the world, "What side are you on?" Read their letter here. (Read more opinion stories.)
The New York state court system's longtime communications chief was fired Thursday after inadvertently telling a reporter that he "barely" went to work at his $166,000-a-year job. David Bookstaver's firing came a day after the New York Post reported he "accidentally butt-dialed" a reporter's voicemail, which captured him conversing with someone elseand acknowledging that he was sloughing off at the office, per the AP. "I'm not doing anything. I barely show up to work," Bookstaver said in a part of the recording posted online. The 58-year-old had been planning to retire in October. Instead, he was terminated, chief court spokesman Lucian Chalfen said, adding it was too early to determine whether other disciplinary action could follow.

Bookstaver had been with the courts since 1996, after working as a spokesman for New York City's emergency medical service. Earlier, he was a freelance photographer who did work for the AP in the 1980s. Bookstaver's court-system job ranged from explaining metal-detector policy to helping manage media swarms around high-profile cases and fielding questions and complaints about access to courtrooms and records. But his portfolio shrank after Chalfen became public information director in February 2016. "They took away all my responsibilities and left my pay," Bookstaver dished on the unintentional recording, according to the Post. (Read more New York stories.)
The State Department has confirmed one American was injured in the Barcelona terror attack Thursday, reports ABC News, while NBC Los Angeles reports a California woman is frantically searching for her husband; it's unclear if he might be that individual. Heidi Nunes-Tucker (her last name has also been reported as just Nunes or Nunez), 40, says she and her 42-year-old husband, Jared Tucker, were celebrating their first wedding anniversary in Barcelona when Jared left his wife to use the restroom while in the Las Ramblas district. "Within seconds after that, there was screaming and yelling and people running," Nunes-Tucker says.

"I ended up on the other side of the street with a group of three people and the cops just kept pushing us away," Nunes-Tucker adds. She tells NBC News she has since seen a photograph circulating online that appears to show her husband looking "very injured." But though she's contacted hospitals, she has not yet tracked him down. The US State Department tells ABC News that "one US citizen suffered minor injuries" in Thursday's attack. That person has not been identified. (Read more Barcelona attack stories.)
The family of the Oklahoma man accused of plotting to blow up a bank says they're "heartbroken" but stand by Jerry Drake Varnellwho got caught up in a situation spurred by his mental illness and only made possible with aid from the FBI. NewsOK posts a statement from his parents that describes the 23-year-old as a "sweet-hearted person" who has paranoid schizophrenia, was deemed mentally incompetent by the state, and is under their legal care. Though they say they've helped their son be as "functional" as possibleincluding supporting him enrolling in welding schoolVarnell has a history of mental hospital stays and has had "serious full-blown schizophrenic delusional episodes." But what the Varnells say really has them "flabbergasted": the FBI's knowledge of his schizophrenia.

"The FBI clearly knew that he was schizophrenic because they have gathered every ounce of information on him," they write, and yet the FBI gave him a vehicle and fake bomb, per CBS News. Without an undercover FBI agent's help, they claim their son wouldn't have gotten so far in the alleged plot: Because of his mental illness, he has "no job, no money, no vehicle, and no driver's license." A story in the Dallas Observer by a woman who says she's Varnell's ex-girlfriend supports his parents' story of his struggle with schizophrenia. "If the FBI hadn't went along with it, it probably wouldn't have gone as far as it did. ... He can't reason," the woman says. What Varnell's parents think FBI agents should've done: filed conspiracy charges against him and had him committed to a mental institution. (Read more bomb plot stories.)
Oslo, 18 August 2017



North Energy ASA will present its financial results for the second quarter 2017 in Oslo on Tuesday, 22 August 2017.



The venue is Tjuvholmen alle 3, 6th floor, Oslo at 09:00 a.m.







A live webcast of the interim results will also be available on the company website www.northenergy.no



The company will be represented by:

Knut Sberg, CEO
The Michigan man who murdered another man days after the victim revealed his crush on the murderer on the Jenny Jones talk show is scheduled to be released on parole next week, the Detroit Free Press reports. Jonathan Schmitz, now 47, was led to believe he was going on the show in 1995 so a woman could reveal herself as his secret admirer; during his appearance, he found out his admirer was actually Scott Amedure. Three days later, Schmitz went to Amedure's home and fatally shot him, then called 911 and told the operator he did it because of what happened on the show. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.

The jury found that the talk show had been a catalyst for the murder, and the case threw the sometimes controversial tactics used by TV talk shows into the spotlight. Schmitz's attorneys argued that he was ambushed by the show, while prosecutors said he was spurred to kill Amedure by his negative attitudes about gay people. "He deserved imprisonment but so did everybody else involved in that Jenny Jones show," the Amedure family's attorney tells Fox 2 Detroit. "He was the perpetrator but he was also a victim of them and they got off scot-free. That show set him up and certainly took Scott Amedure's life for no reason." Schmitz, then 24, and Amedure, 32, were acquaintances at the time; the episode never aired, though clips were featured on news shows, the Oakland Press reports. (Read more murder stories.)
The first White House department has resigned in protest of President Trump's comments on neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and Charlottesville, Politico reports. The President's Committee on the Arts and Humanitieswhich includes actor Kal Penn, as well as artists, authors, and moresent a letter to Trump Friday announcing they were disbanding the advisory group because "ignoring your hateful rhetoric would have made us complicit in your words and actions." Unlike the advisory councils disbanded earlier this week, the PCAH is an official government agency. Oh, and the first letter of every paragraph in the PCAH's resignation letter spelled out "RESIST." Here's what else you need to know about the ongoing fallout from Charlottesville and Trump's response:

Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, says she's been getting both death threats and calls from the White House in the wake of her daughter's death in Charlottesville. But NBC News reports Bro is refusing to speak to Trump because with his "both sides" comments he equated protesters like her daughter "with the KKK and the white supremacists."

Meanwhile, Fox News reports Jason Kessler, the organizer of the Unite the Right rally, says he's in hiding after receiving death threats of his own. Kessler maintains his gaggle of white supremacists and neo-Nazis is actually a "civil rights group."

Back at Politico, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi is endorsing calls to censure Trump over his Charlottesville comments, which she calls a "repulsive defense of white supremacists."

And in a Facebook post Friday, Mitt Romney called on Trump to admit he was wrong, apologize, and fully condemn and blame racists for the violence in Charlottesville. "What he communicated caused racists to rejoice, minorities to weep, and the vast heart of America to mourn," Romney writes.

In the early hours of Friday, another statue fell. Workers removed the 145-year-old statue of Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney from outside the Maryland State House with the support of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. Taney ruled in favor of slavery in the 1857 Dred Scott decision and that black people could never be US citizens. "We deserve to celebrate the heroes of Maryland, not the villains of history," one resident tells the Washington Post.

(Read more President Trump stories.)
A police union official says he has been told that Moussa Oukabir, one of the main suspects in the Barcelona and Cambrils van attacks, was killed by officers in Cambrils early Friday. Spanish media are also reporting that Oukabir, 17, was killed and say he is the driver of the van that plowed into scores of pedestrians in Barcelona on Thursday, killing 13 people and wounding 120 others, the AP reports. A spokesman for Catalonia regional police said authorities were investigating whether the driver had been killed but would not say if they suspected this was Oukabir.

The official with a union for Spain's Civil Guard police force told the AP that police colleagues confirmed Oukabir was one of five suspects killed by Catalan regional police officers early Friday in an attack on a seaside resort. The union official says Oukabir was one of four suspects for whom a court has issued warrants. He is also believed to be the younger brother of Driss Oukabir, one of the four people arrested since the attacks. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information. (Read more Barcelona stories.)
UN chief warns against military action on North Korea, calls for diplomacy

United Nations : Warning that military action to deal with North Korean nuclear and missile threats will be "too horrific to contemplate", UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called upon nations to "dial-down rhetoric and dial-up diplomacy".

Speaking to reporters, he said that all countries should strictly enforce the recent Security Council resolution imposing a stringent embargo on North Korea, but simultaneously also work towards a "meaningful dialogue".

His comments on dangers of military action appeared to be aimed at United States President Donald Trump who has warned Pyongyang of a rain of "fire and fury like the world has never seen before" if it continued with its threats to the US.

North Korea's hereditary dictator Kim Jong-un, who oversaw the test of ballistic missiles that experts say could reach major US cities, had threatened to fire missiles near Guam, a US territory in the Pacific.

However, in the face of Trump's stern warnings he has since backed off, saying he would wait to see the "foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees". Guterres also conceded the role of North Korea in precipitating the crisis, saying that it started with Pyongyang building up its nuclear and missile programmes.

Even as the US and North Korea appear to have pulled back from the brink, Guterres recalled that more than 3 million people had died in the Korean conflict of the early 1950s and warned that the world needs to heed the lessons of history.

He said the channels of communication between North Korea and the other parties should be opened, either bilaterally or through the resumption of the six-party talks of the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.

He also said that the two Koreas should hold a dialogue on de-nuclearising their peninsula. Answering a reporter's question, he said that Trump or anyone else was not going to force him not speak his mind.

He said that his statements on Wednesday were proof that he would say "what needs to be said" whether they were not to the liking of Trump or any other leader.

On another issue involving Trump, who has accused Venezuelan Nicolas Maduro of being a repressive dictator and threatened military intervention against him, Guterres said that Latin America had successfully gotten rid of both authoritarianism and foreign dictatorship and cold deal with situation.

In Korea meanwhile, Trump's threats and brinkmanship appear to have paid off for the time being despite some international criticism and opposition by Democrats in the United States.

Pyongyang's patron, Beijing, has begun enforcing more vigorously the latest round of Security Council sanctions and forced it to back down from its threats to hurl missiles near Guam.

Trump's counter-threats could have endangered China's own economy and standing for now.
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Songa Offshore SE's Second Quarter 2017 report will be released prior to market opening on Friday 25 August 2017.



WEBCAST & CONFERENCE CALL



A webcast/conference call will be held at 12.30 PM CET on 25 August 2017. The presentation will be available for download on the Investor Relations section (go to "Presentations") at www.songaoffshore.com .



To listen, you may do one of the following:



a. WEBCAST



Go to the "Investor Relations" section on the Company's webpage and click on the link to "Webcast" located under "Reports and Financial Info".



b. CONFERENCE CALL



Dial-in details:



Live Participant Dial In (UK / International): + 44 333 30 00804

Live Participant Dial In, US: +1 (631) 913-1422

Live Participant Dial In, Norway: 23 50 02 43



Confirmation number: 61452282#



There will be a Q&A session after the presentation.



If you are not able to participate at the time of the call, you can listen to a replay of the conference call under the Webcast-section on the Company's webpage.



18 August 2017

Limassol, Cyprus



This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Mostly cloudy with snow showers developing during the afternoon. High 27F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers in the evening and steady snow likely after midnight. Low 21F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. Snowfall around one inch.
New Delhi:

The Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC) has extended the deadline for taxpayers claiming input tax credit on transition (pre-GST) stocks to file the first interim returns for July to August 28.



This move has come as a big relief for small taxpayers with cash flow issues. They will, however, have to settle their tax liability by the earlier deadline of August 20.



The taxpayers who want to avail the transitional input tax credit should also calculate their tax liability after estimating the amount of transitional credit as per Form TRANS I. They have to make full settlement of the liability after adjusting the transitional input tax credit before 20th August, 2017, the CBEC said.



Businesses under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) set up have to file their first return, GSTR 3B, for July on the portal of GST Network -- the IT infrastructure provider for the new indirect tax regime -- by 20 August. The return filing had commenced on 5 August.



The finance ministry offered some relaxation to those businesses that claim transitional input tax credit. These entities will have to deposit taxes on the basis of self-assessment by 20 August, but they will have one more week till 28 August to file their returns. Those taxpayers that do not claim any transitional input tax credit will have to necessarily pay tax and file return in Form 3B before the due date of 20 August, the ministry said.



It added that concerns have been raised about the form to claim transitional input tax credit not being available on the GSTN website. This form will be available on the GSTN website from 21 August. "A small window of opportunity is being given to all the taxpayers... The taxpayers who want to avail of the transitional input tax credit ... (will) have to make full settlement of the liability after adjusting the transitional input tax credit before August 20, 2017," it said.



They will get time up to 28 August, 2017, to submit Form TRANS I after estimating transitional credit and Form 3B. "In case of shortfall in the amount already paid vis-a-vis the amount payable on submission of Form 3B, the same will have to be paid with interest of 18 percent for the period between August 21, 2017, till the payment of such differential amount," the ministry said.



To make compliance easy for businesses, the GST Council has allowed businesses to initially file their returns on self-assessment basis in the first two months of the GST rollout. So, the GST returns for July and August will be filed on the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) portal by filling the GSTR 3B form.



Over 71.30 lakh excise, service tax and VAT payers have migrated to the GSTN portal. Also 15 lakh fresh registrations have happened on the portal. The final GST returns for July will have to be filed by these businesses by 5 September instead of 10 August. Companies will have to file sale invoice for August with GST Network by 20 September instead of 10 September earlier.

Also read: Subramanian hails GST, says it is astonishing feat of administration, politics and technology

President Ram Nath Kovind hails Modi's GST, demonetisation move in maiden Independence Day address

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New Delhi:

The Reserve Bank of India to issue new Rs 50 currency notes with motif of Hampi with Chariot on reverse, depicting countrys cultural heritage.

The RBI said that all banknotes in the denomination of Rs. 50 issued by the Reserve Bank in the earlier series will continue to be legal tender.

The new notes are paled turquoise in colour which is very different from the same denomination notes which are currently in circulation. The new notes are in the Mahatma Gandhi Series-2005 and will carry the signature of current RBI Governor Urjit Patel.

The salient features of a 50 denomination banknote in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series are as under:

Salient Featuresi

Obverse (Front)

1. See through register with denominational numeral 50

2. Denominational numeral aa in Devnagari,

3. Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre,

4. Micro letters RBI, aaaa, INDIA and 50,

5. Windowed demetalised security thread with inscriptions aaaa and RBI,

6. Guarantee Clause, Governors signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards right of Mahatma Gandhi portrait,

7. Ashoka Pillar emblem on the right,

8. Mahatma Gandhi portrait and electrotype (50) watermarks,9. Number panel with numerals growing from small to big on the top left side and bottom right side.

Reverse (Back)

10. Year of printing of the note on the left,

11. Swachh Bharat logo with slogan,

12. Language panel,

13. Motif of Hampi with Chariot,

14. Denominational numeral aa in Devnagari.

Dimension of the banknote will be 66 mm x 135 mm.

Earlier in December last year, the Reserve Bank of India had issued statement that it will issue new currency notes of Rs 50 and Rs 20 denominations. RBI had said that the new notes will have numerals in ascending size in the number panels and it will be without intaglio printing.

The Reserve Bank will shortly issue Rs 50 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi Series-2005, without inset letter in both the number panels, bearing signature of Dr Urjit R Patel, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, and the year of printing 2016 printed on the reverse of the banknote, said RBI in December.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Raymond founder Vijaypat Singhania was on Friday hospitalised after he complained of chest pain. Singhania complained of severe chest pain when he was at a South Mumbai Club.

Singhania was immediately taken to Mumbai's Breach Candy hospital on Thursday.

Singhania was recently in news on reports that he has moved out of his home and living in a rented house because to differences with his son.

As per the reports in a newspaper, doctors at the hospital said that Singhania had to be admitted as his parameters were not normal and required immediate attention and investigation.

Dr Hemant Thacker examined him and placed him in the high dependency unit. The doctor wants to keep him under observation for 48 hours as his blood pressure was high. Dr Thacker confirmed that Singhania was under his care. He said his condition was stable. Dr Thacker had spotted heart blockages when Singhania had visited him earlier this year with chest pain, the newspaper further said.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The BSE Sensex tanked nearly 208 points and Infosys stocks dipped over 7 per cent in early trade after Vishal Sikka resigned as MD and CEO of the tech giant with immediate effect.

Besides, weak global cues on a deadly attack in Spain and rising concerns over the fate of US President Donald Trump's economic agenda also influenced investors sentiment. The markets also witnessed intense selling pressure in recent gainers.

The Sensex plunged by 207.75 points or 0.65 per cent to 31,587.711 with the sectoral indices led by IT, teck, bank, healthcare, metal, auto and realty, tumbling up to 2.43 per cent. The gauge had gained 581.87 points in the previous three sessions.

On similar lines, the National Stock Exchange index Nifty dropped by 73.95 points or 0.74 per cent to 9,830.20. Brokers said sentiment on the domestic bourses suffered a jolt following a meltdown global equities on a deadly attack in Spain and renewed concerns over the fate of US President Donald Trump's economic agenda.

Other laggards that dragged down the key indices were Sun Pharma, HDFC Ltd, Tata Motors, SBI, Kotak Bank, HDFC Bank, Lupin, Adani Ports, Axis Bank, Dr Reddy's, Coal India and Tata Steel.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei fell 1.02 per cent, while Shanghai Composite Index was quoting 0.33 per cent lower in early trade today. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index too shed 0.82 per cent.

Also Read: Vishal Sikka resigns as MD and CEO of Infosys, U B Pravin Rao takes interim charge

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New Delhi:

Fimmaker Karan Johar, whose nepotism controversy was just on the verge of extinction, he is surrounded by another headline which is this time ignited by actress and talk show host Simi Garewal.

Simi, who just hosted Indian Film Festival of Melbourne which was attended by many Bollywood celebs including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sushant Singh Rajput, Raveena Tandon, Karan Johar, Shoojit Sircar, Rajkummar Rao, Malaika Arora and many more.

During the event, Karan Johar received aLeadership in Cinema Awarda and was also applauded by the eventas director Mitu Bhowmick, "We are extremely honoured and glad to have Karan (Johar) be part of our festival this year. He is one of the most reputed filmmakers in India and is such a loved personalityaa.

He further aaded, aaWe here in Melbourne and people of the city are looking forward for his masterclass which he will be delivering as part of the festival this yearaa.

But the filmmaker, who in past had hosted several award shows, might have generated some level of insecurity in Simi.

She took Twitter handle to indicate Karanas hunger to host more and more award shows and wrote, "After I finished hosting IFFM Awards @karanjohar told Festival Director 'Next year I want to host the awards'! Another takeover?!"

After I finished hosting IFFM Awards @karanjohar told Festival Director 'Next year I want to host the awards'! Another takeover?!Y a Simi Garewal (@Simi_Garewal) August 15, 2017

We canat speculate the exact reason behind her tweet, but it was the talk show aKoffee With Karana, hosted by Karan Johar which took over and become most talked show when Simias talk show was on top

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Santa Fe Gold Corporation (OTC:SFEG), a U.S. based mining and exploration enterprise with emphasis on Gold, Silver, Copper, Precious, Industrial and Base metals and owner of multiple claims, including the Malone Mines complex incorporating 20 associated mine sites, the Playas Lake Bed area of Hidalgo County, New Mexico and a mine opportunity with a potential major Porphyry Silver discovery, is pleased to announce it has received in excess of $2.57 Million converted to equity at prices close to market quotes from a private overseas investment company and a number of associated investors. This will enable the company to move ahead quickly to complete acquisitions of various properties previously reported as under acquisition, details of which will be announced shortly.



President and CEO Tom Laws Comments:

"This reflects a strong commitment and confidence in the future of Santa Fe Gold coming from a highly regarded investment source as the company continues to progress towards a restart of production per our previously announced plans around asset acquisitions and production ramp-up at a particularly opportunistic time for gold, silver and precious metals".

About Santa Fe Gold

Santa Fe Gold is a U.S.-based mining and exploration enterprise and owns the following mining assets: The Knights Peak region of Grant County, New Mexico comprising the Malone Mines, Patanka, Hillcrest Barranca and Principal Mines, altogether incorporating some twenty mine sites and all located at Knights Peak, together with an extensive expanded area surrounding the Malone Mines in the southern region of Burro Mountains, New Mexico. The companys Development Team continues to be extremely active in acquiring additional properties over recent months as it finalizes analysis of a number of attractive, economically viable opportunities and executes on the company's acquisition program that is totally focused on positioning the company to resume mining and production operations expected later this year.

For more information and to register for updates: Please visit www.santafegoldcorp.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Please refer to the Forward-Looking Statements link at the bottom left of Santa Fe Gold's website for all relevant disclosures.
New Delhi:

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday demanded CBI probe into childrens deaths in Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur which claimed more than 70 lives past week.

Akhilesh said the government should recommend a CBI probe into the matter. He said the government has affability with CBI and along with other probes, the agency should also be pressed into the investigation.

While replying to chief minister Adityanaths recent comment on Janmashtami celebrations at all police stations, Akhilesh said his government will give Rs 5 lakh to each police station in future to celebrate Christmas, Eid, Diwali, Holi and other festivals.

Sarkar ko CBI se bohat lagao h, CBI bhi unke under hai, kayi jaanchon ke saath saath CBI ki jaanch ho: Akhilesh Yadav #Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/FFIxm8t2mT  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 18, 2017

On the other hand, Allahabad High Court has sought a report from Uttar Pradesh government on Gorakhpur tragedy and set date for next hearing on August 29.

Also Read: Anand Sharma criticises PM Modi for addressing Gorakhpur tragedy in trivial manner

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New Delhi:

The Delhi High Court on Thursday expressed concern over children allegedly committing suicide while playing the 'Blue Whale' Challenge, an internet suicide game, that has been allegedly linked to the deaths of several children worldwide.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice CHari Shankar also wondered why adults were getting into this game, in which dangerous tasks like self-inflicting of wounds on the body, are assigned to the player by administrators during a 50-day period.

The bench said it can understand children getting influenced, but why were adults getting involved in it.

"If an adult is told to do a task, why would he/she go and jump from a building", it said, adding that "we are wondering why both children and adult are doing this".

The high court, however, refrained from passing any order on the plea seeking direction to the internet companies including Google, Facebook and Yahoo to take down the links of the Blue whale.

It wished to know whether the government has issued any prohibition order with regard to downloading of the Blue Whale game.

The court also sought to know from the petitioner, advocate Gurmeet Singh, whether any such incident has happened in Delhi. It asked the petitioner whether any prohibition order can be passed today and fixed the matter for further hearing on August 22.

Read more: Blue Whale game: Child rights body cautions parents, teachers

Two days ago, the Ministry of Electronics and IT had directed the internet majors - Google, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Microsoft and Yahoo - to immediately remove the links of the deadly Blue Whale Challenge, which has led several children in India and other countries to commit suicide.

The PIL was yesterday moved in the High Court seeking directions to internet companies like Google, Facebook and Yahoo to take down the links of 'Blue Whale'.

Citing deaths of children in India and abroad, the advocate, who filed the petition, sought immediate directions to restrain the internet majors from uploading any material pertaining to the Blue Whale Challenge.

He also sought direction to the Delhi Police to appoint a special five-member team to oversee whether the internet companies comply with the court's direction.

The sudden popularity of the lethal online game - Blue Whale Challenge, in which the final task requires the player to commit suicide, has forced the government to issue directions to the internet giants to remove the links to the dangerous game.

The Blue Whale Challenge is reportedly a suicide game in which the player is given certain tasks to complete for a period of 50 days and the final task leads to committing suicide. The player is also asked to share photos after finishing the challenge.

The petition said "there are so many children and people being adversely affected by this menace namely Blue Whale Challenge and they do not even know that the same will cost their lives and their families will suffer heavily. All citizens of India will be benefitted if the said menace is stopped."

Read more: Kerala: Families claim their boys victim of death game

More than six children across India in the age group of 12-19 years have taken their lives playing this game within a span of two weeks.

Deaths of teenagers have been reported from other countries including Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile and Italy, the PIL had said.

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New Delhi:

The Delhi Police has arrested the security manager of the 5-star hotel for allegedly molesting a woman employee, said Dependra Pathak, Chief PRO Delhi Police. He was later released on bail.

The manager was arrested following a police complaint of molestation by the victim. The entire incident was caught on the CCTV camera installed in the room.

In the CCTV footage, the manager is seen trying to pull the woman employee by her saree while she resists.

Security manager of 5-star hotel accused of allegedly molesting a woman has been arrested: Dependra Pathak, Chief PRO #DelhiPolice pic.twitter.com/0SI9M4tRbn a News Nation (@NewsNationTV) August 18, 2017

The victim said, "He pulled my saree, but I resisted. No strong action taken till now after the entire incident."

"I showed footage to my madam but she said only a warning letter will be given to him, he will then get you terminated I have been terminated from job now," she added.

The police officials have initiated a probe on the basis of victimas statements. The accused has been suspended by the hotel authorities.

"We have suspended the accused security manager. Don't know whether the woman has been suspended too," said Raja Singh, hotel's PR officer.A

The Delhi Police has also registered a case in the matter and recorded the statements of the victim.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

India on Friday termed as incorrect reports of it supplying BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles to Vietnam even as the Southeast Asian country said the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations has been growing in many fields including security and defence.

Replying to questions on the issue, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Vietnams Foreign Ministry has already rejected the report, saying it is incorrect.

It is not correct, that is what I am trying to say. The person who has been quoted, the ministry has already rejected and they are saying that the news item which is running and which is out is incorrect, he said.

However, there was no clear denial of the report by Vietnams foreign ministry in the public domain.

When asked about the report, a spokesperson in the Vietnam foreign ministry said the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership has been actively developing in many fields including economics, trade, investment, culture, education, security and defence.

The bilateral security and defence ties have been making practical contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large, the spokesperson said, adding Vietnam persistently pursues a national defence policy of peace and of self-defence.

The spokesperson further said procurement of defence equipment by Vietnam is consistent with the policy of peace and self-defence and is the normal practice in the national defence. We will forward your question to the relevant agency.

There was no comment available from the defence ministry on the issue.

India had held talks with Vietnam for supply of the BrahMos missile.

In February, while replying to a question in Lok Sabha on whether the government has any plans to sell Akash and BrahMos missile to Vietnam, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said that India has held talks with the Southeast Asian country on the issue.

India and Vietnam share a strategic partnership. Defence cooperation, including supply of defence equipment, is an important aspect of this partnership.

Both countries have held discussions on range of issues in this regard, he had said in a written reply.

Vietnam, which is involved in a territorial dispute with China, is keen to get it hands on the supersonic missiles that can be fired on land, water and under water.

The Brahmos missile system is jointly developed by India and Russia.

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New Delhi:

Hyderabad police arrested father of the 16-year old girl, who was forced to marry a Omani Sheikh, a day after Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for her rescue.

The police arrested the girls father and two other people from old Hyderabad city for forcibly marrying the girl off to a 65-year old Oman national in June.

Police said the girls father Syed Anwar along with his Ghousia and her husband Sikandar had sold the girl to Oman national with help of two brokers identified as Ahmed and Haji.

Police in its investigation found that the minor girls father had forged documents to prove the victim to be an adult to procure a passport and a visa.

Hyderabad deputy commissioner of police (south) V Satyanarayana talking to the media said, We are hopeful to bring the girl back soon.

He added that Anwar and Ahmed are being questioned.

A police officer not willing to be identified said, The qazi who performed the marriage could not be questioned.

Police have registered a case of criminal intimidation against the Omani sheikh, the girls father, qazi and others.

Earlier this week the girls mother had lodged a complaint with the Falaknuma police station against her husband, sister-in-law, brother-in-law and others for selling her girl to an Omani Sheikh.

The mother of the victim learnt about the girl being sold off to the Omani Sheikh after she called from Muscat and detailed her ordeal.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The financier Zahoor Ahmad Watali, who has been arrested in J&K terror funding case, used to get money from Dubai, Pakistan and even through Pakistan High Commission in India, say NIA sources.

As per reports, Zahoor used to provide money to separatists and got 8-9 per cent commission. Hurriyat leader SAS Geelani's son Naseem Gilani also received money from Pakistan and Dubai for terror funding.

Earlier on Thursday, the National Investigation Agency arrested financier Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali in connection with J&K terror funding case.

Zahoor Watali was questioned by the NIA regarding his dubious financial transaction details and property-related records. He will be produced before the Special NIA Judge at Patiala House Courts on Friday.

The arrest has been followed by searches conducted by the NIA on Wednesday at multiple locations in Srinagar, Handwara, Kupwara and Baramulla belonging to the relatives and employees of Zahoor Watali.

The searches have disclosed highly incriminating material pertaining to receipt of funds by Zahoor Watali from foreign sources and its further distribution to the terrorists and separatists in Kashmir valley for anti-India activities.

Earlier in June, the NIA had conducted search in Zahoor Watalis house in Srinagar and seized documents related to financial transactions and land deals.

Zahoor Watali was arrested by Police in 1990 when some anti-national activists were found present in his house. In the year 2009, Zahoor Watali was accused of illegal encroachment of land and assault, and a case was registered against him.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs, Raveesh Kumar, on Friday spoke about the Japan Envoy Kenji Hirramatsu's statement on supporting India on Doklam. He said that the Japans statement speaks for itself.

Japan experiencing similar problem as India-Bhutan with China in east China sea, said Dhruva Jaishankar, Fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings.

Jaishankar said that Japan sees similarity in situation in tri-junction area, natural for Japan to support India.

Earlier in the day, coming out in support of India over military standoff with China on Doklam issue, Japan has affirmed there should be no attempt to alter the status quo on ground by force.

The countrys statement is being seen as strong support for Indian side on the current crisis. India has been saying that China has violated the agreement with India and Bhutan by invading in the territory of Bhutan which is a serious defence concern for Indian forces.

Japanese ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu expressed his views on issue, saying that the development in the region could affect the stability.

Kenji said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has already cleared Indias stance that the nation would continue to engage with dialogue through diplomatic channels with China to find a mutually acceptable solution.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday registered an FIR in connection with the conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman to a Muslim man in Kerala, on the directive of the Supreme Court.

In a statement, the National Investigation Agency said that in compliance with the August 16 order of the Supreme Court, the FIR related to Kerala's Perinthalmanna police station in Mallapuram district has been re-registered by the probe agency for investigation.

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday asked the NIA to probe the case of conversion and marriage of a Hindu woman to a Muslim man, as the agency claimed it was not an isolated incident but a "pattern" emerging in Kerala.

The Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage, terming it as an instance of "love jihad". The apex court directed the NIA to probe the incident under the supervision of a retired apex court judge, Justice R V Raveendran.

The top court observed that like in the 'Blue Whale' -- an internet game which allegedly gives series of tasks to players with a final challenge requiring him or her to commit suicide, it was now easy to persuade someone to perform a particular task.

Also Read | Kerala love jihad: SC directs NIA to probe if there is ISIS hand

"This will not be a Special Investigation Team (SIT).The NIA shall carry out the probe under the supervision of retired judge Justice R V Raveendaran," a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and D Y Chandrachud had said.

The bench said it wanted the probe to be fair and the NIA, being an independent agency outside the state of Kerala, can conduct the probe in an impartial manner and have a different point of view.

"Before forming any opinion or arriving at a conclusion, we would like to consider the NIA's probe report, inputs from the Kerala Police and talk to the woman," it said.

The bench directed the NIA to submit its final investigation report in the court to enable it to arrive at any conclusion in the matter.The woman, a Hindu, had converted to Islam and later married Jahan.

It was alleged that the woman was recruited by Islamic State's mission in Syria and Jahan was only a stooge.

Ashokan K M, the father of the woman, had alleged that there was a "well-oiled systematic mechanism" for conversion and Islamic radicalization.

The high court, while declaring the marriage "null and void", had described the case as an instance of "love jihad" and ordered the state police to conduct a probe into such cases.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested a man for allegedly stalking and molesting a 19-year-old Delhi University student at a metro station in the national capital.

The victim lodged a complaint against a 22-year-old man at Rithala Metro Police station.

The girl in her complaint mentioned that she along with her cousin had gone to Pulbangash Metro Station in Central Delhi. The accused, identified as Akshay Kumar, touched her inappropriately and hurled abuses on her.

She also told the police that he had been stalking them for a while on the metro.

The victim also mentioned in her complaint that the youth offered her friendship proposal and warned her of dire consequences if she denied the proposal.

Deputy commissioner of police (Metro) Pankaj Kumar Singh told the media that an FIR has been registered at the Rithala Metro Police station.

We have arrested the youth, the DCP added.

The accused has been sent to judicial custody by a local court.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

An unknown group which identifies itself as World Anti-Communist Council has issued a fatwa announcing Rs 5.5 lakh bounty for chopping Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkars head.

The Tripura police on Friday have registered a suo-motto case after learning about the threat post and have launched a probe in connection to the Facebook post.

Police said that an FIR was lodged by one Subrata Chakrabarty, who was tagged in the fatwa-post from the miscreant on Thursday.

The Facebook account from which the fatwa against the Tripura CM was released is registered in the name of one Ria Roy.

The fatwa posted by Roy reads, This person is the Chief Minister of Tripura state. He has numerous crimes to his credit. We issue FATWA on behalf of World Anti-Communist Council and announce a reward of Rs.5.5 LACS only for chopping down his head.

The fatwa further read, Payment will be wire transferred to any bank A/c. Kindly provide bank details once the FATWA is executed.

Tripura Police officials investigating the case believe that the profile seems to be a fake account.

Someone created a new account to post the threat, added the police official.

He mentioned that the the profile in the name of Riya Roy makes no reference to her profession or educational status. It just carries a picture of a girl.

Inspector general of Police KV Sreejesh talking to the media said, We are investigating the matter and we will nab the miscreant behind the act soon.

He also added that the Sarkar has been provided with Z plus category security and if required it will be enhanced.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortify Resources Inc. (CSE:FTY) (Fortify or the Company) announces that it has entered into a letter of intent dated August 17, 2017 (the LOI) with DV Infrastructure Corp. (DVI) regarding a proposed transaction to acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of DVI (the Transaction). The Company will have until November 30, 2017 to conduct due diligence on DVI, with a view to negotiating the terms of a definitive agreement (the Definitive Agreement) in order to complete the Transaction.



About DV Infrastructure Corp.

DVI is engaged in the business of investing, constructing, owning and leasing mega greenhouse projects to provide turn key real estate solutions for lease to licensed cannabis producers and processors who have best in class operations and brands.

DVI, Sentinel Property Management LTD. and Stratto, LLC are parties to a joint venture agreement, DVG LLC (DVG) dated August 17, 2017 (the JV Agreement) pursuant to which, DVI holds a 30% interest in DVG, a limited liability company constituted under the laws of Washington State that holds a lease with an option to purchase four acres of land located in Moses Lake, Washington (the Property).

Moses Lake, Washington has some of the lowest cost power available in Washington State and the Property that is being developed is zoned for commercial cannabis production.

DVG has commenced site preparation for construction on its greenhouse project at the Property (the Agri-Campus), which will consist of 12 separate greenhouses with a total of 43,680 square feet of canopy for lease to producers/processors. It is estimated the Agri-Campus will cost DVI between $1.0-$2.0 Million USD, and will be provided under a loan agreement. DVI will receive preferential pay back on capital at a rate of 60% of the profits of DVG until it has recouped the entirety of its investment. Stratto, LLC for its interest in DVG pursuant to the JV Agreement, will be responsible for introducing two production/processing licensees to enter lease, equipment rental, management, and licensing contracts with DVG, with the intention that those licenses will become DVGs newest tenant-growers. Once DVI has recouped all its loan investment it will earn income from DVG equal to 30% of the lease, equipment rental, management fees, and licensing revenue charged to tenant growers. The proprietary light deprived / light supplemented greenhouse project will provide tenant growers an opportunity to grow an indoor quality product at close to outdoor costs.

Based on similar greenhouse experience, Stratto, LLC estimates that the prospective tenant-growers will have a total potential yield of over 24,000 pounds annually (10,886 kilos) at the Property.

The Transaction

Subject to the execution of a Definitive Agreement, the Company proposes to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of DVI in exchange for common shares of the Company (the Payment Shares). The Payment Shares would be issued to the shareholders of DVI on a pro-rata basis based on a 1:1 ratio. Pursuant to the Transaction, the shareholders of DVI will become shareholders of the Resulting Issuer. In addition, all of the outstanding common share purchase warrants of DVI will, subject to the rules of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE), be exchanged for common share purchase warrants of the Company based on a 1:1 ratio and on the same economic terms and conditions as previously issued.

On or before the closing of the Transaction, it is proposed that DVI will complete an equity financing (the Concurrent Financing) by way of a non-brokered private placement relying on the prospectus exemptions pursuant to National Instrument 45-106 or other applicable laws, rules and regulations to raise a minimum of $1,500,000 and up to a maximum of $3,000,000 at an intended price of $0.10 per unit (each a Unit). Each Unit will consist of one common share and one-half of a common share purchase warrant. Each full warrant will entitle the holder to purchase an additional common share at the price of $0.20 per share for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the closing of the Transaction. Should the Companys share price trade at $0.40 per share for 5 consecutive trading days then the Company will have the option to give notice to the warrant holders to accelerate the exercise of the warrants within 10 days or the warrants will expire.

The Transaction is conditional upon, among other things:

the parties will have received all necessary regulatory and third-party consents, approvals and authorizations as may be required in respect of the Transaction, including, but without limitation, acceptance of the Exchange; completion of due diligence to the satisfaction of the parties; approval of the board of directors of each of Fortify and DVI to final terms and conditions of the Transaction as set forth in the Definitive Agreement and all other necessary matters related thereto prior to the signing of the Definitive Agreement; the signing of the Definitive Agreement; completion of all matters, and the satisfaction of all conditions (unless waived in writing), under the Definitive Agreement required to be completed or satisfied on or before closing of the Transaction including but not limited to completion of the Concurrent Financing; and the shareholders of DVI will have approved the Transaction.

It is intended that the Company will be named Dope Ventures Corp or such other name as the parties and the CSE may reasonably agree upon.

Additional Information

Further details regarding the proposed Transaction and the combined entity will be provided in a comprehensive press release if and when the parties enter into a Definitive Agreement. If completed, the Transaction will constitute a Fundamental Change pursuant to CSE policies.

The Definitive Agreement will incorporate the principal terms of the Transaction described herein, and in addition, such other terms and provisions of a more detailed structure and nature as the parties may agree upon after receiving further tax, legal and financial advice from their respective advisers. However, there is no assurance that the Definitive Agreement will be successfully negotiated or entered into.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the United States, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

Forward-Looking Information

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, CSE acceptance and, if applicable, pursuant to the requirements of the CSE, shareholder approval. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

All information in this news release concerning DVI has been provided for inclusion herein by DVI. Although the Company has no knowledge that would indicate that any information contained herein concerning DVI is untrue or incomplete, the Company assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any such information.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the listing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.

Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, forward-looking statements), including those identified by the expressions anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, should and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and various estimates, factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors.

Statements about the execution of a Definitive Agreement, closing of the Transaction, expected terms of the Transaction, the number of securities of the Company that may be issued in connection with the Transaction, the ownership of the Company, the requirement to obtain shareholder approval, if applicable, the terms of and the completion of the Concurrent Financing, and the parties ability to satisfy any and all other closing conditions, and receive necessary regulatory and CSE approvals in connection therewith, the construction of the Agri-Campus, anticipate costs and the ability to achieve goals, the potential cannabis yield and the repayment of the loans, are all forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve its goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, failure to obtain regulatory approval, the continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions, changes in legislation and regulations, increase in operating costs, equipment failures, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, litigation, the loss of key directors, employees, advisors or consultants and fees charged by service providers. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the Transaction will occur or that, if the Transaction does occur, it will be completed on the terms described above. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Readers should not place undue reliance on the Companys forward-looking statements. Neither the CSE nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

There can be no assurance that the proposed Transaction or private placements will be completed or, if completed, will be successful.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

(Not for dissemination in the United States of America)
New Delhi:

In a remarkable achievement, two critically-ill patients suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy got a new lease of life after a hospital in Mulund carried out two heart transplants in a gap of four hours on Thursday.

In the first case, heart of a 22-year-old woman from Kolhapur, who was declared brain dead at Pune's Ruby Hall Clinic, was transported to Fortis Hospital through a green corridor and transplanted into a 24-year-old college student from Ghatkopar.

Synonymising a similar case, a 58-year-old man from Thane who had been placed under the 'Super Urgent List' after he registered for a heart just last week, was gifted life after another organ came from MGM Hospital in Vashi. The donor was a 45-year-old woman was declared brain dead after a railway accident. Her family consented to retrieve her heart, liver and kidneys. The liver of the donor was given to Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai Central, while one of her kidneys was allotted to a patient in Jaslok Hospital and another was transplanted to the patient of MGM Hospital itself.

Read more: 3 million people died due to COPD and asthma, study says

Doctors said the next 72 hours will be critical for the patients and they will be monitored round the clock.
New Delhi:

An Earth-like planet may exist near a star system Gliese 832, according to the recent research published in The Astrophysical Journal. Scientists also predicted that hypothetical alien world is just 16 light-years away from the star system.

Astrophysicists at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in the US investigated the star system Gliese 832 for additional exoplanets residing between the two currently known alien worlds in this system.

Gliese 832 is a red dwarf extrasolar planet located approximately 16 light-years away in the constellation of Grus, orbiting the star Gliese 832. The planet has an Earth Similarity Index of 0.81. Gliese 832 c has a mass of approximately 5.2 times that of Earth

Their computations revealed that an additional Earth-like planet with a dynamically stable configuration may be residing at a distance ranging from 0.25 to 2.0 astronomical unit (AU) from the star.

The hypothetical alien world would have a mass between 1 to 15 Earth masses.

Also Read| NASA: 3-mile Florence, the biggest asteroid, to pass safely by Earth on September 1

The gas giant with 0.64 Jupiter masses is orbiting the star at a distance of 3.53 AU, while the other planet is potentially a rocky world, around five times more massive than the Earth, residing very close its host star - about 0.16 AU.

This result will definitely be the biggest breakthrough revealing the possible existence of a new planet near to star system.

"The fact that Dr Satyal was able to demonstrate that the planet could maintain a stable orbit in the habitable zone of a red dwarf for more than one billion years is extremely impressive," Weiss said.

The team analyzed the simulated data with an infected Earth-mass planet on this nearby planetary system hoping to find a stable orbital configuration for the planet that may be located in a vast space between the two known planets. Gliese 832b and Gliese 832c were discovered by the radial velocity technique, which detects variations in the velocity of the central star, due to the changing direction of the gravitational pull from an unseen exoplanet as it orbits the star.

By regularly looking at the spectrum of a star - and so, measuring its velocity - one can see if it moves periodically due to the influence of a companion. "We also used the integrated data from the time evolution of orbital parameters to generate the synthetic radial velocity curves of the known and the Earth-like planets in the system," said Satyal. "We obtained several radial velocity curves for varyingmasses and distances indicating a possible new middle planet," he said.

Also Read| German startup wants to set up communication tower on Moon

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

An Australian far-right senator on Thursday wore a burqa in Parliament to demand national ban on all the covering garments worn by Muslim women. The move received angry backlash from the government and Muslims.

Pauline Hanson, who is leader of the anti-Muslim and anti-immigration One Nation minor party, sat in the Parliament with the black head-to-ankle garment for more than 10 minutes on Thursday.

After removing the covering, Pauline explained that she wanted ban on such outfits because of security reasons.

Attorney-General George Brandis drew applause when he said his government would not ban the burqa, and chastised Hanson for what he described as a stunt that offended Australias Muslim minority.

Senate President Stephen Parry said Hansons identity had been confirmed before she entered the chamber.

With PTI inputs

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Barcelona:

Six civilians and one police officer were hurt when a car drove into people in the Spanish seaside resort of Cambrils early Friday, the regional government said, just hours after a similar deadly attack in nearby Barcelona.

Police shot five of the attackers dead and injured another one, saying they were "working on the hypothesis that the terrorists shot dead in Cambrils could be linked to what happened in Barcelona."A

As it happened-

#8:50 AM

Police say 5 suspects killed in Spanish resort town were carrying bomb belts and had run over civilians with car

Earlier, a driver deliberately ploughed a van into pedestrians on one of Spainas busiest streets on Thursday, wounding a number of people in what police said was a aterrorist attacka.

Six civilians, one police injured in second Spain attack: Catalan govt (Source: AFP) a ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2017

aHuge collision on Las Ramblas in Barcelona by an individual driving a van, many injuries,a a statement from Catalan police said.

The area around the incident was cordoned off, with several ambulances and police vehicles on the scene, an AFP correspondent said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pizza Pizza Royalty Corp. (the Company) (TSX:PZA) today announced its monthly cash dividend of $0.0713 per share for August 2017.



The dividend will be payable to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 31, 2017, and will be paid on September 15, 2017.

For tax purposes, the 2017 dividend will be considered a taxable eligible dividend.
taiwannews.com.tw - Nov 09

For centuries, holy men, pilgrims and nobles journeyed the sacred paths that crossed Japan in search of knowledge and enlightenment. At the end of a long day tramping the mountain paths, they invariably sought out an "otera," or temple, to rest their weary bodies.
The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry will address a surging number of accidents involving rental cars driven by foreign tourists, whose number is on the rise in Japan, by identifying locations where accidents are likely to occur and setting up foreigner-friendly road signs in the hope of preventing accidents.

The ministry will choose five or so regions including Okinawa Prefecture, Hokkaido and the Kyushu region - where many foreigners rent cars - to conduct tests as early as autumn by collecting information from national highways and expressways such as records of when vehicles suddenly brake. The ministry will implement the measures nationwide if test results are confirmed to be effective.

The tests will utilize ETC 2.0, a next-generation automatic toll payment system that can transmit information on vehicles' location and travel data. Travel routes, records of when vehicles suddenly brake while driving and other information will be sent from the ETC 2.0 system installed in rental cars that are driven by foreigners, with their consent. The ministry will ask car rental companies to offer data recorded on dashboard cameras to identify locations where foreigners are likely to have accidents.

The ministry will take intensive safety measures at locations it deems dangerous, such as by adding illustrations to road signs for foreigners who cannot read Japanese or putting explanations in multiple languages on warning signs, such as "Under construction" and "Lane closed." Pamphlets that show the location of dangerous spots will be handed out by rental car companies.
DENVER, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vista International Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:VVIT), a pioneer in efficient Waste-to-Energy technology, is pleased to give investors an update on some recent events within the Company.



The Company has decided to relocate their newest Thermal Gasifier from its current location to a new site in the central US, close to the Mississippi river. This new site will maximize disposal opportunities available in the central US and allow for quicker permitting. The new location will be the permanent home for this unit, and it will go into commercial operation there upon final installation. Various aspects of securing local support, site selection, and project development are currently underway, and the Company looks forward to sharing additional information on the project as this information becomes available in the next few weeks. It is anticipated that this project will serve as a template for other Thermal Gasifier projects that are currently in various stage of development.

The Company also recently settled a complaint brought by former officers of the company regarding salary payments from 2007-2009. The former officers had alleged that salary payments totaling approximately $500,000 were not paid over the given period. The Company disputed these claims. A settlement of $85,000 was approved by the parties involved, and on August 15, 2017 the complaint was dismissed by the District Court in Adams County Colorado on the basis of this settlement. The settlement has already been paid. The nearly $500,000 in contested payments were being held as a liability on the Companys balance sheet, therefore the settlement removes this liability and thus improves the Companys overall financial condition significantly.

Vista International Technologies, Inc. has been producing Waste-to-Energy gasification systems for over twenty years, with installations across three continents. The Companys technology has low costs of installation and operation, and allows for the processing of virtually any hydrocarbon-based waste product, including municipal solid waste, waste tires, waste coal, sewage waste, and biomass, among others. The companys Waste-to-Energy systems are emission friendly and extremely efficient, and can be used to produce heat, steam, and/or electricity.
FORM 8.3

PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY

A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE

Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")

1. KEY INFORMATION

(a) Full name of discloser: Majedie Asset Management Limited (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):



The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:



Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree



AMEC FOSTER WHEELER PLC (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:



For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 17 August 2017 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?



If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" No





2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

Class of relevant security:



ORD 50P



Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 8,440,780 2.16 (2) Cash-settled derivatives:



(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:



TOTAL:



8,440,780



2.16

All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options)

Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:

3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

(a) Purchases and sales

Class of relevant security Purchase/sale



Number of securities Price per unit ORD 50P Purchase 2,870 420.8151

(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions

Class of relevant security Product description



e.g. CFD Nature of dealing



e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit





(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type



e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit

(ii) Exercise

Class of relevant security Product description



e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit





(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

Class of relevant security Nature of dealing



e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)





4. OTHER INFORMATION

(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:



Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"



None





(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:



(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or



(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:



If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none"



None





(c) Attachments

Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO

Date of disclosure: 18 August 2017 Contact name: Matthew Hambly Telephone number: 0207 618 3900

Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.




If you have bad credit, your financing options may be limited and expensive. Learn how to judge the status of your credit score, why it matters to your lender, and what you can do to fix it in the future.

If you havent already obtained your free annual credit report, which will include your credit score, you can get yours at AnnualCreditReport.com. Once you find your score, find where it sits on this general scale:

Excellent: 781850

Good: 661780

Fair: 601660

Poor: 501600

Challenged: Below 500

Credit scores can go down to 300, but anything below 630 will spell trouble if youre looking for a small business loan. Though FICO (the company whose algorithm determines your score) doesnt share everything that determines a credit score, factors likely include your current debt, your payment history, how long youve held any credit accounts, and more.

The primary credit bureaus.

You should also know that the three primary credit bureausTransUnion, Equifax, and Experianeach report their own credit scores for individuals, and you cant predict which score your potential lender will find.

But what about my business credit? you might ask. If youre seeking an alternative lender, your business credit wont play a role in your application. Banks will take your business credit score into account.

Related: The 7 Different Loans You Can Get as a Business Owner

Note that if your small business is still in its early years, your chances of securing a loan from a traditional lending institution are notoriously slim. Banks commonly reject even healthy small businesses, and will turn you down if your credit score falls short of 700. While its important to keep building your businesss credit, focus on your personal score for the moment.

Why does bad credit affect my loan options?

Lenders want reliable borrowers. They want to see that you repay your debts on time and in full. They want to know you avoid taking on irresponsible amounts of debt. They want to know how many different kinds of credit you have and how long youve been borrowing money.

Your credit score summarizes this information for lenders, giving them an easy way to evaluate your trustworthiness as a borrower. Because the size of your business is small, lenders assume youll treat your businesss finances like you do your own.

If youve got bad credit, you may find you dont qualify for a lenders larger loan products, low APRs, or certain repayment schedules. Lenders dont want to take the risk that you may not repay a hefty loan.

What else can help me get that loan?

Your credit score is a major factor in your eligibility, but its not the only factor. Lenders will also weigh your businesss revenue against the type of loan youre applying for and its APR.

Related: 10 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

The 5 "C's of credit.

You should also understand the 5 Cs of Credit that describe how your application will be evaluated and reveal what else might help you secure that loan. Those 5 Cs are character, capacity, capital, conditions, and collateral.

1. Character.

Character includes your credit history and score.

2. Capacity.

Capacity describes your ability to repay the loan. Lenders will use your debt-to-income ratio and cash flow statements to learn how your revenue stacks up against your outstanding debts.

If your business has a healthy cash flow and isnt already saddled with debt, you may win the trust of your lender despite that less-than-stellar credit score.

3. Capital.

Capital shows the investments youve made in your business. Lenders want to be sure you wont default on your loan. Theyre looking for commitment and dedication. If you have had a substantial investment in something it tells a lender youre serious about the success of your business.

4. Collateral.

Collateral is all about assets. Anything the lender could repossess if you default. Those assets might include real estate, equipment, inventory, or accounts receivable.

5. Conditions.

Conditions describes how youll use your loan and the broader context of your financial need. Lenders want to see youve got a specific purpose for your loan and a vision for growing your business with this capital.

They also want to be sure your particular industry isnt about to tank and that your business doesnt raise any long-term red flags. If youve done your due diligence on budgeting for and utilizing this loan, youll be more likely to win your lenders trust.

How can I improve my credit?

If youre feeling discouraged about your credit score, remember that it isnt set in stone forever. You have the power to start improving it today, even if youre in debt for the foreseeable future.

How to keep a healthy credit score.

The simplest way to maintain a healthy credit score is by making your debt payments on time and in full. Dont just worry about your business loans. Be dedicated in making sure youre timely with any mortgage, rent and utility, or personal credit card payments. Each one of these payments will all affect your personal credit score.

Related: 4 Ways to Keep Your Business and Personal Credit Score

Keep your credit utilization under control. Spend conservatively when using credit, and avoid maxing out all your available options.

You should also be monitoring your credit.

Take advantage of that free annual credit report, and consider signing up for a credit monitoring service. Free services like Credit Karma will track your status across the three main bureaus and alert you as your score changes.

Related: 6 Tools for Monitoring Your Online Reputation

Moving forward on your path to success.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc., a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AJRD), successfully supported the launch of the latest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-M) for NASAs Space Network. The mission was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion systems on the Atlas V included the RL10C-1 upper-stage engine, six helium pressurization tanks, and 12 Centaur upper-stage Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters. The TDRS-M satellite carries an Aerojet-Rocketdyne R-4D 100 lbf bipropellant engine for moving the satellite from its launch tip-off into geosynchronous orbit.

The Space Network is vital for scientists, engineers and control room staff to access data from Earth-orbiting satellites, most notably the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope, said Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake. Its a privilege to know our propulsion systems have once again been called upon to deliver the TDRS satellites into orbit with 100 percent mission success, enabling the continuation of scientific exploration for years to come.

Aerojet Rocketdynes RL10C-1 upper-stage engine ignited after separation of the first stage to place the payload into orbit, helped by the Centaur RCS thrusters and pressurization tanks. The RL10C-1 delivers 22,890 pounds of thrust to power the Atlas V upper stage, using cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants.

The RL10C-1 was developed from the RL10 family of upper-stage engines, which has accumulated one of the most impressive track records of accomplishments in the history of space propulsion. More than 480 RL10 engines have supported launches over the last 50 years, playing a vital role in placing military, government and commercial satellites into orbit, and powering scientific space probes on every interplanetary mission in our solar system.

The 12 MR-106 RCS thrusters are assembled in four rocket engine modules and provide pitch, yaw and roll control for the Centaur upper stage as well as settling burns prior to firing the RL10C-1 engine.

ARDE, a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne based in New Jersey, manufactures the pressure vessels on the first and second stages of the launch vehicle.

The Space Network was established in the early 1980s to replace NASAs worldwide network of ground tracking stations. It consists of a constellation of geosynchronous satellites, known as TDRS, which transmit data to and from ground stations on Earth for NASA missions and other orbiting satellites, including the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. According to NASA, the addition of TDRS-M will enable the Space Network to support space communication well into the next decade. With the TDRS-M, there are now 10 TDRS spacecraft in orbit around Earth.

Aerojet Rocketdyne is an innovative company delivering solutions that create value for its customers in the aerospace and defense markets. The company is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader that provides propulsion and energetics to the space, missile defense and strategic systems, tactical systems and armaments areas, in support of domestic and international markets. Additional information about Aerojet Rocketdyne can be obtained by visiting our websites at www.Rocket.com and www.AerojetRocketdyne.com.
TORONTO, Aug. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Calling all beekeepers! In advance of World Honey Bee Day this Saturday, August 19, the call has gone out to bee keepers across the country to join a new national effort to help safeguard Canada's declining honey bee population.

Abell Pest Control has been building a national registry that connects beekeepers and homeowners in an effort to protect honey bee swarms.

"We're very proud to be leading the way with the protocols we've established that focus on saving rather than exterminating honey bee swarms," said John Abell, President of Abell Pest Control. "We've had great success in relocating honey bee swarms to new locations, protecting both public safety and honey bees."

Swarming can occur in a variety of locations around the home, from cars to sheds when a queen bee decides to leave a healthy but overpopulated colony. She's escorted by thousands of bees in her search for a new home. When this happens, homeowners are encouraged to contact Abell's national registry at: Abellsavesbees.com where they'll be connected with a local beekeeper who will relocate the swarm, often at no cost.

"The more we can do to raise awareness about the importance of honey bees the better the chances of protecting them," added Abell. "One out of every three bites of food we eat is a result of honey bees, so they play a huge role in our daily lives and the pollination of our crops."

There has been a dramatic decline in the population of honey bees and other pollinators around the world as a result of habitat loss, climate change, mites and possibly agricultural pesticide use. To help advance the science and understanding of honey bees, Abell is donating $25,000 over the next five years towards a new scholarship at the University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre. It's also sponsoring an additional introductory beekeeper training course next year to help meet growing demand.

Abell Pest Control is a family owned Canadian company that's dedicated to providing effective, professional pest management service. Started in 1924 with one office, Abell now employers several hundred people with branch offices across Canada and the United States. Learn more about Abell's bee' cause we care program, go to: http://abellsavesbees.com

SOURCE Abell Pest Control

For further information: Danna O'Brien, [email protected], 416-500-0699; Mike Heimbach, Abell Pest Control, [email protected], 416-561-9863
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON, August 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc. ("Diamond Estates" or "the Company") (DWS-TSX Venture) today announced that it will report its fiscal 2018 first quarter financial results prior to the opening of markets on Thursday, August 24, 2017.

Murray Souter, CEO, and Alan Stratton, CFO, will host a conference call for the investment community on the same day at 9:00 a.m. (ET). The call-in numbers for participants are (416) 764-8688 or (888) 390-0546. In addition, the call will be webcast live at: http://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1491295-1/FB5F2F7D512631058B609291A7D128CA.

A replay of the call will be available until Thursday, August 31, 2017. To access the replay, dial (416) 764-8677 or (888) 390-0541 (Passcode: 017356 #). A transcript of the call will be archived on the Company's website.

About Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc.

Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Inc. is a producer of high quality wines and a sales agent for over 120 beverage alcohol brands across Canada. The company operates two wineries in the Niagara region of Ontario producing VQA and blended wines under such well-known brand names as 20 Bees, EastDell Estates, Lakeview Cellars, Dois Amigos, Dan Aykroyd, Benchmark and Seasons. Through its subsidiary, Kirkwood Diamond Canada, the Company is the sales agent for top selling international brands in all regions of the country as well as being a distributor in the western provinces. These recognizable brands include Fat Bastard wines from France, Kaiken wines from Argentina, Charles Wells beers from England, Hpnotiq Liqueur from France, Anciano wines from Spain, Francois Lurton wines from France and Argentina, Blue Nun wines from Germany, coolers and spirits from Independent Distillers in New Zealand, Brick Brewing from Canada, Evan Williams Bourbon from USA, Flor de Cana rum from Nicaragua, Iceberg Vodka from Canada and many others. For further information on the company, please visit the company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc.

For further information: J. Murray Souter, President & CEO, Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc., [email protected], 905.641.1042 Ext 234; Alan Stratton, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer, Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc., [email protected], 905.641.1042 Ext 225

Related Links

www.diamondestates.ca


TORONTO, Aug. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Theatres, fire stations, breweries, trails and a historic lighthouse are just some of the fascinating places participating in Doors Open Ontario this fall. From August through October, 26 communities across the province will host their Doors Open Ontario events.

Hundreds of buildings and sites, many not usually open to the public, will welcome visitors on weekends free of charge. Commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation and experience Ontario's unique history from a new perspective with themed activities, tours, exhibitions and demonstrations. Visit the Doors Open Ontario website at doorsopenontario.on.ca for detailed event information and interactive tools to help plan your experience.

As you discover Ontario's stories, share your own through MyOntario  A vision over time. For thousands of years, many Nations and many peoples have called this place home. MyOntario  A vision over time marks this long history by opening a conversation among Ontarians about our experiences, identities, values and aspirations. Capture your Doors Open Ontario moments and join the conversation: heritagetrust.on.ca/myontario.

Doors Open Ontario  recognized as one of the 2017 Top 100 Festivals & Events in Ontario  is a program of the Ontario Heritage Trust, with funding support provided by the Ontario150 program and the Government of Ontario. Since it launched in 2002, this annual program has attracted 6.7 million visitors to explore over 16,700 amazing sites.

Upcoming Doors Open Ontario 2017 events:

Aurora August 19 Cornwall August 19-20 Rideau Lakes August 19-20 Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry August 19-20 Kawartha Lakes September 9-10 Belleville and District September 16 East Elgin September 16 Quinte West September 16 Waterloo Region September 16 Carleton Place September 16-17 London September 16-17 Minden Hills September 16-17 Niagara-on-the-Lake September 16-17 Grimsby September 23 King Township September 23 Mississauga September 23 Oxford-Norwich September 23 Wellington North September 23 Brampton September 30 Burlington September 30 Markham September 30 Orillia and Area September 30 Oshawa September 30 St. Marys September 30 Timmins September 30 Halton Region September 30 - October 1

The Trust is an agency of the Government of Ontario dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage.

doorsopenontario.on.ca

heritagetrust.on.ca

ontario.ca/150

Ontario Heritage Trust

@ONheritage

ONheritage

Aussi disponible en francais

SOURCE Ontario Heritage Trust

For further information: Oksana Kravets, Marketing and Communications Specialist (A), Telephone: 416-325-5032, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.heritagetrust.on.ca


Government of Canada invests more than $50,000 to support this community project in the Laurentides region

SAINT-FAUSTIN-LAC-CARRE, QC, Aug. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

Key local stakeholders have long been asking for concrete, sustainable measures to improve community and recreational infrastructure. As part of the Canada 150 celebrations, the Government of Canada is proud to support projects like those of the Laurentides RCM, which contribute to the region's appeal, vitality and quality of life.

Acting on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CED, David Graham, Member of Parliament for LaurentidesLabelle, announced that the Parc ecotouristique de la MRC des Laurentides has been granted $50,777 in financial assistance, in the form of a non-repayable contribution, to improve its recreational infrastructure.

The Parc ecotouristique de la MRC des Laurentides is a non-profit organization that was incorporated in 2011. Its mission is to enhance and promote accessible Crown land reflecting the rich diversity of the Laurentians' soil, watercourses and plant and animal species through outdoor activities and accommodations that mark its distinctive character. The organization operates and maintains an interpretation centre; a network of 10 hiking trails; access to four lakes, three of which are for fishing and the other for canoes, kayaks and pedal boats; and 80 campsites set up in 10 different areas of the park.

The purpose of the project is to rehabilitate the shoreline of Cordon Lake, the main body of water in the Parc ecotouristique de la MRC des Laurentides. More specifically, the work involves upgrading the access trail to Lake Cordon and rehabilitating the shoreline.

This natural 1,770-hectare park in Saint-Faustin-Lac-Carre is the former Centre educatif forestier created in 1979 by the ministere des Ressources naturelles. It became the Centre touristique et educatif des Laurentides in 1995 and has always had an educational purpose with respect to the environment and sustainable forest management.

Quotes

"I am very pleased about CED's support in the region. This federal partnership with the Laurentides RCM ties in with Canada's 150th anniversary and is among the numerous community projects that have received support over the past year. I congratulate all the passionate people who manage, maintain, enhance and preserve this magnificent park and provide visitors with information, giving locals and visitors an accessible, educational wilderness experience."

David Graham, Member of Parliament for LaurentidesLabelle

"The Government of Canada supports projects like this one by the Laurentides RCM, which mobilize and unite our communities. These projects strengthen Canada's communities, stimulate economic activity, have a positive impact on the environment, and benefit families and the middle class."

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for CED

"The Parc ecotouristique de la MRC des Laurentides is a natural wonder and we are very proud of it. The members of the council of mayors and I are very grateful for the Government of Canada's financial contribution, which has made it possible to enhance this enchanting place, the Parc ecotouristique de la MRC des Laurentides. We will now be able to provide the local community and visitors with a park that meets their expectations."

Steven Larose, Deputy Warden of the Laurentides RCM and Mayor of the Municipality of Montcalm

Quick facts

Since its creation in 2015, CIP150 has invested nearly $61M in more than 470 projects contributing to the vitality of Quebec's communities.

in more than 470 projects contributing to the vitality of communities. CED is one of the six regional development agencies under the responsibility of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

Stay connected

Follow CED on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

Follow the Parc ecotouristique des Laurentides on Facebook

SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

For further information: Media Relations, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Tel.: 514-283-7443, Email: [email protected]; Luc Lefebvre, Office of David Graham, Member of Parliament for Laurentides-Labelle, Tel.: 819-325-0778, Email: [email protected]
QUEBEC, Aug. 17, 2017 /CNW/ - When Canada's young people get the training and experience they need to be able to find and keep good jobs, our middle class grows and our economy thrives.

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced that the Government of Canada will provide funding to help 220 young people with disabilities overcome barriers to getting a job or going back to school. The SPHERE-Quebec Mon Emploi sur mesure project will receive over $2.8 million from the Government of Canada's Skills Link program.

Through the SPHERE-Quebec Mon Emploi sur mesure project, youth will attend sessions that are tailored to their needs. These include hands-on workshops that allow participants to improve their essential skills through workshops in planning, communications and teamwork. Participants will also receive interactive training related to recognized best practices in job search, resume writing and interview preparation, as well as digital technology. This project also provides valuable work experience for young people in sectors including retail, food service, maintenance, hospitality and tourism.

Quotes

"Our government is firmly focused on giving everyone a real and fair chance to succeed. By investing in young people to give them a strong start in their working lives, we're making a real difference in this community."

 The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

"We are proud to work with organizations who help young people get the job skills and the hands-on experience they need to succeed in the job market. This is part of our plan to grow the middle class and help those working hard to join it."

 the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

"Thanks to the support of the Government of Canada, through the Skills Link Program, SPHERE will be able to offer even more young people with disabilities access to innovative and customized services and tools, including training that is recognized and adapted to their individual needs. Our goal is not only for them to become successfully integrated into the workplace, but also for their training to fill the needs expressed by previously contacted employer groups seeking workers."

 Nancy Moreau, Director General, SPHERE-Quebec

Quick Facts

Each year the Government invests more than $330 million in the Youth Employment Strategy (YES) to help young people gain the skills, abilities and work experience they need to find and maintain good employment.

in the Youth Employment Strategy (YES) to help young people gain the skills, abilities and work experience they need to find and maintain good employment. Total funding for YES was increased by $278 million in 201617, representing the largest investment since its launch.

in 201617, representing the largest investment since its launch. Budget 2017 is investing an additional $395.5 million over three years for YES, starting in 201718.

over three years for YES, starting in 201718. Combined with Budget 2016 measures, these investments will help:

more than 33,000 vulnerable youth develop the skills they need to find work or go back to school;



create 15,000 new green jobs for young Canadians; and



provide over 1,600 new employment opportunities for youth in the heritage sector.

Associated Links

Youth Employment Strategy

Skills Link Program

Related Product

Backgrounder

Follow us on Twitter

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For further information: Matt Pascuzzo, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, [email protected], 819-654-5613; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
Jacksonville, Florida, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Miami, FL  August 18, 2017

Leading Jacksonville OB/GYN Adds Virtualization and Higher Levels of Care to Practice

Dr. Dan McDyer, a leading physician and OB/GYN based in Jacksonville, Florida, has recently partnered with EpicMD, www.epic.md, to begin the virtualization of his practice in order to provide his patients with the highest standard of convenient, affordable and accessible medical care by providing them with 24x7 access to health care whenever, and wherever they need it most.

Dr. McDyer, who serves as a section Chairman for ACOG and as a board member of Floridas largest group of OB/GYNs, selected mobile-first telehealth technology solutions provider EpicMD and is proving that physician-led healthcare solutions will always be the gold standard. Leading doctors continue to push the envelope in the bold start-up attracting top-tier medical talent coast-to-coast.

Health-technology start-up EpicMD, was designed and built specifically for physicians to address the nations growing demand for high quality, affordable healthcare. The unique platform and business model provides doctors with the technology and support they need to offer patients around-the-clock concierge-style care solutions, while simultaneously reducing costs.

This proactive collaboration is a response to the ever-increasing demand for convenient, quality access to 24/7/365 telemedicine services and increase rural care, all while preserving and improving the doctor-patient relationship. While increasing the practices cash and recurring revenue, it provides an important buffer for patients urgent care needs, both after-hours and during the business day, especially when the physicians schedule may be overwhelmed and the patient is unable to get to the doctors office. With this collaborative relationship, the patients receive the on-demand care they need and the physician increases the number of patients treated and experiences an immediate increase in their recurring revenue stream.

EpicMD has helped us provide the highest level of care for our patients by using the latest technologies for secure HIPAA compliant videoconferencing. They have made integration simple by helping my patients understand virtual care by removing decision-making barriers through education tools, how-to videos, and in-office marketing materials. It has also enhanced our revenue stream by keeping our patients virtual care needs in our control with our EpicMD partnership. We are extremely excited to be offering this cutting edge care option to our patients. The on-demand service is fully integrated into Dr. McDyers practice and all consultations will follow practice guidelines to ensure the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care.

About EpicMD: EpicMD is a mobile healthcare solution that allows members to connect with a network of over 600 U.S board-certified doctors 24/7 from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop device in 50 states. Based on their need, members can connect with a doctor through virtual video consultation, phone, email and HIPAA Compliant text. With a built-in member dashboard, users can manage health records, pharmacy, prescriptions, and add dependents. Additionally, all members have access to a Member Concierge to help them best utilize the EpicMD platform and receive the care they need.

www.epic.md

https://vimeo.com/211504722

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8d37ade4-8225-49d5-9512-42feeabb0b05
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ORANGE >> Mike Papa, owner of Merles Record Rack, is known worldwide in the record collecting universe as the King of Vinyl.

But as Papa celebrates the 55th anniversary of the business, he said it is as much about customers sharing and experiencing memories as it is about the extensive vinyl and collectible inventory.

These things have a million memories, Papa said, extending his arm to the store filled with LPs, 45s, CDs and vintage stereo equipment. Music is like a smell  it triggers something. ... It brings them happiness. It helps them feel young again.

Founded in 1962 by Merle Shaw, a woman, the first location was on Chapel Street in New Haven. Five years later, Shaw sold the store and the next owners expanded into many communities, including Wallingford, East Haven, Milford.

In 1984, Papa, a senior at Southern Connecticut State University who had been working for the company since age 15, franchised the name and opened a store in Derby, where he was located for 21 years. He now owns the store name and the sole Merles Record Rack is now in Orange, where hes been for 14 years.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 26 in the store, at 307 Racebrook Road, Papa will celebrate his stores 55th anniversary with a disc jockey, special sales and good vibes, as he said on postcards publicizing the event.

Papa, who often gets called Merle because people assume its his name, said the tricky part through the years has been predicting trends.

He said in the early 1980s people were getting into music CDs and quickly getting rid of records. Nowadays people are ditching their CDs  some of which have become collectibles  in favor of live-streaming, which he said doesnt have as good a sound.

I try to stay ahead of the curve, said Papa, who years ago in the beginning built his collectibles inventory by visiting flea markets and tag sales.

Today, he said vinyl  or records  is the fastest growing segment of the music industry.

Theres a lot packed into the bustling store that has a strong focus on rock n roll.

He said the five main departments are vinyl products; repairs and sales of electronics  many of them vintage 1970s turntables and receivers; rock n roll collectibles; CDs; and digitization services to preserve old home movies, phone calls or anything else recorded back in the day.

He said one customer who exchanged recorded love letters with a boyfriend serving in the Vietnam War recently had those digitized. He never made it home from Vietnam.

The store has items such as tie-dye shirts, autographed prints of the Beatles, framed original posters for Woodstock, Grateful Dead, a sign that says Janis Joplin Avenue, replica metal lunchboxes and lots more.

Papa, who grew up in West Haven and now lives in Orange with his wife, Michele, a high school teacher in Prospect, said he always was an entrepreneur, mowing lawns and fixing things as a kid.

He opened his franchise during what was to be his last semester as a business student at SCSU. His mother gave him money saved for his education to start and he later finished his degree when the business was established. Papa said he was 2 years old when his father, an auto mechanic, died, and it was his wish for Papa to get an education.

Papa said he loves music  its always playing in the store  but he keeps it quieter at home. He said friends come over and expect a phenomenal stereo setup, but he doesnt have one. He said Michele often complains that he hasnt fixed their stereo.

Papa said one of his favorite parts of the business still is fixing equipment. He calls it the gear head in him.

But he also loves to hear customers stories and the conversations with one another in the store over shared concert experiences and feelings about certain bands and music.

This is all about relationships with people, he said of the business.

Customers reminisce about music, he said, recalling their first album, the album their father bought them for $4 or the album they listened to 50 times with a cousin.

Its very touching, he said, noting his gift for gab has served him well through the years.

Papa said music creates camaraderie like sports.

All of a sudden people are out on the (sales) floor making conversation about style, genre, he said of customers connecting.

He also sees collectors who come from as far away as Japan and Germany, making Merles Record Rack a stop when theyre on buying trips. He said the Internet has helped lead out-of-the-area collectors to the store. Papa said some collectors make the store a side trip when theyre visiting New York City.

Kimberly Roy, 20, of West Haven, was recently at Merles looking for a wire to hook up the speakers for her turntable.

Roy said she loves old records  from Mary Poppins to the Rolling Stones  because it facilitates conversation with her father, Robert Roy, a 1970s guy, and to some degree with her mother, Carolyn.

I find it a way to connect with dad, she said of listening to records. Its a good way to learn a lot about him.

Kimberly Roy also said some old music helped get her mother to spill about some of her teenaged shenanigans outside Toads Place years ago.

Papa and his wife have two college-educated adult daughters, both of whom love music, but neither of whom is interested in going into the business, Papa said.

Papa said after all these years he still loves coming to work every day and often wakes up in the middle of the night wondering what the next day will bring.

Everything is a mystery. People call, its always different, Papa said. Its still fun to come to work.
NEW HAVEN >> The city has won a serious challenge to future developments filed by the litigious PMC Property Group, even as the company brings a fifth suit over an approved apartment building that competes with its Strouse Adler units.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Meyer has dismissed the 2015 suit by 26 Crown St. Associates, one of the properties owned by PMC, which charged that New Havens combined sewer and storm drain system overflows during heavy rainfall and damages his apartment complex and thousands of other New Haven properties.

PMC, a major real estate owner out of Philadelphia, brought the federal suit against the city and the Greater New Haven Regional Water Pollution Control Authority, charging that overflows ultimately pollute Long Island Sound in violation of the Clean Water Act.

In addition to the conversion of the former Strouse Adler undergarment company to apartments, also known as the Smoothie building, PMC owns 900 Chapel St. here.

Meyer wrote it would be nothing but fanciful and well exceeding the bounds of plausibility to conclude that occasional back flows of polluted water into the basement of plaintiffs property somehow find their way past several city blocks, the Northeast Corridor train tracks, sprawling acres of an IKEA parking lot and six or more lanes of Interstate 95 to contaminate the Long Island Sound.

Any pollution of nearby wetlands also would not satisfy the definitions required under the Clean Water Act, the judge ruled.

The law also refers to the need for a point source conduit for the pollution to reach navigable waters.

Absent exceptional proof of something akin to a mythical Styx-like subterranean river, a diffuse medium like ground water for the passive migration of pollutants to navigable waters cannot constitute a point source within the meaning of the Clean Water Act, Meyer wrote.

Meyer also dismissed PMCs claim that the back flows constitute an illegal taking of property, mainly because the company has not sought compensation through state law.

The newest suit filed by the company is the fifth challenge to the city and Spinnaker Residential, LLC, over its approved proposal to construct 66 apartments on a parking lot adjacent to the Smoothie building, with 166 more at the former site of the Comcast building at Chapel and Olive streets across the street.

The city and Spinnaker have won all four previous suits. The latest one is similar to the last suit, which claimed that stormwater generated by the development will increase negative impacts on Long Island Sound.

Ron Caplan, the president of PMC Property Group, did not answer an email seeking comment.

Economic Development Administrator Matthew Nemerson said it is very disappointing to have somebody who is a major land owner in town continue to bring lawsuits against another developer, rather than invest in its Strouse Adler complex.

He said Smoothie is in a great location. It is still going to be a great location even with the developments right next to it.

The nearby Shoreline East train station upgrade is almost done and as soon as the Hartford to Springfield rail line is complete, there will be even greater interest in the area, Nemerson said.

That strip along Olive Street and Union Avenue is going to be center point of the whole state when the trains are there, he said.

Nemerson said these suits are not the rules of engagement. He said developers should work together to make the city better.

We would much prefer that PMC come to us and talk about their future, their plans for upgrading and reinvesting in Strouse Adler as opposed to trying to stop Spinnaker and Petra from expanding that neighborhood, Nemerson said.

He said the city and other developers would be interested in buying out PMC.

We really need people who believe in the future of New Haven, he said.

Petra has approval to construct 299 apartments along Union Street. It also was delayed by a suit by PMC, which that company also lost. It has said recently that it is interested in continuing to pursue its project in New Haven.

Spinnaker Residential issued a statement that it remains fully committed to our apartment community proudly named the Lofts at Wooster Square, which it said will be transformative to the area.

Back in 2013, the company said the majority of the neighborhood supported its plans.

Our development will not only bring much needed housing, jobs, and pedestrian activity to the immediate area, but will increase the tax base of the City. Then as now, we are just as excited and determined to see this community come to fruition, it said in a statement.

The company said it believes the latest suit will be dismissed, as have the previous four.

The Lofts at Wooster Square is right around the corner, it wrote.
HARTFORD >> Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Friday stepped up the sense of urgency for a new state budget, unveiling a plan that would sharply cut state aid to towns and cities and massively reshuffled school funding next month if lawmakers cannot agree finally agree on a new budget that is already about 50 days late.

It is incumbent upon state leaders to come together and reach an agreement on a biennial budget right away, the governor said during a half-hour morning news conference in the Capitol.

Under his planned executive order, Connecticuts 30 poorest school districts would retain last years funding, while dozens of other districts  some affluent, others not  would see their funding cut entirely if a budget deal isnt reached by mid-September.

In the absence of an adopted budget from the General Assembly, my administration is reallocating resources to pay for basic human services, education in our most challenged school districts, and the basic operation of government, Malloy said. The municipal aid that is funded as part of this executive order reflects the nearly impossible decisions Connecticut must make in the absence of a budget. It will force some of our municipalities - both large and small - to make similarly difficult choices of their own.

The plan would provide $1.46 billion in Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants to the communities with the highest student needs and the greatest reliance on state funding. It holds the 30 so-called Alliance Districts  such as Bridgeport, Danbury, Ansonia, Stamford and Norwak  harmless and provides a grant equal to the Fiscal Year 2017 level.

Some 54 towns will receive a portion their Fiscal Year 17 ECS grant, and 85 municipalities will receive no ECS grant.

Among the new set of losing districts is Stratford, which would see its $21 million state ECS grant wiped out.

Straford Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson called the governors edict devastating.

It is unbelievable that the Governor would cut a town with 46 percent free and reduced lunch to zero support, Robinson said.

The Education Cost Sharing formula has always been unfair to Stratford, said Stratford Mayor John Harkins. But the draconian elimination of state education funding announced today by the governor is simply unacceptable. Punishing a diverse school district that has been improving itself is simply wrong. Our students, teachers, parents and taxpayers simply deserve better.

Milford, which got $10.8 million in school funding from state in 2016-17 would also be zeroed out.

It is disturbing that there is still no State budget, said Milford Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Feser.  We continue to follow the developments in Hartford with trepidation hoping that the legislature and Governor will not pass a budget that has a detrimental effect on the education of our students or any student across the state.

Bridgeport schools, which would have seen an $11 million cut under the executive order Malloy signed at the end of June, would be brought back up to $181 million under the new order. The state covers three quarters of the school district budget.

A total of 25 percent of the ECS payments will be made in early October. Most municipalities and school districts need to make decision now with school set to open just before or after Labor Day.

This has never been my preferred path. I have proposed full balanced budgets and also short-term solutions that would alleviate some of this pain. It is incumbent upon state leaders to come together and reach an agreement on a biennial budget right away.

In June, in the absence of an adopted state budget, Malloy released an Executive Order Resource Allocation Plan. Malloy said the plan would satisfy the most pressing obligations on the state.

In response to the plan, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, said he appreciates the focus on the states neediest municipalities but suggested the plan would have a devastating effect on many schools districts across the state.

We intend to caucus with our members next week and continue our progress toward reaching a final budget agreement that provides predictability and stability to families, service providers and businesses, Looney said.
MERIDEN >> For brothers Jason and Erick Ramos, there are no more normal routines.

They are waiting to see whether their parents, Franklin and Gioconba Ramos, both 43, will be able to proceed toward legal residence or be deported to Ecuador for the next decade.

The couple are in a situation similar to that of Nury Chavarria of Norwalk, Luis Barrios of Derby, Marco Reyes of Meriden and Joel Colindres of New Fairfield, all of whom had complications with their cases that ended with final orders of deportation.

Chavarria, after seeking sanctuary in a New Haven church, has been granted a temporary stay; Reyes currently is taking sanctuary at First and Summerfield United Methodist Church in New Haven; Barrios now has two years before his next court case; and Colindres was granted a temporary stay by order of the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 2nd Circuit Thursday as he and his family were on their way to the airport, where he was to be deported to Guatemala.

None of these undocumented immigrants have criminal records.

The Ramoses were told Aug. 1, in a routine check-in with Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers in Hartford, that they needed to show two one-way tickets to Ecuador by Aug. 31 with a departure date from the U.S. no later than Sept. 29.

After reviewing both cases, and in a further exercise of discretion, ICE chose not to place either in custody, allowing them the chance to make timely departure arrangements. If they should fail to do so, they can be placed into ICE custody, where theyll remain pending removal from the United States, a New England region ICE spokesman wrote in an email.

In the U.S. for the past 24 years, Franklin and Gioconba Ramos have been working and paying taxes, first in Brooklyn, New York, and then in Connecticut as they followed questionable legal advice or agencies who missed deadlines that left them vulnerable to deportation.

Unidad latina en Accion of New Haven is helping the Ramoses in their current situation.

Franklin Ramos said he never received notification of a final deportation order in 2005.

Shortly after he had sought an update from ICE on his applications in 2012, however, he said he was detained for three months.

Since then, he has been receiving temporary stays of deportation from the Hartford ICE office under the Obama administration, until this June when stricter enforcement of U.S. immigration law by the Trump administration kicked in for persons with final deportation orders.

Michael Boyle, the latest attorney for the Ramoses, said he is seeking to have a closed case in New York reopened, as Franklin Ramos had the necessary work sponsor he needed at the time and his son, Jason Ramos, 23, has since correctly applied to have his parents status changed.

The Meriden family talked about their situation in the three-family home the couple bought and renovated over the last 13 years.

Boyle also is hoping the Hartford ICE office will give the Ramoses another month here so New York immigration officials can deal with the request to reopen the case.

He has been working toward residency since 2001. ... They thought everything they were doing was the right course, Erick Ramos, 17, said.

Erick Ramos has been accepted to Central Connecticut State University and hopes eventually to pursue a degree in physical therapy. He had planned to attend fulltime in fall, but that will change if his parents are deported and the brothers are left behind.

Jason Ramos has been going to college part time and had hoped to get his degree in psychology from CCSU this year.

Both sons are U.S. citizens.

My dad has been preparing for the worst. He has been renovating and painting so I dont have to worry about hiring and paying someone on my own. We have all been hard workers. He, as a father, always wanted to maintain that role as a protector, provider, a guide in any situation, Jason Ramos said.

The oldest son has power of attorney and will be a guardian for his brother, if need be.

He said people may say they are adults and conclude the only things their parents provide is financial support.

A parent is someone who is with you in good times and bad times, celebrates with you but also counsels you when you are at your lowest point. We are still very young people, we are not perfect people, so we depend very much on a system of values, of people we can rely on, Jason Ramos said.

Erick Ramos said his parents never wanted to burden them with their immigration problems, but he asked why is my mother crying every night? Why does my father wear an ankle bracelet? What did we do to have these negative things happen to us?

Erick Ramos said his father has worked a lot of labor jobs. He said he got hit in the eye with a nail, he has smashed his hand with a hammer, he has almost sliced off his finger.

He said none of that pain can equal the pain he feels now. No pain can describe this pain. He said to me, I can leave the house. I can leave a car, but I cant leave my two sons.

Erick Ramos said they will survive, but it is not about just surviving. That is not what families are. That is not what America should be calling for. We are trying to be in this place to thrive, to collaborate, to move forward. When you are trying to survive, you are only looking out for yourself. That is not what we are used to. We are used to looking out for others, for others looking out for us.

The brothers said normal celebrations, such as his recent graduation and buying a car to commute to school, have been colored by their present worries.

Normal things, like enjoying a meal, are being taking away. I see my moms face. It is hard. It is not the same joy she always had, Erick Ramos said.
President Donald Trumps evident frustration with the U.S. mission in Afghanistan is entirely understandable. After nearly 16 years of war, the country is torn by violence and the government of President Ashraf Ghani remains weak. Taliban fighters are surging in a number of rural areas. Trump is right to ask whether a longer and deeper commitment of U.S. forces, proposed by the commanders on the ground and his national security adviser, would be wasted. He is also correct to believe there can be no strictly military victory. But when Trump weighs a long-overdue strategic plan for Afghanistan, perhaps as soon as Friday, we hope he will also see there are very real risks to conceding defeat. The United States should not abandon Afghanistan now.

Trump initially empowered Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to decide troop levels in Afghanistan and their objectives. The secretary has told Congress that the Taliban now controls or contests some 40 percent of Afghanistan, and that more U.S. troops and NATO forces would help block the militants momentum. As an interim step, American commanders in the country requested some 3,000 to 5,000 additional U.S. troops, but Mattis delayed sending them. The deployment question has become part of a long internal policy debate in which Trump seems caught between two arguments.
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MASHANTUCKET >> Foxwoods Resort has added some buzzworthy restaurants lately (Sugar Factory, Guy Fieris Foxwoods Kitchen & Bar, and the fall-arriving Caputo Trattoria in the old Al Dente space), but the resorts posh/aspirational Vue 24 still holds the banner of destination for special occasions.

Its where deal-making Foxwoods officials hold dinner meetings, where the rock group Foreigner dines with lucky invitees the night before a concert at the huge resort casino, and its where youll see couples celebrating special occasions with a meal near the windows with a view from the 24th floor of the Grand Pequot Tower.

The former Paragon restaurant, relaunched in January 2016 (with a clearer menu) as Vue 24, boasts lavish charm with a familiar and relaxing ambiance. Fairly elegant visuals are set to the soothing/lush soundtrack of jazz pianist Jack E. Madrys work on grand piano. (You can get his CD and your house will sound like the 24th floor.)

The restaurant, open Wednesday through Saturday evenings and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., recently added some new dishes to the mix, including a Point Judith calamari appetizer, shaved seasonal vegetables salad, side dishes of rosti potato raclette (cheesy potatoes) or minted peas and main dishes of Pacific halibut pan-roasted with melted onions, pea greens, fingerling potatoes and lemon butter (thick-cut and lightly crusted) and veal chop Oscar with (a nicely complementing) king crab, shaved asparagus, red wine potato puree and sauce Bearnaise.

The plan for Vue 24 and its menu tweaking is to maintain a high-end, upscale feel, said Michello Shien, an assistant manager, but also add a new twist on something familiar for established patrons.

Chef de Cuisine Michael Yaffe said these late-summer additions are aimed at seasonality to take advantage of items such as local pea tendrils. Yaffe said he uses as much locally sourced ingredients as possible. We try to do it where we can, where it makes sense, he said. That includes a very drinkable house merlot selection from Red Diamond Vineyards of Point Judith, Rhode Island, part of the restaurants considerable wine list (with half-priced bottles on Wednesday evenings).

My lobsters, scallops, oysters are all local, Yaffe said the other day. I get Niantic Bay oysters, the Stonington Bomster sea scallops, Stonington lobsters...  choices he called a layup for local seafoods obvious attributes.

Yaffe said the additions arent aimed at any particular demographic, just to continue to inspire everybody, front of the house, back of the house and our guests  people who are regulars and what have you, so they can see new items and have some fun.

Vue 24 is often for special occasions (or high rollers) because its not cheap; a dinner for two can easily run more than $200 with drinks and tip.

Dinner prices range from $23 for pappardelle pasta to $52 for New York strip steak to $120 for Chateaubriand prepared tableside for two. Appetizers and salads are extra. The Bar at Vue 24 menu offers value, with most items under $30, including a Beriah Lewis Farm burger for $18.

Sunday brunch is $40 and includes new item stuffed French toast, described as a cream-stuffed brioche with house-cured bacon, pecans, maple bourbon sauce and berries. Cocktails are $15.

Yaffe said the clientele is a great mix of people celebrating special occasions ... and then we have Sunday brunch where you have a very relaxed, people-checking-out (of the hotel) demographic, a little bit younger, maybe theyre off to the Fox Tower to go to Liquid Sundays (pool party), so its a good mix.

One of the affordable options is the bucatini pasta prepared tableside with fresh basil, chili flake, and tossed in Parmesan wheel for $32.

It goes in a whole 80-pound wheel, (where) the whole top is carved out, said Yaffe, which is fun for a couple or larger party to share.

The chef wants the restaurant to be approachable fine dining. Theres nowhere else in New England where you can eat 24 floors up with this view; it doesnt exist.
Raleigh, NC, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Guess & Co. Corporation a luxury, industrial, health care and real estate company based in North Carolina announced today that it is pursing acquisitions to build and grow its busines operations. The company is pursuing middle-market companies that will build and enhance its luxury, industrial, health care and real estate groups. Guess & Co. Corporation is projecting $250 million in consolidated gross revenue and $50 million in consolidated pre-tax net income for the year ending December 31, 2017. For the year ending December 31, 2018, the company is anticipating overall revenue of $1 billion and consolidated pre-tax net income of $200 million. The company has included expected acquisitions as part of those projections.

Guess & Co. Corporation intends to acquire companies that are generating between $10 million and $125 million in gross annual revenue. In acquiring exisiting companies in the middle market, Guess & Co. is looking to build its various business operations. After acquiring the companies, they will become part of a respective unit of Guess & Co. Corporation. The company intends to leave most management teams in place, but would expand those teams to include additional management professionals specializing in strategy, marketing, business development, sales, administration, finance and compliance. Acquired companies will be allowed to operate semi-autonomously within their business unit, while management will be under the direct supervision of the group head. Guess & Co. Corporation employs a roll-up strategy to grow acquired companies, in which it looks to acquire competitors of the acquired company as an add-on transaction to expand product offerings, service capabilities, and capacity resulting in substantial revenue growth. Additionally, Guess & Co. Corporation deploys sales forces that are trained to cross-sell to corporate, government, and retail customers across business lines, while having separate sales forces that specialize in certain business areas to ensure superior customer satisfaction and increased revenue.

"Acquisitions are a fundamental part of our overall business strategy which allows us to build our business units with existing operations and effectively compete in the marketplace," the company issued in a statement. Management of Guess & Co. Corporation is committed to acquisitions as a long-term business strategy for the company. "We anticipate acquisitions being a continuing part of our business plan," the company added. As a privately-held company, Guess & Co. Corporation will finance acquisitions through a combination of equity arrangements with selling shareholders and asset-based financing. Joint ventures, public companies, private companies and distressed companies are possible acquisition targets for Guess & Co. Corporation. The company is exploring acquisitions throughout the U.S. and abroad and expects several companies to be acquired by the end of 2017, with many more acquisitions occuring in 2018.

About Guess & Co. Corporation

Guess & Co. Corporation is a diversified company with four primary business units which are the luxury group, the industrial group, the health care group and the real estate group. We are based in Raleigh, North Carolina and conduct business in the United States and abroad. Most of our businesses are built organically, and we pursue acquisitions of existing companies that will enhance our operations.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e96f5b5c-a063-4330-abd4-fdb3d8ee190b
HARTFORD  Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Friday underscored the sense of urgency in the State Capitol, announcing sharp cuts in aid to towns and cities, along with a massive reshuffling of school funding in October if lawmakers cannot finally agree on a new state budget.

In reaction, local officials throughout Connecticut winced in pain, while with the budget 50 days late, Democratic and Republican leaders in the General Assembly finally agreed on something: The cuts could be devastating.

It is incumbent upon state leaders to come together and reach an agreement on a biennial budget right away, Malloy said during a half-hour morning news conference in the Capitol. He admitted that it is unlikely that a two-year, nearly $40 billion budget wont be finalized in the Legislature, but Republicans have withdrawn from negotiations, seeing Democratic plans to hike taxes by a billion dollars as unacceptable.

Under his planned executive order, Connecticuts 30 poorest school districts would retain last years funding, while dozens of other districts  some affluent, others not  would see their money cut entirely if a budget deal isnt reached by mid-September.

In the absence of an adopted budget from the General Assembly, my administration is reallocating resources to pay for basic human services, education in our most challenged school districts, and the basic operation of government, Malloy said. The municipal aid that is funded as part of this executive order reflects the nearly impossible decisions Connecticut must make in the absence of a budget.

Av Harris, communications director for Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, estimated that overall, the city would be hit with a $31 million reduction.

More Information The Governor's latest school funding plan Gov. Dannel P. Malloy shuffled the school funding deck again on Friday. Here is what school districts would get if the state does not pass a budget. District 2016-17 2017-18 Ansonia $16.4M $16.4M Bridgeport $181M $181M Derby $7.9M $7.9M Easton $177,907 Fairfield $1.08M Milford $10.8M Monroe $6.3M Ocford $4.5M Seymour $10M $2M Shelton $5.8M Trumbull $3.4M Westport $465,334 State $2B $1.46B See More Collapse

Disappearing ECS

The plan would provide $1.46 billion in Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants to the communities with the highest student needs and the greatest reliance on state assistance, such as Bridgeport, Danbury, Ansonia, Stamford and Norwalk, providing them a grant equal to that of the fiscal year that ended June 30.

Fifty-four towns would receive a portion of last years grant, and 85 would receive no ECS help.

Connecticut is a small state. Today it becomes a small-minded state, Shelton Schools Superintendent Chris Clouet said in response to the governors announcement. Shelton would get no ECS funding under the plan. Neither would Stratford, which last year received $22 million.

Stratford Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson called the governors edict devastating.

It is unbelievable that the governor would cut a town with 46 percent free and reduced lunch to zero support, Robinson said.

The Education Cost Sharing formula has always been unfair to Stratford, said Mayor John Harkins. But the draconian elimination of state education funding announced today by the governor is simply unacceptable.

Milford, which got $10.8 million in school funding from state in 2016-17 would also be zeroed-out.

It is disturbing that there is still no state budget, said Milford Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Feser.  We continue to follow the developments in Hartford with trepidation, hoping that the Legislature and governor will not pass a budget that has a detrimental effect on the education of our students or any student across the state.

Bridgeport schools, which would have seen an $11 million cut under the executive order Malloy signed at the end of June, would be brought back up to $181 million under the new order. The state covers three-quarters of the school district budget.

Pointing fingers

The flat funding, however, does not take into account several other state education grants for such things as special education that districts rely on, and which are being cut. For Stamford, the new executive order would mean losing $3.1 million in grants, which Schools Superintendent Earl Kim said the district did not anticipate.

Its all bad, Kim said. I recognize the challenge the governor and legislature face but it leaves us with no place to go.

A total of 25 percent of the ECS payments will be made in early October. Most municipalities and school districts need to make decisions now, with school set to open just before or after Labor Day.

In June, in the absence of an adopted state budget, Malloy released an Executive Order Resource Allocation Plan. Malloy said the plan would satisfy the most pressing obligations on the state.

In response to the plan, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, said he appreciates the focus on the states neediest municipalities, but agreed that the plan would have a adverse effects on many schools districts.

We intend to caucus with our members next week and continue our progress toward reaching a final budget agreement that provides predictability and stability to families, service providers and businesses, Looney said.

Republican Senate Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said Malloys plan culminates a six-year path into crisis.

The governors executive order shows that he mistakes the governorship for a dictatorship, Fasano said. Now that the state is broke, instead of uniting our state to pursue serious structural changes, he is threatening a unilateral decision that violates the judges orders to bring fairness to education funding and is outright illegal. It will also guarantee massive property tax increases. Yet he is blaming the legislature for a problem that was years in the making under his watch and caused by his failures.

Malloys propoal would also add about $40 million in subsidizes for nonprofit social service providers.

But while the restored funds will help buffer or delay some of the most devastating impacts of the budget stalemate, it is not a substitute for a biennial budget, said Gian-Carl Casa, president and CEO of the Connecticut Community Non-Profit Alliance. Nonprofit funding remains $150 million below Fiscal Year 2017 levels, putting thousands of programs in jeopardy.
WEST HAVEN >> The University of New Haven announced it will host a Fulbright TechImpact Scholar from University College in Dublin, Ireland, over the next few months.

David Lillis, assistant professor of computer science, will work with a well-known University of New Haven researcher, Frank Breitinger, an assistant professor of computer science and co-director of the Universitys cyber forensics group, the university said in a press release.
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NEW HAVEN >> A record number of New Haven Promise scholars were celebrated Thursday during a ceremony attended by more than 200 students from the historic class, which included more than 350 local learners.

Southern Connecticut State University President Joe Bertolino welcomed the students and their families at SCSUs John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts, which will be home to numerous New Haven Promise scholars attending the university this fall. Bertolino was joined by New Haven Promise President Patricia Melton, New Haven Mayor Toni Harp, Yale University President Peter Salovey and WTNH News anchor Keith Kountz, who served as master of ceremonies. Yale University Chief of Police Ronnell Higgins served as keynote speaker.

There were 359 qualifiers for the Promise award this year, which the organization said was a 75 percent growth in the last three years. The program this year marked its sixth scholarship class and is funded by Yale University, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Yale New Haven Hospital and Wells Fargo. Promise Scholars are New Haven residents who receive full or partial tuition to any college or university in the state. The program also provides paid internships.

Your presence here this evening is an indication of how important the New Haven Promise scholarship program is to the city, Bertolino said. Its an honor for me and Southern Connecticut State University to help advance the life work that New Have Promise has done to ensure that a college degree becomes an attainable goal for all of the citys students.

The opportunity to attend college in the United States is still not something everyone gets, Bertolino said. Attending college not only helps to improve a persons earning power; higher education has other benefits, Bertolino said. The entire region benefits from a students succes, he said.

According to New Haven Promises event program, the number of students enrolled in New Haven public schools has increased by 16 percent since New Haven Promise was announced. The increased enrollment has translated to an additional $50 million in aggregated revenue for New Haven Public Schools, according to New Haven Promise.

The students in this room have clearly worked hard to reach this point, and you deserve the reward of higher education, Bertolino said.

Salovey said New Haven Promise is the program Yale feels most proud of, adding that its a wonderful partnership with the city. He congratulated scholars and their families for their work.

You dont do this on your own, Salovey said. You need the support of your family, the community thats supported you, your teachers, your schools. We are so proud of what you have accomplished and we look forward to watching you and seeing what you do over the course of your lifetime.

Salovey said his wife, Marta Moret, was a first-generation college student whose parents were from Puerto Rico. She will now be teaching as an adjunct faculty member at SCSU this fall, Salovey said, adding her story is similar to many of the scholars. He encouraged students to not be intimidated, just jump in.

I know many of your are first-generation college-goers, too, Salovey said. College is going to be a time for new opportunities, for new challenges, to push the boundaries of what youve already experienced in your life.

Harp thanked Melton for her work and said the students presence Thursday underscores her faith in the city.

This homegrown scholarship program, now in its seventh year, has clearly blossomed into a powerful, motivating force, Harp said. New Haven Promise offers high school students incentive to succeed and financial assistance for college.

Harp thanked New Haven Interim Superintendent of Schools Reginald Mayo, who was on the school board when the program was first developed. He was awarded the Champion Award by the program Thursday.

Harp said she looked forward to the continual success of the current class.

You are what makes New Haven the greatest small city in America, Harp said.
ROCKLEDGE, Fla., Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Elev8 Brands, Inc. (OTC Pink:VATE), a holding company focused on the commercial development of hemp and CBD-based products including hemp coffee, tea, and E-juices, which target the health and wellness markets, announces Toledo Hemp Center has placed a second order with wholly-owned subsidiary Elev8 Hemp LLC to contract roast and package their popular hemp coffee.



Toledo Hemp Center placed their first order in late June and quickly sold out. Founder & Owner Kevin Spitler commented, Our hemp coffee is one of the most popular products in our store and customers keep coming back for it. Elev8 Hemp has helped us extensively with enhancing our logo and packaging. We now meet the most stringent quality requirements, including Fair Trade Certified, which are mandatory for the larger scale grocery chains we are currently pursing.

According to PLMA (Private Label Manufacturers Association), the private label coffee business grew 8.5% to over $611M in 2016. Elev8 Hemp continues to expand its private label coffee business by offering customers complete turnkey solutions for coffee recipes, branding and packaging all with the lowest minimum runs offered on the market today. In addition to the Toledo Hemp Center account the company is in talks with one of the largest nationally recognized retail hemp brands to private label roast and package their hemp coffee.

CEO of Elev8 Brands Ryan Medico stated, The expansion of our Elev8 Hemp Coffee brand online and in retail outlets has opened up significant opportunities in private label coffee roasting and packaging. As Elev8 Hemp Coffee penetrates larger retail chains such as Whole Foods and Kroger private label partnerships such as Toledo Hemp Center provide an attractive recurring revenue model which we are excited to capitalize on.

About Elev8 Brands, Inc.:

Elev8 Brands, Inc. specializes in the development and marketing of products for the fitness and wellness markets. The company is founded based on creating high-quality, sustainable, products for health-conscious consumers.

About Elev8 Hemp LLC:

Elev8 Hemp LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elev8 Brands, Inc. which focuses on the development and marketing of hemp-based food, beverage, and health care products including hemp coffee, hemp water, and hemp-based skin care products.

About 02 Breathe LLC:

02 Breathe is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elev8 Brands, Inc. which focuses on their oxygen bar while bringing in an array of CBD products. O2 Breathe carries CBD tinctures, CBD vape, CBD lotions and massage products. 02 Breathe is currently looking to offer CBD at their oxygen bar.

Please visit, www.elev8hemp.com for more information.

Safe Harbor Statement:

The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing various engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, and various other factors beyond the Company's control.
Niger State has the capacity to produce assorted crops that will feed Africa, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said.He spoke in Minna, the Niger State capital, where he declared open a two-day Niger State Economic Summit with the theme: Impact investment for advancing agricultural economy and innovation.The conference, which attracted economic experts, industrialists and manufacturers and some state governors, was organised to attract investors in various sectors to boost the states economy.Osinbajo praised Governor Abubakar Bello for organising the conference, noting that it would assist in attracting investors, especially in the agricultural sector.He called on state governments to assist farmers with alternative sources of power, to enable them to process and preserve their produce.The Acting President said the Federal Government was ready to partner with state governments willing to rehabilitate federal infrastructure in their areas.Niger State government is collaborating with the Federal Government to complete Baro Port, he said, noting that such projects would create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.Osinbajo said Niger was hosting three major hydro dams, adding that renewable energy was the way forward to increase the capacity of villagers and farmers for agricultural investment.He said there was also the need to improve on road infrastructure for enhanced agricultural development in the state.Bello said the state had large deposits of natural resources, such as hydro carbon at the Bida Basin, gold, copper, tin, iron ore, tantalite, kaoline and clay.He said the potential in the mining sector were untapped and open for investment.Similarly, there abound tourism sites, such as the Zuma Rock, Bark Empire Hills, Nagwamatse Well, Mongo Park Cenotaph and Gurara Waterfalls.Bello explained that the state government had developed a road map on some cardinal investment potential such as Banana Free Trade Zone, Garam Industrial Park, Baro Port and Suleja New Smart City.
President Muhammadu Buhari

Southern leaders from the South West, South East, South South have declared that if the country is not restructured, there will be no election come 2019.

Prominent leaders from the Southern part of the country yesterday vowed that if the country is not restructured, there may be no general election in 2019. This was contained in a report by Daily Sun which formed part of the discussion held at a colloquium on restructuring organised by the Island Club, Lagos.

The colloquium titled Restructuring: Challenges, implications and the way forward, was attended by prominent leaders in the South West, South East, South South and the North.

Niger Delta activist, Annkio Briggs, who was one of the discussants said she had the mandate of the Niger Delta people to speak on their behalf. She said if the country does not restructure, there would not be elections in 2019.

Annkio Briggs said: The country is like a moving train without brakes and in order not to crash, we need to restructure. All regions must come together and agree on restructuring and everybody must say what restructuring means to them, and we must agree on restructuring before 2019 election. There is so much injustice in the country.





For instance, there are 419 local governments in the North and 365 local government in the South and the north gets far more resources from the Federal Government than the people producing oil in the country. Niger Delta is producing more and getting less.





"We must have a new constitution or we can use the 1963 constitution and work on it. We can have a new constitution that will take care of these injustices like the issue of Fulani herdsmen and religion. If we cannot restructure, we should call the zones together to call for a referendum, so that each zone can determine how they want to live.

The lead discussant, Prof. Stephen Adebanji Akintoye, said the federal government has become inefficient and corrupt because of oil revenue from the Niger Delta. He said the abandonment of export products that were helping Nigeria has become a problem.

Restructuring has become inescapable for Nigerians. The struggle for a rational federal structure has been a major concern since we were young men. Nigeria needs to restructure due to the harsh effect of the federal structure of Nigeria. Youths in South-East, Niger Delta and South-West are telling us that they do not want to be part of Nigeria anymore. It is under this that the cry for restructuring is growing louder.





Some people are saying restructuring is a confusing idea and I dare say their strategy is clever, but not clever enough. We want a federalism that is widely acceptable and the best structure is federalism whereby each zone would be a federating unit and control and develop its own resources for the good of its people.





"This is the only solution to our nationality problem.The structure we operated in 1963 was very productive because each region had its constitution and controlled its resources, he said.

Prof. John Ogu, a former Deputy governor of Ebonyi State, who represented the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, said the marginalisation of the South-East and the unfair treatment meted out to the Igbo from the end of the civil war till date were the factors that aided the rise of separatist groups like the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

He said: What IPOB is doing now is a cry for justice.They are saying the Igbo have been treated very badly and have been marginalised since the civil war ended, and it is only restructuring that can remedy some of those wrongs. It can be done by amending the 1999 constitution holistically or by creating a new constitution.





Restructuring does not mean the disintegration of the country, but making Nigeria a federation and changing the unitary system of government, that the military handed to us, to a federal system of government to ensure security.

Former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, said restructuring is not about the North against the South.

Restructuring is decentralising power to make a way from distribution and consuming arrangement for every federating units to increase its fiscal resources for development. The country is on a precipice. No one can predict what will happen on October 1. Any country that cannot boast of security for its citizens and property is not worthy of being called a country. We need to have state and local police to protect the lives of citizens and property. The ruling party has said voters should not vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 because of restructuring, so we are now watching to see whether the All Progressives Congress (APC) will restructure before 2019.

A former Minister for Information, Labaran Maku, agreed with the consensus on restructuring. He said: Nigeria needs restructuring. It offers Africa and Africans a great hope if we can reform the structure and its internal powers. The majority of us believe that restructuring will make Nigeria a great country, and these kind of debates are needed to ensure that restructuring works.

Ayo Adebanjo, a chieftain of Afenifere chastised northern leaders who are opposed to restructuring.

The military introduced this constitution which thrives on a unitary system of government, but you cannot run Nigeria on a military system of government, because we have so many ethnic groups. We have passed that stage where people will try to make us think that restructuring is new. It is not. We must restructure now or the country may not survive. The North does not want to agree on restructuring because they are beneficiaries of the awkwardness of this 1999 constitution which was thrust on us by the military he said.

General Alani Akinrinade condemned what he described as the deafening silence from most prominent northern elders over the quit notice given to the Igbo living the north before October 1 by northern youths.

He said: Besides a few northern elders who criticised the northern youths for the quit notice given to the Igbo, I am sad that most of the elders I expected to have condemned it have maintained a deafening silence.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and newly re-elected President Paul Kagame say Africa must begin to look inwards to solve its numerous problems, noting that Africa can indeed solve its own problems..Both leaders spoke today in Kigali, the Rwandan capital at the inauguration of President Paul Kagame for a third term.Prof. Osinbajo said in an interview with newsmen shortly after the inauguration ceremony that the theme has gone through the African Union and this is very resonant that we must solve our own problems, that Africa can solve its own problems and I think African nations have begun to demonstrate that.He said: Africa can take leadership in various respects, leadership in our economy, handle the commanding heights in our economy, be directly involved in the destiny and future of our countries.And I think the point that Kagame made is an important one and is one that is being demonstrated all over Africa.Citing the case of Nigeria, Osinbajo said we have shown in Nigeria that whatever problems we have, we can resolve them. We are doing so in the north-east we are doing so with the humanitarian condition and all of that.Prof. Osinbajo described Paul Kagame as an excellent example of leadership especially in Africa, attributing his victory at the polls to his outstanding performance and leadership style.Earlier in his inauguration speech titled A day of renewal and gratitude, Kagame called on African leaders to unite in rebuilding the continent in the spirit of consensus where no one is left behind.According to Kagame, there is no single model of nation building. Good choices are built on the mindset summarized as doing it yourself.He said: the governance and prosperity of Africa cannot be outsourced. There is exceptional leadership and ingenuity amongst us.The President said Africa had the necessary capabilities to transform its economy and the lives of the people for the better with little or no external influence.Kagame promised to lead the present generation of Rwandans to the era of prosperity, sustainability and self-reliance.The event was attended by several Heads of States and government from within and beyond the continent, former leaders as well as representatives of multilateral organizations.
The remains of a former acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Andrews Obaseki, have been laid to rest in Benin, the Edo State capital.The late Obaseki, who was an uncle to the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, died on July 13 at the age of 91.He was buried close to the grave of his late father, Chief Gaius Obaseki, at his Benin residence on Idahosa Street on Friday.Earlier, family and friends gathered at the St. Peters Anglican Church on Lagos Street for his funeral service, which was presided over by the Bishop of Benin Diocese, Rt. Rev. Peter Imasuen.In his sermon, Imasuen described the deceased a legal icon who lived a life worthy of emulation.He also advised Nigerians, especially leaders, to use their positions in positive ways.Present at the ceremony were dignitaries drawn from the judiciary, executive, and the legislature.Among them were the state governor, his deputy, Mr. Philip Shaibu; serving members of the state and National Assembly; Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; immediate past governor of Edo, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole; Renowned and Chairman of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.The first son of the deceased, Edosa, said that his late father would be missed as he left at a time when he had a lot to offer.
Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, has warned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, against further attacks on Ijaw leader, C...

Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, has warned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, against further attacks on Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark.

IYC led by Oweilaemi Pereotubo, said Kanu should watch his tongue or risk its anger.





Kanu had condemned Clark for demanding 13 percent control, saying the region should be in total control of its resources.

Edwin Clark never asked me why I am stopping Anambra state election, because if he had asked me, I will tell him that as old as he is, I want to set him free.

Edwin Clark is fighting for resource control of 13 percent, may be moved to 15 percent, Nnamdi Kanu is fighting for freedom of Ijaw people, so that they can control their resources 100% through our freedom, he had said.





Reacting, IYC told journalists in Warri, Delta State, that it will not accept the use of slave to describe Clark.





Pereotubo noted that the Ijaw leader only cautioned Kanu not to further marginalise the Igbos by asking them to boycot the November governorship election in Anambra State.

Chief Clark was only giving wise counsel for Kanu to stop the move of trying to deny the political rights of the Anambra State people.

We, the Ijaw, have what it takes to liberate ourselves and do not need help from IPOB, he said.

Pereotubo further asked Kanu to study the history of the Civil War.

It was one single Ijaw man, Major Jasper Adaka Boro, that stopped the invading Biafran soldiers from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and chased them back, he added.





He advised Kanu to have another look at the geography of the South-East and exert his effort in liberating the Igbos.
NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LifeSci Advisors, LLC (the "Company" or "LifeSci"), the leading international investor relations and corporate communications firm dedicated to the life sciences sector, today announced the appointment of Ashley Robinson as Managing Director. Mr. Robinson will serve as a Relationship Manager and will contribute to Corporate Access.



Ashley Robinson has 20 years of experience in institutional equity sales, with a focus on the healthcare sector. He began his Wall Street career at Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., where he spent time in both the New York and Boston offices. Following this, Mr. Robinson spent 14 years at Leerink Partners, LLC, where he was a Managing Director and Partner. At Leerink, Mr. Robinson helped establish and build the institutional franchise, and was responsible for covering the firms largest accounts, which allowed him to develop deep relationships with many leading healthcare investors. During his tenure, Mr. Robinson served as Deal Captain on most of Leerinks capital markets transactions, and was the primary liaison between sales and equity capital markets.

Prior to joining LifeSci, Mr. Robinson was the Healthcare Product Specialist and Sector Head at Guggenheim Securities, LLC, where he was responsible for building a research franchise in that sector. Mr. Robinson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart College, where he double-majored in Economics and Russian Area Studies.

"We are pleased to add Ashley to our growing team, said Michael Rice, President and Co-Founder of LifeSci Advisors. Having served as Deal Captain on most of Leerinks capital markets transactions during his 14 years at the firm, Ashley is well-connected within the healthcare investment community. In addition, he has a deep understanding of the healthcare industry. As LifeScis business continues to grow, we continue to attract leading professionals, like Ashley, to counsel and support our client companies. We look forward to leveraging Ashleys vast corporate finance expertise and robust network of investor contacts.

I am excited to be joining the largest life sciences investor relations firm, said Mr. Robinson. LifeSci has established a strong reputation in the healthcare industry, both among companies and within the investment community, and I look forward to leveraging my 20 years of institutional equity sales experience to further advance the firms business.

LifeSci has offices in Israel, UK and Switzerland, as well as multiple North American locations. The firms capabilities include Corporate Access, Equity Research, Corporate Communications, KOL Events, Corporate Governance, Capital Markets Solutions, and Public Relations.

LifeSci Advisors, LLC (www.lifesciadvisors.com) is a unique investor relations consultancy founded to provide companies in the life sciences a comprehensive solution to investor communications and outreach. With a local presence in New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, London, Geneva and Tel Aviv, the firm provides the highest quality service for its clients through its deep sector specialization. Our roster of PhDs enables us to better understand our clients' R&D, regulatory, and commercial strategy, and our team of financial services, investor relations, and public relations specialists help our clients effectively communicate to the marketplace. This combination of life sciences, financial services, and investor relations competencies allows us to provide a valuable and unique service offering to our clients.

LifeSci Partners (www.lifescipartners.com) is the leading provider of comprehensive consulting services in the areas of investor relations, corporate communications, public relations and capital markets advisory. Combining deep domain expertise in the life sciences and decades of experience in capital markets and public relations, we deliver unparalleled services to life sciences companies globally. LifeSci Partners has a physical presence in New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, London, Geneva and Tel Aviv.
Kebbi State Govenor Atiku Bagudu has said the state will produce rice and livestock in commercial quantities for export to earn foreign e...

Kebbi State Govenor Atiku Bagudu has said the state will produce rice and livestock in commercial quantities for export to earn foreign exchange.Bagudu stated this yesterday when he received a team of agricultural experts from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Oyo State.According to him, the state recorded a 300 per cent increase in rice and wheat production. It is second to Yobe in livestock production.Bagudu called on international research organisations to make a critical assessment of the agricultural policy of his administration, which is aimed at developing the states agricultural potential.The governor also appealed to IITA to provide research outlets in the state to boost farmers capability in grains production and processing. He said the state also had great potential in the production of groundnut, soya beans, cowpeas, sesame seeds, banana, cocoyam, yam, millet, bambara nut, sugarcane, guinea-corn, cassava and ginger.Leader of the IITA team Dr Kenton Dashiell said the institute was recognised globally as a centre of excellence for agricultural research and resources.According to him, the team was on a research mission to the state to learn about its agricultural potential, especially in soya beans, since the state is a specialist in soya bean cultivation.State Chairman of Rice Farmers Association (AFAN) Sahabi Augie said the association would partner IITA to boost rice production.He appealed to the institute to assist farmers by supplying them with improved rice seedlings.
The Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla, has claimed that Nigerians hav...

The Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla, has claimed that Nigerians have refused to support the anti-graft crusade of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Obono-Obla was reacting to the Nigerian Corruption Survey 2017 published by the National Bureau for Statistics, which states that Nigerians paid bribes to the tune of N400bn between 2015 and 2016.





Speaking on a programme monitored on Channels Television, Obono-Obla said, It is chilling, daunting, outrageous and shocking but I am not surprised because corruption has become pandemic and endemic. Most Nigerians are pathologically corrupt.





This government wants to fight corruption but what is the challenge? Nigerians do not want to support the fight against corruption; the judiciary and the legislature do not want to support the fight against corruption. It is as if only the President and the Vice-President are in support of the war against corruption.





Obono-Obla said Nigeria had laws that could be used in jailing corrupt people but past governments were not brave enough to take the bull by the horn.





He said the Recovery of Public Property Special Provisions Act Cap R4 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had existed since 1983 but had never been used by any government to tackle corruption.





The presidential aide added, The law we are using to fight corruption now has been in effect since 1983 but that law has not been used by successive governments because these successive administrations did not have the will, did not have the commitment or dedication to fight corruption and this government has gone into the archives to exhume that law to fight corruption and the law is very strict and maybe that is why successive administrations did not use that law in fighting corruption. That law predates the EFCC and ICPC Act.





Obono-Obla had also scolded ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for claiming he fought corruption, saying his administration was, scandalously corrupt.





Why is this man blowing hot and cold? Anyone blowing hot and cold is not a man of integrity. Anyone who doesnt speak the truth is not a man of integrity. More than N500bn was stolen by officials of his government. That was why Nigeria went bankrupt. That was why more than $48bn that was left by the Musa YarAduas government was squandered.
The Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu, says no fewer than 93 percent of Nigerians consume water from unwholesome sources.According to a statement issued in Abuja, the minister said this in Akure on Friday at the meeting of the National Council on Water Resources.Describing the development as worrisome to the Federal Government, Adamu said that the percentage of Nigerians with access to pipe-borne water had declined from 31 per cent in 1990 to less than seven per cent in 2015.At the close of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programme in 2015, access to water supply grew by 69 per cent, up from the 40 per cent which it was in 1990.Further disaggregation of the data revealed that access to rural water supply increased from 15 percent in 1990 to 57 percent in 2015.Access to urban water supply marginally increased from 76 per cent to 81 percent and this means that majority of the remaining 93 percent are drawing water from sources that cannot guarantee wholesomeness.Adamu said that water, as the worlds most valuable resource, was central to life, human survival, socioeconomic development and overall environmental sustainability.He said that the demand for water in national development had astronomically increased due to rapid population growth and urbanization.He said that mankind could not survive without water, as 70 per cent of the human body contained water.The minister stressed that President Muhammadu Buharis administration placed a high premium on the provision of water and sanitation, in an affordable and sustainable manner, to Nigerians so as to achieve the sixth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Adamu, while quoting a WHO report, said that water-related diseases had posed a major burden on human health.He said that the Federal Governments interventions were aimed at improving the quality of drinking water so as to enhance the citizens well-being.It has also been estimated that about 60 per cent of all the diseases in developing countries are related to unsafe water supply and inadequate sanitation, he said.Adamu said that results from the International Benchmarking Network for Water and Sanitation Utilities (IBNET) Report, prepared by the World Bank on Nigerias water agencies, showed that nearly all the agencies were underperforming when compared to similar agencies around the world.He expressed regret over what he termed the cycle of stagnation of state water agencies and their underperformance, saying that the poor service delivery of the agencies contributed to the non-payment of water bills by customers.He warned that the Federal Government would not tolerate the rot in the sector, hence its resolve to revamp the water supply sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.This (stagnation) results in low revenue base of the agencies and weak finances to carry out operations and maintenance.The lack of maintenance of the water assets makes them to deteriorate, thus leading to their poor services.At the foundation of the stagnation cycle are the lack of enabling environment and adequate financial investment, state governments, weak institutions and inadequate staff capacities of the agencies.Thus, the required autonomy and means of accountability for performances are totally absent.We cannot continue to go on this way. Thus, the trend must be reversed and the time to do it is now.On the way forward, Adamu called on the state governments to reflect seriously on the depressing situation and invest more in water supply infrastructure and operations by applying short-term solutions, aimed at achieving immediate benefits.He also urged state governments to make efforts to finance proper studies and master plans, while following up with effective implementation plans which were accompanied by making medium-term and long-term capital investments.The National Council on Water Resources is the nations apex policy making body for the water resources sector.The council meets at least once in a year to formulate policies, strategies and management principles for the sector.Members of the council include the Minister of Water Resources and the Commissioners for Water Resources in the 36 states as well as the officer-in-charge of water resources in the Federal Capital Territory.Others are the Managing Directors of Water Boards and River Basin Development Authorities, the General Managers/Managing Directors of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies, Water Regulatory Commissions, as well as relevant stakeholders and development partners.
The Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla, has accused Nigerians of re...

The Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla, has accused Nigerians of refusing to support the anti-graft crusade of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.The presidential aide spoke on a Channels Television programme,, on Thursday.Reacting to the Nigerian Corruption Survey 2017 published by the National Bureau for Statistics, which states that Nigerians paid bribes to the tune of N400bn between 2015 and 2016, Obono-Obla said, It is chilling, daunting, outrageous and shocking but I am not surprised because corruption has become pandemic and endemic. Most Nigerians are pathologically corrupt.This government wants to fight corruption but what is the challenge? Nigerians do not want to support the fight against corruption; the judiciary and the legislature do not want to support the fight against corruption. It is as if only the President and the Vice-President are in support of the war against corruption.Obono-Obla said Nigeria had laws that could be used in jailing corrupt people but past governments were not brave enough to take the bull by the horn.He said the Recovery of Public Property Special Provisions Act Cap R4 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had existed since 1983 but had never been used by any government to tackle corruption.The presidential aide added, The law we are using to fight corruption now has been in effect since 1983 but that law has not been used by successive governments because these successive administrations did not have the will, did not have the commitment or dedication to fight corruption and this government has gone into the archives to exhume that law to fight corruption and the law is very strict and maybe that is why successive administrations did not use that law in fighting corruption. That law predates the EFCC and ICPC Act.Also in an interview with one of our correspondents, Obono-Obla scolded ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for claiming he fought corruption, saying his administration was scandalously corrupt.Why is this man blowing hot and cold? Anyone blowing hot and cold is not a man of integrity. Anyone who doesnt speak the truth is not a man of integrity. More than N500bn was stolen by officials of his government. That was why Nigeria went bankrupt. That was why more than $48bn that was left by the Musa YarAduas government was squandered.If $48bn was intact, we would not be looking for money to do railway from Lagos to Calabar and from Lagos to Kano and so on and so forth. The stolen money would have been used to cushion the effects of the drastic fall in oil prices, which is the mainstay of our economy.We know that his government was chronologically and scandalously corrupt. There is no doubt about it. The evidence is in Jonathans Petroleum minister and the few billions of naira we have seized from her property. That property is more than the budgets of the northern states put together in four years. So, what is he talking about? There was unemployment, fuel scarcity and a lot of money was stolen under his watch, he said.
Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, chieftains of of the Peoples Democratic Party from Lagos and Ogun States have called for the immediate ex...

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, chieftains of of the Peoples Democratic Party from Lagos and Ogun States have called for the immediate expulsion of the representative of Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu, from the party.

This was the resolution of the delegates to the reconciliation meeting of the party held at the Government House, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on Thursday.





In the meeting hosted by  Fayose, the stalwarts said that Kashamu had engaged in anti-party activities.

We have resolved that the National Working Committee of our great party should deal and relate with the true leaders of Ogun and Lagos PDP under the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee, the said.



The Zonal Secretary, Rev. Bunmi Jenyo, said leaders from the two states endorsed the resolutions.

Among PDP leaders who signed were former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele; Captain Tunji Shelle; Chief Joju Fadairo; and Alhaji Sikirulahi Olawale among others.





The resolutions read: After extensive deliberations with the Reconciliation Committee, we, party delegates from Lagos and Ogun States, arrived at the following resolutions:

We have resolved to work together as one united party and to learn from the past mistakes and happenings in the party.

We have resolved that the National Working Committee of our great party should deal and relate with the true leaders of Lagos and Ogun PDP under the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee.

We also call for the immediate expulsion of Senator Buruji Kashamu for his anti-party actions and destructive antics in the South-West.

Speaking, Fayose said while the party was interested in reconciliation, those who have gone astray must be repentant first and promise not to go astray again or undermine the progress of the party.





He called on the leaders of the party in both states to give room for genuine repentant dissidents to come back.
Wanted militia leader Terwase Akwaza, popularly known as Ghana, has not been killed by the police, contrary to reports that he has met his ...





Wanted militia leader Terwase Akwaza, popularly known as Ghana, has not been killed by the police, contrary to reports that he has met his doom, the Benue State Police Command said on Thursday.

The notorious militia leader was reportedly killed days back when a special police team stormed his groups hideout along the Benue-Taraba border.



While a shootout occurred between the police and members of Akwazas gang, the elusive militia leader got away.



The Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Bashir Makama, said that Akwaza escaped from the police team when his gang spotted the team and opened fire.



In the ensuing shootout, one Danladi Awudu who had set up a checkpoint to protect Akwaza was killed.



Afterwards, the police recovered more than 100 live ammunitions and weapons from the scene.

Ghana is still alive and as I speak to you right now, there is an ongoing operation to capture him. I am supposed to be in Abuja, but because of this operation, I had to wait and monitor it, the police commissioner said.



He added, Three days ago. we almost got him when we recovered those weapons and the corpse of Danladi Awudu who opened fire on my men.



The police declared Akwaza wanted in April this year and announced a N10m reward for information leading to his capture.



Although he has yet to be captured, the police believe they are closing in on him and have depleted the resources available to him as well as his camps.



The police have also focused on combing the Takum/Wukari axis of the Taraba and Benue boundary for his hideouts.



Speaking on the latest encounter with the militia leader, the police commissioner said, This (latest) search was between the Benue and Taraba state boundary, particularly in Takum and Wukari where he took refuge, but the typical Ghana we know, mounted several guards.

When we encountered the last guard who opened fire on my men, he fled the scene and we recovered a lot of his personal effects including his retroviral drugs which he could not even escape with, but we are not relenting and we will not allow criminals to take over this command.




The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo to ensure special security is provided for officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other anti-graft agencies.SERAP said this in a statement by its Deputy Director, Timothy Adewale, on Friday.The statement was in reaction to the attack on the Wuse Zone 7 office of the EFCC by some gunmen on Wednesday.The gunmen had also left a threatening letter addressed to a senior EFCC official, Ishaku Sharu.The attack came about a month after another attack on an EFCC investigator, Austin Okwor, who was shot and wounded by unknown assailants in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.SERAP said Osinbajo should direct the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to provide special security for officials of anti-graft agencies.The statement read in part, SERAP urges Professor Osinbajo to instruct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to immediately improve the system of protection for the officials of EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies.Promoting and ensuring the safety and security of those in the frontline of the fight against corruption is the surest way to demonstrate the governments commitment to combat the problem and end impunity of perpetrators.The protection, safety and security of anti-corruption agencies and their officials are absolutely critical to fighting grand corruption and holding those in power to account. The absence of enhanced protection and security for the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies could ruin the governments anti-corruption efforts and weaken citizens trust and confidence in its ability to effectively and successfully prosecute grand corruption cases.
The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, has disclosed what he, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Yakubu Dogara discussed with Pres...

The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, has disclosed what he, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Yakubu Dogara discussed with President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

Bukola, who alongside Dogara visited Buhari in London on Thursday, said the parley was a meeting of substance.





The Senate President disclosed that they discussed the virement request the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo made to the National Assembly on the 2017 budget.





In a series of tweets, Saraki also noted that the president all through their meeting exhibited remarkable recovery and was up to date with political events in the country.





According to Saraki, Mr. President exhibited remarkable recovery and was very conversant with all the political happenings back at home and across the continent.





It was a meeting of substance where we discussed important matters of state. We also discussed the 2017 budget.

In particular, we talked about the virement request by the Presidency which is before the National Assembly.

We then considered the steps to be taken in the preparation of the 2018 budget to ensure its early passage.

International issues were also discussed and Mr. President informed us that he has conveyed his sympathies to the people of Sierra Leone.

It is clear that Mr. Presidents insistence on following his doctors advice has yielded the desired results.

I therefore confidently look forward to Mr. Presidents imminent return home.




The Igbo Peoples Congress, and the Igbo Aborigines, have warned the Nigerias security agencies to stop killing Biafra supporters and ot...

The Igbo Peoples Congress, and the Igbo Aborigines, have warned the Nigerias security agencies to stop killing Biafra supporters and other Nigerians at will.





A joint statement by their spokesmen, Okey Colbert and Chidi Obisike, condemned the recent shootings and killings of some agitators in Ekwulobia, Anambra State.

The killing of more than 150 pro-Biafran agitators by Nigerian security agents as reported by the Amnesty International is still fresh in our mind, they said.

The Ezu River killings by SARS operatives at Awkuzu in Anambra State is also still fresh in our psyche.

The quit notice by misled Arewa youths and the ongoing hate song in the north are still endangering the polity and yet these overzealous soldiers and other security agents are not bothered by all these challenges.





The groups called on the International Court of Justice at The Hague to bring to book, the killer soldiers and their commanders, who also murdered hundreds of Shiite followers in Zaria some months ago.





They stated that all Nigerians have the right to peaceful agitations, including secession and insisted that Nigeria cannot move forward until it is restructured.




Obinna Obioha, a Nigerian hacker has been jailed for 51 months by a New York federal judge for operating a fraud scheme that swindled $6.5 million from businesses in the US and elsewhere.US District Judge David N. Hurd sentenced Obinna Obioha, 31, for running a scheme in which he instructed hackers to hack into computers and email accounts of individuals around the world using malicious software.The announcement of Obiohas sentence was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.Obioha, working from Nigeria, was a central figure in a fraud scheme using digital disguises and deceit to bilk businesses out of millions of dollars. We will continue to track down and bring to justice cyber criminals like Obioha no matter where they operate. I thank the FBI for its terrific work in this case identifying and apprehending Obioha, said Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.FBI Special Agent in Charge Vadim D. Thomas said: These schemes can rob individuals and businesses of their livelihood. Cyber-crime is a serious threat and the FBI is prepared to go to any lengths to apprehend those like Obioha.As part of his guilty plea to wire fraud in April 2017, Obioha admitted that, while in Nigeria, he worked with and instructed others to hack into computers and email accounts used by dozens of victims in the United States and around the world. The organization infiltrated victims computers and email accounts using malicious software (malware). After monitoring victims information to identify imminent commercial transactions, Obioha and his associates created knockoff email addresses that appeared similar to  but varied slightly from  victims legitimate email addresses.Obioha and his associates used those bogus email accounts to send fraudulent invoices to victims, instructing them to wire funds to bank accounts controlled by Obioha and his associates, under the pretense that the wires were payments for actual deals that had been previously negotiated by the victims.He admitted that between January and September 2016, he was involved in at least 50 wire transfers, and that about $6.5 million was sent by wire to bank accounts that he and his associates controlled. The accounts received money from fraud victims in New York, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas, among other places.During todays sentencing, US District Judge Donald N. Hurd, described Obioha as right in the middle of the action in very sophisticated criminal activity designed to achieve millions of dollars in illegal funds.Obioha was arrested on October 6, 2016, after flying from Lagos, Nigeria, to JFK International Airport. He has been in custody since that time.This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
DOVER, Del., Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Strategic Global Investments, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, (Counterparty DEX:STBV) which had been temporarily suspended from trading on the OTC Market until 11:59 pm EDT on August 17, 2017, has so far seen an expiration of that suspension and no additional suspension has been imposed at this time.



Garland E. Harris says, We submitted our 8-K https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/823187/000117184317005145/0001171843-17-005145-index.htm which included current information and a discussion about the future plans for ICOs. STBV has not participated in any ICOs at this time.

"I spoke with officials from the SEC at 1 pm EDT yesterday and was impressed (and surprised) by the desire and determination of the regulators to make sure that the markets are safe and transparent for the investing public. Yes, they are just doing their jobs, and very difficult jobs at that, in the midst of perhaps the fastest paradigm shift in SEC history - decentralized blockchain trading and ICOs.



"A very timely and well written article on this subject can be found at: http://oracledispatch.com/2017/08/17/strategic-global-investments-inc-otcmktsstbv-sec-targeting-public-companies-ties-icos/

"The author of the article writes, 'After the SEC Investor Bulletin regarding ICOs on July 25, 2017 two publically traded OTC stocks were temporarily suspended and thrust into the spotlight. In their bulletin they made the argument that if tokens are offered for sale and then can be resold on another virtual currency exchange or platform they may in fact be a security and subject to federal security laws. Its pretty clear from this point forward that the SEC is intent on regulating ICOs.'

"We are pleased that, so far, the SEC has imposed no further trading suspension and will make sure that we comply with any and all securities laws.

Mr. Harris states further, FINRA reached out to the Company regarding the 100 for 1 stock split that went effective today. Unfortunately, we delayed our reply to make sure that we responded in a timely fashion to the SEC. We plan to fully address FINRA information requests by Monday. Every shareholder holding shares as of 08/17/2017 11:59 pm will be positively impacted by the split.

"There is no guarantee that we will ever trade again on the OTC Markets. I am confident that there may be robust trading again, once market makers are properly informed and instructed by FINRA regarding the post split pricing. We have, however, increased staffing to provide instruction and clarity as to trading on the Decentralized Exchange Markets - DEX. Such trading on the Bitcoin blockchain is available 24/7/365 and we believe is the future of all securities markets.

Mr. Harris finally mentions, The price of the last trade on the DEX prior to the 100 for 1 split was $0.20, it is up to market makers to determine the post split trading price on the OTC, but on the DEX the new price should start at $0.002. All shareholders will receive the 100 for 1 shares, but those with shares on the DEX have started receiving them as of 08/18/2017. Here is the best link to use to check current prices (valued in XCP) so a little math is required. https://xchain.io/asset/STBV

"Once you have a wallet with your shares in it, the math is done for you, which see a post split example: https://xchain.io/address/1G1dF2bH62xmEUg78HrH3oPzh6XtBphZLm

"The greatest news is that no short selling is allowed on the DEX.

Shareholders, traders and investors can garner information on acquiring a Counterparty cryptocurrency wallet to trade on the DEX from the following sources:

https://counterparty.io/

https://indiesquare.me/

https://wallet.counterwallet.io/

https://coindaddy.io/
JERSEY CITY -- State Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham is in talks to endorse Mayor Steve Fulop's re-election bid, according to sources close to both pols.

The endorsement would be a major one for Fulop, who is seeking a second term on Nov. 7 with the support of almost the entire Hudson County political establishment.

Political observers believe Cunningham's endorsement would help Fulop especially among her base in the city's southern neighborhoods. Voters there have regularly supported Cunningham in large numbers -- she has been a state senator since 2007 -- and have fond memories of her late husband, Glenn D. Cunningham, who died in 2004 three years after being elected the city's first black mayor.

Cunningham stayed on the sidelines during the 2013 mayor's race, when Fulop defeated Jerramiah Healy. She endorsed Healy for his successful 2009 re-election bid but did not weigh in during the 2005 mayoral campaign (Healy won that race, too).

The state senator told The Jersey Journal last week she would issue an endorsement this year but declined to say whether it would be for Fulop or his chief rival, Bill Matsikoudis. Fulop's campaign said it does not comment "on campaign rumors."

Fulop has credited his political career to Glenn D. Cunningham, saying the late mayor enlisted him to challenge Sen. Bob Menendez in 2004. Fulop lost that race badly but was elected to Jersey City's council the following year.

When Cunningham first ran for the state Senate in 2007 -- seeking to represent the same district her late husband had -- Fulop backed her primary opponent, Lou Manzo.

Cunningham and Fulop share a laugh as Cunningham volunteers at an annual free Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Monique's Techniques in Jersey City in 2016.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A 20-year-old Jersey City man was arrested Monday and charged with three armed robberies that authorities say he committed during a five-day span, including one in which the victim suffered three broken ribs.

Izell Ross, of Gloria Robinson Court, is charged with wielding a handgun and holding a man by his shirt on Aug. 1 when he allegedly said "As a matter of fact, give me everything you got," according to a criminal complaint.

Ross and two unidentified males allegedly took the man's wallet that contained $500, as well as his cell phone and car keys. They then chased the man who fell and struck his head as he attempted to flee, the complaint alleges.

Ross is also charged with robbing a second victim on the same day by pulling a gun on the person and taking $40, that complaint says.

Finally, on Aug. 5, Ross allegedly pulled a gun on another person before taking $90 and a cell phone. He then allegedly chased the the victim and broke his ribs during a struggle, that complaint says.

Ross is charged with three counts of robbery and numerous counts of weapons offenses related to a handgun. He made his first court appearance on the charges Tuesday in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

At the hearing, the state moved to detain him through the course of his prosecution and a detention hearing is scheduled for today before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale.

Armed robbery carries a possible sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison upon conviction. The robberies were all in Jersey City.
JERSEY CITY -- A 32-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint late Wednesday night on the city's West Side, authorities said.

Police were able to quickly make an arrest in the armed robbery after being flagged down by the victim near Clendenny and West Side avenues, a police report said.

Officers patrolling the neighborhood were flagged down just before midnight by the victim who was screaming "help, police," the report states.

He told the officers a man wearing a hat with the letter A, camouflage shorts, and black sneakers pointed a gun at him and stole his phone. After the robbery the suspect ran down Union Street, police said.

Police found Samir Shaban, 22, with the victim's cellphone and saw him toss a black gun under a car. The officers later determined the weapon was a BB gun, the report states.

Shaban was arrested and charged with robbery, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and certain persons not to carry a weapon.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
Jersey City's own

made an appearance on "The Tonight Show" last night showing the nation their world-famous moves.

The Honey Bees made Jersey City proud on June 30 at the

and they displayed more of their award-winning double Dutch prowess last night.

Check out the video below (their routine starts at about 1:15).
JERSEY CITY -- Three transgender activists from around New Jersey, including two children whose stories sparked outpourings of love from supporters and vitriol from others, were celebrated today at the annual raising of the rainbow flag at City Hall.

Joe Maldonado, who at 8 years old because the first transgender member of the Boy Scouts in February, and Rebekah Bruesehoff, the 10-year-old transgender girl from Sussex County whose appearance at a Jersey City rally garnered national attention the same month, were honored along with Carmen Carrera, a one-time "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant who later came out as trans.

Carrera, who hails from Bergen County, said she was overwhelmed with the honor, given by the organizers of the city's annual LGBT festival.

"It's an indescribable feeling," she said. "It reinspires me to keep going because, gosh, we have so much work to do."

Jersey City's LGBT "pride week" runs for nearly two weeks and includes a bar crawl on Saturday, a screening of an Armistead Maupin documentary on Aug. 22 and an all-day festival on Saturday, Aug. 26. Carrera is the festival's grand marshal.

Jonathan Lucas, chair of Hudson Pride Connections Center, said the focus of this year's festival would be "on the T in LGBT" -- transgender men and women -- who Lucas said "still come under fire."

"Even in a community that's as peaceful as Jersey City ... there's still that fear of being brutalizing, being attacked, as well as just being disrespected," he said.

Today's ceremony ended with two flags being raised at City Hall: the rainbow flag and the pink, blue and white transgender flag.

Joe, who lives in Secaucus, joined a Maplewood Boy Scouts troop after being banned from a Cub Scout group in his hometown. His mother, Kristie, said today's honor, which came with a trophy, was "amazing."

"This was the best award," Joe told The Jersey Journal. "All the other ones are pretty nice, too, but that one's the most colorful."

Rebekah was not present today. Her mother, Jamie, told the crowd of about three dozen people gathered inside the City Council chambers today that her daughter was at camp, taking a much-needed break.

The family was on the receiving end of hateful messages after Rebekah's story went national, she said as she held up Rebekah's photograph.

"She needed a chance to step away from that," Jamie Bruesehoff said.

Carrera said the world has come a long way toward accepting the transgender community since she came out in 2012. She said she remembers getting thousands of messages then from fans thanking her for being so open.

"I didn't realize how much we needed visibility until then," she said.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE:SNA) (CSE:SNA.CN) ("Star" or the "Company"), is pleased to confirm it has now obtained the final Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) authorization required to operate its recently released STAR-A.D.S.  3rd Generation system on-board an Airbus A310. The granting of the STC by Transport Canada was received after demonstration of key functionalities which include streaming of real-time aircraft data through Iridium SATCOM transmission.



With this final certification, the STAR-A.D.S.  SSU-G3, having passed aircraft installation and non-interference tests, will soon enter into commercial operation with its first wide-body operator in the Middle-East. (See Press Releases May 3, 2016 and April 19, 2017).

The STAR-A.D.S.  system incorporates GSM hardware for end of flight data transmission and offers the ability to manually extract aircraft data as well. The system can be remotely accessed via GSM in any parts of the world for any maintenance, upload or download of data as required by the customer. Another component of the system is to offer tracking of the aircraft at customer defined intervals which can be viewed on a secure web-based application. Upon completion of a flight, the system generates end-of-flight reports which is used by the customer to support flight, finance and engineering operations.

Mr. Viraf S. Kapadia, CEO of Star said:

With this final green light we can start operating the SSU-G3 on commercial flights, bringing quick savings to the operators as well as compliance with the newest tracking and positioning recommendations.

About Star Navigation:

Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. owns the exclusive worldwide license to its proprietary, patented In-flight Safety Monitoring System, STAR-ISMS, the heart of the STAR-A.D.S.  System. Its real-time capability of tracking performance trends and predicting incident-occurrence enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator.

Stars MMI Division designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide.

Certain statements contained in this News Release constitute forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words may, would, could, will, expected and similar expressions, as they relate to Star or its management are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect Stars current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Stars actual performance or achievements to vary from those described herein. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Star does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.
Safety Harbor, Fla, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wednesday, the Board of Directors of the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology (FAAST) named Sen. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg) their Legislator of the Year. FAAST presented the Dr. Frederick Haynes FAAST Legislator of the Year Award to the senator at their board meeting to honor his service to and advocacy for Floridians with disabilities in the 2017 Legislative Session. Rouson sponsored SB 772, which makes it easier for students with disabilities to retain and use assistive technologies when they switch schools. Additionally, the bill allows for coordination with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation so that assistive technology can be used in employment or post-school environments. The companion bill, HB 371, was passed by both legislative houses unanimously and took effect on July 1.

We are proud to name Senator Rouson as our Legislator of the Year as he provides consistent advocacy for people with disabilities in Florida, said Michael Daniels, Executive Director of FAAST. His support of the AT Follows the Child bill was instrumental in getting such important legislation passed.

Florida is home to more than 320,000 students with disabilities, and this group benefits from the use of assistive technology including special equipment, software and product systems. Assistive technology helps those with disabilities increase, maintain or improve function.

I am honored to receive this award from the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, said Sen. Rouson. Students in Florida deserve access to technology that can help them, and this bill removed barriers that made obtaining and keeping such technology more difficult. I am proud to have helped make a difference for Floridians with disabilities.

Named after longtime disability advocate, the Dr. Frederick Haynes Legislator of the Year award is presented to one senator and one representative whose support of Floridians with disabilities has a significant impact on the community. FAAST chose to honor Haynes after his death in September. As he had a visual impairment, Haynes was intimately familiar with the challenges of having a disability was a passionate advocate for the community. He spent more than 30 years working for others in the Division of Blind Services, the Social Security Administration, the Florida Federation for the Blind and advocating for transportation for the disability community. He served as a FAAST Board Member two times.

For more information about FAAST or to learn more about the services the organization offers, please visit FAAST.org or call Michael Daniels at 850-487-3278.

About the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology:

FAAST, the Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology, was formed in 1998 and strives to improve the quality of life for all Floridians with disability through advocacy and awareness activities that increase access to and acquisition of assistive services and technology. This includes any item, software or product system used to increase, maintain or improve the function of individuals with disabilities. FAAST is administered through the Florida Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and is federally funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration.

# # #

Attachments:

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Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e7e45326-5cae-445f-abdc-3abe58bdbcbd

Attachments:

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BOISE, Idaho, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regence BlueShield of Idaho announced today that Mitch Toryanski has agreed to lead the companys government affairs efforts. He assumes the role from Shad Priest, who announced his intentions to step away from his long-held position back in May. In his new capacity, Toryanski will represent Regence in its dealings with state and local government agencies and officials across the state.

Toryanski is well known for his more than two decades of engagement in government service at both the state and federal levels. Highlights of his expansive career include serving five years as deputy attorney general  providing counsel to the Idaho Department of Insurance and the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security, two years as deputy prosecuting attorney for the Ada County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, and a term as senator in the Idaho Legislature. Additionally, Toryanski has managed a private law firm, worked with a major defense contractor and served for 30 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve and with the Idaho National Guard.

Mitchs unmatched legacy of service to and experience with government and our military positions him well for his new leadership role with us, said Scott Kreiling, president of Regence BlueShield of Idaho. He knows how government works, understands and shares Regences commitments to accessibility and transparency, and brings unquestioned credibility to his new post. Hes been working closely with Shad Priest to ensure a seamless transition and to carry on Shads work as one of the states premier government affairs leaders and go-to experts on all matters health policy-related.

Im honored and excited to join the Regence team, said Toryanski. The companys high standards and drive to serve and innovate are a cut above. Im energized by this opportunity.

Toryanski completed his undergraduate degree at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, his masters at the U.S. Army War College and his law degree at the Washington College of Law at The American University.

About Regence BlueShield of Idaho

Regence BlueShield of Idaho, based in Lewiston, has been serving Idahoans for 70 years and now provides more than 140,000 members with comprehensive health insurance solutions. As a nonprofit mutual insurance company and independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers in Idaho and nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com, facebook.com/regenceblueshieldofidaho or twitter.com/regenceidaho.

Attachments:

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Attachments:

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MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN) will post additional materials for equity analysts in the investor relations section of its website at http://ir.fhnc.com/ on Aug. 21. First Horizon expects to provide these materials to analysts at upcoming meetings and conferences.



The materials posted may contain forward-looking statements, including guidance, involving significant risks and uncertainties, which will be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "should," "is likely," "will," "going forward" and other expressions that indicate future events and trends and may be followed by or reference cautionary statements. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking information. These factors are outlined in our most recent earnings press release and in more detail in our most current 10-Q and 10-K reports. First Horizon disclaims any obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements that are made from time to time to reflect future events or developments or changes in expectations.

About First Horizon

The 4,300 employees of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN) provide financial services through more than 160 bank locations across Tennessee and the southern U.S. and 28 FTN Financial offices across the U.S. The company was founded during the Civil War in 1864 and has the 14th oldest national bank charter in the country. First Tennessee has the largest deposit market share in Tennessee and one of the highest customer retention rates of any bank in the country. FTN Financial is a capital markets industry leader in fixed income sales, trading and strategies for institutional customers in the U.S. and abroad. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation's best employers by Working Mother and American Banker magazines and the National Association for Female Executives. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com.

FHN-G
The study looks at two smaller-scale projects that are in some ways predecessors to the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, the $2 billion plan to slow land loss erasing Louisiana's coast. Construction on that project could begin as early as next year, while a similar one on the opposite side of the river known as the Mid-Breton Diversion could follow.
DENISON  A full range of emotions was evoked at the dedication of search and rescue boats and the boat storage building for Crawford County on Sunday afternoon: grief, hope, relief, compassion, gratefulness and love.

A message of the ceremony was one of never giving up and coming together as a community, regardless of background, language and ethnicity.

The grief of three families that each lost a loved one through water-related accidents in Crawford County was apparent to the audience. They watched as family members showed their emotion while they participated in the dedication of two search and rescue boats and the building, which were made possible through fundraisers and donated labor.

The two boats were dedicated in memory of 15-year-old Yoana Acosta and 18-year-old Bode Lloyd, and the building was dedicated to the memory of Dr. David Funk.

Family members interviewed after the ceremony all thanked those who had been involved in the searches and expressed their gratitude to the community for remembering their loved ones. They were also grateful for the community support that made possible the rescue boats and building for Crawford County.

Each of the families hoped that the search and rescue boats would only be used for training and would never be needed for an emergency call, so that other families would not have to go through the pain they endure.

Yoana Acosta was swept away by the current of the icy Boyer River on Jan. 19. Following an eight-day search that involved hundreds of people, her body was found on Jan. 26.

Bode Lloyd was lost in a fishing accident at a pond on Meaves Ridge Road on March 20, 2016, after the boat in which he was fishing capsized.

David Funk, 38, of Dunlap, a veterinarian with Twin Valley Vet Clinic, had been working with cattle at a farm south of Denison along Highway 59 and went into the farm pond to get a calf that had gone into the water on July 10, 2002.

Its very touching. After all these years, hes still remembered, said Funks brother, Brad.

He was one of four siblings attending the dedication ceremony. The others were Willa, Tony and April.

I think this is a tremendous thing theyre doing and hope it will save families in the future going through the pain I had to go through, said Funks wife, Ly-Lee.

Ly-Lee has remarried and was at the ceremony with her husband, Wayne Konopasek. They live in Humeston.

Suzanne Koetzle, of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, said dedicating the boats to her son, Bodes, memory was a great honor.

Im very proud that my son meant this much to the community and to Sheriff (James) Steinkuehler.

Bodes father, Kevin Lloyd, of Kiron, also gave special thanks to Steinkuehler for his efforts to spearhead the fundraising drive.

It is awesome, he said of the dedication of the boats to his sons memory. I hope they never have to use those boats, ever.

Yoanas father, Adan Acosta, said he was joyful that the whole community came together to help find his daughter and was grateful to the workers and volunteers and rescue teams. He said he was thankful for all the prayers.

Its good that we have this rescue boat but hope that we dont need it for another tragedy and go through the pain like the loss of my daughter, Acosta said.

Lorena Lopez, publisher of La Prensa newspaper, translated Acostas comments and the comments of the 10 individuals who spoke on the stage at the dedication ceremony.

Crawford County Attorney Roger Sailer, the master of ceremonies on Sunday, said those who searched did not give up and that Steinkuehler didnt give up, even after Yoanas body was recovered from the river.

Sailer said Steinkuehler continued to work for Yoanas family and decided to launch the fundraiser to get a rescue boat, and added that he organized Sundays event.

Steinkuehler gave credit to all who had a part in making the dedication ceremony possible, those who raised money for the boats and building materials and provided labor to construct the building, and those who took part in the water searches in 2002, 2016 and 2017. He said he couldnt have done what he did without Snowgren, whom he called his right-hand person.

Here in Crawford County, we are the best because we have the teamwork to be the best and we work together, Steinkuehler said. Thats what gets the job done.
Yes, a slight portion of southwest Iowa will experience a total eclipse.

Part of a nationwide narrow swath, known as the path of totality, will include a 582-acre of land in Fremont County near Waubonsie State Park, as well as the town of Hamburg.

At 1:05 p.m. Monday, this small area will experience a 32-second glimpse of the 2017 total eclipse, according to a statement from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Part of this area is public ground, said Matt Moles, a DNR spokesman and former technician at Waubonsie. The DNR is preparing the area for eclipse watchers.

Parking is limited at the site, but the towns of Hamburg and Sidney plan to provide shuttle services for the event, Moles added.

The school in Hamburg is in charge of its shuttle service.

We are going to do everything we can to get people there to enjoy the experience, said Mike Wells, superintendent for the Hamburg Community School District. We even have 150 solar glasses and plan to grill some hot dogs for the viewers.

The hot dogs, solar glasses and seats on the bus will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, he said.

The shuttle will leave from Marnie Simons Elementary/Middle School, located at 309 S St. in Hamburg, promptly at 11 a.m.

The Sidney shuttle will depart from the Fremont County Historical Museum at 10:30 a.m. and seat availability is also on a first-come, first-served basis.

We have no idea how many people will come to view the eclipse at this spot, but well try to accommodate as many as possible, Moles said. A lot will depend on the weather.

Other than the walk-in campsites, all the cabins and all the campsites that can be reserved at Waubonsie State Park have been taken for Sunday evening, he said.

While it might not be totality, most of Iowa will experience an eclipse of 90 percent or greater, Moles said. He stressed that special glasses, a pinhole projection box or special filters for a telescope are needed to safely view a solar eclipse.

For more eclipse-related information, including viewing safety, FAQs, maps, educational activities and events, go to eclipse2017.nasa.gov.
GLENWOOD  Evan Welcher didnt expect the sign to go viral.

White supremacy is sin. Say it.

The message on the First Christian Church of Glenwood placard board is simple and to the point.

Posted on Saturday, it was Welchers response to the march by white supremacists, anti-Semites and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia, during a weekend of protests and counterprotests that devolved into chaos and deadly violence.

I felt it was the least I could do, he said. Its not a politically brave statement to make. Its not controversial.

Welcher is a Waterloo native and has been a pastor for 10 years at First Christian. He called the events in Charlottesville heartbreaking.

Evil rears its ugly head in every generation, Welcher said. And you have to stand up against it.

He quoted Romans 12, We weep with those that weep.

For us, this is a Gospel issue. Its not a political issue. We believe that God is relevant to all aspects of our lives, Welcher said. We have to stand with those that are being targeted by these people.

Welcher posted a photo of the message board to Twitter and it spread quickly. As of Thursday afternoon the tweet, from the churchs account at @FCCglenwood, had been retweeted more than 4,000 times and had more than 11,000 likes. Newspapers and TV stations have called Welcher for his thoughts on the message.

I felt it was something that had to be said that shouldnt have had to be said, he said.

The response has been mostly positive, he said, noting parishoners have supported the message. There have been both positive and negative reactions online. Replies to the tweet feature many an Amen or Thank you, with oppositional posts arguing the sign doesnt mention the counterprotesters at Charlottesville.

The popular Glenwood Buzz Facebook page has a mix of praise and criticism for the message.

Theres always internet people, Welcher said. You have to have thick skin. The reaction and their ignorance is proof it had to be said.

Moving forward, Welcher said having a dialogue is important in the fight against extremism.

Only God can change a human heart, but we have to talk about these things, he said. We cant remain silent. We need to have enough guts to look in the mirror. Why is it that these things can fester and keep on coming back? Why did they never go away?

But I believe theres always hope.
Simply put, theres just no comparison.

Fresh maple syrup just puts that bottle of Log Cabin table syrup to shame in the same way a loving homemade pancake demolishes those Eggo frozen waffles in a taste test.

While the corn and bean fields of Iowa dont bear much resemblance to the idyllic image of a Canadian maple forest, the sweet tree sap boiled into the deep, luxurious flavor of fresh syrup can be found a short jaunt east of the metropolitan area.

Botna Bend Park, sprawling on the northwest side of Hancock along the west branch of the East Nishnabotna River, features towering maple trees and, this Saturday, a pancake feed that will draw droves of devotees from around the area.

Pottawattamie County Conservation will host the real maple syrup pancake feed from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the park. The all-ages event is free, but free-will donations are accepted to support the parks programs.

Grilled pancakes and sausage will be served with homemade syrup along with coffee and orange juice, according to the agencys website. Attendees  including those, like this intrepid reporter, heading toward Des Moines for the Iowa State Fair  should meet at the Olsen Lodge, weather permitting, for the breakfast.

The silver maple trees in Botna Bend are tapped each spring by park staff. It can take between 40 and 50 gallons of sap to produce a gallon of maple syrup, and only a short window is available to harvest the sap from the trees.
NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Tahoe Resources Inc. (Tahoe or the Company) (NYSE:TAHO) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 17-cv-05155, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Tahoe securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



If you are a shareholder who purchased Tahoe securities between April 3, 2013 and July 5, 2017 both dates inclusive, you have until September 5, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Tahoe, together with its subsidiaries, explores, develops, and operates mines in the Americas. The Company primarily produces copper, gold, silver, lead/zinc, and natural gas and petroleum, as well as precious metals assets.

On April 3, 2013, Tahoe announced that Guatemalas Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) had granted the Company an exploitation license for the Escobal mine, a large silver mine located in the department of Santa Rosa in Southern Guatemala.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Guatemalas MEM had granted the Escobal mining license to Tahoes Minera San Rafael subsidiary without prior consultation with Guatemalas Xinca indigenous people; (ii) the foregoing constituted a violation of Guatemalan law and provided a basis for suspension of the Escobal license; (iii) consequently, the Companys revenues associated with the Escobal mining license were unlikely to be sustainable; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Tahoes public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On July 6, 2017, Tahoe disclosed that the Supreme Court of Guatemala had issued a provisional decision suspending the Escobal mining license of Minera San Rafael, a Tahoe subsidiary, in connection with a legal action brought by the human rights organization Centro de Accion Legal Ambiental y Social de Guatemala (CALAS) against Guatemalas MEM. CALAS alleges that MEM violated the Xinca indigenous peoples right of consultation prior to granting the Escobal mining license.

On this news, Tahoes common share price fell $2.74, or 33.01%, to close at $5.56 on July 6, 2017.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com
Last month, we encouraged our readers to display common sense during a heat wave by never leaving their children or pets in a parked vehicle.

No amount of time is worth the risk of leaving a living being in a vehicle when its even remotely hot outside, we wrote in the July 16 Nonpareil.

The same principle holds true when passing a school bus: Absolutely nothing is worth the risk of killing a child in the hopes of reaching your destination a moment earlier.

With children heading back to school in the metro area and southwest Iowa broadly, be on the lookout for school buses. Routes may be different from last year; adjustments may be needed in your commute. But an extra minute or two is well worth it to avoid the risk of being responsible for a tragedy.

Ambulances and police cars, with their sirens wailing, slow down at intersections to make sure its safe to proceed. Their drive is more urgent than your appointment, job or other obligation  yet they take that extra moment to be safe.

Weve seen far too many examples recently of vehicles being used as weapons. They are used as such because a car or truck or van can be deadly.

Motorists have an obligation to keep others safe while they are traveling, and that solemn duty is no greater than when children are involved  in part because kids may not always behave as expected.

Understanding the risks of operating a motor vehicle can be difficult for all of us, but we cant be fooled by our wishful belief that nothing bad will happen to us, that were more careful than others or that we can take a risk just this once.

One time is all it takes for an irreversible error to cost the life of an innocent, and for the effects of that to ripple through families or a community.

Installing video cameras to capture the license plates of drivers who go around lowered stop arms on buses is a good step. Warnings or citations can provide a wake-up call to those drivers, and capturing statistics can help show the depth of the problem in the area.

Denison is launching such cameras on its buses this year, and theyre in place elsewhere in the area, including Glenwood. In Bellevue, Nebraska, the district is part of a national study of stop-arm violations.

These are worthy efforts, and we applaud the schools for the investment in safety, but the only way to avert a future fatality near a school bus is for drivers to heed those stop arms and stop their vehicles, watch for children and proceed only with the utmost caution.
TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nutritional High International Inc. (the "Company" or "Nutritional High") (CSE:EAT) (OTCQB:SPLIF) (FRANKFURT:2NU) wishes to provide an update on its efforts to enter the Nevada cannabis market. Nutritional High is working with a private investor group (the Consortium) made up of US residents who will build out and launch operations in Nevada. Subject to municipal approval, the Consortium will purchase a majority interest in the entity (the Licensed Producer) that currently holds the cultivation and production licences which Nutritional High had intended to purchase. The Company decided to work with the Consortium rather than to purchase the licenses itself in order to meet certain residency requirements contained in municipal ordinances. The Licensed Producer will manufacture and distribute Fli branded products in Nevada. To this end, in conjunction with discussions with municipal staff, Nutritional High has withdrawn its application for business licensing.



Nutritional High Corporate Secretary comments as follows: We have been working in a cooperative manner with applicable regulators in order to proceed in a manner which meets the needs of the local community, the State of Nevada, Nutritional High and Nevada consumers looking for an opportunity to purchase Fli branded product in Nevada. While working to meet and exceed required cannabis regulations and compliance guidelines, we believe that cooperative and open discussions with municipal and state personnel is of upmost importance and will result in the best outcome for the Company and consumers.

About Nutritional High International Inc.

Nutritional High is focused on developing, manufacturing and distributing products and nationally recognized brands in the hemp and marijuana-infused products industries, including edibles and oil extracts for nutritional, medical and adult recreational use. The Company works exclusively through licensed facilities in jurisdictions where such activity is permitted and regulated by state law.

For updates on the Company's activities and highlights of the Company's press releases and other media coverage, please follow Nutritional High on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+ or visit www.nutritionalhigh.com.

For further information, please contact:

Jim Frazier, CEO

Nutritional High International Inc.

321-576-7171

Email: jfrazier@nutritionalhigh.com

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Such statements include submission of the relevant documentation within the required timeframe and to the satisfaction of the relevant regulators, completing the acquisition of the applicable real estate and raising sufficient financing to complete the Company's business strategy. There is no certainty that any of these events will occur. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

Company's securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. Persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.




Nebraskaland Days has announced that Alabama will be the second headliner for the 2018 celebration.

The trio will close out the 2018 US Summer Jam Concert Series on June 23, following Florida Georgia Line on June 22.

Tickets for both concerts will go on sale at 9 a.m. Sept. 5. Tickets for Florida Georgia Line will start at $69 for general admission and seating, $99 for the Party Pit and $149 for the Golden Circle . Alabama tickets will range from $59 for general admission and seating, $89 for the Party Pit and $119 for the Golden Circle. Combo tickets for general admission and seating will be available for $118.

Nebraskaland Days announces first act for 2018 Florida Georgia Line will be returning to the Buffalo Bill Wild West Arena next year.

"Alabama is the perfect fit to end a year where we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nebraskaland Days moving to North Platte," said Executive Director David Fudge. "When you add them to a weekend that already includes Florida Georgia Line, you get a really good lineup that celebrates multiple generations."

Alabama was formed 40 years ago when three young cousins left Fort Payne, Alabama, to spend their summer playing at a bar called The Bowery in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook spent six years collecting tips and using word of mouth to eventually land a major record deal.

Fine-tuned shows Organizers aim to orchestrate success with annual concert series

A statement from NebraskaLands Days called Alabama "the band that changed everything." They had 21 straight No. 1 singles and "a record that will probably never be equaled in any genre."

The trio has earned more than 150 major industry nods including two Grammy awards, the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian award, three Entertainer of the Year awards from the Country Music Association and five from the Academy of Country Music Awards, and the ACM's Artist of the Decade award. They've earned 21 Gold, Platinum and Multiplatinum albums and were named the Recording Industry Association of America's Country Group of the Century.
OGALLALA  More than a year after a crash on Interstate 80 near Brule killed six people, trial has been set for the semi driver involved.

A jury trial for Tony A. Weekly Jr., 54, will begin at 9 a.m. Dec. 12 in Keith County District Court. In court Friday, he waived a speedy process, meaning the case would have been resolved in six months. The reason for the delayed process, District Judge Richard Birch said, is that Weekly resides in Florida.

Family of wreck victims suing for wrongful-deaths A man charged with motor vehicle homicide is one of four defendants listed in a wrongful-dea

Before Friday, Weekly, who is charged with six counts of motor vehicle homicide, hadn't been in court for months. His attorney, Gary Krajewski, had moved to continue at each of the previous hearings, citing Weekly's out-of-state residence. Keith County Attorney Randy Fair had objected to each motion, hoping to resolve the matter.

On July 31, 2016, Weekly was driving on I-80 when his truck entered a construction zone and struck a minivan carrying a Minnesota family of five. Jamison and Kathryne Pals and their three children, ages 3, 23 months and 2 months, all died in the crash.

Another man injured in the crash, Terry Sullivan of Denver, died later.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commissions new Lake McConaughy Master Plan came under criticism Thursday for closing beaches at Otter Creek, Sand Creek and Spring Creek along the north shore to protect threatened and endangered nesting birds this summer.

Greg Barnhart of Lewellen, Johnny Carson, owner of JC Cederview bait shop, and Dave Kalahar of Longmont, Colorado, who is a north shore resident, said the fencing prevents needed fishing, camping and recreational access.

Give us our beaches back, Barnhart told commissioners meeting at the West Central Research and Extension Center near North Platte.

Game and Parks officials said the lake plan is designed to not only protect wildlife but enhance recreational resources. The agency is investing about $800,000 in improvements at Cedar Vue Campground in the contested stretch of lake.

Its a long-term plan and it takes feedback to make it better, said Jim Swenson, parks division administrator.

Michelle Stryker, planning and programming administrator, said the plan will be evaluated annually.

We arent set in stone with anything weve implemented so far, she said. Were not saying we have a perfect plan at this time.  If something doesnt work, well try something different.

Commissioner Dick Bell of Omaha said the agency is balancing the interests of lake users and federal watchdogs, all while protecting and enhancing one of the states most popular recreation sites.

Well be fair, but well be legal, he said.

In other business, commissioners approved:

 A permanent easement for the Loup River Public Power District to bury an overhead power line on Wilkinson Wildlife Management Area in Platte County.

 A land trade in Sioux County with the states Board of Educational Lands and Funds for 15 acres adjacent to Gilbert-Baker WMA in exchange for a 27-acre tract.

 Acquisition of nearly 748 acres in Banner County adjacent to Williams Gap WMA.

 Hunting seasons in specific state parks and state historical parks.
CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 18, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NXT Energy Solutions Inc. (NXT Energy or the Company) (TSX:SFD) (OTCQB:NSFDF) advises that it has refiled the 2016 Annual Information Form, at the request of the Alberta Securities Commission.



The request by the ASC was made due to a disclosure deficiency that was identified in the Information Circular that was filed on May 20th, 2017. The deficiency was in relation to the use of the incorrect form under National Instrument 58-101  Corporate Governance Disclosure. The May 20th, 2017 Information Circular provided disclosure in accordance with Form 58-101F2 instead of Form 58-101F1. The amended 2016 Annual Information Form includes the corrected disclosure Form 58-101F1 appended as Schedule B. Other than the addition of the disclosure in relation to Form 58-101F1, no other material changes were made to the Annual Information Form.

The amended AIF has been filed in Canada on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

NXT Energy is a Calgary based company whose proprietary Stress Field Detection ("SFD") survey system utilizes quantum-scale sensors to detect gravity field perturbations in an airborne survey method which can be used both onshore and offshore to remotely identify areas with exploration potential for traps and reservoirs. The SFD survey system enables our clients to focus their hydrocarbon exploration decisions concerning land commitments, data acquisition expenditures and prospect prioritization on areas with the greatest potential. SFD is environmentally friendly and unaffected by ground security issues or difficult terrain, and is the registered trademark of NXT Energy Solutions Inc. NXT Energy provides its clients with an effective and reliable method to reduce time, costs, and risks related to exploration.

The TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.




Gov. Eric Holcomb visited Gary on Thursday to tout the new corporate headquarters of HMD Trucking, which plans to create 500 jobs in the Steel City by 2021.

HMD Trucking broke ground on a $6 million facility next to the USW District 7 headquarters in an industrial park just off Interstate 65 at 1350 Texas St. in Gary, which the 19-year-old Chicago Ridge-based freight hauling company will relocate to next year.

"We are thrilled to welcome HMD Trucking to Indiana  home to balanced budgets, a AAA credit rating and a low cost of doing business," Holcomb said.

Flanked by state and local leaders, including former LaPorte Mayor Blair Milo, Holcomb also touted the state's new "Next Level Jobs" initiative, announcing new grant programs that will reimburse employers for on-the-job training and prepare adults for high-demand industries. The state is devoting $20 million over two years to an Employer Training Grant program that will provide companies up to $2,500 to train new employees that are retained for at least six months, and also to grants for adult job seekers to get certificates at Ivy Tech in fields like manufacturing, logistics, construction, IT, and health and life sciences.

"We've got thousands of jobs that are unfilled and folks who are eager to fill those jobs," Holcomb said. "To get to work they have to skill up. We as a state have got to make sure they can enter into high-wage, high-demand professions."

Milo is the state's first secretary of career connections and talent and will play a big role with the program.

While swinging by Northwest Indiana, Gov. Holcomb also visited the Gary Community School Corp. Thursday morning. Gary schools emergency manager Peggy Hinckley said she and the governor also visited Daniel Hale Williams Elementary School on the city's east side.

"I had never met the governor before. He was very personable with the children, Hinckley said. He probably spent 40 minutes moving from table to table talking to the children. He had conversations with us, and he was a very good listener. We had an opportunity to let him know what we've tried to get done in 17 days."

On Thursday afternoon, Holcomb grabbed a ceremonial shovel to welcome HMD Trucking, which has a fleet of 900 semi-trailers and currently employs 400 workers. The company is building a 9,000-square-foot office, where it will move its headquarters, and a 26,000-square-foot truck maintenance building. It will maintain a warehouse in Illinois.

"Locating at this site in Gary is a perfect match and we look forward to a long and valued relationship with the city and the state of Indiana," HMD Trucking President and Founder Henry Malukas said.

Malukas said his business was looking to grow because of increased demand and liked Indiana's business environment and the Gary location just southeast of Chicago.

"With this of course comes construction jobs, and hundreds of good-paying jobs," he said. "We'll need drivers, mechanics, management, office workers and drivers specific to this location as we ramp up later this year and in 2018. Interested applicants can apply online. We're always looking for local people. They're key to our success."

Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said HMD Trucking's presence would mean more career opportunities for the city's residents, including eventually for the students who started school Thursday.

"We're not just at the groundbreaking for another plant," she said. "This is the company's world headquarters."

To apply for jobs at HMD, check for openings posted to www.hmdtrucking.com. For additional job opportunities or more information about the grants, visit http://nextleveljobs.com.

Times staff writer Carmen McCollum contributed to this report.
A community-led violence prevention program that has reduced crime in several Indianapolis neighborhoods soon could be implemented in Gary.

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill announced last week that his office is making up to $500,000 available to community and religious groups across the state that are interested in applying the Indianapolis Ten Point Coalition model to halt violence in their cities.

"We have identified a strategy that has been very effective in certain neighborhoods in Indianapolis, and we believe that we can replicate those strategies in other communities," Hill said.

The Indianapolis coalition's most visible work is inserting its yellow-vested members between police and residents at violent crime scenes to enable police to do their jobs while simultaneously comforting the friends and families of those injured or killed.

Ten Point members also regularly go on "faith patrols" in high-crime neighborhoods to build positive relationships with individuals most likely to be involved in homicides or other violence.

In addition, the coalition actively engages with ex-convicts to help them find employment, turn their lives around and serve as an example to others that it's possible to leave behind a violent lifestyle.

Hill, a Republican, acknowledged that what works for the Ten Point Coalition in Indianapolis won't necessarily have the same effect on crime in other parts of the state.

But he believes the intensive community involvement aspect of the Ten Point model, as opposed to a government-directed program, can produce a similar crime-prevention effort that is tailored to local needs.

"This is not about a gift, this is not trying to push something on people," Hill said. "These communities, these neighborhoods have to want it, they have to earn it, they have to work hard to establish the protocols and adhere to the protocols."

He envisions local groups in possibly five or six Indiana communities sharing in the start-up funds, which aren't taxpayer dollars but proceeds of consumer protection lawsuits settled by the attorney general.

Hill said to receive the money, cities, such as Gary, will have show they have the community and local financial support necessary to sustain a Ten Point-like effort for an extended period of time.

"The plan is not to force the Indianapolis Ten Point model on Gary," Hill said.

"The focus is to provide Gary with the Indianapolis Ten Point model and then get back from Gary what adjustments need to be made to fit Gary, and then put all those into a program designed to work."

Gary Police Chief Larry McKinley traveled to Indianapolis in March to meet with the Rev. Charles Harrison, the Ten Point Coalition president, and said he came away impressed with what he learned about the program.

McKinley is optimistic the Ten Point protocols, especially efforts to improve relations between police and community members, can successfully be applied in Gary.

"Police are the guardians of our community, and it will take more than locking up people to stem this violence," McKinley said.

"We have to commit to addressing the root causes of systemic issues of violent crime in our community, and I support Attorney General Curtis Hill's undertaking of this cause."

Harrison said the Ten Point Coalition has succeeded, in part, "by finding ways, from a grassroots level, to help redirect the lives of our young people and put them on a pathway of success."

"We believe that if we can curb the pattern of youth violence, it has a direct impact on adult violence," Harrison said.
HAMMOND  City officials and Hammond City Court Judge Amy Jorgensen seem to have reached a resolution regarding the eventual closure of Hammond City Court within the next few years.

The City Council in January approved by a 6-3 vote an ordinance that will phase the court totally out of operation by Dec. 31, 2018. The police department almost immediately began filing misdemeanor criminal cases with the Lake County Superior Court. Then, in June, Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. announced local traffic infractions would begin to be filed with the county court system.

Cases that were already pending continue to be heard at the city court.

Jorgensen, however, complained she had not really been included in the discussions to phase out the court despite her attempts to be involved. At one point, a law firm she hired sent a draft complaint to the city that, if filed, would ask the Lake County Superior Court to find the ordinance phasing out the court was in violation of the Indiana Constitution. The draft complaint named Jorgensen as the plaintiff and McDermott, the Council and Clerk Robert J. Golec as defendants.

McDermott and some councilmen complained that such a lawsuit would be one Hammond taxpayers would foot because the $15,000 to pay the firm of Ice Miller LLP would come from money allocated by the city for the court. Jorgensen, however, contended the fee was for the law firm to assist her in the transition process. In regard to the draft complaint, she said last month she did not really want to legally challenge the city's right to close the court. Rather, she said, she believed she was entitled to a voice in the transition process.

Officials indicated a meeting this past week between the different parties went well and they appear to have reached an accommodation. Council President Janet Venecz said Thursday she expected a $5,000 claim for the Ice Miller law firm that had been previously pulled by the council would be approved by payment at the next council meeting.

"It was a very productive meeting," Jorgensen wrote in an email regarding the recent meeting with Venecz and other city officials. "I felt like we had a strong dialogue that will put the court and the city on a great path going forward. I look forward to continuing to work with the Mayor to ensure the citizens of Hammond get the best possible service."
***This story has been updated to correct information regarding the narrative of the crash. The Times regrets the error.***

LAPORTE  Two men involved in separate motor vehicle crashes in July recently died, bringing this year's total road fatalities in LaPorte County to 15, equal to the number of fatalities for all of 2016.

Driver inattention and two separate triple fatalities in January and March were cited by LaPorte County Police as primary factors for this year's high death toll.

Billy Jones, 64, of Knox, and Rossie Terry, 82, of Michigan City, succumbed to their injuries from separate crashes one day apart from each other.

According to police, Jones was westbound on U.S. 30 on July 19 when his 2005 Jeep Wrangler rolled and came to rest in the median near Ind. 39.

There's some evidence to suggest he was sideswiped from behind by a semi-truck but not enough information developed to determine an exact cause, police said.

"It looks like there might have been some contact with another vehicle," LaPorte County Police Capt. Mike Kellems said.

Jones was able to speak with investigators but remembered only "waking up in the hospital," Kellems said.

On July 20, police said, Rossie Terry's 2011 Jeep Wrangler struck a SUV driven by Nicole Hynek from behind as she was stopped at the intersection of U.S. 20 and 300 East. Police stated Hynek was not at fault.

Hynek's vehicle was pushed into opposite lanes and struck by an oncoming semitrailer.

Hynek, of LaPorte, and the semi driver from Elkhart were not seriously hurt, police said.

Eight of the 15 deaths this year have occurred on U.S 20.

In response, LaPorte County Police have maintained a beefed-up presence and at times were joined by Indiana State Police, which used an airplane once to catch speeding drivers who were then pulled over by officers on the ground.

Plans have also been unveiled by the Indiana Department of Transportation to put in rumble strips along the four-lane undivided highway to alert drivers starting to veer over the center and fog lines.

Kellems said making highways safer is good, but the key is for drivers to pay full attention and obey traffic laws.

"You can make all of the improvements in the world but if people are not attentive to their driving, you're going to continue to have accidents," Kellems said.
EAST CHICAGO  Residents will be listening Saturday for an answer to a simple question: Is the citys water safe to drink?

Indiana Department of Environmental Management Drinking Water Branch Chief Mary Hollingsworth will give a presentation, and Commissioner Bruno Piggott will be in attendance at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys monthly meeting, an IDEM spokesman said.

Residents were frustrated last month when EPA Region 5 Groundwater and Drinking Water Division Regulations Manager Miguel Del Toral did not attend. EPA officials said he would instead appear this month with his counterparts from IDEM.

East Chicago did not respond by press time to questions about whether any city officials planned to attend the meeting, which is set for 10 a.m. at the old Carrie Gosch School in West Calumet.

Its been seven months since Del Toral recommended residents citywide assume they have lead service lines and use water filters, and residents are fed up with inaction and lack of communication on the part of government agencies, said Thomas Frank, a member of the Community Strategy Group.

Weve been articulating our demands for seven months and there hasnt been any answer, Frank said. So, what were going to be putting forward is our plan to try to protect our own water and try to address the issues in absence of any government solutions at this point."

The Community Strategy Group is working to identify funding to conduct third-party water testing, he said.

Residents have asked to be included on the agenda, but had not received any confirmation from EPA as of late Thursday morning, said Anjali Waikar, attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

EPA found elevated lead levels last fall at 18 of 43 homes in the USS Lead Superfund site as part of a study related to its work there. The agency later said the problem was likely to be systemwide.

Frank said many mistakenly believe lead in drinking water is limited to the Superfund area, where IDEM has distributed water filters and the city is working to replace up to 400 lead service lines. The Community Strategy Group supports prioritizing aid for the Superfund residents, because they face cumulative health risks due to possible exposure to lead in their soil, indoor dust and drinking water. Lead in drinking water comes from old pipes and is unrelated to lead in soil and dust.

However, all East Chicago residents face exposure to environmental toxins because of the citys industrial legacy, Frank said.

We want solutions for the whole city, Frank said. We want to eliminate the drinking water issue for all residents and make sure that its safe.

The NRDC filed a petition in March asking EPA to use its emergency powers to respond to its own findings. EPA has not provided any written acknowledgement of the petition, and the agency continuously has rescheduled meetings with NRDC and community groups to discuss the petition, Waikar said.

In June, IDEM said it conducted more sampling and its results showed the problem was not systemwide. Mayor Anthony Copeland issued a statement following IDEMs announcement saying the departments results confirmed the city's water "is of exceptional quality."

When asked, Is my water safe to drink? at EPAs meeting last month, Christopher Korleski, director of EPA Region 5 Water Division, suggested residents should weigh their health risks when deciding whether to drink water without a filter. His answer drew a strong reaction from Meleah Geertsma, another attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, who told Korleski not to turn the decision back on residents.

Residents want clear answers Saturday, Waikar said.

They want definitive statements on what EPAs position is specifically on the quality of the water and the safety of the water, she said.

Residents also want to know if EPA supports IDEMs testing results and methods. EPA used a more robust testing method than IDEM did during its sampling last spring, and Waikar said it's like comparing apples to oranges.

Its literally unbelievable that the federal agency cannot opine on a very simple issue of whether our water is safe to drink, Waikar said. Its the finest example of bureaucracy getting in the way of public health.
The leader of the city's largest charter school network sent a blistering letter to parents and staff members, saying she no longer supports President Trump. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed the following report.

She stood on the steps of City Hall in November, a school leader in charge of more than 10,000 black and Hispanic students, defending Donald Trump.

"There are many positive signs that President Trump will be different than candidate Trump," Eva Moskowitz said then.

Nine months later, in an email Thursday morning, Moskowitz apologized to parents and teachers and publicly denounced the president, "...particularly in light of President Trumps horrifying response to the violence in Charlottesville," she wrote. "I should have been more outspoken so that no one would possibly think that either Success Academy or I was tacitly supporting President Trumps policies, which are contrary to the values of respect, caring, and concern that are central to our mission."

After meeting with Trump in November, Moskowitz said she had been considered for Education Secretary. She said she decided to stay at Success but believed in working with Trump, who received less than 20 percent of the vote in the city.

"I am troubled by what I see as sort of rooting for Trump's failure," she said at the time.

The lifelong Democrat then gave Ivanka Trump a tour of one of her Harlem schools. And in May, she hosted House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Now, Moskowitz says she's found the Trump presidency distressing. It's a rare mea culpa for the firebrand leader known for embracing controversy.

It's the second email on race relations she sent in two days. Tuesday, she apologized on behalf of her board chairman, Dan Loeb, who ignited a firestorm by calling a black state lawmaker worse than the Ku Klux Klan. He remains in charge of the board.

Parents NY1 spoke with say they were increasingly upset by Moskowitz's connections to Trump but found her email reassuring.

"Most of her students are black children, so of course it would bother me to know that she is racist, she's connected," said Rosetta Oldcare-Lyken, a Success Academy parent. "So now that's she's cleared that up, I'm good."
The NYPD's counter-terrorism unit is increasing security at locations in the city that are affiliated with Spain after a terror attack in Barcelona left at least 12 people dead and wounded at least 80.



Spanish officials said a van plowed into pedestrians in the city Thursday in the historic district of Las Ramblas.



The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the van attack around 3:40 p.m. NYC time.

A statement carried by the extremist group's media arm, the Aamaq news agency, said the attack was carried out by "soldiers of the Islamic State.''

It said the attack was in response to IS calls for its followers to target countries participating in the coalition trying to drive the extremist group from Syria and Iraq.

The statement provided no further details about the attackers.



NYPD Chief of Counterterrorism James Waters said the unit has placed officers at the Spanish consulate and other locations affiliated with Spain.



In Times Square, a few more officers from the Critical Response Command are stationed in the tourist area.



There are already many metal bollards in Times Square designed to prevent a vehicle from plowing through pedestrian zones.

The NYPD has also installed concrete barriers in the area over the past few months in the wake of a Bronx man plowing his car into pedestrians in Times Square, killing one woman and injuring dozens of people.



Waters said the city police department is being cautious, but there is no credible threat to the city.



"We deploy here each and every day for a number of reasons," Waters told NY1. "One, because of the threat, because of the ongoing implied threat to New York City; but also to reassure all the people that come here to work, tourists who come here to enjoy themselves on their vacation, that this is a safe place to come, to visit, and to enjoy."

Our thoughts are with the people of Barcelona right now. The NYPD is closely monitoring the incident.  Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) August 17, 2017

On behalf of all New Yorkers, my heart goes out to the victims of the apparent terrorist attack in Barcelona and their loved ones.  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 17, 2017

The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

The afternoon attack in the northeastern Spanish city was the country's deadliest since 2004, when al-Qaida-inspired bombers killed 192 people in coordinated attacks on Madrid's commuter trains.

It left victims sprawled out in the street, spattered with blood or crippled by broken limbs. Others fled in panic, screaming or carrying young children in their arms. As witnesses and emergency workers tried to help the wounded, police brandishing hand guns launched a search of side streets looking for suspects.

The president of Spain's Catalonia region, Carles Puigdemont, provided the updated casualty figures, correcting an earlier government tweet that said 13 people were killed.

Las Ramblas, a street of stalls and shops that cuts through the center of Barcelona, is one of the city's top tourist destinations. People walk down a wide, pedestrian path in the center of the street while cars can travel on either side.

A taxi driver who witnessed the attack, Oscar Cano, told TV3 the van jumped onto the central pedestrian area at a high speed and swerved from side to side.

Keith Fleming, an American who lives in Barcelona, was watching TV in his building just off Las Ramblas when he heard a noise and went out to his balcony.

"I saw women and children just running and they looked terrified," he said.

He said there was a bang  possibly from someone rolling down a store shutter  and more people ran by. Then police arrived and pushed everyone a full block away. Even people leaning out of doors were being told to go back inside, he said.

Fleming said regular police with guns drawn and riot police were at the end of his block.

"It's just kind of a tense situation," Fleming said.

Carol Augustin, a manager at La Palau Moja, an 18th-century place on Las Ramblas that houses offices and a tourism center, said the van passed right in front of the building.

"We saw everything. People started screaming and running into the office. It was such a chaotic situation. There were families with children. The police made us close the doors and wait inside," she said.

In the years since the 2004 Madrid bombings, Spanish authorities have reported arresting nearly 200 jihadis, but the only deadly attacks were claimed by the Basque separatist group ETA. Those ETA bombings in the past decade claimed five lives in all.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson offered assistance to authorities in Spain and said U.S. diplomats in Spain were helping Americans there. He vowed the United States would never relent in tracking down terror suspects and holding them to account.

"Terrorists around the world should know that the United States and our allies are resolved to find you and bring you to justice," Tillerson said in a statement.

Cars, trucks, and vans have been the weapon of choice in multiple extremist attacks in Europe in the last year.

The most deadly was the driver of a tractor-trailer who targeted Bastille Day revelers in the southern French city of Nice in July 2016, killing 86 people. In December 2016, 12 people died after a driver used a hijacked trick to drive into a Christmas market in Berlin.

There have been multiple attacks this year in London, where a man in a rented SUV plowed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four people before he ran onto the grounds of Parliament and stabbed an unarmed police officer to death in March.

Four other men drove onto the sidewalk of London Bridge, unleashing a rampage with knives that killed eight people in June. Another man also drove into pedestrians leaving a London mosque later in June.
A Manhattan church and several city leaders are standing by an undocumented immigrant facing deportation.

Amanda Morales is seeking refuge at the Holyrood Church in Washington Heights.

Morales moved from Guatemala to the United States in 2004 and is the mother of three children  all U.S. citizens.

She was supposed to meet with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials yesterday.

But she chose to go to the church for help instead, as ICE told her she was going to be deported.

Father Luis Barrios, the priest of the church, says Morales came here for her and her children's safety.

"She is going through a trauma. This is a trauma. OK, you get out of your physical space, you come into another space here. You bring your children, you have no idea if ICE is going to get here or when they're going to do it or what is going to be the outcome of the case."

Dozens of people and elected officials delivered a request for a stay on Morales' deportation order to ICE's office in Manhattan.
The head of the Jamaica Center Business Improvement District is officially leaving her post.

Rhonda Binda announced she was leaving the Jamaica BID through a Facebook post.

During her three year tenure, the BID won a $10 million grant to bring high speed internet to local businesses.

The Queens native also helped the BID change cleaning services to keep local streets tidy.

She also said the BID has also seen new sources of revenue in the past few years.

"I hope that in the work that we've done, we build up the institutions so that there can be more people both from here who are just fond of everything we have to offer and looking for the opportunities in New York to want to come back as well. the same way that I did," said Binda.

Binda will be heading to Venture Smarter to work as a Vice President of Policy.
Its a wonderful story of Opelika yesterday and Opelika today.

Mondays front-page headline, Opelika foundation donating new park, tells only a small part of it, but an important part nonetheless.

The Henry J. Stern Family Foundation is donating a new park at North Railroad Avenue and North Fifth Street.

It sounds nice: It will include walking paths, a dog-run area, a pavilion, a little free library, soft in-ground LED lighting, and special work from noted local landscape architect Morgan Beadles.

It sounds fun: Its going to be a railroad-themed park since its right on Railroad Avenue, said Beadles.

The family foundation is managed by Henry Sterns children, J. and Ginger Stern, with the mission of Make Opelika Better and Do Right.

It is good to see them doing just that with the donations they provide to worthy programs in Opelika, including this new park, slated to have the first phase completed by early September.

Just as impressive, however, is how the Henry J. Stern Family Foundation came to exist.

Henry came to Opelika from Germany in 1937 to escape the Holocaust, bringing to Opelika an instant connection to a tragic world event taking place an ocean away, and one that would stain mankinds history with one of its darkest chapters.

Henry escaped that, and instead here in Opelika, he learned the department store business from his great-uncle, Julius Hagedorn, who had a popular downtown store and knew most everyone who shopped in town.

From there, the Stern family blossomed, and with their generous and civic spirit, Opelika benefitted as well.

Thank you, Stern family, for the new park and the many other unspoken gifts you provide our community. Its this kind of giving spirit that can and should be contagious in the best sort of way.
MP Jimmy Akena

LIRA: A recent meeting convened by ActionAid Uganda in conjunction with the Lango Parliamentary Group, attracted over 2,000 locals who thronged Lira Technical College.

They came from far and near. From Oyam, Kole, Apac, Alebtong, Otuke, Dokolo, Amolatar and Lira municipality. Some walked on foot while others rode bicycles and motorcycles in the hot sweltering heat to attend what they called Kacoke Madit, literally meaning the big meeting.

Some sat, others stood while others scrambled to peep through the windows to follow the proceedings of the meeting conducted in Lango. Not even the food that was served for lunch could distract the attention of the participants.

Their message was unanimous, clear and loud; Go and tell government that the Langi have rejected the proposed amendment of Article 26 and call for its immediate withdrawal from parliament, they unanimously said.

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2017 seeks to amend Article 26 of the Constitution to allow government take over land for development without compensating the owner first.

The locals said if enacted into law, the proposed bill will lead to more land grabbing and evictions in the country instead of helping government acquire land for development.

Thumping their feet, jeering and hissing like spitting cobras, they hurled insults with their closed fists, they warned the Lango parliamentarians to listen to their concerns, and not to send the wrong message to government.

With anger and hunger written all over their faces, they said: Whoever betrays or is planning to betray the Langi should tell us now or else.

Jacob Olaka from Oyam told The Observer: We grew from the land, developed from the land and the land is us he said.

We welcome the idea of government programmes, but we must also be given what is fair for us. We cannot accept a law which is against its people, said Anna Akello, a retired civil servant.

While presenting the bill, Denis Hamson Obua said: Government can be given the power to acquire land. But any attempts to change the bill weakens and renders the entire article redundant.

Charles Angiro Gutomoi, the shadow minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, added: Today, my aspirations of requesting government to withdraw the land amendment bill has been done by the people of Lango.

However, the crowd booed Lira municipality MP Jimmy Akena and one irate individual grabbed the microphone from him.

They blamed Akena for allegedly betraying them by supporting the bill. Akena pleaded in vain with the audience to allow him explain the bill and put his point across. He was shut down. He was eventually allowed to address the gathering.

He said: I will not and I cannot betray the concerns of the people of Lango. The law was written before us all. I am reading the law not according to Akena but according to what it says.

In response, Celina Akello, a retired nurse, told him: My son Akena, one thing you should know is that we did not elect you as Akena, but we voted for you because of your father [Milton] Obote. Any betrayal you will bring to the Langi will deal a serious blow to you.

Finally, Tom Okello, the bishop of Lango, moved a motion to reject the land amendment bill. He was seconded by Dan Okello, a renowned UPC stalwart, and overwhelmingly approved by the gathering.
Industry City, home to the now infamous world's first avocado bar, has been ramping up its food and beverage game of late, opening a fancy new gastropub and a new location of the Brooklyn Kitchen. Now Ejen Korean Comfort Food and an outpost of Bangkok B.A.R. have joined the lineup in the complex's food hall.

"While Bangkok Bar and Ejen are smaller, new vendors within ICs sought-after food hall, they have become two of the highest grossing and most popular," a rep for Industry City tells Gothamist. In your FACE, Avocaderia.

Ejen offers hearty dishes including Beef Japchae Noodles ($9), Pork Bulgogi BBQ ($11) Beef Bibimbap ($11), Pork Meatballs ($8) and Pan Fried Pork Dumplings ($8). They also offer Beef Kimbap Rolls ($9), rice and other fillings rolled up in seaweed.

Bangkok B.A.R., a fixture at food halls, markets and pop-ups, offers a rotating menu of Thai food including Pad Thai Chicken, Som Tam Papaya Salad, Rama Chicken in a Thai peanut sauce, and snacks like Moo Palo Bangkok Pork Belly Buns.

254 36th Street, Sunset Park; ejenfoods.com, bangkokbarnyc.com
When President Yoweri Museveni, in his capacity as NRM party chairman, met 278 legislators on Wednesday evening, he envisaged an easy going with governments plan to amend Article 26 of the Constitution.

The Constitution Amendment Bill 2017, which was tabled before parliament in July this year, seeks to amend the Constitution to allow government to take compulsory possession of private land to build infrastructure and investment projects without being bogged down by compensation disputes.

If enacted, the law will enable the central government or local governments to deposit in court compensation awarded for any property required for public works, and immediately take possession.

President Museveni

When the caucus meeting kicked off shortly after 5pm, it seemed like an unwritten resolution from majority of the legislators not to cow to any attempts by the president to persuade them to support the amendments.

According to highly placed sources privy to the meeting, President Museveni reportedly started off the meeting in a combative mood, angrily stating that he had received information from his intelligence officers that some useless opportunists have been spreading false news that government plans to use the proposed bill to grab citizens land.

The source quoted the president as saying, I have spent time massaging selfish people and groups and I am not interested anymoreThe issue that you people must help me answer is, is there a problem in executing government programmes or not?

Another source who declined to be quoted on record intimated to The Observer that the visibly charged President Museveni, in a move that was viewed to try to intimidate the legislators, roared that some politicians, particularly from Lango, Acholi and Buganda sub-regions, have been going around the country poisoning members of the public to malign government.

These people are being hosted on particular radio stations. I dont know what the minister of ICT and National Guidance (Frank Tumwebaze) is doing. How can he allow these stations to air this? Museveni reportedly questioned.

The president also singled out Felix Okot Ogong (Dokolo South), also chairman of the Lango parliamentary group, accusing him of using his radio station, Voice of Lango, to propagate lies against government and saying the president wants to steal their land.

At this point, Ogong shot up on grounds of procedure and reportedly walked towards the microphone to respond to the presidents accusations against him.

Before Ogong could say anything, the president pointed at him, ordering him to return to his seat immediately.

Let that man sit down, Museveni said, to which Ogong obliged without question.

Later, Ogong was given opportunity to raise his concerns, where he stated that the challenge with government is in planning, noting that disputes of compensation would not arise if projects were planned early.

We should at least plan three years before projects are made to avoid delays. If this was my government, things would be different, the MP said, drawing laughter.

However, Museveni shot him down, reminding him that this is what government has been doing, calling Ogongs government a non-starter.



Contradicting clauses

The deputy attorney general, Mwesigwa Rukutana, was given opportunity to present governments position on the amendments. To the disbelief of MPs, Rukutana reportedly presented a different position from what he earlier presented before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee.

Clause 3 of the amendment bill states that where the owner of property or any person having any interest in or right over property objects to the compensation awarded under a law made under clause (2) (b), the government or local government shall deposit with court for the property owner the compensation awarded for the property, and the government shall take possession pending determination by court of any dispute.

However, Rukutana presented a redrafted bill during the meeting stating that the taking of possession or acquisition of property, where the owner of the property or a person having an interest in the right over the property has contested the compensation award; provided where there is dispute on quantum of compensation awarded by government, the compensation shall be paid to the owner of the property prior to taking possession or acquisition of the property.

The AG explained to us that in the new amendments, the land owner can be paid money valued by the government valuer first, thereafter the dispute handled in the courts of law, multiple sources said.



Drama

The deputy attorney generals statement did not go without rebuke as some legislators booed him, while others seemed to agree with the new amendments.

Among those in support of the new amendments were Stephen Mukitale (Buliisa) and James Waluswaka (Bunyole West). Waluswaka tried to rally his fellow legislators, but his pleas were drowned with further boos.

Sit down, you fool. You are confused and want to confuse us and the president, MPs reportedly shouted, while some rushed towards him and tried to grab the microphone from him. At this point, the president tried to calm them down, asking that order is restored.



Land tribunal

It was the intervention of Denis Hamson Obua (Ajuri) which restored sobriety in the frenzied meeting when he suggested that instead of amending the Constitution, government instead amends other laws to cater for the lacuna they claim is in the law in regard to compulsory acquisition of land.

According to the sources, Obua reportedly questioned the president that while there may be a problem in execution of public projects, would it necessitate amending of the Constitution to cure the matter? His statement drew loud applauses and feet stamping from the legislators.

Citing Article 26 (2) (b) (1), which compels government to provide adequate, prompt and fair compensation of landowners prior to takeover of the land, Obua instead suggested that the special tribunal or a special division in the High court is created to handle all dispute-related matters within a time framework of 90 days.

His suggestion drew more applauses, prompting the president to relent and ask the attorney general to look into the proposal.

I only wanted a solution for the unnecessary delays. If the new ideas can solve it, I have no problem. The color of the cat, white or black doesnt matter; so long as it can catch a rat, Museveni was quoted to have told the caucus.



Caucus resolutions

The meeting which ended shortly after 8pm resolved that there are no more delays of government projects, particularly roads, electricity, oil pipeline and the standard gauge railway; vulnerable peoples rights should be considered and setting up a committee to scrutinize the proposals.

At a press conference convened yesterday, the government chief whip, Ruth Nankabirwa, said a 10-man committee, headed by the vice president, Edward Ssekandi, had been set up to handle the issues raised.

Other members of the committee are Lands minister Betty Amongi, Attorney General William Byaruhanga, Justice minister Kahinda Otafiire and MPs Gastor Mugoya (Bukooli North), Veronica Bichetero (Kaberamaido), Sam Bitangaro (Bufumbira South), Robinah Rwakoojo (Gomba West), Jackson Kafuuzi (Kyaka South) and Denis Obua.

Meanwhile, sources have intimated that Otafiire and Amongi held a meeting yesterday to draft the terms of reference for the committee.



eyotaru@gmail.com

namuloki16@gmail.com
War and conflict do not, and will never, define Africa.

However, like certain corners around the world, our beautiful continent continues to struggle with turmoil, instability and fear, forcing millions of innocent civilians to run for dear lives.

In addition to civilians from host nations, many humanitarian workers, providing critical life-saving and key basic services to victims of war, face immense risks, including to their lives.

It is for such reasons that the United Nations commemorates World Humanitarian day every August 19. Designated in 2008, the day rallies us to advocate for the safety and security of humanitarian workers, and for the dignified survival and well-being of people affected by crises.

This year, we focus on civilians caught up in conflict. With the theme civilians are not a target, it calls for leaders everywhere to do everything in their power to protect civilians caught in armed conflict.

With its open-door policy in welcoming fleeing refugees, Uganda continues to lead Africa and has set a global best practice for the international community, including Ugandas neighbours, to heed.

Described by the secretary-general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, as a symbol of integrity in refugee protection, Ugandas progressive policy sees refugees settled in communities, amongst Ugandans, as opposed to camps.

This dignified approach where refugees are provided a small piece of land for shelter and cultivation sets an example based on humanity. In addition, refugees enjoy freedom of movement and can seek employment, go to school or start a business in the areas they are settled.

The generosity and investments of the Ugandan government and people in maintaining an open-door, transformative policy, is unique, particularly at a time when the asylum space is shrinking across the world.

A recent UNDP study found that the government and local communities spent over $323 million in 2016/17 on the protection and management of refugees and the provision of essential services, which is equivalent to 46 per cent of the education budget or 62 per cent of the health budget.

The government of Uganda and the United Nations system are committed to delivering as one.

At the heart of this commitment is the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, which is fully aligned to the governments second National Development Plan, and includes how the rights and needs of displaced persons must be understood not only as humanitarian in nature, but equally as development challenges to be addressed in concert with the needs of host communities and local institutions.

Since 2015, the United Nations and World Bank in Uganda have supported the governments Settlement Transformative Agenda through the Refugee and Host Population Empowerment Strategy (ReHoPE). This strategy supports Uganda in building resilience and self-reliance of refugees as well as their host communities.

Ugandas refugee-hosting model is an inspiration regionally and globally. Uganda has invested significantly in making this possible. However, for the model to be sustained, it needs our support.

In June this year, the world came to Uganda to celebrate this model as well as commit to supporting it during the Uganda Solidarity Summit for Refugees.

Funds totalling over $350 million were pledged by various countries, development agencies and private sector entities to support efforts towards supporting over 1.3 million refugees and some 502,000 people in host communities in 12 districts in Uganda.

This support will go a long way in providing some of the most vulnerable people in society with healthcare, education, water and sanitation, and improved livelihoods.

Apart from supporting refugees, Uganda also deserves tremendous praise for the hundreds of humanitarian workers she sends into conflict zones across the world, to provide services to those affected by crises.

Ugandan doctors and health workers were amongst some of the first deployed to support the World Health Organisation (WHO) to fight the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia in 2014.

Ugandans are also present as aid workers in South Sudan, Somalia and various other parts of the globe supporting those caught up in crisis. Several Ugandans have lost their lives in these processes.

These examples clearly demonstrate the dedication of Ugandas people and government to serving humanity.

I invite each one of us to applaud the government and people of Uganda for their dedication to humanitarian affairs and the values associated with providing dignified assistance. I invite Ugandans to share this knowledge with future generations to help nurture this national commitment to protect lives and livelihoods.

As we commemorate World Humanitarian day, let us remember those who have lost their lives in the service of humanity, and let us re-commit to ensuring those that serve at the frontlines of conflict are provided the safety, dignity and respect they deserve.



The author is the UN resident coordinator/UNDP resident representative.
I spent the past five months back home, during which time I lent a modest hand to activism against injustice and the forging of collective platforms that can contribute towards remaking a better Uganda.

But then I had to make the return journey to the windy-city, Chicago, and onward to Raleigh, North Carolina, to take up a new appointment as assistant professor of political science at North Carolina State University. This is both good and sad.

Good for my professional advancement, but sad because it effectively puts on hold my earnest wish to return to the place of my formative intellectual growth, my alma mater  Makerere University. This is a long story for another day.

When I left the US in March, there was a palpable air of surrealism. Five months later, not much has changed. The situation here remains decidedly surreal. Unbelievable! The president of the United States of America is a man called Donald Trump.

Even for those who thought that perhaps the man who was astoundingly elected would grow into a real president, and shake off the rhetoric that got him elected, there is now concession that Trump the presidential candidate is Trump the president.

The events in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend underlined the enduring presence of racial bigotry and moral bankruptcy.

A hotchpotch of white supremacist reactionaries and neo-Nazis, perhaps emboldened by a president who is either sympathetic or simply indifferent to a white supremacist ideology, took to the streets to openly express what they stand for: a pure nation untainted by certain unwelcome races and impure ethnicities.

Here, the key targets have always been Jews and Black Americans. But, increasingly, also targeted are immigrants of all stripes, never mind that the US is a nation of immigrants; its only a question of when one got here, not if they came here from somewhere else: almost everyone did.

In Charlottesville, a twenty-year-old man drove a car into a crowd that was demonstrating against the agenda of white supremacists.

With President Trump faulted for not strongly condemning an obvious case of racial hatred and ultra-nationalism, a former leader of the infamous Ku Klux Klan, the oldest and by far the most reactionary and racist group in the US, was quick to remind Mr Trump: it is they, white Americans, who voted him into power, and not the radical left.

The election of Donald Trump last November opened fresh wounds of racial polarization in a country that has never quite overcome its long history of racial segregation. And last weekends events in Charlottesville confirmed Mr Trumps ambivalence to many.

For a man who effortlessly posts comments on social media platform Twitter, it took him a while to call out the reactionary groups, and even when he did put out a tweet, it was so vague that it immediately drew condemnation from House and Senate Republicans.

The bankruptcy of racism is in its rejection of our shared humanity and the resort to cheap prejudices and unfounded biases. It also betrays deep ignorance and poverty of historical knowledge about the evolution of the world.

You find this dearth of knowledge among a section of Ugandan commentators, particularly one journalist who, for years, has been obsessed or, perhaps more accurately, possessed with highlighting differences between races based on supposed intellectual abilities.

The simplistic caricature of the Black race, complete with an assault on our humanity, on our very being as a people and a denigration of the deep historical struggles for liberation, unfortunately continued to enjoy ample space in a national Ugandan newspaper.

Apparently, the best thing to have happened to Africa was slavery and colonialism, and that the best solution to todays endemic problems in Africa is recolonization.

Anyone with even very modest knowledge of world history would find this sort of assertion not just morally reprehensible but also utterly ignorant. Centuries of colonial plunder in Latin America and the Caribbean did not produce growth and transformation, but devastation and distortion.

What would the racially-blinded Ugandan journalist say to the fact that not too long ago, China had the highest concentration of the worlds economically poor and socially backward people only to make a dramatic turnaround to reclaim a feat of superpower status held two millennia ago?

One of the unfortunate realities someone who straddles Uganda and the US has to live with is the double pain of witnessing, if not experiencing, blatant racial abuse in America and reading or listening to racist caricaturing back home in Uganda.

The obsession with racial differences is not only distortionary, it tends to be diversionary. The poor of the developed world, some of whom cast their votes for Donald Trump, are facing severe economic hardships not because there is a different race that has adulterated their nations.

If racial superiority was as a certain Ugandan journalist thinks, then presumably there would be no poor and needy white person on earth.

Similarly, the poor of the poor world, like our compatriots in Uganda, innovatively struggle to survive and no one has the right to insult their intelligence and deny them their due dignity.



moses.khisa@gmail.com



The author is an assistant professor of political science at North Carolina State University.
Agricultural News

Argentina Grants US Pork Products Market Access, Eliminating Non-Science Based Import Barriers

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds the Trump administration for negotiating U.S. pork access to the Argentine market. Argentina was among several countries with non-science based barriers to U.S. pork imports. With today's White House announcement, trade-dependent U.S. pork producers now have unfettered access to this large pork-consuming nation.







"U.S. pork producers are the most competitive in the world and we have long sought the opportunity to provide affordable, high-quality pork in Argentina," said NPPC President Ken Maschhoff. "We thank Secretaries Perdue and Ross, and their teams at the USDA and the Department of Commerce, as well as U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer and his team, for their diligent work to win Argentine market access."







Maschhoff added, "We also thank Vice President Pence for his efforts, including a recent visit to Argentina, to move a trade agreement that promises significant U.S. economic benefits over the finish line."







The U.S. pork industry, which has been the world's largest exporter of pork over the last 10 years, depends on exports for growth. Exports added $50 -- representing 36 percent of the $140 average value of a hog -- to every U.S. hog marketed in 2016. NPPC continues to urge the administration to negotiate market access in other countries, such as India and Thailand, that remain closed to U.S. pork due to non-science based trade restrictions.









Source - The National Pork Producers Council















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House Ag Committee's Frank Lucas- No Issue Closer to My Heart Than Conservation

Oklahoma Third District Congressman Frank Lucas, who for the second time in his Congressional career, is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation sees no dramatic changes in the Conservation title of a 2018 Farm Bill- and he tells Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays on the sidelines of the Oklahoma Conservation Summit that "the real question is how much money will be available to us to do the overall farm bill- there are a couple of areas in the Commodity Title- cotton and dairy- that have to be handled differently than previously- we have to preserve money for crop insurance and then there will be about the money set aside for conservation."





Chairman Lucas says that the current Ranking member of the overall Committee, Colin Peterson, continues to talk about wanting to add Conservation Reserve Program acres- but Lucas says that will be difficult because it will be costly to add acres to the CRP. He adds that farmers and ranchers mention the EQIP program more to him than any other- saying producers like EQIP but wish out loud that they would like to see a few more dollars available for this cost share program. The Congressman tells Hays "Remember Ron, I chaired the Subcommittee (on Conservation) for the '02 Farm Bill- I was overall Chairman for the '14 Farm Bill and am once again the Subcommittee Chair for what will be the '18 farm bill- there is no issue closer to my heart than conservation."





Lucas has a personal goal to see more flood control dams built in areas where they are needed but no money has ever been authorized to get that done- he continues to work on finding a systematic way to get the money to get those dams built. When asked if this might be a program worthy of the President's attention in his push to do a massive infrastructure campaign across America- "I won't deny it- I have tried to sell that to anyone in the Administration who cared to listen."





Hays and Lucas also talked about his priorities for Title One- the Commodity program and also about the problems of dealing with the Administration with so few Trump Administration appointees approved by the Senate- Lucas says it is really frustrating saying "we desperately need those under secretaries and assistant secretaries and division directors" and pointing out that there is currently no one even nominated to be the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service which is a critical position to make sure we are doing the things needed to benefit the soil and water resources here in this country.





Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear the complete conversation between Lucas and Hays recorded in south Oklahoma City on Friday morning at the Oklahoma Conservation Summit.













Ron Hays talks with Congressman Frank Lucas about the conservation title of the 2018 Farm Bill

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On December 16th, 1960, a United Airlines plane collided with a TWA aircraft, with the planes crashing down in Park Slope and in New Dorp, Staten Island. 134 people died in the collision, with victims including everyone onboard both planes along with six people on the ground. Now, it's the subject of a new play from the Roundabout Theatre Company, dubbed Napoli, Brooklyn.

The show, now performing at The Laura Pels Theatre at 111 West 46th Street, is directed by Meghan Kennedy, and tells the story of an Italian-American family living in Park Slope in 1960, focusing on how the plane crash affected them. Per the synopsis:

In 1960 Brooklyn, the Muscolinos have raised three proud and passionate daughters. But as the girls come of age in a rapidly changing world, their paths divergein drastic and devastating waysfrom their parents deeply traditional values. Despite their fierce love, each young woman harbors a secret longing that, if revealed, could tear the family apart. When an earth-shattering event rocks their Park Slope neighborhood, life comes to a screeching halt and the Muscolino sisters are forced to confront their conflicting visions for the future in this gripping, provocative portrait of love in all its danger and beauty.

The real plane crash had the highest death toll of any aviation incident at the time. The New York Times the next day described the scene in their reporting:

The scene in Brooklyn, where one plane fell in a densely populated district, reminded one witness of the bombed and burning villages of the Korean War. In Staten Island, where the wreckage narrowly missed a community of wooden homes and a public school, witnesses said the blood-drenched snow and the bodies made them think of a battlefield.

The one surviving passenger was an 11-year-old boy named Stephen Baltz, who was traveling from Chicago to meet his mother and sister in Yonkers for Christmas. He was found in a snowbank nearly a mile from the wreckage at 7th Avenue and Sterling Place and was taken to New York Methodist Hospital, where he died the next day. There's a small plaque dedicated to him at the hospital, which contains the 65 cents in nickels and dimes he was carrying with him at the time of the crash.

There are also still remnants of the crash at the wreckage site in Park Slope. If you look closely at 123 Sterling Place, located right at the crash site, you can see a difference in color in the brick where plane parts struck and knocked down some of the building. One neighborhood resident actually has jet parts in his backyard, and a memorial was unveiled at Green-Wood cemetery in 2010.

Napoli, Brooklyn runs through August 27th; you can purchase tickets online.
Since the start of the summer, the Seaport Food Lab has been hosting chefs from across the country (and some locals, too) for pop-up dinners showcasing fare otherwise inaccessible without a plane ticket. Starting Sunday it's chef Jessica Koslow'sof L.A.'s super hit Sqirlturn in the kitchen, where she'll be cooking up potential dishes for her forthcoming restaurant Tel, also in Los Angeles.

Koslow says the dishes she'll serve in NYC are ones she's been "playing around with" in anticipation of the new restaurant, which will open sometime next year. While she's known as the "breakfast queen" for dishes like her beloved ricotta toastas well as a background in preservingit's dinner on offer at the Seaport, with five courses of what Koslow describes as a reflection of the "global migration of the Jewish people, my heritage; it's about the flavors, dishes, and techniques acquired throughout the world, yet redefined under a California lens."



Crispy Jerusalem artichokes with berbere (courtesy Seaport Food Lab)

The menu, listed in full below, includes dishes like fried Jerusalem artichokes seasoned with berbere; yoghurt studded with diced pickles; and Koda Farm brown cooked and crispy rice with pickled rose hips, dill and schmaltz. The dinner also includes an interlude course by Mh Zh, an Israeli restaurant in Los Angeles.

While L.A. prides itself on its healthful produce, Koslow has taken advantage of the New York area's robust farm community, employing several local purveyors for her dinners. With help from Greenmarket co-founder Bob Lewis, Koslow has been able to source nightshades and brassicas from Breezy Hill Orchards and Rogowski Farms; stone fruit and cider from Hudson Valley Farmhouse Cider; and Armenian and Persian cucumbers from Clinton Point.

Will all this lovely produce sway Koslow into opening a restaurant in NYC? "I love New York," she tells Gothamist. "A good motto I have.Never say never."

Jessica Koslow will be cooking at the Seaport Food Lab August 20th through September 2; see here for reservations ($100)

First Course:





Cardamom Ghee & Nigella Laminated Flat Bread bread finished with fig salt



Creamed yoghurt with brunoised lacto-fermented dill pickle



Eggplant dip with market vegetables





Frisee salad with Beechers cheddar and dukkah



That dry cooked russet potato





Third Course:



Crispy Jerusalem artichokes with berbere



Fried quail in shwarma spices



Oven roasted cabbage, avocado seed tahini, puffed Meyer lemon, kraut powder





Passamore Ranch sturgeon with hulba, green sahawek, and smoked plums



Koda Farm brown cooked and crispy rice with pickled rose hips, dill & schmaltz



Braised tomatoes in a pomegranate molasses and pecan sauce


An Omaha teen was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center on Thursday after being shot in the leg near 33rd Street and Craig Avenue.

Dalon Sherman, 15, was shot about 11:20 a.m., according to an Omaha police spokesman. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Police were seeking a suspect wearing a maroon hooded sweatshirt. No arrests were immediately announced.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 444-STOP, at omahacrimestoppers.org or on the P3 Tips mobile app. Tips leading the arrest of a shooting suspect are eligible for a $10,000 reward.
Nebraskas state agencies and organizations continue to prepare for Mondays total solar eclipse.

Visitors are expected from around the world, possibly numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Due to the influx of visitors, the State Emergency Operations Center will be open Monday to monitor activity across the state.

Other agencies that are preparing:

Nebraska State Patrol

The patrol will have three aircraft deployed to different parts of the state Monday, focusing on traffic in and around the path of totality.

The patrol also will have extra troopers positioned along Interstate 80. Drivers will not be allowed to park on the shoulder of I-80 or other major highways to view the eclipse.

Nebraska Department of Transportation

Staff members will be on standby along the path of totality and in Omaha to help with traffic control.

For up-to-date traffic conditions, go to 511.nebraska.gov. Also, follow @nebraska511 on Twitter.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Game and Parks has 34 state park areas and 186 wildlife management areas within the eclipses path of totality. Visitation at those areas is expected to be busier than normal.

All campsites within those park areas that may be reserved have been booked for months. Many parks are preparing additional areas for primitive camping and parking during the eclipse.

Nebraska Emergency Management Agency

Local emergency management officials across the state have developed plans for the day and have provided information to the state on activities and community needs. NEMA staff will work in the state Emergency Operations Center in Lincoln on Saturday through Monday. For information and links to state agency and federal websites with eclipse information, visit nema.nebraska.gov/operations/2017-solar-eclipse.

Nebraska State Fire Marshal

Staff members will be available to assist local fire departments and first responders efforts. Staff members also will be at the state Emergency Operations Center in Lincoln on Monday.

Nebraska National Guard

The Guard has placed units in an elevated level of readiness. The units are trained and equipped to provide assistance in a number of situations if local or state emergency response officials need help.

American Red Cross

Disaster volunteers are prepared in case they are needed in the region. The organization also is monitoring its blood supplies in all locations across the state and nation should a need arise for blood.
LINCOLN  The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the 80-year prison sentence given to Daniel L. Jones, who, when 16, helped ambush and kill a Bellevue teenager.

Nineteen-year-old Scott Catenacci was stabbed almost 60 times after being lured by a group of youths, including Jones, to Bellevues Haworth Park in September 1998.

Jones, now 34, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading no contest to first-degree murder. He was among the juvenile lifers who were afforded a new sentencing hearing.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in Miller v. Alabama, ruled that automatic life sentences without parole for juveniles were unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment. Youths, the court ruled, cannot fully understand the consequences of their actions.

The State Supreme Court, in a nine-page ruling Friday, upheld the 80-year sentence given to Jones last year by Sarpy County District Judge David Arterburn. The judge called the murder an execution.

The Supreme Courts opinion, written by Judge Lindsey Miller-Lerman, stated that sentences are a subjective decision and that Arterburn followed the correct procedure in weighing Jones attitude and demeanor against the facts of the case.

Jones, at last years resentencing, apologized to Catenaccis family and said he worked every day to better himself. Jones stabbed Catenacci several times during the slaying and told a witness he had carved something on the victims head that would show up on the autopsy.

Jones and the group of youths held a knife-sharpening party before the slaying, a prosecutor said, then lured Catenacci to the park on the pretense that someone wanted to buy his laptop computer.

Under Jones sentence, he would be eligible for parole in about 40 years, if he maintains a good-conduct record.

Six people were ultimately convicted in Catenaccis slaying.
Two Lincoln teenagers were killed early Friday when a vehicle and an Amtrak passenger train collided at a southwest Lincoln railroad crossing.

Yankiel Rodriguez and Emanuel Martinez, both seniors at Lincoln Southwest High School, were killed, Principal Mike Gillotti said in a message to Southwest High families.

The crash occurred about 12:25 a.m. near South Folsom and West South Streets, Police Capt. Ryan Dale said.

The vehicle was on the tracks at the crossing when it was struck, Dale said. The driver had driven around railroad crossing arms when the vehicle was struck on the passenger side, police said.

The crash location has flashing red lights, Dale said.

Dale said 290 people  273 passengers and 17 crew members  were on the Amtrak train when it crashed. No passengers or crew members were injured, he said. The train was headed for Denver, Dale said.
This year's SummerSlam at the Barclays Center promises plenty of action in the ring, with matches like a fatal fourway for the WWE Universal title to a Kevin Owens/A.J. Styles brawl for the U.S. Title. But there's also going to be some action outside the ring, as a group of WWE fans are planning a weekend of rallies calling on the WWE to remove Donald Trump from the wrestling promotion's Hall of Fame.

In the wake of Donald Trump's press conference this week in which he equivocated white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, a group of fed-up wrestling fans will be rallying on Friday at 5 p.m. outside the Barclays Center. The group will be calling on the company to reject racism by tossing Trump from an honored spot with the company.

While this isn't the first attempt to get the WWE to disassociate itself from Trump, John Stevens, a 30-year-old Brooklyn resident, told Gothamist that he and a group of friends who are in town for the summer extravaganza decided that they'd had enough of Trump's association with the wrestling promotion and decided to shout it in the streets.

"We were talking about how Trump gave that crazy press conference, and then thought about how he's in the WWE Hall of Fame even though Hulk Hogan got kicked out over racism," Stevens told us. "What Trump has done is remarkably worse than what Hogan did, since he's dividing the country by siding with neo-Nazis and white nationalists."

While Hogan was never officially "kicked out" out of the WWE Hall of Fame, references to his career with the company and his page on the hall's website were both quietly scrubbed after racist comments he made about his daughter dating a black man were publicized.

"I was sickened by that press conference, and his response to Charlottesville," Stevens said. "Basically WWE is endorsing those comments by having [Trump] in their hall of fame. I can't wrap my brain around the fact that they'd leave him in there, take Hogan out and claim they say they care about racism."

Stevens said that the protest came together on an email chain that he and some fellow wrestling fans have. With everyone in town for SummerSlam weekend, the group decided to take action. In addition to setting up a website, Stevens said that some of his friends went to an autograph signing held by current WWE champion Jinder Mahal on Thursday night to hand out flyers about the protest.

The autograph signing was an apt place to go to spread the word about the rally, since Mahal, the company's first Indian world champion, plays the outdated trope of the villainous minority foreigner.

Trump's place in the WWE Hall of Fame, cemented by the fact that he took one of the worst Stunners in the history of wrestling and allegedly once believed that Vince McMahon was literally murdered on air, is somewhat awkward at the moment. In addition to the company regularly publicizing its anti-bullying efforts, longtime face of the company John Cena starred in a PSA extolling the nature of America's diversity:

Despite these efforts though, Linda McMahon, the former WWE CEO and wife of majority owner Vince McMahon, serves in President Trump's Cabinet as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration. Stevens said even with that relationship in mind, the WWE needs to make a choice.

"It's kind of a gut-check moment for the WWE. If they want to put their fans in this position, especially minority fans, and insult them to their faces by supporting someone who supports white nationalists, they can do that. But the backlash, I think, will be severe."

Stephen Miller, a 31-year-old Brooklyn resident and fellow self-described "wrestling nerd" involved with the protest, told us that this is an important moment for the company.

"They have two options; leave someone who defends neo-Nazis and white supremacists in the Hall of Fame and accept that their fans will look at them as hypocrites the next time they take a stand about racism, homophobia or other forms of prejudice, or have a spine and stand up to racism. If they choose to leave him in the HOF I will question whether or not I'll continue to watch their product."

The website announcing the rally makes reference to the WWE's history of racism both on-screen and off, and while it otherwise focuses on the removal of Trump, Stevens told us Trump is hardly the only issue the company has to deal with.

"Now more than ever the evil foreigner thing, it's the last thing we need in the country," Stevens said. "People are eventually going to be sick that the company is associating with this kind of racism," he predicted.

Miller also said that it's time for the company to pivot away from racism. "I hope WWE will get their head out of the dark ages and into 2010s," Miller said.

While both men predicted that today's rain forecast would drive down the turnout, Stevens said that rallies outside the Barclays Center are also planned before the NXT: Takeover and SummerSlam shows on Saturday and Sunday. And while Stevens is aware that the company could ignore the group outside the arena, it might not be so simple in the actual Barclays Center.

"We might protest during the shows, we've got prime seats," he told us. "Where our seats are, you'd definitely see it, you'd hear the chants. WWE could take care of this problem now, or they could have it come up during one of their biggest pay-per-views of the year and have it be on the WWE Network forever."

As of press time, a WWE spokesperson did not return a request for comment.

Removing Trump from the hall of fame "would be the ultimate act of being a star, if you will" Stevens said, referencing the company's anti-bullying efforts, "and standing up to bullying and racism."
Urban areas in Nebraska and Iowa have no monopoly on financial stress and food insecurity. Big challenges with hunger are found in rural communities, too.

Thats why Omaha-based Food Bank for the Heartland is sponsoring mobile food banks, from June through October, in rural communities in Nebraska and western Iowa.

Its an eminently worthy cause. The agency estimates that nearly 214,000 Midlanders in its 93-county service area, 11.8 percent of the population, struggle with food insecurity.

As The World-Herald has reported, food stamp usage in Nebraska has increased for the past two years, though part of the rise was due to greater outreach by anti-hunger advocates and improved processing by the state.

The Food Bank for the Heartland and the individuals and businesses that support this effort deserve applause for helping tackle this major social need.
Morning showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible today across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

The precipitation should move out of the region by midday, with clearing skies taking over through the afternoon into tonight. Afternoon highs should reach the 80s, the National Weather Service office in Valley said.

The weather service said a flood warning remains in effect for Seward, Saline and Butler Counties because of high water in the Big Blue River.

Today in the Omaha area, there is chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 p.m., with skies becoming gradually sunny. Expect a temperature near 85. Tonights low will drop to around 60, the weather service said.

Saturday and Sunday are forecast to be mostly sunny with high in the upper 80s to around 90. There is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms Sunday morning and again Sunday night.

The forecast for the weekend looks pretty good, said KMTV meteorologist Ryan McPike.

Monday, the Great Solar Eclipse Day, skies are expected to be partly sunny in the Omaha area, the weather service said. A high in the upper 80s is forecast.

McPike said he is still somewhat concerned about possible cloud cover. He called for partly cloudy skies Monday.

Its going to be close, McPike said. Im not ready to say its going to be great.

Were still three to four days away, he said, so a lot can change.

Monday night, showers and thunderstorms are likely, mainly after 1 a.m.

The rest of the Omaha-area forecast, according to the weather service:

Tuesday  Partly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 p.m. and a high around 85.

Tuesday night  Mostly clear with a low in the low 60s.

Wednesday  Sunny with a high in the low 80s.

Wednesday night  A slight chance of showers with a low in the low 60s.

Thursday  Mostly sunny with a slight chance of showers and a high around 80.
Better pay will end corruption

Several experts that we spoke with said that better pay is the best answer to ending corruption. The recommendation of a 14.27 per cent hike by the pay panel is the lowest in 70 years. A low pay hike and poor scale will not help root out corruption the experts feel. The best way to tackle corruption is to ensure a better pay scale and better benefits.

7th Pay Commission, the worst

At a 14.27 per cent pay hike, the worst recommendation was made in the past 70 years. There was nothing for the employees to smile about this time. Not only was the pay hike low, the employees did not even get their arrears on allowances from July 2016. Instead allowances are being paid from July 2017.

Last time it was 20 per cent pay hike

The 6th Pay Commission had recommended a 20 per cent hike in the basic pay, which the government doubled while implementing it in 2008. The 7th Pay Commission cut down House Rent Allowance (HRA), which constitutes a substantial part of central government employees' salaries. The Commission had recommended HRA at the rate of 24 per cent, 16 per cent and 8 per cent of basic pay of the central government employees and the government stuck with the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations on HRA and gave nod accordingly. The previous pay panel had recommended HRA at the rate of 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent for X, Y and Z category of cities respectively.

Hike will not be considered

There had been widespread demand from central government employee unions to hike HRA at the rate of 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 percent of basic pay and to be given arrears on allowances including HRA. However the government has made it clear that the demands is unlikely to be considered by the National Anomaly Committee.

Why a hike is necessary

Several governments across the world ensure that their employees are well paid. A good pay will not just help end corruption, but also ensure quality work from the employees. It would also ensure that quality personnel join the government which in turn would help step up the manner in which the government functions.
Ahmed Patel's RS win challenged in Gujarat HC

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The BJP has challenged the victory of of Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha elections from Gujarat. Patel of the Congress won after the ECI invalidated two votes. A plea has been filed in the Gujarat High Court.

The BJP has argued that the order of the ECI was wrong and hence it would be challenged in the court. The party is expected to mover the Gujarat High Court and if it fails will approach the Supreme Court, party sources said.

Four candidates - BJP president Amit Shah, Union Minister Smriti Irani, Balvantsinh Rajput, and Ahmed Patel - were in the fray to three Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat. While Shah and Irani won comfortably by securing 46 votes each, Patel won the third seat by winning 44 votes.

Cross-voting by eight of its MLAs seemed to have come as a body blow to the Congress's chances. However, two of these votes were declared invalid by the Election Commission, after the Congress complained that the two MLAs disclosed their choice to BJP leaders.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 14:08 [IST]
Are you saying you are so good, you won't appear before CBI: SC to Karti Chidambaram

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

There were several oral observations made by the Supreme Court which directed Karti Chidambaram to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation. Karti had challenged the look out circular issued against him by the CBI.

Karti's counsel told the court that he is not at the mercy of the CBI. My quashing petition is before the Madras High Court. If they have courage, let them do what they want to under the law.

Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI said in his personal opinion a look out circular is a much softer option than other statutory remedies. The court then asked, "do you want to say you are so good that you do not want to appear before the CBI?"

To this Karti's advocate said," I am ready to appear today itself. But I need protection. A lawyer within hearing distance." The court permitted Karti to take a lawyer with him, but said that he would not be within the hearing distance of questioning.

The court also brushed aside Karti's allegation that he was being harassed in the name of the FIPB approval and that the real target was his father. The CBI alleged that firms owned by Karti influenced FIPB approval for Rs 305 crore irregular investment in INX Media.

Karti's counsel told the court that it has become the fashion of the day to target relatives of important politicians. The court however stopped the argument and said, " do you want to say you are so good that you do not want to appear before the CBI?"

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 13:53 [IST]
"B S Yeddyurappa denotified land worth Rs 3,800 crore," ACB files FIR

India

oi-Anusha

By Anusha Ravi

In a massive setback to BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa, the ACB has filed two FIRs over illegal land denotification. The total loss due to denotification by Yeddyurappa when he was the Chief Minister is pegged at a whopping Rs 3,800 crore.

Based on a complaint filed by one Dr D Aiyappa, the Anti Corruption Bureau has registered two FIRs against B S Yeddyurappa under sections 7,8, 13(1) (c)(d) and 13 (2) of the prevention of corruption act and sections 406,420 and 120 B of the IPC. The complainant has alleged that when B S Yeddyurappa was the Chief Minister in 2010 he had illegally denotified land identified by the Bengaluru Development Authority to be developed as layouts.

The complainant has alleged that the then Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa. BDA official Basavarajendra, Gowrishankar S N, officials of Urban development department Premachandra, Basavaraju and Subhir Harisingh conspired to denotify land that was acquired to form the Dr K Shivaram Karanth layout. B S Yeddyurappa is accused of denotifying 18,975 sites of various dimensions, thus allowing illegal sale of the sites.

The complainant has alleged that the BDA was to pegged to get Rs 5,600 crore from the sale of these sites. The total cost of developing the sites would come up to Rs 1,847 crores. After deducting the costs, the BDA was slated to get a profit Rs 3,800 crore from the sale of sites. B S Yeddyurappa is accused of causing a loss of Rs 3,800 crore to the BDA by denotifying the land that had been acquired.

The FIR comes at a time when the BJP is all set to launch a massive attack on the Congress over income tax raids on minister D K Shivakumar. The FIR is dated August 10, 2017, but has emerged a day before the BJP begins its massive protest against the Siddaramaiah government. The FIR comes as a massive setback to Yeddyurappa who is barely coming out clean in many cases of corruption against him.

OneIndia News
Bellandur lake froth: NGT summons top officials, demands action taken report

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) pulled up the Karnataka government on Thursday for failing to address the frothing in Bellandur lake. The tribunal also directed top state officials to explain the action taken on its directions so far.

The NGT principal bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar summoned the Additional Chief Secretary, who heads the Department of Urban Development, and Chief Executive Officer of the Lake Development Authority to appear before it on August 22.

The State has been asked to respond by August 22. Earlier in February, NGT had issued suo motu notice to all civic agencies after a fire broke out in the middle of the lake.

The tribunal has asked the government how many storm-water drains it has cleared, how much waste was removed from the rajakaluves.

It also sought information on where the collected waste has been taken and what preventive steps were being put in place to ensure this does not continue.

While seeking time to file an affidavit the government advocate said due to a cloudburst, the unprecedented rain resulted in froth spilling on to the roads.

Rejecting government plea , the bench said cloudbust would not give rise to froth and smoke. Proper drainage systems, disposal of garbage would not have been like this, the bench observed.

The Tribunal's attention was drawn to the issue in February when reports and photographs appeared of a fire in a mound of garbage near the Bengaluru lake.

The National Green Tribunal has directed authorities to ensure closure of 76 polluting industries around Bengaluru's Bellandur lake. The tribunal also directed authorities to ensure closure of 76 polluting industries around Bengaluru's Bellandur lake.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 9:24 [IST]
Who is Adwaita Gadanayak? Sculptor, who will carve Netajis Statue at India Gate

His contributions ignored: Why Rajnath Singh said Netaji was first PM of India

'BJP will buckle under pressure to do justice to Netaji files,' says Anuj Dhar

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Government of India is observing the 'official' death anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose today. But, the mystery around the death of the leader continues even after the Narendra Modi government declassified 305 Netaji files in 2016.

Anuj Dhar, author of 'India's Biggest Cover-up' and founder-trustee of New Delhi-based not for profit organisation 'Mission Netaji' spoke to Oneindia on the 72nd anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose .

Anuj Dhar, said: ''It's a good thing that Narendra Modi govt declassified 305 Netaji files. Every single page is a good thing. They have not released intelligence files. IB files have not been touched. This is not complete declassification.''

''These are regular bureaucratic files. But Intelligence doesn't operate under the ambit of law. We have been asking to release those files,'' he said.

Even family members of Netaji echoes same demand of declassification of all files, including IB files by the Centre. They also seek the government to appoint a high-power Special Investigation Team (SIT) to scrutinize the documents.

Dhar firmly believes that Netaji was not killed in plane crash in 1945 in Taiwan.

''I have no reason to change my conclusion that Government of India was fully aware of Subhas Chandra Bose did not die in plane crash, but the the lie was spread for political reasons.''

Still, there are three theories doing rounds on what happened to Netaji.

1. He died in a plane crash in Japanese occupied Taiwan in 1945

2. He was killed in Russia by Stalin regime, which is openly told by General GD Bakshi and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy

3. He died as Gumnami Baba in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh

Based on his research Dhar did believe that Netaji went to Soviet Russia after Japan lost the second world war, but he was not killed there. ''Because Stalin had nothing to gain from killing Netaji. In fact, he didn't like Nehru,'' Dhar explains.

Dhar had personally spoken to the Taiwanese government during his research. The government of Taiwan denied plane crash on August 18, 1945.

'' I have no reason to disbelieve what the Government of Taiwan says because they have no political reasons.''

Therefore, Dhar is betting on the Faizabad angle.

On January 31, 2013, the Allahabad High Court had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to display Gumnami Baba's possessions in a museum and set up a commission of inquiry to establish who the Gumnami baba was. Akhilesh Yadav government ordered an inquiry committee to probe Gumnami Baba's origins in 2016.

''We have to wait for the Commission report to move forward, '' added Dhar.

To a question whether BJP government do justice to Netaji files, he said: ''I think BJP government is not hostile to the idea, Congress party was. It is in BJP's interest to declassify files. Under public and media pressure, the government will have to deliver more."

Meanwhile, on the occasion of death anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose Balaji Films is releasing a trailer of upcoming web series 'Bose dead or alive'. Bollywood star Rajkumar Rao plays Subhas Chandra Bose in the series directed by National Award winning director Hansal Mehta.

The web series is based on Dhar's book 'India's Biggest Cover-up'.

OneIndia News
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Constitutional recognition of Lingayat religion does not lead to further division of Hindus

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Political slugfest is on for some time on the issue of granting separate status for 'Lingayat' religion. The Lingayat community is spearheading a movement for separate religious status distinct from 'Veerashaiva' and Hindu religion as well.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister, Sri. Siddaramaiah has asked both Veerashaivas and Lingayats to come together with a request for separate religious status during a felicitation organized by Akhil Bharath Veerashaiva Mahasabha. On the other hand, BJP's national president Amit Shah said the demand for separate religious status for the dominant 'Lingayat' community in Karnataka is a political game being played by CM Siddaramaiah.

[READ MORE: Karnataka Cabinet to recommend separate religion status for Lingayats ahead of polls]

At the outset, we need to be clear about the distinction between "Veerashaiva" and 'Lingayat' communities and their demands. Veerashaiva Mahasabha considers Lingayat as part of Veerashaiva Sect. Now, the organization claims separate status for Veerashaiva- Lingayat together.

But, Lingayat swamijis do not consider themselves as part of either Veerashaiva or Hinduism.OneIndia spoke to Arali Nagaraj, former Judge of Karnataka High Court about his view on the ongoing debate.

Arali said: "All Lingayats were under the impression that they were Veerashaivas, but Lingayats belong to Basava tradition founded by 12th-century reformer Basavanna." He supports his arguments by drawing a parallel between Brahminical (Vedic) practices and Veerashaivas. Brahmins do Upanayana likewise Veerashaivas perform 'Ayyachara' ( a ritual) to only 'Jangam' caste, not to any other caste in the sect. Also, Veerashaivism does not give equal status to women. Like Brahmins, Veerashaivas consider 'jaati Jangamas' (priestly caste of Veerashaiva) superior to other castes.

He questioned, "Which Veerashaiva (Panchacharya) peetha has worked towards preserving vachanas and propagated them?."He gave the credit to FG Halakatti who has been praised as "Vachana Pithamaha" and Hardekar Manjappa (Gandhi of Karnataka) who started celebration of "Basava Jayanthi" a century ago and also Dr. M M Kalburgi who have contributed immensely to preserve Vachana literature.

He took pride in saying that 'Lingayat' is the only religion to give equal status to women, therefore, 35 women (Sharanis) from 12th century could write Vachanas.

On the question of Veerashaivas' attempt in claiming separate religious status, Justice Arali asked: "How could they claim separate status while maintaining that Veerashaivas form a sect of Hindusim?"

"Veerashaivas believe in Vedas, Shivagamas, Siddhanth Shikamani(the holy book of Veerashaiva) and also Vachanas of Sharanas. However, 30-35 shlokas of Siddhanth Shikamani are contrary to the principles accepted, practiced and preached by Sharanas," he said.

"Apart from theological differences evidence has to be adduced by Lingayats to claim a separate status". Justice Nagaraj interprets the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and other Hindu Laws Acts to prove their claim. Section 2(1) of the Act mentions Veerashaivas and Lingayats as two different forms to which Hindu Law applies.

Section 2(1) in the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 provides that-

(1) This Act applies

a. to any person who is a Hindu by religion in any of its forms or developments, including a Veershaiva, a Lingayat or a follower of the Brahmo, Prarthana or Arya Samaj,

b. to any person who is a Buddhist, Jaina or Sikh by religion, and.....

However, such distinction is not made in Article 25 of the Constitution of India, therefore, I feel, constitution needs to be amended in this regards added Justice Nagaraj. Also, referring to (AIR 1966. SC 1190:1966-1 SCR 134 dated 14/1/1966) delivered by Justice Gajendragadkar in which the judge has said; "Buddha started Buddhism, Mahaveera founded Jainism, Basava became the founder of Lingayat religion....." (in paragraph 264).

Buddha, Mahaveera were Hindus. But, they did not accept social practice in Hindu Religion thereby started their own path.

Thirdly, Lingayat should convince the Parliament of India about the threat of extinction and the numerical inferiority of the community, if Lingayat religion is not recognized as a separate and distinct religion. As far as the role of the state government is concerned in giving minority status to Lingayats, Justice said: "State Government can exercise its power to some extent, at best it can recommend to the Centre. In this regard, the President of India should issue notification after consulting the state government and we have to approach the Central Government only."

But, is this separate status tag to get benefit from the government? He did not deny that fact. But categorically said: "to get the benefit from the government is not the sole objective to claim separate religious status. But, it is true that economically weaker sections of the community can get benefits from the government."

He refuted the arguments the separate religion for Lingayats leads to further division of Hindu religion. "I don't think Hindu Society will be divided. It's a ploy privileged men to preserve their superiority over others."

In reply, he asked" "What happened when Basava came out of Hindu religion in 12th century?"

OneIndia News
Acs, TVs may be licensed by govt to discourage entry of foreign goods

Foreign tourist arrivals: India sees over 15 per cent growth

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Between January and July this year, India has registered a growth of over 15 per cent where arrivals of foreign tourists are concerned. This is due to many opting for e-visa facility, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

The highest number of tourists arrived from Bangladesh (20.12 per cent), followed by the US (16.26 per cent), the UK (10.88 per cent) and France (3.01 per cent), said the statement which was released on Wednesday.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) from January to July, 2017, were 56.74 lakh, recording a growth of 15.7 per cent as compared to 49.03 lakh in the corresponding period last year, it said.

A total of 7.88 lakh foreign tourists arrived in India in July, an increase of 7.4 per cent as compared to the same month last year, it said.

The ministry said foreign tourists, who arrived on e-visa, also substantially increased in July.

A total of 1.19 lakh tourists came on e-visa last month as compared to 0.68 lakh in July 2016, registering a growth of 73.3 per cent.

From January to July this year, a total of 8.36 lakh tourists arrived on e-visa as compared to 5.40 lakh during the corresponding period last year, recording a growth of 54.7 per cent, the statement said.

The UK's share was highest among the tourists availing e-visa facility at 12.9 per cent, followed by the US (12 per cent), the UAE (7.2 per cent), France (6.4 per cent), Oman (6.1 per cent) and China (5.4 per cent).

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 6:20 [IST]
UP polls 2022: Yogi Adityanath the 2nd CM to contest assembly elections from Gorakhpur

Why the NIA needs to take up the Gorakhnath Temple attack case

Frogs married off in UP to please rain God, end drought like situation

Gorakhpur tragedy: Allahabad HC seeks probe findings from UP govt

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

The Allahabad High Court on Friday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to specify what caused the deaths of more than 60 children at the hospital. The next hearing is scheduled for August 29.

Hearing a bunch of PILs seeking a judicial probe into the tragedy, the bench of chief justice DB Bhosale and justice Yashwant Varma directed the state government to place before it relevant details of the committee - if any - constituted for the inquiry.

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However, the bench refused to order the judicial inquiry for now stating that it cannot be done on the basis of mere apprehensions expressed by the petitioners.

On Wednesday, the central government team that visited the facility had also claimed that the deaths of 63 children were not caused by an oxygen supply shortage.

The state had earlier held that they had died of encephalitis, not lack of liquid oxygen supply at the facility.

Meanwhile, a fact-finding team of the Indian Medical Association has confirmed that Oxygen supply at Baba Raghav Das Medical College and Hospital was disrupted on the night of August 10, that led to the death of several children.

Social activist Nutan Thakur on Wednesday filed a PIL in the Allahabad High Court with regard to the death of over 60 children at a Gorakhpur hospital last week, seeking a judicial probe into the tragedy.

Her plea also sought strict implementation of an earlier high court order on a complete ban on private practice by government doctors.

OneIndia News
Hurriyat terror funding: How this high-profile Sringar businessman moved funds from Pak to Kashmir

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The National Investigation Agency made a 'high profile' arrest in the Hurriyat terror funding case. The agency arrested Zahoor Ahmad Watali, a prominent businessman from Srinagar.

The NIA says that he is a key operative who was the bridge between the separatists and the ISI. It is alleged that through his company he channelised funds for subversive activities in Kashmir. The NIA has identified the company as the Trison Group.

During the questioning of the various Hurriyat leaders it came to light that Watali was an important player. The manner in which he would transfer the money and also his well established contacts in Pakistan came to light during the questioning.

Among the various remittances that he made, the one which caught the eye of the agencies dated back to 2011. It was a remittance of 31,000 US dollars. This remittance was made after he returned from Dubai, the agencies say.

In addition to this his accounts in the RAK and J&K bank had many such remittances. The NIA is now trying to find out the source of the money. He had claimed that the income was legitimate and even told the NIA that he had paid his income tax.

Watali started off as a driver with Abdul Ghani Lone, the late Hurriyat leader. Over the years he built contacts in the ISI and also the Pakistan Army. For several years now, he has been moving ISI funds to Kashmir for subversive activities. He had over the years become the point man for the ISI to transfer funds to Kashmir, investigations have also found.

He is also said to be close to Sardar Ateaq Khan, the former chief minister of Pakistan occupied Kashmir. His name has cropped up several times during investigations. He was under the scanner in 2005 when the agencies found that he had been channelising huge sums of money from Pakistan to Kashmir. He had also come under the radar in 1994 when he was found funding a terrorist group Al Burq.

Watali will not only be questioned in the terror funding case. The NIA has found a diary with notings of large sums of money being transferred to purchase propery in posh localities. The agencies have found that he has properties in Greater Kailash, Sainik Farms, Gurgaon and in London too.

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 10:30 [IST]
What the ISI is doing in Punjab is carbon copy Kashmir: Is SJF the new Hurriyat?

Hurriyat terror funding: Key financial facilitator Watali arrested by NIA

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Zahoor Watali, who is suspected of acting as a conduit for illegally remitting funds to the separatists, terrorists and stone-pelters in Kashmir was arrested by the National Investigation Agency. The NIA is probing the Hurriyat terror funding case.

His arrest was carried out following the searches conducted by the NIA on August 161 at multiple locations in Srinagar, Handwara, Kupwara and Baramulla.

The searches have unearthed highly incriminating material pertaining to receipt of funds by Zahoor Watali from foreign sources and its further distribution to the terrorists and separatists in Kashmir valley for anti-India activities.

Earlier, June 3, the NIA had searched Zahoor Watali's house in Srinagar and seized incriminating documents pertaining to several financial transactions and land deals. The property documents seized have shown huge amount of cash transactions in sale and purchase.

Zahoor Watali, who is suspected of acting as a conduit for illegally remitting funds to the secessionists, terrorists and stone-pelters, was earlier arrested in the year 1990 by the Jammu & Kashmir Police, after it was found that he was involved in some anti-national activity. He was taken into custody along with Yaseen Malik, Sajjad Gani Lone, Bilal Lone and others and was jailed for eight months at Jammu.

In the year 2009, Zahoor Watali was accused of illegal encroachment of land and assault, and a case was registered against him at P.S. Parimpora, Srinagar. The court had however stayed the investigation.

Zahoor Watali was also accused of travelling on a cancelled/invalid passport. Instead of surrendering the cancelled passport to the authorities, he travelled abroad.

Zahoor Watali is being questioned by the NIA officials and will be produced before the court today.

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 5:48 [IST]
As 'RRR' performs well at Japan box office, SS Rajamouli confirms sequel to NTR-Charan-starrer

Hyderabad: 20-year-old girl raped in guest house, 4 held

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Hyderabad, August 17: A 20-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a persons in a guest house located at Banjara Hills area on Wednesday. The incident has come to light lately.

The victim was raped by a person, who claimed himself as room service boy, in OYO Hotel of Banjara Hills.

Nisha Khurana and Payal came to Hyderabad on a visiting purpose. A person has been following Nisha since they took rooms in the hotel.

On Wednesday night, the unknown persons forcibly entered the room of Nisha by claiming himself as room service boy and raped her.

The Banjara Hills police have registered a case and four accused nabbed.The police are in the process of identifying the accused based on CCTV footage.

In a similar incident in May, Nizamabad MLC Dr K Bhoopathi Reddy's son Snehith Reddy and two others were booked by Cyberabad Police in a case of alleged rape of a 23-year-old beautician woman from Banjara Hills.

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 12:07 [IST]
India needs to speak up on sexual harassment of children: Heres why

India

oi-Shreya

By Shreya

A disturbing figure of 94,172 cases of crimes against children was registered in India during 2015 which is an increase of 5.3% if compared to 89,423 cases during 2014.

In 2015, 10854 incidents of child rapes were reported in India, along with a total of 3,350 cases of 'Sexual Harassment' of children. The number of rapes is certainly less than the NCRB figure of 2014 which shows 13766 registered child rapes in the year, but not a nominal of an insignificant number in any case.

In order to understand the increasing issue of sexual harassment on children, one must understand that physical assault, rapes, molestations are not the only ways by which sexual violence could be inflicted on children, non-physical or verbal assault are also causes of concern for this growing issue.

For example, there is little or no awareness about crimes such as voyeurism which comes under Section 354C of the Indian Penal Code, and due to lack of awareness, such cases go unreported. The NCRB data shows a mere 51 cases of Voyeurism reported in India, in the year 2015.

Stalking (354 D, IPC) came to the limelight after Chandigarh stalking case involving the son of a political leader, but a total of 1,020 cases of 'stalking' of children were registered during the year 2015, most of which were not talked about.

11 cases of buying of minors for prostitution (under section 373 of IPC) and 111 cases of selling of minors for prostitution (under section 372 of IPC) were registered in the country during the year 2015 against 14 and 122 such cases registered in the year 2014 respectively, however one must note that these are just reported data.

To curb the problem, sensitization should start right from the beginning and also from the lower rung of the society - the ones not well exposed to the concept of sexual harassment. The key is to educate these people on what is harassment, physical or verbal.

Oneindia spoke to parents, educators, and activists, here's what they had to say:

S Anandhi, Professor of Gender in Asian College of Journalism, said, "Awareness of one's body is most important, especially for a girl child. She should understand that there is no mystery surrounding her body; hence nobody can touch her irrationally,"

She further said, "At schools, right from the very beginning, sense of respect should be instilled in the minds of young boys and girls, they should be made confident so that whenever they feel their privacy is being violated, they will speak up. The child should be capable of distinguishing between rational and irrational behaviour. Also, teachers should resist from touching students, in order to discipline them."

Most importantly she said, "Girls should be taught that there is nothing impure about their bodies, their bodies need to be respected, and it is the responsibility of the schools to instil this nothing, similarly boys should also not be made to feel entitled just for the virtue of belonging to a certain gender."

We also spoke to parents regarding how they feel about the increase in such crimes and interact with their children to make them aware of the appropriate and the inappropriate. Here's what they had to say.

Joydeep, Engineer, said, "I want to tell my daughter to live strong and free. But I worry how free she really is. When we chose a school for her, the bigger question was not how good the school was but rather how safe it is for her to commute. This is what such crimes do."

Shreyosi, Corporate Lawyer, said, "I monitor her activities, especially her play activities, very closely. If I see some remote sexual connotation, I speak to her about where she learned it. I also speak to her regularly about good n bad touch, and ask her if anyone, in particular, has touched her during the day."

Kawalpreet Kaur, Student Activist said, "The present educational system is not open to talking about issues such as sexual harassment, which needs to change. Workshops should be held at the primary level and the curriculum needs to change to make the children aware of good and bad touch. I feel, at present, there is a lot of taboo attached, and that should not be."

Clive Semmens, Ex-Professor, recalled how education institutes in the United Kingdom were trying to spread awareness of sexual harassment, "When I was a schoolchild in the UK (1954-1957), I think it was being ignored - but I wasn't aware of it myself anyway. When I was a teacher in the UK (1978-1992) I know that most of the authorities were trying to ignore it, mostly successfully - but some individual teachers, including me, were doing our best to deal with it, but meeting strenuous resistance from the authorities."

He added, "In some schools, the senior teachers also were trying to deal with it, but getting little or no support from the local authorities in some areas. My own children left school in 1993 and 1995, and I know that most of the staff in their school, including the headmaster, were aware of the problem and trying to deal with it, but with little support from the local authority and some resistance from other senior members of staff."

The only way by which the problem can be resolved is through a cultural change, where parents and teachers would freely interact with children on such issues, which in turn will encourage children to speak up whenever they feel they have been inappropriately treated.

OneIndia News
India will have its first hypersonic missile in five to six years: BrahMos Aerospace CEO

India rejects reports of BrahMos sale to Vietnam

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 18: India on Friday rejected reports of having supplied BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles to Vietnam, terming such reports as "incorrect".

Replying to questions on the issue, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Vietnam's Foreign Ministry has already rejected the report, saying it is incorrect.

"It is not correct, that is what I am trying to say. The person who has been quoted, the ministry has already rejected and they are saying that the news item which is running and which is out is incorrect," he said.

However, there was no clear denial of the report by Vietnam's foreign ministry in the public domain. When asked about the report, a spokesperson in the Vietnam foreign ministry said the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership has been actively developing in many fields including economics, trade, investment, culture, education, security and defence.

"The bilateral security and defence ties have been making a practical contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large," the spokesperson said, adding Vietnam persistently pursues a national defence policy of peace and of self-defence.

The spokesperson further said "procurement of defence equipment by Vietnam is consistent with the policy of peace and self-defence and is the normal practice in the national defence. We will forward your question to the relevant agency."

There was no comment available from the defence ministry on the issue. India had held talks with Vietnam for supply of the BrahMos missile. In February, while replying to a question in Lok Sabha on whether the government has any plans to sell Akash and BrahMos missile to Vietnam, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said that India has held talks with the Southeast Asian country on the issue.

[BrahMos set to send shivers down enemy's spine]

"India and Vietnam share a strategic partnership. Defence cooperation, including supply of defence equipment, is an important aspect of this partnership. Both countries have held discussions on range of issues in this regard," he had said in a written reply.

Vietnam, which is involved in a territorial dispute with China, is keen to get it hands on the supersonic missiles that can be fired on land, water and under water. The Brahmos missile system is jointly developed by India and Russia.

PTI
JNU Admissions 2022: PG First merit list to be released today; how to check

JNU students allege assault, rape attempt by mob in Faridabad

India

oi-Madhuri

Seven JNU students and St Stephen's College were allegedly assaulted by a group of people at Asola sanctuary in Faridabad on Monday. The girl claimed that the group also tried to molest her when they resisted.

The incident happened at around 9 pm when the students were on their way back from the Bhardwaj Lake, Asola Wildlife Sanctuary.

According to the students, when the victims approached Surajkund police station, cops misbehaved with them and refused to register an FIR. The cops allegedly even forced them to tender a written apology.

The victims eventually went to Vasant Kunj north police station on August 15 where policemen registered a zero FIR under IPC section of 323, 341, 506, 354, 365, 511, 506 and 34 and transferred the case to Surajkund police station.

According to the complaint, the girl said instead of lodging an FIR, the officials forced them to write an apology letter. The cops also questioned about her torn dress and said "this is not a free-sex country".

Deputy Commissioner of Police Faridabad Astha Modi said,"We are investigating and will call them to record their statements at the Surajkund police station. We are in the process of recreating the sequence of crime to identify the accused."

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 8:57 [IST]
Know your army: A glance at Indian Armys arsenal of arms, ammunition

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

It's not every day that a common man gets a close look at multiple shot grenade launchers, 84mm rocket launchers or anti-tank guided missiles.

Know Your Army, an exhibition of the Indian Army's arsenal of arms and ammunition is a rare opportunity that is short-lived.

The mela, organised by the Army during the Independence Day celebrations at various places has come to an end. Children and elders alike enjoyed the event thoroughly.

It was not only a way to look into the latest arms and ammunition but was also a chance to interact with the Army. Many army personnel were happy to share their stories on various operations, some even took views of kids and children on what they think about the Army.

Here is a glimpse of Army's arsenal of arms and ammunition held in various places

A look at army weapons A girl having a look of a defence weapons in Meerut. The Army's weapons and equipment display attracted thousands of people to various guns and canons including 155 mm Bofors gun. Photo credit:PTI Army perform Martial arts Army personnel perform martial arts during a 'Know Your Force' mela at Morhabadi ground in Ranchi on Wednesday. All Indian soldiers and officers as part of their training routine and regimen are taught unarmed combat. The reason is very simple. Prepare them to use their hands as weapons in case they are out of ammunition. Photo credit: PTI. Motorcycle stunts Army Personnel perform motorcycle stunts in Ranchi. Daredevil motorcycle show amuses crowd. Photo credit: PTI. Jawans demonstrate skills Army jawans demonstrate their skills during Know Your Army ahead of Independence Day in Ranchi.Photo credit: PTI Students check snipper rifle Students check a snipper rifle in Bengaluru on Thursday. From a 60-year-old man to a kid, everyone was curious to know about the functioning of equipment while army men were kind enough to tell everything candidly. Photo credit: PTI

OneIndia News
Sport

Shoaib predicts blockbuster Pakistan-England T20 WC final

Pakistan were down and out right from the beginning. But now they have gathered the pace and made it to the final. I wish they extend their winning momentum and beat England in the final, said Shoaib, who was speaking on the sidelines of Bazm-e-Urdu, a cultural event which was held in collaboration with Sharjah International Book Festival (SIBF).
Man pastes his photo on relative's Aadhaar to board flight, lands in jail

India

oi-Anusha

A Mumbai man was arrested for attempting to board a flight by impersonating his relative. 42-year-old Sayyed Khan is said to have pasted his own photo to his relative's Aadhaar card to board 'to save money' since the ticket was nonrefundable.

Sayyed Khan was stopped by the Central Industrial Security Force during routine checks after they noticed discrepancies in the identity proof that he had produced. Khan had a ticket to board a Hyderabad-bound flight on Wednesday. He was caught by the security personnel at the Vile Parle (East) domestic airport and was handed over to the police.

Khan confessed that he had produced a fake ID proof. Khan told the police that his relative had booked a late flight to Hyderabad but could not make it in time for the flight. Khan then decided to go in his place since the ticket was nonrefundable and he did not want the money to go waste. Khan then took the air ticket, boarding pass that was raised online and his relative's Aadhaar card. Khan pasted his photo on his relative's on the Aahaar card and attempted to gain access to the airport.

He has now been charged with impersonation, cheating and forgery. Sayyed Khan was produced before a court on Thursday that has remanded him to police custody till August 19. The police are in the process of verifying his claims.

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 14:04 [IST]
India's first Night Sky Sanctuary to be set up in Ladakh to boost Astro tourism in India

MEA refuses to confirm if stone pelting took place between India, China troops in Ladakh

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Stating that there indeed was an 'incident' involving Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh on Tuesday, the MEA, however, refused to confirm if both sides indulged in stone pelting.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the incident of August 15 was discussed by both sides in a meeting.

"I have not confirmed stone pelting or use of rods, just said there was an incident... There was an incident on 15th August, it was later discussed by Army officers on both sides," Kumar told media.

It was earlier reported that Chinese troops tried to enter the Indian side in two areas-- Finger Four and Finger Five-- twice between 6 am and 9 am on Tuesday. But on both the occasions their attempts were thwarted by alert Indian troops. After Chinese troopers found their path blocked by ITBP personnel who formed a human chain, they began hurling stones, prompting a swift retaliation by Indian border guards.

Raveesh Kumar also did not confirm whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China next month to attend Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) summit, saying he does not have any information about it.

When asked about the current status of the standoff, he said, "It is a sensitive issue... We will continue to engage with China to find mutually acceptable solution. Peace and tranquillity in border areas are important pre-requisites for smooth development of bilateral relations."

Asked about the reported comments of the Japanese Ambassador on Doklam face off and if India welcomes it, Kumar gave a very guarded reaction, saying the remarks speak for themselves.

The Japanese ambassador was quoted in media as saying that no country should use unilateral forces to alter the status of Doklam.

OneIndia News
Narayana Murthy hits back at Infosys board says will respond at right time

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 18: Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy said he is not seeking "any money, position for children, or power", while expressing anguish over the board's allegations that his "continuous assault" led to Vishal Sikka quitting as CEO.

Murthy, who has been in a long-running battle with the board and top management of the company he founded with six others over three decades, said his concern primarily was the "deteriorating standard" of corporate governance at Infosys. He also questioned the investigations that cleared the technology major of all charges of mismanagement.

In a surprise announcement, Infosys said Sikka has quit as CEO after nearly three years at the post. It issued a strongly-worded statement earlier in the day blaming Murthy's "continuous assault" as the primary reason for Sikka quitting as CEO. The company's board alleged that Murthy has repeatedly made "inappropriate" demands, which are inconsistent with his stated desire for stronger governance and that his "campaign" has intensified over time.

"I am extremely anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of the statements... I will reply to these allegations in the right manner and in the right forum and at the appropriate time," Murthy said in an emailed statement. Murthy said several shareholders, who have read the whistle-blower report, had told him that an "impartial and objective investigation" is not held in the manner in which Infosys' probe happened. "...several shareholders who have read the whistle-blower report have told me that it is hard to believe a report produced by a set of lawyers hired by a set of accused, giving a clean chit to the accused and the accused refusing to disclose why they got a clean chit!" Murthy quipped.

He further said: "They say that this is not the way an impartial and objective investigation should be held". Infosys Chairman R Seshasayee responded to Murthy's allegations saying the suggestion that renowned law and audit firms will connive with the Board and overlook 'misdeeds' of the CEO and post a clean report, is "completely untenable". Seshasayee and co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan, however, ruled out any legal action against Murthy.

PTI
NEET 2017: Latest updates

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Supreme Court on Thursday stay the admission process under NEET 2017 in Tamil Nadu. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, cleared an ordinance of the Tamil Nadu government, in consultation with Attorney General KK Venugopal, which seeks to exempt medical students from appearing in the common entrance test NEET. This makes it more apparent for NEET exemption for Tamil Nadu students this year. On 14 August, the Centre agreed to exempt the State from the exam, for a year, only 'If the state government promulgates an ordinance asking for exception for NEET this year.'

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.

The Centre's decision to scrap NEET has not been well received by a section of the students who plan to challenge the same. Senior advocate Nalini Chidambaram, representing the candidates who have cleared NEET 2017 and awaiting admission, said the state and the Centre had entered a deal to cancel this year's exam ahead of the presidential elections.

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 7:28 [IST]
International news brief: Floods trap many in Florida; Royal Mint unveils first coins and more

Now, Assam CM Sonowals village faces threat of being washed away by floodwaters

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Guwahati, August 18: The devastating floods in Assam have spared none, literally. From posh urban areas to remotest corners of the state, floodwaters have engulfed almost every length and breadth of the northeastern state.

Now, reports say that the native village of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is facing the threat of being washed away by floodwaters. The woes of CM's village, Mulukgaon under Chabua revenue circle in Dibrugarh district, have been aggravated because of perennial erosion affecting the upper region of Assam.

Along with his village, CM's paternal house is also facing the heat of floods as it is just 500 metres away from the Dibru river, where water is flowing above the danger level.

The tiny village of the CM, Mulukgaon, has at least 80 houses where around 300 people stay. The villagers fear that if rains continue then soon the entire village would be washed away.

The Chabua revenue circle is one of the worst flood-affected areas in the state, this year. Because of floods since June, many people of Chabua are already staying in relief camps set-up by the state government.

Chabua member of legislative assembly (MLA) Binod Hazarika told The Telegraph, "I have visited the place to take stock of the erosion, which is posing a serious threat to the people of the area. In the last 10 years, the river has come closer to the village because of constant erosion. Earlier, the river was 10 km from the residence of the CM."

"Our government is serious about the problem and the dredging of the Brahmaputra river will start soon. If the erosion continues for a year, the whole area will be gobbled up by the river," he added.

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The residents of the CM's village are unhappy that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not do much to solve the twin issues of floods and erosion.

"We are facing the wrath of constant erosion. This year, 800-900 hectares were eroded under Bindhakata gaon panchayat. We have voted the BJP to power to solve this perennial problem and we hope that the government will solve it,'' said Sailen Saikia, a resident of Mulukgaon.

The flood situation in Assam remained very critical on Thursday as 10 more people lost their lives while 31.55 lakh are still affected in 24 districts of the state. With Thursday's deaths, the toll in the latest wave of floods in the state rose to 49. The overall death figure in this year's flood in Assam is 133.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 2,584 villages are inundated and 1.67 lakh hectares of crop area are damaged across the state.

Authorities are running 602 relief camps and distribution centres in 21 districts, where 1,01,035 people have taken shelter. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and district administration personnel have rescued nearly 3,500 people to safer places in many districts.

The floods have damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructures in several districts of the state. Currently, the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries are flowing above the danger mark in several parts of Assam.

Vast forest areas in Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Lawkhua wildlife sanctuary are under the flood waters, the ASDMA report said.

Meanwhile, the Indian Railways on Thursday said it has begun restoration work of damaged rail tracks and bridges to restart train services as soon as possible.

"While the overall flood situation continues to be grim in most part of Bihar and railway tracks remains breached in many locations, the Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway has started restoration work in all locations on a war footing," NF Railway chief public relations officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma said in a statement.

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 7:25 [IST]
Now recommend person of your choice for Padma awards: Modi

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Now you can recommend a person of your choice for the Padma awards. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing entrepreneurs at a NITI Aayog programme.

He said that the government has decided to end the practice of ministers recommending name for Padma awards. From now onwards anyone can recommend a person for Padma awards online. "Padma awards in past were given on ministers' recommendation. We removed this barrier and made it open to anyone for nomination. We have made a small reform. Now anyone can recommend a person for Padma award online. Now, unknown heroes are getting recognised," said the prime minister.

"We believe every citizen has something to contribute to the nation and we want to integrate these strengths with our growth," Modi also said.

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 6:04 [IST]
Resignation letter: Vishal Sikka cites false, malicious campaign against him for quitting Infosys

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Bengaluru, August 18: Vishal Sikka resigned as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of the IT behemoth, Infosys, on Friday. Want to know what led to his resignation?

Vishal Sikka resigns as MD & CEO of Infosys citing personal attacks

Read here the full text of his resignation letter:

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Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka resigns,sites personal attacks as reason behind stepping down|Oneindia News

Over the last few days, since our earlier call, I've met Sesh several times, talked to you individually at length, and spent time thinking things thru with Vandana. During this time, one of our employees, Sandeep Karamongikar, died in his sleep, likely of a massive heart attack. He was working on the chatbot frontend in Nia.

Also over the weekend, in possibly the greatest demonstration of AI capability ever, a bot built by the researchers at OpenAI (yes, that OpenAI), defeated the world's best players of DOTA2, a multiplayer online video game, a game where the bot learned to play entirely from scratch.

Further demonstrating that the force to automate routine, even advanced, activities is an unstoppable and exponential one. And the Charlottesville incident here in the US demonstrated once again the power of words and silences to cause real damage, or to heal.



After much reflection, I have concluded that it is indeed time for me to leave my current positions as MD and CEO, and I have communicated my resignation to Sesh. I will be working closely with Sesh, Ravi, Pravin, with all of you, and the senior management team to plan out the details and the timelines to ensure a smooth transition and in the meantime, continue our work without disruption, and ensuring that we protect our company, the employees, the clients, and the interests of every shareholder. You can count on my commitment to this.

I came here to help navigate the company through what I saw as a massive transformation opportunity, to transform our company and restore strong profitable growth, as well as help transform the business of our customers. I came to do this with the power of technology, given my experiences with similar transformations, my background in AI, and the structural changes that I saw happening in the IT services industry.

This needed new skills, new thinking, new initiatives, and a transformation in the culture, from a cost-oriented value delivery, to entrepreneurship oriented value delivery. You have heard me articulate this many times before.



This type of a transformation has always been a passion for me, indeed I took this job for this reason. We have achieved much in the last 3+ years, and for sure we can all be proud of the powerful seeds of transformation that have already been sowed.

No one anticipated the additional headwinds like the geo-political disruptions (Brexit, Trump, visa etc.) that made this transformation even more challenging, but also rewarding.

But, the distractions that we have seen, the constant drumbeat of the same issues over and over again, while ignoring and undermining the good work that has been done, take the excitement and passion out of this amazing journey.

Over the last many months and quarters, we have all been besieged by false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks. Allegations that have been repeatedly proven false and baseless by multiple, independent investigations.

But despite this, the attacks continue, and worse still, amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation.

This continuous drumbeat of distractions and negativity over the last several months/quarters, inhibits our ability to make positive change and stay focused on value creation.

Addressing the noise by itself is damaging; hundreds of hours of my own time has gone into this recently. But the structural challenges this engenders within the organization, has a very damaging effect on our ability to carry out any kind of a transformation, especially one that is as fundamental as transforming from a cost-oriented to an innovation-oriented value delivery to clients.



Therefore, I have come to this moment and the end of this journey. I hope that it gives everyone a chance to reflect, and give the transformation effort another big push and move the company forward rapidly to build its future, to build upon the foundation that we have laid over these past 3 years.

If these types of attacks continue, I hope each of you will continue to be the voice of fairness and reason--providing the active, emphatic and unequivocal support that the company, the management, the employees, and all of the stakeholders and friends of the company need in order to succeed.

Since the board deeply believes in the cause we have started, I will be happy to support all of you to achieve a smooth transition, and serve as your Executive Vice Chair as discussed.



I would like to thank each one of you, my dear colleagues, my friends and mentors, and look forward to working with you to close this chapter and open a great new one for all of us.



Best, V

OneIndia News
Vishal Sikka resigns as MD & CEO of Infosys citing personal attacks

India

oi-Madhuri

Vishal Sikka resigned on Friday as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys. In a letter to stock exchanges, Company Secretary AGS Manikantha confirmed the development, saying the resignation was accepted at a board meeting on August 18. Sikka will now be the executive vice-chairman of the company. Sikka has cited 'personal attacks' on him as one of the reasons for his sudden decision to resign, saying they were amplified by people who should have supported him. "I spent hundreds of hours tackling the drumbeat of distraction," he said.

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UB Pravin Rao has been appointed as interim CEO. Rao has over 30 years of experience. Rao oversees the key functions of global sales, global delivery and business enabling functions.

[Who is U B Pravin Rao? The interim MD and CEO of Infosys]

In a press release issued, Infosys said that Sikka has been appointed executive vice chairman effective on August 18, and will hold office until the new permanent Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director takes charge, which should be no later than March 31, 2018.

Sikka will continue to focus on strategic initiatives, key customer relationships and technology development. He will report to the Company's Board. UB Pravin Rao has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director reporting to Sikka under the overall supervision and control of the Company's Board.

OneIndia News
Why India preferred US made Apache over Russian Mi-28N helicopter?

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Armed with Hellfire and Stinger missiles, six Apache attack helicopters are set to become part of the Indian Army after the Defence Ministry on Thursday cleared a proposal to procure them.

The Army has been demanding such attack helicopters for a long time. The Army had originally sought the government's approval for the acquisition of 11 Apache helicopters from the US.

In 2015, the Indian Airforce had inked a deal for 22 such choppers. According to reports, the IAF had strongly opposed the creation of a separate mini-Air wing by the Army.

The Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter is the most advanced multi-role heavy attack helicopter in the world.

When India set out to buy attack helicopters, it had to choose between the Apache AH-64D Longbow and the Russian made Mi-28N "Night Hunter".

The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. It is armed with a 30 mm M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft's forward fuselage.

The Mi-28 combat helicopter has been developed by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and is known by the NATO codename Havoc. In August 1996 Mil rolled out a prototype of the day and night capable version, the Mi-28N Night Havoc. The first production Mi-28N took its first flight in April 2004 and began flight testing with the Russian Air Force in June 2005.

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AH-64 Apache vs Mi-28N:

Several experts believe that the Mi-28N was just as good as the AH-64D Apache Longbow. Experts also are of opinion that in terms of flight performance, arms specifications, combat survivability, and operating convenience Mi-28N is superior to Apache. But, when it comes to shooting accuracy, the US chopper is better than the Russian aircraft. Also, the ammunition of the Russian helicopter is smaller.

Another reason stated by experts is that India wants to diversify its arms procurement and not depend on only one supplier. Indian already has many defence equipment, choppers and fighter jets made by Russia. India has tried to move to even Israel and France in recent times for its defence procurement than depend only on Russia like it used to be some two decades back.

India has also not been satisfied with Russia's execution of its obligations. Defence journals have quoted Indian officials as saying that Russia does not meet the requirements of delivery dates, modernisation and repairs.

Apache has also proved its mettle in many conflict zones world over including Afghanistan.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 5:41 [IST]
Security manager sacked for harassing woman at Delhi's Aerocity hotel

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

A security manager, accused of harassing a woman employee at Delhi's Aerocity hotel, has been suspended by the hotel administration after the CCTV footage evidence surfaced on Friday. The video of work place harassment at Delhi's Aerocity hotel surfaced on Friday 17 days after the incident.

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The hotel's PR Officer told ANI: ''We have suspended the accused security manager. Don't know whether the woman has been suspended too.''

A woman has alleged that she was harassed by a senior security officer at the Aerocity hotel near airport area on July 29.

''He pulled my saree, but I resisted. No strong action taken till now after the entire incident,'' woman alleged.

''Showed footage to my ma'am but she said only a warning letter will be given to him, he will then get you terminated,'' she said.

Showed footage to my ma'am but she said only a warning letter will be given to him, he will then get you terminated: Girl allegedly molested pic.twitter.com/Y0cx7AItJC  ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2017

In the video available with a private television, the security manager was seen pulling the saree of the woman and trying to establish physical contact with her in presence another employee. Ironically, the third person did not interfere or tried to stop the security officer.

Reports say, unfortunately, the woman employee was sacked from the job for complaining about the harassment. The hotel administration did not take any action against the security manager.

Consequently, the woman went to the Delhi police and FIR has been registered. The local police is likely to brief media about the status of the case today.

OneIndia News
Blow to Nitish Kumar as 5 of 6 MLAs from JD(U) join BJP in Manipur

Woman's body waiting for burial for the last 12 days in Manipur

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

A Baptist Christian-dominated village in Manipur has denied burial for 42-year-old woman in her native village for the last 12 days on the grounds that she was converted to Catholic Christianity.

Rita Haorei died on August 7 and her body has been lying since in a Catholic Church in Ukhrul district's Litan village. The village had excommunicated her family seven years ago for allegedly becoming a Catholic Christian, reports Hindustan Times.

The issue has become even complicated because her husband Yangmi Haorei, who lives in Litan, has refused to bury her anywhere else other than his native village Leingangching. Leingangching and Litan are both inhabited by the Tangkhuls, a community of Nagas dominant in the Ukhrul district.

To resolve the stalemate, a joint action committee (JAC) of Catholics went on a rally in Imphal demanding the woman's burial. The issue has reached Manipur Chief Minister N Biren's office. In a memorandum submitted to the CM the JAC requested for the burial of Rita under security.

The committee also demanded the abolition of an unwritten rural law - that of 'One Village, One Denomination' - as "it is inhuman and violates basic fundamental rights".

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 17:05 [IST]
After four decades Lanka appoints first Tamil Navy chief

International

oi-PTI

Colombo, August 18: Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah became the first minority Tamil to head the Sri Lankan Navy since the brutal civil war erupted in the country 45 years ago.

Sinniah, who played a decisive role in the destruction of the LTTE warships in deep sea during the height of the civil war, was appointed as the Navy chief by President Maithripala Sirisena.

"Rear Admiral Travis Sinniah, who has served Sri Lanka Navy with immense loyalty for many decades, took office as the Navy Commander today," President Sirisena tweeted. His services will be effective from August 22. Sinniah succeeds Vice Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne who has retired.

He is the second Tamil to head the Lankan Navy after Rajan Kadirgamar, who was the commander in the late 1960s. Sinniah is the first from the Tamil community to head the Navy since the outbreak of the civil war in the north and east of the island in 1972.

He successfully commanded a mission in 2007 to destroy the LTTE's weapons smuggling ships in international waters off Indonesia and Australia, that is considered as Sri Lankan Navy's biggest achievement, media reports said. Sinniah, who joined the Navy in 1982, was the senior most Naval officer to be in active combat operations at sea during the conflict with the LTTE separatists.

It was also announced that Wijegunaratne would be appointed as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The LTTE waged a war with the government to carve out a separate Tamil homeland in the regions with the conflict ending in 2009. Tamils in the country claim discrimination at the hands of the Sinhala majority.

during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the brutal civil war with the defeat of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009 up to 40,000 civilians were killed by security forces, According to UN figures.

PTI

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 17:46 [IST]
Authorities step up security checks after US state dept warns of terror attack in Barcelona

Barcelona terror: Second attack foiled by police, 6 injured

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Six civilians and one police personnel has been injured in a second attack in Spain, the Catalan government has said. The second attack at Cambrils hours after Las Ramlas was struck was however foiled.

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Police warned people to stay off the streets, with shots reported in the port of Cambrils. Thirteen people died and dozens were injured when a van ploughed into crowds in Barcelona's Las Ramblas area on Thursday afternoon.

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said it was a "jihadist attack".

Earlier four terrorists were shot dead in connection with the Barcelona attack. A spokeswoman for the Catalan police has confirmed that officers shot dead four alleged perpetrators and injured one more during the counter-terror raid in Cambrils. Another person was shot after driving through a police check-point, but officials said that the dead person had nothing to do with the attack.

OneIndia News
To get China to budge, India brings in its best 3

Doklam standoff: Japan throws its weight behind India

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Putting its weight behind India amidst the Doklam standoff, Japan has said that China should make no attempt to change the status quo on the ground by force.

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Japanese ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu said Japan was watching the situation closely, Hiramatsu said it had the potential to affect regional stability. "As far as India's role is concerned, we understand that India is involved in this incident based on bilateral agreements with Bhutan.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has made it clear that India would continue to engage with dialogue through diplomatic channels with China to find a mutually acceptable solution. We consider this attitude towards peaceful resolution important," Hiramatsu said. India's actions were in keeping with bilateral security arrangements with Bhutan, he also added.

What is important is that all parties involved do not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force. It is important that the dispute is resolved in a peaceful manner, he also said.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 7:56 [IST]
If Modi was careful, Doklam stand-off could have been avoided

To get China to budge, India brings in its best 3

Doklam standoff: Prepare for consequences even after you withdraw, China tells India

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

China will make India pay for its offensive and provocative behaviour even if India withdraws its troops as China requests. This was another rhetoric dished out the Chinese media amidst the Doklam standoff.

Chinese state-run media, Global Times, quoting a military expert Xu Guangyu said, "If India keeps its troops in Chinese territory, China's foreign and defence ministries are likely to release an ultimatum before September". Xu is a retired rear admiral and senior adviser to the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association.

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He said, "The BRICS summit should be focused on cooperation between rising economies, not an emergency multilateral meeting for conflict mediation".

The expert told Global Times, that "The ultimatum will clearly tell India and the world that China will give a certain number of days to India to withdraw its troops".

However, "After the deadline, if Indian troops still remain within China's territory, India will be responsible for all the consequences", Guangyu added.

"China has multiple ways of pushing India back to its own soil if India ignores the ultimatum, as a few dozen military personnel and one bulldozer is a piece of cake for the People's Liberation Army," he also said.

The expert urged Chinese military to prepare for the possibility of escalation, because Indian troops will resist, and if there is bloodshed, China needs to be fully prepared for military conflict.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 6:44 [IST]
French police evacuate 2,000 migrants in Paris

International

oi-PTI

Paris, August 18: Around 2,000 migrants were evacuated by French police from a makeshift camp in an area north of Paris today in the 35th evacuation operation in two years.

A similar roundup of the mostly Afghan and African migrants around the Porte de la Chapelle area in July saw 2,800 moved from the streets into temporary accommodation.

The new centrist government under President Emmanuel Macron has promised improved procedures and new resources for genuine asylum seekers, but has warned it will take a tougher line on economic migrants.

"It's a new operation because everyone will undergo an administrative check and will then be sorted based on their situation," said a senior Paris police officer, Yann Drouet.

Shortly after daybreak, around 30 buses were brought in to move out the migrants, many of whom were ready waiting with small backpacks.

Rachid, a migrant in his twenties from Sudan, said he had been sleeping rough for 21 days. "It's hard, really hard, especially when it rains and at night when it's cold."

PTI

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 18:04 [IST]
US midterm elections: Voting underway, Americans to decide who will control Congress

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US visa processing time expected to fall by mid-2023, says official

'Radical Islamic terrorism must be stopped': Trump

International

pti-PTI

Washington, Aug 18: A day after twin terror attacks killed 14 people and injured around 100 others in Barcelona, Spain, US President Donald Trump called for strong measures to combat "radical Islamic terrorism".

A van driver on Thursday ploughed into pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight, killing at least 14 people. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. Police later shot dead five suspects after a second vehicle attack in the coastal town of Cambrils, around 130 kilometres from Barcelona.

"Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!" Trump said in a tweet.

In another tweet, Trump said the US security forces and law enforcement agencies were on guard and were monitoring the situation.

"Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble. Our borders are far tougher than ever before!" he said.

Trump accused the Opposition Democratic party of being "obstructionists" and compromising with security of the country.

"The Obstructionist Democrats make Security for our country very difficult. They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!" he tweeted.

PTI

MRJ
Two dead, eight injured in stabbing incident in Finland

International

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

An incident of stabbing was reported from the city of Turku in western Finland on Friday in which two person was killed and eight injured.

Police is said to have shot at the suspect and arrested him after several people were stabbed. It is not yet clear if the incident was terror-related. One man and five women - one pushing a baby in a pram - were injured in the attack.

Turku police has asked the public to move away from the city center. Turku is in Finland's southwest and lies around 140 kilometers (around 85 miles) west of the capital, Helsinki. It is a Swedish speaking city.

Several persons stabbed in central Turku. Police has shot at suspected perpetrator. One person is apprehendee  L-S poliisi (@L_S_poliisi) August 18, 2017

A tweet from South-West Finland police at 16:40 local time (13:40 GMT) read: "Several people stabbed in central Turku. People are requested to avoid the city centre."

The stabbing in Finland comes on the heels of ISIS terrorists attack in Barcelona which left 13 people dead and 100 others injured.

OneIndia News
US military prepared to counter North Korean threat

International

oi-PTI

Washington, August 17: Senior US officials on Friday said the military is ready to counter the threat from North Korea, after a White House aide dismissed talk of a "military option.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are trying to pressure North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons program and come to the table.

While they stress they want to convince Kim Jong-Un's regime through diplomatic means of the need to disarm, they have not dropped the threat of military action.

But their stance was partly undermined on Thursday when President Donald Trump's strategy chief, Steve Bannon, told a news magazine: "There's no military solution."

A day later, Mattis and Tillerson faced questions about Bannon's remarks as they appeared with their Japanese counterparts at a State Department press conference.

"I don't want to comment on what Bannon's remarks were in that particular interview," Tillerson said.

"I think we have been quite clear as to what the policy and the posture towards North Korea is," he said. "Our approach has been endorsed by the president."

Tillerson warned again that North Korea faced a "bleak future" if it does not agree to negotiate disarmament, and Mattis insisted that US regional allies are ready.

"In close collaboration with our allies, there are strong military consequences if the DPRK initiates hostilities," the Pentagon chief told reporters.

Meanwhile, the US and Japan will step up their defense cooperation to deal with the threat from nuclear-armed North Korea.

PTI

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Story first published: Friday, August 18, 2017, 11:02 [IST]
Vehicles as weapons of terror: How ISIS continues with the deadly trend

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Islamic State has struck once again and this time at Barcelona and once again the vehicle was the weapon. When an attack took place at Nice, France in which the truck was the weapon of choice, it was termed as odd. However today with attacks being carried out with vehicles as weapons it has become a common phenomenon.

Since 2006 there have been 9 such attacks while the year 2017 alone has seen 3 strikes in which the vehicle was the weapon of choice.

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Chapel hill attack 2006:

Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, an Iranian-American, intentionally hit people with a sport utility vehicle on the campus of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill to "avenge the deaths of Muslims worldwide." No one died in the attack.

Glasgow attack 2007:

Kafeel Ahmed, an engineer of Bengaluru origin drove his vehicle into the Glasgow airport. However he was intercepted before he could hit the target. He died of burn injuries.

Apeldoorn attack 2009:

Dutch residents watched on TV live as Karst Roeland Tates, 38, drove his car into a parade that included Queen Beatrix. Eight people were killed and 11 others injured, while the carnage ends when Tates crashed into a monument at the side of the road. He died the next day from his injuries.

Dijion attack 2014:

Two men crashed cars into groups of pedestrians on successive days. On December 21, eleven people were injured in Dijon, France. The following day, one person was killed and nine others injured in Nantes.

Nice attack 2016:

A man rammed a truck into a crowd in the Mediterranean resort of Nice, killing 86 people, while they were celebrating Bastille Day. The ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

Berlin attack 2016:

A truck was deliberately driven into a Berlin Christmas market next at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, leaving 12 people dead and 56 others injured.

London attack 2017:

Khalid Masood, a 52-year-old convert to Islam known to British security services, drove a car at high speed into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge. Five persons were killed in the attack.

Stockholm attack 2017:

Four people were killed after a terrorist drove a hijacked truck into a crowded shopping street in Stockholm.

London attack 2017:

A van was driven into crowds on London Bridge, after which the attackers left their vehicle and stabbed several people in the area. Seven people were killed and nearly 50 injured.

Vehicle ramming not new:

Vehicle-ramming is not something new and has been used extensively by Palestinian terrorists in Israel.

What these incidents tell us is that terrorists are moving away from the conventional weapons of terror such as the gun or the bomb. A vehicle is a simple but a deadly choice of weapon. It is never on the radar and any person can create havoc by mowing down people in large numbers. It does give that element of surprise which has been a nightmare for security agencies to deal with.

In this context we need to revisit a few calls that had been given by the Islamic State as well al-Qaeda. While the Islamic State had spoken about cars as a choice of weapon, al-Qaeda had very specifically mentioned trucks while terming it as the ultimate mowing machine.

In 2015, al-Qaeda called on jihadists to attack with trucks. In a lengthy article that was written in its propaganda magazine, Inspire, it termed the truck as the 'ultimate mowing machine'. The article said "Pick up the truck not to mow grass, but mow down the enemies".

The other call was made by the Islamic State. In a statement released by Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, a leader of the group, said, "If you are unable to find an IED or a bullet, run your enemy over with a car".

In a more recent message, it once again called for the use of cars. The message read, "There are cars available and targets ready to kill. Kill them, spit on their faces and run them over with your cars."

These messages clearly suggest that terrorist groups are going beyond the conventional weapon. The weapons is no longer important. It is more important that the so called infidel is killed.

Adnani not only speaks about cars in his message. He even says poison, rocks and knives can be weapons of choice. Further he also says that it is fine if you push your enemy down from a high place.

The message from Adnani reads, "If you are unable to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him."

The basic idea is to ensure that the terror spree continues. Terrorist groups are going to use the more unconventional method to strike in the days to come. The intent is just one and that is to create panic and fear and for them the manner in which it is done is no longer important.

The Islamic State does realise with more attacks, security officials will enhance surveillance and vigil. It may become difficult to sneak in guns and bombs. In such a scenario unconventional weapons come in handy. Vehicles, poison, knives or rocks do not come under the nose of the security agencies.

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Infosys Limited is an Indian multinational information technology company that provides business consulting, information technology and outsourcing services. The company was founded in Pune and is headquartered in Bangalore. Infosys is the second-largest Indian IT company, after Tata Consultancy Services, by 2020 revenue figures, and the 602nd largest public company in the world, according to the Forbes Global 2000 ranking.
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Multichannel Marketing Market Key Players - Grey Advertising, Wieden and Kennedy, Ogilvy & Mather by Forecast to 2023

Multichannel Marketing Market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3949

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/multichannel-marketing-market-3949

Market Highlights:Multichannel marketing refers to various marketing methods or practices adopted by enterprises to sell their goods or services using direct or indirect communication channel. Enterprises are adopting multichannel marketing in order to increase their business productivity by widening their communication area with customers.The factors driving multichannel marketing market includes, implementation of advanced technology in advertisement, rising competition among enterprises in urban areas and increase in number of internet users. By channel type segment, selling through intermediaries and dual distribution channel accounts for high market share in multichannel marketing market. High adoption of GPS service and social media marketing by enterprise is fueling the multichannel marketing market. According to the study, by vertical segment, IT & telecommunication and retail sector acquires high market share in multichannel marketing market.Multichannel Marketing Market is segmented on the basis of channel type, marketing type and vertical. By channel type segment, the multichannel marketing market includes direct selling, selling through intermediaries, dual distribution, reverse channel and others. Selling through intermediaries enhance enterprise sale by focusing on the strengths of enterprise. It helps organization in identifying economies scale by finding the economy generating products or services. Selling through intermediaries reduce risk mitigation of enterprise by analyzing the business operation.The Multichannel Marketing market is expected to grow at approximately USD 28 Billion by 2023, at 24% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: Grey Advertising (U.S.) Wieden+Kennedy (U.S.) Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (U.S.) Ogilvy & Mather (U.S.) BBDO (U.S.) Crispin Porter + Bogusky (U.S.) The Martin Agency (U.S.) Deutsch (U.S.) Droga5 (U.S.) Mullen Advertising (U.S.)Regional Analysis:The regional analysis of multichannel marketing market is being studied for region such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. North America region is expected to account for largest market share in multichannel marketing market owing to presence of major multichannel marketing companies.The rising competition among enterprise and increasing retail stores is one of the significant factor boosting multichannel marketing in the region. Asia-Pacific region is growing at highest CAGR rate owing to rise in e-commerce sector, increasing competition and growing IT landscape is fuelling the market in the region.Multichannel Marketing Market Segmentation:The multichannel marketing market has been segmented on the basis of region includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. In North America region, retail sector is witnessing considerable market share owing to adoption of multichannel marketing in upscale stores and shopping malls. Search engine optimization technology enhance organization sale by increasing the brand credibility.As Google Inc. is the most trust worthy search engine and if company or product appears in the top list of the search word, then company website is most viewed, that indirectly increases the brand creditability.Market Research Analysis:The multichannel marketing market in North America region is growing due to high adoption of multichannel marketing tools in retail and healthcare sector. The invention of multichannel marketing is gaining popularity among youths due to busy work schedule and changing lifestyle is driving the market in the region. According to the study, Europe region is one of the prominent player in multichannel marketing market due to emergence of e-commerce industries from the region.Asia-Pacific market is estimated to be one of the fastest growing market as enterprises are continuously investing into research and development of multichannel marketing market. Increasing IT landscape is boosting the market in the region. Developing countries such as India and China are adopting multichannel marketing at a large scale owing to increasing IT infrastructure, robust industrialization that is boosting the market in the region. By different marketing platform segment brand marketing and multi-channel advertising agency is driving the multichannel marketing market in the region.Multichannel Marketing Market (MRFR) Research Analysis:By marketing platform segment, mobile marketing market consists of push notification. Push notification is an alert message sent on mobile device. Enterprises are looking into push notification, as a key decision factor when they are deciding to develop an application. Every mobile operating device has its own push message notification such as windows, android, IOS and blackberry. Push notification are helpful in promoting offers and increase sales of enterprises. The important advantage of push notification technology in mobile computing is that, it does not require specific application to be installed on device. It helps smartphones to send and deliver social media content and text messages when the device screen is locked.Access Report Details @Intended Audience: Investors and consultants System Integrators Government Organizations Research/Consultancy firms Technology solution providers IT Solution ProvidersTable of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Type2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size EstimationContinued..List of TablesTable 1multichannel Marketing Market, By Channel TypeTable 2 Multichannel Marketing Market, By Marketing PlatformTable 3 Multichannel Marketing Market, By Advertising TypeContinued..List of FiguresFigure 1 Research TypeFigure 2 Multichannel Marketing Market: By Channel Type (%)Figure 3 Multichannel Marketing Market: By Marketing Platform (%)Continued..About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
2017-2022 Global Automotive Glass Water Market Analysis : SOFT99Japan, Turtle WaxThe U.S, 3MThe U.S), LanXingChina)

Global Automotive Glass Water Market

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https://market.biz/report/global-automotive-glass-water-market-2017/134724/

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Worldwide Automotive Glass Water Market 2017 presents a widespread and fundamental study of Automotive Glass Water industry along with the analysis of subjective aspects which will provide key business insights to the readers. Global Automotive Glass Water Market 2017 research report offers the analytical view of the industry by studying different factors like Automotive Glass Water market growth, consumption volume, market trends and Automotive Glass Water industry cost structures during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Automotive Glass Water market studies the competitive landscape view of the industry. The Automotive Glass Water report also includes development plans and policies along with manufacturing processes. The major regions involved in Automotive Glass Water Market are (United States, EU, China, and Japan).For Sample Copy Of The Report Click Here:Leading Manufacturers Analysis in Global Automotive Glass Water Market 2017:1 SOFT99Japan2 Turtle WaxThe U.S)3 3MThe U.S)4 LanXingChina)5 CARMATEJapan6 PrestoneThe U.S)7 SONAXGermanyAutomotive Glass Water Market: Type Segment AnalysisAntifogging AgentGlass Oil Film RemovalGlass RestorationOthersAutomotive Glass Water Market: Applications Segment AnalysisCommercialOthersThe Automotive Glass Water report does the thorough study of the key industry players to understand their business strategies, annual revenue, company profile and their contribution to the global Automotive Glass Water market share. Diverse factors of the Automotive Glass Water industry like the supply chain scenario, industry standards, import/export details are also mentioned in Global Automotive Glass Water Market 2017 report.Key Highlights of the Automotive Glass Water Market:A Clear understanding of the Automotive Glass Water market based on growth, constraints, opportunities, feasibility study.Concise Automotive Glass Water Market study based on major geographical regions.Analysis of evolving market segments as well as a complete study of existing Automotive Glass Water market segments.Discover More About Report Here:Furthermore, distinct aspects of Automotive Glass Water market like the technological development, economic factors, opportunities and threats to the growth of Automotive Glass Water market are covered in depth in this report. The performance of Automotive Glass Water market during 2017 to 2022 is being forecasted in this report.In conclusion, Global Automotive Glass Water market 2017 report presents the descriptive analysis of the parent market based on elite players, present, past and futuristic data which will serve as a profitable guide for all the Automotive Glass Water industry competitors.About Us:Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.Contact Us:James JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor,Office Number 4, Vishwa Arcade,Near Navale Lawns, PuneMaharashtra, India 411041Tel: +1(857)2390696Web:Email: inquiry@market.bizBrowse Latest News-
Frozen Yogurt Market Analysis 2016-2022: Key Findings, Regional Analysis, Key Players Profiles and Future Prospects

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Market Research Future Published a Half Cooked Research Report on Global Frozen Yogurt Market which is estimated to grow more than 14.5% after 2022Competitive Analysis-The Major Key Players in Frozen Yogurt Market areMenchie's Frozen Yogurt (U.S.)Pinkberry (U.S.)General Mills, Inc. (U.S.)Amul (India)Yogurtland Franchising, Inc. (U.S.)TCBY (U.S.)Red Mango, Inc (U.S.)16 Handles (U.S.)Danone (France)Established players from North America and Europe are following strategies innovations in their-product line to expand their business in other regions due to increasing demand of frozen yogurt. They are mainly focused on increasing their supply to developed regions where the demand of product is raising. In the Europe region, Spain and Italy are amongst the dominating countries holding a major share in frozen yogurt market and exports the product in various other countries of Europe which include Netherlands, France, U.K. and others.Request a Sample Report @Market OverviewThe increasing sale of frozen yogurt is driven by the changing consumers food consumption preference and economic development. The innovation in flavors has raised the consumption of frozen yogurt amongst various regions. The sale of healthy sugar-free, low fat Frozen Yogurt is high amongst the population of health conscious people. High focus on research and development is the major reason for the increasing demands of frozen yogurt. U.S. is one of the major markets for frozen yogurt and holds a lions share. The specialty food-type segment of frozen yogurt is also evaluated to increase at a high growth rate.Access the market data and market information presented through more than 60 market data tables and 25 figures spread over 110 numbers of pages of the project report Frozen Yogurt Market - Forecast to 2022Market ForecastGlobally the frozen yogurt market share as a frozen-dairy product is estimated to escalate at a higher growth rate which is supported by the rising consumption of low-calorie, natural and healthy products in the developed countries. The developing economic conditions of various regions are fueling up the market demand for frozen yogurts. Innovations in flavor and developing technologies has led to the development of high probiotic containing frozen yogurts which is steadily gaining its popularity.All these factors contribute to the calculated CAGR of 14.5% of frozen yogurt market during 2016-2022.Downstream Analysis-Consumption of low-fat frozen yogurt is increasing at a steady rate. Amongst the various flavors available in the frozen yogurt, the strawberry and plain frozen yogurt is found to hold a lions share. The popularity of unconventional specialty type frozen yogurt is also increasing steadily which has increased the sale of healthy frozen yogurt. People are more inclined towards consumption of frozen yogurt with high nutritional value. New innovations and high focus on R&D is supporting the growth of the segments globally.Access Report Details @Regional AnalysisThe Global Frozen Yogurt Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (ROW). Among these North America region has the major market share followed by Europe. U.S. is found to be concentrated with the established key players in the frozen yogurt market. Raising consumption of frozen desserts imparting high health benefits is supporting the growth of the market in developed countries of North America and Europe region. U.K., Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium are the major importers of frozen yogurt.Market Segmentation-Global frozen yogurt market is segmented by product-type, flavors, specialty food-type, distribution channel and regionAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.ContactAkash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Electronic Dictionary Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Trends by Forecast to 2023

Electronic Dictionary Market

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Market Highlights:The electronic dictionary market is coming up with whole new innovation in experiencing the education and learning system. On the basis of regional analysis the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. North America region is one of the prominent player in the electronic dictionary market owing to better network infrastructure, digitization and higher technology implementation.Digitization in North America is mainly due to the invention of advanced technology and economies benefitting from it. The adoption of Electronic Dictionary Market by both small and medium level education sectors is increasing rapidly, especially foreign universities.The electronic dictionary market is expected to grow at approximately USD 8 Billion by 2023, at 15% of CAGR between 2017 and 2023.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 30 market data tables and figures spread over 100 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Electronic Dictionary Market -Forecast to 2023.Major Key Players: Canon Electronic Business Machines (Hongkong) Ectaco Inc. (U.S.) Inventec Besta Co., Ltd. (Taiwan) Sharp Electronics (U.K.) Noah Technology Holding (China) Casio Computer Co., Ltd. (Japan) Alfa Link (P.T. Freshindo Marketama) (Indonesia) IFLYTEK (China) Wisebrave (China) Hanvon (China)Request a Sample Copy @Electronic Dictionary Market Segmentation:The electronic dictionary market has been segmented on the basis of type, screen size, display type and end-user. By type it includes travel dictionary that helps users by providing names of mountains, lakes, rivers and other geographical division. It also comprises of features such as calculator, currency converter, organizer and calendar.Market Research Analysis:North America region is one of the prominent player in the market due to advanced technology implementation in education system. European region is also gaining growth owing to increase demand of citizens and investment by government in electronic dictionary market. Europe region consists of renowned universities and people from all the world visit the region due to its distinct and beautiful flora and fauna.Asia-Pacific region is the prominent player in the electronic dictionary camera market owing to advanced infrastructure development from countries such as China and India is boosting the market growth. Increasing urbanization, business expansion across and industrial developments and growing educational sector is driving the growth of electronic dictionary in the region. Growing economies such as India, Japan, and China accounted for the largest market share due to growing electronics industries in this region. The region consists of many small and medium size enterprise that is contributing towards the growth of market in the region.Electronic Dictionary Market Regional Analysis:The regional analysis of electronic dictionary market is being studied for region such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Rest of the World. Asia-Pacific accounts for a major share in electronics dictionary market owing to growing e-learning industry in the region. Also the region is implementing K-12 digital education segment that is contributing towards the growth of the market in the region. The region consists of people from different flora and fauna along with distinct numerous language that is one of the significant factor fuelling the growth of electronic dictionary market in the region.Browse Full Report Details @Electronic Dictionary Market (MRFR) Research Analysis:By end-user segment, electronic dictionary market consists of pupil, middle school students, college students, post graduate students and others. Students now a days used both portable and online version of electronic dictionaries to improve their English language proficiency. It helps them in improving their vocabulary and facilitate them with feature that helps them to save the last word they searched.By region, MRFR analysis shows that Asia-Pacific region accounts for largest market share in electronic dictionary owing to growing e-learning industry in the region. Asia-Pacific region is constantly investing into research and development of electronic dictionary market to directly address the growth of educational institutes. The rising number of foreign universities in the region is fuelling the market in the region. Europe region is one of the prominent player in electronic dictionary market that helps students better understand the regional language coming from foreign nations.Intended Audience: Investors and consultants System Integrators Government Organizations Research/Consultancy firms Technology solution providers Original Equipment Manufacturers Educational InstitutesTable of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Type2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size EstimationContinued.List of TablesTable 1 Electronic Dictionary Market, By TypeTable 2 Electronic Dictionary Market, By Screen SizeTable 3 Electronic Dictionary Market, By Display TypeContinuedList of FiguresFigure 1 Research TypeFigure 2 Electronic Dictionary Market: By Type (%)Figure 3 Electronic Dictionary Market: By Screen Size (%)ContinuedAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
2017-2022 Global Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market Analysis : ECA Group, Israel Aerospace Industries, Elbit Systems, MBARI

Global Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market

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Worldwide Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market 2017 presents a widespread and fundamental study of Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs industry along with the analysis of subjective aspects which will provide key business insights to the readers. Global Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market 2017 research report offers the analytical view of the industry by studying different factors like Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market growth, consumption volume, market trends and Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs industry cost structures during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market studies the competitive landscape view of the industry. The Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs report also includes development plans and policies along with manufacturing processes. The major regions involved in Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market are (United States, EU, China, and Japan).For Sample Copy Of The Report Click Here:Leading Manufacturers Analysis in Global Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market 2017:1 Unmanned Systems Technology2 Autonomous Surface Vehicle Limited3 Textron Inc4 ECA Group5 Israel Aerospace Industries6 Elbit Systems7 MBARI...Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market: Type Segment AnalysisSmallMediumLargeExtra LargeAutonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market: Applications Segment AnalysisCommercialDefenseScientific ResearchOthersThe Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs report does the thorough study of the key industry players to understand their business strategies, annual revenue, company profile and their contribution to the global Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market share. Diverse factors of the Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs industry like the supply chain scenario, industry standards, import/export details are also mentioned in Global Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market 2017 report.Key Highlights of the Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market:A Clear understanding of the Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market based on growth, constraints, opportunities, feasibility study.Concise Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs Market study based on major geographical regions.Analysis of evolving market segments as well as a complete study of existing Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market segments.Discover More About Report Here:Furthermore, distinct aspects of Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market like the technological development, economic factors, opportunities and threats to the growth of Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market are covered in depth in this report. The performance of Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market during 2017 to 2022 is being forecasted in this report.In conclusion, Global Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs market 2017 report presents the descriptive analysis of the parent market based on elite players, present, past and futuristic data which will serve as a profitable guide for all the Autonomous Sea Surface Vehicles ASVs industry competitors.About Us:Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.Contact Us:James JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor,Office Number 4, Vishwa Arcade,Near Navale Lawns, PuneMaharashtra, India 411041Tel: +1(857)2390696Web:Email: inquiry@market.bizBrowse Latest News-
Hot Dogs and Sausages Market by Regional Analysis, Key Players and Forecast 2024

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The growing demand for low-calorie, organic food products is a trend gaining much prominence across the globe. Looking to avoid the risk of overweight and obesity, an increasing number of consumers are now demanding organic versions of hot dogs and sausages as well. Transparency Market Research identifies this trend to be immensely lucrative for players.This 167 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Hot Dogs and Sausages Market. Browse through to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market @The competitive landscape of most of the regional hot dogs and sausages markets is extremely fragmented, Transparency Market Research observes, with the exception of the MEA region. In Asia Pacific, the leading revenue contributor to the global hot dogs and sausages market, the top five players accounted for a share of just over 30% in 2014. These players are Shineway Group, Venkys, Goodman Fielder Ltd., Nippon Meat Packers Inc., and Peoples Food Holdings Ltd.One of the leading growth strategies adopted by a number of key players in the global hot dogs and sausages market is product line expansion through constant mergers and acquisitions. A case in point would be ConAgra Food Inc. In 2014, the company acquired Ralcorp, a leading producer of private brand foods in the U.S. to strengthen its share in the packaged foods market.Continuously engaging in R&D activities for the development of new products in the meat and meat products segment is also a successful strategy adopted by several companies, the author of the study said. A recent example would be the introduction of hot dog ATMs, wherein the customer places their order on the screen and the selected food item is moved from the refrigerator to the microwave to deliver fresh hotdogs in just a few minutes.Sporting Events Contributing toward Increased Demand for Hot Dogs and SausagesHot dogs and sausages are among the most preferred convenience foods for kids and youth around the world and as a result, households with kids and college students form the most attractive consumer group for hot dogs and sausages. The growing population of individuals between the ages of 20 and 30 is a key factor driving this market.The demand for hot dogs and sausages varies from region to region and by season as well, the TMR analyst observes. For instance, holiday months see a surge in demand for breakfast sausages. Major sporting events in the U.S. also contribute to the rising demand, according to a survey by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. The consumption of hot dogs and sausages during major leagues and at prominent ballparks in the U.S. is much higher than at any other time of the year.Alarming Rise in Obesity Cases Likely to Restrict DemandThe soaring incidence of obesity around the world is a key factor curbing the consumption of hot dogs and sausages as consumers shift toward healthier and less fatty foods, the author of the study finds.The World Health Organization states that in 2014, around 1.9 bn adults were overweight and 600 mn were diagnosed with obesity. The WHO also finds an increase in the number of child obesity cases, which continues to threaten the demand for hot dogs and sausages.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Hot Dogs and Sausages Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Global Demand for Hot Dogs and Sausages to Grow at 1.8% CAGR over Forecast PeriodIn terms of revenue, the opportunity in the global hot dogs and sausages market was pegged at US$64.7 bn in 2014 and is estimated to be worth US$80.4 bn by 2021, expanding at a CAGR of 3.1% from 2015 to 2021. By volume, the market for hot dogs and sausages is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 1.8% during the forecast period.Among the different types of products, cocktail sausages led the hot dogs and sausages market by volume as well as revenue in 2014. The global cocktail sausages market is likely to reach US$19.2 bn by 2021. Among the different types of meat, pork was the leading revenue generator for the hot dogs and sausages market. By geography, Asia Pacific led the global hot dogs and sausages market in 2014 and the region is expected to retain its position through 2021.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Asia Pacific Automotive Telematics Market is Expected to Reach a CAGR of 11.6% During 2014 - 2020

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Future Market Insights (FMI) with sharp focus on emerging regions delivers key insights about the Asia Pacific automotive telematics market in its recent report titled, Asia Pacific Automotive Telematics Market Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2014 - 2020. According to this report, the global telematics market is expected to expand at a single-digit CAGR during forecast period 20142020. On the other hand, APAC will demonstrate the fastest growth in the global automotive telematics market at a double-digit CAGR during the forecast period. During this period, the contribution of the telematics market in the Asia Pacific region to the overall market is projected to increase from 26% to 30%, reflecting an increase of 400 BPS.This growth is attributed to high penetration of technologies and steadily increasing GDP. Moreover, Asia Pacific benefits from the presence of established vendors in the commercial vehicle telematics market, which includes PeopleNet, FleetMatics, Trimble, Telogis and Omnitracs. Furthermore, over 42% of the worlds Internet users in Asia (2013), combined with hundreds of millions of 4G users, will fuel growth of the APAC automotive telematics market during the forecast period.FMI lead consultant, Nikhil Kaitwade, sheds light on why Asia Pacific will emerge the fastest growing market in the near future. Telematics in the automotive industry has become increasingly relevant with a palpable emphasis on safety and security globally. New business models combined with increased technology adoption and remote vehicle diagnostics is fuelling growth of the Asia Pacific automotive telematics market, he said.Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at:The three key technologies that will drive the Asia Pacific automotive telematics market are:Embedded Technology  Currently, this segment dominates the Asia Pacific automotive telematics market. Greater ease of assembly, ease of troubleshooting, reliability of components and fall in cost of electronic parts are factors driving demand for automotive embedded systems in this region. Increasing use of cloud-based telematics will also influence the APAC automotive telematics embedded technology market segment. FMI projects that this segment will display a double-digit CAGR during the forecast period.Tethered Technology  The tethered technology segment in the Asia Pacific automotive telematics market will demonstrate the lowest growth at a single-digit CAGR during forecast period 20142020.Smartphone Technology  Price advantages and growing smartphone penetration will fuel growth of the smartphone technology segment in the Asia Pacific automotive telematics market. FMI anticipates that evolving smartphone technology will witness the highest CAGR in double digits during the forecast period.Currently, North America dominates the global automotive telematics market, followed by Europe. High penetration of the aforesaid technologies in Asia Pacific combined with saturation of European and North American markets will continue to fuel growth of the APAC automotive telematics market.Send An Enquiry@Elaborating on this trend, Kaitwade further stated, In order to differentiate their product offerings, automotive OEMs are integrating telematics technologies into vehicles they manufacture.In addition, the expanding safety and security end-user segment and increasing prominence of social media in Asia Pacific will drive the automotive telematics market in the region. The safety and security end-user segment is anticipated to dominate the Asia Pacific automotive telematics market between 2014 and 2020 due to increasing consumer focus on safety and security aspects. Growing prominence of social media in the Asia Pacific region will also contribute to the growth of infotainment segment during the forecast period.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite :
Natural Food Flavors Market Forecasts to 2017 Synthite, Gajanand, Ungerer & Company

Natural Food Flavors

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Global Natural Food Flavors Market Research ReportA market study  Global Natural Food Flavors Market  examines the performance of the Natural Food Flavors market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Natural Food Flavors market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Natural Food Flavors market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Natural Food Flavors Market 2017 report includes Natural Food Flavors market Revenue, market Share, Natural Food Flavors industry volume, market Trends, Natural Food Flavors Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Natural Food Flavors Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Inquiry For Sample Report, Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Natural Food Flavors Market 2017:1. Synthite2. Gajanand3. Ungerer & Company4. Kotanyi5. McCormick6. Givaudan7. DSM8. Dharampal Satyapal Group9. Fuchs10. TAKASAGO11. Haldin12. KIS13. Symrise14. Sensient15. Prova16. Akay Flavous and Aromatics17. San-Ei-Gen18. Nilon19. MDH Spices20. Mane SA21. AVT Natural22. Everest Spices23. WILD24. Frutarom25. ACH Food Companies26. Synergy Flavors27. Plant Lipids28. Wang Shouyi...Firstly, the report covers the top Natural Food Flavors manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Natural Food Flavors report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Natural Food Flavors industry, Natural Food Flavors industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Natural Food Flavors Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Complete Report with Full ToC:The Natural Food Flavors research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Natural Food Flavors market revenue worldwide.Finally, Natural Food Flavors market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
New evacuation orders were issued Friday for the Lolo Peak fire as winds fed the blaze, setting flames that were clearly visible from Missoula dancing in the night sky.

Thick smoke prompted closure of Highway 12 at the junction with Highway 93 and created eerie swirls in shades of gray, pink and black just before nightfall.

Fridays weather was dangerous enough that Public Information Officer Mike Martin said his expectation was that eight out of every 10 spots or embers would ignite on the ground.

Fire officials said the cold front that arrived Friday, bringing wind gusts of up to 30 miles per hour and low humidity, would make it "the most critical day of the fire to date.''

We anticipate some significant fire activity all afternoon into the night,'' Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton said Friday afternoon. "And tomorrow is not looking much better.''

An evacuation order was issued at 6:30 p.m. Friday for the north side of Highway 12 west of Stella Blue, but not including Stella. The order includes Sleeman Creek Road.

"There are homes up here,'' said public information officer Tim Love. If the fire jumps the fire line or Highway 12, he said, people "could be cut off and they couldn't get out.''

Wendy Christiansen and her family live up Sleeman Creek. They've been moving things out for the past few days in anticipation of being evacuated.

"Friends have taken us in,'' she said. "It's amazing what you don't need. We have our people and our pets and we are OK.''

Holton said for those who decide to stay in their homes, fire officials and officers will try to let them know if the fire blows up and the threat to lives is imminent. But they might not have time to beat fast-moving flames.

We are marking homes, in conjunction with the incident management team, to let them know if people are there,'' Holton said. "But unless we have the time and resources, we cant alert people who stay behind.

Thursday night, the blaze claimed two homes and numerous outbuildings after the fire took another run of more than 3,800 acres and jumped the containment line.

The Missoula County Sheriffs Department confirmed Friday that two residences in the upper Folsom Road area considered a total loss. The two homeowners, both of whom had been evacuated, have been notified of the loss.

The Lolo Peak fire is now estimated at 18,896 acres, with 603 people working on it.

Fire officials were most concerned Friday night that the fire would jump Highway 12. The combination of high grasses and wind could send flames racing north toward more homes and Lolo.

On Friday firefighters focused their efforts in three areas: Along U.S. Highway 12, especially near Mill Creek Road; along the northeastern edges in the Mormon Creek and Carlton Creek vicinity; and on the western edge near Elk Meadows Road.

As theyve been doing, they may choose to fight fire with fire if conditions allow.

In a video posted on the Lolo National Forests Facebook page, Fire Operations Manager Mark Goeller said the northeast edge of the fire has the greatest potential to take off and run through the Highway 12 corridor, particularly in the Mormon and Carlton creek areas.

A hand crew spent Friday working on Carlton Ridge to put out one of the main spots in thick steep terrain, according to Jordan Koppen with the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. During the next few days, crews will continue to dig hand lines and try to bring the line over from Carlton Ridge to McClain Creek.

Heavy equipment engines and retardant planes also are in the area trying to keep the fire in check.

On the fires northern edge near Mill Creek Road, firefighters will continue to try to hold the established containment line.

In the Mill Creek area, we will utilize some light firing if conditions are appropriate, to bring fire down to the main control line  and hold the fire that may come under the influence of strong winds, Goeller said.

In the Mormon Creek area, which has the greatest potential to take off and run through the Highway 12 corridor, Goeller said they might do some light burning operations from the old ski slope down to remove the fuels before the main fire makes another run in the area.

On the western edge, firefighters spent Friday trying to anchor the fire to the Elk Meadows Road containment line as the fire backs into the wind.

Well utilize existing roads, heavy equipment lines that were built previously, and utilize aircraft as appropriate to keep the fire in check, Goeller said. We do not want any part of that (area) to have the fire make end runs around the north and west side of the fire and come into the Highway 12 corridor.

Travel on Old Highway 93 at Rowan Road to Long Avenue is closed to the public for fire operations. Anyone caught trespassing in a closed area will be stopped, and criminal charges can be filed.

Evacuation orders are in place for all homes west of U.S. Highway 93 and south of West Carlton Creek Road to Bass Creek Road in Missoula and Ravalli counties. The current evacuation order has been expanded to west of Florence Carlton Loop, from Holloway Lane north to Tie Chute Lane, Holton, the Ravalli sheriff, said.

For safety reasons, re-entry to evacuated homes is indefinitely postponed until conditions improve.

Last night we had significant problems with traffic, and a number of engines were blocked from getting into an area, Holton added.

Bobbie Bartlette, a former Forest Service fire manager who now manages a campground at the Squaredance Center, said the campground was evacuated late Wednesday night.

"This area hasn't burned for a very long time,'' she said. "We knew this hillside was going to burn, that this was going to be the one nature needed to take care of.

"Can it be impressive, exciting and awesome and at the same time concerning to the pit of your stomach? Yes,'' she said.

Frank Hines home is just north of where the fire jumped the containment line Thursday night. Both firefighters on the ground and those fighting it from a helicopter above have been using his property as a staging point to access the fire.

The firefighters have been great gentlemen, Hines said. My opinion is that these guys are excellent, and they know what theyre doing.

The Missoula-based National Guard activated 155 soldiers Friday to support the fire. The soldiers should arrive by Saturday, and will staff 35 security checkpoints around the fire area to free law enforcement personnel for other duties.

Gov. Steve Bullock has declared a fire emergency for Montana, which authorizes the Montana National Guard to support wildfire efforts as needed.

***

A crew of Alaskans from Noorvik, a village closer to Russia than any other American state, was one of the groups working on mop-up activities inside the containment line near the failed ski area west of Florence.

Moving through the black, the crew checked for hot spots left over in smoldering stumps and patches of duff. The Type 2 group broke into squads of five to dig through stumps with Pulaskis, a shovel modified so that the spade is at a right angle.

Like campers sifting through ash and coals before going to bed, the squads worked in successive 50-foot segments back from the containment line all morning. Mop-up work is no easy task, according to Bill Queen, one of the public information officers assigned to the fire.

Its dirty work, Queen said. You blow your nose and you wonder if youll ever have clean lungs again.

Most often, firefighters arent wearing any mask or protection for their breathing. The crew from Noorvik was black with soot around noon when they met back up around Drop Point 80 near McClain Creek.

Weve got a good team here, said Thomas Outwater a Noorvik firefighter. Last night was a bit intense but weve recovered. Weve been here for seven days and were doing what we came here to do.

***

The Federal Emergency Management Agency  or FEMA  has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the states eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies.

FEMA grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners.

The lightning-caused Lolo Peak fire was discovered July 15. The estimated costs of fighting the fire so far are $17.9 million, and 743 structures are considered threatened.

Pilot cars were shepherding vehicles through the Highway 12 corridor earlier Friday, and law enforcement officials are cautioning against stopping along Highway 93 or anywhere firefighters are working, noting that it can cause significant traffic hazards.

Missoulian reporter Thomas Plank contributed information for this story.
Global Construction Chemicals Market to grow at a CAGR of 5.59% during 2016-2020 - BASF, Mapei, RPM, Sika

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Construction chemicals are a type of specialty chemicals used during the course of construction. These chemicals impart additional protection to structures such as residential buildings, industrial structures, dams, and bridge against environmental conditions, structural life, and to minimize the amount of raw material required. China has emerged as the leading market for construction chemicals since 2000, globally.The global construction chemicals market to grow at a CAGR of 5.59% during the period 2016-2020. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global construction chemicals market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of construction chemicals.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEAClick to get sample PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Global Construction Chemicals Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Browse more details at:Key vendors- BASF- Mapei- RPM- Sika- W. R. Grace & Co.Other prominent vendors- 3M- Adcon- Albemarle- Arkema- Ashland- Dow Chemicals- Fosroc- Pidilite- Selena- Terraco- TremcoMarket driver- Growing urbanization and infrastructure investment- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Less acceptance in developing nations- For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Lead Acid Battery Market Projected to Reach US$ 31,708.4 Mn by 2020: FMI

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Future Market Insights, in its latest report titled,Lead Acid Battery Market: Asia Pacific, Latin America, Japan, Middle East & Africa Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2014 - 2020, states that the target regions lead acid battery market accounted for US$ 24,210.5 Million in 2014, and is expected to reach US$ 31,708.4 Million at a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific, which accounted for the major chunk in the target regions lead acid battery market, is expected to expand at an estimated CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period.By application type, the target regions lead acid battery market is segmented as transportation, stationary industrial, motive industrial, commercial, residential, and grid storage. Transportation and stationary industrial collectively contributed to around 82.4% of market revenue in 2014. Transportation was the largest end-use application in the target regions lead acid battery market in 2014, and is anticipated to continue its dominance through 2020. Stationary industrial is the second largest contributor to the target regions lead acid battery market, and is expected to register the fastest CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period.The report finds that grid storage is one of the smallest end-use application segments in the target regions lead acid battery market, but is anticipated to register the fastest CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period.Fill the Form for an Exclusive Sample of this Report@Lead acid batteries are predominantly used in passenger cars, commercial vehicles and two wheelers. In addition to that, demand for lead acid battery has also surged due to the increasing adoption of UPS, owing to rapid urbanisation and industrialisation. Adoption of grid storage technology in developing countries such as India and China is expected to fuel the target regions lead acid battery market. In addition to that, an increase in the demand for electric vehicles is expected to further accelerate the expansion of the lead acid battery market globally.Moreover, key challenges in the lead acid battery market are raw material price volatility and stringent emission regulations. Lead is the essential raw material used in the manufacturing of lead acid batteries. Lead prices account for approximately 49% of the overall cost of the lead acid batteries. Any fluctuations in lead prices affect the overall profitability of lead acid battery manufacturers.Region-wise, Asia Pacific is the largest contributor in the target regions lead acid battery market, and is expected to continue its dominance till 2020. Currently, the Asia Pacific lead acid battery market is valued at US$ 15,995 Million and is expected to reach US$ 19,881 Million by 2020. Latin America and Japan are other major markets contributing 14.4% and 14.1% respectively, to the target regions lead acid battery revenue. Middle East & Africa accounted for the lowest contribution in terms of revenue in 2014, but is expected to register a significant growth at a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period.Send An Enquiry@The degree of competition in the target regions lead acid battery market has been analysed in the report, which also presents the comparative view of the key strategies and financial outlook of major companies operating in target regions lead acid battery market. These include Johnson Controls INC, Exide Technologies, GS Yuasa Corporation, EnerSys and Yokohama Industries.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite :
Giftalove.com offers Amazing Anniversary Gifts to Enhance the Bond of Married life

Anniversary Gifts

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New Delhi, India: Giftalove.com is a recognized online gift portal that offers different types of Anniversary Gifts for the people close to the heart. Besides, the portal provides a wonderful opportunity to buy gifts online for different occasions & people feel valued and special.The Anniversary is an occasion that people love to cherish the moment and also want their dear and near ones to feel valued. Whether it is 1st, 5th, 25th or any other, the day of togetherness is beautifully recognized by people all over the world. When gifts are added to this, it enhances the celebration time to a large extent. Giftalove.com is one such place where one can find a plethora of Anniversary Gifts for Wife, Husband and other beautiful relation that one has on this earth.One of the most in demand online gift portal, Giftalove.com offers a wide range of gift items that you can buy or send online anywhere all across the globe. If someone is looking for Anniversary Gifts for husband, wife or if a couple is celebrating their 5th Anniversary and so on, then this is the right place to get plenty of gift ideas.On having a discussion with the official spokesperson of the Giftalove.com mentioned, Our Anniversary Gifts is suitable for all types of relations. For your comfort, we have different categories such as Anniversary Gifts for Parents (), Anniversary Gifts for Husband and Anniversary Gifts for Daughter and so on. Flowers, chocolates and cakes are some of the most preferred gift items that you can offer to people of all age groups. You can, in fact, offer Anniversary Combo where you will have lots of option available for you. You can select the combination of gift items based on your preferences and then send it online to your loved one.The portal offers different types of Anniversary gifts such as Amazing Love Hamper, Aromatic Candles N Chocolate, An Enchanting One, Yummy Delight, Sweet Chocolaty Hamper, An Affectionate Basket, Choco Delight Combo, Affectionate Gift, Teddy Basket, A Golden Taste, Hearty Pineapple Cake, Fruity Oreo Cake, Special Black Forest Cake, Charming Red Roses, Representing True Love, Floral Surprise with Ferrero, Rosy & Chocolaty Combo, Bumper Hamper and much more.On further conversation with the official spokesperson over the delivery of the gifts stated, We offer you the easiest way to buy gifts online with wide varieties of items at one place. No wonder, you can send it anywhere in India and worldwide in a matter of few clicks. Explore this online portal any time and send it via Express Delivery and give surprise to the loved and dear one of their special occasions such as Anniversary and any other.In addition to Anniversary Gifts, the portal offers people to buy gifts online such as Jewellery, Cushion, Home Decor items, Photo frame, Teddy Bear, Watches, Clothes, Chocolate Box, Flower bouquet, Soft toys, candles, wall hangings and many others.Giftalove.com is a pioneer online portal that offers a wide range of gifts for brother, sister, father, mother and other relations. Apart from this, the portal also offers the best collection of Anniversary gifts that one can explore and find the best one for their loved one, friends and family to astonish them on their special day of Anniversary. For more collection on gift items, please feel free to visit the website of the Company.Visit at:Primo Gifts Pvt. Ltd.Mayur Vihar phase-1, New Delhi 110091Mr. Mrityunjay KumarCall: +91-888-200-1155
US Analytical Instrument Market to grow at a CAGR of 3.79% during 2017-2021 - ABB, Agilent Technologies, Siemens, Thermo Fisher Scientific

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Analytical instruments are precision engineering equipment used in the constant monitoring of numerous parameters. These instruments are also often known as online instruments. They analyze and identify the physical, chemical, molecular, and elemental properties of a given sample. These instruments are used across end-user industries such as chemical and petrochemical, oil and gas, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology.The analytical instrument market in the US to grow at a CAGR of 3.79% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the analytical instrument market in the US for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report discusses the major drivers influencing market growth and the challenges faced by vendors and the market.Click to get sample PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Analytical Instrument Market in the US 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Browse more details at:Key vendors- ABB- Agilent Technologies- Siemens- Thermo Fisher ScientificOther prominent vendors- AMETEK- Bio-Rad Laboratories- Danaher Corporation- Fortive Corporation- General Electric- Honeywell International- Mitsubishi Electric- Yokogawa ElectricMarket driver- Stringent government regulations.- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Necessity for price-sensitive and multiple technology solutions.- For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Global Matter Tracking Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022

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This report studies the global Matter Tracking Software market, analyzes and researches the Matter Tracking Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeZendeskZohoFreshdeskDesk.comTeamSupportRollbarIssuetrakWoodpecker Issue TrackerVisionProjectTrackStudioSquishSalesforceAssemblaAsitrackSifterMicrosoft Team Foundation ServerPivotal TrackerGitHubBugzillaFogBugzMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaDownload Sample Report Copy From Here:Market segment by Type, Matter Tracking Software can be split intoBrowser-basedWeb-basedCloud-basedMarket segment by Application, Matter Tracking Software can be split intoApplication 1Small BusinessMedium-sized BusinessLarge BusinessIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of ContentsGlobal Matter Tracking Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Matter Tracking Software1.1 Matter Tracking Software Market Overview1.1.1 Matter Tracking Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Matter Tracking Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Matter Tracking Software Market by Type1.3.1 Browser-based1.3.2 Web-based1.3.3 Cloud-based1.4 Matter Tracking Software Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Application 11.4.2 Small Business1.4.3 Medium-sized Business1.4.4 Large Business2 Global Matter Tracking Software Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Matter Tracking Software Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Zendesk3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Zoho3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Freshdesk3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Desk.com3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 TeamSupport3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Rollbar3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Issuetrak3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Woodpecker Issue Tracker3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 VisionProject3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 TrackStudio3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Matter Tracking Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Squish3.12 Salesforce3.13 Assembla3.14 Asitrack3.15 Sifter3.16 Microsoft Team Foundation Server3.17 Pivotal Tracker3.18 GitHub3.19 Bugzilla3.20 FogBugz4 Global Matter Tracking Software Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Matter Tracking Software Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Matter Tracking Software Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Matter Tracking Software in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Matter Tracking Software5 United States Matter Tracking Software Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Matter Tracking Software Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Matter Tracking Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)6 EU Matter Tracking Software Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Matter Tracking Software Market Size (2012-2017)6.2 EU Matter Tracking Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)7 Japan Matter Tracking Software Development Status and Outlook7.1 Japan Matter Tracking Software Market Size (2012-2017)7.2 Japan Matter Tracking Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)8 China Matter Tracking Software Development Status and Outlook8.1 China Matter Tracking Software Market Size (2012-2017)8.2 China Matter Tracking Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)9 India Matter Tracking Software Development Status and Outlook9.1 India Matter Tracking Software Market Size (2012-2017)9.2 India Matter Tracking Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)10 Southeast Asia Matter Tracking Software Development Status and Outlook10.1 Southeast Asia Matter Tracking Software Market Size (2012-2017)10.2 Southeast Asia Matter Tracking Software Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)11 Market Forecast by Regions, Type and Application (2017-2022)11.1 Global Matter Tracking Software Market Size (Value) by Regions (2017-2022)11.1.1 United States Matter Tracking Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.2 EU Matter Tracking Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.3 Japan Matter Tracking Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.4 China Matter Tracking Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.5 India Matter Tracking Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.6 Southeast Asia Matter Tracking Software Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.2 Global Matter Tracking Software Market Size (Value) by Type (2017-2022)11.3 Global Matter Tracking Software Market Size by Application (2017-2022)12 Matter Tracking Software Market Dynamics12.1 Matter Tracking Software Market Opportunities12.2 Matter Tracking Software Challenge and Risk12.2.1 Competition from Opponents12.2.2 Downside Risks of Economy12.3 Matter Tracking Software Market Constraints and Threat12.3.1 Threat from Substitute12.3.2 Government Policy12.3.3 Technology Risks12.4 Matter Tracking Software Market Driving Force12.4.1 Growing Demand from Emerging Markets12.4.2 Potential Application13 Market Effect Factors Analysis13.1 Technology Progress/Risk13.1.1 Substitutes13.1.2 Technology Progress in Related Industry13.2 Consumer Needs Trend/Customer Preference13.3 External Environmental Change13.3.1 Economic Fluctuations13.3.2 Other Risk Factors14 Research Finding/Conclusion15 AppendixMethodologyAnalyst IntroductionData SourceBuy Now This Report From Here:Global QYResearch() is the one spot destination for all your research needs. Global QYResearch holds the repository of quality research reports from numerous publishers across the globe. Our inventory of research reports caters to various industry verticals including Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology and Media, Chemicals, Materials, Energy, Heavy Industry, etc. With the complete information about the publishers and the industries they cater to for developing market research reports, we help our clients in making purchase decision by understanding their requirements and suggesting best possible collection matching their needs.Cleveland Road
United States Future of Foodservice Market 2017 -Develop Market-Entry and Market Expansion Strategies 2020

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SUMMARYWiseGuyReports published new report, titled United States (US) - The Future of Foodservice."United States (US) - The Future of Foodservice to 2020", published by provides extensive insight and analysis of the US Foodservice market over the next five years (2015-2020) and acts as a vital point of reference for operators or suppliers.The US profit sector foodservice market grew at a strong CAGR of 3.1% from 2013-2015, in line with the country's stable economic growth and consumers' rising levels of disposable income. The maturity of the market has however contributed to weak outlet growth which, combined with strong transaction growth, will increasingly force operators to contend with pressures on their operational efficiency, as they look to serve more customers in the same space. Shifting consumer trends towards ultra-convenience will continue to drive the takeaway market's strong growth, with revenue generated from takeaway transactions already surpassing that generated from dine-in in the QSR and coffee and tea shop channels. Traditionally safe channels such as QSR find themselves increasingly threatened by the proliferation and rising popularity of high quality fast-casual operators and by the diversification of offerings and streamlining of operations in both coffee and tea shops and casual dining restaurants. Despite these changes, key opportunity areas exist for both opporators and suppliers in future years.The report includes - Overview of the US macro-economic landscape: detailed analysis of current macro-economic factors and their impact on the US foodservice market including GDP per capita, consumer price index, population growth and annual household income distribution.- Growth dynamics: in-depth data and forecasts of key channels (QSR, FSR, Coffee & Tea Shops, Pubs, Clubs and Bars) within the US foodservice market, including the value of the market, number of transactions, number of outlets and average transaction price.- Customer segmentation: identify the most important demographic groups, buying habits and motivations that drive out-of-home meal occasions among segments of the US population.- Key players: overview of market leaders within the four major channels including business descriptions and number of outlets.- Case Studies: learn from examples of recent successes and failures within the US foodservice market.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Scope- Mature chains in both the QSR and FSR channels will be increasingly pressed to refocus and modernize their brands to withstand the rising popularity of fresh, high quality and good value fast-casual outlets. Operators will also need to work harder to capitalize on consumers looking to engage with their favorite brands on social media.- Accelerated growth in takeaway transactions across restaurant channels will continue to be driven by consumer trends towards ultra-convenience, the breakdown of traditional meal times, and evolving family dynamics.- The currently under-developed pub, club and bar channel is forecast to see the strongest value growth to 2020, driven by rising disposable incomes and financial confidence among consumers and by the country's ongoing craft beer revolution.Key points to buy- Specific forecasts of the foodservice market over the next five years (2015-2020) will give readers the ability to make informed business decisions through identifying emerging/declining markets.- Consumer segmentation detailing the desires of known consumers among all major foodservice channels (QSR, FSR, Coffee & Tea shops, Pubs, Clubs and Bars) will allow readers understand the wants and needs of their target demographics.- Relevant case studies will allow readers to learn from and apply lessons discovered by emerging and major players within the US foodservice market.Table of ContentsIntroductionReport GuideExecutive SummaryMacroeconomic ContextGDP and Consumer Price IndexPopulation and demographic highlightsAnnual household income distributionIntroducing the Consumer SegmentsConsumer segment profiles and key identification metricsSegment engagement overview in four key profit sector channelsProfit Sector MetricsKey metric highlightsValue share and growth by channelOutlets and transactions growth by channelOperator buying volumes and growth by channelChannel historic and future growth dynamics..CONTINUEDFor accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially checkFor updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially checkWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, Venezuela
Comprehensive Industry Report Offers Forecast and Analysis on Solid State Lighting System Market

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Solid-state lighting (SSL) are the type of lighting which features semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) or organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), as sources of lighting instead of plasma i.e. used in arc lamps such as fluorescent lamps, electrical filaments, , or gas. Solid state lighting system has the potential to reduce lighting energy consumption globally, as they are ten times more efficient than incandescent lighting and twice as efficient as fluorescent lighting. Some other features which attract consumers for adoption of solid state lighting systems include low power consumption, ability to withstand strong vibrations, no mercury content, no or minimum UV and IR radiation, ultra-long source life and digital controllability. Increasing application of solid state lighting systems in automobiles is a factor that is expected to drive the growth in the coming years.Global Solid State Lighting System Market: Drivers and ChallengesStandard regulations and increasing awareness among the population about the key features of solid state lighting systems are the factors expected to encourage the adoption of solid state lighting globally impacting positively to the global solid state lighting systems market during the forecast period. The innovative new products are compact and have interchangeable modules that addresses few of the barriers to widespread adoption of LED technology that includes precise current and heat management and the necessary optical design for superior illumination. The unique format allows lighting fixture OEMs to convert their current fixture designs for LEDs and be ready for future LED technology advances. Smart lighting systems, both outdoors in public spaces such as roads and parking lots and indoors in office buildings and warehouses, are essential in moving forward and in which solid state lighting systems is playing a prime role.Request Report Sample@With increasing number of offering in the lighting space and rising number of local players in the market it is becoming a challenge for the vendors to offer lighting solutions for the customer at a competitive price featuring all the advanced technologies in it.Global Solid State Lighting System Market: SegmentationGlobal solid state lighting system market can be segmented into technology, application, sector and regions.On the basis of technology, global solid state lighting system market can be segmented into LEDs, high intensity discharge (HID) lighting, others.On the basis of application, global solid state lighting system market can be segmented into general lighting, automotive lighting, others.On the basis of sector, global solid state lighting system market can be segmented into residential, commercial, industrial, outdoor and other.Global Solid State Lighting System Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of regions, global solid state lighting system market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East and Africa.Asia Pacific is likely to continue its lead position over the forecast period. The growth of this regional market is largely fuelled by economic development in China, India, and Indonesia. The continuous penetration of consumer electronics is among the key factors for the healthy pace of growth of the Asia Pacific market. North America holds a notable share in the market as it is home to several key vendors for solid state lighting.Visit For TOC@Global Solid State Lighting System Market: Competition LandscapeSome of the key players for solid state lighting system market are General Electric Company, Osram Licht AG, Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd., Intematix Corporation, Bridgelux, Inc., Cree, Inc., Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc., Advanced Lighting Technologies, Inc., Energy Focus, Inc., LED Engin, Inc., Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., TCP International Holdings Ltd., Aixtron Se, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Eaton Corporation, NICHIA Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., and Applied Materials Inc., and Bright Light SystemsAbout Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Government Support will boost Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging Market size During Forecast Period (2017-2027)

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Plastics have become a vital part of packaging in todays world. Plastics are finding a major portion of the packaging industry. Thermoforming is a process in which a sheet of plastic is heated made flexible then fabricated and shaped in required shape to make it usable. The sheet, or film when referring to thinner gauges and certain material types, is heated in an oven to a high-enough temperature and is stretched into or onto a mold and cooled to a finished shape.Market Dynamics:The various factors that drive the Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging are that it is vital in compact packaging. Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging helps in maintaining the stability and protection of the products. The increasing demands from food manufacturers, such as the application for packaging that can be used to store fresh as well as processed food can be met. Vaccum Thermoformed Packaging is highly used in packaging due to their flexibility and durability. It aids the growing automation and demand due to ease of preparation, indirectly drives the global Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market for efficient manufacturing and shipping of electronic components. The consumers are more inclined towards quick and safe intake of food ingredients/chemicals, which ultimately aids in driving the global Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market. In the present scenario, in Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market governments have laid down many rules and regulations in reference to the material used. These developments act as a major restraint on the growth of the global Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging products market over the forecast period. Also, during thermoforming, it is difficult to attain precise wall thickness symmetrically over the complete product, thereby affecting the quality standards of the product to a large extent. This technical difficulty leads to manufacturers looking for a substitute to vacuumed thermoformed packaging products, thereby acting as a restraint to the global Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market.Request Report Sample@Market Segmentation:Global Vacuum Thermoformed PackagingMarket is mainly classified on the basis of material used, industry, and geographies.Based on material type Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging can be segmented as follows:HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene)PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)PETGRPETPP (Polypropylene)HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)On the basis of end-use industry, Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market can be segmented as follows:-PharmaceuticalsPaintFoodFrozenConfectionaryCanned FoodsPersonal CareElectronicsOn the basis of geographies, Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market is segmented across 7 key regions:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding JapanJapanMiddle East & AfricaThe global vacuum thermoformed market is divided into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Globally, the food industry is performing in a fast evolving manner where food manufacturers and suppliers are evolving, and work closely to meets the huge variety of demands from consumers. The vaccum thermoformed packaging market in North America is in its maturity phase. The Asia Pacific Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market is expected to grow at significant CAGR during the forecast period, due to the growing end-use industry such as pharmaceutical food and personal care. With the increasing disposable income and consumerism, Asia Pacific and the Middle East region stand ahead regarding the demand for vacuum thermoformed trays. As a result, Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market will witness a significant rise in CAGR through the forecasted period through our forecasted period. Europe and North America are also witnessing a steady however slower growth through the forecasted period. The consumers demands are changing in the region which is influenced by the growing retailers offering attractive and likewise innovative sale formats. The retailers now-a-days keep first-hand knowledge on demands and purchase habits of the consumers which they transfer to the upper stream of manufacturers in the supply chain. This information from retailers to the manufacturers call for the demand of vaccum thermoformed packaging, since it is a packaging material for manufacturers. Thus, the vaccum thermoformed packaging manufacturer has to strategize their business through consumer insights and responses, the regional shift in the eating habits and penetration of modernizing food products such as fast food, demand for technology etc.Visit For TOC@Key Players:The prominent players in the Vacuum Thermoformed Packaging market are:Bardes Plastics,IncReflex Packaging,IncInnovative Plastec ,IncTek Pac,IncPlastiform,IncPlaxall,IncVantage PlasticsNishihara ManufacturingShepherd Thermoforming and PackagingK K Packaging SystemsAbout Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Protein Films Market Research Study for Forecast Period (2017-2027)

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Protein films have received consideration attention in recent years because of their advantages, including their use as edible packaging materials, over the synthetic films. In addition, protein films can also be used for the individual packaging of small portions of food, particularly products that are not currently individually packaged for practical reasons, such as beans, nuts and cashew nuts. The mechanical properties of protein films are also better than those of polysaccharide and fat-based films because proteins have a unique structure which confers a wider range of functional properties, especially a high intermolecular binding potential. Protein films and coatings are also biodegradable and compostable. As they degrade, they provide a source of nitrogen, which contributes a fertilizer benefit not available with other non-protein-based films and coatings.Market Dynamics:To break the protein films a tensile strength is needed which is the pulling force per film cross sectional area. The elongation in the protein films due to the break for the degree at which the film can be stretched before breaking. The factor impacting the growth of protein films market is the Youngs modulus or elastic modulus which provides information about the resistance of a film during deformation. The pH and heating temperature of film solutions had the greatest effect on the physic-chemical and permeability properties of edible films from mung bean protein. The films produced at pH around 9.50 and heating temperature of 75C for 20 min of heating time exhibited high TS and , while WVP FS and PS was lowest. Film color was darker and more yellowish with increase in the pH and heating temperature of film-solution. Protein films can be replacements for synthetic gas barriers, but their mechanical properties still need improvement. Nanotechnology is a viable route to improve both tensile and barrier properties. Nanoparticles and variations at the nanometer scale affect electronic and atomic interactions without changing the chemistry. The water vapor permeability of wheat gluten was improved by including montmorillonite clay nanoparticles, while tensile strength and elastic modulus were also increased.Request Report Sample@Market Segmentation:The Protein Films Market is segmented on three factors, on the basis of material type, geography and in terms of end user type.Based on material type, the Protein Films market is segmented into:Collagen filmsGelatin filmsCorn zein filmsWheat gluten filmsSoy protein filmsCasein filmsMung bean protein filmsBased on end user type, the Protein Films market is segmented into:Food & beveragesPharmaceuticalsOn the basis of geographies, the market is segmented across 7 key regions:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding JapanJapanMiddle East & AfricaGeographically, Protein Films market has been categorized into seven key regions including North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.North America anticipated to be the global leader in terms of demand for Protein Films. The region has endorsed some of the most advanced technologies in protein films industry, and caters wide-scale technological adoption rate. Further with the advent of companies into nanotechnology, demand in the regions Protein Films market is anticipated to shoot up over the end of forecast period. Asia Pacific being home to some of the most prominent global protein films manufacturers also caters huge demand for protein films. With increasing demand for protein films in Western Europe region, amid rising disposable income, demand for protein films with high end features such as protein films market is also on the rise. A large chunk of demand for Protein Films market is expected to come particularly from China and India based protein films manufacturers, as they shift their protein films market towards global standards. Further, many governments in the region have set bold targets to increase usage of protein films in their respective countries. Latin America, on similar lines as APEJ is expected to boost its demand for protein films over the forecast period, fuelling more demand for Protein Films market in the region. Eastern Europe and Middle East & Africa, Protein Films market is also expected to witness gradual growth over the forecast period, as Protein Films manufacturers are expected to gradually set up their manufacturing bases in the region, over the last years of the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Key Players:Some of the prominent market players of protein films market are: Davisco Proliant Inc. (USA) Fonterra (USA) Tate and Lyle The Solae Company Cargill Werner Mathis USA Inc. Mocon Inc. Monosol, LLC Watson Inc.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. 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Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices Market to register a healthy CAGR for the forecast period, 2015-2025

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Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery is performed to treat disease occurring in various parts of brain, spinal cord or skull base through a small opening. Diseased area may require repair, removal and in the worst cases replacement which is being done through neurosurgery. Neurosurgical device used for the visualization purpose inside the human brain or spinal cord is known as Endoscope which is kind of a small microscope inserted through minimal invasion. Endoscope helps in magnifying critical anatomical structure and assist the surgeon in the treatment. Endoscopic neurosurgery requires minimal incision thus it is also known as Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery. Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery avoids complication post-surgery, leads to faster recovery, minimal scarring/pain and high accuracy. Recent advancement in endoscope design produced endoscopes that are compact, more efficient with improved resolution and better illumination than the earlier devices.Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices Market: Drivers & RestraintsMinimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market is probably the last speciality to move to minimally invasive because of the complexity involved in the surgery however due to continuous advancement in medical technology for the treatment of neurological disorders have raised the demand of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices. Rise in the ageing population leading to increase in the incidence of neurological disorders are some major factors driving the growth of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market. More awareness amongst the surgeons is helping the market to dwell in developed countries however the market of developed countries are more or less saturated and have a limited growth opportunity as compared to developing countries especially Asia Pacific countries where due to large population the market growth can be significant in the upcoming years. Lack of skilled professionals in the developing countries and poor or unstable reimbursement regulations are hampering the growth of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices in developing countries.Request Report Sample@Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices Market: SegmentationMinimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market is classified on the basis of product type, surgery type and geography.Based on product type, the global Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market is segmented into the following:Fiber optic cablesMiniature video cameras (Endoscopes)Special surgical instrumentsExternal video monitorsBased on surgery type, the global Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market is segmented into the following:Intracranial SurgeryEndonasal NeurosurgerySpinal SurgeryMinimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices Market: OverviewMinimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices is a growing market due to various benefits offered like less recovery time, shortened hospital stay, greater accuracy, less pain and muscle sparring which is making minimally invasive neurosurgery a preferred option for the medical practitioners and surgeons. Proliferation of joint ventures and cross utilization of technology in minimally invasive surgical devices market is a plus for different market players as they dont have to invest much on the research and development of different types of products. Introduction of robotic devices to perform the surgery is an alternative for better outcomes and increased accuracy.Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America is the leading region in Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market due to the high volumes of surgical procedures being performed. Also, the availability of established healthcare infrastructure, high contribution of healthcare to economy, patient compliance are the reasons for the high demand in North America. Europe has the second largest Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market due to vast technological advancement in terms of healthcare sector. Asia Pacific market is expected to grow at a good rate as compared to NA and Europe as there is ample market opportunity in countries like India and China.Visit For TOC@Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery Devices market are Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG, Olympus Corporation, Conmed Corporation, Richard Wolf GmbH, Boston Scientific Inc., Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation, Aesculap Division, Smith & Nephew Plc, Medtronic and NICO Corp. to name a few.About Us Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
The Princeton Review named the University of Montana this month among the best 15 percent of the 2,000 colleges and universities that it tracks, with high marks from students and strong academics.

"You're never 'just a number' here," said the Princeton Review of UM.

Montana Tech in Butte landed on the list, too  and also shed its No. 1 rank last year on the list of "Least Happy Students." It fell to No. 12 this year, albeit of the top-ranked schools.

Students at Montana Tech may be happier this year compared to last year, but there's another possibility too, since surveys from schools are compared against other campuses.

"Or other schools are getting unhappier," said co-author David Soto, director of content development for The Princeton Review, which has published its report for 26 years.

Head to Tennessee for the most cheer: Vanderbilt University has the happiest students of the best schools selected.

The Princeton Review collects data on more than 2,000 four-year colleges and universities, and it based its rankings on 137,000 student surveys.

"We picked the 382 'best' colleges for our book primarily for their outstanding academics: We highly recommend each one," said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief, in a statement. "However, we know applicants need far more than an academic rating or ranking to find the college that will be best for them."

So it also ranks the 382 based on other factors, such as campus culture and student life. This year, Montana Tech ranked on several arguably unenviable Top 20 lists:

Least beautiful campus: 14

Little race/class interaction: 14

LGBTQ-Unfriendly: 16, and

"This is a library?": 17

Montana Tech did not comment on whether it is working to be more LGBTQ friendly or on other ratings. In a phone call, marketing director Amanda Badovinac said Provost Doug Abbott would comment on the survey outcomes; she subsequently requested questions via email, and the Missoulian submitted questions but did not receive a response by press time.

Nonetheless, Montana Tech is still getting high academic marks from the Princeton Review.

***

The review also suggests UM may be more politically sleepy than the frequent protests and marches and sit-ins on the Oval and across campus might suggest. The campus hit No. 4 on a list called "Election? What election?"

"That means there's very low political awareness as rated by students," Soto said.

It's a hair more aware than last year, though, when it ranked No. 3  or maybe other campuses are just that much less aware.

The Princeton Review's description of UM's student body highlights a mellow group of learners of the granola variety.

"The University of Montana attracts a student body that's 'pretty laid-back and easygoing,'" the narrative said. "Many are 'outdoorsy' and self-described as 'hippies.' Indeed, there are 'quite a few granola kids' and 'Carhartt-sporting, plaid-proud, future biologist' types."

Those future biologists and other budding professionals appear to be in good hands at UM, too.

"While the university maintains a fantastic liberal arts program, students especially laud the wildlife biology, forestry, physical therapy, and forensic anthropology departments," the report said. "Moreover, undergrads at Montana are highly complimentary of their teachers, who are generally 'helpful, engaging, and accessible.'"

***

This school year, UM is losing some of those lauded teachers. An estimated 41 tenured or tenure-track faculty out of 552 won't return this year, and UM recently gave notice to an estimated 40 lecturers that the school doesn't have plans to rehire them in spring, although it isn't clear how many lecturers will indeed be cut.

The Princeton Review closely follows faculty data, such as those who have doctorates and the numbers who work full-time and part-time, Soto said.

It gives schools an academic score from 68 to 99, and UM's has fallen from 74 four years ago to 68 this year. The cuts may hurt UM's ability to maintain or nudge up its score down the road.

"It is feasible that in the future, with cuts in faculty, that that academic rating, which uses a combination of student sentiment and school-reported data, could decline," Soto said. "We could see it on both sides."

However, UM also noted it was listed this year among the Princeton Review's "Best Western" colleges and "Green Colleges."

An average 358 students per college complete the survey, and 82 percent of surveyed students rate the narrative by the Princeton Review as "accurate" or "very accurate," according to the organization.

***

Montana State University is not named in "The Best 382 Colleges: 2018 Edition." Soto said that may be because the Princeton Review did not collect sufficient student sentiment, and it may be working with the administration to try to gather more information.

MSU spokesman Tracy Ellig could not be reached for comment via email.
Greek Yoghurt Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 7.5% During 2016 to 2022

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Market Research Future Published a Half Cooked Research Report on Global Greek Yoghurt Market which is estimated to grow more than 7.5% after 2022Competitive analysis-The major key players in Greek Yoghurt Market areNestle (Switzerland)Danone (France)Chobani (U.S.)Jalna Dairy Foods Pty Ltd. (Australia)General Mills, Inc. (U.S.)Stonyfield Farm, Inc.(U.S.)FAGE International S.A. (Luxembourg)Erhmann AG (Germany)Key players in Greek yoghurt market are mainly located in U.S., Australia, France and Germany; and these countries are major producers of Greek Yoghurt. The presence of manufacturers are also depends upon the availability of resources and demand for Greek yoghurt based products. Key manufactures are investing hugely to innovate efficient processing techniques and to improve packaging of Greek yoghurt to maintain high nutritional value of the product. Also, new players are expected to enter the market based on the increasing demand of nutritional, dairy based products.Request a Sample Report @Market OverviewGreek yoghurt is also known as strained yoghurt and is produced by removing the whey content of the milk by staining it. It is more tart and nutritious than any regular yoghurt variety. Lower sugar and sodium content makes it a healthy choice amongst any other regular yoghurt variety. In addition, the protein and calcium content of the Greek yoghurt is also driving higher attention among the consumer groups. The additional feature of probiotics content that supports in aiding digestion and keeping the gut healthy is also driving higher sales of Greek yoghurt.Market ForecastGlobally the Greek yoghurt market is mainly driven by rise in demand in food industry especially in production of health drinks such as yoghurt- smoothies. The fast track lifestyle of people has increased the demand of convenience food and beverages which have high nutritional value. Greek yoghurt is enriched with high protein, calcium and mineral content. The multi-purpose application of Greek yoghurt in food industry has increased its demand globally. High nutritional value and convenient usage are also driving the demand of Greek yoghurt in the last few years.These factors will play a key role in the growth of Greek yoghurt market at the CAGR of 7.5% during 2016-2022.Access the market data and market information presented through more than 60 market data tables and 25 figures spread over 110 numbers of pages of the project report Greek Yoghurt Market - Forecast to 2022Downstream Analysis-Greek yoghurt is either consumed directly or is majorly used for the preparation of health drinks and smoothies with high protein and low sugar content. The application of Greek yoghurt is found to be increasing in bakery products due to rising demand for low fat and nutritious foods. There is a significant growth in the use of Greek yoghurt due to increase in demand of Nutraceuticals which are rich in probiotic content. Probiotics helps in maintaining a healthy gut. Due to low sugar content and rich source of protein and vitamins, the popularity of sport and nutrition foods made from Greek yoghurt is increasing from last few years.Access Report Details @Regional AnalysisThe global Greek yoghurt market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (ROW). Among these North America region has the major market share followed by Europe. U.S is the major exporter of Greek yoghurt. U.S. mainly exports its Greek yoghurt to countries like China, Algeria, U.A.E., Sri Lanka and Malaysia. After U.S., France is the major exporter of Greek yoghurt which exports the products to Middle East and African countries. Asia Pacific region is emerging market for Greek yoghurt manufacturers as it has potential opportunities for Greek yoghurt market to grow due to its changing consumer food pattern and increase in economic conditions.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.ContactAkash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals Market to Grow at a CAGR of 6.94% to 2021

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MarketResearchNest.com adds Global Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals (WWTCs) Market 2017-2021 new report to its research database. The report spread across in 94 pages with tables and figures in it.The research analysts forecast the global water and wastewater treatment chemicals (WWTCs) market to grow at a CAGR of 6.94% during the period 2017-2021. Water and waste water treatment chemicals (WWTCs) are used to eliminate impurities or suspended substances from contaminated water. These chemicals make the contaminated water fit for industrial or domestic uses. WWTCs are used for purifying municipal drinking water, industrial waste water, and production waste water, making the treated water reusable in different applications. These chemicals are also used for purifying sea water and ground water. The choice of chemicals primarily depends on the cost and the end outcome.Get Report Details atThe publisher recognizes the following companies as the key players in the global water and wastewater treatment chemicals (WWTCs) market: Akzo Nobel, Arkema, GE Water and Process Technologies, Kemira, and Kurita Water Industries.Other Prominent Vendors in the market are: Accepta, Anco India Chemicals, Aries Chemical, BWA WATER ADDITIVES, ChemTreat, Chembond Chemicals, Carus Group, Era Hydro- Biotech Energy, Hydrite Chemical, ION EXCHANGE, METITO, Midsouth Chemical, Sicagen, Synwater, Thermax Global, and VASU Chemicals.One trend in the market is rising industrial adoption of zero liquid discharge (ZLD). Zero liquid discharge (ZLD) is a wastewater management strategy that eliminates any liquid waste coming out of a plant with the majority of water being recovered for reuse. Increasing urbanization and industrialization are reasons for the high amount of stress on the environment, including the worlds freshwater resourcesOrder a Purchase Report Copy at. (This is premium report, Single User License  USD 3500 and Multi User License  USD 4000)According to the report, one driver in the market is scarcity of water leading to increasing use of WWTCs. The decline in the level of water and water quality because of the threatening water crisis across many countries is promoting WWTCs companies to invest in alternative water treatment methods. As a result, the opportunities for suppliers within the WWTCs market is expected to increase. The government of various emerging countries such as India, China, South Africa, and others has been encouraging the use of industrial wastewater treatment and waste water reuse by imposing penalties on noncompliance and rolling out incentives for the reuse of water.Further, the report states that one challenge in the market is availability of skilled workforce in treatment plants. WWT plants require skilled workforce who should be adequately trained and certified individuals. They are responsible for overseeing all activities from pipe leaks and valves to electrical and instrumentation equipment. This work becomes especially demanding with changes in influent and seasonal changes. Treatment plants should maintain skilled labor to control water quality regularly and optimize water treatment processes. These treatment plants are generally maintained by skilled labor to control water quality and optimize processes regularly.The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.Inquire before buying at. (This is premium report, Single User License  USD 3500 and Multi User License  USD 4000)MarketResearchNest.com is the most comprehensive collection of market research products and services on the Web. We offer reports from almost all top publishers and update our collection on daily basis to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and recent database of expert insights on global industries, organizations, products, and trends.Mr. Jeet JainSales Managersales@marketresearchnest.com+1-240-284-8070Pune, India 411051
ASEAN Smart Education And Learning Market Is Expected To Exhibit A Remarkable 19.7% CAGR Over The Period Between 2016 And 2020 To US$88.97 bn

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Smart Education and Learning Market - ASEAN Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2020" to its huge collection of research reports.ASEAN Smart Education and Learning Market: Scope and OverviewThe ASEAN Smart Education and Learning Market report provides analysis of the ASEAN smart education and learning market for the period 20142020, wherein the years from 2016 to 2020 is the forecast period and 2015 is considered as the base year. The report precisely covers all the major trends and technologies playing a major role in the smart education and learning markets growth over the forecast period. It also highlights the drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to influence the market growth during this period. The study provides a holistic perspective on the markets growth in terms of revenue (in US$ Bn), across different smart education and learning delivery models and end-uses.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The market overview section of the report showcases the markets dynamics and trends such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities that influence the current nature and future status of this market. Moreover, the report profiles the key players in the ASEAN smart education and learning market and provides the overview of various strategies adopted by them and analyzes their behavior in the prevailing market dynamics.ASEAN Smart Education and Learning Market: SegmentationBased on delivery model, the report segments the ASEAN smart education and learning market into classroom-based, desktop/mobile-based and simulation based. Majority of the countries in the ASEAN region have a high rate of smartphone penetration. This has led to the increased use of smartphones for learning purposes. Additionally, most of the ASEAN countries have access to high speed internet connections. This further facilitates the ease of using smartphones for education and learning purposes. As a result, the desktop/mobile-based segment is the largest segment in terms of delivery model. Application of virtual reality in classrooms and the use of smart tools for learning are contributing towards the growth of the simulation-based and classroom-based delivery models. However, high initial costs and maintenance costs are hindering the growth of these segments.On the basis of end-use, the ASEAN smart education and learning market has been segmented into higher education, transnational education, technical vocation & technical education (TVET), language training (English), early childcare & pre-school, continual professional development, and qualifications, assessment & standards. Owing to the wide scale popularity of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for their diverse courses that are offered by various international universities, transnational education is one of the fastest growing segments in terms of end-use. Furthermore, there is a growing demand for English language learning courses to increase ones employability as English is the official language of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).ASEAN Smart Education and Learning Market: Geographical DynamicsIn terms of country, the ASEAN smart education region has been divided into Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Rest of ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Laos, Burma & Brunei). Of these, Malaysia has a huge demand for English language learning courses and higher education courses. It is the largest segment as of 2015 in the ASEAN smart education and learning market. Malaysia is followed by Indonesia in terms of revenue share as a result of the developed state of ICT infrastructure in the country and availability of high speed internet. Additionally, high rate of smartphone penetration and the launch of AEC are also contributing factors towards the growth of the smart education and learning market in these countries.Browse Detail Report With Full TOC @The report segments the ASEAN smart education and learning market on the basis of various delivery models such as classroom-based, desktop/ mobile-based and simulation-based. On the basis of end-use, the ASEAN smart education and learning market has been segmented into Higher Education, Transnational Education, TVET, Language Training (English), Early Childcare & Pre-School, Continual Professional Development, and Qualifications, Assessment & Standards.The ASEAN smart education and learning market has been segmented as below:The ASEAN Smart Education and Learning, By Delivery Model- Classroom- Based- Desktop/Mobile-Based- Simulation-BasedThe ASEAN Smart Education and Learning Analysis, By End-use- Higher Education- Transnational Education- TVET- Language Training- Early Childcare & Pre-School- Continual Professional Development- Qualifications, Assessment & StandardsThe ASEAN Smart Education and Learning Analysis, By Country- Malaysia- Philippines- Indonesia- Singapore- Thailand- Vietnam- Rest of ASEAN (Cambodia, Laos, Burma & Brunei)Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Applications plays a Key Role in the Growth of Prepacked Chromatography Columns Market

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The global prepacked chromatography columns market is an extremely consolidated arena, with the top two players, namely GE Healthcare and Repligen, accounting for 78.0% of the overall market in 2015. GE alone represented whopping 54.0% of the market in the same year. These players are paying high attention towards product innovation and engaging themselves in mergers and acquisitions to maintain their leadership in the market, finds Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a study. For instance, with the acquisition of Atoll, Repligen is anticipated to cover a larger share in the market in the forthcoming years.Asia Pacific to Emerge Leading Revenue Contributor Owing to Increasing Investments by Global PlayersThis 281 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the prepacked chromatography columns market. Browse through 28 data tables and 174 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:The valuation of the global prepacked chromatography columns market was US$1.74 bn in 2016 and is poised to reach US$3.34 bn by 2024, progressing at a CAGR of 8.4% therein. On the basis of technology, hydrophobic stationary phase will continue to dominate until 2024, commanding 72.8% of the overall market. Increasing investments and funding along with uptick in research and development activities in the life sciences, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical sectors are supplementing the growth of the segment. On the other hand, multimodal chromatography is expected to register a CAGR higher than any other segment during the review period.Geographically, North America was the frontrunner in the market in terms of revenue in 2016. However, Asia Pacific is anticipated to surpass the region towards the end of the forecast period. The growing investments by international players and improving scenario for research and development activities are providing a significant momentum to the market in the region. Owing to these factors, the region is estimated to rise at a CAGR of 10.2% during the same period.Growing Demand for Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies Escalates Market GrowthThe soaring need for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of various diseases such as allergic diseases, cancer, and autoimmune disorders is creating a staggering volume of demand for prepacked chromatography columns. Moreover, the growing production of biopharmaceutical drugs is paving way for higher need for purification, which in turn is working in favor of the market. Biopharmaceuticals require exceptional purity, thereby making downstream process an important component of the overall process, says a TMR analyst.In addition, the burgeoning demand from other end-user industries such as food and beverages, chemicals, and biotechnology is augmenting the market. Furthermore, increasing research and development activities in the field and rising government initiatives and awareness campaigns are providing the market with a conducive environment to foster.Request a sample of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving prepacked chromatography columns market during 2016 - 2024:Economic Slowdown and High Price Hinder Demand for Prepacked Chromatography ColumnsVolatile economic conditions in certain parts of the world have considerable impact on government budgets and available funding for the healthcare sector. This in turn is adversely affecting the growth of the global prepacked chromatography columns market. Additionally, the high prices of columns are limiting their widespread adoption. Furthermore, issues such as fouling and clogging are hampering the growth prospects of the market. Fouling and clogging results in the reduction of dynamic binding capacity (DBC) and a subsequent decrease in the life span of columns.The above data has been derived from a report by TMR, titled Prepacked Chromatography Columns Market: (Product Type - 1-100 ml, 100-1000 ml, and >1L; Technique - Hydrophobic Stationary Phase, Ion Exchange Chromatography, Affinity Chromatography, Multimodal Chromatography, Gel Filtration; Application Type - Sample Preparation, Resin Screening, Protein Purification, Anion and Cation Exchange, and Desalting; End-user - Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Food and Beverage, Agriculture and Environmental, Nutraceutical, Academics and Research, and Analytical Laboratories) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Dental Implants And Prosthetics Market Size Is Projected To Be Around $16 Billion By 2025

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A research study titled, Dental Implants and Prosthetics Market by Product and Material - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 published by Crystal Market Research, states that the dental implants and prosthetics market is projected to be around $16 billion by 2025.The primary role of modern dentistry is to restore and enhance normal contour, esthetics, function and speech in patients suffering from dental problems such as cavities, untreated tooth decay and other periodontal disorders. With continued research over the years, various implant and prosthetic designs, materials and techniques have emerged enabling rehabilitation of challenging dental deformities. Implants can be used for different instances of tooth loss such as single-tooth implants, partial edentulism and total edentulism. Single-tooth implantation is the replacement of a posterior single missing tooth. Some of the advantages associated with single-tooth implants are reduced risk of caries in adjacent teeth, decreased abutment tooth loss and reduced risk of endodontic problems in adjacent teeth. Total edentulism refers to a state of total toothlessness whereas partial edentulism is the state in which one or more but not all of the natural teeth are missing.Browse full research report with TOC on Dental Implants and Prosthetics Market by Product and Material - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025 at:The global dental implants and prosthetics market is majorly driven by factors such as increasing demand for minimally invasive dental procedures, increase in prevalence of periodontal diseases, increasing disposable income in emerging countries, and rising geriatric population around the world. As per World Aging Population report published in 2015 by United Nations, the global population aged 60 years and over is expected to grow by 56% from 901 million in 2015 to 1.4 billion by 2030. This number is projected to rise up to 2.1 billion by 2050. With high prevalence of aging population, the demand for dental prosthetics is expected to increase in coming years. However, unfavorable reimbursement policies related to procedures for dental implants and prosthetics can hinder the market growth during the forecast period.Premium implants segment dominated the global dental implants and prosthetics market in 2016 as demand for these implants has increased significantly in recent years in developed economies due to high disposable income of the population. Based on the type of material used in dental implants, titanium implants segment held a major share as they are comparatively durable than other types of implants. Discounted implants segment is projected to exhibit fastest growth over the forecast period as these are highly affordable compared to premium implants and hence, will generate high demand in developing countries.In 2016, Europe occupied a major share of the global dental implants and prosthetics market owing to rising government expenditure on oral healthcare, high disposable income, and increasing aging population. Asia-Pacific dental implants and prosthetics market is estimated grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast perioddue to increasing dental tourism, increasing aging population, and rise in disposable income leading to increased demand for discounted implants.Request a sample copy of Dental Implants and Prosthetics Market Research Report @Product development and strategic expansion through acquisitions are the major strategies adopted by the key players in the global dental implants and prosthetics market. Some of the major players operating in this market are Nobel Biocare Services AG, Danaher Corporation, Dentatus AB, Neoss Limited, InstitutStraumann AG, A.B. Dental, BioHorizons, Inc., Bicon, LLC, CAMLOG Biotechnologies AG, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., Avinent Implant System, IvoclarVivadent AG, OSSTEM IMPLANT.CO., LTD, and DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc.Key Findings of the Research Study: In 2016, premium implants segment held a major share of the dental implants and prosthetics market owing to the rising demand for these implants fueled by increased disposable income in developed countries. Based on the type of material used, titanium implants accounted for the largest share of the overall market in 2016 due to extensive adoption of titanium implants as they exhibit high strength, durability, and biocompatibility. Discounted implants segment is expected to witness fastest growth during the forecast period as demand for these types of implants is increasing in emerging countries owing to their affordable prices. Europe held a major share of the global dental implants and prosthetics market in 2016 owing to increasing healthcare expenditure, rising aging population and availability of favorable policies. Asia-Pacific dental implants and prosthetics market is projected to witness fastest growth during the forecast period due to increasing demand for dental procedures facilitated by rising disposable income in the region.Inquire more about this report at:Dental Implants and Prosthetics Market Segmentation:By Product: Dental ImplantsBy TypePremium ImplantsValue ImplantsDiscounted ImplantsBy ProcedureRoot-form Dental ImplantsPlate-form Dental ImplantsBy MaterialTitanium ImplantsZirconium Implants Dental BridgesBy Type4-Unit Bridges3-Unit BridgesCantilever BridgesMaryland Bridges Crowns DenturesComplete DenturesPartial Dentures AbutmentsTemporary AbutmentsDefinitive Abutments Inlays and Onlays VeneersBy Type of Facility: Dental Clinics Hospitals Other FacilitiesBy Region: North AmericaU.SCanadaMexico EuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRest of Europe Asia-PacificJapanChinaAustraliaIndiaSouth KoreaRest of Asia-Pacific Rest of the WorldBrazilSouth AfricaSaudi ArabiaTurkeyUnited Arab EmiratesOthersGet Customization in the Report At:Related Reports:Dental Consumables Market by Product and End User - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:Dental Equipment Market by Product and End User - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025:About Crystal Market ResearchCrystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contact:Judy304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: sales@crystalmarketresearch.comBlog:Website:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Allergy Diagnostics Market to Advance at a Considerable Growth Rate over the Coming Years

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The global allergy diagnostics market appears to be consolidated. The leading companies discussed in the report include Quest Diagnostics, Inc., Omega Diagnostics Group Plc, Thermo Fischer Scientific, Inc., Siemens Healthineers, bioMerieux SA, HAL Allergy Group, and Stallergenes Greer. Transparency Market Research (TMR) finds that the allergy diagnostics market is rife with heightened levels of competition among the companies, owing to the presence of local as well as international players. Dominant players have been adopting the fruitful strategy of collaborating with leading companies.The market for allergy diagnostics is projected to expand substantially at a CAGR of 12.8%, achieving US$3.8 bn by the end of 2024, which was estimated to be worth US$1.3 bn in 2015.Low Cost of Consumables to Position them as Leading Product SegmentThis 197 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the allergy diagnostics market. Browse through 30 data tables and 83 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:Allergy diagnostic consumables was the leading product segment in 2015 and is expected to continue to hold its dominance in the market over the coming period. Reagents and pipettes are some examples of consumables that have grown popular on account of their lower costs and high volume. The segment is expected to attain a 50.1% share by the end of 2024, with a remarkable CAGR of 13.6% between 2016 and 2024.North America is expected to emerge as the dominant regional market for allergy diagnostics. However, Asia Pacific is projected to emerge as a rapidly growing market, with a remarkable CAGR of 13.6% between 2016 and 2024.High Level of Pollution to Drive GrowthLack of exposure to allergic elements in childhood and high levels of hygiene maintenance, particularly in the western countries, has contributed towards a rise in the demand for allergy diagnostics. Furthermore, factors such as longer duration of pollen seasons, climatic changes, high levels of air pollution on account of industrial and traffic smoke, increased tobacco smoking, and prevalence of other allergens in the environment are driving the market for allergy diagnostics. Moreover, genetic factors, increased vulnerability to allergies, and rise in healthcare expenditure are also boosting market growth. High prevalence of asthma among global population is also responsible for the rising demand for allergy diagnostics.Request a sample of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving allergy diagnostics market during 2016 - 2024:An important concept related to the expansion of the allergy diagnostics market is the hygiene hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that little or no exposure to infectious agents during childhood makes a person more vulnerable to allergies, on account of early restriction on the development of the immune system. This is more prevalent in western countries, where hygiene is given utmost importance. The U.S., New Zealand, the U.K., and Australia showed 20 times higher incidence of allergies as compared to other countries in 2013. This tendency has been driving the growth of allergy diagnostics market in the west.Regulatory Policies Will Pose a Major Threat to the MarketStrict regulatory policies, along with large investment costs, will pose as major challenges to the allergy diagnostics market. Also, the highly consolidated nature of the market will obstruct growth of new entrants. Currently, the leading market players are working on the reduction of costs in order to tap more profit. However, a rise in the types of allergies over the coming years will fuel the demand for allergy diagnostics. Changing food habits among people worldwide, coupled with growing popularity of processed and packed foods, are expected to furnish significant opportunities, by the end of 2024.The information presented in this review is based on a Transparency Market Research report, titled, Allergy Diagnostics Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Healthcare 3D Printing Market Global Analysis & 2022 Forecast Report

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Healthcare 3D Printing Market Research Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.Global Healthcare 3D Printing market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingNano3D BiosciencesReninshawDigilabAspect BiosystemsBioBotsBio3D TechnologiesLuxexcelOceanzOceanzMaterialiseStratasysAprecia PharmaceuticalsTeVido BioDevicesCyfuse Biomedical3Dynamics SystemsEnvision TEC3D Biotek3D SystemsRequest a Sample copy atGeographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Healthcare 3D Printing in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaComplete report is available atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoBy ProductSyringe basedMagnetic LevitationLaser basedInkjet basedBy TechnologyStereolithography (SLA)Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)OtherOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Healthcare 3D Printing for each application, includingBiosensorsPharmaceuticalProstheticsImplantsTissueDentalTable of Contents:1 Healthcare 3D Printing Market Overview2 Global Healthcare 3D Printing Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Healthcare 3D Printing Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Healthcare 3D Printing Supply (Production) , Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global Healthcare 3D Printing Production, Revenue (Value) , Price Trend by Type6 Global Healthcare 3D Printing Market Analysis by ApplicationGet Discount at7 Global Healthcare 3D Printing Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis8 Healthcare 3D Printing Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Healthcare 3D Printing Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and ConclusionPurchase complete report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email:sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Construction CRM Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022

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This report studies the global Construction CRM Software market, analyzes and researches the Construction CRM Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likePipedriveProcore TechnologiesZoho CRMUDA TechnologiesSage SoftwareJobProgressPayPantherContractors Software GroupPlatformaxDBXclixifixThunderbolt InnovationTopBuilder SolutionsBSI Business Systems Integration AGCetharSoftMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaTo Get a Sample Copy of this Report Visit @Table of ContentsGlobal Construction CRM Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Construction CRM Software1.1 Construction CRM Software Market Overview1.1.1 Construction CRM Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Construction CRM Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Construction CRM Software Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 22 Global Construction CRM Software Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Construction CRM Software Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Pipedrive3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Construction CRM Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Procore Technologies3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Construction CRM Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Zoho CRM3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Construction CRM Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 UDA Technologies3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Construction CRM Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent DevelopmentsExplore Research Report with TOC @QYresearchreports delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Europe (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Market Is Projected To Exhibit A CAGR Of 3.7% From 2016 To 2024, Reaching US$28.21 bn

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Specialty Printing Consumables Market - Europe (EU5) Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.Europe (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Market: Scope and MethodologyThe Specialty Printing Consumables Market report provides analysis of Europe (EU5) specialty printing consumables market for the period 20142024, wherein the years from 2016 to 2024 is the forecast period and 2015 is considered as the base year. The report precisely covers all the major trends and technologies playing a major role in the specialty printing consumables markets growth over the forecast period. It also highlights the drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to influence the market growth during this period. The study provides a holistic perspective on the markets growth in terms of revenue (in US$ Bn), across different printing processes, products and application segments.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The market overview section of the report showcases the markets dynamics and trends such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities that influence the current nature and future status of this market. Moreover, the report provides the overview of various strategies of the key players in Europe (EU5) specialty printing consumables market and analyzes their behavior in the prevailing market dynamics.Europe (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Market: SegmentationThe report segments Europe (EU5) specialty printing consumables market on the basis of various printing process such as lithographic printing, flexographic printing, rotogravure printing and digital printing. By different product types, the market is classified into toner, ink, specialty substrate and chemicals. By application, Europe (EU5) specialty printing consumables market is categorized into office and professional application, commercial printing and publishing application and other application. Thus, the report provides in-depth cross-segment analysis for the specialty printing consumables product market for different printing processes and applications mentioned above, thereby providing valuable insights on macro as well as micro level.Europe (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report also provides the competitive landscape for the specialty printing consumables market, thereby positioning all the major players according to their presence in Europe (EU5), market attractiveness and recent key developments. This is identified as a crucial step for getting the full overview of the market through key market leaders and the strategies adopted by them. The complete Europe (EU5) specialty printing consumables market estimates are the result of our in-depth secondary research, primary interviews, and in-house expert panel reviews. These market estimates have been analyzed by taking into account the impact of different political, social, economic, technological, and legal factors along with the current market dynamics affecting Europe (EU5) specialty printing consumables markets growth.Canon Inc., Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA, Flint Group, Nazdar Ink Technologies (Thrall Enterprises Inc.), Marabu GmbH & Co KG, Sun Chemical Corporation, and Saati S.p.A. are the major players which have been profiled in this study. Details such as financials, business strategies, recent developments, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players has been provided as a part of company profiles.Browse Detail Report With Full TOC @Europe (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables market has been segmented as below:Europe (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Market, By Printing Process- Lithographic Printing- Flexographic Printing- Rotogravure Printing- Digital PrintingEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Market Analysis, By Product- Toner- Ink- Specialty Substrate- ChemicalsEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Market Analysis, By Application- Office And Professional Application- Commercial Printing And Publishing Application- Other ApplicationEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Product (Toner) Market, By Printing Process- Lithographic Printing- Flexographic Printing- Rotogravure Printing- Digital PrintingEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Product (Ink) Market, By Printing Process- Lithographic Printing- Flexographic Printing- Rotogravure Printing- Digital PrintingEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Product (Specialty Substrate) Market, By Printing Process- Lithographic Printing- Flexographic Printing- Rotogravure Printing- Digital PrintingEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Product (Chemicals) Market, By Printing Process- Lithographic Printing- Flexographic Printing- Rotogravure Printing- Digital PrintingEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Product (Toner) Market, By Application- Office and Professional Application- Commercial Printing and Publishing Application- Other ApplicationEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Product (Ink) Market, By Application- Office and Professional Application- Commercial Printing and Publishing Application- Other ApplicationEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Product (Specialty Substrate) Market, By Application- Office and Professional Application- Commercial Printing and Publishing Application- Other ApplicationEurope (EU5) Specialty Printing Consumables Product (Chemicals) Market, By Application- Office and Professional Application- Commercial Printing and Publishing Application- Other ApplicationMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Electronic Toll Collection Market Analysis and Forecast Study for (2014-2020)

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Electronic toll collection system is an automated system, eliminating manual operations by toll payers and receivers. The global ETC market is expected to steer towards a strong double-digit growth rate in the coming five years (2015-2020). The primary drivers of the upcoming growth comprise the need to save travel time, cashless travel facility, the need to stop/minimize the traffic congestion and fast toll transaction. However, factors like high installation cost and a high dependence on government are hindering the growth of this market to some extent. The ETC market is expected to continue its rapid expansion to meet the surging demand for an improved, safe and secure infrastructure. The ETC system provides fast, efficient and cost-effective services. They have easy to operate buttons with a user-friendly design. They are also beneficial for traffic agencies and companies as these systems eliminate the need for multiple toll plazas, acting as a cost-saving factor for road operator agencies. Electronic toll collection systems have a positive impact on the environment as it reduces the amount of exhaust emitted from vehicles during start-up and stop at manual toll booths.The ETC market can be categorised into products, technologies, applications and geographies. Transponders, antennae, communication systems, treadles, inductive loops, scanning devices, weigh-in-motion devices, cameras and film storage devices are some of the major products of the system. An electronic toll collection system consists of various subsystems, such as automatic vehicle identification (AVI), automatic vehicle classification (AVC), back-office &integration and violation enforcement system (VES). These subsystems are useful for specific functions -AVI for vehicle identification, AVC for vehicle classification, toll collection transaction by integrating the back-office and payment system and VES to reduce unpaid tolls, by vehicle imaging.Request For Report Sample@On the basis of technologies, the ETC market can be segmented into various categories, such as radio-frequency identification (RFID), dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), video analytics, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and global positioning system (GPS).Currently RFID and DSRC are the leading technologies. On the other hand, the GNSS and GPS are expected to show a high growth rate in following five years (2015-2020).Based on applications, the ETC market can be categorized into segments like highway, urban and bridges. Undoubtedly, ETC systems have been installed majorly on highways, but installation in urban areas and on bridges has a bright future opportunity.Geographically, the ETC market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Middle East & Africa. Present market scenario represents a strong presence of ETC system in the US, Canada and Mexico in North America, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines and Singapore in Asia Pacific, and the UK, Ireland, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Spain in Europe.Visit For TOC@Some of the key players in the ETC market are Honeywell International, Inc., Transurban, Transtoll Pty Ltd., Transcore Holdings, Inc., Toll Collect GmbH, TRMI Systems Integration, Sensor Dynamics, Xerox Corporation, 3M, Connect East, EFKON, SAIC, DENSO, Q-Free, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Perceptics, Thales Group and Kapsch TrafficCom AG. The ETC ecosystem participants offer a wide range of solutions, such as software services and system integration and toll system operations including maintenance, payment handling and revenue assurance. It is the future solution to alleviating traffic congestion problems.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Recent events nationwide illustrate that historical monuments have more to worry about than a few pigeons hovering overhead! Few even knew of the Hill Park fountain's Confederate origins until a commission hearing two years ago. I supported that commission's decision to erect a historical sign, explaining its origin.

Since then the fountain has continued to be enjoyed; neither defaced, nor used for political purposes by the "alt-hateful."

However, continuing deterioration of civility since January, coupled with the recent tragic events in Virginia, no doubt sealed its fate this past Wednesday.

The fountain area is a beautiful setting for small children to soak their feet and for all to sit, enjoy the scenery, and reflect on who we are and who we could be.

If a group of Confederate daughters could fund the current fountain in 1916, surely we Helena citizens could fund one celebrating immigrants and native people who have made Helena and Montana great.

I call upon the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Helena, local historical society, art community, our Helena area legislators, civic clubs, school groups and individuals to let the mayor and commissioners know if you would financially support such a fountain.

Addressing hate is a tougher hill to conquer than merely removing a monument. Let's go the extra mile by replacing the Confederate fountain with one celebrating the "ALLsome-ness" of Montana.

Sincerely,

John Ilgenfritz

Helena
Forecast and Analysis on Food Grade Lubricants Market by Future Market Insights 2014 - 2020

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Food grade lubricants refer to lubricants that are used to maintain the food processing machinery, i.e. it protects the tools and machines from wear and tear. However, since many of them come into direct contact with food, these lubricants used in these machineries need to be different from the usual machine lubricants. In other words, they should not render the food unfit for consumption. With recent advances in the food processing industry, there is now much variety in the machinery used to process each food/beverage category. With growing concern over the food we eat, food processors need to comply with various regulatory frameworks like the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP). The standards vary from country to country. However, these are internationally accepted standards which are followed by food grade lubricant manufacturers. For instance, the non-profit public health and safety company, NSF International, along with USDA, has set standards for various food grade lubricants.These days, food safety is the highest priority for the food processors, and they take utmost care to maintain the same. H1 and H2 are the two most common broad spectrum food grade lubricants that are used in machinery involving incidental food contact and no food contact respectively. However, with the drive to produce innovative products in the food processing industry, the demand for customised and high performance food grade lubricants is expected to swell in near future. Food grade lubricants range from hydraulic fluids, oven chain oils, gear oils, compressor oils and vacuum pump oils to specialty lubricants such as can seamer oil. Different processes require different grades of oil. For instance, H3 (soluble oil) is used to prevent rust on trolleys, hooks and similar equipment whereas 3H release agents are used on chopping boards, cutters, grills, loaf pans, boning benches and other such hard surfaces.Request For Report Sample@Cutting edge equipment technology has always been the driver of the processed food industry and vice-versa. The demand for food grade lubricants is increasing with the increase in the size of the processed food industry worldwide, as well as proliferating food safety laws. All the major companies adhere to food safety laws in order to avoid product recalls and penalty fees. The trend is more prominent in developed countries such as the U.S., U.K, Canada, Norway, Germany, France and Italy. These countries, along with other developed countries, are expected to remain the main target market during the forecast period. Developing countries such as China, Brazil, India and South Africa are expected to grow at a slower rate with regard to food grade lubricants.The market can be segmented by type into H1 lubricants, H2 lubricants, 3H (releasing agents), H3 (soluble oils) and others. Geographically, the market can be segmented into Asia Pacific, North America (U.S., Canada and Mexico), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and the Rest of the World (Latin America and South Africa). These lubricants are used in bakeries, the beverage industry, meat processing, pharmaceuticals, confectionery, and fruit and vegetable processing.The largest market by type worldwide is that of H1 food grade grease which can be used in variety of processes. It can be either petroleum based or synthetic in composition. Aluminium complex thickened grease is the most common and widely used lubricant as it can withstand high temperatures, is very water resistant, and is an important component in food & beverage processing equipment because of post shift equipment wash downs.Currently, North America is the largest market for food grade lubricants as USDA (The United States Department of Agriculture) has laid down stringent food safety laws for food processors. However, countries like India, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa and Brazil are potential growth drivers as a large number of American companies have set up manufacturing units in these emerging markets. The European market is relatively less regulated in food grade lubricants and lacks proper laws pertaining to the same.Visit For TOC@Some of the players of the food grade lubricant market are ITW ROCOL, Bel-Ray Company LLC, Lubriplate Lubricants Company, Schaeffer Manufacturing Co. and Suncor Energy Inc. among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Sales Revenue Of Lightweight Automotive Body Panels Is Expected To Register A CAGR Of 4.8% Over The Forecast Period (2016-2026)

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Lightweight Automotive Body Panels Market: Passenger Car Vehicle Type Segment Anticipated to Hold Prominent Market Share Through 2026: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026" to its huge collection of research reports.Automotive body panels such as bumpers, roof, door panels, and trunk lids are generally made of conventional materials such as steel or iron. Such body panels contribute significantly to the overall automobile body weight. However, owing to increasing regulations to reduce emissions along with increasing demand for fuel economy has attracted the attention of OEM manufacturers to decrease the overall automobile weight. Thus in order to reduce body weight of automobiles, manufacturers are focussing on using body panels that are lighter than conventional body panels. Body panels made of materials with low density such as high-strength steel, aluminium, and polymers & composites are considered to be lightweight automotive body panels. Such lightweight body panels provide the desired strength for the components with reduced weight.Global consumption of lightweight automotive body panels was pegged at 9,500 thousand tonnes in 2015. Sales revenue of lightweight automotive body panels is expected to register a CAGR of 4.8% over the forecast period (20162026).To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Steady recovery in global automotive production along with an increasing focus on lightweighting is driving market demandRising disposable income with growing economic conditions is driving global automotive production. With an increase in automotive production, concerns for increasing greenhouse gas emissions is rising globally. In order to tackle greenhouse gas emissions, governments across the globe are implementing stringent regulations to meet fuel emission standards. To comply with such stringent regulations, manufacturers are expected to increase their focus on automotive lightweighting. Increasing automotive production along with an increasing focus on lightweighting is anticipated to drive market demand over the forecast period. However, high costs associated with lightweighting materials are hindering widespread adoption and this is likely to restrict market growth over the forecast period.High-strength Steel material type sub-segment projected to remain dominant throughout the forecast periodThe High-strength Steel sub-segment is estimated to account for maximum share of 73.5% in the overall market by 2016 end. The Aluminium sub-segment is estimated to account for a significant share of 18.0% by the end of 2016.Door Panels component type segment projected to retain its dominance over the forecast periodThe Door Panels segment is estimated to account for maximum share and is projected to retain its dominance over the forecast period. The Door Panels and Trunk Lids segments are estimated to collectively account for a share of 51.2% in the overall market.Passenger Car vehicle type segment estimated to account for prominent market share throughout the forecast periodThe Passenger Car segment is anticipated to witness the highest CAGR over the forecast period. This segment is estimated to account for 46.9% share of the global lightweight automotive body panels market by 2016 end. The Heavy Commercial Vehicle segment is projected to account for the lowest value share over the forecast period.APEJ regional market expected to gain maximum market share between 2016 and 2026APEJ is estimated to account for a major share in global automotive production and is expected to witness higher growth rates in terms of automotive production. The APEJ lightweight automotive body panels market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 6.3% during 20162026. The market in North America is estimated to account for 34.1% value share of the global lightweight automotive body panels market by the end of 2016. The higher market value share of the North America market is attributed to the relative higher vehicle production in the region.Leading market players are focussing on expanding their market presence in emerging markets through joint ventures and collaborationsGORDON AUTO BODY PARTS CO. LTD., AUSTEM COMPANY LTD., Gestamp, Plastic Omnium, Magna International Inc., Stick Industry Co. Ltd., Changshu Huiyi Mechanical & Electrical Co. Ltd., KUANTE AUTO PARTS MANUFACTURE CO. LIMITED, Hwashin, FLEX-N-GATE CORPORATION, and ABC Group, Inc. are some of the leading players operating in the global lightweight automotive body panels market. Some of these companies are directing their investments towards the deployment of advanced technologies for product development.Browse Detail Report With Full TOC @Table Of Content1. Executive Summary2. Global Lightweight Automotive Body Panels Market Introduction2.1. Market Definition2.2. Market Taxonomy3. Global Lightweight Automotive Body Panels Market Analysis Scenario3.1. Pricing Analysis3.1.1. Pricing Analysis by Metals3.1.2. Pricing Analysis by Polymers & Composites3.2. Market Consumption Overview3.3. Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast3.3.1. Market Size and Y-o-Y Growth3.3.2. Absolute $ Opportunity3.4. Market Overview3.4.1. Supply Chain3.4.2. List of Active Participants3.4.2.1. Raw Material Suppliers3.4.2.2. Manufacturers3.4.2.3. Distributors / Retailers3.4.2.4. Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers3.5. Product - Cost Teardown Analysis4. Market Dynamics4.1. Drivers4.2. Restraints4.3. Opportunity4.4. Trends5. Global Lightweight Automotive Body Panels Market Analysis and Forecast, by Material Type5.1. Introduction5.1.1. Basis Point Share (BPS) Analysis By Material Type5.1.2. Y-o-Y Growth Projections By Material Type5.2. Market Size Forecast By Material Type5.2.1. Metals5.2.1.1. High Strength Steel5.2.1.2. Magnesium5.2.1.3. Aluminum5.2.2. Polymers & Composites5.2.2.1. Carbon fiber reinforced plastics5.2.2.2. Glass fiber reinforced plastic5.2.2.3. Other Polymer & Composite Materials6. Global Lightweight Automotive Body Panels Market Analysis and Forecast, By Component Type6.1. Introduction6.1.1. Basis Point Share (BPS) Analysis By Component Type6.1.2. Y-o-Y Growth Projections By Component Type6.2. Market Size Forecast By Component Type6.2.1. Bumpers6.2.2. Hood6.2.3. Door Panels6.2.4. Trunk Lids6.2.5. Roof6.2.6. Others6.3. Market Attractiveness Analysis By Component TypeContinued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Automotive Lightweight Market - KAM KIU, Kobelco, Tenglong, Guangyin ASIAALUM

Global Automotive Lightweight Market

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Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "Automotive Lightweight Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "Automotive Lightweight Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Automotive Lightweight industry, and estimates the future trend of Automotive Lightweight market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "Automotive Lightweight Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportAlcoaRUSAL3MBasfChina ZhongwangApaltSapaKAM KIUKobelcoTenglongGuangyin ASIAALUMCixi EmekaSGL GroupJiangsu HengshenThe market research report explores the Automotive Lightweight market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "Automotive Lightweight Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Automotive Lightweight market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Automotive Lightweight. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Automotive Lightweight market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Automotive Lightweight is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Automotive Lightweight market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Automotive Lightweight market globally.Inquire Before Buying @The Global Automotive Lightweight market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Automotive Lightweight production volume, data pertaining to demand and Automotive Lightweight supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Automotive Lightweight along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Automotive Lightweight across the world.About UsApexResearch offer reports from top publishers and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.biz
North America And Europe Are Dominating The Global Market For Healthcare Information Systems During 2013-2019

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Healthcare Information Systems Market: North America and Europe region to remain dominant during 2013-2019" to its huge collection of research reports.A healthcare information system is an extensive integrated system which captures, stores, manages and transmits information related to the health of individuals or the activities of organizations that work within the healthcare sector. These systems are supported with client-server architectures for networking and processing. Healthcare information systems ensure proper collection and exchange of patient data between hospitals, labs or clinics. Modern healthcare information technology has made it possible to have the treatment done at home with the help of home care facilities that are being offered by healthcare providers. Use of healthcare information systems helps in improving efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare services offered to an individual. A healthcare information system is composed of various components including hardware, software and the services provided for its maintenance.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @North America and Europe are dominating the global market for healthcare information systems. This is due to various factors such as increasing demand for better healthcare facilities and rising needs of integrated healthcare systems in these regions. Asia is expected to experience high growth rate, due to various factors such as increase in aging population and increase in incidence rate of various diseases such as chronic pain, cancer. Some of the fastest growing markets for healthcare information system are China, India, Japan and the U.S.Increasing healthcare costs, aging population and increasing prevalence of various fatal diseases such as cancer and coronary heart diseases are some of the key factors which drive the market for healthcare information systems. In order to meet the rising healthcare needs in a cost effective way, various governments and healthcare service providers are adopting healthcare information systems for medical purposes. On the other hand, lack of skilled and trained professionals, high maintenance and service expenses and interoperability issues associated are some key restraints which are inhibiting the growth of global market for healthcare information systems.Some of the market trends that have been observed in the healthcare information systems market include increasing popularity of wireless and cloud computing and focus towards patients-centric healthcare information systems. IT enabled services for physicians and emerging markets for healthcare information systems in developing countries such as China and India are opening new opportunities for healthcare information systems market.Some of the companies operating in healthcare information systems are GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, McKesson Corporation and Nextgen healthcare Information System Inc.The report segments the market by applications: hospital information system, laboratory information system (LIS) and pharmacy information system (PIS); by delivery mode: web based, cloud based and on-premise; by components: software, hardware and services; by geographies: North America, Europe, Asia and Rest of the World (RoW). North America region covers the scenario of the U.S. European region covers the scenario of France, Germany and the U.K. Asian region highlights the scenario of India, China and Japan. The report provides the market size and forecast for the different segments under these geographies for the period of 2009 to 2019. The report also provides porters five forces analysis of global healthcare information systems market.Some of the companies operating in healthcare information systems market:- GE Healthcare.- Philips Healthcare.- McKesson Corporation.- Nextgen healthcare Information System Inc.- Other.Browse Detail Report With Full TOC @Table of ContentChapter 1 Preface 91.1 Report Description 91.2 Report Methodology 101.3 Assumptions 10Chapter 2 Market Synopsis 11Chapter 3 Porter Five Forces Analysis 133.1 Bargaining power of suppliers 133.2 Bargaining power of buyers 143.3 Threat of new entrants 143.4 Threat of substitutes 143.5 Intensity of rivalry 14Chapter 4 Industry Overview 154.1 Market Definition 154.2 Drivers 164.2.1 Increasing demand for better healthcare facilities 164.2.2 Rising government Initiatives 184.2.3 Rising need for integrated healthcare system 184.2.4 Rising investments from healthcare IT players 194.3 Impact Analysis of Market Drivers 204.4 Restraints 214.4.1 Lack of experienced professionals 214.4.2 High maintenance and service expenses 214.4.3 Interoperability issues 224.5 Impact Analysis of Market Restrains 224.6 Opportunities 234.6.1 IT-enabled healthcare solutions for physicians 234.6.2 Emerging markets hold huge potentials 234.6.3 ICD-10 conversion 244.7 Market Trends 244.7.1 Wireless and Cloud Technology are getting popular 244.7.2 Shifting focus toward patients-centric Healthcare Information Systems 254.7.3 Use of mobile devices 254.7.4 Adoption of electronic medical records on rise 25Chapter 5 Market Size and Forecast by Application 275.1 Hospital information systems 285.2 Pharmacy information systems 305.3 Laboratory information systems 32Chapter 6 Market Size and Forecast by Delivery Mode 356.1 Web-based 376.2 On-premise 386.3 Cloud-based 40Continued...Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Specialty Polyamides Market Analysis by Global Segments, Size and Forecast 2025

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Specialty Polyamides Market: SnapshotSpecialty polyamides are fabricated materials that provide comparable amounts of durability and mechanical strength as conventional materials while weighing significantly less. Specialty polyamides are also notable due to the lower carbon footprint their production generates, which has emerged as a key driver for the specialty polyamides market due to the vast environmental consequences of the production of conventional materials such as plastics.The automotive industry is the leading consumer in the global specialty polymers market and is likely to retain a dominant share in the coming years due to the rising acknowledgment of the benefits of lighter cars in terms of minimizing their environmental impact. Using lighter materials in car construction leads to lower fuel consumption, as the same amount of power is distributed over a smaller mass, helping enhance the environmental footprint of the automobile. Lighter cars also provide better handling, since the momentum of the vehicle is reduced. This has also been a key factor in leading to lighter materials, including specialty polyamides, becoming popular in the automotive sector.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Several government bodies, including the U.S. EPA, have also come out in support of the use of lighter materials in car construction due to their significant cumulative potential to reduce mans impact on climate change. The specialty polyamides market has benefited significantly from such initiatives and is likely to rely on government support in the coming years, particularly due to the higher prices of specialty polyamides in comparison to conventional automotive construction materials. Government support will also help the global specialty polyamides market overcome one of its key restraint: lack of awareness in developing countries. The booming automotive industry in developing countries such as China, Japan, and India is thus likely to have a significant impact on the global specialty polyamides market in the coming years.Global Specialty Polyamides Market: OverviewSpecialty polyamide manufacturers are preferring eco-friendly and high-quality alternatives as raw materials to conventional petroleum. These polyamides, which are manufactured using renewable raw materials, have a lower CO2 and other greenhouse gasses footprint and support sustainable development. Continuous research and development activities are paving way for advanced polyamides that provide excellent thermal and mechanical characteristics and enhanced humidity resistance. Governments and organizations worldwide are taking efforts to promote the use of these polyamides across key end-user industries. Thus, the global market for specialty polyamides is anticipated to experience tremendous growth in the foreseeable future. These polyamides are used across various end-user industries such as automotive and transportation, energy, electrical and electronics, industrial coatings, and consumer goods and retail.Request TOC of the Report @The research report presents a concise account of the various critical parameters of the global specialty polyamides market. It includes a detailed overview of the trends and opportunities impacting the global market. It offers valuable insights into the competitive landscape of the market. It provides an in-depth analysis of business strategies, latest developments, market shares, and cost and revenue structures of key players in the market and profiles them. It covers SWOT analysis that forecasts the growth trajectory of each prominent player in the market. It segments the market on the basis of several criteria including end users and geography and provides statistics in terms of both value and volume.Global Specialty Polyamides Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe surge in the demand for emission control and fuel economy improvement is prompting automobile companies to develop alternative solutions for manufacturing lighter vehicles through design modification and material substitution. This is, thereby, fuelling the global demand for specialty polyamides. Moreover, stringent measures taken by government bodies such as EPA to reduce greenhouse gasses emissions are augmenting the market.On the other hand, volatile economic conditions in several parts of the world are hampering the growth of the market. However, the rising awareness regarding environment conservation is anticipated to promote the adoption of specialty polyamides across different end-user industries over the coming years.Get a discount @Global Specialty Polyamides Market: Region-wise SegmentationThe key segments meticulously studied in the research report are Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific will be a prominent market throughout the forecast period. The robust growth of the end-user industries such as automotive, electronics and semiconductors, and consumer goods is driving the demand for specialty polyamides in the region. The improving economic conditions in emerging countries is also fuelling the growth of the region.Countries such as Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan are likely to be the major contributors to the growth of the region. Owing to the aforementioned factors, the region is expected to register a healthy growth during the same span. In Rest of the World region, countries including Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil will be sights of high growth rate during the review period.Global Specialty Polyamides Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players in the global specialty polyamides market are allocating sizeable funds in the research and development of superior products with high quality and extended durability in order to expand their presence in the market. Manufacturers are focusing towards developing innovative and customized products that are in line with customer requirements. Some of the prominent companies operating in the market are Solvay S.A., Radici Group, Koninklijke DSM N.V., E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and INVISTA.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Orthopedic Trauma Devices Global Market by Fixation Type, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts to 2020

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Trauma includes severe damage to functional body components such as soft tissues, bones, nerves, and vessels. It is usually caused by an external cause such as road accidents, and major damage can lead to severe outcomes. According to WHO, every year 9% of mortality is caused because of trauma injuries across the globe. Publisheraas market research analysts estimate the global orthopedic trauma devices market to grow successfully and post a CAGR of more than 6% during the forecast period.For more informationHigh prevalence of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in the elderly population (aged 60 and above) is one of the major factors influencing the growth of the market. The aging population being more prone towards joint-related complications will increase the demand for trauma devices, thereby contributing to market growth during the forecast period. Osteoarthritis is the most common joint problem in developed countries such as the US and the UK.Segmentation by material and analysis of - metals and non-metalsThe non-metals that are most commonly used in the orthopedic trauma devices are polymers, ceramics, and composites. The use of natural polymers such as collagen, fibrin, and hyaluronic acid have resulted in good biocompatibility and osteoconductive properties. Even though these materials have low mechanical stability they are used as scaffolds for tissue engineering.The report offers an analysis of each of the following segments and discusses its impact on the overall market growth -MetalsNon-metalsGeographical segmentation and analysis of - Americas, APAC, EMEARequest Sample CopyPublisheraas market research analysts have evaluated the Americas as the major revenue contributor to the orthopedic trauma devices market, with the US and Canada being major countries contributing to the market share. The market in the Americas will see a steady growth because the third-party payers, including domestic dealers, government, and private health insurers limit reimbursement and healthcare coverage resulting in decreased sales of new products.The report offers an analysis of each of the following segments and discusses its impact on the overall market growth -AmericasAPACEMEACompetitive landscape and key vendors - DePuy Synthes, Smith & Nephew, Zimmer Holding, and StrykerThe orthopedic trauma devices market is dominated by few large players and the competition among these players in the market is intense about innovation and launch of new products. Therefore, forming strategic alliances among vendors will help in penetration of a product in untapped markets as well as expansion of product portfolio and increased product sales, thus gaining substantial market shares.The top vendors in this market are -DePuy SynthesSmith & NephewZimmer HoldingStrykerOther prominent vendors included in this report are AAP Implantate, Acumed, Arthrex, Arthrosurface, Cardinal Health, Ellipse Technologies, Flower Orthopedics, Orthopaedic Innovation, Medartis, Nextremity, Solutions, Osteomed, Paragon 28, Skeletal Dynamics, Tornier, Tyber Medical, Virak Orthopedic, and Wright Medical.Make an enquiry:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Correspondence Management Solution Market Intelligence Report for Comprehensive Information

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Over the years correspondence management has increasingly transformed itself to be one of the core business pillars for enterprises across industries. Across all industries from Banking & Financial Services to Public Sectors - real time and constant communication with client or other associated members in client value chain through correspondence management solution is witnessing ever increasing demand. However, in spite of being crucial, many enterprises over the years are not able to leverage crucial solution like correspondence management to automate certain parts of their processes to save cost for document aggregation and delivery; other than that by not adopting relevant correspondence solutions enterprises have also failed to gain advantage of reusing existing content and avoid duplication.Real adoption of correspondence management solutions not only save cost, but also provide enterprise with options like compliance with ever changing government regulations, enhanced content efficiency, & better employee productivity. As going gets tough for enterprises and they are trying to save dollars from every opportunity, increasing uptake of correspondence management solutions can certainly improve the bottom line.Request For Report Sample@Overall, the market for correspondence management solution market size is close to US$1 billion in 2014 and is expected to register growth of 10.5% till 2020 and will reach US$ 1.8 billion by 2020. For vendors it will represent an incremental correspondence management opportunity of US$820 million during the forecast period. In terms of regional adoption, North America is leading the pie of correspondence management by occupying more than 30% of the total market opportunity. At a country level, USA represents the highest potential market for correspondence management, followed by UK and Germany. Within Europe, Scandinavian countries have also demonstrated their interest for the solution in the recent past. Among emerging geographies, Brazil is slightly green field geography, in process of dramatically reducing paper correspondence however, interestingly Middle East Africa is a growing market for correspondence management solution.In terms of vertical adoption of correspondence management, Financial Services and Public Sector entities are leading the charge and constitute more than 60% of the total market share in 2014. The key drivers for increasing uptake of correspondence management among public sector are increasing traction of electronic communication systems along with emphasis on digitization where old processes are getting streamlined by implementing new technologies. For financial services, increasing requirement of adhering to compliance is driving the correspondence management solution uptake.Software License revenue primarily dominates the correspondence management market by holding more than 35% of the total correspondence management solution market opportunity; however for vendors this is an opportunity as the providers need to showcase this as an end-to-end solution; combination of software & services; FMI also noted that Service Providers with Case as a Service portfolio is witnessing preference in the market.Several categories of providers are targeting correspondence management solution market;System Integrators like Cognizant, Accenture, Capgemini, CGI & InfosysLarge Software houses like Adobe, EMC, HP, OPENTEXT, Oracle, Pitney Bowes, MetavanteetcNiche & Specialized vendors like Top Down Systems, Afa, Merlin, CEDAR etcBoutique System Integrators like SWORD, Gimmal, SynAppsVisit For TOC@FMI in the upcoming report highlighted that there are several options how vendor can tap this opportunity. The Service Providers should try to go to the market through a solution approach by tying up with software houses and providing it as an end to end solution and behaving like a one stop shop for the correspondence management solution. Also, service providers can evaluate options of offering correspondence management solution as a service under their BPO portfolios.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Food Safety Testing Services Market Forecast Report Offers Actionable Insights

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Governments around the world have massively increased their focus on ensuring food safety. The threat of foodborne illnesses has led to stringent regulations from food testing authorities worldwide. The global food trade has increased manifold in the last decade or so, and manufacturers have become increasingly reliant on food testing mechanisms to ensure that they are following all the regulations and guidelines.The growth of the global food industry is dependent on fool-proof food testing mechanisms. Lack of proper food testing can increase the risk of food poisoning and other foodborne diseases. In the recent past, several incidents have happened wherein improper safety mechanisms have led to the outbreak of foodborne illnesses. The authorities in the developed world have enforced stringent quality checks on their food imports and many food products have been outrightly banned for failing to meet the safety guidelines. Increase in the focus on food safety has also led to product recalls from some of the leading names in the food industry.Request For Report Sample@Positive Outlook on the Global Food Safety Testing Services MarketThe global food safety testing services market is anticipated to expand at a steady rate through 2020. Growth in developed regions, such as North America and Western Europe, and stringent regulations on the quality of food exports in developing countries are projected to be the key drivers for the growth of this market. However, lack of proper testing mechanisms in developing economies can pose a challenge to the growth of the global food safety testing services market.Global Food Safety Testing Services Market: SegmentationThe global food safety testing services market is segmented into GMOs, pathogens, toxins, pesticides, and others. Food type segmentation includes fruit and vegetable, meat and poultry, convenience food, and others. Among these segments, the food safety testing services market for pathogens is anticipated to witness the fastest growth on account of rising number of foodborne outbreaks due to Salmonella. Other segments of the global food safety testing services market are also expected to witness steady growth during the forecast period.Key Regions for Food Safety Testing MarketNorth America is currently the dominant region of the global food safety testing services market, and it is expected to remain the key region through 2020. Stringent regulations on enforcing food safety guidelines in the U.S. And Canada have fueled the demand for the food safety testing services market in the region. The enaction of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in the U.S. has augured well for the growth of the global food safety testing services market.Other key regions for the global food safety testing services market include Asia Pacific and Western Europe. It is anticipated that development of new food safety regulations will fuel the food safety testing services market in Asia Pacific in the next five years. It is anticipated that Asia Pacific's food safety testing services market will witness a very high growth rate in the next five years.Visit For TOC@Key Players for Food Safety Testing Services MarketSome of the leading names in the global food safety testing services market include SGS S.A. (Switzerland), Bureau Veritas S.A. (France), Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Ltd. (U.K.), and Intertek Group Plc. (U.K.)ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Research Report Explore The Global Military Satellite Market 2017-2027

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"The Report The Global Military Satellite Market 2017-2027 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"The demand for military satellites is expected to be driven by increase in terrorist attacks, unconventional warfare, militancy. Despite changes in the dimensions of terrorism, navigation, and ISR, satellites are acting as effective tools to predict and curb terrorist attacks, simultaneously playing an important role in helping ground level combat operations. The demand for satellite bandwidth is not only driven by military operations in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq, but also by other countries where the bandwidth is used to serve the modern network-centric nature of warfareView Sample PDF :In order to cut the cost and increase the security of their military satellites against attacks, major militaries are now shifting their focus to commercial satellites for communication services. Demand for commercial satellites will increase in the near future due to the high possibility of attacks on military satellitesIn particular, the report provides an in-depth analysis of the following -Market size and drivers: detailed analysis during 20172027, including highlights of the demand drivers and growth stimulators. It also provides a snapshot of the spending and modernization patterns of different regions around the worldRecent developments and industry challenges: insights into technological developments and a detailed analysis of the changing preferences of military satellite segments around the world. It also provides trends of the changing industry structure and the challenges faced by industry participantsRegional highlights: study of the key markets in each region, providing an analysis of the key segments of the market that are expected to be in demandMajor programs: details of the key programs in each segment, which are expected to be executed during 2017-2027Competitive landscape and strategic insights: analysis of the competitive landscape of the global market. It provides an overview of key players, together with information regarding key alliances, strategic initiatives, and financial analysisDownload Sample copy of this Report at :ScopeThe global military satellite market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.50% over the forecast period.The market consists of three categories: ISR, Communication, and Navigation satellites. It is expected to be dominated by the ISR Satellites segment, followed by Communication and Navigation segments. The North American region is forecasted to dominate the sector with a share of 39.2%, followed by the European market, which is dominated by Russia and France. China and India account for major market share in the Asia Pacific region.Reasons to buyDetermine prospective investment areas based on a detailed trend analysis of the global military satellite market over the next ten yearsGain in-depth understanding about the underlying factors driving demand for different military satellite segments in the top spending countries across the world and identify the opportunities offered by each of themStrengthen your understanding of the market in terms of demand drivers, industry trends, and the latest technological developments, among othersIdentify the major channels that are driving the global military satellite market, providing a clear picture about future opportunities that can be tapped, resulting in revenue expansionChannelize resources by focusing on the ongoing programs that are being undertaken by the defense ministries of different countries within the global military satellite marketMake correct business decisions based on thorough analysis of the total competitive landscape of the sector with detailed profiles of the top satellite providers around the world which include information about their products, alliances, recent contract wins and financial analysis wherever availableSend An Enquiry Request :Table of ContentsExecutive SummaryGlobal Military Satellite Systems Market - OverviewMarket DynamicsDemand Drivers: Analysis of factors that trigger spending within the sectorTrends: Prevalent practices, industry consolidation and procurement patterns within the marketTechnological Developments : New products, processes and innovations recently inducted within the sectorKey Challenges: Obstacles affecting sector growthMilitary Satellite Systems - Segment AnalysisSegment Analysis: ISRMarket size and CAGR growth analysis, 2017-2027Change in market share, 2017-2027Segment Analysis: CommunicationsMarket size and CAGR growth analysis, 2017-2027Change in market share, 2017-2027Segment Analysis: NavigationMarket size and CAGR growth analysis, 2017-2027Change in market share, 2017-2027Regional ReviewDefense capital expenditureCapex forecast, 2017- 2027Factors influencing military modernization programsMilitary Satellite Systems Market  Regional AnalysisRegional overviewFactors driving spending within the regionRegional expenditure on each sub-segment, 2017-2027Market Size and CAGR growth analysis, 2017-2027Change in market share, 2017-2027Trend Analysis  Key Defense MarketsAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industriesContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Immunohematology Market Analysis by Global Segments, Size and Forecast 2025

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Global Immunohematology Market: SnapshotImmunohematology helps in examining the Rh factor, plasma, white blood cells components, and antigens in the blood of the donor. This process is commonly known as blood banking and deals with the preparation of blood cells for transfusions. Immunohematology helps in reducing the threats related to blood transfusions such as thalassemia and HIV.The global immunohematology market is anticipated to observe substantial growth owing to the development of new technologies for blood scanning and the launch of new products. However, expensive immunohematology products and low awareness among people are signaled to be some of the factors restraining the progress of the global immunohematology market, specifically in the emerging economies. There have been rising attempts to spread awareness about blood donations and its benefits all across the world. Moreover, the diagnostic labs and hospitals are also giving preference to automated instruments and integrating multiple functions on a single platform, thus supplementing market growth in return. It has also been projected that many leading companies will try their luck in the market in the coming years. Such large participation is expected to give rise to mergers and acquisitions, thus leading to an enhanced product portfolio and an expanded global market presence.Request Sample Copy of the Report @On the regional front, North America is expected to emerge as one of the leading regions contributing to the growth of the market. The growing number of blood banks and trauma center facilities play a key role in boosting the demand for immunohematology products in the region.Global Immunohematology Market: OverviewThe growing preference of automated technology and the rising demand for advanced technology are some of the important factors that are predicted to augment global immunohematology market in the next few years. A significant rise in the number of players is likely to supplement the growth of the overall market in the near future. The latest trends and lucrative opportunities in the global immunohematology market have been discussed at length in the research study. Moreover, a thorough overview of the global market, key segmentation, and the competitive scenario have been presented in order to guide the new as well as existing market players.Global Immunohematology Market: Drivers and RestraintsAccording to the research study, the global immunohematology market is expected to grow substantially in the next few years. The research study has highlighted the key factors that are responsible for the robust development in the last few years. The emergence of new and technologically-advanced products is considered as one of the major factors encouraging the growth of the global market. In addition, the tremendously rising rate of trauma injuries across the globe is projected to supplement the growth of the market in the near future.Request TOC of the Report @On the flip side, the high cost of products is one of the key factors that is estimated to restrict the growth of the global immunohematology market throughout the forecast period. In addition, the lack of awareness among consumers, especially in under-developed and developing economies regarding the availability of these products is expected to hamper the growth of the market. Nevertheless, the growing prevalence of target diseases and the growing demand from hospitals and diagnostic laboratories is anticipated to accelerate the growth of the global immunohematology market in the near future.Global Immunohematology Market: Region-wise OutlookFrom a geographical viewpoint, North America is anticipated to hold a key share of the global immunohematology market and maintain a leading position throughout the forecast period. The high growth of this region can be attributed to the increasing number of blood bank facilities and trauma centers. In addition, the rising demand for immunohematology products is another major factor estimated to encourage the growth of the North America market in the near future.Furthermore, Europe is projected to witness a significant growth in the next few years, thanks to the presence of a large number of players operating in this region. The rising number of advanced and innovative immunohematology products is likely to fuel the growth of the Europe market in the coming few years. The Asia Pacific market for immunohematology is anticipated to grow at a robust rate and offer several opportunities to the market players in the next few years. The research study has included the market share and predicted growth size of each regional segment to offer a clear understanding to readers and players.Get a discount @Key Players Mentioned in the Research Report are:The global market for immunohematology is expected to grow at a rapid rate, owing to which a large number of players are predicted to participate in the market across the forecast period. The prominent players operating in the market are focusing on mergers and acquisitions in order to enhance their product portfolio and market presence across the globe. In addition, the growing focus on research and development activities is estimated to generate promising growth opportunities for the new players in the global immunohematology market.Some of the key players mentioned in the research study are Grifols, BD (Becton Dickinson), Beckman Coulter, Inc., Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Immucor, Abbott, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, ThermoFisher, Hologic, Inc., and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. To provide a thorough analysis of the global market, the research study talks about the competitive landscape, focusing on the company profiles, financial status, product portfolio, business policies, and the latest developments.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Ironically, the city of Helena, MT has caved in to demands by Indian legislators to remove a memorial to Confederate war dead. Montanas Indian legislators have no problem with monuments that honor the United States, which conquered, subdued and exploited them. Meanwhile, the mere existence of a monument in tribute to the Confederate states that were treated similarly by the United States during and after the Civil War, and never had any meaningful contact with the tribes of Montana, strikes terror in the hearts of these once fierce warriors.
Global Metal Security Door Sales Market Report 2017

Metal Security Door

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24 Market Reports provides a complete data analysis of Global Metal Security Door Sales Market Report 2017 with Market value, Sales, Price, Industry Analysis and Forecast with the help of Industry Experts.In this report, the global Metal Security Door market is expected to reach high between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Sets), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Metal Security Door for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Metal Security Door market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Metal Security Door sales volume, Price (USD/Set), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingLarsonGrishamPrecision DoorProviaAndersen CorporationRBDierreHormannASSA ABLOYWangliSimtoBuyangMexinXingyueshenFeiyunGet Free Sample copy of this report @On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Sets), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Set), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSecurity Screen DoorsSecurity Storm DoorsOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Metal Security Door for each application, includingResidential UseCommercial UseTable of ContentsGlobal Metal Security Door Sales Market Report 20171 Metal Security Door Market Overview2 Global Metal Security Door Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application3 United States Metal Security Door (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4 China Metal Security Door (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5 Europe Metal Security Door (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6 Japan Metal Security Door (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 Southeast Asia Metal Security Door (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 India Metal Security Door (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Global Metal Security Door Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data10 Metal Security Door Manufacturing Cost Analysis11 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers12 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Global Metal Security Door Market Forecast (2017-2022)15 Research Findings and ConclusionFor more information, please visit @24MarketReports is the marque of market research industry which identifies massive database of market research reports. We are having a numerous sectors market research gathering which covers diverse verticals around the Earth. Our central focus to make it trouble-free for decision makers to find applicable information and locate right Research reports which can save their time and assist in what they do best.NY, United States.Email: sales@24marketreports.comInt'l: (+1) 646 781 7170UK (Toll free): +44 800 088 5734Follow Us On LinkedIn:
Bullous Pemphigoid treatment Market Outlook 2017  2025

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Bullous pemphigoid is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that involves the formation of blisters. The bullous may be of different forms such as generalized, vesicular, vegetative, Urticarial, Nodular, Acral or infant forms. The disease is not gender biased and can also occur in younger adults but is rare in infants. The blood blister due to bullous pemphigoid occur in people aging above 70 years. Bullous pemphigoid occurs when the immune system outbreaks a thin layer of tissue below the outer layer of skin. It is more prevalent in patients suffering from dermatitis and neurological disease, predominantly in stroke and dementia. The bullous pemphigoid blister develops on the skin area that tend to flex such as lower abdomen, upper thigh and armpits. Bullous Pemphigoid causes severe itch, tense bullae, annular lesions, post inflammatory pigmentation, blood stained blister fluids and urticaria-like red skin. Proper medication involved in overturning the immune system plays an important role in treatment of the disease.The medical treatment of bullous pemphigoid involves ultra-potent, moderate steroids, pain relief medication, immunosuppressant medication and antibiotics & antiseptics for bacterial infections.Request to View Tables of Content @Bullous Pemphigoid treatment market: Drivers & RestraintsRising geriatric population over the globe increase chances of occurrence of disease and thus the surge in treatment options. Common and non-expensive medication uses in the treatment of disease increases fuels the treatment market. Furthermore, various awareness programs by healthcare organizations and NGOs supports the proliferation of treatment market. Non-availability of healthcare facilities in various less developed regions of globe with high incidence rate of disease restricts the overall market to grow.Increased mortality rate associated with disease is encouraging the treatment market for Bullous pemphigoid to grow. Increasing evidence of few controlled clinical trials in this area also promotes the market. The drugs used for treating immunobullous disorders is also classified into rapid and slow acting, topical and systemic, or immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory. There are huge number of players in the treatment market which also intensifies the competition. Region specific players also have an overall impact over the market.View Sample Report @Geographically, the market for bullous pemphigoid treatment can be segmented into five regions, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Studies demonstrate that Europe holds the largest market share for the treatment of the disease because of the high incidence rate such as 6 or 7 cases per 1 million persons per year and availability of healthcare facilities to every section of the region. This is followed by North America because of large number of healthcare providers and treatment facilities in the region. In addition to this, better technology and reimbursement scenario facilitates the market growth in these regions. The market in Asia Pacific and Middle East countries is also anticipated to show significant increase in the coming years because of government efforts in improving healthcare facilities and increasing awareness in the region about the disease and treatment options availabilitySome major key players of bullous pemphigoid treatment market are Pfizer Inc., Aqua Pharmaceuticals, Greenstone LLC, Sirius Laboratories, DUBLIN Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Astellas Pharma India Pvt Ltd., Aegis Pharmaceuticals, Sun Pharmaceuticals and many more.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Analysis Of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) In United Kingdom: Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2017

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Analysis Of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) In United Kingdom: Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2017" to its huge collection of research reports."Solar Photovoltaic (PV) in the United Kingdom, Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2017 - Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles" is the latest report from GlobalData, the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market in United Kingdom.The report provides in depth analysis on global renewable power market and global Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market with forecasts up to 2030. The report analyzes the power market scenario in United Kingdom (includes conventional thermal, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2030. The research details renewable power market outlook in the country (includes hydro, small hydro, biopower and Solar Photovoltaic (PV)) and provides forecasts up to 2030. The report highlights installed capacity and power generation trends from 2006 to 2030 in United Kingdom Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market. A detailed coverage of renewable energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to Solar Photovoltaic (PV) is provided in the report. The research also provides company snapshots of some of the major market participants.The report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, secondary research and in-house analysis by GlobalDatas team of industry experts.ScopeThe report analyses global renewable power market, global Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market, United Kingdom power market, United Kingdom renewable power market and United Kingdom Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market. The scope of the research includes -- A brief introduction on global carbon emissions and global primary energy consumption.- An overview on global renewable power market, highlighting installed capacity trends, generation trends and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources. The information is covered for the historical period 2006-2016 (unless specified) and forecast period 2017-2030.- Renewable power sources include wind (both onshore and offshore), Solar Photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP), small hydro power (SHP), biomass, biogas and geothermal.- Detailed overview of the global Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by major Solar Photovoltaic (PV)power countries in 2016 and key owners information of various regions.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @- Power market scenario in United Kingdom and provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with forecasts up to 2030.- An overview on United Kingdom renewable power market, highlighting installed capacity trends (2006-2030), generation trends(2006-2030) and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources in 2016.- Detailed overview of United Kingdom Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market with installed capacity and generation trends and major active and upcoming Solar Photovoltaic (PV) projects.- Deal analysis of United Kingdom Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market. Deals are analyzed on the basis of mergers, acquisitions, partnership, asset finance, debt offering, equity offering, private equity (PE) and venture capitalists (VC).- Key policies and regulatory framework supporting the development of renewable power sources in general and Solar Photovoltaic (PV) in particular.- Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country.Reasons to buy- The report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner.- Identify key growth and investment opportunities in United Kingdom Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market.- Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) market.- Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential.- Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events.- Identify key partners and business development avenues.- Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Browse More Details @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
United Kingdom's Biopower Market Till 2030 - Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "United Kingdom's Biopower Market Till 2030 - Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles" to its huge collection of research reports."Biopower in the United Kingdom, Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2017 - Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles" is the latest report from GlobalData, the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the Biopower market in United Kingdom.The report provides an in-depth analysis on global renewable power market and global Biopower market with forecasts up to 2030. The report analyzes the power market scenario in United Kingdom (includes conventional Hydro, nuclear and renewable energy sources) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2030. The research details renewable power market outlook in the country (includes Wind, small hydro, biopower and renewable) and provides forecasts up to 2030. The report highlights installed capacity and power generation trends from 2006 to 2030 in United Kingdom Biopower market. A detailed coverage of energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to Biopower market development is provided in the report. The research also provides company snapshots of some of the major market participants.The report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, secondary research and in-house analysis by GlobalDatas team of industry experts.ScopeThe report analyses global renewable power market, global biopower (Biomass and Biogas) market, United Kingdom power market, United Kingdom renewable power market and United Kingdom biopower market. The scope of the research includes -- A brief introduction on global carbon emissions and global primary energy consumption.- An overview on global renewable power market, highlighting installed capacity trends, generation trends and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources. The information is covered for the historical period 2006-2016 (unless specified) and forecast period 2017-2030.- Renewable power sources include wind (both onshore and offshore), solar photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP), small hydropower (SHP), biomass, biogas and geothermal.- Detailed overview of the global biopower market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity and generation split by major biopower countries in 2016.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @- Power market scenario in United Kingdom and provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewable energy sources) with forecasts up to 2030.- An overview on United Kingdom renewable power market, highlighting installed capacity trends (2006-2030), generation trends(2006-2030) and installed capacity split by various renewable power sources in 2016.- Detailed overview of United Kingdom biopower market with installed capacity and generation trends and major active and upcoming biopower projects.- Deal analysis of United Kingdom biopower market. Deals are analyzed on the basis of mergers, acquisitions, partnership, asset finance, debt offering, equity offering, private equity (PE) and venture capitalists (VC).- Key policies and regulatory framework supporting the development of renewable power sources in general and biopower in particular.- Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country.Reasons to buy- The report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner.- Identify key growth and investment opportunities in United Kingdom biopower market.- Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data for wind power market.- Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential.- Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events.- Identify key partners and business development avenues.- Understand and respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.Browse More Details @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
United States (US) Foodservice Market: Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2020

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "United States (US) Foodservice Market: Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2020" to its huge collection of research reports."United States (US) - The Future of Foodservice to 2020", published by GlobalData provides extensive insight and analysis of the US Foodservice market over the next five years (2015-2020) and acts as a vital point of reference for operators or suppliers.The US profit sector foodservice market grew at a strong CAGR of 3.1% from 2013-2015, in line with the country's stable economic growth and consumers' rising levels of disposable income. The maturity of the market has however contributed to weak outlet growth which, combined with strong transaction growth, will increasingly force operators to contend with pressures on their operational efficiency, as they look to serve more customers in the same space. Shifting consumer trends towards ultra-convenience will continue to drive the takeaway market's strong growth, with revenue generated from takeaway transactions already surpassing that generated from dine-in in the QSR and coffee and tea shop channels. Traditionally safe channels such as QSR find themselves increasingly threatened by the proliferation and rising popularity of high quality fast-casual operators and by the diversification of offerings and streamlining of operations in both coffee and tea shops and casual dining restaurants. Despite these changes, key opportunity areas exist for both opporators and suppliers in future years.The report includes -- Overview of the US macro-economic landscape: detailed analysis of current macro-economic factors and their impact on the US foodservice market including GDP per capita, consumer price index, population growth and annual household income distribution.- Growth dynamics: in-depth data and forecasts of key channels (QSR, FSR, Coffee & Tea Shops, Pubs, Clubs and Bars) within the US foodservice market, including the value of the market, number of transactions, number of outlets and average transaction price.- Customer segmentation: identify the most important demographic groups, buying habits and motivations that drive out-of-home meal occasions among segments of the US population.- Key players: overview of market leaders within the four major channels including business descriptions and number of outlets.- Case Studies: learn from examples of recent successes and failures within the US foodservice market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Scope- Mature chains in both the QSR and FSR channels will be increasingly pressed to refocus and modernize their brands to withstand the rising popularity of fresh, high quality and good value fast-casual outlets. Operators will also need to work harder to capitalize on consumers looking to engage with their favorite brands on social media.- Accelerated growth in takeaway transactions across restaurant channels will continue to be driven by consumer trends towards ultra-convenience, the breakdown of traditional meal times, and evolving family dynamics.- The currently under-developed pub, club and bar channel is forecast to see the strongest value growth to 2020, driven by rising disposable incomes and financial confidence among consumers and by the country's ongoing craft beer revolution.Reasons to buy- Specific forecasts of the foodservice market over the next five years (2015-2020) will give readers the ability to make informed business decisions through identifying emerging/declining markets.- Consumer segmentation detailing the desires of known consumers among all major foodservice channels (QSR, FSR, Coffee & Tea shops, Pubs, Clubs and Bars) will allow readers understand the wants and needs of their target demographics.- Relevant case studies will allow readers to learn from and apply lessons discovered by emerging and major players within the US foodservice market.Browse More Details @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Sheet Metal for Electronics Market Analysis, Market Size, Application, Regional, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2017 To 2022

Sheet Metal for Electronics Market

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Sheet Metal for Electronics MarketReportsMonitor Publish a New Market Research Report on - United States Sheet Metal for Electronics Market by Manufacturers, States, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022.Sheet metal is metal formed by an industrial process into thin, flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes. Sheet metal is used in electronic industry, automobile and truck (lorry) bodies, airplane fuselages and wings, medical tables, roofs for buildings (architecture) and many other applications.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Sheet Metal for Electronics in United States market, to split the market based on manufacturers, states, type and application.Request a Sample Copy of Sheet Metal for Electronics Market Report@Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversBOAMAXGeneral Sheet Metal Works IncA&E Manufacturing CompanyPrototekBud Industries IncABC Sheet MetalNoble IndustriesGajjar IndustriesPepco ManufacturingDulocosElectronic Sheetmetal CraftsmenHumble Manufacturing LimitedMarket Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisMarket Segment by Type, coversStainless Steel Sheet MetalAluminum Sheet MetalOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoServer RacksPCB holders and BracketsAutomated Assembly Equipment FramesElectronic Frames and ChassisOthersCheck Discount of Sheet Metal for Electronics Market Report@Table of Contents12 Sheet Metal for Electronics Market Forecast (2017-2022)12.1 United States Sheet Metal for Electronics Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)12.2 Sheet Metal for Electronics Market Forecast by States (2017-2022)12.3 Sheet Metal for Electronics Market Forecast by Type (2017-2022)12.4 Sheet Metal for Electronics Market Forecast by Application (2017-2022)13 Sheet Metal for Electronics Manufacturing Cost Analysis13.1 Sheet Metal for Electronics Key Raw Materials Analysis13.1.1 Key Raw Materials13.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials13.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials13.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials13.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure13.2.1 Raw Materials13.2.2 Labor Cost13.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses13.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Sheet Metal for Electronics14 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers14.1 Sheet Metal for Electronics Industrial Chain Analysis14.2 Upstream Raw Materials Sourcing14.3 Raw Materials Sources of Sheet Metal for Electronics Major Manufacturers in 201614.4 Downstream Buyers15 Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and Dealers15.1 Sales Channel15.1.1 Direct Marketing15.1.2 Indirect Marketing15.1.3 Marketing Channel Future Trend15.2 Distributors, Traders and Dealers16 Research Findings and ConclusionContinued...View Complete Report @Contact usJay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:Reports Monitor is a platform to meet the market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Office C & D - 4th Floor, Siddhi Towers, Above Rupee Bank, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411048, Maharashtra, India
Washing Machine Market Demand is Increasing in Most Part of World 2025

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Washing Machine Market: SnapshotThe growing demand for products which bring convenience to consumers is a key factor fueling the demand for washing machines. The growing changes in lifestyles, increasing disposable income, and the availability of advanced technology are also boosting the growth of the global washing machines market. One of the trends seen in the washing machine market in recent times is the use of technology that reduces the use of water for washing. The growing scarcity of water worldwide and the realization that water is a limited natural resource have compelled manufacturers to devise a technology that minimizes the use of water. In addition to this, smart washing machines have also gained traction in recent times on account of the increasing penetration of IoT and smartphones. The convenience offered by smart washing machines such as ability to operate remotely, control functions of the washing machine by using smartphones, and receive notifications is expected to increase the popularity of these machines in the future.The washing machines with higher capacity load are witnessing more demand in the last few years. In addition to this, consumers are increasingly transiting from semi-automatic washing machines to fully automatic washing machines. Technological advancements will continue to drive the growth of this market. Increasing replacements made from conventional washing machines to advanced and latest machines will ensure a growth of the market in developed nations. The increasing population and improvement in economy will drive the growth of this market in the developing nations.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Washing Machine Market: OverviewThe world washing machine market is prognosticated to rake in ample amount of demand from the residential sector as consumers find a heated inclination toward smart and connected products. Vendors in the market are taking to products which can be managed and controlled with a few touches on the consumers smartphone. Commercial dryers could gain traction as manufacturers introduce heat pump technology in the wake of energy consumption rising to an alarming level. Moreover, government initiatives to support controlled energy consumption, digitalization, and a large demand in developing economies are expected to add to the growth of the market.The segmentation part of the report presented here could include an expert analysis on the basis of important classification groups such as capacity, technology, product, application, and end use. Commercial laundry equipment are envisaged to appeal to government, hospital, and hospitality sectors with outsourcing deemed as a powerful trend of growth.The publication compiled on the global washing machine market sheds light on the critical factors of growth, market opportunities, restraints, market value chain, and more aspects to help analyze the industry at a professional level. Report buyers can access a customized evaluation of the global market to take confident strides toward a realistic growth.Request TOC of the Report @Global Washing Machine Market: Trends and OpportunitiesAs a result of the advent of innovative solutions in the laundry sector, the commercial washing machine market is expected to accept a transition. This could push the need for increased automation in laundry services, which is foreseen to prepare a fine ground for the global washing machine market to build on a robust growth. One of the notable revolutions in the laundry sector is the shift from coin laundries to card-based or digital laundry payment services. As a favorable consequence, the demand for smart connected washing machines is foretold to intensify even more with swiftly changing lifestyle of consumers and mushrooming preference for convenience.For the forecast period, the international washing machine market could invite an optimistic impact as newer technologies take precedence to address the demand for water and power efficient, next generation products. In order to control the consumption of energy, governments especially in North America are asking consumers to prefer energy-efficient appliances with smart grids. This is foreseen to aggravate the manufacturing efforts to develop technologically sophisticated products.Global Washing Machine Market: Regional OutlookThe regional demand in the international washing machine market is predicted to augment with the rising preference for smart connected and fully automatic products in the developing countries of Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. The demand is anticipated to swell further as the populations in these countries falling under the middle-income bracket see a rise. The washing machine market in China could experience a high level of penetration of different types of products, thus allowing the market to increase its growth. In 2015, Asia Pacific took hold of a whopping share in the global washing machine market.Get a discount @North America is forecasted to not fall behind by much distance from Asia Pacific, owing to the rising want for smart washing machine to replace their traditional counterparts. In the U.S., the demand has grown dramatically with the elevating awareness of products bearing the ENERGY STAR certification.Global Washing Machine Market: Companies MentionedMost manufacturers in the world washing machine market are counting on the formulation of holistic distribution mediums with a view to widen their clientele base. Some of the interesting strategies adopted by the top vendors in the global market are substantial focus on supply chain management through vital investments and improvement of product assortments. Among others, Electrolux AB, LG Electronics Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Whirlpool Corporation are deemed to be the leading players in the market.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Global Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market Expected To Reach At A CAGR Of 37.16% Throughout The Forecast Period 2016 - 2020

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market Expected To Reach At A CAGR Of 37.16% Throughout The Forecast Period 2016 - 2020" to its huge collection of research reports.HEVs represent the transformation of the global automotive industry. HEVs are an amalgamation of ICE vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs). Currently, traditional ICE vehicles dominate the industry due to their tested and proven engine mechanism, performance, and buyers' preferences. The production of HEVs started from the 19th century in Germany where Ferdinand Porsche made the first gasoline-electric hybrid automobile, the Lohner-Porsche Mixte. In 1905, Henri Pieper developed the historic HEV model, which had similar technology as the present one. This model from 1905 included an electric motor/generator, batteries, and a small engine. Batteries could be charged through electric motors while cruising at lower speeds. Wheels received power through both the motor and engine during extra torque requirements such as driving up a hill.Technavios analysts forecast the global hybrid electric vehicle market to grow at a CAGR of 37.16% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global hybrid electric vehicle market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report includes the entire range of hybrid cars available in the market, with region-wise landscaping.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEuropeNorth AmericaTechnavio's report, Global Hybrid Electric Vehicle Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsToyotaHyundaiHondaFordNissanTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsBMWChevroletHyundaiLexusPorscheVolkswagenMarket driverSubsidies and tax rebates for HEVs to reduce dependency on petroleum products.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeCost-to-weight ratio high for hybrid vehicles than ICE vehicles.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendHigh-density, high-power, and small-size batteries.For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse More Details @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Wall Decor Market Growth Analysis by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application Forecast to 2022

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A new research document with title 'Global Wall Decor Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022' covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like North America ,Europe , Asia-Pacific , South America , Middle East and Africa and important players/vendors such as Art.com, Costco, Ethan Allen, Franchise Concepts, Havertys .The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2022Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Wall Decor in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Request a sample report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversBed Bath & BeyondHome DepotIKEALowesTargetWal-MartArt.comCostcoEthan AllenFranchise ConceptsHavertysJ.C. PenneyKirklandKohlsMacys Inc.Pier 1 ImportsRestoration HardwareSearsWilliams-SonomaWayfair CompanyMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversWallpaperWall MirrorsWall ArtOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHouseholdOffice & BusinessMedical & Dental FacilitiesHotels & SpasRestaurants, CafeS & BarsOtherBuy this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Wall Decor market.Chapter 1, to describe Wall Decor Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Wall Decor, with sales, revenue, and price of Wall Decor, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Wall Decor, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Wall Decor market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Wall Decor sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceGet customization & check discount for report @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Wall Decor Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Wallpaper1.2.2 Wall Mirrors1.2.3 Wall Art1.2.4 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Household1.3.2 Office & Business1.3.3 Medical & Dental Facilities1.3.4 Hotels & Spas1.3.5 Restaurants, CafeS & Bars1.3.6 Other1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact US :Nidhi Bhavsar (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Building Energy Management Services Market in Middle East Will Expand At A CAGR Of 19.49% During The Period 2016 - 2020

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Building Energy Management Services Market in Middle East Will Expand At A CAGR Of 19.49% During The Period 2016 - 2020" to its huge collection of research reports.BEMS are dedicated energy solutions provided to end-users in terms of energy savings and optimization. These services are offered to end-users in the form of either installation of an energy-efficient product, maintenance of existing machinery to reduce consumption, or through a more concerted approach to consulting in the form of energy audits, monitoring, and control.Technavios analysts forecast the building energy management services market in Middle East to grow at a CAGR of 19.49% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the building energy management services market in Middle East for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report presents the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the prominent vendors operating in the market.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:UAEKSAQatarOthers (Bahrain, Oman, and Lebanon)Technavio's report, Building Energy Management Services Market in Middle East 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsEFSEmrill Services LLCEMSEnovaEtisalat Facilities Management LLCFarnek Middle East LLCSaudi OgerTraneTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsSamama HoldingMusanadahCylonMarket driverNeed to optimize energy consumption.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeHigh investment cost related to BEM products and services.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendWidening gaps in energy demand and supply.For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse More Details @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Hospital Management Software Market Share Analysis Trends Outlooks and Dynamics 2017

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ReportsMonitor.com has added Global Hospital Management Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 to its database of market research reports.This report studies the global Hospital Management Software market, analyzes and researches the Hospital Management Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeJVS GroupInsta Health SolutionsAdroit InfosystemsHarmony Healthcare ITUniwide Consultancy & ServicesDharma HealthcareSisoftACGILSoftClinicAarogyaInsta HMSMediwareCog HMSRequest a Free Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaView Entire Report @Market segment by Type, Hospital Management Software can be split intoCloud, SaaS, WebInstalled - MacInstalled - WindowsMarket segment by Application, Hospital Management Software can be split intoClinicsMedical CentersHospitalSome Points From Table Of Contents:1 Industry Overview of Hospital Management Software1.1 Hospital Management Software Market Overview1.1.1 Hospital Management Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Hospital Management Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Hospital Management Software Market by Type1.3.1 Cloud, SaaS, Web1.3.2 Installed  Mac1.3.3 Installed  Windows1.4 Hospital Management Software Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Clinics1.4.2 Medical Centers1.4.3 HospitalReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
MicroRNA Market Current Trends and Future Growth in 2017  2025

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MicroRNA, also known as miRNA, is a class of non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA) which plays a vital role in the regulation of gene expression. It founds in animals, plants and some viruses and also involved in RNA silencing. RNA silencing is a term that refers to a family of gene silencing in which expression of one or more gene is suppressed by small RNAs.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @MicroRNA regulates several biological processes. It includes apoptosis, cell cycle control and several developmental and physiological processes such as stem cell differentiation, hypoxia, cardiac and skeletal muscle development, hematopoiesis, neurogenesis, cholesterol metabolism, insulin secretion, aging and viral replication.The global microRNA market is categorized based on various diagnostic technologies, therapeutics and by research tools and reagents. The research tools and reagent is the largest segment of global microRNA market. However, microRNA diagnostics is the fastest growing segment of global microRNA market.In terms of geographic, North America and Europe dominates the global microRNA market. This is due to improved life science research infrastructures in these regions. The U.S. represents the largest market for microRNA followed by Canada in North America. Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the U.K. holds major share of microRNA market in Europe.However, Asia is expected to show high growth rates in the next five years in global microRNA market due to increased investment by major companies in the region. In addition, less stringent regulations has also fueled the growth of microRNA market in Asia. China and India are expected to be the fastest growing microRNA markets in Asia.In recent time, increasing prevalence of diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and innovative applications of the technology are some of the major drivers of the global microRNA market. For instance, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialized agency of the WHO, about 12.7 million new cancer cases were reported in 2008 and the number reached 14.1 million in 2012.MicroRNAs are used as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In addition, increased research on microRNA based diagnostic tests and therapeutics has also fueled the growth of global microRNA market. This increased microRNA research continues to drive the advances of techniques for microRNA expression profiling and innovative technologies that are sensitive and specific for every biospecimens.However, high investment cost and stringent regulations are some of the major restraints for global microRNA market. Moreover, methods used in detection of microRNA are costly and time-consuming. Equipments used in detection of microRNAs costs more than USD 1, 00,000. Thus, high investment costs hamper the growth of global microRNA market. In addition, lack of skilled professionals also obstructs the growth of global microRNA market. Increasing mergers and collaborations between biotech companies and government research organizations is key trend for the global microRNA market.A sample of this report is available upon request @Some of the major companies operating in the global microRNA market are Affymetrix Inc., Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc., Santaris Pharma A/S, Exiqon A/S, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Biogen Idec Inc., Eli Lilly and Co., Pfizer Inc., CBC Comprehensive Biomarker Center GmbH, F. Hoffman-La Roche, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co. Inc., Novartis AG and Sigma-Aldrich.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
United States Compound Optical Microscope Market 2017 - Industry Analysis, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast from 2012-2022

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The United States Compound Optical Microscope Market 2017 research report mainly focuses on the current scenario of Compound Optical Microscope market along with the future plan of actions. It also examines the state of the Compound Optical Microscope market along with competing landscapes all over the United States. The Compound Optical Microscope report characterizes industry judgment from experts. The report also throws a light on the emerging areas and growth stats of Compound Optical Microscope market.Compound Optical Microscope industry report covers the major market of United States including regions like The West, New England, The South, The Middle Atlantic, The Mid-West and The Southwest. The report includes following key players in the Compound Optical Microscope industry from different parts of the United States.To Get Sample Report Click Here:United States Compound Optical Microscope Market 2017: Competitive Regions and Key Vendors1 Carl Zeiss2 Olympus3 Nikon4 Leica5 Motic6 Novel Optics7 Sunny8 GLO9 Optec10Lissview11Lioo12Chongqing Optic-ElectricalCompound Optical Microscope Market 2017: Type Segment AnalysisBy the Number of EyepieceMonocularBinocularTrinocularBy Product TypeStereoscopic MicroscopesPhotomicrography MicroscopesOther Optical MicroscopesCompound Optical Microscope Market 2017: Application Segment AnalysisHospitalSchoolLaboratoryThe United States Compound Optical Microscope report is categorized on the basis of Compound Optical Microscope top manufacturers, region-wise classification, various end user applications and different product types included in Compound Optical Microscope industry. The Compound Optical Microscope research report gives the information about different market segments, cost, different categories of the product along with Compound Optical Microscope market revenue.It also gives vital contact information about the company along with company profile, rules and regulations of Compound Optical Microscope industry in the United States. It also examines the Compound Optical Microscope industry report by dividing it according to the basic overview of Compound Optical Microscope market.The middle part of the report focuses on various types of product classified according to the Compound Optical Microscope market share and market applications in Compound Optical Microscope industry. It also lights up the core part of the Compound Optical Microscope industry such as import/export details, usage figures and industry chain supply of Compound Optical Microscope market.Purchase Complete Report Here (To Get Instant Access):Later, the United States Compound Optical Microscope Market 2017 report displays the tactful decisions that the customers should take. It gives you various business approaches required for Compound Optical Microscope industry, the customer's experiences and benefits they got after using the Compound Optical Microscope research report.It includes the list of dealers, distributors, and traders involved in Compound Optical Microscope industry. Lastly, it gives the brief summary of the entire Compound Optical Microscope report including the results, conclusion, the attached appendix and the source of data.Market Analysis Research Report on United States Compound Optical Microscope Market 2017 Industry Growth, Size, Trends, Opportunities and Forecast 2012-2022.QY Market Research is the terminal where all industrial, commercial and profitmaking venture will get the best research reports of the market in all sectors like automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, food and beverages etc.We provide you the important and necessary information to identify and analyze the need of market and the market size.Read More-News Network:-S no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4, Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns, Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041Telephone Numbers:+1(857)2390696+91 9130855334Email ID: inquiry@market.bizBrowse Latest Market News-
Ventilation Equipment Market Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand 2015-2025

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Ventilation equipment are used in buildings to maintain the temperature and to improve the quality of indoor air. These equipment are utilized in both the exchange of air  inside to outside and circulation within the building. Ventilation equipment are essential to maintain indoor quality of air in building. Different type of equipment available in ventilation equipment market includes heat recovery ventilation units, room air distribution units and fume hoods. Fume hoods are majorly used in kitchen and laboratories to remove heat, odor and smoke. Room air distribution units are used to mix the existing air with new conditioned air in homes and offices.Ventilation Equipment Market: Drivers & RestraintsConstruction industry is expected to register a substantial growth worldwide in upcoming years which is expected to be driver for the increasing demand for ventilation equipment market during the forecast period. Increasing urbanization supported by regulation for energy efficient building across the globe is likely to spur the growth of the ventilation equipment market.Request Report Sample@Ventilation Equipment Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, ventilation equipment market is broadly segmented as:Axial FansCentrifugal FansCross Flow FansDomestic Exhaust FansPower Roof FansRange HoodsOthersOn the basis of Application, the ventilation equipment market is segmented into:ResidentialNon  ResidentialVentilation Equipment Market: OverviewRegulations for energy efficient building implement by government all over the world increased the demand for ventilation equipment as it helps in maintain the temperature in an area with less energy consumption. With growing environmental concerns and increasing awareness among the end users ventilation equipment market is expected to register a substantial growth during the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Ventilation Equipment Market: Key PlayersSome of the players in the ventilation equipment market we identified includes, Centrotec Sustainable AG, Greenheck Fan Corp., CaptiveAire Systems Inc, Twin City Fan Companies Ltd., Munters AB, Nortek Incorporated, Flakt Woods Group and Soler & Palau Group.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Single Vision Lenses Market 2017- HOYA, Essilor, Rodenstock, Nikon, ZEISS

Global Single Vision Lenses Market

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The Industry Study on Global Single Vision Lenses Market 2017 incorporates the entire aspects of the Single Vision Lenses market. This includes extensive analysis, recent industry statistics and upcoming flow of the Single Vision Lenses market. The report also describes the size of the Single Vision Lenses market, factors controlling Single Vision Lenses market growth, various challenges which affect market expansion and economic prominence of the Single Vision Lenses market globally.Global Single Vision Lenses Market report commences with the overview of the Single Vision Lenses Market. The report represents the Single Vision Lenses market data in a transparent and precise way. This study covers all the essential information regarding the global Single Vision Lenses market which helps a user to grasp the market thoroughly.Enquire before purchasing the report here:The first section of the report begins with Introduction and followed by product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force. The next section covers the top players of Single Vision Lenses, with sales, revenue, and price of Single Vision Lenses. After that, the competitive analysis among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share is described.After that, the Regional analysis of the Single Vision Lenses market is explained which helps in understanding the effective regions of the market. The region-wise segmentation also focused on the regions having more Single Vision Lenses market opportunities with sales, revenue and market share of Single Vision Lenses, for each region.Global Single Vision Lenses Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers: Single Vision Lenses Market in North America (USA, Canada and Mexico). Europe Single Vision Lenses Market(Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy). Single Vision Lenses Market in Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and South-east Asia). Latin America Single Vision Lenses Market, Middle and Africa.This study serves the Single Vision Lenses market segmentation consists of key manufacturers segment, types segment and applications segment. The data concerning these segments that are blooming in the Single Vision Lenses market is included.The well-known manufacturers of global Single Vision Lenses market are:EssilorZEISSHOYARodenstockNikonSHAMIRVISION-EASE LENSMingyueConantWanxinSEIKOStudy of global Single Vision Lenses market according to various types:Plastic Single Vision LensesPolycarbonate Single Vision LensesHigh-index Single Vision LensesStudy of global Single Vision Lenses market according to distinct applications:MyopiaHyperopiaRequest for Sample Report atThe Single Vision Lenses market type and application are discussed deeply with sales market share and growth rate. Single Vision Lenses market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue are integrated with this report.Lastly, comprehensive analysis of industry risks, challenges and growth opportunities, administrative trends, Single Vision Lenses market drivers are included in this study. Further in-depth study of Single Vision Lenses sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source is provided. So that overall report helps the new aspirants to inspect the forthcoming opportunities in the Single Vision Lenses market.About Us:Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.Market.Biz has access to the worlds most comprehensive and up-to-date databases in your business sector, including countless market reports that can provide you with valuable data relating to your business. We understand the needs of our clients, and keep our reports updated as market requirement changes.Contact US:GlobeMetrixJames JohnsonS. no. 51/14 First Floor,Office No. 4, Vishwa Arcade,Near Navale Lawns, Pune.Tel: +1(857)2390696Email: inquiry@market.bizWebsite:Blog:
Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Market Research Report by Technology, Applications, Geography and Forecast to 2023

Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Market

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Nanotechnology drug delivery is a growing field and is witnessing increasing acceptance in health care applications. Nanotechnology drug delivery is widely used in the health care industry in applications such as neurology, anti-infective, cardiovascular disorders, and others. One important and active application area of nanotechnology drug delivery systems is to transport drugs to the final location of therapeutic intervention within the body. The nanotechnology drug delivery market is witnessing rapid growth due to increase in research and development activities in nanotechnology to develop novel nano-medicine. According to Eurostat comprehensive data, the nano-medicine industry in the EU includes 97 startups, 64 SMEs, and 38 large pharmaceutical or medical device companies. Furthermore, technological advancements and rising interest of key companies to invest in nanotechnology boost market growth. For instance, in 20112012, Pfizer, Inc., Amgen, Inc., and AstraZeneca signed agreements to collaborate with BIND Therapeutics to develop nano-medicines. These initiatives are expected to fuel the growth of the nanotechnology drug delivery market in the near future. However, stringent regulatory scenario and high development cost of medicines through nanotechnology are likely to hamper market growth during the forecast period. The global nanotechnology drug delivery market was valued at US$ 41,062.5 Mn in 2014 and is projected to reach US$ 118,527.2 Mn by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 12.5% from 2015 to 2023.This 120 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Market. Browse through 12 data tables and 45 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:Based on technology, the global nanotechnology drug delivery market has been segmented into nanocrystals, nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, nanotubes, and others. The nanoparticles segment dominated the global nanotechnology drug delivery market in 2014. The segment dominated the market as key nanoparticles such as dendrimers, gold nanoparticles, and fullerenes are used in pharmaceutical drug delivery. The nanotubes segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2015 to 2023.Based on application, the market has been segmented into neurology, oncology, cardiovascular/physiology, anti-inflammatory/immunology, anti-infective, and others. Anti-infective was the largest application segment of the nanotechnology drug delivery market due to rising prevalence of community-based and hospital-based infections.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:Geographically, North America dominated the global nanotechnology drug delivery market in 2014. Rising incidence of chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes in the region fueled the growth of the nanotechnology drug delivery market in North America. Europe accounted for the second largest share of the market in 2014 owing to the favorable growth conditions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturers due to affordability for branded nanotechnology products by consumers. However, the market in Latin America is estimated to expand at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. High market growth in this region is due to increasing interest of leading companies such as Novartis and Johnson & Johnson to establish their presence in countries in Latin America such as Brazil and Mexico.Key players having presence in the global nanotechnology drug delivery market are AbbVie, Inc., Amgen, Inc., Celgene Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Inc., and Novartis International AG, among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Cloud Management Software Market Share Analysis Trends and Outlooks 2017

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ReportsMonitor.com has added Global Cloud Management Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 to its database of market research reports.This report studies the global Cloud Management Software market, analyzes and researches the Cloud Management Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeIBM technologies(US)Huawei Technologies (China)Alcatel-Lucent (Finland)NTT DATA Corporation (Japan)Cisco Systems (US)Request a Free Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Cloud Management Software can be split intoBy TypeBy Deployment TypeBy Organization SizeView Entire Report @Market segment by Application, Cloud Management Software can be split intoBFSITelecom and ITGovernmentHealthcareRetailManufacturingEnergy and utilitiesOthersSome Points From Table Of Contents:1 Industry Overview of Cloud Management Software1.1 Cloud Management Software Market Overview1.1.1 Cloud Management Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Cloud Management Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Cloud Management Software Market by Type1.3.1 By Type1.3.2 By Deployment Type1.3.3 By Organization Size1.4 Cloud Management Software Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 BFSI1.4.2 Telecom and IT1.4.3 Government1.4.4 Healthcare1.4.5 Retail1.4.6 Manufacturing1.4.7 Energy and utilities1.4.8 OthersReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. The prime focus is to get reliable data, Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Separation Systems for Commercial Biotechnology Market will rise to US$ 19,227.8 Million by 2023

Separation Systems for Commercial Biotechnology Market

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Separation systems play a vital role in industrial biotechnology processes. These systems produce the desired products from small to large quantities and has wide area of applications. Liquid chromatography, membrane filters, flow cytometer instruments, centrifugation systems, and electrophoresis instruments are the major segments of the market. Each of the systems uses different method to carry out separations in the biotechnology, bio-pharmaceutical, agriculture, energy industries, etc.The global Separation systems market for Commercial Biotechnology is anticipated to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period due to technological advancements, increasing awareness through conferences and exhibition, rising support and participation of government agencies, investment in R&D, and increase in number of biotechnology firms.This 102 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Separation Systems for Commercial Biotechnology Market. Browse through 8 data tables and 15 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:Chromatography systems have gained widespread popularity due to the introduction of novel technologies in chromatographic instruments and consumables. Flow cytometry has emerged as a leading, application-rich technology. Increasing demand and advancement of microarray technology boosts market growth. Laboratory automation has enabled scientists to process samples at low cost, and thus has played a major role in the experiments. Increasing number of conferences in the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific is aiming to spread the new and upcoming innovations in the separation systems market. Growing awareness about chromatography has induced government organizations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific to increase their investments, grants, and funds for the development of chromatography. Some of the market restrains includes high cost of systems and technologies, lack of innovation in electrophoresis equipment technology, and patent rights over MACS technique.The global separation systems for commercial biotechnology market has been estimated based on product type, end-user, and geography. Based on product type, the global market has been segmented into liquid chromatography, membrane filters, electrophoresis instruments, flow-cytometer instruments, centrifugation systems, DNA microarray instruments, protein microarray instruments, MACS & FACS systems, and others. The liquid chromatography systems segment held the largest share of the market in 2014. The segment is likely to continue to dominate the market during the forecast period. Based on end-user, the separation systems market has been segmented into life sciences research and diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, food & cosmetics, energy, and agriculture.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Separation Systems for Commercial Biotechnology Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:The life sciences research and diagnostics end-user segment held the largest share of the market in 2014. The segment is anticipated to continue to dominate the market during the forecast period. It is also expected to record the fastest growth from 2015 to 2023. Rising number of genomic and proteomic researches in the life sciences research segment has increased demand for separation systems.Geographically, the separation systems market has been categorized into four regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). North America held the largest share of the ultrasound devices market in 2014, followed by Europe. Asia Pacific was identified as the third largest market for ultrasound devices in 2014. The market in the region is expected to expand at a low CAGR during the forecast period. The reason for low market revenue and growth in North America is due to the high usage of other imaging technologies.Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Waters Corporation, Becton, Dickinson and Company, GE Healthcare, and Merck KGaA are the major players operating in the global separation systems for commercial biotechnology market. Danaher Corporation is the leading player in the market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
ASEAN Protein Expression Market Analysis, Forecast, and Assessment 2015 - 2025

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ASEAN Confectionery Market OverviewItems in confectionery market consists of candies, chocolates, toffees, lollies, bakery items;basically food items that are rich in sugar and sweet content. Mostly confectionery market items consists of food products like butter, cocoa, honey, milk, flour, fruits, honey, nuts, sugar syrup and more. They are consumed globally, mostly by all regions and countries and are expected to grow in developing countries. Confectionery market is growing in mostly all the South East Asian countries and saw a tremendous growth in the last couple of years.ASEAN Confectionery Market SegmentationThe confectionery market is segmented into three segments  Chocolates, Sugar confectionery and Gum. Chocolates constitutes the significant part of confectionery market. Cocoa and sugar are the raw materials for chocolate and latex is the raw material used for gum.Worlds largest cocoa processor Barry Callebauts production has also moved to Asia pacific and Latin America because of its low production costs and great future opportunities.Its factories are in Malaysia and Thailand. Nestle has acquired a majority stake in Chinese confectioner Hsu Fu Chi.Request For Report Sample@Europe constitutes the biggest share of confectionery market, followed by Asia Pacific confectionery market. ASEAN region has become an attractive place to do business. Some big MNCs have shifted their base(plants) for the production of chocolate to Indonesia to improve efficiency and reduce costs in supply. Indonesia has the most consumption of confectionery items as compared to other South East Asian countries. Flavors GmbH (WILD), another company is opening its branch center in Singapore to serve the hub for the ASEAN region. Main markets in South East Asian countries include Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia for confectionery market.ASEAN Confectionery Market DynamicsRising disposable income, higher population, high GDP growth and consumer spending are the major key drivers of ASEAN confectionery market. The biggest constraint to ASEAN confectionery market could be rise in raw material cost and uncertain consumer behaviour. Also health issues, increasing government regulations, could also be the biggest challenge for confectionery market. Chocolate segment expected to grow the most under ASEAN confectionery market. On special occasions and celebrations, sale of confectionery items increase because people gift each other and its consumption and demand increase. Vietnam is gradually cutting down the import tax imposed on products of ASEAN, countries in accordance with the ASEAN Free Trade Area, AFTA, regulations. As a result, the Vietnamese confectionery market is vibrant compared to other nations.ASEAN Confectionery Market Distribution ChannelMostly confectionery items are sold in retail stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores. Multinational flavor companies and smaller local manufacturers are active in South EastAsia confectionery market. The latter offers good distribution expertise and local connections. Innovation by producers playing a great role in experimenting with flavors, taste, size which is driving a growth of this market. Enterprises operating under Vietnamese confectionery market use modern technology of foreign countries such as Germany, Italy, Japan and Austria to make their products, and apply non-chemical preservation techniquesVisit For TOC@ASEAN Confectionery Market Key PlayersKey players in this confectionery market are Ferraro, Hersheys,Lindt, Wrigleys, Perfetti Van Melle and ChupaChupa. Product innovation and consistent in quality are the reasons for their success. Dunkin Donuts has signed a franchisee agreement to develop a brand in Vietnam with Vietnam Food and Beverage Co. domestic confectionery companies have simultaneously launched many new products in confectionery market. Pioneers of the campaign included famous companies such as Kinh Do, Bibica, Kotobuki, and smaller producers like Nguyen Tran and ThanhPhat, etc. ierce competition was found between Malaysian Khongguan biscuits and Vietnamese productsABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Adaptive Cruise Control System Market Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2025

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Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is a special form of the conventional cruise control systems which is used to maintain and control the speeds of cars and other intelligent vehicles. Adaptive cruise control is an intelligent form of cruise control systems that slows down and speeds up automatically to keep pace with the car in front of you. It dosent make use of any satellite, any roadside infrastructures or any cooperative support from other vehicles, rather it uses sensors and lasers to control the speed of vehicles. The main impact of adaptive cruise control system is on drivers safety as by adjusting the distance between according to the traffic conditions. The overall process is achieved through a radar headway sensor, longitudinal controller and digital signal processor. Adaptive cruise control systems are being enhanced to guide through collision warning capabilities to warn drivers through audio or visual signals that a collision is imminent and that evasive steering is required. Now-a-days, Adaptive cruise control system is often paired with a pre-crash system which alerts the driver and often starts braking. Adaptive cruise control is also known as autonomous cruise control, active cruise control, intelligent cruise control or radar cruise control.Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market: SegmentationThe Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market can be segmented on the basis of Geography, Vehicle Type and Technology. On the basis of Geography, the Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market can be segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and Latin America. On account of type, the Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market can be segmented into passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. Passenger vehicles include luxury cars, mid-range cars and premium cars. Further, considering technology, the Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market can be segmented into infrared sensors, laser sensors, image sensors, radar sensors and ultrasonic sensors.Request Report Sample@Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market: Region-Wise OutlookThe key regions in the field of adaptive cruise control systems are Asia Pacific, Europe, Americas. The Asia Pacific region includes the emerging markets like Thailand, India and China. The factors such as rising demands of premium and luxury cars in such regions are effective to the overall growth of the global adaptive cruise control system market. Europe is the region which is a major market to the product and is home for the major suppliers of adaptive cruise control systems. The key regions in Europe comprises of Germany, France and Italy. The American region comprises of Brazil, Mexico, Canada and others; Brazil and Mexico being the emerging markets of this region.Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market: DriversThe growth of the global adaptive cruise control system market highly depends on the rising number of accidents due to increase in traffic. Moreover, with the advancement of technology, people tend to be on a safer side and thus are willing to pay to install adaptive cruise control systems and thus are willing to pay. The increasing disposable incomes and greater sales of premium and luxury cars is also a major factor driving the growth of the global adaptive cruise control system market. The increasing use of sensors with the advancement in the technology is another fuelling factor. Moreover, government initiatives to improve fuel efficiencies and safety attributes of vehicles are motivating the manufacturers to apply such integrated systems to ensure safety as well as to comply with the government regulations.Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market: ChallengesThe regions with higher intensity of fog, rainfalls and snowfalls are repelling to the adaptive cruise control systems. Regions with such weather conditions make such safety systems inefficient in making and monitoring the speeds of the surrounding objects and vehicles making the owners of the vehicles reluctant to implement such systems. Since each and every manufacturer competes with each other, each manufacturer implements high end safety sensors thus making the car owners difficult to understand the exact operating procedures of the product.Visit For TOC@Global Adaptive Cruise Control System Market: Key PlayersVarious companies are into manufacturing the adaptive cruise control system market. Some of the key players involved in the global adaptive cruise control system market are Denso Corporation, Magna International Inc., Mando Corporation, Valeo SA, TRW Automotive, Autoliv Inc., Hyundai Mobis Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmBH, Delphi Automotive PLC and others.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
ST. LOUIS  A federal appeals court on Thursday overturned a $491 million jury award involving a prearranged funeral services fraud perpetrated by a Clayton company.

After a five-week trial in 2015, a jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis awarded the money to state life and health guarantee associations and a special receiver set up to wind down National Prearranged Services Inc., of Clayton. They sued on behalf of NPS, consumers and funeral homes.

The jury awarded $355.5 million of compensatory damages and $35.5 million in punitive damages against PNC Bank and $100 million more against Forever Enterprises, a defunct holding company owned by the Cassity family.

But a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Court of Appeals on Thursday said the case should not have been tried in front of a jury because any claims should have been governed by trust law, not tort law, and only for damages allowed by trust law.

The court said those alleged damages, which they estimated about $66 million, should be limited to claims in Missouri from 1998 to 2004, when Allegiant Bank was trustee. Allegiant resigned as trustee in May 2004 after it was bought by National City Bank. PNC acquired National City in 2009.

The court's decision will not mean a new trial, as they said U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber, who presided over the case, could use the existing trial record supplemented by any additional evidence he needs.

The plaintiffs in the original suit can ask for a re-hearing of the case.

In an email, Diane Zappas, a PNC spokeswoman wrote, "We are gratified with the appellate court ruling and we look forward to working to resolve the matter."

At the time of the jury's verdict, Frederick Solomon, senior vice president of the PNC Financial Services Group, pointed out that NPS had sufficient funds to cover every deposit when Allegiant resigned. The record showed that federal and state bank examiners regularly reviewed Allegiants practices when it was trustee, while a monitor for a prior court case examined NPS practices during that time, he said in a prepared statement.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs also did not immediately respond.

NPS promised customers across the country that money they paid for prearranged funeral contracts would be held in trust and would be available for an eventual funeral.

But company officers and others instead siphoned off millions of dollars of the money to spend on lavish lifestyles.

Liabilities began to exceed trust assets and NPS could only pay for funerals by using money from new contracts.

The fraud was discovered by insurance regulators in 2007. By that time, more than 97,000 customers, funeral homes and financial institutions had lost money, federal officials have said.

NPS owner James Doug Cassity, as well as two other officers, an employee, the company lawyer and a former investment adviser were sent to federal prison in 2013 for terms ranging from 18 months to 10 years. Cassity and three others were also ordered to repay $435 million.
Patient Handling Equipment Market Research Report by Geographical Analysis and Forecast to 2024

Patient Handling Equipment Market

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Awareness about mobility aids is constantly increasing and several government organizations are known to offer subsidies, grants, and funding, while various public and private insurance players are provide insurance coverage. Increase in reimbursement for mobility and assistive devices by both private and government insurance players are likely to provide growth opportunities in the patient handling equipment market. Organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Nurse Association (ANA) recommend that manual lifting of patients must be minimized and eliminated. For instance, a study conducted by OSHA in 2013 concluded that musculoskeletal disorders such as strains and sprains were one of the leading causes of injury to health care workers while manually moving, shifting, and lifting patients. These developments would drive the demand for these globally.The research report on patient handling equipment market includes in-depth analysis of the product types, end-user, and geography. Base on product type, the market has been segmented into lifting slings, wheelchair, medical beds, ambulatory aids, shower, bath and toileting equipment, and others. In terms of end-user, the market has been divided into hospitals, home health care, nursing homes, assisted living facility, and others. The scope of this study analyzes each segment in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) and covers exhaustive information on the global volume trends of product equipment.This 108 page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Patient Handling Equipment Market. Browse through 8 data tables and 45 figures to unlock the hidden opportunities in this market:In 2015, medical beds product segment accounted for a lions share in the global patient handling equipment market. The hospital end user segment accounted for the largest market share compared to other end user segments in 2015. This end user segment is expected to maintain its dominance in the market; however, other end users such as rehabilitation centers, trauma centers are expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. The global patient handling equipment market was analyzed across four geographies: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.The key market players in this market have launched new products with technologically advanced and ergonomical design features in this market. In May 2015, Getinge Group introduced new Citadel Patient Care System, which is a medical bed with therapeutic mattresses for provision of improved care and support while handling high dependency patients. Technological advancements such as introduction of automated patient lifting and transfer techniques also act as a potential driver of the patient handling equipment market. These innovative products would sharply reduce the average time and number of caregivers that are deployed per patient in a health care setting. Therefore, advancements in assistive technology and improved product design coupled with government subventions are expected to contribute to market growth in the near future.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Patient Handling Equipment Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market:Geographically, Europe was the largest market for patient handling equipment in terms of revenue in 2015. The patient handling equipment market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at the fastest growth rate during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. Other emerging markets in rest of the world such as Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa are also expected to witness a steady growth during the forecast period. Increasing patient base, medical tourism, and rising income levels are also expected to propel the market. Highly priced equipments have a minuscule consumer base in under- developed and developing regions due to the high cost of technologically advanced equipment which are unaffordable for small and medium size healthcare settings. In addition, apart from these factors the lower labor cost of caregivers in developing economies could further restrain the market growth in emerging economies.Key players profiled in this report include Bayer AG, Continental Manufacturing Chemist, Inc., Elanco Animal Health, Inc., Indian Immunologicals Ltd., M.B.D. Marketing (S) Pte Ltd., Merck Animal Health, Merial, Nicosia International, Vallee S.A., and Zoetis, Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Goat Cheese Market to Record Ascending Growth by 2017 - 2025

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Cheese is an old dairy product prepared from milk of cow, sheep and goat. In the last decade or two, goat cheese has grown up as the most promising market worldwide. Goat cheese is great for digestion and provides low calories unlike bovine cheese which is heavy to digest, high in cholesterol and fat. Goat cheese also contains more vitamins especially vitamin A, B1, B2, B3 and is rich in Calcium and Phosphorous. Goat cheese also provides sufficient amount of Proteins. Over the years the market has evolved from consuming bovine cheese to goat cheese. However, one of the major restraints in the market is the shorter shelf life of these products. Goat cheese is highly perishable product, can sustain maximum 60-90 days. Advances in the technology has been evolving over the years to keep it intact and maintain its flavor.Global Goat Cheese Market: Drivers and RestrainsThe fastest growing market for goat milk is majorly in the production of cheese owing to its increasing demand. Most of the manufacturers for goat cheese are based in US. The volume produced is small and almost half of the raw material is consumed for the production of the cheese and are imported. Further, U.S. goat cheese manufacturers been able to compete well in the gourmet market of cheese and have also received multiple gold medals in the international market. There are more than 100 manufacturers of goat cheese in US, which includes both artisanal and commercial goat cheese manufacturers. Consumers are preferring artisanal goat cheese owing to the factor such as artisanal producers tend to raise their own goats and utilize the milk to further process into end products such as cheese, yogurt, and others.Request to View Tables of Content @Due to change in food habits, there is growth in obesity and cholesterol issues across the globe. Consumers are becoming health conscious day by day, leading to increasing in demand and consumption of goat cheese. Goat cheese has come up as a significant alternative to bovine cheese and is anticipated to grow at an accelerated rate during the forecast period. Moreover, technological advancement in production of cheese, and increasing quality breeds of goat are few factors driving the market.However, the goat cheese are expensive than any other cheese available in the market and this is one of the major restraint for the growth of market. Another restraint in the market is the challenging process. Goat cheese is made at very low temperatures with a desired quantity of rennet used therefore a proper care has to be taken while preparing goat cheese. Goat cheese is also highly perishable in nature.The global goat cheese market is segmented into product type, flavour, form, distribution channel, and regions. Further, on the basis of form, the market is sub segmented into, soft cheese, semi-soft cheese, firm cheese, ripened cheese, and aged cheese. Soft cheese is expected to dominate the market.View Sample Report @Global Goat Cheese Market: Regional OverviewGeographically, the goat cheese market is segmented into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Eastern Europe especially France is leading the global goat cheese market production owing to its traditional Dairy industries. Greece, Italy, Spain also has a substantial production of goat cheese. North America is the second largest contributor to the global goat cheese markets mainly due technological advancements in the production process in goat cheese. North America also raises the best quality of goat breeds, and so the cheese produced from this milk is also of best quality. Cheese market in Asia Pacific has grown tremendous over the years as a result of population growth in India and China, change in their food habits and increase in consumer spending thus lead to higher consumption of goat cheese. The Middle East and Africa are demonstrating an increased use of cheese mostly the processed cheese.Global Goat Cheese Market: Key PlayersSome of the players identified across the value chain of the goat cheese market are:Carmelis Goat CheeseHaystack Mountain Goat DairyMontchevreLaura Chenels Chevre, Inc.Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Co.Avalanche Cheese CompanyAmsterdam Cheese CompanyDeJong cheese companyHillsborough Cheese CompanyFew of the strategies adopted by the key players in the market are partnership and collaboration with other operators, expansion into the untapped market, and joint ventures with the organizations in emerging countries to gain the strong foothold in the market. The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also includes projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, and application.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Construction Equipment Rental Market Research Report 2016-2024 by Players, Regions, Product Types & Applications

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MaketStudyReport.com adds a New Construction Equipment Rental Market Research Report for the period of 2016-2024 that shows the growth of the market is rising at a 9.1% CAGR to 2024.Construction Equipment Rental Market size is expected to reach USD 75.18 billion by 2024 according to a new research report. The practice of leasing instead of purchasing heavy machinery has proven to be beneficial for companies of all sizes across numerous industries. Lower administrative overhead coupled with reduces expense and maintenance will drive construction equipment rental market size. Since industry vendors need to comply with the pervasive regulatory landscape, buyers benefit from elimination of replacement costs and associated expenditure. Other trends positively impacting revenue include growing technological advancements ranging from multifunctional machinery to apps for monitoring fuel consumption.Key product development and innovation features include remote monitoring, ergonomic controls, quick-change attachment couplers, etc. GPS-equipped machines that can be tracked with ease on site have significantly improved fleet management. The presence of the leasing channel has also helped enhance overall customer service by ensuring high product quality, improved response time, on-time delivery, scheduled pick-ups, etc.Get sample Copy of this report:The real estate industry that comprises commercial and residential real estate has also driven construction equipment rental market size. Developing technology with greater efficiency and accuracy in material handling has placed high emphasis on safety and productivity at the workplace; for instance, the development of automatic height-adjusting carts which has enabled the operators to work at optimal heights without aids from hydraulic, electrical or pneumatic tools. This has benefitted the material handling machinery industry to a considerable extent.Earthmoving Machinery Market contributed considerably to the global construction equipment rental market share in 2015, with the segment set to surpass USD 40 billion in revenue by 2024. This mainly includes products such as excavators and loaders, which witness considerable demand on a global scale.Concrete and road construction segment was valued at over USD 10 billion in 2015, the industry is forecast to witness growth due to new infrastructure projects.U.S. construction equipment rental market size is set to exceed USD 23 billion by 2024. Rising safety and security concerns are likely to drive installation of smart sensors in workers hard hats, boots, wristwatches and other safety equipment such as rooftop harnesses. Boot sensors helps in tracking the time duration between breaks, whereas wristwatch sensors monitor workers body temperature.Get Discount on this Report:Key construction equipment rental market players are United. Rentals, Hertz, Neff, Sunbelt, Ahern, etc. United Rentals acquired RSC Holdings in 2012 to accelerate the combined companys potential for growth with industrial customers and provide a lower cost base. Hertz entered into a joint venture with Dayim Holdings and Phoenix Project development in 2014 to improve the overall service offering.Other notable participants are Gemini Equipment and Rentals (GEAR), Aggreko, Terex Corporation, Maxim Crane Works, Komatsu, Liebherr and Weldex International Offshore Ltd.Global Market Insights has segmented the construction equipment rental market based on product and region:Construction Equipment Rental Product Analysis (Revenue, USD Billion, 2013  2024)Earthmoving machinery, Material handling machinery, Concrete & road construction machineryThe above information has been provided on a regional and country basis for the following:North America, U.S., Canada, Europe, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, China, India, Japan, Latin America, Brazil, Mexico, MEARelated Report:Boom Trucks Market Share & Forecast, 2016 -2024Boom Trucks Market size is set to exceed USD 500 million by 2024; as per a new research report. Steady demand generated by applications including heavy and light industrial work such as utility and electrical contracting work, signage and lighting applications coupled with the rapid pace of warehousing and industrialization is driving the boom trucks market.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:
Carbon Brush Market Volume Forecast and Value Chain Analysis 2015-2025

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Rotating electrical devices necessitate the transfer of current from a stationary part to the rotating part of the device. A carbon brush is defined as a sliding contact that is used to transmit current from a static part of a motor or a generator to the rotating part. The name carbon brush originates from the use of a bunch of copper wires assembled in the form a brush which acted as an element that transmitted current to the rotating part of the device. The use of carbon brushes has experienced a wide scale use over the recent past. The properties such as good electrical conductivity, lower coefficient of friction, lower modulus of elasticity and the fact that carbon does not melt but directly passes into vapour phase at nearly 3500oC, has resulted in it emerging as the most preferred material for transmitting current to the rotating part. The most commonly used types of carbon brushes, depending on the material used, are electro-graphite, metal-graphite, resin-bonded graphite, carbon-graphite, graphite among the others.Carbon Brush Market: Drivers & RestraintsCarbon Brush market is expected to register a steady year-on-year growth throughout the forecast period. The steady economic growth in developing regions of the globe, especially of the countries in Asia Pacific region coupled with steady industrial growth in these regions is expected to in turn fuel the demand for carbon brushes during the forecast period. Moreover, growth of global carbon brush market is expected to be driven primarily by the growth in demand for these from automotive industry. Also, another major application segment where these carbon brushes are used is household appliances, as such, the growth in demand for household appliances is likely to translate into growth in demand for carbon brushes during the forecast period.Request Report Sample@Carbon Brush Market: SegmentationOn the basis of end use industries, global Carbon Brush market can be segmented into following key market segments:AutomotiveElectrical Hand toolsIndustrial ApplicationsHousehold AppliancesOthersDepending on the type of product type, global Carbon Brush market can be segmented into the following key market segments:Electro-graphiteMetal-graphiteResin-bonded graphiteCarbon graphiteGraphiteOthersDepending on the type of applications, global Carbon Brush market can be segmented into the following key market segments:MotorsGenerators & AlternatorsCurrent & signal TransmissionGrounding DevicesOthersCarbon Brush Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of geographic regions, global Carbon Brush market is segmented into seven key market segments namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Among the aforementioned regions, Asia Pacific is expected to witness a relatively faster CAGR during the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Carbon Brush Market: Key PlayersSome of the identified major players operating in the global Carbon Brush market are as follows:Schmidthammer Elektrokohle GmbHMorgan Advanced Materials plc.Elektrokarbon, a.s.Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.MersenAvo Carbon GroupHelwig Carbon Products, Inc.Schunk GmbHAbout Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Car Oil Filter Market will Account for Around US$ 535 Mn by 2022

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Global car oil filter market is driven by many factors. The rising automotive industry is a prime aspect which drives the growth of the car oil filter market. Certain government regulations regarding the manufacturing of vehicles has forced the manufacturers to implement improvements in the design aspect of the engine and along with the technological changes and advancements in the oil filter domain, this has imparted support to the growth of the car oil filter market. As far as vehicles are concerned, the increase in the passenger cars has triggered the growth of the car oil filters. Moreover, public awareness regarding the safety of the engines of their vehicles and the benefits of oil filters such as removal of contaminants, ensuring good engine health and enhance the life of the components within the engine has spurred the growth of the global car oil filter market. However, the challenge faced by this sector is the introduction of the electric cars which do not need oil filters. Another challenge cum opportunity is the life of the filter. It has low life and has to be replaced but the opportunity aspect is that it needs to be changed frequently and this can be beneficial to the manufacturers of the filters. Europe region shows great potential and market share by 2022 end. The Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region shows higher growth rate during the period of forecast.The global car oil filter market is poised to reach about US$ 535 Mn by the end of 2022 and is anticipated to grow at a steady CAGR during the forecasted period of 2017 to 2022.For More Details - A sample of this report is available upon request@5 Forecast Highlights on Global Car Oil Filter MarketThe luxury passenger car segment by vehicle type enjoys a higher market share by revenue and accounts for 36.5% share which is higher than all other segments during the period of forecast. The premium passenger car segment reflects a similar growth rate as the luxury passenger car segment but has less market share. The compact passenger car segment grows at a steady rateEurope region is on the vanguard as far as regional dominance is concerned. It has a higher market share by revenue than any other region and is poi9sed to grow at a steady growth rate. Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region reflects the highest growth rate to register a CAGR of 3.5% during the period of forecast. This can be attributed to the rising number of passenger cars in this regionCellulose segment by filter media has a high market share by revenue but experiences a not so high growth rate. However, the synthetic segment is poised to grow at a higher CAGR of 3.4% among other filter media segments during the period of forecastRequest For Discount:The OEM segment is poised to grow at a slow rate during 2017 to 2022, with a low market share by revenue. IAM segment enjoys the highest market revenue share and is growing at higher rate to attain a CAGR of 3.2% along with a gain in the BPS by the end of 2022By product type, the anti-drain black seal has higher growth rate during the period of forecast and gains the highest BSP by the end of 2022. The base gasket segment has a high market share by revenue and accounts for 35.6%. APEJ region is a lucrative region for the base gasket segmentThe report has also profiled leading players in the global market for car oil filters, which would remain active through 2022. These include companies like Champion Laboratories Inc., UFI Filters SpA, Freudenberg & Co. KG, Hengst SE and Co. KG, Cummins Inc., Alco Filters ltd., Ahlstrom Corporation, K&N Engineering Inc., Hollingsworth and Vose Company, Mann Hummel GmbH, Sogefi SpA., Donaldson Company Inc., Denso Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH and MAHLE GmbH.Browse Full Report:ABOUT US:Fact.MR is focused on offering transformative intelligence that inspires breakthroughs and innovation. We believe that the right decisions at the opportune time are integral to achieve extraordinary success. We are here to help you with your strategic decision making.CONTACT:Suite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandPhone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.comWebsite:
Transformer Oil Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2015-2025

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In order to meet the residential, commercial and industrial energy requirements and ensure a smooth operation of power supply transformer plays an important role. During transformer operation, transformers dissipate heat which can damage the system if not controlled. In order to achieve seamless operation of transformer by preventing from heat damage the oil are used. Transformer oil is used in oil-filled and submersible transformers to maintain temperature of transformer. Application of transformer oil can also be seen in high-voltagecircuit breakers and switches. Since the oil is in constant contact with components it is therefore susceptible to chemical interaction. It is therefore essential to check for the quality of transformer oil at regular intervals since with continuous reaction the chemical composition of the oil may change and this may render it unfit for use.The market for transformer oil is subjected to the demands of the various end-use industries such as chemicals and automotive, and the type of transformer used. The oil used in transformers is hydrocarbon mineral oil. There are two major types of transformer oil used in the industry; naphthenic and paraffinic based. Though bio based transformer oil have gained attention due to stringent environmental issues but their usage is restricted due to limited advantage. The market of transformer oil will be driven by the expanding energy demand and growing installation of power grids in urban scenario. Due to growing population, the power grid companies needs to expand and upgrade their existing capacities causing penetration of transformers to increase which in turn fuel the market for transformer oil. The transition towards renewable sources of energy, strict environmental laws and shift towards organic oils may restraint the market of mineral based transformer oil.Request Report Sample@Asia is one of the largest consumer of transformer oils followed by North America, South America and Europe. For the forecasted years Asia-pacific transformer oil market will continue to lead in terms of consumption. The demand for transformer oil in Asia Pacific is rapidly growing for emerging markets of India and China. This demand is transformer oil is attributed to the increasing focus on rural and urban development in infrastructure. This involves a shift in focus from high capacity transformer to small and mid-segment transformers for domestic and agricultural uses. The transformer oil markets of China, India and also Brazil will dominate owing to the government initiative for the electricity accessibility to the countrys population. The demand for in the mineral based is anticipated to stabilize due to the shift towards green (bio based) alternatives. The demand for transformer oil in regions of Americas and Europe is related to high capacity industrial transformers. The demand for transformer oil in these regions is anticipated to be slower than those in Asia Pacific owing to the significant development of renewable sources of energy and reduced dependability on conventional sources of energy.Visit For TOC@Transformer Oil Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the transformer oil market are Hydrodec Group PLC, Nynas AB, Calumet Specialty Products Partners, Valvoline,APAR Industries, Sinopec Corporation, Engen Petroleum Limited.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Biomaterial Implants Industrial and Market Analysis Professional Survey Report 2017

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"Global Biomaterial Implants Market Professional Survey Report 2017" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-This report studies Biomaterial Implants in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringIntegra LifeSciences CorporationNuVasive, IncEdward LifeSciences CorporationStryker CorporationLifeCell corporationMedtronicRTI Surgical, IncBioPolymer GmbH & Co. KGJohnson & JohnsonBaxter International, Inc.Get Sample Report With TOC @Vericel CorporationAlphatec Spine, IncCryoLifeMaxigen Biotech, Inc.IOP Ophthalmic Products, Inc.CONMEDAllergan PlcBioTissueAuto Tissue Berlin GmbHMiMedx Group, Inc.Organogenesis, Inc.Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.By types, the market can be split intoCardiovascular ImplantsOrthopedic ImplantsDental ImplantsOther Soft Tissue ImplantsBy Application, the market can be split intoHospitalsClinicsBeauty InstitutionsBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaTable of ContentsGlobal Biomaterial Implants Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Biomaterial Implants1.1 Definition and Specifications of Biomaterial Implants1.1.1 Definition of Biomaterial Implants1.1.2 Specifications of Biomaterial Implants1.2 Classification of Biomaterial Implants1.2.1 Cardiovascular Implants1.2.2 Orthopedic Implants1.2.3 Dental Implants1.2.4 Other Soft Tissue Implants1.3 Applications of Biomaterial Implants1.3.1 Hospitals1.3.2 Clinics1.3.3 Beauty Institutions1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Biomaterial Implants2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Biomaterial Implants2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Biomaterial Implants2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Biomaterial Implants3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Biomaterial Implants3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Biomaterial Implants Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Biomaterial Implants Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Biomaterial Implants Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Biomaterial Implants Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Biomaterial Implants Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Biomaterial Implants Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Biomaterial Implants Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Biomaterial Implants Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Biomaterial Implants Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Biomaterial Implants Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Biomaterial Implants Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)5 Biomaterial Implants Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Biomaterial Implants Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Biomaterial Implants Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2016 Biomaterial Implants Market Share Analysis5.2 China Biomaterial Implants Market Analysis5.2.1 China Biomaterial Implants Market Overview5.2.2 China 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.2.3 China 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Sales Price Analysis5.2.4 China 2016 Biomaterial Implants Market Share Analysis5.3 Europe Biomaterial Implants Market Analysis5.3.1 Europe Biomaterial Implants Market Overview5.3.2 Europe 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.3.3 Europe 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Sales Price Analysis5.3.4 Europe 2016 Biomaterial Implants Market Share Analysis5.4 Southeast Asia Biomaterial Implants Market Analysis5.4.1 Southeast Asia Biomaterial Implants Market Overview5.4.2 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.4.3 Southeast Asia 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Sales Price Analysis5.4.4 Southeast Asia 2016 Biomaterial Implants Market Share Analysis5.5 Japan Biomaterial Implants Market Analysis5.5.1 Japan Biomaterial Implants Market Overview5.5.2 Japan 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.5.3 Japan 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Sales Price Analysis5.5.4 Japan 2016 Biomaterial Implants Market Share Analysis5.6 India Biomaterial Implants Market Analysis5.6.1 India Biomaterial Implants Market Overview5.6.2 India 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.6.3 India 2012-2017E Biomaterial Implants Sales Price AnalysisFull Report @ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074
Automotive Composites Market Revenue, Opportunity, Forecast and Value Chain 2015-2025

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The growing technological advancement and consistent focus on high performance vehicle has surged demand for automotive composites. A composite is a composition of two or more chemically different phases and insoluble materials which are of high performance fiber like carbon or glass in a matrix material like epoxy polymer that when combined with each other provides much more enhanced properties as compared with the properties of the individual materials itself. Such composites when deployed in automobiles and automotive are then called automotive composites. The main advantage of using automotive composites in the manufacturing of vehicles like cars, trolleys, trucks etc. is that they are approximately 60% lighter than steel or iron and are good in terms of stiffness and strength. Moreover, automotive composites are corrosion resistant unlike steel. Vehicle weight is an important factor in respect to performance of a vehicle. Automotive composites can significantly increase the fuel economy of the vehicle by reducing the vehicle weight. Automotive composites can be added to the vehicles body in a single layer as well as in multiple layers. One material between two other materials when mixed gives a sandwich composite which can be used in the construction of the roof and inner coatings of the vehicle. The automotive composites are used in the manufacture and refurbishing of vehicles like cars, utility vehicles, and inner coatings of vehicles, trucks, buses and vehicle interiors. Automotive composites increase the vehicles resistance to heat as well as reduces the external impact on the vehicle.Request Report Sample@Global Automotive Composites Market: SegmentationOn the basis of composite material type, the global automotive composites market can be segmented into:Metal CompositesPolymer CompositesNatural Fiber CompositesGlass Fiber CompositesCarbon Fiber CompositesCeramic Matrix CompositesOn the basis of manufacturing process, the global automotive composites market can be segmented into:Compression ProcessInjection ProcessManual ProcessOthersOn the basis of composite component application, the global automotive composites market can be segmented into:Engine ComponentsDrivetrain ComponentsInterior ComponentExterior ComponentsOthersGlobal Automotive Composites Market: Drivers & RestraintsIncreasing urban population is the key factor driving the growth of the global automotive composites market. Moreover, rising industrialization in developing countries like India, China etc. is a key element encouraging the deployment of automotive manufacturing facilities in these countries. Increasing automobile production globally is a major factor fuelling the growth of the overall global automotive composites market. Further, increasing carbon emissions from vehicles is promoting the governmental bodies to revamp several aspects in a way to adhere to environmental regulations and norms thus boosting the growth of the global automotive composites market. Since deployment of automotive composites in vehicles increase the vehicles fuel efficiency and reduces the vehicle weight by 60%, customers are more tending towards vehicles made of automotive composites thus driving the growth of the global automotive composites market. Increased demand for electric and hybrid vehicles are also boosting the growth of the market.The high cost of manufacturing composite materials is the major challenge faced by the global automotive composites market. Moreover, use of automotive composites in high end vehicle models is acting as a challenge to the growth of the global automotive composites market as customers prioritize to buy mid-range vehicles instead of high end vehicles. Moreover, manufacturing of automotive composites take a much longer time than steel and aluminum thus this factor is also acting as a minor restraint in the market.Visit For TOC@Global Automotive Composites Market: Key PlayersThe key players identified in the global automotive composites market are:Owens CorningToray Industries IncJohns ManvilleCytec Market IndustriesSGL GroupNippon Sheet Glass CompanyTeijin LimitedJushi Group Co, Ltd.SAERTEX GmbH & Co. KGJohnson Controls, Inc.E.I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyUFP Technologies, Inc.Scott Bader Company Ltd.Koninklijke Ten Cate N.V.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Robots: Industrial and Market Analysis Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 to 2022

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"Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Robots: Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 to 2022" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-The 2016 study has 145 pages, 64 tables and figures. Worldwide Hip and Knee Orthopedic surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth. The accuracy provided by the robot is not reproducible by the human surgeon, so ultimately all surgeons will want to perform the orthopedic implants using this technology.Get Sample Report With TOC @Robot assisted medial knee arthroplasty: orthopedic surgical robots are poised to take knee and hip surgery quality far beyond what has previously been available. The quality of knee arthroplasty is improved with robotic capability. All the advantages of surgical robots carry into the Stryker Mako orthopedic reconstruction surgical products.. When the knee and hip surgical robots are used, patients have less bleeding, reduction of post-operative pain, fewer re-admissions to hospital and faster recovery. Robots support high-precision surgery. A clinic in Switzerland, La Source, has reported a reduction in the average days of hospitalization from 10 to 6.Knee and hip surgical robots provide consistent reproducible precision. This capability is so significant for implant surgery that the robots are positioned to become the defacto standard of care for knee and hip surgery within five years. Any one getting a knee or hip replaced will demand attention to quality of life, to maintenance of lifestyle provided by a robot when they have a joint replacement.As next generation systems, hip and knee robotic units provide a way to improve traditional orthopedic hip and knee replacement surgery. Total hip replacement surgery has evolved dramatically as advances in technology have brought improved surgical techniques. Surgical robots are a significany [art of that advance.Once, the penetration achieves this 35% level, all orthopedic surgeons will demand that hospitals offer robotic orthopedic surgical capability because the outcomes are more predictable and better. If the hospital does not offer the robot, the surgeon will move to a more modern facility.Knee and Hip Surgical Robots have been impacted by the reduction in insurance payments. Payment reductions have forced hospitals to start acting as businesses. The cost of delivering care has become as much a factor as providing quality care when making decisions about patient improvement in condition. Cost-cutting has been made in the supply chain. Suppliers were examined closely for quality and cost.The number of suppliers is reduced to put pressure on the ones that remain. Those remaining are pressured to improve prices and efficiencies. Hospitals, physicians, and care providers have been financially incentivized to create accountable care organizations (ACOs). Coordinated patient care plans and value-based purchasing were rewarded. The med device buyer shifted from physicians to the ACOs and smart buying groups.Stryker has thrived in this cost efficient environment with a surgical robot that permits faster surgeries, more cost efficient surgeries. In addition, Stryker offers an integrated system. The ability to include a Mako total knee application with Stryker Triathlon total knee system is anticipated to increase market share for Stryker. Stryker market leading Triathlon total knee system is helped in the market by the robot simply by the improved surgical technique possible. Surgical robots are proving themselves in a variety of disciplines, lending credibility to the Stryker robotic initiative.Use of the robot with the orthopedic implant represents a key milestone in reconstructive surgery. Robots provide an opportunity to transform orthopedics. By furthering the growth of robotic-arm assisted surgery, patients can get better treatment. By enhancing the surgeon and patient experience is is likely that the entire orthopedics implant market will grow more rapidly than it would otherwise.Stryker uses the Mako to perform partial knee resurfacing and is happy to add robotic capability to total knee resurfacing. Technology is enhancing a wide variety of procedures in many surgical specialties.The aging US population has supported demand, since the occurrence of health issues that require medical devices is higher in the elderly population. Buoyed by strong demand and sales, industry profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years.Hospitals are adopting robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hundreds of universities worldwide have research programs in robotics and many are awarding degrees in robotics. These roboticists are increasingly being hired by Global 2000 organizations to link mobile robots (mobile computers) into existing IT systems.Robot-assisted surgery gives the surgeon better control over the surgical instruments and a better view of the surgical site.Hip and knee orthopedic surgical robot device markets at $84 million in 2015 are anticipated to reach $4.6 billion by 2022 as next generation robotic devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage surgery.The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for knee and hip robotic orthopedic surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Companies ProfiledMarket LeadersStryker / MakoMarket ParticipantsJohnson & Johnson / DePuySynthesShenzhen Advanced InstituteSpinal Surgical RobotSmith & NephewStryker / MakoTHINK SurgicalWright Medical TechnologyZimmer BiometFull Report @ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074
Global Alpha Mannosidosis Market: Exclusivity of Orphan Drug Ensures Improved Profit Margins

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Alpha mannosidosis is an inherited medical condition tissues and organs of the human body to function in abnormal ways. The commonly seen dysfunctions in patients suffering from this disease are distinctive facial features, intellectual disability, and skeletal abnormalities. Some of the other facial features seen amongst patients are a protruding forehead, large head, rounded eyebrows, low hairline, outsized ears, expanded jaw, flattened bridge of the nose, overgrown gums, widely spaced teeth, and outsized tongue. Though this is a rare disease, a definite rise in the population has increased the number of patients thereby augmented the demand for drugs required for treating alpha mannosidosis.Browse Market Research Report @Owing to this reason, the opportunity in the global market is expected to be worth US$21.8 mn by the end of 2024 as against US$2.6 mn in 2015, as the market progresses at a CAGR of 11.9% between 2017 and 2024. The global market for alpha mannosidosis is being driven factors such as market exclusivity being enjoyed by orphan drugs, fee reductions, tax credits, increasing investment in the rare disease treatment, and premium pricing.BMT Emerges as Leading Therapy for Treating Alpha MannosidosisStatistics show that alpha mannosidosis affects one in every 10, 00,000 people across the globe. The two types of treatment available for treating this disease are bone marrow transplant (BMT) and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Currently, bone marrow transplant (BMT) is the most popularly used treatment for patients. However, ERT is also picking up pace as the manufacturers operating in the segment are vying for commercial roll out of therapies. A promising therapy for lysosomal storage diseases (which are similar to alpha mannosidosis) is an enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). The therapy introduces the missing enzyme in the patients blood stream, which is absorbed by the cells then delivered to the lysosomes.Asia Pacific and North America Show Promise of Steady Growth during Forecast PeriodGeographically, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific is projected to hold a dominant share in the market in 2017. This dominance will be attributable to the growing awareness about the disease in developing countries. Presently, the Government of Australia has implemented a national plan for helping patients with rare diseases to reduce the mortality rate due to these diseases. The plan aims to raise awareness about the burden of rare diseases among patients, its impact on social life, and healthcare professionals.For more information on this report, fill the form @North America alpha mannosidosis market is also expected to witness a remarkable growth rate in the coming years. The orphan drug law will boost the new drug discovery efforts as it aims to offer monetary as well as non-financial benefits to manufacturers. The biggest incentive offered North America is a 50% cut the cost incurred for conducting clinical trials, seven years of market exclusivity for orphan drugs, eligibility for federal research grants, and waiver of user fees.The leading players operating in the global alpha mannosidosis market is Zymenex. The company currently focusses on research and development of biologics that are designed to fight rare and life-threatening genetic diseases. The company has developed recombinant enzyme indicated for patients with alpha mannosidosis, which is known as Lamazym (velmanase alfa) in the market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
HANOI, Vietnam  Vietnam on Thursday criticized the U.S. State Department's annual international religious freedom report, describing it as containing partial and false information about the country.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told reporters that the government respects and ensures citizens' right to freedom of religion and belief, which is enshrined in the constitution and ensured in practice.

The State Department's report, which covers religious freedom around the world, said this week that the Vietnamese Communist government continued to limit activities of unrecognized religious groups and that religious leaders, particularly those of unregistered groups and those from ethnic minorities, reported various forms of governmental harassment, including physical assaults, short-term detention, prosecutions, monitoring, restrictions on travel and property seizure or destruction.

Hang noted that the report did make some adjustments that are "close to reality" in Vietnam.

"However, it's regretted that the report still contained partial judgments, citing false information about Vietnam," she said.

More than half of Vietnam's 93 million people are identified as Buddhists while Roman Catholics number second accounting for about 7 percent of the population.

Vietnamese government maintains tight control over the society, the media and religions even though the ruling Communist Party launched economic reforms nearly four decades ago that opened up the country to foreign trade and investment.
Personal Protective Equipment Market expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2015 to 2021 in terms of revenue

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Saudi Arabia Personal Protective Equipment Market: SnapshotSaudi Arabia has been undergoing radical evolution in generating awareness on worker safety over the past few years. The high number of worker accidents in the region have prompted the industries as well as the government to raise the bar on safety standards and implementing these standards as strongly as possible. This impetus in worker safety awareness forms the primary driver for the increasing demand of personal protective equipment in Saudi Arabia.Of all the key upcoming government regulations to be implemented in Saudi Arabia regarding worker safety, the oil and gas industry has been the foremost in it. This industry contributes to a large chunk of the Saudi Arabia GDP and is therefore focused on with a higher priority.Download PDF Brochure For Details Industry Insight@Additionally, the implementation of stronger regulations is expected to be complemented well by the increasing number of safety product approvals in the region.However, key players can get sidelined by the number of local players that provide cheap safety products. This is eating into the research and development budgets allotted by the more prominent players by forcing them to cut costs to maintain market volume share. The sales of personal protective equipment are also hampered by the reducing number of workers due to the growing rate of automation in Saudi Arabia industries.The Saudi Arabia market for personal protective equipment is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2015 to 2021 in terms of revenue. This market revenue is expected reach US$444.2 mn by 2021, after being projected at US$318.7 mn by the end of 2016.Eastern Province Continues to Show High Personal Protective Equipment DemandOwing to the presence of a large number of boroughs and a very high number of Saudi Arabia locations of oil and gas production, the eastern province has shown the leading demand for personal protective equipment. By the end of 2021, the demand for personal protective equipment in the eastern province is expected to have generated US$233.6 mn in revenue. This region is considered to be one of the key regions for the global chemical industry due to the presence of several of the worlds leading chemical providers, including Nama Chemicals and Saudi Aramco. A large number of these companies operate in both the chemical sector and the oil and gas sector and therefore demand for a large volume of diverse personal protective equipment.The Central province with is a large number of oil and gas companies along with transportation and construction industries, and the Western province with its large number of end-use industries, cater for a lot of the remainder of the demand for personal protective equipment in Saudi Arabia.Application/Products + Company NamesThe demand for personal protective equipment in the Saudi Arabia oil and gas industry has consistently been the leading one over the recent past. This high demand is expected to grow even further over the coming years, due to the upcoming implementation of stricter regulations regarding worker safety in the oil and gas sector. By the end of 2021, the oil and gas sector is expected to contribute US$175.0 mn of the total Saudi Arabia personal protective equipment revenue.Browse Report@Meanwhile, the demand for personal protective equipment in the pharmaceuticals industry in Saudi Arabia is expected to grow at a very high rate. This is attributed to the massive surge in demand for hand protective gear and respiratory protective gear.The top providers of personal protective equipment in Saudi Arabia include 3M Corporation, Honeywell International, Ansell Ltd., Avon Rubber Plc., MSA Safety, E.I. DuPont De Nemours, and JSP.About Us:-Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact Us:-State Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Insulated Packaging Market Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2024

Insulated Packaging Market

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Global Insulated Packaging Market: OverviewInsulation materials resist the heat transfer from one object to another with two different temperatures having low thermal conductivity. Thermal fluctuations commonly occur during transportation of temperature-sensitive products. This is the main reason behind many companies majorly using insulated materials for packaging. Insulated packaging provides better protection from damage, maintaining the product specifications. It keeps product warm, refrigerated, frozen and reduces the effect of variable temperature. For example, packaging design specialist, Angela Morristhrough National Trusts Farming Forward schemerealized the importance of wool as an ideal insulation material which can protect ice-cold foodstuffs during transportation. This Farming Forward scheme was aimed to assist its farmers in rebuilding their business after foot and mouth outbreak in 2001. Morris worked for another 6 years in testing, refining, and developing the Woolcool.Request Free Sample Report @Global Insulated Packaging Market: Growth FactorsIncreasing demand for the pharmaceutical products is positively impacting the insulated packaging market growth. Rapidly increasing e-commerce trend in developing countries is anticipated to drive the global market in the coming future. In addition, rapid growth in urbanization and per capita income is expected to boost the insulated packaging market. The advantage of insulated packaging material which helps to maintain the normal temperature in the extreme weather conditions is also anticipated to boost the market demand in future.Global Insulated Packaging Market: SegmentationThe global insulated packaging market is a segmented on the basis of product type as wraps, boxes and containers, bags and pouches, and others. Of which, the boxes and container segment dominates the global market. Pharmaceutical products and vaccines need to be maintained at normal temperatures; hence the demand for the boxes and containers in the pharmaceutical industry is expected to increase in the near future. The global insulated packaging market is segmented on the basis of packaging materials as wood, expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), cupboard, polyurethane (PUR) foam, glass, and others. On the basis of applications, the global insulated packaging market is further categorized as FMCG products, food and beverages, healthcare, electronics, and others. Of which, food and beverages is the dominating segment and accounts for the largest market share in the global market. However, unstable raw material prices may hamper the insulated packaging market growth in future.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Global Insulated Packaging Market: Regional AnalysisGeographically, the global insulated packaging market is segmented as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is the dominating region in the insulated packaging market owing to increasing end-user applications. It is emerging as an attractive market for insulated packaging owing to rising industrial network across the region. Developing countries such as India and China are anticipated to witness rapid growth in the near future. Furthermore, North America is also struggling to gain larger market chunk in future. Changing consumer preferences and online marketing also positively impact the market in this region. Western Europe is promisingly holding potential market share in the global market. Emerging countries such as Brazil and Indonesia will spur the market in the future.Global Insulated Packaging Market: Competitive PlayersSome of the leading players dominating the global insulated packaging market include Sonoco, Exeltainer, American Aerogel, Amcor, Innovative Energy, TP Solutions, Deutsche Post DHL, Providence Packaging, TemperPack, and Huhtamaki. Others key players influencing the global market are Laminar Medica, WoolCool, JB Packaging, Cold Ice, Ecovative, Marko Foam Products, Davis Core, IPC Pack, and DuPont.Browse detail report @Our value reports provide full, in-depth analysis of the parent market including most significant changes in market dynamics; the report also presents the detailed overview on segmentation of this market. We managed to present as many important pieces of information in essential form  thanks to our report You will learn more about former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value, assessment of niche industry developments and Market share analysis. We have not forgotten to present key strategies for major players, emerging segments and regional markets and last but not least, testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market.Inquire more before buying this report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Glass Packaging Market Size & Share Outlook up to 2024

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Global Glass Packaging Market: OverviewPackaging is defined as a system of enclosing products and preparing goods for long distance transportation, distribution, storage, and delivery to consumers. Glass is the most chosen packaging material for beverages and foods, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. It maintains the quality and flavor of the food products without affecting its taste. Its high-quality characteristics such as reusability, chemical inertness, sterility, transparency, corrosion, and heat resistivity make it eligible for diversified application. The size, shape, and color can be achieved through various molding processes depending on the end application.Request Free Sample Report @Global Glass Packaging Market: SegmentationOn the basis of the type of materials, the global glass packaging market is segmented as sand, sodium carbonate (soda ash), calcium carbonate (limestone), and cullet. In addition, to enhance or for recognition of the products, the small amount of metal composition is added in order to colorize or decolorize the product. Hence, on the basis of this metal composition, the global market is segmented as iron pyrite, iron oxide, cobalt oxide, and selenium. The end-products of the glass packaging are bottles and jars. Based on the end-user application, the global market is further classified as food, beverages, personal care, pharmaceuticals, alcoholic, and medical industries.Global Glass Packaging Market: Growth FactorsSignificant change in the lifestyle and increasing health consciousness among the consumers are the factors driving the demand for products such as juices and drinks or functional drinks, which indirectly raises the demand for glass packaging. Wide application of glass packaging in pharmaceuticals industries in terms of drug delivery without contamination as well as its anti-corrosive property and high sterilization strength also makes it applicable in the medical industry. The Huge demand for alcohol drinks, which is majorly packed in glass bottles in various quantities, is one of the major factors responsible for driving the growth of the glass packaging market. Moreover, rising population and high consumption of food and beverages, as well as various FMCG products by the consumers, are driving the glass packaging market globally. On the other hand, development of various alternatives such plastic with similar properties may restrain the growth of glass packaging market in future.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Global Glass Packaging Market: Regional AnalysisGeographically, Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the largest market for glass packaging and is also projected to grow in coming years owing to increasing consumption of food and beverages and rising trend of consuming alcoholic drinks. Europe is estimated to grow rapidly due to technological developments and high consumption of beer along with rising industrialization majorly in France and Germany. Moreover, North America and the Middle East are anticipated to grow at a steady pace owing to rising pharmaceuticals industries in these regions.Browse detail report @Global Glass Packaging Market: Competitive PlayersSome of the key players contributing their efforts in glass packaging market are CVC Capital Partners, Amcor, Ardagh Group, Gerresheimer, Koa Glass, Owens Illinois Inc., Saint Gobain, Heinz Glass, BA Glass, Weigand Glass, Vidrala SA, Nihon Yamamura, China Glass Holding Limited, Consol Glass Limited, Stolzle-Oberglas GmbH, Piramal Glass Limited, and Tamron Co., Ltd. Major players are adopting new strategies to enhance their position in the global market. For example, CVC Capital Partners along with BA Glass is having plans to buy Anchor Glass Container Corp. for $1 Billion.Our value reports provide full, in-depth analysis of the parent market including most significant changes in market dynamics; the report also presents the detailed overview on segmentation of this market. We managed to present as many important pieces of information in essential form  thanks to our report You will learn more about former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value, assessment of niche industry developments and Market share analysis. We have not forgotten to present key strategies for major players, emerging segments and regional markets and last but not least, testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market.Inquire more before buying this report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Laminated Labels Market Dynamics, Size, Share, Growth Factors & Forecast 2024

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Global Laminated Labels Market: OverviewPackaging plays a vital role in product promotion and branding. It has traveled a long journey from just a need of the business strategy to an integral part of the business strategy. Hence, it is emerging as an important tool for enhancing product sale in the international market. Packaging labels is important to compete with other key players in the market. With developing technology and innovative market strategy, laminated labels packaging has been introduced in the market. This type of packaging is more attractive, highly resistive, consumer-engaging, durable, and flexible. This laminated label is easily accessible in the market due to its advantages such as frictionless, resistance to moisture, solvent, and weathering exposure. These labels are manufactured by using polypropylene, polyesters, and others laminating materials. For instance, Brother P-Touch PT-1230PC is a USB label printer which is enough small to fit anywhere, it does not require any software, just connect to the computer and add to a printer and print from the text editor. The printer itself will print a 12-mm laminated label and within a short period. It is pretty easier and portable.Request Free Sample Report @Global Laminated Labels Market: Growth FactorsEscalating demand for FMCG, pharmaceuticals, and consumer durables products will enhance the market growth in the near future for laminated labels market. Further, high consumption of the food and beverages products worldwide is anticipated to foster the demand in the market in future. Pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors are boosting laminated labels packaging market across the world for bigger product portfolio. Furthermore, other sectors enhancing the market growth are furniture, electronics, automobile, paints, and others. Prime importance is given to cost-effective labeling by many manufacturers which are a major driving factor for the growth of the global market. Conversely, associated risk in the capital investment may hamper the laminated labels packaging market growth in the coming years.Global Laminated Labels Market: SegmentationThe global laminated labels packaging market is segmented on the basis of the material type as polypropylene, polyester, and others. The global market is further categorized on the basis of printing technology as lithography, digital, flexographic, and others. Of which, digital printing is the dominating printing technology that is widely adopted by many companies. The laminated labels packaging market is divided on the basis of end-use applications as healthcare, personal care, food and beverages, pharmaceutical, and others. Of which, food and beverages segment grabs the largest portion of the market.Request Report TOC (Table of Contents) @Global Laminated Labels Market: Regional AnalysisGeographically, the global laminated labels market is segmented as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia-Pacific accounted for the largest market share owing to rising pharmaceuticals and food chain network; this is anticipated to positively impact the laminated labels market. Increasing disposal income and changing lifestyle may change the market perspective in the coming years. Other emerging economies such China and Japan and India owing to the favorable demand for consumer products may open up new opportunities for the market growth. Japan is moving towards convenience products which will anticipate growth in the future for the global laminated labels market.Browse detail report @Global Laminated Labels Market: Competitive PlayersSome of the leading players dominating the global laminated labels market include Stickythings Limited, Avery Dennison Corporation, Torraspapel Adestor, R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, and Bemis Company, Inc. Other key players influencing the global market are Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH, Bemis Company, Inc., Coveris Holdings S.A., CCL Industries Inc., Flexcon Company, Inc., and 3M Company.Our value reports provide full, in-depth analysis of the parent market including most significant changes in market dynamics; the report also presents the detailed overview on segmentation of this market. We managed to present as many important pieces of information in essential form  thanks to our report You will learn more about former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value, assessment of niche industry developments and Market share analysis. We have not forgotten to present key strategies for major players, emerging segments and regional markets and last but not least, testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market.Inquire more before buying this report @About Us: Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the clients needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.Contact Us:Zion Market Research4283, Express Lane,Suite 634-143,Sarasota, Florida 34249, United StatesTel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll-Free No.1-855-465-4651Email: sales@zionmarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Our Blog:
Structured Cabling Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2016-2026

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Structured cabling system is defined as the combination of set of cables & associated hardware used to provide comprehensive telecommunication infrastructure to various management systems, this telecommunication infrastructure enables the transmission of data, voice & video signal through a communication network from one point to other or from one system to another system. For the establishment of well-organized network connection, different types of cables & connecting devices for the connections, services & softwares for installation, maintenance monitoring & designing are required.As the communication network is the backbone of any infrastructure & the need for advanced and fast communication technique has continuously been increasing in the global market, hence the global structured cabling market is expected to show the growth during the forecast period.Request Report Sample@Global Structured Cabling Market: Market DynamicsThe key trends of global structured cabling market is the increase in demand of optical fibers cabling market in the industries because of its ability of higher speed data transfer. The key drivers responsible for the growth of global structured cabling market are drastic rise in internet penetration, high adoption rate of automation for home and industries, high bandwidth demand across the industries, rising trend of communication infrastructure & also the convergence of data centers. On the flip side there are also some key restraints which are inhibiting the growth of global structured cabling market & framed as; poor electromagnetic compatibility impedance tolerance of Unshielded twisted pair cable because of which efficiency of communication decreases, high cost of optical fiber cable and its components, fluctuations in the price of copper, compatibility issue of older communication infrastructure with the new ones & also the price issue among cable vendors because of higher competition.Global Structured Cabling Market: SegmentationSegmentation of the global structured cabling market is done on the basis of product type, service type, applications & Geography. On the basis of product type, global structured cabling market is segmented as cables (Optical Fiber Cable & Copper cable), communication outlets, patch panels & cross connects, racks & cabinets, patch panels, cables accessories & some tools used up in the installation. By service type global structured cabling market is segmented as installations & consultation, maintenance and support, software & managed service.On the basis of applications, the segmentation of global structured cabling market is done as; in residential & commercial sectors, IT & telecommunication, Government organization, military & defense sector, industrial applications, healthcare sector, transportation & others. These segments further be sub segmented as; telecom operators & datacenters are the sub segments of IT & telecommunication. Energy & power, oil & gas, metals & mining, Food & beverages come under the industrial segments. Among all the segments, IT & telecommunications segment is expected to cover highest market share of global structured cabling market. The reason behind highest market share of IT & telecommunication segment is higher demand of cabling structure service and its product from data centers and telecom providers.Geographically, the global structured cabling market is segmented into seven regions, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia  Pacific (excluding Japan), Japan as a separate region and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to holds the highest market share of global structured cabling market the reason behind this is the expansion of communication network architecture and also the data center convergence.Visit For TOC@Global Structured Cabling Market: Key PlayersThe key players of the global structured cabling market are Nexans S.A., CommScope, Inc., Schneider Electric SE, Panduit Corp., Legrand, Belden, Inc., Corning, Inc. ABB Ltd., Panduit Corp., Siemon, Teknon Corporation & others.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Cardiac Assist Devices Market 2015-2025 Industry Analysis, Trend and Growth

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Heart Failure (HF) is a potentially life-threatening condition that weakens the heart muscle, reduces its ability to pump enough blood throughout the body. Even without a heart transplant, patients' lives can be extended and improved with the use of small, implantable devices called Cardiac Assist Devices.Cardiac Assist Devices (CAD) are type of mechanical pumps that work along with the heart to improve its pumping efficiency and maintain the optimum blood flow throughout the body. The devices are typically employed in patients suffering from End-Stage Congestive Heart Failure, where the chances of survival through oral medications alone become minimal. The scarcity of donor organs has led to the development of these devices.Globally, there are around 23 million cases of HF and around 5.8 million people in United States have HF. About half of the people who develop heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis.Request Report Sample@Cardiac Assist Devices Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe Cardiac Assist Devices market is driven by aging population, increasing prevalence of HF, high adaptation rates of these devices, and new technology innovations.Increasing rates of cardiovascular diseases and aging population has boosted the cardiac assist devices market globally. The shortage of donor hearts for transplantation is also leading to an increase in adoption of cardiac assist devices in patients with end-stage heart failure.Cardiac assist devices are also being used as a Bridge-To-Transplantation (BTT), Bridge-To-Recovery (BTR) or Destination Therapy (DT), depending on the requirement of the patient and the severity of the disease. Technological advancements that make the devices more efficient and minimally invasive are expected to further drive the demand for cardiac assist devices in the future.Presence of alternative treatment like heart transplantation, pacemaker and etc. and the few risk which are associated with the device implantation, such as development of blood clots, respiratory failure and device failure and other surgical complications such as bleeding, kidney failure, stroke and infection. Such complication are acting as a barrier in the adoption of such treatment and devices.Cardiac Assist Devices Market: SegmentationThe global market of cardiac assist devices is segmented into following types:Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumps (IABP)Total Artificial Heart (TAH)Further, Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) are segmented into the following types based on the defect and placement of the device.Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)Right Ventricular Assist Device (RVAD)Bi-Ventricular Assist Device (Bi-VAD)External Ventricular Assist Device (VAD)Cardiac Assist Devices Market: OverviewWith rapid technological advancement and wide acceptance of cardiac surgery procedures among patients with heart problem, the global cardiac assist devices market is expected to exhibit a double-digit growth in the forecast period (2015-2025).With FDA approving SynCardia Systems Total Artificial Heart to conduct clinical studies on destination therapy, more and more end stage heart failure patient will be benefit from this nature of therapy and the market is expected to expand significantly in the forecast period.Request For TOC@Cardiac Assist Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global cardiac assist devices market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.North America is the leading markets for cardiac assist devices with highest prevalent cases with heart failure, technological development, high patient awareness and reimbursement coverage for CAD implantation procedures. Europe is the second largest market followed by Asia Pacific and Japan.Cardiac Assist Devices Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global cardiac assist devices market are Thoratec Corporation, MAQUET GmbH & Co., Teleflex Incorporated, Heart Ware International, Berlin Heart GmbH, ABIOMED and SynCardia Systems, Inc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Tissue and Hygiene Products Market 2015-2025 Growth and Forecast

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The personal care products market comprises hair care, skin care, toiletries, fragrances convenience products and others. Among all these segments toiletries and skin care comprises the major segments for the market, constituting with high market value with favorable perspective in the near future. Tissue and hygiene is the sub-segment of toiletries segment. Tissue and hygiene products help consumers to maintain healthy and hygienic lifestyle in day to day schedule. Tissue and hygiene products are further categorized as disposable razor or blades, sanitary pads, nappies, cleansers, sprays, cotton wool and others.Tissue and hygiene Market SegmentationTissue and hygiene market can be segmented on the basis of distribution channel which includes health and beauty stores, chemist/pharmacies/drugstores, supermarkets, convenient stores, e-retailing and others. Among all these distribution channel segments, sell out of tissue and hygiene products through supermarkets account for the highest market share in 2014 followed by convenience stores. Growing retail industry is fuelling the demand for sell out of tissue and hygiene products through supermarkets across the globe. Moreover, chemist/pharmacies/drugstores segment is also expected to show a potential growth in terms of sales of tissue and hygiene products during the forecast period. In addition, sell out through internet is expected to show a sustainable growth in the forecasted period. The growth of online purchasing is supported by the increasing penetration of internet and rising concern for convenience among the consumers across the globe.Request Report Sample@The tissue and hygiene market can also be segmented on the basis of product type. The segmentation includes cotton wool/buds/, incontinence products, nappies/diapers, sanitary protection, wipes and others. Among all these segments sanitary protection and nappies/diapers are collectively expected to account for the highest growth in terms of revenue followed by wipes. Increasing concern of women for healthy and hygienic lifestyle is expected to support the growth of sanitary protection product market across the globe. Moreover, wipes are also expected to show a tremendous growth in the forecast period due to continuous and aggressive promotion of the product.On the basis of geography, North America contributes to the largest in terms of revenue in tissue and hygiene market followed by Europe. In North America United States is the major contributor in tissue and hygiene market followed by Canada. In Europe, countries such as Germany and France accounts for the largest market share followed by United Kingdom. Whereas, Asia pacific is concerned it is expected to register a double digit CAGR growth by 2020. In Asia pacific region China is expected to be the most dominant market for tissue and hygiene followed by Japan. Rising awareness through various corporate advertisements and government educational campaigns coupled with increasing concern of women to be hygienic in their day to day life has fueled the growth of tissue and hygiene market in China. Moreover, women in China prefer for premium feminine hygiene product categories, which is expected to bolster the growth of feminine hygiene products in terms of revenue. In addition, India is also expected to witness a robust growth in tissue and hygiene market. Increasing number of working women in urban areas, rising awareness among the consumer for healthy and hygienic lifestyle has supported the growth of tissue and hygiene market in India. Furthermore, government educating and awareness campaigns in rural areas and in schools is expected to support the growth of tissue and hygiene market particularly in India.Tissue and hygiene Market DriversRising disposable income coupled with increasing consumer expenditure for health care products is driving the growth of tissue and hygiene market across the globe. In addition, consumer awareness through aggressive corporate advertisement and various government campaign programs in rural and urban areas especially in school and colleges is also fueling the tissue and hygiene market growth of tissue and hygiene market in the forecast period. In addition continuous launching of new product variant is expected to fuel the growth of tissue and hygiene market in the near future.Request For TOC@Tissue and hygiene Market: Key PlayersThe major international players operating in tissue and hygiene market includes Sterling Hygiene Tissue Procter & Gamble, Gulf Manufacturing EST, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Limited, Unilever and Hengan International Group Company Limited. among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Digital X-Ray Equipment Market 2015-2025 Industry Analysis, Trend and Growth

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Two-dimensional images produced by x-ray radiation is the practice of projectional radiography, also known as plain film radiography. Digital X-Ray equipment is utilized in medical imaging of human body. X-rays are ionizing radiations that possess the energy to penetrate human tissue. Digital x-rays interact with human tissues and generate diagnostic images. The human tissues are exposed to a beam of x-ray which is also known as primary beam. It passes through the body and gets absorbed by the human tissues. This process of absorption of the primary beam by human tissues is known as attenuation. Attenuation is the key function that results in formation of digital x-ray images through Digital x-ray equipment. The dense anatomy of the body such as the bones absorb more x-rays than the thin anatomy of the body. The primary x-ray beam after attenuation is known as remnant beam. The remnant beam is received by image receptor of the Digital x-ray equipment. The dense anatomy appears white while the thin anatomy appears black on radiographs produced by Digital x-ray equipment.Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Drivers & RestraintsDigital x-ray uses x-ray to view the internal anatomy of the irregularly composed opaque tissues. The opaque tissues highly vary in their density and x-rays are the most efficient electromagnetic radiations that represent clear digital images through digital x-ray equipment. X-rays are safe radiations for the living tissues and digital x-ray images can be generated of every body organ. The digital x-ray equipment market is majorly driven by novel technological advancements, increasing healthcare expenditure, rise in ageing population and disease prevalence. The digital x-ray equipment market is also witnessing highly competitive scenario that has led to large number of improved digital x-ray equipment launches. Moreover, digital x-ray equipment are less expensive yet more efficient than other radiography equipment. Digital x-ray equipment provides quick healthcare delivery and improves workflow. The digital x-ray equipment has the limitation of in-depth imaging. The digital x-ray equipment is based on transmission of the x-ray beam and this exposes only the surfaces of the human anatomy under observation. The details of the human anatomy are not revealed by the digital x-ray equipment.Request Report Sample@Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: SegmentationDigital x-ray equipment market is classified on the basis of product type and geography.Based on product type, the global Digital X-Ray Equipment market is segmented into the following:Digital Radiography (DR)Computed Radiography (CR)Retrofit Radiography SystemDigital X-Ray Equipment Market: OverviewDigital X-Ray Equipment is widely used in the imaging of all human body tissues and has become a part of routine checkup. Digital x-ray equipment deliver medical imaging in the standard safety radiation dose. Digital x-ray imaging is one of the most important pillars of medical imaging. The global Digital x-ray equipment market is expected to expand at an exceptional double digit CAGR during the forecast period 2015 to 2025.Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic regions, global Digital X-Ray Equipment market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a remarkable CAGR owing to the improving healthcare facilities and infrastructure. Also the expanding middle class population in the region is expected to add significant value to the digital x-ray equipment market. Moreover, the countries of New Zealand, Australia, India, China and Japan have ample potential and availability of advanced diagnostics and therapeutics. The APAC region also contributes favorably to the global medical tourism and further to the global digital x-ray equipment market.Request For TOC@Digital X-Ray Equipment Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global Digital X-Ray Equipment market are Siemens AG, Philips Healthcare, Canon USA Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, GE Healthcare, Varian Medical Systems, Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Healthcare, Hitachi Medical Corporation, Toshiba Medical Systems, Fuji Medical Systems and China Resources Holding Medical Equipment Company Limited. The competition in digital x-ray equipment market is majorly based on technological advances in digital x-ray equipment and the pricing of the digital x-ray equipment.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Revenues from Automotive Exhaust Muffler Market will Surpass US$ 10,166.2 Mn by 2022

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The global automotive exhaust muffler market is expected to witness a sluggish growth over the next five years. Limited application and lack of innovation is delaying the possibility of any significant progress of the market. At the same time, inflating cost is impacting the overall sales of the automotive exhaust mufflers. Moreover, the unavoidable backpressure is the greatest designing & technical fault of automotive exhaust mufflers, which makes it one of least favoured automotive components. Fact.MRs latest report projects that the global market for automotive exhaust muffler will reach a valuation of around US$ 10,166.2 Mn by the end of 2022. Apart from its main function of reducing the noise emanated by the engine, automotive exhaust muffler can sometimes help in enhancing the vehicles fuel efficiency. The aforementioned factors are expected to play an important role in determining the future prospects of the market.Global Automotive Exhaust Muffler Market: Key ProjectionsEurope to dominate the global market for automotive exhaust muffler over the forecast period. The region is projected to command for the largest share of the global market in terms of revenue.For More Details - A sample of this report is available upon request@Presence of a well-established automotive industry in Europe will continue to propel the market for automotive exhaust muffler in the region.Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is also expected to emerge as an attractive market for automotive exhaust muffler over 2022. The market in APEJ is projected to reflect a relatively faster CAGR as compared to other regions.In APEJ, China will remain a key market for automotive exhaust muffler owing to the robust expansion of the automotive sector in the country.On the basis of the product type, the center inlet segment will retain its top position over 2022. The segment currently accounts for more than 23% share of the global market in terms of revenue.Request For Discount:After market is expected to remain largest sales channel for automotive exhaust muffler throughout the assessment period.The aftermarket sales channel segment currently represents for more than 67% revenue share of the market of the global market.Based on size, the 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 in. Inlet automotive exhaust muffler segment is estimated to stand at around US$ 2,047 Mn by the end of 2022, reflecting a CAGR of little under 3%. In terms of revenue, this segment currently commands for more than 19% share of the market.By vehicle, the compact passenger cars segment is projected to hold the predominant share of the global market during the forecast period. Towards the end 2022, the segment is estimated to surpass a valuation of US$ 2,787 Mn, reflecting a steady CAGR.Competition TrackingFact.MRs report has also profiled leading players in the global market for automotive exhaust muffler, which will remain active through 2022. These include companies such as Eminox Limited, Tenneco Inc., Futaba Industrial Co., Ltd., Friedrich Boysen GmbH & Co. KG, Bosal Nederland B.V., Peugeot S.A. (Faurecia SA), Eberspacher Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG, Benteler International AG, Yutaka Giken Co., Ltd., and Sejong Industrial Co., Ltd.Browse Full Report:ABOUT US:Fact.MR is focused on offering transformative intelligence that inspires breakthroughs and innovation. We believe that the right decisions at the opportune time are integral to achieve extraordinary success. We are here to help you with your strategic decision making.CONTACT:Suite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandPhone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.comWebsite:
E. Coli Testing Market Global Analysis & 2025 Forecast Research Report

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Global E. Coli Testing Market: SnapshotE. coli (Escherichia coli) is a fecal coliform bacteria commonly found in intestines of humans and animals. Most of the E. coli strains are harmless, however certain strains are known to cause harmful medical complications. These include neonatal meningitis, gastrointestinal infections, cholecystitis, bacteremia, urinary tract infection (UTI), cholangitis, and pneumonia and mainly spreads through contaminated water or food. As this organism is found in intestinal tract of humans, it is considered as an indicator of fecal contamination. Hence, food and water samples are regularly tested for E. coli to avoid foodborne infections.Read the Comprehensive Overview of E. Coli Testing Market:Sudden outbreak of drug resistant E. coli strains has raised serious health concerns. The epidemic has spread to various regions of the world including North America and parts of Europe. These factors have led governments and regulatory agencies to adopt preventive measures to avoid such epidemics. Hence Environment Protection Agencies (EPA) across the globe have laid strict guidelines for water testing. These guidelines are practiced by municipal water suppliers, bottled water suppliers, waste water treatment plants, and private well owners.Spurred by these factors, the global E. coli testing market is expected to reach US$2.36 bn by the end of 2025, from US$1.18 bn in 2016. If these figures hold true, the global E. coli testing market will exhibit a CAGR of 8.0% between 2017 and 2025.Home and Drinking Water Segment to Continue Exhibiting Highest DemandIn terms of environmental testing methods, the global E. coli testing market is bifurcated into environmental testing method and clinical testing methods. The environmental testing method segment is further classified into membrane filtration (MF), multiple tube fermentation (MTF), and enzyme substrate method. Of these, holding majority share, the enzyme substrate method emerged dominant in the market in 2016. As the method is relatively more cost-effective and does not require skilled professionals for conducting it, is likely to retain its top slot through the forecast period.Likewise, the clinical testing segment is classified into polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enzyme immunoassay (EIA) tests, and others. Of these, enzyme immunoassays testing will continue holding the largest share in the market through the forecast period.By end user, the market can be categorized as waste water treatment organizations, bottled water suppliers, home and drinking water suppliers, and others. Of these, holding over 49.7% of the market, the home and drinking water segment emerged dominant in 2016. While the segment is expected to remain at the lead through the coming years, the market will also witness rising demand from waste water treatment organizations. Furthermore, the increasing drinking water crisis and frequent outbreak of water borne diseases will put pressure on governments to ensure high standards of home and drinking water, thus sealing the dominance of the segment.North America to Remain Dominant Regional Market through Forecast PeriodRegionally, the global E. coli testing market has been segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. In 2016, North America held the dominant share of nearly 44.5% in the global E. coli testing market. North America has been one of the early adopters of the latest technologies. Besides this, the region also boasts a sophisticated healthcare infrastructure, which is aiding the growth of the E. coli testing market.Meanwhile, the Europe market is saturated and growing at slow rate while Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR during the forecast period with major contribution of countries such as India, Japan and China. New product launches, favorable regulations, ability of patients to pay for advanced technology products, and growing awareness are likely to drive the market in Asia Pacific during the forecast period.Request for the Sample Report:Some of the key players operating in the E. coli testing market are IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., CPI International, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Pro-Lab Diagnostics, Inc., Alere Inc., BioMerieux Inc., and NanoLogix, Inc.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
DECATUR  The man prosecutors say killed 21-year-old Cesley Taylor delayed a possible plea agreement Thursday, with his attorney saying he wants more time to talk to his mother about it.

Darion L. Evans got his wish when Macon County Circuit Judge Thomas E. Griffith agreed to continue the case for a potential disposition at a new hearing now scheduled Aug. 30.

Evans' attorney, Dan Fultz, said Evans' mother wants to visit the Macon County Jail, where her son is being held, to talk things over.

Evans, 18, is one of four men accused in the murder and robbery of Taylor, who was killed Sept. 7, 2015, in her apartment on Decatur's north side. Her roommate, Britney Wilson, was shot multiple times but survived. The Macon County State's Attorney's Office said Evans, then 16, was the gunman, and he was accompanied by Shaitan L. Cook Jr., Daiquan Cline and Ryan O'Neal, all 16 at the time and all now in custody facing murder charges.

Of those fellow defendants, Cook appeared before Griffith on Monday and said he was rejecting a plea deal that would have seen him receive a 20-year sentence. His case is set for pre-trial hearing Oct. 11 and the judge warned him he could be looking at a maximum sentence of close to 100 years if convicted.

Daiquin Cline has already pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree murder carrying a 20-year prison term. He is due to be sentenced Aug. 23. Ryan O'Neal was to have faced a bench trial before Griffith on Tuesday but the case was delayed at the request of his attorney, Richard Hopp. The case is now set to have a status hearing Sept. 26.

Taylor's relatives, many wearing shirts emblazoned with her picture, frequently attend the hearings for the four men accused of killing her.
Microwave Absorbing Materials Market Analysis, a Size nd Forecast Report 2016-2026

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Microwave absorbing materials absorb radio waves, micro waves & electromagnetic waves of wide frequency range -- from 100 MHz to a millimeter or a micron wave. These materials are commonly used in stealth technology for air-space, marine & military warfare, and signal transmission & reception process. These materials also find applications as a shield from high intensity electromagnetic fields/waves generated during medical diagnostics such as MRI, CAT scans.The properties of microwave absorbing materials include wave reflection reduction, resonance cavity reduction, and null echo. Finished products made using microwave absorbing materials find applications across defense, telecommunication, core & applied electronics industry.Request Report Sample@Microwave Absorbing Materials Market: Segmentation & TrendsMicrowave absorbing materials are available into following types:Films & ElastomersFoamsMilitary Specialty Microwave and Custom Magnetic AbsorbersMolded, Cast Liquids and CoatingsMajor end-use application sectors include:Military & Defense.AutomationElectronics & TelecommunicationsChemicalsTextilesHealthcareThe global microwave absorbing materials market is skilled-labour-intensive with focus on new product & application developments, and diversification of existing product types a key focus area for manufacturers. The customers requirements range from a standard prototype to a customised one. Concept marketing and product marketing are the key go-to marketing strategies for key players in this region.The global microwave absorbing market has seen many acquisitions by large-scale enterprises, which has been a synergy of supporting capital & expertise in technical know-how. Industrial exhibitions, trade fairs, defense expo are the common platforms of marketing & promotion for the value & supply chain players. The market is oligopoly type, which consists of few specialised manufacturers -- backed by regional distributors & suppliers with defense & telecommunication -- as the major consumer markets.Microwave Absorbing Materials Market DynamicsThe major producers of microwave absorbing materials are located in North America & other OECD group Nations. U.S. defense sector is a major consumer & one of the key drivers for the markets evolution and growth. The electronic component manufacturing sector in the Asia Pacific region is likely to witness next wave of development over the coming five to six years, creating opportunities for microwave absorbing material manufacturers.Microwave Absorbing Materials Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncrease in spending on defense systems and sustained demand for finished electronic goods will continue to fuel the growth of the microwave absorbing materials market during the forecast period, 2016-2026. On the other hand, taxes & cess imposed on raw materials & finished goods of microwave absorbents and unfavourable export & import policies can act as a deterrent.Visit For TOC@Microwave Absorbing Materials Industry: Key PlayersThe key players involved in manufacturing of microwave absorbing materials are Lairdtech, ESCO Technologies Corporation, ARC Technologies Inc., Western Rubber & Supply, Inc., Cuming Microwave, Mast Technologies, Thorndike Corporation, Parker Hannifin Corp. and Panashield etc. apart from other existing local & regional manufacturers of respective markets.Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market 2015-2025 Industry Analysis, Trend and Growth

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Real-time e-healthcare system is one of the best ways to keep your health records and track it anytime, without any geographical constraint. Patients can always stay in touch with their doctors and communicate with them about any health issue. They can self-check also for an immediate result without any third partys dependence. With advanced technology and rapid innovation, these days products are being made in such a way that it should be more consumer friendly and easy to use. Real-time e-healthcare system fulfills all the above criteria and hence, the market is growing at a positive rate.Recently, Kaiser Permanente implemented an EMR protocol in Community Health Centres in Oregon, US, to improve clinical decision support for patients with diabetes, which can remind them to prescribe hypertension medications to reduce heart attack and other strokes. iPatientCare EHR, Praxis, EMR, Insta HMS, e-MDs Chart, WRS Health, AccuMed, WEBeDoctor, A.I.med are some of the top Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software products.Request Report Sample@Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Drivers & RestraintsTechnological advancement, increasing disposable income, increase use of online services, increase use of mobile devices, increased health cost and expenditure, increasing need of an integrated healthcare system are the most important driving factors in real-time e-healthcare system market. Sine real-time e-healthcare system reduces medical errors and easily accessible information, the demand for real time e-healthcare system has increased regardless of the geographical location.Lack of inexperienced professionals, high maintenance and service cost, privacy concerns, the complexity of systems, less presence of real-time e-healthcare system in rural areas including developed nations like Europe and are acting as a barrier for real-time e-healthcare system market.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: SegmentationReal-time e-healthcare system is broadly classified on the basis of the following segments By Product:Fitness Bands/wristband deviceClip on monitor devicesThermometerBlood-pressure monitor deviceM-health applicationsBlood glucose monitor devicesBy End-user:Public/Private HospitalsPharmacyIndividualsOthersReal-Time E-Healthcare System Market: OverviewThe real-time e-healthcare market has grown substantially at a healthy CAGR due to rising disposable income, increasing health awareness by consumers, ageing population and increasing healthcare expenditure. With rapid technological advancement and variety of options available in the market, real-time e-healthcare market is expected to grow globally. North America represents the largest market for this product category. Asia Pacific will emerge as the fastest growing region in real-time e-healthcare market.Request For TOC@Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe real-time e-healthcare market is expected to register a double-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, real-time e-healthcare market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market due to the improved healthcare infrastructure and high healthcare cost and rising disposable income. Increase demand of cloud computing from the developed nations like Europe and North America may also increase the demand for real-time e-healthcare systems by the end of forecast period.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in real-time e-healthcare market are Fitbit, Garmin, Jawbone, Misfit Wearables, DexCom, Medtronic, Abbott, Cerner Corporation, GE Healthcare, Epic Systems Corporation, Medical Information Technology Inc. (MEDITECH).ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global GNSS Chip Market Evaluation & Forecast Report Exhibiting 7.7% CAGR Growth during 2017  2025

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In the present time, the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) is prominent to facilitate operations such as traveling, tracking a person or cargo, locating a place, surveying, mapping etc. GNSS chips are or chipsets are important components of GNSS devices which assist is easy transmission and receiving signals. To learn in-depth about the market for GNSS chips, Market Research Hub (MRH) has offered a fresh report to its wide database. This research report is titled GNSS Chip Market - Global Industry Analysis, Trend, Size, Share, and Forecast 2017  2025, which provides the size of the global GNSS chip market in 2016, along with a precise forecast for the coming years up to 2025. In addition to this, the report also presents an estimated growth value for the global GNSS chip market at a 7.7% CAGR, in terms of value, during the period between 2017 and 2025.Request Free Sample Report:This intelligent report initiates with an accurate description related to the research methodology and executive summary. Further, the market overview and market taxonomy are also enclosed to educate the readers in a simplistic manner. Later, particulars related to market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, opportunity, and trends are arranged in a systematic form in this excellent research study.As the report proceeds, the readers can grab important details linked to market segmentation based on geography, device type, and end-use industry. On the basis of regional divergence, the global GNSS chip market targets the current and forecast demand in the prime regions such as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. The mentioned regions are further bifurcated into countries so as to offer a better picture in terms of volume (Billion Units) and value (US$ Bn). Later, segmentation on the basis of device type includes smart phones, in-vehicle networking systems, and personal navigation devices. It is important to note that, end-use industries for GNSS chips have been benchmarked in the report based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness for upcoming growth. The prominent end-user industries are agriculture, automotive, defense, marine, and others.Browse Full Report With TOC:The concluding section of the report talks about the leading market players. For each of the prime manufacturers, the report presents information comprising of company details, SWOT analysis, historical revenue and market presence. Few of the top players from the global GNSS chip market are Qualcomm Incorporated (, United States), U-Blox Holdings AG (Switzerland), Mediatek Inc. (Taiwan), ST Microelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (Japan) and Intel Corporation (United States).Enquire About this Report:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 1-800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Read Industry News At:
Rising Longevity of People to Create Growth Opportunities for Ileostomy Market

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Global Ileostomy Market: OverviewCreating stoma which is an opening in human body to remove waste produced inside the body is defined as ostomy. Ostomy is the surgery procedure used for treating diseases like cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) etc. Ostomy in different parts of the body are named accordingly such as ileostomy for small intestine, colostomy for colon, and urostomy for bladder. This report studies the current scenario as well as future market potential for Ileostomy globally. This report provides an elaborate executive summary, which includes the market snapshot that provides market dynamics of various segments and sub-segments that are included in the report in a precise manner.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Ileostomy Market:This report provides in-depth analysis of the ileostomy market. The stakeholders for this report include companies involved in the manufacturing of ileostomy, companies providing raw material for manufacturing ileostomy, and companies providing equipment for manufacturing. For providing the snapshot of the market to stakeholders, an executive summary section has been included in the report, which mainly summarizes the market trends, competition and size of different regions.Global Ileostomy Market: Scope of the ReportThe market overview section of this report analyzes market dynamics such as drivers, restraints and opportunities that influence the ileostomy market in the current and future scenario. Market share analysis among the market players is analyzed to signify percentage share of the major players operating in the ileostomy market. All these factors will help the market players to decide about the business strategies and plans to be incurred in future for strengthening their position in the global market.The report provides market estimation of ileostomy market in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) for all the segments and sub segments with CAGR % for the period from 2016 to 2024, considering 2015 as the base year. The report also provides the volume of ileostomy procedures for the segment by type of procedures and by geography with CAGR % for the period from 2016 to 2024. Furthermore, the report incorporates market attractiveness analysis by geography category that depicts the most attractive region in the global market during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.Global Ileostomy Market: Key SegmentsThe ileostomy market has been segmented based on procedure type, equipment type, disease condition and end user. Based on procedure type, the global ileostomy market has been segmented into end ileostomy and loop ileostomy. Based on equipment type, the global ileostomy market has been segmented into stoma bags, support belts & girdles, adhesive remover sprays, and protective stoma guards. Based on disease condition type, the global ileostomy market has been segmented into cancer, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohns disease and others. Based on end users type, the global ileostomy market has been segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and research centers.Geographically, the Ileostomy market has been categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Moreover, analysis for the major countries comprising U.S. Canada, Germany, U.K., France, Italy, and Spain have also been provided in the report. A detailed qualitative analysis of the factors responsible for driving and restraining the growth of the Ileostomy market in various regions has been provided in this section.Request for the Sample Report:Companies Mentioned in the ReportThis report also includes key market trends and major opportunities that will assist new companies in establishing their presence and market players in expanding their market share in the ileostomy market. The report concludes with the company profile section which includes company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, business strategies and recent developments for market players. The major players that are profiled in the report include Smith & Nephew, Convatec Inc., 3M Healthcare, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Coloplast, Hollister Incorporated, Salts Healthcare, Flexicare Medical Ltd., Marlen Manufacturing, and Pelican Healthcare.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bulk Food Ingredients Market Driven by Increase in the Demand for Processed & Ready to Eat Food

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Bulk food ingredients are food components which are used in packaged, processed foods and ready to eat foods like confectionery items, biscuits, beverages, chocolates, etc. The bulk food ingredients include grocery items like, artificial sweeteners, sugars, coffee and tea extracts, nuts and seeds, spices and herbs, dry fruits, dehydrated vegetables, wheat and rice among others. These food ingredients are purchased in bulk or huge quantities from the wholesale supplier and brought in to the retail stores.. The bulk food ingredients are also known as whole food ingredients and are often found in organic form. Due to their organic properties the bulk food ingredients are regarded for being health foods.. These products can both be processed and non-processed. The use of these ingredients was prevalent in North America due to a high consumption of packaged, processed and ready to eat foods. Now Asia Pacific is the leading player in the bulk food ingredients market due to increase in global exposure and western lifestyle influence. Changing consumer lifestyles have led to an increase in the demand for processed and ready to eat food and beverages. Furthermore,rise in health awarenessamong consumers has led to an increased demand for wellness products.Obtain Report Details @Despite of western market influence on the emerging economies of Asia Pacific, there is still skepticism regarding the consumption of ready to eat food in these economies. Concerns regarding the freshness and safety of the processed food products have always been bothering a considerable section of the population who are not so dependent on the ready to eat and packaged foods. Also the packaged ready to eat foods come at a high price which is not affordable by the middle class segment of the population.The global demography can be found to be dominated by young population mostly of the working age. Owing to this fact, the lifestyle patterns of the majority population is found to be busy and hectic therefore requiring the need for ready to eat foods. Also the advertisement strategies and celebrity endorsements of packaged foods will keep the market for packaged foods stable and this in turn will boost the market for bulk food ingredients during the forecast period .By product the bulk food ingredients can be segmented into, wheat grains, rice, nuts (Almonds, cashews, hazel nuts, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, etc.), green food (alfalfa powder, barley grass powder, kelp powder, chlorella powder, etc.), Spices and herbs (bay leaves, dried basil, chamomile, green tea, saffron, etc.), sugar, artificial sweeteners, coffee and tea extracts, custom blended products, gums, dehydrated vegetables, and freeze dried fruits,among others . By application the market can be segmented into, confectionery, food and beverages, chocolates, snacks. Some spice herbs are also used by the pharmaceutical industries due to their medicinal properties. Similarly they are also used by the personal care industries as green tea, coffee and tea extracts, saffron and some herbs are used in making face creams, soaps and other personal care products.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @By region the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East. Asia Pacific is the leading market for consumption of packaged and processed owing to its increasing working population and increased exposure to western lifestyle patterns due to globalization. The emerging economies of Asia Pacific region have also experienced a increase in their disposable income which has helped them to improve their standard of living and afford the ready to eat meals.The lead players in this market are, Archer Daniels Midland Company, EHL Ingredients, El.Du Pont de Nemons and company, DHM Ingredients, Ingredion Incorporated, Community Food Limited, Olam International, and Cargill Incorporated among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Recent Report Covers Upcoming Opportunities in Medical Device Technologies Market

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Global Medical Device Technologies Market: SnapshotThe global medical device technologies market is largely steered by global players, of which a few that are involved in the manufacture of in vitro diagnostic devices hold the leading share. However, small players, predominantly from emerging economies, seeking entry into the market will alter the scenario in the coming years.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Medical Device Technologies Market:The evolution of medical device technologies have led to breakthroughs in disease diagnosis and in treatment of diseases. Medical technologies have brought about efficacy, sustainability, and efficiency in healthcare systems with hi-tech devices such as ultrasounds, continuous glucose monitoring systems, and many more. These are some of the key growth drivers of the medical device technologies market.On the flip side, serving as a hindrance to the market is rising incidence of use of non-licensed technology for the integration of biomedical devices.A report by Transparency Market Research projects the global medical device technologies market to rise at a CAGR of 4.6% between 2017 and 2025 for the market to attain a value of US$563,886.5 mn by 2025 increasing from US$377,562.4 mn in 2016.In Vitro Diagnostic Devices Dominate Device Type Segment due to Rising Incidence of Infectious DiseasesThe global medical device technologies market has been studied in terms of device type, end-user, and region. The segments of the market depending upon device type are in vitro diagnostics devices, diagnostic imaging devices, cardiology devices, ophthalmology devices, orthopedic devices, endoscopy devices, diabetes care devices, wound management devices, anesthesia and respiratory care devices, kidney/dialysis devices, and other devices. The others segment comprises hospital supply devices, dental devices, and drug delivery systems.In vitro devices and other devices led the global medical device technologies market in 2016 revenue-wise. The segment of in vitro diagnostic devices is expected to display notable growth in the coming years too because of rising incidence of infectious diseases along with the rising popularity of non-invasive diagnostic practices. The others devices segment is also expected to have a significant bearing on the development of medical device technologies market owing to the adoption of advanced technologies for the manufacture of devices such as dental implants.On the basis of end-user, the market is classified into six segments, namely academics and research, hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers, ambulatory surgical centers, and others. Hospitals and academics and research are presently the leading end-use segments of medical device technologies market. In 2016, hospitals held the leading share of the overall market owing to proliferation in the number of hospitals and government backing in many countries for improvement of the healthcare sector.Demand for Technology-driven Patient Care Makes North America Leading RegionThe key regional segments of the global medical device technologies market are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. North America led the market in 2015 among other key regional segments because of rising incidence of cancer, metabolic diseases, and a large patient pool of individuals with chronic diseases and cardiovascular diseases that require crucial diagnosis and therapies. The demand for automated medical processes and the region being home to several manufacturers are also contributing immensely to the North America medical device technologies market.Europe trailed North America in the global medical device technologies market in 2016 revenue-wise. In vitro diagnostic devices are majorly fuelling the growth of this regional market on account of high prevalence of cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases.Request for the Sample Report:Some of the key players operating in the global medical device technologies market are Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific Corporation, Baxter International Inc., Medtronic plc, Cardinal Health Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., GE Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Siemens Healthineers, Smith & Nephew plc, Stryker Corporation, and Koninklijke Philips N.VAbout TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Assisted Reproductive Technology Market Growth to be driven by Steady Influx of Investment in Healthcare Sector

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Key players in the moderately fragmented global assisted reproductive technology market include Merck, CooperSurgical, Inc., Irvine Scientific, Vitrolife AB, Hamilton Thorne, Inc., Nidacon International AB, Laboratoire CCD, Planer PLC, Esco Micro Pte. Ltd. (Esco Group), and Nikon Corporation. Merck holds a dominant share in the global assisted reproductive technology market due to its widespread portfolio and steady presence in various regional markets.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Assisted Reproductive Technology Market:In Vitro fertilization to Dominate due to Growing Efficacy of Modern ProceduresBy technology, the global assisted reproductive technology market is divided into artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, surrogacy, and others. In vitro fertilization is by far the dominant contributor to the global assisted reproductive technology market at present and is likely to retain the position in the coming years due to the growing awareness about the efficacy of in vitro fertilization and the increasing awareness among citizens about the same. The in vitro fertilization segment accounted for a majority share of more than 62% in the global assisted reproductive technology market in 2016 and is likely to extend its dominance further by the end of the 2017-2025 forecast period.Surrogacy is also likely to receive increasing demand in the coming years, due in part to the growing demand for assisted reproductive technology from same-sex couples. While many parents now prefer the benefit of having their own genetic imprint in their baby through in vitro fertilization, surrogacy is likely to receive sustained demand in the coming years. This is borne out by the figures of the global assisted reproductive technology market by procedure, wherein fresh non donor contributions were the preferred choice for most consumers. The fresh non donor segment accounted for more than 50% of the global assisted reproductive technology market in 2016 and is likely to remain similarly dominant in the coming years.Geographically, Europe is the leading contributor to the global assisted reproductive technology market and is likely to retain a leading share in the global market in the coming years. The rising support for same-sex marriage in Europe is likely to play a key role in the development of the assisted reproductive technology market in the region in coming years.Gradual Lifting of Social Taboos in Asia Pacific Opens Lucrative MarketDeveloping economies in Asia Pacific are likely to be vital to the global assisted reproductive technology market in the coming years. While the predominant social values in these regions tended to dissuade constructive growth of the assisted reproductive technology market, the gradual relaxation in social norms in these regions has resulted in a promising environment for the market. The growing prevalence of reproductive problems in Asia Pacific countries such as India and China is thus crucial to the global assisted reproductive technology market.The growing investment in the healthcare sector in developing countries is also likely to provide a major boost to the global assisted reproductive technology market in the coming years. This will help increase the frequency of fertility clinics in underdeveloped regions, where sophisticated medical facilities may still be absent.Request for the Sample Report:The steady development of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a key driver for the global assisted reproductive technology market. PGD helps physicians diagnose genetic disorders likely to manifest in the baby before it is implanted, making the technology vital for parents looking to avoid complicated births and lifestyles. The rapid development of the scientific database regarding genetic diseases is further likely to remain a key boost for the global assisted reproductive technology market.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Soy Protein Ingredient Market 2015-2025 Growth and Forecast

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Soybean is processed primarily into three forms which includes soy protein isolates comprise ~90% protein, soy protein concentrates with ~70% protein, and soy flour with ~50% protein. Soy protein ingredient is considered to be the best substitute for animal protein. Soy protein ingredient comprises amino acids and are also rich in fiber, calcium, iron, potassium, polyunsaturated fats and lecithin, magnesium and vitamin B. Thus it contains high health-related benefits and functional properties. Due to its characteristics it primarily used as emulsifier, gel, tenderizer, binder, stabilizer, and thickener by food and beverages processing industry. Soy protein ingredients are also environmental friendly as they require less amount of water while processing.Soy Protein Ingredient Market SegmentationOn the basis of type soy protein ingredient can be segmented as soy protein isolates, soy protein concentrates and soy flour. Among all these product type soy protein isolates is expected to account for the potential market share followed by soy protein concentrates. Due to high percentage of protein content in soy protein isolates is supporting the demand for the same during the forecast period. Soy flour is also expected to show a substantial growth in the near future. However due to less protein content in the soy flour is expected to restrain its growth in the near future.Request Report Sample@Furthermore the soy protein ingredient market is segmented on the basis of application which includes bakery and confectionary, processed meat products, functional foods, dairy replacers, infant foods and others. Among all these segment functional food is expected to be the major contributor in supporting the growth soy protein ingredient followed by processed meat products. Rising awareness among the consumer for health beneficiary products is supporting the demand for soy protein ingredient market during the forecast period. Moreover, infant food is also expected to support the demand of soy protein ingredient market. This is due to the increasing parental concern for providing the nutritious and healthy food to their child.Geographically Europe and North America is expected to account for the major market share in the forecast period. However these region is expected to record moderate growth. In North America, U.S. is expected to be the major contributor in terms of revenue followed by Canada. Moreover Asia pacific is expected to show the double digit CAGR growth during the forecast period followed by Latin America. In Asia pacific region China and India is expected to account for the substantial growth due to increased demand for nutritional food among the consumers. Moreover in Latin America, Brazil is expected to be the major contributor in terms of revenue followed by Mexico.Soy Protein Ingredient Market DriversHigh functional properties of the soy protein ingredient coupled with ecofriendly and natural health benefits is driving the demand of soy protein during the forecast period. Moreover it is cost effective than the animal protein and reflects the same protein content. This is expected to enhance adoption of soy protein across various end-use industries resulting in increasing the shelf life of the processed food, so it is also considered as the most sustainable protein ingredients which is favoring its growth in alternate way.Soy Protein Ingredient Restraining FactorsHowever, its anti-nutrients and allergic nature of soy protein ingredients is restraining its growth during the forecast period. Moreover, negative impact of genetically modified (GM) soy coupled with the availability of various alternatives such as milk proteins, pea proteins and other animal proteins are also effecting the growth of soy protein ingredient in the forecast period.Request For TOC@Soy Protein Ingredient Market: Key PlayersKey international players operating in the soy protein ingredient market are, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company, Dean Foods Company, Armor Proteins, Gelita Group, Bunge Alimentos SA, Kerry Ingredients Inc., Burcon NutraScience, Cargill Health & Food Technologies, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Kellogg Company, Doves Farm Foods, Kraft Foods Group Inc., Manildra Group, MGP Ingredients, Omega Protein Corporation, George Weston Foods and others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Animal Healthcare Industry Report 2017 Global Market Overview, Revenue, Segmentation by Application, Growth, Opportunities & Forecast to 2022

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Animal Healthcare Market Size, Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (United States, EU, Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia and etc.), Application Development status, Sales, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017  2022.This report studies the global Animal Healthcare market, analyzes and researches the Animal Healthcare development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, like as Merck, Bayer Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal, Hipra, Phirbo Animal Health, Ouro Fino Saude Animal, Vetoquinol, Kyoritsu Seiyaku, Zoetis, Norbrook Laboratories, Elanco, Ceva Sante Animale, Huvepharma, Virbac, Nippon Zenyaku Kogyo, IDEXX Laboratories, Jinyu Group, China Animal Husbandry Industry Company and Dechra Pharmaceuticals.Request a Sample Copy of Global Animal Healthcare Market Research Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, Animal Healthcare Market report covers are United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.Market segment by Type, Animal Healthcare can be split into: By Pharmaceuticals, By Vaccines and By Medicated Feed AdditivesMarket segment by Application, Animal Healthcare can be split into: Farm Animal and Companion AnimalRequest Discount for Global Animal Healthcare Market Research Report @Major Points in Table of Contents:Global Animal Healthcare Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022Industry Overview of Animal Healthcare MarketGlobal Animal Healthcare Market Competition Analysis by PlayersGlobal Animal Healthcare Market Company (Top Players) ProfilesGlobal Animal Healthcare Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)United States Animal Healthcare Market Development Status and OutlookEU Animal Healthcare Market Development Status and OutlookJapan Animal Healthcare Market Development Status and OutlookChina Animal Healthcare Market Development Status and OutlookIndia Animal Healthcare Market Development Status and OutlookSoutheast Asia Animal Healthcare Market Development Status and OutlookMarket Forecast by Regions, Type and Application (2017-2022)Animal Healthcare Market DynamicsMarket Effect Factors AnalysisResearch Findings and ConclusionList of Tables and FiguresFigure Animal Healthcare Product ScopeFigure Global Animal Healthcare Market Size (Million USD) (2012-2017)Table Global Animal Healthcare Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Global Animal Healthcare Market Share by Regions in 2016Figure United States Animal Healthcare Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure EU Animal Healthcare Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Japan Animal Healthcare Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure China Animal Healthcare Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure India Animal Healthcare Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Southeast Asia Animal Healthcare Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Global Animal Healthcare Market Share by Type in 2016Figure By Pharmaceuticals Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2017)Figure By Vaccines Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2017)Related Reports: -United States Pet Insurance Market by Manufacturers, States, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022This report studies the Pet Insurance market, Pet insurance is a type of specialty property and casualty insurance policy that pet owners purchase to cover the unintended costs that arise in providing care for a pet, including veterinary services such as surgical procedures, injuries from accidents, and prescribed pet medicines.Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:
Consumption of Asparagus Poised to Reach 10 Million MT by 2027-End

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Key excerpts from Future Market Insights latest report on the global asparagus market project that by the end of 2027, around 10,300,521.7 metric tonnes (MT) of asparagus will be consumed across the globe. The sales of 10 million MT of asparagus are estimated to bring in revenues worth over US$ 37 Bn. Rising awareness among consumers regarding benefits of consuming asparagus is expected to instrument the growth in global consumption. By helping consumers boost their immunity, enhance brain function, and at certain extent, fight cancer, asparagus will continue to be an essential vegetable rich in nutrients.In terms of production, China is expected to remain the worlds largest asparagus producer throughout the forecast period, 2017-2027. In 2014, China recorded production of half a million metric tonnes of asparagus. Chinas contribution to the asparagus market in Asia-Pacific will remain significant. However, brimming demand for asparagus makes Western Europe the largest market, procuring over 40% share of global revenues. North America is also expected to be at the forefront of expansion of the global asparagus market, recording consumption of nearly 2 million MT of asparagus by 2016-end.Request For Report Sample@In spite of ample production and growing awareness regarding benefits of asparagus, the market is poised to grow at a moderate place. In terms of volume, the market is projected to showcase a 2.2% CAGR, while global asparagus revenues are projected to soar sluggishly at 3.1% CAGR during the forecast period. The report, titled Asparagus Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2017-2027, has identifies key restraints for the growth of global asparagus sales, which include:Farmers Opting for Direct Marketing  Farmers cultivating asparagus sell their produce by themselves, through traditional village bazaars and roadside outlets. Large and small restaurants as well as common consumers are also preferring to purchase this farm-fresh asparagus through direct marketing of farmers. This practice is impacting the global asparagus sales, but at a moderate extent.High Costs for Processing & Storage of Asparagus  The most crucial inhibitor for growth of global asparagus sales is the need for higher capital investment in storage and processing of asparagus. Cost of packaging, cooling and transportation is relatively high, which reduces the price per pound of asparagus. Reduction in price per pound further leads to monetary losses for manufacturers. Processed asparagus, such as asparagus in brine, soups, mixed vegetable products etc., being sold at higher cost price, is expected to result in lower uptake among some sections of consumers in the world.Leading manufacturers of asparagus include: Altar Produce LLC, Sociedad Agricola Viru, DanPer Trujillo S.A.C., Limgroup B.V., TEBOZA BV, THIERMANN SPAGEL FARM, ILIOS - The Greek Asparagus Company, BEJO SEEDS LTD., Spargelhof Elsholz Gbr, Cutter Asparagus Seed, JERSEY ASPARAGUS FARMS, INC., Consorzio Associazione Produttori Ortofrutticoli Foggia, Mazzoni Vivai, and California Asparagus Seed and Transplants, Inc.Send an Enquiry @Additional Highlights from the Report -By the end of 2017, the report estimates that over 8.2 million MT of asparagus will consumed globally, raking in US$ 27.7 Bn revenuesTowards the end of 2027, over three-fourth of global revenues will be accounted by sales of fresh asparagusLikewise, green asparagus will also hold 75% share of global revenues throughout the forecast period, registering revenue growth at 3.3% CAGRABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Editor's note: The Herald & Review each day is listing a reason the Decatur region is loved. We're profiling people, places and history that are special to our region  and that make it a great place to live. See more here.

The guitar of Decatur's Steve Hunter is heard every day around the world.

Hunter has recorded and played live with such diverse talents as Aerosmith, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Bette Midler and Meat Loaf.

A 1966 graduate of MacArthur, Hunter played in hobby bands through high school. While serving in the Army, he won a United Services Organization contest, and toured Army bases in the Far East with a USO show.

He returned to Decatur in 1970, and via John "Polar Bear" Sauter, he was introduced to and landed a job with Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. Shortly thereafter, he developed a reputation as a go-to studio guitarist for numerous rock acts. His occasional solo records, with the exception of a pair of songs, have been instrumental, because he doesn't like his singing voice.

He earned a writing credit on Reed's Rock and Roll Animal album with his "Intro" to "Sweet Jane." He also has a music writing credit and is part of the cast for the Bette Midler film "The Rose." He wrote a song recorded specifically for David Lee Roth's greatest hits album. In 1995, he put on a dance-and-music performance of his creation called Voodoo Nights.

The show was back-to-back nights at the Lincoln Square Theatre. He was the first instrumentalist to be voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends online Hall of Fame He continues to work as a guitarist to this day.

He's currently polishing the newest in a series of solo albums. He also played on Glen Campbell's 2011 album, Ghost on the Canvas, and appears on a trio of songs on Alice Cooper's new Paranormal album.
Lingerie Market to rise at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period of 2016 and 2024- Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast "The Report Lingerie Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"



Global Lingerie Market: Overview

Lingerie market has occupied a significant position in the apparel industry in recent years as it not only serves its functional benefits but also is considered as an basic necessity to every woman. The global lingerie market has been bifurcated on the basis of product types into bras, knickers and panties, lounge wear, shape wear and others which includes baby doll, corsets, chemises and chemisoles among others.



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Bra as an essential necessity and also a fashion accessory to every women and it has captured the largest market share in 2015. Knickers and panties also occupied a significant position in the same year, thus contributing significantly to the overall market size of the lingerie industry. The market is further segmented on the basis of distribution channel into online stores and storefront. Online stores captured the largest market in 2015 due to high penetration of internet services and rapid advancements in the field of technology, thus creating a strong platform for the manufacturers of lingerie Further, the e-commerce giants are engaged in strong promotional activities due to which they provide with continuous discount options and various other offers which attract both consumers and manufacturers to avail this platform.



Global Lingerie Market: Drivers and Trends

Females in the developing countries are experiencing latest trends towards carrying themselves in public. They are changing their outlook towards accepting innerwear as a casual affair and take time to choose and make a purchase. The outerwear of women has undergone a dramatic change and due to this women prefer selecting inner wear, especially bras that can match with their attire. They try to purchase lingerie depending on the occasion or event, such as there are special sport wear bras for gymnasium purpose. It can be demonstrated from the product differentiation brought by the lingerie manufacturers over online and retail stores. Thus this is a key factor complementing the growth of the global lingerie market. Lingerie has witnessed a rapid acceptance in the fashion industry. Women from all backgrounds want to try out the latest trends in the inner wear segment. Most of the large brands have exclusive stores in shopping malls or independent stores. In developing countries like India and China, brands like Jockey try to reach out to customers through small roadside innerwear shops. Additionally, lingerie is available at stores as well as online. Brands like Victoria Secret have country specific websites for easier transactions and shipment.



Global Lingerie Market: Restraints

However, the lingerie wear maintains high cost for advertisement and other marketing promotions. This is due to the cost of celebrities or models that are hired for being featured in the photo shoots. Moreover, the destination or location cost of the photo shoot depends and therefore larger brands do not compromise in keeping high cost for their lingerie wear. Therefore, this factor is majorly hindering the growth of the market and the impact of the same is likely to reduce by the end of the forecast period.



Global Lingerie Market: Opportunities

Moreover, the global lingerie market is experiencing moderate growth in the apparel segment as nowadays individuals are more inclined towards branded items, most of which are usually priced on the higher end. People from all backgrounds and income group want to avail a comfortable and lasting inner wear that can be fashionable as well as skin-friendly. There are many local brands or companies that manufacture cheap quality products to cater to the wide population in the under developed or developing countries. Mergers and acquisitions are a strategic way of entering the market and understanding the current needs and preferences of the population. Through this, the large companies will benefit in capturing the market and at the same time, will enable the small companies to fight for a better position in the market.



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Global Lingerie Market: Regional Outlook

Moreover, in this report the study provides different countries included in different regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America includes U.S. and Rest of North America. Europe includes U.K., Germany, France, Russia, Italy and Rest of Europe. Asia Pacific includes countries such as India, China, Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific. In addition, Middle East and Africa includes country such as UAE, South Africa and Rest of Middle East and Africa. Latin America comprise of countries such as Brazil and Rest of Latin America

Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. Transition in the lifestyle of the consumers which is backed by rapid urbanization and increasing purchasing power is a major factor behind the high growth of this market in Asia Pacific. Further, consumer exposure to the same by way of advertisements through televisions, and print media among others is another key factor responsible for the growth of the Lingerie Market in this region.



Key Players Mentioned in this Report:

Some of the major key players operating in the global lingerie market are, Jockey International Inc. (Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.), Hanes (North Carolina U.S.), Groupe Chantelle (Cachan, France), LVMH (Boise U.S.), L Brands Inc. (Columbus, Ohio), MAS Holdings Limited (Colombo, Sri Lanka), Ann Summers (London, U.K.), Marks and Spencer (London U.K.), PV H Corporation (New York, U.S.) among others.

The report analyzes the factors that are driving and restraining the growth of the lingerie market. This report will help manufacturers, distributors and suppliers to understand the present and future trends in this market and formulate strategies accordingly.



The global lingerie market can be segmented as follows:-



Global Lingerie Market, by Type

Bra

Knickers and Panties

Lounge wear

Shape wear

Others



Global Lingerie Market, by Distribution Channel

Online Stores

Store Front



Global Lingerie Market, by Geography

North America

U.S.

Rest of North America

Europe

U.K.

Germany

France

Italy

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil

Rest of Latin America

Middle East and Africa

UAE

South Africa

Rest of Middle East & Africa



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Table of Content



Chapter 1 Preface

1.1 Research Scope

1.2 Market Segmentation

1.3 Research Objectives

1.4 Key Questions Answered

Chapter 2 Assumptions and Research Methodology

2.1 Report Assumptions

2.2 Acronyms Used

2.3 Research Methodology

Chapter 3 Executive Summary

Global Lingerie Market Snapshot



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Chapter 4 Global Lingerie Market, 2016-2024-Industry Overview

4.1 Key Trends Analysis

4.2 Drivers and Restraints Snapshot Analysis

4.3 Market Drivers

4.4 Market Restraints

4.5 Market Opportunities

4.6 Market Attractiveness

4.7 Lingerie Market: Market Share Analysis, by Company, 2015 (%)

Chapter 5 Global Lingerie Market Analysis, by Type, 2016-2024 (USD Billion)

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Global Lingerie Market Value Share Analysis, by Type

5.3. Global Lingerie Market Revenue and Forecast, By Type

5.3.1 Bra

5.3.2 Knickers and Panties

5.3.3 Loungewear

5.3.4 Shape wear

5.3.5 Others



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Globally, IT Organizations Procurement Expenditure Is Expected To Increase By An Average Of 4.3% Over The Next Six Months

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Information Technology Industry Business Outlook and Procurement Survey H1 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.GlobalDatas "Information Technology Industry Business Outlook and Procurement Survey H1 2017", examines executives opinion on the business outlook and procurement activities over July 2017-December 2017. Organizations can know about key business priorities, supplier price variations, changes in capital expenditure, and organizations perspective on e-procurement. Additionally, it provides information categorized by region and company type.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @In the midst of uneven economic conditions, rising competition, and pricing pressure within the IT industry, companies are planning to increase focus on expansion in current market, improving operational efficiency, and new product development in H1 2017 (July-December 2017). Mergers and acquisitions are expected to increase within the IT industry in H1 2017. Additionally, global IT industry business executives expect a surge in capital expenditure on new product development and research and development over the next six months. Globally, IT organizations procurement expenditure is expected to increase by an average of 4.3% over the next six months.What else does this report offer?- Key business priorities: examines the IT companies important priorities for July 2017-December 2017- Emerging and developed markets: provides information about key emerging and developed markets, which will offer the most growth over the next six months- Change in M&A activity: analyzes IT industry executives opinion on changes in merger and acquisition activity globally- Business concerns: identifies major business concerns that are likely to impact manufacturers and suppliers- Change in capital expenditure: tracks the expected change in capital expenditure both globally and regionally- Change in procurement activities: evaluates how procurement activities will change in the IT industry over the next six months- Procurement budget outlook: projects procurement budget allocation along with changes in procurement expenditure over July 2017-December 2017- Supplier prices outlook: determines the expected change in supplier prices over July 2017-December 2017- E-procurement: identifies executives perspective towards e-procurement within the IT industryBrowse Detail Report With Full TOC @Scope- The top three key expected priorities as identified by respondents are: expansion in current markets, improving operational efficiency, and new product development- Developed markets such as the US, the UK, and Germany are identified as important regions for growth over the next six months by IT industry respondents- New product development, and research and development are projected to record a significant increase in capital expenditure over the next six months- Executives expect procurement activities for IT services and technology and license purchases to increase during July-December 2017- In total, 28% of executives who operate in North America have no awareness about their organizations e-procurementReasons to buy- Highlights key business priorities thus helping IT companies to realign business strategy- Develop or adjust business expansion plans by using significant growth-offering emerging and developed markets- Make changes in procurement budget allocations through procurement budget projections anticipated by executives for July 2017-December 2017- Implement effective price management by viewing supplier price variations highlighted for the next six months.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Quantum Dot new booming trends in 2022

Quantum Dot

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The Global Quantum Dot Market Research Report provides detailed analysis of the key regional market status of the Quantum Dot Industry.According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Quantum Dot market is expected to grow from $451.6 million in 2015 to reach $13,570.9 million by 2022 with a CAGR of 62.6%. Increasing demand for optimized devices with better performance and resolution quality and rising as a striking substitute to conventional display technologies are the current trends in Quantum Dot market. The increasing demand for energy-efficient display devices and lighting solutions, augmented demand for quantum dots from the healthcare business would drive the market in coming years. However, elevated cost of quantum dots and ever-changing regulatory atmosphere for cadmium based quantum dots, slower acceptance of technology due to lack of consciousness among consumers are acting as the major restraints of the Quantum Dot market.Healthcare application segment with the exploit of quantum dots technology for drug delivery, in-vivo imaging, in-vitro imaging, photodynamic therapy, and flow cytometry dominates the global quantum dots market. North America has the maximum revenue share followed by Europe due to early acceptance of the Quantum Dot market and their key QD manufacturers in the business are based in the U.S. due to broad R&D expenditure over sophisticated QD display technologies and high manufacture capacities.Some of the key players in global market includeSony Corporation; Altair Nanotechnology,Inc; Evident Technologies, LG Display, Life Technologies Corporation, Microvision Inc; Quantum Material Corporation; Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd and Nexxus Lighting Microvision Inc.Sample Copy @Applications Covered: Renewable Energy Health Care Optoelectronic Quantum Computing Quantum Optic Security & SurveillanceProduct Types Covered: QD Chips QD Lasers QD LED Displays QD Lighting QD Medical Devices QD Sensors QD Solar CellsTechnologies Covered: Bulk-manufacturing Cadmium-free quantum dots (CFQD) Colloidal Synthesis Fabrication Electrochemical assembly Viral AssemblyMaterials Covered: Cadmium Selenide Cadmium Sulphide Cadmium Telluride Indium Arsenide Silicon GrapheneComponents Covered: Film LED TubeRegions Covered: North Americao USo Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao EgyptWhat our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsTable Of Content1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Stake Holders2.3 Research Scope2.4 Research Methodology2.4.1 Data Mining2.4.2 Data Analysis2.4.3 Data Validation2.4.4 Research Approach2.5 Research Sources2.5.1 Primary Research Sources2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources2.5.3 Assumptions3 Market Trend Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Drivers3.3 Restraints3.4 Opportunities3.5 Threats3.6 Product Analysis3.7 Application Analysis3.8 Technology Analysis3.9 Emerging Markets3.10 Futuristic Market Scenario4 Porters Five Force Analysis4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers4.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.3 Threat of substitutes4.4 Threat of new entrants4.5 Competitive rivalry5 Global Quantum Dot Market, By Application5.1 Introduction5.2 Renewable Energy5.3 Health Care5.4 Optoelectronic5.5 Quantum Computing5.6 Quantum Optic5.7 Security & Surveillance12 Company Profiling12.1 Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc.12.2 Evident Technologies, Inc.12.3 InVisage Technologies, Inc.12.4 LG Display Co. Ltd.12.5 Life Technologies Corporation12.6 NanoAxis LLC12.7 Nanoco Technologies Ltd.12.8 Nanosys, Inc.12.9 Nexxus Lighting12.10 Ocean NanoTech LLC12.11 QD Laser, Inc.12.12 QD Vision, Inc.12.13 Quantum Materials Corporation12.14 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.12.15 Sony CorporationCONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)For accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially check :For updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially check :Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. 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Global Commercial Vehicle Run-flat Tire Inserts Market,Industry Analysis,Trends & Forcaste 2017- 2025

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This report on the Global commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market provides analysis for the period from 2015 to 2025, wherein 2016 is the base year and the years from 2017 to 2025 are the forecast period. Data for 2015 has been included as historical information. The report highlights the various drivers, restraints, and opportunities expected to influence the markets growth during the forecast period. The study provides a holistic perspective on market growth throughout the forecast period in terms of revenue estimates (in US$ Mn) and volume estimated (in thousand units) across different geographies, which include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America (SA).Request For Sample Report :Commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market takes into account the revenue generated from the sale of commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts and provides the volume in terms of units sold covers sales to both automobile OEM and replacement. The study provides the details about factors aiding the growth of commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market. The demand for run-flat tire inserts is increasing significantly across various application segments. The report further gives details about the various factors that are expected to support the expansion of commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market.This report shows market attractiveness analysis for all the segments and for all the geographies in the scope of study which identifies and compares segments attractiveness on the basis of CAGR and market share index. The report also includes historical roadmap for all major manufactures of commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts. Porter Five Forces Analysis and Value Chain Analysis are also included in the report.Global Commercial Vehicle Run-flat Tire Inserts Market: Market SegmentationThis research report provides detailed analysis of the global commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market on the basis of types based on diameter of rim. The commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market is segmented on basis of types into 17 inch, 18 inch, 19 inch, 20 inch, 22 inch, 23 inch, 24 inch, and others.This research report provides in-depth analysis of the global commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market on the basis of application. The commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market is segmented on basis of application into Transportation & Logistics, Military & Defense, Agricultural, Manufacturing, Construction, and Others (Healthcare and Municipal).In terms of geographical regions, the report segments the commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America, with each region market size further detailed at country level for select markets. All the regions and countries are analyzed in terms of revenue and volume generation. The report provides cross-sectional analysis of the global commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market in terms of market estimates and forecasts for all segments across different geographical regions and countries. The countries included into the report are North America  the U.S., Canada; Europe  the U.K., Germany, France; Asia Pacific  India, Japan, China; Middle East & Africa (MEA)  GCC, South Africa; and South America  Brazil, Argentina.Browse Full Report With TOC :Global Commercial Vehicle Run-flat Tire Inserts Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report includes competitive profiling of major players engaged in manufacturing of commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts. The major business strategies adopted by these players, their market positioning, and business overview has also been provided in the research report. This report also provides competition landscape which includes market share analysis of major players in the commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market. The report includes R&D investment by leading players into the commercial vehicle run-flat tire inserts market.Some of the major players profiled in the report include Hutchinson Industries, Inc., Rodgard (Subsidiary of Hutchinson Industries, Inc.), RunFlat International, TAC Run Flat Tire Systems, Bulldog Direct Protective Systems Inc., Briscoe Technologies Lasco International Group, Mas Makina Metal Ltd., Terra Track, and Runflat CBR, etc.The Global Commercial Vehicle Run-flat Tire Inserts Market has been segmented as follows:Commercial Vehicle Run-flat Tire Inserts Market: By Type (Size)17 inch18 inch19 inch20 inch22 inch23 inch24 inchOthersCommercial Vehicle Run-flat Tire Inserts Market: By ApplicationTransportation & LogisticsMilitary & DefenseAgriculturalManufacturingConstructionOthers (Healthcare and Municipal)Commercial Vehicle Run-flat Tire Inserts Market: By GeographyNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeThe U.K.GermanyFranceRest of EuropeAsia PacificIndiaJapanChinaRest of Asia PacificMiddle East and Africa (MEA)GCCSouth AfricaRest of Middle East and AfricaSouth AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of South AmericaEnquiry About This Report :Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:
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Furthermore, the market values for each segments are included along with their growth projections over the forecast period.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @This report on Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market market is developed by professional market researchers who have keen eyes on details. These professionals have considered every important aspect of the market to develop most precise projection of the global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market market. The global market is also segmented for key regions such as the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America. This segmentation provides the growth projections of the Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market market in these regions. The estimated market shares by value are included along with the CAGR to anticipate the growth of market in each of these regions. As local trends and regional government policies affect the Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market market, trends and regulations poised by governments in these regions are included. To comprehensively give insights into this market, various tables and graphs are included.Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)1.1 Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Overview1.1.1 Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 3Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 AlexanderMann Solutions3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 AllegisTalent23.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Aon HewittMake An Enquiry :4 Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.2 Potential Application of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) in Future4.3 Top Consumer/End Users of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)5 United States Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size (2011-2016)5.2 United States Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)List of Tables and FiguresFigure Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Product ScopeFigure Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size (2011-2016)Table Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Share by Regions in 2015Figure United States Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure EU Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Japan Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure China Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure India Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Southeast Asia Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Share by Application in 2015Figure Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Market Size and Growth Rate in Applications 1 (2011-2016)QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Body in White BIW Global Market Analysis 2017 & Forecast 2021

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The report entitled "Global BIW (Body in White) Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021)", provides analysis of the global BIW market, with detailed analysis of market size and growth, and segmentation of the industry. The analysis includes the market by value and by segmentation.For more information about this report:The report also includes a detailed regional analysis of the BIW market in regions such as Europe, Japan/ Korea and China. Under competitive landscape, different players in the BIW market have been compared on the basis of sales.Moreover, the report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global BIW market has also been forecasted for the years 2017-2021, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.Magna International Inc. (Cosma), Gestamp Automocion, S.A., Benteler International AG and Martinrea International Inc. are some of the key players operating in the global BIW market, whose company profiling has been done in the report. In this segment of the report, business overview, financial overview and business strategies of the companies are provided.Country CoverageEuropeJapan/ KoreaChinaCompany CoverageMagna International Inc. (Cosma)Gestamp Automocion, S.A.Benteler International AGMartinrea International Inc.Request Sample Copy atExecutive SummaryBody in white or BIW is one of the many stages in automotive manufacturing under which a car body's sheet metal components have been welded together. Under BIW, assembling of car body sheet metal (consisting of hoods, doors, bumpers, trunks and deck lids) takes before the incorporation of other components such as engine, chassis, roof liners, door coverings, seats and plastic trim parts.The Global BIW market can be segmented on the basis of technology and end user. On the basis of technology, the market can further be divided into cold stamping and hot stamping process. On the basis of end used, the market can be divided into inhouse and outsourced.The global BIW market is expected to increase at a healthy rate during the forecast period (2017-2021). The global BIW market is supported by various growth drivers, such as upsurge in demand for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, preference to light weight materials in the manufacturing of BIW components and increasing penetration of hybrid electric vehicles.However, hurdles with carbon fibers and issues with hot stamping are some of the challenges faced by the market. Increasing outsourcing and emphasis on passenger safety are some of the latest trends in the global BIW market.Table of Containts1. Executive Summary2. Introduction3. Global Market Analysis4. Regional Analysis5. Market Dynamics6. Competitive Landscape7. Company Profiling7.1 Magna International Inc. (Cosma)7.1.1 Business Overview7.1.2 Financial Overview7.1.3 Business Strategy7.2 Gestamp Automocion, S.A.7.2.1 Business Overview7.2.2 Financial Overview7.2.3 Business Strategy7.3 Benteler International AG7.3.1 Business Overview7.3.2 Financial Overview7.3.3 Business Strategy7.4 Martinrea International Inc.7.4.1 Business Overview7.4.2 Financial Overview7.4.3 Business StrategyInquire Before Buying atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Intraoperative CT Market, Growth and Forecast up, 2017-2021 by Global Info Reports

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Intraoperative CT Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 to its huge collection of research reports.Intraoperative CT Report is a research publication that incorporates opinions and industry statistics and facts through the eyes of market experts, primary and secondary data gathering, news items, numerous articles, and curating of vast historical database. The research report on the Intraoperative CT puts into perspective the different disciplines in the industry to provide readers adequate and specific data for interpretation and evaluation.The scientific methods used for studying this market help in assessing the market drivers, restraints, threats, and opportunities. Furthermore, the report also gives adequate information about the threat of new entrants, bargaining power of customers and suppliers, threat of substitute products or services, and intensity of competitive rivalry.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report on the Intraoperative CT provides an overview of relevant industries, which is inclusive of its definitions, applications, industry chain structure, and classifications. Furthermore, the report also helps in highlighting the key developments and trends in the Intraoperative CT. It studies the important players in the market through a microscopic vision, makes a detailed note of their operations and shares valuable opinion regarding their financial overview.The market research report on the Intraoperative CT gives an insight into the policies of import and export that are governing the market. The extensively researched report include a several tables, charts, figures, and graphs to present the vast subject matter in a lucid format. The report aims to be a trustworthy guide to the readers in helping them make well-informed business decisions.Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Intraoperative CT Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Intraoperative CT1.1 Intraoperative CT Market Overview1.1.1 Intraoperative CT Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Intraoperative CT Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Intraoperative CT Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 3Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global Intraoperative CT Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Intraoperative CT Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Siemens Healthcare3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Intraoperative CT Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Neurologica Corporation3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Intraoperative CT Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Brainlab3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Intraoperative CT Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 IMRISPlease click the link to avail discount on this report @4 Global Intraoperative CT Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Intraoperative CT Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.2 Potential Application of Intraoperative CT in Future4.3 Top Consumer/End Users of Intraoperative CTList of Tables and FiguresFigure Intraoperative CT Product ScopeFigure Global Intraoperative CT Market Size (2011-2016)Table Global Intraoperative CT Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Global Intraoperative CT Market Share by Regions in 2015Figure United States Intraoperative CT Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure EU Intraoperative CT Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Japan Intraoperative CT Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure China Intraoperative CT Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure India Intraoperative CT Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Southeast Asia Intraoperative CT Market Size and Growth Rate by Regions (2011-2016)Figure Global Intraoperative CT Market Share by Application in 2015Figure Intraoperative CT Market Size and Growth Rate in Applications 1 (2011-2016)QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Myasthenia Gravis Global Market by Traffic Volume & Growth Rate 2017 Analysis & Forecast 2021

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The report titled "Global Myasthenia Gravis Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021)" provides a detailed analysis of the myasthenia gravis market with description of market size and growth. The analysis includes market size in terms of value, and market share on the basis of therapy, by cases and by severity.For more information about this report:The report also provides a brief regional analysis of the US. The analysis includes market size in terms of number of patients on the basis of types of myasthenia gravis. Geographically, the Americas were the largest market and is expected to dominate the market in the forecasted period also. The growth in the market is estimated on the back of rising elderly population in the region.Furthermore, the report also assesses the key opportunities available in the market and outlines the market dynamics that are and will be accountable for growth of the industry. Growth of the global myasthenia gravis market has also been forecasted for the period 2017-2021, taking into consideration previous growth outlines, growth drivers and the existing and forthcoming trends.Some of the prominent players of the market include Avadel Pharmaceuticals, Hoffmann-La Roche, Pfizer, and Argenx. A brief company profiling of these major players have also been provided in the report on the basis of aspects like business overview, financial overview and business strategies adopted by respective companies.Company CoverageAvadel PharmaceuticalsF. Hoffmann-La RochePfizerArgenxRegion CoverageThe USRequest Sample Copy atExecutive SummaryMyasthenia gravis is a chronic neuromuscular disease that leads to weakness in the skeletal muscles, which help in the breathing and movement of the body parts including the arms and legs. The word 'myasthenia gravis' has Latin and Greek origin and means serious muscle weakness. Myasthenia Gravis is rare and only affects 14 to 20 people out of every 100,000. The main symptom of myasthenia gravis is weakness in the voluntary skeletal muscles, which are muscles under one's control. Weakness associated with MG typically gets worse with more activity and improves with rest.The disease is categorized into six types namely: Early-Onset MG, Late-Onset MG, Thymoma-Associated MG, MG with Anti-Musk Antibodies, Ocular MG, and MG with no detectable AChR and MuSK Antibodies. Myasthenia gravis is caused by an error in the transmission of nerve impulses to muscles. Major treatments available for MG are Symptomatic Treatment, Rapid Short-Term Immune-Modulating Treatment, Chronic Long-Term Immune-Modulating Treatment and Surgery.The global myasthenia gravis market has increased over the past few years and projections are made that the market would rise in the forecasted period i.e. 2017 to 2021 at a significant growth rate. The global myasthenia gravis market is expected to boost by the major factors such as rising geriatric population, technological advancements, approval of monoclonal antibodies, strategies such as mergers and acquisitions etc. Yet the market growth is restrain by some challenges such as competition from off-label drugs, limited availability of FDA approved drugs, high cost of the treatment etc.Table of Containts1. Executive Summary2. Introduction3. Global Market Analysis4. Regional Analysis5. Market Dynamics6. Competitive Landscape7. Company Profiling7.1 Avadel Pharmaceuticals7.1.1 Business Overview7.1.2 Financial Overview7.1.3 Business Strategy7.2 F. Hoffmann-La Roche7.2.1 Business Overview7.2.2 Financial Overview7.2.3 Business Strategy7.3 Pfizer7.3.1 Business Overview7.3.2 Financial Overview7.3.3 Business Strategy7.4 Argenx7.4.1 Business Overview7.4.2 Financial Overview7.4.3 Business StrategyInquire Before Buying atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Calcium Nitrate Market Outlook: Rising food concerns and declining pure water sources to drive the industry growth over 2016-2024

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Escalating food demand across the globe owing to rapid rise in the population is anticipated to boost Calcium Nitrate Market value over the next few years. As per Global Market Insights, Inc., report, Calcium Nitrate Market revenue is expected to hit USD 12.6 billion by 2024.  Booming wastewater treatment chemicals sectorwill further drive the industry revenue, owing to the ability of the chemical compound to reduce foul odor emissions.For instance, the wastewater treatment sector in Brazil, India, Mexico, and China, which was estimated at USD 3 billion in 2008, hit nearly USD 7 billion in 2015. The growth of the sector can be attributed to the relatively higher rise in wastewater pollutants, owing to a comparatively higher rate of industrialization in these countries. Furthermore, the rapid rate of industrialization across the globe resulting in the decline of pure water sources along with strict government norms related to wastewater pollutants disposal will boost calcium nitrate market size.Sample Copy of this Report @The extensive usage of calcium nitrate in fertilizers to enhance the crop production will significantly add to calcium nitrate industry size over the coming timeframe. Global calcium nitrate market share in fertilizers is anticipated to register an annual growth rate of 4.5% over 2016-2024. Today, the use of calcium nitrate in fertilizers has risen, owing to the high worldwide demand for soybeans, wheat, and corns. For instance, the production of wheat across the globe in 2008 was estimated at nearly 680 million tons and reached up to 720 million tons in 2015.Calcium nitrate also finds applications in explosives, molten salts, concrete manufacturing, farming, cold packs, and latex coagulants. Calcium nitrate industry value from the concrete manufacturing sector, which was worth USD 900 million in 2015, is forecast to grow noticeably over the coming years. High demand for the chemical compounds across the construction sector for enhancing the concrete properties will drive the growth.Geographical Trends pertaining to Calcium Nitrate Market over 2016-2024 are given below: North America Calcium Nitrate Industry size, which was estimated at USD 1.5 billion in 2015, will exhibit a massive expansion over the coming seven years. High application of chemical compounds in explosives coupled with rising government expenditure on defense activities will significantly contribute toward the business expansion. The U.S. is expected to make substantial contributions toward the regional share. Rising industrialization along with high requirement for increasing the crop production due to tremendous rise in population is expected to complement Asia Pacific calcium nitrate market growth, which is forecast to register an annual growth rate of 5.5 % over 2016-2024. Indonesia, China, and India are anticipated to be the key regional revenue pockets.Market players will try to increase their profits by employing key business growth strategies such as high R&D investments and strategic mergers & acquisitions. Some of the key players of calcium nitrate market are Vardhaman Fertilizers and Seeds Private Limited, Haifa Group, Agrium Incorporation, Shanxi Jiaocheng Tianlong Chemical Industry Company Limited, Prathista Industries Limited, GFS Chemicals Incorporation, Rural Liquid Fertilizers, Sterling Chemicals Limited, Uralchem Holding PLC, Airedale Chemical, and Yara International ASA.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Connect with us: Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
Global Ultrasonic Sensor Market News 2017: Industry Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Forecast of 2022

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Ultrasonic Sensor Market Professional Survey Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.This report studies Ultrasonic Sensor in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringMicrosonicMigatronPepperl + FuchsBanner EngineeringBaumer Sensor SolutionsAcs Control SystemBalluffBaumer Process InstrumentationBinMasterContrinexEickmann ElektronikEndress HauserMurataRequest a sample copy atBy types, the market can be split intoCylindricalRectangularBy Application, the market can be split intoAutomotiveMilitaryMedicalIndustryOthersBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaFor More information about this report atTable of Content:-1 Industry Overview of Ultrasonic Sensor2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Ultrasonic Sensor2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Ultrasonic Sensor4 Global Ultrasonic Sensor Overall Market Overview5 Ultrasonic Sensor Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Ultrasonic Sensor Market Analysis6 Global 2012-2017E Ultrasonic Sensor Segment Market Analysis (by Type)6.1 Global 2012-2017E Ultrasonic Sensor Sales by Type7 Global 2012-2017E Ultrasonic Sensor Segment Market Analysis (by Application)8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Ultrasonic Sensor9 Development Trend of Analysis of Ultrasonic Sensor Market10 Ultrasonic Sensor Marketing Type Analysis11 Consumers Analysis of Ultrasonic SensorDiscount on report purchase atPurchase Complete Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Pune:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
BLOOMINGTON  The Illinois State Police have opened an investigation into the use of a city credit card to buy an airline ticket to let Mayor Tari Renner's girlfriend travel with him to Japan for a weeklong sister cities anniversary event earlier this month.

"All inquiries about the sister cities credit card charges are being referred to Illinois State Police Zone 5 Investigations," said city attorney Jeff Jurgens on Wednesday.

"Because of the referral to state police, the city's legal department has not completed a formal review of the matter," he added.

An official with the state police investigations unit based in Pontiac confirmed Wednesday afternoon there is an investigation but declined to comment further.

At issue is the use of a city credit card, called a procurement card or p-card, to buy a $1,836 airline ticket for Margot Ehrlich. She accompanied Renner on a city-sponsored trip earlier this month to attend the 55th anniversary celebration of the sister cities relationship with Asahikawa, Japan.

A city of Bloomington staff member bought the economy-class airline tickets for Renner and Ehrlich on May 12, and the city received a check for that amount May 26 from Ehrlich as payment for her ticket, according to documents The Pantagraph received from the city through a Freedom of Information Act request.

McLean County State's Attorney Jason Chambers declined to comment Wednesday because of the ongoing investigation, but he said Monday his office did not have a role in the matter.

"We are not investigating this," said Bloomington Assistant Police Chief Ken Bays. "It was referred to Zone 5 Investigations."

Renner said he is aware of the investigation and believes no violations were committed.

"The city administration and I, we all followed the law and the protocol for the city of Bloomington," said Renner. "There were no violations and nothing questionable."

"Even if the city did pay for Margot's ticket, which it did not, it would not have been illegal because she was an official delegate to the once-in-every-decade trip," said Renner.

Renner made similar comments during the City Council's meeting Monday night after Bloomington resident Bruce Meeks publicly called for the council and state police to act against the mayor for allegedly intimidating Meeks, a frequent critic of his administration. Renner called Meeks "crazy" and "pathetic" in an early morning email on Sunday.

The council formally criticized Renner for a late-night online rant in February 2015 against a conservative blogger who also frequently challenges Renner.
Global Bean (Dry) Market Outlook

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IndexBox has just published a new report "World: Beans (Dry) - Market Report. Analysis And Forecast To 2025" ().Global bean (dry) production amounted to 27,365 thousand tonnes in 2015, rising by +3.1% against the previous year level. Overall, the global bean (dry) output pursued a pronounced growth from 2007 to 2015. The trend pattern, however, indicated some noticable fluctuations throughout the analyzed period. The total output figures increased at an average annual rate of +3.1%. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2010, when the output figure increased by +13% from the previous year level. Over the period under review, the global bean (dry) production attained its maximum volume of 27,365 thousand tonnes in 2008. From 2009 to 2015, the total bean (dry) output growth failed to regain its strength.Over the analyzed period, an increase in global bean (dry) production was primarily driven by popularity of healthy eating and growth of population. Furthermore, these key drivers are expected to continue promoting the bean (dry) output in the immediate term. This general positive trend was largely conditioned by a measured expansion of the harvested area and solid gains of the yield figures.The countries with the highest levels of production in 2015 were Myanmar (4,998 thousand tonnes), India (4,217 thousand tonnes), Brazil (3,494 thousand tonnes), together accounting for 46% of total output. From 2007 to 2015, the most notable growth rates in almond production among the main producing countries was attained by Myanmar (+7.4% per year), while the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.The world bean (dry) harvested area amounted to 31,174 thousand ha in 2015, which was 1.8% more than the previous year figure. The harvested area indicated a slight increase over the period under review, representing a compound annual growth rate of +0.8% from 2007 to 2015. This trend pattern was relatively stable throughout the analyzed period. Over the period under review, the total bean (dry) harvested area peaked in 2015, and is likely to continue its expansion in the immediate term, following rising demand for bean (dry) globally.The global average bean (dry) yield amounted to 9 thousand hg/ha in 2015, rising by 1.3% from the previous year figure. The yield figures recorded an upward trend over the period under review, with a compound annual growth rate standing at +2.3% from 2007 to 2015. However, the yield levels displayed some little fluctuations over the recent years. The highest bean (dry) yields were recorded in 2015. Albeit an intensification of modern agricultural technics use, the future yield figures subject to a substantional risk of adverse weather conditions.Source:IndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Adress: United Kingdom, 44 Main Street, Douglas, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, ML11 0QW
Ammonium Chloride Market 2017: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, Forecast to 2022

, Ammonium Chloride Market, Ammonium Chloride Industry

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Description:Ammonium chloride, NH4Cl, is an inorganic, mildly acidic, white crystalline salt compound that is highly soluble in water. The mineral is commonly formed on burning coal dumps due to condensation of coal-derived gases. It is also found around some types of volcanic vents. It is used as a flavoring agent in licorice. Ammonium chloride is the product from the reaction of hydrochloric acid and ammonia.Sample Report @Scope Of ReportThis report focuses on the Ammonium Chloride in Europe market, especially in Germany, UK, France, Russia, and Italy. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversBASFDallas GroupCentral GlassTuticorin AlkaliTincoHubei YihuaJinshan ChemicalCNSGHEBANGTianjin Bohua YongLi ChemicalHaohua Junhua GroupJiangsu Debang ChemicalJiangsu Huachang ChemicalDahua GroupShindooShannxi XinghuaShijiazhuang Shuanglian ChemicalLiuzhou ChemicalHangzhou Longshan ChemicalSichuan Guangyu ChemicalGansu JinchangShanxi Yangmei Fengxi FertilizerYNCCMarket Segment by Countries, coveringGermanyUKFranceRussiaItalyMarket Segment by Type, coversAgriculture GradeIndustrial GradeFood GradeMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoBiology and AgricultureBuffer SolutionPyrotechnicsTextile and LeatherMetalworkFoodOthersThere are 17 Chapters to deeply display the Europe Ammonium Chloride market.Chapter 1, to describe Ammonium Chloride Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of Ammonium Chloride, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers in Europe, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the Europe market by countries, covering Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia, with sales, price, revenue and market share of Ammonium Chloride, for each country, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type and application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to analyze the key countries by manufacturers, Type and Application, covering Germany, UK, France, Italy and Russia, with sales, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications;Chapter 12, Ammonium Chloride market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 14, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers);Chapter 15, to describe Ammonium Chloride sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 16 and 17, to describe Ammonium Chloride Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data sourceEnquiry write us @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Ammonium Chloride Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Agriculture Grade1.2.2 Industrial Grade1.2.3 Food Grade1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Biology and Agriculture1.3.2 Buffer Solution1.3.3 Pyrotechnics1.3.4 Textile and Leather1.3.5 Metalwork1.3.6 Food1.3.1 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Countries1.4.1 Germany Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 France Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 UK Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Russia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Italy Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 BASF2.1.1 Profile2.1.2 Ammonium Chloride Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 BASF Ammonium Chloride Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.1.4 Business Overview2.1.5 BASF News2.2 Dallas Group2.2.1 Profile2.2.2 Ammonium Chloride Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Dallas Group Ammonium Chloride Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2.4 Business Overview2.2.5 Dallas Group News2.3 Central Glass2.3.1 Profile2.3.2 Ammonium Chloride Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Central Glass Ammonium Chloride Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3.4 Business Overview2.3.5 Central Glass News2.4 Tuticorin Alkali2.4.1 Profile2.4.2 Ammonium Chloride Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Tuticorin Alkali Ammonium Chloride Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4.4 Business Overview2.4.5 Tuticorin Alkali News2.5 Tinco2.5.1 Profile2.5.2 Ammonium Chloride Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Tinco Ammonium Chloride Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5.4 Business Overview2.5.5 Tinco News2.6 Hubei Yihua2.6.1 Profile2.6.2 Ammonium Chloride Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Hubei Yihua Ammonium Chloride Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6.4 Business Overview2.6.5 Hubei Yihua News2.7 Jinshan Chemical2.7.1 Profile2.7.2 Ammonium Chloride Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Jinshan Chemical Ammonium Chloride Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7.4 Business Overview2.7.5 Jinshan Chemical News2.8 CNSG2.8.1 Profile2.8.2 Ammonium Chloride Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 CNSG Ammonium Chloride Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8.4 Business Overview2.8.5 CNSG News8 UK Ammonium Chloride Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers8.1 UK Ammonium Chloride Revenue, Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)8.2 UK Ammonium Chloride Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)8.3 UK Ammonium Chloride Sales by Application (2012-2017)8.4 UK Ammonium Chloride Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer (2016-2017)8.4.1 UK Ammonium Chloride Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer8.4.2 UK Ammonium Chloride Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer8.5 UK Ammonium Chloride Export and Import (2012-2017)ContinuedBuy now@Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Company Name: Wiseguyreports.comContact Person: Norah TrentEmail: Sales@wiseguyreports.comPhone: +1 646 845 9349, +44 208 133 9349City: PuneState: MaharashtraCountry: IndiaWebsite:
Global Smoke Alarms 2017 Global Market Key Players Photoelectric Smoke Alarm, Ionization Smoke Alarm, Dual Sensor Smoke, Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Global Smoke Alarms, Global Smoke Alarms Market

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Description:This report studies the Smoke Alarms market. Smoke alarm, another name for smoke transducer, smoke sensors, etc. It is a device that detects smoke, typically as an indicator for fire. It is can be used for fire prevention system, security system and other fields to detect fires before they become dangerous and to provide sufficient warning to occupants so they can escape. Smoke alarm was first used to space equipment. Later they are used in home and factories and some other fields such as school, shopping mall, hotel and office buildings, etc.Sample Report @Scope Of ReportThis report focuses on the Smoke Alarms in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversKiddeBRKEi ElectronicsX-SenseSprue AegisSmartwaresHekatronNestBusch-jaegerMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversPhotoelectric Smoke AlarmIonization Smoke AlarmDual Sensor Smoke AlarmMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHomePublic PlacesOthersThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Smoke Alarms market.Chapter 1, to describe Smoke Alarms Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Smoke Alarms, with sales, revenue, and price of Smoke Alarms, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Smoke Alarms, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Smoke Alarms market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Smoke Alarms sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceEnquiry write us @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Smoke Alarms Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Photoelectric Smoke Alarm1.2.2 Ionization Smoke Alarm1.2.3 Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Home1.3.2 Public Places1.3.3 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Kidde2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Smoke Alarms Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Kidde Smoke Alarms Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 BRK2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Smoke Alarms Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 BRK Smoke Alarms Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Ei Electronics2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Smoke Alarms Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Ei Electronics Smoke Alarms Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 X-Sense2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Smoke Alarms Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 X-Sense Smoke Alarms Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Sprue Aegis2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Smoke Alarms Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Sprue Aegis Smoke Alarms Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Smartwares2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Smoke Alarms Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Smartwares Smoke Alarms Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Hekatron2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Smoke Alarms Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Hekatron Smoke Alarms Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Nest2.8.1 Business Overview 8 South America Smoke Alarms by Countries8.1 South America Smoke Alarms Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries8.1.1 South America Smoke Alarms Sales by Countries (2012-2017)8.1.2 South America Smoke Alarms Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)8.2 Brazil Smoke Alarms Sales and Growth (2012-2017)8.3 Argentina Smoke Alarms Sales and Growth (2012-2017)8.4 Columbia Smoke Alarms Sales and Growth (2012-2017)ContinuedBuy now@ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.For Further InformationContact Us:Company Name: Wiseguyreports.comContact Person: Norah TrentEmail: Sales@wiseguyreports.comPhone: +1 646 845 9349, +44 208 133 9349City: PuneState: MaharashtraCountry: IndiaWebsite:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Company Name: Wiseguyreports.comContact Person: Norah TrentEmail: Sales@wiseguyreports.comPhone: +1 646 845 9349, +44 208 133 9349City: PuneState: MaharashtraCountry: IndiaWebsite:
Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Austria, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020

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ReportsWeb.com published Personal Accident and Health Insurance Market from its database. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Publisher's 'Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Austria, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed analysis of the trends, drivers, challenges in the Austrian personal accident and health insurance segment.It provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, combined ratio, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review (2011-2015) and forecast periods (2015-2020).The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Austrian economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.For more information about this report atThe report brings together Publisher's research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.Publisher's 'Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Austria, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Austrian personal accident and health insurance segment, including--The segment,s growth prospects by insurance category-Key trends, drivers and challenges for the segment-A comprehensive overview of the Austrian economy and demographics-The various distribution channels in the segment-Details of the competitive landscape in the segment-Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Austrian insurance industryThis report provides a comprehensive analysis of the personal accident and health insurance segment in Austria--It provides historical values for the segment for the report,s 2011-2015 review period, and projected figures for the 2015-2020 forecast period.-It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the segment, and market forecasts to 2020.-It profiles the top personal accident and health insurance companies in Austria and outlines the key regulations affecting them.Request a sample copy atCompanies MentionedUniqa Osterreich Versicherungen. AGWiener Stadtische Versicherung AGMerkur Versicherung AGGenerali Versicherung AGAllianz Versicherung AGMuki V.a.G.Donau Versicherung AG VIGWustenrot Versicherung. AGInquire for Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer Bauxite Mining and our customer support Bauxite Mining is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Wound Closure Products Industry Shares

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Injury is a common event in all age groups and varies in severity. Although majority of the injuries are healed without treatment, some injuries such as diabetic foot ulcers and pressure ulcers are difficult to treat. Wound closure can help avoid infection and can accelerate healing. Products used in wound closure include sutures, surgical staples, wound closure strips, adhesives and tissue sealants, and hemostats. Although each of these have their own advantages and disadvantages, the overall wound closure products market is growing rapidly. The global wound closure products market was valued at USD 8,750.5 million in 2014 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2014 to 2020 to reach USD 15,222.7 million by 2023.View Report @Sutures and staples are the traditional forms of wound closure that are used extensively across the world due to low cost and higher adaptability rate among the health care staff. However, new technology hemostat products such as sealants provide obvious advantages such as faster wound closure in shorter duration of time. These also help patients avoid hospital revisit for removal of sutures or staples. Adhesives and tissue sealants include fibrin sealants, collagen-based sealants, cyanoacrylate-based sealants, albumin and glutaraldehyde sealants, and polymer-based sealants. The market for absorbable sutures is growing rapidly due to increased application in external as well as internal wound closure. Various surgical procedures such as aortic valve replacement and peripheral bypass employ combination of sutures or staples as well as tissue adhesives. Increased application of tissue sealants in surgeries such as bariatric surgeries and dental surgeries has fueled the wound closure products market. Increased prevalence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and reluctance in the use of sutures due to development of scars and high risk of infection are the other factors driving the adhesives and tissue sealants segment.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Wound Closure Products Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Geographically, North America dominated the global wound closure products market with a share of 39.5% in 2014, followed by Europe. Dominance of these regions was majorly due to launch of new medical devices in these regions, especially the U.S. Hence, the longer incubation period is available for the market to inflate. According to an article published in Wound Repair and Regeneration in 2009, over 2% of the population of the U.S. suffers from chronic non-healing wounds. Statistics published in the Journal of Wound Care estimate annual incidence of chronic wounds of 4 million in the European Union. Such higher prevalence and quicker acceptance of new technology have driven the wound closure products market in these regions. Asia Pacific was identified as the most lucrative market destination. India and China have also experienced a surge in prevalence of diabetes and obesity. According to the World Health Organization, 90 million adults in China and 61 million adults in India were diagnosed with diabetes in 2011. Therefore, the wound closure products market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at the highest growth rate during the forecast period from 2015 to 2023.Baxter International, Inc., B. Braun, Cryolife, Covidien plc, and Johnson & Johnson (Ethicon) are the leading companies operating in the global wound closure products market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Postpartum Hemorrhage Treatment Devices Industry in Global Growth

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The escalating cases of maternal deaths have fuelled demand for advanced therapeutics and devices to ensure effective treatment for pregnancy related complications. Spurred by the factor, demand from the postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) treatment devices market is expected to increase considerably. While manufacturers of these devices have found lucrative prospects in developed nations, they are yet to establish their presence across developing and under developed countries.View Report @According to Transparency Market Research (TMR), lack of awareness creates bottlenecks for entry of PPH treatment device manufacturers in nations across the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and sub-Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, with governments and leading organizations focusing on spreading awareness about PPH treatment, proliferation of PPH devices is expected to pace up in the forthcoming years.TMR forecasts the global PPH treatment market to exhibit a CAGR of 4.9% between 2015 and 2021. The market stood at US$604.4 mn in 2014 and is expected to reach US$926.1 mn by the end of 2023.Demand for Uniject Prefilled Injection Systems to Rise at Higher Pace than other Product SegmentsAmong the various products available, the market is currently witnessing considerably high demand for uterine balloon tamponade. It is commercially available, offers high effectiveness, and ensures ease of use. Balloon tamponade thus emerged as the dominant product segment in the market in 2014. It is expected to rise at a CAGR of 4.9% between 2015 and 2023.However, according to TMR, demand for uniject prefilled injection systems is likely to increase at a higher pace than other products available in the market. Uniject is an auto-disable and disposable injection system. The product segment is expected to witness considerably rising demand through the forecast period due to the easy applicability of uniject prefilled injection systems, their equitable pricing, and rising participation by government organizations in promoting their use.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Postpartum Hemorrhage Treatment Devices Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Besides this, TMR also projects the application of non-pneumatic anti-shock garment (NASG) to increase significantly in the near future.Commercial Availability of Advanced Devices Confirms North Americas Lead in Global PPH Treatment Devices MarketRegionally, the global PPH treatment devices market is currently dominated by North America. The region held over 36.1% of the global market in 2014. The rising prevalence of PPH in North America, increasing awareness among patients as well as healthcare service providers, high hospital delivery rates, and commercial availability of treatment devices are the primary factors fuelling demand from the North America treatment devices market. Manufacturers of PPH treatment devices have been witnessing lucrative opportunities in countries such as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. These countries boast sophisticated healthcare infrastructure, which aids the expansion of the PPH treatment devices market in the region.Europe trailed North America in terms of revenue contributed to the global PPH treatment devices market in 2014. However, during the course of the forecast period, demand from Asia Pacific is expected to rise at a higher pace. The improving healthcare infrastructure will fuel demand for PPH treatment devices in countries such as India, China, Philippines, and Taiwan. Furthermore, programs initiated by governments to prevent maternal deaths will also boost sales opportunities for manufacturers across these countries.Some of the key players in the global postpartum hemorrhage treatment devices market are Bactiguard, Cook Medical, C.R. Bard, Utah Medical Products, Teleflex Incorporated, and Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH).About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Heparin Market: Professional and Technical Industry Insights

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Global Heparin Market: Key TrendsThe prevalence of coagulation disorders such as venous thromboembolism (VTE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE) has remarkably increased in both Europe and North America. Since heparin is one of the foremost clinical anticoagulants, the rising incidence of coagulation disorders will in turn fuel demand for heparin products, finds Transparency Market Research (TMR). Currently, heparin manufacturers are focusing on the development of generic versions of heparin to gain a competitive advantage in the market.View Report @Naturally derived heparin products can cause severe side-effects in the event of an overdose. Scientists are therefore developing synthetic heparin products, which are both safer and cheaper. While declining imports from China will emerge as a major growth bottleneck, with the advent of biosimilars, heparin manufacturers will witness improved scope for expanding their product portfolio.According to TMR, the global heparin market stood at US$8.2 bn in 2014. Exhibiting a CAGR of 6.3% between 2015 and 2023, the market is expected to reach US$14.3 bn by the end of 2023.North America Reports Highest Demand for Heparin Due to Rising Prevalence of Coagulation DisordersRegionally, North America emerged as the largest market for heparin products in 2014. As per the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 900,000 people in the U.S. are affected by DVT and PE every year. Moreover, due to the sophisticated healthcare infrastructure the country boasts, the U.S. is visited by an increasing number of medical tourists annually. The overall number of surgical procedures conducted in the country is thus comparatively higher. This fuels demand for heparin products from North America. TMR projects the North America heparin market to rise at a CAGR of 6.3% between 2014 and 2023.Europe emerged as the second largest market for heparin products in the same year. The U.K., Germany, and France are the most lucrative markets for heparin in the region. However, as per Transparency Market Research, the heparin market in Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit the fastest growth during the forecast period. The incidence of VTE has nearly doubled in India in the last decade.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Heparin Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Despite economic growth witnessed across the emerging nations of Asia Pacific, the unavailability of appropriate diagnostic centers and lack of awareness are leading to a lesser number of cases of DVT being reported. Nevertheless, GDP growth, increasing spending in healthcare infrastructure, and rising geriatric population are expected to fuel demand for heparin from Asia Pacific in the forthcoming years.Low Molecular Weight Heparins Emerge as Standard Choice of Drug Care for Arterial and Venous ThrombosisThe most commonly used heparin products include ultra-low molecular weight heparin (ULMWH), low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), and unfractionated heparin. Although the demand for LMWHs is higher, the choice of heparin depends on the disease and patients condition. Low molecular weight heparins offer proven benefits over unfractionated heparins, due to which the demand for the former is rising at a higher pace.Currently, LMWHs are considered the standard choice of care drugs for the treatment of arterial and venous thrombosis. This category of heparins also exhibits comparatively lesser side-effects, which is expected to bolster their sales in the forthcoming years. According to TMR, the LMWHs segment is expected to reach US$12.3 bn by the end of 2023. Demand from the ULMWHs segment is expected increase due to the rising use of these anticoagulants as an alternative to unfractionated heparin in dialysis.Some of the leading players operating in the market are Fresenius Kabi AG, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., Mylan N.V., LEO Pharma A/S, Pfizer, Inc., Syntex S.A., Sanofi S.A., and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Steam Autoclave Market : Shares and Strategies For Key Industry Players

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Steam Autoclave Market: SnapshotThe global steam autoclave market is extremely consolidated and intensely competitive. The presence of a very small number of companies commanding a vast share in the global market has rendered the market difficult to penetrate for new companies. Despite this fact, the market presents promising growth opportunities for companies introducing technologically advanced products, a trend evident from the high consumption of products based on E-beam and gamma irradiation technologies in the past few years.View Report @The vast rise in the global demand for steam autoclaves in the past few years can be attributed to the increased prevalence of a number of infectious diseases, a huge surge in surgical procedures, and an alarming rise in the numbers of hospital-acquired infections. Rising demand for improving healthcare services across developing regional markets such as Asia Pacific, owing majorly to rising healthcare expenditures and an expanding base of geriatric population.Transparency Market Research suggests that the global steam autoclave market will expand at a healthy 5.7% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024. The market, which had a valuation of US$1.57 bn in 2015, is expected to rise to US$2.57 bn by 2024.Developed Economies to Remain DominantNorth America emerged as the clear leader in the global steam autoclave market in 2015, accounting for a nearly 40% share in the markets overall revenue. Estimates suggest that in U.S. alone in the region, nearly 5 million endoscopies and about 46.5 million surgeries are undertaken every year. The severity of hospital-acquired infections in the country can be estimated from the fact that nearly 8.3 patients out of every 1,000 patients admitted in New York state hospitals in 2012 acquired hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infections (CDI). The numbers are rising at an alarming pace.These factors have collectively influenced the increased adoption of effective sanitization practices and devices in healthcare settings in North America. Strict rules aimed at enhanced safety of patients at healthcare facilities is also a major factor influencing the increased adoption of steam autoclaves in Europe, the second-largest steam autoclave regional market in 2015.Emerging Economies to Present Most Promising Growth OpportunitiesThe high prevalence of infectious diseases, a vast and alarmingly rising population base of geriatric people in Asia Pacific are expected to help the steam autoclave develop on a promising scale in the region in the next few years. The rising demand for high-quality healthcare services from the increasingly affluent consumer base will stimulate the improvement of healthcare infrastructure in countries such as India, China, and parts of Latin America, further driving the market.The market for steam autoclave in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 7.9% CAGR from 2016 to 2024 among other key regional markets. The market in Latin America is expected to exhibit the second-largest CAGR of 6.9% over the same period.Sales of Traditional Steam Autoclaves Continue to RiseOf the two key varieties of steam autoclave systems available in the market  traditional steam autoclaves and tabletop steam autoclaves, the segment of traditional steam autoclave is presently leading the global market. The segment accounted for a share of over 91.7% in the global market in 2015 and is projected to expand at the highest CAGR over the forecasting horizon, maintaining its dominance in the near future as well.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Steam Autoclave Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.The prominence of these product types can be attributed to their extensive usage in almost all major application areas such as pharmaceutical laboratories and medical devices. Additionally, traditional steam autoclaves are also considered highly efficient for sterilizing a large number of medical devices at the same time, making them more practical in large medical setups.The top three companies, which accounted for a share of over 70% in the global steam autoclave market in 2015, are STERIS, Getinge Group, and Johnson & Johnson. Other prominent vendors in the market include 3M Health Care, Matachana Group, Belimed Group, CISA Group, CISA Group, and SAKURA SI CO., LTD.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Vascular Access Devices Market Outlook

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Global Vascular Access Devices Market: SnapshotThe demand in the global market for vascular access devices, which are medical devices made of hollow and flexible tubes of latex or silicone that enable an access to the bloodstream, has been consistently incrementing owing to growing number of surgeries performed each year across the world. Vascular access devices are used to perform diagnostic tests, reading central venous pressure, blood sampling, blood transfusion, and fluid infusion.View Report @The global vascular access devices market was worth US$5.10 bn in 2015, and incrementing at an impressive CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024, the valuation is estimated to reach US$8.60 bn by the end of 2024. Rising geriatric population and prevalence of cancer, kidney failure, diabetes, and other lifestyle-inflicted diseases are some of the other factors augmenting the demand in the global vascular access devices market. In addition, technological advancements in these devices has also significantly favored the future of this market. New products such as drug-coated catheters and anti-microbial-coated catheters have considerably reduced the incidences of catheter-related infections. Latest techniques, for example ultrasound-guided catheter tip have helped in increase the efficiency of these devices.Cost-effectiveness Driving Demand for Peripheral CathetersBased on product, the global vascular access devices market is segmented into peripheral catheters, which includes peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) and midline catheters and central catheters, which includes central venous catheters (CVC), peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), implantable ports, and hemodialysis catheters. Among these, peripheral catheters segment is currently most profitable, gaining traction from its ease of administration, reduced duration of usage, low frequency of catheter-related complications, and cost effectiveness. The segment of central catheters is also projected for a healthy growth during the forecast period.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Vascular Access Devices Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Application-wise, the global vascular access devices market has been categorized into administration of fluids and nutritional compounds, medication administration, diagnostic testing, and transfusion of blood products. Based on the route of insertion, the market has been bifurcated into subcutaneous and intravenous. End-users of vascular access devices are hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories, and ambulatory surgery centers.Asia Pacific Opening Vast OpportunitiesGeographically, the report studies the opportunities available in the global vascular access devices market in the regions of North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. Currently, North America is the most lucrative region, owing to rising prevalence of lifestyle inflicted diseases, growing cancer and diabetes cases, robust healthcare infrastructure in countries such the U.S. and Canada, and high adoptability rate of new technology. Asia Pacific, on other hand, is also projected to expand the demand consistently throughout the forecast period as emerging economies such as India, Japan, South Korea, China, and Malaysia are improving their healthcare facilities. This region resides nearly the half of worlds population and leading players of the market are investing in these countries to expand their product reach.In a largely consolidated scenario, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Teleflex, Inc., C.R. Bard, Fresenius Medical Care, and Becton, Dickinson and Company are the leading companies in the global vascular access devices market. Competition in this market is more among these players than from an outside entrant.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Prefilled Syringes Market Report Offers Intelligence

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Prefilled Syringes Market: SnapshotParenteral is one of the most commonly used route of drug administration, oral administration being the most preferred one. A steady rise in the development and availability of parenteral drugs has resulted in the increasing demand for several advanced drug delivery devices that promise cost containment as well as ease of administration.View Report @Prefilled syringes are one of the most rapidly expanding segments of the injectable drug delivery devices market. There are several benefits of prefilled syringes over traditional delivery systems: improved safety, ease of administration, accurate dosing, and reduced risk of contamination. These advantages form the basic foundation for the success of prefilled syringes and are likely to continue driving the market during the forecast period.Technical advances in the sector, rapid growth in the biologics market, and the growing preference for self-administration using autoinjectors, prefilled syringes, and pen injectors are the key factors boosting the global market for prefilled syringes.The global sales of prefilled syringes amounted to US$3.5 bn in 2015 and is projected to reach US$7.9 bn, expanding at a CAGR of 9.3% over the period of 2016 to 2024.Glass Prefilled Syringes to Lose Market Share Despite being Most Preferred SegmentPrefilled syringes are available in two key types  plastic (polymer) and glass  depending on the kind of material used to develop the barrel of the syringe. Despite the fact that the industry has been reporting a growing use of polymers by many manufacturers of syringes, glass is still considered to be the top-most choice and will continue to dominate the market in terms of volume as well as revenue. This is attributed to the fact that changing the perception of healthcare practitioners and manufacturers over the preference of glass over plastic is expected to be a rather gradual process. The segment of glass prefilled syringes is anticipated to lose market share toward the end of the forecast period, which will be replaced by plastic syringes. The latter is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.8% from 2016 to 2024.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Prefilled Syringes Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.By application, the market is segmented into vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and others. On the basis of distribution channel, the prefilled syringes market is categorized into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and mail order pharmacies.Japan Most Promising Market in APAC Prefilled Syringes MarketEurope has maintained its position as the leading regional market for prefilled syringes in terms of volume (unit consumption) as well as revenue. However, the APAC market for prefilled syringes is anticipated to exhibit strong growth at a CAGR of 11.3% during the forecast period. The presence of leading drug manufacturers in the region requiring prefillable syringes and the high conversion rate from vials to prefilled syringes are the primary factors likely to support the growth of the APAC market.Asia Pacific is perceived as a follower rather than a leader when it comes to the development and adoption of new technologies. Although the prefilled syringes market is presently in its stage of infancy in APAC, factors such as improving economic conditions, the rising purchasing power of the people, the growth in awareness regarding the advantages of prefilled syringes, and the presence of a large patient suffering from various chronic diseases are expected to drive the market to register a double-digit CAGR. In Asia Pacific, Japan accounts for the major share in the market by revenue as well as volume.Major players in the global prefilled syringes market include Becton Dickinson & Co., Gerresheimer, Medtronic, Baxter International, SCHOTT AG, West Pharmaceuticals, Vetter International, Unilife Corporation, Stevanato Group, and Terumo Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced Thursday that he'll seek a sixth term, reversing earlier declarations that he would step down after two decades in an office that was tainted by corruption prior to his arrival.

"I'm your man," the 83-year-old Democrat told a crowd of 1,800 attending a brunch in Springfield hosted by the Democratic County Chairman's Association.

He said that while the "office is a far better place now than it was" when he took over, there's more work for him to do in improving road conditions, customer service and teen driving programs.

White, widely known for the Jesse White Tumblers, a program he started in 1959 to provide an alternative to gangs and drugs for inner-city young people, was first elected secretary of state in 1998. He replaced Republican George Ryan, who was elected governor but later went to federal prison for political corruption mostly tied to his two terms as secretary of state.

The Illinois Republican Party released a statement mocking White for saying in 2009 that his fourth term would be his last and again, as late as last year, saying he'd call it quits. No Republican has announced a candidacy for the office.

White has proven a prodigious vote getter, winning five races for secretary of state by an average plurality of 1.1 million votes, according to an Associated Press compilation and analysis of election figures. His winning percentages of 70 percent in 2010 and 69 percent in 2002 are the fourth- and fifth-largest of any statewide race since 1900.

The brunch has traditionally preceded an old-school campaign rally at the state fair, which Democrats skipped. Nine candidates for governor took to the rostrum, unloading as much firepower on Republican President Donald Trump as on the man they hope to replace, GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Several castigated Trump for softening his statements on Charlottesville, Virginia, where a man allegedly drove his car into a crowd protesting a white supremacists' rally, last weekend, killing one and injuring nine. Trump initially denounced white supremacists, then said both sides share blame for the violence.

"We must always take sides," said Chicago businessman J.B. Pritzker, quoting Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. "As we begin the fight, the resistance, we Democrats must remember we are all on one side, the same side, the American side."

Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar linked the divisiveness created by the Virginia incident to fallout from Rauner's veto of school-funding legislation, known as Senate Bill 1 , that he says unfairly favors Chicago over other parts of the state, saying it "pits white communities against poor black and brown communities."

Business owner Alex Paterakis said Rauner doesn't deserve his title because "a governor governs everyone, not just a select few."

Rauner campaign spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski said the first-term governor has represented all taxpayers when resisting the General Assembly, controlled by Democrats, on a tax increase to end a two-year budget stalemate and in a scuffle over school finances.
Human Vaccines Market is Increasing Rapidly

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Human Vaccines Market: SnapshotVaccination has been promoted as a vital public health intervention across the globe for decades. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccination has reduced the global burden of infectious disease to a great extent. An extremely low risk of serious and fatal side effects associated with vaccines and growing awareness regarding vaccination by various government and non-profit organizations are the key factors driving the human vaccines market.View Report @The global human vaccines market was valued at US$28.3 bn in 2015 and is estimated to reach US$72.5 bn by 2024, registering an 11.2% CAGR during the forecast period. Extensive promotion and marketing strategies and favorable government support are likely to boost market growth.Conjugates Dominate Human Vaccines Market by TypeOn basis of vaccine type, the conjugate vaccines segment accounted for the majority share in the global human vaccines market in 2015. Prevnar, manufactured by Pfizer, Inc., is a conjugate vaccine, which generated a significant revenue of US$6.2 bn globally in 2015 alone. This is a key factor contributing to the dominance of conjugates in the human vaccine market. However, the growing preference for commercial brands available in the market is likely to drive the combination vaccines segment.The pneumococcal segment accounted for the majority share in the global human vaccines market by product. A large number of products are commercially available in the market and the prevalence of pneumonia is high across several regions. These factors have been known to drive the pneumococcal segment.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Human Vaccines Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.By age group, pediatric vaccines accounted for a 57.5% share in the global human vaccines market in 2015. Factors such as the high prevalence of pneumonia and polio among children across the world are likely to fuel this segment. On the other hand, adult vaccines are expected to expand at the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2024.By distribution channel, the hospital pharmacies segment accounted for the lions share in the global human vaccines market. However, the drugstores segment is projected to expand at a considerable CAGR during the forecast period owing to a dramatically increasing vaccination rate in standalone pharmacies in the U.S.Strong Government Support Benefits Markets in APAC, LATAM, and AfricaNorth America was the dominant market for human vaccines in terms of revenue in 2015 owing to the growing demand for vaccination among adults and children. The market is also fueled by the increase in government efforts toward vaccination programs and the fact that most vaccines are available in the U.S.Asia Pacific is expected to register the strongest growth in the market for human vaccines. Increasing government efforts toward immunization for various diseases such as polio, flu, rotavirus, and typhoid has been boosting the market. A massive population base is also likely to fuel market growth, especially in China and India. China is likely to dominate the Asia Pacific human vaccines market during the forecast period owing to a large population base and growing government support toward vaccination.Brazil is likely to be the leading market for human vaccines in Latin America by 2024. A large population base, growing healthcare infrastructure, and a rise in subsidiaries for industry participants are the major factors boosting the human vaccines market in Brazil. GCC plays a significant role in the human vaccines market in the Middle East and Africa, as does South Africa. The market in Africa has been witnessing strong growth due to frequent outbreaks in the region, a rapid rise in vaccination programs, and increasing investments by major players.Major players operating in the global human vaccines market include AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Merck & Co. Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Sanofi, and Johnson & Johnson.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Clostridium Vaccine Market to Grow Exponentially

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Global Clostridium Vaccines Market: SnapshotClostridium vaccines are chiefly utilized for a variety of bovine and ovine clostridial diseases such as blackleg, pulpy kidney (enterotoxaemia), black disease, and tetanus. The demand for clostridium vaccine is rising globally owing to the increasing incidence rate of clostridium family diseases and increased awareness regarding zoonotic diseases. Rising concerns about the mortality of livestock animal and the socioeconomic impact of it on agrarian economies are also increasing the demand for clostridium vaccines in developing countries globally.View Report @Clostridium vaccine is are chiefly distributed through veterinary clinics and veterinary hospitals. In developing countries such as India, the distribution of these vaccines is highly dependent on government intervention. However, there has been a significant rise in the demand for these vaccines through retail pharmacies, which allow instant access to these vaccines without having to wait for government channels to distribute them.The global clostridium vaccine (animal health) market is poised to observe significant growth in the future. Transparency Market Research estimates that the market was valued at US$418.0 mn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$643.5 mn by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2016 to 2024.Bovine Segment to Bring in Significant Percentage of SalesOn the basis of animal species, the global clostridium vaccine market is segmented into bovine, ovine, caprine, swine, and poultry. Of these, the swine segment emerged as the most attractive segment of the market in 2015. The large share of the segment in the global market's overall revenues can be attributed to the large demand of pork and high awareness about the possibility of swines causing zoonotic diseases.Over the forecast period, however, the ovine segment is likely to record the most promising growth rate. The rising prevalence of diseases such as blackleg, black diseases, and black quarter, along with the vast rise in the world's ovine population, growing awareness among owners, and government regulations in different geographies will be key to the increased demand for clostridium vaccines across this segment. In addition, the increase in demand for immunization has led to the growth of this segment. Poultry is also expected grow with high growth rate due to increase consumption of poultry goods.Rising Awareness Regarding Animal Health to Boost Demand across Asia PacificGeographically, North America was the leading market for the clostridium vaccine market in 2015. The region accounted for a share of 37.6% of the market and is expected to continue to constitute the bulk of the global markets revenue over the forecast period as well. Rising demand for effective veterinary healthcare services and substantial government interventions for research and development are the key factors supporting the North America markets growth.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Clostridium Vaccine Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.The swine segment in North America accounted for the dominant share of 25.3% share in 2015. A wide range of applications, including clostridium perfringens and clostridium botulinum are likely to support the growth of the segment in the next few years.Nevertheless, the clostridium vaccine market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to outpace the rate of growth of the North America market over the forecast period owing to a vast rise in prevalence of clostridium disease infections in developing countries such as India and China. India and New Zealand are expected to be more lucrative than other countries in Asia Pacific due to increased awareness as well as increasing livestock animal population in these countries. Veterinary clinic as distribution channel holds the dominant market share due to increasing government awareness regarding the diseases across several countries in the region.The global clostridium vaccine (animal health) market features a largely consolidated competitive landscape, with a relatively small number of companies accounting for a majority of share in the global market. Some of the key players in the market Zoetis, Inc., Merck Animal Health, Sanofi-Aventis (Merial Animal Health), BoehringerIngelheim, Eli Lilly and Company (Elanco Animal Healthcare), Vibrac Corporation, Bimeda, Inc., CevaSanteAnimale, and Bayer AG.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Hospital Acquired Infection Treatment Market Growth to Dominate Worldwide

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Hospital Acquired Infection Treatment Market: SnapshotThe top most factor causing the growth of the hospital acquired infection market is the growing geriatric population across the globe. The geriatric population base is more prone to infections owing to their low physical immunity. Infections, especially nosocomial ones are becoming increasingly common among the elderly.View Report @The low level of hygiene maintained by hospitals, poor infrastructure management, and poor sterilizing techniques used at healthcare institutions are resulting in a high number of hospital acquired infection cases. This environment bodes well for the hospital acquired infection market and thus, the market is flourishing. According to the expert panel of analysts at Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global hospital acquired infection market is expected to rise from US$28.99 bn in 2015 to US$36.61 bn by 2024. The market is expected to display a modest CAGR of 2.7% between 2016 and 2024Developing Nations in Asia Pacific to be Lucrative Markets for Hospital Acquired Infection Treatment ServicesOwing to low funding from government and other bodies, hospitals in developing nations are victims to poor hygiene and mismanagement. Cases of hospital acquired infections are high in these countries and this is expected to boost the global market. It is thus unsurprising that emerging economies in Asia Pacific are expanding in terms of fastest growth in the hospital acquired infection market. This has compelled several players operating in the hospital acquired infection market to shift their base and provide their services to these nations. This trend is expected to result in the geographical expansion of players operating in the global hospital acquired infection market and also result in the growth of the market.Urinary Tract Infections Segment to Lead During Forecast PeriodOn the basis of common infection type, the global hospital acquired infection treatment market can be segmented into hospital-acquired pneumonia, urinary tract infections, bloodstream infections, surgical site infections, and others. Of these, the urinary tract infections segment led in the market in 2015. The urinary tract infections segment is also anticipated to expand at the fastest CAGR from 2016 to 2024 Top of FormGet accurate market forecast and analysis on the Hospital Acquired Infection Treatment Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.By treatment, the market is segmented into antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and other treatments. Of these, the antibacterial drugs segment led in 2015. The segment is also expected to witness the fastest growth during the period from2016 to 2024.Growing Rate of Treatment Failure to Threaten Hospital Acquired Infection Treatment MarketOne of the key restraints posing a threat to the global hospital acquired infection treatment market is the growing rate of treatment failure owing to the presence of an increasing number of multi-drug resistant bacteria. The frequent rate of survival for bacteria increases after being exposed to drugs that are designed to eliminate them, giving them the power to resist against them. This is posing a major challenge for the industry as hospitals are looking for alternate treatments such as other forms of drug treatments. The number of patients suffering from multi-drug resistant bacteria is increasing and can prove to be a major cause of concern for the industry.In terms of opportunities however, the focus on untapped markets for patients from lower and middle class incomes will prove to be beneficial. New players can aim to target emerging nations and flourish in the hospital acquired infection treatment industry. Also, key players in the market are having multiple drugs in their pipeline. The approval of these drugs may create growth opportunities in the market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Autologous Cell Therapy Market : Trend, Analysis

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Global Autologous Cell Therapy Market: OverviewAutologous cell therapy refers to infusion or transfer of human tissue or cells back to the same person for treating a diseased part. For the same purpose, stem cells are removed from the patient, harvested, cultured, and once again transplanted to the same person. The purpose of this method is to reduce the chances of rejection to the treatment by the body. Furthermore, autologous cell therapy does not even require immunosuppression. The growing number of cancer patients have triggered a significant demand for autologous cell therapy.View Report @According to the research report, the global market projected to reach a valuation of US$23.7 bn by the end of 2024 as compared to US$3.8 bn in 2015. During the forecast period of 2016 and 2024, the global market is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 21.9%.Unmet Medical Needs and Cost-effectiveness of Autologous Cell Therapy Drives DemandThe global market is expected to grow due to the huge pool of unmet medical needs for cell based therapy, growing government support for cell-based research, and rising number of technological innovations in cell based therapies. Currently, cell therapy is considered a promising technique for several conditions such as neurological, orthopedic, oncology, and a wide range of autoimmune diseases. The ability of stem cells to transform into a cartilage, tendon, bone (osteoblast), and muscle has given this market a fresh lease of life. The biggest advantages of autologous cells is the fact that it is relatively cost-effective, allows quick access to blood as it is derived from the patient, ensures easy method of production, and comes with the lowest threat of disease transfusion. All of these factors have been consistently boosting the demand for autologous cell therapy in recent years.Supportive Government Policies across North America Favor Regional MarketGeographically, the market has been divided into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. North America holds a dominant position in the global market and is expected to maintain its stance in the coming years as well.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Autologous Cell Therapy Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.The strengthening health care infrastructure and supportive government policies are expected ensure high adoption of autologous cell therapy in North America in the near future. The analysts estimate that Asia Pacific will also register a robust CAGR in the coming years. The growth of this market in Asia pacific will be driven by the proliferating medical tourism industry, increasing contract research activities, and economic growth of certain developing countries such as India and China.Hospitals to Retain Dominance in Global Market over Forecast PeriodThe end users of autologous cell therapy are hospitals, research centers, and ambulatory centers. Of these, the hospitals dominated the global market in 2015 and are expected to continue its dominance till the end of 2024 as the surgical procedures continue to be on the rise across hospitals. The research report indicates that the ambulatory surgical centers segment will also expand at a significant rate in the coming years as it is known to reduce waiting time period before surgery, growing outpatient surgical procedures, high confidentiality and privacy of the data, and cost-effective procedure.Some of the leading players operating in the global market are Major players operating in this Market are Vericel Corporation, BioTime, Inc., Pharmicell Co., BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, Opexa Therapeutics, Inc, Pharmicell Co., Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Fetal Monitoring new booming trends in 2022

Fetal Monitoring

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The Global Fetal Monitoring Market Research Report provides detailed analysis of the key regional market status of the Fetal Monitoring Industry.In this report, the global Fetal Monitoring market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Global Fetal Monitoring market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Fetal Monitoring sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player;the top players includingGE HealthcareAnalogic CorporationFujifilm Sonosite, IncKoninklijke Philips N.VSiemens HealthcareMedtronic PlcArjohuntleigh (subsidiary of Getinge AB)Neoventa Medical ABNatus Medical IncorporatedSpacelabs HealthcareSample Copy @Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Fetal Monitoring for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoAntepartum Fetal MonitoringIntrapartum Fetal MonitoringOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Fetal Monitoring for each application, includingHospitalsClinicsOthersIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table Of ContentGlobal Fetal Monitoring Sales Market Report 20171 Fetal Monitoring Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Fetal Monitoring1.2 Classification of Fetal Monitoring by Product Category1.2.1 Global Fetal Monitoring Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Fetal Monitoring Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Antepartum Fetal Monitoring1.2.4 Intrapartum Fetal Monitoring1.3 Global Fetal Monitoring Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Fetal Monitoring Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Hospitals1.3.3 Clinics1.3.4 Others1.4 Global Fetal Monitoring Market by Region1.4.1 Global Fetal Monitoring Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Fetal Monitoring Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Fetal Monitoring Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Fetal Monitoring Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Fetal Monitoring Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Fetal Monitoring Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Fetal Monitoring Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Fetal Monitoring (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Fetal Monitoring Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Fetal Monitoring Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)9 Global Fetal Monitoring Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data9.1 GE Healthcare9.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.1.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.1.2.1 Product A9.1.2.2 Product B9.1.3 GE Healthcare Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.2 Analogic Corporation9.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.2.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.2.2.1 Product A9.2.2.2 Product B9.2.3 Analogic Corporation Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.3 Fujifilm Sonosite, Inc9.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.3.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.3.2.1 Product A9.3.2.2 Product B9.3.3 Fujifilm Sonosite, Inc Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.4 Koninklijke Philips N.V9.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.4.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.4.2.1 Product A9.4.2.2 Product B9.4.3 Koninklijke Philips N.V Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.5 Siemens Healthcare9.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.5.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.5.2.1 Product A9.5.2.2 Product B9.5.3 Siemens Healthcare Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.6 Medtronic Plc9.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.6.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.6.2.1 Product A9.6.2.2 Product B9.6.3 Medtronic Plc Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.7 Arjohuntleigh (subsidiary of Getinge AB)9.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.7.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.7.2.1 Product A9.7.2.2 Product B9.7.3 Arjohuntleigh (subsidiary of Getinge AB) Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.8 Neoventa Medical AB9.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.8.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.8.2.1 Product A9.8.2.2 Product B9.8.3 Neoventa Medical AB Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.9 Natus Medical Incorporated9.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.9.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.9.2.1 Product A9.9.2.2 Product B9.9.3 Natus Medical Incorporated Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.10 Spacelabs Healthcare9.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.10.2 Fetal Monitoring Product Category, Application and Specification9.10.2.1 Product A9.10.2.2 Product B9.10.3 Spacelabs Healthcare Fetal Monitoring Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.10.4 Main Business/Business OverviewCONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)For accessing accurate and deep understanding and to gain latest insights and key developments in the area of your interest, we also have a list of conferences in which you will be interested in, for more information, cordially check :For updating knowledge or for thoroughly understanding various terminologies, we also have vast list of seminars for your reference, for more information cordially check :Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Pune, India
Transdermal Skin Patches Market: Scope & Revenue Outlook

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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Transdermal Skin Patches Market: SnapshotTraditional drug delivery methods like capsules, pills, liquids, intravenous needles and powders are often ineffective and may result in undesirable side effects. Transdermal delivery constitutes an important and effective route for new drug delivery. The patches can be placed anywhere on the body and can be worn for as little as 7 hours to as long as one week, depending on its therapeutic indication. The medicated adhesive patches are designed in such a way that they attach comfortably to the surface of the skin, which helps the patient use the patches for prolonged periods. In light of these reasons, the Saudi Arabia transdermal skin patches market, which was valued at US$44.96 mn in 2016 is expected to be worth US$67.41 mn by the end of 2025. The market is slated to register a CAGR of 4.7% between 2017 and 2025.View Report @Transdermal patches offer several advantages as compared to conventional drug delivery methods like reduced side effects caused due use of oral tablets or pills. They increase the bioavailability of the drug as substance need not be digested first. This helps in keeping the substance chemically unchanged which enable direct access of the drug to the region of the body where it can take effect via the bloodstream. This helps in avoiding first-pass effect or the initial metabolism and filtration by the liver. Another advantage of transdermal patches is that they release the drug constantly and continuously for long durations, which means that the patient need not worry about taking pills several times a day.The products available in the Saudi Arabia transdermal skin patches are drug in adhesive, matrix, reservoir, and vapor matrix. Of these, the matrix segment held a dominant share in the overall market and is expected to account for a share of 35.1% in terms of revenue by the end of 2025. This rise will be attributable to the shifting preference for matrix systems to make patches for volatile molecules under controlled release settings. The phenomenal growth of this segment will be attributable to the non-toxic and non-antagonistic characteristics of polymer matrix options, which are known to diffuse drug with controlled precision.Transdermal Skin Patches Most Commonly Used for Pain ReliefBy way of application, the Saudi Arabia transdermal skin patches market has been divided into pain relief, hormone replacement therapy, nicotine cessation, motion sickness, cardiovascular disorders, neurological disorders, and others. Accounting for the dominant share by the end of the forecast period, the pain relief segment will generate the highest revenue by 2025. This can be attributed to growing usage of local pain relief patches. Such patches provide safe and controlled drug release to affected area, rendering them the preferred choice among comorbid and cancer patients. The cardiovascular disorders segment will also hold a major share in the transdermal skin patches market in Saudi Arabia owing to the rising number of patients with cardiovascular disorders in the region. Hormone replacement therapy is observed to be a highly lucrative segment, analysts find.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Transdermal Skin Patches Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Transdermal skin patches are mostly sold through distribution channels such as retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and online pharmacies. In Saudi Arabia, hospital pharmacies take the lead as the most prominent distribution channel in terms of revenue thanks to rising government initiatives to improve the healthcare landscape in the region and rapidly increasing number of healthcare facilities. Retail pharmacies also hold a valuable share in the transdermal skin patches market, attributed to growing investments by pharmaceutical companies to set up more pharmacies in Saudi Arabia. The online pharmacies segment is gaining much traction despite being in a nascent stage.The competition in the Saudi Arabia transdermal skin patches market is poised to intensify as companies operating in the market are make large investments in research and development of better and advanced products. Some of the key players shaping the trajectory of the overall market are Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Mylan, Luye Pharma, Purdue Pharma, Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical, and Mundipharma.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Insulin Delivery Devices Market- Evolving Market Trends

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Global Insulin Delivery Devices Market: SnapshotThe demand in the global insulin delivery devices market is projected to increment at a robust CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025, gaining traction from a number of factors, but none bigger than the prevalence of diabetes, which is a highly common chronic disease that affected about 8.5 of the global population in 2014, according to the figures provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). Advancements in insulin delivery devices with improving technology, government initiatives to impart awareness, and appreciative reimbursement environment in a number of developed countries are some of the other factors favoring the global insulin delivery devices market. On the other hand, the lack of awareness regarding the availability of alternative insulin delivery methods such as oral and poor reimbursement policies in a number of developing countries are hindering the market from achieving its true potential.View Report @As per the estimations of this report, the global insulin delivery devices market will be worth US$20,996.2 mn by the end of 2025, notably up from its evaluated valuation of US$10,160 mn in 2016. While insulin pens is the most in-demand product segment, North America is most profitable regional market. Escalated research and development activities regarding diabetes-case is expected to open new revenue avenues for the vendors operating in the global insulin delivery devices market.Insulin Pens Make Highly Profitable Product SegmentThe global insulin delivery devices market, on the basis of product, has been segmented into insulin pens, insulin syringes, insulin pumps, needle-free injection jet, and insulin patches. Among these, insulin pens segment accounted for 42% of the total demand in 2016, and is projected to remain the most profitable product segment throughout the forecast period. This sustained demand for insulin pens is owing to its high adoption in the vastly populated region of Asia Pacific, along with the developed region of Europe. In these two regions, nearly 90% of the diabetic patients use insulin pens, a device that has not penetrated as much into the developed country of the U.S., wherein only 25% of the population use the product. That being said, the popularity of insulin pens is expected to increment steadily in the U.S. in the near future as its advantages such as flexibility and moderate pain.North America and Europe Serve Maximum DemandOut of the five regions studied by this report: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and The Middle East and Africa, the insulin delivery devices market currently has the maximum potential in North America, which served 37.5% demand in 2016. Most of the demand from North America comes from the country of The U.S., which has diabetes spread across the masses along with a robust healthcare infrastructure.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Insulin Delivery Devices Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Mushrooming private diabetic care facilities, well-defined reimbursement policies, and growing awareness are some of the other factors augmenting the demand in the North America insulin delivery devices market. While Europe is currently the second most profitable region for the vendors operating in the global insulin delivery devices market, vastly populated Asia Pacific is expected to turn into a highly lucrative region towards the end of the forecast period, gaining solid demand from the emerging economies such as India and China.Some of the key companies operating in the global insulin delivery devices market are: Sanofi S.A., Novo Nordisk A/S, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic plc, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Cellnovo Group SA., Owen Mumford Ltd., Biocon Ltd., Animas Corporation (Johnson & Johnson), and Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. Currently, the competitive landscape of insulin delivery devices market is quite fragmented with the presence of a number of local vendors.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Shea Butter Market - Global Industry Share by Degree of Refining, Development Status, Type and Application, Forecast 2017 to 2022

Shea Butter Market

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Global Shea Butter Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Shea Butter Market 2017 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2022reports to its database.WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Executive Summary:This report mainly introduces volume and value market share by players, by regions, by product type, by consumers and also their price change details. As a Detailed Analysis report, it covers all details inside analysis and opinion in Shea Butter industry.This report splits Shea Butter market By Degree of Refining, By Purity, which covers the history data information from 2012 to 2016 and forecast from 2017 to 2022.This report focuses Global market, it covers details as following:Major CompaniesThe Savannah Fruits CompanyIOI Loders CroklaanGhana Nuts LtdStarSheaAkoma CooperativeRequest Sample Report Here @...Main RegionsNorth AmericaUnited StatesCanadaLatin AmericaMexicoBrazilArgentinaOthersEuropeGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainRussiaNetherlandOthersAsia & PacificChinaJapanIndiaKoreaAustraliaSoutheast AsiaIndonesiaThailandPhilippinesVietnamSingaporeMalaysiaOthersAfrica & Middle EastSouth AfricaEgyptTurkeySaudi ArabiaIranOthersMain Product TypeShea Butter Market, by Degree of RefiningRaw and Unrefined Shea ButterRefined Shea ButterShea Butter Market, by PurityPure Shea ButterMixed Shea ButterMain ApplicationsCosmetics IndustryMedicine IndustryFood IndustryEnquiry Before Buying @Some Major Points from Table of Content:Table of ContentsGlobal Shea Butter Detailed Analysis Report 2017-2022Chapter One Shea Butter Market Overview1.1 Global Shea Butter Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20221.2 Shea Butter, By Degree of Refining 2012-20221.2.1 Global Shea Butter Sales Market Share by Degree of Refining 2012-20221.2.2 Global Shea Butter Revenue Market Share by Degree of Refining 2012-20221.2.3 Global Shea Butter Price by Degree of Refining 2012-20221.2.4 Raw and Unrefined Shea Butter1.2.5 Refined Shea Butter1.3 Shea Butter, by Purity 2012-20221.3.1 Global Shea Butter Sales Market Share by Purity 2012-20221.3.2 Global Shea Butter Revenue Market Share by Purity 2012-20221.3.3 Global Shea Butter Price by Purity 2012-20221.3.4 Pure Shea Butter1.3.5 Mixed Shea ButterChapter Two Shea Butter by Regions 2012-20172.1 Global Shea Butter Sales Market Share by Regions 2012-20172.2 Global Shea Butter Revenue Market Share by Regions 2012-20172.3 Global Shea Butter Price by Regions 2012-20172.4 North America2.4.1 United States2.4.2 Canada2.5 Latin America2.5.1 Mexico2.5.2 Brazil2.5.3 Argentina2.5.4 Others in Latin America2.6 Europe2.6.1 Germany2.6.2 United Kingdom2.6.3 France2.6.4 Italy2.6.5 Spain2.6.6 Russia2.6.7 Netherland2.6.8 Others in Europe2.7 Asia & Pacific2.7.1 China2.7.2 Japan2.7.3 India2.7.4 Korea2.7.5 Australia2.7.6 Southeast Asia2.7.6.1 Indonesia2.7.6.2 Thailand2.7.6.3 Philippines2.7.6.4 Vietnam2.7.6.5 Singapore2.7.6.6 Malaysia2.7.6.7 Others in Southeast Asia2.8 Africa & Middle East2.8.1 South Africa2.8.2 Egypt2.8.3 Turkey2.8.4 Saudi Arabia2.8.5 Iran2.8.6 Others in Africa & Middle EastChapter Three Shea Butter by Players 2012-20173.1 Global Shea Butter Sales Volume Market Share by Players 2012-20173.2 Global Shea Butter Revenue Share by Players 2012-20173.3 Global Top Players Shea Butter Key Product Model and Market Performance3.4 Global Top Players Shea Butter Key Target Consumers and Market PerformanceChapter Four Shea Butter by Consumer 2012-20174.1 Global Shea Butter Sales Market Share by Consumer 2012-20174.2 Cosmetics Industry4.3 Medicine Industry4.4 Food Industry4.5 Consuming Habit and PreferenceChapter Five Global Top Players Profile5.1 The Savannah Fruits Company5.1.1 The Savannah Fruits Company Company Details and Competitors5.1.2 The Savannah Fruits Company Key Shea Butter Models and Performance5.1.3 The Savannah Fruits Company Shea Butter Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.1.4 The Savannah Fruits Company Shea Butter Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.2 IOI Loders Croklaan5.2.1 IOI Loders Croklaan Company Details and Competitors5.2.2 IOI Loders Croklaan Key Shea Butter Models and Performance5.2.3 IOI Loders Croklaan Shea Butter Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.2.4 IOI Loders Croklaan Shea Butter Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.3 Ghana Nuts Ltd5.3.1 Ghana Nuts Ltd Company Details and Competitors5.3.2 Ghana Nuts Ltd Key Shea Butter Models and Performance5.3.3 Ghana Nuts Ltd Shea Butter Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.3.4 Ghana Nuts Ltd Shea Butter Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.4 StarShea5.4.1 StarShea Company Details and Competitors5.4.2 StarShea Key Shea Butter Models and Performance5.4.3 StarShea Shea Butter Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.4.4 StarShea Shea Butter Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin5.5 Akoma Cooperative5.5.1 Akoma Cooperative Company Details and Competitors5.5.2 Akoma Cooperative Key Shea Butter Models and Performance5.5.3 Akoma Cooperative Shea Butter Business SWOT Analysis and Forecast5.5.4 Akoma Cooperative Shea Butter Sales Volume Revenue Price Cost and Gross Margin...Chapter Six Industry Chain and Supply Chain6.1 Shea Butter Industry Chain Structure6.1.1 R&D6.1.2 Raw Materials (Components)6.1.3 Manufacturing Plants6.1.4 Regional Trading (Import Export and Local Sales)6.1.5 Online Sales Channel6.1.6 Offline Channel6.1.7 End Users6.2 Shea Butter Manufacturing6.2.1 Key Components6.2.2 Assembly Manufacturing6.3 Consumer Preference6.4 Behavioral Habits6.5 Marketing EnvironmentCONTINUEDPurchase Report @More about WiseGuyReports:Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT. LTD.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune  411028Maharashtra, India
Anti-collision Sensor Market | Industry Outlook, Growth Prospects and Key Opportunities

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Global Anti-collision Sensor Market: SnapshotThe leading driver of the global anti-collision sensor market at the moment is the increasing number of vehicles on road, coupled with the increasing percentage of vehicular accidents. The growing scope of road accidents is prompting for the faster development of better anti-collision technology. The global anti-collision sensor market is also being propelled by the implications of the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) in North America specifically. Advancements in sensor technology and its implementation in autonomous transportation system are also increasing scope with which anti-collision technologies can operate. The global anti-collision sensor market is also likely to be driven by the rising application of UAVs in military, scientific, commercial, agriculture and recreation. However, the high cost of anti-collision sensors is currently impeding the overall growth rate of the global anti-collision sensor market.The global anti-collision sensor market was valued at US$3.8 bn in 2015. The markets revenue is expected to continue expanding at a CAGR of 19.8% from 2016 to 2024, eventually accounting for US$18.543 bn by the end of 2024.Obtain Report Details @Europe Leads Demand Volume for Anti-collision SensorsEurope is the leading market player in global anti-collision sensor market, owing to a large number of European countries such as Russia, Germany and Italy that are adopting automated transportation system in metro rail, and other vehicles. Adaptive cruise control has the leading share in this market. European car manufacturing companies such as BMW, Honda are incorporating this technology in their cars, thus broadening the market scope of radar and camera sensors. Aerospace and defense is the leading market in terms of end users as Russia, Germany make huge investment on defense products. Drones have been extensively used in this region thus increasing scope of anti-collision sensors.Asia Pacific is likely to acquire a significant market share as Japan and China are some of the important nations that contribute to the growth trajectory of anti-collision sensor market. Japan implemented autonomous decentralized transportation system and this increases the number of automated rail network in this country. China is just next to USA in terms of car population and adaptation to automation is the latest trend there. Hence, Asia Pacific region has substantial contribution in triggering the growth of anti-collision sensor market. North America holds around 18% market share in global anti-collision sensor market. US, Canada and Mexico are some of the important nations that contribute to the growth of anti-collision sensor market. US is a major economy in driving the growth prospect of global anti-collision sensor market. Large number of US car manufacturing companies are installing anti-collision sensors in their cars. Due to the growing popularity of driverless cars, US car manufacturers adopting this design to sustain in competitive automobile market as their European counterparts. US regulation also stress on the need for anti-collision system in automobiles and that finally lead North American region as a major market for anti-collision sensors.This 213-page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Anti-collision Sensor Market. Browse to unlock the hidden opportunities in this marketRadar Sensors Highly Common in Anti-collision TechnologyThe global anti-collision sensor market is segmented on the basis of technology into segments are radar, ultrasonic, lidar, and camera. Radar sensors is expected to hold the leading market share and it is likely to be a very swiftly-growing segment during the forecast period. Radar sensors can detect objects at longer distance and this sensor work with high speed and efficiency. This sensor is used in adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning system. Radar sensor in combination with camera sensor are expected to hold significant market share in anti-collision sensor market. On the other hand, ultrasonic sensors are of low price and that is expected to increase their usability as parking sensor.Leading market players in the global anti-collision sensor market so far, have been Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Continental AG (Germany), Denso Corporation (Japan), ZF Friedrichshafen (Germany), and Delphi Automotive (UK).About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) Market | Quantitative Market Analysis, Current and Future Trends

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Global Application Specific Integrated Circuit Market: SnapshotThe demand for application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) has significant soared due to their widening applications. Today they are being extensively used in smartphones and tablets due to the rising demand for bandwidth. The report states that the global ASIC market was valued at US$16.29 bn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$35.23 bn by the end of 2024. During the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the global market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% between 2016 and 2024.ASIC Gains Popularity as it Meets Requirements of Next-generation ElectronicsASICs are increasing being used in flat panel displays such as global positioning system (GPS), voice memo, web browsing, e-mail, answering machine, wireless PDA, and two-way paging. The biggest advantage of improved version of ASIC is that they are compact, lighter, affordable, high-bandwidth, and come with a better battery life, which are the key needs of the modern-age devices.Obtain Report Details @The growing demand for ASIC in consumer electronics and automotive sector due to the energy efficient solutions they offer through design and function is also expected to benefit the global market. The only drawback for the global market is the ever-changing nature of the semiconductor industry and the electronics industry, which makes it exceptionally difficult for the vendors to keep up with the pace of innovation.The global ASIC market has been categorized by product type, by application, and by geography. On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into full custom design ASIC, semi-custom design ASIC, and programmable ASIC. In terms of revenue, globally semi-custom design ASIC accounted for the majority of the market share in 2015 and is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period from 2016 to 2024 due to its increasing application in consumer electronics and automotive sector. . Semi-custom design ASIC is further segregated into standard cell based ASIC and gate array based ASIC. Standard cell based ASIC held the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2015 and is projected to retain its dominance in the coming years.This 130-page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) Market. Browse to unlock the hidden opportunities in this marketAsia Pacific Takes the Lead with Rising Automotive IndustryGeographically, the global ASIC market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Regionally, Asia Pacific accounted approximately 80% share of the global ASIC market in 2015 and is likely to retain its position over the forecast period. Asia Pacific is the most attractive market for ASIC due to its growing demand in production of smart devices, rapid development of industrial infrastructure that supports the integration of process automation, increased demand for sensors in automobiles, and heavy investments in communication technologies. Analysts anticipate that Latin America is also expected to emerge as an important region in the overall market. On the other hand, the persistent demand for portable electronics demand in North America and Europe will fuel the regional market in the coming years. The report also indicates that semi-custom design ASIC will be the key product in the North America and Europe ASIC market.The key players operating in the global application specific integrated circuit market are Intel Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc., STMicroelectronics N.V., Infineon Technologies AG, Renesas Electronics, Maxim Integrated Products Inc., Analog Devices, ON Semiconductor, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Qualcomm, Inc., and Linear Technology Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bio-MEMS Market | An insight on the important factors and trends influencing the market

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Global Bio-MEMs Market: SnapshotMicro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology uses microstructures and miniaturized devices as components for performing microfabrication techniques. These systems are extensively being used for biomedical or biological purposes is known as bio-MEMS. Today, bio-MEMS are widely used for clinical diagnostics and for research and development in the healthcare sector. The sophisticated microfabrication techniques used in bio-MEMS have enabled treatment of critical diseases. This has opened up several lucrative opportunities for the global market in recent years. Owing to these reasons, the global bio-MEMS market is expected to be worth US$3.8 bn by the end of 2024 as compared to US$695.0 mn in 2015. Between the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the global market is expected to surge at a CAGR of 20.9%.The rising demand for artificial limbs or substitutes for a specific nerve problem has improved the uptake of bio-MEMS in recent years. The market is also being driven by the soaring usage of microfluidics such as microfluidic chips in a wide range of biomedical applications for analytical and diagnostic purposes. Furthermore, the use of bio-MEMS has also enhanced the detection of viruses and pathogens with adequate accuracy, which has played a key role in setting the global market on a positive path of growth.On the basis of type, the global bio-MEMS market is divided into gyroscopes, accelerometers, and others. As of 2015, the accelerometers segment held the dominant share in the global market due to its widening application in the medical sector. The others, which includes flow sensors is also expected to show steady growth during the forecast period.Obtain Report Details @Cardio-MEMS to Lead Global Market throughout Forecast PeriodIn terms of application, the global bio-MEMS market is segmented into neural implants, bionics, ENT implants, cardio-MEMS, and others. Presently, the cardio-MEMS hold a dominant share in the global market due to the rising cases of cardiovascular disorders and diseases across the globe. The growing usage of cardio-MEMS has helped in saving several lives and allowed doctors to understand crucial data such as pressure changes of patients with more clarity. The report suggests that others segment, which includes pressure sensors, retinal implants, and exoskeletons will also show steady progress in the coming years due to increasing applications.This 102-page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Bio-MEMS Market. Browse to unlock the hidden opportunities in this marketNorth America to Remain Frontrunner in Global MarketOn the basis geography, the global bio-MEMS market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World, which is further categorized into Africa, Middle East, and South America. As of 2015, North America held a major chunk in the global market, which was closely followed by Europe. The North America bio-MEMS market is being led by the soaring healthcare sector. The high adoption of advanced treatment techniques in North America is also estimated to boost the revenue of the regional market. The report states that Asia Pacific is also estimated to offer profitable opportunities to the global market as governments are focusing on improving healthcare facilities in the region. The Asia Pacific bio-MEMS market is also likely to swell due to the huge pool of unmet medical needs and rise of the medical tourism industry.The key players operating in the global bio-MEMS market are Becton Dickinson, Abbott Laboratories, Boston Scientific, Perkin Elmer, Medtronic, Baxter International Inc., and Teledyne Dalsa Inc. among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Vacation Ownership Global Market 2016 by Region, Ownership, Value, Analysis and Forecast to 2020

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ReportsWeb.com published Vacation Ownership Market from its database. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.The vacation ownership industry, also referred to as the timeshare industry, enables consumers to share ownership of a fully furnished vacation accommodation. Typically, the consumer purchases either a title to a fraction of a unit or a right to use a property for a specific period of time. This is referred to as a Vacation Ownership Interest or VOI. VOIs are generally sold through weekly intervals or points based systems. Under the weekly intervals system, owners can use a specific unit at a specific resort often during a specific week of the year. Under the points based system, owners often have advanced reservation rights for a particular destination, but are free to redeem their points for various unit types and/or locations.This sector was once dominated by private developers selling one-week fee intervals, but now includes publicly-traded hospitality companies actively developing a full range of offerings at different price points in resort and urban destinations. An increase in the factors like occupancy rates, average daily rate (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPAR) have made significant contribution to the growth of the industry.For more information about this report:The key factors driving the growth of vacation ownership market are accelerating economic growth, rising employed population in the US, growing urban population and rising high net worth individual & wealth. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry are rapid growth in vacation ownership, introduction of smartphone keys, introduction of new management services and increased emphasis on health and well-being. However, the expansion of vacation ownership market is hindered by increasing competition, technological issues and declining consumer confidence.The report "Global Vacation Ownership Market" provides an in-depth analysis of the global market along with markets of the US. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are being presented in this report. The industry comprises few large players such as Marriott Vacation Worldwide, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Diamond Resorts International. All these companies have been profiled in the present report highlighting their key financials and business strategies for growth.Request Sample Copy atTable of Contents1. Introduction2. Global Market Analysis3. The US Market Analysis4. Market Dynamics5. Competitive Landscape6. Company Profiles6.1 Marriott Vacations Worldwide6.1.1 Business Overview6.1.2 Financial Overview6.1.3 Business Strategies6.2 Wyndham Worldwide Corporation6.2.1 Business Overview6.2.2 Financial Overview6.2.3 Business Strategies6.3 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.6.3.1 Business Overview6.3.2 Financial Overview6.3.3 Business Strategies6.4 Diamond Resorts International6.4.1 Business Overview6.4.2 Financial Overview6.4.3 Business StrategiesInquire for Report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer Bauxite Mining and our customer support Bauxite Mining is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
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It often takes years until new procedures for treating cancer can be used in an everyday clinical environment. Beforehand, they go through numerous studies, in which doctors and researchers check the efficacy and safety of the procedure, with the active involvement of the affected patients. Improving the quality of cancer treatments by using new methods is the goal of the Danish-German research project InnoCan: Innovative High Technology Cancer Treatment Denmark-Germany.---It often takes years until new procedures for treating cancer can be used in an everyday clinical environment. Beforehand, they go through numerous studies, in which doctors and researchers check the efficacy and safety of the procedure, with the active involvement of the affected patients. Improving the quality of cancer treatments by using new methods is the goal of the Danish-German research project InnoCan: Innovative High Technology Cancer Treatment Denmark-Germany. Until the end of 2018, the Department of Radiotherapy at Kiel University (CAU) and the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) will be involved in the project, which has a total budget of 4.27 million Euros. Funding for the project at the Kiel site is nearly 460,000 Euros. InnoCan is being funded by Interreg Deutschland-Danmark with means from the European Regional Development Fund.The InnoCan project, which was launched one year ago in Germany and Denmark, is focussed on the use of innovative technical equipment, which should lead to a more gentle treatment of cancer patients in future. At the Department of Radiotherapy in Kiel, clinical studies for this purpose are being carried out in a German-Danish test centre, and the first results are already available. In addition, researchers in Naestved (Denmark) and Lubeck tested a device for measuring vital signs. The test will soon continue in Kiel. The device measures the body surface temperature as well as breathing and heart rate, which can be read on a tablet via Bluetooth. In this way, medical staff can, for example, check patients vital signs during the night without disturbing them.A similar principle works for devices which should facilitate blood testing at home. They measure the haemoglobin value in combination with checking the white blood cell count. This enables doctors to decide in advance - based on the blood measurements taken at home - if the patients are ready for their next chemotherapy treatment in hospital, allowing them to avoid unnecessary trips there. Expense and inconvenience for seriously ill patients could thus be reduced in the long term. "This is particularly interesting for older cancer patients or for countries such as Denmark, where the distance to the next hospital is often quite a long way," said Kirsten Seger, coordinator of the InnoCan project in Germany. The Danish project partners are already testing the device. During the course of the year, testing should also start in Kiel, initially with patients admitted to hospital."In view of the increasing age of society, it is to be expected that the number of cancer patients will increase. To improve the quality of the treatment in spite of this requires a special effort in the clinical testing of new procedures. With InnoCan, we want to support not only application-orientated research, but also small and medium-sized enterprises," said Jurgen Dunst, Professor of Radiotherapy at the Faculty of Medicine at the CAU, and Director of the Department of Radiation Oncology. Up to four companies should be able to clinically test their innovative medical products in the participating hospitals, continued Dunst. "In particular, young medical companies benefit from the close collaboration, by getting feedback from patients, doctors and healthcare workers, about how they can further develop their products," explained the radiotherapist, who leads the Kiel part of the project. In addition, the Danish and German project partners support participating companies with their preparations for clinical testing, on both sides of the border. "In this regard, the interdisciplinary cooperation with the Danish partners is particularly valuable," explained Dunst. A total of ten German and Danish partners are participating in the project, under the leadership of Zealand University Hospital in the Danish city of Naestved.The Kiel Department of Radiation Oncology is also involved in testing a self-adhesive wound plaster. It should prevent skin reactions, which can occur during radiation therapy of head and neck tumours. In a further study, the scientists hope to shorten the treatment time for patients with vertebral metastases, by using high-precision techniques in radiation therapy. In close cooperation with the Danish project partners, the groundwork is being laid for additional studies on improving the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and prostate cancer.Further information:A photo is available for download under:Caption: The new measuring device records vital parameters such as body surface temperature or breathing and heart rate. The medical staff can easily and flexibly access the data via tablet.Photo/Copyright: Gert Ellegaard, Region Zealand.In Germany, in addition to the Department of Radiotherapy at the Kiel campus, the Department of Radiotherapy in Lubeck and the Institute for Cancer Epidemiology e.V. are also involved in the InnoCan project. On the Danish side, project partners are the university hospitals in Naestved and Odense, the Danish Cancer Society, the University College Zealand, the Design School Kolding, the Zealand Region and the company Cortrium. Network partners are the WTSH GmbH - Business Development and Technology Transfer Corporation of Schleswig-Holstein, Life Science Nord as well as Philips (Holland) and Welfare Tech (Denmark).The INTERREG Deutschland-Danmark programme is being funded with money from the European Regional Development Fund. It should support cross-border cooperation in a region with approximately 3.6 million people. On the German side, the programme area includes the districts of Nordfriesland, Ostholstein, Plon, Rendsburg-Eckernforde and Schleswig-Flensburg, as well as the cities of Flensburg, Kiel, Lubeck and Neumunster. On the Danish side, it covers the regions of southern Denmark and Zealand.Contact:Prof. Dr med. Jurgen DunstDirector of the Department of Radiation OncologyTel.: +49 (0)431/500 26501E-mail:Kirsten SegerInnoCan project coordinatorDepartment of Radiation Oncology+49 (0)451/500 45486E-mail:Kiel UniversityPress, Communication and Marketing, Dr Boris Pawlowski,Text/editing: Kirsten Seger, Julia SiekmannPostal address: D-24098 Kiel, Germany,Telephone: +49 (0)431 880-2104, Fax: +49 (0)431 880-1355Weitere Informationen:Quelle: idw
Hotel Business News and Analytics

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IHG to Open Hotels in Bintan, Indonesia

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced its debut in Bintan, Indonesia. These will be Hotel Indigo Bintan Lagoi Beach and Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach. Both the hotels are set to open in 2019 and will enjoy a fantastic location in Lagoi Bay area.



Each of the two hotels will target different groups of travelers and, therefore, will offer various services. The Hotel Indigo brand is tied to the local culture and history of the neighborhood. It will be a fantastic choice for travelers who prefer boutique hotels and seek authentic experiences together with the quality one would expect from an international brand. The Holiday Inn brand is an awesome midscale choice with friendly service and modern comfort.



According to the companys spokesman, Indonesia is currently a key market for IHG. Its an emerging business destination and a conveniently located country for leisure travel as it is easy to reach Indonesia from Singapore, Australia, and Southeast Asia. IHG hotels in Bali, Semarang, and Jakarta saw a sufficient growth of visitors last year. The two new hotels will be opened in partnership with PT. Graha Agung Indahsentosa, an established partner of IHG.



There is some information about the new hotels. Holiday Inn Resort Bintan Lagoi Beach will have 250 guest rooms and will offer midscale accommodation for tourists. The hotel is particularly good for family travelers as there will be a large swimming pool and various food options including specialty and all-day dining restaurants. Moreover, the hotel will provide guests with the Kids Eat & Stay Free offer with all-inclusive dining for young guests. Special options for business travelers will include a grand ballroom for 300 people, eight meeting spaces, and individual function rooms for 20 to 100 participants.



Hotel Indigo Bintan Lagoi Beach will be a perfect choice for travelers who want to get acquainted with local cuisine. The boutique hotel will offer several locally inspired restaurants and cafes. Besides that, Hotel Indigo will have an infinity swimming pool, gym, meeting and board rooms. Guests of both the hotels will gain access to a premium spa located on a 9.2-hectare large beachfront site. As Bintan International Airport is set to open next year, the peaceful Indonesian resort is expected to greet twice more visitors than current 320,000 people.

18.08.2017Stay in touch with the latest news of a worldwide hotel industry. All up-to-date analytics, reports , and news about hotel business trends on OrangeSmile.com.
Prineville has never seen traffic like this.

Officials in the Central Oregon town of less than 10,000 said they expect between 8,000 and 10,000 vehicles will roll through on two different highways Thursday. The vast majority are heading to the Symbiosis Gathering, a five-day music festival that runs through Monday's total solar eclipse.

Wednesday's gridlock set a record for the region, Oregon Department of Transportation spokesman Peter Murphy said. Approximately 8,000 vehicles flooded highways 126 and 26 through the city, 20 percent more than Prineville has ever seen.

"It was basically wall to wall at times," he said.

Those patterns remained for much of Thursday, until local law enforcement agencies and ODOT blocked access to Highway 26 and re-routed traffic to Highway 380 to handle much of the load.

"We're doing what we can," Murphy said. "After all, this wasn't really unexpected. There are hiccups, of course, but all in all it's going well."

Social media posts from Wednesday and Thursday depicted rows of vehicles slogging through the rural roads en route to the eclipse destination. But Murphy said he was impressed with the level of patience he saw among cars and trucks that were delayed 20 and 30 minutes throughout both days.

"People by and large are doing the right thing," he said.

The ODOT spokesman suggested eclipse travelers stock up with water and snacks in anticipation of long waits on rural roads. He also said it's a good idea to refuel when possible, a sight local business leaders saw in action both Wednesday and Thursday.

Casey Kaiser, executive director of the Prineville and Crook County Chamber of Commerce, said one gas station ran out of regular unleaded Thursday but had re-stocked within a few hours. Other stations reported running low as well.

"We could have one or two out of fuel by the the day again today," Kaiser told The Oregonian/OregonLive just after 4 p.m.

Petroleum companies planned for the extra traffic. Kaiser said extra deliveries were ordered for much of the weekend in anticipation of eclipse chasers passing through.

The line to get into @SymGathering Eclipse Fest is 30+ miles & 12+ hours. They're detouring people on 380. Not sure how much it's backed up pic.twitter.com/bIeIgwQ5Eh  Aaron Scott OPB (@aarondavidscott) August 17, 2017

Fuel prices rose in both Crook and Jefferson counties over Thursday ahead of the Symbiosis Gathering launch. As of 5:45 p.m., a GasBuddy heatmap showed a $2.84 per gallon average in Jefferson County and $2.95 per gallon average in Crook.

That's a 29- and 46-cent jump over the same period last year.

Most of the traffic for the Symbiosis Gathering is is expected to taper off by midnight.

"We had quite a bit of time to prepare here, so I think that helped us," he said. "We had the benefit of knowing without a doubt that we'd have those roughly 30,000 people come here to the event."

Further north in Madras, largely touted as Oregon's go-to eclipse destination, traffic was also heavier than usual Thursday.

"It's like a normal Friday afternoon ahead of a three-day weekend," Madras Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Joe Krenowicz said.

In both areas, supplies at grocery stores were holding steady with the exception of a few businesses running low on food items in Redmond, the chamber of commerce directors said. That's because festival attendees and eclipse chasers by and large have supplies in tow.

"In large part, they have a lot of their supplies but they're getting things like water, ice and perishable foods," Kaiser said.

Although stocks of fuel and groceries have held steady in Central Oregon, the pictures of gridlocked traffic and tales of long travel times have caused some would-be eclipse chasers to cancel reservations for hotel rooms in Prineville.

Kaiser said one inn had two open rooms. Another reported 20 up for grabs. And at least a handful of RV spots were abandoned over the last few days.

"We may see a little bit more of that," Kaiser said. "If you want a room or reservable camp space, don't hesitate to make that last-minute call."

The chamber of commerce director said he expects weekend traffic to move more smoothly. Once Symbiosis guests are settled in, much of the traffic will be passing through en route to other cities on the path of totality.

In Madras, Krenowicz said he's ready for the crowds.

"We've been known as ground zero for some time and right now the weather sounds like it'll be perfect," he said. "Everyone here feels comfortable."

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

@edercampuzano

ecampuzano@oregonian.com
Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife has "lost its way" and the state's plan for managing wolves has veered off course, according to leaders from 18 environmental nonprofit groups.

The environmental coalition sent a letter to Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday asking her to be more involved in the agency's affairs as it works to finalize a new version of the state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan, which advocates say is two years overdue.

The letter comes one day after state officials confirmed two additional wolves from the Harl Butte pack in County will be killed after the state said the animals killed livestock. Last week, the state confirmed it killed two animals from the pack in response to ranchers' concerns.

"The Harl Butte situation again calls into question the effectiveness of killing wolves and demonstrates the need for clearer sideboards around what non-lethal actions must be attempted before trapping and shooting of wolves will be allowed," the coalition said in the letter.

The Harl Butte pack lives in the same area where the state also killed four members of the Imnaha Pack in March 2016. That's the pack from which OR7, the state's famous wandering wolf, is descended. All the killings will come at the request of livestock owners, who say the wolves are killing cattle.

Brown's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The environmental groups say killing wolves is "expensive, dangerous and controversial" and bucks scientific research, which shows removing an animal from a pack actually increases conflicts with livestock.

"This has played out in Oregon and Washington where livestock conflict and wolf killing efforts have occurred in the same areas year after year," the group said.

An investigation by The Seattle Times delved into the situation involving the Profanity Peak pack in Northeast Washington. That pack was removed after repeated conflicts with livestock, but opponents say the livestock were placed in the area in order to provoke attacks.

On Thursday, Oregon Fish and Wildlife officials said in a statement that the livestock deaths continued despite significant effort. "Removal of the two wolves, increased human presence in this area and continued use of non-lethal deterrents by livestock producers did not result in a significant change in the pack's behavior," the state said.

Environmental leaders also criticize ODFW for not being transparent about "when, how and which wolves are killed."

"For an agency that exists to serve the people of Oregon, this is simply unacceptable," the letter states.

ODFW said it disagreed, and that it updated its website and alerted the media and stakeholders on Thursday. The agency will continue to post about conflicts with wolves and livestock online, a spokeswoman said.

"As wolves continue to expand in both number and range, we recognize that actions like these will become more routine," the statement said, regarding the Harl Butte kills. "We are evaluating our communications strategy so it is streamlined and does not overburden our staff. Much wolf work is done in remote areas, without cell service, and expecting constant updates is not realistic. Our field staff need to do their job."

ODFW estimates the pack has eight adults and juveniles and three pups.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen
The world's best photographers, from Ansel Adams to Richard Avedon, relied on black-and-white pictures to convey more than an image, but a message, an emotion.

Long after color photographs became a snap to take, some people still see the beauty of black and white.



An architecturally significant midcentury modern that went up for sale Tuesday, Aug. 15, is being marketed with only black-and-white images by Darius Kuzmickas of KuDa Photography.

"We decided to use black and white because it's a creative's house," says listing agent Suzann Baricevic Murphy of Where, Inc. "The color photos are equally fantastic but the black and white expresses the real message of the home. It's a Northwest midcentury icon. It was the best way to evoke the true essence of the home."

She's right. Black and white does convey a timeless, classic quality. But there are other reasons to dial down the rainbow.

Photographer David Geffin wrote on the fstoppers.com blog that shooting in black and white makes you focus on the key elements of lighting, composition and subjects, in and out of the frame. Limiting color also amplifies the shadows and negative space, which add depth to the image.

Bigger reason: Viewers are not distracted by color and look at the shape, form and patterns.

They get an eyeful here, at 3136 SW Fairmount Blvd. in Portland's Scenic Fairmount Loop, which is listed at $699,000.

The midcentury modern house with vertical cedar siding was designed by architect Van Evera Bailey.

The late, Portland-born architect's career spanned 40 years, evolving from traditional Craftsman-style homes to glass-and-wood moderns.





Like architects Pietro Belluschi and John Yeon and other champions of the Northwest Regional style, Bailey used local materials and designed to eliminate strict boundaries between rooms, as well as expand outdoor entertaining areas.

Bailey's national reputation was launched in 1940 when he persuaded Los Angeles-based architect Richard Neutra to use cedar instead of stucco on the Jan de Graaff house in Portland's Dunthorpe.



Throughout his long career, Bailey's work was published in lifestyle and design publications. In 2015, the preservation organization Restore Oregon had a tour of six Bailey's houses in Southwest Portland and Lake Oswego.

The home, built in 1952 on 0.36 acres, has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,439 square feet ($287 a square foot).

-- Janet Eastman



jeastman@oregonian.com

503-799-8739

@janeteastman




Two men were sentenced Friday to three years of probation for their roles in a butane explosion last fall in Astoria that injured two people.

William "Chris" West, 41, and Jason Oei, 45, entered Alford pleas in Clatsop County Circuit Court to third-degree assault, a felony, and reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor. Under such pleas, a defendant doesn't admit guilt, but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction.

Clatsop County District Attorney Joshua Marquis addresses the judge during a sentencing hearing Friday morning. The defendants, William West, left, and Jason Oei on the right, were sentenced to probation.

West and Oei were making butane hash oil for their business, Higher Level Concentrates, when the space filled with the flammable gas and exploded. At the time, the company was on a state-approved list to process marijuana for the medical market.

A construction worker, Jacob Magley, 34, was working in the building when the blast occurred. He spent a month in a Portland burn unit recovering from his injuries.

Magley is suing 11 businesses and three people for violations of workplace safety laws. He filed the suit in Multnomah County and is seeking $8.9 million in damages.

Magley listened in to Friday's court proceedings by phone and declined to give a statement.

Clatstop County District Attorney Josh Marquis said the case represents the first felony conviction tied to a legal cannabis extraction business.

But Marquis, who opposed Oregon's marijuana legalization efforts, said the case isn't about cannabis.

"This is really not a drug case; this is a case about recklessness and an industrial accident," he said after the sentencing.

Attorneys for the men didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Higher Level Concentrates operated during a transitional period for Oregon's marijuana program when the health authority oversaw cannabis processors. The business wasn't inspected by regulators. Those businesses have mostly transitioned to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which has stringent fire and safety requirements in place for those businesses.

Marquis said the two had what's known as a closed loop extraction system designed to keep butane from escaping into a room, but they abandoned it because it "had sort of fallen apart on them."

Instead, he said, they used a more primitive and dangerous approach called "open blasting," which allows the gas to fill a room.

He said investigators found hundreds of butane canisters, all of which were "crudely punctured," despite labels warning not to tamper with the containers, Marquis said.

They started pouring the butane into the system "and literally throwing (the cans) into the corner," Marquis said.

It doesn't take much to ignite a butane blast. Something as mundane as a light switch can set off the odorless gas.

The business was fined $5,300 for a series of workplace safety violations related to the explosion. Oregon OSHA cited it for failing to ventilate the building, failing to have an adequate electrical system and failing to obtain city permits.

-- Noelle Crombie

503-276-7184; @noellecrombie
Oakland Raiders cornerback Sean Smith was arrested and charged with felony assault Thursday, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

The charge stems from Smith allegedly beating his sister's boyfriend last month.

Prosecutors charged Smith with two counts of felony assault, assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury. Smith allegedly "beat and then stomped on the victim's head."

If convicted, Smith could face up to seven years in prison.

Los Angeles County jail records showed Smith was released later Thursday after posting $80,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Pasadena on Sept. 29. Smith's attorney said the player would plead not guilty.

Daniel Rosenberg told ESPN's Josina Anderson that Smith "maintains his innocence" and that he will plead not guilty.

"The plan," attorney Daniel Rosenberg told espn.com, "is to fight the charge all the way through."

#Defense attorney Daniel Rosenburg tells me #OAK CB Sean Smith "maintains his innocence" on felony assault charge, "will plead not guilty."  ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) August 18, 2017

Smith, 30, joined the Raiders after signing a four-year, $38 million free-agent contract with Oakland in 2016.

-- Geoffrey C. Arnold | @geoffreyCarnold
In early December, Mohammed was cutting 2x6s for a deck in Wilsonville when, rushed or distracted by a looming storm, he sliced off parts of two fingers and his thumb.

He reached the emergency room at Oregon Health & Science University at 3 p.m., and waited five hours with his bucket of ice for surgery. In all that time, he says, the ER staff three times rinsed his left hand to take photos of the maiming, but did little to stem the bleeding.

His work as a carpenter is over. And it's a measure of life among Syrian refugees that the traumatic injury is only the most visible of Mohammed's ordeals.

Further medical tests revealed a brain tumor. Mohammed has been buffeted by post-traumatic stress. Shatha, his wife, delivered their second child on July 7, meaning she, too, is limited in her ability to work.

For all the courage and resolve that brought this Muslim couple to Oregon, they may not secure a fresh start without our help.

Mohammed and Shatha reached Portland 15 months ago, two of the five million refugees who have fled Syria during its six-year civil war.

In the chaotic run-up to of their escape, they were turned away time and again at embassies and airports, and stranded in both Cairo and Beirut. Because only Mohammed had Syrian citizenship, he alone was finally allowed to board a plane for Istanbul.

"I didn't know if I would ever see him again," Shatha says. "It was a very bad moment."

She persisted. She found a coyote willing to smuggle her, her mother, three sisters and her 18-month-old son across the Syrian border into Turkey for $700 each.

"A very dangerous trip," Shatha says while Mohammed prepares Arabian coffee in their Clackamas County apartment. "We were just women. And the government always does bad things to women."

In the 24-hour odyssey across the border, the women dodged helicopters and motorcycles with searchlights. There were Turkish police shooting into the dark and a farmer Shatha only decided they could trust because he was married: "He will not kill someone near his wife and children."

And there was, finally, a fortuitous hole in the barbed wire stretched across the wasteland between Aleppo and Antakya.

Mohammed and Shatha, who asked that I only use their first names, waited 33 months in Turkey before the vetting process was complete, opening the door to America. Shatha has a sister in Oregon, and they were adjusting well in those first months. Mohammed would build custom cabinetry. Shatha, who has an advanced degree in engineering, hoped to bake and sell sumptuous cakes while she raised the two children.

Then a saw blade slipped, and a shadow appeared on an MRI.

Thanks to Wendy Sell at LifeWorks Northwest and another friend at Lutheran Community Services, news of the family eventually reached Clark Hale and Rebecca Lurie.

Hale launched Pizzeria Otto in Northeast Portland. Lurie owns Kush Rugs in the Pearl, and she has been traveling and doing business in Senegal, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries since she was 22.

They have long championed the Muslim community and they jumped at the chance to help Shatha and Mohammed. "She dragged her entire family out of Syria, through barbed wire, by herself and with a baby," Hale says.

Adds Lurie, "She's a force of nature. She is fierce, and she is brave. But she is terrified. For her family and her husband."

When Hale and Lurie realized that help from Oregon's Department of Human Services, in temporary assistance to needy families, and the local mosque wasn't enough to pay the apartment rent, they set up a GoFundMe campaign.

They want to give the couple room to breathe while Mohammed learns English, endures additional surgery, and works to reinvent himself.

And they want to believe this community's generosity is not yet exhausted by the growing frustration that so many problems - homelessness, opioids, mental health, the refugee crisis - overwhelm public agencies.

"If they could just reach a place where it isn't such a struggle to survive," Lurie says. "Get out of survival mode. There are so many people in survival mode."

And so many others who can welcome Mohammed and Shatha to Oregon in these divisive times. On the warm afternoon we spent with a newborn in their small apartment, reliving the escape from Syria, they would not stop setting food in front of me. I was their guest. There was nothing they would not share.

You can contribute to Mohammad and Shatha at https://www.gofundme.com/refugee-family-crisis.

-- Steve Duin

stephen.b.duin@gmail.com
BY SEAN RIDDELL

At the end of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln and General-in-Chief Ulysses S. Grant feared hostilities would continue in the form an insurgency in the hills of Georgia and the Carolinas. They also knew the northern states were growing weary of the war and the draft. To avoid fighting an insurgency, both made a deal with the devil.

Grant told the Confederate soldiers to lay down their arms and return home: There would be no trials, no government seizure of their farms, no accusations of war crimes and no retribution. Never in history had a rebellion been given blanket forgiveness. It was customary for participants in failed rebellions to be killed, their property seized and all record of their culture destroyed. When word spread through the Confederate army that they would not be held accountable, units across the south turned over their weapons and returned home.

The southern history of the Civil War was not written by the victors, but rather by the survivors. Confederate veterans returned home and went on to enact Jim Crow laws, segregate schools, require literacy tests at the voting booth and write a history that romanticized the war. And they built statues to remember their leaders -- leaders who were traitors to the United States and who had broken their oath as commissioned officers.

As a 23-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, their act of treason is an affront to everything I believe. It does not matter whether they broke their oath to protect human trafficking or the romanticized notion of "state's rights." We cannot forgive or forget their acts of treason.

They participated in violent rebellion against the United States of America. Put simply, they didn't like the lawfully elected president or his agenda, so rather than working through the legislative process, they used violence. We cannot forgive or forget that.

When we remove these public displays of admiration we are acknowledging that slavery occurred, that it was horrible part of our past and that we should not be proud of those who fought to preserve government-sponsored human trafficking, selective breeding, kidnap and rape. It enables us to look critically upon our past and learn from our errors and failures, so that we can avoid such errors in the future. It is about holding ourselves accountable.

These men deserve a place in our history books and in our classrooms. Our junior year in high school should be dedicated to the years before the Civil War and what contributed to it, so we do not repeat it the errors of our past. These men do not deserve admiration in metal and bronze on our public lands. These statues are the equivalent of "whites only" signs over water fountains. You want one on your lawn? Go ahead. Our tax dollars, however, should not go to their maintenance or creation.

Lincoln and Grant made a deal with the devil to unite the country and avoid further bloodshed. The devil has been collecting ever since. He collected at Selma. He collected at every lynching. He collected every day that a black child attended a segregated school. And he collected this weekend.

It is time we break our collective deal with the devil as painful as it may be.

Sean Riddell is a Portland attorney. He lives in Northeast Portland.
Authorities in Arizona say a 2-year-old girl was taken by her father, who fled the state and is possibly headed to Oregon, a local TV news station reports.

Police are looking for Eduardo Rene Camero, 31. Camero was supposed to turn over custody of his daughter, Allie Marie Camero, who is considered missing.

Police say Camero is likely driving a black 2013 Toyota RAV4 with Oregon plates CA54028. Camero extended his military leave and disconnected his cell phone.

If you see Camero, call 911.

-- The Oregonian
By Carli Brosseau and Rebecca Woolington

A state oversight committee for the first time has recommended that an Oregon police officer's certification be temporarily removed due to misconduct.

Members of Oregon's Police Policy Committee found that Roger Thorsvold Jr., a former Bend police officer, had repeatedly detained people on questionable grounds. Thorsvold resigned from the Bend Police Department in January 2015 to avoid being fired after nearly five years with the department.

The committee recommended suspending his certification for three years, during which he would be ineligible to work as an officer in Oregon. After three years, his certification would be restored, but he would have to get hired somewhere and go through more training to return to "active" status.

Reached by phone Thursday afternoon, Thorsvold declined to comment.

Oregon gained the power to suspend officers for bad behavior as part of an extensive rewrite of the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training rules that took place in secret. Previously, the Police Policy Committee and its board, which has the final say, had to choose between revoking or not revoking an officer's certifications.

Decertified officers can try to get their certifications back after a set period, but the process takes more steps and more training than for someone whose certification is merely suspended.

The committee's Thursday meeting was the first time members reviewed cases under the new rules, which took effect Aug. 1.

Among the dozen certification cases the committee considered on Thursday, Thorsvold was the only officer recommended for suspension.

The committee didn't find that Thorsvold was dishonest, which is one of the most serious forms of misconduct for police officers and can be grounds for lifetime decertification. That made Thorsvold a candidate for suspension.

State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton said he believed the three-year suspension would give Thorsvold time to reflect on his actions before he could seek work as a police officer again.

Hampton said the state's review file showed that Bend police gave Thorsvold multiple opportunities to correct his behavior and he did not respond to training.

"Eight to 12 times he's demonstrated similar conduct to false arrest, not bad decision-making for driving too fast or driving through a crosswalk when a pedestrian is there," Hampton said. "This is reckless disregard for the constitutional rights of citizens."

Hampton said it was important for the committee to act on the officer's certification because he could go on to work at another agency, possibly without the agency finding out about past misconduct.

"You can see how this is a nice person, he has a professional image, has a complete history of awards, comes in with a letter from the chief we all respect, he could go to work for some other police department tomorrow," Hampton said.

Murray Rau, a detective with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, doubted that the new employer would be kept in the dark.

"I don't know of any agency that would just hire you off the street," Rau said. "There is an extensive background that's done."

"Everywhere, you think?" Hampton asked.

"I sure hope so in 2017," Rau said.

Rau noted that Thorsvold had received awards for his service in Bend. He also pointed out that Thorsvold was a productive, high-energy employee who handled more than twice as many calls for service as the average officer at the department.

Some committee members didn't consider the incident that ultimately threatened Thorsvold's job to be unlawful detention. They argued that a suspension or a revocation was too harsh, but they didn't have enough votes to prevail.

All but one of the high-level executives on the committee supported state action.

"This goes to his very oath and his ability to apply technical case law to these arrest, don't arrest, don't detain or detain situations," Hampton said. "I just don't think he demonstrates that he has the aptitude to be a police officer. "

The committee ultimately settled on recommending that the board suspend Thorsvold's certification for three years.

Thorsvold now works for the Department of Human Services as a child welfare investigator.

The board will review his case at its October meeting.

Also on Thursday, the oversight committee reconsidered the case of a male supervisor who was accused of inappropriate behavior with female subordinates.

The committee initially recommended that former Medford police Sgt. Thomas Ianieri keep his certification.

But the recommendation hit a major bump during the July meeting of the board that has final say over police standards statewide. The board, led by its chairman, Marion County Sheriff Jason Myers, asked the committee to take a second look.

In doing so, Myers expressed dismay that the committee had not recommended revocation for Ianieri and Tigard Police Sgt. Scott Johnson, another supervisor accused of inappropriate conduct with a female subordinate. Johnson has since given up his certification voluntarily.

Myers called the supervisors' behavior "egregious" when he kicked the decision back to the policy committee for further review.

"What I've read in those files, I do not believe is a good role model for a law enforcement professional," Myers said.

In response, Keizer Police Chief John Teague defended the committee's recommendations on Ianieri and Johnson, calling the supervisors' behavior "disreputable conduct but matters for the agency to handle."

Myers countered that the conduct was bad enough to damage the profession.

"It reflects on every single one of us in this room. We have standards," he said.

On Thursday, Ianieri came to plead his case. He was the first officer to address the committee in person. Before the department's new rules, officers were barred from speaking to the committee. They could only provide a written statement.

Ianieri cried while addressing the committee. He said he'd never been in trouble before and took responsibility for his mistake. He was not specific about his misconduct, how he took responsibility or what lesson he learned.

The committee thanked him for his statement.

Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett soon weighed in. Garrett looked toward Ianieri and told him, "I apologize, this is going to get a little awkward."

Garrett then recited a long list of Ianieri's misdeeds. The sheriff said Ianieri created a hostile work environment by making inappropriate comments about a female officer's body. When she confronted him, Ianieri got emotional and threatened to turn himself in to internal investigators, Garrett said, explaining that he viewed that response as manipulative.

The female officer sought counseling because of Ianieri's behavior, Garrett said. In a letter Ianieri wrote to the committee, he said he wasn't seeking a relationship with the officer. But Garrett said he didn't buy it.

Several members said Medford Police Department deserved blame for letting Ianieri's behavior continue for so long. They said Ianieri could have been counseled or demoted before so much damage had been done.

Other committee members noted, without elaboration, that Ianieri's behaviors led to some officers losing their jobs with Medford.

Ultimately, the committee again voted that Ianieri shouldn't lose his certification.

The board will decide whether or not to follow that recommendation in October.

-- Rebecca Woolington and Carli Brosseau
State officials took steps Thursday to help give some Portland-area commuters a quicker, safer trip by fast-tracking a project to cut congestion on Interstate 205.

The $30 million project will repave and widen portions of I-205 between Johnson Creek Boulevard near Happy Valley and the Glenn Jackson Bridge. Work is slated to get underway by early next year.

Workers will add "auxiliary lanes" just north or south of I-84 on opposite sides of the freeway.

Auxiliary lanes go from one on-ramp directly to the next to help drivers avoid merging onto the freeway, only to exit soon after. A new northbound auxiliary lane will connect the Interstate 84 interchange to the Sandy Boulevard and Killingsworth Street exits. The southbound auxiliary lane will connect the I-84 interchange to the Division Street and Powell Boulevard exit.

Those interchanges have some of the highest crash rates in Oregon because of the short merge distances, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Agency officials predict the auxiliary lanes will cut down on crashes by as much as 30 percent.

Ramps at Glisan Street, Washington Street, Stark Street, Woodstock Boulevard, Foster Road and Johnson Creek Boulevard will also be repaved, and signs installed along I-205 to show drivers travel times to certain destinations.

Groundbreaking will take place in early 2018 with the project expected to finish in late 2019.

Members of the Oregon Transportation Commission -- the governor-appointed body that oversees the Oregon Department of Transportation -- took a procedural vote Thursday to put the project in the state's transportation plan. That ensures the engineering and construction phases will move ahead.

Tammy Baney, who chairs the Oregon Transportation Commission said the project is key to "increasing capacity" on I-205, one of the most-used traffic corridors in Oregon.

"We've had a backlog of projects that have needed to get funded," said Baney, who is also an elected Deschutes County commissioner.

Finishing the I-205 project on time is key to unlocking new gas tax revenues under the massive, $5.3 billion transportation funding plan approved by lawmakers this year.

The bill increases gas taxes by 4 cents in January, to 34 cents per gallon. But to get an additional 2-cent gas tax bump, the I-205 project must be completed by Dec. 1, 2019, among a slew of other requirements.

"We're working as quickly as possible to make sure we can meet the requirements that are in the bill," Baney said of the tight timelines. "We'll get there."

Gov. Kate Brown has yet to sign the transportation funding bill, but she is expected to do so in the coming days. The bill funds road upgrades and public transit projects around the state through raising taxes and fees and creating a set of new taxes, including on the sale of new cars and bicycles and on payroll.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman
Demetria Hester said Friday she was made to feel like the perpetrator, not the victim, when police arrived in May to investigate her report that a man on a MAX train had hurled racial taunts at her and threw a bottle at her face.

She was stunned to find out that police the next day arrested the same suspect, Jeremy Christian, after witnesses said he fatally stabbed two men and seriously wounded a third during a racial tirade against two teenage girls on another MAX train.

"I should feel safe in Portland. I don't,'' Hester said as she sat beside her pastor. "How can you feel safe if the police or TriMet are not there to protect you?''

The 42-year-old African American woman was headed home from her sous chef job at Po'shines Cafe De La Soul about 10:30 p.m. May 25 when she boarded the MAX Yellow Line on North Denver Avenue. She sat in her usual seat next to the train operator's door for safety.

Three stops later, a man stepped onto the train, called himself a neo-Nazi and was looking to recruit others, she said. He ranted that he hated blacks, Jews, Mexicans, Japanese and anyone who wasn't a Christian like he was, and that this was his country.

"And I had no right to be here, and I needed to go back to my country,'' Hester recalled at a news conference.

The man was later identified as Jeremy Christian.

Hester said she was coming forward now to give a detailed account of what happened "because of the president." Donald Trump has come under intense fire this week for blaming both sides for violence that erupted at a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Va. last weekend.

Hester said she felt as if she were living back in the 1920s during the encounter with Christian. She urged the nation to come together and stand up to protect people of all types from hatred and bigotry.

At first, the man on the train that day sat with his back to her on the lower level of the light-rail car as she sat with her back to him on the upper level. Then he stood up and loudly spewed racial and ethnic slurs, she said.

Hester, the only black person riding in the car, spoke up.

"As a paid rider, I expressed, 'Would you please lower your voice? No one wants to hear you threaten or terrorize other people because of their gender, their race or who they were,' '' she recalled saying.

He cursed at her directly, "Fuck you Bitch!'' and said she didn't have the right to speak or be on the train.

She recalled him yelling: "I built this country. You don't have a right to speak. You're black. You don't have a right to be here. All you Muslims, blacks, Jews, I will kill all of you.''

Hester said she tried to get the train operator's attention. "I just sat in that seat and knocked on the conductor's door and received no response,'' she said.

The ranting continued as the MAX train traveled three more stops.

Hester planned to get off at the Rose Quarter to transfer to a Green Line train to head to her home in Clackamas.

Christian chose the same stop.

According to TriMet, the train's operator "immediately contacted'' the MAX command center and a TriMet supervisor was sent to meet the train.

As the train pulled up to the Rose Quarter station, Hester said Christian yelled that if anyone wanted to call the police, he wasn't scared and that he wasn't afraid to go to prison.

"I will kill anyone who stands in my way because I have a right to do this,'' she said he threatened. He also told her, "Bitch, you're about to get it now.''

Hester grabbed the mace she carries in her hand as she stepped off the train.

"He lunged at me with a Gatorade bottle and hit me in the right eye, and I sprayed him with mace,'' she said. "And he went down. There's at least 25 people walking around, not helping, not saying anything. ... I went over and kicked him in the groin as my eye was bleeding.''

She said two TriMet workers in white shirts were on the platform and watched the confrontation. She walked to a bench by the Green Line, sat down and saw Christian head to a nearby fountain and try to wash his face.

About 20 minutes later, a Portland police officer arrived.

Portland police said they were sent at 11:36 p.m. to the Rose Quarter Transit Station on a call about a disturbance between a man and a woman. Officer Neal Glaske saw people standing on the platform, including Christian, and asked if they had been involved.

But no one indicated they had, police said in a news release. Glaske didn't know Christian was a suspect, police said.

Glaske approached Hester, who was with two TriMet supervisors, according to police. TriMet supervisors don't have arrest authority.

"The police asked me what happened, and I expressed that's the person and pointed to (Christian), and so did another TriMet worker. (Glaske) yelled at both of us, and said, 'Let her tell the story,'" Hester recounted. "We tried to tell him the assailant was right behind him, washing out his face.''

She said Glaske told her that he had asked Christian if he had been involved and Christian had said he had nothing to do with it.

"I pointed again and said that is the man that assaulted me,'' Hester said.

But police, in a summary account of their response, said Friday that Hester didn't identify Christian as the suspect right away, though another witness did point to Christian as the man who had thrown a bottle of Gatorade at Hester. The officer, though, noted that Christian didn't appear to be concerned by the police presence.

"The officer asked the victim twice to confirm that Christian was the man who had assaulted her. The victim told the officer Christian was not the suspect both times,'' according to Sgt. Chris Burley, police bureau spokesman. Police aren't releasing their full report of the encounter because the case is still under investigation, they said.

Police said Hester's initial responses might have been due to the trauma she experienced.

Hester said the officer asked for her identification and she questioned why when her assailant was standing right behind him. The officer told her that he could get her name and information easier with her ID, she said.

By then, Christian had walked off. At that moment, according to police, Hester for the first time identified Christian as the man who assaulted her. The officer decided to follow Christian in his patrol car until another officer could provide cover for him, considering Christian was "a potentially violent suspect,'' police said, but by then, Christian was gone.

The officer returned to Hester to take a full statement, photograph her injury and recover the bottle thrown as evidence.

"How am I supposed to feel protected when we just watched him walk away? And you're arguing with me about who it was,'' she said she told the officer, when he returned. "He stated he did the best he could."

She took his card. When the officer asked her if he could help her further, she said she responded, "Catch him because he's going to harm or kill someone.''

Hester, surrounded by several faith and community leaders, said she was sickened to learn the next night that Christian had been arrested after witnesses and police said he stabbed three men in the neck who tried to intercede as he was lobbing racial slurs at two teenage girls on the MAX Green Line in Northeast Portland.

Hester doesn't have TV but was alerted to the stabbings by her work supervisor.

"My heart just dropped,'' she said.

"It was beyond disturbing. Words can't express how sad and just bitter I felt.''

Christian has pleaded not guilty to a 15-count indictment in the May 26 stabbings. He's accused of wounding Micah Fletcher, 21, of Portland and killing Ricky Best, 53, of Happy Valley, and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, 23, of Portland. Best died on the train. Namkai-Meche was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.

Four of the counts  intimidation, second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and menacing -- stem from the confrontation with Hester. She said she heard back from police on the Tuesday after the Friday night stabbing.

"The Police Bureau understands the emotion and fear of hatred that has occurred in our community,'' said Acting Police Chief Chris Uehara. "We will continue to lift up, support and protect all community members.''

Roberta Alstadt, spokeswoman for TriMet, said, "Our thoughts are with Ms. Hester as well as those touched so deeply by the May 26 attack, and all those who struggle daily against hatred and bigotry.''

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
Correction appended below

Up to 1,500 people are expected to descend Friday on the downtown Portland waterfront for a rally and march in solidarity with the people attacked by white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville last week.

Gregory McKelvey, one of the leaders of organizing group Portland's Resistance, said he expects to see the biggest crowd since thousands swarmed the city after President Donald Trump's inauguration.

"Like Charlottesville, Portland has recently been a victim of right-wing hate and white supremacy crimes," McKelvey said. "We feel that pain, too, and so we want to show that city we stand with them."

The number of people who are planning to attend once again shifts attention to how Portland police will respond.

Since the election, police have tried various tactics to deal with large crowds of protesters, and, increasingly, counter-protesters.

Sgt. Jeff Niiya, who has been studying how to handle group protests since Occupy Portland, said each event presents case-by-case variables. The police presence will be minimal Friday, he said, despite past marches and rallies where police in riot gear heavily patrolled the crowds and used tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray to subdue violence.

"I'm giving a lot of trust to them because they say they are going to handle it," Niiya said. "I told them I hope we can leave the past in the past and have a successful march."

Niiya spends his time surveying social media to gauge the intent of protest organizers and how many people might show up. He reaches out to leaders on all sides -- counter-protesters, too -- to talk about what they're expecting and what they hope to achieve.

He said he wants to make sure Portland police take into account marchers' safety concerns as well as city residents' worries.

Niiya is also conscious of how past enforcement strategies have looked to protesters and the outside.

Some members of anti-fascist groups have been arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and interfering with police and often are dispersed by police because officers say they throw bricks, bottles and other objects.

During an especially large "Patriot Prayer" rally June 4, a wall of police cleared downtown's Chapman Square of hundreds of anti-fascist demonstrators after water bottles and other things flew.

The police response then wasn't about picking sides, Niiya said, it was about officer safety.

"If you hadn't been focusing on us and instead been focusing on the Patriots, you could have stood there all day long and yelled and screamed at them," Niiya said.

A spokesperson from Rose City Antifa, one of the largest antifa groups in Portland, didn't respond to requests for comment.

For Friday, McKelvey said he thinks that the protest will be peaceful if left alone by city officials. The march will start at 5:30 p.m. and last until 7 p.m. -- McKelvey said vandalism and other trouble starts after dark.

But he also wants clarity about what's allowed and what isn't. In the past, his group has marched across bridges and in the streets. At subsequent marches, they weren't allowed to do either. He said he's willing to follow the rules, if he knows what they are, because it's a matter of safety for his supporters.

"We need to know what we can and can't do and what will elicit a violent response," McKelvey said.

McKelvey and anti-fascist group members have complained that police often push them back, arrest them or hold them back from marching when far-right events are largely uninterrupted. Niiya knows this and is now trying to hold police back as much as possible from feeding the narrative that they're backing groups that advocate white supremacy, oppose immigrants and deride feminism.

"We don't take sides in these conflicts," Niiya said. "I don't like us standing between the two groups and, if there's a march, I don't like us marching alongside them."

But that light touch led several physical altercations to go on unabated at an Aug. 6 march led by far-right organizer Joey Gibson of Vancouver and his Patriot Prayer group.

The violence between anti-fascist counter-protesters and people from various groups who unite under a shared extreme conservative ideology lasted more than half an hour, with several scuffles escalating from punches thrown and flags burned to extended brawls.

Gibson said he tried to use his bullhorn to break up the fights, but he thinks a lot of people come from both sides with the express purpose of throwing fists. In the future, he plans to ask people who don't want to fight to ring the group, so that the clashes are contained within the rally.

Police were also unhappy with the violence that day and Niiya said he's planning to rethink police strategy before Gibson's next rally.

Gibson has set a Sept. 10 event where the featured speakers are people who want to preserve standing Confederate monuments -- the issue that sparked the Virginia conflict and less violent ones across the South. He expects the largest crowd yet, with far-right supporters flying in from across the country.

Gibson said he expects to take "extra precautions," wouldn't say what those may be.

"I'm in a really hard spot because Patriot Prayer promotes peace and love but at the same time it's about standing up for what you believe in and you don't stand down," Gibson said. "If you're not going to stand down, antifa is going to come and be violent. How do we stop that without being violent ourselves, without brawling in the streets?"

Niiya has monitored the news reports of Gibson's protests in other cities including Seattle and San Francisco, but also factors in how Gibson's message will play in Portland, where he expects people won't welcome the presence of Confederate flags.

Niiya said he talks with the groups about how they can deal with that. He wants leaders to police themselves as much as possible, but if police see people breaking the law, they will intervene.

"We're doing a lot of this work on the back end to make sure it's safe and people have their constitutional rights to protest and communicate and do all the things we love about this country," Niiya said. "And do it safely."

But Gibson blamed counter-protesters for the majority of the incidents. His comments echo Trump's remarks Tuesday that the violence in Charlottesville, where one woman was killed and dozens more injured, was as much a fault of anti-fascist and anti-racist groups as it was the white supremacists who acted violently.

Gibson said he denounces violence in his videos and in person during the speech-making time at rallies, but he said he can't control the responses of his supporters to counter-protesters.

"It takes real discipline and it takes real strength to get people to see the bigger picture and to not use violence," he said.

(An earlier version of this story misspelled Sgt. Jeff Niiya's name.)

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com

503-294-5923

@MollyHarbarger
Demetria Hester, who reported to police that she was the target of Jeremy Christian's racial taunts on a MAX train the day before he's accused of stabbing three men on another MAX train, will speak out about the encounter Friday with support from local pastors and community leaders.

Hester and the Rev. E.D. Mondaine, who leads Celebration Tabernacle Church in North Portland and is vice president of the NAACP of Portland, expressed anger and dismay after Christian's last court appearance that Christian wasn't arrested after he had confronted Hester.

"This tragedy actually began 24 hours earlier, on Thursday, May 25th,'' Mondaine said. "That day, a hate crime  an act of racially motivated, physical violence  was perpetrated against a woman of color in our community; a woman who was verbally and physically assaulted by Jeremy Joseph Christian. A man who not only threatened to take the lives of innocent people, but who police allowed to walk free to do so.''

Christian confronted Hester on the train while she was on her way home, according to an indictment. Christian is accused of throwing a plastic bottle at her at the Rose Quarter Station.

In response, "I sprayed him'' with mace and called police, she said last month in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive. TriMet police responded, they questioned Christian and let him go, Mondaine said. During the encounter, Christian also was caught on cellphone video yelling derogatory comments at the driver of the train and repeatedly making threats about stabbing someone, police said.

Mondaine contends that a TriMet MAX operator and other witnesses didn't come to Hester's aid.

A coalition of interfaith leaders will argue that the stabbings of three MAX passengers the next day "were not only preventable but were the direct result of ineffectual, racially biased policing by Portland police,'' according to a news release from Mondaine's church.

They'll ask Portland police leaders and the mayor to examine their claims and hold officers accountable, according to the release. Portland police spokesman Sgt. Chris Burley and Interim Chief Chris Uehara did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

The day after the confrontation with Hester, Christian is accused of fatally stabbing two men and wounding another as they interceded as Christian directed racial and anti-Muslim slurs at two teenage girls aboard the train, police and witnesses said. One girl was African American and her friend was wearing a hijab, a traditional Muslim headdress. The girls got up and walked away from Christian, witnesses said.

Christian is accused of pulling a knife and attacking the three men as the MAX train pulled into the Hollywood transit station about 4:30 p.m. May 26 in Northeast Portland.

Christian has pleaded not guilty to a 15-count indictment, charging him with two counts of aggravated murder, one count of attempted aggravated murder, one count of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault, five counts of unlawful use of a weapon, three counts of second-degree intimidation and two counts of menacing.

Eleven of the charges stem from the stabbing of Micah Fletcher, 21, who survived, and the two men who were killed, Ricky Best, 53, of Happy Valley, and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, 23, of Southeast Portland. Best died on the train. Namkai-Meche was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.

Four of the charges  intimidation, second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and menacing -- stem from the encounter with Hester.

The pastors and other community leaders plan to call on the local African American community to take a stand, particularly in the wake of the violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"As our nation and community come face to face with bold and increasing acts of domestic terrorism, the events we will review carry acute relevance,'' Mondaine said in his prepared statements.

"We call the collective community to rise up. We call all peaceable peoples to rise up. We call the black community to rise up. Rise up and stand. Demand justice and just acts.''

The news conference is scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday at Billy Webb Elks Lodge, 6 N. Tillamook St.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
Outrage at President Donald Trump's statements this week about the deadly racist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, continues to buffet his administration. And it may have helped push out his chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, the former head of the Breitbart media organization that is known as a haven for white nationalists and other right-wing extremists.

The New York Times reported Friday morning that Trump "has told senior aides that he has decided to remove Stephen K. Bannon." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders later confirmed that Bannon is leaving his post.

"We are grateful for his service and wish him the best," she said in a statement.

Earlier this week, Bannon told American Prospect co-editor Robert Kuttner that Trump's embrace of the alt-right is a winner for the president. "The Democrats: the longer they talk about identity politics, I got 'em," Bannon said. "I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats."

White nationalists have praised Trump's comments this week in which he blamed "both sides" for the weekend violence in Virginia -- not just the white racists marching in Charlottesville but also Americans protesting against the neo-Nazis. Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who participated in the Charlottesville "Unite the Right" rally, thanked Trump on Twitter after the president's press conference.

But mainstream Republicans are recoiling from the president's remarks, with leaders ranging from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham expressing shock and disgust.

"Whether he intended to or not, what he communicated caused racists to rejoice, minorities to weep, and the vast heart of America to mourn," 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said of Trump's shocking press conference. "His apologists strain to explain that he didn't mean what we heard. But what we heard is now the reality, and unless it is addressed by the president as such, with unprecedented candor and strength, there may commence an unraveling of our national fabric."

Trump now has one less apologist straining to explain what he meant. The reason for Bannon's ouster is unknown. Pundits speculate it could be because he's guided Trump toward his confrontational, pro-white-nationalist stance. Or that it could be because, in his interview with Kuttner, Bannon revealed that that stance, from Bannon's point of view, might be little more than political expediency.

"Ethnonationalism -- it's losers," Bannon said. "It's a fringe element. ... These guys are a collection of clowns."

-- Douglas Perry
Ever since President Donald Trump took office in January, his most-determined opponents have called for him to be impeached and removed from office.

And cooler-headed observers of the political scene have said no one should get their hopes up for such an outcome. After all, the Republican Party -- that is, the president's party -- holds majorities in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

But now Elaine Kamrack, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, says Trump could be surprisingly close to getting booted from office.

Impeachment is up to the House, whose members face voters every two years. If Republican U.S. representatives start to worry that the president's low approval rating could complicate their 2018 re-elections, support for impeachment could suddenly gain steam in the House. And the Senate, which would hold a trial of an impeached president, already might be a majority anti-Trump chamber.

"Conviction requires two-thirds of the Senate and by my count there are already 12 [Republican] senators who have shown a willingness to take on the president when they believe he is in the wrong," Kamrack wrote on August 9. "If you add that to the 48 Democrats in the Senate (who have shown no inclination to work with this President), Donald Trump could be six votes away from conviction in the Senate."

The next day Kamrack added a 13th Republican senator who conceivably could be game for voting to convict, and "number 13," she wrote, "is a doozy -- Senator Mitch McConnell."

Trump last week blamed McConnell, the majority leader, for the Senate's failure to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act. He declared himself "very disappointed in Mitch," adding: "For a thing like that to happen is a disgrace, and frankly it shouldn't have happened."

Trump has also launched Twitter broadsides against other GOP senators whose support he would need during an impeachment trial. Most recently he hit at Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake and offered support to a Flake primary challenger. "Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate," he tweeted. "He's toxic!"

Kamrack's essays, it should be noted, were published before the deadly violence at a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last weekend. Trump has sparked anger and dismay across the political divide this week by blaming "both sides" for the mayhem, counter-protesters who turned out to oppose racism as well as the white supremacists behind the rally. Republican politicians have rushed to condemn the president's remarks, including longtime Trump backers such as Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker.

The key question, at this point, might not be whether Republican members of Congress would support Trump's ouster. It's what grounds would constitute his impeachment. The standard is "high crimes and misdemeanors," and most constitutional scholars would tell you that stupid Twitter rants and even comments emboldening white supremacists do not qualify.

A lot of impeachment-worthy offenses have been put forward over the past six months, from Trump's alleged violation of the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause to alleged Trump campaign collusion with Russia, which is being investigated by a special counsel. But allegations are not proof, giving Trump time to shore up his support in the Senate, if he's inclined to do so.

-- Douglas Perry
Did residents of the Town of Pelham really want the town to be annexed by New York City in 1887? On March 22, 1887, the New York Times published the following report:





"WANTING TO BE NEW-YORKERS.





A meeting of Pelham, East Chester, and West Chester to urge the annexation of those towns to the city of New-York, was held last night at Stephen Odell's hotel, at East Chester. Representative men from all the towns were present, and it was resolved that a petition should be circulated extensively and submitted to the Legislature at the earliest possible date, asking that the boundary lines of New York City be extended so as to include East Chester, West Chester, Pelham, and Washingtonville. Ex-Assemblyman Charles P. McClelland made a speech in favor of the proposed annexation. James T. Lane, editor of the West Chester Independent, presided over the meeting."





Source:





No, despite this news report, Pelham residents did not want their town to be annexed by New York City in 1887. Things were moving fast in March, April, and May of that year. Pelham residents had come to the realization that New York City's condemnation and purchase of Pelham lands for the new Pelham Bay Park would take those lands off the tax assessment rolls and, thus, would more than double the property taxes of remaining Pelham residents. Pelham residents were furious and were looking for any way possible to avoid such a tax increase.





Within a matter of days, the threatened petition to have Pelham annexed by New York City evolved into a petition

asking cooperation from the Mayor and Common Council of New York City in requesting the State Legislature to repeal so much of the act of 1884 as related to the assumption of lands in Westchester County for a park to be known as Pelham Bay Park.





On March 24, 1887, a Pelham delegation led by Dr. John A. Hardenbrook of Bartow-on-the-Sound met with New York City Mayor Abram Stevens Hewitt and presented the petition signed by Pelham taxpayers. The Pelham delegation also included Town Supervisor Sherman T. Pell, Postmaster Hogan, Roadmaster Hall, stage line operator Fred Vickery, Judge Henry D. Carey, Charles Mahoney, and a dozen others.





Mayor Hewitt accepted the petition and reportedly stated:





"Gentlemen, I am very glad to meet you. I appreciate the situation exactly. I think it is an outrageous thing that the Legislature should have passed a bill to acquire lands for park purposes eight miles from the Harlem Bridge, and saddling the expense upon the taxpayers of this city. I suppose you were a happy and contented community until some speculative rascals set their eyes upon your locality and sought to use it for their own selfish ends. I am glad you have called, and I assure you I shall send your petition with my recommendation to the Board of Aldermen at its next meeting.'"





Truth be told, neither New York City nor Pelham was happy with the proposal to create Pelham Bay Park. New York was furious that the State Legislature had passed a statute in 1884 requiring the City to purchase lands within the Town of Pelham to create Pelham Bay Park and to fund the purchase with New York City Taxpayer money. The City argued that the lands were far too distant from the Harlem River Bridge and would not be easily accessible to most New York City residents.





New York City was willing to cooperate with Pelham to have the 1884 statute repealed, but it was furious with Pelham as well. New York City had made an attempt in 1885 to have the statute repealed but had received no support from the Town of Pelham on that first occasion. Pelham, it seems, was not aware at the time that the lands would be removed from the tax assessment rolls, driving up everyone's real estate taxes. In this second attempt, in 1887, Pelham offered a weak excuse for its inaction two years earlier. It said that so many Pelham citizens were getting such high prices from New York City for the lands being taken by the city for the park (up to $2,000 an acre, about $60,000 an acre for rural land in today's dollars), that Pelham did not want to risk bad political feelings by trying to stop the transactions.





Within a short time, New York City came up with a multi-step plan to gain repeal of the 1884 law. It decided first to seek a new State law that would allow the city to use eminent domain to take small parcels of neighborhood land in neighborhoods throughout the city to create smaller neighborhood parks rather than a giant park on the edge of the city in the Town of Pelham in Westchester County. At the same time, it worked to gain repeal of the 1884 statute requiring the creation of Pelham Bay Park. If all else failed, New York City Mayor Hewitt hoped

to get power to negotiate with the landowners who had agreed to sell their lands for specific prices for releases from liability, and then to abandon Pelham Bay Park.





As New York City embarked on its plan, the New York City Corporation Counsel expressed doubt that plans to open the park could be stopped. Indeed, he could not resist chastising the Town of Pelham for arriving late to the party. According to one account, he wrote in a letter as follows:





"'It is greatly to be regretted that the large number of residents and taxpayers of the town of Pelham, of whom you speak, did not appear in the early part of 1885 to assist the local authorities in passing the bill, which was then being urged to repeal the act of 1884, before any particular expenditure had been had or damage accrued under its terms. They sedulously kept aloof at that time, the excuse advanced in favor of some of them being that their social surroundings would be made so unpleasant for them if they undertook to secure the repeal of the bill that they would not dare to oppose the wishes of their neighbors in the matter. Had they possessed at that time some measure of the courage which they now exhibit, the passage of the repeal act, at a time when it could do least harm to the city, might have been secured.'"





New York City took an interesting tack. It argued that those involved in convincing the State Legislature to pass the statute authorizing the creation of Pelham Bay Park in 1884 had, in effect, defrauded the State Legislature by using "false maps" of the area that failed to indicate that more than 300 acres of the lands were "swamp" that the city "could not use for park purposes."





Things seemed to go a bit awry when State Senator Daly consequently proposed a bill to reduce the size of Pelham Bay Park rather than flatly repealing the original statute directing creation of the park. On May 3, 1887, the State Senate Cities Committee held a hearing in which witnesses hotly contested whether the Daly bill should be reported out of Committee favorably.





Barely two weeks later, the Governor signed into law a new statute authorizing New York City to use eminent domain to acquire small parcels of land in the city to create small neighborhood parks for the benefit of neighborhood residents. Though the Mayor was happy with the result, efforts to gain repeal of the original 1884 statute failed miserably.





Pelham's love-hate relationship with the plan to create Pelham Bay Park would continue for years until the park and offshore islands including City Island were annexed by New York City in 1895.









1905 Map of Pelham Bay Park. Source: Office of the President of

the Borough of the Bronx Topographical Bureau, Topographical

Survey Sheets of the Borough of the Bronx Easterly of the Bronx

River, Sheet 29 "Map of Pelham Bay Park City of New York

of the Bronx River" (1905) (Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map

Division, The New York Public Library). NOTE: Click Image to Enlarge.





* * * * *





Below is the text of a number of news articles that form the basis for today's Historic Pelham article. Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.





"PELHAM TAXPAYERS SEEK RELIEF.





Acting Mayor Beekman has received a letter signed by [Sherman] T. Pell, Supervisor of the town of Pelham; W. R. Lamberton, attorney; and Assemblyman William H. Hornridge, stating that Pelham Bay Park contains 1,700 acres; assessed at $500,000. The total area of the town of Pelham is 3,0000 acres, assessed at $1,200,00. Deducting the park area leaves only 1,300 acres and an assessment of $700,000, they ask that the park property bear its share of taxation, and as it now belongs to the City of New-York it should, under existing laws, be exempt. Mr. Beekman has replied to this that the Legislature of 1884 compelled the city to take the property for a park, although the city authorities and its representatives in the Legislature protested. Mr. Beekman suggests that the aggrieved officials prepare a bill to be presented to the Legislature providing for the release of the city from the ownership of this land, and the city authorities will gladly use every endeavor to have it become a law. The city authorities will certainly not do anything to increase its burden of taxation."





Source:





"WANTING TO BE NEW-YORKERS.





A meeting of Pelham, East Chester, and West Chester to urge the annexation of those towns to the city of New-York, was held last night at Stephen Odell's hotel, at East Chester. Representative men from all the towns were present, and it was resolved that a petition should be circulated extensively and submitted to the Legislature at the earliest possible date, asking that the boundary lines of New York City be extended so as to include East Chester, West Chester, Pelham, and Washingtonville. Ex-Assemblyman Charles P. McClelland made a speech in favor of the proposed annexation. James T. Lane, editor of the West Chester Independent, presided over the meeting."





Source:





"THE PELHAM PARK.

WESTCHESTER PEOPLE ASK MAYOR HEWITT'S AID TO KILL THE SCHEME.





A large delegation from the town of Pelham, Westchester County, waited on Mayor Hewitt yesterday afternoon. Dr. John A. Hardenbrook, of Bartow-on-Sound, introduced Supervisor Sherman T. Pell, Postmaster Hogan, Roadmaster Hall, Frederick Vickery, Henry D. Carey, Charles Mahoney, and a dozen or more other gentlemen.





Supervisor Pell, in addressing the Mayor, said that the delegation appeared for the purpose of presenting a petition signed by the taxpayers of the town, asking his co-operation and that of the Common Council in requesting the Legislature to repeal so much of the act of 1884 as related to the assumption of lands in Westchester County for a park to be known as Pelham Bay Park. The petition sets forth that the taking of these lands in Westchester County was mainly in the interest of a few landed proprietors who expected to get upward of $2,000 an acre for swamp lands.





Mayor Hewitt emphatically said: 'Gentlemen, I am very glad to meet you. I appreciate the situation exactly. I think it is an outrageous thing that the Legislature should have passed a bill to acquire lands for park purposes eight miles from the Harlem Bridge, and saddling the expense upon the taxpayers of this city. I suppose you were a happy and contented community until some speculative rascals set their eyes upon your locality and sought to use it for their own selfish ends. I am glad you have called, and I assure you I shall send your petition with my recommendation to the Board of Aldermen at its next meeting.'"





Source:





"Pelham as Sick of the Park as We Are.





A delegation of officials and residents of the town of Pelham introduced by Dr. John A. Hardenbrook, called upon Mayor Hewitt yesterday, and urged the propriety of amending the scheme for the new uptown parks by taking off the park situated in the town of Pelham. Mayor Hewitt received them graciously, and said:





'I am glad to meet you. I appreciate the situation. I think it was outrageous for the Legislature to pass the bill compelling the city of New York to buy a park eight miles from Harlem River Bridge, and compelling the taxpayers to pay for it. I am opposed to such special legislation, and I will cheerfully cooperate with you to recommend its repeal. I will forward your request to the Common Council at its meeting next Tuesday.'





Pelham got very tired of the park scheme when it discovered that the park lands would not be subject to taxation, and that taxes on the rest of the town for local purposes would, therefore, be doubled."





Source:





"Fainthearted Citizens of Pelham.





Corporation Counsel Lacombe has replied in a long letter, with reference to Mayor Hewitt's inquiries as to the effect of the repeal of the act requiring the city to purchase Pelham Bay Park. He is in doubt as to whether the courts would compel the city to pay damages, or to what extent such damages might be recovered. He concludes as follows:





'It is greatly to be regretted that the large number of residents and taxpayers of the town of Pelham, of whom you speak, did not appear in the early part of 1885 to assist the local authorities in passing the bill, which was then being urged to repeal the act of 1884, before any particular expenditure had been had or damage accrued under its terms. They sedulously kept aloof at that time, the excuse advanced in favor of some of them being that their social surroundings would be made so unpleasant for them if they undertook to secure the repeal of the bill that they would not dare to oppose the wishes of their neighbors in the matter. Had they possessed at that time some measure of the courage which they now exhibit, the passage of the repeal act, at a time when it could do least harm to the city, might have been secured.'"





Source:





"NO PARK WANTED THERE.





The residents of Pelham, through the authorities of that town, having asked the authorities of this city to join in an application to the Legislature to repeal the act of 1884 which provides for Pelham Bay Park, Mayor Hewitt wrote to the Aldermen yesterday commending the suggestion. He agrees with the people of Pelham that they ought not to be despoiled of so much territory, and protests that this city could buy breathing spots for $5,052,158.96 -- the sum wanted by the owners of the park -- much nearer the homes of those who need fresh air recreation. Breathing and resting places for the poor in the crowded districts should be the first concern of the municipality, he says. Such privileges are enjoyed fully where they exist, and cannot be multiplied too soon for the good order and general welfare of the community. The Mayor reminds the Aldermen, however, that the incubus may not be easily unloaded. If the Legislature should repeal the act without imposing specially onerous conditions in regard to damages, the Mayor would welcome the repeal as a relief from an unwise and unjust obligation, and as a positive benefaction so far as it would release the means required for numerous small parks. If an unconditional repeal cannot be secured the Mayor thinks it would be desirable to get power to negotiate with the owners for a release, and then to abandon Pelham Bay Park. Otherwise it would be necessary to go on and complete the purchase, in which case the Mayor would hope that authority would be secured to sell the property and apply the proceeds to the establishment of small parks."





Source:





"HEARD IN COMMITTEE.

------

THE IVES POOL BILL TO BE REPORTED FAVORABLY.





ALBANY, May 3. . . .





The Senate Cities Committee listened to an argument by Mr. Frederic R. Coudert this afternoon against Senator Daly's bill empowering the Park Commissioners to diminish the area of Pelham Park. He maintained that the land for the purpose had already been condemned and taken, and endless litigation would flow from the enactment of this bill. The projected park system was a great blessing to New-York's future, and ought not, he believed, to be disturbed.





Assistant Corporation Counsel Scott favored the bill, as the Pelham Park project had been passed on false maps to deceive the Legislature of 1884, and about 300 acres were useless swamp, which the city could not use for park purposes. . . ."





Source:

HEARD IN COMMITTEE

--





"MORE PARKS FOR THE POOR.

-----

NEEDS OF THE TENEMENT DISTRICTS.

-----

A BILL TO FURNISH BREATHING-SPOTS IN CROWDED QUARTERS -- VIEWS OF CITY OFFICERS.





Among the most interesting schemes of public improvement which the present municipal government had undertaken is the proposition to provide a number of small parks or open places throughout the city below One-hundred-and-fifty-fifth-st., but particularly among the densely populated tenement districts. Mayor Hewitt and President Beekman, of the Board of Aldermen, are warmly interested in the matter, and have had Corporation Counsel Lacombe prepare a bill, which, having passed through the Legislature, has just received the Governor's signature and has become a law. It authorizes the local authorities to take the necessary land and apply it for the purposes of a public resort. All the heads of the city departments are warmly opposed to the present law creating the larger parks up in Westchester County, and ask its repeal. They look upon that plan as extravagant and not immediately necessary, while the small parks will not be extremely costly, and are pressingly demanded.





'I am very glad the bill has passed,' said the Mayor yesterday. 'It ought to have passed. It is the city's duty to provide at least as many facilities for the poor as it does for the rich. So far that has not been done. The working-people and the poorer classes, so-called, have a substantial ground of complaint against the city in this respect. The crowded parts of the city downtown are left almost wholly without breathing places. The provision of such necessaries is a proper way to spend money.'





'Is it instead of the big Westchester parks that you have offered this measure?'





'Not at all. I believe that every generation should take care of itself, and that it is unwise to spend money for the Pelham Bay property now. But I didn't want this measure to depend on the repeal of the acts which require the city to take that park land. If the Legislature won't let us out of that bad bargain, we must stand by it; that's all. But those parks will not meet the exigencies of this case. Even if we took them, they are much too far away to serve the needs of that vast body of poor people for whom the small parks are intended. What they require are breathing places near their tenement-houses, where they can go in the evenings of hot summer days and rest in quiet with pure air and flowers and trees and other agreeable surroundings. It is the lack of such things that has made an opportunity for Henry George. The poor people feel that they are denied the commonest necessities of life, and they lend a willing ear to any one who promises them better things. The only way to meet this case is to remove the causes of this discontent. No person who has any human feeling could walk on hot nights through the crowded tenement districts and see these people forced to crowd up together on the tops of their houses and, indeed, to sleep there, in order to get a breath of fresh air, and then oppose this measure. The bill provides for the expenditure of $1,000,000 a year in acquiring property to be thus employed. That is not too large a sum.'





'For how many years!'





'The limit is not fixed. Why should it be? The work should be done thoroughly and it should go on year by year until enough of these places are provided to accommodate the people. It should be done in a rational and not immoderate spirit, but it should be effectively done. I should be in favor of utilizing the ends of blocks thus taken. The ends looking out upon a park ought to be sold for half as much money as the block would cost.'





President Beekman, of the Board of Aldermen, is highly enthusiastic over the plan, and immensely gratified that it has received the Legislature's approval. He thus presented his views to a TRIBUNE reporter:





'The city has very few parks for the recreation of the people south of Fifty-ninth-st., especially on the extreme east and west sides. From the Battery up to Eighty-fourth-st. on the east side there are only two. Tompkins Square and Stuyvesant Square. It hardly needs argument to satisfy any mind that this portion of the city has been neglected. In making proper provision for large open places where the people may find purer air and the opportunity for rest and recreation out of doors. This necessity is especially pressing in the case of the masses of the people, who, because of their narrow means, are compelled to remain in the city during the heat of the summer months. What it must mean to them and their families can only be appreciated by those who have gone in midsummer through the densely populated districts on the east and west sides, and have seen the streets filled with people trying to bear up under the exhaustion of the extreme heat.





'The purpose of this bill -- Assembly Bill No. 728 -- is to vest in the local authorities full discretionary power to locate and lay out public parks in any portion of the city south of One hundred-and-fifty-fifth-st. The exercise of this discretion is confided to the Board of Street Opening and Improvement, which consists of the Mayor, the Controller, the Commissioner of Public Works, the President of the Department of Public Parks and the President of the Board of Aldermen, of whom three, Mr. Hewitt, Mr. Loew and myself, are members of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, in exercising this power, should the bill pass, the Board of Street Opening would no doubt, select plots of land in the thickly-populated tenement district. There are many plots of land in New-York which have not only been built up along the streets and avenues bounding them, but so choked up by rear buildings that the internal space, which should always be kept open for ventilation, and must be under the new law, has been entirely closed. All ventilation is thus impossible. Of course, the sanitary condition of such blocks is about as bad as can be. To take such blocks, remove the buildings and throw them open as parks would be to confer on the people an immense benefit. Of course, this could not be done in all such cases. The Board would use its best judgment as to the location of the squares.





'In its ninth section the bill provides that after the title to the various pieces of ground has been acquired the Department of Public Parks shall be vested with their care, custody and construction, and authorizes the Department to erect and furnish therein for public purposes, for the comfort, health and instruction of the people, such and so many buildings as the said Department of Public Parks, with the concurrence of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, shall determine to be necessary and expedient.' The tenth section provides for an issue of bonds to meet the necessary expenditures under the bill. I desire to call particular attention to the careful way in which the act has been drawn, so as to prevent any improvidence or extravagance. No contract can be entered into or liability incurred until the plans therefor, and in the case of buildings, an estimate of their cost, have been prepared by the Park Department and approved by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. The act limits all expenditures to $1,000,000 in any one year.





'My idea with reference to the construction of these parks is to lay them out into lawns and paths, planting them with such carefully selected trees, shrubs and flowers as are best adapted to city life, and providing them with fountains and with means of holding occasional outdoor concerts, and with large spaces specially provided as playgrounds for children. I would also, from time to time, proceeding in a conservative way, erect buildings along the exterior lines of these parks for lecture-rooms, restaurants, circulating libraries, and hot and cold baths. The lecture-rooms I would place at the disposal of the Board of Education, under an arrangement providing for the free instruction of the public in the ordinary sanitary rules of everyday life, and in cookery, of which the people are so lamentably ignorant, and upon a correct knowledge of which their physical well-being so much depends. The buildings for the circulating libraries could well be placed at the disposal of the Tilden Trust. In this way the city could properly co-operate with the trustees in giving the widest possible scope to this noble benefaction of Mr. Tilden. A proper provision for personal cleanliness and refreshment is, I think, indispensable to the health, not to speak of the comfort of a great city. Public baths are provided for the people abroad, sometimes at great expense. Hosts of poor people in New-York lack the proper facilities for bathing purposes. It is a condition of affairs which cannot be remedied too soon. The buildings for the restaurants could be leased upon the same conditions as apply to the rental of similar buildings in Central Park, the lessees paying to the city a certain percentage of their gross receipts, the Park Department reserving the right to control the prices charged for all supplies.





'I do not wish to convey the idea that all these buildings would or should be immediately erected. Of course the Park Department and the Board of Estimate will proceed, especially at first, experimentally, testing the manner in which these various improvements work before going into any extensive construction. The subject is an exceedingly interesting one, and deserves, as no doubt it will receive, a close and sympathetic study at the hands of the public.'"





Source:

MORE PARKS FOR THE POOR

--

NEEDS OF THE TENEMENT DISTRICTS

--





* * * * *





I have written before about Pelham's efforts to fight the threatened tax burdens its citizens would face if New York City were permitted to avoid Pelham property taxes. See, e.g.:

















































Labels: 1885, 1887, 1888, Abram Stevens Hewitt, Annexation, Pelham Bay Park, Property Taxes, Sherman T. Pell, taxes
A former Clackamas County detective was found guilty Friday of taking part in a 2011 Wilsonville home robbery where a woman was shot with a stun gun, tied up and trapped in a coat closet during a heist that targeted a safe with valuable coins.

Floyd Marsh Jr. gave no visible reaction as Clackamas County Circuit Judge Kathie Steele announced that jurors voted 10-2 to convict him of second-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, first-degree aggravated theft and money laundering. The jury of eight women and four men deliberated for three days before reaching a verdict. The trial began Aug. 9.

Jurors unanimously acquitted Marsh on other charges related to the attack during the robbery including second-degree kidnapping and second-degree unlawful use of a stun gun.

Marsh turned to face the jurors as they filed out of the courtroom and thanked them as they walked past. He's scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 6.

The verdict brings a close to a case that went on for three years before Clackamas County investigators identified any suspects. The break came in 2014 when a longtime friend of Marsh's, Gerald Wiese, was arrested in an unrelated drug possession case.

Wiese told authorities that he and Marsh broke into the home of Arnold Kachlik on Oct. 1, 2011, then subdued the man's girlfriend, Zdenka Trnkova.

The intruders made off with a safe that contained an estimated $40,000 worth of silver American Eagle coins, plus other valuables, including coins from the couple's native Czech Republic. Kachlik was away visiting his home country at the time.

Marsh, 60, retired in June 2007 after 25 years with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. At the time, he was a detective in the agency's property crimes unit.

Marsh is the only person charged in connection with the robbery. Authorities found no physical evidence tying him or anyone else to the crime.

Less than a month after the robbery, Marsh sold 200 silver American Eagle coins to a pawn shop in Tacoma for nearly $10,000. Marsh testified that he bought his own set of silver American Eagle coins in Tacoma and sold them the same day.

Police also found Czech coins at Marsh's home in Creswell when they searched the property years later.

Wiese agreed to testify against Marsh in exchange for a shorter sentence in his drug case. He pleaded guilty in 2014 to unlawful delivery of methamphetamine and heroin. He's scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 29.

Trnkova, 74, testified that she was cooking lunch and awaiting a visit from her son when a man wearing a hard hat and construction vest knocked on the front door. She thought it was a cell tower worker from a crew that often worked nearby.

When she opened the door, the stranger pushed her, zapped her at least twice in the chest with a stun gun, zip-tied her hands after she fell to the floor and put her in a closet. When she yelled for help, she was stunned again.

Someone pushed a chair under the closet door knob to trap her inside. She heard at least two people talking and moving around the house. By the time she escaped, the house was empty. A safe bolted down in the bedroom was gone.

Trnkova couldn't provide police enough details to make sketches of the intruders. The trauma of the robbery has left her afraid to answer her own door and be home alone, she said.

Clackamas County Deputy District Attorney Russell Amos said Marsh targeted Kachlik's home because the two men had a long-standing feud that started when Marsh worked for the Sheriff's Office and investigated Kachlik at least twice. Neither investigation led to charges. Marsh also dated one of Kachlik's former romantic partners.

Marsh ran a construction business that encountered financial troubles and he knew Kachlik had valuables, Amos said.

Marsh had been to Kachlik's home dozens of times, knew about the nearby cell tower and had access to a hard hat and construction vest, the prosecutor said. Wiese had no connection to Kachlik or Trnkova, Amos said.

"If it wasn't for Gerald Wiese, no one would be here right now," Amos said in his closing argument. "Yes, he's in a lot of trouble. Yes, he was a drug dealer. But he came forward and admitted criminal involvement in a case where police had no physical evidence."

Amos pointed out that investigators found no proof Marsh bought his own set of silver American Eagle coins before pawning them and questioned why Marsh got a cashier's check for the proceeds, which he then deposited into his ex-wife's bank account.

Defense attorney Brian Schmonsees rejected claims that Marsh is "a criminal mastermind," noting that Marsh didn't hide his name or address from the Tacoma pawn shop. The attorney said Clackamas County detectives didn't corroborate claims made by Wiese and described Wiese as a liar "looking to save his own skin."

Wiese knew so many details of the robbery because he committed it by himself or with the help of someone he didn't name, Schmonsees said.

Wiese is the only person to place Marsh in the house, the attorney said.

"If you're going to go to prison, why not throw a cop under the bus," Schmonsees said in his closing arguments.

Schmonsees also noted that other items stolen from the safe were never found nor were the stun gun, hard hat and vest or a burn barrel where Wiese claimed he and Marsh destroyed the clothes they wore during the robbery.

"You have to have a moral certainty that this is the man who did this," Schmonsees told the jury while pointing to his client. "And on this speculative case, there's just no way you're there."

After court proceedings on Friday, Schmonsees called the verdict "unlawful" and said he asked Judge Steele to instruct the jury that they could only find Marsh guilty of robbery if they determined Marsh was the main perpetrator "and they obviously did not."

He said he plans to appeal and is considering filing a motion for a new trial based on the robbery conviction.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey
Wendy Strgar likes to shake things up.

The Eugene woman shook up the personal lubricant market with her company Good Clean Love, one of the first brands to offer organic, vegan lube at grocery stores and drug stores nationwide.

Then she shook up the testing process, a move that could set an animal-friendly precedent for other lubricant makers.

Each time a brand - whether it be Good Clean Love or Johnson & Johnson's KY Jelly - creates a new formula, it needs approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to sell it.

That process starts with the company demonstrating the product is safe to use, one that for decades has included a battery of animal tests.

Jeff Brown, a biologic specialist for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, says four tests are typically required before federal approval. One starts with researchers injecting the lubricant into a rabbit's vagina without breaking the skin. They do this for five consecutive days, then kill and dissect the animal to find out whether the lubricant caused any irritation.

Another test involves injecting the lubricant under the skin of guinea pigs. One other requires injecting mice with large amounts of the lube. The final test doesn't require any animals, just a petri dish.

While developing her line of personal lubricants, Strgar went through the approval and clinical trial process multiple times. Brown says each round of tests required more than 20 animals, most of which died.

But when Strgar was developing her latest product - a gel that claims to help maintain a proper vaginal pH balance - she wanted to do things differently.

So she asked the FDA if she could replace the animal tests with skin-patch tests involving human volunteers. The agency agreed to allow the company to use human volunteers in two of the tests. It still had to conduct the test involving mice.

"It sets the standard for other companies who want to do patch testing instead of animal testing," Strgar said. In late July, PETA awarded Good Clean Love with its Compassionate Business Award.

July 25, 2017 -- Jeff Brown, a biologic specialist for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, presents Good Clean Love founder Wendy Strgar with a Compassionate Business Award.

Strgar says the changes not only save animals, but generate results that better serve consumers. The FDA has signed off on lubricants in the past - despite animal testing - that are harmful to humans, she said.

Joelle Brown, a professor with the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco who studies reproductive health, agrees.

"Women should be aware that there is mounting evidence that over the counter sexual lubricants can cause damage to vaginal tissues, and can increase the risk of yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, and sexually transmitted infections, including herpes and HIV," she wrote in an email.

Lubricants can damage tissues in two ways: By upsetting the internal pH balance - killing off the beneficial microbes and allowing harmful microbes to grow - and through increased osmolality. Lubricants with increased osmolality sap water out of vaginal cells, making the skin more sensitive and therefore more prone to infection.

"Lubricants that contain petro-chemicals, propylene glycol, and glycerin, such as K-Y jelly, Vaseline, and Astroglide Warming gel can have an osmolality that is 10 times greater than the vaginal cells they come into contact with," Brown said.

Strgar remembers using some of the major-brand lubes - they would give her rashes and make her skin itch and burn. She thought she was allergic.

"We have to stop making products that make women sick," she said. "Anyone would become sick from using that stuff."

Strgar says her line is gaining market share as more people ask about the ingredients in personal care products. She said sales surged 70 percent from 2015 to 2016, and that Good Clean Love products are now carried in 20,000 stores, including Target, CVS, Rite Aid, Walmart and Kroger.

Strgar has big ambitions for her company. It's already a certified B Corp, meaning it meets higher standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Strgar hopes to rid Good Clean Love of animal tests completely, and is developing a product for people with extra-sensitive skin.

In addition, the company is on its way to becoming carbon-neutral, and recently launched Make It Good, which provides a peer-to-peer curriculum for college students to better understand consent.

"We're really trying to be a force of good," Strgar said.

-- Anna Marum

amarum@oregonian.com

503-294-5911

@annamarum
Friday 18 August 2017 12:46pm



A young tuatara inside its artificial burrow. Photo credit: Alison Cree.

University of Otago researchers have confirmed that tuatara are alive and well at Orokonui Ecosanctuary following the torrential rain and flooding last month.

Using a burrowscope fitted with a red light, Department of Zoology PhD candidate Scott Jarvie found several tuatara in their expected burrows.

Normally we do not disturb the tuatara during their winter rest, Mr Jarvie says, but it was important to provide reassurance to ecosanctuary staff, iwi guardians and the public that the tuatara were fine. We were thrilled to see they were.

Mr Jarvie checked the occupants of several burrows. These included artificial burrows that had been made with drainage pipe and installed in 2012, when the tuatara were released at Orokonui.

Three young tuatara were seen moving inside their burrows. A fourth, adult, tuatara was seen in a natural burrow nearby.

The fact that the young tuatara are still using the artificial burrows shows how well the burrows had been made by the volunteers who installed them, he says.

Ngati Koata, kaitiaki of the tuatara from the source population on Takapourewa (Stephens Island) have been informed of the sightings, as have Kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki, mana whenua for the local area.

Orokonui Conservation manager Elton Smith says the 21-22 July deluge was the worst rain event recorded in the 11 years since work began at the sanctuary.

While the fence and water tables took a real battering, the forest itself sustained very little obvious damage and no slips were recorded around the main tuatara habitat.

Lead researcher Professor Alison Cree says the event was probably just a rather wet day at the office for tuatara.

These resilient reptiles are quite capable of digging new burrows, or even surviving underwater for a time if they need to. Thats the beauty of being an ectotherm  which is known in popular terms as cold-blooded  the oxygen demands of tuatara at cool temperatures are very low.

The researchers expect the tuatara to begin sunning themselves outside their burrows within a month or two, as conditions warm up.

For more information, please contact:

Professor Alison Cree

Department of Zoology

University of Otago

Tel: 64 3 479 7482

Email: alison.cree@otago.ac.nz



Ms Chris Baillie

Orokonui Ecosanctuary General Manager

Tel: 64 3 482 1755

Email: chris@orokonui.org.nz

A list of Otago experts available for media comment is available elsewhere on this website.

Electronic addresses (including email accounts, instant messaging services, or telephone accounts) published on this page are for the sole purpose of contact with the individuals concerned, in their capacity as officers, employees or students of the University of Otago, or their respective organisation. Publication of any such electronic address is not to be taken as consent to receive unsolicited commercial electronic messages by the address holder.
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Its been about 13 years since Larry J. Hicks of Midland saw monster trucks duke it out at the Midland County Fair and he was quick to get tickets when he heard they would be coming again Wednesday night.

A filled grand stand greeted the Michigan Monster Truck Shootout at the 79th Midland County Fair.

It was awesome, Hicks said. I first saw (monster trucks) here at the fair when I was 6. I remember because thats when I fell in love with monster trucks.

Hicks said the wheelies, the power and flexible movement of the trucks are intriguing.

And the way they almost stand up straight when they ride on the rear tires, Hicks said.

The drivers of the nationally recognized trucks, Nitemare, Samson, Predator, Incinerator, Reptoid and Hot Rod Harry dazzled the crowd with their tricks. The drivers flew their 12,000-pound plus trucks over up to five cars at a time, did wheelies and left spectators in a dust cloud as they did donuts and revved their high-powered engines.

The drivers were from Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.

If I had $200,000 lying around, I would invest in one of these  just to have a lot of fun, said Betty Essex, of Farwell, who came prepared with earplugs to drown out the deafening rumble of the motors.

For Jasper Beehr, 6 of Midland, it was the best birthday present for the monster truck fanatic. The crowd sang Happy Birthday to him and another spectator before the start of the show.

Beehrs parents, Jamie and Dan, said Jasper has been looking forward to the show since it was announced. On Saturday, the family celebrated his birthday with his mother, Jamie, making a huge monster truck cake.

It was a great show, said Dan Beehr, noting he hopes MMTS returns to the fair again next year.

Brian Curtis, 9 of Midland, was sorry to see the show end.

I loved it, Curtis said, noting that Sampson was his favorite. It was just great.

Pamela and Keith Bissonnette, of Midland, said they missed the monster truck show at the fair many years ago, but they were happy to see it return Wednesday.

Keith said it was a pretty neat show while his wife agreed, but wished she had not forgotten the earplugs.

It was a nice trip out with the family, said Jordin L. Watkins, of Midland, who attended with her son, daughter and fiance. She said the whole family enjoyed it.

While shy, Max Kolka, 5 of Bay City, didnt hesitate when his favorite truck, Reptoid, raced. Kolka, wearing his black sunglasses cheered and danced. He attended with his grandmothers who were as entertained by the childs excitement as they were the monster truck show.

He is loving it, said one of Kolkas grandmothers.
The shift of a large order for battery-powered buses to a Chinese manufacturer and delays in other orders has led to a workforce reduction at XALT Energy. The change will affect about 37 workers at the battery manufacturers Midland plant and 12 workers at its Pontiac facility.

About 150 employees remain between the two sites.

The layoffs come after Los Angeles Metro moved an order for 60 of 95 new all electric-powered buses to a Chinese manufacturer from one of North Americas largest bus makers. XALT Energy is the exclusive battery supplier for that companys all-electric buses.

This is a premier customer to XALT and the order for Los Angeles was an important component of our 2018 sales forecast, CEO Richard Cundiff said. Its very frustrating for us, because, just as the North American market for electric buses is starting to take off, the playing field has tilted again to China.

To protect the domestic companies that China has subsidized, the Chinese government enacted a policy last year that effectively shut all non-Chinese battery manufacturers out of the Chinese vehicle market, XALT stated. That policy led to a round of layoffs at XALT Energy, which had been contracted to provide batteries for a large Chinese bus manufacturer. That five-year contract represented 100 percent of XALT Energys capacity.

As XALT is a U.S. manufacturer, Chinese bus companies who desire to use our superior quality batteries are no longer eligible for the significant subsidies which are available from the Chinese government and driving the largest electric bus market in the world, Cundiff said. However, Chinese companies are free to sell into the U.S. which is particularly frustrating, because about 80 percent of the cost of a bus in the U.S. is funded by the federal government through our tax dollars.

To qualify for U.S. Department of Transportation funding, 60 percent of a bus content must be American made. That percentage will increase to 65 percent next year and to 70 percent for 2020 and beyond. If the U.S. government applied and enforced the same requirements on Chinese manufacturers that the China government imposes on us, Cundiff said, these buses would absolutely not qualify for federal transportation subsidies. Thats something that must change.

Unfortunately, in the meantime, were forced to deal with the cash flow implications by reducing staff.

Cundiff said reductions will include both salaried and hourly employees. XALT Energy is providing severance packages, including extending healthcare benefits and outplacement support, and he remains optimistic about the companys long-term outlook.
A case of child abuse filed against a Sanford man has been dropped, after the mother of the child who was harmed told officials she caused the injury.

No longer facing charges is Cameron Lincoln Beck, 25, Sanford. The Midland County Prosecutors Office had charged him with two counts of second-degree child abuse, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The charges were dismissed in an order signed by Midland County Circuit Court Judge Stephen P. Carras on July 11.

Court documents state the childs mother, 22-year-old Kasandra Lynn Headings, of Lake City, is being charged with second-degree child abuse. One count of being an accessory after the fact to a felony was originally filed against her.

Beck was represented by attorney Richard L. Lee of Poznak Dyer Kanar Garchow Schefsky PLC in Midland.

Lee said Beck was held in jail unable to make bond as a result of being named as the suspect.

Headings testified during the preliminary exam in the case, which is for prosecutors to present evidence showing probable cause to believe a crime was committed and that the defendant committed it. As a result of questions asked by the defense during the hearing, there was some doubt as to her truthfulness, Lee said.

Thats when officials furthered the investigation.

Midland County Prosecutor J. Dee Brooks said the additional investigation into the case led to an admission by the childs mother that she was the one that actually caused the burn to the child.

The case was investigated by the Midland County Sheriff's Office after burns were found on a 4-month-old girl on Jan. 8. The affidavit also states the baby suffered what a registered nurse believed to be intentional second-degree burns on her foot.

Headings is set for a Cobbs hearing on Sept. 21, represented by attorney Lee Burton of Midland, who was appointed to the case. During a Cobbs hearing, which is not open to the public, the judge uses the information at hand to inform the defendant of the likely sentence in a case, and the defendant can then use that information in deciding whether to enter a plea. The defendant can withdraw the plea if the judge does not deliver the expected sentence.

She is being held on a $100,000 cash or surety bond.
To the editor:

When I was a child watching TV, Dick Clark asked the audience what they would do to make people laugh. One of the audience members said he would throw a pie in his own face. Since then I've also wanted to make people laugh in this way and now I finally get to. During the Midland County Fair this Friday at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. I will be taking a pie in the face in order to raise money for the American Cancer Society. So come on down this Friday and see a classic comedic sketch!

Eric Brookens
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BLOOMINGTON  A state crime lab scientist's opinion that Don Whalens palm print was found on a pool cue used to beat his father during a brutal bar fight is demonstrably false and should not be considered as evidence that Whalen is a murderer, according to a petition for a new trial filed Thursday by Whalens lawyers.

The 50-page petition claims newly discovered evidence, including documents never introduced at Don Whalens 1991 murder trial in the death of William Whalen, show that Don Whalen is innocent. Don Whalen, now 50, is serving a 60-year sentence.

New evidence related to the palm print, combined with an affidavit from a witness who has changed his trial testimony and DNA results that show no link between Whalen and the crime scene, should be more than sufficient to support a new trial, said defense lawyer Elliot Slosar.

"I was 6 years old when Bill was killed. To think Don has been in prison since I was a child is shocking in light of the evidence used to convict him," said Slosar.

Colleen Whalen accompanied Slosar to the McLean County Law and Justice Center in Bloomington to file documents she hopes will exonerate her son.

"I could never imagine Donnie ever hurting his Dad. I didn't know who did it or why and I still don't," she said.

After the filing, State's Attorney Jason Chambers said: "The post-conviction process is a very deliberate one. We respect the verdicts of juries, both guilty and not guilty, and we do not automatically cast aside a conviction of 12 McLean County jurors.

"If there is clear evidence that the situation should be changed, then the court will take the appropriate steps."

The importance of the palm print cannot be overstated, according to the petition filed by Slosar with the University of Chicagos Exoneration Project. The opinion of Illinois State Police lab scientist John Dierker that the bloody print on the broken pool cue matched Don Whalen was crucial to the state's case.

"The jury was told this palm print was everything," said Slosar.

Documents given to Whalens former defense lawyer by the state in 2007 and recently discovered by Slosar indicate that Dierker called former Bloomington police Detective Randy McKinley on April 30, 1991, and told him the palm print was inconclusive.

"In other words, according to Mr. Dierker, the partial palm print on the broken pool cue could have matched the victim or was unsuitable for comparison, said the petition.

Such a statement debunks the examiner's opinion two weeks later that the print could not have been made by anyone except (Don) Whalen, according to Slosar.

The defense has asked for access to all fingerprint evidence.

The petition outlines potential new evidence on the cash Don Whalen allegedly had the day after his fathers funeral. Admitted drug dealer William Craig Elliott testified in 1991 that he and Don Whalen purchased more than $3,000 in cocaine in Chicago the day after William Whalens funeral.

In a newly obtained affidavit, Elliott revealed that he was mistaken at trial regarding the amount of money paid by Mr. Whalen for the drugs, said the petition, and Whalen didnt have as much money on him as he led me to believe.

Elliott also told the defense that Bloomington police knew when they questioned him in 1991 that the money Whalen took to Chicago came from funeral donations collected by the family. The disclosure disproves the states motive that Whalen killed his father for drug money, said Slosar.

Whalen maintains he was asleep in his apartment April 6, 1991, when his father was beaten and stabbed sometime after 2 a.m. at the Twenty Grand Tap, a downtown Bloomington bar owned by the elder Whalen. Two roommates told police Don Whalen was still home at 1 a.m. and in bed at 6:30 a.m. when he was awakened and told about the incident at the bar.

Prosecutors claimed that Don Whalen could have left his home, killed his father and slipped back into his home undetected by his roommates.

The DNA test results on knives collected at the bar that excluded Don Whalen as a contributor also point to his innocence, according to the petition. The testing was completed after a 10-year court battle.

The defense also claims tests show shoe prints from the crime scene were not Whalen's.

A hearing date has not been set on the new petition.
BLOOMINGTON  The city should spend about $500,000 a year for the next 10 years to preserve the few remaining brick streets, according to a recommendation made Thursday by the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission.

The commission voted unanimously to endorse a draft revision of the city's 2009 Brick Streets Master Plan, which will go to the planning commission on Sept. 27 and possibly to the City Council in October.

"This is not a comprehensive brick streets master plan," said Bloomington Public Works Director Jim Karch. "It is a beginning piece ... and it does give us a very good baseline."

Based on the projected costs and assuming full funding each year, the plan proposes reconstructing a total of 10 blocks of brick streets and patching 20 more over the 10 years, beginning with the streets in the worst condition.

The city staff's initial recommendation was to give priority to preserving brick streets in the city's historic districts, but commission Vice Chairman Lea Cline opposed that.

The compromise struck Thursday calls for using a weighted evaluation system that would give the street's condition more consideration than whether the street is in a historic district.

Cline said she is pleased with that.

"There are areas of the city that are historic, but they don't yet have the official designation as a historic district," she said. "A brick street could be a big factor in giving them that designation, and we don't want to take that away from any neighborhood because the street wasn't preserved.

"So they now have added historic district and potential historic district as part of the formula, and that makes me happy," she added.

As part of the compromise, the city proposes holding off on patching brick streets with concrete or asphalt and no longer requiring 80 percent of adjacent homeowners to sign off on preserving a brick street as a brick street, said Karch.

The city, which has about 320 miles of streets, once had 41 miles of brick streets, but now only 3.5 miles remain. Some brick streets have been lost since the 2009 plan was developed but never adopted.

The revised plan "is a big improvement from the 2009 plan, which was skewed much more toward wealthier neighborhoods, and, in fact, streets in modest neighborhoods like ours were very far down on the list," said Bloomington resident Julian Westerhout, who is an Illinois State University instructional assistant professor and vice president of the Bloomington Public Library board.

It was that local reaction that brought the 2009 master plan back to the attention of the council, which then instructed the public works staff to work with the historic preservation commission to come up with a strategy to update and implement a brick streets master plan.

"As the plan stands now, the top priority is really the streets that are in the worst condition," said Westerhout. "It shouldn't be where the fanciest houses are, necessarily.

"If we're interested in preserving streets we should work on the worst streets first," he added. "So certainly living on one of the worst blocks, as far as brick streets go, I think that is a really good plan moving forward."

The cost to restore and repair brick streets is significantly more than a typical street, but brick streets can last up to 100 to 150 years, compared to the life span of an asphalt street at 30 years, Karch noted.
100 years ago

Aug. 18, 1917: Auto racing is on tonight at the LeRoy Fair. Wild Bill Endicott of Indianapolis will be driving his Sweeney Special. Endicott is recognized as Americas greatest dirt track driver. The races attracted other drivers from around the country, plus Englands champ.

75 years ago

Aug, 18, 1942: First Baptist Church in Fairbury has made an estimated 1,550 pound donation to a wartime scrap drive. The old church bell, which has been half-buried and used as a flower basin, was dug up and added to the drive.

50 years ago

Aug. 18, 1967: Bill Peterson, one of Bloomingtons prominent musicians, has died. He headed the musicians union here since 1925. He played drums and trombone in the Bloomington Municipal Band. Sunday nights concert will be dedicated to him.

25 years ago

Aug. 18, 1992: Authorities made a fourth arrest in the S&S Liquors murders in which three people were killed in 1988. Harold Wilson, half-brother of two other defendants, was arrested at a motel in Ohio. Hes accused of providing the murder weapons and driving the getaway car.
After weeks of belligerent rhetoric, North Korea took a pause Tuesday. But where is the mercurial Kim Jong Un headed next? U.S. officials are debating whether he may want direct talks with Washington about a formal treaty to replace the 1953 armistice agreement that ended the Korean War.

The U.S. has been pursuing a dual path, threatening military conflict (semi-believably because of President Trumps verbal thunderbolts) while also urging stabilization of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. The diplomatic trick here is simultaneously reassuring North Korea, China, South Korea and Japan that their vital interests would be protected.

This process of negotiation was hinted at Sunday by Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, they warned North Korea to take a new path toward peace, prosperity and international acceptance, or face increased isolation.

Tillersons one, fuzzy condition for negotiations has been that Pyongyang demonstrate its seriousness by halting missile and nuclear tests. Arguably, Kim took a grudging step in that direction Tuesday, when the Korean Central News announced that he had decided to watch a little more the foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees, rather than carry out his threat to launch four ballistic missiles toward Guam.

Kims problem in the escalating crisis has been that he faced a united front from the U.S. and China  backed by South Korea, Japan and Russia. Beijing has joined Washington in calling for denuclearization and supporting additional U.N. sanctions, including a ban on new Chinese imports of North Korean coal, iron ore, and lead.

Grateful for Chinese help, the Trump administration appears to have backed off its threat to sharply limit Chinese steel exports, and to have shelved measures that could affect internet giants Alibaba and Tencent. Instead, the administration on Monday called for an investigation of Chinas theft of technology and trade secrets  a serious problem for American companies but not one that requires an immediate penalty.

Trumps rhetoric has been almost as volatile as Kims, ranging from his statement in May that he would be honored to meet the dictator to his warning last week of fire and fury. But the centerline of this crisis is the same question that has vexed U.S. policy for decades  how to deal with a rogue nation that delights in defying international norms, and now does so with nuclear weapons.

One approach to the North Korea riddle is the possibility of a peace agreement. The armistice specified that it was only a cessation of hostilities ... until a final peaceful settlement is achieved. North Korean propaganda describes the document as an abject declaration of surrender. But the regime understands that its a hinge point, too. Pyongyang announced suspension of the armistice three times, in 2003, 2009 and 2013 -- only to return to observing its precepts.

As U.S. officials ponder the path of negotiation that might lead to a permanent treaty, they have signaled several basic American positions: First, the U.S. would offer assurances to North Korea that its regime wouldnt be toppled; second, it would guarantee the security of South Korea, a close U.S. ally; third, Washington would pledge not to seek any quick reunification of the Korean Peninsula, reassuring China and Japan, which fear a unified, resurgent Korea; and finally, the U.S. would express willingness to discuss the future status of its military presence in South Korea, if a peace agreement proves durable.

Tillerson has already publicly offered the first three assurances. The fourth is the most delicate, because all parties recognize that, for now, U.S. troops are an essential stabilizing force, curbing not just Pyongyang, but greater militarization in Seoul and Tokyo.

Though North Koreas nuclear-weapons program is often seen as a matter of regime survival, some U.S. officials are skeptical of that rationale. After all, conventional deterrence  in the form of hundreds of North Korean artillery and rocket launchers that target Seoul  has checked any attack on Pyongyang for three generations of Kims.

B.R. Myers, whose 2010 book The Cleanest Race is being closely read by U.S. officials, argues that North Korea isnt really a communist regime, but one propelled by right-wing talk of Korean racial purity. Its goal may be the victory and unification it failed to achieve in 1953.

A Chinese-American partnership has helped move this crisis back from the brink. But thats a sideshow for Kim. The encounter he may truly want is with the deal-maker himself, Donald Trump. For that showdown, you could sell tickets.
BLOOMINGTON  Scott Drury likes some of his opponents' ideas for big fixes for Illinois, but the Democratic candidate for governor thinks the state needs to get its house in order first.

"Health care is a right, but to get there, you have to be able to fund it. ... A lot of my counterparts just want to ignore that fact and say, 'We're gonna get from A to B,' without saying how," said Drury, a state representative from Highwood. "Then we don't deliver on it, and (voters) lose faith in the Democratic party. I think that needs to stop."

Drury hopes voters will choose him from among a crowded field of Democrats vying to challenge Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018 because he has more realistic goals and two important qualities: experience and trustworthiness.

"I've been in state government for five years. I have a good sense of how it works and of what doesn't work," said Drury told the Pantagraph. "What the public wants is someone who's going to do what they're saying. ... I'm happy to compare my record with anyone else's."

Drury's resume includes working as a federal prosecutor and serving in the Illinois House, where this spring he became the first member in 30 years to not vote for Michael Madigan as speaker. He insists that wasn't for publicity, however.

"That's where my district is at. ... It shouldn't be that shocking," Drury said of the vote.

"The General Assembly doesn't believe it can vote as it wants to," he said. "It doesn't represent its constituents. And that's very problematic because you get two people running the state, and when they don't get along, you have two-and-a-half years of no budget while everybody around us is suffering."

Drury's platform includes first addressing pension reform, which he referred to as a "third rail" in state government. Drury said paying that debt  which was not done in the latest state budget despite a large tax increase  is critical to fixing the state's finances, including a $15 billion bill backlog.

"We've buried ourselves through fiscal mismanagement, and it was a bipartisan effort," he said. "If we don't take care of our debt ... we're always going to be lacking in public education, investing in our health care system, job training programs all over the state and investing in our neighborhoods."

Drury also supports term limits for legislators as a way to prevent them from accumulating power as Madigan has; stricter campaign finance rules to prevent billionaires like Rauner from buying off legislators; and independent maps to make state legislative districts more fair.

He also proposes putting more money into Medicaid and giving more tax credits to low-income families as steps toward single-payer health care and backs a progressive income tax structure, which couldn't be implemented until 2021.

"We all know in politics that's a lifetime," he said. "Do we think we don't need to fix anything now?"
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced Thursday that he'll seek a sixth term, reversing earlier declarations that he would step down after two decades in an office that was tainted by corruption prior to his arrival.

"I'm your man," the 83-year-old Democrat told a crowd of 1,800 attending a brunch in Springfield hosted by the Democratic County Chairman's Association.

He said that while the "office is a far better place now than it was" when he took office, there's more work for him to do in improving road conditions, customer service and teen driving programs.

White, widely known for the Jesse White Tumblers, a program he started in 1959 to provide an alternative to gangs and drugs for inner-city young people, was first elected secretary of state in 1998. He replaced Republican George Ryan, who was elected governor but later went to federal prison for political corruption mostly tied to his two terms as secretary of state.

The Illinois Republican Party released a statement mocking White for saying in 2009 that his fourth term would be his last and again, as late as last year, saying he'd call it quits. No Republican has announced a candidacy for the office.

White has proven a prodigious vote getter, winning five races for secretary of state by an average plurality of 1.1 million votes, according to an Associated Press compilation and analysis of election figures. His winning percentages of 70 percent in 2010 and 69 percent in 2002 are the fourth- and fifth-largest of any statewide race since 1900.

The brunch has traditionally preceded an old-school campaign rally at the state fair, which Democrats skipped. Nine candidates for governor took to the rostrum, unloading as much firepower on Republican President Donald Trump as on the man they hope to replace, GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Several castigated Trump for softening his statements on Charlottesville, Virginia, where a man allegedly drove his car into a crowd protesting a white supremacists' rally, last weekend, killing one and injuring nine. Trump initially denounced white supremacists, then said both sides share blame for the violence.

"We must always take sides," said Chicago businessman J.B. Pritzker, quoting Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. "As we begin the fight, the resistance, we Democrats must remember we are all on one side, the same side, the American side."

Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar linked the divisiveness created by the Virginia incident to fallout from Rauner's veto of school-funding legislation, known as Senate Bill 1 , that he says unfairly favors Chicago over other parts of the state, saying it "pits white communities against poor black and brown communities."

Business owner Alex Paterakis said Rauner doesn't deserve his title because "a governor governs everyone, not just a select few."

Rauner campaign spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski said the first-term governor has represented all taxpayers when resisting the General Assembly, controlled by Democrats, on a tax increase to end a two-year budget stalemate and in a scuffle over school finances.

best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv
Welcome to American Vandal, which is both a raunchy teen comedy and a pitch-perfect satire of true-crime series like Making a Murderer and the Serial podcast.
The man who occupies the office of president of the United States, has disgraced his office, dishonored America, and provided aid and comfort to Nazis, racists and white supremacists. He has sided with people who hate others because of their color, because they are of Semitic origin, because they are immigrants. He has dishonored the sacrifice of the millions of Americans who fought the Nazis and all that they represent during World War II.

He has damaged the office of the president and its moral authority within and outside of the United States. He is unfit to hold this office any longer. He has crossed the line and must be removed from office. It is too late for a reset. He has shown that he is totally unfit to lead our nation.

It is time for our representatives and senators to step up and protect this country and protect us from Donald Trump. I ask that each of them take a stand, that this man's words and actions make him unfit to be the leader of our country. On Monday, we saw the true character of Donald Trump. I ask that our representatives and senators show us there character.

Michael Andresen, Bloomington
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A common teaching in Tibetan Buddhism suggests that, if a lama or rinpoche says something wrong, you MUST point it out as wrong. They might be pure beings, perfect Buddhas etc, but right there, right then, they were, manifesting an opportunity for you to correct them. This and similar teachings permeate the Buddhist tradition, which is built upon harmonious behavior, careful instruction, reflection, reason, and debate.

With that in mind I point at a few things in Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoches recent statement about Sogyal and Vajrayana Buddhism that seem wrong to me. (First, if you havent already, go read the statement in full, as per his wishes.)

Cant trust journalists or Buddhist magazines

Dzongsar Khyentse begins by writing that:

Unfortunately, journalists always cut up texts, then pick and choose the bits and pieces that fit in with their own preconceived ideas. If you dont believe me, just spend five minutes looking at CNN, Fox News, al-Jazeera, The New York Times, The Guardian newspaper or Breitbart News Network. Youll soon see what the nature of freedom of speech is like in our modern society.

Starting off with a broadside against journalists? Worked for Trump, I guess. In my experience, journalists are imperfect but mostly trying to report truth; though I wouldnt necessarily put Fox/Breitbart in the same category as the rest in this regard. He continues:

Sadly, most Buddhist magazines and bulletins are no different.

Classy, putting Buddhist in scare-quotes like that. Come on Tricycle and Lions Roar. Are you Buddhist, or are you Buddhist?

First, though, I feel I must point out that what I want to say concerns the relationship between a guru and a student that is specific to the Vajrayana. As this kind of guru-student relationship is a Vajrayana phenomenon, I wish I could say that if you are not a Vajrayana student, you dont need to worry or care about any of what follows. But I cant. Why? Because like it or not, the Vajrayana is associated with Buddhism, and so in the process of addressing a Vajrayana situation, I cant avoid talking about Buddhism and its future. Having said that, Im sure that the Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists who have been dragged into this public debate by mere association, must be pulling their hair out with frustration. I empathize; if I were in your shoes, I would feel the same.

I hope no one is pulling their hair out. That said, its probably good for Theravadins and Mahayana Buddhists to be watching this situation, if only to see how to most appropriately deal with sexual predators in their communities. I agree about the particularity of Vajrayana relationships. There can be a very similar closeness of teacher/student in Chan/Zen but the structures are quite different.

But there is one thing we must all be clear about. There is a clear difference between Sogyal Rinpoches role as a Vajrayana master and his role as a very public Buddhist teacher and head of a non-profit organization. Vajrayana masters are not necessarily public figures. Many arent even known to be Buddhist teachersin the past, some Vajrayana masters earned their livings as prostitutes and fishermen. But unlike the teacher-student relationship in other traditions, in the Vajrayana, the connection between the guru and the student is sometimes more personal and constant than family. More often than not, the opposite is true for teachers who present Buddhism more generally. These teachers are often public figures. In many cases, they have many followers, and they and their teachings are widely available. They may also be at the helm of any number of monasteries or non-profit organizations.

An interesting clarification: there is the Vajrayana master Sogyal Rinpoche and the Buddhist teacher Sogyal Rinpoche.

So Vajrayana guru and Buddhist teacher are, in fact, totally different roleseven when both roles are fulfilled by one person. What I want to discuss here is the role of Vajrayana master generally and Sogyal Rinpoches role as Vajrayana master in particular, not Sogyal Rinpoches role as spiritual director of Rigpa and public Buddhist teacher. This distinction is important because many Buddhists students are wondering how to explain this kind of scandal to their friends and loved ones. How can you talk about it with your little sister who goes to a Christian high school? Or to your new non-Buddhist boyfriend, who you really want to impress but who already thinks your eagerness to do anything this guru asks of you is really strange. So this is an issue that should be contemplated and addressed separately, especially in light of the increased media coverage Sogyal Rinpoches behaviour is bound to elicit. None of what I have to say here about the Vajrayana in particular is easy to explain. In fact, I am a bit concerned that I might end up raising more questions than answers. And Im also sure that my words will be misinterpreted. But I have decided to try to write this piece anyway, because there are many genuine Vajrayana practitioners out there who are struggling with how to view the present situation and who might want to consider the issues I wish to raise.

Tilopa, Trungpa, and Crazy Wisdom

Fair enough. Dzongsar then recounts the story of Naropa and Tilopa and their lineage right down to Chogyam Trungpa, concluding of Trungpas students:

By the way, if youre ever surrounded by a few of these practitioners, theyll talk about the glories of Trungpa Rinpoche until your ears fall off!

Some will. Others left the community for various reasons. You can read for yourself in the controversies section of Trungpas wikipedia page or elsewhere. A book mentioned there is reviewed thusly:

I found especially interesting the dynamics between the Tibetan lama, Trungpa Rinpoche, and his American students, all brimming with devotion and lacking in personal authority, and the parallel with dysfunctional family systems. Trungpa Rinpoche appears as a drunken, crazy surrogate for the dysfunctional families of the authors. The ploys used to keep the power differential operating in the community of Rinpoches followers mimic the betrayal and required secrets in the alcoholic family.

This isnt to say that Trungpas antics werent also enlightened play or perfect actions simply mis-perceived by some. But it is fair to say that Trungpas reception was mixed. Regarding the Tilopa story, Buddhist teacher and translator of Tibetan texts Malcolm Smith writes:

Oh, and BTW, bringing up Naropa and Tilopa, etc. is bullshit. Please stop doing it. The twelve trials are just stories, didactic stories to show what a huge egotist Naropa was. They doubtless have some basis, but they are exaggerated way beyond anything anyone can reasonably accept as anything other than Indian/Tibetan dramatic hyperbole.

Back to Dzongsar. He asks:

Did Sogyal Rinpoche Do Wrong?

Again, clever scare-quotes. What is wrong anyway? Luckily, those of us in the Buddhist tradition have plenty of resources for this, right up to and including the wonderful Dalai Lama who has already answered this question with an unequivocal YES. But Dzongsar disagrees.

Recently, it was alleged by some of Sogyal Rinpoches students, who also consider themselves to be practitioners in the Vajrayana tradition, that Sogyal Rinpoche regarded abusive behaviour as the skilful means of wrathful compassion in the tradition of crazy wisdom. However you describe Sogyal Rinpoches style of teaching, the key point here is that if his students had received a Vajrayana initiation, if at the time they received it they were fully aware that it was a Vajrayana initiation, and if Sogyal Rinpoche had made sure that all the necessary prerequisites has been adhered to and fulfilled, then from the Vajrayana point of view, there is nothing wrong with Sogyal Rinpoches subsequent actions. (By the way, initiation includes the pointing out instruction which is the highest Vajrayana initiation, known as the fourth abhisheka.)

Thats a lot of ifs. And to be clear, you can read the full letter regarding Sogyals actions here. You can also read an excellent account by Michaela Haas here.

Frankly, for a student of Sogyal Rinpoche who has consciously received abhisheka and therefore entered or stepped onto the Vajrayana path, to think of labelling Sogyal Rinpoches actions as abusive, or to criticize a Vajrayana master even privately, let alone publicly and in print, or simply to reveal that such methods exist, is a breakage of samaya.

The students write, You have punched and kicked us, pulled hair, torn ears, as well as hit us and others with various objects such as your back-scratcher, wooden hangers, phones, cups, and any other objects that happened to be close at hand. If samaya requires students to put up with this without calling it what it is, well, as the kids say, f*ck samaya.

This is not to say, as has been suggested, that tantra provides teachers with a list of ways they can abuse students sexually, emotionally and financiallyyou will not find such a list in any of the tantras. At the same time, a Vajrayana guru will use anything he can to challenge and go against each individual students ego, pride, self-cherishing and dualistic mind, and might well end up telling a sexually voracious, horny man to become a monk.

Yea, thats going to go well.

Im sorry, but we cant bend the rules on this point. When both the giver and receiver of a Vajrayana initiation are fully aware and clear about what has happened, they must then both accept that pure perception is the main view and practice on the Vajrayana path. There is no room whatsoever for even a glimmer of an impure perception.

Thats not what the Dalai Lama said. I think Im going with the Dalai Lama on this one.

Can there be merit in pointing out abuse?

Dzongsar goes on to explain pure perception

So if a student of Sogyal Rinpoche were to see him floundering in the middle of a lake and based on their impure perception, project onto him the idea that he seems to be drowning, it would probably not be a good idea for that student to think, Rinpoche is an enlightened being and should be able to walk on water. A much better thought would be, This is my impure perception! Rinpoche is manifesting as a drowning man so that I can accumulate the merit of rescuing him.

Right. So why cant students accumulate the merit of pointing out his abuse and ending it?

As your practise improves, your perception of the guru will no longer be bound or limited by the causes, conditions and effects that once made you think he was drowning. This is the point in your spiritual development when you will truly see the outer guru as the Buddha and will also be able to see your own inner guru.

As your practice improves and your guru is no longer abusing you and others, you will no longer think he is abusing you or others. It seems that the students who wrote the letter, leading to Sogyals retirement, have done just this.

Until then, when your guru chairs a board meeting and it becomes obvious that he has no clue about an issue, as a prudent member of that board you shouldnt hesitate to supply him with the information he needs. At the same time, as a Vajrayana student, you must skilfully remind yourself the guru only looks clueless to you because of your own impure perception, and that by appearing to need your assistance the guru is actually giving you the chance to accumulate merit.

This is that Buddhist vs Vajrayana clarification from above. These students, while writing their letter to Sogyal -the Buddhist teacher- need to keep a pure view of Sogyal -the Vajrayana master. Theyre supplying him as the teacher with the information he needs  hey, youre abusive, stop that. But as a Vajrayana master, perhaps they still see him with pure view. Who knows?

We all have habits, and its habit that makes impure perception inevitable. The moment we step onto the Vajrayana path, we start breaking samayaswhich are our commitment to maintaining pure perception. This is why the assumption that all Vajrayana practitioners will make mistakes is built into the Vajrayana path. A practitioners path is then to immediately confess, expose and fix any impure perceptions the moment they arise, and to continually aspire to make fewer and fewer mistakes.

This includes Sogyal and other abusive lamas, right?

If an impure perceptionsuch as criticism of ones guruis made deliberately and consciously, and if it then goes on to become a well-organized, choreographed public discussion with no room for amendment or correction, it constitutes a total breakage of samaya.

Oh, so we can save them from a lake or from making a mistake at a board meeting, but when we call them out for punching and kicking us, were breaking samaya due to impure perception. Again, this seems to be the exact opposite of what the Dalai Lama had to say. Dzongsar writes, Once an initiation has been given and received, neither the guru nor the student can continue to analyze each other. The Dalai Lama states, 

You should not say, oh this is my guru, whatever the guru says I must follow  that is totally wrong. The Buddha himself mentioned, my teachings, you must examine. Similarly, if one particular lama says something, you examine: whether this go well with the Buddhas teachings or the circumstances of society, then you must follow. If the lama says something, and you investigate, is not proper, then you should not follow the lamas teaching. Even the Dalai Lamas teaching: if you find some contradiction, then you should not follow: that is my teaching.

Attacking pretty much everyone

Again, Dzongsar hits back:

Its a big mistake to speculate about the possibility of continuing to analyze and criticize the guru after having received a major initiationactually its totally wrong. We cannot modify Vajrayanas fundamental view just because it doesnt suit the minds of a few liberal, puritanical, Abrahamic, or individualistic activists.

He then lashes out against dualistic Abrahamic religions. Followed with:

If the label religion is altogether too embarrassing for your elitist so-called progressive minds, you might try some kind of quasi-atheistic secularism, coated with moralistic ethics and bloated with dogmatic liberal self-righteousness. Or you could blindly allow yourself to be swallowed up by existentialist angst, then get annoyed with those who get blissed out on hope.

He then goes after whiney Vajrayana practitioners as well:

And yet, there may be some among you who long for tantric teachings because you quickly want to gain all the spiritual accomplishments you can, but without suffering any of the pain; or because youre the kind of person who has a strong sense of entitlement and love to bypass preliminary practices. Or you might be very smart and want to follow the simplest path that gets the quickest results, so you might try outwitting the system by cutting corners to get at the highest Dzogchen and Mahamudra teachings more quickly. Or you might be one of those who whine bitterly when the guru says its not the right time to give such teachings and then apply intense emotional blackmail to get what you want. If you fall into any of these categories, the all-or-nothing guru-disciple relationship is what you will get. Im sorry, but thats the way it is and theres nothing I can do about it. We cant change the Vajrayana view or invent some moderate version of Vajrayana Buddhism just to suit the 21st century Western mind-set. If we did, it would be like saying that in these modern times, we should say that certain compounded phenomena are permanent and some phenomena do exist inherentlybut we cant do that either. The view is fundamental to Buddhadharma and therefore to the Vajrayana path.

All of this is fair to some degree but seems misplaced in this discussion. Dzongsar continues with a good description of spiritual growth in Vajrayana, which again is good (except for the unquestioning devotion he suggests one has to have toward a teacher  again, the opposite of what the Dalai Lama teaches).

Dzongsar, in another strange twist, goes on to suggest that Sogyal wasnt really a very good teacher to begin with and perhaps didnt adequately warn his students.

If Sogyal Rinpoche had given these warnings, if he had laid proper foundations by teaching the fundamentals of Buddhism, if he had made sure his students had established a strong foundation through study and practice, and if he had told them before they received initiation and teaching about the nature of the Vajrayana path and the consequences they would face if they broke samaya, the chances are that this current situation would never have arisen.

Again, those ifs, here suggesting that Sogyal didnt. Something he writes next is again quite strange:

More than two millennia before the downfall of authoritarianism in the West, the Buddha taught, You are your own master. No one else is your master. Neither of these pieces of advice has ever been taken seriously in Tibet. Not taking such teachings seriously is a very bad habit and certainly nothing to be proud of.

It seems that hes criticizing the whole master-disciple relationship he was just saying is the way it is. And he says this is a very bad habit of those in Tibet.

So nowadays, when Tibetan lamas apply their habit of openly giving Vajrayana teachings to non-Tibetansparticularly Westernersbut forget that they are presenting these disciplines to people who read The New York Times, are groomed in critical thinking, trained to cherish analysis and contemplation, and applauded for rebelling against convention, isnt it inevitable that things fall apart?

He really doesnt like The New York Times, does he? So critical thinking and analysis are part of the problem?

They were Christians one day, initiates the next

Dzongsar then tells us that hes seen the Rigpa set-up first hand:

I know a little about Sogyal Rinpoche because I have visited several Rigpa centres and have witnessed the Rigpa set-up first hand. To be frank, I didnt see enough evidence to convince me that the appropriate warnings had been given, or that adequate foundations had been laid, or that the fundamental teachings were properly given. On several occasions it seemed to me that some of the students had been Christians until perhaps the day before they attended the teaching, then suddenly, 24 hours later, they were hearing about guru devotion, receiving pointing out instructions and practising Guru Yogait was as extreme as that. If thats how it happenedif no proper warnings and no fundamental training were given prior to the Vajrayana teachingsthen Sogyal Rinpoche is even more in the wrong than his critical students. Why? Because it is his responsibility to prepare the ground in accordance with the Vajrayanas prescribed and well-established foundation teachings and practice. There is no question that the person with the greater knowledge, power and therefore responsibility is also more culpable when those obligations are not fulfilled.

This is as close as weve come to recognizing that Sogyal might have done something wrong here. But why did Dzongsar never say anything about this problematic situation?

Blaming the Victims

The next bit is what makes my Irish blood boil just a little bit, he puts the victimized students on trial.

But there are things about all this that puzzle me. The students criticizing Sogyal Rinpoche seem to be highly intelligent. Why, then, werent they smart enough to examine and analyze the teacher before signing up? How did they allow themselves to get so carried away by the Rigpa experience, those glossy, well-crafted pamphlets and all the other hoo-ha? And I really dont understand why they waited ten or even thirty years before saying anything? How come they didnt see all these problems in the first or second year of their relationship with Sogyal Rinpoche? I should also say that my puzzlement is mixed with sympathy, because we human beings are not only subject to our intellects, we get stirred up by our feelings. I can only speculate, but perhaps these students were moved and even awed by everything they encountered at Rigpa? Perhaps the glossy pamphlets, the incense, thrones and chanting did their job? And of course, Rigpa has hosted many very highly respected, illustrious lamas, including the highest of them all, which must have cemented the veneration and respect these students felt not only for the whole tradition, but for Sogyal Rinpoche himself. As a result of the unexpected eruption of pious feelings they then experienced, there must have been very little room left in their minds for further analysis, because emotionally they just wanted to jump! From what I have seen in Rigpa, this may well have been what happened.

So we blame the victims and then we blame the glossy pamphlets, the incense, thrones and chanting that deceived them and took away their intellects by stirring up feelings.

Alas, karma does also seem to play a role in all this, doesnt it? And now that Ive brought up karma, Im sure some of you will accuse me falling back on another cop-out. Nevertheless, the reality is that falling for glossy advertising and Tibetan paraphernalia, feeling inspired and touched by Tibetan exoticism and the endangered Tibetan species, and everything else that pops into our minds, all arise from the causes and conditions that are the essence of karma. Thats the way it is and all I can do is encourage each one of us to accumulate more good karma so that we wont be faced with this kind of situation again in our lifetimes. Feelings are karmic. And I am afraid this situation wont be settled until that karma is exhausted.

Oh, karma. How nice. Its like we can use this lofty spiritual talk to just go right around the very mundane, moralistic, dualistic ethics that other people want to push. Hmmm, using spirituality to bypass ethics, if only there were a word or phrase for that.

He then gives a long sermon on how hard it is to be a guru and the horrible hells they go to if they screw up. There he gives a very good section on simply being a decent person as a teacher. Next he makes the claim, that I would say that only one lama has really understood Western culture and acted on it appropriately, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

What about the Dalai Lama?

Perhaps he is thinking more of those who have settled in the West. He criticizes other lamas for emphasizing too much culture and not enough dharma and lays some blame on Western students, who are sometimes more interested in looking and speaking like Tibetans than actually practising the Dharma.

Its those other guys

In a section on checks and balances, Dzongsar almost seems to praise those who would call out abusive lamas. But then suggests that, the few decent human beings left on this planet are disappearing fast. Perhaps exposing peoples faults publicly like this, in social media and elsewhere, will make others afraid to act badly? But then he says no, But I really dont believe that public shaming or legal punishment is the answer, or that it will actually solve the whole problem. Again, the opposite of what the Dalai Lama has said.

He then goes on to change the topic to other things he sees as harming Buddhism: Under the banner of rational objectivity as opposed to superstition, and clothed in a supposedly undogmatic liberalism, many among the European and American Buddhist elite are currently promoting a version of Buddhism that completely does away with reincarnation. Their campaign has the potential to destroy Buddhism far more surely than any of its internal scandals.

And then there are the respectable life-style teachers and self-made gurus who use mindfulness and other Buddhist practices to turn the essence of the Buddhist path into techniques for increasing our love of samsara. He also suggests that there are those at the other extreme who, the process of trying to embalm their traditions, are effectively hijacking Buddhism and stripping it of all meaning and relevance for this modern age.

Again Id say there is fairness in critiquing those who water down Buddhism too much as well as those who hold rigidly to the past. Most Buddhists work to be in the middle ground here and are well aware of the difficulty. Ill point out one who I think has been particularly good in this: the Dalai Lama (I might have mentioned him already once or twice here).

Sogyal Rinpoches misbehaviour may be his ruin and, sadly, it may be the ruin of some of his students. But the other far more destructive trends within Buddhadharma have the power to affect millions and will ultimately destroy Buddhism far more completely than this present scandal. Frankly, they are even more deadly than the decimation wreaked on Buddhadharma by the Cultural Revolution and other external forces.

Well, first we have to point out that here, at last, Dzongsar has pointed to Sogyal Rinpoches misbehaviour. But, in the same paragraph he points much greater blame at everyone else with about as much hyperbole as one could imagine.

What Now?

Dzongsar concludes the essay, in part, by once again diverting attention from the particular matter at hand, I think that this particular situation is giving us all the opportunity to show how resilient we are. Its also our chance to think about Buddhisms big picture rather than just one small corner.

But then again he seems to praise the students who raised the abuse claims (and even the Buddhist magazines and others who have been following the Dalai Lamas advice to publicize the matter):

For followers of the Buddha, particularly Vajrayana students and especially students of Sogyal Rinpoche and those who are asking very hard questions, I firmly believe that the current discussion about how gurus behave is rooted in a sincere desire to sort things out and to help the Rigpa sangha and larger Buddhist world. This is the positive aspect of the kind of questioning we are seeing today, and its an aspect that really must be recognized and appreciated. Like it or not, as members of the wider Buddhist sangha and specifically as vajra brothers and sisters, we have created a bond between us that is far more important than family. But in our close relationships, we human beings often suffer as a result of miscommunication. What is the antidote for miscommunication? Communication! So nows the time to clear a space in which genuine, wholehearted communication can take place. In fact, Ive already seen a number of letters and on-line postings by people who are making a big effort to find a good solution.

He goes on to say that, On balance, I would argue that Sogyal Rinpoche has contributed far more benefit to this world and Buddhadharma than harm. Thats nice. And probably true. But it is also a deflection from the matter at hand. We can think of several pretty good folks who turned out to be also criminals, Bill Cosby being a recent one. On balance, his show and humor were great. But he should still, on balance, be in jail for what he did to a number of women. Its a bit too soon to jump to letting the famous man off the hook for his wrongdoings.

He then gives some strange praise of Rigpa students (who he had earlier accused of being duped by the glossy pamphlets and incense) and then just flails with this quick attack, I suspect that many liberals, atheists and much of the Western media would be delighted if news of a Jain suicide bomber now hit the headlines, because it would prove their point that all religions have a dark side and harbour extremists.

Buddhists have it worse than Muslims?

How can we not be discouraged when Germanys largest daily newspaper, the Suddeutsche Zeitung with a daily readership of more than one million, publishes a lead article about the Sogyal Rinpoche scandal under the section heading Buddhism, and entitled Abuse. Imagine the outcry if the Western press were to report every Muslim bombing and massacre under the heading Islam!

They do. More or less.

It is a well-discussed fact that in the last 30 years Buddhists have had the pleasure of an abundance of good press while Muslims have suffered unfairly in the public eye. To suggest otherwise gets my blood boiling a tiny bit once more. (A re-cap, two things that will upset Justin are: 1) Victim blaming and 2) suggesting that Buddhists have a harder time in the media than Muslims.)

Dzongsar closes with one last swipe  this one at liberal intellectuals (hi), In an era when wrong views and murderous actions not only prevail, but are celebrated and even justified by respected liberal intellectuals, we must redouble our efforts to study the authentic view of Buddhadharma.

Yes, thats what we liberal intellectuals are doing when were not corrupting the youth, were out celebrating murderous actions. Sigh.

Oh, another thing that liberal intellectuals are up to is investigating abuse by people in power, including Buddhist organizations. As Michaela Haas reports: the problem is far bigger than Rigpa. Rob Hogendoorn is currently investigating abuse allegations against the male leaders of 19 out of the 39 registered Buddhist organisations in Holland. Read more about Hogendoorns work here.

Conclusion on Pure View

There are various ways we can read Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoches 10,000 word article. Perhaps it was a reactive defense of a sexual predator, with a mix of victim-blaming and diverting attention to other problems. But perhaps it was a skillful way to get more people to closely examine the abuse by Sogyal and to talk about potential abuses elsewhere. Perhaps Dzongsar really does want more attention on this topic and his attacks on journalists and liberal intellectuals were skillful means toward getting us to revisit this case once more.

After all, Dzongsar Khyentse has spoken passionately and eloquently about the need to change the outdated tulku system, and also about why homosexuality should be respected by Buddhists. Surely he has a similar, enlightened mindset regarding abusive gurus and his seemingly outlandish comments above should not be read at face value.

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Some here may find this press release of interest:

MORMON SCHOLARS FILE BRIEF ATTACKING TRUMPS MUSLIM BAN

August 18, 2017  Earlier today, a group of 21 scholars of Mormon history filed a brief in the United States Supreme Court attacking President Trumps ban on refugees and immigrants from six Muslim countries. The brief tells the story of government attacks on Mormon immigration in the 19th century. This history, it urges, shows the need for exacting scrutiny of the order.

During the 19th century government officials repeatedly attacked the Mormons because of their religion. During the 1880s, federal officials explicitly targeted Mormon immigrants. In some cases, Latter-day Saints were refused entry to the country, in others they were jailed by government officials at the border, and at times federal officials pressured Mormon immigrants to abandon their religion and convert to Protestantism.

According to Kathleen Flake, Richard Lyman Bushman Professor of Mormon Studies at the University of Virginia, While some know that American Mormons were persecuted, few know that Mormon immigrants were refused entry into the US. Remembering this, we have particular reason to challenge the renewal of religious discrimination in our nations laws.

Richard Bushman, an emeritus professor at Columbia University and author of Rough Stone Rolling, the definitive biography of Mormonisms founder, said earlier, Most Americans have a story about ancestors who came as immigrants to the United States, many under pressure. Mormons were among the most reviled when they came. We have to take a stand with those who flee to America as a refuge.

Some of the scholars gave more personal reasons for joining the brief. Thomas G. Alexander, Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr. Professor Emeritus of Western American History, Brigham Young University, said:

As a descendant of Mormons who lost their worldly goods and suffered almost unimaginable persecution because of religious prejudice as vigilantes drove them from their homes in Far West, Missouri and Nauvoo, Illinois, I cannot help but deplore a policy that denies one human being the same opportunities as another because of their religion.

Likewise, Pulitzer prize-winning Harvard historian Laurel said earlier, Whenever I hear people stereotyped for their religion, I think of my Grandfather Thatcher, who was denied the right to vote when in Idaho in the 1880s, not because he had violated any law, but simply because he was a Mormon. People should be judged on their behavior, not on their identity.

The brief was written by Nathan B. Oman, a Mormon law professor at William & Mary, and Anna-Rose Mathieson of the California Appellate Law Group LLP. The scholars were represented before the U.S. Supreme Court by Ms. Mathieson. Nineteen of the scholars had filed earlier amicus brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit attacking President Trumps travel ban.

For further information or comments please contact Nathan B. Oman [CONTACT INFORMATION REDACTED] or Kathleen Flake [CONTACT INFORMATION REDACTED].

Im among the twenty-one signatories.

The brief and additional background materials are available online at http://mormonscholarsbrief. blogspot.com/.

Posted from St. George, Utah
* IN SUMMARY: * Baptism unites those who receive it to Jesus Christ and makes them members of His Body, the Church. The proper name of this mystical Body is the Catholic Church; and its nature is that it should be a visible sacrament of salvation to the world. Yet the baptismal bond which unites each member to this Church is not, of itself, visible. It is made visible by voluntary acts of submission (to the hierarchy, the sacraments, and to the apostolic Faith) undertaken by the baptized person himself. These voluntary acts result in a state which the Church describes as full incorporation. But the bond itself is permanent, indelible, and universal in all who have been truly baptized; whether the baptism was of water, blood, or desire. * ANSWERS TO OBJECTIONS: * Is this concept of Baptismal Ecumenism a theological novelty? * No. Each step of the summary given above is based securely on the universal authoritative teaching of the Catholic Church. * It seems worthwhile to pause briefly and establish this fact: * Baptism unites those who receive it to Jesus Christ and makes them members of His Body, the Church  Baptism makes us members of the Body of ChristBaptism incorporates us into the Church.  (CCC; 1267) * The proper name of this mystical Body is the Catholic Church  That the mystical body of Christ and the Catholic Church in communion with Rome are one and the same thing, is a doctrine based on revealed truth  (Pope Pius XII) * and its nature is that it should be a visible sacrament of salvation to the world.  Th Churchs first purpose is to be the sacrament of the inner union of men with Godthe universal sacrament of salvationthe visible plan of Gods love for humanity.  (Vatican II). * Yet the baptismal bond which unites each member to this Church is not, of itself, visible  A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give graceTherefore, the outward signs in the Sacraments tell us that there is in the Sacraments something that we do not see.  (Baltimore Catechism). * [This bond] is made visible by voluntary acts of submission (to the hierarchy, the sacraments, and to the apostolic Faith) undertaken by the baptized person himself.  Now since this social body of Christ has been designed by its Founder to be visible, the cooperation of all its members must also be externally manifest through their profession of the same faith, and their sharing of the same sacred rites, through participation in the same Sacrifice and practical observation of the same laws.  (Pope Pius XII)

*

These voluntary acts result in a state which the Church describes as full incorporation  They are fully incorporated in the society of the Church who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept her entire system and all the means of salvation given to herThe bonds which bind men to the Church in a visible way are: profession of faith, the sacraments, and ecclesiastical government and communion.  (Vatican II) * But the bond itself is permanent, indelible, and universal in all who have been truly baptized; whether the baptism was of water, blood, or desire.  This configuration to Christ and to the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible; it remains forever in the Christian as a positive disposition for graceBaptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church.  (CCC, 1121-1271). * Why then is this particular formulation not commonly known or recognized?  Perhaps the key insight is a bit difficult to grasp: that it is possible to be invisibly united to a Church which is visible. Yet this is just what the Church has always said about her Sacrament of Baptismthat Baptism is an inward and spiritual bond to the outward and visible Catholic Church. * Contrary to popular belief, the Church since the time of St. Paul, has always been motivated to open the possibility of salvation to those outside the Roman communion. But these attempts have invariable stumbled upon two ancient dogmas: (1) that there is no salvation outside the Church, and (2) that the one and only genuine Church is that which has the pope of Rome as its visible head. The Protestant Reformers, because of their obvious separation from this Roman communion, were driven to generate the conception of an invisible church whose members are all of the predestined elect, known only to God. The Catholic Magisterium quite correctly insisted that an invisible Church is a scriptural and logical impossibility. The problem was magnified at the time as well by the fact that Luther, Calvin et al (apostate Catholic churchmen) really were genuine heresiarchs, in a way that their remote spiritual grandchildren are not. There seemed, therefore, at the time to be only one inescapable conclusion: that all persons everywhere who were not in full communion with the pope would be eternally lost. * But as time went on the Churchs own contrary traditions (expressed notably in the writings of Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, etc) began to create nagging doubts about this conclusion. She anathematized the Jansenists in the 17th century and the Feeneyites in the 20th. * Yet in attempting to explain these actions, her teachers often felt forced to soften one or another of our two troublesome dogmas: either there is some kind of invisible Church after all, or else membership in the only true Church is not, in fact, strictly necessary. And truly, these options would seem to be the only logical outs given the fact that the two dogmas do create, after all, a deductively perfect syllogism. Nevertheless, bit of these escape hatches directly contradict plain definitions made by the Church Fathers, the Councils, and the papal Magisterium. Perhaps the soundest, most conservative statement, when reaching this point was made by Pope Pius IX in his allocution Singulari Quadam in 1854: It must be held as a matter of faith that outside the apostolic Roman Church no one can be savedOn the other hand, it must likewise be held as certain that those who are affected by ignorance of the true religion, if it is invincible ignorance, are not subject to any guilt in this matter before the eyes of the LordTo proceed with further investigation is wrong.

*

Despite Pio Nonos venerable advice, further investigation has continued. Perhaps he would forgive us because a strong analogy to the development of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity begins to suggest itself. During the Christological controversies of the second and third centuries the Churchs stubborn insistence on two apparently contradictory dogmas made her seem, to the erudite Greeks, donkey-like and illogical. Her ministers contented themselves to simply repeat with conviction that Christ is truly man, born of a woman, and that Christ is truly God, eternal and uncreate. The later Trinitarian definitions had yet to be made, and Catholics forced to rest upon this apparent paradox might well, in moments of frustration, have voiced the opinion that further investigation is wrong. But further investigation continued, to which we owe the great Nicene and Constantinopolitan definitions. Did the Trinitarian Councils invent a new doctrine to explain the paradox? No; they found the basis of the explanation in the Scriptures and Traditions which had always been in the Church from the beginning. * This paper postulates that the basis for the possibility of salvation for those outside the Roman communion has been present in her doctrine of Baptism from the beginningto wit, that Baptism is an invisible bond to a Church which is visible. This Baptismal Ecumenism offers full membership in the sole Church of Christ to those in schism from or ignorant of the visible Church without compromising either of our two troublesome doctrines: * (A) That there is no salvation outside the Church * This definitionsolemnly affirmed over and over by Fathers, Councils, and Popesis not only not compromised but is strongly reborn. Baptismal Ecumenism offers salvation to no one who remains outside the Church for any reason whatsoever. What it does is to reaffirm that Holy Baptism (whether by water, blood, or desire) is the doorway into the Church. Whoever has been baptizedin a Catholic parish, in a schismatic ecclesial society, by martyrdom, or by an implicit desire of which he may not even be consciously awarehas become a member of the one true Church of Jesus Christ outside of which, like Noahs Ark, there is only destruction. * (B) That the one and only Church is that organization which has the Pope of Rome as its visible head. * This definition alsowhich likewise possesses the most powerful magisterial authorityis maintained without compromise. Those who have been baptized have not become members of an invisible or merely pneumatological church. They have become members of the only Church which exists; the one true apostolic Roman Church whose visible head is the pope. That some of these persons are not aware of this membershipor of its true natureis irrelevant. * The baptismal mark itself has always been held by the Church to be invisible by nature. Any schism such persons maintain from the appointed shepherds of the Church is not essentially different from the disobedience or indifference of Catholics within the Roman communion; in fact, it may be less blameworthy. Baptismal Ecumenism even, it would seem, enlightens one of the Churchs most difficult pronouncements, that of Pope Boniface VIII, the Bull Unam Sanctam of 1302: We are compelled in virtue of our faith to believe and maintain that there is only one Catholic Church, and that one apostolic. This we firmly believe and profess without qualification. Outside this Church there is no salvation and no remission of sinsWe declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff. * Here we may sayalso without qualificationthat even persons baptized only by desire or by a schismatic baptism must be said to have been baptized into nothing else but the one Catholic Church. Since this Church is, in fact, apostolic its one and only visible head is the Roman Pontiff. This Roman Pontiff holds the keys to the kingdom, to heave and to purgatory. Whether his subjects recognize it or not, whatever he binds on earth will be bound in heaven, whatever he will loose on earth with be loosed in heaven. Therefore, anyone who is truly within the Churchthat is, all baptized personsare, by that very fact, made subject to the Roman Pontiff. Whether or not such persons choose to obey that Pontiffs teachings is not a matter of within or without but a matter of virtue or guilt; and this problem is certainly not exclusive to those attending non-Catholic churches.

* In conclusion, this formulation is perhaps unfamiliar because it is being suggested as a genuine development of the Churchs existing teachings on baptism. * But honestly, wasnt Unam Sanctam occasioned by conflict with heretics? Wasnt it deliberately intended by the pope to exclude schismatics from salvation? * It may have been or it may not. The popes charism of infallibility (which certainly was in operation in this very unambiguous definition) does not guarantee any temporal intentions but only the actual content of his teaching. And with Baptismal Ecumenism as our starting point, we may say that there is absolutely nothing in Unam Sanctam to exclude (without examining the content of their lives) anyone who has been validly baptized in the eyes of God. All members of the Catholic Church are subject to the Roman Pontiff whether they actually obey him or not, just as all Britishers are subjects of Queen Elizabeth whether they are good citizens or not. In this sense, the phrase absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff is simply another way of saying one must belong to the Church to be saved. * On a related note: Some of the more recent approaches to understanding Unam Sanctam (the common appeal to invincible ignorance etc.) would seem to flirt with Semi-Pelagianism if applied to the necessity of Church membership for salvation. However, these same teachings do illumine the status of baptized persons who objectively disobey the Churchs pastors but who do so through no voluntary fault. * Isnt all this rather alarming?the notion that a person may become an actual member of the apostolic and Roman Catholic Church even by means of a desire for baptism which might be wholly unconscious? * Whether unfamiliar or not, we have seen that this idea is, at the very least, a valid inference from established doctrine. However unaccustomed we may be to the details, this formulation provides such persons access to the means of grace which are very traditional. Unlike other speculations, Baptismal Ecumenism takes full account of the ancient understanding of the Catholic Church as a spiritual Noahs Ark, the souls one hope of deliverance. Yes, the theoretical application of the Baptism of Desire to heretics, Saracens, and pagans might have given pause to the Fathers of the Churchbut no more so (and possibly a great deal less) than the common modern hope of salvation to such persons based solely on ignorance or blanket invocations of the mercy of God.

*

It is not difficult, for instance, to see a link between the Evangelical Christians concept of accepting Christ and the baptism of desire which the early Church thought would guarantee a catechumen his place in heaven even if his journey were interrupted by martyrdom before the actual waters could be applied. Likewise, when the Apostle Peter defines baptism as an appeal to God for a clean conscience (made efficacious, mind you, only by means of the Resurrection of Christ [1 Peter 3:21]) one wonders if such an appeal might spontaneously spring from many hearts worldwide at some supreme moment in their lives, even where actual water baptism is still unknown. * The concept of a washing in blood, too, seems to hold many wonderful possibilities that have yet to be unpackedespecially in light of the recent declaration (by Pope St. John Paul II) that St. Maximilian Kolbe died a martyr for Christ, even though he was never required explicitly to renounce his faith in Jesus. St. Maximilian died for another man in imitation of Christ, during the exercise of one of the Christian virtuesand this was declared by the pope to have won him a martyrs crown. Might this, too, be possible to a person not yet explicitly aware of the Christian Faith? If so, one wonders about the many millions of soldiers who have willingly given their lives for in defense of their countrymen, or of any other person who has suffered during the exercise of what you and I know to have been (though they themselves may not have) one of the Christian virtues. * Clearly, much further work needs to be done to develop these doctrines and this work will need to proceed under full submission to the successor of Peter and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. * If this Baptismal Ecumenism is real, wouldnt that invalidate the Churchs considerable modern attempts to solve this problem entirely through invincible ignoranceindeed, wouldnt certain papal teachings on this subject have to be deemed false? * No. When speaking of the development of doctrine one must recognize that early attempts to address mysterious subjects will fail to satisfy the technical requirements of the explicit doctrine in its mature form. Thus, for instance, many of the Ante-Nicene Fathers make statements about the person of Christ which fail to meet the requirements of later Nicene orthodoxy. This does not mean that Justin, Clement, or Irenaeus were Christological heretics; it only means that their preliminary statements were later shown to be inadequate. * That our recent (beginning in the 19th century) attempts to open the possibility of salvation to schismatics and non-Christians via invincible ignorance and so forth might turn out to be of this same nature is suggested by the tentative tone of the statements themselves: they are, without exception, couched in the language of uncertainty * it may be supposed that such persons would have desired baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity. (CCC) * men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. (CCC) * Today, as in the past, many people do not have the opportunity to come to know or accept the Gospel revelation or to enter the ChurchFor such people, salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which while having a mysterious relationship to the Church, does not make them formally a part of the Church but enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation. (St. John Paul II) *
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by Jayanni Webster

As a labor organizer for a higher education union, I feel its important to draw attention to the fact that our college and university campuses have become notable spaces for contestation by white supremacists / white nationalists. Perhaps its always been this way, right? But we cannot ignore the university and college as an important site to defend in this moment. We cannot ignore that many campuses are experiencing for the first time public and vivid propaganda for white nationalism. 107 incidents of anti-Muslim, anti-Black and anti-gay propaganda by these groups have appeared since the start of this academic year.

They are recruiting white students, and administrators are behind the curve in addressing the matter. ALEC and the NRA are funding politicians to push campus carry bills across the country to allow staff and students to carry firearms. A bill allowing full-time employees to carry has already passed here in Tennessee. Thats why I believe an independent organization (a union) for faculty and staff is so important, esp. to address the critical issues we face.

But listen 

Whats at stake when it comes to institutions of higher education is of importance to all of us. Higher ed plays a role in checking and restoring democracy in many communities and states across this country. Its employees from the tenured professor all the way up to the custodian contribute to creating and nurturing an environment that is a microcosm of the country itself that can mirror and tell us things about ourselves and also offer solutions to systemic problems. White nationalists are targeting higher ed and attacking academic freedom just as Nazis did in Germany because they understand this. They also understand that people of color organizers and white anti-racists who are leading movements of social change across the country are coming out of these institutions.

And to be clear Im not romanticizing higher ed. Lord knows weve got a lot to change and neo-liberalism in higher ed should also be considered a threat. But again, the university is a microcosm of the country. So we gotta consider it an important site to organize and fight for.

The fanatic white nationalist organization alt-right marched on UVAs campus, dredging up imagery of black and white photos of Klansman and women carrying torches to terrorize Black people. Their leaders speak on campuses to debate the merit of hate speech as free speech. UC Berkeley canceled their event only to be threatened by Trump to pull federal funding. White nationalist are planning a white lives matter protest at Texas A&M September 11. White supremacist legislators in Tennessee succeeded in bullying the largest university in our state (UTK) into defunding the LGBTQ resource center and silencing and removing the first ever vice chancellor of diversity. And recently announced, the Trump administration is hoping to pursue suing schools for anti-white bias.

We have to resist white supremacist from gaining anymore ground in higher education and kick them out where they have succeeded.

Jayanni Webster is a labor organizer in Tennessee.

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Patna: With political landscape in Bihar being chaotic in the aftermath of dramatic turn of events nearly three weeks ago leading to the collapse of the Grand Alliance government in the state and the re-emergence of the old BJP-JDU coalition, leaders from the Mahagathbandhan regime remain in a state of confusion as was evident on Wednesday when leaders from both Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal  U crossed over in the hope of keeping their political ambitions alive.

Pragati Mehta, an RJD spokesperson and a close aide of Lalu Prasad Yadav, seeing no future in his party led by Tejaswi Yadav who was charged of corruption by the CBI not too long ago that led to the break-up of the Grand Alliance, dumped the 'lantern' symbol in favor of the 'arrow' where he was welcomed with open arms by party state President Vashisht Narayan Singh and spokesperson Sanjay Singh.

Interestingly, Mehta was one of the loudest voices in the state capital against Nitish Kumar when he announced his resignation three weeks ago.

"By joining hands with the BJP, Nitish Kumar has insulted the mandate of the people of Bihar. He has also exposed himself of being a man who lacks morality and honesty. However, the people of Bihar will never forget this betrayal and teach him a lesson in the coming days," Mehta had said at the time of Kumar's resignation.

As if to maintain the balance in party leadership, former JD-U state General Secretary and Muzaffarpur resident Mohammed Israel Mansuri, along with dozens of his supporters, resigned from his party and joined RJD in the presence of party state President Ramchandra Purvey.

Senior RJD leaders including Mundrika Singh Yadav and Mohammed Iliyas Hussain were among those present on the occasion.
Iranian Government Responds to the Demand of the Hunger Striking Opposition Leader

08/18/17

Source: Radio Zamaneh

Government of Hassan Rouhani has responded to the demands of Mehdi Karroubi, an opposition leader who was on hunger strike in house arrest. Karroubi is demanding life without surveillance and presence of security officer as well as a public trial. As such the ailing 80-year-old has ended his hunger strike which has sent him to the intensive care unit of a hospital in Tehran.



Mehdi Karroubi at the hospital with his wife Fatemeh Karroubi next to him



On 17 August Mohammad Karroubi, Mr. Karroubi's son who has been living in exile, announced that government officials have been in contact with his family and have responded to his father's first demand: ensuring that security forces leave their father's home.



Mohammad Karroubi wrote on twitter that the Minister of Health, Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi, as well as Pourfallah, the deputy Minister of Intelligence on homeland security issues have announced the departure of security forces from his father's house.



"Hashemi has explicitly guaranteed that he and the government will execute this matter...The hunger strike ended." Karroubi's son writes.



Karoubi's second demand however, request for a public trial, is out of government's jurisdiction and falls under the jurisdiction of the state; that is the supreme Leader of Iran and his appointees in the judiciary. However, Karroubi's son wrote in another tweet that the government will try to fulfill his father's second demand, which is a request for a public trial.



Mr. Karroubi and two fellow reformist opposition leaders of Iran's Green Movemnet, Mirhossien Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard have been held captive without charge and at house arrest as of February 2010.



Mehdi Karroubi who started hunger strike after dawn prayers on 16 Aug 2017, was soon taken to intensive care unit in Tehran's Shahid Rajai Hospital. Mr. Karroubi is living with a heart condition and was taken to hospital in July 2017 for arrhythmia. He is now living with a heart pacemaker.



Mehdi Karroubi's is expected to stay at the hospital for at least two days because of complications related to his heart disease.



Mahdi Karroubi's health conditions deteriorated as result of the hunger strike and Etemad-e Melli reported that Karroubi was transferred intensive care unit as of last night.



Over the past 24-hours, there has been much lobbying and some government officials have taken a stance to address Mahdi Karroubi's hunger strike.

Karroubi's Hunger Strike Stirs Conflicting Reactions

Mehdi Karroubi's demands have stirred widespread controversy across the country with his hunger strike.



While the Minister of Health announced that Karroubi's condition is stable after his transfer to hospital from house arrest, National Trust Party spokesperson says that his condition is critical enough to be at the intensive care unit.



Hassan Khomeini a top supporter of the opposition leaders Karroubi and Mousavi, has expressed serious concern regarding Karroubi's health in view of the hunger strike.



Meanwhile, conservative factions of the establishment have described the strike as "a new conspiracy" against the regime.



Mr. Karroubi has on a number of occasions protested against the omnipresence of security officers at his home at all times and has once more called for a fair and open trial where he could face any charges the state would bring against him. While IRI's Supreme Leader has put him and MirHosein Mousavi, the other challenger of the results of the 2008 presidential elections, under house arrest for over seven years, they have not been formally charged.



There have been repeated attempts by moderate figures to secure the release of these opposition leaders but so far Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has blocked all attempts. While accusing them of sedition, Khamenei has maintained that the treatment that is being meted out to them is already "lenient".



Ali Motahari, Tehran MP has commented on Karroubi's situation saying his demand for an open trial is rational adding that he will never succumb to the state's hope that he will make a public statement of repentance.



The news of Karroubi's hunger strike appeared while parliament was in session and engaged in review of President Rohani's cabinet nominees. Hassan Kavakebian, an MP from Tehran called on the president to inquire into Karroubi's health and also investigate the issue of security officers' presence at his home.



The Omid faction of parliament, a group of reformist MPs, had announced recently that they have established a committee to achieve an end to the house arrest of Karroubi as well as MirHosein Mousavi and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard.

Mohamadreza Aref, a senior reformist MP has announced that he has contacted the head of judiciary as well as senior clergy leaders to highlight the problem of Mehdi Karroubi's hunger strike.



Meanwhile Iranian citizens expressed their concern for Karroubi on Twitter and Karroubi became the top trending hashtag in Iran.

On the other hand, Keyhan daily which represents the views of the country's ultra conservatives reported today that during Karroubi's recent hospitalization, he was visited by a number of opposition figures "planting in him the temptation to start a hunger strike".



Jahan News, a conservative website, referred to the events in its editorial as a "new sedition" saying it is the result of "seditious agents" meeting with Karroubi in hospital. It argues that the hunger strike is a reaction to the "failure of the reformists to influence the makeup of the Rohani's cabinet". It goes on to state that even the death of Karroubi will not create an opportunity for reformists to rally their supporters and concludes that the hunger strike should not be taken too seriously.
Iran Denies Appeal Of U.S. Student Imprisoned On Spying Charges

08/18/17

Source: RFE/RL

Iranian authorities have denied the appeal of a Princeton University researcher who was convicted of spying for the United States and sentenced to 10 years in prison, the university said on August 17.



Xiyue Wang, a naturalized American citizen from China, with his wife Hua Qu and son



Xiyue Wang, a U.S. citizen and doctoral candidate specializing in Eurasian history, was conducting research for his dissertation in Iran last year when he was detained by Iranian authorities and accused of "spying under the cover of research." His family and the university strongly deny the charges.



"He traveled to Iran solely to study Farsi (Persian) and to examine historical documents from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He described his research plans in advance to the Iranian authorities and the libraries and archives he planned to visit, and he only sought access to materials that he needed for his dissertation," the university said.



The university said Iran's charge that Princeton had sent Wang to "infiltrate" the country and that Wang had "connections to intelligence agencies" is "completely false."



"He was not connected to any government or intelligence agencies," the university said. "We are distressed that his appeal was denied, and that he remains unjustly imprisoned."



Trump Warning



News of Wang's detention in Iran and his 10-year sentence first came out last month. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hard line against Iran and has warned against "unjustly" imprisoning Americans.



Trump "is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned," the White House said last month.



A State Department official on August 17 repeated the U.S. demand "for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families."



Iran did not immediately respond or comment on the Wang case.



"I am devastated that my husband's appeal has been denied, and that he continues to be unjustly imprisoned in Iran on groundless accusations of espionage and collaboration with a hostile government against the Iranian state," Wang's wife, Hua Qu, said. "Our young son and I have not seen Xiyue in more than a year, and we miss him very much."



Qu, who is a Chinese citizen, said she worries about Wang's health while he is held in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, sometimes in solitary confinement.



"We hope the Iranian officials can release him immediately so he can resume his studies at home and so that our family will be together again," she said.



With reporting by Reuters

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
Iranian Women's Rights Activist to Serve Three Years in Prison For Attending Seminar

08/18/17

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

Women's rights activist and photojournalist Alieh Matlabzadeh has been sentenced to three years in prison by a preliminary court in Tehran for participating in a women's empowerment seminar.



Alieh Matlabzadeh

A legal source with knowledge about Matlabzadeh's case told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on August 14, 2017 that the prison sentence was issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for the charge of "assembly and collusion against national security."

"The verdict was sent to Ms. Matlabzadeh a few days ago and she plans to appeal," added the source, who spoke with CHRI on condition of anonymity.

A member of the One Million Signatures for Gender Equality campaign, Matlabzadeh was arrested on November 26, 2016 about a month after attending the seminar in Tbilisi in the Republic of Georgia, along with 20 other Iranian activists.

"On October 18, [2016], a day after Alieh returned from a trip [to the Republic of Georgia], a number of Intelligence Ministry agents forcibly entered our home at 10 o'clock at night and showed us a warrant to pursue and arrest anti-revolutionaries and members of Daesh [ISIS], but it didn't say anything about searching the house," said Matlabzadeh's husband, Sadra Abdollahi, in an interview with CHRI in November 2016.

"They searched everything until about 2 in the morning and confiscated personal items and documents," he added. "A few days later, Alieh was summoned to the Intelligence Ministry and questioned for seven hours. They asked her about her trip to Georgia, where she attended a workshop for empowering women. Is that a crime?"

Matlabzadeh, who worked as a photographer for a number of reformist publications, including the Zanan (Women) magazine before it was banned, has actively protested against acid attacks on women.

In 2010 she made a documentary titled, "Let's Not Forget Victims of Violence Against Women in Society."
When your laptops touchpad stops responding to your fingers, youve got a problem. Have you ever tried to use a Windows PC without a mouse, touchpad, or other pointing device? Its all but impossible.

If the problem just started, reboot your computer and see if that fixes it. Yes, I know thats painfully obvious, but its standard operating procedure and in the heat of the moment its easy to overlook the obvious.

If that doesnt work, try these solutions.

First, make sure you havent accidentally disabled the touchpad. In all likelihood, theres a key combination that will toggle the touchpad on and off. It usually involves holding down the Fn keytypically near one of the lower corners of the keyboardwhile pressing another key.

But what other key should you press? Its probably one of the function keys F1 through F12, although it might be something else. Examine the keyboard, paying particular attention to the little icons (usually blue) on some of the keys. Look for an icon that suggests if affects the touchpad.

One obtuse Lenovo touchpad icon

Unfortunately, not all touchpad icons are easy to figure out. I didnt spot the one on my old Lenovo X220. I found it by searching online using the model name and number plus disable touchpad. The answer, by the way, was F8. I had to search the answer again for my newer Lenovo Yoga 920, where it was F6. If you cant guess the icon, I suggest you do the same.

If that doesnt fix the problem, check the touchpad settings. In Windows 7 or 8, go to the Start menu or the search charm and type mouse settings . Select Change mouse settingsthere are other options that are very similar, so pick the one with that exact wording.

In Windows 10, click the Windows key and go to Settings > Devices > Touchpad. This brings you to the Touchpad settings page where you can confirm the touchpad is enabled, as well as check other options.

IDG Check your laptops Touchpad settings to make sure the touchpad is enabled and check its other settings while youre at it.

If that doesnt help, you may need a new driver. Go to your laptop manufacturers website and search for your model number and the words touchpad driver . See if theres a driver you can download and install.

If none of these suggestions work then youve got a hardware problem. Assuming youre not ready to try to repair it yourself you have two options: You can send the laptop to a shop for repairs, or you can buy an external mouse and use that in its place.

This article originally published as an Answer Line column by Lincoln Spector on September 1, 2014, and has since been updated.
The Ghana Tourism Authority in the Eastern region on Tuesday, August 15, 2017 commenced an exercise to shut down unapproved Guest Houses and hotels in the region.



Some 9 guest houses and hotels in Adwaso, Aburi, Mampong, Abiriw, Akropong  Akuapem and Adukrom all on the Akuapem Ridge were shut down 11 more within the region are expected to be shut down by close of the exercise on Friday, August 18, 2017.



The facilities are operating without license from the Ghana Tourism Authority contrary to the Tourism Act of 2011 (Act 817) hence the closures.



The guest houses and hotel shut down on Tuesday included New Day Guest House at Adwaso, Oparebea Guest House, Manpong, Awo Denkyerira Hotel, Abiriw, Ansah Hotel, Dawu, Jewel Royal Guest House, Awukuguah, On Hospitality, Adukrom, Lalobi Guest House, Adukrom, Sabato Hotel, Adukrom and Homeita Guest House at Akropong.



The operation is expected to continue tomorrow in other parts in the region.



Most of the guest houses and the hotels the team visited were operating under unhygienic conditions without proper ventilations with some of the rooms no windows to the room.



The Eastern regional Manager of Ghana Tourism Authority, Frederick Adjei -Rudolf told BRYTFMONLINE.COM the exercise is to ensure compliance.



For you to operate any accommodation establishment, you have to fulfil some statutory obligations. The first thing is to come to Ghana Tourism Authority, purchase a registration, form after which you are given a stipulated registration fee to pay .The Registration fee will depend on a number of rooms that you have and category of the facility you operate, he said.



Mr. Adjei  Rudolf further explained: after that you need to submit documents from various agencies of the state such as the Fire Service, the EPA, Police Service, Environmental Health Division of the District Assembly, EPA would have to certify you, Town and Country would have to certify you, have a building permit, so when all these agencies certify that you are in good standing with them and you finish the registration then we come in to inspect and you meet all the requirement; then we give you the license to operate.



According to the Regional Manager, those with license are only expected to renew them yearly.



He said the Eastern regional branch of the Ghana Tourism Authority is going to fully enforce tourism regulations to ensure strict compliance.

Source: brytfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dalex Finance, Ken Thompson is in support of the Bank of Ghanas (BoG) move to probe and sanction officials whose activities led to the collapse of the UT and Capital Banks.



I think the Bank of Ghana is going about it the right way, he said to Citi News after the BoG announced a thorough investigation of operations of UT Bank and Capital Bank.



The central bank said appropriate action will be taken against shareholders, Directors, and key a Management personnel who are found to be culpable in the collapse of the banks.



Ensuring accountability in the wake of the collapse of these banks is the prudent next step, according to Mr. Thompson, given there has been some form of negligence.



If for example, all the money has been lost because they invested it businesses that fail, that is fair. But if the money has been lost because of negligence then, of course, somebody has to be held accountable because its not right. You cant take my money, squander it and then go away Scott free.



So I think that if individuals or institutions are found to be culpable or involved directly or indirectly in contributing to the Banks failure then I think they should be held accountable if Dalex Finance collapses because I have taken investors money and put in my pocket, I should be held responsible and that is standard practice.



Fallout from collapse



Deposits of customers of the two banks will be protected by the government as their takeover by GCB Bank is finalized.



The inability of the banks to turn around their negative capital adequacy position led to their collapse and necessitated a Purchase and Assumption agreement allowing GCB Bank to take over all deposit liabilities and selected assets of both UT Bank and Capital Bank, per section 123 of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions (SDIs) Act, 2016 (Act 930).



However, Capital Bank has indicated that the shareholders of Capital Bank will not be compensated. The same may apply to UT Bank shareholders, though the central bank is considering compensating shareholders listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange.



Top level management of the two banks, including the Managing Directors, will lose their jobs. It is unclear the fate of the other workers of the two banks, numbering close to 2,000 in total, but negotiations are in place to protect those who want to still work for the distressed banks.



Possible negligence



Research indicated that UT Bank in a precarious position given it was found to be the riskiest bank in Ghana listed on the stock exchange.



The situation with Capital Bank has been found to be more nefarious given the existence of a leaked 2014 memo indicating that the bank, then First Capital Plus Bank, was on the verge of collaps



The banks Chief Executive Officer at the time even described the situation as a time bomb.



The August 2014 memorandum, signed by the CEO of the Bank at the time, John Kofi Mensah, warned that Capital Bank had capitalization issues and may not be able to meet its obligations to its clients.



The memo addressed to the Board of the Bank, also outlined cases of mismanagement that had compromised their shareholders credibility.

Source: citifmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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On the 16th of August, 2017, I read an article on peacefmonline under the caption No NDC School Certificate, No Appointment in which the Deputy General secretary of the party in the person of Koku Anyidoho was reported to have said amongst other things that, any member of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who fails to go to the partys ideological school, cannot run for president or get any appointment in a future NDC government.



I also, read another news article on the 14th of August, 2017 titled We Dont Need Any Accreditation to Run Our School  NDC Tells NAB In that article, the National Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Adams is purported to have said that, the NDC is free to operate its National Institute of Social Democracy School without acquiring the necessary accreditation from the National Accreditation Board (NAB).



I find these comments very interesting and amusing for the simple reason that, the NDC is made up of fine brains, Doctors, Professors and other ordinary men and women who have acquired quite significant levels of education, training and certification.



I therefore, expected that, those with such requisite experience on education and academic issues will tutor these party leaders and win them from this ignorance.



If they care to know, National Accreditation Board (NAB) was established under the Act, 2007 (Act 744) operationalized by the Tertiary Institutions (Establishment and Accreditation) Regulations, 2010 (L.I 1984), and it is the sole body vested with the authority to accredit tertiary education institutions and their programmes in Ghana.



By accreditation, it means validation of course syllabus and programmes in which colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning are evaluated against well-established standards.



These standards for accreditation are set by a peer review board whose members include faculty from various accredited colleges and universities to ensure that, the syllabus run by any institution is streamlined to avoid sub-standard courses, or programmes which could invariably pollute the products of such institutions.



The NDCs decision not to recognize the NAB and its mandate means that, they are not ready for review of their courses or programmes.



Interestingly, the purpose of the Ideological Institute is to train party members who will win power one day to govern the country Ghana.



My question is What do they want to teach these party followers in their so called Ideological Institute? Worse of it is the statement from the Deputy General Secretary that, if any member does not get trained and certificated by that unaccredited school, such a person cannot be hired by a future NDC government to work for mother Ghana! Interesting right? Which body will supervise that, certification? Who will ensure that, what the so called ideological kingpins are teaching is right?



I am asking these questions bearing in mind that, the NDC has ruled Ghana for at least 16years; and in all their tenure, they failed woefully to churn out one social intervention programme. When asked of Asiedu Nketia (aka General Mosquito) by Akosua on THE HARDTRUTH on joy news why the NDC failed to live their ideology, he only laughed sarcastically, and told the host that, if another party buys into anothers philosophy and does the good thing is a plus for the one who muted the ideology! Really? Well.! I hold a different view. And my view is that, either the NDC does not understand their own philosophy or do not understand how to practicalize their own ideology.



So I ask again, what do they want to teach their party faithful at the ideological school? An ideology they themselves do not understand or and ideology which only exist on paper? You guess is good as mine!!!

Source: Daniel Norris Bekoe/ Lecturer, Department of Communication Studies, Pentecost University College, Accra.









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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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.
Ghanas Ambassador to China, His Excellency Edward Boateng, has asserted that Chinas astonishing transformation in economic status within the last four (4) decades can provide lessons for African nations, most especially Ghana.



According to him, in as much as Chinas infrastructural and economic transformation is inspiring, it also teaches us that a nation that has "discipline" as its hallmark and has the right mindset, can overcome any challenge and achieve greatness.



Within the last 40years, the Chinese have been able to develop a system that has rapidly transformed their country...we (in Ghana) can take a cue from them. In the four or five provinces that ive visited so far, the developmental transformation are quite impressive...What i also realized is that they are a disciplined society. Polarization is our bane. Our politics is polarized on more issues than ever before. We (in Ghana) need to be more action-oriented and limit the talk, Mr Boateng said in interview with a team of Ghanaian journalists when they paid a courtesy call on him to familiarize themselves with operations at the Embassy.



The Ghanaian team, who are part of a group of 66 journalists drawn from 25 selected countries worldwide, are participating in this years Training Course for Radio Broadcasting Techniques for Developing Countries. The month-long training programme is being organized by the China Radio & TV Co. for International Techno-Economic Cooperation (CRTV).



The newly appointed diplomat, who assumed office a little over a month ago, also touched on the Vice-President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumias recent landmark visit to China, where he announced that the Chinese government has committed $15billion dollars of investment to Ghana; secured through a new financing model designed by the present Economic Management Team (EMT).



When Dr Bawumia visited China a couple of months back, the Chinese government made lots of financial commitment to Ghana. We are following up on all such pledges. Their (Chinese) expertise will surely be needed in the execution of the 1-District 1-Factory project that the NPP administration under President Akufo-Addo promised to undertake, he indicated.





Source: Nana Kwadwo Asante/Peacefmonline.com (Beijing, China)









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy has made it public that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was not the only person who founded Ghana.



On his Facebook wall, Dr. Kennedy said no great country has one founder indicated that even Americans don't have only one founding father but several.



"No great country has one founder. Most Americans historians list 7 founding fathers. This list does not include Francis Marion of South Carolina whose exploits were described by George Washington as crucial to the success of the war of Independence. A few years ago, Tracy Lindeman of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation listed 36 founding fathers for Canada"



However, Dr. Kennedy admonished that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah has been the best President in Ghana by a wide margin.



Below is the full text of the statement;



Mr Arthur K Kennedy writes!



The debate about our Founding Fathers



God bless our homeland Ghana and our founders! Let the nation say, "Amen".



Before I turn to this unfortunate debate about who founded Ghana and when we were founded, let me make the following declarations for the record:



First, Nkrumah has been our best President by a wide margin.



Second, winning elections after independence does not correlate with a person or party's role in the struggle for independence. Mugabe's party did not win the post independence mandate in Zimbabwe because he led the struggle for independence. He won because he belonged to the Majority Shona tribe.



Third, the continuing questioning of Danquah's loyalty is an unproven, disloyal stain on a man who deserves better from all of us, regardless of ideology.



As to whether Nkrumah was our sole founder, how could he be? As Danquah stated eloquently on 4th August 1947, "Love of freedom from foreign control has always been in our blood. 870 years ago, we struck against the attempt of the Arabs to impose a religious slavery upon us in Ghana. We left our homes in Ghana and came down here to build a new home." Thus the struggle for our freedom started 8 centuries before the founding of the UGCC-- and it continued after 6th March 1957.



It has heroes, beginning with some of those buried on the journey from ancient Ghana to our current home, through the leaders of the Aborigines Rights Protection Society, some brave chiefs, the founders of the UGCC, and the CPP, Sergeant Adjetey, and his fellow martyrs before independence and then more people after independence. Make no mistake about it. Our colonial masters have been gone for 60 years but we have not been free for 60 years. We lost freedom as a people under our military dictatorships-- NLC, NRC/SMC, AFRC/PNDC. Those who fought against these internal oppressors were as gallant as those who fought our colonizers. To say Nkrumah is our founder assumes that when Usain Bolt anchors Jamaica in a relay, he is the team. It presumes that when Real Madrid won the champions league this past season, Ronaldo alone deserved all the credit.



How could Nkrumah alone be credited with founding Ghana when he cannot, in good conscience be credited with founding CPP alone? Where would the CPP be without the organizational genius of Gbedemah?



No great country has one founder. Most American historians list 7 founding fathers. This list does not include Francis Marion of South Carolina whose exploits were described by George Washington as crucial to the success of the war of Independence. A few years ago, Tracy Lindeman of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation listed 36 founding fathers for Canada!



India had founders besides Gandhi with historians ranking Ambedkar's contributions greater than Gandhi's. South Africa had many founders besides Mandela-- of all races.



We should stop peddling the palpable fallacy that Nkrumah was our sole founder.



When Danquah told a crowd that Nkrumah would never fail them, he was wrong. He failed them by taking away the freedom he helped to win-- spurred by power and sycophancy.



While we are pre-occupied with this farcical debate about our founders, we are losing the nation we are arguing about. As President Akufo-Addo said on 6th March, "Sadly, the economic dividend that was meant to accompany our freedom has still not materialised. Sixty years after those heady days, too many of our people continue to wallow in unacceptable poverty".



That is not all. Mobs, from streets or organized by our government can snuff out the lives of innocent citizens, as happened to the judges in 1982, the KUME PREKO matyrs in the next decade and just this year, to Major Mahama and others-- thus mocking our motto-- Freedom and Justice. Our environment is drowning in the garbage while sinister forces with the collusion of government agencies pollute our rivers and streams under galamsey. We can't even name and shame them.



Our argument should be about our future, not our past and over who will be hailed by posterity for securing that future.



Let us build Ghana for posterity.

Source: Ghanaweb









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 President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has revealed that a road-map for addressing the weaknesses in the banking sector is being implemented.



According to President Akufo-Addo, the need to entrench reputation and credibility in the financial system is crucial, explaining that a weak banking system undermines growth.



On this basis, the President stressed that the current weaknesses in the countrys banking sector need to be addressed forcefully to minimize any adverse financial consequences to unsuspecting savers, and their spill-over effects on the economy.



My understanding is that a road-map for addressing banking sector weaknesses is being implemented. I urge you, as the nations central bank, to remain committed to the process and to address the challenges confronting the banking sector. This will not only guarantee financial stability, but also promote greater confidence in that sector, he said.



The President continued, Your most recent measures, in intervening decisively over the matters of UT Bank and Capital Bank, demonstrate your preparedness to act in a manner worthy of a responsible central bank, of a praiseworthy regulator. I am confident that you have the support of the nation.



President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday, 18th August, 2017, when he delivered a speech at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Bank, at an event held at the Kempinski Hotel, in Accra.



Governments Supportive Role



Touching on the maintenance of stability, a role not reserved for the Bank of Ghana only, President Akufo-Addo indicated that his government also has a role to play.



We are committed to the path of fiscal consolidation. We must do this so that the Bank of Ghana can concentrate on what it was set up to do. Persistent and excessive fiscal deficits get in the way of the Banks core mandate, he said.



To this end, the President noted that his government is committing by statute to ensure that the overall government fiscal deficit remains within a reasonable band of between 3-5 percent, beginning in 2018.



President Akufo-Addo revealed that his government is also working hard to find a solution to the huge energy sector-related debt exposures that threaten the stability of the countrys banking system.



To offset the legacy debts in the energy sector, government will shortly issue a $2.5 billion energy bond. It will provide much needed liquidity to the banking sector, and also create space for increased investment in the sector by improving the balance sheets of companies such as VRA, GRIDCO and ECG. The bond will be collateralised with proceeds from the Energy Sector Levy, he said.



Government, the President assured, will continue to pursue vigorously policies that would complement the Banks effort of bringing down the cost of borrowing for the benefit of households, and especially of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises, who provide most of the jobs.



Government will, thus, continue to improve the supply of electricity in a bid to reduce the risks inherent in the economy, and lower the risk premium that feeds into cost of funds, he added.



President Akufo-Addo reiterated his call for stronger partnership, as well as greater degree of policy coordination, between the Bank of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance, urging the Bank of Ghana also, within its remit of operational independence, to play a pivotal role in formulating and implementing policies that will enable the economic transformation of our nation that we all desire.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Presbyterian Church of Ghana has commissioned sixty eight (68) ministerial probationers at the Grace Congregation at Akropong Akuapem who will be posted to some of its branches across the country to serve the church and help revive the faith of members.



Two former Moderators of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Very Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey, and Very Rev Dr Sam Prempeh who performed the commissioning, said the sixty eight ministers were made up of distinguished persons who had excelled tremendously in the gospel ministration at the Ramseyer Training Centre, at Abetifi Kwahu in the Eastern Region under the Special Ministerial Training.



Preaching the sermon, the Volta Presbytery Chairperson, Rev Daniel Oppong Wereko urged the new ministers to empower themselves as they begin the ministration of the gospel.



He noted that it took only the invitation of the Holy Spirit to gain liberty and peace to pursue the task ahead, observing that the anointing of the Holy Spirit would set one apart as righteous and sacred and also confer on one spiritual authority.



He said there were socio-economic and spiritual challenges that were confronting Ghanaians, adding that their call to the ministry must be able to provide solutions to them especially in a world that knows no peace and lacks hope, like in the times of Isaiah and Jesus.



'Today there are lots of people in the world and among your congregations that are in demonic bondage bound by Satan. You are to go with Christ's authority to deliver and set them free,' he said.



Speaking on behalf of the new ministers, Rev Nicholas Apreh Siaw assured that they were ready for the missionary task no matter the cost they were sure that the Lord had empowered them and would continue to empower them to do so.



He requested that the Christian brothers and sisters of the Presbyterian Church continue to remember them in prayer as they set out on the long journey ahead.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) will hold its 17th General Assembly at the Ramseyer Training Centre, Abetifi-Kwahu in the Eastern Region from August 18th to 24th, 2017 under the theme: Let the Earth Hear. (Romans 10: 14-17).



The General Assembly, which is the highest decision making body of the PCG, is expected to attract about 250 Commissioners, and Corresponding Members from all the 21 Presbyteries, both home and abroad.



A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Church, Rev Ezekiel George Larbi said, major highlights of the Assembly would include the Official Opening Ceremony which the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is expected be the Special Guest of Honour, Divine Service, Service to Commemorate the Faithful Departed and Plenary Sessions from Monday 21st August 2017.



The Assembly will also take decisions that will guide the activities of the Church in the coming years. Ministers retiring from the active service of the Church would also be presented to General Assembly.



The statement further said the General Assembly, will review activities of the Church in the previous year, plan for the ensuing year, and also serve as a platform for fellowship, interactions and networking among Commissioners and Corresponding Members.



The statement urged members of PCG and the entire Christian community to pray for the success of the 17th General Assembly.









Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Education Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has been outlining some drastic reforms his sector seeks to implement to ensure better teaching and learning practices for improved outcomes.



Speaking at the National Education Sector Review forum in Accra, he proposed that there should be an extension of closing time for basic schools in the country.



"School closes too early in this country. At 2:00pm, parents from farms are not back and parents working at the public service are not back from work, so why can't school close at 4:00 pm," he said.





Dr. Opoku Prempeh said the ministry is talking to National Council for Curriculum Assessment, a regulatory body in charge of the timetable, to review the schedule to coincide with the closing time of parents from work.



He also expressed displeasure at the current quality of education, especially at the basic level. He said there are about 42,000 teachers in early grade teaching about 650,000 odd children which means 10 to 15 students are assigned to one teacher. Yet, at primary two, only 2% of the pupil can read at that level.



That is unacceptable, he pointed out, saying, we in the ministry are not going to rest till things change.



Speaking at the review, the GES Director General, Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa said the Education service is creating a division to be in charge of evaluation, planning and research to avoid the inconsistency and ensure accountability.



When we get the leadership right, we get curriculum, inspection, and teacher education right, he said.



He assured that they are putting teacher-learning materials and other measures in place to facilitate quality education and bridge gaps.



Of all the proposed reviews by the Education Minister, the extension of the closing time for basic school pupils has been the most topical.



Some parents who spoke to Joy News were in favour of the extension of the closing time.



"it will increase efficiency in teaching and learning," one of them said.



"It will help the student to exhaust the syllabus" and "stop some students from joining bad crowds" another intimated.



However Country Director of NGO World Education, Susan Adu Aryee raised some issues about the new proposal.



"What happens to students learning for a long time," she asked, adding "what is the percentage of parents who are not home when kids close from school, are we going to use the extra hours for life skills or continue the curriculum."



She said the government should look at the Ghanaian society and research into what will help the education system in the country.



He also told the Ghana Education Service (GES) the lapses such as incoherent curriculum and lack of supervision and assessment made are totally unacceptable.



When I asked what the pupil standards are, they did not have one and when I asked for a curriculum to address the pupil standards I was given a draft, he said.







Source: JFM/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Minister of State at the Presidency in-charge of Regional Re-organization, Hon. Dan Kwaku Botwe has cautioned the Director of Elections for the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) Kwabena Bomfeh to be circumspect regarding his utterances in an attempt to criticize people.



According to him, even though Akufo-Addos government welcomes criticisms, the way the Director of Elections for CPP spoke about the demand for the creation of new regions is very bad as if the government is doing something against the constitution of Ghana.



The Council of State has, unanimously, informed the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, that there is a substantial demand for the creation of new regions, after studying the petitions for the creation of new regions which were forwarded to the Council.



The Council has, therefore, advised President Akufo-Addo to appoint a Commission of Enquiry to inquire into the need and to make recommendations on all the factors involved in the creation of the new regions as petitioned by the Chiefs and people of Western, Northern, Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions.



But Kabila, as popularly known in politics on Okay FM, Wednesday, averred it is a misplaced priority for President Nana Akufo-Addo and his team to consider the creation of new regions as there are more pressing issues demanding attention of his [Akufo-Addo] government.



He insisted the government should rather consider putting up structures and logistics at the various existing regions as it is will be appropriate to construct railways in the northern sector of the country so that transportation will be easy to link up with other regions.



He maintained that Akufo-Addos government does not understand its mandate and the reason Ghanaians voted for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) with such a wide margin for change of government.



This government must learn to appreciate that and concede that it is not everything they promised Ghanaians from opposition that can be implemented at all cost. Donald Trump is suffering because of this character of Nana Addos government. I dont know what the rush is about? Setting up commission of enquiry is going to be at a cost to the people; what is the commission of enquiry going to work on that we already dont know about the need for creating new regions? he quizzed.



Reacting to Kabila's comment on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Hon. Dan Botwe wondered why the action of President Akufo-Addo which is in line with the 1992 constitution has been likened to the unconstitutional behaviour of US President Donald Trump, denying people from coming to his country.



Why is he comparing Donald Trump to our government? what does he hope to achieve by using those words? We are not saying he should praise us; we all saw what they said about us during last year elections, but we sold our manifesto to Ghanaians and we promised to fulfil the demands of Ghanaians and we all know what happened, so we are not bothered about criticisms, he stated.



But for him to say does this government understand what its mandate is?; I will say yes, we understand our mandate. Our mandate is that we are fulfilling our manifesto and promises which Ghanaians based on to vote for us and so we understand our mandate, he replied.



He stressed that Akufo-Addos mandate is also rooted in the Constitution of Ghana; thus the drafters of the 1992 Constitution saw the importance of this and devoted the whole chapter 2 of the constitution to talk about the territories of Ghana.



It is stated in article 5 that there will be a time to alter the boundaries of a region and so it is the mandate of every political party which forms a government to look into it. The article 5 shows how to go about it if there is a need to do this. If it is not in the constitution then he can say we are rushing and we dont know what we are doing, he added.



He hinted that many traditional leaders as far back as 1982 have written letters, memoranda and petitions to the various governments to consider the creation of new regions.



The Constitution allows the President to initiate the creation of new regions or act on petitions from the traditional leaders and forward it to Council of State . . . the President received petitions from 4 regions and it is something they have fought for many years. Is Kabila saying those traditional leaders dont know what they are saying? I think we also must respect those leaders expressing their views, he posited.



He indicated that there are a whole lot of researches backing the need for the creation of new regions; thus, nobody is rushing to create the new regions, asserting that Kabila should rather be humble enough to read the Constitution carefully to understand the action of the government.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Deputy Communications Director for the opposition National Democratic Congress [NDC], Kweku Boahen has accused President Akufo-Addo and his government of being the cause of the huge percentage of failed students in the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examinations [BECE] results.



He said, The propagandist promise made by the New Patriotic Party [NPP] during the 2016 elections that led them into power has today become the grounds of preventing qualified persons under the conducts of our law from entering Senior High School [SHS].



"I know for a fact that the NPP in collaboration with Ghana Education Service (GES) has deliberately failed 50% of the just ended BECE students due to their laid down systems which cannot permit them to offer free education service to that number of persons as assured earlier; therefore the score down of pass mark from aggregate 42 to 30 which to me is not fair in our part of the world.



"So, Is the GES under president Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and his government telling us that students who pass beyond aggregate 30 would not be permitted to enhance their education to the SHS level when students of the same grade were permitted per the laws of the state to continue to the SHS level last year?" He asked Kasapa FMs Anopa Kasapa host.



He however believed "Ghanaians have already decided to change the baton straight to the National Democratic Congress [NDC] come 2020".



"We left a relatively stable economy, which the NPP who claim they are a party of economists have made inferior just because they are dealing more with the Chinese government".



The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has meanwhile, refuted reports that it has released the 2017 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).



It said its systems had been hacked and fake results had been posted to their servers and that the cyber security team was currently working on the problem.



BECE Results Not Released



About a week ago the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) refuted rumours that it has released the 2017 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).



A statement signed by Mrs Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, the Head of Public Affairs of WAEC, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said for this reason, the results would be delayed up to September 30 or later.



It said the Council wanted to inform members of the public, especially candidates, to beware of imposters who promised to change examination results for a fee.







Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A mayor in northern Pennsylvania took a rather unorthodox stand against DUI patrols in his Luzerne County town -- and it didn't go down well at all.

Larksville Mayor Joseph Zawadski announced during a council meeting Tuesday night that he doesn't want any more driving under the influence patrols, the Citizens Voice newspaper reports.

His reason? The DUI patrols hurt businesses, especially bars.

Mayor Zawadski should know. The Citizens Voice points out that the mayor is also the owner of Joe's Place bar in the town.

And council members tell the newspaper that the mayor has said he doesn't support roving DUI patrols because of the potential impact on bar owners, such as himself. In fact, Larksville police didn't participate in a recent DUI patrol.

All this has touched a nerve in Larksville. And there is late word that the backlash has caused the mayor to back track on his attempted DUI patrol ban.

The Citizens Voice filed an update late Thursday saying Mayor Zawadski reversed himself on the issue in an interview:

"I changed my mind on the roving patrols now," Zawadski said in the The Citizens' Voice interview. "All of us make mistakes."

The apparent reversal on the attempted DUI patrol ban comes after The Citizens Voice reported council members as being "floored" by the mayor's comments, which some saw as "welcoming DUI in our town."

Another council member said he was "taken aback" by the mayor's stand against DUI patrols.

"That's ludicrous," Councilwoman Tracy Baird told the Citizens Voice. "I drive in this town. My son's 12 years old. He rides his bike in this town."

Unfortunately, it is within the mayor's powers to end the DUI patrols, and council cannot force him to resume them, the newspaper reports.

Ultimately, it will be up to the town to decide, as Zawadski is on the November ballot for re-election as mayor.

NOTE: This story has been updated.
The solar eclipse won't last long.

The moon's shadow will zip across the continental United States at up to 3,000 mph. It will travel faster on the western end of the path, giving observers in Oregon less time to view maximum coverage than those in the east where the umbra (the moon's shadow) slows to about 1,500 mph.

It will take just 90 minutes for the moon to travel through 14 states from maximum coverage just off the Pacific Ocean in Depoe Bay, Oregon, to reach the moment of totality over Charleston, South Carolina.

Time zones will result in that moment happening anywhere from 10:17 a.m. to 2:47 p.m. in each location's local time. The total eclipse will only last about two minutes in these locations, with cities in the center of the path receiving longer total eclipses than cities toward the edge of the umbra.

These are the peak times in different cities within the 70-mile wide path of totality:

Depoe Bay, Oregon: 10:17 a.m. PDT (peak eclipse duration 1 minute, 58 seconds)

Idaho Falls, Idaho: 10:33 a.m. PDT (peak eclipse duration 1 minute, 46 seconds)

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming: 11:36 a.m. MDT (peak eclipse duration 2 minutes, 18 seconds)

Casper, Wyoming: 11:43 a.m. MDT (peak eclipse duration 2 minutes, 26 seconds)

North Platte, Nebraska: 12:55 p.m. CDT (peak eclipse duration 1 minute, 45 seconds)

Lincoln, Nebraska: 1:03 p.m. CDT (peak eclipse duration 1 minute, 9 seconds)

Columbia, Missouri: 1:13 p.m. CDT (peak eclipse duration 2 minutes, 36 seconds)

Carbondale, Illinois: 1:21 p.m. CDT (peak eclipse duration 2 minutes, 40 seconds)

Nashville, Tennessee: 1:28 p.m. CDT (peak eclipse duration 2 minutes)

Nantahala National Forest, North Carolina: 2:36 p.m. EDT (peak eclipse duration 2 minutes, 38 seconds)

Charleston, South Carolina: 2:47 p.m. EDT (peak eclipse duration 1 minute, 40 seconds)

Looking for another city? Check NASA's interactive eclipse map.

For observers in Pennsylvania, cities all across the commonwealth are hosting events to watch the partial eclipse. We can also tell you what time the eclipse will start and what coverage to expect in Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton and Williamsport.
The number of fundraising giants deciding to pull events from President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, Thursday, is up to three, signaling a direct blowback to his business empire from his comments on Charlottesville's racial unrest.

The American Cancer Society, a high-dollar client at the club since at least 2009, cited its "values and commitment to diversity" in a statement on its decision to move an upcoming fundraising gala. Another longtime Mar-a- Lago customer, the Cleveland Clinic, abruptly changed course on its winter event only days after saying it planned to continue doing business at Mar-a-Lago, a leading venue for charitable events in the posh resort town.

The American Friends of Magen David Adom, which raises money for Israel's equivalent of the Red Cross, also said it would not hold its 2018 gala at the club "after considerable deliberation," though it did not give a reason. The charity had one of Mar-a-Lago's biggest events last season, with about 600 people in attendance.

The cancellations will undoubtedly squeeze revenue for the private club Trump calls the "winter White House," where similar-size events have often brought in fees of between $100,000 and $275,000 each.

But the Florida club may face an even deeper crisis of confidence from the local business community. The head of the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, of which Mar-a-Lago is a member, called the business "morally reprehensible" on Thursday and said she expected more charities to defect.

"The glitter, the shine has gone from the club," chamber executive director Laurel Baker said, "and I can't help but think there will be more fallout from it."

The rapid rejections of one of the president's signature businesses revealed a possible financial vulnerability for Trump, who has been fiercely criticized this week for equating the actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis with those of counterprotesters during a violent weekend in Charlottesville.

They also come days after Trump faced condemnations from corporate executives on two of the White House's top business advisory groups, which were disbanded in a stinging rebuke to Trump after his controversial message.

The White House referred questions about the charitable events to the Trump Organization, which did not respond.

At least seven other groups that frequented Mar-a-Lago - including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in New York and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami - have announced in recent months that they would choose other venues, citing reasons such as political differences and security hassles.

Mar-a-Lago's upcoming winter season, the peak of Palm Beach social life, looks as though it will be the slowest period for charity events in at least a decade, according to a Washington Post analysis of upcoming events.

The Cleveland Clinic, one of the nation's leading medical centers, abruptly canceled its event plans Thursday, and spokeswoman Eileen Sheil told The Post that "there were a variety of factors" behind the cancellation. "We're not elaborating," she added.

Shortly afterward, the American Cancer Society announced that it was backing out, saying in a statement: "Our values and commitment to diversity are critical as we work to address the impact of cancer in every community. It has become increasingly clear that the challenge to those values is outweighing other business considerations."

Both health-related groups faced growing pressure to reconsider their support of the president's business amid Trump controversies. But the cancellations don't come without risk: The Cleveland Clinic said it had raised about $1 million a year for medical equipment over the past eight years at Mar-a-Lago.

Baker, head of the Palm Beach chamber, spoke vigorously against Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, saying that her directive to nearby charities was, "If you're looking at your mission statement, can you honestly say having an event at Mar-a-Lago, given all that has transpired, is the best stewardship of your efforts?"

The Cleveland Clinic had still intended to host its ninth gala there as recently as last week. The move followed weeks of public turmoil, including a letter signed by 1,600 health professionals and others last month that said the Mar-a-Lago booking "symbolically and financially supports a politician actively working to decrease access to healthcare."

The clinic's chief executive, Toby Cosgrove, was among the business leaders on the president's Strategic and Policy Forum who agreed to disband Wednesday. Trump said on Twitter that he would end the forum and a separate American Manufacturing Council "rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople."

Mar-a-Lago has faced growing scrutiny from supporters of Trump's "buy American, hire American" agenda because of its recent requests for foreign workers. The club, which has sought dozens of H-2B visas for foreign employees because it argued that it can't find Americans to do the work, was absent last week at a job fair in West Palm Beach.

The charity moves are a welcome development for other venues, such as the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, where spokesman Nick Gold said calls have increased from groups looking to hold fundraising events.

"There's a lot of concern from these charities, where their boards of directors are probably not wanting to be at Mar-a-Lago for a variety of reasons," including reasons related to Trump, he said.
The statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank L. Rizzo was vandalized Thursday night, according to a report from Philly.com.

Someone spray-painted the words "Black Power" on the statue with white paint, according to the report.

Rizzo's critics say he reigned over the city when police brutality was the accepted norm.

Earlier this week, Councilwoman Helen Gym said on Twitter that the statue should be removed, and Mayor Jim Kenney, a fellow Democrat, said it was time to discuss its future.

On Wednesday a man from Maplewood, N.J., was charged with disorderly conduct for throwing eggs at the statue.

Rizzo's son told KYW-TV Tuesday that his father was a fair person who treated people equally regardless of race.

City crews pressure-wash the words "Black power" off of Rizzo statue pic.twitter.com/3rIwNL7wkF  Mike DeNardo (@_MikeDeNardo) August 18, 2017

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The legacy of Frank Rizzo is a mixed one.

He was the first Italian American mayor in Philadelphia, and the city's police commissioner before that. Under his watch as both commissioner and mayor in the 1960s and 1970s, gang violence and crime rates dropped.

But his methods were harsh and he targeted minority groups especially. As a police officer he was charged multiple times with beating crime suspects while they were in custody. The charges were consistently dismissed.

When he died in 1991, the New York Times headlined his obit: "Frank Rizzo of Philadelphia Dies at 70; A 'Hero' and 'Villain.'"

In the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia and the removal of Confederate statues, there has been a call to take down the Rizzo one that stands outside the city municipal building on Thomas Paine Plaza.

City Councilwoman Helen Gym called for the Rizzo removal on Twitter on Aug. 14, later committing to introducing a public process for the removal when the council is in session in September. Mayor Jim Kenney said he felt like it was the right time to discuss it as well.

Reaction to a potential removal of the Rizzo statue has been met with mixed feelings from Philadelphians.

"It should be taken down and melted," said Tiffany Briggs of West Philadelphia. "Rizzo symbolized hatred and racism in the city."

The City of Brotherly Love, she said, should have statues that celebrate its diversity, not the opposite.

Kelly Corrigan of North East Philadelphia has a different opinion of Rizzo.

"My father was a police officer under Mayor Rizzo's tenure and I'm very proud of that," she said. "I also feel like Mayor Rizzo kept him safe because of his rules and his philosophies on how he handled crime in the city."

Keeping the Rizzo statue is a no brainer for Corrigan.

"Mayor Rizzo was a great mayor for a lot of people," she said, adding that this isn't even necessarily a Philadelphia issue. "The controversy is about what's going on in other cities and I don't think Philly should be effected."

Another view: Olivia VanOsten of Andorra wants the Rizzo statue to stay up as a reminder of how far the city has come.

"I've been thinking about this for the last few days," she said. "I think that maybe [Rizzo] wasn't always fair or whatever, but it is a part of history and we learn from that. I think we have to leave him there just to show us that things can change and things should be different."

A statue to former Philadelphia mayor and police commissioner Frank Rizzo.

While Benjamin Ivey, born and raised in Penrose, acknowledges that people see Rizzo differently, it doesn't change the fact that the Rizzo statue is a symbol of racism in Ivey's mind.

"It's not so much the statue, it's what the statue represents," he said. "Instead of Rizzo, if that just said 'KKK' right there, everyone would be outraged. But because Rizzo only represents that to a certain few, a minority, it's not as big a deal."

What is a big deal is the discussion that this has sparked about race issues in America, he said. That's what is most important, not the statue removal.

"They could leave Rizzo there until I'm old and grey, I could care less," Ivey said. "Change the policy. If you take the statue down but leave the policies up, it doesn't matter... because at the end of the day if a mandatory minimum sentence can put someone in jail for screwing up once; if me and you do the same thing but because of your color you get a lighter sentence or more understanding of your circumstances, then that's a problem. Ripping down a piece of iron isn't going to change that."

A statue to former Philadelphia mayor and police commissioner Frank Rizzo.

It's a sentiment that Anthony Miller of Germantown echoed.

"Moving the statue is just changing something visually. You won't be able to see it, but that doesn't mean the opinions of people or the way they're acting will be any different," he said, adding "A statue is a statue -- until people change their views on things in life, it's going to be the same thing.

"You could take down a million statues or put a thousand statues up, it's still going to be the same thing."

There are no formal plans for the removal of the Rizzo statue at the moment. It is expected to be a topic of discussion at the next City Council meeting in September.

You can hear more opinions about the statue in the video at the top of this post.

Want more stories about Philadelphia? Click here for all our coverage of the City of Brotherly Love.
A Philadelphia man convicted in a horrific human trafficking case where a sex slave was set on fire has failed to convince a state appeals court that he is a "people pleaser" with mental health issues.

Instead, the Superior Court panel ruled this week that Michael Rhoades must keep serving the 15- to 30-year prison sentence he is serving for his role in the abuse, imprisonment and beatings of two women.

Michael Rhoades

As outlined in an opinion by President Judge Susan Peikes Gantman, Rhoades' crimes skew well into the range of cruel and bizarre.

The first victim was enslaved by Rhoades and his wife, Tamara, for two years in the couple's North Philadelphia home, starting in late 2009 to 2010. Police said the woman was lured to the home to serve as a sex partner for Tamara Rhoades, but was sexually abused and beaten by Richard Rhoades as well. The Rhoades' also confiscated the woman's paychecks.

The worst abuse, police said, came on February 16, 2012 when Tamara Rhoades and another man, Steven Mills, doused the woman with alcohol and set her on fire, not once, but twice, causing second-degree burns all over her body.

The Rhoades' and Mills then made the woman make a video stating that she had been injured while trying to molest the Rhoades' 14-year-olf daughter. The put the woman on a bus to Pittsburgh and went to police with their bogus report. The victim, however, went to a Pittsburgh hospital and told authorities everything.

Police said the couple coerced the first victim to lure the second victim to their home, where she too was beaten and had her Social Security and student loan checks stolen. A detective found that victim with to black eyes when he went to the Rhoades house to serve a search warrant during the probe of the first victim's claims.

Michael Rhoades received his prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges including aggravated assault, arson, human trafficking and false imprisonment. His wife and Mills received prison sentences of up to 40 years and 32 years, respectively.

In rejecting Michael Rhoades' appeal, Gantman noted that he only raised his mental health argument recently. Rhoades "maintains he is a 'people pleaser' who would have done anything his co-defendant/ex-wife had asked him to do," the judge wrote.

Yet when he pleaded guilty, Michael Rhoades insisted he had no mental health issues, had never been institutionalized and was "more than satisfied" with the representation by his lawyer, who he now claims was ineffective, Gantman observed.

In any case, she concluded, Rhoades' "claims that an investigation into his mental health might have secured a more favorable plea deal or more lenient sentence are mere speculation."
State Debate: James Rowen calls out Ron Johnson and Scott Walker as 'gutless' for their response to Trump's Charlottesville comments
The National Weather Service in State College has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Lebanon County until 3:15 p.m.

At 2:32 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located over Cleona, moving east at 35 mph. Hail damage to vehicles is possible, and wind damage to trees and power lines is expected.

Locations impacted include Myerstown, Cornwall, Annville, Lebanon, Palmyra, Sand Hill, Mount Gretna Heights, Timber Hills, Avon and Richland.
A former Pennsylvania high school teacher who solicited his female students for nude photos on Facebook has failed to convince a state appeals court panel that he was just joking.

Instead, the Superior Court judge this week upheld the multiple convictions and 2- to 4-year prison term for ex-State College High School computer teacher Wesley Amy.

Judge Mary Jane Bowes noted in the state court opinion that Amy, now 29, targeted the only three girls in his class for his illegal solicitations in 2013 and 2014.

Investigators said Amy began by sitting in the back of the classroom with the girls, talking about anime and boys "as if he were a peer," Bowes wrote. He also asked to see any nude photos they had on their smart phones.

He then friended the girls on Facebook and focused on one of them by sending her a link that showed a young woman or teenage girl performing oral sex on a man. Although Amy told the girl the photo had been "hijacked" and sent to her unintentionally, he dared her to open it, police said.

Amy then prompted the girl to chat about her sex life and asked her to send him photos of herself naked. "When (the girl) refused, (Amy) said, 'You get an F,'" Bowes wrote.

The girl refused Amy's subsequent pleas for nude pics after he told her to "motivate" him to improve her grade in his class, the judge noted. He finally unfriended all the girls.

State College police began investigating in April 2014 when Amy put a flash drive on a female student's desk and told her to put naked pictures on it "as an alternative to taking the final exam," Bowes noted. That girl told her mother about Amy's request.

A Centre County jury convicted Amy of disseminating obscene materials to minors, attempted unlawful contact with minors and attempted sexual abuse of children despite his claims that he asked for the nude pics in jest.

Bowes rejected Amy's claim on appeal that the trial judge should have given the jury an instruction regarding his contention that he should not have been convicted because he "renunciated" his criminal acts by breaking off his Facebook contact with the girls.

The crimes had already been committed by then, Bowes found. She also dismissed his claim that he didn't intentionally send the oral sex picture during the Facebook chat with one of the girls.
By Cloyd Gatrell

PinnacleHealth's purchase of Carlisle Regional Medical Center (CRMC) is good news for our area. New approaches to pricing and staffing are needed to restore community confidence in the hospital.

CRMC draws from the same pool of skilled physicians, dedicated nurses, and able support staff as other hospitals in the area.

However, the business practices of Health Management Associates (HMA) alienated the community and led many patients, physicians, and nurses to go elsewhere. The buyout of HMA by Community Health Systems did little to improve the situation. The cost of health care at CRMC has been out of line with other hospitals.

Over-emphasis on the bottom line has meant skimping on nursing staffing to reduce labor costs.

Nurses at CRMC have long voiced concerns that staffing was lower than at other local hospitals where their friends and colleagues worked. Carlisle wants a hospital it can trust and support; one with more commitment to the community than to distant shareholders. PinnacleHealth can bring local focus and stability, more acceptable pricing, and better staffing that will win back patients.

When David Steitz assumed his duties on Oct. 5, 2015, he became the 7th CEO at CRMC in 10 years.

CRMC has had five Chief Nursing Officers during the same period. The CRMC Emergency Department has been under four different management structures in 10 years.

When PinnacleHealth takes over the emergency department (currently run by Hershey Medical Center), it will be the fifth.

Although HMA built a beautiful new hospital, CRMC has had multiple problems that have caused it to lose patients and community support. While licensed to run 165 beds, CRMC hasn't done that since 2006.

By 2015, CRMC reported operating only 71 staffed beds, down 57 percent.

CRMC's average daily occupied beds were 78.7 in 2008 and 43.1 in 2015, a 45% drop. CRMC's market share of daily occupied beds in Cumberland and Dauphin counties was 7.3% in 2008 and 3.8% in 2015, down 55%.

CRMC's shrinking patient load has meant fewer jobs. It was #18 on the list of Top 50 Employers in Cumberland County in 2008. By 2016, it had fallen to #33. Holy Spirit was #5 on both lists.

Except for 2009, CRMC has seen fewer patients every year since 2006. Despite that, CRMC net patient revenue under HMA increased every year 2006-2013, going from $99M to $136M (+37.3 percent). CHS assumed ownership in January 2014; net patient revenue has gone down each year since.

Net patient revenue in 2015 was $121M. That was still $22 million (+22.2 percent) higher than in 2006, despite a 50 percent drop in days of hospitalization. CRMC has collected more money per inpatient day from patients, insurers and the government than any other community hospital in the area.

In 2013 and 2014, CRMC Net Patient Revenue per Inpatient Day was even higher than Hershey Medical Center, which sees far more complex patients.

In 2015, CRMC's Net Patient Revenue per Inpatient Day was $7,697, almost three times the state average of $2624.

Statewide expenditures for hospital care were $40.2 billion in 2015.

If every hospital in Pennsylvania had collected as much per-patient, per-day as CRMC, consumers, insurers, and government programs would have spent $117.9 billion.

As reported in The Sentinel and PennLive/The Patriot-News, local businesses, school districts, and insurers have reacted to the higher cost of hospitalization at CRMC.

There is no minimum nursing staffing law in Pennsylvania, so the Department of Health typically does not cite hospitals for inadequate staffing.

It usually only cites hospitals for patient consequences due to inadequate staffing. However, the Health Department took the extraordinary step of citing CRMC specifically for inadequate staffing on March 6, 2009 and June 22, 2011.

On multiple other occasions, DOH cited CRMC for problems related to inadequate staffing.

CRMC sees far fewer patients than the other hospitals in Cumberland and Dauphin Counties, but the Department of Health has cited it for problems at a much higher rate.

CRMC had 16,305 Inpatient Days in 2014, but received 4 citations, a rate of 2.45 per 10,000 Inpatient Days. Hershey Medical Center also had 4 citations, but had 153,903 Inpatient Days, a rate of 0.26 per 10,000 Inpatient Days.

PinnacleHealth had only one citation for 152,878 Inpatient Days, a rate of 0.07 per 10,000 Inpatient Days.

Holy Spirit had two citations for 67,665 Inpatient Days, a rate of 0.30 per 10,000 Inpatient Days.

The 2014 rate of adverse citations at CRMC was 38 times that of PinnacleHealth, 9 times that of Hershey, and eight times that of Holy Spirit. CRMC has had no Health Department citations since 2014.

CRMC was fined four times by the state in five years for patient care problems. Only one other fine has been reported against any other hospital in Cumberland and Dauphin Counties since 2010.

CRMC received less than the standard 3-year accreditation on two successive Joint Commission Accreditation Surveys.

In both August 2011 and August 2014, it received "Accreditation with Follow-up Survey," meaning there were deficiencies that required early follow-up inspections.

Those follow-ups occurred in March 2012 and April 2015. Only one other local hospital has received anything less than full accreditation in the past several years: Hershey Medical Center received Provisional Accreditation in December 2010; it regained the Accredited rating in Aug 2011.

CRMC is the only acute care hospital in Cumberland and Dauphin counties that has not been awarded Magnet status.

PinnacleHealth received Magnet recognition in 2006, Hershey Medical Center in 2007, and Holy Spirit in 2013. That designation recognizes superior nursing processes, which have been shown to lead to improved patient outcomes and higher satisfaction. Those are needed in Carlisle.

A March 2017 public letter from the former long-time mayor of Carlisle applauded PinnacleHealth's purchase, saying, "Ever since Carlisle became a for-profit provider, the care has been less than acceptable."

There is much work to be done. Welcome to PinnacleHealth as they accept the challenge.

Dr. Cloyd Gatrell was a fulltime emergency physician at CRMC from 2006-2010. He served over 30 years in the US Army, including as a hospital commander He has whistleblower-litigation pending against CRMC over patient safety and nursing staffing issues. He writes from Carlisle, Pa.
Three Mile Island will close in 2019 unless our representatives in Harrisburg agree on policy reform that would keep this important business and crucial energy source open.

If TMI closes prematurely, before its useful lifespan has expired, 675 people in our community with well-paying and highly skilled jobs will find themselves unemployed.

Because many of these are specialized positions, members of our community will be quick to leave for opportunities elsewhere at still-operating locations, rather than find other local jobs.

This is tragic for the employees of TMI and their families, but the implications of a closure would ripple beyond those who work at TMI. We all understand that these are the people who shop in our stores and eat in our restaurants.

Their tax revenue funds our schools and services - not to mention the more than $1 million in state property taxes that come from TMI itself. This would all be lost.

Unfortunately, this situation is not unique to TMI. Several nuclear plants across the country have recently closed. We need not look any further than to those communities to find out what happens next. When the plant in Vernon, Vermont closed, the town was forced to cut its budget in half.

A plant closure in Zion, Ill. resulted in taxes on homes and businesses being doubled. The closure of the Crystal River Nuclear Plant in Florida resulted in the average value of a single-family home dropping by almost 25 percent.

One of the foundations of communities like ours is a strong, affordable housing market, including the monthly expenses it takes to run that home. Here, too, TMI's closure would be bad news for York.

No doubt, housing prices would tumble in the absence of one of the community's largest employers. Monthly expenses would likely also rise. Right now, Pennsylvania has a diverse supply of energy, with almost 40 percent coming from nuclear.

Take that away, and we risk over-reliance on a single energy source. We will be at the mercy of dramatic price swings that come with a less diverse energy supply. If TMI and the other nuclear facilities in the state close, we can expect our energy, on the whole, to become more expensive.

It's alarming to think how quickly these conditions could trickle down. Not just for my blinds business, but all businesses.

I have been a member of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Metropolitan Harrisburg for many years.

The HBA has 450 members, many of whom are local business owners. Many of them also believe they will feel the adverse impact of the closure of TMI.

A lot is at stake here. We need the state legislature to push forward an agenda that recognizes the importance of TMI as both an energy supplier and employer. I, along with other leaders in the community, have joined the Clean Jobs for Pennsylvania coalition.

Our goal is to raise awareness around the impact of the closure of TMI. Please join us in voicing your support for this cause.

Mark Toto is the owner of Budget Blinds Commercial Solutions in central Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg.
Former Neo Nazi Tony McAleer poses for a photograph in Vancouver, B.C., on Thursday August 17, 2017. McAleer says the violence in Charlottesville, Va., presents an opportunity for parents and educators to become more aware of how easily youth can be lured into a seemingly exciting but potentially deadly world of hate. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Ian and Valerie Wilson are seen in this undated handout photo. A Canadian killed in a terrorist attack on a popular street in Barcelona was described by his family as a man who enjoyed lively debate and travelling. Ian Moore Wilson was the father of a Vancouver police officer. Vancouver police issued a statement from the officer's family saying Wilson was killed when a van plowed into crowds of tourists on Thursday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Vancouver Police *MANDATORY CREDIT*
A ballet of three North Atlantic right whale tails are all that is visible of this surface active group (SAG) in Cape Cod Bay, near Provincetown, Mass., Thursday, April 10, 2008. A Newfoundland shipping firm is raising its fees, blaming higher costs because of federal measures taken to protect North Atlantic right whales after a series of deaths. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Stephan Savoia
President Donald Trump returns a salute upon his arrival at Hagerstown Regional Airport in Hagerstown, Md., on Air Force One, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, en route to nearby Camp David, for a meeting with his national security team to discuss strategy for South Asia, including India, Pakistan and the way forward in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2017, file photo, Venezuela's Constituent Assembly poses for an official photo after being sworn in, at Venezuela's National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela. Delegates to the all-powerful assembly unanimously approved a decree Friday, August 18, giving it the authority to pass legislation on a range of issues affecting Venezuela's security and sovereignty. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)
A man models a pair of eclipse viewing glasses for a photograph, in Toronto on Thursday, August 17, 2017. Demand seems to be eclipsing supply for the specialized glasses eclipse viewers will use to observe Monday's solar eclipse event. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Luck Dunbar was napping during a routine flight when he heard a loud noise, woke up and realized the commuter plane was dropping.

Dunbar was one of five people aboard the plane Monday morning when it was heading from Skagway to Juneau, Haines radio station KHNS reported. An engine failure prompted pilot Joshua Poirier to make an emergency landing in the ocean.

(Poirier) pointed over by Coghlan Island and he said, I think were going to lay her down over here, Dunbar said.

As the plane dropped, Dunbar said he was thinking, This is it. ... Here we go....
Meet Gavin and Macey Bebble, cousins and fellow St. Mary's stars

Two fellow Class of 2023 members, Gavin and Macey Bebble share a bond as cousins, friends and leading members of multiple talented St. Mary's teams.
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos speaks to a packed crowd at an American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conference July 20, 2017, in at the Hyatt Regency in Denver. (Gabriel Scarlett/The Denver Post via AP)
Like the Energizer Bunny, Pennsylvania's budget mess keeps going and going and going, as the politicians in Harrisburg cannot agree on a way to fund the spending that they have already approved. One of the sticking points is the unwillingness to implement a severance tax on natural-gas production.

Very simply, there is almost no defensible economic or financial reason not to impose the tax. It should be passed immediately, so the state can get on with its business.

What is a severance tax? It's a tax imposed on companies that extract/mine/pump nonrenewable natural resources. Oil and natural gas are the most common products taxed, but not the only ones. Typically, the tax is based either on the volume or dollar value of the resource extracted.

As is widely known, Pennsylvania is the only state that doesn't impose a severance tax on its natural-gas producers. That doesn't mean the state doesn't tax the industry  there are impact fees and the usual business taxes.

The impact fees, though, have raised maybe one-fourth what a reasonable severance tax would have raised, and they are set to decline precipitously over the next decade.

More important, impact-fee revenues don't go into the general treasury. The law requires that 60 percent of the funds go to those counties and municipalities where drilling takes place. As a result, the revenues cannot be used for general purposes, which is a major problem for a state that has major financial problems.

But wouldn't a severance tax harm the energy sector in Pennsylvania?

Any tax will affect business decisions, but a number of issues have to be considered before determining the extent of the impact.

How much a tax influences economic activity depends upon ability to avoid the tax. For example, Philadelphia consumers who can readily shop outside the city can avoid paying the "soda tax." They will not likely change their soda consumption. But those locked into city purchases face higher prices and will likely change their spending habits, possibly significantly.

When it comes to natural resources, you have to extract where the resources are located. Fortunately for Pennsylvania, natural-gas drilling has to happen here or the gas doesn't get produced at any great level. The enormous size and accessibility of Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale formation is why the state is the second-largest producer of natural gas in the nation and one of the top three energy exporters. And that means the potential tax revenues are huge.

If Pennsylvania imposed a severance tax, the energy firms could not simply pick up and go to a different state. They would face the choice of abandoning their investments or paying the tax. And, because every other state has a severance tax, it is not likely the industry will abandon ship.

Instead, the energy firms will calculate the returns on operations in Pennsylvania and compare them with other states where they might possibly invest in additional wells. Some negative impacts are possible, but given the state's production advantages, those are not likely to be great.

Finally, and maybe most important for this discussion, seven years ago the industry, through its legislative backers, was near an agreement with former Gov. Ed Rendell to implement a severance tax in return for regulatory breaks. The negotiation was over the rate, not whether the severance tax would be imposed.

So, if the tax was palatable to the industry, why wasn't it passed? As is always the case in Pennsylvania, it was all about politics. Then-gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett promised not to tax the industry. Once he made that pledge, the discussions ended, and when he became governor, the tax was dead.

Pennsylvania has been in desperate need of new revenue sources for at least a decade. In the case of the severance tax, politics triumphed over financial and economic needs. By not imposing the severance tax, the state has left a large amount of money on the table.

And since those additional funds were not collected from the energy sector, all taxpayers, be they individuals or businesses, have paid slightly higher taxes to make up for that loss.

Pennsylvania's weak financial position has had real economic impacts. The state ranks in the bottom 10 of all states when it comes to funding of public education and is ranked 34th when it comes to infrastructure.

For its economy to become more competitive, Pennsylvania must find funds to improve its educational system and infrastructure.

The severance tax is a logical place to get some of those revenues.
If I'd been a civilian diner without a reporter's mission, I would not have gone back to CO-OP after that first lunch.

The Wianno oysters on the half-shell weren't cold, despite the fact they were raw beneath an oh-so-stylish pouf of foamy Champagne-verjus and a hot pink dusting of cracked peppercorns. The chicken noodle soup (a.k.a. "hen stew") made from the restaurant's rotisserie-roasted birds was homey and wholesome but it wasn't especially hot. The fried chicken cutlet with D'Artagnan's trendy "Green Circle" pedigree  if you could find it beneath the bale of arugula that overflowed the plate  was burnt and buried deep inside a doughy armor of thick breading.

And yet, something about CO-OP held my attention for further consideration. With its big glass walls folded up to let a Chestnut Street summer breeze drift across its blond wood floor and bare wood tables, there's an appealingly Nordic sleekness to this contemporary space in the new Study hotel. And as fast-evolving University City begins to savor the cosmopolitan rewards of its big-money building boom, this well-placed corner restaurant and bar has the potential to be a stylish all-purpose destination to suit many needs  a Drexel departmental meeting over kale Cobb salads and avocado toast, an upscale dinner out with the parents and roommates, a date night with high-concept cocktails and grazing platters of Birchrun Hill cheese and charcuterie from 1732.

I saw them all unfold during my meals here, and a potential for success so clearly within reach. CO-OP's chef, Craig Russell, is a young talent I've tasted very good things from in the past during his tenures at smaller venues, like the Red Store in Cape May, as well as Will BYOB, Pumpkin, and Blackfish, where he worked the lines.

But running a hotel restaurant is a daunting task for the management skills of someone who's mostly worked in tiny BYOBs. And it's fair to say the training process here, both in the kitchen and dining room, where the staff was always friendly but often either confused or conspicuously absent, was particularly rough in the early going. There are good reasons, though, that a restaurant should be judged on multiple visits. So much can change from night to night, from the crowd to the service to a kitchen's performance when a dining room is either jamming or drifting through a lull. And rarely have I seen as much growth between visits as I did at CO-OP, which managed to go from terrible to promising over the course of three meals. A duck roulade over dirty rice for the win? It would take a few months to get there.

And Meal Two wasn't perfect, either, including the cocktails, which have $14 drink aspirations and creative flourishes but lacked much finesse (a murky Manhattan variation, a syrupy ginger overdose in the mule). But there were moments that inspired hope. Like the bowl of shishito pepper nibbles deep-fried inside an airy tempura crisp. Or the thick fillet of seared mahimahi over Israeli couscous with white asparagus and trout caviar that lent a briny burst. Big seared scallops over white beans and artichokes ably reprised one of Russell's best hits from his Red Store summer.

And yet, there were still too many miscues for me to get excited. The chicken liver mousse was diluted to blandness with too much cream. The delicious mini-loaf of warm potato bread (and all the good bread here is house-made) came with a spinach-ricotta dip that was too runny. The tender octopus featured a jarring garnish pairing of chorizo chips and pickled blueberries that tasted as though the pantry chef had tripped over the fish station. The deep-fried leg of duck confit was probably the greatest idea that didn't work, the already fat-basted meat simply too rich to be encased inside yet another thick deep-fried shell. A more delicate crust might work. Also, I loved the notion of rotisserie lamb shoulder turned into a rustic barbacoa-style stew of meat and chickpeas. But the lamb's earthiness was overwhelmed by too much acidity from tomatillos in the broth. Then the dish as a whole was muddled further by the cross-cultural distraction of yogurt tzatziki for garnish. (Shades of a similar Mexi-Middle East fusion misstep at Mission Taqueria?)

CO-OP needed a timeout. And two months later, it felt different. The staff seemed more at ease in the dining room, cheerily offering small tastes of wines until we settled on the right glass, a flexible tempranillo from Rioja's Siglo Saco. The kitchen also had begun to refine its creative impulses. A summer salad of thin-sliced heirloom tomatoes came beneath a clever frozen scoop of tangy sorbet made from Champagne and sherry vinegar. A smart twist on shrimp toast brought beautifully char-grilled crustaceans over house sourdough lathered with a capery gribiche mayo.

The good house-extruded pasta was highlighted two ways. Gnocchi greened with a puree of stinging nettles had more of a cavatelli snap than typical gnocchi's tender puff, but it anchored a colorful and flavorful twist to peas and carrots, with the carrots turned into a frothy orange sauce, with bits of ham and Parmesan foam and a dusting of shaved summer truffles. Fresh rigatoni in cheddary Mornay cream sauce provided a toothy pasta upgrade to the comfort favorite of mac-'n'-cheese topped with tender smoked short ribs in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce.

Then we devoured the burger, which was a whopping $18. But it was also juicy, with an excellent grass-fed beef savor, sweet onions, and smoked Vermont cheddar, also sided with top-notch fries and roast garlic aioli  a useful option for a campus-friendly venue that straddles the line between casual dining and more ambitious impulses.

Chief among those hauter efforts is the duck roulade, which Russell described as his "masterpiece of the summer." I wouldn't go quite that far. But any culinary-school instructor would beam at this well-executed ballotine of a whole duck, deboned with skin intact, then rolled around its pounded breast stuffed with a core of slow-cooked confit leg meat. Sliced into tender medallions over a

Southern-inspired plate of collards braised with smoked neck meat and "dirty" jasmine rice sauteed with a hint of livery offal, it is a resourceful dish of "high-low" spirit. Of course, I could nitpick with the flabby outer ring of skin, which should have been crisped to finish, just as I might have noted that the gorgeous heirloom tomatoes earlier in the meal were served ice-cold from the fridge (shame!), or that the homey desserts still need polish. Less crust on that mini-pie, and more fruit.

But this dinner was nonetheless a sign of clear progress. One bright meal out of three still isn't enough to score a two-bell recommendation. But at least CO-OP is tracking in the right direction. So I'll likely return before the year's ratings are sealed for 2017 to check back once more, and see whether this promising new corner on University City dining has begun to consistently meet its considerable potential.
Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater, the private security firm notorious for its actions in Iraq, has proposed the dangerous idea of using a hired army uncontrolled by the Pentagon to fight in Afghanistan. Read more

In the midst of stirring up a race war, President Trump is on the verge of deciding on a new strategy for Afghanistan  and one of the options he's considering is flat-out nuts.

The president is considering sending an army of thousands of private mercenaries to Afghanistan to "fix" our approach to that country. This dangerous idea is being pushed by Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, a U.S. contracting firm whose private security hirelings famously shot up civilians in Baghdad.

The idea appalls Defense Secretary James Mattis and national security adviser H.R. McMaster, but was promoted by Trump's strategic adviser Steve Bannon. Even though Bannon was just fired, Prince clearly has the president's attention (not to mention that his sister Betsy DeVos is Trump's education secretary).

If Mattis and McMaster can't block Prince's crazy proposal, they should resign.

Anyone who spent time in Baghdad in the late 2000s can recall the notorious behavior of Blackwater and other security contractors, who operated outside U.S. military rules.

I'll never forget the day my Iraqi driver arrived breathless at my hotel and related how a convoy of U.S. security contractors had become enraged when a row of Iraqi civilian cars failed to stop quickly enough for their large vehicles to execute a swift U-turn. So, as they turned, the angry contractors fired and killed the driver of the first Iraqi car. My driver, in the second car, jumped out and extricated a screaming toddler from the passenger seat beside her dead father, and held her until the police arrived.

Every correspondent who worked in Baghdad can tell similar stories. Most famously, impatient Blackwater contractors killed or injured at least 31 civilians in 2007 when they fired a barrage of machine-gun fire point blank into civilian cars stuck in a traffic jam around Baghdad's Nisour Square. (A U.S. federal appeals court just threw out lengthy prison sentences against three of the shooters, largely because of an inept prosecution.)

"It's not any secret Blackwater didn't enjoy a good reputation among Iraqis or U.S. troops," says the New America Foundation's Douglas Ollivant, who served as a military strategist in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Nisour Square tragedy was supposed to force a reconsideration of U.S. reliance on private security contractors in war zones. Have we forgotten that lesson so soon?

Hiring contractors for specific missions  such as protecting U.S. diplomats overseas, training foreign troops, or even working with the CIA on clandestine counterterror operations  is one thing. But what Prince is proposing is something far more grandiose.

Along with Stephen Feinberg, the owner of the huge military contractor DynCorp International, he wants the U.S. government to finance a hired army that would set its own rules and operate independently of the Pentagon. "This is not the same as counterterrorism contractors," says Ollivant. "This is something entirely different. Having contractors in your supply chain is one thing. Having them as a primary force is something else altogether."

And hiring them as a mercenary army  wholly apart from the Pentagon  violates everything America stands for. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, titled "The MacArthur Model for Afghanistan," Prince proposed that Trump should appoint a "viceroy" to head this hired army, bestowing on him the authority of a Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who ruled post-WWII Japan with the power of a virtual emperor. Presumably Prince wants to be that viceroy.

Never mind that MacArthur was a U.S. army officer, whose men were constrained by military rules. Never mind that he was ruling an enemy country defeated in war, not a sovereign nation that is an ally. And never mind that MacArthur was ultimately fired by Harry Truman for insubordination.

But Prince's pipe dream gets more bizarre. In the Journal piece, he suggested as his model Britain's East India Company, whose private army plundered the resources of the Indian subcontinent from the 17th to 19th centuries on behalf of the British crown.

Never mind that the company went bankrupt in the 1700s and the British government took over control of India in the late 1800s. The fact that the amoral Prince thinks he can resurrect British colonial history is surreal.

Yet Trump has expressed frustration that America hasn't been able to take advantage of Afghanistan's unexplored mineral riches, just as he complained that Washington should have "taken the oil" in Iraq. He may be dreaming that Washington can seize those riches to pay for Viceroy Prince's new colonial venture  an idea in sync with his mercantilist approach to dealing with countries overseas.

To be fair, there are no good options in Afghanistan, after 16 years of an American presence. To abandon that country guarantees a return of al-Qaeda  and a new base for ISIS. But the country can't be stabilized unless Pakistan is pressured to stop providing a safe haven for the Taliban.

That messy reality doesn't provide the easy answers that the president is seeking. But Prince's grandiose scheme undermines the coherence of the U.S. military  and the role of the commander-in-chief. It would never be accepted by a sovereign Afghan government.

The fact that the "East Asia Company" option is even on the table proves how topsy-turvy the foreign-policy world has become under Trump.
Tina Fey is fuming about last weekend's violence in Charlottesville, home to her alma mater, the University of Virginia.

In response, the former Saturday Night Live comedian and Upper Darby native is spearheading a movement: "sheet caking."

In a surprise appearance on SNL's Weekend Update: Summer Edition Thursday night, Fey urged Americans not to get into screaming matches with neo-Nazis. Instead, she said, "order a cake with the American flag on it . . . and just eat it."

She proceeded to stuff her face with sheet cake as she bashed white supremacists, President Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan and conservative pundit Ann Coulter ("yard-sale Barbie").

With her mouth full of frosting, she seemed to capture the frustration of many Americans in the past week. Almost immediately, the hashtags "#sheetcakemovement" and "#sheetcaking" began circulating on social media.

"Most of the women I know have been doing it once a week since the election!" Fey told the show's anchors.

Fey, who graduated from U-Va. in 1992, said it "broke her heart" to watch the news in Charlottesville.

"And then our president, Donald John Trump, and I don't think enough people talk about what a stupid, jackass name that is," she said. "Anyway, Donny John comes out and he says that he condemns violence 'on many sides,' on many sides."

"I'm feeling sick because, you know, I have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark and I wasn't confused by it," she added. "Nazis are always bad."

She said that when a "bunch of white boys in polo shirts" scream about "taking our country back" many people might want to scream back that "it's not our country, we stole it, we stole it from the Native Americans."

"And when they have a peaceful protest at Standing Rock we shoot at them with rubber bullets," Fey said, referring to the thousands of Native Americans and their allies who gathered for months at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation to protest the completion of the Dakota Access crude-oil pipeline.

"But we let you chinless turds march through the streets with semiautomatic weapons," she said, with frosting all over her face.

"Don't yell it at the Klan," she added, "Yell it into the cake."

At one point Fey even dipped a grilled cheese into the sheet cake, shaking her head as she shamelessly took a bite.

She criticized some right-wing responses to the Charlottesville violence: "Who drove the car into the crowd, Hillary's emails?" She also talked about the white supremacist rallies planned around the country this weekend, some of which have already been canceled.

"Part of me hopes these neo-Nazis do try it in New York City," Fey said. "I hope they try it and get the ham salad kicked out of them by a bunch of drag queens."

In conclusion, she encouraged "all good sane Americans" to treat the upcoming rallies "like the opening of a thoughtful movie with two female leads: "Don't show up."

"Let these morons scream into the empty air," she said.

See the full sketch:

As Fey lifted fists full of cake in the air, "sheetcaking" was already popping up across Twitter. Within hours, people began posting pictures of their own American flag-decorated sheet cakes. A T-shirt with the words "I'd Rather Be Sheetcaking" emerged on Amazon and a Twitter account name "T.Fey's Sheet Cake" emerged.

"Bakeries are going to have loads of sheetcake orders," one Twitter user wrote.

"Tina Fey stress-eating an entire cake while discussing the state of our nation is all of us right now," wrote another.
Kirk Crawford in front of 2144 Cecil B. Moore Ave., once the site of his barbershop and now home to the Stephen Klein Wellness Center. Read more

On a clear, crisp summer morning at 22nd Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, the corner buzzed with the comings and goings of people:

Parents dropping off their children for camp at Martin Luther King Recreation Center. Seniors heading to the Older Adult Center, housed, for now, inside the rec center until the brand-new one opens down the street. And patients  some walking only a few blocks from home, others coming by paratransit vans  walking through glass doors of the Stephen Klein Wellness Center. With its pale-beige brick and glass-and-metal facade, the center still looks new and modern, as on its opening day in December 2014.

Progress, it seems, has come to the corridor.

But Kirk Crawford, 49, whose Second-2-None Barber Shop once stood on the site of the wellness center, vowed he will never be walking through those doors.

"It still hurts," Crawford said.

He watched as crews tore down his building, where he owned and operated a barbershop from 1992 to 2013, and he watched again as the center was constructed as a joint venture between Project HOME, Thomas Jefferson University and its hospitals, and the federal Department of Health and Human Services, after the city and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority seized his property by eminent domain.

It had been two years since he stood on that corner, and the memories were flooding back.

"Just me, rebuilding that place with my hands, from the ground up," he said. "The customers, the laughter, the pride we had in that place. Dealing with people. Being a therapist, and listening to my customers when they had problems."

When Crawford and his business partner, Anthony Morse, bought the building in 1990, it was a shell. Having learned carpentry at 15 as an apprentice, Crawford converted the three-story building into what became a tattoo shop, a women's salon, a restaurant and a barbershop. For the neighborhood, the barbershop was also employer, sounding board, gathering spot  even youth programming provider.

Zaheer Hasson was 14 with nothing to do when he hung out there with friends and played Pac-Man and Play Station 3. He can't believe it's gone.

"That was crazy. I loved that barbershop," said the now-19-year-old, on his way to catch a bus to a job at a store in Montgomery County. "You built it up all nice. You did all that stuff for nothing."

It's a perspective many business owners come to have after offering needed services in an underserved community  only to be displaced for development, said Rasheedah Phillips, managing attorney for Community Legal Services (CLS) in Center City.

She has represented tenants displaced by the Housing Authority's plans to rebuild the Sharswood area south of Ridge Avenue: "A lot of people in that community have gotten a raw deal, and it's not just recently, but generally over time," Phillips said. (Other CLS attorneys have represented homeowners and business owners displaced by PHA.)

"There's a narrative that comes out that the whole area needs to be erased and restarted," she said. "Meanwhile, people who have businesses, who have struggled to make a way for themselves, they suffer."

Governments consult a few models when planning to rebuild depressed neighborhoods, she said, and in one, "cities find a way to support business owners and homeowners to help them fix up their properties and stay in the area, as opposed to another model of taking it all away and starting over."

Crawford said the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority initially told him his business would be spared, as long as he improved the exterior. So he repaired the stucco, made other changes, too. He thought he would benefit from the health center's traffic.

In the end, though, he received an official letter that the city would take his property under state laws that require "just compensation."

For the barbershop that employed 10 barbers; for the takeout restaurant that sold pretzels, water ice and hot food; for the three-stylist salon and tattoo parlor, Louis A. Iatarola, an appraiser hired by Crawford's attorney, valued the property at $195,000. Crawford and Morse got $140,000 between them, plus an additional $10,000 in relocation expenses.

"It was a big loss," said Judith Robinson, a North Philadelphia activist and real estate professional who has protested the loss of homes and businesses as the city and Housing Authority plan to rebuild the area. "A barbershop is a place where men and women gather to really engage."

The goal for the takeover was to provide much-needed medical, dental, and behavioral health services to zip code 19121, the second-poorest in the city, said Sister Mary Scullion of Project HOME.

"About 20 years ago, we started a small free clinic at 23rd and Berks," Scullion said. "The need was great. But we weren't able to provide dental in that space. There were a lot of other needs, also."

Project HOME hosted a series of community meetings with neighbors, who suggested the services and location for the wellness center. For one thing, Scullion said, it was important the center be located on a street with good public transportation.

Helen Brown, a Project HOME community organizer who helped arrange the meetings, said the entire block was vacant except for the barber shop. "We thought it would be a good location. We have some new housing in the area and the [Honickman] Learning Center is around the corner. We have had so many people coming to the wellness center."

Crawford concedes the wellness center has helped the business corridor  which was mostly destroyed by the 1964 Columbia Avenue riots that began one block west  but he questions whether the city should have made a place for him to benefit from the progress.

Crawford said he hadn't wanted to accept the money the Redevelopment Authority paid. He said he felt coerced by a lawyer who told him, "Sign it or walk away with nothing." He contends he got little help from City Council President Darrell L. Clarke, except for a couple months' delay of the seizure.

"Mr. Crawford's account is simply false," said Jane Roh, a spokeswoman for Clarke. "The council president met with him in North Philly, and he personally intervened to secure fair compensation from the PRA, well above their original offer."

Crawford says the meeting, which resulted in the delay, was a result of his interrupting a news conference Clarke held at the Older Adult Center.

"It seems like the policies of the government are against the black entrepreneur who is trying to do something positive," Crawford said.

Crawford eventually moved to a temporary shop on Ridge Avenue. The front-glass door was cracked. The chairs in the waiting area were ripped. He said his customers stopped coming. He had plans to fix up another building farther east on Ridge, but was injured in an automobile accident and wasn't able to work.

Now, Crawford said, he is bitter and angry at a city his family has long served: his late father, Donald, was a Philadelphia police officer; his mother, Ludie Montgomery, worked as a court clerk; and his grandfather Thomas Montgomery, who first taught him how to cut hair in his own barber shop, had a day job in Traffic Court.

Last week, while standing on the corner talking with a reporter, several acquaintances were happy to see him.

"Hey, Kirk, where've you been?" asked Tonya Nealy, who was on her way into the wellness center to pick up a prescription. She used to bring her three youngest sons to Crawford's barbershop to get haircuts. She liked his work. The place was clean.

But Nealy, who can walk to the wellness center from her house, also said she thought the development has been a boon for the community. "They do a lot of good here," she said. "My kids go to the dentist. We all go to doctors here. And the homeless people can take showers."

But she couldn't understand why the center couldn't be located a block away on Ridge. "Why didn't they tear down the beer place?" she asked.

No matter now: Crawford said he only wants to get out of Philadelphia.

"I don't want to be in Philadelphia anymore. I'm living day by day. I don't have a job," he said.

He's even on public assistance, he said, something he never thought as a businessman he'd ever have to use.
The students claim they went to a dorm room to help an intoxicated freshman woman. Read more

When is a female college student too intoxicated to consent to go to a male student's dorm room? If other students intervene on her behalf, what are they legally allowed to do?

Those questions are at the heart of the case against two Wharton School students who were held for trial Thursday for their alleged actions in a brawl on the University of Pennsylvania campus that left a third man with a concussion, bloody bruises, and a fractured nose and wrist.

Attorneys for Dante Benitez and Ivan Loginov, both 19, argued during a preliminary hearing that their clients had no intention to hurt Max Arias, 19, early on April 8. Their only reason for going to his dorm room was to rescue a 19-year-old freshman who they believed had gotten drunk at a campus party and should not have been alone with Arias, the attorneys said.

"A number of people, including Mr. Benitez, who are friends with the 19-year-old woman, believed that she was clearly too intoxicated to consent to have sex with someone. They went there to try and stop that from happening. They didn't go there to commit a crime," attorney Ronald Greenblatt, who represents Benitez, said after leaving the courtroom.

"Obviously, these two good young men were concerned that this particular young lady was vulnerable, was too intoxicated to be in a consensual sexual encounter, and they went there to right a wrong. It's tragic how things unfolded. But their intentions were pure, their intentions were good," attorney Brian McMonagle, who represents Loginov, said after the hearing.

Both defendants have been suspended from Wharton until a university investigation is completed, Greenblatt said.

Assistant District Attorney Lori Edelman argued that Benitez and Loginov were not Good Samaritans but violent aggressors. "These defendants knew exactly what they were doing," she said.

After the defendants beat Arias in his room, the fight moved to the hallway, and they threw him down a flight of stairs, Edelman said.

Municipal Judge Karen Y. Simmons dismissed the most serious felony charges - aggravated assault, burglary, and criminal trespassing - but ordered the two men held for trial on three misdemeanors: conspiracy to commit simple assault, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person. She set a trial date for Sept. 18.

Arias said the fight began when Loginov punched him in the face. "I was in complete fight-or-flight mode," he testified.

Arias is a grandson of Lynn M. Yeakel, a former Pennsylvania politician who directs the Drexel University College of Medicine's Institute for Women's Health and Leadership. Yeakel, a Democrat, almost unseated U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter in 1992. Two years later, she ran for governor, finishing fourth in a seven-person primary field. In 2000, Yeakel lost a challenge to incumbent GOP State Sen. Dick Tilghman for his 17th District seat.

deanm@phillynews.com

215-854-4172

@mensahdean
The May 3, 2012, crash killed 20-year-old Brittney Dixon as she crossed Roosevelt Boulevard at Cottman Avenue. Read more

As the court crier for a Philadelphia Traffic Court judge, Tanya Muskelley spent years listening to tales of woe from drivers who appeared before her boss.

On Friday, Muskelley, 48, herself became one of those tales, surrendering to begin a three- to six-month prison term for drunken driving in a 2012 accident that killed a Northeast Philadelphia woman.

It could have been worse. Muskelley had been charged with vehicular homicide while driving under the influence in the May 3, 2012, crash that killed Brittney Dixon, 20, as she crossed Roosevelt Boulevard at Cottman Avenue.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Lipscomb said that 2 hours after the accident, testing showed Muskelley had a blood-alcohol level of .201, which is 2 times the legal threshold of driving drunk.

But the facts of the case were problematic. Lipscomb said that Dixon was hit crossing against a red light and that Muskelley was driving behind a large truck when she hit Dixon in the crosswalk.

And the trial was delayed until May because of an evidentiary dispute. A Common Pleas Court judge had ruled that the prosecution could not use as evidence alcohol-safety driving materials discovered after police obtained a warrant and searched the trunk of Muskelley's car. The materials were from a prior drunken driving arrest for which she entered a pretrial diversion program. Superior Court affirmed the Philadelphia judge's ruling.

On May 30, a Common Pleas Court jury returned a guilty verdict on the charge of driving under the influence but acquitted Muskelley on three homicide counts.

On Aug. 11, Judge Diana L. Anhalt sentenced Muskelley to the maximum  three to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine  but gave her a week to surrender.

Muskelley was taken into custody Friday morning after she returned to Courtroom 807 in the Criminal Justice Center. In addition to the prison term and fine, the judge suspended Muskelley's driver's license for a year and ordered her to attend alcohol highway safety classes.

"From the start, she was guilt-ridden that she was involved in an accident that took the life of another person," said defense attorney James A. Funt. "She tried to send flowers and to reach out.  and now she'll pay the price."

It also cost Muskelley her job. After her arrest in Dixon's death, she was fired from the $44,600-a-year job she had held since 2004.

Court criers are charged with opening and closing court sessions, assembling daily case files, and helping to maintain order. The job has evolved over the years, but by tradition many court criers in Pennsylvania still say, "Oyez, oyez. All manner of persons who have any thing to do before the honorable judges of the court here holden this day, let them come forward, and they shall be heard." These days, some criers just say: "All rise, court is now in session, the Honorable [insert name here] presiding."

In 2012, Muskelley was mentioned in a state Supreme Court-commissioned investigatory report by lawyer William G. Chadwick about ticket fixing and other improper conduct in Traffic Court.

A section of the report dealing with Traffic Court Judge Robert Mulgrew reported that Mulgrew's personal aide, Gloria McNasby, and Muskelley "denied or minimized" Mulgrew's giving "special consideration" to politically connected individuals with cases in Traffic Court.

Other witnesses and documents proved otherwise, Chadwick wrote, adding that "no employee other than [McNasby and Muskelley] said that Judge Mulgrew did not participate in the practice."

Mulgrew and three other Traffic Court judges subsequently were indicted by a federal grand jury and in 2014 convicted of lying to the grand jury or FBI agents. Mulgrew, now 60, is serving an 18-month prison term in the Federal Correctional Institution at Fort Dix.

In 2013, the legislature and Gov. Tom Corbett abolished Traffic Court, replaced the judges, and merged the court's caseload into the city's regular judicial system.
A retired Atlantic City firefighter and two pharmaceutical representatives pleaded guilty in federal court in Camden on Friday to their roles in a $28 million prescription drug benefits scheme that prosecutors say ensnared Shore firefighters, police officers, teachers, and a state trooper.

Michael Pepper, 45, of Northfield, N.J., a 10-year veteran of the Atlantic City Fire Department, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to defraud public health benefits with a kickback scheme involving compounded prescription benefits. His role netted him $113,000, prosecutors said, which is now subject to forfeiture.

Steven Urbanski, 37, of Marlton, and Thomas Hodnett, 41, of Voorhees, both pharmaceutical sales representatives, entered guilty pleas earlier in the day before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler.

The pleas were the second day of public salvos in the FBI's unraveling of a far-reaching scheme to defraud public benefits programs with a kickback scheme involving an out-of-state compounding pharmacy between January 2015 and April 2016. Three drug representatives, the firefighter, and a gym-floor installer have pleaded guilty.

The ringleader, Matthew Tedesco, 42, pleaded guilty Thursday to overseeing the scheme, which involved recruiting firefighters, teachers, and police officers whose benefits plans covered the expensive individualized prescriptions. The money paid to an unidentified compounding pharmacy was then passed along to drug representatives and others who recruited for and were recruited to the scheme.

The prescription drug scheme has for months been the subject of relentless rumors and anxiety in Shore towns worried about the impact on their public safety departments and schools.

The Margate, Ventnor, and Atlantic City governments have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury this summer for lists of city employees with state health benefits. The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office is also investigating health-care fraud and issued subpoenas for city and school district employees.

Pepper retired this month from the department and is now working in construction. He told the judge he had sought grief counseling three weeks ago when his best friend committed suicide. Pepper was close to Atlantic City Firefighter Albert Mallen Jr., who was struck by a train and killed June 27 in Absecon, on railroad tracks a few miles outside Atlantic City.

His attorney, Joseph A. Levin, said in a statement that Pepper "has acknowledged his mistake and accepted full responsibility for his actions."

"He has started the process of remediation by pleading guilty, by agreeing to forfeiture, by promising to pay restitution and by taking other positive action," he said.

"Everyone makes mistakes, and this mistake should not define Mr. Pepper, who has otherwise been an exemplary person who has served our country, state and community with honor and distinction," he said.

Chris Filiciello, chief of staff to Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian, declined to comment and said Pepper "is no longer an employee."

Urbanski pleaded guilty to a role in obtaining $752,000 in fraudulent prescriptions, netting himself $113,668, which he will have to forfeit under the plea agreement. Hodnett's role totaled just under $1.5 million, netting him nearly $270,000.

James Leonard Jr., representing Hodnett, said in a statement: "Mr. Hodnett has accepted full responsibility for his participation in this enterprise and tremendously regrets his involvement."

Both men's roles involved recruiting public employees with health benefit plans that cover the prescription medicines, and arranging for prescriptions to be filled out with their information, signed by medical professionals, and sent to the compounding pharmacy, which paid a percentage of their reimbursements to the coconspirators. That was then distributed down the line in the form of rewards and kickbacks to those involved, prosecutors said.

They face up to 10 years in prison in addition to the financial penalties. Sentencing was set for Dec. 5.

On Thursday, Tedesco admitted in court recruiting public employees  firefighters, police officers, teachers, and the trooper  with state and school employee public-health benefits to fraudulently obtain medically unnecessary prescriptions for compounded vitamins, pain cream, scar cream, libido cream, and anti-fungal cream.

Compounding is a practice in which "a licensed pharmacist combines, mixes or alters ingredients of one or more drugs in response to a prescription to create a medication tailored to the medical needs of an individual patient," typically used if a patient is allergic to an ingredient in a standard drug, according to the criminal information accompanying the plea.

The unnamed pharmacy involved in the charges outlined by the U.S. Attorney's Office was paid more than $50 million by the health plan's pharmacy benefits administrator for prescriptions mailed to individuals in New Jersey during 2015 and 2016. New Jersey was billed for those costs, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou, left, and Gov. Scott Walker hold the Wisconsin flag Thursday at the Milwaukee Art Museum to celebrate their $10 billion investment to build a display panel plant in Wisconsin.
In 2011, activist Wali Rahman ran for mayor of Philadelphia, and a central message in his longshot campaign was that the police had become too large a presence in the city.

On Friday, Rahman was arrested and accused of vandalizing a 10-foot-tall tribute to the most famous cop in city history  the bronze Center City statue of former Commissioner and Mayor Frank L. Rizzo.

Police said Rahman, 40, of Germantown, spray-painted Black Power onto Rizzo's chest and arm around 11 p.m. Thursday. Video of the act recorded by Fox29 cameras was used to identify Rahman, who got 3.6 percent of the vote in the 2011 mayoral contest.

In addition to allegedly spray-painting the statue, Rahman is accused of writing "The Black community should be their own Police" on the steps beneath the statue at Thomas Paine Plaza across from City Hall.

The statue has become the focus of renewed criticism in the aftermath of last weekend's violence in Charlottesville, Va. Protesters and some city officials have said it represents an era in which a tough-talking, law-and-order mayor discriminated against minorities and homosexuals. On Wednesday evening, thousands of demonstrators surrounded the statue and called for its removal. A man was ticketed for throwing eggs at it earlier that day.

The future of the statue remains unclear. Mayor Kenney reiterated Friday that its fate should be discussed but that the time and forum for that discussion hasn't been decided. "We'll probably have a better idea next week," he said when pressed by reporters at an afternoon event.

Rahman, who could not be reached for comment Friday, appeared to post about the spray-painting on his Facebook page less than an hour after police said the crime occurred.

He was arrested around 6 a.m., according to a police source, and later charged with criminal mischief, possession of an instrument of crime, and two related counts.

It was not immediately clear whether Rahman had retained an attorney, and police said they were not certain of Rahman's bail status Friday afternoon.

The paint had been washed clean by city workers early Friday.

Police had been stationed near the statue in the aftermath of Wednesday's protests, but the vandalism came during an unguarded moment Thursday night after barricades around the statue had been taken down. Kenney said Friday that he didn't know whether police had decided to stop monitoring the plaza or simply missed the vandalism. A police spokesman declined to comment.

"Honestly, our police are really busy, and have very serious things to do within the community," Kenney said. "We have neighborhoods that are ravaged with real problems, and I'd rather have them doing that than guarding a statue."

In 2009, Rahman was arrested for scuffling with police while protesting then-Mayor Michael A. Nutter's City Hall budget address, an arrest that he later told a TV interviewer he believed was unfair. He was sentenced to two years' probation and anger management classes, according to court records.

Video of the Rizzo statue defacing was captured by local news cameras and later posted on Twitter:

In an interview this week, former City Councilman Frank Rizzo said his father was an advocate for all law-abiding Philadelphians. Many former police officers contacted him Tuesday, he said, worried that the statue was at risk. The thing about his father was, above all, "he loved this city," Rizzo said  so much so that he died in his campaign office July 16, 1991, running to be elected again as mayor.

The former councilman said he once encountered an African American woman paying her respects to the statue. The woman had walked into the mayor's office seeking help for her son, who was spinning out of control. Mayor Rizzo telephoned him and told him to come to City Hall. He got him a job that day. "She said, 'He helped me out, and saved my son's life.' "

But Councilwoman Helen Gym said on Twitter that the statue should go.

Staff writers Chris Brennan, Chris Mondics, and Adia H. Robinson contributed to this article.
Rae Friday, left, and her grandson, Anthony Michael Enos, pause at the grave of Little Chief (Dicken Nor) at the Sharp Nose Family Cemetery in the Wind River Indian Reservation. They are both descendents of Little Chief. The remains of two Northern Arapaho children, including Little Chief, were disinterred from the Carlisle Barracks Indian Cemetery where they had been buried. They died while attending school there. Read more

ST. STEPHENS, Wyo.  People arrived at the cemetery in shiny late-model sedans and in old pickup trucks splashed with mud, but it was three riderless horses that led the Northern Arapaho into a day of grief and celebration.

The children were home at last.

Around and around the horses went, each with a small war bonnet strapped to its empty saddle, kicking up clouds of brown dust, provoking calls and cries to honor three boys who died in the confines of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.

For 130 years the youths lay in Pennsylvania soil, far from their homes and families, never seen but never unmourned. Their return to these majestic mountain lands became a quest that reached an emotional conclusion here Friday on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

"It's been a long time coming," said tribal elder Crawford White Sr., 76, who this month helped lead a delegation to Carlisle, where authorities disinterred three graves on what is now the campus of the Army War College. "It's the beginning of the closure, the start of healing."

Horse was reburied first, at the St. Stephens cemetery, defined by its handmade wooden crosses. Eager hands reached for his small white coffin, carrying him the few steps from white hearse to rocky soil. A drum banged, and voices rose in song  followed by a silence as big as the Wyoming sky.

The only sound was the crunch of gravel underfoot as more people arrived, more than a hundred stepping close to the grave to bid welcome and farewell.

A much older generation, gone now, said goodbye in 1881 to Horse, Little Chief, and Little Plume when they were taken across the country to Carlisle, where masters and teachers did all they could to extinguish the students' native traditions and culture. Within two years, all three were dead.

On Friday, a newer generation, people who grew up hearing the stories and imagining the boys' terror, stepped forward to fulfill the hopes of their ancestors.

At Carlisle, where nearly 200 Indian children lie in a neat, military-style graveyard, this month's painstaking, trowel-by-trowel excavation unearthed three small pine coffins  and shocking news.

Horse and Little Chief were identified based on their headstones and the age and sex of their bones. But Little Plume's remains were missing. No one knows where he lies. His grave held the remains of two people, neither of them Little Plume.

On Friday, Little Plume's relations bore an empty coffin to the family cemetery  richly symbolic, people here said, of how Carlisle treated its students. Little Plume's family swore to continue to search for him.

Little Chief was reburied high on a mountain, amid the sage and cactus in Sharp Nose cemetery, where others of his family lie, and where Yufna Soldier Wolf says she will one day rest as well.

"To finally get to this point is surreal to me," said Soldier Wolf, who is Little Chief's great-niece and the tribe's historic-preservation officer. She labored years to recover the children's remains.

Little Chief, the eldest son of Chief Sharp Nose, arrived at Carlisle on March 11, 1881, only 14 and accompanied by Horse, 11, and Little Plume, 9. Like other students, they were assigned new English names: Little Chief became Dickens Nor, Horse was renamed Horace Washington, and Little Plume was called Hayes Vanderbilt Friday.

The nation's first federal off-reservation boarding school worked to "civilize" Indian children by erasing their languages, religions, and family bonds. Beatings were a common punishment, and epidemics killed boys and girls already weakened by hard labor. At the time, forcing Indians to assimilate into white society wasn't considered wrong  it was thought to be a more humane alternative than killing them outright.

The Carlisle model spread through the United States and Canada  tens of thousands of Indian children boarded. Today some scholars blame the legacy of broken family ties and lost languages for ills that plague modern tribes. American Indian leaders say a haphazard 1927 relocation of the school cemetery created painful doubt about who lies beneath the earth  and where.

For the Northern Arapaho and others, this repatriation is many things  a sign of hope for the future, of rapprochement with the U.S. government and even with the Army, the chosen instrument of the Indians' destruction in the 1800s.

"If it was my family member I would want them home," said Clarinda Calling Thunder.

Tribes across the country have been watching to see how this first recovery from Carlisle would fare.

Within days of the boys' exhumations, the family of George El, who died at Carlisle in 1891, told the Inquirer and Daily News they want his remains returned. The Oglala Sioux in Pine Ridge, S.D., say they're now exploring the recovery of five children. The Rosebud Sioux in South Dakota seek at least 10 boys and girls, and Alaska tribes may want children too.

On Friday, a long line of cars trailed dust from one cemetery to the next, traversing part of a reservation that's roughly the combined size of Delaware and Rhode Island. It's home to both the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone, traditional enemies who in 1878 were forced to share the land in what the government promised was a temporary arrangement.

Here on Wind River, horses romp through luminous green meadows, bighorn sheep tiptoe through mountain crags, and the rivers run sapphire blue.

It's that land the boys left and to which, people here say, their spirits have returned.

"There are no words that could possibly convey the emotion this has brought me," said Olivia Washington, who is related to Horse and traveled to Carlisle with the delegation. "But just knowing that Horse is finally home, to be put to rest with his family and among his people brings a great comfort and peace."
Inside of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville, where police say a 15-year-old boy fell to his death. Read more

An ornate New Jersey Hindu temple complex became the site of a tragedy Thursday when a teenage volunteer fell to his death.

As visitors and members returned to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville on Friday, they solemnly remembered the high school junior who loved sports, attended weekly services at his local BAPS temple, and dreamed of studying business administration in college, said Vinay Limbachia, a volunteer at the temple, called a mandir in Hindi.

The 15-year-old Hatfield boy was working on a construction project at the temple Thursday afternoon when he fell about 45 feet from the ceiling, according to the Robbinsville Township Police Department.

Just before 4 p.m., police and EMS responded to the temple, in the Windsor section of Robbinsville, and found the boy unconscious. After responders performed CPR, the boy was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Police are investigating the fall, but said it appeared to have been an accident.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also was investigating, spokeswoman Joanna Hawkins said. OSHA could not provide any details on that probe.

Limbachia said people at the temple were looking into what exactly the boy was helping with. The temple is inside a larger structure. The boy's fall occurred inside the structure, but in an area next to the temple.

The boy and his family usually worshiped at the faith's temple in Lansdale, Limbachia said.

As of Friday afternoon, police had not identified the youth and said they did not plan to do so because of his age. The temple also had not released the boy's name out of respect for extended family who may not have been notified.

BAPS stands for Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha. It is a volunteer-driven religious and charitable organization founded in the early 20th century and named after Swaminarayan, a religious leader of the late 1700s and early 1800s. It has major worship centers in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Nairobi, Sydney, and Toronto.

"The entire BAPS family is heartbroken by the tragic accident that took the life of one of our young volunteers," BAPS said in a statement. "The prayers, condolences, and support of every BAPS family are with the family of this talented young man, whose loss will be felt by all those fortunate to have known him."

BAPS said it would cooperate fully with the police investigation.

At the Robbinsville worship center on Friday, a special prayer was being said continuously for fellow members and the family of the boy who died, Limbachia said. The community hopes to find strength in its faith.

"We often say that BAPS is one family," Limbachia said, "and our congregants are living that teaching today."

The Robbinsville temple calls itself "a masterpiece of exquisite Indian design and workmanship," according to its website.

When the Robbinsville temple opened in 2014, NJ.com reported that it drew thousands of worshipers from around the world.
The empty pedestal of the statue of former Chief Justice Roger B. Taney in the Mount Vernon neighborhood in Baltimore after workers took down four Confederate monuments in the city. (Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun) Read more

Philadelphia hasn't had to deal with the question of what to do with monuments that honor the Confederacy and its soldiers and statesmen, but it does have one curious memento of the nation's stained legacy of slavery: Taney Street, named for Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, the principal author of the Dred Scott decision, the 1857 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that paved the way for the Civil War.

Taney Street runs in a broken line from South Philadelphia along the western fringe of Center City, right by Taney Field, home of the Taney Dragons, whose campaign in the 2014 Little League World Series became one of the city's proudest moments.

The Taney Dragons was the feel-good story of the summer of 2014. They were a team that reflected our nation's embrace of diversity: players were of different races and different social and economic backgrounds, and its star pitcher was an African American girl with long braids and a mean curve ball. Mo'ne Davis and the Dragons made it to the semifinals, where they lost to the eventual champion, a team from Chicago.

The makeup of the Dragons meant that everyone could get behind them. The irony is that their name was that of a judge who ruled that blacks could not be citizens, and therefore could not be assured of the freedoms spelled out in the Constitution.

Read more: Maryland removes Dred Scott ruling author's statue

The irony is not lost on George Basile, a Temple University political science major, who last week posted a petition on Change.org to rename Taney Street and Taney Field. It echoes a similar petition posted on MoveOn.org last summer.

"Most people are familiar with the Dred Scott case and just how horrible a decision it was," said Basile, 21, "and Justice Taney was the author behind the ruling that marginalized African Americans and  contributed to starting the Civil War."

Basile's petition has gotten little traction, with barely 25 signatures. There are three petitions about Philadelphia's Taney memorials in Change.org and one in MoveOn.org.

The issue of renaming Taney Street has never "been much of a public debate" in Philadelphia, said mayoral spokeswoman Lauren Hitt.

"We've had some letters to that effect, and we have referred those people to City Council, who would be the ones to pass such an ordinance," she said.

Basile, who lives in Center City, hopes the recent uproar about what to do with Confederate monuments will add momentum to efforts to rename Taney Street. He said he was especially heartened that Baltimore officials this week removed statues of four men considered heroes by the Confederacy, including Taney, a Maryland native.

Benjamin Keys, who lives near the park, supports the petition.

"I am very enthusiastic about changing the name," said Keys, a professor of real estate at the University of Pennsylvania.

"The street is named after someone who said that African Americans could never be citizens in this country.  [Renaming the street] is one of the easiest and most obvious things that we can do to recognize mistakes that have been made in the past."

Keys said Philadelphia "has absolutely no reason to honor [Taney] with the naming of a street." His only connection to Pennsylvania is that he attended Dickinson College in Cumberland County.

Attorney Richard McMenamin lives down the block from Taney Field. He said he didn't realize the street had been named after Justice Taney.

"I'm shocked to hear that this was named for Justice Taney, who [was behind] one of the worst decisions in the history of American jurisprudence." He said he'd be happy to see Taney's name removed.

Not every one of their neighbors agrees.

"I think this is political correctness pushed to the point of insanity," said a homeowner who said she has lived on the street for more than 30 years. She said she understands the push behind efforts to remove statues of Confederate heroes.

"So would I care if they change the name? Would I try to stop it? Honestly, no."

Several residents wondered what the street would be called once Taney's name was removed.

"It should be named after Mo'ne Davis," said Basile.
Police arrested one man early Friday in connection with a spray-painted message intended to deface the statue of former Mayor and Police Commissioner Frank Rizzo outside the Municipal Services Building.

The suspect is a 40-year-old man from Germantown, according to a police source. He was expected to be charged with criminal mischief, institutional vandalism, and possession of an instrument of crime. The full identity of the suspect was being withheld Friday morning pending charges.

The statue was defaced late Thursday with the message "Black Power" spray-painted in white, following calls for its removal. In the aftermath of last weekend's debacle in Charlottesville, Va., the Rizzo statue has become the focus of renewed criticism. Meantime, city workers power-washed the message from the statue early Friday.

The vandalism came during an unguarded moment. On Wednesday morning, the statue was egged and, for much of the time afterward, was guarded by police, including during a "Philly is Charlottesville" demonstration later Wednesday that drew Black Lives Matter activists to the site at 15th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

At 11:06 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to a radio call for "vandalism in progress" in front of the Municipal Services Building. In addition to spray-painting the Rizzo statue, someone had written the words "The Black community should be their own Police" on the steps of the building. The suspect then walked to a parked 2005 Toyota station wagon and entered on the driver's side before leaving the area, police said.

Video of the defacing of the Rizzo statue was posted on Twitter:

Thousands of people joined the Broad Street march aimed at showing solidarity with victims of the Charlottesville, Va., attack, and a smaller group of protesters remained by the statue Wednesday night.

Khalif posted an image of the defaced Rizzo statue early Friday on Twitter:

Thursday's vandalism followed days of calls from civil rights activists and others to have the statue removed.

Councilwoman Helen Gym said on Twitter that the statue should go, and Mayor Kenney, a fellow Democrat, said it was time to discuss its future.

In an interview earlier this week, former City Councilman Frank Rizzo Jr., now 74, said his father was an advocate for all law-abiding Philadelphians. Many former police officers contacted him Tuesday, he said, worried that the statue was at risk. The thing about his father was, above all, "he loved this city," Rizzo Jr. said. So much so that he died in his campaign office July 16, 1991, running to be elected again as mayor.

Rizzo Jr. said he once encountered an African American woman paying her respects to the statue. The woman had walked into the mayor's office seeking help for her son, who was spinning out of control. Rizzo Sr. personally called him on the phone and told him to come to City Hall. He got him a job that day. "She said, 'He helped me out, and saved my son's life.' "

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
RACINE  A second Racine man has been arrested and charged in the shooting death of Dashaun Jordan, who died Aug. 6 in the alley near the 1600 block of Phillips Avenue.

Jonathan W. Bell, also known as Jon-Jon, of the 2200 block of Washington Avenue was allegedly behind the wheel of the getaway car when Jordan, 20, was killed. Bell, 23, was charged Wednesday in Racine County Circuit Court with first-degree intentional homicide and three counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide.

The alleged trigger man, 17-year-old Rytrell Earl, of the 1000 block of North Memorial Drive was charged last week with first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime and four counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime.

According to the criminal complaint, a third man reportedly told police they parked Earls car in the alley to sit and wait for members of a rival gang to come by.

When a group of men walked down the alley, Jordan was shot and killed, and another man was injured. All three men suspected of being involved drove away with Bell driving. Thats when police said Bell allegedly saw the body of Jordan lying in the alley.

Police say Jordan was not a member of a gang.

If convicted on the most-serious charge, Bell could face life in prison.

Bell has been incarcerated before and has a history of convictions dating back to 2011 including theft, disorderly conduct and recklessly endangering safety.

Bell is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Racine County Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 23. He remained in custody as of Wednesday afternoon, according to online jail records.
We all know that former Mayor Michael "Mix Master Mike" Nutter can rap  as if YouTube would ever let us forget.

But have you heard about DJ Darrell Clarke?

That's right, the buttoned-down City Council president apparently has some skills, too. Allow us to direct your attention (if you're reading online) to this priceless footage of Clarke, still clad in suit and tie, cutting loose behind the turntables to Meek Mill's "Ima Boss."

The video is from a rooftop fundraiser last Thursday evening for MenzFit, which provides professional interview clothing and other assistance to men seeking gainful employment.

(Clarke spokeswoman Jane Roh said the event raised $620. By our calculations, Clarke could raise more than that for his campaign committee just by sneezing in a developer's general direction. Still, it's not nothing!)

Anyway, back to how Clarke is apparently cool now. Prior to the party, he tweeted out his playlist, which, in addition to a double dose of Meek Mill  North Philly, couldn't resist  included Bruno Mars, Beyonce, Drake, Kanye West, and, Childish Gambino (Clout's personal favorite of the mix).

When we asked Roh if her boss compiled the playlist himself, she first said that it must be a "slow news week" (whatever that means), then said that her boss' tweet "speaks for itself."

"He does have good taste in music," Roh said, "and I will pass your compliment along."

Clout ran the playlist past Inquirer and Daily News music critic Dan DeLuca, who opined that "DJ Darrell Clarke shows himself to be a reliable if slightly behind the times party-starter with his 11 song hip-hop and R&B playlist." DeLuca chided Clarke for committing "the mixmaster's faux pas of stacking up multiple songs by the same artist" and for going with the "too obvious" Beyonce selection of "Party."

"Kudos to Clarke though," DeLuca added, "for including the delectable 'Redbone,' a slow burner from Childish Gambino's 2016 Awaken, My Love!"

Some City Hall employees found Clarke's performance slightly jarring. One vertically challenged City Council staffer questioned whether Clarke was "too tall to be rapping."

"Looks like those giant wind puppet things at car dealerships," the staffer joked after seeing the video.

That's mean. Hilarious and probably accurate. But mean.

We welcome this new side of Clarke. Just lose the tie, man.

DA shakeup  again

If there is one hard-and-fast rule at the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office these days, it is this: Don't get too comfortable at whatever desk or post you currently hold.

Try to follow along.

Former District Attorney Seth Williams hired Kathleen Martin in 2015 to be his chief of staff. She became the acting district attorney in June when Williams resigned because of that whole going-to-federal-prison-for-corruption thing.

Martin then sought the post of interim district attorney but, on the day the 14 candidates for that post were to pitch themselves to the Philadelphia Common Pleas Board of Judges, withdrew and told the judges they should select instead John Delaney, the deputy district attorney in charge of the trial division.

The judges voted the next day and, in three rounds of balloting, Delaney came in second to former assistant district attorney Kelley Hodge, who won the day.

Hodge on Tuesday promoted Delaney to first assistant district attorney and demoted Martin to deputy district attorney in charge of administration and technology.

Cameron Kline, a spokesman for the office, said the changes "were made after thoughtful consideration of the needs of the office."

But like we said, don't get too comfortable. Hodge only serves until the first week in January, when the winner of the Nov. 7 general election  Democrat Larry Krasner or Republican Beth Grossman  takes over.

Trump ally to speak at GOP clambake

The summer political doldrums  in Philadelphia, not that pandemonium in Washington  are set to end as always after Labor Day.

And before that, by tradition, comes the Billy Meehan Clam Bake in Northeast Philly on Aug. 27, the largest fundraiser every year for the Republican City Committee.

Bob Paduchik, the co-chairman of the Republican National Committee, who ran President Trump's presidential campaign in Ohio last year, is the guest speaker at this year's 33rd annual clambake.

Michael Meehan, elected in April as Republican City Committee chairman, said he is eager to sell $100 tickets but cautious about selecting a guest, given the current political climate.

"There's some who think we should have had one of the Trumps," Meehan said. "While I'd like to sell tickets, I don't want chaos."

The clambake is a family affair, reflecting back to a time when Republicans  now outnumbered 7-1 by Democrats in the city  held political control here.

The current event was started in 1984 by Meehan's father, William "Billy" Meehan, who led the local GOP from 1961 until his death in 1994. It was a revival of an event previously held by Billy's father, Sheriff Austin Meehan, who ran the party from 1936 until his death in 1961.

Vince Fenerty has retained the title of clambake coordinator despite being forced out of his $223,000-a-year Philadelphia Parking Authority job in September amid a sexual harassment scandal.

Quotable

"I think, physically, I'm perfect for this, because you're never going to find me in a scandal. I have no temptation to drink, to smoke, to do drugs, to do weird stuff."  Lindy Li, a 2018 Pennsylvania congressional candidate (who won't say what district she will run in) being interviewed by the Chinese Phoenix TV.

Staff writers Chris Brennan and William Bender contributed to this column. Tips: clout@philly.com.
Imagine the pain and horror former Sheriff's Department Sgt. Paul Owens felt as a passenger in an elevator at Philadelphia's Criminal Justice Center that shot up 15 floors at twice its normal speed and then crashed into the concrete footing below. He remains paralyzed from the chest down due to the Aug. 4, 2016, accident.

A year later, the mystery of how an elevator in a building used by hundreds of people every day could fail remains unsolved. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, which is responsible for elevator safety in the state, still doesn't know how it happened.

An official of the agency said this week it was still investigating the accident. But a whistleblower lawsuit from a maintenance employee filed recently in federal court may offer some clues to the problem.

Former maintenance supervisor Duilio Angelini said in his lawsuit he warned his bosses that maintenance reports on elevators in the Criminal Justice Center were "dummied up" to make it appear they were regularly maintained.

Angelini said that elevators in the courthouse stopped working several times and that mechanics supplied by the contractor were inexperienced and unable to repair the elevators in a timely manner. He further alleges that the city's contract with the contractor included a perverse incentive  the company made more money to perform repairs than basic maintenance.

For his repeated warnings, Angelini says, he was fired.

An attorney for the maintenance contractor, U.S. Facilities, told staff writer Joseph A. Slobodzian it strongly disputed Angelini's claims.

But there is no dispute that the contractor the city hired to maintain the CJC, the Municipal Services Building, and the city's nearby One Parkway Building has strong political connections. All three buildings are heavily used by the public and city workers.

U.S. Facilities' chairman is Willie Johnson, and a member of its board is former City Controller Thomas Leonard. Both are longtime and prodigious campaign contributors and politically influential figures.

The defective CJC elevator that injured Owens, which is used by employees and not the public, remains shut down. The question is whether other elevators should be closed, too.

The state says it isn't inspecting the elevators in other buildings maintained by U.S. Facilities even though hundreds of people use them daily.

"The Uniform Construction Code does not give the department authority to conduct random investigations of elevators not related to accidents," said Lindsay Bracale, Labor and Industry's deputy communications director.

If that is going to be the state's position, then it's up to Mayor Kenney to make sure the public buildings used by the citizens and employees of the city of Philadelphia are safe. No one else should have to experience the pain and suffering of Sgt. Owens.

Perhaps the city should take over maintenance of its buildings if the best way to keep the public safe is to take that job out of the hands of a contractor.
It begins with yesterday's Planetary Radio show, in which Mat Kaplan interviews Ed Stone -- Voyager's one and only mission project scientist since launch -- on what Voyager has done, and what the mission is still doing.

The Planetary Society was forming at the time of the Voyager launches, and marks its first year, 1980, as the one in between the Voyager encounters of Jupiter and Saturn. Next week, look forward to a walk through The Planetary Society's first ten years, intertwined with the Voyager planetary encounters, as seen through the lens of our member magazine, The Planetary Report. In the era before widespread use of the Internet, receiving our magazine was the first moment that many space fans saw some of the awesome images from the encounters. We'll post six full issues of The Planetary Report, containing scientists' first impressions of the data returned from the four giant planets.

The images, of course, are what excited the public most about these missions. I've requested three posts from image processing enthusiasts, containing some of the best photos and movies from the Voyagers, both old and new material. Ted Stryk will share some of his work on outer planet moons; Ian Regan has some exciting new videos from Jupiter; and Bjorn Jonsson has produced some new images and movies of all the planets.
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Plymouth MPs for across the party divide have condemned the proposed visit of Donald Trump to mark Plymouth's 2020 celebrations.

Johnny Mercer and Luke Pollard have both this week voiced their concerns over the President, who could be heading to Plymouth by official invitation for the Mayflower centenary in three years.

Conservative Mr Mercer called Trump an "appalling individual" whose "success continues to be a tragedy for the US".

Meanwhile, Labour's Mr Pollard told The Herald: "I don't want anyone who backs white nationalists, fascists or neo-Nazis invited to our great city. It's a time for commemoration not hate.

"It is time for Theresa May to think again about her offer of a state visit to Donald Trump. Britain needs strength not weak leadership now."

The debate has been sparked following Trumps criticism of "both sides" following riots during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

One person died and 19 others were injured when a car rammed a crowd of people opposing a far-right rally in the state.

"You had a group on one side that was bad, and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent. And nobody wants to say that, but I'll say it right now," the President said during a press conference.

Many felt he had not done enough to criticise white extremism, with far-right groups interpreting his comments as support for their actions.

A tweet sent from an account believed to be that of former KKK grand wizard David Duke read: "Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth about #Charlottesville & condemn the leftist terrorists in BLM/Antifa."

(Image: John Allen)

In 2013, the then Labour deputy leader of Plymouth City Council, Cllr Pete Smith, issued a formal invitation to all living former US Presidents and whoever will be President at the time to attend the city's celebrations in 2020.

Plymouth will be part of celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the departure of the America's founding fathers on board the Mayflower.

The Mayflower Steps on the Barbican in Plymouth mark their final departure from European shores, bound for the New World.



poll loading Do you want President Trump to visit Plymouth? 500+ VOTES SO FAR Yes No

Speaking to The Herald in November 2016, just after President Trump's election, leader of Plymouth City Council Ian Bowyer told The Herald he thought it unlikely that the President would take the time out to come to Plymouth, but added: I don't think Mr Trump would come over here and say anything inflammatory.

"We would love to have the US President here to help us to celebrate the event.

We have put feelers out but it's too early to say how successful that will be.

Matthew Barzun, the US Ambassador, was tremendously supportive of Mayflower 400 and held a reception for us at his London residence.

(Image: John Allen)

We are working with colleagues in the US but we don't really know whether we'll get President Trump here in 2020."

Other MPs across the UK have called for Trump's state visit to the UK, anticipated to take place in 2018, to be cancelled entirely.

Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith tweeted: "A state visit by #DonaldTrump would shame this country and betray all we stand for. Theresa May should revoke the invitation immediately."

Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood said Mr Trump's comments were "sickening" and a "new low".

Prime Minister Theresa May has publicly condemned the events in Charlottesville, but made no mention of President Trump.

"I think it is important for all those in positions of responsibility to condemn far right views wherever we hear them.

"As I made clear at the weekend following the horrendous scenes that we saw in Charlottesville, I absolutely abhor the racism, the hatred and the violence that we have seen portrayed by these groups.

"The United Kingdom has taken action to ban far-right groups here, we have proscribed certain far- right groups here in the United Kingdom.

"And there is no equivalence."
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Join the Secret Elves to get first access to our exclusive reviews of the must-have products this year

Stunned shoppers have spotted festive chocolate tubs on sale at Tesco - 130 days before Christmas.

The Herald reported earlier this month on how Chaplin's had a whole Christmas section already.



And now images are circulating on social media of 5 selection boxes available in supermarkets across the UK - in August.



Mother-of-two Rose O'Keefe, 34, took a photograph of festive Miniature Heroes boxes stacked up at her local store in Sevenoaks, Kent last night.



Christmas Quality Street, Celebrations and Roses boxes are also on sale.

(Image: Rose OKeefe/SWNS)





In a post on Tesco's Facebook page, Mrs O'Keefe said: "I spy with my little eye.... Christmas boxes of chocolates!

"As much as I love Christmas and chocolate surely this is far too early to have out.



"We have Halloween and bonfire night first and not forgetting the children aren't even back at school yet!





"What happened to the magic of the end of November and Christmas bits appearing? What happened to the excitement and build up?



"Don't get me wrong: I understand many people do start to stock up for Christmas due to finances BUT it's the same chocolate, it's the same crackers JUST in Christmas packaging!"

(Image: File picture)





Customers at Tesco in Chelmsford, Essex have also spotted the chocolates on sale and dozens more have complained on Twitter.



Joanne Anderson said: "I see Tesco has declared it the start of the festive season already. It's TOO SOON for tubs of Christmas chocolates. FFS.





"Bah humbug."



Mark Hardie said: "With Christmas cards and tins of chocolates already on sale, I may have to dig out last year's bumper @RadioTimes as well!"



Megan Jefferson said she is "so excited" after spotting the chocolates, but George Stephenson doesn't share the sentiment, adding: "Tesco you have sunk to new lows."
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It was described by firefighters as the worst British hotel fire in 30 years.

At its peak on August 18, 2007, more than 100 firefighters battled the blaze that tore through the 54-bedroom Penhallow Hotel hotel in Newquay, shortly after midnight.

Monica Hughes, 86, her 43-year-old son Peter and 80-year-old Joan Harper were unable to escape the blaze. Mr Hughes, a teacher from Staffordshire, jumped from a third floor window after trying in vain to save his mother.

Ms Harper, of Stoke-on-Trent, was also trapped, while her twin sister, Marjorie Brys, was one of more than 90 people who escaped the four-storey hotel.

The building was reduced to a charred shell and later demolished.

In May 2011, Penhallows owner, O&C Holdsworth Ltd, admitted that it breached health and safety regulations. It marked the end of a three-and-a-half-year wait by the victims relatives for someone to be held accountable for their deaths.

An inquest held in 2009 revealed that the hotel was not complying with fire safety regulations introduced in 2005 which stipulated, among other things, that each room must have its own smoke alarm.

Guests giving evidence said the fire alarm could not be heard on the third floor, where all of the people who died were staying. Witnesses also spoke of suitcases being left in the corridor overnight, which hampered their escape.

One guest described the despair she felt when she could see Joan Harper crying for help from a bedroom window and the fire brigade arrived without a ladder long enough to reach her.

She said: I saw curtains moving in a third floor window and I could make out a ladys shape with grey hair waving.

She added: There was nobody there to help the twin  the fire brigade had still not arrived. When they got there, everyone was shouting at the fire brigade to save the elderly lady.

I could see no ladder on the fire engine. There was just an engine with a hose."

(Image: Apex)

Describing the intensity of the fire another said: It was just like a gigantic blow-lamp  the flames came right out of the roof.

The inquest heard from experts that arson was the most probable cause of the fire, which is thought to have started in the hotel bar, but it could not be conclusively proved.

To the disappointment of the victims families, Cornwall coroner Dr Emma Carlyon ordered the jury to return open verdicts on all three victims, saying there was insufficient evidence to rule they were unlawfully killed.

The hotel manager and his partner, the assistant manager, both refused to answer questions during the 18-day inquest regarding fire safety regulations at the hotel.

The night porter on the night of the fire, did the same. The manager and his partner also gave contradictory evidence to the inquest about events during the night of the fire at the hotel in Island Crescent.

The porter was arrested by Devon and Cornwall Police in 2008 in connection with the fire but released without charge.

Later, a civil prosecution was brought against the hotels owners and several members of staff by Cornwall Council and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service for breaches of health and safety laws.

And in 2011, O&C Holdsworth Ltd, of Harrison Road, Halifax, Yorkshire, admitted failing to ensure fire detectors and alarms were working at the hotel or making an adequate risk assessment before the blaze.

It was fined 80,000  a sum described as a travesty by a relative of the victims.

The site on which the hotel once stood has since been redeveloped into Island Reach  a block of modern townhouses.
I remember looking out and feeling the light, says Alston Macgill of her debut in the third movement of Symphony in C during New York City Ballets 2016 tour to Paris. I felt this enormous joy going through me. She was just an apprentice at the time, and the production was being taped for PBSs Great Performances. From the moment Macgill flew onstagelight, energetic, buoyantshe seemed to barely touch the ground. Despite her speed and elevation, there was nothing forced about her performance; her energy was calm and free, the coordination seemingly natural.



The Savannah, Georgia, native was already turning heads as a stu- dent at the School of American Ballet, where she enrolled after training at The STUDIO Savannah and The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia. She became an NYCB apprentice in 2015, and was soon selected by the French choreographer Nicolas Blanc for his ballet Mothership. A few months later came her big break in Symphony in C, which she found out about a week before the performance.

McGill in Symphony in C

Photo by Paul Kolnik, Courtesy New York City Ballet

Promoted to the corps last year, she danced a featured role in Peter Martins throbbing Fearful Symmetries. It is a famously strenuous work, requiring almost superhuman stamina. Yet Macgill looked quietly luminous, almost relaxed. I like the high-energy stuff, she says. I like to find that power. She makes it looks easy.


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Spanish officials have confirmed that 13 people are dead and as many as 100 people are injured after a van struck a crowd in what police believe is a terror attack on the busy, tourist-filled pedestrian street called Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain.

The white van drove into the popular shopping and food district Thursday afternoon, traveling 1,800 feet through the pedestrian area, according to Rac1, a Catalan radio station. The driver and another person fled the scene, Spanish newspaper El PaIs reported.

The Mossos d'Esquadra, the police force of the Catalan autonomous region, said it had arrested two people, including a man identified as Driss Oukabir, in connection with the attack. Oukabir, a Moroccan national living in Spain, reportedly rented the van used in the attack. The other arrestee has not been identified.

In what may be an unrelated incident, police said in a tweet that a driver had knocked down two officers at a highway checkpoint in Barcelona, USA Today reports.
VIDEO: Chief Says Phoenix Police on "Maximum Staffing" for Tuesday's Trump Event

Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams issued a statement Tuesday, assuring the public that her department is "well prepared" for the visit to the city by President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Williams promised "maximum staffing" at the Trump event and noted Phoenix's partnerships with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center, USA Today reports.

"We do expect a lot of activity in the downtown area but we are prepared to minimize the impact to area businesses and residents," she said. "As always, I expect our officers will remain professional, decisive, and immediately responsive should the need arise."

Trump announced this week he was "seriously considering" a pardon for former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who recently was convicted of criminal contempt. Some speculate Trump may announce he is pardoning Arpaio at the rally.
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A single Catalan (Spain) police officer shot dead four of the five terrorists killed in an attack early Friday morning in the beach town of Cambrils.

The officer, reportedly from the Mossos d'Esquadra regional force, responded after the terrorists' car smashed through a roadblock and seriously injured another officer, according to La Vanguardia.

A total of five suspects were killed after the Cambrils attack in which a car ploughed into a crowd, killing a woman, at about 1am on Friday.

People from 34 countries are among the 14 dead and dozens injured in the attacks in Cambrils Friday and Barcelona Thursday. The US State Department said at least one of those killed was an American citizen.

Four suspects have been arrested as police investigate an alleged cell of up to 12, Yahoo News reports.
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By Alicia Powell

NEW YORK (Reuters)  Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore is trading screen time for the stage in a one-man show now on Broadway that is a call to action over the current state of U.S. politics.

The show, The Terms of My Surrender, uses Moores satirical brand of humor to target U.S. President Donald Trump and encourage liberals to turn resentment over Trump and the Republican political agenda into actual resistance.

This guys going to get us all killed. Theres nobody in charge. This man (Trump) has the nuclear codes, Moore, 63, told Reuters Television in an interview on Thursday.

Im hoping somebody in the Pentagon is protecting us. Like, whatevers in that nuclear briefcase its just some girlfriends phone number or something. Im just hoping that its not the real numbers because were in desperate shape here, said Moore, a longtime liberal and a harsh critic of Trump.

Moores show varies each night. On Tuesday, he invited the audience to board buses and join him after the performance in a wider protest under way outside Trump Tower on nearby Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, where the president had arrived a day earlier to stay at his high-rise home for the first time since taking office in January.

Moore, who won an Oscar in 2003 for his gun violence documentary Bowling for Columbine, said he had always wanted to bring the ideas from his films to a live theater audience.

By the end of this run, 100,000 people would have seen the show. And each of them will tell 10 people things I said or did here tonight. Thats a million people Ive reached through a Broadway show, he said.

Moore said that far from being depressed by the actions of Trump and events in Washington in the two weeks since starting the show, he has drawn strength from his appearances.

Every night, when I leave here, I feel like my soul has been healed a little, that I have less despair, that Im a little bit more hopeful that were going to figure this out, he said.

The Terms of My Surrender is scheduled to run at the Belasco Theatre in New York until Oct. 22.

(Reporting by Reuters Television; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Leslie Adler)
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By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe urged the Trump administration to exclude his state from a federal offshore oil and gas drilling plan, citing concerns about revenue sharing and environmental issues, in a letter that his office revealed on Thursday.

McAuliffe, a Democrat, had previously said that any federal drilling plan that includes his state must include a revenue-sharing program.

In the letter, dated Aug. 11 and sent to Kelly Hammerle, national program manager of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), McAuliffe said he could not trust President Donald Trump, a Republican, to share revenues because he had proposed axing revenue sharing with Gulf Coast states where the drilling already occurs.

McAuliffe also said the Trump administration is working to cut funding from the very agencies that would be charged with protecting Virginias coastal environment in the event that exploration went forward.

McAuliffe joined other states on the East Coast, including New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina, in fighting offshore drilling.

The Atlantic Coast was not included in a 2017-2022 drilling plan finalized last year by former President Barack Obama after opposition from the East Coast governors, who feared that industrial development would harm seaside tourism. They cited a massive BP oil spill off the Gulf Coast in 2010 that hit revenues for tourism and fishing.

But in April Trump sought to open areas off the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans when he proposed a 2019-2024 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program by executive order. Trump has indicated he wants to make the United States energy dominant by maximizing output and exports of oil, gas and coal.

Drillers have supported Trumps potential expansion of oil and gas development. The International Association of Drilling Contractors on Thursday urged Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to expand access to available resources of the Outer Continental Shelf in order to further solidify energy security for the U.S. and future job creation and revenue generation.

Environmentalists opposed any expansion of drilling. Jacqueline Savitz, senior vice president for the U.S. at Oceana, a non-profit group focused on protecting and restoring oceans, said she hoped Trump would pull the Atlantic states out of the program. The concern is if you drill, youll spill, Savitz said.

BOEM said in a statement that it will carefully consider the comments sent by Governor McAuliffe, as well as those received from a diverse set of stakeholders, including elected officials, government agencies, industry, public interest groups, and private citizens, as it prepares a draft program.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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MSNBCs Katy Tur destroyed Donald Trump for tweeting an Internet hoax about killing Muslims with pigs blood after the Barcelona terrorist attack.

Tur reacted to this tweet from Trump:

Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Video:

Tur said, Lets talk about this tweet. Last year in South Carolina, I believe it was the night before the primary there, he got on stage and told this crowd of military veterans this story, this Internet hoax about General Pershing dipping bullets in pigs blood and then shooting terrorists, Muslim terrorists with them. That is not a true story. It is an Internet hoax, and the President repeated it over and over again. Its a conspiracy theory of sorts, and for him now as the President Of The United States, not just a candidate in a Republican primary to be basically repeating that or alluding to it in the very least on the heels of a tragedy in Barcelona, and on the heels of another tragedy in Charlottesville is remarkable.

Fellow MSNBC host Ali Velshi pointed out that Trumps statement has been debunked by all the fact checkers.

Tur asked, So what is saying here? You need to dip the bullets in pigs blood? Is that exactly what hes saying? You tell me what hes trying to convey.

More people should be outraged by Trumps insistence on peddling in bigoted and racist conspiracy theories and hoaxes. Tur deserves credit for both pointing out that what Trump was referring to was not true, and for refusing to accept Trumps behavior as normal.

It is important for journalists everywhere to never normalize Donald Trump. When he responds to a terrorist attack with a bigoted hoax, all journalists need to call that out and speak the truth. What Trump tweeted was false, and a day after supporting white supremacist domestic terrorism, the President can not be allowed to traffic in bigotry and hatred against Muslims.
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The mother of Heather Heyer, the woman killed in Saturdays racially motivated terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, is now receiving threats on her own life.

In an interview with NBC News, Heyers mother, Susan Bro, said she is receiving death threats not long after having to bury her 32-year-old daughter.

Bro lays at least some of the blame on Trump, who she says has given cover to the marginalized groups of people that participated in the white supremacist rallies over the weekend.

I think the president has found a niche in voters of the people who feel marginalized and I think he has continued to nurture those marginalized voters, she said, according to NBC News. Ive had death threats already  because of what Im doing right this second.

Despite the threats, NBC News added, Bro said she refuses to live in fear and has vowed to continue to carry on her daughters legacy by establishing a foundation in her name.

Since the attack, she has spoken out loudly against the hatred put on display in Charlottesville and criticized Trumps despicable response to the racially motivated violence that led to her daughters death  but she refuses to be silenced.

They tried to kill my child to shut her up, she said after the attack. But guess what? You just magnified her.

Meanwhile, while people like Susan Bro show courage and resolve in the face of violence and bigotry, the President of the United States has decided to stand on the side of those who created the toxic environment that contributed to her daughters death.

If Donald Trump needs a lesson on how to respond to what unfolded in Charlottesville this past weekend, he should look to Heather Heyers mother, who has done what he has so far refused to do  stand up to the white supremacist hatred that took her daughters life.
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Donald Trumps resignation is imminent, at least according to the co-author of the presidents best-selling book Art of the Deal, who said on Wednesday that the end is near for the current occupant of the Oval Office.

According to Tony Schwartz, who posted a pair of tweets earlier this week, the circle is closing at blinding speed on Trumps presidency, particularly in the wake of Charlottesville.

Tweets:

The circle is closing at blinding speed. Trump is going to resign and declare victory before Mueller and congress leave him no choice.  Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) August 16, 2017

Trump must be isolated. Resistance every day. The end is near but must keep pressure high.  Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) August 16, 2017

Schwartzs comments come as Trump has become increasingly isolated over the past week due to his response to the events in Charlottesville.

Following the racially driven violence there, Trump has refused to make a strong condemnation of white supremacists and Nazis. He even expressed support for those marching in the alt-right Charlottesville rally, calling some of them very fine people.

Trumps recent rhetoric hasnt just alienated those who already opposed him; even those inside the White House have been alarmed by his behavior. There were some rumblings today that top economic adviser Gary Cohn may even resign over the presidents recent conduct.

Outside of the administration, key members of Trumps own party are also beginning to speak out.

Key Republican Sen. Bob Corker, an early supporter of Trump during the campaign, questioned Trumps competence and stability on Thursday, an ominous sign for the White House as it echoes what many Democrats have been saying is grounds to remove this president from office.

The President has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful, Corker said.

Add these recent developments to what was already a failing administration, buried in the Russia scandal and its own incompetence, and Schwartz may be right: The end may very well be near for Donald Trumps presidency.

Correction: An earlier version of this post stated that Schwartzs tweets were posted on Thursday instead of Wednesday.
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The Presidents mental instability is showing itself more regularly, as Trump warned America that Homeland Security and law enforcement on the lookout for terrorists entering the US from Mexico and Canada.

Trump tweeted:

Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble. Our borders are far tougher than ever before!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 18, 2017

On the most basic level, this was Trump trying to use the attack in Barcelona to distract from his wide range of scandals at home. A deeper look reveals a President who appears to have no idea where terrorists come from, and he continues to deny who they are.

The vast majority of terrorist attacks on US soil come from right-wing extremists.

As Think Progress noted, But more importantly, foreigners pose less of a threat to Americans than right-wing extremists on domestic soil. In a 2015 New York Times article, University of North Carolina Professor Charles Kurzman and Duke Professor David Schanzer found that Islam-inspired terror attacks accounted for 50 deaths since 9/11, but that right-wing extremists averaged 337 attacks per year in the decade after 9/11, causing a total of 254 fatalities.'

Trump is trying to whip up an imaginary threat of terrorists coming across US borders because he doesnt want to talk about the fact that the real terrorists are people who support him. If this were a political tactic, it would be disgusting, but as the nation is realizing, Trump believes what he is saying. He thinks that he is getting the country prepared to stop an invasion of terrorists.

The President is not mentally well, and his policies reflect a crazed person who divorced from all reality.
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Gathered at Middletons Orchid Heights Park under a gray, lightly sprinkling sky on Thursday, a group of seniors prepared for a trek in the Pheasant Branch Conservancy.

Their mode of travel? A 350-pound all-terrain wheelchair.

Arriving from Middletons Brookdale Senior Living, Heritage Senior Living and their own independent households, the group of seven settled in their seats, some wrapped in plastic bags repurposed as ponchos.

Naturalist Claudia Lewis led participants to the conservancys bubbling spring, about a quarter-mile from the park entrance.

The event provided an introduction to the device, one of which will soon be housed and available for free rentals at Orchid Heights Park with a $50 security deposit.

The wheelchair, manufactured by Minnesota-based Action Trackchair, costs about $12,500, not including added expenses such as battery changes. Access Ability Wisconsin makes them available to Wisconsinites for free, and has partnered with Middletons Parks and Public Lands Department to offer them to disabled or elderly visitors to the conservancy.

The wheelchair is made to easily endure swampy water and climb over small logs, and has levers and scabbards to hold cameras or rifles for ambitious outdoorsmen. Its two batteries last four to five hours, and it can travel 5 miles per hour, faster than the average walking speed.

Monica Kamal, president of Access Ability Wisconsin, helped spearhead the partnership with the Parks and Public Lands Department after two years of conversation.

As they began rolling their wheelchairs in a long line through the grassy lanes of the conservancy, the seniors stopped to touch small sunflowers or point out a nearby pond.

I gotta pay attention and look at all the birds and bees, said Shirley Haasa, 89, who had just minutes before let out a whoop of excitement. Im an outdoor person, I love it.

Richard Marleau, 81, called the machine magnificent, even with the occasional heavy vibrations as the chair maneuvered the uneven ground. He and many other participants hadnt seen the conservancy before.

The event was one of several the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy has hosted to make the area more accessible to older audiences and knock down obstacles that keep them from enjoying the area.

To reserve a wheelchair, go to www.accessabilitywi.org.
Watchdog and Public Service reporter

Thad Moore is a reporter on The Post and Couriers Watchdog and Public Service team and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. To share tips securely, reach Moore via ProtonMail at thadmoore@protonmail.com or on Signal at 843-214-6576.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. Much cooler. High 63F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 43F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Former UW-Madison student Alec Cook, accused of sexual assaults and harassment of women in the campus area, will have at least two trials, after a judge on Friday declined to merge a case filed in May with a larger case that has been pending against Cook since October.

Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland, who was assigned the more recently filed case that charges Cook with false imprisonment and disorderly conduct, wrote in a decision Friday that the cases are too dissimilar to be tried together.

Cook, 21, of Edina, Minnesota, is charged in a 21-count criminal complaint with 12 counts of varying degrees of sexual assault involving six women, along with other charges that include false imprisonment, disorderly conduct and stalking. In all, those charges involve 10 women. Most of those charges were filed in October.

That case is being heard by Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke.

The second complaint, involving allegations about Cook that took place earlier, in September 2014, was filed in May.

A decision on whether to break up the larger, 21-count case pending against Cook since last year will be made by Ehlke after a hearing on Sept. 8. Cooks lawyers, Chris Van Wagner and Jessa Nicholson Goetz, want that case broken into 10 separate trials  one for each of the alleged victims  while prosecutors argue that all of the counts should be tried at the same time in the interest of judicial economy.

Cooks lawyers also argued against merging the charges filed in May with the already-pending case.

Van Wagner and Nicholson Goetz argue that trying all of the charges together would be unfairly prejudicial, as more serious allegations involving some of the women could influence a jury to find Cook guilty on the other charges.

Prosecutors counter that all of the allegations should be heard together because that would give the jury a better understanding of Cooks intent and motive, which they said was a scheme to place women in fear and have non-consensual interactions with them.

Hyland rejected that argument.

On this record the court cannot accept the states argument that Alec Cook had the common scheme or plan the state identifies, he wrote.

Actions described in the more recent criminal complaint, alleging that in 2014 Cook blocked a female student from leaving a laundry room of a dormitory, do not share sufficient similarity to the worst of the later-charged conduct for the court to find a common scheme or plan, Hyland wrote.

Prosecutors argued that journal excerpts written by Cook support their theory of an over-arching scheme, but Hyland said those excerpts were written after the alleged laundry room incident.

It is also notable that those excerpts, while presenting a focus on sexual experiences and self-interests, do not suggest or discuss a desire to create fear, discomfort or terror on the part of the female population at the UW campus, Hyland wrote. The court believes that a pick-up artist is, by nature, one who seeks to have his way with someone based upon generating the opposite emotions, and not fear or terror.

Hyland said the evidence is that Cook, in interactions with the female student in September 2014, was being tenacious, insistent, even boorish in seeking her out, but it will be up to a jury to decide whether he committed false imprisonment.
LAS VEGAS  Control of the U.S. Senate may come down to Nevada, where a slow ballot count entered its final act Saturday in the nail-biter contest between Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. Read moreSenate control may come down to Nevada as count nears end
MINNEAPOLIS  Minnesota regulators on Thursday released the final environmental review of Enbridge Energy's proposal to replace its aging Line 3 oil pipeline, which carries Canadian tar sands crude across northern Minnesota to Wisconsin.

The state Commerce Department has updated and expanded the massive document since it released the draft for public comment in May. Changes include additional discussion of the socioeconomic impact of the project, the potential impact on tribal resources and the potential impact of oil spills, as well as the inclusion of public comments, the department said. In the process, the main document grew to just over 2,000 pages, plus around 12,000 pages of appendices.

The review will inform the state Public Utilities Commission as it decides whether the project is needed and what route it should take. The commission is scheduled to decide by Dec. 11 whether the final review meets the legal requirements, and to decide on April 30 whether to give its ultimate approval to the pipeline and its route. Administrative law judges will hold hearings and take more public testimony along the way.

Calgary, Alberta-based Enbridge proposed the $7.5 billion project because the old pipeline is now restricted to 390,000 barrels per day and its maintenance needs are growing. The replacement would restore the original capacity of 760,000 barrels per day. The company says Line 3 is a vital link in its network, and the replacement would help it continue to meet the demand for Canadian oil from refineries in Minnesota, Wisconsin and elsewhere.

Tribal and environmental groups are fighting the project. Like the draft, the final review says any of the routes "would have a disproportionate and adverse effect on tribal resources and tribal members."

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Enbridge built Line 3 in the 1960s to carry Canadian crude from Hardisty, Alberta, to its terminal in Superior, Wisconsin. The route clips a corner of North Dakota before it crosses into Minnesota. The company wants the replacement to follow the existing path as far as its terminal in Clearbook, Minnesota, then take a more southerly new route to Superior.

Enbridge's preferred route has drawn opposition because it would cut through the Mississippi River headwaters region and the pristine lake country of northern Minnesota, where Ojibwe bands harvest wild rice and hold treaty rights. However, it would avoid two reservations crossed by the existing Line 3  Leech Lake and Fond du Lac  where approval by the tribal governments would be unlikely. The review also studied four alternative routes without recommending one over the other, as well as continued use of the existing pipeline, which Enbridge wants to shut down permanently but leave in place.

The Commerce Department held public meetings at 22 sites this summer to take comments on the draft. Those meetings drew Native American activists and environmentalists who say the pipeline poses unacceptable risks of oil spills in sensitive areas and would contribute to climate change by fostering more production of Canadian tar sands crude, which takes more energy to produce than conventional crude.

Those meetings also attracted labor and business groups that say the project will bring more than 1,500 construction and related jobs to the state and provide ongoing tax benefits to local governments along the route.

Native American groups including Honor the Earth, which is led by Winona LaDuke, have threatened mass protests that would echo the fight over the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Reservation in the Dakotas, which stalled work for months. Enbridge owns a minority stake in that pipeline, which began carrying oil from North Dakota to Illinois in June. The Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the National Congress of American Indians are among the native groups that have passed formal resolutions against the project.

A Commerce Department tribal liaison, Danielle Oxendine Molliver, resigned last month. She said she didn't think the state was dealing with the tribes in good faith and that she was pushed to the side during the public comment meetings because Enbridge considered her biased.

Despite the document's enormous size, the Sierra Club said it's still "half-baked" and incomplete. The environmental organization's state director, Margaret Levin, said in a statement that it's clear the department didn't have time to review all the public and technical comments that were submitted. She added that the review still doesn't properly address concerns about the risks of the project or adequately assess alternatives
The Stoughton Trailers facility in Brodhead was shut down for about four hours Thursday night as police searched for a plant worker who allegedly threatened to bring a gun to work in a dispute with a co-worker.

James Colley, 38, of Monroe, is the employee police are looking for, and police said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Brodhead police were called to the plant at 302 23rd St. at 5:17 p.m. Thursday, after plant management learned of the threat.

"Management was conducting an internal investigation into an employee being involved in a dispute with a co-worker when they learned the employee threatened to bring a gun to work," said Brodhead Police Chief Chris Hughes.

"When plant management was unable to locate the employee in question, they put the plant into lockdown and called police," Hughes said.

The parking lots were searched and a police dog from the Monroe Police Department was brought in to help search the inside of the facility, but employees told police Colley may already had left the building.

Monroe police were asked to check on his residence on 19th Street in Monroe, where Colley's vehicle was found but not him. A person at the residence said he already had left.

The plant was taken out of lockdown at about 9:40 p.m. Management shut down operations at the plant for the night. Nobody was hurt.

Colley is black, 38 years old, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, 250 pounds, bald with a goatee.

Anyone with information about Colley is asked to call Brodhead police, 897-2112.
MANKATO  Whether due to convenience, budget-friendly pricing, or both, Fare For All has proven to be a popular option for grocery shoppers since first coming to Mankato in 2015.

The reduced price grocery service swings through town each month at New Creation World Outreach Church, giving cost-conscious consumers another option for stocking up on fresh veggies and select meats.

The monthly demand has made Mankato one of the nonprofit's top locations, drawing about 120 households on each visit.

"Our numbers have been growing and we have been one of the leading sites," said Rachel Jones, part of Fare For All's community leadership team. "And that's just with this site."

Some other Fare For All sites have satellite locations, while Mankato's operates solely out of the church. Days when the discount Shoe Bus is also in town are especially popular.

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The church had a steady stream of customers walking from table to table to pick up packages including fruits, veggies and steaks  this month's special item. Dustin Lenhoff, a Mankato father of three, said he likes the efficiency of the set up. He was in and out with his food within about 15 minutes during peak time.

He's been coming to Fare For All for about a year, and said the pricing is certainly a major advantage. Produce costs $10 for 12 to 15 pounds, while a large meat package comes to $25.

"We'll look and see what they're selling things for here and compare it to what we pay weekly at the store," Lenhoff said. "That way we can decide if it's really a good deal for us or not."

Another shopper, Lindsey Lueck of North Mankato, said her family gets excited when she brings the food boxes home. The meat options change each month, at times introducing the family to foods they wouldn't usually buy at the store, like salmon.

"That's something different that I would've never bought and tried, so I like that benefit to it too," she said.

While interest in the service is strong, Jones said the leadership team hopes to introduce even more people to Fare For All in the future. They distribute flyers around town to try reach the people most in need of affordable food.
Are the violent antifa thugs a fringe movement or an increasingly important part of an emerging left-wing coalition? I want to say fringe movement.

However, the New York Times reports that antifa is growing as a left-wing faction. And Mark Lance, a professor of (I kid you not) justice and peace at Georgetown University, says Im seeing more concrete productive discussion between anti-fascists and others on the Left these days than ever before in my life. Lance predicts that antifa will become integrated into an emerging coalition that includes Sanders supporters, democratic socialists, dreamers, the Movement for Black Lives, environmentalists, [and] Native American organizers.

I cant tell you that the professor of justice and peace is wrong. I think hes right when it comes to Black Lives Matter.

The New York Times mostly indulges the fiction that the antifa thugs are merely engaged in protecting cities, towns, and college campuses from hordes of fascists, though it admits that in some cases they have taken on ordinary supporters of President Trump. The antifas, of course, see no distinction between fascist hordes and ordinary Trump supporters.

Nor do they see a distinction between someone attending a speech by an extreme right-winger and someone engaged in violence against the left. As one prominent antifa thug said of those on the other side of the political spectrum, their existence itself is violent and dangerous, so I dont think using force or violence to oppose them is unethical.

Stalin couldnt have put it better.

We can only hope that the New York Times and the professor of peace and justice are wrong. We can only hope that Stalinists will not be integrated into the emerging left-wing coalition of Sanders supporters, democratic socialists, environmentalists, etc.
Spanish police have killed five terror suspects after confronting them early on Friday in a town south of Barcelona, where on Thursday a suspected Islamist militant had driven a van into crowds, killing 13 people and wounding close to 100 others.

Islamic State said the perpetrators had been responding to its call for action by carrying out Thursdays rampage along Barcelonas most famous avenue, which was thronged with tourists enjoying an afternoon stroll at the peak of the summer season.

Bodies, many motionless, were left strewn across the avenue and authorities said the toll of dead, which included several children, could rise, with more than 100 injured.

Hours later in the early hours of Friday, as security forces hunted for the vans driver, police said they killed five suspects in Cambrils, 120 km (75 miles) south along the coast from Barcelona, to thwart a separate attack.

The five men attempted to drive into tourists on the Cambrils seafront, police said. Their car overturned and some of them began stabbing people. Four were shot dead at the scene and the fifth was killed a few hundred meters away, police said.

One civilian  a Spanish woman  was killed in the Cambrils incident while several other civilians and a police officer were injured. Police destroyed explosive belts the men had been wearing, though they turned out to be fake.

Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, the day before the van ploughed into the tree-lined walkway of Barcelonas Las Ramblas avenue, one person was killed in an explosion in a house in a separate town southwest of Barcelona, police said.

Police said they had arrested a Moroccan and a man from Spains north African enclave of Melilla, though neither was the van driver. He was seen escaping on foot and was still at large. A third man was arrested in the town of Ripoll on Friday.

A judicial source said investigators believed a cell of at least eight people, possibly 12, may have been involved in the Barcelona and Cambrils operations and that it had been planning to use gas canisters.

Later on Friday, residents and tourists returned to Barcelonas famous Las Ramblas promenade where hours earlier a white van had zigzagged at high speed through pedestrians and cyclists, leaving bodies and injured writhing in pain in its wake.

As Spain went into three days of mourning, people laid flowers and lit candles in memory of the victims along the promenade. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Spains king Felipe visited Barcelonas main square nearby to observe a minutes silence.

Islamic States Amaq news agency said the attackers had carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states  a reference to a U.S.-led coalition against the Sunni militant group. Spain has several hundred soldiers in Iraq training local forces in the fight against Islamic State.

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South Africa is planning to grant diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe first lady Grace Mugabe, allowing her to return to Harare and avoid prosecution for the alleged assault of a 20-year-old model, a government source said on Friday.

The source said there was no way Mrs. Mugabe, 52, would be arrested for the alleged assault, but that Pretoria expected the granting of diplomatic immunity to be challenged in court.

Her husband, President Robert Mugabe, has meanwhile showed up in South Africa for a regional summit, complicating the diplomatic dilemma now confronting the government.

Mrs. Mugabe has asked for diplomatic immunity in the case, although she has not been charged.

Her present whereabouts were not known to the authorities.

The alleged victim, 20-year-old model Gabriella Engels, has accused Mugabe of barging into a hotel where Engels was meeting with her sons, and whipping her with an electric cord.

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula told reporters on Wednesday Grace had been due to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon under a deal struck with authorities, but she failed to turn up.

On Thursday, Mbalula said police had put a red alert on South Africas borders to stop her from trying to leave.

We had already put tabs on the borders, in relation to her leaving the country, so theres no question about that, he told reporters.

So far she had made no attempt to flee, he added.

The South African government has made no official comment on the case and foreign ministry spokesmen have not answered their phones for two days, but the issue is causing waves at the highest level.

Justice Minister Michael Masutha told Reuters he was attending a meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss the matter but did not provide details.

The police, whose conduct was subjected to intense scrutiny during the murder trial of track star Oscar Pistorius, have said Grace Mugabe will get no special treatment.

A police statement on Wednesday said she would be processed through the legal system despite attempts to claim privileged diplomatic status that might put her above the law.

Legal experts said she had come to South Africa for medical treatment to an injured foot, almost certainly invalidating her claims to diplomatic immunity.

Criminal attorney Riaan Louw said however, given the potential for diplomatic fallout, South African prosecutors could yet decide to drop the case if they thought the injuries to the alleged victim were not too severe.

The Harare government has made no official comment and multiple requests for comment from Mugabes spokesman and Information Minister Chris Mushowe have gone unanswered.

A lawyer identified to Reuters as the first ladys representative declined to answer any questions. Zimbabwes ambassador to Pretoria, Isaac Moyo, did not answer his phone.

Adding to the South African governments headache, President Mugabe, 93, arrived at a military air base near Pretoria late on Wednesday for a regional summit.

Reporting the arrival, Zimbabwes Herald newspaper, the Harare governments main mouthpiece, made no mention the controversy swirling around his wife.

South Africa has a difficult relationship with its northern neighbor.

It is home to an estimated three million Zimbabwean exiles who regard Mugabe as a dictator who has ruined what was once one of Africas most promising democracies.

Although he is also widely reviled in the West, Mugabe is still seen by many Africans as the continents elder statesman and a hero of its anti-colonial struggles.

Previous South African leaders, including Nelson Mandela, whose relationship with Mugabe was forged during the anti-colonial and anti-apartheid struggles, had often deflected Western criticism of him.

Mugabes relationship with President Jacob Zuma has been testier however.

Debbie Engels, the mother of the alleged victim, is keeping up public pressure, releasing graphic pictures to the media of her daughters injuries, including gashes to her forehead and head.

I just want justice for my daughter. Its not about money. Its about justice. She attacked my child for no reason, Engels told Reuters.

Another picture, taken on Wednesday, showed a large, livid bruise on Gabriellas thigh.

She has also enlisted the help of former prosecutor Gerrie Nel, the lawyer who secured Pistorius murder conviction.

Reuters has not been able to verify key aspects of the assault allegations independently.

Engels has provided details of the incident, relayed from her daughter, in which she describes Grace barging in to a posh hotel room where Gabriella and two female friends were waiting to meet up with one of Mugabes two adult sons.

This woman comes in screaming, calling them names and whatnot and demanding to know where her sons were, Debbie Engels said.

They kept telling her Theyre not here, she said.

Gabriella said that Mugabes security guards, who had followed her into the room, stood by and watched throughout, Engels said.

She had an electric cord wrapped around her hand and she started attacking them. She hit my daughter with a plug socket, Engels said. (Reuters/NAN)

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Ethiopias Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Damene Darota, on Friday said the ministry planned to lift close to 7.9 million rural Ethiopians from absolute poverty.

The ministry, currently evaluating major activities implemented during the just-concluded 2016-2017 fiscal year, revealed the countrys plan to improve the economic conditions of the Ethiopians, mainly in the rural part of the country.

Ethiopia, as part of its agenda for 2025, aspires to become a middle-income country.

Darota said that the plan was part of the countrys second five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP II) effective from 2015 to 2020.

Close to 6.6 million of them, who are able to engage in various economic activities, were provided opportunity to participate through climate conservation, irrigation development and other agricultural activities in the last six months.

The remaining 1.3 million economically deprived citizens, who are either physically disabled or older people, are receiving support from the government, Darota said. (Xinhua/NAN)

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Officials are investigating the death of a Dane County Jail inmate Friday, who died at a local hospital after having some type of medical issue in the shower at the jail.

The Dane County Sheriffs Office wasnt releasing much information about the death Friday afternoon, other than the male inmate was 33 and had been brought to the jail at 5 a.m. Friday.

At about 10 a.m., a deputy and other inmates heard the inmate having medical issues in the shower, said Lt. Dan Bolch.

He had been in the male receiving area of the jail in the Public Safety Building and was taking a shower in that building.

After the inmate was transported to the hospital, he became unresponsive and subsequently died, Bolch said.

The cause of death was not released, nor why the inmate was arrested.

Deputies will actively monitor the emotional impact of this tragedy on other inmates, Bolch said. Jail mental health staff will provide counseling to inmates as needed.

The number of inmates in the shower at the time was not released. The name of the inmate has not been released pending notification of relatives.

Three inmates at the Dane County Jail tried to commit suicide this week, but officials do not believe this incident was a case of suicide.
A 19-year old, Tobi Ayanwoye, who overcame dyslexia to build electrical appliances says he is still eager to meet Nigerias Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Speaking to our correspondent, Mr. Ayanwoye , who had in a PREMIUM TIMES exclusive report narrated how he overcame dyslexia as a child, said his vision of building technological appliances is still intact despite his challenges.

Dyslexia is a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that does not affect general intelligence.

Mr. Ayanwoye appealed to the senate president who had promised him an invitation to look into the pledge.

Earlier in January, Mr. Saraki had told his media handlers to look into Mr. Ayanwoyes work. Similarly, he had extended an invitation to the boy, alongside other young Nigerian innovators.

Bamikole Omisore, the Special Assistant to the Senate President on New Media had confirmed the invitation, saying, the Senate president saw his entry and was fascinated by it and he is one of the entries we were told to prioritise at the #MadeinNigeria Desk.

The invitation to Tobi is part of the move by the Senate President to meet with young innovators like him to hear directly from them challenges they go through and how they have been able to make It against all odds.

But more than seven months after, the meeting has not held.

When Mr. Ayanwoye received the news of his invitation by the senate president, he was in Senior Secondary School, SSS 3, in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

He told our correspondent that he was excited and had almost concluded that his pains were over.

The boy, who had lost his mother few months earlier and had no support to actualise his dreams, felt he had finally arrived at his breakthrough moment.

But many months after the senate presidents invitation failed to materialise, he became worried as all hopes appeared lost. With the help of his mentors, he had on several occasions made efforts to get across to Mr. Saraki but failed, he told PREMIUM TIMES.

It was my mentor that told me about the invitation initially. When it wasnt forthcoming, we tried to reach them. We have since been trying to call them but the number isnt going through anymore, he said.

In July, Mr. Ayanwoye completed his secondary school education and has been faced with uncertainties ever since.

Yes, I finished secondary school in July, this July. One of the plan is to put in for Federal University of Technology, Minna, FUTMINNA but we dont have any means of support, he said.

He, however, explained that rather than stay at home and waste away, he plans to enrol for a training programme.

For now, I want to learn fabrication; how to fabricate my project for six months  how to make these things myself because for now I get the raw materials from outside and put together myself, he said.

The person I want to learn from said the training goes for N40,000 and I dont have the means. I explained to my mentor, MD Tiamiyu, and he said we would seek support. But for now we dont have any means of support yet.

Even for my proposed degree programme, there is no sponsor.

He explained that although he still lives with his father, the old man doesnt have the means of sponsoring any of his endeavours.

His mother, a petty trader who took up loans to settle his school bills from his primary school days, died on December 3, 2016 in an auto crash along the Mokwa-Jebba Road. She was buried the next day, December 4.

It was my saddest day on earth. I was not really myself. She was my mentor, my guide, my mother my everything, Mr. Ayanwoye had told PREMIUM TIMES.

Sadly, when the incident happened, I was on my way to Lagos to receive another award from my schools Alumni Association for being the most innovative student of the year in the school. That day was my happiest and saddest day on earth.

Mr. Ayanwoye said all hope is now invested in the little efforts being made by his mentors to raise money for him, and a probable meeting with Mr. Saraki, who had promised to encourage him in January.

I will be happy to meet the senate president and I am eager to be invited so I will know what is in the offing for me, he said.

I will be very happy if he or anyone can assist me so I can go learn these things.

Explaining his vision further, Mr. Ayanwoye said he would like to study abroad and learn how to produce the materials he uses for his equipment himself.

The first thing Id be glad to have as an opportunity is to possibly go to places, to countries I can learn things on my own from the scratch so it wont be like I would be buying the things from other places.

I intend to build a panel on my own beside even buying it; I intend to build many things.

When asked about the specific terms of the invitation he got from Mr. Saraki, he said he was only told that he and others would be encouraged.

He (Mr. Saraki) only said they are going to encourage me; that was the only statement he made on twitter, he explained.

Although we werent told the time but we expected it was going to be something short. That was in January.

All efforts by PREMIUM TIMES to get Mr. Sarakis comment on Thursday and Friday were futile. His media aide, Mr. Omisore, didnt respond to calls placed to his known number.

Emails sent to him were not responded to as well.

Read PREMIUM TIMES earlier report on Mr. Ayanwoye here.

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Nigerias former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has lamented the failure of certain privileged young men and women he helped to top positions in government and the private sector.

The former president stated this in a letter he wrote to senior lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba.

Mr. Agbakoba, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, had earlier written Mr. Obasanjo, requesting the former presidents support for generational shift in political leadership in Nigeria.

Mr. Agbakoba cited examples of former military leader, Yakubu Gowon, and Mr. Obasanjo himself who were entrusted with positions of public responsibility in their thirties.

In his reply via a letter dated July 28, but just released to the public on Thursday, Mr. Obasanjo, shared Mr. Agbakobas sentiments, but, nevertheless, expressed concerns and warned young people could not get to leadership positions on a platter of gold.

He noted that he, Mr. Gowon and other young people who had earlier been in political leadership were thrown up and brought into limelight by circumstances which were not our own making.

At 31, Mr. Gowon became Nigerias leader following a bloody coup in July 1966. He pivoted the affairs of the country, while slithering through a 30-month civil war to stop the secessionist movement in the countrys east.

Mr. Obasanjo was 38 when he became the military Head of State in February 1976 as a successor to Murtala Mohammed, who was slain in the failed February 13, 1976 coup led by Bukar Dimka. At the time of assassination, late Mr. Mohammed was 37.

Those earlier young leaders, Mr. Obasanjo said, recorded varying degree of successes with determination, commitment, broad national outlook, integrity and uncommon zeal to shoulder the responsibilities trust on us.

He regretted that the successes recorded by his so-called old generation had been pushed down the drain by some of those privileged young people saddled with similar responsibilities in the recent past.

You should know that some of these young people, whose interest we canvass, have, in the recent past, been a complete disappointment and failures in their various appointed or elected positions, he said.

Some of these young people, in public and private sectors, have frittered the prospect of being at the vanguard of sustainable development of what some of us, the earlier generation of leaders, pioneered on the altar of their crass materialism, self-centredness and opportunism.

In Mr. Obasanjos second coming to lead Nigeria, 1999-2007, as a democratically elected president, he appointed various relatively young persons into his government, including the now Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who was 39 at the time he became head of the Bureau of Public Enterprises in 1999.

He also helped facilitate multi-billion business opportunities for Femi Otedola and Jimoh Ibrahim, now two of Nigerias richest people.

Stating further, Mr. Obasanjo said the failed young persons should be disincentives to other young persons and the hes ready to mentor those who have shown exemplary commitment in their chosen careers to serve Nigeria.

Facing Mr. Agbakoba, 64, Mr. Obasanjo challenged the lawyer on leadership. He said foremost leaders like Obafemi Awolowo and Nnamdi Azikiwe were much younger when they emerged on the national stage and helped Nigeria gain independence.

Jump down from the fence and siddon look corner, said Mr. Obasanjo to Mr. Agbakoba.

I ask you, dear Olisa, you are at a point where you should step forward and develop a mobilisation framework that seeks to rearrange Nigeria on a different basis of legitimacy.

He added that young people should position themselves to lead and work for leadership, and not to expect the older would lead the stage for them.

Mr. Obasanjo has been instrumental to the victories of his three successors  late Umaru YarAdua; Goodluck Jonathan; and Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent. None of them was less than 50 at the time of emergence.

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A 22-year-old mother, Blessing Udoh, who allegedly sold her three months old baby for a paltry N50,000, is cooling her heels in custody, an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Court ruled on Friday in Lagos.

The Magistrate, Tajudeen Elias, ordered that the accused be kept in police custody pending her bail application.

Ms. Udoh is facing a two-count charge of engaging in commercial sex and unlawfully trading a baby.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Police Prosecutor, Kehinde Omisakin, told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 30 at 6.00 p.m. in Abattoir area of Oko-Oba in Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb.

Mr. Omisakin alleged that the accused sold her three-month-old baby, Destiny, to Mr. and Mrs. Philip James, who reside at Oron, Akwa Ibom.

The accused has been caught several times engaging in commercial sex.

The offences contravened Sections 142 and 276 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the accused, on conviction, may be sentenced to 14 years imprisonment, according to the provisions of the law.

The case has been adjourned until August 23 for hearing of the bail application.

(NAN)

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The Catholic Church in Nigeria has excommunicated a priest who recently quit the Church.

The Church said it was by the notice stripping the priest of all privileges accruing to a leader of the Church.

Patrick Edet, who served in the Catholic Diocese of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, had announced over a local radio station on August 2 that he was leaving the Catholic Church so he could be free to serve God the way he wanted.

Before he left Catholic Church, Mr. Edet ran a Pentecostal-style fellowship that attracted a huge crowd in the city of Uyo.

He said leaving the Catholic Church now gave him the freedom to manage the fellowship in his own style, without getting into conflict with his former church, adding that being a Catholic priest was like being restricted to a box.

You cannot know God beyond that box. You cannot express God beyond that box. And any attempt for you to go beyond that box brings you label.

The reason I am doing this is that I want to be right with God first. I want to go to heaven when I die, he said.

The Catholic Bishop of Uyo Diocese, John Ayah, in his reaction to the development, issued a general notice to the parishioners on August 12, where he advised Catholics to stay away from Mr. Edet.

I advise that no Catholic member should approach him to obtain any service or guidance henceforth in the name of the Church, the bishop said, adding that the Church disassociated itself from the activities of Mr. Edet.

Any Catholic who attends his programme or identifies with him (Mr. Edet) in any way does so at the risk of his or her Catholic faith and membership, he said.

The bishop said following Mr. Edets resignation, he has stripped him of all his power, rights and privileges as a Catholic priest.

Mr. Ayah said he was forwarding Mr. Edets resignation letter to Pope Francis for further directives on the matter.

Nigerians mostly on social media had expressed diverse reactions on the resignation with some lauding his confidence while others criticised him as an attention seeker.

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Obinna Obioha, a Nigerian hacker, has been jailed for 51 months by a New York federal judge for operating a fraud scheme that swindled $6.5 million from businesses in the U.S. and elsewhere.

U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd sentenced Mr. Obioha, 31, for running a scheme in which he instructed hackers to hack into computers and email accounts of individuals around the world using malicious software.

The announcement of Mr. Obiohas sentence was made by Acting United States Attorney Grant CJaquith and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Obioha, working from Nigeria, was a central figure in a fraud scheme using digital disguises and deceit to bilk businesses out of millions of dollars. We will continue to track down and bring to justice cyber criminals like Obioha no matter where they operate. I thank the FBI for its terrific work in this case identifying and apprehending Obioha, said Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Vadim D. Thomas said: These schemes can rob individuals and businesses of their livelihood. Cyber-crime is a serious threat and the FBI is prepared to go to any lengths to apprehend those like Obioha.

As part of his guilty plea to wire fraud in April 2017, Mr. Obioha admitted that, while in Nigeria, he worked with and instructed others to hack into computers and email accounts used by dozens of victims in the United States and around the world. The organisation infiltrated victims computers and email accounts using malicious software (malware). After monitoring victims information to identify imminent commercial transactions, Mr. Obioha and his associates created knockoff email addresses that appeared similar to  but varied slightly from  victims legitimate email addresses.

Mr. Obioha and his associates used those bogus email accounts to send fraudulent invoices to victims, instructing them to wire funds to bank accounts controlled by Mr. Obioha and his associates, under the pretence that the wires were payments for actual deals that had been previously negotiated by the victims. Mr. Obioha admitted that between January and September 2016, he was involved in at least 50 wire transfers, and that about $6.5 million was sent by wire to bank accounts that he and his associates controlled. The accounts received money from fraud victims in New York, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, and Texas, among other places.

During Thursdays sentencing, U.S. District Judge Donald N. Hurd described Mr. Obioha as right in the middle of the action in very sophisticated criminal activity designed to achieve millions of dollars in illegal funds.

Mr. Obioha was arrested on October 6, 2016, after flying from Lagos, Nigeria, to JFK International Airport. He has been in custody since that time.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Myers.

Editors Note: The feature image for this report has been replaced.

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An Indian National has accused Turkish Airline of discriminating against him because he was travelling to Nigeria and because of his nationality.

The passenger (his name was not audible in the recording) who narrated his experience in an audio recording shared via messaging app, WhatsApp, claimed he was a Business Class passenger on board a Turkish Airline flight from Istanbul, Turkey, to Nigeria.

The passenger, who claimed the event happened on Thursday, August 17, 2017, explained that he had an eight-hour layover before his flight to Nigeria so he decided to use one of the sleeping suites reserved for Business Class to rest while waiting for his flight.

But he was shocked when an employee of the airline told him he could not use the sleeping suite due to his nationality and the destination he was headed.

Im sitting in Turkish Airline Business Class Lounge I have a layover here from 10:30 am to 6: 30 pm, that is over 8 hours. So, I went to see if there is a place where I could sleep, he said.

I go to the desk on the wall there is a notice saying: Only for Business Class passengers. I said fantastic, Im a Business Class Passenger. And it said it for people who have layover of six hours and more and I said fantastic, I satisfied that also. I have a layover of six hours and more.

I said to the lady who is there at the desk: Please, can I sleep? Where is the suit, where can I go and have some rest? She said No sir, where are you coming from? I said Mumbai, India and I am going to Nigeria.

She said but then you cant sleep. I said why not? She said thats the rule. I said what rule?

He said the lady at the desk told him that the airline has a policy that only allowed Business Class passengers who are nationals of mainly Western countries or passengers travelling to Western countries to use the sleeping suites.

She showed me a list of countries. You have to be coming from them or going to them only then that Turkish Airline recognise that you need sleep., the passenger recounted.

So, if you dont go to those countries and you dont come from those countries, and of course all European countries are part of that Washington, is part of that New York is part of that, and so on. Other than that, if you come from India and so forth and basically a non-white country it is assumed that you dont need sleep.

So here Im sitting, even though Im a Business Class passenger on Turkish Airline, Even though I have a long layover, Im not allowed to sleep in the sleeping suite of the business class lounge. According to me because Im not white. According to their rules because Im from India and Im going to Nigeria.

I think this is something that should be brought to the notice of the highest authorities. Including the president and including the head of the Turkish Airline to say that on what basis do you discriminate on your customers and between your Business Class passengers.

Im absolutely certain that if this is how the Turkish Airline treats its passengers then this is my first and last time on Turkish Airline, he said.

When contacted, a spokesperson for Turkish Airline at their Nigerian office, Tobi Isamodu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the airline is aware of the complaint but added that the story narrated by the passenger was not true.

About that, it is not true. weve gotten that voicemail several times and it has been sent to our head office in Istanbul and they are working on it. They are going to address it from Istanbul. He did that in Istanbul and it will be addressed in Istanbul, she said.

A history of mistreating Nigerian passengers

Turkish Airline has been dogged by a string of complaints by its Nigerian passengers of mistreatment and poor handling of baggage leading to the damage or loss of passengers luggage.

In January 2016, following the intervention of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) the airline was forced to pay compensation to passengers on its Flight TK 624 from Istanbul to Abuja who were delayed for several hours. Half of the passengers luggage were also left in Istanbul.

In August, the Nigerian government sued the airline and some of its executives for alleged impunity and violation of the rights of some Nigerian passengers. A statement by the Consumer Protection Council said the government was compelled to sue the airline following its refusal to respond for a full situation report on the alleged shoddy treatment of its passengers on Flight 623.

The accused persons were arraigned before the court for allegedly neglecting, without sufficient cause, to attend and testify before the CPC on the number of passengers aboard the Turkish Airlines Flight 623 from Istanbul to Abuja on the 25th and 31st of December, 2015, as well as the 9th of January, 2016, who were affected by its untimely delivery of baggage, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 18 of the CPCs enabling law.

The Federal Government also accused the airline and its two principal officers of violating the same section of the CPC Act by neglecting, without sufficient cause, to attend and testify before the Consumer Protection Council on the detailed steps taken by the airline to provide redress and compensation to passengers aboard its Flight 623 from Istanbul to Abuja on the said dates, who were affected by its untimely delivery of baggage, the statement read.

In April, the airline was again accused of abandoning pupils of Glisten International College, Abuja, who had gone to the United States for a competition. The airline was said to have given each of the students $40 dollar each and made them sleep in near freezing condition at the airport after it failed to connect them from Istanbul to Abuja.

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The Dickens Sanomi Foundation, DSF has offered to pay the $48,000 (about N14.6million) medical bill for Ali Ahmadu, a six-year-old boy from Borno State, who was run over by Boko Haram terrorists during their invasion of Chibok village three years ago.

The offer would enable young Ahmadu travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for an appointment at a medical facility specialising in spinal cord surgery operations that could enable him walk.

Ali needs this corrective surgery to enable him walk again after being overrun by a motor cycle by Boko Haram members during a night raid in Chibok, the coordinator of Global Initiative For Peace, Love and Care, GIPLC, Nuhu Kwajafa, said.

GIPLC, which is spearheading the campaign for the medical aid of the young victim, is a non-governmental, non-faith-based, not-for-profit, charity organisation, founded in 2006 to cater for orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria.

The group provides food, medical assistance and learning materials for victims development.

Mr. Kwajafa, however, said the total cash needed for Ahmadus trip to Dubai was about $60,000 (about N18.3million), which includes feeding and accommodation for three months.

GIPLC was recently at the Dickens Sanomi Foundation office in Abuja as part of its initiative to ensure that young Ahmadu walks again.

They were received by the Chairman of the Foundation, Igho Sanomi, along with other Trustee members.

As a father, it is very touching to see a young boy like this suffer, Mr Sanomi said.

It is sad what some of our kids have to go through because of the insurgency in Borno. This is an opportunity for us to show our love to those who need it.

Mr. Sanomi said although education remained the key focus of the Foundation, kids have to be healthy before they can attend school.

On behalf of the board of trustees of Dickens Sanomi Foundation, we will take care of Ali, including paying the hospital bill for the surgery. We will visit him in the hospital after the surgery, he added.

The foundation established in 2011 by the children of Dickens Sanomi, was founded to commemorate his remarkable life through the provision of charitable support to needy Nigerias youth, on whom he placed great value in his lifetime.

The DSF resources are used to deliver and support charitable projects whose aims and activities were in accord with its objective.

The Foundation has been sponsoring essay competitions, musical outreach programmes and literacy awareness campaigns as a way of promoting education of youth in the country.

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The Federal Government on Friday said the recently freed 106 Chibok girls were not living in solitary confinement.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Alhassan, said this while briefing journalists on the update on the recovery of the released girls in Abuja.

Mrs. Alhassan said that the girls were ready to be integrated back to the society ahead of the school academic session commencing in September.

She said the girls had to be properly observed by medical experts, adding that so far there are no traits of abnormalities in them.

Like every other young Nigerian girl, the need to make up for educational loss suffered on account of their prolonged isolation while in captivity had been of paramount concern to this government.

To date, education and livelihood opportunities of the Chibok girls since their return have been enhanced through remedial and tutorial engagement as well as vocational skills training.

This would not only make them academically sound but also independent, the minister said.

She also announced plans to kit them as they resume formal education in order to place the girls on a path to a lifetime of successful and productive living.

To aid their recovery, recreational activities and reunion with family have been the key tools used to support the girls.

They have had interface with their communities and spent Christmas holiday in Chibok. This was gratifying experience for both the girls and the families, Mrs. Alhassan said.

The minister said rather than suffer any form of stigma the girls had become survivors and heroes in their own right.

She said the government was in partnership with the American University of Nigeria, AUN, and other development partners, along with some private companies and Victims Support Fund to restore their dignity.

The minister said the partnership would be supporting the girls for their foundation course in September.

Mrs. Alhassan said the choice of AUN was inspired by the resounding success recorded by the institutions new foundation school initiative in grooming the 24 girls who initially escaped from captivity.

She said the case of the 24 Chibok girls had challenged the commitment and strategy of government with regards to the education of the 106 girls.

It is time for them to get and enjoy the best. I am delighted that all the 106 girls will be resuming school at AUN foundation school in September, Mrs. Alhassan said.

However, the minister appealed to the public and media to avoid requests for the girls to recount theirs stories and experiences in order not to reopen wounds and trigger a relapse in their journey of recovery.

(NAN)

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The death toll from the strange disease ravaging three communities and Fulani settlements in Yagba West Local Government of Kogi State has risen to 62.

The state Commissioner for health, Saka Audu, disclosed this on Friday in Lokoja while giving an update on the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Mr. Audu said that the mysterious disease had continued to kill children and adults in the affected villages unabated, saying that the disease which reared its ugly head few weeks ago was still ravaging Okuna, Okoloke, Isanlu -Asa and the adjoining Fulani settlements.

The Commissioner had on Thursday visited the ravaged communities to obtain first-hand information and assess the situation He had confirmed that 50 persons had lost their lives to the strange disease.

In response to the development, Mr. Audu said that the state governor, Yahaya Bello, had approved the immediate constitution and deployment of a team of medical experts to deal with the situation.

According to him, the medical experts include epidemiologists from the state ministry of health and medics from the state-owned health facilities.

Earlier, samples taken from some of the victims were sent to Federal Teaching Hospital Irua, Edo State, for definitive investigation, which turned out to be negative for Lassa fever.

On arrival at the communities, the team interacted with the locals and samples were taken from their water sources and food supply.

It was discovered that the people affected showed common symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting and stooling. Few of the patients, however, had Hematemesis and Hematochezia, he explained.

According to him, those found still manifesting the disease had been transferred to Kogi State Specialist Hospital for proper management where an empirical diagnosis of food poisoning to rule out gastroenteritis was made.

He did not give the exact number of victims transferred to the hospital but said that they were responding well to treatment.

Gov. Bello expressed deep concern over the incident and has directed that all the patients be treated free of charge. He also charged the ministry of health to conclude investigation within the shortest possible time to prevent further spread of the disease, the commissioner said.

(NAN)

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Many beggars in Kano have returned to their businesses in spite of a state government order in 2016 which banned street begging.

Our correspondent who visited some streets in the state capital on Friday, reports that many beggars were seen on the streets, including Sabo Bakin Zuwo road leading to the Kano Government House.

Some of the beggars who spoke to NAN said they returned to the streets because they were dying of hunger.

Adamu Babale said he came to Kano daily from his village to beg for money to cater for his family.

He said if he had a trade to engage in he would not have returned to street begging.

A female beggar, Batula Saidu, explained though complied with the order banning begging in the state, but could not help but beg once in a while.

The management of the state Hisbah Board said they usually conduct a surveillance aimed at arresting beggars and charge them to court.

The Director-General of Hisbah, Abba Sufi, told NAN that the agency arrested the beggars because the state had earlier empowered them before banning the act.

He expressed concern that though some of the beggars had invested in the trade they were empowered, yet they were not satisfied.

Mr. Sufi, however, warned beggars to desist from the act, saying that the board would soon strengthen its surveillance with a view to prosecuting those of them found disobeying the law banning begging.

Kano State Government banned street begging about a year ago after empowering thousands of street beggars in various trades.

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The State Assembly on Thursday passed a $3 billion incentive package for electronics manufacturer Foxconn to build its first U.S. plant in Wisconsin on the promise that the deal will bring up to 13,000 jobs to a part of the state that has seen its manufacturing industry decimated.

Lawmakers passed the legislation authored by Gov. Scott Walker 59-30, after the chambers Republicans cheered it as a smart bet for taxpayers with massive upside for the states economy and over Democrats criticism that the deal is a gigantic gamble with state funds.

The legislation drew no votes from two Republicans and yes votes from Democrats who represent southeastern Wisconsin where Foxconn wants to build  including Rep. Cory Mason, who is running for mayor of Racine.

Mason, D-Racine, said he has serious concerns with the bill, but that the promise of returning jobs to an area that has lost about 12,000 in 25 years convinced him to get behind the proposal.

It is harder and harder for Americans to make it if America doesnt make anything the way they used to, he said. This is not an easy vote for me. There are things about this bill that I dont like ... but for me, for the good jobs that this represents for in Racine ... my vote is green.

Rep. Tod Ohnstad, D-Kenosha, also supported the bill, calling it the biggest opportunity for Kenosha since the automobile industry.

But most Democrats voted against the bill, saying it hadnt been vetted and required too much money from taxpayers.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, told reporters that Assembly Republicans did everything possible to win Democrats support for the measure, but Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, disputed that  saying he never got that call to work with Republicans on the package.

Barca proposed moving the bill to a committee tasked with approving financial measures and writing the states budget, but Republicans rejected the motion.

Barca, who represents the area in which Foxconn is eyeing to build, argued that we can come back on a better, stronger deal for the taxpayers, the workers, the small businesses and will protect the environment.

Even so, Barca ended up supporting the bill.

When my father immigrated to the United States and settled our family in Kenosha, it was a factory job that gave him the chance to eventually buy his own business and achieve the American dream. But as time passed, manufacturing left my hometown and communities all across Wisconsin, Barca said in a statement. If we can create new good-paying, family-supporting jobs in a high-tech industry, it could give future generations the same opportunities my family had.

The bill now heads to the state Senate, where Senate Republicans have yet to vote on their version of the bill and are pursuing it on a different track.

Senate President Roger Roth, R-Appleton, told WTAQ on Monday that the Assemblys action on the bill is largely irrelevant because the legislation must go through the Legislatures budget-writing committee, which could make changes to the package requiring another Assembly vote.

The first step

The Assemblys action is the first vote by one the state Legislatures houses to advance a project proposed by Walker and Foxconn chairman Terry Gou that would bring up to 13,000 jobs to a campus the Taiwanese company wants to build in southeastern Wisconsin. Gou has agreed to spend up to $10 billion on the facility that Walker has dubbed Wisconn Valley.

But to make the plan a reality, Walker has proposed to give Foxconn $2.85 billion in refundable tax credits for jobs and for the construction of the campus. The company would be exempt from another $150 million in sales taxes, be eligible for lower utility rates and be exempt from some environmental regulations.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the Assembly debated the package for hours Thursday, with Republicans urging their counterparts to consider the economic impact statewide  with tens of thousands of jobs projected to be created at the Foxconn plant and with suppliers.

Its a field of American dreams, Vos said.

But two of Vos members  Rep. Adam Jarchow, R-Balsam Lake, and Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, opposed the measure.

My constituents want to be assured that these jobs actually will happen, Novak said in a statement. They want to be confident that were making a sound investment with taxpayer dollars. They want a guarantee, a time table for making it happen. Without it, I worry about whether this is the best deal for Wisconsin.

And Democrats contended there is not enough information about where the money to fund the incentive package will come from. A nonpartisan analysis released last week showed it would cost $1 billion annually and the state would not begin to break even on the deal until 2043.

Where is this money coming from? Can anyone tell me? What are you not going to fund? said Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison.

Before the vote, Vos waved off those concerns. He told reporters that all big economic development projects have naysayers.

It is a good deal for the taxpayer. Its no different than how weve done economic development in Wisconsin for other companies, Vos said. Once in a while, I think its worth it for us to take that kind of big leap.

Both sides speaking out

Foxconn has said its looking to build the campus to manufacture liquid crystal display panels, which initially would employ 3,000 and, over time, as many as 13,000. The company has not said where it will locate but reportedly has investigated sites south of Milwaukee, in Racine and Kenosha counties.

Reps. Shannon Zimmerman, R-River Falls, and Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said the project would benefit all of Wisconsin.

Theres a ripple effect, Zimmerman said. The implications of a Foxconn to the broader Wisconsin economic environment are profound.

But Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, who also is considering running for governor, said the Foxconn legislation is an ill-conceived proposal from a desperate governor who has been a colossal failure at creating jobs.

If you go with the reality with Gov. Walker and Foxconns over-promise and under-perform, its not likely to happen, he said, referring to Walkers first-term, unfulfilled promise to create 250,000 jobs and Foxconns previously announced plans to build a plant in Pennsylvania that never materialized.

Also on Thursday, Taylor released an analysis completed by the Baker Tilly accounting firm in July that showed the Foxconn project would create about 8,200 jobs at the Foxconn plant  contrary to the 13,000 Walker has touted since announcing the project  raising questions about what size facility will be built.

But Mark Maley, spokesman for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. jobs agency, said during negotiations with Foxconn the size and scope of the project and the number of employees evolved during the discussions with the company, prompting a revised analysis that reported 13,000 jobs projected at the plant.
The Akwa Ibom Government has declared a one-day fast on September 1, as part of activities marking the 30th Anniversary of the creation of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Akwa Ibom was created on September 23, 1987 alongside Katsina State by the erstwhile administration of Ibrahim Babangida.

The state-wide fasting was announced on Friday in Uyo by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Charles Udoh.

A statement issued by the commissioner explained that as Akwa Ibom would be celebrating its 30 years of creation, it was needful to seek the face of God and pray for His blessings.

Mr. Udoh said that the fasting would be led by the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, and the theme would be Shine, for thy light is come drawn from the Bible (Isaiah 60:1).

This years anniversary is epochal, considering that the age of 30 is a very significant time in Gods scheme of things.

The heaven was opened for Jesus at the age of 30 during his baptism and there he also received a divine endowment from the Father, Mr. Udoh said.

He noted that it was at the age of 30 that heaven was opened to Ezekiel and he was empowered to see great visions for the house of Israel.

The commissioner said that David was made King in Israel at 30, while Joseph also became a Prime Minister in Egypt at the age of 30.

He noted Davids reign was glorious, spanning 40 years, while Josephs position as prime minister saved the people of Israel from famine.

As a people of a great state named after God, Akwa Ibomites, are hereby called upon to fast and pray on that day, beginning from 6:00 a.m.

The fast will be rounded off at the Government House Banquet Hall grounds from 4:00 p.m., Mr. Udoh said.

Justifying the call for fasting, a lady evangelist in the state, Glory Akpan, lauded the initiative of the government in seeking Gods face at this period of recession in the country.

Ms. Akpan told NAN that if Akwa Ibom people will forsake their sins and pray earnestly, God will surely bless the state and the entire nation.

(NAN)

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The Government of Osun has declared August 21 work free day to commemorate Isese Day the annual festival of adherents of traditional religion in the state.

A statement issued by Adelani Baderinwa, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, said that government declared the holiday to enable adherents of traditional religion celebrate their festival.

The statement was made available to journalists on Friday in Osogbo.

It quoted the commissioner as saying that Isese Day, also known as Traditional Worshipers Day, is the climax of festivities among adherents of traditional religion.

He urged adherents of traditional religion to celebrate the day in peace and avoid acts capable of breaching the peace.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state government declared Isese Day work free day in 2014.

The day is always fixed on Monday that precedes Friday of the grand finale of the annual UNESCO Osun-Osogbo Festival.

(NAN)

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The police in Ogun State have arrested a 32-year-old man, Olatunde Akapo, for allegedly beating his 42-year old neighbour to death with charm.

The police spokesperson in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that the suspect allegedly committed the offence in Alapako-Eke community in Ifo Local Government Area of the state.

He gave the name of the victim as Augustin Ode. He said the suspect was arrested following a report by the brother of the deceased to the Ibogun division police.

According to the police spokesperson, the brother narrated that the deceased and Mr. Akapo had a minor disagreement, which degenerated to a fight.

He said the suspect then rushed into his room to fetch a charm with which he allegedly beat Mr. Ode who immediately fell down and died.

Upon his report, the DPO Ibogun Division, SP Nicholas Tamuno- Inam, led detectives to the scene at Alapako Eke and the suspect was promptly arrested, the police spokesperson said.

He said the remains of the deceased had been deposited at Ifo General Hospital morgue for autopsy, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, had directed that the case be transferred to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and prosecution of the suspect.

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The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has cautioned the Federal Government over its categorisation of hate speeches as acts of terrorism, saying it is an attempt to gag the opposition.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had on Thursday said hate speech peddling would be treated as acts of terrorism.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the number one promoter and beneficiary of hate speeches in the country.

When the APC was looking for power, several provocative statements were made. Nigerians are yet to forget President Muhammadu Buharis the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood hate speeches and the threat by the APC to form a parallel government, he said.

Mr. Fayose, who said he was totally against hate speech and would support any effort to curb it, added that it was important to caution the Federal Government on the danger inherent in the blanket categorisation of hate speech as treasonable.

The governor counselled that rather than blanket criminalising hate speeches, the federal government should embark on the reorientation of Nigerians, especially the youth on the consequences of hate speeches to the unity of the country and restore the confidence of the people in the government.

I only hope Nigeria is not being systematically returned to the colonial days when the law of sedition was used to jail many of those who fought for our independence or the era of Buharis military regime when the notorious Public Officers (Protection Against False accusation) Decree 4 of 1984 was used to jail Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, both of The Guardian newspapers for publishing what the government termed as false.

Most importantly, going by the APC governments use of the so-called anti-corruption fight to harass, intimidate, arrest and detain opposition figures, there is no doubt that categorising whatever that is termed as hate speech as an act of terrorism is unconstitutional and an attempt to gag Nigerians, especially the press.

It should therefore not be seen that since the use of corruption to harass, arrest and detain opposition figures is no longer fashionable, hate speech will now be another instrument of oppression to be used against the opposition, the governor said.

He added that the federal government had no moral or constitutional authority to be the judge for the categorisation.

From all intent and purposes, the Acting President pronouncement which is obviously not backed by any legislation is an attempt to provide reasons for an impending clampdown on opposition and Nigerians will resist any attempt to mortgage their fundamental rights to freedom of expression under the guise of hate speeches.

It is also on record that during the 2011 election campaign, President Buharis inciting statement led to widespread violence by his supporters in the North after he lost. Over 1000 people were slaughtered in cold blood, including innocent National Youth Service Corp members.

Therefore, even if the APC government is sincere with its new found hatred for hate speeches, the APC government must first apologise to Nigerians for being the number one promoter and beneficiary of hate speech.

The governor has been a notable critic of the present Federal Government.

He recently made a volte-face recently when he supported the governments school feeding programme when he said it aligned with his stomach infrastructure initiative aimed at putting food on the table of his people.

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Jamal Aliah, director of Intelligence Matters, LLC., will present a hands-on lecture on the legal and cultural issues surrounding interactions between the Arab-American community and first responders on Sept. 11 at Oakland University.

The lecture will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Gold Rooms at the Oakland Center, 312 Meadow Brook Road, in Rochester.

Mr. Aliahs talk is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of effective cross-cultural training for all professionals that work directly with the Arab-American community, said Adolfo Campoy-Cubillo, Ph.D., an associate professor of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Oakland University.

A retired and decorated 20-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency, Aliah is considered an expert on Middle East affairs and counterterrorism. He was awarded the CIAs Career Commendation Medal, the Career Service Medal, the Intelligence Medal of Merit, the Award for Innovative Operations, and 12 exceptional performance awards.

In addition, Aliah is a CIA-certified instructor and has trained more than 3,000 federal law enforcement officers on homeland security issues and intelligence.

Mr. Aliahs presentation promotes understanding of Arabic culture and Islam as it informs the daily lives of citizens and non-citizens, civilians and law enforcement professionals, Campoy-Cubillo said.

From understanding the structure and relations with extended Arab American families to mediating issues concerning religious identity and freedom of speech, this lecture helps students and the community to understand the role of law enforcement in facilitating harmonious intercultural coexistence.

According to Lori Posey, development associate for Oakland Universitys College of Arts and Sciences, the lecture is made possible through the Hajja Razia Sharif Sheikh Endowment for Islamic Understanding Programs, which supports programs that educate students and the community about Islam and promotes understanding of Islam through educational means.

This endowment was established in honor of the late Hajja Razia Sharif Sheikh, a native of Lahore, Pakistan, who  although schooled traditionally at home  held a strong belief in formal education and encouraged her eight children to pursue college studies; three of whom became practicing physicians, she said.

Admission to the lecture is free and the event is open to the public.
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Atlantic County

FOUR WEEK WATERCOLOR SERIES: 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 17, 24; learn basic watercolor techniques; taught by Stephanie Segal Miller; The Noyes Arts Garage Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic City, $100. 609-626-3805 or StephanieSegal.com.

FLOWER POWER EXHIBIT: exhibited through Aug. 18; features photography, paintings, jewelry, writings, and more celebrating the 1960s; Nashville North Studios, 210 New Road, Suite 8, Linwood Greene, Linwood. 609-504-5044 or NashvilleNorthStudios.com.

A TRIBUTE TO THE TRIBUTARIES: exhibited through Sept. 2; Great Bay Gallerys 2018 Summer Project A Tribute to the Tributaries; works depicting streams, runs and creeks of the Great Egg Harbor River watershed; Great Bay Gallery, 829 Bay Ave., Somers Point. 609-653-4991 or GreatBayArtGallery.com.

BRIGANTINE ART WALK: 5 to 8 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 2; artists and their works will be available to browse; portion of proceeds benefit local charities; Haneman Park, South 15th Street and Revere Boulevard, Brigantine. 610-304-6482 or BrigantineArtWalk.com.

JACOB LAWRENCE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION: exhibited through September; presented by the Atlantic City Arts Commission; commemorates the 100th birthday of the famed Atlantic City-born artist; features 14 pieces of Lawrences art; 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 7, reception; Public Library, 1 N. Tennessee Ave., Atlantic City. ACFPL.org.

NATURAL ART EXHIBIT: 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 8, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 9; experience art inspired by nature; outdoors event with local artists, poetry, yoga, art sessions; hosted by the EHT Environmental Commission; The Arboretum at the Egg Harbor Township Nature Reserve, 18 Schoolhouse Road, Egg Harbor Township, free admission. EHTEnvironment.org.

Cape May County

IN CELEBRATION OF SEA GLASS: 3 to 5 p.m. Aug. 19; meet the artists that make the stores sea glass jewelry; local artist, Janet Payne of Janet Payne Jewelry and Meg and Jon Carter of Made by Meg; sea glass author Cindy Bilbao; light refreshments; Splash Gallery, 513 Carpenters Lane, Cape May, free. 609-846-7100.

A FISH OUT OF WATER: exhibited through August; works by fabricator Karen Yates; Cape May Artists Cooperative Gallery, 122 Sunset Blvd., West Cape May. 609-408-5820 or CapeMayArtistCoop.com.

PLEIN AIR PAINTING CLASSES: 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through August; join artist Michael Terenik for a relaxed session painting on location; Cape May Artists Cooperative Gallery, 122 Sunset Blvd., West Cape May, $35. 6CapeMayArtistCoop.com.

REFLECTIONS OF CAPE MAY: exhibited through Aug. 30; collection of new works by award winning photographers Tina Giaimo and Don Merwin; Chalfonte Hotel, 301 Howard St., Cape May. 609-884-5144.

SUMMERTIME SHOW: exhibited through August; Ocean City Fine Arts League, 608 Asbury Ave., Ocean City. OceanCityFineArtsLeague.org.

THROUGH OUR IMAGERY EXHIBIT: exhibited through Aug. 31; features seascapes, boardwalk images and photographs of Ocean City landmarks by LoraLea Kirby and son Zachary Kirby; Ocean City Arts Center, 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City, free. OceanCityArtsCenter.org.

VICTOR GRASSO AND GREG BENNETT: both artists exhibited through Sept. 4; exhibit Ten features new paintings by Victor Grasso; A Life By The Sea features new paintings by artist Greg Bennett; SOMA NewArt Gallery, 31 Perry St., Cape May. SomaGallery.net.

ART PARTY CLASSES: two-hour paint lessons, led by teacher Juliana Jost, create your own artistic reproduction; 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays adult classes, $35; 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays Mommy & Me and Daddy & Me classes for kids, $40; 106 S. Decatur St., Cape May. 609-364-5304.

Cumberland County

THIRD FRIDAY ART OPENING: 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 18; North Gallery: Albert Horner, Pinelands Photographer; Witt Gallery: Self Portraits: Open Call for Art; Associate Artists Alcove: The Paintings of Members Albert Hopkins and Michael Terenik; Atrium: Heather Warburton-Photographer; Riverfront Renaissance Center For The Arts, 22 N. High St., Millville. 856-327-4500 or RRCArts.com.

JEWELRY DESIGN + FABRICATION: 2 to 3 p.m. Aug. 19; for ages 8 and older; learn to design and fabricate custom jewelry; Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center Inc, 1501 Glasstown Road, Millville, $15. 856-825-6800 or WheatonArts.org.

BIG HICKORY STUDIO ARTISTS RECEPTION: exhibited through August; features works by 11 local artists who are students at Big Hickory Studio; includes original paintings created in acrylics, watercolor and oil; Public Library, 1058 E. Landis Ave., Vineland. VinelandLibrary.org.

Ocean County

GETTING DIRTY IN THE CERAMICS STUDIO: 7 to 9 p.m. first Friday of each month, BYOB, instructor Kerith Creo walks participants through a few introductory projects, LBI Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, 120 Long Beach Blvd., Loveladies, $45. 609-494-1241.

View complete listings at AtTheShoreOnline.com

Items for Artsy Attractions should be placed in our calendar at PressOfAC.com/calendar. Items for consideration of a story can be emailed to pdollak@press ofac.com.
As an undergraduate nursing student at UW-Madison, Maichou Lor tried three ways of getting information about cancer screening from Hmong adults: using written surveys with true-false or check-box answers, and reading questions out loud.

It didnt matter which format we created. We had blanks coming back to us, Lor said.

Later, as a graduate student in nursing at the university, she came up with a solution. She developed a survey tool that combines written text in English, prerecorded oral translations in Hmong and color-coded responses, so older Hmong people who cant read even in their native language can participate.

The project helped Lor, of Madison, get a Ph.D. in nursing from UW-Madison in May.

She is believed to be the first Hmong-American nurse to get a Ph.D. in nursing, according to Seng Alex Vang, of the University of California-Merced, who tracks doctoral degrees in the Hmong community. Another Hmong-American with a background in social work and education, who isnt a registered nurse, also got a Ph.D. in nursing this year, and a third Hmong-American got a different kind of doctorate for nurse practitioners, Vang said.

Yeng Her, also of Madison, is believed to be the first Hmong-American to get an M.D.-Ph.D., after receiving the degrees this year at Mayo Clinic, as the Wisconsin State Journal reported in June.

Lor, 29, said she hopes her doctorate in nursing will help her close gaps in access to health care among Hmong-Americans and give them a better understanding of their health.

Nurses play a critical role in helping patients understand their health information, and being an advocate for them, she said.

She will begin a two-year fellowship this month in informatics and data visualization at Columbia University in New York. Afterward, she hopes to get a faculty position at UW-Madison or another research university in the Midwest.

Barbara Bowers, associate dean for research at UW-Madisons School of Nursing and Lors adviser, said relatively few Hmong people engage in preventive health care, and data about their health status often gets lumped in with other Asian-American groups.

The Hmong end up being invisible, Bowers said. Lor is really on a mission to do something about that. ... She was just gung-ho from day one.

Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Lor moved to Madison with her family in 1994, at age 6. The second oldest of five children, she started first grade, at Midvale Elementary School, without knowing how to read or write in English or Hmong.

It was pretty scary coming to a new country, a new culture, learning to navigate everything, as simple as getting groceries, going to school, she said.

She also attended Lowell Elementary School and OKeeffe Middle School before graduating from East High School in 2006.

After picking up English, Lor helped her parents and others navigate medical appointments. She saw many gaps in communication, which prompted her to pursue nursing, she said.

Im a very trusted person in the community, she said. If I become a nurse, I can be a bridge.
Harrahs Resorts culinary transformation that included opening six new concepts in six months concluded Memorial Day weekend with the debut of two quick-serve concepts in its food court.

But like anything Vice President of Food and Beverage Lee Sanchez, Executive Chef Rob Schoell and their culinary team get their hands on, they made sure both concepts were treated with the same attention to detail and passion as the full-service restaurants received for their openings.

Yes, they are quick-serve concepts, but these are goodies. The one getting the most attention, obviously, is Guys Sammich Joint, the latest creation from Food Network superstar Guy Fieri, who already offers two dining options at Harrahs sister property across town, Ballys Atlantic City. The other is Pin-Up Pizza, which borrows a brand name from another Harrahs sister property  Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, though the name is basically the only thing they share.

It was kind of crazy that Guy never had a sandwich joint before because when you look at Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, its all about crazy sandwiches and burgers and salt-of-the-earth roadside food, Sanchez says. So I think its cool for him to start this concept with us right here in Atlantic City.

Sanchez says the Sammich Joint fills a need Harrahs customers were looking for.

The market called for a casual food prepared from scratch that was authentic and original, Sanchez says. So why not have the most well-known celebrity chef bring the most familiar style of food for people to experience? He made it approachable yet true to his style.

For Pin-Up, Sanchez and his team wanted to use the established brand from Vegas but offer diners pizza with more of an East Coast flair.

People are loving both concepts, Sanchez says. With Pin-Up, the majority of people are getting slices, so its about freshness and quality, and its getting great reviews. But, as we knew, the star of the show is Guy Fieri. We knew Guy would be a hit with his strong brand, but you don t really know until customers come up and order and understand what you are doing and tell you they like it. And they do. Guy and his team did an awesome job balancing things from the classics  cheesesteaks and the Italian  to really cool twists on some sandwiches like the Crazy Cuban, the Albacore Tuna Melt and the Guid-father, which is just this monstrous creation.

When you go to either place, youre going to make some tough choices. The options arent just plentiful, they all sound equally delicious. So here are our picks  with the help of Mr. Sanchez  for what you should definitely devour at Guys Sammich Joint and Pin-Up Pizza.

Guys Sammich Joint

Bad Boy Beef ($12.95)

A hoagie roll from Sarcones  the famous Philadelphia bakery that makes all of the hoagie rolls for the Sammich Joint  is stuffed with quality roast beef, spicy mustard, pepper Jack cheese, sprouts, BBQ potato chips and Sammich Joint Spread, a secret blend made with herbs, spices and pickled veggies that could become as popular as Fieris Donkey Sauce.

You accentuate the flavors that make sense: a little bit of spice from the mustard, a little vinegar and tartness from the spread; the big beef flavor; the sweet and smoke and crunch from the potato chips. And it all comes together with the sprouts and the perfect roll, Sanchez says.

The OG Italian ($13.95)

Fieri pays homage to the great Italian subs of our region by basically letting the classic be a classic: ham, salami, soppressata, capocollo, provolone cheese, oil and vinegar. The only twists are the Sammich Joint Spread and the pepperoncini, semi-hot chili peppers.

When we were looking at the Italian, we decided to stay true the holy grail of sandwiches from South Jersey, Philly and New York, Sanchez says. We didnt want to experiment too much. But my favorite part are the pepperoncini. They add a unique flavor and make it stand out.

Big Bite Burger Straight Up ($8.95)

Fieri is known for his burgers, and loyalists will not be disappointed by this blend of chuck, brisket and short rib with a 20 percent fat content that is the first smashed burger Fieri is using, meaning fresh meat is balled and then smashed on a flattop, cooked hard on one side, flipped and then quickly put on a Formica Bros. brioche roll.

Its simple perfection, Sanchez says. I dont think you need a million ingredients to make a great burger. If you want, upgrade to include cheddar cheese and bacon. Its all you need.

Breakfast

You can also grab breakfast at the Sammich Joint from 9 to 11:30 a.m. daily. The standout is the pork roll, egg and cheese ($8.95) on the Formica brioche, but Sanchez recommends the peppers and egg hoagie ($12.95) with scrambled eggs, peppers, onions, super melty cheese, provolone and sausage on a toasted Sarcones hoagie roll. He has us convinced its the right move.

Pin-Up Pizza

The Process

Nailing the perfect process for a great pizza was a challenge that took months to perfect. In the end, Harrahs decided to use pricey Roto-Flex ovens  just like Manco & Manco  and settled on a dough made with fortified, fine-grind flour imported from Italy, mixed with high-gluten flour to give it just the right amount of doughiness.

Theres a crispiness from the fine grind. We make the sauce fresh every day and use amazing quality ingredients, Sanchez says. The key was getting the ovens to work right with the dough. We hired specialists and consultants to fine tune the dough and make the pizza taste exactly how we wanted it to in those ovens. It took time to understand it. But we nailed it.

White Pizza ($20.95)

Sanchez says the key to Pin-Ups white pizza is quality mozzarella, amazing ricotta cheese and top-notch extra virgin olive oil. But if you dont want a straight-up white, get it with broccoli rabe thats firm, fresh and offers great flavor, as well as fennel sausage from Fiorellas Sausage in South Philly.

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Pizza ($23.95)

I think a lot of places have great buffalo chicken pizza, and it really comes down to the sauce, Sanchez says. We hit it out of the park with ours. Its a classic buffalo sauce with just the right amount of heat and sweetness. It just bonds with the crust. And we use breaded chicken cutlets cut into pieces to add another layer of crispness. Its pretty awesome.

Meatball Hoagie ($15)

One of Sanchezs favorite hoagies on the planet, this beauty features that Sarcones Italian hoagie roll stuffed with homemade meatballs, a concoction of veal, pork and beef that is made every day at Harrahs. The meatballs cook in gravy until they are nice and soft, placed on the roll and then baked briefly to melt the provolone and parmesan cheeses. Nice!
CAMDEN  A former Atlantic City firefighter pleaded guilty Friday to health care fraud in connection with a large-scale prescription-drug fraud ring.

It was the fifth guilty plea in the past two days and the first to involve a public employee. Federal authorities have been investigating health-benefits fraud in three Absecon Island municipalities, including Atlantic City, over the past few months.

Michael Pepper, 45, of Northfield, a retired firefighter, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health-benefits fraud before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler.

Pepper was one of three people to enter a guilty plea Friday, admitting to health care fraud. The three mens plea agreements described a massive prescription-fraud scheme that involved recruiting public employees  teachers, firefighters, municipal police officers and state troopers  to obtain prescriptions for patients whom doctors never treated.

The prescriptions included compounded pain creams, scar creams, antifungal creams, libido creams and certain vitamin combinations.

In exchange, the doctors would receive kickbacks from an out-of-state compounding pharmacy and pay co-conspirators.

Drug compounding is a process where a pharmacist mixes ingredients into a custom drug. While legal, the resulting drugs are expensive, and, as recent federal prosecutions have shown here and elsewhere, a target for fraud.

As Kugler went through the terms of the plea agreement and charges, Pepper stood at the podium answering each question yes sir.

Steven Robert Urban-ski, 37, a pharmacological broker from Marlton, and Thomas J. Hodnett, 41, a pharmaceutical sales representative from Voorhees, also entered guilty pleas Friday. The trio served as recruiters in the conspiracy, according to court documents.

As part of the plea agreement, Pepper will forfeit $113,627 and pay restitution of $719,481.

Mr. Pepper has acknowledged his mistake and accepted full responsibility for his actions. He has started the process of remediation by pleading guilty, by agreeing to forfeiture, by promising to pay restitution and by taking other positive action, Joe Levin, Peppers attorney, said in a statement. Everyone makes mistakes, and this mistake should not define Mr. Pepper, who has otherwise been an exemplary person who has served our country, state and community with honor and distinction.

According to state records, Pepper was a 10-year veteran of the Atlantic City Fire Department before resigning last month with a salary of $101,741.

Atlantic City Fire Chief Scott Evans described Pepper as a good employee, but he declined comment about the case.

While he was employed here, we had no problems, Evans said.

Two months ago, federal subpoenas were issued to Atlantic City, Ventnor and Margate seeking information about potential fraud targeting public-employee prescription benefits. A separate investigation led by Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner also is focusing on public-employee prescription fraud, including compounded medications.

Pepper, Hodnett and Urbanski all have sentencing scheduled for Dec. 5 and could face as many as 10 years in prison.

As part of the plea agreement, Urbanski will forfeit more than $113,668 and pay restitution of $752,291.

Hodnett agreed to forfeit more than $269,966 and pay restitution of $1.5 million.

Urbanski is represented by attorney Richard Sparaco, based in Cherry Hill. Hodnett is represented by attorney James J. Leonard Jr., based in Atlantic City.

On Thursday, Matthew Tedesco, a 42-year-old pharmaceutical representative from Linwood, pleaded guilty to health care fraud charges before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler for leading a conspiracy that netted him $11 million in profit in little more than a year.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, Tedesco and Robert Bessey, 43, of Philadelphia, also described recruiting public employees  to obtain prescriptions for patients whom doctors never treated.

In exchange, the doctors would receive kickbacks from an out-of-state compounding pharmacy. Tedesco also recruited patients to request expensive, unneeded drugs without having seen a doctor, according to his plea.

Using preprinted prescription forms, the two men targeted medications with the highest possible reimbursement, and often sought 12 months of refills without regard for the medical necessity, according to the criminal information.

Both men are scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4 and could face as many as 10 years in prison.
CAPE MAY  A jury trial to determine the job status of former Cape May police Chief Robert Sheehan was to start this week, but was postponed for more settlement talks, his attorney said.

Christopher Gray, Sheehans attorney in his case to be reinstated as chief of the citys Police Department, said the talks are continuing and if necessary, the trial will be scheduled later.

Sheehan, who has been with the department since 1990, was named police chief in March 2014. One year later, however, he was demoted to captain after a city inquiry determined Lt. Clarence Chuck Lear took compensatory time against department policy under Sheehans watch.

Former Cape May police officer pleads guilty to theft A retired Cape May police officer and former president of the local police union pleaded gui

The Cape May County Prosecutors Office, however, said there was no evidence Lear or Sheehan did anything wrong.

Lear retired from the Police Department after 37 years and is now the citys mayor.

Sheehan sued the city in March 2015 to get his job back under the states whistleblower act, claiming he was retaliated against after he criticized the way the city handled the internal investigation.

Although Sheehan was cleared of any wrongdoing, City Council did not reinstate him as chief. It instead promoted Anthony Marino, a 26-year veteran of the department, to chief.

Sheehan remains with the department as captain, and a recent court ruling could work to his advantage in negotiations.

Last week, John Campbell, a former union president and retired officer, pleaded guilty to embezzling about $105,000 from the New Jersey Policemans Benevolent Association Local 59 in Cape May between 2012 and 2016.

Campbell was the person who accused Sheehan of wrongdoing during the internal investigation.

Investigators found Campbell made more than $70,000 in unauthorized personal expenditures through an American Express account alone, including more than $30,000 for timeshares in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean, and more than $5,000 for clothing and jewelry, the state Attorney Generals office said.

In pleading guilty, he admitted that he stole tens of thousands of dollars ... while serving as the state delegate for the union, by using the unions checking account and a business American Express card to make unauthorized personal purchases, expenditures and withdrawals that were unrelated to union business, Attorney General Christopher Porrino said in a statement.

Under a plea agreement, the state will recommend Campbell be sentenced to 364 days in county jail as a condition of a term of probation.

Campbell must pay $105,000 in restitution to the union and faces a potential criminal fine of as much as $15,000. He will be sentenced in November.
One Confederate monument is gone and another is slated to be taken down at Forest Hill Cemetery after Madison Mayor Paul Soglin ordered their removal.

Soglin said in a statement Thursday that he directed city staff to remove a plaque and a larger stone monument at the Confederate Rest section of the public cemetery, saying, There should be no place in our country for bigotry, hatred or violence against those who seek to unite our communities and our country.

The decision aligns with similar ones throughout the United States to remove statues and monuments dedicated to the Confederacy after a violent protest Saturday involving neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, left one person dead and several others injured.

Soglin said the violence in Charlottesville prompted us to revisit the matter and to make this decision.

A memorial plaque at the Confederate Rest section of the Near West Side cemetery was removed Wednesday afternoon.

It described the 140 people buried there as valiant Confederate soldiers and unsung heroes. The privately funded plaque, which rested on a granite structure, said the soldiers were buried in the Union state after surrendering in a battle and dying at Camp Randall as prisoners of war.

Taking down monuments will not erase our shared history. The Confederacys legacy will be with us, whether we memorialize it in marble or not, Soglin said. We are acknowledging there is a difference between remembrance of history and reverence of it.

A larger stone monument naming the deceased still stands, but is planned to be taken down.

Eric Knepp, who heads the Parks Division, which operates and maintains Forest Hill Cemetery, said city officials are working on the logistics of removing the second monument. Itll involve heavy machinery, such as a crane, Knepp said.

Soglin said an appropriate monument or plaque with the names of the deceased would be installed, but added that it wont give reverence for the Confederate insurrection and treason against the United States.

William Huggins, who financed the plaque with his wife, Evelyn, wrote an essay in the Wisconsin State Journal in 1981 that says the larger monument was erected in 1930 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Huggins wrote in the essay, published just before the plaque was revealed, that the spirit of the men beneath (the headstones) still remains upright and undaunted, and continued by saying the memorial was meant to inform visitors about why the Confederate Rest exists.

Stephen Kantrowitz, a history professor at UW-Madison who specializes in the Civil War era, said he believes a replacement marker is appropriate to explain the historical context of the Confederate soldiers burials. But he takes issue with how the plaque celebrates their actions as heroic.

Its a story worth telling, but its not a history worth celebrating, Kantrowitz said.

But the mayor brushed aside any idea of replacing the plaque. He said the complexities of the Civil War and how people came to join the Confederate Army may have factored into why the soldiers ultimately died in Wisconsin.

I dont know how, without a good five chapters, how we could tell that story, Soglin said. Thats the problem when people try to simplify history down to a couple paragraphs.

On the same day Soglin announced the monuments removals, President Donald Trump tweeted: Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.

Earlier this week, Baltimores mayor sped up plans to take down four Confederate monuments throughout the city. A decision to take down a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee prompted the rally in Charlottesville.

A 32-year-old woman died after authorities say a 20-year-old man drove a car into counter-protesters marching against white supremacist, white nationalists, fascists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville. Two Virginia State Police officers also died after their helicopter crashed while monitoring the protest.

Kantrowitz said he has seen a sea change of public attitudes and perceptions toward Confederate monuments and statues after Dylann Roof, who expressed white supremacist beliefs, murdered nine people at a historically black church in South Carolina in 2015.

Charlottesville and the sustained attention to it, both to the deaths there and the way the president has responded to it, has clarified for a lot of people that we have some sort of civic housekeeping to do, Kantrowitz said. Monuments that were celebrated or tolerated have moved into the realm of unworthy and even intolerable.

Knepp, the parks superintendent, said the Parks Division has received complaints this week about the Confederate monuments following the violence in Charlottesville.

For years, people were allowed to display Confederate flags in that section of Forest Hill Cemetery.

The Confederacys Stars and Bars would hang on a flag pole at the burial site only on Memorial Day, but the pole was removed last September.

Volunteers had also placed small Confederate battle flags at each headstone for the holiday. A change to cemetery rules in May, however, only allows the flags of the United States, Wisconsin, Madison, branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and United Nations members to be displayed.
While President Trump ratchets up a verbal war with North Korea, he cant seem to decide what to do about the real war in Afghanistan.

The U.S. effort to stabilize that country has dragged on for 16 years, since the 2001 defeat of the Taliban, who had harbored al-Qaida. Yet the Taliban are making a comeback and now control about 40 percent of the country.

Seven months into his term, Trump has yet to approve a new U.S. strategy for Afghanistan. He has refused, so far, to approve his generals request for a small increase to the 8,400 troops in country  to train and assist Afghan forces.

Some of the presidents advisers have urged him to pull U.S. troops out altogether, and he once said hed like to wash his hands of the Afghan conflict. That may be tempting but would likely lead to a Taliban takeover and a return of al-Qaida  as well as a new base for ISIS  a huge defeat on Trumps score sheet.

Yet theres no sign whether Trump will do the one thing that hasnt been tried, which Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama both failed to do, and which might open a path to resolving the conflict: Put a real squeeze on the country that keeps the Taliban war boiling, even as it pretends to be a U.S. ally. Im referring to Afghanistans duplicitous neighbor, Pakistan.

The problem of Afghanistan is inextricably linked to Pakistan, says Husain Haqqani, former Pakistani ambassador to Washington. The Taliban would not be where they are if they did not have a safe haven in Pakistan.

The two problems have to be solved together.

Heres what Haqqani means: For decades, U.S. leaders have chafed at the double game played by Pakistani generals and the ISI intelligence agency. The Pakistanis have trained and sheltered the Taliban Islamists to exert control over the future of Afghanistan, which they view through the lens of their endless struggle with India. Elected Afghan leaders, they believe, will be friendlier with Delhi.

In my many trips to Afghanistan, national and provincial leaders complained bitterly that, without Pakistani weapons, training, and shelter for the Taliban, Afghan tribes and local leaders could have resolved their problems, through mediation and bargains.

Instead, the Pakistani ISI and military kept the Afghan pot boiling. They played a frustrating game of good Taliban, bad Taliban  helping Afghan Talibs who were killing Americans but fighting murderous Pakistani Taliban at home.

The Pakistani military continually denied the Afghan Talibans top leaders and their families were based in Pakistan  a blatant falsehood. Pakistan sheltered Osama bin Laden for years, right beside a military cantonment. Just this month, the Lashkar-e-Taiba organization  headed by Hafiz Saeed, a U.N.-named terrorist suspected of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai  registered as a political party under a new name.

Why has the United States put up with such duplicity? In past decades, State Department and Pentagon officials insisted they needed Pakistan as an ally to fight terrorists on both sides of the Pakistani border  and to force the Taliban to negotiate. But, Haqqani says, every time Taliban leaders (in Pakistan) reached out to U.S. officials, they were arrested or prevented from showing up.

But times have changed. With only a small troop presence in Afghanistan, Washington is no longer as dependent on using Pakistan as backup. And Washington officials have recognized, as Haqqani puts it, Pakistani behavior wont change.So it is time to consider a new U.S. approach to Pakistan, which is the title of a Hudson Institute monograph by Haqqani and Lisa Curtis (now senior director for South and Central Asia on the National Security Council).

Among its key recommendations: Stop portraying Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally (while keeping the door open if the country stopped supporting terrorist groups). Also, curb U.S. military aid and reimbursements unless Pakistan meets counterterrorism conditions  a step the Pentagon is now taking. And keep open the option of targeting Taliban leaders in Pakistan with drones.

Two more key points: Make clear to Pakistan if it doesnt show substantial progress toward ending support to the Haqqani terrorist network and the Afghan Taliban  including an end to weapons shipments and deportation of its leaders , Pakistan may be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism. This would have negative repercussions on a problematic Pakistani economy.

The point is not to break relations with Pakistan but to demonstrate that its duplicity will no longer be rewarded.

The goal of any new strategy would be encouraging reconciliation talks between Taliban factions and Kabul, without expecting help from the Pakistanis. But Pakistan should pay a price if it continues to obstruct such talks.

With a saner policy toward Pakistan, it makes sense to increase the U.S. presence in Afghanistan by 4,000 U.S. trainers and enablers. The Pentagon has learned valuable lessons while fighting ISIS in Iraq as to how to best use such troops on the ground.

But any new U.S. forces should be added without a deadline. As Haqqani warns, You have to show Pakistan, everyone, you are not doing an Obama. He means Trump should not set a deadline at the same time he sends troops, so the Taliban know they just have to wait the Americans out.

And for gods sake, ignore the advice of Erik Prince, the former head of Blackwater, the private security firm that ran wild and unfettered in Iraq, killing civilians and embittering Iraqis. No surprise, Prince is urging the president to send private contractors to replace U.S. troops as trainers. Down that road lie shame and disaster.

Trumps national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, recognizes the need for a new Pakistan strategy, to back up a troop increase. So does Defense Secretary James Mattis, and the concept has support in Congress. Afghanistans fate rests on whether they can persuade Trump to do the right thing.
HANOVER, Md., Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aerotek, a leading provider of recruiting and staffing services, was recently named as the largest supplier of clinical/scientific, engineering and office/clerical staffing in the U.S. by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA). Aerotek was also named the third and fifth largest supplier for accounting/finance and industrial staffing, respectively.

"As a Best of Staffing leader, our growth and success as a company is driven by our commitment to serving our clients, contractors and internal employees," said Aerotek President Todd Mohr. "We take pride in our position as the largest staffing provider across several key disciplines, but even more so in our constant pursuit to fulfill that commitment."

The following are highlights of additional market share data released by SIA:

Seventeen firms are included on the 2017 list of largest U.S. clinical/scientific staffing firms. As the largest supplier, Aerotek accounts for 23 percent market share.

Twenty-three firms make up the 2017 list of largest U.S. engineering staffing firms. As the largest supplier, Aerotek accounts for 18 percent market share.

Fourteen firms are listed on the 2017 list of largest U.S. office/clerical staffing firms. As the largest supplier, Aerotek accounts for seven percent market share.

Eleven firms form the 2017 list of largest U.S. finance/accounting staffing firms. Ranked third, Aerotek accounts for five percent of the total market.

Thirty-five firms comprise the 2017 list of largest U.S. industrial staffing firms. Ranked fifth, Aerotek accounts for five percent of the total market.

SIA's annual lists are based on 2016 revenue numbers. Numbers were submitted via an online survey in February and March of 2017. Aerotek currently operates more than 250 non-franchised offices throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information about Aerotek, visit Aerotek.com.

About Aerotek

Our people are everything. For more than 30 years, Aerotek Inc. has distinguished itself as a leader in recruiting and staffing services by having a deep understanding of the intersection of talent and business. As a strategic partner to more than 18,000 clients and 300,000 contract employees every year, Aerotek's people-focused approach yields competitive advantage for its clients and rewarding careers for its contract employees. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a network of over 250 non-franchised offices with more than 6,000 internal employees dedicated to serving our customers. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, a global leader in talent solutions. To learn more, visit Aerotek.com.

About Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA)

Founded in 1989, SIA is the global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions. Our proprietary research covers all categories of employed and non-employed work, including temporary staffing, independent contracting and other types of contingent labor. SIA's independent and objective analysis provides insights into the services and suppliers operating in the workforce solutions ecosystem, including staffing firms, managed service providers, recruitment process outsourcers, payrolling/compliance firms and talent acquisition technology specialists such as vendor management systems, online staffing platforms, crowdsourcing and online work services. We also provide training and accreditation with our unique Certified Contingent Workforce Professional (CCWP) program.

Known for our award-winning content, data, support tools, publications, executive conferences and events, we help both suppliers and buyers of workforce solutions make better-informed decisions that improve business results and minimize risk. As a division of the international business media company, Crain Communications Inc., SIA is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices in London, England.

SOURCE Aerotek

Related Links

http://www.aerotek.com


Water Wise Grass, an artificial grass installation company based out of San Diego, recently converted 1,200 square feet of Synthetic Grass Warehouse's TigerTurf Diamond Pro Spring for a local homeowner. Diamond Pro Spring is designed for moderate to heavy traffic, and features TigerCool technology, allowing for a decreased surface temperature of 10 degrees Fahrenheit on sunny days.

"This client reviewed six other turf companies before choosing us," said Mike Palmer, owner of Water Wise Grass. "They were the most detail oriented clients we've worked with, and had a lot of specifics that they wanted to include in their installation. I knew we could deliver on their expectations." Palmer worked alongside the client to pick the perfect turf product for their needs.

The client was happy with the involvement of Palmer on their project, and mentioned it in their Yelp review of Water Wise Grass. "[Palmer] pointed out several differing products, his pet application processes, and allowed us the details to study up on them. I asked questions and tried to really understand what we were getting in terms of turf product array and pet installation," they said. "We have about 1200 square feet of grass in our backyard area that had to go. No more water. No more rabbits. No more gophers. No more fleas. Just lush green."

Many homeowners have already made the switch to artificial grass, and even more are doing it now. "When I first started in this business, I would drive around and see maybe one in a hundred homes with turf. Nowadays, I drive around and it's more like one in twenty, sometimes more." Palmer says. "If you truly want that perfectly green lawn, you have to switch to artificial grass. You can't maintain a natural lawn without brown spots, issues with wildlife, and a full staff of landscapers. Artificial grass is the new normal here in San Diego, and I don't see that changing anytime soon."

Water Wise Grass was founded in 2014 and is growing steadily. They pride themselves on being a very consultative company, educating consumers about the benefits of turf products. "The selling point for our customers is usually just the knowledge and experience we bring to the table," Palmer told us. "Homeowners don't always know what to look for. They might just like the color or how soft it is, but we make certain we provide them with the best product for their needs that will keep them enjoying their lawn for years to come. I treat every client like they're family."

Water Wise Grass is the August 2017 "Install of the Month" winner by Synthetic Grass Warehouse.

About Water Wise Grass:

Water Wise Grass, owned by Mike Palmer, provides high quality artificial grass installations throughout the San Diego area. The company was formed in 2014, and offers turf installations and top quality customer service. You can learn more about Water Wise Grass by visiting their website at http://www.waterwisegrass.com/

About Synthetic Grass Warehouse, Inc.:

Synthetic Grass Warehouse is the exclusive national distributor for TigerTurf and Everlast brands of synthetic grass products. Founded in 2004, Synthetic Grass Warehouse specializes in turf products designed for landscaping, pets, putting greens, and playgrounds. SGW provides same-day shipping on all turf orders. https://www.syntheticgrasswarehouse.com

SOURCE Synthetic Grass Warehouse, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.syntheticgrasswarehouse.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 4,500 association professionals and industry partners gathered in Toronto, August 1215, for the 2017 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition. Participants listened to keynotes by Nilofer Merchant and Chef Jeff Henderson, participated in more than 120 education sessions, five game changers, and a packed expo hall with close to 400 companies.

The final attendance breakdown: 2,484 executives, 1,758 exhibitors, 343 others, including guests, spouses, press, vendors, and staff, for a grand total of 4,585. A total of 395 companies representing 676 booths exhibited in the expo hall, which resulted in a strong ratio of 59 percent buyers (association staff) to 41 percent sellers (industry partners).

"Both keynotes were outstanding and our members were inspired by their insight and stories. Nilofer Merchant stressed the importance that stressed the importance of understanding and embracing the fact that everyone can have new ideas and contribute to innovation, progress and economic growth. Chef Jeff Henderson cooked live on stage and shared his perspectives on the importance of leadership, values, and understanding that the most important moments in life is where inspiration happens," said ASAE President & CEO John H. Graham IV, FASAE, CAE.

Merchant kicked off the meeting as the opening keynote. She discussed the importance of embracing "onlyness" as a key approach to making ideas powerful enough to dent the world. Challenging participants to reject behaviors that spotlight otherness, she observed that associations are in a unique position to bring "onlys" together through belonging. She asked people to think about what's unique and inspires them and embrace it to form meaningful relationships with others around that same identity. Creative ideas will spread through networks, collaboration, and co-creation instead of hierarchies.

For the closing keynote, Chef Jeff Henderson did a cooking demonstration on stage while sharing his personal journey of redemptionfrom imprisoned drug dealer to executive chef at several top restaurants to award-winning television personality. His said you need to focus on building relationships because it leads to opportunities. He encouraged attendees to enhance their cultural intelligence in order to better attract and develop employees from different backgrounds and illustrated the business case for diversity on teams.

ASAE presented five game changers: Major Mary Jennings "MJ" Hegar, Purple Heart-decorated Air National Guard combat pilot and Texas Congressional candidate; Daniel Lerner, Psychology Professor at New York University and author of U Thrive; Luvvie Ajayi, celebrity blogger at AwesomelyLuvvie.com and executive director of The Red Pump Project; Nyle Dimarco, Deaf Activist and winner of America's Next Top Model and Dancing with the Stars; and Chris Bailey, author of The Productivity Project.

ASAE raised $27,231 for two charities: the Royal Canadian Legion and the Toronto Humane Society.

Next year's ASAE Annual Meeting will be in Chicago, August 1821, at the McCormick Place West Building.

ASAE thanks the following Alliance Partners for their continued support of the association community:



Strategic Partners

Atlanta CVB

Business Events Canada

Choose Chicago

Experience Columbus

Community Brands

Reno Tahoe USA

Visit San Jose

Corporate Partners

Visit Baltimore

DelCor Technology Solutions

Visit Dallas

Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB

Fort Worth CVB

GEICO

Louisville CVB

Mexico Tourism Board

Naylor Association Solutions

Visit Omaha

Visit Orlando

Visit Salt Lake

Event Partners

Advanced Solutions International

BrightKey

The Broadmoor

CliftonLarsonAllen

Dubai Association Centre

Hong Kong Tourism Board

Johnson Lambert LLP and Vault Consulting

Korea Tourism Organization

Manifest

MemberClicks

Meet In Minnesota

New Orleans CVB and New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

About ASAE and the ASAE Foundation

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 39,000 association executives and industry partners representing 7,400 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With support of the ASAE Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. For more information about ASAE, visit www.asaecenter.org.

SOURCE ASAE

Related Links

https://www.asaecenter.org


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas district is the most recent popular European destination to be targeted by terrorists, after a van drove through the crowded tourist area on Thursday, August 17, 2017.

Spain is one of the most popular travel destinations for U.S. residents, according to travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth. Travelers with trips planned to Barcelona in the next 30 days may be refunded all of their prepaid and non-refundable trip costs, as long as they bought their travel insurance policy before the attack occurred.

Interest in terrorism coverage has roughly doubled over the past year, according to Squaremouth sales data. Most travelers who are concerned about terrorism want Trip Cancellation coverage, in the event they can't travel because an attack occurs at their destination before they leave for their trip.

The Coverage Many Travelers Don't Know They Have

Many travelers don't know their travel insurance can bring them home if a terrorist attack occurs at their destination while they are traveling. Travel insurance with terrorism coverage typically includes cancellation coverage for travelers who haven't left, as well as interruption coverage for travelers currently in the city where the attack occurred.

Trip Interruption can refund prepaid trip costs when a trip is cut short for an unexpected reason, such as a terrorist attack, and can also cover a traveler's additional costs to return home early.

Squaremouth's Barcelona Van Attack and Travel Insurance Information Center explains coverage related to the incident. This resource is regularly updated as information becomes available.

ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH

Squaremouth compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare insurance products side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com

Available Topic Expert:

Steven Benna

[email protected]

(727) 619-7262

SOURCE Squaremouth

Related Links

http://www.squaremouth.com


MURRIETA, Calif., Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A flatbed trailer rental company that was founded in 2015 has already seen enough demand for their unique business model that the owner has opened a new location in Southern California.

"We are excited and proud to be part of the community here in Southern California and look forward to contributing to the success of our clientele here," said owner, Brad Borst.

40' Flatbed Trailer

One of the major reasons behind the success of Big Trailer Rentals is spelled out right in its name. The company only offers big flatbed trailer rental services. These trailers begin at around 20 feet in length but can stretch for as long as 40. Their inventory includes bumper pull and gooseneck trailer rental options.

This specialty makes Big Trailer Rentals part of a very exclusive group that only includes a few other companies. Focusing solely on flatbed trailer rental services in Colorado proved so effective that Brad Borst knew there was a need for it elsewhere.

"I started this company because I realized how many customers only need a large flatbed trailer temporarily  maybe once a week or once a month. Some only need the trailer once, period. So buying one doesn't make a lot of sense, especially when they also need to pay for a place to keep it," said Borst. "Instead of spending thousands of dollars, customers come to us and rent trailers for less than $100."

Big Trailer Rentals' customers run the gamut. Their clients use them for everything from hotshot services to shipping or hauling large amounts of inventory. Since opening back in July, the demand for their flatbed trailer rental service has been so high that Borst reported he's already planning to invest more than $100,000 into his fleet over the following year just to keep up with demand.

About Big Trailer Rentals

Big Trailer Rentals is a family-owned and operated business, one of the few that specializes in big flatbed trailer rentals, starting at 20 feet in length. The company operates two locations, one in Murrieta, California, and another in Loveland, Colorado.

To learn more about Big Trailer Rentals or their new location, contact Brad Borst at 951-514-6980 or [email protected].

SOURCE Big Trailer Rentals

Related Links

http://www.bigtrailerrentals.com


LAS VEGAS, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bricker & Eckler, a Midwest-based law firm, has won ILTA's Innovative Project of the Year  External / Client Facing Category at this year's ILTACON for an application built on Relativity, the complete e-discovery platform from kCura.

When Bricker & Eckler needed an app to manage jurisdictional issues related to the construction of an interstate natural gas pipeline, they turned to Relativity's open platform. They developed a real-time solution for tracking and mapping data of thousands of landowners, while incorporating a feature to file suits with the click of a button.

"We had a client with an unusually complex dilemma, and we went to work on solving their issue," said David Hasman, litigation support manager at Bricker & Eckler. "It's very nice to have the technology resources at our fingertips to help us prioritize our clients' goals and help them meet their objectives."

"The team at Bricker & Eckler did tremendous work on this project and we're excited to see them honored at ILTACON," said George Orr, vice president of customer success and support at kCura. "Relativity was designed to be open and flexible, so creative customers like Bricker & Eckler could extend the capabilities of Relativity for their customers and the entire e-discovery community."

Click here for a video of the application, and click here to learn more about building on Relativity.

About Bricker & Eckler

With offices throughout the state, Bricker & Eckler is one of Ohio's leading law firms. Bricker represents a wide variety of clients, with particular strength in representing health care, public sector, financial services and energy clients in Ohio and beyond. The firm has a long history of promoting and supporting diversity and inclusion in an ongoing effort to reflect the communities and clients it serves. Connect with Bricker online by visiting their website, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About kCura

kCura are the developers of Relativity, an e-discovery platform used by more than 12,000 organizations to manage large volumes of data and quickly identify key issues during litigation, internal investigations, and compliance projects. Relativity has over 150,000 active users in 40+ countries from organizations including the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 70 Fortune 100 companies, and more than 195 of the Am Law 200. Corporations, law firms, and government agencies use Relativity on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid platformwith hosted, on-demand solutions available through a global network of partners. As a platform, Relativity also allows developers to design, build, and integrate applications that extend its functionality. kCura has been named one of Chicago's Top Workplaces by the Chicago Tribune for six consecutive years and received the CityLIGHTS Lighthouse Award from the Illinois Technology Association in 2016. Please contact kCura at [email protected] or visit http://www.kcura.com for more information.

SOURCE kCura

Related Links

https://www.kcura.com


SAN DIEGO, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

WHO: Community members and Public health and safety advocates speak out against proposed 4:00 am bar closing

Crisiti Walker, MADD

Brian Curry , past chair Pacific Beach Community Planning Group

, past chair Pacific Beach Community Planning Group Judith Rojas , recent UCSD graduate

, recent UCSD graduate Lucky Morrison, former North Park resident

Lisa Bridges , California Alcohol Policy Alliance (CAPA)

WHEN:

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

11:00 am

WHERE:

North Park Way & 29th Street - northwest corner

San Diego, California

Note : Directly behind the Observatory, the site of an alcohol-fueled melee and stabbing. Media will receive eye witness video of the brawl including the overwhelming police presence needed to contain the violence.

WHY:

Extending bar hours to 4 am will result in alcohol-related problems and impose more burden on law enforcement!

will result in alcohol-related problems and impose more burden on law enforcement! San Diego's top crime neighborhoods are already drowning in alcohol. Extending alcohol hours will exacerbate impact on neighborhoods.

top crime neighborhoods are already drowning in alcohol. Extending alcohol hours will exacerbate impact on neighborhoods. California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) does not have resources to investigate nuisance, crime and other alcohol compliance problems.

Impacts of a 4 am last call will not stay local. The harms and costs will spread across all of our roads ways and communities forcing all municipalities to pay the price for additional law enforcement, EMT and other costs.

last call will not stay local. The harms and costs will spread across all of our roads ways and communities forcing all municipalities to pay the price for additional law enforcement, EMT and other costs. Alcohol-related deaths in California top 10,500 per year with over 900,000 alcohol-related incidents of harm including crime, injuries, sexual assault, and high-risk sex.

top 10,500 per year with over 900,000 alcohol-related incidents of harm including crime, injuries, sexual assault, and high-risk sex. According to CDC reports, California suffers $35 billion a year in alcohol-related harm, with local and state governments paying nearly $ 14.5 billion annually.

suffers a year in alcohol-related harm, with local and state governments paying nearly $ annually. The $350 million dollars the state receives annually in alcohol taxes and fees does not even come close to covering the costs.

annually in alcohol taxes and fees does not even come close to covering the costs. Put public safety over bar profits! DO NOT extend bar hours!

CAPA Members

Alcohol Justice

Alcohol-Narcotic Education Foundation

AADAP, Inc.

Bay Area Community Resources

Behavioral Health Services, Inc.

Community Action, Service & Advocacy/CASA

CA Council on Alcohol Problems

Center for Open Recovery

Eden Youth and Family Center

Institute for Public Strategies

FASD Network of Southern CA

FreeMUNI  SF

Friday Night Live Partnership

Koreatown Youth and Community Center

L.A. County Friday Night Live

L.A. Drug & Alcohol Policy Alliance

Lutheran Office of Public Policy  California

MFI Recovery Center

Mountain Communities Family Resource Center

Partnership for a Positive Pomona

Paso por Paso, Inc.

Project SAFER

Pueblo y Salud

Reach Out

San Marcos Prevention Coalition

San Rafael Alcohol & Drug Coalition

Santee Solutions

SF DogPAC

SAY San Diego

Saving Lives Drug & Alcohol Coalition

South Orange County Coalition

Tarzana Treatment Centers,Inc.

Contact: Carol Green 858.349.9887

AlcoholPolicyAlliance.org

Jorge Castillo, Advocacy Director | 415-257-2488 | [email protected]

Sara Cooley, Advocacy Manager | 734-646-4575 | [email protected]

1024 North Maclay Avenue #M-13 | San Fernando, CA 91340

SOURCE California Alcohol Policy Alliance
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholder rights law firm Johnson & Weaver, LLP (J&W) has launched an investigation into whether the board members of Calpine Corporation (NYSE: CPN) ("Calpine ") breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to Energy Capital Partners along with a consortium of investors led by Access Industries and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Calpine is a wholesale power generation company that owns and operates natural gas-fired and geothermal power plants in North America.

On August 18, 2017, Calpine announced that it had signed a definitive merger agreement to be acquired. Terms of the deal call for shareholders to receive $ 15.25 per share for each share of Calpine stock they own.

The investigation concerns whether the Calpine board failed to satisfy its duties to the Company shareholders, including whether the board adequately pursued alternatives to the acquisition and whether the board obtained the best price possible for Calpine shares of common stock. Nationally recognized Johnson & Weaver is investigating whether the proposed deal price represents adequate consideration, especially given that the price target for one Wall Street analyst is $20.00 per share.

If you are a shareholder of Calpine and believe the proposed buyout price is too low or you're interested in learning more about the investigation or your legal rights and remedies, please contact lead analyst Jim Baker ([email protected]) at 619-814-4471.

About Johnson & Weaver, LLP:

Johnson & Weaver, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.johnsonandweaver.com. Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Contact:

Johnson & Weaver, LLP

Jim Baker, 619-814-4471

[email protected]

SOURCE Johnson & Weaver, LLP

Related Links

http://johnsonandweaver.com


Too bad the clear skies Madison should see this weekend won't carry over to Monday.

Monday is Eclipse Day, in case you haven't heard, with the first total eclipse of the sun in the U.S. in decades cutting a narrow swath across the country.

Madison should get to see an 85 percent coverage of the sun around 1 p.m. on Monday, but the forecast is for partly sunny skies and a chance of rain.

Before then, enjoy the great weather on Saturday and Sunday, with sunshine and highs of 78 and 83.

The day-to-day forecast from the National Weather Service:

Friday night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight, low around 59.

Saturday: Sunny, high near 78.

Saturday night: Mostly clear, low around 62.

Sunday: Sunny, high near 83.

Sunday night: A 30 percent chance of showers after 1 a.m., low around 66.

Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, high near 81.

Monday night: A 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 a.m., low around 67. Up to a half-inch of rain is possible.

Tuesday: A 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1 p.m., high near 78.

Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, low around 59.

Wednesday: Sunny, high near 76.

Wednesday night: Mostly clear, low around 56.

Thursday: Sunny, high near 73.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The process of modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) began in earnest this Wednesday with the launch of official negotiations in Washington, D.C.

NAFTA renegotiation provides a much-needed opportunity to incorporate strong digital trade policies. In an increasingly globalized, complicated, and perilous world, it is essential that our nations establish a framework of rules that:

Promote innovation, value creation, and productivity gains that lead to competitive advantage for Canada and the US;

and the US; Ensure regulatory coherence on cross-border trade and investment that remains flexible in the face of new and disruptive business models;

Address critical issues related to trade in the digital economy (detailed below); and

Foster digital inclusion and promote sustainable growth, leading to shared prosperity.

The Canadian American Business Council (CABC) is pleased to announce the establishment of a task force to develop recommendations for consideration by negotiators. The CABC Digital Task Force, co-chaired by Lena Trudeau and Gabe Batstone will produce a report on the Digital Framework for NAFTA, to be delivered to the negotiators as well as Ministers.

The CABC Digital Task Force will examine issues including: cross-border data flows, and in particular, data localization, legal jurisdiction, and privacy; principles related to digital goods and services, including customs duties on digital products; and tariffs on information and communications technology hardware.

Members of the Task Force include:

Lena Trudeau, Nuage Cloud Strategies

Gabe Batstone, Contextere

Steven De Eyre, Amazon

Christina Erling, Barrick Gold

Colin McKay, Google

Jennifer Sloan, Mastercard

Recommendations from the Task Force will be presented to the CABC Board of Directors for consideration at its September board meeting, and ultimately to NAFTA negotiators.

More information regarding the Task Force can be found at www.cabc.co

For more, please contact:

Maryscott Greenwood

Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE Canadian American Business Council

Related Links

http://www.cabc.co


CINCINNATI, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Center for Closing the Health Gap is a non-profit organization founded in 2004 to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities across Greater Cincinnati. Funded primarily through sponsorship contributions from the region's largest hospitals and health care organizations, the Health Gap also receives funds from national grants and tax dollars from the City of Cincinnati. The City recently released findings from an audit of the Health Gap's stewardship of funds and found the organization to be in compliance with all processes over the past five years.

Health Gap Building A Culture Of Health Dwight Tillery, Center for Closing the Health Gap President and CEO

"Over the past 13 years, the Health Gap has dealt with the most difficult health issues affecting our most vulnerable populations and specifically the black community," said Dwight Tillery, founder and CEO of the Center for Closing the Health Gap. "The issue of health disparities is among the most challenging we face as a society  not just for Cincinnati but for the entire nation. Instead of simple band-aids that address only the symptoms, we're doing the hard work of addressing the root causes."

Racial and ethnic disparities are caused by a variety of factors including social and environmental conditions, access to care and the structure of the health care system. Through advocacy, education and community outreach, Tillery and his Health Gap team work collaboratively with more than 100 different organizations including vulnerable neighborhoods, universities, hospitals, government, associations and businesses to address fundamental social determinants and make critical changes. Initiatives focus on disease prevention, promoting healthier eating and enhancing quality of life to promote a culture of health and make Cincinnati's neighborhoods and residents stronger.

"Since our launch, Cincinnati's major hospitals have funded the Health Gap and served on our board," said Mark Vander Laan, chair of the board of directors for the Health Gap. "They've contributed almost $18 million because they believe in our work, and they know firsthand the depth of our healthcare problem. Similarly, the City of Cincinnati continues to understand the value of our work and invest in it year after year. We were gratified, but not surprised, by the positive results of the City's compliance audit, and we look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Cincinnati."

In response to the audit, the Board of Directors of the Health Gap issued a joint statement to redouble its support of the Health Gap's work: "We take seriously the oversight of this excellent organization and its devotion to empowering individuals and communities to unleash their own potential to change health outcomes for themselves and their neighbors. The Health Gap has done, and will continue to do, significant work in this community to address the serious issue of health disparities."

Cincinnati's City Manager has placed the Health Gap in the City's 2018-19 budget at a level of $750,000. Like with previous taxpayer dollars, that investment will yield significant return in the improved health and well-being of Cincinnati's urban residents through programs such as:

The Health Gap's Annual Health Expo  The Expo has reached nearly 100,000 individuals since 2004. Nearly 30,000 free health screenings have been conducted  38% of which were for individuals who had not received a health check in past three years. Said Tillery: "The Health Expo is saving lives. We have stacks of letters and emails from people who tell us that if it weren't for the free screenings, they would have never found out about their diabetes or high blood pressure. Lives are being changed and saved because the Expo is providing access residents couldn't have received anywhere else in our community."

The Health Gap's Do Right! Campaign  We work with Mt. Auburn residents to help them change their lifestyles with a focus on physical activity and healthier eating. Nearly 20,000 participants have been served since 2008.

Food Deserts  The Health Gap works to address food deserts in Cincinnati's most impacted neighborhoods. Added Tillery: "These areas where healthy, affordable food is difficult to obtain is an epidemic with no easy solutions. Take away what the Health Gap is doing through the Cincinnati Fresh Food Retail Financing Fund and the City of Cincinnati Food Access Task Force and there would be nothing for the thousands of residents in our urban core who struggle daily."

Do Right! Babies Infant Mortality Initiative and Community Health University  These programs equip individuals with tools to navigate and utilize the health care system efficiently.

"I'm proud of the work we do every day, proud of the community leaders who continue to support and fund us, proud of the residents who use our programs to take back control of their health," added Tillery. "There is no secret recipe to cure the root causes of ethnic health disparities and a system that's been broken for decades. But the Health Gap is using every tool at our disposal. The impact is real and it's all around us. And we'll continue to work hard to make a difference no matter the obstacles."

About the Health Gap

The Center for Closing the Health Gap promotes awareness about health disparities through education, training, advocacy and outreach activities for organizations and individuals in Greater Cincinnati. The Center maximizes collaborative opportunities by working with organizations, associations, health institutions and other stakeholders to promote health and disease prevention. The Center's goal is to improve the health status of the African American, Latino and Appalachian populations. For more information, visit ClosingTheHealthGap.org.

Media contact:

Jon Reischel

[email protected]

513-237-7758

SOURCE Center for Closing the Health Gap
Earnings Call Scheduled for 8:00 a.m. ET on August 25, 2017

BEIJING, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China Online Education Group ("51Talk", or the "Company") (NYSE: COE), a leading online education platform in China, with core expertise in English education, today announced that it will report its second quarter 2017 unaudited financial results, on Friday, August 25, 2017, before the open of U.S. markets.

The Company's management will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on August 25, 2017 (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong time on August 25, 2017).

Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:

United States (toll free): 1-888-346-8982 International: 1-412-902-4272 Hong Kong (toll free): 800-905-945 Hong Kong: 852-3018-4992 China: 400-120-1203

Participants should dial-in at least 5 minutes before the scheduled start time and ask to be connected to the call for "China Online Education Group".

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.51talk.com.

A replay of the conference call will be accessible approximately one hour after the conclusion of the live call until September 1, 2017, by dialing the following telephone numbers:

United States (toll free): 1-877-344-7529 International: 1-412-317-0088 Replay Access Code: 10111519

About China Online Education Group

China Online Education Group (NYSE: COE) is a leading online education platform in China, with core expertise in English education. The Company's mission is to make quality education accessible and affordable. The Company's online and mobile education platforms enable students across China to take live one-on-one interactive English lessons with overseas foreign teachers, on demand. The Company connects its students with a large pool of highly qualified foreign teachers that it assembled using a shared economy approach, and employs student and teacher feedback and data analytics to deliver a personalized learning experience to its students.

For more information, please visit http://ir.51talk.com.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Contacts:

China Online Education Group

Investor Relations

+86 (10) 5692-8909

[email protected]

The Piacente Group, Inc.

Brandi Piacente

+86 (10) 5730-6200

+1-212-481-2050

[email protected]

SOURCE China Online Education Group
CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hispanic Network Magazine (HNM) has named Combined Insurance, a leading provider of individual supplemental accident, disability, health and life insurance products, and a Chubb company, as one of the top diversity employers in the nation for 2017. For the third consecutive year, HNM included Combined Insurance on its Best of the Best Lists, which identifies organizations that embrace a wide range of perspectives, attract the very best talent and understand the demographics of the marketplace and its needs.

The company recently announced plans to hire 500 Spanish-speaking sales agents throughout Florida, Texas, Illinois, California and Arizona by the end of 2017 to serve the growing Hispanic market. Combined Insurance offers a best-in-class sales training and onboarding program for new agents entirely in Spanish.

"We are honored to be named a top diversity employer for the third year in a row," said Dennis Ontaneda, Vice President of Latino Markets at Combined Insurance. "At Combined Insurance, we value and seek top multicultural talent to join our organization and serve our increasing number of diverse customers."

Ontaneda has been with Combined Insurance for more than 20 years and has seen firsthand the value of cultivating a diverse workforce. Last year, more than 30 percent of the company's new staff hires were bilingual in Spanish and English.

Hispanic Network Magazine, now celebrating its 25th year of diversity, polled hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies for its 2017 Best of the Best evaluations. HNM is one of the nation's fastest-growing magazines, promoting the advancement of Hispanics in all aspects of education, business and employment to ensure equal opportunity.

Combined Insurance was founded in Chicago in 1922 by W. Clement Stone. With $100, a positive spirit and a vision to make the world a better place, Stone developed and grew the company into what it is todaystill headquartered in Chicago with sales agents and managers throughout the 50 United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

For more information about bilingual careers at Combined Insurance, visit combinedinsurance.com or visit our Combined Latino Facebook page to learn more.

About Combined Insurance

Combined Insurance Company of America (Chicago, Ill.) is a leading provider of individual supplemental accident, disability, health and life insurance products and a Chubb company. With a tradition of nearly 100 years of success, Combined Insurance is committed to making the world of supplemental insurance easy to understand. The company has an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau and is one of Ward's Top 50 Performing Life-Health Insurance Companies. Combined Insurance is also a 2017 Top 10 Military Friendly Employer named by G.I. Jobs Magazinemarking the fifth consecutive year on the Top 10 employer list and third consecutive year in the Top 5. For more information, please visit combinedinsurance.com.

About Chubb

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: chubb.com.

SOURCE Combined Insurance

Related Links

http://www.combinedinsurance.com


The charity that Rick is riding for, The Hope Chest Charitable Foundation at Southeast Veterinary Oncology and Internal Medicine (SEVO-Med), is a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to help cover the medical care of pets battling cancer or any other debilitating illnesses. The Dreyers hopes to raise at least $10,000 to assist Hope Chest in fulfilling their mission to support pets and their people in times of need.

According to Rick, the charity bike ride "provides a way for us to memorialize Hope's memory and celebrate her life. At the same time, we want to recognize and bring awareness to the wonderful work performed daily by the professionals at SEVO-Med, and the financial help they provide other pet families though their nonprofit foundation. We also want to thank and recognize Embrace Pet Insurance for being a partner with us in this journey throughout Hope's life and allowing us to enjoy Hope's final months without the constant worry of how we would pay for her care."

The Dreyers purchased an Embrace Pet Insurance policy for Hope in 2007. They rarely used it until July 2016 when Hope was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, a rapidly growing, highly invasive form of cancer. While Hope's diagnosis was devastating, they were able to give her the best care without worrying about the cost thanks to their Embrace policy. The vet bills for Hope's care came to just over $7,000, of which Embrace reimbursed $5,000.

The ride, which will take about three weeks to complete, will take Rick, with Yvette right behind him every mile from their support vehicle, through Savannah, GA, Charleston, SC, Fredericksburg, VA and Pittsburgh, PA  and eventually into Cleveland, OH. Rick says he'll bike 100 to 120 miles per day.

In Cleveland, the Embrace Pet Insurance team will be eagerly awaiting the Dreyers arrival with a $3,000 check made out to The Hope Chest Charitable Foundation. The ride will end at Embrace's headquarters in Warrensville Heights, OH in late August. Media and local pet owners are encouraged to join the celebration and greet the Dreyers when they arrive. Details available on Embrace's Facebook event page.

To read more about their story, and help the Dreyers with their fundraising efforts for The Hope Chest Charitable Foundation, please visit embracepetinsurance.com/about-us/press.

About Embrace Pet Insurance

Embrace Pet Insurance is an Ohio-based pet health insurance provider, offering comprehensive, personalized insurance products for dogs and cats across the United States. Embrace is consistently ranked as one of the highest-rated U.S. pet insurance companies and is a proud member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. Embrace is the only company to offer a diminishing deductible feature, the Healthy Pet Deductible, and continues to innovate and improve the pet insurance experience for pet parents across the country.

About the North American Pet Health Insurance Association

Embrace is a proud member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). NAPHIA is comprised of reputable pet health insurance (PHI) organizations from across Canada and the United States. NAPHIA's membership makes up over 99% of all pet health insurance coverage in effect in North America.

As a coalition, NAPHIA works to advance and grow the PHI industry through proactive research, data sharing, benchmarking initiatives, advocacy efforts, strategic partnerships, resource sharing and the dissemination of information to collaboratively address challenges and opportunities. To learn more, visit http://www.naphia.org.

SOURCE Embrace Pet Insurance

Related Links

https://www.embracepetinsurance.com


ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 18, Guangdong Week of China Pavilion at the Expo 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan kicked off. The Floating Hawk-shaped Wave Power Generator, as the representative of Guangdong's new energy innovations, has attracted wide attention.

Guangdong has grasped the opportunity from the expo to promote the province's image on the world stage, said Lin Tao, director of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Guangdong Committee (CCPIT Guangdong), the organizer of the event. By following the Belt and Road Initiative, the province has increased cooperation with countries along the route and acted as important engine in bringing about a new phase of all-around two-way opening up with links running eastward and westward over land and sea.

Under the theme of the world expo - "Future Energy", a batch of Guangdong-developed world-leading energy technologies and achievements was on the display. Among them was the Hawk-shaped Wave Power Generator devised by Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The generator employs light and effective wave-absorbing floating bodies, combining the self-developed wave-absorbing conversion device and semi-submersible technology. That is guaranteed to provide access to electricity for offshore facilities and on the islands and reefs on the high seas. "According to expert testimony, the technology boasts a world-leading advantage," said Ma Longlong, director of the institute.

The advanced technologies and ideas on new energy shown in Guangdong Week, in fact, are but examples of Guangdong's strategy of innovation-driven growth. In recent years, the R&D spending of GDP in Guangdong has increased by 0.01 percent. Specifically, the ratio reached 2.5 percent in 2015, 2.58 percent in 2016 and counting, approaching the average of innovative countries.

As far as is known, Kazakhstan represents the first stop for China's westward promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative. With its endowment of resources, energy in particular, Kazakhstan is expanding cooperation with China in the field of energy. To build up a new platform for enterprises from Guangdong and Kazakhstan to seek potential cooperation, a memorandum of understanding is expected to sign between CCPIT Guangdong and Kazakhstan's government departments during the Guangdong Week.

SOURCE China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Guangdong Committee
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, August 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Future Farm Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Future Farm") (CSE: FFT) (OTCQB: FFRMF) is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, FFM Consulting Services, LLC, is making progress in California with respect to the management services being provided to the Huntington Park extraction facility and the Riverside County cultivation facility.

Since installation of the extraction equipment at the Huntington Park facility, the team has been scaling up production and dialing in operations using various strains and types of solvents to produce high quality extraction distillates. To date, the team has acquired over 250-lbs of high quality trim material of both THC and distinct CBD strains from various organic producers located in Northern California. All of the acquired trim material is of high quality and fully tested to ensure that it is free of pesticides and microbiological contamination. This week, the team extracted the first CBD batch using organic grape alcohol resulting in a highly pure, potent, and effective medicinal product. This CBD product is suitable for patients seeking therapeutic relief from their symptoms without incurring the 'high' associated with THC containing extracts.

The Company is working toward completing multiple purchase orders for its whole flower and extracted oil products that are expected to be completed in early September.

The Riverside County cultivation facility is progressing as well and the team will be harvesting during the end of August. The Company will be able to use this first harvest to execute a side-by-side comparison of its own LED grow lights versus the standard High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights. The HPS lights are currently consuming 1000 watts per light whereas the Company's LED Canada grow lights are utilizing 550 watts per light. The Company expects to use data from the harvest to better understand the savings potential per kilowatt-hour over the lifecycle of each plant.

"We are eagerly anticipating the harvest data from the cultivation facility and expect to yield in excess of 1.5-lbs per light. In addition, the extraction operations are developing well and we expect to soon provide our investors with revenue production. We have been working closely with potential customers to understand their needs to ensure that we provide them with the high-quality product that they expect. We are adjusting operations real-time to ensure we can provide them with consistent supply for ongoing long-term contracts," says Mr. John Sweeney, Future Farm's COO.

On behalf of the Board,

Future Farm Technologies Inc.

William Gildea

CEO & Chairman

About Future Farm

The Company's business model includes developing and acquiring technologies that will position it as a leader in the evolution of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) for the global production of various types of plants. Future Farm provides scalable, indoor CEA systems that utilize minimal land, water and energy regardless of climate, location or time of year and are customized to grow an abundance of crops close to consumers, therefore minimizing food miles and its impact to the environment. The Company holds an exclusive, worldwide license to use a patented vertical farming technology that, when compared to traditional plant production methods, generate yields up to 10 times greater per square foot of land. The contained system provides many other benefits including seed to sale security, scalability, consistency due to year-round production, cost control, product safety and purity by eliminating environmental variability.

The Company is also in the business of designing and distributing LED lighting solutions utilizing the COB and MCOB technology. The Company is focused on delivering cost-efficient lighting to North America via advanced e-commerce sites the Company owns and operates. LEDCanada.com which caters to B2B customers is a supplier of the newest and highest demand LED solutions. The Company also owns and operates COBGrowlights.com which caters to both large and small agriculture green houses and controlled cultivation centers.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts

responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.



For further information, contact

William Gildea

Director

+1-617-834-9467



SOURCE Future Farm Technologies Inc.
Owned by Jeremy Roger and his family for 15-years, Daynes Ridge Kennel has one focus; to safely raise the breeds they love - Bernese Mountain dogs, and English and French Bulldogs. With proper love, care, and time in a home-like setting, Daynes Ridge Kennel puts a huge focus on adult and puppy socialization. Happy, healthy dogs have the best puppies. The best puppies are the best new family members.

Additionally, at Daynes Ridge Kennel, vet care is optimum. They work closely with their veterinarian to see that the appropriate puppy vaccination, preventive de-worming, and prophylactic treatments are given.

The owner said of the partnership, "Working with Petland Kennesaw has been great. My family raises top-quality puppies, and the Parkers work with families looking to add a new family member. So, from one family to the next, these puppies get to the homes they deserve."

Brad Parker, General Manager of Petland Kennesaw, said of the Daynes Ridge Kennel, "We are so excited to be able to work with breeders like Jeremy Rogers. Daynes Ridge Kennel is one of the most beautiful kennels I have ever seen. I truly had a blast when I visited and was able to get out and socialize with the Bernese Mountain dogs and French Bulldogs. These are two of my favorite breeds. I currently own a Frenchie, and my parents had Bernese Mountain Dogs while I was growing up! We look forward to providing our customers with Jeremy's pups for years to come."

For more information visit http://www.petlandkennesaw.com/.

About Petland Kennesaw:

Petland Kennesaw is based in Kennesaw, Georgia that is owned and operated by the Parker family. For 16-years, while providing top-quality pet care, the family has placed over 20,000 puppies in welcoming homes. Petland Kennesaw puppies receive top-notch veterinary care, five training classes to teach basic obedience, an introduction to a veterinarian, as well as year health warranties.

Website:

http://www.petlandkennesaw.com/

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/PetlandKennesaw

https://www.instagram.com/petland.kennesaw/

https://www.pinterest.com/petlandkennesaw/

https://www.youtube.com/c/petlandkennesaw/

SOURCE Petland Kennesaw

Related Links

http://www.petlandkennesaw.com


There is a partisan divide in the ranking of the top issue facing this country. In 2017, health care reform is the top issue among Democrats (23%) and terrorism is top for Republicans (24%). Health care reform was ranked as the top issue by only 13% of Republicans.

Only 1 in 10 American adults are very or extremely satisfied with the United States health care system and just 3 in 10 are similarly satisfied with their health plan, with no differences between Democrats and Republicans. Health care costs are a burden to many Americans, with more than one-third (35%) reporting their health insurance premiums increasing in the last 12 months and almost half (48%) expecting their out-of-pocket health care costs to increase in the next 12 months.

In a new series of questions ascertaining the importance of achieving the seven tenets of the Trump administration's original health reform plan, most were strongly supported (rated very critical or extremely critical) by at least one-third of all respondents. Of note, information that the ideas were associated with the Trump administration were not revealed to respondents.

7 Tenets of the Trump Administration's Health Care Reform: Percentage of Respondents

Rating "Very Critical" or "Extremely Critical" by Political Party









Democratic Republican Independent Repeal the ACA entirely 20% 58% 32% Allow health insurance to be purchased across state lines 48% 56% 47% Allow tax deductions for health insurance premiums not purchased

through employer 51% 45% 47% Expand Health Savings Account (HAS) benefits 47% 54% 51% Require price transparency for all health care services 72% 69% 70% Provide Medicaid funds to states through block grants 32% 39% 30% Allow consumers to purchase imported prescription medications 44% 40% 39%







Source: Accessed January 23, 2017 https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform

In a follow-up question, we asked what best describes their current opinion of the Trump administration's plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Only one-third (32%) felt somewhat or extremely positive about the plan, driven primarily by registered Democrats (14% feeling somewhat or extremely positive compared with 65% of Republicans and 27% of Independents).

Information challenges coupled with strong partisan support is evidenced by our findings. Despite relatively strong, bilateral support on numerous dimensions of health care reform, attaching those ideas to the Trump administration seemingly is unacceptable for some constituents.

The LightSource Poll was conducted among 1,000 United States residents (18 years or older) between August 2 and August 7, 2017 and September 24 and September 30, 2014. These were non-probability, stratified samples, collected via web-based interviews. As such, margin of error cannot be accurately estimated. The LightSource employs stratified sampling, focusing on key factors such as age, gender, household income, and U.S. geographic region to help ensure national representation.

About KJT Group: KJT Group (www.kjtgroup.com) is a full-service life sciences market research and insight consultancy firm. Established in 2007, KJT Group employs 40 full-time staff in New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Connecticut. KJT Group is a member of the European Pharmaceutical Marketing Association (EphMRA), the Pharmaceutical Marketing Research Group (PMRG), and the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).

SOURCE KJT Group

Related Links

http://www.kjtgroup.com


I have learned the hard way not to put my personal life on the Internet. But suffice it to say that, God willing, things should be pretty much back to norm...

4 weeks ago
FINDLAY, Ohio, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Four winners were announced today for Hercules  Tires' Destination Recreation summer sweepstakes. The contest, which asked people to share their favorite vacation photo for a chance to win a road-trip getaway, garnered thousands of submissions from all over the U.S.

"We are so grateful to everyone who entered the sweepstakes," said Suzy Mitchell, manager, brand development, for Hercules. "Every day of the contest, our office went on a virtual vacation through pictures from France, Costa Rica, Mexico and wonderful National Parks like Yosemite and Glacier. You shared photos from destination weddings and once-in-a-lifetime family holidays, and the stories behind the photos were sometimes hilarious, often touching. One of the best parts of the sweepstakes has been notifying the winners."

Grand Prize winners received tickets to an amusement park, water resort, off-road park or recreation destination of their choice, as well as hotel accommodations, $500 spending cash and a new set of Hercules tires. First and second prize winners were also chosen.

Matt Turpen from Springfield, IL will be taking his wife and five-year old son to Disney World for the first time. "We are so excited about this trip, and the opportunity for our son to visit Disney World," said Turpen. "He's at an age where he will be able to appreciate and remember the experience, and we are grateful to Hercules for the trip."

Additional winners include Lisa Sievers from Philadelphia, PA, Laura Ruger from Harding, PA and Pamela Morrison from Gilbert, SC. Ms. Morrison has elected to visit San Antonio in the fall. She is related to Davey Crockett and plans to see the Alamo. Ms. Sievers and her husband have made new dining experiences their destination of choice. Ms. Ruger is looking forward to visiting Williamsburg for an amusement park adventure and historic sight-seeing.

"With this contest, we wanted to honor the American tradition of the summer road trip," said Jedd Emans, vice president of marketing for Hercules tires. "We know there isn't a one-size fits all kind of vacation, and we wanted our winners to have a memorable getaway. It's been an incredible experience for us, and we look forward to seeing the pictures our winners take during their getaways."

About Hercules Tires

Hercules Tires is widely recognized as the industry's premier value brand with a comprehensive selection of passenger, UHP, light truck, medium truck and specialty tires. Since 1952, independent tire dealers and distributors have trusted Hercules to deliver outstanding quality, exceptional support, and unsurpassed value.

Hercules is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Tire Distributors, Inc. American Tire Distributors is one of the largest independent suppliers of tires in the North American replacement tire market. The company offers an unsurpassed breadth and depth of inventory, frequent delivery and value-added services to approximately 72,000 customers across the U.S. and Canada.

Additional information can be found at www.herculestire.com.

Contact: Suzanne Mitchell

Hercules Tire & Rubber Co.

419.425.6456

[email protected]

SOURCE Hercules Tires

Related Links

http://www.herculestire.com


ATLANTA, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hines, the international real estate firm, and Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ), the Atlanta-based REIT, signed a new 10-year lease totaling 43,800 square feet with SAP at 8000 Avalon in Atlanta. The 224,000-square-foot Class-A office development is now 93% leased, up from 73% leased on June 30, 2017.

"Hines and Cousins are excited to add SAP, the leader in enterprise application software, to 8000 Avalon's fantastic roster of high-caliber companies," said John Heagy, Senior Managing Director of Hines. "We believe the successful development and lease-up of 8000 Avalon represents a significant milestone for the Avalon mixed-use community. We broke ground in March 2016, and today, 60 days after delivering the project, we are 93% leased."

8000 Avalon is the only high-rise office building in Avalon, a leading mixed-use development in North Atlanta. Hines and Cousins entered into a joint venture to develop the $73 million project, which was completed in June 2017. The joint venture recently exercised its option to purchase the second and only remaining office pad at Avalon with plans to begin construction once the project achieves meaningful pre-leasing.

"Cousins and Hines are thrilled with the amount of activity and interest we see for Class-A office space in this niche market in Atlanta," said Thad Ellis, Cousins' Senior Vice President and Atlanta Managing Director. "Being part of 8000 Avalon puts SAP, as well as all of our customers and their employees and guests, at the center of a vibrant mixed-use district. Not only do they have access to attractive housing options and 580,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, but they are also located near the new 330-room Hotel Avalon and Alpharetta Conference Center, both part of a first-class Marriott-affiliated Autograph Collection hotel."

The new facility will consolidate SAP employees from two Alpharetta locations into one North Atlanta office supporting the SAP and SAP Ariba solution portfolios. The new location will be in addition to SAP's office in the Buckhead district of Atlanta.

SAP was represented in the lease negotiations by Gregg Metcalf, Tim McCarthy and Ryan Fetz of JLL.

About Cousins Properties

Cousins Properties is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company, based in Atlanta, GA and acting through its operating partnership, Cousins Properties LP, primarily invests in Class-A office towers located in high growth Sunbelt markets. Founded in 1958, Cousins creates shareholder value through its extensive expertise in the development, acquisition, leasing, and management of high-quality real estate assets. The Company has a comprehensive strategy in place based on a simple platform, trophy assets, and opportunistic investments. For more information, please visit www.cousinsproperties.com.

About Hines

Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 182 cities in 20 countries. Hines has $89.1 billion of assets under management, including $42.5 billion for which Hines provides fiduciary investment management services, and $46.6 billion for which Hines provides third-party property-level services. The firm has 109 developments currently underway around the world, including several major projects in Manhattan. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped or acquired 1,126 properties, totaling over 350 million square feet. The firm's current property and asset management portfolio includes 457 properties, representing over 193 million square feet. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a pioneering commitment to sustainability, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. For more information, please visit www.hines.com.

CONTACT:

John Heagy Marli Quesinberry Hines Cousins Properties Incorporated 770-206-5310 404-407-1898 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Cousins Properties

Related Links

http://www.cousinsproperties.com


Starting in August of 2017 Invictus High School will now offer multiple graduation pathways that provide students not only an accredited high school diploma but also state recognized industry credentials the medical field, business, and law and public safety. The school offers certifications such as STNA Nursing, Microsoft Office credentials, and a security academy that teaches students the skills they need to gain employment after high school.

Dean Manke was one of the founding principals of Invictus High School. He saw the unique challenges facing students even after completing their diploma. "Some former students lacked the skills and credentials they needed to move on to college or the workforce We realized our mission should be about giving kids a better life - not just a diploma." With the help of the school board, Manke and other administrators went out and made a change."We put more instructional resources back into the classroom and added support staff members."

Every high school student faces unique challenges from struggles with attendance to problems in their home environment. "A number of our students have struggles well beyond their education that prevent them from attending, some of our students were in the foster care system and others were struggling to help their families pay the bills. Some were homeless. And some were caught up in the juvenile justice system. By the time the students came back to school, they'd missed too much class to get credit  a disheartening prospect for struggling students," says Kevin Sparks. Invictus now employs licensed social workers at each campus to help students each step of the way, even if that means making house calls.

Students can now also attend college while finishing high school with the Gateway to College Program and College Credit plus in conjunction with Cuyahoga County Community College.

In less than three years the school has grown from one campus to three. With locations in downtown Cleveland, Parma Heights, and on Lee Road we have a campus less than 3 miles from most students. To date Invictus High School has helped over 1000 students in Cleveland earn their high school diploma.

"At Invictus we put students at the center of all that we do," said Manke. "When we put students first we have seen tremendous results."

SOURCE Invictus High School

Related Links

http://www.invictushighschool.org


LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today UMMA Community Clinic will host California Assembly member Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer Sr. and community leaders to address the need for trauma informed care in health, education and public safety, particularly in deeply segregated communities.

Traumatic events impact more than just one's psychological well-being the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) led a survey in partnership with Kaiser Permanente on the impact of traumatic events occurring during childhood, or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). They found such events increased health issues later on in life. Those who experienced multiple traumatic events had a shorter life expectancy. Dr. George McKenna of the Los Angeles School Board and Dr. Tonya Wood, of the California Psychological Association will discuss the ACE study as well as Post Traumatic "street" Disorder.

Located in South Los Angeles, UMMA Clinic's initial studies showed nearly 30% of surveyed adults had experienced more than one traumatic event during childhood. UMMA CEO and doctor of psychology, Dr. Miriam Y. Vega, will share UMMA's approach to trauma-informed care in a health setting to create healthier outcomes and build resilience, based on ongoing research and practice alongside Maryjane Puffer of the LA Trust, a non-profit that focuses on making health services accessible to school children in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

Today's briefing will include notable speakers such as Dr. Patricia Lester of UCLA's Semel Institute, Dr. Tyrone Howard of UCLA's Black Male Institute, and Pia Escudero of the LAUSD who will discuss how trauma-informed care is utilized in education.

Dr. Brenda Manuel of the LAUSD and Chief Steven Zipperman of the Los Angeles School Police Department will share how this approach is utilized in public safety.

The public briefing will mark the end of National Health Center week, a time when communities and health centers alike acknowledge the critical role that local health centers play in the communities they serve.

"We believe that one's life expectancy should not be determined by zipcode, and by using ACE data, we're working to change the narrative," Vega said. "We are hopeful that the hearing will encourage others to adopt a trauma-informed approach to human service."

For more information, please contact Adel Syed at [email protected]. To take the ACE survey, visit ACEStoohigh.com.

SOURCE UMMA Community Clinic

Related Links

http://www.ummaclinic.org


NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, a coalition of multiracial business and community organizations that include African Americans, Hispanic, and Asian Americans raised their collective voice condemning the violence perpetrated by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend. A joint statement issued by John Wang, the President & CEO of the Asian American Business Development Center, Michael J. Garner, President, Founding Chapter, 100 Black Men, New York and Jose Calderon, President of the Hispanic Federation affirmed the following:

"The promise and strength of our nation lies in its diversity and founding ideal that 'all men (and women) are created equal.' The hatred, violence and bigotry that took place over several days in Charlottesville convinces us that our communities do not, and cannot, make progress without cooperation and collaboration with each other."

"We felt compelled to add our voice and to amplify our mission of ensuring that the interests and aspirations of our three vital communities are valued, respected and protected."

"In a generation, our communities in the United States will emerge as the majority demographic or the "New Majority." We think that working together across cultural lines is the most effective way to defeat the forces of division."

About AABDC

The Asian American Business Development Center, Inc. is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization established in 1994. It assists Asian American businesses in strengthening their capacity to compete in the mainstream market, to expand business opportunities and to promote recognition of Asian American businesses' contributions to the general economy. AABDC: www.aabdc.com

Outstanding 50 Awards: www.outstanding50award.com

About One Hundred Black Men, Inc.

One Hundred Black Men, Inc. began in New York City in 1963 as an organization of like minded business, political and community leaders who met to advocate for improvement in conditions in their communities. These men envisioned an organization that would capitalize on the collective power of community to address issues of inequities and to empower African Americans to become agents of change in their communities. These visionaries were business and industry leaders such as Robert Mangum, Cyril Tyson, J. Bruce Llewellyn, Livingston Wingate, Andrew Hatcher and David Dinkins.

About Hispanic Federation

Hispanic Federation (HF) is the nation's premier Latino nonprofit membership organization. Founded in 1990, HF seeks to support Hispanic families and strengthen Latino institutions through work in the areas of education, health, immigration, civic engagement, economic empowerment, & the environment.

SOURCE Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC)

Related Links

http://www.aabdc.com


According to the new market research report on the Oil Condition Monitoring Market by Sampling Type (On-Site and Off-Site), Product Type (Turbine, Compressors Engine, Gear System, And Hydraulic System), Measurement Type, Industry (Transportation, Energy & Power) and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023 , published by MarketsandMarkets, this market is expected to be valued at USD 850.1 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 9.1% between 2017 and 2023. The major factors driving the growth of the oil condition monitoring market include increasing demand for cost-effective solutions, growing need for time optimization and increasing demand for electricity that drives the need for continuous oil monitoring in turbines.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 30 Market Data Tables and 39 Figures spread through 187 Slides and in-depth TOC on "Oil Condition Monitoring Market - Global Forecast to 2023"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/oil-condition-monitoring-market-62105661.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report



Viscosity to have the largest share of the oil condition monitoring market by 2023

Viscosity is the key contributing measurement type in the oil condition monitoring market during the forecast period. Viscosity accounted for the largest share of the oil condition monitoring market in 2016, owing to the role of viscosity in oil condition. Viscosity is a vital parameter of oil, which helps in the frictionless working of an asset. Viscosity is always monitored in a laboratory or by using a portable on-site kit. Contaminations in the oil such as water, fuel, and solvent degrade the viscosity of the oil and damage the components of an asset.

Oil condition monitoring market for the energy & power industry to grow at a high CAGR between 2017 and 2023

The oil condition monitoring market for the energy & power industry is likely to grow at the highest CAGR of 11.2% between 2017 and 2023. This growth of the market can be attributed to the growth in the parallel market of energy management. This growth in the energy management market would increase the number of plants in the power industry. As a result, the need for oil condition monitoring in power plants would also increase.

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Turbines to hold a major share of the oil condition monitoring market by 2023

Turbines are expected to hold a major share of the oil condition monitoring market by 2023 owing to its extensive use in critical applications in industries such as power, locomotive, and aerospace. The turbines used in these industries operate under very high pressure. At such a high pressure, the turbines are more prone to be damaged due to friction, which decreases the life of the system. To avoid system failure, companies use high-quality oil as a lubricant in these turbines, thereby reducing the friction caused due to high pressure. Moreover, there is a need for regular monitoring the oil quality to ensure the smooth operation of the system.

Oil condition monitoring market in the Americas to grow at a high rate between 2017 and 2023

The oil condition monitoring market in the Americas is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 9.4% between 2017 and 2023. The highly integrated supply chain network in the Americas links producers and consumers through multiple transportation modes, including air and express delivery services, freight rail, maritime transport, and truck transport. The power industry is a capital-intensive industry in the Americas. For instance, in 2016, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) member companies invested USD 120.8 billion to build smarter energy infrastructure and to transition to even cleaner generation sources. This growth in the transportation and power industry would boost the growth of the oil condition monitoring market in the Americas.

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The report profiles the most promising players in the oil condition monitoring market. The competitive landscape of the market presents an interesting picture where a large number of players have become a force to reckon with. The key players operating in this market include Bureau Veritas SA (France), Intertek Group plc (UK), Parker Hannifin Corporation (US), Castrol Limited (UK), General Electric Company (US), TestOil (Insight Services, Inc.) (US), and Spectro Analytical Instruments GmbH (Germany).

Browse Related Reports

Machine Condition Monitoring Market by Monitoring Type (Vibration Monitoring, Thermography, Lubricating Oil Analysis, Corrosion Monitoring, Ultrasound Emission, MCSA), Offering, Industry, Monitoring Process, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/machine-health-monitoring-market-29627363.html

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About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.



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NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network  it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform

EXPERT ALERTS

Pain Management and the Opioid Crisis

Many Countries Lagging on Implementation of Support for Tobacco Cessation

Caribbean Travel  The Island of Tobago

A Renegade Guide to Motherhood

MEDIA JOBS

Reporter  Citywire USA (NY)

(NY) U.S. Correspondent, Tech  South China Morning Post (NY/CA)

Reporter  SparkSpread (NY/TX/ London )

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

Don't Risk Your Day Job: 7 Tips to Make Your Side Hustle Work for You

Blogger Events: Top Events to Attend in August

Blog Profiles: Aquarium Blogs

-------------------------------------------------------------------

EXPERT ALERTS:

Pain Management and the Opioid Crisis

Shaun Corbett, M.D.

Medical Director of Rehabilitation Services and The Rosomoff Rehabilitation Center

Miami Jewish Health

September is Pain Awareness Month, and Dr. Corbett is available to discuss pain management and the opioid crisis: "Chronic pain can be debilitating, and so can the medications commonly used to treat it. Long-term studies have shown us that the risks of opiate therapy in treating chronic pain are great, with little to no benefit substantiating their use. There is no quick fix for chronic pain, but there is medical evidence that supports physical therapy, occupational therapy, Tai-chi, acupuncture, psychology and exercise in treating chronic pain with little risk of adverse side effects. With discipline and consistency, long-term relief is attainable."

The Rosomoff Rehabilitation Center has a 40-year reputation among physicians across the nation as the last resort to send their patients when no other options are available to treating their pain.

Website: https://www.miamijewishhealth.org

Contact: Melissa Lichtenheld, [email protected]



Many Countries Lagging on Implementation of Support for Tobacco Cessation

Martin Raw

Director

International Centre for Tobacco Cessation

Article 14 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control recommends provision of evidence-based support for tobacco cessation, but many countries are lagging in implementation  leading to gaps in helping patients quit tobacco. Raw was the lead author on an editorial, endorsed by more than 70 global leaders in tobacco cessation, that sets out actions countries can take to support tobacco dependence treatment, focusing on low-cost, broad-reach interventions. Says Raw: "Effective tobacco cessation support will help us reach the goal of reducing premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases, but countries worldwide are not adequately implementing treatment support. It's time to improve the support offered to tobacco users who want to stop."

Contact: Breanne Van Nostrand, [email protected]



Caribbean Travel  The Island of Tobago

Nalini Galbaransingh

Executive Director of Le Grand and Grafton

Le Grand Courlan and Grafton Beach Resort

"The Caribbean is a popular travel destination, so stay informed before you book your trip. Learn about some general Caribbean travel tips, as well as specifics to the island of Tobago. Voted by CNN as one the most underlooked islands in the world, Tobago is a great hidden gem."

Galbaransingh is available to discuss Caribbean travel and the island of Tobago, including what travelers can expect when traveling to Tobago; island events and happenings; safety while traveling in the Caribbean; must-do and must-avoid adventures (e.g., scuba, waterfalls, rainforest excursions), the history of Tobago cuisine, drinks and culture; and more.

Contact: Kevin Derkash, [email protected]



A Renegade Guide to Motherhood

Ivette Garcia Davila

Podcast Host, Writer, Filmmaker

I'm The One Pushing

Motherhood is hard. So, with people offering unsolicited advice and "mansplaining" things at every turn, wouldn't it be nice if there was a manual for how to do it all without losing yourself? Davila, born and raised in Puerto Rico and now Los Angeles-based, is a former runaway-teen-turned-responsible-mom who likes to "color outside the lines" with other "renegade" moms. From "Meet the Fockers"-style family dynamics with a Latino twist, Davila's experiences as a mom, and her heavily researched information, she offers resources that moms from all walks of life will love. Says Davila: "When we first learn we're going to be moms, choices can be overwhelming -- from what kind of birth to have, down to which lightweight stroller contains the most amount of stuff. To make matters worse, all those decisions may elicit uncalled-for judgment over how you bring baby into the world, whether you breastfeed, co-sleep, or let your baby cry it out. Everything, really. We don't condone any of that. This is a safe place for all moms. We believe motherhood is an adventure and that we get to forge our own."

In addition to her popular podcast, "I'm the One Pushing," Davila also just published "I'm the One Pushing: A Practical and Renegade Guide to Choosing Your Own Motherhood Adventure," a must-read book filled with irreverent humor and unconventional wisdom, as well as great in-depth research.

Website: www.imtheonepushing.com

Contact: Penny Sansevieri, [email protected]



****************

MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/

Reporter  Citywire USA (NY)

(NY) U.S. Correspondent, Tech  South China Morning Post (NY/CA)

Reporter  SparkSpread (NY/TX/ London )

*****************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line.

DON'T RISK YOUR DAY JOB: 7 TIPS TO MAKE YOUR SIDE HUSTLE WORK FOR YOU. It seems like everyone has a side hustle. The real-life numbers support this: In a recent study from Bankrate, 44 million Americans reported having a side gig. Earnings range in this avenue of entrepreneurship, but in some instances, it can be extremely lucrative. If the gig economy is calling your name, here are seven tips for managing a side hustle outside of a busy 9-to-5: http://prn.to/2uUCmbQ

BLOGGER EVENTS: TOP EVENTS TO ATTEND IN AUGUST. Each month, the Audience Research team shares information of hot events for the blogging world. Here are some events you'll want to know about for August: http://prn.to/2uZyObq

BLOG PROFILES: AQUARIUM BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at a few aquarium blogs: http://prn.to/2uVzPOw

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NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP regarding the Sony Xperia class action settlement.

A proposed nationwide class action settlement has been preliminarily approved by a federal court in New York involving Sony Mobile Communications (U.S.A.), Inc. and Sony Electronics, Inc. concerning the alleged waterproof capabilities of certain Xperia smartphones and tablets. Sony denies the allegations.

The class includes owners, purchasers and others of certain Xperia smartphones and tablets. A fairness hearing has been set for December 1, 2017. There are upcoming deadlines for class members to exercise their rights. For more information, please go to: www.xperiawaterproofsettlement.com or 1-844-367-8807 or contact Nancy Kulesa at Levi & Korsinsky at (212) 363-7500.

SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 99 Market Data Tables and 35 Figures spread through 158 Slides and in-depth TOC on "Propylene Oxide Market"

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Increased demand for propylene oxide from the various end-use industries, such as automotive, building & construction, textile & furnishing, chemical & pharmaceutical, packaging, and electronics is expected to fuel the growth of the propylene oxide market during the forecast period.

The polyether polyols segment of the propylene oxide market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2017 to 2022.

By application, the polyether polyols segment of the propylene oxide market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2017 to 2022. The growth of the propylene oxide segment of the market can be attributed to increasing demand for polyurethane across the globe. The polyether polyols application segment led the Asia Pacific propylene oxide market in 2016. Rising demand for polyurethane and Unsaturated Polyester Resin (UPR) from the automotive, building & construction, textile & construction, textile & furnishing, packaging, and electronics industries is expected to drive the growth of the polyether polyols application segment of the Asia Pacific propylene oxide market.

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The hydrogen peroxide process of the propylene oxide market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2017 to 2022.

The hydrogen peroxide process segment of the propylene oxide market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2017 to 2022. Several companies have been developing technologies for the production of propylene oxide from propylene and hydrogen peroxide.

The Asia Pacific region led the propylene oxide market in 2016.

The Asia Pacific region led the Propylene Oxide Market in 2016. China, India, Japan, and South Korea are the key countries contributing to the market for propylene oxide in the region. The propylene oxide market in Asia Pacific is projected to witness significant growth during the forecast period, owing to the rising demand for propylene oxide from the end-use industries, such as automotive, building & construction, textile & furnishing, chemical & pharmaceutical, and packaging.

The Dow Chemical Company (US), LyondellBasell Industries (Netherlands), Royal Dutch Shell (Netherlands), Huntsman Corporation (US), BASF (Germany), Asahi Glass Company, (Japan), Repsol, S.A. (Spain), Sumitomo Chemical Company, (Japan), SKC Co., (South Korea), Tokuyama Corporation (Japan), Oltchim (Romania), PCC Rokita (Poland), PJSC Nizhnekamskneftekhim (Russia), Tianjin Dagu Chemical Co., (China), and INEOS Oxide (Switzerland) are some of the leading players operating in the propylene oxide market. These key players mainly focus on expansions and mergers & acquisitions to enhance their position in the propylene oxide market.

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http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/top-15-petrochemicals-market-193785497.html

Propylene Glycol Market by Source (Petroleum and Bio-Based), Application (Unsaturated Polyester Resin, Antifreeze & Functional Fluid, Food, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics), End-Use Industry (Transportation, Building & Construction) - Global Forecast to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/propylene-glycol-market-264488864.html

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About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets' flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

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MarketsandMarkets

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On August 17, 2017, the Vyborg City Court in Russia ruled to ban the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT), a Bible published by Jehovah's Witnesses. Russia's Law on Counteracting Extremist Activity, signed by President Putin himself in November 2015, explicitly prohibits declaring sacred texts, such as the Bible, to be extremist. In an unconscionable move to circumvent the law, the court relied on a so-called expert study alleging that the NWT is not a Bible, opening the way for it to be banned.

The Russian-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

Commenting on the ruling shortly after it was issued, David A. Semonian, international spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses at their world headquarters in New York, states: "It's impossible to comprehend how a court can justify the decision to ban the Bible. It's absurd that a court would outlaw the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, a Bible respected by scholars around the world, which has not only been distributed in hundreds of millions of copies but also has been translated into over 150 languages. Just how far will Russia's resistance to religious freedom go? We certainly hope that respect for sacred texts will prevail when we pursue this case on appeal."

Scores of religious experts following the situation in Russia have not been shy in speaking out in opposition to the case, such as Daniel Mark, chairman of the United States Commission on Religious Freedom, who states: "The conclusion by the courtby any courtthat the NWT translation is not a Bible is nonsense." Likewise, Dr. Mathew N. Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, declares: "the claim that the NWT is not 'a Bible' is absurd."

Many point to the Center for Sociocultural Expert Studies in Moscow, the group responsible for the "expert study," as the source of the absurdity. Scholars have roundly denounced the group. For instance, Roman Lunkin, the Head of the Center for Problems of Religion and Society at the Russian Academy of Science's Institute of Europe in Moscow, has labeled these experts as "fake," revealing that "not one of [them] has a degree in religious studies." Countering the claims of the "expert study," Professor Gerhard Besier, director of the Sigmund Neumann Institute for the Research on Freedom and Democracy (Germany), succinctly defends the NWT, stating: "The New World Translation has received high-praise worldwide from Bible scholars representing diverse religious communities."

With the decision to ban the NWT, the Russian Federation has assumed a hostile posture that should concern more than just the Witnesses. According to Willy Fautre, director and co-founder of Belgium-based Human Rights Without Frontiers: "Any translation of any other historical sacred bookthe Koran of the Muslims, the Tanakh of the Jews, and the Kangyur of the Buddhistscan now be declared illegal in Russia, and any sacred book of any other religion is now vulnerable to state censorship in Russia."

For additional background information, see the following articles:

Experts Decry Russia's Threat to Ban the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

International Experts Discredit Russia's "Expert Analysis" in Identifying "Extremism"

Russian Customs Officials Seize Shipments of Bibles and Bible Literature

Media Contact: David A. Semonian, Office of Public Information, +1-845-524-3000

SOURCE Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information
NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. ("Blue Apron" or the "Company") (NYSE: APRN) securities and certain of its officers, on behalf of a class who purchased Blue Apron securities pursuant to the Registration Statement issued in connection with the Company's initial public offering ("IPO"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/aprn.

This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The Complaint alleges that Defendants made materially false and misleading statements in the Registration Statement and failed to disclose that: (1) rather than continue to significantly increase spending on advertising, Blue Apron had already decided to significantly reduce spending on advertising in Q2 2017, which would hurt sales and profit margins in future quarters; (2) Blue Apron was already experiencing adverse on-time in-full rates, meaning orders were not arriving on time or with all the ingredients needed, which was hurting customer retention; and (3) Blue Apron had run into delays in Q2 2017 with its new factory in Linden, New Jersey.

On August 10, 2017, Blue Apron revealed that it had run into delays with its new factory in Linden, New Jersey, leading to additional delays in new product rollouts, impeding Blue Apron's ability to gain new customers and maintain current customers. Following this news, Blue Apron stock dropped $1.10 per share or over 17% to close at $5.14 per share on August 10, 2017, a 50% drop from the IPO price.

A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/aprn or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Hurwitz of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. If you suffered a loss in Blue Apron you have until October 16, 2017 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contact:

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC

Peretz Bronstein or Yael Hurwitz

212-697-6484 | [email protected]

SOURCE Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC

Related Links

http://www.bgandg.com


WATERLOO, Ontario, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Since its release in 2013, LCR-Reader has become a popular test and debugging tool for electronics development. It was important that the tool was offered at half price than its predecessor Smart Tweezers by reducing functionality and simplifying the operation of the device.

LCR-Reader-MP from Siborg Systems Inc. provides high accuracy measurements when testing SMT components. The device has various test modes including AC/DC voltage measurement, frequency measurements, oscilloscope mode, signal generation, pulse counting, etc. LCR-Reader-MP is suited for measuring very large capacitances up to 600mF. The LCR-Reader-MP becomes even more powerful when used with the LCR-Reader Probe Connector. The device becomes a complete probe station and can check waveforms at various nodes on the Printed Circuit Board. The LCR-Reader Probe Connector comes with five attachments for various applications; it allows LCR-Reader and Smart Tweezers to measure components larger than the allowable size between the tweezers' tips.

On the contrary, LCR-Reader MP (Multi Purpose) offers many new features covering various aspects of electronic measurement and testing. It offers all features previously available on the original Smart Tweezers LCR-meter ST-1 and goes beyond that with AC/DC voltage measurement, oscilloscope mode, frequency measurement, pulse counting, signal generation, etc. Most importantly it offers 100 kHz test frequency that allows 1 nH resolution for inductance and 0.01 pF for capacitance measurements.

Oscilloscope mode allows to analyze voltage waveforms with frequencies up to 100 kHz on active circuit board making LCR-Reader MP an indispensible tool for PCB debugging. The use of recently released LCR-Reader Probe Connector makes the device even more powerful by allowing to check waveforms at various nodes on the board quickly and easily.

LCR-Reader MP is well suited for measurement of very large capacitances up to 600 mF. The electrolytic capacitors are measured at 100 Hertz with ESR measured at 100 kHz according to the regular electrolytic capacitor test conditions. For Large Capacitance mode, test frequency is reduced to 25 Hertz thus allowing to evaluate very large capacitances with a reasonable accuracy. A wide range of test frequencies available in LCR-Reader MP allow to adjust it for optimal measurement conditions. Available frequencies are: 25, 100, 120 Hz, 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 75, and 100 kHz.

A summary of features is as follows:

Automatic LCR, ESR and Diode/LED measurement

Basic accuracy better than 0.1%

AC/DC voltage measurement up to 15 V

Oscilloscope Transient Voltage display for up to 100 kHz

Measurement of Frequency, Pulse period, Duty Cycle up to 400 kHz

Signal Generator: Sine, Rectangle, Triangle pulse shapes up to 100 kHz

Li-Ion Battery, USB Charger

Diode/LED and Continuity test

Two Test Signal levels, Automatic Test Signal Reduction to 0.1 V for in-circuit measurement

Easy Short/Open Calibration, Offset Removal

Handling of components as small as 0201 size (about 0.3 mm)

Display of active and reactive impedance components

Just 2 Oz (60 grams) weight

Drawbacks of the new model: maximum test signal available is 0.65 Vrms, that is not enough for reliable evaluation of some ceramic capacitors resulting in a lower than actual capacitance values. Another issue is a rather high test signal source resistance of 1 kOhm.

Physically, the new device is larger and twice as heavy of the original LCR-Reader and the latest model of Smart Tweezers ST-5S, but the larger size allows for a bigger screen with better readability for results and icons.

The new LCR-Reader MP will be available for sale after September 1, 2017 with an introductory offer of US$388.99 each. Pre-orders are available and will be shipped as soon as the devices become available.

Siborg also offers other tweezer-like tools including Smart Tweezers Bluetooth and accessories.

Established in 1994, Siborg Systems Inc. is a source of engineering software and hardware tools for semiconductor and electronics industry. Located in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, it enjoys being part of the local world-renowned high-tech community.

Media Contact:

Michael Obrecht

[email protected]

15198889906

SOURCE Siborg Systems Inc
LAS VEGAS, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Las Vegas is becoming one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. and has many retailers, restaurants, and online companies growing with it. P and C Services is one of the companies in the local community that is helping small businesses grow. With online businesses providing the community with everything they need, retailers are struggling to keep up with the Internet giants like Amazon and Ebay who are thriving in online sales. P and C Services is the ideal solution for that.

P and C Services offer a one stop, customized turnkey solution for accepting payments and payment processing. One of the managing founders of the company says: "Our unique Point of Sale technology provides retailers and restaurants the ability to accept payment, do inventory, and keep track of accounting all in one system." James Cooper, President of P and C Services says, "There are over 150 apps available to help you do more and worry less about your business." For every type of sale, there is a payment solution.

"As your business grows, you can enhance your system with more than 150 apps available from the App Market. Businesses can also manage staff, capitalize on insights and seamlessly integrate to QuickBooks to take your business to a whole new level. The App Market gives you solutions designed to help you do more and worry less."

P and C Services provides you with all of the tools necessary to get started with accepting payments. "Accept more types of payments with magnetic stripe and EMV compliant credit and debit cards, to Apple Pay. Protect your customers, their business, and their reputation from fraud with built in security. Accept Checks and ACH payments."

Las Vegas small businesses are in need of solutions to help save money and time as competition grows in all markets. P and C Services provides more than just payment processing solutions. You can learn more by visiting their website at http://processingandpayroll.com.

Begin by learning more about what they have to offer and using their contact form to request more information.

Founding Manager, James Cooper in his recent statement says, "Our company will help you with step by step instructions and also help with everything it takes to get any small business started accepting payments and to start saving time and money. There are no long term contracts necessary because companies decide to stay with us because we have the right solutions for small businesses.

"Unlike other companies that outsource their customer service representatives to other far away countries that have no idea how your business works and competes in a market like Nevada we offer local customer service with hands on support for businesses. Friendly, professional business support is one of the primary reasons why P and C Services is different than most Business Consulting Companies, contributing to the success of each business. Business owners, by simply requesting more information, gain the privilege to pick the brains of some of the best consultants in the payment processing industry. During the first consultation, you will learn how to apply for a merchant account, get the lowest processing rates, and start accepting payments for your business. There will also be plenty of time to answer any questions from business owners during the consultation.

"Act now and get $100.00 off your payment processing." Learn more about what P and C Services can do for your business. Toll Free: 888-602-6556 or to request more info via their official website.

About P and C Services: P and C Services, LLC is an organization dedicated to providing small businesses with tools necessary to help them save time, money, and have less stress.

Contact Info:

Name: James Cooper

Organization: President, P and C Services, LLC

Address: 10620 Southern Highland Pkwy. Ste. 110

Las Vegas, Nevada, 89141

For more information, please visit http://www.processingandpayroll.com

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DskzRAZXMiA

SOURCE P and C Services, LLC

Related Links

http://processingandpayroll.com


The host, Lu Yongzheng, vice governor of Guizhou province said in his welcome speech that China had been advocating the harmonious coexistence of man and nature since ancient times. The philosophy of harmony between nature and humans traces back to 2500 years ago according to the classical Chinese text Dao De Jing. Lu Yongzheng said Guizhou would follow the practice of ecological progress and green development, to promote mountain tourism. "Guizhou will be home to a better ecological environment with a stronger tourism based economy, which would also lead to a better life for the local people." He then added that the world's first mountain tourism international organization, International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA) was formally established with the approval of the State Council of China's government; and would be headquartered in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou province, in southwest China.

Lu Yongzheng said that Guizhou should protect its ecology as if it was a living creature. Utilizing their rich mountain resources to develop the mountain tourism is a way that Guizhou is able to continue and develop the tourism economy.

In Nepal, three quarters of the land is mountains, according to Binod Prasad Acharya, Economic Minister of the Embassy of Nepal. He shared Nepal's experience in developing mountain tourism in his speech. He was hopeful that Guizhou and other Mountain Tourism countries could work together to create an international model in Guizhou.

In the panel discussion, ICC representatives from the United States, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, India, Malaysia, Nepal, the European Union, Latin American, and Guizhou Tourism Director Li Sanqi, along with experts, media leaders and business representatives from Huanqiu.com, Cheetah Mobile and Fanews exchanged ideas and opinions mainly on three topics. These included water and lush mountains as invaluable assets, mountain tourism leading to a new industrial system, and Guizhou's opportunities in the global business environment.

Another highlight of the International Dialogue on Green Development and Mountain Tourism was the announcement of the ten words which are considered most representative of Guizhou. Working with Guizhou Provincial Government Information Office, Huanqiu.com carried out an online survey entitled "The eyes of the world are on Guizhou" from 20th July to 3rd August in order to find out how the Western world viewed Guizhou. Within two weeks, 192 questionnaires were collected from 15 countries and regions, from which ten words were shortlisted:

Moutai (89.58%, a brand of distilled Chinese spirit, made in Guizhou province) Big Data (72.92%) Huangguoshu Waterfall (68.75%, Guizhou's most spectacular attraction, located in Zhenning county, Anshun city) the Zunyi Conference (64.58%, a meeting of the Communist Party of China in January 1935 during the Long March, after which Chairman Mao took over military command and became the Party leader) the FAST (55.25%, a five-hundred-meter aperture spherical radio telescope) Gui'an New District (47.92%, a new area focusing on the construction of a new pharmaceutical industry park, health medical city, medical equipment and medical materials industry base) Xijiang Miao Village (47.92%, a historical cultural ancient town and the largest gathering place of Miao nationality) Lao Gan Ma (43.75%, a brand of chili sauces that are made in Guizhou ) Fish in Sour Soup (41.67%, a Miao dish with roasted fish and various vegetables) Beipanjiang Bridge (35.42%, The highest bridge in the world which was inaugurated in late 2003)

Ha Siting, Vice Minister of Guizhou Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department, commented on the survey. He said, "The ten words selected from the survey are an accurate representation of Guizhou today." Among them, "Big Data", "the FAST" and "Gui'an New District" were also collected by the Guizhou Provincial Information Office as part of Guizhou's ten buzzwords in 2016. These three buzzwords have become the keywords of Guizhou's development, further demonstrating that the international attention on Guizhou has kept pace with the times - the world not only paid attention to Guizhou's natural landscape, civilization and history, but also to the industrial planning and development in modern Guizhou.

Ha Siting also spoke about Guizhou's efforts in building a "Colorful Guizhou" since 2005. In 2016 alone, Guizhou carried out tourism promotion activities and cultural exchanges with countries such as South Korea, Switzerland, The Czech Republic and Hungary. Guizhou also held a global promotion activity at the blue hall of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Guizhou was also added to The New York Times' list of 52 places around the world that were worth visiting in 2016. The French national television made a documentary entitled Meet in the Unknown Area: Guizhou. CNN broadcasted an advertisement of Guizhou during the US presidential debate which led to an influx of travelers from the West to Guizhou. All these activities strengthened the image of the "Colorful Guizhou".

After much hard work Huanqiu.com's initiative of ICC leaders and foreign media reporters' eco-traveling in Guizhou has become a provincial promotion project. As one of the organizers of this activity, Huanqiu.com strives to enrich and promote the project, which would help build up Guizhou's image in China and abroad.

The ICC leaders and foreign media reporters were left with a deep impression of Guizhou's Eco-friendly mountain tourism, which has won the Award from the China National Tourism Administration for the Best Model of Tourism Development.

SOURCE Huanqiu.com

Related Links

http://www.huanqiu.com


ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, American Trucking Associations announced TrueNorth Companies, a leading entrepreneurial insurance and financial strategies firm, will continue their relationship with ATA as an ATA Corporate Partner.

"Risk Management is at the core of running and operating a successful transportation business," said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. "We are proud to renew our corporate partnership with TrueNorth and help provide the trucking industry with the tools necessary to move trucking forward."



TrueNorth believes a holistic enterprise risk management plan extends beyond insurance. TrueNorth's Risk Solutions Team helps companies focus on strategies that impact total cost of risk. The team of specialists helps businesses navigate legal and compliance issues, implement cost reducing technologies, manage and mitigate claims, and develop data driven safety and loss prevention strategies to ensure confidence in a company's sustainability and scalability.

"TrueNorth is excited to continue our efforts in support of the trucking industry as an ATA Corporate Partner," said Trent Tillman, executive vice president of TrueNorth. "We are committed to and aligned with the work of the ATA as we aim to assist transportation companies and their people with protecting and maximizing assets, resources, and opportunities."

TrueNorth understands the pressure trucking companies face when making resource investments. With a properly architected and resourced Enterprise Risk Management Strategy, businesses can create the competitive advantage needed to get, keep and grow customers. TrueNorth's Risk Solutions Team allows trucking companies to tap into their pool of resources in a cost effective way that ensures trucking companies keep pace with the needs of their enterprises. With tools like iNergyBI that allow companies to capture key organizational data and produce results based actions or iNergyRMIS that facilitate claim management in a high-impact way, TrueNorth helps organizations implement the sophistication required for high performance.

ATA's Featured Product list is available at www.atabusinesssolutions.com or by calling 866-821-3468.

TrueNorth is an entrepreneurial insurance and financial strategies firm focused on providing integrated solutions to clients. Our firm specializes in assisting business and individuals with customized solutions for their insurance and financial strategies needs. For businesses, we provide risk management/property casualty, employee benefits, retirement plans, strategic continuation planning for business succession, consulting and education. We provide additional niche specific services for the construction, medical, and transportation industries. We provide individual solutions in personal home, auto, liability, financial planning and health insurance. Headquartered in Cedar Rapids with additional Iowa locations in Cedar Falls, Des Moines, and the Quad Cities. Across the country, we have sales offices in Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward.

SOURCE American Trucking Associations

Related Links

http://www.trucking.org


MIAMI, August 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Vapor Group, Inc. (OTC Pink: VPOR), ("Company"), is delighted to announce that its Easy Grinder has received an outstanding product review on Marijuana.Com, under the heading, "Review: The Easy Grinder Isn't Like Other Robo-Shredders": https://www.marijuana.com/news/2017/08/review-the-easy-grinder-isnt-like-other-robo-shredders/

"The review summarizes all the great features of Easy Grinder, including its versatility in the quick and thorough grinding of different kinds of marijuana, its exceptionally long rechargeable battery life, ease-of-use, and unmatched powerful performance," said Yaniv Nahon, President & CEO of the Company. "To quote the review, 'Easy Grinder is a great investment' and 'a top of the line shredder'."

Easy Grinder is exclusively distributed by the Company's subsidiary, Total Vapor, Inc.

Separately, the Company announced that on August 16, 2017 it had posted revised unaudited financial statements for the second quarter 2017 to correct an error which the Company hadn't caught prior to publication that was caused by accounting software. Interested shareholders are directed to OTCMarkets.com to review the new posting.

About Vapor Group, Inc.

Vapor Group, http://www.vaporgroup.com, is focused on the acquisition and development of commercially viable intellectual property and proprietary products, while it continues its historic business of manufacturing and marketing vaporizers, e-cigarettes and e-liquids.

The Company's subsidiary, Total Vapor, Inc. is the worldwide distributor of the revolutionary, hand-held automatic Easy Grinder designed for the MJ market. For more information or to place an order, visit http://www.easygrinder.com or email [email protected]. You can also call us at 844-420-EASY (3279). To view a video demonstration, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fveTEGXfG8I or on http://www.easygrinder.com . Easy Grinder may also be shipped to Canada.

Vapor Group also owns Simple Cork, Inc., http://www.simplecork.com, the developer of a new, multi-nationally patented combination wine bottle cork/opener being prepared for market entry in the second half of 2017.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include any that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "estimate", "project", "intend", "forecast", "anticipate", "plan", "planning", "expect", "believe", "likely", "should", "could", "would", "may" or similar words or expressions. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results and financial position to differ materially from those in such statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the Company's ability to grow. Actual results may differ materially from those predicted and any reported should not be considered an indication of future performance. Potential risks and uncertainties include the Company's operating history and resources, economic, competitive, and equity market conditions.

CONTACT:

Vapor Group, Inc.

+1-954-883-9525



SOURCE Vapor Group, Inc.
URBANDALE, Iowa, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EDJE is a web, app, and print company in the Des Moines area specializing in agricultural and livestock businesses. With over 20 years of experience, EDJE has completed more than 3,500 client projects. As of July 1, 2017, it will become part of Webspec Design under owner Jeremiah Terhark. Terhark is also partial owner in both Iowa Sign Company and Computer Repair of Des Moines.

EDJE does work in web and print design, as well as mobile app development. Its 18 full-time employees work with a variety of client types and consist of developers, designers, and print specialists. Both companies combined will total nearly 50 employees. On top of adding these new, creative employees, Webspec will also be acquiring all the current EDJE services and clients.

"We are really excited about this opportunity and cannot wait to have everyone at EDJE officially join our team," said Webspec Design founder and owner, Jeremiah Terhark. "They have a variety of services and a large portfolio of clients. We're looking forward to collaborating together and learning from each other."

Webspec Design is known for its custom projects and strong client relationships. At Webspec, the employees believe a web project is just the beginning of the client relationship. Terhark plans to use the unique services at EDJE and the strong relational skills at Webspec to help grow both businesses.

"This is a new adventure for everyone involved," said Jeremiah Terhark. "The employees at both businesses are very passionate about what they do and I'm looking forward to all that is to come."

About Webspec Design Webspec Design is an industry-leading team of designers, web and software developers, project managers, and digital marketing experts based in Urbandale, Iowa. We hire the best and brightest to develop creative web design solutions and deliver businesses unparalleled results. After fifteen years and hundreds of web design and development projects, we are proud of our reputation for service and have worked with over 700 happy clients. Along with custom web design and development, Webspec also specializes in software development, digital marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO).

SOURCE Webspec Design
WINDER, Ga., Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Partners Realty, an independently owned and operated real estate brokerage company in Winder, announced today that it has joined the CENTURY 21 franchise system and will now do business as CENTURY 21 Community Partners Realty. The company will continue to provide full-service real estate services to buyers and sellers throughout the greater Atlanta metropolitan area.

"We are pleased to welcome the Community Realty Partners team to the CENTURY 21 System," said Greg Sexton, chief operating officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "This company is an excellent example of the repeat business that is possible when a team of agents prioritizes the well-being of its clients and remains focused on serving as a source of knowledge to consumers throughout their evolving real estate needs."

Broker/owner Tim Hill brings more than 20 years of experience in the real estate and construction industry, and has been a staple of the local business community for upwards of 29 years.

Born and raised in Georgia, Hill prides himself on sharing with his clients his appreciation for the lifestyle his home state offers. As the North Georgia real estate market continues to boom, Hill and his team of agents have become a go-to source for land and farm sales throughout the region.

"The team and I are thrilled to join such a recognized and powerful real estate brand, as Century 21 Real Estate," said Tim. "We're primed and ready to take full advantage of not only the tools and technology the brand offers, but also the tremendous support of our fellow offices within the System. The international reach of the brand will now be a critical advantage for our clients."

About CENTURY 21 Community Partners Realty

CENTURY 21 Community Partners Realty is a full service real estate company, serving the buyers and sellers of the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. The brokerage is located at 30 S Broad St, Winder, GA 30680.

CENTURY 21 Community Partners Realty is an independently owned and operated franchise affiliate of Century 21 Real Estate LLC (century21.com), franchisor of the iconic CENTURY 21 brand, comprised of approximately 7,450 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 79 countries and territories worldwide with more than 115,000 independent sales professionals.

Media Contact:

Colin Brown

MullenLowe for CENTURY 21 Community Partners Realty

617.226.9749

[email protected]

SOURCE CENTURY 21 Community Partners Realty

Related Links

http://www.century21.com


If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
New Delhi, Aug 14 : The Congress on Monday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the nation during his Independence Day address for "deliberate criminal negligence" on part of the government that led to the death of over 60 children in a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur.

Terming the government "insensitive", the party also hit out at BJP President Amit Shah for his remarks that "such incidents do happen", saying it was a "matter of shame and sadness".

The party also demanded that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh must resign and an FIR be lodged on the charges of "deliberate criminal negligence".

"The deaths that took place in Gorakhpur is only because negligence of the government. PM Narendra Modi reacts to every incidents outside the country on Twitter, but has no time to react on this incident. This is very unfortunate.

"We would expect the prime minister to apologise to the nation on Tuesday when he'll be addressing the nation on Independence Day for the negligence on part of the government that in the Gorakhpur incident," said Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken.

Slamming Amit Shah, Maken said: "When deaths have taken place due to criminal negligence, BJP president Amit shah says 'such incidents do happen'. If the BJP president makes such remarks, then is is a matter of shame and sadness. How can we expect the government to be sensitive towards children."

Maken also said: "In September 2016, Rahul Gandhiji had raised the encephalitis issue, which fell on deaf ears as usual because of sheer arrogance.

"If they don't take seriously the warning of a senior leader of the principal opposition party, then how can you expect the government to sensitive. Despite repeated warnings, they did not act."

Maken noted that the oxygen supplier had written two letters to the Chief Minister - on August 9 and on April 6 - about the delay in payment.

"This year in May the medical college had sought Rs 37 crore from the state government. Later, the state government had asked the central government for the funds. But it has not responded. About 16 reminders were given to the hospital about the payment as well," said Maken.

Maken also said: "Neither the post-mortem has been done, nor the list of names of children who died have been provided by the state government. If they are not doing post-mortem, it means they are trying to protect the culprits.

"We demand an FIR should be lodged on the charges of deliberate criminal negligence and the culprit should be punished. The CM and Health Minister must resign."

"When they are saying that there is not negligence on part of the administration and that such deaths occur every year, we can't expect an impartial probe from these people," Maken added.
United Nations, Aug 15 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned about India's plans to deport Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, his spokesperson Farhan Haq said.

"Obviously we have our concern about the treatment of refugees. Once refugees are registered they are not to be returned back to the countries where they fear persecution," Haq said while responding to a question about reports that India was going to send back Rohingyas.

Guterres, who was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is deeply attached to the cause of refugees.

Haq said on Monday that the UNHCR office would take up the issue with the Indian government. He reminded India of a UN dictum against deporting refugees.

"You are aware of our principle of non refoulement," he said, referring to the doctrine in the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees.

According to the principle, refugees cannot be returned to a place where their life or freedom would be "threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion".

India has not signed the UN convention on refugees.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha last week: "According to UNHCR there are 13,000 Rohingya migrants registered. But we have also got figures from IB (Intelligence Bureau) which show they have migrated to India in large numbers.

"Steps are being taken to ensure that we do not get uncontrolled influx of migrants in the country, which creates lots of social, political and cultural problems.

"At the same time we want to ensure the demographic pattern of India is not disturbed," Rijiju had said.

He said a "concentration camp of Rohingyas has come up" in Jammu and Kashmir and later clarified that it was only a detention camp and not a "concentration camp" like those in Nazi Germany.

Subsequently, a Home Ministry official was quoted as saying that India was in touch with Myanmar and Bangladesh to deport 40,000 Rohingyas illegally in India.

UNHCR office in India has reportedly issued refugee IDs to about 16,500 Rohingyas in India.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
United Nations, Aug 15 : The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned about India's plans to deport Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, according to his spokesperson Farhan Haq.

Responding to a question on Monday about reports that India was going to send back Rohingyas, Haq said, "Obviously we have our concern about the treatment of refugees. Once refugees are registered they are not to be returned back to the countries where they fear persecution."

Guterres, who was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is deeply attached to the cause of refugees.

Haq said the office of the UNHCR will take up the issue with the Indian government. He reminded India of a UN dictum against deporting refugees.

"You are aware of our principle of non refoulement," he said referring to the doctrine in the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees.

That principle lays down that a refugee cannot be returned to a place where the person's life or freedom would be "threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion."

India has not signed the UN refugees convention.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha last week, "According to UNHCR there are 13,000 Rohingya migrants registered. But we have also got figures from IB (Intelligence Bureau), which shows they have migrated to India in large numbers."

"Steps are being taken to ensure that we do not get uncontrolled influx of migrants in the country, which creates lots of problem related to social, political, cultural.

"And at the same time we want to ensure that the demographic pattern of India is not disturbed," Rijiju added.

He said that a "concentration camp of Rohingyas has come up" in Jammu and Kashmir and later clarified that it was only a detention camp and not a "concentration camp" like those in Nazi Germany.

Subsequently, a Home Ministry official was quoted in media reports as saying that India was in touch with Myanmar and Bangladesh to deport 40,000 Rohingyas illegally in India.

UNHCR office in India has reportedly issued refugee IDs to about 16,500 Rohingyas in India.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
Patna, Aug 15 : More than 6.5 million people have been affected by floods in Bihar, that have claimed the lives of over 40 people so far, washed away thousands of huts, badly damaged buildings, roads, bridges and standing crops worth crores, officials said on Tuesday.

Bihar disaster management department officials said that 65.37 lakh people in 889 panchayats under 84 blocks in 13 districts have been affected by the floods. "So far 41 people have died in the floods," officials said, but unconfirmed reports put death toll at 85.

Nearly three million people were affected alone in the worst-hit districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar in last three days. "Thousands were displaced due to floods," an official said.

According to them, about 1.82 lakh people have been evacuated to safe places by the rescue teams in the last two days.

The state administration says at least five more districts including Samastipur, Khagaria and Sheohar face the threat of floods. "Flood waters have entered in some new areas and are likely to create panic among people," officials said.

Other affected districts are Darbhanga, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul, East and West Champaran.

Reports reaching here suggest that thousands of people have been forced to flee from their homes after their villages were inundated. They have taken shelter in high rise areas, including national highways, schools and government buildings.

In view of the worsening flood situation, the state government has cancelled the leave of doctors and heath department officials in flood-hit districts.

The state disaster management department has asked people living in low lying areas to move to higher places as heavy rains continued.

"The flood situation in Bihar will continue to be grim following rising water levels of rivers and incessant rains," met department officials said.

Major rivers in the state including the Koshi, Mahananda, Gandak, Bagmati and Ganga are in spate and some rivers have breached their banks and embankments, officials said.

"With heavy rainfall in Bihar as well as in the catchment areas in Nepal, the water level of these rivers has been rising," an official told IANS.

The government has launched massive relief and rescue operations with help from the Army, Air Force as well as National Disaster Response Force and Bihar State Disaster Response Force teams.

"We have deployed four Army teams, 22 NDRF and 15 SDRF teams along with hundreds of our own officials in relief and rescue operations in flood-affected districts," Pratyaya Amrit, Principal Secretary in the Bihar Disaster Management Department, said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday sought the help of the Army and Indian Air Force in relief and rescue operations. He also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to provide all possible aid. Both have assured him of help.

Nitish Kumar, after an aerial survey of the four worst hit flooded districts on Monday, said he had told officials to speed up rescue and relief work. He again spoke with Modi and requested assistance.

Railway stations in Kishanganj, Katihar and Jogbani in Araria were flooded, leaving scores of passengers stranded. Eighteen trains have been cancelled since Sunday.

According to officials, crops worth crores were damaged and road links to several places have been snapped. Reports reaching here said flood waters had submerged NH 104 in Sitamarhi, NH 31 in Kishanganj and NH 327 in Araria.
Panaji, Aug 15 : The police have been directed to launch a crackdown on rave parties and late night music events held in remote areas of Goa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Tuesday, adding that frustration and lack of direction among youth was leading to increasing drug proliferation in the state.

Parrikar, in his Independence Day speech here, also declared that Goa would be plastic-free by 2020 and asked citizens to co-operate with the drive to rid the state of the plastic menace.

"Late night rave parties are illegal and it is where drugs are consumed and distributed. Rave parties on beaches or remote areas should be totally stopped," he told the media on the sidelines of the Independence Day function here.

Parrikar's comments came after two youngsters from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who were attending rave parties in North Goa's Anjuna village, died due to suspected drug overdose. The incident has triggered a crackdown on music events in the coastal state.

The Chief Minister also said that one of the reasons why it was difficult to eliminate drugs was the complexity posed by new age drugs, which can be easily camouflaged.

"There are many drugs which you cannot identify so easily including the soluble ones. But at the same time information-based action should be taken. If you know that there are such parties going on, the police should be immediately informed."

The former Defence Minister also said that drug use in Goa had increased because of frustration and lack of direction among youngsters.

"I am saying this because we are getting news from many quarters that drug proliferation has increased. I have given instructions to police, but I believe the reason for increase in drugs is frustration. If youth is direction-less they move in unwanted directions," Parrikar said.

The Chief Minister said that Goans either want desk jobs or clerical jobs.

"In a place like Goa, employment will always remain an issue, but one more question is added. Goans want white-collar jobs, we have forgotten the dignity of labour... Everyone wants desk and clerical jobs. If in the coming years, we have to rein in the monster of unemployment, then we will have to instil dignity in labour," Parrikar said.

The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay alumnus also said the increasing use of technology, farming mechanisation and robotics technology was cutting down on jobs in various sectors, which have been traditionally linked to job-creation.

"With improvement in technology and farming mechanisation, in many areas there is robotics technology. Employment generation is becoming an issue, because sectors with employment today are no longer job providers, or employment capacities have decreased," Parrikar said expressing concern.

Urging the people to use re-usable cloth bags and not rely on plastic, he said the aim is to make Goa plastic-free by 2020.

"There are many advantages to make Goa plastic-free. There are health benefits and since Goa is a tourism centre, it will benefit tourism too. Garbage is dumped everywhere."

He said the government will arrange for everything, but it won't be possible without co-operation from people. "By 2020, we have resolved to make Goa plastic free."

The Chief Minister said that action would soon be taken against those who sell plastic bags below 50 microns.
Nairobi, Aug 16 : Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab on Tuesday killed five police officers and injured another during an ambush in Garissa County in Kenya, police said.

Police said an unknown number of Al-Shabaab militia ambushed seven police officers from Bothai Police Station who were on patrol at Alijize which is along Bothai-Ijara road, XInhua news agency reported.

"During the ambush, five police officers were killed, one injured and another one found safe. Their police land cruiser was burnt by the militants," said the officer who declined to be named.

Northeastern Regional Coordinator Mohammed Saleh who confirmed the attack said a combined contingent of security forces from Hulugho are at Alijize and pursuing the militants, while air surveillance has been requested to assist the combined forces.

"We are pursuing the attackers. No arrest has been made so far," said Saleh.

Several areas in the northeastern Kenya that borders Somalia have been the target of Al-Shabaab terrorists who kill innocent citizens, as well as security officers and other government officials, using either gunfire or grenades.

The region is also prone to attacks where police officers including civilians have lost their lives or sustained injuries when patrol cars run over landmines or grenade attack The East African nation faces insecurity as bomb attacks using improvised explosive devices and grenades have been hurled in the coastal region of Lamu and Nairobi since Kenyan soldiers entered Somalia in 2011 to secure the shared border with Somalia.
Patna, Aug 16 : The overall flood situation in Bihar continued to be grim on Wednesday with major rivers in spate breaching banks, inundating new areas and displacing thousands of people, officials said.

The worst affected areas were Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar of Seemanchal region and Supaul, Madhepura and Saharsa of Koshi region.

The flood situation has also worsened in East and West Champaran in the last 24 hours with the Gandak river breaching embankments in Bagaha, an official said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar along with his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi took stock of the situation as they conducted aerial surveys on Wednesday in West Champaran district.

This was the third consecutive day of the Chief Minister's aerial surveys of different flood-hit districts.

He surveyed Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea and Katihar on Monday, followed by East Champaran, Sheohar, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi and Madhubani districts on Tuesday.

The state's Disaster Management Department has confirmed the flood death toll has risen to 56. They fear it might increase.

"It may rise further as information takes time to reach here," an official said. Unofficial reports put the death toll at over 60.

People living in low lying areas have been advised to move to higher places as heavy rain continued.

"The flood situation in Bihar will continue to be grim following rising water levels of rivers and incessant rain," Met department officials said.

Major rivers including the Koshi, Mahananda, Gandak, Bagmati and Ganga are in spate and some rivers have breached their banks and embankments, officials said.

"With heavy rainfall in Bihar as well as in the catchment areas in Nepal, the water level of these rivers has been rising," an official told IANS.

The government has launched massive relief and rescue operations with help from the Army, Air Force as well as the National Disaster Response Force and Bihar State Disaster Response Force teams.

"We have deployed four Army teams, 22 NDRF and 15 SDRF teams along with hundreds of our own officials in relief and rescue operations in flood-affected districts," state Disaster Management Department Principal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit said.

An official said over 69.41 lakh people in 1,070 panchayats under 98 blocks in 133 districts have been affected by the floods in Bihar.

Of them, more than 2.48 lakh have been evacuated to safer places by the rescue teams. The state government has set up 343 relief camps in which 93,149 people are living.

Thousands of people have taken shelter either on high rise school buildings, panchayat buildings or other government buildings. Many continue to suffer along the national highways under the open sky.

The state administration said at least five more districts including Samastipur and Khagaria face flood threats.

"Flood waters have entered in some new areas and are likely to create panic among people," the officials said.

The JD-U-BJP government has cancelled the leave of doctors and heath department officials in all flood-hit districts.

Nitish Kumar has again spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested assistance.

Railway stations in Kishanganj, Katihar and Jogbani in Araria were flooded, leaving scores of passengers stranded. Eighteen trains have been cancelled since Sunday.

According to officials, crops worth crores of rupees have been affected and road links to several places have been snapped.

Reports reaching here said flood waters have submerged NH-104 in Sitamarhi, NH-31 in Kishanganj and NH-327 in Araria, an official added.
Beijing, Aug 16 : Top Chinese and US military officials have agreed to boost military ties and exchanges amid growing tension between the two countries over North Korea.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army Joseph Dunford met his Chinese counterpart Fang Fenghui on Tuesday and signed the framework for an agreement to build a new communication mechanism for their joint staff departments, the China Daily reported on Wednesday.

Experts said the new mechanism would help strengthen effective communication, reduce miscalculations and improve risk management in Asia's increasingly complex geopolitical climate, according to the report.

The officials also discussed China's maritime disputes in the South China Sea with neighbouring countries, including Taiwan, and growing tension on the Korean peninsula over North Korea's repeated nuclear and missile tests.

During the meeting, Fang stressed cooperation was the right way forward for China and the US, who, he added, could be great military partners.

The Chinese military is willing to work with its US counterpart to strengthen mutual understanding and trust, deepen cooperation and manage risks and differences in an appropriate and effective manner, Fang said.

Dunford said the US military will continue to develop Sino-US military relations and added both sides should take every opportunity to deepen communication and tackle current issues in a constructive way.

"Although we might not share the same perspective on many of the difficult issues," Dunford said, "we do share the same commitment to solve them."

Dunford, who will also visit a Chinese military base and attend a military exercise of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday, is the highest-ranking military official to visit China since US President Donald Trump came to power, the newspaper said.

The visit is a part of his Asia tour, which started earlier this week in South Korea and will conclude in Japan, and follows fears of a military conflict between North Korea and the US after a verbal spat between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un earlier in the week.

It also comes ahead of joint military exercises by the US and South Korea next week, which is likely to further aggravate tensions on the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile, Beijing, a traditional ally of Pyongyang, had voted in favour of the latest round of US-led sanctions against North Korea in the UN Security Council and banned all imports from North Korea, starting Tuesday.
Lucknow, Aug 16 : The Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress on Wednesday held a protest here against the deaths of children at Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in Gorakhpur.

Led by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Raj Babbar, the demonstration was held at the GPO park in the city. He was joined by senior leaders including Rajya Sabha member Pramod Tiwari.

Babbar, while addressing the gathering said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government needed "buddhi shuddhi" as it had lost the plot and was not working in the interests of the people.

He accused the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh of being responsible for the deaths of over 60 children at the BRD Medical college and said that the demonstration was being held to expose the lies being spread by the state government.

The Congress on Tuesday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech as "most disappointing" and slammed him for being "insensitive" towards the Gorakhpur tragedy.

In his first Independence Day speech on Tuesday after assuming office, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sought to blame the deaths of over 60 children on encephalitis.

In an obvious reference to the tragedy, widely blamed on lack of oxygen at the state-run hospital, Adityanath said that Uttar Pradesh was a big state and deaths were taking place due to diseases like encephalitis.

Such vector-borne diseases, he said, could be tackled with the Swacch Bharat mission "in which every citizen should participate".
New Delhi, Aug 17 : As opposition leaders were holding a conclave on Thursday, BJP President Amit Shah held a meeting here with party officials and union ministers to chalk out strategy for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls setting a target of 350-plus seats for the party in the next Lok Sabha elections.

Sources in the BJP said that during the hour-long meeting at the party office here, Shah gave special focus on coastal states like Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for achieving the target.

The meeting was attended by union ministers H.N. Ananth Kumar, Dharmendra Pradhan, Ravi Shankar Prasad, J.P. Nadda, Prakash Javadekar, Nirmala Sitharaman, Manoj Sinha and Narendra Singh Tomar. Apart from them, the meeting was also attended by all the eight General Secretaries and all the Co-General Secretaries (Organisation).

During the meeting, Shah said the party's chances have increased not only in Odisha and West Bengal but also in Kerala.

"We have come to the second position in West Bengal and Odisha and our chances have brightened in Kerala," a leader who attended the meeting quoted Shah as saying.

Shah also asked the leaders to especially focus on those 150 seats where the BJP stood second or third in the last Lok Sabha polls. A presentation on the 150 seats was also given.

In the last Lok Sabha polls, the BJP contested 428 seats and won 282 getting 31 per cent of vote share.

The BJP in 2014 had won 216 seats in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar.

The party strategists feel that despite its attempts the BJP may not be able to win as many seats in 2019 as it won in these states in 2014. So it needs to focus in those areas where it could not perform well despite a wave in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shah also asked the party leaders to aggressively counter the opposition onslaught on government schemes and policies.

"The Modi government has fulfilled the expectations of the people. Now, we need to implement the ambitious projects like Ujjwala and others of the government to ground level," Shah said according to the party leader.

He said the party has less than two years to work for the next Lok Sabha polls and special attention should be given so that the target can be achieved.
Beijing, Aug 17 : Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday met visiting Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford at the Great Hall of the People here to ease strained bilateral and regional relations after several days of escalated tensions and threats between Washington and Pyongyang.

Xi received General Dunford at the presidential palace in Beijing and said the military official's visit reflected a step forward in military ties between the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported.

"You are the first senior military official to visit China since US President Donald Trump took office," Xi told Dunford.

The Chinese President said that although the visit was brief, it was quite comprehensive, indicating that the military-to-military relations between China and the US made a substantial step forward.

Dunford also met Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, who urged the US to rule out military intervention in North Korea.

Dialogue is the only solution to the nuclear crisis in the Korean peninsula, and not military action, said Fan, according to a statement by the Chinese Defence Ministry.

Dunford's visit came a week after tensions between North Korea and the US reached a peak, with both sides exchanging military threats, the report said.

Tensions between the countries, however, had eased in the last few days, especially after Pyongyang said it had delayed a plan to attack the US island of Guam in the Pacific.

China had repeatedly asked the US to suspend its joint military maneuvers with South Korea in exchange for North Korea halting its nuclear and ballistic missile tests, a proposal Dunford said was a non-negotiable point.

"The exercises are not currently on the table as part of the negotiation at any level," Dunford told reporters after the meetings, adding that "the exercises are very important to maintaining the ability of the alliance to defend itself".
Lucknow, Aug 18 : Angry at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for not visiting their flood-hit village, dozens of irate villagers in Hatwa in Lakhimpur Kheri district have started a 'jal satyagraha'.

The villagers started the 'jal satyagraha' on late Thursday by standing in the neck-deep water of river Ghagra, officials said on Friday.

Officials had a tough time in trying to convince the protesters to withdraw the unconventional protest and assured them that immediate relief operations would be set rolling in their village.

The villagers, however, threatened they would again enter the deep water of the Ghaghra if adequate relief material is not sent to the village within the next 24 hours.

Adityanath's scheduled visit to the village on Wednesday had to be called off at the last moment, officials said. The Chief Minister flew back from Sisaiyya.

Hatwa village and its nearby areas have been badly affected as Ghaghra river continues to be in spate.

There are reports from many places of poor relief and rescue measures, an allegation denied by the state government.

Many parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh including Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich and Balrampur have been ravaged by excessive rains and also due to the water released by neighbouring Nepal.

Vast stretches of land in these districts have been submerged and thousands of people displaced.

Adityanath, along with senior ministers and officials, has been conducting an aerial survey of the flood affected areas and on Friday flew to Siddharthanagar and Balrampur to distribute relief materials to the people and to meet them to ascertain the truth on the ground.

According to officials, more than 22 districts and 2,013 villages have been effected by the floods this year and 1,217 villages have been marooned in the floods and over 14 lakh affected.
New Delhi, Aug 17 : As the drive to build smart and secure cities gains momentum, the relevance of video-based surveillance to ensure safety at workplace and beyond has increased multifold, a senior executive of US-based data storage company Seagate has said.

According to a recent report from Ireland-based Research and Markets, India's video surveillance market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 13 per cent during 2017-2023.

In 2016, Seagate conducted a survey in India, China, the US, Britain and Brazil which revealed that Indian organisations use 249 cameras on average for video surveillance on their premises.

The number is about the same as in China but significantly lower than in developed countries such as the US and Britain where enterprises use 349 cameras on average.

"Video surveillance has been around for a while now, but in recent years, the technology has truly grown mainstream in India," Sameer Bhatia, Country Manager, India and SAARC, Seagate, told IANS.

"The smart city initiative, where over 100 cities are to be developed for better connectivity and security, as well as the demand from the commercial sector are expected to drive India's video surveillance market over the next six years," Bhatia added.

Internet Protocol (IP) video surveillance segment is registering key growth in the country and is rapidly outdoing the analog-based video surveillance segment.

New businesses in India today are looking at the IP camera manufacturers. "IP video surveillance systems are highly flexible in providing access to footage from any remote location over the Internet," Bhatia added.

Seagate is closely working with the market leaders in the surveillance solution providers segment to develop best-in-class solutions that ensure customer data is safe and secure.

"Unlike standard, consumer-grade Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), Seagate's SkyHawk HDD supports simultaneous recording of up to 64 cameras with three times the workload rate of a standard HDD," Bhatia noted.

SkyHawk is built for surveillance environments with 24x7 write intensive performance (up to 90 per cent write, 10 per cent for playback) and a larger cache memory for buffering.

According to International Data Corporation (IDC), the global surveillance storage market will grow at over 15 per cent CAGR in terms of units, while the petabytes (a form of data) shipped will grow at a pace of 26 per cent (CAGR).

"Increase in video data to support video analytics, growth of surveillance in the healthcare sector, rise of biometric applications and video management and Internet of Things (IoT) are some of the key trends that will transform the video surveillance industry in India," Bhatia told IANS.

The explosion in data abundance will lead to the question of storing the large mass of data in some form of storage.

This will lead to the growth of big data analytics that would play a key factor in deriving meaningful results to help take correct and right business decisions, Bhatia emphasised.

When asked why is India important when it comes to video surveillance, Bhatia said that the company sees a lot of potential.

"Consumers are rapidly embracing and adopting new technologies like Cloud and portable storage. We expect to see deeper mobile device penetration and increasing use of video, big data analytics and the Cloud," the Seagate executive noted.

(Sourabh Kulesh can be contacted at sourabh.k@ians.in)
New Delhi, Aug 18 : A court here on Friday allowed the NIA to quiz Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, arrested on charges of receiving funds from Pakistan to sponsor terror activities and stone-pelting in Kashmir, till August 28.

During the in-camera proceedings, District Judge Poonam Bamba remanded Watali to the National Investigation Agency's custody for 10 days. He was arrested on Thursday.

In July, the agency arrested seven separatist leaders for their alleged involvement in Pakistan-funded unrest in the valley.

Watali is known to be friends with Pakistani leaders as well as separatists, besides the mainstream politicians in Kashmir, the NIA said.

Sources said Watali, who has been under the NIA scanner for nearly two months, was called for repeated questioning at the agency's Delhi headquarters before his arrest.
New Delhi, Aug 17 : Aiming to gain a further foothold in the offline smartphone market as the festive season inches near, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on Thursday unveiled an exclusive 'Mi Home' retail store at Ambience Mall, Gurugram.

"The store would be thrown open for the public on August 19 at 10 am," Manu Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India, told IANS here.

Xiaomi has primarily been an online-exclusive brand but it aggressively stepped up its offline presence across India this year via its 'Mi Home' stores, 'Mi Preferred Partner' (PP) stores and 'Large Format Retailer' (LFR) partners.

"Till last year, the offline numbers used to be less than 10 per cent. It fell down to about 5 per cent in the beginning of this year with the release of Redmi 'Note 4' because it was an online-exclusive model. We then started re-builing our offline journey and for the first time, in July 2017, we crossed 20 per cent," Jain informed.

According to market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), Xiaomi now has a 17.9 per cent market share in the Indian smartphone space.

The company's 'Redmi Note 4' has pipped Samsung's Galaxy J2 as the top shipped smartphone in India in the second quarter with 7.97 per cent market share.

The company is now focusing on expanding 'Mi 'Home' stores and plans to add 100 such stores in the next two years.

Xiaomi now has about 100 'Mi Preferred Partners' or 'city distributors' in 11 cities including Kolkata, Kochi, Chennai and Guwahati, among others.

"We have 600 'Mi Preferred Partners' right now and want to take it 20 cities by October. We want to take it to 1,500 stores across 30 cities by the end of this year," Jain told IANS.

The company's first 'Mi Preferred Partner' store came up in Bengaluru where Xiaomi also opened its first 'Mi Home' in May this year.

Xiaomi ruled out the 'flash sales' strategy for 'Mi Homes'. "We would not see shortage of phones in these stores and if a device is out of stock, the buyer can ask for an 'F-code' to purchase the device online," Jain noted.

Xiaomi has also begun carrying out pilot programmes in rural areas that have limited reach and less exposure to e-commerce sites.

Currently, the programme is being tested in Karnataka where the company is working with retailers in a different way.

Xiaomi ships its products to over 14,000 pin codes -- close to 40 percent of the country's total -- every single week.

"We are now present in more than 8,500 stores via our innovative offline distribution network. Last year was indeed a great year and we achieved several milestones while building our India story," Jain had earlier told IANS.

Xiaomi India reached three major milestones in 2016 -- it crossed $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time, secured a spot among the top three smartphone players in the country and, in October, sold a record 1.35 million smartphones.

(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, Aug 18 : An increasing number of youngsters from across India are approaching the Central government to set up startups in the northeastern states under the Startup India and Standup India programme, Union DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh said on Friday.

"Any youngster who decides to set up startups in the northeast will in addition to all the provisions available in the government programme will also get initial venture capital fund from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, so that they do not have any financial liability," Singh said at the inauguration of the Assocham World Entrepreneurs Day Summit.

The minister also said that the government is building necessary infrastructure to promote northeastern states as a favorite destination for startup ventures in the country.

Also terming the 'Startup India, Standup India' programme as the most unique in the world as it offers unprecedented incentives like three years of tax holiday and three months of exit period, he said it is due to the government's efforts that a big headway had been made and the entrepreneurship potential of India which was not being realised earlier at any level of the society is now being realised.

"That kind of milieu has been provided by the present government as the aptitudes were there but motivation was lacking.. perhaps infrastructural difficulties were there," he said.

He also said that a reverse brain drain has been happening in India during the course of past couple of years.

"You must have realised that as a result of proactive outreach by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is not only the foreign investors who are now looking up to India as a destination.. many of those who had left India in search of green pastures and settled abroad are now looking forward to opportunities to return," Singh said.

"This is the phenomenon that I have observed only in the last 2-3 years.

"So this itself is a very impartial evidence of the kind of change in the business atmosphere which is being witnessed in India and I am sure in the years to come this country is going to be one of the most attractive destinations for startups and entrepreneurs," he added.

He also said that India has visibly risen so far as entrepreneurship was concerned. "We have challenges of population, infrastructure, heterogeneity and accessibility but what is heartening is that in last three years, there has been a honest, sincere and sustained effort to overcome even these hassles."
Bhopal, Aug 18 : BJP President Amit Shah on Friday set the Madhya Pradesh BJP a target of winning 200 seats in next year's assembly elections and all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2019, sources said.

Shah was addressing a gathering of BJP MLAs, MPs and other office bearers of Madhya Pradesh.

"He said that he expected no less than 200 seats in next year's elections. He also said that he wanted all 29 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections," sources said.

Shah also asked the BJP leaders not to accept donations in black money but through cheques and drafts.

Earlier, the BJP President arrived in Bhopal on a three-day visit to the state. He was welcomed by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state BJP Chief Nand Kumar Chouhan, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and National Vice President Prabhat Jha.

Shah expressed his displeasure at the long welcoming ceremony, a source said. He also told the BJP leaders not to leak details of the meeting.

Shah also unveiled a statue of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay.

Shah is slated to meet ministers of the party-led state government.
Kolkata, Aug 18 : The flood situation in parts of northern West Bengal remained "grim" on Friday with many rivers still flowing well above the extreme danger level despite improvement in the overall situation in the region, the state government said.

While the water level of Atrayi and Punarbhaba rivers was falling, giving relief to the inhabitants of North and South Dinajpur districts, water from the overflowing Mahananda river flooded most parts of Malda, inundating at least five blocks in the district.

"The situation in Malda looks grim as the water of Mahananda is rising. Chanchal, Ratua and Harishchandrapur are completely submerged while many other blocks in the district are partially flooded," state Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee told IANS.

He said the situation in Ahad district further worsened due to water released from dams in neighbouring Bihar and Bangladesh.

"The situation in Malda is further deteriorating as Bihar has released plenty of water. Meanwhile, Bangladesh is also releasing water from Padma to Hoogly as its water level was also rising. As a result, the Mahananda looks swollen," he added.

The Minister said 120 temporary relief camps have been built in Malda and 30-35 boats are working round the clock to supply relief materials to the flood victims.

"The team is trying to do their best to help the victims. We are facing issues in supplying the relief materials at some places as the road and rail connectivity continues to be cut off and the only means of transport is the waterway."

The state Irrigation and Waterways Department said that the flood situation is critical but improving in North and South Dinajpur districts as the water level in Atrayi and Punarbhaba is coming down. However, in certain parts including Balurghat and Itahar, both the rivers are still flowing above the extreme danger level.

"The situation in Itahar is critical as low laying areas in the region are getting flooded by the water coming from highlands of north Dinajpur. Many parts of south Dinajpur district's Balurghat town is also submerged," a department official told IANS over phone.

The bus service from north Bengal's Siliguri to Malda has started through a diverted route from Thursday. However, the railway service in north Bengal and northeast India remained suspended as the flood water washed away several railway bridges.

Many trains from Howrah, Sealdah and Kolkata railway stations to north Bengal including Uttarbanga Express, Kanchankanya Express, and trains to Assam's Dibrugah have been cancelled.
Mumbai, Aug 18 : Breaking a three-day gaining streak, key Indian equity indices -- the NSE Nifty50 and the BSE Sensex -- slipped on Friday as a sell off in the stocks of index heavyweight Infosys, coupled with negative global cues, hampered investors' risk-taking appetite.

The Nifty50 of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) fell by 66.75 points, or 0.67 per cent, to close at 9,837.40 points.

The 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex) of the BSE closed at 31,524.68 points -- down 270.78 points, or 0.85 per cent, from its previous close at 31,795.46 points.

The scrip prices of Infosys witnessed the biggest fall in over four years in the wake of the resignation of Vishal Sikka as the IT major's Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director.

Stocks of the IT major plunged 9.60 per cent on the BSE to close at Rs 923.10 per share, losing around Rs 22,467 crore in terms of market capitalisation intra-day.

"Infosys shares fell as much as 13 per cent, on way to their steepest intra-day percentage loss since April 2013," Dhruv Desai, Director and Chief Operating Officer of Tradebulls, told IANS.

In terms of the broader markets, the S&P BSE mid-cap index fell by 0.13 per cent, and the small-cap index by 0.49 per cent.

"Markets corrected on Friday after three sessions of gains. A recovery in the last hour of trade helped to curb the losses," Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail Research, HDFC Securities, told IANS.

"The weakness came on the back of weak global cues on rising doubts about US President Donald Trump's ability to deliver his economic agenda and suspected terror attack in Barcelona, Spain. Bulk of today's steep market slide was also triggered by a sharp fall in index heavyweight and IT major Infosys," he added.

On the currency front, the rupee closed on a flat note at 64.14 to a US dollar from its Wednesday's close. The currency markets were closed on Thursday on account of Parsi New Year.

In investments, provisional data with the exchanges showed that foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold scrips worth Rs 2,182.12 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased stocks worth Rs 584.59 crore.

"Indian indices were still headed for their sixth weekly gain in seven weeks, though they remain below the record highs hit on August 2. Top gainers on the NSE were Infratel, Eicher Motors and Hindustan Unilever, while top losers were Infosys, Sun Pharma and Zee," Desai added.

Sector-wise, the S&P BSE IT index plumetted by 369.19 points, followed by healthcare index by 209.73 points and banking index by 193.91 points.

On the other hand, the S&P BSE oil and gas index surged by 134.55 points, the FMCG index was up 75.75 points, and the consumer durables index by 37.85 points.

Major Sensex gainers on Friday were: Hindustan Unilever, up 2.13 per cent at Rs 1,199.70; Power Grid, up 1.55 per cent at Rs 222.85; Tata Consultancy Services, up 1.32 per cent at Rs 2,512.85; Bharti Airtel, up 1.21 per cent at Rs 421.60; and ITC, up 0.84 per cent at Rs 281.80.

Major Sensex losers were: Infosys, down 9.60 per cent at Rs 923.10; Sun Pharma, down 3.81 per cent at Rs 470; NTPC, down 2.01 per cent at Rs 173.30; Coal India, down 1.52 per cent at Rs 243.30; and Lupin, down 1.40 per cent at Rs 940.75.
Bengaluru, Aug 18 : Talking candidly after quitting global software major Infosys as its Chief Executive and Managing Director, Vishal Sikka on Friday said it was difficult to deal with unending allegations and said he has not decided his future plans yet.

"It was difficult to deal with continuous allegations and noise. At some point you realise it is taking a heavy toll on the company and also personally. It is an untenable situation," Sikka said from California via video conferencing.

In a dramatic development, Sikka resigned citing personal and negative remarks made against him.

His resignation was accepted and he was appointed Executive Vice-Chairman till a new CEO and MD takes over by March 31, 2018.

"As you know I started three years ago on this journey. Infosys is more than a company, it is an iconic institution," Sikka told the media.

Terming it a sad day for him, Sikka said in many ways his resignation would help things to improve in the company.

"I signed up for the technological change and got the company back to growth...I got to the point that was difficult to deal with. There was continuous noise about the same things over and over again," recalled Sikka.

Noting that he had no plans as of now, Sikka said he did not think on what he would like to do next after quitting Infosys.

"We came to the conclusion that I will stay on as Executive Vice-Chairman, help in transition with U.B. Pravin Rao as the interim CEO," he noted.

Admitting that the personal attacks had hit the morale of the employees, Sikka said over the last many months and quarters, the company had been besieged by false, baseless and malicious charges.

Sikka said he doesn't agree with the idea that the Board had let him down, "as it had done a phenomenal job".

Co-Chairman Ravi Venkatesan said the board had accepted Sikka's reasons for stepping down as the CEO.

"But the Board is committed to the strategic direction set by Sikka, who is a phenomenal guy, the world knows it. He has blossomed as a leader," Venkatesan told reporters at the presser.

Venkatesan also said the events that transpired in the last 48 hours have made it difficult for the Board to consider a permanent position for the company's founder N.R. Narayana Murthy.

"Succession planning is the top priority for the Board as it is crucial that the next CEO buys into the company's vision, culture and is people-oriented," asserted Venkatesan.

Company Board Chairman R. Seshasayee, who was with Sikka at Palo Alto in California, said he was not in contention for the role of Infosys CEO even in 2014, and he had no interest now.

"We thank Sikka for giving the company a new direction during his tenure," said Seshasayee.

The Chairman also clarified that there was no change in the company's buyback of shares.

"There is no change in buyback plans. We have made a commitment on how much and when to return cash to shareholders," said Seshasayee.

The Board is slated to consider the share buyback proposal on Saturday.
New Delhi, Aug 18 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday condemned the terror attack in Spain's Barcelona which has left at least 14 people dead and over 130 people injured.

In his message to King Felipe VI, Kovind expressed solidarity with the people of Spain in the difficult hour.

"I am deeply shocked and saddened by the horrific terror attack in Barcelona. India condemns the attack in strongest possible terms. I offer my heartfelt condolences for the victims and wish speedy recovery for those injured," he said, as per a Rashtrapati Bhavan release.

Kovind added that the terrorism posed "the gravest threat to humanity today".

"Its perpetrators are determined to destroy peace-loving communities and peoples. The global community must come together and give them a befitting response. India remains fully committed to work with Spain in defeating these evil forces," he said.
Guwahati, Aug 18 : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday directed that work to seal the 48.11 km porous areas on the India-Bangladesh border in his state be speeded up.

Issuing directions to the National Buildings Construction Corporation (India) Limited and Central Public Works Department in this regard at a meeting in New Delhi, Sonowal also asked Border Security Force authorities to use proven technology to intensify vigil to prevent illegal influx of individuals and smuggling from across the border.

Officials of the two agencies said fencing of 13.38 km of the 48.11 km unfenced border in Assam would be completed as soon as the flood waters recede.

Silchar sector has 61 gaps, Dhubri 31 and others two, which will require Rs 26.92 crore to plug.

Sonowal directed fencing work to start from October so as to complete the whole process before the onset of the next monsoon.
New Delhi, Aug 18 : A day after BJP President Amit Shah set a target of 350-plus seats for the party in the next Lok Sabha elections, a meeting of Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of party-ruled states has been convened on August 21 to discuss the further stratgey to achieve the target.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are likely to address the meet, informed sources said.

The sources said that the meeting would be in continuation to the party's Mission 350-plus for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, which was set during Shah's meeting with party officials and union ministers on Thursday.

Sources in the BJP said that during the hour-long meeting on Thursday at the party office, Shah gave special focus on coastal states like Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for achieving the target.

The BJP sources also said that that during the day-long meeting Modi and Shah would take stock of situation of implementation of central schemes in the states.
Bhopal, Aug 18 : BJP President Amit Shah on Friday said there is no internal democracy in the Congress as everyone knows who will be its President after Sonia Gandhi while BJP is one of the few parties where internal democracy is still alive.

Addressing a gathering of BJP MLAs, MPs and other office bearers of Madhya Pradesh, Shah said: "It is because of that internal democracy that a small party worker with no political background became the President of the biggest political party of the world based solely on his work and loyalty to the party."

Shah is on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh.

Making a veiled attack on the Congress, he added that when internal democracy is alive in a party, its leader is chosen based on his potential and qualities unlike others where the leader is decided by the "family".

"Everybody knows that who will be Congress President after Sonia Gandhi... but no one knows who will be BJP's President after me... this shows that internal democracy in Congresss has ended and it is alive in BJP," he said.

"And when the decision is taken based on the family, quality is compromised and democracy suffers. A party that has no internal democracy cannot make the nation's democracy successful," he said.

Shah added that the BJP was the only other party in India, apart from the Communist Party, which runs on ideology.

"The journey of our party has been based on ideology which has brought us where we stand today," he said.

Shah said all BJP's national programmes -- struggle for ban on cow slaughter, Kutch Satyagraha, Goa Mukti Sangram, Hyderabad andolan, struggle against Article 370 -- were based on ideology and "aimed at solving problems of the people".

"When a party runs on ideology, it moves forward and also takes the nation forward."

Shah added that whenever there has been a BJP government in any state, it has developed faster compared to other states, and so is the case at the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said the Modi government doesn't take "populist decisions that please people but hard decisions that are for betterment of the people".

"No other government could have taken decision on GST, demonetisation. We also want votes, we also worry about people's anger. But BJP is not in politics only to contest elections."

"Our goal is not to win elections. Winning elections is only a path towards our goals," he said.
Tokyo, Aug 19 : The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford said that the military alliance between his country and Japan was rock solid and reaffirmed the US' commitment towards the defence of its allies.

Meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on Friday, as part of his ongoing tour of Asia, Dunford said: "The nature of our bilateral relationship, particularly at the military level, is rock solid".

Abe in turn thanked the US for its support towards Japan against the threat posed by North Korea, Efe news reported.

Before his meeting with the Prime Minister, Dunford held a meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, during which they again stressed the importance of defence cooperation between the US and Japan in the face of growing regional tension created by North Korea.

According to a Japanese Joint Staff press release, Dunford and Kawano stated that North Korea's repeated provocations, including missile launches, were totally unacceptable.

Dunford's visit to Japan came after his visits to South Korea and China, on a tour of Asia in which he seeks to reduce bilateral and regional tensions, following escalated rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang last week.

The situation has relaxed over the last few days, especially after Pyongyang announced postponing its supposed plans to bomb the waters near Guam, a Pacific island that houses important US military bases.

During his visit to Seoul on August 14, Dunford met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and said that, though the Pentagon was prepared for a military option, their aim was to use diplomatic and economic pressure to achieve the de-nuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
London, Aug 19 : Queen Elizabeth II offered her condolences to the King of Spain in the wake of two deadly terror attacks that unfolded a day before, leaving 14 civilians and five suspects dead, as well as more than 100 injured.

Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of the Queen, shared her message on Friday in which she expressed condolences on behalf of herself and husband to King Felipe VI and Spanish citizens on the loss of lives in the attacks, Efe news reported.

"Prince Philip and I send our sincere condolences to Your Majesty, and the people of Spain, following the terrible terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils which killed and seriously injured many," said the Queen.

She added that it was "deeply upsetting when innocent people are put at risk in this way when going about their daily lives".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and the people who are recovering in hospital," the statement said.

The Britain's Foreign Office said it was working to help British citizens affected by the attacks.

"We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help," the office said in a statement, assuring that additional staff had been deployed to help authorities in Spain.

Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Mark Rowley said in a statement that British authorities were "liaising closely with the Spanish authorities and await further updates regarding the nationalities of the deceased and injured."
Steven Spedale, MD, FAAP, created PediNotes to reflect the natural process of how pediatric caregivers work, interact and communicate.

Electronic medical record (EMR) software developer PediNotes has been named one of 2017s Top 10 EMR/EHR Solution Providers by Healthcare Tech Outlook Magazine.

Created by Steven Spedale, MD, FAAP, PediNotes is an EMR software developed for neonatal and pediatric care. We developed PediNotes to reflect the natural process of how pediatric caregivers work, interact and communicate, said Dr. Spedale. In a patient care environment such as the NICU, data is critical. But most EMRs were developed based on how developers process and use data, not how those caring for patients do. Thats what makes PediNotes unique. In PediNotes, once data is obtained, its readily available to anyone involved in the care of the baby. This allows us to do our job better, which ultimately means better outcomes for patients, he added.

Healthcare Tech Outlook Magazine is published from Fremont, California and features CIOs, ITVPs, CTOs, and other decision makers sharing their insights and perspective on healthcare industry. A panel of experts, technology leaders and board members of Healthcare Tech Outlook magazine finalized the Top 10 EMR/ EHR Solution Providers 2017 and shortlisted the best vendors and consultants in the healthcare industry.

We take pride in honoring PediNotes for incorporating patient information from all NICU caregivers into a single, easy-to-navigate EMR platform, said Alex DSouza, Managing Editor of Healthcare Tech Outlook.
Felix the Cat Frolic Platform Toy, estimated at $20,000-40,000. Our September toy and bank sale unquestionably will be the collectors event of the fall season. The range of robots and banks on offer is amazing, and offers something for every enthusiast at all collecting price points. -Dan Morphy, Morphy Auctions

Morphy Auctions, the finest auction destination for fresh to the market collections, is pleased to announce this important sales event to be held on Saturday, September 16th and Sunday, September 17th. Bidding starts promptly at 9:00 AM each day. All lots from this event are on display in Morphy's Denver auction gallery and available for preview now.

Morphys is known for its leadership with still and mechanical banks, so you can bet your bottom dollar collectors will find items of interest among the 450+ lots on offer. Its off to the races with lot #306, a Kyser & Rex Roller Skating mechanical bank. This bank is activated by placing a coin in the roof slot and pressing a lever. The skaters glide to the rear of the rink as the coin falls into the bank; the man then turns to present a wreath to the little girl. It is estimated at $25,000-35,000. Lot #307, a rare raised letter example of the American Sewing Machine bank, will needle collectors with its $15,000-25,000 estimate. And certain to be the talk of the town is lot #375, a Shepard Hardware Stump Speaker mechanical bank in beautiful original working condition, estimated at $4,000-6,000.

Also of note here are two mechanical rarities from J. & E. Stevens. The first, lot #245, is a c. 1880s red and tan barrel version of the companys Germania Exchange bank. It features a goat holding a beer mug and standing on top of a keg. When a coin is placed on the goat's tail and the kegs faucet is turned on, the goat deposits the money and rewards the depositor with a mug of beer. The second is lot #304, a Lion Hunter bank with provenance to the F. H. Griffith collection. This example, patented in 1911, represents Teddy Roosevelt on the prowl for big game. The bank is activated by pulling back the cocking device on the gun and placing a coin on a barrel. Once the lever is pressed, Teddy takes aim and fires; the coin strikes the lion and falls into the receptacle below. These two fine examples are estimated at $8,000-12,000 each.

Bank enthusiasts may also choose to invest in lot #101, a J. M. Harper Red Riding safe bank estimated at $5,000-7,000; lot #11, a City Bank with its original butterfly trap estimated at $1,800-2,500; and lot #373, a German-made Weightlifter bank, estimated at $6,000-9,000. This heavy metal favorite - and extreme rarity - lifts his weight when a coin is dropped into the banks slot. This example was featured in Dan Morphys book, The Official Price Guide To Mechanical Banks.

Rolling right along, this sale includes two extraordinary wheeled items of note. Lot #1173, a large tin litho Felix the Cat Frolic platform windup toy, is estimated at $20,000-40,000. This toy features a large Felix, two smaller Felixes, and two red mice riding upon a yellow carriage. This is one of only four known examples of this oversized toy produced in 1926. According to our experts, This is the ultimate Felix toy and should be considered one of the top 10 comic character tin toys of all time. Another real-wheel-deal is lot #580, a Hubley "Say It With Flowers" cast iron delivery motorcycle, estimated at $25,000-35,000. One of the most desirable cast iron motorcycles ever made, this example is the largest size variation and includes its original decals and embossed lettering.

This sales offering of over 50 fine dolls should put collectors in a playful mood. Lot #913, a 21 Steiner G Bebe, is estimated at $18,000-22,000. This exceptional doll is one of the most elusive examples produced by this firm. She is fully jointed and marked Sie G 3. Her face comes to life with outstanding, beautiful bisque, heavy mauve eye shadow, feathered eyebrows, a finely detailed mouth and lips, highly detailed ears, and original blue paperweight eyes. Another head-turner in this category is lot #919, a 17  portrait face Schmidt Bebe, estimated at $8,500-10,500. She is on a marked Schmidt body and is marked with the number 2 and SCH. You cant help but be taken in by her outstanding set blue spiral paperweight eyes and finely painted lashes.

This sales selection of over 100 robots and space toys is simply out of this world. Lot #1493, a GA-50 DX Gaiking & Daikuu Maryuu Space Dragon & Robot, is estimated at $4,000-8.000. Likely the most sought-after Popy toy ever produced, this toy transforms from a skull to a robot and includes its original packaging and all accessories. Lot #1492, a Takemi Pegas Deluxe Robot, is estimated at $3,000-6,000. This lot includes the toys original catalog, trays, Styrofoam, and all accessories including the vinyl figure in near mint complete condition in a near mint condition box. These are difficult to find and represent a wonderful combination of a vinyl toy, a diecast toy, and 1970s shoebox style art. Lot #1709, an excellent example of the always desirable Japanese battery operated Gang of Five Sonic Robot, is estimated at $1,500-2,500. And lot #1350, a complete boxed example of a Bullmark Angillas, should spark monster sized interest with its $1,000-1,500 estimate.

Tin and pressed steel toys, vehicles, trains, figures, and firearms - as well as other specialty categories - round out this comprehensive two-day sale. Lot #785, a King Red Ryder prototype air rifle, is estimated at $1,800-2,100. This is the second prototype of King's model that was manufactured in 1939 and is one of two of its kind known to exist.

According to Dan Morphy, President of Morphy Auctions, Our September toy and bank sale unquestionably will be the collectors event of the fall season. The range of robots and banks on offer is simply amazing, and offers something for every enthusiast at all collecting price points. The giant windup tin litho Felix the Cat platform toy has really caught my eye. It is amazing that it is still in existence, given its size and ephemeral design! We welcome you to visit our gallery in Denver, PA to view these outstanding items firsthand, or of course check them out online anytime at http://www.morphyauctions.com.

About Morphy Auctions:

Morphy Auctions, the finest auction destination for fresh to the market collectibles, is headquartered in Denver, PA. The company also has a satellite office in Las Vegas, NV. A full-service auction house, Morphys presents over 35 premier auctions annually. The companys three-part mission includes ensuring consignor satisfaction with every auction, offering world-class customer service that goes above and beyond the call of duty, and providing relentless buyer support to create confidence for all clients seeking a trustworthy purchasing experience.

Morphys team of specialists includes the nation's finest and most recognized experts in popular collecting categories including advertising; firearms; fine automobiles, automobilia and petroliana; coin-operated machines; antiques, fine, and decorative art; dolls, bears, toys, and trains; cast iron; coins; marbles; jewelry and wrist watches. Morphy Auctions is owned by President and Founder Dan Morphy, himself a lifelong and passionate collector of antiques, banks, and numerous other categories. Morphy's has been in business since 2004 and has grown from two to over 65 employees in over a decade.

Morphy Auctions is located at 2000 North Reading Road, Denver, PA 17517. We can be reached by phone at 877-968-8880, by fax at 717-336-7115, and by email at info(at)morphyauctions(dot)com. Our auction gallery is open seven days a week: Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm. For more information on Morphy's, please visit http://www.MorphyAuctions.com.
We have attracted some of the greatest talent in the industry, and this ranking is a reflection of that.

Bedrock Protection Agency was ranked No. 264 on the 2017 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the United States by Inc. magazine. Bedrock's ranking is due to its 1,647% sales growth over the past three years. It will be highlighted in the September issue of Inc. magazine with the other top-tier (Inc. 500) winners.

Bedrock attributes this growth by seeking to change and improve on some of the common pitfalls of security agencies by providing our clients with transparency, improved communication, accountablility, and using the right mix of personnel and technology.

The 36th annual Inc. 5000 list is the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. Microsoft, Dell, Domino's Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000.

"What makes Bedrock different is the people. We have attracted some of the greatest talent in the industry, and this ranking is a reflection of that." said Paul Nelson, Founder and CEO of Bedrock. "From our employees on the front lines to our managers and executives, everyone shares in this this recognition because it took all of our employees' efforts to get to where we are today."

Founded in 2013, Bedrock has built its reputation on responsiveness, customer service and employee retention which has contributed to our growth paving the way for the Inc. 500 nomination. Bedrock is a regional based firm with operations in Utah and Nevada and now has over 300 employees and projected revenues of $8.2 million in 2017.

For more information on Bedrock Protection Agency, please visit Bedrock's website.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

The 2017 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2013 to 2016. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2013. They had to be U.S. based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2016. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2013 is $100,000; the minimum for 2016 is $2 million. Companies on the Inc. 5000 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media:

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 18,000,000 today.
The Farm Bill, which will expire next year, sets policy for a wide variety of farm programs ranging from commodity programs and nutrition assistance to crop insurance and conservation programs.

Congress has started to shape the 2018 Farm Bill, policy that will impact farmers, rural residents, and consumers. Iowa residents are invited to voice their opinion at three upcoming listening sessions co-hosted by the Iowa Farmers Union, Center for Rural Affairs, and Practical Farmers of Iowa.

The goal of the meetings is to hear from farmers about their goals and challenges relating to conservation, beginning farmers, and other farm programs, Johnson said. You can ask questions about Farm Bill policies and learn about opportunities to engage with lawmakers. You can help set the agenda for rural America and the 2018 Farm Bill.

The following meetings are set:

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 1 p.m.

Decorah Public Library

202 Winnebago St., Decorah, Iowa 52101

Thursday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m.

Washington Public Library

115 W. Washington St., Washington, Iowa 52353

Friday, Aug. 25, 10 a.m.

Wallace Country Life Center

2773 290th Street, Orient, Iowa 50858

The Farm Bill, which will expire next year, sets policy for a wide variety of farm programs. These range from commodity programs and nutrition assistance to crop insurance and conservation programs, Johnson said. As Congress begins conversations to move forward with passing the next farm bill, farmers have an important opportunity to speak up about their concerns for farm country.

Each event will consist of brief presentations from the National Farmers Union and the Center for Rural Affairs, followed by a facilitated discussion regarding policy and advocacy ideas.

The meeting in Decorah will focus on farm safety net issues, and the meetings in Washington and Orient will focus on conservation issues. All Farm Bill and rural issues will be open for discussion at every session.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Johnson at 515.215.1294 or annaj(at)cfra.org.

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Westchester-based Durante Rentals, with eight locations in the New York Tri-State area, has been selected to Inc. Magazines exclusive list of 5000 of Americas fastest-growing private companies  The Inc. 5000.

After five straight years on the list, Durante Rentals is now a member of the prestigious Inc. 5000 Honor Roll. Being selected to the Inc. 5000 list for five consecutive years is quite an accomplishment and a true testament to the dedication, hard work, and innovative mindset our people bring to work every day, year after year, said Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer Chris Jones. Our ability to execute on our team-centric business plan has enabled us to succeed in an ultra-competitive industry like ours, said Chris.

Coming in at #1476 (#83 in Construction) on the 36th Annual List, this is Durante Rentals highest placement to date. Their previous rankings were #1643 in 2016, #1869 in 2015, #2098 in 2014 and #1879 in 2013. Durante Rentals made this years list with a remarkable three-year sales growth rate of 274% and 2016 annual sales of $26.5 million.

The fastest-growing private firms in America are creators. They create companies, they create value, and they create jobs. Durante Rentals has been responsible for creating over 60 new jobs for the local New York Tri-state economy over the past three years.

It is an honor to be included once again on Inc. Magazines Fastest Growing List at our best ranking to date, said Co-Founder John Durante. As we continue to develop our team, grow in-store revenue, and add several new stores each year, we hope to stay on the list for years to come. This five-year journey would not have been possible without the help of our great team members, vendors, and industry finance partners, all of whom deserve this recognition, said John.

Inc.com has referred to winners as Superheroes of the U.S. economy and deservedly so. Durante Rentals joins some familiar faces on the list such as fellow ARA member Nickell Equipment Rental & Sales (#3632), Kabbage (#449), Advanced Care Pediatrics (#2134), and Pioneer Bank (#1647). You can see a complete list of past and present winners on the Inc. website.

About Durante Rentals

Founded in 2009 by three entrepreneurs, Durante Rentals is the most dependable name in construction equipment and tool rentals in the NY Tri-State area. With the core values of Innovation, Caring, Dependability, and Positiveness, general contractors look to Durante for all their equipment needs including excavators, skid steers, light towers, generators, compressors, forklifts, air tools, boom lifts and more. With eight convenient locations and counting, their geographic footprint continues to expand while servicing all five boroughs of NYC, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam County, Connecticut and New Jersey. For more information about Durante Rentals, visit http://www.DuranteRentals.com. For more information about their earth-moving equipment subdivision, New York Takeuchi, visit http://www.NYTakeuchi.com.

About Inc. and the Inc. 5000

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, Incs nationally-recognized list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders.

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Its been a pretty incredible past 10 years for us, President and Founder of RTA Cabinet Store, Gary Nealon.

RTA Cabinet Store, a leading online distributor of kitchen cabinets and home improvement products, announced today that it has been named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies in America.

The list, put out by Inc. magazine, represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment its independent small and midsized businesses. In its 36th year, the list is said to be the most competitive crop in the lists history.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in business, RTA Cabinet secured elite Honor Roll status this year as it ranked for a fifth consecutive year in a row, placing at #2152 on the list. Its been a pretty incredible past 10 years for us, shared President and Founder of RTA Cabinet Store, Gary Nealon. Making this list for five out of 10 of those years is a huge achievement and were very proud and very thankful for our team for making it possible.

Such sustained growth was largely due to the creation of new processes, and systems which allowed for greater efficiency in operations. Growth largely stemmed from optimized sales funnels and stronger, more strategic and targeted social media campaigns. Improved and optimized delivery times and services also played a large role. In fact, Nealon spun-off a marketing company, Nealon Solutions, to improve efficiency and solve RTA Cabinet Stores own pain points.

We were searching for solutions to help us grow, solutions that didnt exist or if they did, didnt serve us in the way we needed, explained Nealon. So we started developing our own software to solve the issues we were facing in marketing RTA Cabinet Store. To date, Nealon and his team have created two SaaS platforms and several mobile apps that have contributed significantly to the overall success of the company. Nealon Solutions is on track to release

three more SaaS platforms by the end of this year.

The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year average growth of 481%. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue is $206 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 619,500 jobs over the past three years. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000.

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 10 through 12, 2017 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA.

To learn more about RTA Cabinet Store, visit http://www.rtacabinetstore.com.

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About RTA Cabinet Store:

Founded in 2007, RTA Cabinet Store offers custom cabinets and vanities featuring high-quality, all-wood construction -- in classic styles that complement any kitchen or bathroom. Since 2001, RTA has grown to become one of the largest online manufacturers and distributors of kitchen cabinets in the United States, with their main headquarters just outside of Philadelphia. RTA Cabinet Store has been featured is dozens of shows on HGTV, DIY Network, and A&E.

Over the last decade, RTA Cabinet Store has built a reputation for superior quality and exceptional style, with experienced designers, premium materials, and strict quality control practices for the finest kitchen and bathroom furnishings.

Learn more today at http://www.rtacabinetstore.com or visit us on Facebook.
The MCS series with Intel Xeon processor E3-1585 provides the best cost per channel ratio by using an integrated Intel GT4e GPU and Intel Media Server Studio middleware to improve video processing performance without the need for an extra GPU card.

ADLINK Technology, a global provider of leading edge computing solutions that drive data-to-decision applications across industries, today introduced the MCS-2080 Intelligent Video Management Server, a dedicated, high-density platform featuring up to sixteen Intel Xeon processors E3-1585 v5. ADLINKs MCS-2080 is an application-ready intelligent platform offering a high-performance and high availability design to meet the critical challenges of 4K & H.265 video applications in surveillance with video analytics, broadcasting, and video conferencing used in remote education and healthcare environments.

Todays ubiquitous use of video means that cloud-based service providers are required to perform extensive data processing. In surveillance, IP cameras record large-volume video files with at resolutions up to 4K. In broadcasting, high-performance hardware transcoding capability saves valuable time for video editors. In video conferencing, real-time and high-resolution video streaming consumes significant computing power. Previously, these applications used less efficient off-the-shelf commercial servers or dedicated digital signal processing (DSP) devices that require long development cycles for upgrades. ADLINKs MCS-2080 with high density and computing performance meets the challenge of cloud-based data processing with an improved cost-per-channel commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solution based on Intel x86 processors.

The MCS-2080 offers a cloud-friendly architecture and an application-ready intelligent platform to solution providers for video services, said Yong Lo, general manager of ADLINKs Networking, Communication and Public Business Unit. The MCS series with Intel Xeon processor E3-1585 provides the best cost per channel ratio by using an integrated Intel GT4e GPU and Intel Media Server Studio middleware to improve video processing performance without the need for an extra GPU card. Instead, the integrated GPU handles video processing tasks, leaving CPU resources available to process analytics.

The MCS-2080s 2U, 19 industrial-grade design provides high availability with redundant and hot-swappable modules. Supporting sixteen independent systems, solution providers have the flexibility to arrange several different functions into one platform. Taking surveillance as an example, a Video Management System (VMS), Central Management System (CMS), and Video Surveillance System (IVS) can all be integrated together in one MCS-2080 server, easing management requirements and saving space in the server room.

ADLINKs MCS-2080 is especially designed to support medium- to large-scale intelligent video management applications. The MCS-2080 leverages Intel Quick Sync Video (GT4e GPU) and a middleware layer with the Intel Media Server Studio (MSS) to implement hardware-assisted HEVC/H.265 video processing. The platform offers dual-redundant switches with sixteen 1G internal links and four 10G uplinks, as well as dual-redundant power supplies to meet industrial-grade design requirements. Eight PCIe x8 slots provide for scalable expansion of functionality. The MCS-2080 also supports the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) 2.0 with Serial Over LAN (SOL) redirection and web-based management, and offers adaptive fan speed and intelligent power supply monitoring. Onboard storage is provided by mSATA slots supporting SSD modules up to 512GB.

For more information about ADLINK MCS-2080 Intelligent Video Management Server, please visit here.

ABOUT ADLINK

ADLINK Technology is leading edge computing with solutions that drive data-to-decision applications across industries. ADLINK provides robust and reliable hardware platforms, data connectivity, and complete Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions to serve a wide variety of industries, including networking and digital video management.

ADLINK is a Premier Member of the Intel Internet of Things Solutions Alliance and is active in several standards organizations and interoperability initiatives, including PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG), PXI Systems Alliance (PXISA), Standardization Group for Embedded Technologies (SGeT), European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and Open Compute Project (OCP).

ADLINK offers R&D and integration in the US, Germany, Taiwan and China; volume manufacturing in Taiwan and China; an extensive network of worldwide sales and support offices; and a continually expanding partner ecosystem. ADLINK is ISO-9001, ISO-14001, ISO-13485 and TL9000 certified and is publicly traded on the TAIEX Taiwan Stock Exchange (stock code: 6166). Please visit http://www.adlinktech.com for more information.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners in the U.S. and other countries.
Alderman Gary Mahkorn, Brookfield Common Council It makes us especially proud when the businesses that call Brookfield home are enhancing the lives and well-being of others.

Brookfield, WI-based RF Technologies (RFT), a leading provider of wireless safety and security solutions for healthcare, hospitality and education, is celebrating its 30th year in business this month.

The company was founded by CEO Glenn Jonas whose career had begun at manufacturing companies Square D, Allis Chalmers and Johnson Controls. Following his years in the manufacturing world, Jonas spent 15 years in consulting, during which time he gained significant exposure to the hospital and senior living industries. At the time, Jonas was intrigued to discover that although the senior care market was rapidly expanding, there were few providers of wander management solutions to help caregivers keep these individuals safe. That revelation formed the basis for Code Alert, RFTs first product.

During the first 10-15 years, Jonas relates, product ideas came mainly from customers. For example, in June of 1989 I received a call from a hospital asking if RFTs Code Alert system could be adapted to protect babies while they were away from the nursery. In fact, says Jonas, I still have the memo I wrote asking my engineering staff whether RFT could meet this needthis is the origin of SafePlace, RFTs infant and pediatric security solution.

Aldermen Gary Mahkorn and Rick Owen of the Brookfield Common Council were on hand August 4 as RFT employees celebrated reaching the 30-year mark with a Wisconsin State Fair outing. Mahkorn, an 18-year council veteran, spoke briefly at the gathering, I can tell you, its given me a great deal of pride to see businesses come into Brookfield. Also, it makes us especially proud when the businesses that call Brookfield home are enhancing the lives and the well-being of others. Sean Pettibone, who came on board in July as RFTs president, concurred, Glenn Jonas, our founder, started this company with an important mission to keep people safe. That mission resonates with me, as it does all RFT employees.

RFT is proud to be part of just a small percentage of startup companies that make it to 30 years. With 140 employees based at both the corporate offices and across the country, RFTs consistent challenge, asserts Jonas, is to lead the effort in helping senior care facilities and hospitals provide the best possible care for the elders and infants entrusted to them. Reflecting on reaching the 30-year mark Jonas comments, Having accomplished this feat is a tribute to the many fine folks who have worked at RFT over the years. We have been blessed to have so many dedicated and passionate people committed to helping the company stay competitive and grow.

About RF Technologies:

RF Technologies is a leading provider of safety and security solutions for the healthcare, hospitality, and education markets, leveraging radio frequency identification (RFID) and real-time locating system (RTLS) technologies. The RF Technologies brand family includes CODE ALERT call and wander management systems, SAFE PLACE patient security systems, SENSATEC fall management products, HELP ALERT staff duress systems, and EXACTRACK equipment location systems. With more than 10,000 installations, RFT was the first in the industry to offer remote monitoring, RF consulting, 24/7 technical support by internal staff specialists, and a nationwide service team.
Proaura Vitamin C Serum with Astaxanthin Vitamin C Face Serum with Astaxanthin. Natures Most Powerful Antioxidant

Skincare brand Proaura has unveiled a revolutionary new Vitamin C anti-ageing serum which can deliver visible results in just three to four days of application. Containing Astaxanthin, natures most powerful antioxidant, the serum is highly effective on dull, tired complexions and adds a youthful glow which is visible after being applied for just a few days.

Antioxidants have been widely praised for their health boosting properties in food, but thats not where their benefits end. They prevent free radical damage and premature ageing, and AstaXanthin is one of the most powerful antioxidants out there- making it the perfect ingredient for skincare.

Astaxanthin is extracted from a type of marine algae called Haematococcus Microalgae that gives salmon and shellfish (like shrimp) their beautiful pink color.

When applied to the skin theres a noticeable tightening effect which has been compared by users to A facelift in a bottle. Its absorbed easily, leaves no oily residue and can be applied under moisturiser or make up. Packaged in a pipette bottle inside a luxurious deep red box, it also makes a stylish addition to any dressing table or beauty cabinet.

Astaxanthin has already been proven to be 60 times stronger than Vitamin C*, but as the product is also combined with Hyaluronic Acid and 20% Vitamin C, its effects on the skin are unlike any other beauty serum on the market. The powerful antioxidant protects the skin from free radicals, protecting the dermal layers from signs of ageing and even reducing age spots, freckles and dark circles over time.

The formula also stimulates the production of collagen, which helps reduce wrinkles, fine lines and boosts elasticity. The results: a firmer, plumper and more youthful complexion.



Contains Vitamin C, Astaxanthin & Hyaluronic Acid- the most potent combination of face serum yet

Astaxanthin is 60x more powerful in antioxidants than Vitamin C.

Helps Improves elasticity, a natural anti-wrinkle agent, helps to stimulate continuous production of collagen

Brightens Skin Pigmentation, moisturises deeply and is easily absorbed

Hypoallergenic, paraben-free, fragrance-free

Proaura product development technician Alekasandra Ptak says "We are excited to launch this serum which has been in development for a year. We had heard of Astaxanthins significant benefits, and since it has been proven to be one of the strongest, most anti-inflammatory antioxidants available, we decided to develop a serum based around this formulation. Were delighted with the results.

Proaura Vitamin C Serum 30ml with Astaxanthin is available online at http://www.proaura.co.uk and retails at 35
Professional Realty Services International Ranked By INC Magazine For 3rd Year In A Row For Professional Realty Services to be recognized as part of Inc. Magazine's Fastest-Growing Companies in America for the 3rd year in a row is an amazing honor.

INC. Magazine ranked Professional Realty Services International as one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies In America for the 3rd year in a row on its 36th annual INC. 500 (and subsequently the Inc. 5000), the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies in the American economys most dynamic segmentindependent businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 500.

"For Professional Realty Services to be recognized as part of Inc. Magazine's Fastest-Growing Companies in America for the 3rd year in a row is an amazing honor," said JW Webb, Professional Realty Services International's Founder and CEO. "We owe our incredible growth over the past few years to our agent-centric company culture. We view our agents and brokers as Business Partners and empower them to build their businesses on their own terms by providing extremely competitive commission structures, cutting edge systems, technologies and world-class broker support. Now being able to bring our offering to existing brokerages and start-ups in 14 states by providing them with 7-Day a Week Broker Support for their agents, Accounting, Contract Review and Compliance, Paperless Transaction Management, along with Customized Office and Individual Agent Websites with their own branding makes it possible for us to help so many more people achieve success without getting bogged down with the day-to-day operations of their back office." This honor from Inc. Magazine shows that Professional Realty Services is emerging as a leader in the real estate industry.

About Professional Realty Services International:

Founded in Spokane , Washington in 2005, Professional Realty Services has an agent-centric company culture that views its agents as Business Partners and empowers them to build their business on their own terms by providing extremely competitive commission structures, cutting edge systems, technologies and world-class broker support. The company now manages offices and brokers in over 100 markets throughout the United States and Canada.

In 2015, INC 500 recognized Professional Realty Services as the #7 Fastest-Growing Real Estate Company in America and the #1 Fastest-Growing Real Estate Company in the Northwestern United States. Professional Realty Services has since been ranked by INC Magazine on their 2016 and 2017 lists of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America.

To learn more about Professional Realty Services International, visit http://www.ProfessionalRealtyServices.com.

Contact: JW Webb

CEO, Professional Realty Services International

888-302-5550

press(at)prsadmin(dot)com
Members of the Realty Executives Edge team

Realty Executives International is proud to announce that Realty Executives Edge has been named Brokerage of the Month for July 2017. Led by Broker of Record Nelson Mathew, the firm has grown by over 40 percent since the start of the year, also expanding from their headquarters in Guelph, Ontario to neighboring city Cambridge.

Our brokerage is growing bigger and getting better each and every day. Our office has a great mix, including real estate veterans with over 30 years of experience working alongside agents who are new to the industry. We are both multi-generational and of various ethnicities, says Mathew.

Our members are involved in a variety of community groups and charitable organizations that enrich both the neighborhoods we serve and the real estate industry locally. We strive to serve our diverse, multicultural community on a variety of levels beyond the real estate transaction.

Realty Executives Edge plans to move to a larger office space in Guelph by the end of the year to accommodate growth.

The growth of Nelsons Guelph office demonstrates the value of a partnership between a Broker/Owner and a company that are both committed to serving their public's best interests, adds Brian Gilmour, Vice President of Franchise Development at Realty Executives Regional Ontario.

Nelson brings to the table a vision for what he wants to achieve, a willingness to invest in his goals and a persistence and work ethic to make it all happen. More outstanding, however, is his understanding that success is based on his ability to create an environment for his agents success.

Realty Executives Edge is also in the process of setting up a REALTOR Development and Training Centre, with Mathew noting that training and mentorship are at the forefront of the brokerages success.

Extending our congratulations to the staff, agents, and Brokers of Realty Executives Edge, we at Realty Executives International wish them continued success.

About Realty Executives Intl. Svcs. LLC

Established in 1965, Realty Executives International is one of the largest and most established real estate franchise systems in the world, with over 8,000 agents and 500 offices globally. The company offers disruptive pricing models particularly attractive to top performing agents. Its unrivaled mobile technology, business tools, training and concierge service are coupled with protected territories and financing for qualified franchisees. The Scottsdale-based, privately held company has been ranked as a leader in the real estate industry by publications like Entrepreneur, Success and Inc. magazines. For additional company information visit http://www.RealtyExecutives.com.
We design growth for our clients everyday, but the Inc. 5000 shows how passionate we are about our own growth as a team, and that all the hard work put in by Thrivers is truly paying off.

THRIVE, a premier Product Development and Innovation Strategy firm is excited to announce it has earned a spot on Inc. magazines Inc. 5000 listing of fastest-growing private companies for a second time. For 36 years, Inc. magazine has welcomed the fastest-growing private companies in America into this very exclusive club (http://inc.com/inc5000). THRIVE secured the 4428 spot on the prestigious list. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment  its independent small and mid-sized businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000.

THRIVE ranking on the Inc. 5000 emphasizes the achievements weve made as a company, said Jonathan Dalton, THRIVE Co-Founder and CEO. We design growth for our clients everyday, but the Inc. 5000 shows how passionate we are about our own growth as a team, and that all the hard work put in by Thrivers is truly paying off.

The 2017 Inc. 5000, unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 5000 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. (available on newsstands August 16) is the most competitive crop in the lists history. The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year average growth of 481%. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue is $206 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 619,500 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

The Inc. 5000 is the most persuasive evidence I know that the American Dream is still alive, says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. The founders and CEOs of the Inc. 5000 tell us they think determination, risk taking, and vision were the keys to their success, and I believe them.

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 10 through 12, 2017 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. Speakers include some of the greatest entrepreneurs of this and past generations, such as former Ford president Alan Mullaly, FUBU CEO and founder and Shark Tank star Daymond John, Dollar Shave Club founder Michael Dubin, researcher and #1 New York Times bestseller Brene Brown, and Gravity Payments founder and CEO Dan Price.

ABOUT THRIVE

THRIVE is a premier product development & innovation strategy firm. We help ambitious leaders build iconic brands through informed design. Based in Atlanta, Georgia THRIVE is an experienced group of researchers, strategists and product developers who work at the intersection of design, the social sciences, and business to help companies create new value. Our expertise in generating insight, envisioning new ideas, reinventing categories, and translating brands into tangible experiences, has helped leading companies to THRIVE.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES CONTACT:

THRIVE

a.williams(at)thrivethinking(dot)com

404.228.7342

1000 Marietta Street NW, Suite 290, Atlanta, GA, 30318.

MORE ABOUT INC. AND THE INC. 5000

Methodology

The 2017 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2013 to 2016. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generated revenue by March 31, 2013. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2016. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2013 is $100,000; the minimum for 2016 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

ABOUT INC. MEDIA:

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nations most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.

For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

For more information contact:

Inc. Media

Drew Kerr

212-849-8250

drew(at)four-corners(dot)com
Lance Stafford, CFA I am particularly excited to be a member of the SignatureWOMEN initiative, where I will continue to pursue my passion for helping women who are transitioning to financial independence as a result of divorce, the loss of a spouse, or other life events.

SignatureFD, a leading privately held financial design and advisory firm, is pleased to announce the recent addition of Lance Stafford, CFA. In his role as Principal, Stafford will advise high-net-worth individuals and families seeking effective wealth management solutions and help empower them to live a great life.

Individual investors face increasingly complex and confusing options for managing their financial affairs, Stafford said. SignatureFD combines deep expertise, an innovative approach and extensive services to meet the unique needs of our clients.

I am particularly excited to be a member of the SignatureWOMEN initiative, where I will continue to pursue my passion for helping women who are transitioning to financial independence as a result of divorce, the loss of a spouse, or other life events.

Stafford comes to SignatureFD after spending three years as an investment counselor with one of the worlds largest asset management companies. He transitioned to wealth management after a long tenure as a leading institutional equity salesperson for several Wall Street investment banks. He is a CFA charter holder and earned an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

We are constantly investing in people and resources to navigate the complexities of capital markets, simplify our clients financial lives and give them confidence in their decisions. Lance will work alongside our clients to help them reach financial freedom so they can pursue their life passions and focus on what matters the most to them, said Jeff Peller, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SignatureFD.
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If you've ever visited a Yoruba person's house and eaten his/her food, then you're likely to know just how much they love spicy food.

The question is why do Yoruba's like pepper a lot?

To start with, one of the major occupations of the Yorubas is farming and pepper happens to be one of their several farm produce.

With so much pepper around, it's only expected that they consume this farm produce alongside other things that they are known to cultivate, like yam, maize, beans, plantain, oil palm, vegetables among others. This is why foods like pounded yam and efo riro (vegetable soup), Moi Moi (beans pudding), Asaro (yam porridge), Amala (yam flour) and efo and the likes are commonly eaten in the west as against rice and other foreign foods which they do not cultivate.

Having been used to eating a lot of pepper, Yorubas believe that eating peppery or spicy food improves one's quality of life which is backed up by a Yoruba saying that "A soul that does not eat pepper is a powerless soul." So, it means, the more pepper you eat, the stronger you become and the healthier your immune system.

Well recently, a research by the US Public Library of Science has disclosed that eating red hot chilli pepper regularly could extend ones life by as much as 13%- or ten and a half years.

It states that "those that consume chilli pepper had a lower risk of dying than those who didnt."

So, I guess the Yoruba saying, "A soul that does not eat pepper is a powerless soul" actually makes sense after all.

Speaking about health, Yorubas are also of the opinion that taking in stew (obe ata) increases the quantity of blood in the body. Often times when a person falls sick, a Yoruba man or woman will prescribe taking something peppery like pepper soup or any other peppery soup to hasten the healing process and increase blood flow in the system.

I personally don't know how this relates, but it does make sense to a Yoruba person. So, whether it is a myth or reality, it has always worked for them.

Speaking about myth, there are a whole lot of food myth and superstitions nearly all the tribes in Nigeria have at some point made to enforce certain discipline in their kids. For instance, don't eat a food that falls to the earth because the devil must have licked it, don't eat the buttocks of a chicken because you'll become talkative.

In a similar manner, Yoruba's clinging love for pepper started as a way to enforce dining etiquettes on people to keep them from talking while eating. This is because traditionally, Yorubas like eating together in a big bowl. So, to avoid people unconsciously spitting into the food, they stop them from talking by increasing the spice in the food.

Anyway, Yorubas have become so fond of eating peppery and spicy food that they haven't been able to let go.

When asked why they love pepper, some said, "Pepper is life", while some are of the opinion that 'when eating pepper, it gives you running nose and that is what they like about it', others are of the opinion that "a pepper-less food is cold" and can be "nauseating."
The Cleveland Clinic, the American Cancer Society, and the American Friends of Magen David Adom all said on Thursday that they wouldn't hold their 2018 galas at the resort. The organizations have held their annual events at Mar-a-Lago for several years.

On Friday, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army said they would not host their events at Mar-a-Lago either. The Red Cross said in a statement that "it has increasingly become a source of controversy and pain for many of our volunteers, employees, and supporters."

Susan G. Komen, the breast-cancer organization, also on Friday said it would not host its gala at the resort, according to The Washington Post.

The decisions to pull out of Mar-a-Lago come after widely criticized comments from the president blaming the violence in Charlottesville over the weekend on "both sides." One woman was fatally struck on Saturday when a driver identified by authorities as a Nazi sympathizer plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters.

"Our values and commitment to diversity are critical as we work to address the impact of cancer in every community," the American Cancer Society said in a statement. "It has become increasingly clear that the challenge to those values is outweighing other business considerations."

The Salvation Army said its decision to no longer have its Holiday Snow Ball at Mar-a-Lago was because the location was shifting the focus away from the organization's mission:

"The Salvation Army relies heavily on fundraising events like the Holiday Snow Ball in Palm Beach to further our mission of helping those in need through a range of social services including food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, clothing and shelter for the homeless, and opportunities for the underprivileged. Because the conversation has shifted away from the purpose of this event, we will not host it at Mar-a-Lago."

The organizations join a growing group of companies and business leaders who have distanced themselves from the president after the events in Charlottesville. On Wednesday, the president said he would disband his two business-advisory councils  after several members of his manufacturing council had dropped out and his strategy and policy council had planned to dissolve itself.

Some groups that have previously hosted their fundraising galas at Mar-a-Lago, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, had decided before this week not to return to the resort.

The events can net between $100,000 and $275,000 for the resort, The Post reported.
Police have two suspects in custody after a van crashed into a crowd of pedestrians in a tourist-heavy district killing at least 13 on Thursday in Barcelona, Spain, Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said.

The Catalan police are calling the earlier incident in Barcelona a terrorist attack and have confirmed at least 13 deaths and over 100 injuries. At least 18 nationalities are among the attack victims, authorities said. In a message on ISIS' news service, the terror group claimed responsibility for the attack, though authorities have yet to confirm a link.

Police initially said the van connected to the attack was rented by a man named Driss Oukabir, reportedly a Moroccan citizen living in France legally. El Pais, a Spanish-language newspaper, said Oukabir turned himself into police, claiming he had nothing to do with the attack and that his ID was stolen and planted near the scene.

It's unclear whether the police have identified additional suspects in the crash. The police dismissed reports from multiple outlets that two armed men had barricaded themselves in a bar near the site of the crash as rumors, though officers were still apparently conducting door-to-door searches as the area around the crash site remained on lockdown for hours.

Five alleged attackers were killed in a separate counterterrorism operation in the town of Cambrils, about 90 minutes south of Barcelona, early Friday morning. Catalan police said they believe the suspects in Cambrils were linked to the Barcelona van attack and a house explosion in the town of Alcanar that happened on Wednesday. Police confirmed Moussa Oukabir, a key suspect in the attack, was one of the attackers killed, reports the BBC.

Police checkpoint attack and a house explosion

Reuters, citing police sources, said a second van linked to the crash was found in a small town outside Barcelona. The news agency noted earlier reports from local media suggesting that a second van may have been rented as a getaway vehicle.

A driver of a different vehicle ran over two police officers at a checkpoint in Barcelona, The Associated Press reports, though it's not clear whether this was related to the earlier attack. Associated Press reports that the driver was killed in a shootout with the police.

Authorities cited by Reuters said a house explosion hours before the van attack killed one person in Alcanar, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) southwest of Barcelona. Officials say the incident may be connected. The Telegraph reported that police found 20 canisters of butane and propane gas among the rubble.

A chaotic scene

The police said the chaos in Barcelona started when a white van mounted a sidewalk on Plaza de Catalunya, a popular square in Barcelona. The Spanish-language newspaper El Pais said the driver of the van fled on foot after "mowing down" dozens of people.

"There's a very heavy police presence and what they've been doing is going from establishment to establishment knocking on the doors, knocking on the shutters," John Ward, a resident of Las Ramblas, a pedestrian-heavy street near Plaza de Catalunya, told the BBC. "Now nobody is moving on La Ramblas unless they're under police escort."

"All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming," Aamer Anwar, who was walking on Las Ramblas at the time of the crash, told Sky News. "I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids." Other witnesses said the van zigzagged in a way suggesting the driver was trying to hit as many people as possible.

"Police were very, very quickly there, police officers with guns, batons, everywhere," Anwar said. "Then the whole street started getting pushed back."

"Police officers who got there just started screaming at people to move back, move back," Anwar added.

Another witness, Steven Turner, told the BBC he saw "three or four people lying on the ground" after the van "rammed" into people.

"There are lots of ambulances and armed police with assault rifles around now," Turner added.

World leaders respond

The White House has said its chief of staff, John Kelly, is aware of the situation and is updating President Donald Trump. The US Consulate is warning people to avoid the area.

"The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help," Trump tweeted. "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said at a press conference that terrorists would be "brought to justice."

"Terrorists around the world should know  the United States and our allies are resolved to find you and bring you to justice," Tillerson said, adding that US nationals in Barcelona should check in with their families.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey tweeted that he was "in touch with all authorities" and said the "priority is to attend to the wounded and facilitate the work of first responders and police." Brey later declared a three-day mouring period in observance of the attack.

Pope Francis and French President Emmanuel Macron have also expressed support for Barcelona and the victims of the attack.

Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau said on Twitter: ""

Catalan emergency services have asked to close public transportation in the area of the crash, and they are asking people to stay out of the area.

Vehicles have been used to crash into crowds in attacks inspired by the Islamic State terrorist group across Europe since July 2016, killing dozens of people in London, Stockholm, Berlin, and Nice, France. According to The Telegraph, the US Central Intelligence Agency warned Spanish police two months ago that Las Ramblas was a potential target for a terror attack.

The Spanish National Police have asked bystanders not to share photos of the crash out of respect for the victims, but some have still been spreading on social media:

#BreakingNews Van strikes p... @ Manoj Gupta

Total panic - we are all ge... @ Aamer Anwar

Terrorism attack confirmed ... @ Mossos

SKY NEWS: First footage fro... @ Josh Caplan

A van drove into a crowd in... @ BuzzFeed News

Terrifying footage out of #... @ Anna Ahronheim

Omg at Las Ramblas the poli... @ Eric Castellarnau

La @barcelona_GUB busca al ... @ Alfonso Congostrina

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The group made up of members of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), the Chamber of Freight and Trade and Concerned Freight Forwarders Association argue that the paperless process which began today, Friday, August 18 was poorly done.

READ ALSO: Ghana Ports to run a paperless administration by September 1

"How do you pilot a project when agents who are the main users have no idea of how the processes are going to work, Mr Oheneba Kwasi Afawuah, Chairman for Concerned Freight Forwarders asked.

We demand that government withdraws the implementation plan, put in place the necessary sensitisation and ensure the end users are abreast of the project before they take off, he added.

The countrys ports in previous years have been seen as one of the places where corruption is rife.

Importers have their goods locked up at the port sometimes for months due to the delays by authorities in charge of clearing their products.

To get your items cleared quickly one needs to bribe some officials at the ports.

Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia believes such corrupt and bureaucratic practices will end after paperless transaction processes begin.
Speaking at a press conference for the movie, "Adam The Eve", which is about marriage, Majid pointed out that the Registrar Generals Department, the state authority which handles marriage registration, is not doing well enough to protect marriage as an institution, Daily Guide reports.

According to him, this is because married couples are not being challenged to understand marriage before they sign up for it, the report continued.

READ MORE: Actress describes Ghanaians as hypocrites

He has alleged that couples are allowed to sign certificates without making them go through a form of training system, as he insisted that would better prepare them to marry, instead of just walking into the Registrar Generals Department to sign.

If I want to drive in this country, I will have to go through a test. They will test me and I have to pass the test. I have to memorise road signs. Then the state will now tell me that okay they are satisfied with my qualification, now we believe you can drive. You have convinced us by passing the test. Now get your certificate and get your licence.

But if I walk into Registrar Generals Department right now with actress Ingrid Alabi, they will ask me if I am sure we are not related? Then I say yes. They would say ok sit down and sign here, he said.
We are gathering information for the 2022 general election. On desktop, click "election information" on the right side of this pag...
According to the UNAIDS 2016 Global AIDS Update, since the first global treatment target was set in 2003, annual AIDS-related deaths have decreased by 43%. AIDS related deaths in the region have decreased by 36% since 2010. However, huge challenges lie ahead. In 2015 there were 2.1 million new HIV infections worldwide, adding up to a total of 36.7 million people living with HIV.

On 12th May, StarTimes and UNAIDS formally established partnership with signing a memorandum of understanding in Beijing with the aim of achieving a shared objective and common goal, which is to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

StarTimes and UNAIDS are committed to work together to increase awareness of HIV and to reduce stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV and whose live affected by HIV across the broadcast networks of StarTimes that are available throughout the African continent.

Michel Sidibe, UNAIDS Executive Director and Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, said at the first meeting with StarTimes: "Challenges we are having today are more difficult than the challenges we used to face. The prevention doesn't work for the people left behind, the people difficult to reach and the people living in difficult conditions."

"We are failing to reach them," Sidibe said with noting that UNAIDS' collaboration with StarTimes will help find new ways and best ways to communicate with people about the HIV prevention.

"It is about how we collaborate in global health in a different way, how we use the modern communication to help us to influence the people to have a better access to services, to make them have information which will protect them, have information which will equip them with knowledge and know-how to do with this disease in general."

"Ending the AIDS epidemic, StarTimes is in action." The President of StarTimes Group, Pang Xinxing said at the meeting and illustrated that the branch company of StarTimes in Uganda and UNAIDS Uganda Office have reached a detailed work plan to promote the anti-AIDS campaign in Uganda.

He also disclosed a plan that StarTimes together with UNAIDS is to donate digital TV signal receiving equipments to HIV clinics in Zambia in September, enabling the medical workers and patients to watch abundant digital TV programs for free.

"We are honored to work together with UNAIDS to shoulder the mission...Let's move towards the global common goal of 'Ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030'," Pang concluded.
The entire lower part of his body has been amputated, Kumasi-based Nhyira FM reports.

He has since undergone successful preliminary surgery at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

However, doctors said that he will need a lot of money to take care of medication and general care.

Head of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at KATH, Dr. Adabie Appiah, said between Gh500 and Gh700 is spent on the boy daily, and he currently needs a second surgery to cover his wounds.

READ ALSO: All you need to know about the poisonous fish that killed 4 in Volta region
Ashok Kumar Sivaram in the said petition accused the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, Director/Comptroller of the Immigration Service, Kwame Takyi and Deputy Comptroller General in-charge of Operations, Laud Afrifa of conspiring to illegally deport him and take over his company.

READ ALSO: Court orders release of detained Indian businessman

According to him, officials of the Ghana Immigration Service are constantly harassing him, and he feels that their intention is to transfer his interest in his company Jai Mai Communications Limited, to his business partner.

Mr. President, the action of the respondents is a deliberate ploy to render my status in the country without a valid permit in order to easily facilitate my removal from the jurisdiction. This action by the respondents is also a clear attempt to undermine the order for valuation of the company the by high court dated 5th May, 2017. Mr. President, I implore you as the father of the nation to graciously step in to resolve the matters raised in my petition. I shall forever be grateful to you for your prompt action on this matter, he said in the petition.

An Accra High Court last month declared as illegal the Interior Ministers decision to deport the Indian businessman in June 2017 over alleged fraud and other offences.

According to the court, presided by Kwaku Ackah Boafo, the Minister erred in his action and he also refused to give a fair hearing to the businessman.

Ashok Kumar Sivaram was deported on June 1, 2017, following a directive issued to the Ghana Immigration Service by the Interior minister Ambrose Derry.

This came on the back of claims that he obtained a fake marriage certificate to enable his stay in Ghana.

But Ashok Kumar Sivaram who had lived in Ghana for almost a decade denied those claims.
Valerie Sawyerr recently released an ntomtom or nwansena statement, where she called the former president Rawlings a hypocrite over his continuous attacks on the National Democratic Party and his predecessors.

But in a response, Rawlings said such attacks on him could only come from people without integrity.

NDC is at a crossroads between those with integrity and those without. Those who lack it feel threatened by those of us who have the influence of integrity and that is what is frightening them.

"None of all these calls against us will hold. I mean its false, they know it but they have to propagate it, the former president said at the sidelines of the 2nd edition of Accra Dialogue.

But Dr Sawyerr has shot back, questioning Mr Rawlings definition of persons with integrity.

She told the Daily Post that: Rawlings' position that I am threatened by his integrity to be true, three premises must be established: a. that he has integrity, b. that I do not have integrity and c. that I am intimidated in any form or manner by the integrity he must first have.

But maybe the headlines have not been fair to him. In the voice clip I listened to, he did not say those who lack integrity feel threatened 'by those of us who have integrity'. He said those who lack integrity feel threatened 'by those of us who have the influence of integrity'.

She queried what the meaning of 'influence of integrity' is, rhetorically asking whether it refers to "those perceived as having integrity even though they may not have it; those who can influence others to be persons of integrity even though they themselves may not be persons of integrity; or those who make enough noise about integrity so they are seen as being influential in matters of integrity even if they themselves do not have integrity?"

She adds: "I am really not sure what he is trying to say".
In June 2017, supermodel Miranda Kerr handed over more than $8 million-worth of jewellery to US authorities. They had been bought for her by Low in 2014, when the two had allegedly been dating.

I feel its just gotten to a point where its ridiculous. There are all these guys with their arrows out on me, Low told Euromoney in 2015.

Thank you to the entire production team, Joey, Riz, Jho thank you for being not only collaborators but taking a risk on this movie.

continues to hope that justice is done in this matter.

Charitable Foundation

Humbled by this Angel Gabri... @ jholowjynwel

Everything he stood for inspires me every day, said Low, as millions of dollars worth of Malaysian government money allegedly sat in a series of his bank accounts.
Julie Bishop, the Australian foreign minister told the Times newspaper that her colleagues in government would be disappointed if the UK put more restrictive immigration conditions on Australian citizens than on those expected to be placed on arrivals from the European Union.

Fellow Commonwealth members Canada and New Zealand reportedly share Bishop's concerns and would broach the issue at free trade talks following the UK's exit from the EU.

EU citizens will be able to enter the UK freely after Brexit, without having to obtain visas, while companies would be responsible for applying for work permits, it was reported on Thursday.

They would not be able to live and stay in the UK indefinitely and would have to apply in order to get permission for studying or settling.

Currently, Australians coming to Britain for work have to obtain a tier-two visa which allows them to stay for up to five years.

They are only eligible for one if they have already been offered a skilled job and can prove that they are sponsored by their employer, while they must also have a minimum of 945 in savings and usually have to earn over 25,000 a year.

Commonwealth members, especially Australia, New Zealand and Canada have warned the British government and Prime Minister Theresa May that the proposed plans could discriminate against their citizens.

This could come to a head at trade talks, as the UK seeks to secure deals with countries outside of the EU.

Imposing a restrictive migration system on the EU would affect British citizens who work in Europe, and also likely harm the economy by depriving the workforce of valuable employees.

May has said that Brexit will see an "end to free movement as we have seen as members of the European Union."

The prime minister said: "We will have immigration rules and those will be for people coming from inside the European Union as today we have rules for people coming from outside the European Union.
As North Korean propaganda dominates outsiders' perception of its citizens' lives, Thae, who was the country's deputy ambassador to the UK before defecting last year, provided a glimpse into a heavily policed but ultimately fragile system.

"Over the past decades, there were a myriad of anti-Workers' Party, anti-revolutionary events in North Korea that the South could call something close to a pro-democracy movement," Thae said.

Thae said "ordinary citizens" were "very much against" the leadership, adding that although the North Korean regime could execute people for watching South Korean media, virtually every North Korean did.

"The chasm between the Kim Jong Un regime and the general public is widening every year, and some day, the two sides will ultimately break like a rubber band," Thae said. "I think that day will come within the next 10 years."

However, Rodger Baker, the lead analyst of the Asia-Pacific region for Stratfor, a geopolitical consulting firm, previously told Business Insider that North Korea's government might be stronger than we think.

"A lot of the West's vision of North Korea is from defector testimony, which is going to have a political bent," Baker said. He added that the idea that air-dropping South Korean DVDs and music into North Korea would eventually sway the population against Kim "overestimates the draw of material goods over nationalism and national identity."

But as technology and connectedness proliferate, and as even China embraces free-market ideals and prosperity, North Koreans become exposed to more of the rest of the world, and their government loses more control over that exposure.
. 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.
The conservative internet news mogul Matt Drudge first reported on Friday that Bannon was leaving the White House, tweeting that he "had one hell of a run."

The White House confirmed the story Friday afternoon.

"White House chief of staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. "We are grateful for his service and wish him the best."

Breitbart's White House correspondent Charlie Spierling tweeted Friday that Bannon returned to Breitbart News as executive chairman, and chaired the outlet's evening editorial meeting.

Rumors of Bannon's departure had reached a fever pitch in recent days.

Citing two administration officials briefed on the conversation, The New York Times reported shortly after Drudge's tweet that Trump had told senior aides he decided to remove Bannon. The Times added, however, that a person close to Bannon insisted the departure was Bannon's idea. The source said Bannon submitted his resignation on August 7, to be announced earlier this week, but it was pushed back after the violent protests led by white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the past weekend.

After Trump's Tuesday press conference, in which he said some of the protesters in Charlottesville were "very fine people," Bannon gave a series of on-the-record interviews and comments to publications including The Times, The American Prospect, and The Washington Post.

It was in those interviews, particularly with The Prospect, that Bannon appeared to seal his fate, if he hadn't already tendered his resignation.

Bannon lashed out National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, contradicted the president on North Korea, and called white nationalists a "collection of clowns" and "losers." He also said he hoped Democrats "talk about racism every day."

"The longer they talk about identity politics, I got 'em," Bannon told The Prospect. "I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats."

That interview irked Trump, CNN reported. The president was also upset with Bannon's participation in Josh Green's book "Devil's Bargain," which painted Trump and Bannon as equally responsible for Trump's election win in November. Trump was also reportedly annoyed by a Time magazine cover in February that depicted Bannon as "The Great Manipulator."

Asked during his Tuesday press conference about Bannon's status in the administration, Trump said, "We'll see."

"Look, look  I like Mr. Bannon," Trump said. "He's a friend of mine. But Mr. Bannon came on very late. You know that. I went through 17 senators, governors, and I won all the primaries. Mr. Bannon came on very much later than that."

"And I like him," he continued. "He's a good man. He is not a racist. I can tell you that. He's a good person. He actually gets a very unfair press in that regard. But we'll see what happens with Mr. Bannon. But he's a good person, and I think the press treats him, frankly, very unfairly."

Bannon told some close associates that he did not believe his conversation with The Prospect's Robert Kuttner was on the record, but he told others that the interview was strategic. He told the Daily Mail on Thursday that it was good for the White House because it "drew fire away" from the president.

Earlier on Friday, Axios reported that Kelly was reviewing Bannon's status and a decision was "imminent." A source close to Bannon told the news website that Bannon would defend Trump from the outside and unleash "fire and fury" on opponents of Trump's agenda.

"Get ready for Bannon the barbarian," the source told Axios.

Bannon was the leading nationalist figure in the White House. While Bannon often found himself in Trump's doghouse, the president was often most closely aligned with Bannon's viewpoints on issues, even as other top administration officials tried to get him on another side.

As the executive chairman of Breitbart, Bannon helped lead what he once called "the platform of the alt-right," the movement that brought together white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and other fringe groups on the right. Democrats and Republicans have long called for his removal, and his appointment as chief strategist was one of the most  if not the most  controversial hires on Trump's team.

"Steve will do exactly what he has been doing from Day 1  try to 'bring everything crashing down,'" Kurt Bardella, a former Breitbart spokesman, told Business Insider of what he believed Bannon would do next. "He will continue to use his weapon of choice, Breitbart, to attack his adversaries inside the West Wing  mainly Jared, Ivanka, Cohn, etc.

"He will relentlessly attack congressional Republican leadership like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell," he continued. "In many ways, I think Steve will feel liberated. Free from the limitations of 'serving' or 'answering' to somebody. It's not in Steve's DNA to work for anybody but himself. He likes being the dictator. Now he will be able to operate openly and freely to inflict as much damage as he possibly can on the 'globalists' that remain in the Trump administration."
"I cant even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists," Murdoch's email read. He implored Democrats and Republicans to take a firm stand against hate groups, even as President Donald Trump wavered in his denunciations of white nationalists and neo-Nazis over the past week.

Murdoch is the chief executive of 21st Century Fox, the parent company of the Fox News channel. The company was founded by his father Rupert Murdoch, a close confidant to Trump.

Trump is also a frequent guest on Fox News programs, and the network regularly promotes narratives that are seen as favorable to the president.

James Murdoch did not name Trump specifically in his email to employees.

Observers noted the omission, which happened at a time when lawmakers, business leaders, and tech moguls have roundly condemned the president's equivocations about white nationalists and Confederate monuments  a matter Trump sought to relitigate during a heated press conference on Tuesday.

Murdoch said he was writing the email in a personal capacity to "remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation." He announced that he would pledge $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League in protest of the deadly Charlottesville rally.

"We hardly ever talk about our charitable giving," Murdoch said to employees, "but in this case I wanted to tell you and encourage you to be generous too."
Box a $2.48 billion content management company  has partnered with Google Cloud Vision to apply Google Images search technology to Box's storage technology. The feature launched in beta mode Thursday for free.

The feature, called Box Image Recognition, is opt-in. Enabling it means that Google has access to your Box account, but a Box representative said that data won't be cached and Google deletes images once they're analyzed.

It works by tagging images as they're uploaded, making swaths of visual data searchable with key terms. If you're looking for a photo of pants, for example, just type "pants" into the Box search bar, and voila.

Google Cloud Vision is so well trained from years of machine learning and enormous data sets that it can even tag with abstract phrases that capture the essence of a photo.

Longterm, Wacker said that Box intends to work with multiple other search partners for more robust capabilities. Different image recognition technologies are fine-tuned for different data, and might work better for some industries than others.
Since its launch in January 2015, Uber has so far made more than 12 million trips locally in Kenya while globally, it has made more than five billion trips in the over 570 cities where it is currently available.

We have been overwhelmed by the support weve received from both our rider and driver communities in Kenya. We are happy about our growth in Kenya so far and we remain committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable transportation for all riders at all times and economic opportunities for driver-partners. said Uber general manager for East Africa Loic Amado.

The company attributes its growth to their commitment to ensuring mutual growth is experienced by both parties, being a pioneer in the Taxi hailing services also gave them a great headstart.

"Uber succeeds when driver-partners succeed. We have partnered with over 6,000 drivers in Nairobi and Mombasa. Our 12 M trips growth can be attributed to high rider demand and our partnership and commitment to drivers." Mr. Amado added.

It has however not been a smooth ride from the beginning, early this year Uber drivers in Kenya went on a go slow, demanding for higher rates and better working conditions.

Among the grievances, the drivers cited were low profits incurred due to the cheap rates Uber offered after it slashed its fares by 35 percent to boost demand for the service, amid growing competition from local firms.

After government's intervention, the strike grievances were finally addressed and Uber drivers went back to work.

Uber is now determined to put the strike in the past and says it also learned valuable lessons in the process which has helped it become the great company it is today.

So far we have seen the value of emulating one of the company's core values: Celebrating Cities. We do this by ensuring that we understand the cities that we operate in by employing local operations teams and by celebrating the cities culture through on demands such as UberCHOMA, UberICREAM and UberPITCH to engage with both riders and drivers. Amado said.

Uber is also determined to drive change in the community and recently partnered with IEBC during the elections to provide free rides to all persons with disabilities and also offered Sh200 ($2) off to and from polling stations for all new and existing riders in Nairobi, Thika and Mombasa.

To mark the milestone, the ride-hailing app will add an in-app chat feature locally to enable riders and drivers to communicate through short message services.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
Wole Soyinka's KING BAABU

In celebration of Wole Soyinka's 83rd Birthday,

The Park Theatre and Oxzygen Koncepts Present KING BAABU.

King Baabu features an ensemble of seasoned theatre players which include, Toritseju Ejoh, Tessy Brown,Makinde Adeniran, Ahide Adum, Ikponmwosa Gold, Olarotimi Fakunle, Seun Kentebe, Abiodun Kassim, Omobola Akinde.

Directed by Tosin Oshinaike.

Dates: 12th & 13th; 19th & 20th; 26th; & a special command performance on the August 27, 2017.Venue: Amphi Theatre, Freedom Park. (Former Colonial Prisons), 1, Hospital Road, Lagos Island.Time: 7pmTickets: N2,000

It's the second edition of the Unveil - Runway Fashion Show.

Come experience fashion show like no other.

Featuring: Series of designer wears; classic fashion models; and a live band/Jazz music.

Date: August 19, 2017

Venue: Oriental Hotel, VI

Time: 11AM

Admission: Free

B.A.D Gang Anniversary Party! (Bikers with Attitude and Determination)

B.A.D Gang Anniversary Party! B.A.D (Bikers with Attitude and Determination) Gang presents its first anniversary party tagged  Jollof and Palmie.

It has been one year since the Motorcycle group B.A.D Gang came into existence, and they are celebrating their anniversary in grand style.

Come and party with them at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island Lagos by 2PM.

Heal The World brings to you her first edition of Music Meets Charity, an event in favour of people living with disability.

The one of its kind in Lagos will hold on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at the Bespoke event centre, Lekki.

Nigerian Student Fashion and Design Week aims at promoting young and emerging fashion designers, and is set to go big as they celebrate our 5th anniversary.
Kelvin will be slugging it out with winners from other countries to determine who reigns supreme as mixer-in-chief. The executives of these bars have been chosen to accompany Kelvin because their establishments will be among the sites hosting the Diageo Bar Academy trainings.

The Diageo Bar Academy, a brainchild of Diageo Reserve seeks to support, train and inspire bartenders to take great pride in the hallowed profession while honing their skill and dexterity; in a bid to position them to be World Class bartenders.

With over 100,000 bartenders and mixologists already trained across the world, South Eatery and Runway Lounge will be two of many sites to host the first ever Diageo Bar Academy trainings on the shores of Nigeria.

Beyond moral support for Kelvin, the Nigerian envoy will look to study bartending and mixology at its finest in Mexico with a bid to replicate and improve current standards in Nigeria.
Alege made the clarification on Thursday in Ilorin while reacting to a report of an outbreak of a mysterious disease at Oro-Ago in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

A report had made the rounds that a strange disease was ravaging the Fulani community in the town, with infected victims defecating a black substance and vomiting blood before dying.

But the Commissioner dismissed the report, saying there was no such disease in the state.

The ministry sees it as a rumour because we deployed a response team comprising of an epidemiologist, directors of public health and the disease surveillance response team, he said.

He said experts at the ministry in company with a team from the World Health Organisation visited Oro-Ago where they met with elders and community leaders.

Alege said the team found no such mysterious disease affecting the Fulani population in the area.

The commissioner also said the response team had taken samples from some sick people at Abanisi and ECWA hospitals in Oro- Ago, adding that there was no confirmed mortality.

He, however, confirmed yellow fever, diarrhea and malaria in the community.

The governor has directed the general hospitals across the state to be on standby in case of any unforeseen occurrence, he said.

ALSO READ:Abdulfatah Ahmed releases N1b to Kwara local govts

Alege further disclosed that the result of the sample earlier taken from the community and was expected to arrive in Ilorin on Thursday was delayed.
The meeting between the government and ASUU, which was held in Abuja on Thursday, August 17, reportedly ended in a stalemate.

The two parties, however, made progress as the Federal government made new offers to the union, Vanguard reports.

ALSO READ: Senate appeals to ASUU to call off strike

The representatives of the government, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige and the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, and ASUU resolved to reconvene within a week, to continue the negotiations.
Fayose said the move is a plot to silence the opposition.

The Governor stated this in a statement issued on Friday, August 18, by his spokesman, Lere Olayinka.

"This appears as another plot to silence the opposition and I make bold to say that saying the truth concerning the country and its rulers cannot be termed as hate speech", he said.

Fayose said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the number one promoter and beneficiary of hate speeches in the country.

He said, "When the APC was looking for power, several provocative statements were made. Nigerians are yet to forget President Muhammadu Buharis 'the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood' hate speeches and the threat by the APC to form a parallel government.

"While I am totally against hate speech and will support any effort to curb it, it is important to caution the federal government on the danger inherent in the blanket categorisation of hate speech as treasonable.

"Even if the APC government is sincere with its new found hatred for hate speeches, the APC government must first apologise to Nigerians for being the number one promoter and beneficiary of hate speech."

Fayose said instead of criminalising hate speeches, the Federal Government should embark on the reorientation of Nigerians, especially the youths.

Read the full statement below:

I wish to express concern over the pronouncement of the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo that hate speech will henceforth be treated as terrorism.

I make bold to say that saying the truth concerning the country and its rulers cannot be termed as hate speech.

I only hope Nigeria is not being systematically returned to the colonial days when the law of sedition was used to jail many of those who fought for our independence or the era of Buharis military regime when the notorious Public Officers (Protection against False accusation) Decree 4 of 1984 was used to jail Tunde Thompson and NdukaIrabor, both of The Guardian newspapers for publishing what the government termed as false.

Most importantly, going by the APC governments use of the so-called anti-corruption fight to harass, intimidate, arrest and detain opposition figures, there is no doubt that categorising whatever that is termed as hate speech as act of terrorism is unconstitutional and an attempt to gag Nigerians, especially the press.

It should therefore not be seen that since the use of corruption to harass, arrest and detain opposition figures is no longer fashionable, hate speech will now be another instrument of oppression to be used against opposition.

The questions that must be answered by the federal government are; what constitutes hate speech andwho determines it? Has the Presidency becomes law unto itself such that it is now the one to determine what is an offense and what punishment to be applied?

From all intent and purposes, the Acting President pronouncement which is obviously not backed by any legislation is an attempt to provide reasons for an impending clampdown on opposition and Nigerians will resist any attempt to mortgage their fundamental rights to freedom of expression under the guise of hate speeches.

When the APC was looking for power, several provocative statements were made. Nigerians are yet to forget President Buharis "The dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood hate speeches and the threat by the APC to form a parallel government.

What can be more treasonable than these statements made by President Buhari and his party?

It is also on record that during the 2011 election campaign, President Buharis inciting statement led to widespread violence by his supporters in the North after he lost. Over 1000 people were slaughtered in cold blood, including innocent National Youth Service Corp members.

Therefore, even if the APC government is sincere with its new found hatred for hate speeches, the APC government must first apologise to Nigerians for being the number one promoter and beneficiary of hate speech.
The Minister stated this at the inauguration of the Interchange Bridge and Inner Southern Expressway linking AYA in Asokoro to the Abuja city centre.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the projects were inaugurated by Mohammed and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello.

NAN reports that both ministers also inspected the newly completed bridge over Aso Villa Roundabout which terminated Murtala Muhammad Express Way (Kubwa Expressway) at the Asokoro end also in FCT.

Mohammed said that the projects were key to the change mantra of the President Muhammadu Buharis administration that infrastructural investment is key to economic growth.

This administration is passionate about infrastructural development particularly roads.

These projects will tremendously decongest traffic around Abuja and open up the city, he said.

He said the projects were particularly significant coming at a time the city would be hosting two major international conferences  International Press Institute Conference and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Conference.

The FCT minister said that the Southern Expressway is one of the major ancillary roads bringing traffic into the city which has been under construction for some time.

He said the roads were clear manifestation of what the administration stood for in terms of using capital budget and funding for completion of critical infrastructure

It is one of the priority roads that, when we came in as an administration, we realised that there was need for it to be completed.

We also realise that funding for the project had been quite slow over the years.

We therefore discussed with the contractors and agreed on specific milestones.

We decided that there is need to complete the bridge which is the most critical aspect of the job.

Over the last few months, we have been able to fund the contractor with over N2 billion and they were able to complete the road as well as the linkage from AYA roundabout, he said.

The Minister said that the Aso Villa roundabout bridge was completed within a year.

ALSO READ:Lai Mohammed to stop the production of videos abroad

The Director of Engineering, FCTA, Hadi Shehu, who took the two ministers and their entourage round said the projects would give relief to the gridlock being experienced by commuters from Nyanyan-Karu axis into the town
Buhari has been on a medical vacation since May 7, 2017; with the nation kept in the dark as to what ails him.

It's been 103 days since the Nigerian leader left for London on an open-ended medical vacation.

On August 12, 2017, Buhari's media team embarked on a trip to London--armed with a get-well card--to see the ailing President.

Onochie was among the party that included

In this exclusive interview with Pulse, Mrs. Onochie doubles down on why she said President Buhari is a private citizen...

You've been attacked for saying President Buhari is a private citizen....

I am just trying to understand how things work in Nigeria. How we dont understand things the way the world understands them.

All these attacks, I havent seen any of them. We are so averse to change. Nigerians are used to where a president travels and takes the power along with him. We are used to a situation where the president travels and doesnt inform the national assembly, he doesnt inform the Nigerian people, he doesnt transmit power to the Vice President to become the Acting President.

Its something new. We are mixing curtain and silk. We are mixing Yaradua and Buhari. They are not the same. The scenarios are quite different. Unfortunately, many people quite do not understand the situation on ground.

I was really happy when I saw the statement issued by the senate because they have looked at the laws, they have looked at our constitution and they have seen that the president is quite in order. And its not as if the president is sitting in London, sipping tea and not wanting to come back. He left on health grounds. The least Nigerians can do is be sympathetic if we dont pray for him. Africans are known to be sentimental and sympathetic.

Most Nigerians have been praying for him. Most Nigerians are quite happy. They are pleased with the recent news that hes recovered, that hes recuperating and will come back soon. Nigerians cant wait to have Buhari back.

Did you say Buhari is a private citizen whose health challenge is no one's business?

People don't listen. I didnt say Buhari is a private citizen. Thats not what I said. Go and watch the video again. Its English Language and thats often a problem for many of us. Take for instance in Nigeria, if you ask someone where do you live and the person says I live in Wuse 2 and then I say to the person, Im local. The person goes on to say why are you local? I like sociable people.

Because in Nigeria, the word local means timid. But in English Language, local means somebody who lives in the same neighbourhood. Im a local means I live in the same neighbourhood.

I taught English in England, so my usage of English sometimes confuses people.

What I was trying to say is that, there are people that are private people. Even though they are in the public light, they keep their private life private. And I am one of them. I dont think many people know how many children I have. I dont think many people know the names of my children. Because thats a part of my private life.

That's what I was trying to say about President Buhari. Hes that kind of person who loves to keep his private life private. And if he wants to disclose his state of health to Nigerians, it will be his prerogative; his decision and hell make it.

There was another one where they said I said Nigerians want Buhari to run in 2019. I cant remember when I said that or where I said that. I am used to being misquoted. I had a meeting one day. When I emerged from the meeting, my phone was turned off and when I put on my phone, the second notification I saw on my phone was Lauretta Onochie blasts the Nigerian senate for suspending Ndume." That was the day Ndume was suspended as majority leader. I had no knowledge that he had been suspended. That was how I knew.

Straight away I went online, ran home, listened to the newsGetting misquoted is something Im used to. There are people who target me to misquote. But Im getting used to it. In the beginning, it really used to upset me. I'm someone who finds it hard to misquote people. If I dont understand what you said, Ill say to you I dont understand and youll repeat it.

I wont go and say Lagbaja said when Lagbaja did not say. At first, it really used to upset me, but Im getting used to it. And I know the people who are responsible for all of that. I am not going to stop speaking the truth because some people do not understand English Language.

So, can you give us a date when Buhari is coming back?

None of us knows when Buhari is going to come back. No, no ,no. Knowledge is power. We have a constitution which is the rule book for this nation. We have laws. Buhari is a very lawful individual. Hell never act outside of the law.

That was why when he was leaving this country to go on medical vacation, he informed the National Assembly. In a press release, he also informed the people of Nigeria and then he handed over to the Vice President.

And when hes coming backthe two times hes embarked on similar journeysit was announced. He also informed Nigerians that Ill be coming back tomorrow. That is the type of man he is. He is not going to sneak in.

Do you think Nigerians who draw parallels between this and the Yar'adua scenario have a point?

I do sympathise with such Nigerians who are comparing the Yaradua predicament with Buharis. Now we have somebody who will not lie to Nigerians. Buhari will never, ever lie to Nigerians. He will not. And that is why many of us are very careful with words. Because when he comes back, he can decide to tell Nigerians everything. That is the kind of person he is.

He can also decide that its his private life. In the UK, theres no way therell release his medical records to his wife or to any of his children without him saying so. They will not. No doctor will do that because its personal.

I have a friend in the UK who called me the other day and told me some health issues he was having. And I said, Oh, is there anything I can do to help and he said my sympathizing with him was just enough because he didnt tell his wife and children.

And I said, you need to tell your wife and he saidnonono, I dont want them to know. And because of that, even though I have spoken to his wife a few times, I havent mentioned it to her because thats how he wants it. We must learn to respect peoples privacy. We dont do that in this nation a lot.

Have you seen how we queue in the bank? Everyone is leaning on each other. That is disrespectful. No personal space. You dont know if I had a shower. Youve had one and you are just leaning on me. We have to respect peoples personal space.

But as President, don't you think Buhari should disclose the state of his health?

If we say because Buhari is President of Nigeria and he has no privacy, that means that every month or every weekdepending on how we want to do itwe can run shifts where each State can send like 10 people each and we move them into President Buharis bedroom so that they can watch how he relates with his wife.

If we say Buhari has no privacy, let us move into his house and follow him around 24hrs. Lets know how he sleeps, how he snores, the type of food he eats, what he drinks, when he goes to bed with his wife, how he does it with his wifelets know everything!

No, we must draw lines! People come to my social media pages and say, 'Lauretta, I dont expect you to write this, delete it! On my own page! That is disrespectful.

You cannot come to my own home and you dont like the colour of my chair, what youll do is say I dont want to come in, or Im going to stand outside. You wont tell me to throw away my chairs because you dont like the colour.

And then the usage of the word want. I want you to That is a command. It means being disrespectful to people. I am sounding like diaspora now, but thats really what I am. And these are the changes we speak about. We cant be speaking English without knowing the meanings of the words we use.

Somebody comes to your home and you have a very delicious meal. The person may have eaten before coming. You dont ask the person if he or she will eat. You just go ahead and dish the food for the person and the person says I have eaten and you go, no..no..noI want you to eat it.

We can say its our culture but these are cultures we must do away with because the world has moved beyond that. There are some cultures we must fight to keep because they are progressive. But the ones that disrespect others, we must do away with them.

Former American President Ronald Reagan had cancer of the colon. He suffered it and nobody knew about it. He didnt tell anybody. Maybe a few members of his family, but he didnt make it public. And Americans didnt bang their heads on the wall and say you are in hospital, you must tell us what you are suffering from and bla bla bla because they recognize and understand that that is his private life.

The British Prime Minister Theresa May has no children. Barrenness is considered an illness and thats why Doctors treat it. The British people are not holding her by the neck and saying to her: Tell us why you couldnt have children and what is the status of the sperm count of your husband?" They arent doing that because that will be stepping into her private life. We must learn to separate a man from his private life. President Buhari has right to privacy and that must be respected.

A while ago, some of these people who are protesting were calling on the president to address Nigerians. Why would he address Nigerians? As who? We have an Acting President he has handed over power to.

We read in the newswe dont know if true or not--that some senior staff of the government took some files to him in the UK and he sent them back with the files to the Acting President. Because theres no way hell treat any file and it will be legal. Many of us do not understand the meaning of transmitting power. It means that you have no power at all and thats why he could speak to his people during Sallah.
According to reports, Obono-Obla said this in reaction to the National Bureau for Statistics report which stated that Nigerians paid bribes to the tune of N400bn between 2015 and 2016.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television program, the presidential aide also alleged that Nigerians are not supporting the anti-corruption campaign of President Buhari.

He said It is chilling, daunting, outrageous and shocking but I am not surprised because corruption has become pandemic and endemic. Most Nigerians are pathologically corrupt.

This government wants to fight corruption but what is the challenge? Nigerians do not want to support the fight against corruption; the judiciary and the legislature do not want to support the fight against corruption. It is as if only the President and the Vice-President are in support of the war against corruption.

The law we are using to fight corruption now has been in effect since 1983 but that law has not been used by successive governments because these successive administrations did not have the will, did not have the commitment or dedication to fight corruption and this government has gone into the archives to exhume that law to fight corruption and the law is very strict and maybe that is why successive administrations did not use that law in fighting corruption. That law predates the EFCC and ICPC Act, he added.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has constantly said that President Buhari's anti-corruption war is aimed at pulling down the opposition.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) coordinates the production of official statistics in all the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), State Statistical Agencies (SSAs) and Local Government Councils (LGCs).
This was disclosed on Friday, August 18, 2017, by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande, who released a press statement to explain the Acting President's trip.

The statement read, "Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is attending the presidential inauguration of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, taking place today in Kigali, the country's capital.

"The inauguration ceremony which is expected to be witnessed by several African Heads of State and Government, follows President Kagame's victory at the August 4 Rwandan presidential election."

Osinbajo is accompanied on the trip by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and is expected back in the country later in the day.
The Adjutant General of the California National Guard, Maj.-Gen. David Baldwin, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Abdullahi Muhammadu.

The NSCDC spokesperson, Emmanuel Okeh, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Baldwin assured the NSCDC of priority attention especially to the areas of Disaster Management, Peace and Conflict Resolution, Security, Aviation, Fire prevention, Medical, Training and re-training of officers.

He stressed that capacity building was a very critical area of manpower development and the technological enhancement of security agencies in combating insecurity in the society.He also proposed that some officers of the Corps could be trained in the U.S in the afore-mentioned areas to become specialists in them.

The Commandant-General briefed the visitor on the history and core mandate of the Corps.

He said that the NSCDC officials needed more capacity building and training to tackle issues such as pipeline vandalism, illegal mining and protection of lives and property.
Mr Edward Kallon, the Country Coordinator, UN Coordinating Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), made the call at the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on Thursday in Maiduguri.

We are calling on all stakeholders of this conflict to ensure that civilians are not caught in the crisis.

I am also calling on all stakeholders to put people first in trying to find solutions to this crisis.

I also tried to convey that the only durable solution is for people to go back to their homes and start re-building their lives.

Kallon said the visit to the camp was part of activities lined up to mark the 2017 World Humanitarian Day.

He said that the day was set aside to mobilise the international community to rally support for people affected by humanitarian crisis and pay tribute to aid workers who help them.

He stressed the commitments of the UN to protection and assistance to civilians and aid workers in crisis prone areas.

Kallon said that the UN would collaborate with government and development partners to provide food, shelter and health support to displaced persons in the Northeast and Lake Chad Basin.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for enhanced respect for international humanitarian and human rights law, and protection of civilians, including humanitarian and medical workers, as well as civilian infrastructure.

He also calls for the prevention of forced displacement, and durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons.

Also commenting, the Borno state deputy governor, Alhaji Usman Durkwa, said the state had initiated projects aimed at improving the well being of the displaced persons.
Mr Edward Kallon, the Country Coordinator, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), disclose this in an interaction with people at the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN interactive session with displaced persons is part of activities to commemorate the 2017 World Humanitarian Day.

Kallon said that the UN, in collaboration with Federal Government and donor agencies, would provide food assistance to households displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

This crisis is big; there are about 5.2 million people that need food assistance every day.

The humanitarian community working with the government are providing food assistance to close to 2.4 million people right now.

We are also very happy that the government of Nigeria has also increased its assistance and thereby reaching another 1.5 million people.

The international community, the government of Borno, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) et cetera.

We are working round the clock and we will be reaching at least 3.9 million people with food assistance.

ALSO READ:Lack of appropriate marking caused Rann bombing of IDPs

Kallo disclosed that the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FOA) had also distributed fertilisers, seeds and inputs to 140, 000 households in the liberated communities to enable them to return to their farms.
This is coming after he accused the lawmakers of corruptly enriching themselves by appropriating funds for constituency projects.

In its response to the former Presidents comment, the House of Reps spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas dismissed his comments, describing him as the father of corruption in Nigeria.

Speaking further, Obasanjo said that the Nigerian lawmakers are one of the highest paid in Nigeria.

The former President also said that he will not stop criticising the National Assembly, despite their constant verbal attacks against him.

OBJ said The way we are going about spending all our revenue to pay overhead, we will not develop.

And we will have ourselves to blame. Ninety percent of revenue is used to pay overhead, allowances, salaries and not much is left for capital development.

It is even worse for the National Assembly. They will abuse me again but I will never stop talking about them. They are a bunch of unarmed robbers.

They are one of the highest paid in the world where we have 75 percent of our people living in abject poverty.

They will abuse me tomorrow and if they dont, maybe they are sleeping. The behaviour and character of the National Assembly should be condemned and roundly condemned.
The executive producer of the show, 50 Cent, took to Instagram to say that Starz is accusing him of leaking the episodes.

"STARZ thinks I leaked my own show," he wrote with an angry emoji.

However, after the ratings of last weeks episode went up by 10 percent, 50 Cent came out to accept that he leaked those episodes.

"Powerratings up another 10 percent for episode 408. They glad I leaked the shit now," he posted.

This won't be the first time the actor has pulled a stunt to promote the show. In 2016, 50 Cent was angry when his penis was used in a masturbation scene, allegedly without his permission.

Recently, he threw a shade at "Empire," compared "Game of Thrones" with "Power," and got into an argument with Gabrielle Union after he said he was coming for BET - the network which airs "Being Mary Jane."

50 has been in disagreement with Starz severally and has spoken about getting "Power" on another network.

In December of 2016, 50 Cent said he would no longer promote the show outside of his contractual obligations after what he described as a Golden Globes snub.
What better way to ease off the stress of the week than watch a good movie.

With that in mind, check out our list of movies currently showing in cinemas across Lagos and Abuja.

Starring: Toyin Aimakhu-Johnson, Seyilaw, Ali Nuhu, Kunle Idowu

Synopsis: Hakkunde is an intriguing story of a young graduate who battles everything (including love, family, discrimination, drug abuse, culture, tradition and self) on his journey to self discovery and actualization.

Fri, Sat & Mon - Thu:3:05pm 7:20pm

Sun: 4:00pm 6:30pm

Daily: 3:35PM

Daily: 11AM, 4:40PM

Daily: 11:15AM

Starring: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen

Synopsis: A dark force threatens Alpha, a vast metropolis and home to species from a thousand planets. Special operatives Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

Daily: 10:45AM, 3:00PM

Daily: 12:20pm

Daily: 1:50PM

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr.

Synopsis: Several months after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City while fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.

Showing:

Friday - Thursday: 11:15AM, 7:40PM

Friday - Thursday: 1:05PM

Synopsis: The world's top bodyguard gets a new client, a hit man who must testify at the International Court of Justice. They must put their differences aside and work together to make it to the trial on time.

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman

Daily: 2:00pm 4:30pm 7:00pm 9:30pm

(--VIP SHOWS--)

Daily: 6:05pm 8:35pm

Daily: 11:10AM, 4:45PM, 6:25PM, 9:10PM

Daily: 11:40AM, 2PM, 4:20PM, 6:40PM, 9PM

Daily: 1:50PM, 4:05PM, 6:20PM, 7:20PM, 8:35PM

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jon Hamm

Synopsis: After being coerced into working for a crime boss, a young getaway driver finds himself taking part in a heist doomed to fail.

Showing:

Daily: 11:45AM

Daily: 8:40PM

Starring: Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn, Kim Caramele

Synopsis: When her boyfriend dumps her before their exotic vacation, a young woman persuades her ultra-cautious mother to travel with her to paradise, with unexpected results.

Showing:

Friday - Thursday: 5:30PM

Daily: 10:40AM, 4:10PM

Daily: 2:50PM

Daily: 3:00pm

Starring: T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris

Synopsis: Gene, a multi-expressional emoji, sets out on a journey to become a normal emoji.

Showing:

Daily: 10:25AM, 1:15PM

Daily: 11:00AM, 12:25PM, 2:45PM

Daily: 11AM, 1:10PM, 3:20PM, 5:30PM

Daily: 12:00pm 1:50pm 3:40pm

Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem

Synopsis: Gru meets his long-lost charming, cheerful, and more successful twin brother Dru who wants to team up with him for one last criminal heist.

Showing:

Daily: 10:45AM

Starring: Omotola Jalade- Ekeinde, Wale Ojo, Kunle Remi, Bobby Obodo, Jide Kosoko, Sexy Steel, Gregory Ojefua

Synopsis: A woman will stop at nothing to see sex offenders and molesters punished! If she cannot get the courts to imprison them she will find other ways to punish them.

Showing:

Daily: 12:35PM

Daily: 6:35PM

Starring: John Boyega, Anthony Mackie, Algee Smith

Synopsis: Amidst the chaos of the Detroit Rebellion, with the city under curfew and as the Michigan National Guard patrolled the streets, three young African American men were murdered at the Algiers Motel.

Showing:

Daily: 1:55PM, 4:30PM

Daily: 5:00pm 7:50pm

Daily: 11:10AM, 1PM, 3:40PM, 6:25PM, 9:05PM

Daily: 1:25PM, 6:00PM, 8:45PM

Starring: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith

Synopsis: When four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there's enough dancing, drinking, brawling, and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.

Showing:

Daily: 2:15PM,5:30PM,7:55PM

Daily: 1:40PM, 4:40PM, 6:40PM, 8:40PM

Daily: 1:30PM, 3:45PM, 6:05PM, 8:25PM

Daily: 7:40pm 10:10pm

Starring: Bimbo Manuel, Chioma Omeruah, Patrick Diabuah, Uche Jombo, Saidi Balogun

Synopsis:He is paired with the cantankerous Ijeoma who will do anything to save her fathers house in Banana Island from the bank coming to reclaim it in three days. The two of them must first survive each other, then learn to work together, and eventually fall in love, to see their destinies unfold.

Showing:

Daily: 12:30PM,4:35PM,8:45PM

Daily: 11AM, 6:40PM

Daiy: 5:40PM, 7:45PM

Genesus Deluxe CinemasFri, Sat & Mon - Thu: 5:30pm 9:00pm

Sun: 5:30pm 8:20pm

Starring:Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor

Synopsis: The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O'Dim, also known as the Man in Black, determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black

Showing:

Daily: 4:35PM,7:05PM

Daily: 1PM, 7PM, 8:50PM

Daiy: 3:35PM, 7:05PM, 9:00PM

Fri, Sat & Mon - Thu: 1:00pm 5:15pm 9:30pm
Barcelona attack

- "All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming. I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids" - Aamer Anwar, a human rights lawyer told Britain's Sky News television.

- "When it happened I ran out and saw the damage.... There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners" - local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP.

- "My wife and I are on holiday. We left our 15 month-old back in the States. And the only thing I wanted to do is live another day to see her. When we were hunkered down in the back of this mans shop, kitchen, it was terrifying. We heard a lot of people running around outside. We heard shots fired. And at that time, all we had to do was  you have to contemplate  is this literally here where I die?" - Ash Patel, US tourist from Washington DC, to AFP.

Cambrils

- "Within 30 seconds the police was already there, jumped out of the car, started shouting at the guy, the guy was then saying something else again. And then they 'pop, pop', did a couple of shots and he fell down. He stood back up and then he stepped over the fence and he started, he was taunting, smiling and he carried on walking to the police, and then they gave it to him again, a couple more shots and then he fell to the ground." - British witness Fitzroy Davies, recounting how one of the Cambrils attackers taunted police before being killed.

Aftermath
Spain

The Spanish royal family issued an unusually strongly-worded statement: "They are assassins, criminals who won't terrorise us. All of Spain is Barcelona."

FC Barcelona said it was "deeply saddened" by the tragedy and the team's talismanic striker Lionel Messi said separately that people must reject "any act of violence".

"There are many more of us who want to live in a world in peace, without hate and where respect and tolerance are the basis of coexistence," he added.

United States

President Donald Trump tweeted: "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!"

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson added: "Terrorists around the world should know -- the United States and our allies are resolved to find you and bring you to justice."

Germany

In a statement, the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel said they were thinking of the victims of the "revolting attack" with "profound sadness".

Russia

President Vladimir Putin called for the world to unite in an "uncompromising battle against the forces of terror".

"We decisively condemn this cruel and cynical crime against civilians," Putin wrote in a telegram of condolences to Spanish King Felipe VI.

United Nations

A spokesman said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres "condemns today's terrorist attack on Barcelona" and "hopes that those responsible for this heinous violence will be swiftly brought to justice."

European Union

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: "I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to Prime Minister Rajoy and the people of Spain."

Flags were flying at half mast in front of the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels on Friday, where a minute's silence was also to be held at midday to remember the victims of the attack.

France

President Emmanuel Macron voiced "France's solidarity" with Spanish citizens following what he called "a tragic attack".

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said: "Parisians are at your side. Barcelona and Paris are cities that share love and tolerance. Our values are much stronger than this heinous and cowardly act of terrorism".

In Paris, a mass is to be held in Notre Dame cathedral on Sunday evening dedicated to the victims, the archdiocese of the French capital announced.

Britain

In a message addressed to Spain's King Felipe, Queen Elizabeth II said: "Prince Philip and I send our sincere condolences to Your Majesty, and the people of Spain," adding: "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and the people who are recovering in hospital."

British Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted: "The UK stands with Spain against terror," while London Mayor Sadiq Khan called the attack "barbaric", adding: "London stands with Barcelona against the evil of terrorism."

The Spanish flag was flying at half mast over Downing Street on Friday.

The Netherlands

It was a "cowardly attack against innocent people," Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a statement on his Facebook page, calling it a "black day at a place where many people around the world gathered."

Turkey

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey strongly condemned the "heinous terrorist attack".

The Vatican

Pope Francis's spokesman said in a statement: "The Pope prays for the victims of this attack and wishes to express his closeness to all the Spanish people, especially the wounded and families of the victims."

China

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang sent a letter of condolences to the King of Spain and the Spanish prime minister.
Police have said they were also on high alert to make sure that the 52-year-old wife of President Robert Mugabe does not skip the country, with an arrest warrant reportedly being considered.

The first lady is alleged to have hit Gabriella Engels on Sunday at a Johannesburg hotel.

Engels said she suffered deep cuts to her forehead and the back of her head and has opened a police case alleging assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. She appeared at a press conference Thursday, wearing a large plaster on the left side of her forehead.

Her "family has been approached by a third party to accept an amount of money to settle this" said Gerrie Nel, the advocate best known for his prosecution of fallen athlete Oscar Pistorius.

They were told "let us talk and this can go away. There was no amount mentioned," said Nel, flanked by Engels and her mother.

"The family is not interested in doing this," added Nel, who became famous for leading the prosecution of Paralympian Pistorius who in 2015 was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend.

South African police have said Grace Mugabe, who was in the country to have her ankle checked following a freak accident at Harare airport last month, is seeking diplomatic immunity.

Her two sons were staying at the hotel where the assault is alleged to have taken place.

A "red alert" has also been put out at the country's borders, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula told reporters.

Nel said an officer investigating the case had told Engels on Thursday that "they would now apply for a warrant" (of arrest).

Nel was speaking on behalf of AfriForum, a pro-Afrikaner civil rights organisation which helps victims of crime and has vowed to help Engels seek justice.

'She is not untouchable'

"We just want to make sure that everybody is equal before the law and that there should not be selective prosecution," said Nel.

The group has sought to block any attempt by government officials to grant Mugabe diplomatic immunity.

"Should an erroneous decision be made to grant diplomatic immunity in this case then we would consider bringing an urgent application to the high court to prevent the decision from being executed," said Willie Spies, another lawyer with AfriForum.

AfriForum has said it would even consider a private prosecution.

"She is not untouchable,"Kallie Kriel, the CEO of AfriForum said.

Engels' mother Debbie said she was relieved that AfriForum was helping.

"Now I can sleep a little bit more peacefully knowing that I have people ...who can help me to get justice for my daughter," she told reporters.

"Now I know that this woman is not going to get off scot-free from what she did to my child."

The alleged attack threatens to spark a diplomatic problem for South Africa and Zimbabwe, neighbours who have strong political and economic ties.
Officers in Spain's second-largest city said the ramming on Las Ramblas was a "terrorist attack" and a police source said one suspect had left the scene and was "holed up in a bar".

A local security source told AFP that at least two people had died in the van attack and around 20 were wounded.

The police source said they were hunting for a total of two suspects.

The famous Las Ramblas boulevard is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, normally thronged with tourists and street performers until well into the night.

"Huge collision on Las Ramblas in Barcelona by an individual driving a van, many injuries," a police statement said.

The area around the incident was cordoned off, with several ambulances and police vehicles on the scene, an AFP correspondent said.

"Don't go near the affected zone," Catalan police tweeted.

Witness Aamer Anwar told Britain's Sky News television that he was walking down Las Ramblas, which he described as "jam-packed" with tourists, when the attack happened.

"All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming. I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids.

"Police were very, very quickly there, police officers with guns, batons, everywhere. Then the whole street started getting pushed back."

Vehicles have been used in several terror attacks in Europe in recent years, including a jihadist massacre that claimed 86 lives in the French Riviera city of Nice.

Spain had so far been spared the kind of extremist violence that rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

'Real chaos'

But it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest jihadist attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Ethan Spibey, a charity director on holiday in the city, said he had taken shelter in a nearby church with several others after Thursday's van ramming.

"All of a sudden it was real kind of chaos... people just started running screaming," he told Sky. "There was kind of a mini stampede.

"It seems like a lot of people have taken refuge in shops and local cafes."

The Nice onslaught in July last year and other similar attacks including the carnage in Paris 2015 were claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.

In July 2015, a hooded attacker opened fire outside a hotel in downtown Barcelona near Las Ramblas, leaving two people injured, police said.

Spain has emerged as a potential target for jihadists, with extremist websites mentioning it for historical reasons, since much of its territory was once under Muslim rule.

Generally, authorities in Spain -- the world's third largest tourism destination -- remain discreet on the terror threat.

But they publicise every arrest of alleged jihadists, most of them detained for propaganda, recruitment for extremist groups or "glorifying terrorism."
But President Nicolas Maduro's government held Guarulla, an opponent of the ruling Socialist party, responsible for the violence, alleging that heavily-armed prisoners had fired at the forces when they entered.

Desperate relatives meanwhile rallied at a hospital in the town, yelling for officials to release the bodies of their loved ones.

"They are starting to smell. Please, have pity and hand over the bodies of our dead," said one woman, Laure Fernandez, in a video filmed at the scene.

Governor alleges 'massacre'

The bloodshed erupted overnight Tuesday to Wednesday in a court holding facility in the remote town of Puerto Ayacucho, near the Colombian and Brazilian borders.

The prosecutors' office said an investigation had been launched into "the deaths of 37 people."

Two prison monitoring groups, A Window to Freedom and the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory, said the 37 killed were all inmates.

"This is the worst riot we've had in a preventative detention facility," Carlos Nieto of A Window to Freedom told AFP.

"In this one, detainees are only supposed to be held for up to 48 hours, but there were prisoners who have been there for years," he said.

The jail was holding more than 100 prisoners at the time of the riot, Guarulla said.

'Take responsibility'

Jackson Sanz, the father of one of those killed, called on Maduro -- who is resisting opposition calls to quit amid a deadly political crisis -- to "take responsibility for this massacre."

Guarulla said the raid had been ordered because it was suspected prisoners may be armed.

He said special forces entered the jail with excessive force, throwing grenades and using high-powered firearms.

"The result was a real massacre," he said.

But Maduro's Interior Minister Nestor Reverol held Guarulla responsible for the prison violence.

"It is a police facility under the custody and administration of the Amazonas governorship," Reverol said.

He called for Guarulla to be investigated for failing to secure the facility.

Reverol said the forces were met by prisoners using "long firearms and grenades."

He alleged that a prison gang leader had committed some of the killings, while some were carried out by security forces acting appropriately.

Rash of riots

A severe economic crisis has left Venezuelan hospitals and other public services short of resources, and has fueled violent crime.

Prisons are reportedly lacking food and medicine for illnesses such as tuberculosis.

A series of gruesome riots have erupted in overcrowded jails across Latin America in recent years.

Scores of prisoners died in gang battles in Brazilian jails last year, some of them beheaded and set on fire by rival inmates.

The deadliest prison riot in Venezuela was in 2013, when 60 people died and more than 150 were wounded in a facility in Uribana, in the western state of Lara.

At the end of last year, the country had 88,000 detainees, more than double the official holding capacity of 35,000 places, according to A Window to Freedom.

Some 33,000 convicted prisoners were being kept in preventative centers like the one in Puerto Ayacucho, alongside people awaiting trial, Nieto said.
He was released on Tuesday on condition he report to court officials every eight days and with a ban on attending any more protests, he told reporters.

While held, "I was mistreated and tortured, together with all the prisoners that were there," he said.

Soldiers beat him on several occasions and used a lighter to set his hair on fire, he said.

He said a video presented Wednesday by the deputy leader of Maduro's Socialist Party, Diosdado Cabello, that purported to show him denying mistreatment had been manipulated through editing.

Arteaga called on Maduro's government to release "all the political prisoners."

The violinist had become an offbeat regular at the chaotic rallies that have sent shockwaves through Venezuela, as the opposition tries to force early elections to push Maduro out of office.

Amid the clamor, the skinny performer played traditional Venezuelan music or the national anthem.

The violinist was among some 50 people arrested on the second day of a 48-hour strike orchestrated by the opposition against Maduro and his plans to elect an assembly packed with loyalists to rewrite Venezuela's constitution.

A Venezuelan human rights group, Foro Penal, criticized Arteaga's bail condition and rejected prosecutors' allegations that the violinist carried a weapon.

It also slammed an order saying Arteaga could only have a public defender instead of one offered by the group.
After the Soviets entered Budapest just before the end of World War II he was jailed in the notorious headquarters of the secret police in Moscow and his family have spent decades trying to learn the truth about his eventual fate.

On Thursday, representatives for the FSB security service and a lawyer for Wallenberg's relatives held talks at Moscow's Meshchansky district court, which announced the first hearing in the case on September 18.

Wallenberg's niece Marie Dupuy last month filed a lawsuit against the FSB demanding full access to its files on his case after it rejected requests or handed over incomplete documents.

"There are still many shadowy areas in the fate of Raoul Wallenberg. His relatives want to know the whole truth," the family's lawyer Darya Sukhikh told journalists in Moscow on Thursday.

The family particularly wants to gain access to lists of prisoners held in the secret police headquarters in Moscow, known as the Lubyanka, as well as to transcripts of interrogations and information on prisoner transfers, Sukhikh said.

At initial talks on Thursday the FSB "was not ready to present its position" and the court postponed the case to next month, when "there will probably be a preliminary hearing, an initial exchange of arguments," the lawyer said.

In 1957, the Soviet Union released a document saying Wallenberg had been jailed in the Lubyanka and died of heart failure on July 17, 1947.

In 2000 the head of a Russian investigative commission conceded Wallenberg had been shot and killed by secret police in the Lubyanka in 1947 for political reasons, but declined to be more specific or to cite hard evidence.
The presidential office in the centre of the capital Taipei is the headquarters of Taiwan's Beijing-sceptic President Tsai Ing-wen.

Relations with Chinese authorities have deteriorated since she took office last year as she has refused to agree to Beijing's stance that Taiwan is part of "one China".

The island is a self-ruling democracy, but Beijing still sees it as part of its territory to be reunited.

The attacker "took a hammer and smashed a display case in a history museum to steal a samurai sword", a police official working on the incident, who did not want to be named, told AFP.

"A Chinese national flag was found in his backpack. He said he wanted to express his political stance by going to the presidential office," the official said.

The man, identified by police only by his family name Lu, attacked the officer as he tried to stop him entering the complex from a side gate, said presidential spokesman Alex Huang.

Lu, 51, is currently being questioned by police. He is unemployed and has no prior criminal record.

The injured guard is in a stable condition after being rushed to hospital for treatment to a wound to his neck, Huang said.

Family day

Defence minister Feng Shih-kuan condemned the violence and praised the 24-year-old guard for bravely stopping the attacker.

The incident came as the presidential office hosted a family event for its staff, including their children.

"This was an open house event and I can't imagine what the outcome would have been if he were to get in with the sword," Feng told reporters.

TV footage showed Lu being carried away by four officers and put inside a police car at a side entrance to the presidential office, which has been cordoned off since the attack.

Local media reported that he had repeatedly left pro-China messages in comment sections online, including praise for the Liaoning, China's only aircraft carrier.

The sword he used is carved with the words "Nanjing battle, 107 people killed", according to a photo released by police.

An employee at the Armed Forces Museum, from which Lu stole the sword, said it had been used by the Japanese military in the massacre of residents of the Chinese city of Nanjing in 1937.

The presidential office complex and its surroundings have been the target of attacks before.

In November 2014 a driver tried to smash his vehicle into the front door of the nearby presidential residence, saying he was protesting the health policies of Tsai's predecessor Ma Ying-jeou, who was in power at the time.

In January 2014 a man drove his truck through a bullet-proof screen and into the main gate of the presidential office, saying he was protesting over a judicial hearing involving his ex-wife.
Landing on beaches in the Cadiz or Malaga regions in southern Andalusia, the migrants were then driven to Algeciras. There, they would be held until their relatives on Ceuta, the Spanish territory on Morocco's northern coast, had paid their debt.

Police arrested one of the smugglers at Algeciras, another two in Ceuta and said two more were on the run and subject to international arrest warrant.

On Wednesday, Spanish coastguards rescued nearly 600 people from 15 boats and recovered a jet ski in the waters between Morocco and Spain, a route increasingly used by migrants.

Among them, there were at least 35 children and a baby.

According to the latest figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 8,385 migrants had arrived in Spain this year by August 9.

But at least 121 had drowned trying to make the same crossing.

At this rate, the IOM has noted, Spain could overtake Greece as the main route for migrants attempting the Mediterranean crossing.
The stage and television actress, a member of the minority Alawite community like Assad, sought to rally all denominations including Shiite and Sunni Muslims as well as Christians against the regime.

Suleiman, who warned against the conflict turning into sectarian war, tried unsuccessfully to persuade residents of the predominantly Alawite cities of Latakia and Tartus to join the uprising.

Facing threats, she went underground in the capital Damascus before fleeing on foot to neighbouring Jordan then taking refuge in France.

She told AFP in a 2012 interview that she was "bitter to see a peaceful revolution turn into a civil war".

French-based Syrian actor Fares Al-Helou told AFP Suleiman had remained active with cultural events up until her death.

The conflict that first erupted in March 2011 with protests against Assad's rule has since evolved into a complex war drawing in international powers.
Tokyo remains on alert against potential military provocations by Pyongyang after North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the Pacific island of Guam, US territory, which would have flown over Japan.

"I think we made it clear to North Korea and anyone else in the region that an attack on one is an attack on both of us," Dunford told Katsutoshi Kawano, Chief of Staff of Japan's Self-Defence Forces.

"And that's very, very important for deterrence," added Dunford, who visited South Korea and China before arriving in Japan.

Dunford added that the US reaffirmed its "ironclad commitment" to the security of Japan on Thursday when Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks with their Japanese counterparts in Washington.

Japan frequently demands -- and receives -- US reassurances over its commitment to defend its ally.

The US and Japan, adversaries in World War II, have forged a decades-long defence alliance and the US stations tens of thousands of troops in the country.

Washington has long encouraged Japan to take on more defence responsibility even though the country is militarily constrained by a US-written constitution imposed after the end of World War II.

In 2015 nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushed contentious security bills through parliament that expand what Japan can do to help its ally, such as coming to the aid of US troops under attack.

Dunford is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe later in the day.

During his visit to China, Dunford said peace with North Korea is a "possibility", but warned the US has "credible, viable military options" for dealing with the errant regime.

The US and North Korea have been engaged in heated verbal sparring since Trump warned Pyongyang that it faced "fire and fury" if it continued to threaten the US and other countries with its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are trying to pressure North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons program and come to the table.

While they stress they want to convince Kim Jong-Un's regime through diplomatic means of the need to disarm, they have not dropped the threat of military action.

But their stance was partly undermined on Wednesday when President Donald Trump's strategy chief, Steve Bannon, told a news magazine: "There's no military solution."

A day later, Mattis and Tillerson faced questions about Bannon's remarks as they appeared with their Japanese counterparts at a State Department press conference.

"I don't want to comment on what Mr Bannon's remarks were in that particular interview," Tillerson said.

"I think we have been quite clear as to what the policy and the posture towards North Korea is," he said. "Our approach has been endorsed by the president."

Tillerson warned again that North Korea faced a "bleak future" if it does not agree to negotiate disarmament, and Mattis insisted that US regional allies are ready.
DAVENPORT  Alorica officials on Thursday announced the addition of 150 jobs at itsf acility at 250 E. 90th St., Davenport.

Alorica is the largest provider of customer service solutions to the U.S. market and the third largest globally. A company news release said Alorica currently employs more than 400 local residents at its Davenport site as customer engagement experts.

Also on Thursday, Alorica announced its partnership with the Military Veteran Project, a non-profit volunteer-led organization works with veterans in need and raises awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Alorica has more than 100,000 employees and operations in 16 countries, including 150 locations nationally. The firm serves more than 400 health care clients and handles more than 60 million customer interactions each year.

For more details, visit alorica.com or email generalinquiries@alorica.com.
The Temple Emanuel Sisterhood will present a free program about human trafficking on Monday at 7 p.m. at the temple, 1115 Mississippi Ave., Davenport.

The presentation by Laura Swift (a member of Braking Traffik's advisory board) will address basic knowledge about human trafficking, including what makes someone vulnerable, elements of human trafficking, laws, services and where you can get help.

The short documentary "Any Kid Anywhere: Sex Trafficking Survivor Stories" (produced by Moline-based Fourth Wall Films with Braking Traffik) also will be shown Monday night.

Ms. Swift  one of the founding partners of Quad Cities Investment Group  in 2010 received a Courageous Advocacy Service Provider award from the Iowa Task Force for young women. In 2012, she was trained to become a Rape and Sexual Assault Advocate in both Iowa and Illinois.

Ms. Swift brought the country's first testimonial writing workshop for survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence and trafficking to the Quad-Cities in 2014. In 2016, she joined the advisory board for Braking Traffik, which is dedicated to eradicating trafficking in Iowa and Illinois.

Braking Traffik (part of Family Resources) also worked with Davenport playwright Aaron Randolph III for more than a year on his new drama, "Broken," which addresses human trafficking. It will be premiered by QC Theatre Workshop from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 at 1730 Wilkes Ave., Davenport.

If you plan to attend Monday's Temple Emanuel program, call Sheila at 563-359-9730 or Michele at 563-426-4419.
The artist known as Chase doesn't just consider the music of Prince a way of life. It is his life.

The 49-year-old Minneapolis native (whose given name is Tommy Chase) fronts Chase & Ovation, the only Prince tribute band officially sanctioned by the late superstar. They will headline Rock the District on Saturday night in Rock Island.

"He is one of the greatest performers in the history of greatest performers," Chase said this week in a phone interview, noting he saw Prince play at his Paisley Park compound, often for free. "He always gave 110 percent. His worst day was better than most musicians' best day they could hope for."

He works to replicate the songs and solos note for note. "I'm influenced by the same people that influenced Prince," Chase said. "I have no choice; it's not an affectation. I don't have to put it on."

"Every day I wake up -- before getting in the shower, I spend five minutes giving thanks for what this has become, and for Prince's music," he said. The name of his band was meant to echo "Prince and the Revolution" and as a tribute. "Immediately, it was 'ovation.' Why that word? Because that's what I'm giving him, with this show.

"Like so many of us around the world, the music of Prince and the Minneapolis sound has been the soundtrack to my life," Chase said.

He was adopted when he was 2 years old, and within a year his adoptive parents divorced and his mother was very good friends with Prince's mother, Mattie. She often would babysit him.

Since he was an aspiring rock musician (who played guitar, drums and sax), Chase was able to be an extra in 1990, on the set of Prince's film "Graffiti Bridge," when Prince was 31. Chase said he was a stand-in for Prince on stage when they set the lights each day of the two weeks of filming.

"My very first day was a day I found myself standing next to him virtually the entire day. It was absolutely nerve-wracking," he said. Chase's uncle was a well-known city councilman that Prince was instrumental getting elected.

After Chase's uncle passed away in the mid-'90s, Prince sent his family a fleet of white limousines to attend the funeral, he said. "He did that type of stuff all the time for people, and never said a word," Chase said of his charitable activities. "He didn't want any recognition."

Starting in 2004, for a year Chase played with Brown Mark (bassist for Prince and the Revolution) in the band Cryptic. "That was out of sight. He's one of my childhood heroes for sure," Chase said. In 2006, he formed his tribute band, rehearsing four months (often 8-9 hours a night) before their first show. They heard and feared Prince would never allow them to perform.

Chase & Ovation's opening night was at Minneapolis' famous First Avenue club, and Prince attended the show.

"Because we were so well rehearsed, the show went really well," Chase said. "From the lighting board, at the back of the house, directly across on the second floor, Prince gave us the thumbs up. ... I cried."

He was honored to be able to perform his music 10 years with his blessing. "What literally makes me sit down in amazement, in six of those years, we performed once a month at his favorite club (Bunkers)," Chase said, noting they still gig there monthly.

Other Prince tribute bands were served cease-and-desist orders and Chase said he was allowed "because of the reverence I have for him, first as a person, then as an artist, then as music," he said. Chase doesn't visually impersonate the music legend.

"It's about the music. I think within the first few measures of the show, nobody is thinking about the purple jacket." Prince's drummer Bobby Z also helped get Chase & Ovation off the ground, and former Prince band mates have played with him during the years.

Prince died April 21, 2016 (at age 57) at his Minneapolis-area estate, from an overdose of fentanyl, an opioid painkiller that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin.

He died less than a week after his plane made an emergency stop in Moline, April 15, for medical treatment as he was returning from an Atlanta concert. The Associated Press and other media reported he was found unconscious on the plane, and first responders gave him a shot of Narcan, an antidote used in suspected opioid overdoses.

Within hours, Prince was back in the air, as aviation records showed his plane left Moline by 11 a.m., resuming its initial trip to the Twin Cities.

When Chase heard of his death, "it was numbing," he said, noting he was interviewed by the BBC within hours of Prince's passing. "I immediately went into denial, and stayed there for six months, Much of the world did and still are."

He doubted he'd able to go on with the act without Prince being around, but he was contracted to do shows within days.

"The common denominator everywhere -- media from around the world, from fans, I was hearing 'How dare you stop now? It's more important than ever, to continue doing this for us.'"

"It heightened my awareness how much like family he was to everyone in the world. He was part of their DNA," Chase said. "It is respect. The strength of reverence for him leapt ten-fold, not just for him, but reverence of his fans, for all the love they had for him."

"The only time I feel pressure is when people say, clearly you are the heir apparent," he said. "I don't feel comfortable with that. There is only one Prince."

It became harder to express the joy in his music, as Chase has often choked back tears in concert. "That nerve is wide open; I go on stage with that every show," he said. "I got comfortable with crying in front of thousands of people a night."

"I may lose composure, not musically but emotionally," he said. "The people there listening are crying, too, remembering something very personal and intimate that resonates with them."

For more information (including testimonials from Prince bandmates and family members), visit chaseandovation.com.
EAST MOLINE  A Milan man has been accused of carrying a gun while having a felony conviction.

Jereamy J. Shouse, 40, is charged of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Rock Island County court records. He is accused of carrying a loaded .22-caliber pistol Sunday.

An East Moline police officer allegedly found the weapon during a traffic stop about 1:30 a.m. in the 1200 block of Avenue of the Cities, according to East Moline Police Department reports.

Mr. Shouse is free on $50,000 bail, according to the Rock Island County Jail. His next court date was scheduled for Tuesday.
CHICAGO (AP)  A political cartoon circulated by a conservative Illinois think tank with ties to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has triggered accusations of racism and insensitivity in the wake of the deadly attack at a white nationalist rally in Virginia.

The rendering depicted a black child from Chicago begging for money from a suit-clad white man who has a cigar. It was posted online by the Chicago-based Illinois Policy Institute and meant as commentary on the state's complicated school funding fight, which the tax policy and research organization says involves practices that are unfair to minorities.

The cartoon prompted a racially diverse group of legislators from both political parties to blast the depiction on social media and stand on the House floor in opposition at the Capitol Wednesday as they gathered to talk about schools. The image was taken down hours later.

"There is a way to make a policy point that's legitimate, but not in a way that caricatures African-Americans and provokes a dark history," said Rep. Christian Mitchell, a black Chicago Democrat who criticized the cartoon in social media posts . "It was extraordinarily hurtful  and hurtful in the context of this week."

The boy in the cartoon sits on the street, holding a sign that reads, "NEED MONEY 4 SCHOOL." The man has one pocket stuffed with cash and is pulling out another one that's empty. In some versions of the cartoon, the man says, "Sorry kid, I'm broke."

For some the image of the begging child conjured up Little Black Sambo, a more than century-old literary character whose exaggerated features are seen as racist caricatures. For others, it fed into the stereotype of a black person asking for a handout for a fundamental right such as public education.

Others questioned the timing amid nationwide reflection on race relations after last weekend's rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where violence erupted, leaving a woman dead after a car slammed into a crowd.

Policy Institute officials took calls Thursday on Chicago's WVON radio station, which airs an African-American-oriented talk format. They said the cartoon "told the truth" and that policies heralded by Democrats disproportionately harm disadvantaged students. The institute, which advocates for a school funding overhaul backed by Rauner, called the reaction to the cartoon offensive in the wake of Charlottesville.

"This is a good example when it comes to the very charged subject of racism," Policy Institute CEO John Tillman said. "There are people who care deeply and there is structural racism. And then there's people who want to introduce the subject to get political gain."

He said the cartoon was removed because it had become a distraction.

Capturing race in political cartoons is tricky, considering the history of using skin color in a negative light and to enhance stereotypes. But the job of cartoonists is to poke fun by distorting facial features, especially those of political leaders.

Artists initially struggled to capture former President Barack Obama. Many settled on exaggerating his admittedly large ears, said Amelia Rauser, an art history professor at Pennsylvania's Franklin & Marshall College who studies race in political cartoons. Choosing a trademark Obama feature focused on him as a person and not a racial caricature, she said.

Rauser said it was easy to see why the image of the contrasting figures, namely the black child, was offensive to some.

"It's using these tropes that are so fraught," she said. "Just the fact that he's small and given darker skin. It's a little too extreme, the Sambo stereotype."

But, she added, it appeared unintended since the cartoonist humanized the child with small details, like putting him in a Chicago Cubs cap and a backpack.

Still, the image put a spotlight on Rauner and his links to the institute. Rauner, a wealthy businessman, donated to the group before he became governor and recently hired several top aides from the organization including his spokeswoman, Diana Rickert, and former Policy Institute president Kristina Rasmussen, who is his chief of staff.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obama's onetime chief of staff, issued a joint statement with city school officials accusing the governor's "brain trust at the Illinois Policy Institute" of contributing to the school funding debate by publishing an "unambiguously racist cartoon."

Rickert said Thursday that Rauner hadn't seen the cartoon and wouldn't comment on it.

"It's a terrible thing for people to be bringing up now," she said. "To be accusing somebody falsely of racism, or try to insinuate that people in this office are racist, is disgusting when the country is trying to recover from this tragedy."

Rauner, who is seeking re-election next year, has largely avoided commenting on national issues, particularly involving President Donald Trump. Rauner won office in 2014 by garnering enough Republican support outside the Democratic stronghold of Chicago. But for the first time Wednesday, he denounced Trump's comments about Charlottesville, saying they "damage America."

The governor has clashed with majority Democrats since taking office. Illinois recently ended its budget impasse of more than two years, but lawmakers have to approve a new funding formula for schools to get money this year. Both sides agree Illinois' 20-year-old way of determining how much school districts get is unfair, but they disagree on how to change it.

The timeline on when public schools in Illinois will get state funding remains in limbo.
ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP)  A judge has denied a new trial for a northern Illinois man convicted of first-degree murder and home invasion in the 2014 shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend, her two sons and her boyfriend.

A defense attorney for Calvin L. Carter III, 24, requested a new trial Wednesday, citing an array of errors committed by two judges, the Rockford Register Star reported .

First Deputy Public Defender Nick Zimmerman said that among those errors was a failure to declare a mistrial when two of the victims' relatives stood up and yelled or spoke to Carter during the trial. He said the outbursts influenced the jury.

Marilyn Hite Ross, chief of the criminal bureau for the Winnebago County State's Attorney's Office, said there's a lack of evidence to show jurors knew relatives made the outbursts.

"This was a long trial," Hite Ross said. "Obviously emotions ran high."

She said Carter "did receive a fair trial."

Associate Judge Fernando Engelsma agreed with the prosecution and denied the motion.

Investigators said Carter fatally shot Martia Flint, 24, along with her sons  Tyrone Smith III, 6, and Tobias K. Smith, 4  in a Rockford apartment. Demontae Rhodes, 24, was also killed.

Prosecutors said text messages Flint sent to Carter showed that Carter was an abusive boyfriend who was enraged when Flint ended their relationship.

Investigators said Flint and Rhodes had rekindled their relationship after a breakup, during which Flint had dated Carter. Prosecutors said Carter killed Flint over "rejection, jealousy and finality" of their relationship ending, and that Carter killed the children and Rhodes to eliminate any witnesses.

Carter is expected to be sentenced Aug. 31.
CAMBRIDGE  After heated argument, the Henry County Board on Thursday voted 13-3 in favor of putting $20,000 a year for three years toward a $93,000 economic development position.

Other communities, private donors and the Henry County Economic Development Partnership would put up the rest of the funding.

A similar measure was defeated a year ago. That proposal would have required $57,000 per year for three years.

Funding for the position will come from revenue from the third phase of the Bishop Hill Wind Farm, according to an amendment proposed by Jerry Thompson.

City administrators David Dyer, of Galva, and Lisa Kotter, of Geneseo, urged the board to approve the funding during public comments, as did Orion Mayor Jim Cooper.

In the end, Roger Gradert, Marshall Jones, Shawn Kendall, Jan May, Kelli Parsons, Lynn Sutton, Ted Sturtevant, Jerry Thompson, Erik Brown, Rick Livesay, Jeff Orton, Loren Rathjen and Daniel Ames voted to support the economic development position. Voting "no" were Kathy Nelson, Bill Preston and Jacob Waller. Absent were Kippy Breeden, Rex Kiser, Lawrence Reddick and Dwayne Anderson.

Opponents spoke of a "swamp" of a business climate in Illinois, of tough cuts coming in the countys upcoming budget process, and the obligation to safeguard county employees' jobs.

Ms. Nelson suggested using funds from the Rural Revolving Loan Fund, but the county administrator said the entire plan would have to be rewritten, with no guarantee the overseeing agency would approve the change.

Mr. Preston said the county would be left holding the bag if any of the other partners funding the position were to default on their obligation.

Mr. Waller said the county would be better off putting "half" the money toward a lobbyist to work in Springfield.

The desire to be proactive, however, carried the day.

"If we continue to do nothing, were going to continue to get nothing," said Ms. Parsons. "We cant count on the state, we know that, but we cant default and say, 'well thats Illinois.'"

Ms. May said the countys partners encouraged her.

"I was basically leaning toward a no vote because I thought there was not enough revenue, but we really are not alone in this process; we have a lot of people behind us," she said.

Last years final deficit of nearly $1 million prompted Mr. Sutton to note that nearly half of the shortfall could be attributed to less state income tax and property tax; two sources, he said, that are impacted as the county continues to lose jobs and population.

"If we vote against this, I think were almost giving up on our county," said Mr. Ames.

In other business, board members were told that the county may enter a class action lawsuit involving opioids forcing the use of county law enforcement. The board voted 10-6 in favor of entering an agreement with a law firm to test the feasibility of an action against opioid manufacturers for damages to the county. Henry County Administrator Colleen Gillaspie said the focus was not on jail inmates but anyone in the county.

Mr. Rathjen, who voted "no," likened it to holding a firearm manufacturer liable for misuse of its product.

"This is why workers comp is so out of control and nobody wants to do business in this state," he said. Other no votes were cast by Mr. Waller, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kendall, Ms. Parsons and Mr. Sutton.

The board also voted 15-1 to approve a road agreement for the Bishop Hill Wind Farm. Mr. Preston was the sole "no" vote.
Today is Friday, Aug. 18, the 230th day of 2017. There are 135 days left in the year.

1867  150 years ago: Blakeleys Bath rooms in the Union Block are a favorite place of resort for citizens and travelers.

1892  125 years ago: J.K. Groom purchased William Conants interest in the Rock Islander newspaper, which had recently changed from a daily to a weekly.

1917  100 years ago: Judge N.A. Larson returned from Chicago, where he has been presiding in municipal court.

1942  75 years ago: Carl Wind, president of the Moline Commnity Chest drive, announced that T.L. Teline would serve as chairman of the community chest war drive.

1967  50 years ago: The 30th annual International Softball Congress World Tournament will open Friday, Aug. 25, at Douglas Park in Rock Island. The tournament which annually attracts 20 or more of the nations top softball teams will follow a new schedule this year. For the first time, the classic will open on a Friday night and close on Sunday, the day before Labor Day.

1992  25 years ago: a company that makes buildings will build itself a new home at the villages just completed industrial park. The village board Monday approved selling a 1.92 acre lot to Vance and Sharon Stayner, Sugar Grove, owners of Technical Building components, for $23,040, contingent on the Stayners getting financing for expansion through Blackhawk State Bank.
The deal is the first firm order from a framework contract signed in April for the supply of up to 40 high-capacity trains over eight years.

The trains will be introduced on Budapest - Vac - Szob and Budapest - Cegled - Szolnok suburban services in 2019-20. The fleet will also be used to boost capacity on busier inter-city services in eastern Hungary such as Budapest - Szolnok - Debrecen - Zahony and also on lines around Lake Balaton and Lake Velence during the summer holiday period.

Hungarys Ministry of National Development signed an agreement with MAV-Start on August 8 authorising grant funding for the order.

For detailed data on rolling stock orders around the globe subscribe to IRJ Pro.
More than a half-century after the cashed-strapped, bankruptcy-headed Pennsylvania Railroad demolished the original, spacious and beautiful Pennsylvania Station New York, selling the air rights to developers and leaving a largely maligned, overcrowded underground complex in its place, construction is finally under way to transform the former Farley Post Office Building, across Eighth Avenue from Penn Station, into a grand new train station.

The centerpiece of the new station, dubbed Moynihan Station, is Moynihan Train Hall, a 255,000-square-foot, spacious, skylight-topped concourse for MTA Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak passengers that will increase total concourse floor space in the Pennsylvania Station-Farley Complex by more than 50%. The light-filled Train Hall will be much like that of the original Penn Station, which opened in 1910. The skylight will contain an acre of glass to provide natural light that will filter down through the escalators to the train platforms.

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Aug. 17 announced start of major construction on Moynihan Train Hall during a ground-breaking ceremony. He said the new facility will be everything Penn Station is not.

The Penn Station experience is so horriblethe density, the darkness. This is the exact opposite. Its spacious, its light, it reduces stress, it reduces anxiety, and its one of these grand spaces that says New Yorkit has a style to it, Cuomo told long-time New York City broadcast journalist Marcia Kramer of CBS2. It will stand the test of time, it will handle the increased volume, but it will also say, Welcome to New York.

Moynihan Station, including Moynihan Train Hall, will consist of 700,000 square feet of commercial, retail and dining space, with a mezzanine containing cafes and shops. Picture that with shops and cafes ringing this area, with people being able to look over the balcony down to the train floor. Eleven escalators take you right down to the platforms. This is going to be a destination, I believe, in and of itself, much like Washington D.C. Union Station became when it was overhauled in 1986.

Moynihan Station is expected to cost $1.6 billion and is scheduled for completion in 2020, the same year as the next Presidential election, when Cuomo may be the likely Democratic Party nominee.

Moynihan Station is named in honor of the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.), whose dream it was to transform the Farley Building into a new Penn Station. Im in a state of shock, because on my fathers death bed in 2003 I vowed to him I would try to get the station built, Moynihans daughter, Maura, said. Governor Cuomo will forever be praised by the nearly one million commuters who have to suffer the indignity of the pit for releasing them from Purgatory.

Editors note: Though the current Penn Station has been described as a hole in the ground, a pit, Purgatory, dense, dark and other choice terms, over the past 20 years some significant improvements have been made. Among these are New Jersey Transits East End Concourse, opened in the early 2000s, and the LIRR concourse, which was rebuilt and opened in the early 1990s. These facilities will of course remain in service.

Photo of Andrew Cuomo by Joseph M. Calisi
Amount of fines for corruption exceeds $8.5 million in 2017

MOSCOW, August 18 (RAPSI)  Amount of fines imposed for corruption offences exceeded 500 million rubles ($8.5 million) in the first half of 2017, Russias Prosecutor Generals Office announced on Friday.

About 4,000 offenders were held administratively liable by prosecutors orders. Over 200 companies were fined 394 million rubles ($6.6 million) for illegal reward on behalf of a legal entity.

Amount of fines set for illegal employment of public officers reached 162 million rubles ($2.7 million), the statement reads.

According to the Prosecutor Generals Office, the anti-corruption law envisages a special procedure for employment of people who earlier held public offices. The law also fixes certain restrictions during signing civil law and employment contracts with these persons.
Convicted "Crossbow Coup" plotter gets 1.5 years in prison for calls for terrorism

MOSCOW, August 18 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  A court in the city of Samara has sentenced retired Russian military intelligence colonel Vladimir Kvachkov, who is currently serving a term for attempted instigation of an armed riot, to 1.5 years in prison for public calls for terrorism, the courts press service told RAPSI on Friday.

A criminal case over pushing for terrorist activities or justifying terrorism was opened against Kvachkov in March 2016.

According to case papers, Kvachkov, who is serving his sentence in a Mordovias prison, made a video appeal via his cellphone in 2015. Investigators believe that other inmates sent the video to email of persons at large. These people later posted it on the Internet.

Experts found that the video contained linguistic and psychological elements of inciting the public to violent coup and acts of violence against Russian authorities, press service of the prosecutors office of Republic of Mordovia reported earlier.

Kvachkov, who was acquitted of charges in the attempted murder of former UES CEO Anatoly Chubais in 2005, was found guilty on February 8, 2013, of organizing an armed coup and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Later, the Supreme Court mitigated the sentence to eight years in a high security prison.

Kvachkov is thought to have masterminded plans to oust the government with a small group of followers. Kvachkov has denied all charges but during the trial defended the right of Russian citizens to hold an uprising."

A career military officer, Kvachkov commanded a Special Forces unit in Afghanistan in 1983. In 1984, after sustaining a head injury, he was awarded the prestigious Order of the Red Star and later received the Order of Courage.
Key books of Jehovah's Witnesses banned in Russia

ST. PETERSBURG, August 18 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov)  The Vyborg City Court of the Leningrad Region has banned key books of Jehovah's Witnesses as extremist, the courts press service told RAPSI on Friday.

The court prohibited the distribution of books named Holy Writ. Translation of new world, Science instead of Bible, How to improve health, and Bible and its main theme.

After the ruling takes effect it will be forwarded to the Russian Justice Ministry for adding the books to the federal extremist list.

On Thursday, the Justice Ministry included the Administrative Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses and all its 395 local branches in the list of prohibited extremist organizations. According to the Justice Ministry, violations of the law On Combatting Extremism were revealed during inspection conducted in the organization.

Jehovahs Witnesses religious organization has had many legal problems in Russia. Since 2009, 95 materials distributed by the organization in the country have been declared extremist and 8 Jehovah's Witnesses branches have been liquidated, according to the Justice Ministry.

Jehovah's Witnesses is an international religious organization based in Brooklyn, New York. Since 2004 several branches and chapters of the organization were banned and shut down in various regions of Russia.
Moscow court returns lawsuit against antimonopoly watchdog to MegaFon

MOSCOW, August 18 (RAPSI)  The Moscow Commercial Court has returned a lawsuit filed by one of the largest mobile operators in Russia, MegaFon, against the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) to the plaintiff, according to commercial courts database.

The lawsuit was lodged on August 15; reasons for its return are currently unknown.

In late July, the watchdog opened antimonopoly cases against MTS, MegaFon, VimpelCom (Beeline brand) and T2 Mobile (Tele2 brand) over alleged violation of competition legislation. The cases will be considered in late September.

Earlier, the watchdog announced that actions of MTS, MegaFon, VimpelCom (Beeline brand) and T2 Mobile (Tele2 brand) may have violated the competition law by setting different prices for mobile phone service in customers home region and in roaming on the territory of Russia.

The watchdog issued warnings to the mobile operators prompting them to eliminate unreasonable difference in prices.

On Monday, MegaFon announced that it plans to file a claim against FAS to declare the watchdogs order illegal.
Norwegian authorities arrest Russian woman during protest against Arctic drilling

MOSCOW, August 18 (RAPSI)  Russian activist Tatiana Vasilyeva has been arrested by the Norwegian Coast Guard during a protest against Arctic drilling in the Barents Sea, Greenpeace announced on Friday.

All other activists, who participated in the protest, were also arrested. The Arctic Sunrise ship was seized, the statement reads.

According to Greenpeace, 35 activists on inflatable boats and kayaks entered the exclusion zone of Statoils Korpfjell well, Norways most northern oil drilling site to date, and attached a giant globe to the rig Songa Enabler.

The Norwegian Coast Guard ended the peaceful protest after several hours of demanding to stop the oil drilling, the organization said.

Truls Gulowsen, Head of Greenpeace Norway, stated that the Norwegian authorities did not have the right to board or remove their vessel. Protest at sea is an internationally recognized lawful use of the sea, related to the freedom of navigation. We are taking action against Arctic drilling in an area where our rights to protest are protected under international law. The Norwegian government cannot unjustifiably interfere with that right, he added.

Greenpeace is an organization engaging in protection of environment and promotion of peace, its website reads.
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Junking Murthys claims, Infosys said the board did all it could to look into whistle-blower complaints of corporate governance lapses, particularly those related to acquisition of Panaya.

Infosys on Friday lashed out at fresh charges by founder N R Narayana Murthy, saying suggestions that world-renowned law firms will "connive" with the board twice to overlook alleged "misdeeds" of a CEO and give a clean chit were "completely untenable".

The comments came after Murthy said that several shareholders, who had read the whistle-blower report, had told him that an "impartial and objective investigation" does not happen in the manner in which Infosys' probe was conducted.

Infosys chairman R Seshasayee rubbished the claims saying that probe had been conducted by world renowned firms.

"... to suggest that world renowned law and forensic firms will connive with the board, not once but twice...and overlook something which is a misdeed and submit a clean report, to our mind, is completely untenable," Seshasayee said.

He added that board did all it could to look into whistle-blower complaints of corporate governance lapses, particularly those related to acquisition of Panaya.

"It is the job of the board (Infosys) to enquire and make sure that there is indeed no such misdeed. And that is precisely what the board did," he said.

In a day of high drama at Infosys, CEO Vishal Sikka quit and the board squarely blamed Murthy's "continuous assault" for his exit.

The board, which has been locked in a confrontation with some of the founders over the past quarters, also alleged that Murthy's recent letter contained factual inaccuracies and that his "misguided campaign" was damaging the company.

Murthy in a statement had said that he was not seeking "any money, position for children, or power", and that his concern primarily was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance at Infosys.

Murthy also released the contents of his letter to advisors dated August 14, 2017 where he had said that he did not wish to comment on Sikka's work, and that his concerns are around governance at Infosys.

"I believe that the fault lies with the current board ... We just want the board to protect the institution rather than protecting some individuals like the board is doing today," Murthy had said in his mail to advisors.

Murthy also stressed that he did not want Infosys board to "drive the institution to death" through serious governance "deficits".

During the conference on Friday, Seshasayee said that the board had looked into anonymous whistle blower complaints on three occasions and that investigation had not found evidence of wrongdoing on any of the occasion.

Defending the decision to have a board-initiated investigation, Seshasayee argued that giving shareholders the task of taking up anonymous complaints or letting them appoint committee for probe was "the best way to destroy an organisation".

Disbelieving reports of globally renowned and independent investigating agencies would be akin to saying that no one can be trusted, he pointed out.

"Nothing has come out of the investigation," he maintained.

Infosys co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan said that succession planning was priority for board, and that it was important that incoming CEO buys into Infosys' vision and culture and is people-oriented.

To a specific question, Venkatesan said he is not in contention for the CEO's role.

Photograph: Jagadeesh NV/Reuters
'People who pooh-pooh privacy are like those kids who are so busy getting the right selfie that they back all the way off the edge off the cliff, and then look all surprised on the way down,' says Mitali Saran.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

For reasons best known to themselves, the mighty Indian people consistently fail to put me in charge of our great country.

My candidacy has been low key because of my idle recreational commitments, but still, this is very unfortunate.

Now we have a colossal jobs crisis, Amit Shah's bank balance is 300 per cent fatter than when he came to power, the national drink is cow urine, the Chinese are getting fresh with us, only the courts stand between us and Death Eaters, and the place is generally going to the dogs.

I'm not bitter or anything, but it serves the mighty Indian people right. They don't seem to know a good thing when they see one.

And apparently they don't know a bad thing when they see one either.

Just look at the number of people who think it's fine to say that Indians have no Fundamental Right to Privacy, and that it's okay to have to link your Aadhaar number every time you sneeze.

What have you got to hide, they ask?

You've got a smartphone and a Facebook account, why are you suddenly concerned about privacy?

Why are you standing in the way of development? What about Malda?

None of these people get the following basic concept: Choice/consent, O mighty Indian people, fundamentally changes the nature of your actions and how you feel about them.

For those who think this idea is overrated, here's a laundry list of things with and without choice/consent.

In each case, see if you can identify the option that includes choice/consent, and which option you naturally prefer.

Your wardrobe versus prisoner uniform.

Sex versus rape.

A volunteer army versus a conscripted force.

Signing up for Facebook versus signing up for Facebook at gunpoint.

Reading out bits of your diary to your friends versus your friends stealing your diary and uploading it on the internet.

Coming out to your parents when you're ready versus your trusted confidante telling your parents behind your back.

Locking your jewellery in the bank locker versus locking your jewellery in the bank locker and having the manager allow a bunch of companies to borrow and rent out your jewellery for profit.

Enjoying a bit of a flirtation versus being stalked.

Standing for the national anthem because you show patriotism that way versus standing up for the national anthem because you're terrified of being arrested or beaten up if you don't.

Executing a bungee jump after being appraised of the risks versus being pushed off a bridge.

How did you do?

Long-time readers of this column can testify that I am the absolute, no-contest empress of oversharing.

But I'm also nutso-style private about what I don't choose to overshare.

Choice/consent is everything.

We also have the right to a reasonable expectation of privacy.

We should be able to make a phone call without worrying that someone is tapping the phone, or travel without reporting our movements.

Our tiffin boxes should not endanger our lives.

All this amounts to the right to be free and left the hell alone.

Privacy obviously cannot be an absolute right. But the State must be made to meet a stiff legal standard to justify any encroachment on it.

People who pooh-pooh privacy are like those kids who are so busy getting the right selfie that they back all the way off the edge off the cliff, and then look all surprised on the way down.

I'd be quite pleased to watch them go if the rest of us weren't also being backed off the same cliff, but at gunpoint.

I remain available to be sworn in whenever you come to your senses, O mighty people of India. I'm very good at swearing.
'There were a lot of abuses shouted at one another, but that was a waste in the absence of interpreters,' an Indian Army officer tells Ajai Shukla.

The two-month-long confrontation between Chinese and Indian troops in Doklam is raising tempers elsewhere on the Sino-Indian border, most notable Ladakh, where China enjoys an operational and logistic advantage over India.

For decades, Indian and Chinese patrols have confronted each other with relative restraint. This has been instrumental in ensuring a peaceful Line of Actual Control, as visualised by the Sino-Indian 'Peace and Tranquillity Agreement' of 1993.

On Independence Day, however, mounting Chinese frustration boiled over at the scenic Pangong Lake.

At about 7 am, a Chinese patrol consisting of 'border defence' troops from their post at Khurnak Fort began pelting stones at an Indian patrol that had come to the same location -- the hotly disputed 'Finger 5' area.

The Indian patrol consisted of a mix of personnel from the Indo-Tibet Border Police and army soldiers from the local infantry battalion. They apparently retaliated before their commanders reined them in and defused the situation.

Participants in that clash say the Chinese were carrying iron rods, in addition to weapons.

This was apparently because an Indian patrol to the same area, the previous day, had carried lathis.

No injuries were caused by firearms or the sticks, but there were minor bruises and cuts caused by the stone-pelting.

"We were restrained all through, but the Chinese border guards were very aggressive. There were a lot of abuses shouted at one another, but that was a waste in the absence of interpreters," says an Indian officer.

"The code of conduct that has held since 1993 is now under stress. We are aware that Doklam is a factor on the Chinese side. But we are trying to ensure that the situation is not complicated by an incident where soldiers from either side are hurt," he said.

"That would complicate Doklam even further."

IMAGE: Indian and Chinese soldiers in friendlier times at Nathu La in Sikkim
India on Friday termed as incorrect reports of it supplying BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles to Vietnam even as the South Asian country said the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations has been growing in many fields including security and defence.

Replying to questions on the issue, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Vietnams foreign ministry has already rejected the report, saying it is incorrect.

It is not correct, that is what I am trying to say. The person who has been quoted, the ministry has already rejected and they are saying that the news item which is running and which is out is incorrect, he said.

However, there was no clear denial of the report by Vietnams foreign ministry in the public domain.

When asked about the report, a spokesperson in the Vietnam foreign ministry said the VietnamIndia comprehensive strategic partnership has been actively developing in many fields including economics, trade, investment, culture, education, security and defence.

The bilateral security and defence ties have been making practical contribution to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large, the spokesperson said, adding Vietnam persistently pursues a national defence policy of peace and of self-defence.

The spokesperson further said procurement of defence equipment by Vietnam is consistent with the policy of peace and self-defence and is the normal practice in the national defence. We will forward your question to the relevant agency.

There was no comment available from the defence ministry on the issue.

India had held talks with Vietnam for supply of the BrahMos missile.

In February, while replying to a question in Lok Sabha on whether the government has any plans to sell Akash and BrahMos missile to Vietnam, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said that India has held talks with the South Asian country on the issue.

India and Vietnam share a strategic partnership. Defence cooperation, including supply of defence equipment, is an important aspect of this partnership.

Both countries have held discussions on range of issues in this regard, he had said in a written reply.

Vietnam, which is involved in a territorial dispute with China, is keen to get it hands on the supersonic missiles that can be fired on land, water and under water.

The Brahmos missile system is jointly developed by India and Russia.
The new 'Mission 350+' is to focus on 150 seats where the BJP was number two or three in 2014, reports Archis Mohan.

Amid anticipation on changes and possible expansion in the Union council of ministers, and on a day much of the Opposition was busy with a Sharad Yadav-led conference to 'save India's composite culture', Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah was in a long meeting on a longer-term aim.

He spent Thursday, August 17, in a meeting with 31 party leaders, including several Cabinet ministers, for putting together a strategy to enable the BJP to win at least 350 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 national poll.

The BJP had won 282 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

The new 'Mission 350+' is to focus on 150 seats where the BJP was number two or three in 2014.

The 31 leaders were asked to focus on five seats each from this list, for the next two years.

Ministers who attended were Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman, Arjun Meghwal, Ananth Kumar, Jagdish Nadda, Prakash Javadekar, Manoj Sinha, Narendra Tomar and Dharmendra Pradhan.

Senior party functionaries also attended the nearly three-hour meet. Such as national General Secretary (organisation) Ram Lal and Himanta Biswa Sarma, senior minister in Assam and convener, North East Democratic Alliance.

Shah asked for a review on the implementation of central government schemes on the ground.

Analysis of states where the BJP had performed poorly in 2014, especially West Bengal and Odisha, was also presented.

Shah briefed the leaders on his recent visits to several states. The analysis on Bengal was tempered with the news that the Trinamool Congress had swept municipal polls, winning all seven civic bodies at stake in the voting last Sunday.

The BJP was second in most places, with the Left parties relegated to third position. The Congress failed to win a single seat.

An India Today opinion poll predicts that if the Lok Sabha election were to take place now, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance would win; the results also came on Thursday.

It gives the NDA as many as 349 seats, with the BJP winning 298.

The Congress-led UPA is given 75, with the Congress tally at 47.

Other parties get 119 seats.

In Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought to dispel speculation on his shifting to Delhi.

'There is no possibility as of now of my shifting to the Centre,' he said, adding he would continue as CM 'till Delhi calls.'

Some of the present Union ministers could find themselves dropped.

The Janata Dal-United is slated to get a Cabinet and minister of state berth. It will officially join the NDA at its national executive meeting in Patna on Saturday, August 19.

IMAGE: Giant cut-outs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah at the party headquarters in New Delhi after the win in the UP election. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo
How does a country make its people use toilets? Blaming and shaming is not the way. Lack of sanitation is leading to avoidable deaths of infants, and underweight and stunted children.

IMAGE: Report after report has shown that toilets are built, but not used. The 2015 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General had found that 20 per cent of the toilets built under government programmes remained locked or were being used as storerooms. But this toilet is being used as a bride holds the wedding cap of her groom as she waits for him outside a toilet in Kolkata. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhury/Reuters.

What makes people change their behaviour?

Is it education? Is it the availability of options? Is it societal pressure? Is it the fear of penalties?

Or is it all of these and more?

This is a zillion-dollar question for policymakers trying to curb climate change or stop open defecation.



Take the matter of toilets. Getting people to build and use them is turning out to be the biggest conundrum.

Mahatma Gandhi had said that sanitation is more important than independence.

IMAGE: People have to change their behaviour and begin using toilets. In fact, the government now wants to count usage and not toilets in its surveys. This is not a small change. Akshay Kumar's recent film Toilet Ek Prem Katha attempts to celebrate the importance of toilets.

Lack of sanitation is leading to avoidable deaths of infants, and underweight and stunted children. This is unacceptable.



The good news is that the Government of India has set itself an ambitious goal to end open defecation in the country by October 2, 2019, Gandhis 150th birth anniversary. After many years of unsuccessful toilet-building programmes, the government has accepted that its goal is not to build toilets, but to increase their usage.

In other words, people have to change their behaviour and begin using toilets. In fact, the government now wants to count usage and not toilets in its surveys. This is not a small change.





IMAGE: Mahatma Gandhi had said that sanitation is more important than independence.



Report after report has shown that toilets are built, but not used. The 2015 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General had found that 20 per cent of the toilets built under government programmes remained locked or were being used as storerooms.

In 2015 again, the National Sample Survey Office recorded the use of toilets in 75,000 households in 75 districts. The results were stark. In a few states, including Sikkim, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh, 90 to 100 per cent of the toilets built were in use.

But in many states the usage was low. In economically poor Jharkhand, it was below 20 per cent. Even in progressive, more literate and relatively rich Tamil Nadu, toilet usage was just 39 per cent.



How, then, will usage increase? What will drive the change in behaviour? This is not an idle sociological question. It is about the politics of development.



My colleagues, who investigated this, have found that state governments, pushed by the ambitious and much-needed targets set to make India open-defecation-free, are using name-and-shame as one way to bring about this change. They are pushing towards making open defecation socially unacceptable.

IMAGE: The good news is that the Government of India has set itself an ambitious goal to end open defecation in the country by October 2, 2019, Gandhis 150th birth anniversary.



Haryana (a successful state in terms of toilet usage), Uttar Pradesh (a dismal failure), Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and a few other states have passed bills making it compulsory for anyone contesting panchayat elections to have a functional toilet at home.

Many districts are taking this approach forward by blowing whistles at people defecating in the open, publishing their photographs on village billboards, cancelling their ration cards, or taking away other government benefits.



In Rajasthans Pratapgarh district, this aggressive drive has had tragic consequences. Women defecating in the open were being photographed by government officials. There was a protest and one man died.

IMAGE: Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and a few other states have passed bills making it compulsory for anyone contesting panchayat elections to have a functional toilet at home. The latest Akshay Kumar film, with its love story, is a public message virtually about the importance of toilets.



When my colleagues visited Mehtab Shah Kachhi Basti -- literally meaning the illegal settlement -- they found that women had little option but to defecate in the open. One, they are poor. Two, they have no real home to call their own; they have no land on which they can build a toilet. Three, they have no running water. Even the community toilet is inadequate to cater for the 3,000 people living there. Worse, its upkeep is pathetic and it has no water.



But this does not fully explain the habit of open defecation. After all, people buy mobile phones or bicycles before they invest in toilets. So, what will create the demand for toilets?



I believe this issue needs to be discussed openly and much more furiously. It is critical to invest in the software of behaviour change. This means doing a lot more to build awareness about the health impacts of poor sanitation.

My own research shows that this link is known only in terms of policy; not in terms of actual data, which will build health awareness to drive behavioural change. Tobacco is one case where behaviour has changed. This is because there is no longer any doubt about the ill-effects of tobacco.

IMAGE: Many districts are taking the compulsory toilet approach forward by blowing whistles at people defecating in the open, publishing their photographs on village billboards, cancelling their ration cards, or taking away other government benefits. Photograph representational. Photograph: Vijay Mathur/Reuters.

We need the same with toilets.



Today, the governments Swachh Bharat Mission accepts this and even provides money for what in officialese is called intensive IEC (information, education and communication). But its own data show that in 2016-17, the government spent 0.8 per cent of its allocation for IEC, against the 8 per cent it had provided in its guidelines.



It is clear subsidising toilet construction is not enough. Much more needs to be done in terms of incentives that make people change their behaviour. In places like Mehtab Shah Kachhi Basti, the government will have to provide options for affordable community toilets that are clean and well-maintained. This also means recognising the crucial connection between water and toilets.



However, we still need deterrence. There is no doubt that societal pressure works. But we have to make sure that we do not end up blaming or shaming the victim. This is not the way to a cleaner India, but only a more ashamed India.



Sunita Narain works is at the Centre for Science and Environment. She can be reached at sunita@cseindia.org. Twitter: @sunitanar
The operational alert allows troops to get acclimatised to high altitudes, renovate the bunkers and trenches from which they would fight, break out ammunition, and carry out the coordination needed to fight an integrated defensive battle.

Ajai Shukla reports.

Although army planners are not expecting a Chinese attack on the disputed Doklam bowl, where some 150 Indian soldiers have been in an eyeball-to-eyeball face-off against some 40 Chinese border guards since June, the army is taking no chances.

Villagers in Nathang, a border village 10 to 12 kilometres as the crow flies from Doklam, have been asked to evacuate their homes and move elsewhere.

Nathang is overlooked directly by mountain features at Doklam, like Gyemochen, which China claims as the disputed India-China-Bhutan tri-junction.

Another Indian village nearby, Kuppup, is significantly closer to the border. But it is shielded from the Doklam area by high mountains that Indian troops occupy.

Army spokespersons deny the military has asked for Nathang to be evacuated. The civilian administration, however, is unlikely to have taken such a step unilaterally.

Simultaneously, two Indian mountain divisions -- the 17 Division, headquartered in Gangtok, and the 27 Division, based in Kalimpong -- are discreetly moving troops to their battle stations on the Sikkim-Tibet border, including areas far removed from Dolkam.

Military sources downplay this move as "precautionary."

Says one senior officer: "We have our annual operational alert in October every year. This year, because of the tension at Doklam, we have advanced it by a couple of months."

The operational alert allows troops to get acclimatised to high altitudes, renovate the bunkers and trenches from which they would fight, break out ammunition, and carry out the coordination needed to fight an integrated defensive battle.

Even as the army takes these precautions, policymakers in New Delhi are optimistic that diplomacy would resolve the issue without the need for military action.

"This is China's 'Kargil moment', where a crisis has been created by gung-ho military commanders, who appear to have misled the leadership in Beijing that India would quietly accept Chinese road-building in Doklam," says a former top diplomat with decades of experience in dealing with China.

"Although Beijing knows it has erred, China cannot pull back without losing face. That means the faceoff will continue at least until the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, most likely to be held in October,"says the former diplomat.

"Xi Jinping is not going into that crucial Congress from a position of weakness given that his leadership for the next five years will be shaped there," the former diplomat adds.

Yet China would face significant military disadvantages in mounting a frontal attack to evict Indian troops from Doklam.

This would involve advancing through the narrow Chumbi valley, overlooked by Indian troops deployed on the heights.

Even an airborne strike, like the spectacular staged for Xi Jinping at Zhurihe on July 31, on the PLA's (People's Liberation Army) 90th anniversary, would find it difficult to dislodge Indian troops at Doklam without using massive air power and escalating the crisis dramatically.

Asked about military options that could provide China with a face-saver, a senior general believes the PLA might choose to occupy another strategic border pass, such as the 17,500 foot Lipulekh on the India-China-Nepal tri-junction.

Lipulekh is controlled by India, but is also claimed by Nepal, providing a striking parallel with the India-China-Bhutan context at play at Doklam.

"China could occupy Lipulekh, and use that as a face-saver for a mutual withdrawal from Doklam. Then, after the 19th Party Congress is concluded, all sides could return to the status quo," projects the general, speaking off the record.

Army spokespersons state that the situation at Doklam remains unchanged. However, they are not willing to speak about the number of troops confronting each other.

China has about 1,500 troops to the north of Doklam, while India has about 600 troops to the west, backed up by two army brigades further away.

IMAGE: Indian and Chinese soldiers attend celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at the India-China border, about 41 km from Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh, October 1, 2009. Photograph: Utpal Baruah/Reuters
Japan has come out in full support of India in the two-month-long Doklam standoff near Sikkim and said no country should use "unilateral forces to change the status quo on the ground".

The statement, which came a month ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to India, is the first show of unequivocal support to India from a major country.

"We understand that the area is disputed between China and Bhutan, and that both countries recognize the existence of a dispute," Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu told journalists on Thursday in response to a question.

"What is important in disputed areas is that all parties involved do not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner," he added.

The envoy said Japan has been watching the situation "very closely" as it "can affect the stability of the entire region."

On India's role, Hiramatsu said, "We understand that India is involved in this incident based on bilateral agreements with Bhutan. External Affairs Minister Swaraj has made it clear that India would continue to engage with dialogue through diplomatic channels to find a mutually acceptable solution. We consider this attitude towards peaceful resolution important."

Japan's backing came amid a face off between Indian and Chinese armies in Doklam in India-Bhutan-China trijunction which has entered the third month.

India has offered that both sides withdraw troops to engage in dialogue, but China has refused that option.

China has repeatedly asked India to withdraw from the area or else face the prospect of an escalation.
The shouts of No tinc por! (I am not afraid) rang out across Barcelonas Placa de Catalunya, repeated rhythmically by the thousands of people who had gathered at noon in the hot sun to pay respects to the dead and injured after Thursdays terrorist attack.

Red roses were held aloft during a minutes silence, which saw the presence of King Felipe VI and the Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

Here are scenes from the touching tribute:

A woman weeps as she sits on Las Ramblas near the scene of the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images

The mood across the city was one of shock, anger and defiance. In public and in private, people insisted life must go on as normal. Photograph: Court/Getty Images

People sang John Lennon's Imagine at the vigil. Lennon sang 'Imagine all the people living life in peace'. If only those lyrics would come true... Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images

A woman hugged Muslim men as they hold posters denouncing the terrorist attack on Las Ramblas, following a one minute's silence for the victims of the attack. Photograph: Carl Court/Getty Images

A woman places a candle on a placard, reading in Spanish and Catalan "Catalonia, place of peace", in the area where a van crashed into pedestrians at Las Ramblas street. The street opened soon after the attack, in a sign of defiance to the terrorists. Photograph: Sergio Perez/Reuters

After the minutes silence everyone started clapping. People were chanting we shall not fear. Photograph: Sergio Perez/Reuters

King Felipe of Spain and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy observe a minute of silence in Placa de Catalunya. The Spanish royal family also issued an unusually strongly-worded statement about the attack: 'They are assassins, criminals who won't terrorise us. All of Spain is Barcelona.' Photograph: Sergio Perez/Reuters



Flags fly at half mast at the Spanish Embassy, a day after a van in Las Ramblas in Barcelona crashed into pedestrians, in London, Britain. Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters
Police in Finland say they have shot a man who reportedly stabbed several people in the south-western city of Turku.

Officials said two people have died while six others were injured in the attack.

IMAGE: Finnish police patrol in front of the Central Railway Station, after stabbings in Turku, in Central Helsinki, Finland. Photograph: Linda Manner/LEHTIKUVA/Reuters

The man has been taken into custody after being shot in the leg, police say.

Police have warned other attackers may remain at large, and asked people to stay away from the city centre.

The incident reportedly took place in the Puutori-Market Square area.

Finnish broadcaster YLE said at least two other people had been injured in the incident.

IMAGE: Officials have asked citizens to stay away from the city centre following the stabbings.

Photograph: Linda Manner/LEHTIKUVA/Reuters

The Turun Sanomat newspaper said several ambulances were at the scene and police were carrying out checks on public transport.

Officials have warned people to stay away from the area.

Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila said his government was monitoring the situation closely. The interior minister and national police commissioner also said they were travelling to the city.

The attack comes just a day after at least 14 people were killed and over a hundred hurt in terror attacks in Catalonia.
By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Aug 18 (PTI) An endangered one-horned rhino which was swept away from Nepals Chitwan Naitonal Park by the Rapti river flood to India has been rescued safely.

The two-and-a-half-year-old female rhino was rescued yesterday and brought back to its habitat in Chitwan Naitonal Park (CNP) on a truck today, said Narendra Aryal, assistant conservation officer of the CNP.

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The rhino was swept away by the flood 42 kilometre south at the Nepal-India border.

It was found at the Bagaha area in Bihar of India and rescued with the help of information provided by the Indian officials. The rhino was found in midst of a sugarcane field in a village.

According to the national park official, the recent flooding in the rivers has swept away at least five other rhinos.

One of the rhinos was spotted heading towards Nepal-India border near the Balmiki Ashram while another missing rhino has been spotted at the Buffer Zone of Indian forest.

One rhino was found dead in the Chitwan National Park area. Two other rhinos have been rescued from nearby area of the national park. PTI SBP AMS AKJ AMS

--- ENDS ---
The OPS and EPS factions of AIADMK are inching closer towards merger while the Dinakaran or Chinamma camp is feeling left out.

By India Today Web Desk: For the past few months Tamil Nadu politics has been a messy affair with the ruling party splitting into various factions without a formal split.

The AIADMK is a divided house of three factions, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswamy, former CM O Panneerselvan and party general secretary TTV Dinakaran.

CM Palaniswamy holds the majority in the party. The OPS faction has the support of the BJP and allies.

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The Dinakaran faction has the blessings of jailed leader Sasikala. Meanwhile, there are talks of merger of Palaniswamy and OPS factions prompting Dinakaran to swing into action. And, he has chosen the birthday of Sasikala to play his cards today.

TOP DEVELOPMENTS FROM TAMIL NADU POLITICS TTV Dinakaran today reached the Parappana Agrahara central prison in Bengaluru to meet Sasikala on her birthday. This comes a day after the Palaniswamy government agreed for judicial probe into former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's death. Sidelined AIADMK Amma deputy chief TTV Dinakaran's camp yesterday claimed victory over the probe ordered into Jayalalithaa's death, saying it had been done only after its leader made such a demand "The announcement has come now only after a demand was made by our leader Dinakaran, it is welcome," Dinakaran's close loyalist and MLA P Vetrivel said. On August 14 at a rally in Madurai, Dinakaran had said that his family (including Sasikala) "has nothing to hide, and nothing to fear..I am asking the government now to order a probe into the death of Jayalalithaa". Vetrivel told PTI that some persons, including rebel leader O Panneerselvam, were making unfounded claims to lay the blame on "Chinnamma (Sasikala) and her family," on matters related to Jayalalithaa's death and the best way to clear doubts was a Commission of Inquiry. Meanwhile, AIADMK faction led by O Panneerselvam also welcomed the probe into the death of Jayalalithaa. The OPS faction also said that transparent talks could be held for the party's unification. "Victory for #OPS dharma yuddham! All 3 key demands by OPS met decisively! Time to transparently negotiate for merger! #UnitedAdmk," former minister and a leader of Panneerselvam faction Mafoi K Pandiarajan tweeted. However, another senior leader of the camp K P Munusamy said, "As far as merger goes, it can happen only if (party chief) V K Sasikala and her family are fully ousted (expelled) from the party". As preconditions for merger talks, the Panneerselvam camp has demanded a probe into the death of Jayalalithaa, conversion of her Poes Garden residence into a memorial and removal of jailed Sasikala and her family members from the AIADMK. In a related development, Veda Nilayam, the sprawling bungalow located at the upscale Poes Garden area of Chennai where J Jayalalithaa stayed for over three decades, is set to become a memorial. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami's announcement, made yesterday, has been welcomed by those who had taken exception to Jayalalithaa's close aide V K Sasikala's decision to stay put there. The bungalow was occupied by Jayalalithaa till her hospitalisation in September last year along with Sasikala. Prior to Jayalalithaa's burial, her body was brought from the hospital to the Poes Garden residence and kept there briefly before being taken to the Rajaji Hall for public homage. Sasikala, who took over the party reins after the death of Jayalalithaa in December last year, continued to live there amid murmurs of protest by sections of her partymen. The 10 ground (approx 24,000 square feet) bungalow was bought by Jayalalithaa and her mother Veda in 1967. According to her affidavit filed for last year assembly elections, Jayalalithaa and her mother Veda had purchased the property on July 15, 1967 at a cost of Rs 1.32 lakh and its value last year was estimated at Rs 72.09 crore. 'Veda' is the name of Jayalalithaa's mother, who was known as Sandhya in the Tamil film world. Jayalalithaa's nephew Deepak Jayakumar has claimed to have the will proving his legal rights to inherit the bungalow.

(With inputs from agencies)

ALSO READ |

Tamil Nadu: Will there be a new no-confidence motion against Palaniswami's AIADMK government?

ALSO WATCH: SO SORRY | How Modi-Shah duo make BJP's lotus bloom in Tamil Nadu

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Till September 15, anyone can nominate any person for the prestigious Padma Awards for the year 2018, with the government laying stress on honouring the unsung heroes.

The nominations or recommendations for the awards can be received online only on the portal www.padmaawards.gov.in designed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Padma awards seek to recognise works of distinction and exceptional achievements in different fields and disciplines such as art, literature and education, sports, medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, civil service, trade and industry.

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"The last date for receipt of the nominations for the Padma Awards 2018 is September 15, 2017. Everyone can nominate any one. People are encouraged to nominate unsung heroes who deserve these prestigious awards," said a home ministry statement today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday said that the prestigious awards in the past were given on the recommendations of ministers or politicians but his government has now made it open to anyone for nomination.

"Remember how Padma Awards were given earlier? We brought in a small change - people can recommend names for awards, unlike the past," Modi had said at an event organised by the Niti Aayog.

He emphasised that there were umpteen unsung heroes who have done exceptional works in different fields and deserved such a national honour.

Recommendations can also be made by state governments, UTs, ministries, departments of the government of India, Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan awardees, central and state ministers, chief ministers and governors of state, and Members of Parliament, among others.

The nominations are placed before the Padma Awards Committee, constituted by the prime minister every year.

The awards -- Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri -- are announced on the eve of the Republic Day every year. PTI ACB AKK AKK

--- ENDS ---
Body cameras for the Mooresville Police Department have arrived. Find out when they will be used.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the deadly rampage along the city's most famous avenue on Thursday, which was packed with tourists taking an afternoon stroll. The death toll could rise, with more than 100 injured, authorities said.

Forensic workers stand near a dead person at the scene after a van crashed into pedestrians near the Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, Spain on August 17, 2017. Photo: Reuters

By Reuters: Spain mounted a sweeping anti-terrorism operation on Friday after a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people, in what police suspect was one of a planned wave of attacks.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the deadly rampage along the city's most famous avenue on Thursday, which was packed with tourists taking an afternoon stroll. The death toll could rise, with more than 100 injured, authorities said.

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As security forces hunted for the van's driver, who was seen escaping on foot, police said they had killed five attackers on Thursday night in Cambrils, a town south of Barcelona, to thwart a separate attack using explosive belts.

Six civilians and a police officer were injured in Cambrils when the attackers ran them over in a car, before police shot them dead and carried out controlled explosions. Police said the Cambrils incident was linked to the van attack in Barcelona.

Before the van ploughed into the tree-lined walkway of Las Ramblas, one person was killed in an explosion in a house in a separate town southwest of Barcelona, police said. Residents there were preparing explosives, a police source added.

The suspected van is towed away from the area where it crashed into pedestrians at Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain on August 18, 2017. Photo: Reuters

Police said they had arrested a Moroccan and a man from Spain's north African enclave of Melilla, though neither was the van driver. A third man was arrested in the town of Ripoll on Friday in connection with the attack.

It was still not clear how many people had been involved in the van attack and other incidents on Thursday.

Witnesses to the van attack said the white vehicle had zigzagged at high speed down Las Ramblas, ramming pedestrians and cyclists, sending some hurtling through the air and leaving bodies strewn in its wake.

The injured and dead came from 24 different countries, the Catalan government said on Friday in a statement, ranging from France and Germany to Pakistan and the Philippines. Spanish media said several children were killed.

ISLAMIC STATE CLAIM

Islamic State's Amaq news agency said: "The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states" - a reference to a US-led coalition against the Sunni militant group.

Spain has several hundred soldiers in Iraq providing training to local forces in the fight against Islamic State, but they are not involved in ground operations.

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The Islamic State claim could not immediately be verified.

If the involvement of Islamist militants is confirmed, it would be the latest in a string of attacks in the past 13 months in which they have used vehicles to bring carnage to the streets of European cities.

That modus operandi - crude, deadly and very hard to prevent - has killed well over 100 people in Nice, Berlin, London and Stockholm.

British tourist Keith Welling, who arrived in Barcelona on Wednesday with his wife and 9-year-old daughter, said they saw the van drive past them down the avenue and took refuge in a restaurant when panic broke out and the crowd started running.

"People were shouting and we heard a bang and someone cried that it was a gunshot ... Me and my family ran into the restaurant along with around 40 other people.

"At first people were going crazy in there, lots of people crying, including a little girl around three years old."

It was the deadliest attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamist militants placed bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people and wounding more than 1,800.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced three days of official mourning for what he called a "jihadist attack."

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The Spanish royal household said on Twitter: "They are murderers, nothing more than criminals who are not going to terrorise us. All of Spain is Barcelona."

US President Donald Trump said: "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help."

He added: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

BODIES ON THE GROUND

Police said the two men detained on Thursday had been arrested in two towns, Ripoll and Alcanar, both in the region of Catalonia, of which Barcelona is the capital.

The explosion was also in the town of Alcanar, in the early hours of Thursday. One person died and another was injured in that incident, police said.

Police said they also shot dead on Thursday a man who had driven a car into a police checkpoint in Barcelona, though they had no evidence he was connected with the van attack.

Injured are helped on a long stretch of pedestrian sidewalk after a white van jumped the sidewalk in the historic Las Ramblas district of Barcelona, Spain, crashing into a summer crowd of residents and tourists on August 17, 2017. Photo: AP

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Mobile phone footage showed several bodies strewn along the Ramblas, some motionless. Paramedics and bystanders bent over them, treating them and trying to comfort those still conscious.

Around them, the boulevard was deserted, strewn with rubbish and abandoned objects including hats, flip-flops and a pram.

German television channel ZDF reported that three Germans were among those killed, and Belgium's foreign minister said a Belgian was among the dead.

France said 26 of its citizens were hurt, and 11 of them were in a serious condition. Australia said at least four of its nationals were injured, and Italy three.

Regional head Carles Puigdemont said people had been flocking to hospitals in Barcelona to give blood.

Susana Elvira Carolina, 33, who works at a shop on Las Ramblas, had just entered her building when the van struck.

"We had a window and you could see the bodies lying from there, you could see how people were run over ... We were shutting down the blinds but people kept coming in and we had to keep it open so they could enter the shop."

TOURIST DRAW

The atmosphere on Las Ramblas was subdued on Friday morning, as media crews mingled with tourists. Police tape cordoned off some areas of the avenue.

The incident took place at the height of the tourist season in Barcelona, which is one of Europe's top travel destinations with at least 11 million visitors a year.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose nation has suffered some of Europe's deadliest militant attacks in recent years, tweeted: "All my thoughts and France's solidarity to the victims of the tragic attack in Barcelona."

Injured are helped by responders as a tour bus passes by in Las Ramblas district of Barcelona, Spain on August 17, 2017. Photo: AP

Other governments also expressed condemnation and sympathy. Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said the attack showed the European Union's system of migrant relocation was wrong.

"It is dangerous. Europe should wake up," he said. "We are dealing here with a clash of civilisations."

Authorities in Vic, a small town outside Barcelona, said a van had been found there in connection with the attack. Spanish media had earlier reported that a second van had been hired as a getaway vehicle.

Barcelona is the capital of the wealthy northeastern region of Catalonia, which plans to hold a popular vote on Oct. 1 on whether it should secede from Spain. The central government says the vote cannot go ahead because it is unconstitutional.

Before Thursday's attack, government data showed that police had arrested 11 suspected jihadists in the Barcelona area so far this year, more than anywhere else in Spain.

Also Read:

16 deadly attacks that took place in Western Europe in recent years

Spain LIVE updates: 13 dead in Barcelona terror attack, another strike thwarted in Cambrils

Also Watch: ISIS claims responsibility for Barcelona terror attack, 2 arrested

--- ENDS ---
Indian activists shout anti-Chinese slogans over a border row between the two Asian powers during a protest near the Chinese embassy in New Delhi on July 7, 2017.

For the past two months, China and India have been locked in a standoff over disputed territory in the Himalayas.

The standoff began when China began extending an unpaved road southward into the Kingdom of Bhutan from a disputed area along the China-Bhutan border.

On June 16, India sent troops into Bhutan in order to block further Chinese road construction. Soldiers from the worlds two most populous nations, both of them nuclear powers, now face each other in rugged, uninhabited territory only a few hundred yards apart.

Few observers expect all-out war at this point, but experts say that small clashes could escalate into something bigger. And the standoff has stirred nationalistic feelings on the home front on both sides.

A brief but bloody war in 1962 between China and India over another border dispute in another part of the Himalayas is in the back of everyones mind. Hundreds of soldiers on each side were killed or wounded, but the war was widely regarding as having been a defeat for India, because of territorial advances made by China.

In that war, India appears to have miscalculated Chinas capabilities and willingness to go to war over disputed territory against Indias forward positions and outposts.

Bhutans Frustration

During the standoff in Bhutan, a number of Bhutanese commentators have gone public regarding their frustration over what they regard as Indias attempts to block an improvement in relations between China and Bhutan.

Bhutan wants the trade and tourism that China might bring to the poor, landlocked kingdom. More than half of Bhutans trade is with India, and trade with China, where the border is closed, is limited.

Bhutan, with a population of just under 800,000 people, gave India effective control of Bhutans foreign relations under a 1949 treaty. At the time, the Communist Party was taking power in China, and India offered to defend the kingdom.

Bhutan was influenced by the flight of thousands of Tibetan refugees to Bhutan following the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950 and the annexation of Tibet in 1951. The refugees brought with them stories of the killing and torture of Tibetans and the repression of Tibetan Buddhism.

Bhutan shares strong religious and cultural ties with Tibet, and anti-Chinese feelings were then widespread.

But over time, a number of Bhutanese have grown to believe that Indias influence has become overbearing.

India apparently failed to get an explicit approval from Bhutan when it sent troops into the kingdom in June.

According to a New York Times report from Bhutan published on Aug. 16, Bhutan has condemned the Chinese road building but has studiously avoided saying whether it asked India to intervene. The Indian government, for its part, has avoided responding to questions about this.

Many interviewed by the Times in Bhutan expressed more concern about Indias actions than Chinas, with some asserting that Indias dispatch of troops undermined border negotiations with China that could have led to closer economic ties.

The Chinese perspective

Chinas assertive posture on Bhutan fits with Chinas growing willingness in recent years to shift to more forceful behavior in international relations, including more open threats to use force if needed.

Sun Yun, a senior associate at the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Stimson Center, said that China is taking a strong stand in support of its road work in Bhutan in line with its growing presence and influence in Asia.

According to Sun, Chinas President Xi Jinping long ago abandoned the late supreme leader Deng Xiaopings admonition to bide our time and keep a low profile on the world stage.

Xi, unlike Deng, she says, isnt a keeping a low profile and biding our time kind of guy.

Sun, an expert on Chinas foreign policy and its relations with neighboring countries, says that China finds Indias national security concerns over Bhutan to be irritating.

According to Sun, Chinese officials and experts are asking, Why is Indias construction of roads on their side okay when it comes to our security while the construction of a road on our side infringes on their security?

Indias perspective

Seen from India, the contested Doklam Plateau where China has been extending its unpaved road is a strategic point leading down to a narrow Indian valley connecting India to its landlocked northeastern states.

India has nicknamed this valley the Chickens Neck.

While India proposes that both sides withdraw their troops, China defends its territorial claim to the area in dispute, a desolate plateau said to be populated mostly by Bhutanese shepherds.

The Washington Post, in a report from New Delhi on Aug. 17, says that the standoff reflects an expanding geopolitical contest between the two Asian powers.

The Post asserts that with China fortifying disputed islands in the South China Sea, Beijings dominance of Asian affairs is growing, as is its unwillingness to brook rivals.

India, the Post says, is seen by some as the last counterbalance.

So far, only one minor dust-up has been reported to have occurred during the current standoff inside Bhutan. It took place on Aug. 15 in the Himalayas, but far to the west of Bhutan in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir.

Quoting sources in New Delhi, the Reuters news agency said that an altercation involving India and Chinese soldiers took place on Aug. 15 when Indian soldiers foiled an attempt by Chinese troops to enter Indian territory in the Ladakh region of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Reuters, some of the Chinese soldiers carried stones and iron rods. In the melee, both sides suffered minor injuries, the news agency said.

The Associated Press cited an Indian intelligence officer who said that a confrontation involving stone throwing occurred after Indian soldiers intercepted a Chinese patrol that had veered into Indian territory after apparently losing its way because of bad weather.

If nothing else, the incident helped to show how accidents and miscalculations can easily occur along a poorly demarcated border.

The Chinese defense and foreign ministries didnt immediately respond to requests for comments.

But some commentators saw more in the stone-throwing clash than a minor incident.

E. Jaya Kumar, writing for the Hong Kong-based internet newspaper Asia Times, said on Aug. 18 that the Chinese Armys incursion in Ladakh may have been to embarrass India on a day when it was celebrating 70 years of freedom from colonial rule.

Others suggest that the incursion was also meant to send a signal that the Peoples Liberation Army was capable of attacking anywhere along the two nations more than 2,000-mile long shared border.

But Kumar also noted that both sides continue to send mixed signals.

While Indian and Chinese troops hurled stones at each other in Ladakh, other soldiers at various border locations exchanged sweets to celebrate Indias independence, wrote Kumar.

Dan Southerland is RFAs founding executive editor.
The United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia Rhona Smith expressed concerns over an atmosphere of intimidation surrounding recent elections, warning that the country was approaching a precipice as she concluded an official visit there Friday.



Prime Minister Hun Sen repeatedly warned of civil war should his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) lose commune elections held in June and a general election set for July next year, while other government officials have threatened violence against anyone who protests results of the ballots.



The CPP won the June 4 commune elections, but the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) received nearly 44 percent of all votes to the ruling partys 51 percent, in an outcome that many see as a bellwether for next years ballot.



Speaking at a press conference Friday in the capital Phnom Penh marking the end of a 10-day visit to Cambodia, Smith applauded the voter registration process and peaceful nature of the June vote, but said she is troubled by the atmosphere of intimidation and threats of violence, including by high level officials, in the lead up to the election and in the weeks which have followed.



Notwithstanding the relative success of the commune/sangkat elections, I remain concerned over the violent rhetoric expressed by members of the Government and the military, she said.



Such comments should not be made by Government ministers, even in private. They have no place in a peaceful society, such as Cambodia, which still bears the scars of its turbulent history, she added, referring to the 1975-79 rule of the Khmer Rouge regime, when some 2 million people died from mass murder, starvation and overwork.



Smith also called on Hun Sens government to end a campaign of legal action against opposition politicians, allegations of violations of political neutrality against NGOs, pre-trial sentencing, intimidation and fear, which she said was not compatible with an environment conducive to free elections.



The general situation in the country remains tense. Cambodia appears to be approaching a precipice, she said.



It is my hope that moving forward, Cambodia will retreat from the precipice with no more threats of violence, quelling insurrections or war, or racial inflammatory statements.



Government response



Government spokesperson Phay Siphan told RFAs Khmer Service Friday that Cambodia could not accept Smiths assessment and said the rights envoy had yet to understand the country.



[Rhona Smith] should not have set foot on Cambodian soil and made such comments, he said, adding that many organizations have recently said that Cambodia is making a good progress.



Phay Siphan said that the governments job is to enforce the countrys laws in order to maintain public order, and the statements Smith referred to in her comments do not constitute threats against those who oppose it.



With regard to what had been said by our dignitaries, she deemed the words as violent because she clearly does not understand Khmer culture, he said.



[Her views] are a misrepresentation of what they intended to say  In the Khmer context, we say be cautious or you will be beaten with a stick, or with a bamboo pole or one of your teeth will be broken! Such words are just words of warningnot threats.



During her fourth official visit to Cambodia since her appointment in March 2015, Smith met with a wide range of stakeholders throughout society, including government officials, civil society organizations, political party leadership, and victims of human rights abuse in several provinces.



On Friday she also highlighted key challenges faced by marginalized groups in the country, including children, indigenous persons, the homeless, drug users, and asylum seekers.



She is expected to present her findings and update on the situation on human rights in Cambodia to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva in September.



Reported by Sothearin Yeang for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Nathan Law (L), Joshua Wong (C) and Alex Chow (R), leaders of Hong Kong's 2014 pro-democracy 'Umbrella Movement,' chant slogans as they address the media before their sentencing outside the High Court in Hong Kong, Aug. 17, 2017.

Legal scholars in Hong Kong on Friday slammed the jailing of three student leaders of the 2014 pro-democracy movement, with some saying the court overstepped its bounds and others saying the decision was highly political.

Eric Cheung, law professor at the University of Hong Kong, hit out at the decision by the Court of Appeal which handed down jail terms of up to eight months for Joshua Wong, general secretary of the political party Demosisto, ousted Demosisto lawmaker Nathan Law and former student leader Alex Chow after the government asked for a review of their community service and suspended sentences.

Cheung said the ruling came after the Eastern Magistrate's Court found last year that no acts of violence had been committed.

"That was not the evidence; that was not the finding by the magistrate. If there had been ... I wouldn't have a problem with the Court of Appeal changing the sentence from community service to prison," Cheung said.

"But the Court of Appeal seems to have stepped outside its jurisdiction, and departed from the accepted norms," he said. "There should be a reasonable argument to take the case to the Court of Final Appeal, on the basis that the Court of Appeal has departed from accepted norms."

The three had previously been sentenced to community service and a suspended prison sentence by a magistrate after being found guilty of charges relating to "illegal assembly" linked to their storming of a cordoned-off area near Hong Kong's legislature.

Derek Lam of Demosisto, which was set up after the failure of the 2014 Occupy Central movement to win approval for fully democratic elections from Beijing, visited Wong at the Pik Uk detention facility for offenders under 21 on Friday, and called on supporters outside to show some support.

"I have just been in to visit Joshua Wong," Lam said. "The thing he most wanted to say to the people of Hong Kong was that we shouldn't give up [the struggle for democracy]."

"Hong Kong people should think carefully about the state of the rule of law and about our justice secretary Rimsky Yuen," he said.

Reuters quoted an unnamed government source as saying that top prosecutors had initially "not recommended pursuing" the case against Wong, Law and Chow, but that Yuen had overruled them, insisting that the review must go ahead.

"[Wong said] he had seen the Reuters report about Rimsky Yuen," Lam added, before addressing supporters outside the detention center.

"I want to drum up some support here at the gates, because it is possible to hear from inside," Lam told gathered well-wishers. "Let's make sure he can hear us."

Yuen brushed aside the Reuters report on Friday, telling reporters: "There was no political motive involved here, definitely not. Differences of opinion aren't important."

The letter of the law

Law professor Benny Tai, one of the original instigators of the Occupy movement, dismissed Yuen's denial.

"The courts aren't just in charge of implementing the letter of the law; they are also in charge of implementing its spirit," Tai told reporters. "This means they must respect the dignity of citizens in a fair and impartial manner."

"There is no doubt that this was a political decision, so they are going for stiffer sentences ... as a deterrent, instead of investigating why this group of young people came out in protest in the first place," he said.

Beijing on Friday rejected international criticism of the jailing of the activists.

"Hong Kong people are fully entitled to rights and freedoms, but no one can use the excuse of so-called democracy and freedom to conduct illegal violent activities," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular news conference.

"I want to reiterate that Hong Kong is a special administration of China... China is firmly opposed to any external forces interfering in Hong Kong affairs," she said.

Meanwhile, the city's last colonial governor Chris Patten said the student leaders would be remembered long after he was.

"I think they will be remembered, and their names will be remembered, long after nobody can remember who I was, and perhaps nobody can remember who President Xi Jinping was," Patten, now chancellor of Oxford University, told an audience at the Edinburgh Book Festival, according to its official bulletin.

"We should be proud of what those kids are doing," he said.



Reported by Lam Kwok-lap for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Chinese authorities in the troubled northwestern region of Xinjiang have launched a massive nationwide recruitment drive seeking tens of thousands of new police officers, civil servants, teachers, academics, and airline staff.



Dangling incentives like free housing, household registration documents, and bonuses, the Xinjiang regional government alone is recruiting more than 12,000 staff out of the 30,000 or more jobs now on offer.



Most of the jobs listed by the search engine Sohu require applicants to pass a "political test," while the scope of the advertising and benefits appears geared to majority Han Chinese from elsewhere in the country.



China Southern Airlines has begun a mass recruitment drive for staff, including security personnel, with "relaxed conditions" and unlimited numbers of air crew/security officers wanted, the article said.



Some 1,500 secondary school teachers are being recruited in Xinjiang's Karakash county on three-year contracts, while Guma county promises that candidates will be exempt from any written examination, and that their relocation expenses will be paid.



And police in Toksun and Aktu counties are expanding a recruitment drive begun in the region earlier this year, with hundreds of new police officers and administrative staff wanted, the article, which compiled recruitment notices from across the region, said.



An official who answered the phone at the Hotan county education bureau confirmed the recruitment drive in his area.



"If that's what it says on the advertisement, that's how much the salary is," the officer said. "We are looking for people from elsewhere in China, and we pay 5,865 yuan/month for a graduate, and we also supply free housing."



"We are looking for teachers from elsewhere in China now," the official said.



The recruitment drive will further boost the population of Han Chinese migrants in Xinjiang, which is home to millions of Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim Uyghurs, who complain of routine discrimination and restrictions on their culture and religion under the ruling Chinese Communist Party's increasingly heavy-handed rule.



'The front line'



Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia said the authorities are focusing in particular on education in addition to law enforcement, because the government regards it as the "front line."



"In education, it's possible to move people around to different postings, especially out to the ethnic minority regions," Hu said. "Education is the front line of ideological work."



"An infusion of ideology can change the way people think," he said. "Their stability maintenance strategy includes short-term, medium-term, and long-term stability planning, and they are getting started on the longer-term goal of disseminating their ideology through education."



In March, officials in Xinjiangs Hotan prefecture launched a drive to recruit additional auxiliary police officers, as those already employed worked around the clock in the wake of recent violent attacks, sources told RFA.



A Feb. 15 attack by three Uyghurs in a residential area of Guma county in Hotan left five passersby dead and another five injured, with the attackers themselves shot dead by police, according to state media reports.



The attack appears to have been motivated by anger at threats by local officials to punish the attackers for praying with their family, an activity outlawed by authorities in an effort to restrict Muslim religious practice in northwest Chinas Xinjiang region.



On Feb. 16, authorities in nearby Keriye county announced a move to add 254 additional auxiliary members to its police force, with 204 jobs reserved for ethnic Uyghurs and 50 spaces held for Han Chinese, local media reports said.



China has vowed to crack down on what it calls religious extremism in Xinjiang, and regularly conducts strike hard campaigns including police raids on Uyghur households, restrictions on Islamic practices, and curbs on the culture and language of the Uyghur people, including videos and other material.



While China blames Uyghur extremists for terrorist attacks, experts outside China say Beijing has exaggerated the threat from the Uyghurs and that repressive domestic policies are responsible for an upsurge in violence there that has left hundreds dead since 2009.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




By India Today Web Desk: In her first video post eviction from Bigg Boss Tamil, the popular contestant Oviya Helen confirmed that she's definitely not returning back to the show as a wild card contestant.

Oviya also said that her love for Aarav was true and that she would win it back. At the same, she also requested her fans to stop harassing Julie and Shakti, who tried to corner her in the show, saying "everyone makes mistakes in life."

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The actress denied that she was suffering from depression. Oviya was sent home after attempting suicide in a swimming pool inside the house. Although, her co-contestants saved her, it led to her exit.

The reality TV contestant opened up about her short crop saying a wig company had approached her for donating her hair for cancer patients, and it wasn't for a medical treatment.

Oviya told her fans that she would be back on big screen soon.

Oviya during her stay in the house had garnered a big fan following which was referred to as Oviya army. She was reportedly paid Rs 2.5 lakh every day for her stay. The ratings of the show apparently took a dip post her ouster and that was the reason makers were trying to get her back on the show.

Bigg Boss Tamil: Popular contestant Oviya to make a comeback on Kamal Haasan's show?

Bigg Boss Tamil: Here's why host Kamal Haasan wants to quit the show

Bigg Boss Tamil: Popular contestant Oviya quits the show

Also read: Bigg Boss Tamil contestant Oviya wins heart, supporters launch 'Neenga shut up pannunga' campaign Watch video: Oviya's first video after Bigg Boss Tamil

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In August 1942, Violet Merryman was taken into custody in Columbia, South Carolina, for suspected connection to two murders in Richmond. She was arrested in South Carolina and held in a Columbia jail for several days for drunkenness and originally told authorities her name was Jean Gray. Richmond officers, who were looking for her, were alerted of her arrest and headed south to bring her to Richmond.

When Merryman was returned to Richmond by authorities, she was charged with involvement in two murders. The victims were Vinichio Bichi, a confectionery worker and Frank B. Hargrove, a navy yard mechanic from Philadelphia. The other two individuals involved in the murders were Corporal Harry Edward Farris and Virginia Dooms.

Dooms was arrested and jailed before Merrymanand after several hours into her arrest she confessed to taking part in the two killings and implicated that Merryman and Farris were involved as well. Farris also confessed and named Merryman as the third culprit as well.

Captain O.D. Garton, chief of Richmond detectives said the police had located the getaway car about 60 miles from Columbia, South Carolina, abandoned after the tank went dry. Inside the vehicle was clothing which the two women were alleged to have worn the nights of the murders. Officers had also recovered a weapon believed to be the murder weapon used to kill one of the victims in a sewer at Lombardy Street and Floyd Avenue--the location of which was provided to them by Dooms in her confession.

It was not long before the three were charged and found guilty of two counts of first degree murder. Dooms and Merryman received jail sentences (Dooms 50 years and Merryman 55) and Farris got the death penaltyhe was executed by electric chair at the State Penitentiary in Richmond in October 1943.

This was not Merrymans first association with murder. In 1937, she testified against Laban B. Howard (her lover) for the murder of Edward N. Hawkinswhich she said she witnessed. Soon after, Merryman found herself in further controversy after she authored an article giving the inside scoop of her crime experiences but, she spoke poorly of police and the investigation in her narrative. Police in turn took Merryman before a judge where she stated, under oath, that she did not author the story. The editor of the magazine in which the story was submitted Actual Detective Stories, Harry Keller told the Times-Dispatch, We hold Violet Merrymans signed authorization to publish the story in which is clearly stated the undersigned has read said article and found it to be satisfactory.

In her statement Merryman swore that the negative words about the police in the article were Absolutely a falsehood.

In 1970, Merrywood made the news again, this time as a 64-year-old woman who had been imprisoned since 1942she was 37 when she was convicted. Merryman sought a writ of habeas corpus and contended that her conviction was improper because of sensational newspaper accounts of her trial and conviction.
Bihar Police today arrested seven people for allegedly killing a calf and consuming its meat in west Champaran. After the incident came to light, furious mob staged a protest and pelted stones at police.

By India Today Web Desk: Seven Muslims were arrested for allegedly killing a calf. They were arrested in Bihar's west Champaran for allegedly killing and consuming the calf's meat.

Chanpatia SHO Rajesh Jha said that the accused, all residents of Dumra village, were arrested on Thursday after police were informed that they had violated the ban over cow slaughter by killing a calf.

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"Accused have confessed that they had killed a calf and consumed its meat," he said, adding that further investigation into the case is underway.

SHO said local cow vigilantes informed police that Mohammad Shahabuddin of Dumra had killed a cow and was consuming its meat.

"Police have found evidence of it when police entered his house and accused also confessed about his crime," he said.

MOB INTERVENES

SHO downplayed the demand of a mob with bamboo sticks in their hands, to hand over arrested people to them for "justice".

Local Hindi dailies have reported that the mob staged a protest and pelted stones at the police vehicle after they refused to hand them over.

BAJRANG DAL AND BJP COME IN

to local sources in the district, some Bajrang Dal activists along with two BJP workers instigated local villagers and gathered a mob to attack Shahabuddin's house, beat up the residents but police arrived by that time and rescued them.

Early this month, in a first of its kind incident in Bihar, a mob in Bhojpur district led by cow vigilantes thrashed a truck driver and two others on suspicion of transporting.

FYI || UP cow gathers worshippers; Calf born with human face hailed as incarnation of Lord Vishnu ||

FYI || Cows, milk and India: Our country projected to become world's biggest cow milk producer by 2026 ||

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A flight instructor involved in Friday mornings plane crash in New Kent County has died.

Virginia State Police identified the victim as Andrew M. Jones, 38, of Richmond. Police said Jones was taken to VCU Medical Center following the crash and succumbed to his injures later Friday.

The incident happened at about 11:05 a.m. when a two-seater, single-engine Tecnam fixed-wing aircraft was conducting instructional touch-and-go maneuvers at the New Kent County Airport. Police said the plane crashed in a field off Liberty Hall Road after experiencing engine trouble.

The student pilot, a 67-year-old New Kent man, was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.

New Kent resident Chris Harris was leaving his home when he found his driveway blocked by the crash. Harris said Jones appeared to have been severely injured by a piece of a fence damaged in the crash.

The first words we heard was, Back up, the plane might blow up,  Harris said.

Authorities sprayed a foam fire suppressant over the plane and fuel that had leaked onto the ground.

Harris said it appeared the plane attempted to avoid hitting some power lines while trying to land when its front tire clipped the fence, making the plane spin into the back of the fence.

State police are still investigating the crash, along with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

According to a 2016 article in the Tidewater Review, Jones was a cargo pilot for ACF Environmental and operated the New Kent Flight Center, which opened in July 2016. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.
While none of the party spokespersons commented on the removal, the action attracted a lot of attention.

By Rahul Noronha: A plaque installed at the state BJP headquarters in Bhopal on the occasion of its inauguration in 1996 by BJP leader LK Advani was found removed, becoming a talking point during the first day of BJP President Amit Shah's 3 day tour of Bhopal.

While none of the party spokespersons commented on the removal, the action attracted a lot of attention since the plaque mentioned that the party headquarters had been inaugurated by LK Advani, who as per numerous accounts has been relegated to the background in BJP affairs formalized through a margdarshak mandal in the party.

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A BJP leader on condition of anonymity said that the plaque had become old and had been removed as part of the cleaning of the party office undertaking in the run up to the arrival of the party President. However, a new plaque was not installed in its place.

Political watchers have also not missed the fact that LK Advani has not visited Bhopal- something which he used to do quite often earlier- ever since Narendra Modi took over as PM.

No one in the state BJP agreed to comment on the former Deputy Prime Minister's reasons for not coming to Bhopal.

Meanwhile, BJP President Amit Shah arrived in Bhopal on Friday morning and reached the state party HQ in the form of a rally from the airport. On the way, he garlanded a bust of Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Raja Bhoj.

Later, he held meetings with party office bearers and state ministers on Friday night. Shah's visit is part of an ongoing countrywide tour in preparation of next Lok Sabha elections.

During an informal meeting with the media at lunch hosted by Minister Narottam Mishra, Amit Shah said that the 2018 assembly elections will be contested under the leadership of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Also Read:

As BJP suffers setback in MP local polls, Amit Shah to visit state to take stock of situation

Madhya Pradesh local body election 2017: BJP wins 25 seats, Congress bags 15

Madhya Pradesh by-election: BJP leads in both the constituencies, Ater and Bandhavgarh, says EC

WATCH | Election Commission disqualifies MP minister Narottam Mishra for 3 years in paid news case

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Ousted Colonial Beach Town Manager Valda Foulds doesnt know why she and chief financial officer Joan Grant were abruptly fired at Wednesdays Town Council meeting. And town officials dont seem keen on informing heror the townspeople.

The council went into closed session at the end of its Wednesday meeting and returned to pass two resolutions that terminated both employees immediately and without cause. Their employment agreements require that for termination without cause both Foulds and Grant be paid a lump sum equal to three months salary.

The dismissals were preceded by both officials being placed on administrative leave during an Aug. 5 council work session. The reasons were not stated then, either.

Foulds has held the position of town manager since 2008. Prior to her tenure, Colonial Beach went through eight town managers in nine years.

Foulds said Thursday she has still received no communication from the town about why she was fired and she was never consulted about an issue before the termination. She said she and her attorney are waiting on official communication to figure out what to do next.

Im in a holding pattern, she said, continuing that she has spent her time on leave reflecting and enjoying the figs that grow in her yard, which she had previously been too busy to save from the birds.

I would have liked to provide some feedback and help the next person transition into the job, she said.

The Westmoreland News reported that an anonymous source told the weekly paper that the suspensions were related to an issue with the funding of the new elementary school in the Potomac River town.

But council members refused to respond to two townspeople who asked about the issue at Wednesdays meeting.

Eric Christensen asked the council for a public statement on what is happening at Town Hall. He also said people have a right to know who their local officials are and asked for the names of Foulds and Grants replacements.

Council members were advised by legal counsel not to answer.

Joyce Gunderson also spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting. She asked for the name of the acting town manager, as well.

We deserve that as a town, she said,  so there is not so much scuttlebutt between us.

Again, council members did not answer.

The Colonial Beach Town Charter states that in the absence of the town manager, the mayor serves as acting town manager.

On behalf of the town council, I am grateful to Ms. Foulds and Mrs. Grant for their many years of service, but it is time to move in a new direction, Mayor Eddie Blunt said in a news release about the issue.

The Town Council plans to explore the possibility of utilizing a search firm to assist with the hiring of a new town manager and looks forward to input from the community as to the desired qualities of a new town manager, the press release stated.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross will sub for Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday at the Americans for Prosperity volunteer summit at the Richmond Marriott.

Reps. Dave Brat, R-7th, and Trey Hollingsworth, a Republican who represents the 9th District in central and southern Indiana, also are scheduled to address attendees at the event, which will include a number of breakout sessions on such issues as tax policy.

Pence, who was to keynote the AFP event and attend a separate Richmond fundraiser Saturday with Ed Gillespie, the Republican nominee for governor, canceled his weekend events in order to attend President Donald Trumps security meeting Friday at Camp David.

The president tweeted on Friday morning that the Camp David meeting would focus on national security, the border and the military, which he said we are rapidly building to strongest ever.

Pence on Thursday returned from a trip to Latin America, where he urged Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Peru to drop ties with North Korea in a bid to pressure the regime on its weapons program.

Americans for Prosperity is a national conservative policy advocacy organization backed by billionaires Charles and David Koch. This year, AFP has spent more than $288,000 in an effort to defeat Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam, Gillespies Democratic opponent in the contest for governor, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan tracker of money in Virginia politics.

Libertarian Cliff Hyra also is on the ballot.

Gillespie is scheduled to speak at the AFP summit, as are Del. M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, Virginia House Republicans pick to be the next speaker of the House; and Steve Forbes, a former presidential hopeful who is chairman and editor in chief of Forbes Media.

Before joining Trumps Cabinet, Ross was known as a billionaire financier, called the king of bankruptcy for investing in and rebuilding failing companies.

Hollingsworth, the Indiana congressman, helped start an aluminum manufacturing operation in Indiana before he was first elected in 2016. He succeeded Todd Young, a Republican who was elected to the U.S. Senate last year.
Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer will be making a major announcement Friday about the Gen. Robert E. Lee statue, the victim from Saturdays deadly car attack and public safety for future events in Charlottesville.

The announcement is slated for 12 p.m. at CitySpace, according to a release from the city. No other details have yet been released.

The Lee statue has been a topic of contention in the city for well over a year after City Councilor Wes Bellamy called for its removal from Emancipation Park, then called Lee Park. The council has since voted to rename the park and remove the statue, but the move was temporarily halted by a lawsuit filed on behalf of several Confederate heritage groups. In May, a city judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the statues removal for six months.

The statue has also served as a rallying point for white nationalists, white supremacists and similar groups. In May, white supremacist Richard Spencer led a torch-lit rally in Emancipation Park. In June, the Ku Klux Klan held a rally at Justice Park, formerly Jackson Park, protesting the statues removal.
The Union government has amended the noise pollution rules which came into effect from August 10- now, there will be no silence zones in the country unless the state government notifies one as.

By Vidya : The Bombay High Court is gearing up to hear petitions on noise pollution after the Central government amended noise pollution regulations.

One of the petitioners, activist Sumaira Abdulali, who runs an organisation called Awaaz Foundation said, "This one amendment has taken us 17 years back. Currently, we are discussing with our lawyers on how to put forth our case in court."

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The division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka has been hearing a number of petitions on noise pollution that were filed in the past few years.

Justice Oka on Friday adjourned the hearing of a petition about Ulhasnagar, a municipal corporation in Thane district, saying, "We will hear the case further on 22nd as we anyway have to hear the case on amendment brought by Central government."

The Union government has amended the noise pollution rules which came into effect from August 10- now, there will be no silence zones in the country unless the state government notifies one as.

The case in Ulhasnagar pertains to various violations, not just of noise pollution, but also of pandals being erected for the forthcoming Ganpati festivities.

Petitioner Sarita Khanchandani pointed out to the court that one such pandal which was built on road affects the traffic severely. She also told the court that there was not just one but many such pandals in the city that are choking the roads.

ILLEGAL GANPATI PANDALS TO BE TAKEN DOWN

The court asked Khanchandani to complain about the pandals to the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation.

Justice Oka asked, "Once the idol of Ganpati is inside the pandal, will the authorities be able to remove it?" With this the court ordered the civic body to remove that one pandal about which Khanchandani had provided photographic evidence, by Saturday afternoon (August 19).

The advocate appearing for the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation admitted that pandals erected were without permission. Justice Oka then asked the authorities to remove them before the festival and take action against those responsible for erecting illegal pandals.

Meanwhile, the corporation's lawyer said that three telephone numbers have been put up for the citizens of Ulhasnagar to complain about high noise levels during festivities apart from 9969365100, a WhatsApp number to register complaints.

The court asked the petitioners to check if these were of any help, in addition to asking the Ulhasnagar Police to specify the names of the officers who are responsible for noise pollution control.

The police has been asked to submit a report of the total number of sound meters that they possessed to measure decibel levels before taking any action.

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All the petitions concerning noise pollution have been put forth for a hearing on August 22.

Also read: No area in Maharashtra is a silence zone unless state government notifies it

Also read: Shhh cant hear you!

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Virginia has been in the forefront of news, both local and national, since last weekends horrific events in Charlottesville. The behavior of the alt-right was despicable. Many of the neo-Nazis, skinheads, and KKK members who showed up were adorned in helmets, chains, and other bizarre attire  looking more like extras from a Mad Max movie than serious demonstrators. Their actions were even worse.

And although most of the alt-right protesters, including the alleged killer, James Alex Fields Jr., were from out of state, it wasnt the commonwealths finest hour. So it was with great delight we read the press release from the United States Military Academy announcing that the leader of this years Corps of Cadets, Simone Askew, hails from Fairfax. Thats the highest position in the entire cadet chain of command at West Point. As first captain, she is responsible for approximately 4,400 cadets.

The Northern Virginia native is the first African-American woman to hold the position. We couldnt be more proud of this native daughter.

Commandant of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Steven W. Gilland, says of her, Simone truly exemplifies our values of duty, honor, country. Her selection is a direct result of her hard work, dedication and commitment to the Corps over the last three years. I know Simone and the rest of our incredibly talented leaders within the Class of 2018 will provide exceptional leadership to the Corps of Cadets in the upcoming academic year.

There are about 35 top leadership positions at West Point. To be named to any of them is a remarkable accomplishment. So were happy to announce that another Virginian, John Montgomery of Sandston, will serve as brigade executive officer. Montgomery is a graduate of Henrico High School and he is the son of Henrico County School Board member John Montgomery (who is also a West Point graduate).
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Aug 18 (PTI) Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modis Independence Day statement that the Kashmir issue would not be resolved by "bullets or abuses", the CPI(M) today alleged the Centre was not sincere in resolving the problem in the valley.

"The Centre has not fulfilled a single promise made before a Parliamentary Party delegation that visited Kashmir some time ago. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had announced steps to resolve the problem, but failed to fulfil," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.

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Referring to the prime ministers statement, Yechury said the Centre had promised to start confidence building measures among people of Kashmir and create employment opportunities for the youths. "Nothing has been done so far. Making statements will not resolve the issue," Yechury said.

In his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Tuesday, Modi had said bullets or abuses will not help resolve the Kashmir problem and a change can only take place by embracing all Kashmiris.

"Na gaali se, na goli se, parivartan hoga gale lagaane se...samasya suljhegi har Kashmiri ko gale lagane se," Modi had said.

Yechury sought a clarification from the Centre on Income Tax returns, saying "While the prime minister says that 56 lakh new returns have been made after implementation of GST, the finance minister claims the number to be 91 lakh. An official statement puts the number at 31 lakh while the governments chief economic advisor says it is five lakh," he said.

Therefore, Yechury said the Centre must clarify which figure on I-T returns is correct in order to end confusion.

Similarly, he said, the suffering of the people has increased after GST, and beneficiaries are denied sugar and kerosene at affordable prices.

He claimed farmers suicide rate has increased as the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have not implemented the agriculture loan waiver as announced by the BJP governments in these states.

"The government was yet to implement promises of providing one-and-half-times of the input cost as the minimum support price to the farmers. The farmers are ending their lives out of frustration," he said.

On black money, the CPI(M) leader said the Reserve Bank of India has no information on the amount of money received after demonetisation. "All black money has been made white through this demonetisation scheme," Yechury said.

Referring to a news report, Yechury demanded a complete ban on the corporate funding of political parties.

"According to the report, the ruling BJP is the biggest beneficiary by availing Rs 705 crore followed by Congress which got Rs 198 crore of the total Rs 900 crore distributed among the parties," he said.

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Yechury said both CPI and CPI(M) have received Rs 2 crore as part of corporate funding.

While demanding a ban on such a practice, Yechury said, "We will support a law like the one on CSR (corporate social funding). You can create a fund, call it Democracy Fund, which can be managed by the Election Commission or the government and start state-funding of elections".

He alleged that parties with so much money push funds during elections and dilute the democratic process.

"Corporates in a way invest in politics and get back returns when the particular party comes to power," Yechury said.

On the united opposition meeting held in New Delhi, he said they were planning to involve social organisations and expand activities in near future.

He said CPI(M) will start a fortnight-long agitation programme against the Centres economic and foreign policies across the country from September 1. PTI AAM SKN RG KUN

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By Reuters: President Donald Trump decried on Thursday the removal of monuments to the pro-slavery Civil War Confederacy, echoing white nationalists and drawing stinging rebukes from fellow Republicans in a controversy that has inflamed racial tensions.

Trump has alienated Republicans, corporate leaders and US allies, rattled markets and prompted speculation about possible White House resignations with his comments since Saturday's violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, which came in the aftermath of a white nationalist protest against the removal of a Confederate statue.

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Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, questioned Trump's capacity to govern.

"The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the ability or the competence that he needs to be successful," said Corker, who Trump had considered for the job of secretary of state. Corker said Trump needed to make "radical changes".

Trump unleashed attacks on two Republican US senators, Jeff Flake and Lindsey Graham, in a series of Twitter posts on Thursday, raising fresh doubts about his ability to work with lawmakers in his own party to win passage of his legislative agenda, which includes tax cuts and infrastructure spending.

Damage is seen done to the face of a statue of Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee at Duke University's Duke Chapel in Durham, North Carolina, US on August 17, 2017. Photo: Reuters

He took aim at the removal or consideration for removal of Confederate statues and monuments in a long list of cities in California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, Virginia, and Texas, as well as Washington DC.

"Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it," Trump wrote on Twitter, refusing to move past the controversy.

"Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!" Trump said. He was referring to two Confederate generals in the Civil War that ended in 1865, and to early US presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who owned slaves but whose legacies are overwhelmingly honored.

Opponents call the statues a festering symbol of racism, while supporters say they honor American history. Some of the monuments have become rallying points for white nationalists but also have the support of some people interested in historical preservation.

Trump also denied he had spoken of "moral equivalency" between white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members who clashed with anti-racism activists in Charlottesville.

COHN RUMORS

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US stocks suffered their biggest drop in three months on Thursday as the turmoil surrounding the White House sapped investor confidence that Trump's ambitious economic agenda would become reality. Equity index futures fell a bit further after the close of regular trading, with S&P 500 emini futures heading into the overnight trading session about 2 points lower.

The US stock market has not followed a 1 percent-down day with a second straight day of losses since Trump was elected in November, so Friday's session is being watched as a significant test of the market's resilience.

Amid the controversy, the White House knocked down rumors that Trump economic adviser Gary Cohn might resign. An official said Cohn "intends to remain in his position" as National Economic Council director at the White House.

A Duke University security guard keeps watch near the defaced statue of Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee, which stands next to a statue of Thomas Jefferson. Photo: Reuters

Trump announced the disbanding of two high-profile business advisory councils on Wednesday after the resignation of several corporate executives over his Charlottesville remarks. On Thursday, a White House official said Trump had dropped plans for an advisory council on infrastructure.

In another indication of businesses not wanting to be associated with the president, the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic canceled a planned 2018 Florida fundraiser at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Florida resort, where it had held such events for seven straight years. Spokeswoman Eileen Sheil said the Cleveland Clinic considered "a variety of factors" in deciding to cancel an event that typically generates $1 million a year.

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The clinic's chief executive, Toby Cosgrove, was a member of a one of the two councils that disbanded on Wednesday.

James Murdoch, chairman of Twenty-First Century Fox Inc and son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, slammed Trump's response to Charlottesville in an email to friends and pledged to donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League, the New York Times reported.

James Murdoch wrote that Trump's comments should "concern all of us as Americans and free people," the Times said. Twenty-First Century Fox owns Fox News Channel, a favorite with Trump and his conservative supporters.

'HATE-FILLED INDIVIDUALS'

The Charlottesville violence erupted when white nationalists marched to protest against the planned removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. A 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyer, was killed when a man described as a white nationalist crashed his car into the counter-protesters.

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Trump has blamed the Charlottesville violence on not just the white nationalist rally organizers but also the counter-protesters, and said there were "very fine people" among both groups. He also expressed distaste for removing Confederate statues in a heated news conference on Tuesday.

After Trump blasted Graham on Twitter, the senator who was one of Trump's rivals for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination fired back.

"Because of the manner in which you have handled the Charlottesville tragedy you are now receiving praise from some of the most racist and hate-filled individuals and groups in our country. For the sake of our Nation - as our President - please fix this," Graham said. "History is watching us all."

Municipal workers attempt to remove paint from a monument dedicated to Confederate soldier John B. Castleman that was vandalized in Louisville, Kentucky. Photo: Reuters

Another Republican senator, Dan Sullivan, also said on Twitter: "Anything less than complete & unambiguous condemnation of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK by (Trump) is unacceptable. Period."

Graham had said on Wednesday Trump's remarks at his news conference the day before had suggested "moral equivalency" between the white nationalists and anti-racism demonstrators and called on the president to use his words to heal Americans.

"Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists and people like Ms. Heyer. Such a disgusting lie. He just can't forget his election trouncing. The people of South Carolina will remember!" Trump wrote.

In a separate tweet, Trump called Flake "WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!" and appeared to endorse Kelli Ward, Flake's Republican challenger in his 2018 re-election race.

Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, called for the immediate removal of Confederate statues from the US Capitol. US Senator Cory Booker, also a Democrat, said he would introduce legislation so that could be done.

"There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honor across the country," Pelosi said in a statement.

A spokesman for Republican US House Speaker Paul Ryan said it was up to US states to determine which statues were displayed on their behalf in the Capitol building.

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A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Details of federal wrongful termination settlement between the Giles County Sheriff Morgan Millirons and a former employee were made public Friday.

Former sheriffs office Lt. Scott Dunn will be paid $76,000 in compensatory and emotional distress damages and will have his termination expunged from his state pension record, according to the settlement agreement.

Giles County Attorney Richard Chidester released the agreement Friday afternoon in response to a Virginia Freedom of Information Act Request filed by The Roanoke Times.

Dunns attorney, Thomas Strelka, will be paid $44,000 under the agreement.

Millirons was represented in the case by longtime governmental attorney Jim Guynn, whose fees will be paid by the Virginia Division of Risk Management. The division has paid $40,550 for Millirons defense, according to risk management figures.

Under the agreement, neither Millirons, nor Dunn admitted wrongdoing. The agreement requires that neither man make any statements, either oral or written, or take any other actions that disparage, demean, or impugn the other party.

Millirons further agreed, according to the settlement, not to cause or encourage any of his employees to disparage Dunn. Dunn agreed not to seek re-employment with the sheriffs office.

Dunn was fired in October 2013 and filed a $3 million wrongful termination suit in July 2014. In it, Dunn alleged that he was fired for raising questions about the running of the countys animal pound and its finances, which was then overseen by Millirons.

At the time, Dunn was a sitting member of the Giles County Board of Supervisors. The board allocates money to the sheriffs department and funds the pound. Dunn has claimed that board members asked him to raise questions about the pound with the sheriff.

Meanwhile, complaints from pound volunteers about care of animals triggered a surprise inspection by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which found several deficiencies in its facilities, record keeping and staff training. Authority over the pound was later transferred from the sheriffs office to the county administrator.

Dunn alleged that after the conversations about the pound, the sheriff retaliated against him, changing the locks to Dunns office, cursing at him and deleting information from Dunns reports.

Millirons has alleged that he fired Dunn for insubordination and unbecoming conduct, and during discovery produced typewritten memos dated from August and October 2013 to back that claim. But a computer analyst hired by Dunn showed that the documents were created on Millirons computer on Nov. 7 of that year, after Dunn was fired.

The sheriff later filed an affidavit with the court, saying that the documents were typed in November from handwritten notes made before Dunn was fired. The handwritten notes no longer existed, according to the sheriff.

A jury trial was set for June 26-28 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke, but it was delayed for settlement negotiations. Dunn signed the agreement on June 23, and Millirons signed on Monday.

Federal District Court Judge Glen Conrad dismissed the case in an order signed on Wednesday.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) The Congress and the BJP were today engaged in a war of words over Rahul Gandhis remarks made at an opposition meet, with the BJP alleging it was "hypocrisy" to talk about "composite culture" while remaining silent over killings of RSS workers in Kerala.

Speaking at the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao meeting, Congress vice president Gandhi had demanded a "Sach Bharat" or a true India instead of "Swachch Bharat" and attacked the BJPs ideological mentor, the RSS, and accused it of trying to divide society on the lines of caste and religion.

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Hitting back at Gandhi, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Congress vice presidents observations are more of a "political cry" arising out of a deep sense of dismay as to why he and his party are being rejected by the people of the country.

"I have a question on the talk of composite heritage (sanjhi virasat) which is going on today. RSS workers in Keralas Kannur are being allegedly killed by CPI-M workers, which heritage is that?" Prasad asked.

"The organisers of composite heritage - Congress, Left and Sharad Yadav are sitting together, how do they consider the merciless killing of RSS workers in Kannur in Kerala by CPI-M workers and their goons? Is it part of the composite heritage of India? This is hypocrisy," he said.

"Does Rahul Gandhi speak about it (Killings in Kerala?) Where are Delhis so called liberal intellectuals who were doing Award Wapasi? Today RSS workers are being killed by CPI-M goons, why are the liberal intellectuals silent now?" Prasad asked.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari again hit back and termed as "unfortunate and intemperate" the remarks of Prasad on Gandhi and said it did not behove a minister to make obtuse personal comments.

Taking exception to Prasads remarks against Gandhi, Tewari said the Union minister was not even aware of the facts about his partys existence in 1980.

The Congress leader said Prasads remarks truly reflect the exquisite mixture of "ignorance and arrogance" with which this government has come to characterise itself within its 38 months of being in power.

He asked the minister whether it was not true that the previous NDA government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee had formed a committee to suggest changes in the Constitution.

"Was that not an attempt to change the Constitution of India?" he asked.

Tewari said the highest positions in the government, such as the Prime Ministers Office, and the countrys various institutions, are occupied by people who owe their allegiance to the RSS and its affiliated bodies.

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"Ministers of the Union are serving on the board of a thinktank belonging to the RSS while being ministers is a clear case of conflict of interest," he said.

Referring to Prasads remarks on political violence in the country, especially in the context of Kerala, Tewari said the political killings have been condemned from this platform by the Congress repeatedly.

"While the law minister sees the violence of the CPI-M, he does not see the violence which is unleashed by his own partymen and organisations which owe allegiance to it," he said.

Tewari said all those people who have gathered for the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao (save countrys composite heritage) are actually "poor runners" of the liberal idea of India, an idea which has been under stress, strain and sustained assault for the last 38 months.

"But the ideological battle against sectarianism, against fundamentalism and against the kind of obscurantism would continue, and ultimately we would triumph," he said.

Congress vice president Gandhi had demanded a "Sach Bharat" or a true India instead of "Swachch Bharat".

Gandhi also attacked the BJPs ideological mentor, the RSS, and accused it of trying to divide society on the lines of caste and religion.

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"Modi ji says he wants to create a Swachch Bharat but we want a Sach Bharat...We dont want your fake Bharat," Gandhi said, and alleged, "Wherever he (Modi) goes he lies".

Gandhi, however, did not elaborate further.

Alleging that the RSS knew its views would not help it win elections, he said it was trying to plant its people in every institution.

"Till the time RSS did not rule India, they never saluted the national flag...You can look at this nation in two ways. One says this country is mine, other says I belong to the country. Thats the difference between RSS and us," he said. PTI SKC TDS KUN

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In lieu of a previously planned press conference, Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer instead issued a news release on Friday afternoon calling on Gov. Terry McAuliffe to convene an emergency meeting of the General Assembly to allow the city to remove the polarizing statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

In the message, Signer asks McAuliffe to convene the emergency meeting in the wake of Saturdays deadly car crash, which occurred in the aftermath of a failed white nationalist rally. The crash killed Heather Heyer, 32, injured 19 others and sent shockwaves through the nation.

With the terrorist attack, these monuments were transformed from equestrian statues into lightning rods, Signer wrote. We can, and we must, respond by denying the Nazis and the KKK and the so-called alt-right the twisted totem they seek. And so for the sake of public safety, public reassurance, to magnify Heathers voice, and to repudiate the pure evil that visited us here, I am calling today for the removal of these Confederate statues from downtown Charlottesville.

Signer also called on the General Assembly to enact legislation that would allow localities to ban the open or concealed carry of weapons in public events that are reasonably deemed to pose a potential security threat.

In a new age of domestic terrorism, we need to re-examine the balance that we strike between public safety and violent protests, Signer said. While I am friends with many gun-owners and am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, that right, like all Constitutional rights, comes with limits.

Gov. Terry McAuliffes office responded to Mayor Mike Signers call for a special session by calling it redundant due to a pending court case.

The release said the governor hopes the court will rule in the citys favor.
After using his blog and Wes Bellamys Twitter history to make a name for himself last fall, those platforms are now being used against Jason Kessler, the pro-white activist who organized the Unite the Right rally that turned deadly on Saturday.

Articles and conspiracy theories about Kesslers past as a supporter of President Barack Obama and wannabe liberal activist who participated in the Occupy movement abound now as President Donald Trump continues facing backlash for his response to the rally that resulted in one woman, as well as two state police officers in a separate incident, dying.

On Monday, Kessler uploaded a video hoping to dispel rumors that he intentionally organized a violent rally that would reflect poorly on the so-called alt-right movement of white nationalists. He accused the Southern Poverty Law Center, as well as less extreme nationalists, of spreading misinformation about him.

Earlier this summer, the SPLC labeled Kessler a white nationalist, and wrote a profile about him that included assertions that some people on white nationalist forums have been questioning his ideological pedigree.

I grew up in Charlottesville. Anybody whos seen the way Charlottesville was this weekend understands that its an incredibly left-wing, commie town, Kessler, 33, said in a video he posted online Monday.

Changing affiliation

Kessler said that he used to align himself with the citys politically left-leaning residents, but went on to say he was red-pilled about three years ago.

The term is a reference to the film The Matrix, and has been used by alt-right followers as a way to describe someone who has taken to white identitarian issues and now rejects ideas such as multiculturalism, feminism and political correctness. Critics argue that attachment to white identitarianism is nothing more than a veil for white supremacist beliefs.

But old tweets, a neighbor, a liberal activist and some of Kesslers old friends attest that he held strong liberal convictions just a few years ago.

In a series of tweets in November, Kessler said many alt-right followers are former liberals, and that he previously voted for Democrats. He said he voted for Trump in the primary and the general election.

I like Trump more than I did Obama, he wrote on Nov. 6. My Trump enthusiasm is through the roof. I like people who push the edge.

In an interview last month, one of Kesslers childhood friends, David Caron, said Kessler previously had identified as a Democrat, but became disillusioned when he started thinking that there was no place for him in a party that has focused its efforts on embracing diversity and minority issues. He said the two of them had started supporting Trump last summer and attended one of his rallies in Richmond.

He was a Democrat until last year. The main thing is, he said he felt like the party didnt want him, Caron said.

All over the place

Laura Kleiner, a Democratic activist who lives in Staunton, said she dated Kessler for several months in 2013. She said Kessler was very dedicated to his liberal principles, and that he was a strict vegetarian, abstained from alcohol and drugs, embraced friends of different ethnicities and was an atheist.

He broke up with me, and a lot of it was because I was not liberal enough, she said. I am a very progressive Democrat  but he didnt like that I ate fish and that Im a Christian.

Kleiner said Kessler was well aware that she was of Jewish heritage, and that he showed no signs of being anti-Semitic. She also said he had a roommate for several years who was an African immigrant.

In an interview earlier this week, one of Kesslers neighbors, Zoe Wheeler, said she knew of two different African roommates who lived with him, and never thought Kessler was a racist, even after he started to make waves in the local news late last year.

I met him 12 years ago, before he got really obsessed with white identity issues, Wheeler said. I think he went off the deep end  There was no stopping it, and then he was fueled by being an enemy and having something to stand for.

If you spend too much time on the web and youre alone, youve got a lot of guys plying you with all kinds of ideas, she said. You want to grab hold of something. He wants to stand for something  I get that. But I feel like hes all over the place.

I celebrate a diversity of cultures, and that was something that seemed to have been a part of his life, too, Kleiner said. I was really surprised to hear the stories that hes changed and is now far-right. Its really shocking and disappointing.

Hes an extremist in whatever he decides to do. Thats all I can really say.

Critic of removal

Kesslers ties to Emancipation Park and the statue of Robert E. Lee go beyond the past year, when he decided to target Charlottesville City Councilor Bellamy for his effort to remove the statue of the Confederate general. The rally Saturday was ostensibly intended to be a protest of the councils decision to remove the statue.

According to a woman (who wished to remain anonymous) who was part of the Occupy movement camp in what was then called Lee Park, Kessler was present there for several weeks in late 2011. She said Kessler ultimately removed himself from the camp after activists there started to make it known that his presence was not welcomed.

He was just so disagreeable that hed start fights between other people. He was very manipulative and very aggressive, the woman said.

He wanted people to be more violent and aggressive. He wanted to be the leader of things. ... Even if his politics had been good, I dont think people would have liked him, she said.

The former occupier said Kessler also tried to attach himself to other leftist groups around that time, such as Food Not Bombs and an atheist social club. She said Kessler had attempted to insert himself in those groups and radicalize them.

I dont think he knew what they really did. They just feed people  thats it, she said. Its like he got the idea that he could make it into some more militant group.

I dont think he actually has any central beliefs at all  not that that makes what hes doing any less dangerous.

Kessler did not reply to messages seeking comment for this story. But essays he published on his blog through late 2015 seemed to demonstrate a shift in thinking. (The blog, Jason Kessler, American Author, recently was taken down. It remains unclear why.)

Last fall, The Daily Progress reported that Kessler published a blog post in February 2016 in which he reflected on the potential of war between different racial groups in the future. He argued that white people would need to fight to avoid becoming a minority in America  a phenomenon hes described in recent months as white genocide.

Cultural clash

Cultures, tribes and civilizations are meant to clash just as we always have in the past, just like it is with nearly every other beast in the animal kingdom, Kessler wrote last year.

Kessler used his blog to excoriate Bellamy in November. After uncovering a trove of offensive and inappropriate tweets Bellamy had written between 2009 and 2014, before he was elected to office, Kessler used his blog to expose the city councilor and call for his removal.

In his other blog posts that have been archived and shared with The Daily Progress, Kessler seemed to foreshadow his future role in the community and the events that took place at the Unite the Right rally.

I cant think of any occupation that I admire more than the professional provocateur, who has the courage and self-determination to court controversy despite all slings and arrows of the world, he wrote in December 2015 as part of a blog post he updated a few times over a span of about two months  his running thoughts.
A CCTV camera has captured a group of four men mercilessly bludgeoning a dog to death with bricks. Police have launched an investigation into the matter.

By Chayyanika Nigam: A chilling CCTV footage has emerged, showing a group of men savagely pummeling a stray dog to death with bricks in a south Delhi alley and then stealing the carcass.

Police say the motive behind the killing has not been ascertained, but did not rule out the possibility that the attackers were looking for some canine meat.

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Experts say this is not an isolated incident and attacks as well as cases of insensitivity against animals are on the rise in the country.

In July last year, two medical students - Gautam Sudarshan and Ashish Paul - flung a stray from their private college terrace in Chennai while holding her just by the ear and skin.

Similarly, a psychopath, Nakul Mishra, was found stabbing dogs to death at the Green Park Metro Station in Delhi, and an unemployed Dwarka resident chopped off the hind legs of a puppy with a hacksaw when it scratched him in December 2016.

GROUP OF 4

In the latest incident in Vasant Vihar, the security camera video shows one of the four men sitting in a corner to keep a lookout.

Another picks up a huge brick lying on the side of the road while a third was already holding a similar slab. Three of the man walked up to the dog that was sleeping on the pavement outside a shop.

One of them smashed a brick on the animal's head before it could wake up. He hit the canine twice and the other man joined him and hit it until the dog died.

A third person wearing a white tshirt pulled the dog by its legs and threw the body into a narrow space between two shops. The fourth continued to keep an eye on movements.

In the CCTV footage, which Mail Today has in its possession, all four of them were seen doing a recce of the area as a few locals were walking around.

One of them arranged a plastic bag to stuff the body. Later, they realised that the bag was transparent. Then they started hunting for another one.

They finally escaped with the body in a bag. The camera was installed by a resident of the area.

Varun, an animal activist who filed a police complaint on the matter, told Mail Today that he had learnt about the incident on August 15.

"I got the footage a day later as the shops were closed because of Independence Day," he said. He filed a police complaint on Thursday morning.

PROBE ON

"A case under the Section 428 of IPC and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 has been registered at Vasant Vihar police station," said additional deputy commissioner of police (south) Chinmoy Biswal. The accused are yet to be identified and the body of the dog is still missing.

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"If they would have killed the dog out of revenge then they would have left the body at the spot. Also, the behavioural study of all the four accused suggests that the attack was not a case of revenge," said a source close to the probe. However, cops say they are investigating the matter from all plausible angles.

In June, People for Animals, India's largest animal rights organisation, filed a police complaint alleging that a missing pet dog from Gurugram's DLF Phase-II area had first been brutally beaten to death and then its meat consumed by some men.

Speaking to Mail Today, many veterinarians in south Delhi said the number of stray dogs in the area is going down. "Once they sterilise the dogs of a particular area, they keep a tab on their health. But with time, the number of stray dogs goes down," said one of them.

According to a recent survey by global NGO Humane Society International, the number of stray dogs in south Delhi is 1,89,285. Of these, 40.3 per cent males and 27.8 per cent females were found sterilised.

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ALSO READ | Mumbai: Dog saves owner's life, gets killed

ALSO WATCH | Chennai horror: Angry man bludgeons dog to death with cricket bat

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Array Digital, a marketing company in Chesapeake, has set up a contest for nonprofits in Virginia to win a free website  a $6,500 value.

Array Digital provides custom software, mobile apps, WordPress websites, digital marketing and WordPress support to national brands. The free website contest is part of the companys efforts to give back to the community.

As stated on the contest web page, We understand that there are many fantastic organizations that are working on slim budgets, and are often left with no other option than to ask even more of volunteers  to create and support a website.

Applicants must be a 501c3 nonprofit headquartered and operated in Virginia. There is no fee to enter.

Those interested in participating can submit their information before Oct. 20 at https://thisisarray.com/array-digital-supports-nonprofits/.

On Oct. 24, all submissions will be added to a contest on Facebook that will allow the public to choose the winner. The Facebook contest will run for five days and the winner will be announced on Nov. 1.
The three Delhi municipal corporations raided wholesale markets in the city and seized 150kg of polythene bags less than 50 microns in thickness.

By Baishali Adak: The three Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCD) have swung into action to implement the National Green Tribunal's ban on polythene bags less than 50 microns of thickness in the city.

The North civic body raided three wholesale bazaars - Khurshid Market in Sadar area, Azadpur Mandi and Paharganj - to seize about 150 kgs of 'panni' on Thursday.

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Especially with the blitz on Khurshid Market - which has over 30 shops selling plastic carry bags only and catered to the needs of shopkeepers in almost half of Delhi - MCD babus feel they have achieved some success.

The NGT order of August 10 gave MCDs and the Delhi Government a window-period of seven days to generate awareness and start fining bulk manufacturers, distributors, retailers and the public Rs 5,000 for using thin plastic bags.

The deadline came to an end on Thursday and the urban local bodies will have to produce a report in the green court on Friday.

The Chief Secretary, MM Kutty, also convened a meeting of MCD senior staff on Wednesday to chalk out a plan on implementing the court order.

Officers said Kutty instructed them to go for the "big fish," namely wholesale markets selling polythene and hosiery (clothes) markets which give out poly bags easily, like Sarojini, Lajpat, Janpath, INA, Kamla Nagar, Karol Bagh, etc.

"We will not touch private individuals immediately," said South MCD mayor, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, "Honestly, it does not make sense to fine a singular lady or gents carrying vegetables or milk packets in a poly bag at this stage."

Deepak Hastir, Add.Commissioner of DEMS (Department of Environment Management Services) of North MCD, said, "We have already issued advertisements in leading newspapers on the NGT order. These are also known as 'constrictive notices,' which means that we can fine anybody who is carrying a poly bag less than 50 microns whether he read the ad or not."

ALSO READ | Goa bans thin plastic bags: Offenders to be fined upto Rs 5000

ALSO READ | Supreme Court directs universities to include Environment Studies in curricula

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By Clyde Evely

Evely is a retired clinical psychologist and now works as a farmer-philosopher on his family farm in Catawba. He writes the blog BiologicalRootsofHumanity.wordpress.com

Many, though certainly not all, of my people were and are racists. They strutted with Jim Crow and its monuments, and they fought integration. Somehow my parents raised me differently, allowing me to cherish the idea that we Americans pursue the ideal that all men are created equal, an effort which continues to have many obstacles to surmount, and to value education and the intellectual endeavors critical to progress. I still refer to myself and my people proudly as white trash; not because we are deplorable but because we struggle to raise our families and pass on our values through some deplorable conditions imposed by history and heritage.

Two recent books explain this better than I can in a short piece: White Trash: The 400 Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg, and Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. Even more needs to be said here, like the history of economic disparity engendered by governmental policies that affects all of us as told in Thomas Pikettys Capital in the 21st Century.

And as deplorable as our conditions have been, they pale beside the history of slavery. I read The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward Baptist, and I appreciate even more the many efforts to set history aright (and more are needed), as well as my family values that allow me to understand the evil enslavers visited on humanity. Their moral turpitude continues to reverberate as obstacles to justice in this country. Jim Crow may have passed, but some even now try to resurrect it by assailing universal suffrage and access, segregating equality before the law and a justice system to a privileged few (mostly white and all wealthy), and ensuring equal opportunity regardless of racial, ethnic, gender or religious differences. Our immigration system has needed improving for years, and Congress has only kicked the can down the road. Now some try to fix the problem through ostracism and punishment.

Pardon me, we Americans hold that all people are created equal, and we will work toward surmounting these obstacles thrown up with the ignorance of privilege. It cannot be said loudly enough that politicians who cannot work together to overcome these obstacles should not be elected.

Listening to Trump obfuscate about the evils of white supremacy, I wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him to gain his attention and tell him what almost every other American knows. For him to be as ignorant as he wants on this matter is an utter moral failure.

And then I thought that I did not want to tussle with this man, for, as my people say, if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas, and Trump is one flea-ridden man.

So instead, I echo the call to Congress to pursue the American ideal and reduce barriers to justice, state its condemnation of white supremacy, to shun those who espouse this evil rhetoric and exclude them from any forum of polite and civil society, relegating them back to the shadows until they can embrace the light.
By Tommy Jordan

Jordan is a retired Norfolk Southern worker and a longtime Democratic campaign advisor. He lives in Roanoke County.

With all the demonstrations, protests, hate and apparent discontent we have seen from the hate mongers I have to say some things.

First and most importantly, this valley is a much better place to live and work because of the generosity of the Jewish community and other ethnic communities who choose to make Roanoke their home.

I grew up in the Roanoke Valley and attended schools here where I was taught by excellent teachers. I was a poor student but I was a good listener. So I got by. I was very fortunate to get a job right out of high school at N&W Railroad. Along the way through life, I learned many things about people.

Both of my parents worked  my mom at Heironimus and my dad at the railroad. Every week a very sweet African-American lady named Estelle came to our house to help us. I spent a lot of time listening and learning and talking with her. I could never understand her working for a few dollars a day and spending 50 cents a day to ride the bus from Pinkard Court to Williamson Road. She taught me a lot and to have respect.

Every Saturday morning for years my Dad had all the Jewish junkyard owners at our house for breakfast. And something called coffee lace and country ham and eggs. They would joke about eating the ham.

My Dad got really sick with spinal meningitis. Each day for months his African-American friends from the railroad and their wives would bring cooked food for us, mow our grass and visit my Mom and Dad.

I remember when the schools integrated and African-Americans and whites attended the same schools. I dont remember any major issues back then. We all got along and where friends.

As I got older I began to see some things that have stayed with me my whole life. The folks in the Jewish community in the Roanoke Valley where very generous with their time and money helping those with lesser means. Even the SPCA benefited from the early support from the Jewish community. I am not naming the families, but the generations who have followed my generation know who they are, and have at some point benefited from that generosity.

There are many other ethic groups who have given generosity to the community, too.

I remember my Dad wore out-of-date clothes out-of-style, double breasted suit coats. I was embarrassed when we would go out. It was only after I got married and had kids of my own that I realized why he did this. It was so I could wear the nice clothes I wore. These were sacrifices I didnt understand as a boy.

I joined the Boy Scouts at my church. The first couple of years at Camp Powhatan the African-Americans were only allowed to come the last week. I was fortunate to have worked at camp. I spent time talking to the African-American leaders, and it was hard to understand why they could only come when the whites were gone for the summer. When I went to work in 1967 at the railroad, I saw strange things, mostly left over from the days of segregation. Separate water fountains, bathrooms, and locker rooms. But the older men all treated each other with respect and we had no issues that I saw.

When I saw the media coverage of Charlottesville and all those young people willing to fight and trash talk and do harm, it was very sad. I cant imagine how the life of some of those folks could have led them to have such hate and be willing to act it out like they did.

All I know is I was never exposed to anything but friendship and love and caring from folks whom I looked up to all my life. And my wife and I raised our children to have that same respect in their lives, too.

How in the world did we get where what we saw in Charlottesville could happen?
So there we were, drifting through the last lazy days of summer, one eye closed, the other on the ripening tomatoes, when suddenly Charlottesville happened.

Now it feels like the political ground has shifted beneath us. Whats the political impact?

Nationally, we already see many prominent Republicans aghast at President Trumps reluctance to call out the white supremacists who marched in the streets, chanting Nazi slogans, giving Nazi salutes. Its hard to tell how that will play out  will that lead to a permanent rupture between Trump and the normal part of the Republican Party? Well see. We also have three and a half more years to find out.

Here in Virginia, though, we have a governors race underway that will be decided Nov. 7. Whats the impact there?

Before all this, two different polls gave Democrat Ralph Northam a lead of 5 to 6 percentage points over Republican Ed Gillespie. We also saw some liberal activists complain that Northam was too lethargic and trying to coast to victory without saying very much. It was by no means clear that Northams lead was secure.

In the aftermath of Charlottesville, almost every Virginia politician of note  Republican Senate hopeful Corey Stewart excepted  said exactly what you would think theyd say: White supremacy is an evil that must be condemned in the harshest terms.

Gillespies strongly-worded response stands in marked contrast to that of President Trump, who dithered for three days before he could manage to read those words  and then later backtracked to blame both sides. When a Republican president finds it difficult to call Nazis marching in the street a bad thing, that would seem to hurt all Republicans everywhere. Gillespie hasnt called out Trump  as Democrats want him to do  but he has certainly condemned the marchers at every opportunity. In one statement, Gillespie called them a torch-carrying, shield-bearing white supremacist and neo-Nazi mob that essentially invaded Virginia.

Gillespie  indeed, all Republicans  are in a bind as far as Trump is concerned, but otherwise Gillespie himself has said and done exactly the right things here. Vote against Gillespie because of his views on tax policy, if you want, but dont vote against him because of anything related to Charlottesville. He and Northam are on the same side here.

Still, politics isnt always so clinical. Is the dynamic in the race different today than it was a week ago? We have three examples of outside events that roiled governors races. Two potentially changed the outcome, one did not.

n In 1957, Republican Ted Dalton was running a surprisingly strong race against Democrat Lindsey Almond when an integration crisis erupted in Little Rock, Arkansas. President Eisenhower, a fellow Republican, sent in the Army to enforce a court order, a decision that was decidedly unpopular among white Southerners. That was the end for Dalton. Little Rock knocked me down to nothing, Dalton said later. It wasnt a little rock; it was a big rock.

n In 1989, Democrat Douglas Wilder was running what some called an issueless campaign against Republican Marshall Coleman. Then the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that made it easier to restrict access to abortion. Wilder seized on the court ruling, and used it to put Coleman on the defensive among many women voters who otherwise might have supported him. That may not have been the reason Wilder won, but it certainly helped.

n In 2001, Democrat Mark Warner had a slight lead over Republican Mark Earley when the September 11 terrorist attacks hit. The campaigns were suspended for a time. When they resumed, the question was whether Earley might benefit: After all, he was the states attorney general, so had a law-and-order resume. Warner was only a businessman who had never held office. As things turned out, the terrorist attacks appeared to have no effect on the race, which Warner went on to win.

So what about now? If voters recoil from Trumps inability to strongly denounce white supremacy, that would seem to hurt Gillespie and benefit Northam. Gillespie, though, has done everything in his power  short of denouncing Trump himself  to make it clear he disapproves of the racists who paraded through Charlottesville. So is this 1957, where Little Rock made a difference, or 2001, where the terrorist attacks did not?

We may not be able to answer that until the night of Nov. 7. For one thing, Northam  the same Northam who last week was being called too cautious  has rolled the dice in a spectacular way. He has now called for Confederate statues to come down and moved into museums. Its hard to overstate how significant a move this is, in historical terms. All through the late 1800s, candidates for governor waved the bloody shirt to show how much they had supported the Confederacy. Now we have a candidate for governor calling for Confederate statues to come down.

Is this a risky move, or a brilliant one? Did Northam just find himself a defining issue? Did the governors race just become a referendum on Confederate statues? Thats hard to say just yet. If Stewart had been the Republican nominee, it sure would be. Gillespie, though, has always said that decisions on statues are up to the localities that own them. Personally, he believes they should stay and be placed in historical context, which is exactly what Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney  a Democrat, and an African-American  had been saying about the statues on Monument Avenue.

Northam may find himself running against Confederate statues, but Gillespies not really going to be making an argument to the contrary. Hed probably rather talk about cutting taxes.

Northams move is courageous, because we dont really know how Virginians feel on the subject, and we certainly dont know whether they feel differently today than they did before Charlottesville. Even if you disagree with Northams position, give him credit for taking a position thats hasnt been poll-tested and focus-grouped (and runs counter to what national polling tells us.) Northam just took something that had been an issue in Charlottesville and Richmond and a handful of other localities and suddenly put it on the agenda of virtually every county and city in the state. Some might call that leadership. Well see in a few months how it works out.

Politically speaking, the lazy days of summer are over.
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Aug 18 (PTI) Top Democratic lawmakers led by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have called for the removal of Confederate statues from the US Capitol.

President Donald Trump had yesterday lamented the removal of monuments and statues of Confederate Generals across the US, saying it makes him "sad" to see the history and culture of America being ripped apart.

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Lamenting the presence of such statues, Democratic leader Pelosi said, "There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honour across the country."

"The halls of Congress are the very heart of the US democracy. The statues in the Capitol should embody the highest ideals as Americans, expressing who we are and who we aspire to be as a nation," she said.

Pelosi called on House Speaker Paul Ryan to join the Democrats in supporting legislation to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol.

"The Confederate statues in the halls of Congress have always been reprehensible. If Republicans are serious about rejecting white supremacy, I call upon Speaker Ryan to join Democrats to remove the Confederate statues from the Capitol immediately," Pelosi said.

Pelosi said under the leadership of Democrats in the Congress, they have recognised more women and people of colour in Congresss collection of statues, including Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth and Helen Keller.

"As Speaker, we relocated Robert E Lee out of a place of honour in National Statuary Hall ? a place now occupied by the statue of Rosa Parks," she said.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton called on House and Senate leaders to create a special committee in Congress to encourage States with statues of confederate figures to take advantage of a federal law that allows states to replace their statues for any reason.

There are 12 Confederate statues in the Statuary Hall Collection from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Norton said that the special committee could help states follow in the footsteps of Alabama, which has already replaced one of its statues of a Confederate soldier with one of Helen Keller, and of Florida, which is working to replace its statue of a Confederate general with a more appropriate alternative.

Each of the 50 states has two statues that are representative of their home states, and the District of Columbia has one.

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Congressman Tim Ryan said statues of Confederates or Confederate sympathisers have no place in the Halls of Congress and should be removed immediately.

"Taking down monuments of confederate leaders and sympathisers is not erasing history; it is taking a stand against the glorification of those who fought to end our nation as we know it for the purpose of subjugating an entire race of people," Ryan said.

Congressmen Adriano Espaillat and Dwight Evans introduced a legislation to prohibit Federal funds from being used to create, maintain, or display, as applicable, any Confederate symbol on Federal public land, including any highway, park, subway, Federal building, military base, street, or other Federal property.

There are at least 1,503 remaining symbols of the Confederacy in public spaces, including 109 public schools named after prominent Confederates, many with large African- American student populations; more than 700 Confederate monuments and statues on public property throughout the country, the vast majority in the South that include 96 monuments in Virginia, 90 in Georgia, and 90 in North Carolina.

Additionally, there are 17 US military bases named in honour of Confederate military leaders.

"These hateful symbols are a constant reminder of what our ancestors endured. No federal funding should be utilised for any Confederate symbol on Federal public lands. If we want our nation to heal and move forward, we must remove these abhorrent symbols at once," said Congressman Dwight Evans.

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A Republican lawmaker also joined the anti-confederate statue call.

"When theyre in the Capitol, theyre almost in a place of reverence. And I dont think that we should revere what those guys stood for. I think the right side won the war," Congressman Tom Rooney told The Hill in an interview.

"If the context was right in describing who he was and what he was fighting for, so people understand that he was fighting to keep slavery as part of this country ? I guess as long as its put in context ?but I dont likethe site of the one in Charlottesville where hes way up on a pedestal, literally," he said. PTI LKJ CK

--- ENDS ---
Backed India on the Doklam standoff against China, Japan has said that the parties involved must not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo on the ground by use of force.

By Geeta Mohan: After the United States of America, Japan has now come out in support of India on the ongoing border crisis between India and China at the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction in Doka La (Doklam) plateau.

Responding to questions on the current border stand-off, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said on Thursday, "We understand that the standoff in the Doklam area has been ongoing for nearly two months. As it can affect the stability of the entire region, we have been watching the situation very closely".

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Japan, who also is faced with maritime aggression by China, emphasised the need to respect agreements and not alter the status quo at will. "What is important in disputed areas is that all parties involved do not resort to unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force, and resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner".

The Japanese envoy also said, "We realise that the area is disputed 'between China and Bhutan', both recognise the 'existence' of a dispute and were engaged in border talks."

INDIA HAS A TREATY UNDERSTANDING WITH BHUTAN: JAPANESE ENVOY

He added, "We also understand that India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan, that's why Indian troops got involved in the area." This even as Chinese diplomat Wang Wenli, Deputy Director General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs in China's foreign ministry had claimed that Bhutan had conveyed to Beijing "through diplomatic channels that the area of the standoff is not its territory".

Even as China questions India's presence in Doklam and has set the precondition of withdrawal of troops for any kind of dialogue, Japan has sided with India on her stand. "As far as India's role is concerned, we understand that India is involved in this incident based on bilateral agreements with Bhutan. External Affairs Minister Swaraj has made it clear that India would continue to engage with dialogue through diplomatic channels to find a mutually acceptable solution. We consider this attitude towards peaceful resolution important, Ambassador Hiramatsu said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the US had called India and China to resolve the stand-off through dialogue. US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said, "We are encouraging both parties to sit down and have a direct dialogue."

ALSO READ |

Keep calm over Doklam: India asks troops not to get provoked by PLA aggression

Why Chinese video is pack of lies, India has committed no 'sin' in Doklam

India-China Ladakh skirmish unusual, possibly linked to Doklam, says intelligence report

ALSO WATCH VIDEO | As Doklam crisis continues, India-China border stand-off at Ladakh's Pangong lake

WATCH VIDEO | Doklam: Japan slams China's efforts to change status quo by use of force

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--- ENDS ---
Eastwood Methodist Church

EASTWOOD Methodist Church has been put up for sale for 250,000.

An advert on property website Zoopla described the church as a substantial religious building in a prominent location and ideal for a variety of uses.

The building stands on a three-quarter acre site on Fitzwilliam Road near St Anns roundabout.

The advert added: The property comprises a purpose-built church, with the original building having been extended in the late 1960s to provide the additional chapel.
A SECURITY firm has been fined 140,000 after a worker suffered burns to her face and body after being engulfed in a burning cloud.

Pyronix Ltd, which admitted safety breaches at a hearing at Sheffield Magistrates Court last Tuesday, said it regretted the one-off incident.

The Hellaby firm, which manufactures intruder alarm equipment, was also ordered to pay costs of 3,133.

The company was founded in 1986 by businesswoman Julie Kenny, who sold to Chinese firm Hikvision in May last year.

The court heard that part of the manufacturing process involved dipping printed circuit boards (PCBs) in fluorocoat thin film coating, a highly flammable substance, to provide humidity protection.

In April 2015, a worker was dipping baskets containing a variety of the PCBs, which had batteries installed before the dipping process.

As the worker removed a basket from the tank, she saw a burning cloud go through the tank and was unable to avoid being burnt after the fluorocoat had been ignited.

She suffered burns to her neck, chest and arms.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ruled that changes needed to be made in the planning of this job.

As a result, modifications were made to the tank and process, which included installing batteries after dipping, as well as adding ventilation to the tank and measures to control static.

Employees were also given additional training.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Laura Hunter said: This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.

Laurence Kenny, marketing manager for Pyronix, said: We genuinely regret this incident and any distress it caused.

But it was clearly recognised that this represented an isolated occurrence in an otherwise unblemished and exemplary record in the management of the health, safety and well-being of its workforce.

Mr Kenny, said the firm was proud of its 30-year-record of investment in local staff and their continued health, safety and well-being.
RELATIVES and police have talked a man down from the roof of Rotherham Interchange after he threatened to jump.

Police attended the incident at around 2pm today, joined by the man's family.

The incident closed platform A of the bus station, with buses diverted to other platforms.

A police spokesman confirmed the man had been talked down unharmed.

He said: "An adult male was threatening to jump off the roof. His family turned up first and were invaluable in supporting and encouraging the male to move away from the railings.

"We had contained the area, called out force negotiators and started our own communications.

"The male eventually moved away and is being assessed in an ambulance prior to any longer-term support."

Travel South Yorkshire tweeted about the incident as it happened.
ALROSA starts to move Mir Mine workers to other jobs

18 august 2017 News

ALROSA has started to implement its CEOs order to move the workers of the Mir Mine to other jobs, the company's press service says. The heads of the diamond miners divisions in team with production, personnel and social departments of the company will provide vacant jobs for the workers who are currently idle due to downtime. Programs for their transfer to other jobs will be reviewed and approved separately for each industrial site in accordance with its staff needs.

"While attending the companys workforce, it is important to take into account measures related to its retraining, as well as employment not only at the mining divisions in Mirny, but also at Udachny and Aikhal, as well as at the company's subsidiaries. There will be also studied the possibility of employing the workers of Mir at the companies operating in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). We will retrain them to suit the jobs of ALROSAs main business units to satisfy the latters requirements. The Mir Mine of ALROSA employs more than 1,100 people. None of them will be left jobless," said Alexander Statsenko, Head of HR at ALROSA.

He also recalled that for the period of the mine's downtime, its employees will receive salaries. In particular, underground mining workers will receive a salary in the amount of their average monthly earnings, while the remaining employees - at the rate of 2/3 of their average monthly earnings.

The willingness to accept ALROSAs workers and create decent conditions for them has been expressed by the management of all diamond mining and processing divisions of ALROSA in Yakutia and in the Arkhangelsk Region. Any opened vacancies will be offered to the workers of the Mir Mine as a matter of priority. The issue of employment will be solved in a comprehensive way - from the point of view of organizing the employees transfer and from the point of view of creating conditions for their comfortable work and living.

In the course of the ongoing rescue operation at the Mir Mine, one of the main tasks is to ensure the miners and rescuers safety through a controlled drain of the water accumulated in the open pit mine into the underground mine. Apart from additional pumps, reserve water stoppings have been installed in the mine, welding stations operate 24 hours, the speed of shaft cages has been increased, radio communication has been intensified and the people who technically accompany the search and rescue operations have received additional instructions. On Thursday, Yakutskenergo, the major energy producer in Yakutia, put its Western Regional Power Network on a round-the-clock duty.

ALROSAs miners and rescuers managed to clear 106 meters of mine workings from rock mass and debris during their shifts on the mines level of -210 meters on Thursday. As at 11.30 local time on August 18, the water level in the mine was at -292.35 m relative to sea level. The miners and rescuers working underground are still facing a serious risk of an abrupt inrush of water accumulating in the quarry pit. Currently, specialists are working on solving this problem. Today, the debris in the mine will be cleared in three shifts. In total, 320 people are involved in the elimination of the accident, of which 150 are ALROSA employees and 170 are EMERCOM specialists.

A meeting was held in Mirny today with the participation of the Mining Department of ALROSA, Yakutniproalmaz Institute, EMERCOM, city and district administrations and the Investigation Committee. The main task is to ensure the safety of miners and rescuers through a controlled descent of water accumulating in the quarry into the mine. The participants of the meeting considered the possibility of locally directed blasting operations using cumulative charges in the mine among the emergency measures to be taken in case of extreme accumulation of water in the quarry pit and the threat of its abrupt inrush into the underground mine, as well as to remove plugs in the mines workings.

On Thursday, Alexey Maryin, the brother of one of the missing miners, once again descended into the workings on the mines level of -210 meters as an observer in one of the search and rescue teams. The descent was accompanied by a representative of the Industrial Safety Department of ALROSA. After the lift to the surface, Alexey expressed his hope that the search and rescue operation would be successful.

This Friday, as part of the rescue operation, specialists of ALROSAs Mine Surveyor Service lowered a special buoy to the bottom of the Mir quarry from a helicopter to observe the water level at night. The buoy is equipped with LED lighting, a battery and a reflective prism.

On the same day, ALROSA miners and EMERCOM rescuers cleared 27 meters of workings from the obstructions in two directions during the shift from 8.00 to 16.00 (local time) on the mines level of -210 meters. The volume of the cleared rock is estimated at 660 m3. The clearing of blockages was complicated by equipment breakdowns: during the day, all the three loading and unloading machines operating in the mine failed. Two of them were put back into operation, while another one is under repair. As of 20.30 (local time), the water level in the mines shafts is at -288.55 meters relative to sea level. There is still a risk that water may accumulate in the quarry pit and suddenly break into the underground mine.








Private investments in the project reached 83.8 million rubles

(TASS) - Eurasian Diamond Center (EDC), based in the Free Port of Vladivostok (FPV), creates an infrastructure cluster bringing together companies operating within the diamond industry and focused on export-import operations with Asia-Pacific countries. This was reported on Thursday by the press service of the Russian Federation Ministry for the Development of the Far East.

Eurasian Diamond Center launched an investment project as a resident of the Free Port of Vladivostok. The aim of the project is to create an infrastructure cluster that will make it possible to bring together the diamond industrys companies focused on export-import operations with Asia-Pacific countries, especially with China, India, Japan and South Korea," EDCs statement said.

Private investments in the project reached 83.8 million rubles. Currently, this trading floor is used by Gokhran and it has a specialized customs terminal, storage facilities and warehouses, as well as specialized transport means. Also, it is employed by ALROSA for auctioning diamonds, while customers are offered export certificates and other documents for their export operations. The project allows to provide a full range of state control over the production, export and import of jewelry in the Far East.

Evgeny Sachkov, CEO of EDC said that this infrastructure was highly appreciated by market stakeholders, attracting the interest of jewelry and diamond manufacturers in Russia, as well as in Asia-Pacific countries and Europe. There are such companies among them as KGK, Mercury, Moscow Jewelry Factory, Smolensk-based Kristall and diamond cutting and jewelry making companies from Yakutia.

"When companies invest money, build new businesses, create jobs, it is what we call the economic development of regions. As a result, we are able to put in order the infrastructure and get a completely new level of revenue for the federal budget," Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister and Plenipotentiary Envoy of the Russian President to the Far Eastern Federal District said, according to the statement of the Ministry for the Development of the Far East. To date, 35 new enterprises have been commissioned in the Far East and by the end of this year, another 85 new ones will be built in the area.

Within the mode offered by the Free Port of Vladivostok, 237 resident businesses are implementing their projects in the Primorsky Krai investing over 231 billion rubles and planning to create more than 26,000 jobs. Eurasian Diamond Center has become the hundredth resident of the Free Port of Vladivostok, having signed an appropriate agreement in November 2016. EDC is located on the territory of the Expo Terminal in the City of Artem, Primorsky Krai (the company occupies an area of 2,000 square meters intending to expand it to 8,000 square meters).




Israel's Police has arrested Israeli diamond and mining tycoon Beny Steinmetz and four others in a money-laundering investigation case, involving real estate deals abroad, as per media reports.

According to the police, they are suspected of money laundering, falsifying documents, using fake documents, false registration of corporate documents, fraud, breach of corporate trust, obstruction of justice, and bribery.

Raids were carried out at the homes and offices of the men by the Israeli Police National Fraud Unit. According to news reports, the group acted systematically together, with the prime suspect Steinmetz, in order to create and present fictitious contracts and transactions, among other things in real estate deals in Romania, for the purpose of money laundering and money transfers. Estimated to be worth more than $1 billion, Steinmetz is one of Israels richest people.



Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished




Gem Diamonds said its revenue for the six months to June 30, dropped 14 percent to $93 million from $109 million a year earlier.

It attributed the drop in revenue to lower production from the Letseng mine in Lesotho and a decline in average diamond prices.

The average price per carat eased to $1,779 during the period under consideration, from $1,899 in the same period last year.

Output also dropped 12 percent to 50,478 carats from 57, 380, a year earlier.

Gem Diamonds said cost-cutting measures were underway.

The cost reduction and transformation programme is firmly underway and at this early stage $15 million of annualised efficiency and cost reduction initiatives have already been identified for implementation from October 2017," said company chief executive Clifford Elphick.

Meanwhile, Gem Diamonds said that it received an acquisition offer for its Ghaghoo mine in Botswana.

The mine was placed under care and maintenance in February.

Elphick said the board was considering the mine's purchase offer.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




Producer prices data from Germany is due on Friday, headlining a light day for the European economic news.

At 2.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to issue German producer prices for July. Prices are forecast to climb 2.2 percent annually in July compared to a 2.4 percent rise in June.

At 4.00 am ET, the European Central Bank is scheduled to issue euro area current account figures for June. The current account surplus totaled seasonally adjusted EUR 30.1 billion in May.

At 5.00 am ET, Eurostat is set to release euro area construction output for June. Output had decreased 0.7 percent on month in May.

At 8.00 am ET, industrial production and producer prices are due from Poland. Economists forecast industrial production to fall 6.7 percent on month in July and producer prices to grow 2 percent from previous year.

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Why too many comedy shows in weekend slot is not good.

By India Today Web Desk: There was a lot of buzz surrounding Sony TV's new show The Drama Company. But when it actually premiered, the ratings were nowhere close to the numbers of The Kapil Sharma Show.

Despite all the talks of TKSS not getting good ratings, the truth is it is still doing better than a lot of other shows on Indian TV. It might have lost its spot in Top 5 or even 10, it continues to garner steady ratings.

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ALL DRAMA, NO FUN

Contrary to that, The Drama Company opened on a not-so-exciting note. According to BARC India, the show's opening week ratings (HSM Urban) were 3.1 million impressions, as against TKSS' 4.6 million impressions.

While Kapil's show airs at 9pm on weekends, The Drama Company starring Sugandha Mishra, Mithun Chakraborty, Ali Asgar, Sanket Bhosle, Sugesh Lahiri, Krushna Abhishek airs at 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

WHO'LL WIN THE WEEKEND DANGAL?

To join this weekend dangal, Bharti Singh's new show Comedy Dangal on &TV premiered on August 12 at 9pm. Comedy Dangal pitches a team of stand-up comedians against the team of TV actors; Bharti is one of the judges. However, there is zero buzz around the show.

THE CHALLENGE AHEAD

Coming up next is another comedy show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge where Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar will be seen as a judge, while Zakhir Khan, Mallika Dua and Hussain Dalal will be the mentors, while Elli Avram will be hosting it.

In the past we have seen how the overdose of comedy shows on Colors with similar themes--Comedy Nights Live and Comedy Nights Bachao ultimately led to the closure of both the shows. Whereas, Comedy Nights With Kapil alone ruled the space for more than two years.

TV viewers at the end of the day want variety, because excess of anything is not healthy.

Also read: The Drama Company: 5 things we know about the comeback show of TKSS comedians

Also read: Curtains down for Sony TV's new show The Drama Company?

Also read: The Drama Company TV review: The Kapil Sharma Show fades in comparison to Sony TV's promising new show

See pics: The Drama Company: Anil Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor had a blast promoting Mubarakan on the show

--- ENDS ---
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi led a call by Democratic lawmakers to remove Confederate statues on display in the halls of Congress. The Democrats rejected President Donald Trump's criticism of the removal of "beautiful" Confederate statues.

The heated nationwide debate over the removal of monuments to the Confederacy reached the Capitol Hill Thursday when Pelosi called on House Speaker Paul Ryan to start the process for removing memorials for leaders of the Confederacy from the marbled halls of the US legislature.

The removal of a statue of Robert E Lee had led to deadly clashes between white nationalists and protesting crowds in Charlottesville, Virginia, last week.

Trump, who blamed "both sides" for the violence in the white supremacist rally, said on Twitter Thursday, "Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments."

"You can't change history, but you can learn from it," he opined.

On Wednesday, Democrat Senator Cory Booker announced he would draft a Bill to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol.

In a statement calling on Speaker Ryan to join Democrats in supporting the legislation, Pelosi said "There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honor across the country."

She recalled that under the leadership of Democrats in Congress, more women and people of color have been recognized in Congress' collection of statues, including Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth and Helen Keller.

Nearly 10 Confederate-era figures, including that of Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, and Gen. Robert E. Lee, a General who fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the US Civil War, are memorialized along with dozens of other statues at the National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol.

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Business News
The Swiss stock market ended Friday's session solidly in negative territory, extending the loss from the previous day. The deadly terror attack in Spain had a negative impact on investor sentiment at the end of the trading week. Meanwhile, investors also remain concerned that U.S. President Trump will be unable to implement the tax reforms and infrastructure programs that were promised during the election.

The Swiss Market Index decreased by 0.79 percent Friday and finished at 8,874.35. The Swiss Leader Index dropped 0.76 percent and the Swiss Performance Index lost 0.79 percent.

Sika declined 2.3 percent, Aryzta dropped 2.2 percent and Dufry fell 1.9 percent.

The index heavyweights all finished in the red Friday. Roche weakened by 1.2 percent and Novartis surrendered 1.1 percent. The stocks were under pressure due to the news that U.S. House Democrats have launched an investigation into price increases for multiple sclerosis drugs. Shares of Nestle also finished lower by 0.5 percent.

Geberit decreased 1.1 percent. The stock extended yesterday's losses following the release of its disappointing half year results.

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In another high profile shakeup at the White House, Steve Bannon is out as President Donald Trump's chief strategist.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed reports of Bannon's departure, calling the move a mutual decision between Bannon and new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.

"White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day," Sanders said in a statement. "We are grateful for his service and wish him the best."

A report from CNN claimed Trump was furious with Bannon after he was quoted in an interview with the American Prospect contradicting him on North Korea and asserting that he was able to make personnel changes at the State Department.

Bannon, the former executive chairman of far-right Breitbart News, was seen as a driving force behind Trump's "nationalist" ideology.

The removal of Bannon comes a year and a day after he joined Trump's presidential campaign as chief executive officer.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump described Bannon as a "friend" and a "good man" but failed to provide a full endorsement of his chief strategist.

"I like him. He's a good man. He is not a racist, I can tell you that," Trump said. "But we'll see what happens with Mr. Bannon."

Bannon's departure comes as Trump has faced considerable criticism over his response to last weekend's violent events in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The president has come under fire for comments suggesting both white supremacists and counter-protesters were to blame for the violence.

Heather Heyer was killed and nineteen others were wounded after a car crashed into a crowd of anti-white supremacist protesters in Charlottesville on Saturday.

Bannon is just the latest top official to leave the White House, joining Press Secretary Sean Spicer, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

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Business News
President Donald Trump traveled to Camp David on Friday to meet with top national security officials to discuss his administration's strategy on Afghanistan.

Trump will reportedly discuss several options for Afghanistan with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, CIA Director Mike Pompeo and other national security advisers.

The options on the table are said to include maintaining the status quo, increasing the number of American troops, reducing the number of American troops or a total withdrawal from Afghanistan.

During a news conference on Thursday, Mattis suggested the meeting would move the administration toward a decision but did not say a conclusion would be reached.

"We will move this toward a decision," Mattis said. "We are coming very close to a decision and I anticipate it in the very near future."

U.S. officials told Reuters that National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and some military commanders favor a troop hike, while so-called "anti-globalists" back withdrawing U.S. forces.

The "anti-globalists" were reportedly led by Steve Bannon, who was removed as White House chief strategist on Friday.

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(Agencia CMA Latam) - The Colombian Agricultural and Livestock Institute (ICA) reported that the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that occurred in the country has ended.

Colombia's ICA confirmed that 3,325 livestock slaughterings occurred in the municipalities of Tame, Arauca, Yacopi and Tibacuy in the department (state) of Cundinamarca and also in the rural area of Cucuta, near the border with Venezuela. According to a statement, all sources of infection were effectively terminated, reducing the transmission risk of foot-and-mouth disease by a high percentage.

So far, ICA has analyzed 4,000 out of 12,000 laboratory samples collected in the mentioned municipalities and which results have ruled out the virus.

Colombia's Minister of Agriculture Aurelio Iragorri said that the country will send a notification to the World Organization for Animal Health in 28 days - or the equivalent of two incubation cycles of the virus. A week after being notified, the entity should determine if Colombia will once more be considered as a territory free of foot-and-mouth disease by vaccination.

At the end of June, ICA detected outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the country, the first since 2009, causing several countries in the region to suspend their imports of Colombian beef.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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(Agencia CMA Latam) - The World Bank has authorized Argentina to contract more than US$ 400 million in three new credit lines to improve access to housing, administrative services and to increase the Belgrano Rail Plan funding.

The loan was signed by the Argentinean Finance Minister Luis Caputo and the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim during a visit to Argentina.

The signing of the loan happened after Yong Kim pledged to the Argentinean government to finance US$ 2 billion in new projects for 2018. Funding should be divided into two tranches of 1 billion each for the public and private sectors.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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(Agencia CMA Latam) - The Brazilian government will request that the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body to set up a panel to discuss the case against Canada related to subsidies given by the North American country to the aviation sector, benefiting Bombardier's C-Series program, which competes with Brazil's Embraer.

The WTO will be requested to examine more than 20 programs of subsidies granted by Canada to the aviation sector of the country directly or indirectly related to the development of the new Bombardier family of aircraft in the context of the C-Series program. The Brazilian government questions if the subsidies are compatible with WTO rules.

According to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, technical studies prepared by Brazil estimate that in the last decade Bombardier and C-Series suppliers received subsidies equivalent to more than US$ 3 billion, which resulted in serious damage to the Brazilian aviation industry and programs involving subsidies prohibited by WTO rules.

Under the WTO rules, the Canadian government may object to this first request. In that case, the establishment of the panel will occur automatically at the next meeting of the international organism, on September 29.

"The Brazilian government hopes that the litigation will allow the rebalancing, as soon as possible, of the conditions of international competitiveness in the aviation sector, artificially affected by the Canadian subsidies," said Brazil's Foreign Ministry.

by Agencia CMA Latam

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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) The dredging of the Brahmaputra river will start soon as a move to find a permanent solution to the perennial flood problem in Assam.

A decision in this regard was taken at a high-level meeting, chaired by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and attended by top officials of central and state government here today.

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"In course of the meeting, it has been decided to start the dredging of the Brahmaputra from Sadiya from September onwards and as many as five dredgers will be pressed into service for the mega project," a state government statement said.

The floods in Assam claimed 10 more lives. Around 31 lakh people across 24 districts are bearing the brunt of the flooding.

The toll in the third wave of floods in the state has risen to 49. 133 people have died so far this year in flood- related incidents.

Todays meeting took up the construction of Brahmaputra Expressway threadbare and decided to rope in experts and manpower of Border Roads Organisation to build the expressway with the sand and silt dug-out through dredging.

The Assam government will submit the detailed project report for Brahmaputra Expressway soon. Chief Minister Sonowal requested the Brahmaputra Board to set up a unit in Majuli and upscale its manpower to tackle flood in the island as well as in the state.

In the meeting, the Director General of Brahmaputra Board informed that the Board decided to start three major projects upstream to protect the river island Majuli from the fury of flood.

He also informed that a Rs 237-crore road-cum-embankment project would soon be started in the southern bank of Majuli which would help check flood-induced damages in the river island.

The meeting was held as a sequel to the announcement of Prime Ministers Rs 2,000 crore package for Assam and the Northeast for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood mitigation measures.

The package include Rs 400 crore for improving water carrying capacity of the Brahmaputra through dredging in its entire stretch from Sadiya to Dhubri.

Sonowal said the proposed dredging besides enhancing the water holding capacity of the Brahmaputra would help in increasing navigation besides revamping the communication on the proposed Brahmaputra Express Highway.

The chief minister also asked the central government to take up the repairing work of the National Highways in view of the deplorable road conditions. PTI ACB TIR

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: defeated candidates

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Election Commission has sought changes in electoral law to allow an election petition -- a procedure at present used to challenge the victory of a candidate in a poll over allegations of corruption -- to be filed against a defeated candidate also, to check graft.

"Corrupt practice has to be established through the order of a high court in an election petition. One difficulty here is that election petition can only be filed against the winning candidate. This would mean that if a defeated candidate commits corrupt practice in election, there is no way it can be questioned and established," Election Commissioner O P Rawat has said.

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Addressing a consultation on electoral reforms organised by Association for Democratic Reforms here yesterday, he said the poll panel has proposed to the government to amend the relevant law so as to enable filing of EP in respect of corrupt practice by a defeated candidate.

"The consequence is that if high court holds a person elected or otherwise, guilty of corrupt practice, there could be further disqualification of the person for a maximum of six years (from contesting polls)," he said. PTI NAB ZMN

--- ENDS ---
In Basti, down NH-28 on the way from Lucknow to Gorakhpur, the district hospital has a 10-bed intensive care unit (ICU) supposedly reserved for patients stricken with encephalitis, an acute inflammation of the brain that is often the effect of a mosquito-borne disease. On August 13, at 8 am, there were six patients occupying beds. Hospital staff slept on the empty ones. Ram Prakash, the supervising doctor, said the ICU had only one ventilator and that too wasn't functioning. "All critical encephalitis patients," Dr Prakash said, "are being referred to the BRD Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur."

The hospital has been in the headlines because of the death of over 70 children under its watch since August 7. The Uttar Pradesh government, reeling from the criticism in the media, has suspended a college principal and sacked the head of the hospital's paediatric department. Further down the highway, in Sahjanwa, in Gorakhpur district, a community health centre (CHC) was equipped, in 2015, with a six-bed encephalitis treatment centre. At 11 am on August 13, there were no patients at the centre. The bedsheets here are saffron, in case you were in any doubt which party is in government. In the last week, there is no record of anybody with encephalitis being admitted to the CHC. In Gorakhpur, though, the 100-bed ICU of the BRD Medical College hospital is teeming with patients suffering from encephalitis.

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Many of the beds are being used for more than one patient. The hospital is the only tertiary care public hospital in the area and caters to 400,000 outpatients and some 40,000 inpatients every year. Hundreds of children die at the hospital every year, many of encephalitis. Overcrowding and poor or badly maintained facilities are to blame. Indeed, many children have died in the last week or so because the hospital failed to pay a supplier, leading to a lack of oxygen in the ICU. The hospital denies the reports. While much of the information emerging from the hospital and state government is confusing, it could be that encephalitis alone is not the reason so many children are dying. The hospital's own figures suggest that only 20 per cent of the 30 children who died in just 24 hours, between August 10 and 11, had encephalitis. Its figures also show that till July, 931 out of the 2,386 newborns admitted this year to the neonatal ICU died.

Yogi Adityanath, the UP chief minister, has tasked a committee, chaired by the state's chief secretary Rajiv Kumar, with investigating the deaths. A preliminary inquiry has established that the hospital's creaking infrastructure and appalling management is at least partly responsible. Requesting anonymity, one committee member says the doctors in the ICU are posted by the college while support staff like nurses and pharmacists are appointed by the health department, leading to a lack of coordination. Ashutosh Tandon, the state's minister of technical and medical education, has "sought a report" from his ministry on the appalling shortage of facilities at the hospital.

According to one official, only 60 per cent of the posts in the paediatrics department are filled. An ICU doctor says they "worked with half the necessary manpower while treating twice as many patients as the hospital is equipped to treat". But there is almost nowhere else for patients to go. Just 11 of the 68 primary health centres (PHC) in the district function round the clock, providing services for nearly 4.5 million people. In Gorakhpur district, there is only one special care newborn unit (SCNU) to treat sick babies. Dr RN Singh, a well-regarded child specialist and healthcare activist, says "more than 40 per cent of encephalitis patients referred to the BRD Medical College can be treated and cured at PHCs and secondary clinics but are routinely sent to the bigger hospital".

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In 2012, the central government planned SCNUs in 12 eastern districts. One of these units generally contains between 12 and 20 beds and is staffed by four doctors and about 12 nurses and costs Rs 40 lakh to set up. Only three of these proposed 12 SCNUs have been built and only one is currently operational. Dr ML.Verma, a medical officer posted in Basti, said the "health department lacks the necessary numbers of paediatricians to run the planned SCNUs". UP health minister Siddharth Nath Singh says the government is "planning to recruit 5,000 new doctors" and that "soon no unit or hospital will not be functional because of the unavailability of doctors". But parents in Gorakhpur will be wondering how soon is soon.

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The Indian ace ended on seven points, coming through one win, five draws and two losses in the event that gave two points for a win and one for a draw.

By Press Trust of India: Former world champion Viswanathan Anand suffered a disappointing final round loss against Sergey Karjakin of Russia to finish joint eighth in the St Louis Rapid Chess tournament here today.

After raising visions of a good finish, luck did not favour Grandmaster Anand much on the final day as he was first held to a draw by Le Quang Leim of Vietnam in the seventh round and then shared points with Fabiano Caruana of United States in the penultimate round.

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The Indian ace ended on seven points, coming through one win, five draws and two losses in the event that gave two points for a win and one for a draw.

Levon Aronian of Armenia topped the rapid section with 12 points in all. On the final day, Aronian scored two good wins and a solitary draw.

The American duo of Hikaru Nakamura and Caruana were right behind Aronian on 11 points each and Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi was fourth on 10 points. Lenier Dominguez of Cuba was right behind on nine points.

Le Quang Leim and Sergey Karjakin shared the sixth spot on eight points each while Anand, Garry Kasparov and Navara David of Czech Republic shares the eighth position.

The event is still only half way through as the players will change gears again and play the blitz that will have eighteen games in all and the winner in the USD 150000 prize money tournament will be decided by the cumulative score.

For Anand, the road ahead looks difficult but things can still turn around if he can start off with a few wins in the blitz. A five-point margin is huge and the turnaround can only happen with some massive scoring by Anand.

Garry Kasparov was again the big news of the day simply with his presence. However, Kasparov, once the best player on the planet, could not keep pace with clock or pressure and lost two games besides getting lucky and winning one against Leim.

It was a heartbreak for the yesteryear champion as he simply lost from a won endgame through a super-trick from David Navara in the first game of the day. Le Quang Leim dropped a rook in the next game from a playable position to give Kasparov his only victory in the event thus far while Caruana proved stronger in what was a tricky endgame in the final round.

Standings after Rapid: 1. Levon Aronian (Arm, 12); 2-3: Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura (both USA) 11 each; 4. Ian Nepomniachtchi (Rus, 8); 5. Lenier Dominguez (Cub, 9); 6-7.

Sergey Karjakin (Rus), Le Qunag Leim (Vie) 8 each; 8-10: Garry Kasparov (Rus), V Anand (Ind), David Navara (Cze) 7 each.

--- ENDS ---

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Salega Easts Member of Parliament, Olo Fiti Vaai, supports village council decisions to ban foreign-owned businesses from setting up in their areas.

If we have these wholesalers and supermarkets in the town area -- because theyre already all over the place -- theyll provide fair competition for our locals to choose which of them has the cheapest goods.

Theres nothing wrong with the decision (from some of the villages) to ban these foreign-owned businesses (from setting up in their villages), Olo said.

Thats for the villages to decide; I mean its up to them.

He denied the move was racist.

No this is not, and further, people who are offering lease lands to the foreign-owned businesses should look at the other side.

Some of our people are very greedy when they offer money to lease out their lands to the foreign-owned business in the villages.

But they forget the effects on 99 percent of the many Samoan people and their businesses.

I strongly agree with the decisions by some of the villages in the country to ban foreign- owned businesses.

At the beginning of this year, the village of Salelologa initiated what was believed to be a first in Samoa -- to ban Chinese shops from setting up in their village.

The decision was made by the village council and banned businesses owned and operated by Chinese to be established on customary lands.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi will not divulge the budget set aside for Samoa Airways for the start of their international services.

Samoa Airways will have its first international flight on 12 November 2017.

During an interview with the Samoa Observer at his office yesterday, Tuilaepa said there is a budget".

The budget is tabled with the board; on what is to be spent on the leases, salaries, fuel costs, advertisement, promotion, depreciation and operation of the vehicles.

All these things are included in the budget, he said.

He also confirmed that Polynesian Airlines have secured the lease for a Boeing 737 from IcelandAir, a European-based company.

Its unclear how much the lease will cost but Tuilaepa said during his radio programme, the initial plans are that Samoa will focus on the Apia-Auckland, Apia-Sydney and Apia-Brisbane routes.

This is where our revenue will come from, said Tuilaepa.

Samoa Airways intends to expand its fleet to a bigger and faster airplane down the line.

However, that will depend on the status of the airline.

Tuilaepa also briefly spoke about Fiji Airways and Samoa Airways, and that the two Airlines are working together as partners.

We are not obligated to Fiji Airways.

He pointed out that if there are flights between Fiji and Samoa, its more feasible to utilise one airline.

Fiji Airlines will allocate seats for us and that way we will share the revenue in terms of tickets sold.

While we focus on our routes to New Zealand and Australia, he said.

According to Tuilaepa, the initial plan was to lease an aeroplane from Fiji Airways, however they have now leased from IcelandAir.

According to a statement issued by the Governments Press Secretary on the matter, IcelandAir initially made contact with the government some time ago, with Vice President Halldor, Daddi Halldorsson, meeting the Prime Minister in Apia, last year.

IcelandAir Group is not new to the region. It has a successful partnership with Air Niugini which has proven to be a catalyst for Papua New Guineas international connections and for that countrys booming tourism industry. And IcelandAir currently leases five Boeing aircrafts to Air Niugini, since their partnership started in 2007.

The primary target is for our national carrier to be resurrected properly, not only as a profit-making entity, but most importantly, to provide affordable airfares for our people and our tourists, said the Prime Minister.

I am mindful of the challenges and obstacles, and the government is looking at all options to realise its targeted mission.

Reliable, consistent, affordable air fares, and cost-effective air services whilst exceeding our stakeholders expectations, is paramount to government.

According to the IcelandAir website, the Boeing 737s are fitted out with more efficient engines which will reduce fuel consumption by 20 percent, per seat.

They have proven extremely well suited for the routes extending from Iceland to Europe and North America, says the website.
Meet Tom Booth and his partner, Katie Metcalfe, both from England.

Dear Tourist met up with the young couple looking at the siapo patterns at the Samoa Tourism Cultural village.

Unfortunately, today is their last day in Samoa as they will be flying back home in the evening.

The young couple have been on the island for quite some time.

We arrived in Samoa just over a month ago and we leave today so you caught us in a good time, said Mr. Booth.

When we were in New Zealand, we knew that we were going to do some more travelling and we thought that because England is so far away, it seemed really obvious for us to come to a Pacific island.

We picked Samoa because of an event that we saw happening in Manase and we liked the idea of Samoa because it was little less commercial than Fiji.

We also saw that Fiji had all sorts of things and that was the part that we didnt like, so we said Samoa looks a bit calmer and authentic so we decided to come here.

We are the kind of people who like to take their time in places, hence why we spent a month here. We spent two weeks in Upolu and then two weeks in Savaii.

For that whole month, we have spent a lot of time doing nothing which was really good.

We were just chilling out and a lot of the days not really doing much, but we really enjoyed that.

We snorkelled for the first time, did a bit of hiking and it was really nice to spend a few days in each place.

It was nice to get a feel of it.

Asked for their favourite foods, the young couple opted for palusami.

We ate everything that comes out of the umu and palusami was our favorite, said Ms. Metcalfe

We were a bit concerned at first because were both vegetarian, and we heard that might be a problem, but we found it really easy and all the accommodations we stayed at were really friendly and that made it easier for us.

Because there is a lot of traditional food -- which is mainly vegetables and then fish -- it was just easy and there was always so much available for us to eat.

We also love the koko samoa and most especially, the cocoa rice (koko araisa).

We stayed all over the place because we wanted to explore, even when we went to Savaii; it was brilliant.

So what lessons will they be taking home?

From this trip, we learnt a few things about the pace of life, said Mr. Booth.

It was really nice to kind of slow down, even in Apia, although it is a city. We expected it to be busy and although it has that hustle and bustle about it, its still pretty laid back and so we liked that a lot.

Where we come from, people dont actually concern their parents with their troubles and they each have their own families and are just content with that.

Whereas here, there is so much more sharing and everyone tends to be in this very similar place and theres so much more people do to help each other out.

The kids also have so many people to play with and thats really nice.

So we will miss this place and we will definitely recommend Samoa to our families and friends back home.

We will tell them that it is a must for them to come and see this beautiful place and meet the wonderful people.
Dear Editor,

As the lead author of the report on HIV and STI risk and vulnerability among key populations in Samoa I would respectfully like to respond to the Honourable Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr Leao Talalelei Tuitama and the Honourable Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

We urge the Prime Minister and the Minster of Health to read both the cross-Pacific summary of the findings and the Samoa report which are available online:

http://www.pacific.undp.org/content/pacific/en/home/library/DG/pacific-multicountry-mapping-behavioural-study-key-findings.html

Samoa was part of a nine-country study across the Pacific.

The study was undertaken to estimate population sizes of key groups vulnerable to HIV:  faafafine, men who have sex with men, sex workers and seafarers; to map levels of vulnerability to HIV and STIs; and to provide evidence of barriers to prevention in order to improve effectiveness of HIV prevention efforts.

We had considerable support for the study which was funded by the Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria, through UNDP and UNICEF.

The study had ethical approval from the Samoan Ministry of Health and the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

The researchers have a long history of sex worker research in the Pacific.

The data collected in Samoa found that there was a small group of women selling sex. The number of sex workers (400) was estimated at stakeholder meetings and with interviews with those involved.

Two-thirds of the women selling sex were not employed, and sex workers themselves told us that they undertook sex work for economic reasons.

The most worrying issues out of the study were that only half of the women used condoms the last time they had sex with a client, and none of them had used a sexual health service or been tested for HIV in the last 12 months In-depth interviews show that the money they receive from sex work helps pay the bills.

Regards,

Heather Worth

Professor, Global Health

School of Public Health and Community Medicine

University of New South Wales

2052, NSW

AUSTRALIA
It was an emotional moment for historian and author, Dr. Patricia OBrien, on Wednesday evening.

She was at the National University of Samoa standing in front of dignitaries, members of the Diplomatic Corps, and invited guests in the Samoan Fale there, and she was about to deliver her presentation on her book, Tautai", about the life and history of Taisi O.F. Nelson.

To her far right sat the former Samoan Head of State, and grandson of the late Taisi, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, looking on and adding to what was a stirring, poignant moment for Tuiatua, as a direct descendant, and for author, Dr OBrien.

After four years of pouring herself into this project, Dr OBrien had finally brought Taisi home.

The Australian High Commissioner, H.E. Sue Langford, gave the introductory remarks, and spoke about how hard it was for her to put the book down, while reading it.

She told the audience that in Tautai one can expect a story rich in historical detail and a moving one at that, with personal insights into the man, Taisi O.F. Nelson, his life and his ambitions.

Although serious historical research was undertaken in the writing of this book, one only needed to take a look at the bibliography to see the number of primary, and in some cases unpublished sources, as Her Excellency emphasised that family was at the heart of the book.

In her opening speech, Dr Patricia OBrien, became overwhelmed with emotion as she brushed away tears, recalling the thousands of hours spent journeying all over the world, of researching and writing, meeting with other research experts as well as the descendants of Taisi.

She took us back four years ago in 2012 to the moment she discovered Taisi O.F. Nelson, in Pacific historical documents while she was on a J.D. Stout Fellowship at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand.

From there, she sought permission of the then Samoa Head of State, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, to proceed with the autobiography.

Her journey in bringing Tautai to life began the moment her feet hit the ground at Faleolo Airport, as she was on her way to meet with Taisis grandson, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi.

As the evening came to a close, Dr OBrien remarked how incredibly overwhelmed she was to be in Samoa.

In calling the book Tautai which plays homage to the significant Pacific Pioneer and Navigator in Taisi O. F. Nelson, who lived and travelled all over the world forging new pathways in business enterprise and growing his immense wealth, it was not lost on everyone that this Tautai", had journeyed one more time across the seas but this time round, the coordinates were homebound.

A prayer service was held at the Tuaefu Gravesite yesterday, and the book, "Tautai, Samoa, World History and the Life of Ta'isi O.F. Nelson," is launched this morning, 10am at the Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi building.
The owner of Samoana Rentals, Leiataua James Arp believes that hybrid cars are ideal for Samoa.

Last year, Samoana Rentals scored a first, by bringing the first electric car into Samoa, the Nissan Leaf.

I have both an electric car and the hybrid car, he told the Samoa Observer.

The hybrid car can run on either electricity or petrol.

Leiataua explained that they landed the 2011 model hybrid here for over 32,000 tala and that included duty, freight, wharfage, handling, quarantine and all other fees.

A fully electrical car on the other hand was more than $50,000.

The hybrid car is ideal for Samoa, and I can tell you from what we found, from 0 to 40km an hour, the engine is run on battery.

Then from 40km up it kicks in the engine then the engine carries on from the electric and starts charging the battery.

That is how it works.

He went on to say that hybrid cars dont go over the 40km so most of the time you travel youre only using the battery.

Other countries have found it perfect for taxis so as the government is trying to introduce both vehicles, I just want to let the public know that a perfect vehicle for Samoa is the hybrid.

They come in six seater vans, Toyota Camrys, Honda Pres, and other models like Nissan.

I am not sure what the cost of the hybrid is now, because the government has just introduced their new systems at Customs, but if the government is serious about the renewable energy and the cost of the energy and everything, they have to do something about the duty.

Leiataua also said that they bought a 2012 Nissan Leaf second hand electric car to Samoa.

Its landing costs which includes freight cost, handling, wharfage and other miscellaneous fees is over $50,000.

He added that from his own view as businessman, he has problem with electric car.

First it doesnt have an engine, because the duty then was based on the year of the car and the size of the engine, but it doesnt have an engine - its a battery-operated vehicle.

But since Customs havent got a category for this car because it doesnt have an engine, so theres nothing to categorise their duty and I ended up in paying more duty on the electric car than a normal vehicle.

But I have heard since the beginning of this year, the structure of the duty has now been changed and is based on the structure of the invoice (duty).

Therefore it doubles the price of the duty for the same vehicle compared to last year.

He said that the Samoana Rentals brought in the electric car in Samoa to see if it was feasible here in Samoa.

Its very good, however the charging stations havent set up by the government to charge these cars so therefore we cant rent out electric car to the tourists because we dont have charging stations like they do in Auckland.

In New Zealand they have charging stations everywhere.

Even McDonalds have them. You charge your car while you go and have food, and theyre all free everywhere in New Zealand. The reason for that is to try and encourage people to bring in electric cars.

In Samoa, people wont import any cars if we havent got any charging stations in Upolu, the airport, at the wharf, Aleipata, Siumu, Falealili. We need to have those in place before people seriously think of bringing electric cars.

There is no way people will start bringing in those electric car if they dont have those charging stations. Its like the old problem...what comes first?...chicken or the egg?

The range is short, its 120 km per (fully) charge and I believe by the next generation it will be 300km range.

That will be good, tourists can travel around the island and then charge up in Upolu and there should be a charging station in all the hotels.

Its very cheap, charging the car is very cheap. To fully charge the electric car it is approximately $15-$16 compared to the petrol one.

One of the officials at the Customs who spoke to Samoa Observer on condition of anonymity said that the cost of the duty is based on the original cost of the vehicle.

Last week, Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi in his weekly programme with Talamua, says that some countries have set 2020 while other 2030 as a deadline to convert to electric vehicles in their respective countries.

Other countries have also set similar deadlines for hybrid vehicles only, added Tuilaepa.

And while the electrical and hybrid vehicles are environmentally friendly, the Prime Minister noted that they are also very expensive with a price tag of 200-thousand tala per hybrid car. The Prime Minister says that he is not blind to the looming change and he has shared his thoughts with his Revenue Minister on how best to address the importation of hybrid and electrical cars in the coming years.

One option which the Prime Minister is eyeing is a range of duty concessions to encourage car dealership to import the new brand vehicles.

And while it is not an urgent issue, Tuilaepa says that one thing is for sure, Samoa will have little say in the matter but to follow suit if other countries proceed with the change to electrical and hybrid vehicles.
With the Miss Samoa Pageant still to be staged next month, the Samoa Events Inc (S.E.I.) has already had to deal with a pre pageant drama out of Australia.

An incomplete application from Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant for a Miss Adele Faaosofia to S.E.I. did not meet the requirements or adhere to the rules of the pageant and was duly rejected.

Miss Faaosofia was then sponsored by another group, Miss Samoa Victoria Inc which meticulously followed the pageant rules and sent in an application which was accepted by S.E.I.

The original group, Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant has since lawyered up and appealed for reconsideration of S.E.Is decision.

However the Samoa Events Inc (S.E.I.) in charge of the Miss Samoa Inc. Pageant stands by their decision.

They have rejected a second application from the Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant group out of Australia for their candidate to participate in the upcoming Miss Samoa 2017.

It was for certain reasons, they said.

This is according to Samoa Events Inc Attorney, Fagaloa Tufuga, in response to the Samoa Observer questions.

Fagaloa made it clear that while Adele Faaosofia, a confirmed contestant was initially with Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant, she is now represented by Miss Samoa Victoria Inc (dba Victoria Samoa Advisory Council Incorporation).

According to Fagaloa, S.E.I. granted their application given that they met all of the requirements.

Fagaloa said: My client maintains all participants have been dealt with and managed professionally in accordance with the rules.

And they are looking forward to hosting yet another successful Samoa Beauty Pageant.

Meanwhile, the Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant has also retained an attorney who had since appealed to S.E.I. chairperson, Laeimau Oketevi Tanuvsa to reconsider their decision.

However it has been to no avail.

Principal Solicitor Paul Lewis on behalf of Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant points out their Law Firm was retained by Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant and were given instructions.

Chairperson Laeimau first denied the Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageants application in her 7 August, 2017 letter.

She noted that Samoa Events Inc. conducted due diligence and a background check on the information they received from Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant.

S.E.I. has considered your application and has rejected it due to the following reasons: the Registration received from you on Wednesday 2nd August 2017, was incomplete; forms were unsigned, as requested in the forms for the signatures of the contestant and sponsor there was missing information such as education, attainment and extra information to be filled by the contestant (100 words).

S.E.I. received a copy of the ASIC (Australian Securities & Investment Commission) from you which stated the date 3 August 2016, with the next renewal date 3rd August 2018.

Furthermore, there is also a statement that says that the record of registration issued by A.S.I.C. on 12 July 2017. Based on the information which you have submitted, S.E.I. accordingly carried a due diligence check on the Australian Government - Australian Business Register, ABN Search.

Your ABN # 78 875 311 928 for Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant, clearly stated that your ABN status was active from 03 August 2016 to 26 June 2017.

But it also says that your ABN was cancelled on the 26th June 2017 until current.

Laeimau pointed out the cancellation of the ABN on 26th June 2017 means the pageant held on July 29th 2017, indicates the business was not registered.

And therefore, you did not comply with the rules of the Miss Samoa 2017 Pageant that S.E.I. sent to you on Tuesday 20th June 2017.

Laeimau then noted the relevant rules from the Government of Samoa for S.E.I. to implement the Miss Samoa Inc.

Furthermore, Laeimau indicated that Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant did not pay the registration fee for the candidate of $300WST.

Regarding Faaosofia, Laeimau stated that she sent a signed letter to the Miss Samoa Directors and Organizing Committee, acknowledging her intention to participate in the Miss Samoa 2017 pageant.

And she has explicitly stated that she does not wish to be represented by the Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant business name.

She has chosen to be represented by Victoria Samoa Advisory Council as Miss Samoa Victoria Inc, for the Miss Samoa 2017 Pageant, she said in her letter.

However Paul Lewis Principal Solicitor, who represents Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant in his rebuttal letter dated 8 August, 2017 sought another chance to participate in the Miss Samoa 2017.

We ask that you reconsider your rejection and, to assist your reconsideration. Mr Lewis said his client accepted that the application, while sent within the deadline was incomplete.

This was due to circumstances beyond their control and their genuine intention was to complete the application to your satisfaction at the earliest possible opportunity.

Mr Lewis says they have submitted their revised application included in the letter.

They also attached signed forms and the information pertaining to education, attainment and extra information to be filled by the contestant.

Furthermore according to the Attorney, they also sent an extract from the Australian Securities & Investments Commission database on the Business Name Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant as at 8 August, 2017 and they also provided an Historical Details Record produced by the Australian Business Register in relation to the Australian Business Number (ABN) 78 875 311 928.

He explained the cancellation of the ABN, to which you refer, was a very short-term technicality that has been rectified as attested to by the Historical Details Record produced by the Australian Business Register.

Furthermore the Historical Details Record produced by the Australian Business Register, shows that registration of the ABN was current at the time of holding of the pageant on 29 July 2017, says Mr Lewis.

He further pointed out that Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant was a registered business at the time of holding the pageant and our Client was not in breach of the rules of the Miss Samoa Pageant 2017 competition.

Our Client is ready, willing and able to meet the requirement of paying the $300 tala for registration.

Miss Adele Faaosofia is a registered participant in the pageant operated by our Client.

Mr Lewis says: for your records and information, a completed application form by Miss Adele Faaosofia along with the Terms and Conditions that she agreed too.

We particularly refer you to rule (9) of Section VII Obligations of Contestants, which reads: The winner of the contest is obliged to follow the winners obligation and enter into contract with the Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant, abiding by the rules outlined in the document called Contract between Miss Samoa Victoria winner and the Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant.

Your attention is also directed to rule (1) of Section IX Winners Obligation, which reads: Miss Samoa Victoria shall be responsible to Miss Samoa Victoria Pageant Organisation and CANTOA Group of Companies during her one year reign.

Accordingly, we advise that Miss Adele Faaosofia does not have authority to enter into separate negotiations with the Miss Samoa Directors and Organizing Committee nor does she have the legal right to be represented by Victoria Samoa Advisory Council as Miss Samoa Victoria Inc, or any other party for the Miss Samoa 2017 Pageant.

For her to do so would be a breach of her contract with our Client and, your allowing such now that you have been put on notice, will be seen as your aiding and abetting such a breach.

Mr Lewis says in his letter: there is a vociferous minority within the Victorian Samoan community who have recently defamed our Clients operations and, on instructions, we will shortly be turning our attention to assist our Client in extinguishing their concerns and thereby reuniting the community in their support of the organisation of our Client, Miss Samoa Victoria Beauty Pageant.

Our Client is a well-respected organisation within the Victorian Samoan community, with the majority of the community giving them their full support.

It is on this basis and for the reasons stated above that we can assure you that our Client is the correct and proper organisation for you to be dealing with in regards the Miss Samoa 2017 Pageant.

Accordingly, we again urge you to reconsider the rejection of our Clients application to you, says Mr Lewis in his reconsideration letter to S.E.I.
By PTI: Jodhpur, Aug 18 (PTI) Taking serious note of the condition of Hindu migrants from Pakistan, the Rajasthan High Court has issued notice to the state and central governments seeking their response on why the matter of granting citizenship to them has been lingering.

The court also took note of a recent case, wherein a migrant family was deported to Pakistan by officials for alleged violation of visa rules.

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While listing the matter for hearing on August 24, the court has also deputed two amici curiae to assist it.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the issue, a division bench of Justices Govind Mathur and Vineet Kumar Mathur observed that the marks of the tragedy of partition are still deep in the memories and life of these migrants.

They are forced to live in miserable, inhuman conditions in Bangladesh and Pakistan on account of social and political discrimination as they are a minority community, the court said.

It stated that in such a condition, these people seek refuge in India expecting a dignified and fearless life.

But citing rules, they are again forced back to Pakistan, where their miseries begin again.

"These migrants are subjected to fresh miseries after coming to India against their expectation of a peaceful and respectable life here," the court observed.

It took a serious note of lingering issue of grant of citizenship to about 22,000 migrants despite various notifications and circulars aimed at simplification of the procedure of application for citizenship and expediting the process of granting them citizenship. PTI CORR RT

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San Diego County saw modest employment gains last month as the region added 3,000 jobs, although the gain was not as robust as the monthly increase a year ago, when payrolls grew by 8,000.

Most notable in the employment numbers released Friday by the state Employment Development Department is the sharp increase in job creation statewide.

Despite fears that the state might be losing momentum, Californias economy accelerated in July as employers added nearly 82,600 jobs to their payrolls. The growth far exceeded the number of jobs created during the entire first half of 2017 and was the largest advance since April 2016, pointed out Lynn Reaser, economist at Point Loma Nazarene University.

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At the same time, the state unemployment rate edged up slightly to 4.8 percent, from 4.7 percent in June, although it was significantly lower than the year-ago rate of 5.4 percent, the state data show.

While the state report shows San Diego employers shedding 7,900 workers between June and July, those numbers were not adjusted for seasonal variations.

San Diegos actual increase of 3,000 jobs, which is an adjusted number, represented the best gain since January, said Reaser. The regions unemployment rate of 4.2 percent, unchanged from June, is just below the nations 4.3 percent jobless rate and well under Californias 4.8 percent.

Year-over-year job gains give a better perspective on the health of San Diegos economy, Reaser said. The picture is one of an economy that is still expanding but one that has also lost some of the robust momentum seen over the past few years.

Reaser suspects there are a number of factors driving San Diegos slower pace of employment growth compared to the states, among them a steeper minimum wage in the city of San Diego and higher housing prices than many other areas of the state. San Diego is also closer to full employment than the state, meaning local employers may be having a harder time filling open job slots, she noted.

Its possible that the minimum wage is having an impact on hiring in one of the big job generators  the restaurant industry, Reaser said. Our minimum wage is up to $11.50 an hour vs. the state number, which is $10.50 for businesses with 26 or more employees. If you look at restaurant employment growth statewide, it was 3.1 percent over the last year, while San Diego is 0.5 percent.

Overall, the countys nonfarm employment was up by about 20,000 jobs between July of this year and July of 2016, which is considerably less than the year-ago gain of about 33,000, Reaser said.

Based on unadjusted jobs numbers from the state, government recorded the largest employment decline in San Diego, down 11,500 jobs last month, according to the employment department. Five sectors added jobs over the month, with the most notable gains coming from leisure and hospitality, up by 3,800.

Statewide, government posted the largest jobs increase with a gain of 18,800, followed by and educational and health services, up by almost the same number, and leisure and hospitality, up 15,200 jobs.

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lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-2251

Twitter: @loriweisberg
Riverside County prosecutors filed torture and child abuse charges Thursday against a San Diego-based Navy sailor and his girlfriend, two days after the sailors malnourished 5-year-old son was found gravely injured in their Murrieta home.

Benjamin Whitten, 33, and Jeryn Johnson, 25, face life in prison if convicted.

The couple appeared in a French Valley courtroom Thursday, where Riverside Superior Court Judge John Davis ordered bail for each of them to remain at $1 million, Riverside County District Attorney spokesman John Hall said.

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Formal arraignment was postponed until next week to appoint an attorney for Johnson.

Police and medics responding to a 911 call about a child in need of medical aid found the boy suffering from severe injuries and malnutrition in the house where the child lived with the couple on Verdun Lane, east of Interstate 15, about 10 a.m. Tuesday, Murrieta police Lt. Tony Conrad said.

The boy was flown to a San Diego County hospital and listed in grave condition. The couple was interviewed and arrested that same day.

Hall said Thursday that the child remains in grave condition. If he dies, it is possible for prosecutors to add a murder charge.

Conrad said that when investigators searched the home, they encountered extremely unsanitary living conditions.

Feces and urine were found throughout, and animal control officers removed 11 dogs, four cats and two fish.

Whitten works as a nuclear machinists mate at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Detachment at Naval Base Point Loma. Johnson, according to her Facebook page, fosters dogs for an animal rescue organization.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
CARLSBAD

Kindergarten kickoff next week at library

The Carlsbad library hosts a free Kindergarten Kickoff with stories, songs, games and crafts to help kids get ready for their first day of school. Children and accompanying adults are invited to the session at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 24 at the Georgina Cole Library, 1250 Carlsbad Village Drive. Sign-ups are required. Call (760) 434-2872.

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Local youth attends gene conference

Mackenzie Zorn, 17, of Carlsbad recently attended the Global Gene Conference in San Diego to promote awareness for narcolepsy, one of 7,000 rare and genetic diseases reported on at the conference. Mackenzie has had narcolepsy since age 10 and is a Youth Ambassador for Narcolepsy Network USA in Southern California. At the convention, she represented the network and spoke to groups and individuals on how to test for narcolepsy. The nonprofit Narcolepsy Network helps fund research and information on rare neurological sleep disorders. Contact globalgenes.org, narcolepsynetwork.org or yasocalteam@hotmail.com.

DEL MAR

Foundation gives $1.26M to district

The Del Mar Schools Education Foundation recently donated $1.263 million to the Del Mar Union School District toward the districts STEAM + curriculum, which provides integrated, hands-on instruction by credentialed specialists in science, technology, engineering, arts, music and physical education. The foundation raised $1.3 million this year. Six of the districts eight schools increased their revenue this year, and the foundation also benefited from 22 local businesses that made large contributions.

ESCONDIDO

Interim principal for Del Lago Academy

Ruth Hellams has been named interim principal for Del Lago Academy  Campus of Applied Science in the Escondido Union High School District. For the past 10 years, she has been the districts director of curriculum and professional development. Before joining the district, she was the principal at Fallbrook High School. She earned a bachelors degree in secondary education from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, and a masters in education from Azusa Pacific University.

Scholarship recipient raises more than $1K

Escondido Future Farmers of America member Elizabeth Habib raised more than $1,000 at this years San Diego County Fair in memory of fellow FFA member Amber DuBois. Elizabeth is the recipient of the Amber Lamb Scholarship, which enables an Escondido FFA student to buy and raise a lamb. An Escondido High student, Amber was killed in 2009 at age 14 while on her way to buy her FFA lamb; her killer was later caught and sentenced. Scholarship recipients share Ambers story and encourage scholarship donations. Elizabeths goal was to raise $1,000 for the scholarship so that next year, two students could raise lambs. She won first place in Novice Master Showmanship after qualifying by placing first in Lamb Novice Showmanship. Her lamb, Lamber, weighed in at 135 pounds and was sold for $8.25 a pound, earning $1,113.75 toward the scholarship.

NORTH COUNTY

Area students graduate

Graduating from the University of Wisconsin at Madison are: Daniel Thompson of Carlsbad, bachelors degree, geology and geophysics; Jeremy Dinkin of Del Mar, bachelors degree, business administration: international business and marketing; Charles Beck of Encinitas, bachelors degree, journalism; Jennifer Ehlers of Encinitas, bachelors degree, communication arts; Sean Znachko of Encinitas, doctor of law degree; Jeremy Nuttall of Poway, masters degree in art.

OCEANSIDE

OUSD gets new director of special ed

James Wood has been named the new director of special education for the Oceanside Unified School District. He brings more than 17 years of experience in education, most recently as the executive director of special education for the Capistrano Unified School District. He has also been a program specialist for the East County SELPA, where he provided staff development to districts on the legal aspects of special education, behavior support, crisis intervention, curriculum design and delivery, and more.

SAN DIEGUITO

New principal at Oak Crest Middle School

The San Dieguito Union High School District has appointed San Dieguito Academy Assistant Principal Brieahna Weatherford as the new principal of Oak Crest Middle School. Weatherford began her teaching career in SDUHSD as a summer school math teacher, long-term substitute, and adult education teacher. She has also taught at Escondido High School and was an assistant principal at Mission Vista High School. She returned to the San Dieguito district in 2015 as an assistant principal at San Dieguito Academy. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California Santa Barbara and her teaching credential and masters degree from National University. She recently completed her doctorate at UC San Diego.

SAN MARCOS

Pivot Charter school graduates class

Pivot Charter School seniors from around North County celebrated their graduation recently at the San Marcos Civic Center: Aaron Schmitt, Tristan Roberts, Madeline Reese, Trevor Owens, Dustin Oliff, Osiris Martinez, Trevor Farrell and Austin Castaneda. Pivot Charter School San Diego, with a resource center in San Marcos, offers students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade a blended learning program of online courses, teacher support and subject-specific tutoring as well as hands-on projects. Students also have the opportunity for social interaction through clubs, resource center events, and field trips. Visit pivotsandiego.com.

VISTA

Club donates books to elementary schools

The Womans Club of Vista GFWC recently donated 200 books each to Maryland, Hannalei, and Monte Vista elementary schools. Member Alice Reule and her husband, Jack, made the deliveries. Collecting the books was a yearlong effort for President Nancy B. Jones, incoming President Judy Pantazo, and Parliamentarian Lori Sanna. Member donations were supplemented by new First Books purchased by the club. Visit womansclubofvista.org.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
A community-based nonprofit in Bonita recently transformed the outdoor space at one of its three preschools, extending the learning environment from inside the classroom to outside.

Child Development Associates currently operates three state-subsidized full-day preschool centers in the county: in west Chula Vista, south San Diego and most recently in National City.

All of them provide children from low-income families access to early education, free or reduced childcare and meals.

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On July 27 local business leaders, elected officials and members of the community celebrated the opening of its brand new playground, completely transformed into an outdoor learning environment.

The changes are thanks to a $246,000 grant from First Five San Diego.

The National City Parks Center at 2200 E. Ave, has operated in National City for about 25 years.

Child Development Associates has provided child care and development services throughout the county since 1974.

The preschool program serves children ages 3 to 5 and operates year-round.

The cost of childcare is very expensive.  I think supporting working parents and investing in children helps families break out of the poverty cycle, said president and CEO Rick Richardson.

Chula Vista resident Anna Maruca, has a 4-year-old daughter, Carmela, attending school at the Chula Vista location. Her 2-year-old son, Cesare, is on the waiting list.

Its a blessing that were here, she said. It gives me peace of mind that  Im not sacrificing quality of care just because I cant afford it.

For more information visit cdapreschools.org.
Authorities are probing a Tuesday aerial mishap at 21,000 feet that forced pilots to make an emergency landing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and sent five service members to the hospital for decompression sickness.

While on a scheduled training mission carrying 46 passengers, a Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules tanker assigned to the Raiders of Miramar-based Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 began to lose internal compartment pressure around 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a written Marine statement emailed to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The crew of the four-engine turboprop plane expertly executed appropriate procedures and safely landed, but the following day four Marines and a sailor from Camp Pendletons 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion began showing signs of decompression sickness and were taken to Naval Medical Center San Diego.

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Treated and released, they did not require hospitalization, according to the statement.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Tuesdays mishap came only four days after Marine Commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller ordered all squadrons to ground flights for 24-hour safety training. His call for crews to rehash the fundamentals of safe flight operations stemmed from a slew of Marine aircraft accidents worldwide.

Three Marines died on Aug. 5 when an MV-22B Osprey assigned to the Dragons of the Japan-based Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 crashed in Australias Shoalwater Bay during a routine training exercise.

On July 10, a Hercules KC-130T aircraft crewed by the Yankees of the New York-based Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 45 crashed into a bean field in rural Mississippi. Fifteen Marines and a sailor died.

The next day at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina, lightning struck three mechanics, killing one, while they worked on an MV-22B Osprey. They were assigned to the Raging Bulls of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261.

On June 27 at Miramar, a flash fire critically injured two Marine mechanics working on an McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet strike fighter. They were assigned to the Cowboys of the Texas-based Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 and an initial probe pinned blame for the blaze a drip pan filled with flammable liquids that ignited.

Despite Tuesdays mishap, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 is considered one of the best units in the service. On March 27, the squadron received the coveted 2017 Marine Corps Aviation Association Henry Wildfang award for successfully completing a wide range of missions while compiling the most mishap free hours.

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cprine@sduniontribune.com
The Marine Corps on Friday announced the indefinite grounding of the tanker aircraft that mysteriously lost cabin pressure four days earlier, triggering an emergency landing and hospital care for five troops.

We want to identify exactly what caused this mishap, to learn the lessons from it and ensure that we prevent future problems, said Marine spokeswoman Capt. Morgan M. Frazer.

The pressure dip occurred around 11:20 a.m. Tuesday while the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules tanker was at 21,000 feet after taking off from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. It was flying toward Fort Carson, Colorado, to drop off 46 members of Camp Pendletons 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion for training, Frazer said.

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The aviation crew of six Raiders from Miramar-based Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 immediately took the four-engine turboprop plane to 10,000 feet before returning to Miramar to make an emergency landing.

The crew acted properly to safely deliver the passengers to the ground, said Frazer.

The next day, four Marines and a sailor passenger began showing symptoms of decompression sickness and were treated and released by physicians at Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Tuesdays mishap came only four days after Marine Commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller ordered all squadrons to pause flights for 24-hour safety training. His call for crews to rehash the fundamentals of safe flight operations came in the wake of a slew of Marine aircraft accidents worldwide.

The Raiders stand down is slated for Monday at Miramar.

Three Marines died on Aug. 5 when an MV-22B Osprey assigned to the Dragons of the Japan-based Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 crashed in Australias Shoalwater Bay during a routine training exercise.

On July 10, a Hercules KC-130T aircraft crewed by the Yankees of the New York-based Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 45 crashed into a bean field in rural Mississippi. Fifteen Marines and a sailor died.

The next day at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina, lightning struck three mechanics, killing one, while they worked on an MV-22B Osprey. They were assigned to the Raging Bulls of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261.

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cprine@sduniontribune.com
A 1-year-old center at the University of California San Diego has received a $3.3 million grant to extend its scholarly work on national security.

The grant from the Charles Koch Foundation will allow UC San Diegos Center for Peace and Security Studies to step up its analysis of new and emerging modes of conflict.

Center director Erik Gartzke said that list includes cybersecurity, military automation, weapons of mass destruction, cross-domain deterrence and how intelligence can be derived from big data.

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Gartzke, a UC San Diego political science professor since 2007, talked about his plans for the five-year grant.

Q: How did the Center for Peace and Security Studies get started last year?

A: Its the product of three forces. One is that UCSD is one of the most prominent centers for the study of international politics. Its a nice group of talented scholars who are famous for thinking outside the box.

The second was the recession, which caused the budget for the campus to shrink. At the time, my big concern was funding graduate students.

The third element was a grant from a Defense Department fund called Minerva. In our case, what they funded was a project to think about emerging issues with deterrence.

The U.S. military has realized it is entering a new era where the kinds of challenges and threats it is going to confront require sophistication and finesse. The traditional problems that governments face, the U.S. is very good at. But our adversaries have developed new ways of confronting us that are trickier.

Q: What does the new grant allow you to do?

A: It allows us to build on strengths weve established. The center is team-based and uses an interdisciplinary approach to research, which is pretty unusual in the social sciences. Its experimental. The funders liked that.

Q: How might this affect San Diegans or the public in general?

A: The world is becoming more complicated. The advent of new technologies and the growth of human interaction creates new opportunities for conflict. We see that with cyber -- where we all use the Internet, but weve discovered that the bad guys use the Internet too.

Q: Can you give us a specific example?

A: If you live in San Diego, youve probably seen an aircraft carrier. One thing we are doing, that were pretty sure nobodys done before, is to figure out the connection to where things are, like aircraft carriers, and what happens. Whether there is a change in foreign policy.

Well be able to tell people, for example, when certain kinds of deployments are escalatory, meaning leading to a crisis, and when they are a deterrent.

The research weve been doing may allow us to calculate odds based on over 100 years of data that contains every foreign policy crisis for every country.

What weve done is take that data set and expand the details, so we have every action of every key actor. So we can follow the tit-for-tat process in a crisis and see what kinds of things are de-escalatory, what kind of things inflame the interaction between actors.

Its built off an existing data set on crisis actions. But were the first project to ever code all the actions and reactions.

Were never going to be able to predict with certainty. But I think we can add some insight that the leaders of the country would want to know. What are the likely reactions to any action that I take? We can give them odds.

Q: Your funder, Charles Koch, is a controversial figure in American politics. He and his brother have spent millions of dollars from their personal fortunes to influence recent elections. How does his involvement affect your academic research?

A: This is a nonprofit charitable foundation engaged in supporting scholarly work.

Theres an arms-length relationship. They are not telling us what to study. They are supporting the research we are doing because they think were doing a good job at that research.

The foundation is different from the political activities of the family. They support over 200 centers at different universities around the county, including Berkeley and UCLA.

We expect it will be a very positive relationship for us as well.

Q: When can the public expect to see your results?

A: This is a 5-year grant, but we expect to have new insights every year.

What I can say as the director is, come take a look at the centers website. On a regular basis, we will be sharing our discoveries as they emerge.

And Im sure well benefit from people asking questions and challenging our assumptions.

jen.steele@sduniontribune.com

Facebook: U-T Military

Twitter: @jensteeley
By PTI: (Eds: With update on bail granted to the accused)

New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Police today arrested the security manager of a five-star hotel for allegedly molesting a 33-year-old woman employee and attempting to disrobe her.

The arrest on the July 30 complaint filed by the woman came after a CCTV footage of the alleged incident surfaced in which the accused is purportedly seen trying to pull the womans sari.

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Later in the day, the accused was granted bail by a city court on a personal bond of Rs 25,000.

The woman alleged that the man had been putting pressure on her for a physical relation and that she had been resisting his advances.

On July 29, he called her for a birthday party to his room, tried to disrobe her and even offered to get her the gifts she wanted, she alleged.

The woman told police that she complained to the HR of the hotel, but was sacked.

The woman approached the police with a complaint and a case was registered on July 30.

After the complaint was filed, the police questioned both the sides and following a probe, the accused was arrested today.

"After the woman lodged a complaint, a case was registered and the evidences she gave were being cross- checked. She also submitted some CCTV footages that were put under verification," said Dependra Pathak, chief spokesperson, Delhi Police and special commissioner of police (Operations).

The accused was called, examined and the statement was taken of the victim. The accused said certain things to counter what the woman said and they were also examined.

"Prima facie, the culpability on the part of the accused was found and he was arrested today. Further investigation has been taken up," said Pathak.

Another officer privy to the investigation said that the accused claimed that the woman had a boyfriend at the workplace and he was abusive towards her. Their conduct was improper, the accused alleged.

The accused claimed that one of the cameras installed at the hotel had captured her boyfriend assaulting her, following which he was sacked, said the other officer.

The woman wanted her boyfriend to be hired again and on that day, she had come to the security managers room to plead for her boyfriends job, the accused told the police.

He alleged that the CCTV footage was concocted and doctored.

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However, the police arrested the accused since it was found that the accused had touched her sari and his conduct was improper.

He was later produced in a court.

Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria granted bail to the accused after furnishing a personal bond of Rs 25,000. If held guilty of molestation, the accused can be awarded a maximum of two-year jail term or a fine or both. PTI SLB VIT SMN

--- ENDS ---
A federal judge on Thursday threw out a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the mother of a 26-year old man fatally shot by a deputy U.S. marshal in a Fairfax-area alley in 2008.

Alice Smithen brought the civil suit against the federal government in 2009, but it was put on hold as former Deputy Matthew Itkowitz faced criminal charges.

He was sentenced in 2015 to 15 months in federal prison for obstruction of justice in connection with the shooting. Prosecutors argued that he made misleading statements to police shortly after shooting Smithens son, Ryan Gonzalez.

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U.S. District Judge George H. Wu wrote that Smithens lawyer failed to make the case that the government was liable when Itkowitz killed Gonzalez in the alley off Melrose Avenue.

Itkowitz was not acting as a marshal when he killed Gonzalez, Wu wrote, nor did he try to arrest Gonzalez before shooting him.

Smithens lawyer, Michael J. Grobaty, said Gonzalezs family was disappointed by Wus decision.

My clients just want to move on with their lives, he said. They are pleased that their efforts resulted in [Itkowitz] being criminally prosecuted, but they understood the case against the United States was a difficult one.

We did not get justice in this case.  Ray Smithen, step-father of man killed by a deputy U.S. marshal in 2008

Video of the shooting  played repeatedly during the criminal trial in 2015  shows Itkowitz and Gonzalez fighting after Gonzalez intervened in a dispute between Itkowitz and his wife outside the tattoo parlor where Gonzalez worked.

After the men exchanged blows, they walked away from each other. Later Itkowitz can be seen removing a gun from the waistband of his pants and holding it behind his right leg as Gonzalez walks away from him.

In the video, recorded by a wall-mounted security camera in the alley, Gonzalez turns back toward Itkowitz when the deputy marshal shoots him. Gonzalez was shot five times, including twice in his back as he ran from Itkowitz, prosecutors said during the 2015 trial.

Gonzalezs stepfather, Ray Smithen, blamed the Los Angeles County district attorneys office for not filing state charges against Itkowitz as well as federal prosecutors for botching their 2015 case against the former deputy. The judge in that case threw out more serious civil rights charges against Itkowitz, saying that federal prosecutors did not provide enough evidence to convict him of depriving Gonzalezs civil rights under color of law when he shot him.

We did not get justice in this case, Ray Smithen said.

javier.panzar@latimes.com

For more Southern California news, follow me on Twitter: @jpanzar
A 21-year-old man who drove under the influence of alcohol, struck and fatally injured a pedestrian and then left the scene near downtown San Diego, was sentenced Thursday to 11 years in prison.

David Dominguez was arrested in April at his familys home in Encanto after police found the damaged SUV he had driven the night before.

He pleaded guilty later to a charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and an allegation that he fled after hitting the victim, Garold Allen Crosbie, 50.

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Noting that the defendant was extremely drunk at the time of the crash, San Diego Superior Court Judge Michael Groch explained that he sees cases like this one all too often  DUI cases in which there is destruction of two families at the hands of one person.

But unlike many other defendants in drunken-driving cases, Dominguez had no previous criminal record and the judge said he took that into account when deciding the appropriate sentence. He picked the middle term, instead of the maximum of 15 years in prison.

The incident happened April 6, near San Diegos Waterfront Park. According to police and prosecutors, Crosbie was walking north across West Laurel Street in a crosswalk at Pacific Highway when a white Jeep Patriot struck him about 11:20 p.m.

Dominguez, who was behind the wheel of the Jeep, ran a red light before hitting Crosbie. The defendant kept driving after the crash, going on to pick up his girlfriend at the airport where she worked and then to his home.

Deputy District Attorney Laura Evans argued that the defendant deserved the maximum prison term because of the stupid choices he made that night. He drank four beers and a shot of alcohol with friends before driving the SUV. He drove 60 to 70 mph in a 40 mph zone and he failed to stop or call police after striking Crosbie.

It was a very, very preventable death, Evans said.

At the sentencing hearing, the victims family members described Crosbie as an intelligent man who liked to take things apart and figure out how they worked. He served four years in the Navy, and lived in Japan for a year, before he was honorably discharged.

Crosbie, who lived in a motor home but had recently spent more than a year living with family, had struggled with addiction but was working to change his life for the better. He had just gotten out of a rehabilitation program three weeks before he was killed, his stepfather James Fay said.

Gary came back to San Diego clean and ready to make a new life, Fay told the judge. But that new life was cut short.

Friends and family described Dominguez as a caring, generous and hard-working young man, raised by a single mother, who had become a role model for his younger siblings. They acknowledged he made terrible decisions the night of the crash, but said those choices didnt align with how he was raised.

Several supporters who came to court Thursday offered apologies and condolences to Crosbies family.

When Dominguez was given a chance to speak in court, he apologized for what he had done and said he hoped the victims family would be able to forgive him someday.

I just hope that you dont look at me as a monster, because Im not, he said, adding that he was struggling to forgive himself.

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @danalittlefield
Leaders from universities and community colleges in San Diego issued statements this week condemning racism in the wake of the violent rally in Charlottesville, Va.

We condemn this vile display of inhumanity, hatred and violence; extend our condolences to the family and friends of those who lost their lives and were injured; and stand in solidarity with our colleagues at the University of Virginia, read a statement issued Monday by UC San Diego and signed by Chancellor Pradeep Khosla and several academic leaders.

On Wednesday, University of San Diego President James Harris posted similar sentiments on the schools Facebook page.

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As a university community committed to respecting the dignity and humanity of all people, we are compelled to soundly and unequivocally denounce the hatred and racism that provoked the violence, he wrote.

In the San Diego Community College District, Chancellor Constance Carroll and board President Maria Senour signed a similar statement Wednesday.

While we remain deeply committed to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, it is important for us to reaffirm the districts position against hate speech and violence, the two wrote in a statement that specifically referred to white supremacists and members of the KKK at the Charlottesville rally. Simply put, there is no place in our society for those who would single out one or more members of our community to be the target of hatred and violent acts.

The white supremacist rally devolved into violent clashes between protesters and counter protesters. One was killed and nearly two dozen injured when a man plowed a car into counter-protesters.

San Diego State University President Sally Roush, Associated Students President Chimezie Ebiriekwe and University Senate Chair Marcie Bober-Michel issued a statement Wednesday on the universitys NewsCenter page.

We at San Diego State University denounce the ideologies and actions of neo-Nazi, Ku Klux Klan and white supremacist groups, including those who participated in violence over the weekend leading to this horrifying situation, the statement read.

The three also condemned bigotry, hatred or discrimination, and encouraged students who feel fearful, angry , unsafe or vulnerable to contact Dean of Students Randy Timm at deanofstudents@mail.sdsu.edu or campus counseling and psychological services at 619-594-5220 or psycserv@mail.sdsu.edu.

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gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
Immigration courts in San Diego and Imperial counties have sped up processing this year, and immigration attorneys worry that clearing backlogs will lead to deportations of those who have legal grounds to stay.

In contrast to what has seemed to be an ever-growing backlog of cases in recent years, judges at the three courts decided more cases between February and July this year than they did last year. The downtown San Diego court is up by 38 percent, the court at Otay Mesa Detention Center is up by 51 percent, and the court at Imperial Regional Detention Facility is up by 119 percent, according to data obtained from The Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Across the country, immigration judges decided 14.5 percent more cases between February and July this year than they did last year, according to the office.

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Many have long criticized the court system as clogged and inefficient. The number of pending cases nationwide is higher than 600,000, according to the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Attorneys say that because of a recent memo that restricted judges ability to postpone cases, the effort to get through the backlog is going too fast to be fair.

Its good to hire judges to clear the backlog, said Edward Orendain, a Chula Vista-based attorney, but we need to balance that with protecting due process.

Since President Donald Trump prioritized sending judges to the border, several new Department of Justice hires have been assigned to the three San Diego area courts, increasing the number of judges assigned there to 13 from eight. Two of those judges went to the court in Imperial County, which was previously staffed by judges in San Diego who heard cases through video conference.

The department also sent judges temporarily from courts in other parts of the country to hear cases in detention centers along the border. The Executive Office for Immigration Review declined to specify how many judges have rotated through the three courts on temporary assignment.

The number of deportation orders issued has risen with the quicker processing.

Orendain said thats not just because cases are moving more quickly. Deportation orders are up, he said, because Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorneys are no longer allowed to use prosecutorial discretion to close a case and allow someone to stay here. Prior to Trumps January executive order, he said, that was a way to keep his clients in the U.S. if they had no criminal histories.

Orendain said the quicker processing can also make it even more difficult for those in the system to find attorneys to represent them.

Studies have shown that people held in immigration detention are much less likely to have attorneys than those who are not detained, and having an attorney is a significant factor in winning an immigration case because of the complexity of immigration law.

Since the Trump administration has prioritized detained cases, those are moving quickly, and in some cases too quickly for willing attorneys to get to them.

Elizabeth Lopez, an immigration attorney who focuses her work at the Imperial Regional Detention Facility, said she has a waiting list of potential clients. Even before the changes in court, Lopez worried that not many attorneys are willing to make the trek to Calexico to work with clients detained there. She hasnt noticed more attorneys coming since the ramp up in processing.

Im worried Im not going to get to them in time, Lopez said. I can only do so much.

A memo issued to immigration judges at the end of July made it more difficult to get a continuance on a case, Lopez said. If asylum seekers dont have attorneys by the time its their turn in court, she said, they have to figure out the asylum paperwork on their own  a near-impossible task for those with limited English skills  or face deportation.

Lopez and Orendain are both worried about an uptick in voluntary removals, when noncitizens agree to drop their cases and go back to their home countries, that has happened along with the overall processing increase.

Voluntary removals increased by more than 200 percent in each of the detention centers. Nationwide, theyre up about 58 percent, and in San Diegos downtown court, theyre up 18 percent.

People were discouraged, Lopez said. A lot of them were giving up because they didnt want to stay in the facility. This is what we mean when we say the system is broken.

One of her Somali clients who has been detained since the beginning of February is ready to abandon his case and go home, she said, because he knows that he wont be able to get all the evidence for his asylum case by his next court date. Getting documents from Somalia can be difficult, she said, because theres no mail system there and someone has to take the documents to Kenya or Ethiopia to be shipped. Finding a person to do that by making calls from a detention facility is not easy, she said.

Matthew Holt, a Mission Valley-based attorney, said he is also worried about getting documents for his clients in time.

Noncitizens have a lot less time to prepare their cases in what could be a life or death decision, Holt said. I think we have some of the best judges in the country in San Diego. But I think theyre expected to process cases so fast that at times its hard to safeguard due process.

The new judges calendars arent as full as their peers yet, he said, so sometimes he has a few weeks to prepare for the next court date when he used to have months.

Trumps budget for fiscal 2018 proposes hiring 75 more immigration judges.

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Daniel Casara, the Republican who launched an intraparty challenge against Rep. Duncan Hunter, has left that race after just weeks of campaigning, but isnt leaving politics. Hes recalibrated and is now running against Rep. Scott Peters, a San Diego Democrat.

In order to best represent my fellow veterans, neighbors and the hard-working men and women of San Diego, I have decided to run in my home district against an establishment, business as usual, incumbent who chooses partisan politics over pragmatic solutions, Casara said in a statement from his campaign. He made no reference to switching districts.

Republican Omar Qudrat is also running against Peters, D-San Diego.

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Peters is focused on his work in Washington, his campaign spokeswoman, Maryanne Pintar said.

Scott remains focused on the job; in fact, just this week we announced passage of the Forever GI Bill to increase education benefits for veterans like Danny Casara. Scotts legislation to increase these benefits for all Purple Heart recipients is now law, she said.

The bill includes a provision from Peters that provides Purple Heart recipients to receive full GI Bill benefits even if they have not served for three years as typically required.

Casara was seriously injured during a 2005 scouting mission while deployed to Iraq. The armored personnel carrier he was inside triggered a mine, causing the vehicle to flip over. Two soldiers were killed and Casara broke several bones below his knees.

He has had 24 surgeries and physical therapy for his injuries. George W. Bush featured Casara in his book Portraits of Courage a collection of paintings of service members who were hurt during the former commander-in-chiefs watch.

Casaras shift means that Hunter, R-Alpine, is now facing just one Republican challenger, Andrew Zelt, a deputy in the San Diego County Sheriffs Department. At least six Democrats are running in the district, a GOP stronghold. Voters can support any candidate regardless of their party affiliation and the top-two candidates in the June primary will advance to the general election.

Hunter is under federal investigation after about $60,000 campaign money was spent on personal good, including home repairs, video games, and cross-country airfare for a pet rabbit.

Hunter said the purchases were an honest mistake and he has personally repaid his campaign. A search warrant application also shows investigators are also trying to determine if he mislead a bank to receive a credit card refund, and if he falsified documents provided to the Federal Elections Commission.

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
Like strands of thread binding together to weave a mighty and unbreakable safety net, faith leaders from across San Diego County gathered Friday in a show of force against hate, against racism and bigotry and against those who fail to confront the worst that human nature can muster.

Jews and Muslims joined Catholics and Christians and ministers of every stripe at St. Pauls Episcopal Cathedral in the Bankers Hill neighborhood of San Diego to condemn what unfolded in a central Virginia college town last weekend  and the tepid response from the White House and others.

In the wake of the horrible events of Charlottesville, we are all here to send a message that the faith community of San Diego will not be silent in the face of bigotry and hatred, said Kathleen Owens of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego.

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Owens said she and others were especially calling on white people to speak out against those who champion Caucasians above other races and to resist any characterization or suggestion that any single ethnicity is superior to another.

We are here today united in love, she said.

Religious leaders from 10 different congregations turned out to preach the communal message that good people of all faiths must oppose neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other purveyors of hate like those who ignited violent protests in Charlottesville, Va. last weekend that involved three deaths.

Several of them complained that political leaders  most notably President Donald Trump  were not doing enough to quell what they see as a rising tide of hate and intolerance being espoused in public squares across the nation.

Heather Heyer died and 19 others were injured when an alleged white supremacist plowed his car into a crowd of people protesting the Unite the Right demonstration last Saturday.

Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper Berke M.M. Bates of the Virginia State Police died when the helicopter they used to respond to the protest crashed just outside town later that day.

In multiple statements since the weekend events, Trump has seemingly justified the torch-carrying demonstrators chanting Nazi slogans and waving flags bearing swastikas and Confederate images, while also condemning both sides for the violence.

Imam Taha Hassane of the Islamic Center of San Diego said he and others in the Muslim community stand together in solidarity with other congregations to make San Diego and the world a better place for all people.

We call upon elected officials at all levels to send a clear message against bigotry, he said. And to uphold the principles and values of peace, love and justice.

Hassane urged every minister attending the event to dedicate their weekend sermons to the theme of community.

Bishop George Dallas McKinney of St. Stephens Cathedral Church of God in Christ said he grew up in the Deep South decades ago, and learned from his father to protest lynchings and other social injustices.

Today we need that same kind of approach to deal with the realities upon us, the bishop said. We must fight to the finish.

Rabbi Devorah Marcus of Temple Emanu-El said people must reject those arguments put forward by some that Nazis and other bigots should be ignored rather than confronted.

Silence breeds space, she said. It conveys acceptance and it makes it seem that no one opposed to the violent ideas. We must show up. It is our obligation to represent the God that we know.

The multi-denominational pronouncement Friday also came with a call to action from Bishop Cornelius Bowser of San Diegos Charity Apostolic Church.

He urged San Diego police and sheriffs officials to work with faith leaders across the region now to prepare for the next public display of hate and bigotry, when, he said, it surely comes.

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A fire destroyed an apparent travel trailer parked at auto shop in Encanto Thursday night, but firefighters put out the flames before they spread to the shop or vehicles.

San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Battalion Chief Steve Salaz said the extent of the damage made it difficult to confirm the blaze had consumed a camper and not an RV or a motorhome.

However, it appears someone may have been living in it, he said.

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Salaz told San Diego News Video the owner told authorities that no one had been staying there Thursday night.

The fire at the shop on Imperial Avenue at 65th Avenue was reported about 9:30 p.m. Firefighters put out most of the blaze within about 10 minutes, before it spread or damaged its surroundings.

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Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
UC San Diego obtained a record $1.16 billion in research funding during the fiscal year that ended June 30, a figure expected to keep the campus ranked among the five largest research schools in the U.S.

The university has collected at least $1 billion for research in six of the past eight years, an achievement that came during periods of tight funding from such key agencies as the National Institutes of Health.

The $1.16 billion is being used for everything from developing new cancer drugs to improving military drones to investigating the atmospheric rivers that sometimes bring heavy rain to California.

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Almost $700 million of that sum came from the federal government, led by the NIH and Defense Department.

The grants included nearly $26 million to retrofit the Roger Revelle, one of the research vessels operated by UC San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

The campus broke the previous record  set only last year  by roughly $34 million.

In a statement, Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said, This years record-setting research funding is a credit to our innovative and visionary faculty, who are breaking boundaries and shaping new discoveries on a daily basis.

Universities have played a crucial role in the scores of advances and innovations, from the invention of seat belts and nicotine patches to the creation of Gatorade and wetsuits.

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gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com
Indian forces have been told to deal with calmness any possible Chinese incursions as reports come in that the PLA may try to provoke the Indian Army on the LAC.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: Rattled by India's tough stance in the Doklam stand-off, the Chinese Army may try to provoke Indian troops by carrying out incursions in different locations but the forces have been asked to deal the situation with calmness to prevent any escalation of the situation.

Amid the situation in Doklam, Chinese Army troops tried to enter the Indian side in two areas - Finger Four and Finger Five - twice between 6am and 9am. But on both the occasions their attempts were thwarted by alert Indian troops.

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"Indian agencies have assessed that after Ladakh, Chinese Army will try to do more such incidents in Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal sector. The troops have been asked to remain on alert and thwart any such misadventure by Chinese. However, the security agencies have been told not to be provoked and deal the situation with calmness to prevent any escalation," government sources said here.

During the Pangong lake incident, the Chinese troops had started hurling stones at the Indian border guards and situation was brought under control only after the two sides observed the banner drill and went back to their respective positions.

During the scuffle, the Indian troops had suffered minor injuries also but fortunately, the confrontation did not escalate much.

Sources said the two sides may have more flag meetings in different areas to sort out the issues but ruled out any immediate resolution of the ongoing stand-off at Doklam.

The sources said the government has asked the troops to be on alert to thwart such attacks.

Even as the standoff continues, the government is working towards creating new infrastructure on the Line of Actual Control for both the ITBP and the Army.

The sources said it was most likely that the PLA would try to carry out more incursions in the vast Eastern Ladakh area which is guarded by the Lehbased 14 Corps but the vigil is high in all the sectors.

The Chinese troops had carried out transgressions in the Barahoti area in Uttarakhand twice in the recent times even as it had threatened to enter the Kalapani area as a reaction to the Doklam issue.

For more than a month, Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a stand-off in Doklam area in Bhutan.

China has been trying to expand its infrastructure in that area as it wants to disturb the status quo in the area and move the trijunction between the three countries further south to get closer to India's chicken's neck corridor in Siliguri.

ALSO READ | Doklam standoff: As India-China war of words continues, a look at how global media is reporting it

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ALSO READ | Chinese media mocks India with racist video on Doklam standoff

ALSO WATCH | Chinese troops try to intrude into Pangong Lake in Ladakh, pelt stones at Indian forces

--- ENDS ---
Exactly a year and a day ago, Donald Trump tapped the conservative media insurgent Stephen K. Bannon as chief executive of his campaign, affirming that while Trump was the nominee, his was a hostile takeover of the Republican Party: With Bannon, he would take the party in a new direction  nationalist, nativist and economically populist.

Bannon got considerable credit for Trumps upset win and then, as chief strategist in the White House, for his early orders against immigrants and refugees, and more.

On Friday, he was out.

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Perhaps appropriately, his ouster came in a week in which Trump left no doubt that his own voice  and the racially divisive rhetoric that comes with it  is his own. Bannon was no ventriloquist.

The White House made the dismissal official in a statement to reporters: White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steves last day. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best.

Long-simmering speculation that Bannon would be forced out intensified in the two weeks since Kelly, a retired Marine general, replaced Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff, charged with imposing discipline and order. Among other things, Bannon is suspected of stoking a recent campaign of right-wing opposition to national security advisor H.R. McMaster.

By Friday, he had apparently also lost the support of the president, after months of alienating many others within the administration.

Ironically, for a man who often expressed disdain for the mainstream media, a magazine interview in which Bannon publicly disagreed with administration policy toward North Korea may have been the final trigger for Trump and Kelly. But there was also little doubt that the president, who shares top billing with no one, had grown unhappy with Bannons image as the strategist of his electoral victory.

Earlier this week, Trump had betrayed that resentment as he declined to guarantee Bannons job when he was asked about it during a news conference.

Well, well see, Trump said about his aides future. I like Mr. Bannon. Hes a friend of mine. But Mr. Bannon came on very late  you know that. I went through 17 senators, governors, and I won all the primaries. Mr. Bannon came on very much later than that.

Even as he failed to embrace Bannon fully, Trump also pushed back against moderates and liberals who saw the strategist as a racially divisive figure who has encouraged Trumps most nativist instincts.

He is not a racist, I can tell you that. Hes a good person. He actually gets a very unfair press in that regard, Trump said. But well see what happens with Mr. Bannon.

In that same free-wheeling exchange with reporters on Tuesday at Trump Tower, Trump made plain that he was quite able to express divisive ideas on his own  saying both sides were to blame for the weekends deadly violence in Charlottesville, Va., and expressing support for preserving monuments to Confederate generals, thereby roiling racially charged local debates in communities throughout the country, but especially in the South.

The comments cheered some of Trumps backers and white supremacist groups, but caused an uproar that has left the president increasingly isolated, with many congressional Republicans and leaders of the military and business communities telegraphing their distance from Trump, and some breaking with him.

Few Republican officials or members of Congress had anything to say about Bannons departure, reflecting his broad unpopularity with the political establishment he scorned.

The lack of comment may also reflect fear of what Bannon may do now that hes returning to Breitbart, the militantly conservative website he headed before joining Trump. The website announced his return in a headline declaring him a populist hero.

Earlier in the week, 19 conservative groups and a faction of hardline Republicans in the House, the Freedom Caucus, lobbied the president to keep Bannon, seeing him as their in-house ally.

Ed Martin, president of the conservative Eagle Forum Fund, said on Fox News that he was sorry Bannon was leaving but added he was confident that Trump would not bend, that he was no Manchurian candidate controlled by the strategist.

Kurt Bardella, a onetime Republican congressional aide and former spokesman for Breitbart News, said he expected little would change inside the White House with Bannons departure.

Its Trump who tweets day and night. Its Trump who has consciously decided to pander to racists and white supremacists. Its Trump who has engaged in a dangerous game of chicken with North Korea, Bardella, now a vocal critic of the administration, wrote in a widely circulated email.

At the end of the day, while some of the internal West Wing infighting may calm down, the real root of the problem is in the Oval Office, he added.

Bardella said he expected Bannon would once again use Breitbart as a platform for attacking his main adversaries, Jared, Ivanka, Cohn, etc.  referring to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Trumps son-in-law and daughter, and former Goldman Sachs president Gary Cohn, chief White House economic counselor. The trio are disparagingly referred to as the White House Democrats by some conservatives.

Trepidation within the presidents inner circle that Bannon, if forced out, might freely use his conservative media network against perceived enemies in and out of the White House was a factor in Trump keeping him for as long as he did, people familiar with the internal White House debates have said over the last two weeks.

As publisher, Bannon had promoted Breitbart as a platform of the alt-right, and made it a bane of Republican leaders.

Breitbart signaled the rough coverage that might be ahead, listing national security advisor McMaster, McMasters deputy, Dina Powell, and Cohn as Bannons enemies in the White House.

Subsequently, Joel Pollak, the websites political editor at large, wrote that Bannons dismissal could be the beginning of the end for Trump. Without Bannon to guarantee that Trump will stick to the plan as laid out in his campaign, the president could follow the path taken by former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican who turned left after his initial conservative period in office, Pollak warned.

Bannon is just the latest, if one of the most high-profile, of Trump insiders pushed out in an administration that has packed unprecedented amounts of turmoil into its first seven months.

A widely circulated photo of Trump and his top advisors in the Oval Office in January illustrates the turnover: Of six men in the picture, only Trump and Vice President Mike Pence remain. Gone are Priebus, former Press Secretary Sean Spicer, former national security advisor Mike Flynn and Bannon.

Bannons exit had an unlikely parallel in the recent departure of one of his White House nemeses, Anthony Scaramucci, who had been brought in to be communications director but was ousted before he officially took over. Bannon and Scaramucci both appeared to seal their fates when they criticized fellow staff members in provocative remarks to journalists.

Bannon gave several interviews this week after having kept a low media profile since the campaign. The most damaging was perhaps the first  to the liberal editor of the American Prospect magazine. In it, he disparaged the presidents North Korea policy, spoke of purging the Defense and State departments, called the white supremacists in Charlottesville clowns and urged an economic war with China.

Strikingly, he contradicted the presidents tough talk toward North Korea, saying, Theres no military solution here, they got us.

Like Scaramucci, Bannon  no naif to media  reportedly said he thought those remarks were off the record. Later he told another interviewer he had spoken intentionally and strategically to draw fire away from Trump.

Bannon saw himself as Trumps chief promise-keeper, displaying a white board in his office with a list of campaign vows, separated by topic: immigration, national defense, Obamacare, tax reform and infrastructure. Most remain unrealized  stalled, defeated or under court challenge.

In a recent interview just after his dismissal, with Peter Boyer for the conservative Weekly Standard, Bannon said: The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over.

He added, we still have a huge movement, and we will make something of this Trump presidency. But that presidency is over. Itll be something else.

At a conservative conference in February, Bannon talked about being in the first inning of shaping a new political order and beginning the deconstruction of the administrative state.

He framed the administrations chief enemy as the media  the opposition party  a term for the press, and an attitude, that Trump echoed.

Theyre corporatist, globalist media that are adamantly opposed to an economic nationalist agenda like Donald Trump has, Bannon said. If you think theyre going to give you your country back without a fight, he added, you are sadly mistaken.

jackie.calmes@latimes.com

Twitter: @jackiekcalmes

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @noahbierman

ALSO

Trumps defense of a neo-Nazi rally crossed a line for many Republicans. What will they do about it?

Trump shuns healing gestures, redoubling support for Confederate memorials and slamming fellow Republicans

With Trump and Congress increasingly at odds, hopes for Republican legislative agenda fade

UPDATES:

4:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional detail and reaction.

The article was first published at 9:40 a.m.
High-profile San Diego attorney Michael Aguirre, who has built a career attacking powerful interests in business and government, is being sued for malpractice.

A group of clients involved in a construction-defect lawsuit claim in a lawsuit that Aguirre and law partner Maria Severson mishandled the case while representing buyers in the SeaHaus condominium development in La Jolla.

Instead of wrongs committed against them being righted, the original buyers suffered even greater harm due to their lawyers failures to meet their standard of care, states the complaint, filed in San Diego Superior Court last month.

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Aguirre defended his work on the case and said he was disappointed his clients did not prevail in court.

We really are working hard to try and get the matter resolved, he said. One of the unfortunate things in litigation is you dont always win.

The malpractice claim involves SeaHaus, a complex in the Bird Rock neighborhood of La Jolla that opened more than a decade ago.

By 2010, owners began complaining about wood-beam damage, leaky windows, electrical deficiencies and other problems. Aguirre and Severson represented homeowners who sued the escrow and title companies, alleging they failed to secure certificates of occupancy from city inspectors before closing the sales.

The plaintiffs lost their claim and got stuck with more than $1.6 million in attorney fees accrued by the defendants  judgments that were legally recorded last year and continue growing at 10 percent annual interest until paid.

Aguirre served a tumultuous term as San Diego city attorney a decade ago, upsetting the establishment by crusading against city pension deals and asserting that he was a lawyer for the people, not city officials.

More recently, Aguirre has been a consumer attorney, suing utility regulators and Southern California Edison over their handling of the failed San Onofre nuclear plant.

The plaintiffs in the malpractice case  Barbara Heisser, Kenneth R. Zanio Jr., Osama A. Alkasabi and James Sarnecky  are representing themselves. The complaint seeks unspecified damages, court-related costs and other relief deemed proper by the court.

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In 2013, former San Diego Mayor Maureen OConnor agreed to pay $2.1 million in restitution after she admitted to embezzling that amount from her late husbands charity to feed a video poker habit.

She was supposed to pay the money when financially able to do so under a deal with federal authorities that held off her prosecution for misappropriation of funds.

Four years later, she hasnt paid a dime.

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Thats according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Halpern, who this week confirmed OConnor, 70, had given nothing toward holding up her end of the deal reached with federal prosecutors.

One of the attorneys representing OConnor in a separate legal battle said thats because she has nothing to give.

Attorney Chris Morris helped OConnor and her twin sister win a $26 million judgment after the pair successfully claimed Delaware-based investors cheated them out of their stake in the sale of a seaside resort in Mendocino. OConnors attorneys had told the U.S. Attorneys Office that they expected funds from the judgment could be used to cover her restitution, and the Mendocino case concluded in 2014.

Morris said this week that the sisters are still awaiting payments owed by the investors, but they are very hard to collect.

He said the sisters are resolute in their desire to have these collected and any debts paid.

OConnors deal with prosecutors reserved the governments right to take all all actions and take all remedies available to collect restitution.

Hard to collect

OConnor was the eighth of 13 children born to a Mission Hills Irish-Catholic family, headed by her boxer-turned-bookie father Jerome OConnor, known in the ring as Kid Jerome.

She was elected to the City Council in 1971 at age 25, the youngest council member in San Diego history. She served as mayor from 1986 to 1992. Public records show she still receives a $44,000 annual pension from the city.

The two-term Democratic mayor was once heir to an estimated $50 million fortune left behind by her late husband Robert O. Peterson, founder of Jack-In-The-Box. Today, attorneys said, her finances have been laid low by medical problems and losses sustained over the course of a decade-long gambling binge.

Morris  the attorney working to retrieve OConnors multimillion-dollar judgment from the Mendocino case  said the former mayor has set aside part of those proceeds to satisfy debts owed to the IRS. He said a portion would also be used to pay $2.1 million to the Sharp Healthcare Foundation. The payment is called restitution in the federal court order, although Morris said the payment would be a donation.

Federal prosecutors in 2015 agreed the Sharp payment could stand in for a same-sized restitution payment originally intended for the R.P. Foundation, the La Jolla-based charity started by Peterson. Peterson created the foundation shortly before his death from leukemia in 1994 to benefit charities including City of Hope, the Alzheimers Association, San Diego Police Officers Christmas Fund, Sharp Healthcare and San Diego Hospice.

The foundation went bust after OConnor  fueling a compulsive gambling habit  transferred its funds into a personal account, prosecutors said in filing their initial criminal complaint. For instance, she was caught wiring $449,000 from the foundation and using the money to write a $100,000 check to the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Federal prosecutors in 2013 said they would put a two-year hold on prosecuting OConnor for misappropriating foundation funds, provided she paid restitution and complied with several other conditions, such as getting gambling addiction treatment. She also had to report her assets and investments and any major changes in those holdings, to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Her deal with prosecutors required her to pay restitution when financially able to do so, even if after the two-year deferred prosecution arrangement expired.

Defense attorneys who negotiated the arrangement argued a grief-stricken OConnor had sought an outlet in gambling after Petersons death in 1994, followed by the deaths of other close friends and family members. She did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

Eugene Iredale, the defense attorney who argued a brain tumor could have contributed to OConnors gambling habit, said in a telephone interview for this story that she still suffers from occasional medical issues. He said OConnor is not doing well financially and he doubts she can pay what she owes.

Court papers filed by a Las Vegas casino appear to bolster that case. A 13-page judgment signed by a Nevada judge last year and submitted to San Diego County Superior Court in June says OConnor owes the Bellagio nearly $168,000, including roughly $28,000 in unpaid interest racked up since 2008.

The filing highlights more than $40,000 in payments on those debts through 2012  two years before OConnor and her twin sister won a $26 million settlement in a separate legal battle over the familys sale of the Heritage House Inn, an iconic resort on sea bluffs that was featured in the 1978 film Same Time, Next Year, starring Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn.

The sisters bought the Mendocino-area hotel in 1998 and managed it for nearly a decade before selling the resort to a Delaware-based trio of investors with plans to develop the property into a world-class resort, spa and private membership club.

The OConnors agreed to knock $7 million off the purchase price after the investors promised to pay them that sum with interest within 18 months. But the investors hid their actual worth and problems with the development from the sisters, the OConnors attorneys alleged in a trial brief. The hotel was eventually foreclosed. Attorneys representing the investors did not return requests for comment.

OConnor told federal prosecutors in 2015 that she and her sister were taking legal steps to collect court-ordered settlement amounts owed to them from the Mendocino case.

Morris, the attorney who represented OConnor in the Mendocino matter, said Tuesday he and the sisters had hired Delaware attorneys to help round up the funds. Mike Aguirre, a former San Diego City Attorney whose law firm helped the OConnors win the hotel settlement, declined to comment.

Both OConnor sisters sat on the board of the foundation Maureen admitted embezzling from in 2013.

The twins also worked together recently to help secure a no-bid affordable housing contract awarded by the county in June for a non-profit organization founded by Mavourneen OConnor. The $100,000 grant to San Diego Kind Corp. was paid for through funds managed by Supervisor Ron Roberts, one of Maureens former City Council colleagues and a longtime friend. Morris sits on the board of the non-profit.
Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage is urging people not to buy huskies which have been made popular due to the breeds similarity to the fearsome and protective direwolves portrayed on the popular HBO show.

The actor, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the fantasy drama, said Tuesday that fans are purchasing the dogs, known to be intelligent, independent and difficult to train, and then giving them up once the novelty has worn off.

The phenomena is often referred to as the 101 Dalmatians syndrome in which fans of the Disney film or others like Beverly Hills Chihuahua succumb to the lure of the movie pets and go out and buy one only to discover that in real life the dogs are not as alluring. The demand causes puppy mills to churn out the canines who often end up languishing in shelters.

Please, to all of Game of Thrones many wonderful fans, we understand that due to the direwolves huge popularity, many folks are going out and buying huskies, Dinklage said in the statement released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Peter Dinklage (AFP/Getty Images)

Not only does this hurt all the deserving homeless dogs waiting for a chance at a good home in shelters, but shelters are also reporting that many of these huskies are being abandonedas often happens when dogs are bought on impulse, without understanding their needs.

According to SFGate, one group that takes in abandoned huskies began to notice about three years ago that the dogs were coming in with unusual names on their microchips.

A closer look revealed that the canines were being named after popular characters that populate the shows Seven Kingdoms where the mythical creatures are the symbols of the House of Stark.

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The Bay Area Siberian Husky Club, as well as Northern California Sled Dog Rescue, reported that the numbers of unwanted huskies has doubled since the show debuted in 2011.

The same thing is also happening in Britain where one animal charity reported a 700 percent rise in abandoned huskies, SF Gate reported.

Please, please, if youre going to bring a dog into your family, make sure that youre prepared for such a tremendous responsibility and remember to always, ALWAYS, adopt from a shelter, said Dinklage.

San Diegans who want to do just that will be able to take home a new best friend on Saturday during the Clear the Shelters day when adoption fees will be waived.

619-293-1710

debbi.baker@sduniontribune.com

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In the aftermath of Saturdays awful events in Charlottesville, Virginia, there have been many calls for the Republican Party to banish those who show the slightest sympathy for the white nationalist movement. GOP leaders need to say with crystal clarity that there is no room for bigots in the Republican Party, Bill Scher wrote for Real Clear Politics. Conservatives need to grasp that the alt-right ... is a perverse and dangerous movement that does not represent conservatism, Kassy Dillon wrote on The Hills website.

History  specifically, Republican Party history  suggests such a purge is possible.

Not so long ago, the American political landscape was far different than today. In the 1950s and early 1960s, many leading Republicans in large industrial states  among them New Yorks Nelson Rockefeller, Illinois Charles Percy and Michigans George Romney  were nearly indistinguishable from Democrats. When the GOPs 1956 national platform went viral on social media in 2014, its matter-of-fact liberalism astounded many readers.

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The conservative movement that went on to become a juggernaut was more an idea than a reality in the early 1960s. The movements leader, erudite National Review editor William F. Buckley Jr., found it difficult to make gains within the Republican Party in much of the nation. A big reason was that conservatism was continually identified with the John Birch Society and its founder, Robert Welch, the spiritual successor to red-baiting Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wisconsin. Welch argued that Republican President Dwight Eisenhower, the World War II hero, was nothing less than an active agent in the international communist conspiracy against freedom and democracy.

National Reviews supporters and subscribers had a significant overlap with John Birch Society donors and members, leading many of Buckleys friends, colleagues and advisers to warn him to tread lightly. But as Welchs incendiary view of Eisenhower became better known, and gained traction on the right, Buckley decided that Welch  and Birchers with similar views  had no place in the conservative movement.

In the Feb. 13, 1962, edition of National Review, Buckley blasted the fog of confusion that issues from Mr. Welchs smoking typewriter and warned that he ...

... promotes a split in the conservative movement  by asking for the tacit support of men who in good conscience cant give it, who, moreover, feel to give it is to damage our chances of success. ... Mr. Welch has revived in many men the spirit of patriotism, and that same spirit calls for now rejecting, out of a love of truth and country, his false counsels.

Buckleys purge paid off, but it took time and stout support from conservative leader Barry Goldwater, the Arizona senator who won the 1964 Republican nomination, and an emerging conservative leader, actor Ronald Reagan. The conservative movement soared, and the conspiratorialist wing of the GOP withered.

Now its back.

The parallels between Birchers and Birthers are plain. The former considered Ike a closet Moscow-loving commie, the latter sees Barack Obama as a closet Kenyan Marxist. But would a Buckley-Goldwater-Reagan-style GOP purge work now with the white nationalists who support President Trump and who have three open sympathizers (Steve OBannon, Steven Miller and Sebastian Gorka) in top roles in the Trump White House?

In a nominal sense, sure. Even before Charlottesville, rumors about OBannons ouster had intensified in recent days. If Bannon, Gorkas one-time boss at Breitbart News, left, Gorka could follow. Then theres this: Miller was reported to have effectively run a White House meeting which rejected the recommendations of then-Homeland Security secretary, now White House chief of staff, John Kelly for the implementation of the travel ban, which proved a huge black eye for the White House. Kelly surely remembers that, and he seems to be the most powerful Trump aide yet. Post-Charlottesville and after those advisers left, its possible pre-Trump standards on what are acceptable Republican views on racially charged issues could re-emerge.

But in a practical sense, a GOP ban on those with any sympathy to white nationalism is never going to happen. Buckleys purge came when conservatism was small and he concluded a purge was necessary to help conservatism grow. A current purge would come with a Republican Party as powerful as it has ever been, holding the White House, Congress and 34 governorships and controlling 33 state legislatures.

Whats behind that power? To be sure, with many millions of American Republicans, its an ideological belief in low-tax, small-government, strong-defense conservative values. But among some voters, theres no doubt its nostalgia for an older, simpler, tidier, more white-centric America  Trumps Make America Great Again campaign won a huge majority of white voters who were more than 45 years old.

Among other voters, a driving factor is the identity politics of the left, which can depict whites  especially less-educated ones  as a problem. Writing in April 2016 in New York magazine about Trumps surprise rise, Andrew Sullivan  an ardent Obama supporter  captured this sentiment:

... the white working class, having had their morals roundly mocked, their religion deemed primitive, and their economic prospects decimated, now find their very gender and race, indeed the very way they talk about reality, described as a kind of problem for the nation to overcome.

There seem to be few limits on the breadth of the lefts castigation of whites. Writing in The Atlantic last December, Tressie McMillan Cottom hammered President Barack Obama for the problem with his faith in White America. She wrote:

Those of us who know our whites know one thing above all else: Whiteness defends itself. Against change, against progress, against hope, against black dignity, against black lives, against reason, against truth, against facts, against native claims, against its own laws and customs.

Writing in Jezebel on Monday, Kelly Stout trashed white women who spoke out about the Charlottesville tragedy for allegedly trying to make the story about them.

Do not be a white woman who uses a white supremacist uprising to find her voice. ... Do not be a white woman who uses a tragedy to promote her brand. Do not be a white woman who talks when you have nothing to say.

Given the centrality of white racism in American history, this narrative of white malice will ring true to many people. Racism reigned in institutions and customs far after the Civil War ended slavery, including federal rules that until 1968 promoted homogeneity (segregation) and made it difficult for blacks to get mortgages. Given that many liberals of all races see Trumps victory as being built on what Emory University African-American studies Professor Carol Anderson calls a latticework of white rage, they see this narrative as not about U.S. history but the U.S. of 2017.

Yet so long as many white people feel like they are wrongly blamed for both the sins of their distant relatives and the problems of others  that in a hypersensitive era they alone are mocked, criticized and stereotyped  white racial resentment is going to exist. Patient lectures about white privilege and all the advantages it brings  and has long brought  are likely to sound like a foreign language to whites who have endured personal hardships.

The idea that those on the right wont welcome the votes of these resentful people  these deplorables  seems preposterous. The idea that those on the left will stop being so judgmental of this group also seems preposterous.

Maybe post-Trump, common ground can be found somehow, some way. Maybe charismatic leaders can emerge who can soften our differences. But what seems far more likely is that our present cultural civil war is here to stay.

Reed, a despairing libertarian, is deputy editor of the editorial and opinion section. He can be reached at chris.reed@sduniontribune.com. Twitter: @chrisreed99

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The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the death penalty of a San Diego man convicted in the execution-style murders of three men during an auto shop robbery 25 years ago.

However, the 5-4 opinion showed a clear split among the justices, who argued differing views on whether Hector Ayalas trial was tainted during the jury selection process, when all blacks and Hispanics available to serve were dismissed by the prosecution.

The case also gave two of the justices a platform to spar over the use of solitary confinement in the nations prisons.

Ayala, who is Hispanic, went on trial in 1989 for the three shooting deaths at A & Z Auto Repair off 43rd Street in southeastern San Diego. On April 26, 1985, the victims hands had been bound behind their backs as Ayala and his brother demanded $10,000. Three were shot to death, while a fourth was able to escape wounded.

The jury selection process lasted three months and involved some 200 potential jurors. Each side was allowed 20 peremptory challenges, and the prosecution used 18, dismissing all seven Hispanic and black jurors available to serve.

When the defense objected, the judge heard the prosecutors reasons behind closed doors without the defense present, so as not to reveal trial strategy.

The judge found that the challenges were not based on race, but on other factors, including views against the death penalty and a lack of proficiency in English.



The state Supreme Court agreed, stating that if any error did occur, it was harmless. But in a further appeal by Ayala, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that Ayalas rights were violated by not being a part of the closed-door meeting, and that the error harmed his case.

State Attorney General Kamala Harris petitioned the high court for review last year.

In the majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court said the 9th Circuit misunderstood the law in question, saying Ayala doesnt meet the high burden of proof for relief.

He said their decision cannot be based on mere speculation there was prejudice; actual prejudice must be found.

In looking at the record available in the case, the court agreed that the prosecution was able to offer reasonable arguments why the jurors were dismissed for reasons other than race.

This is a difficult determination because of the nature of peremptory challenges: They are often based on subtle impressions and intangible factors, the majority opinion states. Nuances in the answers of potential jurors become even more important when considering whether people are for or against an issue as weighty as the death penalty.

Few are likely to have experienced a need to make a comparable decision at any prior time in their lives, the opinion said.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas agreed.

In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor strongly disagreed.

She said the defense had a good case on their hands and very likely could have come up with strong arguments that race was a factor if they had been allowed in the close-door meeting with the judge and prosecution.

The defense had numerous persuasive arguments that it could have leveled had it been given the opportunity to do so, she wrote. The case leaves her with grave doubts that the exclusion was harmless to Ayalas trial and ultimate death sentence.

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan joined her.

In an aside opinion, Kennedy took the opportunity to express his concerns with the solitary confinement conditions in which many prisoners like Ayala are held  and suggested that he would be open to hearing a case on the issue.

Ayala, 63, is on death row at San Quentin State Prison.

He said that if Ayala is in a typical solitary confinement situation, it is likely he has been held for all or most of the past 20 years or more in a windowless cell no larger than a typical parking spot for 23 hours a day; and in the one hour when he leaves it, he likely is allowed little or no opportunity for conversation or interaction with anyone.

Thomas shot back with his own succinct opinion on the matter: The accommodations in which Ayala is housed are a far sight more spacious than those in which his victims, Ernesto Dominguez Mendez, Marcos Antonio Zamora, and Jose Luis Rositas, now rest. And, given that his victims were all 31 years of age or under, Ayala will soon have had as much or more time to enjoy those accommodations as his victims had time to enjoy this Earth.
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had expressed concern over grounding of A320 Neo aircraft of IndiGo and GoAir due to engine-related issues.

By India Today Web Desk: The Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engine issue has forced commercial airline IndiGo to cancel a whopping 84 flights and ground 13 A320 Neo planes.

Last week, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had expressed concern over grounding of A320 Neo aircraft of IndiGo and GoAir due to engine-related issues.

The development came after a meeting was held between the DGCA officials and executives from engine manufacturer P&W, Airbus, IndiGo, and GoAir.

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According to the official, P&W informed that the modification done on "No 3 bearing" from April 2017 onwards had addressed the problem to some extent.

It also said that the new set of improved combustion chambers would be available around October this year.

The DGCA official added that P&W would expedite the supply of engines by increasing the "shop-level delivery of engines undergoing modification".

In an official statement, the Indigo Airlines said, "There are misleading information being spread by section media on IndiGo's flight cancellations. 8 Neos grounded, schedule already planned in the month of June on non-availability of these aircraft for July, August and September."

It added, "No new flight cancellations have been made. The affected passengers have already been accommodated with suitable options."

WATCH: How IndiGo passenger, who was off loaded in Mumbai, misbehaved in flight

--- ENDS ---
Loose lips sink ships' goes the slogan cautioning against leaking military secrets. Turns out, tourism too can. Five months after its decommissioning in March, the navy's aircraft carrier INS Viraat might just become an underwater attraction in the Arabian Sea.

The Maharashtra government has sent a proposal to the defence ministry asking that the carrier be given to it to be turned into an underwater dive spot on the Konkan coast. The state tourism department has roped in marine biologist Sarang Kulkarni to make a detailed presentation before the defence ministry for this. An exclusive peek at the proposal reveals the state government has based it on the US experience where sinking warships for dive sites is a common practice. The project is feasible-it wouldn't take more than an hour to sink the Viraat with minimal disturbance to marine life. Marine life will also be boosted by the wreck because, as Kulkarni says, big fish tend to shelter inside large objects. "Once they make the ship their home, marine life rapidly increases. This experiment has been very successful in the US," he says.

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Maharashtra MoS for tourism Madan Yerawar says the idea behind the Viraat proposal is to create an "underwater world". Tourists could be brought to the sunken carrier in submersibles for underwater thrill rides, the project proposes. "It will take a few more months to finalise the presentation," he says.

Naval experts, however, caution about the practical problems. The 20-metre-tall warship will need to be sunk in at a minimum depth of 60 metres to ensure it doesn't become a navigational hazard. Such depths are obtained only 50 nautical miles off the west coast, which could put it out of reach of divers. Sinking the Viraat may not be that painless, after all.

--- ENDS ---
A 1917 article from the Post shows that Pershing may have taken a quite measured approach to the Moro confrontation in the Philippines.

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The story of U.S. commander John J. Pershing executing Muslims with bullets dipped in pigs blood  a tale that has been generally discredited  is back in the news. A 1917 article from the Post shows that Pershing may have taken a much more measured approach to the confrontation in the Philippines.

As author George Patullo writes in Go-Getter Pershing in the June 23, 1917, issue of the Post, between 12,000 and 15,000 Moros had gathered on a mountain on the island of Jolo in the Philippines. The Moros were a group of Muslim tribesmen who had a reputation for piracy and fierce fighting. The Philippines had come under American rule after Spain ceded control of the islands to the U.S. following the Spanish-American War, and Pershing found himself facing a potentially bloody campaign.

Pershing first asked for a parley, where he invited the Moros to lay down their weapons and accept amnesty. The Moros turned him down.

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As Pattullo tells it, Pershing was reluctant to order his 4,000 troops to assault the Moros. For one thing, a large number of villagers had gathered with the Moros, lured by promises of protection. Another reason for Pershings hesitation was his resistance to pitting his men against fighters who would welcome death in a holy war.

So Pershing did the unexpected. He retreated. The villagers eventually abandoned the Moro militants once the threat from Americans receded. Pershing was then able to engage this smaller force and defeat the Moros. By the end of the campaign, Pattullo writes that the surviving Moros elected Pershing their chief.

Rather than repeating other generals mistakes, Pershing had shown a remarkable gift of patience in attaining his ends.

Featured image: Painting of The four-day battle of Bagsak Mountain on Jolo Island in the Philippines (U.S. Army Center of Military History)
Ive never played in front of anyone before. Except my wife, and shes sort of got a tin ear. Im a little nervous.

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Henry was in the middle of the third chorus of Avalon when the doorbell rang. He sighed and took his absent wifes name in vain. He placed the clarinet back in its blue velvet case and turned off the stereo. He opened the door and muttered, This had better be good.

The young man was thin and fidgety with oiled black hair, a gray polyester three-piece suit that looked silver in the mid-morning sunlight, and a small brown cloth bow-tie. Beside him on the stoop was a large blue suitcase. It was like he was coming for a visit.

Good morning, sir, the young man said. He smiled widely, revealing a slight overbite. Is your wife at home?

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No, shes not, Henry said sullenly. He was embarrassed to be caught in his dirty white tank top with his suspenders hanging down the length of his pants legs. Hed also neglected to shave that morning.

Could I inquire when she will be or where she is at?

She volunteers at Saint Michaels Parish on Mondays and Wednesdays, Henry said before he could stop himself. He squinted at the boy. Why?

Well, seeing as shes gone, the boy went on, maybe I could speak with you for a moment.

I dont think so. Im kind of busy. He nodded at the suitcase. Whatever it is youve got in there, Im sure I dont want to buy.

The young man looked down at the blue suitcase with a puzzled expression, as if it belonged to somebody else. Then he lifted his hands to shoulder level, palms up, then dropped them to his sides again. Theres nothing in there, actually.

What in the world are you selling, then?

Suitcases, sir. Royal Victoria. Hard-shell case. The very best.

Henry scratched his elbow. Of all the stupid things. Well, Im not interested. My wife wont be either.

Handy if youre planning a trip somewhere.

Nobodys planning a trip around here. Not now, not in the foreseeable future.

The salesmans smile dipped, then rose again. These fellows are rugged. See? He picked up the suitcase by the handle then dropped it from about six inches above the ground. It hit the cement and wobbled, but didnt fall over. And you can put your dry-cleaning in it, and it wont wrinkle. It has a special device inside. Want to see?

Not really.

But the young man was already crouched down, unsnapping the trigger-latches. The blue suitcase yawned open on the stoop, revealing frilly aqua fringework and a stiff divider with a hanger attached. Otherwise, the suitcase was empty, a chasm of blue. Lets say youre on your way to a funeral or a wedding somewhere cross-country and you have a special suit you want to keep ready-to-wear. No problem. He looked up at Henry earnestly, his brow creased in concentration. Tiny beads of sweat had formed on his upper lip. He dipped his head again. Henry looked into the depths of the boys swirling black cowlick. You hang one end of the suit over this Johnson here, and the young man pointed at the hanger, and slip the other end under the divider and then around this Jenkins here, and indicated the wire. Get it? That way, when you arrive at your point of destination, your suits as good as new. It doesnt even need ironing. Pretty clever, huh?

Maybe. But like I told you, we dont need any suitcases. I dont even own a suit. Sorry. Ive got to get back to practicing now. He started to close the door.

The salesmans face lit up. Say, was that you making that music in there? It sounded just like a record playing. I couldnt tell the difference.

Henry couldnt help but smile at the compliment. Yeah, that was me. Well, me along with a Benny Goodman record. I play clarinet, just like Benny did. Only not like the King of Swing, of course. He gave a modest chuckle.

Hey, youre pretty good. You fooled me.

Yeah, well, you know. Thanks.

I even know that tune. That tunes real familiar. Thats called, and he snapped his fingers twice, Avalon, thats it. Am I correct?

Thats right, Henry said. Benny Goodman, 1935. Say, youre sharp. He frowned uncertainly. But youre too young to know that.

The salesman looked greatly offended. Whatre you saying, mister? I grew up listening to that music. My grandpop loved Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, all those good old guys. He had a Victrola and a stack of 78s, the whole works. We played them every night. We didnt even own a TV. My grandmom taught me the jitterbug. We used to dance around the kitchen. What do you mean I dont know that music?

Now you have to understand, Henry said. They were in the living room. Henrys clarinet was poised in his hands. The young man was over by the stereo. It was his job to start the LP. Ive never played in front of anyone before. Except my wife, and shes sort of got a tin ear. Im a little nervous.

Dont be. Youll do great, the young man said. Here goes. And he dropped the needle.

That night Margery found the suitcase on a shelf in the upstairs bedroom closet. It frightened her at first, its largeness, its blueness. But she recovered quickly. Planning a trip? she said. Her voice was heavy with sarcasm.

Maybe I am, Henry said, without looking up from the book he was reading. It was Joseph Conrads Tales of Land and Sea. He was lying in bed in his pajamas. His tongue and the roof of his mouth ached pleasantly from playing all afternoon and into the night, long after the salesman had left him. Maybe Ill just take me a little vacation to the South Seas.
In the news for the week ending August 18, 2017, are the return of paper books and Oprah Winfrey, the silencing of Big Ben, a smart salt dispenser, eclipse-a-palooza, and more.

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Hell Is a World with No Print Books

For a while there it looked like print books were the past and digital was the future. Soon, everyone would be reading books on their Kindles and iPads and smartphones and print books would die and wed save all the trees and the world would be a digital paradise!

Well, someone forgot to tell print books.

As I mentioned a few months ago, sales of print books are up, and sales of ebooks are down. And its not just Amazon thats selling a lot of them. Were actually starting to see more brick-and-mortar bookstores opening. Yes, one of the companies opening those physical bookstores happens to be Amazon, but there are others too, and its a comforting feeling to know that we still live in a world where we can walk into a bookstore, handle all of the books and magazines on the shelves, and be part of something. Not everything has to be point and click. (By the way, please point your cursor at those links and click on them.)

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One way that bookstores can survive and thrive is by offering more than books. Barnes & Noble already as cafes, and theyre experimenting with full-service restaurants. Many independent bookstores hold author events and sell more than just books.

Remember Youve Got Mail? If it were made today, Meg Ryan would merge her Shop Around the Corner store with Tom Hanks giant Fox Books chain and take on Amazon.

YOU Get a Bowl of Soup, and YOU Get a Bowl of Soup 

Oprah Winfrey might not have a daily talk show anymore, but she has figured out a way to be in your life every single day anyway.

Oprah is coming out with a line of refrigerated comfort foods in September called O, Thats Good! Right now the selection will just be four kinds of soup and four side dishes, all priced under $5.00. Shes teaming up with Kraft for the products, and since she already is an owner of Weight Watchers, this seems like the next logical step.

Im surprised more celebrities dont do this. Kevin James could come out with a line of potato chips, and maybe Warren Buffett could have a line of Buffett Table foods.

Dont Be a Sucker

This U.S. Military film from the mid-40s has been getting some attention lately (Id say that it has gone viral, but boy do I hate that word), and I present it here with no political commentary whatsoever. I just think that, as a historical and cultural artifact, its  interesting.

Silent Ben

For the next four years, no one in London is going to know what time it is.

Big Ben is going to stop chiming (or is it bonging?) this Monday and wont start up again for four years. Its undergoing repairs and, well, the workers wont like it making a giant sound every hour. But they still plan to chime in on special days, like New Years.

Of course, this is already getting pushback from citizens, so officials are going to review the idea. Prime Minister Theresa May wants the chimes (bongs?) to continue.

SMALT

If youve been looking for a smart device for your home but have been disappointed in the choices youve seen because none of them dispense salt, youre in luck. Introducing SMALT, the worlds first interactive salt shaker!

At first I thought it was a fake commercial from Saturday Night Live or a satirical website, but its real. You put the device in the middle of your dinner table, and it plays music and delivers ambient light for you and your guests. Oh, and if you need salt, you dont need a whole separate salt shaker crowding the table.

Im surprised theyre not releasing Smepper at the same time. You know its coming.

RIP Joseph Bologna, Alan Peckolick, S.J. Harris, and Neil Chayet

Joseph Bologna was not only an acclaimed actor, appearing in such films as My Favorite Year and Blame It On Rio and starring in the sitcom Top of the Heap, he was also an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated screenwriter. He died Sunday at the age of 82.

Alan Peckolick was a designer who created logos for many companies, including GM, and font designs for companies such as Revlon, Mercedes-Benz, and Pfizer. He died August 3 at the age of 76.

S.J. Harris was a stuntwoman who died on the set of Deadpool 2. She was 40. Harris is the second stunt person to die on a set recently. John Bernecker died filming The Walking Dead in July.

Neil Chayet hosted the Looking at the Law radio show on WBZ in Boston and other radio stations for 41 years. He died last week at the age of 78.

This Week in History

Alfred Hitchcock Born (August 13, 1899)

The master of suspense was born in Leytonstone, England, and died in Bel Air, California, on April 29, 1980. In this piece from the December 15, 1962, issue of The Saturday Evening Post, Hitchcock gives his opinions on a variety of topics, from Walt Disney and TV commercials to Hollywood stars and his weight.

Elvis Presley Dies (August 16, 1977)

Wednesday marked the 40th anniversary of the Kings death. Heres how the media covered it back then, and heres a look back on all the times Presley was talked about in the Post.

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Where the Girls Are (August 17, 1957)

If you didnt know the title of this cover by Thornton Utz, you might think its Car Smashes into Motel. But the reason the male driver and his buddies make a sudden turn into the parking lot is because they see a group of young ladies lounging by the pool. The least the guys could do is park the car correctly.

National Bacon Lovers Day

Francis Bacon was born in 1561 and died in 1626. Besides being the Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England, he was a scientist and author who some people believe was the actual writer of Shakespeares plays. He was 

Oh wait, this Sunday is the day we celebrate bacon the food. All righty. Heres a recipe for a Bacon, Cheddar, and Apple Bake, and heres one in honor of Elvis  Chunky Elvis Ice Cream  which contains not only bacon but also peanut butter, honey, and bananas.

Next Weeks Holidays and Events

National Aviation Day (August 19)

In 1939, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared that Orville Wrights birthday would be celebrated as National Aviation Day.

Total Eclipse (August 21)

Monday is going to be a big day, with the eclipse being witnessed by millions who will take the long journey to see it and live coverage on television by the news channels. Even jets are going to chase the moons shadow. The path of totality, which I think was the title of a Star Trek episode, runs from Oregon through the middle of the country and ends in South Carolina. You can see a partial eclipse in other parts of the country  just make sure you protect your eyes. And, of course, your heart.
Internet overuse indeed has addictive influences, and its accumulating effects may lead to stress manifesting as neurocognitive dysfunction.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Internet overuse has risen to epidemic proportions and people are becoming vulnerable to many neuropsychiatric dysfunctions such as irritation, anxiety, obsessive compulsion, revealed research by a network of doctors, neurobiologists, and scientists.

Calling internet overuse similar to drug addiction, the research report released on Thursday says internet overuse has a significant impact on personal and social relations, socio-political environment, and mental and general health of the users.

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"Internet overuse has risen to epidemic proportions and majority of people are now spending a lot of time online - seeking sensible information, and responding to updates and feedbacks. The neural networks of brain assigned to cognitive functions, get constantly irritated by incoming information and evoke mental reactions. The individual, as a result, becomes vulnerable impulsivity, and loss of working memory among others," said the research by Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN).

Also Read: Cyberbullying and online game addiction is making us vulnerable, explain doctors

The EEDRN is an umbrella body of doctors and neuro-scientists from reputed medical/research institutes of India including All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, National Brain Research Centre, Haryana, and Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, Delhi.

According to the paper published by this network in international journal Current Psychiatry Reviews, internet overuse indeed has addictive influences, and its accumulating effects may lead to stress manifesting as neurocognitive dysfunction.

The gist of their research - based on empirical analysis of peer reviewed literature - explains the representative signs and symptoms, brain regions involved and plausible mechanism of consequent neurocognitive dysfunctions due to internet overuse.

Lead investigators of this research Ashutosh Kumar and Muneeb Faiq, say that the brain is a perpetually information-seeking organ and any ceaseless expectation of seemingly rewarding information provided by internet, especially social networking sites, hijacks its reward system thereby inducing a compulsive internet overuse and a liking for staying constantly online.

Also Read: Could there be a psychopath among your peers? Here's how you can find out

They expressed the apprehension that the problem goes beyond geographical boundaries and, if ignored, may mushroom as a "Disease of Human Civilization".

Vikas Pareek, a senior PhD scholar and co-author of the article, said: "Internet overuse pathology implicates key brain regions involved incognitive regulation such as prefrontal cortex decision making, hippocampus - memory and basal ganglia or striatum - habit formation based on reward. It means, internet overuse may have serious effects on learning and social communication in growing up children and teenagers whose brain wiring is still maturing."

--- ENDS ---
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/18/2017 -- "Nuclear Power in France, Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2017 - Capacity, Generation, Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), Investment Trends, Regulations and Company Profiles", the industry analysis specialists that offer comprehensive information and understanding of the nuclear power market in France.



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The report provides in depth analysis on global nuclear power market with forecasts up to 2030. The report analyzes the power market scenario in France (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro, pumped storage and renewables) and provides future outlook with forecasts up to 2030. The research details nuclear power market outlook in the country and provides forecasts up to 2030. The report highlights installed capacity and power generation trends from 2006 to 2030 in France nuclear power market. A detailed coverage of nuclear energy policy framework governing the market with specific policies pertaining to nuclear is provided in the report. The research also provides details of active nuclear reactors in the country, market size of major equipment and company snapshot of some of the major market participants.



Scope



- A brief introduction on global carbon emissions and global primary energy consumption.



- Historical period is during 2006-2016 (unless specified) and forecast period is for 2017-2030.



- Overview on the global nuclear power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity split by region in 2016, installed capacity split by major nuclear power countries in 2016 and investment trends.



- Power market scenario in France provides detailed market overview, installed capacity and power generation trends by various fuel types (includes thermal conventional, nuclear, large hydro and renewables) with forecasts up to 2030.



- Details of France nuclear power market with installed capacity and generation trends, installed capacity by reactor type, installed capacity share by contractor/owner and information on major active and upcoming projects.



- Key policies and regulatory framework supporting nuclear power development.



- Company snapshots of some of the major market participants in the country.



Reasons to buy



- The report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner.



- Identify key growth and investment opportunities in France nuclear power market.



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- Understand and respond to your competitors' business structure, strategy and prospects.



Table of Content: Key Points

1 Table of Contents 2

1.1 List of Tables 4

1.2 List of Figures 5

2 Executive Summary 6

2.1 Fall in OECD Countries' Carbon Emission despite a Global Rise during 2010-2015 6

2.2 Nuclear Power to Grow at a Slower Pace than Other Power Generating Sources 6

2.3 Nuclear Power Constituted Nearly Half of the Power Generating Capacity in France in 2016 6

2.4 Pressurized Water Reactor is the only Technology used in France 7

3 Introduction 8

3.1 Carbon Emissions, Global, 2001-2016 8

3.2 Primary Energy Consumption, Global, 2001-2025 10

3.3 Report Guidance 13

4 Nuclear Power Market, Global, 2006-2030 14

4.1 Nuclear Power Market, Global, Overview 14

4.2 Nuclear Power Market, Global, Installed Capacity, 2006-2030 15

4.3 Nuclear Power Market, Global, Power Generation, 2006-2030 21

4.4 Nuclear Market, Global, Investment Trends, 2016-2020 27

5 Power Market, France, 2006-2030 29

5.1 Power Market, France, Overview 29

5.2 Power Market, France, Installed Capacity, 2006-2030 30

5.3 Power Market, France, Power Generation, 2006-2030 39

6 Nuclear Power Market, France, 2006-2030 44

6.1 Nuclear Power Market, France, Overview 44

6.2 Nuclear Power Market, France, Installed Capacity, 2006 - 2030 45

6.3 Nuclear Power Market, France, Power Generation, 2006 - 2030 47

6.4 Nuclear Power Market, France, Investment Trends, 2016-2020 49

6.5 Nuclear Power Market, France, Project Based Analysis, 2016 50

6.6 Nuclear Power Market, France, Deal Analysis, 2016 53

7 Renewable Energy Policy Framework, France 56

7.1 Renewable Energy Market, Overview 56



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LAKE CITY, S.C.  The Florence County School District Three board of trustees approved a motion at Thursdays meeting to engage the Parker Poe law firm to represent the district in regard to a Clarendon County lawsuit against the South Carolina Department of Revenue and Farmers Telephone Cooperative.

Ken Childs from Duff & Childs LLC told the school board that years ago, the federal government tried encouraging phone companies to extend phone lines into rural areas. Part of the encouragement was that they would be made tax exempt.

Childs said that from his understanding, the largest taxpayers are phone companies in many school districts because they own a lot of property. South Carolina has a statute that says phone companies are tax exempt, according to Childs.

But apparently what happened is that the phone companies entered into a settlement agreement with the Department of Revenue in Columbia which extended this exemption not only to the rural phone lines but to modern electronic cell phones, Childs said. And they also, they said the tax that is collected from these phone companies over a period of about four of five years were improper and should not have been collected and have to be refunded back to the phone company.

Having to refund the tax money was bad news to Clarendon County, its school district and surrounding districts and counties.

The Parker Poe law firm will represent Clarendon County in this lawsuit, in addition to Florence, Williamsburg, Lee and Sumter counties, and now Florence County School District Three among others.

And because all of these counties stand to lose whatever they have to refund as well as future collections  so this is a serious matter, certainly to Florence School District Three, Childs said.

Early projections show that Florence County School District Three has about $200,000 at stake that would have to be refunded.

The best thing that could happen would be if the legislature would step up and pass a statute that says certain property might be tax exempt but not modern-day phone operations, Childs said.

In this case, Childs job is to keep the district informed on what is going on with the litigation. The litigation could go on for a long time, but the more parties that participate, the less expensive it would be, he said.

The school districts board chairman, Lane N. Floyd, said that the district cannot afford to give up the $200,000 that it would be required to refund because it is digging itself out of a hole anyhow.
In 2014, Japan had sought support from India when China wanted to change status quo in the East China Sea near Senkaku Islands. Now, Japan's support for India over Doklam has left China surprised.

By Prabhash K Dutta: China is seemingly losing the diplomatic 'war' over Doklam. Japan has become the third influential country in the world to back India's stand on Doklam standoff. In fact, Japan has shed the ambiguity that the US and the UK showed while backing India.

Japan's all out support for India has come about a month after leading Chinese daily the Global Times warned New Delhi against banking on Tokyo in the event of a conflict over Doklam issue.

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And, here is Japan extending wholehearted support for India against Chinese aggressive posturing over Doklam. "India should by no means count on support from the US and Japan because their support is illusory," said an editorial in Global Times, a daily controlled by the Chinese government.

GROWING DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT FOR INDIA

Speaking at India Today Conclave in June, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley had said, "India of 2017 is different from India of 1962." The statement had come in the backdrop of Chinese rhetoric over Doklam standoff that India should learn from 1962 military debacle when the two countries fought a war.

China had taken the statement of the Defence Minister only in terms of India's military might but ignored the diplomatic prowess of India.

Though most of the European countries are on "wait and watch" mode over Doklam standoff, support seems to be growing for India. While the US and the UK backed India's stand of resolving the issue through dialogue while China pre-conditioned the talks with prior withdrawal of Indian troops from Doklam.

One US parliamentarian said earlier this month that China had taken certain provocative steps that have escalated into the current standoff on the plateau. The UK explicitly said that Doklam is a bilateral issue between India and China and needed to be resolved through dialogue. This is exactly what External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in Parliament while giving a statement on Doklam standoff.

But, Japan's move seems to have taken China by surprise. Beijing has slammed Japan saying that Tokyo did not have the facts of Doklam right.

JAPAN'S SUPPORT IS NO SURPRISE

But, Japan's support to India over Doklam standoff is not a surprise. In fact, it was Japan in January 2014 which asked India to forge a team to thwart Chinese expansionist moves in the East China Sea as well as in the Himalayas.

Japan's call for a united opposition to Chinese moves had come in the backdrop of Beijing's unilateral move to change status quo in the East China Sea where it had imposed Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Japan's Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera had then said, "Both Japan and India should ask for a dialogue with Chinese side and tell China not to change status quo by force. These issues should be solved through dialogue and following international rules."

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This time too, India has asked China to respect 2012-understanding, according to which, no country would alter the status quo unilaterally in the eastern sector of India-China border.

"For both India and Japan, China is an important neighbouring country. Both countries have important economic linkages with China. However, after the recent Chinese provocative actions, entire international community will have to send a message to China," Japan's Defence Minister had then said.

This time around, Japanese ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu has said that no country should try to change the status quo in Doklam. China has been insisting on constructing a highway through Doklam area of Bhutan claiming it to be its own territory.

JAPAN HAS ANOTHER REASON

Japan has another reason for supporting India against China. Beijing lays claim over its islands. In May this year, Japan scrambled its warplanes after four Chinese ships and a drone aircraft entered the Senkaku Islands.

Japan said that it was the first time Beijing has used an unmanned aircraft in Senkaku, which Chinese call as Diaoyu. Japan had then said that China was escalating the situation unilaterally and it was unacceptable to Tokyo. Japan understands that if China is allowed to have it say in Doklam, it may have to pay a price on Senkaku in the East China Sea.

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Further, with China growing its might in the India-Pacific region, Japanese trade may be subject to whims and fancies of China.

A huge volume of Japanese trade passes through the Strait of Malacca over which China wants to have influence by luring Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. But, India continues to be the dominant naval power in the region. Japan finds a friendly India a profitable proposition than an adversarial China.

ALSO READ |

Doklam standoff: Japan backs India, says no one must use unilateral force in bid to change status quo

Why Chinese mock video is a pack of lies, India has committed no 'sin' in Doklam

ALSO WATCH | As Doklam crisis continues, India-China border stand-off at Ladakh's Pangong lake

--- ENDS ---
By Indo-Asian News Service: Actor Jim Sarbh, who got instant success for portraying a negative role in Sonam Kapoor-starrer, Neerja, turned showstopper for designer Anuj Bhutani on the Textile and Sustainable day of Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2017. He not only was in a relaxed mood, but also showed some dance moves on the ramp.

Jim sported a long tunic, Bermudas and relaxed coat while taking his showstopping walk, and he looked at every corner of the Main Show Area flaunting his confident smile and posing in his own way.

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The designer showcased as part of IMG Reliance's unique sustainability initiative Restart Fashion along with two other designers. The show brought together three post-consumer waste fabric makers with three talented designers who developed collections.

Also Read: Lakme Fashion Week 2017: Neha Dhupia looks gloomy on the ramp

Brand Chola associated with Anandi Enterprises to showcase a line called relaxed fashion. Designer Sohaya Misra showcased a collection "One Love. One People. One Planet" created with the 'Recca' fabric for the 'Restart Fashion' initiative. Staying true to her characteristic fashion essence, the designer worked with earthy tones for her relaxed laid-back look with her statement-making layering and voluminous silhouettes.

Actor Jim Sarbh walks the ramp for designer Anuj Bhutani.

Stopping the show in a stylish but lively way was hairstylist Adhuna Bhabani, who rocked down the ramp in checked asymmetric waistcoat, white relaxed shirt and grey elephant pants.

Also Read: In Pictures: Sanya Malhotra was her naughty self on the LFW2017 runway

When asked whether she enjoyed walking the ramp, she told reporters: "I don't know how I manage to get that but I have friends in high places. They twist my arm and take me here (on ramp). It's not my favourite thing to be up in front of camera but all that God's got to do what God's got to do."

Next was an association with brand Doodlage with Converse India for a collection that was dominated by print and patchwork. Designer Kriti Tula brought a fun element to her collection with a pun on the title 'Armchair Activism'. It was a collection with a social message using Converse India's Upcycled plastic 'Lifaffa' fabrics with an addition of patchwork, prints and embroidery that were inspired by city grids and disappearing foliage.

Strong slogans in prints and embroidery further pushed the social causes in a fashionable manner. There were corsets, slim dresses, cropped jacket and pant, belted shirts and many more.

Last was designer Anuj Bhutani who tied up with Geetanjali Woollens for a woollen winter winders themed show.

Keeping to his characteristic clean, relaxed lines, Bhutani used the fabrics from Geetanjali Woollens in a comfortable, fluid style that will appeal to both sexes. The colours were neutral but deep, in shades of beige, grey, dusty green and orange; while the collection offered separates in varying styles with discreet detailing.

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Opening the show with a beige short jacket for men, the designer brought in tunics, long kurtas, a ribbed jumpsuit, floppy button-less coat, a woollen Pheran, shirt and an orange pullover for the stronger sex.

For women, it was a grey sack dress, an orange simple Tabard, belted coat with shift and knitted cardigan worn with a curved hem tunic. Jim was his showstopper but both the designer and showstopper were not available for the post-show.

--- ENDS ---
A group from seven students in Delhi has alleged that a mob beat them up while hurling communal abuses and attempted to rape a girl who was part of the group.

By Ajay Kumar: Seven students of JNU and St Stephen's College, including a girl, were brutally assaulted by a group of people in Faridabad on Monday, police said. The girl claims the group also tried to rape her during two-hour ordeal.

Moreover, when the victims approached Surajkund police station, cops misbehaved with them and refused to register an FIR.

The victims eventually went to Vasant Kunj north police station on August 15 where policemen registered a zero FIR under IPC section of 323, 341, 506, 354, 365, 511, 506 and 34 and transferred the case to Surajkund police station.

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"I along with my friends had decided to explore the Bharadwaj Lake inside the Asola Wildlife Sanctuary. Around 8.30 pm, we decided to return. Three of us decided to go to the main road on my friend's bike while the other four started walking. Our cab was parked outside," the victim said in an FIR.

Suddenly, on the way, they were stopped by three persons, who asked what relation they have with the girl. They also asked the purpose of visiting that place, stated the complaint.

After replying to their questions, the students were suddenly attacked. "The group grew bigger in no time and their accomplices joined them. All of them started assaulting the student with sticks. The mob constantly hurled communal abuses at them."

"At this moment, they asked for our identity cards and broke our phones. They tried to grope my friend. The wounds inflicted on her were primarily on her chest, right abdomen, right breast, right leg and a knee. The intention of the accused was to kill us and gang-rape her," said another victim, adding, they were heard saying, "Let's kill the guys and keep this girl with us."

The victim, who belongs to minority community, said he was beaten up as he has a beard. "I was mercilessly beaten up on my back and my right leg and upper torso and all three of us were stomped on our chest," he said, adding, "We barely managed to save our lives. Two locals - Ashish and Sumit - helped us. We immediately went to Surajkund PS and tried to file in a complaint, but were promptly refused to do so."

The cops questioned about her torn dress and said "this is not a free-sex country". The cops allegedly also forced them to write an apology letter.

When contacted, Astha Modi, DCP of NIT said: "We have received zero FIR from Vasant Kunj police station Thursday. We have asked the victims to record their statements with us. We will recreate the sequence of event to establish the incident."

ALSO READ | Delhi: Man tries raping 20-year-old, throws her off 4th floor when she resists

ALSO READ | Jharkhand: Man stripped, thrashed for being in love with woman of other religion

ALSO WATCH | Delhi shocker: Nepalese woman jumps off building after gang rape

--- ENDS ---

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Commissioners voted 5-0 on Thursday to approve the homeporting of the second ship starting as early as April next year. The neoClassica would join BPCL's Grand Celebration in operating sailings every other day to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island.

The agreement has a 10-year term with two five-year renewal options.

Costa Cruises reported the sale of neoClassica earlier this month.

Grand Celebration currently carries 480,000 passengers annually, and the two ships, at 60% capacity utilization, could carry 765,000 passengers a year. Over 10 years, net income to the port could rise from $39.2m with just Grand Celebration to $54.3m with both Grand Celebration and neoClassica, at 60% occupancy, or to $62.9m with the two ships at 70% occupancy.

BPCL's net income guarantee to the port is $40.2m over 10 years, up from $19.5m with the one ship.

According to the presentation reviewed by port commissioners, direct annual spending related to BPCL totals $37.8m a year, including the purchase of food, supplies and fuel, hotel rooms, Bahamian spending, local spending, valet parking, pier employment and pilot fees. Spending related to a second ship is estimated at $35.8m. So the two-ship operation is estimated to entail spending of $73.6m, and 70 new jobs would be added to the 115 already generated by the port's cruise terminal.

The Port of Palm Beach projects $18.3m in direct expenditures over 10 years to serve the ships, including $5.7m by Riviera Beach for water and police services, with the balance for security and janitorial services.
A woman from Arizona, born without a vaginal opening, talks about her life and how it has affected her life.

By India Today Web Desk: Kaylee Moats, 22, hailing from Arizona, US was born without a vagina.

Yes, without a vaginal opening.

Kaylee was in her teens when she went to a gynecologist to know why she was not menstruating like other teens. The doctors found out that she was suffering from Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser syndrome (MRKH). A condition due to which she lacked a vaginal opening.

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FYI: What is MRKH?

Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser syndrome is a syndrome which is found 1 in 4,500 women. Due to this syndrome the growth of the female reproductive organs(uterus, cervix and vagina) is not proper. Sometimes, the uterus and vagina may be underdeveloped or absent entirely.

The condition can be treated without a surgery to create a vagina as well. According to a report by livescience.com, vaginal dilators and vaginoplasty are two ways which can treat this. Dilators help in enlarging the vaginal opening while in vaginoplasty, a vagina is created by surgical methods.

Kaylee also has a boyfriend, Robbie Limmer who supports her even after knowing about her condition.

Limmer was taken aback first after he learnt Kaylee's condition but was accepting later on. "Knowing that he accepts me for who I am, and doesn't see me as less of a person or less of a woman, makes me feel loved," Moats said.

Kaylee wants to have a reconstructive surgery so that a vagina can be created for her.

The surgery costs $15,000. But, her surgery is not included in her insurance.

"They consider it a cosmetic surgery or a gender reassignment," Moats said. "It's very hurtful" to not have this surgery covered by insurance, she said.

"Getting the surgery will help me feel normal and have all the right body parts as any other girl," Moats told in an Interview.

--- ENDS ---
Marcelo Veloso, commercial diretor of Prumo Logistica, gave a talk on the latest developments at the Port of Acu, located in the north of the State of Rio.

The port complex started operations as recently as 2014 and has been attracting important partners at its three main terminals. Oil majors BP, Chevron and Petrobras have significant operations there, as have some of the main oil and gas service providers, and leading OSV operator Edison Chouest.

Acu Port has also recently inked a partnership agreement with the Port of Antwerp, expanding its international reach.

Other key speakers were Luiz Marcelo Martins Almeida  Manager of the Oil and Gas Department of BNDES (National Development Bank) on long-term financing instruments for investments in the maritime and innovation sectors.

Fernando Faria - partner, head of infrastructure, deal advisory at KPMG, spoke on the major dedicated ship repair yard to be built in the northeast state of Paraiba, in a partnership between McQuilling Services from the United States and Brazilian company Promon Engineering. The yard hopes to attract all sizes of ships from Europe and Asia for mid-voyage repairs, as it is adjacent to major South Atlantic shipping routes.

ABENAV also promoted a workshop on the importance of innovation for the increase in competitiveness and the Innovation Space at the expo drew a good audience all day long. While RINA held a training session on Introduction to Classification and Certification, which was standing room only.

The fact that both longstanding and new exhibitors, along with industry executives have acknowledged the importance of Marintec SA as a key meeting place for the Maritime industry, is a testament of the success of this years event and it long history in Brazil.

Keeping in mind that the Brazilian Maritime & Offshore markets have been in a financial crisis for the last three years, it was noteworthy to see the positive outlook demonstrated by exhibitors and visitors alike.

Rockfibras commercial director Marco Navarro, who attends Marintec every year, was surprised by the business potential of the 2017 edition. "I've been coming to Marintec for a decade because this is the event where I meet potential customers for our services. This is the most relevant fair to evaluate the thermometer of the maritime industry, " he said.

Managing partner of Paranagua Port, a provider of solutions to the port segment, Eduardo Leite said that, in addition to finding possible trade partners at the fair, he was able to take advantage of an environment conducive to generating business to expand his portfolio.

"This was my first time at Marintec, with the objective of getting to know whats new in the market and prospecting. I like what I see and I am confident that we will even expand our client portfolio from the contacts started at the event. We intend to return in the coming years.
The US Navy released a report into the collision on Thursday and Admiral Bill Moran, deputy chief of naval operations, said the USS Fitzgerald's commander, executive officer and master chief petty officer would be removed.

"We've lost trust and confidence in their ability to lead," Moran told reporters. Another nine sailors from the USS Fitzgerald would face administrative punishments and further actions could yet be taken.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, however, the US Navy found enough evidence to take initial action.

"Serious mistakes were made by members of the crew, and there was no benefit to waiting on taking accountability actions," Moran told reporters.

The USS Fitzgerald collided with the Philippine-flagged containership at 1-30am on 17 June 56 nm southwest of Yokosuka in Japan. The containership only sustained light damage to its bow in the accident.

There are multiple investigations into the collision underway.

According to previous reports the Master of the ACX Crystal blamed the US warship for the collision.

In a report to the Japanese owners of the ACX Dainichi Investment Corporation Captain Ronald Advincula said the USS Fitzgerald steamed suddenly across its path and ignored warning lights, Reuters reported.

The report said the containership steered hard starboard to warship but the vessels collided 10 minutes later at 1-30am.

As to why the containership took nearly an hour to report the accident to the Japan Coast Guard at 2-25am Advincula said there was confusion on the vessel's bridge with it making a u-turn to return to the scene of the collision 6 nm further on.
Freight rates are climbing as demand rises in contrast to the usual summer lull. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) also went against the norm and recorded a high of 1,207 points on Wednesday.

The higher rates are due to the up-cycle seen in construction-linked commodities such as iron ore and coking coal that have fueled the seemingly insatiable Chinese steel making demand. Over the summer, Chinese mills have restocked ahead of schedule in anticipation of a 50% capacity cut expected in November.

This earlier-than-expected stockpiling disrupted the usual shipping cycle, driving another peak for the BDI from the previous 1,300s level recorded in April 2017.

Clearly, increased iron ore movements have powered the current rally in freight rates for the larger vessels. Capesizes rallied hard on Wednesday morning after better fixtures were reported on both basins, said a FIS FFA broker. August then traded up to $16,500 and September pushed up to $18,900 after having strong selling resistance broken at $18,000 and $18,500 level, he continued.

As such, the capesize 5 Time Charter Average spot rates went up by $1,117 day-on-day to $18,187 on Wednesday and saw a gain of $2,016 or 12% since the starting level of $16,771 posted on Monday.

Most of the gains were seen in the August and September contracts, reflecting market anticipation of the stricter environmental measures and capacity cuts to be imposed by Chinese authorities on the steel mills during the winter months.

This sentiment was further reinforced by Hebei provinces pledge of fast-forwarding its annual steel capacity cut of 31.86m tonnes by the end of September 2017 rather than by year-end. The shine only came off the rise on Thursday when traders decided to take profits, shredding some of the gains made in Asia and London morning sessions.

In Panamaxes too, the gains focused towards the August and September contracts and the time charter averages settled at $10,494 on Wednesday, up 3% from $10,188 recorded on Monday.

We witnessed some sharp gains at Wednesday morning session on panamax paper with good volume changing hands on the prompt contracts once again, said a FIS panamax FFA broker. Aug pushed up to $10,300 while Sep and Q4 printed highs of $11,075 and $11,100 respectively, he observed.

Supramax paper continued to follow the trend of the larger sizes as rates ticked up throughout the week. Sep was trading in $9,800 -$10,000 range, while Q4 was trading $9,900-$10,000 range and the Cal 18 started to finally move with Q1 18 trading up to $8,400 and the Cal 18 $9,200, said an Singapore-based FIS FFA broker.

Thus, the supramax TC average increased by 2.7% to $8,763 on Wednesday, from starting rate of $8,531 on Monday. In the meantime, handysize rates remained virtually static at $6,793 on Wednesday, after slipping $12 from $6,805 on Monday.

The freight market continues to enjoy the red-hot summer fuelled by sizzling-hot steel demand. Whether the rally is based on fundamentals or is the market hype identified by Chinas steel association, it is clear that the shipping cycle has moved its peak season ahead of schedule. That anomaly may soon be corrected, but for now players seem happy to bask in the profits.
Bindu's daughter is believed to be one of the 22 Keralites who went missing last year. She still looks forward to holding her in her arms again.

Even now, Bindu thinks her daughter Nimisha (alias Fathima), believed to be one of the 22 Keralites who went missing last year, is safe.

"Nothing will happen to her," she says.

When Bindu, a native of Thiruvananthapuram's Attukal, sent her daughter to a private dental college in Kasargod, she had no way of knowing how things would turn out.

She recalls how Nimisha got into a relationship with a man named Sajad, who - along with his mother - took her to a Salafi center in Thiruvananthapuram. Sajad promised to marry her if she converted.

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At the time, however, Bindu had no clue what was going on.

MARRIAGE

But Nimisha ended up marrying some else - a Christian-turned-Muslim named Bexan to whom Sajad introduced her. She was forced to do so, after being told a convert could only marry another convert.

Bindu didn't approve of the match, but she only saw Nimisha twice after that - once, in Bexan's house, and once in her own home, when he and her daughter visited.

It was during the second visit that Bexan hinted they would move abroad for business. Bindu was reluctant to send her then-pregnant daughter along.

But the couple left for Sri Lanka, and kept in touch through WhatsApp for a few weeks. And then, after June 5, nothing.

DAUGHTER GOES INCOMMUNICADO

When Bindu asked Bexan's family about this, the response she got was shocking.

"You will never get your daughter back, she is in Afghanistan, she will be used as (a) human bomb", Bexan's step-mother told her.

Nimisha gave birth on August 18.

On November 12, Bexan told his family he was in Nagerhale, and that the women in his group were somewhere else.

Since then, Bindu hasn't received any information about her daughter or the others in her group.

She doesn't know what the future holds, but she still looks forward to holding her daughter in her arms again.

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Kolkata Police has upped its game by inducting five Harley-Davidson bikes in their squad. The department has planned to use these high-end bikes during a chase, VIP visits, and for ceremonial purposes.

By India Today Web Desk: While Dubai Police is known to have fancy cars in their fleet, policemen in India are seen patrolling in Royal Enfields. But Kolkata Police has upped its game by inducting five Harley-Davidson bikes in their squad.

Kolkata Police has planned to use these high-end bikes during VIP visits and for ceremonial purposes. The bikes, bought two months ago, made their debut onto the streets on August 15 as a part of the Independence Day celebrations.

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According to a NDTV report, the five Harley-Davidson Street 750s were brought by the Kolkata Police Department for Rs 5.5 lakh each. This addition was done because Street 750 is a lot quicker and faster than the trademark Royal Enfield bikes. The bikes will be used for chases considering it is fast.

"Why shouldn't the Kolkata Police have the best?", Rajeev Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata was quoted saying.

The police force might also include TVS Apache in their fleet.

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By PTI: Agartala, Aug 18 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar today said the Left Front government has no plans to go to court against Doordarshan and All India Radio for allegedly not airing his Independence Day recorded speech.

"We are not thinking of going to the court on the issue of censorship on my recorded Independence Day speech," he told reporters here.

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However, Sarkar added that the issue would be taken before the people.

"We are not going to the court, but we would go to the people and tell them about the undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant steps of Prasar Bharati," he said.

Sarkar, also a Politburo member of CPI-M, said "as a political activist I expressed my political statement in my Independence Day speech, because I think the day is a political event."

Doordarshan had said it gave "wide coverage" to Sarkars Independence day programme though it did not tell anything on his complaint that his recorded speech was blacked out.

"On August 15, 2017, Doordarshan gave wide coverage to the chief ministers Independence day programme and telecast report running to 29 minutes and 45 seconds. Out of which, the chief ministers speech coverage was for 12 minutes," U K Sahoo, head of Doordarshan Kendra, said in a letter to the media.

"The allegation that Doordarshan Kendra, Agartala blacked out the Chief Minister on Independence day is totally incorrect and is vehemently refuted," Sahoo said.

CPI(M) MP Sankar Prasad Datta said the issue would be raised in the Parliaments winter session.

Meanwhile, CPI-M activists demonstrated before the Doordarshan Kendra Agartala.

CPI-M Central Committee member Gautam Das said "people of the state would not tolerate this undemocratic step of Prasar Bharati, which is controlled by Modi government".

Opposition Congress MLA and former Leader of the opposition, Ratan Lal Nath said, the CPI-M was trying to "politicise" the issue before the assembly elections due in February next.

"They have no issue, so they are trying to politicise it and making a issue because they know that they are going loose in the elections," he said. PTI JOY RG ZMN

--- ENDS ---
A Lafayette man on a belated honeymoon with his wife of one year was identified Friday as one of the 13 people killed in the terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain.

On Friday, hours after Jared Tuckers wife, Heidi Nunes-Tucker, identified his remains in the Spanish seaside city, his family struggled to reconcile with the odds of him being killed half a world away in a deliberate act apparently committed in the name of the Islamic State.

The U.S. State Department confirmed that one American was killed when a terrorist drove a van through a crowd of people in a tourist area Thursday, but it did not release the persons name. More than 100 people were injured in Barcelona, and another victim was killed later in a related attack in a nearby town.

I dont know how to feel, Tuckers father, Dan Tucker, told reporters. Im not angry necessarily. But more importantly, I just dont understand it. Its hard to understand how anything like that could happen. ... What are the chances (that the) one person in the whole United States being in Barcelona and being one of the (people)... fatally attacked by terrorists would be Jared?

The 42-year-old was vacationing in Barcelona with his wife as a honeymoon and a celebration of their first wedding anniversary. It was Tuckers first time in Europe, and he and his wife had spent a couple weeks exploring the Spanish city. The attack occurred on their last full day in Spain, before they were to return home Friday.

In photos the couple took, he is riding a brass lion in a city square and bobbing in the ocean with both hands reaching toward the sky.

In the last picture, taken hours before the attack, Tucker and his wife flash wide smiles as they lean into each other. They are dressed in short sleeves, dining al fresco at a restaurant, glasses of sangria on the table.

Later Thursday afternoon, they went to the popular Las Ramblas shopping district in the heart of Barcelona. Nunes-Tucker, a schoolteacher, was perusing the many kiosks for trinkets when a van plowed into a crowd of people on the pedestrian walkway. Tucker had just left his wifes side to use the restroom at a nearby restaurant, their relatives said. Nunes-Tucker was pushed over a kiosk and lost her husband in the ensuing chaos.

The Islamic State quickly took responsibility for the massacre.

My mother is boarding a flight tonight to be with (Tuckers) wife tomorrow, Tuckers nephew Paul Luke said in an online Reddit thread that was created Thursday to help find his uncle. It has since been taken down.

Jareds burial wishes were to be cremated, but that cannot be done until the investigations have finished, Luke wrote. My mother and his wife will be in Barcelona for an undetermined amount of time until final arrangements can be made.

Luke posted photos on Reddit from a plaza in the Las Ramblas area after the attack showing a man wearing a blue shirt and khaki shorts, lying on the ground with blood on his head. Another photo posted by Luke showed Tucker wearing the same outfit about one hour before the attack.

In the aftermath, Nunes-Tucker visited area hospitals and the Red Cross in search of her husband, family members said.

Tuckers family gathered at his home in Lafayette on Friday morning, comforting each other in their grief. A police officer was stationed outside.

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They have launched a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral costs, living expenses and his three daughters educations.

We loved Jared, we love you, and we are grateful that in this time of turmoil in this world we can still band together in a time of need and support each other, the Tucker family said in a statement. Pray for Jared and his family, pray for Barcelona, but most importantly pray that we can someday rid ourselves of the hate that takes our loved ones before their time.

Tucker owned a company, Fiberglass Pool Resurfacing, with his father, which they founded in 1994. They resurface nearly 200 swimming pools a year, according to the company website.

He and Nunes-Tucker got married last year. Nunes-Tucker wore a sleek white gown and held pastel pink roses and white babys breath. In one photo, Tucker and her teenage son each kiss one of her cheeks. In another, she and Tucker walk up a staircase. They are caught in mid-laugh, both heads tilted to the left and seemingly unaware of the camera.

To everyone who helped call, translate, find phone numbers, and physically visit hospitals I am grateful, Luke wrote in an online post. Amidst terrible sadness, the people of Barcelona came out in droves to help us.

Lizzie Johnson and Alison Graham are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, agraham@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn, @alisonkgraham

Fund for Bay Area victim of attack

Donations to the GoFundMe account to help Jared Tuckers survivors can be made at bit.ly/2ieRL5y
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Take a walk east from the gold-plated cupola of San Francisco City Hall and the landscape transforms into the Tenderloin, a patchwork of residential hotels, small delis and social service clinics that cater to the poor. It winds into the citys main tourist corridor, and, farther along, a glossy cluster of condominium towers where upper-story penthouses cost millions.

These symbols of extreme poverty and prosperity are wedged together in District Six, which serves both as a portal for visitors and a cauldron where San Franciscos most pressing political issues simmer.

For 20 years, District Six voters have reliably concluded that the solutions to those issues come from the progressive viewpoint. And while its more than a year until the next election for supervisor, the contest is already shaping up as a test of whether that is still true.

From the Tenderloin to the Mission Bay waterfront, District Six has seen a rush of development over the past two decades, and residents are complaining about the aftereffects: Uber and Lyft cars tying up traffic, the city not running enough Muni lines to ease congestion, and the sidewalks filled with homeless people in obvious despair.

The result of the November 2018 election will ripple beyond the districts boundaries. Supervisor Jane Kim, the two-term progressive who is ineligible to run again, calls District Six a testing ground for the rest of the city because of its mix of issues  poverty and homelessness, supercharged development and pedestrian safety.

We have the poorest residents, the wealthiest residents, the tech companies, many of the supportive services, and close to 50 percent of the citys homeless count, Kim said.

The district has long had more than its share of homeless camps, drug dealers and single-room-occupancy hotels, the lowest rung on the housing ladder. What has changed since Kims first election is the influx of tech workers and the commercial and residential building boom.

In 2011, San Francisco offered temporary tax breaks to lure tech startups into the rundown Mid-Market area. South of Market has become the spiritual home of tech, and development spurred by the new Transbay Transit Center has made it the highest-valued neighborhood in the city  yet a large number of destitute residents remains.

The first time I went door-knocking we were in the depths of the recession, and jobs were the most important issue, Kim said. Now its affordable housing and homelessness, and those are both outcomes of this growing income gap.

The candidates lining up to run will determine whether Kims progressive politics will outlast her time in office, or whether the changes that have swept over SoMa in recent years have changed the electorate as well.

The demographics appear to be shifting toward Sonja Trauss, a tech- and real estate-backed candidate whose Yes In My Backyard committee  YIMBY  drew a large following on social media and support from Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman. Trauss, who sued the East Bay city of Lafayette for scrapping a high-density apartment plan, is fixated on building housing, at all price levels  not the sort of policy that traditionally has attracted progressive backing in San Francisco.

To some political observers, that bullish emphasis on urban planning is the key to her candidacy.

Theres a defining issue in every race, and in this one, its development, said political consultant Jim Ross, noting that each District Six candidate will have to pick a side  keep the neighborhood the way it is, or pack it with tall, dense buildings.

Trauss, a SoMa resident, wants to spread that development pattern to the rest of the city, including the quiet west-side pockets where homeowners generally oppose height and population growth. The YIMBYs were enthusiastic supporters of west-side Supervisor Katy Tangs Home-SF density ordinance, which allows developers to build taller structures in exchange for making 30 percent of the units affordable.

Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle

All the population growth in San Francisco cannot be contained only in District Six, Trauss said. Other districts need to start building more. Thats going to be part of my legislative agenda.

Such ideas earned Trauss an early endorsement from Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener, perhaps the most prominent of San Franciscos moderate officeholders after Mayor Ed Lee.

To older progressives such as former Mayor Art Agnos, the big challenge in District Six is preserving neighborhood character. But the district is among the least cohesive in the city, with the most newcomers. That may make it welcoming of Trauss and of another candidate whom Agnos is trying to draft  Sunny Angulo, who lives in the Western Addition and will have to move to District Six if she enters the race.

Angulo is also the challenger likely to inherit the support of the tenant advocates and leftist coalitions that backed Kim and previous District Six Supervisor Chris Daly. She worked for Kim and is currently the chief of staff to Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who steers the boards progressive wing.

In Peskins office, Angulo has served as a behind-the-scenes architect of policies that would boost affordable housing stock and raise fees for developers  two primary aims of the citys left.

That area ... from Third Street to South Van Ness, which is currently one-, two- and three-story industrial buildings and auto body shops, thats where all the action is going to be for the next 10 years, Agnos said. And the questions are: Will we build affordable housing in sufficient amounts to deal with the crisis we have today?

Angulo, who has not yet decided whether she will be a candidate, said she would try to shield District Six tenants from Ellis Act evictions and real estate speculators. She would push for more parks and better Muni service, and ask that other neighborhoods pick up some of the social services that are concentrated in SoMa and the Tenderloin.

In the years that I convened neighborhood meetings in District Six, people wanted social services in other parts of the city so that we werent absorbing all the burden, she said.

The other candidate likely to vie for progressive votes is Matt Haney, a Board of Education member since 2012 who endeared himself to the left by working for school district changes he said would improve conditions for students of color. He pushed disciplinary policies in 2014 that cut down on suspensions and expulsions, and he introduced a resolution the next year to bring computer science into classrooms, particularly in low-income neighborhoods.

I trust the work that Matt is doing, said BART board Director Lateefah Simon, a close friend of Haneys who began her career working with sexually exploited women in the Tenderloin.

To Simon, income inequality is the most salient issue in District Six. Its also the great curse for anyone trying to run a campaign there.

Whoever wins that race is going to have to create a unifying vision for the woman who works cleaning hotels and has four babies, and for the 22-year-old data scientist who makes $220,000 a year, she said.

Haney, who lives in the Tenderloin, is wrestling with that vision.

You have more venture capital coming into the two ZIP codes (in District Six) than anywhere else in the world, Haney said. And the question is, how do we harness that?

Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Haney, however, also is undecided about whether to run. So far, Trauss only declared opponent is Jason Lee Jones, a longtime Tenderloin resident who works in a coffee shop.

As the district grows more affluent, political discussions are veering away from social issues like affordable housing and more toward the sort of quality-of-life issues that middle- and upper-class people care about  traffic jams, homelessness and clean sidewalks.

Those debates have given hope to moderates, who view the area as a swing district, even though it tilted left in the past five elections.

Whats fascinating about this district is that its changed so much with all that construction happening South of Market and along the ballpark, Ross said. The more moderate voices have begun to see District Six as a place where they could get someone elected.

But its unclear whether newer residents will show up to polling places or have as strong a presence as the multigenerational immigrant families in SoMa and the neighborhood activists in the Tenderloin.

Then theres the specter of an intra-neighborhood battle, now that development is moving west into the heart of downtown.

While residents in the eastern areas of Rincon Hill and South Beach generally embraced density and height, the Planning Departments new blueprint for central SoMa is running into opposition, said Jim Lazarus, senior vice president of public policy at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.

The planning staff proposed higher heights in the central SoMa plan, and condo owners in that area are pushing back, he said.

And District Six is right on the cusp of another big transformation: the Central Subway under construction along Fourth Street, where more development is planned along its route.

Such changes seem auspicious to Maggie Muir, a veteran consultant who ran campaigns for Wiener, District Attorney George Gascon and board President London Breed, and who now works for Trauss.

You have a lot of new residents in that district, Muir said. I think the race is wide open.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
Will it become something like western border with Pakistan - requiring constant vigil and heightened alert ? These are some issues that New Delhi is considering.

By Sudhi Ranjan Sen: The India - China border, although disputed, was also perhaps the quietest border. Will it become something like western border with Pakistan - requiring constant vigil and heightened alert? These are some issues that New Delhi is considering.

Now with the Doklam stand-off continuing into the 3rd month and frequent harsh threats from China, New Delhi is examining whether the winter-posture of troops - the deployment of troops along the border in winter months - is adequate and whether, in the long run, there is a need to rejig deployment?

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There are other ominous signs as well. New Delhi isn't yet connecting the Doklam stand-off to the Pangong Tso fight, but is worried that protocols for maintaining peace along the border is under strain.

The Indian Army is examining what went wrong. At Pangong Tso, troops first came to blows and then threw stones at each other - something unprecedented.

The numbers of face-off - when Indian- Chinese patrols come face to face - that dipped last year - is now steadily rising. Till July this year the number of transgressions is about 300 as compared to only about 200 last year. It is likely to cross 500 by the end of the year.

It is as high 2014-15 when the number of transgression by the Chinese PLA was about 500. And in areas the number of soldiers in the Chinese PLA patrols is showing an upward trend. India believes it could be method to project power along border.

The "handle of escalation is with China," sources told India Today.

WHAT IS INDIA CONSIDERING?

Top sources told India Today that the manner in which troop deployment took place may change. While no post along the LaC is vacated but freezing temperature do force a thing down on troops at places.

Often temperatures along the border in winters go down to -30 degrees celsius. This may change and the deployment levels may be as high as summer months.

Also, much of the border has to be dominated by foot-patrols. Mountain terrain, bad infrastructure prevents quick movement of troops force, India has to dominate every mountain peak and ridge line. Long range foot patrols - or soldiers marching on foot to maintain a vigil - can last between four to six weeks. "The frequency of these patrols could go up," sources indicated.

There are roughly about 60 patrolling points along the border. These points are likely to see more patrols through the year. Over the last decade and half - beginning 2004 - the number of formations and troops deployed the border have increased manifold.

According to assessment of the Indian Army, it is largely evenly poised with the Chinese People's Liberation Army in Ladakh. However, areas east of Tawang continue to be a concern. Sources said that New Delhi is looking at areas like Sinag, Debang valley and Subansari.

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DIFFICULT TERRAIN

"Road connectivity is poor and the terrain is difficult troops cannot be moved in these areas quickly. Vigilance and monitoring of these areas will have to be higher," sources told India Today. But given that some vulnerable areas are difficult to access, India may have no choice but strengthen the deployment.

An estimated 50,000-75,000 troops of the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police guard are deployed on the border with China.

if the border with India- China becomes any more active than it is now, it would mean that India will have to commit more troops. It would mean an additional strain and reduced time for training of the Indian forces.

Also Read:

Why Japan lent support to India against China over Doklam standoff

Doklam standoff: Japan backs India, says no one must use unilateral force in bid to change status quo

Keep calm over Doklam: India asks troops not to get provoked in face of Chinese aggression

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ALSO WATCH | China says not aware of its soldiers entering Ladakh

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An unprecedented legal standoff between the state auditor and the agency that disciplines unethical judges in California came to a head Thursday as lawyers for both sides delivered spirited arguments in a case that has pitted the public agencies against each other for nearly a year.

At issue is whether the San Francisco-based Commission on Judicial Performance will have to release thousands of confidential judicial complaints and investigations as part of a first-ever audit of the 57-year-old agency.

Its not about the CJP being immune from an audit, said Michael von Loewenfeldt, a lawyer representing the commission. The auditor has no right to see these documents under the commissions rule.

The office of State Auditor Elaine Howle, however, has refused to conduct the review without access to all the records it argues are critical to evaluating the commissions performance.

No audit would do that, said Myron Moskovitz, a lawyer representing the auditors office, after the hearing. Thats how you end up with Enron.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Suzanne Ramos Bolanos took the matter under consideration after asking a series of pointed questions about the commissions stated authority to keep records from the auditor, despite other agencies regularly sharing sensitive information, and the auditors stated inability to proceed without them.

A ruling is due within 90 days.

The unusual dispute stems from August 2016, when a state legislative committee approved an audit of the 11-member commission, which was established in 1960 to investigate misconduct among the states roughly 2,000 judges.

At the time, some judges had complained that the commission had penalized jurists too heavily for minor missteps. Court reform advocates, meanwhile, had argued that the agencys lack of transparency had led to leniency for bad judges at the expense of the public.

The CJP was created to protect the public, and they are not protecting the public, said lawyer Barbara Kauffman, who attended the hearing Thursday along with dozens of other advocates who watched the proceedings and marched outside the courthouse.

Kauffman said she waited nearly three years after filing a complaint with the commission to hear that it would not be pursuing the matter.

Although the small but powerful agency can publicly discipline judges, including removing them from the bench, the state Constitution allows the commissioners to carry out the vast majority of their investigations and disciplinary actions in secret.

The commission releases a summary of a complaint and the judges reply in only a small fraction of cases that result in public disciplinary action. In other disciplinary cases, when the commission finds the misbehavior to be relatively minor, it withholds the documents and issues a private reprimand. Complainants are given limited information on the progress and conclusion of investigations that do not result in public proceedings.

The commission receives roughly 1,200 new complaints a year, or about 11,000 complaints from 2006 through 2015, according to a July court filing submitted by the auditors office. In that time, the auditor noted, the commission instituted only 19 public proceedings.

Thus, in response to 99.4% of complaints, the Commission made every decision at every junction secretly  free from public scrutiny, according to the auditors filing.

The commission has maintained that private reprimands serve important purposes  educating the judge, deterring future misconduct and justifying increased punishment for further violations. The commission also has argued that overall confidentiality protects complainants, witnesses and judges who may have been unfairly accused.

In addition to a review of financial and staffing issues, the auditor has sought to examine the commissions policies and practices for handling and resolving judicial complaints by reviewing those confidential records.

But the commission has argued that the state Constitution grants it the sole authority to keep those records confidential and from the auditor.

The Legislature is not on top of our system; the Constitution is on top of our system, von Loewenfeldt said. The Constitution gave the power to the commission; it didnt give it to the Legislature.

The auditors office has said it would keep the records confidential, as it does other records like tax and health documents.

Withholding those records would essentially blind the Legislature to how the agency is spending its legislatively approved $4.6 million annual budget, Moskovitz said.

Are the Commissions procedures structured to allow incompetent or biased judges to continue deciding civil and criminal cases? Or are they structured to lead to discipline that is too harsh on judges, arbitrarily interfering with their judicial independence? So far, the answers are a mystery, the auditors court filings state. No one enjoys being audited. But this is one of the costs of participating in a democracy.

Cynthia Dizikes is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cdizikes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @cdizikes

Share your story

If you have filed a complaint, or have been the subject of a complaint filed with the California Commission on Judicial Performance in the last five years and would like to share your story, please contact the San Francisco Chronicle I-Team at iteam@sfchronicle.com.
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The two sides have engaged in perpetual conflict, traded accusations, and caused collateral damage across the country. But for the good of everyone, they put aside mutual acrimony and reached a compromise.

No, not Republicans and Democrats, but rather dock workers and West Coast port operators and shipping lines.

The longshoremens union and the Pacific Maritime Association recently agreed to a three-year extension of a contract that ensures labor peace at 29 ports, including Los Angeles and Oakland, through at least 2022. The first-of-its-kind agreement means the country wont see a repeat of three years ago, when a work slowdown delayed shipments from Asia and cost U.S. retailers millions of dollars in lost holiday sales.

Were very happy, Chris Lytle, executive director of the Port of Oakland, told me. We see great benefits of the contract being extended in terms of reliability and stability (of port operations). Thats a very big thing. A lot of shippers were hurt during the 2014-15 slowdown.

Since the turn of the century, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents 20,000 port workers, and the maritime association have been locked in a perpetual cycle of brinkmanship in negotiating six-year contracts, often resulting in lockouts, slowdowns and outright strikes.

Thats why the recent deal is so notable: Instead of waiting until a contract ends to negotiate a new one, the union and the maritime association signed an extension a good two years before the current deal expires. In effect, the union abandoned a strategy historically designed to give it maximum leverage over the ports and shippers.

Union officials seemed to acknowledge that this shift would upset some workers.

During the past year we saw a healthy debate and heard different points of view, with concerns raised by all sides, union President Robert McEllrath said in a statement. The democratic process allowed us to make a difficult decision and arrive at the best choice under the circumstances.

The union, which said 67 percent of workers approved the extension, did not disclose contract details other than to say the deal increases wages and pension benefits.

So what changed?

Perhaps the union overplayed its hand during the last conflict. The Federal Reserve suggests the dispute was a big reason that the gross domestic product declined 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2015. The central bank estimates that West Coast exports fell 20.5 percent in the quarter while imports dropped 9 percent.

But the dispute particularly hurt retailers. Companies such as Gap and Williams-Sonoma, both based in San Francisco, heavily depend on Asian factories to make merchandise. Retailers typically order holiday goods in February and March and receive them by early fall. The four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas can account for nearly a third of annual sales, so any delay can really hurt a retailer.

It was a disaster, said Brian Kilcourse, managing partner at RSR Research in Grass Valley (Nevada County). You cant sell products that are still on the water.

Williams-Sonoma blamed the port slowdown for wiping out $30 million to $40 million in revenue for the first quarter of 2015.

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The prolonged conflict embarrassed President Obama, whose efforts to expand the economy depended on boosting U.S. exports to Asia, including through major trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In February 2015, Obama sent Labor Secretary Tom Perez to San Francisco to pressure both sides into reaching an agreement.

But as the conflict wore on, there was growing talk in Washington of using the Taft-Hartley Act to force open the ports. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan invoked the law to order striking air traffic controllers back to work. He eventually fired more than 11,000 workers who refused to do so.

Kilcourse also noted that the labor conflict prompted retailers to bypass West Coast ports altogether by rerouting goods through the recently expanded Panama Canal or to ports in Canada and Mexico.

The union might have also considered the current political situation. President Trump has been a vocal opponent of trade agreements; he pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a pact that would have greatly benefited West Coast ports, and threatened to rip up the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trump is also threatening China with trade sanctions, a move that will surely lead to Chinese retaliation. A trade war with China would be devastating for West Coast ports: China is the Port of Oaklands top trading partner, accounting for 30 percent of total trade from January to June this year.

At a time of such geopolitical uncertainty, peace at home seems worth the price.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
The SkyWest Airlines passenger jet began descending below the 500-foot level toward San Francisco International Airports runway 28R when the pilot saw an alarming sight: what looked like a drone passing just 20 feet directly below the planes nose.

The pilot landed the plane safely without needing to take evasive action, according to a newly released Federal Aviation Administration report. But the Jan. 23 incident, one of at least 27 pilot-reported drone sightings so far this year around Bay Area airports, highlights the emerging worry drones pose for airports.

Although the FAA and airports are examining the use of emerging technologies to detect or take down drones, theres not much they can do right now except educate drone pilots to fly safely or send law enforcement officers to try to find the offenders.

But its difficult for aviation officials to determine that what the pilots saw was a drone, much less provide information such as size and type that would lead police back to the operator.

Were concerned about every drone sighting, regardless of the details, said SFO spokesman Doug Yakel. The reports only capture what the pilots said they observed and are not corroborated by any other source of data. We evaluate these reports collectively to identify trends and patterns of reporting activity.

According to the FAAs latest report, more than 400 sightings of unmanned aircraft were reported to the agency nationwide from January through March. About 1,200 sightings were reported in 2015 and 1,800 in 2016, according to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.

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The reports mainly come from aircraft pilots, although some are from private citizens on the ground. Some pilots reported drones that were so far away that they posed no immediate danger to the aircraft, but were still close enough to the 5-mile restricted airspace around airports or far above the 400-foot height limit for drones.

A Feb. 3 drone sighting, one of three reported in the first three months of this year to Oakland International Airport, concerned a device flying about 1,000 feet over the Oakland Coliseum.

And, as The Chronicle reported July 23, pilots of two jets reported a drone hovering 3,500 feet over Hunters Point.

This year, 11 sightings have been reported to SFO, almost equaling the 15 during all of last year. None has caused problems or delays for passenger flights, including the close call Jan. 23, Yakel said.

In that incident, the pilot of SkyWest Flight 5233, operating for United Express from Redding, reported his plane was descending toward runway 28-right about 6:35 p.m. when he saw a drone passing below the nose of the aircraft, the FAA report said. A SkyWest spokesman declined to comment.

At Mineta San Jose International, one of nine sightings reported in the first quarter came March 12, when the pilot of a passenger jet approaching the airport at 5,000 feet said a circle-shaped drone with four blades came within about 100 feet. No evasive action was taken, and the incident was relayed to the Santa Clara County sheriffs office, the FAA report said.

Aviation officials and drone experts say its difficult to determine whether the sighting is of a drone or another object. One pilots report filed to SFO described a drone flying a half-mile away as gold and red and shiny.

Drone sightings are bound to rise as sales soar. The FAA expects the number of drones to increase in the U.S. from 2.5 million in 2016 to 7 million in 2020.

A 2015 study by the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College in New York found that only one-third of reported drone sightings near airports could be considered serious incidents. The rest of the reports had inconclusive details, or suggested the object was too far from the aircraft to pose an immediate threat, said Dan Gettinger, the centers co-director.

Most often, the pilots reporting drones are taking off or landing. These pilots are doing a lot of things at the same time, and theyre not always able to report with absolute certainty that the things they saw are drones, Gettinger said.

In 2016, a British Airways jet initially thought to have hit a drone in flight actually hit a plastic bag, according to Gettinger.

Its not clear how serious of an issue it is even though we see all these reports, he said.

The severity of a collision would depend on several factors, including the relative speeds of the aircraft, the size and weight of the drone and whether the airplanes cabin was fully pressurized, said Javid Bayandor, director of the Crashworthiness for Aerospace Structures and Hybrids Lab at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

The lab is conducting studies on drone collisions. Since drones are made of plastic or metal, they have the potential to cause more damage than birds if sucked into a jet engine, Bayandor said. Thats particularly true on takeoffs and landings, when the pilot has less time to avoid obstacles.

The answer is nothing really good comes out of it, Bayandor said of a potential collision. At any cost, it has to be avoided.

Analysts say the burgeoning drone industry, including hobbyists, photographers, racers and potentially package shippers, could come crashing down if theres a tragic incident.

All its going to take is one major fatality and the downside for the industry at large will be incalculable, said Chris Carr, a drone law expert and partner at the law firm Baker Botts in San Francisco.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

SFO has tried to streamline its reporting system so that when a pilot reports a drone, the information gets to a local law enforcement agency as soon as possible, according to Yakel. Part of what were trying to achieve is to be able to identify and locate the drone operator, he said.

But thats difficult because the flight paths leading to and from the airport stretch for miles, over many cities, counties and the bay. Dispatching police to one location to find a single drone operator can be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

The FAA prohibits shooting a drone out of the air because it might cause more harm if it fell to the ground, although the U.S. Department of Defense recently authorized the military to shoot down drones over bases.

SFO is trying to map drone flights to determine whether there are patterns that will help find illegal operators. It also is examining various tech options for tracking and detecting drones, Yakel said.

For example, San Francisco startup Dedrone offers technology to track the unique communication signatures for individual drone models. But Yakel said the airport is still far from deciding what type of technology to use. One option is training its current systems, like radar and security cameras, to find drones.

NASA researchers in Langley, Va., recently developed an electronic GPS system that can force a drone to the ground before penetrating a designated zone. SFO has an electronic fence around its physical property to track the movements of ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, but installing a similar electronic fence covering flight paths would be difficult, Yakel said. Still, we want to understand whats available, he said.

The FAA, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, which represents commercial drone operators, and the Academy of Model Aeronautics, which represents hobbyists, have launched a campaign to educate drone pilots.

Drone operators have to understand that as soon as they start flying outside, they are pilots with the responsibility to operate safely, just like pilots of manned aircraft, the FAAs Gregor said in an email.

Benny Evangelista is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: bevangelista@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChronicleBenny

Drone sightings

by pilots near

Bay Area airports

City 2016 2017* San Francisco 15 11 San Jose 22 9 Oakland 3 3 Napa 2 1 Fairfield 1 Santa Rosa 4 1 Pacifica 1 Palo Alto 2 Concord 1 Danville 1 Hayward 1 Fremont 1 Livermore 1 Woodside 1

*Through March, except for San Francisco
Democrats feverishly looking to send President Trump to an early retirement should step back and take a deep breath, a leading California Democrat said Thursday.

With the GOP controlling both houses of Congress, nothing is going to happen until Republican members are presented with examples of very specific conduct that says their vote (to impeach Trump) is justified, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, told The Chronicles editorial board. My Republican colleagues are nowhere near ready to make that conclusion.

On Tuesday, Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of Hillsborough said in a tweet that the president is showing signs of erratic behavior and mental instability that place the country in grave danger. Time to invoke the 25th Amendment, which allows a president to be removed from office.

Other Democrats, including Reps. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks (Los Angeles County), have long called for Trumps impeachment, and the number is likely to grow after the presidents controversial comments this week in response to the death of a protester during a white supremacist event in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday.

But both impeachment and the 25th Amendment are political decisions that would require Republican support that doesnt now exist, Schiff said, either among legislators or the people who voted for Trump.

If Trump were removed, it couldnt look like an effort to nullify the results of the last election, he added, which means it is one case where it is better to have the GOP running Congress.

An impeachment effort would have far more credibility if the effort was led by a Republican Congress, Schiff said.

But unlikely doesnt mean impossible, and Schiffs work as the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, which is looking at the possibility of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible links to the Trump campaign, could play a major role in any future decision.

Certainly, possible collusion with Russia and proof that it happened would be something that could change the way Republicans look at the president, Schiff said.

The House investigation is very different from the one being carried out by former FBI director Robert Mueller, who was appointed as a special counsel to look into possible Russian involvement in the election.

Muellers job is to conclude if any laws have been broken and who should be prosecuted, said Schiff, a former federal prosecutor. Any information that comes out will likely be in indictments.

The House investigation, though, is a full public investigation, a transparent look at what happened and what can be done to make sure it doesnt happen again.

I think thats equally or more important than putting people away, Schiff said.

The House probe has had its problems. The committees leader, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, had to recuse himself from the Russian investigation in April after he came under a House ethics investigation for potentially mishandling classified documents. The fact that its a GOP-led committee investigating the actions of a Republican president and his staff doesnt make political consensus between the parties any easier.

Were working together reasonably well, Schiff said, which is important when it comes to putting together a final report from the committee, something he admits wont be coming anytime soon.

Schiff said his main effort is not only to determine what, if anything, Russian operatives did in the 2016 election and to see that it doesnt happen again, but also to ensure nothing happened that Russia could use against the Trump administration or use to influence future policy.

We owe it to the country to make sure the Russians have no lever against the administration, he said.

Schiff is a graduate of Monte Vista High School in Danville and graduated from Stanford before heading to Harvard Law School. His high-profile slot on the Intelligence Committee has raised his visibility in the state and nation and sparked his political ambitions.

If Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., decided not to run for re-election in 2018, I would certainly think about (running for Senate), but Id hate to lose her.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
Need a creative boost? Take a swig of some beer or wine.

According to a study by the University of Graz in Austria, that "mild intoxication" may just be the key to getting a person to temporarily think outside the box.

The study, led by the psychology department's Mathias Benedek, followed 70 people who each drank either a beer or a similar-tasting non-alcoholic beer. When those drinking the alcoholic beer got tipsy  around 0.03 percent blood alcohol content  they and the other participants were asked to perform a variety of tasks.

In one test to determine "divergent thinking," participants were asked to "find creative uses" for common objects, like forks, shoes, and umbrellas. Six independent judges scored the answers found, but interestingly, those who were slightly inebriated generally scored on par with those who had consumed the non-alcoholic beer.

One, for example, measured participants with a test of creative word association ability, called a Remote Associates Test or RAT. In one case, participants were asked to find the word that linked the terms "cake," "blue," and "Swiss"; those that been drinking beer were more likely to guess that the linking word was "cheese."

As the researchers found, this test's "creativity" came to the subjects as a result of the removal of "mental fixation" (thanks to that mild alcohol consumption).

"We found that intoxicated participants actually improved their performance in the RAT beyond the level of the placebo group, which rules out the possibility that performance gains were caused by expectancy effects alone," the study's conclusion reads. "Considering the findings together, a moderate attenuation of cognitive control seems to benefit creative problem solving but not divergent thinking. While most cognitive activities usually benefit from high cognitive control, some may actually suffer from too much focus...This interpretation is consistent with the observation that creative problem solving tasks are often solved by spontaneous insight and accompanied by 'Aha-experiences."

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.


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Entrepreneur Andy Rubin is known for meddling with the status quo. He helped develop the T-Mobile Sidekick, an Internet-connected smartphone that predated the iPhone, and he created Android  now the worlds most-used smartphone operating system  and sold it to Google.

Rubin believes smartphones still can be improved. On Thursday his new company, called Essential, began selling a $699 Android phone. It will go up against devices made by Samsung and Apple, which combined make up nearly two-thirds of the U.S. smartphone market, according to research firm IDC.

Unlike some competitors, the Essential phone does not have a logo on its titanium body and has few apps installed. It has a 5.71-inch diagonal screen  slightly larger than that of an iPhone 7 Plus. It also has an eight-megapixel front camera and a rear 13-megapixel dual camera system.

A 360-degree camera that attaches to the phone costs an extra $199. The camera will connect with future phones, too, the company says.

The goal is to create a consumer-positive brand in electronics, Rubin said at a press briefing at the companys Palo Alto headquarters. I dont believe (that) exists anymore.

The company declined to say how many customers had ordered the phone.

Rubin had promised the phone by about late June, so its arrival is slightly delayed.

Analysts say Essential will need to educate consumers on its product. Even though people in technology circles are well aware of Rubins past, some mainstream consumers may not know his background. The phones will be sold at Sprint and Best Buy stores as well as online.

Its going to be a long, slow, steady slog to earn eyeballs and attention and to pry people off whatever they are using now, said Ramon Llamas, a research manager for wearables and mobile phones for IDC.

Rubin said that because Essential is producing fewer phones, it can be more innovative, because it works with different vendors than competitors that need much larger scale.

There is power in being small, Rubin said.

Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee
$2 million (at least)

Thats how much Apple is donating to two human rights groups as part of CEO Tim Cooks pledge to help lead the fight against the hate that fueled the violence in Virginia during a white-nationalist rally last weekend. Apple is giving $1 million apiece to Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. It will also match employee donations to those two groups and other human rights organizations on a 2-for-1 basis. Cook disagrees with President Trumps comparison between the actions of white nationalists and protesters opposing them, and that equating the two runs counter to our ideals as Americans.

The COWs jump over

the moon

When the sun is covered, AT&T has you covered  in a manner of speaking. AT&T said it is deploying cell on wheels vehicles, or COWs, in places expected to be hit by Mondays eclipse, also called the path of totality. The vehicles can boost wireless data capacity up to 300 percent, the company says, making it easier for all those who want to stream or share photos from the event.

HBOs Twitter hacked

HBO has regained control of its social media accounts after a security breach. Hacking group OurMine on Wednesday night took over several of the Time Warner units Twitter accounts, including ones for Game of Thrones and John Olivers show. The group posted that we are just testing your security and asked HBO to contact it for an upgrade. HBO said Thursday that the infringement on our social media accounts was recognized and rectified quickly. It declined further comment.

San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. More at www.sfgate.com . Twitter: @techchronicle
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said that if he loses the Panaji by-poll, he has the option of returning as the defence minister.

Parrikar has to get elected to the Assembly within six months of taking charge as the chief minister. (PTI Photo)

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray has attacked Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar over his remarks on returning as defence minister if he loses the state by-poll. Parrikar is contesting the Panaji assembly bypoll scheduled on August 23. Parrikar recently said that if he loses the Panaji by-poll, he has the option of returning as the defence minister.

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In a strongly worded editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna, Uddhav Thackeray has even called Parrikar a failure as a defence minister. The editorial says that Parrikar must lose the Panaji by-poll and let the nation see if he really returns as defence minister.

In the editorial Uddhav says, "the misunderstanding that Manohar Parrikar is a politician with a clean image is bygone now. He himself has stamped his image as a self-centred politician. After failing miserably as the defence minister, he returned to Goa".

"Parrikar's arrogant statement that if he loses Panaji by-polls he will return to Delhi as defence minister has not only insulted the CMs post of Goa but has also degraded the defence minister's post" Uddhav said.

"Actually for a 'Mahatma' like Parrikar the elections should have been unopposed. But he turned his back when the borders of the nation were in danger to enjoy his 'fish curry rice', isn't this a great bravery ? He should get a Mahaveer Chakra for this bravery, but instead BJP made him the CM of Goa," Uddhav quipped sarcastically in the editorial.

The Shiv Sena chief alleged that inspite of badly losing the Goa assembly elections, Parrikar managed to form the government. Uddhav said that the Goa chief minister is afraid of a defeat in the by-poll and is insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi by making such a statement. Parrikar's statement is laughable and an insult to democracy, Uddhav has said.

"The prime minister must explain. Is the defence minister's post so cheap and orphaned?", Uddhav questioned.

"The country is fighting the challenges on the borders by China and Pakistan...PM is making all efforts to face them .. but when people like Parrikar degrade the defence minister's post, he deserves to be defeated. His fear of defeat must come true. The Goans will watch whether he'd really become the defence minister. How long are they going to fool the people of Goa?", Uddhav said.

The by-election in Panaji and Valpoi constituencies would be held on August 23.

The bypolls were necessitated following the resignations of BJP's sitting MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar and Congress' Vishwajeet Rane, from Panaji and Valpoi seats, respectively.

Parrikar resigned as the defence minister after the BJP formed the government in Goa.

He was sworn-in as the chief minister on March 14 this year. He has to get elected to the Assembly within six months of taking charge as the chief minister.

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Also Read:

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar proves majority in Goa Assembly: As it happened

Manohar Parrikar: Quit as defence minister due to pressure of issues like Kashmir

Also Watch:

Manohar Parrikar sworn in as Goa Chief Minister

--- ENDS ---
SHANGHAI  The Chinese government thinks this companys name literally goes too far: A Group of Youths in Baoji Holding a Cherished Dream That Under the Leadership of Uncle Niu They Will Create the Miracle of Life Network Technology Co. Ltd.

In the original Chinese, it is 39 characters long. And under guidelines issued this month by Chinas State Administration for Industry and Commerce, thats a bit too much of a mouthful.

The rules say new companies cannot register names that are paragraphs or long sentences, or that include sensitive language, including political terms. It also gives the government vague authority to fix inappropriate names as it sees fit. But Niu Xiaolu, a.k.a. Uncle Niu, is not concerned.

If I receive notice to shorten the name, I will try to keep it, said Niu, whose company in Shaanxi makes condoms. If I cannot, I will fix it according to regulations.

Names that discriminate against gender, race or ethnicity are prohibited, too, as are references to terrorism, separatism and extremism. Religious terms, the names of national leaders, illegal organizations and reactionaries are a no-go. And companies cannot use their names to imply they are nonprofit organizations.

The industry and commerce administration said the new rules were a key step of accomplishing related reform. A similar state directive last year banned oversized, xenocentric, weird architecture.

Yang Wen, head of What Are You Looking At Shenzhen Technology Co., said he did not think his business would run into trouble, despite having a sentence  albeit an unpunctuated one  in its name. The company makes virtual reality hardware.

What are you looking at? is a casual northern China phrase, Yang said. It does not have any problem. This name is easy to remember and fits with our VR glasses products.

A company called King of Nanning, Guangxi and His Friends Trading Co. Ltd., which operates two Vietnamese restaurants, was singled out on Chinese social media as running afoul of the new guidelines  or perhaps just being weird.

Ma Xiaojun, the companys founder, said it was hard to find a proper name, so he chose his based on a friend nicknamed King. He said he didnt see a problem with founding a business with a less-serious moniker.

If you look at Western listed companies, there are plenty of names like us, he said, adding that if authorities asked him to change the name, he would.

Neither Hangzhou Looking for Trouble Internet Technology nor a related business, Hangzhou No Problem If Im Here Internet Technology Co., could be reached for comment.

For Niu, having a long company name cuts both ways. On the one hand, he said, it made payment using WeChat and Alipay impossible  neither system can handle a name of that size.

We are mostly doing e-commerce, which is almost 100 percent affected by this trouble, he said.

On the other hand, he added, when he has asked for a receipt using his company name in restaurants, sometimes the staff recognize it and give him a free meal. In return, Niu said, he gives out boxes of his companys products.

Ailin Tang is a New York Times writer.
Construction at Apple Park, the spaceship headquarters in Cupertino, is projected to be completed this year. The $5 billion campus is to be a state-of-the-art facility, boasting the latest in energy efficiencies, green technologies, a 100,000-square-foot fitness center, an orchard, a meadow and a pond. Some 12,000 employees are moving into the 175-acre campus over the next six months. But unfortunately some of them arent as excited as youd think theyd be.

Why? Blame the new open office floor plan design.

Up until now, Apple employees have been used to having their own office space. But Apple Park will change all that. The programmers, engineers, developers and other employees who work there will be rubbing elbows with each other over long tables that theyll be sharing in the companys new open space environment. And some are not thrilled.

Jon Gruber, a podcaster and blogger who follows the company, is reported to have received emails from employees who threatened to leave if the workplaces arent suitable. Judging from the private feedback Ive gotten from some Apple employees, Im 100 percent certain theres going to be some degree of attrition based on the open floor plans, he said in this MacRumors report.

Open office designs have been popular with many companies in recent years, but theyve also been controversial. Executives believe that an environment without cubicles fosters collaboration, innovation and creativity. Research has backed up some of these claims. But many workers arent so crazy about the lack of privacy  and that guy who noisily eats his lunch just a few feet away. Tuna salad again?

Gruber claims that one vice president had the company build his very successful group their own building because he was so dissatisfied with the open floor plan. Business Insider reports that the companys cloud services team has claimed its former headquarters for its own workspace, voicing concerns that Apple employees used to privacy and a quiet work environment might be upset by the open floor plans.

Gene Marks owns the Marks Group, a consulting firm that helps clients with customer relationship management. He wrote this originally for the Washington Post.
Got nothing in her tweets

Taylor Swift emptied her Instagram account and changed her Twitter profile to a blank gray image Friday, fueling speculation that she might soon release her long-awaited sixth album. With more than 9.5 million copies sold, 2014s 1989 is one of the best-selling albums of the decade, helping juice record-industry sales as they recovered from digital decimation. Another Swift hit wouldnt hurt  especially if she does another exclusive deal with Apple , Spotify or another streaming service.

Number of the day

28 percent

Thats how much Foot Locker shares fell Friday  its worst decline since the depths of the recession  after a bleak outlook renewed concerns that the industrys growth streak has come to an end. Results were weaker than expected by almost every benchmark: profit, sales and margins. Foot Locker also forecast continued sales declines over the rest of 2017, with CEO Dick Johnson citing sluggish demand for top brands, including Nikes Jordan and Adidas Stan Smith.

You can look it up

Merriam-Webster has added a fun online feature called Time Traveler that could appeal to history buffs and wordsmiths. Enter a year, and Time Traveler will list many words that were first used in print that year. For example, 2008 brought us bitcoin and photobomb, 1984 brought us FedEx and vaporware, and 1865 gave us smart aleck and white mans burden. And when did we get Allah and Madonna? Try 1584.

Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techchronicle
The windows of a childrens classroom at a Jewish temple in Alameda were broken when someone threw rocks at the synagogue, police said Friday.

Staffers at Temple Israel discovered the vandalism Thursday morning. The rocks apparently were thrown the night before, including at a window where young children had painted stars of David.

Sgt. Erik Klaus, who oversees the Alameda Police Department property crimes division, said officers are not investigating the incident as a hate crime

There was no graffiti, no notes, no previous threats, Klaus said.

But some in the Alameda Jewish community saw it as an act directed at the synagogue.

Mel Waldorf, a Temple Israel member, took his 14-year-old daughter with him to survey the damage after receiving an email sent to the congregation. Waldorf said it is important for his daughter to understand what happened in the aftermath of a series of anti-Semitic threats she faced at Alameda High School.

When they got to the synagogue, on Bay Farm Island, Waldorf said he saw an officer carrying a bag with a rock larger than a softball. It looked like the vandal had tried to smash the front door of the temple in addition to throwing the rocks, he said.

There was no question this was a Jewish institution, Waldorf said. Why did whoever did this smash the windows of the synagogue, not the church or preschool or community center 10 feet away? I can understand (the police) dont have enough information to definitively call it a hate crime, but its hard to imagine this wasnt targeted.

Klaus said no arrests have been made and that police have not identified a motive.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
Derek Dammann / Getty Image

Two blocks of a Redwood City neighborhood were cordoned off for hours on Friday as federal agents, some dressed in hazmat suits, executed a search warrant at a home in connection with an unspecified criminal investigation, officials said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security with the assistance of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency raided the home in the 1300 block of Whipple Avenue as part on ongoing federal probe.
A man involved in a March melee in Berkeley between supporters of President Trump and counterprotesters has been charged with a felony count of possessing a lead pipe.

The Alameda County district attorney filed the charge Wednesday against Kyle Chapman, 41, of Daly City.

Chapman, a staunch supporter of Trump, was arrested after the March 4 incident for allegedly beating people with a stick. Videos of the incident surfaced online, making Chapman a cause celebre for the pro-Trump movement. He has since referred to himself on social media as Based Stickman.

Efforts to reach Chapman were unsuccessful. Chapman was one of 10 people arrested in the incident and among a few who have been charged so far.

The videos on YouTube show him holding a wooden shield, wearing a gas mask and hitting counterprotesters on the head with a stick as fights broke out in Civic Center Park.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in county jail.

 Jill Tucker, jtucker@sfchronicle.com
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  The white nationalists behind last weekends violent rally found an appealing target in the historic town where Thomas Jefferson founded a university and an outspoken, progressive mayor declared his city the capital of the resistance to President Trump.

For more than a year, the Charlottesville government has also been engaged in contentious public soul-searching over its Confederate monuments, a process that led to the decision to remove a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee. All those factors made this community a symbolically powerful backdrop for whats considered the largest white nationalist gathering in at least a decade.

We are a progressive, tolerant city. We are also a Southern city, Mayor Mike Signer said. About a year and a half ago, Charlottesville decided to launch on the difficult but essential work of finally telling the truth about race. That made us a target for tons of people who dont want to change the narrative.

On the eve of last Saturdays rally, hundreds of white men marched through the University of Virginia campus, holding torches and chanting racist and anti-Semitic slogans. The next morning, many looked like they were dressed for war as they made their way to Emancipation Park.

They clashed with counterprotesters in a stunning display of violence before authorities forced the crowd to disperse. Later, a car plowed into a crowd of demonstrators, killing Heather Heyer, 32, and injuring 19 others.

With a population of about 47,000, Charlottesville is a progressive island in a conservative part of Virginia. The funky, cosmopolitan town is nestled in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its known for being home to Jeffersons plantation, Monticello, and the place where the Dave Matthews Band got its start.

The heart of its downtown is an open-air pedestrian mall lined with restaurants and quirky boutiques. Tourists flock to Charlottesville not only for the history but also to visit the wineries that dot the countryside just outside of town.

Charlottesville was easily overwhelmed by the numbers that showed up Saturday, said Ed Ayers, a leading Civil War scholar who taught at UVA for decades before moving to Richmond.

Despite Virginias bloody part in the Civil War, Ayers said, the Lee statue does not have a significant historical connection to Charlottesville. The city was just a very clear symbol they could go to and have a protest, Ayers said.

Sarah Rankin is an Associated Press writer.
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Aug 18 (PTI) US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis would travel to the Middle East and Europe next week to re- affirm Americas enduring commitment to strategic partnerships in the region, the Pentagon said today.

Mattis will begin his engagements in Jordan on August 21, meeting with King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lieutenant General Mahmoud Freihat.

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This would be Mattis first trip to Jordan in his tenure.

"The Secretary will express US appreciation for Jordanian efforts to combat ISIS, and re-affirm US commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Jordan in facing regional and global challenges," the Pentagon said.

He will visit Turkey on August 23 to meet with Minister of National Defence Nurettin Canikli, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Aavusoglu and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During the meetings, Mattis will emphasise the steadfast commitment of the US to Turkey as a NATO ally and strategic partner, seek to collaborate on efforts to advance regional stability, and look for ways to help Turkey address its legitimate security concerns including the fight against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the Pentagon said.

Mattis is scheduled to conclude his trip on August 24, with his first visit as Secretary of Defence to Kiev, Ukraine, wherein he will meet with Minister of Defence Stepan Poltorak and President Petro Poroshenko.

"During these engagements, the secretary will reassure our Ukrainian partners that the US remains firmly committed to the goal of restoring Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as strengthening the strategic defence partnership between our two countries," the Pentagon added. PTI LKJ CPS

--- ENDS ---
Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer called on the Virginia state legislature Friday to convene a special session to push for new laws that would give local governments power to decide the fates of their Confederate war memorials and suspend some gun laws after his city was besieged by violence during a white nationalist rally.

Signer, a Democrat, issued a statement outlining what he views are the next steps for the progressive college town now reeling from the fallout of the violence, attention and outrage that has made Charlottesville the center of a national debate about Confederate history and white supremacy.

Last weekend changed not only Charlottesville, but America, Signer wrote. While we are getting back on our feet, we are still traumatized. ... But we will overcome this hatred.

To that end, the mayor said he is asking the General Assembly to give localities authority over their monuments and the power to ban open-carry or concealed weapons during public events that pose security threats.

But a spokesman for Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe later said the governor wont call a special session while the issue is being decided in court.

Signer said he is also working with his colleagues to launch a comprehensive review of Charlottesvilles permitting process to provide city officials with more tools to address potential public safety threats and prevent mayhem before it happens.

One person was killed and 19 others were injured after police say James Alex Fields, 20, of Maumee, Ohio, plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters last Saturday with his Dodge Challenger. Fields was charged with second-degree murder after Heather Heyer, 32, was killed in the crash.

Signer said he is proposing that the Charlottesville City Council consider creating a permanent memorial in Emancipation Park or elsewhere honoring Heyers memory in a way that tells the truth about happened in our city  before, during and after August 12, 2017.

The mayors policy proposals will require votes from the other four members of the City Council, including vice mayor Wes Bellamy, who led efforts to remove the statute of Gen. Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park.

Charlottesville city leaders voted to move the statue, but opposition groups sued to stop them and the issue is now before a judge. Virginia law makes it illegal for localities to disturb or interfere with erected memorials, but there is some debate as to the breadth of the law.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Arelis R. Hernandez is a Washington Post writer.
FLAG WAVING-PATRIOTISM

RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat was trending on Independence Day as news broke of an attempt by local government officials in Kerala to prevent him from unfurling the national flag at a school. Bhagwat defied the order. Now, authorities say, a police complaint is likely to be filed. Earlier this month, the BJP's top leaders, including finance minister Arun Jaitley, suggested the Kerala government and state police couldn't be trusted to fairly investigate the recent murder of RSS worker Rajesh Edavakode.

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And as people took to social media to defend Bhagwat's rights as a citizen to raise the national flag, the Palakkad collector's order came off as petty. Recent attempts by Hindutva leaders in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh (and the Madras High Court) to enforce patriotism around Vande Mataram and the flag need to be countered. But the 'secular' opposition keeps shooting itself in the foot.

HASHTAG POLITICS

The BJP's online army is formidable, defending the government and the Hindutva agenda with vigour and, mostly, invective. It came together again to defend Yogi Adityanath in the wake of the deaths of more than 60 children in a Gorakhpur hospital.

Of course, it can be argued that to blame Adityanath for the deaths is to make political capital out of tragedy. It is true that Adityanath has asked several questions in Parliament for years about children dying in his constituency. But it is also true that governments are held to account over what happens on their watch.

CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH

Launched in June on the App store, Sarahah, created by a Saudi programmer, quickly became the top free app. It wasn't a surprise. The service has been an international sensation, attracting some 20 million users in just weeks. It allows users to say anything they like to other users, anonymously. Most just offer bland compliments. But others confess to illicit attraction, or unleash abuse. Hypocrisy or refreshing honesty? Depends, no doubt, on what they're saying about you.

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At a time when our nation looks toward its president to provide leadership and moral clarity after the tragic events in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend, our president has provided neither. This is a man who is devoid of leadership. This is a man who is devoid of any semblance of moral clarity. This is a man who, once again, has proved himself to be unfit for office.

The GOP leaders must now choose. Do they continue to enable this guy, holding their collective breaths until his next egregious act, or do they act as true patriots and take the necessary steps to begin the process of removing him from office? The choice is theirs.

Al Comolli, Millbrae

Party over country

Concerning Trump support seen as eroding (Page One, Aug. 17): CEOs of major corporations are realizing that their association with a president who refuses to thoroughly denounce white nationalist groups is truly bad for business. But where are similar defections and condemnations of President Trump from within the GOP?

How can the people we elect to represent us ultimately choose party over country when someone without a moral compass is taking our government  and democracy  into a dark and evil abyss?

Charles Carrington, San Francisco

Forbes Island memories

Regarding Quirky S.F. floating restaurant up for sale (Page One, Aug. 17): It was with sadness, and a good deal of nostalgia, that I noted the passing of another San Francisco landmark: Forbes Island. In the 1970s and 1980s, I watched all the hoops Forbes Thor Kiddoo was put through, mostly by the City Council over in Sausalito, but elsewhere. Then, when he announced a mooring deal with Pier 39 and intent to open a restaurant, it became Forbes Folly.

Over the years that changed, and many times when my wife and I celebrated a special occasion, Kiddoo himself would man the little shuttle boat. We never had a bad meal or experience on the island. Romantic, fun, pleasant and attentive wait staff, fabulous meals ... who could beat the ambiance? While Im sad to see this wonderful piece of San Francisco history disappear, the memories created for thousands of Kiddoos customers should more than bring a smile to his long-overdue and well-deserved retirement at the young-at-heart age of 80.

Lance Greenfield, Folsom

Nonviolent countermarch

The surge of fascist sentiments are horrifying and an affront to our basic values of tolerance and acceptance that are the hallmark of my beloved San Francisco. It is no surprise that neo-Nazis are choosing places where values of cultural diversity are paramount. They are itching for a fight.

But we feed right into their hands when we give room for counterdemonstrators on the other ideologic spectrum to meet violence with violence. We feed right into their hands when we attempt to limit their right to free speech, giving them the narrative of being suppressed. A much more powerful response is for each and every one of our political, religious and civil leaders to commit to lead a nonviolent march at Crissy Field, next Saturday, to bring all of their followers and to lead in the mold of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Robin Cooper, San Francisco

Ignorant of Founding Fathers

President Trump, the so-called president, seems to be completely ignorant about our Founding Fathers. He seems to be unaware that our Founding Fathers were creating our country, while the Confederates were traitors who were attempting to divide the country. Its inconceivable to me that anyone could equate our Founding Fathers with traitors.

Charles Elman, Los Altos

Deadly collision of issues

Is President Trumps rhetoric about the Charlottesville tragedy even more disturbing and confusing than usual? Maybe thats because it involves a deadly collision of several different, yet related, crucial issues, such as violence, racism, hatred, freedom of speech and Donald Trump. It might bring some clarity if we pause to look at those issues separately, perhaps something like this: Unnecessary violence should be illegal and absolutely avoided. Racism, in ourselves and others, should be minimized, or eliminated if possible.

Hatred, that common human feeling, might best be approached first by controlling our own hatred, seeking instead for understanding and even love. Freedom of speech, one of our most highly cherished values, should be afforded to all, judiciously withdrawn only when there is a violation of other absolute principles, such as if someone directly promotes illegal violence.

And with Trump, may all avenues of peaceful politics save the presidency and our country from his disturbing and confusing attitudes and limitations. These are highly emotional times for all of us. This makes it especially important for us to consider calmly and thoughtfully each of the separate-but-related issues involved, and to discuss our differing views respectfully.

John Steinhelber, Fairfax

Vaillancourt Fountain

Regarding Testing the waters for fountains revival (Bay Area, Aug. 16): The article seemed to want to scream out, Tear it down. It didnt, but it should have. Its horrible, as is the whole area up to the Ferry Building. What shame! What it could be! The fountains only competition for the ugliest structure in the city is the Federal Building, another favorite of John Kings. The Federal Building, by the way, is the second-ugliest building in the United States, bested only by Bostons City Hall. Do us all a favor, and lead a movement to tear down the fountain and the whole plaza leading up to the Ferry Building.

Timothy Cashman, San Francisco
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Sometimes starting over is the best option. Thats why architect Todd Gordon Mather called for a total teardown and rebuild of 3960 Belleview Ave. in Homewood, rather than try and renovate the ramshackle cottage near the western shore of Lake Tahoe.

At some point you have to say scrape it because it will cost more to try and fix it than to do it all over again correctly, said Mather, principal of TGM Architect in Tahoe City. In this case, it was better for the clients to pull the plug and cut losses, and go brand-new and get what they really wanted.

Originally built in the 1930s, the structure had fallen on hard times when a Napa couple bought the home in 2006. The electrical and plumbing systems where horribly outdated, and the foundation needed significant attention. The roofs ability to handle heavy loads of snow was also in question. These concerns saw the couple take Mathers advice and start from scratch.

Everything was a mess. The hardware was pathetic, the ceilings were low, and the staircase wasnt up to code, Mather said.

Eighteen months later, the empty nesters moved into a delightful abode known as the West Shore Cottage  a sumptuous getaway in the mountains of Lake Tahoe. The two-story cabin features a pair of en suite bedrooms, a great room, a reading loft and a chefs kitchen amid 1,850 square feet of living space. Repurposed finishes are found inside and out, and the facade features reclaimed timber sitting atop a stone wainscot.

Every single piece of the house was done with love and care. The reclaimed timber is placed with pristine cuts and the whole design is very upscale, said Morgahn Grey of Grey Blue Realty, who is listing the home for $3.2 million. Its a very warm and comfortable setting.

A living room with a soaring ceiling serves as the centerpiece of the design. Here, picture windows overlook an expansive lawn stretching to the shore as antique lights illuminate the fireplace and mantel. A series of gable windows complement the living rooms volume and welcome natural light into the space. The ceiling is fashioned from reclaimed timber and shelters a reading loft that overlooks the living room. Wood-paneled walls and hardwood flooring speak to the woodland ambience.

The kitchen hosts a reading space of its own, a welcoming alcove set beside a fireplace. Slate stones line the floor as a terraced island stands at the center. An imported La Conche range anchors the room as wood-paneled appliances lend a soothing aesthetic. Display cabinets rest beneath a beamed ceiling as picture windows frame views of the landscape.

Using cantilevers  a long beam or girder fixed at only one end  the team added volume to the home while maintaining the modest footprint dictated by local ordinances.

Cantilevers are often used in bridge construction for their ability to brace and support heavy loads. In this case, the cantilevers broadened the second level and raised the roofline, creating the reading loft. The large steel beams and columns frame the upper floor and connect with the foundation. While the reclaimed timber looks like it braces the ceiling, the wooden beams only provide aesthetics.

The master suite stands out as one of Mathers favorite parts of the design. Here, a Juliet balcony with lake views awaits beyond French swing doors as a gas fireplace warms the interior. The master suites closet features neither a door nor drywall; instead, the wardrobe is fashioned from built-in cabinetry.

Its a big walk-in closet without the wall and door that makes the room feel larger, Mather said.

The listing includes a one-bedroom guest house with a kitchen, as well an the adjacent lot opposite the home.

Listing agent: Morgahn Grey, Grey Blue Realty, (530) 545-9407, mgrey@greybluerealty.com.

Details

Address: 3960 Belleview Ave., Homewood.

Price: $3.2 million.

Features: Clad in reclaimed Utah barn wood, this two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom boasts 1,885 square feet of living space and the homeowners association includes a private pier and beach. The kitchen features an imported La Conche range and Lutron lighting illuminates the interior. A detached guest quarters rests above the garage and buoys at High and Dry Marina are available. The price also includes a view lot next door.
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Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman are calling on fellow Jews to publicly decry President Donald Trump.

In an open letter posted on Medium Thursday, the famous literary couple who reside in the Berkeley write: "Any Jew, anywhere, who does not act to oppose President Donald Trump and his administration acts in favor of anti-Semitism; any Jew who does not condemn the President, directly and by name, for his racism, white supremacism, intolerance and Jew hatred, condones all of those things."

Chabon and Waldman posted the letter following Trump's remarks saying "two sides" share the blame for the violence at the rally in Charlottesville.

They explain: "During a moment that white supremacist godfather Steve Bannon has apparently described as a "defining" one for this Administration, the President expressed admiration and sympathy for a group of white supremacist demonstrators who marched through the streets of Charlottesville, flaunting Swastikas and openly chanting, along with vile racist slogans, 'Jews will not replace us!' Among those demonstrators, according to Trump, were 'a lot' of 'innocent' and 'very fine people.'"

The letter directly addresses Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin, Trump's chief economic advisor Gary Cohn and other members of the Trump administration who are Jewish and asks them to resign.

"And to the President's lawyer, Michael D. Cohen," they write. "Fire your client."

Chabon is novelist and short story writer whose 2000 novel the Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay won a Pulitzer Prize. His work notably includes Jewish characters and explores Jewish identity.

Waldman is the author of the Mommy-Track Mysteries series and has written several provocative essays covering everything from motherhood to Jewish life. She was born in Jerusalem, raised in a Jewish family and attended Hebrew school.
Glance at the picture above: a smiling Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi flanked by a beaming West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and an array of opposition leaders representing a rainbow coalition. Sonia and Mamata constitute the nucleus of the new grand alliance taking shape in the Opposition after the brazen return of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to the NDA camp. The picture provides hope for opposition politics to coalesce around a new nucleus of 'secular politics'. However, the Mood of the Nation (MOTN) survey reveals that in a typical bipolar contest, the grand alliance is at a clear disadvantage. This was evident during the presidential election, when NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind had a disproportionate advantage over his opposition challenger Meira Kumar. A repeat took place during the vice-presidential election. Moreover, in a direct contest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charismatic personality and powerful oratorical skills tower over the collective personalities of the opposition leaders.

The opposition leaders seem to be working on a simple assumption. If one were to add up the popular votes the respective parties gained in the latest assembly polls, it would point to the potential of a formidable alliance at the state level. Take the case of two states. In Uttar Pradesh, the votes of the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal, who are all part of the grand alliance, along with that of the Congress in the 2017 assembly elections make up almost 51 per cent of the popular votes. The argument would be that such an alliance could easily beat the BJP.

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Similarly, in West Bengal, the popular votes polled in the 2016 assembly polls by the Trinamool Congress, Left Front and the Congress together add up to over 83 per cent of the total votes polled. On August 11, when the above photo was taken following the end of the monsoon session of Parliament, Mamata called for a realignment of political forces in the Opposition. A much more accommodating and mature Mamata signalled her intent to work with the Congress and the CPI(M)-led Left Front at the national level despite being political adversaries in her state-all for the "greater interest" of ousting the BJP-led NDA from power in 2019. Mamata even suggested that the Congress drop its objections against the inclusion of AAP leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the grand alliance.

The truth is neither of these alliances worked in UP in 2017 or in West Bengal the year before. The BJP swept UP with 325 out of 403 seats. It is only after the UP disaster that a large section of the opposition parties have begun attempting a defensive anti-BJP alliance with an eye on 2019.

The July 2017 MOTN data reflects this fragility of the opposition coalition despite a 3 percentage point increase in the UPA's vote share (28 per cent) compared with the MOTN in January 2017 (25 per cent). This translates into 15 more seats for the UPA-from 60 in MOTN January 2017 to 75 now. Notwithstanding the marginal increase, this is much below the NDA's projected 349 seats. Since the NDA's vote share remains constant at 42 per cent between January and now, the swing for the UPA comes from the 'Others' category in the survey. (Since the survey was conducted before Nitish's U-turn, part of the NDA data needs updating.)

Next, the MOTN hypothetically redefined the NDA as those who voted for President Ram Nath Kovind and the grand alliance as those who voted for Meira Kumar. As a result, the three-way division among the NDA, UPA and Others ended up as a sharp bipolar division between the NDA and UPA, with 'Others' holding not much significance. However, the results were astonishing. In a largely bipolar contest, the NDA, which ends up with 51 per cent of the votes in a first-past-the-post system, gets 421 seats, while the UPA, with 43 per cent of the votes, ends up with merely 120 seats. Arguably, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik voted for the NDA candidate. But given the trend of electoral competition in his state, Patnaik is neither a typical NDA leader nor is he on the UPA's side.

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According to the MOTN survey, the good news for the grand alliance partners emerges from the states. The simple and austere Mamata comes out as the best performing chief minister across the country, with 12 per cent of respondents supporting her. This is a 7 percentage point increase over her own ratings in MOTN April 2015 and 3 percentage points more than in MOTN January 2017. Despite the Saradha and Narada scams against some of her party colleagues, Mamata's own reputation remains unblemished. Her performance ratings were below Nitish Kumar's in the January 2017 survey, but she has now surpassed the Bihar chief minister.

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UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, with a performance rating of 10 per cent across the country, is fast moving in to fill the number three slot. Delhi's Arvind Kejriwal, who had shared the number one slot with Nitish Kumar in MOTN August 2016, has slipped to fifth position across the country (6 per cent). Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu holds the fourth rank.

Mamata also tops as the best performing chief minister in a home state: 77 per cent of the respondents in West Bengal consider her number one. Naveen Patnaik holds the number two position in this category, with 69 per cent of the respondents from Odisha backing him. Madhya Pradesh's Shivraj Singh Chouhan comes third (67 per cent votes). Chouhan's popularity has taken a beating from the highest 88 per cent votes in the January 2017 MOTN.

With the BJP in pole position, a declining Congress seems to have become the pivotal player in the grand alliance. According to the latest MOTN survey, only 33 per cent of respondents think a grand alliance is possible without the Congress, while 44 per cent believe the contrary. History shows that a dominant party is defeated only when an alternative coalition of all disparate groups forge an alliance around the nucleus of a national party. In 1977, the Janata alliance built by Jayaprakash Narayan included the Jan Sangh, one of the largest national parties at the time. In 1996, the two United Front coalitions proved to be short-lived since the Congress only provided support from the outside.

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Today, the numbers back the Congress and the Trinamool Congress as joint leaders of the grand alliance. After the Congress's 46 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 57 in the Rajya Sabha, the Trinamool Congress has 34 MPs in the lower house and five in the upper house. In the West Bengal assembly, the Trinamool Congress has 211 seats while the Congress has 43. The MOTN survey also favours the two parties following the exit of the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) from the grand alliance. Although Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has lost his sheen, he is considered by respondents as the best suited to lead a non-BJP grand alliance. While 13 per cent of the respondents across the country chose Rahul and 12 per cent favoured Sonia Gandhi, 7 per cent rooted for Mamata (1 percentage point less than Nitish Kumar).

Despite such advantages, the grand alliance loses out in the event of a bipolar contest. Yogendra Yadav, a psephologist and leader of the Swaraj Abhiyan, likens it to 1971. "Owing to her charisma, Indira Gandhi had reaped such an advantage against the opposition parties in a largely bipolar contest. Narendra Modi seems to be reaping the same benefit," says Yadav.

Rarely in history has the Opposition ever appeared so weak, the UPA looked so fragile and the constituents of the grand alliance so bitterly divided among themselves. While the BJP-led NDA scores one victory after another, the UPA appears totally confused, directionless, leaderless and drifting in the choppy sea of fierce competitive politics. With less than two years to go for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the opposition leaders have no idea how to stop the Modi juggernaut. Nor is there a cementing ideology that can hold all the opposition constituents together and challenge the nationalistic politics of the Sangh parivar.

Instead of writing an alternative narrative of Indian politics, the UPA's constituents appear to be acrimoniously warring among themselves, in the process losing the electoral plot. Instead of coming up with symbolic campaigns that connect with the Indian masses and create a winning formula, the grandees of the Opposition have, with astonishing regularity, abandoned their parties and the alliance, all too often to join the NDA.

It is this suicidal division among the opposition parties that is providing the biggest fillip to Modi's popularity ratings, which are touching sky high even three years into rule, and paradoxically despite turbulence in the economy over lack of jobs, price rise and failure on the agricultural front.

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A settlement in the lawsuit against two psychologists who helped devise the CIAs brutal interrogation program was announced Thursday, bringing to an end an unusual effort to hold individuals accountable for the techniques the agency adopted after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Lawyers for the three plaintiffs in the suit, filed in 2015 in U.S. District Court in Spokane, Wash., said the former prisoners were tortured at secret CIA detention sites. The settlement with the psychologists, Dr. Bruce Jessen and Dr. James Mitchell, came after a judge last month urged resolving the case before it headed to a jury trial.
A federal judge has dismissed a California hospital chains claim that Sen. Kamala Harris, when she was the state attorney general, catered to union demands and imposed unreasonable conditions on a proposed $843 million purchase of a group of nonprofit health facilities.

Prime Healthcare Services failed to show that it was the victim of discrimination or that Harris knowingly violated any laws, U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel of San Diego said Wednesday. He said the hospital company was trying to make a constitutional issue out of discretionary state decision-making.

Prime Healthcare reached agreement with the financially struggling Daughters of Charity Health System in October 2014 to buy five California hospitals, including Seton Medical Center in Daly City and OConnor Hospital in San Jose, and a nursing home in Moss Beach.

But Harris, who held veto power over the sale, said she would approve it only if Prime Healthcare agreed to keep the facilities open for 10 years. The company refused, saying it did not want to be saddled with a decade of deficits.

Facing possible closure of its hospitals, Daughters of Charity reached an agreement in December 2015 with a New York hedge fund, BlueMountain Capital Management, for a $260 million investment that would keep them open for three years. BlueMountain would then have an option to buy the hospital group, now called Verity Health System, and agreed that, as the new owner, it would keep them operating for 10 years. Harris approved the transaction.

In its suit, Prime Healthcare accused Harris of conspiring with the Service Employees International Union and its United Healthcare Workers West affiliate to block the sale.

Since 2009, the company had fended off the unions efforts to win the right to represent workers at its hospitals. Prime Healthcare noted that the union had contributed to Harris campaigns for attorney general, and alleged that union leaders had promised large contributions to her Senate campaign if she prevented Prime Healthcare from acquiring the Daughters of Charity hospitals.

But Curiel said those allegations, even if accurate, would not add up to a violation of the companys rights.

State law gave the attorney general broad discretion to impose such conditions, where the transaction  the largest of its kind  affected multiple communities, and ... the conditions were otherwise supported by plausible reasons, such as access to continuing health services, the judge said.

Gregory Hafif, a lawyer for Prime Healthcare, declined to comment. The company could appeal the ruling.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal popularity remains as high as ever even though a majority of voters express worry about the grim jobs scenario.

By Ajit Kumar Jha: Over three years into his first term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal popularity remains supreme according to the latest India Today-Karvy Insights Mood of the Nation Poll (MOTN).

The astonishing backing for Modi among a sample of 12,178 people across the country continues despite 53 per cent of the voters polled believing that the grim jobs scenario is a pointer to a deeper economic crisis facing the country.

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This, they feel, is leading to farmer suicides and price rise among essential items such as tomatoes, pulses, vegetables and ghee.

Voter scepticism on jobs is 17 per cent higher than in the MOTN survey done six months ago. About 60 per cent of the voters believe demonetisation has created more pain than gain.

Paradoxically, Modi's charisma has touched such dizzying heights that it is not linked to any performance indicator of his government, yet the crackdown on black money and corruption-free government remain most popular among voters.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley and home minister Rajnath Singh have been voted the best performers in the Modi Cabinet.

UNSTOPPABLE

The PM's unchallenged popularity is leading to a surge for the BJP-led NDA. If Lok Sabha elections were to be held today, the MOTN predicts NDA is most likely to get 42 per cent of popular votes and 349 seats.

In contrast, the Congress-led UPA is likely to end up with 28 per cent votes and 75 seats. The MOTN predicts that the "Others", a category of non-aligned parties, is likely to get 30 per cent votes and 119 seats.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi remains the most popular prime ministerial alternative with 21 per cent votes, down from 28 in the January survey.

He's followed by Nitish Kumar with 13 per cent, Sonia Gandhi with 12 and, after a wide gulf, Arvind Kejriwal is fourth with seven per cent.

However, 43 per cent of the respondents feel that "Only someone else from the Congress outside the Gandhi family" can revive the party.

MAMATA MOST POPULAR CM

The states, according to the survey, provide the cheer for the opposition parties. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the new emerging axis for the Opposition, is considered the best-performing CM, followed by Bihar's Nitish Kumar and Yogi Adityanath in UP.

Since the poll was conducted before Nitish's jump from UPA to NDA, the MOTN was re-coded and updated. The survey hypothetically redefined the NDA as those parties which voted for President Ram Nath Kovind and the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) as those who voted for Meira Kumar.

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As a result, the three-way division among NDA, UPA and Others ended up as a sharp bipolar division between the NDA and UPA. The results were astonishing: in a largely bipolar contest, the NDA got 51 per cent votes and 421 seats, while the UPA with 43 per cent votes, ended up with mere 120 seats.

As India completes 70 years of independence, it is heartening to find that most voters care for democracy and freedoms more than family values and culture.

On being asked what makes them most proud about being an Indian, they picked "largest democracy on earth", "freedom of speech", and "freedom to profess one's belief and religion" as the top three choices.

Most also chose "corruption in politics", "voting on the basis of caste/religion", and "communalism" as the leading reasons that make them angry about the country.

About 49 per cent voters consider politicians the most corrupt while 21 per cent picked the police.

On internal security, 35 per cent voters consider cross-border terrorism as the biggest threat to the country. Given China's aggressive posturing, 23 per cent say India must negotiate and only 7 per cent believe we must go to war.

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METHODOLOGY

The India Today Group-Karvy Insights Mood of the Nation (MOTN) poll was conducted by Karvy Insights Limited. A total of 12,178 interviews were conducted (68 per cent rural voters and 32 per cent urban voters) spread across 97 parliamentary constituencies in 194 assembly constituencies in 19 states.

In each of the assembly constituencies, different starting points were selected and afixed number of interviews were done in each, rigorously following the righthand rule of household selection. Fieldwork for the MOTN poll was conducted from July 12, 2017 till July 23 2017.

ALSO READ | India Today Mood of the Nation poll: PM Modi's political invincibility continues, 10 big takeaways

ALSO WATCH | Mood of the Nation poll: Modi tallest leader, NDA would win 349 seats if polls took place today

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From traffic cones to Top Ramen, the 50 states have some odd tastes.

SEE ALSO: Walmart buys online men's clothing retailer Bonobos

In a recent article by Business Insider, the retail giant disclosed data it had collected from walmart.com that detailed the strangest items state residents have been ordering again and again. While some items are standard for almost every household, others err on the quirkier side.

After analyzing the data provided by Walmart, Business Insider determined which were the most surprising, funny, or simply strange.

SEE ALSO: Amazon-Walmart battle explains modern economy

Click through the above slideshow to see the weirdest items that are most popular at Walmart in each state.

For the complete list, check out businessinsider.com.
The state government, through a notification issued recently, had selected about 100 Morarji Desai Schools of which 66 are for scheduled caste, 24 for scheduled tribes and 10 for backward classes to be renamed as Indira Gandhi Residential Schools.

By Nolan Pinto: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was in Delhi recently to discuss with Congress high command the expansion of Cabinet, said the state government has no intention of changing the name of Morarji Desai Residential Schools to Indira Gandhi Residential Schools.

In a release, the CM said, "The state government wants to name the newly established residential schools after Indira Gandhi. The government has no intention to change the name of existing residential schools."

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The state government, through a notification issued recently, had selected about 100 Morarji Desai Schools of which 66 are for scheduled caste, 24 for scheduled tribes and 10 for backward classes to be renamed as Indira Gandhi Residential Schools.

It is believed that this change in name is based on a request made by the Managing Director, Karnataka Residential Education Institutions Society.

Sources tell us the government has opened 125 residential schools on the occasion of Dr BR Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary. These schools were named after Ambedkar. The government is planning to open 100 residential schools on the occasion of Indira Gandhi's 100th birth anniversary and name these schools after her.

But the opposition wants the government to withdraw this order. They want the government to not change the names of schools named after Moraji Desai and Kittur Rani Channamma.

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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) A special court today dismissed the bail pleas of a woman and her associate in a case of allegedly organising a honeytrap and blackmailing BJP MP K C Patel, saying prima facie they were "partners in crime".

Special Judge Hemani Malhotra denied the relief to the 40-year-old woman and businessman Ajay Kumar alias Ajay Pal Chauhan, who are lodged in judicial custody.

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The court said the material prima facie suggested that the woman adopted this "ingenuous modus operandi to trap public personalities by accusing them of rape/molestation and then extort money from them".

"This kind of act is not only diabolical but also brings loss of reputation and stigma to the persons accused of rape/molestation. Such persons are repeatedly shunned by their own families and public at large, irrespective of the ultimate result. It is not a simple case of extortion in which case, the victim suffers pecuniary loss. The present case is an instance where the victims suffer loss of honour and fall in the eyes of society," it observed.

According to the prosecution, the woman had allegedly filmed obscene videos of the Gujarats Valsad MP after drugging him and threatened to make them public if she was not paid Rs seven crore.

Chauhan had allegedly helped the woman in the execution of the offence.

The court considered the gravity of offence and dismissed the bail pleas saying they do not deserve any leniency.

"On the basis of the admitted fact that accused Ajay Kumar alias Ajay Pal had made payment for installing hidden cameras in the flat of accused woman and the call detail records, it prima facie appears that both the accused persons were in conspiracy with each other and were partners in crime," the court said.

During the hearing, the investigating officer informed the court that he would file a supplementary charge sheet in the case as further probe is going on.

The court said, "In view thereof, matter be renotified for filing of supplementary charge sheet, consideration of charge sheet and for scrutiny of documents on September 16."

The woman had sought bail on the ground that she was a victim and she has been falsely implicated by the complainant to circumvent legal action for the alleged offence of rape against him.

Chauhans counsel argued that there was no material on record to suggest that he was in conspiracy with the woman in commission of offence relating to taking gratification by corrupt means to influence public servant.

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Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava opposed their bail pleas saying that to extort money, the woman used to ensnare politicians and people in public life and she had earlier too lodged several FIRs in which she either turned hostile or resiled from her statements.

The prosecutor opposed Chauhans bail plea saying it was this accused who had made payment for installation of hidden cameras in the flat of the accused woman which established conspiracy between them.

Police has earlier filed charge sheet against the woman, Chauhan and Mitrapal for alleged offences of extortion, criminal conspiracy, taking gratification by corrupt or illegal means to influence a public servant and other charges under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

While the woman and Chauhan are in judicial custody, Mitrapal has not yet been arrested.

The woman was arrested on May 2 by Delhi Police from her Ghaziabad residence. Chauhan was arrested on June 9 from Connaught Place here on the basis of a tip-off received by the police.

Patel had filed a complaint alleging that he was drugged by the woman at her Ghaziabad house and obscene videos and photographs of him were taken by her. PTI SKV ARC

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Asira Trannum, 25, shared the picture of both the accused on Thursday with their bike's registration number. The accused, aged 21 and 25, were picked up by the Mumbai police after tracing their motorcycle.

By Mustafa Shaikh: Amboli police on Friday arrested two people for stalking a woman journalist on Wednesday night after she tweeted a picture of the accused and tagged the Mumbai police.

Asira Trannum, 25, shared the picture of both the accused on Thursday with their bike's registration number. The accused, aged 21 and 25, were picked up by the Mumbai police after tracing their motorcycle.

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As per Trannum's complaint, she was on her way home and got into an autorickshaw at Chitrakoot Grounds in Andheri (West) at around 1 am. The two men started riding their scooter next to her vehicle, and while one of them made lewd gestures at her, the other asked her to accompany them. She clicked their pictures and then informed the police control room about the incident.

You surely don't want us to stalk you for stalking a woman! #ReportStalking pic.twitter.com/uP4GrviqRJ&; Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) August 18, 2017

On Thursday, after registering a case under sections 354 D and 34 IPC, which deals with stalking cases, Mumbai police got 500 registration numbers identical to Asira's tweet and traced the accused.

The police revealed that the two, after they were apprehended, confessed to following the rickshaw in which Trannum was sitting.

The two, who are residents of Marol, further said that they wanted to go to Juhu beach and were asking for directions from the autorickshaw driver. One of them peeked into the auto and saw Trannum, but they claim they followed the vehicle because she had clicked their picture.

An officer from Amboli police station said the case is being investigated further.

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It is believed that the perpetrators sexually assaulted Dilshath, and when Ashmath Beevi tried to protect her, they killed her.

By Pramod Madhav: A woman and her mother-in-law were murdered in Chengam, Thiruvannamalai by unknown assailants with the former said to have been sexually assaulted before being killed.

Younis, who resides in Pakkiripalayam, Thiruvannamalai along with his 80-year-old mother Ashmath Beevi and his wife Dilshath, 45, had left town on August 16 leaving the two women by themselves at home.

Apparently, the assailant or assailants entered the house through the roof after removing the tiles.

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It is believed that the perpetrators sexually assaulted Dilshath and when Ashmath Beevi tried to protect her, they killed her.

"This is the second that such an incident has occurred in Pakkiripalayam. Last week an 8-year-old girl was sexually assaulted and her grandmother who attempted to protect her was brutally assaulted. Both are seriously injured and are battling for life," said a resident of the area.

Unhappy with the incident and claiming it to be the failure of the police force to protect, the public staged a road roko on Bengaluru-Thiruvannamalai Highway.

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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) FMCG major Nestle India today said it has tied up with e-commerce player Amazon for the launch of its new range of popular Maggi noodles.

The new range -- Nutri Licious -- will be available to consumers first on Amazon starting August 20, 2017, Nestle said in a statement.

The product will be subsequently rolled out across various retail outlets in India.

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Nestle India General Manager, Foods, Maarten Geraets said the association with Amazon will help the company reach out to consumers across India. PTI PRJ SBT

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Even though August 18 is marked as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's death day, many continue to believe that he had survived the 1945 plane crash and lived till old age in hiding.

By India Today Web Desk: Today, August 18, marks the 72nd year of the fateful plane ride that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose took in 1945, which crashed in Japanese-occupied Formosa (now Taiwan). The widely-accepted belief is that Netaji had died in this crash.

However, time and again, people have raised doubts about it. Even till this day, some believe that Netaji had survived the plane carsh and lived till old age in hiding.

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After years of conspiracy theories and counter-arguments from the government, many Netaji enthusiasts still refuse to accept that he had died of third degree burns in this particular accident.

Most recently, in April, someone named Sayak Sen issued a Right to Information (RTI) application asking about Gumnami Baba -- the identity that many claim Netaji had taken up after surviving the plane crash. The RTI application also asked if the government has any information about Netaji's whereabouts after August 18, 1945.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) responded saying that the government, after considering reports from various commissions, has concluded Netaji had indeed died in the 1945 plane crash.

Read more: Did Subhash Chandra Bose die in 1945 plane crash? Modi govt says yes in RTI reply; Netaji's kin see red

As for the many conspiracy theories surrounding Netaji's death, here are the major one:

TORTURED TO DEATH BY THE BRITISH

"Netaji didn't die in the plane crash. It was a theory floated to facilitate his escape to Soviet Union. Japanese intelligence agencies had floated the theory so that Netaji can safely escape to Soviet Union," Maj Gen GD Bakshi (retd) had claimed this in his book, Bose: The Indian Samurai - Netaji and the INA Military Assessment.

Asserting that there was "irrefutable evidence" proving that Netaji had not died in the plane crash, Bakshi stressed that Netaji had set up an Azad Hind Government embassy in Russia with the help of then Soviet Ambassador to Tokyo, Jacob Malik.

"Bose had gone there after escaping from Japan. He had made three radio broadcasts from Siberia. This was when the British came to know that Bose had escaped to the Soviet Union," Bakshi claimed.

"The British then approached the Soviet authorities and demanded that they be allowed to interrogate Bose. It was during interrogation that he was tortured to death," he said.

THE LEGEND OF GUMNAMI BABA

On September 16, 1985, a sadhu known as Gumnami Baba died in Faizabad. Crawling after his death came claims that this old man was none other than Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose himself.

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It is said that a former judge, who was appointed to undertake an enquiry into Netaji's death in 1999, was the one who made public the controversy of Gumnami Baba, also known as Bhagwanji.

However, Netaji's grandnephew, MP Sugata Bose, said that evidence "did not support this bizarre theory,".

Back in November 1985, a local paper named Janmorcha received an anonymous letter claiming that this Gumnami Baba was not Netaji but someone called KD Upadhyay, "who had disappeared after killing Pandit Brahmadev in a meeting at Gayatri Bhawan".

OTHER SUCH THEORIES

Ever since the 1945 plane crash, there have been multiple accounts/theories about how Netaji dodged death here and went on to live incognito, or died in some other way.

Some say Netaji lived his days out as a religious sanyasi in Uttar Pradesh, some say he was in the Naga hill country of Assam. Other stories swear he was spotted in Russia, in the Chinese Army, in Germany in 1941, at Mahatma Gandhi's funeral, etc.

Over the years, even pictures have cropped up to claim that Netaji was spotted in person after 1945, but none strong enough to crush the widely-accepted news that Netaji had died in the plane crash.

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Nonetheless, the legends still live on...

For more on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose...

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: A glimpse into the hero's personal life

Did Subhash Chandra Bose die in 1945 plane crash? Modi govt says yes in RTI reply; Netaji's kin see red

Modi agrees to declassify all secret Netaji files: Here's what you need to know about them

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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) A 40-year-old Nigerian national today died after he jumped off the fourth floor of a building in south Delhis Chhattarpur area during a raid by police which recovered drugs worth Rs 20 crore, police said today.

Cyprian Ama Ogbonnaya jumped off the fourth floor of the building in Chhattarpur Enclave area this afternoon when a team of Special Cell sleuths of south range raided the house after it received an input that drug would be supplied in the area, a senior police official said.

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"He was rushed to AIIMS trauma Centre where he was declared dead by the doctors," he said, adding that an inquest has been ordered into his death and a medical report by the doctors to ascertain the exact cause of death is awaited.

The team was questioning some locals, when Ogbonnaya suspecting police presence in the building jumped from its fourth floor flat through a window, which was witnessed by many people who were present in the building premises.

He said that two Nigerian women, who were also present in the flat, from where Ogbonnaya jumped off, are being questioned by the Special Cell.

During the raid, 25 kg of Ketamine was recovered that is estimated to be worth Rs 20 crore, he added.

Ketamine is sold popularly as Ketalar for anaesthetic purposes is also consumed by drug users for its trance inducing effect. PTI VIT SMJ

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By Samrudhi Ghosh: The recent India Today expose of maulanas exploiting women in the name of nikaah halala has sparked a nationwide debate. For the uninitiated, nikaah halala is a controversial practice under the Sharia law where a divorced couple cannot remarry unless the woman marries someone else, consummates the said marriage and obtains a divorce from the second husband.

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It is this loophole that maulanas are using to exploit women desperate to save their marriage, an India Today investigation found. Charging anywhere between Rs 20,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh, clerics are offering a 'package deal' including temporary marriage, sex for one night and an immediate divorce for those looking to reunite with their former husbands.

Muslim leaders are condemning this "regressive un-Islamic practice" and demanding that those guilty of such exploitation should be charged with rape and jailed.

But did you know that way back in 1982, there was a Bollywood film which slammed this practice of nikaah halala?

The film in question is BR Chopra's Nikaah. Nikaah tells the story of Nilofer (Salma Agha), who gets married to Wasim (Deepak Parashar), a Nawab. Nilofer is over the moon, but soon after the marriage, she finds out that her husband is a workaholic, who often neglects her. After he fails to show up at their anniversary party, the couple have a spat during which Wasim, in a fit of rage, utters the three dreaded words - "Talaq, talaq, talaq."

Divorced and left to fend for herself, Nilofer is offered a job with a magazine. The editor, Haider, has known Nilofer since college and has always been in love with her. Meanwhile, Wasim regrets his actions and expresses his desire to reconcile with his former wife. However, the only way they can reunite is if she goes through nikaah halala.

When Nilofer gets married to Haider, drawn to his compassion and love for her, Wasim assumes that she is merely carrying out the first step of nikaah halala. He writes her a letter that he is waiting for her to return to him, and Haider misunderstands the situation, believing that they are still in love.

But when he tries to "set her free", Nilofer silences him with a powerful monologue. "Tum hote kaun ho mujhe azaad karne wale? Main koi tumhari jeb mein padi hui note nahi, jise jab chahe khairat mein de do. (Who are you to set me free? I'm not a currency note in your pocket, that you can just give me away as an act of charity)," she says.

Nilofer rues that no matter what, it is always the woman who is on the losing end. She tells her husband, "Aap bhi toh sabki tarah mard hi nikle, jo aurat ko aurat nahi, jaaydaad samajhte hai. Lekin Haider sahab, main koi jaaydaad nahi, ek jeeti jaagti aurat hoon. Koi laash nahi, jo mardana samaaj apni marzi se mere kapde badalta hai. (After all, you also turned out to be a man, who considers women as property. But Mr Haider, I am not property, I am a living, breathing woman. I am no corpse, that the patriarchal society can change my outfit at will.)"

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Three and a half decades ago, reel reflected the real and it was the woman who was in a lose-lose situation. Even today, stories of financial and sexual exploitation in the guise of nikaah halala emerge, it is clear that nothing has changed.

ALSO READ | How maulvis take money for one-night stand with divorced women trying to save marriage

ALSO WATCH | Sex for nikaah: How maulvis take money for one-night stand with divorced Muslim women

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By PTI: Bhuj (Gujarat), Aug 18 (PTI) The Border Security Force (BSF) today seized a Pakistani fishing boat abandoned about 400 metres on the Indian side at Harami Nala area of Kutch district near the Indo-Pak border, officials said.

Four fishermen on that boat ran towards Pakistan side after spotting BSF patrol boats this morning in the creek area, said the officials.

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The boat is around 25 feet long and fitted with a Chinese made engine, the officials added.

During the initial search of the boat, BSF found one fishing net and four ice boxes. Detailed search of the boat is underway, they said.

In the recant past, several fishing boats as well as Pakistani fishermen have been caught while fishing in the Indian side of the the creek area.

Given the sensitive nature of the area, even Indian fishermen are barred from catching fish in the creek.

However, Pakistani fishermen often venture into Indian waters to catch fish, especially prawns, and then sail off to their side. PTI COR PJT PD RMT AKK

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In the great, heaving throb of human longing for connection, theres a space in between what other humans can do for us and what our mechanical and digital inventions  from the telephone all the way to artificial intelligence  can fulfill. In dramatizing this lacuna, many artists seek little more than to condemn us for our privilege and ingratitude  How dare you want even more, when you already have it so easy!  or to stir vague anxieties about the ever-growing power of machines.

Not the playwright Madeleine George.

These dynamics factor in to her magnificent The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence, seen Thursday, Aug. 17 at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage. But as it explores the relationships among inventors past and present, their inventions and their loved ones, the show is much more original, humanistic and wide-ranging than mere fearmongering or wrist slapping.

Directed by Nancy Carlin, the play digs into our thirst for communication and understanding, for the perfect bond, only to assert that its the very insatiability of that desire, that niggling little part of our psyche that wont be quelled by a seemingly ideal romance or flawless invention, that makes us human. Yet if were cursed to a lifetime of unmet needs, mismatched relationships, Georges outlook in The Watson Intelligence is nonetheless rosy. Her characters keep trying anyway.

Those who saw Georges last piece at Shotgun, Precious Little, in 2012, already know shes a dramatist of uncommon skill. When Eliza (Sarah Mitchell) unloads her banal romantic frustrations on the robot (Brady Morales-Woolery) she invented to provide emotional comfort, the plays themes never leap out at you to declare themselves; George constructs them obliquely, whimsically, trusting her audiences intelligence.

She segues elegantly from the near-future to past worlds, with each of a trio of actors (which also includes Mike Mize) playing a similar sort of role  unctuous assistant, sharp critic, clueless braggart  in each era. Puzzling out the way scenes interlock is one of the shows top joys. Its a bit like a Sherlock Holmes mystery; only here, his Doctor Watson (also Morales-Woolery) is the sleuth.

Carlins cast is sterling all around, but Mitchell in particular excels. Shes saddled with much of the plays exposition, as well as its most scientific language, when Eliza details why she wanted to invent a robot to whom you could vent. But Mitchell, with laser-focused delivery, makes each new phrase of that text, no matter how technical, into an opportunity to show yet another angle of her characters essential warmth  a quality you dont see in Eliza at all in her first few prickly lines: We couldnt have a conversation about anything that was important to me, but that didnt distinguish him from 98 percent of the other human beings on the planet. As the play rolls on, shes so disarmingly natural, so appealing with her characters forthrightness, that all stagey contrivances of theatergoing melt away.

Precious Little, which offered many refractions on the limitations of language, was a wonderful play, but it was so short that it almost felt like George ended the scenario practically as soon as she created it. Thats not the case here. The play ends on a coda that dispenses with all the time-traveling, all the magical coincidences and inventions, and just lets two inept but earnest humans sit and try to hash things out  something that, much like excellent live theater, machines will never be able to replace.

Lily Janiak is The San Francisco Chronicles theater critic. Email: ljaniak@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LilyJaniak

The (Curious Case of the) Watson Intelligence: Written by Madeleine George. Directed by Nancy Carlin. Through Sept. 10. Two hours, 10 minutes. $25-$40. Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. (510) 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org

To see a trailer: https://vimeo.com/228839771
SACRAMENTO  Gov. Jerry Brown commuted the sentences of six people convicted of murder and three others in prison for attempted murder or kidnapping, saying Friday that they showed remorse and great personal growth while incarcerated and thus deserved a second chance.

Among those whose sentences were reduced was Florence Anderson, a prostitute in 2001 when her pimp killed a man during a robbery she took part in. Anderson was convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree burglary in Humboldt County Superior Court and sentenced to 27 years in prison.

In her application for clemency, Anderson said she battled addiction and was a victim of abuse. While in prison, Anderson became a certified alcohol and drug counselor, taught abuse prevention courses and worked as a hospice volunteer for terminally ill inmates. Brown reduced her sentence to 16 years to life, for which she has served. She will now appear before the Board of Parole Hearings, whose panel will determine whether she should be released from prison.

I do not discount the gravity of Ms. Andersons offense, but I also cannot overlook the violent abuse she endured and her limited role in this crime, Brown wrote in his commutation.

Brown also reduced the sentence of Christopher Asay, who killed a man in 1987. Asay shot and killed a man who worked for an armored car service and stole $16,000 from the car. Asay was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, having served 29 years. Now 55 years old, he asked for clemency, arguing I know that I cannot change the past, but I can and have done everything in my power to repent and improve myself.

While incarcerated, Asay earned bachelors and masters degrees, worked as a reader for the blind and a correctional officer called him a model inmate. Brown reduced his sentence to 25 years to life.

Other inmates who had their sentences reduced were:

Hamid Bashir, who at 18 years old in 1998, was involved in a robbery where the store manager was killed by one of Bashirs friends. Bashir was sentenced for second-degree murder and received 25 years to life. In prison, Bashir participated in educational programs and has a job offer from former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan. Brown reduced his sentence to 17 years and six months to life.

Paul Carrillo was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for a 1981 murder he committed with a friend. They killed a taxi driver with a 2x4 with nails while heavily intoxicated in order to drive the taxi for the night without paying. Carrillo, now 61, has served 36 years in prison, participated in self-help programs and was designated the Inmate Native American Spiritual Advisor at his prison. His sentence was reduced to 25 years to life.

Travielle Craig was sentenced in Los Angeles County to life without parole after he killed a man and injured another after hitting them in the head with a piece of wood when they refused to give him money. In his commutation, Brown noted that Craig had drastically changed his life in prison by getting an education, mentoring at-risk youth and being a Bible counselor. Craig has a job offer upon release and the support of his wife and family. His sentence was reduced to 25 years to life.

DeAngelo McVay was sentenced in Los Angeles County to life without the possibility of parole after helping in the kidnap-for-ransom of a man with whom he had a drug-related dispute. After 19 years in prison, numerous prison officials commended McVay for being a poster child for rehabilitation. His sentence was reduced to 20 years to life.

John Rodriguez was sentenced to 22 years in prison in Los Angeles County for attempted murder after shooting a man outside a nightclub in 2009. Rodriguez, who was 17 years old at the time, received an education in prison and was praised by prison officials for his behavior and work ethic. His sentence was reduced to nine years.

Mary Stroder was convicted of first-degree murder in Kern County and sentenced to life without parole after her boyfriend killed a woman they were robbing. Stroder had a long history of being abused, including by the former boyfriend who committed the murder. In prison, Stroder participated in self-help and vocational programs and mentored other prisoners. Her sentence was reduced to 25 years to life.

Raul Zarate was sentenced to 16 years in prison for attempted murder in Los Angeles County after he shot two people in 2009. In prison, Zarate took part in self-help programs, earned his high school diploma and four associate degrees and is certified as a Braille transcriber. He was offered a full-time job after his release. His sentence was reduced to nine years.

Mr. Zarate committed a serious crime, but he has done exactly what we ask of inmates  fully commit to rehabilitation and prepare for success upon release, Brown wrote.

All of the inmates except Rodriguez and Zarate will have to appear before the Board of Parole Hearings, whose panel decides if the person is ready to be released from prison. Rodriguez and Zarate will be released in the coming days without a hearing.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
BEIJING  Chinese businesspeople said Friday that Beijings decision to enforce U.N. sanctions on North Korean seafood imports would hobble the economy of an entire northeastern city, sparking a rare public protest earlier this week after the surprise move suddenly choked off border trade.

Anger swept the city of Hunchun, home to hundreds of seafood processing plants, after Beijing began refusing entry Tuesday to trucks carrying tons of North Korean seafood. China announced Monday that it was cutting off imports of North Korean goods under U.N. sanctions imposed over the Norths nuclear and missile programs.

But given Chinas often-lax history of sanctions enforcement, seafood traders were shocked as trucks began lining up at the border with customs officials ordering them to return the seafood to the North. Dozens of people from seafood companies took to the streets Wednesday in a rare display of public anger in a country where the government normally cracks down immediately on dissent.

I have more than 30 workers, and I asked them to all go home or find other jobs, said Song Min, who runs a seafood business in Hunchun, and who was not involved in the protests.

But they cannot find other jobs, she added in a telephone interview Friday. Everyone here is in the seafood industry.

Hunchun authorities met with seafood traders one day after the protest, warning them not to make trouble or risk being detained, Yang Jian, a trader, said by phone. People who attended the meeting said the authorities were being very tough about this, no goods are allowed to get into China.

China, which accounts for the overwhelming majority of North Korean trade, has long been reluctant to push leader Kim Jong Uns regime too hard economically, fearing it could collapse. But Beijing is increasingly frustrated with Pyongyang, and supported a U.N. Security Council ban on Aug. 5 on key trade goods.

The Chinese customs agency said Monday it would stop processing imports of North Korean coal, iron and lead ores and fish at midnight on Sept. 5.

But less than a day later, Chinese customs officials were stopping trucks full of seafood brought from North Korea.
BAGHDAD  The wires protruding from the small, misshapen stuffed animal revealed the deadly booby trap tucked inside.

For the people of Mosul, the sophisticated bomb was a reminder of how difficult it will be to return to homes littered with hidden explosives by Islamic State militants and dotted with the remnants of undetonated bombs dropped by the U.S.-led coalition that still could blow up.

Washington at least is trying to ease a bit of the massive clean-up burden.

On Thursday, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said for the first time that the American military will help contractors and other officials locate unexploded bombs dropped by the coalition. U.S. Embassy officials have asked the coalition to declassify grid coordinates for bombs dropped in Iraq to help clear the explosives.

It may not be that simple, said Gen. Stephen Townsend, but well find a way through that.

The coalitions unexploded bombs are only a small part of Mosuls problems. The bulk of the explosives have been hidden by militants to be triggered by the slightest movement, even picking up a seemingly innocent childs toy, lifting a vacuum cleaner or opening an oven door. The effort could continue wreaking destruction on Iraqs second largest city even as Islamic State was defeated after a nine-month battle.

U.S. Embassy officials and contractors hired to root out the hidden explosives use the same words to describe the devastation in western Mosul: Historic. Unprecedented. Exponentially worse than any other place.

We use broad terms like historic because when you enter a dwelling, everything is suspect, said the team leader in northern Iraq for Janus Global Operations, a contracting company hired to find and remove hidden explosive devices and unexploded bombs from Iraqi cities recaptured from the Islamic State group. You cant take anything at face value.

The team leader asked that he not be identified by name because he and his teams continue working in Mosul and the company fears for their safety.

Some estimates suggest it may take 25 years to clear west Mosul of explosives. Normalcy may return to parts of west Mosul in a year, and perhaps after a decade many of the obvious explosives will be found. But other unexploded bombs and hidden devices will surface at construction sites and other locations for years and likely decades to come.

As much as 90 percent of west Mosuls old city has been reduced to ruins, destroyed by militants who occupied it for nearly three years and by the campaign of air strikes and ground combat needed to retake the city.

Lolita C. Baldor is an Associated Press writer.
A poster war is being witnessed in the state capital between both factions of the JD(U).

By Rohit Kumar Singh: The estranged relation between JD(U) national president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and party rebel Sharad Yadav is all set to reach the climax on Saturday as both leaders will be holding separate meeting in Patna and stake claim to be the real JD(U).

As Nitish will be chairing the national executive meet of the party, Sharad will be holding a parallel convention under the theme 'Jan Adalat'.

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However, ahead of the Nitish-Sharad war, a poster war is being witnessed in the state capital between both factions of the party. While the Nitish camp has put up posters in Patna of the national executive meeting, the Sharad camp has put up parallel posters claiming that their faction was still part of the Mahagathbandhan.

Interestingly, Sharad Yadav has revolted against JD(U) after Nitish Kumar snapped ties with RJD and forged alliance with BJP to form the next government in Bihar. He has also claimed that the decision of Nitish was insult of the 2015 mandate of the people given to the Mahagathbandhan and that he was still a part of the grand alliance in the state.

It may be noted that RJD chief Lalu Prasad has also come out openly in support of Sharad Yadav and extended complete support to him. The Nitish camp has asserted that they were contemplating action against Sharad Yadav and warned that if he attended the 27th August "Desh Bachao, BJP Bhagao" rally of Lalu, he would be sacked from the party.

Also read:

With Sharad Yadav in revolt, JD-U national executive to consolidate Nitish Kumar's position Sharad Yadav's divorce with Nitish Kumar imminent. Marriage with Lalu Prasad on the cards?

Sharad Yadav's revolt against Nitish Kumar: How Janata Parivar unites to split

ALSO WATCH | It is unfortunate: JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav breaks silence over new Bihar coalition government

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1 Refugees rescued: Spains maritime rescue service has saved more than 600 refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Morocco in the past 24 hours, making it one of its busiest days so far this year. The service said it rescued 16 migrants early Thursday in the Strait of Gibraltar, a narrow passage that separates Spain from Morocco. On Wednesday, its vessels rescued 601 migrants, including two in a canoe and six in a beach paddle boat. The service said of the 601, 432 migrants were rescued in the Strait and 169 further east in the Mediterranean. Some 550 of the migrants were from Maghreb countries of northwest Africa and the rest from sub-Saharan African countries. Joel Millman, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, called the influx a big number for Spain, though Italy has received far more migrants this year. More than 9,000 migrants have reached Spain by sea so far this year, more than the total for all of 2016.

2 Abortion case: A 10-year-old Indian girl who was raped by an uncle, and then lost her legal battle to have an abortion, gave birth Thursday to a girl in Chandigarh. The girl, who was under general anesthesia while the baby was delivered by cesarean section, had not been told she was pregnant and had no idea that she had given birth, doctors said. She was told instead that she had a kidney stone that needed to be removed. The baby was premature and weighed a bit more than 5 pounds. She was placed in an intensive care unit and will ultimately be put up for adoption. Neither the girl nor her family even saw the child, said Dr. Dasari Harish, head of the team that performed the surgery, adding that the family wanted nothing to do with the newborn. The case, which many Indians found shocking, was watched closely by activists working to overhaul Indias abortion law. In India, it is forbidden to abort a fetus after more than 20 weeks unless an exception is granted.
President Trump and his top national security aides huddled in the seclusion of Camp David on Friday, trying to formulate an effective new Afghanistan strategy after 16 frustrating years of war.

The administration has struggled for months to fashion a plan for turning around the stalemated war. But stepping up the fight in a way that advances peace prospects may be even more difficult.

Trump was meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other top military and diplomatic aides at the presidential retreat in nearby Maryland. Mattis said this week the administration was very close to finalizing a new approach.

The participants did not include Steve Bannon, the Trump strategist who has clashed with other members of the national security team over how to proceed in Afghanistan. His resignation was announced Friday.

Solutions for Afghanistan, the longest war in American history, eluded the Obama administration and havent come easily to Trump, who said almost nothing about the conflict during his presidential campaign. Since taking office, he has considered options ranging from walking away from the war to sending in additional troops. Abandoning Afghanistan is seen as unlikely in light of U.S. concerns about countering terrorism.

In remarks at the State Department on Thursday, Mattis told reporters the Camp David talks will move this toward a decision.

Months ago the Pentagon settled on a plan to send about 3,800 additional troops to strengthen the Afghan army, which is stuck in what some call a deteriorating situation with the Taliban insurgency. Within the White House, questions persist about the wisdom of investing further resources in the war.

The administration has said its Afghanistan strategy will be informed by a review of its approach to the broader region, including Pakistan and India. The Taliban have long used Pakistan as a sanctuary, complicating efforts to defeat the insurgency in Afghanistan and stabilize the country. The region includes other actors who pose political problems for Washington, including Iran, which has influence in western Afghanistan.

The outlook is clouded by the Afghan governments struggle to halt Taliban advances on its own. The U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has said the Taliban hold sway in almost half the country.

Government forces also are battling an Islamic State affiliate that has carved out a foothold mostly in the east. Trump has vowed to crush the group, so its expansion in Afghanistan poses an additional challenge with no immediate solution. Just this week, a U.S. soldier was killed and nearly a dozen were wounded in combat with Islamic State fighters.

The U.S. has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan. Their primary roles are to train and advise Afghan forces and to hunt down and kill members of al Qaeda and other extremist groups.

Robert Burns is an Associated Press writer.
Under renewed public pressure, Santa Fe Police Chief Patrick Gallagher says he plans to disclose the results of an internal investigation into one of his sergeants who posted racist and offensive memes on his Facebook page.

The move would mark a dramatic departure for a department that for years has kept all details of internal investigations, including discipline, secret from the public.

Even if a police officer shoots someone with a mental illness and has fired his weapon before.

Even if an officer has been in trouble for driving poorly and crashes again into an innocent citizen.

And even if an officer festoons his Facebook page with images betraying a mindset 100 percent the opposite of what most Santa Feans expect from someone hired to protect and serve.

But in the wake of a national tragedy, a policy shift toward transparency seems more palatable for city leaders.

Sgt. Troy Baker, who also heads the local police union, came under fireand under investigationin February after an SFR story detailing the social media posts. Among them was a meme depicting a car running over stick figure people with the caption: "All Lives Splatter. No One Cares About Your Protest. Moral of the Story, Stay Off the Road."

That post in particular drew new fury and national attention after a reported Nazi sympathizer on Saturday drove into a crowd of counter protesters, killing one woman, at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Gallagher told the city's Public Safety Committee on Tuesday afternoon he had placed Baker on desk duty. The chief said he'd received a number of questions from the public about why the investigation, now in its sixth month, was taking so long.

The chief's spokesman later said Gallagher would announce whether and how Baker is disciplined when the investigation wraps up in a couple of weeks.

In June, SFR published a cover story about the city's secrecy policy on officer discipline. Deputy City Attorney Zach Shandler said officials' hands were tied because of the way he interprets the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), the state law that governs which documents are public and which aren't.

But as SFR pointed out in the cover story, several other New Mexico cities and countiesincluding Albuquerque, an otherwise black hole of secrecyconsider officer discipline to be public record and release it on request.

Shandler said there was likely no changing Santa Fe's policy unless state Attorney General Hector Balderas, whose job includes enforcing and interpreting IPRA, weighed in from on high and directed every city in the land to abandon cop secrecy.

Now, it looks like that may happen.

On Tuesday morning, as the Baker flap was gaining heat, SFR contacted Mayor Javier Gonzales and the city's eight city councilors to ask a series of questions about the secrecy policy.

Gonzales responded first, saying he was troubled by it. The mayor also said he planned to seek guidance on the issue from Balderas. The AG's office confirms a phone call from Gonzales to discuss the law surrounding secrecy on officer discipline and is awaiting a formal request from him for an advisory opinion.

That opinion would be binding for every police and sheriff's department in the state. Much hangs in the balance.

There is, of course, no telling where Balderas will come down on the issue. SFR interviewed him for the June cover story; when asked whether police discipline should be public record, he literally handed the phone to his subordinate, Deputy Attorney General Tania Maestas, who provided a frustrating answer: Cities that release the information are following the law, as are those that don't.

Huh?

However, as we all wait for the attorney general to chime in, it looks like there's some momentum in Santa Fe to jump on the transparency train regardless of Balderas' stance.

Here are the three questions SFR asked Gonzales and the councilors:

 What is your position on the city's policy of not releasing discipline for city employees, specifically police officers?

 If you don't agree with the policy, what will you do to ensure Santa Fe residents get to see the results of investigations into alleged misconduct by city employeesand how the city disciplined those employees who are, of course, paid by residents?

 Would such a policy change require legislation? If so, would you sponsor it? Also, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas says he would issue guidance on the matter if a city or state official made a formal request. Will you ask him?

Two councilors, Peter Ives and Ron Trujillo did not respond by publication time. Councilor Mike Harris responded by email to say he would not be responding.

Here's what the rest of the city's elected leaders had to say:

Mayor Javier Gonzales (by email)

I think the policy severely limits our ability to provide accountability and transparency to the public  and that communicating more information on discipline is in the interest of the administration: we should be able to show the public how hard we are working to hold employees to a high standard and we should be able to show that we hold ourselves accountable to correct improper behavior.

The city's policy is based on guidance from the New Mexico Attorney General's office that exempts many different personnel documents. This is an issue I've discussed extensively with our City Manager and City Attorney, and I'm confident that if the Attorney General's interpretation changed, our policy would reflect that  giving us more flexibility to release details of actions we take to hold our employees accountable to a high standard.

We have reached out the Attorney General's office to initiate that conversation.

Councilor Signe Lindell (by email)

These issues are complex and three-dimensional. You are dealing with the constitutional rights of our employees in both their privacy and free speech as well as our own city policies which we must balance with the public's right to know. I would welcome some guidance from the New Mexico State Attorney General on these issues. But even after that guidance is given the city must decide for itself what its procedures and policies are. However I think this is a discussion worth having and policies worth reviewing.

Councilor Renee Villarreal (by email)

As a councilor, I would also like to be informed about disciplinary action and to see the results of investigations into alleged misconduct by city employees. So yes, at some point in the personnel and disciplinary process, I think this information should become public. I believe transparency could work in the departments favorit could prove that there was no wrongdoing by the officer.

I don't know what it would take to make that policy change, but I would consider supporting it.

Councilor Joseph Maestas (by email)

My position on the city's policy of not releasing discipline is that personnel issues are complex with much liability exposure for the city. They must be handled in a deliberate, objective, and thorough manner. Although I have not researched personnel law and city policies, I feel that the allegations or scope of the investigation surrounding a personnel issue and the general outcome should be disclosed to the public. However, I don't feel the details regarding the investigation should be made public as allegations are just that, allegations. It would be irresponsible of the city to release those details especially if the employee is cleared of any wrongdoing. As a long time supervisor, I was trained to always keep conduct and performance issues separate as there are separate policies to address each issue.

Instead of advocating for full disclosure of all information regarding a review or investigation of misconduct, I would strengthen policies to hold employees accountable for their actions on and off the job with more formalized ethics and conduct training. As a former federal employee, I was held accountable for my conduct off the job including my social media content.

Councilor Carmichael Dominguez (by email)

Indeed, personnel issues are complex from the standpoint that employees have various constitutional rights, along with negotiated rights not to mention due process. Without knowing details about your examples, and keeping these rights in mind, it is difficult for me to comment on personnel issues.

I certainly would recommend that the governing body work with the Attorney General to provide guidance on how to balance the rights of employees with the pursuit of transparency. I believe a change in policy would be needed, however, I do not know at this moment which policy specifically would need to be amended. I think it's a discussion worth having and I certainly would not mind having some of that discussion with my colleagues.

Chris Rivera (via telephone interview)

I'm not sure how I come down on this. It's hard enough for a police officer to do their jobs on a daily basis and everybody lumps all police together, so any bad reports on police officers makes them all look the same. I don't think people need much pushing to dislike police officers.

I haven't seen any indication that the police administration is not being accountable to the public about their officers. They are doing investigations and following procedure and when they are done and they are able to release information, they do.

(Rivera also says he's not looking for the AG to tell the city whether it has to release the information or not; that should be up to the city. Santa Fe, he said, shouldn't be lumped in with Albuquerque and all their "problems all at once.")

SFR's Julie Ann Grimm, Matt Grubs and Aaron Cantu contributed to this report.

Santa Fe Reporter
As municipalities across the nation remove or consider removing Confederate statutes, Santa Feans are contending with the city's own legacy of conquest that extends two centuries further back.





Around 30 cities have sought to bring the monuments down since white nationalists brawled with protesters ostensibly to prevent the removal of a Robert E Lee statue over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. When a neo-Nazi sympathizer killed a woman at the counterprotest, it accelerated the pace of removals.





Santa Fe County only has one monument explicitly dedicated "in loyal memory" to Confederate fighters. It stands along Highway 50 between Glorieta and Pecos and was erected in 1939 by the Daughters of the Confederacy, which built the majority of Confederate memorials across the nation.





Neither City of Santa Fe nor Santa Fe County officials had responded by publication time to indicate which government body had the power to remove it.





On Thursday night, Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales announced in a news release that he had directed the city manager to put together "a report or a timeline for a report" that includes, among other things, all city property on which memorials, monuments or markers of historic events or people stand.

The mayor's statement also mentions he would "continue leader-to-leader dialogue" with tribal leadership. But Matthew Martinez, 1st Lt. Gov. of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, says he and other tribal leaders haven't heard from Gonzales.

"None of us have received any call or contact from the mayor's office," he tells SFR. "I'm kind of unclear what direction the mayor's office is going to go in, and tribal leaders are available to come to the table whenever we get that opportunity."

In June, Gonzales shared his thoughts with SFR on two specific, post-Civil War-era monuments in the city: The obelisk in the Plaza dedicated to Union soldiers who fought Confederate soldiers and Native Americans, and the obelisk on Federal Place, outside the Santiago E Campos United States Courthouse dedicated to Kit Carson, a frontiersman who brutalized thousands of Navajo people in New Mexico.





"I do believe that there are statutes around Santa Fe that were put up to celebrate that history of Manifest Destiny, that conquering of a very peaceful people, that I think we need to confront what those symbols mean in our community by keeping them up," Gonzales said at the time. "Those two symbols that [are] clearly, I think, these ever-present reminders of a time and period that Native Americans were not treated respectfully, where their homelands were taken for the sake of growing the United States. They were treated inappropriately."





It's unclear how popular removing either one would be with Santa Feans. Paloma Collier pushed in a Facebook post on Wednesday to remove the Plaza obelisk. The post had dozens of supportive shares and comments by Thursday evening.





The Plaza obelisk is part of the Santa Fe Plaza, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in December 1960 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places of in October 1966. In theory, says Steven Moffson, the state and national register coordinator at New Mexico's Registers of Cultural Properties, the city could probably remove the obelisk without jeopardizing the Plaza's status as a national landmark.





"The Plaza is significant as an open public space," he says. "That's its primary significance, and its association with earliest development of the city of Santa Fe. The obelisk came much later."





The same circumstances apply to the Kit Carson obelisk, which, along with the federal courthouse, are included within the Santa Fe Historic District downtown. The historic district, which includes the Plaza and the Palace of the Governors, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.





Similar to today, Native activism has long been at the forefront in advocating for statue removal. The first major push to remove the Plaza obelisk came in 1973, when members of the American Indian Movement submitted a letter to then-Governor Bruce King asking him to take it down. The City Council passed but then quickly rescinded a resolution to remove the obelisk that summer; instead, a marker was added to "blunt the wording" of the monument soon after. The next year, an unknown person chiseled the word "savage" off the structure.





The demand for historical accountability from the Native community in and around Santa Fe complicates the mayor's contention that only two monuments deserve a critical review. For some Native Americans here, the thought of honoring Spanish men who conquered Pueblo lands and decimated their populations is just as abhorrent as honoring Confederate slavers.





"I think [Spanish conquest] doesn't resonate as much in the national press as the Confederate statues because the Confederate statues represent something that this nation went through as a nation," says Elena Ortiz, a member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. "But it is as important and as painful a past for the Indigenous communities in New Mexico, in that these individuals represent a colonization and an oppression and a genocide, an attempted genocide of Native communities."





Ortiz, who also organizes protests against the annual Entrada de Don Diego de Vargas celebration, points to the desecration of conquistador statutes in the past few decades as evidence of a simmering resentment. That includes the 1998 guerilla removal of a foot belonging to a bronze statue of Juan de Onate near Espanola as well as damage inflicted on the statue of de Vargas in Santa Fe's Cathedral Park in 2014.





Another statue in Native organizers' sights, Ortiz says, is the bronze statue of Colonial Governor Pedro de Peralta on horseback in Santa Fe. Located at 323 Grant Avenue behind the downtown post office, the late artist Dave McGary was commissioned by the city in 1992 to create the sculpture of the man who formally founded the town for Spain.





Jordan West, the associate director at the Meyer Gallery, which represented McGrary for over 20 years, believes removing the statue of Peralta would disgrace the artist's memory. He describes himself as a close, personal friend of McGary's.





"I know there's a lot of sad history that's out there, but if they're going to try removing history, I don't understand why they don't try tearing down the Governor's Mansion," he says. "Where do you stop? At what point are you finished?"





President Donald Trump made the comparison of Robert E Lee to other figures celebrated in American history. "I wonder: Is it George Washington next week, and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after?" the president said at a rambling, disjointed news conference at which he sparred with journalists on Tuesday. "You know, you really do have to ask yourselfwhere does it stop?"





Ana Pacheco, the city historian of Santa Fe and a descendant of a man who resettled Santa Fe with de Vargas, offered a similar assessment.





"In my opinion, it's impossible to leave out history. But if they're going to knock down statutes, they should rename city of Santa Fe, because it's the Spanish name," she tells SFR, her voice tinged with sarcasm. "Wipe the slate clean, I guess? No more USA, we'll pretend history never happened, and we'll live happily ever after."





For Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, a historian and author of An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, such suggestions are "absurd" and meant to undermine movements like the one happening across the country against symbols of the Confederacy.





"My answer to these people is we should look into [more extensive removal and renaming], but in the meantime, here's an immediate thing we can do," she says.





To her, memorials to Spanish conquest and Confederate hubris are all memorials to white European supremacy.





The United States uprooted Africans and brought them here. The Spanish brought uprooted [Natives from Mexico and colonized the Indigenous people] to be their slaves in New Mexico,  Dunbar-Ortiz says. I think its really important and it's absolutely analogous.





Edit: This story was updated to include a statement from Lt. Gov. Matthew Martinez.

Santa Fe Reporter
A recent email obtained from the city confirms threats of violence toward the LGBTQ community one week before the pride celebration held on Aug. 5. It comes from Jackson Area Landlord Association's President Robert Tulloch, who wrote in the email to members of Jackson's city council, "I saw something on a site about marching to Blackman Park and raising a flag? I hope they are not planning to raise a gay flag. That is an in your face declaration of war and will be met with a violent response. This IS the queer agenda."



Sources confirm efforts to advance pro-equality policies and the increasing visibility of the LGBTQ community in Jackson have been met with threats of violence from the beginning - when the pride center was opened in February, when the non-discrimination ordinance was passed in April, and when the city hosted its inaugural pride celebration last weekend.



Joly and Moore have been at the forefront of the fight for equality in the city of Jackson. City officials confirm their presence at several council meetings when anti-LGBTQ members of the community said they shouldn't have rights. They have publicly been "damned to hell" and called "sodomites."

[Content Note: Homophobia; arson; pet death; threats.] Eastsidekate sent me this piece by Michael Fitzgerald at Towleroad about Nikki Joly and Chris Moore, whose house was burned down by an arsonist , killing their two dogs and three cats: Shaun, Tripp, Mokie, Tazz, and Nettie.My condolences to Joly and Moore. The grief of losing five pets all at once, no less their home on top of it, must be enormous. I am so, so sorry.Friends have set up a YouCaring page if you would are interested and able to donate to Joly and Moore.Joly is the director of the Jackson Pride Center, which just opened in February of this year.Kate Opalewski at PrideSource reports Although many other members of their community have rallied around them , as of Wednesday, Jackson Mayor Bill Jors had yet to comment on this vile act of violent hatred in his community, and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's deputy press secretary Tanya Baker "said he cannot comment on a specific law enforcement investigation that is still ongoing."That thedeclared the raising of a Pride flag a "declaration of war" is chilling. That he further asserted that raising a Pride flag would "be met with a violent response" is horrific.Obviously, I have no idea who committed this heinous act against Joly and Moore. I do, however, want to note that violent homophobia has always been inextricably intertwined with organized white supremacy. As white supremacists are empowered by the president, so homophobia is also empowered.The investigation into the arson continues. I hope Joly and Moore get some semblance of justice.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today discussed with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik the issue of tax incentives for Indian Oil Corporations (IOC) Paradip refinery in the state.

The state government had last year withdrawn tax incentives to the 15-million tonne refinery, a decision that IOC has challenged in court.

"In the meeting, various options available to reach an amicable settlement on the present tax dispute were discussed," an official statement said here.

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Pradhan said the state had extended the tax concession in 2004 to make the refinery project viable. Withdrawal of the same is now impacting the project commercially.

There is a need to find an amicable solution to the impasse keeping in view the fiscal health of the state and commercial interest of IOC, he said.

"He emphasised on the need for finding a middle path, wherein both IOC and the state government can work out a mutual acceptable solution by climbing down from their stated positions," the statement said.

The minister said the state government should incentivise the expansion plans of the company, which include setting up a petrochemical complex adjacent to the refinery as well as expanding the present oil refining capacity.

"Over a period of time, it will enable the state to increase its revenue and also create additional employment avenues for the youth of the state," he said.

At the meeting it was agreed that the officers of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, IOC and the state government will deliberate various issues and work out an acceptable solution at the earliest. PTI ANZ ABM

--- ENDS ---
The Congress is planning a restructuring in October and according to the Mood of the Nation poll, here is who should be elected as party president.

In the last week of July, former information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari hosted a lunch for Frederick Kempe, chairperson of an American think-tank, in Delhi to introduce him to a select group of parliamentarians, public intellectuals and journalists. Among the invitees was Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. Arriving at 1 pm, he stayed for nearly three hours, seemingly enjoying his conversation, till some journalists posed some uncomfortable questions.

In typical style, Rahul rolled up his sleeves and stopped just short of asking the journalists to shut up. Asking them not to worry about the future of Congress as the party had always bounced back from every crisis, he compared it to Sachin Tendulkar - an analogy the master blaster is unlikely to take sportingly given the Congress's free fall in election after election - Rahul said that nobody should teach Sachin how to bat. Not quite done yet, he then accused the journalists of capitulating to the Narendra Modi government.

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The incident reflects the existential crisis in the Congress ever since Modi swept to power in 2014. And Rahul exemplifies the state of denial its leadership is in.

As several veteran party leaders have pointed out, Rahul's insistence on persisting with his formula of reviving the party despite electoral debacles has affected it badly. The much-awaited restructuring of the party is yet to happen, though, if his close aides are to be believed, Rahul will contest for the post of president in the organisational elections that will conclude by October. With no one likely to contest against him, the party will have a new president after almost two decades. But even though the throne may become his, the Nehru-Gandhi scion will have to do a lot of work even to regain the ground he had covered in the first two years after the 2014 general election. However, 25 per cent of the respondents in the Mood of the Nation poll still consider him the best prime ministerial candidate in the Congress, even if it's a big climb-down from the 41 per cent vote he'd got in February 2016.

Perhaps sensing this, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her advisors are still hesitant about Rahul's ascendancy to the top post. A section of the Congress leaders argues that though mother Sonia wants Rahul to come out of her shadow, the politician in her feels it is still premature. "It's not because she wants to stick to the chair," says a CWC member, "but she is yet to see a working relationship between the Congress old guard and Rahul, and a continuing conflict could lead to further chaos. She is also wary of his plan to get rid of many of her close aides, which may prove disastrous electorally."

Rahul's supporters, however, rubbish such claims and say that he values the contributions of the veterans and is keen to work with them. "He is working towards rebuilding the party from the grassroots," says a young Congress Lok Sabha MP. "He is not looking at electoral success only. He wants people to be convinced about his ideas and vision and then support him. We do not do the brand of politics Modi and Amit Shah practise."

Another non-political Rahul aide says it's the old guard that has been stalling his ideas to bring about positive change. "There is a perception that Rahul is reluctant to take charge. It was initially true because he thought he could smoothly function under the current structure. Now he is ready to take charge but the old guard is doing everything possible to stall it. Rahul always wanted to be elected to set an example and now it'll happen in October," he says. When asked to name specific members of the old guard, he baulked.

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An outsider who had worked closely with the party during an election campaign partly supports this argument in favour of Rahul and sees the existence of dual power centres as the biggest obstacle to a Congress revival. In his six-month-long experience in the party, he observed how the old guard had sabotaged political leaders Rahul backed, convincing Sonia of the electoral risks of his choices. "When his mother intervenes, Rahul stops backing his own men, leaving them in the lurch. So it's always two steps forward and five back," says the observer. A veteran Rajya Sabha member adds, "You can't blame the old guard. They know they'll be salami-sliced once Rahul gets absolute power. Indira threw away Nehru loyalists, Rajiv did the same to Indira's aides. Sonia cleaned up several of Rajiv's friends. Now the same fate awaits Sonia's core team."

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This theory gained currency recently when Rahul did not post a congratulatory tweet after Ahmed Patel won the bitterly fought Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat. Many in the party claim that Rahul was against flying down Congress MLAs to Bengaluru and making Patel's election a prestige issue. "That one of his closest advisors, Jairam Ramesh, compared Congress leaders to sultans refusing to give up sultanate just a day before the election indicates they were convinced of Patel's defeat and would have used that as an excuse to demand his exit from the top order," says a Congress general secretary. Insiders in the Patel camp claim that while the Congress Rajya Sabha member and Rahul enjoy a good rapport, some young members in Team Rahul are keen to create a rift between the two. "Rahul doesn't tweet himself; his team suggests topics. It's not his fault they did not suggest congratulating Patel," says a close Patel aide. Patel himself claims Rahul called him to congratulate.

However, there is a growing consensus within the party that the dual power structure must go. Rahul's detractors argue that if he has not learnt the tricks of the trade in the past 13 years, he is just not cut out for the job. "He has some mental block against the old guard and fails to utilise their expertise. He is often manipulated by leaders who go to him wearing a torn kurta but with a Mont Blanc in the pocket. He notices the kurta but not the Rs 2 lakh pen," says a former Union minister.

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His supporters claim such evaluation is unfair as he has never been allowed to function independently. But nobody can explain his erratic behaviour. Recently, a day after PM Modi visited flood-hit Assam on August 1, Rahul too decided to visit the state. By evening, he'd decided to also attend the funeral of veteran Congress leader Santosh Mohan Deb. He got very bad press in Assam, which either mocked him for aping Modi or criticised him for doing flood tourism while actually intending to attend the funeral. "I'm not surprised, since he takes his inputs on Assam from Gaurav Gogoi who singlehandedly destroyed the party in the state," says a Congress secretary whom ironically Rahul had picked in 2013. "But then Gaurav is a dynast who has a foreign degree and speaks good English, and Rahul wants to build the new Congress with such leaders."

Perhaps why an overwhelming 43 per cent respondents say only someone beyond the Nehru-Gandhi family can revive the Congress. On paper, with hardly any emerging leader with mass support, that sounds impossible. Several of the popular young leaders - most of them dynasts - even refused to entertain such questions when India Today shared this finding with them. But a former Union minister had an interesting take: "It took one V.P. Singh to bring down a Rajiv Gandhi with over 400 seats. You can never predict the emergence of a leader. Both Modi and Sonia were written off at one point."

When the party lost the 2013 Delhi assembly election, Rahul had said: "I will ensure a transformation happens, and I'll do it in ways you can't even imagine."

Himanta Biswa Sarma, former Congressman and now BJP leader and Assam finance minister, says Rahul has succeeded in doing what he had promised. "He has brought the party to a stage no Congressman had ever imagined," says Sarma who had famously said that Rahul pays more attention to his dog than to his party leaders.

To end Congress's dog days, both Sonia and Rahul must start taking decisions, the lack of which has seen the exit of over a dozen top leaders in the past three years, costing them even state elections. Unless, of course, they are waiting for a non-Gandhi to emerge to do the job.

--- ENDS ---
The Rajasthan government on Thursday signed a JV for on oil refinery that, if the project takes off on time, could help the ruling BJP in the upcoming state elections next year.

By Rohit Parihar: Rajasthan government, on Thursday, signed an agreement with the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) to set up a joint venture company for setting up the Petroleum Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex at Barmer.

If the project takes off within a few months, it will help ruling BJP in elections that are due in December next year.

As per the agreement, HPCL will have a 74 per cent stake while the state government will hold a 26 per cent stake in the new firm that will be called HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL). The total cost of this project is Rs 43,129 crore.

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Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje witnessed the signing ceremony at CM residence when Principal Secretary Mines and Petroleum Aparna Arora and Director (Finance) of HPCL J Ramaswami signed the joint-venture agreement respectively on behalf of the state government and the HPCL.

She directed the officials to proceed further on the project on equally fast pace as soon as the environmental clearance was received from the Union Ministry of Environment.

Previous Congress government had proposed launching the project before the assembly elections in 2013 but the idea was shelved due to a lack of time. After the BJP government came to power, Raje insisted that state needed to renegotiate the project.

She said that fresh negotiations between the officials of the state government and the HPCL led to significant savings of Rs 40,000 crore. Also, the state would receive 12 per cent Return On Investment instead of earlier 2 per cent, Raje said.

As per the proposed plan, the refinery project would be established in a 4,813 acres of land area. Tender process for the boundary wall for this has been initiated. The entire construction work of this project would be finished in record time of four years.

Interestingly, 270 MW power would be generated from the waste petcoke generated from the refinery. A green zone would be established in the refinery campus and a new industrial area would also be developed.

The CM said that this would be the first petro refinery in the country to produce BS-VI emission standards. This would be a major step towards controlling carbon emissions and have substantial impact on environment.

She said local youth through ITIs and skill development centres would be trained to get them employment in refinery and ancillary industries. Government was exploring possibilities of setting up a petroleum institute in the western Rajasthan.

Raje said that this project of refining Rajasthan's Crude oil to produce petroleum and other petrochemical products would substantially strengthen the economy of not only Barmer, but entire Rajasthan.

With this, she said, direct and indirect employment opportunities would be generated in huge numbers. She suggested the officials to make special efforts to promote local small entrepreneurs for setting up ancillary industries.

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Water Resources Minister Ram Pratap, Minister of State for Mines & Petroleum Surendra Pal Singh, Chief Secretary Ashok Jain, CMD of HPCL MK Surana, Additional Chief Secretary Mines and Petroleum NC Goyal, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of other state government departments, Collector Barmer NS Madan and senior officials of HPCL were also present during the agreement signing ceremony.

ALSO READ | Rising Rajasthan: The success story of a former BIMARU state

ALSO READ | More trouble for ONGC in Tamil Nadu as Vaiko, protesters join hands over gas pipeline leak

--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: When Ranbir Kapoor interviewed Alia Bhatt during Highway promotions, Bollywood fans went into a tizzy seeing these two actors in one frame. The picture of them went viral, and fans kept their fingers crossed to them together on the big screen in near future. Thanks to filmmaker Ayan Mukerji, their wish is about to come true as the two have been roped together in a superhero film Dragon.

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But not many know that back in 2003, Ranbir and Alia did a photoshoot together. Yes! Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted to make his version of Balika Vadhu, and made Ranbir shoot for it when he was only 20, and Alia was 8.

Ranbir, in an interview to Hindustan Times, revealed that he has a connection with Alia. "Actually not many people know this but Alia and I had done a photo shoot together for Sanjay Leela Bhansali when I was 20 years old and she was about 12 or even younger; I don't know exactly how old she was. Sanjay sir wanted to make his version of Balika Badhu with us so hamne ek full photo shoot kiya tha (we had done a complete photo shoot), so I am connected to her since then," Ranbir told the daily.

Talking about his first official collaboration with Alia, he said, "She is a fine actor, very unassuming about her success and talent. Plus, she is very evolved, cool and chilled out, so I am looking forward to the film."

In fact, the 34-year-old actor is looking forward to this interesting partnership. "I think I can create a distinct creative partnership with Alia. I hope our energies come together because the whole film depends a lot on our relationship. And as actors, we both have an opportunity, and I hope we can make the best use of it. I don't think I could have asked for a better film to work in with her," added Ranbir.

ALSO READ | Dragon and Takadum: What made these two big-budget films get delayed?

ALSO READ | Ranbir-Alia in a film? That's not the plan, says Imtiaz Ali

WATCH: Ranbir and Amitabh talk about stardom, cinema and acting on India Today Unforgettables

--- ENDS ---
It is being speculated that Riya Sen got married to Shivam Tewari because she is pregnant.

By India Today Web Desk: The Sen family is in a celebratory mood, as Riya Sen tied the knot with her long-time boyfriend Shivam Tewari on Wednesday, if a report in The Indian Express is to be believed. A source told the publication that the couple wed in an intimate ceremony in Pune attended by family and close friends.

Although Shivam was a frequent feature in Riya's Instagram posts, she never announced her relationship with him to the media. It is only a few days ago that reports of the 36-year-old actor's intention to get hitched began doing the rounds. According to a report in Pinkvilla, the reason behind her rushed wedding may be her pregnancy.

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Riya is currently shooting for Ekta Kapoor's web-series Ragini MMS 2.2, and has neither confirmed nor denied the reports of her pregnancy. She was last seen in the short film, Lonely Girl, which also released on the internet.

ALSO SEE: Riya Sen's seductive topless photo is taking the internet by storm

ALSO SEE: Hottie Riya Sen caught kissing a girl!

ALSO WATCH: Biggest celebrity weddings of 2016

--- ENDS ---
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It was one of the most potentially volatile and dangerous scenarios imaginable.

An 8-year-old boy was caught inside his Brooklyn public school last year with a loaded gun in his backpack, said authorities.

Now, Burgess, 21, is headed back upstate after being sentenced to six years in prison over the May 27, 2016 episode at PS 91 in the East Flatbush section.

Officials said Burgess had been heard in a wiretapped phone conversation later that day saying, "Bro, my, my brother got caught up in a jam ... that was my chop," said officials.

"Chop" referred to the gun.

Authorities only identified the boy as Burgess' relative.

At the time of his arrest, Burgess was among 35 purported members of street gangs and crews charged in Brooklyn with narcotics distribution, weapons possession, burglaries, forgery and identity theft, said authorities.

He was the only Staten Islander named in 15 indictments which stemmed from a probe started in the fall of 2015, officials said.

The investigation focused on alleged gang-related violence, drug sales and other criminal activity in Brooklyn's Brownsville section by associates of the Hoodstarz street gang and affiliated crews such as Folk Nation and the 823 Crips, said authorities.

In one incident, a home-invasion victim was pistol-whipped, authorities said.

Two weeks ago, Burgess pleaded guilty in Brooklyn state Supreme Court to attempted second-degree criminal weapon possession.

He also pleaded guilty then to attempted third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, stemming from an arrest on May 4 of last year.

He was sentenced to six years in prison and five years' post-release supervision in the gun case and to 42 months behind bars and five years' post-release supervision in the drug case.

The sentences will run concurrently.

Burgess was previously convicted in an unrelated case in Brooklyn of attempted second-degree robbery and sentenced to two years in prison, according to online records of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

He was released in December 2014.
Dozens of animals in the care of Staten Island's volunteer animal rescue groups are waiting for their forever families to find them. Click through the photos to see the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens up for adoption at events this weekend.

A Reminder to Share Your Love to Clear the Shelters Event Saturday

The Animal Care Centers of NYC will participate in the Clear the Shelters event on Saturday, Aug. 19, all adoption fees are waived that day but it doesn't include the $8.50 fee for the NYC dog license. Adoptions open at 10 a.m. at all locations. The Staten Island Animal Care Center is located at 3139 Veterans Road West.

For more info check ClearTheShelters.com or #ClearTheShelters Download the ACC of NYC adoption app to see available animals.

Staten Island Hope Animal Rescue will be at PETCO, 2795 Richmond Road, Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with adoptable cats and kittens.

This is also part of NBC, New York's special Clear the Shelters event that day to promote pet adoption and working towards the goal to become a no-kill nation. An approved adoption will have a reduced fee of $50, along with a regular screening for adoptions. For more information, visit StatenIslandHopeRescue.org.

Enjoy an end of the summer splash with the JCC Dog Pool "Paw"ty

The Joan and Alan Bernikow Jewish Community Center of Staten Island, Dog Pool "Paw"ty, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 5, at the JCC outdoor pool, 1466 Manor Road. $15 per dog (no more than 2 dogs per handler).

Limit of 40 happy dogs and their humans. Louie's Legacy will attend with 7-10 adoptable dogs and much more.

Reps from District Attorney McMahon's office will attend helping to raise animal cruelty awareness. Advance registration STRONGLY encouraged. Contact Justine Bergen, Aquatic Director: 718-475-1515 or jbergen@sijcc.com.

Aug. 17 is National Black Cat Day: What's so special about black cats? A lot more than you can imagine. To honor the most important black cat holiday of the year, 'National Today' shares 5 reasons we love these mysterious felines:

1. They help us find romance There's nothing wrong with being a (black) cat lady! In Japan, young women are encouraged to own a black cat to increase their chances of romance. So black cats are not only great companions--but also fantastic wing-cats!

2. They're considered good luck in some countries In Great Britain, black cats are thought to bring good luck, while in Germany, if a black cat crosses your path from the right, it is said to bring prosperity.

3. That dark fur is practical Research shows that black cats may have developed dark hair to fight off disease, meaning their fur is more than beautiful--it's useful, too!

4. Black cats have magical color-shifting powers (well, sort of) Due to a special pigment called melanin in their fur, when out in the sun, many black cats will temporarily turn a dark brown color, as if they were "rusting."

5. We love those bright yellow eyes Black cats have an excess of melanin, a pigment that causes dark coloration. Coincidentally, melanin also causes their irises to be yellow. As it turns out, being a black cat is definitely something to smile about! (SOURCE:nationaltoday.com)
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Rohingya Muslim refugees say they prefer to die in India rather than return to Myanmar and face persecution there. There have been reports that India might deport 40,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees.

By India Today Web Desk: Minister of State for Home Affair Kiren Rijiju in a statement to Parliament mentioned deportation of illegal foreign nationals including Rohingyas highlighting that around 40,000 Rohingyas are living illegally in India. Amid reports that they might get deported, Rohginya Muslims say they prefer to die in India rather than return to Myanmar.

"We thank India for allowing us to stay. If the government wants to deport us, it can do it but it will be better if they kill us here instead of sending us back," Abdul Raheem, a refugee, told IANS.

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Thousands of Rohingya people, an ethnic minority, fled from Myanmar to escape getting persecuted by the Myanmar military. The ethnic minority has claimed that the security forces have raped, murdered and arsoned many. On the other hand, Myanmar government has refused to recognise Rohingya as one of the country's ethnic minorities and described them as Bengalis or illegal immigrants from neighbouring country- Bangladesh.

Also read: Fate of 40,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar to be sealed soon

They are considered 'stateless entities' and in 2015 mass migration of thousands of Rohingya people from Myanmar started.

While the Rohingya refugees do not want to return to their native country, according to intelligence sources they have emerged as a serious security threat for India. Authorities are on a sweeping drive to identify the refugees who could be relocated or deported.

But the Rohingya refugees continue to appeal the Indian government to cancel the plans to deport them on humanitarian grounds. Adding to that, a global human rights group has said that India should abide by its international legal obligations and should not forcibly return the refugees to Myanmar.

Also read: India to deport all Rohingya Muslims regardless of UN registration

"India has a long record of helping vulnerable populations fleeing from neighboring countries, including Sri Lankans, Afghans, and Tibetans," Human Rights Watch's South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly said.

India has been condemned for its plan to deport the Rohingya Muslims refugees by other human rights organisations as well.

Indian authorities are well aware of the human rights violations Rohingya Muslims have had to face in Myanmar and it would be outrageous to abandon them to their fates," said Raghu Menon, advocacy manager at Amnesty International India.

"It shows blatant disregard for India's obligations under international law," he said in a statement on Wednesday as reported by Reuters.

Also read: Different situation, same story: After Aylan Kurdi, Rohingya baby's body washes ashore near Bangladesh

--- ENDS ---
The RSS is looking to break into CPM-dominated villages in Kerala by launching a mass contact programme that will be used to reach out to Hindu communities.

RSS Kerala chief Gopalan Kutty said spiritual leaders will be roped in to connect to various religions.

By Rakesh Ranjan: Seeking to expand its organisational strength to break into the CPM-dominated party villages, the RSS is set to launch a mass contact program across Kerala.

The one-month program, to be held in all districts of the state, essentially aims at reaching out the Hindu communities including Dalits and the marginalised sections that have recently been targeted by the CPM cadre in Trivendram.

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RSS Kerala chief Gopalan Kutty Master told Mail Today that spiritual leaders will be roped in to connect to all caste and communities of Hindus. An estimated 30-40 thousand people will be attending the program in each district.

Kutty said the RSS has requested spiritual leader Swami Chidananda Puri to address the gatherings so as to bring together all sections of the Hindu community.

"We have formed an organising committee in all 14 districts of Kerala to oversee the preparations for Dharm Samvad. It will be a social, spiritual and religious gathering aimed at strengthening social harmony of Hindus," he said.

The move comes at a time when the Dalits are being targeted by the CPM cadre. The RSS leader said killing of Dalits in Kerala has emerged as the new trend. All five BJP/RSS workers killed in Trivandrum are from Dalit community.

Kutty said expansion of the organisation was the only way to counter the CPM activists and the spate of killings of BJP/RSS workers in the state. He, however, justified retaliation by RSS workers terming it "self defence".

"As asked by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, the Kerala units of the RSS and the BJP are ready for talks with the government but it is required for the RSS- BJP men to defend themselves if the CPI(M) workers attacked them and ensure their morale is not down," he said.

"A planned retaliation is not good for the organisation. But when some incident takes place, sudden retaliation is necessary. We tell our people to beware of things. Be prepared every time as there can be attack at any point of time," Master added.

The CPI(M) had recently said that while the Home Minister adopts one position, another Union Minister and the BJP leadership take a contrary stand.

This clearly shows that the BJP-RSS are not keen to see that peace is restored and there are no political clashes, it had said in a statement.

It said that the RSS-BJP game-plan is clear: Resort to provocative actions and uncalled for physical assaults against the CPI(M) workers and raise the cry that the CPI(M) is resorting to violence and blame the Kerala government for not stopping such attacks.

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ALSO READ | Flag war in Kerala: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat unfurls tricolour in Palakkad

ALSO WATCH | Kerala: RSS worker hacked to death in Thiruvananthapuram

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) A 39-year-old Russian patient has received a new lease of life here after undergoing a "highly risky and laborious surgery" for removal of a 3.2 kg-tumour from his chest cavity, hospital authorities said today.

"Emil was suffering for the past five years from breathlessness and immense discomfort, following which he underwent a series of comprehensive medical check-ups.

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"These revealed that the tumour was gradually growing in his chest cavity, exerting tremendous pressure on his right lung," an official of the Fortis Hospital at Vasant Kunj said.

The patient was admitted on July 31, operated on August 1 and was discharged on August 8.

"Originating from the lining of the chest wall called the pleura, the tumour presented several onerous and demanding challenges to the surgeons as it was touching the main vessels which supplied blood to the heart and other vital organs.

"The surgical procedure was strenuous as the area left to perform the surgery within the chest cavity was limited. The level of precision that the surgery required was difficult to achieve and there was also no clear indicator that the affected lung would gain its full functionality post-surgery," the hospital said in a statement.

Pleural tumours are found in the pleural space, the cavity between the lungs and chest wall that contains lubricating pleural fluid, it said, adding that a pleural tumour is almost always metastatic (cancerous) and difficult to operate on.

"When the case was presented to us it was clear that it would be extremely challenging. The cause behind such a growth is unknown. However, most of these tumours are benign and once excised completely, a relapse is highly unlikely.

"We took the chance as the tumour was not infiltrating, making the surgery successful. These tumours are not triggered by smoking. Nevertheless, the recovery in non-smokers is much faster and reaps better outcomes compared to that in a smoker," said Sabyasachi Bal, Director, Thoracic Onco Surgery, at the Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj. PTI KND ANB

--- ENDS ---
05:51 NASA ready to launch Artemis 1 moon rocket ANU astrophysicist and cosmologist Dr Brad Tucker says NASA thinks it's ready for the third attempt at the Artemis 1 launch after a fuel leak...

02:55 New task force announced to combat cybercriminals The federal government has announced a new task force to combat cybercriminals after attacks on Optus and Medibank.

00:46 Crypto giant FTX files for bankruptcy Cryptocurrency trading platform FTX has filed for bankruptcy with its former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried reportedly fleeing to Argentina.

00:34 Elon Musk warns staff Twitter may not survive New Twitter CEO Elon Musk has warned staff that social media giants need to find more ways to make money, or its survival may be at stake.

00:38 Meta sacks 11,000 staff after revenue drop Sky News Business Editor Ross Greenwood says Facebook owner Meta today started to lay off 11,000 workers to save costs.

02:21 Facebook extends its hiring freeze as Zuckerberg looks to cut costs Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has extended the company's hiring freeze as it enters a new period of frugality.

02:21 Musk tells Twitter advertisers he wants to stop fake accounts on platform Twitter's CEO Elon Musk has promised to limit the visibility of hateful content in order to stop the brand and advertisement agencies from leaving...

05:06 Paying ransom would encourage more cybercriminals to try to extort businesses Scantek Solutions CEO Ches Rafferty says "unfortunately", Medibank doesn't really have the option to give into the $15 million ransom the hacker...

00:26 Facebook parent company Meta announces cut to 11,000 jobs Facebook's parent company Meta has announced it will lay off around 13 per cent of its workforce.
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Sakshi Malik won a bronze after defeating Kyrgyzstan's Aisuluu Tynybekova in Women's Freestyle 58kg category at the Rio Olympics last year.

By Jepher Christopher Nickels: Sakshi Malik, who became the first ever Indian woman wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics, is celebrating one year of her success that she achieved at the Rio Games in 2016. The 24-year-old from Rohtak became only the fourth woman athlete from India to win an Olympic medal.

On August 18 (in India), Sakshi defeated Kyrgyzstan's Aisuluu Tynybekova 8-5 in a sensational Women's Freestyle 58kg bronze medal bout to hand India its first medal at the quadrennial event in Rio de Janeiro. Sakshi's victory brought cheers to the Indian contingent that had endured an agonising 11 days without a medal.

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Sakshi took to Twitter to celebrate the first anniversary, "One Year of medal love. Aaj ek saal pura hogya...aap sabse bhout pyaar or samaan mila..Thank to everyone."

????? ???? ??????? ???? ????One Year of medal love.Aaj ek saal pura hogya...aap sabse bhout pyaar or samaan mila..Thank to everyone. pic.twitter.com/bWIab0x5we- Sakshi Malik (@SakshiMalik) August 17, 2017

"My biggest dream ever was to run with the Indian flag. I could not do it after I won my Commonwealth medal, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity here," Sakshi had told India Today on the triumphant night in Rio

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BOUT (Reuters Photo)

Sakshi overturned a 0-5 deficitin a hectic second round to win 8-5 in the bronze medal bout at the Carioca Arena 2. It was a rousing display of fighting spiritand never-say-die attitude from the Indian athlete.

Aisuluu was clearly the superior wrestler in the totally one-sided opening round, displaying impressive strength and technique to take five points and open up a formidable lead.

But Sakshi - who has previously shown a knack of staging strong comebacks - was a totally transformed grappler in the second round, taking eight consecutive points to send the sizable number of Indian fans in the stands into wild delirium.

In the bronze medal play-off in the Women's Freestyle 58kg category, Aisuluu tried to force the early initiative with an attempted leg hold but Sakshi defended successfully.

The Kyrgyz grappler displayed impressive strength and was more active in the opening stages which forced Sakshi to go on the defensive.

However, the referee invoked the passivity rule against Sakshi which handed the Kyrgyz the first point.

Aisuluu then made a successful takedown to bag another two points. Aisuluu continued to pile on the pressure and bagged another couple of points with another successful tackle to build up a healthy 5-0 lead at the break.

Sakshi made a superb comeback in the second round, turning a defensive position into offensive to bag two points before flipping the Kyrgyz to bag another couple of points.

With the momentum firmly behind her, Sakshi continued to pile on the pressure before drawing level with another two-pointer.

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With just seconds remaining in the bout, the Indian pulled off another takedown to take the lead and make sure of the win.

--- ENDS ---
The development comes just months after former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh wrote to Prime Minister Modi seeking his intervention in the matter.

Petitioner is seeking CBI investigation against IPS officers for distortion of the Saradha Probe in West Bengal.

By Indrajit Kundu: Top Bengal police officers, including the state DGP and Kolkata police commissioner have been put under the Central Vigilance Commission scanner by the Narendra Modi government over allegations of "distorting" the Saradha scam investigation.

The development comes just months after former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh wrote to Prime Minister Modi seeking his intervention in the matter.

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In his letter, dated June 7, 2017, Ghosh had sought "investigation and necessary action against those police officials", whom he claimed had "distorted the process, taken politically steps, protected actual conspirators/ beneficiaries, suppressed actual facts and plan fully directed the (Saradha scam) probe in favour of some influential persons."

Acting on Ghosh's complaint, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under the Ministry of Personnel, PG and Pension, under the Prime Minister himself, has forwarded the petition to the Central Vigilance Commission for "appropriate action".

The Centre's communique to the CVC, dated August 2, 2017 and signed by S.P.R Tripathi, an Under Secretary to the Government of India (GoI) states: Petitioner is seeking CBI investigation against IPS officers for distortion of the Saradha Probe in West Bengal.

"I have received a copy of the letter that Central Government has written to the Central vigilance Commission in which they have send the matter for investigation and action," Kunal Ghosh said, speaking to India Today.

"Few police officers, including some IPS officers have tried their best to cover up the matter on behalf of some influential people. I had written to the prime minister and home minister to kindly intervene. I think they (police officers) are also a part of the larger conspiracy related to Shardha Scam," he added.

In his complaint, Ghosh has named the present Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, who was the head of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by Bengal government to probe the Saradha scam. Kumar was the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner at that time. Known for his proximity to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he was subsequently promoted as the Kolkata police chief.

State Director general of Police Surajit Kar Purakayastha also features in Ghosh's complaint. "Those IPS officers who are on my complaint list include Surajit Kar Purakayastha, presently the DG of West Bengal police who had attended agent meetings of Saradha Group while praising its promoter Sudipto Sen," Ghosh told India Today.

Another police officer named in his complaint is the former Deputy Commissioner (Detective Department) of Bidhannagar Police Arnab Ghosh. Ghosh is now posted as the Police Superintendent of Malda district.

For long, the opposition BJP in West Bengal has accused Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar of sabotaging the Saradha scam probe as the SIT chief.

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In fact, Kumar was unceremoniously removed from his post by the Election Commission just before the West Bengal assembly elections last year following a combined opposition complaint against him. However, immediately after she came back to power, chief minister Mamata Banerjee reinstated the 1989 batch IPS officer as the Kolkata police chief.

Also Read:

Saradha scam: Is there a conspiracy to kill Sudipta Sen, asks Bengal BJP

Saradha scam: Suspended TMC MP Kunal Ghosh granted interim bail after 3 years

--- ENDS ---
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It has been a bloody week so far, in the middle of a bleak year in an uncertain young century. It began with a hate-filled young man driving his car into a crowd of protesters in the university town of Charlottesville, Virginia, killing one and injuring 19. It draws towards a close with officials counting the dozens of dead and injured people after an even more horrific attack on the streets of Barcelona, and with police gunning down five suspects of yet another attack in the nearby resort town of Cambrils.

Reports of these explosions of violence came on the heels of those of North Korea's determination to miniaturise a nuclear warhead to fit onto the tip of one of its new intercontinental ballistic missiles, a weapon that might reach the United States, or Australia for that matter.

All the while Donald Trump, a leader who the world does not trust, who is loathed by Democrats and increasingly rejected by elements of his own party, raged at his antagonist, Kim Jong-un, via his preferred diplomatic medium, Twitter.

A serious geopolitical mistake by one of these two men could lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands, if not millions.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) The Supreme Court today sought responses from the Centre and the Chandigarh administration on a plea seeking Rs 10 lakh compensation for a ten-year-old rape victim who delivered a baby yesterday.

A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also issued notices to the member secretary of the National Legal Services Authority and the District Legal Services Authority of Chandigarh and posted the matter for further hearing on August 22.

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The minor rape victim, whose plea seeking permission to undergo termination of pregnancy was turned down by the apex court earlier, yesterday delivered a baby at a government hospital at Chandigarh.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, who is an amicus curiae in the matter, mentioned the plea before the bench which took it up for hearing.

Jaising told the bench that a compensation of Rs 10 lakh should be given to the rape victim as she was only ten-year old and cannot look after the child.

Referring to yesterdays apex court judgement, the senior counsel said the court had awarded Rs 10 lakh compensation to a rape victim whose plea for abortion was turned down.

"A ten-year-old mother cannot look after the child. Nothing has been paid to her so far," Jaising told the bench.

On July 28, the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea seeking its nod for terminating the 32-week-old pregnancy of the ten-year-old rape survivor after taking note of a medical report that abortion was neither good for the girl, nor for the foetus.

The PIL was filed after a Chandigarh district court on July 18 refused to let the girl undergo the abortion.

Courts allow medical termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and can make an exception only if the foetus is genetically abnormal. PTI ABA MNL SJK RKS RRT ARC

--- ENDS ---
The ACT's Commissioner for the Environment, Kate Auty, is concerned about the government's attempt to bypass a formal environmental assessment for a new housing development off William Hovell Drive near the National Arboretum.

The area runs alongside the Tuggeranong Parkway, is bordered by the Molonglo River and sits behind the arboretum. It is to become home to 27,000 people over 800 hectares, with land release scheduled to start in the next 12 months.

Kate Auty, ACT Commissioner for the Environment: Not comfortable with the government's attempt to get an exemption from doing a full environmental assessment for an area of new housing near the arboretum. Credit:Eddie Jim

The Suburban Land Agency has applied for an exemption from having to do an environmental impact assessment, despite the presence of endangered and vulnerable plants and animals, including the pink-tailed worm lizard. The project also involves the relocation of two critical critical 132kV lines that supply power to large areas of Canberra, which is one of the triggers that usually forces an environmental assessment.

Prof Auty has now told the government that she does "not feel comfortable with the approach being undertaken".
An Amish man, an Englishman and an Alaskan whaler walked into a Canberra bar.

Sound like the start of a bad joke? On any other day but this coming Sunday you may be right.

Canberra Beard and Moustache club co-founders Giacomo Paganelli and Matt Leonard. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

At King O'Malley's bar on Sunday the Beard and Moustache Club of Canberra will gather to celebrate Australian Beard Day in support of the White Ribbon charity.

Club president Matt Leonard  himself sporting an "English moustache" with full-length goatee  said the event would showcase the best beards the capital could offer.
ACT Health minister Meegan Fitzharris has hit back at claims she put newborn babies in danger by "covering" up the fire risk of cladding at Canberra's Centenary Hospital.

In an inflammatory statement, Opposition planning spokeswoman Nicole Lawder on Thursday said the government "knowingly" putting the lives of Canberrans, including babies, in danger while "covering up" the fire risks associated with external aluminium cladding at the women and children's hospital.

Meegan Fitzharris and Mick Gentleman respond to questions from the media regarding the decision to replacing cladding on the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. Credit:Rohan Thomson

"This hospital was supposed to be the most advanced facility of its kind in Canberra but instead we have learned that it could be on the verge of a massive fire disaster at any time," Ms Lawder said.

Ms Fitzharris called on Ms Lawder on Friday to retract her statement.
At just 18, Ashleigh Edwards has already achieved her dream job - sorting letters and parcels in the mail room at Parliament House.

The teenager, who has autism, is a year 12 student at The Woden School for students with a disability and other special needs.

Woden Special School student Ashleigh Edwards meets Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after delivering his mail. Credit:Rohan Thomson

The school was able to negotiate a 10-week work placement for Ashleigh in the mail room, preparing her for the transition ahead once school ends.

Her mum Katrina said it was a dream come true for Ashleigh who had always had fascination with Parliament House, visiting it every second Sunday with a support worker, even long before her placement.
The government's financial intelligence agency has examined the ATM systems of Commonwealth Bank's rivals and is confident they have not had the same problems in reporting large cash transactions to authorities.

Austrac, which is alleging systemic breaches of anti-money laundering laws by CBA, on Friday also said it did not "take lightly" its unprecedented legal action against the country's biggest bank.

"It's not something we take lightly, obviously," acting Austrac chief executive Peter Clark said before a Senate estimates hearing.

"We give very careful consideration to what measures we seek to apply in terms of addressing non-compliance, particularly if it's of a serious nature. So, a lot of careful consideration was given before filing civil penalty proceedings in this case."
As talkback presenter Alan Jones was calling for Commonwealth Bank boss Ian Narev to head the Australian Rugby Union on the basis he knows the difference between "black and red figures", the government's financial transaction regulator, Austrac, was reminding parliament about a different set of CBA-related numbers.

After batting off a series of questions from senators relating to its landmark legal action against the Commonwealth Bank, the acting boss of Austrac Peter Clark made it clear at a senate hearing on Friday he views the 53,000-plus failures in the bank's automated reporting system as individual breaches.

This is in sharp contract to the CBA, which sees them as one breach of the law on the basis they emanated from a systems error. This interpretation puts an entirely different spin on the magnitude of penalties  and dollar figures  it could face.

One breach faces a penalty of up to $18 million, but if it's 53,000-plus breaches, we are talking potentially billions of dollars. Depending on the size of the fine, could be the difference between black and red figures.
European stocks extended a global slide after terrorists struck a crowded tourist street in Barcelona, exacerbating unease triggered by mounting concerns about dysfunction in US President Donald Trump's administration.

Travel and leisure shares led the decline of the Stoxx Europe 600 index, down 1.4 per cent, with airlines the worst-performing as investors dropped stocks exposed to tourist flows. Easyjet, Ryanair, British Airways owner IAG and Lufthansa were down 2.3 to 3.2 per cent.

European stocks extended a global slide after terrorists struck a crowded tourist street in Barcelona. Credit:Bloomberg

The risk-off moves also hit banks, down 1.2 per cent, with Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas among the worst performers.

Equities fell from Tokyo to Sydney earlier after the S&P 500 Index on Thursday tumbled 1.5 per cent, its second-biggest drop for 2017. Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index slid 0.6 per cent on Friday to 5747.1 points.
Thailand's military government has lifted its controversial ban on Australian miner Kingsgate's gold mine in the country's north.

Sydney-based Kingsgate's share price soared on the news and was trading 34 per cent higher at 29.50 in the late afternoon.

The shutdown was the first time Thailand's Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-Ocha, used his sweeping dictatorial powers against a commercial business. Credit:Bloomberg

But the company says it will need to explore a number of matters before it decides whether to re-open the Chatree mine, 280 kilometres north of Bangkok.

Kingsgate's chairman Ross Smyth-Kirk said the Thai government had made clear it would not offer any monetary compensation for the "substantial" losses caused by the shutdown, which forced the sacking of more than 1000 Thai workers and devastated the economies of local communities straddling the mine.
The local arm of the Walt Disney Company is making the move to Cremorne, the former industrial Richmond suburb shaping up as one of Melbourne's hottest office markets.

Disney is hot on the heels of online jobs board Seek, which last week confirmed its move to Cremorne Properties' 20,000 square metre new building at 60 Cremorne Street.

The proposed new building at 600 Church Street, Cremorne.

Disney and Seek will be joining other tech companies, MYOB, the REA Group, Carsales.com.au, Tesla, Uber and Vinomofo in the precinct which stretches from Church Street to Hoddle Street between the Yarra River and Swan Street.

The US conglomerate will shift from the Como Centre in South Yarra over the river to the 658 Church Street business park.
Upmarket department store David Jones has unveiled the next step in its food evolution, with plans for its first Melbourne concept store.

The company on Friday said the next David Jones Food food hall would open in March at Malvern Central, in Melbourne's inner suburbs, with an emphasis on convenience.

The chain is investing $100 million over three years in the national rollout of its premium food offering, which started earlier this month with the opening of a flagship food hall at its Bondi Junction store in Sydney's east and the launch of its premium David Jones Food brand.

The move reflects the changing habits of shoppers who want retail experiences over and above buying a product.
Kalki Koechlin has posed nude and the beautiful black-and-white photo is aimed at urging you to love your nakedness.

By India Today Web Desk: Half way between shadow and light. That's what Kalki Koechlin's newest Instagram post is captioned. The beautiful black-and-white photo has Kalki baring her back for the camera.

Here is the photo that is captioned, "Half way between shadow and light by @rivabubber #blackandwhite #loveyournakedness"

Half way between shadow and light by @rivabubber #blackandwhite #loveyournakedness A post shared by Kalki (@kalkikanmani) on Aug 17, 2017 at 11:43pm PDT

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On the work front, Kalki is teaming up with Richa Chadha for the film Jia Aur Jia. Shot in the picturesque locales of Sweden, the film is about a road trip that these namesakes, Jia and Jia, take.

Kalki was last seen on the big screen in Konkona Sensharma's directorial debut, A Death In The Gunj.

ALSO READ: Have Kalki and Jim Sarbh called it quits?

ALSO READ: Bollywood is not an NGO, says Kalki at India Today Conclave 2017

ALSO WATCH: Kalki on her film Azmaish and similarities between India and Pakistan at India Today Conclave 2017

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The dual citizenship chaos engulfing the federal government risks damaging Australia's reputation among foreign investors and could threaten much-needed investment if it is not resolved quickly, business leaders have warned.

Ahead of a critical High Court hearing next week, leaders called for a speedy resolution to the crisis that escalated on Friday when Senator Nick Xenophon joined the group of federal MPs who may unwittingly have been holding dual citizenship, which is not permitted under the constitution.

David Murray, former Future Fund chairman and chief executive of the Commonwealth Bank, said the issue risked derailing the reputation of institutions such as the Parliament, which was a key consideration for foreign investors.

"The stability of the Parliament and the government, and their ability to continue their role is fundamental to the country and an important measure of comfort to foreign creditors and foreign investors," Mr Murray said.
They had to draw the dividing line between unemployed and employed somewhere, and they chose one hour  a choice that was easier to make in the days when almost all the jobs were full-time. Even today, there'd be very few people actually working just an hour or two a week. Most would work at least one shift of seven or eight hours. Even so, there's no denying that such a narrow definition understates the extent of joblessness. This is why the bureau also publishes a measure of underemployment. The underemployed consist of all those people who are working part-time  defined as less than 35 hours a week  but would prefer to be working more hours. When you take the rate of underemployment and add it to the rate of unemployment (with both unemployment and underemployment expressed as proportions of the labour force) you get what the bureau calls the "labour underutilisation rate", which we can think of as a broader measure of unemployment.

If you look over the years, the rate of unemployment tends to go higher and lower in line with the ups and downs in the business cycle. You can also see the business cycle reflected in the rate of underemployment, but it has a much clearer underlying upward trend. It was 2.6 per cent in 1978, but 8.3 per cent in November 2015 and 8.8 per cent this May. Rising underemployment Until early 2003, the unemployment rate was higher than the underemployment rate, but since then the underemployment rate has been higher, with a growing gap. Between February 2015 and this May, the unemployment rate fell by 0.5 percentage points, whereas the underemployment rate rose by 0.3 points.

The underemployment rate is a lot higher for females, 11 per cent, than for males, 6.9 per cent. It's also greatest among people in lower-skilled occupations and lowest among people in higher-skilled occupations. (Uni students please note.) Now get this: although workers of all ages suffer underemployment, it's much more a problem for the young. More than a third of the underemployed are aged 15 to 24, and their rate is 18.5 per cent. But why has the trend rate of underemployment been rising steadily since the late 1970s? Since underemployment is an affliction of part-time workers, the steady rise in part-time employment over that time  so that it now accounts for about a third of all jobs  does much to explain why there's more part-timers who happen to be saying they'd prefer to be working more hours.

Professor Jeff Borland, of the University of Melbourne, adds that "younger workers appear to have experienced the largest increase in underemployment because they have had the largest growth in part-time employment". He reminds us that more young people have part-time work because more of them are in full-time education and needing a part-time job. Adding apples to oranges But here's my punchline: although the official unemployment rate understates the size of the problem, just adding the underemployment rate goes to the other extreme of exaggerating it. Why? Because it adds apples to oranges. We worry most about underemployment because we assume it involves people who need full-time jobs but have had to settle for part-time.

It does. But it also includes people who are happy to stay part-time but, even so, would prefer to work an extra shift or maybe just a few more hours. It doesn't make sense to add people with such a small problem to people with the much bigger problem of needing a full-time job but not being able to find one, as though they were similar. Remember, too, that almost a third of the people included in the official unemployment rate are looking only for part-time work. This is why, if you search very deep on the bureau's website (clue: catalogue no. 6291.0.55.003, table 23b) you find that, as well as just counting heads, it also does a more accurate measure of underemployment that counts the hours people are looking for  meaning part-timers needing a full-time job count for a lot more than those just wanting a few more hours. This "volume" measure shows that, in May, the underemployment rate was 3.2 per cent of all the potential hours the whole labour force could work, and the unemployment rate was 4.3 per cent, giving an hours-based measure of labour underutilisation of 7.5 per cent.
No amount of scorn or criticism from media, politicians or wealthy city dwellers will sap Pauline Hanson's offensive stunt in Parliament House of its power - ugly and bigoted as her actions were.

A quick scour of social media commentary after news websites posted photos of the One Nation leader wearing a full burqa in the Senate showed that her antics met at least one of her goals. Those who see in Senator Hanson someone willing to speak their minds, and voice their fears, congratulated her. These supporters won't be found in most newsrooms, boardrooms, corporate offices, political party rooms or other spaces of power in Australia. There are probably few in Canberra, insulated as it can be from regional grievances.

Her stunt resonated with her base, impatient with financial and cultural elites that Hanson supporters believe have tilted the odds against them and robbed them of control over their destiny. This is only more troubling because so few of Senator Hanson's critics are likely to know just where her theatrics were welcomed, and why. Most of the nation is talking across One Nation's supporters. On their part, Hansonites despise what they see as the arrogance and naivety of opponents who shout down their racist slurs, a response they see as the muzzle of "political correctness".

In the crossfire of this battle are Muslims living in Australia. There can be no mistake: the onslaught of grubby tabloid smears, misinformed public attacks and unwarranted hostility not only besiege and marginalise Muslims in this country. They also do nothing to make Australia safer; in fact, they do the opposite. ASIO head Duncan Lewis has made clear how pivotal his agency's relationship with Muslim communities is to protect national security. To use words from Liberal senator George Brandis' commendable speech on Thursday, driving Muslims into a corner will only damage the country's counterterrorism efforts.
Anyone who thinks of me as a tough-minded sort of person might be surprised to learn that as I strip down my possessions in preparation for a move to New York, the pieces I'm finding hardest to part with are my wedding dress, and a silk dress and a smocked woollen coat I wore as a one-year-old.

Obviously I am never going to wear these garments again and neither is pristine enough to donate to a worthy cause, but I find myself strangely reluctant to consign them to the rubbish.

Anne Summers on her wedding day in 1967, which turned out to be 'pretty awful'.

Am I just being sentimental in clinging to these remnants of who I once was?

I don't think so since neither evokes happy memories. I have no recollection or photograph of my wearing the adorable childhood outfit. And my wedding dress is actually a grim reminder of a pretty awful day. Not because of who I married but because of a family drama that on the Richter scale of wedding disasters, rated at least 9.5.
My love left for a trip to Europe last week, and I was reminded what it's like to feel alone. I know you might scoff. But as someone who prides myself on my ability to thrive by myself, it's been a bit of a jolt.

The earliest time I felt lonely was at school. My innocent arrogance, my vehement compulsion to verbalise what I believed, led to me being unable to camouflage into everything around me. I spiralled into an aggressive sadness that nearly overtook me, many times.

Loneliness in bouts is essential for me. It sucks me under, for a while, but then I reach this point where I feel clear  like I've just burst into a paddock, after days being in a dense, hot city.

My loneliness growing up led me to be fiercely proud of being alone. I've consciously isolated myself many times to feel that hit over the years, like an addict. I'm a masochist when it comes to loneliness.

Like the time I went to Portugal when I was 18. It was the off season, and I arrived in the middle of the night without a word of Portuguese. I spent a week in Oporto, walking up and down empty streets, chasing leaves, watching the clock move like it was in slow motion. At night, I'd sit in the empty hostel and drink wine, yearning  desperate  for company.
The 11th Duke of Beaufort, who has died aged 89, was a landowner, a dashing sportsman, a connoisseur and a glamorous figure on the London art scene. Tall, elegant and always impeccably dressed (he was described by his friend, the politician and journalist Woodrow Wyatt, as "the great woman slayer") he inherited his family's traditional love of the countryside and their equestrian interests. But he made his career  and a considerable additional fortune  in the art world, becoming chairman of the Marlborough Fine Art Gallery, in Albemarle Street, Mayfair. The dukedom of Beaufort is one of the most important in Britain. Sons descended from John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford, born out of wedlock but later legitimised by the Pope, were given the surname of Beaufort; but it was the Beauforts' devotion to the monarchy that earned them their titles.

Fadwa Suleiman, a Syrian actress who bridged gender and sectarian boundaries to personify the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad, died on Thursday in Paris, to which she had fled in 2012. She was 47. Her death, from cancer, was announced by the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, an anti-Assad group based in Cairo. "Fadwa became known for leading the protests and sit-ins against the Assad regime and for chanting the first slogans for freedom," the coalition said in a statement, which called her "one of the symbols of the Syrian revolution." Facing a death sentence for her role in peaceful anti-government protests, and scorned by her own family, Ms Suleiman fled Syria in 2012 with her husband, Omar. They found their way to France, where she was granted asylum.

In Passing Credit:Fairfax

Christian Millau, who has died aged 88, was, with his fellow gastronome Henri Gault, the originator of the Guide Gault-Millau, the bible of the nouvelle cuisine movement. The pair met as journalists on the evening paper Paris Presse, Millau being the deputy editor and Gault the writer of a lively column, "Promenades", in which, at Millau's suggestion, he began to feature lively and irreverent restaurant reviews. The Julliard publishing house commissioned them to produce a guide to Paris, based on Gault's columns. Published in 1962 it was an immediate success. The following years saw the publication of bi-annual editions of the guide, a monthly magazine with a circulation of more than a million, and the growth of an imperium that spawned guides to France and other countries and cities around the world, including London and New York. They aimed to supplant the red Guide Michelin (dismissed by Millau as "a telephone directory inside France and inaccurate outside") as the foodie's bible, awarding "toques" (French chefs' hats) rather than stars, and also rating gastronomic establishments with marks out of 20.
Parliament rose on Thursday and won't sit again for two weeks. What a relief! Let us hope our politicians' performance improves when they return.

The Nationals' leader and deputy leader, as well as one minister, may be ineligible under section 44 of the constitution. Senator Nick Xenophon is similarly caught by the section, along with two Greens senators. Clearly several parties' vetting and selection processes are flawed. Yes, it's an accident. No, there is no plot by foreign powers to infiltrate Australia's government. Even so, those affected look inept.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop had a difficult week. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

As we have already argued, the constitution's rules are ill-suited to the present age of globalisation and need to be adjusted. Whether that can happen in this Parliament, under this government, now that debate on this issue has reached Tuesday's nadir, is another matter. The Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop  usually a dependably competent performer  made herself a laughing-stock that day by accusing the opposition of colluding with a foreign power (New Zealand  for heaven's sake) to undermine the Australian government. When Labor quickly saw she had overreached herself and mocked her for it, the government appeared to back away, but the damage was done.

This whole shrill, unedifying episode has revealed several things about current Australian politics. The first is the government's desperation. Malcolm Turnbull, now an obedient captive of his party's right wing, is as far behind in the polls as the man he replaced. (For some reason, his controllers can't see that their outlook and policy preferences, not Mr Turnbull's, might be what is holding the Coalition back.) Unnerved, Mr Turnbull is now regularly out and about trying to emphasise the Coalition's traditional strengths. One of these being national security, the attempt was made to turn Labor's contact with its New Zealand counterpart over Barnaby Joyce's citizenship into something like treason. The ploy was more than just desperate; it was utterly ridiculous.
An impressive list from NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance (Letters, August 18) of rail services and trains he proposes for the Sydney network. Sure hope he keeps the train drivers onside so they can be delivered.

Geoff Wannan Dawes Point

SMH LETTERS DINKUS

Sorry, I can't wait for future improvement in rail services, Mr Constance. I am more concerned about my travel comfort here and now! I would invite our transport minister to join, if he can gain a foothold, all the tired travellers on an afternoon four-carriage train to Nowra. Squeeze on at, say, Sutherland after changing from a suburban train but do not expect comfort for the next two hours. As one exhausted co-traveller remarked, the only seat you might get is in the toilet.



Patricia Slidziunas Wonoona

Andrew Constance states there will be 24 new express services to the Blue Mountains on weekends. Yet I just received a pamphlet from Sydney Trains stating that all work to deal with issues around the new trains that don't fit the line will be done on weekends. More express services are needed during the week, but judging by the gloating of the minister over the sacking of rail workers due to technology it is obvious workers are low down the list compared to cashed-up tourists.

John Paul Cenzato Leura
Damaging winds are forecast to batter Sydney well into the weekend, bringing six-metre surf, keeping emergency crews busy clearing downed trees and restoring electricity to affected homes and businesses.

Wind gusts topping 100 km/h on Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay  the strongest in more than a year  knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of residences on Friday, and stranded northbound trains on the harbour bridge during the middle of the day.

Windy city: gusts exceeded 100 km/h in several locations. Credit:Janie Barrett

The Bureau of Meteorology maintained a severe weather warning across much of eastern NSW, with wind speeds expected to pick up again around sunrise on Saturday.

Winds "will still be pretty strong but not as severe" on Saturday, Ashleigh Lange, a bureau meteorologist, said, adding wind gusts should reach as much as 70-80 km/h across Sydney during the day.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop had a difficult week. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Off to the High Court Joyce is the fifth federal MP to be referred to the High Court over their citizenship status in the past month (his deputy, Fiona Nash, sensationally became the sixth just before Parliament rose on Thursday night. And crossbench senator Nick Xenophon became the potential seventh on Friday morning). But critically, the Deputy Prime Minister is the first and so far only lower house MP in the group. Despite its precarious one-seat majority, the Turnbull government is putting on a brave face. Armed with advice from the Solicitor-General (which has not been publicly released), the Coalition insists Joyce is just fine, thanks for asking. Illustration: Richard Giliberto

As Joyce told Parliament on Monday: "The government is of the firm view that I would not be found to be disqualified by the operation of section 44 of the constitution from serving as the member of New England." Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull went a step further when he boldly declared Joyce was "qualified to sit in the house and the High Court will so hold". People who have seen the Solicitor-General's legal advice step it out like this: Joyce was not born overseas, he is not on a New Zealand register of citizens, he has not applied for NZ citizenship, no one else has applied for it on his behalf, and he has never acquiesced, consented or sworn an oath to New Zealand. Senator Cory Bernardi pushed amendments that threatened to water down the legislation. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Quite simply, he has no allegiance to Australia's closest friend. But as section 44 states, a person is disqualified from Parliament if they are "under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power, or is a subject or a citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or citizen of a foreign power".

How the High Court will rule is not certain, as other constitutional experts point out. University of NSW professor George Williams has said Joyce could be in "some difficulty". "The only question here is, 'Is he regarded under New Zealand law as a citizen?' That's not a question of activation; in fact, this can happen without a person's knowledge or consent," Williams said earlier this week. Sydney University's Anne Twomey can see a more flexible interpretation of section 44, but at the same time has questioned the government's confidence on the matter. "It may be that the High Court tries to wind these things back, so if you were born in Australia, and you haven't taken any steps to gain any foreign citizenship, then maybe that is enough to avoid disqualification," she says. At this stage, all we know for sure about the High Court is that it will hold a directions hearing on Thursday to work out what process will be followed. We still don't know whether the court will consider all MPs with citizenship questions in one lot, or whether they will be done separately. Or who will argue the case against Joyce. Williams, the dean of the UNSW law school, says it will take some months at least for the matter to be resolved. The government is predicting it will be done and dusted by Christmas, but this is not a given.

Meanwhile, in Parliament Joyce's predicament and his decision  unlike his colleague Matt Canavan's  to stay in cabinet and keep his deputy PM's badge, has sent Labor into a whirlwind of indignation. The opposition has hammered home the "government in chaos" narrative, and understandably so. Nash's late-night revelation and decision to stay in cabinet will only add to the argument. On Thursday, Leader of Opposition Business Tony Burke tried to suspend standing orders (one of Tony Abbott's favourite stunts when in opposition) to move a motion attacking Turnbull for continuing to "accept the vote of the Deputy Prime Minister while his constitutional qualifications are in doubt" and calling on the PM to make Joyce resign from cabinet. Until the High Court finds otherwise, however, Williams says there is no legal need for Joyce (or anyone else under a cloud) to resign or stop voting. But this prompts the obvious question: what happens if Joyce is ruled ineligible? The government's numbers in the lower house would slip from 76 to 75, leaving them without a majority (Labor is on 69, with five crossbenchers). While it looks highly unlikely any of the crossbench would accept the speakership, to give the government back an extra vote, this won't be necessary for the Coalition to survive.

Even if others on the crossbench are having misgivings, independent Cathy McGowan at this point says she will guarantee confidence and supply. This means the government will still be able to hang its shingle on the door. One extreme option, as Cory Bernardi suggested on Thursday, is for Turnbull to suspend Parliament until there is a definite decision. But given that a negative High Court finding for Joyce would likely coincide with the two-month Christmas break, this looks like overkill. A New England rematch? This week, locals in Joyce's northern NSW electorate of New England appeared relaxed at the news their local member was also a Kiwi. As one woman interviewed by the ABC New England North West noted, "New Zealand and Australia are the same anyway." A Tamworth man said: "He's an Aussie and a good one." But if Joyce is ruled ineligible, it won't matter how good an Aussie he is, the High Court will order a byelection. There is no set time period here, although it could take a couple months, especially if it clashes with the festive season.

Joyce, a former Queensland senator, switched houses and states when he won New England in 2013. He retained the seat comfortably with 58.5 per cent of the two-candidate preferred vote in 2016, despite a high-profile challenge from independent Tony Windsor, who held the seat from 2001 to 2013. A byelection now, however, would come as the Coalition struggles in the polls. The most recent Newspoll on August 7 had Labor ominously ahead, 53 to 47 per cent. Bede Burke is a Tamworth egg producer and chairman of the NSW Nationals. He isn't a fan of byelections. "The difficulty of byelections is [they're] often seen as a way of belting up a government," he says. But Burke also has full confidence in Joyce, whom he describes as a "champion" of agriculture and water issues. "We love him." Windsor won't rule out another challenge, but there is no doubt Joyce would stand again. Fairfax Media also spoke to senior Nationals who are all but certain about winning New England, should another vote be required, with one noting: "I've got no worries."

University of New England senior lecturer in politics Tim Battin adds that even though there are big differences across the electorate (for example, between the university town of Armidale and the country music hub of Tamworth), there have be no obvious changes to local dynamics since the 2016 vote. "I don't sense any great shift," he says. The Nationals assess the damage "This is getting silly," is how one Nationals MP describes their response to Joyce's Monday announcement (well before the news broke that Nash could be a British citizen). NSW MP Mark Coulton, who holds the neighbouring electorate of Parkes, was also taken aback by the news, but says the party is sticking together. "We're a pretty tight bunch," he says. "We tend to hunt as a pack."

Publicly, and privately, the Nats are backing their leader, whom they see as a "rock star" performer with an impressive ability to talk to voters in language they relate to. If there are any recriminations, they are directed at the constitution and its particular requirements for sole citizenship. As Burke notes of Joyce, "He's only human, too." But the hits keep coming for the party that is crucial to keeping the Liberal Party in government. As of Friday morning, four out of the party's 21 members have been referred to the High Court. Three  Joyce, Nash and Canavan  are for citizenship issues. NSW MP David Gillespie was referred by Labor in July due to a possible business interest clash. And then there is the O'Sullivan question, too. On Thursday, Channel Ten reported that the Queensland senator might have a section 44 problem as well, as his family's construction company is subcontracted to work on a project which receives federal government funds. Section 44 also disqualifies federal MPs if they have any "direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any agreement with the public service of the Commonwealth". There are some behind-the-scenes changes afoot. Last week, the NSW branch beefed up its nomination forms with added questions, but it will take more than that for the party to recover. At the rate they're sending MPs to the High Court, the Nats are making the Greens look positively rigorous in their administration processes. What now for the Coalition?

The view from Coalition strategists has been that the Turnbull government should dig in and ride out the Joyce situation. Turnbull will visit Tasmania over the weekend, and regional NSW next week. He will talk about jobs, national security and the kitchen table concerns of "ordinary" Aussies, trying to move the conversation on. This is easier said than done. As a Turnbull booster in the commentariat wrote this week, the rest of the year, politically speaking, looks like a write-off for the government. If the citizenship fiasco doesn't suck up all the oxygen, the same-sex marriage postal vote promises to distract from "business as usual" at least until the end of the year. And that's before you contemplate the devilishly difficult debate in the party room on the Clean Energy Target, over which numerous conservative MPs are prepared to go to the wall. Then there's Abbott's regular contributions to public debate. Loading To further complicate things, as 2018 rolls around, the Coalition will (likely) be drawing ever closer to 30 consecutive negative Newspolls, the measure Turnbull used to justify ousting Abbott. The questions about the timing of the next federal election  not due until 2019, but quite likely next year  will start in earnest in January.
By PTI: Mumbai, Aug 18 (PTI) A Shiv Sena minister and a district president today engaged in a heated exchange over the "working style" of the former in presence of the party president Uddhav Thackeray at a meeting here.

The Sena chief had called the meeting of the party office-bearers, including shakha pramukhs (unit incharges) and ministers, at the Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar in Central Mumbai.

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At the meeting, the Jalgaon district president of the Sena accused the Minister of State for Agriculture Gulabrao Patil of shirking his responsibility towards the party organisation and workers.

Patil also hails from Jalgaon in north Maharashtra.

However, Thackeray intervened in the matter and directed the duo to focus on the 2019 Assembly polls.

"Uddhav ji clearly told us that the BJP is our number one enemy and there should be no infighting among ourselves," a Sena leader present at the meet said.

At the meeting, office-bearers were given the opportunity to present the status of the party in their respective districts.

"The Jalgaon district president complained about his minister Gulabrao Patil before Thackeray. He claimed the minister ignores organisational activities, does not respond to Shiv Sainiks and also does not resolve their issues from Mantralaya," the Sena leader said.

He said Patil countered the district president saying he submits reports of the work done by him to Thackeray.

"We are not answerable to you (district president) for the decisions we take and the issues we have resolved. So do not blame me. I, being a minister, always submit my report card to the party chief," the source quoted Patil as saying.

Later, Thackeray intervened and said that there should not be differences between ministers and party office-bearers.

"When BJP has set their target for the 2019 Assembly polls, it is very clear that the BJP will fight alone. In such a scenario, we should only focus on elections," the source quoted Thackeray as saying.

"Remember that the BJP is our number one enemy and this is the only time we have to go to people and strengthen our constituencies," Thackeray said.

Meanwhile, a senior office-bearer said the party is more important than any leader.

"Its Balasahebs Sena and district presidents, shakha pramukhs (unit incharges) have been given more importance than any leader of the party. Even Uddhav ji had visited all shakhas (units) before the BMC polls," he recalled.

He said district presidents used to have the final say on the choice of candidates for Assembly as well as Lok Sabha polls when Bal Thackeray was alive.

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"Now the situation has changed completely. The party ministers have ignored the organisation and become more powerful than the party," he claimed. PTI MM NSK

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The survival prospects for the Turnbull government continue to narrow, with another key crossbench member of Parliament withdrawing support.

Rebekha Sharkie of the Nick Xenophon Team said that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull needed to stand aside from his cabinet two ministers with citizenship problems, pending a High Court ruling on their eligibility.

Ms Sharkie told Fairfax Media on Friday that "I am quite frustrated with the Prime Minister" for retaining in cabinet Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Regional Development Minister Fiona Nash.

Mr Turnbull was showing "disrespect to the Australian community" and she has decided she will no longer support the government on the survival matters of confidence and supply.
Nick Xenophon has blamed political opponents for fresh doubts over his citizenship status, which could see him dealt out of Parliament, as the Turnbull government fights for its political life.

The key crossbencher, whose support can make or break government bills, is urgently seeking clarification over his citizenship status after questions were raised over his father's nationality.

Theo Xenophou was born in Cyprus, which remained a British colony until 1960. He migrated to Australia in 1950, where Senator Xenophon was born. Travel documents show Theo came to Australia on a British passport.

While the South Australian senator has renounced Greek citizenship, which he automatically received from his mother, he was not aware he held possible British citizenship until a journalist contacted him late last week.
As she sheltered from the wind to eat lunch on the Cronulla beachfront, Paris Smith had a strong view about One Nation leader Pauline Hanson wearing a burqa in federal Parliament.

"An absolute joke," she said. "Disgusting and ridiculously offensive."

The 19-year-old restaurant worker, a former student at Cronulla High, was just as vocal about Senator Hanson's call for the burqa to be banned.

"People should be allowed to do what they want to do," she said. "If they want to wear a burqa, they can wear a burqa.
Australia's domestic spy chief says ASIO's ties with Muslim communities in Australia are "absolutely critical" to the fight against terrorism.

Duncan Lewis, director-general of ASIO, would not comment directly on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's burqa stunt in the Senate on Thursday, but said relationships with Australian Muslim communities were central to the work of intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

"We have very good ties with Muslim leaders across the country and those ties, the association we have with the broader Muslim community, is central to our business," Mr Lewis said on Friday.

Speaking after the terror attack in Barcelona, which left more than a dozen dead and dozens injured, Mr Lewis said authorities expected "an overflow" of extremist elements coming to the west, as the so-called Islamic State lost ground in the Middle East.
Nick Xenophon will let the High Court decide his fate if it is confirmed he is a dual citizen, with the key Senate crossbencher determined to dig in and not resign from the Senate.

Senator Xenophon is urgently seeking clarification from the British Home Office over his citizenship status after questions were raised about his father's nationality.

Theo Xenophou was born in Cyprus, which remained a British colony until 1960. He migrated to Australia in 1950, where Senator Xenophon was born. Travel documents show Theo came to Australia on a British passport.

While the South Australian senator has renounced Greek citizenship, which he automatically received from his mother, he was not aware he held possible British citizenship until a journalist contacted him "a few days ago".
'Australia's involvement in the liberation of East Timor in 1999 was one of the more noble things our country has done in many years': former Australian prime minister John Howard. Credit:Maya Vidon Nor did I understand the Orwellian advice we received later that day: there was a ban on anyone in the Timorese government talking publicly about the need for a maritime boundary to close the Timor gap. During that first visit, Prime Minister Gusmao hosted an official dinner for Bracks at his residence at Balibar, half an hour's drive from Dili along a treacherous winding road. We stopped on the way at a small village clinging to the side of the mountain so that his wife, Kirsty Sword Gusmao, could show us her plans for a new school and a modest museum at the site of a memorial commemorating the bond between Australian soldiers and their Timorese supporters during World War II. I recalled the powerful ads that ran on Australian television in the lead-up to Anzac Day in 2005. In the ads, Australian veterans who had served in Timor called on the Australian government to stop stealing Timor-Leste's oil and gas and explained that they owed their lives to the people of East Timor. Australia buries expert advice

Australia and Indonesia held exploratory seabed boundary talks between 19 and 24 March 1970. Australia's negotiating position was set out in a McMahon Cabinet submission dated 27 February. Article 6 of the Convention on the Continental Shelf provides that a median line boundary should apply where the "same continental shelf" was "adjacent to the territories of two or more States whose coasts are opposite each other". The DFA was aware that Indonesia would be seeking a median line boundary in accordance with the convention. Australia sought to avoid a median line boundary by arguing that it did not share the "same continental shelf" with Indonesia. Australia claimed the Timor Trough, a deep channel running parallel to the Timor coast about 30 to 50 nautical miles offshore, marked the edge of Australia's continental shelf. The existence of the Timor Trough, according to McMahon, meant "the question of fixing a common boundary in the Timor Sea does not really arise". The question of whether the Timor Trough marked the edge of Australia's continental shelf was by no means clear and was debated by geologists at the time. The contrary view was that the trough was just a dint in Australia's continental shelf, which in fact extended beneath the island of Timor. If Australia's continental shelf did extend beneath Timor, then Article 6 of the convention would apply. Australia would be required to negotiate a median line boundary with Indonesia, and the permits issued north of the median line would be invalid. Advice from Australia's own expert body indicating the Timor Trough did not mark the edge of Australia's continental shelf would have been explosive. Sandwiched between the draft and final versions of McMahon's submission on a DFA file on "continental shelf boundary negotiations" is a Bureau of Mineral Resources report titled The Timor Trough  A Summary of Current Geological Knowledge. The paper, dated February 1970, concluded that there was "no evidence of oceanic crust in the floor of the Timor Trough and hence no evidence to suggest there is any continental margin between the Sahul Shelf and Timor". If, as the paper seemed to be saying, the Timor Trough did not mark the edge of Australia's continental shelf, Australia had no basis for its claim to sovereignty beyond the median line in the Timor Sea. Australia's core argument at the talks about to commence with Indonesia would be undermined.

Professor Mike Sandiford and Dr Brendan Duffy, geologists from the University of Melbourne, confirm that the Bureau of Mineral Resources was telling Australia's negotiators that there was no strong geological reason to refute Indonesia's claim of a common continental shelf between Timor and Australia. They say the weight of geological opinion, then and today, describes the Timor Trough as a buckling of Australia's continental shelf, which extends beneath the island of Timor. So expert geological opinion backs the position put by Indonesia. But the bureau's report is not discussed in McMahon's Cabinet submission. I found another copy of the bureau's report on a file dealing with Australia's negotiations with Portugal in 1974. There was a DFA covering note dated 5 March 1970 addressed to Laurence McIntyre and Kenneth Bailey, who were leading Australia's Timor Sea boundary negotiations with Indonesia. It simply stated: "Please find attached a paper prepared by the Bureau of the Mineral Resources at your request on the geology of the Timor Trough . . . This paper was originally sent to the Department on 18 February but was evidently not received." This covering note has ticks next to McIntyre's and Bailey's names, indicating that this time, at least, it was received by them. While the report may not have been received in time for inclusion in McMahon's submission, it was certainly received before the start of the negotiations with Indonesia on 19 March. Yet in his opening address at the explanatory talks with Indonesia, McIntyre completely ignored this advice from Australia's expert geological body, and instead mounted the argument that the Timor Trough marked the edge of Australia's continental shelf, and should therefore be the boundary. And in Australia's public opening address at the UN Australia Timor-Leste Compulsory Conciliation in August 2016, Australia was still claiming that the "physical continental shelves of Australia to the south and Timor-Leste and Indonesia to the north . . . are separated by the Timor Trough". Australia's claim to oil and gas fields north of the median line is built on a chimera. On a false premise that  remarkably  still underpins Australia's claim beyond the median line today.

The Independent Adversary Indonesia's decision to allow, after twenty-four years, a vote of self-determination in East Timor has been attributed to a variety of factors, including the fall of Suharto, the Asian financial crisis and the mistaken belief that the Timorese would vote to stay with Indonesia. Former Australian prime minister John Howard claims Australia was primarily responsible for East Timor's independence. Howard devotes a chapter of his autobiography to this: "When asked to list the achievements of my prime ministership of which I am most proud, I always include the liberation of East Timor in 1999." In 2015 Howard wrote, "Australia's involvement in the liberation of East Timor in 1999 was one of the more noble things our country has done in many years. It directly led to the birth of a very small country whose people remain very grateful for what we did." Howard's assessment of the significance of Australia's role in the liberation of East Timor has been embraced by the DFA. East Timor in Transition 1998-2000: An Australian Policy Challenge was published by the DFA in 2001.

It was launched by Downer and purportedly published to provide a "full and balanced account of Australia's response to the extraordinary foreign policy challenge of East Timor". While the Downer Compilation, which was being prepared simultaneously, had a veneer of academic respectability, with an expert review panel and involvement of the Opposition, as Clinton Fernandes notes, East Timor in Transition was produced by a "team of departmental officers who had worked on East Timor over the period'' so that "those who had implemented policy were assessing their own performances within the covers of a book they had themselves written, using material they had themselves selected''. Like the Downer Compilation, East Timor in Transition does not comment on the relationship between Australia's interest in oil and gas fields in the Timor Sea and its foreign policy response to the events across the Timor Sea. There is no discussion of the fact that if East Timor became independent, the 1989 Timor Gap Treaty between Australia and Indonesia dividing up oil and gas resources would cease to exist and Australia would need to negotiate a new treaty with an independent East Timor. Under this scenario an independent East Timor was a serious threat to Australia's access to oil riches  all of which were on the Timorese side of the median line. Australia's interest in oil and gas in the Timor Sea is mentioned once in the 312 pages, in a six-line section titled "Timor Gap Treaty". The brief discussion skates over the enormous diplomatic effort required by the DFA and Alexander Downer to keep Australia's claim north of the median line alive. The Australian government records from 1998-99 are still in the closed period. I have little doubt there are files discussing legal advice that an independent East Timor would have rights to oil and gas resources to the median line in the Timor Sea  and what this meant to the Australian treasury.

Australia and Indonesia made $US1.1 million from oil royalties from the Timor gap in 1998 and the figure for 1999 was predicted to rise to $US2.2 million. But that was peanuts compared with the billions in taxes and royalties expected to flow into Australian government coffers when ConocoPhillips' Darwin LNG plant was operational and Woodside's massive Greater Sunrise field developed. It is not surprising, therefore, that Australian officials were far from enthusiastic about moves at the UN to facilitate negotiations between Portugal and Indonesia about the future of East Timor. Events moved fast. In 1998 the National Council of Timorese Resistance, the Timorese leadership, was formed and Xanana Gusmao elected president. In January 1998 the ALP's shadow foreign affairs minister, Laurie Brereton, pushed through a reversal of party policy to again support self-determination for the people of East Timor. The ALP also recommended renegotiating the revenue-sharing arrangements under the Timor Gap Treaty. Downer visited Indonesia in July and pushed a plan for East Timor's "autonomy" within Indonesia, to be followed by a review of the status of East Timor at some unspecified point in the future. He said Australia wanted "Timor to remain a part of Indonesia" as a "vote on self- determination would only lead to renewed civil war in the territory". A key meeting, not discussed in East Timor in Transition, occurred in August 1998. Gusmao secretly met with BHP's senior representative in Indonesia. According to petroleum geologist Geoffrey McKee, the meeting was part of a deliberate tactical shift by the Timorese leadership to "rob the Australian government, editorial writers, and the Timor Gap contractors of reasons for arguing that independence in East Timor would 'tear up the Timor Gap Treaty"'.
Malala Yousafzai with Emma Watson. Credit:Twitter/ @EmWatson And her best-selling book hasn't exactly flown off the shelves across Pakistan (though admittedly some bookstores have refused to sell it because of threats from the Taliban and urgings from local police). On one level, such sentiment owes to the power of conspiracy theories, which a Pakistani journalist once quipped represent the country's only growth industry. They're ubiquitous in Pakistan, where they're seen in school textbooks and heard in religious sermons and on prime-time television shows. Partially that's the power of extremism, and a byproduct of a poor education system. But the reality of national politics also plays a role. Opaque institutions, such as the powerful military, have a big hand in shaping the nation's fate, and major policies - including, most recently, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor - are often executed with little transparency. At the same time, government and military officials frequently assign blame for a range public policy problems - from water shortages to militancy - to outside forces. In an environment where information is often scarce and blame games are routine, conspiracies breed. In 2013, the website of Dawn, a Pakistani newspaper that caters to the country's English-speaking, well-educated elite, published a savagely satirical blog post on Malala's shooting. It "revealed" how a CIA mission orchestrated the shooting. The triggerman? American actor Robert De Niro ("posing as an Uzbek homeopath"). Such are the depths of the power of conspiracy theories in Pakistan that some readers actually believed this absurd tale. Dawn had to add a caveat that the piece was fictitious.

Pakistan's middle class - a rapidly growing demographic given to conservative, anti-American views - is the top conjurer and consumer of such conspiracies. But others, including some members of the political elite and even Pakistani-Americans, embrace them too. A young, well-educated member of the Pakistani diaspora - born and raised in America - once looked me in the eye and insisted the CIA, not the Taliban, shot Malala. The implication is clear: If you believe the attack on Malala was staged, then you have no reason to respect her, much less revere her. Conspiratorial thinking about Malala is strengthened by Pakistanis' deep mistrust of the West, where she is now based. Many suspect it of harbouring designs on their country. This perception, to be fair, is at least somewhat valid. The CIA, as detailed in Mark Mazzetti's book The Way of the Knife, has enjoyed an extensive role in Pakistan - perhaps captured most vividly by its enlisting of a Pakistani doctor, Shakil Afridi, to launch a fake vaccination campaign in the effort to track down Osama bin Laden. Little surprise, then, that many Pakistanis contend that the West - through its strong embrace of Malala and the allegedly unlimited access it grants her to prominent platforms and top power corridors - is using her for its own purposes, whatever they may be. The disclosure in 2013 that Malala's family had retained Edelman, a top American public relations firm, to assist with her media management has only heightened these suspicions. So have the views of Malala and her father, Ziauddin, which align with many in the West. Ziauddin has been associated with the Awami National Party, a leftist and secular political party in a conservative and deeply religious country. Even before Malala was shot, they were both championing girls' education. Malala was also writing blogs (albeit anonymously) for the BBC and giving interviews to the New York Times (she was the subject of a gripping 2009 Times documentary film).

The core themes in the messaging of Malala and her father in those earlier times - opposition to the Taliban and the importance of educational opportunities for girls - resonated in the West, and to a significant extent in Pakistan as well. However, in a conservative and patriarchal society like Pakistan's, such views nonetheless displeased many. The fact that these opinions were imparted to prominent Western publications likely attracted suspicion as well. Tellingly, a Taliban commander later claimed in an open letter to Malala that his organisation targeted her not because of her education advocacy, but rather her anti-Taliban "propaganda." Pakistanis' conspiratorial thinking is so powerful that Malala's actual work and messaging, much of which serves Pakistan in the most concrete and unglamorous of ways, is conveniently disregarded. The Malala Fund oversees several programs in Pakistan. According to the fund's website, these include providing educational opportunities to girls that had been domestic labourers; establishing educational programming for children fleeing conflict; and repairing classrooms and providing school supplies for girls' schools affected by flooding. In January, the Malala Fund announced a new $10 million initiative to invest in local education advocacy programs around the world, including in Pakistan. One of Malala's first tweets declared: "I'm proud to be Pashtun, Pakistani and Muslim." She has said she hopes to one day become Pakistan's prime minister, and that she will always love Pakistan even if Pakistanis hate her. She has even condemned the American drone strikes - a grievance, ironically, harboured by the same urban, middle-class Pakistanis who accuse her of espousing anti-Pakistan positions. And yet, there's more to this story than conspiracies. For all the talk of anti-Malala sentiment being the product of delusional thinking, such hostility can also be explained by a basic and ugly truth: Pakistan's lack of upward mobility and rigid class divides.

In Pakistan, upward mobility is a very tall order. The poor struggle mightily to escape to prosperity. According to a 2015 study by Oxfam and the Lahore University of Management Sciences, 40 percent of the Pakistani children in the lowest economic quintile are expected to remain there for life. This entrenched inequality is easy to understand. For many poor Pakistanis, access to two key resources needed to escape poverty- education and land-is elusive. Nearly 60 per cent of Pakistan's poorest kids are not in school, and 70 per cent of Pakistan's rural poor are landless. Pakistan has few rags-to-riches tales; it's not a nation overflowing with Horatio Alger stories. There are exceptions; witness Jamshed Dasti, who famously escaped poverty to become a legislator in a nation where wealth and family connections are the tickets to political success. Yet Dasti is the exception to the norm. To be sure, rapid urbanization has generated new jobs away from the impoverished countryside and enabled more and more poor Pakistanis to graduate into the middle class. Still, climbing all the way up the ladder to the ranks of the upper class remains a highly difficult feat to pull off. And yet Malala bucked the trend and rose to the very top, from schoolteacher's daughter to embodiment of the global elite. True, Malala was not living in abject poverty in her early years; her father owned a school and was an English-speaking activist. Additionally, she enjoyed the privilege of strong connections to the Western media; she was writing for the BBC, after all, even before she was shot. Still, she's in a far different place today - both literally and figuratively - than she was five years ago. Pakistanis aren't used to seeing this type of transformation - and particularly one that happens so quickly. And so, this disorienting reality provokes a range of responses. For some, it's admiration. For others, it's jealousy. For still others, it's skepticism, suspicion, and outright hostility.

As Aamer Raza, an assistant professor at the University of Peshawar, recently put it to me, "Maybe the perceived repeated failure of people to climb the social ladder . . . make[s] people distrustful of people who become rich soon without visible reasons like a sporting or performing arts career." Additionally, in a deeply patriarchal society, Malala's gender raises even more suspicion about her transformation. A male Malala would be far more likely to be welcomed as a hero, not slated as a traitor. This all may help explain why some of Malala's most vociferous supporters in Pakistan come from the privileged classes (though to be sure, she has some poor admirers and wealthy detractors). They see Malala as an unadulterated success story, a brave young woman who survived tragedy to do great and inspiring things. For them, barriers to upward mobility don't exist, and so they have no need to feel jealous or hostile if someone manages to surmount barriers that so many Pakistanis view as insurmountable. For middle-class Pakistanis, some of whom may have risen from poverty but are in no position to make the bigger leap to affluence and global prominence, the tendency to feel aggrieved is so much stronger. Malala personifies what is admirable about Pakistan and its people: youth, resilience, bravery, and patriotism. But her story also holds up a mirror to the country's dark side, not just in terms of terrorism, misogyny, and conspiracy-mongering, but also its deep class divides and the sharply divergent worldviews generated by such fissures.
"Your nudity policies are bullshit": Tim Goodman penned an angry open letter to Facebook boss Mark Zuckerburg (pictured). Credit:AP "Facebook is not drawing any distinction between hyper-sexualised images of women, pornography, nudity for awareness, nudity for innovation, and nudity in art  The problem is not the fact that you have conservative advertising guidelines, it's that you've designed a system that doesn't allow for real judgement." Goodman was yet to receive a response from Zuckerberg by the time PS went to press. No sweet surrender for Napoleon The Prix de Marie Claire gala on Tuesday night will have to go down as Sydney's grandest dinner party of 2017.

From the 20 crystal chandeliers especially built for the occasion (actually 10 of them were from Kyle Sandilands' ill-fated wedding to Tamara Jaber in 2009, Marie Claire commissioned an additional 10) to the line up of 200 glittering guests, which this year included Asher Keddie, Jesinta Franklin, Terry Biviano, designer Anna Plunkett and the one and only make-up maestro Napoleon Perdis and his 17-year-old heir-apparent, daughter Lianna. Two hundred guests attended the Prix de Marie Claire event. Credit:WWW.ZEDUCE.ORG Jetting in from their base in Athens, the Perdis father and daughter duo certainly made a spectacular arrival, having just splurged on a family shopping spree at Athenian fashion designer Ioannis Roumeliotis' kooky boutique. "He is actually really into gay S&M-inspired fashion," Napoleon confided to PS as he showcased the fine craftsmanship that had gone into his giant ruffled sleeves that adorned a tunic that stopped just above the knees. He looked like a post-modern Greek dancer wearing his Euzonas Tsolias, though sadly there were no pom poms on his shoes. The gala will have to go down as Sydney's grandest dinner party of 2017. Credit:Marie Claire

Meanwhile Liana rocked a sequinned suit which featured an exposed suspender belt detail on her thighs which kept her pants up. Her risque outfit received purse-lipped Napoleon's seal of approval. PS later learned the outfit was from Roumeliotis' Horny Eros collection. "We go to the boutique as a family ... all four girls and me. We love his fashions ... it's just so out there! If you don't make a statement with your fashion, than what's the point? Be an individual," Napoleon, a happily married, self-described out and proud "pansexual" declared in rapid fire to PS, batting his eyelids in double time as his immaculate eyebrows arched ever northward. Lianna Perdis and her father Napoleon Perdis at the Prix de Marie Claire awards. As for his critics: "They can all go get f----d!" Meanwhile Marie Claire editor-in-chief Nicky Briger presided over a decadent evening inside the cathedral-like Sound Stage 7 at Fox Studios which had been taken over for the night.

Models surround diners at the award. Credit:Christian Wright Photography And while some of the awards being handed out were of dubious merit (seriously, a best moisturiser and hair care product of 2017?), the cream of the Australian fashion crop also received well-deserved recognition. Kristy Hinze's siblings in business strife Former Australian supermodel Kristy Hinze may be married to one of the wealthiest men on the planet, but all those billions are no good to her brother Guy Hinze and sister Lauren who have been forced to place their once successful baby goods emporium business into voluntary administration. A notice on the Bubs Baby Shops website on Thursday told customers: "As of Thursday August 17, 2017 Bubs Baby Shops is under voluntary administration and the affairs, business and property of the company is being managed by the administrators Worrells."

The business's website has also been suspended while those customers who already had gift vouchers, credit notes or were paying off products through lay-by agreements were told to register their details with the administrator, along with how much they were owed. Kristy Hinze and brother Guy Hinze in 2011. Credit:Lee Besford "We will be having a closing down sale and all stock must go ... From all us here at Bubs Baby Shops, we thank you for your continued support for the last 17 years," the notice said. PS understands Guy Hinze had recently travelled to the United States and met with his sister and her billionaire husband, 72-year-old Netscape founder Jim Clark, to discuss his business's financial predicament, while Lauren's voicemail greeting yesterday thanked those who had offered their "love and support". The Hinze's did not return PS's calls. It is not the first time former policeman Guy, and Lauren - who are the grandchildren of the late Russ "Minister for Everything" Hinze - have hit a hurdle in business. Their first store in Noosa burnt down after a fire in an adjoining toilet.

Of the fire, Guy told the Business In Focus website: "I guess starting the business with only $24,000 in stock we originally only insured our stock and our business for $30,000. " However, over the course of the two years before the fire, the amount of stock had increased with lay-bys and reinvesting capital back into the business. "I think we burnt down around $120,000," he later estimated. "That was fairly difficult. I remember when my ex-sergeant knocked on the door at four or five in the morning to tell me that the business had burnt down. The first thing that went through my mind was the insurance because it was our second birthday and the insurance was due and I was looking at it and going 'Oh it's only $30,000 I must do something about that'. That was quite hard." But the business soon rose from the ashes at a new Sunshine Coast location, with the Hinze's supermodel sister by their side at the grand reopening in 2002. No sandy feet for this Princess

As we reach "peak Diana" in the lead-up to the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death on August 31, on Monday another royal milestone will be passed, but with little fanfare. It would have been the 87th birthday of the late Princess Margaret. Indeed, no one would have understood Diana's lot in life better than Margaret, who in her own time was the most controversial and gossiped-about royal of her generation. Princess Margaret, as captured by her husband, Lord Snowdon. Credit:Lord Snowdon Today, PS' spotlight shines back on Princess Margaret's 1975 tour of Australia, the last of only two official tours she ever took here, though there was an unscheduled emergency trip to Sydney in 1978 after the Princess had to be airlifted to the antipodes after taking ill during a tour of the tropical islands of the Pacific. Her trip coincided with what has been described as the "lowest point" of her marriage to Lord Snowdon, a matter which had received plenty of attention in the press both back in England and throughout the colonies, including here in Australia.

The invitation from Canberra was tellingly addressed to the Princess. Princess Margaret is greeted by prime minister Gough Whitlam and his wife on October 22, 1975. Credit:Green Royal biographer, the late Tim Heald, wrote in his 2007 book Princess Margaret: A Life Unravelled, the invitation from Australia said: "If Lord Snowdon were to accompany you, it would give us added pleasure". "Unfortunately, his presence could no longer give any pleasure to his wife. When Snowdon said yes, he would like to go, Margaret said she would cancel the trip. After a tussle, he withdrew, and she went alone." Among the "high points" of the tour was the performance of The Two Pigeons by the Australian Ballet, while the chief protocol officer of the Moonee Valley Racing Club praised Margaret's "dedication and co-operation" when she visited under what he described as "appalling conditions".

Three floors in heels. Princess Margaret visits the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship. Credit:Antonin Cermak Heald wrote: "There was also a ticklish occasion when the Princess mulishly told Anne Tennant, her lady-in-waiting, that she was not, as scheduled, going to step on to Bondi Beach, meet the lifeguards and see them demonstrate traditional and modern methods of life-saving. "Lady Anne, who had been prepared for trouble, said that she really felt the Princess ought to, because to be seen to be snubbing the lifeguards could be construed as a dreadful insult to the Australian nation. "The Princess insisted and explained that she was wearing the wrong sort of shoes, and the one thing she couldn't stand was getting sand between her toes. With an air of triumph, Lady Anne said she just happened to have a pair of flat shoes in a bag with her. Princess Margaret conceded defeat and stepped on to the beach." Princess Margaret, right, celebrates her 50th birthday on August 21, 1980 with Queen Elizabeth II. Credit:Norman Parkinson

Following her return to England, Heald writes there was an encounter in France with museum director Sir Roy Strong. "Princess Margaret was just back from Australia, which she told him she 'hated'. She complained that there had been no crowds and the traffic lights had been left on." Though that would have been news to those who she met during her trip in 1975, especially the ladies of the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship who gave the Princess a thorough tour of their Grosvenor Street headquarters. Indeed, perhaps the poor Princess was too puffed to complain, having had to climb the three floors of the building in high heels and remain composed for the barrage of photos demanded of her. Princess Margaret announced her engagement to Antony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon) in February, 1960. Credit:AP Princess Margaret's marriage to Lord Snowdon ended in divorce in 1978.

By then she had caused another stir when, still married to Lord Snowdon, she holidayed on the Caribbean party island of Mustique with her young lover Roddy Llewellyn in the 1970s, a far cry from taking tea with the Victoria League ladies in Sydney. Princess Margaret, the Queen's only sibling, died in 2002 at the age of 71. Pooch but no Packer While there was no billionaire ex-husband to be seen, PS can reveal Erica Packer had her own personal "guardian angel" throughout her 40th birthday celebrations in Aspen this week. James Packer was conspicuously absent but his mother Ros, big sister Gretel and niece Francesca did fly the family flag, along with his own three young children with Erica, who appeared to have been besotted with a fluffy pooch throughout the three-day festivities. The dog belonged to another party guest, Hollywood hunk Orlando Bloom, an old friend of Erica's. As for that guardian angel, he was described as a hunky man wearing feathery angel wings who appeared to be holding Erica's drinks at West Buttermilk Ranch. Loved-up Karl on house hunt
By PTI: (Eds: Another repeat; Repeating after restoring the original figure in 19th para)

Bhopal, Aug 18 (PTI) BJP president Amit Shah today said not a single corruption charge has been levelled against the Narendra Modi government in the last three years, in contrast to the previous Congress-led UPA administration which saw "scams amounting to Rs 12 lakh crore".

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Praising the NDA government for taking "bold" decisions like demonetisation of high values notes and the GST rollout, he said the BJP-led coalitions governance mantra is development of the people of the country.

"The BJP government believes in development of the people. The Modi governments 60 per cent time (term) is already over, but not a single corruption charge has been levelled against it by the Opposition," Shah said.

The BJP chief, who arrived here today on a three-day visit of Madhya Pradesh, was addressing a meeting of intellectuals here.

The newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP said the Manmohan Singh governments tenure was marred by a string of scams. "The UPA government saw scams amounting to Rs 12 lakh crore," he claimed.

He said the UPA government had "lowered" the status of the prime minister and his office, but the ruling NDA has restored the dignity of the top post.

All UPA ministers used to consider themselves "above the PM", but this has changed under the current dispensation, the BJP chief said.

"The present Prime Minister has restored the glory of the post and is taking decisions that are good for the people," he said.

Praising "bold" decisions like demonetisation and the rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said these steps are good for the people. No other government had the courage to take such hard decisions in the interest of the people.

The BJP is committed to development and the states where it has formed governments have seen fast-paced growth, Shah said and cited the examples of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh which were earlier called BIMARU (laggards).

Referring to Bihar, Shah said when the BJP was in power there in alliance with the JD(U), it had seen progress but the state lagged behind when the saffron outfit was no more part of the ruling alliance.

Now, Bihar will again walk on the path of development, he said, apparently referring to the BJP becoming part of the Nitish Kumar government.

Shah lashed out at the Congress for its "family-oriented" politics and alleged that the party had failed to develop the country in the 67 years.

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Praising the BJP, Shah said it was the only party in the country which has been founded on certain principles and was upholding them wherever and whenever in power.

It is the largest party in the world and is committed to development of the last man of the society, he asserted.

Shah praised the Modi government for launching welfare schemes like Jan Dhan (aimed at financial inclusion) and Ujjwala (providing LPG connections to BPL families).

Till now, more than 2.80 crore LPG connections have been released for the beneficiaries under the Ujjwala scheme, the BJP chief said.

Shah contested Congress leader Ajay Singhs claim that the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh received more funds under the UPA government than the NDA regime.

Singh, Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, has made the claim in a letter addressed to the BJP.

The NDA government has given over Rs 5 lakh crore (RPT) Rs 5 lakh crore to Madhya Pradesh for different schemes, Shah said.

In the last three years, the Modi government has launched 106 schemes for welfare of the poor and other disadvantaged sections of the society, he said.

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Earlier, on his arrival here in the morning from New Delhi, the BJP president was accorded a warm welcome at the airport by the party leaders led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Shah later unveiled a statue of Deendayal Upadhyaya, a top Jan Sangh leader and the partys ideologue, near the citys Lal Ghati square.

A large number of BJP workers, many of them sporting saffron turbans, led Shahs entourage to the state party office.

Enroute to the party office, he paid floral tributes to Raja Bhoj, a medieval-era king from the Paramara dynasty, Dalit icon B R Ambedkar and Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

Soon after arrival at the party office, Shah chaired a series of meetings with the party leaders and ministers. He had lunch at the house of state minister Narottam Mishra and interacted informally with senior journalists.

The visit is part of the BJP chiefs 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen and expand the partys support base ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is in power for over a decade, are due in end-2018.

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Shah also released a book, "Marching with a Billion, Analysing Narendra Modis Government At Midterm", authored by noted journalist Uday Mahurkar. PTI MAS ADU LAL GK NM RSY AKK

--- ENDS ---
In business, as in life, it's good to have a Robin to your Batman, a Goose to your Maverick. In the case of Myer, chief executive Richard Umbers has now assembled the Flying V.

The executive level shake-up was brought on after the sudden departure of the retailer's deputy chief executive and Mr Umbers' key lieutenant Daniel Bracken, the retail wunderkind from Burberry who spearheaded the introduction of stand-alone Topshop boutiques in-store, an experiment that failed when the local arm of the high-street fashion chain went into voluntary administration earlier this year.

Myer boss Richard Umbers at the Myer spring 2017 fashion launch held in Coogee this week. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Mr Bracken left Myer after only two years, 20 months into a five-year overhaul of the company, and will not be replaced. His exit last month was announced during the latest reporting period where the department store recorded dismal results.

"Fortunately now I've got quite a cohesive senior team," Mr Umbers told Fairfax Media at the department store's spring 2017 collections launch held in Sydney this week.
Six hours later, the woman was packing to return home with her newborn baby. "Why are you going back?" Mahmood asked. The woman's response made Dr Jemilah, as many call her, feel "very small". "If the bombs drop on my home tonight, I want to be with my children," the woman said. Mahmood says it was this woman and those humanitarians who were injured and died that day  and others who have died since  who are heroes. To call her one  as some have done  is to show disrespect for those who died, she says.

"Why am I complaining about this bullet in my hip?" she recalls thinking. "We can't fight our destiny. There must be a reason why I am here? If I gave up, I wouldn't be doing justice to those who gave their lives." That day was when Mahmood realised white flags no longer protected humanitarians from attack. Saturday is World Humanitarian Day. Fourteen years ago on this day, bombs destroyed the Canal Hotel in Baghdad killing 35 people, including senior international humanitarians. In October that year, a car bomb attack destroyed the headquarters of the International Red Cross in that city. Australian artist George Gittoes, who photographed the site, said "it was the day humanitarianism became a target  absolute ground zero for the human spirit". Mahmood is now under secretary general for partnerships at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)  the group whose emblem is meant to protect aid groups from attack. She presides over 190 national societies with 17 million volunteers.

Keeping them safe is harder than ever. "The humanitarian sector is no longer sacrosanct and international humanitarian law is no longer upheld," she says. "We are under attack when we shouldn't be." Since the start of 2017, 29 Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers have been killed in the line of duty. As well, 60 Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers have been killed since the start of the conflict, along with eight from the Palestine Red Crescent. An obedient wife For a humanitarian, Mahmood is very funny. She jokes that she only ended up where she is today because she is "an obedient Muslim wife". Her conventional life changed one night when she was watching news of the war in Kosovo on television with her five-year-old son. As she was telling him how children there were hungry, her son said: "Mum, you are a doctor, go and do something."

Mahmood took her son's advice, and wrote offering her services to every major humanitarian organisation. Only one responded. But her husband suggested that if she really wanted to make a difference as a humanitarian, as a Malaysian, as a woman, as a doctor and as a Muslim, she should create a new organisation. He prompted her to set up Mercy Malaysia (the Malaysian Medical Relief Society) the first international humanitarian organisation to be started in Malaysia. "I am just a very obedient Muslim wife. When my husband says set up an organisation, I do," she said in a speech. Funded by donations from patients and friends in Malaysia, Mercy's team arrived in Kosovo in June 1999. They had so little money volunteers had to pay their own airfares to fly into a war zone.

Later, Mercy's medical team was first to arrive in wartorn Aceh Province in Indonesia, the epicentre of the December 2004 tsunami. When CNN filmed Mahmood and the medical team amid the debris and devastation, her phone rang with offers of help. Before accepting donations, she asked some  including large consultancy firms  to help her establish Mercy as an accountable long-term organisation with strong governance that would survive long after she left, which she did in 2009. In each place, Mercy worked with the local community as equal partners, something her mother taught her as a child. As a teenager, her mother would fill her bag with money, and send her off by plane to visit poorer cousins in Singapore to buy them school supplies and shoes. "My mother would say get your own school shoes at same time. She really trained us to make people feel comfortable, it was not about making them feel helpless," says Mahmood. "At the end of the day, dignity is probably the most important thing  and maintaining the dignity of people affected by a crisis is crucial." In Darfur she asked the local imam near where the group was staying (outside the UN compound) for advice on escape routes if disaster struck. Mercy wanted to provide health services, but they needed a service in return.

The imam worked with local leaders to develop a security plan. "What we are providing is a lifesaving assistance, but what you are providing is lifesaving to us. We will be equals," she told the local group. It is the same approach she has used elsewhere. She is now calling for local organisations such as the Red Cross to get more support so they can take the lead after disasters, such as Cyclone Winston in Fiji last year. International agencies often pay too little attention to local groups  often "swarming in and ignoring the local talents", she says. There had been a big shift in the past 20 years with international agencies genuinely trying to engage with local communities. But more needed to be done. "They [local community groups like Red Cross] shouldn't just be consulted, they should be allowed to lead," she says. A mini United Nations
Five exhaust stacks up to 35 metres high  four of which will be within about one kilometre of each other  will be built and dozens of homes and other properties acquired for the final stage of the $16.8 billion WestConnex toll road linking the M4 and M5.

Yet residents in Sydney's inner west will be kept on edge about the final shape of the $7.2 billion M4-M5 link because planning documents reveal "detail of the design and construction approach" is "indicative only", unlike that for the first two stages.

It means the final design for the controversial toll road project will be subject to detailed design work by the large contractors which win the tender for the project.

The release of the 603-page environmental impact statement (EIS) on Friday comes less than two months before the government is expected to begin the auction of a 51 per cent stake in WestConnex.
A crime statistics study last year found "no evidence" that CUBIT reduced sexual reoffending, criticising the methods of a previous study that found a steep drop. Britain this year scrapped its current group therapies after finding they slightly increased some sexual reoffending, possibly through the normalisation of deviant fantasies. And the independent medical review Cochrane found no robust evidence that psychological interventions kept more sex offenders out of jail. Without urgent new trials to test effectiveness, "society is lured into a false sense of security in the belief that once the individual has been treated, their risk of reoffending is reduced", the authors wrote. At the same time, prisoners are being released into community supervision on the condition they undergo "chemical castration", a catchy title for testosterone suppressants. But these, too, have been attacked for a lack of evidence and one opponent argues judges have been misled to believe they work. The large gaps in research raise a troubling question about government policy: are sex offenders being released treated but unchanged?

Two studies, two very different stories Sydney's Long Bay Jail has been home to CUBIT since 1999, managing dozens of inmates at a time in special units. Over four sessions a week, for nine to 12 months, they talk with psychologists and among themselves about what drove them to offend, their alcohol and other drug problems, and their antisocial attitudes. They learn about coping mechanisms and plan for the healthy, responsible lives they might lead on the outside. The model is cognitive behavioural therapy  the same kind used to treat depression and anxiety  and emphasises relapse prevention. Two studies have examined CUBIT, and tell very different stories. A 2010 peer-reviewed study by Corrective Services found sex offenders who completed the program reoffended at a rate of 8 per cent. That was compared to a projected 26 per cent of untreated offenders with the same risk profile, according to a statistical tool used by the authors.

The results suggest an outstandingly successful program, one that would save many children, women and men from horrendous crimes. "It certainly is promising early research," says co-author David Bright, now an associate professor of criminology at Flinders University. Bright acknowledges the limitations of his study (including its small sample size and limited follow-up time) while saying it supports the same conclusion as international meta-studies. For instance, a 2002 review by North American researchers found a 28 per cent decrease in reoffending among sex offenders who received psychological treatment. The second study into CUBIT, released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research last year, found nothing like the 70 per cent drop recorded by the first. It found no drop at all.

The second study criticised the risk profiling of the Corrective Services research, which is based on Canadian and UK samples. But it warned against drawing a firm conclusion that CUBIT was ineffective, given its own small sample size. "BOCSAR did the best they could under the circumstances," says Danielle Matsuo, Corrective Services' director of statewide programs. Asked whether the department's own study was superior, Matsuo declines to say, citing the difficulties of comparing "apples and oranges" methodologies. She says CUBIT is based on "the best evidence we have" from large-scale meta-studies, allowing many offenders to change their attitudes, and parole decisions justifiably take participation into account. "Simply incarcerating somebody and not providing programs and services can actually have a more detrimental effect i.e. make them higher risk."

It is notoriously difficult to investigate sex offenders' recidivism. Few "gold standard" studies  randomised controlled trials  have been conducted anywhere in the world. There are ethical concerns about depriving prisoners of treatment to create an experimental comparison group. And, contrary to the tabloid image of the sex offender who commits new crimes at every opportunity, the rate of reoffending is low compared to other offences. That makes it harder to spot statistically significant effects. But the NSW Auditor-General, while finding Corrective Services relies on "robust" international research, has called for independent re-evaluations of all programs. "Corrective Services NSW does not have enough evidence to show that program participation reduces reoffending," the report said. 'Smooth psychopaths who turn on the tears' Maurice van Ryn, who was jailed for paedophilia offences, said anti-libido drugs freed him of his deviant sexual urges.

Several leading forensic psychiatrists in NSW are particularly scathing of purely psychological interventions. "The sexual offender treatment industry, and I call it an industry, is like the military industrial complex, it's just got a life of its own," says Olav Nielssen, a senior research fellow at Sydney University. "I tell you who does well in CUBIT: smooth psychopaths who turn on the tears, can act all contrite and do all the homework, say they're sorry." Nielssen has much more confidence in "devastatingly effective" anti-libido drugs, which he has prescribed to 20 to 30 patients alongside traditional psychotherapy. Corrective Services supports the use of anti-libido drugs, which are meant to lower a patient's sex drive, for a select group of high-risk offenders. In the past year, 15 prisoners have received the drug Androcur, the only one available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Maurice van Ryn, the former Bega cheese boss jailed for paedophilia offences, told a doctor the drugs had freed him of his deviant sexual urges. "The tragedy of all of this is, you don't see ads on television [that say], if you are this way [sexually attracted to children], you can do something about it," he said.

Jeffrey Wayne Davie, a serial paedophile who used his position in the Boy Scouts to target his victims, has agreed to begin a course. In May, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Rothman allowed Davie, who posed a "very high risk (unmedicated) of reoffending", to be released into the community on an extended supervision order (ESO) so long as he started taking the drugs a month before. "In the absence of anti-libidinal treatment that is effective, supervision that could be undertaken in the course of an ESO, would be insufficient to sufficiently ameliorate the risk associated with his release," Justice Rothman found. But anti-libido drugs have their sceptics, too. A meta-analysis of child sex offender studies published in The British Medical Journal found "major weaknesses in the scientific evidence" for both psychological and medical interventions.

The Cochrane review of anti-libido drugs found the evidence to support a reduction in sexual reoffending was "sparse" and "poor". A forensic psychiatrist with 25 years' experience, O'Dea says he has treated many hundreds of sex offenders in Australia and overseas with anti-libido drugs. "I use the example of eunuchs, of the old harems," he says. "The sheiks didn't set the eunuchs aside and give them a stern talk and say 'Now I don't want you to interfere with any of my ladies'. They castrated them." O'Dea says the Cochrane review is well known for its conservative approach, excluding almost all research except randomised controlled trials. He points to surgical castration studies from continental Europe from the first half of the 20th century and a number of recent clinical studies to suggest anti-libidos work. Then there is his own clinical experience.

"I've had many patients, particularly when you take the anti-libidinal medication, say 'For the first time in my life, I'm free of these intrusive, distressing sexual urges and I feel so much better for it'." However Chris Ryan, a Sydney University psychiatrist, says physicians are notably poor at gauging the efficacy of their own prescriptions, while the studies into anti-libido medications are "almost universally bad". "Various judges have been persuaded that this will keep the public safe and there's just no evidence for that," he says. "I regard those practitioners as misleading the court." Maggie Hall, a criminal lawyer and criminologist at Western Sydney University, says doctors are prescribing a drug with sometimes severe side effects, including liver problems, without the evidence to justify it. "I don't know how they can live with the Hippocratic oath," Hall says. Corrective Services says it will work with statistics agency BOCSAR to continually reassess programs, including CUBIT.
John "Johno" Johnson was Labor and Catholic to his soul and Tony Abbott knew both faiths in action, according to the Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher.

Delivering the homily at Mr Johnson's state funeral on Friday, Archbishop Fisher said he was a university student when he met the late Labor politician four decades ago after he had alluded to pro-life issues in his first speech to the NSW Upper House.

(L-R) Former prime minister Bob Hawke, his wife Blanche (obscured), former prime minister Tony Abbott, NSW Labor Opposition leader Luke Foley and Federal Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek attend the funeral for Labor figure John Richard Johnson at St Mary's Cathedral. Credit:Dean Lewins

"He gently tried to recruit me, of course, as he tried to recruit Tony Abbott," Archbishop Fisher said.

"But we had other paths to walk."
The NSW legal and medical professions have joined forces to back introduction of federal same-sex marriage laws, in what is being described as an "extraordinary" move as Australians prepare to take part in a postal survey on the issue.

NSW Bar Association president Arthur Moses, president of the Law Society of NSW Pauline Wright, and president of the NSW division of the Australian Medical Association Brad Frankum issued a statement expressing support for change to the Marriage Act.

"Our organisations support the introduction of marriage equality laws and consider that legislation that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is fundamentally wrong," Mr Moses, Ms Wright and Professor Frankum said.

The Turnbull government has announced a national postal survey on same-sex marriage from next month.
Plans are afoot to demolish the 25-storey Suncorp Plaza tower in Brisbane's CBD and replace it with a 30-storey glass tower.

Turbot Nominees submitted a development application, care of Urbis, to Brisbane City Council on Thursday proposing a 30-storey office tower that would include, retail, a gym, conference and childcare facilities at 343 Albert Street.

Internal design image of the proposed development for the existing Suncorp Plaza building.

The current tower has one of Brisbane City's most recognisable landmarks at its summit, a 10-metre digital clock.

The existing Suncorp Plaza was completed in 1971 and remained the city's tallest building until the construction of the AMP Centre in 1978.
Children as young as 10 could be "named and shamed" under a Liberal National Party policy aimed at tackling youth crime.

An LNP government would remove the principle of detention as a last resort for young offenders after their second offence and give courts the ability to name and shame an offender after their third offence.

Shadow Attorney-General Ian Walker says for some victims, naming and shaming was important. Credit:Glenn Hunt

A "community payback scheme" would be introduced for juveniles convicted of unlawful entry, car theft or hooning offences, with the young people forced to do community service to show thier remorse.

The community service would be mandatory after the first offence.
Three teenagers have been charged after ramming police cars before hitting a spike strip during a wild highway chase west of Brisbane on Thursday morning, according to police.

It will be alleged officers tried to stop a black BMW four-wheel-drive on the Warrego Highway near the Gatton Bypass just before 10am. However, police said the vehicle, allegedly stolen from the Sunshine Coast, fled at high speed.

Three teenagers were arrested and charged after a spike strip brought the alleged chase to an end on the Warrego Highway. Credit:Queensland Police Service

It will further be alleged the 4WD slowed down through Helidon and a 17-year-old man jumped out and fled. He was later arrested. Police said a 15-year-old boy then jumped into the driver's seat and sped away.

However, police laid a spike strip at Helidon just after 10am, which the car hit before coming to a halt 20 minutes later. Police surrounded the disabled vehicle, which allegedly reversed into officers before the occupants were arrested.
Bushfire on the Bruce Highway near Caloundra. Credit:Meghan Spencer "There have been a number of rubber-neckers trying to get into the area for a look, please stay away and let emergency services do their job," he said. Mr Roche advised residents on the Sunshine Coast to keep their doors and windows closed and for anyone in the area who suffers from a respiratory condition to keep their medication handy. The smoke from the Sunshine Coast bushfire hung over Brisbane on Friday evening. Credit:Michael Coombes - 7 News Queensland Members of the public were also advised to avoid the Aura area due to the fire and smoke hazards.

EARLIER A total of 20 fire crews and a water-bombing aircraft were battling to contain the fire, with flames reaching the Bruce Highway and Caloundra Road. The Queensland Fire Service had issued a watch-and-act warning about 3.30pm for locals, with emergency services warning the bushfire was moving east towards Aura, with residents being evacuated. "The fast-moving fire is travelling in an easterly direction and is expected to impact the suburb of Aura imminently. Residents are advised to evacuate moving in an easterly direction away from the fire at the last east exit at Aura," the alert said.

"This fire is moving quickly and is currently uncontrolled. Spot fires are likely to start up to four kilometres ahead of the fire front and embers are also being thrown from the fire. "The fire is expected to impact on the Aura community and some property may be lost. Power, water and mobile phone supplies may be lost in the area over the next several hours. "It will be very hot and windy and as the fire approaches it will become increasingly difficult to breathe. Authorities were considering closing the Bruce Highway south of Caloundra Road as flames burned the bushes next to the road.

Australian Traffic Network reporter Adam Smith said there were major delays in the area by 4.30pm. Southbound delays on the Bruce Highway stretched from the fire's location in Bells Creek, back more than 12 kilometres to Tanawha. There were also similar queues back along Caloundra Road into Caloundra West. Heavy congestion also snaked back more than 15 kilometres onto the Sunshine Motorway in Mountain Creek. Meanwhile, northbound traffic delays also stretched about 12 kilometres along the Bruce Highway, all the way back to the Glasshouse Mountains. The blaze comes as fire crews warn Queenslanders to prepare for the start of a fresh bushfire season.

Firefighters were on high alert as parts of the state brace for abnormally warm temperatures and dry conditions in the coming days. Very high fire danger levels were expected as a result of the predicted weather conditions and excess vegetation resulting from the flooding aftermath of Cyclone Debbie. The rising temperatures and dry conditions forecast for this weekend prompted calls from Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan for Queenslanders to prepare themselves. "Our more than 30,000 rural firefighters have been working hard since April putting in firebreaks, completing hazard-reduction burns and running community events to prepare Queenslanders for the 2017 bushfire season," Minister Ryan said.
While Sharad Yadav is campaigning to woo away some JD-U leaders from Nitish Kumar's fold, the party is all set for the national executive meet scheduled for tomorrow.

By Anand Patel: All hands are on the deck for a successful national executive meet of the ruling Janata Dal United (JD-U) in Bihar scheduled for tomorrow.

The day-long event will see a stamp on the decision taken by Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U chief Nitish Kumar to walk away from the grand alliance with Rashtriya Janata Dal of Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress to join hands with the BJP last month.

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Nitish Kumar formed the new government in Bihar in alliance with the BJP following which the JD-U has seen rebellion from former party president Sharad Yadav and a few senior leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar.

But, with virtually no voice of dissent from its elected MLAs and rebel leader Sharad Yadav finding support only from fringe leaders, Nitish Kumar is all set to emerge as the undisputed leader of the party after the national executive meet.

However, Sharad Yadav's decision to host a parallel public meeting in the state capital has raised several eyebrows in the party fold.

WHAT'S ON AGENDA?

Speaking with India Today, JD-U general secretary and spokesperson KC Tyagi said, "The national executive committee will be briefed about why the decision to break away from RJD and alliance with the BJP was taken."

"This will be followed by a meeting of the national council which will approve the decision, while in the evening open session party workers will be addressed," Tyagi said.

Tyagi said that the meet will also pave way for a formal entry of the JD-U in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). "Any decision on BJP's offer of co-convener's post to Nitish Kumar will be taken thereafter," Tyagi further said.

OPPOSITION AND REVOLT

A strategy to counter RJD's proposed rally on the August 27 is also expected to be formulated during the meet. Sharad Yadav is likely to participate in the rally. JD-U has already placed 21 leaders from its Bihar unit under suspension for participating in the Bihar tour "Jan Chetna Yatra" of Sharad Yadav.

Buoyed by the success of his conference held in New Delhi yesterday, Sharad Yadav will host his 'Jan Adalat' as part of a series of events planned under the banner of 'Sanjhi Virsasat Bachao Manch'. Sharad Yadav has launched this platform to oppose alleged divisive politics of the BJP.

Sharad Yadav's event in New Delhi saw a galaxy of senior leaders from the Opposition taking turns to attack the BJP and the RSS. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and CPI leader D Raja were among prominent leaders who addressed the forum.

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ALSO READ |

Sharad Yadav's divorce with Nitish Kumar imminent. Marriage with Lalu Prasad on the cards?

Sharad Yadav's revolt against Nitish Kumar: How Janata Parivar unites to split

ALSO WATCH | It is unfortunate: JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav breaks silence over new Bihar coalition government

--- ENDS ---
In an email to Apple employees, CEO Tim Cook has denounced the deadly violence in Charlottesville last weekend, criticised US President Donald Trump's response and pledged to donate $US2 million to organisations battling hate groups.

"What occurred in Charlottesville has no place in our country," the email said, according to BuzzFeed, which obtained a copy. "Hate is a cancer, and left unchecked it destroys everything in its path. Its scars last generations. History has taught us this time and time again, both in the United States and countries around the world."

Cook joins a long list of prominent business leaders critical of Trump's response to the throng of white nationalists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan and white supremacy groups that stormed into Charlottesville to protest the planned removal of a Confederate statue. In the chaos, one woman was killed and several injured when a car, allegedly driven by a rally attendee, sped into a crowd of counterprotesters.

The president has said "many sides" were to blame for the violence. So many prominent business leaders took issue with Trump's position that he was forced to shut down his major business advisory councils after several people resigned.
Reincarnation is a central tenet of Hinduism.

It is also why Hari Guduru, the president of the Hindu Society of Victoria, is against voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill.

It's a matter of faith to him that any suffering one experiences in this life is connected with one's past lives, and should be borne into the next.

"Reincarnation basically says you have to live for what you have  past life, current life; if you are to pay a penalty you have to," Mr Guduru says, clarifying that this is merely his personal view.
A restructure intended to resolve Victoria's bitter fire services dispute was drawn up without consulting "passionate" volunteer firefighters and should be dumped, a committee of upper house members has found.

The Andrews Government's bill proposing to consolidate all career firefighters in a renamed MFB, and leave the CFA as a volunteer-only organisation, should be withdrawn, or rejected by the Legislative Council, according to the Fire Services Bill Select committee.

The committee said volunteer firefighters were not consulted. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

The committee's final report, released on Friday following a parliamentary inquiry, has accused the government of failing to consult key parties in forming the restructure.

This undermined confidence in the proposal, "reinforcing the perception of a bias towards the United Firefighters Union", the committee found.
A woman who fatally stabbed her neighbour 19 times has been found not guilty of murder due to mental impairment.

Eva Whitecross, 55, killed 44-year-old fitness trainer Rachel Tyquin with a kitchen knife during an early morning walk in Sunbury, north west of Melbourne, in 2016 but pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming mental impairment.

Personal trainer Rachel Tyquin, 44, died in April 2016. Credit:Facebook

"Mrs Whitecross, acting on her psychotic delusions, attacked and killed Ms Tyquin," Victorian Supreme Court Justice Jane Dixon said in her judgment on Friday.

Police alleged Mrs Whitecross murdered Ms Tyquin with a knife after they crossed paths about 5.55am on April 16, after both women had been out on separate walks.
A pro-paedophilia internet troll who harassed Hey Dad! actress Sarah Monahan on Facebook has been spared a jail sentence.

Luke Wallis, 34, was placed on a community corrections order for three years plus three months imprisonment, which he does not have to serve as long as he remains of good behaviour.

Luke Wallis, 34, of Bendigo was placed on a community corrections order. Credit:Justin McManus

Wallis, who has a previous child porn conviction, harassed Monahan in 2016 after she laid child sex charges against actor Robert Hughes, who played her on-screen father in the TV series.

The Bendigo man launched a campaign of relentless online trolling against the actor, the County Court heard in June.
West Australians will miss out on nearly 1500 jobs after the Federal Government announced it would can two WA-led irrigation projects.

The Myalup-Wellington Project and the Southern Forests Irrigation Scheme were two projects developed under the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund, and the Coalition Government confirmed it would decline WA's funding application on Friday morning.

Wellington Dam has high levels of salt in its water, which has previously made it unfit for agricultural schemes. Credit:Parks and Wildlife Service

The former Liberal Government made a federal funding application regarding the two projects to the Commonwealth in June 2016.

In June this year the State Government again wrote to Federal Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Barnaby Joyce in order to confirm it would commit $56 million for both the Wellington Dam and the Southern Forests Irrigation Scheme.
"I absolutely object to that. If that cash is getting converted into drugs and alcohol so they blow their own brains out so their kids hit the streets because it's a damn sight safer on the streets at 2 o'clock in the morning then it is at home, then I don't believe that is a human right." Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said the party had requested statistics from the WA Police, and had noted a "significant" increase in robbery and threatening behaviour in the East Kimberly town of Kununurra since the cashless card trial began. "[Mr] Forrest has been in Canberra pushing for a further rollout of the top-down cashless welfare card with a violent and fear mongering video of Aboriginal communities in regional towns, but the Greens have obtained evidence though the WA parliament that shows crimes have increased in Kununurra since the card was introduced," she said. "In figures provided by the WA Police we have seen a marked increase in non-aggravated robbery offences, theft, and threatening behaviour in the period that the card was introduced. "The cashless welfare card was intended to control the incomes of anyone on income support as a supposed means of reducing drug and alcohol abuse. For those managing on a shoestring budget the card makes life more difficult, and those that are struggling with addiction will find ways around it. This has been evidenced repeatedly."

From June 2012 through to May 2015, the Kimberly regional police force recorded 22 aggravated robbery offences. From June 2015 through to June 2017, police recorded a marked increase, with 31 aggravated robbery offences reported in the region. "I urge the Federal Government to reconsider plans to expand the cashless welfare card to other regions and to end the trial sites in the East Kimberley and Ceduna. We need locally driven, well-resourced wrap around services to support those struggling with addiction," Senator Siewert said. During the 6PR interview, Mr Forrest also lashed out at University of Melbourne academic Dr Elise Klein, who gave evidence against the use of the card to a panel currently investigating indigenous youth suicide on Tuesday. Dr Klein said the card had become a symbol of disempowerment, as it seeks to quarantine 80 per cent of welfare payments to be used on food and other essentials.

"It's explained as the 'white card'," she said. "The card has been a symbol of disempowerment, a symbol of state intervention, punitive intervention over someone's life." At the inquiry, Dr Klein said the system was chaotically introduced with design flaws, including a mobile app for people who "didn't know how to use the internet let alone own a mobile phone". Many of the children who cut their lives short were inadequately fed, but Dr Klein said it was "naive at best" to think controlling parents' purchases could effectively combat this. Dr Klein said many participants have told her using the card is like going back to the "ration days", referring to Aboriginal people working on pastoral stations and being paid in tea and sugar as opposed to real wages.

Mr Forrest said Dr Klein's claims were inaccurate. "There's an academic today [Dr Klein] who at a coronial inquiry into children's deaths, denounced the cashless credit card on her own inquiries," he said. "She failed to admit that all her studies were done before the cashless debit card came in. "So she's blatantly abused the lives of indigenous people through using them to make a political point as opposed to saying  'hey, my research, which I'm quoting from was done before the credit card came in'. "You've got these little stunts being played, and I'm saying if you really care for your countrymen, go to these communities."

However Dr Klein responded to Mr Forrest's claims, and said his statements were "completely inaccurate". "His claim that my research has been written from Melbourne isn't correct," she said. "A lot of it was grounded in the East Kimberley, particularly in Kununurra. I have followed the implementation of the cashless welfare card closely, and that had involved a number of field visits." Dr Klein said she was invited to begin her research by East Kimberley community leaders and policy-makers. "I've collected the data from April 5 2015  two weeks before the cashless welfare card trial began in the East Kimberley. I spoke to community members, and held interviews with people to ask them if they knew about the card and what their thoughts were on it.

"The trial started on April 26, and I have continued to collect data since its implementation." Dr Klein's research covers the entirety of the cashless welfare card trial to date, and she was called to give evidence on the card's effects at the youth suicide inquiry. "I have closely followed the implementation of the cashless welfare card, and I have collected data the whole way," she said. "If Mr Forrest has a problem with that, that's his issue. I ask him to look at the data and understand what my research has found." Mr Forrest has continued to push for the implementation of the cashless welfare card despite his opponents, and said there had been marked improvements in some areas of the East Kimberley.

"There's not drunk brawls or violence in the streets, there isn't you know kids wandering around everywhere because the kids go to school," he said. "Our green grocery sales, our fresh meat sales have all increased. What have dropped is alcohol sales, the drug dealers in Ceduna  it's anecdotal of course, these guys don't tend to let out public statistics  but the Ceduna drug dealer left the town after three weeks. "Gambling has dropped across the East Kimberley and Ceduna  it's just a complete waste of money which stopped kids from going to school or if they do they roll up hungry or poorly fed, or poorly clothed because their folks didn't have any money. Loading "The answer's not more money, the answer is spending more money wisely and not giving it to the local drug dealer."
Washington: A 10-year-old Indian girl whose parents say she was raped and impregnated by her uncle has reportedly given birth after a court rejected her request for an abortion last month.

Doctors at the Government Medical College and Hospital in the northern city of Chandigarh delivered a baby girl through a C-section on Thursday morning, the Indian Express and the BBC reported.

Women hold candles during a vigil to protest against the gang rape of two teenage girls in New Delhi. India is home to the world's largest population of sexually abused children, says the BBC. Credit:AP

The young mother was about seven months pregnant. The newborn was underweight, about 2.5 kilograms, but was in stable condition, according to the BBC.

The girl's parents found out she was pregnant earlier in the summer after she complained of stomach pains, the Indian Express reported. She later told her parents that her uncle had raped her a half-dozen times at the family's home. After the uncle was arrested, the parents and a Delhi-based advocate asked a court to allow her to terminate the pregnancy.
This time it was Barcelona. An ordinary van was transformed into a deadly and indiscriminate weapon.

It seemed to be yet another blow to trust in a basic social compact: that people are essentially safe when they walk down the street, relying on drivers to at least try to follow the rules. That accidents would be impersonal and random, and that everyone would try to avoid them.

Even though the automotive terrorist attacks of the past two years are far rarer than accidents, they are a warning that a driver can wield the ordinary car as a weapon. If anything  even something as ubiquitous as a car  can be a weapon, that adds a sense of menace to daily urban life.

Years of research has found that fear can eventually divide and poison societies, hardening people against perceived outsiders, even causing them to abandon key values. This kind of attack, using one of the most ordinary objects of daily life, could heighten that effect.
By PTI: (Eds: Updates with fresh inputs)

By M Zulqernain

Lahore, Aug 18 (PTI) Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons today failed to appear before the top anti-graft body, which wanted to interrogate them over money laundering and corruption charges revealed by the Panama Papers.

On July 28, a five-member Supreme Court bench disqualified Sharif from continuing in his office for possessing a work permit at the firm of his son in the UAE.

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The court also ordered the NAB to investigate money laundering and other corruption charges against Sharif, his children, son-in-law Safdar and federal finance minister Ishaq Dar, a relative of Sharif, in light of the report of the Joint Investigation Team.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) following a Supreme Court order had issued summons to Sharif and his sons - Hussain and Hasan - to interrogate them at its Lahore office over their offshore properties revealed last year by the Panama Papers leak.

A 10-member NAB team had reached Lahore from Rawalpindi to record the statements of the Sharifs, but they did not turn up before the office closed at 3 pm local time, a NAB official told PTI.

"Sharif and his sons were supposed to join the investigation today here in Lahore office but we are informed by the office of Sharif that he is not coming. No reason has been given to us," the official said.

He said the NAB would issue second summons to them in two weeks.

A leader close to the Sharif family denied receiving any summons. "Nawaz Sharif and his sons had not yet received the NAB summons. Sharif will only decide whether or not to appear before the NAB after receiving the summons," Senator Pervaiz Rashid told PTI.

But another leader of the ruling PML-N party said Sharif has decided not to join the investigation. He said Sharif will join the probe only after the Supreme Court decides his review petition against the courts verdict that disqualified him.

The 67-year-old three-time prime minister has denied any wrongdoing. Last week, Sharif held a defiant roadshow with thousands of supporters from Islamabad to Lahore to project his political strength after the Supreme Court verdict.

One of the three applications Sharif filed in the Supreme Court calls for staying "further implementation of the judgement till a decision on the review petition is taken".

The apex court is likely to take up Sharifs review petition early next month after judges return from vacation.

Sharif has expressed serious concerns on the NAB investigation, saying it was unprecedented for a Supreme Court judge to supervise NAB proceedings against him and his family members to get a "desired result".

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"Sharif has also been advised by some of his party members to boycott the NAB investigations. He would not get any relief as it has already been decided to grill him," the PML-N leader said on the condition of anonymity.

The NAB said it will issue second summons to the Sharifs if they do not join the investigation after the first summons.

The third and final summons will be issued next month if there is no compliance even after the second summons, it said.

Sharif, his sons, daughter Maryam, son-in-law Safdar and relatives Ishaq Dar and Tariq Shafi - face several cases, including over the Al-Azizia Steel Mills, the Hill Metal Establishment and Hudabiya Papers Mills. PTI MZ ASK ABH AKJ ABH

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A woman injured in the second attack, which left six others injured, died from her wounds, police say. Her death brings the toll from both attacks to 14. Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in downtown Barcelona. Credit:David Armengou/EFE Police said the men were wearing explosive belts and a Catalan government minister said they were linked to the Barcelona attack. The belts were later found to have been fake. Seven-year-old Julian Cadman is missing in Barcelona after Friday morning's terror attacks, his family say. Credit:Facebook

In the Barcelona attack, one Melbourne man leaped out of the way of the van, which was travelling at high speed and missed him by centimetres, then helped with first aid for those left in the van's wake. Several other Australians had stories of narrow escapes. Eyewitnesses spoke of the screams of tourists on the packed thoroughfare, of the sick thudding sound as the van smacked into the crowd, and of the bodies of men, women and children flying into the air then lying on the street after the attack. They said the van had mounted the crowded pedestrian path that ran along the middle of Las Ramblas and drove along it for 500m, weaving back and forth as it sought out victims. "All of a sudden, the police just shouted at everyone, telling them just to run. There was a really loud kind of crashing noise. I didn't stop to look back," Ethan Spieby, a witness caught up in the commotion, told the BBC.

Tom Markwell, another American, told the BBC he saw a white van "going entirely too fast. It looked to me as if he was going left to right, hitting people with the little stand ... All of a sudden, people were just screaming and running." Police arrived quickly on the scene, but on Friday morning, Spanish time, the driver of the van was still at large. One eyewitness told the Telegraph that he saw two people get out of the van after it stopped. Others saw just one man, who fled on foot. There were at least 34 nationalities among the dead and injured. One of those killed was a three year-old child, Spanish media reported. Authorities warned that the number of victims could rise as 15 people were in critical condition in hospital. The dead included three Germans and one Belgian tourist. Of the wounded, 26 were from France  of whom 11 were seriously injured. Foreign minister Julie Bishop said eight Australians had been affected. Two women from NSW were in serious but stable condition at hospital, two men from Victoria were treated at hospital for light injuries then discharged, three people had asked for consular support, and one person was unaccounted for.

Ms Bishop said she was concerned for the missing person, and Australia was working with Spanish authorities to try to find them. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said this was a "global battle against terrorism", and that Australia had been working towards a policy on protecting crowded places in Australia, which would be released shortly. Ms Bishop condemned the "brutal and cowardly attacks, clearly designed to harm and affect tourists". The tree-lined La Rambla, known as Las Ramblas, is the main tourist thoroughfare leading from the harbour into the heart of the city. On Friday morning, after a night in which much of the city centre was cordoned off by a heavy police presence, the street re-opened and locals began setting up their stalls again, as the city tried to return to normality.

The New York Times reported that police believed the attack had originally been intended to involve explosives. Spanish police were investigating a possible connection between the van attack and a gas explosion the previous night at a house in Alcanar, south of Barcelona, in which one person died. Police said the residents had been preparing an explosive device. One Spanish citizen had been arrested in Alcanar, and a second man, a Moroccan named Driss Oukabar, turned himself into police after his identity documents were used to hire the van used in the Las Ramblas attack. Spanish media reported that the man's brother may have stolen his identity documents.
Ms Monaco told radio station 3AW initial confusion inside the store gave way to panic. People flee in terror after the Barcelona van attack. Credit:AP "All of a sudden we were locked in the shop and confusion started ... nobody was really sure what was happening," Ms Monaco said. "The music was still playing in the shop ... suddenly we could see that the police presence was rapidly increasing. Then we started seeing people looking incredibly distressed. Pedestrians in shock moments after the van drove through crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Credit:New York Times

"The next second we knew, we were literally running for our lives to the very back of the store where we were told to get on the ground, away from the windows and just lay as flat as possible. "We hid behind a clothing display that was about knee-high. There was considerable panic. There were two children who were screaming." The friends spent about 20 minutes lying on the floor with an Israeli family, a British family and a German girl. "I've never been so terrified, it's a feeling I'll never be able to describe and hope I never experience again but so grateful I'm alive," Ms Reader wrote on Facebook. She later told the ABC: "We haven't come to terms with it. It's surreal. The sheer fear is quite incredible."

Despite their ordeal, the trio plans to continue their trip. Ms Monaco insisted she wouldn't take her parents' advice and cut her four-month European adventure short. "I feel a bit rattled ... but I don't feel like I want to go home ... I don't want to let 'them' win. I'll finish what I started," she told 3AW. "[I] still want to travel the world, maybe there's something wrong with me but I'll keep going."

Three Australians were injured in the attack: a NSW woman and two young men from Melbourne's western suburbs. The woman is in a serious but stable condition in hospital. The Melbourne men have told Australian consular staff they were injured, but returned to their hotel with plans to get medical treatment on Friday morning, local time. It is believed they were hit by the speeding van. "I understand [they] were actually hit by the car in one instance. But have received treatment and been discharged [from hospital]," Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters. Melbourne man Michael Christou was about 300 metres from the initial scene of the Las Ramblas carnage and was also nearby when eight people, including two Australians, were killed in the London Bridge van attack in June.

"I think it's following me but you kind of come over here [to Europe] and you expect it to happen but you don't let it stop you from doing what you want to do." A Geelong man has told 3AW of his "sliding doors" moment. The man, "Barry" told the station that he had left the smaller exit of the raiway station close to La Ramblas. "Suddenly just waves of people starting running to us, screaming, and just terrified," he said. "Police were taking control and virtually herding them across the street. "I can't tell you the sense of mayhem that pervaded."
Susan Bro with a photo taken with her daughter. Credit:AP She acknowledged a statement that she had released on Monday, in which she thanked Mr Trump for his "words of comfort and for denouncing those who promote violence and hatred" that day. However she said that after hearing his Tuesday comments, which effectively reversed what he had said the day before, she decided that she did not want to hear from him. "You can't wash this one away by shaking my hand and saying 'I'm sorry,'" she added. A makeshift memorial of flowers and a photo of Heather Heyer sits in Charlottesville. Credit:AP "I'm not forgiving for that."

She added she would tell Mr Trump: "Think before you speak." Workers remove a monument dedicated to the Confederate Women of Maryland in Baltimore in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Credit:AP "I think the President has found a niche in voters of the people who feel marginalised and I think he has continued to nurture those marginalised voters," Ms Bro told MSNBC separately on Thursday. "I've had death threats already ... because of what I'm doing right this second  I'm talking." A monument dedicated to US Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney is removed from outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis on Friday morning. Credit:AP

A White House spokeswoman, Lindsay Walters, had said that the White House was looking to set up a "convenient" time for the President to talk to Ms Bro. Mr Trump had tweeted on Wednesday that Ms Heyer was "a truly special young woman" who would be "long remembered by all!" He did not mention Ms Heyer by name in his Tuesday news conference, but several times he referred to Ms Bro's statement thanking him for asserting that "racism is evil" and condemning hate groups including the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists. "I thought that the statement put out, the mother's statement, I thought was a beautiful statement," Mr Trump said. "I tell you, it was something that I really appreciated. I thought it was terrific." Ms Heyer, 32, was one of a crowd of counter-protesters struck by a Dodge Challenger that police say was driven by James Alex Fields jnr of Maumee, Ohio. Nineteen people were injured.

At her memorial service on Wednesday, her family and friends remembered her as passionate and strong in her political convictions. Ms Bro said at the memorial service that her daughter's death should serve as a rallying cry for those who stood up against discrimination. She received a standing ovation after telling attendees to fight for their values, as her daughter had. "They tried to kill my child to shut her up," Ms Bro said. "Well, guess what? You just magnified her." Arts community abandons Trump Also on Friday, 16 prominent artists, authors, performers and architects are resigning Friday from the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the latest group to protest Donald Trump's defense of white nationalists after the violent demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to Mr Trump, 16 members of his Committee on the Arts and the Humanities committee blasted the President's "hateful rhetoric." "Reproach and censure in the strongest possible terms are necessary following your support of the hate groups and terrorists who killed and injured fellow Americans in Charlottesville," the letter says. "The false equivalencies you push cannot stand." The letter's signatories include artist Chuck Close, author Jhumpa Lahiri, architect Thom Mayne and Jersey Boys actor John Lloyd Young. "We know the importance of open and free dialogue through our work in the cultural diplomacy realm," the letter adds. "Your words and actions push us all further away from the freedoms we are guaranteed."

"Supremacy, discrimination, and vitriol are not American values. Your values are not American values," it concludes. "We must be better than this. We are better than this. If this is not clear to you, then we call on you to resign your office, too." Pro-slavery statues removed Overnight on Thursday, more cities and states moved to start removing statutes celebrating Confederate and pro-slavery heroes. Maryland authorities removed a statue on Friday of a 19th century chief justice who wrote the pro-slavery Dred Scott decision, the latest example of action across the United States over memorials that have sparked racially charged protests. Crews in Maryland's state capital, Annapolis, hitched straps overnight to the 145-year-old bronze statue of Roger Taney and then removed it from its base outside State House using a crane.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, had called on Wednesday for the monument to be taken down, saying it was "the right thing to do." Taney's infamous 1857 decision reaffirmed slavery and said black people could not be US citizens. Opponents of monuments to the Confederate states, which fought in the US Civil War for the preservation of slavery, view them as a festering symbol of racism, while supporters say they honour American history. Some of the monuments have become rallying points for white nationalists. Efforts to remove many such statues around the country have been stepped up since the violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, which was called to protest against plans to remove a Confederate monument. "While we cannot hide from our history  nor should we  the time has come to make clear the difference between properly acknowledging our past and glorifying the darkest chapters of our history," Gov. Hogan said in a statement on Wednesday.

Civil rights activists and some Maryland lawmakers had long protested against the statue of Taney, whose decision read in part: "The negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his benefit." Mr Trump on Thursday decried the removal of Confederate monuments, drawing stinging rebukes from fellow Republicans in a controversy that has inflamed racial tensions nationwide. There are more than 1500 symbols of the Confederacy in public spaces across the United States, with 700 of those being monuments and statues, the Southern Poverty Law Centre says. More than half a dozen have been taken down since Saturday. In Lexington, Kentucky, government leaders voted on Thursday in favour of moving two Confederate statues from their plinths outside a former courthouse that is being turned into a visitor centre, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray said. Loading
London: Barcelona, a city scrubbed with street art, sandy beach borders, rooftop pools and meandering streets had 9 million tourists staying in its hotels last year.

With its cheap tapas, laid-back beach bars and lazy afternoon lifestyle, the appeal to the 20,000 Australians thought to be in Spain at any one time is obvious.

Some of the pedestrians injured when a van drove through crowds on Las Ramblas, Barcelona's most famous street. Credit:New York Times

But tourism is fickle, according to Tim Fairhurst from the European Tour Operations Association, and the numerous terror attacks in France means that country is already feeling the British cold shoulder.

In 2016, trips from Britain to France declined, as they did to other terror-hit destinations such as Turkey and Belgium.
Helsinki: Finnish police raided an apartment in eastern Turku and said it was "quite certain" it had identified the attacker who killed two people and wounded eight during a stabbing rampage, local media reported.

The late night raid occurred after police located a suspected vehicle, a white Fiat Ducato, whose owner lived in a building located in Turku's Varissuo suburb, Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reported.

A number of people were arrested during the night, as the Nordic country investigated their possible link to the attacker of a now "quite certain identity", Finnish news agency SST said.

"We are investigating what their role is in this. Whether they had something to do with this act, or if they were just involved with this person (the suspect)", detective superintendent Markus Laine was quoted saying of those arrested.
Los Angeles: Over and over again, those on America's far right have learned that the United States' First Amendment doesn't protect them from Silicon Valley tech companies.

For weeks, neo-Nazis, white nationalists and other far-right figures organised for last weekend's "Unite the Right" demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, which left three people dead and dozens injured.

White nationalist groups march through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville. Credit:AP

But days before the rally, the short-term rental service Airbnb started suspending the accounts of rally attendees who had rented houses in the area. Why? The San Francisco-headquartered company requires customers to "accept people regardless of their race, religion, national origin, ethnicity", among other things  a deal-breaker for white nationalists, who have been banned by other popular companies for similar reasons.

It was a blow for the organisers, who had "taken over all of the large AirBnBs in a particular area," according to a user on the message board for the Daily Stormer, a popular neo-Nazi website, who had "set up 'Nazi Uber' and the 'Hate Van' to help in moving our people around as needed".
Cole Bay:--- On Mon, ay August 14, 2017, the first day of the school year 2017-2018, the Leonald Conner School was officially handed over to the Government of St. Maarten and by extension, the school management of the Leonald Conner School.

In November 2016, the school was closed and the students were dispersed to various other public schools and the community centers. Inspections were carried out based on the air quality in the Cay Bay/Cole bay area, and it was ascertained that the best short term solution was the installation of air conditioners in the classroom to minimize the negative effects of the air. In order to complete the installation, the school required an electric upgrade to carry the load of the classrooms. the Ministries ECYS, VSA and VROMI, were vital parts of the inspections and upgrades at the school.

The handing over ceremony took place at the school, whereby NV GEBE CEO Mr. Kenrick Chittick, handed the school over to Mrs. Glenderline Holiday, head of Division Public Education. In turn, Mrs. Holiday officially handed the school over to Mrs. Alice Samuel, Leonald Conner School manager.

The repairs were part of the critical upgrade project required for the various public schools, however, due to the urgent situation at the Leonald Conner school, the repairs were done ahead of the time. Fortunately, NV GEBE, as a Good Cooperate Citizen, opted to pay for the complete upgrade and installation in the amount of Naf. 313,013.50. The critical upgrades will take place for all public schools including the electrical, cabling and plumbing. We would hope that in the future, more Good Corporate Citizens would show their willingness to give back to our community, Minister Jacobs said. The Minister thanked NV GEBE for their Corporate sponsorship extended to the Leonald Conner School, and to any other initiative they will continue to support in the near future.

Head of New Projects, Mr. Kurt Ruan thanked CECC, HEMCO NV, The Division Public Education, NV GEBE and the board of directors, Ministry VROMI, and the school manager Mrs. Samuel for their support and contribution to the emergency project.  I am very thankful for NV GEBE for making this project possible, as well as continued ventures with NV GEBE and Division Public Education.

We are doing all that we can to help our schools. We need more employees in St. Maarten to have a higher education. To obtain higher degrees, it has to start with primary school. We [NV GEBE] need to invest in education in order to have better employees in our workplaces, Mr. Kenrick Chittick, CEO NV GEBE said during the ceremony. Mr. Chittick thanked the Minister for being persistent in getting the objective achieved and thanked the school management for having the patience to see the project through to completion.

We have come a long way in our educational system, but we still have a long way to go. The Leonald Conner School is a more recently built school, but in 2017, there is still a need for maintenance and upgrades. Teachers, management, students, and staff of the schools are the ones who are able to identify the needs of the school. You are the ones who will feel the difference of the new installations, but we must also work on the other public schools. It is my goal, together with Government and all other Corporate Citizens, who would like to make a contribution to find ways to fund the other electrical, cabling and plumbing upgrades to be done. Unfortunately, its not on the Capital Budget for 2017, however, seeing we were able to get help from the business community, I will start looking in other areas to safeguard funding to get the other public schools to the next level. Take good care of your school, as it is the responsibility of every child, and every person who uses the school. Have a successful school year 2017-2018., the Minister added.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Department of Culture in collaboration with St. Maarten National Commission (NatCom) for UNESCO will host the second round of National Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Consultations on Monday, September 4th  Wednesday, September 6th, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.  4:00 p.m. at the New Government Building Conference Room, Soualiga Blvd. in Philipsburg. The theme of this activity is Strengthening Capacities for Implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in St. Maarten and will be facilitated by Global UNESCO Facilitator Mr. David Brown of Jamaica. A field excursion exercise will take place on Tuesday, September 5th, 2017 in the Simpson Bay District where participants will be able to actively observe, partake and learn about the making of fishing pots, nets, traps, boats, which are key elements of the Simpson Bay district and St. Maarten's cultural heritage. To recap, the main ambitions of this 3-day workshop are:

1) Strengthen capacities for Implementing the UNESCO ICH Convention on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH);

2) Review, supplement and finalize the First Draft National ICH Inventory (List) of St. Maarten;

3) Experience and explore specific aspects of living heritage on St. Maarten.

It is crucial that we have a good balance of heritage experts/professionals, community organizers, tradition bearers, and practitioners to ensure the success of the workshop and reinforce our commitment to keeping with the UNESCO Convention on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. Persons interested in participating are asked to immediately contact Ms. Marcellia Henry, Secretary General of UNESCO via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , and/or Mrs. Sharine Allamby, Policy Officer of the Dept. of Culture via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
PHILIPSBURG:--- Applying to schools can feel like an overwhelming process for students.

If required documents are not submitted to the schools in a timely manner, students may not be considered for acceptance and it can delay the students start time.

The Student Support Services Division will be hosting an interactive workshop entitled How to Apply to Schools in the USA and Canada on August 31, 2017 from 5:00 p.m.  6:00 p.m. at the University of St. Martin. Students in their last two years of secondary school or recent graduates who are interested in studying in the United States of America (USA) or Canada are invited to attend this free interactive workshop.

The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport aims to put students and parents at ease by providing a step by step process of applying to schools and factors to consider when choosing schools to apply to. The required documents requested by the schools will also be discussed.

Students are encouraged to contact the Student Support Services Division at 5431235 to reserve a seat or to simply attend the session. Students are urged to be on time.
PHILIPSBURG/PARIS:--- The 10th UNESCO Youth Forum will be held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France from 25 to 26 October 2017.

The forum brings together expert youth from all regions of the world to discuss pertinent issues related to UNESCO fields of competence. During the youth forum, a series of recommended actions and priorities will be drafted to guide UNESCOs youth actions for the next biennium. These will be presented at the 39th Session of the UNESCO General Conference.

For the 10th UNESCO Youth Forum selection process, there were four candidates who submitted an application, namely: Kamilah Gumbs, Celine Mayeko-Coklee, Rochana Richardson, Mirla Cortico-Ramirez.

The deadline for submissions was June 9, 2017. The 10th UNESCO Youth Forum was advertised via newspaper, online and Facebook pages of Government, UNESCO and Youth Department. The application was also made available online via the Government website, the UNESCO website and Facebook page.

On June 27, 2017, the first review session was held where the four (4) applications were reviewed thoroughly. During that meeting, the date for the interview session with the candidates was also set, and a rubric for evaluating the candidates was used to score some of the key areas.

The selection committee for the Youth Forum consisted of Ms. Faye Arnell and Ms. Marcellia Henry. Mrs. Connie Francis-Gumbs, who is also a member of the committee abstain from participating since her daughter was also a candidate.

During the July 4th interview session, the four candidates were interviewed, and the rubric was used once more for evaluating the face to face session. See below the rubric used to evaluate the candidates.

The cumulative points of the candidates after the review of the application form and the interview session is a follow:

1. Kamilah Gumbs: 86 points

2. Celine Mayeko-Coklee: 85 points

3. Rochana Richardson: 74 points

4. Mirla Cortico-Ramirez: 62 points

From the performance of the candidates in both settings, it is the recommendation of the committee that Kamilah Gumbs represents St. Maarten at the UNESCO Youth Forum. If there are additional funds, or if UNESCO Paris is able to sponsor a youth participant, we will then recommend that Celine Mayeko-Coklee also attends.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday August 16, 2017, Prime Minister William V. Marlin joined in celebration and support of Mrs Anna Rabess- Richardson at the Princess Juliana International Airport in welcoming International Pageants CEO Mr. Mel Richardson, Executive Director Mrs. Mary Richardson for an official "Meet and Greet" where Mrs. Rabess-Richardson was officially inducted as Director for Miss Teen International.

Being inducted as a director means that St. Maarten will be the very the first Caribbean island that will be taking part in this pageant.

Each year, over ninety (90) contestants spanning from countries and continents such as The United States, Europe, South America, Asia and Africa compete for the crown in representation of their individual countries.

This pageant can be compared to the Miss USA, Miss America, Miss Universe and Miss World.

This is very big for St. Maarten especially being we are known for only competing in regional pageants in Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis and Antigua, but now have the opportunity to compete on an international platform stated Mrs. Rabess-Richardson.

I would like to truly thank the Honourable Prime Minister William Marlin and Mrs. Marlin for their continued support of Posh Productions and our efforts to elevate St. Maarten on the pageant platform. I'm truly grateful that the Prime Minister sees the vision and supports the mission", said Mrs. Rabess  Richardson.

"On behalf of the Government of St. Maarten, my wife Mrs Gabrielle Marlinand my support team within my cabinet-The Cabinet of The Prime Minister, I express profound joy and support to Mrs. Anna Rabess-Richardson and POSH Productions for such needed accomplishment towards the continuous thrive and pursuit of empowerment of women and girls", said Prime Minister Marlin
By PTI: London, Aug 18 (PTI) Scientists have created sperm cells from small pieces of ear tissue to help genetically infertile male mice produce healthy offspring, an advance that may pave the way for novel therapies to treat human infertility.

Our sex is determined by the X and Y chromosomes, researchers said. Usually, females have two X chromosomes (XX) and males have one X and one Y (XY), but about one in 500 men are born with an extra X or Y.

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Having three rather than two sex chromosomes can disrupt formation of mature sperm and cause infertility.

In a study published in the journal Science, researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in the UK have found a way to remove the extra sex chromosome to produce fertile offspring.

If the findings can be safely transferred into humans, it might eventually be possible for men with Klinefelter syndrome (XXY) or Double Y syndrome (XYY) that are infertile to have children through assisted reproduction using this technique.

The team took small pieces of ear tissue from XXY and XYY mice, cultured them and collected connective tissue cells known as fibroblasts.

They turned the fibroblasts into stem cells and noticed that in the process, some of the cells lost the extra sex chromosome.

With an existing method, they used specific chemical signals to guide the stem cells into becoming cells that have the potential to become sperm. These cells developed into mature sperm when injected into the testes of a host mouse.

The researchers then harvested these mature sperm and used them through assisted reproduction to create healthy, fertile offspring.

"Our approach allowed us to create offspring from sterile XXY and XYY mice," said Takayuki Hirota from the Francis Crick Institute.

"It would be interesting to see whether the same approach could one day be used as a fertility treatment for men with three sex chromosomes," said Hirota.

In a preliminary experiment, the team found that stem cells produced from fibroblasts of men with Klinefelter syndrome also lost the extra sex chromosome.

"There is currently no way to make mature sperm outside of the body. In our mouse experiments we have to inject cells that have the potential to become sperm back into the testes to help them finish developing," said James Turner, Group Leader at the Francis Crick Institute.

"But we found that this caused tumours in some of the mouse recipients. So reducing the risk of tumour formation or discovering a way to produce mature sperm in a test tube will have to be developed before we can even consider this in humans," said Turner. PTI MHN SAR MHN

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Thousands of fans had turned up at an event in Kochi to catch a glimpse of Sunny Leone.

Sunny Leone at the event (L) and the crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of her

By India Today Web Desk: Sunny Leone brought Kochi to a standstill yesterday, as a jaw-dropping number of fans turned up at an event she was at. Reportedly, people began gathering at the venue as early as 8am, leading to major traffic snarls during peak hours.

Sunny was in Kochi for the inauguration of a mobile phone store. According to a report in The Indian Express, the Kochi police has registered a case against the owner of the store and 100 others for blocking a road in the city for hours. The news of Sunny's visit sent fans into a frenzy, and the police faced problems controlling the large crowd at the venue.

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The Kochi police have booked the store owner and 100 others under IPC sections 283 (obstruction in public way) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

Meanwhile, Sunny was overwhelmed by the "sea of love" and posted several photos and videos on her Twitter account. Incidentally, she also thanked the Kochi police for making her feel safe among the horde of fans.

ALSO READ: Sunny Leone reaches Kochi, the number of fans will make your jaws drop to the floor

ALSO SEE: Sunny Leone shares a passionate kiss with husband Daniel Weber

ALSO SEE: Sunny Leone's bathtub pictures with Daniel Weber are too hot to handle

ALSO WATCH: Sunny Leone's sexy moves

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Kolkata, Aug 18 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said "super dictatorship" is going on in the country but opposition parties have come on a platform and there will be change in 2019.

"Super dictatorship is going on (in the country). If somebody says anything, they (the Centre) will send the ED, or CBI or IT to their homes. All are scared of that," Banerjee said criticising the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, at an interactive session hosted by a news channel here.

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"How will the opposition be powerful? Everybody is scared," she said.

To a question why she was always the first target of attack by the Centre, she said she was happy to be so. "I feel I am a hero not zero".

Banerjee said, "What I can sustain, others cannot. I can digest because I am from the grassroots and I am a fighter and I will fight the battle throughout my life".

"However, the opposition parties have come on a platform and there will be change (at the Centre) in 2019.

"We are waiting for the change ... No front has been formed as yet, but the opposition parties have come on a platform and have started working. Wait for six months. Things will be clear," she said at the interaction Rising Bengal 2017 here.

"All will not speak so soon. Otherwise, (central) agencies will be unleashed against them," she added.

Asked to comment on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar quitting the Grand Alliance with RJD and Congress in Bihar, Banerjee said "You are thinking about one Nitish Kumar but I am thinking about 100 Sharad Yadavs, 100 Lalu Prasads, 100 Akhilesh Yadavs".

Blaming the Centre for hampering the countrys economy and disturbing industries by introducing demonetisation, Banerjee said "They (the Centre) threaten everybody. Everyday they disturb the industry. Just look how many industrialists have left the country after the GST and demonetisation.

"What they had said before demonetisation nothing has happened. The country has to face so much of loss because of demonetisation. The economic condition of the country has deteriorated because of it. People do not know how much money has been deposited with the RBI after demonetisation".

She wondered how BJP president Amit Shah could hold meeting with a Union minister. "Who is the prime minister? Narendra Modi or Amit Shah?" she asked without naming the minister.

Banerjee showered praise on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "He is also a BJP man - but he was very balanced and impartial. We worked under him and never faced any problem.

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"But why are we facing problems today? I do not want to blame the prime minister but his party should take care. Why is his party creating problems for everyone?

"Why they are showing us the agencies everyday? Why will they tell me what I will eat, wear, which school I should go to or which religion I support? Or how the schools will celebrate Independence Day," she said, adding, it was Bengal which was at the forefront of the freedom movement and "Now it has to learn how to celebrate Independence Day?"

She also alleged that education was being saffronised in the country.

Questioned about the recent deaths of children in a Gorakhpur hospital, Banerjee said "What has happened there was not good".

"They (BJP) can deliver speeches but they cannot deliver the goods," she added. PTI BSM SCH AKB SUN KK KUN

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Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, arrested by the NIA for allegedly collecting money from Pakistan-based terror outfits for Hurriyat leaders, was today sent to 10-day custodial interrogation by a city court.

District Judge Poonam A Bamba allowed the agencys plea for custody after it said that the accused was required to be confronted with evidence in the case in which Altaf Ahmed Shah, the son-in-law of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and six others were earlier arrested by the agency.

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The judge said it was her considered opinion that ends of justice would be met by granting 10 days police custody to enable NIA to interrogate the accused.

The court is understood to have been told during an in- chamber proceedings by the probe agency that it had found various suspicious documents from the accused during the searches, including details of bank accounts and cash received by him from various terror outfits.

Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the agency, sought his custody for two weeks.

He is believed to have said during the hearing that the entire racket was spread outside the country and the accused was required to be confronted with various incriminating documents and taken to various places in relation with the ongoing probe.

The NIA also alleged that the accused was not cooperating in the investigation.

The defence advocate opposed the NIA application saying that the accused was a reputed businessman and a senior citizen who has always cooperated in the probe, court sources said.

Watali was arrested from here yesterday by the agency for alleged involvement in the case. Earlier, the agency had carried out raids in his premises and that of other suspects.

The NIA had said in a statement on June 3 that it had searched Watalis house in Srinagar and seized incriminating documents pertaining to financial transactions and land deals.

The NIA had earlier arrested Geelanis son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah, popularly known as Altaf Fantoosh, and six others who are currently in judicial custody in the case. PTI UK PKS RKS ARC

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America Has Lost Its Moral Compass

Trump is a racist. He is a preacher of hate. Those who pretend he is not, those who portray him as merely being an unpolished, somewhat chaotic old man, as a person who explicitly sought to avoid becoming a slick politician, are merely enabling him. "Trump tests ideas on Twitter and then he repeats and repeats them so often to the point that they have been learned," says German cognitive scientist and linguist Elisabeth Wehling, who is currently at the University of California in Berkeley. Many Americans, she says, see the world as a fundamentally aggressive place, as a dichotomy between good and evil. Trump, she says, precisely articulates these people's reality. In an uncertain time of change, the president has identified the scapegoats: immigrants and the elite. And just in case there is another terrorist attack in the U.S. in the future, Trump has already identified who is to blame -- namely the liberal judges who are now allowing refugees into the country. The White House is supposed to be home to America's moral compass. Instead, though, it currently houses the country's chauvinist-in-chief.
A Product of the Oligarchy

It seemed an ideal combination. The Georgians had experience with reforms, after having successfully conducted their Rose Revolution a decade earlier. The Ukrainians, meanwhile, wanted to live like Europeans, under the rule of law and free of corruption. That is why they had taken to the streets. And both sides were united by the notion of standing up to Moscow. That, at least, was the plan. Saakashvili had hopes of becoming attorney general or head of the new anti-corruption office.

It soon became apparent, however, that political will in Ukraine wasn't quite so black and white. The new president was no rose revolutionary or staunch reformist, and he wasn't elected with 96 percent of the vote as Saakashvili had been in 2004. Poroshenko was a politician and businessman, a classic product of Ukraine's oligarchic system, in which every major business leader is also involved in politics.

"If I had known then what I know today, I would not have accepted the position," says Saakashvili. "I failed to recognize that money is the only thing that counts for Poroshenko. He sees reforms as PR, to make him look good to the West. Money is real. If he can combine the two, he is happy to do so. If he can't, money is the decisive factor for him." Poroshenko, Saakashvili says, even told him which officials in Odessa he was not to remove from office under any circumstances. The list included the police chief of an important district of the city.

Saakashvili built a new, transparent customs terminal (which never went into operation), established a citizens' office (which had to close again temporarily) and tore down fences that had been illegally set up on beaches (they were put up again). He reduced the size of the civil service and sent armed investigators to the state-owned chemical plant OPZ.

The success of his policies was moderate at best. But he did earn himself a modicum of popularity due to his battles with powerful adversaries. In December 2015, for example, during a meeting of the National Reform Council, he engaged in a heated verbal battle with the business-minded interior minister, Arsen Avakov. "Thief!" Saakashvili shouted at him, "you'll go to prison!" Avakov threw a water glass at him in response, followed by curses and the words: "Get out of my country!" "I'm Ukrainian! This is my country!" Saakashvili shouted back with his Georgian accent.

"Saakashvili wanted to capture Odessa at a gallop, but it doesn't work that way," says Ukrainian political scientist Volodymyr Fessenko. He describes politics in Ukraine as a swamp, where abrupt movements are not possible. But Saakashvili is not adept at patiently building alliances. Instead, he began to withdraw from his position. He preferred to be in familiar Kiev than Odessa, while his heart remained in his native Georgia.

Openly Hostile

In May 2016, he announced that he was returning to Georgian politics, but without withdrawing from Ukrainian politics. He submitted his resignation as governor in November 2016 and formed his own party in Ukraine. In his farewell remarks, he said that the president himself supported the worst clans in Odessa, including bandits, murderers and corrupt officials. The friendship had turned into an openly hostile relationship.

Poroshenko's official reason for revoking Saakashvili's citizenship was absurd. He claimed that when Saakashvili applied for Ukrainian citizenship, he had failed to mention that he was the subject of criminal proceedings in Georgia. "I couldn't have done so, because I had not yet been officially notified," says Saakashvili. "I only knew about it from the media, just like Poroshenko."

The real reason for the rift remains unclear. Saakashvili says that he had a long argument with Poroshenko during a March meeting in Malta. According to Saakashvili, Poroshenko demanded that he behave himself and stick to the rules, insisting that he criticize others and not just Poroshenko himself - and that if he did so, he could continue his career in Ukrainian politics and would get a seat in parliament. If he did not, though, according to Saakashvili's account, Poroshenko said "individual measures" would be taken, though he failed to elaborate.

Saakashvili did not abide by Poroshenko's instructions. A few months later, a guest on a talk show he was hosting sang an insulting ditty about Poroshenko, in which the president was referred to as "Chocolate Ass," a reference to Poroshenko's confectionery empire.

Now Saakashvili has a problem, and his only comfort is that Poroshenko has one too. Revoking Saakashvili's citizenship doesn't look good, particularly in the West, on which Ukraine currently depends. And if anyone can attract attention in the West, it is Saakashvili. Hillary Clinton even nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

Slamming the Door

The decision to revoke Saakashvili's passport was announced when he was in the United States visiting his uncle, who lives in the Bronx. That was part of Poroshenko's plan: to slam the door in the troublemaker's face when he was out of the country. Saakashvili was unable to speak with President Donald Trump or Republican Senator John McCain, both personal acquaintances, but he did meet with the new U.S. special envoy for Ukraine.

In Poland, Saakashvili has a good relationship with the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, with the late Polish President Lech Kaczynski having been his strongest supporter in the 2008 Caucasus war. In an interview on Polish television, Saakashvili reinforced the PiS conspiracy theory that Russian President Vladimir Putin was behind Kaczynski's death in a plane crash near Smolensk. "The Russians wanted to punish Lech Kaczynski for flying to Georgia at the time and speaking in Tbilisi." These are unfounded conjectures, but Saakashvili is not the type to draw a clear line between wishful thinking and reality - certainly not when it comes to Russia.

He now hopes that the West will exert pressure on Poroshenko, so that he can challenge the revocation of his citizenship. "Even if I don't get a fair trial, at least I want to be heard."
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NEW FAIRFIELD  Joel Colindres, a Guatemalan-born man living in the U.S. since 2004, was issued a temporary stay of a deportation Thursday less than an hour before he was scheduled to leave the United States.

Colindres, 33, had been ordered to leave the country by Aug. 17 during a meeting last month with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Hartford. He had purchased a ticket and was at JFK International Airport saying goodbye to his American family when he learned of his reprieve.

The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals issued the temporary stay about 2:30 p.m. The stay has no set expiration date, said his attorney, Erin ONeil-Baker.

The Colindres family, including his wife, Samantha, a U.S. citizen, and their two American-born children, 6-year-old Preston and 2-year-old Lila, had been at the airport for several hours when they received the news.

Its been a horrible 24 hours for them, ONeil-Baker said.

But she said the family is now ecstatic.

They recognize that this isnt a permanent decision, she said. For Joel, he recognizes its one more day with his family.

After hearing the news, My husband picked me up in the airport and twirled me around for like a minute, Samantha Colindres said. My husband and son ran to the car together.

Joels face was just ecstatic, she said.

Once they got to the car, 6-year-old Preston shouted, This is the best day of my life.

Preston was devastated before, even though all they told him was that his dad was going on vacation alone, she said.

Its been 24 hours of the craziest emotions Ive ever had, Samantha Colindres said.

When they got home, they saw that Samanthas parents had written messages in chalk on their walkway, like Welcome home and Save Joel.

In a Facebook post, the couple thanked their family, friends and supporters.

We could not have achieved this miracle without you all, they wrote.

Colindress case has generated strong support from the local Congressional delegation.

Reason and justice have prevailed, at least temporarily, enabling Joel Colindres to stay with his family and pursue a fair hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. I will continue to stand with the family  who would be ripped apart by this cruel and arbitrary deportation.

Sen. Chris Murphy said in a statement the stay allows Colindres to remain in the country while the court considers new evidence in his case.

Im relieved for Joel, his wife Samantha, and their two little kids, Murphy said. My office has been in close contact with the Colindres family and their attorney, and were going to keep working with ICE to make sure Joel can stay here at home in Connecticut.

The Trump administration has been targeting families like the Colindres, and its an abomination, Murphy said. President Trump must put an end to these costly, mean-spirited policies.

Rep. Elizabeth Esty said in a statement she was relieved Colindres would be able to make his case in court.

Joel is a loving, hardworking father who pays his taxes, contributes to his community, and has no criminal record, Esty said.

While this reprieve is a step toward justice for the Colindres family, their experience is nevertheless a perfect illustration of how broken our immigration system is, she added. Tearing apart the Colindres family wont make any other American safer or more prosperous. I will continue to push for comprehensive immigration reform that grows our economy, secures our border, keeps families together, and creates an earned path to citizenship.

On Wednesday, ONeil-Baker had said other motions for a stay of his deportation order had been denied.

Colindres has said when he first came to the United States in 2004, a mix-up with paperwork led him to miss a court date, resulting in an order for his removal. The order has created a barrier in seeking legal residency based on his 2010 marriage to his wife, Samantha.

He has several pending requests with federal immigration authorities, including one to reopen the case that led to his order of removal. He has applied for asylum, saying he fears for his life if he goes back to Guatemala. ONeil-Baker said three of his family members were murdered in the last year.

Were very happy, said Colindress nephew, Edwin. They are going to stay together.
Contributed photo / Contributed photo

DARIEN  Police arrested a 24-year-old New York man suspected of robbing two Chase Bank branches in Darien, as well as additional banks throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Alpha U. Jalloh, of New England Thoroughway in the Bronx, was taken into custody by Darien Police Aug. 14, extradited from New York City on charges of second-degree robbery, second-degree larceny and third-degree burglary with the inference of a firearm. The charges are related to the June 12 robbery of a Chase Bank in Darien.
Bose's The Nation as Mother is a reminder that Indian nationalism was never intended to be so narrow, so mean, so intent on wiping out difference, so inanely prescriptive.

Sugata Bose, whose grandfather was Subhas Chandra Bose's elder brother, begins his new book, The Nation as Mother, with an analysis of 100 years of Indian nationalism. He takes Rabindranath Tagore's famous 1917 critique of the "great menace" of nationalism as his cue.

Bose points out that for the likes of Chittaranjan Das, founder of the Swaraj Party, Indian nationalism, propelled by anti-colonialism, was fundamentally different from the corrosive nationalisms of European countries such as Germany or France. But is this true anymore in 2017?

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There is an increasing bumptiousness, an ugly belligerence about contemporary Indian nationalism. It was evident in the run-up to Independence Day, as the likes of Uddhav Thackeray, Yogi Adityanath and sundry BJP functionaries competed to assert their devotion to Vande Mataram, making the singing of it a virtual test of citizenship.

From 2014, Bose has been a Trinamool Congress MP in the Lok Sabha. He cannot be accused of lecturing from the comfort and security of his ivory tower, even if he confesses in the introduction that "[s]peaking in the Lok Sabha often felt like teaching, a Massive Open Online Course".

Flying between "Trump's America and Modi's India", as Bose was doing while writing some of the book, proved instructive. It is not a cheap and easy comparison. Donald Trump has resisted wholehearted condemnation of the white supremacists who ran riot recently in Virginia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'condemnations' of Hindu chauvinism are similarly mealy-mouthed. And his odd remarks about outgoing Vice President Hamid Ansari's diplomatic career revealed that some of Modi's own prejudices linger.

Bipin Chandra Pal, of the Lal-Bal-Pal triumvirate of Swadeshi nationalists, is an important figure for Bose-he even chose to quote Pal in his maiden parliamentary speech. And Bose approves of Pal's new Indian patriotism, founded on a love of what India was, a many-splendoured polity held together by its sheer variety. The Nation as Mother is a salutary reminder that Indian nationalism was never intended to be so narrow, so mean, so intent on wiping out difference, so inanely prescriptive.

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Tripti Lahiri's recent book Maid in India exposes the minefield that is relations between employers and their domestic help. With demand for domestic help burgeoning with rising incomes, women from rural areas are migrating to cities in large numbers-only to find themselves vulnerable to exploitation. For their part, employers complain of untrustworthy workers. The class resentment usually does little more than simmer; but recently, in Noida, a mob attacked the home of a family they claimed had held their maid captive after accusing her of theft. Police are still investigating, but the incident shows the need for more regulation.

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By PTI: Mumbai, Aug 18 (PTI) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take the defence ministry "seriously" as the country is "staring at a war with China" and facing terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

"The environment in the country today is such that on one hand we are staring at a war with China and on the other, infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan does not stop," Thackeray told reporters here.

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"The prime minister should take a stand... the defence ministry should be taken seriously and cannot be played with," he said.

Thackeray, whose party is a constituent of the Modi government, was apparently referring to the fact that there is no full-time defence minister as the charge is with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

The defence portfolio was with Manohar Parrikar before he moved to Goa as the chief minister in March.

"The Goa chief minister is going to contest a byelection. Yesterday, I read his statement that if he loses, he will once again take up defence ministry. If the ministry is being treated lightly, anarchy will prevail across the country," he said.

"Whether he (Parrikar) wins or loses is immaterial," Thackeray said, asking the prime minister to take the defence ministry "seriously".

Taking a dig at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said, "While Fadnavis feels that there will be lawlessness if the government gives a complete loan waiver, in reality, if a losing chief minister (referring to Parrikar) goes to Delhi, there will be anarchy across the country."

The Sena supremo further demanded that the government reveals the names of all farmers, who benefitted from the governments loan waiver scheme.

"The government, in its enthusiasm, may declare more names of farmers being benefitted than total population of the state. Just so that this does not happen, the names of all beneficiaries should be declared in the legislative assembly," he said.

He added that Shivsainiks will personally visit those farmers and verify the governments claims.

Earlier, Sena MP Sanjay Raut slammed Parrikar and said it seemed that the Goa chief minister was afraid of losing the polls and people may reject him.

"This is a democracy. If your people do not choose you and you lose, then go and sit at your home. You say, I will go to the Centre and be the defence minister again after losing. Is the defence ministry of the country a game?" he questioned.

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He pointed out that there is no full-time defence minister in the country.

Parrikar had resigned as the defence minister after the Goa assembly polls and was sworn in as the chief minister on March 14. PTI MM RMT ANB AKK ANB

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GERING  Thousands of people are expected to travel to and through western Nebraska for the upcoming eclipse. Among those thousands is a group of high school students from Elizabeth, Colorado.

Elizabeth High School, in Elbert County, is bringing a group of high school students to participate in the eclipse events planned for Aug. 21 at Gering Freshman Academy n Gering, Nebraska.

Shawn Seiler, assistant principal of Gering High School, told about the Colorado students and the eclipse events schedule that they will join in.

They called me three weeks ago and said We saw youre having school, wed like to join you in watching the eclipse,' Seiler said. They knew nothing of what were doing. They just said, Were coming up with a High Ability Learners group from Elizabeth, Colorado.

Seiler further explained the Colorado group was originally headed for Alliance. However, after considering traffic and other concerns they decided to remain a little closer to home.

So theyre going to come and do some of our activities with us, Seiler said. We were just finalizing our schedule of eclipse events for the whole morning.

Seiler also spoke of the activities planned for eclipse day.

When they come to school in first period, we talk about the history and myths of eclipses, he said. Well do some group activities and learning there, and we have a short video from National Geographic that were going to watch.

After first period, the students will all gather together where the two Gering science teachers will give a presentation. The teachers will cover the science of the eclipse, what to look for and eye protection.

Following the presentation, the students will collect data for a science project focusing on temperatures and shadow tracking.

Theyll do that for the next 45 minutes, which will take them to about 11:10, Seiler said. And then during that 11:15 to 12 oclock were going to feed them lunch.

Both the Gering and Colorado students will receive a BBQ lunch, which they will eat outside in the school stadium.

We just want them taking it in. Sitting with their glasses, with their friends, watching the eclipse take place, Seiler said.

Seiler continued: That will be until like 12:10 and after that were going to play games for the next hour, until all the phases are out at about 1:12 when the eclipse is over.

Not only will the Colorado students participate in Gerings plans, but they will also be shooting their own video.

Theyre going to be doing a video, they have drones and some cameras, Seiler said. They have a camera crew and theyre going to be doing a whole video catch of the whole day theyre here. So thatll be fun.

Seiler made a point of reviewing the plans for the students to be outside.

Our whole event starts at 8:10 in the morning and goes all the way until 1:10, Seiler said. So we want to be outside for a large portion of that time, just to take it in.

The eclipse is opening up a door for Gering to participate in co-learning environments with other schools.

Seiler said I think its always great to connect with other schools. And promoting anything learning-wise across the states and districts is always good.

Seiler said he enjoys collaborating with other schools and looks forward to doing so with the group from Elizabeth, Colorado.
On Tuesday, Scotts Bluff County Judge Leo Dobrovolny sentenced John Sinks to three years in prison, with credit for 117 days already served, on two counts of second-degree domestic assault, a Class IIIA felony. He was also sentenced to a term of 36 months of post release supervision.

Charges against Sink stem from an April 2017 arrest. Gering Police had been called to Regional West Medical Center where Sinks wife was being treated, suffering a 3-inch laceration to her head. She told authorities that her husband had struck her with a wooden spatula and a wooden piece from a childs bed, leaving bruises on her upper right arm. The woman also alleged that Sinks had struck her with his fists, leaving bruises on her back, and struck her in the head with several plastic bottles, bound together, and a baby bottle.
After meeting party members, Uddhav said that his party is preparing for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: While announcing region wise key responsibilities to top party leaders Shiv Sena Party president Uddhav Thackeray today said that his party is ready to face any election.

Uddhav had met to party leaders at the party headquarters - Shiv Sena Bhawan in Mumbai. After the meeting Uddhav said that his party is preparing for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls.

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The party announced that Diwakr Raote will be in-charge for Vidharbha, Ramdas Kadam for Marathawada, Gajanan Kirtikar for Western Maharashtra, Subhash Desai for Konkan while Sanjay Raut will be in-charge for northern Maharashtra.

"Whenever the elections take place, we are ready to take anyone heads on," Uddhav told media persons after the meeting.

On being reminded that the NDA constituents had decided to fight the 2019 elections under the leadership of Narendra Mod in a meeting in Delh, Uddhav said, "But we have not started any talks on mission 360+, NDA allies should think over it."

Uddhav also added that he did not consider anyone his enemy.

The Shiv Sena president also demanded transparency in farmer loan waiver. "We want a complete list of all 89 lakh farmers with name and addresses who will benefit from loan waiver. List should be presented in the assembly," he demanded.

Uddhav also targeted Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar over his alleged remarks of returning as Defence Minister if he loses Panaji by polls.

"The Chief Minister of Maharashtra says that there will be anarchy if they announce complete loan waiver. But I feel if people like Parrikar go back as Defence Minister there will be anarchy," Uddhav said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar lashed out at Shiv Sena president over his election speech in Mira Bhayander.

"Uddhav's speech is a case of hipocrisy. They lost in Mumbai and Ulhasnagar and it will be repeated in Mira Bhayander. Have they forgotten that they scored a duck in Panvel Municipal polls," said Shelar.

Also Read:

'Defence Ministry post cheap?' Shiv Sena slams Manohar Parrikar's remark

Uddhav Thackeray slams Modi govt, says Achchhe Din is seen only in official advertisements

Kanhaiya wrongly labeled anti-national, says Uddhav Thackeray

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Nobility of an agencys mission is no justification for a lack of transparency. The NU Board of Regents have defended their practice of not specifically accounting for the universitys use of state taxpayer dollars. Unlike the Regents, I have not spent decades in public office; I am currently in my third year as a member of Nebraskas citizen Legislature and member of the Appropriations Committee. It is precisely my experience as a citizen and a taxpayer that compels me to ask a question which seem so common sense: how are the public dollars of the third largest expense in the state General Fund spent? Because I am not desensitized to the act of spending millions of dollars of other peoples money, I believe accountability requires knowing with confidence which programs receive state funds and in what amount.

It is the perspective from my 900 square foot farmhouse in rural Heartwell, Nebraska--not a large law firm or corporate office--which informs the questions I ask as a member of the Nebraska Legislature. Greater than half billion dollars are invested in the University annually by Nebraskans, representing over $300 for every man, woman, and child in the state. For a Nebraska family of four, that totals $1200 every year they do not get to choose how to spend. This is money earned by Nebraskans that they do not get to use for child care, vacations, retirement investment, and home upgrades. They have a right to know how those dollars taken from their household budget are spent. Minimizing the publics right to know as about paper clips and rolls of toilet paper disrespects the generous commitment every Nebraskan, regardless of economic status, has made in the people, infrastructure, and tradition of the University of Nebraska.

Lawmakers should focus on the big picture. However, from a distance it can be easy to forget the policy picture is more like a mosaic or a Monet. Made up of individual pixels, each represents a taxpayer and a family. I encourage all taxpayers to access the University budget documents and inspect them. The thousands of pages do not provide a clear line of sight for taxpayers and lawmakers between their investment and its return. The Nebraskans who pay those bills are lost in the cacophony of commingled general funds.

It is ironic that I was taught partial budgeting by University of Nebraska faculty member Dr. Gary Rupp, yet the process of accounting for tax dollars is characterized as burdensome by the Regents. Federal grant dollars received by the University are not commingled and are accounted for separately. Donors would hope their restricted funds are not dumped into an indiscernible pool, but rather are invested correctly in the initiatives to which they were intended. Accounting practices are common that segregate income streams. Every non profit that has ever received state and federal funds tracks those dollars to their point of use. Any farmer who has rented ground on shares from a landlord has separately accounted for crop inputs. Principles of good business management use partial budgeting to track the impacts of different enterprises in a business to analyze productivity and efficiently invest revenue. Keeping track of half a billion taxpayer dollars should never be characterized as red tape. It is good, accountable government.

I completely agree with the questions posed by the NU Regents, as they are the very questions I have been asking: What activities should be funded by the state and what shouldnt the state support? What are the best opportunities to use valuable taxpayer dollars to grow Nebraskas economy and quality of life? What do we want the future of our state to look like? None of these questions can be answered without clear data as to how state funds are used. As I was taught by Dr. Rupp, you cannot manage what you do not measure. Without specific information about how state tax dollars are used, we cannot ensure the most value from our public investment. We are simply throwing money into a pot and hoping it has the intended result.

I have been overwhelmed by Nebraskans from across the state who share my concern. Like I, they support the University of Nebraska and its mission. Nevertheless, the authority to spend public dollars comes with the responsibility to provide a full, accurate, and transparent accounting of their use.
An inmate at the Iredell County Detention Center made a crude weapon by sharpening a toothbrush, deputies say.

The same inmate was charged with attacking two deputies last month, sending one to the hospital.

Isiaka Adewale Babalola, 30, was charged with felony possession of a weapon by a prisoner on Sunday.

At around 1 a.m. that day, Babalola clogged his toilet in his cell, causing it to overflow into the hall, Chief Deputy Bert Connolly said. Babalola was kept in an isolation cell and was removed from the cell while deputies cleaned it.

When searching the cell, deputies found the toothbrush, which was attached to a pencil with food wrappers, Connolly said. He said the shank was sharp enough to have caused a serious injury.

The incident happened almost a month after Babalola was charged with assaulting two deputies.

On July 17, while deputies escorted Babalola back to his cell from his first court appearance, Babalola struck a deputy in the chest with his arm, Connolly said. As officers attempted to restrain him, he resisted, and other deputies arrived to assist.

During the struggle, Babalola fell on top of Cpl. Matthew Osborne, Connolly said, and Osbornes head smashed into the concrete floor. He was treated for a head injury.

Babalola was charged with two counts of assault on a government officer and resisting a public officer.

He is currently in the jail on a combined $95,000 secured bond.

Babalola, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, has been in the Iredell County Jail since June 11. He was originally charged with 10 counts of identity theft, four counts of possession of a counterfeit instrument or currency check, two counts of possessing or manufacturing fraudulent identifications, possession of marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.
Romania's President Klaus Iohannis has sent a condolence message to King Felipe VI of Spain following terrorist attacks in Spain on Thursday, underlining that the move to set up an international court against terrorism must be pursued with more determination. "In these moments of trials, I want to express the full solidarity of Romania and the Romanian people with the Kingdom of Spain and its entire people. This despicable act shows that the joint approach of Romania and Spain to establish an international court against terrorism must be followed with even more determination ," reads Iohannis' message delivered on Friday by the Presidential Administration.

The head of state also conveys sincere condolences to the families of the victims and hopes for speedy recovery of the injured. The Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) has informed that three Romanian citizens are among the people injured in the Barcelona terrorist attack.

Agerpres.
By PTI: By Aditi Khanna

London, Aug 18 (PTI) The UK stands with Spain following the "appalling" twin terror attacks in which at least 14 people were killed and 80 others injured, British Prime Minister Theresa May said today.

A van ran into a crowd of pedestrians walking through Barcelonas famed Las Ramblas area yesterday, killing at least 13 people and wounding many others, including some British nationals.

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Police later shot dead five suspects after a second vehicle attack in the coastal town of Cambrils, around 130- kilometre from Barcelona.

Officials in Barcelona said today the death toll in the attack in the heart of the city has gone up to 14.

"The UK stands with Spain against terror. I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today. The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support," May said.

"Following the attacks in Manchester and London, Spain stood alongside the British people. Tonight, Britain stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism," she said in a statement.

The Spanish flag and the UKs Union Jack are flying at half-mast at Downing Street in London and other government buildings in the UK.

The UK Foreign Office has said that a "small number" of British nationals were injured in the attacks in Spain.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible attacks and the people of Spain," a spokesperson said.

"We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help. We have deployed additional staff to Barcelona and have offered support to the Spanish authorities," the spokesperson said.

The Foreign Office has also issued advised British tourists in Spain to take care and follow the advice of local security authorities.

"Concerned and saddened by #Barcelona attack. Our thoughts are with those affected. Doing all we can to identify whether Brits need help," UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson said on Twitter.

"Terrible reports from Barcelona. My thoughts are with those killed and injured, and the emergency services working to save lives," Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted.

"London stands with Barcelona against the evil of terrorism," said London mayor Sadiq Khan in his message.

Spanish investigators believe a 12-strong terror cell is behind the two attacks, which was originally planning a deadlier attack involving gas canisters.

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They are working on the theory that the attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona are linked to a gas explosion at a house in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday that killed one person. PTI AK MRJ AKJ MRJ

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AWARDS

Tucker Ellis LLP was selected to receive the Defense Research Institutes Law Firm Diversity Award for 2017.

EXPANDING

Varsity Tutors is expanding its sales and customer support team and footprint in the Phoenix area, relocating from its current Scottsdale location to Tempe. The new location will serve as a national sales and customer support center.

HELPING OUT

First Bank branches in Missouri and Illinois collected 3,703 food items and $1,582 in cash donations in July for Operation Food Search.

The St. Louis Regional Business Council announced a $150,000 commitment to support the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Save Our Sons Program.

Premier Prosthetics LLC teamed up with the Challenged Athletes Foundation to donate a specialized running prosthesis to 21-year-old athlete Brook Schuessler.

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli PC merged with Brigham Firm LLC. Chad Brigham joined Goldenberg Hellers office in Edwardsville.

MTM bought Reveal, a routing, scheduling and dispatching technology platform.

OPENINGS

The Sweet Divine reopened after a fire last year:

 1801 South Ninth Street, St. Louis

Emmy-nominated makeup artist Jeff Lewis opened a makeup store and school called the Makeup Department and Academy:

 1043 Century Drive, Edwardsville

MORE BUSINESS

FleishmanHillard was selected to support Build-A-Bear Workshop during its 20th birthday year.

PARTNERSHIPS

Midland Commerce Insurance joined Valley Insurance Agency Alliance.

PROJECTS

Impact Strategies and several subcontractors are donating time and material to a $100,000 renovation at Kinder Park in Fairmont City. The subcontractors include: Architectural Sheet Metal, United Ironworkers, Lowry Electric, American Exterior-Interior Services Inc., Gillihan Concrete, PM Leach Painting, Ox2 Engineers, Clinton Seamless Guttering, Rehkemper & Son, Braddock Architectural Services LLC, and Hackmann Lumber.

RECOGNITION

Drury Hotels was recognized for the 12th straight year as Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Upper Midscale Hotel Chains in J.D. Powers 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study.
The St. Louis Regional Chamber is partnering with local venture capital firms and banks to offer $5 million in seed capital for startups to spur economic development.

Joe Reagan, the chambers president and CEO, announced the new Spirit of St. Louis Fund I at the chambers annual event Thursday night at Chaifetz Arena.

Reagan said entrepreneurs often faced a gap in resources that the seed capital will seek to fill. Theres money available for accelerators and funding for companies heading to market, but capital is lacking for early-stage businesses, according to the funds backers.

It became clear there is an emerging gap in the startup funding continuum, Reagan said.

The chamber has committed more than $1 million to venture funds and accelerators since 2013. Past investments have gone to accelerators including SixThirty, Prosper Women Entrepreneurs and Stadia Ventures.

The chambers $500,000 investment in Spirit of St. Louis Fund I is its first foray into seed round financing, said the chambers vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation Andrew Smith. Its our largest investment into entrepreneurship, Smith said, adding that funding would go toward businesses in the post early seed and pre-series A phase.

The chamber is partnering with Cultivation Capital, Twain Financial Partners and local banks on the Spirit of St. Louis fund. Cultivation Capital, which is based downtown, is the managing partner.

The hope is to fund 25 to 30 businesses over the next couple of years to allow them to hire employees, get products, and hopefully some of them will go on to larger funding rounds, said Twain Managing Director Matt Badler. Its really to get them to the next phase.

Cliff Holekamp, general partner and co-founder of Cultivation Capital, said the new fund will begin investing in companies in a few months. Holekamp said he expects to see demand for funding from software developers in the financial and agricultural industries.

Theyre going to be the big companies of the future, Holekamp said.
Given the Trump administration's pro-India bent, India may emerge as an instrumental player in Afghanistan with US policy change.

Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wish India on its Independence Day while he didn't extend the courtesy to Pakistan. (PTI Photo)

By Santosh Chaubey: According to the White House, US President Donald Trump is holding his much awaited South Asia strategy review focused on Afghanistan today at his country retreat Camp David in Maryland. In attendance will be US Vice-President Mike Pence, US National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and the US National Security Team.

The inter agency exercise aimed at redrawing US' Afghanistan strategy includes inputs from the US State and Defence departments. An earlier plan by US Defence Secretary James Mattis and H.R. McMaster to increase the number of US troops in Afghanistan was rejected by Trump.

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The plan sought to send around 5000 more US troops to the South Asian nation. The US has currently 9000 troops stationed in Afghanistan in its longest war in history that began in 2001. Reportedly, Trump has conveyed to his lieutenants that the US is not winning in Afghanistan and he might go for a radical revamp of the US policy there.

THE AIM OF THE INTER AGENCY EXERCISE

The exercise is also aimed at incorporating regional perspective to the whole Afghan issue. To explore the possibilities, the Trump administration had sent its top diplomat Alice Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs and Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, earlier this month to India and Pakistan.

India also hosted other senior US State Department, Pentagon and US Security Council officials including Lisa Curtis and Cara Abercrombie during an event organized the MEA and a think tank.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S PRO-INDIA BENT

Given the Trump administration's pro-India bent, India may emerge as an instrumental player in Afghanistan with US policy change and it happens so, it will certainly be a humiliating setback for Pakistan which sees India's increasing influence in Afghanistan inimical to its interests and has linked peace efforts in Kabul to Kashmir something that India has completely ruled out. What also goes against Pakistan is the fact that it doesn't hold good relations with Afghanistan's ruling establishment and is fast losing its credibility in Washington as well.

That India is on the US radar become clear from the fact that the all powerful US Senate Armed Services Committee has strongly advocated for a strong Indian role in Afghanistan. "The committee believes that the US needs to recommit to the fight in Afghanistan and that India, as a major defence partner of the US and a contributor to regional security, has a critical role to play in this effort", the committee report last month.

Also, the review meeting is going to be held in the backdrop of pro India and anti Pakistan developments in the US. Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to wish India on its Independence Day while he didn't extend the courtesy to Pakistan, its so-called ally in the war on terror.

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SALAHUDDIN A GLOBAL TERRORIST, HIZBUL A TERRORIST OUTFIT

Then the US first termed Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist in June and then declared his ISI supported organization Hizbul Mujahideen a terrorist outfit. Pakistani propaganda calls them freedom fighters and has termed the US action completely unjustified. Before it, the US pressure had forced Pakistan to house arrest Hafiz Saeed in January this year. And to compound Pakistan's problems, its latest Country Report on Terrorism has called Pakistan a haven for India-centric terrorists.

Also, the US has made a part of its military assistance to Pakistan conditional to its handling of Afghan terror groups including the Haqqani Faction and it withheld the amount for this year and the last year, over $600 million, as Pakistan could not convince the US of its action against the Haqqani Faction.

INDIA, A TRUSTED FRIEND OF AFGHANISTAN

India has been a trusted friend of Afghanistan for decades and shares cultural ties with it. The Pentagon defines India as Afghanistan's most reliable regional partner.

India has played an important role in Afghanistan's reconstruction in post Taliban era spending around $2 Billion since 2002 on development projects including its parliament building and committed another $1 Billion last year. The Indian aid basically has been in infrastructure development, health services and military equipments like bullet proof jackets and convoy vehicles. But breaking the tradition of not giving lethal military equipments in aid, it gave Afghanistan four attack helicopters last year and is also training its soldiers.

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Also Read:

After Modi-Trump talk, US declares Hizbul Mujahideen as foreign terrorist organisation

Saudi visit: Trump to discuss extremism in Afghanistan, Pakistan with Muslim leaders

Also Watch:

Mother of All Bombs dropped to deny operative space to ISIS: US

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K Ferrara Color

Designer  Kathy Ferrara

Age  52

Home  Frontenac

Family  Daughters Alexandra, 29, and Natalie, 27 and son Giovanni, 25; pets: one dog and five chickens

What she sells  A collection of 12 curated nail polishes that are vegan and cruelty-free, as well as free of five common ingredients identified as potentially harmful. Her polish line does not contain toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor and dibutyl palate. They are $22 each or $240 for the entire collection, kferraracolor.com.

After more than 25 years working as a model and actor in front of the camera, as well as behind the scenes as a producer at commercial video and fashion photography shoots, Kathy Ferrara has an eye for styling. When she was inspired to launch her own business, she knew she wanted to do something in the beauty category, but she didnt just want to just provide another choice; she wanted to provide a solution. In this case, she introduced a line of polishes that are formulated with less harmful ingredients and in a range of cant go wrong colors that she has manufactured in Los Angeles. She officially launched the business June 1, so its still a family affair with dad running down to the basement to carefully package orders in sleek black boxes nestled in white and silver crinkle paper and foil so that it feels special.

Nailed it  I know what its like to go into a salon and go to the wall of colors. Its overwhelming, Ferrara said. There are a million nudes and reds, but in this line for a more sophisticated woman, you could pick any of these and feel confident that you made the right choice. Her full curated collection is called Everything You Need. She says shell add some shades, but she never wants to overwhelm customers with options.

Practice, practice  Im always in polish 24/7, especially now with the brand, and so I do my own because they always have to be perfect so I change it at least once a week, Ferrara said. She said that the act of polishing calms and relaxes her, but she does understand that some people get stressed out about mistakes and the fine motor skills required to polish both hands. Its all about the practice, Ferrara said. I love it and usually take the time while Im sitting and watching a movie. But if all else fails, you can just pack your polish and head to a manicurist.
ST. LOUIS  Prosecutors dropped eight felony sex assault charges and one misdemeanor assault count against a former civilian employee of the police department on Friday, ten days before the case was set to go to trial.

That ex-employee, Michael Cornell, 31, of the 1500 block of Sells Avenue, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of impersonating a police officer and received one year of probation Friday.

The case against Cornell fell apart because his accuser, after a stint in federal prison, was charged with murder in an unrelated homicide earlier this year, according to Cornells attorney, Terence Niehoff.

I think (prosecutors) finally realized that their only witness to all of those felony offenses was completely unreliable, Niehoff said.

Cornell was indicted by a grand jury in July 2014. Authorities accused him of regularly pretending to be a police officer, grooming the alleged victim, who was 14 when they met, and then dominating his life by threatening harm and abusing him so he couldnt leave. The accuser is now 23.

Cornell was hired in 2008 into a unit that fingerprints and processes suspects into jail. He was suspended from the police force in 2014 without pay and later terminated.

The case against Cornell was set for trial Aug. 28 and has been transferred among at least six prosecutors, five of whom have left the office.

I think that all the (prosecutors) that had the case knew it was a bad case and, quite frankly, were hoping to kick it down the road, Niehoff said.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office said it was prepared to go to trial. Unfortunately, the victim refuses to assist, which is not uncommon in sexual assault victim cases, spokeswoman Susan Ryan said. If anyone has any information about other potential victims of this defendant, we encourage you to contact the police or our office.

On Friday, Cornell pleaded to a charge of impersonating a police officer in October 2013. The charges said he went to a downtown hotel where his would-be accuser worked and told his human resources director that he would have federal agents swarming the hotel if she refused to release his personnel records.

Editor's Note: Judge Joan Moriarty expunged the charges against Cornell on Dec. 1, 2021, deleting them from the public record.
By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Aug 18 (PTI) The US has approved USD 500- million aid to Nepal to boost the countrys transport and power sectors, including a second cross-border electricity transmission line with India.

The USD 500 million will be provided by the US governments Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a foreign aid agency set up by the US Congress in 2004. It is independent from the State Department and the USAID.

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The Nepal government has committed to contribute an additional USD 130 million, the US embassy said in a statement.

The compact - MCCs larger grant programme - includes two projects.

The electricity transmission project is designed to expand Nepals power sector, which includes a second cross- border transmission line to facilitate electricity trade with India.

The other project is designed to improve the road maintenance regime in Nepal.

The compact is likely to be signed by both governments in September.

"I am pleased to announce the Millennium Challenge Corporation Board of Directors approval of the Nepal Compact," said its acting CEO Jonathan Nash.

"This compact with Nepal focuses on the power and transportation sectors to improve regional connectivity, spur private investment, drive growth, and reduce poverty," Nash said. PTI SBP ABH AKJ ABH

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FULTON, Mo.  Benjamin Akande resigned as president of Westminster College Friday, according to the university.

Akande became the 21st president of the liberal-arts college in Fulton in 2015 as the first African-American to hold the role.

The college said he is stepping down to pursue other interests in higher education and the private sector, according to a statement.

Senior Vice President Carolyn Perry will assume the duties of president until college leadership can find a replacement, the announcement said.

Before heading Westminster, Akande, a Nigerian-born American citizen, served as an economics professor and dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology at Webster University. He also led Websters global Office of Corporate Partnerships.
Gerard M. Slay, the older brother of former St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay, died Wednesday from pneumonia, according to family members. He was 63.

His illness was exacerbated by other health issues that led him to retire from his role as senior deputy director at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, where he held a variety of positions over more than 30 years.

Long before that, Gerard Slay was a protector for his younger siblings, said Francis Slay.

He didnt want anyone messing with me. I always looked up to him, Slay said.

The oldest child of eleven, Gerard Slays family has long been influential in Democratic politics in St. Louis. But Mr. Slay was not a politician, his brother said, describing him as a devoted public servant and an intelligent, serious family man who adored his wife and whose eyes lit up when he talked about his grandchildren.

Mr. Slay spent eight years as a stationary engineer for the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District before becoming a building maintenance manager for the citys airport in 1984. He rose through the ranks to eventually become deputy director in 2000 and senior deputy director in 2007, a position he held until his departure in 2016.

He was a dedicated manager and deputy director during a great period of growth and success for the Airport, said Jeff Lea, the airports public information manager, in a statement. We send our condolences to the entire Slay family.

While serving as deputy director, Slay was the operational point of contact during the airports $1 billion runway expansion.

The citys former mayor also recalled how his brother helped get Lambert up and running after the Sept. 11 terroist attacks on the United States, which threw the countrys airports into chaos.

Lamberts then-director, Col. Leonard Griggs, had been stuck in Toronto, so it fell to Gerard Slay to ensure the airport met federal requirements to resume operations and communicate with local media and the public as to what was going on.

Seeing his big brother on television answering questions, I was thinking Boy, am I proud of him, said Francis Slay, who was mayor at the time.

He slept, ate and breathed the airport, Slay said. The airport and his family, that was his life.

Gerard Slay is survived by his wife, Barbara; his children, Nicholas , Benjamin, Kevin and Mary Slay; his grandchildren, Evelyn and Lillian; and nine siblings: Francis , Sharon Bourne, Brenda Penn, Raymond, Annie Bober, Leo , Maria Greenwell, Tom, and Monietta .

Visitation will be held Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Kutis City Chapel, 2906 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63118. The funeral is Saturday at 10 a.m. Mr. Slay will be buried at the Interment Resurrection Cemetery.
WASHINGTON  Attorney General Jeff Sessions Justice Department has ended a controversial Obama-era program that many Republicans, including Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, said was a cover for going after industries that former President Barack Obama didnt like.

Operation Choke Point was a DOJ and bank regulator program Obama aimed at payday lending and at banks and other third-party processors providing services to industries that may pose a risk to the institutions reputations. Democrats defended it as protecting consumers, Republicans portrayed it as a thinly veiled attempt to go after makers and sellers of firearms and ammunition, and other companies Obama didn't like.

Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, and several other members of the House, including Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, had written Sessions asking that the program be ended. Luetkemeyer said Friday he hoped that federal bank regulators would also end its actions related to Operation Choke Point.

Luetkemeyer, is sponsoring legislation, the Financial Institution Consumer Protection Act, that he said would prevent similar initiatives in future administrations. He chairs the Financial Services subcommittee on financial institutions and consumer credit.

After years of fighting against the Obama Administrations Operation Choke Point initiative, I applaud President Trumps Department of Justice for ending this ill-advised program, Luetkemeyer said.

An assistant attorney general in the Obama Justice Department told the House Financial Services Committee in 2014 that we are investigating specific, unlawful conduct based on evidence... and not entire industries.

But a report by Republicans on the committee found an FDIC-compiled list of "high-risk" industries that produce "questionable or fraudulent goods and services." The list included everything from pornography to Ponzi schemes, but it also included industries such as "firearms sales" and "ammunition sales" that raised red flags among conservatives.

This is the latest in a series of aggressive Trump administration and Republican congressional actions to peel back regulations - in finance, the enviroment and other areas - that have occurred over President Donald Trump's first seven months in office.
With five written words Thursday morning, one of Missouris most controversial state lawmakers spawned a U.S. Secret Service investigation, potentially endangered her own political career  and flung St. Louis squarely into the middle of Americas raging racial-political debate in the wake of the unrest in Charlottesville, Va.

I hope Trump is assassinated! Missouri state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, wrote during a morning Facebook exchange, referring to Republican President Donald Trump.

She quickly deleted her post, but not quickly enough. By midafternoon, the political verdicts of her own party were rolling in:

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.: I condemn it. Its outrageous. And she should resign.

U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis: (C)alling for the assassination of the President is a federal crime.  (She is) an embarrassment to our state. She should resign immediately.

Missouri Democratic Party Chair Stephen Webber: The  Party will absolutely not tolerate calls for the assassination of the President. I believe she should resign.

Missouri Senate Democratic Caucus leader Sen. Gina Walsh: (She) should be ashamed of herself for adding her voice to this toxic environment.

Republican Gov. Eric Greitens said in a statement: We can have differences in our country, but no one should encourage political violence. The senator should resign.

Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, and state Auditor Nicole Galloway, a Democrat, also called for Chappelle-Nadals resignation.

In an interview, Chappelle-Nadal acknowledged she wrote the offending line on her personal Facebook page in response to another commenter before deleting it.

I didnt mean what I put up. Absolutely not. I was very frustrated. Things have got to change, Chappelle-Nadal told the Post-Dispatch. It was in response to the concerns that I am hearing from residents of St. Louis. I have deleted it, and it should have been deleted, but there is something way more important that we should be talking about.

She added later: I am not resigning  What I said was wrong, but I am not going to stop talking about what led to that, which is the frustration and anger that many people across America are feeling right now.

Chappelle-Nadal said her comment stemmed from frustration over the events in Charlottesville over the weekend, in which a white supremacist protester allegedly rammed his car into a group of counterprotesters, killing a 32-year-old woman.

Trumps reaction to the tragedy, which included the assertion that both sides of the protests were to blame for the violence, has drawn criticism across the political spectrum.

There are people who are afraid of white supremacists in the aftermath of Charlottesville, she said. There are people who are having nightmares. There are people who are afraid of going out in the streets. Its worse than even Ferguson.

According to a screenshot of the now-deleted conversation obtained by the Post-Dispatch, another commenter named Christopher Gagne was writing about a cousin of his who he said was on Trumps Secret Service detail.

But, what I posted earlier, I truly believe will happen, sooner  not later, he wrote.

In a subsequent interview with the Post-Dispatch, Gagne said that wasnt a reference to assassination, but to his earlier-stated belief that Vice President Mike Pence will use the 25th Amendment of the Constitution to have Trump removed from office.

Damn, Gagne then wrote, now Ill probably get a visit from the Secret Service. He followed that comment with smdh, an abbreviation for shaking my damn head.

Chappelle-Nadal responded: No. I will. I hope Trump is assassinated!

The U.S. Secret Services St. Louis field office is looking into this, the office confirmed Thursday.

Kristina Schmidt, special agent in charge, told the Post-Dispatch that hypothetically in such investigations, agents try to determine intent, to determine if there was a violation of federal law. If there is, then we refer it to the U.S. attorney.

Our primary goal is to determine if there is intent and meaning behind it, Schmidt said.

Richard Callahan, former U.S. attorney in St. Louis, said that generally in cases involving such threats, we try to distinguish between stupid and (actual) intent. He said the bottom line is the question of whether the person was serious about making the threatened action happen.

Another factor, he said, is whether its a person of influence. You look at the persons station in life, whether they might have influence over others.

In addition to partywide condemnation of Chappelle-Nadals post, state Rep. Joshua Peters, D-St. Louis, issued a formal request Thursday to the Missouri Senate committee that deals with member ethics asking for Chappelle-Nadals removal from office, calling her an embarrassment nationally for the Missouri General Assembly.

The furious responses from Chappelle-Nadals own party might at least partly reflect her history of internal political strife as an outspoken critic of people on both sides of the aisle.

First elected to the House in 2004, she served three terms before winning a four-way primary for the Senates 14th District in 2010.

In January 2015, she filed a proposal in the Senate seeking the ouster of former Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, for his actions in relation to the August 2014 death of a black teenager in Ferguson by a white police officer. In her proposal, she said Nixon seems only to acknowledge the existence of the African-American community on or about election day.

The measure went nowhere. But her attacks on Nixon never dimmed. In a tweet at the time of the protests in Ferguson, Chappelle-Nadal wrote: You dont know s*** because you never communicate. F* you, governor!

Shes also tried to exert political payback against her foes. She spent nearly $20,000 on negative ads against Rep. Joe Adams, whom she had defeated in her race for the Senate five years previously.

She got into a fight with Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, at a Lil Wayne concert at Scottrade Center in 2011 over legislation regarding local control of the city police department.

Last year, she unsuccessfully challenged Clay, the St. Louis-based congressman, in the Democratic primary.

During the most recent legislative session, Chappelle-Nadal focused her efforts on a controversial buyout program for homeowners in the Spanish Village neighborhood of Bridgeton who have been impacted by pollution in the nearby Westlake Landfill.

Initially, she wanted her colleagues to approve a $12 million program and threatened to shut down the Senate with a filibuster if it didnt move forward. She backed off when the Senate endorsed a $1 million pilot program. But the House didnt agree and she left the Capitol in May with nothing.

Kurt Erickson and Joe Holleman of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
JEFFERSON CITY  Missouri labor unions moved to block the states new right to work law from going into effect, submitting on Friday more than 300,000 signatures calling for voters to weigh in on the measure.

In a blow to Gov. Eric Greitens and the Republican-controlled Legislature, the effort  pending a review of the petitions by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft  leaves the pro-business initiative in limbo until the November 2018 election.

Prior to submitting the 310,567 signatures  more than triple what is required  a coalition of unions held a boisterous rally in the Capitol rotunda to celebrate their success in circulation the petitions.

I think the people have spoken and they are not all union people. This is democracy in action, said Rep. Doug Beck, D-Affton, who is a union pipefitter.

Dennis Palmer, a union electrical contractor from Columbia, told the crowd that the object of the law is to lower wages.

In Missouri, middle class jobs are disappearing. Right to work would further diminish these middle class jobs, Palmer said.

Under the law approved in February, workers cannot be compelled, as a condition of employment, to join or to pay dues to a labor union. It was scheduled to go into effect Aug. 28.

The unions were able to stop the law from being implemented by using a special referendum provision in state law. It hasnt been used since 1982, but when it has been, voters have repealed laws 24 of the 26 times theyve been placed on the ballot since 1914.

Greitens, a political newcomer, has claimed the change as a signature achievement in his brief political career.

At a press briefing Thursday, before the petitions were submitted, Greitens said the right-to-work law has businesses taking notice that Missouri is open for business again.

The Missouri Republican Party claimed that thousands of people are trying to withdraw their signatures after being mislead about the petition they were signing.

Union bosses and Big Labor groups are being dishonest with Missourians about Right to Work, and as a result, we are seeing thousands of people rescind their signature from these anti-right to work petitions, party chairman Todd Graves said.

Both sides are expected to spend big dollars to convince voters to repeal the law or support it assuming that it is placed on the ballot in November 2018. A nonprofit formed to support Greitens has already contributed $100,000 to a political action committee that supports right to work.

Unions, too, are contributing five- and six-figure checks to the We Are Missouri coalition to support the repeal.

Working families have to remain vigilant in the fight to protect workers right to bargain collectively. Gov. Greitens should consider himself on notice when it comes to unions and protecting the middle class. The fight has only just begun, said Philip Gruber, general vice president of the Machinists Midwest territory.

The union represents 12,000 Missourians at factories including Boeing, Harley-Davidson and Honeywell.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Indias vegetable oil import is likely to rise by 5,00,000 tonnes during the current marketing year ending October to nearly 15 million tonnes on higher domestic demand and cheaper imports, an industry body said.

Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) Executive Director B V Mehta said the import of crude palm oil (CPO) could rise and shipments of refined palmolien fall by around 3,00,000 tonnes during August-October after recent hike in import duty.

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"We had earlier estimated that import of vegetable oils will fall in the 2016-17 marketing year (November-October). But now, we have revised our estimate and imports could increase by half a million tonnes," Mehta told PTI.

The country imported 14.4 million tonnes of vegetable oils (comprising edible oil and non-edible oil) in 2015-16.

He attributed the increase in imports to rising domestic consumption and cheaper imports.

Already, India has imported 11.38 million tonnes of vegetable oils during November-July, up 4 per cent from the corresponding period of the previous year.

On the impact of hike in import duty on palm oil, Mehta said: "We had estimated that total palm oil imports will be 8.5 million tonnes in 2016-17, of which 5.5 million will be crude and 3 million tonnes refined palmolein. Now after duty hike, we feel that imports of crude palm oil may rise and that of refined palmolein may fall by around 3,00,000 tonnes."

The Centre has raised import duty on crude palm oil to 15 per cent from 7.5 per cent, degummed soyabean oil to 17.5 per cent from 12.5 per cent and RBD palmolein to 25 per cent from 15 per cent to ensure that farmers get good price for oilseed crops and do not shift to other crops.

"Increase in duty difference between CPO and refined palmolein to 10 per cent from the earlier 7.5 per cent has provided some cushion to domestic processors," Mehta said.

During November-July period, SEA said that palm oil import increased to 67.41 lakh tonnes from 61.75 lakh tonnes during the year-ago period.

The share of palm oil products increased to 61 per cent from 57 per cent, thanks to larger import of RBD palmolein, while soft oils import reduced to 43.59 lakh tonnes from 46.12 lakh tonnes during the period under review. PTI MJH MKJ

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What was she thinking?

State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, embarrassed herself, her constituents and her party with a bone-headed posting on Facebook Thursday expressing her hope for the president's assassination. It chills us merely to write those words, as it should anyone. Did Chappelle-Nadal, a presumably thinking person, not feel the same chill before she clicked on the comment button?

How Chappelle-Nadal could have written something so vile, whether on a publicly available site or even in a personal email, is beyond comprehension. Her quick apology and removal of the posting were far from adequate to reverse the damage.

Her fellow Democrat, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, issued a justifiably terse and to-the-point statement: I condemn it. Its outrageous. And she should resign. Chappelle-Nadal left McCaskill no choice, given the tight race McCaskill faces next year to hold onto her Senate seat. Democrats in Missouri need all the help they can get. Chappelle-Nadal just made the job a lot harder.

Remedial driver's ed for carjackers

Want to foil carjackers? Your best chance could be with a stick shift or an electric hybrid vehicle. During the recent robbery of an Imos Pizza delivery man, the bad guys got the pizza but didnt get far in the drivers car.

The robbery became a driver's ed class for three robbers who stole the pizza at gunpoint, and then  baffled by the concept of a clutch  ordered the driver to show them how to start his car. They soon found that starting a standard transmission car isnt the same as driving one and abandoned the car about a mile later in the middle of the street.

In June, a Missouri mans three-day crime spree unraveled in Maplewood partly because he left hotel receipts in a Prius he tried to carjack but couldnt figure out how to drive.

Today only, were offering this marketing campaign idea for free to standard transmission car manufacturers.

Testing limits of democracy and the law

As Kansas' Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach, vice chairman of the presidents commission investigating election fraud, digs into his important fact-finding mission, he might want to look into one particularly suspicious vote cast last week in Missouri's Boone County. The person casting the ballot was Josh Hawley, a former resident of Boone County who officially moved his residence to Jefferson City after assuming the elective office of Missouri attorney general.

As attorney general, Hawley should be the first to acknowledge that ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law. So how could it be that he legally cast a vote in a place where he doesnt live anymore? State law requires the attorney general to reside in Jefferson City, which forced him to move from his Boone County residence about a 20-minute drive away.

Hawley cant have it both ways, as Missouri Democratic Party spokesman Meira Bernstein stated Tuesday. Hawley "is either lying to Missourians about where he lives or voting in a county in which he does not legally reside. Or, perhaps, hes secretly testing to see whether Kobachs commission might actually be bogus?

Prime minister or porn star?

President Donald Trumps White House staff has had few challenges lately, but lets give credit where credit is due: The staffs spelling has improved.

The New York Daily News running tally of White House typos and misspellings hasnt had an entry in almost a month, since the announcement of a trip to "West Virginina." The newspaper started the list back in January, when the staff was consistently spelling British Prime Minister Theresa Mays name as Teresa May.

The absence of the H wouldnt have been a big deal, except for the fact that Teresa May is a well-known British porn star. The Brits were not amused.

The brand white supremacists prefer

Its not like running a business isnt hard enough. Then one day you wake up and discover that a bunch of white supremacists, neo-Nazis and KKK members have held a torchlight march  and youre in the backyard torch business.

Mark Olivie, CEO of W.C. Bradley Co. of Columbus, Ga., said Monday that the firm was appalled and saddened to see that its Lamplight division's TIKI-brand outdoor torches were used in that Aug. 11 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.

Traditional KKK torches are made by wrapping cloth around a stick and soaking it kerosene. Modern white supremacists prefer to buy TIKI models for four bucks. Only their thinking is stuck in the past.

Standing on principle

On the Profiles in Courage front, Johnson & Johnson chief executive Alex Gorsky announced Tuesday amid the flap over the presidents mishandling of events in Charlottesville, Va., that he would not follow other CEOs who were resigning from Trumps manufacturing advisory council. On Wednesday, Trump tweeted that he was dissolving the council. Fifteen minutes later, Gorsky took a principled stand and resigned. That is, from a council that no longer existed.

Tested and approved

Cheers to the Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality and the city of St. Louis for settling a 2015 federal lawsuit over disputed promotional exams. The settlement filed Tuesday was designed to make sure future exams for captains and battalion chiefs do not discriminate on the basis of race, and that the exam process is transparent. One of the lawyers who filed the lawsuit called the settlement a major development and said every test in the past 25 years had resulted in a legal battle. Easing racial tension when and where possible in these turbulent times deserves a thumbs-up.
As we have since July 2006, each Friday well post our sampling of cigar news and other items of interest from the week. Below is our latest, which is the 543rd in the series.

1) Alec Bradley Cigar Co. is shipping Black Market Illicitan iteration of the Black Market lineto Tobacconists Association of America (TAA) retailers nationwide. According to a press release, Black Market Illicit (6 x 50) includes a robust Nicaraguan wrapper leaf and flavorful Honduran and Nicaraguan dual binders wrapped around fillers from small-yield farms in Nicaragua. Alan Rubin, owner of Alec Bradley, said, This is the first exclusive series cigar Alec Bradley has developed for TAA retailers since we introduced the Prensado Figurado in 2013. We like to describe this iteration of our number one-selling cigar as Black Market on steroids. Black Market Illicit is packaged in 22-count boxes and will be sold for $8.75 apiece. Each year, some of the industrys most revered manufacturers craft an exclusive cigar for TAA members, a group of about 80 retailers who pride themselves on their knowledge and professionalism and work together to develop best practices.

2) This week, so-called public health groups filed a reply brief in response to cigar plaintiff opposition to anti-tobacco group intervention into a lawsuit challenging the FDAs deeming rules implementing regulations over cigars. The anti-tobacco groups want to defend and continue the FDA regulations even if the Trump Administration decides to roll them back. As we noted when the groups first filed their motion, it can be viewed as a positive for those opposed to the FDA regulations, a prescient view given the FDAs actions soon after.

3) Inside the Industry: Drew Estate announced on Monday that, effective August 28, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) Canada will be its exclusive distribution partner for both domestic and duty-free premium cigar markets in Canada. Longueuil, Quebec-based STG Canada  a subsidiary of STG International which is also the parent company of General Cigar  replaces House of Horvath as Drew Estates Canadian distributor. We are excited about our partnership with STG Canada, and plan to build on the success that we have enjoyed in this tough market over the past few years, said Alex Goldman, vice president of international business development for Drew Estate.

4) From the Archives: If youve ever been tempted to save money and try a cheap, machine-rolled cigar in place of a premium stick, at least do so forewarned. Our review of a Dutch Masters Corona De Luxe might make you rethink the value of spending less.

5) Deal of the Week: StogieGuys.com recommends Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items (think fine bar accessories, shaving kits, wine, workout gear, coffee kits, and more) delivered for just $45. You can skip or purchase every month. Sign up here.

The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Alec Bradley
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Ecstatic Emily Hall has bagged an A* in English literature after spending years battling dyslexia.

The 18-year-old overcame her spelling and grammar gremlins to achieve success in her A-levels yesterday, also picking up an A in history, B in drama and an A* in an extended project.

And for Emily, A-level results day was an especially emotional one as she was in the final year group to graduate from Moorlands Sixth Form College before it closes. This autumn the Cheadle centre is due to be replaced by two separate school sixth forms, run by Painsley Catholic College and The Cheadle Academy.

Emily, from Weston Coyney, said: Its the end of an era. Ive loved this college. I know everybody here and can put a name to every face.

She was diagnosed with dyslexia when she was younger and received additional support.

During my A-level exams, I was allowed 25 per cent extra time, she added. I cant believe how well Ive done in English. I thought my spelling would be a real sticking point.

For her extended project, which was equivalent to an AS-level, Emily researched the thorny topic of university fees.

I found it interesting because Im planning to go to university and I wanted to see where my fees would be going. When I found out that 97 per cent of the funds go into teaching and other services they provide, it made me feel more comfortable about it.

Now Emily is set to take a degree in English literature at Warwick, where fees are 9,250-a-year.

Other students said they hoped they had done Moorlands Sixth Form College proud by achieving their A-levels this summer.

Callum Smith gained an A grade in product design and Bs in history and geography.

The 18-year-old, from Oakamoor, said: It feels very special being in the last year group. Coming here was one of the best decisions Ive ever made.

Hes now taking a gap year to carry out conservation work and marine biology before starting a degree in geography.

It may have been the final curtain in Cheadle, but it was the dawn of a new era in Burslem as the first ever A-level students at Haywood Sixth Form Academy collected their results.

Thirty per cent of students gained A* to Bs. And almost every student who took a vocational course got a distinction or distinction*.

Aron Bourne achieved a B in sociology and Cs in history and religious studies at Haywood. He will be moving on to do a history degree at Huddersfield University.

The 18-year-old, from Burslem, said: With the A-levels being new, as well as the sixth form being new, there was a lot of uncertainty.

But being in the first year group to get A-levels meant there were small class sizes, which was good. There were about 40 of us left from the first year.

Fellow Haywood student Katie Fone achieved As in A-level biology and chemistry and a B in product design.

The 18-year-old, from Burslem, said: It was really good to be able to shape the sixth form the way we wanted it. The hardest thing is leaving.

Katie is now planning to take a degree in biomedical science at Keele University.

Alex Broad will also be heading to Keele next month to study English. It follows his success at Newcastle College, where he picked up an A* in sociology and A grades in both French and English language and literature.

Eighteen-year-old Alex, from Newcastle, said: Im not sure what I want to do for a career yet, but Im thinking about heritage or tourism.

Keele University has been expanding its links with local schools and colleges and is now offering excellence scholarships to more than 50 students from across Staffordshire. They will be awarded to teenagers whove achieved at least three A grades at A-level this summer and will be worth 2,000 for each year of their degree.

Piper Everest is another of Newcastle Colleges high-flying students from the class of 2017. She achieved an A* in English literature and A grades in history and politics.

She will be continuing politics and history at the University of York.

The 18-year-old, from Basford, said: After the 2015 general election, I wanted to know more in order to be able to come to my own opinions. I find politics really interesting.

In the first year of the A-level course, we looked at British politics. And in the second year, it was about America.

In recent years, the succession of nail-biting elections at home and abroad have helped fuel a resurgence in politics at A-level. Universities say it is also beginning to filter through to young peoples degree choices.

Sandbach School student Will Bloor  who snapped up four A grades in his A-levels  will be heading to Durham University to study philosophy, politics and economics. Its the magic subject combination studied by many an aspiring MP and cabinet minister.

Overall, more than 20 per cent of all students A-level entries at Sandbach School were awarded As and A*s this summer.

For Josh Betteley, his A and three Bs were especially hard won. The teenager was involved in an horrific car accident just before Christmas and  with just a few months to go  doctors feared hed been unable to sit his A-level exams.

But Josh, who was an elite athlete before the accident, proved them wrong.

At Congleton High, 41 per cent of A-levels have been achieved at the A* to B range this year. And 21 per cent were As or above.

Star students included Sam Hodgson, Hannah Bosson, Isabella Statham and Holly Weatherby, who all gained a run of A* and A grades.

It was a record year for A-levels at South Cheshire College, which has just merged with West Cheshire College.

Lucy Smith, from Newcastle, gained two A*s and an A after studying French, German and history at the Crewe campus.

The 18-year-old said: Im so pleased with my results  and I cant believe Ive achieved my dream of studying at the University of Oxford.

She will be taking a degree in law with French.

There were celebrations all round for Sam Charles, from Wybunbury, whose 18th birthday coincided with A-level results day.

Sam, who achieved A*s in maths, further maths and physics at South Cheshire, said: It really has been an amazing two years. Ive thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

At Brine Leas School, in Nantwich, more than 50 per cent of students A-levels have been awarded A* to B grades. Notable successes included Ryan Kenyon, Fergal Madden and Miriam Karim, who each got at least three A*s.

In the Potteries, there were also schools and colleges celebrating improved results.

At Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, in Blurton, 57 per cent of A-levels were passed at the A* to C range. Principal Mark Stanyer said: They have worked incredibly hard and fully deserve these results.

Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College saw top grades soar too.

Miranda Colclough, below, picked up an A* in geography and As in English literature and media at A-level, along with a distinction* in BTEC interactive media.

The 18-year-old, from the Westlands, said: I enjoyed all my subjects. The media stuff was 50 per cent theory-based and 50 per cent practical. We got to do things like filming a music video for it.

She will be continuing the subject at Goldsmiths in London.

Mirandas English course at college was one of the brand new A-levels, which have seen a return to all the exams being taken after two years of study.

Students have also had to cover more content on the syllabus and, in many subjects, coursework has now been scrapped.

This year, the new-look A-levels were available in 13 subjects. But many students found themselves taking a mix of old and reformed courses. We had no idea what we were going to get as we had no past papers, added Miranda.

I felt I did better in the old A-levels, where you did AS-levels after a year. Having that cushion set me up. I already knew Id done half the course.

Jacob Nixon, who also studied at the sixth form college, took physics under the new system and gained an A*.

He also got A*s in maths and computer science, along with A grades in A-level further maths and Spanish and in AS-level additional maths.

The 18-year-old, from Stockton Brook, said: The main problem with the new A-levels was the lack of past papers.

But Jacob took his five A-levels in his stride.

It wasnt too bad doing so many. A lot of them were related as they were based on maths.

He will now be taking a degree in computer science at the University of Warwick.

At Biddulph High, Jack Briscoe also took a phenomenal five A-levels, with three maths-related and the other two in chemistry and physics. He chalked up three A*s and two As at A-level, with another A in AS-level geography.

Overall, 38 per cent of students grades at Biddulph were As and A*s this year. And 48 per cent were at B or above.

Elsewhere in the Moorlands, there was plenty to celebrate.

At Blythe Bridge High, star students included Alex Edwards and Bonnie Poole-Franklin, who both got a run of As and A*s.

Among the particularly strong subjects at Leek High was further maths, with vocational courses such as sport and IT also scoring high marks.

Dan Sheldon did better than expected with his A*s in biology and psychology, as well as a distinction* in IT.

He is now looking to trade up to a top university to do a degree in biomedical science.
A woman has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for poisoning coworkers' coffee.

By India Today Web Desk: A woman in Virginia, US, poisoned her coworkers' coffee with glass cleaner and dish soap.

Mayda Rivera Juarez, 33, has been sentenced to more than three years in prison. She pleaded guilty in February to adulteration of food with intent to injure.

Prosecutors say co-workers at JAS Forwarding Worldwide in Sterling began experiencing stomach pain and vomiting beginning in January 2016.

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In October, a victim began to suspect someone was tampering with the coffee.

Brainstorming was done and CCTV footage was soon checked by a supervisor. It was revealed that Mayda was mixing glass cleaner Windex into the coffee maker.

Authorities say Mayda was trying to make her boss sick.

She also admitted putting soap into the coffee machine and once directly into her boss's cup.

FYI || Brew-some: New research proves coffee can make you live longer ||

FYI || WATCH: Cafe Coffee Day staff slaps customer for finding cockroaches in their fridge ||

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For decades the great British pub was heralded as a hub for the community  before societys needs and wants changed and many venues crumbled.

But in recent times it would appear ale houses are back on the social calendar with The Sentinel reporting on a number of establishments which have undergone lavish refurbishments and attracted new owners to re-open them.

The resurgence represents a remarkable turn of fortunes with many predicting the smoking ban, which came into force 10 years ago, represented the final nail in the coffin.

It wasnt just smoking, but the cheap price of alcohol in supermarkets and more families subscribing to cable and satellite television, which led to many predicting a demise.

Numerous pubs across North Staffordshire have either undergone refurbishments or been re-opened and revamped following a period of closure including The Sneyd Arms in Abbey Hulton and the Quiet Woman in Leek. Meanwhile Cheadle's Master Potter and Alsager's Linley have been given the treatment of a fresh look.

Elsewhere and micro-pubs and bottle shops are also making a splash, such as BottleCraft, Otters tears, The Hopwater Cellar, Wellars, Beer Dock and Ten Green Bottles.

Local historian Mervyn Edwards has long bemoaned some venues falling victim to developers clearing them in favour of houses or shops. He said: On the whole I would say that things look like they are on the up and the future does look bright.

There have been pubs re-opening and a rise in micro-pubs in Newcastle and Hanley. I think that Leek is the pub capital of North Staffordshire

Leek has some of the best pubs and a circuit that offers a variety of options to people."

He said: Around 15 years ago there was a close battle between Hanley and Newcastle for who had the better pubs.

Now people who used to drink in Hanley are going to the circuit in Burslem and visit traditional pubs like the Leopard.

Others are going to Stoke. I went there recently on a Thursday and the pubs were busy which a really positive sign is.

The pub is that social place that people go to and despite the smoking ban and alcohol being available from supermarkets we are social creatures that need the pub.

Brewer Ian Bradford, who owns Stone-based Lymestone Brewery, has such faith in the industry hes overseen the opening of three venues Lymestone Vaults in Newcastle, The Borehole in Stone and The Quiet Woman in Leek.

He said: If you offer customers something they want then they are going to come the pub.

When we wanted to open our third pub we immediately thought of Leek and everything that was already going on there.

The Quiet Woman has had numerous guises over the last few years. We have shown that if you offer something that people want like a clean welcoming place with decent beer then theyll come out and socialise, pubs are a really important part of socialising.

Hanleys BottleShop has recently moved from Marsh Street to Piccadilly in Hanley. Chris Wilson, aged 31, of Penkhull, who is one of the owners, said: Pubs are brilliant and people come for that social aspect.

I think we are seeing a shift away from the drinking of the 2000s  people seeing how much they could drink for little cost.

People want that social aspect and would rather come to a place now that has good music in the background and have a couple of drinks and socialise with friends.

There was a phase where people were turning away from pubs especially after the smoking ban. To use the Sugarmill as an example they built the roof terrace as a response and then that became busy.

But I think now that people have just seen the ban as the norm and are okay with it.

Abbey Hultons Sneyd Arms was forced so shut following a fire in December last year. The Leek Road venue re-opened this month.

Malcolm Rhead, the pubs business manager, said: The pub is that place where you socialise and find out what is going on and how you can help.

I do think that when run properly pubs can work and do work.

People were waiting for this one to re-open. I think that the people of Abbey Hulton are happy that this is a pub and not a housing development.
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This week The Sentinel reported how a Congleton couple missed their flight and ended up having a boozy row in an airport.

Darren Stanway, aged 39, had been drinking in a taxi on the way to the airport and was charged with using threatening behaviour. He admitted the charge and was eventually fined 260 while his 34-year-old wife Nadia was given a 90 fixed penalty notice.

And figures show that this sort of behaviour is becoming increasingly common at our airports. A total of 387 people were arrested on suspicion of being drunk at an airport between February 2016 and February 2017  an increase from 255 the previous year.

But shoppers on the streets of Stoke-on-Trent seemed divided as to whether airports should be allowed to sell alcohol to people as they are about to embark onto their flight.

Peter Forrest-Moseley, of Stoke, quit drinking more than 30 years ago and thought airports should be completely banned from selling alcohol.

He said: I'm teetotal now but I used to be a drinker. I think drinking in the airport should be completely banned, at the moment it is one person's right over the public good.

In my opinion airports should be banned from selling alcohol."

But Georgina Hall, aged 29, of Kidsgrove, believes drinking alcohol before a holiday is fine and can even help some people if they get anxious about flying.

She said: I think it is okay to have a drink before flying but ought to be limited because it would make people safer. Some people like a drink before they fly and I know one of my friends has one to steady her nerves.

I do sometimes have a drink before going on a plane because I find it helps you get into holiday mode. The most I would have usually is one at the airport and maybe one during the flight.

It also depends on what kind of holiday you're going on. People are more likely to drink on a boozy girls' holiday or a stag do."

A report published by the House of Lords Licensing Act Select Committee found 'once [passengers] have gone through customs, control of the sale of alcohol seems to be relaxed'. Committee members believed local authorities should be able to monitor air-side sales.

Michael Farmer and Martin Mills, both from Burslem, said they drank before flights. But they believe people should 'know their limits' if they are boarding an aircraft.

Martin, aged 26, said: If someone is drunk enough to be making a scene in an airport then I don't know what they'd be like during the flight."

While Michael, aged 33, added: I don't think you should be allowed to board a plane when you are drunk. I have a drink in the airport but not too much. You just have to know your limits."

While Matt Foxley doesn't drink he has no issues with people that do, providing they manage to behave.

The 46-year-old, of Stafford, said: Because I don't drink it wouldn't make much difference to me if it was banned but it seems the behaviour of the few spoils it for the many.

Last time I was on a plane there were some rowdy people. If you tried getting on a plane and they thought you were drugged up you wouldn't be allowed on so I don't see why it's different for drink."
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Police have arrested three more men in connection with a hit-and-run collision which left a young mum and her one-year-old daughter with 'life-threatening' injuries.

Investigations have been ongoing since the incident, which occurred in Waterloo Road, Cobridge, on Tuesday evening.

One man, aged 26, from Stoke-on-Trent was arrested yesterday afternoon and remains in police custody.

Now officers have made further arrests, with two men located in Manchester last night and the third detained in Stoke-on-Trent this morning.

The men, aged 29, 32 and 33 respectively, are all being questioned by officers today.

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "The vehicle which officers believe was involved in the collision, a silver VW Jetta, was located on Wednesday and is currently undergoing forensic analysis.

"The 17-year-old girl and her daughter remain in Royal Stoke University Hospital and their conditions are described as stable.

"We would urge any witnesses or anyone with information that could assist with our investigation to call us on 101 quoting incident 780 of August 15."
By PTI: Amritsar, Aug 17 (PTI) A first-of-its-kind Partition Museum bringing alive memories of the Independence era in the form of photos, artefacts and documents was today inaugurated in this historic city - the transit point of the massive migration on both sides of the border in 1947.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh inaugurated the museum, a tribute to the sacrifices of thousands of people who lost their lives and homes in the partition, with a call for learning lessons from history to ensure that such an event is never repeated in any part of the world.

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"And without their past and knowing that past and understanding their past and learning from the past, no nation can move ahead," he said on the occasion.

Amarinder unveiled the plaque of the museum at a special commemoration ceremony which scripted the observation of August 17 as the Partition Remembrance Day.

The Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust (TAACHT), a NGO, whose chairperson is author, columnist Kishwar Desai, is behind setting up of the museum.

A minutes silence was observed after the ringing of a bell at the historic Town Hall, where the museum has been built. The chief minister dedicated the museum, developed in collaboration with the state government, to the nation.

Amarinder lauded the efforts of Lord Meghnad Desai, who is on the board of patrons of the museum, in giving shape to the museum, which "recreated a very sad chapter of our history."

The chief minister said while for the younger generation, those days of the partition had been reduced to statistics, those who went through it had many grim memories of those times. The museum, he said, would help the youngsters actually see and experience one of the greatest migrations in history.

He recalled his own memories of the partition, when, as a young boy of 5 years, he was coming home from his boarding school in Shimla in a train and had pushed the curtain aside to see bodies lying at one of the stations.

"It is a memory still etched in my mind," he added.

The chief minister also recalled the work done by his mother, Rajmata Mohinder Kaur, who passed away recently in Patiala, to help facilitate return of refugee girls back to their homes.

He recalled how her memory of those days was that many of the girls forcibly sent back home were happily settled in their new homes across the border and did not want to leave their children and families "but were forced to do so following an agreement by the governments of India and Pakistan in 1952."

Amarinder later walked around the museum in what he described as a memorable experience.

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The Punjab government, which has supported the construction of the museum, has already declared 17th of August as ?Partition Remembrance Day?.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Punjabs Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Archives and Museums minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu described the museum as the story of human resolve and resilience, as well as the indomitable human spirit.

The museum had revived history which was getting lost in the sands of time, he said.

The event was was marked by a poetry recital by noted poet and lyricist Gulzar, who launched his newly translated book, Footprints on Zero Line: Writings on the Partition, on the occasion.

The occasion was also marked by a series of events, including panel discussions with eminent experts such as Urvashi Butalia and poet Surjit Patar, a short play on partition by Kahaniwala, and Sufi music recital by the Hashmat Sultana sisters.

Addressing the gathering, Kishwar Desai thanked the state government led by Amarinder for its support to the development of the museum dedicated to the spirit and courage of the partition survivors. She also expressed her gratitude to those without whose donations the museum would not have become a reality.

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Advertising Guru Suhel Seth, who has the Gallery of Migration named after his parents, Padmashri V S Sahney (a Trustee of TAACHT), described it as a people?s museum.

A lock used to keep valuables safe during a journey and a wedding saree are among exhibits that will narrate the story of the largest human migration ever, at the museum.

The museum has a display of 5,000 plus items including documents and artifacts.

There is a Phulkari coat and a briefcase brought by a couple who were engaged before partition but got separated in the chaos. And then they found each other at a refugee camp in Amritsar and got married in 1948.

Another item on display is a lock, used by a refugee family, on a trunk containing valuables.

The museum is part of the newly inaugurated Heritage Street at Amritsar, which starts at the Golden Temple and ends at the Town Hall.

People have also contributed objects and documents to the Museum.

The museum brings together memorabilia in shape of photos, files, recorded memories, artefacts and documents related topartition built through contributions and donations from private and public sources.

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Built in the Town Hall building at Katra Ahluwalia near the Golden Temple complex, the museum is inspired by the stories of Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto, who belonged to Amritsar and whose family home in Gali Vakilan was among the 40 per ccent houses destroyed in the partition communal violence.

The museum has put together mementos and material of 1947 shared by various people and is a walk down memory lane, with its pictures, paintings and videos.

A hall of the freedom struggle plays piped songs of resistance from the two regions most active in the struggle and a poem by Amrita Pritam plays in the background.

A wall-hanging reads that 9,423 abducted women were recovered from India and sent to Pakistan between December 1947 and July 1948. 5,510 women abducted women recovered from Pakistan were sent to India.

Paper hangings of migratory birds leading the way and a Tree of Hope crafted from barbed wire by designer Neeraj Sahai stand out as a symbol of hope for the people of both India and Pakistan. PTI SUN VSD DV

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Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb says Pakistan highly values its relations with Iran and encourages cultural exchanges to bring people of both nations more closer.

She stated this while talking to the Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honardoostm in Islamabad.

They discussed various proposals to further strengthen bilateral relations by increasing cooperation particularly in the field of media, culture and Information.

Mehdi Honardoost said that Iran is ready to promote cultural ties with Pakistan for the benefit of the people of both countries.
The former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his sons have refused to appear before National Accountability Bureau (NAB) till the Supreme Court decide their review petition filed against the SC decision of July 28.

According to the details, Sharif family has decided not to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) until the top court decides the review petitions filed by former PM Nawaz Sharif against his disqualification.

Despite being summoned, deposed PM Nawaz Sharif and his sons Hussain and Hassan Nawaz did not appear before NAB investigators in Lahore on Friday for recording their statements.

The Sharif family through their counsel told the NAB today that Sharif family has already filed review petition before apex court against the SC decision of July 28, in which court ordered the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and directed the NAB to file references against Sharif family. The Counsel told NAB that Sharif Family will not appear until the review petitions get final word.

The NABs action, despite review petition, is completely unfair, unjust and one sided, Sharif counsel told NAB.

A seven-member NAB team reached Lahore from Rawalpindi to record the statements of Sharif and his sons. Besides, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Tariq Shafi were also summoned but they too did not show up.

The political adviser to the PM and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Asif Kirmani said Sharif and his sons had not received any notice from NAB.

The sources said the deposed PM would not be provided with any protocol while recording his statement before the NAB investigators.

NAB rules provide for recording statements of accused before filing any corruption reference against them.

The graft watchdog has sought complete details of the bank accounts of the Sharif family from the State Bank of Pakistan.

Besides, it has already written a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan seeking details of some seven companies Hajveri Holdings, CNG Pakistan, Spencer Distribution, HDS Securities, Gulf Insurance Company, Spenser Pharmacy, and Hajveri Hodarba Management Company  all owned by relatives of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Also on Thursday, the SC granted access to the confidential tenth volume of the JIT report to NAB investigators.

NAB has assigned and dedicated 14 officers to investigate the allegations and consequently file four separate references against Sharif family members in light of the SC judgement.

The four probe teams each comprise three officers  an investigation officer, a case officer, and a director. They will be under the direct supervision of the directors-general of NAB Rawalpindi and Lahore.

These teams will conduct inquiries and recommend whether or not corruption reference should be filed.

The National Accountability Ordinance provides that if an investigation officer deems it necessary in the light of the available material evidence, they can order the arrest of an accused at any stage of an investigation.
Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has advised ousted Nawaz Sharif to accept the Supreme Courts verdict.

Speaking to journalists informally here on Friday, Zardari questioned why Nawaz Sharif was not accepting the verdict announced by the apex court in Panama Papers case.

Why doesnt Nawaz Sharif accept the courts verdict? We had also accepted the courts decision and removed the prime minister and brought another one, he said.

Parliament is the only place for grand national dialogue, Zardari reminded Nawaz.

The former president said he has always stood by the political and democratic forces and made efforts to unite them.

Nawaz Sharif thinks if he is not around then the democratic process also ceases to exist, Zardari said, adding that such thinking was dangerous.

He recalled that he had wanted to visit the former premier to offer condolence on the demise of his brother, but Nawaz had refused to meet him in order to please the non-democratic forces.

Praising PPPs Aitzaz Ahsan, the former president said, Aitzaz Ahsan is my voice. Whatever he speaks, he speaks my words.

About Raza Rabbani, Zardari said he is an independent scholar and chairman senate.
The Qatari foreign minister on Thursday welcomed Saudi Arabia's decision to reopen the two countries' border to Muslim pilgrims  while lashing out at Riyadh's politicisation of religious freedoms.

Regardless of the manner in which pilgrims from Qatar or living in Qatar were banned from the pilgrimage, which was politically motivated, and the manner in which they were subsequently permitted to make the pilgrimage, which was also politicised and which was announced with other goals in mind... the government of Qatar welcomes the decision and will respond positively, Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told a press conference in Stockholm.

What matters to us is the bottom line, which is that our citizens now have a way to attend the hajj (pilgrimage), and we uphold our demand that hajj be spared politicisation and remain separate from our political issues, Sheikh Mohammed said.

Saudi Arabia has announced it would open the Salwa border crossing to Qatari pilgrims for the annual hajj pilgrimage to the city of Makkah, the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Islam's holiest site, in the west of the kingdom.

The crossing had been sealed off for more than two months as a diplomatic crisis between the Saudi and Qatari governments has seen severe restrictions on travel imposed on citizens across the region.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt announced a cut in ties with Qatar, recalled ambassadors and sealed off borders and airspace to the emirate over allegations Doha backed extremists and was too close to Iran. Qatar had denied the allegations.

Riyadh's decision to reopen the border came hours after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met on Wednesday with Qatari envoy Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Jassim Al-Thani, a member of the ruling dynasty in Doha.

The Qatari foreign minister, however, said Sheikh Abdullah had acted on a personal initiative by meeting the crown prince in the Saudi city of Jeddah and not on behalf of the Doha government. Doha has consistently accused Riyadh of politicising the hajj and jeopardising the pilgrimage to Makkah.
Farmers in remote Uttarakhand villages are getting only 12 to 20 per cent of what consumers are paying for tomatoes in cities, an India Today TV-Aaj Tak investigation has found.

Uttarakhand farmers are getting only 12-20 % of what people in big cities pay for a kg of tomatoes

By Abhishek Anand: At a time when the price of tomatoes is skyrocketing, an India Today TV-Aaj Tak investigation has revealed that the farmers in remote villages of Uttarakhand are getting only 12 to 20 per cent of what we are paying for a kilogram of tomatoes.

The price of tomatoes increases by six-seven folds by the time it reaches your plate. This reporter visited Ramgarh area of Uttarakhand, a hill station 340 km from Delhi with plenty of tomato farms.

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On visiting the farms of Malla Ramgarh, Nathuakhan, Odakhan and Hartola, the reporter found that the farmers are getting merely Rs12 to Rs18 per kg for the tomatoes, for which the Delhiites had recently paid over Rs 100 per kg.

Ravi Nayal, a local farmer from Malla Ramgarh, says that the reason behind getting extremely less rates is brokers, middlemen and a lack of transport facility.

"The hilly areas have good roads now, but they are not constructed till each and every farm. We work really hard to grow tomatoes throughout the year and during monsoon, we get a chance to earn some money. But the middlemen and brokers never pay us even closer to the rates of the metropolitan cities," Nayal said.

He said that tomato farming is quite risky as tomatoes can hardly be stored in the cold storage. So once the ripe crop is out for sale, no farmer wants to halt it even for an hour. "This is when the middlemen come into the picture. They never come in front of us. All they do is make an offer over a phone call," Nayal explained.

"As soon as the farmers get a call, they settle for whatever rates the broker or middlemen offer. As the majority of farmers don't have vehicles to ferry their vegetables to Delhi or other parts of the country, they completely depend on such people and agree to whatever rates they offer," he added.

Dinesh Singh Koranga, a farmer from Hartola village near Ramgarh of Uttarakhand, echoes a similar sentiment. He says the problem starts when he has a bumper crop.

"For a consignment of 10-20 kgs of tomatoes, which is largely sent to local markets, we are getting the rate of Rs30-Rs40 per kg. But if we want to sell large quantities of crop, we have to follow the system. The system here means a chain of people we must deal with. We don't have the money or facilities to transport our tomatoes to other cities. So we follow the routine and take whatever money we are offered," said Koranga.

Koranga also has farms of Cabbage, Capsicum and other vegetables. He says he gets hardly 20 per cent of what we pay for such vegetables in Delhi and NCR. "We have a TV. We watch news channels. We know Delhiites had paid Rs100 per kg for our tomatoes recently," he says with a smile on his face.

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On Thursday, this reporter visited Azadpur Mandi of Delhi, Asia's largest wholesale fruit and vegetable market, to know the rate of tomatoes. The wholesale rates were found to be between Rs35 and Rs50 per kg, far from what Nayal and Koranga had said.

Asked about the gap in the minimum rates of tomatoes in Delhi and Ramgarh, Vijay Agarwal, a wholesaler at Azadpur Mandi said, "We don't force any farmer to sell his crop on low rates. Whatever happens here is in front of you. As soon as the farmers reach with their crop, we sell it to different retailers and keep our margin."

Another wholesaler Mahavir Singh said, "A majority of farmers come here with trucks laden with their crop. Some businessmen also come to sell their tomatoes after purchasing it from farmers. We can't say on what rate they had bought the tomatoes. Rates in the Mandi are fixed."

ALSO READ | Red alert: Tomatoes have become new onions, prices soar upto 700 per cent

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By PTI: lake

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) A woman has complained to the police here that she was threatened with rape and six of her friends were roughed up by locals near Bhardwaj Lake in Asola, the police said today.

In her complaint to Vasant Kunj (North) police station, the woman, who claims to be a JNU student, also said that some Haryana Police officials had questioned her character and made her write an apology letter, they said.

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The complainant had gone to Surajkund with six of her friends on August 15. While she was on a motorcycle with two of her friends, an inebriated man asked them to stop, she said in her complaint.

The man questioned them why they were roaming in the area till late in the night and raised aspersions on the womans character, the police said, adding the man then allegedly called his father and brother, and assaulted the woman and her friends.

They also took her to a shed nearby where they threatened to rape her. In the mean time, the womans other friends arrived there and rescued her and her two friends, the police said.

The woman in her complaint said that she approached some Haryana police personnel who were there but they also raised doubts on her and took her to a police station and made her write an apology letter, they said.

The police here have registered a zero FIR and the matter has been forwarded to Faridabad police, a police official said. PTI SLB NSD

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The chemistry between the Dalai Lama and Baba Ramdev, godman-entrepreneur extraordinaire, was apparent at the 'World Peace and Harmony' conclave in Mumbai on August 13. Ramdev approached the Tibetan spiritual leader at the end of his talk and touched his feet. The Dalai Lama responded with the revelation that they had grown to be close friends. He tugged at Ramdev's beard for an almost uncomfortably long time, holding on as Ramdev emitted a high-pitched giggle. If they weren't friends, you'd be forgiven for thinking the Dalai Lama was admonishing Ramdev for his belligerent advice, at a peace conference, that India be prepared to answer China "with war". The former then poked the latter in his tummy. Ramdev responded with a display of his famous abdominal flexibility. Strange bedfellows indeed.

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Naik is accused of spreading hatred through provocative speeches and laundering crores of rupees over the years.

Naik is being probed by the NIA for alleged terrorism and money laundering.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik whose passport was revoked earlier in July, has contested NIA's (National Investigation Agency) request to Interpol for a red-corner notice. Naik has alleged that the case against him is linked to "religious persecution of minorities in India".

In his plea to Interpol, Naik has submitted that he had been delivering speeches on Islam for the past 25 years across several countries, where he was respected and welcomed.

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He has alleged that Indian agencies, by banning his NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and preventing him from delivering speeches on Islam, were violating his freedom of expression.

Naik also cited the "poor condition of Indian prisons" and "human rights violations" there to back his plea.

Naik's plea comes after the National Investigative Agency (NIA) wrote to Interpol and Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) in May for issuing a red corner notice against him.

Naik is being probed by the NIA for alleged terrorism and money laundering. He fled India on July 1, 2016, after one of the terrorists involved in the Dhaka cafe attack said he was "inspired by Naik's speeches on waging jihad".

The controversial Islamic preacher has been declared a proclaimed offender, and the process to attach his assets has been initiated, the National Investigation Agency said in July. The government also revoked the passport of the Islamic preacher following a request from NIA the same month.

Naik is accused of spreading hatred through provocative speeches and laundering crores of rupees over the years.

Also Read:

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's passport revoked

Zakir Naik's close aide granted bail by special PMLA court

Also Watch:

Zakir Naik used fake shell companies to launder illegal wealth, says NIA

WATCH VIDEO | Islamic preacher Zakir Naik contests NIA's Red Corner Notice against him

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Tauranga motels could be purchased by the state to house homeless, as the government seeks solutions to the countrys housing crisis.

The Ministry of Social Development isnt ruling out the possibility of buying motels as a means of housing homeless in the Tauranga region.

A ministry spokesperson told SunLive rumours of Housing New Zealand looking to buy motels in the city were inaccurate.

We are not actively negotiating the purchase of any motels at this time, but we dont rule out that possibility in the future.

The Ministry of Social Development has secured 49 contracted transitional housing places in Tauranga, and says they are continuing to explore all options to expand the supply of transitional housing in the area.

They say transitional housing provides short-term accommodation and support services for people with an immediate need, while they are helped to transition into sustainable housing on a long-term basis.

Labour Party Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni says the government has plans to buy another two motels to house Kiwis in need of emergency housing, in addition to the four it has already bought around the country.

Labour has discovered the government has paid more than twice the price for these motels, with each purchase exceeding double the most recent QV valuations. These valuations are between one to three years old, but property prices havent doubled in that time.

Whats really concerning is that in each of the cities where the motels have been bought, the government has sold off much-needed state houses.

In Gisborne, where there has been a loss of 62 state houses, the government paid $2,150,000 for a motel valued at $910,000. In Hastings, where there has been a loss of 14 state houses, the government paid $1,840,000 for a property valued at $900,000.

In Napier, where there has been a loss of 137 state houses, the Government paid $1,850,000 for a property valued at $910,000. Meanwhile, taxpayers have bought a motel in Auckland for $2,650,000, again more than twice the QV valuation.

She says it is simply irresponsible and poor planning by the government to be paying these sums for motels while continuing to sell off state houses.
A Bay of Plenty woman has been named as the first woman to win the title of Young Grower of the Year at an awards event in Christchurch, last night.

Erin Atkinson, 30, technical advisor for Apata Group in Te Puke, who has a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture and has spent most of her working life in the horticulture industry, was named Young Grower at the awards after putting her skills, knowledge and experience to test against four other finalists.

Erin, who won the Bay of Plenty section in February, also secured the national title of Young Fruit Grower of the Year along with the best business, best innovation and best speech titles.

She said she was extremely proud to have been named Young Grower, especially as the standard of the other finalists was very high.

It was an extremely challenging competition but Ive really enjoyed meeting the other finalists and am looking forward to taking the award back to Te Puke.

Runner-up for Young Grower was Scott Wilcox of Pukekohe, who is also Young Vegetable Grower 2017 and third place went to Ben Geaney of Waimate.

The Young Grower of the Year is an annual competition to determine the best young grower in the country and is run by Horticulture New Zealand and sponsored by the Horticentre Trust.

The competition is now in its 11th year and is part of Horticulture New Zealands strategy to support the growth and development of New Zealands future horticultural leaders.

During the competition, all five finalists are required to compete in a series of practical and theoretical challenges designed to test the skills needed to run a successful export-focused horticultural business.

Finalists also took part in a leadership panel discussion before delivering a speech on biosecurity in front of the judges at the awards dinner attended by 200 people.

Judges looked for individuals who could make a difference in their sectors and the industry, going beyond great skills to also include leadership, attitude and personality.

Horticulture New Zealand Chief Executive, Mike Chapman, said the aim of the competition was to foster excellence amongst young growers and future-proof a $5.6 billion industry that exports 60% of total production to 124 countries.

The Young Grower competition is a great way to nurture the interest and passion of younger generations as well as showcase the industry. Its a very rewarding industry to be in and it so encouraging to see the depth of young talent demonstrated this week. We look forward to seeing the career progression of each of these potential industry leaders.
Eastern and Waikato police are seeking the publics help to locate Mataatua Uka.

There is a warrant for his arrest issued by the Hamilton District court on July 20 on a burglary charge, says Senior Sergeant Yvonne Parker.

The 34-year-old has links to both Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Waikato.

If you see him or know of his whereabouts please call your nearest police station or alternatively information can also be provided to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
NZ First has announced this afternoon that they will raise the minimum wage to $20 if they are to be voted into government. The announcement was made to a crowd of over 200 at a public speech in Red Square, Tauranga and aims to be achieved over a three year period. What we need is high wages and high productivity, says Peters. When we get back into power, were going to take the minimum wage to $20 an hour. The meeting heard the issues of local Bay of Plenty people including concerns surrounding water ownership, elderly care, transport and housing. In light of Taurangas growing housing crisis, Peters says he believes a maximum of 35 per cent of the average earners income should be spent on weekly housing costs. Today I see people paying 70 per cent its hopeless. Winston is one of two politicians who visited Tauranga today. Associate Education Minister Tim Macindoe visited Tauranga Boys College today to announce the government is spending another $6 million on classrooms for the college and for Te Kura o Matapihi. On top of the $33 million already announced through Budget 2017 in the Bay of Plenty region, the government is providing 12 new classrooms to the two schools/kura to accommodate their growing rolls, both now and in the future, says education minister Nikki Kayes announcement. Tauranga Boys College gets nine new classrooms, Te Kura o Matapihi, three classrooms. Thats $4.5m for the college and $1.5m for the kura. In a statement today Te Kura o Matapihi head teacher Tui Yeager says the three classrooms do not make up for the Ministry of Educations failure to carry out a promised re-build. When the Ministry officials attended our Board hui on May 15, they identified at that time that the school was already in deficit of three classes, says Tui. The Ministry gave themselves a three month timeframe to come back with a way forward. This announcement confirms what we already knew years ago - that we were over-crowded and waiting for Ministry action. There are still many unsolved property issues that are yet to be dealt with. Tim made the announcement at a special assembly at the college. After a spirited welcoming haka from the students he told them he knew the college, having worked there as a relieving teacher after losing his first election bid. Learning how to get up and have another go after a failure was very much at the heart of what they teach and Tauranga Boys College, says Tim. Principal Robert Mangan says the classrooms are appreciated. The school has a record 750-800 new students seeking entry next year. The college is the third largest college for Maori boys in the country, and under the now discarded decile system was decile six, Smack in the middle, says Robert. The school grows good men, good citizens from a wide catchment physically and socially.
As well as the likely surprise return to being mayor of Marbella after losing control of the council in 2015, there was more good news for the PPs Angeles Munoz this week. It has been announced that an investigation into the town hall for allegedly doctoring the master town plan when she was in power last time was being shelved. Munoz had been reported as part of the case but never formally investigated.

The investigation centred on allegations that officials had slipped in some modifications to a previously agreed new master town plan document, known as the PGOU, in 2009. These changes in part favoured some property belonging to the then mayor by changing a boundary line between Marbella and the neighbouring municipality of Benahavis, it was suggested.

The new plan in itself went on to be overturned by a court for different reasons and Marbella is still using a heavily outdated 1986 plan while it gets ready to write an urgently needed new one.

Speaking this week, after the case was dropped, Munoz said, This knocks down all the PSOEs lies and puts an end to a dispute that they have tried to take advantage of, against the interests of the town, adding that the scandal had deliberately been created to damage the credibility of the PP.

It wasnt clear this week, if Munoz is returned as mayor again on August 29th, if she will give up her seat in the Senate, Spains upper house. We will take the decision that is best for Marbella, she explained.
Thousands of people, headed by King Felipe, came together to express their grief on Friday following the terror attacks in Barcelona on Thursday evening and Cambrils in their early hours of Friday morning.

The crowds paid tribute to the victims with a minute's silence followed by two minutes of applause and cries of "No tinc por" - "I'm not afraid" in Catalan.

The number of dead increased to 14 on Friday after a woman who was injured in the Cambrils attack died in hospital. Thirteen were killed when a van mowed down pedestrians in Barcelona's Las Ramblas on Thursday evening and more than 100 injured, 17 of them seriously.

The demonstration in the Plaza de Catalunya in Barcelona was also attended by Spain's prime minister Mariano Rajoy, deputy prime minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, and leaders of the country's main political parties, such as Pedro Sanchez (PSOE), Pablo Iglesias (Podemos) and Albert Rivera (Ciudadanos).

They stood alongside the president of the Catalonian government, Carles Puigdemont, his ministers and the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau.

Among the crowds were representatives of different religions, among them numerous muslims, joining in the general rejection of the attack.

Similar gatherings took place in Madrid and throughout Spain. A minute's silence was held outside Malaga city hall as well as at other town halls along the Costa del Sol.

On Friday morning police were still searching for the main suspect, Moussa Oukabir Soprano.
Five suspects were shot dead by police at around 1 o'clock on Friday morning after a van overturned when it attempted to drive at full speed onto the pedestrian promenade in the seaside town of Cambrils, Tarragona.

Six people were injured after being run down by the van before it overturned.

Police have said that the terrorists were wearing fake explosive belts.

The attack came just nine hours after 13 people were killed and around a hundred injured when a suspect drove a white van in crowds on Barcelona's famous area of Las Ramblas.

It is thought that terrorists in Cambrils were attempting to repeat the earlier massacre in the city.
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On November 11, the EU announced the renewal, until November 14, 2023, of the sanctions against officials linked to the Administration of Nicolas Maduro. | Read More
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Bayannur convened fairs and expositions to promote its agricultural and livestock products through an e-commerce platform and cross-industry collaborations on Aug 14.

Organized by the regions commerce department, events included China (Inner Mongolia) Agribusiness Marketing Fair, E-commerce Forum on Farming and Grazing, and Inner Mongolia Green Agricultural and Livestock Products Exposition.

Natural resources are Bayannurs treasure where affluent plains stretch over 666,000 hectares and the water diverted from the Yellow River reaches 5 billion cubic meters per year, according to Chang Zhigang, Party secretary of Bayannur. The place also has an annual average sunshine of 3,100 to 3,300 hours. The land is endowed with affluent resources including water, soil, sunshine and heat, making its agricultural sector prosperous.

Bayannur has driven the boom of the local husbandry industry through protecting farming soil and grazing grass to produce high-quality organic agri-products, building local brands and subsidizing leading enterprises to broader export businesses, strengthening cross-industry cooperation such as logistics and e-commerce trade in the rural areas.

To broaden its export businesses, Ganqimaodu in Bayannur, an inland port near Mongolia, has sought out ways to increase foreign trade and logistics.

During the expo, various organic products were on display, attracting dealers from Egypt, Ukraine, Australia, Zambia, and Mongolia. A total of 14 entrepreneurs from provinces of Mongolia attended the expo, and we aim to seek collaboration with Bayannur in husbandry sector, said head of Mongolia Food and Agriculture Association, who visited Inner Mongolia for the third time.

In recent years, Bayannur has established production bases for grains, oils, organic milk, dehydrated vegetables, and sunflower seeds. In addition, its the only prefecture-level city that can provide goat breeding and mutton processing all year round. The city is also Chinas second largest planting and processing base for tomatoes.

Bayannur has exported green agri-products to more than 80 countries and regions, ranking first in Inner Mongolia in terms of output for eight consecutive years.

Officials announce the inauguration of Inner Mongolia Green Agricultural and Livestock Products Exposition in Bayannur on Aug 14, 2017. [Photo/people.cn]
When the summer of 2016 dawned, Kip Holden was almost done.

The three-term Baton Rouge mayor-president was closing out his 12-year tenure with plenty to show for it, including a revived downtown, some notable infrastructure improvements, and a victory over the St. George breakaway movement. There was more to do, as there always is. Traffic continued to clog the city, and North Baton Rouge still struggled. But overall, he was on track to be considered a success.

Then came a series of events so horrific that it felt almost biblical. Alton Sterling was killed in a showdown with police, which set off tense protests. Less than two weeks later on a quiet Sunday morning, a lone gunman ambushed area law enforcement officers, killing three and injuring three more. And then the already on-edge city was hit by a catastrophic flood.

Through it all, Holden often came off more like a bystander than leader. And his strange passiveness became the final chapter in an otherwise pretty positive story.

A year has passed, and down in New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu is now at the same stage in his own eight-year tenure. He's not as close to leaving office as Holden was this time in 2016, only because of a quirk in the election calendar that will keep him in office until some six months after voters pick his replacement.

But like Holden, Landrieu entered his final summer in winding-down mode, with his legacy seemingly set. Landrieu too was positioned to be remembered as a successful mayor, one who stabilized the city's financial picture, professionalized management, attracted investment and presided over the long, hard but ultimately impressive recovery from Hurricane Katrina. As with Baton Rouge, not everything was fixed; crime remained a worry, and the fruits of the city's success were not evenly spread. But overall, Landrieu too seemed poised to go down as one the city's best leaders.

If rain clouds hadn't stubbornly settled over New Orleans on Aug. 5, none of that would have changed. Landrieu would still be doing what he was doing before then, shifting his attention to larger matters as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and a potential national figure in his own right. In a parallel universe, he'd likely be making the cable news circuit right now, talking about New Orleans' decision to remove three Confederate monuments and a memorial to a white supremacist uprising, now that the deadly Charlottesville white nationalist demonstration has put the prospect of keeping these monuments on display front and center.

Instead, Landrieu's in full damage control mode. The rainstorm, and the flooding that ensued, was bad but not nearly as widespread or destructive as previous New Orleans rainfalls, or the floods that hit Baton Rouge and surrounding areas last year.

It's what the flood revealed that has the potential to do lasting damage. The city's ancient, elaborate system to pump out water was hobbling at partial capacity, something residents didn't realize and even Landrieu, who presides over the Sewerage & Water Board as president, says he hadn't been told. As facts slowly and painfully emerged, we learned the system was badly understaffed and possibly not at all up to the task of removing water from city streets. When an electrical fire hit one of the system's few functioning turbines, officials were so nervous they canceled school and warned residents to move their cars to higher ground.

Landrieu was out of town when the flood hit, but he's been all over the situation since, and no wonder.

He fired the board's top managers and is now communicating regularly about the system's status, which are the easiest things to do under the circumstances. Far more challenging is the task that will now likely dominate the rest of his time in office, fixing what ails the agency and restoring shaky resident confidence that threatens to undermine his administration's entire reputation.

The flood that hit New Orleans isn't the last word on Landrieu. What he does about it will be. And unlike Holden, he's acting like a man who knows it.

Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.
Together Baton Rouge launched a website Thursday it hopes will help the state get more victims of last year's historic floods qualified to receive a share of more than $1 billion in federal recovery money.

"Check My Block," an online web mapping program, asks users to plug in their home address, then shows them how many homes on their residential blocks were swamped by floodwaters.

The website, www.togetherbr.org/checkmyblock, also shows how many of the flood-impacted households haven't completed and submitted surveys that serve as the gateway to aid for flood victims through the state's federally-funded Restore Louisiana Homeowner Program.

Together Baton Rouge leaders said they hope giving users a bird's eye view of the floods' impact on their residential blocks will encourage some of those who have not yet signed up for the Restore LA funds to do so. The program is being administrated by the state's Office of Community Development.

"Part of the reason people are not filling out the survey is trust," Broderick Bagert, lead organizer for Together BR, said at the organization's luncheon Thursday where the new website was revealed. "People think, "Is [the government] going to deliver? They haven't in the past.' "

The state has received nearly $1.7 billion from Congress since last year's floods.

But only $15 million of it has been doled out to more than 500 families, OCD Director Pat Forbes told Together BR members Thursday.

"That's a drop in the bucket compared to how much money we need to get out," he said.

Forbes said the bureaucracy associated with allocating federal funds is partly to blame for that. But, he said, the state isn't getting the number of surveys returned it should be getting based on the estimated number of households that were severely impacted by the floods.

As of early Thursday, 41,259 surveys had been completed and submitted to the state, according to Shauna Sanford, spokeswoman for the Restore Louisiana Task Force.

"We know there are thousands more that are eligible for the program," she said.

Eligibility numbers could increase if state leaders are allowed to expand the program to not only those victims who didn't have flood insurance, but also those who had insurance but received payout amounts didn't cover all their recovery costs.

"I'm super excited about this tool," Forbes said about the "Check My Block" website. "People coming together as a community for a common cause is the single most important thing you can do for resilience."

Together BR has asked members in various communities throughout East Baton Rouge to hold local meetings to better assess recovery needs and push for greater participation in Restore LA.

"The recovery process includes many elements...but without social capital, then recovery does not succeed," Bagert said. "Social capital means relationships. It means networks."

He said it is important to the community for "people to come together and have their voices heard."
FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2017 file photo, White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon arrives for a meeting with President Donald Trump on cyber security in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Bannon, outside agitator-turned-inside adviser, emerges as the most influential voice in Donald Trump's White House, driving policies on immigration, national security and taxes. His voice was key in Trump's Supreme Court pick. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja says Canberra ratepayers were "right to question" why they will fund a pro-marriage equality push.

The federal government is said to have scrapped public funding for the 'yes' and 'no' campaigns ahead of a postal vote next month.

ACT Liberal senator Zed Seselja. Credit:Andrew Sheargold

However Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Thursday secured the ACT parliament's approval to promote the 'yes' campaign ahead of the same-sex marriage plebiscite.

Mr Barr would not put a dollar figure on his government's support for the 'yes' campaign but said most would be "in-kind".
Two Indigenous men were badly bashed in their cells at the Alexander Maconochie Centre earlier this month, with both requiring hospitalisation.

A Justice and Community Safety Directorate spokeswoman confirmed the men were assaulted in two separate cells in the north accommodation unit about 11.35am on August 7.

Two Indigenous inmates were bashed at the Alexander Maconochie Centre this month. Credit:Jay Cronan

Corrections staff did not witness the assaults, but as soon as they learnt of them they told health staff.

After an assessment, both men were taken to Canberra Hospital.
Workers at the Sydney Metro North West site who fear they may have been exposed to asbestos returned to work on Friday after the area was shut down for inspection this week.

Transport NSW has confirmed it identified and removed bonded asbestos from the site before workers returned on Friday.

An artist's impression of the Metro Rail station planned for Norwest in outer Sydney. Credit:NSW Department of Transport

Electrical Trades Union NSW secretary Dave McKinley said the potentially deadly material was detected at Tallawong Road, Schofields this week a year after work had started on the site.

"Given that there has been heavy machinery operating in the nearby area, it's hard to see how it would not have become loose and airborne," Mr McKinley said.
Gil was particularly proud of his mother's war service. He was concerned at the lack of recognition often afforded to Australia's war nurses and it was at a presentation I gave on the Australian nurses at Salonika that I had the privilege of meeting Gil for the first time.

Born in Horsham on April 23, 1924, Gwilym Mardy Easton  or Gil as he liked to be known  was one of five siblings.His parents were Anzacs who had served in the First World War. His Welsh-born mother, Edith Jeremiah Easton, served with the Australian Army Nursing Service in Egypt and on the Salonika Front and his father, Percy Easton, with the 21st Battalion on the Western Front.

Gil Easton, who has died aged 93, was one of the few remaining Australian survivors of the 1941 Siege of Tobruk.

Gil was only 15 years old when he enlisted in February 1940  the reason his Army Service File records his birth as 1920 rather than 1924! His parents thought he'd never pass the induction but pass it he did, showing some of the determination that would stand him in good stead throughout his life. He would serve with the 2/1st Army Field Workshops (Recovery Section), repairing machine guns and other military equipment in the field.

Gil sailed from Port Melbourne's Princes Pier on May 5 1940 aboard the Empress of Canada. From Fremantle his ship joined the third and largest convoy of the 2nd AIF to leave Australia. After disembarking at Greenock, Gil and his unit were camped on Salisbury Plains in June 1940. He remembered the camp being strafed by enemy planes after bombing the RAF airfields during the Battle of Britain, earning Gil and his unit the Battle of Britain medal. He found time to visit his mother's family in Wales.

In October 1940, Gil and his unit departed for Egypt and the Middle East, serving with the Australian 9th Division. Here Gil took part in the defence of Tobruk  a siege that lasted 242 days and witnessed some of the most intense fighting of the war. Gil had vivid memories of this time, especially the bombing of Tobruk's hospital.

After the lifting of the siege, Gil and his unit spent nearly 12 months recuperating and refitting in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria in preparation for the coming Allied offensive. He would go on to take part in the great battle of Alamein in July and October 1942, which began the turn of the tide of the war in the Middle East. Here he served with the 78th Light Aid Detachment (LAD), 26th Brigade, 9th Division.

Returning to Australia in 1943, he went on to serve at the battles at Buna, Lae and Finschafen. His elder brother, Emlyn, also served in and survived the Second World War.
Father Michael McArdle was reportedly so distressed by his acts of child sexual abuse in Queensland that he would often seek the succour of the confessional. Over a 25-year period, before he was convicted in 2002, he confessed to sexually assaulting children an estimated 1500 times to 30 different priests. In keeping with Catholic tradition in Australia, the priests did not report his crimes to authorities, but moved him on to different parishes, to greener pastures.

McArdle's case resonates this week because on Monday the royal commission into child sex abuse released 85 recommendations on improvements to the criminal justice system. Among them was the proposal that the seal of the religious confessional be broken and that clergy who fail to report child abuse revealed in confession face criminal prosecution, just as anyone else in Australia would. Since the Catholic Church is the only major religion in Australia that still insists its canon law be held above secular law in this regard, this was rightly seen as a challenge, and the Catholic Church, defensive of its significant privileges, responded.

The Catholic Church has has done less than counterparts overseas to stamp out sexual abuse by priests. Credit:Pat Scala

On Tuesday Melbourne's archbishop, Denis Hart, told the ABC: "I believe that this is an absolutely sacrosanct communication of a higher order which priests by nature respect, they don't ever want to do anything that would hurt children," he said.

Writing for Fairfax Media this week, Father Frank Brennan said he would go to jail before abiding by such a law and sought to explain his reasoning. "Common sense tells me that a sex abuser would be even less likely to present for confession if he knew that the confessional seal did not apply," he wrote. "If the seal of the confessional were maintained, there is a chance, just a chance, that a child sex abuser might be convinced by the priest to turn himself in. Take away the seal, and that ever so slim chance will be snuffed out."
There's no doubt that central to the concept of family is a definition of marriage involving a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation. With only minor exceptions over some hundreds of years and across all the major religions, this is how marriage has been, and continues to be, defined.

It's also true that about 98 per cent of Australians identify as heterosexual and according to the 2011 census figures only 1 per cent of Australian couples are same-sex, with surveys suggesting only a minority want same-sex marriage. There are more important issues to worry about.

We should also forget the Safe Schools' postmodern, deconstructed definition of marriage where gender and sexuality are fluid and limitless and individuals are free to choose whatever they choose to self-identify as.

No matter how much gays and lesbians might want to wish otherwise from a physiological and biological point of view, only men and women can have children. Such is the nature of conceiving and giving birth that to pretend otherwise is to deny how nature works.
He has endured the roughest period of his prime ministership, and every day, it seems to get worse.

But whatever happens from here, Malcolm Turnbull must now rise above his disappointment, park the frustration, and project control, stability, and yes, leadership.

The situation gripping the nation as the Parliament unravels, threatens more than just the short-term electoral fortunes of this government, or of this Prime Minister.

Politically, constitutionally, administratively, the federal polity is at DefCon 2.
Members of the Tiwi Islands' Sistergirls community have criticised the government's marriage equality plebiscite, saying their community won't get a say and that the money could be better spent on education and services to improve their daily lives.

Marriage is "the big thing we still struggle with", Sistergirl Shaun Kerinauia told Fairfax Media ahead of the Darwin premiere on Tuesday of a new Vice documentary on the islands' LGBT community and the daily challenges its members face.

"A lot of girls that want to settle down and want to have a partner they love, they can't express their love for someone else openly. A lot of girls struggle to find that soulmate. At the end of the day, we would love to have an open relationship in the open community, out there in public," Shaun said.

Shaun, who is gender-ambiguous but identifies as a gay Sistergirl and drag performer, and is happy to be called Mister, Miss, "he/him" and "they/them", features in the documentary along with fellow Sistergirls Crystal Love and Laura, who both identify as transgender women. Although the trio say the island has seen significant progress on LGBT issues over the years, they still struggle with acceptance in the remote community where Sistergirls make up about 5 per cent of the population.
Gale-force winds are expected for much of the NSW coast tomorrow, after strong winds brought down trees and power lines today.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a gale warning this evening for the Byron Coast, Coffs Coast, Macquarie Coast, Hunter Coast, Sydney Coast, Illawarra Coast, Batemans Coast and Eden Coast

Strong winds are also expected for Sydney Closed Waters.

In total the SES responded to 898 jobs this afternoon, including damaged homes. Wollongong and the Sutherland Shire were among the areas hardest-hit.
A Queensland man found guilty of the shooting murder of his girlfriend in 2013 has had his conviction quashed by the High Court.

Christopher Koani was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering his de facto partner Natalie Leaney by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury in November 2015.

Christopher Koani was convicted of the murder of his de facto partner, Natalie Leaney, but the ruling has been overturned. Credit:Facebook

After being knocked back by the Court of Appeal the following November, he appealed to the High Court, which this week unanimously ruled his conviction should be quashed and a new trial be held.

AAP
About 2000 kilometres north of Brisbane is Cooktown, a tropical seaside town with population of 2631 at the last census.

It may be small and remote, but Cooktown has become the focus of the entire Queensland law enforcement community after the suspicious death of Donna Steele.

Twenty detectives have descended on Cooktown to investigate Donna Steele's death.

And while detectives from Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville have converged on the town and followed up more than 300 lines of enquiry, police are no closer to tracking down Ms Steele's killer.

"There's still much more work to be done," Detective Inspector Geoff Marsh told reporters on Friday.
It's the little things which show discrimination and sexism is still an issue for female entrepreneurs according to a panel discussion last week for the Victorian Small Business Festival.

Dannielle Michaels co-founded baby product business b.box for kids with her best friend Monique Filer.

Dannielle Michaels and Monique Filer are the founders of b.box for kids. Credit:Arsineh Houspian

The business turns over $6 million a year and exports internationally but Michaels told the event everyday sexism can occur at unexpected times.

"We were at the export awards two years ago and we were there with our husbands and a person who I won't name came up to them to congratulate them on the business," she said. "It was interesting because they said 'Thank you but it's Dannielle and Monique's business'. The whole conversation was with the boys."
Children from remote West Australian Aboriginal communities are prostituting themselves to score drugs and alcohol, a police officer has told an inquest.

Detective Sergeant Tania McKenzie, who has worked in Kununurra since 2015, gave evidence to a coronial investigation into a cluster of suicides by 13 young indigenous people in the Kimberley.

It's mistaken to think young people can't be lonely because they are surrounded by school-mates and use social media.

The officer told the inquest that kids in the region are having sex at a very young age, which becomes a "massive issue" when they become addicted to illicit substances.

"It is accepted in a lot of places you will get paid for sex," she told WA Coroner Ros Fogliani.
Two pelvic mesh victims are demanding a meeting with Health Minister Roger Cook to allege a cover-up of trials involving women  but not disclosed to them  in Western Australian public hospitals after failed attempts to locate surgical records.

The call has been backed by Health Consumers Council chief executive Pip Brennan and comes after documents show WA Health paid a secret settlement to a woman in 2013 after pelvic mesh surgery at the Bentley public hospital in December, 2003.

Sue Turner was implanted with an Australian-developed pelvic mesh device at Perth's Armadale Hospital in 2007.

The woman alleged she suffered serious injuries after she was implanted with a device developed in Western Australia that used anchors embedded in her body.

Ms Brennan said Mr Cook needed to "sit down with the women and hear what they've been through" because "it seems to me there's been a real slowness to understand the impact and depth of this issue".
A Perth father has admitted importing life-like sex dolls that resemble children.

Hayden Cole, 40, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to two counts of importing prohibited Tier Two goods without approval in June and November last year.

A Trottla sex doll (file photo).

The Australian Border Force cracked down on the dolls and have seized at least 18 consignments of them sent from overseas since 2013.

The life-size dolls, which resemble children as young as five and are sold wearing lingerie, have movable joints and come with heating instructions.
The police force for Spain's Catalonia region says five suspects who were shot and killed in Cambrils were carrying bomb belts, which have been detonated by the force's bomb squad.

Catalan police said the attackers were part of a group that had rammed into crowds and injured a number of people, including a police officer.

Four of the suspects were shot dead when police responded. One suspect was injured and died a few hours later.

Cambrils is a coastal resort town 120 kilometres south-east of Barcelona.
President Donald Trump's right-hand guy Steve Bannon has been called everything from a "mastermind" to a "racist, anti-Semite." But regardless of what you think of Bannon, he just made a very good point about China.

"To me, the economic war with China is everything. We have to be maniacally focused on that," Bannon told The American Prospect in a jaw-dropping interview that covered everything from urinating on yourself to North Korea. "If we continue to lose it, we're five years away, I think, 10 years at the most, of hitting an inflection point from which we'll never be able to recover."

US President Donald Trump Credit:Bloomberg

Many experts across the political spectrum say Bannon is right: China is beating up America economically, and neither the US government nor US businesses have done much about it for years.

"It's a weird day when I agree with Steve Bannon, but he's right on this," says Jennifer Harris, a China expert at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former top staffer in President Obama's State Department. "Going back to George W. Bush, America's policy toward China has been to ask nicely. That has not panned out well."
Washington: For all his fire-breathing nationalism - the demands to ban Muslims, build a wall on the Mexican border and honour statues of Confederate heroes - Stephen Bannon has played another improbable role in the Trump White House: resident dove.

From Afghanistan and North Korea to Syria and Venezuela, Bannon, the President's chief strategist, has argued against making military threats or deploying US troops into foreign conflicts.

His views, delivered in a characteristically bomb-throwing style, have antagonised people across the administration, leaving Bannon isolated and in danger of losing his job. But they are thoroughly in keeping with his nationalist credo, and they have occasionally resonated with the person who matters most: President Donald Trump.

Bannon's dovish tendencies spilled into view this week in unguarded comments he made about North Korea to a liberal publication, The American Prospect. Days after Trump threatened to rain "fire and fury" on the North Korean government if it did not curb its belligerent behaviour, Bannon said, "There's no military solution here; forget it.
Other Side of 50 Falls can be serious for older adults; take precautions

For weeks, friends and neighbors worked on planning a surprise block party for my friend Margarets 90th birthday. On the big day, over 50 people showed up with food, drink and gifts to celebrate. Several of the neighbors who attended...

Walk supports breast cancer research The fifth annual Walk 3to9 2022 Breast Cancer Charity Walk to benefit the Dr. Susan Love Foundation for Breast Cancer Research will take place at 8 a.m. Sun., Nov. 20 at Memorial Field on the Cal Lutheran University campus, Thousand...

Honoring the helpers Awards recognize those who support autism community

Thirteen community members and providers were recognized for their resilience, passion and heart at the 2022 Awesome in Autism Awards ceremony. The 14th annual event, hosted by Autism Society Ventura County, was held Oct. 20 at Wood Ranch Golf Club...

Go purple to support those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer November is the busiest month of the year for cancer awareness campaigns. Im going to focus on one of thempancreatic cancer because its a type weve seen a noticeable rise in over the last few years. And because it remains...
Three Sixty vodka launched in the UK

Already established in exclusive nightlife spots in Europe, Asia and the US, Three Sixty diamond filtrated vodka in its eye-catching bottle will be launching in premium clubs, bars, hotels and restaurants across the UK this month.

Three Sixtys is distilled from 100% wheat four times and filtered using a patented diamond dust filter, which is claimed to remove more impurities than the rock form of precious gems and metals.

A full-scale advertising launch campaign (billboards, online and on TV spots) will now be implemented in the UK by Proof Drinks with the view of creating an immediate impact in the premium on-trade sector and a longer term plan for large off-trade investment.

With a stunning diamond faceted bottle and velvet label with silver embossing, this premium vodka will sit well on the back bars of high-end night spots and earns its place amongst rival premium brands on supermarket shelves across the UK.

"We have been looking for the right product to tackle the highly competitive vodka category with. Three Sixty's unique diamond filtration process and stand-out bottle gives us the brand and the liquid to make a real impact and add another market to the brands incredible international success. As with all of our brands, we see Three Sixty as delivering truly premium quality liquid at a price that makes it accessible, says Paul Ferguson, operations director, Proof Drinks

The RRP is 23.99 and is available to buy online from Proof Drinks. Contact: Paul Ferguson- paul@proofdrinks.com

18 August 2017 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor in chief
A 32-year-old Iola man arrested in April for alleged methamphetamine possession after he had hit a deer with his motorcycle was among 41 people indicted on felony charges Thursday by a Brazos County grand jury.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt; it means enough evidence exists to warrant a trial. Defendants are innocent until proven guilty.

Authorities arrested Jimilei Russell Fox in April after finding methamphetamine in his backpack, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Fox was thrown from his motorcycle one night in April after hitting a deer that was in the road, on Texas 30 near the Grimes County line, authorities said. He was treated for non life-threatening injuries at the College Station Medical Center.

While looking in Fox's backpack for his phone and identification, authorities said a nurse at the hospital found what appeared to be drugs. A trooper searched the backpack and found eight grams of suspected methamphetamine. Fox said the backpack was his, but not the drugs, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Fox posted a $10,000 surety bond later that day, according to jail records.

College Station police arrested Fox in February after a man called authorities and said Fox was calling him and posing as a police officer. Authorities said a teen had called officers in November to report someone had called her cell phone and said they were a police officer. The caller referred to himself as "Officer James Russell" and said he wanted to speak to the teen's father and that he had a warrant for his arrest.

Police spoke with the man allegedly wanted for arrest; he said he had received multiple text messages and phone calls from an unidentified number, as had other members of his family and co-workers. The man told authorities he believed the so-called "Officer Russell" could be Fox, who had dated his ex-fiancee. Police later arrested Fox and charged him with two counts of impersonating a public servant, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Fox was indicted Thursday for the impersonating a police officer charge, as well as the possession charge resulting from his motorcycle accident in April. The possession charge is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Also among those indicted was La Darion Javon Steel, a 19-year-old Bryan resident whom authorities arrested in June after a report of a shooting in the 1000 block of Wellington Street. Bryan Police said they found Steel in the backseat of a car with a pistol magazine between his legs. Three men in the car told authorities one man was in an argument with another man who lived on Wellington and the group had gone to his house to confront him, according to a police report. As the group was leaving, police said, Steel pulled out a handgun and shot at the resident from the car. No injuries were reported.

Steel was indicted Thursday for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison; tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison; and deadly conduct, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Steel remains in the Brazos County Jail on a combined $172,000 bond, according to jail records.
With just over six weeks left in the fiscal year, College Station Mayor Karl Mooney is on pace to spend almost the entire travel budget set aside for the seven-member City Council.

Mooney has spent $9,007 of city funds on travel in less than a year as he attended conferences and met with other city leaders on issues ranging from local legislative matters to housing trends in university towns and from diversity to the national opioid crisis.

That last topic was discussed in June during the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, which Mooney spent $2,373 to attend between flights to Miami Beach, Florida, five days at the $299-a-night Foutainebleau conference hotel, baggage fees and meals. The trip to Miami was the most expensive of the nine he sought reimbursements for this fiscal year through mid-July.

All but one of the trips were taken since Mooney, who previously served as a councilman, was sworn in as mayor in November, according to records obtained through the Texas Public Information Act. His travel expenses are estimated to reach $10,487 by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The city's budget set aside $10,900 for the council to use for travel, lodging and outside training.

In an interview with The Eagle, Mooney said his travel spending is a fraction of the city's $341 million annual budget, and is a "very small price to pay" considering City Council positions are unpaid. He considers travel for conferences and meetings to connect with other leaders and legislative trips to Austin and Washington, D.C., critical to his work in College Station.

"It's just these are good things to go to," Mooney said. "Do they cost us a little bit of money? Yes, they do."

Mooney offers the U.S. Conference of Mayors as an example of the near-immediate payoff he's seen from his travel.

During the meeting on opioids, Mooney says he was able to help convince the president of a pharmaceutical company that produces Narcan, a nasal spray used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, to lower the price of dosages purchased by cities. And during that same conference, Mooney says he also took part in penning a letter to Congress urging members to support funding for the Community Development Block Grant program, which the Trump administration has considered eliminating.

His assertion regarding the pharmaceutical executive could not be confirmed.

"I discovered that it's important to be here [at the conference] because you will be able to do some things because you've got these folks in your corner that you [didn't] before," Mooney said.

Travel spending in College Station trended upward after Mooney was elected mayor, and an extra $16,493 was requested for next fiscal year in the Mayor and Council Division budget for travel and organization memberships. Most of that was about $9,000 for a membership with the U.S. Conference of Mayors -- registration costs for Mooney were free as a first-year mayor. But while some members of the council supported the expense, the consensus was to reject the membership request after Mooney made his case.

"We are all volunteers, and I will be the first to step up and tell you that I am not an expert on everything about our city, but at the same time I believe that it is incumbent upon me to try to gain as much knowledge as I possibly can... if it were a waste of money, I wouldn't go," Mooney said during the workshop.

The other travel he's expensed this fiscal year include the International Town and Gown Conference in Eugene, Oregon, a trip to Washington, D.C., with the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce, two legislative trips to the Texas Capitol, also with the chamber, and five workshops, meetings and conferences through the Texas Municipal League in Austin, Elgin, Allen and Cameron. Mooney is the Region 10 TML president.

Mooney said there were at least five trips he took to Austin for the regular and special session of the Texas Legislature that he didn't expense, and said any additional visits to Austin if another special session were called would come out of his own pocket -- the council is estimated to end roughly $6,000 over budget for travel spending this year.

The other current council members who spent money on travel this fiscal year through July were Councilwoman Julie Schultz, who spent $2,826, Councilwomen Blanche Brick and Linda Harvell, who spent $820 and $621, respectively, and Councilman Jerome Rektorik, whose total is estimated to reach $1,569. Former Councilman John Nichols also spent $456.

Difference in philosophy

The trips he has expensed this fiscal year total more than twice as much as his predecessor, former mayor and current county commissioner Nancy Berry, spent during her entire second three-year term.

Berry, whose spending over three years totaled $3,398, had a different philosophy as mayor when it came to travel for training and conferences. Most trips Berry took, she says she paid for on her own, not thinking they were critical to the city or her duties as mayor.

"We had a council member when I became mayor that really abused the travel privilege. He went to everything everywhere and took his wife, and I think he thought of it as sort of a free vacation," Berry said. "I just kind of felt it had been abused, and I wanted to change that."

Seven of the nine trips she expensed were in-state Texas Municipal League meetings. On only one of those in-state trips, the four-day 2014 Texas Municipal League Annual Conference in Houston, did she expense a hotel stay. She also spent about $1,000 each on two hotel stays in Washington, D.C., during trips with the Chamber of Commerce.

Berry didn't use city money during that term to pay for anything outside of those hotel stays, chamber trips and registration for TML meeting other than $65 for meals during the Houston TML meeting. Berry said she didn't travel much otherwise.

"I felt like I got what I needed for my professional development [through TML]," Berry said. "I did go to one U.S. Conference of Mayors, and I found that a total waste. I thought it would be great if I was in Chicago or New York, or a really large city, but it wasn't that relevant to me."

The council's budget for membership fees, along with travel, lodging and outside training, has fluctuated for the past five fiscal years, dipping to $14,161 for fiscal year 2014 from $17,761 the previous year, then up to $15,607 for fiscal years 2015 and 2016. This year's budget of $18,900 is expected to increase to $23,100 next year.

Bryan travel expenses

Those costs are also expected to increase for the city of Bryan next fiscal year. The budgeted amount for travel and associated registration fees has stayed flat at $23,400 the past five fiscal years, and is proposed to rise to $29,000 for fiscal year 2018.

Registration fees, airfare, hotel stays, meals, personal vehicle mileage, parking and baggage fees are travel costs both cities cover in advance or reimburse to council members.

Expense reports obtained through an open records request show Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson spent $6,324 through mid-July on travel so far during his first year as mayor, which is also his first year on the City Council. Nelson said he feels any training and professional development he can get will put him in a better position to make more wise decisions on the council.

"It's extremely valuable to hear what other cities are doing, to hear what's working and what's not," Nelson said. "Anybody who's in a professional position who wants to learn and grow and develop a network of peers and mentors -- that's what those types of conferences are for, and they're very valuable."

Records show he has expensed five trips this fiscal year, including $2,300 on a package to visit Washington, D.C., with the Chamber of Commerce and $1,842 for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Others include a trip to Omaha, Nebraska, to meet with Union Pacific, an economic development trip to Los Angeles and a legislative trip with the chamber to Austin. Nelson said there's been other trips he's taken in his capacity as mayor that he didn't expense because he was too busy to do so.

The previous mayor of Bryan, Jason Bienski, spent $28,231 on travel during his last three-year term on 16 trips, with locations including Indianapolis, San Francisco and Dallas for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Nashville for the National League of Cities and various other conferences and seminars in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., Omaha, Austin, San Antonio and Houston.

Bienski, too, said he felt learning from other cities and networking with their leaders was important as mayor, and said he can't remember an instance of ever turning down a council member's request to travel.

"I learned about what other cities are doing, what's working, what's not working, what the state and federal government are going to do," Bienski said. "I probably learned more from other mayors and other city council members and staffers from other areas to bring ideas back and different innovative ways of what they're doing."

Like Nelson, Bienski said there were trips he took and didn't expense, but only because he didn't have time to turn in his receipts and documentation needed to be reimbursed.

"If [elected officials] are volunteers and they're not gonna get reimbursed to represent the city, you're really gonna limit who can run for office," Bienski said.
A police officer who served Texas law enforcement agencies for more 40 years is set to retire and the public is invited to wish him well this evening.

Bill May, who serves as police captain over Blinn College's Brazos County campuses, is turning in his gun and badge Aug. 31. A party honoring May will be at 5 p.m. today at the Phillips Event Center at Braircrest. The event will be a come-and-go and a cash bar will be available.

May said he has adored the students he protected and admired the faculty he worked with, but said it's time to pass the torch to another officer.

He began his law enforcement career in the 1970s, when he worked as an undercover agent for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, helping to stomp out drug trafficking, gambling rings, prostitution and the illegal transfer of liquor. He left the position for a job with the Brazos County District Attorney's office, where he worked for about three years before coming to Blinn in 1997. With the partnership of faculty member Kim Boetger, he created the Critical Incident Response Team in 2000, a program designed to safely clear the college in case of a campus-wide emergency.

May said he hopes to find work after his retirement, but didn't feel he could keep up with modern policing so dependent on changing systems and computer activity. He said he looks forward to spending time with his family and teaching his seven grandchildren how to hunt, fish and camp.
A series of unrelated incidents on Brazos Valley roads led to closures, injuries and, in one case, death.

Around 9 a.m. Wednesday, a private dump truck hauling dirt careened through a busy College Station intersection, hitting three vehicles. According to College Station police, the truck was headed eastbound on University Drive when authorities say it appears the brakes failed. As the truck approached the intersection of Lincoln Avenue, the driver began sounding his horn in an attempt to warn other motorists.

The dump truck smashed in between two cars and forced its way through them into the intersection, where the truck hit a pickup turning left onto Lincoln Avenue. The dump truck then toppled over and slid into a light pole.

Authorities say the drivers of all four vehicles were injured, with the dump truck driver receiving the most severe injuries. His injuries do not appear to be life-threatening, though, police said.

Lanes were closed for nearly two hours as towing vehicles worked to right the dump truck and to clean up the dirt the truck had been hauling.

Police are not sure whether the driver of the dump truck will be cited for running the red light and are awaiting his release from the hospital, said CSPD spokesman Lt. Steve Brock.

On Tuesday night, a Brenham man was killed in Washington County after authorities say he was traveling the wrong way on U.S. 290.

According to the Texas Department of Safety, 48-year-old James Valdez of Brenham was driving eastbound on U.S. 290 near Burton when he crossed over the grass median and began traveling the wrong way in the westbound lane.

Stephen Hatfield, 50, of Red Rock, was driving a pickup and had two teens as passengers when he was hit head-on by Valdez. According to Sgt. Jimmy Morgan of the DPS, Valdez -- who was wearing his seat belt -- was killed in the collision. Hatfield and a 17-year-old boy were taken to CHI St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan, and a 13-year-old boy was taken to a children's hospital in Houston. Morgan said the extent of the three's injuries was not immediately known. Troopers are continuing to investigate.

In Grimes County on Wednesday, Texas 30 was temporarily closed after a dump truck caught on fire.

According to Bobby Colwell, spokesman for the Texas Department of Transportation, TxDOT employees were working on Texas 30 around 11:20 a.m. Wednesday when they noticed a dump truck -- which was not related to their work -- traveling down the road. Colwell said a portion of the truck was on fire, and the driver stopped in the middle of the road and fled. Colwell said he did not know of the driver's condition but said he had not received any report of a critical injury.

The highway was temporarily closed as firefighters extinguished the blaze that consumed a large portion of the back of the truck. Traffic in the area was reduced to one lane, before all lanes reopened around 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Rising property tax bills affect virtually everyone in the state, whether theyre homeowners or renters. We asked Texans how they feel and whom they blame for the increases.

The state House and Senate twice came to a stalemate on property tax reform during this years legislative sessions. The Senate quickly passed its version of a property tax bill during the July-August special session. The House, however, took a far more expansive approach  considering proposals ranging from the narrow (carving out a new exemption for Purple Heart recipients) to the explosive (abolishing school property taxes altogether).

In the end, the two chambers still couldnt agree.

As lawmakers again debated property tax reform during the special session, we asked Texans to give us their take on the state-vs.-local fight over how to regulate rising property values. Heres a look at the legislative debate and how some Texans feel about the proposed measures.

How do property values differ across the state and what accounts for their increase/decrease?

The property taxes Texas homeowners pay are determined by how much appraisal districts say land and buildings are worth and the tax rates that local government entities (like cities, counties and school districts) each set. While the state is constitutionally prohibited from collecting property taxes, such revenues largely fund local governments.

What did the 85th Legislature do about property taxes this year?

The short answer is nothing.

Its not that each chamber didnt try  they just couldnt agree.

The hottest point of contention was whether local governments should get voter approval when property taxes on existing land and buildings rise.

The author of key property tax legislation, Republican Sen. Paul Bettencourt of Houston, said the new election thresholds were meant to give landowners a stronger mechanism to curb rising property tax bills.

During the regular session, the Texas House unanimously approved a bill that left in place current law allowing residents to petition for a vote if existing revenue streams increase by 8 percent. Their version excluded the Senates automatic election provision  something Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wanted.

The Houses tweak to the property tax bill angered leadership in the Senate and partially led to the special session.

Did the two chambers come to an agreement?

No, they didnt.

The House agreed to automatic elections when larger cities and counties increase tax collections on existing buildings and land by 6 percent compared to the prior year. The Senate wanted that threshold at 4 percent.

By adjourning after accepting Senate changes to school finance legislation Tuesday night, the House forced the Senate to either accept its version of the property tax bill or let it die. The early adjournment and refusal by the House to appoint conferees to iron out the differences in the property tax measures frustrated key players in the Senate, notably Bettencourt and Patrick.

We missed some major opportunities, but what Im most upset about is the House quit tonight, Patrick said at a press conference Tuesday evening.

With 27 hours to go, they walked off the job, he added.

Yet the Senates all-or-nothing approach ended up killing several other provisions, including ones that would have made the property tax system more transparent and lowered payments for the elderly, the disabled and some military members.

I have been working with members of the Senate for several days on Senate Bill 1, we have made our efforts, so I dont want there to be in any way a suggestion that we have not, will not, would not work with the Senate on such an important issue, said State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton.

If we appointed conferees now, it would kill the bill because there is not enough time, he added.

How do the Legislatures proposals differ from what local governments want?

City and county leaders said an automatic election on tax rates could limit their ability to fund services that residents expect, such as hiring police officers, building new parks and filling potholes.

The issue with the Senates version of the property tax bill during the regular legislative session, some local officials argued, was that it sidestepped the real issue that leads to rising tax bills: school districts levying more in property taxes because lawmakers wont change the states system for funding education.

How would new laws have affected Texans property tax bills?

Even if the House and Senate agreed on SB 1, Texans wouldnt have seen their property tax bills automatically decrease. Thats in large part because senators werent willing  as the House was  to add $1.8 billion to what the state spends on public schools.

Plus, the automatic election trigger would do nothing to decrease individual property tax bills. The elections would only happen if property tax revenues increase.

The House also considered legislation that would have lowered property tax payments for some Texans, including the elderly, disabled and military members, but those provisions died when the Senate adjourned a day early without considering them.
A white nationalist rally that was set for Sept. 11 on the Texas A&M campus is being postponed, according to the Texas Tribune.

The organizer announced within hours of violence breaking out at a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday, that he was hosting an event in College Station next month. In a release to the media, he wrote: "TODAY CHARLOTTESVILLE TOMORROW TEXAS A&M.'

Those plans were shut down by Texas A&M officials on Monday when officials said they would not grant permission to Preston Wiginton, who attended Texas A&M for a year in 2006, to demonstrate on campus.

A&M officials cited safety concerns, as well as logistical issues with hosting an event that was likely to bring scores of people, along with counter-protesters.

Wiginton told the Eagle earlier this week that he was considering alternate plans, possibly having the group walk through a "public street on campus." He also said he planned to take legal action against Texas A&M, but told the Tribune on Thursday that he had not done so yet.

Had A&M permitted the rally, white supremacist Richard Spencer, one of the leaders of the "Unite the Right" rally in Virginia, would have come to speak outside Rudder Theater in space the university designates for free speech, according to Wiginton. When Spencer came to campus in December to talk on the same issues, he was met by thousands of protesters.

The Tribune's Matthew Watkins reported on Twitter this afternoon that Wiginton made the postponement announcement during press conference at the Texas Capitol earlier today.

Wiginton's release sent Saturday described the guest list for his rally: "Attending the event will be Ken Reed and his Houston group 'White Lives Matter.' Various groups through out the country who are concerned with the political status of whites in America will be attending the event as well."

The Eagle will update this story once we know more.




The saline intrusion not only reduces the amount of fresh water available to the local people but it penetrates their soil and eventually cripples their crops.





Grandmothers coconut and grapefruit trees

Famed for its coconut groves, fruit orchards and rice paddy fields, Ben Tre is an area with acres of fertile land but when a serious drought hit in April last year these lush lands turned into a dried-out, salt-covered plots.





Tans grandparents own a farm in the area and sell the likes of lemons and coconuts to small markets nearby but in 2016 they were left emptyhanded.





The fruits on my grandmothers coconut and grapefruit trees didnt grow at all and their lemons were very small, he explains.





For families in the region that rely on farming as a source of food and income this is a big concern. Statistics by global research group the CGIAR show that the total amount of agricultural land in the Mekong Delta stretches over 2.6 million hectares.





Rice bowl of Vietnam

From this land, it produces an incredible 50 percent of Vietnams overall food, through rice, fruits, fish and shrimp  making up the bulk of the regions products. This part of Vietnam also accounts for a staggering 70 percent of the Mekong populations income and food security.





Known as the rice bowl of Vietnam, rice production in the Mekong Delta is particularly crucial. Not only does it produce 57 percent of the countrys total rice production but it also provides 90 per cent of the countrys overall exported rice, according the CGIAR.





Provinces in the Mekong with the largest rice areas include An Giang, Kien Giang and Dong Thap  all of which are have fallen victim to extreme weather patterns over recent years.





Swathes of rice crops, which need water at specific points in their growing cycle, can be completed wiped out from drought and flooding.





Climate change worsens

As Thi Mai, who is from Ben Tre, explains, Floods used to come in August and last until November but this is no longer true. She says that the flooding season is becoming increasingly unpredictable.





Floods come in a very unexpected way so farmers cannot grow rice and if the flood water comes sooner than expected, they suffer a lot of damage, she adds.





Entomology professor Michael Hoffman of Cornell University in the US says droughts and flooding can be exacerbated by external factors like farmers having no crop insurance.





He went on an exploratory trip in March 2016 along with a group of Cornell University students to assess the countrys future as climate change worsens. This is a real danger because its their source of food and income, he says. It has a huge impact.





A lower wage

This can be seen within rice cultivating provinces like Tra Vinh, which has also suffered from severe droughts and floods.





Sua Saday, who is from the province, says his family and many others lost their crops to the 2016 droughts and estimates that rice production has dropped by around 50 per cent as a result.





Professor Hoffman says that these stressful farming conditions are having a hand in driving the youth away from the region to seek alternative work.





Le Tuan Tai, a 22-year-old from Tien Giang Province says this has started to happen in his hometown. Many of the youth are deciding to flee to the cities to find jobs, even with a lower wage, because this is one of the stable things they can do, he explains.





Due to melting glaciers

They just cannot rely on farming anymore. Maybe you can be a millionaire this year but next year you could be a loser. And the effects are set to worsen still, with sea levels rising at an increasing rate due to melting glaciers.





Research by the National Ocean Services shows global sea levels rose to a record high in 2016, measuring around 3.25 inches higher than the 1993 average (when sea-level satellite records began).





This is why companies like the International Union for Conversation of Nature are helping Vietnamese communities better prepare for the effects of climate change.





IUCN programme manager Andrew Wyatt says one of the major issues that the region is dealing with today is maladaptation.

We have to act now





He says that by understanding and implementing solutions like controlled flooding and reduction in underground water pumping (typically used for intensive shrimp farming) the impacts of climate change could be reduced.





We have to act now before its too late, Mr Wyatt says, whilst highlighting the latest figures by the NOAA showing that sea levels could rise by as much as 2.6 meters by 2100.





Compare this to conservative sea level rise estimates by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of 40 cm by 2100  the result of which could flood coastal populations from 13 million to 94 million people  and the need to act sooner rather than later becomes all the more imperative.





This Author





Robyn Wilson is a freelance journalist currently writing and travelling across Asia. She is a former news editor at Construction News. She blogs at Weird Fishes and tweets at @RobynFWilson.
Making a return to our two favourite summer locations, Mount Maunganui and Nelson in early January 2023, we've got whiff of the first release lineup and me oh my, yes boy
The Franklin County Board of Supervisors expressed its interest Tuesday in creating a broadband authority.

While board members said they dont feel the county should become a full-fledged broadband internet service provider, they acknowledged creating an authority might be the best vehicle for improving and expanding broadband offerings in the county.

The authority would be composed of county supervisors.

I think it provides you some mechanisms to develop those partnerships that maybe you dont have at the traditional board of supervisors level, said Steve Sandy, the countys director of planning and community development.

The county also will have to consider what kind of incentives its willing to offer to entice providers to come to Franklin County, Sandy said. Examples would be providing access to existing towers, building new structures for providers to use or applying for grants.

Supervisors said moving forward on the project was essential.

Without better broadband coverage, the county wont be able to attract new businesses and citizens, said Gills Creek District Supervisor Bob Camicia.

Weve gotta do something, Boone District Supervisor Ronnie Thompson said.

The board will hold a public hearing on creation of the authority, likely in October.

Mountain Valley Pipeline

Sandy updated the supervisors on meetings held last week in which citizens shared concerns about the impact the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline would have on the regions water quality.

The Department of Environmental Quality held two public hearings, one in Radford and the other in Chatham, as it prepared to make a decision on whether to recommend a water quality certification. Local legislators organized two additional informal meetings in Giles and Roanoke counties, which the agencys director attended.

Franklin County staff wrote to DEQ asking that a public hearing be held in their locality, which would have the longest stretch of pipeline in Virginia, with 37.4 miles. But the request was rebuffed.

Blue Ridge District Supervisor Tim Tatum said he felt Franklin County citizens deserved a public hearing.

Theyre saying they want their input, but yet they dont want to come, he said. Ive just got a problem with that.

Supervisors directed Sandy to write another letter to DEQ asking that the Aug. 22 deadline for public comments be extended and again requesting a public hearing be held in Franklin County. They also asked that he raise concerns about the effect of siltation and erosion on the countys waterways.

Finances

The $136.9 million budget supervisors adopted in May could grow by another $1.7 million.

Board members voted Tuesday to approve a September public hearing on the appropriation, which is required because the amendment to the budget is greater than 1 percent of its total expenditures.

The $1.7 million would cover a number of one-time costs:

 $1 million for the business park.

 $153,000 for a technology project at the Franklin Center for Advanced Learning & Enterprise.

 $167,500 for playing fields, trails and playground replacements.

 $50,000 for landfill closure.

 $125,000 for information technology projects.

 $48,000 in start-up money for Jamison Mill Park.

 $119,552 for emergency medical vehicle and equipment replacement.

 $53,635 for body cameras for the sheriffs office.

Finance Director Vincent Copenhaver said revenues came in stronger than expected last fiscal year and expenditures were under budget as well.

We had a good year financially, so we have some funds available that we can spend, he said.

Not all of the money comes from increased revenues and savings last year, Copenhaver said. Some comes from the fund balance.

During spring budget discussions, supervisors did consider a tax increase that would generate an additional $1.28 million, about half of which would be shared with the school district. However, they ultimately opted to keep tax rates flat.

Several of the items funded by the additional $1.7 million were capital projects that did not make it into this years budget. A few, like the $1 million for the business park and the project at the Franklin Center, are new, Copenhaver said.

Casey Fabris, BH Media News Service
This years 18th annual Warren Street Festival will begin Friday along Warren Street and the Farmers Market on Franklin Street.

The two-day event will celebrate Franklin Countys African American history throughout the years. There will be music, a business expo, funnel cakes, games and other activities for everyone to enjoy.

More than 18 years ago, Darlene Swaine, Dave Campbell and Eleanor Woods put their heads together and decided to put on a festival in order to celebrate the Franklin Countys rich history.

As they were collecting the history, Woods and Swaine interviewed community members that were at least 80 years old. The two then compiled what they learned into a book, Extraordinary People of Franklin County 80 Years Old and Up.

The three cofounders of the festival originally planned for the gathering to be a one-day event on Warren Street, where Swaines family once owned land.

Campbell was teaching at the high school, but he volunteered to have his band Kerosene Willy play for the festival; they have been a staple every year since.

Unfortunately, Woods never got the chance to experience what she helped create. Woods passed away three months before the first festival.

When Woods realized she would not be attending the festival, she told Swaine to not let the celebration end. Woods requested that it continue on year-after-year.

After the first year was a success, Swain and Campbell decided to honor Woods request and continue the festival tradition every summer.

In the beginning, the festival was held on the hill beside Mr. Herman Laws barber shop; Swaine used to operate the beauty shop that was upstairs.

Mr. Law was like a father to me, Swaine said. He helped me in every way. I really appreciate him.

After two years, though, the festival felt growing pains and was subsequently expanded to become a two-day event held at the Farmers Market.

This weekend, one of the exhibits that onlookers can enjoy is The History of Black People Museum display. Swaine said it is the first of its kind in the county.

Saturdays festivities will kick off at the farmers market with a breakfast at 8:30 a.m., the cost is $6. There will also be a parade, a car show, the Macho Man contest, games, food vendors and more.

We want to be sure to say thank you to our vendors and our sponsors, Swaine said. They help to keep the show going.

Carl Motley will be the grand marshal this year. Motley is from Fieldale and spent more than 30 years on a merchants ship.

The Warren Street Dancers will also be in attendance. The group consists of Swaines family members. Allison Adkins was also a member until she passed away last March.

This year, the festival will be held in honor of her and Woods memory.

Other acts include: The Mighty Supremes, Disciples of Faith, Smokestack Lightnin, Hobbs Brothers, Perkins and Envision, Spirits of Joy, Madd Ladd the DJ, Audio Engineer, Lee Walker and Spirit and more.

The festival has a number of long time supporters, like Woods children. Each year, her children come out to support what their mother helped start, and each year her son J.T. Woods writes a poem dedicated to the cause.

Tickets to attend the festival are $6 ($12 including breakfast). All the money raised will go directly to continuing the festival each year.

This weekend will be very exciting, Swaine said. We want everyone to come out and bring a chair.
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WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump continues to draw heavy condemnation for his insistence that both sides  white supremacists and leftist counterdemonstrators  were to blame in last weekends violence besetting Charlottesville, Va.

But if theres a political price to pay for what many call a thinly veiled endorsement of the tiki torch-bearing neo-Nazi marchers, it wont be from Trumps hardcore supporters in Connecticut  even though some of them criticized the president Thursday.

My opinion of Trump hasnt changed one bit, said Richard Rizzi, 65, of Shelton. The far left and far right were both there, and they were both looking for trouble. He did the right thing by calling out both sides.

Trump is by no means perfect, Rizzi added  Hes a little crude in his tweets, but I guess everybody has faults.

White supremacists gathered in Charlotte, ostensibly to protest planned removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. But the nighttime torchlight rally, chanting of anti-Semitic slogans and donning of helmets, shields and clubs for daytime confrontation evoked the specter of Nazi brownshirt rallies in Germany of the 1930s.

One counterdemonstrator died and 19 were injured when a Hitler admirer drove his car into a crowd and then threw it into reverse.

Alternative interpretation

But even as his poll numbers continued to plummet and industry leaders abruptly abandoned the White House advisory councils set up to burnish Trumps pro-business image, the presidents advisers have cited recalcitrance on Charlottesville as a political asset rather than a liability.

The race-identity politics of the left wants to say its all racist, said Steve Bannon, the former head of Breitbart News and Trumps main conduit to the so-called alt-right.

Just give me more, he told The New York Times. Tear down more statues. Say the revolution is coming. I cant get enough of it.

Trump supporters in Connecticut say they believe that for the most part, Trump got the facts right  rightists and leftists both used violent tactics.

Trump described it correctly, based on what I heard, said Glynn Walker, 75, of Norwalk. But when Trump said at his news conference Tuesday at Trump Tower that there were very fine people on both sides, we didnt know what he was talking about, Walker said.

She criticized Trump for being ham-handed, stepping too frequently on his own messages and taking the bait of press questions instead of demurring.

Hes very immature emotionally and hes got an ego problem, Walker said. You see it when the press baits him and he rises to it. Thats disgusting, like a third-grader on the playground.

Not a matter of being PC

Joe Tarzia, 70, of Stamford said Trump couldve been a little more diplomatic in what he said at the news conference.

He didnt come across the way he should have, said Tarzia, who like Rizzi was included in Hearst Connecticut Medias recent multimedia series, Trumps Connecticut.

Its not a matter of being PC; its being sensitive to tragedy, Tarzia said. It just wasnt handled right. I cant believe the president wanted things to end up the way they did.

As president, Trump has to be the adult in the room, Tarzia said. It doesnt mean I dont support him. But I dont support him blindly.

Trumps initial appeal to voters was based on economic nationalism. But he is likely to find Congress less and less receptive to his goals if he continues to mire himself in controversy, said Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn.

People will forgive a lot if you can get things done, Esty said. But in order to do that, he has to be building coalitions and getting more people on board. You cant deliver if you continue to double-down on divisiveness.

Supporters agreed that the controversy over Trumps Charlottesville remarks was a distraction from his economic message of jobs, tax reform and improved health care. But Bannon, in a second interview, said he believes the more Democrats are drawn into conflict over identity politics, the more vulnerable they become on the economy.

If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats, Bannon said.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who accused Trump of moral failure in a statement earlier this week, said the president and Bannon are trying to incite a race war as a political strategy. That is contemptible. The idea that we have to choose between racism and hatred, and a growing economy is nonsense.

dan@hearstdc.com
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Its about 660 miles from southwestern Connecticut to the path of totality of the solar eclipse, but that hasnt cast a shadow over the scores of area people gearing up to travel for the cosmic event.

Along the Connecticut shoreline, the moon will appear to cover about two-thirds of the sun Monday afternoon. The maximum eclipse will be seen here at about 2:45 p.m. The moon will begin covering the sun at 1:24 p.m. and the show will be over at 4 oclock. If youre seeing a partial eclipse, youll need solar viewing glasses, which some local stores have begun selling; theyre also sold online. They block out over 99.999 percent of visible and ultraviolet light.

Many arent settling for seeing a partial eclipse; theyre journeying to a spot along the path of the moons shadow, which in the United States will extend from Oregon to South Carolina. Counterintuitively, an eclipses shadow moves from west to east. Over the course of less than 2 hours, those in a narrow path through 14 states will experience over two minutes of darkness in the middle of the day.

We have about 20 people who are traveling to see it, said Dan Wright of the Westport Astronomical Society. Most of us will be in Beatrice, Nebraska, a couple of us will be in Alliance (Neb.) and two more will be in Kentucky working on a balloon experiment for NASA.

More Information The shadow knows Total solar eclipses happen somewhere on Earth about once every 18 months. Any given spot on Earth will experience a total solar eclipse about once every 400 years. The entire USA will experience at least a partial eclipse, including Alaska and Hawaii. If you miss this one, another total solar eclipse will occur in the U.S. on April 8, 2024, on a curving path of totality that will extend from Texas to Maine. Carbondale, Ill, will enjoy both the 2017 and 2024 events. The Aug. 21, 2017, eclipse will begin far out in the North Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and the Aleutian Islands. It will end in the western North Atlantic Ocean , south of Cape Verde. See More Collapse

In that balloon experiment, 54 teams of researchers and students will be releasing balloons along the path of totality. One of those involved in that effort will be Professor Jani Macari Pallis of the University of Bridgeport, who will be with a team near Hardin, Ky.

Well have two balloons from Connecticut, she said. The payloads will be going up to about 100,000 feet, and theyll be videostreaming the eclipse live.

Scientific opportunity

She said that along with the video package, the balloons will also carry a card  a bacterial coupon  with harmless bacteria.

The idea is to see if we can replicate conditions on Mars, when the atmosphere high up cools in the moons shadow, Pallis said. We know that the sun will get blotted out about three times faster than in a sunset, so the atmosphere will be getting cold fast. How cold? Well have to find out.

To that end, the teams will send weather balloons aloft, too, she said.

The trick will be to release them so that theyll stay in the shadow, she said. Well have to launch them over an hour ahead of time  they have to get up to about 80,000 feet at least.

Pallis is doing the experiment along with students and professors from the University of Hartford. Students from Fairchild Wheeler Magnet High School in Bridgeport will also participate, she said.

It seemed like a no-brainer to include an aerospace magnet school, Pallis said. These students are very engaged. Theyve been here every morning for meetings and training. Theyre writing procedures. Make no mistake, they are valued members of this team.

She launched a test balloon on July 31 to check its flight characteristics.

Weve been doing flight predictions, but in Kentucky, its really hard to say where they will go, Pallis said.

Room and board

The shadows path is only about 70 miles wide, and eclipse-watchers will want to get as close as possible to its center line to experience the longest period of totality. Standing on that line, one will experience about 2 minutes and 30 seconds of darkness; at the edge of the shadow, this will diminish to just a few seconds.

I wish more people would travel to see it, Wright said. Its something thats so amazingly rare and beautiful.

Not surprisingly, Nebraska has seen a 325 percent increase in hotel searches and Kansas has seen more than a 200 percent increase leading up to the eclipse. And the The Oregon Department of Transportation expects the eclipse to be the biggest traffic event in the states history, drawing about 1 million people to the zone of totality.

If youre thinking of staying in a motel in or near the shadows path, think again. Nearly all of the rooms are booked along the path and have been for months. Meanwhile, the little towns the dot the path of totality are bracing for an influx of what could be hundreds or even thousands of visitors who will be driving long distances to see the spectacle.

Well be doing the best we can, said the mayor of Hillsboro, Mo., Dennis K. Bradley. Theres a college nearby that can handle a large number of people, but were limited on funds, so we cant spend a lot of money  if its cloudy that day, not too many will be showing up.

Bridgeports Discovery Museum, 4450 Park Ave., will celebrate a day of safe and exciting solar eclipse viewing. The all-day event there will begin at 10 a.m. with high-powered scopes modified to allow safe viewing of the sun. The museum will also be handing out solar glasses, and special activities will be taking place throughout the day.

The Westport Astronomical Society, 182 Bayberry Lane, Westport, will also have an eclipse event going on, with telescopes fitted with solar filters and solar glasses available, too.

JBurgeson@ctpost.com
NORWALK  After a daylong flight spanning nearly 7,000 miles, 13 Chinese students and two teachers arrived at Brien McMahon High School to a warm welcome Friday morning.

Hailing from Zibo, a city nestled in the central Shandong province in northern China, the group came to Norwalk as part of a decade-old student exchange program that gives students of the Brien McMahons Center for Global Studies program a chance to house their Chinese peers on their first trip to the United States.

The program provides Chinese and American students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the aspects of the other countrys life and culture that cant be taught in classrooms, said Julie Parham, director of the Center for Global Studies.

Our exchanges are the center  the heart  of our program, said Parham. Our magnet focus is to teach language and culture, and the classroom is pretty limiting, so when you are interacting with people from that culture who speak that language, then our learning curve goes way, way up.

Plus, its a chance we get to make great friends from around the world and expose ourselves to all of the assumptions and beliefs that we have and that we dont know that we have until we meet people that dont share them, she added.

After exchanging greetings and gifts, McMahon students were paired with their Zibo counterparts, then put through a series of fun, ice-breaking activities, such as musical chairs and a scavenger hunt. The hope, Parham said, was to make both sets of students comfortable around one another while simultaneously showing the foreign students a good time.

During the brief orientation, Cailey Martin, an incoming junior at McMahons Center for Global Studies, met for the first time the girl who would be sharing her home for the week. Despite not knowing the identity of her future bunkmate, Martin said she jumped at the opportunity the second it presented itself.

Meeting someone new is always a little weird, especially when theres a language barrier. But, once we both get comfortable around each other and our walls come down, I think this will be a real learning for us both, Martin said.

For 16-year-old Shan Bowen, the trip represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the country that had piqued his interest since childhood.

Im excited to learn more about American culture and to have a good time with my host family, Bowen said. I think America is a country that has a lot of history, and I am excited to learn more about it.

In the past, exchange trips to Norwalk happened during the winter. However, program coordinators ultimately decided to try something new this year and rescheduled the trip to the summertime.

We found that during the winter, the weather was a little bleak. It is snowy and cold, so we moved it to the summer so that the trip would be a little nicer for the students, said Peggy Lovro, a teacher at McMahons Center for Global Studies and one of the programs coordinators.

Due to some scheduling conflicts this year, however, the typically two-week program was shortened to five days this year.

In the spring, McMahon students will then be given an opportunity to make a similar journey to Zibo, where they can get an opportunity to experience Chinese culture firsthand.

ptomlinson@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2570; Twitter: @Tomlinson_PE
NORWALK  A New York man was arrested on a Norwalk warrant Wednesday charging him with sexual assault.

Police said that Dayvon Williams, 27, of Brooklyn, sexually assaulted a woman in Norwalk in May. Police released few details about the assault, but did say that it was not a random act and the Williams and the woman knew one another.

A warrant for the mans arrest was obtained by Norwalk Detective Ryan Hudyma. U.S. marshals took William into custody in New York.

Norwalk detectives brought him back from Manhattan Criminal Court where he was being held.

WIlliams, 27, was charged with second-degree sexual assault. His bond was set at $25,000 and he was given a court date of Aug. 25.

Second-degree sexual assault is a class C felony or, if the victim is under 16, a class B felony, and carries a jail term of no less than nine months.
Of the thousands of interactions I've had with North Korean refugees in China, I can't get one out of my head. I met her during a visit two years ago at her small farming village where I stayed the night in a drab, one-room house. The roof was made of mud and the interior walls and ceiling were covered in newspaper.

I was there to help her and other North Korean refugees like her find access to resources and medical care as part of my work with the nonprofit Crossing Borders.

I was taking notes for the doctor when this woman approached our table. She was just 38, but she had a sad face with wrinkles around her eyes. She had no rights or protections. China routinely arrests refugees and sends them back to North Korea, where they are guaranteed time in the world's most brutal prison camps.

As I took down her vital information, she told me her birth date. Shocked, I stopped typing and asked her to clarify. We had been born on the same day - on the opposite sides of the Korean Demilitarized Zone.

I was born in Seoul, she in Chongjin, a North Korean mining town about 200 miles to the north. Though our births were separated by just moments and miles, the details of our lives couldn't be more different. My family was able to emigrate to the United States when I was a baby, in search of a better life. I was well educated and blessed to be able to pursue my passions. I was granted time to mess up, to find my footing as an adult.

Meanwhile, she had spent years of her childhood trapped in a devastating famine that claimed the lives of up to 3 million innocent North Koreans. Her family starved to death. Many refugees have told me they ate bark and grass to survive at the instruction of their government. Some even turned to cannibalism.

Though it is a crime to leave their country, hundreds of thousands of North Koreans have risked imprisonment to find their next meal. To the south is the most heavily militarized border in the world, so they escape to China.

This refugee made her journey in 2001 by walking across the frozen Tumen River, her country's porous Northern border. I have seen footprints on the Tumen in winter, vestiges of hope left by people who evaded the North Korean border guards, whose primary purpose isn't to keep people out - but to keep people in.

After she crossed the border, traffickers captured her and sold her as a forced bride to a poor farmer, with whom she lives today. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences estimates that there will be 30 million to 40 million more men below age 20 than women in China by the year 2020. Caused by the one-child policy, China's gender disparity has created a market for North Korean women.

China regularly arrests and deports aid workers like me. I've been surrounded by Chinese soldiers wielding AK-47s. I've fled the country out of fear for my safety. I've organized logistics to smuggle people out of the country.

Earlier this year, my team and I decided that I would stop going to China, so that I can publicly promote the work that we do. This means that I will never be able to go back without fear of arrest. The publication of this essay will ensure that.

But I was able to walk away from China on my own terms; refugees like the one I met two years ago aren't. While Americans were spared this week from North Korea's threats of nuclear war, she likely will never escape the risk of death at the hands of that regime.

This is the definition of injustice: 200 miles. That's all it took for us to live two completely different lives.

She had been taught her whole life to hate America. In school, North Korean children are taught that Americans are baby-eating monsters. But as I travel the world to raise funds for Crossing Borders, I've come to appreciate the generosity of the American people. Though we have donors throughout the world, there is something unique and beautiful about the American ethos that compels us to give.

When this woman and I discovered that we were born on the same day, we stood up from the table that separated us, grabbed each other's forearms and looked each other in the eyes.

"Thank you, thank you," she said to me, uttering some of the only English words she knew.

I don't think she meant to thank me. I hadn't done anything for her at that point. I think what she was expressing was how surprised she was. It was like finding an old classmate.

"Thank you, thank you," she repeated.

I didn't know how to express the heartbreak that I was feeling at the moment. I'm still figuring out how to express it today.
Farmers and ranchers are hard-wired to think of rain as liquid gold.

They have been given pause by a freakish summer storm of biblical proportions that washed across a massive section of the Great Plains Tuesday night, reaching from southern South Dakota into Kansas and from Wyoming and Colorado on the west to Iowa on the east, virtually covering the entire state of Nebraska.

The power of the storm and extent of the damage it rendered caught farmers and ranchers off guard, as the weather system was more typical of a spring or early summer pattern than the normal hot, dry conditions of mid- August.

Tuesday nights record-breaking fury dealt Central Nebraska another hard blow while some areas were still recovering from last weekends devastating storms.

Prior to Tuesdays storm, Custer County had been drenched by 10 to 15 inches of rain and shredded by a series of wind and hail storms.

Responding to the sudden end of a long dry spell, Mark Rempe, Custer County emergency manager, observed, Weve been waiting for rain all summer, and we got it all in one shot.

Rempe reported wind and hail crop damage was suffered over a 6- to 10-mile-wide swath stretching across the county from border to border.

Flooding took out additional acreages of grain fields and pasture and flooded roads and feedlots.

The timing of the damage could not be worse, as it hit at the peak of the growing and summer grazing seasons, leaving no time for recovery. Rural residents and communities throughout Central Nebraska are also dealing with toppled trees, flooded streets, power outages and damaged homes and cars.

In rural Nebraska, the recovery is in full swing, with neighbors helping neighbors. Our hearts go out to the farmers and ranchers of the region and all who were harmed by the storms. We share in their loss and pray for better days ahead.
Gazpacho is ubiquitous in the summer and one of the best ways to use those delicious but ugly tomatoes that are bursting with flavor but may not be pretty enough to slice.

And, often, tomato vendors at farmers markets will sell the dented tomatoes at half price. Snap them up  theyre perfect for gazpacho and tomato sauce.

The chilled summer soup that originated in southern Spain is generally made from raw tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and garlic.

These days there are countless variations of gazpacho (white gazpacho, anyone?) but my favorite one is made with grilled vegetables and the addition of watermelon and mint.

The grilling of the vegetables adds a smoky element that makes the soup taste more like soup and less like vegetable juice to me. The watermelon adds a touch of sweetness and the mint perks everything up.

I dont want to lose the essence of the gazpacho so the vegetables are grilled over indirect heat only until they are crisp tender. The grill is pre-heated on high and the burners under the vegetables are turned off after you place the various ingredients on the grill so the watermelon and some of the vegetables will get grill marks on one side_this will contribute to the light smoky flavor.

The best part is that once the vegetables are grilled, you place everything in a blender and puree away. A little best quality olive oil, red wine vinegar and fresh mint and basil are all you need to finish this simple summer soup.

Grilled Tomato Gazpacho with Watermelon and Mint

Start to finish: 45 minutes, plus time to chill

4 large ripe tomatoes

1 yellow or red bell pepper

1 large English seedless cucumber

1 sweet (Vidalia) onion

2 or 3 cloves garlic

4 scallions

2 large slices of watermelon

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

3 to 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and mint or other favorite herbs

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garnish:

1/4 cup sour cream or creme fraiche

3 tablespoons chopped basil and mint

Preheat grill with all burners on high.

Stem the tomatoes and cut in half. Core and seed the pepper. Peel and halve the cucumber lengthwise. Peel the onion and garlic and cut the roots off the scallions. Place vegetables bottom-side down on the cooking grate. You can place the garlic inside the pepper, or in a disposable drip pan. Brush all the vegetables and the watermelon lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Place all vegetables in the center of the cooking grate and turn the burners off under the food. Be sure to close the lid of the grill. Grill over indirect heat until hot and beginning to soften, about 15 minutes. You want them to still be crisp. Transfer the vegetables to a platter to cool, reserving any juices that collect.

Chop vegetables into large chunks if necessary and place with oil, vinegar, herbs, and seasonings in a blender. Blend at high speed until smooth. Add vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. If the gazpacho seems too thick, thin with a little more olive oil. Add more vinegar to taste.

The gazpacho should be highly seasoned. Chill until serving.

Ladle gazpacho into shallow bowls. Garnish each with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche, and a sprinkling of chopped herbs.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 146 calories; 68 calories from fat; 8 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 93 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 12 g sugar; 3 g protein.

The American Table is an Associated Press column by Elizabeth Karmel that celebrates the delicious diversity of simple home cooking. Karmel is a grilling and Southern foods expert and the author of three cookbooks, including Taming the Flame.
Watermelon and Cantaloupe Gazpacho takes advantage of the wonderful melons that are abundant at this time of year. Its a refreshing end-of-summer soup and a choice dish with which to launch a holiday party (Labor Day is just around the corner).

I call it a gazpacho, but Im using the term very loosely because it makes no use of tomatoes. What puts it within shouting distance of the classic Spanish soup is that its served chilled and its chunky.

There are a few key steps in the making of it. Start by looking for the ripest melons you can find. The watermelon should have a large yellow or white mark somewhere on its skin. This tell-tale spot is the one on which the melon rested as it grew. The more pronounced the spot, the more time the melon has spent ripening. The cantaloupe should boast a rich golden color and smell strongly of, well, cantaloupe when you take a whiff of its stem end.

To achieve the smoothest possible texture, you will need to puree the melon in a blender. No other machine produces so creamy a result. To point up and counterbalance the melons natural sweetness, start with the suggested amounts of lemon and lime, although you may decide to add more if your melon is exceptionally sweet.

Heat, like acid, is another way to balance sugar, which is why Ive built some chopped chilies into this recipe. But I also happen to be a fan of the hot stuff. If youre not, leave them out. The feta cheese contributes not only to the unique flavor of the soup, but also adds a dose of saltiness, providing some welcome contrast to the sweetness of the fruit. But feel free to swap in sour cream if thats what youd prefer.

The mint is a strong accent all by itself, but you could replace it with basil and/or cilantro  or add them to accompany the mint. However you adjust the flavorings, be sure to serve the finished product chilled.

Watermelon and Cantaloupe Gazpacho

Start to finish: 3 hours 45 minutes (45 active)

6 cups coarse chunks plus 2 cups small cubes cantaloupe

2-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 cups coarse chunks plus 2 cups small cubes watermelon

2-1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 cup chopped strawberries

3/4 cup crumbled feta

2 tablespoons shredded mint

1 small jalapeno or serrano, chopped, with seeds and ribs

In a blender puree the coarse chunks of cantaloupe with the lemon juice until very smooth. Transfer to a pitcher and chill at least 3 hours.

Rinse out the blender, add the coarse chunks of watermelon and the lime juice and puree until very smooth. Transfer to a pitcher and chill for at least 3 hours.

To serve: Pour both soups from their pitchers into each bowl at the same time from opposite sides of the bowl so that the soups stay basically on opposite sides. Drop some of the cantaloupe cubes into the cantaloupe half of the soup and some of the watermelon into the watermelon half. Top each portion with some of the strawberries, cheese, mint and chiles.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 147 calories; 33 calories from fat; 4 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 13 mg cholesterol; 157 mg sodium; 28 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 23 g sugar; 4 g protein

KitchenWise is an Associated Press column by chef Sara Moulton that uses delicious recipes to teach basic cooking skills. Moulton was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years, and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including Cooking Live. Her latest cookbook is Home Cooking 101.
A community church service organized by Trinity United Methodist Church is set for 9:30 a.m. Sunday in downtown Grand Island.

Called Praise on the Plaza, the service will be presented at Railside Plaza.

The event begins with a drum circle at 9 a.m. The worship service will begin at 9:30. Everyone is welcome. Participants should bring a lawn chair, as there is no seating at the plaza.

Food, games, car show planned at Calvary Lutheran

Calvary Lutheran Church is hosting a pre-eclipse/pre-Reformation party Sunday.

The event will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the churchs parking lot at 1304 N. Custer Ave.

Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks will be served. There also will be music, eclipse information/Reformation information booths and games for adults and kids, including a bounce house, kick the can, cribbage, cards, horseshoes and bean bag toss.

Freewill donations will be collected to go toward fighting hunger in Grand Island and surrounding communities.

There will also be a motorcycle/car show. Anyone wanting to show their vehicle can call Lois at (308) 382-5446 on weekday mornings or at (308) 383-9202.

Eclipse-viewing glasses will be handed out for people to take home to watch the eclipse on Monday.

Eclipse viewing planned at First-Faith UMC

First-Faith United Methodist Church, 4190 W. Capital Ave., will host a free eclipse viewing party open to the public.

The party runs from 11 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Monday.

You will be able to set up your chairs anywhere on the wide-open ball fields behind the church, says the churchs Facebook page. We will have concessions available so you can stop by on your lunch break. There is plenty of parking and the church will be open for access to restrooms, too.

Eclipse viewing glasses will be available.

Refreshments will be provided after the eclipse. People are welcome to go inside the church to join in a discussion about the phenomenon they just witnessed.
Police/Sheriff

Anyone with information about any crime in the state may call the Grand Island-Hall County Crime Stoppers, (308) 381-8822. Callers will remain anonymous.

A reward of up to $1,000 will be paid after law enforcement agencies have determined the seriousness of the crime and the usefulness of the information.

Inmate custody status can be obtained by calling the VINE hotline at (877) NE 4 VINE or by visiting www.vinelink.com. Information is available 24 hours a day.

If you see a crime happening, call the Grand Island-Hall County Emergency Center  911.

Grand Island Police

The following felonies were reported:

 Boyd Boettger was arrested for first-degree forgery Wednesday at Caseys General Store, 420 N. Broadwell.

 Daniel Wirick III was arrested for possession of a controlled substance Wednesday at North Wheeler and West Eighth.

 Carlos Cervantes reported second-degree domestic assault Wednesday night at West Fourth and North Wheeler.

 Janet Redinger reported a motor vehicle theft Thursday morning at 1028 S. Sycamore.

 Chris Rockwood reported an identity theft Wednesday evening at 4145 Springview Drive.

Hall County Sheriff

Law enforcement arrested six people on warrants in 18 cases. There were 27 calls for service.

For more information visit www.hallcountyne.gov and click on the sheriff link.

 Pump and Pantry in Doniphan reported criminal mischief Wednesday afternoon.

Court report

Hall County Court

 Eliazar Gonzalez-Lopez, 22, Grand Island, attempt of a Class 4 felony, $300 fine, 12 months probation, $300 probation fee. Also guilty of driving under suspension before being reinstated by the state, $75 fine, 12 months probation, drivers license revoked one year.

 Boyd O. Boettger, 36, Grand Island, was charged with committing first-degree forgery on Wednesday. Preliminary hearing set for 10:30 a.m. Sept. 6.

 Daniel A. Wirick III, 33, homeless, was charged with false reporting of a misdemeanor, driving under suspension before being reinstated by the state, possession or use of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and theft by receiving stolen property totaling $0 to $500, all on Wednesday.

 Hali B. Hendrickson, 18, Wood River, was charged with theft by unlawful taking totaling $1,500 to $5,000 on Wednesday. Preliminary hearing set for 10 a.m. Sept. 13.

 Brandon L. Young, 24, Grand Island, was charged with aiding and abetting a Class 4 felony on Wednesday. Preliminary hearing set for 11:30 a.m. Sept. 26.

Driving Under the Influence  Alexandria Sandquist, 26, Grand Island, $500 fine, six months probation, drivers license revoked 60 days. Also guilty of possessing or consuming from an open alcohol container, $50 fine; Paul M. Laughlin, 52, Omaha, enhanced DUI, $500 fine, two days in jail with credit for one day served, six months probation, drivers license revoked one year, $150 probation fee; Jacob Hansen, 22, Cairo, enhanced DUI, $500 fine, 12 months probation, 120 hours community service, drivers license revoked one year.
As many Grand Island residents, I have been following the recent issue regarding the citys looming budget shortfall. While I am mindful of the citys financial predicament, I was taken aback by Mayor Jeremy Jensens recent suggestion that one way to combat the shortfall would be to implement a 3 percent tax on money sent from Grand Island out of the United States.

I do not claim to know Mayor Jensen, and by no means would I presume that this proposal is the result of any personal racial animus. What cannot be ignored, however, is the fundamental reality that this proposal would primarily impact immigrants  the citys most vulnerable and least politically-influential residents  and, by the mayors own admissions, that is precisely the intent.

The wisdom of this proposal, and whether it is illustrative of Grand Island values, is ultimately left to our elected politicians. However, as an attorney, I believe both the Grand Island City Council and Grand Island residents should know that this proposal is almost certainly unconstitutional and would envelop the city into protracted litigation that I believe it would inevitably lose. The reason is that the United States Supreme Court has long stated that laws that target people based on national origin are subject to what is called strict scrutiny evaluation in court. This would require the city to show, among other things, that a compelling government interest necessitated this particular tax (as opposed to other forms of taxation) and that this tax was the least restrictive means of addressing the problem. In short, laws that are subject to strict scrutiny analysis are almost inevitably declared unconstitutional.

While the ordinance may be fashioned to appear on its face to be applicable to everyone and without regard to race or national origin, courts would be allowed to take note of the history and events precipitating the ordinances passage in order to make determinations as to whether the intent was to impact people based on national origin or race. In addition to, for example, an analysis showing that the vast majority of money sent from Grand Island out of the country is done so by immigrants, the mayors own statements have made it explicitly clear that the intent behind the tax is to target those who have immigrated to the United States. For example, in the Aug. 13 edition of The Independent, Mayor Jensen was quoted as saying, in support of the need for the tax, I know these families that have moved in from Guatemala, brought their families here for a better life and work their tails off. They work and send significant amounts of money back to their relatives in other countries. Statements such as this  while even perhaps well-intentioned  are now in the public record and would be evidence in court that would establish  if it wasnt already abundantly clear  that the intent of the ordinance is to target people based on their national origin.

While I do not claim to have answers to the citys budget concerns, the mayors proposed tax, in addition to targeting some of the communitys most vulnerable residents, is unwise and untenable from a legal standpoint and would embroil the city into costly legal proceedings. If the city is intent on following this ill-advised idea, I would suggest the council budget a significant amount for attorney fees as this battle will be extensive and budget-busting.
It is a fact of human history that one culture or race has taken advantage of another culture or race throughout all time.

Early Middle Eastern Babylonians took Israelites into captivity and slavery. Egyptians conquered surrounding countries and enslaved them. The Ottoman Empire enslaved and or killed everyone who refused conversion to Islam. Many African tribal leaders collaborated with Arab and European slave traders to sell their fellow countrymen into slavery. Nazis tried to eradicate the Jews and others they deemed undesirable. And Americans owned, used and sold slaves. This is history.

Moreover, it is part of who and what we are as part of the human race. Yes, its ugly, deplorable and very inconvenient  especially when weve all become so sensitive to every little word or phrase that might make us uncomfortable.

But tearing down the monuments to history isnt going to change the truth. Maybe we should burn Mount Vernon, since George Washington owned slaves, or bulldoze Monticello, Thomas Jeffersons home. Maybe every property owner in what is now Manhattan should be forced to relinquish the title to their property to remnants of the Delaware Indians. While were at it, lets erase any referrals to Dachau, Buchenwald and Auschwitz, or the Bataan death march as well as Pol Pot and Idi Amin Dada!

I suspect, however, that this rewrite of history that so many seek so eagerly isnt really motivated by love for humanity. Weve seen, in so many instances before, the use of race, nationality, ethnicity and even gender by those who actually seek power and profit, just like the slave traders, despots and conquerors of old. So before you eagerly jump on the bandwagon to condemn and tear down the remnants of our past history, remember this: Future generations, ignorant of the history of racism, slavery, communism, Nazism, imperialism and fascism, will not have a historical background to recognize and fight against its rebirth. For to fail to learn from our past is to repeat it.

As King Solomon said: What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
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
A Florissant, Mo., teenager has been charged with alleged Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking and Offenses Related to Motor Vehicles, according to the Madison County Sheriff's Department.

In a press release issued Thursday afternoon, the sheriff's department reported that Toreyan Moore, 18, of Florissant, is facing the two charges.

On Sunday, August 13, 2017, at approximately 8:48 p.m., a Godfrey woman was confronted by two armed suspects inside her garage, after returning home from running errands, according to the release.

The two black male suspects were armed with handguns and threatened to shoot the victim. The victim complied with the suspects and fortunately wasnt physically harmed.

The suspects stole the victims silver in color 2013 Nissan Altima. This incident took place at the victims home in the 4800 block of DAdrian Drive, Godfrey, Il. The Sheriffs Office responded to the scene and initiated an investigation.

A regional police broadcast was made, making area law enforcement aware of the event.

Shortly after 4:00 a.m. on Monday, August 14, 2017, a Missouri Highway Patrol Officer recovered the victims vehicle after it was involved in a traffic accident near I-55 and Reavis Barracks Road, in South St. Louis. Two black male subjects reportedly fled from the vehicle after it crashed, and avoided apprehension, the release stated.

Madison County Sheriffs Investigators following up on leads developed during the crash investigation and were able to identify several persons of interest, in the vehicular hijacking. Information and evidence developed during the investigation resulted in the issuance of the charges and warrant against Moore, according to the release.

A second 17 year old juvenile suspect was also identified by investigators during the investigation. That juvenile has been petitioned through the juvenile courts in Madison County on the same felony charges that were issued against Moore, the release stated.

Moore was taken into custody by the Florissant Police Department on Tuesday evening, on the warrant issued in this investigation, as well as an unrelated robbery that occurred earlier that day in the City of Florissant.

Moore was charged in St. Louis County on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, with Robbery related charges in connection with the robbery that occurred in the City of Florissant.

The juvenile defendant in this incident was also taken into custody on an unrelated matter in Missouri and is currently in police custody. Both defendants will remain in Missouri police custody, pending extradition proceedings.

The Sheriffs Office has requested the Madison County States Attorney to move forward in certifying the juvenile suspect as an adult in this case, according to the release.

Aggravated Vehicular Carjacking as charged is a Class X felony in the State of Illinois, carrying a possible term of imprisonment of up to 30 years, with a 15 year added enhancements for being armed with a firearm during the offense.

A very similar vehicular hijacking occurred in the Village of Godfrey on June 29, 2017, at approximately 9:00 p.m. in the 300 block of Canary Lane.

In that case an elderly woman returned home from running errands and was approached by armed black men as she was parking in her garage. The suspects threatened to shoot the victim and stole her vehicle.

The victim cooperated with the suspects and was not physically harmed. Her vehicle was recovered on July 26, 2017, after it was involved in a single vehicle traffic accident in Northern St. Louis County.

Two occupants of the vehicle died as a result of crash related injuries. Investigators are working to determine if the two incidents are connected, the release stated.
In case you havent heard, there is going to be a solar eclipse on Aug. 21.

Beginning at approximately noon, the moon will begin to pass between the Earth and the sun from the top right edge of the sun. At around 1:15 p.m. the eclipse will reach totality and by 2:45 p.m. the celestial event will be over.

The longest duration of totality will take place in Carbondale, where the moon will block the sun for 2 minutes and 41.6 seconds.

Excitement for the unique event has been building and state agencies have estimated that more than 100,000 people will travel to Southern Illinois to witness the eclipse.

James Joseph, of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, said his agency has planned for the influx of people to the area.

The planning efforts for the eclipse were similar to those we undertake for other events that involve large crowds, Joseph said. We began working with our emergency management partners within the path of totality last fall, as well as with our state agency and mutual aid partners to address every possible contingency in order to ensure the safety of everyone who lives or visits Southern Illinois for the eclipse.

In Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville will host a public viewing at SIUEs Korte Stadium.

SIUE will have a telescope connected to a screen under a tent that will facilitate group observation. Approved eclipse viewing glasses will also be provided on site.

Other areas offering free viewing parties are:

Alton will host an eclipse viewing party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alton Riverfront Amphitheater. Telescopes will be set up for safe viewing and food trucks and concessions will be available.

Waterloo, which is in the path of totality, will have a viewing party from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Monroe County Fairgrounds.

Jefferson Barracks Park, in south St. Louis County will be offering free parking and a viewing event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Food trucks will be on site for visitors.

While eye safety has been stressed, the Illinois Department of Transportation warns drivers to be cautious with the influx of people flocking to Illinois to view the eclipse.

IDOT and Illinois State Police officials estimate more than 150,000 people will be visiting the area, which could make traffic a concern.

A release from IDOT reminds all drivers to park only in designated parking areas and not pull over to the side of the road to view the eclipse.

Drivers in prime viewing areas should expect high volumes of pedestrians and bicycle traffic and should use caution.

Drivers should also expect longer travel times in the region due to the influx of people.
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Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Fri, August 18, 2017

Sebastian Partogi

The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Indonesias long history as a nation and as a community cannot be separated from the countrys once vital role in the spice trade spanning thousands of years.

Therefore, Kompas, kompas.com, Kompas TV, The Jakarta Post, National Geographic Indonesia and Lifelike Pictures have launched a project called Spice Trail, which highlights this chapter of our history in a series of articles and documentaries.

Spice trail expeditions by Europeans to Asia, which began in the 15th century, were very important not just to the history of Indonesia, but also the world. They marked interaction between countries, sparking cross-cultural exchanges that resulted in the modern economic and sociopolitical world of today.

One of the entry points to studying Indonesias role in the spice trail is the Sriwijaya Kingdom in Sumatra, which rose to power in the middle of the 17th century and was able to retain its control of the spice trade for 500 years, before it collapsed.

Today, Indonesia is struggling in the spice trade game. Despite the fact that many regions are top spice producers, Indonesia cannot reap the full benefits of the commodities.

Neighboring country Singapore is the worlds number one spice seller, followed by Vietnam.

Their advantage lies in their ability to sell value-added products, unlike Indonesia, which just sells raw ingredients.

According to National Archaeological Research and Development Center researcher Bambang Budi Utomo, the spice trail history  including its heyday and decline  could be highly instructive in helping Indonesia devise nation-building strategies for a better future.

When we hear speeches on history or archaeology, we often hear people using it to boast about the long-lost glorious days of our ancestors. Indonesians are often proud of the countrys past, but they have no clue as to how to take the nation into the future, Bambang told The Jakarta Post in a recent telephone interview.

Every nations history has its highs and lows. Our task now is to identify what happened when our spice trade and ancient kingdoms faced downfall. This question is the key to securing our future. Our future must be better than the days of glory in the past, he added.

- (-/-)
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Sydney, Australia  Fri, August 18, 2017 12:01 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad02732 2 Lifestyle Melbourne,Australia,liveable-cities Free

Melbourne has topped a list of the world's most liveable city for the seventh year running but terrorism and diplomatic tensions are eroding living conditions worldwide, an annual report from the Economist has found.

The Australian city was ranked number one out of 140 cities, slightly ahead of the Austrian capital Vienna, with the Canadian trio of Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary competing the top five.

"This is a win for all Victorians, who contribute so much to making Melbourne the best place to live in the world," said Victorian state premier Daniel Andrews.

The survey, released Wednesday, scores cities on five broad categories: stability; healthcare; culture and environment; education and infrastructure.

The Economist's Intelligence Unit found that medium-sized cities in wealthy countries fared best.

Read also: The hipster's guide to Melbourne's indie bookshops

"These can foster a range of recreational activities without leading to high crime levels or overburdened infrastructure," the report said.

Major hubs like New York, London, Paris and Tokyo were hives of activity but lost points due to high levels of crime and overcrowded public transport.

More broadly, global stability continued to weaken due to the increase in terror-related incidents world wide.

"Violent acts of terrorism have been reported in many countries, including Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, France, Pakistan, Sweden, Turkey, the UK and the US," the report found.

"While not a new phenomenon, the frequency and spread of terrorism have increased noticeably and become even more prominent."

Read also: Foreigners in capital hope for livable city

The United States had seen a decline in a number of its cities over the past few years related to growing unrest.

"This stems in part from unrest related to a number of deaths of black people at the hands of police officers," the report found.

"In addition, the country has seen protests held in response to President Trump's policies and executive orders."

It said increased diplomatic tensions -- from Russia and the Ukraine, to North Korea's nuclear threat and Iran's relationship with its neighbours -- was leading to declining stability scores around the world.

Conflict was the main factor for those cities finishing on the bottom of the survey, with Syria's Damascus at number 140, behind Nigeria's Lagos, under threat from Islamist groups like Boko Haram and Libyan capital Tripoli, caught up in middle eastern strife.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 10:08 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97acf95e5 2 City cikampek,Cikampek-toll-road,odd-even-license-traffic-policy,Bekasi,jakarta Free

The odd-even traffic policy will come into effect for the Cikampek toll road next Tuesday and to support the program, park-and-ride facilities will be made available in Bekasi, West Java, an official has confirmed.

This park-and-ride [facility] will use empty plots of land. We have coordinated with several mall and stadium managements in Bekasi, said Bambang Prihartono, head of the Greater Jakarta Transportation Body (BPTJ), as quoted by kompas.com on Thursday.

Bambang said that amid worsening congestion on the toll road, which is caused by prolonged road overcapacity coupled with construction of infrastructure projects, officials had to apply the odd-even policy.

With the regulation, vehicles bearing a license plate number ending with an odd digit are allowed to use the toll road only on odd dates, while those with plates ending with an even digit can only pass on even dates.

The policy will only be applied to drivers entering from the Tambun, West Bekasi, East Bekasi and Jatibening toll gates heading to Jakarta. It will not affect those traveling from Bandung or Cirebon, West Java.

To make the program a success, BPTJ is teaming up with Bekasi administration to provide parking facilities in Bekasi, in which drivers can park their vehicles before continuing their trips to Jakarta, said Bambang.

The odd-even policy has previously been applied by the Jakarta administration in several main roads in the capital, including Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta. (agn/wit)
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Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 10:31 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97acfa346 1 Business saudi-aramco,Rosneft,pertamina,cooperation,cilacap-refinery,Tuban-refinery Free

State-owned energy giant Pertamina has said it has convinced Saudi Arabian oil giant Saudi Aramco and Russia's Rosneft to conduct joint marketing efforts, which will ease its financial burden.

In December last year, Pertamina signed a joint-venture agreement with Saudi Aramco on upgrading the Cilacap refinery in East Java with a total investment of US$5.8 billion.

It is estimated that the upgraded facility can produce 400,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), up from the current production of 348,000 bopd, once it is complete in 2023.

Meanwhile, Pertamina will team up with Rosneft to develop the new $15 billion Tuban refinery, also in East Java, which is projected to produce 300,000 bopd once it comes online in 2024.

Pertamina, which owns 55 percent of both projects, was previously the sole off-taker of output by the Cilacap and Tuban refineries. This resulted in all debts from these projects being Pertamina's alone, resulting in an increase in its debt burden.

So, we are renegotiating the Cilacap and Tuban projects, with negotiations reaching 95 percent completion. Were currently just waiting for the legal process before going to the next phase, Pertamina finance director Arief Budiman said Wednesday.

Pertamina said both Saudi Aramco and Rosneft had agreed to give financial support for the basic engineering design (BED) and front-end engineering design (FEED) of the two refinery projects.

The basic studies and FEED for the Tuban project alone will cost $270 million. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 19:54 1912 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad16560 1 City bogor,flag,suspect Free

The Bogor police have named a man identified as M, 25, as a suspect of allegedly burning red and white umbul  umbul (decorative flags) placed by residents around Ibnu Masud pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Kampung Jami, Bogor regency, on Wednesday, a day before Indonesias Independence Day.

The police believe M violated article No. 24 of the 2009 National Flag, Language, Emblem and Anthem of Indonesia Law which dictates that such actions could bring a maximum punishment of five years in prison.

The police named him as a suspect after questioning M and 29 witnesses.

The suspect is one of the pesantren teachers, Bogor police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. AM Dicky said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when M burned the decorative flags, sparking the anger of residents around the pesantren.

The national police spokesman, Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said the police would investigate further to ascertain whether the people involved in the act were connected to any radical groups. (cal)

Topics : bogor flag suspect
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Photo courtesy of Mr. He Gong for his lovely kitten Ruobai.
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Linkedin Esteban Duarte, Todd White and Rodrigo Orihuela (Bloomberg) Barcelona  Fri, August 18, 2017 09:19 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97acf470b 2 World #Spain,#Barcelona,#TerrorAttack,#terrorist,#Terrorism Free

Four suspected terrorists were shot dead by police and six civilians were injured in a town south of Barcelona, hours after 13 people were killed when a van rampaged down the citys iconic Las Ramblas avenue.

One Catalan police officer and one suspected terrorist were also injured in the incident in the town of Cambrils, a press officer for the regional government said by message. Two of the injured civilians were seriously hurt, the government said. Investigators were inspecting belts the suspects were wearing to determine whether they held explosives.

Earlier, at least 100 more people were injured when an assailant drove a white van down a section of the iconic Las Ramblas avenue just before 5 p.m. local time on Thursday. Witnesses said it hit a speed of about 80 kilometers per hour, throwing people into the air.

Two suspects were arrested, though officials said the driver wasnt among them. Islamic State claimed the carnage, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.

The deadly attack raises questions again about how authorities can protect citizens from crude attacks that can be planned under their radar. Britain responded to similar incidents in London this year by erecting concrete and metal barriers to shield pedestrians at key sites of the city. Spain has long been used to bombing campaigns by Basque and Islamist terrorists, but the rampage was the first of its kind on Spanish soil.

Unfortunately, as weve seen before, theres not a lot authorities can do to prevent this type of attack, which is quite easy for someone to plan and to execute, said Federico Santi, an analyst at political risk firm Eurasia Group. It requires a huge amount of resources to actually monitor the very large number of people who are at risk.

Images of bloody victims lying on the sidewalk have become all too familiar in Europe of late. Terrorists in London drove into passersby on bridges in two deadly incidents this year. There was also an attack using a commercial vehicle in Stockholm. Last year, trucks plowed through crowds in Berlin and Nice. Barcelona may have been targeted simply because its a major tourist destination for Europeans as a whole, Santi said.

The van zigzagged into people, a witness told state broadcaster TVE. Las Ramblas -- a busy avenue with bars and street artists at the heart of Barcelonas tourist circuit -- was strewn with bodies and debris as people ran to help the wounded.

The car came toward me, people were flying in the air -- there were bodies everywhere, Shari Weise, a 54-year-old visitor to Barcelona from California, said by telephone. The man next to me got hit and I jumped behind a pole and pulled a 15 year-old boy behind the pole with me.

Police raised the possibility that an explosion at a home earlier on Thursday that killed one person and brought down a building may be connected to the attack.

Islamic State has threatened more attacks in Europe as its militants lost territory in Syria and Iraq. While some of the previous terrorists had training, others have just been inspired by the extremists with little or no formal contact.

When the group claimed responsibility for the more than 80 deaths in Nice, it said the assailant in a truck loaded with arms was responding to its call to target countries fighting its militants in the Middle East.

Preventing attackers using vehicles as weapons is now the latest challenge for security services in Spain, even though the country isnt a leading member of coalition strikes on Islamic State strongholds.

The nation has been a target of Islamist terrorism before. About 200 people were killed by bombs on early morning commuter trains in Madrid in 2004. Though like in most capitals until recently, tourist thoroughfares typically dont have the barriers used to protect institutions.

While attacks in other cities have fueled anti-immigrant nationalist parties, Spain has no such mainstream group. Any political fallout is more likely to focus on the rifts between the administrations in Madrid and Barcelona.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy traveled to Barcelona with his deputy and interior minister. Catalan National Assembly, a separatist group, meanwhile halted planned campaigning ahead of an independence referendum planned for October. Rajoy has called the vote illegal.

I want to express the solidarity of Spain with the city of Barcelona, which today has been hit by the jihadist terrorism as before were hit other cities around the world, Rajoy said in a televised address from the city.

Spain is the worlds biggest tourist destination after France and the US and the Catalan city of Barcelona is among its star attractions. Spain received more than 75 million foreign visitors last year and tourism is a key provider of jobs.

London, Brussels, Paris, and other European cities have suffered this experience, Catalonias regional president, Carles Puigdemont, told reporters. And today it has happened to Barcelona.
TheJakartaPost

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 17:45 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad128a2 1 National Education-and-Culture-Ministry,local-language,culture,CulturePreserve,culture-and-tradition Free

The Culture and Education Ministry is intensifying its efforts to identify local languages and keep them from going extinct.

The ministrys language agency head, Dadang Sunendar, said as quoted by Antara that his institution had identified 646 local languages. The agency hopes to identify more languages over the next two months.

Blessed by a diverse culture, Indonesia has seen a number of local languages go extinct because no one uses them anymore. Some of these include Hoti, Hukumina, Hulung, Loun, Mapia, Moksela, Palumata, Saponi, Serua and Teun.

Dadang said the ministry had instructed all provinces in Indonesia to select language ambassadors, two from each province, to work to preserve near-extinct local languages.

South Kalimantan language ambassador Muhammad Andri HF told Antara there were 18 local languages in the province.

He said, however, that only the Banjar language was frequently used in daily life. We are trying to preserve other languages, said Andri. (mos/ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 18:25 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad14986 1 City Thousand-Islands-regency,English,tourism Free

The Jakarta administration is set to provide English language training for residents of the Thousand Islands regency in North Jakarta to prepare them to welcome foreign tourists.

The head of the Jakarta Tourism and Culture Agency, Tinia Budiati, said the training center and tourism certification unit of the agency would be in charge of training the residents.

The unit aims to train the residents to welcome guests and teach them simple English conversation skills, Tinia said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

Training the Thousands Islands residents would be the priority of the unit because the regency had been included in the national strategic tourism plan (KSPN), Tinia said.

Therefore, the agency hoped a lot of residents would join the training, she said.

During a meeting to discuss the 2018 city budget at the council office on Friday, the head of commission B of Jakarta City Council, Yusriah Dzinnun, suggested the administration provide training to Thousand Islands residents.

Tour guides shall be given language training. I've seen the residents are still shy about greeting foreigners, she said.

The Thousand Islands regency has become an increasingly popular tourist destination. (cal)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 15:36 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad0b0df 1 Business house-of-representatives,apartment,finance-ministry Free

While a number of lawmakers have suggested providing apartments for them to live in, the Finance Ministry has stressed that no funds have been allocated for the construction of such apartments in the draft 2018 state budget.

There is no budget allocation [for apartment construction]. We never discussed it and there was also no proposal for it, said the ministrys budget director general, Askolani, as reported by kompas.com on Wednesday.

In the draft budget, presented by President Joko Jokowi Widodo to the House of Representatives on Thursday, the government proposed Rp 5.7 trillion (US$426.71 million) for the House, higher than the Rp 4.7 trillion in this years budget, but lower than Rp 7.2 trillion demanded by the House.

A number of lawmakers underlined the importance of apartment construction.

House deputy speaker Fahri Hamzah said such apartments would result in greater work efficiency owing to the close proximity of the proposed apartment construction area to the legislative complex.

Askolani said the funds allocated for the House were based on the governments fiscal capability. The amount [Rp 7.2 trillion] was proposed by the House, but the governments position was at Rp 5.4 trillion, he added.

However, he said the proposal to construct apartments for lawmakers could still be accommodated during deliberations of the draft budget between the government and lawmakers. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 16:36 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad0c224 1 National Papua,prison,penitentiary,Law-and-Human-Rights-Ministry,Keerom Free

The Law and Human Rights Ministrys Papua office has developed plans to build a penitentiary for women and children in Keerom regency.

We have received the greenlight from the Keerom administration. We were provided with 5 hectares of land, the certificate of which will be finalized today [Friday], head of the Law and Human Rights Ministrys Papua office, Abner Banosro, said in Jayapura as quoted by Antara news agency.

We will submit the land certificate from the Keerom administration to the ministry, so that we can receive the funds to [build the penitentiary], he went on.

Abner said his office would approach ministry officials in Jakarta to request for funds from the State Budget this year.

Both construction and operation of the women and childrens penitentiary will start in 2018, he added.

For the time being, his office is entrusting juvenile inmates with the Class II A Abepura Penitentiary in Jayapura city.

For female prisoners, we have temporarily placed them in the Doyo Baru Narcotics Prison in Sentani, Jayapura, he said. (yon/ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 12:19 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad02e90 1 City sutet,climber,North-Jakarta,tanjung-priok Free

State electricity company PLN has stated that it may cut power on a transmission tower on Jl. Yos Sudarso, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, in an attempt to force Agustinus Woro, who climbed it on Aug. 14, to descend the tower.

"We may cut the power because he [Agustinus] is carrying gasoline and has threatened to self-immolate up there," the spokeswoman of PLN western Java area, Arustie Utami, said as quoted by kompas.com on Thursday.

She said a PLN team had been on standby at the tower since Aug. 4 and they were ready to force Agustinus to come down.

However, the team was considering Agustinus' mental condition before attempting to do so, she said.

Meanwhile, North Jakarta Firefighting and Rescue Agency head Satriadi Gunawan said he was in communication with the police and PLN to find a way to bring Agustinus down.

Agustinus has conducted similar acts in the past.

In May, he climbed a 15-meter-high billboard in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, to hang a banner calling for the dissolution of political parties.

In February, he climbed another billboard in Slipi, West Jakarta, to hang four banners stating Orphans are victims of crazy gambler army," Adonara man shot dead, People, Densus 88, terrorists and Dismantle, close prisons. (cal)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 17:14 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad0d1c4 1 City umrah-business,First-Travel,Scam Free

The police have named Siti Nuraidah Kiki Hasibuan as a new suspect in the umrah (minor haj) scam allegedly carried out by the First Travel agency.

Kiki is a sister of Anniesa Hasibuan, the owner and director of PT First Anugerah Karya Wisata, or First Travel, who has been named a fraud suspect together with her husband Andika Surachman, the president director of the company.

The police said Kiki was a commissioner as well as financial director of First Travel.

"As a commissioner and financial director, she must have known how the directors worked and the criminality in this case," the director of the National Polices criminal investigation department, Brig. Gen. Herry Rudolf Nahak, said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

Kiki was questioned by the police on Wednesday together with Ivan, her brother, who was also a commissioner in the company.

Meanwhile, about 35,000 people nationwide have reportedly fallen victim to the alleged fraud committed by First Travel, which according to the police earned Rp 55 billion (US$ 4.1 million) from the scam.

Herry said the company also owed Rp 24 billion to several hotels in Mecca and Madina, Saudi Arabia, where First Travel customers had stayed from 2015 to 2017.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center was now tracing the assets owned by the company, Herry said. Previously the police revealed First Travel only had Rp 1.3 million left in its bank account. (cal)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 17:31 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad0ddca 1 National FreeportIndonesia,Freeport-Indonesia,shooting,shooting-incident,ShootingIncidents,shootings,TembagapuraPolice,Tembagapura,police Free

The Mimika Police in Papua are investigating a shooting incident, which affected a long-wheel base (LWB) vehicle at gold and copper miner Freeport Indonesias mining area in Tembagapura district, on Thursday.

A member of the National Polices Mobile Brigade (Brimob) was injured in the incident.

Mimika Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Dean Mackbon said the vehicle driven by Nikson Moningka was shot by an unidentified person as it passed Mile 60 in Tembagapura district, at around 1 p.m. local time on Thursday.

We have examined the incident site and are investigating further, said Victor as quoted by Antara.

He confirmed there were no fatalities from the attack. The police were also inventorying material losses caused by the incident.

Victor said the shooting at Mile 60, on a road connecting Timika to Tembagapura, had caused damage to the vehicles engine. Both rear tires were deflated while a Brimob personnel suffered injuries from shards of glass from the broken windows of the vehicle.

Nikson was escorting a trailer truck passing from the lowlands to the Freeport mining area in the highlands when the incident occurred.

When he arrived at Mile 66, in an area called Hidden Valley, Nikson received a report that a surveillance vehicle belonging to marine fleet and port facility operator Kuala Pelabuhan Indonesia had suffered damage at around Mile 58.

Nikson decided to return to Mile 58 to pick up the two Brimob personnel operating the vehicle. When passing Mile 60, Niksons vehicle was suddenly shot from the left side of the road. (yon/ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 18:00 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad13752 1 City Rizieq-Shihab,pornography,Saudi-Arabia Free

Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) fireband cleric Rizieq Shihab has been questioned in Saudi Arabia regarding his alleged role in an on-going pornography case, said National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian.

Rizieq has been in the Middle Eastern kingdom since late April for what he claimed was an umrah (minor haj) trip.

He has refused to return to Indonesia, despite having been summoned twice by the police for questioning in a pornography case allegedly involving himself and Firza Husein, a pornography and treason suspect.

"As he is now conducting religious activities, instead of waiting for him, the police went there to question him," Tito said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

Investigators are currently evaluating the results of the interview, Tito said, adding that when Rizieq returns to Indonesia, he may be questioned again if necessary.

Meanwhile, Rizieq's lawyer, Sugito Atmo Pawiro, confirmed his client had been questioned by five investigators from the National and Jakarta Police on July 27.

Sugito previously said that Rizieq would return to Indonesia for Independence Day on Aug. 17.

The police named Rizieq and Firza suspects on May 29 and May 16 respectively.

They are accused of violating Indonesias pornography law after a sexually explicit WhatsApp conversation allegedly exchanged between them was leaked online earlier this year. (cal)
Khamenei has grabbed headlines with his English-language tweets in the past, as when he co-opted hashtags for the discussion of police shootings and the Black Lives Matter movement in the US, in order to suggest that the US government has a poor record on domestic human rights and has no standing to criticize the Islamic Republic of Iran. His more recent tweet, highlighted by the Post, was similar, using the hashtags #Charlottesville and #WhiteSupremacy in order to make himself visible to Americans discussing last Fridays clash between white nationalist demonstrators and counter-protestors, during which one person was killed and 19 other injured when a white nationalist drove into a crowd with his car.

Khameneis post was accompanied, without context, by an image of himself as a younger man, holding a dark-skinned child. The Post describes this as a ham-handed attempt to portray Khamenei as a more tolerant leader than US government officials, whom he urged to better manage their country and tackle #WhiteSupremacy rather than meddle in nations affairs. Perhaps related to this latter remark is the fact that Khameneis tweet was issued about a day after the US State Department issued its annual report on human rights and religious freedom issues throughout the world.

Agence-France Presse notes that the Iranian Foreign Ministry explicitly rejected the findings of that report as they relate to Iran. The same is true of certain other countries that were specifically named in the report, including Iran allies like China. In fact, the language used by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying was highly reminiscent of that employed by her Iranian counterpart Bahrem Qassemi, as well as by Khamenei and other Iranian officials. Hua urged the US to manage its own affairs rather than using religion to interfere in the affairs of other countries.

Meanwhile, Qassemis statement took the familiar line of accusing the US of spreading Islamophobia. Tehran has frequently employed this language as part of its strategy of deflecting and simply dismissing international criticism of its widely-recorded human rights abuses. Accusations of cultural imposition have been used by the Islamic Republic to excuse direct violations of international norms on human rights, as in the case of the execution of offenders who were under the age of 18 at the time of their crimes.

Last week, one such offender, Alireza Tajiki was executed on the basis of his conviction for male rape at the age of 15. Then, this week, the Iranian judiciary moved to implement the death sentence for a man who was convicted of murder at the age of 17. It was not immediately clear whether the second execution was carried out on Wednesday as planned, but the rapid movement from one case to the other may be indicative of deliberate rejection of imposed standards. Four other minor offenders have been confirmed as being executed earlier this year, and the Islamic Republic is only one of about a half dozen countries that still carry out such killings with the approval of the judiciary.

But in contrast to minor executions and certain other issues, Qassemis statement on the State Department report  and Khameneis possible allusion to it  did not acknowledge and defend relevant Iranian behaviors but instead ignored them completely in an apparent effort to refocus the conversation upon the US alone. It is clear that religious and racial discrimination, Islamophobia, and xenophobia are a widespread and frequent phenomenon among American politicians, Qassemi said, adding that Muslims appeared to face frequent violence and discrimination within the United States.

But even if one accepts this criticism, there are substantive differences between the difficulties confronted by Muslims in the US and the issues cited by the State Department regarding the rights of religious minorities in Iran. No matter how prevalent anti-Muslim discrimination may be in American society, this cannot historically be linked to the actual policies of the US government, which has codified freedom of expression and separation of church and state in its law and constitution since the nations founding.

The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, founded after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, technically enshrines equal protection under the law for religious minorities, but only for certain specifically-identified ones. And even on this point there is a long history of that equal protection being undermined by officials in the highest reaches of Iranian government. For instance, the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ruhollah Khomeini, issued fatwas early in its history declaring the Bahai religious minority a threat to Iranian society and establishing the framework of persecution that continues to this day, including the denial of Bahai access to higher education and the arbitrary obstruction of Bahai commercial ventures.

AFP notes that the State Department report described the Iranian government  and not just individual Iranian officials or non-governmental entities  as continuing to harass, interrogate and arrest Bahais, Christians, Sunni Muslims and other religious minorities. Furthermore, the release of this report coincided with the publication of an article in IranWire that explained how these human rights issues were so deeply embedded into the ideology of the Iranian regime that those same issues were being exported to Irans foreign affiliates and proxies, and to the regimes areas of foreign influence.

IranWire specifically points to the growing plight of the roughly 2,000 Bahais living in Yemen, where Iran has supported the Shiite Houthi rebels in an insurrection against the elected government of President Abed Rabu Mansour Hadi, dividing the country into two distinct enclaves of political power. Even before assuming power and taking control of the capital city of Sanaa, the Houthi had already adopted Tehrans attitudes toward the Bahai faith and begun spreading conspiracy theories regarding supposed connections to Israel and a desire to partition areas of Yemeni territory into exclusively Bahai enclaves. But now that the Houthi have authority over much of the country, they are beginning to be exposed to institutionalized persecution.

At least seven Bahais have been imprisoned for their faith by Houthi authorities so far, and the IranWire report focuses on the case of one who is also a widely respected tribal leader, Sheikh Walid Saleh Ayyash. After his unexplained arrest, other tribal leaders demonstrated before Hurdaydah Prison and called for his release, only to be rebuffed in the strongest terms when prosecutor Rajeh Zayed met the protestors, addressed nearby soldiers, and said of the Bahai kill them and dont leave anyone behind.

Although Iranian authorities continue to defend themselves against international criticism by insisting that much of that criticism is based on Islamophobia, reports like these make it clear that the Iranian regime has been instrumental in spreading contrary phobias not only within but also beyond its borders. At least in the case of the Bahai, this rhetoric risks inciting violence from Shiite militants, but the wrath of the Shiite theocracy has been directed against a wide range of other religious minorities, to one degree or another.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 12:58 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad04d4c 1 City Semanggi-interchange,cctv,vandalism Free

The Semanggi Interchange is to be equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) to prevent vandalism, Jakarta Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said after the inauguration of the interchange, which was led by President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Thursday.

I have ordered the installation of CCTV on the interchange so that it wont be defaced by irresponsible people, Djarot said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com.

Less than a week after the interchange was opened to traffic on July 28, graffiti, in the form of random letters written in black and red paint, was found on one ramp of the interchange connecting Slipi, West Jakarta, and Blok M, South Jakarta.

Djarot said further that people who dared to vandalize the interchange would be ordered to do community service.

We will ask them to clean it, Djarot said.

Meanwhile, Djarot said Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri would donate five baobab trees for the green space around the interchange.

The trees will help with water absorption and catchment in the area, he said.

The 1.6-kilometer interchange was constructed under the leadership of former Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and is expected to reduce traffic congestion by 30 percent.

It has two ramps, with the first connecting Slipi to Blok M and the second connecting Cawang, East Jakarta, and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. (cal)
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Linkedin P.J. Leo (The Jakarta Post) Southeast Maluku  Fri, August 18 2017

Indonesia has warmly welcomed yachters from around the world for the Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia Rally 2017, a three month adventure through the archipelago.

Foreign tourists aboard around 70 yachts are currently visiting Indonesia for the annual Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia Rally 2017 to enjoy the vast natural beauty and boundless diversity of the worlds largest archipelagic country.

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Linkedin Pratch Rujivanarom (The Nation/ANN) Bangkok  Fri, August 18, 2017 07:28 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97acf1a54 2 SE Asia #Thailand,#ThailandBombings,#Bangkok,#TerrorAttack,#Terrorism,#terrorist Free

Thursday (Aug. 17) marked the two-year anniversary of the deadly bomb attack at the famous Erawan Shrine tourist destination in Bangkok, which killed 20 people and injured 125 others. Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw) says the case has progressed very slowly due to language difficulties, the large number of witnesses and the military court system.

Two Uyghur suspects, Adem Karadag and Mieraili Yusufu, were arrested following the police investigation. Adem, also known as Bilal Mohammed, confessed to being the bomber but later retracted his confession and said he had only admitted guilt because it had been forced out of him by officers. Both suspects were sent for trial at Bangkok Military Court but no verdict has been reached even though the trial was due to start a year ago.

Yingcheep Atchanont, iLaw coordinator, says the prosecution has failed to progress because only one witness has been interrogated in the two years since the attack. He said this was a bad situation insofar as providing justice for both the victims and the defendants.

From our observation of the court proceedings, we noticed that the witness interrogation during the first court was very slow because statements in court had to be translated into English and then into Uyghur, Yingcheep said.

According to iLaw, the two defendants have already attended court 13 times over the last year and the military attorney has declared that 447 witnesses must be questioned before the court can rule. It has therefore been estimated that the case will take up to seven years to be concluded.

Yingcheep said the high number of witnesses was not the only problem - Military Court procedure was also slow and long periods of time elapsed between court dates.

From iLaw observations, he said, the court scheduled six days to interrogate the first witness. Once the long periods of waiting between court appearances were included, however, the time to interrogate the first witness was actually 59 working days, from May 11 to July 18.

Yingcheep said the slow pace of proceedings was in no ones interest. We also worry about the living conditions of both suspects, because the officers have not allowed outsiders to see them in their cells, he said. Even their lawyer has experienced difficulties visiting them. We can only hope that both suspects are treated well and their rights and dignity are respected.

Royal Thai Army Commander in Chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart said security surveillance had continued to be tight in Bangkok since the attack. He would not comment on the slow court proceedings, saying only that the case was still ongoing.

Deputy police spokesman Pol Col Krisana maintained the case was progressing in line with normal court procedure and police had finished their enquiries and closed the case.

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This article appeared on The Nation newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Fri, August 18, 2017 14:06 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ad07394 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Arief-Yahya,Independence-Day,#IndependenceDay Free

During the Independence Day celebration at the Sapta Pesona building in Jakarta, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya delivered a speech that talked about diversity and tourism development.

We are not the same, were diverse yet united, said Arief.

Today Im wearing a traditional outfit from Palembang and I feel very Indonesian. [] I feel proud seeing all of you in traditional outfits, sporting many different colors. This is what our country is: a diverse-yet-united nation, he added.

At the 72nd anniversary of Indonesias Independence Day, Arief encouraged everyone to work together in building the country.

Read also: Spotify releases Independence Day playlist

In the past, national heroes fought for the country's freedom and now we're fighting to be the first in the competition. [] We are a nation of fighters, Arief said.

When it comes to the tourism industry, Arief said President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has made tourism as one of the nations leading sectors.

It happened at the end of 2014 and again in 2015, 2016 and 2017. For 2018, there are three industries that are already listed in the government work plan [RKP], namely agriculture, tourism and fisheries."

The President has set a target to welcome 20 million foreign and 270 million domestic tourists by 2019.

Up until June the growth of foreign tourists has reached 22.4 percent. If the number is compared to the national economic growth that is at 5.01 percent, it can be concluded that the growth of foreign tourists is identical to the growth of foreign exchange that is four times faster than the economic growth.

Read also: Five must-visit places in Vietnam

We are growing by 22 percent while [tourism in] ASEAN is growing by six percent and the worlds growth is at five percent. We are faster than the regional and global scales, said the minister.

Arief however warned everyone of Vietnam, which growth percentage is at 24 percent. One of the key factors of Vietnams rapid growth lies in its deregulation policy.

As for the Wonderful Indonesia tourism brand, for this year the brand takes the 47th spot, way above Amazing Thailand that takes the 68th spot and Malaysia Truly Asia at the 85th spot.

Nearing the end of his speech, Arief said deregulation is needed in order to work faster and to stop creating any new bureaucracies that in the end will only slow down the competition.

It is very simple; make people come to Indonesia in the easiest way possible, make them invest in the easiest way possible, said Arief. (kes)
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Linkedin P. J. Leo (The Jakarta Post) Southeast Maluku  Fri, August 18, 2017 09:19 1913 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97acf4c52 4 News yacht,Wonderful-Indonesia,sailing,Wonderful-Sail-2-Indonesia-Rally-2017 Free

Foreign tourists aboard around 70 yachts are currently visiting Indonesia for the annual Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia Rally 2017 to enjoy the vast natural beauty and boundless diversity of the worlds largest archipelagic country.

The yachts have sailed past thousands of islands, stopping every so often to meet the locals.

Yachting has potential to be a major attraction for Indonesian tourism. Currently, however, only a few special events cater to this market despite the fact the country is the perfect destination for this kind of maritime adventure.

Situated on the earths equator, Indonesia has a stable climate. Besides boasting incomparable natural beauty and fascinating coral reefs and marine life, the countrys diverse cultural features have also become a major magnet for foreign visitors.

The Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia Rally 2017 yachters will sail for three months and visit 17 destinations. They began their voyage in Debut in Southeast Maluku in July and will end their journey in Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands, in October.

Rally organizer Raymond Lesmana said the event, held with the support of the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism, was the fourth iteration of the international yacht rally aimed at promoting and motivating the development of marine tourism.

Every year the number of rally participants rises and this year the programs technical meeting was held in Indonesia instead of abroad as in previous years, saving a lot of costs, he said.

He said registration for the program had been made easier and simpler. The yachters only needed to fill out a form available at https://yachters-indonesia.id and after that, they could enter the countrys waters.

A total of 68 yachts from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Turkey, Holland, Germany, Italy, Britain, Spain, France and Belgium manned by 150 people who have never sailed in Indonesian waters before are participating in the Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia Rally 2017. They arrived in Langgur, Southeast Maluku, on July 23 for the first leg of their 17-stop journey.

New friends: A number of primary school students of the Ohoi village in Debut welcome children who join their parents in cruising the Indonesian waters during the Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia Rally 2017. (JP/P.J. Leo)

Their arrival in the Land of Kei Bumi Larvul Ngabal, Southeast Maluku, was warmly welcomed by the local community. A ceremony to receive the rally participants was held by organizing personnel and the regional administration at the ferry port of Debut village, Manyew district, on July 25.

After staying in Debut for five days, the yachters proceeded to their next destinations in the eastern part of the country, including the history rich Banda Islands. On the week of the countrys Independence Day, they will be sailing through the pristine water of Wakatobi, South Sulawesi, a location that offers not only great underwater scenery, but also mouthwatering seafood.

Their East Nusa Tenggara itinerary includes Maumere, Maurole, Ende, Riung and Labuan Bajo. They will later visit Medana Bay in Lombok and Lovina in Bali before continuing the journey to Kumai, Kota Waringin Barat, Central Kalimantan, Tanjung Kelayang in Belitung, Parai Beach in Bangka and other destinations in the Riau Islands province.

For the Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia Rally 2017 yachters, their first time sailing in the country has allowed them to experience the friendly atmosphere of Indonesian waters, with some traveling with their children.

After registering for the rally, my husband and I studied the Indonesian waters and learned that because of its location on the equator, Indonesias climate is stable with no typhoons, extreme waves or winds and the patterns of currents and winds are predictable, said Marilia Middleton from the United States, who brought along her two primary schoolaged children.

She said the school had allowed her children to sail for months and perhaps even a year.

They get their lessons online so they have to learn for several hours while sailing or before disembarking on arrival at a destination, added Marilia, who savored Malukus traditional food during the welcome reception in Debut.

Meanwhile, Nadine Jenkins from New Zealand is sailing with her husband and left her children at home.

We have big children and they have their own engagements so they cant join us. So only my husband and I are enjoying this cruise though Indonesias waters, she said.

Some participants of Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia Rally 2017 plan to get an extra taste of the archipelago by joining the next event, Sail Sabang in Aceh, slated to be held from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5 on the westernmost tip of the country.
The Newsweek report emphasized the fact that the trade fairs announcement unsurprisingly anticipated participation by government delegates and business leaders from countries like Iran and Russia, which supported the government of Bashar al-Assad throughout its conflict with a diverse array of rebels including moderate, pro-democracy groups in addition to Sunni militants like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In a somewhat less expected turn of events, though, the announcement also made reference to some countries that had backed the opposition to the Assad dictatorship.

Representatives of either the government or the private sector in such countries as France, Germany, Spain, Jordan, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates are all expected to be in attendance at the trade fair, despite having supported the pro-democracy rebellion through much of the civil war. However, the announcement made no mention of the United States, in what could be an example of Syria being used as leverage in the growing conflict between the US and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Syrian Civil War served to promote divisions between Iran and several of its actual or prospective allies, even as it apparently helped Iran to draw closer to Russia after Russian air support began to support Iranian operations on the ground in 2015. Now that the war is apparently winding down, there are emerging opportunities for the Assad government to court investment from some of its former opponents while Iran strives to expand its regional influence by mending fences that were erected over divergent interests in Syria.

One of these opportunities was highlighted earlier in the week when it was reported that the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces had traveled to the Ankara for three days of talks with the Turkish government. Those talks reportedly focused on the conclusion of the Syrian Civil War and specifically the future of the last major rebel stronghold, Idlib. Full details of those talks are not yet widely available, but on Thursday, Reuters reported that the administration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that it would be bolstering military cooperation with the Islamic Republic.

It remains to be seen what implications this agreement will have for the mainly Sunni rebels that Turkey had been supporting in Syria. But it is presumably bad news for the Kurdish rebel groups that Turkey never supported but instead regarded as a threat to its own national security. The United States, by contrast, continues to support the Kurdish YPG along with other groups that remain as bulwarks against Iranian interests in Syria and the region as a whole.

This situation partially illustrates why Irans outreach to other pro-rebel powers cannot extend to the US. Assuming that Turkey and others have written off the rebel cause as a loss, it is now possible for them to find places where their subsequent interests align with those of Iran. And at least in the case of Turkey and its distrust of Kurdish forces, this overlap threatens to add an ally to Irans efforts to undermine American interests in the Middle East.

Of course, more obvious examples of these efforts take the form of Irans relationship with various regional terrorist groups. These relationships were also strained by the Syrian Civil War, and that strain stands to be relaxed as the war winds down. On one hand, Irans Lebanese proxy force, Hezbollah, was empowered by its contribution to the Iranian war effort, which gave the terrorist organization a potentially permanent foothold in the Golan Heights, across the border with Israel. But on the other hand, fellow anti-Israeli terrorist group Hamas broke away from Iran when it found itself split between the Shiite Islamic Republic and the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood over the Syria issue.

US Treasury Department official Daniel Glaser explained this situation in an interview with Majalla Magazine this week and explained that Hamas and Iran have since been able to patch things up. I suppose, he said, the parties found that what bound them together  namely, their desire to wreak havoc in the region  outweighed the issues that were keeping them apart.

But Glasers remarks also called attention to the fact that there is a counter-trend to Irans efforts to expand its influence while isolating the US. Recognizing the growing entrenchment of that influence in Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere, various Arab States and their traditional adversaries in Israel are increasingly coming together strategically to counter Tehrans regional strategy. Reuters also reported on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia and some of its allies were overlooking sectarian differences with Iraqi leaders like Muqtada al-Sadr, for the sake of their mutual interest in preventing Iran from dominating other regional governments.

Naturally, these opponents of Iranian influence represent opportunities for the United States to better exert its own influence as it develops a strategy to counter Iran and its uncertain roster of allies during and after the wind-down of the Syrian Civil War.
Donald Trump has seemingly referenced a highly controversial and dubious legend about killing Islamic militants with bullets drenched in pigs blood  in the wake of the Barcelona terror attack

The US president earlier condemned the attack, which saw a van drive through crowds in the popular tourist district Las Ramblas and cost the lives of at least 13 people and injured around 80 more.

The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

Shortly afterwards , however, he sent a rather more cryptic tweet, asking people to study the actions of John Pershing, a US Army commander active 100 years ago.

General Pershing became famous for his leadership in World War I, but was governor of the Philippiness Moro province  a mainly Muslim area  between 1909 and 1913.

Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught. There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

So, what is Trump going on about? Well, he has referenced the legend of General Black Jack Pershing before  at a rally in South Carolina last year while Trump was on his campaign trail.

According to Trump back then, Pershing had managed to halt Muslim attacks in the Philippines where he was based by shooting Islamic militants with bullets dipped in pigs blood  pork being a taboo in Muslim culture.

General Pershing in 1942 (AP)

He caught 50 terrorists who did tremendous damage and killed many people, said Trump at the rally. They shot 49 of those people. And the 50th person, he said: You go back to your people, and you tell them what happened.

Trump claimed for 25 years there wasnt a problem  a number he has seemingly increased to 35 in his tweet.

Trump recently drew critics for his response to white supremacist violence in Charlottesville (Evan Vucci/AP)

Trumps story was widely discredited and debunked, with fact-checking organisation Politifact rating the claims about Pershing as false. However, they note the general did write in a memoir that he saw other commanding officers publicly burying Muslim insurgents in the same grave as a dead pig.

It was not pleasant to have to take such measures, but the prospect of going to hell instead of heaven sometimes deterred the would-be assassins, wrote Pershing.

Pershing at the Paris peace conference in 1919 (PA Archive)

Lacking more specifics, it is not certain Trump is referring to the same story he gave in February 2016 in his latest tweet  but the allusion to it in the wake of the fatalities in Spain has drawn severe criticism.

Trump is celebrating torture and mass executions here. This isn't law and order  it's war crimes.  Adam Best (@adamcbest) August 17, 2017

After that Pershing thing I'm ready to rethink my opposition to invoking 25th A.  Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) August 17, 2017

Here's the feral "president" not commenting till he knows all the facts  about a Pershing story that wasn't true in 1909 and isn't true now pic.twitter.com/YtwHEyZfSM  Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) August 17, 2017

Whether Trump will explain himself further, time will tell.

Watch this space.
Terrorists have struck in two separate locations in Spain, with an explosion taking place in a third.

Heres what is known so far.

What happened

(Manu Fernandez/AP)

Five terrorists wearing suicide belts rammed civilians with a car in a Spanish seaside town before being shot dead by police early on Friday morning.

Seven people, including a police officer, were injured during the incident in Cambrils, hours after a rampaging van driver left 13 people dead and more than 100 wounded in Barcelona.

Bystanders ran for their lives as gunfire broke out close to the coastal towns beachfront promenade early on Friday morning.

Residents of the popular tourist spot were ordered to take cover indoors as bullets tore through the air and footage later showed several bodies on the ground.

Police in Cambrils (Manu Fernandez/AP)

In the wake of the carnage, several controlled blasts were carried out in the area, with police later saying the attackers had been wearing explosive belts.

Mossos, Catalonias police force, said four of the attackers were shot dead at the scene and later confirmed a fifth had died of his injuries.

Of the six civilians caught up in the attack, two were said to be in a serious condition.

Is this linked to the Barcelona attack?

(PA Graphics/PA)

Investigators said they are working on that theory  that the attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona, as well as an explosion in the town of Alancar on Wednesday - are linked.

Shortly after 5pm local time on Thursday a white Fiat van tore through Las Ramblas, a major tourist attraction packed with families and holidaymakers, in a horror described as jihad terrorism by the countrys prime minister, Mariano Rajoy.

The van drove on to the pavement, swerving among pedestrians in a crowded area, and was clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible, senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said.

The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest on Spanish soil since more than 190 people died in the Madrid train bombs in 2004.

(Manu Fernandez/AP)

According to the Catalan regional government, citizens from some 24 countries were among those killed and injured, with one Belgian national confirmed to have died.

An Irish family of four were caught up in the attack, with their injuries understood to be

non

life-threatening.

The mother and father are originally from the Philippines and are naturalised Irish citizens, while their two children were both born in Ireland.

Irelands Department of Foreign Affairs is assisting the family. Its officials opened a hotline in Dublin for anyone concerned about relatives in Spain on 01-408 2000, while the Irish Embassy in Madrid is also fielding calls on +34 9143 64093.

The French foreign ministry said 26 French nationals were injured, including 11 seriously.

Authorities have warned that the death toll may rise, with 15 people receiving treatment for serious injuries.

Have the suspects in the Barcelona attack been located?

(Manu Fernandez/AP)

A major manhunt for the suspected driver of the van that mowed down holidaymakers and locals in Barcelona, around 68 miles (109km) east of Cambrils, was continuing on Friday.

So far two people have been arrested over the attack  a Spanish national from Melilla and a Moroccan were taken into custody.

The arrests were made in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll and in Alcanar, the site of an explosion on Wednesday night which killed one person and is thought to be linked to the van attack, authorities said.

The whereabouts of the van driver were unclear after police said he made off unarmed.

(Oriol Duran/AP)

There were also reports that detectives believe two vans were used - one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

Hours after Thursdays attack, police shot and killed a man who was in a car that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. However, Mr. Trapero said it was not linked to the van attack.

What have world leaders said?

Theresa May said the UK stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism in the wake of recent attacks in Manchester and London.

I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today, she said.

The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support.

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron also tweeted their solidarity.

The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2017

FC Barcelona said their thoughts are with the citys people.
"We went for a much rawer, more live- sounding record for our second album", Joe reveals, "We've always seen ourselves as a great live act and we wanted to get some of that energy in our recorded music. In terms of songwriting we didn't tackle it in a different way, but the process is always evolving because otherwise it gets uninspiring." There is a term called the 'sophomore album slump' that exists in the music industry. For A Moment, I Was Lost is the band's second record, following their successful debut 5AM. It's not uncommon for a band to experience this feeling whilst writing following a debut record released to incredible reception. "There are always nerves when releasing music. It's the eternal question of whether you are any good or not. We were lucky that with this record we found a concise message and our purpose really early on in the song-writing process. It helped that we had things we wanted to shout about as well." Though the band are known for their harmonious lyrics pit against a guitar fuelled rocky soundscape, fans hear a whole new side to them in 'Haze' - a stripped back, almost celestial track. "It was a conscious choice to take away all the instruments and to instead have one lonely voice singing, and it came together really quickly. 'Haze' emerged in a moment of real uncertainty for us. Henry and I were suffering from depression and we needed an outlet. The song turned out to be just that. We didn't think about it too much though, sometimes songs just fall out."Amber Run head out on their first European tour in October, starting on the 21st in Warsaw and stopping in the likes of Amsterdam and Paris, before finishing in Madrid. Though Joe believes they are ready to play Europe now, the band are just as eager for the UK leg of the tour, which comes first on the timetable. "We're very excited to get back out on tour. It's our favourite place to be. "The European leg feels like natural progression to us, but it has taken a long time to get here. Some of our fans over in the mainland have been with us since day one, so to finally get to play for them will be a surreal moment. "I'm particularly interested in visiting Amsterdam, Barcelona and Edinburgh. They're all up there for me. But every show is fun and we are really excited to be going to loads of places we've never been before as well." "We actually haven't noticed any particular differences." Keogh says in regards to the notorious North/South divide. Being from the South myself, I was curious to know if the Midlands-based band had experienced any contrasts."You can definitely tell if it's a Friday or Saturday night anywhere though." The UK leg of the tour runs between September 29th and October 14th, and sees them perform in cities outside of the typical tour circuit, like Wolverhampton and Gloucester. Joe openly tells us that the shows will be "sweaty and hot", amongst some other things that fans can expect. "We're playing some smaller rooms than we have done on previous tours, so we can really look our fans in the eyes for the first time. There'll be mandatory pre-gig tequila. Plenty of group huddles and all that shit. It'll be great." The Autumn tour will also be the last dedicated to For A Moment, I Was Lost. Joe is assured that the band will not be looking for any respite afterwards, instead having some big plans lined up for the near future. "We're going to record a new album. The best one yet." In the meantime, fans can enjoy Amber Run's acoustic EP Alaska, released last month, that includes a cover of Maggie Roger's hit of the same name.
Getsemani

Part 1 of 3The stunning Colombian seaside city is full of beautiful colonial architecture, colourful winding streets, unforgettable restaurants and romantic ocean views. Whether youre a foodie, a beach bum, a history buff or an adventurous outdoorsman, you will be spoilt for options in Cartagena.The best part? Cartagena is incredibly affordable for students (think brilliant cheap hostels and delicious meals for less than a fiver) and you can easily make the most of the city in 4-5 days. Before you rush to book your flights, read this adventurers guide to discover all Cartagena has to offer:Cartagena is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited and I found that the best way to explore Cartagena is simply by wandering on foot. The historic centre of Cartagena isnt very big and you can walk most of it in a day or two, so its perfect for taking your time wandering the winding streets and marvelling at the colonial architecture and overhanging balconies. The more southern part of the historic centre is beautiful but bustling with tourists and markets, while the northern area is more quiet and relaxed, with idyllic streets filled with colourful houses and flowers everywhere.Check out the plazas scattered all around the historic centre to see the many beautiful churches, restaurants and live performers. My favourite plazas in the city are Plaza Santo Domingo, Plaza San Pedro Claver, Plaza San Diego and Plaza Trinidad (especially fun with lots of live music and performers at night). Catch an unforgettable ocean sunset on the old city wall and wander along the ballisters for beautiful skyline views. Cartagena is just as mesmerizing at night and is very safe in most of the historic centre, with well-lit streets that are thrumming with activity and tourists early into the morning. There are a number of great museums you can visit in the historic centre, most of them free or with a very low fee. The best museums to visit are the Palazzo de la Inquisicion,(two words: chocolate tastings!), the sanctuary of San Pedro Claver and the Museo de Arte y Cultura. However, there is just as much history and culture on the city streets which you can learn all about on a. If you are a bookworm like me you can wander to find Gabriel Garcia Marquez house. I was sad to find that you cannot go inside as it is privately owned, but a mural of the writer on the outside of the house provides the perfect photo op.is an adorable bookshop and cafe with a small English section perfect for if you want to pick up a copy of Love in a Time of Cholera and really immerse yourself in Marquez world over a cup of coffee.Getsemani is like the historic centres trendy, laid back cousin. Just a 3-minute walk and you are wandering cobbled streets dotted with cafes, hostels and locally run boutique shops. The walls of the neighbourhood's streets are covered with impressive graffiti that exudes the citys vibrant culture and make for ideal Insta pictures. And like I said before, a trip to Cartagena isnt complete without a visit to Getsemanis San Spirito Plaza, which is a vibrant hub of food, music and dancing at night.Not many Cartagenians live in the historic centre anymore whereas Getsemani is still largely occupied, so you get a better glimpse into local life. The hostels are a lot cheaper in here, but it isnt as safe if you are travelling alone, especially at night. If you want to get souvenirs or one of Cartagenas iconic woven purses, avoid buying them in the historic centre where everyone sells the same over-priced items and head to Getsemani where you can buy beautiful affordable pieces from small locally-owned shops.A must-visit, while you're in Cartagena, is the Popa Monastery. The monastery sits on top of the highest point in Cartagena with views overlooking the whole city, you can take a taxi there for a small price or a guided tour which you can usually arrange through your hostel or hotel. The historic fort of Castillo de San Felipe is an icon of the city where you can explore underground tunnels and learn about Cartagenas colourful and violent past. Last but not least, the Park de La Aduana which sits between the historic centre and Getsemani is known for having an adorable family of sloths which you can find if you search hard enough.
As though Marvels Defenders knows that its fans have been waiting for years for this union of individualist forces. As such, it takes its time to bring our four favourites, but once it does, the result is incredibly satisfying.

The Defenders starts with a sword fight scene, where Danny Rand and Colleen Wing (from Iron Fist, the most recent show of the Netflix-Marvel universe) are chasing a guy for possible clues pertaining to the Hand.

It turns out that that's what they have been hunting members of the Hand for a month now, with little to no success. Just as they might get their hands on one of them, a mysterious figure stops them.

The first four episodes which were made available for press purposes take their sweet time building up the momentum until all four of the defenders end up together. The opening credits continue the artistic trend from the previous shows as it brings Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Matt Murdock and Danny Rand together.

All the characters make an appearance in the first episode, including pretty much all of the side characters as well. The show uses this trip down memory lane to update the viewer on what has been happening with each hero and their corresponding New York neighbourhood.

As we reacquaint with each of these heroes that we have watched struggle for years on netflix's screen, we find them as screwed up as ever, and slightly more disillusioned.

None of them are doing fine. Jessica Jones is lovely as ever, drunk and not taking life as well as she should be, but at least shes still talking to Trish. Matt, whos now a pro bono lawyer, runs into reporter Karen  though they are still not really on proper speaking terms, it might just be the time for them to heal the rift. Luke is just leaving jail, and coincidentally enough, Foggy is his lawyer. Thats another connection, however evanescent, between the defenders.

Each of the not-so-fantastic four is led down a path thats reminiscent of their own origin stories, and gives them a reason to start tracking down the Hand. Jessica, Matt and Luke are still tied to their New York neighbourhoods, Hells Kitchen and Harlem respectively, while Danny remains steadfastly loyal mystical Kun-Lun.

Though the action takes its time to pit them together, the end result is a dysfunctional, but highly effective result. The main characters bounce off each other beautifully, radiating a chemistry that would have been hard to develop for the limited screentime, but which still works out.

Without divulging too many spoilers, Sigourney Weavers Alexandra is a creepy villain, who brings a sense of immediacy which revitalizes the old boring trope of the secret organisation hell bent on running the world. Throughout the first four episodes, we see her in both positions of strength and weakness, which creates an interesting dichotomy in her character. That pushes her into the rare category of good Marvel villains.

It is obvious even from the get-go that the fight choreography has vastly improved from previous shows (Iron Fist in particular, as it relied too heavily on editing and jump cuts), and that is actually really important, as it highlights the differences between the four defenders. Dannys acrobatic style works well with Lukes impermeability, while Matt Murdocks inner conflicts and drive for goodness clash with Jessica Jones no-nonsense attitude.

However, a lot will depend on the last four episodes, as they will have to bring years of expectation to a satisfying climax.

Marvels Defenders is available to watch on Netflix.

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Much has been written about Syrias civil war which has engulfed the country for the past six years, but sadly the mounting death and destruction in Syria has long since become mere statistics. The international community grew comfortably numb to the horror, the likes of which we havent seen since World War II. Both internal and external players have been nurturing their vested interests by prolonging the deadly conflict, hoping to improve their position to serve their long-term objectives. The irony is that none of the external main playersRussia, Iran, US, Turkey, and Saudi Arabiaand the domestic actors (the Assad regime, Sunnis, and Kurds) will end up with such lasting gains that outweigh the horrifying losses that have been inflicted on the country and its citizens.



What happened to the sentiment of never again that was universally embraced in the wake of World War II to prevent calamities such as this from occurring? How low will the moral bar of the international community sink before we awake to the unfolding catastrophe?



How many more men, women, and children must die, and how much ruin can the country further sustain before we act to stop this madness that seems to infect every party involved, when nothing else matters but their criminal self-interest?



Crimes against humanity became a mere slogan, shaming every domestic and foreign party that could have stopped the slaughter but did nothing. They immunized themselves, assumed no responsibility, and discharged their moral culpability while the blood of innocent Syrian people continues to stream, marring whats left of their conscience.

While Syrian men and women suffered untold losses, pain, agony, and deprivation, the childrenyes, millions of childrenhave suffered beyond the pale of wrenching ache and anguish, quietly despairing for they remain helpless and destitute.



According to World Vision International, millions of children under five are now more vulnerable than ever to physical trauma, injuries, communicable diseases, and malnutrition. At least 8.2 million children inside Syria and across the region are now experiencing displacement, shattered health systems, and food insecurity, while over 2 million are growing up as refugees.



Nearly three million under the age of five have grown up knowing only war. One in four children is at risk of severe mental health disorders, with potentially lifelong consequences. Attacks on hospitals have left 43 percent of Syrian hospitals functional, while half of Syrias doctors have fled the country.



As many as 80,000 children in Syria are believed to be infected with polio, which was eradicated in Syria in 1995. The ongoing bombing and shelling is the main cause behind the childrens psychological trauma that will leave indelible emotional scars from which they will suffer throughout their adult lives. During the five-year span of the conflict, life expectancy at birth has dropped by 15 years, and to top it all, tens of thousands of children were killed.



And if this is not enough, just think about the damage that has been inflicted on these children, who have been deprived of basic education with one in every four schools damaged, destroyed, or used for displaced people. There were 400,000 more children out of school in 2015 than 2014, as more than 4,000 attacks against schools have made these educational institutions financially insolvent.

These are not mere numbers. We are talking about a catastrophe in the making for all to see. Just imagine, two generations have been lost; never again will they know normalcy but only anguish and uncertainty, while the world watches with complacency.



No one is talking about a solution that could bring this calamitous war to a conclusion. The UNSC has been inept at best. Russias veto-wielding power has and continues to prevent the passage of any solution that does not meet its total requirements. President Putin will continue to support Assad and spare no effort to maintain Russias presence in Syria as a springboard to enhance its regional influence.

Iran, who is fighting for regional hegemony, will continue to support Assads regime until the last Syrian soldier. The mullahs do so in the name of the almighty, which gives them the moral authority to ravage the country for as long as it takes to secure their hegemonic ambitions from the Mediterranean to the Gulf.



Turkeys President Erdogan, who wishes to spread his wings throughout the Middle East, is fighting to secure a foot-hold in Syria. He is indiscriminately bombing the Syrian Kurdish fortifications, accusing them of supporting the PKK to prevent them from establishing their own autonomous rule, which can only further destabilize Syria.



The US was the only country that could have spared this horror, under the Obama administration. Sadly, Obama sat on his hands, allowing Russia and Iran to continue to pillage the country and consolidate their gains. President Trump, with all his boasting, has yet to lift a finger other than ineffectively bombing a Syrian air field in response to Assads use of chemical weapons only to show his bravado, while shamefully stopping the training of anti-Assad rebels and rendering them vulnerable to the merciless attacks by Syrian, Russian, and Iranian forces.



Saudi Arabia continues to provide money and materials to the rebels only to serve its interests as it continues to wage a proxy war against Shiite Iran for regional dominance, making Syria the battleground between the two sects while the Syrian people pay the price.



Leave it of course to Assad to rampage the country only to stay in power. Many dictators have treated their people with ruthlessness and cruelty to maintain their grip on power, but no despot in recent years has inflicted so much devastation, desolation, and despair on his own country like Assad has, while doing Russias and Irans biddings.





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Take a look at the monstrosity that Assad has committedthat would squeeze the heart of any normal person with the capacity to feel. Nearly 500,000 Syrians have been killed since the beginning of the civil war in 2011. An estimated 13.5 million people, including over 6 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection; 6.3 million people are internally displaced and nearly five million Syrians have fled the country and become refugees.



In addition to the staggering human toll, the cost of the conflict in Syria to date is estimated at $275 billion, and there is no end in sight to the astronomical losses. One would think that at a minimum the international community would respond to the human crisis by providing the necessary funding, but unsurprisingly in this area too, the international community falls appallingly short. The United Nations has requested a record amount of $8 billion in aid this year for Syria, and 65 percent of UNICEFs appeal is underfunded, while over $1 trillion is spent collectively on the military by the five permanent members of the UNSC.



The dismal failures of all the governments and institutions involved directly and indirectly in the Syrian calamity leaves us nowhere but to appeal to the masses. People of conscience, regardless of their country of residence and irrespective of their religious, cultural, or ideological orientation, you must rise now and make your voices heard. Speak up for the voiceless Syrian people who have been betrayed by corrupt head of states and condemned to dispersion, destruction, and death, which is a dreadfully sad testament to the international communitys moral bankruptcy.

Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.

alon@alonben-meir.com Web: www.alonben-meir.com

What is your take? Please post your comments below:




The Matilda Newport Historical Lie

There is this African proverb that says: The first thing a person who is about to travel put in the suitcase, is his/her behavior. A persons or a groups behavior cannot be hidden for long. This was the case with the former slaves that migrated to present day Liberia in search of freedom and dignity; yet they brought with them the inhumane prejudices they ran away from on the antebellum plantations in North America.

Now, here how it got started! The Settlers like the Europeans came to Africa with the preconceived beliefs that they were better than those they met in Africa. As the result, they called themselves Americo-Liberians and referred to the Africans as aborigines, natives, country people, pagans and uncivilized because their culture was different than theirs. The Settles behavior towards their brethren produced the conflict known today in Liberia as the Americo-Liberian, Native/Country Divide. This divide is what racism is to America. It is like cancer that is in remission; but when it is expedient it shows its ugly head. It is exploited for the benefit of those who seek it to their advantage - the Americo-Liberians and their counterpart, Native/Country elites or book people.

Liberians should pay close attention to these wolves in sheep clothing. With the October 10, 2017 presidential election approaching, candidates and their supporters are beginning to exploit this divide to their advantage. It is in response to this hypocrisy, I decided to write this article to serve as a WARNING in order to expose politicians who are bent on using this tactics and denied the existence of Liberias Country and Congor divide for the sole purpose of exploiting it like candidate Donald John Trump did in winning the United States presidency. Both groups are disingenuous, neither of them is patriotic; they are all in denial of the bitter relationship that continued to exist today between descendants of the Settlers and the Country people.

Recent example of the hostility that exists between both groups was displayed by Liberty Party Standard bearer Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine in his response to Vice President Boakais alleged accusation that his party is supported by President Sirleaf. The article was published in the March 16, 2017 edition of FrontPage Africa under the titled: Liberty Party Charles Brumskine Describes as Nonsense VP Boakais Insinuations. Excerpts from it read:

Please, I beg all those seeking political office to stop trying to bring this division to our country again. It is the Liberian people who have kept their peace and hope since 2003. And they should be allowed to enjoy the dividends of peace.

The rumors of the President support comes from the fact that Liberty Party appears to be better financed than it was in 2011, adding that it is because the party has broadened it support base.

 This years elections should be issue driven rather than personal attacks and tribal divide

The Liberian people should NOT fall such denial of division that still exists in the country. Therefore, for Cllr Brumskine to say all those seeking political office to stop trying to bring this division to our country again. It is the Liberian people who have kept their peace and hope since 2003. And they should be allowed to enjoy the dividends of peace.

Nothing stays hidden forever!

While writing this article, I came across a letter written by then Senior Senator of Margibi County, Honorable S. Bedell Fahn. The letter was dated February 3, 1998, and addressed to Honorable Enoch M. Dogolea (now deceased), President of the Liberian Senate. Find below the letter and you be the judge if the Congor/Country Divide is a thing of the PAST in Liberia as Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine wants us to believe:

The Liberian Senate

Monrovia, Liberia

Office of the Senior Senator Margibi County

Chairman: Ways Means Finance and Maritime Affairs

February 3, 1998

Honorable Enoch M. Dogolea

President of the Honorable Liberia Senate and

Distinguished Senators

The Honorable Liberian Senate

Capitol Building

Monrovia, LIBERIA

Ref: LETTER OF COMPLAINT AGAINST SENATOR CHARLES WALKER BRUMSKINE

Dear Honorable President of the Senate & Fellow Senators:

I write to formally complain the unbecoming and distasteful behavior of Senator Charles Walker Brumskine of Grand Bassa County who walked into my  office on Friday, January 30, 1998 at 11:48 a.m. in the presence of my Administrative Assistant David Wiles, Senators Thomas Nimely and George Koukou and rained insults at me as well as his threats against me to remove me as Chairman of the Way, Means, Finance and Maritime Affairs Committee of the Honorable Liberian Senate because, according to him, I did not approve Travel Expenses for Senator Evelyn Diggs Townsend, Senator of Montserrado County, for her trip to the African Caribbean Pacific European Union Parliamentary Union (ACP-EU) scheduled to convene in Brussels, Belgium. My decision not to approve the Travel Expenses was due to the fact that there was no money in the interim budget to cover the Senator Townsends trip.

Senator Brumskine insulted me by saying, WHO IS A FAHN TO DENY A TOWNSEND FROM TRAVELING FROM LIBERIA? YOUR NATIVE PEOPLE KILLED HER HUSBAND IN 1980 AND YOU TOO; A NATIVE MAN IS DENYING HER THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL . I felt deeply insulted, demeaned and hurt by his action and I responded to him. GET YOUR STUPID SELF FROM MY OFFICE, YOU FOOL . Senator Brumskine again replied to me, I WILL MAKE SURE TO REMOVE YOU FROM THIS COMMITTEE AND GET AT YOU, YOU COUNTRY FOOL. WE GET OUR COUNTRY BACK NOW, DAMN COUNTRY FOOL . My colleagues and staff present can singularly prove all that Senator Brumskine and I said. Both Senators Nimely and Koukou lashed at Senator Brumskine for such divisive remarks and threats.

Honorable President of the Senate and Fellow Senators, I most respectfully request this body to look into my complaint as expeditiously as possible before my pending leave of absence for a short term course in the United States of America as you all are aware of.

Respectfully yours,

Signed: S. Bedell Fahn

S. Bedell Fahn (HON)

SENIOR SENATOR MARGIBI COUNTY (Transcribed from Brumskine_Fahn (1).pdf)

To deny that there is NO division that exists in the country is rather self-serving and hypocritical by those that believe it. Moreover, the use of TRABLISM to gain votes will not work, either. This disunity is infectious; it is what Racism is to America. The inhumane treatment of minorities, especially African Americans inspired the poet Langston Hughes to write a poem titled: I, Too, Sing America. It reads:

Tomorrow, I'll be at the table when company comes. Nobody'll dare say to me, eat in the kitchen, then. Besides, they'll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed -- I, too, am America.

Langston Hughes poem motived me to write, We Too, Were Created Equal to convey similar message to those who for four hundred plus years have done everything within their power, including telling LIES and the use of BRUTE FORCE to deny us  the (BLACK RACE) of our humanity. The first stanza reads:

We Too, Were Created Equal

Four hundred years ago

We were brought to these shores

Against our will

Accorded the worse kind of treatment

That was not even reserved for beasts

Forced to work the land of our masters

From sun up to sun down

In the worse of conditions

That ever visited upon any human being

Sold like cattle, with tags attached

To our bodies in the market place

And our mothers forced

To breed more commodity

To increase the wealth of their masters

Yet, it never dawn on them

That since we look alike we could be related

But instead, we were distinguished

On the basis of our features

And the color of our skin

So they need to know the truth that

We too, were created in the image of God!

How the Congor/Country Divide Got Started!

The Congor and Country Divide within Historical Context

The July 26, 1847 Declaration of Independence drafted by the Representatives of the People of the Commonwealth of Liberia excluded the natives of the soil. It reads:

We, the people of the Republic of Liberia, were originally inhabitants of the United States of North America.

In some parts of that country we were debarred by law from all rights and privileges of man - in other parts, public sentiment, more powerful than law, frowned us down.

We were excluded from all participation in the government.

We were taxed without our consent.

We were compelled to contribute to the resources of a country which gave us no protection.

We were made a separate and distinct class, and against us every avenue of improvement was effectively closed. Strangers from other lands, of a color different from ours, were preferred before us.

We uttered our complaints, but they were unattended to, or only met by alleging the peculiar institutions of the country.

All hope of a favorable change in our country was thus wholly extinguished in our bosoms, and we looked with anxiety for some asylum from the deep degradation.

The western coast of Africa was the place selected by American benevolence and philanthropy for our future home (emphasis is mine). Removed beyond those influences which oppressed us in our native land, it was hoped we would be enabled to enjoy those rights and privileges and exercise and improve those faculties which the God of nature has given us in common with the rest of mankind.

Under the auspices of the American Colonization Society, we established ourselves here, on land, acquired by purchase [questionable]from the lords of the soil

In addition, the Motto adopted by the Settlers reads: The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here.

The distinction established in the Settlers Constitution and Motto gave birth to our present pregnant problem. Instead of being united as a people in this small country of ours, Tribalism, Ethnicity, Congor and Country divide became the yardstick used to distinguish each other. Moreover, the Settlers refused to be identified with a TRIBE or to be called tribal people, when in fact they a tribe based on the definition of TRIBE. Dont take my word for it, look it up in the dictionary and the Bible. A TRIBE consists of a people who speak the same language (Liberian English - Settlers), share the same culture, and support each other at the expense of those they considered different from them, like in the case of those they referred to as native or country people. It was they who brought about the distinction they came with from North America.

Imported Cultural Hegemony

Based on the socialization of the Americo Liberians in North America, they adapted the prejudices of their slave masters in their dealing with the indigenous population. They assumed a position of superiority  one similar to the arrangement that existed between them and their slave masters on the plantations in North America. As the result of this orientation, they considered the indigenous people as backward, uncivilized, pagan, heathen, etc.

In an article (September 7, 2001) titled: Liberias Slave History Is Complex written by Todd Pitman of the Associated Press, wrote, But the settlers, who came to be known as Americo-Liberians, were foreigners in Africa and frequently battled indigenous tribes.

In support of his claim, he quoted the late Archbishop Michael Francis:

It was a checkered history. They wanted to import their experience in America with them, says Roman Catholic Archbishop Michael Francis. They didnt want to do manual labor because it reminded them of plantation life. So they forced indigenous people to do it instead.

It is this general attitude that brought about the division in the Liberian society. For example as far back as 1864, President Daniel Bashiel Warner was concern about the division created by the settlers; therefore, in his inaugural address of January 4, 1864, he made an attempt to bring it to the attention of the ruling elite:

Of late, however, I have noticed with emotions of deep regret what I consider indications of a growing feeling of sectionalism among us, manifested particularly within the last few weeks. Need I say, that, in every point of view, whether affecting the social condition, the material prosperity, or the civil liberty of our country, down among us, for it cannot but exercise a deep and wide  spread influence for evil and only evil continually. (Joseph Saye Guannu, Inaugural Addresses, 1980, pp. 52-53)

Furthermore, in Arthur Barclays Second Inaugural Speech (January 1, 1906), he stated:

There is often manifested among the civilized population an active although secret disloyalty, especially in matters affecting the native tribes which has been very troublesome and embarrassing.

The Americo-Liberian citizens may do, and in the past has done the most harm in connection with the subject (African inhabitants) now considered, by maintaining a contemptuous, ungracious, and unjust attitude toward his aboriginal brother, by a want of politeness and good feelings. (Joseph Saye Guannu, Inaugural Addresses  1980: 215)

However, in Arthur Barclays First Inaugural Address of January 4, 1904, he made reference to this reality by stating:

The United States is not the only source from which we may draw desirable immigrants has long been recognized.

We have the West Indies and the English West African colonies. A large and increasing number of Sierra Leoneans which people with those of Liberians constitute at present the largest Negro English speaking population on the West Coast are now settling in the country. It is an interesting fact. It may have far-reaching consequences. Be hospitable and liberal, conciliate the populations in the colonies around you, and they will help you to tide over things until our relatives abroad shall come to our assistance. (Joseph Saye Guannu, Inaugural Addresses, 1980, p. 204).

In addition, based on Arthur Barclays plan, an indigenous person had to meet certain requirements before he or she could be accepted as citizen of Liberia. These requirements were:

The willingness of applicants to qualify for Liberian citizen by adopting the Christian faith, Western living conditions, and Western standards of conduct, dress, and general appearance. An African, in effect, would have to detach himself from his own customs by completely accepting the Americo-Liberian set of values. Citizenship and voting rights might then follow. (Yekutiel Gershoni, Black Colonialism: The Americo-Liberian Scramble for the Hinterland, 1985, pp. 37-38).

These were requirements that the indigenous people had to meet in other to become citizens in their own land. Citizenship was extended to the indigenous population in 1904; after 57 years.

Maintenance of the Congor Cultural Hegemony at Any Cause

There were individuals or group of people who highlighted the division caused by the Settlers social, political and economic divide; instead, they were viewed as TROUBLE MAKERS.

For example, Edward Wilmot Blyden defined the role of those who emigrated as rolling back the appalling cloud of ignorance and superstition which overspreads the land, and to rear on those shores as asylum of liberty for the downtrodden sons of Africa wherever found. Blyden felt that it was the objectives of blacks in America to assimilate with the Africans in Liberia rather than assimilate with Euro-Americans in the United States (Tom W. Shick, Behold the Promised Land, 1977, pp. 9-10).

Blydens approach was received by the countrys mulatto ruling elites as an attempt to rock the boat. As a result, on one occasion, he was apprehended, dragged through the streets of Monrovia, and on the verge of being hanged by the ruling class, saved by a close friend. After the incident, he went into exile in Sierra Leone.

Regarding the attempts on his life, he wrote:

If the elites succeed in killing me, they will have to annihilate the ashes, for out of them will arise a stronger influence than any they have yet witnessed in Liberia for the right whose triumph they dread.

Honorable Welleh Didwho Twe (commonly known as D. Twe and Cllr. Tuan Wreh suffered similar fate leveled against them by President William Vacanarat Shadrach Tubman. Didwho Twes crime was challenging Mr. Tubman for the Liberian presidency in 1951, and as a journalist, Tuan Wreh criticized Mr. Tubmans policy in the newspaper.

Another story that is worth mentioning here is from an English man who was a former Colonial Secretary of The Gambia, his name is Henry Fenwick Reeve. In The Black Republic published in the 1920s, he wrote:

The natives have never been considered the full equals of the emigrants, nor treated as brothers; they are hewers of woods and drawers of water; they are utilized as house servants. It is convenient to be able to fill ones house with Bush Niggers(as the settlers/Americo-Liberians referred to their fellow citizens of the interior, cited on p. 181 of The Black Republic) as servants, and the settlers have done so from the early day of settlement.

While, indeed, should one himself work where life is easy, and money is quickly made through trade? This feeling of cast shows itself in various curious ways  the Colonists soon fell into the habit of calling themselves white man in contrast to the Negroes of the country

The Bush Niggers, as the Liberians term their fellow citizens of the Interior, still fight among themselves without interference on the part of Government, while the spoil of battle in prisoners, men, women or children, is still bartered among themselves, and even sold to the Liberians under the euphemism of Boys (*Wards).

In fact, the term boy is a derogatory reference with regard to people of African origin as child-like. The Americo-Liberian settlers used it in relation to the African Liberians in the same manner boy was used in reference to them in North America.

Nonetheless, these past ten plus years, African Liberians, practically occupied the principal positions in the Unity Party (UP) government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Their performance surpassed that of the Americo-Liberians they replaced. In fact, they are worse! Most of them were and are engaged in corrupt practices. They are only concern about what is in it for Me, myself and I. These are individuals that are exploiting the Congor, Country Divide to get elected like what Donald Trump did in the US. Liberians should not for it! On the other hand, the Congor people should refrain from using the phrase: We are one people, when in fact it was their ancestors that created the MESS we find ourselves today. How can we be one people when the motto still reads: The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here and Liberias highest honor is named after the so-called Pioneers?

There are still many constitutions or principal bodies of law in most countries with clauses and amendments designed to protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of their origin, race, gender, or religion. In Liberia too, we have these same guarantees in place, but they are not enforced to the letter. The same government that enacted them violates them with impunity.

However, there is the tendency by many of the children of the Settlers to write about the relationship as if it is cordial. A classic example is Helene Coopers memoir The House at Sugar Beach. It was reviewed on Friday, February 4, 2011 by Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey. It reads:

Deconstructing Helene Coopers The House at Sugar Beach

Helene Coopers memoir, The House at Sugar Beach, is an account about dichotomies, race, class, and the African psyche in all its complexities. Cooper, a child of two Congo dynasties (descendants of repatriated American Blacks), dissects her unusual upbringing in Liberia, her exile to Americas deep South, and her reunion with a long lost adopted sister in her country of birth after years of professional training as a journalist in the United States.

The House at Sugar Beach traces a young girls journey to consciousness in a country of imported Nancy Drew books, American movies, phony British accents, blue jeans; essentially a country struggling to define itself. Cooper exposes with self-deprecating humor vices inherent in Liberian society, i.e. alcoholism, womanizing, kleptocracy, patronage, ethnocentrism, dependency, corruption, sloth, elitism, colonialism, colorism. Sugar Beach also reveals post-conflict schizophrenia, savagery, inhumanity, the ties that bind families, trans-nationalism, and hybridity, the theory of two-ness, tracing the apartheid-like disparities that separate the Coopers and their ilk from ordinary Country Liberians.

In addition, there is a film titled: PROVIDENCE that deals with the same subject matter. It is writing by Dr. Clarice Ford Kulah et al. It will premiere sometime this year. It is about former slaves returning to Africa after the abolishment of slavery, and the American Colonization Societys pursuit of repatriating the slaves by establishing Liberia for them. But they carried with them the American segregation practices; they referred to themselves as Americo-Liberians. The movie stars ace Hollywood actress Vivica A. Fox, the popular Nollywood/Ghollywood actor Van Vicker and others. It was firmed in Atlanta and Liberia. PROVIDENCE deals with the Congor and Country divide currently prevalent in the Liberian society.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Fellow compatriots, the unity we seek involves a complete paradigm shift! To achieve change requires moving away from ones old ways of doing (behaving) things. It encompasses a deeper understanding of humanitys quest to do what is right for no reason other than it is the right thing to do. Since change is not easy to come by, those who are not willing to make the sacrifice, often refer to those of us who seek change as boat rockers and troublemakers. And if history is any guide to understanding the genesis of a countrys pregnant palava, and how that palava, i.e., ethnicity, inequality, injustice, peace, reconciliation and national unity are addressed, the Liberian experience is no exception.

Liberias political culture needs to be completely overhauled in order to resolve its palava of inequality. The conflict that evolved as the result of this palava has not been addressed amicably. As a result, the system is dysfunctional with no plan in place to help resolve the conflict. Instead of finding lasting solution(s) to the palava, the leadership wants the aggrieved party  the indigenous tribes to be the one to give in or make the adjustment in the relationship. By just saying we are one people; we must forget the PAST is avoiding the vexed palava. It has NOT worked in the past, and will NOT today. Lets face it fair and square!

As a believer in history, I feel, in order to correct the wrongs of history, the truth must be told for the necessary corrections to be made; and for similar wrongs to be avoided in the future. In this regard, we (Liberians) must without malice put our cards on the table to ascertain their authenticity as we reason together through our physical and psychological injuries.

The problem here is our leaders put their selfish interests over the common good of the masses. For the most part, many of our peoples support for politicians are based on what they can get from them and not what they stand for. This is the reason most elected officials grossly violate public trust. They earned supports on the basis of the handouts they providebrown envelopes hand delivered at night to these unprincipled supporters. These individuals do not care where their handouts come from; as long as they keep coming to them, their families, friends and relatives, they have no empathy for the rest of the suffering masses who live on less than $1 DOLLAR a day.

This is a serious problem we are faced with. The mindset of dont care must be done away with. It reminds me of Mind your business or Your leave the peoples thing alone, which when we were young - we were advised not to get involve in vexed Liberian issues. Personally, I believe had we gotten involved at an early age, we would have helped to educate our people regarding what was wrong in our country and how it could be resolved amicably. This approach could have prevented some of the problems we are facing today.

I dont know about you or what others will say or do, but as for me, I will write and say whats on my mind, when I can, and will not let anyone or government regulate what I say or how I say it. Any attempt to return to the so-called sweet old days where the natives were the servants and the Americo-Liberians (Congors) were the masters is wishful thinking. The way forward is to fix this MESS once and for all.

In closing, I pray this special prayer for our nation and leaders:

Dear Lord, our land needs your healing, today. We see weakness spreading across it, and wonder how this happened. A solution seems so far away.

The solution Youve outlined in Your promise is not without personal cost. You call on us to humble ourselves, seek You in prayers, and turn from our wicked ways. Today we confess that we have many sins to our credit and not much good. Please help us to turn from our sins so that You will heal and bless us with forgiveness.

May we be a part of our hurting countrys healing, Lord! Turn our leaders and people toward You  perhaps by using our testimonies they will confess and repent. To You be the glory, Amen. (Paraphrased from Murray, Andrew (2002). The Everyday Guide to Prayer, p. 172).

_______________________________________________________

*The Ward System is a common practice by which young children of African Liberians are sent to stay with settler or Congor families in exchange for education.

NOTE: I include the material below for the benefit of those who have been searching and requesting from me Blydens The Three Needs of Liberia.

The Three Needs of Liberia, a lecture he delivered in Grand Bassa County on January 26, 1908. In it he discussed his concerns about the conditions of the Liberian state. It reads:

This year we celebrate the eighty-sixth anniversary of the founding of the city of Monrovia by the Negro settlers from America. The colony is nearly ninety years old. The Republic has just celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. Still Liberia is called by foreigners an experiment. Nothing of the kind has ever happened before in the worlds history. A group of returned exiles  refugees from the house of bondage  settled along a few hundred miles of the coast of their Fatherland, attempting to rule millions of people, their own kith and kin, on a foreign system (emphasis are mine) in which they themselves have been imperfectly trained, while knowing very little of the facts of the history of the people they assume to rule, either social, economic or religious, and taking for granted that the religious and social theories they have brought from across the sea must be adapted to all the need of their unexpatriated brethren.

Liberia is a little bit of South Carolina, of Georgia, of Virginia  that is to say  of the ostracized, suppressed, depressed elements of these states  tacked on to West Africa  a most incongruous combination, with no reasonable prospect of success; and further complicated by additions from other sources. We take a bit from England, a bit from France, a little bit from Germany, and try to compromise with all. We have no definite plan, no dominating race conception, with really nothing to help us from behind  the scene whence we came  and nothing to guide us from before the goal to which we are tending or should tend. We are severed from the parent stock  the aborigines  who are the root, branch, and flower of Africa and of any Negro State in Africa.

Our progress will come by connection with the parent stock. The question, therefore, which we should try to study and answer is, what are the underlying principles of African life? Every nation and every tribe has a right to demand freedom of life, and abundance of life, because it has a contribution to make peculiar to itself toward the ultimate welfare of the world. But no nation can have this freedom of life, and make this contribution, which no other nation can make, without connection with its past, of which it must carefully preserve the traditions, if it is to understand the present and have an intelligent and inspiring hope of the future.

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We need Emancipation. When the first Negro emigrants for Liberia left the United States in the good ship Elizabeth in 1820, they escaped physical bondage. And when Abraham Lincoln in 1863, proclaimed freedom for the Negroes throughout the United States, he delivered them from material shackles which hampered and degraded the body. The body was set free, but the soul remained in bondage. Therefore, the intellectual, social and religious freedom of the American ex-slave has yet to be achieved. When our fathers came across the Atlantic they brought with them the social, industrial, and religious trammels that bound them to the intellectual and material fleshpots of America. Those trammels they transmitted to us. They could not help themselves. The mere passage across the sea did not change their mental condition.

And now, we, their descendants, call ourselves Americo-Liberians or Afro-Americans, that is to say, Africans with the prejudices and predilections  the bias and aspirations  of white men: with ideals, as Sir. Harry Johnston has told us in his extraordinary History of Liberia (1906), pitifully Anglo-Saxon: and these ideals, altogether unattainable, are nevertheless, the burden, the stumbling block and the opprobrium of the nation. They beguile us into efforts to introduce a condition of things under which Europe and America are helplessly staggering, and compel us to take upon ourselves and labour to solve the problems of a foreign climate and alien race, which of course takes away from us the desire, the disposition and the ability to study our own problems and their solution. (Hollis R. Lynch, Black Spokesman, Selected Published Writings of Edward Wilmot Blyden, 1971)

About The Author : Siahyonkron Nyanseor is former Secretary, Vice & Chair of the ULAA Council of Eminent Persons (UCEP), Inc. He is founding member and the 11th National President of ULAA. He is a poet, Griot, journalist, and a cultural and political activist. He is an ordained Minister of the Gospel. Elder Nyanseor is a Senior Advisor to the Voice of Liberia newsmagazine. In 2012, he Co-authored Djogbachiachuwa: The Liberian Literature Anthology; his current book of poems: TIPOSAH: Message from the Palava Hut. He can be reached at: siah1947@gmail.com

What is your take? Please post your comments below:


Flick through a mysterious tale around a killer who has terrorised the residents of Chicago; read a thrilling book featuring legendary spy, assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon; go through a collection of classic ghost stories; and, finally, a searing, spellbinding blend of cold-case thriller and psychological suspense.

Book: The Fourth Monkey

Author: J.D. Barker

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 404

Price: Rs 399

For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorised the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realise he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive.

As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows, even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unravelling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own.

With only a handful of clues, the elusive killers identity remains a mystery. Time is running out and the Four Monkey Killer taunts from beyond the grave in this masterfully written fast-paced thriller.

Book: House of Spies

Author: Daniel Silva

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 526

Price: Rs 399

Four months after the deadliest attack on the American homeland since 9/11, terrorists leave a trail of carnage through Londons glittering West End. The attack is a brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose thread.

The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives to the south of France and to the gilded doorstep of Jean-Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion model, Olivia pretends not to know that the true source of Martels enormous wealth is drugs. And Martel, likewise, turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a man whose objective is the very destruction of the West. Together, under Gabriels skilled hand, they will become an unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on terror.

Book: The Haunted Library (A collection of ghost stories)

Curator: Tanya Kirk

Publisher: Niyogi

Pages: 232

Price: Rs 450

The Haunted Library is a new collection of classic ghost stories many of which have never before been anthologised from the golden age of the genre in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Each of these stories revolves round the arcane secrets and dark psychic traces to be found in libraries, museums and other treasure troves of hidden knowledge.

The 12 stories included are The Nature of the Evidence by May Sinclair, Mr Tallents Ghost by Mary Webb, The Lost Tragedy by Denis Mackaill, Bone to His Bone by Edmund Gill Swain, Herodes Redivivus by A.N.L. Munby, The Book by Margaret Irwin, The Whisperers by Algernon Blackwood, The Tractate Middoth by M.R. James, Afterward by Edith Wharton, Fingers of a Hand by Theo Douglas, The Apple Tree by Elizabeth Bowen, and The Work of Evil by William Croft Dickinson.

Book: The Good Daughter

Author: Karin Slaughter

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 503

Price: Rs 350

Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind.

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinns happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their home. It left their mother dead. It left their father  Pikevilles notorious defence attorney  devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlotte has followed in her fathers footsteps to become a lawyer herself  the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again  and a shocking tragedy that leaves the whole town traumatised  she is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but its a case that unleashes the terrible memories shes spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly 30 years ago wont stay buried forever.
The Tripura police on Friday launched a probe over a fatwa issued against Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Facebook, the authorities said.

After noticing the fatwa post on Thursday, an inquiry has been initiated following the registering of a criminal case at the West Agartala police station, West Tripura district police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told IANS.

He said: Police registered the criminal case suo-motu under the relevant provisions of Indian Penal Code and Information Technology act. We would seek the help of cyber-crime experts to track the person.

Saptarshi said the post has now been deleted.

We would definitely be able to track down the account holder, but it would take some time. Earlier, a fake Facebook page was found on the name of the Chief Minister and the police traced the source to Indore, he said.

The fatwa said a cash reward of Rs 5.5 lakh would be given to anyone for being able to chop off the head of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

Using the name Ria Roy along with a girls photograph, the account holder introduced itself as an activist of the World Anti-Communist Council. However, there were no personal details in the profile section.
Goan Catholics are not apprehensive about the beef ban issue in the states Goan context, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Thursday.

He was responding to a query if in course of his campaign for the Panaji by-poll, Catholic voters had expressed their grievances about the beef ban narrative at the national level.

Nothing is coming through. Those who have read and have knowledge, they know the situation vis a vis the Goan context, Parrikar said.

Catholics account for more than a quarter of the states 1.5 million population and are a sizeable votebank in the Panaji assembly constituency.

The Goa Church has openly criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party regime, both at the Centre and the BJP-led coalition government in the state, accusing it of trying to clamp down on sale of beef, brazenly in the rest of India and subtly in the coastal state, where minorities and a sizeable chunk of the six million plus tourists who visit the state, eat it.

Parrikar, during the recently concluded monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly however, said that the state government would take all steps possible to ensure supply of beef in the state.
A JNU student was molested and her six male friends assaulted for at least two hours after a group of over half-a-dozen hoodlums held them hostage at a lake in Asola sanctuary in Surajkund area of Faridabad, police said on Thursday.

The crime took place on August 14 evening when the 27-year-old student along with her friends had gone there on a fun trip.

Vasant Kunj (North) police, which registered the Zero FIR on August 15, on Thursday transferred the case to Faridabad police through Surajkund police station.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student said she and six of her friends, including one from Delhi University, had gone to Bharadwaj Lake.

Around 8.30 p.m. that day, the group decided to return to Delhi. While she rode a motorcycle with two of her friends, the other four started to walk down towards the taxi waiting for them outside the sanctuary.

While me and my two friends were driving towards the main road, two inebriated men carrying bamboos sticks blocked our path and started questioning us. They called six to seven of their accomplices who used filthy remarks against us. When we tried to avoid them, they attacked us with lathis, the victim said in the FIR.

When we threatened to call police, they pulled me inside a temporary shed, tore my clothes, molested me, and tried to gang-rape me, but I resisted their attempts. They also tried to tie us up with a rope and threatened to cut us into pieces and dump in the lake, the JNU student said.

They hurled offensive religious remarks against one of my friends. They slapped us repeatedly, saying we were cattle thieves, she said.

She said they escaped after their group members, who had also reached the spot, called up another cab driver and pleaded with him to call police to rescue them.

The girl student said they went to Surajkund police station for registering a complaint but police officers there promptly refused.

Our ordeal and trauma did not end there. Police there abused us in filthy language and forced us to write an apology letter, the woman said in the FIR.

We have received the FIR from Delhi Police on Thursday regarding molestation, holding hostage, assaulting and attempt to rape on a JNU student and her six friends, Deputy Commissioner of Police (NIT) Faridabad Astha Modi told IANS.

We are investigating and will call them to record their statements at Surajkund police station. We are in the process of recreating the sequence of crime to identify the accused, he added.
[August 17, 2017] From Your Front Door to Your Phone: Reliable Home Security is KNOCKing

HARTFORD, Wis., Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In the midst of the Great Depression, a young entrepreneur named J. Ralph Corbett developed the first melodious door chime, replacing the antiquated door buzzers of the time. His development helped revolutionize the 20th century home industry and launched the company known today as NuTone. More than 80 years later, Corbett's forward-thinking design continues to inspire residential product engineers at NuTone, who are proud to announce the launch of NuTone Knock, the company's revolutionary new video doorbell. Building on its innovative product line, NuTone, a leader in home comfort and convenience solutions, adds to its constantly expanding lifestyle convenience line with the NuTone Knock Video Doorbell. NuTone Knock allows homeowners to see and speak to visitors from anywhere in the world in crystal clear HD resolution on their smart phone or tablet. With integrated motion activation, night vision and an optional alarm function, you'll always know when someone is at the door and have peace of mind that your home is safe and secure, no matter where you are. "Homeowners have been asking for a multi-function doorbell system that combines the best intercom technology with security," said Jessica Lindquist, Global Category Director, Home Comfort & Convenience, for NuTone. "With NuTone Knock, we offer homeowners an easy-to-install system which integrates seamlessly with their smart phones and tablets, while providing more convenience and security than ever before."



NuTone Knock is easy to install, thanks to built-in voltage detection and better Wi-Fi signal strength. The strong Wi-Fi connection allows for farther installation from your router while still maintaining a reliable connection, limiting the need for a Wi-Fi range extender. NuTone Knock is the most durable and weather resistant video doorbell available on the market today. It's durable enough to withstand dust and water, and is tested from -22F to 122F; no other video doorbell can make that claim. Offering a clean and simple design, NuTone Knock is designed to look great on any home, fits most door mullions and can be flush mounted. "NuTone Knock isn't just another video doorbell," Lindquist said. "It's the most reliable and user-friendly video doorbell available today. It allows you to have the comforts and security of home from anywhere in the world."

Additional NuTone Knock features include: Two-way audio and HD video from your door to any smart phone or tablet around the world, or from the safety of your own home

Weather resistant rating of IP65

Night vision camera allows you to see who is at your door in crystal clear high definition in any low light condition

Motion detection technology will alert you of any movements and record video to the cloud for later playback, meaning you will know who is on your property even if they don't ring the doorbell

Quiet hours option silences the door chime during nap time, family time or movie night

Easy installation: connects easily to existing doorbell power and offers a built-in voltage detector to assist in the installation process

180-degree high definition camera lens

Works with your existing doorbell wiring, so a battery that won't work in extreme heat or cold isn't required NuTone Knock will be available this fall on Amazon.com, Build.com or from your local NuTone dealer and will retail at $249. To find a retailer in your area, visit http://www.nutone.com ABOUT BROAN LLC and NuTone

BROAN LLC is North America's leading manufacturer and distributor of residential ventilation products including range hoods, ventilation fans, heater/fan/light combination units, balanced ventilation systems (IAQ), built-in heaters, attic ventilators. NuTone, a registered trademark of BROAN LLC, manufactures and distributes residential built-in convenience products including door chimes, central vacuum systems, ceiling fans, intercom systems, ironing centers and ventilation fans. BROAN LLC is proud to be an ENERGY STAR partner. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/from-your-front-door-to-your-phone-reliable-home-security-is-knocking-300506211.html SOURCE BROAN LLC

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The Tamil Nadu governments decision to set up an inquiry commission to probe the cause of death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is a good move, said Apollo Hospitals on Thursday.

It was in Apollo Hospital here Jayalalithaa was hospitalised for over 70 days.

In a statement issued here, the hospital said: The Tamil Nadu Governments decision to set up a Committee to enquire into the cause of the death of Puratchi Thalaivi Selvi J Jayalalithaa is a good move.

It is our sincerest wish that finally, the findings of the Committee will put to rest all the unfounded speculation in this regard.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday sanctioned the final instalment of Rs 15 Crore for the completion of the second phase of the upcoming Jang-E-Azadi Memorial at Kartarpur in Jalandhar.

The CM also agreed to dedicate the memorial to the nation on Punjab Day on November 1, an official spokesperson said after a meeting of the Punjab Freedom Movement Memorial Foundation, which is constructing the memorial.

Captain Amarinder, who is the Chairman of the Foundation, also directed the Punjab Industrial Development Board (PIDB) to allow the Foundation to use unutilised funds of Rs 8.12 Crore for the construction and upkeep of the memorial, which will epitomise Punjabs contribution to Indias freedom struggle.

The CM said the memorial would help the younger generations to connect with the past, which was essential to engage with the future. Minister for Tourism Navjot Sidhu said that first phase, was completed in June 2017 and assured that second phase of the project would be completed within the next two months.

Earlier, members of the Foundation made a presentation to the CM on the completion of Phase-1 of the project. Foundation Member Secretary Dr Barjinder Singh Hamdard said the memorial offers great opportunity to restate the values followed by Indias freedom fighters  right from Bhai Maharaj Singh to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who laid down their lives at the altar of their motherland. Future generations would learn a great deal about their glorious past from the memorial, he added.

The project, spread across 25 acres of land, was originally sanctioned in July 2012 at a total cost of Rs 315 Crore. Eminent personalities such as Shyam Benegal have been engaged with the project to ensure quality and class. The memorial is a unique piece of art which has a minaret, seminar hall, auditorium, movie hall, cafeteria, library, Open Air theatre for laser show and an amphitheatre, said Dr Hamdard.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday warned that the government will take over 449 private schools in the capital if they do not refund extra fees collected from students.

Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said many schools increased their fees in the name of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission and the Delhi High Court appointed a committee to look into the issue.

Kejriwal said the committee told the schools to refund the extra fees but many didnt.

As they did not comply, the court asked the Delhi government what is being done. We said that we will implement (the report) and if needed we will take over the schools, he added.

Were not against private schools, there is no witch hunting. We are appealing to these 449 schools to implement the committees recommendations and give back the extra fees.

We wont be silent over this robbery by private schools, he added.

Education Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the committee examined 1,108 private schools and found that 544 had hiked fees in the name of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission.

He said many schools gave back the extra fees collected and show cause notice have been served to the 449 schools which havent refunded the money yet.

Many of them are giving good quality education and we dont want to take them over. Our request is (they must) pay back the extra fees.

But Sisodia warned that the government would be forced to take over the schools if they do not stick to the committees report.

The Chief Minister hoped the schools would fall in line and the government wont be forced to take over them.
Former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaas memorial at the Marina beach in Chennai was all decked up for the possible merger of warring factions of the AIADMK, a day after the Tamil Nadu government announced an investigation into her death.

Factions led by Chief Minister EK Palaniswami and his predecessor O Panneerselvam are expected to make a joint announcement about the merger and chalk out the future course of action.

Palaniswamis announcement on setting up of an inquiry commission to probe Jayalalithaas death was a big signal of understanding between the two faction as it was the key demand of Panneerselvam camp. The removal of jailed party general secretary VK Sasikala and her kin, including deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, from the AIADMK was the other major demand.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday directed that work to seal the 48.11 km porous areas on the India-Bangladesh border in his state be speeded up.

Issuing directions to the National Buildings Construction Corporation (India) Limited and Central Public Works Department in this regard at a meeting in New Delhi, Sonowal also asked Border Security Force authorities to use proven technology to intensify vigil to prevent illegal influx of individuals and smuggling from across the border.

Officials of the two agencies said fencing of 13.38 km of the 48.11 km unfenced border in Assam would be completed as soon as the flood waters recede.

Silchar sector has 61 gaps, Dhubri 31 and others two, which will require Rs.26.92 crore to plug.

Sonowal directed fencing work to start from October so as to complete the whole process before the onset of the next monsoon.
Yashwant Sinha, senior BJP leader and former Union Minister, accompanied by Sushobha Barve, Executive Director, Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR); Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Kapil Kak and Bharat Bhushan, senior journalist, met Governor NN Vohra at the Raj Bhawan in Srinagar on Friday and discussed various issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir.

This is the third visit of the team that is holding talks with cross section of Kashmiri leadership and separatists to resolve the problem in Kashmir.

Sinha shared his experiences with the Governor who stressed the importance of the regional parties in J&K and all the stakeholders, particularly the civil society, playing a lead role for securing restoration of peace and normalcy.

The Sinha team on Thursday met the MP and National Conference leader, Farooq Abdullah, and discussed various issues with him.

The separatists had earlier refused to meet an All Parties Parliamentary delegation that visited Kashmir earlier this year. However, they have met the Sinha led team and also the one led by Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar.
Bareilly Ki Barfi starring Kriti Sanon as Bitti is a slice of life film. The story revolves around the love triangle where in Bitti is in search for her perfect groom.

A film which focuses on a wedding essentially needs focus on the parents of the bride and groom. While the lead being Kriti Sanon aka Bitti, her parents play an important role in the story.

Bittis parents Narottam Mishra and Sushila played by Pankaj Tripathi and Seema Pahwa, are also worried about the concern most of the parents in India are, finding the perfect groom for their daughter.

However, what sets them apart are their liberal thoughts. While Bitti is bold and chirpy girl who follows her heart. Her dreams are fanned by her parents who support her.

Pankaj Tripathi shares, Its a wonderful experience playing a sweet, simple father.

Talking about the unique qualities about Narottam Mishra, Pankaj Tripathi said, 

It was the sincerity of Narottam Mishra that drew me to the role. He is not a typical father, the kind usually seen in our movies. While hes funny, hes also sensible and shares a great bond with his daughter. Above everything, he is progressive, which is rare in small towns. He knows that his daughter smokes, but he doesnt judge her for that. He also allows Bitti to choose her partner. You, too, will relate to Mishraji; youd be reminded of someone you know. You wont find him going over the top.

Pankaj Tripathi who is a father of a 10 year old borrowed experience from his real life to essay the father of the 25 year old Bitti. The father in Pankaj Tripathi was evident on the sets as the actor actually had tears in his eyes while shooting an emotional scene in the film.

Seema Pahwa who plays the mother of Bitti is a senior theater artist. Pankaj Tripathi and Seema Pahwa could be seen Sharing screen space for the first time in the film. Sharing his experience of working with the senior artiste, Pankaj Tripathi said, This is our first film together. I had asked Ashwiny how wed look like a couple because we dont look the same age. While Seemajis character is a bit loud  thoda cheekhna-chillana hai  my character is the opposite. Seemaji is a senior artiste who comes from theatre. So, we used to improvise a lot, which in turn helped Kriti better her scenes.

Seema Pahwa also threw some light on her character as Sushila and revealed her point of inspiration for the role. She shared, As actors, you have to go beyond the script and observe people around you. During my travels to UP, Ive observed many common women. My character is inspired by all of them, whose only worry is to find their daughters a good match. Ive also drawn inspiration from my aunts, whose worlds are limited to their homes and children. Almost 90 per cent mothers in India have the same worry: bachche ki shaadi.

Talking about her onscreen daughter, the senior artiste said, Initially, I had thought, Kriti bahut modern ladki hai. How will she even understand what Bareilly is and what sort of girl Bitti is? But from the first shot, we got our chemistry right. She understood her character well. In fact, during a workshop, I remember she had placed her hand on my shoulder aur maine uska haath jhatak diya, kyunki maaon ko aisa khulapan accha nahi lagta. The whole team said, Yeh maa beti tayaar ho gayi hain and Kriti started laughing because that is how our on-screen equation is. Rajkummar (Rao) was also fun to work with. This is my third film with Ayushmann (Khurrana) as his mother-in-law. Hum saas-daamaad package deal mein aate hain!

The trailer of the film has got everyone hooked and the music of the film is winning hearts. The songs Sweety Tera Drama, Nazm Nazm and Twist Kamariya are ruling charts.

Bareilly Ki Barfi is the collaborative effort between Ashiwny Iyer Tiwari, creative producer Juno Chopra and writer Nitesh Tiwari of Dangal fame and Shreyas Jain.

Nitesh Tiwari and Shreyas Jain contributed to a power packed script to Juno Chopras sphere headed execution while Ashiwny Iyer Tiwari captured perfect frames.

Bareilly Ki Barfi brings to celluloid for the first time the team of Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana and Rajkummar Rao. The film is Ashiwny Iyer Tiwaris second film as a director.

Bareilly Ki Barfi is produced by Junglee Pictures and BR Studios. The film is scheduled to release on 18th August 2017.
The Congress on Thursday slammed Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for his remarks about party Vice President Rahul Gandhis birth date, saying it does not behove a minister to make such an obtuse, personal and factually incorrect remark.

The Union Law and Justice Minister made some extremely unfortunate and intemperate remarks. What those remarks truly reflected was the very exquisite mixture of ignorance and arrogance, which has come to characterise the functioning of this government, said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.

He (Prasad) said the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) had been in office even before Rahul Gandhi was born. First of all, it does not behove a minister to make such an obtuse personal and factually incorrect remark.

The BJP actually came into existence only in 1980. We wish the Law Minister had got his facts about the founding of his own party correct, he said.

Tewari further said: He took umbrage to the fact that Gandhi suggested that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP intended to amend or even subvert the Constitution.

We would like to ask him, who was also a minister in Atal Behari Vajpayee government, is it not a fact that the Vajpayee government actually appointed a National Commission to review the working of the Constitution between 1999 and 2004?

Was that not an attempt to change or subvert the Constitution?

Tewari said: He (Prasad) then had a problem with the suggestion that the RSS is infiltrating different institutions in India. Look, what has happened to Prasar Bharati  it is packed with RSS acolytes and sympathisers.

Look at the PMO  the highest positions are occupied by people who owe allegiance to the Vivekananda Foundation. Is the Vivekananda Foundation not connected with the RSS? You have ministers who serve on the board of India Foundation.

Ministers of the union serving on the board of a think-tank belonging to the RSS was a clear case of conflict of interest, he said.

Then he had a problem that the liberals in this country have a very selective view with regard to political violence and he was alluding to Kerala.

Political violence has been condemned. But while the Law Minister sees the violence of the CPI-M, he does not see the violence which has been unleashed by his own party men and organisations which owe allegiance to him.

Tewari also said that all those who had gathered for the Sajha Virasat Bachao (save composite culture) conference were actually forerunners of the liberal idea of India.

It has been under stress, strain and sustained assault. However, the ideological battle against sectarianism, fundamentalism, against the kind of obscurantism which the BJP and RSS believes in will continue and ultimately we will win, he added.
The noise on the contentious issue of the Article 35A has become louder in Jammu and Kashmir with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday dispatching her four senior ministers to New Delhi to muster political and legal support for retaining the constitutional provision that empowers the state legislature to define its permanent residents.

Law Minister Abdul Haq Khan, Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, Horticulture Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari and Information Minister Choudhary Zulfikar, flew to Delhi on the directions of Mehbooba.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing a petition seeking to scrap the Article 35A on the plea of its discriminatory nature against the womenfolk.

The hardline separatists in the valley have also jumped in to defend the provision.

However, the Kashmir centric parties have failed to generate public support in the Jammu and Ladakh regions for retaining the controversial Article even after invoking the Hindu ruler Maharaja Hari Singh who had introduced the state subject law in the state. Noises in support of the law were mostly being raised in the Kashmir valley although generally the women of Jammu had suffered because of the provision that was amended by an elected government.

A meeting of prominent residents of Jammu recently stressed that the Article 35A promotes alienation, deepens the ideology of separate identity and creates a wedge between J&K and rest of the country and as such it should be abrogated.

The BJP leadership that was earlier vocal against its alliance partner PDPs stand of not tinkering with the Article 35A was now busy attacking the National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on the issue without making any reference to the PDP.

Mehbooba has cleverly chosen the ministerial delegation for meeting top BJP leaders and legal luminaries in support of her stand. Finance Minister Drabu was the architect of the agenda of alliance from the PDP side with the BJP general secretary Ram Madhav. She also included Zulfikar, a Muslim Gujjar of Rajouri, in the delegation to give an impression that the people of Jammu were also in favour of retention of the Article 35A.

Responding to Omar Abdullahs recent statement that the separatists had no business to indulge in the controversy as they do not believe in the Indian Constitution, hardliner Syed Alishah Geelani said that Omar should understand that abrogation of the Article would change the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, Geelani remains mum on the issue of Pakistan virtually gifting large areas of POK to China for building the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that has brought massive demographic changes there.
In his maiden domestic tour after taking office, President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Ladakh on Monday where he will present the Presidents Colours to battalions of the Ladakh Scouts, an infantry regiment of the Indian Army.

Sources said President Kovind will be in Ladakh for a day on August 21, and will also go to a meditation centre after the award ceremony.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will also go to Ladakh on Sunday for a three-day visit.

The visit comes days after a skirmish between Indian and Chinese troops in Pangong Lake area of Ladakh, after Chinas PLA troops tried to enter the Indian side on Tuesday. Soldiers from both the sides also resorted to stone pelting.

The Presidents Colours is one of the greatest honours bestowed upon a unit in recognition of exceptional service rendered by it to the nation, both during war and in peace.

Usually, the Army Chief hands over the Presidents Colours award on behalf of the President.

A flag meeting was held in Chusul in Ladakh on Wednesday that went off well, and both sides made an attempt to re-establish peace leaving the incident behind. The skirmish in Ladakh was one of a kind where troops resorted to stone pelting, and many were hurt.

Meanwhile, a standoff between Indian and Chinese troops is continuing in Doklam in Sikkim sector, close to the tri-junction of India-China-Bhutan, after China attempted to construct a road on territory belonging to Bhutan.
[August 17, 2017] LYNPARZA Receives Additional and Broad Approval in the U.S. for Ovarian Cancer

AstraZeneca and Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for the PARP inhibitor, LYNPARZA (olaparib), as follows: New use of LYNPARZA as a maintenance treatment for recurrent, epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal adult cancer who are in response to platinum-based chemotherapy, regardless of BRCA status;

New use of LYNPARZA tablets (2 tablets twice daily) as opposed to capsules (8 capsules twice daily);

LYNPARZA tablets also now indicated (conversion from the current accelerated approval) for the use in patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer, who have been treated with three or more prior lines of chemotherapy. Sean Bohen, executive vice president, global medicines development and chief medical officer of AstraZeneca, said: "Physicians have almost three years of clinical experience with LYNPARZA on the market and we are now pleased to bring this important medicine, in a new tablet formulation, to a broader group of women. Today's approvals validate more than 10 years of dedicated research behind LYNPARZA, the world's first PARP inhibitor, which now provides oncologists with the greater flexibility for use in terms of treatment settings. It builds on our recently-announced collaboration with Merck, which aims to further increase the number of treatment options available to patients." Eric Pujade-Lauraine, head of the women cancers and clinical research department at Hopitaux Universitaires Paris Centre, site Hotel-Dieu, AP-HP and principal investigator of the SOLO-2 trial, one of the trials supporting the approval, said: "Today's approval is welcome news for U.S. patients with ovarian cancer, who are now able to benefit from treatment with olaparib irrespective of their BRCA-mutation status. This latest regulatory milestone underscores the breadth and depth of clinical data on olaparib, and not only demonstrates its efficacy as maintenance therapy, but adds to the data presented earlier this year showing sustained quality of life for patients undergoing treatment for this serious disease." Roger M. Perlmutter, president of Merck Research Laboratories, said: "We congratulate AstraZeneca on the approval of these new indications and the new dosage form and schedule for LYNPARZA, an important therapeutic advance for many patients with ovarian cancer. This is a significant first regulatory event in our collaboration with AstraZeneca. We look forward to working with AstraZeneca in our global collaboration to bring this medicine with its new indications to patients." Two randomized trials supported the new approvals and the conversion of accelerated approval to full approval which was originally based on a single-arm trial: SOLO-2 (n=295) confirmed the benefit of LYNPARZA in germline BRCA-mutated (gBRCAm) patients, demonstrating a 70% reduced risk of disease progression or death (HR 0.30 [95% CI, 0.22-0.41], P<0.0001) and improved progression-free survival (PFS) to 19.1 vs 5.5 months for placebo by investigator-assessed analysis.

Study 19 (n=265) showed that LYNPARZA reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 65% and improved PFS compared with placebo in patients of any BRCA status (HR 0.35 [95% CI, 0.25-0.49], P<0.0001; median PFS of 8.4 months vs 4.8 months for placebo). Additionally, patients in Study 19, treated with LYNPARZA as a maintenance therapy, had a median overall survival (OS) of 29.8 months vs 27.8 months for placebo (HR 0.73 [95% CI, 0.55-0.95]).







Table 1. Summary of key efficacy results from randomized trials: Analysis Reduction in the risk of

disease progression or death

(PFS) Reduction in the risk of

death (OS) SOLO-2

[gBRCAm] LYNPARZA 70% (HR 0.30 [95% CI, 0.22-

0.41], P<0.0001) Data not yet mature Placebo Study 19

[PSR OC*] LYNPARZA 65% (HR 0.35 [95% CI, 0.25-

0.49], P<0.0001) 27% (HR 0.73 [95% CI,

0.55-0.95] Placebo *PSR = Platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer

The most-common adverse events reported in 20% or more of patients across the SOLO-2 trial in the LYNPARZA arm were anaemia (44%), nausea (76%), vomiting (37%), diarrhoea (33%), fatigue/asthenia (66%), decreased appetite (22%), headache (25%), and dysgeusia (27%). The most-common Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were anaemia (20%), nausea (2.6%), vomiting (2.6%), diarrhoea (1.0%), fatigue/asthenia (4.1%), and headache (0.5%). Discontinuation of LYNPARZA resulting from adverse events was seen in 11% of patients. Dose interruptions of LYNPARZA due to an adverse reaction of any grade was 45%. Dose reductions of LYNPARZA due to an adverse reaction was 25%. The most-common adverse events reported in 20% or more of patients across the Study 19 trial in the LYNPARZA arm were anaemia (23%), nausea (71%), vomiting (35%), diarrhoea (27%), fatigue (including asthenia) (63%), decreased appetite (21%), and headache (21%). The most-common Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were anaemia (7.4%), nausea (2.2%), vomiting (2.2%), diarrhoea (2.2%), and fatigue (including asthenia) (8.8%). Discontinuation of LYNPARZA resulting from adverse events was seen in 4% of patients. Dose interruptions of LYNPARZA due to an adverse reaction of any grade was 25%. Dose reductions of LYNPARZA due to an adverse reaction was 15%. The full data from the SOLO-2 trial can be found in the July 25, 2017 publication of The Lancet Oncology. LYNPARZA was first approved under the FDA's Accelerated Approval program in December 2014, as a capsule formulation, making it the first poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor approved. Since then, more than 3,000 advanced ovarian cancer patients have been treated with LYNPARZA capsules in its approved indication. About SOLO-2 SOLO-2 was a Phase III, randomized, double-blinded, multicenter trial designed to determine the efficacy of LYNPARZA tablets as a maintenance monotherapy compared with placebo, in patients with platinum-sensitive, relapsed or recurrent gBRCA-mutated ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancer. The trial, conducted in collaboration with the European Network for Gynaecological Oncological Trial Groups (ENGOT) and Groupe d'Investigateurs National pour l'Etude des Cancers de l'Ovaire et du sein (GINECO), randomised 295 patients with documented germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations who had received at least 2 prior lines of platinum-based chemotherapy and were in complete or partial response. Eligible patients were randomized to receive 300mg LYNPARZA tablets twice daily or placebo tablets twice daily. About Study 19 Study 19 was a Phase II, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial, which evaluated the efficacy and safety of LYNPARZA compared with placebo in relapsed, high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients, involving 82 sites across 16 countries. Patients received LYNPARZA maintenance monotherapy, at a dose of 400mg per day or matching placebo. Treatment continued until disease progression if toxicities were manageable. About LYNPARZA LYNPARZA is an innovative, first-in-class oral poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor that may exploit tumor DNA damage response (DDR) pathway deficiencies to preferentially kill cancer cells. It is approved by regulatory authorities in the EU and US for the treatment of women with BRCAm ovarian cancer. LYNPARZA tablets are currently being tested in combinations in a range of tumor types including breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. About the AstraZeneca and Merck Strategic Oncology Collaboration On July 27, 2017, AstraZeneca and Merck & Co., Inc. announced a global strategic oncology collaboration to co-develop and co-commercialize AstraZeneca's LYNPARZA, the world's first and leading PARP inhibitor, and potential new medicine selumetinib, a MEK inhibitor, for multiple cancer types. The collaboration is based on increasing evidence that PARP and MEK inhibitors can be combined with PDL-1/PD-1 inhibitors for a range of tumor types. Working together, the companies will jointly develop LYNPARZA and selumetinib in combination with other potential new medicines and as a monotherapy. Independently, the companies will develop LYNPARZA and selumetinib in combination with their respective PD-L1 and PD-1 medicines. Merck's Focus on Cancer Our goal is to translate breakthrough science into innovative oncology medicines to help people with cancer worldwide. At Merck, helping people fight cancer is our passion and supporting accessibility to our cancer medicines is our commitment. Our focus is on pursuing research in immuno-oncology and we are accelerating every step in the journey - from lab to clinic - to potentially bring new hope to people with cancer. As part of our focus on cancer, Merck is committed to exploring the potential of immuno-oncology with one of the fastest-growing development programs in the industry. We are currently executing an expansive research program that includes more than 500 clinical trials evaluating our anti-PD-1 therapy across more than 30 tumor types. We also continue to strengthen our immuno-oncology portfolio through strategic acquisitions and are prioritizing the development of several promising immunotherapeutic candidates with the potential to improve the treatment of advanced cancers. For more information about our oncology clinical trials, visit www.merck.com/clinicaltrials. About Merck For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and communities around the world - including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal diseases, Alzheimer's disease and infectious diseases including HIV and Ebola. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company's 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC (News - Alert)) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817005960/en/

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The sting of the sultans without a Sultanate jibe at the Congress leadership was still ringing in the ears when the partys deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha authenticated the observations of Jairam Ramesh. Never deemed worthy of anything more important than the commerce ministry in the Manmohan Singh regime, Anand Sharma arrogated unto himself the audacity to nitpick President Ram Nath Kovinds first Independence Day message.

In addition to the transgression of dragging that high office into the political quagmire, there was some cowardice to Sharmas unsolicited commentary ~ the President was unlikely to demean himself by joining issue. Yet, as Ramesh had pointed out, Sharma and other Congress leaders believe they had ruled under divine dispensation, are unable to reconcile themselves to being rejected by the electorate. Hence their sense of entitlement makes them think they are empowered to take on Mr Kovind, despite his comprehensive victory in the presidential poll.

The Congress frequently points out that messages from Mr Narendra Modi are ignored by the rank and file of the BJP, things are hardly any different within the former ruling party. A mature Mrs Sonia Gandhi did not react to the Presidents Address, but Sharma deemed himself qualified to pass judgement. Pedestrian and uninspiring was Sharmas assessment.

He fleshed out his argument by listing shortcomings of the present government, and opined that Mr Kovind had ignored those issues ~ in much the same way that Opposition members move amendments to the Motion of Thanks for the Presidents Address to the budget session of Parliament.

The move could be faulted on two counts: there was no motion before the people, and the Address to Parliament is a government-drafted exercise while on Independence Day and Republic Day the President speaks for himself. Sharma is thus denied a fig leaf to cover up his stepping out of line by contending it was not a personal attack but a critique of the NDA governments functioning. That technicality apart, Sharma and other Congress leaders seem to think that only their priorities register, and slam the highlighting of issues which others might deem more important.

As proven by the Congress criticism that in his acceptance speech Mr Kovind did not mention Nehru ~ as if the aura of the nations first prime minister was dependent on what latter-day leaders said about him.

It is likely that Sharmas criticism of the Presidents speech will be appreciated in the Janpath-Akbar Road section of Lutyens New Delhi (he proceeded to also pick holes in Mr Narendra Mods Red Fort message) because it could have been an attempt at settling scores. Smriti Irani ~ the new anti-family firebrand ~ had ridiculed Sonias participation in the Lok Sabha debate to mark the anniversary of the call to Quit India.
PM Modis speech this Independence Day will be long remembered for the vision of a New India in the 21st century. In his short and crisp address from the ramparts of Red Fort, the Prime Minister exhorted the 125-crore strong Team India to build a just, strong and prosperous country. And to make sure that this is not just a slogan, he laid out a detailed blueprint of what needs to be done to achieve that goal in a timely manner.

He set his priorities straight. He wants an India where youth and women have enough opportunities to fulfill their dreams. Where farmers earn well and sleep without a worry and where even the poor have a home, electricity and water. He wants an India free of terrorism, corruption, casteism, communalism and nepotism. These are the benchmarks by which the success of our republic should be measured and judged.

Anyone would think that this is a tall order. But that is the challenge PM Modi has set for himself. And he is known to be a tireless campaigner. How much of this we shall achieve by 2022 is difficult to say, but going by the tenor of his speech one can assume that the PM would give everything he has in order to achieve his dream.

In the past 70 years, India has evolved as an economic powerhouse. At the birth of our nation many skep-tics expected it to collapse owing to caste and class diversities, but we proved them wrong. However many deficiencies remain. The PMs speech acknowledged this but also held hope that we will win over these in near future.

The Prime Minister did not call for the betterment of a particular caste or religion. There was an explicit mention of peace, unity and harmony in his address, a clear indication to fringe elements that the law is supreme and acts of defiance will be brought to justice. There was also a resolve to oppose the brutal practice of Triple Talaq. This is particularly notable as politicians usually steer clear of social reforms that can affect their electorate. But PM Modi is made of sterner stuff.

The Bharat Jodo call is yet- another aspect that will resonate in our memories for long. The Quit India movement, whose 75th anniversary we celebrate this year, has been brilliantly morphed into the Unite India call. Many critics have held the belief that the NDA government is furthering the cause of a Hindu-supremist society. Calling for unity, the PM demolished such notions from the ramparts of no less a place than the historic Red Fort.

One of the reasons why India did not realise the dream of an inclusive society even after seven decades of freedom, and under the shadow of a wisely-drafted Indian Constitution, was the approach of the common man who learnt to make compromises on everything

We have remained mere spectators to corruption, appeasement politics and prejudiced policies. This was the reason behind the call for Badal Sakta Hai in PMs address. A shift from the Chalta Hai approach is much-needed to achieve true development. Even seemingly trivial problems like potholes in roads and seeking of illicit money by an official to grant a death certificate should invite wide condemnation.

To the international community, particularly those who believe that our sovereignty and territorial integrity can be undermined, there was a tough message that India has the will and capability to safeguard its borders, whether in the Himalayas or in the waters.

Terrorism, extremism and infiltration on Indian soil will face retaliation from a strong and united India. A special reference was made to the Kashmir issue that has reignited in the recent past in the backdrop of intensified military action and neutralising of terrorists in the region. Neither gaali, nor goli was the solution the PM offered.

By calling youth as job creators and not job seekers, the PM offered his pragmatism in dealing with the concern of low employment creation in recent years. It is now upto the millennials to create, innovate and invent.

For stable economic growth it is time that we file more patents and trademarks rather than filling just job applications. Government schemes and programmes also found a place as mentions of the electrification drive, the Fasal Bima Yojana and collateral-free loans. Although these are almost trademarks of any address from Red Fort, it is important to underline rights of people by the highest in the land.

Good and inclusive governance cant be attained merely by a public address. It is hence incumbent upon the PMs ministers and his officers to play their roles in attaining all that has been said by their leader.

A special mention of his one liner Tantra se Lok nahi, Lok se Tantra Chalega (establishment will not drive people but the vice-versa) is a must.

The Prime Minister realises the fundamental rule of democracy, that it is the people for whom the establishment works, that the establishment derives its power and authority from the people. India today is cheered in the global arena as the worlds largest democracy, as a country that has preserved its unity in such a diverse society. The rhetoric of power in publics hand, however, has often been misused by our politicians for their own good; the PM, if he can stop this trend, will go down in Indias political history as one of the most capable leaders.

In the end, let us also not forget that the Indian nationalists who laid their lives for a better future expected each of us to play our parts in making a developed and inclusive India. We must then pledge our support to this movement for a New India.
If not exactly forward movement quite yet, the willingness of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Yuva Morcha to call off its indefinite hunger-strike in deference to the appeal of Union home minister Rajnath Singh can be deemed as a partial effort towards a mending of fences ever since the shutdown in Darjeeling crippled the Hills two months ago.

It is fervently to be hoped that the GJMM, in the wider perspective, will also be a party to this essay towards attempted reconciliation amidst the morchas frosty equation with the state government. This is still more essential as the beleaguered district administration grapples with the landslides and the inability to initiate relief and rescue operations because of the general strike.

There can be no two opinions on the imperative to call off the agitprop. The Chief Minister is agreeable to conduct negotiations; so too must the likes of Bimal Gurung. The nub of the matter is that talks cannot be held in the midst of a shutdown and the resultant paralysis since the second week of June.

The home minister has been deft in his interaction with the GJMM delegation, lobbing the ball as it were onto the states court. He has attempted a delicate balancing act though he cannot be unaware that statehood is an issue that must of necessity be addressed by the Centre, the state, Parliament and the Assembly. Going by the trend of the discussions in Delhi, an immediate initiative by the Centre seems unlikely.

This is said to have prompted the GJMM and the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) to call off the hunger-strike at a crucial juncture. The youth wing had been on fast since 21 July and the condition of some of the agitators was said to be critical. Had their condition deteriorated, those spearheading the movement for a separate state ~ GJMM and GMCC ~ would have been answerable to their families and the people of Darjeeling.

Markedly, the conciliatory gesture comes after the delegation drew a blank at its meeting with the home minister. In parallel to Mondays partial thaw in Darjeelings frost, Mr Gurung has iterated his single-point agenda for talks with the state government ~ the state of Gorkhaland, an emotive issue that has been central to the impasse for the past 30 years.

The demand is unlikely to attain fruition anytime soon. More the reason, therefore, for the two sides to reach a halfway-house. Towards that end, the GTA) ~ a loose federal arrangement introduced by the Chief Minister ~ needs urgently to be revived. Sad to reflect, the morcha has reduced the entity to irrelevance over the past two months. It wasnt even given a try ever since it was put in place. Its virtual eclipse in the midst of the raging agitation has turned the clock back.
A meeting of the sub-regional body BIMSTEC has recently taken place in Kathmandu. There are seven members, a group of countries clustered around India which is the main inspirer and promoter of the initiative. Largely South Asian in composition, BIMSTEC stretches eastward from the sub-continent to include Myanmar as well as Thailand, thereby having the potential of functioning as a bridge between South and South-east Asia.

It also picks up some important themes of cooperation within the Asian region that have been drivers of Indian policy for a few decades: today it is Make in India, earlier it was Look East, both attempts to develop more intimate and productive links within the region as a whole. India had been slow to reach out to the booming Far East and to modify the westward orientation of its economic vision.

But that has now been achieved, new partners have been found to the east of us, and economic relations between India and countries to its east have flourished, initially under the leadership of Mr PV Narasimha Rao, when India began to develop a more active policy towards the Far East.

At much the same time various regional and subregional bodies were established to give further shape to this developing vision of wider cooperation in Asia. BIMSTEC takes its place within this new constellation of international organizations that have come into being in Indias neighbourhood.

BIMSTEC comprises a number of countries that are all arrayed along the Bay of Bengal littoral. In the past few years the Bay has become an increasingly significant route for Asian trade and commerce, and it has maintained its rapid economic progress. This is only one of several multilateral initiatives designed to give further momentum to the economic advancement of the region as a whole in the domain of goods and services, investments, connectivity, and other such processes that are the staple of regional economic cooperation.

The ultimate goal, as yet only distantly perceived, is to fashion a free trade area that brings together the members of this regional body. For India, connectivity towards the East is a particularly important feature of the BIMSTEC concept, as it fills a gap in Indias efforts to open out in that direction.

There have been many plans for improved transport infrastructure between India and its eastern neighbours, including inter-regional roads and bridges across the several rivers on the way, but these have so far failed to make the kind of progress that was expected.

Indeed, connectivity between Indias NorthEast and the region beyond has in some respects advanced little since World War II, when India became a supply base for the Chinese KMT armies and new roads and airstrips proliferated across the North East, opening up the land for transit and development, but when military requirements no longer pressed, much of the infrastructure went into neglect.

It was only after 1962 that sustained effort to fill the gaps were made, and even today a great deal more needs doing. Nevertheless, some of the disused access routes can be revived and some new ones have now come into being, to provide points of entry to the east and to boost security and commercial cooperation.

Among these is a long disused riverine route from the Andaman Sea to Mizoram that awaits redevelopment, and there is also a project to upgrade the commercial and passenger traffic river along the Brahmaputra, which requires cooperation with Bangladesh.

Thus there is an extensive menu for India to give substance to its long expressed desire to strengthen connectivity with its own NorthEast and also with its neighbours in South-east Asia. Efforts to improve connectivity have their own problems, the most awkward having less to do with the difficult terrain, which certainly complicates the task, more with the difficulty of agreeing on details of the scheme.

Not that there is any insuperable divergence of view: BIMSTEC as a whole wants improved communication among its members but as yet there is no fully structured programme of implementation. Moreover, there are alternative proposals that have made their own claims for priority and can affect the wider region.

Of special note in this context are ideas emanating from China, not part of BIMSTEC, which has promoted major schemes like OBOR that enjoy heavy financial backing and cover some of the same ground. Among the established regional initiatives is SAARC which has been longer in existence than other comparable bodies and has done much to serve the needs of its members.

But SAARC has been held back by differences among its members, mainly, but not exclusively, between India and Pakistan. This has limited growth of effective cooperation within the organization, even though theoretically this should be a readymade area for economic cooperation, having been part of the same economic entity until 1947. But the hard incompatibilities between India and Pakistan have held SAARC back and encouraged members to look to alternative ways of cooperation in the neighbourhood.

Though the SAARC framework provides for concrete programmes of sub-regional cooperation within the larger structure, such efforts have never quite taken off, despite occasional efforts over the years. Meanwhile, as already mentioned above, ambitious China-led concepts for strengthened cooperation in Asia and beyond have come into being and have developed considerable momentum.

China-Pakistan collaboration in developing an economic corridor from the Gulf to Central Asia has caused concern in India, not so much for its economic potential as for its strategic footprint. As a result, India has kept aloof from the scheme in its various ramifications; it has also kept away from Asia-wide projects for overland transit and maritime transportation.

Thus there are now rival alternative schemes aimed at developing regional and trans-regional processes of economic cooperation and exchange. There is to be a BIMSTEC Summit later in the year, for which the Kathmandu ministerial meeting was part of the preparations.

Indias interest in this organization is strong and is growing, and no doubt India will make every effort to ensure that the Summit goes well and strengthens the organization for the future. Yet this is a time of flux when parallel plans for expanded regional cooperation are taking shape. How these various initiatives relate to each other, and how far various national concepts of cooperation can be reconciled, is something that needs to be assessed.

Events are moving rapidly and the requirements of trans-border cooperation have become more pressing. It would be helpful even at this early stage to see how much common ground can be found between the various current proposals in the run-up to the BIMSTEC Summit later this year.

(The writer is Indias former Foreign Secretary)
We have no road to prosperity here, said Pawana Kumari, 36, from isolated Bara Banghal in Himachal Pradesh.

People in Bara Banghal pocket in Kangra district live in isolation, completely left out in the path of progress in the fast developing hill state.

The Bara Banghal Panchayat comprises two villages- Ghraan and Phaal- with a populace of over 700.

The area is inaccessible and the people have to trek for 70 kilometres on the mountain to reach home.

It takes them two to three days to reach Bara Banghal on foot, either from Bir in Kangra or from Holi- Naya Gran in Chamba.

Seven decades after independence, there is no road neither any serious effort for that. Even the paths or night shelters to make it a safe and secure trek for locals, who cross 4,700 metres high Thamsar Pass (from Bir)across the mountains dont exist.

We stay under big rocks or natural caves on way at night. Its scary, but then what else can we do?  said locals.

The absence of road to Bara Banghal is primarily responsible for backwardness, as people here live in abject poverty and have not seen the concept of welfare state.

They are into agriculture and are mainly shepherds.

All of them migrate to Bir for six months in winters when the weather turns harsh and treks become treacherous for snow fall. The double shelter leaves their economy poorer every year. People grow Rajmash. But thats just hand to mouth. They have to transport the produce on mules to Bir, which involves high costs. There is no support system, said Bairu Ram, 68.

Bara Banghal defies HPs claims on 100 per cent electrification.

The people here still light up houses at night with jugnus (lighted branches of a tree) or use a low battery, solar lights as the only hydro project built on charity by Sai Foundation in 2003 for locals is shut for want of maintenance by state agencies.

The health facilities are non-existent. The Ayurvedic dispensary here is reportedly run by a Peon. The medical emergency means the person has to be taken on a horse for 70 km to reach the nearest health facility.

Bara Banghal got its primary school upgraded to High School- which too shifted to Bir in winters- some years ago. It is run by one or two teachers at a time as outsiders avoid going there for tough terrain. The area has seen an odd or two are graduates so far, doing clerical jobs.

We are still living in an old era, in conditions harsher than even tribals. But we have not been given tribal status, lamented Amro Devi, 61.

The locals said the politicians havent shown interest in the development of Bara Banghal owing to its political insignificance in terms of vote bank.
Police in Finland shot a man who reportedly stabbed several people in the south-western city of Turku on Friday killing two and injuring at least six others, officials said.

The attacker was taken into custody after being shot in the leg, BBC quoted police as saying.

The incident reportedly took place in the Puutori-Market Square area. Police warned that there may be other attackers at large, and asked people to stay away from the city centre.

Turku University Hospital director Petri Virolainen told journalists that at least eight people had been sent there with injuries, and one person had died. At a press conference later, police confirmed a second death.

A tweet from South-West Finland police at 16.40 read: Several people stabbed in central Turku. People are requested to avoid the city centre.

Several buildings were evacuated, and police officers investigated a number of people in a nearby shopping centre  but did not link them to the attack.

Finlands Prime Minister Juha Sipila said his government was monitoring the situation closely. The Interior Minister and national police commissioner also said they were travelling to the city.
South Koreas newly-elected Red Cross society chief on Friday again urged North Korea to respond to Seouls earlier dialogue offer to discuss humanitarian issues between the two sides.

Park Kyung-seo, chairman of the Korean Red Cross Society, said he sincerely hoped to have talks rapidly with North Koreas Red Cross, Xinhua reported.

Park was elected on August 8 to lead the organisation and received a final approval on Wednesday from President Moon Jae-in.

The Red Cross bodies of the two Koreas had acted as a channel for dialogue on humanitarian issues, including the reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

The Moon government in July offered to hold Red Cross talks with North Korea, which has remained silent about the offer.

The South Korean Red Cross head said the Red Cross societies of the two Koreas shared an experience of opening inter-Koreans talks and building trust with the humanitarian spirit.

He said it would be a historical mission for the two Red Cross bodies to open a new era of peaceful coexistence without any threat of war by resuming dialogue.
The US military confirmed that its special forces conducted three precision airstrikes in Somalia on Wednesday night, killing seven Al-Shabaab fighters.

The US Africa Command (Africom) said on Thursday that the joint operation with Somalia security forces occurred in Jilib, Somalia, about 320km southwest of Mogadishu, Xinhua news agency reported.

We will continue to assess the results of the operation and will provide additional information as appropriate, Africom said in a statement.

Specific details about the units involved and assets used will not be released in order to ensure operational security, it said.

Al-Shabaab militants have not publicly commented on the latest airstrikes against their strong-holds so far.

The US forces work closely with Somali military forces against Al-Shabaab in Somalia to degrade the Al-Qaida affiliates ability to recruit, train, and plot external terror attacks throughout the region and in the US, Africom said.

The military said Al-Shabaab has pledged allegiance to Al-Qaida and is dedicated to providing safe haven for terrorists.

Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US and our allies. We continue to work in coordination with our Somali partners and allies to systematically dismantle Al-Shabaab and help achieve stability and security throughout the region, it said.

The militants have recently increased their attacks against Africa Union and Somali forces especially in Mogadishu and southern Somalia, which has seen a surge of attacks that resulted in the loss of several strategic towns although the militants mainly held those towns briefly.

The AMISOM and Somali forces have also increased airstrikes in southern Somalia in the recent past, resulting in the killing of several militants and some defections.
United States President Donald Trump on Friday said the countrys borders were stronger than ever and that authorities were on alert following terror attacks in Spain that left at least 14 people dead and more than 100 injured.

Our borders are far tougher than ever before! Trump tweeted, adding that the (Department of) Homeland Security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble.

Trump, however, accused Democrats and the US federal courts of stymieing his efforts to further bolster security.

The Obstructionist Democrats make Security for our country very difficult. They use the courts and associated delay at all times. Must stop!

The President was referring to his efforts via executive order to prohibit for 90 days the entry of travellers from six mostly Muslim countries  Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen  and suspend the refugee programme for 120 days, Efe reported.

Federal judges issued rulings in March prohibiting Trumps revised travel ban from taking effect, but the US Supreme Court partially lifted those suspensions in late June and July and agreed to review the case later this year.

Trumps latest tweets were prompted by the recent terror attacks in Spains Catalonia region, where a van on Thursday smashed into dozens of pedestrians on Barcelonas famed Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100, and a separate vehicle attack and stabbing early Friday targeting pedestrians in the seaside town of Cambrils killed one woman and injured five others.

Police killed all five suspected terrorists responsible for that second attack, which they said was believed to be linked to the Barcelona van attack.

The Islamic State terror organisation on Thursday claimed responsibility for the Ramblas attack, while investigators are looking for Moussa Oukabir, a 17-year-old Moroccan national, as the suspected van driver.

Four suspects linked to the attacks have been arrested.
North Korea on Friday warned that the controversial joint military exercises of South Korea and the US, which are scheduled to start next week, could bring a catastrophe to the security in the region.

The annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises, which will start on August 21, would further drive the situation on the Korean Peninsula into a catastrophe, according to a brief statement released by the North Korean state agency KCNA.

Every year in August, the South Korean and US forces jointly hold military exercises which include the worlds largest computer-simulated war games and involve several thousand troops from both countries, reports Efe news.

The exercises, which last 12 days, seek to coordinate a response to a possible invasion by North Korea.

Despite the defensive nature of the maneuvers, North Korea still criticises the operation every year and considers them as preparations for an attack of Pyongyang.

The statement came after a heated exchange of threats with Washington earlier last week.

North Korea threatened to attack the US in retaliation to the sanctions imposed by the United Nations over its missile tests, to which US President Donald Trump responded with an unusually fierce tone.

North Korea then detailed a plan to carry out a missile attack near to Guam Island, where major US military bases are located, but later said it would observe the situation a little more before undertaking the offensive.

In another statement released by KCNA, the Kim Jong-un regime criticised South Korean President Moon Jae-in, saying that the speech he made on Tuesday, in which he stressed the commitment of the South Korean government to avoid war at all costs, is pure sophistry.

The statement added that Moon is tightening his relations with Washington and urged him to seek peace in the region by taking a stance against the US.

The statement, however, did not mention the proposal for a dialogue the South Korean President made in July, which Pyongyang has so far ignored.
[August 17, 2017] Inc. Magazine Unveils 36th Annual List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies-the Inc. 5000

For the 5th year in a row, Inc. magazine named Ingenious Med to its 36th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. Only 7% of Inc. 5000 honorees are selected five times. This honor puts Ingenious Med, provider of the nation's leading mobile charge capture and care coordination application, on the list's elite Honor Roll. Inc. 5000 represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment- its independent small and midsized businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell (News - Alert), Domino's Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000. "It's an honor to continue to be recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. - especially after 17 years in business. That's particularly hard to do when you already have 8 of the 10 largest companies in your market as clients as we do with both health systems and physician management companies," said Joe Marabito, chief executive officer of Ingenious Med. "But we continue to grow quickly thanks to our dedicated, innovative employees, strong relationships with our customers, and a product that truly meets market needs. Whether that need is to get paid what you've earned, reduce costs, coordinate care, monitor clinician operations or optimize your EHR investment, Ingenious Med delivers." The 2017 Inc. 5000, unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. (available on newsstands August 16) is the most competitive crop in the list's history. The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year average growth of 481%. The Inc. 5000's aggregate revenue is $206 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 619,500 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. "The Inc. 5000 is the most persuasive evidence I know that the American Dream is still alive," says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. "The founders and CEOs of the Inc. 5000 tell us they think determination, risk taking, and vision were the keys to their success, and I believe them."



The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 10 through 12, 2017 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA (News - Alert). Speakers include some of the greatest entrepreneurs of this and past generations, such as former Ford president Alan Mullaly, FUBU CEO and founder and "Shark Tank" star Daymond John, Dollar Shave Club founder Michael Dubin, researcher and #1 New York Times bestseller Brene Brown, and Gravity Payments' founder and CEO Dan Price. About Ingenious Med

Ingenious Med provides best-of-breed solutions that simplify clinical workflows for practices and health systems. Its physician-designed app offers patient and charge capture capabilities, as well as advanced care coordination and communication. Together, Ingenious Med's point-of-care application and its professional implementations and services teams help increase revenue, align care teams and reduce variations in care no matter where a healthcare organization falls within the volume-to-value spectrum. Learn more at www.IngeniousMed.com. More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Methodology The 2017 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2013 to 2016. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2013. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent-not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies-as of December 31, 2016. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2013 is $100,000; the minimum for 2016 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Inc. Media: Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions. For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817005967/en/

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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 ...
[August 17, 2017]

EclecticIQ cited in two recent Gartner reports on Security Threat Intelligence

AMSTERDAM, Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Joep Gommers, CEO of EclecticIQ, remarked: "Gartner analysts are highly effective at providing much-needed clarity in the marketplace for Security Threat Intelligence, and we are pleased to have our efforts recognized across several key contexts been included in their reports. We have always strived to ensure that our standards-based solutions integrate with existing technology footprints and organizational structures, and we are encouraged that the Threat Intelligence marketplace as a whole is moving in the direction of greater adoption of standards and stronger integration."

In "Market Guide for Security Threat Intelligence Products and Services," published 20 July 2017 by Craig Lawson and Khushbu Pratap, EclecticIQ Fusion Center was named as an example of Threat Intelligence Sharing; and as an example of "Security Technology Telemetry Enrichment," in which machine-readable threat intelligence (MRTI) extends existing products and services.

EclecticIQ Fusion Center enables organizations to acquire thematic bundles of threat intelligence, thereby giving the freedom to re-align source portfolio when needs change. It fuses open-, community- and commercial sources into a unified delivery model that includes qualification, unified tagging, relevancy determination and multi-format delivery.

Download the report here (Grtner subscription required)







In "Competitive Landscape: Threat Intelligence Services, Worldwide, 2017," published 26 July 2017 by Ruggero Contu and Lawrence Pingree, EclecticIQ Platform was cited as a Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP).

EclecticIQ Platform delivers analyst-centric technology to consolidate, analyze, manage, action, and disseminate intelligence and reports.

Also in the report, Gartner expects the standardization of MRTI to increase, through the adoption of standards including STIX and TAXII. The authors write: "Until now, the lack of commonly adopted standards has inhibited the development of closer technology interchanges between providers of threat feeds and leveraging such data by different security providers, such as firewall and security information and event management (SIEM) vendors."

Download the report here (Gartner subscription required)

Additionally, ESG Solutions Showcase "Toward a Holistic Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Program" Augustus 2017 by Jon Oltsik was published, citing both EclecticIQ Platform and EclecticIQ Fusion Center.

Download the full report here (no subscription required)

About EclecticIQ

EclecticIQ helps organizations to turn cyber threat intelligence into business value through products built for cyber security professionals in threat intelligence, threat hunting, SOC, and Incident Response.

EclecticIQ Platform is the analyst-centric threat intelligence platform based on STIX/TAXII that meets the full spectrum of intelligence needs.

EclecticIQ Fusion Center enables the acquisition of thematic bundles of cyber threat intelligence from leading suppliers with a single contract.

The company won Deloitte's Technology FAST50 Rising Star Award for "Most Disruptive Innovator".

EclecticIQ is headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Learn more: www.EclecticIQ.com.

PRLog ID: www.prlog.org/12659154

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eclecticiq-cited-in-two-recent-gartner-reports-on-security-threat-intelligence-300506341.html

SOURCE EclecticIQ
Organization: Petroleum

Authority of Uganda (PAU)

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

Reports to: Director

Environment and Data Management

About US:

The Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) is a statutory body established

under Section 9 of the Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Act

2013, and in line with the National Oil and Gas Policy for Uganda which was

approved in 2008. The PAUs mandate is to monitor and regulate the exploration,

development and production, together with the refining, gas conversion,

transportation and storage of petroleum in Uganda. This includes ensuring that

petroleum operations in Uganda are carried out in accordance with the relevant

laws, regulations, guidelines, statutes and in line with international best

practice for the petroleum industry.

Job Summary: The Manager

Environment will be charged with monitoring and regulating Environment matters

in the petroleum industry. Addition, the incumbent will be responsible for the

coordination of all land management aspects for the sector operations and the

related social affairs.



Responsibilities: Key Duties andResponsibilities:

Actively participate in the development of

PAUs Health, Safety and Environment Policy;

Oversee the review of environment reports

including project briefs, environment and social impact statements,

environment audit reports and environment monitoring reports;

Ensure Environmental safeguards are

integrated within all company operations;

Ensure that licensees comply with all

relevant environment legislation, standards, guidelines and international

best practice;

Put in place a database on environment

matters to facilitate monitoring;

Ensure monthly environment reports are

prepared;

The jobholder will propose and participate

in the reviews of the legislation related to environment;

Propose and participate in the formulation

of quality control standards for the oil and gas sector;

Ensure proper waste management in the oil

and gas sector;

Ensure that licensees integrate

Environment Management Systems in all their operations;

The incumbent will ensure regular field

inspections and monitoring of operations is undertaken;

Ensure that licensee Environmental Social

Management and Monitoring Plans (ESMMPs) are implemented in an effective

manner;

Provide oversight over land management

matters and the related social affairs

Actively promote and raise awareness, at

all levels of PAU emerging environmental issues, legislative or best

practice.

Work closely with relevant environmental

Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure harmonized work; and

Perform any other duties assigned by the

Supervisor









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The ideal candidate for the Petroleum

Authority of Uganda (PAU) Manager Environment job opportunity must possess

a Masters degree in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science,

Natural Resource Management or any other related degree from an

internationally recognized University.

Possession of a Bachelors degree (Hons)

in Physical Sciences, Natural Resource Management or related disciplines

from an internationally recognized institution.

At least seven years working experience

in the oil and gas sector operations, with specific responsibility for

Environment issues.

Previous exposure and experience working

in a leadership role in an organization/business unit/project with diverse

professionals.

Possession of a qualification in the oil and

gas sector from an internationally recognized institution is desired

Membership with nationally and

internationally recognized professional bodies;

Broad knowledge and understanding of

International best practices and standards e.g. IFC, IPIECA, Equator

principles;

Demonstrated ability to work independently

and meet deadlines; and

Extensive knowledge and understanding of

the Ugandan environmental legislation, guidelines and standards.

Highly innovative and with a proven high

level of integrity.

Ability to work independently and in a

team.

Good track record of outstanding

performance.

Excellent interpersonal and communication

skills.

Possess good administrative and

negotiation skills.

Track record of training and mentoring

others.

Excellent analytical skills.

Proficiency in the necessary computer

packages

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates are encouraged to

apply online by clicking on the link below.

Click Here (Register)

-> Proceed to Application (Register)-> Proceed to Application



2017 by 11:59 pm. Deadline: Friday 8th September2017 by 11:59 pm.
It is a very sad day said Vishal Sikka though a video conference call from Palo Alto in the United States while addressing Indian media persons glued to a giant screen at the company's headquarters in Bengaluru. Giving him company was R. Seshasayee, chairman of the Infosys board, who was in the US for some personal work. During the press conference, Sikka openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the repeated allegations which were being levelled against him by Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy. He said he was in a difficult situation due to the continuous allegations and added that he realised that it was taking a heavy toll on the organisation and on him personally.

Business continues as usual and I have no future plans as of now, Sikka said. Seshasayee, meanwhile, lauded the role Sikka had played in the company and how he had guided the company in challenging times. Interestingly, during the press meet, the company's independent director and co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan denied the he was in contention for the CEO's post.

It was truly a day of high drama at the Indian IT services major Infosys after Sikka decided to resign as its CEO. Many experts were taken by surprise as nobody thought that the decision would come this soon although they were expecting Sikka to quit after the next few quarters. Some of the experts had in fact told THE WEEK earlier that Sikka was in a shaky position.

Many experts, however, point out that the Infosys board could have played a more significant role in striking a balance between Sikka and Murthy and should have tried to broker peace between the two. Board should have acted strongly and should have tried to have a reconciliation between Sikka and Murthy. However the exit of Sikka will not have an immediate impact on the company though the company stock prices are down and around Rs 30,000 crores was wiped off from the market. I feel the interim person Pravin Rao will be able to manage the operations well and can maintain relations with the existing clients very well, said Amit Chandra, IT analyst at the Mumbai-based HDFC Securities.

Experts such as Kris Lakshmikanth, founder of the recruiting firm Head Hunters India Limited, felt that post the resignation of Sikka, Murthy is being made to look like the villain and Sikka the victim. However, he said nothing will happen to the position of Infosys as it is siting pretty with a huge cash reserve of around $ 5.4 billion. Though money has been wiped off from the market, the stock price will once again rise soon. If a company has such a huge cash reserve, nothing will happen to the company and the exit of Sikka will only have a short term impact on the company. However, one thing is clear that Murthy, by leveling continuous allegations, has become cranky and should not time and again keep on raising allegations. I feel that financial investors will be on the side of the Infosys board and will not side with Murthy as such kind of allegations and exits will keep tumbling the stock prices of Infosys shares, Lakshmikanth told THE WEEK.

He further said Infosys needs a person who has been actively involved in the North American market and is based in the US Even bringing back Dadlani as the next CEO of the company can be a good idea as he had tremendous exposure to the US market and had been with the company for many years. However, the new CEO will come up with a set of demands as they will be scared to step into Sikka's shoes given the allegations which are raised on behalf of Murthy and other Infosys founders, Lakshmikanth said.

Some experts such as Alok Shende of the Mumbai-based Ascentius Consulting felt that Infosys board and Sikka should have answered each and every query from Murthy and should have made the third party report public. If there was nothing to hide and Infosys was given a clean chit, why not make the report public. As a CEO, Sikka should have negotiated hard for the deal and the most fishy part about the board's approval is the high severance package to the former CFO Rajiv Bansal. I feel that the Infosys board needs to be reconsitituted with fresh board members with a different perspective. Another challenge is that many senior people, who could have been a potential successor to Sikka, had quit the company during Sikka's tenure. Dadlani is one such person who recently left. When pressure came on Sikka to perform he tried to put pressure on some other senior people at Infosys and in the due course, they quit, said Shende.

Some other experts such as V.K. Sharma, head, PCG, HDFC securities said, Sikkas exit draws a long drawn out board room battle to a close. While the company did better than the industry during Sikkas tenure, it was nowhere near achieving Sikkas own $ 20 bn target by 2020. The forthcoming buy back may belay the stock from falling more. Sikkas allegation that he was continuously being distracted does not wash as he had long enough a honeymoon period to make his mark.

Expressing concern over Infosys investors losing Rs 30,000 crore, Sanjay Padode, secretary, Centre for Developmental Education, IFIM Institutions, said, Vishal Sikka was a cultural misfit for Infosys. Infosys was a bootstrapped organisation that was built diligently by the promoter's conviction in good governance, frugal innovation and quality delivery. Vishals experience was largely in the area of technological innovation and driving business through strategic interventions. The failure was evident because of the old adage of Peter Drucker 'Culture eats strategy for breakfast'.
In what could spell further trouble for Congress in Gujarat, party leader Ahmed Patel's election to Rajya Sabha earlier this month has been challenged in the Gujarat High Court on Friday.

The petition was filed by BJP's candidate Balwantsingh Rajput, who had finished fourth. The hearing is likely to take place next week.

Rajput has also challenged cancellation of two votes of rebel Congress MLAs by the Election Commission. After objection by the Congress, the poll panel had, on technical grounds, cancelled votes of Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai, who had cross-voted for the BJP candidate.

Appearing on behalf of Rajput, advocate Satyapal Jain said that Patel's election should be cancelled on the grounds that the Congress' move of taking 44 of its MLAs to Karnataka is considered as a corrupt practice.

It has also been demanded that Patel be disqualified for a term of six years.

Jain said that the candidate should not threaten the voter. According to sources, the applicant argued that the phones of Congress MLAs were taken away by the party leaders.

The application comes ten days after Patel was declared winner in one of the three Rajya Sabha seats that fell vacant this month. BJP national president Amit Shah and Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani won the other two seats.

Rajput is a distant relative of senior leader Shankersinh Vaghela, who resigned from the Congress ahead of the Rajya Sabha election.
BJP president Amit Shah arrived in Bhopal today on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh and was accorded a warm welcome by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other party leaders at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport.

Soon after his arrival, he unveiled a statue of Deendayal Upadhyaya, founder-leader of the erstwhile Jan Sangh and the party's ideologue, near the city's Lal Ghati square.

Shah was accorded a warm welcome by the chief minister and other party leaders, including Kailash Vijaywargiya and Prabhat Jha as well as state party president Nandkumar Singh Chauhan, when he landed at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport.

A large number of BJP workers, many of them sporting saffron turbans, led Shah's entourage to the state party office.

Local party functionaries said among those who turned up to greet Shah while on his way to the state party office were members of the Muslim community.

Shah will attend a series of meetings with local party leaders, including state functionaries, core group members, spokespersons, MPs, MLAs and district presidents, during his three days packed with party programmes, Chauhan said.

Central office bearers from the state will also be attending the brain-storming sessions.

The visit is part of the BJP chief's 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen and expand the party's support base ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP has been in power for over a decade, are due next year.
Anxiety is writ large on the faces of over 3,800 Rohingya Muslims living in this city amid reports that the Indian government is planning to deport them. They say they prefer to die here rather than return to Myanmar, where they face persecution.



Having lived here for over five years now, the refugees say they would not like to return to their native country to be slaughtered. They have appealed to the Indian government to drop, on humanitarian grounds, the plans to deport them.



"We thank India for allowing us to stay. If the government wants to deport us, it can do it but it will be better if they kill us here instead of sending us back," said Abdul Raheem, a refugee.



Raheem, 32, who has been living here with his wife and three children since 2012, said they could think of returning to their country only after they were assured of protection of their life and property.







Another refugee, Mohammad Younus, alleged that Buddhist-majority Myanmar always went back on its assurances in the past. "This is the third time that I have become a refugee. They never kept their word," said the 63-year-old while narrating his tale of woe.



Younus, who is staying here with his wife and daughter, showed a bullet mark on his shoulder. Myanmar Army fired on him and since he was not treated in his country, he had to go to Bangladesh to remove the bullet.



Raheem says he was an agriculturist in Arkan (now Rakhine) state in Myanmar but the authorities took away his land. "We had to escape to save our lives. My two brothers went to Bangladesh but I came here," he said.



Younus was a businessman in Arkan and his property was also taken away by the government. His suffering did not end with his arrival in India. His was among 125 families which had to leave Jammu and come here about three months ago.



"Some people drove us out of our camps in Jammu. There is no end to our suffering," he said, crying inconsolably.



Like the majority of refugees, Raheem works as a daily wage labourer for Rs 500. They get the work only for 15 days in a month. Younus runs a small shop. His two sons Zia-ul-Haq and Shams-ul-Haq are ragpickers and live with their families in separate huts. Despite this penury, they are content with their life in India.



Hyderabad has the second-largest concentration of Rohingyas after Jammu, where the number is estimated at 7,000. The families have been living in huts or small one-room rented houses in areas like Balapur, Shaheen Nagar, Jalpally, Asad Baba Nagar, Pahadi Shareef on Hyderabad's southern periphery.



There are 16,000 Rohingyas in India registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) but the total number is estimated to be 40,000.



In Hyderabad, there are 3,800 Rohingyas with refugee cards. "We can talk about only those who are registered with us," said Mazher Hussain, Executive Director, Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA), a partnering agency with UNHCR.



Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju had told parliament last week that the states were directed to identify and deport illegal immigrants. He later told a news agency that all Rohingyas, including those registered with UNHCR, are illegal immigrants.



Rohingyas wonder why the Indian authorities viewed them as a threat to national security.



"We escaped from our country to save our lives. How can we do anything to harm this country which has given us shelter?" asked Mohammad Toha, 31, who lives in Balapur with his wife and three children.



COVA's Hussain felt that while the security concern is genuine, stigmatising the entire Rohangiya community will not help with security tracking.



"In any community there will be all sorts of people. A few people will have criminal instincts. They may engage in crime for monetary gains or indulge in anti-national activity due to ideology or anger against the government. Here we don't see any reason for Rohingyas to be angry with the Indian government or system. In fact most of them are very beholden, but you can't 100 per cent rule out anybody," he said.



The COVA director said since the police had the record of all those who engage in the criminal activity, the authorities should keep a tab on them instead of viewing the entire community with suspicion.



Hussain was of the view that registration with UNHCR facilitates tracking of Rohingyas. "Even if they are deported they may still come and stay illegally. It is difficult to identify them as foreigners. It's also easy to get Aadhaar, PAN and other cards. That will be a bigger security threat," he explained. -IANS






Varnika Kundu says she is plain exhausted. I dont think I have slept for more than a couple of hours every night since Saturday [August 5]. Even when I sleep for a few hours, I wake up feeling like I havent slept a wink. Thats how tiring it has been, she tells me, as we settle down to chat at her house at Sector-6 in Panchkula in Haryana. Also, I am the quiet kind; I dont think I have ever talked so much in my life! she laughs.

It is the evening of August 7, and the house in a tony residential area is teeming with reporters and camerapersons. Her Facebook post on August 5, narrating her ordeal past midnight on Friday night (August 4), had gone viral. Every few minutes, either the doorbell or her cellphone rings with a fresh request for an interview. Each request is handled deftly by her younger sister Satvika, a Delhi-based journalist who has been in town since August 6. Her father, Virender Kundu, is additional chief secretary in the Haryana tourism department.

A disc jockey, Varnika, 29, is still to get over how the story of her being stalked by two men has gone viral on social media. I cant believe I have been trending over Game of Thrones! Girls are going out at midnight, taking selfies and posting under the hashtag #AintNoCinderella, she says.

Varnika was driving home past midnight when she was stalked. I love driving, and often step out for a drive by myself, she says. That night, however, two men in a white SUV chased her relentlessly through the streets of Chandigarh. Twice during the chase, one of them stepped out of the car to walk towards her. The second time round, the man tried to open the door of her car, sending shivers down her spine.

My mother would always tell me to lock the car doors, and thankfully, I had done so that night, too. I wouldnt have been alive otherwise, she says. The police, whom Varnika had called during the chase, arrived just in time to catch the men red-handed. One of them turned out to be Vikas Barala, son of Subhash Barala, BJP president in Haryana.

This was not stalking; this was terrorising, says Varnika. I have never had a panic attack, so I dont know what it feels like. But I can still feel the spasm in my lower back, the intensity of fear that I felt that night when I realised that these guys were not backing off. My hands were shaking when I called 100; its only three digits, but it seemed so hard.

As someone who often works through the night, Varnika says the incident is unprecedented. I have always been cautious, always looking over my shoulder, even noting down a car number if I felt something was suspicious, she says. In fact, all four of us [the Kundu family] are black belts in martial arts.

Virender recalls how, when he got a distress call from his daughter, he could only feel grateful that she was alive. Anything could have happened that night. That she is fine is Gods gift to us, he says.

Virender says he had often asked himself: Had he brought up his daughters the right way? Had they been given too much freedom to make their choices? Now, of course, I feel I did the right thing. Varnika could get out of the situation safely only because she had been empowered to take decisions independently, he says.

The father warned his daughter of the fight that lay ahead if she decided to register a police complaint. I told her that the matter would go to court, that she would have to face humiliation during testimony, and that the trial could take months, even years. But Varnika was determined to take action, he says.

In the dock: Vikas Barala.

At the police station, Virender got a call from someone known to him, who revealed that one of the accused was Subhash Baralas son. I told him that it didnt matter who he was, and that we were not going to back down, he says. The filing of the complaint took about four hours, and the police patiently heard both the parties out, says Varnika.

Both Varnika and her father followed it up with two Facebook posts detailing the incident. The posts went viral in a few hours, and the trolls sprang up. In an attempt to malign Varnika, old pictures of her with her friends were posted on Facebook and Twitter, and insinuations were made about Vikas Barala and her having known each other earlier.

Ramveer Bhatti, deputy president of the BJP in Haryana, said on television that it was the girls fault that she was out so late at night. I ask Varnika about it, and she says each time she answers that question, her blood starts to boil. No one questions a boy about why he was late at night. My only fault was that I was at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and bumped into the wrong guys, she says.

The accused are law graduates. They first claimed that it was a misunderstanding. When she persisted with her complaint, they told her, Sorry, galti ho gayi behenji (We made a mistake, sister).

The police had initially said that there was no CCTV footage of the incident. On August 8, however, they made a U-turn saying the footage had been found, and that it showed Varnikas black sedan being followed by a white Tata Safari. The accused were booked under Section 354D (stalking) and 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs). They were released on bail.

With pressure mounting on the accused and their families, they were forced to back off a bit. On August 8, Subhash Barala broke his silence on the matter, and told journalists that Varnika was just like his daughter. He said there would be no pressure on the investigation, and that the law would take its own course. The police said if stronger sections needed to be invoked, they would do so.

With Baralas statement, the recovery of the CCTV footage, and the arrest of the accused on August 9the police are pressing fresh charges of abduction against themthe tide has turned in Varnikas favour.

This is a test case for the system, says Virender. Theres nothing simpler than this case; there is no hidden motive, no grey area. If even then we cant get justice, then the system has failed us.
Belgian authorities say the lone surviving suspect in the massacres in France in November 2015 will stand trial in Belgium over a shootout with police officers just before he was caught last year.

The federal prosecutors office confirmed Thursday that Salah Abdeslam and a suspected accomplice would face trial for attempted murder. The trial date could be set in the coming weeks.

Abdeslam and two suspects were hiding in an apartment in Brussels when police arrived for a routine search of the flat. Four officers were injured in the shootout that followed and one suspect was killed. Abdeslam was captured a few days later in the flashpoint Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek.

He is currently in prison in France and unlikely to face trial there for several years.

(AP)
Israeli police say a prominent billionaire businessman and a political consultant arrested this week on an array of charges will be released under restrictive conditions.

Spokeswoman Luba Samri said Thursday that Beny Steinmetz, a Geneva-based diamond-mining magnate, and Tal Silberstein, a former adviser to the Austrian chancellor, reached an agreement where they will be released after their extended remand Friday. She did not elaborate on the terms of their release.

The two were arrested on charges including money laundering, obstruction of justice and bribery following a joint investigation with Swiss and American authorities.

Israeli authorities arrested Steinmetz in December over allegations of bribing officials in the West African country of Guinea to promote business interests there.

Austrias Social Democratic Party severed relations with Silberstein after his arrest Monday.

(AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came under mounting pressure Thursday to speak out against President Donald Trumps response to the racially charged violence and anti-Semitic outpouring in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Netanyahus near silence on the march staged by anti-Semitic white nationalists  and Trumps assertion that both sides were responsible for the violence  appears to reflect the Israeli leaders desire to remain in the good graces of the embattled U.S. president.

But Netanyahus reluctance to speak out on such an important issue has set him apart from the growing ranks of Israeli leaders who have been outspoken in their anger, and risks alienating Jewish American leaders already estranged by certain Israeli policies.

A growing chorus of opposition politicians, commentators and even coalition partners has urged Netanyahu to take a stronger stance, even at the risk of antagonizing the president.

Trump has acknowledged there were some very bad people at Saturdays rally, where a woman was killed when a car slammed into a crowd of counter-protesters. But he also said there were very fine people on both sides. The presidents equation of extremist hate groups and left-wing demonstrators brought condemnation from across the American political spectrum.

Though Netanyahu, who views himself as a leader of world Jewry, is ordinarily quick to rail against anti-Semitism, he waited three days to react to the violence in Charlottesville with a relatively tepid statement on Twitter.

Outraged by expressions of anti-Semitism, neo-Nazism and racism. Everyone should oppose this hatred, he tweeted, avoiding any mention of the president or Charlottesville. No such statement was issued in Hebrew, the states official language and the first language of most Israelis.

Netanyahus spokesman David Keyes said the prime ministers statement was unequivocal, adding that he didnt expect any further comment.

I think he made his view on the repugnancy of any neo-Nazism abundantly clear, Keyes said.

After clashing with President Barack Obama for eight years, Netanyahu welcomed the election of Trump, and he has worked to cultivate a strong relationship with the White House. Trump was warmly welcomed during a brief visit to Israel in May.

Sima Kadmon, with the Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth, wrote Thursday that after Netanyahu turned Trump into the greatest friend of Israel in history  how can Netanyahu now issue a condemnation and talk about an anti-Semitic and racist president?

He does not want to alienate Trump, said Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israeli relations at Israels Bar-Ilan University. But in the process, Gilboa said, Netanyahu is pushing American Jews further away.

Trumps handling of the events in Charlottesville has begun to attract concern and criticism in Israel, even among politicians who admire him.

Immediately after Saturdays march, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the nationalist Jewish Home party, said the waving of Nazi flags and symbols was not only offensive to American Jews, but also disrespected the memory of American soldiers who died fighting the Nazis during World War II.

The leaders of the U.S. must condemn and denounce the displays of anti-Semitism seen over the past few days, Bennett said.

On Wednesday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, a member of Netanyahus Likud Party, sent a letter to the head of a major U.S. Jewish group expressing shock that the most vicious symbol of anti-Semitism was being paraded in American streets. I know that the great nation of the United States of America and its leaders will know how to face this difficult challenge, Rivlin said.

On Thursday, Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan, a member of the Jewish Home party, said Israel must not stammer or hesitate in the face of anti-Semitism, and leveled a veiled criticism of Netanyahu, saying apparently some dont want to enrage Trump.

Opposition politicians have been more strident and open in their criticism of Trump.

When it comes to racism, anti-Semitism and Nazism, there arent two equal sides  theres good and theres bad. Period, said Tzipi Livni, a former foreign minister. She said Thursday that it seemed Netanyahus silence stems from his fear of angering Trump.

Lawmaker Shelly Yachimovich, a former Israeli opposition leader, came out swinging against Netanyahu for not speaking out against Trump.

And you, prime minister of the Jewish people in their land, who warns us about the Holocaust every Monday and Thursday, with overdoses of fear and arrogance and weeks of Never Again, what about you? Yachimovich wrote on Facebook.

Netanyahus Facebook and Twitter feeds bore no mention of Charlottesville amid the slew of photos of the prime minister and his wife arm-in-arm on their vacation on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Netanyahus son Yair, however, who has a close relationship with his father, caused a public outcry when he appeared to parrot Trumps sentiments. He wrote a Facebook post Wednesday saying the neo nazis scums in Virginia are a dying breed, but left-wing anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter groups, who he said hate Israel just as much, are getting stronger and stronger and becoming super dominant in American universities and public life.

American Jewish leaders have expressed deep disappointment with Trump. But if Netanyahu continues to remain quiet, that disappointment could quickly spread to him as well. Leaders of liberal Jewish groups, who represent the vast majority of American Jews, are already at odds with the Israeli government over issues such as egalitarian prayer and recognition of religious conversions.

Rabbi Thomas Gutherz, senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel of Charlottesville, said he has been too preoccupied with the events in his community to pay attention to the news in Israel. But Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the liberal Union for Reform Judaism, the largest American synagogue movement, said the prime minister did harm to the cause of Israel and the cause of the Jewish people by having such a delayed reaction.

Jacobs said he was particularly surprised by Netanyahus slow response. Three days went by without a full-throated condemnation. It was quite distressing, Jacobs said.

(AP)
DEAR BRUCE: Due to a U.S. government data breach, a Los Angeles company sent me a $6,000 bill for "services." I refused to pay and informed the company. They sent the $6,000 to collection and it appeared on my Experian credit report. I reported it to the police, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and other state and federal agencies.

Experian sent me a letter stating the collection action was deleted from my credit report. I am not sure what "deleted" means. Is my credit still damaged? Please explain it to me. -- P.F.

DEAR P.F.: Congratulations! A win to the good guys. Unfortunately, there is no way I can tell you which one of your inquiries got Experian to take care of the collection letter. In turn, there is no damage to your credit history.

I really would like to say congratulations again. It isn't often you can say the good guys won one!

DEAR BRUCE: I recently had back surgery, and I was going through TSA in a wheelchair at Reno/Tahoe Airport and I was flagged for personal inspection. The TSA agent made me stand for 15 minutes as he swabbed the entire contents of my carry-on bag. He had to pat down my pants and he required me to stand with my legs widely parted, though I told him this was painful to me. He ordered me to stand anyway, and I sat in the wheelchair and called him names.

This brought a team of TSA agents asking me what my problem was. I told them about my back surgery and then I told them about the guy who made me stand. They read me the riot act about their jobs. When they were done, I called them all sorts of names and they cleared me for my plane.

These TSA agents are unprofessional in my opinion. What do you think? -- Reader

DEAR READER: I am glad to hear that you won that fight. They could have fooled around with you long enough that you missed your connection. That would have been kind of a hollow victory.

I have a difficult time standing for long periods of time, too. Whenever I've been in this situation and I have asked for someplace to sit, they have wasted time on occasion. Nonetheless, they always provided a chair with no argument. You just happened to run into a few guys who were real stinkers, and I congratulate you on getting through it. Although, I wouldn't suggest that you make your methods a regular habit.

DEAR BRUCE: A U.S. Post Office clerk recently told me postal employees can no longer take addressed letters without a return address. People can deposit addressed letters without a return address into standing unattended mailboxes, but postal employees are now forbidden from accepting them at postal counters.

It seems like the days of sending anonymous letters are about over. Do you think this infringes on freedom of the press and freedom of speech? -- R.G.

DEAR R.G.: It seems to me that maybe there's some narrow protection in not allowing you to send a letter without a return address. But since you've pointed out that you can walk outside and drop it in a letterbox and it will get mailed, it seems like an exercise in futility. If, for whatever reason, you don't want to put a return address on your mail, just send it off in a letterbox and go.

DEAR BRUCE: My wife and I are 57 years old and want to retire by 62. I will likely continue working as a consultant or teaching long past that, but not full time.

Our combined income is $170,000. Total debt is $175,000 (mortgage) and a $30,000 car loan. We have $700,000 in my 401(k) and $200,000 in the market with an adviser. We are saving 12 percent toward the 401(k) and adding $2,000 per month to the market. I will have $1,400 a month in retirement income as well.

When we retire, we will be moving south and will build a home. We already own the lot. Given the low mortgage rates, should we stop our market investing and build what would be a second home there now? Homes there are $350,000 to $450,000, so $2,000 a month is a likely mortgage.

The community is rapidly expanding, and four- to six-month rentals for people building their own homes have some demand, so we might explore that, though I wouldn't count on even 50 percent occupancy. I have owned rentals, so am well aware of and have no concern with the challenges. Tax and insurance will add another $500 a month. -- S.U.

DEAR S.U.: It would certainly appear that you've done well with your savings and have an ample amount of money to retire on when the time comes. The main question is, should you move ahead even though you don't need the property just yet?

I suggest that you make a strong effort to get the mortgage in place and then rent the property out. It's highly unlikely that you're going to see mortgage rates remain as low as they are. If I were you, I would be out looking in the mortgage market and get one nailed down, because when they start going up, I doubt seriously you'll see them return to these lows.

Send questions to bruce@brucewilliams.com. Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

The Bruce Williams Radio Show can now be heard 24/7 via iTunes and at www.taeradio.com. It is also available at www.brucewilliams.com.
MBABANE  MTN SWAMA Lifetime Achievement Award winner Mshikishi has appealed to the organisers of the Swaziland International Trade Fair (SITF) to treat artists as equals and pay them the same amount.



The veteran musician raised the point that it is a norm that for example local artists would be paid E5 000 to perform at an event while international acts are given amounts that are slightly below or about E100 000.

The musician said he hoped that this year SIPA would use the precedent set by Swazi MTN during the recent awards and treat Swazi artists with the same respect as they do for international artists.



He made an example that he had nothing to his name in terms of assets despite the fact that he has been in the music industry for nearly five decades.

It is painful to watch the money that is meant to keep up the livelihood of local musicians being given to foreigners and local artists being short changed in their own home country. For this reason I am pleading with SIPA to pay local artists the same amount paid to international artists, he said.



When contacted for comment on the matter, SIPAs Sihle Nkanbindze referred this reporter to SWAMA and ACASWA whom he said they work closely with in regards to the payment fees of local artists. He added that they would be in better position to address the matter.



When contacted for comment on the matter SWAMAs PRO Menzi Mthethwa revealed that they had received a proposed line-up of artists that SIPA chose to perform at the Trade Fair this year and further proposed that each live performer should not be paid less that E10 000 as the minimum.



We engaged them and told them that we would rather cut down the list of performers in order for each artist to be paid a fair amount and they understood. We further proposed that each live performer cannot be paid less than E10 000 as the minimum performance fee. The performance fees differ from artist to artist and therefore the final list will be revealed next week, he said.




MBABANE  In the 90s, the Coronation Park was known to be dangerous because of dagga smokers, now there are street children who harass primary school pupils.



Parents of a pupil in one primary school nearby, said they have had enough of their children coming back home crying because their money had been taken from them by the street children who are found loitering at the park.

One Dlamini, who is a father to a Grade IV pupil, said his son came back home a few days before schools closed, alleging he had been assaulted by a street child.



Dlamini says his son was travelling with other children he attends school with and they took a shortcut through the park.

One of the street children then approached the group of pupils and the rest were able to run away, while his son was caught and assaulted before all his transport money was taken from him.

Superintendent Khulani Mamba confirmed the matter.
BUHLENI  As a means of evading police arrest, sex workers, especially those from Piggs Peak, have migrated to Buhleni.



Though not a fully-fledged town, Buhleni is one of the fast developing areas around northern Hhohho.

In an investigation carried out by this publication, it has been gathered that sex workers seem to be on the increase in the area and have dropped their fee to E30 from about E100, depending on certain issues.

This is almost three times lower than what is normally charged around Piggs Peak.



Most of these women who charge E30 are just starting (in the profession), said a frequenter at one of the watering holes around Buhleni.

He revealed that it was not easy to nab sex workers there because they sometimes mix with other imbibers.



If not in drinking spots, the sex workers are found in waiting rooms making it impossible for the police to arrest them for loitering.

Older sex workers are of the view that those who charge E30 are mainly younger girls and blamed this on the setting of the town. They said most of the young sex workers came from nearby communities driven by the desire to earn an income.



That amount may appear small but over a long period, it is a lot, they said.

They also revealed that the sex trade was fuelled by the high number of alcohol imbibers as well as the proximity of the town to neighbouring South Africa (SA).



Police have been tough on activities relating to sex work such that the National Commissioner of police Isaac Magagula, warned that the activity was illegal in the country.

He did not mince words when stating that the law would be tough on those found to be breaking the law.



Several sex workers have been arrested in Manzini as well as Piggs Peak, which are considered prime areas for sex trade.

Buhleni Indvuna Sebenzela Khumalo said he had not personally seen the activities but heard that such happened around bars.


EZULWINI  About seven high ranking SRA officers got more than they had bargained for when they were unceremoniously kicked out of a meeting by seething parliamentarians.



Abahambe vele, was what Senator Chief Kekela said as he stated that the officials should pick another day to address them. This happened at the Royal Swazi Sun Convention Centre yesterday morning where the legislators had been invited to a workshop by SwaziMed.

SRA is the acronym for Swaziland Revenue Authority.



After all we were here for SwaziMed issues and we do not know who invited them here, SRA must set aside a whole day where they will engage us, said Sandleni MP James Simelane.

The bone of contention with SRA was the tax demand payment which was made to the MPs where the tax company alleged that the legislators owed various amounts of between E32 000  E50 000 because they had not been taxed for their medical fund benefits.



Senator Princess Phumelele said SRA actually gave them nightmares (kusibhudzisa kabi).

She described or likened the tax authority to witches who attacked them overnight and would bewitch them and as a result they would wake up with diarrhoea. In vernacular she said; bafana memtsakatsi lofika ebusuku aniloye nivuke nisheka.



She said as legislators, they had no problem with paying tax, but it was the approach that SRA had.

They now say I owe them E32 000 for the untaxed medical aid and it is confusing because we do not even know how much government contributes for us as it does not reflect on our pay slips, said the princess.

Some of the SRA officers who were told to leave included Thobile Dlamini, who was standing in for the Commissioner General, Director Communications Vusi Dlamini, Cynthia Magongo, Ntombifuthi Nhlengethwa and Sikhumbuzo Ginindza, who made the presentation on behalf of the authority.



Trouble started when Senator Prince Fipha, who is chairperson of the Joint House Committee (JHC) and the days programme director, told the legislators that SRA was also present at the conference and wanted to make a submission before the main organiser of the event, SwaziMed, presented their own.
MBABANE  The intended sympathy strike by employees of all banks in the country, which was slated for today, has been interdicted by the court.



Employees of all banks in the country had vowed to down tools today to join their Nedbank counterparts who are demanding a 10 per cent cost of living adjustment.

The stoppage of the strike action comes after the banks (except for Nedbank) yesterday moved an urgent application in the Industrial Court, where they were seeking an order interdicting the intended strike action or work stoppage called by SUFIAW. The banks which moved the application consisted of the Central Bank of Swaziland, Swaziland Development & Savings Bank, Swaziland Building Society, First National Bank (FNB) Swaziland and Standard Bank.

Industrial Court Judge Dumisani Mazibuko yesterday ordered that the sympathy strike intended by SUFIAW should not proceed today until the finalisation of the matter.



The urgent application was moved on behalf of the banks by lawyer Banele Gamedze from Musa M Sibandze Attorneys.

Gamedze argued that the matter was urgent because it was now clear that even after advice that there was no legal basis for the strike action, and further request to SUFIAW to commit that such strike action would not take place, no response had been availed to the banks.



In his founding affidavit, Central Bank of Swaziland Assistant Governor, Mfanfikile Dlamini, mentioned that SUFIAW issued a notification through the Times of Swaziland stating that on August 18, 2018, they were intending on embarking on a sympathy strike action.



Dlamini said this meant the banks employees who were members of SUFIAW were to down tools in support of a lawful strike involving Nedbank employees.

He told the court that pursuant to notification, through the offices of Musa M Sibandze Attorneys, caused to be written a letter to the respondent (SUFIAW) advising that the intended sympathy strike action was unlawful and would be in contravention of the Industrial Relations Act.



According to the assistant governor, SUFIAW was advised and/or asked to give a response to the letter, on whether they were proceeding with the strike action or not. He said no such response was given to the affected banks.

May I state that there is no dispute pending between the applicants and the respondents that has been certified unresolved by the commissioner under the auspices of CMAC, submitted Dlamini.
Free Community Breakfast scheduled at New Beginnings

EFFINGHAM -- New Beginnings Church in Effingham will be hosting a free Community Breakfast from 8-10 a.m. Saturday. New Beginnings Church is located at 1007 S. Willow at the corner of S. Willow and Wabash, just south of Homewood Grill. There will be free drawings for free boxes of food during the breakfast. You must be present to win.

Visit www.nbceffingham.org, call 217-342-3305 or email nbchurch@consolidated.net for more information.

Movie Matinee to be held at New Life Church

SULLIVAN -- Join the New Life Church in Sullivan for their next Movie Day, a screening of "Holy Ghost" and "How to Train Your Dragon 2" from 2-4 p.m. Saturday. "Holy Ghost" is a 2014 American Christian documentary film written and directed by Darren Wilson, to take the viewer to locations around the world to see if the Holy Spirit can really lead a film.

New Life Church is located at 1504 Cooks Mill Rd., Sullivan.

Call 217-728-4200 or email liz@newlifesullivan.org for more information.

Effingham Bible Church to hold picnic and movie

EFFINGHAM - Effingham Bible Church will hold a picnic at 5 p.m. at Hendelmeyer Park, 1906 S. Fourth Street, with food and games. At 7 p.m. attendees will head back to the church to cool off with a movie and popcorn.

For more information, call 217-342-9671.

Third Annual Gospel Fest to be held in Decatur

DECATUR -- Crestview Worship Center, 4415 N. Water St. in Decatur, will host the Third Annual Gospel Fest on Saturday from 11 a.m.-dusk. This is a free event and various groups will be performing. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Food will be available for purchase. For more details please call or go online.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/crestviewCCDecatur/, or contact 217-412-9476 or rose.ruffner@yahoo.com.

Sullivan Church of God Ladies to hold Coffee Talk

SULLIVAN -- Sullivan Church of God's Womens Ministry will be meeting for breakfast and coffee from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Red Apple Family Restaurant, 1402 S. Hamilton St., Sullivan. This is a time to have fun, drink coffee, and enjoy fellowship together. All women are invited, young or old. If you are new this is a great time to get acquainted with the group.

For more information, visit sullivanchog.org or contact 217-728-7855 or office@sullivanchog.org.

Back To School Messy Bash 2.0 to be held in Sullivan

SULLIVAN -- Ignite Student Ministries would like to announce their Back to School Messy Bash 2.0 from noon-3 p.m. Saturday at the Sullivan Church of God, 321 N. West St., Sullivan. Come out for some guaranteed fun as they say goodbye to summer and welcome in the new school year. If you are entering in 6-12 grade, you are invited to come. They are asking every student to bring $5 to cover drinks and snacks.

For more information, visit sullivanchog.org or contact 217-728-7855 or office@sullivanchog.org.

Big Tent Revival to be held in Decatur

DECATUR -- Lampstand Church, 655 S. Airport Rd. in Decatur, will host an Outdoor Revival beginning at 9:15 a.m. Sunday. Adult teaching, worship and a picnic will all be under the big tent. For more details please call or go online at www.lampstandpc.org, 217-428-8839 or pam.haycraft@lampstandpc.org.

Fellowship cookout to be held at First Christian in Tuscola

TUSCOLA -- Join the First Christian Church, 100 E. Church St., Tuscola, for an all church fellowship cookout after church, from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, and drinks will be provided. Bring a dish and out door games to share.

For more information contact 217-253-2394 or lori@fcctuscola.com.

Welcome Back Pancake Breakfast to be held at St. Mary's

MATTOON -- Join the St. Mary's Parent-Teacher Guild, 2000 Richmond Ave., Mattoon, for their famous Pancake Breakfast from 8 a.m.-noon Sunday. They are adding a special treat this year; their very own J.D. Copsy will be making homemade biscuits and gravy. Get all-you-can-eat-pancakes and meet some of the students, faculty, and staff of St. Mary School.

Visit them at www.stmaryschoolmattoon.org. For more information, contact them at 217-235-0431.

26th Annual Powerlight Music Festival to be held in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD -- Tenth Avenue North, Hawk Nelson, Tori Harper and more will be in concert at the 26th Annual Powerlight Music Festival on Sunday, August 20 from noon-10 p.m. at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Lincoln Stage, 801 E. Sangamon Ave., Springfield. The concerts are free with admission to the final day of the State Fair.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/PowerlightFest/ or contact 217-553-5271 or powerlightkissfm@yahoo.com.

School of Kingdom Ministry Interest Meeting to be held at Vineyard Church

SULLIVAN -- Are you interested in the School of Kingdom Ministry, but unsure of what this class entails? Join The Vineyard Church, 1805 S. Hamilton, Sullivan, for a short interest meeting happening between services at 10 a.m. Sunday in C2 (the upstairs classroom) to see if this class is a good fit for you.

For more information, visit www.thevineyardchurch.us or contact 217-728-4574 or karen.goss@thevineyardchurch.us.

Chuck Crain to perform at Oak Grove Baptist

OAKLAND -- Chuck Crain, from the Presleys Country Jubilee in Branson, Mo., will present a gospel music program at 10 a.m. Sunday at Oak Grove Separate Baptist Church, located approximately three miles southwest of Oakland. All are welcome to attend this performance.

Chuck Crain in Concert at Allenville Christian

ALLENVILLE -- The Allenville Christian Church will host Chuck Crain at 5 p.m. Sunday for an evening of gospel music.

Crain is from Branson, Mo., where he sings with "The Presleys" each Sunday evening on RFD-TV at 6:30 p.m. His wife Sharon travels with him during the off-season and sings with him on a few songs.

A free will offering will be taken. Cookies and drinks will be served following the program.

The public is invited. The church is located one block west of Route 121 on Allen Street, Allenville, and is wheelchair accessible.

Block Party to be held at Marshall First Christian

MARSHALL -- Marshall First Christian Church, 902 N. Sixth St. in Marshall, will host a Block Party from 3-6 p.m. Sunday. The event is free and family friendly with many events. There will also be a 5K Color Run beginning at 5 p.m. The cost is $25 per person. Proceeds will benefit the new Marshall Community Pool. Registration forms are available online. For more details or registration please go online at www.marshallfcc.org.

For more information, contact 217-826-2306 or smartin@marshallfcc.org.

Wednesday Morning Bible Study to be held at LifeSpan Center

CHARLESTON -- Morning Bible Study will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the LifeSpan Center, 11021 East County Road 800 North, Charleston, with Dr. Daniel Haifley.

For more information, visit www.colescouncilonaging.org or contact 217-639-5150.

Charleston-Mattoon Christian Women's Club to hold luncheon

CHARLESTON -- The Charleston-Mattoon Christian Women's Club will hold a luncheon from noon-1:30 p.m. Thursday at the LifeSpan Center, 11021 E. Co. Rd. 800 N., Charleston; $9.

The theme for this event is "Strike Up the Band," featuring guest speaker Ruth Catlett from Springfield whose topic will be "There's Trouble in River City" featuring special music presented by the guest speaker.

Reservations Essential -- Cancellations Necessary no later than Monday, August 21. Contact Rita 217-234-8604 or Sue 217-345-4176 to make your reservation!

For more information, visit LifeSpan Center at www.colescouncilonaging.org or contact Brenda Walters, Stonecroft Bible Study Coordinator, at 217-549-8773.

Effingham Deanery Monthly Prayer Vigil for Life scheduled

SHUMWAY -- The Effingham Deanery Monthly Prayer Vigil for Life will be held at St. Mary's Church, Fourth St., Shumway, on Monday. Praying the scriptural rosary will begin at 6 p.m. Fr. Ron Lorilla will be the celebrant and homilist for the 6:30 p.m. mass. Everyone is invited to join us in prayer for respect of all life, born and unborn.

The 7:30 p.m. business meeting will follow in the lower level of the church. Refreshments will be served while current pro-family legislation and information on local pro-life events are discussed. Pro-life literature, books, letter/bumper stickers, jewelry and book marks will be available.
MATTOON -- Although the City Council voted last month to eliminate the Fire Department's ambulance services, the scheduled May 1, 2018 implementation of this action is not a certainty yet.

On the day after the council's July 18 vote, the Mattoon Firefighters Local 691 union filed a grievance against the city regarding the planned elimination. Bart Owen, president of Local 691, said this grievance accuses the city of violating the firefighters' contract by attempting to subcontract out their work to private ambulance providers in Mattoon.

The subcontracting grievance has been filed with the Illinois Labor Relations Board, which also received a grievance from the Mattoon firefighters union in May of this year. Owen said this earlier grievance accuses the city of violating the contract by having 26 firefighters on staff instead of the 30 required by the contract. He said the two grievances are being handled separately.

"We have responded to both of the grievances, denying them," said City Administrator Kyle Gill.

Owen said the firefighters union has requested binding arbitration for both grievances. Owen said the staffing level grievance process has reached the point that arbitration meetings are being scheduled with the Federal Medication and Conciliation Service, while the subcontracting grievance is still in the arbitrator selection stage. He said the arbitration process for both grievances could take many months to conclude.

Gill said an arbitration meeting for the staffing level grievance has been scheduled for Feb. 22. Gill said the arbitration process can be lengthy, but city officials feel that these proceeding will be completed before the scheduled May 1, 2018 elimination of the ambulance service. Still, he said the arbitration ruling will determine whether or not the city can proceed with this plan.

The firefighters union is being represented in the grievance process by labor attorney Margaret Angelucci. The city is being represented by Julie Proscia. Both attorneys are based in the Chicago area.

City officials have said that the planned elimination of the Fire Department's ambulance service is part of efforts to cut costs and prevent city budget deficits. City officials have reported that the Fire Department's ambulance service is duplicating the work of private ambulance providers in Mattoon while not bringing in enough revenue to cover the expenses of this service.

Owen said the Fire Department's ambulance service provides a high level of care, and it works closely with Mattoon industry and with other emergency responders in the area. Owen said he is concerned that if this service is eliminated, the Charleston Fire Department will need to send more of its ambulance crews to Mattoon to help handle the call volume.

"I want to make sure our service is still here providing for the people of Mattoon," Owen said. He added that the Fire Department's ambulance service brings in revenue for the city at a time when other revenue sources are flat or shrinking.

Owen said the Mattoon firefighters' current contract is scheduled to expire at the end of April 2018, but will remain in effect until a new contractor is enacted. He said the union is scheduled to start negotiating for a new contract in January.
Did you vote in the midterm elections as if your countrys existence depended on it?

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Saratoga Springs

Leave the Wizard to the pros when it comes to Saratoga Race Course.

That is the strategy behind the Saratoga Tracksider, a smart phone app developed by David Catalfamo.

You might know who Catalfamo is. He was director of communications for Gov. George Pataki from 2004 to 2007, and now he is a managing director at Park Strategies, the government lobbying firm founded by former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.

When he isn't advising clients, Catalfamo enjoys spending time at the track.

But like most people, Catalfamo isn't an expert horse racing handicapper, and he knows that most people go to the track in Saratoga maybe for one day or a few days a year.

And they go more for the whole Saratoga Springs experience than just the horses. It's the rare exception that they shell out several bucks for the Daily Racing Form or even "expert" picks like those from the Wizard handicapper that cost even more.

That's because, Catalfamo believes, horse racing for all its glamour is complicated and opaque. And no one ever wants to explain it.

"The jargon is dense, and handicapping itself is dense," says Catalfamo, who now lives in Saratoga. "They (first-time visitors to the track) are intimidated. They don't know the words to say (at the betting window)."

That is why Catalfamo created the Saratoga Tracksider. The free app is designed to offer simple explanations on how to bet and what types of bets people can make. There are also free handicapping tips daily. And there are tips on what to do in downtown Saratoga Springs when the races end.

"It's geared to new fans who are going to go a couple of times a year," Catalfamo said.

Since the app was launched three summers ago, it's gotten downloaded about 15,000 times. A little more than half have retained the app, which Catalfamo says is a nice offering. When you search for "Saratoga" in your smart phone's app store, Saratoga Tracksider comes up just before NYRA Now, the New York Racing Association's newly minted racing and betting app that offers HD video of each race and expert analysis. Saratoga Tracksider does not offer betting.

Catalfamo has been improving and updating the Saratoga Tracksider app over the years, and his hope is to one day get a major sponsor to create a revenue stream.

And he is looking at creating similar apps for similar destination horse tracks like Del Mar racetrack just north of San Diego in California. It might be called Del Mar Tracksider, he says.

Meanwhile, Catalfamo gets about 50 to 100 downloads a day of his Saratoga Tracksider app.

"It just grows every day," Catalfamo says.
Albany

A federal court Friday supported the state's rejection of a proposed $750 million natural gas pipeline, upholding state authority to do so because of concerns over potential damage to streams in the Southern Tier.

In a 27-page ruling, three judges with the U.S. Court of Appeals Second Circuit rejected claims by developers of the proposed Constitution pipeline that the state Department of Environmental Conservation unfairly denied critical water quality permits in April 2016.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos and pipeline opponents cheered the ruling as a victory for state jurisdiction over federal environmental laws, while the developers and state Business Council said the state was ignoring the jobs and energy the project would promote. The case could be headed to an appeal.

"We hope this sends a loud message that New York will not rubber stamp any project that fails to protect public health and our environment," said Seggos.

DEC was supported in defending the lawsuit by local grassroots groups Stop the Pipeline, Catskill Mountainkeeper, the Sierra Club, and Riverkeeper.

Passing through Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Schoharie counties, the 121-mile pipeline would connect Pennsylvania fracked gas fields to the Iroquois pipeline in Schoharie. There, owners have been considering whether to direct the flow of gas north toward Canada. From there, gas could move in other pipes, flowing toward potential export facilities planned on the Atlantic coast.

Anne Marie Garti, a lawyer for Stop the Pipeline, said she doubted developers can successfully appeal the ruling. Such an appeal would require approval from the Second Circuit, or would have to be made directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, she said.

"I don't think any attempt to appeal would be successful. The law is very explicit," said Garti. "But I guess they could string their investors along."

Garti pointed to a decade-ago decision by this circuit court that recognized the right of a state  in that instance Connecticut  to enforce the federal Clean Water Act.

DEC refused to issue water quality permits under that act to developers after the company ignored repeated state requests to provide plans showing how the pipeline could cross 251 streams by going under the streams, rather than digging trenches through them.

The federal ruling found there was no evidence that Constitution sent DEC "the information that it had consistently and explicitly requested over the course of several years." The state also asked Constitution to show potential alternative routes for the pipeline, which was also not done.

Constitution's lawyers, which included the Albany firm of Barclay Damon, had argued that DEC had all the information it needed to issue permits. and also had forfeited jurisdiction by taking too long to act.

The ruling dismissed that argument, stating "Industry preferences do not circumscribe environmental relevance."

Constitution raised the possibility that it could take the case to the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., which hears appeals of cases involving federal regulations. Based in New York City, the Second Circuit Court covers Connecticut, New York, and Vermont.

"While we would have preferred an immediate path to construction, we are pleased with the court's resolution of this jurisdictional issue," according to the Constitution statement. "We are weighing all our options."

The Business Council, an industry group that supports natural gas drilling and pipelines, urged the state to "work with Constitution to find a way forward for this critical infrastructure project," said council Government Affairs Director Darren Suarez.

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Suarez said the pipeline would carry natural gas "without any state subsidy or significant environmental impacts."

Constitution is a partnership of Cabot Oil and Gas Corp.; Williams, an Oklahoma-based energy company; Piedmont Natural Gas; and WGL Holdings.

Developers have maintained the pipeline is needed to meet state energy needs, is environmentally beneficial and will not ultimately be used to ship natural gas overseas.

The project received consent from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in December 2014. Constitution also unsuccessfully argued in court that DEC was trying to "usurp" federal authority.
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Schenectady

A national tragedy followed by a vigil against violent racism may be the new American abnormal.

More than 300 Schenectady protesters  of many races, faiths and ages  seemed to agree on that hard truth at a vigil to honor the three people who died in Charlottesville, Va.

On Thursday night, people filled the lawn of Emmanuel-Friedens Church singing, then walking a few blocks over to Veterans Park to listen to interfaith community leaders denounce racism as something that goes against all American ideals.

Chuck Piotrowski brought his son Otis, 5. They wore matching Unitarian T-shirts that read "Standing on the Side of Love." Piotrowski spent much of his childhood in Richmond, Va., where Confederate statues punctuate Monument Avenue.

On Saturday, a white supremacist protest of the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee statue turned violent. A supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one woman. Later, two state police officers died in a helicopter crash while directing aid to the wounded.

"They should be taken down and put in a history museum or maybe do what Russia did, put them all in a park where there's an explanation of why Americans thought these men were heroes," he said. "They shouldn't be standing in public places as a tribute to a war to preserve slavery."

Although Otis is too young to comprehend what happened in Charlottesville, his dad is taking the time to explain racism and how to fight it. Looking at the young men marching under Nazi flags in Charlottesville, he said he wondered why their fathers or grandfathers, who may have fought Nazism in World War II, let them choose such a path.

Guilderland resident Leah Bojnowski thought about staying home with son Cale, after a hard day's work. Instead, she brought the 4-year-old to the rally. She's read Caleb picture books about Martin Luther King, Jr. who Caleb views as a superhero.

"He's excited to be going on a march like Dr. King," Bojnowski said, touching her son's soft brown hair. "Caleb is mixed race. It's important he understand how to stand up against racism because the kind of violence that happened in Charlottesville may still be happening when he's older.

Before the vigil, one of the organizers, Rabbi Matt Cutler of Schenectady's Congregation Gates of Heaven, said the Nazi resurgence in America "shakes me to my core."

Members of his wife's family fled Europe when Hitler invaded their country, and some died in concentration camps, he said, adding that the Charlottesville Nazis disturbed many Americans because, in their khakis and polo shirts "they looked like the boys next door.

Many at the rally wondered if there would ever be a cinematic turning point, such as when legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow denounced McCarthyism. Cutler does not believe the current struggle will yield such clear turning points.

"I don't see this heading that way," Cutler said. "The internet has changed the playing field because now anyone who secretly held fascist views can find platforms and chatrooms that allow them to justify their bigotry."

Since November, interfaith leaders have been meeting in the Capital Region to discuss what they should do to counter racist language invading politics. Cutler said the religious groups were already working together resettling refugee families, collecting school supplies for low income children, organizing disaster relief efforts.

And now they're learning about hate groups in America.

"We can't give up. We have to keep organizing, doing good. We have to keep taking a stand," Cutler said.
BALLSTON SPA The Ballston Spa Central School District announced Thursday that Superintendent Joseph Dragone is stepping down from the top spot this fall to take a new position with Capital Region BOCES.

Dragone will be appointed to the position of senior executive officer at the regional board of cooperative educational services on Aug. 21, assuming the post Oct. 30.

He has led the Saratoga County school district, the ninth largest in the region with roughly 4,300 students, since 2008.

The board of education will formally accept his resignation at its Sept. 6 meeting.

"Ballston Spa students, families and the entire school community certainly appreciates all of Joe's efforts to increase opportunities for all students, build partnerships with business and higher education and in bringing our facilities in line with teaching and learning in the 21st century," said board president Kevin Schaefer. "We wish him all the best in his new leadership role at Capital Region BOCES."

Over his nine-year tenure, Dragone led the district through significant program growth, including implementation of the Clean Tech Early College High School, International Baccalaureate program, Artist-in-Residency programs, school-based mental health clinics, robotics and more.

He also organized and led facilities improvement projects, including a renovation of the Malta Avenue school facility and construction of the new Gordon Creek Elementary School.

"It was a privilege to work with all of the dedicated faculty, staff and administrators at Ballston Spa and to serve the entire school community during the past nine years," Dragone said. "I am really proud of all of our collective efforts to develop and provide an extensive array of programs for students in Ballston Spa."

The board has named Denise Jones, assistant superintendent for human resources and professional development, as interim superintendent after Dragone leaves in late October.

The board plans to retain Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES to conduct an extensive search for a new superintendent over the coming months. The hope is to have someone in place by the start of the 2018-19 school year.
ALBANY  A judge on Friday denied bail to an Albany man accused of possessing child pornography, saying he was disturbed by Christopher J. Pratt's lewd history of exposing himself and his alleged confession that he molested young girls in Vermont.

The 53-year-old Pratt, who allegedly admitted he exposed himself to hundreds of people in this country as well as China, has prior convictions for public lewdness in front of a young girl and an adult.

Pratt will remain in the Rensselaer County jail charged with possession of child pornography.

On June 5, the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force and Albany County sheriff's deputies raided Pratt's home on Western Avenue, seizing images of child victims as young as five years old, court papers show.

Pratt's attorney, federal Assistant Public Defender Timothy Austin, asked that his client be released so he could care for his severely disabled wife, who was in court Friday.

Pratt met his wife, Ying Yu, while living in China, Austin noted in a bail application to the judge.

"What appears clear from Mr. Pratt's history is that he is devoted to the care of his wife," the lawyer wrote. "If released, he would not jeopardize her well-being by conducting himself in an unacceptable way."

Austin noted Pratt, who grew up in Columbia County, obtained two bachelor's degrees from the State University at Albany with concentrations in psychology, communication and East Asian studies. He said Pratt served in the Air National Guard, working as a medic for 12 years, served three tours in the Persian Gulf near combat zones and was honorably discharged.

Even in arguing for his client's release, Austin acknowledged Pratt had previously been charged "multiple times with lewdness/exposure-related offenses."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett told the judge he believes it is likely Pratt will plead guilty, meaning he ultimately will be unable to care for the wife anyway.

"Maybe you shouldn't be engaging in child pornography activities when you have someone at home who needs you so much," Barnett said.

The prosecutor said Pratt admitted after his arrest that he sexually molested young girls in the 1990s in Vermont. He noted that if Pratt was allowed to remain free even on electronic monitoring and home confinement, it would not prevent him from exposing himself from his front lawn or sexually abusing children in his home.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Christian Hummel ruled Pratt was a danger to the community, called the past conduct disturbing and ordered him held.
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TROY  Two days after the Tuesday-night shooting of an alleged parole violator by a city police officer, officials would not say whether the 22-year-old man had a weapon.

"The investigation is continuing and that information has not yet been authorized for release," Capt. Daniel DeWolf, a police department spokesman, said Thursday.

John Salka, a spokesman for Mayor Patrick Madden, said, "We're not going to comment on the investigation."

A resident on Eighth Street, where Dahmeek McDonald was shot at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday, said someone outside was heard shouting, "Drop the weapon, drop the weapon!" Another witness, who saw the shooting unfold, said she never saw a weapon and that she believed McDonald was unarmed.

At a Wednesday morning news conference just before a rally by neighborhood residents, Chief John Tedesco said Officer Jarrod Iler had fired his service weapon. Iler's partner, Officer Martin Furciniti, and two other responding officers did not fire. All have been placed on administrative leave, and after three days will be evaluated to determine if they can return to duty

At the news conference, Tedesco would not discuss whether McDonald was armed. He said there were a number of unanswered questions. The police department and the Rensselaer County district attorney's office are investigating the shooting.

In March 2014, McDonald had driven the wrong way down Interstate 787 in a police chase that ended on the Dunn Memorial Bridge. He pleaded guilty in August 2014 in Albany County Court to criminal possession of drugs and sentenced to prison. He was wanted as a parole absconder, and a warrant was issued this past April, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said. He is being held in the Rensselaer County jail.

Iler, the son of former Assistant Chief Ralph Iler, was hired by the department off a shorter civil service list of candidates who are bilingual. (Iler speaks Spanish.) Tedesco said Iler had an exemplary record.

The shooting occurred near the intersection of Eighth and Rensselaer streets. Witness Brittany Hughes, who said she had been talking to McDonald while he sat in the car, said he put it in drive and turned the wheel as two police cars parked diagonally behind and in front of his vehicle.

A moving vehicle can be considered a weapon in certain circumstances.

The last time a city police officer fired his weapon was in April 2015, another episode in which a suspect's car was stopped between two police cars. Sgt. Randall French fatally shot Edson Thevenin of Watervliet, who had allegedly fled a traffic stop.

In that case, authorities said his vehicle was considered as a weapon. A Rensselaer County grand jury refused to indict French when the case was presented within days of the shooting. The state attorney general's office is investigating District Attorney Joel Abelove's handling of the case.

The previous police shooting was in August 2014, when Officer Joshua Comitale and Chad Klein were severely wounded in a fatal shootout with carjacking suspect Thaddeus Faison on 112th Street in Lansingburgh. A grand jury did not charge the officers with wrongdoing in Faison's death.

City Council members said the police investigation of McDonald's shooting should proceed quickly.

"The investigation will have to take its natural course, and hopefully this will be done expeditiously and the results made public," said City Council President Carmella Mantello, a Republican. "Additionally, I would like to add that it was clearly stated yesterday by some residents that they want better communication and relations between themselves and the police."

Mantello called for Madden, a Democrat, to reactivate the city's Police Objective Review Commission, which has been defunct since 2016.

"This investigation has to be brought to a conclusion with enough rapidity to satisfy the community," said Councilman Robert Doherty, also a Democrat.

The shooting occurred in Councilman Mark McGrath's district. McGrath, a Republican, said the officers are entitled to due process.

kcrowe@timesunion.com  518-454-5085  @KennethCrowe
A van driver deliberately zigzagged into a crowd enjoying a sunny afternoon on Barcelona's main pedestrian mall Thursday, killing at least 13 people and leaving 80 lying bloodied on the pavement.

It was the worst terrorist attack in Spain since 2004, and was at least the sixth time in the past few years that assailants using vehicles as deadly weapons have struck a European city.

The police cordoned off the Plaza de Cataluna and Las Ramblas in the heart of Barcelona, both tourist destinations, and began a chaotic pursuit for the people who carried out the attack.

Two people were later arrested, including a Moroccan man whose identification documents had been used to rent the van. But the Barcelona police said neither was believed to be the driver, who remained at large.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the assault, which shattered a peaceful summer afternoon in one of Europe's most picturesque cities. President Donald Trump and other Western leaders quickly condemned the attack and pledged cooperation.

In a sign of the confusion that prevailed after the attack, local television reported one assailant, armed with a rifle, had run into a restaurant and was besieged by the police. The police said the entire incident was false.

Witnesses described people screaming and running for their lives as the van driver wove back and forth just after 5:30 p.m., apparently trying to hit as many people as he could. Police officers swept through the area near Las Ramblas, a wide boulevard with a large pedestrian section, moving people out of the area.

Videos taken by witnesses posted online showed men, women and children lying motionless on the ground amid broken umbrellas and chairs, in the shade of trees, many bleeding profusely, while paramedics and friends knelt to comfort them.

Whitney Cohn, a mathematics teacher from Montebello, N.Y., was walking along the mall with her husband and two children, on the way back to her hotel after visiting a museum, when the van came careening through the crowd, throwing people aside like dolls as screams pierced the air. She grabbed her two daughters and started running. "It was flying," Cohn said in an telephone interview from a nearby restaurant. "The van missed us by a sec."

Other witnesses described chaos as people dropped their belongings and fled as the van entered the mall and accelerated, hitting people indiscriminately, among them children, women and the elderly.

People streamed away onto side streets, many of them weeping. "It was horrific," said Sergi Alcazar, a 25-year-old photographer who arrived 10 minutes after the attack.

Until Thursday, Spain had been spared from the recent wave of terrorist attacks in Europe claimed by extremists in France, Germany, Britain and elsewhere.

Keith Fleming, an American who lives just off Las Ramblas, told The Associated Press that he was watching television when he heard a noise, looked out over his balcony and "saw women and children just running and they looked terrified."

Fleming said that the street was deserted, with the exception of police officers with guns drawn or in riot gear. "It's just kind of a tense situation," The AP reported him as saying. "Clearly people were scared."

Facebook activated its safety-check feature for Barcelona, taxis were reportedly giving free rides to help people get out of the city center, and public transit was free in the areas where it was still operating.

U.S. counterterrorism officials in Washington said they were in contact with the Spanish authorities to offer assistance, but underscored the probe had just started.

Trump said on Twitter that the United States condemned the attack and would "do whatever is necessary to help, telling Spaniards to "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

In a subsequent Twitter post, Trump seemed to blame Islamist militants for the attack, citing what is widely believed to be a fictitious account of a military event, and even though the Spanish government had not identified any individuals or groups who might have been behind the attack.

Pro-Islamic State accounts on the Telegram messaging service shared news of the attack. One channel, called "Expansion of the Caliphate," posted video of the scene of the violence alongside a message in Arabic. "Terror is filling the hearts of the Crusader in the Land of Andalusia," it said.

In the past year, the Islamic State has devoted resources to translating their channels and messages into Spanish.

Although countries like France and Britain have been named in Islamic State propaganda urging followers to plan and stage attacks, Spain has been less in the cross hairs.

The country has, however, been a transit point for recruits of the militant group, both for those going to Syria and those returning. The Spanish police arrested nine people in April who they said may have been connected with deadly attacks in France and Spain.
Nebraska officials on Friday applauded a deal that will open up U.S. exports of pork products to Argentina for the first time in 25 years.

The White House announced the deal on Thursday after Vice President Mike Pence met this week with Argentine President Mauricio Macri.

Argentina blocked U.S. pork exports in 1992 after the U.S. balked at testing meat for the parasite trichinosis.

Even though the Argentine market is small, worth about $10 million a year, it "provides access to new consumers for the high quality pork raised in Nebraska, said Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach. Other countries in Central and South America have already shown strong demand, and this can only enhance the sales in the region.

Al Juhnke, executive director of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, said pork is top meat product consumed worldwide.
On holiday with his family at Thurles Rd., Larry Ryan now known as Fr Joseph, has spent the last 25 years at the Cistercian monastery in Mellifont Co. Louth.

He has recently moved on a permanent basis to a new monastery, at construction stage, in Norway. It is a small community of two priests and two brothers with a fifth member on the way. The sale of homemade monastery cheese helps pay their bills. On a visit to our sixth century monastic site at Liathmore, associated with Saint Mocheomog, he discovered that cheesemaking on what were ancient monastic lands is being carried on by the Hayes family. Donal on behalf of the Tipperary Cheese Company gladly donated tubs of their soft cheese which Larry will share with his brothers in Norway.

Fr George Bourke in one of his final gestures as PP of Moycarkey-Borris-Littleton parish presented Larry with a copy the Pouldine School History which has an excellent article by Liam O'Donoghue on the history of Liathmore.

Larry met members of the local Legion of Mary and attributes his calling to the time spent helping at the Morning Star men's hostel in Dublin.

He takes with him the best wishes of our parish community.

For those wishing to contact him or spend some time on retreat, his address is Fr Joseph Ryan, Munkeby Mariakloster, Munkebyveger 310, Levanger, 7608, Norway.
On Tuesday, 17 members of the Pennsylvania House GOP will announce a new revenue plan for the 2017-18 fiscal year, which was due June 30, alon
[August 17, 2017] EasyVista Improves its Position in the 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for IT Service Management Tools

EasyVista Inc., a leading provider of service management for IT organizations, announced that Gartner (News - Alert) included EasyVista as one of nine IT Service Management (ITSM) vendors in the 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for IT Service Management Tools report. This is the third consecutive year that EasyVista has been recognized in the Magic Quadrant. "EasyVista is particularly proud to be included in this year's report because the ITSM market is poised to play a critical role in the digital transformation of the enterprise," said John Prestridge, chief marketing officer, EasyVista. "We believe our inclusion in the report continues to validate our ability to provide proven ITSM solutions for our customers. EasyVista is focused on enabling our customers to deliver purpose-built user experiences with intelligent automation and self-help to make ITSM easy and ubiquitous across the enterprise." EasyVista believes that simple, purposeful experiences that connect people to the company's proven ITSM platform will power a new way of working that frees people from the complexities of technology and process. Focusing on user experiences will make service delivery easy and readily adopted across the enterprise, igniting innovation across the company in support of digital transformation. Gartner evaluates enterprise-class technology companies based on their demonstrated ability to execute and completeness of vision. You may download the full report here courtesy of EasyVista: 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for IT Service Management Tools



Gartner Disclaimer Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About EasyVista EasyVista simplifies IT Service Management by making it easy to deliver and easy to use for today's enterprise. EasyVista's service management platform was created to help companies automate and personalize service delivery to improve IT efficiency and increase staff productivity. Today, EasyVista helps 1,000+ enterprises around the world radically improve service user experience, dramatically simplify and accelerate service creation, and reduce the total cost of IT service delivery. EasyVista serves companies across a variety of industries, including financial services, healthcare, higher education, technology, public sector, retail, manufacturing and more. Headquartered in New York and Paris, EasyVista is a rapidly growing global company backed by leading venture capitalists, and traded as ALEZV:EN. For more information: Visit EasyVista's website

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[August 17, 2017] Iowa Virtual Academy Set to Kick Off 2017-2018 School Year

Students and teachers at Iowa Virtual Academy (IAVA), an online public school program of Clayton Ridge Community School District, will begin the 2017-18 school year on Aug. 23rd. A full-time, tuition-free school for students statewide in grades K-12, IAVA offers a rigorous and engaging curriculum and a supportive learning community. "IAVA allows students to learn in ways that meet their unique needs," says Head of School Steve Hoff. "Thanks to the flexibility of online learning and our rigorous curriculum, we provide our students with the support they need to succeed." IAVA students tackle a full course load in the core subjects of English/language arts, math, science, history, art, music and physical education across all grade levels. For high school students, IAVA offers more than 150 core, elective and Advanced Placement courses, and up to four levels of world languages. Lesson plans in each grade are integrated across subjects, so students can apply what they are learning in one class to the lessons they encounter in another. Iowa-licensed teachers facilitate live, interactive online classes, and communicate one-on-one with students via phone and email. IAVA provides families from across the state with an innovative education option, and with personalizedlearning plans to meet the needs of every student.



In addition to the virtual classroom, IAVA students have access to resources such as books, workbooks, and materials for experiments and projects. Students become adept at using technology for their course work, projects and time management, and have the opportunity throughout the year to meet their teachers and classmates in person, through school outings, field trips and social events. IAVA is still accepting applications for the 2017-2018 school year. To learn more about enrollment visit http://iava.k12.com/how-enroll.html.

About Iowa Virtual Academy Iowa Virtual Academy is an online public school program of the Clayton Ridge Community School District, which uses curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. Iowa Virtual Academy's individualized approach gives Iowa students the chance to learn in the ways that are right for them. For more about IAVA, visit http://iava.k12.com/. About K12 Inc. K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN) is driving innovation and advancing the quality of education by delivering digital learning platforms and technology to students and school districts across the globe. K12's curriculum services over 2,000 schools and school districts and has delivered more than four million courses over the past decade. K12 is a company consisting of thousands of online school educators providing instruction, academic services, and learning solutions to public schools and districts, traditional classrooms, blended school programs, and directly to families. The K12 program is offered in more than seventy K12 partner public schools across the country, and through private schools serving students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. More information can be found at K12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817006049/en/

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[August 17, 2017] Cyber Academy of South Carolina Students Head Back to Online Classes August 23rd

Students and teachers at Cyber Academy of South Carolina (CASC), an online public charter school, head back to the virtual classroom on Aug. 23rd. A statewide school available tuition-free to students in grades K-12, CASC provides students with the flexibility to pursue a learning pathway that is right for them. CASC students tackle a full course load in the core subjects of math, science, English/language arts, world languages, history, art and music. In high school, students can take electives and AP courses, and explore options for future higher education and career opportunities directly through their course work. As a part of the school's Destinations Career Program, participating high school students gain exposure to a variety of careers while at CASC. Destinations introduces students to technical and specialty trade skills through career technical education (CTE) courses, and student can select a focus in either business management and administration or information technology careers. Students can then go on to take exams to earn trade-recognized credentials. For students with a desire to progress in their education at an advanced pace, CASC partners with participating colleges and universities across the state, allowing students to earn college credits along with their high school diploma through dual enrollment. CASC graduates have been accepted to a variety of higher education institutions, including Clemson and the Citadel.



"Students enroll in CASC for a variety of reasons," says Head of School David Crook. "With online school we are able to meet their needs with a truly personalized education experience that sets them up for success." South Carolina-certified teachers facilitate live, interactive online classes, and communicate one-on-one with students via phone and email. In addition to the virtual classroom, CASC students have access to resources such as books, workbooks, and materials for experiments and projects, and connect in-person at learning sites throughout the state. Outside of class time, students, families and teachers enjoy meeting at school events in their communities and through student clubs and activities.

To learn more about enrollment and to find an upcoming online information session, visit http://casc.k12.com/how-enroll.html. About Cyber Academy of South Carolina Cyber Academy of South Carolina (CASC) is a full-time, online public school serving students in grades K through 12, as a member of the South Carolina Public Charter School District. CASC is tuition-free, giving parents and families the choice to access the engaging curriculum and tools provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. CASC is fully accredited by AdvancED. For more information about CASC, visit http://casc.k12.com/. About K12 Inc. K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN) is driving innovation and advancing the quality of education by delivering state-of-the-art, digital learning platforms and technology to students and school districts across the globe. K12's curriculum services over 2,000 schools and school districts and has delivered more than four million courses over the past decade. K12 is a company consisting of thousands of online school educators providing instruction, academic services, and learning solutions to public schools and districts, traditional classrooms, blended school programs, and directly to families. The K12 program is offered in more than seventy K12 partner public schools across the country, and through private schools serving students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. More information can be found at K12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817006053/en/

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[August 17, 2017] Banks Award $20K Grant to Benefit Homeless Mothers and Children

Thanks to $20,000 in Partnership Grant Program (PGP (News - Alert)) funds awarded by The First, A National Banking Association, BancorpSouth Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas), The Lighthouse Rescue Mission (The Lighthouse) will be able to extend its reach in helping homeless mothers and children in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The funds will be used to cover employee salaries for a therapist, resident supervisor and children's coordinator. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817006062/en/ The First, A National Banking Association, BancorpSouth Bank and FHLB Dallas awarded $20,000 in Partnership Grant Program funds to The Lighthouse Rescue Mission today in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. (Photo: Business Wire) Representatives from the banks were joined by the organization's leadership and Win Ellington, regional director for U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, at a check presentation today announcing the grants. Daniel Jayroe, community development director for Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership, said the Hattiesburg community will benefit from the banks' partnership with the nonprofit. "Thanks to the PGP, in-need women and children will receive the care they need and deserve, but the benefits don't stop there. The community as a whole benefits from the PGP because it will gain productive citizens because of the partnership between the banks and The Lighthouse," said Mr. Jayroe. The Lighthouse is a nonprofit recovery and transitional facility for mothers and their children who are victims of abuse, homelessness and addiction. Established in 2005, The Lighthouse offers support to mothers and children through GED preparation programs, life skills training, Bible study and group therapy. The Lighthouse Executive Director Kenneth Thronson said the grant allows the organization to make a greater impact on the community. "When women and children in need cme to The Lighthouse in their darkest hour, it is our responsibility to show them the light," said Mr. Thronson. "The grant funds help us continue to create a safe environment for the women and children who so desperately need it."



The structure of the PGP enables FHLB Dallas member institutions like The First, A National Banking Association and BancorpSouth Bank to make a contribution of $500 to $4,000 to a community-based organization (CBO), which FHLB Dallas will match at a 3:1 ratio. In 2016, FHLB Dallas awarded $225,000 in PGP funds to assist 23 CBOs. Combined with the $96,200 from member institutions, a total of $321,200 was awarded last year. "Our role as a community bank is to support the wellbeing of the residents of our community - including women and children - and this grant program allows us to do just that," said BancorpSouth Bank Pine Belt Division President Ted Webb.

Jerome Brown, senior vice president and director of Community Development at The First, A National Banking Association said grants like the PGP offer financial institutions an opportunity to work together toward the betterment of the community. "Communities thrive when financial institutions and nonprofits work together," said Mr. Brown. "Our bank is committed to serving the community and the PGP helps us lend a hand to those who need it most." Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas, said the PGP provides a unique service to member institutions. "The Partnership Grant Program is unique because it helps promote and strengthen relationships between community-based organizations and community banks," he said. "Thanks to our members for their commitment to providing life-saving services to the community's vulnerable population." About The First Bancshares The First Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company for The First, A National Banking Association (the Bank). The Company and the Bank engage in a general commercial and retail banking business for small to medium-sized businesses, professional concerns and individuals. The Bank provides a range of banking services in its primary market area of South Mississippi, South Alabama and Louisiana. The Bank offers a range of commercial and personal loans. Commercial loans include both secured and unsecured loans for working capital (including loans secured by inventory and accounts receivable), business expansion (including acquisition of real estate and improvements), and purchase of equipment and machinery. The Bank offers a range of deposit services, including noninterest-bearing accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts and time deposits. About BancorpSouth BancorpSouth (NYSE: BXS) is headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi, with $14.8 billion in assets. BancorpSouth operates 234 full service branch locations as well as additional mortgage, insurance, and loan production offices in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas, including an insurance location in Illinois. BancorpSouth is committed to a culture of respect, diversity, and inclusion in both its workplace and communities. To learn more, visit our Community Commitment page at www.bancorpsouth.com. "Like" us on Facebook; follow us on Twitter (News - Alert)@MyBXS; or connect with us through LinkedIn. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank system created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $62.9 billion as of June 30, 2017, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced advances and other credit products to approximately 850 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. Visit fhlb.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817006062/en/

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[August 17, 2017] Families Affected by Disasters to Benefit from $16K in Grant Funds

Hattiesburg, Mississippi-based nonprofit R3SM was awarded $16,000 in Partnership Grant Program (PGP (News - Alert)) funds through The First, A National Banking Association and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) today. The funds will be used to offset operation and administration expenses including salaries for the construction manager, chief operating officer and office supplies. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817006064/en/ Hattiesburg, Mississippi-based nonprofit R3SM was awarded $16,000 in Partnership Grant Program funds through The First, A National Banking Association and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas today. (Photo: Business Wire) Representatives from the banks were joined by R3SM's leadership and Win Ellington, regional director for U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, at a check presentation today announcing the grants. Daniel Jayroe, community development director for Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership, also attended the check presentation. He praised the partnership between the banks and the nonprofit. "When disaster strikes, it's important to have the ability to call upon all possible resources," said Mr. Jayroe. "The PGP makes it easier for in-need families to access the necessary resources to put the pieces of their lives back together." R3SM is a community-based organization established in 2006 in response to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. The focus of the nonprofit is to help restore lives afte a disaster, primarily by coordinating disaster case management and the repair and rebuild of homes.



"A lot of the people that we serve in the community do not have solid financial plans," said R3SM Chief Operating Officer Mavis Creagh. "Working with the banks allows us to continue to provide resources to our clients. In addition, the grant program serves as that missing financial link the community needs." Jerome Brown, senior vice president and director of Community Development at The First, A National Banking Association, said the PGP supports his institution's mission to serve the community.

"As a community bank, our priority is serving the very community that supports us," said Mr. Brown. "Our commitment to serve the community is strengthened by the PGP and our partnership with FHLB Dallas." The structure of the PGP enables FHLB Dallas member institutions like The First, A National Banking Association to make a contribution of $500 to $4,000 to a community-based organization (CBO), which FHLB Dallas will match at a 3:1 ratio. In 2016, FHLB Dallas awarded $225,000 in PGP funds to assist 23 CBOs. Combined with the $96,200 from member institutions, a total of $321,200 was awarded last year. "The Partnership Grant Program is a valuable community investment tool because it facilitates the expansion of nonprofits' agendas, as well as adds value to our members' relationships with those nonprofits," said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. To learn more about the PGP, visit fhlb.com/pgp. About The First Bancshares The First Bancshares, Inc. is a bank holding company for The First, A National Banking Association (the Bank). The Company and the Bank engage in a general commercial and retail banking business for small to medium-sized businesses, professional concerns and individuals. The Bank provides a range of banking services in its primary market area of South Mississippi, South Alabama, Northern Florida and Louisiana. The Bank offers a range of commercial and personal loans. Commercial loans include both secured and unsecured loans for working capital (including loans secured by inventory and accounts receivable), business expansion (including acquisition of real estate and improvements), and purchase of equipment and machinery. The Bank offers a range of deposit services, including noninterest-bearing accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts and time deposits. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank system created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $62.9 billion as of June 30, 2017, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced advances and other credit products to approximately 850 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. Visit fhlb.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170817006064/en/

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[August 17, 2017] Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Files Class Action Suit against Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc.

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP ("Robbins Geller") (http://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases/rayonier/) today announced that a class action has been commenced on behalf of an institutional investor on behalf of purchasers of Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. ("Rayonier") (NYSE:RYAM) common stock during the period between October 29, 2014 and August 19, 2015 (the "Class Period"). This action was filed in the Middle District of Tennessee and is captioned City of Warren General Employees' Retirement System v. Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc., No. 17-cv-01167. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than 60 days from today. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, please contact plaintiff's counsel, Samuel H. Rudman or David A. Rosenfeld of Robbins Geller at 800/449-4900 or 619/231-1058, or via e-mail at [email protected]. If you are a member of this class, you can view a copy of the complaint as filed at http://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases/rayonier/. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. The complaint charges Rayonier an certain of its officers and/or directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Rayonier manufactures cellulose specialty products that are sold throughout the world to companies for use in various industrial applications and to produce a wide variety of products, including cigarette filters, foods, pharmaceuticals, textiles and electronics.



The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, defendants issued materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose adverse information regarding Rayonier's business and outlook. Specifically, the complaint alleges that, despite the Company's claims during the Class Period that in 2015 Rayonier "will be able to maintain or increase [its] share of volume at each of [its] top 10 customers," since 2013, one of its top three customers, Eastman Chemical Company ("Eastman"), had been informing Rayonier of its competitors' pricing and had requested that Rayonier respond to declines in market pricing, leading to a protracted dispute between Rayonier and Eastman over the "meet and release" provision of their agreement. As a result of defendants' false statements and/or omissions, Rayonier common stock traded at artificially inflated prices, reaching a Class Period high of more than $30 per share. Then, on August 18, 2015, the Company filed a form 8-K with the SEC (News - Alert) informing investors that the Company had filed an action against Eastman regarding its "chemical cellulose specialty products contract with Eastman." On August 19, 2015, the Company issued a press release further explaining the dispute with Eastman. Specifically, the release stated that the language in the contract at issue involved the "meet or release" provisions of the agreement, which allow Eastman to obtain "third party offers that meet the requirements of the Supply Agreement for similar cellulose specialties products, and would require [Rayonier] to either meet such price or release the volume, thereby allowing Eastman to purchase the volume from the third party." In addition, the release disclosed that on August 12, 2017, Eastman had filed an action against Rayonier regarding the same "meet or release" provisions in their contract. In reaction to these announcements, the price of Rayonier common stock fell $6.01 per share, or 44%, to close at $7.62 per share, on extremely heavy trading volume.

Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of all purchasers of Rayonier common stock during the Class Period (the "Class"). The plaintiff is represented by Robbins Geller, which has extensive experience in prosecuting investor class actions including actions involving financial fraud. Robbins Geller is widely recognized as a leading law firm advising and representing U.S. and international investors in securities litigation and portfolio monitoring. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller has obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history. For the third consecutive year, the Firm ranked first in both the total amount recovered for investors and the number of shareholder class action recoveries in ISS's SCAS Top 50 Report. Robbins Geller attorneys have shaped the law in the areas of securities litigation and shareholder rights and have recovered tens of billions of dollars on behalf of the Firm's clients. Robbins Geller not only secures recoveries for defrauded investors, it also implements significant corporate governance reforms, helping to improve the financial markets for investors worldwide. Please visit http://www.rgrdlaw.com for more information. https://www.linkedin.com/company/rgrdlaw

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Sunday, Joe Bonamassa, the reigning Blues Music Award B.B. King Entertainer of the Year and top blues-rock guitarist going will stop at Pinewood Bowl to deliver one of his acclaimed 2 hour, 10 minute shows.

A prodigy on guitar tutored by guitar legend Danny Gatton, Bonamassa began playing professionally at 11, pulled on stage by B.B. King, and joined John Lee Hooker at 13.

Tagged as Smokin Joe Bonamassa, he toured extensively in as a teen. His guitar work, however, is influenced less by the Chicago and Delta blues players and more by the British blues-rock guitar heroes of the 60s, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin and Rory Gallagher along with Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Bonamassa released A New Day Yesterday in 2000, the first of his 12 studio albums, the most recent being 2016s Blues of Desperation, which hit No. 12 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart.

Hes released three collaborative albums and 15 live records, including this years Live at Carnegie Hall: An Acoustic Evening. Seventeen of those albums have gone to No. 1 on the Billboard blues chart.

Sunday, Bonamassa, who also picked up the Blue Music best guitarist award this spring, will be be joined by his band that includes: keyboardist Reese Wynans of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble fame; drummer Anton Fig, the house drummer for Late Night with David Letterman: bassist Michael Rhodes, who has played with the likes of Johnny Cash and Taylor Swift; trumpeter Lee Thornburg, a former member of Tower of Power and saxophonist Paulie Cerra, who has toured with Stevie Wonder and Bobby Blue Bland.

Last weekend, Bonamassa called in for an early evening chat while he was warming up before a Boston show, his guitar audible in the background as we talked.

Here are some of the highlights of that conversation:

On the notion that, in the digital age, electric guitar is dying:

I tend to agree with it. Ive been playing guitar professionally, Ive been playing 29 years. As a musician, Ive been playing since I was 4, 36 years. It took me seven, eight years to get good enough to play on stage. Kids today can get an iPad and a pair of headphones and be DJing in two weeks.

On B.B. King:

How could he not be (Bonamassas mentor). He gave me a stage. He gave me an album. He gave me his friendship. He gave me a guitar. I knew him for 23 years. My desert island record was and still is Live at the Regal. To me, its the epitome of a blues album.

Youre not going to sound like B.B. Youre not going to top Live at the Regal. Youre going for the spirit of it. I can cover BB King, Live at the Regal in its entirety, but I cant sound like B.B. But I can catch the spirit of it.

Looking back at his career at age 40:

I feel like Ive accomplished a few things. Weve sold millions of albums. Weve played thousands of shows. Im very grateful for where the fans have put me and it is the fans that have put me there.

On what to expect at Sundays show:

I have probably 350 songs to choose from. Were doing a little bit of everything. Were playing outside so its a bit more of a rock show. The outside gigs, you need to hit it a little harder. Inside you have the intimacy and acoustics of the hall and more lighting. You use the room and it doesnt have to hit as hard."

On having a good show each night:

Theres no guarantee. Its all subject to interpretation. Its all subject to how youre feeling. If I didnt tell you I was feeling like crap, you wouldnt know I was feeling like crap. For the fans, they want to have a good time for the two hours that they get to see it.

On what happens if he doesnt connect with the audience immediately after coming on stage:

I have about 4, 5 security guys go rough em up. They start dancing in a hurry. I usually find an old lady or a little kid and send security after them. That gets everybody going.
[August 17, 2017] Barcelona Van Attack: Terrorism Travel Insurance Can Cover Travelers

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Barcelona's historic Las Ramblas district is the most recent popular European destination to be targeted by terrorists, after a van drove through the crowded tourist area on Thursday, August 17, 2017. Spain is one of the most popular travel destinations for U.S. residents, according to travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth. Travelers with trips planned to Barcelona in the next 30 days may be refunded all of their prepaid and non-refundable trip costs, as long as they bought their travel insurance policy before the attack occurred. Interest in terrorism coverage has roughly doubled over the past year, according to Squaremouth sales data. Most travelers who are concerned about terrorism want Trip Cancellation coverage, in the event they can't travel becuse an attack occurs at their destination before they leave for their trip.



The Coverage Many Travelers Don't Know They Have

Many travelers don't know their travel insurance can bring them home if a terrorist attack occurs at their destination while they are traveling. Travel insurance with terrorism coverage typically includes cancellation coverage for travelers who haven't left, as well as interruption coverage for travelers currently in the city where the attack occurred. Trip Interruption can refund prepaid trip costs when a trip is cut short for an unexpected reason, such as a terrorist attack, and can also cover a traveler's additional costs to return home early.

Squaremouth's Barcelona Van Attack and Travel Insurance Information Center explains coverage related to the incident. This resource is regularly updated as information becomes available. ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH

Squaremouth compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare insurance products side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com Available Topic Expert:

Steven Benna

[email protected]

(727) 619-7262 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/barcelona-van-attack-terrorism-travel-insurance-can-cover-travelers-300506325.html SOURCE Squaremouth

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[August 18, 2017] ZOPO (IFA) New Product Event to be showcased at Expo with the Theme Return to Power

BERLIN, Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ZOPO will hold a new product conference as one of the presenters at IFA in Berlin, starting on September 1, 2017. The theme of this conference is "coming back with more power", and will present the upgraded products. The new CEO of ZOPO, Ms Emma Liu, will be present at the booth from 1st September through 3rd September, from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm and she will introduce the new flagship smartphones, ZOPO Z5000 and P5000. 2017 has been a positive and promising year for ZOPO. The company will be hosting the expo in order to witness the milestones made. During the event, there will be some of the smartphones available to hand out to the media for review. The initiative to extend the battery-life of modern cellular devices, will further motivate customers to purchase the product and the conference will highlight the improvements to the product. During the course of the conference, there ill be critical issues discussed, and the following will also be revealed.



1. The new privacy mode that offers greater encryption to the device such as the two finger print unlock system. 2. Improved power management systems and quick charging batteries. There will be an opportunity to witness sleek and long lasting mobile phones and the amazing 18:9 display with full design.

3. The desire and drive to balance between users centered design and expansive battery life. It will also provide an opportunity for mobile device manufacturers to get in on the ground level of ZOPO's innovative design and engineering. 4. The move to partner with more distributors to improve the availability of these devices in the market. As a dedicated distributor, this is a chance to become a partner. The ZOPO team has been working tirelessly to satisfy needs of customers. The brand is amongst the best in the market. Each release is greatly appreciated by the general public since ZOPO's inception, 10 years ago. As time passes, more features are added - location services, Bluetooth functions, personal assistants - until these devices have surpassed laptops in some instances, but these functions have something in common: they all require power. The battery life of these advanced devices suffers in trying to perform all these tasks. This is the main reason that ZOPO is launching the Z5000 and P5000. ZOPO never deters with challenges faced to the company, and is always prepared to upgrade and improve itself. For more information on ZOPO, please visit http://www.zopomobile.com. ZOPO E-mail address: [email protected] SOURCE ZOPO

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[August 18, 2017] A.M. Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. and Its U.S. Subsidiaries

A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A++ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of "aa+" of Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (TMNF) (Japan). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. Concurrently, A.M. Best has affirmed the FSR of A++ (Superior) and the Long-Term ICR of "aa+" of Tokio Marine America Insurance Company (TMAIC) and its subsidiaries. TMAIC has separate 100% quota share agreements with its subsidiaries: Trans Pacific Insurance Company, TM Specialty Insurance Company (Phoenix, AZ) and TNUS Insurance Company. The outlook for each rating is stable. These companies are domiciled in New York, NY, unless otherwise specified. TMAIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokio Marine North America Inc., which is an insurance holding company subsidiary of TMNF. A.M. Best also has affirmed the FSR of A+ (Superior) and the Long-Term ICR of "aa-" of Tokio Marine Pacific Insurance Limited (TMPI) (Guam), which is a fully owned subsidiary of TMNF. The outlook of these ratings is stable. The rating affirmations for TMNF reflect its strong risk-adjusted capitalization, track record of profitable operating performance and favorable business profile. TMNF's strong risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), was supported by an increase in adjusted capital and surplus. Operating performance remains very profitable, supported by strong improvement in underwriting results, which partially offset a decline in net investment income. TMNF is the main operating entity of Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. in terms of premium income and net profit contribution. TMNF's extensive and increasing overseas presence, especially in developed markets, supports its profit generation and future growth. In addition, TMNF benefits from geographic and risk diversification. Partially offsetting these positive rating factors are TMNF's exposure to catastrophe risks and its high proportion of equity investments, which could bring volatility to its capital and surplus. However, the company actively manages these risks in its enterprise risk management framework. While positive rating actions are unlikely in the near term, negative rating actions could occur if there is a material decline in TMNF's risk-adjusted capitalization due to either a consistent deterioration in the company's operating performance or a negative impactfrom large-scale catastrophe events.



The ratings for TMAIC and its subsidiaries reflect their strong capital position and well-defined business profile. These companies serve a critical role in TMNF's worldwide strategy. The primary focus of these subsidiaries is to support the needs of TMNF's clients that have operations in the United States. The ratings of TMAIC are directly related to the ratings of TMNF; therefore, any upward or downward movement in the ratings of TMNF would affect the ratings of TMAIC. Also, any material change in the financial condition of TMNF or its commitment to the market in the United States could impact the ratings of TMAIC. Separately, the ratings may be negatively impacted if TMAIC's capitalization or operating performance falls markedly short of expectations.

The rating affirmations for TMPI reflect its strong risk-adjusted capitalization, continued leading position in Guam's accident and health (A&H) insurance market and consistently favorable operating performance. TMPI receives managerial support, reinsurance and risk management support from TMNF, and there is an expectation that TMPI would receive capital support from its parent under a stressed situation. TMPI holds a solid leading position in Guam's A&H segment through a strong distribution partnership with its underwriting agent, Calvo Insurance Underwriters, the sole distributor of Guam's largest health care program, SelectCare. Leveraging its parent's brand name, TMPI maintains long-term relationships with Japan clients and other property/casualty brokers across the region. Offsetting rating factors include TMPI's high business concentration on a single account (SelectCare program). In addition, A.M. Best expects TMPI's underwriting profitability to be challenged by the continued competitive market conditions in Guam. While positive rating actions are unlikely in the near term, negative rating actions could occur if there is continued and significant deterioration in the company's operating performance or risk-adjusted capitalization, or a material decline in its A&H business volume. Negative rating actions also could occur if TMNF reduces its level of support. Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best Rating Action Press Releases. A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright  2017 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170818005512/en/

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[August 18, 2017] Castle Hall Recognized as Best Global Operational Due Diligence Firm for the Fourth Consecutive Year

Castle Hall, the Due Diligence Company, is pleased to announce that the firm has been recognized as the Best Global Operational Due Diligence firm for the fourth consecutive year in the Wealth and Finance International Alternative Investment Awards. "I am enormously proud of our team's progress" said Chris Addy, Castle Hall's CEO. "Everyone at Castle Hall is committed, every day, to working with our clients to generate consistent, evidenced and auditable due diligence information. Our team has more than doubled in barely two years: it is wonderful to see the efforts of my colleagues, old and new, recognized by Wealth and Finance International." Key milestones over the past year include the integration of SwissAnalytics into the Castle Hall platform and the launch of RiskDiligence. This new service integrates the SwissAnalytics Ramses quantitative tools and broader risk due diligence capabilities within Castle Hall's online diligence platform, DueDiligenceProfessional. Concurrent with Castle Hall's recognition as Best Global ODD Firm, Wealth and Finance also selected DueDiligenceProfessional as the industry's Best Alternative Investment Diligence Platform. "Castle Hall's ongoing success is based around four key factors" said Addy. Multi Asset Class. Investors now recognize that operational due diligence should be performed with respect to all external asset manager relationships and not restricted solely to hedge funds. The expansion of ODD across asset classes has increased Castle Hall's diligence footprint significantly; unlike asset class consultants (hedge fund, PE, infrastructure etc.) Castle Hall provides a cnsistent due diligence solution, irrespective of strategy.

Investors now recognize that operational due diligence should be performed with respect to all external asset manager relationships and not restricted solely to hedge funds. The expansion of ODD across asset classes has increased Castle Hall's diligence footprint significantly; unlike asset class consultants (hedge fund, PE, infrastructure etc.) Castle Hall provides a cnsistent due diligence solution, irrespective of strategy. Ongoing Monitoring. Traditional ODD focused on a schedule of in person diligence meetings, repeated every 1-3 years. Diligence has evolved: the foundation of an effective ODD program is now an active, real time monitoring program, where the onsite visit is just one component of a far broader toolbox of diligence procedures.





Fintech. Just as hedge fund managers no longer use Excel for accounting, ODD no longer relies on word processed meeting reports. Technology has become critical to process ever increasing amounts of public and private information. Systems, bandwidth to curate data, and quality reporting and dashboard capabilities are vital to give asset owners an effective view of portfolio risks.

Just as hedge fund managers no longer use Excel for accounting, ODD no longer relies on word processed meeting reports. Technology has become critical to process ever increasing amounts of public and private information. Systems, bandwidth to curate data, and quality reporting and dashboard capabilities are vital to give asset owners an effective view of portfolio risks. Investment Consultant - or Governance, Risk and Compliance? The legacy model where an investment advisor or consultant also offered operational due diligence is being re-evaluated by many large allocators. Investors are increasingly conscious that effective due diligence requires a clear segregation of duties between the advocacy role of the traditional investment consultant - engaged to generate performance through fund selection and portfolio construction - and the governance, risk and compliance function of operational due diligence.

Castle Hall does not recommend investments or build portfolios. As such, Castle Hall clients access an uncompromised diligence solution, with clear segregation of duties between front office decision making and the separate governance, risk and compliance diligence workflow. About Castle Hall Alternatives Castle Hall Alternatives helps global institutional investors, fund of funds, advisors, family offices and endowments identify and manage the business, operational, cyber and investment risks of asset managers. With a team of more than 50 professionals, Castle Hall deploys one of the industry's largest and most experienced due diligence teams. Castle Hall's core competitive advantage is DueDiligenceProfessional, the firm's proprietary online diligence platform, which has helped clients review diligence across several thousand fund entities. Castle Hall has offices in Montreal and Halifax Canada; Zurich Switzerland; Abu Dhabi UAE; and Sydney Australia. More information is available at www.castlehallalternatives.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170818005541/en/

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[August 18, 2017] Hollywood Ophthalmologist Dr. Alan Mendelsohn Shares Precautions for Viewing the Eclipse

In anticipation of the upcoming eclipse on August 21, South Florida Ophthalmologist Dr. Alan Mendelsohn has a warning for the public. While this eclipse may be the most watched, best observed solar eclipse in history, an unprotected view could permanently affect your sight. "Looking at a solar eclipse causes a photochemical injury to the retina in the back of the eye. This happens because of a biochemical reaction that occurs with the crucial layer of the retina, the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) and also the photoreceptors (rods and cones) sustaining damage," he explained. According to Mendelsohn, one should never look at the sun directly, eclipse or no eclipse. There are times when a sun gazer is fortunate and this damage is reversible. More commonly, the damage is irreversible, causing a mild to moderate to severe permanent loss of vision, usually correlating strongly with the duration of exposure. Prevention is simple and can be successfully achieved by wearing glasses that conform to the industry standard which is ISO 12312-2. Any glasses or goggles or disposable cardboard lenses that protect must have the designation they are ISO 12312-2 approved. One can google ISO 12312-2 and a myriad of inexpensive options will be displayed. Unfortunately, due to counterfeit glasses, it is very important to ascertain that the glasses have the requisite protection.



"With the retinal damage sustained from the solar eclipse induced toxicity, you may notice within a few hours of exposure a loss of vision and object distortion. Frequently a blind spot will be present that at times can be very large, usually effecting the central vision or very close to the central vision. Typically, there will be partial recovery within three-six months with a small percentage of those afflicted having a total recovery," Mendelsohn explained. Children are at an even higher risk than adults because their lens is clear allowing the light rays to zoom straight through and charbroils the back of the eye. Additionally children don't sense they are in danger because the retina does not have nerve fibers and they experience no pain, a typical warning sign to stop engaging in a particular activity.

"Without the glasses, my suggestion would be to remain indoors and watch the eclipse on the computer or on TV. Or look for venues like local planetariums which may be hosting safe viewing events. The temptation to take a sneak peek may be uncontrollable when outside," added Mendelsohn. About Eye Surgeons and Consultants: The Office of Dr. Alan Mendelsohn South Florida Ophthalmologist Dr. Alan Mendelsohn attended Northwestern University's Honors Program in Medical Education and Northwestern University Medical School, where he also completed his residency training in Ophthalmology. He was honored by the prestigious Heed Ophthalmic Foundation as one of the ten most outstanding graduating ophthalmologists in the United States. Mendelsohn completed his fellowship training at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. For more information, please call 954-894-1500 or visit www.myeyesurgeons.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170818005581/en/

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[August 18, 2017] Yes on Issue 2: EpiPen Maker Mylan Caught Overcharging Medicaid $1.2 Billion; Agrees to $465M Settlement with Feds

Drug price advocates and people outraged over the price of Mylan, Inc.'s lifesaving EpiPen and other lifesaving drugs, including supporters of Ohio's Yes on Issue 2 drug pricing ballot measure, applauded news of a $465 million settlement or fine agreed to by Mylan with the United States Department of Justice following the revelation that Mylan overcharged state Medicaid programs by more than $1.2 billion. According to news reports, including a news article in The Washington Times, the Justice Department said Mylan overcharged Medicaid by $1.2 billion, "  by misclassifying its EpiPen as a generic instead of a brand-name product  The Justice Department said Mylan's move allowed it to pay smaller rebates to states under Medicaid, the government insurance program for the poor." "It seems it was not enough for Mylan to raise the price of its lifesaving EpiPen over 500% over the last decade-to $600 for a two-pack, up from $57 per shot when it first took over sales of EpiPens in 2007," said Dennis Willard, spokesperson for the Yes on Issue 2 campaign. "For Medicaid rebate and reimbursement purposes, Mylan also deliberately misclassified their products as generics in order that they would have to pay much smaller rebates. The $1.2 billion Mylan gouged from Medicaid could have paid for 200,000 EpiPen two-packs for those suffering from life-threatening alergies, asthma and other conditions. Mylan joins the upper ranks of greedy drug companies putting profits before people, and offers yet another clear cut and compelling reason to vote 'Yes on Issue 2' this November."



"The greedy drug companies trying to defeat the Yes on Issue 2 campaign to lower drug prices will say anything and do anything to protect their excessive profits. Mylan's actions speak volumes about the gimmicks that greedy drug companies use to pretend they are lowering drug prices, when in fact they are squeezing every dollar they can from the sick, the suffering and unfortunately the dying patients they should be serving. Vote yes on Issue 2 and send greedy drug companies like Mylan a powerful message: Stop hurting Ohioans," Willard added. Background on Ohio Ballot Issue 2

The Yes on Issue 2 campaign is a broad-based, bi-partisan coalition. More than 200,000 Ohio voters signed petitions to put an amendment on the ballot in November that will lower drug prices for over 4 million Ohioans, including 164,000 children, save taxpayers $400 million annually, reduce healthcare costs for everyone and teach greedy drug companies and their CEOs a lesson. You can learn more by visiting yesonissue2.com or following us on Facebook and Twitter. Paid (News - Alert) for by Ohio Taxpayers for Lower Drug Prices View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170818005583/en/

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A Nebraska state senator will ask the state attorney general to appoint an outside attorney to investigate any wrongdoing by a former State Patrol superintendent and others.

Omaha Sen. Burke Harr has written a letter to Attorney General Doug Peterson telling him he knows Peterson has a conflict of interest in investigating the State Patrol.

"Failure to request an appointment carries an appearance of impropriety and raises ethical issues," Harr's letter said.

A number of other senators have said they will sign on to the letter.

Harr is basing the state investigation request on a review of the patrol conducted by the state's chief human resources officer Jason Jackson. The review substantiated claims of misconduct by Rice during his time as superintendent, serious enough that Gov. Pete Ricketts fired Rice in June. Other high-ranking administrators were suspended at the same time.

"I think there's probable cause that a crime was committed," Harr said Friday.

Jackson's review lays out a lot of facts, but never comes to a conclusion, he said.

The review said Rice was fired because he interfered with patrol internal affairs investigations on at least four occasions, violated the governor's workplace harassment and equal opportunities policies and violated chain of command.

Harr believes the review suggests possible violations of state law, but it is limited to anecdotal allegations and contains hearsay. It does not determine or investigate if Rice criminally abused his power, he said.

"If the accusations in Jackson's review are true, this is corruption at the highest level, orchestrated by those at the highest level," Harr said.

The review also fails to conclude which laws, rules or policies were broken or if prosecution is warranted, he said.

Ricketts has said he turned over information from the review to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"If they won't confirm or deny there's an investigation going on, I'm somewhat reading tea leaves," Harr said.

A state investigation at the same time there is a federal investigation would not be an obstruction of justice, as some have suggested, Harr said. It would not be trying to influence a federal investigation.

"There are concurrent investigations all the time between federal and state authorities," he said.

Such an investigation is going on in Omaha with regard to a death of a mentally ill man who died after an encounter with police, he said.

"Somehow in Omaha we are able to walk and chew gum at the same time, and I'm just asking that we do the same thing here at the state level," he said.

There is a shorter statute of limitations for prosecution of misdemeanors, so the state needs to be investigating, Harr said.

A federally focused FBI investigation or a patrol internal investigation should not be substitute for the constitutional role of the attorney general's office, Harr said. At the same time, he understands that Peterson can't both prosecute and defend state agencies and officials.

But when the attorney general's office has a conflict in a criminal case, it must request the court appoint a special assistant attorney general to handle the case, Harr said.

Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld said he will sign on to the letter because the state and the attorney general's office have a responsibility to investigate matters related to violations of state law.

Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, chairwoman of the Legislature's Judiciary Committee, also would favor a special counsel appointed to look at the patrol issues, she said, especially if the FBI found any questions about violations of state law.

She would prefer, she said, that the Legislature not be the investigator. An appointed independent prosecutor removes the politics from the investigation.

Harr said several senators who told him they would not join in signing the letter said they would rather wait for the FBI to complete its investigation.
If a suspected impaired driver refuses a breath test -- law enforcement will get a warrant for a blood test.





Many impaired drivers refuse the breath test in an attempt to avoid a conviction. Authorities believe "No Refusal Weekend" is one way to help combat that and help cut down on deadly crashes.

DON'T FORGET THAT CONGRESSMAN YODER ONCE REJECTED POLICE!!!

The reality of this crackdown is that Kansas law enforcement is basically telling drivers that they'll be out on the street in full force demanding the blood of anyone who dares to stand up for their Constitutional rights.

Drunk driving is wrong, dangerous and irresponsible but law enforcement out for blood also threatens the freedom and liberty of our communities









Tone deaf authorities in the Sunflower State threaten the townsfolk with a vampiric crackdown in an otherwise important effort to keep streets safe.Take a look:Deets:However . . .Moreover . . .Don't get it twisted . . .while sending the wrong message about DUI prevention that hopes to keep everyone safe.Check the links . . .You decide . . .
Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers has filed a complaint with the state's professional and occupational investigations office against a Lincoln doctor.

The doctor, Stephen Haudrich, is at the center of a lawsuit filed by a trooper earlier this month against the state, that said female trooper candidates are put through medically unnecessary and sexually invasive examinations that are not required of men.

Brienne Splittgerber, who was part of the patrol's graduating class in 2015, alleged in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court the exams are unconstitutional and discriminatory.

She alleged the Lincoln physician, selected by the State Patrol to do the exams, instructed her in a September 2014 exam to take off her pants, lie on the table and position herself to expose her genitalia and anus, apparently to check for a hernia.

Her attorney, Tom White of Omaha, said there is no legitimate medical purpose for the procedure in a pre-employment physical exam.

Haudrich, who practices family medicine with Concentra Urgent Care in Lincoln, holds an active physician license in Nebraska issued in 1993, with an expiration date of Oct. 1, 2018.

The complaint by Chambers is focused on what he believes are inappropriate actions by the doctor.

"Such problematic conduct by a doctor brings disrepute to the medical profession and casts a pall of doubt and suspicion over every type of female pelvic examination," Chambers said in the complaint.

He said a contract with a law enforcement agency to do pre-employment exams does not nullify a doctor's obligation to comply with ethical, legal and professional standards governing the practice of medicine.

He said no action on the complaint by the Department of Health and Human Services could lead women and the public at large to lose trust in the integrity of HHS, the medical profession and particular types of treatments and exams.

The complaint process within the department calls for review to determine if there is sufficient legal cause to conduct an investigation. The investigations office would look at whether it would be reasonable to believe the allegation, if substantiated, would result in discipline against the doctor's license.

A thorough and complete investigation takes considerable time and effort, the department said.

The attorney general reviews each investigation and could file a petition to discipline the subject of the complaint, negotiate a voluntary surrender or limits on his or her license or get assurance of compliance from the licensee.

Investigation records are not public, the department said.

Haudrich did not return a call from the Journal Star, but a spokeswoman for Select Medical earlier declined comment citing patient confidentiality. She said the safety and care of patients was a top priority.
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill accused Missouri's top law enforcement officer, who is weighing a campaign against her, of violating a state law that requires the attorney general to reside in Jefferson City. Attorney General Josh Hawley, who has been heavily recruited by Vice President Mike Pence and other Republican leaders to run against McCaskill in 2018, has faced questions about his residency since taking office in January.
"Our fake president lives in a world I cannot fathom. He has no moral core. He is infantile, narcissistic and insecure. He has emboldened the worst in our midst, many of whom are trolls on the internet and may troll my blog. They are the cowards among us, to afraid to lend their names to their racist, anti-Semitic and sexists troll posts. You neo-nazis and white supremacists are evil."

Anpost draws a line in the sand and takes on. . . A Kansas City blogger makes this clear and concise in this remarkable and brilliant bit of writing . . .Best part . . .You decide . . .
Mayors KCI Town Hall Meeting

What a joke and an absolute hour of misinformation, not to mention in front of a whopping crowd of 60 people. It is clear that Mayor Sly James has drunk his own Cool Aid and believes his own propaganda regarding the KCI Terminal issue. You would think that after 5 years of dealing with this issue he would be more informed! NOT!He continues to spout the new Single Terminal will create 18,000 NEW JOBS but there is not one creditable document that supports that statement. Yes it will generate an increase in economic revenue but not the $2.5B above what will already be generated by the existing Airport. To renovate and improve the existing 66 gate terminal with 47 jet bridges would also create jobs and generate an increase revenue but does he even recognize this possibility NO!How our Mayor can promote destroying the Golden Goose (KCI), a facility that has generated a stream of revenue for decades not only to KCI but to Kansas City Downtown Airport, KCIs reliever airport, is absurd! The Mayor, his City Council and the Attorneys hired to manipulate the process to build a $1.3B Single Terminal is criminal. To support building a Single 35 gate Terminal at a cost of $1.3B which will reduce Airline gates by 50%, obligate the Kansas City to a $85M dollar annual payment, that will stifle airline growth, turn the airport over to the Signatory Airlines with a new concept called a Residual Airport Airline Agreement is what is on the ballot in November. Yes the City is about to turn over KCI to the Airlines that will require the Airlines to agree on any future capital improvements on the airport. Now you know why Southwest is now in agreement!Aircraft operations over the past decade have gone from 1,100 a day to 400 a day. The Air Traffic Control tower has been downgraded from an ATC-10 to an ATC-8. Enplaned passenger levels are below what they were in 1999. Yes 1999!! The Aviation Department has successfully recruited significant new airlines with a surplus of airline gates and airport capacity that trumps many airports in the country. Then I ask the voters - how will a new $1.3B Single Terminal that significantly increases Airline cost ($85m annually), increase ticket cost, and reduce airline gate capacity from existing used gates of today make KCI a better airport?##########
BY A 5-1 MARGIN . . . TKC READERS DEMAND THE MISSOURI STATE SENATOR MARIA CHAPPELLE-NADAL RESIGN OR BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE FOR A COMMENT ENDORSING THE ASSASSINATION OF PREZ TRUMP!!!

"When she wrote a Facebook post calling for President Trump to be assassinated, she forfeited any right she has to serve in our state legislature."

Our blog community has spoken loud and clear . . . Consider this a preview of more polling that we want to conduct for this site in the very near future.Here's the news for now . . .We can only hope that our blog community would feel the same about threats against former Prez Obama because TKC would cosign that sentiment as well . . .Turner Report has a great take on this and he skews left . . .And once again, for all our complaints about KC . . . This is one of many reasons why we'll always be be better than STL.Developing . . .
The United States issued its annual religious freedom report this week, slamming allies and foes alike for their shortcomings.

In the 2016 report Turkey is singled out for its treatment of religious minorities. Among other concerns, it focuses on two key issues that affect the Greek Orthodox community and, in effect, Greece. The first is the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary and the second is Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

The report recommends that Washington should insist on Pressing the government of Turkey to fulfill private and public promises that the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary would be reopened, and to permit other religious communities to open and operate their seminaries.

The Greek Orthodox Theological School of Halki remains closed, as it has been since 1971, and the Turkish government continues to cite the Greek governments lack of religious freedom for the Turkish Muslim minority in Western Thrace as the primary reason, based on the principle of reciprocity in the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, the report stresses.

It adds that for several years, the Christian community in Turkey has raised concerns about a potential change in the status of the historic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Despite its legal status as a museum since 1935, over the years some Greek Orthodox have called for the Hagia Sophia to be reopened as a church, and some Muslims, including at times Turkish parliamentarians, have called for it to be opened as a mosque.

The Turkish government has told USCIRF that it has no intention to change the Hagia Sophias legal status. However, during Ramadan 2016, Turkish state radio and television aired a Diyanet TV-produced series from the Hagia Sophia that included readings of the Quran, and the Muslim call to prayer was broadcast for the first time in 85 years from the minarets of the museum, the report continues.

The 2016 report itself -while required under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act  does not oblige the U.S. administration to act.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Arild Vagen License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekreporter.com
UAEs humanitarian assistance, including long-term aid for refugees and displaced people, amounted to Dh4.48 billion ($1.23 billion) in the three-year period between 2015 and July 2017, a report said.



This aid contributed to saving lives, reducing suffering, and maintaining and protecting human dignity, during and after crises and emergency situations, reported Wam, the Emirates official news agency.



The UAEs humanitarian aid is not limited to providing financial support, but it also includes the martyrdom of humanitarian workers, who gave their lives during their work in Afghanistan and Yemen.



The UAEs overall humanitarian assistance has been concentrated in eight main areas, most notably its provision of humanitarian relief assistance that amounted to Dh2.19 billion, accounting for nearly half of its total humanitarian aid, or 49 percent, during the three-year period.



Food aid for humanitarian emergencies came in second, totalling Dh1.07 billion or 24 percent of its total aid, while 73 percent was also allocated to alleviating suffering during severe crises that affected certain countries, most notably Yemen, whose share of humanitarian assistance reached Dh2.011 billion, or 44.9 percent, which was distributed to several Yemeni governorates.



A total of Dh1.03 billion was also channelled to the Syrian crisis, equivalent to 23 percent of UAEs assistance during the same period, especially to support refugee camps. The combined ratio of the two countries amounted to 67.9 percent of the UAEs total assistance fund, while the total value of humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people reached Dh548.1 million, and Dh95.1 million went to Somalia.



In addition to relief and food aid, the health sector has also been supported with aid amounting to Dh312.5 million, and shelter assistance and non-food items amounted to Dh 150.9 million while water and sanitation assistance in emergency cases and security protection aid amounted to Dh45.03 million and Dh1.2 million respectively. Humanitarian aid accounted for about 10 percent of the UAE's total foreign aid.
"White Label" ETF Platform Launched by Co-Founders of ETF Securities and Boost

ETF entrepreneurs Hector McNeil and Nik Bienkowksi are aiming to disrupt the European ETF market with the launch of Europes first white label UCITS ETF platform.

HANetf is designed to provide a one-stop-shop for asset managers who want to enter the European UCITS ETF market without having to establish a full services business.

It is aiming to disrupt the market by lowering the barriers to entry for asset managers through an innovative platform, which provides services including product development, compliance, capital markets, sales, marketing and distribution.

Europe is currently the second largest ETF market in the world, behind the United States, with just under $700bn of assets under management.



McNeil and Bienkowski, who combined have around 50 years financial services experience, are the only management team to establish two successful European ETF ventures - ETF Securities and Boost ETP (which later became WisdomTree Europe) - from start up to exit.

HANetf is in the process of completing a seed funding raise in order to expedite the growth of the business.

Nik Bienkowski, Co-CEO at HANetf, said: We are incredibly excited about establishing HANetf. We passionately believe ETFs are the future of investment and still have a huge amount of growth ahead of them in Europe. By establishing Europes first white label business we will massively lower the barriers to entry for all asset managers who may look to issue any range of ETFs.

Every asset managers should have an ETF strategy, yet they do not necessarily want to deal with the cost and burden of setting up a full services European ETF operation, and we feel we are uniquely positioned to utilise our experience within the ETF industry to enable others to enter the market.

Hector McNeil, Co-CEO at HANetf, added: There is a powerful trend towards ETFs in Europe and asset managers will need to be able to issue passive, smart beta and ultimately active investment strategies in a timely and efficient manner to take advantage of this demand.

We believe we have a unique offering in Europe and we want to help any companies who may have thought the road to market too costly, time consuming or management intensive to issue ETFs under their own efforts.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:
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The Nebraska Supreme Court rejected a Lincoln mans appeal for a new trial for strangling his girlfriend to death in 2002, saying in an opinion Friday that a lower court judge shouldnt have approved DNA testing in his case.

Unlike most cases where inmates contend DNA testing on evidence in the crime could clear them of the crime, Randall Robbins hadnt argued someone else killed Brittany Eurek.

He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, in a deal with the state, and got 40 to 60 years in prison for it.

Rather, his attorney, Rob Kortus of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, had sought, and got, DNA Drug Reaction Profile Testing to determine if Robbins was a poor metabolizer of Zoloft, as some 10 percent of people are.

In 2015, the testing placed Robbins in a below-average category, meaning more of the drug works its way to the brain, making him more susceptible to side effects, such as the increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in teens and young adults.

Based on the information, Kortus contended that Robbins likely would not have pleaded to second-degree murder and would have sought an unintentional manslaughter charge instead or gone to trial had he known.

But last year Lancaster County Judge Steven Burns found Robbins wasnt entitled to a new trial and said there was nothing in the record to suggest he was experiencing a side effect of the drug when he killed Eurek.

On June 1, 2002, Robbins became enraged and grabbed Eurek around her throat and squeezed. Then looped a belt around her neck and held it tight for about five minutes, according to the evidence.

The judge said he had a history of physical aggression when he wasnt on Zoloft, and hadnt taken it on the day of the homicide.

Robbins appealed.

On Friday, the Nebraska Supreme Court not only said he doesnt deserve a new trial, but also said that he shouldnt have gotten the testing under the act at all.

Writing for the court, Chief Justice Michael Heavican said a logical reading of the DNA Testing Act does not allow a court to grant DNA testing like this.

Unlike the Beatrice 6 case, where the Supreme Court granted DNA testing, the test Robbins sought was on his own blood and couldnt exclude him from being a contributor to DNA found during the investigation into a homicide, the chief justice said.

Robbins admits he killed Eurek, Heavican said.

And, he said, the court finds no merit in the argument that this case involves an issue of identity because Robbins was a different person while on Zoloft.

Robbins' dose was doubled after his arrest without any ill effects, and his trial attorney testified that Robbins described Zoloft as calming him down and wondered then if not taking it the day of the killing caused him to be more agitated, according to the opinion.

Because the act is intended to assist in proving the innocence of a convicted person through establishing the persons identity, it cannot be said that evidence from the DNA testing probably would have produced a substantially different result at trial, Heavican said.

With that, the court found the DNA testing Robbins sought was not within the purview of the DNA Testing Act and sent the case back to Lancaster County District Court to be dismissed.

Robbins is serving his sentence at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.
Lancaster County Sheriff's deputies arrested two men and seized more than a pound of methamphetamine in an interstate traffic stop Thursday afternoon.

Capt. Tom Brookhouser said a deputy stopped an eastbound 2017 Dodge Charger for a traffic violation just after 3:30 p.m. near the U.S. 77 interchange.

Passengers Johnny Mack, 43, of California, and Gregory Broussard, 66, of Arizona, let the deputy search the car, Brookhouser said.

The deputy found two duct-taped tubes inside the glove box with a total of 1.14 pounds of meth inside, he said.

Both men were taken to the Lancaster County jail on suspicion of possession of meth with intent to deliver.
With some degree of cloud cover expected, your chance of an unobstructed view of Monday's total solar eclipse will quite literally depend on where you are at the precise moment.

Bryon Miller, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Omaha, said Friday morning that it's still early for forecast specifics, but Monday looks like "it's not going to be completely clear." But it's not going to be completely overcast over Southeast Nebraska, either.

The forecast at 1 p.m. Monday, when the total solar eclipse reaches Lincoln, calls for sky cover of 46 percent. Similar forecasts of 40 to 50 percent sky cover are common across the eclipse path in the state.

What that means is that a big cumulus cloud in the wrong place at the wrong time could obstruct your view, but someone a mile away with a different angle could have a clear shot.

"We've all seen on a partly cloudy day, you have clouds move over the sun, and a minute or two later, the sun's back out," Miller said. "That's what we're looking at could possibly happen on Monday."

And it's impossible for the weather service, or any forecaster for that matter, to predict what will happen over every point in Southeast Nebraska, even a few hours ahead of time.

The celestial majesty of the eclipse, however, could lend a hand in clearing skies by the time the moon totally obstructs the sun on Monday.

As the eclipse begins and skies darken, temperatures are expected to cool, which could lessen the number of cumulus clouds that normally develop on a summer day.

"Those clouds may disappear," Miller said, "because the sun is no longer heating the ground."
Hyderabad, August 18

Former Nasscom chairman BVR Mohan Reddy on Friday said it was very sad to see a good CEO like Vishal Sikka stepping down as the CEO of Infosys, and added that promoters have no say after leaving a company.

The company said Sikka, the first non-founder CEO of Infosys, has abruptly resigned due to the continuous assault and campaign by founder and ex-chairman NR Narayana Murthy.

Reacting to this, Murthy said he is not seeking any money, position for children, or power, while expressing anguish over the boards allegations that his continuous assault led to Sikkas exit.

Reddy said: It is very sad to see a good CEO leaving a great company for avoidable reasons. The promoters have no locus standi (right to interfere or have say in the matter) once they leave the company.

If something similar had happened in a Western country, shareholders would file class action suits against the company, said Reddy, founder and Executive Chairman of Cyient.

Even assuming that the 12.5 per cent create trouble, who suffers is the other 87.5 per cent, he said.

As of June 2017, the founders of Infosys are holding 12.75 per cent shares in the company.

Sikka resigned amid heightened acrimony between the board and the high-profile founders led by Murthy. PTI
Mumbai, August 18

The rupee edged lower by two paise to 64.17 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday on sustained foreign fund outflows.

Traders attributed the rupees fall to increased demand for the US currency from importers and banks and a lower opening in the domestic equity market.

However, dollars weakness against some currencies overseas limited the rupees fall, they added.

Forex and money markets were closed on Thursday on the occasion of Parsi New Year.

On Wednesday, the rupee ended with a modest loss of 3 paise at 64.15 against the greenback even as local equities put up a strong performance.

Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex plunged by 207.75 points, or 0.65 per cent, to 31,587.71 in early trade on Friday. PTI
New Delhi, August 18

The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and the Chandigarh administration on a plea seeking Rs 10 lakh compensation for a 10-year-old rape victim who delivered a baby yesterday.

A Bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also issued notices to the member secretary of the National Legal Services Authority and the District Legal Services Authority of Chandigarh and posted the matter for further hearing on August 22.

The minor rape victim, whose plea seeking permission to undergo termination of pregnancy was turned down by the apex court earlier, yesterday delivered a baby at a government hospital at Chandigarh.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, who is an amicus curiae in the matter, mentioned the plea before the bench which took it up for hearing.

Jaising told the bench that a compensation of Rs 10 lakh should be given to the rape victim as she was only ten-year old and cannot look after the child.

Referring to yesterday's apex court judgement, the senior counsel said the court had awarded Rs 10 lakh compensation to a rape victim whose plea for abortion was turned down.

"A 10-year-old mother cannot look after the child. Nothing has been paid to her so far," Jaising told the Bench.

On July 28, the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea seeking its nod for terminating the 32-week-old pregnancy of the ten-year-old rape survivor after taking note of a medical report that abortion was neither good for the girl, nor for the foetus.

The PIL was filed after a Chandigarh district court on July 18 refused to let the girl undergo the abortion.

Courts allow medical termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and can make an exception only if the foetus is genetically abnormal.

PTI
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 18

In a major relief for the residents, the Chandigarh Administration has decided to allow conversion of residential leasehold properties into freehold.

This was announced by MP Kirron Kher on Friday amidst the presence of large numbers of the BJP workers at the UT guest house.

Addressing a press conference, Kher said while the administration has allowed the conversion of the residential properties the demand for the conversion of the commercial and the industrial properties will also be fulfilled soon.

All the commercial and industrial properties are on leasehold in comparison to the residential properties which are mostly already converted into freehold.

The administration has kept the policy at abeyance since 2013 after the matter was referred to MHA for re-fixation of conversion charges.

Kher said Ministry of Urban Development has clarified in July 2017 that the power to fix the land rates for conversion of leasehold residential properties to freehold has been delegated to the administrator at the time of sanction given to original scheme in 1996.

Accordingly decision has been taken to fix collector rates to be used as land rates in the formula for calculation of conversion charges.

She said that a new fund Urban Development Fund is being created into which the conversion charges shall be deposited.

This fund shall be utilised in accordance with guidelines of the ministry. The projects related to development of urban infrastructure shall be funded from this.

Commissioner Municipal Corporation shall be administrative in-charge and shall be custodian on behalf of Chandigarh Administration.

He shall release the funds to the projects sanctioned and given approval by Chandigarh Administration.

Kher said that it has also been decided to calculate conversion charges for LIG/MIG/HIG/EWS/Cheap Houses on pro-rata increase done in land rates.

These rates shall be notified within a weeks time and after that residents can apply for conversion of their leasehold properties into freehold properties.
Barcelona, August 18

Gurdwaras in Barcelona are providing all help to the victims of "terror attack in Spain.

#Barcelona If anyone needs shelter, food, Sikh houses of worship in the the Spanish city are open for all #BarcelonaAttack pic.twitter.com/Etx7Uzc2Rl  Harjinder S Kukreja (@SinghLions) August 17, 2017

A van driver yesterday ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight, in which 13 people were killed and over 100 injured.

Harjinder S Kukreja, a Sikh man from Punjab, took to Twitter to inform people that Gurdwaras in Barcelona were offering help to those who are in need.

If anyone needs shelter, food, Sikh houses of worship in the Spanish city are open for all, Kukreja tweeted.

In his tweet, Kukreja has posted information of two Gurdwaras in Barcelona; Gurdwara Nanaksar Sahib located at 08903, Carrer Rafael Campalans, 23, 08903 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and can be contacted at +34 666 11 25 45, while Sikh Gurudwara Gurdarshan Sahib Ji located at Carrer de l'Hospitaland can be reached at +34 934 43 88 82.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed that there is no report of any Indian casualty in the attack. Indians, who are in an emergency, can contact the Indian embassy in Spain at +34-608769335.

"I am in constant touch with Indian Embassy in Spain. As of now, there is no report of an Indian casualty," Swaraj tweeted. Police in Barcelona have asked people around that region to stay indoors.

They have urged those concerned about friends and family to use social media, rather than cellphone calls to avoid overloading phone networks. ANI
Tribune News Service

Karnal, August 18

High drama was witnessed at the Panipat toll plaza, which was closed for some time, on Friday evening after supporters of a Zila Parishad member assembled to demand his release from jail.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Supporters of Deepak Tyagi, member of Zila Parishad, blocked the GT Road and pelted stones at Gharaunda police station over his arrest in an alleged case of altercation with employees of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN).

Several vehicles were stuck in the traffic jam. The police fired in air to disperse the angry supporters.

Tyagi had been booked for stopping employees of UHBVN to check electricity theft in Barsat village three days back.

Karnal and Panipat police were at the spot to pacify the protesters, but they were adamant on the demand of releasing Tyagi.

Heavy police force was deployed on the GT Road.

Later, the police pacified the angry supporters and persuaded them to lift the blockade.
New Delhi, August 18

The CBI has moved an application for conducting lie detector tests on those arrested in connection with the sensational rape and killing of a minor girl in Kotkhai area of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh.

The CBI sources said here the agency wanted to conduct polygraph tests on the accused as their statements were inconsistent.

The accused, including Ashish Chauhan, the first one to be arrested in the case, would be subjected to the test after attaining their consent, they said.

Read: Himachal govt orders CBI probe into Kotkhai rape, murder case 6 arrested in gang-rape, murder of Kotkhai schoolgirl Clamour for justice to rape victim gets louder Kotkhai rape: Suspect murdered in jail; mob sets police station, vehicles on fire According to the law, the test is conducted only after getting an approval from an individual. In case an accused declines to give permission, it goes against him or her in the court of law.

Meanwhile, the agency has examined over 100 people in connection with the rape and killing that triggered massive public outrage against the state government, the sources said.

Among those quizzed by the Central probe agency were kin of some influential officials of the state government, they said.

The case was handed over to the CBI by the Himachal Pradesh High Court on July 19 on the state governments plea amid public outburst against the state police. The CBI filed two FIRs on July 22.

The 16-year-old girl had gone missing after school hours on July 4 from Haliala forest in Kotkhai area of Shimla district.

Her naked body was found in the forest on July 6 and the post-mortem report confirmed rape.

The DGP constituted the SIT headed by an officer of IG rank, which arrested six persons. One of the accused was killed in police custody in Kotkhai Police Station.

The CBI had also registered the case of custodial death of one of the suspects who was a Nepalese citizen, it said. PTI
New Delhi, August 18

India on Friday said it will continue to engage with China to find a mutually acceptable solution to the Dokalam standoff, while confirming that an incident did take place between Chinese troops and Indian border guards in Ladakh on August 15.

We will continue to engage with China to find a mutually acceptable solution, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said replying to a volley of questions on the issue.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

He said peace and tranquility in the border areas is an important pre-requisite for smooth development of bilateral relationship.

Asked about the incident between Chinese troops and Indian border guards in Ladakh on August 15, the MEA spokesperson said, Such incidents are not in the interest of either side.

The incident occurred when land-based patrols of both sides came face to face north of the Pangong Tso (lake) in eastern Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir.

The MEA spokesperson said two border personnel meetings (BPMs) had taken place between Indian border guards and Chinese troops recently.

He said one BPM had taken place at Chushul on August 16 and another one at Nathu La a week before.

Havent received hydrological data from China

Asked if China has shared hydrological data with India in the backdrop of floods in Assam, Kumar said there is an existing expert-level mechanism, established in 2006, and there are two MoUs under which China is expected to share hydrological data on the rivers Satluj and Brahmaputra with India during the flood season of May 15 to June 15.

For this year, we have not received hydrological data from the Chinese side, the spokesperson said.

However, he added that it was premature to link it with the floods in Assam.

He also noted that in view of floods in Bihar, India was closely coordinating with Nepal, both at the Centre and state levels.

Asked about the reported comments of the Japanese Ambassador on Dokalam faceoff and if India welcomes it, Kumar gave a very guarded reaction, saying the remarks speak for themselves.

The Japanese ambassador was quoted in media as saying that no country should use unilateral forces to alter the status of Dokalam.

We recognise Dokalam is a disputed area between Bhutan and China and two countries are engaged in border talks... We also understand that the India has a treaty understanding with Bhutan thats why Indian troops got involved in the area, the ambassador had reportedly said.

Kumar also refused to divulge details of communication by other countries to India on the Dokalam issue. PTI
A bent trailer axle brought the Trump Unity Bridge to Nebraska from its most recent stops in Sturgis, South Dakota, and the Black Hills.

Kohler Trailer in North Platte found a way to replace the axle Wednesday afternoon, with donations from the community.

And then Rob Cortis and Ed Yelinek made their way to Lincoln, at the invitation of a Nebraska rancher they met on the internet.

They dashed from the Harley-Davidson dealership to the Capitol, past University of Nebraska-Lincoln sororities and fraternities, then pulled in for lunch at Jimmy John's across from Pinnacle Bank Arena before heading toward the Detroit area, where Cortis lives.

Standing by his Trump trailer, Cortis had nothing but nice words for Lincoln, which he posted in a live video on his Facebook page.

"It's kind of a cool town," he told his Facebook friends. "You have beautiful scenery, nice shops, and up and down every street leading to their stadium they have restaurants, bars, housing and condos. ... Lots of street art, so the Trump Unity Bridge fits in pretty good."

He liked the train station. And he said the chrome-colored arena lit up like a diamond when the sun hit it.

"It shines, it's beautiful when you're in the distance," he said.

At the Capitol, Cortis came across Janis Strautkains, owner of Lincoln Guards Security Co., who offered to provide security for him while in town, for free.

The rolling bridge displays TRUMP in large gray letters, along with American flags, a miniature Statue of Liberty, an eagle and signs that said All lives matter, Drain the swamp, Hire American, Secure Americas border and others.

"We're sharing our messages and we've gathered these messages from the people, from the fabric of America," he said.

On the trip, they're promoting the Mother Of All Rallies on Sept. 16 on the National Mall in Washington.

For those who don't like President Donald Trump, he tells them they just need to focus on one of the messages of unity they'd be willing to work toward to make America better. He believes he wins them over with his message of everybody getting along.

"It's not 'Work with me.' It's work together," Cortis said. "We're trying to unite America one person, one city, one town, one state at a time."

Even a young woman on the UNL campus, who may not have agreed, had a smile from ear to ear, he said.

Cortis, who works for a consulting business, says many people take photos of the trailer and are nice to the them.

Not everyone though.

When the Trump truck drove down 12th Street and passed the Panera Bread patio around lunchtime, some people, such as Susan North, got up.

She threw her fork on her salad, approached the truck blaring America by Neil Diamond, and flicked her middle fingers at the driver.

He said something along the lines of, God bless you, recalled North, who was visiting from Denver.

She told him, If there is a God, he judges you.

Her grown son, Keith, gave the Trump truck thumbs down and yelled, Youre not a patriot! as it drove off.

As a white woman, North said she felt it was important to call out evil  especially with the presidents hesitation to strongly condemn white supremacists after a deadly rally last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia.

It was a moral tipping point for North.

Ive been too polite for too long, North said. Im done.

The family isnt rooted in activism, but as a Lincoln resident, Keith North recently sent a six-page letter to Rep. Jeff Fortenberry to voice his disapproval of the president.

Trump is against everything Americans stand for, he said, and pointed to Trumps claims of election fraud and wiretapping in microwaves, conflicts of interest with his businesses, aggression toward the press and more.

He regretted approaching the Trump truck with hostility, however, saying he prefers civil discourse.

We need to rise above hate and selfishness, he said.
Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, August 18

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday directed the Uttar Pradesh government and Director General Medical Education to file a detailed counter-affidavit within six weeks on the Gorakhpur deaths.

The case will be heard on October 9.

A division bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Daya Shankar Tiwari passed the order on a PIL filed by activist Nutan Thakur after hearing state Advocate General Raghavendra Pratap Singh and counsel for the department of Medical Education Sanjay Bhasin.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Opposing the petition, the Advocate General said the state government had taken every possible measure in the matter. He also assured the court of all possible action as soon as the probe report is submitted by the Chief Secretary.

However, the petitioner argued that the state government action so far gave the impression that they were trying to hide facts and shield certain guilty people.

According to the petitioner, under such circumstances the Chief Secretarys inquiry would be eyewash.

She also emphasised the problem of private practice in state hospitals and medical colleges, seeking complete ban on that.
Agartala, August 18

Tripura Police on Friday launched a probe over a fatwa issued against Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Facebook, the authorities said.

After noticing the fatwa post on Thursday, an inquiry has been initiated following the registering of a criminal case at the West Agartala police station, West Tripura district police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told IANS.

He said: Police registered the criminal case suo-motu under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act. We would seek the help of cyber-crime experts to track the person. Saptarshi said the post had now been deleted.

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We would definitely be able to track down the account holder, but it would take some time. Earlier, a fake Facebook page was found in the name of the Chief Minister and the police traced the source to Indore, he said.

The fatwa said a cash reward of Rs 5.5 lakh would be given to anyone for being able to chop off the head of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

Using the name Ria Roy along with a girls photograph, the account-holder introduced self as an activist of the World Anti-Communist Council. However, there were no personal details in the profile section. IANS
Bengaluru, August 18

Talking candidly after quitting IT bellwether Infosys as its CEO and MD, Vishal Sikka on Friday said it was difficult to deal with unending allegations and said he has not decided his future plans yet.

"It was difficult to deal with continuous allegations and noise. At some time you realise it is taking a heavy toll on the company and also personally. It is an untenable situation," Sikka said from California over video conferencing.

#WATCH Live: Infosys press conference following resignation of CEO Vishal Sikka. https://t.co/cPL8R2P3OH  ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2017

In a dramatic development, Sikka resigned citing personal and negative remarks made against him.

His resignation was accepted and he was appointed Executive Vice-Chairman till a new CEO and MD takes over by March 31, 2018.

"As you know I started three years ago on this journey. Infosys is more than a company, it is an iconic institution," Sikka told the media.

In a related development, the Board elevated Chief Operating Officer U.B. Pravin Rao as the interim CEO and MD. He will report to Sikka.

"Sikka will continue to focus on strategic initiatives, key customer relationships and technology development. He will report to the Board," the IT major said in a statement.

IANS
Kolkata, August 18

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday congratulated rebel JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav for organising a meeting of opposition parties in New Delhi on Thursday.

@SharadYadavMP Ji congratulations for the event you organised in Delhi. We were glad to be a part of it. Unitedly we will fight for the cause, Banerjee said in a tweet.

Yadav had on Thursday rallied about a dozen parties at the convention in New Delhi and asserted that if people stood together, then even Hitler cannot win.

The convention, titled Sanjhi Virasat Bachao (save the common culture), was attended by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and senior leaders from parties like the CPI-M, CPI, SP, BSP, NCP, RJD, NC, JD-S and the RLD.

At the programme, Yadav had attacked the ruling BJP by raking up several issues, including alleged atrocities against Dalits and minorities, love jihad, suicides by farmers, deaths of children in a Gorakhpur hospital and the killing of soldiers at the border.

The rebel JD (U) leader, who has been removed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, has been insisting that he is the founder of the party and hence the real leader.

As the other opposition leaders called for a united fight at Thursdays programme, Yadav urged the youth and farmers in particular to make right use of their power of vote for a bright future. PTI
Washington, August 18

The US and Japan have agreed to advance their multilateral security and defence cooperation with countries like India, South Korea and Australia, amidst Chinas growing assertiveness in the Asia Pacific region.

We will cooperate to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and other southeast Asian countries, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters at a news conference here with Defence Secretary James Mattis.

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The news conference was also jointly addressed by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera.

(With) ROK (South Korea), Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries, we will promote more than ever before cooperation in security and defence, Kono said in Japanese which was translated into English.

The four top officials were interacting with reporters after the newly launched US-Japan Two Plus Two dialogue.

During the meeting held on Thursday at the headquarters of the State Department, the four leaders among other issues discussed the increasing challenge posed by China in the region and the need to enhance multilateral cooperation with other countries, including India, in the region.

The ministers highlighted ongoing Alliance efforts to advance trilateral and multilateral security and defence cooperation with other partners in the region, notably the Republic of Korea, Australia, India and Southeast Asian countries, a joint statement issued after the meeting said.

The ministers underscored the importance of cooperating to promote a rules-based international order, taking note of the United States continued commitment to maintain a strong presence in the region and Japans initiatives demonstrated by its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, the statement said.

According to the joint statement, the ministers strongly encouraged China to take decisive measures to urge North Korea to change its course of action.

Expressing continuing concerns about the security environment in the East China Sea, they reaffirmed the importance of working together to safeguard the peace and stability of the East China Sea.

Expressing serious concern about the situation in the South China Sea, they reaffirmed their opposition to unilateral coercive actions by claimants, including the reclamation and militarisation of disputed features, that alter the status quo and increase tensions.

Reiterating the importance of the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes through full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, including arbitration, they emphasised the importance of compliance with the international law of the sea, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, including respect for freedom of navigation and over-flight and other lawful uses of the sea.

The Ministers underlined the significance of continued engagement in the South China Sea, including through respective activities to support freedom of navigation, bilateral and multilateral training and exercises, and coordinated capacity building assistance, the statement said.

Tillerson said they discussed their concern about the security environment in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

The United States and Japan oppose any unilateral action that seeks to undermine Japans administration of the Senkaku Islands, and we reaffirmed that Article 5 of the US-Japan Security Treaty covers these islands. We also oppose militarisation activity in the South China Sea, he said.

Maritime disputes should be settled peacefully and maintain the freedom of navigation in accordance with the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea. We maintain our unwavering commitment to the 2015 guidelines for US-Japan defence cooperation, and we have instructed our staff to accelerate their implementation, he said.

Kono echoed Tillersons views, saying Japan shared its concerns regarding the situation surrounding East and South China Sea.

We reaffirmed that the Senkaku Islands are within the scope of Article 5 of the Japan-US Security Treaty, and that we would oppose any unilateral behaviour attempting to undermine Japans administration of the Senkaku Islands, he said.

For the peace and stability of East Asia and East China Sea, we will continue to cooperate with the United States. On the South China Sea, we have confirmed that we need to continue to engage ourselves and watch for any acts which would impede freedom of navigation, Kono said.

Under this severe security environment, under all situations, the alliance must secure seamless response, and its extremely important. And we agreed that we would properly examine ways to strengthen the alliance, he said. PTI
Barcelona, August 18

Drivers ploughed into pedestrians in two quick-succession, separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city, killing 14 people and injuring more than 100 others.

The emergency services said a woman injured in the Cambrils attack has died, bringing the total to 14 in both attacks.

In the first incident, which police qualified as a "terrorist attack," the driver of a white van sped into a street packed full of tourists in central Barcelona yesterday afternoon, knocking people out of the way and leaving 13 dead.

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Some eight hours later in Cambrils, a city 120 kilometres south of Barcelona, an Audi A3 car hit pedestrians, injuring six civilians -- one of them in a critical condition -- and one police officer, said the government of the Spanish region of Catalonia where both cities are located.

Police shot dead four of the Cambrils attackers and a fifth later died of his injuries.

They said they were "working on the hypothesis that the terrorists shot dead in Cambrils are linked to what happened in Barcelona".

While little more was known about the attack in Cambrils in the early hours of today morning, witnesses in Barcelona told of scenes of chaos and horror.

They recounted how bodies were strewn along the famous Las Ramblas boulevard where the driver went on a rampage as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic.

The carnage in a city hugely popular with tourists from around the world is the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror.

As world leaders united in condemning the carnage, the IS propaganda agency Amaq claimed that it was carried out by "soldiers" from the jihadist group.

Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run.

"We're united in grief," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona, the biggest city in Catalonia, a region in Spain's northeast whose separatist government is defying Madrid with a drive for independence.

"Above all we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us."

There were at least 18 nationalities among the Barcelona victims who came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency.

Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat reported three nationals had been wounded -- a woman and her two children.

Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night.

"When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP.

"There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners."

Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars.

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard.

"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.

Spain had until now been spared the kind of extremist violence that has rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

But it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest jihadist attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Police said yesterday that one of the arrested suspects in the Barcelona attack was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory on Morocco's north coast, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.

The Spaniard was arrested in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, the scene of an explosion in a house late Wednesday that left one person dead and seven wounded and is believed to be linked to Thursday's assault.

"We suspect that they (the occupants) were preparing an explosive device," Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional Catalonia police told reporters.

Thursday's attack drew condemnation from across the globe.

US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the United States "will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

France's President Emmanuel Macron -- whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people -- said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack".

The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first IS claim of an attack in Spain.

Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.

According to the interior ministry, more than 190 "jihadist terrorists" have been arrested since 2015, most of them for propaganda, recruitment for extremist groups or "glorifying terrorism". AFP
Berlin, August 18

One man was killed and another injured in a stabbing in the western German city of Wuppertal, police said on Friday, adding that the attacker was still on the loose.

We can confirm there has been a deadly crime. One man has died and another man is in hospital, a police spokeswoman told AFP.

The police said they were hunting for one or more assailants, but could not immediately provide more information about the circumstances of the attack.

The stabbing happened at around 12:45 GMT in the citys Elberfeld area.

Also in the afternoon, several people were stabbed in the street in the Finnish city of Turku, with police shooting one suspect and warning several others could be at large.

The stabbing in Germany also comes a day after 14 people were killed in twin terror attacks in Spain.  AFP
People are growing restless as some cities across the United States are keeping their Confederate monuments intact while others have removed them this week.

The debate on Confederate monuments has intensified since the weekend violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white supremacists and right-wing groups were protesting the removal of a Gen. Robert E. Lee statue.

Many public and private memorials and monuments have been vandalized following the clashes in Charlottesville. Here's a state-by-state breakdown.

Arizona

Jefferson Davis Memorial

A plaque commemorating Jefferson Davis at a state highway just west of Phoenix was tarred and covered in feathers, CNN affiliate KPHO reported.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is investigating the incident.

The Confederate Troops Memorial

A memorial at the center of the State Capitol in Phoenix was spray painted.

The memorial has been cleaned, but the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are looking for a man in his 40s who was wearing a black hat and was last seen riding a bicycle in the area, said Kameron Lee, a spokesman with the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Florida

Confederate Memorial Park

A private memorial park outside Tampa has been vandalized. The columns were painted red and some derogatory comments were written around the memorial, the Hillsborough County sheriff's office said.

The park, which is on private property, has been funded through private donations since 2009, CNN affiliate WFTS reported.

Illinois

Bust of Abraham Lincoln

A bust of Abraham Lincoln in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood was set in flames and defaced late Wednesday night, neighborhood representative Raymond Lopez said.

The bust was erected by Phil Bloomquist in 1926 when mostly German, Irish and Italian families lived in the neighborhood.

Chicago police spokesman Jose Estrada said the bust has been a target for vandals for years and couldn't confirm the damage was new.

North Carolina

Confederate Soldiers Monument

The Confederate statue at the old County Courthouse in Durham was pulled down Monday during a protest to show solidarity with anti-racist activists. Eight people have been arrested. They face felony rioting charges and misdemeanor charges for the damage, the Durham County sheriff's office said.

Durham County Sheriff Mike Andrews said additional arrests are expected.

Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee statue

The face of a statue adorning the portal of a chapel at Duke University in Durham has been damaged. It's positioned between statues of Thomas Jefferson and Sidney Lanier, a poet who served in the Confederate Army, CNN affiliate WTVD reported.

The chapel's facade includes the Robert E. Lee statue and nine other historical figures.

Duke officials are investigating and are reviewing surveillance video.

"For an individual or group of individuals to take matters into their own hands and vandalize a house of worship undermines the right, protected in our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion, of every Duke student and employee to participate fully in university life," Duke President Vincent E. Price said in a statement.

Philadelphia

Frank Rizzo statue

A statue of former Philadelphia mayor and police chief Frank Rizzo outside a city government building in Philadelphia was spray painted with the words "Black Power," CNN affiliate WPVI reported.

The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating the incident but so far no arrests have been made. The statue has been vandalized twice this week, according to WPVI.

Texas

A statue of Christopher Columbus was vandalized in a Houston park late Thursday night, the Houston Police Department said.

Spokesman John Cannon said the statue in Bell Park was defaced with red paint, which was dry by the time police arrived. It is unclear whether vandals thought the monument was a Confederate statue, Cannon added.

The Houston Police Department is investigating the incident but there have been no suspects as of Friday.

Virginia

Confederate soldiers statue

A statue honoring Confederate soldiers outside a courthouse in the town of Leesburg was spray painted.

The statue had graffiti and obscene language on the base of it, said Craig Troxell, a spokesman with the Loudoun County sheriff's office. The statue has been cleaned, and there was no permanent damage.

Video surveillance from a nearby street shows two possible suspects who are seen covering their heads as they walk near the courthouse at night.

CNN's Joe Sutton, Tony Marco, Artemis Moshtaghian and Tina Burnside contributed to this report.
Public Domain

The Aug. 21 solar eclipse will bring total or partial darkness to much of the continental U.S.  and with it, a potential traffic nightmare for drivers across the country.

While solar eclipses are a regular event, occurring, on average, once every 18 months, most of them happen across oceans or sparsely populated areas. This year's event is the first total solar eclipse in the United States in 38 years. The next may not come for another seven years. Vox.com has published a handy tool to find out how much of an eclipse will be visible from your zip code.

The entire U.S. will see at least a partial eclipse, but the sought-after total eclipse will follow a sweeping, narrow path from coast to coast. The potential for gridlock is even higher along the narrow band of total eclipse, which is expected to bring in floods of tourists to the 14 states along the eclipse path from Oregon to South Carolina.

In places like Kentucky, state and local agencies are preparing for the influx of visitors, asking people who must drive to plan ahead for any trips on the days surrounding the stellar event and to expect delays.

We anticipate that a majority of the visitors will filter into the eight-county region over the two or three days before the eclipse, said Wade Clements, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet district 2 chief engineer. Once the eclipse is over, we are expecting traffic issues akin to what Louisville faces before and after the Kentucky Derby or Thunder Over Louisville. We urge motorists to plan ahead before traveling to or through the region the day of the eclipse.

In Oregon, the state Department of Transportation is taking a proactive stance on the expected traffic. ODOT has already warned residents that the eclipse could trigger the largest traffic event in the states history.

Map: FHWA/NASA

The Oregon Motor Carrier Transportation Division is taking steps to ease the congestion by banning certain kinds of traffic and roadside activity, including blocking over-width loads in the state from Aug. 18-22, stopping construction and non-emergency maintenance on state highways, and warning truckers of the lack of available parking and hotel rooms. In other states like Colorado, similar bans on oversized vehicles have also been issued to prepare for visitor traffic.

Some trucking companies have announced plans to reduce business in the most affected areas, with some companies cutting service entirely, while others are trying to plan around it, according to a KATU report from Portland, Oregon.

Each state will have restrictions in place to address the traffic, so make sure to check with the transportation agencies in each of the 14 states in the eclipses direct path to prepare for the traffic crunch. The Federal Highway Administration has set up a page dedicated to the August solar eclipse with links to state agency websites, general safety tips, as well as information on the event. Its all a lot of preparation for an event that will only last a few minutes.

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet
Nothing unusual about finding cattle feed supplement bags on rural Nebraska roads.

But these bags contained 30-pound surprises.

A gentleman went down this dirt road and it was clear, Fillmore County Sheriff William Burgess said. And he came back about a hour later, and there was a paper bag and a cinder block.

Burgess is warning drivers to be careful after fielding two formal reports of cinder blocks inside bags  and seeing Facebook posts about more. To the south, the Thayer County Sheriffs Department issued its own warning after learning of similar incidents.

A driver may have the impression they are about to drive over a harmless sack or bag when in fact it is something far more dangerous, it posted on its Facebook page.

Both Fillmore County reports came from the Ohiowa area, a block found on a gravel road Monday, one discovered on a dirt township road Sunday. Neither did any damage.

In Sundays discovery, a driver found an empty bag at one end of a mile stretch of road, an empty box in the middle and a bag with a block at the other end. The road had been clear an hour earlier.

The culprit must work fast, Burgess said.

Its kind of like they show up and just, boom.

His department posted a warning on Facebook, and residents have shared their own reports about finding cinder blocks on rural roads.

As of Thursday, the sheriff didnt have any suspects. But he does have the supplement bag  Deluxe Milk Replacer.

This is weird. Its like people are trying to cause accidents, he said. Weve got people in the area watching out; hopefully, we can catch somebody.
OKLAHOMA CITY  House Minority Leader Scott Inman on Thursday said the Republican majority has no plan going into a possible special session.

We are worried that if they bring us back in special session at the end of this month or the first part of September, we may just be spinning our wheels because until they offer up a real plan, a bipartisan plan, I think the people of Oklahoma are going to look at it as wasting more of their tax dollars, said Inman, D-Del City, who is running for governor.

Gov. Mary Fallin on Wednesday said lawmakers must return in special session to deal with a $215 million shortfall after the Oklahoma Supreme Court said lawmakers did not follow the legal procedure for passing a $1.50 a pack smoking cessation fee.

Speaking during a press conference, Inman said House Democrats have offered the Restoring Oklahoma plan, which includes increasing gross production taxes and raising the income tax on top earners, among other things.

Inman said that it is doubtful Republican leadership can muster the needed votes to legally pass a cigarette tax.

If Republicans want Democrats to support a cigarette tax increase, Inman said, they need to offer up more than a Band-Aid on a bullet hole, which is all the cigarette tax is.

One option in special session would be to reduce agency appropriations to make up for some of the $215 million targeted from the tobacco fee to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, the Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

If the Republican majority wants to come back and not find recurring revenue and instead just cut DHS funding, cut funding for mental health and cut funding for hospitals in the state of Oklahoma, then they will have to answer to the people and their maker for those immoral decisions, Inman said.

Jason Sutton, a spokesman for House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, attended the conference but said McCall would not have a response.

McCall on Monday said his caucus needs to see the full picture before deciding on whether to return for a special session.

Two legal challenges dealing with state revenue are still pending before the Oklahoma Supreme Court, including a 1.25 percent sales tax added to the purchase of vehicles by removing the exemption.

The measure is expected to generate $123 million for the fiscal year 2018 budget.

Its constitutionality was challenged along the same lines as the cigarette tax.
Officials are working through the many logistics of finding a place to hold inmates in the Tulsa County Courthouse within a 30-day deadline imposed by the city.

But one day after the deadline to vacate a city-owned facility was announced, County Commissioner Ron Peters thinks the county will meet it.

Its not going to be easy. Dont get me wrong, Peters said.

On Wednesday, Mayor G.T. Bynum revealed a plan to open a city-owned jail in the space the county currently uses daily to hold Tulsa Jail inmates as they await court proceedings.

The space is in the citys Police-Courts Building, which is adjoined to the Tulsa County Courthouse. The city has used the area for jail space in the past.

Now that they must find space in the county's building, the first order of business for county leaders is deciding between space on the courthouses third floor and an area on the first floor that has been vacant since former Sheriff Stanley Glanz left office.

The new space would have to be outfitted for holding inmates while they await court proceedings, and that cost has not yet been estimated, Peters said.

Basically, were just now putting together a team, Peters said. I talked with (Sheriff Vic Regalado), and after our conversation, he thinks he can be moved in 30 days, no problem.

Aside from the actual location, the county is working on other logistics to reduce expenses, using the change as an opportunity to enact more efficient processes, Peters said.

One avenue that is being explored is the expansion of video conferencing so inmates can make court appearances without leaving the Tulsa Jail, Peters said.

Another change could be updating software for integrated city-county records systems will continue to work in the new space, he said.

Since no inmates will be staying overnight in the courthouse holding area, Peters said renovation of office space will be minimal.

No traditional prison bars are necessary for most prisoners because all will already be in handcuffs, he said.

Theres several offices down there (in Glanzs former office), so we can keep people segregated, Peters said.
A former band member playing with the Beach Boys Brian Wilson who was sentenced in 2016 to five years for raping a woman at a Catoosa casino will be released after serving 14 months.

Scott Montgomery Bennett, 51, of Los Angeles was convicted in Rogers County District Court of rape by instrumentation and sexual battery. A jury recommended that Bennett serve three years in prison on the first count and two years on the second.

District Judge J. Dwayne Steidley sentenced Bennett in accordance with the jurys recommendation in June 2016. The sentences were to run consecutively.

According to online court records, Steidley modified the sentence at a hearing Friday.

The judge determined that he could modify the terms of Bennetts sentence to make the three-year term concurrent with the two-year prison term, the records show. They state that Bennett would be released upon request with documentation of credit he received for good behavior while in Oklahoma Department of Corrections custody.

The victim of the rape was in court to oppose the modified sentence.

I feel safe knowing my abuser is unable to cause harm to anyone else at this time, her impact statement says. I do not believe this criminal should be granted any grace because he did not grant me any.  Anything less than his current sentence would be a severe injustice.

Her father told the Tulsa World after the hearing that we are disappointed, but I am proud of the courage, strength and class that she has shown throughout this.

Bennett will have to register as a class-three sex offender, a lifetime punishment.

We stand in agreement with Bennetts victim and her family that he should serve his entire sentence for the horrible crime he committed against an exemplary young lady, Rogers County District Attorney Matt Ballard said in a statement objecting to the sentence modification.

Bennett was convicted of raping the woman, then 21, after playing a show with Wilson  of The Beach Boys  at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in Catoosa in December 2014.

In a surveillance video that was shown at trial, Bennett can be seen encountering an extremely intoxicated woman at the casino. The images show Bennett apparently performing a sexual act on the victim after she had fallen to the floor in a hotel hallway.

The woman said she awoke with no idea what had happened to her and was told by police what they had seen on the video.
OKMULGEE  A man who was arrested after Creek Nation authorities raided his Broken Arrow property thats to be used for a dance hall, bar and potential casino appeared in tribal court on Thursday and bonded out of jail.

Wearing handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit, Steve Bruner stood mute in Creek tribal court in Okmulgee as a judge entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.

It was his first court appearance since his arrest Wednesday night, when the tribes Lighthorse police force stormed the Red Creek facility while serving a search warrant. There they reportedly found about 100 electronic gaming machines, 12 of which were fully functional, according to prosecutors.

The Creek Nation seized the property and allege that one of its autonomous groups  the Kialegee Tribal Town, which has attempted to provide gaming oversight at the Red Creek site  lacks jurisdiction over the land.

Bruner was arrested during the raid and booked into jail on complaints of possessing unlicensed gaming devices and maintaining an unlicensed gambling premise.

During Bruners hearing, the judge initially set bond at $500,000. Defense attorney Trevor Reynolds argued that Bruner, a Creek Nation member and lifelong resident of Oklahoma, was not a flight risk and deserved a smaller bond.

Prosecutors disagreed, stating that the fact there is another shipment of illegal gambling devices en route to Red Creek indicates continued criminal activity.

The judge sided with the defense, lowering the bond to $2,500. Bruner was instructed not to return to his seized property, except to retrieve his vehicle from the parking lot.

A formal arraignment was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 18.

Following the hearing, Reynolds told the Tulsa World the specifics of the complaint are unclear and appear to reference tribal statutes that dont allege a crime.

Theyre saying one thing, but the complaint references something completely different, Reynolds said. The statute mentioned in the complaint references definitions and how the title is to be construed. It doesnt reference a crime of possession of gaming machines or establishing an illegal gaming area.

Obviously we believe hes innocent of these charges, and well do everything we can to prove his innocence, but were just beginning the process.

At a news conference held just after noon on Thursday, Broken Arrow Mayor Craig Thurmond applauded the swift intervention of the Creek Nations law enforcement to halt gaming at the Red Creek site.

The property in question is on tribal land outside of the citys jurisdiction, but Broken Arrow leaders have adopted a resolution to make their feelings on the matter clear.

We were voicing our opposition with our resolution  we do not agree with illegal gaming anywhere in the city of Broken Arrow, Thurmond said. I hope the Creek Nation continues to monitor activities on their land and, of course, as a citizen of Broken Arrow, I hope no one else wants to game here.

The Kialegee Tribal Town, meanwhile, asked a U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to acknowledge the towns authority to operate a casino in Broken Arrow.

Citing treaties going back to 1790, the suit claims the Kialegees jurisdiction is equal and in some cases superior to the Muscogee (Creek) Nations. That argument is rooted in the historical composition of the Creek Nation, which was actually a confederation of tribes and bands when they were removed to Indian Territory in the 1830s. Traditionally, the Creek Confederation consisted of many smaller units called towns.

The Kialegee argument against Muscogee (Creek) exclusivity in the matter is similar to the one made by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in a decision handed by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals last week. In that case, the court found that an American Indian charged with murder within the boundaries of the old Creek Nation could not be tried in state courts.

The Kialegee lawsuit mentions the decision, but was written mostly before the case was decided or before the Kialegee legal team knew the case existed, attorney Dennis Whittlesey said.
BROKEN ARROW  The line of cars and trucks stretched down 33rd Street all the way to Kenosha Street 10 minutes before 9 a.m Thursday.

The doors had just opened at Broken Arrows newest elementary school, Timber Ridge, and parents eagerness to walk their children inside gave the new road a striking resemblance to the Broken Arrow Expressway at rush hour.

When those cars finally made their way into the parking lot, and the parents and students came to the crosswalk for the first of what will be hundreds of walks into the new school, they were greeted by Captain Crosswalk  a man wearing a neon green cape and a pair of oversized neon shorts.

That cape-clad crossing guard was David Cosby, the schools physical education teacher. He hails from Texas but had a slight Scottish lilt as he gave children high-fives.

Cosby said he is excited to work at only one site after splitting time between a pair of Broken Arrow elementary schools last year.

He added that he wants to build on the energy of the new academic year having a new school.

Principal Tiffany Green noted that the chance to build is evident  the school has fewer than 600 students but has the capacity for up to 800.

Both sides of 33rd Street leading up to the school are empty, save for the brush. Just down Kenosha, more than 200 acres are for sale. Neighborhoods could pop around the brand-new school in this rapidly growing suburb.

The new school is also something of a multicultural hub, one teacher explained.

Timber Ridge is an English Language Learning hub for Broken Arrow Public Schools. The school is about 29 percent ELL, the highest percentage in the district. Students from two other schools are bused there each day to so they can learn from the specialized staff.

Jennifer Betswood had four disparate languages besides English spoken in her class  Hmong, Portugese, Spanish and Russian.

One of those Hmong speakers, Shiane Vue, 7, worked to spell the word boat Thursday. She speaks English well and said she hopes to read and write as well as her brother.

With many students, Betswood said, the early focus is phonetic sounds, the alphabet and how to ask to go to the bathroom or sharpen a pencil.

The job is a challenge, Betswood said, but there are outsized benefits.

The growth with these students  it might take longer, but its immeasurable, she said. When they leave me at the end of the year and they can read and write and speak and listen to English, thats with them for the rest of their life.
A former Tulsan was a key player in an archaeological dig that may have found the lost city of Bethsaida, biblical hometown of three of Jesus 12 apostles.

Major media such as National Geographic and Newsweek are hailing the significance of the find.

While archaeologists and scholars have found most of the other cities and villages named in the New Testament, the location of Bethsaida has long been enshrouded in mystery and controversy, according to Steven Notley, who graduated from Nathan Hale High School and Oral Roberts University.

Notley, distinguished professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Nyack College in New York City, was academic director of the el-Araj dig last month on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. The dig was held by the Kinneret Institute for Galilean Archaeology at Kinneret College in Israel, working with Nyack College.

If this is confirmed as first-century Bethsaida, it is one of the most important finds for our understanding of the Gospels, Notley said in a phone interview this week.

It was the home of Peter, Andrew and Philip. Jesus is recorded to have been there on more than one occasion. So, from the perspective of Christian history, it has a major significance.

Mark 8:22-26 records that Jesus healed a blind man at Bethsaida.

Notley said the dig also uncovered remains of a Byzantine church, which he thinks could be the church visited by a Bavarian bishop who traveled to the Holy Land in the eighth century and described a church at Bethsaida built over the house of Peter and Andrew.

Location questioned

This summers discovery has special significance for Notley, who has been engaged in the search for Bethsaida for 17 years.

The find supports his long-held position that another nearby potential site for Bethsaida, called et-Tell, could not be Bethsaida.

Ten years ago, he published a scholarly article in the prestigious journal Near Eastern Archaeology titled: et-Tell is not Bethsaida.

That caused a huge uproar, he said.

Since then, he said, theres been a growing groundswell of doubt about the et-Tell claims.

In 2014, Notley was involved in a shovel survey, a sifting of materials near the surface at the el-Araj site. That survey showed promise, and a three-year excavation was organized for the site in the summers of 2016, 2017 and 2018.

This summers dig, going down 10-12 feet under the surface, back to the Roman era, found evidence that linked the site to Bethsaida, a fishing village in Jesus time.

Notley said it was amazing to make such a significant find in only two excavation periods of two weeks each, with only 20 volunteers.

The most important find was the evidence of mosaic tiles from a Roman bath house, he said. This indicated urbanization of the site in the Roman period.

He said it would be unusual to find a Roman bathhouse in a Jewish village, but it would be expected in Bethsaida because a Roman city was built there.

Josephus, a Jewish historian, wrote that in about the year 31 AD, Herod Philip, the son of Herod the Great, turned the fishing village of Bethsaida into a polis, a Roman city, which he named Julia, after the mother of the Emperor Tiberius.

Despite years of excavation, no evidence of a Roman city has ever been found in et-Tell, the other main site under consideration for Bethsaida.

Another problem with the et-Tell site, according to Notley, is proximity to the Sea of Galilee; et-Tell is a mile and a half from the lake.

Following the evidence

Bethsaida means place of fishing. It doesnt make sense to be so far removed from the lake, he said.

Im from Oklahoma, and we know better than to build a fishing village a mile and half from the shore, he joked.

His excavation at el-Araj, by contrast, is a couple hundred yards from the lake now as a result of recent silting. However, 30 years ago el-Araj was right on the shore, Notley said.

He said evidence they found also refutes the theory that the water level in the lake was so much higher in the Roman period that the et-Tell site was on the shoreline and the el-Araj site was under water.

Notley said further excavation will be required to confirm that the site is first-century Bethsaida.

As of today, I would venture that we have promising prospects. One never knows what you are going to unearth.

So adjustments in our understanding are expected, Notley said. During the archaeological process, there is no room to be dogmatic. We continue to excavate and let the evidence lead us where it will.

He said because of the success this summer the project will be extended another five years, and he will seek to double the size of his team to 40 volunteers and to stay for four weeks each summer, instead of two.

The more we excavate, the better our understanding. My guess is that we will know definitively after another season or two, but I cant be certain of this.

He works on the dig with a well-known Israeli archaeologist, Mordechai Aviam, who holds the license to excavate from the Israel Antiquities Authority. This fall they will work together on the scholarly writing on the project.

Notley said his work is not intended to prove or disprove the New Testament narrative.

I always remind my students that archaeology is a soft science. There is an interpretative process to reach the results.

Once the artifacts are removed from the ground, then the archaeologist must interpret their significance in light of what he knows about the artifacts themselves, information from related sites, etc.

Unfortunately many people consider archaeology a means to prove or disprove history, including biblical history. I do not see archaeology in this role.

Instead, archaeology is able to shed light on the physical aspects of the historical narrative. Used properly it has an enormous ability to illuminate the past, he said.
OUTSIDE WINCHESTER, Va. -- We were driving up Interstate 81 last Sunday afternoon, the radio on, the sun setting into the hills, when we passed a tractor-trailer truck, and saw Old Glory proudly snapping in the strong wind behind the cab.

Twenty-four hours after an avowed white supremacist, terrorist and accused murderer named James Alex Fields Jr. allegedly plowed his car into a knot of protesters in Charlottesville, Va., killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer, the sight of that flag seemed like a touching gesture of solidarity.

Then we saw the Confederate battle flag on the other side of the truck, also snapping in the breeze, as much an appalling symbol of racism as it was when the last shots of the Civil War were fired and Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse more than 100 miles away.

In 2017, it seems ridiculous to have to say this, but here we are:

The values of the flag of the United States of America, a beacon of freedom and hope to millions around the world, are not consonant -- and will never be consonant -- with the Confederacy, which existed for one purpose and one purpose only: to guarantee and perpetuate the enslavement of an entire race of people.

To fly the two alongside each other as if they are somehow equal, as if there is no difference between them, is an offense to the memory of those who died in the service of Old Glory and the values of pluralism and freedom it symbolizes.

To do so is an offense to the memory of Heather Heyer.

And it is an offense to the memories of Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, the two Virginia State Police Troopers who perished in a fiery helicopter crash on Saturday as they were assisting in public safety at the so-called "Unite the Right" rally.

There will be some among you who say the flag of Dixie is an expression of Southern pride and heritage, that the driver had the constitutional right to display the flag -- no matter how offensive it was in the wake of that tragedy in Charlottesville.

You'd be correct on the latter count: Bad speech, no matter how loutish or hateful, is protected by the First Amendment -- right up until the point where it becomes a threat to someone else's safety.

But, as to the former, there is no universe, no cosmos, no alternate timeline where that flag is a mere token of regional pride, as if it's as harmless as a glass of sweet tea and a plate of biscuits.

It's not. It won't ever be that.

Because it's right there in the black and white of the Confederate Constitution, Article IV, Section 3, which reads in part, "In all such territory the institution of negro slavery, as it now exists in the Confederate States, shall be recognized and protected be Congress and by the Territorial government; and the inhabitants of the several Confederate States and Territories shall have the right to take to such Territory any slaves lawfully held by them in any of the States or Territories of the Confederate States."

That's for you states-righters and lost-causers out there who continue to delude yourselves into thinking that the Southern states were merely rebelling against the economic hegemony of the North.

They weren't. They were protecting slavery. Period.

Batting back that hate is what brought Heyer and so many other counter-protesters to Charlottesville last Saturday, to peacefully shout down those who want to sanitize that history and perpetuate the disgusting myth of white supremacy and the hateful philosophy it espouses.

Look, I have no insight into the heart of that truck driver, so I don't know if he was a white nationalist. If he was expressing some kind of misguided regional pride, or if he thought he was being "politically incorrect" and defiantly sticking two fingers up to the protesters in Charlottesville.

If I had the chance to talk to him, I would have asked him why he thought it was acceptable to fly those two flags alongside each other. I would have challenged him on the values that the Stars and Bars represent and asked him if he thought they were somehow consonant with the values of this country.

That's because it takes all of us speaking up, saying loudly and unhesitatingly that the symbols of the Confederacy, its statues and iconography belong in museums and history books, not in our town squares, and not flying on our front porches.

This one's a no-brainer. We owe it to ourselves, to our children, to our neighbors, and to our country to immediately confront hate when we see it; to counter it with better speech, and to not stop fighting it until we banish it from our midst.

Yes, that's a tall order. And we may never be totally victorious. But that's the challenge that flag -- Old Glory -- poses to each of us.
Tulsa musicians and vocalists Mark Bruner and Shelby Eicher, who have been performing together more than 20 years, never had met until both found themselves at the infamous 1984 Independence Day celebration at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

It was a year after former Secretary of the Interior James Watt had triggered protests by banning rock n roll groups from the event. Reportedly, it was first lady Nancy Reagan who cleared the way for the Beach Boys, Ringo Starr, The Moody Blues, Three Dog Night, America, Hank Williams Jr., Roy Clark, La Toya Jackson, the OJays and Julio Iglesias, among others, to perform in 1984.

It was a monster concert, drawing an estimated 500,000 people. Eicher was there playing fiddle with Roy Clark, and Bruner was playing guitar with an up-and-coming Ronnie Dunn.

It was the largest crowd ever assembled in the U.S. at that time, and it was legit, it was huge, Bruner said. Both of our acts were booked by Jim Halsey and stayed at the same hotel in Georgetown. I first met Shelby over a drink in the hotel bar.

Our group never got on stage, Eicher said. The Beach Boys and Ringo kept going so long they ran out of time to get everyone on stage.

When Eicher was home for a break from touring with Clark in 1996, he started sitting in with Bruner at nightspots around Tulsa. The two realized they had common musical interests, and Eicher soon would leave Clarks band to form a duo with Bruner.

They played on multiple nights at multiple venues, as they do today, but they had their eye on a particular night.

We both had an idea that there was something unique about Sunday night, Bruner said. It just has a certain relaxing feel that no other night has. So we began looking for an opportunity to develop a regular Sunday venue to play.

They landed their first Sunday night gig in 2003 at Camerellis, an Italian spot on 15th Street where Luckys is today. In 2007, after they had developed a regular crowd, they moved across the street to the larger Full Moon Cafe.

It had a stage and lighting and the room was carpeted and sounded good, Bruner said. So for almost 10 years, we were able to really take our Sunday show into what it is today, which is a very diverse blend of music that has a wide audience appeal.

After Full Moon closed in August 2016, the pair played for a brief time at the Full Moon Cafe in Broken Arrow before it shut down.

As they say, all gigs come and go, Bruner said. We were ready to begin a new chapter.

As of last May, that chapter is being written at Soul City, a restaurant, music venue and pub at 1621 E. 11th St. Owners Amy and Kevin Smith had been closed Sundays before booking Eicher and Bruner.

We instantly loved the cool and unique vibe at Soul City, Bruner said.

Bruner and Eicher begin playing at 6:30 p.m. Sundays and usually go to 8:30 or 9. Their show has no cover charge, and the venue is family-friendly.

We think it is really going to work here, Bruner said.
A Colombian mother and her child speak to a UNHCR worker about accessing healthcare, legal assistance and humanitarian support in the rural town of Tucani in western Venezuela.  UNHCR/Pro S Films

GENEVA  UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi today honoured the commitment and spirit of humanitarian workers who daily risk their lives to care for those affected by violence worldwide, and who are often targets themselves.

I would like to pay tribute to all those of you who are operating in difficult environments affected by conflict and insecurity, and for your deep commitment and spirit, Grandi said in a statement to staff.

He made the remarks on the eve of World Humanitarian Day, which is marked on August 19 each year in tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world.

Humanitarians are frequently targeted. Grandi noted that in 2016 alone there were 158 major attacks against humanitarian aid operations globally, with a total of 288 aid workers killed, injured or kidnapped.

He stressed that UNHCR colleagues, many of whom serve in insecure deep field locations, or in urban areas affected by conflict, were among those affected  including three colleagues who endured 23 days in captivity in Darfur at the end of last year. Others were also exposed to harrowing incidents in countries including Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Many more are also operating in tough, insecure environments, with significant restrictions on their ability to move around, and managing the impact on their lives and well-being of exposure to daily risks, he said.

For UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, World Humanitarian Day is also Staff Memorial Day. Grandi said it was an occasion to remember our colleagues and friends who have lost their lives in the course of their work.

The High Commissioner also paid particular tribute to the contribution of the UN Refugee Agencys national colleagues, who, he said, are at the forefront of our delivery, and also of our efforts to build the community acceptance that helps enhance our security.

The theme of World Humanitarian Day this year is to reaffirm that civilians caught in conflict are #NotATarget.

To learn more about the life of a UNHCR field officer, follow this link.
Name: Adem Shaqiri, 41, from The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Job title: Field Officer, Yemen, in charge of providing protection and aid to internally displaced people, or IDPs, in six governorates.

Years at UNHCR: 10, working in West Darfur/Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, Jordan, and at headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Why did you become an aid worker?

Im from The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and during the Kosovo conflict I witnessed first-hand what its like to be displaced or a refugee. There were buses arriving in my village one after the other, every day for weeks. They brought women, children and elderly people without anything, just a few bags with their clothes, whatever they could grab when they left Kosovo. A lot of people from the village, me and my friends, were distributing food and water when the buses arrived. The idea of being an aid worker came from that moment when you give something away to a person that needs it. You see their face, the satisfaction. Since then I have always felt I should be a humanitarian worker.

Most rewarding/challenging thing about your job?

Three months back, I went to Mokha. We were responding to IDPs who were literally living under the trees in the heat. You can see the faces of people when they receive assistance, even if it's just a mattress and a sheet, because they literally did not have anything. But the challenge is that its never enough. The number of people in need is just too high. There are over two million people displaced. The most challenging part is that you cant help all of them. When there are two families in need, you have to choose the one that is most vulnerable.

Adem Shaqiri (centre, blue check shirt) negotiates with landowners and authorities to ensure immediate access to deliver aid to 300 displaced families at an informal settlement in Khamir, Yemen, in February 2017.  UNHCR

Returning from mission to Forobaranga, a remote town in West Darfur near the Chadian border where a UNHCR team was providing aid and protection to internally displaced people, September 2008.  UNHCR/Osman Ishaq

Relocating Chadian refugees from the Sudanese-Chadian border inside Western Darfur to the Mornei Refugee Camp, June 2007.  UNHCR

What was the best day that you had at work?

Back in 2012 I was in Tobruk, Libya. Refugees from Syria would arrive at the border, and I was there to deal with issues of access. I was told by officers that there were 16 unaccompanied children, all between 12 and 16, who were completely alone. When you see children in difficulty, you always relate it to your own children. I am very sensitive to that. We managed to get all these kids to Tripoli within a few days, and then we reunited them with their families. That was one of the happiest days I have had with UNHCR. When they saw their relatives again, they were so happy.

What was your worst day at work?

My worst day was working in one of my previous duty stations. National security officers had arrested a 15-year-old IDP who had stolen a sheep to feed his family. They had beaten him so badly for three or four days that he had internal bleeding. When I heard about the case, he was in the local hospital. I immediately went with the local government officials to try to have the kid transported to another hospital in the capital so that he could receive proper treatment. But the national security officer threatened the doctors and ordered them not to release him, even though UNHCR had paid for the transportation. I tried so hard to get this kid out of that hospital for two days, and at the end, the kid died because of the internal bleeding. If he had left the hospital, his life would have been saved. I still remember that kid. When I talk about him, I cry. But it is situations like this that push you, and make you more determined to do your job.

The UN Refugee Agency works in 130 countries helping men, women and children driven from their homes by wars and persecution. Our headquarters are in Geneva, but most of our staff are based in the field, helping refugees. This profile is the first in a series highlighting our staff and their work.
Touch not that statue of Robert E. Lee in lovely Charlottesville, Virginia.

Let it stand, keep it handsome and dignified, but around it place plaques telling the curious that the man memorialized there was a traitor to his country who went to war so that white people could continue to own black people -- to take their women and sell their children, rip apart families and, if need be, take the lives of the recalcitrant or the rebellious.

Lee is not a man to be honored. He is, though, worthy of remembering.

Lee should be recalled as a slave owner who would not give them up. He should be remembered as one who felt so keenly about slavery that he renounced his commission in the U.S. Army and enlisted in the Confederate one, whose purpose was to keep emancipation at bay.

I have the late Elizabeth Brown Pryor, author of "Reading the Man: A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through His Private Letters," to thank for setting the record straight. As I wrote in 2011, Pryor's essay for The New York Times gave us "a Lee who is at odds with the one of gauzy myth. He was not, as I once thought, the creature of crushing social and political pressure who had little choice but to pick his state over his country. In fact, various members of his own family stuck with the Union."

"When Lee consulted his brothers, sister and local clergymen, he found that most leaned toward the Union," Pryor wrote. "At a grim dinner with two close cousins, Lee was told that they also intended to uphold their military oaths. ... Sister Anne Lee Marshall unhesitatingly chose the northern side, and her son outfitted himself in blue uniform." Pryor noted that some 40 percent of Virginia officers "would remain with the Union forces."

So what is so honorable about Lee? What is so honorable about leading your men into a war that cost more than 600,000 lives and whose purpose was to retain slavery? What's a black person gazing upon a Lee statue to think? Here is a man who, had he won, would have kept that black person's ancestors in chains -- grandparents going back not all that far, maybe only five generations, as these things are reckoned.

This is like me having to gaze on a statue of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, an outstanding military leader in World War II, whose brilliance enabled the Germans to murder even more civilians. In the end, he turned against Hitler and was made to commit suicide. He didn't manage to kill Hitler. He did manage to kill countless others.

But it is the Germans, in the end, who know how to memorialize the unpardonable. Berlin today is replete with monuments and memorials to the Holocaust, even cobblestones bearing the names of murdered Jews and sunk into the streets where the Jews once lived.

The basement of the building that housed the Gestapo and the SS has been retained and converted into a museum called the Topography of Terror. It was once used for torture and executions. It is now used to educate. Millions have visited it. Few have forgotten it.

Elsewhere in Germany, former concentration camps are open to be viewed. I have seen most of them, each time wondering and marveling at the German families who tour the place, thinking ... thinking what?

I make no comparison between the Holocaust and American slavery. Both are blights on the two nations. Both say something about Germans and Americans that needs to be confronted. Germany has done so. We are only very slowly beginning to.

Keep the Lee statue. The old general still has work to do.
RACINE  Because of recent legal challenges to similar ordinances, Racine is making adjustments to how restrictive it is about where sex offenders can reside.

According to City Attorney Scott Letteney, just 3.7 percent of the citys housing stock is available to sex offenders under the citys current ordinance. Under the new ordinance, which was approved Tuesday night, that number would increase to 19.6 percent.

To create the additional 16 percent in possible residences, Letteney said the city is removing churches that dont have daycare programs and parks that dont have playgrounds from the list of places that sex offenders cannot live within a certain distance of. Additionally, citywide buffer zones for properties such as libraries and schools will be reduced from 1,000 feet to 750 feet.

The reason for the change is purely legal, Letteney said, adding that the Village of Pleasant Prairie lost a recent lawsuit challenging its sex offender residence ordinance, and it included 10 percent of the citys housing.

Our concern is that there is such a small residential area available that it wouldnt meet the constitutional standard, Letteney said. By increasing the percentage of residential properties, its more likely to pass constitutional muster.

Chicago-based attorney Adele Nicholas opposed Pleasant Prairie in the recent case. She said that academic research doesnt show that sex offender registry ordinances lower the rate of recidivism.

Evidence actually shows that these types of factors actually increase recidivism for some sort of offense because people are cut off from stability, Nicholas said. What these residency restrictions are doing is increasing risk factors and decreasing public safety.

Nicholas said the primary result of restrictive ordinances is increased homelessness of sex offenders.

Making people homeless in your community is not benefiting public safety in your community, she said.

Letteney added that there is no nationwide standard for how large buffer zones around sensitive properties should be and no state law forcing a Wisconsin municipality to have a sex offender residency ordinance.

If the city is going to have one, we want to do all we can to make sure its the kind of ordinance that doesnt cause the city to face legal action or constitutional challenge, he said.

The ordinance underwent significant scrutiny from the Public Safety and Licensing Committee, whose members discussed it at three consecutive meetings dating back to July 11. Committee member and 4th District Alderman Tracy Larrin said the committee wanted to ensure the ordinances language was clear and effective.

The ordinance needed to be worded correctly, she said. We had to make sure that the wording was correct and more easily understood.

Letteney added that the city doesnt have the constitutional right to deny residence to a sex offender.

No municipality may lawfully say no sex offenders may live here, Letteney said. Starting from that, we have to do what we feel works the best.
RACINE  Before going out to view the rare total solar eclipse on Monday, there is a plethora of safety precautions you should take to avoid permanent eye or property damage, according to Julie Dahlstrom, Physics and Astronomy Department chair at Carthage College in Kenosha.

According to an interactive map from NASA, the peak of the eclipse in Racine will be at 1:18 p.m. on Monday, and it will start to be visible in the area at 11:53 a.m. The eclipse should end at 2:40 p.m.

Though many people are aware of safety measures such as wearing specialized eclipse glasses or using homemade safe viewers, some will still unsafely view the eclipse, Dahlstrom said. Despite the eclipses totality in other areas, Wisconsin will only be roughly 85 percent covered, Dahlstrom explained.

In Wisconsin, its not going to be safe to view (the eclipse) with your eyes at any time, she said.

Unfortunately for those who would prefer to use glasses to gaze into the eclipse, most retailers are sold out of them; scalpers have inflated the price to upwards of $10 per pair  and most glasses only come in packs of four or five, meaning would-be eclipse viewers need to shell out cosmic prices for vital eye protection.

The cheapest five-pack currently listed on Amazon is going for $49.99, while more expensive bundles rocket right into the stratosphere with a price of up to $100 per pair. Chances are, though, no matter which option a buyer chooses, they will not receive the glasses in time for the eclipse.

Impostor eye wear

There has also been concern surrounding fake glasses that do not have the proper safety certifications, Dahlstrom said. Any safe pair of glasses should have certification marks printed on the side: CE or ISO. If the glasses do not have those certifications, viewing the eclipse through them could cause permanent retinal damage.

If youre not sure, dont use them, Dahlstrom said. She also warned against using older glasses than two or three years, because certification standards changed several years ago plus the materials do not have an indefinite shelf life.

Alternatively, Dahlstrom said, a nearly free way to safely view the eclipse is to project the suns image.

While projection may sound difficult, it is fairly simple, Dahlstrom explained: All you need are two rigid pieces of paper such as index cards. If a small hole is poked in one index card, it can be held up to the suns light; light will shine through and project the image onto the second index card if it is held close enough.

While the index card method does not allow direct viewing  the stargazer will have their back to the actual eclipse while looking at the projection  it is the overall safest approach, Dahlstrom added.

Telescopes can also be used for projection, provided they are properly sun-proofed. Solar light filters are a good option  they are placed over telescope or camera lenses and diffuse the suns light enough for viewing  but they are also expensive and hard to come by this close to the eclipse.

Cheaper Galileo telescopes may melt if exposed to direct sunlight; a glass and metal eyepiece is needed to keep it safe, Dahlstrom said.

Cameras are generally unsafe for viewing an eclipse unless coupled with a solar light filter. A digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera sensor will fry if exposed to the sun for too long and physical cameras will be rendered unusable, Dahlstrom said.

Safety is still key

Even if people are ostensibly safe with their eclipse viewing, they cannot just stare at the sun, no matter how much protection they have.

Eclipse glasses are only safe for around a minute of viewing before spectators should let their eyes rest for 15-20 minutes, and the eclipse viewed through an unprotected telescope is exponentially worse for ones vision than just staring at the sun, Dahlstrom said. As a general rule, she added, no amount of eye exposure to direct sunlight is safe.

It just wouldnt be reasonable to take any chances, she said.
UWs Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute Taps Technical Outreach Representative

Lon Whitman

The University of Wyomings Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute (EORI) has hired a petroleum industry veteran to assist with the institutes technical outreach efforts.

Lon Whitman developed and led outreach efforts for EORI from 2005-2011. Since leaving the institute, he has built a private consulting company, Premier Oil Recovery in Casper, focusing on enhanced and improved oil recovery and residual oil zone development.

Whitman, of Casper, is a UW graduate with a degree in petroleum engineering. He will work from EORIs Casper office. His technical outreach efforts will include corporate outreach, project development and relationship development.

After developing the institutes successful Minnelusa Consortium during his previous tenure at EORI, Whitman will advance the institutes technical outreach model of consortia by soliciting members, ideas and areas of focus for EORI. He will be EORIs representative at industry and trade association meetings.

Whitman may be reached at eoribiz@uwyo.edu or by phone at (307) 315-6441 (office) or (307) 760-0577 (cell). His address is 2435 King Blvd., Room B 49, Casper, 82604.

As one of the Centers of Excellence in UWs School of Energy Resources, the EORI facilitates meaningful and measureable increases in recoverable reserves, and production of oil and natural gas in Wyoming that may otherwise not be realized. For more information, go to www.uwyo.edu/eori/.
Wyoming Business Tips for Aug. 27-Sept. 2

A weekly look at Wyoming business questions from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (WSBDC), part of WyomingEntrepreneur.Biz, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming.

By Brett Housholder, Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) program manager

I heard the federal government has to award certain contracts to small businesses as well as businesses owned by women, veterans and socially disadvantaged individuals. How does this work? Sandy, Casper

The federal government has certain goals it has to meet each year, and its a big advantage for Wyoming-based companies because the vast majority of businesses in the state qualify as small businesses. Plus, many qualify as part of other groups that also receive preference for certain types of contracts.

These contracts are called set asides, and your business will either have to go through a self-certification process or an official certification process that is reviewed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to make sure the business qualifies.

There is a big advantage to set aside contracts because it means the pool of competition is limited to only small businesses, only woman-owned businesses, etc. Also, in Wyoming, several of these set aside groups do not have many businesses in them so it limits the competition even further.

There are five basic types of businesses that qualify for set asides: small businesses, businesses owned by women, service-disabled veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and businesses located in HUBZones.

-- Small-business: This ones simple enough. If the business is considered small by the SBAs Size Standard for the type of work it does, it qualifies for all small-business set asides. The federal government has a goal of awarding 23 percent of all contract dollars to this group.

-- Woman-owned: a small business at least 51 percent owned and controlled by a woman or group of women. This group also includes a subcategory for economically disadvantaged woman-owned small businesses. The goal for this group is 5 percent of all contract dollars.

-- Small disadvantaged: a small business at least 51 percent owned and controlled by a socially and economically disadvantaged individuals or a group of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. The goal for this group is 5 percent of all contract dollars.

-- Service-disabled veteran-owned: a small business at least 51 percent owned and controlled by a service-disabled veteran or a group of service-disabled veterans. The goal for this group is 3 percent of all contract dollars.

-- HUBZone: This one is a little different. The requirement here is that the small business is located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone and that 35 percent of the companys employees reside in that area as well. The goal for this group is 3 percent of all contract dollars.

There are many more details about each group and its certification process. Contact the Wyoming SBDC Network PTAC to learn more.

A blog version of this article and an opportunity to post comments are available at www.wyomingsbdc.org/blog1/.

The WSBDC is a partnership of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Wyoming Business Council and the University of Wyoming. To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu, or write 1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3922, Laramie, WY, 82071-3922.
MADISON  Following a grueling, nearly seven-hour debate, the Wisconsin State Assembly on Thursday voted to create an electronics and IT manufacturing zone, an incentives bill worth up to $2.85 billion to attract Foxconn to southeast Wisconsin.

The measure passed, 59 yes to 30 against, and state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, broke from his partys ranks to vote in favor for the bill.

This is not an easy vote for me, Mason said on the Assembly floor before saying he would vote in favor of the bill.

Both Democratic state representatives from Kenosha, Peter Barca and Tod Ohnstad, also voted in favor of the bill.

Racine and Kenosha counties are thought to be top-runners to net the proposed Foxconn plant.

Republican State Reps. Adam Jarchow of Balsam Lake and Todd Novak of Dodgeville voted against the bill with the majority of Democrats.

The bill next heads to the State Senate, although no date has yet been set for a Senate floor session. The Senate has until Sept. 30 to consider the measure.

Foxconn, a Taiwan-based company, plans to build a liquid-crystal display factory in southeast Wisconsin as part of a $10 billion capital investment. The location of where the facility will be located has not been announced.

Mason said the bill is not the deal he would have made and wished there had been some amendments adopted pertaining to environmental protections.

Because we dont know where the site is, we dont know what the federal governments role is, Mason said. I wish this was a bill that was a better deal for Wisconsin.

The right vote

In an interview after the vote, Mason said it was one of the biggest votes of his 11-year legislative career.

People want a shot at middle class wages again, Mason said. This is the biggest jobs announcement in southeastern Wisconsin that I can remember.

On areas like the environment, workforce training and protections for taxpayers, Mason said he wouldve liked to see more protections.

At the end of the day, representing the people that elected you is more important than political party or ideology, Mason said. When you you look at the opportunity that this presents to Racine and its workers, its the right vote.

The bill also includes $250 million for the Department of Transportation to fund local freeway megaprojects in southeastern Wisconsin.

State Rep. Tom Weatherston, R-Caledonia, said on the Assembly floor that nobody in the state is advocating for filling up swamps, the federal environmental rules still apply to Foxconn.

Weatherston said people from outside of Wisconsin will move to the state because of Foxconn.

I came here because there were jobs here in the 70s, Weatherston said. People are going to be doing that same thing; theyre going to be moving here. We need these jobs in this corner of the state.

Ripple effect

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who asked for bipartisan support during a press conference before Thursdays special session, said it was a good debate.

We will see the ripple effect across the state, Vos said. Nothing in this bill reduces a single environmental regulation.

Vos said some Democrats have Walker derangement syndrome because of Gov. Scott Walkers involvement in the deal.

When a huge opportunity lands in your lap, you have to say yes, Vos said. Not a dollar goes out the door until they (Foxconn) perform.

In an interview after the vote, Vos said the Assembly took a major step forward and he is happy the bill had some bipartisan support.

Im proud that the people who are directly impacted by it put their partisan politics aside and said lets do whats best for our region, Vos said. Im disappointed other people in Wisconsin couldnt do the same thing.

Throughout the session Thursday, Democrats tried to sway Republicans by mentioning that state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, has questioned some parts of the bill.

I have had conversations with State Sen. Fitzgerald and I am confident that he supports the proposal and is going to work to get it through the state Senate, Vos said.

Back to work

Now that the Assembly has approved the Foxconn incentives bill, Assembly members will turn their attention to the 2017-19 biennial budget.

Vos said negotiations will begin again.

They stopped for a little while as we each sat down with our caucuses to figure out the most important things, Vos said. I am optimistic that in the very near future the finance process will begin again and that well be able to get that budget passed by the September period.
Two men are in jail after a cocaine distribution investigation turned up more than 100 grams of cocaine.

20-year-old Shaye Terrill-Yaklich and 21-year-old Brandin Curtis are facing a charge of 1st Degree sale of a controlled substance.

A statement from the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office says the two were arrested after an investigation that spanned between the Leech Lake Reservation to the Beltrami County/Bemidji area.

Authorities say agents made multiple controlled buys from Terrill-Yaklich and Curtis which led to the seizure of about 73 grams of cocaine.

They also executed three search warrants in Beltrami County, and found an additional 44 grams of cocaine they say is tied to the distribution ring tied to both men.

The Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force was assisted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Leech Lake Police Department, Cass County Sheriff's Office, Beltrami County Sheriff's Office, Minnesota State Patrol, and Minnesota National Guard Counterdrug.
RACINE  The first information session for Start IT, a 16-week program aimed at getting 18- to 24-year-olds into the information technology field, saw only three attendants  but also netted three applicants.

The listening session, announced Wednesday evening in a press release, gave the few present Thursday afternoon at the George Bray Neighborhood YMCA, 924 Center St., the lowdown on the new program: starting Oct. 16, six hired participants will train in entry-level IT skills for 24-30 hours per week at $10 per hour.

Throughout the course of the program, the participants learn how to handle computer updates, antivirus and cloud backup for small businesses and nonprofits, according to Michael Polzin, CEO of Leeward Business Advisors, a technology and consulting company that is partnering with Racine County Workforce Solutions to present the program.

Southeast Wisconsin is primed to explode with IT job availability given the recent developments such as Amazon, Uline and possibly Foxconn, Polzin said.

Hopes to expand

A second session is supposed to begin soon after the first ends, but that is all the current funding accounts for. If Start IT proves successful, Polzin said, it should theoretically be self-sustaining after a year or two, allowing larger classes with more age groups.

The goal is self-sustainability, he said. The customers are paying customers, at a reduced rate.

No prior IT experience is required to join Start IT, and graduates of the program receive the nationally recognized A+ certification and credit at Gateway Technical College. The main prerequisites are critical reading, customer service skills and a willingness to learn.

In tech, you dont need to have 10-plus years of experience, he said, noting how quickly technology advances. Its not at all like you see in the movies.

After graduating from the program, participants could expect to make $24,000-$30,000 per year at an entry level position, Polzin said, but the skys the limit when it comes to a pay ceiling once IT workers move up the ladder a bit. Its not unusual for the highest-level IT workers to make up to $150,000 per year, he said.
Medical staff members and policemen stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017. (AFP Photo/Josep Lago)

Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run.

Witnesses told of scenes of chaos and horror, with bodies strewn along the famous boulevard as other people fled for their lives, screaming in panic.

The rampage in a city hugely popular with tourists from around the world is the latest in a wave of attacks in Europe where vehicles have been used as weapons of terror.

As world leaders united in condemning the carnage, the IS propaganda agency Amaq claimed that it was carried out by "soldiers" from the militant group.

"We're united in grief," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Catalonia where Barcelona is located - a region in Spain's northeast where a pro-independence movement has caused friction with the central government.

"Above all we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us."

Regional interior minister Joaquim Forn said 13 people had died and another 100 were injured in what police were treating as a "terrorist attack", warning that the death toll could rise further.

There were at least 18 nationalities among the victims who came from countries as varied as France, Venezuela, Australia, Ireland, Peru, Algeria and China, according to Spain's civil protection agency.

Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat reported three nationals had been wounded - a woman and her two children.

'WHOLE STREET STARTED TO RUN'

Las Ramblas is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, lined with shops and restaurants and normally packed with tourists and street performers until well into the night.

The deadly van attack took place on Las Ramblas, Barcelona's most famous street. (AFP/Iris ROYER DE VERICOURT)

"When it happened I ran out and saw the damage," local shop worker Xavi Perez told AFP. "There were bodies on the ground with people crowding round them. People were crying. There were lots of foreigners."

Witness Aamer Anwar told Britain's Sky News television that he was walking down Las Ramblas, which he described as "jam-packed" with tourists. "All of a sudden, I just sort of heard a crashing noise and the whole street just started to run, screaming. I saw a woman right next to me screaming for her kids."

Footage broadcast on Spanish television showed a white van, its front completely crushed, abandoned by its driver on a road surrounded by police cars.

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the vehicle speeding along the boulevard.

"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio.

Ethan Spibey, a charity director on holiday, said he and several others locked themselves in a nearby church. "All of a sudden it was real kind of chaos ... people just started running screaming," he told Sky. "There was kind of a mini stampede."

EUROPE'S DEADLIEST ATTACK

Spain had until now been spared the kind of extremist violence that has rocked nearby France, Belgium and Germany.

But it was hit by what is still Europe's deadliest militant attack in March 2004, when bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people in an attack claimed by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists.

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the van speeding along the boulevard. "It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC Radio.

Police said on Thursday that one of the arrested suspects was a Spaniard born in Melilla, a Spanish territory on Morocco's north coast, and the other a Moroccan named as Driss Oukabir.

The Spaniard was arrested in Alcanar, about 200 kilometres south of Barcelona, the scene of an explosion in a house late Wednesday that left one person dead and is believed to be linked to Thursday's assault.

"We suspect that they (the occupants) were preparing an explosive device," Josep Lluis Trapero of the regional Catalonia police told reporters.

In another incident on Thursday, police shot at a vehicle that forced its way through a roadblock in Barcelona after the van attack, knocking down two officers.

Belgium said one of its citizens had died in the Las Ramblas assault, while The Hague said three Dutch were injured and a Greek diplomat three nationals had been wounded - a woman and her two children.

Thursday's attack drew condemnation from across the globe.

Spain's royal family vowed that their country would not be "terrorised" by extremists.

'REVOLTING ATTACK'

US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the United States will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

France's President Emmanuel Macron - whose country has witnessed a series of bloody militant atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people - said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack".

A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the "revolting attack" and British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Twitter that London "stands with Spain against terror".

The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first IS claim of an attack in Spain.

Spain has emerged as a potential target for jihadists, with extremist websites mentioning it for historical reasons, since much of its territory was once under Muslim rule.

Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.

According to the interior ministry, more than 180 "jihadist terrorists" have been arrested since 2015, most of them for propaganda, recruitment for extremist groups or "glorifying terrorism."

On Thursday, the Radicalisation Awareness Network, created by the European Commission, warned that between 1,200 and 3,000 Europeans who lived with and fought for IS in Iraq and Syria could return home.
French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and his wife Brigitte Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris in July 2017 (Photo: AFP/Julien de Rosa)

French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and his wife Brigitte Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris in July 2017 (Photo: AFP/Julien de Rosa)

Speaking to Elle magazine in her first interview since her husband's election in May, the 64-year-old former school teacher also joked about the young leader's age - 25 years less than her - and spoke glowingly of their marriage.

Macron's plans to create an official status and job for his wife as first lady have been shelved in the face of a hostile online petition, but Brigitte said she planned to adopt the role informally anyway.

"Like all of those before me, I will take on my public role, but the French people will know the resources at my disposal," she told the weekly magazine, according to extracts of the interview which will be published in full on Friday.

Instead of creating an official first lady position - which would have needed a change in the law or constitution - the presidency has instead decided to issue a "transparency charter" that will make clear the funds and staff devoted to Brigitte's activities.

"We'll post my meetings and my commitments on the presidency website, so that the French people know exactly what I'm doing," she said. "What's important is that it is clear."

She is expected to champion the work of handicap and education charities.

Brigitte Macron also spoke about her unusual marriage with Macron, a former pupil in her drama classes at a Catholic high-school in the northern city of Amiens.

"When I read about us, I always have the impression I'm reading someone else's story," she said. "Our story is so simple."

Despite the difficulties their relationship caused - the mother-of-three divorced her first husband in 2006 - she said she had no regrets.

"If I hadn't made this choice, I would have missed out on my life," she said.

"The only problem with Emmanuel is that he's younger than me," she added.
MoF would add 10-20 per cent SCT on soft drinks to restrict consumption

A representative of Coca-Cola system told VIR that the corporation agrees with the spirit of taxation because Coca-Cola recognises that governments need revenue for constructing infrastructure and providing necessary services and the Coca-Cola system has consistently paid all taxes according to local laws.

However, Coca-Cola opposes the isolation of non-alcoholic beverages for the addition of special consumption tax (SCT). The discriminatory taxes conflict with the best practices in international fiscal policy of broad-based taxes with low rates and few exceptions.

At the August 15 press conference announcing the plan to adjust some articles of the Law on Tax, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) proposed applying an SCT of 10 or 20 per cent on soft drinks from 2019.

Soft drinks, including carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, instant tea, and coffee, would be subject to the SCT.

According to a representative of MoF, adding these soft drinks to the list of items subject to SCT aims to restrain consumption in Vietnam, decreasing the negative health effects caused by soft drinks.

According to MoF figures, 25 per cent of the Vietnamese population is overweight and obese. During the period of 2000-2015, the number of overweight and obese children increased eight-fold. This issue contributes to a large number of diseases, such as cardiovascular issues, hypertension, and stroke, and soft drinks are a major cause.

In Thailand, soft drinks have to bear SCT of 20-25 per cent, while the figure is 5-10 per cent in Laos and 10 per cent in Cambodia.

Three other countries in the ASEAN, namely Myanmar, the Philippines, and Indonesia, are also considering applying the SCT on soft drinks.

It is not the first time that MoF has submitted this proposal. In February 2014, MoF released its first draft Law on Special Consumption Tax that proposed a 10 per cent tax on carbonated soft drinks, citing several studies that pointed out their potentially harmful effects on human health. The ministry said that their consumption should be controlled in the same way as cigarettes and alcohol.

However, at the time, the proposal received pronounced opposition from both government bodies and beverage companies, and most notably, foreign beverage producers in Vietnam from the moment it made headlines.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment dismissed MoFs proposal and explanation as unconvincing, casting doubts on the arguments about the negative impact of carbonated soft drinks on consumer health.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade also expressed concerns that SCT would hit both foreign and domestic producers of carbonated soft drinks.

Finally, in August 2014, MoF decided to withdraw its proposalto table it once again.
Ho Thi Kim Thoa, former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade

On August 16, 2017, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed the Decision No.1203/QD-TTg to dismiss Ho Thi Kim Thoa from her position of Deputy Minister of MoIT. She will be reassigned to another task, but no specifics have been released yet.

On July 28, Ho Thi Kim Thoa submitted her resignation for personal reasons. On August 1, she handed in her leave of absence letter and since then she had not appeared at the ministry. During her off-work period, Deputy Minister Do Thang Hai has taken over her regular tasks.

Ho Thi Kim Thoa was born in 1960 in the central province of Nghe An, and she has been working in the field of industry and trade for a long time.

She worked in Dien Quang Lamp JSC from June 1992 at the Planning and Supplies Department. In 2005, she held the position of chairman cum general director of Dien Quang Lamp, and in 2010, she was appointed as MoITs Deputy Minister.

According to the conclusions of the Party Central Inspection Committee, Ho Thi Kim Thoas appointment of Trinh Xuan Thanh as well as other staff was found violating state regulations.

Besides, while serving as Dien Quang Lamps chairman cum general director, Thoa violated regulations and procedures on business equitisation and mishandled the loan interest of VND6.7 billion ($295,000) exempted by banks.

Additionally, she infringed on state regulations on land management when the company signed a contract with another company to invest in the land area at 12 Ton Dan Street in Ho Chi Minh City. She also failed to properly handle the VND30 billion ($1.3 million) collected from the transfer of land use rights.

Thoa bought more shares than the permissible level and her transfer of shares also violated the companys regulations.

Although Thoa is no longer chairman and general director in Dien Quang Lamp, she still holds 4.91 per cent of the companys chartered capital.

Moreover, her family members fill important positions at the corporation, including Ho Quynh Hung (Thoas brother) who is now chairman cum general director in Dien Quang Lamp, her daughter Nguyen Thai Nga who is a board member cum deputy general director, another daughter Nguyen Thai Quynh Le who is the head of the project department.

Due to Thoas scandal, Dien Quang Lamps stock (ticker DQC) has decreased by VND8,200 ($0.36) per share within a month, an equivalent of 17.2 per cent.

Even, when comparing to the price in the same period last year, DQCs price declined by 48.68 per cent. Thus, the assets of Thoas family in Dien Quang Lamp have declined by VND96.6 billion ($4.3 million) compared to last month and VND435 billion ($19.1 million) compared to the same period last year.

Also, her assets in the company also declined by nearly VND14 billion ($616,000) within one month and more than VND66 billion ($2.9 million) within one year.

Thoas huge assets make people wonder. Once, when talking with reporters, Ho Thi Kim Thoa insisted that she declared her assets in accordance with state regulations. However, the Party Central Inspection Committee said, For a long time now, Thoa has been declaring incorrect asset and income figures, which violates the regulations on asset and income declaration.

According to the Party Central Inspection Committee, Thoas violations should be considered for disciplinary measures. Nevertheless, no action has been brought against Thoa yet.
Mekong Capital and Traphaco

Vietnam Azalea Fund (VAF), managed by Mekong Capital Ltd., invested in Traphaco in 2007 and has continued to increase its ownership ratio ever since. At the moment, VAF is holding 25 per cent of the shares at Traphaco, second only to State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC).

In 2008, Traphaco was listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) and soon became one of the blue-chips on the market. While TRA shares were sometimes sold below par value in its early days in 2008, it is currently one of the highest-priced shares on the exchange, with the average price in mid-August 2017 being VND120,000 ($5.3) per share.

Currently, Traphaco is one of only two companies with investment from VAF, with the other company being Loc Troi Group JSC.

However, Mekong Capital has signed agreements to transfer all shares in Loc Troi, essentially completing this investment cycle. Specifically, on July 26, VAF sold 75 per cent of the shares in Loc Troi at VND68,000 ($3) per share to earn a total of $9.2 million. The fund also signed a deal to sell the remaining 25 per cent of the shares at the same price, which is expected to be finalised before the end of September.

Chris Freund, partner at Mekong Capital, said that the investment fund highly appreciates Loc Trois cooperation in the listing and divestment process.

Traphaco divestment plans

After VAF finishes its divestment from Loc Troi this September, Traphaco will be the only company holding VAF investment and the fund is eager to complete its divestment.

According to Vu Thi Thuan, chairman of the managing board of Traphaco, two foreign investors have recently approached Mekong Capital to discuss a share transfer, and it is likely that these investors will acquire VAFs TRA shares. One of the investors was an Asian pharmaceutical company, while the other was a European financial investor.

After the Loc Troi deal is completed, Traphaco will be the only company with shares under VAF's control

Details of the divestment process have not been announced, however, a divestment through share transfer will not have much impact on the price of TRA shares. Furthermore, a foreign pharmaceutical company becoming a shareholder will be of great interest for Traphaco, as the Vietnamese pharmaceutical company still wants to develop further both its professional capacity and market size, with the potential of expanding to foreign markets.

Now seems to be an opportune moment for VAF to divest since Traphacos business is heading in a positive direction. In the second quarter of 2017, Traphaco reported an after-tax profit of VND67 billion ($2.95 million), increasing 10 per cent compared to the same period last year, and an accumulated profit of VND117.4 billion ($5.2 million) in the first six months of 2017, increasing 4.6 per cent.

Also, Traphaco has relatively low debts, with total liabilities at VND302 billion ($13.3 million) as of June 30, 2017, less than a third of stockholders equity (VND1.07 trillion - $47.1 million).

The majority of Traphacos liabilities are accounts payables to suppliers, valuing at VND139 billion ($6.12 million) in total. The rest consists of other payables to workers, the national budget, as well as various short-term costs. The companys bank loans only account for a small portion of total liabilities, with a short-term balance of VND64.6 billion ($2.84 million) and long-term balance of VND8.65 billion ($380,600).

The low dependency on loans showed that Traphaco possesses a high level of financial autonomy and almost no payment risks. However, some financial experts have argued that this also means the company has not been able to fully utilise financial leverage to increase business performance.
PetroVietnam will wholly or partially divest all but three subsidiaries

Accordingly, PetroVietnam is permitted to retain its entire holdings in only three subsidiaries, namely the parent company PetroVietnam, National Southern Spill Response Centre (Nasos), and PetroVietnam Manpower Training College. PetroVietnam will have to divest part of or entire holdings in its remaining subsidiaries.

Notably, from now to 2019, PetroVietnam will entirely divest PVI Holdings, Phuoc An Port Investment and Exploitation Oil and Gas JSC, Green Indochina Development JSC, SSG Real Estate JSC, PetroVietnam Trade Union Finance JSC, PetroVietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation, and PetroVietnam Maintenance and Repair JSC.

PetroVietnam will decrease its holdings below 50 per cent in PetroVietnam Gas Corporation, PetroVietnam Transportation Corporation, Binh Son Refinery and Petrochemical Co., Ltd., and PV Power.

According to the newest information, wholly-owned PV Power has released plans to complete its equitisation in December this year.

Meanwhile, after having missed the deadline numerous times, PetroVietnam Oil Corporation, another PetroVietnam subsidiary, has yet to release the specific time for its initial public offering (IPO).

According to the initial plan, PV Oil was to conduct its IPO by the end of June, selling a 49 per cent stake to strategic shareholders, employees, and other investors. At the time the plans were announced, there were 10 strategic investors, including major oil companies from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Middle East, which have expressed interest in acquiring PV Oil stakes.

The Vietnamese government has asked PetroVietnam to resume the operation of its three projects that incurred heavy losses. These include Dung Quat bio-ethanol fuel plant, Binh Phuoc ethanol plant, and Dinh Vu polyester fibre and yarn factory (PVTex).

According to PetroVietnams business report, the group reported a revenue of VND247 trillion ($10.8 billion) in the first six months of 2017, up VND31.5 trillion ($1.3 billion) compared to the same period last year, including after-tax profit of VND13.1 trillion ($572.8 million), up VND2.6 trillion ($113.6 million).

PetroVietnam has contributed VND44.2 trillion ($1.9 billion) to the national budget, accounting for 59 per cent of the 2017 plan.
Leaving marks across Vietnam

Australian group Vietnam Industrial Investments (VII) was listed on the Australian stock market in 1995, and has thus far ventured into several business fields in Vietnam. The firm produces construction steel products, welded wire mesh, metal roofing sheets and structure steel under various brands, including THEP UC, Thep Viet Uc, Austnam, TBS, and VRC.

THEP UC Thep Chuot tui was founded in 1997. Its headquarters is situated in Hong Bang district in the northern port city of Haiphong, and it has five branch offices in Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

THEP UC core products are wire rod, deformed bars, and rebar in coils, with diameters from D5.5mm to D41mm.

In a nod to the brands Australian standards, a kangaroo symbol  Australias mascot  is embossed on every item produced by the company.

In its two-plus decades of existence, THEP UC Thep Chuot tui products have been and continue to be used in many of the countrys major undertakings, helping to cut down on imports.

The companys products have left their mark on the National Convention Centre; the Haiphong

Cement Plant; the Thuy Duong Plaza Haiphong building; the billion-US-dollar Dung Quat and Nghi Son oil refineries; Vinh Tuy bridge; Phu Dong bridge; bridges along national highways 1, 10, 18, and the Hanoi-Haiphong expressway; and the VietinBank tower.

Most significantly, the companys products have become the choice of millions of Vietnamese for building their own homes.

Beyond Vietnams boundaries, the companys products have made forays into top markets such as

Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, attesting to THEP UC Thep Chuot tui brand value and positioning in both the domestic and international market.

With the slogan Excellence in Quality and Services, THEP UC has become one of the symbols for Authenticity, Mastery, and Compassion.

Authenticity

The authenticity of THEP UCs products comes from the sychronisation of production technology and equipment, which strictly adheres to internationally recognised quality management systems ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO/IEC: 17025. These ratings are compatible with national technical specifications for the creation of quality steel products such as QCVN: 2011/BKHCN, Vietnamese national standards (TCVN), Japanese industrial standards (JIS), British standards (BS), and American standards (ASTM).

Authenticity also comes from the excellence in sales services and optical solutions on construction steel provision, as well as the professionalism, expertise, dedication, consistency, sense of responsibility, and loyalty of the employee team.

That is the commitment and aspiration of the investors and the company leaders which has set the company apart from other players in construction steel production.

Mastery

At THEP UC, mastery has been a core value of the companys 20-year development journey in the Vietnamese market.

The companys employees and leaders are also proud that

THEP UCs product mastery has generated firm and sustainable value for the companys production and business activities, while bringing numerous added values both materially and spiritually to consumers, distributors, partners, and company employees.

THEP UC was the first construction steelmaker in Vietnam to be wholly Australian-owned.

It was also the first steelmaker in the country to team up with Danieli Group, Italys leading provider of rolled steel production technology.

THEP UC was also the first steelmaker to succeed in designing and manufacturing deformed rebar in coils in Vietnam, as well as the first steelmaker to pioneer the application of quenching technology in the production of high-quality steel products in the country. It was also the first to roll steel billets of 150mm square.

This pioneering nature has given THEP UC a solid foundation from which to reach for further horizons.

Compassion

In THEP UCs people-centric philosophy, the company strives to ensure stable incomes and other allowances for its employees who commit to sharing with the less fortunate through the THEP UC Fund: Thep Chuot tui - Connecting Love.

This spirit has reached the companys customers and partners through various healthcare and vacation programmes in destinations both at home and abroad, helping to consolidate ties between investors, labourers, partners, and customers.

THEP UC has also joined with many organisations and individuals in their campaigns to help disadvantaged people living throughout the country.

Armed with the values of authenticity, mastery, and compassion, THEP UC has posted impressive results through its 20 years: generating 3.3 million tonnes in productivity and VND40 trillion ($1.8 billion) in total cumulative revenue, with VND1.28 billion ($58 million) paid to the state budget and VND29 billion ($1.3 million) to charity activities. Labourers monthly incomes average VND12 million ($545).

Ushering in a new development chapter, THEP UC is set on making further headway under the commitment: Bringing Australian values to Vietnamese lives.
Around 2,600 delegates from 21 APEC member economies have arrived in HCM City for the third APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM 3) which begins today. - Photo apec.org

The event, slated to last until the end of the month, will feature 75 meetings, seminars, and dialogues involving four committees and dozens of working groups of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC).

The Transportation Working Group will meet today for the 10th APEC Port Services Network Meeting.

Other meetings today include the APEC Network on Anti-Corruption Authorities and Law Enforcement Agencies, the Impact of Government Policy Instruments on Promoting New Energy Vehicles, Customs Best Practices to Identify Illegal Timber and Wood Products, and the workshop on Best Practices in Policies, Regulations and Flexibility for Resilience of Global Value Chains.

The APEC 2017 Secretariat has flagged three key activities: the High-level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Response to Climate Change in Can Tho from August 18 to 25, a seminar on Promoting Economic, Financial and Social Inclusion in HCM City on August 28, and a seminar on inclusive growth, which is a Vietnamese initiative and expected to promote the agenda for the 2017 APEC Year. The APEC 2017 SOM Chair is expected to chair the events.

The Ministry of Health will chair seven meetings on health-related issues during which relevant strategies and policies in APEC as well as action plans for special working groups will be discussed.

The event is expected to help promote Viet Nams initiative on inclusive economic, financial and social development through building a sustainable financial system for public health and a roadmap that provides all people with health services.

The meeting is expected to issue a joint declaration and recommendations which will be sent to the APEC Finance Ministers Meeting and the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting this November in Da Nang.

Within the framework of SOM 3, Minister Tien is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with US Secretary of Health and Human Services Thomas Price and Japanese Senator Keizo Takemin, and meet with representatives of APEC partners and relevant organisations.

Price is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Viet Nam on communicable disease control, elderly healthcare programmes and sustainable healthcare finance amid the transitioning global economy.
Viet Nam will conduct food safety control system which is equivalent to that of the US. - Photo vietstock.com

An announcement to this effect by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) on Thursday has belied fears and reports that exports of the fish could be rejected or cancelled in the coming time.

Reports of rejection or cancellation of Vietnamese tra fish exports has no basis, VASEP said in a note.

It said that tra fish exports to the US had declined in the first quarter due to a shortage of raw materials, but recovered in the second quarter with an 8.4 per cent increase, thanks to rising demand and increase in supply of raw material.

VASEP General Secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said while the equivalence process was not yet completed, it was prudent not to assume any possibility of Viet Nam not passing such determination or speculate on suspension of ongoing exports.

During the 18-month transitional period, both sides have worked out co-operative approaches to common issues in question and US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has also given close guidance on how to comply with its requirements, Hoe said.

He also said that while Viet Nams tra industry is well developed with substantial and stringent food safety controls, he is concerned that an import discrimination policy by the US government may cause unfavorable and unfair decisions against Viet Nam.

VASEP hopes that there will be solutions reached by the two governments not to disrupt free trade between the two countries, the note said.

In early July, the FSIS had announced that it would apply new import regulations for Siluriformes fish from August 2, instead of September 1 as stated earlier.

Under the regulations, authorised agencies in the exporting country must submit to the FSIS documents to prove that its food safety control system is equivalent to that of the US.

Following this, the Viet Nam National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) has provided guidance on inspection requirements regarding labelling, detailed inspection content, testing parameters for chemicals residues and speciation to establishments eligible for exports to the US (as listed inhttps://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/eb3720e3-221c-4928-a018-028df5cc28b5/Vietnam_establishments.pdf?MOD=AJPERES)

On August 15, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) launched Siluriformes Controlling Programme designed for Siluriformes fish and related products exported to the US market.

The programme aims to demonstrate equivalence and minimise rejection of fish batches exported to the US, thus reducing costs for enterprises.

Starting from September 1, 2017, the programme will apply strict supervision on all stages of fish farming, processing and exporting. Qualified products must satisfy 85 criteria of the US regarding veterinary medicine, 106 criteria on pesticides, four on dyeing chemicals, 17 on metals and eight in biochemistry.

In case a fish batch attracts warnings from an authorised US agency, NAFIQAD will request the seafood processor to trace its origins and investigate why it failed to meet food safety requirements. The department will also halt the concerned facilitys Siluriformes fish export to the US, while handling its violations.

NAFIQAD is also preparing a complete equivalence package to be submitted to FSIS on August 20, 2017. After that, FSIS will initiate the review process of the submitted documentation, and if the submission provides an initial basis for believing the country to be equivalent, FSIS will do an in-country audit.
A show of Ha Thanh Xam troupe

The musician granted an interview with the Thoi Nay (Present day) publication of Nhan Dan (People) Newspaper to share information on their the upcoming activities.

Q: What does the troupe plan to do in the near future?

A: During this autumn, the troupe will perform two important events including a programme themed Mothers kindness, on August 30 at Hong Ha Theatre, and a traditional musical programme entitled The soul of Vietnamese villages.

The programme Mothers kindness was organised for the first time in 2016, with the aim of creating a warm traditional music space and honouring traditional values in modern life. This years event will be organised on a larger scale and the tickets for the show have already been sold.

The programme The soul of Vietnamese villages will introduce the special characteristics of the traditional culture in the northern delta region. The programme aims to serve visitors, therefore, artists will be mainly introducing imstrumental music.

Q: Xam singing has been introduced at numerous spaces and programmes, from Dong Xuan market to abroad, from music lounges to concert halls and communal houses yards, as well as from TV programmes to video clips on the internet. In what form do you intend to release future works?

A: A few months ago, I received an invitation to cooperate with An Vien TV channel to produce a daily television newscast on traditional arts.

Buddhist culture is closely entwined with the nations traditional culture. One of largest and most important rituals in Buddist life is the Vu lan (Ullambana) festival - an occasion to express gratitude to our parents, teachers, the nation and the Three Refuges. Meanwhile, there are many Xam songs highlighting the kindness of our parents, however, I think that we have to enhance the creation of new Xam songs on this theme. In addition, the spread of stories imbued with the spirit of Buddhist dharma, as well as positivity and love through Xam signing is crucial in modern life.

Q: Over recent times, the group has performed in front of the King Le Thai To by Hoan Kiem Lake. Could you tell us about your efforts to bring the arts form closer to the audience?

A: We consider our performance on the pedestrian street as an opportunity to serve a large number of audiences, particualrly those from the working classses. The audiences who almost never miss our shows are the old people from the Hanoi Old Quarter, people from the countryside living and trading in the inner capital, and the old people from the suburbs and remote provinces. There were also cultural cadres from Ham Yen district, Tuyen Quang province who regularly traveled nearly 200 kilometres to come to Hanoi and enjoy the troupes performances.

Q: What did you do to raise capital to serve the groups activities?

A: The group has made great efforts to overcome difficulties in funding. It is essential to create a stable source of income for the artists in order to keep them attachment to the group, as well as this traditional arts form. The group had to pay great attention to create and preserve the artistic criteria for the shows to attract more audiences.

We are determined not to depend on other organisational units but to be active on our own. Therefore, we have made efforts to launch the programme The soul of Vietnamese villages as well as enhance performance activities and cooperation with possible partners.
Pussy Riot claimed responsibility for a group of protesters who took the field during the final World Cup match in Moscow on Sunday, indicating in a statement that the field invasion was staged to bring attention to political injustices in Russia.

Minutes into the game's second half, four protesters dressed as policemen ran onto the field at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, interrupting play.

Security personnel jumped into action and began removing the protesters -- but not before one of them managed to get a double-handed high-five from France's 19-year-old star Kylian Mbappe.

Play quickly resumed, and France went on to defeat Croatia 4-2.

In a statement posted to Twitter and Facebook, the Russian punk band and activist group called for political prisoners to be freed, for the arrests of opposition protesters to cease, and for the jailing of citizens for their social media activity to end.

They also demanded more open "political competition" in Russia. President Vladimir Putin has dominated Russian politics for years, and won his fourth term as President earlier this year.

The statement also made reference to the case of Oleg Sentsov, a Ukranian filmmaker sentenced in 2015 to 20 years in prison after being accused of plotting to blow up a Lenin memorial and the headquarters of Putin's United Russia party in Crimea. Sentsov has maintained his innocence, and is in the midst of a hunger strike.

Nearly 6 years ago, three of Pussy Riot's members were charged with hooliganism and sentenced to two years in prison for performing an anti-Putin protest song called "Punk Prayer" at Christ Savior Cathedral in Moscow.

One of them had her sentence suspended on appeal, but the others served their sentences until being released in December 2013. They have continued to be critical of Putin and his government in the years since.

CNN's Nathan Hodge contributed to this report.
The Ministry for Heritage has announced that three new interpretation panels have been placed within our Old Town in order to provide information on our Medieval History, namely our Islamic and Spanish Periods.
Its not just your imagination: Cardi B is everywhere. Photo-Illustration: Vulture

Debating this years Song of the Summer is futile: Its Despacito, Despacito  the teeniest bit Wild Thoughts  and Despacito. The predominately Spanish-language Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee smash, with the small contribution of Justin Bieber on its remix, is poised to become the Song of the Decade, breaking records at a pace contradictory to its title. But even as that song continues its record-breaking rise, another artist is having a very big summer: Cardi B, the 24-year-old Bronx rapper whose star power refused to be confined to Love & Hip-Hop.

Shes been rapping professionally for less than two years and with her debut single, Bodak Yellow, shes already scored a Top 10 hit, and has become the first woman since Nicki Minaj in 2014 to get a solo rap song in that coveted slot. Her entry into the Top 10 this week at No. 8 caps off one of the fastest, most controversial rap ascents in recent memory. The former stripper turned reality star turned Instagram comedian turned whatever the hell she wants to be now has a legion of fans convinced her rap career is more than a fluke. Were calling it: Cardi B is the Artist of the Summer, even if Bodak Yellow isnt the Song of the Summer.

Cardi Bs hood fairy tale began with a meme, a catchphrase, and a mixtape. She initially spun a career out of a cheeky 2014 viral Instagram moment where she confidently declared, a hoe never gets cold. This moment was a launchpad for hundreds of profanity-laced, smart-mouthed adages that would follow over the next couple years.

While on Love & Hip-Hop New York, which she outgrew after two seasons, she turned her threat If a girl have beef with me, she gon have beef with me forever into the genesis for Foreva, the breakout hit from her 2016 debut mixtape Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1. Just this January, she followed it up with Vol. 2. Both tapes displayed a frank attitude about her sexual appetite  the debut tapes cover art features Cardi getting head from a guy in the backseat of a car while sipping a Corona  and millennial-savvy ability to rake in schmoney (the Bobby Shmurda term shes repurposed) by branding her Instagram one-liners through songs.

In the music industry, attempting to convert such quick work into quicker reward burns out too many up-and-comers before they ever take off, which makes Cardis fast-track from local phenomenon to national obsession in a matter of months one of the biggest music stories of the summer. In May, Cardis vitality to the new guard of rap was validated in a BET Award nomination for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist  alongside winner Remy Ma and Nicki Minaj  proof her popularity had already exceeded a spot on XXLs coveted Freshman Class (which snubbed her two years in a row.)

Cardi had signed a major-label deal with Atlantic Records off the buzz from her mixtapes and magnetic persona, banking on the hit potential of Lick, featuring Migos Offset (a.k.a. this boy shes dating). From there, Cardis stardom has followed a trajectory foreshadowed in her independent-woman ethos: In mid-June, Remy Ma had Cardi B perform the classic women-only anthem U.N.I.T.Y. alongside Queen Latifah, Lil Kim, MC Lyte, Lady of Rage and fellow New York newcomer Young M.A. at Hot 97s Summer Jam, giving Cardi her blessing to be initiated into raps next generation, effective immediately. The very next week, Cardi dropped Bodak Yellow.

Its the kind of hit typically designed to work for men like Drake, a serial culture vulture, or New York rap guys like A$AP Rocky whove closed regional gaps with their Southern influence: The song lifts Florida rapper Kodak Blacks flow (credited in its title) and beat from his song No Flockin, and fires off quotables staking out her territory  Said, Lil bitch, you cant fuck with me even if you wanted to  with barely a breath wasted in between. Its video, released shortly after, places Cardi in Dubai  when shes not riding camels in the desert, shes sitting on a throne.

What started out as a No. 78 sleeper on the charts has since jumped 70 spots in less than two months, largely credited to a deftly executed media blitz. Just a week after Bodak Yellow, Cardi snagged The Fader cover and spent all of July keeping up appearances at clubs (all shenanigans chronicled on her infamous Instagram). Then, in early August, with Bodak Yellow clogging New York radio airwaves and spreading, Drake affirmed her international reach by bringing her out to perform the song at his annual OVO Fest in Toronto to pandemonium  just about his highest stamp of approval; Migos also let Cardi take over their stage at a separate Toronto festival around the same time.

But overnight success invites efforts to squash it. Shortly after performing with Drake, internet sleuths dug up old tweets where Cardi used a transphobic slur, and accused her use of the term roach as colorism toward darker black women. But half of Cardis infectious pull is her sincere transparency  she quickly thwarted the controversy with candor, reminding folks she had previously apologized for her transphobic comments, claiming she was uneducated at the time about the word. Cardi, who is Afro-Latina (born Belcalis Almanzar), also noted examples of calling herself a roach, and that the insult is common in the Bronx, regardless of color. When her male peers tried to discredit her popularity as the result of reality-star fame or her past as a stripper, rather than skill, Cardi hit back in May, saying, Just because I used to be a stripper does not mean that Im not fucking talented, my nigga. I sit down, I write my shit and I take my time in the studio, and everything I rap about is real life shit. (More recently, Cardi has also been adamant that she wont be baited into beefing with Nicki Minaj.) Shes ultimately come off each potential blemish unscathed.

Thank you #Momaps1 and thank you everyone for making #BodakYellow #1 on APPLE MUSIC A post shared by Cardi B Official IG (@iamcardib) on Aug 12, 2017 at 9:14pm PDT

Just two days before Bodak Yellow hit the Top 10, Cardi returned to New York to play MoMA PS1s Warm Up series in Queens and perform the song for the first time in front of her hometown. If there was any doubt of Bodaks total cultural penetration, thousands spilling out of the space screaming the opening lyrics should have silenced it. But the beauty in having a young multilingual artist with mass appeal engaging underserved fans  much like Fonsi and Daddy Yankee  means that just the next day, Cardi catered to a different side of her fan base, causing a frenzy at the Dominican Day Parade on her own float with the debut of a Spanish-language version of Bodak Yellow. This week, Cardi purchased a Bentley she cant even use because she doesnt know how to drive, but told the New York Times (the Times!) she felt all rappers worth anything should own one. Seeing any artist show off such a luxury might otherwise be off-putting, but Cardis commitment to a humble relatability (when shes not rapping), coupled with her genuine joyous reaction, makes it hard to hate.

All hype is cyclical; eventually, Cardis will deflate  though maybe not before Bodak reaches No. 1, or she has the same song charting simultaneously in two different languages. For now, though, the summer of 2017 belongs to a regula degula schmegula woman nicknamed Cardi.
Death Note. Photo: James Dittiger/Netflix

Death Note, Netflixs upcoming original movie, is the latest Japanese manga series to be translated to a Western market. The horror-thriller centers on a young man named Light, who finds a supernatural notebook that will kill anyone whose name appears in it. The beloved series first appeared in a Japanese manga magazine in 2003, and over the years, has been adapted into several TV series and films.

Death Note wont premiere on Netflix until August 25, but the film is the latest East-to-West adaptation to be criticized for whitewashing  casting white actors in roles previously played by or written as people of color. The film stars two white leads in parts that were originally written as Japanese characters: Nat Wolff as Light Turner (originally Light Yagami), and Margaret Qualley as Mia Sutton (originally Misa Amane). (Similar controversy has surrounded Netflixs Iron Fist, The Great Wall, Kubo and the Two Strings, Ghost in the Shell, and The Martian, among other projects.)

Director Adam Wingard initially seemed frustrated by the backlash, tweeting about what he saw as premature criticisms earlier this summer.

Just clearing up misconceptions.No one has seen the film outside of 2 test screenings.Criticisms at this point are based on assumptions. https://t.co/xI8AWXniOl  Adam Wingard (@AdamWingard) June 6, 2017

But speaking to Vulture last night at the New York premiere screening of Death Note, Wingard said he was open to the debate. Its one of those things where its a good conversation to be having, and it wasnt one we were really expecting, he said. It wasnt until the Ghost in the Shell cracked it open [that] it became a conversation. But by then, we had already cast all of that stuff.

Wingard also emphasized that his film tells a new story, and focuses on a completely new character. Its not just taking a character and trying to say a white kid is a Japanese kid. It is a whole new thing, he said. The characters are all very different and it is a different kind of experience all together.

Wingard added that he wanted to make a film that felt different than what had been done before in Japan. The approach, in some ways, was letting go of the original source material, he said. [It was] about creating a new experience out of it. This stuff has already been made into movies in Japan. The anime itself is an adaptation, and a lot of those things are on the nose, so this was a chance to reexplore the material in a new light.

Death Note producer Roy Lee (The Departed, The Ring, The Lego Movie) dismissed the whitewashing criticism, and said they simply found the best actors available. I think we got the right actors for the parts that were written, Lee told Vulture. We didnt look at race as a factor. We just did the version that was set in the U.S. There are remakes of U.S. movies like Sideways in Japan, but there was never a thought for them to bring in American actors to play the [characters] in the Japanese remake.

Producer Masi Oka, who famously played Hiro Nakamura on Heroes, emphasized the point that, in the Netflix version, the characters werent written to be Asian. The whole idea of whitewashing is putting white people in roles that were meant to be a different race. But this wasnt specifically a racially bound story, because it was set in America, he told Vulture. Anyone could have played that title role, whether it was white, African-American, Latino-American, or Asian-American. Anyone could have played that role. But at the end of the day, Nat [Wolff] knocked it out of the park, and he fit Adams vision for the role. He did an amazing job.
The Hitmans Bodyguard? Photo: Jack English/Summit Entertainment and Millenium Media.

A couple weeks ago, while reviewing the sub-B, Halle Berrystarring throwaway Kidnap, I marveled almost admiringly at the fact that anyone even made movies like this anymore. This week I had a similar feeling, though with a less positive aftertaste, for the late-summer dreck The Hitmans Bodyguard, so I guess this is the worlds way of telling me that, yes, they do make movies like this anymore. This does not mean that we need to concern ourselves with them if we dont want to: Unlike other bad movies of the summer of 2017, these arent symptoms of market bloat like Transformers: The Last Knight or corporate fever dreams like The Emoji Movie. These movies are the cinematic equivalent of metal washers or xanthan gum: Someone has to make them, they keep people employed, and you can go your whole life without seeing or thinking about them and get through just fine.



The Hitmans Bodyguard opens with what I can only describe as an ad for masculinity, some third-rateJames Bond, rich-spy fantasy complete with an attractive sleeping woman in the California King bed. Even as a heterosexual woman with no desire to own a gun, let alone a foam-molded wall of them, Im pretty susceptible to this kind of ultrabasic glamour. But throughout this entire yeahhhh whos ready for a real GUYs movie opening, all I could wonder was if director Patrick Hughes had seen any movies since the 2012 McG film This Means War (a better and more interesting movie than The Hitmans Bodyguard, incidentally.)

The gun-wall-having cool guy in question is Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds,) a triple-A rated bodyguard who makes big bucks protecting the rich and corrupt from assassination attempts. His success is in his meticulousness: His mantra is Boring Is Better, which is the kind of thing uptight assholes say at the beginning of movies like this. He loses it all, however, when a powerful Japanese polygamist (because thats certainly a type) hes been charged with gets hit by a snipers bullet. Two years later, hes doing low-rent security work out of a Ford station wagon when hes called in by his ex at Interpol for a job only he can handle: protecting notorious assassin and the former bane of his existence Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson), the kind of name that only could have been dreamed up by a man who just finished his second screenplay. Kincaid is needed at the Hague to give his testimony at the trial of a genocidal dictator (wow, this got dark), and the world cant afford to have him taken out first.

Well, youre never going to guess, but these two guys, Bryce and Kincaid? They just do not see eye to eye! As they make their way on their wackadoo Eurotrip (yes, they do get picked up by a van full of nuns at one point), Kincaids devil-may-care attitude and appetite for violence makes boy scout Bryce just about blow his little top. But Kincaid may also be able to teach him a thing or two about living in the moment, and acting from the heart. Maybe, if he takes Kincaids advice, hell even be able to get the Interpol lady back into his bed, smiling and asleep once again.

The whole film feels slightly grubby and low-res, like its been languishing in private mode on the filmmakers pre-HD YouTube page since 2008. There is also a weird digital haze that covers many of the exterior shots, as if to cover up the stitching of composite shots set on location in Amsterdam, or perhaps to protect the vanity of the two leading men. The effect was something like movie Klonopin; minutes after leaving the theater, I was hard pressed to remember a single image from the film, despite taking copious notes. Only a flashback of Darius meeting his wife (Salma Hayek, whos giving so much gusto to the kind of part Im sure shes dead bored of playing) in a Mexican bar, and her beating up a room of leches to the tune of Lionel Richies Hello, remained. It was cute. I smiled, and thought, In a week, it will be like none of this ever happened.
Hollywood commuters: If a group of people in wigs led by two strange men danced in front of you at an intersection recently, now you know why. After performing Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, and Grease on a crosswalk, James Corden gets political with Hair, and recruits Lin-Manuel Miranda to help out and wear a whole lot of wigs. By the time they get to Let the Sunshine In, Miranda and Corden really commit to stripping down, and baring it all for the drivers stopped at the red light. And they say Los Angeles has no culture!
Marvels The Defenders The H Word Season 1 Episode 1 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next   Previous Episode Next Episode  Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones. Photo: Sarah Shatz/Netflix

Hero is your word, not mine, Luke Cage (Mike Colter) says to a young man caught in a dangerous work situation in the premiere of Marvels The Defenders, and throughout the episode, the shows would-be superteam tries to distance itself from the idea that they are heroes within their community.

Fresh out of a second stint in Seagate Prison, Luke is referred to as the hero of Harlem, and even though he pushes back against the label, he wastes no time getting back to action helping the people in his neighborhood. Meanwhile, attorney Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is feeling the pull of the vigilante lifestyle, but after seeing what his secret identity as the devil of Hells Kitchen did to his personal life, hes staying out of his red Daredevil costume and sticking to courtroom justice. And then theres Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), who doesnt even want to hear the H-word. Shes drinking away her sorrows after killing the man who destroyed her life, and her private-investigation practice is on hold indefinitely. These three characters are at the core of The Defenders, and even though theyre trying to keep out of the superhero life, there are evil forces within New York City that will inevitably pull them back in.

If youre expecting to see Marvels street-level heroes team up in the first episode of The Defenders, prepare to be disappointed. This eight-episode miniseries brings the leads of Marvels Netflix series together against a common foe, but first, its catching viewers up on who these characters are, where their stories left off, and what kind of enemy theyll be fighting. This premiere episode sets the stage for the conflict to come, providing a crash course on this corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for any viewers who havent watched the 65 episodes of the four series leading to this point.

Theres another main hero in The Defenders, but Danny the Immortal Iron Fist Rand (Finn Jones) is largely in the background of this episode. The premiere opens with a sewer fight between Danny and a shadowy female assailant  later revealed to be Elektra (Elodie Yung), resurrected after her death in Daredevils second season  and this sequence has characteristics that will be familiar to Iron Fist viewers, including nondescript production design, choppy editing that robs the action of its impact, and a performance from Jones that fails to capture the intensity of the situation.

Of the four lead actors, Jones has the biggest challenge as he tries to internalize the fantastic elements of Dannys backstory. He has to make the audience believe that Danny overcame severe childhood trauma by being trained by monks in an ancient, hidden city, and in both Iron Fist and The Defenders, the reality of Dannys circumstances fails to come through in Joness superficial performance. Hell play emotions like frustration, terror, and guilt, but these are always very broad, bordering on cartoonish. This could partially be the fault of the writing and S.J. Clarksons direction, which generally doesnt strive for subtlety, but Colter, Cox, and Ritter are able to bring convincing nuance to their performances, grounding their characters in ways that Jones does not.

Judging by how The H Word is divided among the four leads, its safe to say that co-showrunners Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez, who wrote the episode, realize that Iron Fist is the least compelling of the four solo series. Danny and his colleague, Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick), are sidelined for most of this episode, and after that initial fight, they only appear in two more scenes: the first is a recap of Dannys history and his mission to track down the Hand, the villainous organization trying to start a war in New York City; and the second has Danny and Colleen returning to New York City, just in time for the Hand to make their next big move.

While Luke, Matt, and Jessicas stories explore their relationships with the communities they live in, Dannys story is entirely focused on the Hand, distancing him from his fellow heroes to the point where he feels like an afterthought. Theres such a long gap between Danny and Colleens airplane scenes that I forgot they were even part of the show. I could say that the script should be better balanced, but I dont actually want to spend more time with Danny. As the Netflix show that ended most recently, Iron Fist is also going to be the freshest in viewers minds  if theyve watched it, that is  so this episode can spend less time filling people in on what Danny and Colleen have been up to in the interim.

Its been more than a year since Matt and Jessica were onscreen, and almost a year since Lukes last appearance, so it makes sense that they would get the most attention in this premiere. The visuals of this episode change depending on the character, particularly with regard to color palette: Matts scenes have strong red elements because he cant escape the devil inside him, Jessicas are a pale-blue that reinforces her chilly disposition, and Lukes have an aggressive amber filter that adds heat to the Harlem environment and closely ties him to his neighborhood thanks to his signature yellow T-shirt. (That T-shirt comes off when Luke reunites with Rosario Dawsons Claire Temple in a scene that reminds viewers these shows are a lot more liberal with sexual content than their big-screen cousins.)

Luke and Jessica dont know anything about the Hand yet, but their plots have them stumbling into situations that will lead them to the Big Bad. Luke wants to find out who is using Harlems youth as late-night couriers, and despite her initial reluctance, Jessica starts investigating a missing architect when she receives a phone call telling her not to pursue the case. Theres something strange going on, and things only gets weirder when an earthquake hits New York City, promising even greater peril on the horizon. The premiere ends with Matt Murdock in his apartment taking in the sounds of a panicking city, and even though hes trying to leave his Daredevil past behind him, he cant ignore the swell of people crying out for help. Theres no doubt hes about to leap back into action, but getting back into hero mode will cause even more trouble for Matt once he realizes that his ex-girlfriend is alive and working with the people who want to destroy his city.

Ive had major issues with the Hand as the major villain across Marvels Netflix shows, largely because theres not much pathos behind a group of evil ninjas that has infiltrated corporations and governments around the world. The Hand needs more complexity to be a captivating antagonist in such a long, serialized story, and while Iron Fist took some steps to add more depth to the organization, the Hand was still lacking an emotional anchor that makes the audience understand its motivations and empathize with its members. Enter Sigourney Weaver. Her character goes unnamed in this first episode, but we know shes a powerful member of the Hand  powerful enough to puts plans in action that arent supposed to happen for months  and we know that shes dying.

Weavers character is introduced visiting a hospital for an MRI, wearing a dramatic white coat like a suit of armor that she removes before her medical examination. (Costume designer Stephanie Maslansky gives Weaver some serious looks in this episode, and I love the regality of her wardrobe.) She exudes power and confidence in the company of others, even when shes being given test results that confirm her quickly impending death, but theres a deeper vulnerability that comes out when she is alone. The most powerful moment with this character is a single shot after she takes off her coat and jewelry and leans against a window for support. Clarkson frames the shot from the other side of the window, and even though Weaver is behind foggy glass, her exhaustion and desperation in this moment is crystal clear.

A big strength of these shows is that theyve created villains with more dimension than the bad guys in superhero movies. Characters like Daredevils Wilson Fisk and Frank Castle, Jessica Joness Kilgrave, and Luke Cages Cottonmouth and Mariah Dillard were as interesting as the lead heroes, and those series benefited from this attention given to the inner workings of the antagonists. (Iron Fist didnt fare especially well on the villain front, although it did give Wai Ching Ho more to do as the intimidatingly calm Madame Gao, who appears in The Defenders.) With an iconic actress like Weaver in the lead villain role, The Defenders has the potential to deliver another riveting addition to this list, but its too early to tell if her character will be given material that takes full advantage of her immense acting talent.
Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear. Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for CBGB

Eight months into whats shaping up to be one of the strangest years on record, its hard to shake the sense each morning that literally anything is possible. You might wake up to news of a clandestine vote to revoke health care, or catty government in-fighting, or heartless domestic terror, or the palpable threat of nuclear cataclysm. Its hard to find a precedent for this round-the-clock theater of the grotesque and profane; doomsayers speak of 1930s Europe, but the current culture of citizen documentarians, voyeurism, and ease of access to images of worldwide calamity doesnt quite match anything in a history book. The pure recklessness of it feels like television. I keep returning to the Twilight Zone episode The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, where extraterrestrials descend on a suburban cul de sac sight unseen and switch the power off. The ensuing panic leads to distrustful squabbling, which devolves into a denouement of vandalism and murder. Human decency, it turns out, can be shucked as cleanly and quickly as shrimp shells.

The new Grizzly Bear album, Painted Ruins, expresses disorder as a textural experience, a battery of perplexing sounds, tastes, and sights. Its wracked with images of life during wartime, the distant shots and passing trucks of Mourning Sound, the great thundering noise and planes flying overhead of Four Cypresses, and the great disaster and shocking sight of Aquarian. The calamity hinted at in the lyrics isnt whats jarring, though; its people accepting ruin as a fact of the universe and rearranging their lives around it. When logic and decency fail, simple survival is political. Grizzly Bear is too slippery a group of writers to traffic in deliberate political commentary on record, but the disconcerting nearness of oblivion coloring many of these songs is a surprising about-face from the more impressionistic lyrics of Grizzly Bear albums past.

Beneath the martial metaphors lies a smaller, sadder story. Painted Ruins speaks of alienation on both national and personal levels. The narrators are being pried apart not just from a sense of the natural order of things but also from people theyve come to depend on. Founder Ed Drostes vocals on the album include bookish observations on the prospect of living alone. Cut-Out likens infatuation to an invading spore and longs to have the infected areas removed. Neighbors sees Droste promise to stick with a partner through the worst the world has to offer, as second lead vocalist Daniel Rossen slips in to note that the union didnt last.

Painted Ruins emotional wear is matched to music thats pretty but disorienting. Four Cypresses builds stacks of vocals and shimmering instrumentation on top of a tribal drum pattern from resident stickman Chris Bear. Bear and producermulti-instrumentalist Chris Taylor have rebuilt this band from the foundation up. The albums rhythms are indebted to hip-hop and Afrobeat, where earlier Grizzly Bear efforts stayed rooted in rock and folk spheres. The looser low end plays off interlocking parts on guitar, bass, and a host of other flourishes to create a beautiful sensory overload. The traditional Grizzly Bear building blocks  Rossens distorted guitar leads, three- and four-part harmonies, shuffling, British Invasionera pop-rock airs  feel more unpredictable in this setting. On any other record, an upbeat bop like Losing All Sense wouldve gone for the jugular on a loud, plodding backbeat, but here it stops and starts anxiously, undercutting a winning melody with a twinge of uncertainty.

Splicing beauty with danger is an old Grizzly Bear trick (Cant you feel the knife?), but as a full-length experiment in artfully produced and arranged future shock, Painted Ruins still feels fresh and timely. As a deepening of the rhythmic capabilities of a band whose merits were already tested and enumerated, itll likely sit in the bands discography as a Fear of Music moment, where an inventive act breaks its own mold by fully embracing the power of dance. What saves Painted Ruins from the brazen, knee-jerk disco excess of an album like Arcade Fires Everything Now is a valuable sense of self and subtlety. The balance between what Grizzly Bear is great at and what it hasnt tried enough in the past is tasteful, and the batting average is stellar. Growth like that on album five is noteworthy.
Biplav Maoist, CPN (MC) cadres clash in Janakpur over spat on programme venue

Cadres of CPN (Maoist Centre) and Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist engaged in a scuffle at Barmajhiya, Janakpur on Friday where both the parties had picked the same venue to commemorate the 23rd memorial day of martyr Ram Briksha Yadav.
Dhakal new PADT member secy

Newly appointed Member Secretary at the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) Pradeep Dhakal has promised a new roadmap to transform the area into a spiritual tourist hub.
Empereon Marketing received incentive pledges totaling $200,000 this week from McLennan County and the cities of Waco and Lacy Lakeview as it prepares to hire 750 people over two years and spend more than $2 million on capital improvements for a call center at 1205 North Loop 340.

General Dynamics

The Arizona-based company has leased a 68,000-square-foot building previously used by General Dynamics Information Technology to field calls related to health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

More than 800 staffers lost their jobs when General Dynamics pulled out of Greater Waco, and Empereon will make hiring the displaced workers a priority, said Toby Parrish, senior vice president of inbound operations for Empereon.

The Waco City Council and McLennan County commissioners approved allocating $150,000 to Empereon from the Waco-McLennan County Economic Development Corp. fund.

Lacy Lakeview responded by pledging $50,000 to the company, which will use the cash to acquire a generator for the site, said Kris Collins, senior vice president of economic development for the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber started negotiations with Empereon in October and was competing with several other potential communities, Collins said to commissioners Tuesday.

She said Empereon chose Waco in part because of the readily available labor force General Dynamics was leaving behind.

Accounting for the call centers increased taxable value and spending power of its employees, the $150,000 investment by Waco and McLennan County is expected to produce an annual average return of 36 percent and a payback in 2.6 years, Collins said.

Creating jobs

Empereon will create 750 jobs, 83 of which will pay more than $12 per hour, she said. Total payroll will hit $10.4 million the first year and $15.6 million the second. Applying a conservative scenario for all positions, staffers will make an average of $31,200 a year.

The actual average is $37,328, Collins said in her report to commissioners.

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Empereon was founded in 1997 and operates six facilities in five states, including in a Houston suburb.

According to information provided by the Waco chamber, about 4,000 people work for more than 10 call and customer-contact centers in the Waco area.

Collins said that number does not necessarily make the area a hot spot for call center operations, but Empereon is taking advantage of available buildings and staffers qualified to field inquiries.

Set up for long haul

Tom Ramsey, who owns Total Placement Staffing Solutions in Waco, said his impression is that local call centers come and go, and that few set up shop for the long haul. They typically pay wages that do not inspire longevity, and high turnover is commonplace, Ramsey said.

But the General Dynamics call center was a different animal, he said. It was assigned a specific task related to Obamacare, and it stuck around for about five years. Most of the local call centers are relatively small, though the C3 customer contact center in McGregor is an exception.

Hiring frenzy

That facility announced earlier this year its plans to hire more than a thousand staffers between this year and next.

Helen Underwood, owner of the Jack of All Trades employment service, said the McGregor facility has a significant number of employees who commute from Temple. Underwood said she does not refer clients to call centers, but as a veteran of the temporary staffing industry for more than 30 years, its not hard to pick up information about where call centers get their employees.
A program that has helped downtown building owners on both sides of the Brazos River spruce up their storefronts is up for an expansion.

The downtown Tax Increment Financing Zone board on Thursday recommended $150,000 for the Facade Improvement Grant program in the next city budget year.

The TIF Zone, which funds downtown improvements through a dedicated portion of downtown property taxes, has allocated $275,000 for the facade program since 2009, with $109,547 spent.

Megan Henderson of City Center Waco, which runs the grant program and asked for the extra money, said it has made a difference in the attractiveness and vibrancy of the TIF Zone.

It distributes the impact of the TIF funds that we have, Henderson told the TIF board. We hear a lot about new projects coming in getting the TIF funds, and what about the little guy? This is a program available to everybody, including a lot of businesses that have been around a while.

Past recipients include the old Curry Office Supply building at 611 Washington Ave., Sorrells & Co. at 518 Austin Ave., Fuzzys Taco Shop at 215 S. University Parks Ave. and Barnetts Pub at 420 Franklin Ave., as well as Marilyns Gift Gallery and the Jockey Club barber shop on Elm Avenue.

Those projects have added about $300,000 of improvements in the TIF Zone at a public cost of $109,547, city officials said.

More than $384,268 in facade improvement grant funding is committed for a Re/Max real estate building at 522 Austin Ave., the Clay Pot building at 416 Franklin Ave. and Simply Irresistible boutique at 1018 Austin.

Henderson said the nonprofit City Center Waco can turn around grants within a few weeks, in amounts ranging from $500 to $45,000. The business must fund at least half the project.

Henderson said City Center Waco uses the program both to accelerate rehab efforts and to steer them toward designs that are aesthetically appropriate for a historic downtown.

You get to have conversations with property owners, and in almost all cases theres some back and forth, she said. In some cases we say, Thats a fantastic proposal, or I would not recommend investing in that. 

City Center Waco also runs the Waco Main Street program, allowing it to connect property owners with free historic preservation design services from the Texas Historical Commission.

In a recent case, the state experts recommended adding back some mid-century flair to a one-story building on Austin Avenue, including a horizontal stripe, a recessed entry and even neon.

Robert Denton, construction consultant on the Simply Irresistible building, said the grant program was a major consideration in the painstaking historic restoration of the facade at 1018 Austin Ave. The building houses an upscale boutique selling apparel, antiques, modern furniture and home decor.

The construction project removed a dilapidated, 1960s-era sheet metal facade from the old Hometown Printing building, exposing a classic 1920s storefront. The owners, headed by attorney Don Lynn, decided to do a painstaking restoration that involved restoring old tile work, restoring transom windows and awnings, bleaching faded brick and repairing damaged stone medallions.

We probably wouldnt have taken it on if we hadnt gotten TIF assistance, Denton said. Most developers would probably have just stuccoed over all those areas.

The $150,000 that the TIF board approved Thursday would add to an existing facade fund that has $43,053 in uncommitted funds. The Waco City Council will have the final say on the funding increase.
Waco Independent School District Superintendent A. Marcus Nelson is used to gaping expressions of awe when a student looks up at his 6-foot-5 frame and greets him for the first time, he said.

Hes quick to put them at ease with a friendly handshake, a high-five, a fist bump or a pat on the back.

Most of the students dont understand the man dressed to the nines in a suit and tie is the districts new superintendent, who started in June. And some asked if Nelson was Wacos mayor or even the president of the United States as he toured elementary and middle school classrooms Thursday morning.

He laughed and tried to explain his role to J.H. Hines Elementary School fourth- and fifth-grade students, then shifted their attention back to work by asking them who was the most important person in the room? The teacher, he said.

But to have a strong teaching staff, a school must have a strong principal, he said.

As much as his meet-and-greet moments were part of starting the first day off right, Nelson also observed whether his teachers and principals were on-point and executing expectations laid out during the past month and at Tuesdays convocation.

Theres a general energy in our schools that can really only come from something new, something for people to kind of rally around, Nelson said. Im sure there are still critics who are like, Well see if hes here past Valentines, and theyre wait and see.

Its about shifting Waco ISDs culture, he said. His mantra of hard work pays off is at the core of his philosophy because student outcomes dont change until adult behaviors change, he said Tuesday during convocation and again as he toured as many campuses as possible.

His first year has already been dedicated to turning the districts six improvement-required campuses around, but his philosophy has also already extended to principals leading Wacos successful campuses, Tennyson Middle School Principal Lisa Hall said.

Tennyson is Wacos showcase campus, Nelson said. The school earned seven distinctions on this years State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness ratings, the most of any Waco school and the most a school can earn for passing state accountability exams, according to Texas Education Agency reports released Tuesday. Hall is starting her fourth year as principal.

Grown-ups are the biggest stumbling block to any kids success. Its not the kids, and Ive had to tell teachers that, Hall said. We finally figured it out. I asked the leadership team last year why we keep some first-year teachers and other first-year teachers we dont keep. What is the difference, yall? Its a single thing. What is it? Ownership. The ones who take ownership in the classroom. Those are worth keeping.

Nelson said that ownership is the same thing he looks for with his principals. If a principals attitude is nonchalant and complacent, they may not last too long in Waco ISD, he said.

He has already seen that lack of initiative in some of his current campus leadership and wants to figure out whether its because employees dont have what they need for success or simply dont care, he said.

Cesar Chavez Middle School Principal Suzanne Hamilton said Nelsons message has given her strength during the last month. Hamilton doesnt like to talk about it much, but she recently lost one of her closest friends in the shooting death of a married couple at houseboat on Lake Waco.

Whether Nelson is talking to her one on one or before more than 2,300 Waco ISD employees, Nelsons positive message is the same and that keeps her chin up as she works through her grief and leads the teachers who educate her more than 900 students, Hamilton said. And thats exactly what her friend would have wanted, she said.

We already come with this intrinsic motivation anyway, but he makes it very easy to picture him doing what were doing, Hamilton said Thursday morning. He doesnt seem far removed from it. It seems like he could come on campus, blend in with the rest of us and you wouldnt have that, Superintendents on campus, so everyone straighten their ties.  He just has that ease about him that makes you feel comfortable doing what youre doing, and I honestly think his joy of what hes doing is infectious.

With the first day out of the way, Nelson plans on visiting all of Waco ISDs schools on a weekly basis, he said. He will also hold two principal meetings during the first week of September focused on leadership and management skills, he said.

His focus is not on rationalizing why the district cant be successful, including its high number of economically disadvantaged students, he said. He is focused on creating a competitive, positive atmosphere to drive the districts success. It starts with the principals, he said.
As I contemplate the tragic events in Charlottesville this past weekend, I see our nation meandering down a dangerous road, asleep at the wheel.

I have lived and worked as a corporate energy attorney around the world and can sympathize with Brennan Gilmore, the ex-Foreign Service officer who described his visit home to Charlottesville from a conflict zone as a journey back to the Shire after adventures in Mordor. Like Brennan, I am surprised to see the United States seemingly fall victim to the same dysfunction that exists abroad. Alas, major economic disruptions and cultural schisms have worn thin the fabric of our society and, for years, political partisans on both sides have staked their careers on widening the gaps that divide us into angry and sometimes violent chasms.

Last weekend, Brennan was on site at Charlottesville when our culture wars entered a new era. He happened to film the despicable car attack that claimed an innocent life. Despite our shared horror at this crime, we wont rescue ourselves by being shocked and sad at the spectacle of Nazis parading down our streets.

Our only solution is for each of us to show the courage to stand up and pull the nation back from the divisive politics splitting us into armies against each other. Its time to turn back against the tide of political leaders who label our countrymen as some form of other  definitions crafted along the fissures of differing religions, racial and cultural identities and in-between socioeconomic bodies.

My opponent, Sen. Ted Cruz, issued a laudable statement condemning the nationalist perpetrators of the Charlottesville tragedy, one highlighted on this page this week: These bigots want to tear our country apart, but they will fail. America is far better than this. He is right, but these words are crocodile tears. His entire career as a public servant has been defined by exploiting the you-versus-them worldview that came to a violent head in Charlottesville. Cruz showed his hand when he vilified immigrants and refugees as terrorists, when he played to fears that the LGBTQ community might convert our children and when he labeled American journalists  the very next day  as Soviet shills. Each time Cruz blasts the judiciary, or likens them to tyrants, we take a step down the road to another tragedy.

Our country doesnt need six more years of litigious culture wars. I quit my day job as a corporate attorney to run against Cruz, to offer America Morpheus red pill and to create the path of a nation not drunk on malice or hell-bent on furthering our differences.

The Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville are symptoms of what ails America. We need to treat the disease: the politics of division.

We must find ways to bridge our divisions and solve our most pressing problems  immigration, trade, health care, education  that, for 20 years now, have been festering sores. Without that, without action and positive results, all the condemnations in the world are meaningless.
This newspaper has little good to say of Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Joe Straus and the Texas Legislature. So its not entirely surprising the House decision to adjourn the special session a day early this week may yield more benefits than even the biggest government skeptic might expect.

In closing down the store early, House leadership left the Senates farce of a bill reforming city and county property taxes high and dry. And possibly by serendipity, that might work hand-in-glove with one of the few decent initiatives of the special session. This forms a commission to study and recommend major reform of the states badly flawed system of funding our public schools.

This could benefit all in the long run. It gives earnest legislators more time to seriously study two exceedingly complicated issues that are interwoven. It also gives educators, taxpayers, city council members, school board members, parents and appraisal officials more time to push practical ideas for reform and press lawmakers for real accountability ahead of the 2018 election.

Some legislators have been pushing hard to further tighten revenue growth raised through property taxes by cities and counties beyond whats already prescribed by state law. That sounds terrific except that cities and counties insist with justification that lawmakers are vilifying them for political gain when, in fact, school property taxes are what appear out of whack on local tax bills.

And one reason school property taxes are so out of whack is that state legislators themselves have gradually (and quietly) shirked their state constitutional obligation to properly fund public schools, leaving more and more of the burden to school districts. And when school districts then hike property taxes to compensate, angry taxpayers vent their wrath locally, not at Austin where it belongs.

Figure into all this the fact the Texas Supreme Court has correctly branded our states school finance system a shambles. Justice Don Willett, the jurist famously on President Trumps list of U.S. Supreme Court prospects, called our states system for funding schools undeniably imperfect, with immense room for improvement. We concur, adding only that it has been wildly inequitable from one school district to the next.

In the Texas House, some lawmakers have had stunningly frank talks about how to reform school property taxes, up to and including scrapping them and hiking sales taxes to levels ranging from 14 to 20 percent. Someone even mentioned the profane words state income taxes. And whatever argument can be made for school vouchers, many correctly believe the topic should be shelved, at least till public school funding is adequately fixed.

This all suggests a grand opportunity for state leaders, particularly given that Abbott, Patrick and Straus have fallen far short of the standard set by Mark White, the former governor who died this month. Nows the time to reconsider the broader picture, solicit the input of experts and stakeholders and overhaul both property taxes and school finance in a lasting way. Is anyone up to the challenge?
Axing trees & more

The Texas League of Conservation Voters is disappointed to see House Bill 7 pass the Texas House with support from Democrats and Republicans alike. From the beginning, this has been about more than just trees  it was a war on local control. Each of the 119 votes in support of this anti-tree legislation was complicit in the governors attack on our communities right to self-governance.

Our governors legislative agenda was riddled with hate, fear-mongering and rollbacks on local environmental controls instead of solutions to real problems affecting Texans. Everyday Texans care more about concerns like lead in the water of schools, clean air and land conservation than fictitious issues crafted by Gov. Greg Abbotts donors. The chipping away of local control by the Texas Legislature this year will not make our communities safer, stronger or greener.

It has become increasingly clear that the Legislature does not respect constituents. Lawmakers should expect to see this reflected at the ballot box. We look forward to electing politicians who know conservation is a Texas value. We will fight to defend the progress we have made to preserve our natural resources.

Charlie Bonner, Communications Director, Texas League of Conservation Voters

Busy as a bee

Saturday is National Honey Bee Day, a day to celebrate one of the most important and widespread pollinators of our food and flowers. And we need to do more to protect honey bees and all of our pollinators.

Honey bees pollinate many of the foods we eat, from blueberries to almonds. In Texas, foods such as carrots are pollinated by honey bees. Unfortunately, millions of honey bees are dying off due to neonicotinoids, a pesticide extremely lethal to bees. Without honey bees, there will be big consequences for our environment and our food supply: no honey bees means no food.

This summer you can celebrate National Honey Bee Day and help protect bees by hosting a bee-friendly Bee-Bee-Q or picnic. Its the perfect way to end summer  join with friends and family to enjoy delicious foods and cook with recipes shared by chefs from our Bee Friendly Food Alliance, made possible by bee pollination, all while helping to save the honey bees. For more information, email beefriendlyfood@environmentamerica.org

Saumya Shruti, Environment Texas

Many thanks, Ottis!

Thanks for your columns on the Tribune-Heralds opinion page. Im a civil engineer in my late 50s and enjoy reading your articles, especially when you tackle health care. Im not sure why the effort to provide better health care for more Americans became so demonized, but your rational analysis of the situation should help the debate.

I look forward to reading more of your work in our paper.

Ottis Foster, Waco
Fear of diseases looms in the wake of floods

As flood survivors struggle to come to terms with the disaster, they fear disease outbreaks, for they lack proper shelter, food, clean water, sanitation and basic medicines.
BRUNO  Bruno will be full of tractors, food and fun this Saturday for the fifth annual antique tractor pull.

Registration for the tractor pull starts at 11 a.m., with the first pull at 1 p.m., said Event Organizer Matthew Ostry.

The first tractors on the pull track just west of downtown Bruno will be the 4,000 class classic tractors.

Then well make our way up to the top class, the 7,500 open class, Ostry said.

The three classes will be classic, stock and open class.

We had 92 tractors hook last year, he said.

Ostry said he will also have some help announcing this year from 16-year-old Seth Kadlec of Appleton, who hopes to work his way into radio broadcasting one day.

Brainard American Legion Post 273 will provide food stands for the days events.

Food will be pork sandwiches, polish dogs and bratwurst, Ostry said.

At 5 p.m. there will be a talent show for the second year in a row.

To help celebrate Nebraskas 150th year as a state, Ostry said there will be Nebraska- themed songs and other tribute songs performed by his younger siblings during the talent show.

Mark Vyhlidal Variety Band will perform after the talent show from 6 pm. until 10 p.m. Vyhlidal will perform a variety of polkas, waltzes and music from the 1950s and 1960s, Ostry said.

For more information, contact Ostry at 402-276-5983.
Health insurance bill forwarded to House panel

Parliament on Wednesday forwarded the Health Insurance Bill-2017 to the Parliamentary Committee on Women, Children, Senior Citizens and Social Welfare for deliberation. The Ministry of Health (MoH) had last week presented the bill before Parliament for endorsement.
Cyclonic-strength wind gusts have hammered Sydney and most of eastern NSW, disrupting air travel and stranding trains on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Winds on Sydney Harbour were recorded at 106km/h just after 11.30am, the strongest so far in the Sydney area on Friday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Northbound trains were stuck on the Sydney Harbour Bridge - on the stretch between Wynyard and Milsons Point - as work crews made urgent repairs, the Transport Management Centre said.

One person contacted Fairfax Media to say the trains halted after winds "broke part of the boardwalk which impacted a train".
Two young boys have been left orphaned after their father killed himself as police searched the family home in connection with the suspected murder of their mother.

Sheep farmer Michael Burdon, 41, died by suicide while police and the boys, aged one and three, were inside the house near Manna Hill, South Australia, close to the NSW border.

The death follows the disappearance of the farmer's wife, Tanja Ebert, 23, who disappeared nine days ago and is believed to have been murdered.

Officers went to the remote sheep station on Wednesday to conduct an investigation into Ms Ebert's fate, police said in a statement.
Typical home upload speeds of less than 1 Mbps mean that bandwidth-thirsty foreign smart home gear is choking in Australian homes.

Australia's broadband blame game tends to focus on download speeds, with growing dissatisfaction over the fact we're not always getting what we paid for. Unfortunately upload speeds get less attention, even though they're proving more and more important as our appetite for internet-enabled devices grows.

NBN customer complaints about being short-changed on speeds are reaching critical political mass.

After reviewing the Nest Cam streaming security cameras recently it's clear that, like many American products, they're designed for a world where data and bandwidth are seemingly infinite resources. In other words, not Australia.

Even after automatically dialling itself down from 1080p to 720p resolution, a single Nest Cam insists on constantly uploading video at 400 kbps  leaping above 1 Mbps per second when it sees something move.
A police officer from Western Australia's far north has backed the federal government's cashless welfare card, saying it's contributed to a reduction in alcohol-related offences in an Aboriginal community where it's already in use.

The Turnbull government will soon roll out its income management program to two new communities, saying it has proven effective in the East Kimberley trial site with a recent review finding alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and gambling had fallen.

The cashless welfare card will be extended to Kalgoorlie. Credit:Michel O'Sullivan

These elements were present in the lives of 13 young indigenous people who took their own lives in the Kimberley over three-and-a-half years, an inquest into their suicides has heard.

Senior Sergeant Steve Principe, who's been officer in charge of Kununurra since 2015, gave evidence at the inquest, noting a 60 per cent reduction in police attendances for alcohol-fuelled antisocial behaviour on two of the community's main streets since the scheme began in April 2016.
India likely to announce new projects during PMs visit

Nepal and India are exploring possibilities of signing new infrastructure projects and new areas of cooperation between the two countries while pushing for the implementation of already signed big projects during Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deubas visit to the southern neighbour next week.
Indonesias independence day observed

The Office of the Honorary Consul of Indonesia in Kathmandu observed the 72nd anniversary of the Proclamation of the Independence of Indonesia by hoisting the flag at IME Complex premises on Thursday.
Labour Act includes no work, no pay principle

The private sector and trade unions on Thursday welcomed the recently endorsed Labour Act that incorporates the principle of no work, no pay. The provision means that employees will not be paid when no work is done.
MCC board approves $500 million compact programme with Nepal

The US Governments Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has approved a $500 million (approximately Rs52 billion) compact programme with Nepal. This is MCCs first compact in South Asia.
Modi calls up Deuba, extends condolences to families of Nepal flood victims

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up his Nepali counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba on Friday and extended his condolences to the families of those killed in the recent floods in Nepal.
NEA: Electricity leakage down to 22.9 percent

Intense efforts by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to slash electricity leakage in the last fiscal year resulted in a loss reduction of 2.88 percentage points, which translates into savings of more than Rs2 billion.
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Old soldiers, new battles

Gurkhas fought for the British in various wars, now they are fighting for equal rights
City of Paducah inviting citizens to get involved through boards and commissions
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 18, 2017 | 07:04 AM | DUKEDOM, KY

Five people were arrested near Dukedom Thursday on methamphetamine and marijuana charges.

According to Graves County Sheriff Dewayne Redmon, deputies responded to the home of 40-year-old John Giles, of Dukedom, to serve an arrest warrant for absconding from the Kentucky Probation and Parole Department. Police found five people inside the home.

Police searched the home and found methamphetamine and marijunana, along with drug paraphernalia. All five people were arrested.

Giles and 32-year-old Carolyn Reed of Mayfield were charged with possession of meth, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Twenty-six-year-old Anthony Travis of Dukedom, 27-year-old Kristin Biggers of Palmersville, TN and 54-year-old David Owens of Dukedom were charged with possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia.

All five were lodged in the Graves County Jail.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 17, 2017 | 08:11 PM | MAYFIELD, KY

Kentucky State Police arrested a local police officer Thursday on a warrant.

The warrant was issued for James Blakeney in McCracken County on August 10 for failure to pay or appear. Troopers say the original charges were filed by the Paducah Police Department in February and included third degree forgery and impersonating a peace officer.

At the time of the original offenses, Blakeney was not employed as a police officer. But at the time of his arrest by state police, Blakeney was employed as a police officer for the City of Hickman.

Blakeney was taken into custody in Mayfield Thursday and lodged in the McCracken County Regional Jail.
CONCERN EXPRESSED FOR LOCAL CONFEDERATE AND OTHER HISTORICAL MONUMENTS; NC'S GOVERNOR COOPER FAVORS REMOVAL

ON SOCIAL MEDIA

RESPONSE TO WHKP'S WEB POLL QUESTION ON THE STATION'S WEB SITE IS CURRENTLY RUNNING 5 TO 1 AGAINST REMOVAL OF CONFEDERATE WAR MEMORIALS

Reports from Asheville Police early Friday morning indicated the Robert E. Lee memotral close to the Vance memorial statue in downtown Asheville had been vandalized.

Local citizens are expressing concern on Facebook and other social media for Confederate and other related memorials on the lawn of the Historic Courthouse and for those of historical figures at Hendersonville City Hall.

Art Cooley, General Manager of WHKP, published the following, with photos, on the WHKPFacebook Page:

"The ceramic model used for making molds to cast a bronze statue of the three North Carolinian's who served as President of the United States is at Hendersonville's City Hall, with the complete story of how this display came to Hendersonville. The bronze statue of North Carolina Presidents - General Andrew Jackson; James Knox Polk and Andrew Johnson is on permanent display at Capital Square in Raleigh, NC."

Meanwhile, North Carolina's Democrat Governor Roy Cooper says he favors removing hundreds of historial and Confederate monuments here in the Tar Heel state, and he has laid out a plan for their removal:

Governor Cooper Calls for the Removal of Confederate Monuments

Posted by Jeffrey C. Billman on Tue, Aug 15, 2017 at 5:45 PM

In a post on Medium this afternoon, Governor Cooper called for the removal of the roughly one hundred Confederate monuments in North Carolina:

Some people cling to the belief that the Civil War was fought over states rights, he wrote. But history is not on their side. We cannot continue to glorify a war against the United States of America fought in the defense of slavery. These monuments should come down.

What happened in Charlottesville, the governor said, could have happened in any of the North Carolina cities with monuments honoring the Lost Cause.

Charlottesville could have been Raleigh, or Asheboro, or any other city in North Carolina that is home to a Confederate monument, Cooper wrote. I dont pretend to know what its like for a person of color to pass by one of these monuments and consider that those memorialized in stone and metal did not value my freedom or humanity. Unlike an African-American father, Ill never have to explain to my daughters why there exists an exalted monument for those who wished to keep her and her ancestors in chains.

Yesterday, after demonstrators tore down a statue atop a Confederate monument in downtown Durham, Cooper tweeted that there is a better way to go about it. In his post, he expanded on his criticism of leftist demonstrators taking matters into their own hands, saying hes looking out for their safety.

I understand the frustration of those fed up with the pace of change. But after protesters toppled a statue in Durham Monday night, I said there was a better way to remove these monuments, he wrote. My first responsibility as governor is to protect North Carolinians and keep them safe. The likelihood of protesters being injured or worse as they may try to topple any one of the hundreds of monuments in our state concerns me. And the potential for those same white supremacist elements we saw in Charlottesville to swarm the site, weapons in hand, in retaliation is a threat to public safety.

In his post, he laid out a three-pronged approach.

First, the North Carolina legislature must repeal a 2015 law that prevents removal or relocation of monuments. Cities, counties and the state must have the authority and opportunity to make these decisions.

Second, Ive asked the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to determine the cost and logistics of removing Confederate monuments from state property as well as alternatives for their placement at museums or historical sites where they can be studied in context.

Third, the North Carolina legislature should defeat a bill that grants immunity from liability to motorists who strike protesters. That bill passed the state House and remains alive in the Senate. The Senate should kill it. Full stop. Those who attack protesters, weaponizing their vehicles like terrorists, should find no safe haven in our state.
One held for murder of Rasuwa woman in Kathmandu

Police on Wednesday arrested a man for his alleged involvement in the murder of a woman.
Rights defenders object to Lamas promotion

Human rights defenders have taken exception to a recent government decision of promoting Kumar Lama to the post of brigadier general, saying the move violates the ruling of a Kapilvastu District Court and a verdict on human rights violation case by the Supreme Court.
RJP-N: Allocate Rs26b for victims

The Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal has demanded the government allocate at least Rs 26 billion for rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims in the Tarai.
Sabre-rattling in the Himalayas

Nepal should develop a policy that addresses the interests of China and India while protecting its own interests first
Whitewater State Park will host the following events Thursday, Aug. 24 through Sunday, Aug. 27. All events will begin at the nature center, unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, Aug. 24

Nature time at the beach, 1 to 2 p.m. Kids and their families should meet at the park on Thursday and Friday to enjoy nature time at the beach.

Friday, Aug. 25

Nature time at the beach, 1 to 2 p.m. Kids and their families should meet at the park on Thursday and Friday to enjoy nature time at the beach. Fridays event features an intro to canoeing and kayaking.

Geology walk to Chimney Rock, 6 to 7 p.m. Whitewater State Park will host a walk through time to learn about the amazing geologic processes that formed the Whitewater River Valley. Attendees will find out how oceans, glaciers and raging rivers have shaped the landscape. Meet at the Chimney Rock trailhead near the beach.

Saturday, Aug. 26

Make your own walking stick, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Join Whitewater State Park for a real hands-on activity making a walking stick. Transform buckthorn, an invasive species, can be turned into a tool. On Saturday, Aug. 26, the group will learn how to stop the spread of invasive hitch-hikers while hiking, fishing, and recreating.

Intro to Dutch oven cooking, 2 to 3 p.m. Minnesota master naturalist volunteers Curt and Susan Buck will teach some tasty campfire recipes that can be made with a Dutch oven. There will be food to sample.

Snakes of the Blufflands, 4 to 5 p.m. Attendees will learn how the can live, work and recreate in the Blufflands and still conserve these snakes. A slideshow about area snakes and a live snake program will be given.

Sunday, Aug. 27

Intro to trout fishing, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Attendees should meet at the South Picnic Area for some fishing fun. Equipment will be provided at this activity designed to introduce trout fishing to inexperienced anglers, but participants should bring their own bait. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Fishing licenses and trout stamps are not required. This program will be offered every Sunday through Sept. 3.

Pioneer, Old Tim Music & Bluegrass Jam, 3 to 5 p.m. Dependent on participation of musicians. Park visitors along with bluegrass pickers and old time music players of all skill levels are invited to re-create the music of our ancestors the fourth Sunday of each month, May-October. For more information, call 507-312-2300.
Susta locals try to breach Gandak canal

Security personnel foiled the attempt of Susta locals to dig a channel on the western canal of Gandak Barrage to drain the floodwaters on Wednesday.
Sauk County jail inmates who complete a new job program will walk away with a graduation certificate, a resume and a much-improved chance of finding employment upon their release.

Forward Service Corp., a nonprofit employment and training agency with an office in Baraboo, is launching a career readiness program conceived by staff member Candice Wade. Starting Thursday, eight inmates will begin a series of four weekly classes. During the 90-minute sessions at the jail, Forward Service staffers will teach inmates about communication and conflict resolution, as well as interviewing and resume writing techniques.

Those who complete the course will earn a certificate and will be handed a resume and a referral card from Forward Service they can use as they seek jobs once their sentences expire.

I hope employers will take a look at the people whove completed our program as serious candidates for employment, Wade said.

A graduation ceremony Sept. 21 will include mock job interviews with local business leaders. Wade said she hopes including community members will help shed the stigma accompanying convicted criminals, as well as give inmates practice answering interview questions.

The first class will be comprised of men in the jail. Three more classes are planned, for women in the jail, and men and women in the work-release unit.

We felt it would be beneficial to some of our clients to be able to do some of this training and employment work while they were in custody, said Capt. Lewis Lange, who runs the jail.

The program is designed to give inmates practical job readiness tools. Wade said a task as simple as writing a resume can overwhelm someone behind bars. I want to take away that mystery and make it accessible, she said.

Classes will address inmates goals and identify practical steps toward achieving them. Wade said she hopes employers will see that inmates are making an effort to improve their lives.

We actually give them tangible things to do to reach that goal, she said. You can make those opportunities yourself. You dont have to get lucky.

We already offer an employability class through ATTIC Correctional in jail, but increasing our offerings is always something we look at doing, Lange said, because different people learn differently and what works for one may not work for another.

Wade said too many inmates are habitually in and out of jail, starting their lives over each time. She hopes the prospect of landing a job at a living wage will help them stay straight.

Ive always had a passion for helping people break out of that cycle, she said. I want to empower people. Everyone wants to feel empowered.

Forward Service Corp. has 63 locations in Wisconsin. Locally, it operates the state FoodShare Employment and Training program for Sauk County. The program helps FoodShare recipients build skills and find jobs.

The new jobs program for inmates is an offshoot of that concept, helping residents in less-than-ideal circumstances find work.

Sheriff (Chip) Meister was very supportive when he and I discussed this, and is pleased to be able to offer another program to incarcerated citizens, Lange said, as we hope that it will help them succeed once they are back in society.
SPEARFISH, S.D.  Parking spaces were a hot commodity on a recent Saturday at the unofficial trailhead for the natural swimming hole known as Devils Bathtub in the Northern Black Hills.

Dozens of vehicles from numerous states lined both sides of a gravel access road to the once secret site and overflowed onto the shoulders of the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway.

The user-created footpaths leading to the bathtub that meander along and across a tributary of Spearfish Creek were clogged with people of every kind, from toddlers riding on the backs of their parents to the cane-dependent elderly.

The bathtub itself teemed with swimmers, mostly in small groups except for a larger Taiwanese tour group that showed up trailing a guide. People crawled around on the rocks, slid down the rock slide and loitered in the stream-fed pools of cool water.

For many of them, it was an authentically natural experience that they couldnt wait to share in the same way they learned about the supposedly hidden spot: on their favorite social media website, blog or activity-tracking smartphone app.

The issue isnt limited to the Black Hills region of South Dakota. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Sauk County officials have struggled to handle parking, trash and emergency call issues at Pewits Nest State Natural Area west of Baraboo after its existence has been shared on social media as a swimming hole. The creek running through a deep gorge is similar to the Devils Bathtub area in South Dakota.

Sudden crowds

During the past several years, private cabin owner George Dunlap, of Gillette, Wyoming said hes had difficulty driving through all the parked vehicles to reach his cabin near the Devils Bathtub trailhead outside Spearfish. Hes also heard of people being hauled out of the area with broken limbs, presumably from slipping on rocks while crossing the trails with no bridges, and hes seen people dumping garbage into the creek.

Because of relentless sharing of information on the internet, similar problems are afflicting other natural sites on public land that were formerly described as secret, undiscovered or known only to locals, and the management of the sites is coming under scrutiny.

Black Hills sites include Poets Table, a high granite alcove at the end of a user-created trail in Custer State Park; Hippie Hole, a natural swimming hole accessible via gravel roads and then a hike near Rockerville; and the Rock Maze, a labyrinthine cluster of rock formations up the slope from an unmarked pullout alongside Nemo Road.

With no infrastructure at any of the sites to control the flow of visitors, the increased visitation has caused congestion, public safety concerns and environmental damage  sometimes by accident, and sometimes by vandalism. Both Hippie Hole and the Rock Maze have been beset with graffiti.

Closer oversight

The problems are causing some land managers to shift from loosely permissive oversight of the areas to aggressive intervention.

Recently, no-parking signs went up along the highway curve near the gravel access road that leads to the unofficial trailhead for Devils Bathtub. Custer State Park officials removed in-ground fire pits and a shelter made of logs and branches that were constructed by rogue visitors to Poets Table.

Meanwhile, land managers are pondering longer-term plans that could prevent environmental damage but could also rob the sites of the natural charm that attracted people there in the first place.

Jim Hagen, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tourism, is a proponent of an approach being considered at Devils Bathtub: The installation of a bigger parking lot, signs, a designated trail, bridges and fences to funnel people away from environmentally sensitive areas, thereby limiting damage while still allowing public access.

He acknowledged the reluctance of people to support even limited development of beautiful natural sites. But he also contends that longing for bygone days when undiscovered places were still undiscovered will do no good, and might enable further damage of natural resources.

Online information sharing is here to stay, Hagen said, and so are growing crowds of visitors at previously secret sites.

We can either do nothing and let the damage occur, or we can manage it, Hagen said, and I think the responsible thing to do is to manage it the best that we can.

Local backlash

Hagen said he has not detected any resentment among South Dakotans about the flood of visitors into natural places that were formerly known mostly to locals. But exactly that kind of resentment seemed to underpin a recent backlash by some locals against the states proposal to create a state park in Spearfish Canyon.

The proposal fell apart under intense pressure from the local opponents, some of whom said they do not want Spearfish Canyon to become as packed with tourists as Custer State Park. Some of the opponents recalled memories of a time when there was no infrastructure and tourists were few at canyon sites such as Roughlock Falls, which is now a state recreation area with man-made platforms, trails and fences.

Yet even while the state park plan for Spearfish Canyon was moved into pause mode by state officials, state land managers installed new man-made viewing platforms at Spearfish Falls, a canyon site that is state-owned and previously had little infrastructure. The installation was seen as a needed addition, in part to protect the falls and the area around them.

The same kind of sanitized future may now be likely for Devils Bathtub and Poets Table, according to state officials who told the Journal that conversations are under way about the future of both places.

Silver lining

Some people, not content to stand by as natural sites are overrun with visitors and then reflexively outfitted with man-made control structures, have adopted novel forms of opposition and protest.

On some social media platforms, for example, there are users who post scenic photographs with hashtags such as #nogeotags or #secretplaces, as part of a movement to conceal the location of remaining secret spots. Geotags are place marks that pop up on digital maps to pinpoint the exact location of users as they post content to a social-media website or app.

Hagen said that is an unsustainable approach, since it takes only one visitor with a smartphone to share information with hundreds or even thousands of online friends and followers, thereby undoing years of determined secret-keeping.

Some chroniclers of the problem are adopting a cautiously optimistic outlook, including High Country News writer Jonathan Thompson, who wrote an essay titled Is tech ruining the wilderness? in 2015.

Perhaps, he theorized, the rush to discover natural places will evolve into environmental activism.

Our growing desire to perform outdoors to impress our friends and social media voyeurs is pushing us deeper into the wilderness and exposing once-hidden places to millions of strangers, Thompson wrote. But that increased visibility has the potential to build a new constituency that cares about those places.

Hagen, the state tourism official, shares that hope. He said his department has decided to urge respect for natural resources whenever an unofficial natural attraction like Devils Bathtub is promoted, and he said the department will also refrain from providing detailed directions to such places.

But he realizes the popularity of formerly secret spots will only continue to grow as people discover them with the aid of technology, and he doesnt think thats all bad.

As people come to appreciate these gems, they may also realize the importance of preserving them and keeping them pristine, Hagen said. And that, I think, is a silver lining.
Sen. Bob Corker's questioning of the President's competence Thursday is the starkest signal yet that Republican senators are returning fire in the public and pointed battle Donald Trump has waged with members of his own party.

Rarely, if ever, has a Republican president had such acrimonious relations -- at least publicly -- with GOP senators. And Trump's tweets Thursday signal that the President has no intention of changing his tact. While some in the party -- including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- have avoided directly criticizing the President, other senators have taken this moment in the wake of violence in Charlottesville, largely based on Trump's news conference Tuesday and his tweets since then, to offer pointed feedback of their own.

"I do think there needs to be radical changes," Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said in a briefing with reporters Thursday. "The President has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to be successful."

He added: "Helping inspire divisions because it generates support from your political base is not a formula for causing our nation to advance, our nation to overcome the many issues we have to deal with right now."

And Corker is not the only one going public with sharp criticism.

Tim Scott, one of two South Carolina GOP senators calling out the President by name Thursday -- and the sole black Republican in the Senate -- also criticized the President for his responses to the violence sparked by a Charlottesville White Supremacist rally.

"I'm not going to defend the indefensible ... comments on Monday were strong," Scott told Vice News. "His comments on Tuesday started erasing the comments that were strong. What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised when Tuesday happened. There's no question about that."

Trump, in a series of tweets and statements over the last two weeks, has signaled that his disagreements with members of his own party continue to bother him, meaning the discord that has played out publicly shows no sign of abating. And in an unprecedented move Thursday, Trump embraced a primary challenger's attempt to unseat a sitting GOP senator, backing Kelli Ward, an Arizona state senator, over Sen. Jeff Flake.

"Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake," Trump tweeted on Thursday. "Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!"

The tweet is the latest sign that Trump has largely written off good relations with members of one of the chambers tasked with passing his agenda, possibly making it harder for the President to score hallmark legislative victories his White House has craved ever since Trump took office. To date, Trump's legislative wins have been thin and Republicans on Capitol Hill have said, in private that Trump's relationship with the GOP caucus is part of the problem.

While Trump has not hesitated throughout his seven-month presidency to call out members of his own party, the comments this week and the responses they inspired from his targets are a significant escalation. Even with members of Congress on recess, the legislative and executive branch have a busy agenda next month to avoid a government shutdown and avoiding a default on the national debt.

Flake, the Arizona junior senator up for re-election next year, has been notably critical of Trump. In his new book the "The Conscience of a Conservative," the senator accuses other Republicans of being in "denial" if they believe what Trump is doing is normal.

In a sign of support, Trump's public disavowal of Flake was also quickly rebuked by multiple Republicans on the Hill.

Sen. Cory Gardner, the Colorado Republican who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a statement that the groups tasked with protecting Senate Republican incumbents and defeating Senate Democrats still stand with Flake, despite Trump's comment.

"The NRSC unequivocally supports Senator Flake in his reelection bid," said Gardner, a senator who has been one of the most outspoken critics of Trump's response to Charlottesville.

Sen. John McCain, the senior Republican senator from Arizona, also came to Flake's defense.

Flake, McCain wrote on Twitter, "is a principled legislator & always does what's right for the people of #AZ. Our state needs his leadership now more than ever."

McCain has also been a frequent Trump target, drawing the President's ire most recently for not backing his party's plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.

During his staggering news conference on Tuesday, the same event where he blamed "both sides" for violence in Charlottesville and compared Confederate General Robert E. Lee with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Trump slammed McCain when a reporter asked him about one of the senator's statements.

"Senator McCain, you mean the one who voted against Obamacare," Trump asked, rhetorically. "You mean Sen. McCain who voted against us getting good health care?"

Sarcastically, Trump added: "I'm sure Sen. McCain must know what he's talking about."

Already, his strained relationships with senators have come at a cost for Republicans. When Trump's interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, called Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski to warn that the administration would penalize her state if she opposed Trump on health care, Murkowski dug in -- casting one of the three GOP votes that sank the Obamacare repeal effort in the Senate.

"Given how unprecedented all of this is, it's next to impossible to make concrete predictions -- except that this won't end well," said Doug Heye, a former top staffer for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump singled out another GOP senator, Lindsey Graham, on Twitter after the South Carolina Republican faulted Trump's response to the Charlottesville violence.

"Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists and people like Ms. Heyer," Trump wrote. "Such a disgusting lie. He just can't forget his election trouncing. The people of South Carolina will remember!"

His digital director Dan Scavino -- and the staffer who holds the keys to Trump's social media messaging -- echoed Trump.

"Publicity seeking @LindseyGrahamSC told @realDonaldTrump to come to South Carolina bc he'd 'beat his brains out' in primaries," he tweeted, adding a photo of Trump's overwhelming win in the South Carolina primary.

Graham waited little time to respond, writing in a statement that Trump is "now receiving praise from some of the most racist and hate-filled individuals and groups in our country."

"For the sake of our Nation -- as our President -- please fix this," he said.

Trump has long made known his animosity toward Flake. But he has recently given Republican senators reason to question his willingness to defend those who remain loyal to his administration as well.

In Alabama's Senate race, Trump's interests seemed to align with Senate leaders when he tweeted an endorsement and recorded a robocall for Sen. Luther Strange ahead of a Republican primary there this week.

However, when controversial former state Supreme Court chief justice Roy Moore topped Strange in the primary, sending the two into a September runoff, Trump -- who also took credit the success Strange had -- seemed to hedge his bets, in case Moore ultimately prevails.

"Congratulation to Roy Moore and Luther Strange for being the final two and heading into a September runoff in Alabama," Trump tweeted. "Exciting race!"

Trump's attacks are not happening in a vacuum, either. Other Republicans are watching Trump savage their colleagues as he fumbles his response to an event like Charlottesville.

"I think his ability to effectively govern is dwindling by the hour," said a top Republican aide on Capitol Hill.

Heye agreed, but says the Trump currently attacking members of his party from the White House is the same Trump voters elected in November.

"Donald Trump was elected on the force of his personality, not specific policy prescriptions," he said. "So it should not be a surprise -- even when it's shocking -- that he is governing in a similar fashion."

CNN's Jim Acosta contributed to this report.
The potential 2018 field of Democratic candidates for governor continues to grow, with three more announcing their presence in recent days.

Kurt Kober, 39, a political newcomer and businessman from Sheboygan, said that hes considering a governor bid.

Michele Doolan, a small business owner from Cross Plains, also recently signaled plans to run.

Both have taken the initial step of filing with the state Ethics Commission to create a campaign committee.

Former state lawmaker Kelda Helen Roys of Madison also said shes considering a run, in an interview with The Capital Times.

Kober said hes a retail strategy director with The Clorox Company and board member of the Sheboygan Public Education Foundation.

Kober said he began to think about running for office after the 2016 election, the results of which he dubbed a wake-up call. He said his past political involvement includes being a former College Democrats of Wisconsin president and volunteering for the 2008 Barack Obama campaign.

Kober said he plans to make a final decision in coming months about whether to run. If he does, Kober said his campaign would be about preparing Wisconsin for technological and economic change.

I am looking to lean into what the future looks like, Kober said. Thats a different kind of conversation than what weve been hearing so far.

Doolan, 43, a political newcomer and hair salon owner, is president of the Park Elementary PTO in Cross Plains. She said shes running to bridge what she described as a disconnect between regular people and their elected officials.

I have no agenda other than I really want to make a difference, Doolan said.

Roys, 38, told The Capital Times that Democrats must articulate a positive vision for the future of our state to appeal to Democrats and those who feel they arent a part of the political process.

State Rep. Dana Wachs of Eau Claire, Milwaukee-area businessman Andy Gronik and Barneveld political newcomer Bob Harlow have said theyre officially seeking the Democratic nomination for governor.

Other Democrats who have registered campaign committees but havent formalized a run include state Superintendent Tony Evers, state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, former state Rep. Brett Hulsey and political activist Mike McCabe.

Madison Mayor Paul Soglin also has said hes considering a Democratic run.
The Portage VFW Post is hosting a day of programming Sunday to reach out to veterans and those at risk from post-traumatic stress, with a goal of Not 1 More.

Statistics prove that people dont commit suicide with other people, so anytime you are bringing people together you are fighting the good cause, said organizer David Sachs, who is an Odd Fellows member and U.S. Army veteran. The VFW, Odd Fellows and Masons are teaming up to host the event.

Not 1 More will include guest speakers and support for those who have lived traumatic experiences that come with military service, as well as local community service. There will be a viewing of the documentary Almost Sunrise.

I knew that we had to show it, Sachs said. And I knew that after the Didion disaster, that some of our first responders could use the same thing that were doing for all of our vets.

The 2017 documentary follows two veterans, Tom Voss and Anthony Anderson, who years after returning from the Iraq war, found a way to deal with ongoing depression by taking a walk together. They covered roughly 2,700 miles from Wisconsin to California reflecting on their experiences and drawing attention to the challenges post traumatic stress poses for members of the military and veterans.

Approximately 20 military veterans take their lives each day according to the Office of Suicide Prevention, which in August 2016 released the results of its study, Suicide Among Veterans and Other Americans 2001-2014.

In 2014, veterans made up 18 percent of all suicide deaths among U.S. adults and 8.5 percent of all suicide deaths in the country. Prior to 2006, the veteran suicide rate was lower than the overall adult suicide rate accounting for age and gender. The rate has increased relatively steadily since 2001. In 2014, veterans were 21 percent more likely to die by suicide when compared to their civilian counterparts.

Sundays program at the Portage VFW Post will begin at noon with the first two hours organized in the style of a resource fair with employers, directions for accessing healthcare, congressional aides to assist with federal programs, and non-pharmaceutical PTSD treatment options such as Yoga. This is followed by a viewing of Almost Sunrise at 2 p.m., then a question and answer period at 3:30 p.m.

Some of these guys are 50, 60, 70 years old and 40 years out of the war and still waiting to make that first step in the door or pick up the phone, Sachs said.

Among the afternoons presenters is Sara Jesse, with Prevent Suicide Columbia County, who has made a point of working with local law enforcement on mental health issues, in particular with the Portage Police Department.

I think everyone understands how important suicide prevention is for veterans and those who work in very high-trauma occupations, Jesse said after the groups bi-monthly meeting on Thursday.

Sachs said veterans of different generations have some things in common because of their military backgrounds, but there also have been changes.

The modern-day vet is way more connected than the vet that uses the VA as their primary source of healthcare, Sachs said. Weve had 160 requests for Periscope of the event because they arent in the area, but they still want to be a part of it. I would have never thought of just checking in on my desktop if I was in another state.

Periscope is a way to live stream video on the internet.

The program also will be part of an experiment in social media, as Sachs will recruit participants for the #NotAloneChallenge, encouraging tweets and Instagram posts of pairs and groups, to encourage the kind of personal connection that helps prevent someone from straying into the darker regions of depression.

I think it is a good idea if youre not alone, Jesse said. Most people, if they are going to kill themselves, are feeling pretty alone, so having someone with you would probably be a great preventative measure. But, of course, feeling like youre not alone is the most important thing.
The Reedsburg Area Historical Society has a new gathering in the works for this summer.

Instead of hosting a Civil War Weekend, the nonprofit will hold its first Living History Rendezvous. Demonstrations of early trades, cooking, sewing and playing will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 25-27 at the Pioneer Log Village.

The society has traditionally held a Civil War re-enactment in early June but the timing posed problems, said Board President Craig Braunschweig. Its a busy time of year between graduation parties and summer kick-off events; the society alone hosts a chicken barbecue fundraiser the weekend prior to the re-enactment. Braunschweig said its a lot to do in a short amount of time so the society settled on a different event and date.

Since board member and volunteer Andy Van Sickle has more than 40 years of experience with rendezvous it made sense to start a local showcase. Sickle said he used to host the Shining Times Valley Rendezvous on his property near Reedsburg and still does demonstrations for visitors at the Pioneer Log Village.

All exhibitors were by invitation only since he only had so much space, but the Pioneer Log Village rendezvous will be open to everyone. Participants from Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana will camp amongst the cabins and talk about life in early American history.

It will be a small show-and-tell type of rendezvous, Van Sickle said. It will be an experiment.

A rendezvous typically includes a market for shoppers but Reedsburg wont have one, at least not this year. It will instead focus on learning experiences. Van Sickle said visitors can discover the role of furs, see old-fashioned sewing and beading techniques, and find out how hunters used black-powder guns. One exhibitor plans to have homemade arrowheads from different native tribes.

Some visitors may have a few things to sell though, he said.

Guests can try their hand at throwing a tomahawk, Van Sickle said. There will also be a womens frying pan toss.

Live music and food will be part of the event, he added.

If it goes well this year, the historical society could host a larger rendezvous in 2018, Braunschweig said.

He noted admission wont increase; visitors just need to pay the usual $5 entry fee.

We think its pretty reasonable on the price for what youre going to see, he said.

Van Sickles own visit to a rendezvous sparked his love of the old-fashioned hobbies. Years ago he attended a heritage day in Missouri and paid 50 cents to try firing a black-powder gun. Hes been hooked ever since, and can be seen out to the Pioneer Log Village in his furs during school tours. He said he still hunts and does recreational shooting with black powder.

I havent shot a modern rifle in probably 35 years, he said.
Visit Nepal Year put off due to rebuilding delays

The Tourism Ministry has postponed the Visit Nepal Year 2018 campaign to 2020 due to the slow pace of road and airport upgradation projects and reconstruction of historical monuments and cultural heritage sites.




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Kyrgyzstan ratifies remediation agreement

18 August 2017

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All the basic conditions are now in place for remediation work to begin at several uranium legacy sites in Kyrgyzstan after the country ratified a framework agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The European Union is to provide an initial contribution of 16.5 million ($19.4 million) for the work.

The uranium mining and milling legacy site at Mailuu-Suu in Kyrgyzstan has 36 tailings and mine waste piles (Image: European Commission)



The framework agreement, which Kyrgyzstan signed in January, is a precondition for the implementation of projects under the EBRD's Environmental Remediation Account for Central Asia fund. Today, the EU's Delegation to Kyrgyzstan said it welcomed the country's swift ratification of the agreement, which was passed by the Kyrgyz parliament on 28 June and signed into law by President Almazbek Atambayev earlier this month.

Central Asia was an important uranium-producing region in the former Soviet Union, leading to a large accumulation of radioactive contaminated material at mines in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and placed in waste dumps and tailing sites. Most of the mines were closed by 1995, but very little remediation of either mining sites or tailings storage facilities has been carried out. Many of the uranium legacy sites are in populated areas.

The EU has funded technical studies and environmental impact assessments at Kyrgyz uranium legacy sites in the areas of Mailiuu-Suu, Min-Khush and Shekaftar. Remediation work, which will improve living conditions in these areas and ensure the protection of the population from radiation exposure from the legacy sites, will be implemented through the EBRD fund beginning at Min-Khush and Shekaftar. The EU is currently the only contributor to the fund.

The Kyrgyz government will now be required to set up the necessary structures to manage the projects. The EU Delegation said technical assistance would be provided to enable it to do this.

A strategic master plan for the remediation of the Central Asian uranium legacy sites, setting out the technical basis for the remediation activities, has been prepared under the leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and is to be signed during the IAEA's General Conference in September.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Ukraine hosts 'zero-failure fuel' working group

18 August 2017

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Ukrainian state nuclear corporation Energoatom has this week hosted the working group created five years ago to achieve a zero-failure rate of nuclear fuel. The group visited the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant.

Energoatom is one of four companies involved in the project, the others being Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL, the Kozloduy nuclear power station in Bulgaria and Czech utility CEZ, which operates the Dukovany and Temelin nuclear power plants. The project assesses the processes of designing, manufacturing and operating nuclear fuel, and seeks ways to identify reasons for the failure of nuclear fuel used in VVER-1000 reactors.

"The Zero Nuclear Failure Rate international project was founded in 2012 and Ukraine immediately joined the participants because the error-free and accident-free operation of nuclear fuel is our common goal," Natalia Shumkova, the executive director of nuclear and radiation safety, and scientific and technical support at Energoatom, said in a company statement yesterday.

During the visit to the Khmelnitsky plant, the working group experts "discussed the practice of excluding the ingress of foreign objects into the open equipment of the primary circuit, and ways to introduce the daily power regulation mode to VVER-1000 reactors with TVSA fuel", Energoatom said.

"The experience of the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant collective and the knowledge that we have communicated to each other is another step in achieving the common goal of zero-level nuclear fuel failure," Shumkova said.

TVEL supplies fuel to 76 reactors in 14 countries.

Energoatom operates four nuclear power plants - Zaporozhe, Rovno, South Ukraine and Khmelnitsky - which comprise 15 nuclear reactors, including 13 VVER-1000s and two VVER-440s with a total capacity of 13,835 MWe.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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According to Zillow, nearly one in 20 residential ZIP codes in the U.S. meets the definition of a $1 Million Neighborhood, meaning at least 10 percent of the homes there are worth seven figures or more. Based on Zillow's research, there are now 346 new $1 Million Neighborhoods in the U.S. since 2014, as the housing market continues its push toward fully recovering.Zillow analyzed residential ZIP codes across the country, looking for places where at least 10 percent of homes in the area are worth $1 million or more, making it a $1 Million Neighborhood. About 4 percent of all ZIP codes analyzed had enough $1 million homes to qualify. There are now a total of 1,280 $1 Million Neighborhoods in the U.S., up from 958 in 2014.U.S. home values are at a record high as the housing market continues its recovery from the Great Recession. As a result, an increasing number of ZIP codes are finding themselves on the $1 Million Neighborhood list. West Coast metropolitan areas, where home values have bounced back fastest, saw the greatest increase in the number of $1 Million Neighborhoods over the past three years.Nearly 74 percent of all ZIP codes in the San Francisco metropolitan area meet the $1 Million Neighborhood benchmark. One in five San Francisco ZIP codes have been added to the $1 Million Neighborhoods list since 2007. The San Francisco metropolitan area has gained 36 $1 Million Neighborhoods over the past three years, second to New York, which gained 53."As home values reach new peaks, $1 million homes are increasingly common, even in neighborhoods once considered middle class," said Zillow's Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. "The U.S. median home value is just over $200,000, but in San Francisco, Los Angeles and other expensive cities, homes are worth much more. As home values hit seven figures in many neighborhoods, it's going to have real impacts on affordability for middle-class homeowners whose incomes haven't kept up, and this imbalance especially has implications for people on fixed incomes whose property taxes are rising along with their home value."Not all markets are seeing an increase in the share of $1 Million Neighborhoods. In St. Louis and Cincinnati, where the median home value is nearly $50,000 below the national median, no new $1 Million Neighborhoods were added over the past 10 years.Las Vegas, among the hardest hit by the Great Recession, has only gained one $1 Million Neighborhood since 2014.
(Scroll down for video) A family was having a good time while on vacation before tragedy struck.

David Regoli said that his sister, a long time sixth-grade social studies teacher in the Burrell School District in Pennsylvania, died when she fell while laughing.

50-year-old Sharon Regoli Ciferno was severely injured when she accidentally fell off a rooftop balcony during a vacation in Mexico.

Ciferno, 50, initially went to California, with her daughter and two others before the four decided to cross the border and spend a few days in Mexico.

Ciferno went to visit a friend in Mexico. She and others were sitting on a balcony at the friends house. Ciferno sat on the ledge that acted as a bench for people to sit on.

At one point, someone made a joke and Ciferno put her head back as she laughed hard. This caused her to fall over and hit the ground.

She suffered multiple injuries to her body and brain. Ciferno was taken to a hospital before she was returned by ambulance to the United States for treatment.

Doctors at UCSD Medical Center in San Diego, placed her on a respirator, which was later removed.
Welsh Government funded summer clubs benefiting Wrexham children

This article is old - Published: Friday, Aug 18th, 2017

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates has praised a Welsh Government-funded summer club for schoolchildren.

Ysgol Rhiwabon and Brynteg County Primary are two of 39 schools in 12 areas of Wales taking part in the first year of the Food and Fun School Holiday Enrichment Programme.



Mr Skates said: 500,000 of Welsh Government funding has gone towards clubs in schools during August, including four in Clwyd South. The money is helping to provide breakfast, lunch, education about healthy eating and a programme of activities.

Bryn Collen and Ysgol Gymraeg Y Gwernant, both in Llangollen, are also taking part.

Mr Skates said the school summer holidays can be difficult for low-income families as children no longer get the free school meals they do during term-time. A lack of free play schemes and activities also impacts most on disadvantaged children.

Mr Skates added: Its important that every child in Clwyd South has the opportunity to thrive and achieve their best. That is what these lunch clubs are about and Im pleased that the Welsh Labour Government has recognised the need for it and put funding in place.
At least 13 people have been killed and over 80 injured, 15 seriously, after a van ploughed through crowds of people on La Rambla, Barcelonas busiest pedestrian street, Thursday afternoon. According to the Catalan regional interior minister, Joaquim Forn, it is very possible that the death toll will rise.

The Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack. The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states, the IS militias Amaq news agency declared.

La Rambla is one of the most popular parts of the city, with newsagents, flower sellers, street performers, cafes, restaurants, shops, painters and artists making it a major tourist destination. At the time of the rampage, in high tourist season, La Rambla was very crowded.

According to police, the van drove 530 meters of the 1.2 kilometer-long street, which stretches from Barcelonas main square, Placa de Catalunya, to the Christopher Columbus Monument at the port. Minutes later, adjoining streets were evacuated by police, as hundreds of people sheltered in doorways while others ran in terror.

A witness, Ellen Vercamm, told El Pais, We were going to La Rambla when we saw a white van crashing against people. We saw how people were flying out because of the crash. We also saw three cyclists flying as the van ran them over.

Another eyewitness, Rebeca, who works at a hotel, told La Vanguardia, Its tragic. Ive seen several people on the ground run over and people were running and crying... The van went through the middle, razing everything. At around six in the evening yesterday, she added, Now we cannot go out and our guests are nervous and crying because they do not know where some of their relatives are.

La Rambla was turned into an emergency field hospital yesterday, with the wounded being treated and local authorities appealing to people in the city to donate blood.

Thursdays attack in Barcelona is the sixth such attack in Europe in the last 13 months. Attacks where a person driving a vehicle ploughs through crowds in high-density areas have also taken place in Nice (France), Stockholm, Berlin, Paris and London. In several of these previous attacks, the terrorists were well known to the intelligence agencies. They were part of a broader milieu that has operated as a proxy force for the US and European powers regime-change operations in Libya and Syria.

The identity of the attackers in Spain remains unclear, however, though it appears that a coordinated attack has taken place. As of this writing, large-scale operations by police special forces are unfolding across Catalonia.

Just after the attack took place, the attacker was alleged to be Driss Oukabir, a Moroccan born in Aghbala, legally residing in Spain. He has a police record but was released from Figueres prison, which he left in 2012. However, Oukabir, after seeing his photographs in the media, came to the police station in the town of Ripoll, where he lives, to report the theft of his documents.

Oukabir is still under interrogation to clarify why he did not report the robbery earlier, but his brother Moussa, 18, has now been named as a suspect in the theft of his documents.

According to the Guardia Civil paramilitary police, the van used in the attack was rented by Driss Oukabir in the town of Santa Perpetua de la Mogoda. Local police in another town, Vic, 70 kilometers from Barcelona, said they found a second vehicle that attackers might have planned to use as a getaway vehicle. Early this morning, the bomb squad was seeking to open the van with remote-controlled robots, fearing that the vehicle was rigged to explode.

Two men were detained, apparently after a standoff with police in a restaurant in La Rambla. However, Josep Lluis Trapero, the top official of the Mossos dEsquadra, the Catalan regional police, said that neither man was the driver of the van, who was still on the run this morning.

Another incident occurred when a white car skipped one of the police controls in Barcelona, running down three policemen; shots were reportedly fired as the driver fled the scene.

There are also reports that a gas explosion in the village of Alcanar, killing one person and wounding 13 yesterday morning, before the Barcelona attack, may have been linked to the ongoing terror attacks.

Sometime after 1 a.m. Spanish time today, police announced that they had launched an antiterror operation in the town of Cambrils. The Catalan regional government published Twitter messages calling for inhabitants of the town to stay inside and not to report anything on social media.

Police in Cambrils later said five suspects were shot and killed. Police claimed some of the dead were wearing explosive vests that could be used in suicide bomb attacks. Six civilians were reported wounded by the alleged terrorists before the police attack.
The International Monetary Fund has issued its sharpest warning yet of the dangers that the build-up of debt in China poses to the countrys financial stability and the global financial system as a whole.

The IMF has been sounding the warning bell over Chinese debt for the past couple of years but the language it employed in its annual review of the countrys economy, issued earlier this week, showed that the concern is rising.

The review said the Chinese economy would grow faster than previously estimated over the next three years because of the governments determination to meet its pledge to double the size of the economy between 2010 and 2020, and its use of debt to achieve its target. The IMF revised upward its estimate of Chinese growth rates. It said the economy would expand by an average 6.4 percent in 20182020, compared with its previous estimate of 6 percent, and by 6.7 percent in 2017, compared with its earlier forecast of 6.2 percent.

The rise in debt began in response to the 20082009 financial crisis, during which the Chinese economy shed some 23 million jobs. Since then, total debt has quadrupled, reaching $28 trillion by the end of last year.

According to the IMF, the rate of debt growth will accelerate over the next few years. It said Chinas non-financial sector debt was now expected to reach 290 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2022, compared with 235 percent last year. Previously the IMF estimated that debt would stabilise at around 270 percent of GDP over the next five years.

International experience suggests that Chinas credit growth is on a dangerous trajectory, with increasing risks of a disruptive adjustment and/or a marked growth slowdown, the IMF said.

Since 2008, private sector debt relative to GDP has risen by 80 percentage points to about 175 percentsuch large increases have internationally been associated with sharp growth slowdowns and often financial crises.

The report highlighted the growing dependence of economic growth on rising debt, noting that if credit growth had been kept at a sustainable rate, GDP growth in the five years between 2012 and 2016 would have averaged 5.5 percent, rather than the recorded level of 7.25 percent.

The Chinese government rejected the IMFs warnings. According to Jin Zhongxia, Chinas representative at the IMF, the expected stronger performance of the Chinese economy was not merely driven by policy stimulus. It was a reflection of rebalancing and structural adjustment, he said. The IMF scenario of an abrupt slowdown of the Chinese economy  is highly unlikely.

Chinese authorities are no doubt acting in the belief that the expansion of debt will be countered by economic growth.

Figures produced by the IMF, however, show a marked decline in the effect of credit stimulus on the economy. In 2008, new credit of 6.5 trillion renminbi produced a rise of 5 trillion renminbi in nominal GDP. In 2016, it took 20 trillion renminbi in new credit to obtain the same result. In other words, the impact of additional credit has fallen by two-thirds in the space of eight years.

While Chinese authorities have been somewhat dismissive of the IMFs warnings, they are well aware of the problems posed by increased debt and have been trying to rein in expansion of credit in the so-called shadow banking system.

But government policy is not driven by purely economic considerations. Politics is a major factor.

Having long ago abandoned any commitment to socialism and social equality, the regime is seen by the population as ruling in the interests of major corporate and financial elites. Its political legitimacy rests solely on its ability to continue economic expansion. It lives in mortal fear that any significant economic slowdown will lead to the growth of opposition from the multi-million working class.

The fate of the Chinese economy has major international implications. Since the global financial crisis of 2008, China has been the major contributor to the expansion of the global economy, accounting for more than half the increase in world GDP in recent years.

With growth in the US economy stuck at 2 percent and below for the foreseeable future, that dependence is increasing. The IMF revised down its estimate for US growth in its most recent review of the American economy. Yet continued Chinese growth depends, in turn, on an increase in its debt levels, threatening to set off a financial crisis.

The IMF report also pointed to the rapid growth of the Chinese banking system. It said China now had one of the largest banking sectors in the world. At 310 percent of GDP, it was above the average for advanced economies and more than three times the average level for so-called emerging markets.

The sharp growth in recent years reflects both a rise in credit to the real economy and intra-financial claims. The increase in size, complexity and interconnectedness of these exposures have resulted in sharply rising risks, the report said.

The situation may be even worse than indicated by the IMF. According to Charlene Chu, a long-time analysis of the Chinese financial system, bad debt is some $6.8 trillion above the levels indicated by official figures. Government intervention, while providing stability in the short term, has allowed problems to grow.

Speaking to the Financial Times in the wake of the IMF report, she said while everyone knew about the credit problem in China, people often forget about the scale. Its important in global terms.

Chu estimated that bad debt in the Chinese financial system would reach as much as $7.6 trillion by the end of this year, more than five times the official estimate of loans classified as either non-performing or one grade above. This implies a bad debt ratio of 34 percent, compared to the official ratio of 5.3 percent.

Chu said she appreciated how the authorities managed to orchestrate the financial system and an acute crisis did not appear imminent because Beijing could delay the emergence of problems longer than in a purely market-driven system.

The upside is that it creates stability, she commented. The downside is that it can create a problem of proportions that people would think is never possible. Were moving into that territory.
Recent Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announcements indicate it is preparing to speed up the privatisation of state-owned companies (SOEs), by converting the vast majority into joint stock companies, open to private investment, by the end of the year. While praised by the corporate media as a milestone in opening up the Chinese economy, this move will pave the way for a massive assault on workers jobs and conditions.

Collectively, SOEs still account for nearly half of all Chinas economic production, assets and profits, despite the substantial boosting of the private sector since the 1980s as a result of the processes of capitalist restoration. The proportion is nearly 70 percent in sectors such as mining, energy production, defence and heavy industry.

There are about 155,000 SOEs, worth a combined $US17 trillion, with roughly two-thirds owned by local governments and one-third controlled by the central government. Of these, some 100 SOEs, all controlled by the central government, constitute the lions share of public sector economic activity, and include the 10 largest corporations in China.

Globally, Chinas largest SOEs account for 510 percent of global revenue in coal mining, banking and industrial production. These are the corporations that primarily have been targeted for conversion into joint-stock companies.

Currently, SOEs are owned fully by the government. Even among those companies that are publicly traded on financial markets, the CCP owns the vast majority of shares, giving it control. The government is now offering up to 50 percent of available shares to domestic and foreign private investors. Hence the term joint-stock company, as SOEs would be co-owned by public and private entities. The CCP would still retain ultimate control of the companies, with the right to select the board of directors.

The government has claimed that nearly 90 percent of the 100 biggest SOEs have completed the conversion process into joint-stock companies, with the remainder expected to be ready by the end of the year.

SOEs are highly profitable, and are often exploited as sources of wealth and political power by high-ranking officials within the corrupt CCP bureaucracy. Such is the political importance of SOEs that the politicians who control the largest companies are often referred to as holding fiefdoms. The biggest SOEs often own company towns populated by hundreds of thousands of workers, with their own hospitals and schools, in addition to factories and offices.

Since the 2008 global economic breakdown, however, SOEs have come under increasing financial strain, largely surviving through massive borrowings from Chinese banks and government handouts. This is underscored by their ballooning debt over the past decade. It now stands at 175 percent of Chinese gross domestic product, an unprecedented figure. With this enormous debt posing a serious threat to financial stability, the CCP is hoping for an influx of foreign investment into the SOEs.

Beijing is also looking to boost the global competitiveness of the major SOEs. One of the provisions in the conversion process allows SOEs to form partnerships with private corporations within China and internationally, in order to acquire access to new technologies and assets.

Under pressure from American companies, US President Donald Trump has just initiated measures aimed against Chinese requirements that foreign investors in joint enterprises share technology and know-how, falsely branding this as the theft of intellectual property. Depending on the findings of the US trade representative, Trump could impose trade sanctions on China.

Chinas SOEs have long been targets for privatisation. Over the past three decades, the social services, employment guarantees and pensions provided by SOEs have been substantially reduced. However, despite substantial pressure from international financial institutions, until now the CPC has avoided undertaking further steps toward privatisation.

Layers within the state apparatus who have carved out fiefdoms in the state-owned sector have resisted any undermining of their power and privileges. This strata, however, suffered a significant blow when leading CCP figure Bo Xilai was ousted as party secretary in Chongqing and eventually jailed on corruption charges. Bo was the most prominent defender of boosting the role of SOEs.

More fundamentally, the CCP regime fears that major job losses will provoke widespread social unrest. The CCP has retained power by suppressing strikes and protests, on the one hand, while maintaining high growth and relatively low levels of unemployment. The SOEs have been crucial, as they employ one-fifth of the total Chinese workforce.

The Chinese economy is now slowing significantly. Moreover, there is already a crisis of over-production in the steel and mining industries, where hundreds of thousands of workers have been sacked over the past two years. The transformation of SOEs into joint stock companies and their eventual privatisation could lead to a rapid rise in joblessness.

An article in the Economist entitled, Reform of Chinas ailing state-owned firms is emboldening them, gave an indication of the scale of job losses. It cited the case of a recently privatised liquor company in Sichuan province. Immediately after municipal authorities sold it to a Chinese private equity firm, a third of the production workforce was fired.

It is not clear that the CCP will be able to transform its major SOEs into joint-stock companies. According to an article in the financial newspaper Caixin, 69 of the 100 major SOEs had not taken the necessary steps for conversion into joint-stock companies as of late July this year, contradicting government claims of a 90 percent completion rate.

The article, China SOEs win concessions on taxes, fees, noted that even with government assistance, the conversion of the 69 SOEs to joint-stock companies would require an expensive and time-consuming asset evaluation process. This could lead to the imposition of taxes under the countrys asset valuation laws. The article estimated that total costs could be as high as 500 billion yuan ($75 billion).

Regardless of whether the Chinese government meets its proposed deadlines, the conversion of SOEs to joint-stock companies is a form of back-door privatisation that will accelerate the attacks on the jobs and conditions of the Chinese working class.

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On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) put an end to a program that allowed endangered children from certain Central American countries to travel to the United States to live with a legally residing parent. The termination of the Central American Minors (CAM) program is the latest assault on immigrants by the Trump administration.

Barack Obama instituted the CAM in 2014 as a way to stanch the flow of minors fleeing dangerous situations in Central America. The program allowed parents who legally reside in the United States separate from their children to apply for their children to join them. The program was designed to discourage parents from using human smugglers to bring their children to them. Tens of thousands of children and young adults under the age of 21 attempt to cross the US southern border every year.

Under the terms of the program, children approved for the CAM program were granted parole for two years, during which time they were permitted to travel and stay in the United States and apply for work permits.

According to the State Department, more than 13,000 children have applied to the program since its inception. Over 1,400 were granted parole and traveled to the United States under the programs oversight. Most of them, 1,100, applied from El Salvador, along with 324 children from Honduras and 31 children from Guatemala. Around 1 percent of applicants were denied both refugee status and parole under the CAM program, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Trump built his presidential campaign upon a platform of nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment. Barack Obama, the so-called deporter-in-chief, deported over 3 million immigrants during his tenure, excluding those who voluntarily left the United States under fear of deportation. The three million figure is more than for any other president in the history of the United States.

Not to be outdone, Trump signed numerous executive orders targeting immigrants and potential immigrants within days of his inauguration. One of those orders triggered a review of the CAM program, leaving the applications of 2,700 conditionally approved children in limbo. With the termination of the CAM program, those 2,700 applicationsmost of them originating in El Salvadorhave been canceled.

The deterioration of social conditions in El Salvadorparticularly illustrated by the skyrocketing rates of homicide, gang violence, and judicial corruptionare grounded in the countrys 12-year civil war, during which at least 75,000 people lost their lives as the countrys right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) battled the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN). The United Nations Truth Commission, which was formed in 1992 as part of the terms for peace agreements, found that 85 percent of the atrocities had been committed by ARENA. The United States had funded that regime, propping it up and training its most brutal forces on United States soil.

Since coming to power, the FMLN has demonstrated its class basis by appropriating ARENAs old terror tactics. The military has merged with the police, forming extrajudicial death squads that slaughter youth accused of gang membership or activity. Last summer, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, cited pervasive violence as the primary impetus for the accelerating rate of migrationincluding migration attempts by unaccompanied children.

Al Hussein acknowledged that many of these children fled for the United States out of fear of being killed for rejecting or leaving gang membership. However, he said, While the government has launched a comprehensive Plan for a Safe El Salvador that included accountability and work to rehabilitate former gang members following prison sentences, more recently much harder-line security measures have been put forward.

He further stated, Recent allegations of extra-judicial killings by death squads are intolerable and are likely to fuel even greater violence, and pointed out that the FMLN government has failed to ensure the safety of citizens who have been forced back into El Salvador after attempting to migrate.

The State Departments interpretation of humanitarian crisis has never been based upon objective definitions. In the 1980s, most refugees from countries like El Salvador were denied asylum because of the United States support for right-wing juntas. This policy only shifted in the 1990s after the ouster of the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and the end of the civil wars in El Salvador and Guatemala. Even projects like CAM function more as a way for the US to discourage any migration at all, and to keep strict tabs upon those who are granted asylum or parole. Thousands of children waiting to join their parents thus find themselves caught between the bared teeth of the Trump administration and the chaotic violence rife in their home countries.

The CAM program was a cosmetic answer to a growing human tragedy, instituted by a man who sent countless Central American migrants to their deaths by deporting them back into danger. However, its termination signals a heightened aggression against the working class. It is a brazen declaration that even children will be treated as criminals. The bourgeoisies barbarity has rarely displayed itself so nakedly, and workers must acknowledge the fact that nothing short of their independence and international unity can halt it.
A major earthquake struck the Chinese province of Sichuan last week, destroying buildings, roads and communications, and leaving many areas vulnerable to landslides.

According to the state media release on Sunday, 25 people died in the quake and 525 have been injured, including 45 who are in a critical condition. Around 85,000 people have been relocated from affected towns and villages in the region, using tourist buses and private vehicles.

The quake occurred at 9:20 p.m. on August 8, in the mountainous area of Jiuzhaigou county and measured 7.0 on the Richter scale at a depth of 20 kilometres, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre.

Only hours later, another tremor, unconnected to the first, hit the northwestern province of Xinjiang. According to the US Geological Survey, this occurred in Jinghe county, about 2,200 kilometres from Jiuzhaigou and registered 6.3 on the Richter scale. At least 32 people were injured, with two in a serious condition.

The western provinces of China are situated in a tectonically unstable region. Major earthquakes occur every few years as a result of the interaction of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Aftershocks from the events in Sichuan and Xinjiang are still occurring, with magnitudes of up to 4.8.

Liu Mian, a geophysicist at the University of Missouri, told the South China Morning Post: We dont know if this is ending, or dying down, so people need to be alert. Its possible that theres an even bigger one that will occur.

Both quakes occurred in sparsely populated areas, which limited the destruction and loss of life. However, their remoteness also hampered rescue efforts. It was roughly 24 hours before most major roads were reopened in Jiuzhaigou by clearing boulders and debris.

In a preliminary analysis of the disaster in Sichuan province, the National Commission for Disaster Reduction estimated that more than 130,000 houses could have been damaged.

According to the Sichuan provincial government, the damage in Pingwu county, a more urbanised area just southeast of the epicentre, has been estimated as being over 110 million yuan ($US17 million).

Most of the displaced people are now housed in makeshift tents provided by authorities, waiting out the subsequent tremors and for government assistance. Authorities have set up 200 evacuation centres and have deployed some 600 fire officers and soldiers, according to the Peoples Daily.

Jiuzhaigou county relies heavily on the tourist industry, which peaks at this time of year. Two thirds of its economy is based on services, according to its economic yearbook, and approximately 40,000 tourists were visiting the area each day prior to the quake.

After the earthquake, important tourist sites have been destroyed, and valleys left prone to landslides that could take years to rehabilitate. Many businesses and tourist operators face the costs of reconstruction without their economic lifeline.

The strength and location of the earthquake recalls the devastating 2008 Sichuan quake that hit closer to the provincial capital Chengdu, killing nearly 90,000 people and injuring approximately 375,000.

That tragedy exposed the reality of class relations in China. Many schools and buildings in poor areas collapsed due to the lack of reinforcement and poor quality concrete, killing the occupants inside. Yet those buildings designed for the use of top officials or members of the wealthy elite survived due to higher construction standards.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) faced a furore from angry survivors. Fearful that the tragedy would become a focus for national unrest, the government dispatched Premier Wen Jiabao to the area in a show of support and sympathy. In the end, however, it resorted to arrests and intimidation to suppress demands for a genuine investigation and greater assistance.

In the wake of the latest Sichuan tremor, President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to rapidly organise relief work and rescue the injured people. Such calls are completely cynical, however, and designed to cover up the lack of measures to minimise the impact of quakes.

Since 2008, little has been done to address the quality of building materials in the countryside. Only 6 percent of residential properties in rural areas conform to anti-seismic design requirements, according to the China Earthquake Administration.

Instances of corruption have also plagued reconstruction efforts. A National Audit Office report in 2012 revealed that 1.4 billion yuan ($228 million) of the funds made available for relief work after the 2008 Sichuan disaster had been embezzled or illegally transferred.

The life expectancy of buildings in China averages 25 to 30 years, less than half of those in the United States (70 to 75 years), and less than a quarter of that in Britain (132 years). Building codes are frequently sidestepped in the rush to maximise profits.

Reports have also surfaced of new villages built for earthquake survivors in some locations showing cracks in the walls, leaky pipes and faulty wiring. One such area is Longtoushan, in Yunnan province, where a 6.3 quake hit in 2014. We are terrified, one anonymous resident told Caixin Global, a Beijing media company, If a relatively small earthquake could do this much damage, what will happen when a bigger one strikes?

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Donald Trumps defense of Nazi and white supremacist protests in Charlottesville that led to the killing of counter-demonstrator Heather Heyer has provoked a deep political crisis in Europe. European states that for decades presented themselves as having built democracy after fascist rule during World War II thanks to Washingtons leadership of the free world are scrambling to distance themselves from the White House and denounce Trumps pro-Nazi opinions.

Trumps praise for very fine people at the far right protests and his denunciation of both sides in Charlottesville unleashed a torrent of criticism from European officials. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Deutschlandfunk, That is horrible, that is evil. That is racist far-right violence. This must be pursued with all strength and determination, wherever in the world it occurs.

Martin Schulz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Merkels main rival in the German general elections, attacked Merkel for being compliant with Washington. He said, I am convinced that you will achieve more with Trump if you tell him, Watch out, this is not how this works. After calling for a fight against racism and anti-Semitism during the German election campaign, Schulz wrote on Twitter, You have to stand up and fight Nazis. What Trump is doing is extremely dangerous. Those who trivialize violence and hate are betraying our Western values.

British Prime Minister Theresa May called the Charlottesville events horrendous and declared, I see no equivalence between those who propound fascist views and those who condemn them. I think it is important for all those in positions of responsibility to condemn far-right views wherever we hear them.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote about Charlottesville on Twitter, saying he was By the side of those fighting racism and xenophobia. Its our common struggle, yesterday and today.

The killing in Charlottesville marks a dangerous watershed for the international working class. A nationwide Unite the Right rally by hundreds of heavily armed Nazis and white supremacists briefly occupied a US city and carried out a political murder designed to terrorize opponents. Trumps remarks make clear that this action, which could not have occurred without foreknowledge of US domestic intelligence, has support from significant factions of the American state.

Empty invocations of Western values by the European political establishment to present themselves as fundamentally different from Trump, however, are false and hypocritical to the core. While some in the media dubbed Merkel the leader of the free world after Trumps election, the fact is that events like those in Charlottesville could easily happen in Europe.

Across the European continent, the far right is rapidly consolidating their influence in the security services and armed forces. While Greeces pro-Nazi Golden Dawn party and Frances neo-fascist National Front (FN) have the votes of half the police force in their respective countries, the German state is investigating a network of neo-Nazi army officers who planned to carry out a rash of assassinations and falsely blame them on immigrants.

European fascist groups have repeatedly carried out political killingsfrom Norwegian fascist Anders Behring Breiviks slaughter of 77 people, mostly social democratic youth, in 2011, to Golden Dawns murder of Greek hip-hop musician Pavlos Fyssas, the Revolutionary Nationalist Youths fatal assault on French anti-fascist student Clement Meric in 2013 and the 2016 killing of UK Labour parliamentarian Jo Cox by fascist Thomas Alexander Mair.

If the Charlotteville events mark a watershed, it is because Trumps statement is unprecedented in its direct support from the head of state for this type of murderous far-right activity. It shows that sections of the ruling class are working today, as in 20th century Europe, to incite a fascist movement on which to base their rule. Absent a revolutionary movement in the working class, the danger of fascism is very real.

The European mediaunable to address, let alone explain the accelerating disintegration of bourgeois democracy across its traditional homelands in America and Western Europeinstead shout moral imprecations against Trump as an individual.

In an editorial denouncing Trump as beyond the moral pale, the British Guardian wrote: Racism, antisemitism, white supremacism and Nazism, new or old, are wrong. A leader who cannot bring himself to say this clearly and unequivocally is not just clueless. He also forfeits his claim to moral authority and much of his right to be respected as leader. Yet that is where Mr Trump has put himself. The question facing America in the wake of these events is how to get through to 2020 with its values, institutions and social decencies intact.

Frances Le Monde blamed Trumps unprecedented transgression on his attempt to exploit the bad demons of white America. However, it pointed directly to the greatest concern of the ruling class in Europe: The reaction of the American president, which is erratic and unpredictable as usual, risks unifying against him a wave of indignation that goes far beyond the camp of his political opponents.

From Europe, however, it is not so difficult to understand the calculation Trump is making, when he indicates his sympathy for the very fine people of the neo-Nazi movement. After a quarter century of unpopular imperialist wars from Iraq to Afghanistan, rising social inequality and relentless social attacks on the working class in the United States as in Europe, it is ever more impossible to clothe capitalist politics in even in the formal trappings of democracy. As anger and alienation from the political elite grow relentlessly, the ruling class is seeking another basis for its rule.

What, indeed, has the European Unions (EU) policy been since the 2008 economic crisis? When anger mounted in Greece against destructive EU austerity policies in 2011, the EU dismissed Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and installed an unelected technocratic government based on a coalition of the far-right Popular Orthodox Rally with conservatives and Papandreous social democrats. And now forces across the continent who present themselves as hostile to the far right insist that its nationalist positions are legitimate elements up for debate.

When the darling of the petty-bourgeois left, the pro-austerity Syriza (Coalition of the Radical Left) party, took power in Greece, it formed a coalition government with the far-right Independent Greeks. And Macron, who today hypocritically presents himself as an opponent of Trump and of xenophobia, began his presidency with a Republican salute to the political heir of Frances Nazi-collaborationist Vichy regime, FN candidate Marine Le Pen, in his election victory speech.

Finally Schulz, as he denounces racism and demands a confrontation with Trump, is trying to overcome Merkels wide lead in the German elections with appeals to racismdeclaring that he thinks immigrants living in Leipzig need a good slap in the face, so they realize who sets the agenda in this country. Irrespective of Schulzs attitude to Trump, such reactionary filth will only strengthen far-right politics in Germany and across Europe.

The danger of fascism revealed by Trumps comments on Charlottesville extends far beyond the borders of America. It is rooted not in the individual persona of Trump nor the sins of white America, but in the overall international decay of capitalism. As in Europe in the last century, the only way forward is the development of a revolutionary and internationalist movement of the working class against fascism and the danger of dictatorship and war.
WSWS reporters spoke to residents of Ladbroke Grove this week about the Grenfell Tower and the Socialist Equality Partys public meeting to be held Saturday August 19, in London, Grenfell FireSocial Murder: A crime against the working class.

Ismel has lived in Ladbroke Grove for five years. With the cost of living in the capital she is forced to hold down three jobs: I came from Germany and am a designer, waitress, bartender, a hard working person.

Two months after the fire, the authorities had to be compelled to give a true account of the number of fatalities at Grenfell Tower and how many survived. Ismel said, The numbers should be official by now. How many people survived, how many people havent. How come they are still hiding it? At the moment it still seems not near the number we expect.

Also the 20 million that has been raised from the public, it has still not been given to the families, or not to all the families. I hear stories of people living in hotels, people having to chase the money. There are not that many people who survived. They should be able to get the numbers and names and get money out to them, to at least buy them a flat or some good accommodation.

All the money is there, all the clothes, the accommodation. I think the money is in corrupt hands. There has been so much fundraising around the area. How come the fundraising has been in the area and the people still havent been given the money? They are not in trustful hands. That is what I think.

The whole story from the beginning, all the community who were friends and family, they helped. Its maybe a bit exaggerated, but you wonder if this was all an accident? These questions are open because the results are there, the numbers are still hidden, the money has not been given. There is a chain reaction. So I think its more of a crime than an accident.

They talk about ethnic cleansing, I believe that it is social cleansing, and we are now seeing the result of it. They are probably going to knock down this tower now and build a property only affordable for a rich mans hand.

It was night-time, a lot of Muslims, people who are not socially strong. There are working class, not rich people in the Tower. It confirms what you saysocial murder.

I am Turkish. My parents were immigrants who came here from Turkey in the 1960s. So when it comes to culture, separation, these injustices, after five years I have a sense of what it is about and that fire was definitely a crime.

Paula has lived in London since 1980 and used to be a street busker in Ladbroke Grove in the 1960s. She said, The dead have already paid for it. The grieving relatives have already paid and now the council tax will pay the price [for any prosecution]. I didnt know what you said, that Corporate Manslaughter is a qualitatively different charge. It means that nobody is going to pay.

The Metropolitan Police said they may bring charges of corporate manslaughter, but under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 Act, individuals cannot be held responsible and brought to justice. The Act stipulates that only corporations as an entity can be found guilty of such a charge, not those leading the companies. The most that will happen, if the council and/or the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisationthe body which managed Grenfell Tower on behalf of the residentsare found guilty of corporate manslaughter, is that they will receive a fine and carry on with business as usual. As public entities, the taxpayers will foot the bill.

Paula continued, These people in the council are so arrogant. I saw [Nicolas] Paget-Brown [the former Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council leader] leaving the council meeting where he had attempted to bar residents from it after the fire. The council had applied to the court to prevent the public being present and just minutes before the meeting they got a letter from the High Court saying No, they have a right to be present. And quite rightly they came in and were expressing public outrage from the gallery and they [the council officials] realised that the only way to dodge rotten tomatoes or worse was by getting up and walking out. Paget-Brown then got up and left in a big expensive car.

They showed in one of the news reports on TV the actual document where the contractor submitted the quote to the leader of the council and they decided to save some money. And so they cut the cost of the cladding they were going to put in and never bothered to test the quality of the replacement and that wasnt fireproof. The original cladding proposed was fireproof.

If a decision was made by someone knowing that a fire could take place that would be homicidal intent. And I dont know if they could ever establish that in court. They can always say we assumed all these things are fireproof. But they were definitely guilty of negligence. I would certainly help fund an appeal for people to be put behind bars for this for negligence.
A legal representative of 23-year-old Charnesia Corley announced Monday plans to file suit against the Harris County Sheriffs Department days after charges against two deputies were dropped by the local district attorneys office. Officers Ronaldine Pierre and William Strong had been facing charges of official oppression after a 2015 roadside stop resulted in the officers forcibly restraining the young woman as they conducted a warrantless cavity search.

Corley had consented to a vehicle search after officers claimed to smell marijuana. After having found nothing in Corleys car, officers insisted they do an on-the-spot cavity search.

According to Corley, officers insisted on searching her, responding So? when she expressed her discomfort with the forced strip search. An 11-minute police dash-cam video shows Corley lying face-down with her pants off as officers conduct the procedure. At the end of the video, Corley can be heard saying that was extreme, to pull my clothes down, in front of people.  People were watchingyou didnt see people walking around?...its not like Im shooting away, to which an officer coldly states, Its just one of those things. ... If you had been honest from the beginning. ... You escalated it. I gave you several outs.

Officers eventually found 0.2 ounces of marijuana on Corley, an amount not warranting jail time under local practice. Corley was later charged with resisting arrest for struggling against the forced cavity search.

On August 4, the District Attorneys office inexplicably dropped charges against the two officers, stating significant new facts had come to light that justified the empaneling of a new grand jury. That grand jury subsequently dismissed all charges.

Natasha Sinclair, assistant district attorney for Harris County, argued for the legality of the officers actions, telling Fox News, No one in this office stands by the search the way it was conducted. No one condones that. No one thinks its appropriate. It should not have happened. However, bad decisions, bad judgment, may not rise to the level of a criminal offense.

Due to grand jury secrecy laws, the exonerating evidence for the two officers will not be released, the effect being that the police officers charged with raping Charnesia Corley will be given more privacy than their victim.

In announcing the new charges, Sam Cammack, the victims attorney, stated, If what those officers did to Miss Corley was not mistreatmentdid not amount to rapeI dont know what is. Cammack suggested the local DAs office had colluded with the county to frustrate the prosecution: We know theres been conversations between the county attorney and the district attorneys office.  They even shared our depositions of Ms. Corley with the district attorneys office. Cammack has called for a special investigator to oversee the case against the county.

Family calls for federal investigation of Mississippi police department after man killed in case of mistaken identity

The family of Ismael Lopez, a 41-year-old father shot to death by police in Southaven, Mississippi, last month, has called for the Department of Justice to investigate the Southaven Police Department for the July 27 slaying.

They didnt release the information on the police officers who were involved, they havent released any relevant information as to how this could have happened; most importantly they havent offered any condolences or apologies for killing an innocent man, stated family attorney Aaron Neglia.

Lopez was killed inside his home by plainclothes cops. Police claim to have been responding to domestic violence charges brought against a neighbor, mistakenly confusing Lopezs home address with that of the suspect. It has been revealed that not only had police failed to respond to the correct address, but they had failed even to obtain a warrant prior to doing so.

According to police, Lopez aggressively confronted them with a firearm, exchanging fire with officers before being killed by a gunshot to the head. Lopezs family has asserted these claims are false, arguing that not only was Lopez unarmed at the time of his death, but that police had failed to announce who they were before shooting.

All he heard was pound, pound, pound, pound, pound, pound, pound, pound, pound, and then pop, pop, pop of the gunshot, recounted Neglia, who then added, Weve been flooded with phone calls of police brutality, police shootings, family members that were murdered by Southaven Police.

Lopezs death has resulted in community protests against the Southaven police. The police department is there to protect and serve, and thats the opposite of whats happening right now, so we need to address this immediately, stated local pastor Rolando Rostro to a CBS local affiliate at an August 3 protest against the killing. This is a community issue, not just a one Latino issue.  Its all of us, said Rostro.

Cellphone video in Troy, New York shows man bleeding, crying for help after police shoot him

A cell phone video was released Wednesday capturing the moments after police officers shot Dahmeek McDonald, a 22-year-old African American in Troy, New York. McDonald, who had done time for drug possession, was wanted for violating parole when he was confronted inside his vehicle and shot twice by Troy police, with one bullet entering his torso and another grazing his head.

In a video, taken by a bystander, McDonald can be heard screaming for help as blood pours from his scalp onto the pavement. Whyd you all shoot me? Whyd you all shoot me? Im about to die, McDonald cries. Bystanders can also be seen calling to the police to get McDonald help. The shooting resulted in spontaneous protests forming around city hall, led by family and friends of McDonald.

Troy police have not released footage of the moments before the shooting, nor have they stated whether McDonald had been armed at the time of the encounter. Witnesses to the event claimed the police had not been provoked. I literally stepped two steps back and pow, pow, pow, said Brittany Hughes, who had been speaking to McDonald moments before police interjected. Hughes stated that the officers had guns drawn before even stopping their vehicle, so you have all the intentions of coming to shoot somebody.

As in many impoverished areas across the country, Troy police have a record of brutality, including three fatal shootings in less than two years. At the end of the day, nobody trusts the police, stated Hughes to a local news publication. If me and my boyfriend get into an altercation and I call to ask you to get him out of the house, how do I know you wont shoot him?
Seven hundred ground crew and baggage handlers at Torontos Pearson International Airport are in the third week of a strike against a vicious, concessionary contract proposal from Swissport.

Under a Greater Toronto Airport Authority contract, Swissport services flights of some 30 passenger airlines, including KLM, British Airways, Air France, Emirates, Sunwing, and Air Transat. It also provides ground services for cargo airlines such as UPS, that fly out of Torontos main airport.

Highly profitable Swissport International is the worlds leading supplier of airport services to the aviation industry and is active in 48 countries with service contracts at more than 280 airports. A one-time subsidiary of Swissair, Swissport is now owned by the China-based HNA Group. Its revenues exceeded US $3 billion in 2016.

Swissports Canadian subsidiary is seeking a three-year wage freeze, reduced benefits eligibility, and a more onerous and unpredictable shift schedule. At $14 per hour, under the company offer, workers would be earning Ontarios legal minimum wage as of next January 1, when an increase in the provincial rate is to take effect.

Members of Teamsters Local 419, the Toronto Swissport workers voted 95 percent to reject the companys derisory contract proposals, then walked out on strike July 27.

Although a mediator is in place, there have been no talks since the strike began.

In anticipation of a strike, Swissport management hired several hundred temporary workers who have received only a few days of training. Normally, training for such key tasks as airplane-load balancing and plane-towing can take up to four weeks. Already there have been reports of damage to planes, improperly parked aircraft, flight delays and lost luggage. Last week, paramedics were called onto the tarmac to tend to a replacement worker who had suffered serious injury while unloading a plane.

Concerns have also been raised regarding the maintenance of proper security at the airport. To facilitate the companys strike-breaking, background checks on new hires have been fast-tracked. Full checks that generally take more than three months are being completed in a matter of days.

Union spokesmen have said that flights are being delayed, bags lost and freight shipments backed up. Customer complaints have verified these claims. To date, management has admitted only to hiccups in service.

Airport workers around the world are brutally exploited as giant transnational service companies offering the lowest bids scoop up dozens and even hundreds of lucrative contracts. Last month, ground crews at Newark, New Yorks LaGuardia and Kennedy, and Philadelphia airports struck against PrimeFlight, like Swissport, a major supplier of airport services.

PrimeFlight Inc. has developed a reputation for illegal labor practices and has regularly withheld wages from workers. The company has been forced to pay $3.3 million in penalties and settlements since 2005. Last year the company also agreed to issue $1.8 million in back pay to 152 airport workers in Seattle. Workers in New Jersey filed a suit against PrimeFlight for wage theft last fall, and workers in New York filed a similar suit earlier this year.

This week, 350 striking airport security workers in Barcelona defied government strike-breaking threats to continue their action against the poverty wages paid them by the Spanish multinational Eulen Inc. which registered a 65 percent profit increase over the past year alone.

The entire global airline industry today seeks to squeeze every last ounce of blood and sweat from both its ground and in-the-air workforce, whilst offering an ever declining customer experience. A US study has shown that labour costs in the industry have dropped by 21 percent since 1980 while airline workers are subjected to grueling schedules and passengers packed into planes like sardines in a can. The drive by the entire aviation industry to extract the last dollar in profit is highlighted in Swissports current attack on the ground crews at Torontos airport.

While the Swissport workers are showing great militancy, the Teamsters and the other major unions that represent Canadas airlines workersUnifor, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and the International Association of Machinistsare leaving them isolated.

On the grounds that workers have no dispute with airline passengers, the Teamsters have vowed that the strike will not disrupt airline schedules and service. Such action would not just cut into the profit margins of the airlines. It would rapidly expose the right-wing character of the union-supported federal Liberal government, which would quickly heed the demands of big business that it intervene to end the strike and ensure essential services.

The Trudeau government has already made clear its attitude toward air travel industry workers, by announcing regulatory changes aimed at facilitating the creation of ultra-low cost airlines. Such airlines offer heavily discounted fares by imposing sweatshop wages and work regimes on their employees and, by increasing competitive pressures, invariably pave the way for the major, established carriers to demand further contract concessions from their own workers.
In the aftermath of President Donald Trumps press conference Tuesday, in which he defended those who participated in last weekends Nazi and KKK rampage in Charlottesville, the president doubled down in his effort to appeal to far-right forces Thursday morning, tweeting his support for the public display of Confederate statues and monuments.

The statues of generals who fought to defend slavery, Trump proclaimed, were beautiful and would be greatly missed and never comparably replaced!

Trumps response to the Charlottesville violence, and his reaction to the mounting political crisis following Tuesdays press conference, make clear that his administration is pursuing a definite political strategyof mobilizing far-right elements, including fascists, outside traditional political forms. Over the past several days, he has leveled his denunciations at Democrats and Republicans alike, with particular venom directed at Congressional leaders of his own party.

While there does not yet exist a mass base for a fascistic movement, Trump and his allies within the White House are calculating that they can exploit widespread anger and political confusion to build such a movement.

Obscured and covered up in all the media and political commentary that has followed Trumps press conference is the fact that the central target of this political strategy is the working class, of all races and ethnicities.

The Trump administration is, at its root, a government of the corporate and financial elite. Trump, himself a billionaire real estate swindler, has gathered around him a cabal of oligarchs and military generals who have set out to continue and accelerate the redistribution of wealth to the rich.

The massively unpopular agenda of the White House includes new corporate tax cuts, the dismantling of health care, the privatization of public education, and an assault on Social Security and other entitlement programs. At the same time, the administration has demanded a vast increase in military spending in preparation for world war. Just two weeks ago, Trump pledged to rain fire and fury on North Korea, threatening the use of nuclear weapons in the pursuit of US imperialist interests.

Trumps remarks have intensified the political crisis in Washington, with sections of the ruling class concerned that they will severely undermine the credibility of the United States abroad and provoke social opposition at home. However, Trumps critics among the Republicans and Democrats share his basic agenda of war and social reaction.

Indeed, the renewal of criticisms in the wake of Charlottesville has been in part motivated by concerns that Trumps open appeal to fascistic forces, and his attack on Congressional Republicans, will make it more difficult to pass tax cuts and other reactionary measures. Significantly, the stock market, which has soared to record heights throughout the political conflicts over the past several months in anticipation of a new windfall, fell sharply yesterday.

The social and political forces that the media and the Democratic Party have upheld as leading opposition to Trump in the wake of his comments on Charlottesville all share the basic anti-working-class agenda of the administration. Top CEOs from Wal-Mart, Intel, Under Armor, pharmaceutical giant Merck and others have been presented as paragons of democracy for resigning from White House boards, on which they eagerly served for seven months.

Among the supposed champions of democracy are also included the representatives of the military and the intelligence agencies, including Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley and former CIA Director John Brennan, as well as arch-reactionary Senator Lindsey Graham and former presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

It is to these sections of the ruling class that the Democrats have appealed throughout the past seven months, with their campaign over Russian hacking of the US election. The aim has been twofold: to fight out divisions within the ruling class over foreign policy, while at the same time subverting and disorienting working-class opposition to the Trump administrations reactionary policy. They are terrified of such opposition, because it would pose a threat to the social and economic system that they support.

A critical element in the effort to obscure the basic class issues at stake has been the promotion of racial politics, the insistence that the United States is torn by racial divisions and racial animosity. This has facilitated the rise of the far right, which Trumps fascistic chief strategist Stephen Bannon made clear in an interview with the American Prospect this week. The longer they talk about identity politics, I got em, Bannon said. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats. That is, they can exploit the political vacuum created by the fact that the Democrats have nothing to say about the immense social crisis in the United States, which can be directed along reactionary, nationalist lines.

The efforts of the Democratic Party and its allies to obscure the class questions have intensified in the wake of Charlottesville. Charles Blow, the New York Times' leading proponent of racial politics, writes (in The Other Inconvenient Truth) that the Democratic Party has operated with the ethos of racial inclusion, while the Republicans have appealed directly to the racially intolerant. Behind support for Trump, according to Blow, is a passive white supremacy that infects the American people.

Then there is the comment by Princeton professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, No More Charlottesvilles in Jacobin, published by Bashkar Sunkara, a leading member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Taylor presents the rise of Trump and social tensions in purely racial terms and says nothing about the attacks on the working class. The words working class, poverty, unemployment, health care, capitalism and socialism do not appear in her article.

The rise of Trump, according to this narrative, is to be explained entirely in racial terms, ultimately as a product of the supposedly inherent racism of the white working class.

Taylor is a leading member of the International Socialist Organization (ISO), which is an external faction of the Democratic Party. It is significant that the New York Times, the main media voice of the Democratic Party, recently published a comment by Taylor. Along with Sunkara and the DSA, the ISO is being cultivated and brought forward by the Democratic Party precisely as a tool of containing and diverting a movement of the working class.

There are certainly racial issues. The forces Trump is appealing to are deeply reactionary. All the filth of the 20th century is being revived, including racism and anti-Semitism. Everything that has been won, including the most basic democratic rights, can be lost. However, these reactionary forces are being called forth to divide the working class and are in this sense the flip side of the identity politics of the Democrats.

A struggle against fascism must be developed as a working class movement, uniting all sections of the working class. It must be directed against the social and economic system that all factions of the ruling class support, capitalism. The fight against fascism is the fight for socialism. All those who obscure this fact play into the hands of reaction.
A profound political crisis engulfing the Australian government and the entire parliament has continued to spiral out of control this week. Last night, another senior minister, National Party deputy leader Senator Fiona Nash, announced she was a dual British citizen and therefore potentially disqualified from sitting in parliament.

Nash, the minister for regional development, local government and territories, is the third cabinet minister from the Nationals, the Coalitions rural-based partner, whose status will be referred to the High Court, following Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and Resources Minister Matt Canavan.

Desperate to cling to office, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today repeated his assertion that the High Court will declare the three ministers eligible to remain in parliament. He again effectively preempted the court, declaring he had very, very strong legal advice.

Last night Turnbull called an urgent cabinet meeting before Nash made her announcement to the Senate just before parliament adjourned for two weeks. The cabinet decided that Nash, like Joyce, would remain in office, and continue to vote in parliament, despite her uncertain legal status. Nash had known of her British citizenship since Monday, but said nothing publicly.

Earlier this month, Canavan stood aside as a minister, while still voting in parliament. Now the governments situation has become so precarious that it will try to keep Joyce and Nash in their posts until the countrys supreme court rules on their cases. Yet, no High Court verdict is expected until mid-October at least.

A furore that last month initially targeted members of two third parties in the Senatethe Greens and the anti-immigrant One Nationis now throwing into doubt the survival of the Liberal-National Coalition government.

Not only has the governments one-seat majority in the House of Representatives possibly been erased by the prima facie ineligibility of Joyce, a member of the lower house. In addition, three of the five National Party cabinet members are now in limbo, throwing serious legal doubt over every decision they made, and continue to make, as ministers.

An anti-democratic provision in the Constitution, section 44(i), declares that any person who acknowledges allegiance to any foreign power or is a citizen or entitled to be a citizen of any other country is incapable of being elected to parliament.

In circumstances that remain murky, this reactionary measure, which could disqualify millions of people who were born overseas or had a parent or grandparent born overseas, was first invoked against two Greens senators. Now, however, it has produced an unprecedented political and constitutional crisis.

When the Senate resumes on September 4, Nash will become the seventh member of parliament facing the High Court. This includes another National Party minister, David Gillespie, who has been accused of a financial conflict of interest, in violation of section 44 (v) of the Constitution.

Two other MPs, from One Nation and Family First, were disqualified by the High Court earlier this year. Nothing like this has ever happened before. In effect, the seven judges will determine the future of the government and the make-up of the parliament.

Apart from the Nationals, the others to appear before the court will be One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts and two Greens senators, Scott Ludlam and Larisa Waters. The Greens quit their seats immediately last month, without a fight, after it was revealed that they were dual citizens, inadvertently, from birth.

Nashs case illustrates how far section 44(i) can reach. She told the Senate she is automatically a British citizen because her father was born in Scotland. Many more MPs could be entitled to dual citizenship, even if they have not actually acquired foreign citizenship. One list, published by the Australian, named 50 MPs who had at least a grandparent born overseas.

The turmoil could worsen. During the week, the government was reported to be considering a nuclear option of referring at least four Labor Party MPs to the court. If that occurred, Fairfax Media reported, Labor would counter-attack by challenging eight Coalition MPs. Today, Senator Nick Xenophon, who heads his own four-member parliamentary team, declared that he could be a British citizen as well.

According to constitutional law experts, the government is compounding the legal uncertainty by retaining Joyce and Nash as ministers. Another part of the Constitution, section 64, requires all ministers to be members of parliament. In particular, any ministerial action that Joyce and Nash take from now on, having acknowledged their possible disqualifications, could be illegal.

In a warning sign for the government yesterday, independent MP Andrew Wilkie spoke for three lower house crossbench representatives in calling for Joyce to step down from cabinet while awaiting the High Courts decision. However, the three MPs abstained from voting on a Labor motion to demand that Joyce be dismissed and not have his parliamentary votes counted.

Labor has now given notice to move a resolution when parliament returns on September 4 to defer all divisions (contested votes) within the lower house amid the uncertainty over Joyces status.

The instability was highlighted when right-wing Australian Conservatives Senator Cory Bernardi , who split from the Liberal Party earlier this year, called for parliament to be prorogued (suspended) by the governor-general until the constitutional crisis could be resolved by the High Court.

This would be the second resort within 18 months to the anti-democratic powers held by the Queens representative, after Turnbull last year asked the governor-general to prorogue the parliament to pave the way for a double dissolution election of both houses. That election backfired for the government, however, leaving it with a bare one-seat majority in the lower house and only 29 seats in the 76-member Senate.

Bernardi also hinted at the underlying political crisis, saying the constitutional turmoil was exacerbating the loss of faith in politics and our political institutions.

In reality, the collapse of faith in the parliamentary set-up has been underway for a decade. A recently released survey commissioned by the Museum of Australian Democracy found that the level of democratic satisfaction dropped from 85.6 percent in 2007 to 42 percent last year.

That result is only a pale reflection of the social discontent and political disaffection produced as one government after another, both Labor and Liberal-National, has sought to make the working class pay for the ongoing economic breakdown that erupted in the 2008 global financial crisis.

Over the past decade, social inequality has intensified, with millions of working people experiencing job losses and declining living conditions, while the wealthy elite extracts huge fortunes. Income statistics released this week showed average real wages declining for private sector workers for the fifth year in a row.

Throughout this week, the Turnbull government sought to divert from the disarray produced by Deputy Prime Minister Joyces predicament, as a New Zealand dual citizen, by drumming up nationalist accusations. Led by Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, government ministers declared that the Labor Party had treacherously engaged in a conspiracy with a foreign power to cause damage to Australia by allegedly asking a New Zealand Labour MP to inquire about how the countrys citizenship laws worked.

This witch hunt blew up in the governments face after New Zealand government ministers stated that it was media inquiries, not a Labour MPs questions, that forced Joyce to reveal his dual citizenship. Nevertheless, the governments desperate actions are a warning of the political establishments readiness to resort to vicious nationalism, branding opponents as treasonous, as its political crisis deepens.
THOMASVILLE, GA (WALB) - After receiving several messages on Wednesday about 'threatening images' posted on social media, the Thomas County Sheriff's Office has arrested a man for terroristic threats.

According to Thomasville Police Department's Facebook page, Kutter Harrison, 20, was arrested. He was booked into the Thomas County Jail on Thursday.

A picture of Harrison holding a rifle with a handgun in his pant's waistband was posted on Snapchat with the caption, 'Who else is excited as **** for the race war in Thomasville tomorrow?'

The image was posted as protests continue in Thomasville after a fatal deputy involved shooting that happened on Tuesday.

Herbert Gilbert, 37, was killed in that shooting after drug agents attempted to execute a search warrant. Both the drug agent's and Gilbert's vehicles were involved in the incident somehow. The GBI is handling the investigation into the incident.

In another Facebook post, the Thomasville Police Department asked the community to continue to keep them informed.

The TPD also gave the following statement regarding updates to the investigation of the deputy involved shooting:

The safety of our community is of the utmost importance. We are unable to provide updates via social media due to maintaining the integrity of the investigations. Please trust that the matters are being taken care of.

The police department also thanked the community for, 'Choosing a respectful and peaceful path to voice your concerns.'

Copyright 2017 WALB. All rights reserved.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Florida cities and counties are in a dilemma about pot.

State lawmakers approved regulations in June that left city and county officials with a Hobson's choice about the sale of medical marijuana in their communities.

Local governments can either impose outright bans on medical-marijuana dispensaries or allow unlimited numbers of marijuana retail outlets, under an all or nothing approach approved during a special legislative session.

Dozens of cities have approved or are considering temporary moratoriums on medical- marijuana dispensaries, but it's unknown exactly how many local governments have acted on the issue, because nobody --- including state health officials --- is officially keeping track.

Marijuana operators' search for retail space has bloomed after voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in November that legalized marijuana for a broad swath of patients with debilitating medical conditions.

The scramble for retail outlets is expected to intensify as the number of marijuana operators continues to increase, and as local governments seek ways to restrain the sales of cannabis in their communities, at least for now.

As another result of the legislation approved during the June special session, state health officials recently authorized five new medical marijuana operations, on top of the seven businesses already active in the state. Five more are supposed to come online in October.

Nearly 72 percent of voters approved the constitutional amendment last fall, making it difficult for local officials to close the door completely on the sale of medical cannabis.

But while saying they respect the will of voters, many local officials also want the power to regulate the number of dispensaries, and where the businesses can be sited, something that's essentially off the table in the new state law, which requires local governments to treat medical marijuana distribution centers in the same way pharmacies are handled.

Most cities and counties don't have special regulations regarding pharmacies, but instead treat them like other retail, or light commercial, businesses.

While some communities contemplate new zoning rules for pharmacies, a move that also could curb the development of marijuana dispensaries, others are focused on the cannabis retail outlets.

For example, St. Augustine Beach commissioners last week approved a moratorium barring medical-marijuana dispensaries from opening in the waterfront community.

I think the main reason was just wanting to see how the situation is going to shake out and what sort of problems might occur with the sales of this stuff. There was no particular anxiety over it, but I think it's a fear of the unknown, said Jim Wilson, a lawyer who represents the city. We're a small community, and we'd rather see how this works elsewhere before we connect into it. It may work out fine later on.

But Sen. Rob Bradley, who has been a key player in the creation and passage of the state's medical-marijuana laws the past three years, said the new regulations were meant to encourage competition in the state's burgeoning marijuana industry.

I would encourage our local partners to see the bigger picture here. We are bringing online several new licenses over the next year-and-a-half. It's important for the long-term future of the medical marijuana industry that we have real competition among not only the incumbents but the new license holders, Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican and former prosecutor, said in a recent interview. If local governments were allowed at this point in time to restrict in their communities the number of dispensaries to only one or two or three, that would provide an unacceptable advantage to the incumbents.

Regarding local officials' fears about what are disparagingly known as pot shops, Bradley said he thinks they may be uninformed.

When I see some of the comments from local officials, I'm not sure that they've read the details of the law. We have strict limitations on advertising and signage, and all of these dispensaries are required to have a doctor's office feel, he said.

The new restrictions imposed by the Legislature, paired with a push by marijuana operators to open retail facilities, create an awkward situation for a lot of cities, said John Wayne Smith, a lobbyist who represents numerous cities and counties as well as the Florida League of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties.

While local governments are largely focused on budget issues during the summer, they may turn their attention to medical marijuana later in the year, Smith predicted.

Others may wait for the Legislature to revamp the state law.

I would say that it's probably half-baked and this is probably an issue that is going to evolve and get tweaked over the next five to 10 years, Smith said.

But the passage of the state-imposed prohibition on local governments' ability to limit the number of retail outlets poses a problem for cities like Lake Worth, which authorized two medical marijuana dispensaries before approving a moratorium aimed at preventing others from opening.

It's unclear, however, whether the new state law will require the city to open its doors to more dispensaries, an issue on which municipal lawyers are divided.

By doing a nothing or all, and because we already have two, this is what you've done to my city. Everyone around me has a moratorium, but you've now told my city it's a free-for-all, Lake Worth City Commissioner Andy Amoroso told The News Service of Florida.

Amoroso stressed that he supports legalization of recreational marijuana and endorses the use of medical marijuana for sick patients. But he also emphasized that the state law jeopardizes what our cities look like.

Lake Worth is surrounded by other communities that have banned the sales of medical marijuana, meaning that retailers will likely target his city, Amoroso maintained.

Lake Worth officials need to be able to control what their 7-square-mile city looks like, Amoroso said.

If I have medical marijuana on every corner, I can't do that, he said.

But Orlando city attorney Kyle Shephard said he believes a moratorium recently passed by his commission will allow the city to stop any more medical-marijuana retail shops from opening.

Every city attorney may answer this differently, depending on their own local situation, Shepard told the News Service.

Orlando adopted its ordinance allowing up to seven medical marijuana dispensaries before the state law (SB 8-A) was passed, Shepard said. The city believes that means its ordinance won't be affected by the new law.

If you didn't get your rules on the books before SB 8 went into effect at the end of June, then you are sort of hamstrung, Shepard said.

Orange Park council members recently advanced an ordinance that would prohibit pharmacies from opening in light commercial areas --- something that wouldn't affect any of the drug stores currently in operation, according to Mayor Scott Land.

The town council approved the new regulation in response to the state law, which the mayor called an all or nothing, almost.

So instead of doing the all, a lot of people are going to probably choose the nothing, he said. I think it's going to make it difficult for the dispensaries."
(RNN)  Todays political climate has spawned a terminology that can be hard to navigate. Terms like "alternative right," "social justice warrior" and "anti-fascist" have become commonplace. It seems new political affiliations and pejoratives are created on a daily basis, and the definitions are wide and varied.

The internet has been the breeding ground for the new vocabulary. Whether the terms first appear on Reddit, YouTube or even 4chan, they often gain notoriety or popularity because of the outrage they receive.

It can be hard to separate vile opinion from harmless trolling - when someone comments with outrageous thoughts or opinions to get a rise out of viewers or other respondents. Often, these internet-born ideas or symbols have no connotations attached until larger organizations take credit for and begin using them.

Let's look at some of the terms:

Alternative right/'alt-right'

The "alt-right" is described by The Associated Press Style Guide as "a grouping or tendency mixing racism, white nationalism, anti-Semitism and populism." The term was first used by American political philosopher Paul Gottfried in a 2008 address to the H.L. Mencken Club's Annual Meeting. It wasn't until 2013 that white nationalists Richard Spencer and Colin Liddell launched the Alternative Right blog, where they used the term freely. Since then "alt-right" has served to identify groups and individuals who are opposed to multiculturalism and identity politics. Milo Yiannopoulos, the former columnist for Breitbart became an ardent flag-flyer for the far-right movement. Former executive editor Steve Bannon, now a top adviser in the Trump White House called Breitbart the forum for the alt-right.

Anti-fascist/'antifa'

Anti-fascists see themselves as in direct opposition to those on the "alt-right." AP defines the group as "far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations and other events." They are not an interconnected organization, and are, according to The Washington Post, made up of "communists, socialists and anarchists who reject turning to the police or the state to halt the advance of white supremacy." While those in the alt-right proudly identify with the movement, the term "alt-left" is used almost exclusively by those on the right to describe Antifa or unaffiliated far-left activists. Sean Hannity helped popularize the term on his late-night talk show on Fox News.

'Blood and Soil'

Translated from "Blut und Boden", "Blood and Soil" was a phrase popularized in Nazi Germany from 1933 until the end of World War II in 1945. It was a rallying cry for German nationalists who wanted to keep other races out of their territories, and was featured prominently on Nazi Germany-era architecture. At an August rally in Charlottesville, VA, white nationalists chanted the phrase and many others, including "Jews will not replace us." While "Blood and Soil" has seen a resurgence in the United States, Germany - whose history is uniquely burdened - has a zero tolerance policy for anything relative to Nazi ideology.

White nationalism

"Nationalist" is a term that, without any adjective attached, can be positive. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary describes nationalism as "loyalty and devotion to a nation." When you put "white" in front of the term things start to get murky. White nationals follow "a subset of racist beliefs that calls for a separate territory and/or enhanced legal rights and protections for white people," according to The Associated Press. Many white nationals claim they aren't racist, but instead want to slow "white dispossession" of the United States; this is also referred to as "white genocide," which refers to a more general deconstruction of white culture.

Social justice warrior/SJW

Social justice warrior is defined by the Oxford Living Dictionaries as "a person who expresses or promotes socially progressive views." The term started seeing widespread use in 2011 after an Urban Dictionary entry went viral. Describing someone as a SJW is generally seen as derogatory. They are often the target of those who believe political correctness has no place in politics. SJWs are decried on social media for attempting to defend feminists, transgender rights, civil rights, multiculturalism and identity politics.

Deus vult

Like "Blood and Soil," Deus vult, which in Latin means God wills it, has been appropriated by anti-immigration groups as a battle cry. The phrase's origin dates to the First Crusade into Jerusalem in 1095, were it was used by crusaders and the supporting populace to boost morale and strike fear into opposition. In 2013, it was used in memes across the web and in 2016 was appropriated by "alt-right" constituents to shout down opponents of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. Its usage online has dropped sharply since his election.

Copyright 2017 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Police have arrested a man in connection to a robbery near Tallahassee Community College's main campus.

The school sent out an alert on Twitter around 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. A little over 15 minutes later, they sent out another alert saying that the suspect has been arrested.

They described the suspect as a black male, around 15 to 19 years old. They report he was wearing a red shirt with #10 on it, and jeans.

No identity of the suspect has been released.

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - In Tallahassee tonight, a rally taking place at the old Florida State Capitol in response to the Charlottesville violence.

The event will get under way at 6:30 p.m.

Officer Dave Northway with Tallahassee Police Department, says they will assist the capitol police, if needed.

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum through his gubernatorial campaign is calling on Governor Rick Scott to remove the confederate monument on the grounds of the old state capitol. Saying this:

"We owe it to our children and grandchildren to acknowledge that while we cannot change history, we do not have to glorify its ugliest moments with displays on public lands."

We reached out to Governor Scott and haven't heard back yet.
TYLER, TX (KLTV) - A group of parents and citizens is calling for the renaming of one East Texas high school.

The events in Charlottesville, Virginia have prompted a push to change the name of Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler.

"Going through old Robert E. Lee High School yearbooks and seeing Confederate flags and Confederate cannons, and seeing people waving them," said DG Montalvo, Minister of Social Justice.

Mike Warner entered the school as a junior in 1958. He was a part of the first graduating class in 1959.

"They waved the Confederate flag, they played Dixie. It was a different time with a different understanding, or lack thereof," Warner said.

But as society has progressed, Michael Tolbert said the school's name needs to change.

"I believe the majority of people realize that honoring the Confederacy that took up arms against the United States, that committed an act of treason against the United States, is just wrong," parent Michael Tolbert.

DG Montalvo said now is an opportune time for the district to take action.

Use social pressure to apply to the problem that exists in Tyler, Texas, in regards to the underlying racism that keeps Tyler divided," Montalvo said.

Warner said the school's name isn't a real problem.

"People need to choose their battles where there is really hurt, where there is real reason for concern," Warner said.

For some parents, history is reason enough.

"To have my child in school learning history and to see a glorified image of someone who wanted to keep people as property because of the color of their skin is just wrong," Tolbert said.

Tyler ISD released this statement Thursday addressing the issue:

The Tyler ISD administration and Board of Trustees continuously stay aware of national concerns and their impact locally. If an issue appropriately rises for Board consideration, collaboration between the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees and various leaders throughout Tyler, TX will occur, with logistical assistance from Tyler ISD administration, while in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Tyler ISD policy, and Board operating practices. Monday's regularly scheduled August board meeting agenda will be posted Friday morning, August 18. The District will have no further comment at this time.



The Tyler ISD School Board meets on Monday at 7:00 p.m.

Some parents and community members are set to attend and make comments on the possible renaming of the high school.

Copyright 2017 KLTV. All rights reserved.

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Copyright 2017 WTXL via Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - During Thursdays Savannah City Council meeting, Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach stated that the city is beginning the process of renaming the perceived racist name of the Talmadge Bridge and adding to the Confederate monument in Forsyth Park.

The City of Savannah will send a resolution to the Governor Nathan Deal's Office on renaming the Talmadge Bridge.

The bridge is named after Eugene Talmadge, a three-term governor in Georgia who publicly held racist and segregationist views.

Mayor DeLoach said in his statement before the council that Savannah has wanted to change the name of the bridge for a long time. Savannah needs state approval to rename the bridge.

The mayor says he hopes the name of the bridge can be changed to something that represents the whole community.

Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach also stated that the Confederate monument in Forsyth Park does not tell both sides of the story. He will ask City Manager Rob Hernandez to begin the process of looking at ways to expand the monument.

"We lead by example and I wanted to make sure we did that as a council. We got a great council and they had the same feeling I did. We wanted to express our concern about what is taking place and let people know that we do understand that we trying to do what we feel like is right as a community, said Mayor DeLoach.

Below is Mayor DeLoach's full statement:

In the past week we have seen many acts of violence that have been committed in the name of hate and racism. We all must denounce these forms of domestic terrorism, and rally around each other in the name of peace and unity. We must not just be on the right side of history, but we must write the right version of history. Savannah has long wanted to re-name the Talmadge bridge to a name that is more inclusive and representing of our entire community. I hope council will join in with me in supporting a resolution to send to the Governor and the State Legislature to work with our community to achieve this goal. In Forsyth Park, we have a beautiful monument that pays homage to the Confederate Dead. This monument only tells a portion of our citys unique history. While many, including myself had family members fight and die for the Confederacy, we also had citizens who fought and died to preserve the Union. We had citizens like James Moore Wayne who served as a United States Supreme Court Justice while his son served as an Adjunct General in the Confederate Army. Our nation, our city, and our families were divided. And we must embrace the whole story so we do not repeat it. I call on the City Manager and the City Attorney to find a way to expand the story this monument tells to be inclusive of all Savannahians, regardless of race, creed, or color, who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Civil War

Copyright 2017 WTOC. All rights reserved.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - It seems that more and more people these days are becoming entrepreneurs and starting their own small businesses selling anything from artwork, to beauty products, and hand crafted jewelry.

Of course, being a small business owner isn't easy, especially when it comes to finding a costumer base.

That's where pop-ups like the "Tallahassee Pop-Up Market" come into play.

This market began last holiday season, but has brought small businesses owners and entrepreneurs together as a way to connect and meet with their costumers face to face. With department stores and online retailers like Amazon, it can be very difficult for these small businesses to compete.

"For us, it's a great way to keep more money in our own businesses, especially since a lot of us do primarily wholesale and thrive on just seasonal pop-ups," said Megan Connelley, the event organizer and founder of Sea and Stone Jewelry.

The pop-up-market will continue through Saturday afternoon at The Old Shop on Automotive Way, just off of Capital Circle Northeast.

Another pop-up market is expected to return in December, just in time for the holiday season.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (WMC) - Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen announced that he plans to introduce articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump as soon as he returns to Congress.

The impeachment effort is in response to Trump's comments about the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"Part of his oath of office is to take care that the laws are executed appropriately, carried out, if he can't even identify domestic terrorists and equates them with American protesters of anti-American values, he is not capable of leading us," Cohen said. "There's nothing more important than democracy, and democracy is at risk with this man as President. He doesn't understand America, he doesn't understand his job as President. He's morally, ethically and intellectually incapable of being president of the United State of America."

Cohen said Trump should be impeached for not unequivocally condemning actions by neo-Nazis, white nationalists, and Klansmen after a national tragedy.

"Instead of unequivocally condemning hateful actions by neo-Nazis, white nationalists and Klansmen following a national tragedy, the President said there were very fine people on both sides. There are no good Nazis. There are no good Klansmen," Cohen said. "With the President's abject failure of leadership...I had no choice but to introduce these articles of impeachment."

Cohen goes on to compare the events to the Holocaust, citing that white nationalists in Charlottesville chanted the Nazi slogan, "blood and soil," as well as, "Jews will not replace us."

"None of the marchers spewing such verbiage could be considered very fine people as the President suggested," Cohen said.

When asked if these things are impeachable offenses for a President, Cohen said the founding documents of our country are not specific on what are impeachable offenses. He said if half of the Congress votes to impeach and 66 percent of the Senate votes to convict, the President could be impeached for jaywalking.

Despite his vigor, Cohen admits it's currently an uphill battle to get the votes required to impeach Trump.

However, Cohen said he believes the tide is turning against Trump and those who defend his actions. He said he expects Democrats to win some Congressional seats in the next election.

"If we [Democrats] get a majority, impeachment will be a front line issue in 2019. If we don't get a majority, but make major gains, the Republicans will see the writing on the wall for 2020 and they will initiate impeachment to get Trump out, put Pence in, and hopefully save their rear ends," Cohen said.

One Tennessee Republican condemned Trump on Thursday by saying he had not shown that he "understands what has made this nation great."

As for the Confederate monuments in Memphis, Cohen supports removing the monuments. He said Mayor Jim Strickland and City Council both approved removing the monuments. However, the law gives the final say of moving Memphis' Confederate monuments to a board. Cohen said since Governor Bill Haslam appoints the members of that board, he is to blame for the monuments still being up.

Cohen said Haslam should go to the board and get them to vote in favor of removing the monuments.

Copyright 2017 WMC Action News 5. All rights reserved.
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An American soldier was killed and several others were wounded in a battle with Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan, the US military said.

The military said in a statement that several Afghan forces were also wounded in the fighting on Wednesday in the Achin district of the Nangarhar province, a militant stronghold. It did not specify how many forces were wounded.

And in three southern provinces, Taliban attacks on Wednesday killed a total of three civilians and 15 Afghan policemen, Afghan officials said Thursday.
The memorial site of Auschwitz-Birkenau is weighing in on the anti-Semitic and racially charged violence that has erupted in the United States , noting that hatred comes from people who promote it.

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The state museum, which preserves the site of the former Nazi German death camp, wrote Thursday on Twitter: "One of the hardest lessons for us today. Perpetrators were people. They accepted an ideology that rationalized and promoted hatred & evil."

Neo-Nazi protests in Virginia (: vice)

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Beneath the words is a photo of Auschwitz officers and guards smiling and having fun.

Auschwitz (Photo: AP)

The message was posted in several languages after US President Donald Trump made comments that appeared to defend the actions of neo-Nazis and white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday. A woman was killed and 19 people were injured in the turmoil.

President Trump's original condemnation of violence ()

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A museum spokesman told The Associated Press that people are free to interpret the message as they wish.

On Sunday, the museum tweeted: "Auschwitz stands today as a painful reminder of what racist & antisemitic ideologies can lead to, of what may happen when people hate..."

Car-ramming attack that killed one in Virginian violence (Photo: EPA)

Nazi Germany killed an estimated 1.1 million people at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in German-occupied Poland, most of them Jews, but also Roma, Poles, homosexuals and others.

Today the Polish state institution preserves the physical remains of the site while leading educational efforts to remember the atrocities committed there.
Twenty-six French citizens were injured in Thursday's attack in Barcelona, with at least 11 of them in serious condition, the French Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The statement added that French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian would visit Barcelona later on Friday in order to visit those victims, and that the French consulate in Barcelona was in contact with Spanish authorities.

Spain on Friday mounted a sweeping anti-terror operation after a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people before fleeing, in what police suspect was one of multiple planned attacks.
A small web design company from Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel has launched an online campaign against the Lebanese-based terror group Hezbollah after supporters of the Shiite organization threatened Israel that the next war is approaching.

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Last week, Hezbollah supporters mounted on social media a campaign entitled Time for the Victory in which Israelis are cynically advised about equipment you should have for the next war.

'Our rockets will teach you that no dome will rise above Palestine, only the Dome of the Rock'

'Our rockets will destroy your ships. The sea will bear witness to that'

The pictures of the equipment include, inter alia, relaxation pills in order to keep your composure, sneakers for a quick escape, gas masks for when ammonia plants are attacked with rockets and a torch for when electricity plants are attacked with rockets.

'To keep your composure'

The attempted intimidation campaign sparked many responses in Israel, including one from the company Web Yourself, which responded in kind with its own Hebrew and Arabic offensive entitled: What awaits Hezbollah in the next war.

'Ammonia plants are attacked with rockets'

A ship of missiles is waiting for you. Join a swimming pool club, because you wont be able to come near the sea, one of the companys posts sardonically read.

Israeli response: 'Join a swimming pool club, because you wont be able to come near the sea'

Hezbollah itself then entered the online volley of threats, saying on its Facebook page in Hebrew: Our rockets will destroy your ships. The sea will bear witness to that.

'Your ships will be attacked with rockets'

Responding to the picture uploaded by the Israeli company of an F-35 fighter jet, accompanied by the caption, You wont be able to evade our F-35, Hezbollah replied laconically: We are waiting.

Similarly, in response to the Israeli companys picture of the Iron Dome missile defense system which was accompanied by the words, every rocket aimed at us will meet the Iron Dome system! Hezbollah warned: Our rockets will teach you that no dome will rise above Palestine, only the Dome of the Rock.

'For when electricity plants are attacked with rockets'

On the Twitter account of Hezbollahs military arm, the group wrote in Hebrew: Zionists, ask your military commanders and politicians who conducted the last failed war with us where they are now.

Sneakers 'for a quick escape'

The Israelis responsible for the online reaction campaign are all from northern Israel and are therefore among the residents who face the greatest danger from Hezbollah in any renewed round of fighting.

We went through the difficult wars and we carry with us memories and open wounds from those years. We are loyal to the IDF, to the state and to the city in which we live, one of the campaigns activists said. We dont think its right that their futile threats go without a response.
Israels Foreign Ministry announced Friday that it had yet to establish contact with one Israeli since a deadly terror attack took place Thursday evening in which a van slammed into a crowd of pedestrians in the city, killing 13 and wounding scores. The Israeli is not believed to have been injured in the attack.

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By Friday afternoon, no Israeli fatalities or injuries were known to the authorities either in the car-ramming attack in the Las Ramblas district or in a separate attack that took place just hours later in Cambrils in which five terrorists were shot dead after running over six civilians and a police officer.

Meanwhile, Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva reported Friday that an Israeli woman who was wounded in Thursday's terrorist attack in Barcelona arrived at Sorkoa on Thursday for treatment. The woman is reported to be suffering from light wounds dispersed throughout her body. She is in stable condition and was released home Friday.

Photo: AFP

As police continue a large scale manhunt for the driver of the Las Ramblas attack, Israelis who witnessed the attack are still digesting the harrowing moments of when terror struck Spains picturesque tourist attraction.

Some rushed to catch the first flight back to Israel, while others chose to continue their vacation in Spain and in other European destinations.

Gabi Ben Gida from Bat Hefer was among the Israelis travelling around Barcelona when the attack took place. The streets in the city have been opened but there is a security presence in every corner, Gida said after the worst of the macabre scenes had concluded.





Gabi Ben Gida

Gida added that he and his family are reluctant to speak Hebrew in public for fear are becoming targets.

We dont speak Hebrew in the street because we fear for our lives. Many Muslims were sitting with us in the restaurants and we didnt want to stand out. We are leaving here and heading for another area in Spain and we are supposed to come back to Barcelona in a week. We are apprehensive about our trip in Europe, Gida admitted.

We went through an extremely frightening experience. It has had a big impact on my daughter. We couldnt sleep all night, he added.

Noam, 15, and Maya Segev, 12, also visited Barcelona in the last week with their parents and were inundated with messages from concerned friends and family. We received loads of phone calls and SMS messages from Israel and we had to calm everyone down, the two sisters said.

Noam and Maya Segev

Limor Hason, who was in Restaurant Maccabi with her husband and children near the scene of the Barcelona attack recalled the panic that permeated the area.

I am on holiday with my husband and children. We went to eat with another 70-80 Israelis. We were closed in there for more than an hour-and-a-half, she told Channel 2 News.

A woman came into the restaurant and yelled Attack! Attack! We realized that there was a terror attack and we shut ourselves in. We came to eat a kosher meal and this is what happened. We thought it was a suicide bomber so we got under the tables with our children.

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman commented Friday morning on the two attack, saying that they were yet another frightening attempt by radical Islam to harm free nations of the world and to disrupt the regular lives of their populations.

Photo: AP

This terror will be defeated by the the Western states, Israel being among them, together, by the continued integration of forces around the world and the strengthening of security and intelligence cooperation, Lieberman said.

We are all obliged to fight back with resolve and determination not only against terror operations, but also against those who send them, against those who fund them and those who inspire them, he added before sending his condolences to the families of those killed in the attack and wishing a speedy recovery to those wounded. Our hearts are with Spain and its citizens in this difficult hour.
President Reuven Rivlin sent a letter of condolence to His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain Friday, following the terror attack in Barcelona yesterday.

President Rivlin wrote, "We have heard with horror and shock of the vicious terrorist attack in Barcelona that has taken the lives of so many innocent people and injured so many more. Our hearts and thoughts are with the people of Spain at this difficult time. Sadly, we, in Israel, are no strangers to the horror and grief that follows such murderous attacks and can truly understand the pain you all feel now.

"Terrorism is terrorism is terrorism, whether it takes place in Barcelona, Paris, Istanbul or Jerusalem. These horrific events once again prove that we must all stand united in the fight against those who seek to use violence to stifle individual liberty and freedom of thought and belief, and continue to destroy the lives of so many.

"The people of Israel share with me in mourning the sad loss of life and suffering.

"Please convey our sincere condolences to the bereaved families and to the people of Spain and our wishes for a speedy recovery to all the injured."
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has attended an emergency security meeting in Barcelona to coordinate the investigation into the terror attacks in the northeastern region of Catalonia.

Rajoy traveled to Barcelona on Thursday night after a van plowed into a pedestrian promenade, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100 others. Police then stopped a second attack in nearby Cambrils when they shot and killed five attackers who had driven a car into another crowd.

Rajoy met on Friday morning with Spain's interior minister and police and emergency officials. He said on Twitter that the meeting was to "analyze the latest details of the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils."
When renowned Jewish-American jurist and attorney Alan Dershowitz published his bestseller Chutzpah 25 years ago, he described American Jewry as having reached the all-time zenith of their success. They were making exceptional achievements in American society. They had no reason to fear anti-Semitism, Dershowitz contended.

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In accordance with this conclusion, he demanded from American Jews, two generations after the Holocaust, to stop viewing themselves as second-class citizens and to stop being anxious. Make your Judaism stand out, he implored them, and do not be ashamed to promote your success.

Well, now of all times, in light of the increased strength of anti-Semitic streams in the US from both sides of the political spectrum, Dershowitzs exhortations and conclusions are now being put to the test.

Neo-Nazi rally in Virginia

The heyday of American Jewry did not survive for too long. Today, the US is embroiled in an ongoing and dangerous cultural war while those at the center of the political realm are shuffling in their response.

On the periphery, an anarchist spirit blows in the wind, setting the climate for hatred of Jews among progressives and people on the Left, as well as among neo-Nazis and white supremacists. The former camps recoils at words such as "populism" or "white supremacy" and believe President Trump to be their sworn enemy.

Jews are viewed by the Left as people who prop up Trump through their supposed control of Wall Street and through their support for the "chauvinistic" Israel, which is the USs ally. Jewish Senator Bernie Sanders, who denounced Israel in his bid to snatch the Democratic party leadership from Hillary Clinton, will have to put hard work into cleaning out the weeds that have sprouted up in his camp.

Unlike the Left, the American far-Right, which perceives Trump as the savior against the "hostile control" by his predecessor Barack Obama and his entourage, has been relatively quiet in the last few months. White racism came to undermine the days of "universalism" so eloquently enunciated by the first black president, which was perceived as a hostile takeover of America.

The language adopted for Jew hatred, which was frequently heard at the end of last week during the violence that erupted in Charlottesville, Virginia were intended to send a clear signal that the extreme Right will not allow "Jews" to wrap their perceived tentacles around their adored white president, too.

In the riots that led to the terror attack in Virginia, which claimed the life of a left-wing activist, right-wing activists proudly paraded with Swastikas on display for all to see chanting with unbridled enthusiasm as they chanted esoteric language clearly intended to mean: Kushner and Ivanka will not replace us.

The internal woes of American fighting seems to be far away from Jerusalem. But in fact, it really isnt all that distant. The hostility demonstrated by Israel toward Obama, and particularly against his numerous, highly publicized confrontations with Prime MInister Benjamin Netanyahu, turned the Palestinian issue into a central theme for the radical Left, enabling them to constantly regurgitate new anti-Semitic rhetoric under the guise of human rights.

Netanyahus support for Trump is also perceived among left-wing Jewish elements as a betrayal against liberal values. In the wave of anti-Semitism that has swept across the US in the months since Trump entered the White House, Jerusalem has been in no rush to condemn the American president or his senior advisors Steve Bannon, who is strongly affiliated with Americas far-right streams.

President Trump and PM Netanyahu (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

Many liberal Jews condemned Israel as a country abandoning its universal values and instead forging an alliance with anti-Semitism. Israels policy when it came to Jewish conversions and the exclusion of liberal Jews from the Kotel only lent further credence to the notion that Israel was shaking hands with the devils of the US who are ultimately out to get its people.

The hatred against Jews harbored by American neo-Nazis, just like the hostility directed against Jews by progressives on the Left, must be a cause for concern in Jerusalem. The status of Jews in America is critical for Israel and for the Western world and we absolutely cannot hesitate when Jews and Judaism are attacked, regardless of the side from which the attacks emanate.

Israel must speak out unambiguously, whether it is attacked by the New anti-Semitism whose exponents tend to go on the offensive against Israel, or the more traditional type of anti-Semitism propounded by the neo-Nazis.

Make no mistake: for the neo-Nazis in the US, the Jews have crept into the white race and have now managed to infiltrate the White House itself. In such a situation where old-fashioned forms of anti-Semitism are once again rearing their ugly heads, Jerusalems voice is more necessary than ever, and explicit condemnations voiced by its leaders are an absolute necessity.

Now is the opportunity to embark on a reconciliation campaign and a broad rapprochement between Israel and American Jewry.
The UN Security Council is strongly condemning the terrorist attack in Barcelona and paying tribute to the innocent victims.

Egypt's UN Ambassador Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, the council president, began Friday's meeting on Yemen denouncing Thursday's deadly attack in Spain.

"On behalf of the members of the Security Council, I should like to condemn in the strongest terms the unconscionable terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain, which targeted innocent civilians," said Aboulatta, adding that the Security Council sends its "deepest condolences" to the families. Many ambassadors and diplomats stood with their heads bowed in tribute.
US President Donald Trump has decided to push out his chief strategist Steve Bannon, but White House officials were still discussing when and how, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing two unnamed administration officials.

An official told Reuters earlier on Friday that a review of Bannon's position by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly was near an end and that a decision would likely be made soon.

The Times cited a person close to Bannon as saying the official had submitted his resignation on Aug. 7 and that it was to be announced this week, but had been delayed by the fallout from a rally by white nationalists in Virginia over the weekend.
Edna Hajaj, a resident of Be'er Sheva in her 50s, planned to go with her husband to eat in the center of Barcelona in the last hours of their vacation, when they found themselves facing Thursday's attack, in which 13 people were kille and roughly 130 were injured. "We arrived in Barcelona on Sunday, and yesterday was supposed to be our last day there. Before we went out to eat, we decided to go to the market located next to a kosher restaurant," recalls Hajaj. "Just as we entered, in a matter of a minute or two, we heard a squeak and things being dragged. It took us one second to understand this was an attack.

"If my husband was not there, they would have trampled me completely, so many people fell on me that I could not even get up," she said. She was hit on the run from the attack, returned to Israel and was treated at Soroka Medical Center on Friday and was later realeased.

In what the Foreign Ministry is calling a "statistical miracle," no Israelis were listed among the attack's victims.
YORK  James Lyon, 25, of York, has been sentenced to a term of 4-6 years in prison for delivery of an exceptionally hazardous drug, which is a Class 2 felony.

Lyon appeared in York County District Court this past week, where Judge James Stecker handed down the sentence.

Lyons conviction came after he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant while being watched and recorded by law enforcement.

According to court documents, this was part of an undercover investigation conducted through the Rural Apprehension Program (RAP).

Investigators said the informant purchased methamphetamine from Lyon at a local trailer park while under surveillance. The money to purchase the methamphetamine was provided by law enforcement to the informant.

They said that during the transaction, Lyon asked the informant if they should smoke some of the methamphetamine at that point, which the informant declined.

In April of 2016, Lyon was sentenced to a term of 18-36 months in prison for possession of methamphetamine. In May of 2016, he was sentenced to an additional three months in prison for assaulting another inmate while he was incarcerated in the York County Jail. He is currently serving that prison sentence.

He has a fairly significant criminal history, acting York County Attorney Benjamin Dennis told Judge Stecker this week, during sentencing proceedings. This is a serious offense, we have a methamphetamine issue in this community and his earlier failure to appear shows a lack of compliance. We are asking that a straight sentence, in prison, be given, based on all the factors.

He takes responsibility for this crime and says he was unable to find employment so he went to sell drugs again, said York County Public Defender Nancy Waldron. Yes, his criminal history goes back to when he was 13. He feels he needs structure and wants someone to hold him accountable through probation. He says he was desperate for money, so thats why he sold again. He feels he needs more treatment. He has some mental health issues and a learning disability. We are asking for probation.

I want to apologize for taking up the courts time and messing up, Lyon said. I admit to being an addict and a mess up. I need a lot of help.

The motive for your current offense was profit, Judge Stecker said. In 2014, you were sentenced for possession of a controlled substance to deliver and were in prison for 18 months and then you added more offenses after your release. The court is not of the opinion that simply telling you what to do will make a difference. You were advised to go to residential care and you didnt take advantage of that. You need to want it, your internal drive has to change. You are not fit for probation. Incarceration is necessary to protect the security of the public. You understood the consequences and what your actions did to others.

Besides the 4-6-year sentence for delivery, he was also sentenced to a term of 1-2 years for failure to appear. That sentence will be served concurrently with the first count.

You need to make changes in your life, Judge Stecker continued. When you get out, you will have to make self-directed changes. Do it for yourself so you dont have to come back before me in this setting.
As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More
Zabka, Warszawa, 166 m2

Lokal znajduje sie w budynku apartamentowym Unimax Development w inwestycji Viva Vitolin, przy ul. Grochowskiej 87 w Warszawie. Bedzie dostepny w 4Q 2023 roku (podpisanie umow przeniesienia wasnosci).
5 TV shows and films on homosexuality and same-sex marriages - IN PICS
Canberra: A sixth Australian MP will have her eligibility for office decided by the nation`s High Court on Friday over the issue of dual citizenship, the media reported.

Senator Fiona Nash revealed that she is a UK citizen by descent because of her Scottish-born father, reports the BBC.

Dual citizens are not allowed to run for public office under Australia`s constitution.

Nash is deputy leader of the National Party, the junior partner in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull`s governing coalition.

Like Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who is a New Zealand dual citizen, Nash said she would continue in her position until the High Court clarifies a section of Australia`s constitution.

The leader said she had legal advice that she had not breached rules.

On Thursday, Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan was forced to deny he was a British citizen, but his case will not go before court.

Two senators, Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, were forced to resign last month over their citizenship status.

Another two senators, Matt Canavan and Malcolm Roberts, will also have their eligibility decided by the High Court.
New Delhi: Amidst allegations that Vishal Sikka has resigned owing to heightened acrimony between the board and the high-profile founders led by NR Narayana Murthy, the latter on Friday said that it is below his dignity to respond to such baseless insinuations.

I am anguished by the allegations, tone and tenor of statements made by Infosys board. It is below my dignity to respond to such baseless insinuations, Murthy said in an emailed statement.

Once a poster boy of Indian IT success story, Infosys has been battered by intense acrimony, with founders accusing the board of poor corporate governance on issues like executive pay and acquisitions.

In a letter to the Infosys board, Sikka said the "continuous stream of distractions and disruptions" became increasingly personal and negative, forcing him to quit.

Refuting the allegations, Murthy said that his concern was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance.

I voluntarily left the board in 2014. I will reply to these allegations in the right manner and right forum, he added.

Without naming anyone, Sikka wrote in a blog that "false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks" have been made over the last many quarters and these allegations have been repeatedly proven false by multiple independent investigations.

"But despite this, the attacks continue, and worse still, amplified by the very people from whom we all expected the most steadfast support in this great transformation," he added.

Murthy and others had questioned the high compensation paid to Sikka as also severance package to certain former executives.

Also, an anonymous letter was sent to the Securities and Exchange Board of India and the US Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year, alleging that the Israel-based Panaya acquisition was overvalued and that some Infosys executives may have benefited from the deal.

While an independent probe absolved the board of any wrong doing, Murthy kept the pressure on making the full contents of the investigation report public.

Murthy said several shareholders, who have read the whistle-blower report, had told him that an "impartial and objective investigation" is not held in the manner in which Infosys' probe happened.

"...Several shareholders who have read the whistle-blower report have told me that it is hard to believe a report produced by a set of lawyers hired by a set of accused, giving a clean chit to the accused and the accused refusing to disclose why they got a clean chit!" Murthy quipped.

He further said: "They say that this is not the way an impartial and objective investigation should be held".

Infosys Chairman R Seshasayee responded to Murthy's allegations saying the suggestion that renowned law and audit firms will connive with the Board and overlook 'misdeeds' of the CEO and post a clean report, is "completely untenable".

Seshasayee and co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan, however, ruled out any legal action against Murthy.

With PTI Inputs
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday extended till August 24 the interim bail granted to a former Congress councillor, serving life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, to enable him to arrange funds to pay his lawyers.

A bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Anu Malhotra granted the relief to Balwan Khokhar who has sought an extension of bail till October to finalize the sale of his properties.

Initially, he was given interim bail on July 20, which was extended till August 8. His application for extension was moved as the interim bail granted to him by the court on was expiring today.

Congress leader Sajjan Kumar had been acquitted in this riots case by the trial court, but Khokhar was convicted along with four others.

Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and two others were held guilty in a case relating to the murder of five members of a family in Raj Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment on November 1, 1984, after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

They had challenged their conviction and the award of life sentence by the trial court in May 2013.

The trial court had acquitted Congress leader Sajjan Kumar but awarded life term to Khokhar, Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal and three-year jail term to two others ? former MLA Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar
Oslo: Norway`s Coast Guard have seized a Greenpeace vessel and arrested 35 activists after they violated the safety zone around a drilling rig in the Barents Sea, a media report said on Friday.



Protesting the drilling at the Korpfjell field on Thursday, Greenpeace activists entered the 500-metre safety zone around the rig Songa Enabler with kayaks and a floating globe with signatures from people all over the world demanding an end to the ongoing drilling, Xinhua news agency reported.



Korpfjell field is the northernmost oil-drilling area ever set up in the Barents Sea, a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is located some 415 km from mainland Norway, the report said.



The police ordered the protestors to leave the security zone, saying Norwegian state-owned oil company Statoil had permission to drill in the area.



When Greenpeace refused to leave, the police requested the Coast Guard to take action. Shortly afterwards, crew members from the Coast Guard boarded Greenpeace`s vessel Arctic Sunrise, arrested its crew and took control of the ship.



Truls Gulowsen, head of Greenpeace Norway, disputed the Coast Guard`s right to board the ship and urged Norwegian authorities to be more worried about climate change.



"The Norwegian coast guard doesn`t have the right to board or remove our ship. Protest at sea is an internationally recognised lawful use of the sea, related to the freedom of navigation," he said.



"The Norwegian government seems more interested in protecting the reckless Arctic oil drilling operation carried out by state-owned Statoil, than listening to the concerns voiced by people from all over the world and protecting the right to protest against the opening of a new, aggressive oil frontier in the Arctic," Gulowsen said.
Berlin: One man was killed and another injured in a stabbing in the western German city of Wuppertal, police said on Friday, adding that the attacker was still on the loose.

"We can confirm there has been a deadly crime. One man has died and another man is in hospital," a police spokeswoman told AFP.

The police said they were hunting for one or more assailants, but could not immediately provide more information about the circumstances of the attack.

The stabbing happened at around 1245 GMT in the city's Elberfeld area.

Also in the afternoon, several people were stabbed in the street in the Finnish city of Turku, with police shooting one suspect and warning several others could be at large.

The stabbing in Germany also comes a day after 14 people were killed in twin terror attacks in Spain.
Ahmedabad: Balvantsinh Rajput, the BJP candidate who lost the Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat recently, on Friday moved the Gujarat High Court against the Election Commission's decision to invalidate the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs.

Rajput, who quit the Congress ahead of the August 8 election, also contended that votes of two other Congress MLAs should be discounted, and he should be declared winner.

The EC's decision paved the way for the victory of Congress candidate Ahmed Patel -- who got 44 votes, the minimum he needed to win -- in the high-stakes electoral battle. Rajput polled 38 votes.

Rajput's petition claimed that once the Returning Officer had used his discretion to accept the two votes as valid, the EC had "no power to issue any direction to the Returning Officer for accepting or rejecting any vote".

As Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy was on leave today, the petition came up before the senior-most judge, Justice M R Shah, who ordered that it be listed for hearing on August 21 before the appropriate bench.

The EC had rejected the votes of former Congress MLAs Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohel.

Congress's polling agent Shaktisinh Gohil had lodged a complaint before the counting began that these two MLAs showed their ballots to BJP representatives before putting them in the ballot box.

MLAs are not allowed to show their ballots to anybody other than the authorised polling agent of their own party, the Congress leader said.

Both these MLAs voted for Rajput instead of voting for Ahmed Patel. However, as the votes were held invalid, Patel was declared winner (along with BJP's Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani). Had Patel got less than 44 votes, Rajput could have won with second preference votes from the BJP.

Rajput's petition said that EC's order should be set aside, as it was "patently illegal".

Once the Returning Officer had exercised his discretion of accepting these two votes as valid, the EC had no power to hear any appeal against the order. The only remedy the aggrieved party had was to move a court, it said.

Rajput also alleged that Patel won because of "corrupt" practices".

Two other MLAs of Congress had also shown their ballots to unauthorised persons, and these two votes, which went to Patel, must be held invalid, the petition said.

If these two votes were rejected, Rajput would get more votes, and hence he should be declared as elected to Rajya Sabha in place of Patel, the petition said.
Bhopal: BJP President Amit Shah arrived here on Friday on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh and was accorded a warm welcome by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other party leaders at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport.

Senior BJP leaders, Kailash Vijaywargiya and Prabhat Jha, and state party President Nandkumar Singh Chauhan were among others who welcomed Shah at the airport.

Shah will attend a series of meetings with local party leaders including state unit office-bearers, central office- bearers, core group members, state spokespersons, MPs, MLAs, district Presidents, among others, during his hectic three-day visit, Chauhan said.

The visit is part of his 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen the party ahead of 2019 general elections.

He will also pay tributes to Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Raja Bhoj in Bhopal, the BJP earlier said in a statement.

Shah will also address intellectuals and meritorious students, besides releasing a book written by Kailash Narayan Sarang.

The Assembly polls are due in Madhya Pradesh next year.
New Delhi: Armed with power-point presentations, data and strict targets for 2019 National elections, BJP chief Amit Shah conducted a three-hour session with top party leaders, including Union Ministers at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday.

The BJP chief laid out a roadmap to win 360-plus seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, still 20 months away.

Shah's directions were issued on a day when 17 Opposition parties came together to target the Centre, the latest in a string of attempts to stop the BJP juggernaut that rolled out in 2014, reports DNA. His exercise also coincided with Mamata Banerjee's party Trinamool sweeping all seven civic bodies in West Bengal. Interested, the BJP emerged as Trinamool's main challenger in the poll results, indicating a paradigm shift in state politics.

Shah identified 150 seats across West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka and in the Northeast that BJP lost in 2014 elections. He briefed the party members on how to dominate the elections and increase the partys tally from the present 281 MPs to more than 360.

The party president has been touring several states including West Bengal, Gujarat and Karnataka over the last few months to understand BJP's position in the upcoming elections.

He first shared his insights from his trips so far, said a leader present at the meeting.

The session also included a presentation on how to fight anti-incumbency in states such as Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat where the BJP has been in power for three terms.
1. Yes. The ordinance goes against state law and is not in the best interest of the cities.

2. Yes. At the very least, it should be amended to give police officers some discretion.

3. No. Voters approved the ordinance by large majorities; the councils cant ignore that fact.

4. No. The petition process has to be given a chance to work. Leave the ordinance alone.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say how the cities should move forward regarding the ordinance.

Vote

View Results
Lucknow: Angry at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for not visiting their flood-hit village, dozens of irate villagers in Hatwa in Lakhimpur Kheri district have started a `jal satyagraha`.

The villagers started the `jal satyagraha` on late Thursday by standing in the neck-deep water of river Ghagra, officials said on Friday.

Officials had a tough time in trying to convince the protesters to withdraw the unconventional protest and assured them that immediate relief operations would be set rolling in their village.

The villagers, however, threatened they would again enter the deep water of the Ghaghra if adequate relief material is not sent to the village within the next 24 hours.

Adityanath`s scheduled visit to the village on Wednesday had to be called off at the last moment, officials said. The Chief Minister flew back from Sisaiyya.

Hatwa village and its nearby areas have been badly affected as Ghaghra river continues to be in spate.

There are reports from many places of poor relief and rescue measures, an allegation denied by the state government.

Many parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh including Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Lakhimpur Kheri, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich and Balrampur have been ravaged by excessive rains and also due to the water released by neighbouring Nepal.

Vast stretches of land in these districts have been submerged and thousands of people displaced.

Adityanath, along with senior ministers and officials, has been conducting an aerial survey of the flood affected areas and on Friday flew to Siddharthanagar and Balrampur to distribute relief materials to the people and to meet them to ascertain the truth on the ground.

According to officials, more than 22 districts and 2,013 villages have been effected by the floods this year and 1,217 villages have been marooned in the floods and over 14 lakh affected.
Mumbai: Accusing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of "insulting" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NDA-ally Shiv Sena on Friday "prayed" for his defeat in the upcoming assembly by-poll which he is contesting.

It also took strong umbrage at Parrikar`s reported statement that he "cared less" if he loses the August 23 by-poll in Panaji assembly constituency, for he would return to the Centre and head the Defence Ministry.

"The Prime Minister elevated Parrikar from Goa Chief Minister to the Defence Ministry, after he failed there miserably, he again returned to the state. Now, he goes around threatening that if he indeed fails to win the by-polls, he will go back to the Centre as Defence Minister," the Shiv Sena said in a sharp editorial in party mouthpieces "Saamana" and "Dopahar Ka Saamana".

This, the Sena pointed out, was tantamount to not only "rubbishing" the post of Goa Chief Minister but also belittling the post of the country`s Defence Minister.

"By such irresponsible and juvenile utterances, Parrikar has insulted Modi, who first promoted him to national politics, and later entrusted him with Goa`s leadership after the BJP failed to secure a majority in last year`s assembly elections in the state," the Sena said.

The edit added that Parrikar`s remarks clearly proved that he was "mortally scared" of the prospect of losing the by-election.

But, Parrikar "has already lost his bearings" by taking the wise voters "so lightly and treating the state as his personal fiefdom with little faith in the democratic process", the Sena said.

"Is the post of Defence Minister so cheap and rendered as orphan without Parrikar? Modi must clarify, especially given the current tense situation on our country`s borders," the Sena demanded.

On one hand, while Modi is worried about tackling the challenges from both Pakistan and China, on the other, Parrikar is blatantly trying to degrade and undermine the Defence Ministry by his statements, the editorial said.

"In such circumstances, Parrikar must lose the Goa assembly by-polls. Let his worst fears come true. And after the loss, whether he still becomes the Defence Minister, at least let the people of his state witness (this)," the Sena noted sternly.

The edit said if Parrikar was indeed a "mahatma" as was being bandied about, he should have been elected unopposed, but the truth is when the country faced crises at the borders, instead of leading the nation, he retreated back to Goa for savouring "rice-and-fish-curry".

"For this act of bravado alone, he should have been conferred a `Shaurya Chakra`, but he was made the Chief Minister of a rag-tag outfit though the state poll was lost under his leadership," it concluded.
New Delhi: The Indian government on Friday confirmed reports of a brief scuffle between Indian and Chinese troops near Pangong Lake in Ladakh, saying "the incident indeed did take place".

"Today, I can confirm that there was an incident at Pangong Tso on August 15," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said during the weekly media briefing.

"This was subsequently discussed by the local army commanders of the two sides. We feel that such incidents are not in the interest of either side. We should maintain peace and tranquillity," he said.

The Chinese soldiers are said to have attempted to cross the Line of Actual Control near Pangong lake but were stopped by Indian soldiers.

The incident took place on the morning of Indian Independence Day, August 15.

According to sources, there were heated exchange of words and a standoff between the troops of both sides continued for more than an hour, during which stone-pelting was also reported.

"There was an altercation near the Pangong lake," said a police officer in Srinagar, the capital of India`s Jammu and Kashmir state, under which the area falls. An army source in Srinagar also spoke of an altercation following what he called a Chinese army "incursion in Pangong lake area".

A source in New Delhi told Reuters, Chinese soldiers carried iron rods and stones. Both sides suffered from minor injuries.

The scuffle reportedly lasted for 30 minutes.

After a brief standoff, the Chinese troops went back, the sources added.

Asked whether the issue was taken up at a Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between the two sides, Kumar said details of such meetings were not shared, but added: "There were two BPMs which were held recently. One was at Nathu La and the other one was at Chusul."

While the one at Chusul in Ladakh was held on August 16, the one at Nathu La in Sikkim sector was held a week before that.

He said that BPMs were an established mechanism for border management between India and China, and were a part of confidence building measures between the two countries to ensure peace and tranquillity.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Indian Army will soon get its first attack helicopters, after the Defence Ministry on Thursday cleared a long pending proposal to procure six AH-64E Apache helicopters at a cost of Rs 4,168 crore.

In 2015, India had signed a nearly USD 3 billion deal for purchase of 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers with American aviation giant Boeing and the US government.

The Indian Army has long asked for its own fleet of attack helicopters, and the Army and IAF had previously locked horns over who would keep the fleet. Former Air Force chief NAK Browne had said as per a Joint Army Air Instruction (JAAI) of 1986, the IAF would operate helicopters of all kinds and Army's charter was limited to light utility helicopters.

Some facts about world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopters

The Apache attack choppers are one of the most advanced multi-role combat helicopters, featuring all-weather and night-fighting features.

It has the ability to track upto 128 targets in less than a minute and engage with 16.

Besides stealth characteristics, it is equipped with advanced sensors and beyond visual range missiles.

The US Army Apache fleet has accumulated (as of July 2016) more than 4.2 million flight hours since the first AH-64A was delivered to the US Army in January 1984.

It is also equipped with Hellfire missiles and Hydra 70 rocket pods.

Technical Specifications

Length - Maximum Level Flight Speed

Height - 15.24 ft (4.64 m)

Wing Span - 17.15 ft (5.227 m)

Primary Mission Gross Weight - 15,075 lb (6,838 kg)

Vertical Rate of Climb - More than 2,000 ft per minute

Maximum Rate of Climb - More than 2,800 ft per minute

Maximum Level Flight Speed - More than 150 knots (279 kilometers per hour)
New Delhi: Hailing United States' move to designate Hizbul Mujahideen as a foreign terrorist, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday dubbed the move as "joint commitment of India and USA".

"I welcome this step by the United States Department of State to designate Hizbul Mujahideen as a foreign terrorist that has been responsible for carrying out heinous act of terrorism and taking innocent lives in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It reflects the joint commitment of India and USA to firmly deal with terrorism in all its form and manifestation," MEA Raveesh Kumar said on Hizbul declared foreign terror group.

'And just to add, I think it's an obligation for everyone to end moral diplomatic and material support to such internationally designated terrorist entities and individuals. No calls or reasons can justify continued profession of support, shelter to such entities and individuals in any manner," Raveesh said while addressing a press conference today.

On August 16, the United States designated the Hizbul Mujahideen as a foreign terrorist group, nearly two months after declaring its Pakistan-based chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist.

The media note by the department reads as follows:

The Department of State has designated Hizbul Mujahideen - also known as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, also known as HM - as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. These designations seek to deny HM the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of HMs property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group.

Formed in 1989, HM is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir. Hizbul Mujahideen is led by Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin. Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014, explosives attack in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people.

Todays action notifies the US public and the international community that HM is a terrorist organisation. Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and deny them access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of US agencies and other governments.

Earlier, on June 26 this year, the US had declared the group's Pakistan-based chief Syed Salahuddin, 71, as a global terrorist. The announcement had come just hours before the much-awaited meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at the White House.

Formed in 1989, Hizbul Mujahideen is one of the largest and oldest terrorist groups operating in Kashmir. Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday condemned the terror attack in Spain`s Barcelona which has left at least 14 people dead and over 130 people injured.



In his message to King Felipe VI, Kovind expressed solidarity with the people of Spain in the difficult hour.



"I am deeply shocked and saddened by the horrific terror attack in Barcelona. India condemns the attack in strongest possible terms. I offer my heartfelt condolences for the victims and wish a speedy recovery for those injured," he said, as per a Rashtrapati Bhavan release.



Kovind added that the terrorism posed "the gravest threat to humanity today".



"Its perpetrators are determined to destroy peace-loving communities and peoples. The global community must come together and give them a befitting response. India remains fully committed to work with Spain in defeating these evil forces," he said.
New Delhi: The Delhi government will take over 449 private schools if they do not return the excess fees charged from students, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday.

Flanked by Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia, Kejriwal said that out of the 1,108 unaided private schools in Delhi, many had hiked fees in the name of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Chandigarh administration`s response on a plea seeking compensation to a 10-year-old who gave birth to a girl after being raped.



The baby was born on Thursday.



A bench of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta sought the Union Territory`s response on the plea by senior counsel and amicus curiae Indira Jaising, who urged the court to fix Rs 10 lakh as compensation for the victim.



Jaising also expressed dismay at the paltry Rs 10,000 the Chandigarh administration gave to the parents of the rape victim.



Jaisinh told the bench that out of Rs 10 lakh, Rs 3 lakh should be released immediately to meet the victim`s requirements.



The amicus curiae told the bench the balance of Rs 7 lakh should be kept in an interest bearing account that could be utilised by the rape victim`s father for her benefit.



The matter will come up for hearing on August 22.
San Francisco: The ousted chief executive officer of Uber Technologies Inc called a lawsuit filed against him by one of the company`s top investors a "public and personal attack" without merit, according to court documents filed late on Thursday.

Venture capital firm Benchmark Capital, which says it owns 13 percent of Uber and controls 20 percent of the voting power, sued former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick last week to force him off the board, where he still has a seat, and rescind his remaining power there, citing fraud and deception.

Kalanick said in the court filing that the lawsuit is part of Benchmark`s larger scheme to oust him from the company he helped found, and take away his power. Benchmark has no proof for its accusations, the documents say, and the legal quarrel should take place in arbitration.
Srinagar: Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested in terror funding case, was on Friday sent to 10-day NIA custody.

Watali is said to be close to hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at about a dozen locations in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with the terror funding case against separatists and others which included the residence of a relative of a ruling PDP MLC.

The NIA on Wednesday conducted searches at a dozen locations in Jammu and Kashmir, including the house of Watali.

An NIA spokesperson said in New Delhi that officials searched the premises belonging to the family, relatives and aides of Zahoor Watali - an influential Kashmiri businessman known to be friends with Pakistani leaders and separatists as well as mainstream politicians in Kashmir.

Former Pakistan-administered Kashmir Prime Minister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary had attended the marriage ceremony of Watali's son at the businessman's residence in the posh Srinagar neighbourhood of Baagaat. His business empire is reportedly spread in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Dubai.

The central probe agency had arrested seven persons on July 24 in the case of alleged funding of terror and subversive activities in the Kashmir Valley to fuel unrest.

The NIA had alleged that money was being raised to fund separatist and terror activities in J&K.

The agency had claimed that the accused were waging war against the country and were involved in various offences punishable under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Geelani's son-in-law Altaf Shah is among those arrested. Other arrested are Nayeem Khan, Ayaz Akbar Khanday, Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Peer Saifullah (all from Geelani's faction of Hurriyat), Shahid-ul-Islam (of the Hurriyat faction led by the Mirwaiz) and Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karatay of a faction of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front.
Srinagar: National Conference working president Omar Abdullah on Friday sought a special session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature before August 29 to frame an appropriate response to counter the narrative on Article 35A of the Constitution.

The issue is of vital importance for the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh as abrogation of Article 35A will have serious ramifications, Omar said in a statement issued by the National Conference here.

The former chief minister expressed grave concern over the reported "unsatisfactory response" of the central and state governments in putting up a strong case before the Supreme Court, hearing a plea against the constitutional provision empowering the state to determine the issues with regard to permanent residence.

The observation of the Centre's attorney that the issue needs wider discussions has created apprehension in the public mind about intentions of the BJP-led NDA government, he added.

In such a situation, the state legislature will have to take a call on this fundamental issue, especially as the Constitution empowers the Legislative Assembly to determine the issues with regard to permanent residence, Omar said.

He appreciated general consensus across the state, irrespective of caste, creed, religion or region, with regard to preserving of this significant constitutional guarantee bestowed upon Jammu and Kashmir by the Constitution of India.

Omar hoped that the people of Jammu and Kashmir would rise above party politics and fight every "overt or covert attempts to trample with Article 35A", which is regional neutral, religious neutral and ethnic neutral.

He said abrogation of Article 35A would be detrimental to every segment of society in Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi: In pursuance of a Supreme Court order, the NIA on Friday registered an FIR to probe the conversion of a young Hindu woman from Kerala to Islam and her subsequent marriage to a Muslim man in 2016, an official said.



The NIA probe will be supervised by retired apex court Justice R.V. Raveendran.



The case was earlier probed by the Kerala Police under Section 57 of Kerala Police Act, and dealt with charges of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and abetment of the Indian Penal Code.



An apex court bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud on Wednesday ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the case, wherein the Kerala High Court had annulled the marriage by terming it a "love jihad".



The Kerala High Court, on May 25, had declared as "null and void" the marriage of 24-year-old Hadiya, known as Akhila before conversion, with Shafeen Jahan in December 2016 and ordered for placing her in her parents` protective custody.



Jahan, 27, moved the top court against the High Court order, contending the ruling was an "insult to the independence of women in India".



Jahan claimed Hadiya, a homeopathy student in Kerala, converted to Islam of her own volition two years prior to their marriage and sought direction to Hadiya`s father to present her in court.



Hadiya`s father, however, said she was a "helpless victim" and trapped by a "well-oiled racket" which used "psychological measures" to indoctrinate people and convert them to Islam.



The father had claimed his daughter had been radicalised by some organisations and they had influenced her to marry a Muslim man, adding that there could be a conspiracy to send her to Syria to work for extremist organisations such as the Islamic State since the man she married had been working in the Gulf.


Mumbai: In yet another incident of stalking, a media professional returning home from her workplace by an auto rickshaw from Andheri was followed by unidentified men on a bike yesterday.

Upon noticing the bikers, she called up the Mumbai Police Control Room for help after which they quickly swung into action.

The police kept the track of her route.

The woman also shot the pictures of the accused and tweeted a photograph of the two stalkers on the Mumbai police handle and later thanked police for her response.

"@MumbaiPolice Alert: two boys on a scooty passing lewd comments and chasing the Rick on Andheri Link Road," she tweeted.

"Kudos to @MumbaiPolice. Their quick responce and action time is worth appreciating!" 2 boys on a dio number 5994, chased my rick from Chitrakoot grounds in Andheri to Juhu circle.

Anyone who knows these guys Anyone who knows these guys or recognises the vehicle please reply with a tag to @MumbaiPolice"Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police took to Twitter and said, "@Asira_Tarannum reported stalking with a picture of the stalker & his vehicle number Didn`t take long for us to hunt down the accused.

"Yesterday night, the Amboli Police registered an FIR in the case under Indian Penal Code Section 354D for stalking, which leads to a jail-term of upto three years.

The Mumbai Police has started a Twitter drive #ReportStalking, in which one can take to the micro-blogging site if being stalked by someone, so that the cops can come for rescue.

"You surely don`t want us to stalk you for stalking a woman! #ReportStalking," the Mumbai Police had tweeted.
New Delhi: Shares of Infosys ended sharply lower by nearly 10 percent on Friday, wiping out Rs 22,519 crore from its market valuation, after Vishal Sikka, the first non- founder CEO of the company, called it quits.

The stock slumped 9.60 percent to settle at Rs 923.10 on BSE. During the day, it dived 13.39 percent to Rs 884.40 - its 52-week low level.

At NSE, shares of the company plummeted 9.56 percent to end at Rs 923.25.

The stock was the worst performer among the bluechips on both the key indices during the day. The steep fall in the stock was also instrumental in sending the 30-share benchmark index down by 270.78 points at 31,524.68.

Led by the sharp plunge, the company's market valuation slumped Rs 22,518.98 crore to Rs 2,12,033.02 crore.

"The resignation of Sikka triggered by the continuous stream of distractions and disruptions over the recent months and quarters is very unfortunate. The market has signalled its displeasure with the stock tanking," said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services.

Sikka abruptly resigned due to the "continuous assault" and "campaign" by founder and ex-chairman NR Narayana Murthy, the USD 10 billion firm said today.

Sikka, 50, a former German IT major SAP executive under whose three-year tenure Infosys' revenue rose about 25 percent, did not name Murthy directly as the reason for his exit but said he faced "false, baseless, malicious and increasingly personal attacks".

While Pravin Rao, currently chief operating officer, has been named the interim CEO, Sikka will become executive vice- chairman for USD 1 annual salary to help find new MD and CEO latest by March 31, 2018.

Meanwhile, according to mutual fund research firm Morningstar, the market value of mutual fund holdings in Infosys stood at Rs 21,094 crore in July compared with Rs 16,376 crore in the same month last year.

"Infosys has been the favoured stock from the tech space, with 40 percent of the mutual fund industry's overall technology sector allocations being made in the IT major," said Kaustubh Belapurkar, Director Fund Research, Morningstar.
Mumbai: In a rare incident, a 45-year-old woman strangled her son to death to save her daughter-in-law from him.

Anwari Idrisi's youngest son, Nadeem had an addiction to drugs and used to beat his wife, due to which his wife left her in-laws' house. Two years ago Nadeem married the woman, hailing from Allahabad.

As per the reports of ANI, Nadeem came home drunk on the night of August 15 when the entire family was there. Idrisi sensed that he would again become violent, therefore, she suggested her two elder sons and her daughters-in-law to sleep in the neighbour's house.

Upon knowing this, Nadeem got agitated and started beating his own mother.

As soon as he got tired, Idrisi pushed him towards the steel ladder and then strangled his neck with her duppatta.

The police said that when Nadeem's wife returned home, she saw her mother-in-law crying with his body beside her.

Idrisi was arrested by the police and was made to appear before the court where she has been put under police custody till August 31.

She is now booked under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

(With inputs from ANI)
New Delhi: In one of the most horrifying incidents, British actress Laila Rouass tweeted her experience while she was hiding in a restaurant freezer in order to save herself from the terrorist attack in Barcelona.

Amidst the brutal terror attack, the actress who is also the wife of Ronnie O'Sullivan took to twitter to share her experience with the world. Here are the twitter posts by the actress who tweeted while hiding:

In the middle of the attack. Hiding in a restaurant freezer. Happened so fast. Praying for the safety of everyone here x  Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017

Gunshots just heard. Armed police running down thw street looking for someone  Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017

Gunshots just heard. Armed police running down thw street looking for someone  Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017

Helicopter right above us. pic.twitter.com/FICvu97vaz  Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017

The whole of #lasRamblas and surrounding roads in lock down with armed police everywhere. August 17, 2017

Another car ploughed into police i am being told  Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017

Driver of Ford Focus has been shot dead  Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017

Thank you to the staff at the restaurant for staying calm and keeping us safe. I love you Barcelona.  Laila Rouass (@lailarouass) August 17, 2017

The terror attack is believed to have claimed the lives of 13 people and wounded more than hundred people.


Mumbai: Veteran actor Dharmendra has made his debut on social media website Twitter and his actor son Sunny Deol has welcomed him.

Dharmendra, 81, on Thursday made his debut on Twitter, with two photographs of himself from the sets of his upcoming film Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se.

"Your love has encouraged me to come more close to you... So, here is me from the sets of 'Yamla Pagla Deewana Phir Se'... New Beginnings, shoot mode, Hyderabad," he tweeted.

The Sholay actor has 3,273 followers, among them sons Sunny and Bobby and grandson Karan Deol, who is soon going to make his debut in Bollywood with Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas.

Sunny on Thursday tweeted that he and his brother Bobby "succeeded" in getting their father on the micro-blogging website.

"Me and Bob eventually succeeded in getting dad here... Welcome Dad," Sunny tweeted.

The third part of Yamla Pagla Deewana is being shot in Hyderabad and also features Bobby and Sunny.

The part first part of Yamla Pagla Deewana released in 2011 and was directed by Samir Karnik.
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, in a recent interview expressed how he wants to be the best version of himself.

When Hrithik Roshan read it, he immediately took to Twitter and praised the actor for it.

He took a snapshot of the interview with the headline "I want to be the best version of myself" and tweeted, "Well said Ranbir."

The reason Hrithik connected to this philosophy instantly is because his fitness brand HRX has been following this as their core ideology.

This is something Hrithik personally believes in as well.

We even saw Hrithik Roshan and team HRX put together a fabulous video of HRX's 'Keep Going' campaign, which spoke about striving to be the best version of yourself.

Looks like Ranbir Kapoor too has made this as his life mantra.
Mumbai: Actor Esha Gupta has responded to the criticism for posting a few bold pictures on social media, saying she fails to understand as to why there is so much scrutiny on what a celebrity does.

Esha posted a couple of pictures on Instagram and was body-shamed, with some people calling her photographs "vulgar".

"There are a few people who are confident about their manhood, they are not challenged. Men, otherwise, mostly get really bothered if women are strong, if a woman is standing up for herself and is speaking up her mind. It happens in the West too," Esha told PTI in an interview.

"What bothers me is why are people more concerned about my pictures and not what is happening around the world. There is a lot happening in the world and one needs to speak up."

The actor said she was not perturbed by the negative feedbacks on her pictures but felt "sad" about the people's mentality.

"The world is going down, our country especially. It has such a colourful and wonderful history, even then there are these few handful of people... When I saw the comments on pictures, I had a great laugh about it. It is sad because it shows your mentality.

"When celebrities don't speak up, people say actors are sissy, when we do people will say something else. What do we do then? If things bother me, I'll talk about it."

Esha is currently gearing up for the release of "Baadshaho", which stars Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi and Ileana D'Cruz.

Directed by Milan Luthria, it is scheduled to release on September 1.
Jaipur: The Rajasthan government will raise the other backward class (OBC) quota from the present 21 per cent to 26 per cent for granting 5 per cent reservation to Gujjars and other castes.

A bill to this effect will be introduced in the upcoming Monsoon session for which a consensus was arrived at last night at a meeting of the cabinet subcommittee with the Gujjar delegation.

The government has assured the Gujjar leaders that the OBC quota will be split after increasing it to 26 per cent to grant them 5 per cent reservation.

The total reservation in the state stands at 49 per cent at present and this is set to once again crossed the 50 per cent legal ceiling.

"The decision to increase the OBC quota from 21 to 26 per cent was taken after rounds of talks last night. A division will be created within the revised OBC quota for providing five per cent reservation to Gujjars and other communities," Social Justice minister Arun Chaturvedi told PTI on Friday.

He said the division may be like 'backward' and 'most backward' or 'category A' or 'category B'.

As for the legal ceiling, the minister said legal experts have been consulted and the bill will be drafted accordingly.

"A bill will be introduced during the upcoming Monsoon session of the state legislative assembly," Chaturvedi, who was in the meeting as a member of the ministerial subcommittee, said.

After the meeting, the Gujjar delegation led by Kirori Singh Bainsla and the ministerial subcommittee members met the chief minister at her official residence.

In May this year, the state government had issued a notification to re-include five castes of Gujjar/Gurjar, Banjara/Baldia/Labana, Gadia-Lohar/Gadalia,?Raika/Rebari and Gadaria (Gaadri), in the OCB list.

These castes were first included in the OBC list in 1994.

The castes were re-included in OBC after state High Court in December last year struck down the Special Backward Class (SBC) Reservation Act, 2015, which provided special backward class status to these five castes.
Jaisalmer: Air Force officials on Friday nabbed a man for suspicious activities, as he tried to enter the Air Force Station in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer without proper clearance.

Officials handed Robin, who is a resident from Bihar, over to the investigation department for further enquire and probe.

They alleged that the man was trying to enter the station without proper permission.

Further investigation underway.
Barcelona: Seventeen-year-old Moussa Oukabir has been identified as the suspected perpetrator of the Las Ramblas Barcelona terror attack that took place on Thursday.

Moussa is the brother of Driss Oukabir who was arrested yesterday on suspicion of hiring the van used in the attack, said the police. Driss has reportedly denied all involvement and told police his identity documents were stolen to obtain the vehicle used in the terror attack.

State-owned broadcaster Radio y Television Espanola (RTVE) tweeted:

Buscan a Moussa Oukabir como presunto autor del atentado de Las Ramblas https://t.co/4GyspDu3Rg pic.twitter.com/VRGRgjclpf August 18, 2017

So far, three suspects have been arrested in connection with the attacks that left at least 13 dead and over hundred injured after a car ploughed into crowds on a popular street of Barcelona - Las Ramblas boulevard.

The dead and injured in Thursday`s terror attack in Barcelona were of many nationalities including citizens of the US, Britain, China and Pakistan, according to the Catalonian region`s Interior Ministry. Among the victims are a number of children, authorities said.

The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Catalonia: Spanish police said that they had shot dead 'four suspected terrorists' and left another injured early Friday in Cambrils, a city south of Barcelona where a van mowed into pedestrians on Thursday, killing 13 people.

The regional government of Catalonia, where both Barcelona and Cambrils are located, also confirmed the incident, which police had earlier qualified as a "possible terrorist attack."

Earlier on Thursday, the Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for an attack in which a van ran over pedestrians here in Las Ramblas boulevard. At least 13 persons were killed and more than 100 injured.



Confirming the death toll, Head of Catalonia's Regional Interior Department Joaquim Forn said in a tweet on Thursday: "My strongest condemnation of the terrorist attack in Barcelona. We can confirm 13 deaths."He added that 15 of the injured were in serious condition and that the death toll was likely to rise, Efe news reported.



Claiming the attack, jihadi-affiliated news agency Amaq said the attackers were "soldiers of Islamic State".

"We're united in grief," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona, the biggest city in Catalonia, a region in Spain's northeast whose separatist government is defying Madrid.

"Above all, we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us, "Rajoy added.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has confirmed that there is no report of any Indian casualty in the attack. Indians, who are in an emergency, can contact the Indian embassy in Spain at +34-608769335.

I am in constant touch with Indian Embassy in Spain @IndiainSpain. As of now, there is no report of an Indian casualty.  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 17, 2017

"I am in constant touch with Indian Embassy in Spain. As of now, there is no report of an Indian casualty," Swaraj tweeted.

However, Thursday's attack drew condemnation from across the globe.

US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the United States will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

French President Emmanuel Macron -- whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people -- said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack".

The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first IS claim of an attack in Spain.

Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.

According to the interior ministry, more than 190 "jihadist terrorists" have been arrested since 2015, most of them for propaganda, recruitment for extremist groups or "glorifying terrorism."

(With inputs from agencies)
Helsinki: At least three people were killed in stabbing attacks in Finland and Germany on Friday, a day after over a dozen people were massacred in terror attacks in two Spanish cities, media reports said.

Two people were killed and six were injured in a stabbing spree in the Finnish city of Turku on Friday, police said, after officers shot one suspect and warned several others could be at large.

"There are eight victims in the stabbing. Two dead and six injured," Turku police tweeted.

Police shot one suspect in the legs and arrested him. Security forces wrote on Twitter that police were "looking for other possible perpetrators".

In the western German city of Wuppertal, one man was killed and another injured in a stabbing incident.

The attacker was still on the loose, the police said.

"We can confirm there has been a deadly crime. One man has died and another man is in hospital," a German police spokeswoman told AFP.

The police said they were hunting for one or more assailants, but could not immediately provide more information about the circumstances of the attack.

The stabbing happened at around 1245 GMT in the city's Elberfeld area.

The death toll in a double attack in Spain rose to 14 on Friday, as the country reeled from the two vehicle rampages that saw drivers plough into pedestrians in Barcelona and Cambrils, another seaside town.

The emergency services said a woman injured in the Cambrils attack has died, bringing the total to 14 in both attacks.

Earlier in the day, the Spanish police said that they had shot dead 'four suspected terrorists' and left another injured, who later succumbed to his injuries early Friday in Cambrils.

The regional government of Catalonia, where both Barcelona and Cambrils are located, also confirmed the incident, which police had earlier qualified as a "possible terrorist attack."

Claiming the attack, jihadi-affiliated news agency Amaq said the attackers were "soldiers of Islamic State".

"We're united in grief," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona, the biggest city in Catalonia, a region in Spain's northeast whose separatist government is defying Madrid.

"Above all, we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us, "Rajoy added.

US President Donald Trump condemned the "terror attack" and said the United States will do whatever is necessary to help", adding: "Be tough & strong, we love you!"

French President Emmanuel Macron -- whose country has witnessed a series of bloody jihadist atrocities including a truck rampage in Nice in July 2016 that killed 86 people -- said his thoughts were with the victims of the "tragic attack".

The Nice carnage and other assaults including the 2015 shootings and bombings on Paris nightspots were claimed by the Islamic State, but it is believed to be the first Islamic States claim of an attack in Spain.

Catalonia has the highest concentration of radicalised Islamists in the country along with Madrid and the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla in northern Morocco.

(With agency inputs)
Los Angeles: Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called on US President Donald Trump to abandon his ambiguous attitude to racism and immediately reject "the support of white supremacists".

The Hollywood superstar in a video on Thursday condemned the presence of hate groups and followers of Nazism in the US and said Trump as President has a moral responsibility to send an unequivocal message "you won`t stand for hate and racism", Xinhua reported.

"There are not two sides to bigotry and there are not two sides to hatred," Schwarzenegger said in the video that received over two million clicks within two hours of its release.

"And if you choose to march with a flag that symbolises the slaughter of millions of people, there are not two sides to that."

The message came days after Trump on Tuesday reignited a firestorm of criticism, saying there was "blame on both sides" for a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that left three persons dead and dozens injured.

Schwarzenegger mocked Trump by talking with a doll of the President in the video.

"Now let me help you write your speech a little bit: As President of the US, and as a Republican, I reject the support of white supremacists. The country that defeated Hitler`s armies is no place for Nazi flag," said the 70-year-old, who at the same time picked up a bobble head resembling Trump and asked: "Was is that difficult? You see, I told you."

Schwarzenegger on Sunday donated $100,000 to anti-Nazism organisation Simon Wiesenthal Centre, saying he was "horrified by the images of Nazis and white supremacists" marching in Charlottesville and "heartbroken that a domestic terrorist took an innocent life".
Barcelona: A huge fire broke out at the Barcelona Airport on Friday, hours after 14 people were killed by ISIS here and in the Cambrils city, media reports said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known but reports said the security has been tightened around the airport after the incident.

The inferno comes as the toll in the terror attacks in Spain rose to 14 on Friday.

The fatalities occurred when terrorists ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona and Cambrils.

The emergency services said a woman injured in the Cambrils attack has died, bringing the total to 14 in both attacks.

Earlier in the day, the Spanish police said that they had shot dead 'four suspected terrorists' and left another injured, who later succumbed to his injuries early Friday in Cambrils.

"We're united in grief," Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a televised address after rushing to Barcelona.

"Above all, we're united in the firm intention to defeat those who want to take our values and way of life from us, "Rajoy added.
Islamabad: Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons will appear before National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for interrogating them in money laundering and graft cases.

On July 28, a five-member bench of the Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from office following a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probe that exposed illegal family wealth stashed abroad.

Sharif has filed an appeal in the SC for review of the Panama Papers verdict that led to his disqualification.

The landmark order had disqualified Sharif for hiding his assets and UAE`s Iqama (work permit) on which he was to receive payment.

The apex court had directed the anti-corruption body to file four reference cases by September 8 against Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, his two sons, son-in-law Muhammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the Dawn reported on Thursday.

The ousted prime minister has repeatedly said that he will strive hard to replace Pakistan's old and "flawed" system with a new law which will put an end to the unceremonious ouster of the prime ministers.

He also seeks accountability from military dictators and judges who he said have been sending prime ministers packing home in the last 70 years.
Seoul: North Korea`s top state newspaper gave the South`s President Moon Jae-In a "fail" grade Friday for his first 100 days in office, dismissing his proffered olive branches as "hypocrisy".

Moon, elected to replace impeached president Park Geun-Hye, came into office in May and has since had to deal with tensions over the North`s missile and nuclear programmes.

Pyongyang carried out its first successful tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last month, apparently bringing much of the US mainland within its reach.

At a briefing Thursday to mark his 100th day in office, Moon insisted there will be no second Korean war but urged the North to stop further nuclear and missile tests, warning Pyongyang to end its "dangerous gamble".

The Rodong Sinmun, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Workers` Party, responded Friday with a withering commentary, saying that the performance sheet for Moon`s 100 days was "poor and very disappointing".

It did not name Moon, describing him only as the "current power holder".

Relations between the two were "an absolute fail", it added, saying that while Moon spoke of dialogue and implementing North-South agreements, his actions moved in the opposite direction.

"The south authorities` utterances about improving intra-Korean ties turned out to be nothing but hypocrisy," it said.

"The south`s power holder says he is pushing for sanctions and pressure while seeking to open dialogue at the same time. This is an unpardonable plot toeing the US line to suffocate the DPRK," it said, using the abbreviation of the North`s official name.

"Dialogue and sanctions simply cannot go together," it asserted.

Moon is enjoying strong ratings in the South, with opinion polls putting his approval figures in the 70s.

North Korea`s ICBM tests sparked weeks of sabre-rattling with Washington, with Pyongyang threatening to fire a salvo of rockets towards the US territory of Guam. US President Donald Trump has warned of "fire and fury" and said Washington`s weapons were "locked and loaded".

Tensions have since eased with the North`s leader Kim Jong-Un saying he would watch the "Yankees" for a time before deciding whether to proceed with the Guam plan.

But the atmosphere is likely to worsen again next week when the United States and South Korea kick off their annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian military drills.

Pyongyang views them as a highly provocative rehearsal for an invasion of its own territory, and regularly carries out counter-actions of its own, such as missile launches.
Washington: Steve K. Bannon on Friday left the White House and his role as the far-right chief strategist of United States President Donald Trump.

His ouster came after weeks of controversy and staff changes at the White House.

The US leader has informed top aides of his decision to part ways with his embattled strategist but was still debating with top White House officials when and how to dismiss him, according to the New York Times.

An ABC News report said that Bannon resigned from his role as White House chief strategist two weeks ago.

Trump has come under fire from Republicans and Democrats alike for insisting anti-racism protesters were equally to blame for the violence at a weekend rally staged by neo-Nazis and white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Bannon, the former head of ultra conservative outlet Breitbart News, is described as being the nucleus of one of several competing power centres in what has been a chaotic White House.

Over the last few days, there has been an increasing demand to fire Bannon with critics labelling him as a white supremacist.

As the uncertainty over Steve Bannon's future in the White House continued, the President refused to give any assurance over his far-right chief strategist's fate, in wake of the violence in Charlottesville over the weekend.

Responding to questions if he still had confidence in Bannon, Trump said, "Look, I like Mr Bannon. He's a friend of mine. But Mr Bannon came on very late. You know that. I went through 17 senators, governors, and I won all the primaries. Mr Bannon came on very much later than that," Trump told reporters at a news conference at the Trump Towers in New York.

"I like him, he's a good man. He is not a racist, I can tell you that. He's a good person. He actually gets very unfair press in that regard. But we'll see what happens with Mr Bannon. But he's a good person, and I think the press treats him, frankly, very unfairly," he said.

On Thursday, Bannon had attacked white nationalists as 'clowns' as the fallout from violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, continues.

"Ethno-nationalism -- it's losers," Bannon reportedly said in an interview published by magazine American Prospect on Wednesday.

Bannon's comments followed weekend of turmoil in the US after a white nationalist 'Unite the Right' rally in Charlottesville last week turned violent following clashes between far-right and counter-protestors, CNN reported.

(With Agency reports)
London: The UK stands with Spain following the "appalling" twin terror attacks in which at least 14 people were killed and 80 others injured, British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday.

A van ran into a crowd of pedestrians walking through Barcelona's famed Las Ramblas area yesterday, killing at least 13 people and wounding many others, including some British nationals.

Police later shot dead five suspects after a second vehicle attack in the coastal town of Cambrils, around 130- kilometre from Barcelona.

Officials in Barcelona said today the death toll in the attack in the heart of the city has gone up to 14.

"The UK stands with Spain against terror. I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today. The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support," May said.

"Following the attacks in Manchester and London, Spain stood alongside the British people. Tonight, Britain stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism," she said in a statement.

The Spanish flag and the UK's Union Jack are flying at half-mast at Downing Street in London and other government buildings in the UK.

The UK Foreign Office has said that a "small number" of British nationals were injured in the attacks in Spain.

"Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible attacks and the people of Spain," a spokesperson said.

"We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help. We have deployed additional staff to Barcelona and have offered support to the Spanish authorities," the spokesperson said.

The Foreign Office has also issued advised British tourists in Spain to take care and follow the advice of local security authorities.

"Concerned and saddened by #Barcelona attack. Our thoughts are with those affected. Doing all we can to identify whether Brits need help," UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson said on Twitter.

"Terrible reports from Barcelona. My thoughts are with those killed and injured, and the emergency services working to save lives," Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted.

"London stands with Barcelona against the evil of terrorism," said London mayor Sadiq Khan in his message.

Spanish investigators believe a 12-strong terror cell is behind the two attacks, which was originally planning a deadlier attack involving gas canisters.

They are working on the theory that the attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona are linked to a gas explosion at a house in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday that killed one person.
Seoul: After North Korea and the United States traded bellicose threats of nuclear conflagration, all eyes will be on an annual war game in the South next week that could send tensions spiralling back upwards, analysts say.

Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) last month that appeared to bring much of the US within range, triggering an intense warning by President Donald Trump that Washington could rain "fire and fury" on the North.

Pyongyang then threatened to fire a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam -- a plan that leader Kim Jong-Un this week delayed, but warned could go ahead depending on Washington`s next move.

The North`s reaction to the "Ulchi Freedom Guardian" (UFG) joint military exercise that starts Monday will be key to determining what happens next.

The annual drills -- named after a general who defended an ancient Korean kingdom from Chinese invaders -- involve about 50,000 South Korean and 25,000 US troops practising to protect the country against a North Korean attack.

But Pyongyang views it as a highly provocative rehearsal for an invasion of its own territory, and threatens strong military counteraction each year.

The North said the Guam missile strike could be reinstated in the event of "reckless actions" by Washington, and analysts say the exercise could become an alarming flash point.

"I worry it might enact this plan when the joint exercises start," said James Acton, co-director of the Nuclear Policy programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.North Korea has repeatedly called for an end to large-scale joint military exercises between the allies in exchange for a freeze on its nuclear and missile programmes.

In the early 1990s Seoul and Washington agreed to cancel a drill then known as Team Spirit in return for the North allowing an inspection of its secret nuclear facilities -- only to see Pyongyang later walk away and resume its weapons development.

Vipin Narang, an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology specialising in nuclear strategy, warned against another suspension.

"Cancelling it would cede into the huge North Korean aim to decouple the allies and drive a wedge between South Korea and the United States," Narang told AFP.

Pushing through with the drills is essential for South Korean President Moon Jae-In`s promise to "prevent war at all cost", said Choi Kang of the Asan Institute of Policy Studies.

"Seoul will say the current tensions call for an even stronger alliance and closer military cooperation," he said.

The US State Department said this week the largely computer-simulated UFG exercise, which dates back to 1976, will go ahead as planned.

But it declined to comment on whether the drills would be scaled back in an effort to ease tensions.

The allies could look to make a conciliatory gesture towards Pyongyang by not involving US strategic assets such as stealth bombers or aircraft carriers, said Koo Kab-Woo, a professor at the Seoul-based University of North Korean Studies.Supersonic B-1B bombers from the US Pacific Command`s Andersen Air Force Base in Guam are often flown over the peninsula for joint exercises and to demonstrate Washington`s "full range of military capabilities" -- always infuriating Pyongyang.

When North Korean leader Kim delayed his Guam missile plan, he warned the US to end its "arrogant provocations" and referred to what he called "huge nuclear strategic equipment" being brought to the region.

In an ideal scenario, Acton said, the two sides would agree that North Korea could not carry out missile tests that overfly South Korea or Japan -- which would preclude them getting anywhere near Guam -- in exchange for the US ending strategic bomber training flights within an agreed distance of the North.

North Korea appears to have left open some room for a quid pro quo, added Narang.

Any negotiation for a quiet agreement to reduce the frequency and range of the B-1B flights "doesn`t have to be terribly public and it could be behind the scene", he said. "I think it`s reasonable to think that might go somewhere."
YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, ARMENPRESS. The charity organization Adibekyan Family Foundation for Advancement (FFA) established in Luxemburg by Gagik Adibekyan will donate 100 thousand Euros for the recovery of Khosrov Forest after fire.

Hundreds of hectares of the Reserve were burnt down by the fire. Flora of the reserve numbers 1948 species of vascular plants, of which 80 are listed in the Red Book of Armenia and 24 are endemics. Forest coverage is 16%. Glaedes, scrubs and shrubs occupy 20% and the remaining 64% is represented by arid mountainous communites. Fauna includes 40 species of mammals, 192 birds, 33 reptiles, 5 amphibians and 9 fish. Local mountains are inhabited by brown bear (Ursus arctos syriacus), bezoar goat (Capra aegagrus), Armenian mouflon (Ovis orientalis gmelinii) and Caucasian leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica) which are registered in the Red Book of Armenia.

Today, when the ecology of Khosrov forest and an entire region is under risk we cannot bypass this serious problem. Forest recovery after fires is a long process requiring huge efforts and significant resources. I believe that only by joint efforts it can be possible to shorten the recovery process of this wonderful and unique forest, Armenpress reports Gagik Adibekyan saying.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. The exclusive project of ARMENPRESS entitled Yerevan Bestseller brings the top ten bestselling books of Yerevan every week.

Edgar Harutyunyans Unfound Chamomiles is this weeks bestselling book of Yerevan. This is the second book of the author. Unfound Chamomiles is about human relationship, love, friendship and betrayal.

Like the previous week, this week as well Mark Arens Where Wild Roses Bloom is ranked 2nd.

The story describes the inner world of an Armenophobic Turkish former serviceman, when he, already an old man, suddenly hears a lullaby song that reminds him of his mother and later finds out that the song is in Armenian: realizing his parents were Armenians. He spends his remaining life searching the graves of his parents, without knowing that it was a misunderstanding.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas this week is ranked 3rd. It is a 2006 Holocaust novel by Irish novelist John Boyne. Unlike the months of planning Boyne devoted to his other books, he said that he wrote the entire first draft of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in two and a half days, barely sleeping until he got to the end.

Stefan Zweigs Collected Stories comes next. Zweig was an Austrian novelist, playwright, journalist and biographer. At the height of his literary career, in the 1920s and 1930s, he was one of the most popular writers in the world. The book was translated by Ara Arakelyan and Margarit Arakelyan.

Nobel Prize Laureate Svetlana Alexievichs The Last Witnesses is 5th.

Alexievich is a Belarusian investigative journalist and non-fiction prose writer who writes in Russian. She was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature "for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time". She is the first writer from Belarus to receive the award.

The Alchemist by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho is 6th.Originally written in Portuguese, it became an international bestseller translated into some 70 languages as of 2016. An allegorical novel, The Alchemist follows a young Andalusian shepherd in his journey to Egypt, after having a recurring dream of finding treasure there.

Dandelion Wine, 1957 novel by Ray Bradbury this week is ranked 7th. The novel is taking place in the summer of 1928 in the fictional town of Green Town, Illinois, based upon Bradbury's childhood home of Waukegan, Illinois. It was translated from English by Zaven Boyadjyan.

Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray is ranked 8th in the bestselling list of the week. Dorian Gray is the subject of a full-length portrait in oil by Basil Hallward, an artist who is impressed and infatuated by Dorian's beauty; he believes that Dorian's beauty is responsible for the new mode in his art as a painter. Through Basil, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, and he soon is enthralled by the aristocrat's hedonistic worldview: that beauty and sensual fulfillment are the only things worth pursuing in life.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury comes next. Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel published in 1953. It is regarded as one of his best works. The novel presents a future American society where books are outlawed and "firemen" burn any that are found. The title refers to the temperature that Bradbury understood to be the autoignition point of paper.

Flowers for Algernon by David Keyes concludes this weeks list. The short story, written in 1958 and first published in the April 1959 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1960.

The following bookstores took part in a survey for the bestseller project: Bookinist (53-74-13), Hay Girk (54-07-06) and Zangak (23 26 49).

Yerevan Bestseller project presented by Angela Hambardzumyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. The advertisement of the Armenian Genocide themed film Architects of Denial will be displayed for free at the Americana at Brand shopping mall in Glendale, Asbarez reports.

Hours before the press conference of the Armenian National Committee-Glendale against the decision to ban advertisement of the documentary at the shopping mall, the Committee received a letter from Caruso Affiliated Executive Vice President of Operations, Jackie Levy who said the advertisement will be displayed at no cost to producers.

The letter also condemned violence and atrocities of any form anywhere in the world, including the Armenian Genocide.

The ANCA Glendale welcomed this important albeit delayed response as the first step in addressing a larger issue of insensitivity toward the Armenian-American community. The Committee also thanked the Armenian community who made their voices heard.

The ANCA Glendale also expressed sincere gratitude to State Senator Anthony Portantino, members of the Glendale City Council, US Congressman Adam Schiff, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, and Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Krekorian for responding to the call for action and providing their staunch support that made this possible.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on August 18 sent a letter of condolences to King Felipe VI of Spain over the terror attack in Barcelona that caused dozens of casualties and injuries, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress.

In this difficult moment of grief and loss, I extend my sincere condolences and support to you, the friendly people of Spain and relatives of the victims, wishing them strength and courage, and speedy recovery to the injured.

Such inhumane acts again come to confirm our conviction that it is necessary to jointly continue the international communitys fight against the evil of terrorism and all forms of violence, the Presidents letter reads.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan sent a letter of condolences to Prime Minister of Spain Mariano Rajoy Brey, press service of the government told Armenpress.

The letter says:

On behalf of the government of Armenia and personally myself I extend deep condolences over the terror attack in Barcelona that claimed lives of dozens of innocent people.

We strictly condemn terrorism with all its manifestations which doesnt recognize nationality and borders.

At this difficult moment for your country, we share your grief and express our support and solidarity to the friendly people of Spain and the relatives of the victims, wishing them strength and endurance to overcome the consequences of this tragedy.

Your Excellency, please, accept my sincere condolences and assurances of my respect.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. In order to sign an agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) the agreement of all member states is required, Armenian foreign ministry said in response to ARMENPRESS inquiry, commenting on the statement of Turkish economy minister Nihat Zeybekci according to which Turkey wants to sign an agreement with the EAEU.

The signing of agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union is possible only through the consent of all member states, the foreign ministry said.

RIA Novosti reported during the opening ceremony of international trade fair in Izmir the Turkish minister said they have received a proposal to sign a customs agreement with the EAEU, however, they need to do everything so that the agreement will not contradict their respective agreement signed with the EU.

The Eurasian Economic Union is an international organization for regional economic integration. It has international legal personality and is established by the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union.

The member states of the Eurasian Economic Union are the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. As a result of observations, expert assessments it has been revealed that the average number of tourists visiting Armenia during festivals increases by 10-15%, Mekhak Apresyan  First Vice President of the State Tourism Committee, told reporters on August 18, reports Armenpress.

The festivals contribute to increase of number of tourists visiting Armenia. Many arrive specifically to take part in any festival. Moreover, the festivals make Armenia more recognizable to the international market with new interesting things, Apresyan said.

According to him, the number of tourists personally participating in the festivals increases. Even tour packages for some Armenian festivals are being sold in Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and other countries.
YEREVAN, 18 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 18 August, USD exchange rate up by 0.37 drams to 478.57 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 1.96 drams to 561.79 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 8.05 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.81 drams to 616.73 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 205.93 drams to 19773.81 drams. Silver price up by 5.43 drams to 261.88 drams. Platinum price up by 196.09 drams to 15001.72 drams.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. The 59th international exhibition of Damascus kicked iff in Syria on July 17, which will be open until August 26. As "Armenpress" was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, 43 countries are represented at the exhibition, including Russia, Iran, China, as well as companies and embassies of a number of Arabic, European and Asian countries.

Armenia also participates in the international exhibition of Damascus represented by the Armenian Embassy in Syria in collaboration with Syria-Armenia business council. The perspectives of the economic development of Armenia, investment policy of the country are presented to interested people. The Armenian pavillion also gives information on major producers and companies.

Ambassador of Armenia to Syria Arshak Poladian mentioned in an interview that the resumption of the exhibition following 6 years of pause is a progress for a country just recovering from war.

Note that the exhibition of Damascus is one of the oldest in the Middle East. It was first opened in 1954 with the participation of 26 Arabic and foreign states. Before the Syrian war, during the economic rise of Syria, the exhibition had become an important regional trade and economic event, but starting from 2011 its activities had been suspended.
LOS ANGELESFantasy Lingerie on Friday announced curve model and Instagram influencer, Kellee Moran, as its exclusive Brand Ambassador for Curve by Fantasy.

The voluptuous 5-foot-8 model makes her print debut in Fantasy Lingerie's 2017 Fall Catalog, premiering at the Altitude Intimates Show in September.

"I could see Kellees budding potential based solely on her Instagram portfolio," Fantasy Lingerie Managing Director Leilani Whitney said. "She has the look that is turning everyones head in this day and age. After inviting her to a private fitting and seeing her in Fantasy Lingerie, we were absolutely impressed with her fun-loving personality, naturally curvy body, and sultry, doe-eyed look. We knew shed be an ideal representative for our Curve line. We knew we had to have her.

Signed in May, Moran has already completed a series of campaigns for Fantasy Lingerie's award winning line, Curve by Fantasy. Curated for full-figured women, Curve designs only feature figure-flattering styles, fabrics, and colors, perpetuating the company's philosophy of Sexy Is for Every Body.

As Brand Ambassador for Fantasy Lingerie, Moran will increase brand awareness through her social media outlets, including Instagram, where her playful panache and voluptuous figure, a 40D-33-49, has turned the self-dubbed "Plus Size Porcelain Princess" into a role model with a growing global reach.

"I am honored to have been chosen as a brand ambassador for Fantasy Lingerie," Moran said. "From the beginning, my heart has felt right with this company and the ladies I have the pleasure of working with! As a young model this opportunity blew me away. This is only the beginning of what is sure to be an extraordinary collaboration!"

Fantasy Lingerie was named 2017 Best Lingerie Manufacturer at this year's AVN Awards.

To view Fantasy Lingerie's entire collections, click here.

To view more on Kellee Moran, visit her on Instagram.
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.
Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, pictured above, announced his support for comprehensive reforms to strengthen the states animal cruelty laws and update its commercial breeder regulations. Also pictured, HSUS New Hampshire State Director Lindsay Hamrick with a Great Dane puppy whose mother endured a life of misery at a Wolfeboro puppy mill. Photo by Office of the N.H. governor

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Yesterday, in the company of three adorable puppies whose mother had endured the misery of a Wolfeboro mansion that doubled as the nations most unusual puppy mill, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu announced his support for comprehensive reforms to strengthen the states animal cruelty laws and update its commercial breeder regulations.

At the Wolfeboro property, 84 Great Danes had been living in a mansion that looked grand on the outside but was rotten on the inside. Animal waste covered the walls and floors, remains of raw chicken parts were strewn about, and the smell of ammonia hung thick in the air. Some of the dogs had been confined in cages. Many were riddled with infections, open sores and cuts, and were in extremely poor health. Some had irritated eyes, made bright red or swollen shut like human boxers who had taken too many hits in a long fight.

Many of the dogs have a long road ahead to full recovery, but they are all now safe and caregivers are enjoying the experience of seeing their individual personalities emerge. Almost every day is better than the one prior, and the dogs are enjoying a variety of toys and enrichment activities, including obstacle courses and scavenger hunts at their temporary shelter.

Gov. Sununu, who pledged his full support for stronger animal cruelty laws, is also aware of and will address the enormous financial burden placed upon taxpayers and non-profit animal welfare organizations that care for animals seized in cruelty investigations. The governors executive order directs authorities to begin determining possible funding sources for animal-cruelty related costs.

We estimate that care for the Great Danes, by the time the case runs its course, will cost The HSUS half a million dollars, even though our organization has long warned lawmakers and citizens about the evils of puppy mills and demanded policies to prevent these animal crises from developing. The HSUS is holding the animals at an emergency shelter, and the trial against the home owner is not slated to begin until October, due to a delay instigated by the defendants lawyer. Without laws in place to provide for such expenses, the cost of caring for animals seized in cruelty cases during lengthy court proceedings is borne by taxpayers or, in this case, a non-profit animal protection organization. The costs should be borne, instead, by the individuals directly responsible for the mistreatment of animals. The current situation puts the rescuers in a position of enormous financial risk, and can bankrupt organizations that rush in to help.

Animal cruelty will not be tolerated in New Hampshire, Sununu said, adding that he would revamp the Governors Commission on the Humane Treatment of Animals, making it easier for the commission to recruit members, as well as expand their duties to include tracking and promoting current legislation. I look forward to working with the commission, advocates and legislators to pass commonsense legislation that protects animals, ensuring that the type of situation that took place in Wolfeboro never happens again, Sununu said.

Under current law, the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture licenses breeders who sell 10 litters or 50 puppies in one year. Breeders that are still selling many dogs but fall below the threshold are not regulated, leaving the door open for unsanitary and dangerous environments for animals and people. State Sen. Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, intends to introduce legislation in the 2018 session to redefine what constitutes a commercial breeder and to mandate that all commercial breeders be inspected on an annual, unannounced basis.

We applaud Gov. Sununu and an array of state lawmakers, including Sen. Bradley, for promising to lead the effort to ensure that cruelty such as these dogs endured is never again repeated in New Hampshire. It will be important for the people of the state to remind lawmakers that policies are overdue and that the lessons of this incident should not be squandered and the dogs plight never forgotten.
The UK is one of the easiest places in the world to set up a shady company, which is why accused Mafia money-launderer Antonio "Tonino the Blond" Righi set up his shell company Magnolia Fundaction UK with Britain's Companies House, giving an address in Soho.



Righi is a testament to how friendly the UK is to financial criminals: among the company's directors is "Il Ladro di Galline" (the chicken thief) and Banda Bassotti (the Beagle Boys  the criminals from Donald Duck); his own occupation is listed as "truffatore" (fraudster), and Senor Bassotti's address is "0, Street of the 40 Thieves" in the nonexistent Italian city of "Ali Babba."

The business  whose dodginess continues at some length  controlled 200m worth of other companies used to launder hundreds of millions for the mob.



Although Magnolia uses the Italian language for its cheeky names and addresses, perhaps understandably evading the linguistic skills of Companies House officials, the Righi case highlights the absence of checks in Britain's company formation system. After all, even if UK officials do not speak Italian, it seems surprising that nobody checked what "truffatore" meant in the occupation section the document. All but one of the Righi-linked UK companies is now dormant. The sole remaining one calls itself Business Bank Italy, registered to a house in Essex. Righi resigned as a director in 2011. BBI's website claims to offer venture capital, wealth management and a prepay MasterCard.



Despite some of these being Financial Conduct Authority-regulated activities, Business Bank Italy has no registration with the regulator.



'Occupation: Fraudster. Address: Street of 40 Thieves'  how Italians mocked UK company rules

[Jim Armitage/Evening Standard]

(via The Tax Justice Network)
The federal government has awarded an $800-million contract to perform future maintenance and repair work on the Royal Canadian Navy's new vessels to the Canadian subsidiary of a French multinational corporation.

The contract deals with the new Arctic and offshore patrol ships and joint support ships, which haven't yet been built, and initially covers eight years but can be extended up to 35 years for a total of $5.2 billion, plus taxes.

The contract is going to a joint venture between Thales Canada Inc. and Thales Australia Ltd. Thales is a French company with corporate headquarters in Paris.

Jim Carr, the acting federal procurement minister, made the announcement Thursday morning in Dartmouth, N.S.

Top security clearance required

He estimates work on the ships will create or maintain 2,000 jobs over the life of the contract, and said all subcontracting will be tendered to Canadian companies. The jobs will be spread across Canada, but "primarily right here in Halifax and in Vancouver and also other jobs in Nepean in Ontario."

The contract will "conform to the highest standards of security for Canada," Carr told reporters.

"Everyone involved in this project will have top security clearance. It's specified in the regulations. We are fully confident all the safeguards are in place."

Union concerns for the future

Despite the promises of job creation, the president of the Union of National Defence Employees said he and his members are bracing for problems.

John MacLennan said the government is already choosing not to fill some vacancies when people retire and he worries that will only continue as more contractors are brought in to do work.

"The contractors are slowly creeping into the public sector workforce," he said.

Another major concern for MacLennan is cost accountability.

"There's situations that arise that aren't in the contract where the contractor says, 'OK, if you have us to do that work  because we're doing most of the work now  there's going to be an increase in [the cost of] doing business with us.' And they have to pay, because you have warships that are going to do the things that warships do."

Story continues

'Not going to reinvent the wheel'

Maintenance work will only be done outside Canada if a ship requires it when it is already overseas, Carr said.

Mark Halinaty, president and chief executive officer of Thales Canada Inc., said his company was "not going to reinvent the wheel" and would work with in-house workers whenever possible.

He said he didn't yet know how much work would be done in Halifax.

"It's not exactly clear which docks will be used for what activities because that's all part of the competitive process we plan to undertake," he said.

4 bids received

Two Arctic patrol ships are now being built at Irving Shipbuilding's Halifax facility and four more are planned at a total cost to the federal government of $2.3 billion.

Earlier this year, the federal government awarded a $230-million contract to Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. to design two joint support ships. The government said at the time that construction is expected to begin next year, with the first completed in 2021.

Carr said the decision to award Thales the contract was made after receiving "four strong bids" and following consultations with industry over several years. He said awarding the contract for both types of ships to one company was the most cost-effective option.

He also touted economic development, training and research opportunities that will come from the deal.

Previous work to upgrade combat, radar, communication and missile systems on Halifax-class frigates started in 2010 and was divided between Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax and Seaspan Marine in North Vancouver.
By Erik De Castro and Manuel Mogato MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines police came under pressure on Friday to explain the killing of a high-school student after the 17-year-old became one of at least 80 people shot dead this week in an escalation of President Rodrigo Duterte's ruthless war on drugs. Television channels aired CCTV footage that showed Kian Loyd Delos Santos being carried by two men to the place where his body was later found, raising doubt about an official report that said he was shot because he fired at police officers first. Witnesses told the ABS-CBN channel that the teenager did not have a firearm and police officers at the scene handed him a gun, asked him to fire the weapon and run. (For a graphic on Anti-drugs operations in the Philippines, click http://tmsnrt.rs/2fO2d3k) National police chief Ronald dela Rosa said that if the Grade 11 student did not pose a threat, the officers who shot him on Thursday night would be held accountable. "Just think about it, he is just a kid. If that happened to your sibling?" he said on GMA TV. "We will investigate it, I assure you." Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said the three policemen involved had been relieved of their duties and an investigation would be launched into the incident, which took place in the Caloocan district in the northwest of the capital. Police killed at least 13 people in Manila on the third night of a new push in Duterte's war on drugs and crime, taking the toll for one of the bloodiest weeks so far to 80, Reuters witnesses and media reported. Earlier this week, 67 people were gunned down and more than 200 arrested in Manila and provinces adjoining the Philippines capital, in what police described as a "One-Time, Big-Time" push to curb drugs and street crimes. The term has been used by police to describe a coordinated drive in crime-prone districts, usually slums or low-income neighborhoods, often with additional officers. The spike in killings drew condemnation from Vice President Leni Robredo, who belongs to a party opposed to Duterte. Branding it "something to be outraged about", she has been a constant critic of the crackdown that has killed thousands of Filipinos and caused international alarm since Duterte took office over a year ago. "NOT THE SOLUTION" Several senators raised concerns on Friday over the rise in the number of deaths, calling for an impartial investigation. "Killing the poor and powerless is not the solution to the drug problem when tons of methamphetamine are smuggled in," Senator Francis Pangilinan said in a statement. An ally of the president, Senator Jose Victor Ejercito, said he was "worried that these intensified killings are being used by some rogue police officers, knowing that the president will protect them". Police say there has been no instruction from higher authorities to step up their anti-drug operations and they are only doing their job. Duterte indicated this week that the escalation had his blessing, saying it was good that 32 criminals had been killed in a province north of Manila and adding: "Let's kill another 32 every day. Maybe we can reduce what ails this country." On Thursday, he said he would not just pardon police officers who killed drug offenders during the anti-narcotics campaign, but also promote them. "I don't think they are simply acting based on the presidents endorsements," Duterte's spokesman, Ernesto Abella, told reporters. "It just so happens they are taking active steps in addressing the drug situation in Philippines." Critics maintain that members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) are executing suspects and say it is likely they have a hand in thousands of unsolved murders of drug users by mysterious vigilantes. The PNP and government reject that. Although the violence has been criticized by much of the international community, Filipinos largely support the campaign and domestic opposition to it has been muted. "Again and again we hear people say it is safer ... they appreciate the fact that the Philippines is being made safe again," Abella said. (Additional reporting by Ronn Bautista and Karen Lema; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
GAZA (Reuters) - A Hamas security man and a member of a rival Islamist militant group were killed on Thursday in a confrontation in the Gaza Strip near the Palestinian enclave's border with Egypt, security sources said. Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, has stepped up patrols in the border area with the declared aim of preventing the movement of so-called Jihadist Salafis between the territory and the Sinai peninsula, where Islamic State has been battling Egyptian troops for years. "A security force stopped two persons who approached the border. One of them blew himself up and was killed. The other was wounded," the Hamas-run Interior Ministry said in a statement. It said several Hamas security men were hurt, and hospital officials told reporters that one of them died of his wounds. Security sources said the militant killed in the blast was a member of a Salafi group. Hamas has been pursuing improved relations with Egypt, which keeps its border crossing with Gaza largely shut and has accused the group in the past of aiding militants in the Sinai. Hamas has denied those allegations. Gaza's Salafis are proponents of global holy war endorsed by Islamic State and al Qaeda. Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 from forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has shown little tolerance for Salafi movements, detaining many of their members and raiding homes in searches for weapons. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem and Sandra Maler)
Workforce Development

Purdue U to Train 10,000 IT Workers for Infosys

Recent hires of the global tech company Infosys are receiving training at Purdue University. Image Credit: Purdue News Service photo/Marc Simons.

Purdue University on Thursday signed a five-year agreement with Infosys, an IT outsourcing firm based in India, to provide classes and training to approximately 10,000 American employees.

The partnership will combine Infosys aspiration to grow and train its workforce in the United States with Purdues desire to increase educational and real-world opportunities for its students within the rapidly evolving technology industry, according to a university statement. Notably, out of the 10,000 employees that Infosys plans to hire, approximately 2,000 will be based in Indiana, where the company is opening its first tech and innovation hub in the U.S.

Purdue and Infosys will work together to develop course materials in digital agriculture, cybersecurity, biopharma analytics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence and data analytics. Trainings will be held on the West Lafayette campus and will be geared toward new recruits, but there will also be online courses available to existing Infosys employees.

In addition, Purdue plans to open a center that will investigate interdisciplinary solutions to address select business challenges facing Infosys clients, the university said.

"Todays announcement represents another step forward in our commitment to boosting American innovation and in doing our part to shrink the IT skills gap through investments in training and education, said Suresh Garimella, executive vice president for research and partnerships at Purdue and a professor of mechanical engineering, in the statement. We are proud to partner with a leading American university like Purdue that is at the forefront of educating and training students on the most in-demand technology skills."
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Mr. Nitzan Chen

Director of the Government Press Office of Israel

1 Agudat Sport Hapoel Street

Jerusalem

Via email: [email protected]

August 18, 2017

Dear Mr. Chen,

We at the Committee to Protect Journalistsan independent, nonprofit press freedom organizationare writing to request that at a hearing scheduled for August 21, the Government Press Office reverses its decision to revoke the press card of Elias Karram, an Israeli journalist and Al-Jazeera Jerusalem correspondent.

A Government Press Office statement on August 16 questioned Karrams ability to cover the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because of remarks he gave in a 2016 interview with the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated channel Dar al-Iman. Karram told the channel that Palestinian journalists in occupied areas are an integral part of the resistance and its educational political activity. In its questioning of Karrams ability to cover events in Israel, the press office referred to journalist ethics and standards of fairness.

Walid Omary, Al-Jazeeras Jerusalem bureau chief, told CPJ that Karrams remarks were taken out of context and were not broadcast on Al-Jazeera. Omary added that he believes Karram is being targeted as part of the political campaign against the channel. The Israeli government has proposed a draft bill to revoke the broadcasters license, close its offices, and revoke accreditation for its staff, claiming that its broadcasts incite violence.

CPJ cannot find any justification for the harassment of Karram or evidence of Al-Jazeera inciting violence, as defined by the internationally recognized Johannesburg Principles on National Security, Freedom of Expression. As I wrote for The New York Times earlier this month, the Israeli government has offered no specific evidence to justify its claim that the Qatari broadcaster incites. Furthermore, media diversity is an integral part to press freedom.

We ask that the Government Press Office reverses its decision to strip Karram of his press credentials and allows him and all Al-Jazeera staff to operate in Israel freely.

Sincerely,

Sherif Mansour

Program Coordinator, Middle East and North Africa Program

Committee to Protect Journalists
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Washington, D.C., August 18, 2017  Egyptian authorities should immediately stop blocking access to the website of the international press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF, for its French acronym) and the Egyptian group the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Internet users in Egypt have been unable to access RSFs website since August 14, RSF reported yesterday. ANHRI on August 16 reported that its site and that of RSF were among 127 websites blocked in the country.

Egypts government has moved from trying to censor any criticism to trying to censor any criticism of that censorship, CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour said. Blocking access to the websites of RSF and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information is an outrage and should be immediately reversed.

In yesterdays statement, Alexandra El Khazen, the head of RSFs Middle East desk, said it was the first time that access to RSFs site had been blocked. The broad digital blackout imposed in Egypt is not only a grave attack on freedom of information, it also reveals a regimes fear of seeing an informed population, El Khazen said.

Egyptian authorities began blocking access to news websites in May, according to news reports and human rights groups.
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Nairobi, August 17, 2017Authorities in Kenya should credibly investigate incidents of harassment against journalists covering the aftermath of August 8s disputed elections and should reform Kenyas Firearms Act to lower the barriers on journalists ability to wear protective gear, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

In the week following Kenyas national election, CPJ spoke with 10 journalists who said they were assaulted or harassed in the course of their reporting. As CPJ has documented, journalists were also targeted for attack and intimidation during the pre-election campaign period. Opposition leader Raila Odinga yesterday said he would contest incumbent President Uhuru Kenyattas victory at the Supreme Court, according to press reports.

Journalists in Kenya must be permitted to report without fear of violence or hindrance from security forces or anyone else, CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal said from New York. Kenyan authorities should make sure that these cases are credibly investigated to make clear that journalists cannot be harassed with impunity and that the public has a right to information from a wide variety of sources.

On August 12, Kenya Television Network (KTN) journalist Duncan Khaemba was reporting on violent post-election protests in Nairobis Kibera slum when he was arrested for allegedly possessing a helmet and body armor without a proper license, according to police documents seen by CPJ and Khaemba. Police told CPJ that the charges were dropped on August 15.

Authorities in Kenya and elsewhere should remove the bureaucratic hoops that make it difficult for journalists to keep themselves safe while working in hostile conditions, CPJ Emergencies Director Maria Salazar-Ferro said from New York.

Kenyas Firearms Act classifies bulletproof vests as firearms and stipulates that no one may acquire or possess them without a license. Khaemba told CPJ he had a copy of the end-user certificate for the gear at the time of arrest. The commanding officer of Kilimani police division, Joseph Muthee, told CPJ that a license was needed in addition to this certificate. He added that the licensing law was meant to guard against misuse of body armor by criminals.

Khaemba and KTN Managing Editor Joe Ageyo told CPJ that security forces had never previously questioned them about licenses for their protective gear. Kenya Union of Journalists Secretary General Erick Oduor told CPJ he believed the arrest was intended to disrupt Khaembas reporting.

Protests broke out in parts of Nairobi and Kenyas western Nyanza region, after the election commission on August 11 announced that Kenyatta was the winner of the presidential race. Kenyattas main rival, Raila Odinga of the National Super Alliance (NASA), dismissed the elections as fraudulent, and protesters took to streets in parts of the country where NASA is most popular.

Khaemba was not the only journalist to face trouble while reporting from Kibera. Matina Stevis, Africa correspondent with The Wall Street Journal, told CPJ that one police officer hit her over the head with a wooden stick on August 12. The helmet she was wearing protected her from injury.

Also on August 12, Neil Shea, a freelance journalist shooting a documentary in Kibera, told CPJ he was attacked by four or five security officers who beat him and destroyed his camera. He told CPJ that another officer, who was familiar with his work, rescued him, but by then his memory cards were gone. He said he did not know who took them.

In the western city of Kisumu, an opposition stronghold, police officers blocked journalists from approaching demonstrators, according to media reports and two reporters who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Simon Achola, a reporter with government-owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), told CPJ that security personnel took his phone and deleted his photographs of the protests. According to media reports, the police also harassed reporters from the privately owned Citizen Television at the Miruka Hotel in Kisumu.

When contacted by CPJ, Mwenda Njoka, a spokesperson for the Kenyan Ministry of the Interior, denied that security officials deliberately targeted journalists covering the elections. Although he declined to comment on specific cases, he told CPJ that altercations between police and journalists began when security officials tried to move reporters away from dangerous areas.

By and large I can tell you that it is unfortunate that journalists have been injured in those situations. We would encourage anybody who says theyve been hurt by police or anyone else [to] record statements, and we will investigate, Njoka told CPJ.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority, a government watchdog that investigates police misconduct, told CPJ that it had received no complaints from journalists, but that it would investigate any allegations it received that police were culpable for assaulting journalists or curtailing their work.

Journalists told CPJ that civilians also attacked them. Caleb Kingwara, a freelance reporter, told CPJ that three men beat him after he attended an August 10 press briefing by Ochilo Ayacko, an independent political candidate in Migori County. Kingwara told CPJ that the assailants accused him of being biased against Ayacko.

Ayacko told CPJ he had no knowledge of the attack. Gladys Rutere, officer in command of Migori police, told CPJ she could not provide an immediate update on investigations.

Evans Habil, a photographer with the privately owned Nation Media Group, told CPJ that on August 11, just after the presidential results were announced, two men attacked him while he was taking pictures in the Nairobi neighborhood of Kawangware. The men threw him into a ditch, beat him up, and stole his camera, he said. Another Nation Media photographer, Dennis Onsongo, said someone stole his lens as he moved through a crowd to the aftermath of a childs death in post-election protests in the Mathare area of Nairobi.

On August 13, NASA told its supporters to boycott Nation Media Group newspapers and television, alleging bias. Tom Mshindi, editor-in-chief of the Nation Media Group, told CPJ that the company had subsequently relocated two reporters from their duty stations in Kisumu, a NASA stronghold, out of concern for their safety.

It is also dangerous when leaders make such remarks, Charles Kerich, chairman of the industry regulator the Media Council of Kenya, said on an August 14 television show. Supporters take cue to mean that you should now take action.
Ruben Ramirez Cardenas A Mexican national on Texas death row for the rape-slaying of his 16-year-old cousin in the Rio Grande Valley more than 20 years ago has received an execution date.





HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP)  A Mexican national on Texas death row for the rape-slaying of his 16-year-old cousin in the Rio Grande Valley more than 20 years ago has received an execution date.





Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark says the agency has received court documents setting the lethal injection of 47-year-old Ruben Ramirez Cardenas for Nov. 8.





Cardenas was convicted of the February 1997 slaying of Mayra Laguna.





Her body was found dumped in a canal near Edinburg, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of McAllen where she was abducted from her home.





Evidence showed he slipped through a window, bound her with duct tape and drove her away.





Evidence showed she was raped, beaten and strangled.





Prison records list Cardenas as originally from Guanajuato in central Mexico.





Source: The Associated Press, August 17, 2017

Mexicano sera ejecutado en Texas el 8 de noviembre

Sala de ejecuciones de Huntsville, en Texas, USA Texas programo para el 8 de noviembre proximo la ejecucion mediante inyeccion letal del mexicano Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, condenado a la pena capital por la violacion y homicidio de su prima adolescente, ocurrido en febrero de 1997 en Edinburg, en el sur de la entidad.



Texas programo para el 8 de noviembre proximo la ejecucion mediante inyeccion letal del mexicano Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, condenado a la pena capital por la violacion y homicidio de su prima adolescente, ocurrido en febrero de 1997 en Edinburg, en el sur de la entidad.

El Departamento de Justicia Criminal de Texas (TDCJ) anuncio este jueves que la ejecucion de Ramirez Cardenas se llevara a cabo el 8 de noviembre proximo.





Ramirez Cardenas, de 47 anos, se convertiria en el undecimo mexicano en ser ejecutado en Estados Unidos y en el decimo en Texas, desde que este pais restauro la aplicacion de la pena de muerte en 1976.





En abril de 2016, la Corte Federal de Apelaciones del Quinto Circuito, en Nueva Orleans, rechazo atender un recurso del mexicano, en el que pedia revisar su caso argumentando violaciones a sus garantias al no haber sido notificado de que tenia el derecho a la asesoria del consulado de su pais tras su detencion en 1997.

La decision despejo el camino para que Ramirez Cardenas pudiera recibir fecha de ejecucion.

Ramirez Cardenas, originario del central estado mexicano de Guanajuato, fue declarado culpable y sentenciado en julio de 1998 a la pena capital por la violacion y muerte de su prima Mayra Laguna, de 16 anos, el 22 de febrero de 1997 en Edinburg, Texas.





Ese dia, los padres de Laguna reportaron la desaparicion de su hija a las autoridades. En el curso de la investigacion, la policia interrogo a Ramirez Cardenas, quien se presento voluntariamente a declarar.





Durante mas de 10 horas, Ramirez Cardenas permanecio en la estacion de policia y fue interrogado sobre la desaparicion de Mayra por nueve diferentes agentes de la Policia y del Departamento del Sheriff del Condado de Hidalgo.





Sin embargo, a pesar de ser ciudadano mexicano, en ningun momento los agentes le informaron de su derecho a recibir la asesoria del personal del Consulado de Mexico, como establecen los acuerdos consulares de la Convencion de Viena.





Ramirez Cardenas fue arrestado por la policia, que detuvo despues a su amigo Tony Castillo como coacusado y quien lo implico en el crimen.





El mexicano dio una declaracion a las autoridades en la que admitio que habia matado a su prima y condujo a la policia al lugar en el que violo a la victima y deposito su cuerpo.





Castillo se encuentra recluido en una carcel de Texas, cumpliendo una sentencia de 25 anos por secuestro agravado, la cual concluira en 2022.





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El Siglo de Torreon, Jueves 17 de ago 2017
Fort Smith (KFSM) -- December 1994, Melissa Witt disappeared from the Fort Smith Bowling World parking lot. Reports show police found her vehicle and signs of a struggle.





Her body was discovered a month later near Turner Bend in the Ozark National Forest. The murder of a 19-year-old college student still haunts the River Valley. For a documentary team who is investigating Witt's murder, it may haunt them the most.





"We have a six person team and we try to split up if we can. This is a pretty large project," said Ladonna Humphrey, the Executive Producer of the Melissa Witt documentary.





The team uses their Facebook page called 'Who Killed Missy Witt', to receive tips in the case. Right now, an article on their page mentions the name of death row inmate Larry Swearingen.





"In 1999, law enforcement became aware of Larry Swearingen because he had murdered a 19-year-old college student named Melissa Trotter. The murder is very close to that of Melissa Witt," Humphrey said.





That murder conviction has Swearingen on death row in Texas. According to Humphrey's, Swearingen has been granted stays seven times. A few weeks ago a judge set Swearingen's execution date for November 16, 2017.





The documentary team is hoping to speak with Swearingen about Witt's case before that date arrives.





"We know that Swearingen was in the area very close to the time of Melissa Witt's murder, so he has become a person of interest but because of the lawyer team who supports him none of us have been able to interview Swearingen yet," Humphrey said.





Humphrey said the team is now trying to secure the interview through the courts.





"It's a blow to what we are trying to accomplish here. It's our goal to spend some time with Swearingen, hear his side of the story. He has denied to me in a letter that he killed Melissa Witt but we would like to see him be formally interviewed by law enforcement to make that determination and to cooperate with this investigation before he's put to death," Humphrey said.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Vice President Mike Pence had an important message to deliver to the people of Colombia on his recent visit: "The United States stands with Colombia because our security and our prosperity are inextricably linked. Our interests are aligned. Our values. . .are the same. And the birthright of freedom belongs to both our people."

The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, last year signed an agreement that ended the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. Colombia now faces the challenge of consolidating that peace.

The greatest risk to that peace, said Vice President Pence, is "the absence of infrastructure, basic services, the rule of law in war-affected areas that's creating a haven for criminal activities, drugs and violence." The United States will continue to partner with Colombia to address these issues.

This year marks the 6th year of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement - an agreement that has created jobs and opportunities in both nations. Colombia is the United States third-largest trading partner in Latin America, with a two-way goods trade of nearly $27 billion in 2016 alone.

The United States supports Colombias aspirations to join the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. In demonstration of this support, the United States announced it will provide Colombia up to $2 million in technical assistance to achieve that objective.

"In spite of all this progress, our greatest concern," said Mr. Pence, "is the dramatic increase in cocaine production, which has now reached an all-time high in Colombia. This worsening crisis requires swift action to protect the people of both our countries."

The drug trade is a source of violence, crime, and corruption, and victimizes the Colombian people. And in the United States, illegal drugs have poisoned children, torn apart families, and devastated many communities.

The United States will continue to address its demand for illegal drugs with border security, internal enforcement, and a renewed effort to remove dangerous criminals, gang members, and drug dealers from the streets of the United States.

"Colombia," said Vice President Pence, "represents the future of Latin America. It is a future of freedom, security, and prosperity. And America stands with you."
Earlier this month the Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution aimed at preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons, as well as the parts for improvised explosive devises, whose use is a growing problem.

Resolution 2370, (reaffirming Security Council Resolution 1373 adopted in 2001), calls on all Member States to refrain from providing any form of support to those involved in terrorist acts, including by stopping their supply of weapons.

In a briefing after the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley noted that terrorists have many ways to get their hands on dangerous weapons: by diverting legal weapons transfers; taking advantage of poorly secured stockpiles; seizing weapons on the battlefield; and procuring them through criminal networks.

Resolution 2370, she said, urges all states to strengthen export controls and help other countries destroy excess weapons. It emphasizes the need for enhancing the security of weapons stockpiles and highlights the murderous potential of improvised explosive devices. Most importantly, it calls attention to the obligation of all nations to enforce UN arms embargos.

Ambassador Haley noted that recently progress has been made against ISIS and al Qaida; but, while the Council has prohibited arms transfers to Yemen and Somalia, among other places, weapons continue to flow across borders in open violation of Security Council resolutions. This, she said, is an unacceptable stain on this Council that must be removed.

One country stands out for its deliberate, systematic contributions of weapons, training, and funding for terrorist groups, as well as for its support for terrorist proxies, said Ambassador Haley. That country is Iran.

Ambassador Haley recalled that the United States designated Iran a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1984 and declared that Irans training, funding, and arming of terrorists have continued unabated to this day. She pointed to Irans terrorist proxies in Iraq and Syria; its support for Hamas and Bahraini terrorist groups; its partner Hezbollahs build-up of weapons and battle-hardened troops in Lebanon in preparation for war.

The United States will continue to raise this issue of Iranian non-compliance at every opportunity, said Ambassador Haley. As long as we allow the Iranian regime to violate this Councils prohibitions with impunity, it will be a source of weapons to terrorist groups that will only grow in volume and destructive capability.
Police inspect the area where the suspects were killed. Jaume Sellart (EFE)

Spanish police shot and killed at least five suspected terrorists in the early hours of Friday morning in the Mediterranean resort town of Cambrils hours after a van was driven into crowds in central Barcelona, killing at least 13 people.

Officers with the Catalan regional police force, the Mossos dEsquadra opened fire on four suspects in a vehicle who were reported to be wearing explosive belts. A fifth suspect was later shot in the town after he had been located by a helicopter.

Six people were injured in the operation, three of them police officers. A woman was stabbed by the fifth suspect as he fled.

The police believe the suspects were planning an attack following up on the events that took place in Barcelona

Catalan emergency services on Friday afternoon confirmed that a woman injured in the attacks has now died. The number of people killed in both the Barcelona van attack and the Cambrils terror attack was 14 as of 12.30 on Friday.

The incident in Cambrils took place at 1.15 am after a police patrol stopped a car near the marina. Dutch tourists in the town said the suspects ran into three people and ignored police who tried to stop them. The four suspects then got out of their vehicle and police opened fire, wounding one in the leg. A gunfight then ensued.

Regional police analyze the vehicle used in the attempted attack. LLUIS GENE (AFP)

Cami Mendoza, the Mayor of Cambrils, a small town some eight kilometers from the popular resort of Salou, in Tarragona province, said that the Catalan regional governments interior minister, Joaquim Forn, would give a press conference later on Friday.

I would like to thank the Mossos for their speedy response; they were in the right place at the right time, said Mendoza.

The Catalan regional police are working on the hypothesis that the suspects killed in Cambrils were planning an attack following up on the events that took place in Barcelona on Thursday afternoon.

We are working on the hypothesis that the events in Cambrils are a terrorist attack. We have killed those presumed to be responsible, said the Catalan police via its Twitter account.

Panic soon spread throughout Cambrils as the gunfire broke out, with tourists seeking refuge in hotels and bars. Four young men jumped into the sea and swam to the other side of the port. As day broke around 7am, forensic teams were on the scene taking fingerprints and collecting evidence.

English version by Nick Lyne.
The jihadist van attack in downtown Barcelona on Thursday afternoon left at least 13 people dead. Several hours later, police shot dead five terror suspects in the Catalan resort town of Cambrils . It has since emerged that the two incidents were related to an explosion in the small town of Alcanar in Catalonias Tarragona province on Wednesday night, according to Josep Lluis Trapero, the head of the Catalan regional police force, the Mossos dEsquadra.

The ruins of house where the explosion occurred on Wednesday night. Jaume Sellart (EFE)

At 11.17pm on Wednesday, an explosion shook the town of less than 10,000 people, some 200 kilometers south of Barcelona. One person died and seven people were injured. Regional fire authorities initially said a gas build-up had caused the explosion.

However, on Thursday night Trapero said that several elements of the investigation connected the explosion in a clear way, and with little room for doubt to the attack in Barcelona.

One person suspected of being connected to the attack has now been arrested in Alcanar. Police are working on the theory that an explosive device was being built at the property.

Some twenty butane and propane gas canisters were discovered in the house, which appeared to have been occupied for several months. Two people were found in the ruins; one of them dead. Police sources have not yet confirmed whether the other person discovered in the property is the suspect arrested in relation to the Barcelona terror attack. He was described as being in a serious condition and was taken to Catalonias Hospital Virgen de la Cinta.

Some twenty butane and propane gas canisters were found in the house

Wednesdays explosion caused serious damage to the facade of the house in Alcanar, and debris from the blast also damaged two houses opposite. The explosion could be heard kilometers away. Police initially suspected the property housed an illegal drug laboratory but later realized that the gas canisters inside had been manipulated.The Mossos dEsquadra finally connected the explosion withThursdays attack but have not provided further details.

Driss Oukabir. EFE

Meanwhile, in Ripoll, in Catalonias Girona province police have arrested 28-year-old Driss Oukabir, who is suspected of having rented the van used in the Barcelona attack. His home was being searched late on Thursday, according to police sources.

Oukabir was on a police watch list and had spent time in prison in Figueres, Catalonia, but was released in 2012. According to police sources, he lived in Ripoll and had rented the van used in the Barcelona attack. Counter-terrorist sources said Oukabir had arrived in Barcelona from Morocco on Sunday, August 13. Those sources also said the suspect had been in Madrid several years earlier.

What we have to look at carefully is the radicalization and contact of these people with someone connected to Daesh [Islamic State], those sources said.

A third suspect is still being sought in relation to Thursdays attack in Barcelona.

English version by George Mills.
Mohamed Hychami (left) and Younes Abouyaaqoub. EPV

More information Younes Abouyaaqoub: chief suspect in the Barcelona terror attack

Police in Spains Catalonia region are continuing to hunt for the driver of the van used in the Barcelona terror attack on Thursday afternoon in which 13 people died and more than 100 were injured.

On Friday afternoon, their chief suspect was named as 17-year-old Moussa Oukabir, the younger brother of Driss Oukabir, arrested after it emerged the van used in the Barcelona attack had been rented in his name.

Driss Oukabir. EFE

Moussa Oukabir was one of five terrorists killed by police after an attack in the Catalan resort town of Cambrils that took place just hours after the deadly attack on Barcelonas La Rambla promenade.

However, the head of Catalonias Mossos D'esquadra Josep Lluis Trapero said later on Friday that the theory that Moussa Oukabir was the driver in the Barcelona attack was losing weight. It is still a possibility, he said, but added that it was looking less likely as the hours went by.

Later in the day, Catalan police sources confirmed that they were now searching for 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub as the possible van driver. Abouyaaqoub is a resident of the Catalan town of Ripoll where three arrests have already been made in connection with the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils.

Initially, anti-terrorist sources had said that Abouyaaqoub had died. However late on Friday, police ruled this out and said he was being sought as one of the chief suspects in the attacks.

Police have now identified the five suspected terrorists who were shot dead by police after the attack in Cambrils in which one person was killed and five others were injured, three of them officers with the Mossos dEsquadra. The identity of three of the suspects has been officially confirmed: they are Mousa Oukabir, Said Aallaa and Mohamed Hychami. Police said the identification of Mousa Oukabir was based on fingerprints.

The Mossos D'esquadra on Friday searched the home of Said in Ripoll. His brother, one of the four detainees in the investigation to date, was in attendance during that search.

The key piece of evidence in the case to this point was found in the van used in the Barcelona attack. There, agents found the IDs of two people; one of those people was Driss Oukabir, 28, arrested on Thursday.

The van also contained the ID of a resident of the small Catalan town of Alcanar who was also arrested on Thursday. This person was one of those seriously injured when a bomb went off in a house in the town late on Wednesday night. The detainee is alleged to have been involved in organizing the terror attacks. Authorities believe residents of the house were preparing a large scale attack but that the explosion put paid to those plains.

Police investigations on Friday centered on Ripoll where searches were carried out and two arrests were made: Sahal El Karib, 34 and Mohamed Aallaa, 27.

None of the four people arrested to date have prior convictions for terror offenses.

Police in Catalonia are also continuing to work on another front as they try and dismantle the jihadist cell involved in the attacks. That cell is thought to number some 12 people. The group is thought to have been formed quickly by a group of Moroccan men, or men of Moroccan origin, who lived in Ripoll.

Trapero said it was imperative that authorities establish how the radicalization of very young people had taken place. But he noted the group had been prepared the attack for over a period of time.

English version by George Mills.
Following the terrorist attacks on Barcelona and Cambrils , a crowd of 130,000 people on Friday descended upon the citys central Plaza Catalunya to honor the victims. To date, 14 people have been confirmed dead with more than 100 people injured.

Barcelona's Plaza de Catalunya de Barcelona square during the minute's silence on Friday. Massimiliano Minocri

King Felipe VI, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Catalan Regional Premier Carles Puigdemont, and Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau joined the crowd in a minute of silence to honor the victims. Following the silence, people erupted in applause and chanted No tinc por, (I am not afraid in Catalan). The crowd continued to chant and clap as officials left the plaza.

People in Madrid stood in solidarity with the victims in Barcelona. Crowds gathered in front of city hall and in the central Puerta del Sol plaza.

The applause at Puerta del Sol plaza in support of the victims of the attacks in #Barcelona and #Cambrils

The Eiffel Tower turned off its lights last night as a solemn display of solidarity. The last time the monument went dark was in May after 22 people were killed at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England.

Support for Barcelona did not end in Spain. People from all over the world reacted to the tragic news on social media.

Various world leaders sent out tweets pledging to support the city and stand against terrorism. Internationally known celebrities also sent out messages of support and sadness. Here are some of the reactions to the Barcelona attack.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted:

The President of France Emmanuel Macron tweeted:

Solidarity with #Barcelona. We are by your side

The Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau tweeted:

The German Foreign Office tweeted Foreign Office Minister Sigmar Gabriels response:

The President of the United States Donald Trump tweeted:

The former president of the United States Barack Obama tweeted

FC Barcelona striker Lionel Messi posted this on Instagram:

I want to send my condolences and all my support to the families and friends of the victims of the terrible attack in our beloved Barcelona, in addition to completely rejecting any act of violence. We are not going to give up, there are more of us who want to live in a world in peace, without hate and where respect and tolerance are the basis of coexistence.

Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo tweeted:

Dismayed at the news coming from Barcelona. All my support and solidarity to the family and friends of the victims

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas said this in a tweet:

Hugging #Barcelona

Pop star Madonna tweeted:

Finally, US comedienne Ellen DeGeneres tweeted:

English version by Debora Almeida.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

Trend:

Children of the presidents of Macedonia and Montenegro, as well as former presidents and former prime ministers of Latvia, Ukraine, Albania, Andorra, and Bosnia and Herzegovina will arrive in Baku to participate in the Global Young Leaders Forum on Aug. 21-24.

Azerbaijans State Committee on Work with Diaspora told Trend that the forum is expected to be attended by representatives of prestigious higher educational institutions of the world, as well as a number of young entrepreneurs. Moreover, it is planned to invite former heads of government of several countries, authoritative public figures, as well as about 20 distinguished guests who are the heads of big companies.

Individual assessment of leadership, the forms of leadership needed in modern times, and the differences between male and female leadership will be discussed, and debates will be organized during the forum.

The forum, which is organized with the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora and Nizami Ganjavi International Center, is planned to be attended by nearly 50 young leaders and leading researchers of the world.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

Trend:

President of the Republic of Sudan Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir has congratulated President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Please accept my sincere greetings on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sudan and Azerbaijan, said Sudans president in his congratulatory letter.

Since the independence of Azerbaijan the relations between our countries have marked fruitful, successful cooperation in different areas of mutual interest guided by dynamic political dialogue. Comprehensive partnership in economic, trade, technical, humanitarian and people-to-people contacts will be extended and developed steadily and extensively, noted Al-Bashir.

I am confident that with joint endeavors we can utilize better our potential and achieve our goals, he noted.

Your Excellency, please accept my best wishes for your personal good health as well as prosperity and well-being of the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan, added Sudans president.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

Trend:

Azerbaijan resolutely condemns the terrorist attacks carried out in Barcelona, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, Hikmat Hajiyev, told Trend Aug. 18.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the terrorist attacks, and wish speediest recovery to the injured. As a country suffering from terrorism, the Republic of Azerbaijan resolutely condemns all forms and manifestations of terrorism, he said.

In connection with the recent terrorist attacks in Barcelona, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev extended condolences to the King of Spain Felipe VI.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has also sent a letter of condolence to his Spanish counterpart Alfonso Maria Dastis.

Thirteen people died and over 100 were injured when a white van ploughed into a crowd in central Barcelona on Aug. 17 evening. The Spanish police are treating the incident as a terrorist attack.
Details added (first version posted on 15:53)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

Trend:

The websites controlled by the Armenian Defense Ministry are recently spreading false and fake information about the Azerbaijani army, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry in a message Aug. 18.

That false and fake information is designed for the internal audience in Armenia, said the Defense Ministry.

Such falsification by the Armenian side is another unsuccessful step taken in the Armenian style in response to the facts disseminated in recent days by the Azerbaijani media about negative events in the aggressive Armenian army, said the Defense Ministry.

Trying to whitewash itself, the criminal military-political regime with such news tries to divert the attention of population from the growing number of suicides, violence and other criminal acts among servicemen, which are related to the deplorable situation in the Armenian army.

According to the ministry, by spreading such misinformation, the Armenian side tries to claim that it is informed about the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan.

In fact, the demonstrated letters containing classified information are compiled so illiterately and incompetently that their falsity from beginning to the end doesnt cause any doubt, said the ministry.

All of them are nothing more than scraps of paper containing information invented amateurishly and hastily by the Armenian special services and counterpropaganda specialists, said the ministry.

According to the message, the latest letter attracts attention most of all with its falsification and mistakes. Since the chief of the General Staff regularly verbally reports to the defense minister about the situation in the army, there is no need in written reports on service matters, as presented by the Armenian media. The letter, containing a large number of grammar mistakes and discrepancies in the style of writing (there are up to 20 mistakes in the letter), has nothing in common with internal correspondence and record keeping of Azerbaijans Ministry of Defense.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

Trend:

Bolivia supports Azerbaijans sovereignty and territorial integrity, Foreign Minister of Bolivia Fernando Huanacuni Mamani said.

He made the remarks on August 18, during the official meeting with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, reads a joint press statement by the countrys Foreign Ministry and the Cabinet of Ministers.

Within the visit, Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and Fernando Huanacuni Mamani had a tete-a-tete and extended meetings, according to the joint press statement.

The ministers noted the importance of mutual visits to foster the friendship bonds and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bolivia and, in this regard, stressed the significance of the first official visit by the foreign minister of Bolivia to Azerbaijan.

At the meeting, the ministers reviewed the current status of bilateral relationship and noted that there are vast opportunities for cooperation in the energy, economy, commerce, agriculture, mining, education and other spheres between the countries.

In the humanitarian sphere, exchange of students and scholars was particularly highlighted.

The ministers commended the cooperation between the two countries within the international organizations and reiterated their appreciation for Bolivian support to Azerbaijans nomination to the United Nations Economic and Social Council for the term of 2017-2019 and Azerbaijans support to Bolivian nomination to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term of 2015-2017.

The ministers recalled the fruitful cooperation of two countries within the Non-Aligned Movement and expressed conviction that, hosting by Azerbaijan the XVIII Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 2019 and Azerbaijans NAM Chairmanship in 2019-2022 will contribute to the promotion of the noble goals and objectives of NAM.

Ministers reiterated their mutual respect and support to each others political independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. Both authorities emphasized inadmissibility of interference in the internal affairs of states and expressed their strong condemnation of aggressive separatism, as well as all forms and manifestations of terrorism.

During the meeting, the ministers exchanged views on further expansion of legal base between the countries and agreed on encouragement of the parliamentary cooperation.

Ministers signed an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of Plurinational State of Bolivia on the exemption of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official/service passports.

In the framework of the official visit to Azerbaijan, Fernando Huanacuni Mamani was also received by Artur Rasizade, the countrys prime minister.

During the meeting, Fernando Huanacuni Mamani presented a letter of invitation by Evo Morales Ayma, the president of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, addressed to Ilham Aliyev, the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to attend the Fourth Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Gas Summit to be held in Bolivia on November 20-24, 2017.

Fernando Huanacuni Mamani visited the Alley of Honors and laid a wreath at the tomb of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. Visiting Alley of Martyrs, he paid tribute to the memory of martyrs and laid a wreath at the Eternal Fire Memorial.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has congratulated President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my sincere congratulations to you and your people on the occasion of the national holiday of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan  Independence Day, President Aliyev said in his congratulatory letter.

I believe that traditional friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Afghanistan will continue developing and expanding in the best interests of our nations, noted President Aliyev.

On this remarkable day, I wish you robust health and success in your activities, and the friendly people of Afghanistan peace and prosperity, added the president.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

Trend:

No Azerbaijani nationals have been so far identified among victims of the Barcelona terror attack, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry told Trend Aug. 18, citing the information provided by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Spain.

Hajiyev noted that the Azerbaijani Embassy is in contact with the relevant Spanish authorities.

Several victims of the terror attack havent been identified yet, said the spokesman, adding that the media and the public will be informed if additional information is available.

Thirteen people died and over 100 were injured when a white van ploughed into a crowd in central Barcelona on Aug. 17 evening. The Spanish police are treating the incident as a terrorist attack.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

The terrorist attack in Barcelona may significantly reduce the interest of Azerbaijani tourists in the travel to the European countries, Nahid Baghirov, chairman of the Azerbaijan Tourism Association (AZTA), told Trend, Aug. 18.

Spain is one of the most popular travel destinations among Azerbaijani tourists, and everyone, who visited this country, primarily dreams of visiting Barcelona, he said. Although the tourist season is already nearing its completion, I think that the terrorist attack may reduce the interest of tourists not only to Spain, but also to Europe as a whole, once again. Similar things happened after the terrorist attacks in France, which significantly reduced interest of tourists in travelling to European countries.

Earlier, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry, told Trend that no Azerbaijani nationals have been so far identified among victims of the Barcelona terror attack.

Several victims of the terror attack havent been identified yet, said the spokesman, adding that the media and public will be informed, if additional information becomes available.

Thirteen people died and over 100 were injured when a white van ploughed into a crowd in the center of Barcelona on the evening of Aug. 17. The Spanish police are treating the incident as a terrorist attack.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

The Sangachal Terminal exported about 141 million barrels of oil, including third party volumes, in 1H17, as compared to more than 148 million barrels in the same period of 2016, says a BP report on the companys activity in Azerbaijan.

According to the report, about 124 million barrels out of this amount were exported through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, more than 15.5 million barrels through the Western Route Export Pipeline (WREP), and about 1.5 million barrels via a separate condensate export line.

The current daily capacity of the Terminals processing systems is 1.2 million barrels of crude oil and about 29.5 million cubic meters of Shah Deniz gas, while overall processing and export capacity for gas, including Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) associated gas, is about 49.3 million cubic meters per day.

On average, 28 million cubic meters (more than 987 million standard cubic feet) of Shah Deniz gas was exported from the Terminal per day in 1H17.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 18

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

More than 170 kilometers of the TurkStream pipeline has already been laid, said Russias Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

He made the remarks during the 86th Izmir International Fair, RIA Novosti reported.



The construction of the pipelines offshore section started in May 2017, said Novak, adding that TurkStream is meant to improve Turkeys gas supply and diversify gas deliveries to Europe.



TurkStream project envisages construction of two branches of the main gas pipeline under the Black Sea, the capacity of each branch being 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas.



One branch is meant to supply gas directly to the Turkish market and the other for the supply of gas by transit through Turkey to Europe. The intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Turkey also stipulates that these two offshore branches should be built by December 2019.

On Dec.8, 2016, South Stream Transport B.V., 100-percent subsidiary of Gazprom, signed a contract with Swiss Allseas Group on constructing the first line of the Turkish Stream gas pipelines offshore segment.

Later in February 2017, the two companies inked an agreement on constructing the second line of the pipelines offshore section.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Turkey and Russia agreed upon the landfall of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters Aug. 18, TASS reported.

"A point to the north of Kiyikoy settlement was discussed initially. The agreement was reached about it and Turkish partners confirmed. This is the most efficient and optimal in terms of economy and geography," Novak said.

Gazprom also sent its environmental impact assessment (EIA) to Turkey for review and approval, the minister said. "It was posted on the website and discussions are underway. We hope the final conclusion on it will be approved in near future," Novak said.

The Turkish Stream extension is discussed on a going basis with consumers interested in receiving Russian gas, the minister said. "The most important is to obtain confirmations from the European Union and the European Commission concerning these projects, to have guarantees for execution of these costly infrastructural projects," Novak noted.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Aug. 18

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, Abdulaziz Kamilov and Erlan Abdyldaev, met in Bishkek to discuss the state and prospects of bilateral relations, the Uzbek Foreign Ministrys press service said on Aug. 18.

The FMs commended the outcome of the meetings of Uzbek-Kyrgyz intergovernmental commissions for bilateral cooperation and delimitation and demarcation of the state border. The meetings were held in Bishkek under the chairmanship of Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and Kyrgyz PM Sooronbay Jeenbekov.

During the meetings, the sides agreed to actively develop mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation, as well as to deepen the cooperation in transportation, agriculture, water management, energy, culture, healthcare, education and tourism.

The Uzbek FM invited his Kyrgyz counterpart to participate in the International Conference on Security and Sustainable Development in Central Asia, to be held under the aegis of UN in Samarkand in November of 2017.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 16

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

The Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has introduced Masoud Karbasian, as a nominee for the Economy Ministry.

The proposed Economy minister, who over the past four years has served as deputy Economy minister and the head of Irans Customs Administration, holds doctoral degree in Management and Planning.

Karbasian is one of the successful managers in the Islamic Republic and has demonstrated an acceptable performance during the past years, Mehdi Taghavi, an Iranian economic expert told Trend.

Taghavi, who is a professor of Irans Allameh Tabataba'i University said that improvement of the performance of the Iranian Customs Administration and implementation of the reforms in that organization during the first term of Rouhanis presidency were amongst Karbasians outstanding achievements.

Despite the fact that Karbasian is a successful manager, he is not an economist, the expert added.

By appointing capable economists to various positions in the ministry and using them for the formation of his strategy and policy, Karbasian could cover his lack of the needed economic knowledge for undertaking the necessary economic reforms.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

Irans Kish Airlines has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Boeing (the largest aerospace company of the United States) for the purchase of 10 commercial planes, said Mohammad Taghi Jadidi, Kish Airlines managing director.

Jadidi said that the MoU for purchasing 10 Boeing-737-MAX airplanes was signed following the negotiations with the representative of the US company, Fars news agency reported, Aug. 18.

He further said that, Kish Airlines seeks investors for financing the deal, adding that, since purchasing new airplanes in cash is not economically justified, airliners prefer to obtain financing on the purchases.

The domestic banks have obtained licenses to Open LC and can easily undertake the financing of the deal, added Jadidi.

He further said that, Kish Air will purchase six Airbus A-320 family jets by the end of the current Iranian fiscal year (March 2018), explaining that these will be the planes repossessed by the financier banks.

Jadidi said that, talks are underway with Boeing and Airbus, forecasting that the talks will be concluded within two months.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned yesterdays terror attack in Spains Barcelona, where at least 13 people were killed and over 100 others were injured.

In a condemnation of the Barcelona attack, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said that global problems should be settled using international solutions and called for a global unity against terrorism, the Islamic Republics Foreign Ministry said Aug. 18.

He also expressed sympathy for relatives of the terror attack victims.

Qasemi further warned against growing terror attacks across the globe, saying no country  even the obvious and secret supporters of terrorists  is immune to terrorisms threats.

He also expressed Irans readiness for cooperation with the global community in fighting against terrorism.
Tehran, Iran, August 18

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

The nominee for the position of the minister of Defense has said that a robust missile program will be high on the agenda of his prospective tenure.

Missiles will be high on the agenda of the Ministry of Defense in the four years ahead, since the enemy is doing its best to diffuse Irans missile power. This is why the Defense Ministry, having a clear vision of the threats, has this important issue on its agenda, Amir Hatami told IRNA news agency, Aug 18.

On a previous day President Hassan Rouhanis new pick for the Defense minister position was advocating for his program in the Parliament, underlining his resolve to further enhance Irans ballistic missile capabilities.

In the next four years, apart from the enhancing combat and defense capabilities, we will devote a special effort to boost our missile and ballistic, strategic air and naval, as well as rapid reaction forces, Hatami said.

In retaliation for the new sanctions imposed by the United States, Iran's Parliament has recently given an initial approval to a bill related to the increase in expenditures for the missile program and the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

The bill envisages the allocation of over $260 million each to Iran's ballistic missile program and the Quds Force (the extraterritorial special forces of IRGC), deployed on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria.

Iran justified this measure as a retaliatory step towards the legislation associated with the imposition of new sanctions, which was passed by the US Congress and signed into a law by the US President Donald Trump in early August.
A huge explosion at a house 120 miles south of Barcelona on Wednesday night is now being linked by police to the terrorist attack a day later, Telegraph reported.

Police in Spain initially dismissed the explosion in Alcanar as a gas explosion.

But on Thursday night, hours after the attack that killed at least 13 people and wounded 100, they revised their initial response.

Josep Lluis Trapero, head of the Mossos police, announced at a press conference that they now believe there is some connection between the occupants of the house and the perpetrators of the Barcelona attack.

At least one person was killed and six injured when the house blew up, causing substantial devastation to nearby buildings. The sound of the explosion was heard several miles away, according to locals.

Inside the house, which police believe was occupied for a few months, they found around 20 canisters of butane and propane gas.

A woman was found dead and a man, discovered among the rubble, was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

The other injured people are thought to be neighbours.

"I was having dinner with some friends when we felt a massive boom - the lights went out and the windows shattered," said Elliane Fernandez, a Frenchwoman who lived nearby.

"I called out for my husband, who was injured in the head and taken to hospital, and a cousin was also injured.

"The rest had cuts, light injuries."

She told El Pais that she did not know the neighbours, living in the house that exploded.

Alfons Montserrat, mayor of Alcanar, said they did not yet know whether the house was being legally rented.

He said that some of the neighbours had been given temporary housing, after the explosion.
The lights of the Eiffel Tower will be turned off starting on Thursday as a gesture of solidarity with Spain, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Thursday, Sputnik reported.

Earlier in the day, a van hit pedestrians in Barcelonas central Ramblas area. Catalonias authorities have confirmed that 13 people were killed and 80 more were hospitalized. The incident has been identified as a terrorist attack.

"Paris will turn off the Eiffel Tower starting 00h45 tonight [22:45 GMT] as tribute to the victims of the attack in Barcelona," Hidalgo posted on her Twitter account.

Catalan President Carles Puigdemont confirmed that two people had already been detained in connection with the attack, according to local media reports. One perpetrator of the van attack was reportedly killed in a shootout.
At least 18 nationalities among Barcelona attack victims, AFP reported.

A driver deliberately rammed a van into pedestrians on one of Barcelona's most popular boulevards on Thursday, killing at least 13 people in what Spanish police called a "terrorist attack".

Around 4:50 pm (1450 GMT), a vehicle slammed into a crowd of pedestrians on the famous Las Ramblas boulevard.

The promenade in the heart of the city centre is one of Barcelona's busiest streets, normally thronged with tourists and street performers until well into the night.

Witnesses described scenes of chaos and panic, with bodies strewn along the boulevard as others fled for their lives.

Tom Gueller, who lives on a road next to Las Ramblas said he saw the van speeding along the boulevard.

"It wasn't slowing down at all. It was just going straight through the middle of the crowds in the middle of the Ramblas," he told BBC radio, referring to the pedestrianised area.

Regional interior minister Joaquim Forn said at least 13 people had died and around 100 more were injured in the attack.

Belgium's Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said on Twitter a Belgian national was among those killed in Barcelona. He told Belgian media the victim was a woman.

The Dutch foreign ministry also said in a statement that three Dutch citizens had been injured in the attack and were "in contact with their relatives".

"They are out of danger and have been taken to a hospital," the ministry said.

A Greek diplomat in the city said three nationals had been injured -- a woman and her two children.
The CIA warned local Barcelona police two months ago that the city's famous Las Ramblas tourist strip could be targeted in a terrorist attack like what occurred today, it has been reported, Mirror reported.

The warning came after a wave of van or lorry-style attacks targeting pedestrians on streets around Europe including London Bridge, Finsbury Park and Westminster Bridge in the UK as well as Nice, Berlin and Stockholm.

Local Spanish newspaper El Periodico reports of the warning following shocking scenes in Barcelona this afternoon after a terror attack.

"The CIA warned the Mossos (local police) two months ago that Barcelona, and in particular the Rambla, could be the scene of a terrorist attack like the one that occurred this afternoon," the newspaper reported.

At least 13 people are feared dead and 119 people are believed to have been injured in the attack in central Barcelona.

In May, the United States issued a new terror alert for Europe this summer.

The state department cited the Westminster atrocity as evidence of Islamic State's ability "to plan and execute terrorist attacks in Europe".

It was concerned "terrorist sympathisers or self-radicalised extremists" could carry out attacks at any time, with no warning.

The potential for large vehicles to inflict mass casualties was laid bare in horrifying fashion in July last year when a lorry drove through crowds gathered to celebrate Bastille Day in Nice, killing 86 people and injuring scores more.
Spain mounted a sweeping anti-terror operation on Friday after a suspected Islamist militant drove a van into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people before fleeing, in what police suspect was one of multiple planned attacks, Reuters reported.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the deadly rampage along the city's most famous avenue on Thursday, which was packed with tourists taking an afternoon stroll. The death toll could rise, with more than 100 injured, authorities said.

As security forces hunted for the van's driver, who was seen escaping on foot, police said they had killed five attackers on Thursday night in Cambrils, a town south of Barcelona, to thwart a separate attack using explosive belts.

Six civilians and a police officer were injured in Cambrils when the attackers ran them over in a car, before police shot them dead and carried out controlled explosions. Police said the Cambrils incident was linked to the van attack in Barcelona.

Before the van plowed into the tree-lined walkway of Las Ramblas, one person was killed in an explosion in a house in a separate town southwest of Barcelona, police said. Residents there were preparing explosives, a police source added.

Police said they had arrested two men, a Moroccan and a man from Spain's north African enclave of Melilla, though neither was the van driver. They added that the situation in Cambrils was under control.

It was still not clear how many people had been involved in the van attack and other incidents on Thursday.

Witnesses to the van attack said the white vehicle had zigzagged at high speed down Las Ramblas, ramming pedestrians and cyclists, sending some hurtling through the air and leaving bodies strewn in its wake.

Islamic State's Amaq news agency said: "The perpetrators of the Barcelona attack are soldiers of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in response to calls for targeting coalition states" - a reference to a U.S.-led coalition against the Sunni militant group.

Spain has several hundred soldiers in Iraq providing training to local forces in the fight against Islamic State, but they are not involved in ground operations.

The Islamic State claim could not immediately be verified.

If the involvement of Islamist militants is confirmed, it would be the latest in a string of attacks in the past 13 months in which they have used vehicles to bring carnage to the streets of European cities.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

Trend:

The number of people injured in a van attack in Barcelona on Thursday and in a separate attack in the Catalan resort town of Cambrils stood at 130 on Friday, Reuters reports citing an emergency services spokesman.

Seventeen were in a critical condition and another 30 were in a serious condition, the spokesman said.

On Thursday, 13 people died and over 100 were injured when a van mowed down a crowd of pedestrians in the central Ramblas area in Spains tourist resort of Barcelona.

Hours after the tragedy, another vehicle attack took place in the coastal town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona.

On Aug. 18, one of those injured in the Cambrils terror attack died of stab wounds.
One person was killed and one seriously injured in a stabbing attack in a shop in the German city of Wuppertal-Elberfeld near Dusseldorf, Sputnik reported.

Police and special forces are deployed at the scene.

The police are still seeking for unknown number of suspects. There is no information of possible motive of the attack.

Perpetrators reportedly fortified themselves in a building nearby.
A suspected driver of the van that rammed into a crowd of pedestrians in Barcelona, is one of the attackers killed in the town of Cambrils, Sputnik reported, citing local media.

The van hit pedestrians in Barcelonas central Ramblas area on Thursday. The Daesh terror group has claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack.

Hours after the incident, another vehicle attack took place in Cambrils, south of Barcelona. The two incidents left 15 people dead and about 130 injured.

After the attacks, police reported that four attackers were killed by police in Cambrils. According to El Periodico newspaper, the driver of the Ramblas attack identified as Moussa Oukabir was one of those eliminated in Cambrils.

It was reported that four people were detained in relation to the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils. According to El Periodico newspaper, the fourth detention was carried out in Ripoll, also in Catalonia. According to the police, three of them were Moroccan nationals and one Spanish national. Non of them had a history of terrorism attacks.
Turkey strongly condemned the terrorist attack in central Barcelona that left at least 13 people dead and dozens of others injured Thursday, Anadolu reported.

In a written statement, Foreign Ministry said: "We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack perpetrated in Barcelona today.

"We extend our deepest condolences and wish fortitude to the families of those who lost their lives and speedy recovery to those wounded in these heinous attacks which display once again the brutal face of terrorism and target all humanity.

"We reiterate our resolve to maintain solidarity with Spain, which is a friend and an ally of Turkey, and to provide all kinds of support to this end."

According to Spanish media, Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack that involved a van ploughing into people at Las Ramblas, a street in central Barcelona popular with both tourists and locals.

In a separate statement, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said: We found out about the abominable attacks in Barcelona in deep sorrow.

We condemn these attacks that target our humanity and universal values vehemently. We wholeheartedly share the grief of friendly nation Spain, and offer our sincerest condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives, and wish the wounded a quick recovery.

We will continue to be in solidarity and unity with our friend and ally Spain in fighting terror.

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag, who is also the governments spokesman, also condemned the attack on Twitter: We give our condolences to the those who lost their lives and their families, and to the people and government of Spain.

We wish the ones wounded in the abominable terror attack a quick recovery.

Turkey is always in solidarity and cooperation with Spain against terror. Terror is a common enemy of all people and countries, regardless of who does it or who it is against.

We strongly condemn the terror attack in Barcelona, the ones who made the attack, ones who commanded to attack, and everyone who supports this.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered condolences to the Spanish King on Thursday following a terror attack in Spains Barcelona that left over a dozen people killed, Anadolu reproted.

I strongly condemn the attack that showed the brutal face of the terrorism once again and targeted the shared values of the whole humanity not just Spain, he said.

On Thursday evening, 13 people, died and over 100 were injured when a white van ploughed into a crowd in central Barcelona . Erdogan conveyed words of sympathy to the Spanish people and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

The Turkish President sent a condolence letter to the Spanish King Phelipe VI, according to a confidential presidential source.

According to Spanish media, Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack that involved a van ploughing into people at Las Ramblas, a street in central Barcelona popular with both tourists and locals.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey, Russia and Iran may start a joint military operation in Syria, the Turkish media report Aug. 18.

Reportedly, the joint military operation may begin in the Syrian city of Idlib. It is expected that Russia and Iran will begin operations in the southern part of Idlib, and Turkey will advance from the northern direction.

Currently, Russia has troops in the south of Idlib  in the villages of Muradakh and Khalfaya.

Reports dont indicate the exact date of the joint military operations start.

Earlier, the Turkish presidents administration told Trend that Ankara is ready to face any threat that may arise on its borders. As a regional power, Turkey has every right to act in line with its state and national interests, added the administration.

Currently, there are about 25,000 Turkish servicemen on the border with Syria.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkeys new military operation in Syria, directed against terrorist organizations, has been prioritized on the days agenda, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, the countrys media reported, Aug. 18.

Yildirim noted that, any threat directed against Turkey from the territory of Syria will be reflected.

He added that, such organizations as YPG (Kurdish Peoples Protection Units) and PYD (Democratic Union Party) are terrorist groups.

Turkey has been deploying military equipment to the border with Syria since June 21. Military equipment is dislocated in Turkeys south-central province of Kilis, which borders Syrian territories controlled by the YPG and PYD.

On Aug. 24, 2016, Turkish Armed Forces, with the support of the Syrian opposition, has launched the Euphrates Shield operation against the IS militants and liberated the city of Jarabulus, as well as the city of Al-Bab in northern Syria.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

The President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged the Turkish population of Germany not to support the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at the elections, the Turkish media reported, Aug. 18.

Erdogan has justified his call by the CDUs hostile stands against Turkey.

He expressed confidence that the Turks of Germany will teach an important lesson to the CDU at the elections.

It should be noted that the parliamentary election in Germany will be held on September 24, and the Cabinet of Ministers of Angela Merkel will remain in power for the time being.

Earlier, the government of Germany demanded the exertion of the financial pressure on Ankara by the European Union.

In addition, the government of Germany believes that, EUs negotiations with Turkey on the modernization of the customs union should be frozen.

Previously, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said that the country will reconsider economic policy towards Ankara, as well as its credit and investments programs due to the arrest of human rights defenders in Turkey. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, in turn, called Gabriels statements unacceptable, emphasizing that they deepen the crisis between the two countries.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 17, 2017 - 13:21 | All

The Japanese Defense Ministry plans to set up a land-based Aegis missile defense system to address North Korea's missile threats, having decided to seek funding in the next fiscal year to cover the system design costs, a government source said Wednesday.

The ministry was planning to make a budgetary request to conduct "studies" over the installation of the so-called Aegis Ashore system, but has decided to move up the schedule amid continuing test-firing of ballistic missiles by Pyongyang, according to the source.

The ministry also plans to secure a budget to create a new "space unit" inside the Self-Defense Forces that will be tasked with protecting satellites used by Japan and the United States from attacks.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera is expected to explain the plans to the U.S. government during his current visit to Washington with Foreign Minister Taro Kono for talks with their U.S. counterparts Thursday.

In the budgetary request to be submitted by the end of August, the ministry will leave open the actual sum it is expecting for designing the Aegis Ashore program because of the need for consultations with the United States, the source said.

But the ministry plans to finalize the costs by the end of the year when the government will draw up the fiscal 2018 budget plan.

Under Japan's current multi-tier ballistic missile defense system, the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis destroyers equipped with Standard Missile-3 interceptors are tasked with stopping missiles in the outer atmosphere.

If they fail, the Air Self-Defense Force's Patriot Advanced Capability-3 surface-to-air guided interceptors are the next line of defense against missile attack.

Aegis Ashore uses the same components fitted to MSDF Aegis destroyers, but the system is land-based. It is also easier for the SDF to prepare for missile intercepts because the system will be permanently installed.

The government is likely to start selecting candidate sites at the same time. The introduction of the new system will enable Japan to beef up its missile defense, but some critics say it could further increase tension in the surrounding region.

One estimate has shown that an Aegis Ashore unit costs about 80 billion yen ($728 million). It is unclear whether Japan can quickly start operating the system as it needs time to train SDF members in its use.

Following North Korea's threat last week to launch four ballistic missiles across Japan toward the U.S. territory of Guam, Japan has deployed the PAC-3 system to four prefectures in western region that the missiles could fly over.

The PAC-3 coverage is believed to be within a radius of several dozens of kilometers, with the system deployed in areas of particular importance.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 18, 2017 - 22:17 | Urgent, All, Japan

A tour bus fell off a road to a grassy area a few meters below on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido on Friday, leaving about 30 people injured, including at least two seriously, police and a hospital said.

The injured were among 46 passengers and three crew members who were on a four-day tour of Hokkaido from Tokyo and nearby prefectures. The driver has told the police that he got spacey and took his eyes off the road when the bus veered off the road around 3:45 p.m.

The bus left from a city adjacent to Sapporo earlier in the day -- the second day of the tour -- and was planning to head to a hotel near the Lake Akan hot springs resort area after visiting some other locations. The accident occurred when the bus was passing the town of Shimizu.

The bus was trying to enter a rest stop just before the accident, the police said. According to bus operator Abashiri Kanko Kotsu Co. and other sources, the driver was 58-year-old Yasushi Ando who has driven buses for about 20 years.

Ando had been off duty for three days until Monday and was assigned to a different three-day tour from Tuesday to Thursday. He then took an afternoon off before returning to work Friday, according to the bus operator.

The police said another bus operated by Abashiri Kanko Kotsu had caused an accident in Kushiro, Hokkaido, on July 30, in which six people were injured.

In Shimizu, where the tour bus veered off the road and flipped over, a resident wondered how the accident occurred on "a straight road with a good view."

"I can hardly imagine why the bus fell off the road," the 29-year-old company worker said. The accident site is not in an area with heavy traffic, according to a town official.

Local rescue workers said they were notified that "a bus fell about 5 meters" from the road. A total of some 40 people were taken to hospital, including one passenger who was transported by helicopter.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 18, 2017 - 15:14 | All, World

The U.S. Navy said Thursday it will remove the commander and two other senior officers of U.S. destroyer Fitzgerald over the fatal collision with a Filipino container ship off the Japan coast in June.

"Clearly at some point the (ship's) bridge team lost situational awareness," Adm. Bill Moran, vice chief of naval operations, said as the Navy released an investigation of the June 17 accident that killed seven crew members and led to flooding in a section of the Aegis combat system-equipped ship.

The three-member leadership of the destroyer will be detached because "we've lost trust and confidence in their ability to lead in those positions," Moran said. In total, about a dozen sailors will be punished over the accident, according to the Navy.

According to the report, the Fitzgerald was off the coast of Japan's Izu Peninsula, within sight of land, when it collided with the Philippine-flagged container ship at around 1:30 a.m. on June 17.

The seas were calm, the moon was relatively bright and visibility was "unrestricted." The Fitzgerald was operating in a "standard condition" at night, with all exterior lighting off except for navigation lights and all interior lighting switched to red, the report said.

The seven who drowned were all assigned to a crew area called "Berthing 2," where a huge volume of water quickly entered after the ship's hull was punctured in the collision, according to the report.

As many crew members were asleep at the time of the crash, some had to wake shipmates who had slept through the initial impact before climbing a ladder to evacuate flooding. The bunks of the seven deceased sailors were located in the area "closest" to the damaged portion of the ship and "directly in the path of the onrushing water," the report said.

Investigations are still continuing, the Navy official said.

The 8,315-ton destroyer armed with Standard Missile-3 interceptors had been sailing in Japanese coastal waters following a series of ballistic missile launches by Pyongyang.

The Filipino container ship, the 29,060-ton ACX Crystal, is operated by Japanese shipping firm Nippon Yusen K.K.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 18, 2017 - 12:14 | Urgent, All, World

A van ploughed through a crowd of pedestrians Thursday in the center of Barcelona, leaving at least 13 people dead and around 100 injured in an attack claimed by the Islamic State militant group, local authorities said.

Police detained two persons for their alleged involvement in the assault in Spain's second-largest city, while the suspect believed to have driven the vehicle fled the scene.

(Getty / Kyodo)

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the attack was "jihadist terrorism" while calling it a global threat requiring a worldwide response.

World leaders including those from Australia, Britain, France, Germany and the United States condemned the attack. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono also strongly denounced the attack. He expressed his sympathy for the victims and said Japan stands with Spain against terror.

Local police also said they shot dead four terror suspects and arrested a fifth in Cambrils, some 120 kilometers southwest of Barcelona. The police reportedly foiled a terror plot involving a suicide bomb belt and are investigating the case in connection with the Barcelona attack.

According to media reports, Spanish police identified one of the two suspects in the Barcelona attack as Driss Oukabir, in his 20s. He is said to have made a post on a social media site indicating his involvement in the crime.

But other reports said the man came to police following the incident, claiming that his identification was stolen and he was not involved in the attack. Oukabir is from Morocco and the other suspect is from the Spanish enclave of Melilla.

The incident occurred at around 5 p.m. in Las Ramblas, a street that is one of the most well-known and popular parts of the city. The white vehicle zigzagged on the sidewalk for about 700 meters, hitting pedestrians, including a number of tourists.

The Belgian Foreign Ministry confirmed a Belgian woman was among those killed in the attack. Radio France quoted rescue authorities as saying the victims come from a total of over 18 countries in Europe, South America and North Africa among other places.

The Barcelona attack was the latest in a string of terror attacks involving vehicles that rocked Europe in recent years. In Niece, a truck rammed into crowds after Bastille Day fireworks in July 2016, killing 86 people, while in Berlin, a vehicle plowed through a Christmas market, claiming the lives of 12 in December the same year.

Five people were killed in a March terror attack near the Houses of Parliament in central London involving a car and eight died in a June van attack on the London Bridge and subsequent stabbing rampage.

(Getty / Kyodo)
By Junko Horiuchi, KYODO NEWS - Aug 18, 2017 - 19:42 | All, Feature

One innovative Japanese company has found a way to deliver its customers a taste of the sea but with imitations it touts to be "almost like the genuine article."

Fish paste products, known as surimi, have a long history in Asia and have even seen success in the Western market, but Kobe-based Kanetetsu Delica Foods Inc. has taken the process to new heights, perfecting their products to approach authenticity.

The company recently announced its scheduled release of an "almost fried oyster" product -- the latest addition to the almost sea food series. The fishy reproductions are proving a big success in meeting the demands of avid sea food lovers around the country who don't mind turning a blind eye as long as the taste is real.

Kamaboko, or cured surimi products, is typically made from pureed white fish, combined with food additives depending on the manufacturer, which is steamed until firm. Kanetetsu Delica Foods uses kamaboko and a fried surimi for its products.

Many consumers are attracted to the cheaper fish paste, which has a nearly identical texture and taste to the more pricey genuine sea food products. It also appeals to people averse to the hassles of cooking real meals at home.

Sold at 270 yen per package including tax, the series has already amassed total sales of 17 million units across Japan since being launched three years ago.

What's more, Kanetetsu Delica Foods says it has gotten the processing down to a science.

"A wide range of generations, including the younger generation who are usually not so familiar with fish paste products, have tasted the series due to its impactful name," Naoko Nachi, public relations officer at Kanetetsu Delica Foods, told Kyodo News in a phone interview.

"When they actually eat it and experience the taste and texture resembling the real thing, they share those feelings of surprise on social media sites and on the internet and the word gets around," Nachi said. Almost fried oysters - (Kanetetsu Delica Foods)

According to the company, "almost fried shrimps" that hit stores in September 2016 have sold especially well in Nagoya, central Japan, where fried shrimps are a popular dish.

The company, which was founded in 1926, was looking for a new product using its fish paste amid a shrinking market. Production of fish paste products fell to some 470,000 tons in 2015, compared to around 890,000 tons in 1985.

Data released by the fisheries ministry also has shown the average spending for fish paste products per household to be on a declining trend.

Nachi said it took about two years and nearly 100 prototypes to merchandize "almost crabs," the first of the series that went on sale in March 2014.

"We wanted to make something that consumers would feel satisfied with, and something that even real crabs (if they were so inclined) would feel envious about," Nachi said.

The "almost fried oyster" product, whose ingredients contain oyster extract but no actual oysters, will go on sale Sept. 1. A special tartar sauce comes with it, which helps enhance the distinct flavor and bitterness of oysters when toasted, the company said.

The products are an especially easy sell for Japan's popular bento lunch boxes.

"Just as with the other products, the almost fried oysters taste good even when they have gotten cold, so it's ideal for bento lunch boxes," Nachi said.

In making the "almost scallops" product, an in-depth chemical analysis of the amino acids in real scallops was conducted, while the company also says it has reproduced the same fiber-like texture unique to scallops and crabs.

"I hope the series will be an opportunity for the younger generation in their 20s and 30s to get interested in fish paste products," Nachi said.

Surimi, in the form of "crab sticks," is also used for the California rolls popularized in the United States. Fish balls and fish cakes made from fish paste are also commonly sold in Asian supermarkets abroad.

As for Kanetetsu Delica Foods, it has its sights set on an expanding market of "almost" sea food products for a variety of palates.

"Every time we launch a new product, expectations from consumers have risen so the bar for a new product is higher. But we would like to come up with tastier, more interesting 'almost' products that would amaze consumers," Nachi said.

Almost Crabs - (Kanetetsu Delica Foods)
Farmers can grow big, juicy tomatoes thanks to a mutation in the Cell Size Regulator gene that occurred during the tomato domestication process. Esther van der Knaap of the University of Georgia, Athens and colleagues describe this gene variant in a study published in open-access journal PLOS Genetics on August 17th, 2017.

When humans first began cultivating the wild tomato in the Andean mountain regions of Ecuador and Northern Peru, they continually selected plants that produced larger fruits. Now, thousands of years later, tomatoes on the market can weigh 1,000 times more than the fruits of their ancestors. In the current study, researchers investigated a gene they named Cell Size Regulator, or CSR, that boosts fruit weight by increasing the size of the individual cells in the pericarp, which is the fleshy part of the tomato. Compared to wild tomatoes, domesticated varieties carry a mutation in the CSR genes that shortens the resulting protein in tomato cells, and that truncation likely affects its role in regulating cell differentiation and maturation in the fruit and vascular tissues. The variation originated in the cherry tomato but now appears in all large cultivated tomato varieties.

The new study expands on previous research that had identified the location of CSR at the bottom of chromosome 11 as only a small genetic contributor to tomato weight. Now with the cloning of the gene, the finding that most cultivated tomatoes carry the shortened version of the CSR gene suggests that humans selected this genetic variation extensively and that it was critical to the full domestication of tomato from its cherry tomato ancestors.

"CSR is required to create the large tomatoes that are needed for the industry. This is because large tomatoes critically raise the profit margins for farmers. The knowledge of the gene will now open up avenues of research into how fruit size can be increased further without negatively impacting other important qualities such as disease resistance and flavor," says Dr. van der Knaap.

###

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS Genetics: http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006930

Citation: Mu Q, Huang Z, Chakrabarti M, Illa-Berenguer E, Liu X, Wang Y, et al. (2017) Fruit weight is controlled by Cell Size Regulator encoding a novel protein that is expressed in maturing tomato fruits. PLoS Genet 13(8): e1006930. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1006930

Funding: This research was funded by the National Science Foundation IOS 0922661 and IOS 1564366 to EvdK. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Shares of NVIDIA Corporation NVDA have been performing well of late. This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock has gained a whopping 51.3% on a year-to-date basis. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

If you havent taken advantage of the share price appreciation yet, the time is right for you to add the stock as it looks promising and is poised to carry the momentum ahead.



Factors Working in Favor of NVIDIA



Estimates on the Upswing



We note that earnings estimates for NVIDIA have displayed a healthy uptrend. For 2018, all the three estimates moved up in the last 30 days, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate rising roughly 16.9% to $3.60 per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2019 also climbed 11.5% to $3.87.



Stellar Q2 Earnings



NVIDIA reported splendid second-quarter fiscal 2018 results, wherein it not only delivered a strong year-over-year improvement, but also came way ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate.



This California-based graphic chip behemoth posted adjusted earnings (including stock-based compensation but excluding other one-time items) on a proportionate tax basis of 92 cents per share, handily beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 61 cents. Further, adjusted earnings increased from 44 cents reported in the year-ago quarter.



Revenues not only surged 56.2% year over year to $2.230 billion, but also comfortably surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.948 billion, as well as managements projection of $1.95 billion (+/-2%). The year-over-year jump is primarily attributable to growth across all the platforms, namely, the GPUs gaming platform, Professional Visualization, datacenter and Tegra automotive platforms. Additionally, NVIDIA continued to gain strength in the artificial intelligence (AI) space, which positively impacted the revenues.



Positive 3Q View



The company provided encouraging fiscal third-quarter revenue guidance in second-quarter conference call, which was well above the Zacks Consensus Estimate at that time. For third-quarter fiscal 2018, NVIDIA expects revenues of approximately $2.35 billion (+/-2%), which was much higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.14 billion.



Ahead of the Industry



The stock has been clocking solid returns in the last one year and has gained 159.3%, significantly outperforming the industry's gain of 30.5%.

Story continues





Other Factors Driving Growth



The companys sustained focus on introducing fast and innovative products, as well as entering into agreements with leading PC game makers, has been driving Gaming GPU business. Further, it recently introduced Max-Q design standard, which will help in making thinner, quieter and faster gaming laptops. Moreover, NVIDIA joined forces with Activision ATVI and Bungie to bring Destiny 2 online-game to the PC for the first time.



Furthermore, the companys Volta-based V100 accelerator was the most notable launch in the quarter. The Volta V100 GPU provides 10 times more deep learning power to the companys year-old predecessor, Pascal generation GPUs. Recntly, NVIDIA shipped a number of V100 GPU production units and per the company, it is currently supporting the industry's two most common AI frameworks  Alphabets GOOGL Google TensorFlow and Facebook's Caffe.



Increasing demand for cryptocurrencies owing from increased adoption of Bitcoin and newer technologies like Ethereum also aided in the rising of demand for GPU, consequently contributing to the companys GPU sales growth.



Notably, in the last reported quarter, the company entered into a wide range of partnerships based on its AI technology, including Baidu, Foxconn, Inventec, Quanta, and Wistron. Demand for NVIDIAs DGX AI supercomputer also remained high as more organizations are keen on building AI-enabled applications. The company has shipped the system to over 300 customers, so far, and more than 1,000 are in the pipeline. Notably, per NVIDIA, Facebook is using its 128 DGX system.



The company continued to witness solid momentum in its GRID graphics virtualization business. Moreover, the company won several contracts, but the deal with Amazons AMZN Amazon Web Services was the most remarkable. Per the company, AWSs G3 instances now run on NVIDIA Tesla GPUs.



Bottom Line



Given that the companys long-term earnings per share growth rate is 10.3% and has a market of $98.26 billion, we believe that the stock has much upside potential.



Keeping these positives in mind, we feel NVIDIA is one such technology stock that deserves a place in investors portfolio.

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Alibaba Group logo at the companys headquarters, on the outskirts of Hangzhou, China November 10, 2014. REUTERS/Aly Song

Customers usually go on shopping apps to search for what they want to buy, but Alibaba (BABA) also wants to tell them what they want to buy with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

The strategy seems to been working, as Alibaba has seen a surge in mobile engagement during the first quarter of 2017. The company says monthly active users on its shopping app reached 529 million in June, an increase of 22 million in three months.

We use AI technology to improve the content that people see, so that they are more personalized to you, the shopper, and that also increases the clicks, Alibabas Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai said on Thursdays earnings call.

While a personalized recommendation is not a new tool for online retailers, Alibaba advanced it by partnering with merchants and creating a community based on users interests.

Customization is more than replicating a users purchase and search history. Alibaba has developed what it calls the Deep Interest Network, in which it improves recommendation algorithms with a recognition that users have diverse buying interests, and only part of the data is useful to predict users behavior.

When you shop at Amazon (AMZN), chances are youll find the homepage banner is about Amazons own products. But for Alibaba, a marketplace that doesnt own any products, its a different monetization strategy. Each customer sees different advertisements from their screen, based on Alibabas customer database and how much merchants are willing to pay to attract the potential buyer in a real-time bidding system.

Alibabas AI efforts may be paying off in advertising dollars. Last year, Alibaba captured nearly 40% of the $27.9 billion mobile advertising spent in China, according to emarketer. Advertising accounts for 60% of the companys strong revenue performance, which has helped propel the companys stock up by 80% this year.

Krystal Hu covers e-commerce for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter.

Read more:

Think youre buying on Amazon? Its actually from Alibaba

How Amazon is eclipsing Walmarts best efforts to dominate e-commerce

Alibabas Jack Ma: We have to embrace the physical world
FILE PHOTO: The BlackRock logo is seen at the BlackRock Japan headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, October 20, 2016. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

By Trevor Hunnicutt

NEW YORK (Reuters) - BlackRock Inc's (BLK.N) largest mutual fund hiked its exposure to "select names" in energy as the sector has lagged this year, one of its portfolio managers said on Thursday.

"The underperformance of energy stocks even as oil prices have stabilized creates opportunities for investors," wrote Russ Koesterich, a manager of the $39 billion BlackRock Global Allocation Fund (MALOX.O), in a note.

The S&P 500 energy sector (.SPNY) is down nearly 18 percent this year, while the broader index, excluding energy (.SPXXEGP), is up 11 percent.

Yet Koesterich said the fund's managers see opportunity in midstream, refining, exploration and production companies in the United States in addition to globally integrated oil companies in Europe. He did not specify any stocks in particular.

Broad market gains this year seem to have pushed the fund's managers into a more cautious stance, including an underweight in both stocks and bonds.

Koesterich also said the fund has "slightly" raised its gold holdings and reduced its U.S. dollar exposure this year from 71 to 60 percent.

Global Allocation's lowest-cost shares are up 9.8 percent this year, according to Thomson Reuters' Lipper unit, beating most of its competitors.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Leslie Adler)
san francisco california flag

A fringe political group that led the call for California to break away from the union after the election of President Donald Trump has relaunched with new leadership.

The Yes California Independence Campaign went dark in April after its self-appointed leader, Louis Marinelli, announced he was abandoning the movement and settling permanently in Russia. The news was not that surprising. Marinelli set up a makeshift embassy (which he said would be used to promote the secessionist movement) in Moscow last December.

Earlier this week, the former vice president of the campaign, Marcus Ruiz Evans, announced in an email that he's picking up where Marinelli left off as president of Yes California. Among his first actions, Evans shuttered the group's unofficial embassy and cultural center in Moscow.

"Although well intentioned, it was a distraction, a point of contention, and a source of division among supporters of California independence. It needed to close and now it is closed," Evans said of the embassy in a statement.

Marinelli will stay on as member of the group's advisory board, but will not be an officer.

Yes California's links to Russia have been well documented. "Calexit" started trending on Twitter in the hours after the results of the 2016 presidential election were announced. Before then, the PAC received favorable attention from news outlets backed by the Kremlin. Marinelli attended a conference in Moscow dedicated to the right of secession last September.

Russia has a long-standing tradition of encouraging foreign fringe groups like California separatists in order to exploit tensions in the West  a position that prompted critics and some members to reject Yes California. In a page on the Yes California website that has since been taken down, the group denied accepting any financial support from the Russian government.

Story continues

Marcus Ruiz Evans, Yes California Independence Campaign, calexit

Evans, a resident of Fresno, California, told Business Insider that Yes California is moving "full speed ahead" without the controversial ties to Russia holding it back.

The group's immediate goal is file a ballot measure with the Attorney General's Office, allowing Californians to voice their support for a secession in a 2018 special election.

Still, a state holds no right to secede under federal law. Californians would need to pass an amendment to the US Constitution, which requires a favorable vote from the three-fourths of the other 49 states. A state has not seceded from the union since the 1860s, and those 11 southern states rejoined after the American Civil War. An actual Calexit is very unlikely.

Amid violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, and growing discontent with the Trump administration, Evans is optimistic about a California secession movement's prospects.

"It's ridiculous but it represents why California needs to have an exit plan in place. Things are going to get worse in this country before they get better and this campaign all along has been about California disconnecting itself from a sinking Titanic," he said.

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Richmond Monuments

Mayor Levar Stoney has ordered a city commission to consider removing monuments to Confederate leaders in Richmond, Virginia  an option that was previously not being considered.

Stoney said he would not allow the city 'to be threatened by white supremacists and neo-Nazi thugs.'

Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy, and its monuments are massive and include some of the oldest in the US.

Organizers have already canceled a rally planned in support of the monuments after white supremacists descended on Charlottesville, Virginia, and a woman was killed.

RICHMOND, Virginia  Richmond is poised to become the next battleground in the contentious debate over Confederate monuments in the US.

The former capital of the Confederacy, located just 70 miles southeast of Charlottesville, Virginia, is home to some of the nation's largest and oldest monuments memorializing Confederate leaders, including Civil War Gens. Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, and Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson; Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis; and Confederate naval Cmdr. Matthew Fontaine Maury.

The towering bronze-and-stone statues, some of which stand more than 60 feet tall, are all clustered along a 2-mile stretch of Richmond's tree-lined Monument Avenue, a wide four-lane boulevard that cuts through the city's center.

The National Park Service describes the road as "the nations only grand residential boulevard with monuments of its scale surviving almost unaltered to the present day."

Richmond Monuments

A Richmond city commission has been debating the fate of the statues on Monument Avenue for months. Late Wednesday, Mayor Levar Stoney ordered the commission to look at removing the statues  an option that had been off the table.

Story continues

"Effective immediately, the Monument Avenue Commission will include an examination of the removal and/or relocation of some or all of the confederate statues," Stoney said. "Let me be clear: We will not tolerate allowing these statues and their history to be used as a pretext for hate and violence or to allow our city to be threatened by white supremacists and neo-Nazi thugs."

Richmond Levar Stoney

Cities and towns across the US are tearing down statues amid heated and sometimes violent protests against what critics say they celebrate: slavery and Jim Crow-era oppression.

The deadly white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville over the weekend, in which a woman was fatally struck by a driver identified by authorities as a Nazi sympathizer, was organized to protest the city's plan to remove a statue of Lee. A group of students in Durham, North Carolina, took matters into their own hands Monday night and knocked a Confederate monument to the ground in front of the old Durham County Courthouse where it had stood for more than a century. The following night, the city of Baltimore surreptitiously removed several Confederate monuments to avoid similar protests there.

But in Richmond, a city that clings tightly to its rich history, government leaders  including Stoney until Wednesday  have tried to keep the hulking Civil War memorials standing on Monument Avenue.

Richmond Monuments

To be sure, Stoney has previously said he doesn't agree with the symbolism touted by the monuments' advocates.

He has been an outspoken critic of the monuments, saying they perpetuate a "false narrative" meant "to lionize the architects and defenders of slavery" and "perpetuate the tyranny and terror of Jim Crow and reassert a new era of white supremacy."

But he has also repeatedly said he wants to find a way to preserve them while adding more "context" to the structures  in other words, make it clear through placards or other signage that the statues are historical artifacts and not meant to be shrines to the Confederate leaders they depict.

Richmond Monuments

In June, a few months after taking office, Stoney formed the commission to discuss the fate of the monuments. The group is led by Christy Coleman, the CEO of the American Civil War Museum, and Gregg Kimball, the director of education and outreach at the Library of Virginia.

The commission has considered adding signage to existing monuments and building more statues along the boulevard that celebrate a more diverse range of American leaders.

That was part of the intent behind the 1996 erection of a statue of Arthur Ashe Jr., the Richmond native who became the first African-American man to win Wimbledon. The statue is the sixth of Monument Avenue's six. The rest are Confederate leaders.

"I think we should consider what Monument Avenue would look like with a little more diversity," Stoney said during a press conference in June. "Right now, Arthur Ashe stands alone  and he is the only true champion on that street."

Richmond Monuments

The commission met several times this summer, and now it's holding public hearings to discuss ways to add context to the monuments.

More than 500 people showed up to the first of two hearings last week, and things got heated, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Many groups, including the Richmond Free Press, the city's largest black-owned media outlet, are unhappy with proposals to add context to the statues and want the city to tear down the monuments.

In an editorial, the outlet equated adding context to "putting lipstick on a pig."

"What context can possibly change the statues' meaning and message from what was meant when they were erected following a bloody Civil War fought to keep black people in bondage?" the editorial said, also asking "what can possibly change their present context as tributes glorifying racist, un-American traitors."

Richmond Monuments

Some Confederate heritage groups and historians are also against the idea of adding context. They say the monuments should be left untouched.

During last week's hearing, B. Frank Earnest Sr., a representative of the Virginia chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said it's clear that the statues memorialize people who sacrificed their lives during a war, "Not some silliness about Jim Crow and trying to bring back slavery or whatever silliness they think it is," the Times-Dispatch reported.

For now, the fate of the monuments, which were erected decades after the Civil War ended, between 1890 and 1930, is more uncertain than ever before.

"While we had hoped to use this process to educate Virginians about the history behind these monuments, the events of the last week may have fundamentally changed our ability to do so by revealing their power to serve as a rallying point for division and intolerance and violence," Stoney said Wednesday.

Richmond Monuments

The Monument Avenue statues have been targeted and even defaced by protesters in the past, but they have yet to inspire the kind of violence seen in Charlottesville this past weekend.

Following the presidential election in November, protesters spray-painted "your vote was a hate crime" across two of the monuments. More recently, on Sunday night, hundreds of people descended on Monument Avenue chanting "tear the racist statues down."

One man climbed onto the J.E.B. Stuart statue and planted an anti-fascist flag on Stuart's horse.

It looked as if the city may be facing an even bigger rally next month, following reports that a Confederate-heritage advocate had filed a request to hold a rally at the Robert E. Lee memorial on September 16, three days after the next public hearing regarding the monuments.

Richmond Monuments

But the request was rescinded Tuesday in the aftermath of the Charlottesville rally.

"Due to the potential for violence after Charlottesville, the rally on September 16 will not be held," Bragdon Bowling, who requested permission for the rally, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "I do not want to be part of an event where people are hurt or killed."

The next public hearing on the statues is slated for September 13. Until then, the city is holding its collective breath in hopes that nothing like what unfolded in Charlottesville descends on Monument Avenue.

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By Sijia Jiang HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese personal computer maker Lenovo Group Ltd <0992.HK> warned of higher costs and margin pressure due to shortages of components like memory chips, as it posted its first quarterly loss in almost two years on Friday. Lenovo, which gave up its title as the world's largest PC maker to HP Inc in the quarter through June, lost $72 million compared with a profit of $173 million for the same period last year. It was the company's first quarterly loss since September 2015 and lagged analysts' average forecast of a $5.29 million profit, sending the stock down as much as 5 percent to a year-low of HK$4.52 during Friday morning trade. The outlook for the rest of the year was challenging as component shortages would dive costs higher, possibly forcing the company to raise its selling price to protect margins, executives said. "Most of the component cost is stabilizing except memory ... and the price is still going up," Lenovo Chief Operating Officer Gianfranco Lanci said on an earnings call. Memory prices rises would continue "at least until the end of the year", albeit at a slower rate than the past two quarters, he said, a product of exploding global demand for semiconductors. Auto industry demand was also pushing up the price of batteries, he said. While personal computer makers around the world are struggling as consumers switch to mobile devices, Lenovo's core PC business is declining more rapidly than many of its competitors'. Lenovo posted a 6 percent decline in PC shipments in the quarter, compared with a 3 percent fall globally. Its PC revenue was flat at $7 billion. "Overall, it will be very challenging for them to improve their PC performance in the short-term with the component price rise that's here to stay," said analyst Mo Jia, of industry consultancy Canalys. MARGINS AND MOBILE Despite the challenging outlook, Chairman and Chief Executive Yang Yuanqing was upbeat about the prospects for margins and the struggling mobile business. He pointed to a $110 million sequential improvement in operational pretax income, which he attributed to improvement in the mobile and data center businesses. "Not only did this gave me more confidence we will turn around our mobile business in the second half of FY2018, I think the entire Lenovo is entering a new phase of growth," he said. Lenovo has struggled with mobile since acquiring Motorola in 2015, and as Chinese rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi leapt to global prominence. Losses from its mobile business narrowed and revenue rose 2 percent to $1.75 billion in the quarter. It was the only unit to post a rise in revenue, although it still accounted for just 17 percent of the total. Total revenue was flat at $10 billion. To protect margins, Yang said Lenovo would focus more on fast-growing premium products such as PCs tailored for gaming and millennials. It had dropped low-margin deals such as that with Google's Chromebook, and would raise selling prices if component costs continued to climb. Lenovo's data center business group recorded an operational loss of $114 million, versus a loss of $31 million a year ago. Despite a 11 percent drop in revenue, Yang said he expected the group to turn profitable in two years. (Reporting by Sijia Jiang; Editing by Stephen Coates)
charlottesville vigil

Demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia, held a peaceful vigil Wednesday evening in the wake of the deadly violence the town faced last weekend.

During the "Unite the Right" rally on Saturday, held by white supremacists and neo-Nazis to protest the removal of a Confederate statue, a car driven by James Fields Jr. plowed into counterprotesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring many others.

Speaking at a service Wednesday afternoon, Heyer's mother told a crowd, "They tried to kill my child to shut her up. Well guess what? You just magnified her," Reuters reported.

Here's video from the vigil:

In case you haven't watched this, an emotional candlelight vigil at UVA tonight. #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/o8yk9TkGac  Gabrielle Smith (@GabbySmithTV) August 17, 2017

A speaker read part of Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise" at the #UVA-#Charlottesville vigil/march. Very moving. pic.twitter.com/3SHqKvhb0x  Geoffrey Skelley (@geoffreyvs) August 17, 2017

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the economist cover

The Economist made a bold statement on the front cover of its latest issue, featuring an illustration of President Donald Trump shouting through a megaphone shaped like the notorious white hoods worn by Ku Klux Klan members.

The cover comes in the wake of last weekend's chaotic white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, at which a 32-year-old woman was fatally struck by a driver identified as a white supremacist.

Trump has faced backlash from critics across the political spectrum for his response to the deadly rally. He was initially reluctant to specifically condemn the white nationalists, white supremacists, and neo-Nazis who attended the rally, and he drew an equivalence between those groups and the counterprotesters, insisting that "both sides" were to blame.

The Economist's cover accompanies an article that accuses Trump's response to Charlottesville of emboldening "America's far-right."

On Thursday, Trump unleashed more controversy when he said in a series of tweets that it was "sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments."

"You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!"

Trump was referring to the monuments of Confederate figures that have been at the epicenter of the Charlottesville protests. Before it devolved into violence, the white nationalist rally began as a protest of the city's plans to remove its statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

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The continuing controversy over President Donald Trump's response to the Charlottesville protests has produced one very intriguing development: It's made Gary Cohn the most important person in Washington, Wall Street, and maybe the entire country. In short, President Trump needs his chief economic adviser to stay on the job.

That's because if this administration wants to keep any kind of formal or informal policy support from American business and investment leaders, Cohn is the key to it all. That explains why Wall Street is so focused on Cohn and his job status right now.

It's important to note that there's no solid evidence Cohn is considering leaving for the same reasons so many CEOs resigned from the president's manufacturing council, or any other reason for that matter. But reports say Cohn was extremely upset by President Trump's response to Charlottesville. And another former administration official told Reuters that Cohn is, "worried about his reputation being trashed, which is much more valuable to him than anything else."

That makes a lot of people nervous. If Cohn leaves, it seems inevitable that his departure would cause a stock selloff and perhaps even "crash the markets" as Yale School of Management's Jeffrey Sonnefeld told CNBC on Wednesday.

That's a heck of a consequence Cohn has in his pocket not only for job protection but also job promotion. Indeed, the White House said on Thursday that National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn is "focused on his responsibilities...Any reports to the contrary are 100% false."

Beyond the stock market, Washington is keenly focused on Cohn as well. That's because more than most people who have held his job title in past administrations, Cohn is playing a major role in promoting key White House policies. That's especially true on tax reform, where just this week Cohn was pushing the notion that big changes in the tax code can happen by Thanksgiving.

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Washington is also watching to see if this will boost Cohn's influence on other policy matters still being debated by the Trump team, like trade policy. Cohn has been pushing against the harsh trade restrictions and retaliations against China that others in the administration, led by Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, favor.

In fact, Bannon told the American Prospect in an interview published Wednesday that he clashes with Cohn on China policy often. If keeping Cohn is such a priority, and Bannon continues to be a liability, the D.C. and corporate establishment will breathe a big sigh of relief if that means Cohn's establishment-friendly economic and trade policies will win out.

None of this means Cohn is some kind of bipartisan hero. His take on tax rate reform is certainly popular in traditional business, Republican, and even many moderate circles. But conservatives are still wary of his support for environmental policies like the Paris Accords and possible endorsement of carbon taxes. And the rising progressive power source in the Democratic Party is certainly not his ally on tax policy priorities or much else. Keeping Cohn in the fold is more about the Trump team shoring up any semblance of the establishment's acceptance, if not support, of this administration.

But in the end, the most compelling reason Cohn is so crucial is the fact that President Trump is focused on and proud of the stock market gains since his election. It's a regular theme in many of his comments and the kind of sustained losses that could stem from Cohn's departure would be a powerful blow to the president's self-image.

If those concerns aren't enough to get President Trump to re-clarify his comments on the Charlottesville protests and Confederate statues, or at least decide to cease commenting on those issues altogether, then nothing probably will. And if that's the case, this presidency has even bigger problems.

Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.





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Lindsey Graham

Sen. Lindsay Graham shot back at President Donald Trump on Thursday morning, continuing a spat between the two over Trump's controversial response to the weekend's white supremacist rally in Charlottesville.

The South Carolina Republican, who is one of the GOP's most outspoken Trump critics, sharply criticized Trump's denouncement of "many sides" of the protests in Virginia. The senator accused the president on Wednesday of drawing a "moral equivalency" between the white supremacists ralliers and the anti-racist counterprotesters.

"Mr. President, I encourage you to try to bring us together as a nation after this horrific event in Charlottesville. Your words are dividing Americans, not healing them," Graham said in a statement.

"Through his statements yesterday, President Trump took a step backward by again suggesting there is moral equivalency between the white supremacist neo-Nazis and KKK members who attended the Charlottesville rally and people like Ms. Heyer," the statement continued. "I, along with many others, do not endorse this moral equivalency."

Graham was responding to accusations Trump had made earlier on Twitter.

"Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists and people like Ms. Heyer," Trump tweeted Thursday morning. "Such a disgusting lie. He just can't forget his election trouncing. The people of South Carolina will remember!"

In addition to releasing the statement, Graham also responded in a series of tweets. He first praised Trump's response to the death of a 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyer, who was killed when a car driven by a white supremacist rallier barreled through a crowd of protesters, but called on Trump to reject the support of the white supremacists who have celebrated his presidency.

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"Mr. President, like most I seek to move our nation, my state, and our party forward - toward the light - not back to the darkness," Graham tweeted.

"Your tweet honoring Miss Heyer was very nice and appropriate. Well done," Graham continued. "However, because of the manner in which you have handled the Charlottesville tragedy you are now receiving praise from some of the most racist and hate-filled individuals and groups in our country. For the sake of our Nation -- as our President -- please fix this. History is watching us all."

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James Murdoch, the CEO of Twenty-First Century Fox (FOXA), circulated an email which said that in the wake of the recent events in Charlottesville, Va., he would be making a $1 million donation to the Anti-Defamation League.

[W]hat we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people, Murdoch said in a note seen by Yahoo Finance.

On August 11 and 12, protestors including white supremacists and neo-Nazis descended on Charlottesville to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. The event turned violent, leading to the 19 injuries and the death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

James Murdoch. (REUTERS/David Moir)

President Donald Trump continues to be publicly criticized by business leaders, policymakers and many others for his ambiguous comments in which he does not clearly condemn the hate groups that attended the rally. He maintains that both sides were to blame.

I cant even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists, Murdoch said in his note. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so.

In his note, he said that he and his wife Kathryn do not often talk about their charitable activities.

[B]ut in this case I wanted to tell you and encourage you to be generous too, he said. Many of you are supporters of the Anti-Defamation League already  now is a great time to give more.

Murdoch is the younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, the former Chairman and CEO of News Corporation and current Chairman and acting CEO of Fox News.



Sam Ro is managing editor at Yahoo Finance.

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The Super Soaker was a game changer when came to squirt guns and summer fun. And you have Lonnie Johnson to thank for it.

The man behind one of the most popular toys of all time is an engineer who has worked for Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Air Force, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Now he's working on a few other inventions that he hopes will change the world. Following is a transcript of the video.

I'm Lonnie Johnson. I'm an inventor. The invention that most people know me for is the Super Soaker water gun.

I knew the gun worked well, and I knew it would be successful. I did not realize how successful it would be. It became the number one selling toy in the world.

My career started actually when I was in high school. I built a robot that won a regional science fair at the University of Alabama. I went on to work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a research engineer on high temperature nuclear reactors. Air Force Weapons Laboratory on advanced spacecraft that used nuclear power sources. Then to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory working on the Galileo spacecraft as a power systems engineer.

When I was at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory back in the early '80s is when I first got the idea. The Super Soaker was based on some engineering principles that I applied. I was actually working on another invention which was a heat pump that would use water as a working fluid instead of Freon.

And I shot the stream of water across the bathroom using some nozzles that I made, and I thought to myself, "Geez, if I were to develop a new type of water gun, that was a performance water gun,it could really do well.

"That's not pressure. This is pressure!"

Initially I wanted to manufacture the gun myself. It turned out it was going to cost about $200,000 to get the first thousand guns produced. And I thought to myself, I was an officer in the military the time, I didn't have $200,000 in cash laying around.

I decide to come to New York, present my ideas at Toy Fair, try to find a manufacturer that I could work with. And it was there that I met the people at Larami.

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They invited me to come to their headquarters in Philadelphia. It took 2 weeks to build the gun. And as soon as it was finished, I call the guy up at Laramie, because I didn't want him to forget my conversation. I got my suitcase and went in, and of course I had my prototypes in the suitcase.

I opened it up, and they ask to see what I had, and showed them the gun. They said, "Well, does it work? How well does it work?" So I pumped it up and shot it across the conference room, and the president of the company said, "Wow!" And that was it.

I knew I captured their imagination, and the rest is history.

"Soaking wet!"

Actually, the first year, it was called "Drencher." It was not called a Super Soaker. Someone claimed the name "Drencher" and wanted us to pay royalties on that, and so we changed the name. That's when we came up with the name of Super Soaker.

The guns were literally blowing off the shelves by word of mouth. We couldn't keep up with the demand.

People would say, "You know, Johnson, you're really lucky." And I thought, it's just a lot of hard work. It took 10 years from the idea to major success.

I started my own business, and built my company, my research company, with the proceeds from that invention. I don't really talk about how much money that I made from the invention. But I think it is fair to say that just about all of it is going into the research that I'm conducting. So it's going back into the company to develop some of the energy technology that I'm focused on.

I am a nuclear engineer. I'm working on advanced energy technology. I have a new type of the engine that converts heat into electricity, and I've also developed a new type of battery that's all ceramic, without liquid electrolyte.

The other toy gun that was on the market and enjoying major success was these Nerf dart guns.

"It's Nerf, or nothing."

And I wanted to have that part of the market too. So I started developing Nerf dart guns, and I developed guns that outperformed the guns that Hasbro had on the market at the time. And eventually ended up doing a deal with Hasbro to license my dart guns.

And at that point, I literally was the king of all toy guns.

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Teacher, what I want to tell you

My teacher, I truly have no idea of what Ive done that offended you ever since the very beginning of school. I remember very clearly that the first time you hit me was the fifth day of the first semester in grade one. You threw the exercise book at my face when I had no idea what I did wrong. Your facial expression was so unforgettable that Ive feared you since.

Ive been the most obedient one in school sinceI always cooperate no matter what you ask me to do, I pay attention to every class, never mess around during the breaks, never tattle, nor talk to my classmates secretly in class. Whats more, Ive never told my parents what happened at school. I am fighting so hard to be the good child in your eyes, but things never develop as I wishI am always the one who takes a beating and a scolding when I dont even know what Ive done wrong.

Meanwhile, my classmates bully me so much that I would hide in the restroom and be afraid of coming out. I didnt dare tell you, because I know you hate snitching. There was one time when I went to your home for tutoring after class, and you wouldnt let us use your bathroom. While waiting for my mum, I peed myself, which I asked mum to never mention to anyone. Ive been only working harder ever since, but I am never appreciated, even when I get an excellent grade. I wish deeply that you can at least praise me once, but all I only have are disappointments. You never call my name whenever I raise my hand, which I have stopped doing.

Once, I sat still on my seat without doing anything, and you came straight to me and hit my back third times ruthlessly. I felt so aggrievedI could only handle that much as a small child. I broke the usual habits, and talked to my mum about the beatings. But she only said, A teacher has the right to beat her student. I was speechless because I was beaten up for no reason.

One reciting practice saddens me most. I was very much capable of reciting the full text of an article, but my study group leader did not pick me and while [the leader reported to you that I couldnt recite the full text], I failed the assignment. You were about to hit me, and I tried defending myself for the first time. But you only believed the group leaders words and never gave me a chance to recite in front of you. Instead, you gave me 20 beatings [with a stick].

I returned home that afternoon with a broken heart, and I didnt want to eat or go back to school. My mum called you but you chose not to pick up the call, so she forced me to go to school. She spoke to you but never mentioned a single word of your beatings. She asked about my situation, and you only pretended nothing happened. You only questioned my refusal to go to school, but I didnt dare argue that it was unreasonable for me to take these 20 beatings. My mum and I both suffered from your mean face and heavy criticism. I know my mum didnt fight back or say anything because of me. A few days later, you called me to the back of the classroom and hit me because of a wrong calculation. You said, It appears that Ive been indulging you that you [dare] snitch. Now try telling [your mum] again. But I didnt feel aggrieved because it was my [calculation] mistake. And mum always says that one only learns from mistakes by taking a beating.

What angers me is that you even asked the class student monitor and study group leaders to beat the group mates. Do you know that you should be educating us? Why did you ask them to toss books [at us]. Do you know how self-abased I felt when picking up the books from the ground? They are copying your actions, and you do the exact same things to us.

Prior to a Childrens Day, you expressed your exhaustion. You called out our names to bring the teacher food and snacks. Our parents followed [the orders] and so did my mum.  But we were too innocent thinking only food for ourselves would be enough. I brought a melon, but when we were about to eat, you scolded at us, accusing that we were inconsiderate, ungrateful, and didnt respect you. So we delivered our favorite foods to you. I was happy when you ate my melon with joy.

Oh my teacher, we spend living everyday looking at your facial expressions. If you are happy, we are too. If you are angry, we are sacred. Do you know that I feel nervous, terrified, and want to use the toilet whenever I am in your class? I am so afraid that you will hit me for no reason. And it terrifies me more thinking of you beating the other classmates in the hall. Their heart-wrenching cries terrify me more, and my belly aches. For half a year, I have only hoped that school would end early, but I didnt dare talk to my parents because I didnt want to cause any unnecessary trouble. And I still want to be the good child in your heart.

On your birthday, June 3 on the Chinese lunar calendar, some of my classmates gave you flowers, necklaces, birthday cakes, and red envelops as gifts. You highlighted that some parents already sent you gifts that afternoon. But I was so overwhelmed by homework that I didnt tell my mum. As a result, you hit me with a stick the next morning. Why did you only pick me while a dozen others were also standing with me? You used that stick to hit me eight times consecutively, and there were bruises on my arms. I felt OK lifting them, but my heart was more painful than the physical feelings.

Oh my respected Ms. Yan. Have you ever thought about how my mum has been treating you with things that not even my grandparents have been able to enjoy in these four years? All the money, gifts, and food during festivals [that she presented to you] was because she wants me to be free from your beatings and scoldings. But this is only wishful thinking, and you are never satisfied. Youve always wanted us to join your after-school homework tutorials, right? Ive already been taking writing tutorials for four years with you, and I am really tired. I can finish my homework myself [without these tutorials]. The 1,000 yuan [$150] fee can buy us poor families one year of rice. Its not easy for my parents to make this money. But my mum said I should go to these tutorials for the sake of being free of your beatings and scoldings. But the fact that my parents have to work so hard for the money troubles me, and I dont really want to put out such an unnecessary request for money. So I bear many of your beatings and scoldings.

Ive been living in fear during the summer vacation. Your ferocious face and crushing words have been spinning around my head. I often dream of you beating me. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and cant go back to sleep. I want to pee, but it doesnt come out when I squat. I feel stabbing pain like a needle in my brain. I am just so sacred thinking of school, and of you.

Oh Ms. Yan, my heart has been suffering from your strikings for four years. Ive endured too much grievance and pain as a minor. But in your opinion, I am simply an introvert. I laugh, talk, sing, and dance in front of others, but youI dont dare reveal my true self. Not sure if you share the same feeling as I do, but I have developed a deep understanding of the concept of fear ever since being your student. You have a child of my age but what will you think if she suffers the way I do. No, its impossible that she will ever suffer as I have. I wonder sometimes, what if my mum is a teacher, I will be enjoying my childhood as your daughter does.

Oh Ms. Yan, I really wish to know what kind of child I am in your eyes. I want to ask for a persuasive explanation of all the out-of-nowhere beatings and scoldings. I wont be so saddened, nor would my childhood be shadowed if my sufferings are the result of my school performance.

Its middle of the night, and I wake up to write down my distress that I cant tell anyone, or figure out the reasons behind them. This brings up the depression Ive suffered over the years. My heart is trembling, tears are running, hands are shaking. Why is the world so unfair? Why does it give so many pains to a kind and quite girl like me? We cant control the agonies caused by natural calamities and man-made misfortunes. But are these man-made behaviors uncontrollable too? [32 crying emoji]
President Trumps chief strategist Steve Bannon is leaving the White House.

The former Breitbart News publisher has had a roller coaster ride in both the Trump campaign and the Administration, facing criticism from establishment Republicans and civil rights groups over his economic nationalism and ties to the alt-right.

Heres a timeline of Bannons highs and lows with Trump.

July 12, 2015: Bannon calls Trumps book, Time to Get Tough, a blockbuster policy manifesto in a review on Breitbart. Trump tweets a link to the story.

Via @BreitbartNews by Steve Bannon: TIME TO GET TOUGH: TRUMPS BLOCKBUSTER POLICY MANIFESTO http://t.co/rrRd7AkFED  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 16, 2015

July 21: Trump tweets approvingly of a Breitbart story criticizing NBC News. Thanks to Steve Bannon and real reporters, he writes.

Nov. 2: Bannon interviews Trump for a Breitbart radio show. In the interview, Bannon says he is concerned that many CEOs in Silicon Valley are from Asia. A country is more than an economy. Were a civic society, he says.

Dec. 1: Bannon interviews Trump again for Breitbart News Daily.

Feb. 18, 2016: Bannon interviews Trump for a third time.

May 11: Bannon holds a private screening of Clinton Cash, a documentary he helped make aimed at persuading liberals that the Democratic presidential nominee has shady financial connections.

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June 13: Bannon interviews Trump for a fourth time.

Aug. 17: Bannon is named chief executive of Donald Trumps presidential campaign, an unusual title for a national campaign. Paul Manafort remains as campaign manager, but two days later resigns the post.

Aug. 25: The New York Post reports that Bannon was charged with domestic violence in 1996 but the charges were eventually dropped and Bannon pleaded not guilty. Democratic presidential nominee criticizes the Bannon pick in a speech on the alt-right.

Nov. 8: Trump wins the presidential election.

Nov. 13: Trump names Bannon as chief strategist for his administration, simultaneously tapping Republican National Committee head Reince Priebus as chief of staff. Anti-discrimination groups criticize the Bannon pick.

Nov. 15: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticizes Bannon in a speech on the Senate floor. By placing a champion of white supremacists a step away from the Oval Office, what message does Trump send to the young girl who woke up Wednesday afraid to be a woman of color in America? he asks.

Nov. 18: In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Bannon says he doesnt mind his public image. Darkness is good, he says. Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. Thats power.

Jan. 20, 2017: Trump is inaugurated as the 45th president. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer, he says in an inaugural address that Bannon reportedly helped write.

Jan. 27: Trump signs an executive order barring travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. Huge protests spring up at U.S. airports. Reporter Joshua Green later writes that Bannon arranged the timing on a Friday afternoon to spur the protests, which he thought would also galvanize Trump voters who supported the presidents move.

Jan. 28: Trump adds Bannon to the National Security Councils principals committee, the top interagency group on national security. The move is considered unusual because political strategists have not served on the committee previously.

Feb. 13: Bannon makes the cover of TIME Magazine under he headline The Great Manipulator. Inside, the cover story asks Is Steve Bannon the Second Most Powerful Man in the World?

Feb. 20: Trump picks Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his new national security adviser. In the coming months, the two reportedly clash over the White Houses approach to foreign policy.

Feb. 23: Bannon and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus give a joint interview at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, D.C., as part of a series of odd couple press appearances designed to smooth over tensions in the White House.

Feb. 28: Trump gives his first address to a joint session of Congress. Observers note that the speech reflects Bannons influence within the White House, but with a more moderate tone.

April 4: Bannon is removed from his role on the NSCs Principals Committee, a move that reflects the increasing stature of McMaster.

April 11: In an interview with the New York Post, Trump downplays Bannons role with the campaign, arguing that he is his own chief strategist. I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late, he says.

April 12: In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump refers to Bannon simply as a guy who works for me.

April 20: Bannon is named to the TIME 100, an annual list of the most influential people in the world.

May 2: Rabbi Shmuley Boteach posts a photo of himself and Bannon on Twitter which includes Bannons famous whiteboard which includes a list of every Trump campaign promise, with a checkmark next to those that have been kept.

With @SteveBannon in the White House on #israelindependenceday. Steve is a great, stalwart friend of the Jewish State pic.twitter.com/PFxSCK7blc  Rabbi Shmuley (@RabbiShmuley) May 2, 2017

June 1: Trump announces plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, a move that Bannon had internally lobbied for and that Trumps daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner, had opposed.

July 13: The Center for Public Integrity reports that Bannon failed to properly disclose more than $2 million in mortgage debt on his White House financial disclosure forms. Bannon later amends the filing.

July 18: PenguinRandomHouse publishes Devils Bargain by Green, an inside look at Bannon and Trump during the campaign.

July 26: Reports surface that Bannon is calling for a top marginal tax rate of 44% on the wealthiest Americans, a break with other Republicans and even with Trumps own proposed tax plan. The idea goes nowhere.

July 27: The Center for Public Integrity reveals that Bannon has a shadow press office, an outside public relations agent working for free, which ethics experts say is unprecedented and possibly illegal.

Aug. 15: Asked about Bannons future in the White House at a press conference, Trump says well see what happens with Mr. Bannon, adding that he is a good man and not a racist but again noting that he came on to the campaign late.

Aug. 16: In an interview with the progressive American Prospect magazine, Bannon calls white supremacists a collection of clowns, argues that an economic war with China has already begun and says there is no military solution to the North Korea problem. Bannon allies later say he did not intend for the interview to be on the record.

Aug. 18: The Drudge Report and the New York Times break the news that Trump has decided to have Bannon leave the White House.
Steve Bannon wont go quietly  that much seems sure.

Bannon, President Trumps top strategist and architect of his appeal to disaffected Americans, is finally leaving the White House after seven combative months. Rumors of Bannons firing have swirled since nearly the beginning of Trumps presidency. Bannon himself predicted hed get fired within a year. The punditocracy seems to think Bannons departure is a sign Trump is moderating his views and moving a bit toward the middle. Er, maybe.

Bannon himself will probably let us know before long, as he cashes in on newfound celebrity in what may be a powerful new effort to consolidate conservative voices in way that could challenge Fox Newss dominance on the right.

The Bannon brand is really powerful, says John Carroll, a professor of mass communication at Boston University. The sense of grievance that a lot of people feel, especially on the far right, is just going to be amplified by Trump cutting him loose.

Steve Bannon in April. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Bannon was wealthy before he ever joined the Trump campaign in 2016, thanks to lucrative stints as a Goldman Sachs banker, film financier, political consultant and executive at Breitbart News. Financial disclosure forms filed with the government list assets ranging from roughly $10 million to $50 million. Like other former White House officials, Bannon could write a book, turn up as a TV pundit and sign on with a think tank. But Bannon is more entrepreneurial than most, and he may have something far grander in mind.

Breitbart News, the conservative operation he used to run, announced Friday night that he would return to its fold. But Breitbart may be too small to contain Bannons ambitions at this pointunless it becomes a vehicle for something bigger. Its possible Bannon could try to consolidate prominent conservatives under one umbrella that could start to look like a fledgling Fox News. Bill OReilly, forced out of Fox earlier this year, might be interested in joining forces with Bannon. Radio hosts Michael Savage and Alex Jones are other alt-right voices currently flying solo, more or less, who could fit in a Bannon empire. Bannon seems to prefer being the unseen puppetmaster rather than the on-camera rabble-rousersimilar to Roger Ailes, who founded Fox News back in 1996, and recently died. Ailes, like Bannon, worked at the White House, first for Richard Nixon and then for Ronald Reagan.

Story continues

Roger Ailes (REUTERS/Fred Prouser)

Breitbart has a fledgling video operation, but no TV network to speak of the way Fox does. Thats where the Sinclair Broadcast Group might fit in. Sinclair is the right-leaning owner of TV stations that has ambitions to get a lot bigger. Sinclair is trying to buy Tribune Media for $3.9 billion, a deal that, if approved by regulators, would give Sinclairs TV stations access to 70% of American households, and a key presence in huge markets such as New York and Los Angeles. Sinclair is controversial for requiring its stations to air commentary by conservatives such as Boris Ephsteyn, who was a mid-level operative on Trumps campaign. Thats a megaphone Bannon could use, says Carroll. Hed be an interesting fit there.

A big question for Trump is whether Bannon will try to rally the alt-right against the presidentundermining what appears to be Trumps one source of unwavering supportor remain loyal to his old boss. Whatever the answer, the next chapter in Steve Bannons career is likely to be the most momentous yet. Bannon helped Trump get elected, but Trump made Bannon a household name. We will soon find out if that symbiosis continues, or morphs into rivalry.

Confidential tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com. Encrypted communication available.

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Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman
Donald Trump

Morale seems to be low in the White House following President Donald Trump's decision to veer off-script at an informal press conference in New York on Tuesday.

After being criticized for his delayed condemnation of white supremacists who gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend for a rally that left one counterprotestor dead and dozens of others injured, Trump on Tuesday defended the protesters, saying "not all of those people were neo-Nazis."

Numerous reports have emerged depicting a despondent White House, as many top advisers have expressed frustration with Trump's continued meltdowns.

The New York Times reported that Trump's top advisers were "stunned, despondent and numb," and that some were "unable to see how Mr. Trump's presidency would recover" and "expressed doubts about his capacity to do the job."

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the president's daughter and son-in-law and White House advisers, both reportedly urged Trump to stop talking about the incident.

National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, who is Jewish, was also said to be offended by the president's reaction to the violence in Charlottesville, while new chief of staff John Kelly was disappointed by the president's attempt to equate neo-Nazis and counterprotesters.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who stood next to Trump during his press conference on Tuesday, told staffers at a meeting the next day that he didn't share the president's stance on neo-Nazis, according to Bloomberg. The main issue discussed during the routine staff meeting was reportedly Trump's controversial comments.

A White House adviser told Politico that while most staffers called on the president to unequivocally denounce neo-Nazis, "in some ways, Trump would rather have people calling him racist than say he backed down the minute he was wrong," adding that the comments "may turn into the biggest mess of his presidency because he is stubborn and doesn't realize how bad this is getting."

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Advisers worry that the remarks may damage any attempt for Trump to spearhead a legislative agenda as Congress returns this fall. Congress needs to raise the debt ceiling by September 29 to keep the US from defaulting on its debt, and Republicans are hoping to pass a budget and tax reform before the end of the year.

But while many White House employees have been disappointed by the president's remarks, Trump himself reportedly hasn't regretted his statements.

The Times reported that Trump told aides he felt "liberated by his news conference" and that the comments were a "retort to the political establishment that he sees as trying to tame his impulses."

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- By James Li





Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), a major global retailer, said second-quarter comparable sales increased 1.8% from the prior-year quarter, marking the 12th consecutive quarter with positive comp sales.

The company reported revenues of $123.4 billion during the three months ending July 31, up 2.1% from the prior-year quarter. Robust e-commerce growth in the U.S., led by organic growth through Walmart.com, contributed to higher overall company revenue growth.





Company strengthens retail position with e-commerce acquisitions

CEO Doug McMillon said Walmart is "moving faster and becoming more creative" in facilitating the daily life of busy families. McMillon highlighted three e-commerce acquisitions in the earnings call: outdoor gear retailer Moosejaw, footwear and accessories retailer Shoebuy and stylish menswear retailer Bonobos. Marc Lore, CEO of Walmart's U.S. e-commerce division, delivered a gross merchandise volume growth of 67% during the quarter, driven by strong "innovative solutions" that provide a "seamless shopping experience" for customers.

Internationally, Walmart posted positive comp sales in nine of the 11 markets, including China and the U.K. Walmart's alliance with JD.com Inc. (JD) allows Chinese customers to expedite delivery orders through the "JD Daojia" (Chinese for "To Home") platform. McMillon also expressed encouragement in U.K. stores like Asda and Heston, saying customers are "visiting the stores more often and increasing their basket sizes."

Company reiterates strong outlook for the year

Walmart reiterated its strong earnings guidance for fiscal 2018: the company expects GAAP earnings between $4.18 and $4.28 per share and adjusted earnings between $4.30 and $4.40 per share. The company has two positive investing signs: high Piotroski F-scores and consistent revenue growth. Based on these metrics, GuruFocus ranked Walmart's financial strength a 6 and its profitability a 7. These ranks suggest the company has a strong business with good growth potential.

Story continues

Disclosure: No position in Walmart.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






A 25-year-old woman, Mwuese Keleve has been arrested by the Police in Nasarawa state. She was arrested for the alleged murder her three-day-old baby in the Kadarko area of Keana local government area of the Nasarawa state.

Police PRO, DSP Idirisu Kennedy, gave the information in an interview with Northern City News on Thursday, August 17 in Lafia.

He said the command received a report on Monday of the corpse of a baby found in a river in the Keana Local Government Area.

Woman arrested for killing her 3-days old baby in Nasarawa (Source: Google)

READ ALSO: Brother to woman killed by her husband in Delta state cries out, seeks justice

Police detectives swang into action immediately and were able to apprehend the suspect on Tuesday who shockingly turned out to be the mother of the dead baby.

DSP Idirisu Kennedy said the suspect has confessed to committing the said crime but yet to give a valid reason for killing the baby. He said that as soon as investigation is concluded by the police, Keleve would be charged to court.

In his words; Based on the report from the preliminary investigation, the woman is sane and has admitted to committing the crime.

Keleve's husband, Mr. Fanen Peter, disclosed that he was shocked at the discovery of what his wife did. He further said that they had been married for 15 years with two children and the deceased was their third child.

Chief Fabian Orugu, the Kadoko of Kadarko commended the efforts of residents of the area and the police for their collaboration that made the arrest possible. He condemned Keleves action as a devilish actwhich cannot be tolerated.

The monarch promised that the traditional council would ensure that the law took it's course so as to serve as a lesson for others.

The deceased child has since been buried.

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A court in China held a closed hearing on Monday in the case of a well-known Chinese activist.

Wu Gan faces up to 10 years in prison. Legal observers expect the court to announce its decision in a few days.

Wu is said to face up to 12 charges, including inciting state subversion.

Wu is best known for making fun of official efforts to block his push for justice.

Wu Gan is known in China by his online name: The Butcher.

Wu once served in Chinas military. He became famous by using unusual campaigns that combine online speech, street performance, and humor to criticize other peoples actions.

Wu was first arrested in May of 2015 after he reportedly swore at the head of a court in Nanchang, a city in Jiangxi province. He was officially charged with inciting state subversion two months later.

However, his detention was reported to be part of the July 9 Crackdown, a government campaign against rights lawyers that began in July of 2015. Wu did work for the Beijing Fengrui Law Firm, a law office that was a main target of the crackdown.

Trial not open to the public

His trial on Monday was not open to the public. The court in Tianjin said in a statement that this was because state secrets were involved.

The statement said Wu recognized his behavior was a crime and that his lawyers presented arguments in his defense. The court added that a decision would be handed down at a later date.

Before the trial, Wu released a statement that his father published online.

In that statement, the activist said he expects a heavy sentence because he refused a state-appointed lawyer or to admit guilt in court.

Wu said he also refused to admit guilt in front of a television camera for officials propaganda purposes. And he said he wanted to show how the police had tortured him.

Wu described the trial as a farce, and said he would refuse to speak in his own defense. An innocent man doesnt need to defend himself, the statement said.

Wu also said he did nothing wrong but to exercise his civil rights guaranteed by Chinas Constitution. He said being found guilty would represent an honor awarded to warriors for liberty and democracy.

Jerome Cohen is a professor at the New York University School of Law. He called the statement a moving and accurate description of the misuse of Chinas legal system to limit freedom of speech.

Cohen wrote on his blog, This account of his personal experience encapsulates virtually all the abuses the Xi Jinping regime has been committing against human rights activists.

You Minglei is a legal assistant and a friend of Wu Gan. You said Wu would likely receive a seven-to-10-year sentence.

You told VOA that Chinese officials were angry with Wu for his pursuit of illegal misconduct by local governments or public office holders.

He noted that Wu wrote stories with names like Guides to Butchering Pigs and Guides to Drinking Tea, which made officials angry.

Increased security was reported around the court in Tianjin, where the secret trial was held. Several China-based diplomats and journalists, including a VOA reporter, were barred from observing the trial.

Im Mario Ritter.

Joyce Huang reported this story for VOANews.com. Mario Ritter adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

online  adj. connected to or involving a computer or telecommunications system

crackdown  n. a serious effort to punish people for doing something that is not permitted; an increase in the enforcement of certain laws or rules

farce  n. something seen as bad or the object of laughter

accurate  adj. free from mistake; problem-free

blog  n. web log, someones online writing page

encapsulates --v. shows the main idea of something

pursuit  n. to seek out and follow

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South Korean President Moon Jae-in says U.S. President Donald Trump has told him North Korea would not be attacked without South Koreas approval.

Moon said, The United States and President Trump have declared and promised that whatever military action they would like to take, they will fully discuss it with us and get our consent.

South Korea and the U.S. are in full communication and discussions, he added.

During a televised news conference, Moon also promised to prevent another military conflict on the Korean Peninsula. The event marked his first 100 days in office.

Moon has called for reducing tensions through talks and engagement. This has been different from the U.S. presidents efforts to put maximum pressure on North Korea for its missile tests and nuclear program.

However, Moon said North Korea should stop the development of a fully operational Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). Such a development, Moon said, would cross a red line and raise the risk of military conflict.

Moon said President Trump is trying to pressure North Korea by showing firm determination. But he said he considered economic pressure was the main way to persuade North Korea to take part in nuclear talks.

Tensions ease as North Korean launch postponed

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula eased this week as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un postponed planned missile launches. North Korea had threatened to launch missiles targeting waters near the U.S. territory of Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

Trump called the postponement a wise and well-reasoned decision in a tweet on the social network Twitter.

North Koreas threat was in reaction to new United Nations Security Council restrictions. The goal of the measures is to ban about $1 billion worth of North Korean exports including coal, iron ore and seafood. The U.S. and other countries have accused North Korea of using export income to fund its banned weapons programs.

Moons news conference Wednesday came less than one week before the beginning of yearly military exercises between South Korean and U.S. troops.

North Korea strongly condemns the exercises calling them preparations for invasion.

During a visit to Beijing Thursday, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Cheifs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford said there are no plans to reduce the size of the exercises.

And U.S. Vice President Mike Pence again stated that all options toward North Korea remain for consideration during his visit to South America.

China is North Koreas main ally and biggest trade partner.

On Monday, China announced it would place restrictions on North Korean imports following the U.N. Security Council measures. China has urged North Korea not to carry out missile or nuclear tests that are banned by the Council. It also has said stopping regular South Korea-U.S. military exercises would ease tensions in the area.

Im Dorothy Gundy.

Brian Padden and Richard Green reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

consent n. giving approval

maximum adj. the most

determination n. to continue to do something in order to reach a difficult goal

persuade v. to convince someone to do something

options n. things that can be chosen between, opportunities to choose

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President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika Tuesday sacked his Prime Minister Abdulmajeed Tabboun less than three months after he appointed him to the position and replaced him by veteran politician Ahmed Ouyahia.

Tebbounes sacking was made public through a statement carried out by the state news agency.

In line with Article 91 of the Constitution, the president ended the term of Prime Minister Abdul-Majeed Tabboun, the statement said.

According to the same constitutional provision, and after consulting the parliamentary majority, the president entrusted Ahmed Ouyahia with the Premiership, it added.

Tabboun, who was appointed on May 24, told the media that he remained faithful to the President despite his replacement.

Ouyahia, 65, a well-known political figure, is hailed by parties close to the ruling FNL as the right man to work out the countrys lift out of economic hardship.

Critics of the president said sacking of Tabboun underlines the instability at the top of the state. They also point out that snap change is a sign of authorities lack of vision to address the economic crisis.

The North African country has been facing economic downturn over the sharp collapse of oil revenue over the past few years.
In a new study in Nature Communications, Stephanopoulos and his colleague Ronit Freeman successfully demonstrated the ability to dynamically control the environment around stem cells, to guide their behavior in new and powerful ways. Credit: Northwestern University

What if one day, we could teach our bodies to self-heal like a lizard's tail, and make severe injury or disease no more threatening than a paper cut?

Or heal tissues by coaxing cells to multiply, repair or replace damaged regions in loved ones whose lives have been ravaged by stroke, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease?

Such is the vision, promise and excitement in the burgeoning field of regenerative medicine, now a major ASU initiative to boost 21st-century medical research discoveries.

ASU Biodesign Institute researcher Nick Stephanopoulos is one of several rising stars in regenerative medicine. In 2015, Stephanopoulos, along with Alex Green and Jeremy Mills, were recruited to the Biodesign Institute's Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics (CMDB), directed by Hao Yan, a world-recognized leader in nanotechnology.

"One of the things that that attracted me most to the ASU and the Biodesign CMDB was Hao's vision to build a group of researchers that use biological molecules and design principles to make new materials that can mimic, and one day surpass, the most complex functions of biology," Stephanopoulos said.

"I have always been fascinated by using biological building blocks like proteins, peptides and DNA to construct self-assembled structures, devices and materials, and the interdisciplinary and highly collaborative team in the CMDB is the ideal place to put this vision into practice."

Yan's research center uses DNA and other basic building blocks to build their nanotechnology structuresonly at a scale 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

They've already used nanotechnology to build containers to specially deliver drugs to tissues, build robots to navigate a maze or nanowires for electronics.

To build a manufacturing industry at that tiny scale, their bricks and mortar use a colorful assortment of molecular Legos. Just combine the ingredients, and these building blocks can self-assemble in a seemingly infinite number of ways only limited by the laws of chemistry and physicsand the creative imaginations of these budding nano-architects.

Learning from nature

"The goal of the Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics is to use nature's design rules as an inspiration in advancing biomedical, energy and electronics innovation through self-assembling molecules to create intelligent materials for better component control and for synthesis into higher-order systems," said Yan, who also holds the Milton Glick Chair in Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Prior to joining ASU, Stephanopoulos trained with experts in biological nanomaterials, obtaining his doctorate with the University of California Berkeley's Matthew Francis, and completed postdoctoral studies with Samuel Stupp at Northwestern University. At Northwestern, he was part of a team that developed a new category of quilt-like, self-assembling peptide and peptide-DNA biomaterials for regenerative medicine, with an emphasis in neural tissue engineering.

"We've learned from nature many of the rules behind materials that can self-assemble. Some of the most elegant complex and adaptable examples of self-assembly are found in biological systems," Stephanopoulos said.

Because they are built from the ground-up using molecules found in nature, these materials are also biocompatible and biodegradable, opening up brand-new vistas for regenerative medicine.

Stephanopoulos' tool kit includes using proteins, peptides, lipids and nucleic acids like DNA that have a rich biological lexicon of self-assembly.

"DNA possesses great potential for the construction of self-assembled biomaterials due to its highly programmable nature; any two strands of DNA can be coaxed to assemble to make nanoscale constructs and devices with exquisite precision and complexity," Stephanopoulos said.

Proof all in the design

During his time at Northwestern, Stephanopoulos worked on a number of projects and developed proof-of-concept technologies for spinal cord injury, bone regeneration and nanomaterials to guide stem cell differentiation.

Now, more recently, in a new study in Nature Communications, Stephanopoulos and his colleague Ronit Freeman in the Stupp laboratory successfully demonstrated the ability to dynamically control the environment around stem cells, to guide their behavior in new and powerful ways.

In the new technology, materials are first chemically decorated with different strands of DNA, each with a unique code for a different signal to cells.

To activate signals within the cells, soluble molecules containing complementary DNA strands are coupled to short protein fragments, called peptides, and added to the material to create DNA double helices displaying the signal.

Hao Yans research center uses DNA and other basic building blocks to build their nanotechnology structures  only at a scale 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. As demonstrated in a cover article in Science, theyve already used nanotechnology to build containers to specially deliver drugs to tissues, robots to navigate a maze or nanowires for electronics. Credit: Arizona State University

By adding a few drops of the DNA-peptide mixture, the material effectively gives a green light to stem cells to reproduce and generate more cells. In order to dynamically tune the signal presentation, the surface is exposed to a soluble single-stranded DNA molecule designed to "grab" the signal-containing strand of the duplex and form a new DNA double helix, displacing the old signal from the surface.

This new duplex can then be washed away, turning the signal "off." To turn the signal back on, all that is needed is to now introduce a new copy of single-stranded DNA bearing a signal that will reattach to the material's surface.

One of the findings of this work is the possibility of using the synthetic material to signal neural stem cells to proliferate, then at a specific time selected by the scientist, trigger their differentiation into neurons for a while, before returning the stem cells to a proliferative state on demand.

One potential use of the new technology to manipulate cells could help cure a patient with neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's disease.

The patient's own skin cells could be converted to stem cells using existing techniques. The new technology could help expand the newly converted stem cells back in the laband then direct their growth into specific dopamine-producing neurons before transplantation back to the patient.

"People would love to have cell therapies that utilize stem cells derived from their own bodies to regenerate tissue," Stupp said. "In principle, this will eventually be possible, but one needs procedures that are effective at expanding and differentiating cells in order to do so. Our technology does that."

In the future, it might be possible to perform this process entirely within the body. The stem cells would be implanted in the clinic, encapsulated in the type of material described in the new work, and injected into a particular spot. Then the soluble peptide-DNA molecules would be given to the patient to bind to the material and manipulate the proliferation and differentiation of transplanted cells.

Scaling the barriers

One of the future challenges in this area will be to develop materials that can respond better to external stimuli and reconfigure their physical or chemical properties accordingly.

"Biological systems are complex, and treating injury or disease will in many cases necessitate a material that can mimic the complex spatiotemporal dynamics of the tissues they are used to treat," Stephanopoulos said.

It is likely that hybrid systems that combine multiple chemical elements will be necessary; some components may provide structure, others biological signaling and yet others a switchable element to imbue dynamic ability to the material.

A second challenge, and opportunity, for regenerative medicine lies in creating nanostructures that can organize material across multiple length scales. Biological systems themselves are hierarchically organized: from molecules to cells to tissues, and up to entire organisms.

Consider that for all of us, life starts simple, with just a single cell. By the time we reach adulthood, every adult human body is its own universe of cells, with recent estimates of 37 trillion or so. The human brain alone has 100 billion cells or about the same number of cells as stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

But over the course of a life, or by disease, whole constellations of cells are lost due to the ravages of time or the genetic blueprints going awry.

Collaborative DNA

To overcome these obstacles, much more research funding and recruitment of additional talent to ASU will be needed to build the necessary regenerative medicine workforce.

Last year, Stephanopoulos' research received a boost with funding from the U.S. Air Force's Young Investigator Research Program (YIP).

"The Air Force Office of Scientific Research YIP award will facilitate Nick's research agenda in this direction, and is a significant recognition of his creativity and track record at the early stage of his careers," Yan said.

They'll need this and more to meet the ultimate challenge in the development of self-assembled biomaterials and translation to clinical applications.

Buoyed by the funding, during the next research steps, Stephanopoulos wants to further expand horizons with collaborations from other ASU colleagues to take his research team's efforts one step closer to the clinic.

"ASU and the Biodesign Institute also offer world-class researchers in engineering, physics and biology for collaborations, not to mention close ties with the Mayo Clinic or a number of Phoenix-area institutes so we can translate our materials to medically relevant applications," Stephanopoulos said.

There is growing recognition that regenerative medicine in the Valley could be a win-win for the area, in delivering new cures to patients and building, person by person, a brand-new medicinal manufacturing industry.

More information: Ronit Freeman et al. Instructing cells with programmable peptide DNA hybrids, Nature Communications (2017). Journal information: Nature Communications Ronit Freeman et al. Instructing cells with programmable peptide DNA hybrids,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15982
The new measuring device records vital parameters such as body surface temperature or breathing and heart rate. The medical staff can easily and flexibly access the data via tablet. Credit: Gert Ellegaard, Region Zealand

It often takes years until new procedures for treating cancer can be used in an everyday clinical environment. Beforehand, they go through numerous studies, in which doctors and researchers check the efficacy and safety of the procedure, with the active involvement of the affected patients. Improving the quality of cancer treatments by using new methods is the goal of the Danish-German research project "InnoCan: Innovative High Technology Cancer Treatment Denmark-Germany". Until the end of 2018, the Department of Radiotherapy at Kiel University (CAU) and the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) will be involved in the project, which has a total budget of 4.27 million Euros. Funding for the project at the Kiel site is nearly 460,000 Euros. InnoCan is being funded by Interreg Deutschland-Danmark with means from the European Regional Development Fund.

The InnoCan project, which was launched one year ago in Germany and Denmark, is focussed on the use of innovative technical equipment, which should lead to a more gentle treatment of cancer patients in future. At the Department of Radiotherapy in Kiel, clinical studies for this purpose are being carried out in a German-Danish test centre, and the first results are already available. In addition, researchers in Naestved (Denmark) and Lubeck tested a device for measuring vital signs. The test will soon continue in Kiel. The device measures the body surface temperature as well as breathing and heart rate, which can be read on a tablet via Bluetooth. In this way, medical staff can, for example, check patients' vital signs during the night without disturbing them.

A similar principle works for devices which should facilitate blood testing at home. They measure the haemoglobin value in combination with checking the white blood cell count. This enables doctors to decide in advance - based on the blood measurements taken at home - if the patients are ready for their next chemotherapy treatment in hospital, allowing them to avoid unnecessary trips there. Expense and inconvenience for seriously ill patients could thus be reduced in the long term. "This is particularly interesting for older cancer patients or for countries such as Denmark, where the distance to the next hospital is often quite a long way," said Kirsten Seger, coordinator of the InnoCan project in Germany. The Danish project partners are already testing the device. During the course of the year, testing should also start in Kiel, initially with patients admitted to hospital.

"In view of the increasing age of society, it is to be expected that the number of cancer patients will increase. To improve the quality of the treatment in spite of this requires a special effort in the clinical testing of new procedures. With InnoCan, we want to support not only application-orientated research, but also small and medium-sized enterprises," said Jurgen Dunst, Professor of Radiotherapy at the Faculty of Medicine at the CAU, and Director of the Department of Radiation Oncology. Up to four companies should be able to clinically test their innovative medical products in the participating hospitals, continued Dunst. "In particular, young medical companies benefit from the close collaboration, by getting feedback from patients, doctors and healthcare workers, about how they can further develop their products," explained the radiotherapist, who leads the Kiel part of the project. In addition, the Danish and German project partners support participating companies with their preparations for clinical testing, on both sides of the border. "In this regard, the interdisciplinary cooperation with the Danish partners is particularly valuable," explained Dunst. A total of ten German and Danish partners are participating in the project, under the leadership of Zealand University Hospital in the Danish city of Naestved.

The Kiel Department of Radiation Oncology is also involved in testing a self-adhesive wound plaster. It should prevent skin reactions, which can occur during radiation therapy of head and neck tumours. In a further study, the scientists hope to shorten the treatment time for patients with vertebral metastases, by using high-precision techniques in radiation therapy. In close cooperation with the Danish project partners, the groundwork is being laid for additional studies on improving the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and prostate cancer.
In this Aug. 13, 2017 file photo, a relative attends to a child receiving treatment at the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Acute encephalitis syndrome is a catch-all term to describe patients suffering fever, vomiting, headaches and brain function issues such as confusion, trouble speaking and coma along with seizures. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File)

Dozens of children died last week in a decrepit government hospital in northeastern India, prompting public outcry over whether an oxygen shortage was to blame. Answers remain unclear, but doctors who have spent decades treating sick kids in the area say the incident is a symptom of a greater problem: Chronic mismanagement, corruption and outright negligence are worsening encephalitis outbreaks that sicken thousands of children every year.

Thirty-three children died Aug. 10 and 11 at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, around the time there was a disruption in the oxygen supply. A team of experts sent from New Delhi concluded that the interruption was not responsible for the deaths, but that has failed to quell national fury in India over how the hospital allowed oxygen to run out. Prime Minister Narendra Modi even expressed sympathy to the children's families this week during his Independence Day speech.

Doctors say they hope the national spotlight will force officials to focus on another hugely neglected problem: encephalitis, which has killed more than 4,000 children and sickened nearly 25,000 since 2010 in Uttar Pradesh, where the hospital is located. Some of the children who died had the brain-swelling condition.

Acute encephalitis syndrome is a catch-all term to describe patients suffering fever, vomiting, headaches and brain function issues such as confusion, trouble speaking and coma along with seizures. The condition can leave surviving children paralyzed and mentally impaired.

Outbreaks can be timed every year to the monsoon rains that leave swaths of coffee-colored flood waters standing in fields and licking at roadways in impoverished parts of the country's major rice-growing region. Yet much about the disease remains a mystery or a matter of debate.

"If there is more rain, the cases are more," said Dr. K.P. Kushwaha, the Gorakhpur hospital's former head who retired two years ago after working more than three decades as a pediatrician there. "If there is less rain, the cases are less."

Though it's not proven, Kushwaha suspects germs spread through fecal matter in dirty water may be related to the outbreaks, along with overall poor sanitation and improper toilet facilities and practices in the country's most populous state. But he insists the root cause is empty government promises and neglect in an area where health infrastructure and funding are poor and medical understaffing is high.

"We are just treating the fire, but we are not doing anything to prevent the fire and extinguish the fire," he said. "In India, the corruption is so rampant that it has become a normal routine."

A lack of testing capabilities makes it impossible for doctors to diagnose the cause of many encephalitis cases. Often, children with other identifiable diseases get lumped into the category simply because the symptoms are similar, said Dr. V. Ravi, of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences. He has been studying encephalitis for 30 years and is currently researching the problem with a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the past three years, he has tested nearly 7,000 encephalitis patients in three Indian states and found that Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever, both spread by mosquitoes, along with scrub typhus, a bacterial infection spread by mites, account for about 40 percent of identifiable encephalitis causes. The rest remain a question.

Dengue fever has no specific treatment other than supportive care, and India has not approved a newly released vaccine. Scrub typhus can be treated effectively with a cheap antibiotic if caught early.

Japanese encephalitis has been wiped out in many Asian countries, but has plagued parts of India for decades, especially near the Nepal border in the northeast corner around Gorakhpur. It is closely related to West Nile virus and attacks the brain and spinal cord. It typically spreads from pigs to people via mosquitoes, is easily identified through testing and can be prevented by vaccination. It infects many people in childhood, but only a small percentage end up experiencing severe symptoms. Up to a third of those who are sickened develop problems ranging from paralysis to mental disabilities.

In 2005, thousands of children were rushed to the BRD Medical College with Japanese encephalitis, the same hospital at the center of the current oxygen scandal. Small sweaty bodies, some convulsing, others lying unconscious with their eyes rolled back in their heads, were packed two-to-a-bed in the large, open-air ward. Death was announced over and over again by the wailing howl of mothers collapsing on the filthy floor.

It was the largest outbreak in recent memory, ultimately killing more than 1,000 children around Gorakhpur. All those deaths could have been prevented with a cheap vaccine that was eventually rolled out in mass campaigns and is now part of the routine schedule. Coverage rates remain low in some areas, but the number of Japanese encephalitis deaths in Uttar Pradesh has fallen to double digits in recent years.

However, overall rates of the broader acute encephalitis syndrome have not changed. More than 3,000 cases are logged each year in the state that's home to some 200 million people.

The monsoon rains have just started, and already more than 1,200 cases have been recorded along with 152 deaths. That number will climb until peaking in October.

"Hopefully, the government after this will wake up now and will start listening to us," said Dr. Ravi, the researcher, referring to the hospital oxygen shortage. "Hopefully, something will happen."

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Research highlights differences between human and murine microglia used in studies of Alzheimer's and other diseases Credit: Suely Nagahashi Marie and Thais Galatro, University of Sao Paulo Medical School

The results of a new study show that many of the genes expressed by microglia differ between humans and mice, which are frequently used as animal models in research on Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Microglia are the primary immune cells of the central nervous system, with functions similar to those of white blood cells, especially in actively defending the brain and spinal cord. The collaborative research by Brazilian and Dutch scientists on the main genes expressed by human microglia were published in Nature Neuroscience. It also shows that human microglial cells age differently from those of mice. The research was supported by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).

"The findings are important for studies of the gene expression profiles of normal microglia during human aging. They can serve as a basis for comparisons designed to detect changes in microglia as part of several neurodegenerative diseases," said Suely Nagahashi Marie, who heads the Molecular & Cellular Biology Laboratory at the University of Sao Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP).

Microglia terminate on neurons and inspect their surroundings in search of external agents to fight off, dead synapses to remove, and neurons that are dying and require elimination. When they detect a problem, they move swiftly to phagocytize the inflammation-causing agent. Given the role of microglia in the central nervous system's immune responses, these cells are also a focus for research on neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's.

"In order to understand the role of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases, we first have to know which genes in human microglia are expressed at the highest levels in a healthy nervous system," said biomedical scientist Thais Fernanda de Almeida Galatro, another author of the research project. "This has never been investigated. Our idea was to establish a gene expression profile of human microglia."

Galatro learned a technique for sampling cortical microglia from the team working under Bart Eggen, a professor in Gronigen's Department of Neuroscience. The collaboration included a visit by a member of Eggen's team to the laboratory headed by Nagahashi Marie. The cortical samples used in the research were collected from autopsies performed in the Netherlands and by Sao Paulo City's Death Certification Service (SVOC), which donated them to the Human Brain Bank of FM-USP's Cerebral Aging Study Group.

Thirty-nine of 81 samples were selected from individuals without a history of cerebral pathology. "This is so we could be sure the microglia used in the study were from healthy brains," Galatro said. The selected samples were from men and women aged between 34 and 102 years. This wide age range was deliberately chosen, because the researchers wanted to understand how aging affects microglial gene expression.

The microglia obtained from the cortical samples were submitted to transcriptome (RNA) sequencing. "Next-generation sequencing is used to assess the level of expression of all genes encoded in the sample analyzed. In our study, we used a technique called ribosomal RNA depletion. Ribosomal RNA accounts for about 80 percent of total microglial RNA," Nagahashi Marie said.

This approach enabled the researchers to perform an accurate count of protein-encoding messenger RNAs. They detected between 17,000 and 19,000 human microglial genes. "We compared "these large sets of genes between two groupsmicroglia in isolation versus total brain tissue," she explained.

Microglia represent a specific cellular compartment of brain tissue. In the comparison between microglia and total brain tissue, the 17,000 to 19,000 genes were ranked according to their abundance in each of the compartments. As a result, the researchers were able to identify the 1,297 genes that were most abundantly expressed in human microglia.

"This group of genes was considered the molecular signature of human microglia," Nagahashi Marie said.

Having isolated the 1,297 most highly expressed genes in human microglia, the researchers compared these genes with murine microglial genes. Most research on microglia uses a murine model.

"We found that the most expressed microglial genes in humans and mice are similar to those most expressed in general terms," Galatro said. In both humans and mice, these genes relate mainly to the functions of motility (microglial cells move through nerve tissue) and defense (phagocytosis of pathological agents).

However, a small number of the most highly expressed human microglial genes are unique to our species and are not found in mice. "We discovered that these few exclusively human genes play an important role in the immune response. In other words, they're important to the host organism's defense against infections," Galatro said.

Comparison with primates

According to Nagahashi Marie, the main outcome of the research project was the demonstration of this key difference despite the large overlap between human and murine microglial genes. "The implication is that the results of experiments in murine models of neurodegeneration, including models of Alzheimer's, must be interpreted with caution," she said. "Our results for the expression of human microglia during the aging process differ from those described hitherto for the murine model of aging."

The next step for the group is to analyze the functions of the genes identified in order to discover what roles they play in the normal physiology of the brain and to understand the changes that take place in neurodegenerative diseases. Having compared human and murine genes, the researchers are naturally interested in comparisons with the microglia of animals that are closer to humans in evolutionary terms.

"The sequencing of primate microglia is underway in our lab," Nagahashi Marie said. "When we have the primate transcriptome, we'll be able to compare the evolution of human microglial gene expression with that of microglia in other primates, mice and zebrafish."

The researchers have also sequenced microglia isolated from seven brain regions in autopsied individuals without cognitive dysfunction, and they are analyzing the samples using bioinformatics. "The new study will enable us to see whether there are differences between microglia in different parts of the brain," she said. "Our hypothesis is that there are, and that microglia are relevant to the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. We're therefore including in our analysis the brain regions most compromised in the progression of Alzheimer's."

More information: Thais F Galatro et al. Transcriptomic analysis of purified human cortical microglia reveals age-associated changes, Nature Neuroscience (2017). Journal information: Nature Neuroscience Thais F Galatro et al. Transcriptomic analysis of purified human cortical microglia reveals age-associated changes,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/nn.4597
Demyelination by MS. The CD68 colored tissue shows several macrophages in the area of the lesion. Original scale 1:100. Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Marvin 101/Wikipedia

A drug that is blocked by the EU regulatory system has now been found to improve the quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

QMUL researchers gained access to previously unpublished clinical trial data through a Freedom of Information request to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The European Commission is currently deciding whether to reverse its decision and grant a license for the oral preparation of the drug 'cladribine'.

MS is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system affecting more than 100,000 people in the UK and 2.5 million people globally, and leads to disability and significant loss of quality of life. Relapsing MS is the most common form of MS, involving attacks of symptoms which may then fade away.

Injectable versions of cladribine are currently licensed as a treatment for a type of cancer, however, the largest ever trial of the drug in people with relapsing MS (the CLARITY trial), involving 1,326 patients, also found that it was highly effective in controlling relapses, the progression of disability and lesions in the brain.

For a number of reasons, including a perceived increase in cancer risk (later shown by QMUL research to be an anomaly), the EMA rejected licence applications from the drug manufacturer, prompting a halt in commercial development of the drug in 2011. This was followed by the withdrawal of the drug from markets where it had been licensed (Russia and Australia) and ongoing trials were terminated.

Lead researcher Dr Klaus Schmierer, Reader in Clinical Neurology at QMUL and Consultant Neurologist at Barts Health NHS Trust said: "Cladribine seemed to have such excellent potential as a treatment for MS that we thought it was tragic the development programme was shelved, and significant parts of the clinical trial data remained unpublished.

"In addition to the drug being highly effective, well tolerated, and safe as far as short term studies can show, we now know it also improves patients' quality of life. The new results seemed so clear, we felt it was extremely important to publish and share these data."

The new analysis, published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal, looked at quality of life data from the patients in the CLARITY trial, which was reported using a self-completed questionnaire, addressing the patient's mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety.

After nearly two years, patients taking cladribine reported significantly improved quality of life scores compared with those on placebo. This suggests that, over and above its established clinical efficacy, cladribine leads to improved quality of life.

The benefits for people with relapsing MS were particularly significant for self-care, and a positive effect on mobility was detected which may be related to the clinical efficacy of cladribine in reducing relapses and delaying progression.

In addition, cladribine use does not appear to be associated with severe adverse effects, unlike other highly effective MS treatments that may lead to opportunistic infections and secondary autoimmune diseases.

In June 2017, following QMUL's evidence that cladribine use did not lead to an increased risk of cancer, the EMA updated their view and adopted a positive opinion on the licensing of oral cladribine (Mavenclad) for the treatment of highly active relapsing MS. The European Commission is currently considering the EMA's recommendation and expected to announce its decision shortly.

The study is limited in that only one type of quality of life questionnaire had a sufficient number of responses to enable robust analysis, while limited responses for other quality of life questionnaires made them less straightforward to interpret and provide significant findings.

More information: 'Positive impact of cladribine on quality of life in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis'. Dayo Afolabi, Christo Albor, Lukasz Zalewski, Dan R Altmann, David Baker and Klaus Schmierer. Multiple Sclerosis Journal. DOI: 10.1177/1352458517726380 'Positive impact of cladribine on quality of life in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis'. Dayo Afolabi, Christo Albor, Lukasz Zalewski, Dan R Altmann, David Baker and Klaus Schmierer.
When it comes to broadband, the speed of your line is not always whats written on the box.

We usually use speed to refer to throughput, or how fast you can download or upload data over a connection. However, there is an important measurement of a lines performance which is not always highlighted  your latency, also known as ping.

Latency refers to the time it takes for a data packet to arrive after it has been dispatched.

For example: It may take a packet 4 milliseconds to travel from a server in Johannesburg to your device if you are in Gauteng. If youre in Cape Town, it could take that packet 15 or 20 milliseconds to reach you.

When you access servers overseas, these latencies rise sharply. To a server in London, you can expect latencies of at least 150 milliseconds, while a server in New York will see latencies of at least 250 milliseconds and up from South Africa.

With throughput  the amount of data your line can carry  you can always upgrade to a faster line to increase its capacity. Moving from a 10Mbps line to a 100Mbps line, for example.

There is usually very little you can do about latency, however, as it is physically limited by the speed of light in the case of fibre.

This does not mean latency and throughput are not related, though.

While they may appear to behave independently of each other, when you start looking at 400Mbps and faster fibre connections, their effect on one another becomes apparent.

The limits of TCP

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is part of the foundation of the Internet. It helps ensure that data ends up where it must go.

It does this through a system of sending and waiting for data to be acknowledged. Until you acknowledge the sender, it wont send the next batch of data through.

After enough time has passed without an acknowledgement, it is assumed the data was lost in transit, and it is retransmitted. This is called packet loss.

Since there is a maximum size for the amount of data that can be sent over TCP before waiting for an acknowledgement (the TCP Receive Window), the amount of time you have to wait for that acknowledgement can impair throughput.

The maximum transmission unit over TCP is typically 1,500 bytes. Including the TCP/IP header information then leaves you with a maximum segment size of usually 1,460 bytes.

These values vary from network to network, but using the measurement above gives us an ideal scenario.

Calculating the maximum theoretical throughput of your line also uses the round trip time.

We used the TCP throughput calculator on SWITCH.ch to calculate the theoretical maximum throughput of a fibre line in Johannesburg to local and international servers based on latency  as detailed below.

It assumes packet loss of 0.000001%.

As the results show, even with a 1Gbps line, a user will not get download speeds of over 500Mbps from most US-based servers.

Maximum download speeds over a fibre line in Johannesburg Server Location Latency (Ideal) Throughput* Johannesburg 2ms 58.4Gbps Cape Town 10ms 11.7Gbps London 150ms 779Mbps New York 250ms 467Mbps San Francisco 300ms 389Mbps * The maximum theoretical throughput over a line.

Now read: Highest broadband speeds in South Africa
The Competition Commission will conduct a market inquiry into data services in South Africa.

The purpose of the inquiry is to understand what factors or features of the markets and value chain may cause or lead to high prices for data services, and to make recommendations that would result in lower prices for data services, it said.

This comes after Telecommunications Minister Siyabonga Cwele said high mobile data prices may need to be brought before the Competition Commission.

National Treasury then directed the Commission to investigate data prices.

The Commission is looking to identify areas where customers or consumers may be exploited or excluded.

It also wants to identify structural, behavioural, or regulatory factors that may influence competition or pricing.

The assessment will include:

Market structure.

The adequacy and impact of the regulatory regime.

Strategic behaviour by large fixed and mobile incumbents.

Costs faced and profits earned by fixed and mobile network operators.

Current arrangements for sharing of network infrastructure.

Investment in infrastructure by operators and access to spectrum.

The adequacy of regulation to promote new South African entrants, particularly historically-disadvantaged individuals.

The Commission will also benchmark South African data services pricing against those of other countries, and will establish whether data supply quality and coverage is adequate by international standards.

It said the outcome of the market inquiry will be to make recommendations on the following matters:

Recommendations to government as to how the market could be made more competitive and inclusive, and how data prices can be brought down.

Recommendations to the sector regulator on the competitive impact of the regulatory framework, and any need for amendments.

The inquiry will be carried out primarily by the Commission and will commence on 18 September 2017. It is likely to be completed by 31 August 2018.

Now read: Laptops stolen in Competition Commission robbery
Ukraines central bank has issued a warning to lenders that malicious software has emerged.

It could mark the start of attacks similar to the recent NotPetya ransomware. NotPetya targeted companies through accounting software M.E.Doc.

Reuters reported the central bank warned the new malware is spread by opening email attachments containing Word documents.

Based on an analysis of the malware, and the timing of its distribution, the attack is preparation for a mass cyberattack on the corporate networks of Ukrainian businesses, stated the report.

The states Security and Defence Council has warned Ukraine may be targeted on 24 August with a NotPetya-style attack, aimed at destabilising the country as it celebrates its 1991 independence from the Soviet Union.

Now read: NotPetya attackers empty Bitcoin wallet and issue new ransom demand
Washington Post: U.S. intelligence believes UAE tried to interfere in U.S. politics

Yeni Safak: Turkey increases sales of winter products, blankets in EU by almost third since beginning of year

Fox News: Trump has been silent on social media for over 24 hours amid Republican failures

Lebanon extradites to Iraq relative of Saddam Hussein

Financial Times: Kyiv plans to nationalize more private companies

U.S. Senate declares 'death' of Republican Party after congressional elections

Head of U.S. Customs resigned

President of Georgia Zourabichvili says about 100 thousand Russians settled in country

CNN: Democrats to retain control of Senate after congressional elections

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French maritime services rescue more than 140 migrants trying to swim across English Channel

Biden says he is satisfied with results of midterm elections in U.S.

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COVID-19 cases are expected to surge in Germany this winter

Dollar makes worst showing in week since early days of COVID-19 pandemic

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More than 50 of poorest developing countries are on brink of bankruptcy, says UN official

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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

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Biden to warn Chinas Xi that North Korea path could lead to increase in US military presence

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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

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Volvo reveals its flagship EX90 electric crossover

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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
Yeni Safak: Turkey increases sales of winter products, blankets in EU by almost third since beginning of year

Fox News: Trump has been silent on social media for over 24 hours amid Republican failures

Lebanon extradites to Iraq relative of Saddam Hussein

Donald Trump's youngest daughter marries Lebanese billionaire

Financial Times: Kyiv plans to nationalize more private companies

U.S. Senate declares 'death' of Republican Party after congressional elections

Head of U.S. Customs resigned

 .       

President of Georgia Zourabichvili says about 100 thousand Russians settled in country

CNN: Democrats to retain control of Senate after congressional elections

Alen Simonyan: We are truly and sincerely committed to the peace agenda

HBO Max shows first trailer of documentary about Lizzo

Artak Beglaryan: Genocidal purpose is apparent

French maritime services rescue more than 140 migrants trying to swim across English Channel

Messi: Guardiola has done a lot of damage to football

Biden says he is satisfied with results of midterm elections in U.S.

Slovenia holds second round of presidential elections

Depardieu is closing his production center in Russia

'Witch' burned alive in India, 14 arrested

Arsenal win thanks to Martin Odegaard's double (video)

COVID-19 cases are expected to surge in Germany this winter

Dollar makes worst showing in week since early days of COVID-19 pandemic

Macron confirms France's readiness to support normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku

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

Body wear and tear due to stress increases risk of cancer death

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)

Documentary film about Christina Aguilera's life to be made

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

James Webb Space Telescope to help find potentially habitable planets, understand Earth's climate changes

Scholz is against establishment of ceasefire in Ukraine on Kremlin's terms

Turkologist: Turkey does not support agenda of achieving peace with Armenians

Shakira stars in Burberry's Christmas campaign (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

Study shows how amount of income affects depression

Sweden to not permit deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory after joining NATO

Real president considering option of signing up Mourinho after Ancelotti

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

Neymar: Level of this World Cup is going to be very high

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet could inherit 410k worth of jewelry

Armenia FM meets with France minister of foreign trade

Check it out: The king is dead, long live the king! - "House of the Dragon"

Foreign Policy: US to resume nuclear arms control talks with Russia

Armenia opposition MP: Artsakh army reduction is impermissible

Armenia medical workers testing process starting

Kevin Conroy, voice of Batman, dead at 66

Biden to warn Chinas Xi that North Korea path could lead to increase in US military presence

Messi: Its incredibly important to start World Cup right, get first 3 points

Alec Baldwin sues 'Rust' armorer, crew over fatal shooting of cinematographer on films set

US Treasury chief: India can buy as much Russian oil as it wants

Kim Kardashian poses as miniature version of herself for 032c magazine cover (PHOTOS)

Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to find legal grounds for signing peace treaty

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Newspaper: People of Karabakh not going to tolerate final destruction of their army

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Van Gogh's painting sold for a record $117 million

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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

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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

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Serie A best player of month

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

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Construction Company Fined in Asbestos Case

"Asbestos exposure can cause cancer, lung disease, and other serious respiratory diseases," said Tyler Amon, special agent-in-charge for EPA's Criminal Investigation Division in New York. "In this case, AIREKO Construction avoided hiring trained and certified asbestos abatement professionals. AIREKO did the work 'on the cheap,' willfully putting workers and others at risk."

A construction company has been sentenced to pay a fine of $1.5 million and three years of probation for violating the federal Clean Air Act, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Aug. 16. Its news release said AIREKO Construction Company failed to comply with the asbestos National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants during illegal removal of asbestos-containing materials from the Minillas North Tower in San Juan, in May 2012, according to court documents.

In a plea agreement, AIREKO also was ordered to pay $172,020 to cover a baseline medical examination and follow-up medical examination for victims exposed to asbestos fibers as a result of the cleanup. The asbestos-containing material was discovered by AIREKO employees, but AIREKO did not immediately report the release of the asbestos to the National Response Center as required by law. EPA initiated an investigation into the release and received sampling results later that week showing asbestos throughout the building, and the agency then issued a notice to the Puerto Rico Building Authority, which closed the building. Cleanup of the Minillas North Tower took approximately one year, according to DOJ.

AIREKO Vice President Edgardo Albino previously pleaded guilty to failing to notify immediately the National Response Center of the release of asbestos. He was sentenced to pay a fine and serve a six-month term of probation.

"This prosecution reflects the commitment of the Department of Justice to enforce federal clean air laws," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources Division. "We will continue to hold companies such as AIREKO Construction accountable in order to protect the lives and safety of the public."

"The Clean Air Act requires that construction companies follow specific protocols designed to safely remove asbestos prior to any renovation or demolition activity, so as not to expose anyone to the risk of deadly respiratory diseases, and AIREKO Construction Company failed to do so by exposing those who worked at Minillas to asbestos materials," agreed Rosa Emilia Rodriguez-Velez, U.S. attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. "The U.S. Attorney's Office will continue to work with all victims who were exposed to the asbestos," she added.

"Asbestos exposure can cause cancer, lung disease, and other serious respiratory diseases," said Tyler Amon, special agent-in-charge for EPA's Criminal Investigation Division in New York. "In this case, AIREKO Construction avoided hiring trained and certified asbestos abatement professionals. AIREKO did the work 'on the cheap,' willfully putting workers and others at risk. We will not allow businesses to cut corners on environmental protection at the expense of peoples health."
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is positioned between the Sun and the Earth.

A dragon eating the Sun. Make that a giant toad. A demon. No, a vampire!

Depending on which ancient society you were part of, these were among the ravenous monsters blamed whenever the life-giving star at the center of our existence disappeared behind the Moon for a full solar eclipse.

Before we had science, humans relied on superstition to make sense of the fear-inspiring phenomenon of night falling in the middle of the day, causing the temperature to plummet and birds to stop singing.

The ancient Chinese banged on pots to frighten away Sun-gobbling dragons. Aboriginal Australians got a medicine man to throw sacred stones and boomerangs at the evil.

Robert Massey, acting executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society in London, said that before the scientific age solar eclipses were "regarded as bad omens."

"That's hardly surprising... If you didn't know what was going on, it's easy to see why you would be extremely worried," he told AFP.

It was not until we could accurately predict the path of the Moon around Earth, of the Earth around the Sun, and the distances between all three, that total eclipses became less alarming.

But this took millennia.

Full solar eclipses are a tough nut to crack as they require a precise line-up of the Sun, Moon and Earth.

The Moon orbits Earth at a slightly tilted angle, with the result that it mostly passes too high, or too low, to block out the Sun.

But once about every 18 months or so, our satellite crosses on just the right plane to block out the Sun's light and cast a shadow somewhere on Earth.

Off with their heads

To observe one twice in the same place would entail a wait of several hundred yearsfurther complicating early attempts at deciphering these events.

According to surviving records, efforts were already underway more than 4,000 years ago.

Many failed.

The so-called "drunk astronomers", Hi and Ho, for example, were executed on the emperor's orders for failing to predict an eclipse over China in 2137 BC.

In 585 BC, claimed Greek historian Herodotus, Thales of Miletus predicted a total eclipse that stopped a bloody battle in its tracks. Modern-day astronomers doubt such a calculation would have been possible.

As knowledge grew, eclipse forecasters were enjoying moderate success by the Middle Ages.

"By the time of the Renaissance, certainly by the time of the invention of the telescope (in the early 1600s) and the works of Copernicus, it's hard to believe that many people would still have regarded a total eclipse as a particularly fearful event," said Massey.

Nicolaus Copernicus, who died in 1543, formulated a map of the Universe with the Sun, not Earth, at its center.

But it took the work of 17th and 18th century astronomers Johannes Kepler, Isaac Newton and Edmond Halley to really pin down the mechanics of our solar system.

This made it possible to predict where on Earth an eclipse will be visible from, giving rise to a new era of eclipse chasers.

For hundreds of years, eclipses offered the only way to observe the Sun's atmosphere, or corona, to learn more about its temperature, composition and magnetic properties.

Usually obscured by the Sun's blinding brightness, the corona becomes visible during an eclipse as a ring of light encircling the black disk that is the Moon.

Terrifying, ghostly

Nowadays, scientists can use a coronagraph for the same purpose.

"However, a phenomenon called diffraction blurs the light near the disk in a coronagraph, making it difficult to get clear pictures of the inner parts of the corona," according to NASA.

"So, total solar eclipses remain the only opportunity to study these regions in clear detail in visible light."

In what is arguably the most important eclipse-related discovery, the 1919 solar blackout allowed English astronomer Arthur Eddington to confirm Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

Teams deployed to Brazil and the island of Principe compared the position of stars near the Sun with previously photographed locations, to conclude that the Sun's gravity does bend starlight passing by it, as Einstein predicted.

Nowadays, scientists can predict eclipses with near pinpoint precision of less than a second, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).

"Eclipses can be perceived as a celebration of rationalism," states an ESA document. "Wonder can replace the fear of our ancestors."

Yet, some superstition remains.

NASA has had to publish a list of "eclipse misconceptions" on its website.

These include that eclipses harm unborn babies, poison food being prepared when they occur, and portend bad luck or ill health.

"Total solar eclipses are terrifying and their ghostly green coronae look frightening, so it is natural to want to make up fearful stories about them," said the agency.

But it insisted: "there is nothing other than human psychology that connects eclipses with future events in your life."

 2017 AFP
An Alfred Deakin Institute researcher has uncovered a digital world of civic identity and practice.

Do young people express their citizenship online? Alfred Deakin Institute Research Fellow, Dr Amelia Johns, has co-authored a new book that explores this question and proposes that digital citizenship should be considered in a new way by policy makers.

Dr Johns is currently finalising a research project examining the digital practices of Malaysian-Chinese youth and the role "the digital" plays in political participation, citizenship and belonging in Malaysian society.

"People, young and old, are now deeply engaged in digitally-networked publics, cultures and practices that challenge the existing and dominant way politics and citizenship is thought about," she explained.

"Young people were a focus of the book because they are the standard bearers of what the digital world is going to look like in the future, and, therefore, the shapers of what citizenship online will entail.

"When we started to look closely at the concept of digital citizenship, we realised it was quite a vague term and, in Australia and other countries across the region, creating digital citizens has become a way of monitoring and often curtailing what young people are doing to claim rights and act collectively around politically-contentious issues.

The book "Negotiating Digital Citizenship Control, Contest and Culture" was co-authored with Dr Anthony McCosker (Swinburne University of Technology) and Dr Son Vivienne (Flinders University).

Dr Johns noted that it suggests alternative ways for policy makers to frame digital citizenship.

"Over time digital citizenship in policy has become focused on how we keep the online space civil," she said.

"Much policy activity has therefore focused around schools and promoting positive civil behaviour among young people. However, the online environment is a diverse space with young people engaging in often provocative speech acts and digital cultures to advocate for social change.

"A series of case studies shows a range of groups and situations that demonstrate youth-led digital citizenship.

"While these may be considered productive expressions of social media activity, they can also produce what Belgian political theorist, Chantel Mouffe, would refer to as 'agonistic' political practices that challenge and bring into question the boundaries of civil discourse.

"Young people's engagement with digital cultures and practices, even if they aren't specifically motivated by capital 'P' politics, may also address social and political inequalities through forms of cultural practice.

"This has often been described as 'cultural citizenship'. We draw on these and other concepts and theories of critical citizenship to flesh out how young people are performing digital citizenship.

"We also wanted to understand how young people in digital communities structure their identity, and what new articulations of citizenship and belonging might be generated by these 'performed' identities."

Dr Johns explained that this was particularly relevant for minority groups and communities for whom recognition of their identities and rights claims, many of which span nation-states and citizenship status, are often marginalised or missing from national, mainstream public debates.

"What we found was that these groups used the online environment to contest narrow modes of citizenship that didn't recognise their cultural identities or claims," she said.

"Migrant youth also used the online environment to shape a space for themselves. They negotiated how digital spaces could be used to forge their own identity and voice online, often in contradiction of state policies and forms of recognition. By doing so they came together and shaped a community."

Marginalised groups covered in the book include those in LGBTIQ+ communities, ethnic and religious minority youth, and indigenous and feminist voices, as these were mobilised, ie through #SoBlakAustralia [sic] and controversies such as #GamerGate.

Dr Johns' co-authored chapter focuses on a group of Muslim 'hipsters' in the US  #MIPSTERZ who used social media to connect with like-minded people, discuss politically-relevant topics (in addition to a range of other cultural, religious, pop cultural and lifestyle orientation topics) and to redefine how Muslims were represented in the broader public sphere, where they were often reduced to the category of 'problem citizen'.

The group used a range of online platforms including Facebook, Instagram and web forums to provide support for other young Muslims struggling with the broader social and marginalising public debate.

"The digital space they have created gives them a place where they are able to negotiate their own ideas of safety and free speech, and to express their diversity in ways that challenge the reductive views of Muslim youth presented in the dominant public sphere," she said.

"These online discussions were critical of, but also contributed to, broader democratic processes.

"They enabled these youth to start to take charge of how they are represented, but not without 'democratic' processes of internal contestation and conflict."

More information: Abbas Rattani et al. Collaborative Partnerships and Gatekeepers in Online Research Recruitment, The American Journal of Bioethics (2017). DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2016.1274800
Scientists of Vetmeduni Vienna confirmed a resistance against Toltrazuril of the parasite Cystoisospora suis for the first time. This parasite causes diarrhea predominantly in suckling piglets. Credit: Michael Bernkopf/Vetmeduni Vienna

The parasite Cystoisospora suis causes diarrhea in pigs, especially in newborn piglets, and is capable of quickly spreading across farms. For this reason, pig farmers in Europe preventively use toltrazuril to control parasite development. In contrast to congeneric parasites in chicken, no resistance to this pharmaceutical compound was described in pig parasites until recently. In an article in Parasites & Vectors, researchers of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, have now for the first time confirmed that toltrazuril is ineffective against a Dutch isolate of the parasite. Even though antiparasitic resistance in pig parasites is developing slowly, monitoring of resistance should be intensified due to the lack of alternative treatment options, and increased hygiene measures should be taken to prevent pathogen spread.

When newborn piglets suffer from diarrhea, this is frequently caused by the intestinal parasite Cystoisospora suis. The pathogen may spread rapidly on affected farms, causing a high rate of disease among livestock. Infections are rarely fatal, but they hamper the growth of suckling piglets and thus reduce body weight compared to healthy individuals. The course of infection varies from one piglet to another, leading to uneven weight development which consequently can induce significant economic losses for the affected farm. When pathogenic bacteria infect the intestines damaged by the parasite, the piglets are susceptible to serious diseases, which can lead to the loss of entire litters.

In Europe a standard treatment regimen with toltrazuril has been used to control the parasite for about two decades now. In contrast to congeneric parasites in chicken, against which toltrazuril is no longer consistently effective, resistance to this pharmaceutical was not known in pigs until recently. It was only in 2014 that a Dutch producer reported an increased rate of diarrhea in newborn piglets despite treatment. Using isolates from this farm, researchers at the Institute of Parasitology were able to prove for the first time that the parasites in question were resistant to toltrazuril.

Diarrhea manifests despite double dose of toltrazuril

Based on the information from the Dutch swine farmer, samples of this strain of parasites - so-called isolates - were compared to an isolate from Vienna on which toltrazuril has the desired effect. "Prior to this, we ruled out the possibility that bacteria or viruses could have caused the diarrhea. By this, we could demonstrate that the parasite was very likely the cause of the disease," says Head Researcher Anja Joachim. To confirm the resistance, the research team administered various doses of toltrazuril, starting at the prescribed dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight.

All piglets infected with the Dutch isolate developed diarrhea on the fourth day after infection - regardless of the dose of the medication. "Even treatment with the double dose had no effect on these isolates," notes Joachim. Apart from symptoms such as diarrhea, the presence of developmental stages of the parasite is a clear indication of its presence. "Toltrazuril is effective if no oocysts - the final developmental stage of the parasite - are present in fecal samples," say lead authors Aruna Shrestha and Barbara Freudenschuss.

Final development stage of the parasite found in feces confirms its drug resistance

When the parasite keeps developing in the intestine, it forms oocysts which are excreted via the feces. In this way, the pathogen is spread within the litter and the existing livestock, as oocysts are highly infectious and have a very strong tenacity in the environment. If toltrazuril takes effect, no oocysts are present in the feces; the life cycle of the parasite is disrupted, preventing it from spreading. By contrast, the parasite isolated in the Netherlands was detected in all fecal samples, despite treatment. "This is how we conclusively showed that toltrazuril had no effect on this parasite isolate. This makes it the first strain of Cystoisospora suis with confirmed resistance to toltrazuril," assert the authors.

As part of the standard treatment regimen, there has been no regular testing for reduced efficacy of the drug resulting from possible resistance. "Until recently, there had only been some suspicion based on reports from the field. However, we were worried because resistant strains in chickens were constantly developing. The strain from the Dutch pig stock confirmed our suspicion. Resistance of Cystoisospora suis seems to be developing slowly, but it is expected to become more frequent," explains Joachim. Resistance to toltrazuril on pig farms could become a problem as there is no practical alternative control measure available. Once resistant parasites appear in a farm, there is no way of eliminating them permanently.

Improved hygiene standards and disinfection are currently the only immediate alternative

The researchers advise veterinarians to increase testing for diarrhea and oocysts, regardless of preventive treatment. "These routine checks can be performed easily. When oocysts are discovered in the feces despite the administration of toltrazuril, additional measures should be taken immediately," warns Joachim. Improved hygiene measures and chemical disinfection in particular can keep down the number of oocysts in the environment of the piglets. This is an essential prerequisite for preventing resistant parasites from spreading. As a consequence, it will be essential to consistently monitor the success of treatment in order to detect any developing resistance of the parasite.

More information: Aruna Shrestha et al. Experimentally confirmed toltrazuril resistance in a field isolate of Cystoisospora suis, Parasites & Vectors (2017). DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2257-7
Bruce Sullivan, a forecaster at NOAA's National Weather Service Prediction Center explains that viewing conditions in the zone of totality for the upcoming eclipse, Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, at NOAA in College Park, Md. The early eclipse weather forecast looks best in the West and least in the East with patchy clouds muddling up the picture in between. The forecast as of Friday shows Oregon and Idaho as most promising to have clear sky views, while South Carolina is the most likely to find the sun and moon blocked by clouds. (AP Photo Bill Gorman)

The early eclipse weather forecast looks best in the West and least in the East with patchy clouds muddling up the picture in between.

As of Friday, the forecast for Monday's total solar eclipse shows Oregon and Idaho as the most promising for clear sky views, while South Carolina is the most likely to find the sun and moon blocked by clouds.

The National Weather Service also is optimistic about good viewing from St. Louis to Nashville, but forecasts can change.

Overall, about half the nation is likely to get favorable eclipse viewing weather, said Mike Musher, a meteorologist at the weather service's Weather Prediction Center.

The troublesome area, not easy to forecast and not likely to be all clear, is from Wyoming to western Missouri.

"It's going to be twitchy for everybody from Nebraska eastward," said retired Canadian meteorologist Jay Anderson, who has been forecasting eclipse weather since 1978.

Anderson, who runs the Eclipsophile weather website, said people east of Idaho and west of the Appalachian Mountains may have to drive a bit to find clear skies, but with a little effort they can find them. Officials and eclipse watchers have fretted, though, about roads being too clogged as the eclipse approaches.

The full eclipse will cover a 70-mile-wide (112-kilometer) swath from Oregon to South Carolina. The moon will pass between Earth and the sun for America's first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse since 1918. When this happens, the classic image appears of a black dot surrounded by a feathery red ring, the sun's corona.

A partial eclipse will be visible outside the path, extending up to Canada and down to the top of South America.

Anderson, who is staying in Jackson, Wyoming, fears heart-breaking weather in Wyoming where clouds could hide the eclipse with tantalizing clear skies just off in the distance.

This image provided by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017 shows a forecast map of cloud cover for the United States for Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, and the path of totality of the solar eclipse that day. (NOAA via AP)

If a cloud moves over the sun, you miss the corona, Anderson said. "That's everybody's No. 1 target."

It will still get dark and cooler and animals may act differently, but the sky show won't be the same, Anderson said.

Computer-generated forecasts don't quite agree about cloud cover, except for the Pacific Northwest and South Carolina.

This is still early. The forecast can still change and has been changing, but Musher said "we are getting into that window where there shouldn't be a dramatic adjustment to weather development and cloud coverage."

Musher cautioned that wildfires in the Northwest could cause smokiness that might worsen the eclipse view in Oregon and Idaho, but Anderson and Oregon State University climate scientist Kathie Dello said smoke is looking like less of an issue.

No area on the eclipse path had high chances of rain Monday afternoon, Musher and Anderson agreed.

Hardcore eclipse chasers pore over weather forecasts, especially the day before the action so they can alter their plans.

"I've travelled overseas three times for this. One that I can drive to, I don't want to miss because of the weather," said Alabama plastic surgeon Gordon Telepun, who is leading a group of about 20 people.

He is leaving nothing to chance. Telepun has booked six separate sitesfive camping areas and one hotelalong a 400-mile-long swath from Missouri to Tennessee, ready to get ahead of the weather.

Telepun said he won't even pay attention to Friday's forecast, despite how promising it looks for him.

"We'll be making the decision Sunday morning where to go," Telepun said.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Engineers Andrei Khodak and Irving Zatz with poster for pole shields. Credit: Elle Starkman/Office of Communications PPPL

Fusion power, which lights the sun and stars, requires temperatures of millions of degrees to fuse the particles inside plasma, a soup of charged gas that fuels fusion reactions. Here on Earth, scientists developing fusion as a safe, clean and abundant source of energy must produce temperatures hotter than the core of the sun in doughnut-shaped facilities called tokamaks. Much of the power needed to reach these temperatures comes from high-energy beams that physicists pump into the plasma through devices known as neutral beam injectors.

At the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), engineers recently designed and delivered a set of innovative new components for the neutral beam injectors that heat plasma in the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, the tokamak that General Atomics operates for DOE in San Diego.

The redesigned parts, called pole shields, protect magnets in the injectors from the energetic particles from the beam and will replace units that melted and cracked during previous fusion experiments, resulting in water leaks. The magnets redirect charged atomic nuclei, or ions, in the beams to an ion dump inside the injectors, permitting only neutral atoms to enter into the plasma.

"They had a problem that needed fixing. In the end, we came up with a solution that solved the problem," said PPPL engineer Irving Zatz, who oversaw the design, analysis and delivery of the shields. He teamed with engineers Andrei Khodak, who ran computer analyses to verify the new design, and Alex Nagy, who heads PPPL engineering collaborations on DIII-D. Support for this work comes from the DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences.

The new units are similar to shields that PPPL delivered to DIII-D for installation on the first of the facility's four injectors in 2014. Following months of use of those shields, "inspection results showed no signs of wear or damage," Nagy said.

Withstand higher heat loads

The new design will withstand the sharply increased heat loads that the injectors are scheduled to produce. Plans call for an upgrade in the injector's maximum power from 2.6 megawatts in three-second pulses to 3.2 megawatts in pulses that will last twice as long.

The new shields consist of half-inch thick, roughly five-foot long copper plates equipped with inserts of the hard, silvery metal molybdenum in the center of the plates, the area that will absorb the most energy from the beam. The inserts, which resist melting at high temperatures, are a key design innovation originally proposed by General Atomics' Tim Scoville, the head of neutral beam operations at DIII-D.

Each new shield contains 10 molybdenum plates that are grooved together like a puzzle, with a copper key piece holding them in place. This setup will accommodate different degrees of heat expansion and other conditions, and will enable the molybdenum tiles to be easily disassembled and replaced, without injector disassembly.

Khodak used a software code to examine how the shields stood up to factors ranging from the distribution of heat loads to the stresses in the copper and molybdenum that greater power will exert. Results showed that the design met or exceeded all performance requirements.

"The original, all-copper plates typically fail after about five year of service," Nagy said. "The life of the new pole shield design is unknown, but should significantly increase the time to failure for this critical component. The difference between the old and new shields is like comparing old bias-ply tires to new steel-belted radials."

Pole shields are not the only parts that PPPL is upgrading on the DIII-D neutral beam injectors. The laboratory has designed new collimators, which align the neutrals in parallel beams, and calorimeters, which measure heat, for the machines. Fabrication is under way and the components are scheduled for delivery in the fall.

PPPL, on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro, N.J., is devoted to creating new knowledge about the physics of plasmasultra-hot, charged gasesand to developing practical solutions for the creation of fusion energy. The Laboratory is managed by the University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, which is the largest single supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
Credit: Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

In a new study, an interdisciplinary team of Northeastern University researchers has found a "modest correlation" between a journalist's Twitter network and the ideological dimensions of his or her news content. The researchers emphasized that while their work doesn't show causation, it does represent "a crucial first step toward greater critical examination of emerging patterns of media bias."

"Twitter is very much the watercooler for the journalism profession these days, and journalists spend an awful lot of time there," said co-author John Wihbey, assistant professor of journalism. Political polarization and media bias are issues of intense debate today, and Wihbey said the findings could bring more scrutiny to the way the media sources information and publishes content. "It's always good to reflect on the kinds of sources we have and information inputs we have," he said.

Wihbey added that the study illustrates a broader issue in the media about the need for journalists to be more in touch with diversity of experience and views across America. He pointed to a Nieman Lab story last year about digital news pushing the industry into tighter geographic clusters; this new study, he said, focuses on the narrowness of journalists' online-social "geography."

The research team comprised Wihbey; David Lazer, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer and Information Science; and postdoctoral research fellow Kenny Joseph and data scientist Thalita Dias Coleman, who work in Lazer's lab and Northeastern's Network Science Institute. Wihbey presented the team's research at the KDD Data Science + Journalism Workshop/Conference in Halifax, Canada, on Monday.

The researchers said their work provides, to their knowledge, the first empirical study of journalists' online social networks and the connections with professional output. "The novel aspect of our research was connecting these two modes of data: who a journalist follows on Twitter, and what they write," Joseph said.

For the study, the researchers examined more than 502,000 news articles produced by 1,047 journalists at 25 different news outlets. The news outlets cut across a wide spectrumthe Washington Times and Breitbart among the "heavily right leaning"; the New York Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Dallas Morning News, and The Oklahoman, among the "right leaning"; The Huffington Post, Vox, and Politico among the "heavily left leaning"; and USA Today, Bloomberg, Buzzfeed, the New York Times, and the Washington Post among the "left leaning."

Not surprisingly, the data showed that overall journalists from left-leaning outlets have a left-leaning followership, and the same was true for reporters at right-learning news organizations. There were some exceptions, however, such as Jeremy Peters, a New York Times reporter who frequently covers Republicans.

Each point is a news outlet. On the y-axis, the average ideological rating of all journalists at the outlet as estimated by the articles they wrote. On the y-axis, the average ideological rating of all journalists at the outlet as determined by whom they follow on Twitter. Credit: Northeastern University

The researchers determined the ideology of journalists' Twitter networks by developing a method that factors in the journalists, the congressional accounts they follow, and other politically active Twitter accounts.

As part of their methodology to assess whether reporters' news content was left- or right-leaning, the researchers constructed a set of phrases that are representative of left- or right-leaning ideology. To do this, they examined about 150,000 congressional public statements, extracted a variety of phrases, and then scored those phrases based in part on how often they were used and in what context. Of the final list of 114 phrases used for their assessment, 57 were left-leaning and 57 were right leaning. Among the top "left-leaning" phrases were "LGBT," "bigotry," and "voting rights act"; among the top "right-leaning" phrases were "bureaucrats," "overreach," and "illegal immigrants."

Then, the researchers analyzed the usage of these terms in journalists' news content to scale how left- or right-leaning their coverage was.

While the researchers found "a clear correlation between the ideology of the journalist's Twitter network and the ideology of his or her writing," they underscored several notable outliers. For example, New York Times reporter David Sanger focuses heavily on national security and military affairs and wouldn't be characterized as particularly partisan among media observers. But the researchers' analysis put Sanger among the most right-leaning media producers, even though his Twitter network leaned left. There were "a substantial number" of other journalists, the researchers said, whose content leaned right but whose Twitter followership leaned left.

What's more, the researchers wrote, the study can't fully account for "confounding variables" such as a journalist's beatwhich would demand the reporter be embedded deeper in specific ideological communities as part of his or her sourcing and research.

The authors noted that previous research has suggested journalists as a whole tend to lean more left and that reporters are generally concentrated in metropolitan areas, which tend to vote more liberally. These factors could help explain why their social networks skew in that direction. The researchers added that the findings give tentative evidence to impartiality remaining strong in journalistic culture, despite criticisms that journalists are mostly liberal and are therefore biased.

"The relationship between social networks and work output of journalists is complex and evolving, and the moderate correlation and obvious exceptions found point to that reality," they wrote.

More information: Exploring the Ideological Nature of Journalists' Social Networks on Twitter and Associations with News Story Content: lazerlab.net/publication/explo  nd-associations-news
The dashed line marks the Northwest and Northeast Providence Channels, which divide populations of free-tailed bats that last shared an ancestor hundreds of thousands of years ago. Bats were collected from locations marked with white dots. Credit: Speer et al. in Ecology and Evolution

Brazilian free-tailed bats are expert flyers, capable of migrating hundreds of miles and regularly traveling more than 30 miles a night. But they pull up short at a narrow ocean channel that cuts across the Bahamas, dividing bat populations that last shared an ancestor hundreds of thousands of years ago.

A new study published in Ecology and Evolution uncovers a dramatic and unexpected genetic rift between populations of Tadarida brasiliensis on either side of the Northwest and Northeast Providence Channels, about 35 miles across at their most narrow point.

Genetic analysis of the populations suggests that bats from Florida colonized the northern Bahamian islands while bats from other parts of the Caribbean likely colonized the southern Bahamas. Why the bats balk at crossing a channel so narrow they can likely see land on the other side while in flight remains a mystery, said Kelly Speer, the study's lead author who completed the research while a master's student at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

"Based on their mainland population behavior, we know they're able to disperse much farther than the distances between islands in the Caribbean," said Speer, now a doctoral student at the American Museum of Natural History. "It doesn't seem like distance is the factor, and there's no association with wind direction. We don't have any idea why they don't cross this channel."

Because they can fly, bats are good models for studying mammal movement in fragmented habitats, Speer said. The ability to disperse, or spread genes by moving to other areas, plays a key role in the evolution of animal populations, and a barrier to bats' dispersal is likely a barrier to less mobile animals.

Despite traveling hundreds of miles with ease, Brazilian free-tailed bats pull up short at a narrow ocean channel dividing the northern and southern Bahamas. Credit: Verity Mathis, Florida Museum of Natural History

"Many mammals undertake long migrations, but bats are unique in their ability to cross ocean channels," she said. "You'd expect there to be no barriers to the dispersal, but that's not the case. There are lots of barriers, many of which we wouldn't expect."

One of the most abundant mammals in North America, Brazilian free-tailed batsalso known as Mexican free-tailed batsinhabit a range that stretches from Argentina to Oregon. But despite being so common, the species has been understudied, said study co-author David Reed, Florida Museum curator of mammals and associate director of research and collections.

When the University of Florida Bat House's internal structure collapsed in 2009 Reed and Speer suddenly had dozens of free-tailed bat specimens at hand and saw an opportunity to take a closer look at how the species disperses. They sampled and compared the genetics of free-tailed bats from Florida and the Bahamas, thinking the DNA would bear out their hypothesis: With long, narrow-tipped wings, well suited for swift flight in open spaces and at high altitudes, the bats would have had no trouble spreading throughout the Bahamas.

Wing shape and flight patterns had proven reliable predictors of bat dispersal in the Caribbean before. Most previous studies focused on a different family of bats, Phyllostomidae, or leaf-nosed bats. If Brazilian free-tailed bats are like jets, built for distance and speed, leaf-nosed bats are like helicopters. They have shorter, wider wings, better adapted for slow flight and easy maneuvering in cluttered environments. Studies showed that leaf-nosed bats are homebodies, sticking to their respective islands, presumably a result of the bats' wing shape.

Reed and Speer expected Brazilian free-tailed bats would instead freewheel between the islands. When they sequenced a bat from one of the southern islands, however, its genetics were so different from bats on the northern islands that they thought they had tested the wrong bat. But further sampling gradually revealed a clear divide between populations on either side of the channel.

The bats are so genetically distinct from one another that the populations on the southern islands may be a different species, Speer said. "We need to do more work to confirm that, but we think the population on the southern islands might belong to a broader Caribbean species of free-tailed bat that has never been described," she said. "The nice thing about science is that when you make a hypothesis and your data tell you it's wrong, you still find something we didn't know before."

More information: Kelly A. Speer et al, Population structure of a widespread bat (Tadarida brasiliensis ) in an island system, Ecology and Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3233 Journal information: Ecology and Evolution
With over 500 million tweets sent every single day, new research from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) is investigating innovative ways to use that data to help communities respond during unexpected catastrophes.

While local governments and relief organizations can measure a community's ability to respond to a disaster or measuring its impacts after, they've never been able to monitor the effects in real time.

IST researchers believe the answer may be found on social media. Their case study, "Embracing human noise as a resilience indicator" published in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, demonstrates the ability of social media to alert first responders. The researchers compared tweets sent out during Hurricane Sandy, one of the deadliest hurricanes to ever hit the United States, and the corresponding power outage information provided after the incident by utility companies in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. By comparing the information drawn from the power grid and the human chatter from over 10 million relevant posts on Twitter, the team was able to create a system for event detection.

Then, by isolating tweets with the terms "power," "outage," "electri," and "utility," the posts were organized by hour and compared to the outage reports in the same timeframe. The two data sets were found to have a moderate-to-strong correlation, and the team believes it's possible that Twitter was able to report power outages more quickly. Previous academic research in the domain has primarily been before and after disastrous events.

"[We were able] to show these two data points actually relate to one another," explained Nick Lalone, doctoral student and the principal investigator of the study. "The goal [of this research] is to demonstrate that if the data stream changes, you can see what just happened. It would result in a real-time monitoring system."

Lalone is particularly interested in aiding first responders because his father and brother were both a firefighters and paramedics.

"I've always been around this," he said. "It's something that has always fascinated me, and when I got to IST [Andrea Tapia, assistant professor of IST] had two different grants to study crisis response. That's how I got started."

"We can count how many beds are in a hospital, or how many people can be injured," added Lalone. "But we know people are producing all of this noise and we know it can be useful. But we've never been able to correlate or demonstrate it in real-time."

Their efforts mirror a broader attempt by government officials to promote resiliency - a concept that has shifted in meaning after the events of 9/11.

"For a long time, [the United States] had this mentality of defense; we needed to be ready if we were invaded or for a nuclear war," Lalone said. "But when 9/11 came, we reorganized our resources around resiliency. So instead of responding to an attack, we're being prepared for it."

Lalone is hopeful that one day tools like theirs can be used on a larger scale to aid disaster recovery.

"The future is that we hope someone with ties to Homeland Security or the Red Cross will be able to put together this data when something happens and incorporate it into their official response," he said.

For example, during another hurricane, officials could use this tool to deploy their resources without waiting on official reports from utility companies. However, the team understands that there are additional challenges before the tool can be adopted. As social media information is controlled by private entities like Twitter and Facebook, issues of user privacy could arise if these companies allowed government officials an all-access pass to their data.

In addition, examining social media networks can potentially exclude those who don't use Twitter or even by using wording in their tweets that wasn't flagged in the tool's parameters. As the paper noted, "This becomes one of the most important barriers to engage, as every possible stakeholder of a given area should be given a voice."

But this study represents a crucial step in harnessing the power of social media to support communities when they need it most.

"This is why IST exists," Lalone said. "We take computer science and what the rest of the world is doing and get them to work together. We want to consolidate this data and make it useful for everyone."
Vulnerable homes and docks along the shore in Broad Channel, Queens. Credit: State of the Planet

In the weeks following Hurricane Sandy, I traveled from the Upper East Side of Manhattan to Staten Island to help community members rebuild their devastated neighborhoods. Perhaps the most poignant experience I had was helping to clean out the flooded basement of a single woman in Staten Island, named Rebecca. As volunteers, we sifted through the wreckage of personal effects in Rebecca's basement making decisions, as strangers, as to what photographs, clothing items, and medical records were salvageable and which items were not. While Rebecca was gracious and very thankful for our help, her sense of loss was palpable. More than anything, I wanted to give her an assuring hug and let her know that all would soon be well again. The flooding would subside, and life would go back to normal. Yet, I couldn't help but question whether this flooding, this damage, this loss of place, was going to be the new normal for Rebecca, her community, and similar at-risk neighborhoods throughout New York City.

Cities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the risks of climate change. More than 90 percent of all urban areas are coastal, putting them at greater risk of flooding due to rising sea levels and storm surges. In New York City, it is predicted that sea level could rise by as much as six feet by the end of this century. In the face of such troubling statistics, it is encouraging that cities such as New York are rising to the occasion as innovative leaders in climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, urban policymakers should understand that the effects of climate change aren't equitable from a gender perspective and that women are likely to be disproportionately impacted by climate change compared to their male counterparts.

While I didn't recognize it at the time, Rebecca's experience in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy as a female was likely disadvantaged in comparison to that of her male neighbors. Women are generally more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men. As the majority of the world's poor, women's and girls' abilities to adapt well to climate change are significantly constrained by their being economically disadvantaged. Further, women and girls are often those primarily responsible for household work and obtaining food, tasks that sometimes involve access to scarce resources that climate change makes even scarcer. Perhaps most importantly, women and girls face social and political barriers that hinder their chances to participate in influencing climate change policies.

While the effects of climate change on women have been studied and are better understood from a rural or developing country perspective, its effects on women aren't as well-defined in an urban context. In New York City, approximately one in four women are considered economically disadvantaged, according to a report produced by the New York Women's Foundation. Within this contingent, Black and Latino women and girls are 25 percent more likely than White women and girls to live in poverty. Further, almost 40 percent of households with children headed by single mothers are impoverished in the city, compared to just 13 percent of dual-parent households. In addition to being economically vulnerable, women are typically primary caregivers to children, the disabled, and elderly. Throughout the City, there are 300,000 households where females are the primary caregivers to more than 1 million children.

A complex conversation related to climate change is that of voluntary or forced migration. An average of 22.5 million people have been displaced by climate- or weather-related events since 2008, translating to an estimated one person being displaced each second. Climate change has led to a scarcity of natural resources as well as sea level rise in many geographical locations, forcing populations to relocate. Further, crops and livestock are becoming increasingly at risk due to climate change, worsening food security concerns.

It's not only rural or developing nations, however, that are grappling with the concept of leaving their homes due to climate change. In 2016, the Federal government allocated $48 million to relocate America's first climate refugees from the Isle de Jean Charles in southeastern Louisiana. In New York City, federal, state, and city residential buyout programs were crafted in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy for community members living in high-risk neighborhoods.

Forced migration is not often thought of in gender-specific terms. There are, however, notable differences in how various forms of forced migration effect males and females. For example, a study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine found that African American mothers forced to relocate after Hurricane Katrina suffered greater psychological distress than any other group. Thus, it's important to evaluate the concept of forced migration through a gender lens.

Almost 5 years after Hurricane Sandy- homes continue to be rebuilt in Broad Channel, Queens. Credit: State of the Planet

One of the earliest references to climate change policy in New York City is within PlaNYC, which was originally published by Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration in 2007. Within the inaugural plan, preparation for climate change was addressed. In 2013, following Hurricane Sandy, the report was updated to provide actionable recommendations for rebuilding communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy and increasing resiliency and infrastructure citywide.

Following the change of administration from Mayor Bloomberg to Mayor Bill de Blasio, PlaNYC was updated and repackaged into OneNYC. Whereas PlaNYC incorporated climate change resiliency and its effects on New York City as an overarching theme, OneNYC includes it as one of four lenses: growth, equity, resiliency, and sustainability.

A commonality across both PlaNYC and OneNYC is that women are not specifically mentioned in relation to resiliency planning efforts. Rather, in both plans, women are explicitly mentioned from an economic perspective, in that both PlaNYC and OneNYC emphasize the promotion of Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises.

The reports do, however, mention the existence of vulnerable populations as related to climate change and resiliency planning. PlaNYC includes in its definition of vulnerable populations the elderly and disabled, while OneNYC expands this definition to also include the homeless and children. Notably, women and girls aren't expressly mentioned in either of these definitions.

To respond to climate change and achieve the sustainability goals outlined in PlaNYC, the city convened the first New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC1) in 2008. Following Hurricane Sandy, the second New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC2) was convened in January 2013 to specify updated scientific information on climate risks and assist with rebuilding and resiliency efforts. The NPCC2's report, published in 2015, detailed the need to address "vulnerable groups" when considering resiliency, which did include women, along with the elderly and very young, those with preexisting physical, mental, or substance-abuse disorders, residents of low-income households, members of disadvantaged racial/ethnic groups, workers engaged in recovery efforts, and those with weak social networks.

The City has also developed more detailed plans for localized initiatives. In 2013, the New York City Department of City Planning launched the Resilient Neighborhoods initiative with the goal of identifying neighborhood-specific strategies, including zoning and land-use changes, to ensure community resilience in floodplain areas. One of the neighborhoods identified for the initiative was Broad Channel in Queens. As part of the study, a Community Advisory Committee was selected to provide input on the planning process. Overwhelmingly, the majority of Committee members are men. In fact, three out of 16, or less than 20 percent of the individuals serving on the Community Advisory Committee are female.

To better incorporate gender in policy-making processes, the city can ensure that women are included in the definition of "vulnerable populations" in future city reports, as related to resiliency. Additionally, research should be conducted to determine how women, in particular, are impacted by climate change in urban contexts and how they might be disproportionately impacted by forced temporary or permanent relocation from their homes.

While the decisions both policymakers and community members must make regarding climate change policies are numerous and complex, an emphasis should be placed on including women in policy- and decision-making. Without heightened attention to such inclusion, when the next climate-related disaster hits, women such as Rebecca from Staten Island or community members in Broad Channel, Queens, may find themselves without access to the resources they most need, such as health and childcare facilities, transportation, safe and welcoming public spaces, and necessary businesses such as grocery stores.

Provided by State of the Planet

This story is republished courtesy of State of the Planet (blogs.ei.columbia.edu/)
The threats come in text messages, social media and phone calls.

Someone flashes a look at a neighbor who called the cops. Others mutter under their breath as a witness leaves a courtroom. At trial, a spectator puts two fingers near his temple, signaling to a witness he could be executed if he tells what he saw.

Houses are set on fire. Witnesses are shot and killed.

Although police and prosecutors are charging more and more people with witness intimidation, it continues to pervade  and pervert  the criminal justice system in Milwaukee County.

In 2015, the year Antonio Smith sought to silence witnesses to a homicide, prosecutors charged nearly 190 people with witness intimidation  a 250% increase from a decade before, a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis of court data found.

The 2015 cases resulted in a lower rate of dismissals, more convictions, and longer sentences than those issued in 2005, the analysis found.

Smith was accused of witness intimidation in 2005, but never charged. That year, he tried to shoot a security guard outside a Milwaukee concert venue and later called the guard from jail asking him not to testify. The guard said he reported the call from Smith but nothing happened.

Witness intimidation undermines the capacity of the criminal justice system to deliver justice to victims," Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said. "It also creates a climate of fear in peoples ability to trust the system."

Witness intimidation plays a role from the start of a case: Do people pick up the phone to call police about a problem in their neighborhood? Many people do not want an officer to come to their door, feeling that will mark them for harassment  or worse  from those in their neighborhood.

Declining trust in police also can be a factor. One study found a correlation between a decline in 911 calls in black neighborhoods after a high-profile police misconduct case became public in Milwaukee.

Prosecutors say witness intimidation comes up most frequently in domestic violence and cases related to drug and gang violence. Investigators in the District Attorney's Office take the lead investigating intimidation in the county.

Here are some high-profile examples of recent witness intimidation cases:

Christopher M. Anderson, 25, killed two people, tried to kill two others and set a man on fire after dousing him with gasoline.

One of the people Anderson killed was Jarvis Johnson, whose brother Anderson and his group believed had given police information about a rolling gun battle on Interstate 43 downtown.

As his mother drove Johnson, a kidney transplant patient who did not witness the earlier crime, they were shot at repeatedly by a passing vehicle. Johnson suffered a fatal wound. A witness testified that the men intended to kill Johnson's mother, thinking her death would serve as a warning and stop others from cooperating with law enforcement.

In June, Anderson received consecutive life terms without the possibility of release. Since his convictions, he's been charged with soliciting the murders of three more "rats" from inside jail. He's due back in court later this month on those charges.

Danta Rowsey, 29, was convicted by a jury last year of three murders and an attempted fourth homicide.

The case began in late 2011 when Rowsey and two others decided to rob a man of his designer sunglasses. The botched robbery ended up in a murder.

Then, Rowsey decided he had to kill the two men who had acted as lookouts during the robbery. He feared the men would turn on him. So Rowsey arranged to have the men killed by a hired hit man, Emmanuel "E-Bay" Carter.

After Carter finished the job, Rowsey determined Carter had to go, too. He arranged for another man to kill Carter, but the shooting did not kill Carter. Instead, he was paralyzed and later testified against Rowsey. In July 2016, Rowsey received a double life sentence in the slayings.

Robert McCorkle, 32, received a life sentence in 2015 after killing a man who had identified McCorkle's friend as the person who shot at him.

Richard Conn, 26, was near N. 11th St. and Finn Place when a barrage of gunfire erupted on May 17, 2014. Conn later told police he saw Hakeem Dontrail Harris shooting at him in that incident.

Harris and McCorkle were friends. On July 5, 2014, McCorkle and another man approached Conn at the same corner where he had been shot at weeks earlier.

McCorkle shot Conn once in the head.

McCorkle later joked with Harris in jail, suggesting Harris should move to have his case dismissed since there would now be no witness to testify against him. McCorkle was convicted at trial and the threat of intimidation extended to the jury pool. Two people were dismissed after expressing fear for their safety during jury selection.

Walter Coleman, 24, almost killed a heroin addict when he shot the man in the chest during a drug deal turned robbery.

Then Coleman, who was behind bars, tried to ensure the addict did not testify. The man, who had stayed off drugs since the incident, did take the stand, twice.

The man said he was threatened by another dealer, Montrell Hilson. After threatening the man, Hilson himself was targeted and gunshots were fired at his house. Hilson was told he and his family would be killed if he testified.

Coleman's first trial ended in a mistrial when a juror learned that Hilson had disappeared. Someone in the gallery secretly took video of testimony and posted it on social media, which spooked Hilson. Coleman was convicted in a second trial and received 28 years in prison.

Michael R. Cooper, 38, is accused of killing a tavern owner and then shooting two witnesses two weeks later.

Cooper was charged in February with first-degree intentional homicide and being a felon in possession of a firearm in the shooting death of Michael Patton, 44, who was killed last fall inside his bar, Mike's Place.

The case is expected to be combined with two attempted homicide charges filed against Cooper in November when prosecutors say he shot two people in the head. Both people survived their injuries. One of the individuals was a witness to the tavern homicide, while the other had some knowledge of it, according to investigators.

Cooper's next court date is scheduled for October.

Michael Birk, 41, is accused of breaking into a woman's house, raping her at gunpoint and then plotting to kill the woman from behind bars.

After he was booked in Milwaukee County Jail on sexual assault and burglary charges in early June, prosecutors say Birk offered another inmate $10,000 to kill the woman.

Birk provided the inmate with a description of the victim in the sexual assault case and a map to her house, the criminal complaint says. The inmate told investigators about the offer and they developed a plan to get Birk to speak to a fake hit man known as Magic.

When Birk called Magic, who was a law enforcement officer, he detailed where the woman worked and where her children live, according to the complaint.

When asked what he wants done to the woman, Birk replied: "Done, gone."

No witness, no crime," he said.

Birk is expected back in court in September.

Ellen Gabler, formerly of the Journal Sentinel, contributed to this report.
The commander of a US Navy ship that collided with a Philippine-flagged cargo ship off Japan, killing seven American seamen, will be relieved of duty and several other sailors face punishment, a senior admiral said Thursday. Among those being disciplined from the crew of the USS Fitzgerald are its commanding officer, executive officer and senior enlisted sailor, who will all be relieved of their duties aboard the ship, said Admiral Bill Moran, the vice chief of naval operations. "They will be detached from the ship for cause, which (means) we've lost trust and confidence for their ability to lead in those positions and they will not return to the ship," Moran told reporters. Seven sailors drowned in their sleeping berth when the USS Fitzgerald collided with the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal in a busy shipping channel off Japan's coast early on June 17. Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, who heads the Navy's 7th Fleet, based in Yokosuka, Japan has notified one sailor of his or her punishment and the rest would likely be informed by the end of Friday. About a dozen sailors are expected to be disciplined in total. "If it's clear to (Aucoin) that some members of that crew should no longer be doing this line of work, it's time to move them on, it's time to take accountability actions," Moran said. Moran said the sailors could face further punishments later one, depending on the outcome of various ongoing probes. "I'm not telling they will or they won't. It's just we are not done with the investigation," Moran said. - 'Heroic' actions - Aged 19 to 37, the drowned seamen were found by divers in flooded sleeping quarters a day after the collision tore a huge gash in the side of the Fitzgerald. Moran spoke to Pentagon reporters just as the Navy released findings from a preliminary inquiry into what happened in the immediate aftermath of the crash. The report found that all seven victims died in the line of duty and their deaths were not due to any misconduct on their part. Investigators praised the quick-thinking and "heroic" actions of sailors who worked to save shipmates, one of whom had to be dragged from his bunk in a flooding sleeping area as waters quickly rose. One sailor who was rescued moments before he would have drowned reported that "when taking his final breath before being saved, he was already submerged and breathed in water." Additionally, the report describes how the ship's commanding officer was injured when the merchant ship Crystal struck his cabin, trapping him inside. Fellow sailors had to smash and pry his door open before retrieving the commander, who was "hanging from the side of the ship. The officer was eventually medically evacuated by helicopter. Moran praised the actions of the drowned sailors. The last of them to be buried was laid to rest Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington.
Hong Kong democracy campaigners raised fears Friday that they too would be jailed after the city's Beijing-backed government succeeded in putting Joshua Wong and two other prominent activists behind bars. Supporters and rights group said the sentencing Thursday was more proof that Beijing is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city and that rule of law is being compromised. Hong Kong enjoys freedoms unseen on the mainland after being handed back to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" deal, but there are growing fears those rights are disappearing. Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow were handed sentences of six to eight months by the Court of Appeal for their role in 2014's massive Umbrella Movement protests, which called for fully free leadership elections and were an unprecedented challenge to Beijing. The court overturned previous non-custodial sentences saying they were too light and did not serve as a deterrent to activists who were undermining stability in Hong Kong. Nine more democracy campaigners -- including the three "Occupy Central" founders who first called for residents to protest on the streets in 2014 -- are due to appear in court in September over their part in the Umbrella Movement. All face public nuisance charges which carry maximum sentences of seven years. Occupy founder Benny Tai, 53, who is among the nine, told AFP that he was now bracing for a jail term. "Personally, I am prepared in my own case -- it's likely that there will be imprisonment," Tai said. Tai added that the court had ignored the principle of civil disobedience. "It sets a kind of guiding principle for lower courts to follow in dealing with cases of this kind," Tai said. - 'Unhealthy trend' - Britain said it hoped the sentencing would not discourage "legitimate protest" in future. US politicians Marco Rubio and Nancy Pelosi condemned the judgement. But Wally Yeung, one of the panel of three judges that handed down the sentences, said in a written judgement that there had been an "unhealthy trend" of people in Hong Kong breaking the law for the sake of their ideals and having what he described as "arrogant and self-righteous ideas". "Acts that undermine the public order will cause society to sink into a chaotic state and will have a seriously negative impact on the progress and development of society," he said. The justice ministry, which brought the re-sentencing bid, said the judgement could "provide guidance to future cases of similar nature", but insisted there was no political motive. Wong, 20, spent the first night of his six-month sentence in Pik Uk high security prison for young male offenders Thursday. Law and Chow are at another maximum security holding centre. Wong's mother Grace visited him Friday afternoon along with two other activists. In an emotional letter penned to her son before his sentencing and displayed on his party's Facebook page, she wrote: "My dear son Joshua, why has Hong Kong fallen like this? To treat the children of this generation like this?" Supporters of the three activists will protest Friday evening outside Lai Chi Kok Prison where Law and Chow are held.
By Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iranian authorities have denied the appeal of a Princeton University student who had been convicted on espionage charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison, the university and his wife said on Thursday. Xiyue Wang, a history doctoral student and U.S. citizen who was conducting dissertation research in Iran in 2016 when he was detained by Iranian authorities, was accused by Iran of "spying under the cover of research," a claim his family and university deny. "Iranian authorities have denied Xiyue Wang's appeal of his conviction and 10-year prison sentence for espionage that he did not attempt or commit," Princeton University said in a statement. "We are distressed that his appeal was denied, and that he remains unjustly imprisoned." It was not immediately clear when exactly Wang's appeal was denied. News of his detention in Iran and his 10-year sentence first came in mid-July. "I am devastated that my husband's appeal has been denied, and that he continues to be unjustly imprisoned in Iran on groundless accusations of espionage and collaboration with a hostile government against the Iranian state," Wang's wife, Hua Qu, said in a statement on Princeton's website. "Our young son and I have not seen Xiyue in more than a year, and we miss him very much." Iran had said Wang was an American spy. Qu said she worries about Wang's health and well-being while he is in prison. "We hope the Iranian officials can release him immediately so he can resume his studies at home and so that our family will be together again," she said. A spokesman for Iran's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A State Department official declined to offer specific information on Wang's case, citing privacy concerns. "We call for the immediate release of all U.S. citizens unjustly detained in Iran so they can return to their families," the official said. President Donald Trump has taken a hard line against Iran and his administration has vowed to counter what it sees as Iran's destabilising policies in the Middle East. Last month, the White House said Trump "is prepared to impose new and serious consequences on Iran unless all unjustly imprisoned American citizens are released and returned," though it did not specify what those consequences might be. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Former Mexican governor Javier Duarte, in jail awaiting trial on graft charges, has embarked on a hunger strike to protest the "witch hunt" against him, according to a letter he wrote that was published by local TV on Thursday. Javier Duarte, who until last year governed the Gulf coast state of Veracruz for President Enrique Pena Nieto's Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), is suspected of siphoning off millions of dollars during his tenure. Duarte, who was extradited last month from Guatemala where he had fled to, has denied any wrongdoing. "I have taken this decision in order to stop the political persecution and witch hunt being conducted against me and my former colleagues in the state of Veracruz," Duarte wrote in the letter sent to Mexican TV news host Ciro Gomez Leyva and read out on his show. Reuters could not independently verify the veracity of the letter. Mexico's interior ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mexico City's prisons department did not immediately respond to a request for comment, although Gomez Leyva reported it was aware of Duarte's hunger strike. Corruption scandals have hounded Pena Nieto's government, playing into the hands of leftist opposition candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is preparing for a third run for office next year. Roberto Borge, who was the PRI governor until last year of the state of Quintana Roo, the home to tourist resort Cancun, is currently in Panama awaiting his extradition to Mexico where he is wanted on corruption charges. (Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Michael Perry)
EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Chris Patten, the last governor of former British colony Hong Kong, has criticised the jailing of three leaders of the Chinese-ruled city's pro-democracy movement saying the men should be a source of pride. Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, Alex Chow and other Umbrella Movement protesters were sentenced to six to eight months in prison on Thursday for unlawful assembly, a blow to the youth-led push for universal suffrage. "I think they will be remembered, and their names will be remembered, long after nobody can remember who I was, and perhaps nobody can remember who President Xi Jinping was," Patten told an audience at the Edinburgh Book Festival, according to its official bulletin. "We should be proud of what those kids are doing." Patten, who is now chancellor of the University of Oxford, had frosty relations with Chinese authorities as he prepared to return the territory to Chinese rule in 1997. Beijing accused him of potentially destabilising the city in the run-up to handover with his reform proposals. In his Edinburgh remarks, Patten also described China's treatment of the Nobel Peace Prize-winner Liu Xiaobo, who died last month after being released for medical reasons as "appalling". "And the way his wife is being treated today is appalling, and who is making a fuss about it? You search in vain for anything other than a rather mealy-mouthed statement from foreign ministers, and it makes me wonder whether there's a sort of decadence that's affecting us which undermines any sense of honour we might have," he added. China's Foreign Ministry referred questions on Patten's remarks on Hong Kong to a comment earlier on Friday by ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a daily news briefing, in which she said nobody in Hong Kong could use the excuse of "so-called" democracy and freedom to carry out illegal violent acts. "I would like to reiterate that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Hong Kong's affairs are an internal affair. China firmly opposes any external forces' interference in Hong Kong's internal affairs and judicial independence," Hua told reporters. The three had been convicted of unlawful assembly related to months of mostly peaceful street protests that gripped the city in 2014 but failed to sway Communist Party rulers in Beijing in their call for full democracy. Hong Kong's legal chief denied any "political motive" in seeking jail for the pro-democracy activists on Friday, responding to a Reuters report that he had overruled other legal officials who had initially advised against pursuing the case. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Christian Shepherd in BEIJING; Editing by Toby Chopra, Robert Birsel)
Qatari hajj pilgrims began crossing into Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Saudi media reported, after Riyadh reopened the border in a move that Doha welcomed but saw as "politically motivated" as regional tensions simmer. The Salwa border crossing, a key passage for Muslims on the annual hajj pilgrimage, has been closed since June in a major diplomatic crisis that saw Riyadh and its regional allies cut relations with Doha over allegations that the emirate supported Islamist extremists. Qatar has denied the charge and in turn accused Riyadh of politicising the hajj by restricting its citizens from making the pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest site in Islam that is located in western Saudi Arabia. Around 120 Qataris entered Saudi territory on Thursday through the Salwa border, also known as Abu Samrah, Saudi state television reported, after King Salman called for the border to be opened for pilgrims without electronic permits. The government separately allocated seven flights of the Saudi national carrier to bring pilgrims from Doha at the monarch's expense, state news agency SPA announced. Qatar welcomed the decision but also lashed out at what it called Riyadh's politicisation of religious freedoms. "Regardless of the manner in which pilgrims from Qatar were banned from the pilgrimage, which was politically motivated... the government of Qatar welcomes the decision and will respond positively," Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told reporters on a visit to Stockholm. "What matters to us is the bottom line, which is that our citizens now have a way to attend the hajj, and we uphold our demand that hajj be spared politicisation." The hajj, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once, is to take place this year at the start of September and it is expected to draw around two million Muslims from around the world. - 'Right to pilgrimage' - On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar in what has evolved as the worst political crisis to grip the Gulf region in decades. The kingdom's decision to reopen the frontier came shortly after its powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Qatari envoy Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Jassim al-Thani, a member of Qatar's ruling dynasty. The meeting on Wednesday in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah was the first public high-level encounter between the nations since the crisis erupted more than two months ago. The Qatari foreign minister, however, said that Sheikh Abdullah had acted on a "personal initiative" and not on behalf of the Doha government. The decision also came after SPA reported that Prince Mohammed had received a phone call from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has sought repeatedly to defuse the regional crisis. Analysts cautioned Thursday that the dispute was far from over. "This is a goodwill gesture towards the Qatari people and not a breakthrough with the Qatari" government, Ali Shihabi of Washington-based think-tank Arabia Foundation said on Twitter, referring to the border reopening. The decision also drew strong comments on social media, with many Qataris reacting critically. "We do not need the (Saudi) king's charity. The Qatari right to pilgrimage is not given as charity from the king," one Qatari wrote on Twitter. A tiny gas-rich emirate with a population of 2.6 million, 80 percent of them foreigners, Qatar ranks as the world's richest country on a per capita basis, according to the International Monetary Fund. burs-ac/boc
Yahoo file photo.

A suspect involved in the death of a man at Teck Whye earlier this week was charged with murder on Friday (18 August).

Mohammad Rosli Abdul Rahim, 48, was charged with causing the death of Mohammad Roslan Zaini, 35, at a flat at 165A Teck Whye Crescent on 16 August. The incident occurred between 1am and 4.33am.

Police said they received a call for assistance at about 4.42am and Roslan was found lying motionless by the roadside upon arrival.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at around 4.45am, and dispatched an ambulance.

Roslan, who was said to be stabbed in the chest, was pronounced dead at 4.55am.

If convicted of murder, Rosli can be sentenced to death or jailed for life with caning. He is due to appear in court again next Friday (25 August).



Related article:
By Natalia Zinets KIEV (Reuters) - The Ukrainian central bank said on Friday it had warned state-owned and private lenders of the appearance of new malware as security services said Ukraine faced cyber attacks like those that knocked out global systems in June. The June 27 attack, dubbed NotPetya, took down many Ukrainian government agencies and businesses, before spreading rapidly through corporate networks of multinationals with operations or suppliers in eastern Europe. Kiev's central bank has since been working with the government-backed Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and police to boost the defenses of the Ukrainian banking sector by quickly sharing information. "Therefore on Aug. 11..., the central bank promptly informed banks about the appearance of new malicious code, its features, compromise indicators and the need to implement precautionary measures to prevent infection," the central bank told Reuters in emailed comments. According to its letter to banks, seen by Reuters, the new malware is spread by opening email attachments of word documents. "The nature of this malicious code, its mass distribution, and the fact that at the time of its distribution it was not detected by any anti-virus software, suggest that this attack is preparation for a mass cyber-attack on the corporate networks of Ukrainian businesses," the letter said. Ukraine - regarded by some, despite Kremlin denials, as a guinea pig for Russian state-sponsored hacks - is fighting an uphill battle in turning pockets of protection into a national strategy to keep state institutions and systemic companies safe. The state cyber police and Security and Defence Council have said Ukraine could be targeted on Aug. 24 with a NotPetya-style attack aimed at destabilizing the country as it celebrates its 1991 independence from the Soviet Union. (Writing by Alessandra Prentice; editing by Mark Heinrich)
When you think of cyber attacks, you may imagine complex campaigns against major corporations and governments. The reality, however, is far more common and serious  especially for small businesses.

Phishing Attacks Pose a Huge Threat to Your Small Business

Hackers often trick well-meaning employees into giving access to their business systems by getting them to unwittingly click on a link in an email. This method of cyber attack is known as phishing  and its on the rise.

But whats perhaps even more worrying is that most employees may not even be able to identify phishing. Thats according to data published by Texas-based eLearning company, Inspired eLearning.

Statistics reveal 97 percent of people cannot identify a sophisticated phishing email  putting confidential business data at risk.

Consequently, businesses end up losing a lot of money. The study suggests phishing scams cost businesses about $500 million a year. For a small business, the impact is understandably much bigger.

Protect Your Business Against Phishing

The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) found phishing attacks have been dramatically rising since 2004 with a 65 percent increase from 2015 to 2016.

The ever-increasing threat of phishing scams makes it even more important for small businesses to revisit their security features.

The next step is to boost the security features at your business to prevent data breaches. Investing in a robust data security infrastructure will help you monitor for suspicious activity on the network and protect your business.

Train Employees to Identify a Phishing Attack

But the most crucial aspect to be considered is employee education, as 91 percent of hacking attacks start with phishing emails. It pays for businesses to train employees to identify a phishing attack that arrives via email. Emails asking for sensitive data such as passwords and personal information are most likely phishing emails that employees must recognize.

Want to know more? Check out the infographic below:
Here is a list of tips by an experienced tour guide - including things you have probably not tried before.

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1. Hiking in the Tatra Mountains and in Slovak Paradise

If you love hiking, you should definitely visit the High Tatras. Here, you will have the best summer. The High Tatras (Vysoke Tatry) National Park is located in northern Slovakia.and has great weather in the summer: Not too hot, not too cold.

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Explore more than 400 km of walking trails. You can follow them using your map, but you do not need to worry about getting lost. The trails are all fully marked. It is fun to look for the trail markers on the rocks and trees.

You can also use a local mountain guide service to take you hiking. The guides are all very friendly and know many stories, and you can ask them anything you want.

When you are exhausted from your hike, you can take a break at one of the mountain huts (horske chaty) or in a hotel. They offer accommodation and meals provided by sherpas, the locals who carry all the food, drinks and supplies to the huts on their backs and who are also very hospitable.

The national park called Slovak Paradise (Slovensky Raj) is another perfect place for hiking and walking during summer holidays in Slovakia.

Trekking paths will take you to the canyons and gorges, the real paradise. You will reach it by metal ladders and footboards. The mountains are not very high, but they are great for taking summer walks. The top two hikes and tours we recommend are Sucha Bela and Prielom Hornadu.

2. Bearwatching in Western Tatra Mountains

There are more than 150 brown bears living in the Western Tatra Mountains. Watching them has become one of the most popular activities for tourists in Slovakia. Guides for Bearwatching in Slovakia will take you to see them.

The brown bear is the biggest predator and mammal in Slovakia. Even still, you dont need to be afraid. Due to their strict protection, the population of brown bears has increased to 150 and more. The best chance to see active bears in their territory is during the spring and autumn seasons.

There is also a possibility of seeing them in midsummer, but the chances are slim, as the summer weather is too hot for them.

Let us give you one more recommendation for hiking in the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia: if you do not want to meet a brown bear face-to-face, always hike with someone, hang a bear-bell on your backpack and talk while you are hiking so that the bear can hear you coming.

Read also:

Read also: Best hiking trails in Slovakia (Spectacular Slovakia - travel guide) Read more

3. Wooden Rafts on Dunajec River at Cerveny Klastor in the Pieniny National Park

Wooden raft tours on Dunajec river in Cerveny Klastor in National Park Pieniny are a must-see day trip in Slovakia.

Apart from seeing the natural border between Slovakia and Poland, you'll also experience a combination of amazing views, fresh air and Goral culture  all at one place. This location is absolutely perfect for flyfishing holidays in Slovakia.

For hiking in this national park, we definitely recommend visiting the peak called Tri Koruny  Three Crowns. The trekking path is not very long or difficult. You walk up the hill but will be rewarded with the amazing views on the village of Cerveny Klastor, river Dunajec and nearby mountains.

4. Dobsinska Ice Cave UNESCO - National Park Slovensky Raj

Have you heard about the Dobsinska Ice Cave, the UNESCO sight in Slovakia? If not, do not wait for others to tell you their stories of it. Go see it yourself. It is a really unique place and the biggest underground ice cave in Eastern Europe. You will be amazed to see the ice in the middle of summer. This happens when Mother Earth lowers the inner temperature to -4C.

In the cave, you will feel as if you are in a frozen kingdom from a fairy tale. The ice is everywhere - an ice floor, ice waterfalls, ice stalagmites and ice pillars. The thickest layer is 26.5 m.

The entrance to the cave was found a long time ago. The cave itself was discovered in 1870. It became accessible in 1871. Today, visitors to the cave will get a guided 30 minutes walk that stretches 520 m.

The best way to get to the cave is along the road 66 from Poprad to Dobsina. Parking spaces, a refreshment stall and an Infocentre are located down the road.

The ticket office can be found at the entrance to the cave.

If you would like to have a guided tour, contact us here.

5. Spis Castle - Spissky Hrad UNESCO

You should not miss the Spissky Hrad castle while visiting Slovakia. After all, this cultural monument has been on the UNESCO list since 1993. The Spis Castle, partially in ruins, is one of the largest castle compounds in Central Europe, with an area of four hectares. After taking a tour of this castle, you should stay a bit longer in the northern region of Slovakia. We strongly recommend the visit of the town of Levoca, which has the tallest Gothic altar in the world.

The castle has a unique position with fantastic views. When the sun is shining, you can see a panorama of the Tatra Mountains from the castle. To get there, take the highway D1 from Poprad (direction to Presov) and take an exit to Spisske Podhradie.

Erik Sevcik is the director and owner of Adventoura, a provider of tours and adventure experiences in Slovakia.
Arabic coin was found at the hillfort of Nestich.

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The Slavic fortress in Svaty Jur, the national cultural sight of the hillfort of Nestich, spread out over eight and a half hectares (21 acres) during its heyday in the 9th century, even bigger than Spis Castle. The task of the fortress was military protection of inhabitants, trade roads and handicraft.

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Archaeological research, implemented by the Malokarpatske Museum in Pezinok, brought to light the discovery of a precious silver Arabic coin from the 9th century.

The coin, from the Arabic area of Abbasid Caliphate and released by caliph al-Mutazz, is a unique discovery according to Julius Vavak, head of research.

Its the first Arabic coin of that time found in the area of Great Moravia. Silver dirham impressed in central Asia containing an extract from the Quran verses is an important proof of contact between Great Moravia and the Orient, explained Vavak as quoted by the TASR newswire. He added that one task of this years research will be further exploration at the place of discovery.

The extraordinary discovery is evaluated in detail by orientalist Vlastimil Novak from the Naprstkove Museum in Prague and numismatist Marek Budaj from the Slovak National Museum  Historical Museum in Bratislava, the head of research added for TASR.

For persons interested in history and archaeology, a guided tour is planned on September 16. It is possible to visit the place of archaeological research during the summer and autumn.

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The Duke of Edinburgh Award helps young Slovaks achieve their goals and develop.

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Daniela Slavikova is only 18 years old, but she has already made a documentary film that shows how cult places in Bratislava looked in the 1960s and now. The 21-minute-long film also features interviews with a writer dedicated to past decades, the legendary Slovak actor Milan Lasica and artist Zdeno Sychra.

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I was surprised at how hard it was for me to get the original recordings from the 60s, Slavikova said. But on the other hand, I was positively surprised by the willingness and enthusiasm of the people I interviewed.

With her documentary film, she won third place at the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award in 2017.

The programme helps every participant to develop, Marian Zachar, co-founder and executive director of the National Office of the Award in Slovakia, told The Slovak Spectator. When young people set their goals and find ways to achieve them, they get a good base for their further growth and professional life.

Success stories

DofE brings more success stories. Martin Hrabovec, who also received an award in 2017, found a gap in the market and created an application for Bratislavas public transport. Now he has a successful company that creates various applications and websites.

Another DofE laureate Lukas Zilavy travelled 250 kilometres between Bratislava and Banska Bystrica on bike. He also volunteered to help the Red Cross with caring for mentally disadvantaged people.

The experience changed my opinion, said Zilavy, who won bronze. I realised that these people are different from what they seem to be, but on the other side they are very similar to us all.

Another laureate, 15-year-old student Diana Virgivicova, used the DofE programme to ask questions to personalities who may seem out of reach to some of her peers. Thanks to the programme, she learned more about the thoughts of the former French president Francois Holland and about global warming from the famous scientist Stephen Hawking.

With her new knowledge, Virgovicova won the geography competition on the topic of global warming and will receive the bronze prize at a ceremony in September 2017.

One of the best national offices

DofE is the worlds leading youth achievement award, equipping young people for life and work and enabling them to use their free time to make a difference for themselves, their communities and the world. The programme was founded in 1956 by Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, together with Kurt Hahn, a German educationalist and renowned promoter of experience learning, and Lord Hunt, the leader of the first successful ascent of Mount Everest.

It was introduced in Slovakia in 2007 by the British International School in Bratislava, and in 2014 the national office was opened.

The programme helps develop features like strong-mindedness, persistence and inner motivation, which teachers at schools consider important and which they themselves are trying to find ways to develop, said Zachar.

So far, DofE in Slovakia managed to involve more than 150 schools and organisations and is currently working with more than 350 teachers and volunteers. They have granted more than 100 awards.

The Slovak branch belongs among the top three fastest-growing national offices in the world, Zachar said.

Expansion plans

More than 1,200 young people are currently involved in the programme. They come from across Slovakia, from Velke Levare in Zahorie region to Snina in the far east of the country. Zachar admits that the capacity is often lower than the interest, so the schools have to choose the students who will participate, as they usually take 15 people per organisation.

Our task now is to build a strong network of organisations across Slovakia that will offer the programme to help the most young people possible to succeed, he added.

The aim for the future is to involve in the programme about 1 percent of all young people aged 14-24, which represents a figure of about 7,000. They would also like to continue extending the programme so that every young person in Slovakia gets a chance to succeed, not only the best ones. They also want young people from marginalised groups to have this chance, Zachar said.

For example, we are starting the programme at five schools with Hungarian as the teaching language, two re-educational centres and three schools where most pupils are Roma as of September, Zachar said.

The programme teaches its participants

The participants in DofE programme are rather positive about their experience. Virgovicova, for example, learned the basics of the Russian language and even climbed the known peaks of the Slovak mountains.

It all reinforced my opinion that we can use our time more purposefully and that when a person works step by step on something, anything can be achieved, she said. These experiences also helped me in my after-school activities and the mentioned competition.

Slavikova also praises the programme, saying it taught her patience, purposefulness and endurance, whether in searching for a topic or gathering and processing the archive materials.

I would suggest this program to others, she said. Thanks to DofE, one can set a goal and will learn what systematic and long-term work means. Meanwhile, the person might meet some interesting people and learn something about themselves as well.
Opposition politician calls for labelling of bryndza made from Slovak milk

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The Slovak agriculture sector has devolved into a cash cow for speculators and its functioning leaves much to be desired, said Alojz Hlina, chair of the non-parliamentary Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) chairman at the 44th edition of the Agrokomplex agricultural and food fair in Nitra on August 17.

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The tip of the iceberg is the situation around sheeps cheese known as bryndza, which is made from milk imported from France, said Hlina.

Bryndza is a traditional Sloval fermented salty sheep cheese. It is on the list of protected traditional specialties with the status of PGI (protected geographical indication).

It is above my head why Slovakia had it registered when we dont care about what it is made from, said Hlina.

While Slovak sheep breeders used to have 2 million sheep, the number is estimated to have dropped to some 300,000.

And unless we do something about it, the current number will halve in three or four years and only wistful loonies will continue to rear sheep, said Hlina.

With low sheep numbers comes a shortage of milk, which is why bryndza producers buy it abroad. Slovak farmers, who receive zero subsidies, are in an inferior position compared to their French peers, who benefit from subsidies of 60 eurocents per litre of milk, said Hlina.

He lamented the practice of labelling products which, while produced in Slovakia, are in fact made from French milk.

We propose that bryndza made from Slovak sheep milk be clearly marked accordingly, said Hlina.
Schner Naci has a life-size statue in the city centre.

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More information about travelling in Slovakia

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It is now 120 years since a unique character well known to the older inhabitants of Bratislava was born. Ignac Lamar, nicknamed Schner Naci, became an unforgettable figure thanks to his outfit and exceptionally good manners. A life-size statue of Lamar, the work of Juraj Melis, now stands near the Main Square in Bratislavas old town and is a popular photo point for tourists.

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Lamar was born on August 11, 1897, in the Petrzalka borough of Bratislava. He was a shoemakers son and also learned this trade himself. When his mother left the family and fled with a lover to Vienna, his father started drinking heavily. After his fathers death, all of the familys possession went to cover outstanding debts. Lamar got a job in theatre workshops but was sacked when the theatre fell into a crisis during World War I.

video //www.youtube.com/embed/t6etdvg6iLE

He started earning money with occasional small services: he cleaned flats and carpets and brought coal from cellars. He lived in various rented rooms and flats, taking with him a black suitcase with a tail-coat, black lacquered shoes, white gloves and a bowler hat which, Countess Nariova donated to his father after her husbands death. One day, he donned all these garments, fixed his smile in front of a mirror, and took to the streets. He dreamed of being a clown in a circus and came close to achieving his dream.

He became a well-recognised person in the streets of Bratislava. He promenaded from Michalska Street to the Danube River, greeting people, especially women, in the three languages which were commonly spoken in Bratislava  German, Hungarian and Slovak  while also doffing his hat.

He died of tuberculosis at the age of 70 in 1967 in the village of Lehnice. In 2007, his remains were moved from Lehnice to a memorial grave in the Ondrejsky cemetery in the Old Town.
He was back in his cell a few hours later.

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Prisoner Stefan Boto, who is currently being held in Banska Bystrica, escaped on August 17 from the outside working place on Zvolenska cesta.

Stefan Boto (Source: KR PZ BB)

Police arrested the prisoner around 3 in the afternoon near farmers cooperative Lukavica, said Adrian Balaz, the head of Directors office of Body of Prison and Judicial Body, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

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Police dog Ubock tracked Boto down, as the police used all sources when investigating, according to Petra Kovacikova, the spokesperson of Regional Police in Banska Bystrica.

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Stefan Boto was sentenced because of alimentation neglect and bodily harm. His punishment lasts 28 months and ends on February 22, 2018.

Police started prosecution because of his escape. The whole issue will be resolve in a quick process, added Kovacikova for TASR.
President Andrej Kiska and Prime Minister Robert Fico offered condolences to victims' families and the country.

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No Slovak in Barcelona has suffered injures during the terrorist attack, Slovak Foreign Ministry stated.

A van crashed into a crowd of people in the popular tourist area of Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain on Thursday afternoon, leaving 13 dead and dozens injured, according to latest reports, Sme daily informed.

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There are ten Slovaks in Barcelona and 199 in all of Spain, according to a register of Slovak Foreign Ministry. However, registering is not obligatory when travelling abroad, so the real numbers are probably higher.

We advise our citizens to follow police orders, ministrys spokesperson Igor Skocek told the press.

Meanwhile Slovak President Andrej Kiska offered condolences to all the families affected by the terrorist attack.

Europe and Slovakia have to first and foremost provide their people with security, stated Prime Minister Robert Fico of Smer-SD in response to the attack.

We can never prevent individuals from committing acts of killing, but it's always better and more effective to fight against similar threats together, Fico wrote on Facebook, expressing his condolences to the entire country.
Xylem Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and servicing of engineered products and solutions for the water and wastewater applications in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Water Infrastructure, Applied Water, and Measurement & Control Solutions. The Water Infrastructure segment offers various products, including water, storm water, and wastewater pumps; controls and systems; filtration, disinfection, and biological treatment equipment; and mobile dewatering equipment under the Flygt, Godwin, Wedeco, Sanitaire, Leopold, Wedeco, and Xylem Vue brand names for the transportation and treatment of water. The Applied Water segment provides pumps, valves, heat exchangers, controls, and dispensing equipment systems under the Goulds Water Technology, Bell & Gossett, A-C Fire Pump, Standard Xchange, Lowara, Jabsco, Xylem Vue and Flojet brand names for residential and commercial building services, and industrial water applications. The Measurement & Control Solutions segment provides smart meters, networked communication devices, and measurement and control technologies, as well as critical infrastructure technologies. It also offers software and services, including cloud-based analytics, remote monitoring and data management, leak detection, condition assessment, asset management, and pressure monitoring solutions, as well as testing equipment and managed services. This segment sells its products under the Pure, Sensus, Smith Blair, WTW, Xylem Vue, and YSI brand names. The company markets and sells its products through a network of direct sales force, resellers, distributors, and value-added solution providers. Xylem Inc. was formerly known as ITT WCO, Inc. and changed its name to Xylem Inc. in May 2011. The company. was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Rye Brook, New York.
American International Group, Inc. offers insurance products for commercial, institutional, and individual customers in North America and internationally. The company's General Insurance segment provides general liability, environmental, commercial automobile liability, workers' compensation, casualty, and crisis management insurance products; commercial, industrial, and energy-related property insurance; and aerospace, political risk, trade credit, portfolio solutions, crop, and marine insurance. It also provides professional liability insurance products for a range of businesses and risks, including directors and officers, mergers and acquisitions, fidelity, employment practices, fiduciary liability, cyber risk, kidnap and ransom, and errors and omissions insurance. In addition, this segment offers personal auto and property insurance, such as auto, homeowners, umbrella, yacht, fine art, and collections; voluntary and sponsor-paid personal accident; supplemental health products; extended warranty insurance products; and travel insurance products. Its Life and Retirement segment offers variable annuities, index and fixed annuities, and retail mutual funds; and financial planning and advisory services; record-keeping, plan administrative, and compliance services; and term life and universal life insurance. It also provides stable value wrap products, and structured settlement and pension risk transfer annuities; and corporate- and bank-owned life insurance and guaranteed investment contracts. This segment sells its products through independent marketing organizations, independent insurance agents, financial advisors, direct marketing, banks, and broker-dealers. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, prime brokerage, and data analytics. This segment also provides trustee, paying agency, fiduciary, escrow and other financial, issuer, and support services for brokers and investors. The Market and Wealth Services segment offers clearing and custody, investment, wealth and retirement solutions, technology and enterprise data management, trading, and prime brokerage services; and clearance and collateral management services. This segment also provides integrated cash management solutions, including payments, foreign exchange, liquidity management, receivables processing and payables management, and trade finance and processing services. The Investment and Wealth Management segment offers investment management strategies and distribution of investment products, investment management, custody, wealth and estate planning, private banking, investment, and information management services. The Other segment engages in the provision of leasing, corporate treasury, derivative and other trading, corporate and bank-owned life insurance, renewable energy investment, and business exit services. It serves central banks and sovereigns, financial institutions, asset managers, insurance companies, corporations, local authorities and high net-worth individuals, and family offices. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
The following companies are subsidiares of AON: 6824625 Canada Ltd., 7193599 Canada Inc., A.B. Insurances Limited, ADIS A/S, AIB Services Limited, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency Inc., AIS Insurance Agency Inc., AMXH LLC, ARM International Corp., ARM International Insurance Agency Corp., ARMRISK CORP., AS Holdings Inc., ASPN Insurance Agency LLC, Access Plans USA Inc., Acumen Credit Insurance Brokers Limited, Adm Administradora de Beneficios Ltda., Administradora Aon C.A., Admiseg SA, Admix, Admix - Administracao Consultoria Participacoes e Corretora de Seguros de Vida Ltda., Aeropeople Limited, Affinity Group Insurance Services Limited, Affinity Insurance Services Inc., Affinity Risk Partners (Brokers) Pty Ltd, Agenion N.V./SA, Agility Credit Insurance Brokers Limited, Alexander & Alexander Holding B.V., Alexander Clay, Alexander Insurance Managers (Netherlands Antilles) N.V., Alexander Reinsurance Intermediaries Inc., Allen Insurance Associates Inc., Alliance HealthCard Inc., Alliance HealthCard of Florida Inc., American Insurance Services Corp., American Special Risk Insurance Company, Anviti Insurance Brokers Private Limited, Aon (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon (CR) Insurance Agencies Company Limited, Aon (DIFC) Gulf Limited, Aon (Fiji) Ltd., Aon (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon (Thailand) Limited, Aon 180412 Limited (in liquidation), Aon ANZ Holdings Limited, Aon APAC Holdings B.V., Aon Acore Sarl, Aon Adjudication Services Limited, Aon Affinity Administradora de Beneficios Ltda., Aon Affinity Argentina S.A., Aon Affinity Chile Ltda., Aon Affinity Colombia Ltda. Agencia de Seguros, Aon Affinity Mexico Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Aon Affinity Mexico S.A. de C.V., Aon Affinity Servicos e Participacoes Ltda., Aon Affinity do Brasil Servicos e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Aon Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Americas Holdings BV, Aon Angola Corretores de Seguros Limitada, Aon Antillen N.V., Aon Aruba N.V., Aon Assurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Australia Group Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 1 Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 2 Pty Ltd, Aon Australian Holdco 3 Pty Ltd, Aon Austria GmbH, Aon Bahrain W.L.L., Aon Belgium B.V.B.A., Aon Benefit Solutions Inc., Aon Benfield (Chile) Corredores de Reaseguros Ltda., Aon Benfield Argentina S.A., Aon Benfield Australia Limited, Aon Benfield Brasil Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Aon Benfield Canada ULC, Aon Benfield China Limited, Aon Benfield Colombia Limitada Corredores de Reaseguros, Aon Benfield Fac Inc., Aon Benfield Global Inc., Aon Benfield Group Limited, Aon Benfield Inc., Aon Benfield Israel Limited, Aon Benfield Italia S.p.A., Aon Benfield Japan Ltd, Aon Benfield Latin America SA, Aon Benfield Limited, Aon Benfield Malaysia Limited, Aon Benfield Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro SA de CV, Aon Benfield Middle East Limited, Aon Benfield New Zealand Limited, Aon Benfield Panama S.A., Aon Benfield Peru Corredores de Reaseguros SA, Aon Benfield Puerto Rico Inc., Aon Bermuda Holding Company Limited, Aon Bermuda QI Holdings Ltd., Aon Beteiligungsmanagement Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Aon Bolivia S.A. Corredores de Seguros, Aon Botswana (Pty) Ltd., Aon Brazil Holdings LLC, Aon Broking Services SA, Aon Broking Technology Limited, Aon CANZ Holdings B.V., Aon CANZ Holdings N.S. ULC, Aon Canada Holdings N.S. ULC, Aon Canada Inc., Aon Canada Intermediaries GP, Aon Captive Services Antilles N.V., Aon Captive Services Aruba N.V., Aon Cash Management B.V., Aon Central and Eastern Europe a.s., Aon Centre for Innovation and Analytics Ltd, Aon Charitable Foundation Pty Ltd, Aon Chile Holdings LLC, Aon Commercial Insurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Commercial Services Ireland Limited, Aon Commercial Services and Operations Ireland Limited, Aon Consolidation Group Pty Ltd, Aon Consulting & Insurance Services, Aon Consulting (Chile) Limitada, Aon Consulting (Thailand) Limited, Aon Consulting Bolivia S.R.L., Aon Consulting Ecuador S.A., Aon Consulting Financial Services Limited, Aon Consulting Inc., Aon Consulting Kazakhstan LLP, Aon Consulting Limited, Aon Consulting Private Limited, Aon Consulting Romania SRL, Aon Corporate Services (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon Corporate Services Limited, Aon Corporation, Aon Corporation Australia Limited, Aon Corporation EMEA B.V., Aon Credit International Insurance Broker GmbH, Aon Cyprus Insurance Broker Company Limited, Aon DC Trustee Limited, Aon Danismanlik Hizmetleri AS, Aon Delta Bermuda Ltd., Aon Delta UK Limited, Aon Denmark A/S, Aon Deutschland Beteiligungs GmbH, Aon Direct Group Inc., Aon Edge Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Energy Caribbean Limited, Aon Enterprise Insurance Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Finance Bermuda 1 Ltd., Aon Finance Bermuda 2 Ltd., Aon Finance Canada 1 Corp., Aon Finance Canada 2 Corp., Aon Finance International N.S. ULC, Aon Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Finance N.S. 1 ULC, Aon Finance N.S. 5 ULC, Aon Finance N.S. 8 ULC, Aon Finance US 1 LLC, Aon Finance US 2 LLC, Aon Financial & Insurance Solutions Inc., Aon Finland Oy, Aon France, Aon Global Holdings 1 Limited, Aon Global Holdings 2 Limited, Aon Global Holdings 3 Limited [In strike-off], Aon Global Holdings Limited, Aon Global Operations plc, Aon Global Risk Consulting B.V., Aon Global Risk Consulting Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Global Risk Research Limited, Aon Grana Peru Corredores de Seguros SA, Aon Greece S.A., Aon Groep Nederland B.V., Aon Group (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Group (Thailand) Limited, Aon Group Holdings International 1 B.V., Aon Group Holdings International 2 B.V., Aon Group Inc., Aon Group International N.V., Aon Group Pty Ltd, Aon Group Venezuela Corretaje de Reaseguros C.A., Aon Hewitt (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Hewitt (Ireland) Limited, Aon Hewitt (PNG) Ltd., Aon Hewitt (Thailand) Ltd., Aon Hewitt Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Aon Hewitt Consulting Korea Inc., Aon Hewitt Financial Advice Limited, Aon Hewitt GmbH, Aon Hewitt Health Market Insurance Solutions Inc., Aon Hewitt Hong Kong Limited, Aon Hewitt Inc., Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting Inc., Aon Hewitt Investment Management Inc., Aon Hewitt Japan Ltd., Aon Hewitt Limited, Aon Hewitt Ltd., Aon Hewitt Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Aon Hewitt Management Company Limited, Aon Hewitt Middle East Limited, Aon Hewitt Risk & Consulting S.r.l., Aon Hewitt Risk & Financial Management B.V., Aon Hewitt Trust Solutions GmbH, Aon Hewitt US Holdings Limited, Aon Holding Deutschland GmbH, Aon Holdings (Isle of Man) Limited, Aon Holdings Antillen N.V., Aon Holdings Australia Pty Limited, Aon Holdings Austria GmbH, Aon Holdings B.V., Aon Holdings Botswana (Pty) Ltd, Aon Holdings Corretores de Seguros Ltda., Aon Holdings France SNC, Aon Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Aon Holdings International B.V., Aon Holdings Israel Ltd., Aon Holdings Japan Ltd, Aon Holdings Limited, Aon Holdings Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Aon Holdings Mid Europe B.V., Aon Holdings New Zealand, Aon Hong Kong Limited, Aon Hungary Insurance Brokers Risk and Human Consulting LLC, Aon Insurance Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Insurance Agencies (Macau) Limited, Aon Insurance Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Aon Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd., Aon Insurance Management Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (Antilles) N.V., Aon Insurance Managers (Barbados) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Bermuda) Ltd, Aon Insurance Managers (Cayman) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Dublin) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Guernsey) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Holdings) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Isle of Man) Ltd., Aon Insurance Managers (Liechtenstein) AG, Aon Insurance Managers (Luxembourg) S.A., Aon Insurance Managers (Malta) PCC Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (Puerto Rico) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers (Shannon) Limited, Aon Insurance Managers (USA) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers (USVI) Inc., Aon Insurance Managers Gibraltar Ltd., Aon Insurance Micronesia (Guam) Inc, Aon Insurance Underwriting Agencies Hong Kong Limited, Aon Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Philippines Inc., Aon International Cooperatief U.A., Aon International Energy Inc., Aon International Holdings Inc., Aon Investment Holdings Ireland Limited, Aon Israel Insurance Brokerage Ltd., Aon Italia S.r.l., Aon Japan Ltd, Aon Jauch & Hubener Gesellschaft m.b.H., Aon Korea Inc., Aon Latam Holdings N.V., Aon Lead QI B.V., Aon Life Agency of Texas Inc., Aon Life Agente de Seguros S.A. de C.V., Aon Life Insurance Company, Aon MacDonagh Boland Group Ltd, Aon Majan LLC, Aon Management Consulting Taiwan Ltd., Aon Mauritius Holdings, Aon Meeus Assurantien B.V., Aon Mexico Business Support SA de CV, Aon Mexico Holdings LLC, Aon Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., Aon Middle East Co LLC, Aon Nederland C.V., Aon Netherlands Operations B.V., Aon Neudorf Finance S.a.r.l., Aon New Zealand, Aon New Zealand Group ULC, Aon Norway AS, Aon Overseas Holdings Limited, Aon PHI Acquisition Corporation of California, Aon PMI International Limited, Aon Parizeau Inc., Aon Pension Trustees Limited, Aon Pensions Insurance Brokers GmbH, Aon Polska Services Sp. z o.o., Aon Polska Sp. z o.o., Aon Portugal - Consultores Unipessoal Lda., Aon Portugal - Corretores de Seguros S.A., Aon Premium Finance LLC, Aon Private Risk Management Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Private Risk Management of California Insurance Agency Inc., Aon Product Design & Development Australia Pty Limited, Aon Product Design and Development New Zealand Limited, Aon Product Risk Services Hong Kong Limited, Aon Property Risk Consulting Inc., Aon Qatar LLC, Aon Re (Thailand) Limited, Aon Re Bertoldi - Corretagem de Resseguros S.A., Aon Re Bolivia S.A. Corredores de Reaseguros, Aon Re Canada Holdings SARL, Aon Real Estate B.V., Aon Realty Services Inc., Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc., Aon Retirement Plan Advisors LLC, Aon Retirement Solutions Limited, Aon Risiko & Unternehmensberatungs GmbH, Aon Risk & Asset Management Pty Ltd, Aon Risk Consultants Inc., Aon Risk Insurance Services West Inc., Aon Risk Management (Pty) Ltd, Aon Risk Services (Chile) Corredores de Seguros Limitada, Aon Risk Services (Holdings) of Latin America Inc., Aon Risk Services (Holdings) of the Americas Inc., Aon Risk Services (NI) Limited, Aon Risk Services (PNG) Ltd., Aon Risk Services (Thailand) Limited, Aon Risk Services Argentina S.A., Aon Risk Services Australia Limited, Aon Risk Services Canada Inc., Aon Risk Services Central Inc., Aon Risk Services Colombia SA Corredores de Seguros, Aon Risk Services Companies Inc., Aon Risk Services EMEA B.V., Aon Risk Services Ecuador S.A. Agencia Asesora Productora de Seguros, Aon Risk Services Holdings (Chile ) Ltda., Aon Risk Services Inc. of Florida, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Hawaii, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Maryland, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Washington D.C., Aon Risk Services Northeast Inc., Aon Risk Services South Inc., Aon Risk Services Southwest Inc., Aon Risk Services Venezuela Corretaje de Seguros C.A., Aon Risk Solutions (Cayman) Ltd., Aon Risk Solutions Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas SA de CV, Aon Risk Solutions of Puerto Rico Inc., Aon Riskminder A/S, Aon Romania Broker de Asigurare - Reasigurare SRL, Aon Rus Insurance Brokers LLC, Aon Rus LLC, Aon S.p.A. Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers, Aon Saver Limited, Aon Securities (Hong Kong) Limited, Aon Securities Investment Management Inc., Aon Securities LLC, Aon Securities Limited, Aon Service Corporation, Aon Services (Guernsey) Ltd, Aon Services (Malta) Ltd, Aon Services Group Inc., Aon Services Hong Kong Limited, Aon Services Pty Ltd., Aon Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerligi ve A.S., Aon Soluciones S.A., Aon Soluciones S.A.C., Aon Southern Europe UK Limited, Aon Sp. z o.o., Aon Special Risk Resources Inc., Aon Superannuation (PNG) Limited, Aon Superannuation Pty Limited, Aon TC Holdings Inc., Aon Taiwan Ltd., Aon Treasury Ireland Limited, Aon Trust Company LLC, Aon Trust Corporation Limited, Aon Trust Services B.V., Aon UK Group Limited, Aon UK Holdings Intermediaries Limited, Aon UK Limited, Aon UK Trustees Limited, Aon US & International Holdings Limited, Aon US Holdings 2 Inc., Aon US Holdings Inc., Aon Ukraine LLC, Aon Underwriting Agencies (HK) Limited, Aon Underwriting Managers (Bermuda) Ltd., Aon Underwriting Managers Inc., Aon Versicherungsberatungs GmbH, Aon Versicherungsmakler Deutschland GmbH, Aon Vietnam Limited, Aon Ward Financial Corporation, Aon-COFCO Insurance Brokers Co. Ltd., Aon/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services Inc., Asevasa Argentina S.A., Asevasa Caricam S.A., Asevasa Chile Peritaciones e Ingenieria de Riesgos S.A., Asevasa Mexico S.A. de C.V., Asevasa Panama S.A., Asian Reinsurance Underwriters Limited, Asscom Insurance Brokers S.r.l., Association of Rural and Small Town Americans, Associacao Instituto Aon, Assurance Licensing Services Inc., B E P International Corp., B.V. Assurantiekantoor Langeveldt-Schroder, BMS Insurance Agency L.L.C., Bacon & Woodrow Partnerships (Ireland) Limited, Bacon & Woodrow Partnerships Limited, Bain Hogg Group Limited (in liquidation), Baltolink UADBB, Bankassure Insurance Services Limited, Bayfair Insurance Centre Limited, Beaubien Finance Ireland Limited, Beaubien Finance Limited, Beaubien UK Finance Limited, Becketts (Trustees) Limited, Becketts Limited, Beech Hill Pension Trustees Ltd, Bekouw Mendes C.V., Benefit Marketing Solutions L.L.C., Benfield Advisory Inc., Benfield Corredores de Reaseguro Ltda., Benfield Finance (London) LLC, Benfield Group, Benfield Investment Holdings Limited, Benfield Juniperus Holdings Limited, Benfield do Brasil Participacoes Ltda. (dormant), Benton Finance Ireland Limited, Benton Finance Limited, Blanch Americas Inc., Bowes & Company Inc. of New York, CEREP III Secondary Manager LLC, CFSSG Real Estate Partners I LLC, CFSSG Real Estate Partners II LLC, CIF-H GP LLC, Cammack Health LLC, Cananwill Corporation, Cananwill Inc., Cardea Health Solutions Limited, Casablanca Intermediation Company Sarl, Celinvest Amsterdam B.V., Chapka Assurances SAS, Citadel Insurance Managers Inc., CoCubes, CoSec 2000 Limited, Coalition for Benefits Equality and Choice, Cocubes Technologies Private Limited, Coles Hewitt Partnership, Contingency Insurance Brokers Limited, Contractsure Limited, CoverWallet, Coverall S.r.l. Insurance and Reinsurance Underwriting Agency, Credit Insurance Brokers (Reynolds) Limited, Crion N.V., Custom Benefit Programs Inc., Cut-e, Cut-e (UK) Limited, Cut-e Assessment (Hong Kong) Limited, Cut-e Assessment Solutions Europe Limited, Cut-e Australia Pty Limited, Cut-e Consult DMCC, Cut-e Danmark A/S, Cut-e Finland Oy, Cut-e GmbH, Cut-e Ireland Limited, Cut-e Nordic AS, Cut-e Norge AS, Cytelligence, Delany Bacon & Woodrow Partnership, Dempsey Partners, Denney O'Hara (Life & Pensions) Limited, Doveland Services Limited, E. W. Blanch Holdings Limited, E. W. Blanch Investments Limited, E.W. Blanch Capital Risk Solutions Inc., E.W. Blanch International Inc., EW Blanch Limited, Elysium Digital IP Products LLC, Elysium Digital L.L.C., Ennis Knupp Secondary Market Services LLC, Essar Insurance Services Limited, Exploitatiemaatschappij Beukenlaan 68-72 B.V., Farmaseg - Solucoes Assistencia e Servicos Empresariais Ltda., Farmsure Limited [In strike-off], Finaccord Limited, Financial & Professional Risk Solutions Inc., Futurity Group Inc., GTCR/AAM Blocker Corp., Ge.f.it. S.r.l., Gefass S.r.l., Glenrand M I B (Mocambique) Corretores de Seguros Limitada, Global Safe Insurance Brokers S.r.l., Globe Events Management, Gotham Digital Science LLC, Gotham Digital Science Ltd., Grant Liddell Financial Advisor Services Pty Ltd, Grant Park Capital LLC, Groupe-Conseil Aon Inc., Grupo Innovac Sociedad de Correduria de Seguros SA, HIA Insurance Services Pty Ltd., Hall Rhodes Holdings Limited, Hall Rhodes Limited, Hamburger Gesellschaft zur Forderung des Versicherungswesens mbH, Harbourview West Lake Co-Invest (GP) LP, Health Index Advisors LLC, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, Henderson Corporate Insurance Brokers Limited, Henderson Insurance Brokers Limited, Henderson Insurance Partnership Limited [In strike-off], Henderson Risk Management Limited, Hewitt Amalco 3 ULC, Hewitt Amalco 4 ULC, Hewitt Amalco 5 ULC, Hewitt Associates (a partnership), Hewitt Associates Administradora e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Hewitt Associates Corp., Hewitt Associates Outsourcing Limited, Hewitt Associates Pty Ltd, Hewitt Associates S.C., Hewitt Associates SAS, Hewitt Associates Servicos de Recursos Humanos Ltda., Hewitt Beneficios Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Hewitt Holdings Canada Company, Hewitt Insurance Brokerage LLC, Hewitt Insurance Inc., Hewitt International Holdings LLC, Hewitt Management Ltd., Hewitt Risk Management Services Limited, Hewitt Western Management Amalco Inc., Hogg Group Limited, Hogg Robinson North America Inc., Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency Inc., I. Beck Insurance Agency (1994) Ltd., IAO Actuarial Consulting Services Canada Inc., INPOINT INC., IRM/GRC Holding Inc., Impact Forecasting L.L.C., Inspiring Benefits, Inspiring Benefits Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Insuractive Limited [In strike-off], Insurance Broker Aon Kazakhstan LLP, International Risk Management (Americas) Inc., International Risk Management Group Ltd, International Space Brokers Europe Limited, International Space Brokers France, International Space Brokers Inc., International Space Brokers Limited, Inversiones Benfield Chile Ltda., J H Minet Puerto Rico Inc., J. Allan Brown Consultants Inc., JDPT Manager LLC, Jenner Fenton Slade Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Credit Insurance) Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Insurances) Limited, John Reynolds & Company (Life & Pensions) Limited, Johnson Rooney Welch Inc., K & K Insurance Brokers Inc. Canada, K & K Insurance Group Inc., K & K Insurance Group of Florida Inc., K2 Technologies Inc., KVT GP LLC, Kloud S.a.r.l., Krumlin Hall Limited, Lake Erie Real Estate General Partner Limited, Lake Tahoe GP LLC, Lake Tahoe II GP LLC, Lake Tahoe III GP LLC, Lake Tahoe IV GP LLC, Lenzi Paolo Broker di Assicurazioni S.r.l., Lincolnshire Insurance Company PCC Limited, Linx Underwriting Solutions Inc., Lombard Trustee Company Limited, M.A. Shakeel Management Ltd. Amalco, MacDonagh Boland Crotty MacRedmond Ltd, Marinaro Dundas S.A., Marinaro Dundas SA, Mark Kelly Insurance and Financial Services PTY LTD, McLagan (Aon) Limited, McLagan Partners Asia Inc., McLagan Partners Inc., Membership Leasing Trust, Minet Consultancy Services Ltd, Minet Group, Minet Holdings Inc., Minet Inc., Minet Re North America Inc., Modern Survey Inc., Muirfield Underwriters Ltd., NBS Nominees Limited, National Insurance Office Ltd., Nauman Insurance Brokers Limited, Nexus Insurance Brokers Limited, One Underwriting Agency GmbH, One Underwriting B.V., One Underwriting Health B.V., One Underwriting Pty Ltd, Optica Agency A/S, Optimum Risk Solutions Limited, Ovatio Courtage SAS, P.G. Bradley & Co Limited, PGOF Manager 1 LLC, PRORUCK Ruckversicherungs Aktiengesellschaft, PT Aon Benfield Indonesia, PT Aon Hewitt Indonesia, PT Aon Indonesia, PWZ AG, Paragon Strategic Solutions Inc., PathWise Solutions LLC, Penn Square Manager 1 LLC, Penn Square Manager II LLC, Portus Consulting, Portus Consulting, Portus Consulting (Leamington) Limited, Portus Online LLP, Praesidium S.p.A. - Soluzioni Assicurative per il Management, Premier Auto Finance Inc., Private Client Trustees Ltd., Private Equity Partnership Structures I LLC, Probabilitas N.V./SA, Protective Marketing Enterprises Inc., Randolph Finance Unlimited Company, Rasini Vigano Limited, Redwoods Dental Underwriters Inc., Richard Kiddle (Insurance Brokers) Limited, Risk Laboratories LLC, Riskikonsultatsioonide OU, Ronnie Elementary Insurance Agency Ltd, SA Special Situations General Partner LLC, SG IFFOXX Assekuranzmaklergesellschaft mbH, SLE Worldwide Limited, SN Re S.A., Salud Riesgos y Recursos Humanos Consultores Ltda. (former Aon Corporte Advisors Ltda.), SchneiderGolling IFFOXX Assekuranzmakler AG, SchneiderGolling Industrie Assekuranzmaklergesellschaft mbH, Scritch Inc., Shanghai Kayi Information Technology Co. Ltd, Sheppard Netherlands B.V., Specialty Benefits Inc., Sports Insure Limited [In strike-off], Strategic Manager-III LLC, Stroz Friedberg (Asia) Limited, Stroz Friedberg Inc., Stroz Friedberg LLC, Stroz Friedberg Limited, Stroz Friedberg Risk Management Limited, Superannuation Management Nominees Limited, Suresport Limited [In strike-off], Swire Blanch MSTC II SA, Swire Blanch MSTC SA, TTG BRPTP GP LLC, TTG Cayuga Bavaria Intermediate 2 S.a.r.l, TTG Core Plus Investments LLC, TTG German Investments I LLC, TTG Investments II LLC, TTG Irish Investments I LLC, TTG Manager LLC, Tecsefin S.A. en liquidacion, The Aon Ireland Mastertrustee Limited, The Aon MasterTrustee Limited, The John Reynolds Company Limited, The Key West Saxon Group LLC, The Townsend Group Inc, The Townsend Group LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager I LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager II LLC, Townsend Alpha Manager III LLC, Townsend Group Asia Limited, Townsend Group Europe Ltd., Townsend HWL GP Ltd., Townsend Holdings LLC, Townsend Lake Constance GP Limited, Townsend REF GP LLC, Townsend Re Global GP Limited, Townsend SO Manager I LLC, Tyche, UAB One Underwriting, UADBB Aon Baltic, UK Credit Insurance Specialists Limited, UNIT Versicherungsmakler GmbH, US Underwriting Solutions S.r.l., USLP Underwriting Solutions LP, Underwriters Marine Services Inc., Unidelta AG, Unirobe Meeus Groep, UnitedPensions Deutschland AG, Univers Workplace Solutions, VERO Management AG, Ventiv Technology, WT Government Services LLC, WT Technologies LLC, Wannet Speciale Verzekeringen B.V., Wannet Sports Insurance GmbH, Ward Financial Group Inc., Welfare S.r.l, West Lake General Partner LLC, West Lake II GP LLC, Wexford Underwriting Managers Inc., White Rock Insurance (Americas) Ltd., White Rock Insurance (Europe) PCC Limited, White Rock Insurance (Gibraltar) PCC Ltd., White Rock Insurance (Guernsey) ICC Limited, White Rock Insurance (Netherlands) PCC Limited, White Rock Insurance (SAC) Ltd., White Rock Insurance Company PCC Ltd., White Rock Insurance PCC (Isle of Man) Limited, White Rock Services (Bermuda) Ltd., White Rock USA Ltd., Willis Towers Watson, Worldwide Integrated Services Company, Wrapid Specialty Inc., Zalba-Caldu Correduria de Seguros SA, and cut-e USA Inc..

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Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Global Industrial, Global Institutional & Specialty, and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segments. The Global Industrial segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, petroleum, refining, and petrochemical industries. The Global Institutional & Specialty segment provides specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the foodservice, hospitality, lodging, government and education, and retail industries. Its Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segment offers specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the healthcare, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries, such as infection prevention and surgical solutions, and end-to-end cleaning and contamination control solutions under the Ecolab, Microtek, and Anios brand names. The company's Other segment offers pest elimination services to detect, eliminate, and prevent pests, such as rodents and insects in restaurants, food and beverage processors, educational and healthcare facilities, hotels, quick service restaurant and grocery operations, and other institutional and commercial customers. This segment also provides colloidal silica for binding and polishing applications in semiconductor, catalyst, and aerospace component manufacturing, as well as chemical industries; and products and services that manage wash process through custom designed programs, premium products, dispensing equipment, water and energy management, and reduction, as well as real time data management. It sells its products through field sales and corporate account personnel, distributors, and dealers. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Motorola Solutions, Inc. provides mission critical communications and analytics in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation, and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce. Its land mobile radio communications and video security and access control devices include two-way portable and vehicle-mounted radios, fixed and mobile video cameras, and accessories; radio network core and central processing software, base stations, consoles, and repeaters; and video analytics, network video management hardware and software, and access control solutions. The Software and Services segment provides repair, technical support, and hardware maintenance services. This segment also offers monitoring, software updates, and cybersecurity services; and public safety and enterprise command center software, unified communications applications, and video software solutions through on-premise and as a service. It serves government, public safety, and commercial customers. The company was formerly known as Motorola, Inc. and changed its name to Motorola Solutions, Inc. in January 2011. Motorola Solutions, Inc. was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
The following companies are subsidiares of Colgate-Palmolive: 887357 Ontario Inc., COLGALIVE S.A., CP GABA GmbH, CP International Holding C.V., CP West East Investment Limited, Cleaning Dimensions Inc., Colgate (BVI) Limited, Colgate (Guangzhou) Company Limited, Colgate (U.K.) Limited, Colgate Business Services of the Americas S.C., Colgate Flavors and Fragrances Inc., Colgate Global Business Services Private Limited, Colgate Holdings, Colgate Inc., Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals Inc., Colgate Palmolive Ghana Limited, Colgate Palmolive Holding S.Com.P.A., Colgate Palmolive Nouvelle Caledonie Sarl, Colgate Palmolive Tanzania Limited, Colgate Sanxiao Company Limited, Colgate Venture Company Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Asia) Pte Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Blantyre) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Brunei) Sdn Bhn, Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc. y Compania Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive (Centro America) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (China) Co. Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Costa Rica) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominica) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominican Republic) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (East Africa) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Eastern) Pte. Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Egypt) S.A.E., Colgate-Palmolive (Far East) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Fiji) Pte Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Gabon) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Guyana) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (H.K.) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Hellas) S.A. I.C., Colgate-Palmolive (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Kazakhstan) L.L.P., Colgate-Palmolive (Latvia) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Middle East Exports) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Myanmar) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (New York) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive (Proprietary) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Research & Development) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Romania) SRL, Colgate-Palmolive (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Uganda) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Vietnam) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Zambia) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Zimbabwe) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive A.B., Colgate-Palmolive A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Adria Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Treasury Services Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Belgium S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Bolivia Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Caricom Service Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Central European Management Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Chile S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cia., Colgate-Palmolive Comercial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Commercial (Hellas) SP LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Commerciale S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive Commericale S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive Compania Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive Company Distr. LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Company GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Cote dIvoire S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cyprus Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Development Corp., Colgate-Palmolive East West Africa Region (Pty) Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Enterprises Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Espana S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Europe (Holdings) Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Europe Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Finance (UK) plc, Colgate-Palmolive Global Trading Company, Colgate-Palmolive Holding Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Holding Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Hungary Kft Limited Liability Company, Colgate-Palmolive IHQ Services (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Inc. S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Industrial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Industriel S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive International Holding LLC, Colgate-Palmolive International LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Investment Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (BVI) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (PNG) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Investments Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Israel Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Italia S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive JSC, Colgate-Palmolive Lanka (Private) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Latin America Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Manufacturing (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Marketing Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive Maroc S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Mocambique Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive NJ Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Nederland B.V., Colgate-Palmolive Norge A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Participacoes e Investimentos Imobiliarios Lda., Colgate-Palmolive Peru S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Philippines Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Retirement Trustee Limited, Colgate-Palmolive S.A. de C.V., Colgate-Palmolive S.p.A., Colgate-Palmolive Senegal S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Services (Hellas) LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Services (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Services CEW GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Services S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Slovensko s.r.o., Colgate-Palmolive Support Services, Colgate-Palmolive Temizlik Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticart S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Transnational Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Ukraine LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Unipessoal Lda, Colgate-Palmolive de Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive de Puerto Rico Inc., Colgate-Palmolive del Ecuador S.A.I.C., Colgate-Palmolive del Peru (Delaware) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Eeska republika spol. s r.o., Colpal CBS S de R. L. de C. V., Consumer Viewpoint Center Inc., Cotelle S.A., Dimac Development Corp., Dominica Coconut Products Limited, EKIB Inc., ELM Company Limited, Elta MD Holdings Inc., Elta MD Inc., EltaMD, Filorga Americas Inc., Filorga Asia Limited, Filorga Benelux SA, Filorga Cosmetiques Polska, Filorga Middle East DMCC, Filorga Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Filorga RU Limited Liability Company, GABA Europe Holding GmbH, GABA International, GABA International Holding LLC, GABA Schweiz AG, GABA Therwil GmbH, Gamma Development Co. Ltd., Global Trading and Supply LLC, Hamol Ltd., Hello Products, Hello Products LLC, Hills Funding Company, Hills Pet Nutrition (NZ) Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Asia Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Canada Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Denmark ApS, Hills Pet Nutrition Espana S.L., Hills Pet Nutrition GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Holding B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Indiana Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Italia S.r.l., Hills Pet Nutrition Korea Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing s.r.o, Hills Pet Nutrition Norway AS, Hills Pet Nutrition OOO, Hills Pet Nutrition Pty. Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition S.p.A., Hills Pet Nutrition SNC, Hills Pet Nutrition Sales Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition South Africa Proprietary Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition Sweden AB, Hills Pet Nutrition Switzerland GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Taiwan Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition Trading (GZ) Co. Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hills Pet Nutrition de Puerto Rico Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition s.r.o., Hills Pet Products (Benelux) S.A., Hills Pet Products Inc., Hills Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Hills-Colgate (Japan) Ltd., Hopro Liquidating Corp., Hygiene Systemes et Services SA, IES Enterprises Inc., Inmobiliaria Colpal S. de R.L. de C.V., Inmobiliaria Hills S.A. de C.V., Innovacion Creativa S.A. de C.V., Kolynos Corporation, Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Espana S.L.U., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Italia S.R.L., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques S.A., Laser Brand Toothpaste, Lournay Sales Inc., Mennen Company, Mennen Interamerica Ltd., Mennen Limited, Mennen South Africa Ltd., Mennen de Chile Ltd., Mennen de Nicargua S.A., Mission Hills Property Corporation, Mission Hills S.A. de C.V., Norwood International Incorporated, Olive Music Publishing Corporation, PCA SKIN, Paramount Research Inc., Penny LLC, Pet Chemicals Inc., Physicians Care Alliance LLC, Productos Halogenados Copalven C.A., Purity Holding Company, Purity Music Publishing Corporation, Refresh Company Limited, Samuel Taylor Holdings B.V., Sanex, Sanxiao Company Limited, Services Development Co. Ltd., Societe Generale de Negoce et de Services (GENESE) S.A., The GDN - The Global Distributive Network SAS, The Lournay Company Inc., The MPDP - The Medical and Pharmaceutic Distributive Platform SAS, The Murphy-Phoenix Company, Tom's of Maine, Toms of Maine Holdings Inc., Toms of Maine Inc., Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Vipont Pharmaceutical Inc., and XEB Inc..

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Likely, for non-Jewish viewers at least, to set Judaism back maybe 200 years,-- the first full-length narrative film from(below, who directed the much better "Taxi Garage" episode from the documentary) proves awell-acted piece of utter nonsense. Other reviewers have suggested keeping an open mind regarding the film, but I would suggest a sieve or colander instead.admits he has little interest in or affection for the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community, but he has certainly enjoyed and found worthwhile other films concerning this subject (is one of these)., however, is so thoroughly misjudged in terms of its plotting and especially its title character "hero," whose stupidity is such a complete turn-off -- he quite literally doeswrong -- that only the simple-minded could care much about him or what happens to him. This is not due to the actor, newcomer, shown above and below, who plays the title role (and quite well), but to the writer/ director's ham-fisted handling of it all. Really Mr. Weinstein, how did this poor schlub mange to even reach adulthood intact -- let alone marry, have a child and find any kind of permanent employment? I find it odd that critics would refuse to accept this sort of manipulative deck-stacking in even a silly rom-com -- but here, it's OK?Well not by me. Menashe, both the man and the movie, seem to do just about everything to undercut themselves and any possible success that either might have. We can take a little of this, even a medium amount along the way. But when every last event smacks of stupidity and failure (culminating in a smoke-filled apartment that could have been avoided so easily and more helpfully for all concerned), red flags have arisen to the point of practically blocking out all else we see on-screen.This is too bad because the remaining actors here are also excellent, in particular the boy,(above, right), who plays Menashe's son, and Mr. Weinstein has managed a couple of other odd feats, as well. For one thing, he has shot his film with the actors speaking in Yiddish, a language the filmmaker admits to not speaking nor understanding and that is almost never used in films. (Not to worry, there are English subtitles aplenty.) He also made his movie on the sly, since the Hasidic community does not permit cinematography within its bounds. So any scenes that involve the community at large were photographed surreptitiously.While one might debate the ethics (or lack of them) involved here, Weinstein's inter-weaving of these scenes with those that are more intimate and could be shot elsewhere is impressive and pretty seamless. And as he draws fine performance from his entire cast, there is much to be impressed with inYet, as the movie continues on its dour and tiresome way, it becomes increasingly a heavy slough. And its would-be happy (or at least happier) ending also seems suspect., after all this, our hero decides to "get with the program"? OK. If you say so.Isfair to the Hasidic community? No more nor less so that other films that have offered this slice-of-life up for appraisal. It is a community closed off and unwelcoming except to those who tow the line. And since that line includes the likes of "Women should not be allowed to have a driver's license" (an opinion that is voiced by a female yet!), most audiences, I fear, will not be positively impressed.Or maybe, unlike that famous old Levy's Rye Bread commercial, you reallyhave to be Jewish, after all.Meanwhile,, which has already opened in major cities, hits South Florida today at the following venues: in Miami/Fort Lauderdale area at theand; in the Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Lake Worth areas at the, and the. Elsewhere across the USA, click here to find a theater near you.
Half of South Sudans population is severely hungry, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported on August 17, despite the lifting of official famine classification for some parts of the country in June.

Violence in the country has displaced one in three people, they said. The UNs Food and Agriculture Organization described the situation in June as at risk of a hunger catastrophe.

The ICRC released this video showing conditions at Deim Zubeir, a camp for internally displaced people on August 17. Credit: International Committee of the Red Cross via Storyful
MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Suspected members of Somalia's al Shabaab Islamist group beheaded at least three men overnight in an attack on a Kenyan village, authorities said on Friday, a month after nine were killed in a similar way nearby. "They were slaughtered. Their heads were cut off from the rest of their bodies," said a police source, asking not to be named. Police said four bodies had been found at Maleli village in Kenya's coastal county of Lamu. Area county commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said he was aware of three deaths. "A group of armed suspects raided and killed three locals. All the three were men," Kitiyo told Reuters by phone, adding the suspects set houses ablaze before disappearing into a nearby forest. "We cannot speculate, but from previous attacks, the nature and style of this attack can only be associated with these al Shabaab criminals." In July suspected al Shabaab attackers fighters beheaded nine men in villages near Maleli, and killed three police officers in another attack in the area. The al Qaeda-linked group aims to overthrow Somalia's U.N.-backed government and impose its own strict interpretation of Islam. They have intensified attacks in Kenya since it sent troops into Somalia in 2011. They have also claimed responsibility for a series of cross-border attacks in recent months, including a spate of roadside bombings targeting security forces. (Reporting by Joseph Akwiri; Editing by George Obulutsa and Andrew Roche)
By Tiemoko Diallo BAMAKO (Reuters) - A Malian former police chief cut off people's hands during an occupation in 2012-13 by Islamist rebels who imposed a harsh form of Islamic law, a court heard on Friday as he was put on trial. The trial is the first by a national Malian court for crimes by Islamists when they took over the desert north after an uprising by northern separatists, the International Federation for Human Rights said. Aliou Mahamane Toure was head of police in the northern city of Gao during the 10-month regime. Witnesses say that he cut off the hands of people accused of stealing, including children. He was arrested in 2013 and charged with associating with criminals, attacks against the state, aggravated injuries and possession of weapons of war - charges which he denies. "My role was limited to arresting and bringing the accused before court. I did not judge anyone or cut off anyone's hands," Toure told the court. "I remember three or four amputations. I did not attend all of them," he added. Around a dozen victims travelled more than 1,200 km (745 miles) to the capital to testify against him, said Moctar Mariko, their lawyer and president of the Malian Human Rights Association. One of them, a 34-year-old man, said that Toure had personally cut off his right hand after he was accused of stealing a piece of fabric that he had bought for his wife. "They tied me to a chair... then they covered my head with a cloth and cut off my hand," said Algalass Ag. "I have never stolen in my life." Another woman present said that Toure cut off the hands of four of her nephews after they were accused of stealing mobile phones on a bus. "I was there. It was Aliou himself who displayed before the public the severed hands of the four children," said Mariam Maiga. Other people had their feet cut off, she said. The Islamists were also known to conduct public stonings and floggings as punishment for adultery and other acts. Judges at the International Criminal Court ruled this week that a former Islamist rebel jailed for wrecking holy sites in the ancient city of Timbuktu during the same period was liable for damages of 2.7 million euros (2.49 million pounds). France intervened in Mali in 2013 to oust the rebels but Islamist militants still frequently launch attacks. Seven people were killed when unidentified gunmen attacked a U.N. peacekeeping base in Timbuktu this week. (Additional reporting and writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
First American Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides financial services. It operates through Title Insurance and Services, and Specialty Insurance segments. The Title Insurance and Services segment issues title insurance policies on residential and commercial property, as well as offers related products and services. This segment also provides closing and/or escrow services; products, services, and solutions to mitigate risk or otherwise facilitate real estate transactions; and appraisals and other valuation-related products and services, lien release and document custodial services, warehouse lending services, default-related products and services, mortgage subservicing, and related products and services, as well as banking, trust, and wealth management services. In addition, it accommodates tax-deferred exchanges of real estate; and maintains, manages, and provides access to title plant data and records. This segment offers its products through a network of direct operations and agents in 49 states and in the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and internationally. The Specialty Insurance segment provides property and casualty insurance comprising coverage to residential homeowners and renters for liability losses and typical hazards, such as fire, theft, vandalism, and other types of property damage. It also offers residential service contracts that cover residential systems, such as heating and air conditioning systems, and appliances against failures that occur as the result of normal usage during the coverage period. First American Financial Corporation was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California.
Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors, which control, transmit, and contain fluid; control solutions for extreme corrosion resistance, temperatures, pressures, and precise flow; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and distributors who serve the replacement markets in manufacturing, packaging, processing, transportation, construction, refrigeration and air conditioning, agricultural, and military machinery and equipment industries. The Aerospace Systems segment offers products for use in commercial and military airframe and engine programs, such as control actuation systems and components, engine build-up ducting, engine exhaust nozzles and assemblies, engine systems and components, fluid conveyance systems and components, fuel systems and components, fuel tank inerting systems, hydraulic systems and components, lubrication components, pilot controls, pneumatic control components, thermal management products, and wheels and brakes, as well as fluid metering, delivery, and atomization devices. This segment markets its products directly to OEMs and end users. The company markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
Consolidated Edison, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated electric, gas, and steam delivery businesses in the United States. It offers electric services to approximately 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester County; gas to approximately 1.1 million customers in Manhattan, the Bronx, parts of Queens, and Westchester County; and steam to approximately 1,555 customers in parts of Manhattan. The company also supplies electricity to approximately 0.3 million customers in southeastern New York and northern New Jersey; and gas to approximately 0.1 million customers in southeastern New York. In addition, it operates 533 circuit miles of transmission lines; 15 transmission substations; 64 distribution substations; 87,564 in-service line transformers; 3,924 pole miles of overhead distribution lines; and 2,291 miles of underground distribution lines, as well as 4,350 miles of mains and 377,971 service lines for natural gas distribution. Further, the company owns, operates, and develops renewable and energy infrastructure projects; and provides energy-related products and services to wholesale and retail customers, as well as invests in electric and gas transmission projects. It primarily sells electricity to industrial, commercial, residential, and government customers. The company was founded in 1823 and is based in New York, New York.
Santa Ana Star Casino is spicing things up this August with chile-themed promotions and giveaways.

Stock up on chile during the Chile Chile Bang Bang Green Chile Giveaway from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, Saturday, Aug. 19, and Sunday, Aug. 20. Star Rewards Club members who earn 250 points will receive a free 1-pound bag of roasted chile. Patrons can earn a maximum of four bags each day.

Earn some chile and free play during the Bring the Heat Hot Seats promotion today through Sunday. Two winners will be chosen every hour between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day. Winners will receive a 40-pound sack of freshly roasted green chile and $20 in free play.

The Fruit Basket ABQ will supply the chile. This family-owned business has provided green chile direct from the farm for more than 30 years. The Fruit Basket ABQ sources its chile from several locations throughout New Mexico, including Hatch, Lemitar and Artesia, according to a Santa Ana Star Casino news release.

The Roasted Riches promotion gives lucky guests a chance at free play, roasted chile as well as big cash. Five guests will be chosen every week. Four will win free play prizes worth up to $250, and one person will win a years supply of roasted green chile and play the Roasted Riches game for a chance to win up to $150,000 cash. Playing is simple. Patrons start at Level 1 and get two choices: red or green. One envelope will have a cash prize, and the other will advance the patron to the next level of play for a bigger cash prize. Star Rewards Club members earn an entry for every 500 points accrued playing their favorite Santa Ana Star Casino game. Drawings will be held at 8 p.m. every Saturday. Guests can earn entries now through Sept. 16.

Are all these hot promotions making you hungry? Head over to Cantina Rio for a fiesta of flavor with its daily specials. Enjoy steak and enchiladas for $9. The plate consists of a 6-ounce sirloin steak, two cheese enchiladas, rice and beans. If chicken is more to your liking, Cantina Rio offers its Santa Fe Chicken plate, which includes a marinated chicken breast smothered in shredded cheese and red or green chile served with fries and rice for $7. Wash it down with a tasty hand-shaken margarita.

Satisfy your big appetite with the New Mexican food served at The Feast Buffet all day, every Saturday. Chow down on green chile chicken enchiladas, carne adovada, chicharrones, carne asada fajitas, street tacos, a burrito bar and more. Change things up with some surf and turf every Friday at The Feast Buffet. Enjoy the seafood and prime rib buffet offered every Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. Get your fill of crab legs, prime rib, shrimp, oysters and more for $29.95 per person.

For more information on Santa Ana Star Casino, call 867-0000 or visit santaanastar.com.
This year, the Bosque Chile Festival has added three educational sessions about chile to the mix.

Cindy Schlenker Davies and John Garlich of New Mexico State University, Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service, will lead the sessions. Garlich will discuss Tips for Growing Chile in New Mexico at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, and Brief History of Chile in New Mexico at noon. Schlenker Davies, the county program director, will present the Preserving New Mexicos Treasures, Red and Green session.

Green chile is the most commonly canned food in New Mexico, or certainly one of the most, and I teach people how to can it safely because it does need to be pressure-canned, Schlenker Davies said. A lot of people dont understand that whole process very well.  In that session, I will be going over the ways to preserve chile. Canning is the more intensive one, and then freezing, of course, is something everybody is used to doing with green chile, and then drying. And drying is actually my favorite way to do it because you can quickly get it done and store it.

Schlenker Davies said she prefers drying because it also makes it easier to ship because it is lighter in weight than frozen or canned chile.

If youre going to mail someone chile from another state, thats a really great way to do it rather than trying to ship fresh chile, which often molds and doesnt ship very well, Schlenker Davies said.  Its is a little different in that its peeled before you dry it and then it actually will remind you of jerky when you see it. It dries fairly flat and very light. You can reconstitute it by adding into a soup or liquid of any kind and it will plump back up or you can just eat it like jerky.

Schlenker Davies also will be helping with the salsa competition and green chile stew competition that are part of the festival. She will oversee the food safety aspect of the competitions.

You want to really capture the flavor of the chile, and sometimes with green chile stew people are so interested in trying to make it unique they dont capture the flavor of the chile and so it ends up tasting like one spice or another rather than the real part of the green chile, which is what New Mexico loves, the flavor of the chile, Schlenker Davies said. And salsa is a little bit of the same  if someone is wanting to sample salsa, what theyre looking for is the taste of the peppers, be it the green chile or jalapenos or whatever. Its nice to have a good bite to it, but if something is so hot that you cant taste the flavors of things, its just heat, well thats not really what youre after either, so just the flavors of home for us New Mexicans I guess is what we really want.
After just six hours of deliberation, a local jury convicted an Albuquerque man Thursday in the death of his wife.

According to the District Attorneys Office, Carlos Perez strangled Vanessa Delgado and tied a plastic bag around her head on June 6, 2016. Police were called to Perezs home at 11100 Gibson SE early that morning after Perez contacted a relative and said hed hurt his wife badly and was going to El Paso.

According to police, Perez was found later headed south on Interstate 25 close to Las Cruces. The couples four children, all under age 10, were with him in his Honda sedan.

After a two-day trial, jurors found Perez guilty of second-degree murder and battery on a household member, according to the DAs Office.

Perez will be sentenced in early November and faces up to 16 years in prison.
SANTA FE  A Santa Fe District Court judge is set to decide if a state-imposed limit on the number of marijuana plants a medical cannabis producer can have at any given time is arbitrary after hearing arguments from both sides in a civil suit aimed at the New Mexico Department of Health.

New rules adopted by the DOH in 2015 set the limit on the total amount of plants a licensed provider can have at one time at 450. That increased from 150 after a 2013 DOH study found that patients had been turned away at the dispensary because their supplier was out of product, and several of them said they considered buying cannabis on the street instead.

Bernalillo County resident Nicole Sena and New Mexico Top Organics  Ultra Health Inc., which operates seven medical marijuana dispensaries across the state, filed a lawsuit last August against DOH and Secretary Lynn Gallagher and asked that a judge rule that the 450-plant limit is arbitrary and has no factual, practical, scientific or economic data to support it. The plaintiffs want the judge to declare that the plant limit should be eliminated or greatly increased so producers can provide an adequate supply of products.

A bench trial began Monday in Judge David Thomsons court and concluded Thursday with testimony from DOH medical cannabis program director Kenny Vigil. Thomson wants written closing arguments 10 days after the trials transcript is completed, and a ruling will be issued within 60 days after that.

The suit says that Senas daughter, who was less than a year old when the suit was filed, has a rare form of epilepsy, and the only treatment that provides relief is Haleighs Hope, an oil that is high in CBD, the non-psychotropic ingredient in cannabis. The oil requires four time the amount of raw plant material of other specialized products, the suit says, and Sena and her daughter had to move to a neighboring state to have greater access to it, according to the suit.

DOHs Vigil said in court Thursday that CBD products are readily available to patients and that people would be knocking down our doors if there was a shortage because patients typically take their concerns to the department.

But Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez said in testimony Wednesday there is absolutely a supply shortage in New Mexico. He said consumption levels are high in the state and whats on the dispensary shelf doesnt meet the demand.
University of New Mexico Hospital is the states largest public hospital and most important safety net. As such, UNMH is entrusted with significant local tax revenue each year to meet health care needs that no one else will meet.

In May 2017, hospital administrators implemented a policy that essentially denies medically necessary surgery to uninsured low-income residents of Bernalillo County by requiring them to pay 50 percent of the cost of surgery up front before the operation can be scheduled. If a surgery is medically urgent, patients must appeal to the Chief Medical Officer in order to receive care. It is unclear how patients would know this new appeals process exists or that it represents such a drastic change from the previous policy.

This new requirement is in direct conflict with UNMH payment policies established in 2009 and updated in October 2015, which call for a reasonable down payment of $25 for patients in poverty and allows for people to make payment plans to pay off the balance after surgery.

The new 50 percent up front policy singles out surgery patients who have already gone through the UNMH financial screening process, have proven that their income is low, and who cannot qualify for any assistance. They are not asking for free care  only the opportunity to get necessary health care first and worry about paying for it afterward, when they can work again.

This policy was created without input from or knowledge of the UNM Hospital Board of Trustees, the hospitals medical providers, or the public. UNM Hospital quietly initiated this new policy while in the middle of prolonged, closed-door negotiations with Bernalillo County, UNM Board of Regents and the Indian Health Service about how $96 million in property taxes that voters approved in November should be used.

The draft contract among these parties addresses UNMHs long-established responsibility for providing necessary health care to Bernalillo County indigents and to Native Americans residing in New Mexico in exchange for taxpayer support and no-cost leases for county and native land.

This May 2017 policy is familiar to our community. Before 2005, a similar 50 percent up front policy was blocking access to necessary care until it was successfully challenged by community health advocates who organized those most impacted. In 2005, then-Gov. Bill Richardson called a UNM Health Care Summit, attended by 400 people, which resulted in dismantling the 50 percent up front policy and other hospital policy improvements.

Reviving the old 50 percent up front policy has already had a significant impact on the lives of our hard-working residents. Patients have had surgeries cancelled for necessary cancer care and for surgical repair of multiple torn knee ligaments because they could not come up with 50 percent of the bill up front. One patient received a bill for over $17,000, to be paid before his knee surgery could be scheduled. His surgery is medically necessary if he wants to walk again.

The new 50 percent up front policy was discovered in June by well-trained community health workers who help patients apply for UNMHs low-income discount and payment plans. Most patients affected by this policy do not have access to such advocates and are being denied necessary care by our states largest safety net hospital without recourse.

Hospital administrators made this change at a time of great national concern about the future of health care access. Our public hospital must inspire a different response to this uncertainty  instead of creating a two-tiered system where the poorest among us must pay 50 percent up front for surgery. This is a policy that is neither humane nor economically sound. UNMH has seen a nearly 50 percent decrease in uncompensated care since the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion, and has amassed cash reserves of more than $230 million. We ask that UNMH immediately reverse this 50 percent up front policy for indigent patients, reinstate the affordable co-pays for necessary surgery, and commit to transparency and accountability to the county and to the community that it serves.
After a hiatus, the state Legislatures Criminal Justice Reform Subcommittee is back at work crafting proposed changes in the criminal justice system to address the states burgeoning crime problem. The subcommittee of the Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee was formed in 2013 and charged with the same task it faces today.

Heres hoping the new eight-member, bicameral, bipartisan subcommittee is able to deliver more than it did the last time around.

In a presentation to the subcommittee Monday, Carl Reynolds of the nonpartisan Council of State Governments Justice Center said New Mexicos 2015 violent crime rate per capita is the third-worst in the nation, trailing only Alaska and Nevada. Our states property crime rate per capita is second-worst in the country, after Hawaii, according to FBI data. That translates to 656 violent crimes per 100,000 residents (the national average was 373 per 100,000); and 3,697 property crimes per 100,000 people (the national average was 2,487 per 100,000.)

The goal of the committee back in 2013 was not getting tougher on crime; its getting smarter on crime, according to then-Sen. Lisa Torraco, who co-chaired the committee with Rep. Antonio Moe Maestas. The pair of former prosecutors planned to lead the effort to rewrite the states criminal code, a Sisyphean feat that hadnt been tackled directly by lawmakers in decades, to look not just at laws and penalties, but also prison reform, prisoner rehabilitation and a wiser use of resources. They had big plans, and Maestas said back then we want to go big, and we want to be all-inclusive. We want to bring everybody to the table  the cops, the DAs, criminal defense attorneys, civil rights attorneys, victim advocates, local jail folks, Department of Corrections, bondsmen, all aspects of the criminal justice system.

But getting substantive reform through two chambers and signed by the governor is easier said than done.

Fast forward to 2017 and the criminal code is virtually untouched, discrepancies and inequities abound, language is outdated and crime is worse than ever. Second Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez reports that, from 2014 to 2016, Bernalillo County saw a 117 percent increase in automobile theft, a 42 percent increase in robberies and a 103 percent increase in murder.

This week, subcommittee members discussed  but took no action on  a range of topics: the states lower-than-average incarceration rates; the need to ensure that crime-reduction programs are effective and cost-efficient based on hard data; the possibility of increasing speciality courts that steer people to treatment and change instead of jail; and hiring the Council of State Governments to do research and craft new policies to be considered by lawmakers.

Those are all good ideas  especially expanding specialty courts, which have a proven track record in Bernalillo County. So is Torracos and Maestas original intent to be truly collaborative and work smarter, not harder, in combatting crime. And its going to take money and political will.

Gov. Susana Martinez will likely propose, once again, bills to increase punishment. Those might feel good, but simply adding laws to the books hasnt done much for us so far. Consider that our three-strikes law has never been used.

Theres been little change for the better on the crime front since 2013; New Mexicans still have a crisis that needs serious attention. This time, they need action from their leaders thats going to deliver.

CRIME PANEL

Members of the Criminal Justice Reform Subcommittee are: Rep. Antonio Moe Maestas, D-Albuquerque; Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque; Sen. Gregory A. Baca, R-Belen; Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque; Rep. Zachary J. Cook, R-Ruidoso; Rep. Jim Dines, R-Albuquerque; Sen. Richard C. Martinez, D-Espanola; and Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque. Maestas and Rue co-chair the subcommittee.

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.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales, after recent local controversies over race and deadly violence at a white supremacist rally in Virginia, says he has a plan to address Santa Fes own complicated history with race and memory head-on  including with an inventory and review of historic monuments and markers.

Gonzales issued a long statement late Thursday that touches on continuing opposition by some Native Americans to an annual public re-enactment of the Spanish reoccupation of Santa Fe in 1692, 12 years after the Pueblo Revolt forced the Europeans out of northern New Mexico.

I dont think any government can lead or solve this alone, said Gonzales, who himself once portrayed Spanish leader and territorial governor Don Diego de Vargas in the Entrada re-enactment as part of Fiestas de Santa Fe.

These conversations are difficult and require all of us to participate, he said. In doing so  we can heal and grow stronger.

Indian protesters and others contend the Entrada ritual  scheduled this year for Sept. 8 on the Plaza  whitewashes and celebrates conquest by violence and the threat of it. The events supporters say that in an era of warfare, there was a peaceful moment when de Vargas re-entered Santa Fe and that the Entrada script has been changed to reflect Indian concerns.

Gonzales wants a review of all city support for events or organizations that celebrate or recognize historic events or people, including funding and logistical help.

Gonzales, amid movement to take down Confederate monuments around the country, also said he has asked the city manager to report on all city property that holds memorials, monuments, or markers of historic events or people, to be followed by a public comment process.

Santa Fes monuments include a statue of de Vargas in Cathedral Park. There is also an equestrian statue of early Spanish colonial governor Don Pedro de Peralta downtown.

But Gonzales, in previous interviews, has singled out two obelisks for concern  one that serves as a war memorial at the center of the citys historic Plaza. The other is outside the federal courthouse, apparently on federal property, that honors Kit Carson, the frontiersman, scout and Indian fighter who led a deadly forced march of Navajo people from their homeland to the Bosque Redondo in eastern New Mexico.

Most inscriptions on the 1868 Plaza obelisk honor Union soldiers who fought in area Civil War battles. But on one side of its base, the inscription originally read: To the heroes who have fallen in various battles with savage Indians in the Territory of New Mexico. The word savage was chiseled out years ago, and authorities never moved to repair it.

Gonzales said hes not asking for any city monuments to be removed or local events to be canceled.

What we are asking for is an inventory of monuments, an inventory of events that are city supported, and allow for a community conversation to do a check-in, he said in an interview, to (ask) are there monuments that we need to acknowledge or (that) symbolize a time of oppression that could be harmful and hurtful?

Words matter, monuments matter, and events matter.  Were a community that is strong enough to address them (with) honor, said Gonzales, who hasnt announced whether he will run for a second mayoral term next year.

City Councilor Ron Trujillo, who is running for mayor in 2018, said hes concerned that any discussion of the Entrada should have been started earlier and not less than three weeks before Fiestas.

He referred to a resolution presented to the City Council about three years ago regarding the event that was never followed up on.

Gonzales acknowledged that completing an inventory and discovering a pathway forward for the Entrada will not happen before this years event. In the meantime he wants to have space for non-violent protest. The Red Nation group has already posted online notices calling for protests again at this years Entrada.

Trujillo  who also has portrayed de Vargas at Fiesta  said he supports open dialogue as long as it includes people from all sides, mentioning both Native American and Hispanic groups.

Each statue represents history in this great community, but each monument could be offensive to some group or organization, he said. If that dialogue is going to take place, it has to be with everyone.

Gonzales spoke at a rally against racism Monday night that filled the Plaza with about 1,500 people. Several people chanted Abolish the Entrada at the end of the rally.

Elena Ortiz, from Ohkay Owingeh, has been part of the Entrada protests in the past. She said Friday that she is skeptical about much resulting from the mayors effort and that Gonzales has never been willing to take a side on the Entrada controversy. He would have to admit that he participated in something thats inherently racist, she said.

Ortiz also said it would take jumping through a lot of hoops for monuments to come down. If it happens, I would be super-supportive, and I would be willing to get out there with sledgehammer and help, she said.  Im just skeptical that anything is going to come of it. I would be really happy to be wrong.

There are no Confederate monuments in Santa Fe. The nearest is a small marker honoring Texas Confederate volunteers at Pecos National Historical Park, which includes a Civil War battlefield, about 30 miles to the east. A marker honoring Union volunteers from Colorado stands next to the Confederate slab. Another for New Mexico Union volunteers is planned.

Here is Mayor Gonzales statement:

Throughout Santa Fes history of cultural conflict, weve seen a lot of pain to go along with the beautiful diversity we have today. Weve seen Native people being oppressed and violently conquered. Weve seen Hispanic people marginalized and oppressed by a new Anglo-centric government. And we still to this day see inequality and poverty in those communities as a result of that historic oppression.

As we put it in our Council-adopted cultural roadmap, Culture Connects Santa Fe, Santa Feans live in a place where joy and pain co-exist, and yet, here beauty and creativity hold transformative power for the entire community.

In a few short weeks much of our community will gather for the annual Fiestas de Santa Fe, an event that reflects that sentiment well. It also reminds us that we have the responsibility to learn about  and learn from  the complex histories in our community, including that of the Fiestas and the Entrada itself. In doing so we can still show pride in our respective cultures and reflect on the positive contributions that have been made over time.

As we move forward we must do everything possible to start highlighting history where Native/Hispanic cultural traditions have contributed to the richness of our community and are part of our heritage.

I dont think any government can lead or solve this alone. These conversations are difficult and require all of us to participate. In doing so will we can heal and grow stronger.

To that end, I will be moving forward to:

 Continue leader-to-leader dialogue to seek the counsel of Pueblo leaders. Our Pueblo neighbors are sovereign governments, with representatives whose voices must be heard.

 Instruct the City Manager to, within 30 days, deliver to the public and the Governing Body either a report or a timeline for a report that includes:

-All City support for events or organizations that celebrate or recognize historic events or people, including financial and logistical support.

-All city property that holds memorials, monuments, or markers of historic events or people. A process by which the public may submit and comment upon events, memorials, monuments and markers that celebrate or recognize historic events or people for inclusion.

From there, I will ask the City Council to take action consistent with the findings of the Managers Report.

I believe we can be a leader in racial healing and transformation towards a more unified city, but it will take more than a mayor or city council. It will take our entire community coming together.
During these life-altering times, numerous changes are happening on so many levels. I recently heard the term Retail Apocalypse, which accounts for all the retail businesses that are closing their doors, along with so many people losing their jobs. More people are now shopping on the internet, leaving the malls void of tenants and empty. This will continue and it is going to get worse.

In Santa Fe, for example, within the past few months, Staples closed its doors and Sears did, too. If these multimillion-dollar companies are struggling, you can imagine how tough it is for the small local companies that are facing these similar obstacles.

I own Santa Fe Computer Supplies Inc., a Santa Fe woman-owned business of 29 years. I am a printing broker and I sell computer supplies. During these past few years, many printing companies in New Mexico have had to bid against New Mexico State Printing and Graphics Services, which is a state agency. State Printing and Graphics Services can afford to underbid competitive printing companies because they are supported by New Mexico taxpayers. They dont pay their employees, they dont pay for the printing location or equipment. It is all paid by us, the taxpayers of New Mexico.

Something is wrong with this picture when so many printing companies, along with other businesses, are making every effort to continue on. My understanding was that State Printing and Graphics Services was established to do printing for the various state government departments. As small-business owners, were striving to keep our businesses going and now we have to compete with our own government. How does this help New Mexico businesses who pay their taxes and are struggling during these uncertain times?

A recent report by the Office of the State Auditor analyzed large government IT contracts of $60,000 or more and found that $40 million out of $48 million spent in fiscal year 2015 on IT products and services went to firms in other states. More than half of the states IT contracts that were awarded to out-of-state businesses were sole source purchases with no public bidding, accounting for more than $20 million in spending.

In the information technology sector, 84 cents of every public dollar goes to companies outside New Mexico, said State Auditor Tim Keller. Awarding more of those contracts to homegrown businesses would go a long way toward creating local jobs and helping our economy.

If the goal is to increase economic development in New Mexico, everyone must be committed to the support, survival and growth of small businesses throughout the state. We must all walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

It has been said by those who are experts in economic development that every dollar spent in the state of New Mexico turns around seven times. When money leaves our state, it is GONE and gone for good. Every one of us, every citizen of New Mexico, should pledge to support local New Mexico businesses and Buy New Mexico at every opportunity. Please support New Mexico businesses.
SANTA FE  A Santa Fe District Court judge is set to decide if a state-imposed limit on the number of marijuana plants a medical cannabis producer can have at any given time is arbitrary after hearing arguments from both sides in a civil suit aimed at the New Mexico Department of Health.

New rules adopted by the DOH in 2015 set the limit on the total amount of plants a licensed provider can have at one time at 450. That increased from 150 after a 2013 DOH study found that patients had been turned away at the dispensary because their supplier was out of product, and several of them said they considered buying cannabis on the street instead.

Bernalillo County resident Nicole Sena and New Mexico Top Organics  Ultra Health Inc., which operates seven medical marijuana dispensaries across the state, filed a lawsuit last August against DOH and Secretary Lynn Gallagher and asked a judge to rule that the 450-plant limit is arbitrary and has no factual, practical, scientific or economic data to support it. The plaintiffs want the judge to declare that the plant limit should be eliminated or greatly increased so producers can provide an adequate supply of products.

A bench trial began Monday in Judge David Thomsons court and concluded Thursday with testimony from DOH medical cannabis program director Kenny Vigil. Thomson wants written closing arguments 10 days after the trials transcript is completed, and a ruling will be issued within 60 days after that.

The suit says that Senas daughter, who was less than a year old when the suit was filed, has a rare form of epilepsy, and the only treatment that provides relief is Haleighs Hope, an oil that is high in CBD, the non-psychotropic ingredient in cannabis. The oil requires four times the amount of raw plant material of other specialized products, the suit says, and Sena and her daughter had to move to a neighboring state to have greater access to it, according to the suit.

DOHs Vigil said in court Thursday that CBD products are readily available to patients and that people would be knocking down our doors if there was a shortage because patients typically take their concerns to the department.

But Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez said in testimony Wednesday there is absolutely a supply shortage in New Mexico. He said consumption levels are high in the state and whats on the dispensary shelf doesnt meet the demand.
Albuquerque next year will begin storing water in times of plenty by injecting it into the aquifer for use during the inevitable dry years.

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority recently began drilling a pair of injection wells that will allow it to build up a water account that it can draw from when the Rio Grande is running at a low ebb.

This project is designed to address those times when we dont have that flow in the river, said Katherine Yuhas, the utilitys water resources manager.

When the utility begins banking water in October 2018, the $6 million demonstration project will allow the utility each year to store up to 5,000 acre-feet, or about 1.6 billion gallons. Over a period of 20 years, that will amount to enough water to meet the demand of customers for about a year, Yuhas said.

The wells were under construction this week at the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Plant in Albuquerque, where the utility treats drinking water drawn from the Rio Grande.

Albuquerque has a permit that allows it to use up to 48,000 acre-feet of water diverted from the Colorado River Basin to the Rio Grande via the San Juan-Chama Project. City residents began drinking San Juan-Chama water in 2007.

But in drought years, the city cant use the full allotment of San Juan-Chama water because flows are too low in the Rio Grande, Yuhas said. The injection wells are intended to bank surplus water in the winter when demand is low for use in dry years, particularly during thirsty summer months, she said. The project was authorized by a permit issued by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer.

This is an account, just like you would have at a bank, Yuhas said. But our account is with the state Office of the State Engineer.

If the demonstration project proves effective, the utility plans to build four additional wells in other areas of the city over the next decade or so, she said.

Water storage is common in other states in the Southwestern U.S., particularly in California and Arizona. But this project marks the first time injection wells will be used to store drinking water in New Mexico, she said.

Decades of water pumping has created ample storage capacity in the aquifer, which has dropped by up to 150 feet in some areas.

We have created a big opportunity to store water in the aquifer, Yuhas said.
The union representing employees of the nations Department of Veterans Affairs complex is calling for tens of thousands of vacant positions to be filled to improve veterans care and worker morale.

If they are trying to fill those positions, there are thousands of Americans looking for jobs right now, said Steven Rael, president of the local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees and a CT radiology technologist.

The AFGE says that more than 49,000 positions are unfilled, citing Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkins May 3 testimony to a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.

Rael said that although the hiring situation at Albuquerques VA hospital is better than others, the vacancies are affecting the level of care of veterans and employee workloads.

Morale at the VA here in Albuquerque is very low, but the union has a good relationship with local management, which is not represented by the AFGE, he said.

Sonja Brown, acting associate director of the New Mexico VA Health Care System, said Albuquerques Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center has 255 vacancies, with 50 jobs posted.

These vacancies range from housekeepers to clerical support to clinicians to include nurses and physicians, Brown wrote in an email.

A VA spokesman disputed the number of vacancies claimed by the AFGE.

As of June 30, the VA had a little more than 34,000 vacancies, he said.

To keep the vacancies in proper perspective, you should keep in mind that VA is the second-largest federal department, with more than 377,000 employees and the Veterans Health Administration has by far the largest employee population within VA, he wrote in an email.

As such, our current Veterans Health Administration vacancy rate is only about 9 percent, far better than private sector hospitals, which trend near 20 percent.

The AFGE is demanding increased funding for the VA in addition to the filled positions.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

A bipartisan group of top state lawmakers is making a public case for New Mexico State University to keep Chancellor Garrey Carruthers in place  with at least one legislator suggesting politics might be pushing Carruthers out of the job.

Carruthers announced earlier this month that he would retire next summer at the end of his contract; however, he has also signaled a desire to stay longer.

I have indicated to many people in the last six months that I would be willing to stay on for another two years, Carruthers, who has been chancellor since 2013, said Thursday in a written statement.

It is unclear whether NMSU regents told him his contract would not be renewed; Carruthers declined to discuss his conversations with regents, according to an NMSU spokesman.

The chairwoman of the NMSU regents, a board appointed by the governor, did not return a Journal message Thursday.

But several New Mexico legislators are weighing in on the matter, saying they would like the regents to consider retaining Carruthers, an NMSU alum and former Republican governor.

Rep. Bill McCamley, D-Las Cruces, this week submitted a guest column to the Journal, touting Carruthers accomplishments in the role. A trio of other lawmakers  Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming; Sen. Steven P. Neville, R-Aztec; and Sen. Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces  also wrote a letter to the Journal in support of extending his term at NMSU. Smith is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Neville is a member. Papen is president pro tem of the New Mexico Senate.

Both letters compliment his leadership through what have been trying budgetary times for public institutions and New Mexico as a whole. They also list his various achievements.

NMSU needs consistency and stability of leadership to come through the current financial challenges it now faces, Neville, Papen and Smith wrote. The last thing we need is another administrator who views NMSU as a steppingstone to a bigger job, who has to learn about the university from scratch. We hope the regents would see the wisdom in keeping Chancellor Carruthers  who is extremely capable  at the helm for an additional two years.

McCamleys letter also notes Carruthers vocal criticism of Republican Gov. Susana Martinezs decision earlier this year to veto higher education funding amid a dispute with the Democrat-controlled Legislature over the state budget. The money was ultimately restored during a special session, but Carruthers wrote and spoke about the vetos damaging effects.

McCamley points out that Carruthers was the lead author in a letter from New Mexico university presidents that said Martinezs veto damaged the universities by creating uncertainty for faculty, staff and students and that cuts would be devastating.

McCamleys letter also pointed out that Carruthers testified before the Legislature that as a Republican governor he had raised taxes to keep New Mexico education on track.

This raises the possibility that the decision to end his tenure earlier than he would like is being made because of politics, McCamley wrote. If that has even the slightest bearing on the issue, it is wrong. I dont agree with Carruthers on everything, and as a Democrat in these divisive times, supporting a Republican leader is not easy. But his strong, clear, consistent, and forward thinking leadership has resulted in a string of successes for NMSU in very, very hard time. It cannot be ignored.

My father always told me to stand up and admit a mistake. If Carruthers is being let go because of political pressure, I encourage NMSUs decision makers to do the same and keep him.

The Journal asked the governors spokesmen Thursday if her administration had given the NMSU regents direction about Carruthers retention.

They did not respond.

McCamley, a 2001 NMSU graduate and one-time president of NMSU Associated Students, said in an interview he had not spoken to the regents and did not know for sure politics were at play.

All I know is I know thats a possibility, and if that is the case  and I hope its not, frankly  but  if thats one of the reasons hes not been extended the contract, I hope that is discussed among the regents. I hope hes given the chance to have another two years, McCamley said, adding that an extension would lend some additional stability to a school that has a history of leadership turnover.

Neville, in a Journal interview, said he did not know if politics played a role in Carruthers resignation, but Im not going to discount that.

However, he said his desire to see Carruthers stay at NMSU is not a political matter.

He said Carruthers has a depth of experience that would be difficult to replace.

I just know that Gov. Carruthers is a good guy to be running the show down there, and if hes willing to do that and is capable of doing it, we ought to let him do it as long as its feasible, he said. Thats purely in the interest of the university.

-

Full letter from state senators John Arthur Smith, Steven P. Neville, Mary Kay Papen

NMSU Regents Should Keep Garrey Carruthers at the Helm in Troubled Times

We and other legislators had hoped that the regents of New Mexico State University, in accepting the recently announced retirement of Chancellor Garrey Carruthers at the end of his contract next year, nonetheless would ask him to stay on for two more years. Chancellor Carruthers record of vision and leading the institution is outstanding, and big challenges lie ahead. The university needs him.

NMSU and all of our public universities in New Mexico today are facing extraordinary, difficult circumstances driven by state budget cuts and unstable state revenues. In his time leading New Mexico State, Chancellor Carruthers has made the hard decisions necessary to maintain this key institution, body and soul. His long, distinguished career demonstrates real commitment to the university, to New Mexico, and to his community.

Garrey Carruthers first set foot on the NMSU campus in 1959 as a student. He later went on to earn two degrees from NMSU and became a professor, dean and vice president. He is the only NMSU graduate ever to have served as the universitys president and chancellor.

Since he took the helm in 2013, NMSU initiated ambitious and successful programs to strengthen the university, including Aggie Development Incorporated in 2014. The corporation allows NMSU to better manage and develop its land, property and water assets. It also allows NMSU to operate more like a business in turning some of its assets into revenue streams for the university.

In 2014, NMSU partnered with the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine to create the states newest medical school on the NMSU campus. The public-private partnership benefits the health and well-being of people across New Mexico, and the region, by addressing the severe shortage of primary care physicians, especially among New Mexicos underserved, rural populations. The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine is a freestanding, privately funded, separately licensed and independently operated entity. No taxpayer dollars go toward its operation. It admitted its first class in August 2016.

NMSU publicly launched its Ignite Aggie Discovery campaign earlier this year  the most ambitious campaign in NMSU history with a goal of raising more than $125 million in cash and pledges. To date, the campaign is more than 62 percent complete, having raised nearly $78 million. Those funds benefit students across the entire NMSU system, including each of the universitys community colleges. This past year the most successful fundraising year NMSU has had since the beginning of the campaign four years ago. NMSU was also able to raise more in cash and pledges in the past year than at any time in the past decade.

Garrey Carruthers helped establish NMSUs economic development center, the Arrowhead Center, shortly after becoming dean in 2003. Today, Arrowhead is recognized as a leader in the region for fostering entrepreneurship, business incubation, economic analysis and other economic development activities.

He played a key role in working with retired Sen. Pete Domenici to establish the Domenici Institute at NMSU. The institute hosts an annual public policy conference when some of the best minds in the country meet to discuss important topics, such as national security, the federal budget, mental health and energy policy.

NMSU needs consistency and stability of leadership to come through the current financial challenges it now faces. The last thing we need is another administrator who views NMSU as a steppingstone to a bigger job, who has to learn about the university from scratch. We hope the regents would see the wisdom in keeping Chancellor Carruthers  who is extremely capable  at the helm for an additional two years.



Full Letter from State Rep. Bill McCamley

Carruthers Should Stay At NMSU

In 2013, Garrey Carruthers was named President of New Mexico State University. He was not my first choice, and I expressed my opposition to his hiring publicly.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

Since the beginning of his tenure Carruthers has lead NMSU through extremely tough times. State budget cuts created lower funding levels, and the decision of NMSUs Regents not to raise tuition led to hard choices. Jobs have been lost, students are uncertain, and morale for many staff and faculty is low. This isnt his fault, and Carruthers has tried to turn lemons into lemonade by reducing bureaucracy, reorganizing departments, and focussing on students success.

Nationwide data shows that, over the past decades, it has taken students consistently longer to get through school. Credit creep (where more and more classes are required for graduation), complicated class choices, and difficulties transferring from community colleges to main campuses have all contributed to the problem. Carruthers, recognizing that more time in school increases student loan debt while decreasing graduation rates, created a 128 credit hour cap for completion, instituted clear pathways for students to follow, and standardized classes between the NMSU main campus and branches. The last allows students at a two year school wanting to pursue a four year degree to do so seamlessly, getting them to the finish line sooner.

But his accomplishments dont stop there. He hired a talented president for Dona Ana Community College, and under their leadership a nursing program that lost its accreditation is on the road to recovery. He made sure that campus police wont be stopping people for immigration purposes, and NMSU now allows students from our neighboring state of Chihuahua to get in-state tuition. His leadership in partnering with the new Burrell Medical College not only gives local students an educational opportunity theyve never had, but has created jobs and produces more primary care doctors for our local hospitals and clinics.

These choices translate to the following successes:

Freshman enrollment is up 15% this year.

Forbes and US News & World Report continue to rank NMSU as one of the best American values for higher education.

The Brookings Institution recently ranked NMSU as the second best, nationally, for equal access to higher education and improvement of social mobility.

However, he has not been offered a new contract by the NMSU Regents and might therefore retire in 2018 despite recently saying that he might stay on longer if asked. Carruthers was extremely vocal last Spring in pushing back on Susana Martinezs veto of the entire state higher education budget. As the lead author on a letter signed by all New Mexico University Presidents, he wrote that the veto itself damaged universities by creating uncertainty for faculty, staff, and students, and that cuts would be devastating. He even testified before the legislature that as a Republican Governor he raised taxes when necessary, and in order to keep New Mexico education on track that might be needed now.

This raises the possibility that the decision to end his tenure earlier than he would like is being made because of politics. If that has even the slightest bearing on the issue, it is wrong. I dont agree with Carruthers on everything, and as a Democrat in these divisive times supporting a Republican leader is not easy. But his strong, clear, consistent, and forward thinking leadership has resulted in a string of successes for NMSU in very, very hard time. It cannot be ignored.

My father always told me to stand up and admit a mistake. If Carruthers is being let go because of political pressure, I encourage NMSUs decision makers to to do the same and keep him.

The future of this school, and our state, is too important to do otherwise.

Bill McCamley

NM State Representative, Mesilla and Las Cruces

Associated Students of NMSU President, 2001-2002
FORT WORTH, Texas  Fort Worth police say a man has been arrested on a murder charge after his accomplice was shot and killed by an occupant of the home they planned to rob of marijuana and money.

Police say 25-year-old Quazian Walker turned himself in after 21-year-old Jose Franco was killed Wednesday. Though Walker didnt fire the shot that killed Franco, police say he can be charged in connection with his accomplices death because he was engaged in a dangerous act  an armed robbery  that caused the death of another person.

Walker was jailed Friday on a murder charge with bail set at $50,000. Jail records didnt list an attorney.

Homicide Detective Kyle Sullivan Fort Worth Star-Telegram (http://bit.ly/2uXDbkW ) said Franco was armed with a gun and Walker with a stun gun.

___

Information from: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, http://www.star-telegram.com
Jill Cooper Udall, the wife of Democratic senator Tom Udall, is among 16 remaining members of the Presidents Commission on Arts and Humanities who resigned their positions today in response to President Donald Trumps remarks about racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend.

In a sharply worded letter, the resigning commissioners said reproach and censure of the president were needed after he blamed both sides of the melee for violence that killed a woman who had come to protest a demonstration by white supremacists.

The resignations come the same week that Trumps Manufacturing Council and Strategy and Policy Forum were disbanded by the White House after a series of resignations by high-profile chief executive officers sitting on the boards, also because of Trumps handling of the Charlottesville violence.

Jill Cooper Udall is a former Officer of Cultural Affairs for the state of New Mexico.

The false equivalencies you push cannot stand, the letter said. The Administrations refusal to quickly and unequivocally condemn the cancer of hatred only further emboldens those who wish America ill. We cannot sit idly by, the way that your West Wing advisors have, without speaking out against your words and actions.

The letter also said urges Trump to resign if he doesnt change his tune.

Supremacy, discrimination, and vitriol are not American values, the letter says. Your values are not American values. We must be better than this. We are better than this. If this is not clear to you, then we call on you to resign your office.

The letter explained that the commission was created in 1982 under President Reagan to advise the White House on cultural issues. Most of the commissions members were appointed by former President Barack Obama.

On Tuesday, Sen. Udall told KOAT-TV in Albuquerque that Trump is unfit for the presidency.

The groups full letter is below:

Dear Mr. President:

Reproach and censure in the strongest possible terms are necessary following your support of the hate groups and terrorists who killed and injured fellow Americans in Charlottesville. The false equivalencies you push cannot stand. The Administrations refusal to quickly and unequivocally condemn the cancer of hatred only further emboldens those who wish America ill. We cannot sit idly by, the way that your West Wing advisors have, without speaking out against your words and actions. We are members of the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH). The Committee was created in 1982 under President Reagan to advise the White House on cultural issues. We were hopeful that continuing to serve in the PCAH would allow us to focus on the important work the committee does with your federal partners and the private sector to address, initiate, and support key policies and programs in the arts and humanities for all Americans. Effective immediately, please accept our resignation from the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

Elevating any group that threatens and discriminates on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, disability, orientation, background, or identity is un-American. We have fought slavery, segregation, and internment. We must learn from our rich and often painful history. The unified fabric of America is made by patriotic individuals from backgrounds as vast as the nation is strong. In our service to the American people, we have experienced this first-hand as we traveled and built the Turnaround Arts education program, now in many urban and rural schools across the country from Florida to Wisconsin.

Speaking truth to power is never easy, Mr. President. But it is our role as commissioners on the PCAH to do so. Art is about inclusion. The Humanities include a vibrant free press. You have attacked both. You released a budget which eliminates arts and culture agencies. You have threatened nuclear war while gutting diplomacy funding. The Administration pulled out of the Paris agreement, filed an amicus brief undermining the Civil Rights Act, and attacked our brave trans service members. You have subverted equal protections, and are committed to banning Muslims and refugee women & children from our great country. This does not unify the nation we all love. We know the importance of open and free dialogue through our work in the cultural diplomacy realm, most recently with the first-ever US Government arts and culture delegation to Cuba, a country without the same First Amendment protections we enjoy here. Your words and actions push us all further away from the freedoms we are guaranteed.

Ignoring your hateful rhetoric would have made us complicit in your words and actions. We took a patriotic oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Supremacy, discrimination, and vitriol are not American values. Your values are not American values. We must be better than this. We are better than this. If this is not clear to you, then we call on you to resign your office, too.
WASHINGTON  Steve Bannon, the blunt-spoken and divisive strategist who rose from Donald Trumps conservative campaign to a top White House post, was pushed out by the president Friday, capping a turbulent seven months marked by the departure of much of Trumps original senior staff.

A favorite in the farther-right portions of the Republican Party, Bannon had pushed Trump to follow through on some of his most contentious campaign promises, including his travel ban for some foreigners and his decision to pull out of the Paris climate change agreement. He returned Friday to Breitbart News, which he led before joining Trumps campaign, as executive chairman and chaired its evening editorial meeting, the news site announced.

Barely more than a half-year in, Trump now has forced out his hardline national security adviser, his chief of staff, his press secretary (whose last day will be Aug. 31) and two communications directors  in addition to the FBI director he inherited from Barack Obama.

Bannons departure is especially significant since he was viewed by many as Trumps connection to his base of most-committed voters and the protector of the disruptive, conservative agenda that propelled the celebrity businessman to the White House.

Its a tough pill to swallow if Steve is gone because you have a Republican West Wing thats filled with generals and Democrats, said former campaign strategist Sam Nunberg, shortly before the news of Bannons departure broke. It would feel like the twilight zone.

From Breitbart, there was a dramatic one-word warning.

#WAR, tweeted Joel B. Pollak, a senior editor at large at the news site.

Indeed, Bannons nationalistic, outsider conservatism served as a guiding force for Trumps rise to office. He injected a dark populism into the campaign and sharpened its attacks on Democrat Hillary Clinton, encouraging Trumps instinct to fight and counter-punch at every turn. When the release of a 2005 tape, in which Trump can be heard boasting about groping women, threatened to capsize the Republicans campaign, Bannon attempted to turn the tables by gathering a group of women who accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault and trying to ambush the Democratic nominee at a general election debate.

Without him, Trumps agenda is left in the hands of more moderate advisers, including his son-in-law, his daughter and his economic adviser whom Bannon has slammed as globalist.

But Bannon was also accused by many of his critics of leaking to reporters in a bid for self-promotion, and egging on Trumps most damaging impulses.

Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Bannon and Chief of Staff John Kelly, only recently installed himself, had agreed that Friday would be Bannons last day.

We are grateful for his service and wish him the best, she said in the only statement from the White House.

A combative and unorthodox Republican, Bannon was a contentious presence in a White House divided by warring staff loyalties. He repeatedly clashed with other top advisers, most notably Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. His puppet-master image also drew the ire of the president, who at times bristled at the perception that Bannon was the mastermind of his winning campaign and the force behind White House policies.

One person close to Bannon said he had offered his resignation to Trump on Aug. 7. It was to go into effect a week later, the one-year anniversary of when he officially joined Trumps presidential campaign. But the departure was delayed after the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, said the person, who spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

In fact, Bannon has been on shaky ground for weeks, and his job appeared in jeopardy when Kelly announced that hed be embarking on a personnel review of West Wing staff.

Though Bannon had adopted a lower profile in recent weeks, he again became a flashpoint following criticism from the right of national security adviser H.R. McMaster, which some blamed on him, and Trumps refusal to blame white nationalists for the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Earlier this week, The American Prospect posted an interview in which he contradicted Trump by saying there was no military solution to the threat posed by North Korea and its nuclear ambitions. Just last week, Trump pledged to answer North Korean aggression with fire and fury.

Bannon also talked about purging his rivals from the Defense and State departments, as though he were in charge.

In recent remarks, the president has downplayed Bannons role in his campaign and passed up an opportunity to express confidence in him publicly.

Hes a good person. He actually gets very unfair press in that regard, Trump said earlier this week. But well see what happens with Mr. Bannon.

Trump had recently signaled to confidants that he was going to dismiss Bannon but had not settled on a timeframe, according to another person who had discussed the matter with the president but was not authorized to speak publicly about private discussions and insisted on anonymity. Still, Bannon had been telling people as recently as this week that he believed his job was safe and he would leave only if fired.

Several sources said Bannon has been hinting for weeks that he might soon return to the helm of Breitbart News. At one point he was casually discussing the matter as though it was a certainty, according to a Bannon associate who demanded anonymity to share private conversations.

Bannon told Bloomberg politics in an interview that hell be continuing to fight the same fights, just from outside the White House.

If theres any confusion out there, let me clear it up: Im leaving the White House and going to war for Trump against his opponents  on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in corporate America, Bannon told the outlet.

Still, Bannon is telling allies he intends to hold the administration accountable if it falters on campaign promises.

___

Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writers Julie Bykowicz and Bradley Klapper contributed to this report.
PHOENIX  A Mexican man living in Arizona illegally has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for selling fraudulent identity documents.

Federal prosecutors announced Friday that 37-year-old Luis Carlos-Reyes was sentenced after pleading guilty in March to two counts of aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, Carlos-Reyes sold numerous fraudulent documents to individuals in the Phoenix area from July 2014 through December 2015.

The documents included Arizona drivers licenses, Social Security cards containing numbers belonging to legitimate Arizona residents and a lawful permanent resident card know as a green card.

When he was arrested in August 2016, authorities say Carlos-Reyes was illegally in possession of a firearm.

Authorities say the weapon was seized and will be forfeited as part of the sentence.

Carlos-Reyes had been living in Mesa.
In our constant endeavour to give our readers content that is a little hatke from the trade media norm, Adgully has been coming out with Special sections like The W-Suite, Ad Lands Young Guns, Spirit W and Offbeat.

Our newest offering, Offbeat, seeks to give a glimpse of the lesser known facets of our very well-known industry leaders. We present, in the industry leaders own words, an interesting read on areas that are not usually highlighted in regular media coverage  be it about their childhood days, secret skills that they possess, how they unwind from their hectic schedules, and much more.

Megha Tata, COO, Business Broadcast News, is a media veteran who has worked with major broadcasters in India  Star India, HBO, Turner, and now BTVi. She started her career with Dalmia Group, on its video magazine called India View. With the advent of satellite television, Tata shifted base from print media to television and joined Star TV just as it was entering India and before it was acquired by Rupert Murdoch.

How were you as a child and which childhood trait do you still possess?

I had a lovely childhood. Being an Air Force officers daughter, we kept moving from one city to the other every 2-3 years. Whilst as a kid I used to hate that as I had to say goodbye to my old friends and start making new friends all over again. In hindsight, I think that set the foundation for both me and my sister to be the strong individuals that we are today! In fact, making new friends is a trait I continue to have even now.

Which superhero did you look up to as a kid and why? Which superhero power you wish you possessed?

My superhero is and has been my Mom! She is an inspiration to many women, actually men too! I wish I could be in more than one place at a time!

What is your biggest fear and how do you face it?

Fear of the unknown!

I face it by adhering to the fantastic advise given by Sadhguru: What you know, you know. What you dont know, you dont know. So, I try not fearing what I dont know.

A skill you possess that no one knows about?

I am an adventure and adrenaline junkie along with being an undercover Yogi!

What would one find in your playlist?

Anything that makes me groove!

Your go-to activity to relax?

An evening at the movies with my family, followed by quest for good food.

What is the greatest lesson that you have learnt from life so far?

Life is the best teacher! And what I have learnt  never to expect anything from anybody! So if I do something, I do it because I want to without expecting anything in return. Its the best learning for me, because now I am never disappointed.

A social cause that you are most passionate about?

The last few years I have been deeply involved with Isha Foundation  a non-profit organisation started by Sadhguru. Isha Foundation is involved in many initiatives which are actually making a difference on the ground in the space of education and environment. Its been the most gratifying experience for me. I have also had the privilege to meet such amazing people who are also volunteering, either partly like me or full time, which I hope to one day!

Whats the one thing you would like to change about yourself?

At this point would like to change into my bike gear and go off on a long ride...

If not Chief Operating Officer at BTVi, what would you have been?

I would be ticking off another in my bucket list...
Raymond Group has strengthened its FMCG presence with full ownership of Brand Kamasutra. The group has acquired Ansells stake in a joint venture entity known as JK Ansell Pvt Ltd. With this transaction, the Sexual Wellness and Personal Care business will continue to remain in JK Ansell, which will become a wholly owned subsidiary of JK Investo Trade (India) Limited, a Raymond Group Company. As per the proposed deal, JK Investo is selling its stake in the gloves business to Pacific Dunlop Holdings (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (Ansell Group Company).

This acquisition will pave the way for Raymond to further scale up the FMCG Business and unlock the immense potential of Brand KamaSutra globally. Raymond announced the formation of its FMCG group last year with a vision to be a player of choice amongst the new India, offering Premium products for Personal and Home Care categories.

Commenting on this development, Gautam Hari Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, Raymond Ltd, said, As a part of our Raymond Re-Imagined journey, scaling up and creating a strong FMCG business is an important driver of value creation for the group. This acquisition of Ansells 50 per cent stake gives us the full ownership of Brand KamaSutra that strengthens our FMCG portfolio and is a step towards value creation.

Created 25 years ago, KamaSutra heralded a new revolution in the sexual wellness space in the country and till date commands a top of the mind recall in the category. Having successfully extended into the deodorant category, KS Deoshave being amongst the fastest growing brand in this space, with KS Spark being the No. 1 variant in the Aerosol segment.

Giriraj Bagri, President - FMCG Business, Raymond Limited, added here, With this acquisition, the combined FMCG business is expected to be Rs 800 crore consumer value in FY18. This gives us the scale and opportunity to rejuvenate our FMCG brands and strengthen sales & distribution network.Having outlined a detailed roadmap, Brand KamaSutra is poised to become Top 5 global brands in the Sexual Wellness category.

Raymond Group forayed into the FMCG business in the year 1964 through its subsidiary JK Helene Curtis Ltd and is instrumental in launching various products in the male grooming space such as Park Avenue range of fragrances, soaps, shampoos, shaving foam and gel and a host of Homecare product offerings from Premium.

Commenting on this development, Sanjay Bahl, Group CFO, Raymond Limited, said, This acquisition allows us to structure our FMCG businesses to unlock cost and revenue synergies with our other company JK Helene Curtis leading to a profitable growth.

Raymonds FMCG business currently has a strong retail presence through 0.25 million retail outlets, including 90,000 pharmacies in the country and exports to South East Asia, Middle East and Africa. Given the stronghold in institutional sales, the business is a preferred supplier to over 100 institutions in the country.
Sony created a winning strategy in achieving quality musical experiences by joining forces with global hit-maker: Latin music recording artist Nicky Jam.

This alliance is a synthesis between creative content and cutting-edge technology. It draws on the Artists expertise as an award-winning Artist and Producer, highlighting the companys cutting-edge audio technology products, while simultaneously bringing to life the Artists resonating urban sound through the products.



El Amante and Hasta El Amanecer, from his new album titled Fenix, are global hits that may be heard in all of Sonys points-of-sale in thousands of retail stores throughout North and South America.

The first video with Nicky Jam was filmed earlier this year in London in support of his album release and product launches for various Extra Bass Sony audio products.

The video features Nicky Jam and evokes inspiration and determination for music lovers to fight for their dreams. Sonys exclusive Extra Bass technology harnesses powerful bass and high-quality sound to elevate the audio experience.

We are humbled to have the opportunity to collaborate with music industry pioneer, Nicky Jam, said Noritaka Sawamura, Senior General Manager of Branding and Product Planning, Sony Video & Sound Products, based in Tokyo. Here at Sony, we are always working on discovering new ways to inspire through music. With the help of Nicky Jam, we hope to reach new music lovers and guide them to enjoy their passions to the fullest!



ont miss this video where you will have an incredible experience with two music experts, Nicky Jam and Sony. We invite you to listen to Fenix, Nicky Jams latest album and very soon expect much more from this powerful collaboration.
Power and Beauty  two words that best describe mother nature. Watch a series of incredible visualsthat will takeyou closer to the exploding volcanos, stormy tornados, raging temperatures and giant tsunami waves. Sony BBC Earth brings to you a captivating series Fierce Earth, Monday-Friday at 8:30 PM that explains the science behind natures forces thereby revealing their true power.

Fierce Earth is a visually stunning series, filmed in a range of locations, revealing the true power of the planet in an entertaining way. Watch compelling personal stories of fear, excitement and tragedy by those who have experienced these extreme events only on Sony BBC Earth #FeelAlive.
Vizeum, the full-service media agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has bagged the media mandate for Bauli India Bakes & Sweets, following a multi-agency pitch.

As part of the mandate, Vizeums scope of work for its latest client will range across TVC, Print, Radio, OOH, Digital, Activations and others wherein Vizeum will focus on launching the clients Italian range of products.

Raghav Ravichandar, Senior Marketing Manager, Bauli India, whilst welcoming the Vizeum Team to the Bauli India account, appreciated the media solutions and approach that were brought to the table. He also added, We are happy to have them on board and are confident that they will effectively communicate our key brand attributes through our media campaigns.

We are very excited about nationwide launch of Bauli and will bring in One DAN to give them a big headstart, said Shripad Kulkarni, Managing Director, Vizeum India.

We are extremely happy to have Bauli India as part of our client roster. They have a product that will appeal to the youth and their aspirations that reflect perfectly in sync with a growing agency like ours. We shall strive to build a much stronger brand in the times to come, added Saumya Agarwal, Associate Vice President, who shall be heading this business from Mumbai.
Zee TV is all geared to spruce up its early primetime offering with Jeet Gayi Toh Piyaa Morre. This Indian interpretation of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast will premiere on Monday, August 21, and air every Monday to Friday at 7 pm. The show has been produced by the duo of Jay and Kinnari Mehtaa.

Deepak Rajadhyaksha, Deputy Business Head, Zee TV, informed, The show will replace Sethji at 7 pm, and with two new shows  Bhootu at 6.30 pm and Jeet Gayi Toh Piya Morre, we intend to fortify our early primetime band.

He further said, Our association with Jay and Kinnari is almost two decades old and together we have made some clutter-breaking content. Jeet Gaye Toh Piyaa Morre is the story of a girl trapped in a loveless marriage to a mean, egoistic husband, who with her grit and resolve, wages a war against destiny and transforms her own fate, gradually making him the husband of her dreams. With strong characters essayed by some talented artistes and a compelling narrative, we hope to see the show strike a chord with audiences.

Jeet Gayi Toh Piyaa Morre is set against the backdrop of a long-standing family feud between the Chauhans and the Rajawats of Sujaangarh, a small town of Rajasthan. Despite the animosity between the families, fate takes an unfortunate turn and the Chauhans are forced to get their daughter Devi married to Adhiraj, the youngest son of the Rajawats. The show captures the journey of a Devi, who isnt scared to ask the right questions. She is not driven by the diktats of destiny, but is determined to write her own script and tame the beast of her life, rather than wait for a prince charming to rescue her. Armed with a firm resolve, she sets out to turn Adhiraj from a beast into the husband of her dreams.

Speaking more on the new show, Kinnari and Jay of Jay Mehtaa Productions said, Our association with Zee TV goes back to the year 1998 and Jeet Gaye Toh Piya Morre is our ninth show on the channel. Its been a truly rewarding collaborative, and creative journey. Jeet Gayi Toh Piyaa Morre is not just an adaptation of Beauty and The Beast, but packs in a very strong message. In todays times, we often see relationships, especially marriages, crumbling. People talk about eternal love and love stories, but nobody has the patience to invest in a relationship and make it work. With this show, we want to reinstate the sanctity of marriage. It is a beacon of hope to couples out there that love stories dont just happen, one has to make them work. Devi, our protagonist, is one such young girl whose dreams come crashing when she gets trapped in a loveless marriage. But instead of giving up hope, she decides to tame the dragon in her life and make him a man of her dreams.
A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Ratings of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings of a+ of Covea Cooperations and Assurances Mutuelles de France (both domiciled in France). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. Concurrently, A.M. Best has withdrawn the ratings of Assurances Mutuelles de France (AM), as the company has requested to no longer participate in A.M. Bests interactive rating process.

The ratings of Covea Cooperations reflect its strategic importance to societe de groupe dassurance mutuelle (SGAM) Covea, a leading mutual insurance group in France, as the groups intermediate holding company under which Coveas operating entities are gathered, and as the groups primary reinsurance arm. The ratings benefit from Coveas excellent business profile as a leader in Frances non-life insurance market, and are supported by the groups strong consolidated risk-adjusted capitalisation, and solid operating performance, with Covea reporting a non-life combined ratio of 98.0% for 2016.

Following a restructuring in recent years, the majority of Coveas operating insurance companies are now held under Covea Cooperations, streamlining the groups structure, increasing the integration of the groups operations and enhancing the strategic alignment of its members. As the central entity of the group, Covea Cooperations is owned by Coveas mutual members, each being part of one of three historical mutual groups that own a 33.3% stake in the company: AM and La Garantie Mutuelle des Fonctionnaires (the AM-GMF group); MAAF Assurances and MAAF Sante (the MAAF group); MMA IARD Assurances Mutuelles, MMA Vie Assurances Mutuelles and DAS Assurances Mutuelles (the MMA group).

Covea Cooperations obtained regulatory approval to underwrite reinsurance business in October 2015, and subsequently commenced operations during 2016, writing a start-up portfolio of life and health reinsurance business, and accepting a retrocession quota share covering AMs international reinsurance portfolio. In line with A.M. Bests expectations, Covea Cooperations acquired renewal rights to AMs portfolio during 2016 and following a portfolio transfer in January 2017, became the Covea groups primary reinsurance arm.

The ratings of Covea Cooperations also consider its good standalone risk-adjusted capitalisation and the expectation that the company will continue to generate solid profits, albeit driven by its investment income. A.M. Best notes that as a reinsurer, Covea Cooperations business profile is expected to remain limited as a following treaty reinsurer on its international portfolio, and considering the start-up nature of its life and health reinsurance activities. In 2016, the company wrote EUR 138.9 million of gross written premium, of which approximately EUR 20 million was life and health, with the balance derived from the quota-share agreement with AM.

The ratings of AM factor in the companys integration and institutional role within Covea, as an affiliated mutual member. The benefit of membership to the group includes the financial support that could be provided by Covea to each of its members in the case of financial difficulty. The ratings also consider AMs own excellent risk-adjusted capitalisation. The portfolio transfer of the companys international reinsurance operations to Covea Cooperations has served to materially weaken its business profile as an operating insurance company. As of January 2017, AMs insurance operations are limited to writing a small book of direct assistance business, with the company focusing on its institutional role within Covea, in line with A.M. Bests expectations.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Bests Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Bests Credit Ratings and A.M. Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Bests Credit Ratings and A.M. Best Rating Action Press Releases.

A.M. Best is the worlds oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2017 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170818005359/en/

A.M. Best

Alex Rafferty, ACA, +44-20-7397-0285

Financial Analyst

alex.rafferty@ambest.com

or

Ghislain Le Cam, CFA, FRM, +44-20-7397-0268

Director, Analytics

ghislain.lecam@ambest.com

or

Christopher Sharkey, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5159

Manager, Public Relations

christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

or

Jim Peavy, +1-908-439-2200, ext. 5644

Director, Public Relations

james.peavy@ambest.com
Food delivery service DoorDash is teaming up with Marble to implement a pilot project that will use robots to bring food items to customers. This project will utilize robots developed by Marble to transport food materials from several participating shops across the City of San Francisco to customers who ordered these items through DoorDashs applications. Workers in these shops will receive the order from the delivery service and place the finished products inside the cargo bay of the delivery robot. The robot will then proceed to the location of the customer who made the order. The person, by that time, will have received a text message containing an access code. The code will be used to open the doors of the robots cargo bay and retrieve the food.

This is not the first time that both companies participated in an experimental food transport project. DoorDash has previously collaborated with Starship Technologies, an Estonia-based autonomous delivery robot manufacturer, to deliver food products in select locations in the United States. On the other hand, Marble has also worked with Yelps Eat24 food delivery service in another pilot project in San Francisco. It is likely the DoorDash will also work with more companies within the next few months as its co-founder, Stanley Tang, has mentioned that his firm will continue testing more ways to deliver food to its customers. Aside from robots, it is also looking at electric bikes and drones as other cost-effective ways to transport materials.

Marbles robots utilize a wide array of sensors and high-resolution 3D maps of cities in order to safely and quickly deliver the cargo that it carries. Despite the advanced technology incorporated into these miniature vehicles, the deliveries will still be monitored by a human nearby to ensure the public safety and proper delivery of products. Other than Marble and Starship Technologies, more companies are getting involved in developing and testing drones and automated vehicles for delivering cargo. One of the more prominent examples is Amazon, which has been testing delivery drones since last year. Meanwhile, Google is developing a navigation platform for drones that will allow a single operator to manage a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Google has announced a new tool for keeping track of news involving hate crimes in America called the Documenting Hate News Index. Built in collaboration with ProPublica, who originally got together with Google on the Documenting Hate project, the specialized news tracker is made to find and archive news stories about hate crimes, then pull key data from them in order to build a dataset about hate crimes in America. The new tool accomplishes this indexing through machine learning, the Alphabet-owned company revealed. The AI behind it all is tuned to comb through any articles containing key terms like hate, terrorism, and hate crime and use Googles own natural language processing protocols, the same ones that power Google Assistant and other speech tools, to figure out whether the story its looking at truly pertains to a hate crime, and that the crime in question is not already somewhere in the database.

The tool was created in response to the difficulty that journalists can have chronicling hate crimes using online news resources. Even if not for that fact, however, gathering cohesive, holistic, and comprehensive data sets regarding hate crime reports in America would take unity between all news staff reporting on them, and a lot of coordination. An AI, on the other hand, can do the same work much faster, and total up meaningful data extracted from stories to add to a self-maintained database, taking out the potential for individual and collaborative human error.

There has previously been talk of whether AI could replace certain fields that require insight, decision-making, and emotion that only humans can currently muster. While the field of journalism may seem ripe for an AI takeover due to the stark and cold nature of the task of gathering, compiling, and interpreting data, AI solutions are not yet at the stage where they could conceivably provide relevant background, side content, and insight on a given story, depending on the type of data at hand. In this case, while the Documenting Hate News Index can gather up data on hate crimes from existing news stories, it cannot craft its own by gleaning details from police reports, citizens social media pages, and the like. A tool like this may not be a journalistic revolution, but it does promise to provide detailed and cumulative insight into hate crimes in America.
Introduction

This year, both Sony and Huawei launched their respective flagship smartphones at the Mobile World Congress 2017 trade show in Barcelona. The Xperia XZ Premium and the Huawei P10 have a lot of things in common, but there are also quite a few notable differences, like the chips that power them. Overall, both are great devices with top-tier hardware, premium craftsmanship and great design aesthetics, not to mention the presence of Android Nougat under-the-hood. So, if youve got your mind set on an offbeat new flagship this year, which one would be a better investment? Lets find out!

Specifications

Sony Xpeira XZ Premium

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As mentioned at the very beginning, the Xperia XZ Premium is Sonys latest flagship smartphone, which was unveiled in Barcelona at the MWC 2017 event back in February. The device is one of the best-looking smartphones on the outside, and packs the very best hardware on the inside. The smartphone features a 5.46-inch 4K HDR Triluminos IPS LCD display thats protected by Cornings Gorilla Glass 5. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 835 SoC that comes with the Adreno 540 GPU alongside an octa-core CPU with custom Kryo 280 cores clocked at a maximum frequency of 2.45GHz. The device comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage that can be expanded via a microSD card of up to 256GB in capacity.

Sonys new flagship phone also has a new Motion Eye camera that incorporates a triple-sensor system including a laser sensor for faster auto-focus, an RGBC infrared sensor for adjusting white balance and an updated 19-megapixel 1/2.3-inch ExmorRS image sensor that is supplemented by the companys own SteadyShot 5-axis electronic image stabilization (EIS), PDAF and an LED flash. The camera also comes with Sonys proprietary Bionz image processing engine for better motion detection and noise reduction, and has a 25mm equivalent lens with an f/2.0 aperture. The camera can record 4K videos at 30fps and 720p videos at an astonishing 960fps, although, the ultra slow-mo burst mode only lasts about 0.182 seconds. The front facing camera is a 13-megapixel 1/3-inch sensor with 1.12m pixel size. The camera comes with a 22mm equivalent lens with an f/2.0 aperture, and can record 1080p videos at 30fps.

The Xperia XZ Premium carries a non-removable 3,230mAh Li-ion battery with support for Qualcomms Quick Charge 3.0, thanks to the presence of the Snapdragon 835, while cellular connectivity includes support for 4G LTE, 3G HSPA and 2G GSM standards. The phone features USB Type-C connectivity, although, it still includes a 3.5mm port for native compatibility with older headphones and audio systems. Sensors include accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, barometer, magnetometer (e-compass) and color spectrum sensor. In terms of software, the device comes with pre-installed Android 7.1 Nougat and is likely to receive the Android O update going forward.

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While the Xperia XZ Premium is a decent smartphone in general, youll need to remember one thing if youre planning to buy the device in the U.S. Like its recent predecessors, it also misses out on the fingerprint scanner in its U.S. variants, so in spite of the hefty price-tag, the device doesnt even offer a standard biometric sensor thats become commonplace even in $100 handsets these days. On the positive side, the Xperia XZ Premium is fully waterproof and dust resistant like most Sony smartphones, and comes with an IP68 certification which means it can be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes at a stretch without any damage. Another big plus is the inclusion of the 3.5mm audio port, even though you still get USB Type-C connectivity for charging and data syncing.

Huawei P10

Like the Xperia XZ Premium, the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus were also unveiled at the MWC 2017 at Barcelona earlier this year. The P10 is the smaller of the two devices with a 5.1-inch display, while its larger sibling, the P10 Plus, actually ships with a more mainstream 5.5-inch panel, although, both have only 1080p resolutions. The Huawei P10 has an all-metal build with slightly curved edges at the sides to give it an elegant look, while two of the models also use a diamond cut back for enhanced grip. Overall, its a great little device wrapped in an aesthetically pleasing package, although, theres no real design flourish really that makes it stand out from any other smartphone in the market right now.

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The Huawei P10 features a 5.1-inch IPS-NEO LCD screen that comes with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The device is powered by Huaweis own HiSilicon Kirin 960 SoC that comes with an octa-core CPU clocked at a maximum of 2.4GHz along with the ARM Mali-G71 MP8 GPU for graphics. In terms of RAM and storage, the device ships with 4GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage that can be expanded with the help of a microSD card of up to 256GB in capacity.

As for the cameras, the Huawei P10 ships with a dual rear-camera module that incorporates a 12-megapixel RGB sensor and a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor, both paired with lenses developed in association with German optics major Leica. Both lenses have an f/2.2 aperture each, while the RGB sensor also comes with a 27mm equivalent lens with optical image stabilization (OIS), PDAF and Laser AF, alongside a dual-LED, dual tone flash. The camera is capable of recording 4K videos at up to 30 fps and standard 1080p videos at up to 60 fps. On the front, the device offers an 8-megapixel camera with an f/1.9 lens for selfies and video chats.

The Huawei P10 carries a 3,200mAh battery with support for fast charging. Cellular connectivity includes support for GSM, HSPA and LTE technologies, while local connectivity includes support for Bluetooth 4.2, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, DLNA, WiFi Direct, and Wi-Fi hotspot (tethering). The device comes with a fingerprint scanner on the front, an NFC chip on the back and a USB Type-C port on the bottom for charging and data syncing. On the software side of things, the Huawei P10 ships with Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box in the form of EMUI (Emotion UI) 5.1. The device measures 145.3mm in length, 69.3mm in width and 7mm in thickness, while weighing in at 145 grams.

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And The Winner Is 

The Final Word

The Huawei P10 is a great smartphone that ships with everything youd ever want in a handset, including a fast processor, generous RAM, decent storage, great cameras and a fantastic build quality. The Sony device has it own strengths, like the worlds first 4K HDR display in a smartphone. The 960fps videos are also pretty fun to play around with, although, with a time restriction of just 0.18 seconds, theres not a lot you can actually do with the feature if were being completely honest. All said and done, these are two great smartphones, which makes the task of choosing the winner extremely difficult. While both have their own pros and cons, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium is the better device overall, especially the international variant that actually ships with a fingerprint scanner on-board. Which is why it manages to edge out the Huawei P10 in our head-to-head today even though it comes with a price-tag that pits it directly against three of the best-selling smartphones in the world over the past twelve months  Samsungs Galaxy S8, Googles Pixel XL and Apples iPhone 7 Plus.
Qualcomm is hoping to expand the reach of its AI program to more types of devices in more industries, and in order to do that, it has bought out Scyfer B.V. Scyfer has built out AI products for a number of companies on a contract basis, and thus has tools and experience pertaining to a wide range of AI applications in a number of industries, making it a good pick for Qualcomm as an expansion partner. Qualcomm did not disclose how much it paid to acquire Scyfer, but did say how the acquisition of talent will work. All Scyfer staff will stay in Amsterdam where the company is headquartered, and the founder, Dr. Max Welling, will continue in his role as a professor at the University of Amsterdam. The biggest difference will be that more collaboration will be performed at QUVA, a joint research lab at the University of Amsterdam.

Qualcomms push into more areas with AI depends heavily on mixing cloud and on-device AI, both areas that Qualcomm and Scyfer have experience in. Qualcomms integration of onboard machine learning through Googles TensorFlow in the Snapdragon 835 mobile chip is one of the crowning achievements for the company when it comes to on-device AI, and Scyfer, who has put together many integrated onboard AI systems in the past, is poised to help Qualcomm find and work on more applications for the Snapdragon 835, as well as to bring that same onboard AI technology to other platforms. 

Qualcomm is not exactly new in the AI field. The company has been deep in AI research and implementation of various sorts for over a decade, even managing to place high in a few AI-focused competitions along the way. The company has, in the past, worked on things like optimizations for unsupervised or mostly unsupervised AI and neural network training, network optimization for the delivery of onboard AI computation products, and the creation of hardware made specifically for running onboard AI programs. Scyfer, on the other hand, has worked on things that other companies have asked for, such as revenue prediction, sound recognition in a healthcare environment, quality inspection, and automated creation of personalized bone models for the fabrication of prosthetics.
AT&T is considering selling Digital Life due to its planned merger with Time Warner which is set to cost the company $85.4 billion, sources close to the Dallas, Texas-based wireless carrier revealed on Friday. The division that the firm founded in 2012 started offering home security systems for private households and businesses in 2013 and was meant to help the telecom giant diversify its portfolio and consequently make its revenue stream less reliant on the wireless segment which has been showing signs of saturation in recent times. As suggested by AT&Ts consolidated financial report for its 2016 fiscal year, Digital Life didnt contribute much to its annual revenue which amounted to just under $164 billion, yet the unit is still said to be sustainable and believed to service at least 400,000 customers, making it an attractive acquisition target for a number of companies.

According to sources familiar with the companys operations, the sale of AT&T Digital Life could raise around $1 billion and may lead to more similar deals in the near future. Industry watchers believe that while AT&T can hardly fund the Time Warner acquisition by selling its small units it doesnt deem crucial, the company may still have to do so to maintain its bond rating due to the fact that its potential consolidation is expected to see it incur massive debt which wont combine well with its falling revenue. The second largest mobile service provider in the United States reported a debt of over $143 billion for the second quarter of the year, though its unlikely that the sale of Digital Life would significantly reduce that figure seeing how its home security business isnt too leveraged.

If AT&T is truly adamant to offload Digital Life, it may do so by early 2018 given how it previously said that the Time Warner deal should be concluded by the end of the year. Recent reports are in line with that prediction, with sources close to the U.S. Department of Justice claiming that the federal agency just reached the final stage of its investigation into the proposed consolidation. If the transaction is cleared by the DOJ, its unlikely that any other branch of the government will stand in the way of AT&Ts merger ambitions.
Samsung Electronics on Friday started rolling out a broad range of mobile services for Bixby, the companys new artificial intelligence (AI) assistant which was commercialized with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus earlier this year. Apart from updating the main Bixby app and distributing Bixby PLM, the South Korean original equipment manufacturer (OEM) also started rolling out Bixby Global Action, Bixby Wakeup, and Bixby Dictation to its latest two flagships around the world. Users in the United Kingdom, India, Germany, South Africa, and the Netherlands have all confirmed they already received the new apps, though Bixby Voice is still unavailable on their devices. More countries are presumed to be part of the rollout as well, though its exact scope remains unclear.

The current state of affairs indicates that Samsung is currently in the process of distributing the assets needed for its digital companion to work and will only activate it through a server-side update at a later date. The Seoul-based tech giant recently updated its Contacts app with support for Bixby, indicating that its global release may be coming in the near future. The service itself is currently only available in the firms home country and the United States and was already delayed on several occasions due to development issues related to the lack of big data that Samsung could feed to Bixby in an effort to help it learn and evolve in a swifter manner. Its currently unclear whether the latest turn of events means that Samsung is close to launching Bixby Voice with support for British English, German, and official languages of other countries which recently started receiving the aforementioned updates, or if the consumer electronics manufacturer is only seeking to release the American English variant of the assistant in more territories.

Bixby is also expected to be an integral part of the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 which is said to come with a physical button for activating the assistant, much like the Galaxy S8 lineup. The phone maker may reveal more details related to its plans for Bixby next week when its set to officially announce the successor to the Galaxy Note 7 which should be available for purchase by late September.
Head of YouTube Music Lyor Cohen has stated that the company pays higher royalties to artists than its competitors do. In the past, there have been many claims regarding the royalties YouTube pays to artists on the site, with many stating that the online platform doesnt pay enough. In a statement published on YouTubes official blog, Mr. Cohen indirectly dismissed those claims by stating that YouTube is now a more profitable platform for artists than any of its alternatives.

In the blog post, Mr. Cohen admitted that his initial perception of YouTube before joining the team was that royalty payments were relatively low, though he goes on to mention that this changed once he looked at the official numbers. In fact, the head of the service even confirmed that the current royalty rate is over $3 per thousand ad-supported streams in the United States, which he says is more than any of its similar competitors such as Spotify. Mr. Cohen claims that rates outside of the U.S. are the reason for the aforementioned belief being so widespread as they lower the average royalty payments in a significant manner. Regardless, he stated that YouTubes ads have generated over $1 billion for the music industry over the past 12 months. The head of the service also said that an increase in transparency in the industry was necessary and that companies such as YouTube, music labels, and publishers need to make royalty payments clearer. After all, artists should know how much they make through each service, YouTubes executive believes.

This isnt the only way the service is trying to help artists, though, as YouTube also recently adopted a new Content ID system. Thanks to this, whenever somebody uploads an artists music, the rights holder can earn money regardless of the uploader. In fact, in 2016, 99.5 percent of all music claims were matched correctly and automatically by Content ID and, to this day, the system generated over $2 billion in profit for artists, Mr. Cohen said. Moving away from monetization, Mr. Cohen reiterated that YouTube Music and Google Play Music are merging, while also expressing his confidence in the new service being built, suggesting that its launch may not be too far away.
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AMG

As you'll be able to notice in the spy footage at the bottom of the page, the uber-sedan comes with a mean soundtrack. However, the quadruple tailpipes aren't the production units, which should skip the rounded shape of the hardware found on the prototype for the traditionally trapezoidal layout of Mercedes-monsters.While the all-LED headlights are now exposed, the front and the rear aprons remain camouflaged, with the German automaker being willing to keep the redesigned bumpers hidden. Nevertheless, we can be certain of one thing - those front apron air intakes will be overly generous.Since the Mercedes-AMG C63 Sedan is already one of the most potent cars in its class, we're not expecting the mid-cycle revamp to bring any major changes in the firepower department.As such, the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 occupying the engine compartment of the four-door model, which now delivers 476 hp or 510 ponies in S trim, should get a small muscle bump. More importantly, the Affalterbach engineers will optimize the power and torque delivery, so you can expect even more serious low- and mid-range grunt.Of course, the cabin changes brought by the C-Class revamp will also be found on the Affalterbach model. This means that, aside from the center console control updates, we'll also receive new materials and extra standard features.Mercedes-AMG is set to deliver the revamped incarnation of the C63 Sedan by the end of the current year, with September's Frankfurt Motor Show being a likely venue for the introduction of the super-sedan. As for the market release of the V8 wielder, this is scheduled for the first quarter of 2018.
SUV

EV

Well, there isn't a clear hierarchy and some might not agree, but anyone who has attended all three major European events (Geneva, Frankfurt, and Paris) can at least attest to the fact it is by far the largest. Getting from one end of the show to another is serious workout unless you use some of the shuttle services provided.Apart from the actual distance, it's also the large attendance that gets in the way, so for that reason alone, you would expect carmakers to flock to such an event with their latest models or even world premieres. Instead, no fewer than nine of the big industry names have chosen to sit out of this year's edition.The entire FCA European contingent will miss it - Alfa Romeo , Fiat, and Jeep - despite the fact the former is keen on pushing its Giulia sedan and the Stelvio, particularly against their German counterparts. Jeep , on the other hand, has been on the rise in Europe lately with models such as the Renegade selling particularly well.Citroen, Peugeot , and DS make up the French group that decided against turning up, but since they don't really have anything new of importance to show and French models aren't extremely popular in Germany, maybe their decision makes a bit more sense.Finally, the Japanese from Nissan, Infiniti, and Mitsubishi bring the total number to nine, with Nissan's decision being the most surprizing as it would have been the perfect venue for the European launch of its second-gen LEAF electric hatchback.Looking for the Volvo stand will also prove futile as the Swedes stay true to their decision to drop out of large shows and focus on smaller events to launch their new models or concepts. That's actually a trend across the entire industry, but at the moment most brands choose to mix the two.Despite the thinner than usual lineup, the Frankfurt Motor Show promises to bring plenty of novelties, especially for those interested to see how theplans of the big German brands are likely to unfold. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz all intend to show close to production concepts of their upcoming electric cars or SUVs.
Presented to its rightful owner at the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance, the MSO-ified 720S is more than meets the eye. Sure the paintwork identifies the car as being designed to order, but then again, the automaker offered Mr. Fux the exclusive rights to use Fux Fuchsia on any other McLaren vehicle. And speaking of the paint, the pink originates from Rolls-Royces color palette.MSO provides McLaren owners with virtually limitless possibilities to tailor a car exactly to their needs and tastes; unique paint colors and finishes, custom leather and stitching and exotic materials are all available within a bespoke commission, while beyond this there are opportunities all the way up to complete vehicles designed to individual specification, declared Jolyon Nash, the Woking-based companys executive director of sales and marketing.McLaren Special Operations also had its way with the interior of the 720S , with the personalization division beautifying the door appliques, pinstripe on the steering wheel, and rearview mirror. MSO Bespoke white leather wraps the dash and the seats, while the floor mats are Alcantara.The automaker refuses to comment on the financial details, but based on how MSO rolls, this bad boy is worth something in the ballpark of 300,000. By comparison, the McLaren 720S in Luxury specification starts from 218,020 in the United Kingdom. Over in the U.S., 720S pricing kicks off at $288,845.Like all other 720S models currently in existence, Mr. Fuxs pride and joy relies on a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that can be programmed to pop and crackle at startup . In this application, the engine develops 720 PS (710 ponies) and 770 Nm (568 pound-feet), leaving the likes of the Ferrari 488 GTB left for dead.With zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) coming in as little as 2.9 seconds, the 720S keeps on gaining speed until the speedo indicates 341 km/h (212 mph).
EV

You can go to every country in this world and ask around, and in nine cases out of then you'll get the majority of the people in agreement with this statement. We pay our taxes like the good citizens we are, and then the government goes and screws everything up. In our best interest, of course.Last year, pictures of an LAPD-branded Tesla Model S surfaced online, and the word was that the department was considering the acquisition of anfleet. A few weeks later the information came through that the police department had decided on a bunch of cheaper BMW i3s, which it got at a discount.While that might appears sensible of them, whether buying a low-performance electric vehicle was a good idea at the time is still debatable. However, with air pollution a growing problem in all major cities around the world, switching to vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions is always timely. The Model S was eventually overlooked (apart from two P85Ds) due to the high cost, but Tesla 's performance luxury sedan is making a comeback in other parts of the world. The EV has been chosen by the Luxembourg police to act as a patrol car, but there's one very important reason why this makes a lot more sense there than in any other place.If you paid any attention during your Geography class when talking about mini-states, you'd know Luxembourg was one of them. So, with 82 km (51 miles) in length and 57 km (35 miles) in width, the usual range limitations of an EV become irrelevant.The decision came as part of the government's decision to have ten percent of the new vehicles entering the state's official fleets use either electric or hybrid powertrains. The Teslas will cost 100,000 each, RTL says, and will act as some sort of a pilot project. If everything goes well, the Luxembourg police might receive more electric vehicles in the future, with two more already in the cards.
Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 (Manu Fernandez / AP)

Spanish police said Friday (local time) that five people presumed to be terrorists involved with the Barcelona attack have been shot dead in Cambrils, south of the Catalan capital, in an effort to prevent a second attempted attack, per the BBC.

Go deeper: Read more about the Barcelona attack here.

This post has been updated to reflect that the fifth suspect who was shot, and initially reported injured, has died.
Energy Capital Partners has agreed to acquire Houston-based power generation giant Calpine for $5.6 billion, or $17 billion including debt. The deal comes with a 45-day "go-shop" provision and works out to $15.25 per share, which represents a 51% premium to price before first media reports of a possible transaction. Also participating on the buy-side are Access Industries and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Why it matters: Calpine claims to be the country's largest producers of electricity from natural gas and geothermal energy, and one of its largest electricity retailers. But it's also gotten hammered by low natural gas prices and competition from renewables, which helped cause a $29 million net loss in Q2 2016 to balloon to a $219 million net loss in Q2 2017.

Data point: Global energy and power M&A is up 28% over year-to-date figures for 2016, per Thomson Reuters.

Bottom line: Deals are not yet done in this sector, nor even deals involving Energy Capital Partners. The New Jersey-based private equity firm is the largest outside holder in Calpine rival Dynegy, which reportedly received a takeover offer from Vistra.
Good morning and welcome back. It has been a while since I mentioned that Axios has all kinds of newsy, breezy and free newsletters covering politics, business, science and more. You can sign up here.

Ok, have a great weekend and please keep the tips and feedback coming to [email protected] Let's dive in with some exclusive stuff from my colleague Amy Harder . . .
America's clean-energy crowd is looking to shed its climate reputation and appeal more to a Republican-controlled Washington.

An unusually broad and diverse coalition of 10 clean-energy associations are organizing a lobbying and advertising push next month to highlight how the industry is creating jobs and providing reliable electricity, with less focus on the sector's role combating climate change.

of 10 clean-energy associations are organizing a lobbying and advertising push next month to highlight how the industry is creating jobs and providing reliable electricity, with less focus on the sector's role combating climate change. Why it matters: Clean energy technologies, particularly renewables like wind and solar, have long been known most for their role cutting carbon emissions. With a president who doesn't think climate change is a problem and both chambers controlled by Republicans, the industry is looking to highlight what else it has to offer on the economic and national security fronts.

Clean energy technologies, particularly renewables like wind and solar, have long been known most for their role cutting carbon emissions. With a president who doesn't think climate change is a problem and both chambers controlled by Republicans, the industry is looking to highlight what else it has to offer on the economic and national security fronts. The details: The coalition launched a website and is dubbing the week of Sept. 25 National Clean Energy Week.

The groups involved so far: Advanced Energy Economy, Nuclear Energy Institute, Biomass Power Association, American Wind Energy Association, Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Clean Energy Business Network, Solar Energy Industries Association, National Hydropower Association, the American Council on Renewable Energy and the Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions Forum. At least two more are expected to sign on next week.

The groups are organizing the usual suite of Capitol Hill activities, like lobbying, events with lawmakers and receptions, but also a mini demo fair. At about $500,000, the budget for the week is relatively small. But money goes further with social media advertising and hosting free or lower cost events on and around Capitol Hill. The goal is to make it a yearly thing, say the organizers, which was led by the Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions Forum, the non-profit arm of a conservative group pushing clean energy policies.

"We don't want this to be political," said Charles Hernick, director of the forum's policy and advocacy. "We obviously live in a very political world, but we need to be able to separate the technologies and the solutions from the politics of the day. We need to separate one administration from the next."

Between the lines: Politics of the day = climate change. The coalition wants to ensure its reputation does not remain inextricably linked to former President Obama (even though he jumpstarted the industry's existence). It's become common knowledge Trump wants to get rid of almost everything Obama has done on energy and environmental issues.

Hot topics to watch:
18 August 2017 15:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The construction industry is undoubtedly one of the hardest-hit by the economic recession in Armenia. Over the past three years, the worker salary in the countrys construction industry has been trending downwards, while today it is difficult to see any construction site here.

The construction sector is almost dead in Armenia  no new buildings are constructed, and even old buildings are not being restored.

Few days ago, Armenia marked the Day of the Builders, and Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan participated in the event dedicated to this day. Karapetyan tried to cheer up Armenians saying that construction allegedly remains one of the most important and key sectors of the Armenian economy.

A state where construction is developing is experiencing progress, he said, but forgot to add that the construction sector in Armenia is stagnating, and hence the whole economy of the country too.

The Armenian Prime Minister also made empty promises regarding the agricultural sector, which is also in doleful situation.

Experts warn that almost all sectors of the Armenian economy are in poor condition; no industry of the country is able to cover requirements of the domestic market. Economists note that the investment program of the Armenian government, as well as the concept aimed at rehabilitation of the countrys economy, have failed.

Although Armenians pinned high hopes on new Karapetyan, his unwise development program failed to improve the investment climate in the country. The situation in the Armenian economy has not improved, but instead got worse.

During his first six months in the office, the Prime Minister voiced initiatives and made proposals for overcoming the economic crisis. However, then Karapetyan realized that he alone is unable to fix the situation in Armenia, and lately joined the ranks of the officials, who are famous for making declaratory speeches.

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

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18 August 2017 17:02 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijans Defense Ministry refuted Armenian media reports about alleged high number of the losses during April fights of 2016.

The websites controlled by the Armenian Defense Ministry are recently spreading false and fake information about the Azerbaijani army, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported on August 18.

That false and fake information is designed for the internal audience in Armenia, said the Defense Ministry.

Such falsification by the Armenian side is another unsuccessful step taken in the Armenian style in response to the facts disseminated in recent days by the Azerbaijani media about negative events in the aggressive Armenian army, said the Defense Ministry.

Trying to whitewash itself, the criminal military-political regime with such news tries to divert the attention of population from the growing number of suicides, violence and other criminal acts among servicemen, which are related to the deplorable situation in the Armenian army.

According to the ministry, by spreading such misinformation, the Armenian side tries to claim that it is informed about the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan.

In fact, the demonstrated letters containing classified information are compiled so illiterately and incompetently that their falsity from beginning to the end doesnt cause any doubt, said the ministry.

All of them are nothing more than scraps of paper containing information invented amateurishly and hastily by the Armenian special services and counterpropaganda specialists, said the ministry.

According to the message, the latest letter attracts attention most of all with its falsification and mistakes. Since the chief of the General Staff regularly verbally reports to the defense minister about the situation in the army, there is no need in written reports on service matters, as presented by the Armenian media. The letter, containing a large number of grammar mistakes and discrepancies in the style of writing (there are up to 20 mistakes in the letter), has nothing in common with internal correspondence and record keeping of Azerbaijans Ministry of Defense.

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

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

By Gulrez Shah Azhar



With India experiencing its worst drought in 140 years, Indian farmers have taken to the streets. At a protest in Madhya Pradesh this summer, police opened fire on farmers demanding debt relief and better crop prices, killing five. In Tamil Nadu, angry growers have held similar protests, and lit candles in remembrance of those killed. And at one rally in New Delhi, farmers carried human skulls, which they say belonged to farmers who have committed suicide following devastating crop losses over the past six months.

According to a recent study by Tamma A. Carleton of the University of California, Berkeley, suicides among Indian farmers have increased with the temperature, such that an increase of 1 Celsius above the average temperature on a given day is associated with approximately 70 additional suicides, on average.

Beyond exposing failed farming policies, this years drought-fueled turmoil also underscores the threat that climate change poses not just to India, but to all countries. As global temperatures rise and droughts become more common, political agitation, social unrest, and even violence will likely follow.

In 2008, when severe weather cut into the worlds grain supply and drove up food prices, countries ranging from Morocco to Indonesia experienced social and political upheavals. More recently, food insecurity has been used as a weapon in the wars in Yemen and Syria.

According to the Center for Climate and Security, failure to address such climate-driven risks could lead to increased fighting over water, food, energy, and land, particularly in already unstable regions. CCS identifies 12 epicenters where climate change might ignite or exacerbate conflicts that could engulf large populations, and spill across national borders.

It is no coincidence that conflicts proliferate alongside rising temperatures. A 2013 study estimates that interpersonal violence rises by 4%, and intergroup conflicts by 14%, for each one standard deviation change in climate toward warmer temperatures or more extreme rainfall. Moreover, psychological studies have shown that when people are subjected to uncomfortably hot temperatures, they show increased levels of aggression. And new research is finding that what is true for the individual also holds true for populations.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, researchers have found a strong correlation between three decades of rising temperatures and outbreaks of civil war. If warming trends continue, civil wars and other conflicts will become more common in Africa, the South China Sea, the Arctic, Central America, and elsewhere. Avoiding such outcomes will require renewed support for multilateral treaties such as the 2015 Paris climate agreement, which has been weakened by the withdrawal of the United States. But it will also require increased engagement by countries, cities, and industries on three key areas: resource management, disaster mitigation, and migration.

In largely agricultural societies, farm productivity affects the entire economy. As weve seen in the Horn of Africa and India this year, changes in temperature and rainfall can reduce crop yields, and thus rural incomes. Under such conditions, and in the absence of other economic opportunities, communities may resort to violence as they compete for food and scarce resources.

International aid organizations, working with state and federal governments, should go beyond addressing the immediate causes of poverty to also develop long-term strategies for helping agricultural communities survive bad harvests. Such strategies should focus on arable-land management and water conservation, among other areas.

Additionally, new strategies are needed to coordinate disaster-relief efforts. As the climate changes, weather-related calamities such as floods, hurricanes, landslides, and typhoons will increase in frequency, intensity, and duration, undermining individual livelihoods and the broader economy. Governments must work together to mitigate these risks, and to respond forcefully to disasters when they happen. Otherwise, the fallout will disproportionately hurt poor and vulnerable communities, perpetuating the cycle of poverty and violence.

Finally, we need better policies for managing human migration, much of it related to severe weather and droughts. In 2015, the number of international migrants reached a record high of 244 million. As the climate shifts, entire regions could become uninhabitable, and many more people will be uprooted. Parts of the Middle East, for example, could become too hot for humans by the end of this century; and heavily populated cities such as New Delhi could experience temperatures over 95 Fahrenheit (35 C) up to 200 days out of the year. The International Organization for Migration fears that as more people flee the heat, the concentration of humanity into smaller spaces will have an unprecedented impact on local coping capacity.

Scientists agree that climate change poses a grave danger to the planet. But for some reason, politicians and government officials have not connected the dots between a changing climate and human conflicts. Among the many threats associated with climate change, deteriorating global security may be the most frightening of all. It is bad enough to see farmers carrying skulls through the streets of India. But if we do not get serious about climate-driven security risks, we could see far worse.

Copyright: Project Syndicate: Weathering the Violence of Climate Change

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18 August 2017 12:20 (UTC+04:00)

By Furio De Angelis, UNHCR Representative in Azerbaijan

There is hardly a day passing by without the news media reminding us of the humanitarian crises affecting millions of people around the world and causing massive displacement across regions and continents. The causes of humanitarian crises may be different, from wars and inter-communal violence to conflicts over land and resources, from climate change erosion of farm lands and sea shores to sudden and unpredictable natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides and typhoons.

What is common in all the different scenarios of a humanitarian disaster is the suffering of the affected people, the scattering of families, the displacement of communities, and the need of women, men, boys and girls for cover, protection, water and nutrition, new homes and welcoming social structures. Normally, in support of the affected and responsible countries the international community mobilizes aid and resources to provide the much needed and life-saving assistance through either bilateral arrangements or through multilateral channels such as the United Nations and other international organizations.

At the end of this line of international assistance, at the intersection point between giving and receiving humanitarian aid, there operates the humanitarian worker. She or he can be a member of a non-governmental organization, or an official of an international organization or a volunteer of a local community or a simple citizen who is offering time, service, professionality and passion to addressing the immediate and urgent needs of the victims of humanitarian crises.

Every year, on the 19th of August, the international community celebrates the efforts of humanitarian workers across the world. The 19th of August is World Humanitarian Day, established in 2008 by a United Nations General Assembly resolution in order to contribute to increasing public awareness about humanitarian assistance activities worldwide and. to honour all humanitarian and United Nations and associated personnel who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause and those who have lost their lives in the cause of duty, and invites all Member States.as well as other international organizations and non-governmental organizations, to observe it annually in an appropriate manner.

The day itself, the 19th of August, is a stark reminder of the environment in which humanitarian workers live and operate. On that day of the year 2003, in Baghdad, a car bomb destroyed the United Nations headquarters in Iraq killing the UN's Special Representative in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 other employees. The tragic incident had a profound and lasting impact on the UN's security practices globally.

Despite increasing awareness and more effective security measures available in humanitarian operations, in 2015, 287 aid workers were victims of major attacks: 109 were killed, 110 wounded and 68 kidnapped. The trend of casualties is increasing as we compare these figures to the 86 aid workers killed in 2011. The reasons for attacking a humanitarian worker can differ but they are all based on the rejection or at times the misunderstanding of the purely humanitarian function they fulfil. It is a strict requirement for all humanitarian operations to adhere to three basic principles governing humanitarian work: humanity, impartiality, neutrality. The observance of these principles is the trademark and the condicio sine qua non for operating in conflict areas, it should provide the ultimate protection from warring factions as it distinguishes the combatants from the civilians who try to alleviate the human consequences of conflicts.

However, and despite an overall compliance with the mentioned principles, humanitarian workers are often caught in the midst of conflicts and they are perceived biased on the basis on the faintest suspicion or they are merely targeted to send a political message to far-away quarters, or sometimes are the scapegoats of local conflicts, or commercial contracts that are not honoured, or just of the power game of local war lords and militia who impose their will on submitted populations.

What should be done to halt the increasing loss of life among the people who bring relief and assistance to areas of conflict and who sometimes are the only ones to offer a gentle hand or a listening ear, who are able to empathize with peoples years-long suffering and distress?

Primarily, states and non-state actors that are parties to conflicts, of whichever nature the conflict might be, must recognise the super-partes status of humanitarian workers, they must respect their mission and personal commitment and ensure their security at all costs and in all circumstances. It is no longer acceptable that beside the innocent victims of the conflict itself, also innocent humanitarian aid workers pay the ultimate price for their courage and their spirit of service.

Secondly and most importantly, it is time to impose on belligerent states and factions a political solution to conflicts. Public opinions must hold their governments accountable for the genuine efforts made in the search of a compromised solution, as political settlements are based on sincere and well-intentioned compromises. Influential states must use their political and economic leverages to apply the necessary pressure on the warring parties to encourage a negotiating table discussion. The lives of humanitarian workers should no longer be wasted in human-made disasters, when other humanitarian emergencies caused by the force of nature are requiring an ever increasing level of resources and efforts to deal with unpredictable and devastating nature-made disasters. The world should let humanitarian workers serve to mitigate the whims of nature and not those of unscrupulous politicians and warlords.

The 19th of August is the day we celebrate the sacrifice of humanitarian workers who lost their lives on the line of duty, and we recognise the courage and the hardship of those who continue to provide their service in the most challenging situations. Lets all of us reflect and make an extra effort to create the conditions and the opportunities for peace, lets think of ways and means to show a genuine quest for peace and lets inspire others to do the same.

This year, 2017, is also the 25th anniversary of the relations between Azerbaijan and the United Nations, an important milestone in a partnership that has the objective of promoting peace and security, development and human rights in the country. This relationship started during the still unresolved conflict with Armenia, which saw humanitarian workers from Azerbaijan and from abroad working hand in hand for the protection and assistance of the civilian victims of the conflict. It is important to recognise today the past and present efforts of these valorous humanitarian workers, as well as the contribution of all the Azerbaijani humanitarian workers presently active around the world in the exercise of their humanitarian mission.

May World Humanitarian Day give us the urge to become part of the solution, to join, in spirit and actions, based on our capacity and means, the humanitarian workers' efforts to make this world a more peaceful and tolerant place to live.

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18 August 2017 11:52 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani products will be exhibited at the Worldfood Moscow International Food and Drinks Exhibition scheduled for September 11-14.

More than 30 national companies will display their products at the country's booth, Azertac reported.

During the event, visitors will also be informed of the country's culture, cuisine, tourism, business and investment opportunities.

In late 2016, with a view to bring the economy to a new level Azerbaijan started promoting the Made in Azerbaijan brand in foreign markets and developed a number of promotional mechanisms, including participation in international exhibitions.

Azerbaijan has already showcased its production branded Made in Azerbaijan at Gulfood 2017 and Prowein 2017 this year.

WorldFood Moscow takes place at the citys Expocentre. The event was launched in 1991. The exhibition high level is certified by the sign of the UFI (The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry).

The expo embraces the entire food market and has 11 sectored areas: meat and poultry, fish and seafood, frozen products and semi-processed foods, fruits and vegetables, confections and baked goods, groceries and snacks, preservation, fat-and-oil products, dairy products, tea and coffee, and drinks.

The WorldFood Moscow exhibition serves as the best platform for introducing new products to the Russian market

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18 August 2017 13:36 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Prices in the real estate market of Baku experienced decrease in prices in July 2017.

Nusret Ibrahimov, General Director of the MBA Group consulting company told Trend that the drop of price in the secondary market was at the level of 4.29 percent in July, while - 2.55 percent throughout the year.

The primary housing market of the capital saw a 4.94-percent decline in July, although the market jumped up by 16.46 percent over the past year.

The expert added that the drop in the prices is temporary and is associated with the summer season.

Ibrahimov expected revival in the market starting from September.

In June 2017, prices in the real estate market of Baku decreased by 0.59 percent.

Ibrahimov earlier said that in 2017, the real estate market could grow by 10 percent, which can contribute to the gradual adaptation of the population to the current situation and the restoration of the activities of the Azerbaijan Mortgage Fund (AMF).

In Azerbaijan, there is no difference in the rights of foreigners and local citizens for buying a real estate. The foreign citizen, as well as the citizen of Azerbaijan can buy any property, except a land plot.

Prices in the market are mainly determined by location, quality of buildings and a number of other factors.

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

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18 August 2017 14:46 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The Nasimi District Court of Baku approved on August 17, 2017 a plan to restructure the obligations of the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) to foreign creditors.

Creditors who own 94.1 percent of restructured liabilities took part in the voting process, 93.9 percent of the creditors voted for voluntary restructuring, which is sufficient for the adoption of the plan, Trend reported.

Creditors must provide documents on the lack of requirements to the bank on external liabilities until August 22, 2017. Creditors who have submitted the relevant documents will be able to use the proposed financial instruments from September 1, 2017.

In July 2015, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the measures for rehabilitation related to the preparations for privatizing the state-owned shares of the IBA.

The shortcomings in the management, investment and loan policy of the IBA, as well as financing of less efficient, risky investment projects worsened the Bank's financial state, caused increase in the share of distressed assets and reduced its liquidity.

The restructuring plan contemplates a restructuring process to be effected through an exchange of IBAs senior and junior foreign currency obligations for direct sovereign obligations of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Pending the implementation of the planned restructuring process, and to ensure equal treatment of all affected creditors, IBA has suspended payments of principal and interest with respect to all obligations to be included in the operation (other than interest under trade finance facilities).

Among the major foreign creditors of the IBA are the American company Cargill, Citibank, Rubrika Finance Company Limited, Credit Suisse AG.

Firstly, the bank appealed to the New York court for support in the process of their restructuring. Foreign creditors will not be able to make claims against IBA assets in the process of voluntary restructuring of the bank's foreign obligations, according to the court decision adopted on May 12, 2017.

Then the London court took a positive decision on the IBA to prevent lawsuits in the UK from foreign creditors regarding the bank's assets.

The IBA has been operating since 1992 and is one of the country's two state banks.

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18 August 2017 16:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Baku hosted a meeting of Azerbaijani designers with the organizers of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Baku and Baku Fashion Week.

The designers gathered together to discuss the upcoming fashion season and new suggestions, Trend Life reported.

The founder and organizer of the Fashion Week in Baku, Hafiz Agayev, thanked all participants noting that Azerbaijan has many talented designers.

"I know and I see how they love and appreciate fashion and I am sure that soon our joint efforts will make our city one of those influencing the world of fashion."

A good example of that is Georgia, added Agayev.

The event organizers further informed about the concept, terms of participation, innovations of the upcoming season. Big surprises await fashionistas this fall.

The event organizers actively cooperate with photographers, designers, media representatives and model agencies of other countries. They are looking for new names in Azerbaijan, as well as reliable partners and colleagues for organizing the project.

Fashion Week is a platform for demonstration of new seasonal collections, meeting with regular and potential customers (local and foreign), buyers and much more.

Fashion experts, critics, lecturers are invited to conduct master classes. Within the framework of the Fashion Week, meetings, training and competitions are held to support and develop the fashion industry of the country.

The shows are held twice a year (in spring and autumn). Since the fall of 2016, the "see now-buy now" system has gained popularity, which was adopted by many designers throughout the world. Designers and fashion houses represent not only seasonal, but also off-season collections.

A group of photographers working in Germany, London, Russia, Georgia, France will film the shows and backstage for the project.

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

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18 August 2017 11:20 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

It would be good if the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs were more involved in humanitarian issues such as the return of Azerbaijani refugees to their native lands, while settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Elkhan Alasgarov, PhD, head of the Expert Council of the Baku International Policy and Security Network (Baku Network).

He was commenting on the recent statements by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair from the US Richard Hoagland.

Richard Hoagland has earlier told Trend that the United States remains committed to working with the parties of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict toward a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

He noted that the issues relating to the return of territories, return of Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs to their lands, non-use of force, and status for Nagorno-Karabakh are all important elements of a comprehensive settlement the parties need to discuss.

Recent statements of Hoagland are more positive in nature. In one statement he said that one of the main issues in the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement is the return of Azerbaijani refugees to their lands. In principle, this is not news, as the Azerbaijani refugees are coming back to Karabakh and the return of Jojug Marjanli villagers to their lands is a vivid example of that, Alasgarov told Trend.

As for the non-use of force, mentioned in the US co-chairs statement, Alasgarov noted that this issue will certainly be very topical after the return of the refugees.

When it comes to compromises in the conflict resolution process, it should be noted that the main compromise on the part of Azerbaijan is granting autonomy to the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan is ready to grant a high degree of autonomy, he said.

The expert reminded that in another statement, Richard Hoagland said it would be logical to install new electronic equipment along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops and remove snipers. Alasgarov believes that these recommendations, even if realized, will not lead to a decrease in the number of incidents, because the main reason of military clashes is the conflict itself.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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18 August 2017 10:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are working on preparing the next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, Spokeswoman for Russias Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said on August 17, TASS reports.

Now, the co-chairs are working to prepare the next meeting on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. To this end, they held talks in Brussels with Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in July of this year, she said.

Zakharova added that consultations will continue on the sidelines of the regular session of the UN General Assembly in New York in the second half of September, following which a relevant statement will be made.

We are doing everything possible to stabilize the situation and create conditions for the continuation of the negotiation process, aimed at reaching the settlement of the conflict, she said.

Previously, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair from the U.S. Richard Hoagland noted that the MG continues to encourage the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to meet at the earliest possible opportunity and engage in good-faith negotiations.

In 2016, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan twice, first in Vienna in May, and the second time in St. Petersburg in June along with Russian President Vladimir Putin. No meeting has been organized this year.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

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

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18 August 2017 14:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is approaching its third decade of existence, but the situation in the region does not change in a positive way. The Armenian side continues its military provocations on the frontline, which periodically results in murder of Azerbaijani civilians residing in the frontline villages.

Yerevan continues to ignore the implementation of resolutions by the UN Security Council and other international organizations demanding an unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories and return of refugees to their homes. The Armenian leadership is trying to hamper the negotiating process over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a bid to preserve the status quo.

However, the resumption of peace talks remains the only reasonable solution for the settlement of the long-standing conflict. The OSCE Minsk Group, which is working to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, continues its efforts to organize the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, which is expected to be held this autumn.

Deputy Director of the Institute of Political Studies, Russian expert Daria Grevtsova expressed her point of view regarding the upcoming meeting of the presidents, as well as the positions of the parties on the settlement of the longstanding conflict.

The meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia is being mulled for a long time. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has always been the initiator of negotiations and peaceful solution to the conflict. However, he is ready to meet not just for the sake of meeting, but for developing joint solutions to the problem," Grevtsova said.

However, she said, the Armenian side is satisfied with the status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh. "Therefore, President Serzh Sargsyan still has nothing to offer Ilham Aliyev. Most likely, the meeting of the presidents is delayed for this reason," the expert added.

Grevtsova warned that hostilities may resume in Nagorno-Karabakh if the negotiations not resumed. "The patience of President Ilham Aliyev is not infinite, and if there are no substantive talks and Armenia is not ready to compromise, the aggravation of the situation and a new war are quite possible, the Russian analyst said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

---

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
18 August 2017 10:23 (UTC+04:00)

President of the Republic of Sudan Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir has congratulated President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Azertac reported on August 17.

Please accept my sincere greetings on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sudan and Azerbaijan, said Sudans president in his congratulatory letter.

Since the independence of Azerbaijan the relations between our countries have marked fruitful, successful cooperation in different areas of mutual interest guided by dynamic political dialogue. Comprehensive partnership in economic, trade, technical, humanitarian and people-to-people contacts will be extended and developed steadily and extensively, noted Al-Bashir.

I am confident that with joint endeavors we can utilize better our potential and achieve our goals, he noted.

Your Excellency, please accept my best wishes for your personal good health as well as prosperity and well-being of the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan, added Sudans president.

---

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18 August 2017 10:23 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order to provide funding for the construction of Chaparli-Kandoba-Jalayir road.

Under the presidential order, 5.8 million manats is allocated from the state budget for the construction of the road connecting eight residential areas with a total population of 8,000 people, Azertac reported.

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18 August 2017 10:47 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijan resolutely condemns the terrorist attacks carried out in Barcelona, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, Hikmat Hajiyev said.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the terrorist attacks, and wish speediest recovery to the injured. As a country suffering from terrorism, the Republic of Azerbaijan resolutely condemns all forms and manifestations of terrorism, he said.

"Azerbaijan, as a country suffering from terrorism, strongly condemns all of its forms and manifestations," Hajiyev said.

Previously, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev extended condolences to the King of Spain Felipe VI over the terrorist attacks in Barcelona.

Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov also sent a letter of condolence to his Spanish counterpart Alfonso Maria Dastis.

A terror attack in Barcelona left 13 people dead and more than 100 injured. The deadly events began in the early evening with a van plowing through crowds on the renowned Las Ramblas avenue, a popular tourist section of Barcelona.

Authorities said they are working under the assumption that two other deadly events, a terrorist incident in the seaside city of Cambrils and a house explosion farther down the coast in Alcanar, were linked to the van attack in Barcelona that had ISIS taking credit.

Hajiyev added that there are no Azerbaijani citizens among those who were killed or injured in the terrorist attacks in Barcelona.

He noted that the Azerbaijani Embassy is in contact with the relevant Spanish authorities.

Several victims of the terror attack havent been identified yet, said the spokesman, adding that the media and the public will be informed if additional information is available.

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18 August 2017 11:31 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Jan Dziedziczak has praised his country`s cooperation with Azerbaijan in international organizations.

At a meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku on August 17, Dziedziczak commended Baku for supporting Polands bid for the UN Security Councils non-permanent membership this year.

Mammadyarov, for his part, reminded President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Poland in June, emphasizing that the trip gave an impetus to the development of relations between the two countries.

He pointed out wide opportunities for cooperation in economy, investments, transportation, energy and other spheres. Mammadyarov also hailed Polands supporting the agreement on partnership between Azerbaijan and the European Union.

The sides further emphasized the necessity to develop cooperation in the spheres of public diplomacy and culture. The two agreed to prepare a joint programme of activities in connection with the 100th anniversary of Polish settlements in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan and Poland enjoy significant prospects to expand cooperation in the agricultural, industrial, ICT, tourism and energy sectors.

Poland is interested in the East-West and North-South transport corridors and seeks to cooperate with Azerbaijan in this regard. More than 20 companies of Poland operate in Azerbaijan, especially in trade, industry, transport, service, construction, insurance, banking and other fields.

Besides, Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR successfully cooperates with Polands ORLEN and LOTOS oil companies, as well as Przyjazn company of Poland within the Sarmatia International Pipeline Company.

Azerbaijans State Customs Committee reported that the trade turnover with Poland amounted to $18.202 million in January-April 2017.

Poland recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992. The Embassy of Poland was established in Baku in 2001. The Embassy of Azerbaijan was established in Warsaw in 2004.

--

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

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18 August 2017 11:09 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolence to Felipe VI, King of Spain over the terrorist attacks in the country.

We were deeply saddened by the news of heavy casualties and injuries as a result of the horrific terror attacks in your country, the letter reads.

We are extremely outraged by these ruthless terror acts, and underline the necessity of jointly fighting against all manifestations of terrorism, which has become a terrible disaster, in the most resolute manner.

We share your grief over this tragedy. On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, the bereaved families and loved ones of those who died and the whole people of Spain, and wish the injured the swiftest possible recovery.

---

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18 August 2017 12:11 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

A conference entitled "Islamic Solidarity: Ways to Combat Religious Radicalism and Extremism" was held in Baku on August 17 with the support of the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations.

Representatives of the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations, the Znanie Foundation under the President of Azerbaijan, the Caucasus Muslims Office and the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, religious scholars, as well as experts working in the religious sphere attended the event.



The participants discussed the causes of radicalism trends in the religious environment, the role of Islamic solidarity in preventing these tendencies, as well as further enhancing the effectiveness of comprehensive measures in the relevant field.

Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations Gunduz Ismayilov spoke about the role of Islamic solidarity in the prevention of religious radicalism. The deputy chairman noted that Islamic solidarity, regardless of race, religion, nationality, calls all people to unity.

Ismayilov brought to attention that the announcement of 2017 "The Year of Islamic Solidarity" in Azerbaijan by President Ilham Aliyev, became a message about the possibility of getting rid of religious radicalism and extremism, which became a global problem for the Islamic world.

Then the head of the department of the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations, Aliheydar Zulfugarov, made a presentation on "Islamic Solidarity: Ways to Combat Religious Radicalism and Extremism".

Fuad Nurullayev, deputy chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office, Isahan Valiyev, head of the staff of the Knowledge Foundation under the President of Azerbaijan, Rashad Ilyasov, head of the department of the Baku International Center for Multiculturalism, spoke about threats posed by religious radicalism and extremism against nationality, the essence of traditional Islam.

--

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

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

By Sara Israfilbayova

World oil prices fall on August 18, following the general trend in the U.S. and Asian markets to actively sell shares.

Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, are at $50.97 per barrel, down 0.12 percent, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures are at $47.03 per barrel, down 0.13 percent, according to RIA Novosti.

The trend for a decline in prices on the U.S. and Asian stock exchanges was triggered by the growing doubt among traders regarding the implementation of the economic reforms promised by President Donald Trump.



Previously, Trump planned to suspend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or nicknamed Obamacare of previous U.S. President Barack Obama, adopted in March 2010 but the Senate voted against the new bill.

Moreover, earlier Trump spoke about the development of infrastructure in the country, the implementation of tax reform and the adoption of economic incentives, but no specific comments on these plans, which investors expect, did not follow.

Traders also expect data on the number of drilling rigs in the U.S., following the results of the week from the American oil and gas service company Baker Hughes, a GE Company (BHGE), which will be published later on August 18.

Analysts note that the decline in oil prices occurs even against the backdrop of positive statistics on the reduction of weekly oil reserves in the U.S.

Earlier this week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a decrease in commercial oil reserves in the country by 8.9 million barrels, or 1.9 percent-to 466.5 million barrels. Experts believed that stocks decreased only by 0.64percent.

OPEC and other oil producers, such as Azerbaijan, Kingdom of Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Republic of Sudan, and the Republic of South Sudan made a deal in December 2016 to remove 1.8 million barrels a day from the market.

OPEC+, trying to reduce a crude glut, decided in May to extend the supply cut through March 2018.

---

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18 August 2017 10:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has adopted a resolution On measures to further increase efficiency of activities of Uzsanoatexport JSC.

According to the document published Aug. 17 on the website of the Uzbek president, the company is allowed to ship flour and wheat to the trading houses of Uzsanoatexport JSC abroad, under consignment conditions and within the limits approved by the balance sheet of the use of wheat.

In addition, it is allowed to further export the products obtained from the processing of raw materials imported by the Uzsanoatexport JSC and placed under the customs regime processing in the customs territory.

The document establishes that during execution of foreign trade operations by Uzsanoatexport JSC, the period for the receipt of proceeds or re-import regarding export operations should not exceed 90 days from the date of actual export of goods, work and services.

Assistance to industrial enterprises of the basic branches of the Uzbek economy in the promotion of their products for export should include lending to enterprises in the form of pre-export financing.

---

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18 August 2017 16:57 (UTC+04:00)

By Ali Mustafayev

Turkey, Russia and Iran, the three sponsor countries of the Astana process on Syrian conflict, may start a joint military operation in Syria.

The Turkish media report on August 18 that the joint military operation may begin in the Syrian city of Idlib. Russia and Iran are expected to begin operations in the southern part of Idlib, and Turkey will advance from the northern direction.

The exact date of the joint operations start is not reported, but the Russian troops are already situated on the south of Idlib in Muradah and Halfaya settlements.

Previously Ankara expressed readiness to counter any threat at its borders. The Turkish Armed Forces are brought to full combat readiness in connection with the expected new military operations in Syria against the YPG.

Ankara accuses the YPG, which controls large swathes of Syrian territory along its border, of being an offshoot of the terrorist PKK, which is fighting the Turkish state, and calls on military allies, in particular the U.S., to cease the support.

Turkish army started Euphrates Shield operation against ISIL militants on 24 August, 2016. With the support from the Syrian opposition, Turkey took Jarabulus city on the north of Syria, and al-Bab city. Ankara informed in March, 2017 that the operation is successfully completed.

Iran sees the survival of the Syrian government as being crucial to its interest and participates in the conflict since its beginning, assisting the Syrian army in order to protect Bashar al-Assads hold on power.

Despite divergence of views regarding the political confrontation in Syria, Iran, Russia and Turkey work together to fight the terrorism and return peace to the region.

Syria has been suffering from the armed conflict since 2011. The conflict erupted between President Bashar al-Assads government along with its allies and forces opposing the government.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The IS, YPG and PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.

Over 600,000 people became victims of this conflict, according to UN. These figures confirm that Syrian civil war is one of the most tragic events of the 21st century.

Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, hosted several rounds of Syrian talks since January 2017, which have resulted in a memorandum of understanding on creation of de-escalation zones in Syria.

---

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18 August 2017 17:07 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, Abdulaziz Kamilov and Erlan Abdyldaev, met in Bishkek to discuss the state and prospects of bilateral relations, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry reported on August 18.

The FMs commended the outcome of the meetings of Uzbek-Kyrgyz intergovernmental commissions for bilateral cooperation and delimitation and demarcation of the state border. The meetings were held in Bishkek under the chairmanship of Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and Kyrgyz PM Sooronbay Jeenbekov.

During the meetings, the sides agreed to actively develop mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation, as well as to deepen the cooperation in transportation, agriculture, water management, energy, culture, healthcare, education and tourism.

The Uzbek FM invited his Kyrgyz counterpart to participate in the International Conference on Security and Sustainable Development in Central Asia, to be held under the aegis of UN in Samarkand in November of 2017.

---

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18 August 2017 17:56 (UTC+04:00)

By Ali Mustafayev

Turkey intends to sign customs agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union in a bid to step up cooperation with the strategic trade ally- Russia.

Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci announced about this in Izmir fair on August 18, RIA Novosti reports.

Zeybekci added that Turkey and Russia complement each other and are not competitors.

Russias participation in the fair is of particular importance. The Russian side made a decision and participated in the exhibition during 4-5 months. We have a proposal to start negotiations on signing of the customs agreement with the EEU, without violating the relevant agreement with the EU. Turkey also wants to cooperate with the EEU in different form, said Zeybekci during the plenary session The new phase of the Russian-Turkish partnership in trade and economic area.

He added that the level of bilateral trade increased by 30 percent during the previous year and its just a beginning.

Over 500 businessmen from Turkey and 250 businessmen from Russia participated in the Russian - Turkish Business Forum.

The Forum will allow to discuss not only the steps made for the development of bilateral cooperation, but also the realization of common projects in third countries, according to the minister.

There are many sectors for cooperation - petrochemicals, agriculture and others - that will show us new potential. The agreement on free trade between Russia and Turkey will lead to a new level of partnership. This agreement will include investments, Zeybekchi said.

Russia and Turkey continue to restore relations after the shoot down incident with the Russian SU-24 near the Turkish border on 24 November 2015.

In 2016 Russia imposed a number of economic sanctions on Turkey, including the suspension of visa-free travel to Russia for Turkish citizens, limits on Turkish residents and companies doing business in Russia and bans on import of Turkish products as a response to Turkish military actions.

Relations between Turkey and Russia have been fully restored, President Vladimir Putin said in a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi in May 2017.

---

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18 August 2017 17:48 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged the Turkish population of Germany not to support the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at the elections, the Turkish media reported on August 18.

Erdogan has justified his call by the CDUs hostile stands against Turkey.

He expressed confidence that the Turks of Germany will teach an important lesson to the CDU at the elections.

The parliamentary election in Germany will be held on September 24, and the Cabinet of Ministers of Angela Merkel will remain in power for the time being.

Earlier, the government of Germany demanded the exertion of the financial pressure on Ankara by the European Union.

In addition, the government of Germany believes that, EUs negotiations with Turkey on the modernization of the customs union should be frozen.

Previously, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said that the country will reconsider economic policy towards Ankara, as well as its credit and investments programs due to the arrest of human rights defenders in Turkey. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, in turn, called Gabriels statements unacceptable, emphasizing that they deepen the crisis between the two countries.

--

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





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





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





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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Onam: What's The History Behind Celebrating This Popular Festival? Festivals oi-Lekhaka

Onam is considered to be the most popular festival of Kerala, where people of all ages participate with equal joy and excitement. Onam is celebrated in the month of August or September, depending upon the Malayalam Calendar, also known as the Kolla Varsham.

It is celebrated during the Chingam month of the Kolla Varsham. The Onam carnival lasts for four to ten days, and within these days, the people of Kerala bring the culture, tradition, and rituals together in the best possible form.

The beautifully decorated Pookalam, the ambrosial Onasadya, the exciting boat race and the gorgeous and elegant dance form - Kaikottikali - are the best features of Onam.

Onam is also famous for the variety of games that include the Onakalikal, the Ayyankali, the Attakalam, etc. Onam is celebrated in Kerala to rejoice the return of their beloved King Mahabali. The people of Kerala put in all their efforts to make the celebration a grand success to impress King Mahabali.

The History Behind Onam

According to legends, Kerala was ruled by a very powerful and virtuous demon King, Mahabali. It is believed that when King Mahabali ruled Kerala, there was hardly anyone unhappy or stressed in the entire state. Almost everyone was prosperous and joyful, and they loved and respected their great King.

The festival of Onam is celebrated with joy and splendour, as the homecoming of King Mahabali, who was not only loved but respected a lot as well, by his subjects. King Mahabali had two other names too - Onathappan and Maveli.

Reign Of The Great King

Legend has it that, God's own country, Kerala was once ruled by the demon king, Mahabali. Though a demon, he was extremely just and virtuous. His kindness was known by the people of the entire state and they believed that they owed him all the prosperity of the state.

Kerala witnessed the peak of glory and success when it was ruled by King Mahabali. Nobody was sad, and there was no division of classes, no rich or poor. Everyone was treated equally during his reign. Nobody committed any crime and there was no corruption.

It was not necessary to lock the doors at night because there were absolutely no signs of theft. Poverty, diseases or sorrow were things that this state did not know during his rule, and all his subjects were content.

Challenge For The Gods

King Mahabali was very popular among his subjects and there was not a single person who would disrespect him. The fame and popularity of the King had started making the gods jealous and very concerned.

They started feeling threatened and felt that their supremacy had come in danger. They wanted to get rid of the great King in order to keep their supremacy intact. They turned to Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu knew that King Mahabali was very kind and virtuous, and he readily helped the poor and needy people. Lord Vishnu wanted to test this for himself.

The Vamana Avatar Of Lord Vishnu

Lord Vishnu disguised himself as a poor and helpless Brahmin and requested the King to grant him a piece of land. King Mahabali was generous enough to grant the Brahmin the land that he wanted.

The Brahmin told the King that he would take the land that would be covered by three steps. As soon as the King granted the land, the Brahmin started expanding himself until he covered the whole of the earth. The first step that he took covered the entire earth and the second step covered the skies.

The third step was placed on the King's head and he was pushed down to the nether world. King Mahabali was a devotee of Lord Vishnu and he was pleased to see him. Vishnu granted a boon to the King and he was allowed to come to his state every year to see his subjects.

The day when the great King visits Kerala every year is celebrated as Onam now. This harvest festival is celebrated mainly to pay respect and show love to King Mahabali. This legend has been depicted artistically in Tamil Nadu in the Suchindram Temple as well.
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The mid-year William Fry Mergers & Acquisitions Review 2017, in association with Mergermarket, was published today and shows that the first six months of 2017 have proven to be a dynamic period for Irelands merger and acquisition (M&A) market.



It is estimated that there were 60 deals with a combined value of 8.2bn in the first half of 2017. Eighteen private equity transactions worth 7.5bn represent the highest first half year figure on record while inbound activity was at record high with 44 deals over the same period.



The consumer sector accounted for the largest increase in value from 8% in 2016 to 15% in 2017 while the financial services sector saw the bulk of deal value with 7.1bn spent across 9 deals.



William Fry believe that the figures show that Ireland continues to be an attractive destination for international investment.



Commenting on the figures, Corporate/M&A Partner at William Fry, Eavan Saunders said, "The ongoing period of uncertainty between the EU and UK poses the greatest risk to dealmaking in 2017 and beyond. Volatility will inevitably cause some dealmakers to put transactions on hold until a clearer picture emerges."

He added, "In response to this changing deal climate, it is essential that Ireland focuses on further enhancing its competitiveness to ensure it can capitalise on investment at both a domestic and international level. That said, Ireland's stable currency, strong growth trajectory and status as a member of the European Union (EU) stand it in good stead."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Modified On Aug 31, 2017 07:15 PM By Jagdev for Hyundai Verna 2017-2020

Expected price range for 2017 Hyundai Verna - Rs 7.99 lakh to Rs 12.49 lakh

Update: 2017 Hyundai Verna has been launched at Rs 7.99 lakh

Hyundai is set to launch the new Verna in India on August 22, 2017. The Verna was once the bestseller in the C-segment, but its reign at the top was short-lived. The current-gen Honda City, launched back in 2014, rose to fame to gain the top spot and remained untouched till Maruti Suzuki played the SHVS card with the Ciaz. The rollout of GST (Goods and Service Tax) has taken away the hybrid advantage from the Ciaz, which now has to rely on its fuel efficiency and a roomy interior to attract buyers. But the Ciaz is still the most affordable sedan of the lot. The City received a makeover recently and gained more features, but its sticker price, too, has gone up.

There are two other players in this segment, the German siblings - the Volkswagen Vento and the Skoda Rapid. Both these cars get a dual-clutch automatic transmission paired to a 1.5-litre diesel engine. On the other hand, the City and the Ciaz dont get a diesel-automatic option, forget dual-clutch technology. We already know that the Verna will get an automatic gearbox with both engine options, so itll have the Germans cornered. But to put up a fight against the Japanese (which includes the Indo-Japanese manufacturer), pricing will be key. Lets try to get into Hyundais shoes to make sense of the challenge it is up against.

The entry-level price

For the base variant of the 2017 Verna, lets see where the new sedan stands against the base variants of its competition, and also against the model it replaces.

New Verna vs Old Verna

The new-gen Verna is based on a new platform, and it is wider and longer than the outgoing Verna. The height remains the same, but the wheelbase has been increased. Additionally, it (the new Verna) doesnt get the 1.4-litre petrol and diesel engines which were available in the older version. The 1.6-litre engines have been carried over with the same maximum power figures, albeit different torque output.

Old Verna (1.4-litre engines) Old Verna New Verna Petrol / Diesel engine displacement 1396cc / 1396cc 1591cc / 1582cc 1591cc / 1582cc Max power 107PS@6300rpm / 90PS@4000rpm 123PS@6300rpm / 128PS@4000rpm 123PS@6400rpm / 128PS@4000rpm Max torque 135Nm@5000rpm / 220Nm@1750-2750rpm 155Nm@4200rpm / 260Nm@1900-2750rpm 151Nm@4850rpm / 260Nm@1500-3000rpm

The old Vernas base variant (known as Base) was available with the 1.4-litre engines only. It was priced at Rs 7.84 lakh for the petrol version and Rs 9.07 lakh for the diesel (both prices ex-showroom). The variant above the Base, the S, was equipped with the 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines, and prices for this variant with the petrol and diesel engine were Rs 8.81 lakh and Rs 9.98 lakh (both ex-showroom), respectively.

New Verna features vs Old Verna and competition

Features New Verna E Old Verna S Ciaz Sigma City S Vento Trendline Rapid Active D/N IRVM Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Seatbelt Pretensioner Yes No Yes No No No ISOFIX Yes No Yes Yes No No Steering Controls For Tripmeter Yes No No No No Rear Armrest Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Cooled Glovebox Yes Yes No No No No Tilt Steering Yes Yes Yes Yes With Telescopic With Telescopic Elec. Adj. ORVMs Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Projector Headlamps No Yes Yes No No No Rear AC Vents No No Yes No No Yes Audio System No Yes Yes Yes No No DRL No No No Yes No No Parking Sensors No With Camera No No Yes No Height Adjustable Drivers Seat No Yes No No No No Alloy Wheels No Yes No No No No Climate Control No Yes No No No No

Compared with the old Verna (1.6 S variant), the 2017 Vernas base E variant doesnt get projector headlamps, audio system, rear parking sensors with camera, alloy wheels and climate control. If we were to put a price on the new Verna based on its previous model, a sticker price of around Rs 8.10 to Rs 8.25 lakh for the base petrol variant would be competitive.

The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is the most affordable car among the sedans listed here, but that doesnt mean that it is not feature-loaded. In fact, compare it with the new Verna, and the Ciazs base variant only falls short on tripmeter controls on the steering wheel and cooled glovebox. The Ciaz Sigma, on the other hand, gets features like projector headlamps, rear AC vents and an audio system that the 2017 Vernas base variant doesnt.

If theres any car in this comparo to beat in terms of price, its the Ciaz. But the Verna has a bigger petrol and diesel engine, and the power ratings are in a different league altogether when compared to the Ciazs modest 1.3-litre diesel and 1.4-litre petrol engines that fall this side of the 100PS mark. Hence, Hyundai can afford to charge a premium over the Ciaz and still justify it. For the petrol version, if Hyundai goes really aggressive, the new Vernas entry-level price might settle around Rs 8 lakh, which will be a whole Rs 82,000 less than the outgoing Vernas (1.6 petrol) S variant. Compared to the Ciaz Sigma petrol variant, it will cost Rs 34,000 more, but that differential wont hurt anyone considering you have a more powerful engine under your bonnet.

First Drive Review: 2017 Hyundai Verna

On the other hand, if Hyundai just wants to be competitive in the segment, they can price the Verna at around Rs 8.25 lakh as well, which will still make it Rs 21,000 cheaper than Citys base variant.

In the diesel space, Hyundai has more breathing space thanks to GST rollout, which has placed the Ciaz hybrid in the same tax slab as its competitors. Additionally, Honda doesnt offer the diesel City in the S variant at all, so that makes things easier for the Hyundai. But both the Vento and Rapids diesel variants are quite competitively priced, and both come with 110PS diesel engines. So, if Hyundai plans to go aggressive with Vernas prices, and cuts out around Rs 81,000 from the previous Vernas price (as is the case with petrol Verna), the Verna will become the most affordable diesel sedan in the C-segment by a margin of Rs 24,000 (compared to Ciaz Sigma diesel). If, however, Hyundai plans to play safe, they can price the diesel base variant at Rs 9.49 lakh, which will put the 2017 Verna in the same range as the Ciaz, Vento and Rapid with a margin of a few thousand rupees.

Lets see how the 2017 Verna and its competition is placed on the price chart.

New Verna (expected) Old Verna (1.6) Ciaz City Vento Rapid Base petrol Rs 7.99 lakh - Rs 8.25 lakh Rs 8.81 lakh Rs 7.65 lakh Rs 8.46 lakh (S) Rs 8.05 lakh Rs 8.20 lakh Base diesel Rs 9.19 lakh - Rs 9.49 lakh Rs 9.98 lakh Rs 9.43 lakh Rs 10.68 lakh (SV) Rs 9.52 lakh Rs 9.58 lakh

Middle & upper variants

Features

Verna EX (over E) Verna SX (over EX) Verna SX(O) over SX Reverse Parking Sensors With Camera Electro Chromic Mirror Side & Curtain Airbags Projector Fog Lamps Height Adjustable Front Seatbelts Smart Key Automatic Headlamps Projector Headlamps Chrome Door Handles Speed-Sensing Auto Door Lock Cornering Lamps All Features Available With SX Automatic As Standard Keyless Entry LED DRLs Full Leather Upholstery Rear Defogger LED Tail Lamps Auto Link (connected car tech) Alloy Wheels (automatic) Alloy Wheels Smart Trunk (gesture opening) Shark Fin Antenna Leather Steering & Gear Knob (automatic) Push Button Start/Stop Height Adjustable Drivers Seat 7.0-inch Touchscreen With Apple CarPlay, Android Auto & MirrorLink Luggage Hook & Net Front Armrest Sunroof (automatic) Ventilated seats 5.0-inch Touchscreen Audio System 38 Electrically Folding ORVMs Climate Control 48 Rear Curtain (automatic) Rear AC vents 53 Cruise control 68 Front & Rear USB Charger 70

Feature: 7 interesting things to know about the new 2017 Hyundai Verna

The expected prices of the remaining variants of the 2017 Verna purely on the basis of the additional features they offer over the lesser equipped variants are:

Expected Prices of 2017 Hyundai Verna Petrol E Manual Rs 7.99 lakh - Rs 8.25 lakh EX Manual Rs 8.99 lakh - Rs 9.25 lakh EX Automatic Rs 9.79 lakh - Rs 10.09 lakh SX Manual Rs 9.59 lakh - Rs 9.85 lakh SX (O) Manual Rs 10.65 lakh - Rs 10.99 lakh SX(O) Automatic Rs 11.29 lakh - Rs 11.65 lakh

Expected Prices of 2017 Hyundai Verna Diesel E Manual Rs 9.19 lakh - Rs 9.49 lakh EX Manual Rs 10.19 lakh - Rs 10.49 lakh EX Automatic Rs 11.09 lakh - Rs 11.35 lakh SX Manual Rs 10.79 lakh - Rs 11.19 lakh SX Automatic Rs 11.95 lakh - Rs 12.35 lakh SX(O) Manual Rs 11.99 lakh - Rs 12.49 lakh

Read More on : Hyundai Verna on road price
Power issue at Mawlamyine Cement

ICR Newsroom By 18 August 2017

The Myanmar Ministry of Electricity and Energy has revealed that Mawlamyine Cement (MCL), a joint venture between Siam Cement Group and Pacific Link Cement, has not sought permission to run the power plant. The statement has been refuted by the cement producer.



"From the ministry's reply, we can confirm that MCL didn't follow the electricity law. They did discuss with the ministry the installation of two 20MW turbines. But they didn't get any permission," U Aung Kyaw Thu, chairman of the Mon State parliamentary committee, said.

However, MCL executive officer, U Zaw Lwin Oo, said at a public consultation meeting that MCL had in fact received permission from the Ministry of Industry to generate 20MW of electricity.

"The industry ministry has given its approval for the production of 20MW. It gave permission on 19 March 2017. If you have any questions, please ask the concerned ministries. We can only operate with permission," U Zaw Lwin Oo told the press.

According to Mr Lwin Oo, MCL has two 20MW turbines and a 9MW spare turbine, but the industry ministry has only given approval for 20MW. The cement factory is powered by a single 20MW turbine.

MCL signed the contract to operate the cement plant for the next 45 years in 2013 with the previous government, according to the Myanmar Investment Commission. With estimated MMK159.8bn (US$117.1m) of income and a profit of MMK32.57bn, the plant is expected to require around 9.5 years to break even. The factory started commercial operations in April despite local opposition.

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Attention tourists: Youre not welcome. Some of the worlds most popular destinations are telling visitors to stay away. People in these hot spots are sick of the noise, the trash, and the boorish behavior that comes with throngs of visitors. Theyre worried a constant stream of vacationers is ruining the local culture or destroying the environment, and theyre ready to take action. Some places are considering steps to limit or discourage visitors or are clamping down on Airbnb rentals or new hotel constructions. Others have already hung out the closed for business sign.

From Italy to Peru, these are the places where tourists arent always as welcome as they once were.

1. Venice

Venetians are fed up. A deluge of tourists is swamping one of the most famous cities in Italy. More than 28 million people visit the city of 55,000 every year, and locals say its ruining their quality of life. The population is shrinking, residents are protesting, and UNESCO wants cruise ships banned from the World Heritage site. The city even banned new takeout joints and food stands in an attempt to safeguard Venices unique culture.

2. Barcelona

Like Venice, Barcelona has been dealing with swarms of tourists, and some people are saying enough is enough. About 32 million people visit the Spanish city of 1.6 million every year.

Short-term rentals are making it hard for locals to find housing and driving people out of the city. In response, the city has put limits on the number of people who can visit certain popular tourist sites, gotten more aggressive about fining proprietors of unlicensed rentals, and banned construction of new hotels in the city center.

3. Koh Khai Islands, Thailand

Venice and Barcelona arent slamming the door shut on tourists entirely  they just want fewer of them. But thats not the case in Thailand, which in 2016 banned visitors from a handful of islands that were popular with beachgoers. The three Koh Khai islands near Phuket are now off-limits, as is the island of Koh Tachai. Restaurants and shops were ordered closed and tour guides told to take visitors elsewhere. The reason? Officials wanted to protect the local environment from tourists.

4. Zion National Park

Its not just far-flung destinations that are considering putting the breaks on tourism. In the U.S., Zion National Park is considering implementing an admissions cap to prevent overcrowding. According to Reuters, admissions at the Utah park are up 60% over the past 10 years, and more than 4 million people visited the park in 2015. Yellowstone, Arches, and Grand-Teton are among the other parks looking for ways to manage record numbers of people coming to gape at their natural wonders.

5. Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a bucket-list destination for many people. Unfortunately, the huge number of visitors is putting the ancient Incan ruin at risk. To protect the site, Peruvian officials recently started requiring tourists to have a paid ticket granting them admission in either the morning or afternoon and only when accompanied by a guide. Visitors will follow specific paths around the site, rather than being allowed to roam freely as they could in the past. While the new rules wont necessarily limit the number of tourists, the goal is to better manage the flow of trekkers.

6. Amsterdam

Like residents of Barcelona and Venice, people living in Amsterdam worry that an influx of tourists is changing their city  and not for the better. Not only is overcrowding a problem, but so are litter and noise, according to Politico. In response, the biggest city in the Netherlands has restricted the number of days people can sublet their home on Airbnb and put limits on new hotel construction. And there are proposals to prohibit new tourist shops and ban tour buses in the central city. Amsterdam is also dialing back efforts to attract visitors, slashing its tourism marketing budget.

7. Ibiza and Mallorca

Barcelona isnt the only Spanish destination that tourists have overwhelmed. The islands of Ibiza and Mallorca have long attracted people looking to enjoy the Balearic Islands beach resorts and nightlife. But the numbers may have reached a tipping point. Short-term rentals are pushing up rents and crowding out locals, according to Conde Nast Traveler. To keep the problem from getting worse, the local government capped the number of tourism beds, banned rentals in apartment buildings, and will fine landlords who list homes without the correct license up to $47,228.

8. Iceland

Icelands otherworldly landscapes have turned it into a trendy vacation spot, but the hordes of tourists threaten the islands fragile ecosystem. More than 2 million people will visit Iceland in 2017, compared to 490,000 in 2010. To keep its natural parks and other natural wonders from being overrun, the government is considering raising taxes on tourists, which would make the country  already extremely expensive  even more costly to visit.

Some areas are simply unable to facilitate 1 million visitors every year, Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir, Icelands tourism minister, told Bloomberg. If we allow more people into areas like that, were losing what makes them special.

9. Bhutan

Relatively few tourists visit Bhutan, and thats by design. Since the 1980s, the government of this Himalayan kingdom has embraced a high value, low impact tourism policy. The only way to visit is on a pre-paid, all-inclusive tour, and foreign visitors must fork over at least $250 a day just to be in the country. The fee includes accommodations, transportation within the country, and food. The strict rules mean that international tourists number about 55,000 a year, fewer than the number of people visiting Venice on a typical day.

10. Dubrovnik

Game of Thrones-inspired tourism has forced Dubrovnik to clamp down on the number of people allowed to visit the historic center of the city. The new mayor wants no more than 4,000 people per day to enter the most popular parts of the Croatian city and has also proposed slashing the number of cruise ships that stop at the port. The number of tourists arriving via cruises has exploded in the past couple of years, from 463 in 2014 to nearly 800,000 in 2016.

11. Cinque Terre

Tourists love the picturesque fishing villages that make up Italys Cinque Terre, but locals arent so enamored with all the visitors. In 2015, 2.5 million tourists came to visit the scenic World Heritage site on the Mediterranean coast, making things very cramped for residents. So starting in 2016, tourists have had to buy a ticket in advance to visit to Cinque Terre. Once the total number of yearly visitors reaches 1.5 million, access is cut off.

12. Palau

If youre not rich, you may not be able to visit the tiny island nation of Palau. The country in the South Pacific is considering a new law that would only allow luxury resorts on its 500 islands. Its part of a move to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to tourism. By turning the country into a high-end destination, Palaus leaders hope theyll be able to limit the number of tourists, protect beaches and coral reefs, and attract fewer visitors who spend more money on each trip, a boon for the local economy.

13. Isle of Skye

Dramatic landscapes draw tourists to the Isle of Skye on Scotlands northwest coast. But the areas become so popular in recent years that local police are warning people to not make the journey if they havent pre-booked a place to stay. Residents are also complaining about visitors clogging up roads, littering, and even disturbing funerals. To deal with the problem, some want to charge tourists a tax that would help pay for more amenities, like public toilets and better parking.

14. Mount Everest

Every year, hundreds of people attempt to summit Mount Everest, each paying tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege. (The climbing permit alone is $11,000.) However, some critics say the mountain is too crowded, which can lead to deadly bottlenecks near the peak. Worse, not all climbers are really prepared to tackle the highest mountain in the world. Some want limits on how many people are allowed on the mountain, and the government is considering a ban on elderly climbers.

15. Botswana

Botswana took a cue from Bhutan and decided to embrace a high-value, low-volume tourism strategy. Only tourists willing to shell out big bucks for a luxury safari experience are welcome. Tour operators have to pay high fees to the government to operate, and they pass that cost on to their clients. Essentially, that limits the number of visitors, helps protect the environment, and means the countrys economy isnt overly dependent on tourism.
Barcelona terror: Pope Francis joins Catholics in praying for victims of 'utterly reprehensible' attack

Pope Francis is joining other Catholic leaders to pray for victims of a terrorist attack in Barcelona on Thursday evening.

At least 13 were killed and dozens more injured after a van rammed through a crowded street in the Spanish city.

In a separate incident in the town of seaside town of Cambrils, Spanish police shot dead five suspected terrorists to prevent a second vehicle attack, linked to the first in Barcelona. Seven people were injured, one of who is critical, in the second attack.

'The Holy Father has learned with great concern what is happening in Barcelona,' a statement from the Holy See press office read. 'The Pope prays for victims of this attack and wishes to express his closeness to all the Spanish people, particularly the injured and families of the victims.'

It comes after the secretary general of the Spanish Bishops Conference, Bishop Jose Gil Tamayo, released a statement on Twitter saying: 'We follow with concern and prayers the situation of victims of the mass trampling in Las Ramblas. Our solidarity with the victims and Barcelona.'

The Spanish leaders were joined by American Catholics with Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, chair of the international justice and peace committee for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, calling the attack 'utterly reprehensible'.

He said: 'Once again, an act of terror has taken more than a dozen lives and injured scores of others,;

He added the US bishops' conference 'unequivocally condemns this morally heinous act and places itself in solidarity with the people of the Archdiocese of Barcelona and Spain at this terrible time of loss and grief'.

He went on: 'Our prayers are with the families of those slain and injured in a particular way as we also pray for an end to terrorism.

'May God comfort the afflicted and convert the hearts of those who would perpetrate such acts. May our Lord bless both our world and those suffering today from this attack with the gift of peace.'

Three days of national mourning has been declared by Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and a minute's silence will be held later on Friday.
Christian Aid launches appeal to help victims of 'deluge of devastation' in Sierra Leone

Christian Aid has today launched a public appeal for emergency funds to help the thousands of families devastated by the flooding and mudslide disaster in Sierra Leone.

As many as 3,000 people lost their homes after seasonal rains caused a landslide that submerged entire communities in Regent and the surrounding mountainous area on the outskirts of the capital Freetown.

Nearly 350 people have died, including more than 120 children. A further 600 individuals remain unaccounted for, while more than 100 people are seriously injured. More deaths are expected.

Using emergency funds, Christian Aid will work with partners in Freetown to reach 1,000 survivors of the disaster, distributing food, clean drinking water, clothing, mosquito nets, kitchen utensils and hygiene supplies  including sanitary kits for women and girls.

Christian Aid's country manager for Sierra Leone, Jeanne Kamara, said: 'Early on Monday morning a heavy downpour in Freetown triggered a deluge of devastation, as rocks, earth and mud fell on houses and buried several communities: it was like a mini volcano.

'We Sierra Leoneans are resilient people and this week our resilience has been cruelly tested, yet again. As a resident of Freetown, it breaks my heart that another tragedy is unfolding here, while we're still recovering from the deep-rooted impacts of the Ebola epidemic. We are going from emergency to emergency, and this is wreaking untold emotional, physical and psychological damage.

'The mood here this week is sombre and sober, and as I speak the rains are threatening again. Communities, faith groups, aid agencies and government agencies are working hard, but there are still a lot of gaps: a lot of people are using inappropriate make-shift shelters.

'We sent out a team to assess the situation and register those who need help: what we've seen are lots of people who are homeless, who are confused, distressed and traumatised, and who will need lots of psycho-social support.'

She added: 'I spoke to a group of women who said they and their surviving family members have no clothes, no underwear, no sanitary kits: everything that they owned has gone. People have nothing, not even a pair of slippers on their feet to make their way to some of the local registration centres.

'They are now extremely vulnerable, especially women and children. School resumes in about a month's time and many surviving children have lost all their uniforms and school materials. That's why we are working around the clock, with our partners here in Freetown, to make sure help gets to those who need it most.

'In our initial response, our partners here will be distributing food and other essential items, such as malaria nets and basic household items. Our partners will, as always, work alongside community leaders, faith leaders and traditional leaders, so we can capitalise on their local knowledge and experience of their communities.'

Homeless families are currently sheltering in schools, community halls, churches, mosques and other public buildings. The government is expected to announce long-term plans to house displaced families.

Christian Aid's relief programme will focus on locations in Freetown that are expected to receive less support from state bodies and aid organisations.
Christian summer camp in Greece burned down in forest fire

A Christian summer camp in Greece has been burned down as the country faced an onslaught of summer forest fires.

The 'Kalamos' camp, run by the Greek Evangelical Church, is based in the area of Kalamos and the Holy Apostles, north of Athens. But the camp was set ablaze when a forest fire began in the mountain region, according to Evangelical Focus.

The crisis saw as many as 150 firefighters and 68 vehicles, including fire trucks and water-dropping planes, summoned to combat the blaze and stop its spread, but not before the Christian camp was hit.

'Our camp burned down from the flames of the forest fire. The fire left only remaining of metal elements and buildings', wrote camp president Stamatis Voliotis on his Facebook page, according to Greece Update.

Voliotis added: 'The picture is tragic! That does not mean, that the beauty of the place we knew, its perfume, the joy, the happy moments and blessings we experienced in every corner of His camp and camp are forgotten or covered by the smoke!'

The fire was reportedly brought under control by the fire department on Wednesday. An official record of the camp's losses is expected in the next few days, but no one from the camp was injured.

Greece has faced a tirade of as many as 55 forest fires this summer, where high temperatures in the region can often cause dangerous conditions.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Descendants of Confederate generals say statues should be removed if 'offensive'

Descendants of Confederate leaders and slave owners, whose statues are at the heart of a controversy around white supremacy in the US, are calling for them to be taken down.

The monuments have sparked tensions between conservatives and liberals with supporters saying they mark an important aspect to American history and opponents calling them festering symbols of racism.

The controversy boiled over into violence on Saturday when neo-Nazis and white supremacists marched through Charlottesville, Virginia, where a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee was due to be removed.

They chanted antisemitic, racist and neo-Nazi slogans and violence erupted with counter-demonstrators. Heather Heyer, 32, was killed and 19 others were injured when a car rammed through a crowd who were opposing the white supremacist protest.

Now the relatives of Robert E. Lee as well as of Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson  two other Confederate leaders in the US Civil War  have each separately said they are happy for the monuments to go.

Robert E. Lee V, of Washington DC told CNN the violence on Saturday was 'senseless' and 'sad' for his family.

'Eventually, someone is going to have to make a decision, and if that's the local lawmaker, so be it. But we have to be able to have that conversation without all of the hatred and the violence. And if they choose to take those statues down, fine,' he said.

'Those sorts of acts on Saturday, that's just not to be tolerated,' he added. 'We feel strongly that Gen. Lee would never ever stand for that sort of violence.

'We just want people to know that the Lee family just really wants to send their best to the people in Charlottesville.'

In a separate statement, Bertram Hayes-Davis, great-great-grandson of the Confederate president Jefferson Davis told CNN the statues should be removed to a museum if they are 'offensive to a large majority of the public'.

He said: 'In a public place, if it is offensive and people are taking issue with it, let's move it. Let's put it somewhere where historically it fits with the area around it so you can have people come to see it, who want to understand that history and that individual.'

Going on to speak about the Confederate flag, which was flown alongside swastikas by white supremacists on Saturday, Hayes Davies said: 'The Confederate battle flag, in my estimation, has been hijacked by that group of racist individuals and should be in a museum which indicates it's a military flag and not a flag of the Confederate States of America.'

Two men who say there are great-great grandsons of Stonewall Jackson have published an open letter asking the Richmond mayor to remove a statue to their forefather in the town.

'The people who descended on Charlottesville last weekend were there to make a naked show of force for white supremacy,' the pair wrote in a letter, first published in Slate.

'We are writing to say that we understand justice very differently from our grandfather's grandfather, and we wish to make it clear his statue does not represent us,' they added.

William Jackson Christian and Warren Edmund Christian concluded: 'While we are not ashamed of our great great grandfather, we are ashamed to benefit from white supremacy while our black family and friends suffer. We are ashamed of the monument.'

It comes as Donald Trump refuses to drop the controversy, stacking two Republican senators in a series of Twitter posts on Thursday.

He also took aim at the removal or consideration for removal of Confederate statues and monuments in a long list of cities in California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, Virginia, and Texas, as well as Washington, DC

'Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it,' Trump wrote on Twitter.

'Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish!' Trump said.
'Hawaii Five-0' season 8 spoilers, cast news: Menacing villain coming, in-depth details revealed

"Hawaii Five-0" fans should get ready for another action-packed adventure. It has been revealed that Joey Lawrence has been cast to play the mysterious big bad in the series' upcoming season 8.

Lawrence, best known for his role as Joe Longo in ABC Family's "Melissa & Joey," will play Aaron Wright, the brother of world-class hacker Ian Wright (Nick Jonas). Aside from continuing his brother's legacy, the new big bad will also get revenge on Wo Fat's (Mark Dacascos) family for his sibling's death.

The character, however, will only show up in two episodes of "Hawaii Five-0" season 8. He will be encountered by Lt. Cmdr. Steve McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin), Det. Danny Williams (Scott Caan) and Capt. Lou Grover (Chi McBride) when he uses his computer to free a dangerous arsonist from jail.

Aside from Lawrence, viewers will also see some new faces in "Hawaii Five-0" season 8. Meaghan Rath and Beulah Koale will all show up in the next installment.

Koale will play former Navy SEAL Junior Reigns who has just returned from serving his nation. Rath, on the other hand, will take on the role of Tani Rey, a lifeguard who was kicked out of the police academy in spite of being a top-notch candidate.

The move comes shortly after the departure of series regulars Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park over contract disputes. The two starred as Lt. Chin Ho Kelly and Officer Kono Kalakaua, respectively.

"It's possible to be grateful and respectful of colleagues and still maintain a steadfast sense of your self-worth," Kim, 49, said during the Television Critics Association summer press tour. "That was a really important part of my life for seven years, and I'm really grateful to CBS and everyone involved with the show for giving me the opportunity."

"Hawaii Five-0" season 8 is set to premiere on Friday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. EDT on CBS.
It's worse than you think: Four things Christians get wrong about 'sin'

A recent survey by LifeWay Research probed American views on 'sin'. But sin, a theological concept at the heart of Christianity, can be tragically misunderstood both in and outside the Church.

Earlier this year then-Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, a Christian, was plagued by a question I'm sure he learned to dread: 'Is gay sex a sin?' His responses, initially failing to provide the simple 'no' that people presumably wanted, dogged the General Election campaign. Farron would later suggest they showed the impossibility of being a committed Christian in mainstream politics.

But that wider debate aside, there was a sense that the word 'sin' was just confusing people. Some seemed to infer that saying gay sex was 'a sin' meant you therefore 'hated gay people', or near enough, even though Farron had long advocated for the equality of the LGBTQ community. The Lib Dem leader had tried to explain himself with reference to the concept of classic Liberalism, but by that point no one really cared.

Inescapably negative, sin will probably always be a tricky concept to talk about. But there are some really bad ways to talk about it  and better alternatives. Here are four.

1. 'Sin is like heavenly credit card debt  Jesus clears it!'

A caricature often perpetuated in the Church is that sin is essentially your heavenly debt  and the work of Christ is simply the transaction that wipes the slate clean. It works well for a simple 'four points' evangelical formula: you're sinful, but God loves you, so God saved you and cleared your debt, so now be grateful until you get to heaven.

Or perhaps even outside evangelical circles, God gets perceived primarily as a far-off judge of good and evil, he's weighing up our deeds day-to-day, and on judgment day you'll find out how you did. It makes God seem like an impersonal, inactive and ultimately legalistic judge.

This mindset detaches us from sin, rendering it an abstract concept that its quite easy, and convenient, to ignore. It can imply that you never have to deal with its effects in earthly life. Unfortunately, the opposite is the case.

2. 'Sin is just individual, the bad things you've done'

Another misunderstanding is that sin is purely an individual problem  it's your personal wrongdoing. But Scripture says it's so much bigger: 'sin' belongs to nations, communities, and societal structures. It's corporate and institutional.

When Israel neglects the poor, the orphan the widow and the stranger, God's prophets cry out. They're not naming names, this is corporate injustice. As long as they let it happen, they are to blame. On a similar note, sin can be not just the wrong things we do (sins of commission), but the bad things we allow to happen that we could've stopped (sins of omission).

It makes the whole thing more complex, but also encourages us to take this life more seriously. It's not hard to look at the state of the world and see how corporate sin has spread: institutional racism, social systems that condemn the poor and elevate the rich, and an individualistic mindset that allows us to close our ears to global injustice, to name a few.

3. 'Sin is just fine, and a little bit sexy'

There used to be a line of Magnum ice-creams that were each sold as one of the 'seven deadly sins'. With the help of the sultry advertising, sin somehow became bound up with just being a little seductive and sexy. It's like chocolate: a little 'naughty' or indulgent, but a good kind of bad. Perhaps that's how some imagine sin. Occasionally listening to that cheeky horned devil on your shoulder, how bad can it be?

Equally, some Christians can be so delighted in the salvation of Christ that they imagine sin no longer has any power. Perhaps misunderstood, Martin Luther implored his followers to 'sin boldly' as a scorn to Satan, so safe were they in the forgiveness of Christ.

Unfortunately the Bible, and real life, points to a far more grim reality. Sin is rather a malevolent, destructive force: allowed to flourish, it kills all life. Tragic and harmful addictions can bear this out, proving that choices have consequences, and that doing wrong can never be purely kept to yourself, but inevitably infects one's whole life: damaging relationships, opportunities and capacity to choose good instead.

Marital infidelity is bad not just because God likes commitment, but because it causes pain, poisons trust, distances family and inhibits love. Murder isn't wrong only because it's a crime, but because it condemns both the actor and the victim, and frequently provokes endless cycles of violence that follow.

Sin isn't just naughty: its deeply destructive.

4. 'Sinners' are outside the Church  society's very worst

The Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus' day apparently loved the idea that 'sinners' such as tax collectors and prostitutes were far from the Kingdom of God. Jesus told them otherwise, and promised that the 'last' (in their eyes) would ultimately be the 'first' in his Kingdom.

Christ saved his strongest words for the 'religious' who didn't think they needed forgiveness, and indulged in their self-righteousness. As spoken word artist Jefferson Bethke put it, the Church is 'not a museum for good people, it's a hospital for the broken.'

Christian theology has always understood sin to belong to all humanity, not a select few that we choose. Many miss this, and perceive the Church as the righteous stronghold condemning the unworthy who dwell outside. That may sometimes be how it is, but never how it should be. To believe something is sinful doesn't, or at least shouldn't, mean that person is worthy of hate. If that were true, who would be safe? For a reminder that the Church, and those within it, are far from perfect, either join a church, or watch the news.

If you plan on judging, Jesus warned, take a long hard look in the mirror first.

All this talk of sin is hardly cheery, but there is always good news. None of what's been said means that humankind's tendency to selfishness and destruction is irredeemable or hopeless. It just means the problem is bigger than we might have thought. Mercifully, so is God.

You can follow @JosephHartropp on Twitter
Northern Ireland same-sex marriage ban not up to us, says High Court

A judge has rejected two cases challenging Northern Ireland's ban on same-sex marriage, saying it is up to politicians not the courts to decide social policy.

The High Court dismissed a joint case taken by the first lesbian couple and the first gay couple to enter civil partnerships in the UK as well as a second from a couple who married in England but wanted their partnership recognised at home in Northern Ireland.

Delivering his ruling, Mr Justice O'Hara said: 'It is not at all difficult to understand how gay men and lesbians who have suffered discrimination, rejection and exclusion feel so strongly about the maintenance in Northern Ireland of the barrier to same sex marriage.

'However, the judgment which I have to reach is not based on social policy but on the law.'

The Christian Institute's Northern Ireland director, Callum Webster, said he was 'greatly encouraged that the law on marriage has been upheld'.

He added: 'This attempt to redefine marriage through the courts has not been successful. The definition of marriage as between one man and one woman is beneficial for all society, and it is excellent news that it has not been changed by this ruling.'

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK not to legalise same-sex marriage, despite becoming the first to legalise civil partnerships 12 years ago.

Assembly members have now voted five times on whether to allow gay marriage. At the fifth vote they voted in favour for the first time by 53 to 52 but the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) used their Stormont veto to block the move.

Ms Sickles and Ms Close made history when they became the UK's first civilly partnered couple in Belfast City Hall in December 2005. They were closely followed by Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane, whose ceremony took place a day later.

The two couples are now leading the campaign for full marriage recognition, arguing the ban doesn't respect private and family life and so breaches article eight of the European Convention of Human Rights.

Close said she was 'devastated' by the ruling, according to the BBC.

'For us, this is a personal matter,' she said.

'We have families and our children are being treated differently because of today's result.'
Pastor Greg Boyd: 'America was founded as a white supremacist nation'

A leading white evangelical pastor is calling on Christians to regognise white supremacy across America and for the Church to denounce it.

Greg Boyd is a leading Anabaptist theologian, speaker and broadcaster who has been a pastor at Woodland Hills Church In St Paul, Minnesota, since the early '90s.

'They've been emboldened,' he said of white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville last weekend. Speaking on his regular podcast Boyd continued: 'White supremacy is still a part of the fabric of America. While the white supremacists who gather and sometimes engage in violence get the headlines, it's what most don't notice that's more erosive, more destructive... America was founded as a white supremacist nation, sorry, it was Manifest Destiny  it was obvious to these folks that whites are supposed to rule... it's been that way ever since. Getting people to wake up to that is much harder because it's the water we swim in.'

Boyd, the author of a number of books including The Myth Of A Christian Nation and Cross Vision, said it's now incumbent on white Christians to speak out. 'The Church has to denounce it,' he said. 'It should seem obvious but unfortunately, it's not.'

Boyd, an adjunct professor at Bethel University, an evangelical college, also said the President's slow response was shocking. 'Sadly, initially, it didn't seem like the White House thought it was that big of a deal,' he said. 'It took two days before Trump really explicitly said it and that was clearly under pressure. That is concerning to me, that this is becoming so normative that it doesn't even register as an obvious wrong that needs to be denounced, even when there's an act of terrorism involved.'

You can hear the full podcast here.
Please pray for our city: A Christian writes from Barcelona

As a family we moved to the Barcelona suburb town of Castelldefels two weeks ago. It's a part of the world which is very attractive to live in for obvious reasons. I'm informed by the local Anglican priest that there is no Spanish phrase for 'breaking the ice', such is the Spanish warmth and welcome.

This we have found to be very true. I speak very little Spanish or Catalan and yet I don't feel isolated. We were involved in a slight car incident yesterday with the offending driver wanting to make sure all were well and to express his genuine remorse. The Catalonian culture truly is as warm as the 300 days of sun they get every year.

After the attacks looked at Twitter, reading the polarising voices of #PrayForBarcelona and those expressing a desire for revenge or simply just promoting their own empty rhetoric.

On hearing the news, I too wanted revenge. How could anyone do this?! How could anyone seek destruction to achieve their ideological aims? What brought it home even more is that we were planning to head into enjoy the life of the city. Heading in with my wife and son, what would have happened if we'd been caught up in it? Could I have protected them?

My sense of grief and shock comes from a place of feeling vulnerable. Attacks like these increase my feeling of being incapable of protecting those I love  it stirs up, I'm ashamed to say, a desire to build walls to keep 'them' out and to hold my family closer. But that's not how we build a world of hope and of love, a world that I long for my son to walk into. To build it demands that we are vulnerable, choose peace over retaliation  that is the way of Christ. Turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, these are the hard choices we must make if we seek the bigger dream, that of a world of peace.

I'm also reflecting on how, as a foreigner who's been welcomed in, I can reach out in love without the advantage of language or a full understanding of Catalonian culture. How can I stand with those who are suffering? I will pray but also, if needed, I hope I can connect on a human level as well. Last night we did go out, not to the city itself, but to the town square here in Castelldefels, only 20 miles south, to sit and eat with the community that welcomed us. We wanted them to know in some way that we are with them.

Please do pray for this beautiful city, for those who mourn, for those who are in pain, for those whose lives may well be defined by this and for those who decide the actions that are to be taken.

Andy Burns is the executive director of Capital Mass, a charity helping churches tackle poverty. He is on Twitter @courtsidedad
Romanian Orthodox Church confronts bishop's sex tape scandal

Romania's Orthodox Church leaders are meeting in an extraordinary session to deal with a sex scandal involving one of its bishops.

AP reports that the Bishop of Husi, Corneliu Barladeanu, is currently suspended after a video emerged which appeared to show him engaging in intimate acts with a male student.

The bishop says that the tape has been tampered with.

More than eight in 10 Romanians are members of the Orthodox Church and it has significant political influence.

This is the first time a sex scandal has been discussed at such a high level in the Church and comes at a time when homosexuality is being more openly talked about in Romanian society.

The Church, like other Eastern Orthodox Churches, remains conservative on the issue. It says it would still be investigating even if the tape involved a woman.

Church spokesman Vasile Banescu told the Associated Press: 'The message is that you should not be ordained if your moral behaviour does not meet church standards.' He said the Church would be stricter in the future over monks who broke the vow of chastity. Bishops are required to be monks in the Orthodox faith.

There are 53 bishops in the Romanian Orthodox Church, which is the second largest Eastern Orthodox Church in the world after the Russian Church.
Why don't Conservatives conserve things any more?

When is a conservative not a conservative?

It's not a joke, or a trick. It's one of the most pressing political questions in the US and the UK.

It's been brought into focus this week by the possible closure of the Tata Steel plant in Port Talbot, South Wales. The multinational company Tata said it was going to sell its UK operation and there's a real possibility that this will mean the loss of thousands of jobs and real devastation for the community.

There are loud calls for the UK government to step in and, if necessary, temporarily nationalise the Port Talbot plant to ensure the skilled jobs aren't lost and the knock-on effects for the local economy and community are mitigated. But these calls have so far heeded little. Right-leaning opinion formers say the plant must be allowed to die. That it would be 'inefficient' to do otherwise, that the market has decided and that's all there is to it. The executive director of free market think tank the Adam Smith Institute said, "The only justification for nationalisation is if we're prepared to say there is nothing that the people of Port Talbot could conceivably do productively... To be fair, there may be a grain of truth in that."

It's a pattern we've been used to over the last 50 years in the UK and the US. Deindustrialisation on a massive scale has seen places like Port Talbot abandoned to their fate. Whole swathes of blue collar Britain and America have been disgarded by what one commentator described as, "a perfect storm of automation, declining union power, and free-trade agreements."

That this process has taken place is undeniable. From Port Talbot to Detroit, the story is the same. Once mighty industrial areas have had the heart ripped out of them. In the words of Bruce Springsteen's 2012 song Death To My Home Town, "They destroyed our families, factories, and they took our homes... The greedy thieves who came around and ate the flesh of everything they found."

What is surprising is that this destruction began and has taken place under the watch of 'conservative' politicians on both sides of the Atlantic. When Margaret Thatcher's election as Prime Minister in 1979 in the UK was followed by Ronald Reagan's victory over Jimmy Carter, suddenly, there was a dramatic new dawn. The New Deal was dead. The post-war consensus over.

Instead, these two politicians, whose supporters still lionise them as conservative heroes, set about a radical programme of change. Taxes were cut, regulations were slashed, monetary policy was paramount and privatisation of public institutions was rapid. As Mrs Thatcher proclaimed, this was more than merely a set of budgetary measures. "Economics are the method: the object is to change the soul," she proclaimed.

Thus the pattern was set for the next 35 years. The astonishing popularity and electoral success of Reagan and Thatcher (and to a lesser extent Bush and Major) meant that the new consensus was never really broken by the Democrats or Labour.

These new economic orthodoxies drove almost everything that these giants of conservative politics did. Yet the effects of their new agenda were anything but conservative. Those communities which had passed down jobs from generation to generation were ripped apart. Wealth was accrued by the elites of Wall Street and the City of London. Mutuals, symbols of community and reciprocity for generations, were dismantled. Social Housing was privitised and not replaced, leading to the current housing crisis we find ourselves in. As Maurice Glasman said, "We had this mad market fundamentalism under Margaret Thatcher, the abandonment of any conception of the common good, the enormous transfer of wealth from poor to rich - it was horrible." The concept of the common good, which is drawn from Christian social teaching, isn't just the preserve of the left. The whole point is that conservatives should (and many do) care about the wellbeing of all, rather than just slavishly following the diktats of the market.

This abandonment of the common good, the sacrifice of local communities to the vicissitudes of the gods of 'the market', the prioritising of the financial over all other spheres of life should be anathema to true conservatives. The clue is in the name. Conservatives value family, community, the local, heritage, tradition, institutions. All of these were ripped up by Thatcher and Reagan's economic fundamentalism.

Instead of the true conservatism championed by giants like Michael Oakeshott and Edmund Burke, the last four decades of conservative rule in the UK and US has led to the triumph of global mega corporations over every day life and our local communities. As Tory MP Jesse Norman has written, Burke warned of the dangers of allowing big business to dictate our lives. "In his own time, Burke regarded as his greatest achievement his campaign to restrain the crony capitalism of the East India Company, and to insist on the accountability of private power to public authority."

In other words, the father of conservative thought took on a global corporation and helped to bring it to heel. Compare and contrast that with the government's weak response to the steel crisis in Port Talbot. Watch this video and tell me it's 'conservative' to shut down the steel plant.

In the face of the potential devastation of the local community, we get little but platitudes from the 'conservative' government. Time and again, contemporary 'conservatives' show their disregard for values of restraint, respect for institutions, family, faith and community. From the devastating economics of Reagan and Thatcher, to the contempt for those campaigning to keep Sunday Special, to the current crisis in the steel works of Port Talbot, so many of the policies of our modern conservative governments are deeply, bafflingly, unconservative.
You can meet God anywhere, but are there special spiritual places?

Helena is one of the most influential Christian women of all time. The mother of Roman Emperor Constantine, whose conversion had such a huge effect on Christian history, Helena is a major figure in her own right. Today, Christians around the world remember her.

She gave birth to the future emperor around AD 270. In those first two centuries of the Christian era, the Church was a persecuted minority. Constantine's conversion set in train the process that would leave most of Europe and many other parts of the world as part of 'Christendom'.

Helena was a key part of that process.

Constantine decided to send her to the Holy Land to establish the geographical locations of the Gospel stories and to claim for the newly Christian empire any historic treasures which hadn't gone missing.

In the early 4th century, she founded one of the world's most famous churches  the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which can still be visited today. She is also reputed to have discovered the True Cross  the relics of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. There, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built, reputed to be the site of the resurrection.

Helena was responsible not only for 'discovering' and creating many of the sites in the Holy Land that pilgrims and tourists alike flock to see. She also arguably helped to create the notion of pilgrimage itself  taking years to tour Palestine and Egypt on what she saw as a holy quest.

But what is it that she has bequeathed us, as a Church? Possibly more than anyone else, she emphasised the importance of place and of holy sites to the Christian faith.

But just how important are certain physical places to our faith as Christians?

Christianity inherited from Judaism a keen appreciation for place. The promises of God in the Hebrew Bible were intimately tied to the Land. The ultimate expression of that was the Temple, in Jerusalem, which was the centerpiece not only of worship but also of commercial, civic and cultural life in ancient Israel.

When Jesus was crucified, the curtain of the Temple was torn and by AD70 it had been destroyed along with much of the City of Jerusalem.

But that doesn't mean that Christianity lost its appreciation of holy places.

The Desert Fathers and Mothers found it necessary to retreat from Empire. In the wilderness (which had long been a motif for a meeting place with God in scripture) they created what we now know as monasticism.

As Christianity spread, it gave bishops jurisdiction over a certain geographical area, recognising again that though the Church was universal, it was located in a certain place and would seek to stay in that place.

The Celtic Christians, leaning on the teachings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, spoke about 'thin places'  often places rich in nature where heaven and earth seemed especially close. Places like Iona and Lindisfarne typify this theme.

As medieval Christian Europe saw vast cathedrals erected to the glory of God, place became ever more significant  with pilgrimages to 'holy sites' beginning. Famous trails developed across Europe and beyond as Christians traipsed hundreds or even thousands of miles to reach Santiago De Compostela in northern Spain, Walsingham in eastern England, or even Jerusalem itself.

The Protestant Reformation meant a drastic reduction in the popularity of these pilgrimages. As the written word became more important in Christian faith, a sense of place was vastly reduced in importance.

Eventually, the more keen Nonconformist groups got rid of the idea of a holy place altogether. Quakers actively resisted the idea that God could be found in a particular building  George Fox referring dismissively to 'steeple houses'.

This influence spread in many other Protestant and low church groups. Church buildings were plain and centred around the pulpit to indicate that the Bible was where we met God, rather than in any particular place (in front of the consecrated Host, as Roman Catholic practice would suggest, for example).

So today, we have the full range of options across the Church. Many Christians find a particular place vital to their spiritual walk, while others pray and worship anywhere. Who is right?

In a sense, it is the wrong question  because we will each approach God in slightly different ways. But it's also worth saying there is scriptural merit both for the belief that the presence of God is strong in certain places and that actually, the earth is the Lord's and everything in it.

The incarnation of Jesus and his life show us that God cares about particular people in particular places at particular times. But if God is the ground of all being, then there really is nowhere we can go to hide from his presence. The key then, isn't arguing over the different ways Christians approach this question  it's to find a place and a type of spiritual practice that enables you and your fellow believers to encounter God.
When a news organization reports an impending weather event based on forecasts from the National Weather Service, or warns of potential seismic activity anticipated by the U.S. Geological Survey, or alerts the public concerning an infectious-disease outbreak being tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no one questions the news organizations motives, because the underlying information is factual and derived from a reliable, nonpartisan, and authoritative source.

CNN presents itself as a news organization, yet today it posted a dubious story titled Here are all the active hate groups where you live, based entirely on data from the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC is not the equivalent of the National Weather Service, the USGS, or CDC, to put it mildly. It is risible for CNN to recite SPLC data uncritically, with no additional validation, as a credible list of domestic hate groups, let alone to describe SPLCs data as widely accepted. As I recently chronicled in City Journal, the SPLC is far from a reliable, nonpartisan, and authoritative source.

The SPLC has been criticized from all points of the political spectrum for its incessant fundraising (resulting in the accumulation of a surplus exceeding $300 million, some of which is invested offshore in Cayman Island accounts), lavish executive salaries (some topping $400,000 annually), and a litigation program calculated to generate sensational headlines rather than tangible results alleviating Southern poverty. Morris Dees, one of SPLCs co-founders, has used the SPLC to promote his political agendaand enrich himself.

As for chronicling hate groups, the SPLC is principally focused on maintaining lists of individuals and groups with opposing politics, and subjectively labeling them hate groups or extremists, often without justification. SPLC senior fellow Mark Potok, who is in charge of maintaining the lists, has declared that our aim in life is to destroy these groups, to completely destroy them. Even Politico has called SPLCs agenda into question, asking Has a Civil Rights Stalwart Lost Its Way? The writer of that story, Ben Schreckinger, noted the frequent charge that the SPLC is overplaying its hand, becoming more of a partisan progressive hit operation than a civil rights watchdog. Politicos skeptical look at SPLC joined a torrent of criticism appearing in other publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Harpers, The Weekly Standard, Reason, The Federalist, and even The Progressive.

What exactly is a hate group? The FBI doesnt keep track of such groups, but the SPLC purports to do so, using subjective criteria that do not include the use or threatened use of violence. Instead, SPLC labels groups based on their political views, designating as hate groups such diverse entities as magazines, websites, record labels, and even religious sects. In the popular perception, hate group is a label that appropriately describes the KKK, neo-Nazis, racist skinheads, and similar groupsand the SPLC does in fact label them as suchbut the SPLC misleadingly lumps these odious groups together with mainstream organizations with which it disagrees, solely because of their views regarding, among other issues, LGBT rights, immigration policy, and opposition to Sharia Law.

Thus, SPLC has designated as hate groups the immigration-reform organizations Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), Center for Immigration Studies, Californians for Population Stabilization, the Social Contract Press, and Refugee Resettlement Watch; religious-liberty advocates Alliance Defending Freedom, Pacific Justice Institute, and Liberty Counsel; and the Center for Security Policy, founded by foreign policy expert Frank Gaffney. The SPLC lists the Freedom Center, the think tank associated with bestselling conservative author David Horowitz, as a hate groupas it does the pro-family organizations such as the Family Research Council (whose employees were attacked by a gunman in 2012, after the SPLC listed the group on its Hate Map) and the World Congress of Families, the latter two because of their opposition to same-sex marriage. Even the Washington Posts Dana Milbank has condemned as reckless the designation of FRC as a hate group. Yet CNN uncritically repeats these defamatory labels.

The SPLC has an undeniable ideological agenda. In addition to its tendentious (and often redundant) list of 917 hate groups, SPLC also maintains a list of more than 1,600 purported extremists or extremist groups, including eminent social scientist Charles Murray. At one time, the SPLC labeled HUD secretary and former presidential candidate Ben Carson an extremist, due to his opposition to same-sex marriage, but was forced to rescind the designation and apologize.

By its own criteria, the SPLC has solid qualifications as a hate groupit engages in McCarthyite tactics, it spews venom, and it generally behaves, as I described in the earlier article, like a demagogic bully. As for CNN, its blatantly unprofessional act of reporting, in which it has acted as a virtual publicist for a discredited partisan group, marks another step in the media organizations journey from news outlet to provocateur.

Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images
My producer Brent Baughman and I had planned to run an episode (of our podcast Its Been a Minute with Sam Sanders) about The Onion (the satirical newspaper) on Tuesday. I had spent a day in their headquarters a few weeks ago and got some great tape. The whole thing was going to be about their process and how they find ways to laugh in the midst of such weird news cycles.

But it was clear by Sunday afternoon, after the events in Charlottesville, that interviews with a satirical publications lead writers and editors were not the most valuable thing to give listeners last week. The news was not funny.

So we spent Sunday pondering what to do. We both were out of town, so there were several hours typing furiously over iPhones, in airports, and rental cars. We came up with a plan to put together a special episode, and to spend Monday throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall, taping as many conversations as we couldwith journalists whod been to Charlottesville, residents, experts on race and extremism, and with listeners all over who were just grappling with current events. We knew from the start we wanted to have a lot of different types of voices. And we knew for sure we didnt want to only talk to black people.

Throughout the day, as we taped those conversations, we realized some of the most interesting conversations we were having were with white people. We were hearing them say things we hadnt heard before. Not to discount any contributions from other listeners we talked to, but this just felt different. This wasnt entirely by designour listeners, like almost all public radio audiences, are majority-white, and wed heard from many white listeners who wanted to talk.

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So, as we began to discuss how to frame the episode, Brent and I talked about this pressure people in marginalized groups often feel after a weekend like this one; they feel theyre expected to lead the conversation and start the healing after a tragedy befalls the group that they, rightly or wrongly, are seen to represent. We thought it would be interesting to lean into the white conversations wed been having. To flip the script, and to challenge our white listeners to hear conversations for them, about them, with them.

So many of the young white men in Charlottesville came there from white communities. They went back home to white communities. They have white families, white friends, and white loved ones. Shouldnt this conversation start there?

We had no designs to confront a racist listener or anything like that. We were aiming for the softer underbelly of racism, tiny decision points well-meaning white people confront all the time. When your relative makes a racist joke, do you ignore it because thats easier? When a friend posts something off-color on Facebook, do you choose to start engaging online, or talk in person? Do you cringe at the thought of teaching your white children about racism because, after all, kids arent born racist?

The idea behind the episode was to suggest that white people in the aftermath of Charlottesville should go talk to white people.

We talked with several white listeners, a historian at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, a developmental psychologist, and NPRs Sarah McCammon, and we went over a lot of those questions. Doing so with all white voices seemed to resonate deeply with many listeners. They could hear other white people talk through the same struggles with race they share. Its too early to quantify the episodes performance, but social media feedback has been through the roof, far beyond what we normally see even from our very engaged audience.

The idea behind the episode was to suggest that white people in the aftermath of Charlottesville should go talk to white people. Not because there are any big, simple answers to be found in a single conversation. But because the problem of race in America is so complex and layered that deeper understanding can only be arrived at over the long term, in many conversations. Some of us have been having those conversations for decades. And its time for White America to figure out its role.

I have wondered a bit since we taped the episode how my race played into it all. I really only want to speak about race when it feels right, and when I do, I want to speak about race in ways that will challenge all of our listeners. I am not actually sure if a white host trying to do the episode I did, with only white people, would have gotten away with it. I can see the headlines now; they wouldnt have been pretty. But I am consistently impressed by how much leeway the network has given me and Brent, to not just push the envelope, but to try to have conversations that are in some way new, and share them with the world.

I think this episode did that. And Im quite proud of it.

Producer Brent Baughman contributed to this story.

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Sam Sanders is a correspondent and host of Its Been a Minute with Sam Sanders at NPR. He was one of the original cohosts of NPRs Politics Podcast, which launched in 2015. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post and Politico magazine.
It started with a tweet. Amy Siskind, founder of the New Agenda, called out GoDaddy on Sunday for hosting The Daily Stormer, a neo-Nazi website, after it posted a hateful, misogynist, and obscene article about Heather Heyer, the woman killed during the Charlottesville protests last weekend. GoDaddys response was swift and decisive: It gave the website 24 hours to find another provider. According to a GoDaddy spokesperson, the websites Charlottesville coverage violated the companys terms of service: Given this latest article comes on the immediate heels of a violent act, we believe this type of article could incite additional violence.

We informed The Daily Stormer that they have 24 hours to move the domain to another provider, as they have violated our terms of service.  GoDaddy (@GoDaddy) August 14, 2017

For some, GoDaddys decision comes too late. Activists, including organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center, pushed for the worlds largest domain name seller to jump ship on the site several months ago. Since its announcement, though, theres been a ripple effect. Google kicked The Daily Stormer off Google Domains and YouTube for unspecified terms-of-service violations. The decision by GoDaddy and Google is the equivalent of the internet death penalty, according to Slate. The Daily Stormer then tried to register a domain in Russia and China, but both countries said, no thanks. And so the neo-Nazi site retreated to the dark web, a series of websites only accessible through networks like Tor.

Now Cloudflare, a prominent internet company (which drew major ire in May), is turning its back on The Daily Stormer. Back in 2013, Cloudflare said it was not in the business of censoring websites and will not deny its services to even the most offensive purveyors of hate, ProPublica reported, summarizing the words of the companys CEO, Matthew Prince. But yesterday Cloudflare reversed its stance. As Gizmodo reported, it booted The Daily Stormer from its services.

ICYMI: Boston Globe story published earlier this month highlights a weakness in sports journalism

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It seems pretty straightforward. Neo-Nazis are bad, and they shouldnt be given a platform to espouse hate and violence. But censorship always comes with a question: What precedent is this setting, and what does it mean for free expression? When it comes to offensive content, internet companies have generally opted for a hands-off approach, erring on the side of maintaining an open internet, wrote Gizmodo.

Cloudflares Prince cautioned against internet companies policing content in his letter explaining the decision to boot The Daily Stormer. It shouldnt be up to CEOs like him, he wrote: We need to have a discussion around this, with clear rules and clear frameworks. My whims and those of Jeff [Bezos] and Larry [Page] and Satya [Nadella] and Mark [Zuckerberg], that shouldnt be what determines what should be online. In Slate, Will Oremus explains the potential slippery slope of these companies stepping in: The distinction between the Daily Stormer and an antifa site, or even a Black Lives Matter site, might seem clear as day to those urging GoDaddy to intervene against the former. Yet if our president himself finds them equivalent, it isnt hard to imagine a private tech-infrastructure firm deciding to ban the latter along with the former. Its a complex conversation, and one that will continue in the weeks ahead. More on this below.

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Meg Dalton is a freelance journalist and audio producer based in Connecticut. She's reported and edited for CJR, PBS NewsHour, Energy News Network, Architectural Digest, MediaShift, Hearst Connecticut newspapers, and more. Follow her on Twitter: @megdalts. Find her on Twitter @megdalts.
A daily newspaper in Texas published an editorial about a month ago arguing that any changes President Trump makes to Barack Obamas climate-change plan shouldnt include propping up the coal industry at the expense of other energy sources: The EPA has no business in picking winners and losers.

Were in the middle of oil country, says Roy Maynard, a senior editor at the Tyler Morning Telegraph. Were looking at that from a free-market approach. The government doesnt need to be propping up any of these industries.

The Morning Telegraph has a staff of about 20, and we write about energy quite a bit, Maynard tells CJR. Its a rare exception for local media, which has explained in detail how changes in US healthcare policy may trickle down but rarely has delved into policies related to climate change.

Coverage of the Clean Power Plan has mostly come from national sources such as Bloomberg, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. The CPP was mentioned once in a recent Houston Chronicle piece on the halting of construction of two nuclear reactors, which provide carbon-free power. And a popular Washington Post story from April, citing the original work of two local TV stations, explained how an Eastern Kentucky coal-mining museum was installing solar panels to save on energy costs and feed power back into the towns grid.

The irony was obvious, but the coverage didnt mention the CPP. Local coverage rarely has. Many editors and news directors have shied away from complex stories soaked in scientific specifics and legalese.

The Clean Power Plan was one of Barack Obamas signature accomplishments, but the Supreme Court blocked it a year later, after more than two dozen states and hundreds of companies and lobbyists filed suit against it. The plan, which would have required states to submit their own plans for limiting carbon emissions by nearly one-third in aggregate by 2030, wouldnt have officially gone into effect until 2022, a framework that Scientific American argued probably wasnt significant enough anyway, and all of that was before Donald Trump vowed to repeal and replace it with the help of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who as Oklahomas attorney general sued the EPA 14 times.

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Last week, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia delayed for at least 60 more days any progress in the case, during which the EPA will continue to review the CPP and other EPA rules, per Trumps Energy Independence Executive Order issued in March. According to E&E News, only 16 states support the plan, a mostly unsurprising mix of blue and red states that have a lot to gain or lose in terms of energy production and jobs and economic growth.

Its not the easiest story to tell.

Its a challenge to explain a very scientific issue in a way an average person will understand, says Rebecca Leber, a reporter at Mother Jones whos written about the CPP. The Clean Power Plan is a complicated policy, and its not a one-size-fits-all policy. When it comes to reporting on the more local level, businesses have had all kinds of responses to the Clean Power Plan and the larger issue of responding to climate change. When reporting on the business side, its not as black and white as the Trump administration puts it.

Local reporters should ask politicians and business owners they cover how sweeping changes in energy policy may affect where they live and work. Resources are available online, Leber says, including the 2014 National Climate Change Assessment, which breaks down evidence of global warming into regions, so journalists can pinpoint risks that most affect their audience. The 2016 assessment, just released, concluded, among other findings, that some extreme weather has been caused by climate change. Heat waves and floods and hurricanes dont discriminate. Power plants may open or close. Factories that build solar panels may replace working coal mines. News consumers need to know how the changing environment affects them and their families.

Im hesitant to say national reporters are much better at covering this issue, Leber says. Plenty of outlets could improve their coverage at the national level. At the local level, the challenge is always resources and time. There could always be more climate coverage.

Kevin Dale is helping fill that void. The former Denver Post news director is now executive editor of Cronkite News, which has offices in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, and includes among its 10 verticals sustainability coverage. Through collaboration with the DC team, student journalists work with experienced editors to link national policy decisions to mostly enterprise stories based throughout the Southwest, including topics such as extreme weather, water usage, and mining. Local news outlets that otherwise couldnt afford such coverage subscribe to CN.

Dales students havent written extensively about the CPP yet, mainly because were not exactly sure what the recommendation is going to be, he says. But we have a team of student reporters who focus on those issuesclimate change, mining in the state. We keep a pretty close eye on that.

When it comes to reporting on the more local level, businesses have had all kinds of responses to the Clean Power Plan and the larger issue of responding to climate change.

In both Colorado and Arizona, mining is a huge economic driver, and the CPP could affect how much coal and oil and copper stays in the ground, and how national treasures such as Grand Canyon National Park are preserved.

There are a huge number of people interested in recreational activities and the environment, so whether its in Colorado with natural-gas fracking, or coal plants, or uranium mining at the Grand Canyon, all of that stuff coming together, its important to readers and viewers, Dale says. Ive never found that people werent interested in it.

Whether his reporters, or any reporters, are covering an issue like the CPP, or the Affordable Care Act, or any similarly enormous and far-reaching national policy, Dale says he prefers to focus on local impact.

The same is true with healthcare, where you can get into these policy fights back and forth, but what do they mean to the people on the ground? he says. Thats the coverage I want to see more of, and less on the political bickering over the bill.

A recent poll showed that only about 1 in 8 Americans understood there is a scientific consensus that man-made climate change is indeed real. This was after a Bloomberg Businessweek story a few years ago described how an entire island nation is being swallowed up by the Pacific Ocean, and a recent New York Times piece on how rising sea levels could destroy the East Coast real estate market. Just last month, a New York magazine cover story terrifyingly detailed just about everything that can go wrong if the planet keeps getting hotter.

It may take years for the courts to sort out the CPP, and journalists cant afford to wait, Leber says.

If you look at what the Trump administration has prioritized in its rollback, its been climate and environmental policy that theyve made the biggest moves on, Leber says. Just because the Clean Power Plan itself was stalled in court, the larger issue of what the government isnt doing now on climate change is a huge story, where theres pretty much endless angles and investigative stories to be done.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Justin Doom is a journalist and teacher based in Brooklyn. He was an energy reporter at Bloomberg News and recently completed a white paper on clean-energy investing for Columbia Business Schools Tamer Center for Social Enterprise. Find him on twitter @justindoom.
A member of the Ku Klux Klan shouts at counter protesters, calling for the protection of Southern Confederate monuments, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The American Civil Liberties Union has been a beacon for liberal causes going back decades, and especially since the 2016 election. Now it's drawing scorn for defending white nationalist protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The ACLU is a nonprofit organization that defends and advocates for people's constitutional rights. The organization's mission has steered it into controversial areas such as gay rights and immigration laws.

The ACLU has condemned violence that left one person dead on Saturday. But it defended white supremacists' right to march under the First Amendment. And people are not happy.

One tweet in a thread the ACLU shared on Sunday said: The First Amendment is a critical part of our democracy, and it protects vile, hateful, and ignorant speech.

The tweet has received almost 1,000 replies. Some people said they are done donating to the ACLU. Some expressed outright dismay at the organization's stance. Others insisted the white nationalist protesters in Charlottesville shed First Amendment protections when they carried torches and weapons.

The ACLU did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe suggested earlier this week the violence would not have occurred if not for the ACLU. The group represented Unite the Right organizer Jason Kessler in a lawsuit against the city.

Officials tried to revoke Kessler's permit to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. A judge rejected the city's attempt to move Kessler's protest to another spot in the city. One factor in his decision was that the city, while requiring Kessler's protest to move, was not requiring planned counterprotests to move.

"We asked, the city of Charlottesville asked for that to be moved out of downtown Charlottesville to a park about a mile and a half away, a lot of open fields," McAuliffe told NPR. "That was the place that it should've been. We were, unfortunately, sued by the ACLU. And the judge ruled against us."

The ACLU rebuked the notion it was responsible for the violence. In a statement Monday, ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Claire G. Gastanaga said the organization is "horrified" by the violence and would be "eager" to work with local government officials to "understand their rights and obligations under the law."

"But let's be clear: our lawsuit challenging the city to act constitutionally did not cause violence nor did it in any way address the question whether demonstrators could carry sticks or other weapons at the events," Gastanaga said.

The ACLU has continued to condemn hate and white supremacy while defending people's rights to share such views under the First Amendment.

"We fundamentally believe that our democracy will be better and stronger for engaging and hearing divergent views," ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero wrote in a blog post Tuesday. "Racism and bigotry will not be eradicated if we merely force them underground. Equality and justice will only be achieved if society looks such bigotry squarely in the eyes and renounces it."

Romero cited the organization's history of defending free speech rights of Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. He said the ACLU does not want the government to "favor or disfavor particular viewpoints."

Romero said the First Amendment cannot be used as "sword or shield to justify or rationalize violence." However, he said, the government cannot use the threat of violence as an excuse to block protests. That is why the ACLU supported Kessler's lawsuit.

"Invoking the threat of violence cannot serve as the government's carte blanche to shut down protests," he said. "If that were the case, governments would almost always be able to shut down protests, even when the protesters themselves are peaceful, because others could exercise a heckler's veto through violence or the threat of violence."

The ACLU's three California chapters issued a joint statement Wednesday saying white supremacists "armed to the teeth with the intent to harm people" are not protected under the Constitution.

The national organization responded Thursday saying it agreed with the California branches. However, it differed on whether white supremacists' speech is constitutional.

"At the same time, we believe that even odious hate speech, with which we vehemently disagree, garners the protection of the First Amendment when expressed non-violently," the ACLU said in a statement.

The organization said "horrible events" in Charlottesville last weekend will inform its decisions on who to represent going forward.
Google parent Alphabet recaptured its place as hedge-fund darling in the second quarter this year, breaking a recent tie with Facebook .

In a rating of hedge funds' top 10 holdings, 16 held Alphabet in the most recent quarter, topping the 15 hedge funds holding Facebook, Citi Research analyst Tobias Levkovich wrote in a note Thursday.

Facebook lost its tie among hedge-fund favorites with Alphabet from the first quarter of 2017, when 13 funds held shares of both tech companies in their top 10. The social media behemoth was gaining momentum from a dip after tying in the second quarter of 2016, but ceded ground most recently to Time Warner and NXP Semiconductors .

"Six of the top seven names owned by hedge funds are in the Information Technology sector," Levkovich said.

Mutual funds overwhelmingly love Microsoft , the reigning champion for the last five quarters, but the blue chip stock is less favored among hedge funds. Apple ranks even further behind, as a top 10 holding for only five hedge funds.
GitHub, a start-up whose products software developers use to store and collaborate on code, on Thursday said that its CEO, co-founder Chris Wanstrath, will step down.

Wanstrath will remain on the board to help find his replacement, then will then become executive chairman of the company, which has more than 20 million users and $200 million in annualized recurring revenue. News of the move was originally reported by Forbes.

"As GitHub approaches 700 employees, with more than $200M in ARR, accelerating growth, and more than 20 million registered users, I'm confident that this is the moment to find a new CEO to lead us into the next stage of growth," Wanstrath said in a statement.

(ARR refers to annual recurring revenue, which measures revenue on an annualized basis based on current contracts, and is frequently used as a metric by companies who charge subscriptions.)

This is actually the second time Wanstrath is leaving the top position of the San Francisco company, which competes with Atlassian and Microsoft .

Wanstrath had previously stepped down in 2012 and let cofounder Tom Preston-Werner take the lead. But in early 2014, Preston-Werner moved to the president position, opening the way for Wanstrath to become CEO. A few months later GitHub launched an investigation into sexual harassment claims involving Preston-Werner, and Preston-Werner left the company.

Under his current tenure as CEO, GitHub has brought the enterprise version of its software to the Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure clouds, and most recently the company introduced a Business service tier.

GitHub, which raised $250 million at a $2 billion valuation in 2015, is No. 22 on CNBC's 2017 Disruptor 50 list.

"What we've accomplished over the past 10 years at GitHub has been mind-blowing, and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish over the next decade," Wanstrath said.
Yunfeng will own 60 percent of MassMutual Asia, while investors including Alibaba Group affiliate Ant Financial Services and Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC-managed City-Scape will own the rest.

Yunfeng Financial Group , backed by Alibaba founder Jack Ma , said it would be the main investor in a $1.7 billion acquisition of U.S. -based insurer MassMutual International's Asia unit  a deal that sent Yunfeng's shares surging more than 20 percent.

Jack Ma, founder of the Alibaba Group attends the 2017 forum on rural headmasters on July 12, 2017 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province of China.

"This transaction is a milestone step of Yunfeng FG becoming a financial conglomerate, integrating its existing fintech focused financial services with traditional insurance business,"

said Yu Feng, chairman of Yunfeng.

Yunfeng will pay MassMutual $1 billion in cash and 800 million shares valued at HK$6.50 apiece, the companies said in a statement late on Thursday.

Yunfeng's shares were 22 percent higher at HK$7.73 in early trade after soaring as much as 30 percent.

MassMutual Asia has two main units  one manages general insurance business, while the other focuses on the Mandatory Provident Fund business, a compulsory pension plan for the retirement of residents in Hong Kong.

Reorient Financial Markets, a wholly-owned unit of Yunfeng and JPMorgan acted as Yunfeng's financial advisors on the deal, while Citigroup advised MassMutual International, the statement

said.
The North American Free Trade Agreement may not include any Asian nations, but the trade-dependent region will be closely watching how the Trump administration handles talks, analysts said.

President Donald Trump since his campaign has railed against many previously negotiated trade deals. After axing the Trans-Pacific Partnership that would have linked major Asian economies with the U.S., Trump has now set his sights on NAFTA.

The trilateral trade agreement between Canada , the U.S. and Mexico is coming under the knife as renegotiation begins between the countries.

Although those talks may seem a world away, they have major implications for countries like South Korea, according to Deborah Elms, executive director of the Asian Trade Centre.

The Trump administration has also said it wants to renegotiate the free-trade agreement with South Korea, which was signed in 2007. New talks were set to begin this week on amending the deal, Reuters reported, and Seoul will likely be looking to NAFTA for clues to its future.

"Anyone else thinking about doing a bilateral deal with the U.S. is watching to see what a bilateral with this administration looks like," Elms said.

At a joint press conference in Washington, DC, last week with the three NAFTA countries, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer issued tough rhetoric.

"I want to be clear, [Trump] is not interested in a mere tweaking of a few provisions and a couple of updated chapters," Lighthizer said. "NAFTA has fundamentally failed many, many Americans and needs major improvement."

The tough rhetoric on NAFTA could have another impact on Asia: It could turn Canada's head toward the Pacific, Stewart Beck, CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, told CNBC's "Capital Connection."
The plan still needs to be approved by the joint finance committee, which has members from both the Assembly and the state Senate, as well as the Senate before it can go to the governor. The finance committee and the Senate are also controlled by Republicans .

Wisconsin's Republican-controlled State Assembly voted 59-30 on Thursday to approve a bill that paves the way for a $3 billion incentives package for a proposed liquid-crystal display plant by Taiwan's Foxconn.

Billionaire Terry Gou, chairman of Foxconn Technology Group, right, listens as Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin, speaks during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

Foxconn, an electronics manufacturer formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry , hopes to open a $10 billion plant in 2020 at a 1,000-acre site in southeastern Wisconsin.

Foxconn is a major supplier to Apple for its iPhones.

Wisconsin's Republican governor, Scott Walker, ordered the legislature into special session on Aug. 1 to consider the incentives package, which would award Foxconn $3 billion over 15 years in mostly cash incentives.

Foxconn, Walker, President Donald Trump and other leaders announced the deal on the incentives last month in a White House ceremony.

The 20-million-square-foot LCD plant would initially employ 3,000 people, but Walker and Foxconn said the company could ultimately employ 13,000 at the site.

Proponents have touted the project's investment potential and job creation, including an expected 22,000 ancillary jobs and 10,000 construction jobs.

"We need to do everything that we can to make businesses thrive to replace those that have closed or moved outside our state borders," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Republican, said during Thursday's debate.

But critics including some Democrats have attacked the plan as corporate welfare, too expensive, rushed and potentially harmful to the environment.

"I think we need more time," Democratic Representative Jill Billings said. "I want a better deal and more guarantees for my taxpayers."

Thursday's vote did not follow strict party lines; it included three Democrats who voted in favor and two Republicans who voted against.

Early in a debate that lasted several hours, Assembly Democrats proposed referring the matter to the finance committee for review, which would have stopped the debate. The Assembly rejected the proposal with a 57-32 vote along party lines except for Republican Representative Todd Novak, who voted "yes."



The Assembly also voted to ignore three amendments proposed by Democrats, including one proposal to create a regional transit authority.

Wisconsin would not break even on the incentive package for at least 25 years, according to a legislative analysis released last week.
People gather next to flowers, candles and other items set up on the Las Ramblas boulevard in Barcelona as they pay tribute to the victims of the Barcelona attack, a day after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on August 18, 2017.

Airbnb is offering free places to stay for those affected by Thursday's tragedy in Barcelona.

The disaster response program is for anyone impacted by the attack and checking in to the area between August 17 and September 7.

The site currently has 78 listings for $0 in the area.

The program only waives the service fees for the listing, but all the rentals available in Barcelona that were part of the program were offering their spaces for free.

The program was launched after Airbnb members helped shelter victims affected by Superstorm Sandy.

A van ran into pedestrians on the crowded Las Ramblas street in Barcelona Thursday, killing 14 people and injuring more than 100 others. A second attack took place in Cambrils, about 70 miles south of Barcelona, later in the day. Five terrorists were shot dead after killing one woman and injuring six other people. Airbnb has not activated the program for Cambrils.

There have been 47 global emergencies and more than 3,000 activated listings since the program's launch, according to the company's website.
Americans need to step up the pressure on Congress to "turn this mess around," former McDonald's CEO Ed Rensi told CNBC on Friday.

"All of our citizens better wake up and get smart fast because this country is tearing itself apart," he said in an interview with "Closing Bell."

"We must demand that the leaders in the House, the leaders in the Senate come together and support Trump and if they can't support him they need to be strong and tell him what they think he needs to do."

On Friday, more drama came from the White House when it was announced that chief strategist Steve Bannon was leaving the administration. The move was cheered by Wall Street, which had been fearful about the possible departure of President Donald Trump's top economic aide, Gary Cohn, a former Goldman Sachs executive. Bannon had battled with Cohn and others in the administration.

The news followed the week-long firestorm surrounding Trump's controversial comments on the deadly rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Corporate executives left his side, business councils were disbanded, and bipartisan political criticism was swift. All that fueled concerns about the future of the president's pro-growth agenda.

Rensi said congressional lawmakers were only interested in one thing  getting re-elected.

"They're not really so interested in you, me or this country as they are in self-preservation," he said.

He also had advice for Trump, who he said is not going to be easy to deal with.

"He's very focused on what he thinks is right, not what you think is right, and he's going to have to learn how to listen. He doesn't listen very well, most of the time."

 CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.
Although a few communities are removing a few statues, the nation's Confederate memorial infrastructure  estates, plantations, battlefields, graveyards, birthplaces, shrines and at least two huge obelisks  is too vast and diverse to be moved, hidden or destroyed.

The sites range from small, privately owned house museums honoring obscure soldiers to the massive bas-reliefs carved in the side of Stone Mountain, Ga., that historian Fitzhugh Brundage calls "a billboard to white nationalism.''

These places are an almost inexhaustible source of potential flash points for battles between those who want to preserve or to remove Confederate symbols.

More from USA Today:

Swastika competes with other symbols of hate

Hate goes online

Future of pro-Confederate rallies in doubt

They're an issue that President Trump raised Thursday on Twitter: "Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson  who's next, Washington, Jefferson?''

"It's a sticky wicket,'' Christy Coleman, CEO of the American Civil War Museum, said in an interview earlier this week. "I'm a public educator, and, like 'em or not, these things have a story to tell.''

Erasing Confederate sites from the American landscape would be difficult or impossible.

There are a lot of them  more than 700 statues and monuments in 31 states. That does not include things like homesteads and museums, according to The Southern Poverty Law Center. There are more than 40 in Kentucky, even though two-thirds of Kentuckians who fought in the Civil War did so for the Union.

And many of these sites not especially portable.

Beauvoir, the Mississippi homestead of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, is controlled by the state chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a neo-Confederate group. The only thing that's going to move the 1852 mansion, one of only 2,600 National Historic Landmarks and a top Gulf Coast tourist attraction, is a hurricane.

But Beauvoir is a mere paperweight compared to the 35-story concrete obelisk (one of the nation's largest) in a state park in Fairview, Ky., to mark Davis's birthplace. .

Similarly, in Asheville, N.C., the most notable downtown landmark is a 75-foot high granite obelisk that sits in a public square. it honors a Reconstruction-era governor who'd owned slaves and opposed the freed slaves' right to vote.

There's also the question Trump cites: Which sites should be condemned? Where do you draw the line?

Take Robert E. Lee, the Confederate general venerated by generations of white Southerners (as well as many in the North). He came to personify the now-discredited "Lost Cause" argument that South rebelled in 1861 not over slavery but states' rights.

Although Lee's statue was hauled away this May in New Orleans and is under siege in Charlottesville, his former home in Arlington  built by slaves  is administered by the National Park Service as a memorial to him.

Arlington House, where Lee lived before the Civil War, is in Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking the National Mall. In the past decade it received a multimillion-dollar renovation from the park service that included restoration of slave quarters. After it was damaged in an earthquake in 2011, financier David Rubenstein contributed $12.4 million to a private fund for further work.

Why should Lee's memory be banished from a New Orleans traffic circle and lovingly preserved on sacred ground at Arlington?

Brundage, chairman of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill history department, is an expert on Confederate history. He said this week that he thinks the contrasting treatment of Lee has to do with intent and context.

Lee had no real connection to the New Orleans. The statue was erected decades after the Civil War primarily as a symbol of white resistance to, and triumph over, federal efforts to empower and enfranchise former slaves.

And Brundage said it's one thing to preserve Lee's house as a museum, to which a visit is optional. It's another to put his statue outside a courthouse, which some citizens may be obliged to enter.

In a museum, even an open air one like the Gettysburg battlefield, a memorial's meaning can be explained. But, he says, "you can't do that if it's sitting in a traffic circle.''
There's a new smartphone you need to know about. In fact, I placed an order to buy Andy Rubin's new smartphone before I boarded my plane home from a trip to San Francisco on Thursday morning. I was in town to meet with a variety of companies, including Essential, a new gadget brand launched by Rubin, the co-founder of Android and now the head of a hybrid venture capital/incubator company named Playground. I didn't have high expectations for the new Essential phone. All too often I'm let down by smartphones and the hype built by anyone other than Apple, Samsung or Google. But the Essential phone is fantastic. It's a combination of great hardware and a pure Android experience free of any "bloatware apps." Let's take a closer look at the Essential phone now, and discuss some of its strengths and weaknesses.

First-class design

Andrew Evers | CNBC

Rubin and team started building the Essential smartphone two years ago, and the attention to detail is clear. The Essential smartphone offers a titanium frame that's supposed to help it survive accidental drops. It also has a ceramic body with a purpose: It lets the phone's antennas communicate without blocking them, like an aluminum panel on the iPhone does, which means you don't get unsightly antenna lines. Essential didn't just slap a phone together to try to make a name for itself, something I was worried about. There's real thought here.

Clean and fast software

Andrew Evers | CNBC

If you buy a Samsung, Motorola or LG smartphone, chances are you'll run into "bloatware" of some sort: duplicate apps, changes to Android that can improve (or degrade) the experience, or worse, preinstalled apps from carriers. Essential is doing none of this, which means the Essential phone runs a near-pure version of Android. It's fast, and more importantly, should be quick to get updates to new versions of Android, including monthly security patches.

Get a load of this screen

Andrew Evers | CNBC

The screen is the real highlight. It stretches from side-to-side and from the very tippy top of the phone nearly to the bottom. It's a sight to behold and impressed several of my colleagues who wanted to see Rubin's latest creation. This is something we expect Apple to do in September  at least if analyst predictions are right  but Essential got there first.

Andrew Evers | CNBC

And, yes, there's a real use for the extra screen real-estate. The camera option buttons appear at the furthest edges of the phone instead of overlapping on the live view. As phones continue to be status symbols, too, there's a "cool" factor that just can't be ignored. People will ask you what phone you're carrying, I promise.

Top-end hardware

Andrew Evers | CNBC

The phone is packed with the best mobile processor currently available from Qualcomm, the same chip in the Galaxy S8, and ships with 128GB of storage which is more than enough for most folks to store movies, music and documents. I wish there were a microSD card slot because I like to store my movies on a memory card and move them from device to device, but that's not a huge deal. Also, the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack will be frustrating for some folks, but I prefer to use Bluetooth headphones so didn't find it a big issue. The battery lasted long enough for me to get through an entire day of meetings with enough juice in the tank that I probably could have had a night on the town before the battery died. It doesn't offer wireless charging, however, which the Galaxy S8 offers. It also doesn't have any sort of VR support, which might be a bummer for enthusiasts who like that.

Accessories

Andrew Evers | CNBC

One of Essential's key business strategies is to launch accessories that will work with this phone and additional phones. The first is a 360-degree camera which, sadly, we didn't get to see because it isn't ready yet. These gadgets will snap on to the back of the phone where two magnetic pins are visible. Rubin said his plan is to keep all gadgets compatible with future devices so that folks who invest in them now will be able to continue to use them later on other products (not just phones!).

The camera could be better

Andrew Evers | CNBC

Rubin and team talked a lot about how much effort went into developing a great camera, using both a black-and-white sensor and a color one to help create accurate pictures. The phone snaps some great shots, no doubt, but the lack of optical image stabilization, which comes standard on pretty much every flagship Android phone today, is a bit mind-boggling. Shots in low light came out a bit blurry if I moved at all. One would also run into trouble snapping photos in other situations, like during a bumpy car ride or with jittery hands after a day with too much caffeine. I prefer the camera on my Galaxy S8, but this really isn't a deal breaker.

Should you buy it?

Andrew Evers | CNBC

You won't go wrong buying the Essential phone. It offers high-end hardware and a fantastic user experience, and it's only going to get better over time as Essential launches new accessories (so long as you're willing to buy them). Rubin says we can expect a new product once every quarter. It's expensive at $699, but that's on par with most flagship phones. Yes, you can do more with a Galaxy S8 since it has wireless charging, support for VR, a great camera and an elegant design. Despite the competition, it would be silly to doubt Andy Rubin in this space. He and his team know what they're doing, that much is evident in the first product launched by the company. I'm excited to see what follows.

WATCH: Nokia 8 launch: HMD Global unveils $702 flagship Android smartphone
If more than one member of President Donald Trump's team resigns, the Dow could fall 500 points or more, closely followed trader Art Cashin told CNBC on Friday.

"If you had more than one resignation ... I think it would have a very formidable effect  500 or 1,000 points on the Dow possibly," UBS' director of floor operations at the New York Stock Exchange said.

"Not all in one day, but I think it would move there," he added in an interview on "Squawk on the Street."

U.S. stocks were set for their second straight weekly drop Friday on concerns Trump's recent controversies will make it less likely for Congress to work with him to pass business-friendly legislation.

Some Republican lawmakers distanced themselves from Trump after his remarks following the violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia. On Thursday, rumors swirled that Gary Cohn, Trump's business-friendly top economic advisor, could resign because of the president's words.

Cashin said he didn't think Thursday's sell-off was only because of speculation about Cohn. He said Trump has plenty of other talented people on his team, including "generals, etc., etc." But Cashin said a Cohn departure would have a big influence on the markets.

"If Cohn were to leave and that would start a rush out, then the fear would be the president wouldn't be surrounded by some of those confident people," Cashin said. "There are concerns that if Cohn went, a Wilbur Ross might go, other people might step away."

At this point, the markets doubt that Trump or Congress can get anything done, Cashin added.

Investors will be closely watching Trump's retreat to Camp David this weekend with Vice President Mike Pence to discuss U.S. security and the administration's strategy in Afghanistan, Cashin said.

"And then after that, we'll watch what the rhetoric is like as we move up to the debt ceiling. That's going to be critical," he said. "There's an outside shot that they might have difficulty getting that done."

Congress will need to raise the nation's debt limit by mid-October to avoid defaulting on loan payments. There is a possibility that it will be unable to pay all its bills in October unless Congress approves an increase in its borrowing capacity.

Regarding stocks, Cashin said the energy sector is a "mess" and "that is a great concern."
Trading was mixed early on, but at roughly 11:18 a.m. ET word came from Washington news site Axios that the White House was prepared to fire Bannon, the chief strategist. The which was down 5 points, promptly rallied 7 points in a matter of minutes and another 5 points over the next hour. When The New York Times confirmed that Bannon was leaving at about 12:40 p.m. ET, the market moved up another 5 points.

In an interview with the American Prospect earlier in the week, Bannon had made a big point about stressing his battles with President Donald Trump's chief economic advisor, Gary Cohn, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, seemingly painting himself as a populist arrayed against the "globalists."

But the markets clearly preferred ex-Goldman executive Cohn for the stability he provides. How much? Stocks dropped on Thursday on erroneous reports that Cohn might leave the White House, and have rallied on confirmation that his arch nemesis Bannon is gone.

Floor traders, who are overwhelmingly Republican, cheered here at the New York Stock Exchange when it was reported that Bannon was out. (Though, some later said part of that cheering was due to the departure of a colleague.)

They want a concerted effort to raise the debt ceiling, pass a budget resolution and then move rapidly to tax cuts. Friday's gains is the market's way of saying investors believe tax cuts are still alive.



The S&P started moving down after 1 p.m. ET, shortly after Breitbart's Senior Editor Joel Pollack tweeted #WAR, implying Bannon and/or Breitbart may launch attacks against Cohn and Mnuchin.

The markets ending anywhere in the green would be a big victory for bulls and would reinforce the strategy that it is still safe to buy the dips.
"I don't think you're going to change the stripes on the leopard here. We've got a guy who's a deal-maker and running a country, running a company, running any organization is not a deal. It's about building cohesion and teamwork and cohesiveness," Bethune said in an interview with " Power Lunch ."

The departure of White House chief strategist Steve Bannon may "incrementally" change things within the administration, but at the end of the day, President Donald Trump is still a poor leader, former Continental Airlines CEO Gordon Bethune told CNBC on Friday.

President Donald Trump and Senior Counselor to the President Stephen Bannon last year.

After numerous reports that Bannon was leaving, the White House released a statement on Friday saying, "White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day."

The controversial advisor, who holds populist nationalist ideas, helped propel Trump to office. However, tension has been festering between Bannon and other top advisors to Trump. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that discord between Bannon and national security advisor H.R. McMaster is destabilizing Trump's team.

Bannon is the latest official to leave the administration. Press secretary Sean Spicer, chief of staff Reince Priebus and Anthony Scaramucci, who served a short stint as communications director, are among the recent high-profile departures.

Bethune noted that Trump chooses his staff, but then he later publicly humiliates some of them.

"Who's going to want to work in that environment? You've got to build loyalty through your employees and to your constituencies," Bethune said.

"He's a poor business leader and poor country leader."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 CNBC's Jacob Pramuk and Fred Imbert contributed to this report.
While floor traders cheered Friday afternoon at the news that chief White House strategist Stephen Bannon was out, some strategists aren't confident it will change much economically.

"That's my question at this stage," Talley Leger, an equity strategist at Oppenheimer Funds, said Friday on CNBC's "Power Lunch." "What is the strategy? My broader concern here is we still don't have a pro-growth, pro-business agenda."

Michael Farr, president of Farr, Miller & Washington and a CNBC contributor, had similar thoughts earlier in the show.

"What's the functioning group in the White House?" he said. "Can they get some kind of policy to Capitol Hill, and does anybody in the White House have a relationship with any of these people [in the Capitol] sufficient to actually have a conversation and get anything done?"

That doesn't mean the domestic economic outlook is negative, however.

Strong consumer sentiment and retail numbers, along with a weakening dollar that would help manufacturing and exports, could lead to stronger economic growth in the second half of the year, said Ascent Private Capital Management strategist Tom Hainlin, "even with the political headlines we seem to be getting on a daily basis."

One thing to keep an eye on is the difference between the 10-year and the 2-year yield curve, he said, calling it a "classic business cycle indicator."

"As long as the curve is still positively sloped, I think signs are good that you can still see an extension of the business cycle," he said also on "Power Lunch."

But volatility has been increasing recently and that is likely to continue, Farr said.

"Investors can take a look at the markets with a gnat-like attention span," Farr said, citing the close watching of North Korea early this week and the shifts in the market the last two days on political news reports.

"The markets take off, and the risk grade is back on. Risk grade off, risk grade on," he said.

But, Farr did say the recent news regarding Bannon was "probably an overall positive," adding that fundamentals for the economy remain strong, including low unemployment and good earnings.

Hainlin agreed.

"We still see a strong, global synchronized growth ... with strong economic fundamentals underneath it," he said.
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Spanish law enforcement are conducting a manhunt for those responsible for a series of terror attacks which have killed at least 14 people and injured around 130 others. Authorities are still searching for the driver of a van that plowed into pedestrians on Las Ramblas, a busy boulevard in Barcelona popular with tourists. The suspect was seen escaping on foot after the ramming, which happened around 5:30 p.m. local time. Local law enforcement say that they believe that the van attack was one in a series of planned attacks. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack though the claim has not been verified. Four men have been arrested so far, as country-wide anti-terror operations continue. Early Friday, five other suspects were shot dead by police in the nearby town of Cambrils after carrying out a similar attack. The men were intercepted after driving a car into a crowd of bystanders, injuring seven people including one police officer. One of the victims died hours later in hospital. @emergenciescat: A woman injured yesterday in #Cambrils attack has died.

14 citizens died yesterday in #Barcelona and #Cambrils terrorist attacks Catalan officials confirmed that the attackers were wearing fake explosive belts. On Wednesday night, a person was killed in an explosion that police believe to be connected to both vehicle attacks. That incident happened in a property in a separate town 100 miles southwest of Barcelona. Police sources say the residence was being used for preparing explosive devices.

Who are the suspects?

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Four men are currently in police custody following the attacks. Police have named the first as Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan man who is thought to have hired the rental van used in the Barcelona attack. But police operating in Ripoll, the town where he was arrested Thursday, said that he was not the van driver. The three other men, one from Spain's north African enclave of Melilla, have not yet been named. It is currently unknown whether any one them was the driver of the van. @mossos: We have arrested a third person in Ripoll related to the attacks #Cambrils #Barcelona @mossos: 13.42 We have arrested a fourth person related to the events that occurred in the last hours #Cambrils #Barcelona It is still not clear how many people were involved in the various attacks, but authorities investigating both attacks believe it may have been a cell of eight people, according to Reuters reports.

How did events unfold?

A hired white Fiat van zigzagged along Barcelona's pedestrianized Las Ramblas boulevard at an estimated 50 miles per hour on Thursday, leaving at least 13 people dead and scores more injured.

Tourists and locals walk along Las Ramblas following yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Carl Court | Getty Images

The vehicle sped for at least 500 meters into crowds walking along the popular tree-lined strip, before crashing into a newspaper kiosk. The assailant was then seen fleeing the scene on foot. Police quickly confirmed the incident as a terror attack. By midday Friday, Spanish emergency services placed the injury toll at 130, according to Reuters reports. Separately, in the early hours of Friday morning, an Audi A3 drove into a crowd of bystanders in Cambrils, a coastal town around 120 km from Barcelona. Six people and one police officer were injured in the attack which led to a police shootout. The five assailants were killed on the scene. One of the victims was later succumbed to her injuries in a hospital by midday Friday.

A map showing the town of Cambrils in relation to Barcelona, Spain. Google Maps

Thursday's attacks mark the latest in a series using vehicles to bring carnage to the streets of Europe. Over the past 13 months, more than 100 people have been killed in similar terror attacks in Nice, Berlin, London, and Stockholm. It is the first time this modus operandi has been used in Spain, however, and the first time the country has been targeted by extremist terror attacks in 13 years. In 2004, Madrid fell victim to a series of al-Qaeda-inspired train bombings, which killed 192 people and injured 2,000. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy condemned the attack, saying the city had been hit by "jihad terrorism," but insisted the country remains defiant to acts of extremism. "Terrorists will never defeat a united people that loves freedom over barbarism," he said in Barcelona. Rajoy declared three days of national mourning. A minute's silence was held at 12 p.m. local time Friday.

Who are the victims?

Citizens from 34 countries are said to be among the victims of the two attacks which have so far claimed 14 lives. Of the injured, 17 are currently in a critical condition and a further 30 are in a serious condition, according to Reuters.

A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona

Besides locals, people from France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, America and Hong Kong are said to have been hurt. The youngest among the dead is believed to be a three-year-old girl, who died shortly after being taken into hospital. Italy said two of its nationals were killed, while German television channel ZDF reported three Germans among the dead. Belgium's deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister Didier Reynders confirmed the death of one Belgian citizen via twitter. @dreynders: Nous devons malheureusement deplorer une victime belge a #Barcelone J'adresse mes condoleances a sa famille et a ses proches. The U.S. State Department has confirmed that one American citizen was killed. The agency added that Spanish authorities have not yet identified all the casualties. A six-year-old girl of unknown nationality is among the scores injured. She is currently being treated for a cerebral hemorrhage, a official at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona told the New York Times. A seven-year-old Australian boy is also currently missing. So far, France has confirmed 26 injured victims, German 13, Australia four, and the Netherlands and Greece three. A Hong Kong citizen suffered minor injuries, as did one American.

How are officials responding?

WATCH: A massive manhunt is underway in Spain for the terrorist who drove a van into a crowd of pedestrians
President Donald Trump damaged his ability to press his economic agenda by mishandling his response to Saturday's deadly white nationalist rally in Virginia, billionaire GOP businessman Ken Langone told The New York Times.

Langone, a supporter of the president's policies aimed at boosting the economy, told the Times, "I had high hopes  the president has blown a great opportunity."

"He completely mishandled the situation in Charlottesville. There was no gray area here  these people [the white supremacists] were repulsive," Langone, the co-founder of Home Depot , told the Times.

In the interview, Langone described the president's flip-flopping on blaming both the white nationalists and the protestors for the weekend violence as a "self-inflicted wound."

Despite his disappointment, Langone told the Times he has no choice but to hope for the best on the president's economic agenda, which aims to pursue infrastructure projects, to reform the U.S. tax code, and to get rid of many business regulations.

"I still believe he can get a lot done and he has an uncanny knack of surviving  I mean who would have thought he was going to win in the first place?" Langone said.

Trump on Thursday scrapped plans for an infrastructure advisory council a day after two similar panels dissolved amid backlash from corporate America to the president's comments.

Read the entire New York Times article on the case some executives are making for sticking with Trump.
Breitbart senior editor-at-large Joel Pollak tweeted "#WAR" after White House chief strategist Steve Bannon left President Donald Trump's administration Friday.

Before joining the administration, Bannon was chairman of Breitbart News, a conservative media outlet. Pollak told CNBC on Friday that "war" has been Breitbart's motto from the beginning. The phrase means Breitbart will go to war, "rhetorically speaking," to "defend Americans" from the mainstream media, Hollywood, Democrats and mainstream Republicans.

"I'm not launching the bombers by tweeting #WAR," Pollak said on "Power Lunch."

He said Breitbart will be "happy warriors." It will have "fun" as it stands up for the principals it supports.

"Yet it is going to be a war because the mainstream media and Hollywood do not want America to function the way it was designed to function," Pollak said. "They believe the American Constitution was conceived in original sin."

Bannon reportedly is planning on "going to war" with Trump administration officials. Pollak, however, said Bannon's departure will not change Breitbart's coverage.

"We remain as we've always been: the outlet that represents the movement and the ideas that brought Trump to office," Pollak said. "Whether he remains onboard with that agenda is now an open question with Steve Bannon's departure from the White House."

Breitbart has at times been critical of Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council. It criticized the former Goldman Sachs banker for partying in the Hamptons earlier this month and "privately undermining the president's message" after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, this week.

Pollak was mum when asked about Cohn. Pollak said he wished Cohn's tax reform plans the best, but he did not know much about him except that he is a registered Democrat.

"I think there's a fear among conservatives that with Steve Bannon gone, essentially the Trump administration could become in all but name a Democratic administration," Pollak said.



"We'll see what happens, we'll see if that continues, we'll see if Trump can pull back a team of rivals that can work together to fulfill the agenda he was elected on and that's all I can really say."
Cars have emerged as a preferred "weapon of choice" for terrorists, former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton told CNBC on Friday.

"It's low cost, low tech, very high impact and it follows the al-Qaeda and ISIS instructions to use guns, bullets, bombs and cars," Bratton said on "Squawk Box."

A manhunt is underway in Spain as police search for those responsible for a series of terror attacks, which killed at least 14 people and injured more than 100 others. The Islamic State group later claimed responsibilities for the attacks.

Spanish officials are looking for the driver of a van that plowed into pedestrians on Barcelona's busiest boulevard late Thursday. Two people were arrested but the van driver, who fled on foot, remained at large.

Early Friday morning, police killed five suspects engaged in an attack that injured six people in a seaside resort town and that the government for Spain's Catalonia region said was connected to the Barcelona killings.

Bratton said he and other security experts have discussed the impact of using vehicles and they have become increasingly concerned about coordinated attacks.

On Saturday, a car plowed into a crowd of people protesting a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing one person.

Bratton said he expects more attacks with vehicles.

"It follows a pattern. Attack with a car. Get out of the car and attack with guns, knives or in this case possibly suicide vest," he said. "It is, unfortunately, the new normal that we're going to have to start facing more frequently."

Media outlets in Europe said the suspected five terrorists were wearing fake suicide belts.

Bratton said the best defense countries have against these kinds of attack is intelligence.

"You can prevent a number of them by the monitoring social media, through the various intelligence entities that are out there," he said.

Many of the attackers as of late could be characterized as "lone wolf" who might be inspired by or enable by ISIS, Bratton said. "But are not being directed by them," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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A leaked memo written by the president of a conservative lobbying group shows how the right could attack Facebook , Google and Twitter over alleged political bias, according to a new report in Axios. The report highlights a brewing battle over how much control internet providers and platforms should have when it comes to unpopular political viewpoints. For instance, Google revoked domain registration services for the online neo-Nazi publication Daily Stormer this week, effectively kicking it off the internet until it could find a new provider. Cloudflare, which provides defense against hack attacks, also canceled service for the Daily Stormer, in a move that Cloudflare's CEO admitted could set a dangerous precedent. And Facebook reiterated that it would remove posts that celebrate "hate crimes or acts of terrorism," in the wake of a neo-Nazi demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, last week. Now, one conservative activist has floated the idea of forcing internet platform companies to declare themselves editorially neutral, or lose protection against liability for what their users post on their platforms.

The net neutrality battle

The impetus for the memo is the ongoing battle over net neutrality. Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and a Republican, is preparing to scrap rules on net neutrality put in place by his Democratic predecessor, Tom Wheeler, during the Obama administration. The net neutrality fight pits online content providers such as Google parent Alphabet , Facebook and Netflix against broadband service providers such as , and . In broad terms, telco and cable companies argue that tech companies' web traffic uses their networks, and they'd like more freedom to set prices. One way they could do this would be to create tiered packages or bundles of content, based on business deals with content creators  similar to the way cable networks package TV channels today  and restrict or slow access to content that isn't in those packages. Providers haven't explicitly said they want to create tiered services or packages, but they argue they should have the freedom to experiment. Wheeler's rule prevented this experimentation, they argue. The tech giants and their allies, however, argue that all traffic should be treated equally, or neutrally, as has been the case since the beginning of the internet. The internet's innovation would be curtailed if providers could favor certain traffic, they argue. The latter argument won the day the last time the net neutrality fight was in court, when a federal appellate court upheld the rules Wheeler put in place. Pai's move to reverse those rules is likely to trigger another round of fights in Congress, the courts, or both.

What the memo suggests

The memo, written by Phil Kerpen of an activist organization called American Commitment, suggests that conservative lawmakers could reframe the battle over net neutrality into a larger battle over neutral speech on the internet. "Social media (Facebook, Twitter) and search (Google) companies with dominant market position represent themselves as politically neutral while systematically promoting liberal views and limiting or even banning conservatives," begins the letter. Right now, online platforms are protected under the Communications Decency Act from liability for material their users post. For instance, while a newspaper can be sued for libel if it prints something untrue written by a reporter, Facebook cannot be sued because a user posts something libelous. Kerpen's memo suggests that the government should make internet companies promise that they're going to treat all content equally or lose this protection. "Platforms that represent themselves to the public as neutral would be subject to enforcement actions if they violate those representations (of neutrality) through a consumer-protection framework." The political calculus here seems to be that Google and Facebook would look like hypocrites if they oppose this kind of regulation while at the same time arguing for regulation of internet access providers. "By simply proposing this framework, the Trump administration would make clear that the asymmetry of companies identified with conservative causes risking regulatory retaliation while companies identified with liberals are given a free pass is over." Kerpen told Axios that the memo represented only "preliminary thoughts." But it's an interesting glimpse into a possible political attack from the right on Silicon Valley companies. Read the full letter here. Disclosure: CNBC is owned by NBCUniversal, a unit of Comcast.

WATCH: Here's the future of fair and open internet
If Gary Cohn ever wants to head the Federal Reserve, then he's likely to stay right where he is in the Trump administration.

As speculation swirls over whether the president's top economic advisor might be the latest White House official to bolt, the Fed factor could prevail over all others. President Donald Trump himself has signaled that Cohn is a top contender for the seat should current Chair Janet Yellen be replaced.

However, Cohn is thought to be deeply disappointed in Trump's behavior since the racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, a week a week ago. The question is whether he is upset enough to leave his White House post and, in doing so, squelch virtually any chance he'd have at the Fed position.

"It's a difficult question," said Christopher Whalen, head of Whalen Global Advisors and himself once rumored for a Fed governorship appointment.

As Whalen sees it, the credibility of the Trump administration, particularly at such a tumultuous time, depends on having stable hands around like Cohn, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and chief of staff John Kelly.

"He and Kelly and Mnuchin are all lending their credibility to this presidency. At a personal level, they're going to have to make a decision," Whalen said. "On the one hand, you want to serve the people of the United States. At the same time, you are basically lending your support to what he does by serving him."
President Donald Trump's popularity is falling due to his controversial comments about the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

That will have negative implications for the administration's agenda this year, according to a Goldman Sachs economist.



The firm cited Trump's poll approval ratings, which fell to 37 percent on average this week versus 38 percent in July.



"Presidential approval continues to decline, and is the lowest for any first-term president in his first year in office," economist Alec Phillips wrote in a note to clients Friday. "Low approval ratings raise legislative risks. In the near term, we believe there is a 50% chance of a brief government shutdown, as the president seeks to solidify support among his base by embracing more controversial positions."



Two Trump advisory councils  the Strategic and Policy Forum and the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative  disbanded Wednesday after the president's comments during a press conference Tuesday about the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville.

Congress will have to take up two issues in September: raising the debt ceiling, which is the legislative limit on how much the government can borrow, and passing a spending bill. The U.S. Treasury has said Congress needs to raise the debt ceiling by Sept. 29. Failure to pass a spending bill could force a government shutdown.



Phillips said the odds of a government shutdown are "fairly high" because Democratic support for the spending bill will be required, which will then force the Republicans in Congress to make some difficult concessions.



"We assume that any shutdown would be brief," he wrote. "Essentially, we see a very real chance of a shorter version of the 2013 shutdown."



The economist also believes tax reform is at risk if nothing is accomplished by October.



"We continue to believe a tax cut is slightly more likely than not, but our conviction is low, as there has been little progress to date," the economist wrote. "If tangible progress has not been made by October, after these fiscal deadlines have passed, tax legislation will start to look less likely, in our view."
For the past few years, pollsters have asked about a thousand or so Americans the same question: Does the government have an obligation to ensure all Americans have health care?

They've found a remarkable shift, with Americans swinging sharply toward the belief that the government ought to play a very large role in the health care system.

Specifically, the percentage of Americans who think the government has an obligation to ensure coverage to all citizens has risen from 42 percent in 2013 to 60 percent in 2017.

More from Vox:

Spotify is removing white supremacist and neo-Nazi bands from its music library

Trump sure seems slower to call out terrorism when a white supremacist is behind it

Crowds stood in line to turn themselves in for the crime of tearing down a Confederate statue

An 18-point swing in just four years is a remarkably fast change in the world of public policy polling.

"When we reviewed everything, nothing else in our data was close to 18 points," says Harvard's Robert Blendon, who published the data in today's New England Medical Journal. See chart here.

To put that in context: Although much fanfare has been made out of improving views of the health care law, when Blendon averaged together national polling, he found the law's favorability ratings had only risen 5 percentage points.

Blendon attributes the change in attitudes to Americans thinking through the consequences of repealing the Affordable Care Act, resulting in millions losing coverage. The question didn't ask about Obamacare specifically, a highly polarizing law. Instead, it asked generally about the government's role in providing coverage.

"People have not fallen in love with the ACA," Blendon says. "What they fell in love with was the idea that the federal government can't drop 30 million people from coverage all at once, that there was a responsibility for universal coverage."

His article also finds that government health programs, like Medicaid, generally poll better than the expansion of private coverage through insurance subsidies.

Most Republican voters say they do not want to cut the number of people covered through Medicaid, the public program that provides health insurance to low-income Americans. But most Republicans wereopen to cutting subsidies for private insurance.

"Medicaid emerged out of this debate with an awful lot of sympathy," Blendon says. "The majority of every group we looked at did not want to see the number of people covered by the program cut."

For me, Blendon's findings (and the chart above, in particular) do a lot to explain why Republicans have so far failed to deliver on their promises to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

It's not just the fact that millions of Americans now rely on the law and its programs for coverage. And it's not the rise in Obamacare's popularity, which has been relatively meager.

It's also a fundamental shift in attitudes that has happened after the Affordable Care Act passed, where Americans became more accepting of a larger role for the government in health care. For all the attacks on the health law as a "government takeover" of health care, this polling suggests voters are kind of okay with that.
A sign placed by the Army Corps of Engineers urges people to view the solar eclipse from the Barkley Dam Powerplant on Aug. 17, 2017 in Kuttawa, Ky. Getty Images

The total solar eclipse is Monday, just four days away, and hopeful watchers are eyeing the skies for clouds. Weather forecasts for viewing sites across the country are beginning to sharpen as the day draws closer. The National Weather Service at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published a graphic cloud-cover forecast for the entire U.S. on Friday, to give an idea of what the views could be at any place along the eclipse's path. The agency will post an updated forecast every six hours at 40-45 minutes past the hour from now until the end of the eclipse.

The lines running through the map signify the eclipse's path of totality  the locations where observers will see the moon completely block out the sun. The grayer areas indicate a higher likelihood of clouds. South Carolina has a greater-than-average chance of cloudiness, as does the region around the northern borders of Kansas and Missouri The agency also has a map that allows users to click for weather updates for any location along the path of totality, and an interactive map that shows the likelihood of cloudiness, based on historical data That interactive map is featured below, but is also available here.
A woman lays a flower on Las Ramblas near the scene yesterday's terrorist attack, on August 18, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain.

Deadly terrorist attacks over two days in Barcelona and Cambrils, Spain, have left 14 dead and more than 130 wounded.

In Barcelona, police on Friday were searching for the terrorist who escaped a day earlier after driving a van through the popular Las Ramblas pedestrian strip.

Seventy-five miles to the southwest, police shot and killed five suspected terrorists in Cambrils early Friday, after their vehicle plowed through a crowd of people. The attack killed one person.

Four people have been arrested.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The following are photos from that past 24 hours.
Vishal Sikka, the chief executive brought in to turn around India's Infosys three years ago, resigned suddenly on Friday, blaming a "continuous drumbeat of distractions" and a long-running row with founders over the tech firm's strategy.

The departure of Sikka, who was the first chief technology officer (CTO) at German software firm SAP, spooked Infosys' investors. Shares fell more than 13 percent to a three-year low of 884.20 rupees ($14.71), wiping about $4.85 billion off the No.2 Indian IT services firm's market value.

U.B. Pravin Rao, Infosys' chief operating officer, was named interim managing director and CEO. Rao will report to Sikka, who will take on the executive vice chairman role until a permanent CEO takes charge, which should be no later than end-March 2018, Infosys said.

The company's board came out in support of Sikka and said in a statement that founder and former-chairman Narayana Murthy's continuous assault was the main reason for Sikka's resignation.

Murthy said he was "extremely anguished by the allegations, tone, and tenor of the statements" and that his main concern was the deteriorating standard of corporate governance.

According to media reports, Murthy in a recent email quoted some Infosys independent directors as saying that Sikka was "not a CEO material but CTO material."

The founders, who still own 12.75 percent of Infosys, have in the past questioned a pay rise granted to Sikka and Rao, as well as the size of severance payouts given to others, including the company's former finance head Rajiv Bansal.

"I cannot carry out my job as CEO and continue to create value, while also constantly defending against unrelenting, baseless/malicious and increasingly personal attacks," Sikka said in a blog post.

"The distractions, the very public noise around us, have created an untenable atmosphere," he said.

Sikka was very unlike former Infosys CEOs in that he is not one of its founders and spends more time in the United States, from where the company gets the bulk of its revenue.

Known for his charismatic manner, Sikka can be frequently seen wearing black t-shirts and a blazer in contrast to his suit-clad peers, reminiscent of a style made famous by Apple founder Steve Jobs whom Sikka quotes in the blog post.

Since Sikka came to the helm of Infosys on Aug. 1, 2014, shares of the company have jumped more than 20 percent, as of their close on Thursday, outperforming the about 5 percent gain in the Nifty IT index. The firm's market value surged by $4.6 billion to $31.78 billion over the period.

"There is some level of uncertainty as we wait till the new CEO and managing director comes in, and it does put the company in some form of uncertainty in terms of strategy," said Apurva Prasad, analyst at HDFC Securities.
At least one person isn't buying the contention that White House chief strategist Steve Bannon submitted his resignation on Aug. 7.

Robert Kuttner, co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect, interviewed Bannon on Tuesday afternoon. The interview, in which Bannon said the U.S. is already at "economic war with China," was published on Wednesday and was widely shared.

During that phone conversation, Bannon invited Kuttner, who was on vacation, to the White House after Labor Day, Kuttner said.

"If somebody knows that he's given his letter of resignation, why would he invite me to the White House after Labor Day?" the liberal writer told CNBC's "Power Lunch" on Friday.
The departure of controversial White House advisor Steve Bannon gives the White House the opportunity to refocus, which should be a slight positive for markets, but it will be up to President Donald Trump to convince investors that he can put his agenda back on track.

Bannon's absence from the West Wing could hand a louder microphone to some of the aides who are more respected on Wall Street, such as Trump's top economic advisor, Gary Cohn, seen as a voice of reason and champion for the administration's economic programs.

As chief strategist, Bannon was seen as a divisive force, pushing nationalist views and protectionist policies, like a trade war with China. Often cited as a party to the infighting among White House advisors, Bannon was also someone sometimes seen as having great influence over the president.

"It's a good thing if it turns out to strengthen Cohn's hand," said Marc Chandler, chief currency strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman. Chandler said the Republican party is a coalition of many groups, including business, and business was beginning to desert Trump.

"Within the government, Cohn is the voice of that [business] faction of the coalition. If Bannon's departure is a victory for the Cohn wing, that's one thing. It's going to take time to tell. Trump has just been going off the reservation, and that's not Bannon," Chandler said.

Putting speculation to rest, the White House announced Friday that it would be Bannon's last day, after he reached that agreement with Chief of Staff John Kelly. Stocks and other risk assets were already rising on early news reports that Trump was firing Bannon. The stock market later gave up much of those gains.

"I think this is trading on hope. The hope at least that Bannon was the bad apple in the barrel, and all it's going to take is another bad apple to pop up. Remember a lot's going on behind the scenes. The Russia investigation is continuing. This is just the latest drama," said Chandler.

Bannon's departure follows a bad week for the Trump administration, which has touted its ability to work with business and bring economic change to America. Trump alienated some of the top CEOs in America who were working with his administration when he failed to fully condemn white nationalists who participated in a violent and deadly protest in Charlottesville, Va.
Mitt Romney on Friday urged President Donald Trump to take "remedial action in the extreme" following his response to violence at a white nationalist rally in Virginia last weekend.

Regardless of whether he intended it, Trump's words "caused racists to rejoice, minorities to weep, and the vast heart of America to mourn," the former Republican presidential nominee and Massachusetts governor wrote in a Facebook post. Romney called on the president to apologize for his remarks.

"He should address the American people, acknowledge that he was wrong, apologize," Romney wrote. "State forcefully and unequivocally that racists are 100% to blame for the murder and violence in Charlottesville. Testify that there is no conceivable comparison or moral equivalency between the Nazis  who brutally murdered millions of Jews and who hundreds of thousands of Americans gave their lives to defeat  and the counter-protestors who were outraged to see fools parading the Nazi flag, Nazi armband and Nazi salute."

Romney's statement was among the most forceful issued by prominent Republicans following Trump's response to the rally. Romney vocally opposed Trump when he was a candidate but got considered for secretary of state.

Other former Republican presidents and presidential nominees either directly or indirectly criticized Trump for his response.

"There's no moral equivalency between racists & Americans standing up to defy hate & bigotry. The President of the United States should say so," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., wrote in a tweet Tuesday.

Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush  both of whom have said they did not vote for Trump  also issued a rare joint statement Wednesday condemning racism. They did not mention the president by name.

"America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms," the Bushes said. Referring to Thomas Jefferson, they added: "As we pray for Charlottesville, we are reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that city's most prominent citizen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights. We know these truths to be everlasting because we have seen the decency and greatness of our country."

On Saturday, a car allegedly driven by a suspected white nationalist rammed into a crowd of counterprotesters in Charlottesville, killing one woman and injuring many others. It followed skirmishes between the torch-bearing white supremacists and people demonstrating against them.

In a fiery Tuesday news conference, Trump appeared to suggest a moral equivalency between the groups, saying good and violent people gathered in both groups and "both sides" are to blame for the violence. He also contended that some of the people who marched with the white nationalists were not bad.

His comments drew rebukes from bipartisan lawmakers and sparked backlash from corporate America, as top executives started to leave advisory councils to the president before the groups were disbanded.

Here's Romney's full statement:
A daily morning look at the financial stories you need to know to start the day. STOCKS/ECONOMY -Stock futures are a bit higher after Thursday's big selloff. The continuing terror situation in Barcelona and worries about business defections from the White House are weighing on investors. Consumer sentiment data comes out at 10am Eastern Time. - Gold is at the highest level it's seen since November of 2016. The yield on the 10-year treasury bond is down to 2.19 percent. BARCELONA ATTACK -Spanish police are still looking for the driver of the van that plowed into a crowd in Barcelona and killed 13 people and wounded 50 others. But five suspected terrorists were killed in a shoot out with police later in the day. ISIS is claiming responsibility. OIL/ENERGY -U.S. crude prices are higher and back to the $47 a barrel level. -Gasoline prices are holding at $2.34 a gallon, national average. -A big reason for Goldman Sachs' poor second quarter performance was a bad bet it made that natural gas prices would rise. TRUMP PANELS -President Donald Trump has scrapped plans for an infrastructure council after two other panels were dissolved in the wake of objections to his comments about the Charlottesville protests. RETAIL -Gap shares soared in the after-market after posting a better-than-expected profit forecast and same-store sales. FOXCONN WISCONSIN -The Wisconsin State Senate has voted for a bill giving $3 billion in incentives to Foxconn to build a plant in the state. DEFENSE -U.S.-South Korean joint war games begin Monday.

Akos Stiller | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Uber Ex-CEO Travis Kalanick speaks at a Vanity Fair summit at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on October 19, 2016 in San Francisco, California.

The ousted chief executive officer of Uber Technologies called a lawsuit filed against him by one of the company's top investors a "public and personal attack" without merit, according to court documents filed late on Thursday.

Venture capital firm Benchmark Capital, which says it owns 13 percent of Uber and controls 20 percent of the voting power, sued former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick last week to force him off the board, where he still has a seat, and rescind his remaining power there, citing fraud and deception.

Kalanick said in the court filing that the lawsuit is part of Benchmark's larger scheme to , and take away his power. Benchmark has no proof for its accusations, the documents say, and the legal quarrel should take place in arbitration.
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Europe has been the target of a series of deadly terror attacks in recent years, yet the nature of Thursday's attacks in Spain are "totally different", according to the managing director of a risk and security consultancy firm. Spain launched a comprehensive counter terrorism operation on Friday after the country's deadliest terror attack in more than 13 years. Police shot dead five would-be attackers on Friday after a suspected Islamist militant rammed a van into crowds in Barcelona, killing 14 people and wounding at least 100 others. So-called Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the incident though the claim has not yet been verified. "It's totally different than Nice and Berlin because it is a much more sophisticated plot involving many more people which is extremely serious and extremely concerning," Olivier Guitta, managing director of GlobalStrat, told CNBC on Friday.

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In July last year, authorities reported 84 people were killed in Nice, France after a truck ploughed through large crowds of people who had gathered to watch Bastille Day fireworks. Five months later, 12 people were killed when a tractor-trailer barreled into a crowd at a bustling Christmas market in Berlin, Germany.

Spain has been 'extremely active' in dismantling terror cells

The attack in Spain's second largest city marked the sixth time in just over a year that a vehicle has been used by an Islamist terrorist to cause mass casualties in a European nation. Similar major incidents have occurred in Germany, France, Britain and Sweden. "Spain has not really been in the news headlines concerning counter terrorism (but) for some of us that follow exactly what has been going in Spain, it has been extremely active in terms of dismantling cells," he added. Spanish officials are now looking for the driver of a van that plowed into pedestrians on Barcelona's busiest boulevard late Thursday afternoon. The perpetrator was seen escaping on foot after deliberately driving into crowds of people on Las Ramblas, at around 5:30 p.m. local time, in what police suspect was one of a number of planned attacks. So far four men have been arrested as country-wide anti-terror operations remain underway. Five men suspected of attempting to carry out a related attack were shot by police early Friday morning in the nearby town of Cambrils. The attackers, who were wearing explosives, were intercepted after driving a car into a crowd of people, killing one and injuring six others. Catalan officials have since suggested that the explosives were fakes.



One person was also killed in an explosion in a property in a separate town 100 miles southwest of Barcelona Wednesday night. Police sources say the residence was being used for preparing explosive devices.

Circumstances 'very different' to Madrid bombings

In 2004, a suspected Al Qaeda terrorist cell deployed explosives on Madrid commuter trains, killing 192 people and injuring thousands more. "Circumstances are very different compared to the 2004 Madrid Al-Qaeda bombings," Federico Santi, analyst at Eurasia Group, said in an email. Santi explained Spain's then Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, effectively lost his bid for re-election that year after he labeled Basque separatists responsible for the Madrid attack. He added that Aznar paid the political price for attempting to shield his administration from criticism over its support of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. CNBC's Karen Gilchrist contributed to this report.

WATCH: 13 killed, more than 100 injured in Barcelona van attack
President Donald Trump's economic agenda will continue forward  even if he's not the one leading the way.

With Trump facing a low point in his popularity and an increasingly testy relationship with his own Republican Party, questions arise over what authority he'll have to push a pro-business platform through the halls of Congress.

However, the calamitous climate may not matter. Trump's hopes for tax reform, lowered regulatory barriers and a boost in infrastructure spending all likely have enough support without his leadership.

In fact, a distracted president could be an advantage, bringing together the warring congressional factions in a common cause.

"Fearful of losing their party, and losing the 2018 election, Republicans on Capitol Hill are nearing a consensus: it's time to go it alone, ignoring the dysfunctional White House and proceeding on legislation without input from President Trump," Greg Valliere, chief global strategist at Horizon Investments, said in his daily note Friday. "It's their only hope, and it could produce results."

What those results would look like is unclear. Wall Street already appears ready to accept a corporate tax rate above the 15 percent Trump wants but still below the current 35 percent level, and may have to settle for less infrastructure spending than the $1 trillion the president has targeted.

But that would be better than having to face angry constituents during the midterm elections with nothing to show for having full Capitol Hill control.

According to Valliere:

"Trump is irrelevant on issues like taxes," a GOP source told us last night. "We have a job to do, and we want him to butt out." In fact, some Republicans are talking about overtures to Democrats, who may help produce a bill to fund health insurers. Even more intriguingly, some GOP lawmakers are floating a trial balloon  let's combine tax cuts with infrastructure spending, which could appeal to Democrats.

In any event, hopes that Congress still can proceed with the president's pro-growth, pro-business agenda seems to be what's keeping a floor under the stock market.

While stocks have fallen during August  traditionally the worst month of the year  the market has remained resilient through the year even as the Trump agenda has stalled and the level of political theater has soared.
By Damali Mukhaye.

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago through his deputy Sarah Kanyike has written to the deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana, seeking for an update on his demand for Shs 560m in salary arrears.

In a letter dated 15th August 2017, Kanyike asks why the matter has taken long to be resolved as earlier directed by Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda.

She has reminded Rukutana that in the KCCA budgets for financial years 2016/17 and 2017/18, provisions had been made to cater for the Lord Mayors salary arrears but the payment could not be processed because the select committee which he heads has not resolved the matter.

She has requested the deputy attorney general to resume this engagement with emphasis on discussing and concluding the matter amicably.

On June 14th, the KCCA executive director, Jennifer Musisi filed an affidavit on challenging Lukwagos application to have his emoluments paid on grounds that he was not presently entitled to any payment whatsoever.
The United States nuclear arsenal can go from standby to missile launch in about five minutes, according to Bruce Blair a former Minuteman launch control officer.

The U.S. Strategic Command uses a strict protocol to authorize a launch.

Launching the U.S. arsenal requires eight steps, according to Blair, a research scholar at Princeton University's program on science and global security and founder of nonproliferation advocacy group Global Zero.

The video above explains the protocols, but basically the president first talks to advisors such as the Omaha-based four-star general at the helm of the U.S. Strategic Command. The president's conclusion is then carried out through a series of codes and encrypted messages that travel through the Pentagon to the land- or sea-based launch sites, where control officers simultaneously turn their security keys to initiate the launch.

Tensions between North Korea and the United States reached new heights on Aug. 8, when President Donald Trump warned the rogue regime it faced "fire and fury" if it made any more threats. North Korea responded by saying it planned to test fire missiles in the waters off the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. This week, Pyongyang toned down its rhetoric, saying it would wait to assess "the foolish and stupid conduct" of the United States.

North Korea test-fired a missile on July 28, despite pressure from China to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Following the launch, defense experts confirmed North Korea has the capability to reach more than half the continental U.S. with a nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile.

U.S. intelligence believes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has up to 60 nuclear weapons, though some independent experts say the total is smaller. By comparison, the U.S. has around 6,800 nuclear weapons, according to the Federation of American Scientists, with about 1,800 actively deployed at land bases and submarines.

Five states in the continental U.S. are home to missile launch sites: Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wyoming, according to the Congressional Research Service. The Eighth Air Force operates five nuclear-capable bomber wings out of bases in Louisiana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri and Texas. There also are 14 active Ohio-class submarines, with four of the nuclear-armed ships on designated "hard alert" patrols at any time.
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A movement toward greater self-governance, which could mean breaking away from the United States, is gaining momentum in Guam. Although talk of independence is not new, the volume of that discussion has grown, potentially due to the heightened security risks that residents are feeling because of the island's ties to the U.S. "Being a U.S. military base makes Guam a target," said Craig Santos Perez, a Guam native who serves as an affiliate faculty member with the Center for Pacific Islands Studies in Hawaii. For the past few years, a growing number of Guam's residents have been trying to pull away from "the status of being a military island," according to Justin Guzman, a U.S.-based Guam native who lived in the territory for almost 30 years.

The threat

Recently, Guam has been singled out by North Korea as a possible missile target, and it was a topic of the war of words between President Donald Trump and Pyongyang's state media. Last Thursday, the rogue nation threatened to launch four missiles that would hit the waters just off the coast of Guam. Kim has said it was targeting the island before, including in 2013, but many did not assume the most recent warning was an idle threat: Just a month ago, Pyongyang successfully tested a missile that could carry a nuclear warhead. Still, tensions have eased following North Korea's Tuesday announcement that leader Kim Jong Un had decided to hold fire  for the time being. Guam, with a population of 160,000, is the closest U.S. territory to North Korea, and naval and air bases currently occupy about a third of the island.

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Apart from geopolitical risks, U.S. military presence has also brought about social and environmental harm to the island, according to Perez. The priority given to defense for land use "has often evicted people from their ancestral homeland" he said. "The U.S. has also polluted the water around Guam due to weapons testing," he added. But some residents also highlight the positives of the military presence, according to Guzman. Many locals harbor dreams of exploring the world beyond their island's shores and see military participation as an opportunity to achieve just that, he said. Guzman had previously served the military on the mainland for seven years, and is currently pursuing studies in Maryland.

'Our voices aren't being heard'

For over 100 years, Guam has remained under U.S. jurisdiction. Yet, to this day, residents from the island are not eligible to vote for the American president or to select members of Congress with voting power. "Simply put, our voices aren't being heard," Kel Muna, a native Guam filmmaker, said of the islanders' inability to vote.

Protesters hold signs during a People for Peace Rally at the Chief Quipuha Statue on August 14, 2017 in Hagatna, Guam. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images

Politicians and activists have cooperated on exploring alternative options for Guam's political status in recent years. In 2011, Governor Eddie Baza Calvo relaunched the Commission on Decolonization, which seeks to educate residents on the three status options available: independence, free association, and full integration with the U.S. as a new state. "They do public service announcements, they do town hall meetings. So they're getting it out to the community," Guzman said about the commission's efforts. According to Guzman, achieving independence appears to be the most popular status option at this point. "I'd say it's at about 35 percent, but it's a growing sentiment," he said. But some support statehood because they believe that being more integrated with the U.S. would grant the island greater rights and power, according to Perez. Through education and outreach, the commision hopes that residents will ultimately be able to make an informed choice in a plebiscite that could take place as soon as next year, said Lisa Natividad, a commission member who is also on faculty at the University of Guam.

Absent from discussions for 10 years

Guam's commission is currently working with a United Nations special committee in order to negotiate a change in the territory's political status. Yet, commission members often find themselves speaking to empty seats, Natividad said. "The United States really doesn't work or participate in the UN process for decolonization through the decolonization committee. So while we have these regional seminars every year, and representatives from the administering power should be present so we can talk about these issues and work together ... the United States almost never participates," she said. "And I believe this has been the case for over ten years now." Guam is home to a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, designed to intercept and shoot down ballistic missiles. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it has historically been seen as a key strategic military base for the U.S.

WATCH: Here's why North Korea is targeting Guam
Technology companies such as Amazon have seen their business models targeted directly by Trump . "Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers. Towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt  many jobs being lost!," Trump tweeted this week.

"Business leaders are being asked to step forward and try and set policy for our country. It's kind of an awkward situation overall," Jeff Richards, managing partner at GGV Capital, told CNBC's " Squawk Alley " on Friday.

The tech industry will continue to feel more pressure to assert its values and address the size and scope of its influence, after a week of events that pitted CEOs against President Donald Trump, one technology investor told CNBC on Friday.

Eric Schmidt, chairman of Alphabet Inc. and Larry Page, CEO and Co-founder of Alphabet enter Trump Tower ahead of a meeting of technology leaders with President-elect Donald Trump in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., December 14, 2016.

The tensions between tech companies and Trump were cranked up after a violent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, organized by white nationalists. Some critics said that Trump's remarks did not come down harshly enough on the organizers, and a slew of high-profile CEOs, including IBM's Ginni Rometty, relinquished their roles on Trump's advisory councils.

Many technology CEOs did not have formal roles in the White House panels, but some CEOs, such as Apple 's Tim Cook, spoke out anyway. Still, compared with some other industries, the response was slow. Amazon, for instance, did not comment to CNBC earlier this week.

It's an unprecedented situation for many business leaders, according to Richards, whose firm invests in technology companies such as Alibaba, Pandora and Airbnb. But the role of private companies, as well as organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, is likely to keep intensifying, Richards said.

"We've never really seen this before. We've never seen the moral compass of our country placed in the hands of private business leaders," Richards said. "And I think one of the reasons you're seeing that is because many of us would argue that our president is tending to go back and forth on various things."
President Donald Trump was correct to point to "bad people" among the protesters demonstrating against the white nationalists in Virginia, said Foster Friess, founder of the boutique investment group Friess Associates.

"I love Donald Trump," he told CNBC on Friday. "He's become a victim. And he's being bullied. And that's why Americans are flocking to him, because they hate [seeing] people ... bullied."

Those "flocking" to Trump were sharply divided along political lines, according to a new NPR/PBS "NewsHour"/Marist poll. Fifty-nine percent of Republicans expressed support for Trump's statements, while only 10 percent of Democrats and 30 percent of self-identified independents felt the same, the poll showed.

About the weekend clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, Friess said: "There were some bad people in the protesters against the Nazi guys."

While strongly denouncing the white nationalists, Friess said it's possible that "good people" with no white supremacist beliefs were also there to protest the removal of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
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White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, the nationalist firebrand who helped to fuel Donald Trump's dizzying rise to the presidency, is leaving the administration. "White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. Stock markets rose after Bannon's departure was reported. Traders on the New York Stock Exchange literally cheered the news. They had been fearful of a possible departure of former Goldman Sachs executive Gary Cohn as Trump's top economic aide. Bannon had battled with Cohn and other former Wall Streeters in the administration. A person close to Bannon said the chief strategist first decided to leave, according to The New York Times. Bannon submitted his resignation on Aug. 7, but the announcement was delayed after violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend, the newspaper reported. When the Times reported the news of Bannon's departure earlier Friday, it said Trump and his aides were deciding when and how to dismiss him and announce the move. Kelly had reportedly been reviewing Bannon's future in the White House. Bannon helped to power Trump to the White House with populist nationalist ideas that left many critics questioning his fitness to work as a top administration official.

White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon (R) listens to U.S. President Donald Trump. Getty Images

However, Trump had reportedly grown increasingly angry with Bannon, and the chief strategist's influence waned. A recent widely shared interview in which he contradicted Trump's North Korea position and jabbed at colleagues may not have helped his cause with the president. In the wake of the Charlottesville Virginia, rally, Trump faced fresh calls for Bannon's ouster because of the strategist's nationalist views. Bannon is considered influential in Trump's proposals to overhaul free trade deals and crack down on immigration, among other policies. He also sought to reduce the government's regulatory reach. Bannon's exit may mark a departure from some protectionist policies and actions some observers warned could escalate into a trade war with China. It is not clear how much influence Bannon really had on policy recently  Axios reported that a White House source said "he has no projects or responsibilities to hand off." Bannon's nationalist positions pitted him against other Cohn and others in the White House who held views on issues that aligned more with the mainstream pockets of the two major political parties.

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Trump believes Bannon fueled some of the leaks designed to hurt White House colleagues, Axios reported. Breitbart News  where Bannon was executive chairman before turning to the Trump campaign  has published repeated stories going after Trump's national security advisor, H.R. McMaster. Bannon also reportedly feuded with Trump's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner. Press coverage, including a Time magazine cover that featured "the great manipulator" Bannon, also bothered Trump, according to Axios. In a Tuesday news conference, Trump called Bannon "a friend" and said he is "not a racist." He also contended that the press treats Bannon "unfairly."

Bannon's future
Steve Bannon's departure could make President Donald Trump's White House work better  but make his political problems worse.

The truculent, if low-profile, aide represented a divisive presence within the West Wing. Bannon battled continuously with perceived opponents of his "nationalist" agenda. Though he had only limited success, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster can now perform their jobs with less interference.

But that will not resolve the issues that preceded his departure.

Bannon may have championed the so-called "alt-right" that provoked deadly violence in Charlottesville. But it was Trump's long-held views, not his aide's influence, that led the president to express sympathy for torch-bearing marchers. That became clear this week when an unscripted Trump returned to his initial "both sides" formulation on Monday, after reading a stage-managed denunciation of white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

Moreover, Bannon has the ability if he chooses to make more trouble for the "establishment" Republican agenda outside the White House. An editor at Breitbart, the far-right news site he formerly ran, tweeted "#WAR" as news of Bannon's ouster broke.

Pollak tweet

If Bannon returns to Breitbart and follows through on that threat, he could roil the Republican base at a time when the GOP needs unity to enact its agenda on tax reform and other issues. That would pose problems not only for Trump's "globalist" advisers, but also for Republican lawmakers as they seek to hold the House and Senate in next year's mid-term elections.

Yet Bannon told Bloomberg News that he was planning to go to bat for Trump. "If there's any confusion out there, let me clear it up: I'm leaving the White House and going to war for Trump against his opponents -- on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in corporate America," he said to the publication.

As President George W. Bush's former political director Sara Fagen said on CNBC today, outsiders often exaggerate the importance of individual White House aides  even the most prominent ones. Bannon did not succeed in persuading the administration to shield its tax plan from Democratic attacks, by proposing an increase in the top personal income tax rate.

He did not succeed in advancing a tax on imports to protect American-manufactured goods. By his own account, he craved a trade war with China. But so far, the Trump White House has offered mainly bluster.

The core problems that have driven Trump's job approval ratings below 40 percent and alienated GOP Congressional leaders and international counterparts stem from the president himself: His selfishness, impulsivity, inattention and ignorance.

By his words and actions, he has shown that he values neither truthfulness nor the moral distinctions between right and wrong for which Americans have traditionally looked to their president.

That's why Republicans on Capitol Hill expressed somewhat less hope than investors did when stocks rose today as news of Bannon's departure broke.

"Probably helps functionality of the White House, but it doesn't change Trump," one top GOP strategist said.

"Not sure [it] makes much of a difference unless it turns out [Bannon] was ghostwriting all the self-immolation tweets," said another.

A senior White House official gave me a similar assessment of Bannon's exit. "Most people wondered what he did beside leak in an unending defense of himself," the official said.

Now the question is whether he turns up the volume against his adversaries from the outside.
Lay observers can be forgiven for thinking this concession amounts only to acknowledging reality. It's not exactly a state secret that North Korea's dug-in artillery positions on or near the 38th Parallel, just miles from the South Korean capital, represent a significant deterrent threat. At no point, however, did an administration officialmuch less one as close to the president as his chief strategistsuggest that this threat was sufficient to stay the commander-in-chief's hand.

"Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me that ten million people in Seoul don't die in the first 30 minutes from conventional weapons, I don't know what you're talking about, there's no military solution here," he added. "[T]hey got us."

That's the only possible way to read the confessions of Donald Trump 's chief strategist, Steve Bannon , who inexplicably vomited out a variety of compromising thoughts in an interview with an adversarial journalist at a liberal publication. The interview is packed with juicy tidbits, but the comment with the broadest policy implications is receiving the least amount of attention. In that interview, with The American Prospect 's Robert Kuttner, Bannon confessed that the administration's rhetorical posture regarding a conflict with North Korea is utterly hollow.

This is some pretty blatant sabotage. If the United States lacks a military solution to the crisis on the Korean peninsula, it needs a diplomatic one.

The president and a variety of administration officials have made a conscious effort to communicate (both to Pyongyang and to Western lawmakers) his willingness to entertain the prospect of a preventative first strike on a narrow set of North Korean targets. The risks of such strikes, ranging from provoking a limited or full-scale retaliatory response to environmental and collateral damage, are real. That might be bluster, but it serves a utilitarian purpose.

It is unclear that the United States will accept a nuclear North Korea with the reliable capacity to deliver a nuclear warhead to the continental United States. It's not even clear that America will be able to live with a North Korea that can strike U.S. troop positions in South Korea and Japan, which could occur with almost no warning. Making Kim Jong-un's regime understand that the U.S. will not tolerate a nuclear-capable North Korea creates an incentive to de-escalate and head back to the negotiating tableeven if those are negotiations to which the U.S. and its allies are not party.

The prospect of a first strike might have been a bluff. If that was the strategy, however, it was one to which the U.S. had committed itself. It was not Steve Bannon's role to undermine the president and force the United States to retrench from its current position.

Even though this approach is reckless, it makes sense if Bannon's objective was to take the prospect of preventative warfare off the table. That notion falls apart when taking into account the ostensible purpose of Bannon's call to Kuttner, who is a trade hawk and a friend to the complaints of labor union activists: to rag on China.

"We're at economic war with China," Bannon said. "On Korea, they're just tapping us along. It's just a sideshow." He added that, on the present trajectory, there would be an "inflection point" from which America will not recover. In 25 or 30 years' time, he said, it will be the People's Republic and not the United States that is the world's global hegemon. "[T]he economic war with China is everything," Bannon averred.

This is some pretty blatant sabotage. If the United States lacks a military solution to the crisis on the Korean peninsula, it needs a diplomatic one. The only party that can execute that objective is China, and the Trump administration has been making admirable strides in convincing China to get off the sidelines. If Bannon had his way, it seems, all progress toward compelling Beijing to abandon the Kim regime would be done away with; and all because of one man's obsession with a glorious Sino-American trade war.

This interview was grossly irresponsible. The kind of freelancing in which the president's chief strategist engaged in has blown the treads off the administration's existing strategy. This was not done in service to the president or the country, but to Steve Bannon and his fanatical commitment to isolationism and protectionism. He's done his president and his country a disservice. Steve Bannon has to go.

Commentary by Noah Rothman, associate editor at Commentary Magazine. Follow him on Twitter @NoahCRothman.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter
The U.S. has used the underground world of back-channel diplomacy before to achieve things with North Korea such as the release of Americans, but most experts are skeptical Pyongyang is ready for serious negotiations about denuclearization.

"There has been historically back-channel dialogues between the U.S. and North Korea, and I think that continues," said Andrew Scobell, a senior political scientist at the Rand think tank in Washington. "Certainly, the Secretary of State [Rex Tillerson] indicated that diplomatic behind-the-scenes activity was continuing. And it is happening, and we'll just have to wait and see what the results are."

The back-channel talks between the U.S. and North Korea have been happening for several months, The Associated Press first reported last week. They included secret talks that led to the release of Otto Warmbier, the American student detained in North Korea who was released by the regime in a coma and later died in the United States.

A State Department spokesperson declined to comment to CNBC this week when asked about the status of any current back-channel talks.

"Back channels are useful tools for sending messages back and forth but they won't be any kind of path forward in terms of setting up negotiations or resolving things," said James Carafano, vice president of foreign and defense policy studies at the Heritage Foundation who advised the Trump transition team on foreign policy and homeland security.

The current back-channel talks are now focused on the so-called New York channel through the United Nations. The key players are Joseph Yun, a former U.S. ambassador to Malaysia and now the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, and North Korea's senior diplomat, Choe Son Hui, who is head of the Foreign Ministry's North American office.

One of the back-channel meetings led the U.S. to learn Warmbier's condition was dire and that resulted in Secretary of State Tillerson approving the visit by Yun to Pyongyang for a meeting that ultimately led to Warmbier getting released.

"Since that episode, I'm told that the 'New York channel' has been resurrected and there are periodic contacts," said Robert Einhorn, a former State Department official and now Brookings senior fellow who was involved in Oslo, Norway, back-channel talks between North Korea and the U.S.

Einhorn said in interview with CNBC that the New York channel was interrupted about a year ago when the Obama administration imposed sanctions on North Korea for human rights violations, and it also designated the regime's leader, Kim Jong Un, as one of the targeted individuals.

"The North Koreans retaliated by cutting off the New York channel, and what that meant was no official contacts between the United States and North Korea," he said. "And so those contacts resumed this spring in Oslo."

The resumption of contacts also coincided around the time there was change in the South Korean government. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, whose parents were refugees from North Korea, won the presidential election in May and had campaigned on rebooting Seoul's tough approach to Pyongyang.

There was hope in some quarters that the hermit regime might slow down on ballistic missile tests and be open to resume unconditional dialogue that could lead to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But that hasn't happened despite Moon's peace overtures to North Korea for inter-Korean military talks and even his offer in June to have a unified Korean team compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, a South Korean mountainous area less than 45 miles from the demilitarized zone.

At the same time, Tillerson has made it clear several times including this week that the U.S. is willing under the right circumstances to open formal dialogue with Pyongyang to talk about denuclearization of North Korea. Yet only days after that offer the regime's young leader threatened to launch missiles toward the waters off the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam.

"The impression that the U.S. has is that the North Koreans are not eager for such a dialogue,' said Einhorn. "The U.S. has indicated that before talks can begin that the North Koreans would have to take some steps to demonstrate their sincerity."

Indeed, on Tuesday State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters that the U.S. is "willing to sit down and talk" to the North Koreans but added "that's not going to happen imminently." She added there are still "some serious steps before we get there."

Experts suggest a premature return to negotiations would be unwise and essentially reward bad behavior because North Korea has continued to threaten the U.S. and its Asian allies, even beyond the recent rhetoric about targeting Guam. Also, there's no signs the North is willing to give up its ballistic missiles tests and some believe the regime is preparing to set off its sixth nuclear test.

"The North Koreans have repeatedly and publicly rebuffed the idea of negotiations focused on their nuclear and missile capabilities," Brookings' Einhorn wrote in a blog Monday. "This posture could be designed to postpone talks until they have reached certain programmatic milestones; it could be an effort to stake out a strong bargaining position for eventual negotiations; or it could genuinely reflect an unwillingness to consider any limitations on their strategic programs."

On Wednesday, the Pyongyang's mouthpiece Uriminzokkiri quoted leader Kim as stating "the U.S. should stop at once arrogant provocations against the DPRK and unilateral demands." The regime followed it up Thursday with its state-run news agency KCNA issuing propaganda posters depicting missile attacks on the U.S. mainland, including images of what appears to be missiles striking the U.S. Capitol.

DPRK is a reference to North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

President Donald Trump also has lobbed warnings recently at North Korea about the use of military force, including "fire and fury" and "locked and loaded" remarks. Even amid the rhetoric on both sides, though, experts say the back-channel talks serve a useful purpose and historically have proven they can clear up misunderstandings and sometimes result in breakthroughs that can avoid outright military conflict.

During the 1960s Cuban missile crisis with the Soviet Union, for example, there were behind-the-scenes talks that were used successfully to get Moscow to remove its offensive weapons in Cuba in exchange for the U.S. dismantling its Jupiter rockets in Turkey. Similarly, there have been back-channel discussions with Iran over the years, including one that eventually led to the nuclear agreement.

In the North Korean situation, though, Carafano said the back-channel talks have "limited utility" and probably won't resolve anything but still are a good thing. "Even during the height of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, we continued to communicate over things because even countries that are totally at odds with each other actually have things to talk about."
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note ticked up to 2.197 percent at 2:43 p.m. ET, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was slightly lower at 2.780 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

U.S. government debt prices fell on Friday after President Donald Trump decided to remove chief strategist Steve Bannon from his administration.

Treasury prices fell after multiple reports said Steve Bannon, one of President Donald Trump's top advisors, was leaving the administration.

Bannon had been the advisor pushing the hardest for a more nationalistic approach to U.S. economic policy, but had clashed regularly with other advisors, including chief economic advisor Gary Cohn and Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster.

Turbulence surrounding President Donald Trump's leadership, economic policies and his recent statements on the white supremacist rally in Virginia, continue to weigh on sentiment.

Meanwhile in Spain, a manhunt is currently underway as police try to locate the driver of a van who plowed into , which left at least 13 people dead and over 100 injured.

The perpetrator was seen escaping on foot after driving into pedestrians on Las Ramblas in the late afternoon on Thursday; an incident which police suspect was one of a number of planned attacks.

Three men have been arrested, while , a nearby town, to thwart an attack which involved explosive belts.
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open on Friday, but equities were staring down their second straight week of losses as investors took note of the negative trading sentiment seen globally.

Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 5 points while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 2 points and 18 points, respectively. For the week, however, the Dow, S&P and Nasdaq were all down about half a percent.

In Spain, a manhunt is currently underway as police try to locate the driver of a van who plowed into crowds in one of Barcelona's tourist hotspot areas, which left at least 13 people dead and over 100 injured.

The perpetrator was seen escaping on foot after driving into pedestrians on Las Ramblas in the late afternoon on Thursday; an incident which police suspect was one of a number of planned attacks.

The so-called Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, however, the claim has not been verified. Three men have been arrested, while police killed five terror suspects in Cambrils, a nearby town, to thwart an attack which involved explosive belts.

Consequently, European stocks were trading in the red, while Asia finished on a negative note in light of U.S. politics and the Barcelona terror attack.

Meanwhile, turbulence surrounding President Donald trump's leadership, economic policies and his recent statements on the white supremacist rally in Virginia, continue to weigh on sentiment.
A White House decision on chief strategist Steve Bannon's future will reportedly come soon.

Axios first reported the news, which Reuters later confirmed.

Drudge Report suggested that Bannon is on his way out, tweeting Friday morning that Bannon "had one hell of a run...."

Chief of staff John Kelly is close to completing a review of Bannon, the nationalist firebrand, Axios and Reuters reported.

Trump has reportedly grown increasingly angry with Bannon, and the chief strategist's influence waned. A recent widely shared interview in which he contradicted Trump's North Korea position and jabbed at colleagues may not have helped his cause with the president.

Bannon is considered influential in Trump's proposals to overhaul free trade deals and crack down on immigration, among other policies. He also sought to reduce the government's regulatory reach.

A Bannon exit may mark a departure from some protectionist policies and actions some observers warned could escalate into a trade war with China. It is not clear how much influence Bannon really has on policy recently  Axios reported that a White House source said "he has no projects or responsibilities to hand off."
President Donald Trump has presided over a White House plagued by turnover amid controversy and tumult. His administration has seen a number of high-profile officials leave their posts sooner than expected. To be sure, each exit was preceded by its own set of foreboding signs and circumstances. But the departures are generally heralded by growing reports of warring factions within the Oval Office. Here's a running list of top officials who have left Trump's team, by choice or by force:

Sally Yates

Fired Jan. 30, 2017

Formerly acting attorney general Trump fired Yates after she directed Justice Department lawyers not to defend his first executive order restricting travel for people from seven majority-Muslim nations. The president slammed Yates, saying she "betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States." Yates previously served as deputy attorney general in the Obama administration. She then became acting attorney general, pending the confirmation of Jeff Sessions.

Michael Flynn

Resigned Feb. 13, 2017

Formerly national security advisor Flynn left his role after days of intense scrutiny about his discussions with Russian officials prior to Trump's inauguration. The Washington Post reported that he discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with then-ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Yates later testified under oath that she warned the White House that Flynn could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail. In his resignation letter, the former national security advisor admitted that he inadvertently misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of his phone calls with Kislyak.

Preet Bharara

Fired March 11, 2017

Formerly U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York Trump fired Bharara after the prosecutor refused to agree to the Justice Department's demand that he and 45 other U.S. attorneys submit their resignations. While it's not unusual for a new administration to appoint its own federal prosecutors, the holdovers are not typically ousted all at once. Bharara's removal was also unusual because it came months after a meeting with Trump at Trump Tower. After the meeting, the attorney told reporters that the then-president-elect had asked him to stay on in his role.

James Comey

Fired May 9, 2017

Formerly FBI director Trump abruptly fired Comey amid multiple investigations into possible ties between his campaign and the Kremlin. The White House initially said Comey was removed on the recommendations of the top two officials in the Justice Department. But Trump later told NBC News that he would have fired the longtime federal agent "regardless" of what the department said. The president also said he was considering "this Russia thing" when he ousted Comey.

Michael Dubke

Resigned May 30, 2017

Formerly White House communications director Dubke wrote in a note to associates that he originally tendered his resignation on May 18. He said that at that time he offered to remain in the role through the remainder of the president's international trip. Dubke said he left his position for personal reasons.

Sean Spicer

Resigned July 21, 2017

Formerly White House press secretary Spicer resigned after opposing the president's appointment of Anthony Scaramucci as communications director. The longtime Republican operative said Trump had asked him to stay in his role. His successor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said Spicer left to give the communications team a clean slate. After Dubke's resignation, Spicer had taken over some of the responsibilities of a communications director.

Reince Priebus

Resigned July 27, 2017

Formerly chief of staff Priebus "formally resigned" after the president repeatedly pressured him to exert order on a tumultuous White House. His exit came on the heels of Scaramucci's appointment as White House communications director. Despite multiple reports of tension, Scaramucci and Priebus insisted that they were friends. Scaramucci described their relationship as brotherly and that it's expected the two men would "rough each other up once in awhile." Many had speculated Priebus would leave the White House after Spicer's resignation. The two worked at the Republican National Committee before joining the Trump administration.

Anthony Scaramucci

Ousted July 31, 2017

Formerly White House communications director



Scaramucci was removed as White House communications director just 10 days after he was appointed and well before his previously scheduled Aug. 15 start date. The bombastic New York financier exited his post shortly after he unloaded on Priebus and then-chief strategist Steve Bannon in an expletive-laden rant to a New Yorker reporter.

Steve Bannon

Departed Aug. 18, 2017

Formerly White House chief strategist Bannon initially submitted his resignation on Aug. 7, a person close to him told The New York Times. The newspaper said the announcement of his departure had been delayed after violence broke out in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend. Bannon, a nationalist firebrand, helped shape Trump's populist rhetoric that fueled his rise to the Oval Office. But in the weeks leading up to his exit, reports surfaced of Bannon's influence waning as the president grew increasingly angry with him.

Tom Price

Resigned Sept. 29, 2017

Formerly Health and Human Services secretary Price came under fire after Politico reported he used private jets at taxpayer expense, instead of less-expensive commercial flights. Price's exit came after he said he would reimburse taxpayers for a small fraction of the cost of his flights and vowed to not use charter planes in the future. Price was also reportedly on thin ice with top Trump administration officials who felt he did not do enough to support the last-ditch effort in Congress to repeal and replace major parts of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

Dina Powell

Set to depart early 2018

Deputy national security advisor Powell served under national security advisor H.R. McMaster and was considered a close ally of the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Sanders said in a Dec. 8 statement that Powell had always "planned to serve one year before returning home to New York." The former Goldman Sachs partner appeared set to depart the administration on good terms. Sanders and Kushner both made statements saying Powell would continue to support the administration's Middle East policy but provided little detail. Powell succeeded K.T. McFarland as deputy national security advisor. Trump nominated McFarland for the role of ambassador to Singapore. Her confirmation process has been held up amid questions about her knowledge of Flynn's conversations with Kislyak.

Omarosa Manigault Newman

Resignation effective Jan. 20, 2018

Director of communications for Office of Public Liaison Newman handed in her resignation on Dec. 12 in order to pursue other opportunities, Sanders said in a statement. She had been one of the president's highest-profile African-American, female supporters.

Andrew McCabe

Stepped down Jan. 29, 2018

FBI deputy director McCabe served briefly as acting director of the FBI, between James Comey's ouster and the hiring of current director Christopher Wray. His final year at the agency was fraught with political turmoil  mostly stirred by Trump and his supporters. They have heavily criticized McCabe's handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, suggesting bias due to his wife's failed Virginia Senate bid in 2015. She ran as a Democrat and received nearly $700,000 from Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton ally. McCabe stepped down immediately on Monday, Jan. 29, but will remain on the FBI payroll on "terminal leave" until March, when he is eligible to retire with full benefits. He was later fired less than 48 hours before his retirement.

Robert Porter

Resigned Feb. 6, 2018

White House staff secretary Porter, who aided White House chief of staff John Kelly in reviewing documents before they reached Trump's desk, voluntarily resigned shortly after the Daily Mail published allegations of abuse from two former wives. His first wife, Colbie Holderness, told the UK tabloid that Porter had inflicted physical and emotional abuse during their five-year marriage. She said that Porter had punched her in the face during a vacation, and provided a photo of the black eye she allegedly received from the assault. Porter had been urged to "stay and fight" by White House officials  including Kelly, Axios reported. In a statement following his resignation on Wednesday, Porter said the allegations "are simply false," and that "the reality behind them is nowhere close to what is being described."

Reed Cordish

Stepped down Feb. 16, 2018

Assistant to the president, intragovernmental and technology initiatives Cordish assisted Trump's presidential transition team after the 2016 election through the so-called beachhead team, members of which filled roles prior to the appointment of official administration officials by the Senate. His work on the White House focused on technical innovation and government modernization, though he was perhaps better known as an ally Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. "Reed has been invaluable to the Administration. His leadership on initiatives ranging from work-force development to Prison Reform to modernizing key VA services will have a positive impact for millions of Americans," Kushner told CNBC in a statement. Cordish told the Washington Post that he had not intended to work for the administration for more than a year.

Hope Hicks

Resignation first reported Feb. 28, 2018

White House communications director The first reports of Hicks' plan to resign came one day after she testified to the House Intelligence Committee about Russian potential involvement with the Trump campaign during the 2016 election. In that hearing, Hicks reportedly said that while she never lied about the Russia probe, she sometimes had to tell white lies as part of the Trump administration. She also reportedly refused to answer a number of questions about her involvement in drafting a misleading initial statement from Donald Trump Jr. regarding a 2016 meeting with Kremlin-connected lawyers in Trump Tower. Hicks had been entangled in White House scandals before she testified to the committee, however. When staff secretary Rob Porter resigned amid allegations that he physically abused his former wives, reports soon emerged that Hicks had begun dating Porter and that she may have helped draft his initial statement denying the allegations. Hicks joined the Trump campaign as a low-level aide before he announced his candidacy and rose through the ranks, eventually taking a leading role in crafting the White House's messaging.

Gary Cohn

Resignation announced March 6; departure date to be determined

White House chief economic advisor Cohn's departure came after Trump said he would impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. A free trade advocate, Cohn had argued against tariffs in a February meeting with the president and industry executives, according to a person in the room. The former Goldman Sachs president helped shepherd tax overhaul, the administration's only major legislative achievement, which Trump signed into law in December.

Rex Tillerson

Ousted March 13

Secretary of State While Tillerson's resignation came suddenly, his uncomfortable fit in Trump's White House had been a near-constant feature of his tenure. Tillerson had clashed with Trump in private and in public. In July, Tillerson reportedly referred to Trump as a "moron" after a White House meeting. And in October, Trump tweeted that Tillerson is "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with North Korea on nuclear weapons. Just before he was ousted as secretary of State, Tillerson had cast the poisoning of an ex-spy in Britain as part of a "certain unleashing of activity" by Russia that the United States is struggling to understand  diverging from the White House's official response. Tillerson, the former CEO of Exxon Mobil, had no prior public service experience when he accepted the role of America's top diplomat. Tillerson will be replaced by Mike Pompeo, formerly the director of the CIA. Deputy CIA Director Gina Haspel will take Pompeo's place as the head of the U.S. intelligence agency  the first woman ever to hold the position.

John McEntee

Fired March 12

Personal assistant to Trump McEntee was fired and reportedly escorted from the White House amid a Secret Service investigation into serious financial crimes. His security clearance has been "in limbo for some time," a federal law enforcement official told NBC News. Shortly after being removed from his position as Trump's personal assistant, McEntee joined the president's 2020 re-election campaign as a senior advisor.

John Dowd

Resigned March 22

Lawyer for President Donald Trump While not technically a member of the Trump administration, Dowd worked closely with the White House as Trump's lead lawyer in the special counsel's Russia probe. "I love the president and wish him well," Dowd told NBC News. Dowd had reportedly considered leaving Trump's legal team on multiple occasions, The New York Times reported. The Times, citing two people briefed on the matter, reported that Dowd believed Trump was increasingly ignoring his advice. It was unclear at the time of his resignation who would take over as the leader of Trump's legal team. Days before Dowd's departure, Trump brought Washington lawyer Joseph diGenova aboard the team.

H.R. McMaster

Official handover on April 9

National security advisor McMaster was the second national security advisor to leave the administration in just over one year. The army lieutenant general said in a statement that he is requesting retirement from the Army this summer, after which he will "leave public service." Since taking the position, McMaster has faced criticism from some Trump supporters who have attacked him as a "globalist." McMaster clashed with Trump when he said that the evidence that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. election is "incontrovertible," following indictments against 13 Russian individuals and three Russian entities.

David Shulkin

Announced March 28

Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs Shulkin had been under fire after an internal watchdog report revealed that the VA had improperly approved taxpayers footing the bill for a trip Shulkin's wife took with him to Europe last year. That same report found that Shulkin told a subordinate to handle personal plans for him and his wife during that trip, and that he improperly accepted tickets to the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

DJ Gribbin

Announced resignation April 3

Infrastructure advisor to the White House The White House described Gribbin as a key player on the team that assembled Trump's infrastructure plan, which was unveiled in February. A White House official confirmed to CNBC that Gribbin is "moving on to new opportunities" now that the plan has been presented to Congress. Top economic advisor Larry Kudlow said Gribbin's "expertise has added tremendous value to the Adminstration," and vowed that the National Economic Council will continue to push to implement the infrastructure plan.

Tom Bossert

Resignation announced April 10

Homeland security advisor Bossert led the administration's efforts on security issues including mainland terrorist threats, cyber defenses and natural disasters, the White House said. As recently as Sunday, he was representing Trump's homeland security policies in television interviews. By Tuesday, however, the White House confirmed Bossert's plan to resign. "The President is grateful for Tom's commitment to the safety and security of our great country," press secretary Sanders said in a statement. "President Trump thanks him for his patriotic service and wishes him well." A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told CNBC that the move "seems like a natural turnover with a new [National Security Council] director." John Bolton, a foreign-policy hardliner, started as Trump's national security advisor Monday, replacing H.R. McMaster.

Ty Cobb

White House lawyer

Retirement announced May 2 Cobb represented the White House in matters related to the special counsel's investigation into the Trump campaign. The New York Times first reported that Cobb was expected to be replaced by Washington lawyer Emmet Flood, whose prior experience includes representing President Bill Clinton in impeachment proceedings. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed Cobb's retirement shortly after the newspaper published its story.

Scott Pruitt

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt testifies before a Senate Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the proposed budget estimates and justification for FY2019 for the Environmental Protection Agency on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 16, 2018 Al Drago | Reuters

Environmental Protection Agency administrator; resignation announced July 5 At the time Trump announced Pruitt's resignation, the embattled EPA secretary was at the center of at least a dozen ethics probes into his spending practices and workplace conduct at the helm of the agency. "Within the Agency Scott has done an outstanding job, and I will always be thankful to him for this," Trump tweeted. Trump tweet Scott Pruitt

Don McGahn

Don McGahn, general counsel for the Trump transition team, gets into an elevator in the lobby at Trump Tower, November 15, 2016. Getty Images

White House counsel

Departure announced Aug. 29 McGahn had served as the White House counsel since Trump's inauguration and had reportedly been a key player in Trump's ongoing tug-of-war with Mueller. The New York Times reported in August that McGahn had voluntarily submitted to interviews with the special counsel on multiple occasions totaling about 30 hours. McGahn's potential departure had been widely reported for months. Trump, announcing McGahn's departure, said the lawyer would be leaving after the confirmation vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. McGahn has led the administration's push to stock federal courts with young conservative judges. Trump tweet

Nikki Haley

U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, September 15, 2017. Carlos Barria | Reuters

UN Ambassador

Resignation announced Oct. 9 Trump announced Haley's resignation in the Oval Office in early October, saying she would be leaving at the end of 2018. The shock announcement came a few weeks after Trump attended the UN General Assembly in New York City. In remarks to reporters, Trump said that Haley told him months earlier that she wanted to take time off at the end of a one- or two-year period. Trump added that he hoped Haley would come back in a different role, telling her: "You can have your pick." Haley, a former South Carolina governor who is considered a rising political star in the GOP, had served in the Trump administration since its early days.

John Kelly

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

Chief of staff

Departure announced by Trump on Dec. 8 Kelly's departure had been prophesied by White House insiders and politicos for months, amid reports of increasing friction between the retired Marine Corps general and the president. Kelly also clashed with first lady Melania Trump's staff when he turned down requests to promote some of her aides, NBC News reported last month. Watergate journalist Bob Woodward reports in his White House tell-all "Fear" that Kelly had threatened to quit the job before over Trump's equivocal response to a white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in summer 2017. Kelly is set to leave the Trump administration by the end of the year. It was unclear at the time who would replace Kelly.

Nick Ayers

Vice President Mike Pence's Chief of Staff Nick Ayers (L) and National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster arrive in the Rose Garden before President Donald Trump and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong deliver joint statements at the White House October 23, 2017 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
After the "positive step" of kicking the president's senior advisor, Steve Bannon, out of the White House, the Trump administration needs to focus "almost exclusively" on tax reform, says Sara Fagen, DDC Advocacy partner and former White House political director for President George W. Bush.

"What he needs to do is get a tax-reform package passed through the Congress and signed, and he needs something that he can point to as an accomplishment," Fagen said Friday on CNBC's "Power Lunch."

President Donald Trump's widely criticized remarks at a news conference about the violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, appeared to trigger a steep drop in his already-waning support, both from politicians in Washington, D.C., and business leaders.

At the Tuesday news conference, Trump said that the weekend protests, organized by white supremacists, included "very fine people on both sides." In direct response to Trump's statements about Charlottesville, members of the Strategic and Policy Forum agreed to disband the group on Wednesday. Shortly after, Trump tweeted that he was ending both of his administration's councils of CEOs.

On Friday, Bannon officially left the Trump administration. The decision was a mutual agreement between Bannon and Chief of Staff John Kelly, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.

"Steve Bannon is someone who caused a lot of discord with his colleagues, and love him or hate him, he was not a force for positive dialogue in that building," Fagen said.

"Removing him, I think, is a positive step and puts the chief of staff more firmly in charge," she said.

Many Republicans have explicitly criticized Trump in their own responses to the protests in Charlottesville.

Rubio tweet

Flake tweet

Graham tweet

But despite distancing themselves from the president, many Republicans still want to see tax reform enacted. "There's a lot of agreement on the need for tax reform, and so this is still doable," Fagen said, "although certainly it's gotten much more difficult" because of "the infighting in the West Wing [and] the events at Charlottesville."

Fagen said she would not take a job in the Trump administration if asked, because of her concerns about the way Trump has run the West Wing.

"The president has lost a tremendous number of key staff," Fagen said, "but there's still a lot of really good people who work there."
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
Iain Dale is Presenter of LBC Drive, Managing Director of Biteback Publishing, a columnist and broadcaster and a former Conservative Parliamentary candidate.

Sarah Champion is one of the more impressive Labour MPs. She represents Rotherham, having taken over when Denis MacShane resigned his seat back in 2012, and is that rarest of people  a front bencher of that party who can actually string a sentence together, and conduct an interview without experiencing a car crash.

On Wednesday evening, she resigned from the front bench (for the third time, I think), over an article she wrote last Friday in The Sun. Her offence? Well, apart from having the temerity to write for The Sun at all, she dared to confront the fact that most of the men who make up these gangs who target vulnerable white teenagers for sex are from the British Pakistani community. Ninety-seven per cent of the girls who are groomed and raped are white.

Champion dared to confront an inconvenient truth. She emphatically was not saying that all child abusers have a Pakistani background, but that those who form these gangs do. Trying to deal with why this is so does not mean we should ignore the fact that it is.

She opened her article as follows: Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls. There. I said it. Does that make me a racist? Or am I just prepared to call out this horrifying problem for what it is? And for that, shes been drummed out of the Brownies and forced to resign.

Yet Amina Lone, a Labour councillor who is a Muslim, told Newsnight: I grew up in a Muslim community where these attitudes were common. White girls are easy Nobody cares about them They are just slags They parents dont look after them properly etc were/are still said today. I hear it regularly. Sarah Champion was talking about a particular type of grooming which is carried by men because of their cultural/religious practices. Obviously not all men. She is not a racist, but a brave woman speaking out about a politically awkward issue. Labour, bury your heads as much as you like in the black and white purist world you push. The chickens will come home to roost.

Quite.

However, not everyone goes along with that. Owen Jones told me on LBC he considers that paragraph to be racist. And there, ladies and gentlemen, you have a prime example of what is wrong with our politics today.

         

This week, we marked the 70th anniversary of the partition of India. I dont know about you, but it made me realise how little I know about the event and how it came about.

India, Pakistan and Bangladesh live with the consequences of partition today, so why dont we know more about it? India is going to play a massive role in the world in the next 20 years. Perhaps our media might like to give it the same level of coverage it gives to China.

         

Why is that on A Level results day, TV news reporters only ever seem to interview very good-looking girls or show pictures of them jumping up in the air when they open their envelopes? Do boys not count any longer in this weird old world we live in nowadays?

         

Last week, I wrote the majority of this column about Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. Since the latter has blinked, lets concentrate on the former this week.

Trumps reaction to the events in Charlottesville demonstrate why its impossible for him ever to unite his country. In an angry press conference he undid all the fine words he had uttered from an autocue the previous day. He called some neo-nazis, white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan very fine people. He seemed unable to differentiate between fascists and anti-fascists.

On the first day back from her holidays, Theresa May rightly condemned this attitude, although she was careful to play the ball, not the man. It is right she should speak out, but people have to understand the realpolitik of the situation.

America remains our closest ally and a country with which we need a free trade agreement. Its right for the Prime Minister to make clear her position, as shes done, but gratuitous personal insults will help no-one.

There are, of course, further calls for his state visit to be cancelled. Wouldnt it be better for it to go ahead, and for people to make their views clear while he is here? The way things are going, Id be tempted to man the barricades myself  and I count myself as a down the line Americaphile.

         

Those who follow political debates on Twitter will have no doubt noticed that James Chapmans Twitter account was deleted early yesterday morning and then again later in the day. When the truth comes out about what has happened, there ought to be a day of reckoning for some very irresponsible journalists (and others). And thats all Im saying on the subject.
I feel like Im in a timewarp, tweeted Daniel Korski, the former adviser to David Cameron, about todays Telegraph report that:

EU migrants will be barred from claiming in-work benefits unless they have been employed for at least four years after Brexit under plans to revive a pledge by David Cameron. The Telegraph understands that ministers are examining plans to bar migrants who arrive in the UK after March 2019 from claiming in-work benefits.

The important question, of course, is exactly which date has the news has transported Korski back to?

Anyone thinking about Cameron pledging four-year restrictions on migrants access to welfare might naturally recall the offer he secured in the EU negotiation, published on 2nd February 2016.

Does this mean, then, that taking back control by leaving has just left us choosing to do something that would have been possible anyway in Camerons much-heralded reformed relationship with the EU?

Bluntly, no. While most have a hazy memory that Cameron got agreement on some kind of four-year welfare limit, its worth checking back over the facts of his deal.

As I wrote at the time:

The famous four-year period before EU migrants can claim in-work benefits has been thoroughly watered down. Instead of a ban the proposal is now for migrant workers to progressively gain more and more access to welfare as the four year period passes. Tellingly, what was once at least four years has, in the EUs document, become up to four years. When the Prime Minister was asked yesterday how long someone arriving in the UK would wait before receiving their first welfare payment, he was unwilling to answer, saying that details were yet to be finalised. Not only is the policy fundamentally weakened, but it will not be permanent  only an emergency brake, to be applied occasionally and temporarily. Worst of all, the power to apply that brake will not rest with Parliament or the British Government, but will be decided by the EU institutions after an application from Britain.

In short, if we were staying in the EU the most we could hope for would be a tapered limit on some aspects of welfare at an unspecified rate during up to four years  and even then as a temporary measure, conditional on Brussels granting us the right to do so.

By contrast, outside the EU the Government will have the democratic power to choose on its own terms a proper, clear limit as a lasting policy, rather than having to beg a fudged version of it as a one-off favour from the EU institutions. One prominent Conservative has described such a policy like this:

I think its a very simple thing to explain to people, very clear. In future, if you are from the European Union and you come to Britain looking for a job, we will not pay you unemployment benefit, point 1. If you stay for longer than 6 months without a job, you will go home, point 2. If you get a job and you stay here in Britain, you will not get in work benefits, housing benefit, Universal Credit, all the other benefits. You will not get those until youve paid into the system for four years, point 3. Point 4, if you come here and you work and, even after the 4 years when you get those in work benefits, if your children and your family is at home in your home country while youre working here, the child benefit will not go from Britain to that country, point 4. Those, I think, are very significant very clear changes, changes that I think every family in Britain will identify with, understand and supportI think its very clear, very powerful, far more powerful than any mechanism determined by the European Commission or anyone else.

That does indeed sound like a sensible and popular idea. But it isnt from today, or from the negotiations in 2016. To hear those words, Korskis time-warp would have had to transport him back to November 2014, when Cameron spoke about exactly what he would ask for from the EU in the negotiations that lay ahead.

What has been announced is what Cameron wanted, but which he was unable to get from the EU. Instead, he was left offering a version that had been watered down to homeopathic proportions. That rejection by Brussels is one reason why we then voted to leave. Now that the UK is leaving  and only now  we can pursue these very clear changes, changes that I think every family in Britain will identify with, understand and support. The Ghost of Cameron Past is presumably applauding, even if the Ghost of Cameron Present is unlikely to be spotted doing so.
08/17/2017

A class action lawsuit, filed in Connecticut, seeks damages from Nestle Waters, claiming its Poland Spring bottled water doesn't actually come from springs.

Eleven consumers are listed as plaintiffs in the case, charging Nestle has used the association between spring water and purity as a marketing ploy to sell, what the suit claims, is essentially filtered ground water, charging a premium price.

In a statement, Nestle Waters, based on Stamford, Conn., said the suit has no merit, and further branded it an attempt to manipulate the the legal system for personal gain. It also said Poland Spring meets the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) legal definition of spring water.

Defining spring water

In fact, the FDA's regulations covering bottled water and how it is defined are both extensive and specific. Among the criteria to be called spring water are:

The water flows naturally to the surface of the earth

The water is collected only at the spring or through a bore hole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring

A natural force causes the water to flow to the surface through a natural orifice

The location of the spring is identified

Water collected with the use of an external force shall be from the same underground stratum as the spring, as shown by a measurable hydraulic connection using a hydrogeologically valid method between the bore hole and the natural spring, and shall have all the physical properties, before treatment, and be of the same composition and quality, as the water that flows naturally to the surface of the earth

Previous litigation

This is not the first time the issue has been raised. The Portland (Maine) Press Herald reports Nestle Waters faced a similar lawsuit in 2003, with the plaintiffs alleging that the company's marketing was misleading about where the water originated.

According to the report, the suit was settled out of court, with the company providing about $8 million in consumer discounts and more than $2 million given to charitable organizations.

Bottled water has become big business in the U.S. over the last two decades. In March, Beverage Marketing Corporation reported that bottled water overtook carbonated beverages in U.S. sales last year.

"Bottled water effectively reshaped the beverage marketplace," said Michael Bellas, CEO of Beverage Marketing Corporation, said at the time. "When Perrier first entered the country in the 1970s, few would have predicted the heights to which bottled water would eventually climb.

He says bottled water sales have increased every year from 1977 to 2016, with the exception of two year during the Great Recession.
In Spain, Tarragona has 50 calls booked for the 2018 cruise season, up from just 40 this year, according to a port spokesperson.

This year the port will introduce interporting, which started with a call from Pullmanturs Horizon on April 25. That will be followed by 17 visits from the Costa neoRiviera during the summer season.

This opens a new business for Tarragona, not only as a port of call, but now as a homeport, the spokesperson told Cruise Industry News.

Government officials are planning a new cruise berth with a larger footprint in time for the 2020 cruise season. Another growth agenda item has been attracting winter calls, but those may be few and far between in the Mediterranean.
Royal Caribbean International is teaming up with actress and avid traveler Shay Mitchell to be the brands Adventurist, an adventure adviser and storyteller for the brand, teh company said.

"In addition to embarking on inspirational journeys with the brand and sharing her experiences, Shay will collaborate with Royal Caribbean experts to develop a series of destination experiences for the ultimate Caribbean cruise, to be revealed this fall. As a seasoned traveler, Shay will personally set sail on board one of Royal Caribbeans adventure-packed ships this month to begin shaping the new, Shay-recommended adventures," a press release stated.

Ive always had a love for travel, and am fortunate to have been able to explore some of the most amazing places around the world, learning quickly that the journey is as important as the destination, said Shay. Im thrilled to take what I have learned from my own travels and dive in with Royal Caribbean to develop the ultimate Caribbean adventure for travelers like me, who are always seeking something new and craving deeper connections to the destinations they visit.

Its in Royal Caribbeans nature to seek and deliver the unexpected  the adventures and experiences that make travelers jaws drop, their adrenaline rise and their memories unforgettable, said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. When we started to think of who could perfectly embody what vacationing with us is all about in our newly created Adventurist role, Shay was someone who rose to the top immediately. She personifies who we are and our spirit  the spirit to Come Seek. The ideas that Shay brings to the table will help create an adventure in the Caribbean that will redefine what many think of as a cruise vacation and inspire the next generation of cruisers.

A star in one of TVs popular dramas, Pretty Little Liars, Shays adventurous spirit has led her to visit some of the worlds most inspiring destinations, from hot-air ballooning over Morocco to skydiving in Dubai. Shes become an expert at seeking out authentic experiences, sharing them with her following of more than 17 million across several social media platforms, including her immersive YouTube series  Shaycation  which debuted in 2015 and gives viewers an inside look at her wanderlust-inducing explorations.
While the Department of Defense (DOD) has affirmed the Military Lending Acts (MLA) effective date for credit card accounts of Oct. 3, CUNA is engaged with legislators to build support for efforts to exempt credit unions from the rule. Rep. Paul Cook. (R-Calif.), member of the House Armed Services Committee, circulated a Dear Colleague letter this week requesting DOD exempt credit union from the MLA regulation as amended in July 2015.

Cooks letter aligns with CUNAs position over the past few years that the provisions of the MLA should not apply to credit unions, as they are not engaged in the predatory practices the rule is focused on.

Going forward, CUNA and leagues will continue engagement with policymakers to build support for Cooks effort. CUNA will also continue its push to the DOD for changes to the MLA, as well as necessary interpretive guidance.

While CUNA supports the goal of protecting servicemembers, it believes the requirements of the MLA are having unintended consequences by forcing credit unions to cut back on, or eliminate, products designed to provide servicemembers and families with access to credit.
House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters, D-Calif., and subcommittee Ranking Member Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., are recent additions to the growing list of Congressional Caucus speakers.

NAFCUs Congressional Caucus, Sept. 10-13 in Washington, will provide credit union attendees with the chance to hear directly from lawmakers, members of the administration and regulators on the top issues facing the industry. Credit union representatives will also have the chance to meet one-on-one with lawmakers throughout the conference.

Earlier this year, NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger, with senior staff, met with Waters on top credit union issues, including regulatory burden. During the past Congress, she supported legislation that would have increased credit unions lending ability.

Perlmutter serves as ranking member on the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance. He has also been a long-time champion of credit unions and has previously supported increasing the industrys member business lending cap.
They say in relationships if you dont have trust, you dont have anything. This is good advice for anyone, but especially for credit unions. In your line of work, trust is essential. If youre going to persuade potential members to choose you over bigger, more established banks, they have to trust you can take care of their money and their future. Trust is non-negotiable.

The most obvious way to foster trust and build confidence is to actually be trustworthy. Consistent good behavior builds your reputation and helps you win more customers through word of mouth. But thats not enough.

On every channel, through every marketing channel, you should be communicating your trustworthiness. This includes your website, which is the face of your brand. Nonmembers and members alike are going to interact with you more online than anywhere else. Your home page is where they will go first to find out more about you and your services. When they land on your credit union website design, they should feel welcome, at home, and safe in your hands.
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions. It also offers ProxyEdge, an electronic proxy delivery and voting solution; data-driven solutions and an end-to-end platform for content management, composition, and omni-channel distribution of regulatory, marketing, and transactional information, as well as mutual fund trade processing services; data and analytics solutions; solutions for public corporations and mutual funds; SEC filing and capital markets transaction services; registrar, stock transfer, and record-keeping services; and omni-channel customer communications solutions, as well as operates Broadridge Communications Cloud platform that creates, delivers, and manages communications and customer engagement activities. The company's Global Technology and Operations segment provides solutions that automate the front-to-back transaction lifecycle of equity, mutual fund, fixed income, foreign exchange and exchange-traded derivatives, order capture and execution, trade confirmation, margin, cash management, clearance and settlement, reference data management, reconciliations, securities financing and collateral management, asset servicing, compliance and regulatory reporting, portfolio accounting, and custody-related services. This segment also offers business process outsourcing services; technology solutions, such portfolio management, compliance, fee billing, and operational support solutions; and capital market and wealth management solutions. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Lake Success, New York.
BRF S.A. focuses on raising, producing, and slaughtering poultry and pork for processing, production, and sale of fresh meat, processed products, pasta, margarine, and other products. The company's product portfolio comprises meat products, including frozen whole and cut chicken, frozen pork, and beef; processed food products, such as marinated, frozen, whole and cut chicken, roosters, turkey meat, sausages, ham products, bologna, frankfurters, salamis, bacon, cold meats, other smoked products, chicken sausages, chicken hot dogs, and chicken bologna; and frozen processed meats comprising hamburgers, steaks, breaded meat products, kibbeh, and meatballs. It also produces and sells frozen prepared entrees, such as pastas and pizzas, including lasagna, macaroni, sandwiches, cheese breads, and other ready-to-eat meals; pies and pastries comprising chicken and heart-of-palm pies, sauces, and toppings; frozen desserts; plant-based products, such as nuggets, pies, vegetables, and hamburgers; and soy meal, refined soy flour, and animal feed, as well as sell frozen French fries, margarine, butter, and cream cheese. The company primarily sells its products under the Sadia, Perdigao, Qualy, Chester, Kidelli, Perdix, Biofresh, Gran Plus, and Banvit brands. It serves supermarkets, wholesalers, retail stores, food services, restaurants, and other institutional buyers. The company is also involved in the provision of consultancy, marketing, and logistics services; commercialization of electric energy; and import, industrialization, and commercialization of products. BRF S.A. operates primarily in Brazil, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and internationally. The company was formerly known as BRF-Brasil Foods S.A. and changed its name to BRF S.A. in April 2013. BRF S.A. was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Itajai, Brazil.
This is a current list of the top 250 companies by market capitalization on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Learn more .

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is one of the largest, and most recognizable, stock exchanges in the world. The NYSE is in New York City, New York at 11 Wall Street. The NYSE has been in existence since the earliest days of the United States becoming a nation, in 1792 and is primarily made up of blue-chip companies with large market capitalizations. In fact, many of the stocks that make up the Dow Jones Composite Index (i.e. The Dow) are listed on the NYSE.

This article gives a brief history of the New York Stock Exchange. In addition, it covers topics such as what kind of stocks trade on the exchange, what are the listing requirements, how trading is performed, and what the daily price movement of the NYSE tells investors about investor sentiment.

What Were the Origins of the NYSE?

Today, the New York Stock Exchange is known as the center of the financial universe. However, the exchanges origin is far more humble. On May 17, 1792, 24 stockbrokers signed the Buttonwood Agreement creating a centralized exchange to help provide order to the securities market in what was still a young nation. The "Buttonwood Agreement comes from the tree of the same name under which the founders signed the agreement.

An initial benefit of the exchange was how it removed the need for auctioneers when trading commodities like wheat and tobacco and to set a commission rate. The exchange initially focused on government bonds.

However, the exchange had no formal home. Business was usually conducted informally in the local coffeehouses. In 1817, the exchange changed its name to the New York Stock & Exchange Board which later became the New York Stock Exchange. At this time, the exchange adopted a constitution that set the rules for trading. A group of stockbrokers met twice a day at 40 Wall Street to trade 30 stocks and bonds.

Over time, the exchange moved became the financial hub of the country and moved to its current location in 1865.

What Kind of Stocks Trade on the NYSE?

As of June 2022, the NYSE includes approximately 2,400 companies with a market capitalization of over $28.2 trillion. Although the NYSE trades stocks of all market capitalizations, its best known for trading the stocks of large cap companies. These have the benefit of being mature companies in mature industries. And many of these companies reward shareholders with dividends.

However, that also means that many of these companies are better suited for value investors as opposed to growth investors. In bear markets this stability can be a benefit for investors as these stocks tend to perform less bad than more volatile stocks. But in a bull market, these stocks are not likely to provide investors with the growth that they look for.

An interesting fact about how the NYSE and NASDAQ operate is that the companies with the five largest market caps on the NYSE are also listed on the NASDAQ exchange.

What Are the Listing Requirements For the NYSE?

The NYSE has strict guidelines that govern the types of companies that can list on the exchange. Here are the major requirements that all companies must meet:

The company must have at least 2,200 shareholders

The company must trade over 100,000 shares per month

The company must have a market valuation of over $100 million

The company must generate more than $75 million in annual revenue

However, there is at least one advantage of having such stringent requirements. That is the companies that meet the requirements generally find it easier to get more investors funds when they hold their initial public offering (IPO).

Once a company begins trading on the NYSE, it must continue to meet these requirements. If it doesnt it can be delisted. In addition to these requirements, the stock must continue to trade above $1. If the price of a stock drops below $1 for more than 29 consecutive trading days, the stock receives an Initial Price Violation Notice.

At that point, the company has 10 days to provide the exchange with a plan for bringing their shares above $1.

How are Trades Executed on the NYSE?

For over a century, the floor of the NYSE was the place for investors to be. This meant trades were conducted by traders who ran buy and sell orders across the trading floor looking to broker a deal for their clients. But with the birth of the NASDAQ exchange in 1971, the New York Stock Exchange began conducting electronic trading.

However, the NYSE continues to conduct trades in an auction style. Brokers purchase stocks on behalf of their clients or firms. Every order features a broker who will enter the order electronically and a specialist who serves as the market maker for that stock. The specialist posts bid and ask prices and manages the actual execution of the trades. And there are still a handful of stockbrokers who still traffic buy and sell orders physically on the floor of the exchange.

How Does the NYSE Signal Investor Sentiment?

Like its counterpart, the NASDAQ, the NYSE measures the risk appetite of investors. When the NYSE is moving higher over a length of time, it signals that a risk on environment. Conversely when the NYSE moves lower over a significant period, it signals that investors are moving to a risk off position.

Some Final Thoughts on the NYSE

Financial news networks plan their programming schedule around the opening and closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange. Its still considered a distinguished honor when individuals or groups are invited to ring the opening bell. In fact, Warren Buffett is attributed with saying that in the short term, the stock market acts like a voting machine. A fact that many U.S. presidents will attest to.

The NYSE is the oldest and most recognizable of all the stock exchanges. It also has the most stringent requirements for inclusion. And those requirements must be maintained even after a stock begins publicly trading on the exchange.

Although the NYSE still has a small in-person Trading Floor, much of the trading is done electronically to provide traders with the speed to execute trades.
Spanish police shoot dead 5 terrorists in seaside resort town

A terrorist attack claimed the lives 13 people in Barcelona after a van speed through the busy central street of Las Ramblas on Thursday thoroughfare, with a second attack in the seaside town of Cambrils ending with death of five assailants.

The terrorists killed in Cambrils were reportedly wearing what appeared to be belts laden with explosives but officials later said the devices were fake.

Before the regional police in Cambrils was able to intervene six people were injured, two seriously, after the terrorists ran over an undetermined number of civilians.

One suspected terrorist was detained in Cambrils and another in Ripoll, in northeastern Catalonia, according to the latest reports.

Regional police believe that an explosion at a home in the town of Alcanar, Tarragona on Wednesday night was related to the Barcelona killings the next day.

That explosion killed one person and left another seven injured, but it was initially believed it had been due to a gas leak at the house.
As Iraq is set to hold national elections next year it is said to be working towards an alliance with Saudi Arabia that would aid the nation in its estimated $100bn rebuilding project.

Meetings between the two Middle Eastern countries began earlier in 2017 in an effort by Riyadh to pry Baghdad away from Tehran's orbit.

A thawing in tensions between the traditional opponents had been led by several high profile visits between the two countries of late, most notably a trip made by Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to the Saudi capital last week.

Sadr's arrival in Riyadh signifies a step away from his historic links to Iran and in the direction of a program that would aim to heal the wounds in Sunni cities such as Mosul, Fallujah, Ramadi, and Tikrit that were horribly scarred by the sectarian violence in the region between 2004 and 2008.

Haider al-Abadi, Iraq's current prime minister, and Sadr have both said that the reinstatement of rights lost to Sunnis after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 is integral to any plans of rebuilding.

"This visit was an important step in ensuring that Iraq returns to the Arab fold and is supported in doing so by friendly partners," said former Saudi minister Saad al-Jabri.

"This necessitates limiting Tehran's continued attempts to dominate Iraq and spread sectarianism. Broader engagement between Riyadh and Baghdad will lead the way for enhanced regional support for Iraq, especially from the Gulf states. This is essential after the capture of Mosul from Isis and as Iraq looks towards national reconstruction."

Hostile sentiments towards the Saudi government for its perceived involvement in allowing Isis and other jihadist insurgencies to take form in the first place have subsided of late.

"This is a new beginning, a new page of Iraqi Saudi relations," said Ihsan Al Shameri, head of the Political Thought Centre in Baghdad. "Iraq wants to 'return to the Arab fold' and the window to the Arab world is Saudi Arabia."

Border crossings were reopened between the two nations on Thursday.
Bookmakers Paddy Power has cut its odds on US President Donald Trump to resign to evens after a controversial week for the former reality television star.

Trump has come under fire from all sides of the political spectrum after failing to condemn white supremacist groups in the aftermath of an attack in Charlottesville, Virginia.

On Monday, Trump gave a reluctant reprobation of those involved in the violence, before reverting to type later in the week, equating the far right groups' actions with those of the protesters in the incident.

After receiving a significant amount of money at odds of 6/4, the Irish bookie was forced to drop to even money on Trump calling it a day before the end of his term. That represents the shortest price on offer since his inauguration in January.

Trumps troubles were exacerbated this week by revelations from former autobiographer Tony Schwartz, who claimed his former client would resign in a matter of months in an effort to save himself from impeachment.

"Tony Schwartz spent 18 months with Trump when helping ghost-write his memoir and while that must have been totally unbearable  it also means he knows The Donald pretty well," the bookmaker said.

"After an awful week for the President that has seen other issues like North Korea pushed into the shadows its no surprise punters are latching onto the fact Trump might call it a day."
Another business council in the White House has been scrapped just days after last weeks Charlottesville violence, following widespread criticism of Donald Trumps response to the incident.

The presidential advisory council on infrastructure is the latest panel to be thrown on the scrapheap, after the manufacturing and the strategy and policy forums were stood down following a raft of resignations.

Several CEOs who formed part of the various councils stepped away from their roles after several comments from Trump which placed the white supremacist groups involved in the disturbances in the same category as those protesting their demonstrations.

A 32-year-old woman was killed when a car ploughed its way through a group of protesters last Saturday in the Virginia town, sparking a wave of condemnation of the neo-Nazi groups.

The White House confirmed on Thursday that the infrastructure council would be stood down.

"The President has announced the end of the manufacturing council and the strategy and policy forum. In addition, the presidents advisory council on infrastructure, which was still being formed, will not move forward," a statement said.

The forum was only formally established in July, but New York property developers Richard LeFrak and Steven Roth had reportedly been earmarked to lead the panel since before Trumps inauguration.
Stocks are set for a lower open following steep losses overnight on Wall Street that saw the Dow Industrials register its biggest drop in three months and the S&P 500 its largest decline in more than a month.

Fanning the selling, according to traders, were the increased political uncertainty in the US together with the impact of the Barcelona killings the day before that claimed the lives of 13 people and at least 100 injured following an attack by terrorists linked to Daesh.

Five suspected terrorists were shot dead in response.

Against that backdrop, the Footsie was being called to start the session 40 points lower at 7,347, with travel stocks likely to come under selling pressure.

Commenting on the increasingly divisive political backdrop on Capitol Hill, Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK said: "With support peeling away from all sides' investors appear to be coming to the conclusion that the US President is likely to find it even more difficult to achieve anything close to what was expected than was the case at the beginning of this year.

"This of course then begs the question as to whether he'll be able to achieve anything at all, at a time when the political cost of continuing to support him rises with each passing day and each tweet storm."

Stoking the selling in US stocks were rumours that Gary Cohn, the chief economic adviser to the White House, might resign.

No significant data releases are scheduled in the UK at the end of the week.

In the States, the University of Michigan's preliminary reading on consumer confidence for the month of August is expected a 1500 BST.

Drug-maker gets green light for cancer treatment from US FDA

AstraZeneca and Merck have been given approval by the US drug administrator to sell their Lynparza ovarian cancer drug in a new tablet form and to a wider range of cancer sufferers. The US Food and Drug Administration granted approval for the drug, which is a PARP inhibitor, meaning it stops the actions of the poly ADP-ribose polymerase protein that helps damaged cells to repair themselves.

Reckitt Benckiser said on Friday it had completed the $4.2bn sale of its food business, including the French's, Frank's RedHot and Cattlemen's brands, to McCormick & Company. RB said it would use the net proceeds to cut debt.
AppScatter Group , a mobile app distribution and management platform, is drumming up institutional investor support for a flotation on London's AIM market in early September.

The group, which earlier in the summer appointed City small cap guru Clive Carter as chairman and in May hired an experience AIM finance director in the shape of Manish Kotecha, is being advised by Smith & Williamson as nominated adviser and joint-broker with Stifel Nicolaus.

Led by chief executive Philip Marcella, who has AIM experience as CEO of software firm RMR, appScatter has built a platform allows its businesses to pay to distribute their apps to, and manage their apps on, multiple app stores.

The appScatter platform, which has yet to launch publicly, allows app developers and publishers management, analytics and compliance of their own and competing apps across all of the app stores on the platform, offering access to huge markets such as China rather than just Apples App Store and Google Play as most app firms currently do.

There were more than 8,000 businesses and individuals that had registered interest on the platform by the end of July, the London-based company claimed.

Following admission, appScatter intends to launch the public version of the platform, at which point the platform will be available to all app developers and publishers worldwide.

The platform operates a 'freemium' software-as-a-service model where registered users can choose to become paying customers for a monthly subscription based on the number of users and apps under management.

"In the future, appScatter expects to derive additional revenues through the cross-sale of application programming interfaces that integrate the platform with best of breed workflow tools," the company said in a London Stock Exchange statement announcing the forthcoming initial public offer.

The company, of which Marcella owns a third of the shares, raised 5m in a private funding round last year, with individuals who backed the issue including Deutsche Banks chief financial officer Marcus Schenck and Giuseppe Vita, the chairman of Italy's UniCredit.

How much cash the company is looking to raise was not confirmed at the time of publication.
IEA calls for unilateral deals with US, Canada, Australia

Leaving the European Union without a trade deal in place would not be a disaster for the British economy, a right-wing think tank claimed on Friday.

In a report, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) said Britain should instead focus on unilateral free trade with major partners such as the US, Canada and Australia.

This would bring us significant benefits including lower prices for consumers, increased productivity and higher wages by eliminating all barriers to imports, the IEA said.

The IEA's position was countered in a separate report by fellow thinktank, the Institute for Government (IG), which said no deal would place the UK in a worse place than any other major trading partner and will maximise disruption.

It said this was evidenced by the fact that no major country trades with the EU on World Trade Organisation terms.

The government on Tuesday published a position paper outlining its proposals for frictionless trade once it had left the EU in March 2019  a claim that was derided as fantasy by the EU parliament's Brexit representative Guy Verhofstadt.

The IG said a more ambitious trade deal that recognised the starting point of convergence and covered the breadth of UK sectors would be much more difficult to negotiate but could deliver a significant reduction in disruption.

However, it added that there were big question marks over its negotiability both within the Article 50 window (the two year period to negotiate Brexit) and in general.

In the longer run, if the UK sticks to its existing red lines and the EU makes it clear that it is not prepared to grant the benefits of the single market without the obligations, a deal like this becomes less viable, the IG said.

The EU has insisted that membership of the single market can only be retained if the principles of free movement of people, goods and services are adhered to. Britain largely voted to leave the bloc over immigration concerns.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth countries said the UK government should give their citizens the same rights as Europeans to come and live in Britain after Brexit.

Julie Bishop, the Australian foreign minister, reportedly told The Times that her colleagues would be concerned if Britain imposed more restrictive conditions for Australian workers than for those from the European Union.

The paper cited an unnamed Australian government source as saying the countrys concerns were shared by New Zealand and Canada and suggested that the issue would be brought up in any trade talks.
The UK competition regulator has approved the sale of a swathe of Punch Taverns ' pubs to Heineken as long as the Dutch brewer sells

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had expressed concern that the purchase could reduce competition in 33 local areas across Britain.

Before the merger was referred for a deeper probe, Heineken was given the opportunity to propose ways of address this concern.

As a result, the Amsterdam-headquartered company has offered to sell pubs in each of the affected areas to preserve competition and ensure customers in these locations do not lose out.

"The CMA is satisfied that its concerns have been addressed and has therefore decided that the merger will not be referred for an in-depth phase 2 investigation."
EU migrants will be barred from claiming in-work benefits unless they have been employed for at least four years after Brexit under plans to revive a pledge by David Cameron. Ministers are understood to be examining plans to bar migrants who arrive in the UK after March 2019 from claiming in-work benefits unless they have worked in the UK and "contributed" for four years. - The Telegraph

Commonwealth countries have said that the government should give their citizens the same rights as Europeans to come and live in Britain after Brexit. Julie Bishop, the Australian foreign minister, has told The Times that her colleagues would be disappointed and concerned if Britain imposed more restrictive conditions for Australian workers than for those from the European Union, with one Australian government source saying the countrys concerns were shared by New Zealand and Canada and suggested that the issue would be brought up in any trade talks. - The Times

Leaving the European Union without a deal in place would not spell disaster for the UK economy, according to a free market thinktank advocating trade with the rest of the world over a hamstrung deal with Brussels. Despite repeated warnings that leaving without an agreement would hurt British companies and consumers, the report from the Institute of Economic Affairs, published on Friday, says the UK could remove all import barriers to achieve lower prices for consumers, increased productivity and higher wages. - Guardian

Encouraging more foreign businesses to set up in the UK may help to solve the countrys chronic productivity problem, analysis by the Bank of England has suggested. Work by two central bank economists published on the Bank Underground blog showed that foreign-owned companies are at least 50 per cent more productive than their British-owned counterparts and the gulf is widening. - The Times

A third White House panel of business leaders is to be scrapped amid the controversy over Donald Trumps response to neo-Nazi violence in Virginia. Trumps presidential advisory council on infrastructure will disband along with the two panels that Trump rushed to dissolve on Wednesday when faced with mass resignations of chief executives from some of Americas biggest companies. - Guardian

Air Berlin chief executive Thomas Winkelmann said that the airline was in talks with three competitors and hoped to secure an agreement by the end of September. As well as Lufthansa, the countrys biggest carrier, German media have speculated that Easyjet and Condor, a Thomas Cook subsidiary, are interested in buying some of the assets. - The Times

Cuadrilla has begun drilling at the Lancashire site where it will carry out Britains first fracking in six years. The shale gas explorer said that it had started work on the first well at its Preston New Road site on Thursday, almost three years after it originally hoped to do so. It intends to drill two wells and to frack them at the end of this year. - The Times

Britains factories benefited from a surge in sales to the EU in the first half of this year as export growth outstripped import growth. The UK still imports far more than it exports leaving the country with a goods deficit amounting to 53bn (48bn) for the six months to June in its trade with the EU, but that is down from 57.8bn in the same period of 2016. - The Telegraph

Soaring demand for British craft beers in South Korea helped UK food and drink exports top 10bn in the first six months of 2017, the best first half figures ever. Ireland, France and the US are the top three destinations for British food and drink, but the east Asian country was the fastest growing with export revenues up 77% as beer sales jumped more than 420% year-on-year to 59.3m, according to the Food & Drink Federation industry body. - Guardian

The new Australian owner of the Homebase DIY business has reported a pre-tax loss of 54 million in its first full year of ownership. In a sign of how tough trading is in the DIY sector and on the high street, Bunnings said that its UK business had been hit by 19 million in one-off transition and restructuring costs as well as significant disruption to its trading as it sought to reposition the Homebase business. - The Times

Mapping agency Ordnance Survey is reeling in record revenues with businesses and authorities turning to its pinpoint-accurate data. The Government-owned firm reported revenue of 152.8million during the latest financial year, up 4 per cent on the previous year and above 150million for the first time ever, although profits of 42.5million fell from 46.9million. - Mail

Ericsson is understood to be seeking sweeping job cuts outside its native Sweden that may affect its 3,500-strong workforce in the UK. The troubled telecoms equipment maker, which reported a second-quarter operating loss last month of SKr1.2 billion (115 million) as it continues to grapple with competition from Chinas Huawei and Finlands Nokia and falling spending by telecoms operators, confirmed yesterday that it was accelerating a programme of costcutting and refused to rule out job losses in the UK. - The Times

Supermarkets, restaurants and takeaways will be asked to shrink thousands of products or find other ways to cut their calorie content as part of a Government crackdown on junk foods. Pizzas, ready meals, crisps and burgers are being targeted by health officials in a national plan to combat obesity. - Telegraph

Teenagers are deserting English and history at A level in droves and embracing science in all its forms. Entries for English language fell by 10.2 per cent and history by 8.1 per cent. Mathematics, chemistry and physics, with their promise of well-paid jobs, are soaring in popularity, with maths by far the most popular A-level subject. Some 33 per cent of all entries this year were in so-called Stem subjects: science, technology, engineering and maths. A decade ago, the proportion was 24.8 per cent. - The Times

Hyundai has unveiled plans to move deeper into the fast-growing electric car market with a vehicle that can travel more than 300 miles on each charge, as the race to capture the low-emission market intensifies. The Korean carmaker, the worlds fifth largest, said it aimed to produce the vehicle after 2021. - The Times
In less than one week, Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke will submit his final recommendations to President Trump on whether 27 national monuments around the country should be downsized, eliminated, transferred to state control or left alone.

But as Aaron Weiss, the media director of the conservation group Center for Western Priorities, pointed out: Rather than spending his final week hearing from local communities who have worked tirelessly to protect their natural and cultural heritage as national monuments, Secretary Zinke is on vacation in the Mediterranean. His wife, Lola Zinke, tweeted a picture early this morning of herself and Secretary Zinke enjoying a sunrise on the Bosphorus Strait.

Center for Western Priorities deputy director Greg Zimmerman had similar criticisms.

Our national monuments are full of beautiful places to take a summer trip. Secretary Zinke promised a rigorous analysis of national monuments, but what the American public got was a sham review and a foreign vacation, Zimmerman said.

If he bothered to listen, Secretary Zinke would have found that national monuments are cornerstones of Western economies, that they protect exceptional and unique lands, and, most of all, that virtually no Americans support eliminating national monuments. I worry, instead, hes moving to permanently shut down national monuments.

Under Trumps April executive order, the former Montana congressman was given 120 days determine if previous presidential administrations exceeded their authority in 27 monument designations.

According to Weiss, Zinke promised that he would listen to and engage with local communities and national monument stakeholders before permanently closing any national monuments.

However, the secretary has only stepped foot and met with stakeholders in eight of the sites and is not expected to make other visits before the Aug. 24 deadline, Weiss noted.

More than 2.7 million people flooded the government comment website saying they want the countrys iconic natural and cultural landmarks to remain protected.

Public lands advocates and environmentalists worry that Zinkes final recommendations could open up national monuments for private development. Greenpeace reported in July that public records highlight that Zinkes personal schedule includes several meetings with oil and gas companies and lobbying firms including BP America, Chevron, ExxonMobil, American Petroleum Institute, Western Energy Alliance and Continental Resources.

On Thursday, a dozen protestors gathered at the U.S. Forest Service office in downtown Missoula to protest the secretary as well as the president. According to the Missoulian, they held signs that said, Zinke is Stinke and Zinke Public Lands Enemy #1.

Derek Ketner, one of the demonstrators, told the publication that it was embarrassing that Zinke had not visited all of the monuments under review.

Its very important and we want our views to be heard, Ketner said. Were hoping that he will finally start listening to us.
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
In low-and middle-income countries, it is common for babies to be born of low birth weight, due to either inadequate growth in utero (fetal growth restriction) and/or preterm birth, (birth before 37 weeks gestation). Maternal undernutrition, infections, poor access to health care and environmental exposures during pregnancy are risk factors for both of these conditions. Babies born too small or too soon are at a high risk of mortality, stunted growth, developmental delay, and chronic disease.

In results published online in BMJ on August 17, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG), a global collaboration of over 40 investigators, used the first international, multiethnic birth weight standard, known as the INTERGROWTH-21st, to describe the global burden of suboptimal fetal growth, also referred to as "small for gestational age." The researchers estimated that in 2012, 23.3 million infants, or almost 20 percent of live births, were born small for gestational age in low and middle income countries. Among these, 1.5 million babies were both premature and small for gestational age, and at substantially higher risk for adverse outcomes. They also estimated that 606,500 newborn deaths, or 22 percent, were attributable to being small for gestational age. The highest burden was in South Asia, where one in three infants is born small for gestational age and 26 percent of newborn deaths are attributable to being small for gestational age.

"By reducing the percentage of babies born small for gestational age to 10 percent in low and middle income countries (a level that we would expect in a multi-ethnic population of optimal pregnancy nutrition and health), we could prevent approximately 250,000 newborn deaths annually," said lead author, Anne CC Lee, MD, MPH, pediatrician in the Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine at BWH. "The prevention of fetal growth restriction is complex and requires better understanding of the causes within different populations. However, several feasible and evidence based interventions can be provided, even now, in low-resource settings, to improve the survival and outcomes of these vulnerable infants, including continuous skin to skin contact for very low birth weight babies, breast feeding support for parents, management of newborn infections and newborn resuscitation."

According to Lee, implementing these proven interventions are key priorities to reduce newborn mortality in low and middle income countries.

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This study was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (810-2054) by a grant to the US Fund for UNICEF to support the activities of the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group.

Paper cited: Lee Anne CC, et al for the CHERG Small-for-Gestational Age-Preterm Birth Working Group "Estimates of burden and consequences of infants born small for gestational age in low and middle income countries with INTERGROWTH-21st standard: analysis of CHERG datasets" BMJ DOI: 10.1136/bmj.j3677
Eggs are used to produce a large number of foods. The proportion varies among the different foods. Generally, a dilution of the fipronil concentration can be assumed for foods produced with the addition of eggs.

The BfR does not yet have any measured values for foods containing eggs. For this reason, a model calculation was made for various exposure scenarios and foods in order to draw conclusions on the maximum tolerable daily consumption of foods containing eggs at which no acute health risk is expected.

Background

Agricultural products are often not eaten raw but processed before consumption. Because of the dilution that occurs during the production process, it can generally be assumed that the fipronil levels in foods containing eggs are lower than in fresh eggs. Against this background, a model was calculated for fipronil to determine the maximum tolerable daily consumption level for children and adults at which no acute health risks are to be expected. As the BfR does not yet have any measured values for foods containing eggs, a model calculation was made for three food groups, each of which includes typical foods with moderate and high proportions of eggs. The following fipronil levels in eggs were used as the basis here:

The highest concentration of fipronil per kg whole egg (worst case) reported to the BfR to date of 1.2 mg measured in Belgium. A fipronil concentration of 0.72 mg per kg eggs calculated by the BfR at which the ARfD is not exceeded for any of the observed consumer groups, including children. The highest concentration of fipronil in eggs reported to the BfR to date from Germany of 0.45 mg per kg eggs.

Data basis

The calculation of the maximum tolerable daily consumption levels for children and adults of selected typical foods with a moderate and high egg content is based on a 100 % utilisation of the acute reference dose (ARfD) for fipronil of 0.009 mg per kg body weight (bw) which was derived in the course of the EU procedure for the approval of active substances contained in plant protection products. Depending on whether the egg content of the foods is moderate or high, theoretical portion sizes result with which no acute health risk is to be expected for any of the examined consumer groups because the ARfD is not exceeded. The basis for calculating the proportions of eggs in the consumed foods was provided by the German Food Code (BLS Version II.4) prepared by the Max Rubner Institute, as well as researched recipes (Hartmann et al. 2006).

Results

Maximum tolerable daily consumption was calculated for the given fipronil levels in eggs (Table 1). Typical foods with moderate and high proportions of eggs were observed here in three food groups. It has to be taken into account that the maximum tolerable daily consumption may not be regarded as the equivalent of the actual quantities consumed by the German population.

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References

Hartmann BM, Bell S, Vasquez-Caicedo AL, Gotz A, Brombach C (2006): Der Bundeslebensmittelschlussel - Aktuelle Entwicklungen, Potenzial und Perspektiven. Ernahrungs-Umschau 53, Heft 4: 124-129.
(Vienna, August 17, 2017) Every gene in (almost) every cell of the body is present in two variants - so called alleles: one is deriving from the mother, the other one from the father. In most cases both alleles are active and transcribed by the cells into an RNA message. However, for a few genes, only one allele is expressed, while the other one is silenced. The decision whether the maternal or the paternal version is shut down occurs early in embryonic development - one reason, why for long it was thought that the pattern of active alleles is nearly homogeneous in the various tissues of the organism.

The new study (DOI:10.7554/eLife.25125), where CeMM PhD Student Daniel Andergassen is first author (now a PostDoc at Harvard University), uncovers a different picture. By performing the first comprehensive analysis of all active alleles in 23 different tissues and developmental stages of mice, the team of scientists revealed that each tissue showed a specific distribution of active alleles.

For their experiments, the researchers created hybrids of two genetically distinct mouse strains with a fully sequenced genome, allowing gene variants to be clearly assigned to the maternal or paternal allele. To facilitate the analysis, the team developed a user-friendly program called Allelome.PRO, that can easily be applied to similar datasets in mice and other species, a valuable tool for the community to investigate regulation of allele activity. By using this tool to analyze their data the scientists were able to catalogue active alleles in a comprehensive set of mouse tissues, or the mouse "Allelome", and gain an insight into how this differential gene activity is regulated.

The scientists found that both genetic and epigenetic differences between the maternal and paternal allele contributed to the observed tissue-specific activity patterns. "Our results indicate that a large part of those patterns are induced by so-called 'enhancers'", co-senior author Quanah Hudson, now at IMBA (Institute for molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences) explains. "Enhancers are DNA regions that are often located at quite some distance from the observed allele, but nevertheless have a direct influence on their activity".

"This study reveals for the first time a comprehensive picture of all active alleles in different tissues - we have uncovered the first complete allelome" Florian Pauler, now at ISTA (Institute of Science and Technology Austria) and co-senior author, adds. "This is not only valuable to understand basic biological functions, but will also help investigating diseases that involve defective gene regulators."

Some of the genes that contributed to the tissue-specific activity patterns were located on the X chromosome and escaped so-called "X-chromosome inactivation", where one of the two X chromosomes in females gets shut down. Previously it was reported that around 3% of X-chromosomal genes in mice and 15% in humans escape inactivation. However, this study revealed that mice are more similar to humans than previously thought, with an average of around 10% of active genes escaping X-inactivation per tissue. By examining a broad range of organs the researchers showed that the number of escapers varies dramatically between tissues. Most strikingly, muscle showed a surprisingly high rate of escapers, with over 50% of active genes escaping X chromosome activation, a result that may be relevant to some diseases of the muscle.

Finally, the allelome offers a near complete picture of "genomic imprinting", the process that leads to epigenetic silencing of either the maternal or paternal allele that is initiated by an epigenetic mark placed in either the egg or sperm. Previously, it was reported that approximately 100 genes can be subject to imprinted silencing - but in many cases, the tissue specificity was not known. This study led to the discovery of 18 new imprinted genes, validated some known genes and resolved the disputed status of some others to provide a gold standard list of 93 imprinted genes in mouse. The scientists found that those new genes were located near to other imprinted genes, indicating that they were co--regulated. Interestingly, this study demonstrated that Igfr2, the first imprinted gene discovered by Denise Barlow in 1991, is surrounding by a large cluster of imprinted genes that extend over 10% of the chromosome, making it the largest co-regulated domain in the genome outside of the X chromosome. Fittingly, after her lab found the first imprinted gene, and discovered the first imprinted non-coding RNA shown to control imprinted silencing. Giulio Superti-Furga congratulates Denise Barlow who recently went into retirement to her great scientific achievements and for revealing the full picture of imprinted genes in the mouse.

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The study "Mapping the mouse Allelome reveals tissue-specific regulation of allelic expression" was published in eLife on August 14, 2017. DOI: DOI:10.7554/eLife.25125

Authors: Daniel Andergassen, Christoph P Dotter, Daniel Wenzel, Verena Sigl, Philipp C Bammer, Markus Muckenhuber, Daniela Mayer, Tomasz M Kulinski, Hans-Christian Theussl, Josef M Penninger, Christoph Bock, Denise P Barlow, Florian M Pauler, Quanah J Hudson.

The study was funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF.

Denise Barlow joined CeMM in 2003 and is an Honorary Professor at the University of Vienna. She was initially trained as a State Registered Nurse in the UK and afterwards completed her undergraduate studies at Reading University (UK) and did a Ph.D. on the interferon system in early mouse development at Warwick University (UK). Postdoctoral work studying mouse embryonic development followed at ICRF (London, UK) with Dr. Brigid Hogan, and on genome biology at EMBL (Heidelberg, D) with Dr. Hans Lehrach. She has also held group leader positions at the IMP (Vienna, A) and the NKI (Amsterdam, NL). On returning to Austria in 2000, Denise was appointed Head of the Dept. of Developmental Genetics at the Austrian Academy IMB Institute (Salzburg, A), and then returned to Vienna in 2003 as a Principal Investigator with CeMM. One of the Barlow lab's major achievements was the discovery in 1991 of the first imprinted gene in mammals to show parental-specific gene expression. Her group's subsequent identification that epigenetic silencing of this imprinted gene is induced by expression of an unusual long non-coding (lnc) RNA has led them to investigate how lncRNAs act throughout the mouse and human genome as regulators of gene expression in development and disease. The lab uses the model of genomic imprinting to dissect how lncRNAs epigenetically silence genes, and together with high throughput sequencing technology is extending these results into the mouse and human genome with the goal of understanding how lncRNAs play a role in human diseases such as cancer. Denise Barlow retired in 2015 and closed her lab. Denise Barlow is a recipient of numerous awards and honours including the Erwin Schrodinger Award, the EMBL Alumni Association Austrian Chapter Achievement Award Medal and a honorary professorship of genetics at University of Vienna. She has been an EMBO member since 1995.

The mission of CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences is to achieve maximum scientific innovation in molecular medicine to improve healthcare. At CeMM, an international and creative team of scientists and medical doctors pursues free-minded basic life science research in a large and vibrant hospital environment of outstanding medical tradition and practice. CeMM's research is based on post-genomic technologies and focuses on societally important diseases, such as immune disorders and infections, cancer and metabolic disorders. CeMM operates in a unique mode of super-cooperation, connecting biology with medicine, experiments with computation, discovery with translation, and science with society and the arts. The goal of CeMM is to pioneer the science that nurtures the precise, personalized, predictive and preventive medicine of the future. CeMM trains a modern blend of biomedical scientists and is located at the campus of the General Hospital and the Medical University of Vienna.

http://www.cemm.at

For further information please contact

Mag. Wolfgang Dauble

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Brazilian free-tailed bats are expert flyers, capable of migrating hundreds of miles and regularly traveling more than 30 miles a night. But they pull up short at a narrow ocean channel that cuts across the Bahamas, dividing bat populations that last shared an ancestor hundreds of thousands of years ago.

A new study published in Ecology and Evolution uncovers a dramatic and unexpected genetic rift between populations of Tadarida brasiliensis on either side of the Northwest and Northeast Providence Channels, about 35 miles across at their most narrow point.

Genetic analysis of the populations suggests that bats from Florida colonized the northern Bahamian islands while bats from other parts of the Caribbean likely colonized the southern Bahamas. Why the bats balk at crossing a channel so narrow they can likely see land on the other side while in flight remains a mystery, said Kelly Speer, the study's lead author who completed the research while a master's student at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

"Based on their mainland population behavior, we know they're able to disperse much farther than the distances between islands in the Caribbean," said Speer, now a doctoral student at the American Museum of Natural History. "It doesn't seem like distance is the factor, and there's no association with wind direction. We don't have any idea why they don't cross this channel."

Because they can fly, bats are good models for studying mammal movement in fragmented habitats, Speer said. The ability to disperse, or spread genes by moving to other areas, plays a key role in the evolution of animal populations, and a barrier to bats' dispersal is likely a barrier to less mobile animals.

"Many mammals undertake long migrations, but bats are unique in their ability to cross ocean channels," she said. "You'd expect there to be no barriers to the dispersal, but that's not the case. There are lots of barriers, many of which we wouldn't expect."

One of the most abundant mammals in North America, Brazilian free-tailed bats -- also known as Mexican free-tailed bats -- inhabit a range that stretches from Argentina to Oregon. But despite being so common, the species has been understudied, said study co-author David Reed, Florida Museum curator of mammals and associate director of research and collections.

When the University of Florida Bat House's internal structure collapsed in 2009 Reed and Speer suddenly had dozens of free-tailed bat specimens at hand and saw an opportunity to take a closer look at how the species disperses. They sampled and compared the genetics of free-tailed bats from Florida and the Bahamas, thinking the DNA would bear out their hypothesis: With long, narrow-tipped wings, well suited for swift flight in open spaces and at high altitudes, the bats would have had no trouble spreading throughout the Bahamas.

Wing shape and flight patterns had proven reliable predictors of bat dispersal in the Caribbean before. Most previous studies focused on a different family of bats, Phyllostomidae, or leaf-nosed bats. If Brazilian free-tailed bats are like jets, built for distance and speed, leaf-nosed bats are like helicopters. They have shorter, wider wings, better adapted for slow flight and easy maneuvering in cluttered environments. Studies showed that leaf-nosed bats are homebodies, sticking to their respective islands, presumably a result of the bats' wing shape.

Reed and Speer expected Brazilian free-tailed bats would instead freewheel between the islands. When they sequenced a bat from one of the southern islands, however, its genetics were so different from bats on the northern islands that they thought they had tested the wrong bat. But further sampling gradually revealed a clear divide between populations on either side of the channel.

The bats are so genetically distinct from one another that the populations on the southern islands may be a different species, Speer said. "We need to do more work to confirm that, but we think the population on the southern islands might belong to a broader Caribbean species of free-tailed bat that has never been described," she said. "The nice thing about science is that when you make a hypothesis and your data tell you it's wrong, you still find something we didn't know before."

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Scientists headed by Ferran Azorin, CSIC research professor and head of the Chromatin Structure and Function group at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), have discovered why histone 1 is a major protection factor against genomic instability and a vital protein for the organism. Devoted to the function of histone 1, the least known of the five histones, the study has been published today in the journal Nature Communications.

"Although histone 1 is key component of chromatin -the form in which DNA is packaged inside the cell nucleus through the action of histones -, there are still many questions open regarding this molecule," says Ferran Azorin. "Regarding the other histones, which are major proteins in the regulation of gene expression, we know which enzymes modify them, their functions, and how they are regulated... But for some reason, the functions of histone 1 have not been addressed," he adds.

Lethal lesions

The study explains for the first time that the suppression of histone 1 causes cell damage and genomic instability (DNA damage). The deregulation of a commonly suppressed region of chromatin, called heterochromatin, leads to defects in information transcription, which in turn gives rise to the accumulation of DNA and RNA hybrids, the so-called R-loops, which are lethal.

"The deregulation of heterochromatin has disastrous consequences," explains Jordi Bernues, associate researcher in Azorin's group and coleader of the study. Furthermore, the team also observed that, in the presence of histone 1, these problems did not arise in spite of heterochromatin expression. "Histone 1 not only serves as a repressor but also actively contributes to the removal of R-loops". However, the researchers do not know how this function comes about. "The mechanism is what we want to study, how histone 1 prevents the mechanism from causing damage," explains IRB Barcelona PhD student ??Anna Casas-Lamesa, co-first author of the article together with Aleix Bayona-Feliu.

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been crucial in unravelling this function. First, only one variant of this histone is present in the fly--while in humans there are up to seven--so the research is simplified. Second, the fly allows scientists to remove a protein from a specific place and at a specific time. They removed histone 1 from the precursor structure of wings. They observed that the fly was born alive but without wings; so the removal of this molecule caused the death of all cell precursors of this tissue (if histone 1 is removed from the entire fly, the embryo dies).

A statistical analysis of gene expression allowed the scientists to reject a long-standing hypothesis, namely that histone 1 is a global repressor of expression. "The effect of removing histone 1 on gene expression is very weak," says Bernues. Its expression alters that of "only" 5% of genes. "It is not a transcriptional regulator," confirms Azorin.

Heterochromatin contains genetic information that is not translated for proteins but that comprises repetitive sequences that the cell silences and that is tightly regulated. "Both R-loops and the information held in heterochromatin have natural functions but when they are deregulated they are lethal. "We have now been able to associate genomic instability with the uncontrolled formation of R-loops caused by the lack of histone 1 and this is completely new," emphasised Bernues.

Histone 1 and cancer

Preliminary experiments in cultured tumour cells confirm that the genomic instability present in these cells is partly caused by histone 1 deficiency. "But we have to further study the functions of this histone, identify the other proteins with which it is associated, and determine the enzymes that modify it and why and the cell signalling pathways involved," explain the scientists.

In addition to exploring the mechanisms through which histone 1 keeps heterochromatin in check and prevents R-loop formation, Anna Casas-Lamesa is also addressing the involvement of this molecule in cancer. "Our preliminary studies are promising," explains Azorin "but we are still a long way off proposing histone 1 as a target".

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This study has been supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, through ERDFs, and by the Government of Catalonia.

Reference article:

Aleix Bayona-Feliu, Anna Casas-Lamesa, Oscar Reina, Jordi Bernues and Fernando Azorin

Linker histone H1 prevents R-loop accumulation and genome instability in heterochromatin

Nature Communications (2017) doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-00338-5

About IRB Barcelona

Created in 2005 by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia) and University of Barcelona, IRB Barcelona is a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, a seal that was awarded in 2011. The institute is devoted to conducting research of excellence in biomedicine and to transferring results to clinical practice, thus improving people's quality of life, while simultaneously promoting the training of outstanding researchers, technology transfer, and public communication of science. Its 25 laboratories and seven core facilities address basic questions in biology and are orientated to diseases such as cancer, metastasis, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and rare conditions. IRB Barcelona is an international centre that hosts 400 employees and 32 nationalities. It is located in the Barcelona Science Park. IRB Barcelona forms part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and the "Xarxa de Centres de Recerca de Catalunya" (CERCA).
With over 500 million tweets sent every single day, new research from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) is investigating innovative ways to use that data to help communities respond during unexpected catastrophes.

While local governments and relief organizations can measure a community's ability to respond to a disaster or measuring its impacts after, they've never been able to monitor the effects in real time.

IST researchers believe the answer may be found on social media. Their case study, "Embracing human noise as a resilience indicator" published in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure, demonstrates the ability of social media to alert first responders. The researchers compared tweets sent out during Hurricane Sandy, one of the deadliest hurricanes to ever hit the United States, and the corresponding power outage information provided after the incident by utility companies in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. By comparing the information drawn from the power grid and the human chatter from over 10 million relevant posts on Twitter, the team was able to create a system for event detection.

Then, by isolating tweets with the terms "power," "outage," "electri," and "utility," the posts were organized by hour and compared to the outage reports in the same timeframe. The two data sets were found to have a moderate-to-strong correlation, and the team believes it's possible that Twitter was able to report power outages more quickly. Previous academic research in the domain has primarily been before and after disastrous events.

"[We were able] to show these two data points actually relate to one another," explained Nick Lalone, doctoral student and the principal investigator of the study. "The goal [of this research] is to demonstrate that if the data stream changes, you can see what just happened. It would result in a real-time monitoring system."

Lalone is particularly interested in aiding first responders because his father and brother were both a firefighters and paramedics.

"I've always been around this," he said. "It's something that has always fascinated me, and when I got to IST [Andrea Tapia, assistant professor of IST] had two different grants to study crisis response. That's how I got started."

"We can count how many beds are in a hospital, or how many people can be injured," added Lalone. "But we know people are producing all of this noise and we know it can be useful. But we've never been able to correlate or demonstrate it in real-time."

Their efforts mirror a broader attempt by government officials to promote resiliency - a concept that has shifted in meaning after the events of 9/11.

"For a long time, [the United States] had this mentality of defense; we needed to be ready if we were invaded or for a nuclear war," Lalone said. "But when 9/11 came, we reorganized our resources around resiliency. So instead of responding to an attack, we're being prepared for it."

Lalone is hopeful that one day tools like theirs can be used on a larger scale to aid disaster recovery.

"The future is that we hope someone with ties to Homeland Security or the Red Cross will be able to put together this data when something happens and incorporate it into their official response," he said.

For example, during another hurricane, officials could use this tool to deploy their resources without waiting on official reports from utility companies. However, the team understands that there are additional challenges before the tool can be adopted. As social media information is controlled by private entities like Twitter and Facebook, issues of user privacy could arise if these companies allowed government officials an all-access pass to their data.

In addition, examining social media networks can potentially exclude those who don't use Twitter or even by using wording in their tweets that wasn't flagged in the tool's parameters. As the paper noted, "This becomes one of the most important barriers to engage, as every possible stakeholder of a given area should be given a voice."

But this study represents a crucial step in harnessing the power of social media to support communities when they need it most.

"This is why IST exists," Lalone said. "We take computer science and what the rest of the world is doing and get them to work together. We want to consolidate this data and make it useful for everyone."

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In addition to Lalone and Tapia, this research was conducted by IST Ph.D. student Shane Halse, Christopher Zobel from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and Cornelia Caraega and Venkata Kishore Neppalli from the University of North Texas.

Their work was supported by a Critical Resilient Interdependent Infrastructure Systems and Processes (CRIISP) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), which are awarded to study and improve the United States' infrastructures.
A drug that is blocked by the EU regulatory system has now been found to improve the quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

QMUL researchers gained access to previously unpublished clinical trial data through a Freedom of Information request to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The European Commission is currently deciding whether to reverse its decision and grant a license for the oral preparation of the drug 'cladribine'.

MS is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system affecting more than 100,000 people in the UK and 2.5 million people globally, and leads to disability and significant loss of quality of life. Relapsing MS is the most common form of MS, involving attacks of symptoms which may then fade away.

Injectable versions of cladribine are currently licensed as a treatment for a type of cancer, however, the largest ever trial of the drug in people with relapsing MS (the CLARITY trial), involving 1,326 patients, also found that it was highly effective in controlling relapses, the progression of disability and lesions in the brain.

For a number of reasons, including a perceived increase in cancer risk (later shown by QMUL research to be an anomaly), the EMA rejected licence applications from the drug manufacturer, prompting a halt in commercial development of the drug in 2011. This was followed by the withdrawal of the drug from markets where it had been licensed (Russia and Australia) and ongoing trials were terminated.

Lead researcher Dr Klaus Schmierer, Reader in Clinical Neurology at QMUL and Consultant Neurologist at Barts Health NHS Trust said: "Cladribine seemed to have such excellent potential as a treatment for MS that we thought it was tragic the development programme was shelved, and significant parts of the clinical trial data remained unpublished.

"In addition to the drug being highly effective, well tolerated, and safe as far as short term studies can show, we now know it also improves patients' quality of life. The new results seemed so clear, we felt it was extremely important to publish and share these data."

The new analysis, published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal, looked at quality of life data from the patients in the CLARITY trial, which was reported using a self-completed questionnaire, addressing the patient's mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety.

After nearly two years, patients taking cladribine reported significantly improved quality of life scores compared with those on placebo. This suggests that, over and above its established clinical efficacy, cladribine leads to improved quality of life.

The benefits for people with relapsing MS were particularly significant for self-care, and a positive effect on mobility was detected which may be related to the clinical efficacy of cladribine in reducing relapses and delaying progression.

In addition, cladribine use does not appear to be associated with severe adverse effects, unlike other highly effective MS treatments that may lead to opportunistic infections and secondary autoimmune diseases.

In June 2017, following QMUL's evidence that cladribine use did not lead to an increased risk of cancer, the EMA updated their view and adopted a positive opinion on the licensing of oral cladribine (Mavenclad) for the treatment of highly active relapsing MS. The European Commission is currently considering the EMA's recommendation and expected to announce its decision shortly.

The study is limited in that only one type of quality of life questionnaire had a sufficient number of responses to enable robust analysis, while limited responses for other quality of life questionnaires made them less straightforward to interpret and provide significant findings.

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For more information, please contact:

Joel Winston

Public Relations Manager - Medicine and Dentistry

Queen Mary University of London

Tel: +44 (0)207 882 7943

Mobile: +44 (0)7970 096 188

j.winston@qmul.ac.uk

Notes to the editor

* Research paper: 'Positive impact of cladribine on quality of life in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis'. Dayo Afolabi, Christo Albor, Lukasz Zalewski, Dan R Altmann, David Baker and Klaus Schmierer. Multiple Sclerosis Journal. doi: 10.1177/1352458517726380

The research article can be found here after embargo lifts: http://doi.org/10.1177/1352458517726380

About Queen Mary University of London

Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) is one of the UK's leading universities, and one of the largest institutions in the University of London, with 21,187 students from more than 155 countries.

A member of the Russell Group, we work across the humanities and social sciences, medicine and dentistry, and science and engineering, with inspirational teaching directly informed by our research. In the most recent national assessment of the quality of research, we were placed ninth in the UK (REF 2014).

As well as our main site at Mile End - which is home to one of the largest self-contained residential campuses in London - we have campuses at Whitechapel, Charterhouse Square, and West Smithfield dedicated to the study of medicine, and a base for legal studies at Lincoln's Inn Fields.

We have a rich history in London with roots in Europe's first public hospital, St Barts; England's first medical school, The London; one of the first colleges to provide higher education to women, Westfield College; and the Victorian philanthropic project, the People's Palace at Mile End.

Today, as well as retaining these close connections to our local community, we are known for our international collaborations in both teaching and research.

QMUL has an annual turnover of 350m, a research income worth 125m (2014/15), and generates employment and output worth 700m to the UK economy each year.
The cholera outbreak in Yemen is overwhelmingly affecting rebel-controlled areas due to Saudi-led airstrikes and blockades, according to a letter by researchers from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), published in The Lancet Global Health.

Their new analysis finds that eight out of ten of Yemen's cholera deaths occur in rebel-controlled areas.

The researchers combined WHO's latest cholera data with data that mapped areas of government and rebel control, and found that the cholera outbreak disproportionately affects areas controlled by Houthi rebels.

They found that 77.7 per cent of cholera cases (339,061 of 436,625) and 80.7 per cent of deaths from cholera (1,545 of 1,915) occurred in Houthi-controlled governorates, compared to 15.4 per cent of cases and 10.4 per cent of deaths in government-controlled governorates.

1.8 per cent of the population in Houthi-controlled areas have contracted cholera, compared to 1.0 per cent in government-controlled areas. 0.46 per cent of those who contracted cholera died in Houthi-controlled areas, compared to 0.30 per cent in government-controlled areas.

Jonathan Kennedy, Andrew Harmer and David McCoy from QMUL write: "Both sides have been accused of disregarding the wellbeing of civilians and breaching international humanitarian law. But the government and Saudi-led coalition that supports it command far greater resources. As a result, Houthi-controlled areas have been disproportionately affected by the conflict, which has created conditions conducive to the spread of cholera.

"Saudi-led airstrikes have destroyed vital infrastructure, including hospitals and public water systems, hit civilian areas, and displaced people into crowded and insanitary conditions. A Saudi-enforced blockade of imports has caused shortages of, among other things, food, medical supplies, fuel and chlorine, and restricted humanitarian access.

"As the Saudi-led coalition has played a key role in the collapse of health, water, and sanitation systems in rebel-controlled areas, it is bizarre that UNICEF recently published a press release welcoming Saudi Arabian 'generosity' after the Kingdom donated US$67 million to the cholera response in Yemen."

Jonathan Kennedy from QMUL added: "Saudi Arabia is an ally of the UK and USA. American and British companies supply Saudi Arabia with huge amounts of military equipment and their armed forces provide logistical support and intelligence. This backing has made the Saudi-led airstrikes and blockade possible, and therefore the UK and USA have played a crucial role in creating conditions conducive to the spread of cholera."

In June 2017, UNICEF and WHO released a statement declaring that Yemen is "facing the worst cholera outbreak in the world". While they acknowledged the outbreak was caused by the civil war that began in 2015, they did not suggest that one party is more responsible than another or that one side is more affected by the outbreak, stating "cholera has spread to almost every governorate".

The new analysis is published as the UN marks World Humanitarian Day, a yearly tribute to aid workers, and aimed to rally support for people affected by crises around the world. Yemen has been described as the biggest humanitarian crisis of our time.

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For more information, please contact:

Joel Winston

Public Relations Manager - Medicine and Dentistry

Queen Mary University of London

Tel: +44 (0)207 882 7943

Mobile: +44 (0)7970 096 188

j.winston@qmul.ac.uk

Notes to the editor

* Cholera is a bacterial infection that is spread by water that contains contaminated faeces. It can be easily prevented where people have access to clean water and sanitation, and it can be easily treated with antibiotics and oral rehydration therapy.

* Letter: 'The political determinants of the cholera outbreak in Yemen'. Jonathan Kennedy, Andrew Harmer and David McCoy. The Lancet Global Health. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30332-7

The article can be found here after embargo lifts: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(17)30332-7/fulltext?elsca1=tlxpr

About Queen Mary University of London

Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) is one of the UK's leading universities, and one of the largest institutions in the University of London, with 21,187 students from more than 155 countries.

A member of the Russell Group, we work across the humanities and social sciences, medicine and dentistry, and science and engineering, with inspirational teaching directly informed by our research. In the most recent national assessment of the quality of research, we were placed ninth in the UK (REF 2014).

As well as our main site at Mile End - which is home to one of the largest self-contained residential campuses in London - we have campuses at Whitechapel, Charterhouse Square, and West Smithfield dedicated to the study of medicine, and a base for legal studies at Lincoln's Inn Fields.

We have a rich history in London with roots in Europe's first public hospital, St Barts; England's first medical school, The London; one of the first colleges to provide higher education to women, Westfield College; and the Victorian philanthropic project, the People's Palace at Mile End.

Today, as well as retaining these close connections to our local community, we are known for our international collaborations in both teaching and research.

QMUL has an annual turnover of 350m, a research income worth 125m (2014/15), and generates employment and output worth 700m to the UK economy each year.
HOUSTON - (Aug. 18, 2017) - Through analysis of volcanic tracks, Rice University geophysicists have concluded that hot spots like those that formed the Hawaiian Islands aren't moving as fast as recently thought.

Hot spots are areas where magma pushes up from deep Earth to form volcanoes. New results from geophysicist Richard Gordon and his team confirm that groups of hot spots around the globe can be used to determine how fast tectonic plates move.

Gordon, lead author Chengzu Wang and co-author Tuo Zhang developed a method to analyze the relative motion of 56 hot spots grouped by tectonic plates. They concluded that the hot-spot groups move slowly enough to be used as a global reference frame for how plates move relative to the deep mantle. This confirmed the method is useful for viewing not only current plate motion but also plate motion in the geologic past.

The study appears in Geophysical Research Letters.

Hot spots offer a window into the depths of Earth, as they mark the tops of mantle plumes that carry hot, buoyant rock from deep Earth to near the surface and produce volcanoes. These mantle plumes were once thought to be straight and stationary, but recent results suggested they can also shift laterally in the convective mantle over geological time.

The primary evidence of plate movement relative to the deep mantle comes from volcanic activity that forms mountains on land, islands in the ocean or seamounts, mountain-like features on the ocean floor. A volcano forms on a tectonic plate above a mantle plume. As the plate moves, the plume gives birth to a series of volcanoes. One such series is the Hawaiian Islands and the Emperor Seamount Chain; the youngest volcanoes become islands while the older ones submerge. The series stretches for thousands of miles and was formed as the Pacific Plate moved over a mantle plume for 80 million years.

The Rice researchers compared the observed hot-spot tracks with their calculated global hot-spot trends and determined the motions of hot spots that would account for the differences they saw. Their method demonstrated that most hot-spot groups appear to be fixed and the remainder appear to move slower than expected.

"Averaging the motions of hot-spot groups for individual plates avoids misfits in data due to noise," Gordon said. "The results allowed us to say that these hot-spot groups, relative to other hot-spot groups, are moving at about 4 millimeters or less a year.

"We used a method of analysis that's new for hot-spot tracks," he said. "Fortunately, we now have a data set of hot-spot tracks that is large enough for us to apply it."

For seven of the 10 plates they analyzed with the new method, average hot-spot motion measured was essentially zero, which countered findings from other studies that spots move as much as 33 millimeters a year. Top speed for the remaining hot-spot groups -- those beneath the Eurasia, Nubia and North America plates -- was between 4 and 6 millimeters a year but could be as small as 1 millimeter per year. That's much slower than most plates move relative to the hot spots. For example, the Pacific Plate moves relative to the hot spots at about 100 millimeters per year.

Gordon said those interested in paleogeography should be able to make use of the model. "If hot spots don't move much, they can use them to study prehistorical geography. People who are interested in circum-Pacific tectonics, like how western North America was assembled, need to know that history of plate motion.

"Others who will be interested are geodynamicists," he said. "The motions of hot spots reflect the behavior of mantle. If the hot spots move slowly, it may indicate that the viscosity of mantle is higher than models that predict fast movement."

"Modelers, especially those who study mantle convection, need to have something on the surface of Earth to constrain their models, or to check if their models are correct," Wang said. "Then they can use their models to predict something. Hot-spot motion is one of the things that can be used to test their models."

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Gordon is the W.M. Keck Professor of Earth Science. Wang and Zhang are Rice graduate students. The National Science Foundation supported the research.

Jeff Falk

713-348-6775

jfalk@rice.edu

Mike Williams

713-348-6728

mikewilliams@rice.edu

Read the paper at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2017GL073430/full

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2017/08/18/hot-spot-at-hawaii-not-so-fast/

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews

Related materials:

Rice University Global Tectonics (Gordon group): http://tectonics.rice.edu

Richard Gordon bio: https://earthscience.rice.edu/directory/user/7/

Wiess School of Natural Sciences: http://natsci.rice.edu

Images for download:

http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/08/0821_HOTSPOT-3-WEB-27bq7cz.jpg

Rice University geophysicists have developed a method that uses the average motion of hot-spot groups by plate to determine that the spots aren't moving as fast as geologists thought. For example, the Juan Fernandez Chain (outlined by the white rectangle) on the Nazca Plate west of Chile was formed by a hot spot now at the western end of the chain as the Nazca moved east-northeast relative to the hotspot forming the chain that includes Alejandro Selkirk and Robinson Crusoe islands. The white arrow shows the direction of motion of the Nazca Plate relative to the hot spot, and it is nearly indistinguishable from the direction predicted from global plate motions relative to all the hot spots on the planet (green arrow). The similarity in direction indicates that very little motion of the Juan Fernandez hot spot relative to other hot spots is needed to explain its trend. (Credit: Illustration by Chengzu Wang/Rice University)

http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/08/0821_HOTSPOT-2-WEB-2bgj3rl.jpg

Rice University geophysicists have developed a method that uses the average motion of hot-spot groups by plate to determine that the spots aren't moving as fast as geologists thought. From left, Chengzu Wang, Richard Gordon and Tuo Zhang. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for happiest students by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.
(New York - August 18, 2017) -- Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified a brain mechanism in siblings of bipolar patients that makes them resilient to bipolar disorder. The results suggest that the brain is able to adapt to the biological risk for bipolar disorder and open new avenues in pursuing further research to enhance resilience in those at risk and currently affected.

The study will be published online on August 18th in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Bipolar disorder, a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks, affects approximately 5.7 million Americans age 18 and older every year. The disease tends to run in families: siblings of patients with bipolar disorder are 10 times more likely to develop the illness, compared with the general population. However, most people with a family history of bipolar disorder will not develop the illness.

To identify what makes people at risk for bipolar disorder resilient, investigators examined functional magnetic resonance imaging scans from 78 patients with bipolar disorder, 64 of their unaffected siblings, and a control group of 41 nonrelatives who did not have the disorder. While the siblings showed genetic evidence of abnormal connectivity in brain regions involved in sensation and movement which has been linked to bipolar disease in other studies, they compensated by having hyper-connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) of the brain. This hyper-connectivity was absent in the group with bipolar disorder. The DMN is a network of interacting brain regions known to have activity highly correlated with each other and distinct from other networks in the brain.

"Most of the risk factors for bipolar disorder, including genetic risk, early childhood adversity, and trauma, are not modifiable," said the study's senior author Sophia Frangou, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "By contrast, this research shows that the brain can modify its connectivity to overcome biological adversity. This gives hope that we can harness this natural brain potential to develop preventive interventions."

Based on these results, the researchers are conducting a series of follow-up experiments to test whether it is possible to rewire at-risk patients' brains by simple computerized tasks that enhance brain connectivity. Initial results suggest that simple interventions may restore the functional architecture of the brain and reduce the severity of symptoms in patients.

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This study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health; grant MH104284-01A1 Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Army Research Laboratory and the Army Research Office through contracts W911NF-10-2-0022 and W911NF-14-1-0679, NIMH grant 2R01-DC-009209-11, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant 1R01HD086888-01, the Office of Naval Research, and grants BCS-1441502, BCS-1430087, and PHY-1554488 from the National Science Foundation.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system encompassing seven hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 10 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked as one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and is in the top 50 in four other specialties in the 2017-2018 "Best Hospitals" issue of U.S. News & World Report. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked in seven out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 12th nationally for Ophthalmology, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
SANTA CRUZ, CA - August 17 , 2017 - UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute Office of Diversity scholar and BD2K Summer UP participant Stefanie Brizuela has been selected by the Scientific Review Committee of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) as a UGSP Scholar.

As a UGSP Scholar, Brizuela will receive a scholarship for qualified educational and living expenses up to $20,000 for the 2017-2018 academic year. Brizuela will also be paid to participate in research training at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland for the next two summers. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Brizuela will obtain one year of employment at the NIH as a research trainee in exchange for each year of scholarship support received.

The UGSP is a highly competitive program. Over 200 nationwide applications are received annually, and Brizuela is one of just a dozen students chosen as UGSP Scholars for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Selection as a UGSP Scholar and the Committee's willingness to support Brizuela's scientific development is a testament to Brizuela's personal and academic accomplishments. Brizuela, a rising junior majoring in biomolecular engineering with a minor in bioinformatics, was originally aiming for a career in mathematics but changed direction after her twin was diagnosed with a medical condition known as cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Wanting to better understand disorders of this kind from a genetic perspective, Brizuela settled on bioengineering because it would allow her to apply her computational skill in a biomedical context.

After joining the Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) and Academic Excellence Program (ACE) Stefanie accepted a fellowship from the UCSC Genomics Institute Research Mentoring Internship program (RMI), which allowed her to participate in the NIH-funded BD2K Summer Up program at UC Santa Cruz. She is currently an undergraduate researcher, working with Dr. Angela Brooks, Assistant Professor in Biomolecular Engineering in the Baskin School of Engineering.

Stefanie hopes her accomplishments and dedication to research will inspire future first-generation, Latina, LGBT, women in STEM, and other students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue their scientific dreams.

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About the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute

Comprised of diverse researchers from a variety of disciplines across academic divisions, the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute leads UC Santa Cruz's efforts to unlock the world's genomic data and accelerate breakthroughs in health and evolutionary biology. Our platforms, technologies, and scientists unite global communities to create and deploy data-driven, life-saving treatments and innovative environmental and conservation efforts.

About the Office of Diversity at the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute

The UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute Office of Diversity develops and supports a wide range of innovative diversity initiatives in genomics research and training, including UCSC campus-wide partnerships and international student programming.

The work of the Genomics Institute Office of Diversity is supported by the Baskin School of Engineering, the Division of Physical and Biological Sciences, and the Division of Graduate Studies, with grant funding from the NIH and the National Human Genome Research Institute.

About the Baskin School of Engineering

The Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz offers unique opportunities for education, research and training. Faculty and students seek new approaches to critical 21st century challenges within the domains of data science, genomics, bioinformatics, biotechnology, statistical modeling, high performance computing, sustainability engineering, human-centered design, communications, optoelectronics and photonics, networking and technology management. By leveraging novel tools that emerge from changing technologies, we have pioneered new engineering approaches and disciplines, examples of which include biomolecular engineering, computational media, and technology and information management.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) offers scholarships to qualified students who are committed to careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. The program offers:
Flexibility in the workplace is the key to helping women maintain their career trajectory after childbirth, new research by the University of Kent has shown.

Looking at the UK, the study highlights that it is 'the ability to take advantage of the opportunity to work flexibly that is most useful' in preventing women from dropping out of the labour market after having their first child.

The research, led by Dr Heejung Chung, of the University's School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, found that women who were able to use flexitime were only half as likely to reduce their hours after the birth of their child.

This effect was especially the case for women who used flexitime prior to the birth of their child as well as after, the researchers found.

The researchers observed that more than half of women in their study sample reduced their working hours after the birth of their child, while less than a quarter of women who were able to use flexitime reduced their hours.

The study showed that it is the use of flexitime - rather than perceived access to it - that matters most. The researchers found that 'for mothers with new-borns, perceived access to flexitime in itself may not be enough to tackle the work-life balance demands they are faced with. The flexibility needs to be enacted to really make a difference'.

The research will have implications for the debate over the UK's gender pay gap, say the authors. 'Flexible working may help alleviate some of the negative consequences of the motherhood penalty, by allowing mothers to remain in human-capital-intensive jobs, which can help diminish the gender wage gap'.

Further, allowing mothers to maintain their employment status 'will have major implications for retaining human capital for companies and societies as a whole,' the authors conclude.

Women's employment patterns after childbirth and the perceived access to and use of flexitime and teleworking (Heejung Chung and Mariska van der Horst) is published in the journal Human Relations. See: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0018726717713828

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

Tel: 01227 823581/01634 888879

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

News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news

University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent

Notes to editor

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

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

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

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

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

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

The University is worth 0.7 billion to the economy of the south east and supports more than 7,800 jobs in the region. Student off-campus spend contributes 293.3m and 2,532 full-time-equivalent jobs to those totals.

In 2014, Kent received its second Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.
Chemical engineers at the University of Notre Dame have discovered a catalytic process that could help curb emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel-powered vehicles, a priority air pollutant that is a key ingredient in smog.

Current emission regulations and control systems for diesel engines have reduced pollution at high temperatures. While motorists around the world wait for their vehicles to warm up, a majority of NOx emissions - between 70 and 80 percent - take place during transient and cold-start conditions, impairing air quality.

The study, published in the journal Science, is the culmination of a decade of collaborative research by the University of Notre Dame, Purdue University and Cummins Inc., funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, according to William Schneider, co-author of the study.

"Diesel engines power virtually all heavy-duty trucks, and NOx emissions control remains one of the key challenges facing manufacturers and operators," said Schneider, H. Clifford and Evelyn A. Brosey Professor of Engineering in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Notre Dame.

Schneider led the Notre Dame team and focused on copper-exchanged zeolites, a particular class of catalysts used to promote the conversion of NOx into environmentally benign nitrogen gas. These catalysts "light off," or begin functioning, at temperatures too high to capture a large fraction of the NOx produced. The researchers discovered the key chemical step that limits the performance of these catalysts at low temperature.

"We knew that copper ions trapped in the zeolite pores were responsible for the catalytic reaction, but we did not know what caused the chemical reaction to slow to such an extent at lower temperatures," Schneider said. The team developed sophisticated computer models, performed on supercomputers at Notre Dame's Center for Research Computing and the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to track the movement of the copper ions within the zeolite pores. They discovered that the ions were much more mobile than anyone had appreciated, so much so that they were able to swim through the zeolite pores and pair up.

"We hypothesized that this pairing was key to the low-temperature performance," said Schneider. Experiments performed by the Purdue team at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory proved that this pairing was indeed happening during one step in the overall catalytic process. The team was able to combine the experiments and computations to quantify the pairing and its influence on NOx removal.

"This is a goal that the catalysis community has been striving toward for many years," said Schneider. "This information paves the way to developing catalysts that outperform current formations at lower temperatures, allowing diesel engines to meet stringent emissions regulations. Further, we think we can take advantage of the pairing process for other catalytic reactions beyond NOx removal."

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Co-authors of the study, include Christopher Paolucci, Sichi Li and Hui Li at Notre Dame; Rajamani Gounder, Ishant Khurana, Atish A. Parekh, Arthur J. Shih, John R. Di Iorio, Johnatan D. Albarracin-Caballero, Jeffrey T. Miller, W. Nicholas Delgass and Fabio H. Ribeiro at Purdue University; and Aleksey Yezerets with Cummins Inc., which designs and manufactures diesel and alternative-fuel engines.
Researchers used Stampede2 supercomputer to predict what eclipse will look like

AUSTIN, Texas -- A research team from Predictive Science Inc. (PSI) used the Stampede2 supercomputer at The University of Texas at Austin's Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) to forecast the corona of the sun during the upcoming eclipse. The findings shed light on what the eclipse of the sun might look like Aug. 21 when it will be visible across much of the U.S., tracing a 70-mile-wide band across 14 states.

Beyond their rarity, solar eclipses help astronomers better understand the sun's structure, inner workings and the space weather it generates.

The researchers completed a series of highly detailed solar simulations timed to the moment of the eclipse using TACC's Stampede2, Comet at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and NASA's Pleiades supercomputer. They modeled the sun's surface and predicted what the solar corona -- the aura of plasma that surrounds the sun and extends millions of kilometers into space -- will look like during this eclipse.

"Advanced computational resources are crucial to developing detailed physical models of the solar corona and solar wind," said Jon Linker, president and senior research scientist of PSI. "The growth in the power of these resources in recent years has fueled an increase in not only the resolution of these models, but the sophistication of the way the models treat the underlying physical processes as well."

The researchers' computer simulations were converted into scientific visualizations that approximate what the human eye might see during the solar eclipse.

The simulations are among the largest the research group has performed, using 65 million grid points to provide great accuracy and realism.

A collection of the images can be found here and here.

The team used data collected by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager aboard NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and a combination of magnetic field maps, solar rotation rates and mathematical models of how magnetohydrodynamics (the interplay of electrically conducting fluids such as plasmas and magnetic fields) affect the corona.

Predictions about the appearance of the corona during an eclipse test complex, three-dimensional computational models of the sun against visible reality.

Doing so improves the accuracy of predicting space weather, which could have important practical ramifications. If a powerful solar storm such as the 1859 Carrington Event -- which led to auroras being visible as far south as the Caribbean and caused telegraphs to short and catch fire -- were to hit Earth today, it would cause more than $2 trillion in damages, according a National Academy of Sciences report.

Predicting the arrival of such a solar storm in advance would allow officials to take the most critical electronic infrastructure offline and limit the storm's impact. But doing so requires understanding how the visible surface of the sun (the corona) relates to the mass ejections of plasma that cause space weather.

"With the ability to more accurately model solar plasmas, researchers will be able to better predict and reduce the impacts of space weather on key pieces of infrastructure that drive today's digital world," said Niall Gaffney, a former Hubble Space Telescope scientist and director of data intensive computing at TACC.

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The researchers will present their results at the Solar Physics Division meeting of the American Astronomical Society on Aug. 22-24.

The research was supported by NASA, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the National Science Foundation.
On August 21, 2017, a total eclipse of the Sun will be visible across the U.S. The eclipse, which will trace out a 70-mile-wide band across 14 states, is generating excitement and motivating pilgrimages among science enthusiasts nationwide.

Beyond their rarity and otherworldly nature, solar eclipses help astronomers better understand the Sun - its structure, inner workings and the space weather it generates.

They also provide an opportunity for researchers who study solar science to forecast in advance how the Sun will look during the eclipse - proving their predictive chops, so to speak.

A team from Predictive Science Inc. (PSI), based in San Diego, is one such research group. Beginning on July 28, 2017, with support from NASA, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the National Science Foundation, they began a large-scale simulation of the Sun's surface in preparation for a prediction of what the solar corona -- the aura of plasma that surrounds the sun and extends millions of kilometers into space -- will look like during this eclipse.

Using massive supercomputers, including Stampede2 at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), Comet at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), and NASA's Pleiades supercomputer, the researchers completed a series highly-detailed solar simulations timed to the moment of the eclipse.

"Advanced computational resources are crucial to developing detailed physical models of the solar corona and solar wind," says Jon Linker, president and senior research scientist of PSI. "The growth in the power of these resources in recent years has fueled an increase in not only the resolution of these models, but the sophistication of the way the models treat the underlying physical processes as well."

The team used data collected by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) aboard NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), as well as a combination of magnetic field maps, solar rotation rates and cutting-edge mathematical models of how magnetohydrodynamics (or the interplay of electrically conducting fluids like plasmas and powerful magnetic field) impact the corona.

Time on Stampede2 and Comet was provided by the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE), a collection of integrated advanced digital resources available to U.S. researchers.

The research team completed their initial forecasts on July 31, 2017, and published their final predictions using newer magnetic field data on their website on August 15, 2017. They will present their results at the Solar Physics Division (SPD) meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) from Aug. 22-24.

The magnetohydrodynamic model of the solar corona the researchers used included an improved treatment of energy transport. While previous predictions in 2006 and 2008 incorporated a more simplistic heating formalism, PSI's researchers this time applied a wave turbulence-driven methodology to heat the corona. This model better reproduces the underlying physical processes in the corona and has the potential to produce a more accurate eclipse prediction.

For the final prediction, they also introduced magnetic shear, a well-known feature of large-scale coronal magnetic fields that has not been accounted for in past predictions. The inclusion of shear qualitatively changes the shape of the streamers and the connectivity of the underlying fields, and increases the free magnetic energy in the corona.

One of the team's simulations even produced a coronal mass ejection (an unusually large release of plasma and magnetic fields from the solar corona) from an active region that will be near the east limb of the Sun on eclipse day - a tantalizing possibility for eclipse watchers.

The simulations are among the largest the research group has performed, using 65 million grid points to provide greater accuracy and realism.

Once completed, the researchers converted their computer simulations into scientific visualizations that approximate what the human eye might see during the solar eclipse.

"The Solar eclipse allows us to see levels of the solar corona not possible even with the most powerful telescopes and spacecraft," says Niall Gaffney, a former Hubble scientist and director of Data Intensive Computing at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. "It also gives high performance computing researchers who model high energy plasmas the unique ability to test our understanding of magnetohydrodynamics at a scale and environment not possible anywhere else."

From corona predictions to solar weather forecasting

Making predictions about the appearance of the corona during an eclipse is a way to test complex, three-dimensional computational models of the sun against visible reality.

But the endeavor also has a practical purpose beyond the moments of an eclipse. Accurate predictions of space weather can potentially help authorities prevent the worst impacts of a powerful solar storm, like the one in 1859 -- known as the Carrington Event -- whose auroras were visible as far south as the Caribbean and which caused telegraphs to short and catch fire.

According to a 2008 report by the National Academy of Sciences, if such a storm were to hit the Earth today, it would cause more than $2 trillion in damages. Predicting the arrival of such a solar storm in advance and taking the most critical electronic infrastructure offline could limit its impact. But doing so means understanding how the visible surface of the sun (the corona) relates to the mass ejections of plasma that cause space weather.

Though not an imminent threat, space weather calamities like the Carrington event aren't a fantasy either, according to scientists. In a widely cited article in Space Weather in 2012, Pete Riley, a senior scientist at PSI, put the odds of such an event occurring by 2020 as 1 in 8. (The US Senate unanimously passed a bill on May 2 intended to support space weather research and planning to protect critical infrastructure from solar storms.)

"The ability to more accurately model solar plasmas, helps reduce the impacts of space weather on key pieces of infrastructure that drive today's digital world," Gaffney says.

With each accurate prediction of the corona during a solar eclipse, scientists take a step closer to preparing for that terrible possibility.

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The parasite Cystoisospora suis causes diarrhea in pigs, especially in newborn piglets, and is capable of quickly spreading across farms. For this reason, pig farmers in Europe preventively use toltrazuril to control parasite development. In contrast to congeneric parasites in chicken, no resistance to this pharmaceutical compound was described in pig parasites until recently. In an article in Parasites & Vectors, researchers of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, have now for the first time confirmed that toltrazuril is ineffective against a Dutch isolate of the parasite. Even though antiparasitic resistance in pig parasites is developing slowly, monitoring of resistance should be intensified due to the lack of alternative treatment options, and increased hygiene measures should be taken to prevent pathogen spread.

When newborn piglets suffer from diarrhea, this is frequently caused by the intestinal parasite Cystoisospora suis. The pathogen may spread rapidly on affected farms, causing a high rate of disease among livestock. Infections are rarely fatal, but they hamper the growth of suckling piglets and thus reduce body weight compared to healthy individuals. The course of infection varies from one piglet to another, leading to uneven weight development which consequently can induce significant economic losses for the affected farm. When pathogenic bacteria infect the intestines damaged by the parasite, the piglets are susceptible to serious diseases, which can lead to the loss of entire litters.

In Europe a standard treatment regimen with toltrazuril has been used to control the parasite for about two decades now. In contrast to congeneric parasites in chicken, against which toltrazuril is no longer consistently effective, resistance to this pharmaceutical was not known in pigs until recently. It was only in 2014 that a Dutch producer reported an increased rate of diarrhea in newborn piglets despite treatment. Using isolates from this farm, researchers at the Institute of Parasitology were able to prove for the first time that the parasites in question were resistant to toltrazuril.

Diarrhea manifests despite double dose of toltrazuril

Based on the information from the Dutch swine farmer, samples of this strain of parasites - so-called isolates - were compared to an isolate from Vienna on which toltrazuril has the desired effect. "Prior to this, we ruled out the possibility that bacteria or viruses could have caused the diarrhea. By this, we could demonstrate that the parasite was very likely the cause of the disease," says Head Researcher Anja Joachim. To confirm the resistance, the research team administered various doses of toltrazuril, starting at the prescribed dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight.

All piglets infected with the Dutch isolate developed diarrhea on the fourth day after infection - regardless of the dose of the medication. "Even treatment with the double dose had no effect on these isolates," notes Joachim. Apart from symptoms such as diarrhea, the presence of developmental stages of the parasite is a clear indication of its presence. "Toltrazuril is effective if no oocysts - the final developmental stage of the parasite - are present in fecal samples," say lead authors Aruna Shrestha and Barbara Freudenschuss.

Final development stage of the parasite found in feces confirms its drug resistance

When the parasite keeps developing in the intestine, it forms oocysts which are excreted via the feces. In this way, the pathogen is spread within the litter and the existing livestock, as oocysts are highly infectious and have a very strong tenacity in the environment. If toltrazuril takes effect, no oocysts are present in the feces; the life cycle of the parasite is disrupted, preventing it from spreading. By contrast, the parasite isolated in the Netherlands was detected in all fecal samples, despite treatment. "This is how we conclusively showed that toltrazuril had no effect on this parasite isolate. This makes it the first strain of Cystoisospora suis with confirmed resistance to toltrazuril," assert the authors.

As part of the standard treatment regimen, there has been no regular testing for reduced efficacy of the drug resulting from possible resistance. "Until recently, there had only been some suspicion based on reports from the field. However, we were worried because resistant strains in chickens were constantly developing. The strain from the Dutch pig stock confirmed our suspicion. Resistance of Cystoisospora suis seems to be developing slowly, but it is expected to become more frequent," explains Joachim. Resistance to toltrazuril on pig farms could become a problem as there is no practical alternative control measure available. Once resistant parasites appear in a farm, there is no way of eliminating them permanently.

Improved hygiene standards and disinfection are currently the only immediate alternative

The researchers advise veterinarians to increase testing for diarrhea and oocysts, regardless of preventive treatment. "These routine checks can be performed easily. When oocysts are discovered in the feces despite the administration of toltrazuril, additional measures should be taken immediately," warns Joachim. Improved hygiene measures and chemical disinfection in particular can keep down the number of oocysts in the environment of the piglets. This is an essential prerequisite for preventing resistant parasites from spreading. As a consequence, it will be essential to consistently monitor the success of treatment in order to detect any developing resistance of the parasite.

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Service: The article "Experimentally confirmed toltrazuril resistance in a field isolate of Cystoisospora suis" by Aruna Shrestha, Barbara Freudenschuss, Rutger Jansen, Barbara Hinney, Barbel Ruttkowski and Anja Joachim was published in Parasites & Vectors. https://parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13071-017-2257-7

About the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna in Austria is one of the leading academic and research institutions in the field of Veterinary Sciences in Europe. About 1,300 employees and 2,300 students work on the campus in the north of Vienna which also houses five university clinics and various research sites. Outside of Vienna the university operates Teaching and Research Farms. http://www.vetmeduni.ac.at

Scientific Contact:

Anja Joachim

Institute of Parasitology

University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)

T +43 1 25077-2200

anja.joachim@vetmeduni.ac.at

and

Aruna Shrestha

Institute of Parasitology

University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)

T +43 1 25077-2218

aruna.shrestha@vetmeduni.ac.at

and

Barbara Freudenschuss

Institute of Parasitology

University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)

T +43 1 25077-2218

barbara.freudenschuss@vetmeduni.ac.at

Released by:

Georg Mair

Science Communication / Corporate Communications

University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna)

T +43 1 25077-1165

georg.mair@vetmeduni.ac.at
Seattle, WA (August 18, 2017) -- Global corporations, U.S. solar companies, and Washington startups have signed up to test their cleantech at the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds, created by the University of Washington (UW) Clean Energy Institute (CEI), during the facility's first six months of operation. Companies using the Testbeds include Microsoft, Washington's PureSolar, and several UW spinout companies. This diverse group of customers and UW's faculty and students use the open-access facility's unique suite of instruments to manufacture prototypes, test devices, and integrate systems.

"With this robust roster of Testbeds users, CEI is building a community of cleantech and advanced manufacturing innovators that will help Washington and the world accelerate the development of new technologies in solar harvesting, energy storage, and grid integration," said Washington Clean Energy Testbeds technical director Devin MacKenzie. "We're grateful to have this caliber of customers and look forward to helping them advance their critical technologies."

CEI opened the 15,000-square-foot Washington Clean Energy Testbeds in February with funds from the Washington State Legislature. CEI's goal for the facility is to reduce the time and capital needed to translate research discoveries into scalable energy products. To achieve this, CEI designed the Testbeds to centralize the instruments and expertise required for developing new manufacturing approaches, making prototypes, then rigorously testing and refining them for market readiness. The facility's open-access model also allows for speed, as the application process to use the facility only requires an initial consultation with Testbeds' management to ensure project feasibility and safety. Furthermore, users keep full ownership and control of their intellectual property. This operating model and the Testbeds' set of capabilities distinguish it from other U.S. energy research and testbed facilities available to the public.

"The Washington Clean Energy Testbeds have everything we need as an early-stage company-- enabling us to move into the solar marketplace with confidence in our products," said PureSolar CEO Rich Phillips. "Working in this UW CEI facility has been seamless and the in-house researchers have helped us continue to be on the leading-edge of PV manufacturing."

"The Washington Clean Energy Testbeds provide a unique set of fabrication tools and expertise that enable small companies to explore, evaluate, and characterize new materials and processes without the need for large and uncertain capital expenditure," said MicroConnex's vice president of engineering and technology Steve Leith. "For a small company like ours, the 'try before you buy' environment and opportunity to engage as a collaborator or a user, offer much needed flexibility in how we execute our tech development road map."

In addition to expanding the Testbeds' user base since its opening, CEI has added new instruments and capabilities to the facility. The 30-foot-long multistage roll-to-roll printer for solar cells, batteries, sensors, optical films, and thin-film devices custom built for the facility and funded by the Washington Research Foundation (WRF), arrived in late spring and is now operational. The instrument is one of the most advanced roll-to-roll systems in the world and the only one of its kind in the United States. CEI commissioned the instrument to support the development of low-cost materials and processes for ultra-low-cost solar cells that could be manufactured at large scales with a dramatically lower carbon footprint than silicon.

Other recent equipment acquisitions include a solar simulator and multiple environmental test chambers. The solar simulator is a large-scale photovoltaic performance measurement system capable of full module testing conforming to industry standards. The environmental test chambers allow for rigorous testing of energy system performance and lifetimes on the prototype and full module scales.

Altogether, the printing, coating, and testing capabilities at the Testbeds provide a unique platform for advancing cleantech manufacturing.

Current Washington Clean Energy Testbeds users include:

1-Material: Canadian company working to standardize Organic Nano Electronic (ONE) materials for organic thin-film applications.

4th Phase: UW spinout company focused on the use of a novel form of water for enhanced water filtration.

Battery Informatics, Inc. (Bii): UW spinout company developing the next generation battery management system.

Cloud Instruments: UW spinout company that offers a software analytics platform that applies machine learning to enable startups and manufacturers to build reliable batteries faster.

Demand Energy Networks, Inc.: Company headquartered in Liberty Lake, WA that provides turnkey solutions for optimizing distributed energy resource systems.

FOM Technologies: Danish company specializing in coating and testing equipment for research and development of functional materials.

MicroConnex: Snoqualmie, WA-based manufacturing company providing engineered fabrication solutions for flexible electronic circuits.

Microsoft: Global technology company that develops software, services, and devices.

PureSolar, Inc.: A manufacturer of high-performance, next-generation, smart photovoltaic modules and surfaces based in Washington state.

Sandia Solar Technology, LLC: A Colorado-based company working on Quantum Dot photovoltaic coating technologies for Operational Luminescent Solar Concentrator (LSC) applications for residential and commercial use.

The Washington Clean Energy Testbeds are part of two national manufacturing innovation institutes that involve consortiums of companies, academic institutions, nonprofits, and state, local, and federal governments. Testbeds management works with users to identify grant and project opportunities via these national institutes. These are:

CESMII: In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) brings over $140 million in public-private investment to radically improve the precision, performance, and efficiency of U.S. advanced manufacturing. CESMII is the ninth Institute of the Manufacturing USA, established by the White House to spur U.S. innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness.

NextFlex: Formed in 2015 through a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and FlexTech Alliance, NextFlex is a consortium of companies, academic institutions, nonprofits and state, local and federal governments with a shared goal of advancing U.S. manufacturing of Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE). By adding electronics to new and unique materials that are part of our everyday lives in conjunction with the power of silicon ICs to create conformable and stretchable smart products, FHE is ushering in an era of "electronics on everything" and advancing the efficiency of our world.

For more information on the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds, visit http://www.wcet.washington.edu.

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About the Clean Energy Institute

The Clean Energy Institute (CEI) at the University of Washington (UW) was founded in 2013 with funds from the state of Washington. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of a scalable clean energy future that will improve the health and economy of our state, nation, and world. To accomplish this mission, CEI supports the advancement of next-generation solar energy and battery materials and devices, as well as their integration with systems and the grid. The institute creates the ideas and educates the people needed to generate these innovations, while facilitating the pathways to bring them to market. cei.washington.edu

About the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds

The Clean Energy Institute (CEI) created the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds to accelerate the development, scale-up, and adoption of new technologies in solar harvesting, energy storage, and grid integration. This open-access facility for academic researchers and businesses houses labs for manufacturing prototypes, testing devices, and integrating systems. website: wcet.washington.edu
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The Food Standards Agency has updated its withdrawal list with 14 additional products that are still within their shelf life, as the Fipronil egg crisis deepens.

In most cases, the identified products were past their expiry date but those remaining are being withdrawn immediately.

Most of these products have been distributed to food manufacturers and catering outlets.

The United Kingdom has been drawn into the European contaminated egg scandal following confirmation by the FSA that eggs contaminated on European farms were imported into the UK.

It remains very unlikely that there is any risk to public health, but as Fipronil is not authorised for use in food producing animals the FSA are tracking down implicated food products and ensuring that they are removed from sale.

The egg in these foods may have been supplied from affected farms in the Netherlands before the blocks on these farms were imposed.

It was incorporated into processed foods; fresh eggs on sale in the UK remain unaffected.

Most of the additional egg products that have been identified were imported into the UK in liquid form so it is no longer practicable to provide a figure in terms of whole eggs, however, it remains the case that the egg the FSA has identified represents only a fraction of a single percentage of the eggs that is consumed in the UK every year.

Tested

85% of the eggs ate in the UK are laid here. As a precaution, UK eggs are being tested for the presence of Fipronil, and all initial results have been clear.

Heather Hancock, Chairman of the Food Standards Agency said: Our advice remains clear - theres no need to change how you buy or consume eggs.

We are responding very quickly to any new information, to ensure that any products left that contain egg from the affected farms is withdrawn immediately. We're doing this because Fipronil is not authorised for use in food producing animals, not because we are concerned about any risk to health.

Professor Alan Boobis, Chair of the independent Committee on Toxicity said: Even at the highest level found, consumption of one or two meals containing these eggs in a day would not pose a danger.

It is very unlikely that anyone in the UK would have been exposed to anything close to this, and there is no reason for consumers to be concerned."
Calves should be routinely provided with appropriate analgesia alongside local anaesthesia to effectively manage pain during necessary procedures, the veterinary industry has said.

In a joint statement, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) said the recognition, management and treatment of pain in calves were identified as a priority animal welfare problem.

BVA and BCVAs Analgesia in calves position statement specifically recommends the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in addition to local anaesthesia when conducting disbudding and castration in calves.

The organisations said that these are procedures that have been shown to cause acute pain at the time of the procedure and chronic pain afterwards.

Analgesics have been shown to reduce the signs of pain in this post-operative period in a wide range of research studies.

The position also recommends the Three Rs approach to castration and disbudding of calves, advocating that, where possible, these procedures are: Replaced by, for example, selecting polled sires to replace disbudding; Reduced by, for example, appropriate use of sexed semen to reduce the number of male calves requiring castration; or Refined, with the use of analgesics.

Adequate pain management

British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz said: BVA and BCVAs joint position further reinforces the professions focus as animal welfare advocates, and conveys the need for adequate pain management that is reflective of current scientific understanding of pain recognition and treatment in cattle.

Existing legislation requires a level of anaesthesia and we would encourage veterinary colleagues and stock-keepers to also discuss appropriate analgesic regimes used so that vets prescribe appropriately licensed NSAIDs and other analgesic medicines as required, as part of ensuring a good life for the animals we farm for food.

The recommendations support the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences study which has found that calf husbandry procedures were significantly less likely to include the use of analgesics in addition to the local anaesthetic (that is routinely used) for other similarly painful procedures.

While local anaesthesia can reduce or eliminate much of the acute pain, chronic pain may still remain once the relatively short duration of local anaesthetic action wanes, the organisations said.
Releasing lynx in a rural community near Kielder Forest would have a 'detrimental impact' on livelihoods, the National Sheep Association has warned.

A discussion organised by the NSA and the NFU met on Wednesday evening to talk about the situation with residents.

The NSA said the debate so far has only focused on the positives, with 'little consideration' for evidence which suggests similar projects in Europe have experienced limited success.

"Releasing this predatory species puts at risk all the things that emanate from a successful sheep farmed area  the landscape and its associated ecology and wildlife, local working communities and a vibrant rural economy," the group said.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said the impact of it would be 'far wider-reaching than just a few sheep lost'.

"The UK's ecology is built on huge diversity which is dependent on human management and farming in the majority of cases," he said.

"This hierarchy of species interact with each other and we already have many examples where a lack of intervention and predator control result in the collapse of iconic birds and mammals such as the red squirrel and the curlew - two species that Northumberland is renowned for.

"The UK is very different from countries where top level predators such as big cats can survive, in terms of land use, wildlife and our population and infrastructure."

'Genuine concern'

Lynx are known to prey on ground nesting birds and small mammals and we are in danger of risking investment which has gone into making sure they have a future.

The group said a lynx release has the potential to threaten the essential function that sheep have in maintaining the landscape in the UK countryside.

Mr Stocker said moves for more agro-forestry schemes and further integration of trees and hedgerows would be undermined by releasing lynx if individuals felt these had the potential to create habitat for a species which 'poses a threat to their livelihoods.'

"It is clear there is a genuine concern that a lynx release has the potential to make sheep farming in Kielder and the surrounding area non-viable.

"Yesterday's discussion highlighted the crucial role farming and forestry is contributing to an already thriving tourism industry, begging the question of what is at stake here.

"Once a proposed trial release has taken place, it is difficult to see how it could be reversed."
Riya's Wedding Photo

Elder sister Raima Sen shared a beautiful candid shot from the wedding. In the said picture, Riya makes up for a stunning Bengali bride while her mother Moon Moon Sen and Raima are seen helping her adjust the veil.

Recommended Video Riya Sen PREGNANCY behind MARRIAGE with Shivam Tiwari, REVEALED ! | FilmiBeat

A Private Affair

Reportedly, Riya's D-Day was a private affair which was attended by only close friends and family.

One More Snap

Check out this one more picture from the ceremony where Riya and Shivam are seen performing some wedding rituals.

(Image Courtesy: News Daily)

Pre-Wedding Bash

Raima Sen along with their close friends made it to the pre-wedding bash and celebrated with the couple. The venue of the event was a five-star hotel in Pune.

Some More Pictures

Raima shared some more pictures from Riya's haldi ceremony.

Was Riya Sen Expecting?

Meanwhile, the tinsel town is thick with rumours that the actress may well be expecting and hence this rush for the wedding. The couple has been going steady for quite a few years.

On The Professional Front

Riya is currently shooting for Ekta Kapoor's web-series Ragini MMS 2.2.
Lovely Star Prem has married for the second time in his life. Surprising but true. But, do not be confused, the actor celebrated his 17th wedding anniversary with his wife on television and as a remembrance, they both married on television for the second time.

The couple's second mariage took place on Suvarna channel's reality show, Dance Dance Juniors show. Yes, in the last week, the concept for dance was family values. Accordingly, the families of all participants had participatred for the episode.

In the same episode, Lovely Star Prem was invited as the guest along with his entire family. Prem and his wife, who had a very simple marriage in a registrar office were traditionally married off on the reality show in presence of their complete families including their children.

The marriage being the main attraction of the show, parents of all judges and participants got to witness their progenies performing on stage about family values. Parents and guardians of the contestants too danced on the stage, indulging in the festive environment.

The episode was shot a few days ago and will be aired on Suvarna Channel this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, at 8:00 pm. To catch a glimpse of Prem getting married in a traditional manner, tune in Suvarna channel on the previously mentioned date and time.
Bobby, which marks the debut of Niranjan, son of popular actor-producer Maniyanpillai Raju, as a lead actoe, is one among the major releases of this week.

Directed by Shebi Chowgath, Bobby also has the presence of Miya George, who is now one of the most popular actresses in the South Indian film industry.

Here we go... The LIVE review of today's release, Bobby..!

10.25 AM: The first show of Bobby is expected to begin by 10.30... Advance booking for the film isn't great, but things could change for the later shows if positive reviews pour in...

10.33 AM: And the romantic journey of Bobby begins... Expecting a refreshing romantic entertainer..!

10.38 AM: Bobby gets a perfect start, taking you back to one of the finest romantic scenes from the past..! Any guesses?

10.44 AM: Doore Doore Nila... is a tribute to one of the popular tunes..! #Bobby

10.56 AM: The brilliant visuals have been a highlight, so far in Bobby

11.05 AM: Bobby has an interesting plot... Let's see how the film will deal with it...

11.17 AM: Pathiye Pathiye... has been so well picturised but the same can't be said about its placement..!

11.30 AM: In fact, Maria's story is interesting than that of Bobby...

11.45 AM: Finally, we get to see a well-written scene...

11.49 AM: And that's half time of Bobby...

Bobby's first half moves forward with a weak screenplay that has nothing new to offer... Pashanam Shaji's few one liners give some relief.

But, the first half has ended with some positive signs... Hoping that the film can pick up from here...

11.59 AM: And the second half of Bobby begins...

12.09 PM: Well, Bobby gets a change in track in the second half. A chance for the movie to entertain the audiences...

12.21 PM: Dramatic elements are inevitable in all love stories... The case is not different in Bobby, as well...

12.29 PM: Nice to see Niranj performing well in humorous scenes...

12.48 PM: Is there a twist in the tale?

12.51 PM: It is always a pleasure to see Shammi Thilakan on screen.... He brings some life to the movie...

12.56 PM: How many times have we seen this cliched circumstance in movies..?

1.00 PM: And that's an end to the tale of Bobby...

The film is yet another disappointment in the name of romantic comedy... We have to wait further to get a genuine film that stays loyal to its genre...

Well, the theme of Bobby is rather an interesting one and something, which hasn't been experimented much in the Malayalam film industry. The platform is perfectly set for a breezy romantic entertainer, which would cater to all sections of audiences.

Has Niranjan made a perfect debut as a lead actor? Can Miya George deliver another big hit with Bobby? Can Shebi Chowgath prove his versatility with Bobby?

Also, keep scrolling down to read some interesting facts about Bobby..
Dulquer Salmaan, the charming actor had announced his second association with hitmaker Lal Jose, in 2016. The project, which has been titled as Oru Bhayankara Kamukan, was supposed to start rolling by the beginning of 2017.

But, the romantic comedy was later delayed due to Dulquer Salmaan's busy schedule. But as per the latest updates, Dulquer Salmaan-Lal Jose is duo is all set to begin the highly anticipated project, which is scripted by Unni R, soon.

Reportedly, the actor-director duo is planning to kickstart Oru Bhayankara Kamukan in October, after Dulquer Salmaan completes his current commitments. The movie will be widely shot at the various locations of Kerala, Dubai, and Morocco.

Photo Courtesy: RS Gopan, Manorama

However, the team is yet to make an official confirmation of the reports. If the rumours are to be true, Oru Bhayankara Kamukan will hit the theatres as lead actor Dulquer Salmaan and director Lal Jose's first release in 2018.

Lal Jose, the director is currently busy with the final works of his Mohanlal project, Velipadinte Pusthakam. The movie, which marks the director's first collaboration with the complete actor, will hit the theaters as an Onam release.

Dulquer Salmaan, on the other hand, is all set to release his ambitious project Solo, which is directed by Bejoy Nambiar, in September. He is currently busy with the shooting of his Telugu debut venture Mahanati, the Savitri biopic.
Hero worship, fanatic behaviour and attachment to on-screen heroes are altogether shown in a different elevated level down South. One such example to flare up of late is of a journalist being the victim of actor Vijay's fans glare.

Dhanya Rajendran, a journalist and Editor-In-Chief at The News Minute, was recently attacked mercilessly by Thalapathy Vijay's fans on social media.

The journalist who considered herself prey to the recently released movie of Shah Rukh Khan, Jab Harry Met Sejal, wrote a crisp review on her Twitter account. But the problem started when she drew parallel comparison to a Vijay's movie which released 7 years ago.

Dhanya stated, "I watched Vijay's Sura till interval & walked out. #WhenHarryMetSejal has made me break that record. Could not sit till interval"-Sic

Minutes after her tweet, Vijay's fans attacked the journalist and lashed out at her for taking the actor's old movie as reference in a negative manner.

Though it appeared to be an individual's opinion of a movie, fans took it way too personally and started remarking at Dhanya in an offensive and abusive manner.

A lot of Twitterati came forward to support Dhanya and it was the work of the President of the DMK party, MK Stalin, who voiced his support in favour of the journalist.

Stalin remarked, intolerance in any form, for expressing ones views in a democratic country is unacceptable. These acts to strangulate the freedom of expression, especially of a women journalist in Chennai is highly deplorable and condemnable. Rule of law must take prompt measures in curbing this menace. -Sic

Stalin's tweet came in as a breather and many retweeted the same which in turn offered a huge boost of support.

In order to put an end to the burning issue, actor Vijay himself sprang into the scene by releasing a press note in Tamil. The translated version of the release is found below.

"I have the utmost respect for woman in the society. There is freedom of opinion to criticize anyone's film by anyone in this country. ln my opinion, in any circumstances, no one should reveal contemptuous or disgraceful comments on the woman. Everyone should respect womanhood. I urge you not to post anything in internet with the intent to harm or offend a woman."

This eventually helped in pacifying the actor's hardcore fan base as it was their Demigod himself who urged them to subside their anger level.
So far in 2017, Total's (TTE 2.99%) management team has made the pivot from preserving capital to growing the business with several new project announcements and joint venture deals. The knee jerk reaction to these moves is that Total's management team sees higher oil prices around the corner, and it wants to grow production to reap the rewards. If you listen to the things that management has said recently, though, this higher oil price environment isn't part of its thinking.

Here are a few quotes from Total's CFO Patrick de la Chevardiere that should give investors more insight into how Total views the future of oil prices, how the company plans to invest, and how it plans to manage the risks its current strategy could face.

Future of oil prices

It's pretty much a given that on any conference call with an oil company executive, someone is going to ask what that company's oil price outlook is and how that will influence their decision making in the future. De La Chevardiere's response to the question wasn't that detailed, but it did give some idea of what we can expect in the near term.

[C]onsistent with our view, oil price has been volatile this year and unlikely, in our view, to remain so until the market has more clarity on the supply demand equilibrium. For the short term, we don't see any reason, which could explain substantially higher oil price. Nevertheless, the agreement between OPEC and Russia last year is a historic agreement. The recent announcement to extend the cut for 9 months is good news. It demonstrates their commitment to sustain prices. Nevertheless, we see volatility between $45 and $50 per barrel at the moment.

This statement is very much in line with what other executives have said on recent conference calls. There isn't a whole lot of reasons for oil prices to move one way or another right now. Demand for oil continues to grow at a reasonable rate, but production growth is strong right now thanks to the rapid expansion of shale in North America and several long scheduled development projects coming on line. Until something in that equation changes, we're likely stuck in this oil price range for a while.

A better way to look at oil companies

Even though de la Chevardiere gave some indication of where he sees oil prices in the future, he was more interested in having analysts and investors think about the company's profitability in a different way than the direction of oil prices.

I think that instead of predicting oil prices, we remain focused on the things we can control, like reducing the breakeven. This is the best way to face volatility. And this is how Total outperformed its peers since 2014.

This has been an interesting wrinkle that has emerged following the oil price crash. While companies did have breakeven prices for their production, they didn't emphasize it as much because oil was $100 a barrel and everyone in the industry was fat and happy. Today, though, integrated oil producers have shifted their message toward "value over volume" because many have become skeptical of oil prices drifting much higher than $60 a barrel between now and 2020. In that kind of oil price environment, it is more important to find additional barrels that will add cash flow now rather than banking on development projects that are out of the money today but could be profitable a few years down the road.

This thinking seems out of step with Total's production growth plans over the next several years and the decision to spend on new development projects now. If you look at the economics of the sanctioned projects, though, it looks like these new production sources could be high return projects today. One example is its discovery in Uganda. According to de la Chevardiere, Total's capital commitment for this project translates to an operating breakeven cost of $10 per barrel of oil equivalent.

Too much exposure in the Middle East?

Over the past year or so, Total has signed a lot of deals with OPEC producers to be the operator of various projects. First, there was the Al-Shaheen commission in Qatar, then the South Pars gas field in Iran, and now the Halfaya field expansion in Iraq. Of course, the countries in the region aren't what you would call best friends. Iran and Saudi Arabia have been at odds for several years, and then there was the recent blockade of Qatar by the rest of the Persian Gulf Nations.

With significant assets in all of these countries -- Total is a joint venture owner of a massive refining complex in Saudi Arabia as well -- it can make for a delicate situation. Several times, analysts asked about the potential conflicts of interest that Total may have with assets with all parties involved and what kind of detriment it could have to the business if any of these assets were to be shut down for political reasons.

While there is no specific quote to encompass what De la Chevardiere had to say on the matter, the underlying message that he gave was that Total remains a neutral operator that hasn't had any issues thus far. In fact, he did mention that the company had spoken with its counterparts in Saudi Arabia before signing the South Pars deal. He also mentioned that since the company was taking over for former operators in these projects, the capital commitments are rather light.

Perhaps it isn't a problem today, but it is certainly something to consider when looking at Total as a potential investment. If the political situation in the Middle East were to deteriorate for one reason or another, Total has several billion in high return assets at stake.

What a Fool believes

So far, Total's strategic moves to wind down capital spending much sooner than its big oil peers and invest in less capital intense projects such as operating Middle Eastern expansion projects has been a rather effective playbook. The company has vaulted to the top spot among the integrated oil and gas players for returns on equity.

What's even more encouraging, though, is that the company is more or less preparing its future production growth based on the idea that oil prices aren't going much higher from here for a while. So even though the company has indicated it plans to increase capital spending, it's not reverting to the old thinking that it can bank on rising prices to justify spending today. As long as it doesn't run into any significant risks with these Middle Eastern projects, Total should be well positioned for many years to come.
The NFU has outlined its plans to spread a message of positivity about the UK dairy industry ahead of a wave of anti-dairy activism planned for next week (21-27 August).

Branded as the Dairy Week of Action, activists and vegan groups are expected to spread anti-dairy messages across the media and online, coinciding with World Plant Milk Day on 22 August.

See also: 13 milk myths and misconceptions debunked

The week of action follows a noticeable step up in recent anti-farming rhetoric, which culminated in the Advertising Standards Authority ruling that a vegan advertising campaign claiming Humane milk is a myth was not misleading.

What the NFU plans to do

The union will be working to promote a positive image of dairying to the UK consumer, providing them with a transparent window into how the industry works.

A video campaign is under way, featuring dairy farmers, farm workers, veterinarians, tanker drivers and suppliers stating in a 30sec clip why they are proud to work in the dairy industry.

The NFU plans to promote the hashtag #proudofdairy and to counteract the misleading negative dairy campaigning.

How to get involved

The NFU is asking anyone interested to record video clips highlighting the following subjects:

Cow and calf welfare

Dairy farmers and the work they do for the environment

Landscape features dairy farmers are proud of

How your dairy farm interacts with the community, or supports local suppliers

Nutritional value of dairy products

The aim is to gather a diverse selection of clips from different stages of the dairying process, filmed from a variety of locations. The union said all clips should be recorded in horizontal screen orientation.

The NFU will also be providing a stock letter defending the industry that it encourages producers to personalise and send to local papers and magazines in order to portray the positive aspects of dairy.

What to expect from activists

There will undoubtedly be a step up in anti-dairy messages next week, centred on animal welfare standards. During Dairy Week of Action, activists and vegan groups are expected to spread anti-dairy messages across the media and online, coinciding with World Plant Milk Day on 22 August.

One example of an anti-dairy letter being spread by activist groups Dear Editor 22 August is World Plant Milk Day, which celebrates humane and compassionate alternatives to dairy milk. Dairy cows are amongst the most exploited animals on farms today. They are repeatedly impregnated by force and have their calves taken away from them soon after birth, causing huge distress, just so that milk meant for their babies can be bottled for us. But with so many plant-based alternatives now available, this cycle of misery is completely unnecessary. You can choose between soya, almond, oat, hemp, coconut and rice milks, not to mention many other delicious options. And you can find dairy-free versions of cheese, ice cream and butter at most major supermarkets and health food shops. I urge readers to contact Animal Aid on 01732 364 546 or info@animalaid.org.uk for free information about ditching dairy.

Several groups are planning large advertising campaigns with leafleting in towns and cities, as well as postal campaigns.

The campaigns will likely centre on many normal farming practices including removal of calves from mothers, the use of AI, the use of shackles and the fate of black and white bull calves.

The week will also include the launching of a graphic anti-farming film called Land of Hope and Glory (warning: this video is extremely graphic).
Ten years ago, Minnesota state Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, looked around the area he represented  District 28A  and didnt see major signs of damage from the overnight storm that dumped up to 15 inches of rain in the region. A block outside his district, though, and it looked like a war zone.

You couldnt go anywhere and not see the impact, Pelowski said. Unless you had seen it, you wouldnt believe it.

Hardest hit in southeastern Minnesota was Rushford, a city of about 1,700 residents in northeastern Fillmore County that had a bowl-like dike system that made it difficult for the water inside the bowl to get out once it got in. The town was devastated, submerged for days after the storm.

The August 2007 flood remains Minnesotas costliest disaster to this day by a large margin  the next costliest event was the 2012 flood in Duluth, which cost the state well less than half what the 2007 deluge cost.

Youre talking about numbers that were literally off the charts for us, Pelowski said of the 2007 flood, which prompted a presidential disaster declaration.

The state Legislature ended up approving a $157.3 million disaster relief bill to help with flood recovery in the impacted communities, but for a while there actually was some doubt that the state was even going to help.

Seventeen days after the rain let up, then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty had not yet declared the flooding a disaster, which was required before the Legislature could meet in special session to provide aid. Rushford residents had put up signs urging Pawlenty to call a special session, but hed still not done so when he came to town on Sept. 5.

Pelowski was in the crowd at the Rushford High School gym when Pawlenty addressed assembled residents, saying nothing about a special session before ending his speech and asking for questions. Pelowski had a question: I stood up and said, Governor, when are you going to call a special session?

Pelowski kept pressing the governor in what Pelowski described as a sharp exchange, and a photographer got a shot of Pawlenty and Pelowski facing off, almost like old West gunfighters  high noon at Rushford High.

In the next issue of Rushfords newspaper, the Tri-County Record, editor Myron Schober railed against the governor in an editorial topped with an incendiary headline: Rushford, Pawlentys Katrina, a reference to the feeble federal response to Hurricane Katrina two years earlier.

Within two days of the editorial getting statewide attention, Pawlenty called a special session. It shows you the power of the press, Pelowski said. The amazing thing about Rushford is that it exists at all today.

Pelowski might have pushed Pawlenty for a special session, but the veteran legislator  hed been a state representative for about 21 years at that point  had his work cut out for him to craft a disaster relief bill from scratch.

Special sessions are dangerous because we are working on partial knowledge, and were also working on high emotion.  They were literally attempts to throw money at something when we dont really have a clear picture, Pelowski said. This is why special sessions arent so special.

There had to be a better way, Pelowski figured, and two weeks after Pawlenty signed a $157.3 million disaster relief bill for communities hit by the flood, Pelowski began working with Kathy Novak of House Research, Paul Moe of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and others to come up with a new process, one that would spell out what the 13 state agencies involved in disaster relief would do and give them the flexibility to act without having to create a special bill for every major disaster.

This disaster playbook, known as Chapter 12A, still required a special session (unless the states part-time Legislature already was in session), but all lawmakers had to do was approve the spending rather than creating a disaster relief package from scratch. The playbook got its first workout with the 2009 flooding in the Red River Valley.

In 2012, the states legislative auditor suggested another refinement to Minnesotas disaster response, creation of a disaster relief fund so that no legislative involvement would be required to get emergency assistance flowing. Pelowski again helped spearhead the legislation, known as Chapter 12B, that created a state disaster assistance fund, starting with a $6 million pool of funding and later growing to a recommended level of $22 million.

The state Legislature still approves the spending to replenish the disaster assistance fund, but since the Disaster Relief Appropriation Bill was signed into law in 2013, special sessions are no longer required.

Ten years ago, Pelowski had established himself as a specialist in higher education and technology matters, but that storm in August 2007 set him on a new path. I never expected to become a semi-expert on disasters, said Pelowski, the fourth most senior member of the House. It just happened because the severe damage happened so close to his district and because he was chairman of the House Government Operations Committee at the time.

Pelowskis efforts to refine the way disaster relief is provided in Minnesota earned him the Association of Minnesota Emergency Managers Elected Official of the Year award in 2014.

Across the river, Wisconsin already had a disaster relief fund in place in 2007 because of a major disaster that happened exactly two years before the 2007 flood. In the wake of the tornadoes that wreaked havoc in Viola and Stoughton, the state established the Wisconsin Disaster Relief Fund. Lori Getter, crisis communications director for Wisconsin Emergency Management, said that the fund now sits at $700,000, but she said the Legislature replenishes the fund as needed.

In the wake of the 2007 flood, the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided a total of $50.2 million in Minnesota and $17.9 million in Wisconsin.

Getter said the state paid roughly $1.5 million for disaster recovery after the 2007 flood. When FEMA provides disaster relief, it seeks a 75/25 split, with the 25 percent coming from state and local sources. In Wisconsin, Getter said, the state pays half the required local match for FEMA assistance.

In Minnesota, the state provided $68.7 million in disaster assistance from the general fund as well as bonding for an additional $76.3 million and providing $46 million in transportation fund, bringing to about $190 million in total spending on the 2007 flood recovery.
Google Maps adds Q&A section to pages News oi -Vijeta Google Maps will now offer a feature of asking questions related to a location, establishment or a landmark on the Maps. The feature will increase interaction of users with the app.

Google Maps will soon get a feature that will allow users to ask questions related to a business establishment, landmark or a location. Google has introduced the feature to enrich the user experience for the mobile app. The feature is currently limited to Android users and there is no word when iOS users might get it.

Google has added the Q&A feature to Google Maps and Search. Users will be able to see questions asked by other users along with the answer provided by the owner of the page. Users will also be notified when an answer is posted to their question.

The questions will be a part of the page. Users can upvote helpful questions on a specific topic and the question with most upvotes will appear on top. The app will also offer an opportunity to business owners where they can answer their own questions and promote their business. The feature is already rolling out to Android users globally.

It would be interesting to see if Google deploys a screening for irrelevant questions apart from the user upvote option. Google has recently provided several new features to Google Maps to increase the user experience. Not too long ago the tech giant had revamped the pointing system for Google Maps Local guide users where they could score points by reviewing, providing information and by posting pictures of a specific location on Maps.

The points earned through Maps increase the level of users and once on level four users get the option to access Google Play Music for three months for free. Seems like Google wants to keep users informed and is perhaps heading in the right direction.

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Motorola's new smartphone technology will fix cracked displays on its own News oi -Samden Sherpa Motorola has patented a display that can heal its own cracked screen with heat.

Lenovo-owned brand, Motorola is reportedly working on a new interesting smartphone technology that will fix cracked displays by itself.

Well, as much as it sounds fascinating, the company's US Patent application shows that it is looking at developing a technology that will search for cracked areas in the display and seemingly apply heat to the damaged area to repair it.

The patent filing which has now been published online by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) hints at the application of the technology. The filing talks about a material known as "shape memory polymer" with "thermal elements" which could be used over the display or at the side. The material would identify a scratch, crack or any unwanted bend and then apply heat to it "to reverse at least some of the deformation."

The patent reads, "An electronic device includes a fascia manufactured from a shape memory polymer. One or more thermal elements can be disposed adjacent to the fascia or integrated into the fascia. One or more processors can be operable with the one or more thermal elements to detect deformation along at least a portion of the fascia and cause the one or more thermal elements to selectively apply heat to the shape memory polymer along at least a portion of the fascia to reserve at least some of the deformation."

Further, the self-healing process will likely occur during low-power or sleep modes, or only when the device is plugged in for charging. The patent application includes both smartphones and tablet computers.

However, Motorola has not made any official announcement regarding the technology. And besides, the filing is just a patent. It could take a few years before the technology actually becomes a reality and that Motorola starts producing smartphones with such display.

What do you think about this technology? Do let us know in the comments.

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Nokia 8 India release to happen during Diwali, to cost around Rs. 45,000 News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia 8 will be priced high as it is a premium smartphone.

On Wednesday, HMD Global unveiled the Nokia 8, the highly anticipated flagship smartphone with interesting features. Today, there is interesting information regarding when this smartphone will be made available in India.

Going by an IANS report, the Nokia 8 will be released in India during Diwali. The smartphone was launched in four colors - polished copper, polished blue, tempered blue and steel and is priced at 599 euros, which translates to Rs. 45,000 in India. The global release of the Nokia 8 will debut in September, claimed the company while launching the device and the India release appears to be slated for October around the festive season.

Nokia 8 boasts an unibody design and is crafted using a single block of 6000 series aluminum. On the specs front, the flagship smartphone from HMD arrives with a 5.3-inch QHD 1440p display with the Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The hardware aspects comprise of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage space that can be expanded up to 256GB using a microSD card. Running on Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box, the Nokia 8 has connectivity features such as 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C port, 3.5mm audio jack and dual SIM support in select markets. A 3090mAh battery powers the smartphone with support for Quick Charge 3.0.

On the imaging front, the Nokia 8 boasts of a 13MP dual-lens rear camera setup (RGB+monochrome) with Carl Zeiss branding. This camera module has f/2.0 aperture and PDAF. There is a 13MP selfie camera as well on board with display flash, f/2.0 aperture and PDAF.

Leaving the specifications apart, the Nokia 8 seems to have features such as Dual-Sight that uses both the front and rear cameras at the same time to click a snap, Nokia OZO Audio, Liquid Cooling that will keep the smartphone cool preventing overheating, and IP54 rating to make it splash proof.

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News - Holden - Colorado Holden gives first look at Colorado SuperUtes racer GM Design Australia pens Holden Colorado SuperUte design ahead of 2018 launch HOLDEN has released the first official render of its Colorado ute that is set to compete in the SuperUtes racing series in 2018, with the Melbourne-based GM Design Australia team responsible for the sporty pick-ups look.



Based on the top-spec Z71 dual-cab variant, the profile shot shows a homologated truck finished in Satin Steel Grey, with a heavily lowered suspension set-up.



Holden decals and geometric design elements also feature, as well as side steps, racing alloy wheels and special tyres.



Supercars has enforced a series of mandated components on the SuperUtes to ensure parity, including a roll-cage, pedal box, ECU, gearbox and ratios, rear axle assembly with control diff and ratio, brakes, tyres, wheels, springs and dampers.



The diesel-powered SuperUtes will be limited to a maximum output of 340bhp and 500lb-ft of torque (254kW/678Nm) sent to the rear wheels, while all models will carry a minimum weight capacity of 1800kg.



Outputs are well up on the 147kW/500Nm capacity of the stock Colorado, which uses a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel donk.



The SuperUtes series will features models from six different manufacturers  the Colorado, Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Mitsubishi Triton, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50.



Thirty-two spots are available on the starting grid, with up to six spots available per manufacturer.



An eight-round provisional calendar has been announced which will see the SuperUtes compete at races in Adelaide, Darwin, Townsville, Ipswich, Sydney, Gold Coast, Newcastle and Bathurst.



The SuperUtes series will replace the Holden vs Ford V8 Ute Series, which is in its final year.



Supercars CEO James Warburton said the pedigree that Holden brings to Australian racing makes the Colorado a fitting addition to the SuperUtes series.



Holden has been such an integral part of Supercars rich history, so it goes without saying that we are delighted to welcome it to the SuperUtes ECB Series, he said.



With official testing having commenced last week and six models approved for racing, the SuperUtes Series will commence in 2018 with a very strong field and what will be great racing.

Read more 24th of October 2016 SuperUtes coming to Supercar series Diesel dual-cab pick-ups to replace V8 utes for 2017 Supercars racing season




Haiti - Politics : The World Bank continues to subsidize the education sector





The working meetings in Washington of the Haitian delegation led by the Minister of National Education Pierre Josue Agenor Cadet with the World Bank (WB) and the Global Partnership for Education (SME) in order to find funding https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21828-icihaiti-washington-minister-of-education-seeks-funding.html for the implementation of several educational projects have been fruitful and open up new opportunities for Haiti in the education sector.



According to Minister Cadet, the World Bank has confirmed its support for a donation of 30 million, as it had already done in 2016 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19191-haiti-education-world-bank-donated-$30m.html . These funds will in particular make it possible to maintain and increase the coverage of school canteens for the benefit of children as soon as the next school year scheduled for 4 September.



Other additional funds are planned for Haiti. To this end, the total contribution of the World Bank to Haiti will increase by 140 million, from 120 million to 260 million. Education will be particularly beneficiary to this increase.



Recall that Minister Cadet was accompanied by Norbert Stimphil, Coordinator of the Education For All (EFA) project, Delima Pierre Director General of the National Office for Education Partnership (ONAPE) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14245-haiti-education-launch-of-the-national-office-for-learning-partnership.html and of Communication Director of the Ministry, Miloody Vincent.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-21828-icihaiti-washington-minister-of-education-seeks-funding.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19191-haiti-education-world-bank-donated-$30m.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14245-haiti-education-launch-of-the-national-office-for-learning-partnership.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH : Biometrics defeats irregular Haitians in DR





Lieutenant General Maximo William Munoz Delgado, Director General of Migration (DGM), revealed that during migration control operations, Migration Inspectors had seized in the hands of Haitians in an irregular situation on Dominican territory, 153 authentic cards of the National Regularization Plan of Foreigners (PNRE) belonging to other people and 183 false cards as well as 5 Dominican cedulas and about thirty falsified Haitian passports (false visas among others...)



The DGM informs that attempts at fraud with false cards or with authentic cards usurpanting different identities of the bearer, have been revealed by migration inspectors through the use of electronic readers and comparison with the biometric fingerprint database of the actual owner of the card and the person using that document.



Remember that in the event of identity theft, use of a genuine PNRE card from another registrant, the real owner of the card, in the absence of a complaint (which is almost always the case) is excluded from the PNRE (deletion of his file) and subject to expulsion from the Dominican territory.



The user of a PNRE card which is not his own is liable to legal prosecution for identity theft and the cards are sent to the corresponding embassies accredited in the country or to the competent national bodies.



In addition, Lieutenant General Delgado recalled that an investigation is still under way with other state security agencies to identify those responsible for the falsification and production of false documents on the Dominican territory https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21746-haiti-flash-dismantling-in-dr-of-a-mobile-laboratory-of-false-haitian-papers.html to bring them before the courts.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21746-haiti-flash-dismantling-in-dr-of-a-mobile-laboratory-of-false-haitian-papers.html



SL/ HaitiLibre


















McGrady to co-chair pollution investigation

State Rep. Chuck McGrady, the go-to specialist on environmental legislation in the state House, has been appointed to co-chair of a commission that will look into an industrial plant's discharge of the chemical GenX into the Cape Fear River in Bladen County.

North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore and Senate Leader Phil Berger announced on Friday that the joint legislative Environmental Review Commission will convene at 1:30 pm on Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the New Hanover County Government Center to investigate the discharge.

Secretaries of the state Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Health and Human Services and Chemours officials will be invited to attend the hearing and answer questions about the developing matter. Members of the public are also invited to comment.

"It is important for legislators to visit the lower Cape Fear region and hear from local families, public officials and environmental experts," Moore & Berger said in a joint statement. Legislative hearings will provide a transparent process to help lawmakers and the public understand what happened, review the administration's handling of this matter, and hopefully begin the process of identifying ways for the administration to address the immediate problem of GenX contamination in our water.

Sen. Trudy Wade, R-Greensboro, is chair of the ERC. Rep. Jimmy Dixon also is a co-chair and Rep. Pat McElraft, is vice-chair.

A former president of the national Sierra Club, McGrady is a former summer camp owner who has served on state water quality and conservation boards and has guided legislation in the state House on environmental regulation.
County has a mixed record of honoring Confederacy

Memorial to Robert E. Lee was moved to the backyard of the Historic Courthouse in 2008.

Unlike many county seats in the South, Hendersonville does not have a Confederate monument that dominates its courthouse square. Few Southern towns have banished their Robert E. Lee memorial to a backyard corner of the public space, as Henderson County did seven years ago. And there cant be many that display a monument to Union soldiers alongside one honoring the boys in gray.



Clearly, Henderson Countys relationship with the Civil War is more nuanced than that of many towns in the old Confederacy.

The violent protest and death of an anti-racism demonstrator in Charlottesville, Va., last weekend has cast Confederate monuments in Southern cities into the news. Since Charlottesville, protesters have toppled a Confederate monument in downtown Durham, defaced a statue of Robert E. Lee at Duke University and draped a black cover over Confederate soldier Silent Sam at UNC at Chapel Hill.

No one spoke about Confederate monuments at Wednesdays regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners and no one has requested a place on the agenda to talk about the memorials, County Manager Steve Wyatt said.

We have statues to both the Union and Confederate soldiers, he said. Were in Western North Carolina. My mothers folks fought for the Union. My Dads folks wore the gray.

Any discussion to remove either Confederate monument would be academic because a state law enacted in 2015 bars local governments from scrapping monuments without approval of the Legislature.

Two legislators from Hendersonville said theyre hearing little comment about the issue from local constituents and dont favor taking up legislation on the matter.

I work on things that have some expectation that we would actually be taking action, said Rep. Chuck McGrady, a high-ranking member of the House. I have no expectation that my leadership or my colleagues have any interest in weighing in on this subject.

The majority of people from Henderson County went off to war on the Confederate side but some number of them were on the Union side. I mean, do we really have to fight these battles again?

McGrady said he had gotten emails from organized groups  mostly protect our monuments but some from others who want Confederate monuments removed.

Sen. Chuck Edwards, who represents all of Henderson County and part of Buncombe County, also said he had heard from both sides.

I have gotten quite a bit of feedback from folks that are frustrated with the damage done to public property in Durham, he said, plus emails from people who want Confederate monuments taken down.

Im certainly not supportive of making any change to the state law, he said. I believe that monuments are intended to immortalize our history and help us recall the great things weve accomplished as well as the mistakes weve made. I think it would be an injustice to try to pretend that some of these mistakes didnt happen.

In a lengthy commentary his office released on Thursday Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger condemned the Charlottesville alt-right violence as repulsive and horrific and lamented the subsequent rioting and vandalism as discouraging and sad. He made it clear he was not ready to support repeal of the bill the Legislature passed overwhelmingly two years ago.

Personally, I do not think an impulsive decision to pull down every Confederate monument in North Carolina is wise, he said. In my opinion, rewriting history is a fools errand, and those trying to rewrite history unfortunately are likely taking a first step toward repeating it. Two years ago, the state Senate unanimously passed a bill that tried to reduce the politics in making these decisions. I believe many current members of the Senate would be hesitant to begin erasing our state and countrys history by replacing that process with a unilateral removal of all monuments with no public discourse.

* * * * *

The courthouse square contains a granite obelisk honoring Confederate soldiers  one of nine war monuments that stretch from the Revolutionary War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. (See slideshow for images of all of them.)

The obelisk, inscribed To the Confederate Soldier, is next to a monument thats also uncommon for many courthouse squares in the South. It honors Henderson County citizens who served in the Union Army for the preservation of the United States of America.

You can find the Gen. Lee memorial beneath the leafy canopy of a large hardwood tree on the southeastern corner of the Historic Courthouse but youd have to be looking for it.

Erected and dedicated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and Friends in Loving Memory of Robert E. Lee and to Mark the Route of the Dixie Highway, the marker says below an oft-reproduced image of the uniformed Confederate leader astride a horse.

The monument was quietly moved to the back yard of the Historic Courthouse in 2008, and sits in obscurity under a large shade tree on Church Street at First Avenue West.

In his book Measured in Blood, which challenges the view that Union support in Henderson County was widespread, historian Terry Garren reported on a behind-the-scenes battle between the strong-willed historian George A. Jones and the Sons of Confederate Veterans on where the Confederate monument would sit when the renovated Historic Courthouse reopened in 2008.

Bill Moyer, then the chair of the Henderson County Board of Commissioners, brokered a compromise to move the Robert E. Lee memorial from the front of the Historic Courthouse to the back. Jones wanted to discard Gen. Lee entirely, Garren writes in Measured in Blood.

In an interview with the Hendersonville Lightning in December 2012, Jones steadfastly stood by his position.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans wanted to put it in the middle of the sidewalk, he said. We wouldnt do it. Its that simple.

The last time the Board of Commissioners took any action on the Confederate monument was in September 2012, during the Civil War sesquicentennial, when it unanimously approved a request from the George Mills Camp 70 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans to add an iron Southern Cross at the base of the obelisk.
CONWAY, Ark. (August 18, 2017)  Hendrix College graduate Sami Sexton 17 recently published Getting the Best Teachers Where They Are Needed Most through the Arkansas Policy Program (APP).



Developed by Hendrix politics professor Dr. Jay Barth with the support of the Bill and Connie Bowen Odyssey Professorship, APP builds upon Barths ongoing public policy and public opinion research and advocacy work related to Arkansas. Through APP, students and faculty provide nonpartisan, original analyses on key public policy issues in Arkansas through a new undergraduate think tank.



Hendrix alumna Sami Sexton 17, now a law student at New York University, wrote the report for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (AACF), a Little Rock-based organization with the mission of ensuring that all children and their families have the resources and opportunities to lead healthy and productive lives and to realize their full potential.



Sexton believes that changes to the incentives for teachers who work in high-need school districts could have an immediate positive impact on education in Arkansas.



We have incentives in place now, but its just not enough to make up for the salary differences across school districts, she said. Long-term, Id love to see an overhaul of the way Arkansas funds school districts, shifting to a system that is more equitable across the state and less dependent on local property tax revenues.



Arkansas faces major challenges in teacher recruitment, retention, and equitable distribution of highly-qualified teachers across the state, said Dr. Ginny Blankenship, AACF education policy director. Were grateful for the work that Sami did to bring more attention to this issue, and policymakers would be wise to take note.



Barth noted that Sextons report includes helpful perspective on matters of teacher quality and availability.



Having a high-quality teacher in the front of a classroom is the most crucial variable in positively impacting student learning, Barth said. We also know that the teacher pipeline is one of the most serious issues facing education in Arkansas. Samis very strong piece of research places Arkansass teaching pipeline issues in the national context and does a good job of laying out the challenges facing the state in this area.



Sexton encourages Arkansans to see the progress already happening, and to demonstrate their interest in and desire for continued improvement.



Arkansas has taken steps forward recently, and the legislature and the Department of Education continue to study these issues to see what changes should be implemented, she said. I hope that the combination of seeing those efforts, combined with knowing how far we still have to go, would encourage people to become more engaged on the subject, possibly communicating with their state legislators and making sure they know that people want to see this progress continue.



To receive a free PDF file of the latest report or to learn more about APP, email barth@hendrix.edu, or view the report here.



About Hendrix College

A private liberal arts college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns recognition as one of the countrys leading liberal arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality and rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.
Black River Memorial Hospital (BRMH) earned the Excellence in Patient Care award given by Studer Group at the annual Whats Right in Health Care conference held Aug. 1-3, in Chicago, Ill. To be eligible for this honor, an organization must rank at the 90th percentile, or higher, for overall patient satisfaction for communication with doctors.

BRMH chief executive officer Mary Beth White-Jacobs attended the conference with twenty additional staff members.

White-Jacobs commented, Our doctors take the time to help patients understand the care they are receiving. On behalf of Black River Memorial Hospital, I am very proud to have our organization, and our doctors earn this top award.

Studer Group works with healthcare organizations across the world to improve the patient care experience and overall performance. To find out more information about these and other awards earned by Black River Memorial Hospital. Please visit http://www.brmh.net/about-us/awardsaccolades/.
Doing Homework on Vaccines this Back-to-School Season? Here are 10 Ways to Separate Fact from Fiction.
The Heat and forward Jordan Mickey are close to an agreement on a two-year contract, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. Mickey would receive the guaranteed minimum of $1.5MM for the upcoming season and the team would hold an option on the second year, Charania adds. Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel confirms that the club is planning to sign Mickey (Twitter link) and that the contract is not a two-way deal.

Mickey was drafted 33rd overall in 2015 by the Celtics. He appeared in 16 games with them as a rookie and saw the court in 25 games, including one start, last season. The 68 power forward averaged 1.5 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 5.6 MPG in 2016/17.

The Heat, who are over the cap, have 12 players on guaranteed deals, two with partial guarantees, plus another on a non-guaranteed contract. He projects as the No. 3 power forward behind another former Celtic, Kelly Olynyk, and James Johnson.

The Celtics waived Mickey in mid-July in order to clear cap space and sign Gordon Hayward to a maximum salary contract. Mickey had an non-guaranteed contract with Boston for the upcoming season. He went unclaimed and became an unrestricted free agent but had little success finding a team until the Heat came calling.

When Mickey wasnt playing in Boston the last two seasons, he was suiting up for the G-Leagues Maine Red Claws. He averaged 18.6 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 3.8 BPG in 35 G League contests.
View John A. Rubino's LinkedIn Profile

John A. Rubino is a graduate of Penn State University in University Park, Pennsylvania - United States

Interstate Hotels & Resorts  the leading U.S.-based global hotel management company  announces the promotion of John A. Rubino as Executive Vice President of Crossroads Hospitality, Interstate's select-service division, effective August 14, 2017. In his new position, Rubino will be responsible for overseeing overall management of the Company's 181-hotel portfolio of select-service and extended stay hotels in North America. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Operations in the Crossroads division.Rubino began with Interstate as opening General Manager at the award-winning Hampton Inn Montage and has been an integral part of the Interstate team for nearly 24 years. Continuing to drive his talent and expertise, John advanced into positions such as Regional Director, Vice President and most recently, Senior Vice President in Crossroads. He has served as a board member for a number of industry organizations including: the Northeast Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, Lackawanna County Hotel Association, and Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Previously holding management roles and executive-level positions with Trust Hospitality and Island Hospitality, Rubino's passion for continuous innovation has resulted in improved management and personnel relations through enhanced training processes, operating procedures, advisory councils, communications and owner relations. Hospitality is nothing new for Rubino as his desire to succeed in the industry has been a goal since college, where he attended Pennsylvania State University School of Hospitality Management and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management.
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee  The U.S. hotel industry reported mostly positive year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 6-12 August 2017, according to data from STR.

In comparison with the week of 7-13 August 2016, the industry recorded the following:

Occupancy: +0.7% to 73.6%

Average daily rate (ADR): +1.5% to US$128.39

Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +2.2% to US$94.46

Among the Top 25 Markets, Phoenix, Arizona, reported the largest year-over-year increase in RevPAR (+16.7% to US$52.68).

Four of the Top 25 Markets also posted double-digit RevPAR increases for the week:Orlando, Florida (+13.2% to US$80.44); Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida (+12.5% to US$80.39); San Diego, California (+11.0% to US$163.25); and St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois (+11.0% to US$79.49).

St. Louis saw the largest ADR increase (+8.2% to US$108.78).

Two markets registered the only double-digit occupancy growth for the week: Phoenix (+10.2% to 61.8%) and Orlando (+10.2% to 80.2%).

Two markets reported the week's largest decline in RevPAR: Chicago, Illinois (-7.9% to US$109.42) and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota-Wisconsin (-7.9% to US$98.59).

Houston, Texas, experienced the largest drop in ADR (-4.2% to US$93.87).

Boston, Massachusetts, saw the largest decline in occupancy (-6.4% to 84.7%).

About STR

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for the global hospitality industry. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 15 countries with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, an international headquarters in London, and an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. STR was acquired in October 2019 by CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, please visit str.com and costargroup.com.

Jeff Higley (STR)

VP, Digital Media & Communications

+1 (615) 824-8664 ext. 3318

STR
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Montreal and Ulaanbaatar, 17 August 2017  Rapid growth and continuing challenges to future system capacity were some of the key points addressed in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia this week, as ICAOs Council President and Secretary General participated in the 54th Asia-Pacific Directors General of Civil Aviation (APAC DGCA) event.



While the Asia-Pacific presently leads the world in terms of traffic growth, it also faces attendant challenges with respect to managing and sustaining it, safely, securely and efficiently, stressed ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu.



In his keynote address to the approximately 300 delegates in attendance, President Aliu further highlighted the need to manage demand against capacity of airport and Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems, the pressing need for APAC States to implement the Safety Enhancement Initiatives (SEIs) set out by its Regional Aviation Safety Group (RASG), challenges to infrastructure and other investors posed by unstable regulatory environments, and insufficient training capacity for skilled aviation professionals, amongst other priorities.



The ICAO Council President also drew attention to the regions capacity challenges, reminding those present that ICAO is therefore leading efforts to increase the number of new air routes, implement an Asia-Pacific Air Traffic Flow Management System, and to realize a more flexible local approach to the sharing of airspace by civil and military operators.



He further alluded to the essentialness of air transport connectivity for the Pacific Island States, mainly arising from their remoteness and small populations, and to the resource challenges they face in optimizing aviations benefits.



A reliable network of air links within and among island countries, and to major air transport hubs, is essential to the viability of these countries from humanitarian, political and economic perspectives. However the acute resource crunch in the Pacific Island States poses a complex challenge that truly demands a new approach and comprehensive sub-regional plan.



In her own opening statement, ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu highlighted how the UN agencys Regional Office in Bangkok, led by Regional Director Arun Mishra, had been ramping up efforts to assist Asia-Pacific States with their ICAO compliance. The Secretary General focused on recent progress made by the Combined Action Teams (CAT) which ICAO has established, noting that they had assisted 11 regional States in 2016 and were on track to provide further capacity building to another 10 APAC countries before the end of 2017.



Weve been greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm and commitments from these States as the CAT process has gotten underway, and are already seeing solid results, Dr. Liu confirmed.



From a safety perspective, Dr. Liu further noted that 2016 was the safest year ever for scheduled commercial air travel, and here in the APAC region you achieved an admirable 1.79 accidents per million departures compared to global average of 2.44. She also commented on ICAOs many efforts of late to reinforce the global aviation security framework, pointing to its partnerships with the World Customs Organization and relevant UN bodies, and the need to evolve a common security approach while maintaining a keen focus on our complementary goals for a more streamlined and unobstructive passenger and cargo facilitation experience.



During their stay in Mongolia, ICAOs leaders conducted a range of bilateral meetings and State visits, accompanied throughout by Regional Director Mishra.



Meetings which focused around the need for more concrete State infrastructure commitments, and related ICAO compliance and aviation development priorities, were conducted with Mr. Jimiyan Munkhbat, Mongolias Minister and Chief of Cabinet for the Secretariat of the Government, Mr. S. Munkhnasan, Director of Air Transportation Policy in the Ministry of Road and Transport, Mr. Byambasuren Luvsansambuu , its Director General of Civil Aviation, and Ms. Tuul Suvdmaa, senior analyst in Mongolias Department of the Strategic Policy and Coordination.



The ICAO Council President thanked Mongolia for hosting the 54th DGCA Conference, and for the support it had provided to its Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). He highlighted the States civil aviation and infrastructure commitments, and congratulated it for the excellent results achieved in its most recent safety and security audits. He reaffirmed the commitment of ICAO to work closely with Mongolia, noting that together they would enhance and optimize the contributions of its civil aviation sector to the socio-economic development and prosperity of its citizens and businesses.



Minister Dangaa Ganbat of Mongolia thanked ICAO for the honour of hosting the 54th Conference of DGCAs of the Asia Pacific Region, highlighting the States current focus on the training of its civil aviation personnel and the new airport it expects to shortly see entering service.



ICAO Secretary General Liu noted that a recent reassessment of Mongolias training centre by ICAO had affirmed its full ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS membership status, and congratulated Mongolia for ensuring the sustainability of its CAA through suitable training commitments and actions. She extended an invitation for Mongolia to attend the upcoming Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Summit, which ICAO is hosting at its Montreal HQ this November.

Resources for Editors



About ICAO



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

ICAOs Asia and Pacific Regional Office

ICAO's No Country Left Behind initiative



Contacts

Anthony Philbin

Chief, Communications

aphilbin@icao.int

+1 514-954-8220

+1 438-402-8886 (mobile)

Twitter: @ICAO



William Raillant-Clark

Communications Officer

wraillantclark@icao.int

+1 514-954-6705

+1 514-409-0705 (mobile)

Twitter: @wraillantclark

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raillantclark/


We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector
Bhubaneswar, Aug 18 (IBNS): ICICI Bank, a private sector bank, on Friday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of Odisha to provide e-governance services to the people of the state.

This initiative will enable anyone including non-ICICI Bank customers to pay their utility bills, including electricity, water, withholding tax, etc. directly on the website of the Government of Odisha, using an ICICI Bank payment gateway.



To avail this service, users can log on to www.odishaonline.gov.in, and pay their utility bills by simply clicking their preferred mode of payment such as debit cards, credit cards or internet banking.

All payments will be routed through the ICICI Bank payment gateway.

Speaking on the initiative, Avijit Saha, Retail Business Head (East), ICICI Bank said, We are happy to be associated with the state government in extending technology-based services to the people of Odisha. This initiative is in line with ICICI Banks philosophy of Ready For You. Ready For Tomorrow. In line with this thought, we are committed to continuously innovate and serve to the needs of our customers. I believe that this new facility will offer more convenience to the people of Odisha and play a crucial role in strengthening the Government's e-governance initiatives.
Washington, Aug 18 (IBNS): Asteroid Florence, a large near-Earth asteroid, will pass safely by Earth on Sept. 1, 2017, at a distance of about 4.4 million miles, (7.0 million kilometers, or about 18 Earth-Moon distances), said NASA.

Florence is among the largest near-Earth asteroids that are several miles is size; measurements from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and NEOWISE mission indicate its about 2.7 miles (4.4 kilometers) in size.

While many known asteroids have passed by closer to Earth than Florence will on September 1, all of those were estimated to be smaller, said Paul Chodas, manager of NASAs Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Florence is the largest asteroid to pass by our planet this close since the NASA program to detect and track near-Earth asteroids began.

This relatively close encounter provides an opportunity for scientists to study this asteroid up close. Florence is expected to be an excellent target for ground-based radar observations. Radar imaging is planned at NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar in California and at the National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, read the NASA website.

The resulting radar images will show the real size of Florence and also could reveal surface details as small as about 30 feet (10 meters).

Asteroid Florence was discovered by Schelte "Bobby" Bus at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia in March 1981. It is named in honor of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the founder of modern nursing. The 2017 encounter is the closest by this asteroid since 1890 and the closest it will ever be until after 2500. Florence will brighten to ninth magnitude in late August and early September, when it will be visible in small telescopes for several nights as it moves through the constellations Piscis Austrinus, Capricornus, Aquarius and Delphinus.

Radar has been used to observe hundreds of asteroids. When these small, natural remnants of the formation of the solar system pass relatively close to Earth, deep space radar is a powerful technique for studying their sizes, shapes, rotation, surface features and roughness, and for more precise determination of their orbital path.

JPL manages and operates NASA's Deep Space Network, including the Goldstone Solar System Radar, and hosts the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies for NASA's Near-Earth Object Observations Program, an element of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office within the agency's Science Mission Directorate.



Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
New Delhi, Aug 18 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a telephone call to Sher Bahadur Deuba, Prime Minister of Nepal, on Friday, officials said.

The Prime Minister conveyed condolences at the loss of life in Nepal due to recent widespread floods, and expressed readiness to provide all possible relief assistance, said a government statement.

Flood has hit several parts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
New Delhi, Aug 18 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba to condole the loss of lives in the flood which has ravaged the Himalayan nation.

"Spoke to Nepal PM, Rt. Hon. Sher Bahadur Deuba. Expressed condolences on the loss of lives due to flooding in Nepal," Modi tweeted.

He also offered to provide all assistance to the neighbouring nation.

"India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Nepal & is ready to provide all possible relief assistance," he said.

Flood has hit several parts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Image: Internet Wallpaper

Guwahati, Aug 18 (IBNS) : A local court in Guwahati on Friday sent Rakesh Kumar Paul, the suspended chairman of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), and his associate Sayed Musharraf Hussain to 14-day police custody in a fresh case in connection the APSCas cash-for-job scam.

Rakesh Kumar Paul, who was garnted bail by the Supreme Court in the case number 936/2016 on Aug 16 last, was re-arrested by the Guwahati city police on Aug 17 in a fresh case, ostensibly to prevent his release from jail on bail.

Police also arrested an employee of APSC Musharraf Hussain, who also known a close aid of Rakesh Kumar Paul in the case number 159/2017 registered at Bhangagarh police station in Guwahati under sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of the IPC and Sections 13(1)(a)(d)(iii) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The Guwahati city police on Friday produced them before the Special court and the court sent them to 14-day police remand.

Paul, who is lodged at Guwahati central jail, after his arrest in November last year alleged that it is a conspiracy made against him to prevent his release from jail on bail. The complainer of the new case Bedanta Bikash Das alleged that, Paul and Hussain had demanding Rs 15 lakh from him for a government job.



Police have already arrested two former members of APSC Samedur Rahman, Basanta Doley, three ACS officials Bhaskarjyoti Dev Sharma, Bhaskar Dutta, Amit Sharma APSC official Pabitra Koiborta, Engineer Nabakanta Patir and few others.

Earlier, the sleuths of Dibrugarh police had grilled 25 government officials in connection with the cash-for-job scam of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) at the office of Assam police special branch on June 9 last.

According to the reports, son of a former Congress minister, relative of a Union minister are among the officials, who were grilled by the investigating team.

The 25 officials including Assam Civil Service (ACS), Assam Police Service (APS), who were declared successful in the 2013 APSC examination and appointed by the state government in 2015 were grilled by the Dibrugarh police team led by ASP Surajit Singh Panesar and Subhasish Baruah for several hours.

Former Congress minister Nilamoni Sen Dekas son ACS officer Rajarshi Sen Deka and Union minister Rajen Gohains relative Sunayana Aideu (Superintendent of Taxes) were also grilled in connection with the cash-for-job scam with other officials.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Srinagar, Aug 18 (IBNS): A delegation of prominent citizens led by former Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha, who are on a visit to the Kashmir Valley, called on Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti here on Friday.

The delegation apprised the Chief Minister about the series of meetings they had with various sections of society.

They also informed her about their impressions of the situation in the state and its steady improvement.

The Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of the group in reaching out to the people of the state while underscoring the need for continuous engagement between people and societies.

She said civil society has contributed immensely in present day world in reducing frictions and acrimonies between societies and resolving issues among people.

The members of the group include Executive Director, Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR), Sushobha Barve, Air Vice Marshal (Retd.), Kapil Kak and senior journalist, Bharat Bhushan.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Iqbal)
Kolkata, Aug 18 (IBNS): Airlines major Emirates will be operating extra flights to Jeddah to help facilitate travel for thousands of pilgrims this year heading to and from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Hajj.

Emirates will be operating 45 additional flights to Jeddah and 12 additional flights to Medina from 17 August until 11 September to help serve the 2 million pilgrims expected to travel to the Holy City of Mecca during Hajj this year.

These services will run in parallel with Emirates regularly scheduled services to Jeddah. The airline will also be operating its A380 to Medina which will also support the increased demand during this period.

The additional services are available to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa.

This year, top inbound destinations Emirates is expecting Hajj pilgrims to come from are Yangon, Manchester, Mauritius, Jakarta, Karachi, Lagos and Nairobi.

Adil Al Ghaith Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran said: Travelling for Hajj is a unique experience for Muslims around the world, and we expect over 20,000 pilgrims to travel with us this year. With a sizeable increase in demand for air travel during this period, Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless for the scores of pilgrims making their way to the Holy City of Mecca. Whether its in the air or on the ground, Emirates aims to provide all its customers with the best experience in line with their faith, particularly at this significant time and important journey.

On the ground, Emirates has appointed a dedicated group of airport staff to seamlessly facilitate the passenger ground experience for Hajj. In addition, dedicated check-in counters have been set up for Hajj passengers in Dubai.

In the air, several initiatives have been planned in keeping with the values and traditions that pilgrims uphold when travelling for Hajj. Extra provisions will be made to accommodate Hajj traveller needs such as performing ablutions, advising passengers about Al Miqat and Ihram (the phase when pilgrims enter a state of sanctity) and other arrangements that will help ease their journey. Emirates award winning ice system will also feature a special Hajj video that covers safety, Hajj formalities and information about performing the Hajj pilgrimage. Pilgrims will also be able to tune into the Holy Quran channel.

On flights from Jeddah, Hajj passengers can bring up to 5 litres of holy water (Zamzam) which will be placed in special areas in the cargo hold. As with all Emirates flights, Hajj passengers will enjoy extra generous Emirates baggage allowance of up to 35kg in Economy Class, 40kg in Business Class and 50kg in First Class.
New York, Aug 18(Just Earth News): For deliberately attacking religious and historic buildings in Timbuktu, Mali, the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday issued to Malian Islamist a nearly three million euros Reparations Order, due on 16 February 2018.

The Chamber highlighted the importance of cultural heritage and stressed that, because of their purpose and symbolism, most cultural property and cultural heritage are unique and of sentimental value, said the Court, based in The Hague and the world's only permanent war crimes tribunal.

Their destruction thus carries a message of terror and helplessness; destroys part of humanity's shared memory and collective consciousness, and renders humanity unable to transmit its values and knowledge to future generations, it added.

ICC Trial Chamber VIII issued the Reparations Order in the case of The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, concluding that Al Mahdi is liable for 2.7 million euros (roughly $3.2 million) in expenses for individual and collective reparations to the Timbuktu community for intentionally directing attacks against religious and historic buildings in that city.

Noting that Mr Al Mahdi is indigent, the Chamber encouraged the Trust Funds for Victims (TFV) to complement the reparations award, directing it to submit a draft implementation plan for 16 February 2018.

Covering the three categories of damage to the attacked historic and religious buildings; consequential economic loss; and moral harm, the ICC stated: Reparations may assist in promoting reconciliation between the victims of the crime, the affected communities and the convicted person.

Reparations for site rehabilitation and wider Timbuktu community

Reparations are to be collective for rehabilitation of the sites and for the community of Timbuktu as a whole to address the financial loss and economic harm as well as the emotional distress suffered as a result of the attack. It may also include symbolic measures  such as a memorial, commemoration or forgiveness ceremony  to give public recognition of the moral harm suffered by the Timbuktu community and those within it, the ICC statement elaborated.

The Chamber also ordered individual reparations for those whose livelihoods exclusively depended upon the attacked buildings and those whose ancestors' burial sites were damaged in the attack.

As a symbolic measure, the Chamber ordered the Registry to post an excerpt of the video of Al Mahdi's apology, which it considers genuine, categorical and empathetic on the Court's website.

Given the specific nature of the case, it also ordered one symbolic euro to be received by the Malian State and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Upon subsequent approval by the Chamber, the TFV will identify projects and discrete implementation partners for the Chamber's final approval.

On 27 September 2016, Trial Chamber VIII  composed of Judge Raul C. Pangalangan (Presiding), Judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua and Judge Bertram Schmitt  unanimously found Al Mahdi to nine years in prison for committing a war crime by deliberately destroying in 2012 nine mausoleums and the secret gate of the Sidi Yahia mosque in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Timbuktu in Mali.

Photo: ICC-CPI

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Aug 18(Just Earth News): United Nations agencies are stepping up efforts to aid displaced families affected by the deadly flooding and landslides in Sierra Leon's capital, Freetown, and surrounding areas.

The scale of the damage is unprecedented, said UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative Hamid El-Bashir Ibrahim.

He noted that at least 109 children are counted among the several hundred people killed in the disaster that struck on Monday.

Children have been left homeless, vulnerable and terrified. We must do all we can to protect them from disease and exploitation, he added.

UNICEF teams, working with the Government of Sierra Leone and partners, are providing safe drinking water and sanitation, and delivering supplies including medicines, tents and gloves following the Government's request for support. UNICEF is also offering psycho-social support to those traumatized by the events.

While the mudslides have left death and destruction behind them, the Director and Representative of the World Food Program (WFP) in Sierra Leone, Housainou Taal, said his UN agency is focusing on survivors so that they can rise and move forward.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Sunil Saigal, appointed Taal to coordinate the UN's humanitarian response to ensure timely distribution of aid, including food and shelter.

In the hours following the landslides in Freetown, WFP began distributing food aid to some 7,500 people affected by disasters. The aid, which includes rations of vegetable oil and vegetable oil lenses for at least two weeks, has been distributed to Regent, Sugar Loaf and Mortomeh  neighbourhoods around the affected area.

According to preliminary results of site assessments conducted by the Sierra Leone National Security Office and the United Nations Interagency Rapid Response Team, 1,039 households from several neighborhoods in Freetown (including Regent , Kamayamah, Dworzak, Culvert and Kaningo) and 100 individuals currently in a mountain cut shelter have been affected by floods and landslides.

Sierra Leone's Office of National Security (ONS) estimates that more than 3,000 people have lost their homes.

Photo: UNICEF

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Barcelona, Aug 18 (IBNS) : Citizens from at least two dozen countries have been injured or killed in the van attack in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona and the coastal town of Cambrils, The Guardian reported quoting the Catalan authorities.

By Friday morning the death toll stood at 13. More than 100 were injured.

So far, the youngest victim of the attacks is thought to be a three-year-old girl, Spanish media reported. She died shortly after she was taken to hospital.

So far, the British foreign office has received no confirmed reports of British citizens injured or killed, but Chris Pawley  30, a survivor of the Manchester bombing  was visiting Spain with his partner and was in the area when the attack occurred.

He told the Manchester Evening News he couldnt believe he had been caught up in a second terrorism incident in fewer than six months. He had just left the Ariana Grande in May when the bomb detonated.

Pawley said of Thursdays attack: There was police everywhere and ambulances, the shops started putting the shutters down.

We have just come back to the hotel, as we were caught up in the arena attack  cant believe it.

France has confirmed that there are 26 of its citizens injured with 11 in a serious condition. The Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, quoting police, said three Germans were also among the fatalities.

Belgiums foreign affairs minister, Didier Reynders, confirmed on Twitter that one of its citizens was killed in the attack, and also said the Belgian embassy was in touch with hospitals in the area regarding other possible victims.
Kabul, Aug 18 (IBNS) : A suicide bomber detonated a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) or Humvee vehicle in southern Helmand province of Afghanistan, leaving only himself dead.

Local Khaama Press quoted Government officials as saying that the incident took place in the vicinity of Greshk district late on Wednesday night.

The officials further added that the militants had placed large amounts of explosives inside the vehicle with an aim to target the security forces.

The provincial government media office in a statement also confirmed the incident and the death of the bomber.

The statement further added that the security forces opened fire on the vehicle as the suicide bomber was attempting to ram the vehicle into its target in Awpashak area.

Helmand Government said the area is under total control of the security forces and the security situation is currently stable.
August 25th marks 40 years since the 1975 official release of Born to Run, "The Boss" Bruce Springsteen's breakthrough album that catapulted him to rock and roll royalty. Naturally, writers have been using the anniversary to reflect on the career of the New Jersey-born musician and the rich period his music represents.

But now's also a good moment to look at Springsteen the philanthropist.

Twelve years after Born to Run, in 1987, Springsteen established the Thrill Hill Foundation. While the outfit doesn't have much of a web presence or a clear way for grantseekers to get in touch, it has a couple of interests that are worth knowing about.

Springsteen was born into a working-class family, the son of a bus driver and a secretary. He's well known for his tough critique of how Washington and Wall Street have abandoned blue-collar America in recent decades. As he said recently:

I dont think the American Dream was that everyone was going to make it or that everyone was going to make a billion dollars... but it was that everyone was going to have an opportunity and the chance to live a life with some decency and a chance for some self-respect.

It's no surprise, then, that a big focus of the Thrill Hill Foundation is on human services and antipoverty efforts, particularly in his native New Jersey, and also in Los Angeles. Helping those at the bottom, getting kicked around, has always been important to The Boss.

Recent support from Thrill Hill has gone to 1736 Family Crisis Center in Los Angeles, which responds to the "growing needs of victims of domestic violence, runaway and homeless youth, homeless families, unemployed adults and youth, and other low-income community members in need of assistance."

Other support has gone to Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Freehold Borough YMCA Community Center, New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans, Saturday Soup of Asbury Park, and Project Angel Food, which provides meals to those struggling with illness.

By the way, grants coming out of Thrill Hill Foundation rarely go above $20,000 and under $400,000 total has gone out of the foundation each year of late. Could a music legend whose net worth has been estimated at $300 million give more? Probably so, and we're betting he will down the line.

A component of Springsteen's philanthropy also involves supporting veterans. He has worked with Stand Up for Heroes and offered auction prizes that included a one-hour guitar lesson, a ride in his motorcycle sidecar, and food to be shared in Springsteens homes. A recent effort raised $600,000 total. Springsteen has also been a steady supporter of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

As well, assorted sums have also gone to a number of different local New Jersey causes and outfits including a local scholarship fund and a local habitat for humanity. Money has also gone to Women's Cancer Research Fund, and the Kristen Ann Carr Fund, a cancer-related charity whose namesake was the daughter of Springsteen's co-manager and Springsteen's biographer.

Finally, Springsteen has also moved funds through another charity simply called The Foundation, Inc., created in the 1980s, covers costs for local residents in his native Monmouth County, New Jersey to make fixes to their homes. The current status of the outfit, however, is unknown.

Related: Bruce Springsteen Profile
Arts Art and Censorship

A painting by San Min, an artist featured in Myanmar Contemporary Art 1. / Chan Son / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Aung Min, a renowned doctor, scriptwriter and author, was busy interviewing artists for his book on Myanmar contemporary art at the height of Saffron Revolution in 2007 when people took to the streets across the country in response to the high price of food and fuel.

The Special Branch asked him to provide a complete list of names and addresses of those interviewed for the book. They warned him that if they found anything subversive or anti-military in the published work, they would arrest all those involved without asking any further questions.

He finished and got the permission for publication of the manuscript from the Press Scrutiny and Registration Department of the Ministry of Information in 2008, but then had difficulty finding high-quality paper for printing after cyclone Nargis swept Yangon and the Irrawaddy Delta in May. He published the book in October 2008.

The book entitled Myanmar Contemporary Art 1 features the biographies and pictures of the works of 70 Myanmar artists including Bagyi Aung Soe, Paw Oo Thet, Kin Maung Yin, Kin Maung (Bank) and Myo Thant Aung.

The book focuses on prominent artists between 1960 and 1990  from the beginning of Myanmar modern art to another era of art evolution, said the editor of the book Aung Myint.

Almost nine years after the publication of the Burmese version, the English version was launched on August 8. The book was translated by Maung Day and edited by Mrat Lunn Htwann and Nathalie Johnston.

The book has 11 chapters: Pre-Modernism, Sources of Inspiration for Modernist Myanmar Art, Early Days of Modernism, Early Modernists, Pinnacle of Modernism, Some Individual Contemporary Artists, Inya Gallery, Rectangular Lantern, Gangaw Village, Post Modernism, and Shwe Generation.

The English version of the book features Our Three Main National Causes as well as four political objectives, four economic objectives and four social objectivesthe rhetoric of the military regime of U Than Shwe to remind people of the draconian pre-publication censorship under the regime.

All of the books, regardless of their subjects, had to bear Our Three National Causes and political, economic and social objectives on the front pages in the past.

This book did not escape censorship either. The book includes an appendix that lists the censored sections of the original manuscript.

U Win Pe, one of the second-generation modernists in Myanmar, was excluded from the book.

When asked about his exclusion, U Win Pe, said: It was because I opposed the government. It would have been justified if they didnt like my work, but I was censored because they didnt like me.

MPP Ye Myit, one of the most influential contemporary artists in Myanmar, also had two of his paintings censored from the book, because the paintings included naked female figures in front of Bagans temples.

It upset me deeply that my work was censored. These two paintings can be published now, but its a belated joy, said MPP Ye Myint.

The English version of Myanmar Contemporary Art 1 is available for US$30 or 40,000 kyats at Myan/art Art Gallery on Bogalay Zay Street in Yangon.
Asia Critics Cry Foul as Joshua Wong and Other Young Hong Kong Democracy Leaders get Jail

Student leaders Nathan Law and Joshua Wong walk into the High Court to face verdict on charges relating to the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement, also known as Occupy Central protests, in Hong Kong, China on August 17, 2017. / Tyrone Siu / Reuters

HONG KONG  A Hong Kong appeals court jailed three leaders of the Chinese-ruled citys democracy movement for six to eight months on Thursday, dealing a blow to the youth-led push for universal suffrage and prompting accusations of political interference.

Joshua Wong, 20, Alex Chow, 26, and Nathan Law, 24, were sentenced last year to non-jail terms including community service for unlawful assembly, but the Department of Justice in the former British colony applied for a review, seeking imprisonment.

Wong was jailed for six months, Chow for seven months and Law for eight months. Law had been the citys youngest ever democratically elected legislator before he was stripped last month of his seat by a government-led lawsuit.

The three appeared stern but calm as their sentences were delivered by a panel of three judges. A lawyer involved in the case, Jonathan Man, said they would appeal.

The jail terms disqualify them from running for the financial hubs legislature for the next five years.

The bespectacled Wong, who was 17 when he became the face of the student-led democracy movement, punched his fist in the air as he left the court room and shouted: Hong Kong people dont give up.

Minutes earlier he Tweeted: They can silence protests, remove us from the legislature and lock us up. But they will not win the hearts and minds of Hongkongers.

Chow waved at his parents as he left the court. His mother broke down in tears.

About 100 supporters later swarmed the prison vans taking the three away from court, shouting shame on political prosecution and waving yellow umbrellas, a symbol of the citys pro-democracy movement, a Reuters witness said. At least one person was taken away by police.

The three judges in Hong Kongs second highest court, the court of appeal, wrote in their judgment that the three could not say they were jailed for exercising freedom of assembly in a city where many democrats see a gradual erosion of freedoms promised in 1997 when Britain handed the territory back to China.

In recent years, theres been an unhealthy trend in Hong Kong society. Some people use the pursuit of idealsas an excuse to take illegal action, Judge Wally Yeung wrote.

This case is a prime example of the aforementioned unhealthy trend.

Rubio Slams Shameful Jail Terms

Hong Kong, which has been governed under a one country, two systems formula since 1997, allowing freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, was rocked by nearly three months of mostly peaceful street occupations in late 2014, demanding Beijing grant the city full democracy.

The so-called Umbrella Movement, which drew hundreds of thousands of protesters at its peak, was triggered by Wong and his colleagues climbing into a courtyard fronting the citys government headquarters.

They were later charged with participating in and inciting an unlawful assembly.

Under the two systems formula, Hong Kong enjoys a free judiciary, unlike on the mainland where the Communist Party controls the courts which rarely challenge its decisions.

US Senator and one-time presidential hopeful Marco Rubio, who heads the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said in a statement the shameful resentencing showed that Hong Kongs cherished autonomy is precipitously eroding.

Beijings heavy hand is on display for all to see as they attempt to crush the next generation of Hong Kongs pro-democracy movement and undermine the one country, two systems arrangement, Rubio said. Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, Alex Chow, and other Umbrella Movement protesters are pro-democracy champions worthy of admiration, not criminals deserving jail time.

International human rights organizations also slammed the jail terms.

From the initial choice to prosecute these young democrats through to todays hearing, these cases have been shot through by politics, not law, China director at Human Rights Watch, Sophie Richardson, said in a statement.

That Hong Kongs courts increasingly appear to operate as mainland courts do is clear evidence that one country, two systems is on the ropeswith ominous consequences for all.

Amnesty International added its voice.

The relentless and vindictive pursuit of student leaders using vague charges smacks of political payback by the authorities, said Mabel Au, Director of Amnesty International Hong Kong.

Britain said it was vital Hong Kongs young people had a voice in politics and it hoped the sentencing would not discourage legitimate protest in future.

The UK remains a staunch supporter of the right to peaceful protest and we believe it is vital that Hong Kongs young people have a voice in politics. Hong Kongs way of life is underpinned by its rule of law, a spokeswoman for Britains Foreign Office said in a statement.

The Hong Kong Department of Justice said in a statement it respected the courts decision.

Dissenting Views

A senior government source who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter said Hong Kongs top prosecutors had initially not recommended pursuing the case further after the non-jail terms were handed down.

But Hong Kongs Secretary of Justice, Rimsky Yuen, overruled them and insisted on re-opening Wongs case, a decision that ultimately led to their imprisonment, the source said.

In response to emailed questions from Reuters to Yuen seeking clarification, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said it does not comment on internal discussions regarding individual cases.

However, the DoJ [Department of Justice] reiterates that all decisions were made in accordance with the Prosecution Code, the applicable law and relevant evidence.

The DoJ said in an earlier statement there was absolutely no basis to imply any political motive.

In recent months, dozens of protesters, mostly young people, have been jailed for their roles in various protests, including a violent demonstration that the government called a riot in early 2016.

Wong told Reuters on Wednesday that Hong Kongs democratic movement was facing its darkest era and that hed lost confidence in the citys independent legal system, long considered one of the best in Asia.

Just before sentencing, Wong told over a hundred supporters who thronged into the court lobby, some weeping, that he had no regrets.

I hope Hong Kong people wont give up, he said. Victory is ours. When we are released next year I hope we can see a Hong Kong that is full of hope. I want to see Hong Kong people not giving up. This is my last wish before I go to jail.
Asia Rights Groups Slam Outrageous Indian Plan to Deport Rohingya

A boy from the Rohingya community stands outside a shack in a camp in Delhi, India, Aug. 17, 2017. / Reuters

MUMBAI  Rights groups have condemned Indias plan to deport some 40,000 Rohingya Muslims, saying India should abide by its legal obligations and protect the stateless refugees who face persecution in Myanmar.

Junior interior minister Kiren Rijiju told parliament last week the central government had directed state authorities to identify and deport all illegal immigrants including Rohingya, even those registered with the UN refugee agency.

Indian authorities are well aware of the human rights violations Rohingya Muslims have had to face in Myanmar and it would be outrageous to abandon them to their fates, said Raghu Menon, advocacy manager at Amnesty International India.

It shows blatant disregard for Indias obligations under international law, he said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Rohingya are denied citizenship in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and classified as illegal immigrants, despite claiming centuries-old roots.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled Myanmar, where they face atrocities, including murder, rape and arson attacks, with many taking refuge in Bangladesh, and some then crossing a porous border into Hindu-majority India.

Many have also headed to Southeast Asia, often on rickety boats run by people-smuggling gangs.

The Rohingya are generally vilified in India, and there has been a series of anti-Rohingya protests in the past few months.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued identity cards to about 16,500 Rohingya in India.

Rijiju, a high-profile minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist government, said the UNHCR registration was irrelevant.

India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which spells out states responsibilities towards refugees. Nor does it have domestic legislation to protect the almost 210,000 refugees it hosts.

But Asias third largest economy is bound by customary international law not to forcibly return refugees to a place where they face danger, rights groups say.

The government should put an end to any plans to deport the Rohingya, and instead register them so that they can get an education and health care and find work, Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said on Thursday.
GAYS MILLS  A decade and four floods have changed the landscape of Gays Mills.

The village, nestled into the bluffs of Crawford County along the Kickapoo River, has seen a lot of changes since the 2007 flood, the 2008 flood less than 10 months later and the relocation to higher ground of a number of residents and businesses tired of being washed out. The town lost nearly a third of its people after those events, and some of those who remain are divided about the new Gays Mills.

More than 7.4 inches of rain fell overnight Aug. 18, 2007, causing a flash flood with waters up to people's armpits. Harry Heisz, today's village president and a volunteer with the community's fire department, said the fast-moving waters made it risky to reach people trapped in their homes and move them to safety. The water came so fast that there was no warning, he said, and rescuers were going out in boats to help get people out of trees.

Less than 10 months later, another flood came, but this time the village had much more warning. Rain from showers and storms drenched the region with more than 7 inches of rain in parts, and the Kickapoo began to rise again, spilling over its banks and filling the downtown once again with water.

This was a breaking point for some living in the village, as several property owners hadn't even gotten back into their homes before the flooding came again. People started leaving the village, which saw its population drop nearly a third from an estimate of 619 in 2007 to 491 according to the 2010 Census.

For others, talk turned serious about moving those in the flood plain to higher ground. Village staff worked with state and federal agencies including FEMA, the Community Development Block Grant Program and the Wisconsin DNR to help move residents down the highway and up the hill in the village.

Money from these agencies helped buy out businesses or provide them with low-interest loans, Heisz said. A number of town anchors made the move including the Steve Mickelson's grocery story, The Marketplace, that also partnered to bring a new gas station to town. The Crawford Independent, the community's newspaper, as well as other businesses including Lana's Family Hair Care, moved into the village's new Gays Mills Mercantile building, just down the hill from the village's new residential developments.

Mickelson said the 2007 flood caused a large loss of business, as more than 4 inches of water flowed into the grocery store's old location on Main Street. He also lost all of his perishable items when the town lost power for several days during and after the flood.

Then in 2008, water came into the building again. The power stayed on this time, but the building sustained structural damage each time it flooded, and Mickelson said he was about ready to call it quits.

"There were just too many losses," he said. "After putting so much money and effort into it, I just wanted to never see it return."

Now the business is humming in its new location, with customers coming in and out for groceries, gas or fresh deli items. The community has been very supportive, he said, and it's a great boon for the village to have a grocery store, something very few small towns can boast these days.

The downtown hasn't fared as well, with empty lots in between those businesses' that stayed on Main Street. Empty homes or lots also sit on some of the side streets, as people move to the newer properties up the road on the hill.

One of those who decided to stay was Joe Brandt, who has owned the Village Greenhouse on Main Street for more than 33 years. Flooding has become par for the course, he said, with four major floods hitting the village during the past 10 years, with one canceling the village's annual Apple Festival last September and another 100-year flood this past July.

Brandt said he built his business more than 3 feet above the flood plain, so he has never had any water get into the store, but 2007 and 2008 were the years where it was the closest. There isn't much left, he lamented, but Gays Mills is still a beautiful community, and he'd rather be on Main Street, where his business belongs.
Burma Bangladesh Ramps up Border Patrols to Deter Fresh Rohingya Inflow

A Myanmar border guard police officer stands guard in Tin May village, Buthidaung Township, northern Rakhine State on July 14, 2017. / Simon Lewis / Reuters

COXS BAZAR, Bangladesh  Bangladesh has stepped up patrols on its border with Myanmar, following reports that about 1,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed into the country in the past two weeks, amid fresh tension in its neighbors northwestern Rakhine state.

Security forces in Buddhist-majority Myanmar launched a massive crackdown in the state after Rohingya insurgents killed nine police in October, but the flow of refugees into Bangladesh had slowed until hundreds more soldiers were deployed recently.

Security forces are patrolling the villages daily, said Rahim, a teacher from Dar Gyi Zar village in Myanmar who fled to Bangladesh last year, but remains in touch with family members.

My mother is 73 and is panicking there, but she wont be able to flee, said Rahim, who uses one name, like many Rohingya.

No one will be allowed to illegally cross into our country, Manuzurul Hasan Khan, a senior Bangladesh border guard official, told Reuters, adding that the two countries were jointly patrolling frontier areas.

There had been no major influx recently, he said, adding that the border was peaceful, with more joint patrols scheduled for this week.

However, Rahim and a Rohingya leader in Bangladesh put the total of new refugees at more than 1,000.

There had been a constant slow movement of people across the border, a senior UN official in Bangladesh said.

About 1,000 households had crossed each month in April, May and June, estimated the official, who declined to be identified in the absence of authorization to talk to the media.

The figure rose to 1,300 households in July, the official said, adding that the border area was definitely seeing more new arrivals in August.

About 500 of the newly arrived Rohingya live near an unofficial refugee camp in Leda, near the Naf river separating Bangladesh from Myanmar, said Zayed, a Rohingya leader.

The rest have moved elsewhere in the border district of Coxs Bazar.

Before the latest inflow, about 75,000 Rohinhya had fled to Bangladesh since October, joining tens of thousands already there and straining resources.

Some families were packing up to leave, fearing another violent crackdown, a Rohingya resident of Maungdaw in Myanmar told Reuters.

People here are feeling depressed and getting so scared, hearing that more troops are coming to do area clearance again, the resident said on Saturday, seeking anonymity for fear of repercussions.

We have no one to protect us here.

The resident and a human rights monitor with sources in northern Rakhine said security forces had run intensive searches and arrested some Rohingya men.

Kyaw Swar Tun, an administrator in the Rakhine state capital of Sittwe, said security had been stepped up in the states north, but denied that Muslims were fleeing across the border.

I dont hear anything of Bengali people leaving or entering the country during these days, he said, using a derogatory term for the Rohingya to imply they are interlopers from Bangladesh.

The treatment of the roughly one million Rohingya in Myanmar has emerged as the countrys most contentious human rights issue as it transitions from decades of harsh military rule.

Myanmar denies citizenship to the Rohingya and classifies them as illegal immigrants, though they claim roots there dating back centuries.

Myanmar security forces continue to harass Rohingya in Rakhine, said Noor Bashar, 26, who fled to Coxs Bazar last week.

Many more are still waiting to enter Bangladesh but its difficult, due to the increased patrolling, she told Reuters.
Burma Daughter of Assassinated Lawyer Testifies

Dr. Yin Nwe Khaing, daughter of assassinated lawyer U Ko Ni appears in court. / Chan Son / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Nearly five months into the trial process, Yangons northern district court examined the daughter of late National League for Democracy legal adviser U Ko Ni, who was present at the scene when her father was murdered in January.

At the 20th hearing for the trial on Friday, U Ko Nis eldest daughter Dr. Yin Nwe Khaing, 34, appeared in court with her familys lawyer, U Nay La, to present her eyewitness account of the murder. She was the 20th witness so far; a list of more than 80 witnesses has been submitted by the prosecuting lawyer.

Its been nearly seven months since prominent Muslim lawyer U Ko Ni was shot by gunman Kyi Lin outside Yangon International Airport on the afternoon of Jan. 29. He is survived by his wife and three adult children.

Police have detained four suspects in the murder: Kyi Lin, and alleged co-conspirators Zeya Phyo, Aung Win Zaw and Aung Win Tun.

An additional man, Aung Win Khaing, is suspected of being the main conspirator in the murder but remains at large. According to a police statement, he is the brother of the two detained suspects Aung Win Zaw and Aung Win Tun, and was last seen in Naypyidaw. Police testified to the court that there is no record that Aung Win Khaing has passed through the countrys border gates since the assassination, but there are no new leads in locating the fugitive.

Dr. Yin Nwe Khaing told the media after the Friday court hearing that the length of time required for the trial process does not matter to her as long as the truth comes out.

You cant demand an equal [loss] from the [perpetrators] side in a murder, she said. Our family will not get back the one who died. So the truth is the only thing we can expect out of this trial.

Details of who was involved in the conspiracy, and why they did it, must be uncovered, she said, describing it as crucial not only for the country but also for its judicial system.

Lawyer U Nay La told The Irrawaddy that authorities should put forward more effort in locating Aung Win Khaing, and that there have been flaws in the police investigation of the case.

After two or three more hearings and examinations, the case will be more clear, U Nay La said. I believed the fugitive will be arrested before the end of the murder trial, he added.

The next court hearing will be held at the northern district court on August 25. Shooter Kyi Lin and the three alleged co-perpetrators are being charged under Article 302 of Myanmars Penal Code for murder.

Zeya Phyo, a former military intelligence officer, is also charged under Article 67 of the Telecommunications Law for the possession of restricted telecommunications equipment and Article 468 of the Penal Code for the forgery of national identity cards.

Two of the suspectsKyi Lin and Aung Win Zaware also being charged under Article 19(d) and (f) of the countrys 1878 Arms Act for possession and transportation of illegal arms, in addition to the murder charge.
Burma Detained Journalists Denied Second Bail Appeal in Unlawful Association Case

After the court hearing on Friday. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

HSIPAW, Shan State  The second bail appeal for three detained journalists from The Irrawaddy and the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) was rejected by the Hsipaw Township Court judge, with national security being cited as the reason.

Lawi Weng of The Irrawaddy, and U Aye Nai and U Pyae Phone Aung from DVB, have been in custody at Hsipaw Prison in northern Shan State since they were arrested by the army on June 26 on their way back from covering a drug-burning ceremony hosted by the Taang National Liberation Army, a Palaung ethnic armed group. The army accused them of unlawful association with an outlawed organization.

During their fourth trial, the townships judge U Kyaw Thu Moe said that apart from the national security issue, he was worried that granting bail could prolong the legal process, as the hearings have been going on for a month so far.

I want to end this case as soon as possible. So far, only two witnesses from the plaintiffs side have appeared at court. For the purpose of a speedy hearing, the bail request is denied, he said during the hearing.

Myanmar Army officers Maj Myat Maw Aung and Aung Lin Htet had been summoned to give testimony at Fridays hearing.

Maj Myat Maw Aung presented a CD with data allegedly copied from the journalists cameras and phones to be examined as evidence.

The journalists lawyers objected, stating that the evidence was inadmissible and questioning its authenticity.

Aung Lin Htet did not give testimony due to time constraints.

The Hsipaw Township Court judge will decide at next Fridays hearing whether to accept the new evidence.

U Zeya Hlaing, a Myanmar Press Council member who showed up at the hearing in Hsipaw on Friday, told The Irrawaddy that he felt very bad to see his fellow journalists in handcuffs under a heavy security presence.

Journalism is not a crime. Why has their bail been denied while some people prowling the city with weapons receive bail? These journalists didnt have weapons. Our legal system is questionable, he said.
Burma Fish Farmer Hit With Defamation Lawsuit Over State Counselor Facebook Post

Nga Min Swe (center) in front of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis residence in Nov 2015 while delivering a statement against the politician. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

MANDALAY  A fish farmer in Yangon has been dealt a lawsuit under Myanmars controversial telecoms law for posting on Facebook the suggestion that bachelors could propose to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Self-described political activist Daw Zar Zar Htoon filed the lawsuit under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law against U Min Swe, also known as Nga (Fish) Min Swea nod to his profession, and a means to differentiate him from politician and former political prisoner U Min Swe.

His postsnot only this onedefamed our Mother Suu, said Mandalay resident Daw Zar Zar Htoon, who filed the lawsuit in a Pyigyitagon Township police station. I have lots of evidence of his defamation.

Daw Zar Zar Htoon stressed that she was not associated with the State Counselors National League for Democracy (NLD) but took action as an ordinary citizen who does not want further slandering against the Lady we love and respect.

Police colonel Thein Lwin of the township confirmed the lawsuit and said the case was under investigation.

We are now checking the evidence submitted by the plaintiff. If it is found to be enough to go under [Article] 66(d), we will inform the accused, accordingly with the law, he said.

U Min Swe is a well-known and outspoken local figure who has previously self-published leaflets against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, circulating them during the NLD election campaigns and party events.

The Irrawaddy was unable to reach him for comment on Thursday. A Facebook post on his profile on Thursday, however, stated that every unmarried man is entitled to ask women of any age who have no husband to love and marry them.

Anyone can sue me for saying this, he wrote in Burmese.

Responding to the lawsuit, he added that he would like to sue former US President Barack Obama for defaming Myanmar, as he hugged and kissed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi when he visited the country.

Earlier this month, the Upper House voted to amend Article 66(d) by allowing bail to be granted to the defendant and blocking third parties from prosecuting under the law unless the party has been granted legal power by the defamed individual.

The proposed modifications will also be put to the Lower House before a final decision is taken.

Critics have called for Article 66(d) to be scrapped, arguing that it has been used to restrict freedom of expression and stifle the press.

The article states that whoever uses a telecommunication network to extort, threaten, obstruct, defame, disturb inappropriately influence or intimidate, on conviction can be punished with imprisonment for a term extending to a maximum of three years, and shall be liable to fine or both.
Burma Govt Peace Team to Meet UWSA

The first summit of ethnic armed organizations in Panghsang hosted by the UWSA in 2015. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Government peace negotiators are planning to meet leaders of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) at its headquarters in northern Shan State, according to a UWSA official.

U Thein Zaw Oo, the assistant liaison officer at the USAW Lashio office, said he was told that U Thein Zaw Oothe vice-chairperson of the governments Peace Commissionwas going to lead a delegation to the headquarters, possibly in September, but the date has not yet been confirmed.

U Thein Zaw Oo was assigned under President U Thein Seins government to persuade the UWSA, National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), and Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) to join the peace process.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) administration then entrusted him with the same task, placing him as the vice-chairperson of the Peace Commission.

We dont know the details, agenda or date of the meeting yet, said spokesperson U Aung Soe of the Peace Commission.

Following a summit of ethnic armed groups at UWSA headquarters in Panghsang in Feb. 2017, the UWSA formed the Federal Political Negotiation Consultative Committee (FPNCC) to join the peace process outside of the national ceasefire agreement path.

Led by the UWSA, the FPNCC also comprises the NDAA, SSPP, Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA), and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

The ethnic armed groups demand the government engages with them as a single entity, but the government has refused, preferring to deal with them as separate groups.

Brig-Gen Tar Bone Kyaw of the TNLA said: I havent heard about the meeting. We have only agreed to meet the government as a bloc. The FPNCC is yet to hold a meeting and make a decision on whether or not to meet the government separately.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma NLD Ministers Corruption-Free, Says Commission

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi holds a meeting with peace negotiation teams in Naypyidaw on July 5, 2016. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Myanmars anti-corruption commission is yet to find graft among the governments ministers since its formation one-and-a-half years ago, according to an official from the commission.

U Thin Maung, a member of the commission that was formed under the 2013 Anti-Corruption Law, said it has not uncovered or received reports of corruption among the National League for Democracy (NLD) ministers, a progression from the previous government, which was afflicted with alleged cases.

I hope the situation continues like this, he said.

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in an interview with Channel News Asia when she visited Singapore last December that the fact that her ministers are not corrupt is what pleased her the most in her first nine months of government.

The countrys de facto leader repeatedly spoke out publicly against corruption and called for the public to submit complaints against corrupt government officials, ensuring the confidentiality of all submissions.

Before she formed the government, she asked her lawmakers and ministerial nominees to avoid corruption.

The NLD government has come up with two priorities since assuming power: peace and a corruption-free government, the commission member said.

He said the government announced directives for the public procurement system to all ministries soon after it took office in March 2016.

Previously, there was no such mandate, he added, citing the move as a government initiative against corruption.

In April, 2016, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi ordered all civil servants not to accept any gifts worth more than 25,000 kyats (US$21), an amount 10 times lower than the threshold set by the previous government.

U Thein Seins government officially allowed civil servants to accept gifts that were valued at less than $US250. It also stated clean and good governance as a priority.

Two years after it took power, then telecommunication and information technology minister U Thein Tun was removed from his post after he became entangled in a corruption case.

In addition, former Magwe Region chief minister U Phone Maw Shwe was investigated for embezzlement after U Tun Tun, a Lower House lawmaker, raised a question in Parliament on missing regional development funds.

U Tun Tun urged other states and regions to dig into similar accusations of embezzlement, even if they are not able to take legal action because of the governments policy of no retrospection, arguing that the government bodies could at least retrieve their public funds.

Myanmar has risen slightly in global transparency rankings in recent years. It ranked 136 out of 176 nations in a 2016 report from graft watchdog Transparency International while it was 147 out of 168 nations in 2015.

In 2014, it ranked 156, one mark better than previous years 157.

Despite improvements in the index, the disappearance of corruption is not possible, U Thin Maung said.

It will only depend on the amount, more or less. But we can reduce it, he added.
Guest Column The Empty Rhetoric of Unity

Ethnic Kachin refugees are pictured in Jam Mai Kaung IDP camp in Myitkyina on July 30, 2015. / Soe Zayar Tun / Reuters

Two events indicating the prospect of peace and conflict were simultaneously taking place on Aug. 11, 2017.

One was a meeting between the Delegation for Political Negotiation (DPN), the negotiating body of the ethnic alliance the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), and the government Peace Commission.

The level of trust is now at zero, said DPN leader Khu Oo Reh, reflecting the spirit of the meeting.

The other was indiscriminate shelling by Light Infantry Battalions 381 and 384, under the command of Military Operation Command 3, in an episode of conflict with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Kasung village, Mogaung Township, Kachin State.

More than 1,000 people were displaced and several were reportedly killed due to the shelling. This follows the displacement of more than 1,000 people in June from Tanai in western Kachin State, after the Myanmar Army dropped leaflets in the area announcing clearance operations.

A Tatmadaw representative said in Parliament on August 14 that it is the militarys duty to enforce the rule of law in areas where the KIA is active and to bring local people into the fold of security provided by the military.

Active military hostility initiated by the Myanmar Army in Kasung must not be treated as just another fight. Sources in Kachin State suspect this move to be an initial step taken by the army to formalize an agreement made with China: to allow for the reported construction of a highway bypassing Kachins major cities, and merging into the route of the Ledo Road, which connected Kunming, in Chinas Yunnan Province, to the Indian border town of Ledo during World War II.

The KIAs Battalion 11, situated 3 miles north of Kasung, serves as a significant obstacle to the potential construction of such a motorway, which would pass through the village. The shelling could be interpreted as an attempt to clear the area in an early effort toward carrying out the plan to create such infrastructure.

The bombing of Kasung occurred around one month after Myanmar Army Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaings weeklong visit to India, where he had several top-level meetings with talks on both bilateral and military-to-military cooperation with his western neighbor.

Myanmars military has learned to thrive in its strategic position between Asias two giants, both seeking regional dominance. It was the British demarcation of borders that defined Myanmars boundaries as a state, and the lines set out by a colonial power have also contributed to the fate of generations of non-Bamar ethnic groups: squeezed between India, China, and the Tatmadaw troops are communities who have been stripped of their security and basic right to a life with dignity, particularly for those living along these borders.

Synonymous With the Military

For many communities in the ethnic states, the first Bamar people they encountered were Tatmadaw troops entering their villages, bringing with them human rights violations, looting and the destruction of property.

A 100-year-old displaced woman from Kasung said during an interview, I crawled, I ran, I was carried on my sons back across two rice fields, running away from Myen [referring to Bamar people].

Yet a translation of that interview then reads, As the government troops were coming. For many, the terms Myenthe term for Bamar in the Kachin Jinghpaw dialecthas become synonymous with Myanmar Army troops.

Similarly, in Karen language, Pa Yaw refers to both Bamar people and the Myanmar Army. A member of the Karen community recalls: Back in the village where I grew up, people would say Pa Yaw were coming when the Myanmar Army was entering the village.

In Shan, the word Marn for the Bamar ethnicity is also used to describe Myanmar Army troops.

For people living in areas that receive little to no support or services from the central government, the only Bamar they have known are Myanmar Army troops. It has been their ethnic communities and respective ethnic armed organizations that have supplied basic infrastructure, health and educationnot Naypyitaw or Yangon.

The government is blocking the UN and other INGOs [international non-governmental organizations] from going to Kachin Independence Organization areas and quite clearly trying to destroy what has been built up. They are clearly determined to wipe out the infrastructure that has been built over the years, said a longtime journalist and a regular visitor to Kachin State.

No National Identity

Since the founding of the Union of Burma in 1948, sufficient attention and effort have not been invested in creating a unified ideology to bring together the diverse range of ethnic communities within the countrys borders. No unified central ideology of nationhood was offered to the ethnic nationalities so that they might adopt the notion of a national identity.

As soon as the position of Commander-in-Chief was transferred from Smith Dun in February 1949 to Gen Ne Win, Burman officers filled the high commands, while non-Bamars were given new but lower ranks, described in Burma in Revolt by Bertil Lintner.

Fewer than 10 years after gaining independence, the political and economic prospects in Kachin State were falling drastically, and by 1951, the Kachin State honeymoon was now over, wrote Mandy Sadan in Being and Becoming Kachin. By the 1960s, less than 15 years after independence, more than a dozen ethnic nationalities had already armed themselves and saw such a struggle as the only way to call for political dialogue.

Despite the armys central rhetoric to the national causes being non-disintegration of national solidarity and of the Union, the brutality committed by its troops has forced unprecedented numbers of civilians to flee, and it has inflicted prior and ongoing human rights violations upon vulnerable communities, most recently in the village of Kasung. Yet the Tatmadaw continues to advance as a major economic and political player and as a strategic partner of both China and India, often at the cost of the safety and security of Myanmars people.

Consecutive governments of a new independent Myanmar have failed to tackle the issue of creating a unified national identity since the colonial legacy. To avoid the fate of becoming another failed state, to which Myanmar is already on its way, the people need to look to each other to co-create a national identity. It must be envisioned not simply around the leadership of another individual, but based on shared values and mutual respect, and without coercion from any group to forfeit their unique identity.

Stella Naw is an advocate for equal rights and writes about peace and conflict in Myanmar.
A way of modifying the atomic structure of iron to create a metal that can remove impurities from water in a short time has been developed by scientists at the Edith Cowan University.

The development was reported in the Advanced Functional Materials journal recently.

It has implications for the mining and textile industries, among others, where large amounts of wastewater are generated.

Associate Professor Laichang Zhang from ECUs School of Engineering said the team changed the atomic structure of iron to form metallic glass.

He said metallic glass got its name because its atomic structure resembled that of glass.

While the atomic structure of traditional metals is very ordered, with the atoms forming a grid-like structure, metallic glass atoms are much more disorganised.

It is this disordered atomic structure that gives metallic glass its very interesting and useful characteristics, Prof Zhang said.

A thin strip of metallic glass can remove impurities such as dyes or heavy metals from even highly polluted water in minutes.

It works by binding the atoms of the dye or heavy metals to the ribbon, leaving behind useable water, Prof Zhang said.

This offers a number of benefits compared to the current method of using iron powder to treat wastewater. Firstly, using iron powder leaves you with a large amount of iron sludge that must be stored. Secondly, it is expensive to produce and can only be used once.

In contrast, the iron-based metallic glass we have developed can be re-used up to 20 times, produces no waste iron sludge and can be produced as cheaply a few dollars per kilogram.

Prof Zhang said mining and textile production resulted in huge amounts of water that were contaminated with heavy metals and dyes respectively.

We have already had significant interest from companies in both China and Australia who are keen to work with us to develop this technology, including Ausino Drilling Services, whose clients include Rio Tinto and the Aluminium Corporation of China, he said.

Both Ausino chief executive Dr Minlu Fu and the vice-general manager of Beijing Wuyi Environmental Technology Yeqiang Wu said they were looking forward to collaborating with Prof Zhang.

Our experts noticed that Laichangs recent research using metallic glass as a catalyst for ultrafast water purification is very achievable in the industrial application, Dr Fu said.
Australian battery manufacturer Redflow has decided to move the manufacturing headquarters for its zinc-bromine flow batteries from North America to Thailand.

A statement from the company said the move was taken to be closer to its most lucrative markets of Australia, Oceania and southern Africa, and also to reduce production costs.

The company has begun talks to lease premises in a Thai free trade zone and has started the paperwork to obtain the necessary licensing and regulatory approvals.

The founder of Redflow is Simon Hackett (below, right) who is better known as the man behind arguably one of Australia's better ISPs, Internode.

Hackett said the final batch of ZBM2 batteries produced in North was in transit to Australia.

Im pleased to report that our stack manufacturing equipment from North America has arrived in Thailand ahead of schedule, he said. We remain on track to commence production with our new manufacturing partner MPTS as planned.

The company said its integration partners had sold ZCell batteries for use in residential and commercial properties in every Australian state and territory except the Northern Territory.

Hackett said most ZCell batteries were deployed in scalable configurations using multiple parallel batteries, which leverage the key technical and economic advantages of the company's technology.

Popular configurations include 2-6 battery off-grid residential systems and 3-6 battery on-grid residential and commercial systems, he said.
In a rare treat, I was able to venture outside of the office Monday. I sent myself to cover a listening session held by Wisconsin Sen. Jennifer Shilling and Rep. Jill Billings, rather than a member of my reporting staff.

All was going well. Shilling and Billings who wanted to know how their constituents felt about Foxconn Technology Groups plans to build a display screen plant in the state. People in La Crosse County are none too thrilled about the Foxconn deal passed by the state Assembly on Thursday. They had some interesting things to say, as politically savvy people often do, so I didnt mind too much that it was standing room only, and I spent two hours from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. packed in with about 70 other people.

Then I heard the words that always seem to come up at every political gathering, How do we get millennials to be politically active? Why arent they here? They dont seem to care about anything but themselves and their phones, the selfish, narcissistic jerks.

OK, Im paraphrasing, but the phone thing definitely came up, as if nearly everyone over the age of 30 doesnt also have a cell phone in their pocket right this second and none of them ever checked a text while someone else was talking.

The question sparked more complaints, with people echoing the sentiment that young people today just dont care about anything, derailing the conversation for several minutes until Shilling was able to bring it back to the topic at hand  something for which my sanity thanks her tremendously (To be clear, Im not accusing either Shilling or Billings of participating in this nonsense).

After years and years of articles and complaints explaining everything that could possibly be wrong with my generation, several of which are contradictory and lets just say dubiously sourced, Im positive Im not alone in being sick to death of hearing, How do we get millennials to care?

Theres something about the question that feels dehumanizing to me, like someday I can expect a Steve Irwin lookalike to pop up behind me and say, What we have here is an elusive millennial in the wild. See how shes enjoying an avocado toast on the smoking remains of a chain restaurant she killed off? Aint she a beaut? How do we capture her?

Its especially annoying because young people today are in truth plenty politically active. Not only were there a couple at this actual event, not even including those who were working for various media outlets like yours truly, but also youll find them at nearly every political event in the area. A few have even started their own political activist organizations. Take a look at the make-up of Indivisible La Crosse and La Crosse Area Showing Up for Racial Justice events close to home or the health care protests in Washington, D.C., last month.

Not to say Generations X and Y or the Baby Boomers dont also show up for those things, but they dont have a monopoly on them.

According to a 2016 American Press Institute study, 69 percent of millennials get the news daily and even more of them say keeping up with it is important. While they access their news differently, primarily reading it on the web, according to a Pew Research Study Ive written about before, they are informed. Whats more, theyre only too happy to share that information.

The Millennial Impact Project found the majority of millennials are vocal about their political views, speaking out on issues they care about on social media. I can already hear naysayers dismissing the importance of things like Facebook posts and tweets, but more and more, those voices are being heard.

Calls to phone elected officials about the GOPs health care bill made the Facebook and Twitter rounds and people responded. See how the Affordable Care Act isnt being dismantled at this very moment?

Anyway, I digress. Ill stipulate that people of my generation arent coming to your events, whatever they happen to be. If you want them to show up, maybe dont spend your allotted time to speak complaining about them. Its super easy to do. Instead, try treating them like the adults that even the youngest of them are now, with ideas of value.
Foxtel is giving the big F to piracy sites as it welcomes continued court action on piracy site blocking, with Yes Movies, Vumoo, Los Movies, Cartoon HD, Putlocker and more to walk the plank of ISP blocking.

Foxtel has welcomed the Federal Courts latest actions to further address online piracy, with "orders in a proceeding instituted by Foxtel to block an additional 127 domain names that allow access to 15 pirate streaming sites and 2 torrent sites, and orders in a separate proceeding instituted by the movie industry to block over 40 pirate sites".

In the proceeding instituted by Foxtel, we are told that Australian ISPs TPG/iiNet, Optus, Telstra and Vocus, will be required block the domain names associated with pirate streaming sites":

Yes Movies

Vumoo

Los Movies

Cartoon HD

Putlocker

Watch Series 1

Watch Series 2

Project - Free TV

ProjectFreeTV

Watch Episodes

Watch Episode Series

Watch TV Series

The Dare TV

Putlocker9.is

Putlocker9.com

as well as Torrent sites 1337x and Torlock.

The news follows last years blocking of some of the largest online piracy sites and increases the number of domain names blocked by the Federal Court, as a result of Foxtels site blocking applications alone, to more than 250. In total, 65 major piracy sites have now been ordered to be blocked by the Federal Court".

Foxtel chief executive Peter Tonagh set the tone, stating: Foxtel welcomes todays judgment as another critical step in combating online piracy, which continues to undermine Australias creative industry.

"The governments passage of the site blocking legislation, and the courts continued willingness to impose site blocking orders, illustrates the gravity of the threat and the concern we should all have about protecting the hard work of the actors, writers, directors and production teams involved in creating the programming we all love.

Foxtel believes in the importance of educating people that accessing pirated content is not a victimless crime and we will continue to do our part in shedding light on the seriousness of intellectual property theft, while simultaneously helping to ensure our content is available quickly, easily and at a price that suits their budgets.

Foxtel notes that todays court action coincides with the launch of Australias biggest ever anti-piracy campaign, dubbed "The Price of Piracy", whose colour scheme seems to match nicely with Foxtel's.

The campaign is led by Creative Content Australia, and emphasises the need to protect intellectual property rights while underscoring the threat of content theft on the creative industries. The Price of Piracy also illustrates the dangers of malware, ransomware and identity theft associated with copyright infringing websites.

No doubt the irate pirates finding their favourite sites blocked will flock to a VPN service, thus continuing the cat and mouse game of no-go zones and how to get around them, but as the Price of Piracy site notes, the link between pirate sites and malware is undeniable.

So, whether that piece of eight is really worth a ransomware's fate is something you'll have to decide for yourself, but once bitten, twice shy may well be what some need to get over their piracy high.

More info here.
Australia has said it will move to regulate exchanges that deal in the cryptocurrency bitcoin, as part of its crackdown on money laundering and terrorist financing.

The move comes in the wake of similar initiatives by China and Japan, according to a report on CNBC.

The Australian Government outlined a number of reforms on Thursday to close the regulatory gap and give the Australian Transactions and Reporting Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) authority to regulate digital currency exchanges.

CNBC quoted Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan as saying: "The threat of serious financial crime is constantly evolving, as new technologies emerge and criminals seek to nefariously exploit them. These measures ensure there is nowhere for criminals to hide."

The proposed reforms will give more powers to AUSTRAC to enforce the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act.

Keenan said this was the first time that cryptocurrency exchanges were being regulated.

"Stopping the movement of money to criminals and terrorists is a vital part of our national security defences and we expect regulated businesses in Australia to comply with our comprehensive regime," he said.

Recently AUSTRAC registered a civil case against the Commonwealth Bank for allegedy violating the Act more than 50,000 times.

CNBC quoted Aurelien Menant, the founder and chief executive of Gatecoin, a Hong Kong-based digital currency exchange, as saying the Australian move was a positive development.

"It signifies the growing recognition of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as influential value transfer protocols by governments," he said.

"Compliance with AUSTRAC policies will weed out the crooks and ensure that only serious bitcoin businesses are able to serve the market."

The People's Bank of China said in January and February that it was conducting a probe into bitcoin and met representatives from a number of exchanges to inform them that they had to fall in line with the country's laws or else face closure.

Japan issued a new law earlier this year, making bitcoin a legal currency, and requiring cryptocurrency exchanges to abide by regulations governing the sector.
A push to make private US companies give up the use of products from Kaspersky Lab is in progress, with the FBI holding briefings for firms and telling them that intelligence shows the Russian company is a threat to national security.

Cyberscoop reported that US officials, both serving and retired, had said the goal of the briefings was to push Kaspersky Lab products out of the US system altogether, or at least to prevent the use in any new systems.

The focus has been private companies in the energy sector and those which use industrial control and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems. The briefings began this year.

Last month, the US government removed Kaspersky products from a list of approved software suppliers for two government-wide purchasing contracts.

Okay, it's time to put up or shut up. Whatever we have is burned by this point. Make it public already... https://t.co/dMTCrDLJcS  Jake Williams (@MalwareJake) 18 August 2017

And there werethat the US Senate was set to use a a provision in the National Defence Authorisation Act to look at a ban on the company's software in all federal agencies.

The move against Kaspersky Lab has come in the wake of allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential elections. Recently, the US approved more sanctions against Russia and Moscow retaliated by saying it would expel several hundred American diplomats.

The report said the FBI had also held information sessions for big US technology companies that had business tie-ups or working relationships with Kaspersky Lab on products like routers or virtual machines that are widely used.

The briefings are said to give the companies an overview of the alleged threat, and also press home what US intelligence claims are Kaspersky Lab's relationships with Russian intelligence. The FBI has also been citing charges that Kaspersky Lab was involved in wrongdoing, including one case of allegedly faking malware.

A spokesperson from Kaspersky Lab told Cyberscoop that this particular accusation came from disgruntled, former company employees, whose accusations are meritless. FBI officials claim the incident had the company's blessing.

The briefings have resulted in companies that use ISC and SCADA systems being co-operative and several have signed deals with Kaspersky's competitors.

But other technology companies have reportedly been less receptive to the FBI's briefings.

In response to a query from iTWire, Kaspersky Lab's local unit said: "Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyber espionage efforts.

"The company has a 20-year history in the IT security industry of always abiding by the highest ethical business practices and trustworthy development of technologies, and Kaspersky Lab believes it is completely unacceptable that the company is being unjustly accused without any hard evidence to back up these false allegations.

"Kaspersky Lab, a private company, seems to be caught in the middle of a geopolitical fight where each side is attempting to use the company as a pawn in their political game.

"Eugene Kaspersky, chief executive and founder of Kaspersky Lab, has repeatedly offered to meet government officials, testify before the US Congress and provide the company's source code for an official audit to help address any questions the US government has about the company.

"Kaspersky Lab continues to be available to assist all concerned government organisations with any investigations, and the company ardently believes a deeper examination of Kaspersky Lab will confirm that these allegations are unfounded."
The entire database of 1.8 million Chicago voters was left open to all and sundry on an Amazon cloud-based storage site which was configured for public access.

Cyber security firm UpGuard discovered the database which included voter names, addresses, phone numbers, drivers licence numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. The database was operated by Omaha-based voting machine firm Election Systems & Software.

It appeared to have been produced around the time of the 2016 general election for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, an ES&S customer since 2014, the company said.

The data was found by UpGuard's director of strategy Jon Hendren.

The contents were almost completely downloadable by anyone who accessed the Web address.

It was located at the AWS S3 subdomain chicagodb, and the main repository had two folders: Final Backup_GeneralNov2016 and Final Backups_6_5_2017, .

There was also a 12GB MSSQL database file. Many filenames indicated the name of ES&S, a prominent US provider of voting machines and associated software.

Hendren notified UpGuard's director of Cyber Risk Research, Chris Vickery, who is well known for finding such data on the Web.

He analysed the data and found that it consisted of a 12GB file, a 2.6GB file and a 1.3GB file stored in each folder.

Each was a separate copy of a database containing the personal information of 1.864 million Chicago voters. The affected municipality was notified and the repository was secured on 12 August.

"While the databases contain a large number of SQL tables, with filenames including such phrases as 'BallotImages', 'polldata_summary', and 'pollworker_times', of perhaps greatest interest is the table set titled 'dbo.voters'," UpGuard said.

"This dataset lists the 1.864 million Chicago voters, each assigned a unique, internal voter ID, as well as their names, addresses, dates of birth, and more identifying details across dozens of columns."

The UpGuard staffer who wrote the article about the discovery, Dan O'Sullivan, is a Chicago resident and registered voter, and he was able to verify the accuracy of the data by looking himself up.

"The rapid closure of this breach by ES&S, and the ready co-operation of the City of Chicago in securing this data, is good news for all registered voters in the city," UpGuard said.

"Once an exposure is found to have happened, it is imperative to move swiftly to foreclose upon the possibility of any exploitation of the data by malicious actors.

"However, for real cyber resilience to take hold, IT enterprises must begin to craft processes capable of checking and validating any such openings before it reaches the public Internet, lest the barn door be closed only after the horse has bolted."
The pace of change for the security threat landscape is accelerating. To cope with the change and ensure success against adversaries, Xerox Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Dr. Alissa Johnson believes the security community needs to rethink the way it anticipates and responds to threats. It also needs to be more open and effective in the way it shares information.

Johnsons background has given her a unique perspective on the security landscape from the perspective of both private industry and the public sector. An NSA-certified cryptologic engineer, she spent three years with the Obama administration as deputy CIO where she was resonsible for White House technology and some of the technology at Camp David and in Air Force One. Johnson has also worked at Lockheed Martin as a deputy CTO and at Northrop Grumman as a senior network security engineer.

CSO had the opportunity to speak with Johnson recently about her views on how companies should prepare for future threats. We also spoke about how Xerox, which sells web-connected document imaging devices, deals with security issues around the Internet of Things (IoT).

Xerox Dr. Alissa Johnson, Xerox CISO

CSO: How you see the security threat landscape changing?

Alissa Johnson: Just as technology changes, security's going to change as well. You're moving into more digitization. Your IT strategy is not really your IT strategy anymore. It's a data strategy. It's a digital strategy. It has to be allencompassing and cohesive across all of the different layers. When you think about how that is changing and then you think about the security controls and the impacts of that change on security, I think about the cognitive approach.

CSO: What do you mean by the cognitive approach?

Johnson: It really digs into artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning and the thought that that is where technology is going. We have Siri. We have the Google Voice application. You've got Alexa as well that interacts with the cloud. When you think about that, we don't have that same thing from a security perspective. Not just talking about the security controls around that type of functionality, I'm talking about that function being a security function as well.

As we move to AI, then we also have to move into AI in a security space  thinking about the talent shortage, thinking about the fact that we're not going to close this talent gap. How do we close the talent gap? How do we get around it? By allowing AI, allowing robots and smart learning and things like that to play a role in this. We need to challenge our vendors and say, You've got great platforms that perform analytics for me, but now I need these great platforms to not just perform the analytics, but to actually do something.

That's where it stops. It stops at analytics, and then it expects you've got a team of people that will actually do [something with the data]. It would be great if, as the smart security people that we are, we could say these are the list of security things that I am comfortable with a machine doing for me. It may be setting some policies or turning off firewall ports or turning off ports on systems that haven't been used in the past two months.

If we get to that basic understanding, that, to me, is progression in that [the system] will not wait for me to say, Let me set a policy. I may get an email or I may get some alert saying, "Hey, nothing has been sent on this port in the past two months. I'm shutting it off. Letting you know I shut it off." To me that is evolution. That is cognitive security.

Now, [the software] is learning about my system, learning about my infrastructure, my network. It is analyzing, and then based on that learning and that analysis, it is doing something for me. It's a cycle. It's going to learn, analyze, do, learn, analyze, do, learn, analyze, do. Thats what I mean when I say cognitive security.

[Related: Moving forward with machine learning for cybersecurity]

CSO: When companies adopt new technologies, they often find themselves with new security risks. The key example here is the IoT. Can you speak a little bit to how a company like Xerox that is at the forefront of the IoT, is securing access to those devices?

Johnson: Our whole value proposition around security really is in four different areas, prevent, protect, detect, and external partnership. What is really, really important and closer to my heart is the external partnerships.

Our goal is to not just sell you a secure device or offering. That's not our main intention. Our intention is about the true partnership, as well. You're not only getting a secure device and offering, but you're getting a continuous partnership.

One of the issues [in our industry] sometimes is it's one and done. We've won this sale, we won this customer, now we're done, and we can move onto the next one. That's not the model that we have here. We continue our partnership.

We have solidified a partnership with McAfee. When you buy a Xerox device or buy into one of our offerings, we're bringing that partnership with us. There are things that we have layered in to prevent, there are things that we have layered in to protect, and then we have a detect when things happen, as well. We can detect when the configurations on the printer have been changed. We can detect when something has happened that doesn't look like the norm, that's not baseline.

We can detect when something is heard, and then the device or the offering will send us alerts or send the customer alerts. We can whitelist and detect when malicious software is trying to be added into the system. This is all through our partnership with McAfee.

I look at it as when Xerox hired me as a CISO, they didn't just hire Alissa. They hired my whole network. I've got lots of other CISOs that I know and lots of friends who are in different parts of the industry that I lean on for help, that I talk to and meet with periodically. That's the same type of mentality that we have to push down to our vendors and say, "Well, I don't just want you. I'd like your partners, as well."

I like collaboration, because that's the only way we're going to win this. That's the only way we're going to win against the adversary, is to not just say, "I'm going to buy this secure device, and this security control, and I'm going to get this one here, and try to fit it together ourselves." We've got to be bringing in partnerships. That's one of the things that Xerox specifically does.

These types of partnerships that we're building, this is where we're going in the future, as well. We're continuing to build those partnerships. We're continuing to say, "How do we continue to raise the baseline?" Security has always been a part of the Xerox story. We've always evolved, and every year tried to do something different, and something better, and raise the baseline, and raise the baseline.

CSO: When you roll out a large number of devices for a customer, you must work with them closely, then, to figure out how they want to set up their security. How does that process work?

Johnson: We collaborate a lot. We are not just bringing something that you can plug into your network. It has to integrate and integrate in very well. Because the IoT is booming and new, we can't be in jeopardy of our offering being a conduit into the network. The adversary may not be coming for the printer or trying to get into a printer in order to get what's in the printer or try to find documents. The impetus may be, "This is my way into the network to get other things."

We are talking about really integrating very well into a customer's network. We make recommendations. We say, "These are the lists of firewall rules you should probably have. We want to make sure you're closing all of the ports that aren't used."

We come back. We check in. We assess. These things are very, very important to make sure, not only are we helping them secure their data and protect the device, but that we're still building that solid partnership. We can't just drop it off and keep moving. We've got to work with our partners and say, "This is specifically what the security control should be around our device. These are our recommendations."

CSO: A lot of your channel partners now are also offering security services. I imagine the channel partners are a key part of this?

Johnson: Yes, our channel partners are key. That's part of that external partnerships. When things don't go well, when you get that call at night, it's not just the channel partner that is on the hook. It's Xerox that is on the hook.

We try to make sure that that relationship is solid, because we want all of our channel partners to call us. We want them to reach back to us and say, "Hey, something's not working right. Maybe I can't figure it out. Alissa, can your team figure it out for me? Can we do this together?" We go in together and we solve issues.

CSO: When a security incident occurs through a Xerox printer, how do you respond?

Johnson: We have a very solidified incident response program. A very, very mature incident response program. We align to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001. That's what I have built this program, or framed our new program around. I say our new program because the company split at the beginning of this year, and now we are reimagining a new Xerox.

When you think about it from that perspective, and what the new Xerox looks like, and how we handle incidents, it's very, very different from a document technology perspective. We have the typical incident response process that everyone has. We have partners that we call on to help us with our process. We've got different vendors on retainer, and things like that. We have a very, very mature process.

Johnson: We have a very alive and active Xerox security page. All patches are maintained there. We even push it out and make sure our customers know what patches need to be updated, what the newest release is, things like that.

We communicate security bulletins on that page as well. When the newest hacker or something comes out, we put a statement on there saying, "Hey, there are the things you need to do to protect your Xerox device or your Xerox offerings. Don't forget we're here. Call us at any time."

CSO: New threats are emerging all the time. Just this week, server vendor NetSarang had its products hacked through its supply chain. What does the security community need to be doing differently to meet these new threats?

[Related: The dark web goes corporate]

Johnson: I hate to keep honing in on external partnerships, but to me that is the sticky widget in this. I say that because when you think about the adversary and how they're winning, the adversary is winning because of their partnerships.

That's what the dark web is all about. It's about, "Hey, you don't have to write this piece of code. Buy it for $2.99 or go to another site. It's probably for free." Hackers don't even have to know how to code. They don't have to know much of anything, because the dark web has it all.

That's where we, on the right side of the law, are differentiating ourselves, because we don't share enough. I did a talk yesterday with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). One of the things I said was from vendor to vendor, we don't share enough. From product supplier to product supplier, we don't share enough. From government agency to the next government agency, we don't share enough.

It's not just enough to share and say, "Oh, yeah, I've heard about that vulnerability." You have to get down in the weeds and say, "I've got this issue. How would you fix this? Let me fix this for you. Let me help."

That collaboration, a lot of times, isn't happening. We try to collaborate on a high level because we're so afraid something is going to happen. We're so afraid that something's going to be leaked. We're so afraid that there are going to be some regulatory or financial implications.

I understand the concerns with that, but we have to build a partnership in the security space where those concerns can be released, and we can really share and get down to the nittygritty of it. To me, that's why we end up losing, a lot of times, against the adversary.

I don't think hackers are smarter. We're all normal people. We're all smart people. Their methods are different from how we interact.

CSO: What should companies focus on when they're looking ahead at what the future threat landscape might be like? What kind of data should they be looking for? What kind of trends should they be following?

Johnson: I've been in private sector and public sector. What I've seen is that the adversary may not be going for the exact same thing, but their methods are the same.

We don't have deep, dark nuclear secrets at Xerox, but adversaries are using the same tools that they were trying to use when I was at the White House to penetrate the White House networks. They're using the same tools with private industry.

If you think about it from that perspective, a lot of times we focus, "Well, what is the new threat landscape going to be? How is this threat going to manifest itself?" Some may think nation states are really geared towards government. No, nation states are geared toward product manufacturers, as well. Anything to undersell or undercut a product, reduce the price--all those things play a role.

We focus on the threat landscape, but we should always be focused on raising our security baselines. We shouldn't wait for the threat landscape to change to move the baseline up. We find ourselves sometimes in a precarious situation where, "Oh my goodness, something has happened. Let me take a look," instead of, "Things are going well."

That's one of the things that Xerox is doing. We are looking at the baseline, and we're saying, "We're prepared for 2018," and saying, "OK, how do we want to raise our baseline now?" That's not just with security, but that's with technology. If technology is going to continue to evolve, security has to continue to evolve, as well.

How do you get ready for 2017 and beyond? You've got to continue to raise the security baseline. You can't do it every two years. Your security strategy can't be a fouryear strategy. I'm thinking a twoyear strategy, and a lot of times I think two years is too long. It has to constantly be revisited, and protection has to go across all layers. It has to go across data, applications, processes, and infrastructure. It has to be cohesive
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

A vehicular terror attack in Barcelona that left over a dozen people dead and 100 injured has been claimed by ISIL. Another terrorist attack in the small city of Cambrils was thwarted by Spanish police. The terrorist organization has repeatedly threatened Spain for its logistical and other support to the NATO effort to destroy ISIL in Syria and Iraq. Spain is also of special interest to far right wing Muslim groups because of the nostalgia factor. Southern Spain was once Muslim, until the Castilians completely conquered it and expelled the Muslims in 1492. ISIL once boasted of being a state, but it has only a few pockets of territory left in northern Iraq and in eastern Syria. That territory is shrinking daily. One strategy defeated terrorist groups sometimes adopt is to haunt the victors with revenge attacks. It is difficult to imagine that driving down tourists in Barcelona would have a significant impact on the Coalition war on ISIL. ISIL is also interested in polarizing the relations between Christians and Muslims, and this plot may lie in part behind the attack.

My heart goes out to the people of Barcelona, which I have visited on several lovely occasions.

President Trump responded by telling again the false story that Gen. John Pershing executed Muslim POWs in the Philippines with bullets dipped in pigs blood, and that thereafter they were quiet.

It was a shocking story to tell on the day of an attack on Spain.

It would be sort of like if God forbid Tokyo were attacked and Trump tweeted about how the US showed them at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Because Pershing was part of the naked act of US aggression on Spain in 1898. Under the guise of sympathizing with Cubas desire for independence, the US usurped Puerto Rico and Guam, and forced Spain to sell it the Philippines for $20 mn.

Despite the cover story of sympathizing with Cuba, the US went on to occupy Cuba three times for several years each, to usurp land for a naval base at Guantanamo, and to practice indirect neo-colonialism in Cuba and direct colonialism in the other Spanish possessions it stole. It still wont give Puerto Rico statehood or let it become independent (being of in-between status is destroying the island). Guam is also still just a territory (do democracies have colonial territories?) and more recently is emerging as a North Korean target.

As for the Philippines, like Cuba its people actually wanted independence from the Spanish Empire.

But the Americans who invaded it and detached it from Madrid had different ideas.

In one of the most shameful and brutal actions of the American Empire, the US repressed Filipino uprisings, becoming responsible for killing 20,000 freedom fighters and 400,000 civilians. When villages rose up or sheltered guerrillas, the Americans ruthlessly rounded them up and put them in concentration camps, where unsanitary conditions led to disease outbreaks.

That is, all those American politicians who condemn Bashar al-Assad for atrocities in Syria should remember that the US did worse to the Philippines than al-Assad has done to his country. (Al-Assad should be condemned, but not by people who think the US occupation of the Philippines was all right).

One group that showed special spunk in standing up to the American invasion and occupation of their territory was the Moro Muslims in the far south. Pershing served as military governor of this province and had the rebels killed. In 1913 the US reduced a Muslim fortification and killed all the fighters, refusing to take prisoners (a war crime).

Let me underline this. The only reason Pershing had to deal with Muslims was that the US aggressively attacked Spain on the pretense of sympathizing with rebellious colonial subjects, then promptly imposed American subjection on the Filipinos, and polished off 420,000 of them for not going along with this shameful proceeding. Americans who threw off the British in New York and Massachusetts are celebrated in the US, but Filipinos, including Moro Muslims, who similarly attempted to throw off an occupation army are denigrated as terrorists.

Pershing did kill Moro Muslims, but not with pigs blood. As Wajahat Ali has pointed out, pigs are not kryptonite for Muslims. Moreover, Moros never gave up the fight for more control over their own destinies, so Trumps fantasy that they were repressed for 25 years or 35 years is incorrect.

Worst of all, Trump has played into ISILs hands by identifying a legitimate national liberation movement in Moro under Pershing with terrorism.

Trump is broadcasting ISIL propaganda, that the US is a colonial power brutalizing Muslims and just brandishing the term terrorism to hide its own crimes.

So Trump could not have been more rude to Spain, in recalling 1898. And he could not have been more accommodating to ISILs narrative, that the US is a brutal war criminal repressing Muslims with its colonialism, if he took out television ads for Caliph al-Baghdadi himself.



Related video:

The Young Turks: DEBUNKED: Trump Pushes False Anti-Terror Story
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By Tom Engelhardt | ( Tomdispatch.com) |  

Let me try to get this straight: from the moment the Soviet Union imploded in 1991 until recently just about every politician and mainstream pundit in America assured us that we were the planets indispensable nation, the only truly exceptional one on this small orb of ours.

We were the sole superpower, Earths hyperpower, its designated global sheriff, the architect of our planetary future. After five centuries of great power rivalries, in the wake of a two-superpower world that, amid the threat of nuclear annihilation, seemed to last forever and a day (even if it didnt quite make it 50 years), the United States was the ultimate survivor, the victor of victors, the last of the last. It stood triumphantly at the end of history. In a lottery that had lasted since Europes wooden ships first broke out of a periphery of Eurasia and began to colonize much of the planet, the United States was the chosen one, the country that would leave every imperial world-maker from the Romans to the British in its shadow.

Who could doubt that this was now our world in a coming American century beyond compare?

And then, of course, came the attacks of 9/11. A mere $400,000 and 19 suicidal hijackers (mostly Saudis) armed with box cutters and organized from Afghanistan, a country plunged into an Islamic version of the Middle Ages, had challenged the greatest power of all time. In the process, they would bring down iconic structures in what would soon be known to Americans as the homeland, while killing almost 3,000 innocent civilians, acts so shocking that they really did change the world.

Yet even then, a fervor for world-organizing triumphalism only took firmer hold in Washington. The top officials of President George W. Bushs administration almost instantly saw the 9/11 attacks as their very own Pearl Harbor, the twenty-first-century equivalent of the moment that had launched the U.S. on the path to post-World War II superpowerdom. As Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld instantly told his aides in the rubble of the Pentagon, Go massive. Sweep it all up. Things related and not. And indeed they would do just that, seizing the moment with alacrity and promptly launching the Global War on Terror  aka, among the cognoscenti, World War IV (the third, in their minds, having been the Cold War).

No simple police action against the modest al-Qaeda organization and Osama bin Laden would do (and those who suggested something so pathetically humble were to be laughed out of the room). At that moment, their newly launched war was to be aimed at no less than 60 countries. The world was to be swept clean of terror and the tool for doing so and for imposing Washingtons version of a world order on much of the planet would be the U.S. military, a force like none ever seen before. It was, President Bush would claim, the greatest force for human liberation the world has ever known. It was, as both he and Barack Obama affirmed, as became gospel on both sides of the aisle in Washington (until Donald Trump arrived in the presidential race of 2016), the finest fighting force in history. It was so unquestionably powerful that no enemy could conceivably stand in its path. It would liberate not just Afghanistan, but Iraq, a country in the Middle Eastern oil heartlands that had nothing to do with either al-Qaeda or Islamic terror but had a ruler despised in Washington.

And that, mind you, would only be the beginning. Syria and Iran would undoubtedly follow and soon enough the Greater Middle East would be brought under the aegis of a Pax Americana. Meanwhile, globally, no country or even bloc of countries would be capable of rising to challenge the United States into the imaginable future. As Bush put it in a speech at West Point in 2002, America has, and intends to keep, military strengths beyond challenge, thereby making the destabilizing arms races of other eras pointless, and limiting rivalries to trade and other pursuits of peace. In that year, the U.S. National Security Strategy similarly called for the country to build and maintain its military power beyond challenge.

What a soaring dream it all was! In response to the destruction of part of the Pentagon and those towers in New York City, a small group of top officials in Washington, long waiting for just such an opportunity, were determined to impose their version of order and democracy, military-first, on significant parts of the planet and no one would be capable of resisting. Not for long anyway.

Almost 16 years later, you know how that dream of domination turned out, but to Washingtons power players at the time it all seemed so obvious. Except for a few retrograde Muslim rebels, it was clearly no one elses planet but ours to organize as we wished. The Soviet Union was already an instant historical memory, its empire scattered to the winds, and Russia itself largely immiserated. The Chinese had a capitalist economy of no small means (even if run by a Communist Party), but as a military force, as a great power, they were anything but impressive. And if you looked at the rest of the world, there were no other potential great powers, no less superpowers, on any imaginable horizon.

Given the history of the Global War on Terror and of the stunning inability of the U.S. military to impose Washingtons will, no less its planetary dreams, on more or less anyone, it took an awful long time for such thinking to begin to die. And before it did, the political class, in a fervor of defensive exaggeration, began insisting in a mantra-like way on the indispensability and exceptionality of well, us. It was as if the sense of decline most Americans had started feeling in their bones wasnt happening. Of course, the constant invocation of the countrys singular specialness should itself have signaled just how wrong things were, because when youre truly indispensable and exceptional you dont need to repeatedly say so (or even say it at all).

It took a reality TV star with a curious comb-over who had run a set of casinos into the ground to pick up a Reagan-era slogan, Make America Great Again, and bodysurf it into the White House. He did so in part on the widespread sense in the American heartland that, a quarter-century after the Soviet Union imploded, the U.S. was indeed in decline, even heading for the exit at a creep, not a gallop. The again in that slogan was the telltale signal that the billionaire businessman (and classic American huckster) had an intuitive handle on an American world of failed war-making and raging inequality about which both his Republican opposition and his Democratic opponent in election 2016, all still priming the pump of indispensability and exceptionality, seemed clueless.

Who? Us?

Now, here we are on the planet the U.S. was to dominate and run for an eternity with an embattled president surrounded by generals whose skills were honed in Americas losing wars of the twenty-first century. If you want a personal gauge of American decline, consider this: barely half a year into office, Donald J. Trump is already threatening to launch a nuclear war and exploring whether he has the power not just to pardon aides, friends, and family, but himself in case of future convictions. With the previous decade and a half in mind, heres a question for you: Pardon me, but even if he pardons himself, whos going to pardon the rest of us?

I mean, am I wrong, or arent we living in the mess of a world the sole superpower had a major hand in creating and was, once upon a not-so-distant time, all too eager to take credit for? So I find it strange that no one who matters here seems to feel the slightest responsibility for the planets dismal state. All the politicians, power players, and pundits in Washington who wouldnt have hesitated to take complete credit, had the U.S. achieved anything like its fantasy of a Pax Americana world, couldnt be quicker these days to place the blame for whats actually happened elsewhere.

You know the tale. When it comes to the worlds ills, its Vlad, the Ukrainian Impaler, or Vlad, the Hacker, whos spoiled so much. Among other things, he had, were told, the temerity to mess with the sacrosanct electoral system of the most democratic country on the planet, a place so pure that its denizens had never heard of such a shocking act  except, of course, for the scores of times Washington did exactly that to other countries. (Who in the U.S. these days even remembers the first 9/11?) The Russian president now gets much of the blame in Washington for the sorry mess of our world, from Eastern Europe and the unsettled NATO alliance to Syria. As for where the rest of the blame lands: its the Chinese, of course, whove had the nerve to flex their potential great-power muscles by bulking up their military, building fake islands in the South China Sea, and claiming parts of that body of water as their own, while not pressuring the North Koreans harder to stand down. Its the Iranians who somehow are responsible for much of the mess in the Middle East, along with various jihadi successors and spin-offs from the original al-Qaeda. They take the rest of the blame for the world of chaos that continues to spread across the Greater Middle East, parts of Africa, and now the Philippines (not to mention the refugees fleeing embattled and desperate lands who are, we are regularly assured, threatening the continental U.S. with disastrous harm).

I dont mean to say that such a crew (refugees excepted) shouldnt bear some of the blame for our disintegrating world, but just remind me: Wasnt the Islamic State born in an American military prison in Iraq? Werent the Iranian theocrats, those Great-Satan haters, born in the grim crucible of the Shahs rule (and that of his brutal secret police) after the CIA helped hatch a coup that overthrew the elected prime minister of that country in 1953? Didnt Washington ignore promises made to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and others and do its damnedest to move NATOs line of control into parts of the former Soviet empire and associated satellite states?

Didnt the Bush administration lump North Korea with Iraq, a nation it was eager to invade, and Iran, another it planned to take down sooner or later, in the infamous axis of evil, even though the North Koreans had nothing to do with either of those countries? In the most public manner possible, in a State of the Union address to the nation, the American president linked all three of those countries to terrorism and evil in what was unmistakably a regime change package. (If you were eager to convince the North Korean leadership that possessing a nuclear arsenal was the only way to go, that certainly was a good start.) In the process, didnt George W. Bush and his officials functionally shred the Clinton-negotiated agreement by which the North Koreans had indeed frozen their nuclear program, in part by listing that country in its 2002 Nuclear Posture Review as one of the states that might become the target of a preventive strike?

And thats just to begin to explore what it meant to be in the world of the sole superpower from 2001 to 2017. Remind me, for example, which country only recently announced its withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, the crucial global architecture for protecting the planetary environment, and so humanitys future, from a grim kind of dismemberment?

Whos Going to Sanction Us?

So heres my next question: If youre parceling out blame on this planet of ours, why just dump it on the evil doers? What about us? What about the sole superpower, its changing leadership, and the finest fighting force in the history of the universe? Dont we have any responsibility for the situation we now face globally, from North Korea to the Greater Middle East, Ukraine to Venezuela? Didnt the actions of Americas leaders and its national security state have anything to do with the world that called forth the Trumpian wave, which could now swamp so many ships of state? Maybe President Trump can indeed pardon himself (an issue being debated at the moment by constitutional scholars), but who pardoned everyone else who lent a hand, large or small, to the creation of what increasingly looks like a failed world?

Are there no high crimes and misdemeanors for which we Americans are responsible on a planet of the otherwise guilty?

Heres one thing I think about sometimes on bleak nights. Im sure you remember the way the Bush administration used fraudulent claims about weapons of mass destruction, or WMDs, as an excuse to launch an invasion of Saddam Husseins Iraq and occupy his country. In fact, there was indeed a weapon of mass destruction in Iraq and no one needed to search for it. Im talking about the U.S. military.

It was also a weapon of destructive creation. It cracked Iraq open, set Shia and Sunni at each others throats, loosed a grim process of religious cleansing there and across the region, and so provided fertile ground for the worst of the worst. Its successful invasion was the crucial factor in preparing the way for the birth of al-Qaeda in Iraq and then of the Islamic State in a country where no such organizations had previously existed.

In truth, in every land across the Greater Middle East and Africa where that military has gotten involved in hostilities, from Libya to Iraq, Yemen to Afghanistan, it has left in its wake shaken or failed states, untold numbers of desperate refugees, and spreading terror movements. It has been a major player in a decade and a half of disaster that has helped destabilize significant parts of the planet. And yet when it comes to apportioning blame, the main people tarred with the disaster thats been the war on terror are those who have been made into refugees in its wake, those who, we are told, would be a mortal danger to us, were we to welcome them here.

And while were at it, it might be worth mentioning one other weapon of mass destruction in our world: the rise to glory of the 1% and the widening inequality chasm thats accompanied their successes. From Ronald Reagans presidency on, a series of administrations, Republican and Democratic, have presided over a country and a world growing ever more disastrously unequal, as the rich make staggering gains in income and wealth while the poor and working classes labor ever harder for, relatively speaking, ever less. Consider that but another story of devastation on what reputedly was once an American planet.

In such a global context, our Congress has been eager indeed to sanction the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans for their roles in spreading misery, but whos going to sanction us? Honestly, dont you wonder how we got off the hook so easily for the world we swore that we alone would create? Isnt the U.S. responsible for anything? Doesnt anyone even remember?

We now have a president with the strangest demeanor imaginable, a narcissistic bully spouting a kind of rhetoric that eerily echoes the bellicose threats of North Korea. However, like the spreading terror movements and failed states of the Greater Middle East, he should be seen as a spawn of the actions, programs, and dreams of the sole superpower in its self-proclaimed glory and of its plans for a military-enforced global Pax Americana. By the time hes done, President Trump may be responsible for high crimes, including nuclear ones, of a sort that even impeachment wouldnt cover and who, these days, could ever miss his demeanor?

Blame the evil doers for the devastation visiting this planet? Sure thing. But us? Not for a second.

And while youre at it, welcome to the post-American world.

Tom Engelhardt is a co-founder of the American Empire Project and the author of The United States of Fear as well as a history of the Cold War, The End of Victory Culture. He is a fellow of the Nation Institute and runs TomDispatch.com. His latest book is Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, as well as John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands, Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardts Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World.

Copyright 2017 Tom Engelhardt

Tomdispatch.com



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Euronews: Iraq bombs ISIL-held Tal Afar ahead of ground assault
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TeleSur |  

The United States has been funding and supporting the group for months, due to strategic interests in the region, a spokesperson revealed.

U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria  who are among Washingtons most important and powerful regional allies  told Reuters Thursday that the U.S. military will remain in northern Syria for decades to come.

A spokesman from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of militias headed by the Kurdish YPG, Talal Silo, told Reuters that the the United States has a strategic interest in the area, and that U.S. forces will be staying there long after the Islamic state group might be defeated.

They have a strategy policy for decades to come. There will be military, economic and political agreements in the long term between the leadership of the northern areas (of Syria)  and the U.S. administration, Silo said.

The U.S. military has funded the SDF extensively, also supporting them with air strikes, artillery, and special forces on the ground. It was in March when the then-new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump began distributing arms to the YPG, ahead of their assault in Raqqa.

When probed about their long-term strategy, Col. Ryan Dillon, another spokesman for the coalition, deferred Reuters to the U.S. Pentagon, adding that there is still a lot of fighting to do, even after ISIS has been defeated in Raqqa.

Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman, in turn, stated, The Department of Defense does not discuss timelines for future operations. However we remain committed to the destruction of ISIS and preventing its return.

The head of the YPG revealed last month that the United States has established seven military bases in areas of northern Syria that are controlled by the YPG or SDF, including a major air base near Kobani, which borders Turkey.

In the beginning, American support was secret, Alan Hassan, a Kurd in northeastern Syrias Qamishli, told The New York Times of the groups affiliations back in May. Now it is public. The relationship has changed from undeclared to declared.

Via TeleSur



Related video added by Juan Cole:

Wochit News: Militia Allies Claim U.S. Forces To Remain In Syria For Decades
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Robyn Schofield | (The Conversation) |  

A report released this week by advocacy group Environmental Justice Australia presents a confronting analysis of toxic emissions from Australias coal-fired power plants.

The report, which investigated pollutants including fine particles, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, also highlights our deeply inadequate mercury emissions regulations. In New South Wales the mercury emissions limit is 666 times the US limits, and in Victoria there is no specific mercury limit at all.

This is particularly timely, given that yesterday the Minamata Convention, a United Nations treaty limiting the production and use of mercury, entered into force. Coal-fired power stations and some metal manufacturing are major sources of mercury in our atmosphere, and Australias per capita mercury emissions are roughly double the global average.

In fact, Australia is the worlds sixteenth-largest emitter of mercury, and while our government has signed the Minamata convention it has yet to ratify it. According to a 2016 draft impact statement from the Department of Environment and Energy:

Australias mercury pollution occurs despite existing regulatory controls, partly because State and Territory laws limit the concentration of mercury in emissions to air [] but there are few incentives to reduce the absolute level of current emissions and releases over time.

Mercury can also enter the atmosphere when biomass is burned (either naturally or by people), but electricity generation and non-ferrous (without iron) metal manufacturing are the major sources of mercury to air in Australia. Electricity generation accounted for 2.8 tonnes of the roughly 18 tonnes emitted in 2015-16.

Mercury in the food web

Mercury is a global pollutant: no matter where its emitted, it spreads easily around the world through the atmosphere. In its vaporised form, mercury is largely inert, although inhaling large quantities carries serious health risks. But the health problems really start when mercury enters the food web.

Ive been involved in research that investigates how mercury moves from the air into the food web of the Southern Ocean. The key is Antarticas sea ice. Sea salt contains bromine, which builds up on the ice over winter. In spring, when the sun returns, large amounts of bromine is released to the atmosphere and causes dramatically named bromine explosion events.

Essentially, very reactive bromine oxide is formed, which then reacts with the elemental mercury in the air. The mercury is then deposited onto the sea ice and ocean, where microbes interact with it, returning some to the atmosphere and methylating the rest.

Once mercury is methylated it can bioaccumulate, and moves up the food chain to apex predators such as tuna  and thence to humans.

As noted by the Australian government in its final impact statement for the Minamata Convention:

Mercury can cause a range of adverse health impacts which include; cognitive impairment (mild mental retardation), permanent damage to the central nervous system, kidney and heart disease, infertility, and respiratory, digestive and immune problems. It is strongly advised that pregnant women, infants, and children in particular avoid exposure.

Australia must do better

A major 2009 study estimated that reducing global mercury emissions would carry an economic benefit of between US$1.8 billion and US$2.22 billion (in 2005 dollars). Since then, the US, the European Union and China have begun using the best available technology to reduce their mercury emissions, but Australia remains far behind.

But it doesnt have to be. Methods like sulfur scrubbing, which remove fine particles and sulfur dioxide, also can capture mercury. Simply limiting sulfur pollutants of our power stations can dramatically reduce mercury levels.

Ratifying the Minamata Convention will mean the federal government must create a plan to reduce our mercury emissions, with significant health and economic benefits. And because mercury travels around the world, action from Australia wouldnt just help our region: it would be for the global good.

In an earlier version of this article the standfirst referenced a 2006 study stating Australia is the fifth largest global emitter of mercury. Australia is now 16th globally.

Robyn Schofield, Senior Lecturer for Climate System Science and Director of Environmental Science Hub, University of Melbourne

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.



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A decade has passed since one of the worst natural disasters Houston County has ever seen left residents treading in water. It was like walking through a waterfall, said Houston Chief of Police David Breault. From Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007 to Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007, Houston County felt the impact of more than 15 inches of rain. Along with the expectation of flooded basements and lost vehicles, the city of Houston was evacuated and two people in the county lost their lives. The flood happened six years after Breault took the top law enforcement job in what he described as this quiet little town. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this little town would be filled with Humvees, the National Guard and emergency response helicopters, he said.

Evacuation

Houston, a city with a population of 979, was evacuated after city officials feared that the water levels would rise above the 20-foot dike surrounding the town. Connie Edwards, mayor of Houston from 2005 to 2016, remembers 18.75 feet of water pushing against the earth-made dike. I remember being 8 years old and my parents watching the river, Edwards said. In 1965, the river flooded, so I think that the old timers took this flood more seriously. I just remembered every time it rained, we watched the river. With three out of four exits out of town completely underwater and the Root River flowing into a lake above farm land, town officials made a decision to leave. For every inch of rain, it was predicted to become three inches of ground water, Edwards said. I remember we were walking up a road and I started to ask myself if I was overreacting. Right then, two Black Hawk Helicopters landed on the highway. These guys came out and looked like they were from Top Gun. The Houston Fire Station was made command central during the dark hours. Rushford, only 12 miles away, was Houstons closest back-up. The small Fillmore County town lost everything after it opened its flood gates. Once Rushford opened its gates, we knew we had to evacuate the city, Breault said. For those still in town, Houston city officials picked them up at the end of their streets to go to the towns evacuation site  the 151-year-old Stone Church three miles out of town. We werent prepared enough for that, Breault said. We didnt have blankets or water. Most of our planning was winging it. While the city of Houston dealt with serious water levels, the rest of the county had another worry  mudslides. You can still see some scars in the bluffs of the houses that fell down, said former county commissioner Larry Graf. Its just something you dont expect. Graf, along with the other county officials, spent Sunday, Aug. 19, at the old commissioners room in Caledonia which doubled as the countys control center. I live in La Crescent so it was hard to get to Caledonia, he said. I checked on my office in Houston and then drove to Caledonia ... It wasnt a panic. It was more of a concern. There was a lot of concern of the unknown.

Unsung heroes

Commemorating the floods of 2007, La Crescent-Hokah teacher and La Crescent Aquatic Center Summer Recreation Director Jon Steffes published a book this month called Unsung Heroes: The Flood of 2007. About a year ago some of La Crescents emergency personnel approached me to write a book about the flood, Steffes said. Steffes  who has previously published four other books  focused around the personal stories of the emergency personnel involved in an incident on a county highway just outside La Crescent. Emergency personnel were called to the direction of Pine Creek on Hwy. 6 around 1:20 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, after people reported hearing screams. Spring Grove natives David and Dawn Blackburn, along with their friend Terri Peterson of Houston, had been swept into what had become a massive body of water. The radio traffic was crazy that night, said La Crescent Police Officer Mike Ernster. I heard over the radio that people could hear yelling coming from Pine Creek. Ernster tried to rescue the trio with life jackets but was also swept into the water after his boat capsized. They teach you in law enforcement that when you respond to a call and get into an accident or injure yourself that you become a part of the problem. I was extremely upset that I let myself get in that situation, he said. As Ernster stayed calm by singing Rain drops keep falling on my head to himself in a tree, while a boat containing firefighters Shawn Mahoney, Bill Schuldt and Morry Welch came to his rescue. The rescue was short-lived. After taking the officer aboard, that boat capsized and all four hung onto trees. The second tree was worse, Ernster said. I thought it was an older tree. It shifted 8 to 10 inches while I was holding on ... Had it been daylight, I dont know if I would have gone out there the way I did. After Scott Fritz, a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer, miraculously made five trips back and forth picking up the emergency personnel and two of the victims in his airboat, it was discovered that David Blackburn had not made it out of the water. Blackburn was one of two Houston County residents lost to flood waters. I have such respect for emergency personnel and volunteers. They put their lives at risk for the benefit of the community, Steffes said.

Better spot now

According to Houston County Highway Engineer Brian Pogodzinski, all road damages attributed to the 2007 flood have been repaired. The repairs have been designed to handle a higher water volume, he said. The last projects were finished in 2015. It took a while because there were flood events since that time. A new focus for the countys highway department has been adding storm water retention ponds along the roads and in valleys. If we were to have the same type of event today, we would have less damage, he said. Wed be in a better spot now.

A decade has passed since one of the worst natural disasters Houston County has ever seen left residents treading in water.

It was like walking through a waterfall, said Houston Chief of Police David Breault.

From Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007 to Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007, Houston County felt the impact of more than 15 inches of rain. Along with the expectation of flooded basements and lost vehicles, the city of Houston was evacuated and two people in the county lost their lives.

The flood happened six years after Breault took the top law enforcement job in what he described as this quiet little town.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this little town would be filled with Humvees, the National Guard and emergency response helicopters, he said.

Evacuation

Houston, a city with a population of 979, was evacuated after city officials feared that the water levels would rise above the 20-foot dike surrounding the town. Connie Edwards, mayor of Houston from 2005 to 2016, remembers 18.75 feet of water pushing against the earth-made dike.

I remember being 8 years old and my parents watching the river, Edwards said. In 1965, the river flooded, so I think that the old timers took this flood more seriously. I just remembered every time it rained, we watched the river.

With three out of four exits out of town completely underwater and the Root River flowing into a lake above farm land, town officials made a decision to leave.

For every inch of rain, it was predicted to become three inches of ground water, Edwards said. I remember we were walking up a road and I started to ask myself if I was overreacting. Right then, two Black Hawk Helicopters landed on the highway. These guys came out and looked like they were from Top Gun.

The Houston Fire Station was made command central during the dark hours.

Rushford, only 12 miles away, was Houstons closest back-up. The small Fillmore County town lost everything after it opened its flood gates.

Once Rushford opened its gates, we knew we had to evacuate the city, Breault said.

For those still in town, Houston city officials picked them up at the end of their streets to go to the towns evacuation site  the 151-year-old Stone Church three miles out of town.

We werent prepared enough for that, Breault said. We didnt have blankets or water. Most of our planning was winging it.

While the city of Houston dealt with serious water levels, the rest of the county had another worry  mudslides.

You can still see some scars in the bluffs of the houses that fell down, said former county commissioner Larry Graf. Its just something you dont expect.

Graf, along with the other county officials, spent Sunday, Aug. 19, at the old commissioners room in Caledonia which doubled as the countys control center.

I live in La Crescent so it was hard to get to Caledonia, he said. I checked on my office in Houston and then drove to Caledonia ... It wasnt a panic. It was more of a concern. There was a lot of concern of the unknown.

Unsung heroes

Commemorating the floods of 2007, La Crescent-Hokah teacher and La Crescent Aquatic Center Summer Recreation Director Jon Steffes published a book this month called Unsung Heroes: The Flood of 2007.

About a year ago some of La Crescents emergency personnel approached me to write a book about the flood, Steffes said.

Steffes  who has previously published four other books  focused around the personal stories of the emergency personnel involved in an incident on a county highway just outside La Crescent.

Emergency personnel were called to the direction of Pine Creek on Hwy. 6 around 1:20 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, after people reported hearing screams. Spring Grove natives David and Dawn Blackburn, along with their friend Terri Peterson of Houston, had been swept into what had become a massive body of water.

The radio traffic was crazy that night, said La Crescent Police Officer Mike Ernster. I heard over the radio that people could hear yelling coming from Pine Creek.

Ernster tried to rescue the trio with life jackets but was also swept into the water after his boat capsized.

They teach you in law enforcement that when you respond to a call and get into an accident or injure yourself that you become a part of the problem. I was extremely upset that I let myself get in that situation, he said.

As Ernster stayed calm by singing Rain drops keep falling on my head to himself in a tree, while a boat containing firefighters Shawn Mahoney, Bill Schuldt and Morry Welch came to his rescue.

The rescue was short-lived. After taking the officer aboard, that boat capsized and all four hung onto trees.

The second tree was worse, Ernster said. I thought it was an older tree. It shifted 8 to 10 inches while I was holding on ... Had it been daylight, I dont know if I would have gone out there the way I did.

After Scott Fritz, a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer, miraculously made five trips back and forth picking up the emergency personnel and two of the victims in his airboat, it was discovered that David Blackburn had not made it out of the water.

Blackburn was one of two Houston County residents lost to flood waters.

I have such respect for emergency personnel and volunteers. They put their lives at risk for the benefit of the community, Steffes said.

Better spot now

According to Houston County Highway Engineer Brian Pogodzinski, all road damages attributed to the 2007 flood have been repaired.

The repairs have been designed to handle a higher water volume, he said. The last projects were finished in 2015. It took a while because there were flood events since that time.

A new focus for the countys highway department has been adding storm water retention ponds along the roads and in valleys.
WAFER Food Pantry Executive Director Erin Waldhart had a pleasant wake-up call Friday morning, with a message from the La Crosse Community Foundation that it is granting the $25,000 she had requested for the agencys mobile food pantry.

Waldhart had written a grant request for that amount, and the foundation board approved it Wednesday night. So she learned about it shortly before a press conference Thursday where she announced a $60,000 fund drive to pay to retrofit a truck to become the areas first mobile food pantry.

The community foundations grant comes from four funds:

$16,750 from the Norman L. Gillette Sr. fund.

$1,900 from the Rudy and Jean Schnurrer fund.

$1,900 from the Durtsche fund.

$4,450 from the foundations general fund.

The campaign actually totals $100,000, but that includes $20,000 each that the Franke Foundation and an anonymous couple donated on a matching basis to prime the pump.

The $40,000 covers the cost of the used, low-mileage Ford 550 truck, which will be gutted to install refrigeration equipment, shelves and other rigging needed to turn it into a pantry on wheels to go to clients who are unable to get to WAFERs home base at 403 Causeway Blvd.

The two major donors will match contributions up to $20,000. In effect, a $50 gift would result in $50 from each donor for a total of $150 or a $500 gift would ultimately result in a total of $1,500 toward this initiative.

WAFER board President Taylor Haley expressed confidence that the campaign will be successful.

Everybody Ive talked to has said the mobile pantry is a great idea, and La Crosse is such a generous community, Haley said.

How to donate

People who would like to donate to the matching funds campaign to retrofit a truck for WAFERs mobile food pantry can mail or drop off checks or cash at WAFERs home base at 403 Causeway Blvd. in La Crosse.

There also is a donation section on the WAFER website, on the right side of each page.

Wafer also can take credit card donations in the office or by phone, at 608-782-6003, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Donors should stipulate that their gifts should go to the mobile pantry fund.

Each donation essentially is tripled because the Franke Foundation and a local couple have agreed to match each contribution, dollar for dollar, up to $20,000. Thus, a gift of $100 multiply to a $300 gift, $1,000 to $3,000, etc.
Earth's climate has always been in a state of flux, according to data gleaned from the geological record, ice core samples and other sources. However, since the Industrial Revolution began in the late 1700s, the world's climate has been changing in a rapid and unprecedented way.

The average global temperature has risen 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) since 1880, according to NASA. Temperatures are projected to rise another 2 degrees to 11.5 degrees F (1.13 degrees to 6.42 degrees C) over the next 100 years, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Some have confused global warming as persistent, increasing warmth. Though one of the effects of global warming in an increase in global temperature, that may not translate to a higher temperature in an individual location. "Global warming is important because it is so persistent and global in scale, and because it brings more extreme events such as heat waves  not because it makes every place warm all the time. It doesn't do that," said atmospheric scientist Adam Sobel, author of "Storm Surge: Hurricane Sandy, Our Changing Climate, and Extreme Weather of the Past and Future (opens in new tab)" (HarperWave, 2014). In addition to heat waves, the increase in global temperature is having a massive effect on the environment, such as melting polar ice caps, raising the sea level and fueling dangerous and severe weather patterns. Understanding the causes of global warming is the first step to curbing its effects.

The greenhouse effect

Earth's climate is the result of a balance between the amount of incoming energy from the sun and energy being radiated out into space.

Incoming solar radiation strikes Earth's atmosphere in the form of visible light, plus ultraviolet and infrared radiation (which are invisible to the human eye), according to NASA's Earth Observatory.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has a higher energy level than visible light, and infrared (IR) radiation has a lower energy level. Some of the sun's incoming radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere, the oceans and the surface of the Earth.

Much of it, however, is reflected out to space as low-energy infrared radiation. For Earth's temperature to remain stable, the amount of incoming solar radiation should be roughly equal to the amount of IR leaving the atmosphere. According to NASA satellite measurements, the atmosphere radiates thermal IR energy equivalent to 59 percent of the incoming solar energy.

As Earth's atmosphere changes, however, the amount of infrared radiation leaving the atmosphere also changes. Since the Industrial Revolution, the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gasoline have greatly increased the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. Before the industrial revolution, during warm interglacial periods, the concentration of CO2in the atmosphere hovered around 280 parts per million (ppm). A NASA graph shows the rapid increase in this greenhouse gas since then: In 2013, CO2 hit 400 ppm for the first time. In April 2017, the concentration hit 410 ppm for the first time in recorded history. The director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography CO2 group wrote at the time that levels are expected to hit 450 ppm by 2035, unless greenhouse gas emissions drop significantly.

Along with other gases like methane and nitrous oxide, CO2 acts like a blanket, absorbing infrared radiation and preventing it from leaving the atmosphere. The net effect causes the gradual heating of Earth's atmosphere and surface. [Related: Effects of Global Warming]

This is called the "greenhouse effect" because a similar process occurs in a greenhouse: Relatively high-energy UV and visible radiation penetrate the glass walls and roof of a greenhouse, but weaker IR can't pass through the glass. The trapped infrared keeps the greenhouse warm, even in the coldest winter weather.

Left: Naturally occurring greenhouse gases  carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)  normally trap some of the suns heat, keeping the planet from freezing. Right: Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, are increasing greenhouse gas levels, leading to an enhanced greenhouse effect. The result is global warming and unprecedented rates of climate change. (Image credit: Will Elder, National Park Service)

Greenhouse gases

There are several gases in Earth's atmosphere known as "greenhouse gases" because they exacerbate the greenhouse effect: Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor and ozone are among the most prevalent, according to NASA.

Not all greenhouse gases are the same: Some, like methane, are produced through agricultural practices including livestock manure management. Others, like CO2, largely result from natural processes like respiration and from the burning of fossil fuels.

Additionally, these greenhouses gases don't contribute equally to the greenhouse effect: Methane, for example, is about 20 times more effective at trapping heat from IR than carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This difference in heat-trapping ability is sometimes referred to as a gas's "global-warming potential," or GWP.

CO2 is the most common greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. In 2012, CO2 accounted for about 82 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the EPA. "We are burning fossil fuels at a high rate, putting more and more CO2 into the atmosphere. This is causing warming to increase, exactly as theorized long ago. There is no question about this at all," Josef Werne, a professor of geology and environmental science at the University of Pittsburgh, told Live Science.

Methane (CH4) is the second most common greenhouse gas. Methane accounted for around 9 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2012, according to the EPA. Mining, the use of natural gas, landfills and the mass raising of livestock are some ways that methane is released into the atmosphere. Humans are responsible for 60 percent of the methane in the atmosphere, according to the EPA.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals used as refrigerants and propellants, are another major human-sourced greenhouse gas. The use of CFCs was phased out in the 1990s after the discovery that they eat away at the ozone, an atmospheric layer made of three oxygen atoms that shields the Earth's surface from ultraviolet radiation. The hole in the ozone layer still persists, as do some long-lasting CFCs in the atmosphere, but CFCs are a success story, according to NOAA. Their levels in the atmosphere are now either stable or declining.

In 2015, electricity production (60 percent of which is generated by fossil fuel burning) accounted for largest share (29 percent) of greenhouse gas emissions that year, according to the EPA. That was followed by transportation, which accounted for 27 percent of 2015's greenhouse gas emissions; industry (21 percent); businesses and homes (12 percent); and agriculture (9 percent). Because trees act as a sink for carbon dioxide, " managed forests and other lands have absorbed more CO2 from the atmosphere than they emit," an offset of about 11.8 percent of 2015's greenhouse gas emissions, the EPA said.

Natural causes vs. human causes

Earth's historic climate changes have included ice ages, warming periods and other fluctuations in climate over many centuries. Some of these historical changes can be attributed to changes in the amount of solar radiation hitting the planet. A drop in solar activity, for example, is believed to have caused the "Little Ice Age," a period of unusually colder climate that lasted from about A.D. 1650 to 1850, according to NASA. However, there is no evidence that any increase in solar radiation could be responsible for the steady increase in global temperatures that scientists are now recording, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

In other words, natural causes cannot be held responsible for global warming. "There is no scientific debate on this point," NOAA says.

Indeed, virtually every credible source of scientific research from around the world indicates that human causes, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and the subsequent increase in atmospheric CO2 levels, are responsible for global warming. Some of these organizations are the American Medical Association, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Ecological Society of Australia, American Chemical Society, Geological Society of London, American Geophysical Union, International Arctic Science Committee, American Meteorological Society, American Physical Society, and The Geological Society of America. Over 197 international organizations agree on this point.

"In all honesty, anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change is not a scientific debate, it is a political/economic debate," Werne said. According to Werne, the relevant question is not, "Is there human-induced climate change?" The question that we should be focused on is, if anything, "What should we do about human-induce climate change?"

Editor's Note: Stephanie Pappas and Marc Lallanilla contributed to this article.

For the latest information on the greenhouse effect, visit:

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This is one of the sarcophagi found in the tombs in the Minya Province in Egypt, which could give reseearchers a better understanding of the 27th Dynasty.

Three tombs stretching back to the 27th dynasty of Egypt have been uncovered in the Al-Kamin Al-Sahrawi area in the Minya province of Egypt, south of Cairo, the Egyptian antiquities ministry announced this week.

"I don't recall that there's been any recently discovered [tombs] from the 27th dynasty in Egypt. So that makes it pretty exciting," Pearce Paul Creasman, associate professor of dendrochronology and anthropology at the University of Arizona who was not involved in the excavation, told Live Science.

The tombs were found to date from the 27th dynasty through the Greco-Roman period, a stretch that spans from around 525 B.C. to A.D. 395. [In Photos: 3,800-Year-Old Coffin Holds Ancient Egyptian Woman]

The first tomb contained a burial chamber with four sarcophagi and nine burial holes. Researchers found two burial chambers in the second tomb, one containing two sarcophagi, suggesting it was used for two people. That chamber also contained six burial holes, five for adults and one for a child. The other chamber contained only the remains of a wooden coffin, according to a statement from the antiquities ministry. The third tomb is currently being excavated.

Clay fragments have also been found in the tombs. A number of bones from men, women and children seem to have been discovered, according to the statement, leading Ali Al-Bakry from the antiquities ministry in Egypt to conclude that the tombs may have been part of a cemetery for a city rather than a military base, as was previously thought.

Since analyses of the bones from these Egyptian tombs have been found to be from men, women, and children, it's likely that these tombs were part of a city cemetery rather than a military base. (Image credit: Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities)

Creasman pointed out that the demographic of the people buried in a tomb can offer researchers important clues.

"If you found a burial and it was all males between the age of 15 and 35, you could probably say, 'Well, it's some sort of event. Maybe it's a military burial ground or one big battle or something.' But when they're spread out, like it seems they were here  children, women, men  and of various ages, you get the feeling that this is a place that people kept returning to over time," Creasman said.

Not much is known about the 27th dynasty in Egypt, a period when the Persians controlled Egypt as a sort of province, Creasman said.

"They know there are at least three tombs in this area and in between those, it sounds like there are almost 40 total burial spots that they know of. And it's likely to increase," he said, because excavations are still underway. "That's exciting."

Original article on Live Science.
With less than a week to go before the "Great American Solar Eclipse" on Aug. 21, interest in the celestial event is reaching a fever pitch. And if you're a parent who cares about science, but you won't be able to view the eclipse along the path of totality with your kids, you may be starting to feel some "eclipse guilt." But don't fret.

There's a simple way to explain the phenomenon to your kids, and you can enjoy even simpler ways to experience the partial eclipse, said Amy Mainzer, an astrophysicist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and a consultant for the space-themed PBS series "Ready Jet Go!"

"Act out the eclipse," Mainzertold Live Science. "Get yourself a couple of balls and a flashlight and go into the garage and see if you can make your own eclipse before it happens." [2017 Total Solar Eclipse: Everything You Need to Know]

Here's how to do it: First, make sure the room is dark. Have one person hold up a large beach ball to represent the Earth. A second person can turn on a flashlight to represent the sun, and a third person can hold a softball to represent the moon.

Begin by having the "moon" walk in circles around the "Earth." Now ask the "Earth" to walk in circles around the "sun" while the "moon" maintains its orbit. See if everyone can time it so that the moon passes between the sun and the Earth to create a shadow.

"It's silly fun, but it's a good way to visualize what's happening and get a sense for how it works  especially for young children," Mainzer said. "The idea is that the Earth is traveling around the sun here and the moon is traveling around the Earth, and sometimes they line up just right."

And on the day of the eclipse, try to experience it, Mainzer said. If you don't live along the path of totality, don't let the fact that you'll only see a partial eclipse keep you inside, she added. It will take the moon a couple of hours to pass in front of the sun, and there are many ways to see the different phases of the eclipse. Take precautions and don't look directly at the sun or the eclipse unless you have special eyewear that meets the safety standard of ISO 12312-2,Mainzer said. You can do a safety check using these tips from Space.com .

But you don't need eclipse glasses to experience the solar eclipse. Another way to see its effects is to stand under a leafy tree and look at the crescent shadows on the ground in the spaces between the leaves, Mainzer said. She also suggested making your own shadows by crisscrossing your fingers into a waffle pattern, which produces a similar effect.

Another way is to make a simple projection device with two sheets of stiff, white cardboard, Mainzer said. You can use a pin or a nail to poke a hole in one sheet and then hold that one over the other sheet. Look at the shadow of the object on the paper. You'll see a projection of the sun as a dark spot, and the moon will appear as a crescent that grows larger and larger over time.

"The key here is that you don't need a lot of high-tech equipment," Mainzer said.

If you want to make a slightly more sophisticated projection device, you can visit NASA's Eclipse 2017 website . There are instructions for assembling a solar viewing projector using binoculars and a DIY solar viewer .

In the event that you can't get outside, or if cloudy weather obscures your view, you can also watch a live video feed of the solar eclipse on Space.com , beginning at 12 p.m. ET.

"I think the main thing is, just get out there and experience it," Mainzer said. "It's really an opportunity to be reminded of the big picture we fit into as human beings on Earth."

Original article on Live Science.
It takes many neurons to change the color and skin texture of these two octopuses (<em>Abdopus aculeatus</em>), seen here mating.

In 2014, one of Roy Caldwell's octopuses went missing.

Caldwell, a professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley, had kept the reef octopuses (Abdopus aculeatus) he and his team collected on Lizard Island in Australia in separate, sealed tanks. Puzzled, he peered into the female octopus's tank and found spermatophores, the capsules that contain octopus sperm, floating in the water. He looked closer and found the male there, too, buried in the gravel.

The only way the male octopus could have made it into the female's tank, Caldwell said, is for the male to have wriggled through the pipe that fed water into both octopuses' tanks, an act some might deem proof of a calculated nighttime tryst.

Given the abundant neurons in an octopus  a whopping 500 million  individual personalities and anecdotes of octopuses playing, it's easy to imagine they are smart creatures. But is this just a matter of seeing intelligence where we want it to be? [Video: Watch a Clever Octopus Make Like a Flatfish]

Lots of neurons

So, are octopuses card-carrying brainiacs?

To Caldwell, the quantity of neurons alone isn't an indicator of intelligence, which he defines as flexibility, or the ability to alter behavior from past experience. He suspects that many of an octopus's neurons  three-fifths of which are located not in the brain but in the neve cords that extend down the octopus' arms  are used for movement and to control its skin appearance.

Unlike humans, restricted by the range of motion of our joints, octopuses  soft but for their beaks  have no such limitations. As such, moving its body and eight arms requires more neurons than human movement.

This juvenille octopus (Abdopus aculeatus) may be smarter than it looks, according to some researchers. (Image credit: Roy Caldwell)

Many other neurons are devoted to altering the appearance of an octopus's skin. It takes a lot of neurons to control an octopus's chromatophores  pigment-containing cells  and skin texture, which make it possible for octopuses to transform from blotched and thorny to solid and smooth in a matter of seconds.

Octopuses may also put some of their neurons to use for planning, according to Jennifer Mather, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, who has been studying octopuses since the mid-1980s. Like Caldwell, she defines intelligences as using information from the environment to alter behavior, although she also thinks this information can be used to make decisions.

Mather's assumption that octopuses plan ahead is based on observations other researchers have made in the western Pacific on the coconut octopus (Amphioctopus marginatus), which is known for its ability to carry around coconut halves and opened coconut shells before clamping the two sides closed around their bodies for protection. To Mather, it's key that these octopuses carry the coconut halves or shells and don't just scrunch into their new shelter at the site where they found the shells. [8 Crazy Facts About Octopuses]

"That's using the environment but it's much more important, [it's] predicting what you're going to need for the future and taking the actions now, planning for what you're going to have to do later," she told Live Science.

Bouncing the ball

Whether or not an animal plays may offer a glimpse into the creature's intelligence, as some intelligent creatures play, though it's a tricky concept to define. According to psychology professor Gordon Burghardtat the University of Tennessee, play can be defined as actions that are spontaneous, repetitious, voluntary, performed by healthy subjects, and don't alone improve survival. Although it can resemble non-play behavior, it must be a modified or exaggerated form of this other behavior. Children slurping juice into their mouths and swallowing doesn't fit the definition of play. However, children slurping juice into their mouths and spraying it all over the carpet  repeatedly  qualifies.

Knowing that boredom can be a catalyst for play, Mather and her colleague Roland Anderson, a biologist at the Seattle Aquarium when he conducted the research but who died in 2014, put eight giant Pacific octopuses (Enteroctopus dofleini) in individual tanks with nothing but a floating pill bottle. At first, the octopuses brought the bottle to their mouths before letting it go. Two of the eight octopuses, though, took this one step further  they aimed a jet of water at the pill bottle, which then boomeranged back, thanks to the water intake at the other end of the tank, an act they repeated a dozen times.

Anderson, upon observing one of the octopuses performing this behavior, called Mather and exclaimed, "She's bouncing the ball!"

In another study, Mather and her team observed one of their 14 common octopuses (Octopus vulgaris)passing a block composed of Legos between its arms more than six times, which the researchers categorized as play. Although other octopuses in the study interacted with the block of Legos  and a whimsical-sounding snowflake-shaped Lego construction  none passed it between their arms, pushed, pulled or towed it enough for the researchers to classify the act as play.

"That we do see play, we don't see a lot of it, but we do see it and we see it in juveniles and adults the same amount, suggests that it's something like an overflow of exploration of the environment and testing of what's going on around you and figuring out how things work. Sort of like having excess cognitive space," Mather said. She is careful to point out that the type of play she's seen in octopuses is with objects, not with other octopuses. (Not surprisingly, as octopuses are cannibals.)

Although Caldwell, too, has seen octopuses manipulate objects, he's not as certain as Mather about what to call this behavior. He has observed a Pacific reef octopus (Octopus cyanea) catching and releasing a cork bobbing around at the surface of its aquarium.

"Whether that is play, I don't know," he said, noting that sustained catch-and-release in a kitten can be considered play. "In more rational moments, I would think [the octopus is] merely examining [the cork] to see if it's edible."

Individual personality

Intelligent animals tend to display personality traits, individuals' distinctive long-standing behavioral characteristics. And while individuals of the same species, such as octopuses, can vary drastically when it comes to boldness and aggression, whether this indicates that octopuses are intelligent is another story.

Caldwell is the target of a larger Pacific striped octopus he keeps in his Berkeley lab  whenever he gets close to this particular octopus, it squirts him with water. This isn't just a foul-tempered octopus, as it doesn't squirt other members of the lab as often. Nor is it an indication of how distasteful octopuses may find Caldwell, as this doesn't happen with other octopuses of the same species. [Release the Kraken! Giant Squid Photos]

Since spraying is a defensive behavior, Caldwell interprets the frequent squirts as a sign the octopus doesn't want Caldwell around. But does he take this as a sign of that particular octopus' intelligence?

"I could just as easily say I take it as an indicator of its irritation," he replied.

Mather has a different take on octopuses' individual personalities.

"I think the more complex the nervous system, the more space there is for individual variation," she said. "And we would presume, of course, that the more intelligent an animal is, the more different ways it's likely to use the environmental variation that it sees in front of it."

So is Caldwell's escaped octopus smart?

The tourists who visited Caldwell's Lizard Island lab seemed to think so, when he told them the story of how his male octopus wriggled its way into the female's tank through the water pipe. They may have imagined that the octopus ascended into the tube abuzz with amorous intent.

Although Caldwell can't say for sure whether the octopus was intelligent enough to plan such a feat, he sees the male octopus's success differently.

"I think it was just luck and based on the fact that octopus like to explore tubes," he said.

Original article on Live Science.
This image shows damage to the girl's retina, which is the back part of the eye. The arrow is pointing to a white spot, which was damaged from the intense light.

With the Aug. 21 solar eclipse just days away, you've likely heard the warnings to never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection. And for good reason: A recent case illustrates the real danger of doing so  A 12-year-old girl in Florida damaged her eyes by looking at the sun for 1 minute, according to a new report of the girl's case.

One day after staring at the sun, the girl went to an ophthalmology emergency room because her vision had become blurry, according to the report, published today (Aug. 18) in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.

The girl had a condition called "solar retinopathy," which means her eyes were damaged from looking at the intense light of the sun, said Dr. Kara Cavuoto, an ophthalmologist at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Health System. Cavuoto and co-author Dr. Ta Chen Chang, also an ophthalmologist at the same institute, treated the patient. [2017 Total Solar Eclipse: Everything You Need to Know]

The girl's case didn't take place during a solar eclipse, but "there's no difference in risk between looking at the sun during a [solar] eclipse versus any other time," Cavuoto told Live Science. "People often stare at the sun for prolonged periods of time during an eclipse and may underestimate the harm the sun is causing to their eyes."

In solar retinopathy, the central part of the retina, called the macula, is damaged, Cavuoto said. In particular, the damage occurs in a central pit in the macula called the fovea, which is responsible for sharp vision. "This results in blurred vision or a blind spot in one or both eyes," she said.

The condition isn't painful, and the symptoms don't start immediately after a person looks at the sun. Generally, a person starts to notice the effects a few hours after looking at the sun, Cavuoto said. In the girl's case, she noticed that her vision was blurry several hours later, and by the following day, her vision had gotten worse.

The doctors noted in the report that the girl had glaucoma, a condition that causes increased pressure in the eye and can also damage vision. (The girl already had glaucoma before staring at the sun; the condition did not result from that incident.) It's possible that because the girl's vision was already decreased, she might have stared at the sun longer to see all of the details, Cavuoto said.

In some cases of solar retinopathy, people's vision may improve within six months, but they rarely return to "normal" vision, Cavuoto said. The girl's vision, however, did not improve, according to the report.

Despite the name solar retinopathy, staring at the sun isn't the only cause of the condition. Activities such as welding, which emits a very bright light, and misusing a laser pointer can also cause solar retinopathy, Cavuoto said.

Currently, there is no treatment for solar retinopathy, which is why prevention is so important, she said.

REMEMBER not to stare directly at the sun without protective eyewear during the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse. If you don't have certified eclipse viewers, you can also make a pinhole camera viewer that will allow you to see the eclipse without looking at the sun directly.

Originally published on Live Science.
The sun's visible-light corona, the inner part of which is only visible during a total solar eclipse, is seen here as a pearly crown of light surrounding the darkened, Earth-facing side of the moon, as seen on Aug. 21, 2017.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, moon and sun are aligned in the same plane, and the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, partially or completely covering our closest star.

As one of the most dramatic celestial performances, solar eclipses  particularly total eclipses  entice droves of skywatchers; however, regardless of how much of the sun gets covered by the moon's shadow, you should never look directly at the sun.

"During this period when any of the disk is visible, one must use protective equipment to view the sun," William Teets, director of the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory at Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee, told Live Science in an email. That could include sunglasses, specially filtered telescopes or binoculars, or by using a projection method, Teets said.

Solar eclipses come in four varieties: total, annular, partial and hybrid.

When is the next solar eclipse?

Swipe to scroll horizontally Solar eclipses Date Type of solar eclipse Visibility April 30, 2022 Partial Southeast Pacific, South America Oct. 25, 2022 Partial Europe, parts of Africa, Middle East, parts of Asia April 20, 2023 Total South/East Asia, Australia, Pacific, Indian Ocean, Antarctica Oct. 14, 2023 Annular Parts of Africa, N. America, S. America, Pacific & Atlantic, and Arctic April 18, 2024 Total Totality: Parts of Mexico, U.S. and Canada Oct. 2, 2024 Annular Parts of South America, Pacific & Atlantic, and Antarctica

What is a total solar eclipse?

All four varieties of solar eclipse are a happy accident of nature. The sun stretches some 864,000 miles (1.4 million kilometers) across, according to NASA, making our host star 400 times bigger thanEarth's moon, which measures just about 2,160 miles (nearly 3,500 km) in diameter. But the moon also happens to be about 400 times closer to Earth than the sun is (the ratio varies as the orbits of both the sun and moon are elliptical); and as a result, when the orbital planes intersect and the distances align favorably, the moon (called a "new moon" in this alignment) can appear to completely blot out the disk of the sun. As for how rare this phenomenon is: On average, a total solar eclipse is visible somewhere on Earth about every 18 months.

During a total solar eclipse, the moon casts two types of shadows. The umbra is the darkest part of the shadow where all sunlight gets blocked out. The umbra takes the shape of a dark, slender cone. It is surrounded by the penumbra, a lighter, funnel-shaped shadow from which sunlight is partially obscured.

In order to view a total solar eclipse, you must be located in the direct path of the umbra, which can sweep a third of the way around the planet in just a few hours. When in that direct path, you would see the sun's disk diminish into a crescent as the moon's dark shadow rushes toward you across the landscape.

Don't look directly at the sun REMEMBER: Looking directly at the sun, even when it is partially covered by the moon, can cause serious eye damage or blindness. NEVER look at a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection.

During the brief period of totality, when the sun is completely covered, the beautiful corona  the tenuous outer atmosphere of the sun  is revealed. A total solar eclipse typically lasts for only a few minutes, NASA solar astronomer Mitzi Adams of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, said in a NASA webchat . The longest solar eclipse, on June 15, 743 B.C., lasted about 7 minutes and 28 seconds, according to NASA (opens in new tab).

Total eclipses are rarely seen because totality  when the sun appears totally hidden by the moon  only exists along a narrow path on Earth's surface, as opposed to partial eclipses, which can be viewed across a much wider region.

The next solar eclipse  on April 30, 2022  will be a partial eclipse and will be visible in South/West South America, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and parts of Antarctica, according to timeanddate.com (opens in new tab).

The next total solar eclipse will occur on April 20, 2023, and it will be visible in South/East Asia, Australia, the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and Antarctica, where viewers can behold at least a partial sun covering. The now-named Great North American Eclipse will cross the mainland U.S. on April 8, 2024. The path of totality will trek through Mexico (from Sinaloa to Coahuila), the U.S. (from Texas to Maine) and Canada (from Ontario to Newfoundland), timeanddate.com reported (opens in new tab).

What is a partial solar eclipse?

A partial eclipse is seen as the sun rises behind the United States Capitol Building, Thursday, June 10, 2021, as seen from Arlington, Virginia. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

During a partial solar eclipse, the moon's penumbra (the partial shadow) passes between the Earth and the sun. In these cases, a part of the sun always remains in view during the eclipse. How much of the sun remains in view depends on the specific circumstances.

Usually the penumbra gives just a glancing blow to the planet over the polar regions; in such cases, places far away from the poles but still within the zone of the penumbra might not see much more than a small scallop of the sun hidden by the moon. In a different scenario, those who are positioned within a couple of thousand miles of the path of a total eclipse will see a partial solar eclipse.

The closer you are to the path of totality, the greater the solar obscuration. If, for instance, you are positioned just outside of the path of the total eclipse, you will see the sun wane to a narrow crescent, then thicken up again as the shadow passes by.

Annular solar eclipse

A composite image of the annular solar eclipse on Jan. 15, 2010 (Image credit: Siegfried Layda via Getty Images)

An annular eclipse is far different from a total one. The sky will darken ... somewhat, causing a sort of weird "counterfeit twilight" since so much of the sun still shows. The annular eclipse is a subspecies of a partial not total, eclipse. The maximum duration for an annular eclipse is 12 minutes 30 seconds.

The next annular solar eclipse will occur on Oct. 14, 2023, according to NASA (opens in new tab). The eclipse will be visible to millions of people in parts of the U.S., Mexico and many countries in South America and Central America.

An annular solar eclipse is similar to a total eclipse in that the moon appears to pass centrally across the sun. The difference is, due to the moons position, during an annular eclipse the moon appears too small to cover the disk of the sun completely. Because the moon circles Earth in an elliptical orbit, its distance from Earth can vary from 221,457 miles to 252,712 miles (356,400 to 406,700 km). But the dark shadow cone of the moon's umbra can extend out for no longer than 235,700 miles (379,322 km); that's less than the moon's average distance from Earth.

So if the moon is at some greater distance than the umbra's limit, the tip of the umbra does not reach Earth. During such an eclipse, the antumbra, a theoretical continuation of the umbra, reaches the ground, and anyone situated within it can look up past either side of the umbra and see an annulus, or "ring of fire" around the moon. A good analogy is putting a penny atop a nickel, the penny being the moon, the nickel being the sun.

What is a hybrid solar eclipse?

Three partial solar eclipses are seen in this movie from ESAs Proba-2 Sun-watching satellite as it dipped in and out of the Moons shadow during a hybrid solar eclipse in 2013. (Image credit: ESA)

These are also called annular-total ("A-T") eclipses. This special type of eclipse occurs when the moon's distance is near its limit for the umbra to reach Earth. In most cases, an A-T eclipse starts as an annular eclipse because the tip of the umbra falls just short of making contact with Earth; then it becomes total, because the roundness of the planet reaches up and intercepts the shadow tip near the middle of the path, then finally it returns to annular toward the end of the path.

Because the moon appears to pass directly in front of the sun, total, annular and hybrid eclipses are also called "central" eclipses to distinguish them from eclipses that are merely partial.

Of all solar eclipses, about 28% are total; 35%are partial; 32% annular; and just 5% are hybrids. The next hybrid solar eclipse will occur on April 20, 2023, which will be a total eclipse in some areas.

How to view a solar eclipse

An astronomer in India projects the solar eclipse onto a white screen for safe viewing on Dec. 26, 2019. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

(opens in new tab)

Do not look directly at any part of the sun without protective equipment, even near totality.

"This equipment could be approved solar eclipse glasses (not sunglasses) or a properly filtered telescope or properly filtered pair of binoculars."

Teets added that a skywatcher should "never put on solar eclipse glasses and then use them to try to look through an unfiltered telescope or pair of binoculars  the unfiltered light will burn right through the glasses and start burning/blinding you as well."

Projection method: In addition to viewing an eclipse through specialty glasses, properly filtered telescopes/binoculars, you can also use a projection method to view a solar eclipse. To do so, you take out the eyepiece from a telescope and instead project the image onto a sheet of paper behind the telescope. By moving the sheet of paper back and forth, you can find the spot with the most focused image, according to Sky & Telescope (opens in new tab).

Pinhole camera: A pinhole or small opening is used to form an image of the sun on a screen placed about 3 feet (1 meter) behind the opening, according to Sky & Telescope (opens in new tab). Binoculars or a small telescope mounted on a tripod can also be used to project a magnified image of the sun onto a white card. The farther away the card, the larger you can focus the image. Look for sunspots. Notice that the sun appears somewhat darker around its limb or edge. This method of solar viewing is safe so long as you remember not to look through the binoculars or telescope when they are pointed toward the sun; put another way, never look directly at the sun when any part of its blindingly bright surface is visible.

Pinhole mirror: A variation on the pinhole theme is the "pinhole mirror." Cover a pocket-mirror with a piece of paper that has a quarter-inch hole punched in it. Open a sun-facing window and place the covered mirror on the sunlit sill so it reflects a disk of light onto the far wall inside. The disk of light is an image of the sun's face. The farther away from the wall the better; the image will be only 1 inch across for every 9 feet (or 3 centimeters for every 3 m) from the mirror, according to Sky & Telescope (opens in new tab). Modeling clay works well to hold the mirror in place. Experiment with different-size holes in the paper. Again, a large hole makes the image bright, but fuzzy, and a small one makes it dim but sharp. Darken the room as much as possible. Be sure to try this out beforehand to make sure the mirror's optical quality is good enough to project a clean, round image. Of course, don't let anyone look at the sun in the mirror.

If you're around leafy trees, look at the shadow cast by them during the partial phases. What do you see? Is it worth a photograph? You will see scores of partially eclipsed suns projected through pinhole gaps between the leaves. This is caused by diffraction, a property of light. According to Vince Huegele (opens in new tab), an optical physicist at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the light rays do not shoot straight by the rim of the gaps, or a pinhole, but bend around the edge. This wave effect creates a pattern of rings that resembles a bull's eye.

Acceptable filters for unaided visual solar observations include aluminized Mylar. Some astronomy dealers carry Mylar filter material specially designed for solar observing. Also acceptable is shade 14 arc-welder's glass, available for just a few dollars at welding supply shops. Of course, it is always a good idea to test your filters and/or observing techniques before eclipse day.

Unacceptable filters include sunglasses, old color film negatives, black-and-white film that contains no silver, photographic neutral-density filters and polarizing filters. These materials have very low visible-light transmittance levels, but they transmit an unacceptably high level of near-infrared radiation that can burn your retinas. The fact that the sun appears dim, or that you feel no discomfort when looking at the sun through these types of filters, is no guarantee that your eyes are safe.

Sun features to look for during an eclipse

NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare  as seen in the bright flash in the upper left portion of the image on April 20, 2022. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares, and which is colorized in yellow. (Image credit: SDO/NASA)

Sunspots: These relatively cool patches on the sun's surface appear dark. They will look like black spots on the disk of the sun, Teets said. These spots can be alone or in clusters of several. To see these spots, you will likely need a properly filtered telescope, as they are too small typically to view through your solar eclipse glasses.

Prominences: If you are eclipse-viewing with a hydrogen-alpha solar telescope, you might catch a glimpse of more than sunspots. With this gear, you should be able to see prominences and the chromosphere, which is the second of the three layers of the sun's atmosphere.

"Prominences are clouds of material lofted up from the sun, and they sometimes look like flames on the edge of the sun," Teets said. "If they happen to be present across the disk of the sun, they will appear like slightly darkened streaks."

Chromosphere: With that same specialized telescope, you could also witness what might appear as undulating ruby gems dancing around the outer disk of the sun. That would be the chromosphere, the lower atmosphere of the sun that is about a million times less dense than Earth's atmosphere, according to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (opens in new tab). On typical days, the light from this atmospheric layer is drowned out by the much brighter photosphere underneath it, UCAR said.

Corona: There is one time when you can safely look directly at the sun: during totality in a total eclipse, when the sun's disk is entirely covered. During those few precious seconds or minutes, the magnificent corona  the outer atmosphere that lies just above the chromosphere  shines forth in all its glory like a halo around the darkened sun  a marvelous fringe of pearly white light. "It appears as a beautiful white wisp that completely encircles the sun," Teets told Live Science.

It differs in size, in tints and patterns from eclipse to eclipse. It is always faint and delicate, with a sheen like a pale aurora. Sometimes the corona appears as a soft continuous structure; at other times, long rays of it shoot out in three or four directions. The corona can also pop out from the disk in filmy petals and streamers. But when the sun begins to emerge into view again, the corona quickly disappears and you'll need to protect your eyes once again.

Additional resources

UCAR (opens in new tab) has a great compilation of sun and solar eclipse resources, along with some instructions for teaching activities.

If you're interested in photographing an eclipse, this Nikon guide (opens in new tab) provides instructions for how to do that for different types of solar eclipses.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, August 16, 2017

Colin Pape, project lead at Presearch.org, plans to release what he calls a decentralized search engine where no one company controls the content and the data and community members contribute to building the tool.

The project will allow those using the search engine to build a custom platform that lets them query across Google, LinkedIn, ShopCity.com, Facebook, Twitter, and other sites from one location.

Users will be paid in tokens by brands and companies each time they search or contribute to building out content or code for the good of the community. It will work in a way that is similar to Microsoft's rewards to people who search on Bing, but in this case people can redeem the tokens for advertising or merchandise or swap tokens for other cryptocurrencies.

The beta for the site launches at the end of September, with the decentralized version still in the works.

To help build out the search engine on blockchain technology, Pape also has been talking with David, the son of Blekko founder Rich Skrenta, who now works at Watson after selling the search engine to IBM in 2015. The concept involves providing greater transparency for each action and transaction.

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Calling David Skrenta the next Mark Zuckerberg, Pape says the company is working on a deal to hire the recent high-school graduate as one of the lead engineers on the project.

The connection from the search engine to ShopCity.com, a competitor to Amazon, involves the tokens people gain from searching and refining content on the engine. It's not such a grand leap as long as the merchants who sell stuff on ShopCity.com agree to exchange tokens for merchandise.

Pape founded Presearch with a small team in June 2017, and within 60 days generated more than $2 million in revenue, attracted more than 1,000 members to the platform and signed a team of world-class advisors to the venture.

But the story really dates back to 2011, after Pape, also the cofounder and CEO of ShopCity.com, experienced the "dark side of Google." The search engine penalized some sites on ShopCity.com, although the marketplace followed best practice SEO guidelines.

"There wasn't any real recourse and we were shut out," he said. "We kept on getting bumped to webmaster help lines. People were telling me Google is always right and you must have screwed something up."

The Presearch engine began as an internal project until he put together a small team in June 2017, and within 60 days generated more than $2 million in revenue.

Leveraging a blockchain token, Pape says he and his team are building the "next-generation search engine," which the community will power, but the grand vision will take a bit of time to accomplish.
One week back, we learned that Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria had finally struck a deal to sell the organization to an investment group led by legendary shortstop Derek Jeter and Bruce Sherman. But that was only the beginning of the process to finalize the deal.

Notably, theres still a possibility of changes to the financial structure of the arrangement. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald first reported, the search for cash continues for the expectant new owners. In essence, it seems that the Jeter-Sherman group has something approaching the bare minimum of equity investment needed and would still like to draw additional investors. Those interested in learning additional details about the situation can read more from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag.

Notably, though, it seems theres little reason to think the bid is in doubt.As Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald writes, commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledges that changes to the deal structure could yet be made, while also saying the current proposal would pass muster under league rules.

Assuming thats all sorted out, it seems the incoming owners have already made their first significant personnel decision. Current team president David Samson will not be retained in that role, Dan Le Batard of ESPN Radio and the Miami Herald tweets. Le Batard also notes that the Marlins will have a new COO under the incoming ownership group.

There had been indications Samson would be retained in some capacity, and Heyman notes he is still owed a $5MM salary for another year. As Spencer and Jackson further explain, Samson  who is Lorias son-in-law  has become the public face of the team during an occasionally polarizing term in the position. However, MLB.coms Joe Frisaro writes that it does not appear that Samson will return to the Marlins organization in any capacity next year.
30.07.2017 LISTEN

Guwahati: The city based Dispur Hospitals on Saturday (29 July) conducted the evening OPD clinic at Guwahati Press Club, where Dr Udayan Saikia offered free consultations to over 30 media persons along with their dependents.

The participants also got their weight, blood pressure & sugar checked in the camp, which was assisted by Biswajit Das and Sonmani Dutta from the same hospital.

The next camp, organized under the series of Evening with a Doctor programs at the press club, will be graced by Dr Vijay Sankaran (neurosurgeon) from SIMS Chennai Hospital.

The 5 August camp will begin at 2.30 pm and conclude by 4.30 pm.

Till date, practicing doctors from Apollo Chennai Hospital, Manipal Bangalore Hospital, Fortis Hospital, Medanta-the Medicity Hospital, GNRC Hospitals, Down Town Hospitals, Narayana Super-Specialty Hospitals, Swagat Super-Surgical Institute, Shankardev Nethralaya Guwahati, Wintrobe Hospital, Barthakur Clinic, Nemcare Hospital, Rahman Hospitals, Sun Valley Hospital, Sight First eye-clinic, Government Ayurvedic College, MMC Panbazar etc have attended the camps.

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Johannesburg (AFP) - Oscar-winning Hollywood actress Charlize Theron hopes to create an AIDS-free generation in her home country South Africa which has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world.

The star who is the founder of Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project which supports community-based HIV programmes said the country's "ridiculously large" HIV burden was hard to ignore and that prompted her awareness from an early age.

Her project has partnered with other leading organisations fighting the pandemic in the country of her birth.

"We have to be able to put our foot down and say enough is enough, let's end this," she told AFP during her visit to the country.

"We just need the resources," she added.

Through her support of Choma Dreams Cafe, a place that aims to empower adolescent girls by providing them access to education, life skills and mentorship, Theron believes that HIV infections can be halted.

"My personal opinion is that we're never gonna stop AIDS by just simply treating it...it's never going to happen," she said.

"You cannot wait for people to become infected and think you are going to stop AIDS. You have to invest in young people before they become HIV-positive," she said.

A woman queueing to receive pills that help HIV-positive people from developing AIDS at a clinic north of Johannesburg. South Africa has one of the largest programmes to distribute the life-saving drugs. at the Pharmacy at Phedisong clinic on April 8, 2013 during the launch of the new single dose anti-AIDs drug in Ga-Rankuwa,100 kms north of Johannesburg. The new pill will simplify the world's biggest HIV treatment regime to just one life-saving pill a day. The new single dose AIDS drug was secured at a record-low price and will cost the state 89 rand a month ($10, eight euros) per patient. After years of refusing to roll out ARVs, South Africa now has 1.9 million people on treatment of its 5.6 million HIV-positive population, which is the world's largest. The new pill will be introduced this month to positive pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, people co-infected with TB, and to new ARV patients. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTINA woman queues at the Pharmacy at Phedisong clinic on April 8, 2013 during the launch of the new single dose anti-AIDs drug in Ga-Rankuwa,100 kms north of Johannesburg. The new pill will simplify the world's biggest HIV treatment regime to just one life-saving pill a day. The new single dose AIDS drug was secured at a record-low price and will cost the state 89 rand a month ($10, eight euros) per patient. After years of refusing to roll out ARVs, South Africa now has 1.9 million people on treatment of its 5.6 million HIV-positive population, which is the world's largest. The new pill will be introduced this month to positive pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, people co-infected with TB, and to new ARV patients. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

Around seven million South Africans, or 19.2 percent of the population, are living with the virus and adolescent girls are at most risk of infection, according to the UN AIDS agency.

According to government, 3.4 million are receiving treatment, in what is said to be the largest roll-out of life-saving drugs.

Decrease HIV infections

Theron said she was "incredibly proud" of South Africa's treatment efforts, although many people who should be on treatment are still not getting it.

The 42-year-old movie star who left South Africa as a teenager stressed that gender inequality and poverty played a major role in the spread of HIV, and that the virus must not be seen as a sexual health problem.

Theron stirred controversy during her speech at the 2016 international AIDS conference in Durban, when she said the virus which is ravaging Africa was fuelled by "sexism, poverty and homophobia".

Theron ruffled feathers last year at the 21st International AIDS conference in Durban, South Africa, when she said the spread of the HIV virus which is ravaging Africa was fuelled by "sexism, poverty and homophobia".

"I stand by what I said last year," she said emphatically, stressing the importance of holistic approach in the fight against HIV.

"When you look at HIV and AIDS, you have to looks at the factors that are driving it ... you have to see why are these people getting infected."

The Atomic Blonde star mingled with teenage girls at the Choma Dreams Cafe in Soweto -- an internet-connected resource facility nestled among shacks in the teeming neighbourhood blighted by high unemployment and poverty.

The centre caters to vulnerable girls aged between six and 18 years, providing them with HIV prevention tips in fun girl-friendly ways.

Some of them are AIDS orphans and exposed to crime and sexual violence which heighten their vulnerability to the disease.

"I think if we can grab them before they become HIV positive, you can actually tell them this is just 100 preventable and you don't have to become HIV positive," she said.

"I think we would see a decrease in the number of infections."

The Soweto centre is one of the 40 hubs spread across South Africa's two most populous provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
On board the Aquarius (AFP) - From the increasingly fraught trek through the Sahara to violence in Libya, asylum seekers rescued this week in the Mediterranean say the obstacles to reaching Europe are getting bigger.

Jouma and Abdulhameed told AFP how they fled civil war and a humanitarian crisis that has ravaged South Sudan.

Their fellow boat companions Saeed and Ghanim recounted a harrowing escape from police violence and poverty in Sudan.

Saeed, a 28-year-old pharmacist, says he decided to leave following his third stint in a violent prison for his trade union activities.

But he told his wife he was going to Egypt: "Libya is a dangerous place, I did not want to worry her," he said.

He and a friend travelled to Libya via Darfur on a route monitored more closely than before due to European pressure on migrant transit countries.

"It's hard to get through. There are the Janjaweed (pro-government militia accused of genocidal killings and atrocities), and the Sudanese government does not let you pass," said 27-year old Abdoulhameed.

He and Ghanim, 20, had to make a several-week detour through Chad, while Jouma, 39, went through Egypt.

At each stage the men were forced to pay off local militia or risk being held captive as slaves in the desert.

"I've seen many people get killed," Jouma said.

'Inhuman'

In Benghazi in Libya, Saeed ran into fundamentalists he was told belonged to the so-called Islamic State (IS).

"They asked us to read a few verses from the Koran and they let us go," he said.

One after another the men contacted a smuggler network to attempt the perilous crossing to Italy, with prices set between 1,200 and 2,000 Libyan dinars to "cross the river".

The fare -- less than $300 on the black market -- is up to four times less than the sums demanded a few years ago thanks to a drop in the value of the dinar and the use of cheap dinghies rather than wooden boats.

The traffickers locked the men up with another 300 to 400 migrants.

"Something like a prison. It was a very hard situation, inhuman," said Saeed, who spent three weeks there.

Abdoulhameed said "sometimes if you don't pay the money they torture you, they beat you.

Ghanim said they had been told they would be set out to sea soon, but there had been a delay because "'nowadays the situation is unstable'.

"'There are warships from Italy, a lot of people on the sea, if you move they are going to send you back'," he was told.

Since early August, Italian navy ships have been active in Libyan waters, helping the local coastguard intercept migrant boats.

'The General'

Migrants waiting to be rescued by the Aquarius in early August.

During the night of Monday-Tuesday, the smugglers came to get the men and drove them to the beach.

To his despair, Saeed's travelling companion was forced to stay behind at the last moment.

The departure was organised by a "general" kitted out in a uniform.

"In that place, (there were) no Libyan coastguards," Ghanim said. "The smuggler said to us 'I'm the boss'".

They were packed onboard and set out to sea, but their overloaded canoe began to sink in the night and the migrants called for help with a satellite phone they had been given by the smugglers.

A privately-funded Maltese rescue boat, the Phoenix, saved the 112 people onboard, including seven young children.

Those rescued hailed from mainly from Sudan and South Sudan, as well Bangladesh, Egypt, Morocco and West Africa.

Transferred to the Aquarius -- another rescue ship chartered by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders -- they arrived in Sicily on Wednesday, without having a clear idea of what comes next.

Would they try to reach England? Would they find work? In the short-term, they intend to regain their strength in Italy and ask for little -- simply better conditions than those found in Libya.

"I hope the (refugee) camp (here) is good," Saeed said.
With the advancement in technology, which normally should come to alleviate humanity of their various herculean problems to make living on earth much easier and enjoyable, the opposite is now the case in certain situations. Selfishly greedy and corrupt individuals are manipulating technology to suit their quest for riches or to realise their hidden criminal agenda of wanting to exterminate certain race of people from the surface of the earth.

I have come to receive various WhatsApp videos some of which alarm me so much so that they send cold chill down my spine. These alarmist videos are about how fake drugs and foods are finding their way into the African food chain or market.

As it is said, "seeing is believing", the practical demonstrations of the fake nature of the drugs and foods as seen in the videos cannot be disputed by any discerning Ghanaian or African. What you will be witnessing are not the cases of white or black magic tricks being played on your mind to deceive you but the absolute real case situations.

In one such video on a fake drug, one could see the demonstrator remove a tablet of paracetamol from its casing. She held it out for all to see it clearly well. Everyone could confirm that yes; she is holding a paracetamol pill/tablet. She announced it is plastic and started to unwrap it. Yes, in the end, all could see that it was not paracetamol tablet as adjudged by its outward looks or features but indeed, a threadlike plastic wound around itself several times into that perfect shape of paracetamol pill as we initially saw, same as sold to the unsuspecting African public or the general public to take in the hope of curing their sicknesses.

Have we not also heard about plastic rice although I am yet to see a video of it myself? What about the Chinese allegedly preparing their dead into corned beef and selling them to Africans in general and Ghanaians in particular? I have seen a WhatsApp video where some Chinese butchers were removing the flesh from dead Chinese bodies and packing same into some boxes.

Finally, I have seen a WhatsApp video that has also appeared on YouTube on a Nigerian (by voice recognition) bought some fish from an African corner shop in London which fish turned out to be plastic, sponge or foam; call it whatever name you want but not fish. By the outward looks, you are purchasing some fish; however, it was completely a sponge/foam/plastic.

I wish the publishers could do us a great service by reproducing the video but not simply a picture for the public to ascertain the veracity of the claim that certain greedy bastards who do not care about the health of people but only about the satisfaction of their insatiable quest for riches, are manipulating technology to attain their evil desires at the expense of the health or life of people.

The Nigerian in this particular case has missed a great opportunity by not having the source(s) of the fake fish nabbed if he had reported it to the British police after posting it on WhatsApp. As it occurred in London, the police would have informed the Food Standard Agency to dispatch Food Hygiene Inspectors to the premises where it was purchased to gather more information about how the shopkeeper came by the plastic fish. With that information, they could keep on tracing until they got to those masterminds behind that deadly trade.

Could these fake and contaminated foods not be the cause of the many deaths, some hard to explain, that are occurring on daily basis among Ghanaians?

How best can we protect ourselves against these slow but deadly food and drug poisons that come to kill us slowly but surely? Can our Ghana Food and Drugs Board operatives be honestly on top of the issue? Will corruption not blind them to do something silly even if they had the technological means to help the population not to become victims to the fake drugs and foods?

Rockson Adofo
18.08.2017 LISTEN

A group calling itself, Eastern Forum Network (EFN) has called on the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Deputy General Secretary, Mr. Koku Anyidoho to immediately retract his comment ruined on former Ambassador Emmanuel Victor Smith and apology to him.

Mr Koku Anyidoho recently described Ghana's former High Commissioner to United Kingdom, His Excellency Mr. Victor Smith as "a coward and useless man"

After the heaviest defeat in the history of Ghana's politics since 1992, the NDC witnessed in 2016 general elections, the internal wrangling keep deepening and this has led to personal attacks and acrimony.

In a press statement issued by the group's leader, Mr. Winston Mills on August 17, 2017 and cited by Daniel Kaku therefore calling on Mr Koku Anyidoho to retract his unacceptable comment with immediate effect and render an unqualified apology to Mr Victor Smith.

The group asked, "has he forgotten how he ridiculed himself on the Nana Aba Anamoah's show after he was asked whether he loved President Mahama"?

"Here is Amb. Smith (the longer ranger) who found the courage to tell party leadership to be proactive and not wait for petitions before they act prevent all the brouhaha going on in public about the Party", the group added.

Below is the full statement;

KOKU ANYIDOHO MUST RENDER AN UNQUALIFIED APOLOGY TO HIS EXCELLENCY AMB. EMMANUEL VICTOR SMITH.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, We members of Eastern Forum Network have learnt with utter disappointment through media reports the disgusting outburst of Mr. Koku Anyidoho, the NDC's Deputy General secretary in reaction to a statement made by His Excellency Mr. Victor Smith.

According to the reports, Anyidoho went as far as describing Ghana's former High Commissioner to the UK as "a coward and useless man".

Permit us to put on record that if there exists any coward in our Party, then that certainly can not be Amb. Victor Smith.

Here is Amb. Smith (the lone ranger) who found the courage to tell party leadership to be proactive and not wait for petitions before they act to prevent all the brouhaha going on in public about the Party.

We can also recall Amb. Smith's reaction to the hobnobbing by Mr. Rawlings with Nana Akufo addo during the heat of the campaign of the just-ended elections.

How many people in our party have that kind of courage to continuously speak the minds of the party foot soldiers the way Amb. Smith does?

Which coward could have questioned the Party leadership's failure to have held our erstwhile administration to check?

Now Koku has the guts to go on radio and make such slanderous comments about Amb. Smith.

If he, as an executive member together with his team in whose hands we had entrusted the affairs of the Party had taken the right steps in handling JJ and Mr. Martin Amidu, perhaps our story would have been different today.

Has he forgotten how he ridiculed himself on the Nana Aba Anamoah's show after he was asked whether he loved President Mahama?

History tells us more about how courageous Amb. Smith has been particularly when he served as a personal secretary to Ex-President Rawlings from the 90s to 2008.

If Koku cares to know, what Amb. Smith said about Party leadership recently is what the party foot soldiers are expectant of and not the excessive radio talker he has turned himself into.

It is sad to note how quick Koku was in attacking the Ambassador for the wrong reasons and going ahead to belittle his courage.

We don't mean to over-extend issues but rather let koku Anyidoho know that the courage Amb. Smith possesses is that courage we want most of our party leaders if not all to learn from.

We therefore call for an immediate retraction and apology to Ambassador Smith.

...Signed...

Mr. Winston Mills - Eastern Forum Network, Leader
18.08.2017 LISTEN

Authorities in Kenya should credibly investigate incidents of harassment against journalists covering the aftermath of August 8's disputed elections and should reform Kenya's Firearms Act to lower the barriers on journalists' ability to wear protective gear, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

In the week following Kenya's national election, CPJ spoke with 10 journalists who said they were assaulted or harassed in the course of their reporting. As CPJ has documented, journalists were also targeted for attack and intimidation during the pre-election campaign period. Opposition leader Raila Odinga yesterday said he would contest incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta's victory at the Supreme Court, according to press reports.

"Journalists in Kenya must be permitted to report without fear of violence or hindrance from security forces or anyone else," CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal said from New York. "Kenyan authorities should make sure that these cases are credibly investigated to make clear that journalists cannot be harassed with impunity and that the public has a right to information from a wide variety of sources."

On August 12, Kenya Television Network (KTN) journalist Duncan Khaemba was reporting on violent post-election protests in Nairobi's Kibera slum when he was arrested for allegedly possessing a helmet and body armor without a proper license, according to police documents seen by CPJ and Khaemba. Police told CPJ that the charges were dropped on August 15.

"Authorities in Kenya and elsewhere should remove the bureaucratic hoops that make it difficult for journalists to keep themselves safe while working in hostile conditions," CPJ Emergencies Director Maria Salazar-Ferro said from New York.

Kenya's Firearms Act classifies bulletproof vests as firearms and stipulates that no one may acquire or possess them without a license. Khaemba told CPJ he had a copy of the end-user certificate for the gear at the time of arrest. The commanding officer of Kilimani police division, Joseph Muthee, told CPJ that a license was needed in addition to this certificate. He added that the licensing law was meant to guard against misuse of body armor by criminals

Khaemba and KTN Managing Editor Joe Ageyo told CPJ that security forces had never previously questioned them about licenses for their protective gear. Kenya Union of Journalists Secretary General Erick Oduor told CPJ he believed the arrest was intended to disrupt Khaemba's reporting.

Protests broke out in parts of Nairobi and Kenya's western Nyanza region, after the election commission on August 11 announced that Kenyatta was the winner of the presidential race. Kenyatta's main rival, Raila Odinga of the National Super Alliance (NASA), dismissed the elections as fraudulent, and protesters took to streets in parts of the country where NASA is most popular.

Khaemba was not the only journalist to face trouble while reporting from Kibera. Matina Stevis, Africa correspondent with The Wall Street Journal, told CPJ that one police officer hit her over the head with a wooden stick on August 12. The helmet she was wearing protected her from injury.

Also on August 12, Neil Shea, a freelance journalist shooting a documentary in Kibera, told CPJ he was attacked by four or five security officers who beat him and destroyed his camera. He told CPJ that another officer, who was familiar with his work, rescued him, but by then his memory cards were gone. He said he did not know who took them.

In the western city of Kisumu, an opposition stronghold, police officers blocked journalists from approaching demonstrators, according to media reports and two reporters who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Simon Achola, a reporter with government-owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), told CPJ that security personnel took his phone and deleted his photographs of the protests. According to media reports, the police also harassed reporters from the privately owned Citizen Television at the Miruka Hotel in Kisumu.

When contacted by CPJ, Mwenda Njoka, a spokesperson for the Kenyan Ministry of the Interior, denied that security officials deliberately targeted journalists covering the elections. Although he declined to comment on specific cases, he told CPJ that altercations between police and journalists began when security officials tried to move reporters away from dangerous areas.

"By and large I can tell you that it is unfortunate that journalists have been injured in those situations. We would encourage anybody who says they've been hurt by police or anyone else [to] record statements, and we will investigate," Njoka told CPJ.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority, a government watchdog that investigates police misconduct, told CPJ that it had received no complaints from journalists, but that it would investigate any allegations it received that police were "culpable for assaulting journalists" or "curtailing their work."

Journalists told CPJ that civilians also attacked them. Caleb Kingwara, a freelance reporter, told CPJ that three men beat him after he attended an August 10 press briefing by Ochilo Ayacko, an independent political candidate in Migori County. Kingwara told CPJ that the assailants accused him of being biased against Ayacko.

Ayacko told CPJ he had no knowledge of the attack. Gladys Rutere, officer in command of Migori police, told CPJ she could not provide an immediate update on investigations.

Evans Habil, a photographer with the privately owned Nation Media Group, told CPJ that on August 11, just after the presidential results were announced, two men attacked him while he was taking pictures in the Nairobi neighborhood of Kawangware. The men threw him into a ditch, beat him up, and stole his camera, he said. Another Nation Media photographer, Dennis Onsongo, said someone stole his lens as he moved through a crowd to the aftermath of a child's death in post-election protests in the Mathare area of Nairobi.

On August 13, NASA told its supporters to boycott Nation Media Group newspapers and television, alleging bias. Tom Mshindi, editor-in-chief of the Nation Media Group, told CPJ that the company had subsequently relocated two reporters from their duty stations in Kisumu, a NASA stronghold, out of concern for their safety.

"It is also dangerous when leaders make such remarks," Charles Kerich, chairman of the industry regulator the Media Council of Kenya, said on an August 14 television show. "Supporters take cue to mean that you should now take action."
18.08.2017 LISTEN

It really hurts the haters of truth to tell them the truth; however, their suffered discomfort on hearing the truth is assuaged in the end. Their initial needless pain of insecurity and panic attacks on hearing the truth turns into comfort for them after a while.

Following from the above, I shall be frank with Dr Yaw Sarfo, the alleged Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, by revealing certain truths to him of which there is nothing he can do to deny them tries as he may.

He was helped by people with dubious intents to become the dubious Kumawuhene through dubious means. This is a fact he is very much aware of. Simply put, he is a puppet of Kumawuhemaa Nana Abenaa Serwaah Amponsah and the Overlord of Asanteman Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. He is only a springboard to catapult them into orbital exploitation of the natural resources and wealth of Kumawuman to the detriment of the inhabitants.

His enthronement as Kumawuhene with his claim to that title will not last. It has already started to crumble all because of the dubiety surrounding his installation. There is nothing that his advocates and accomplices including Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Kumawuhemaa Abenaa Serwaah Amponsah, the registrars of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs and the National House of Chiefs, Kumasi, can do to help him cling to the throne.

The revelation of acts of corruption, extortion and bribery that took place before, during, and after the bogus enthronement of Dr Yaw Sarfo as Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua as revealed and captured on video at the Kumasi Manhyia Palace on 24 February 2014 is more than enough ammunition to shoot him down. Such acts are frowned upon by Sections 239 to 247 of the Criminal Code 1960 (Act 29) and Section 13 of the Warrington Notes on Stool Disputes.

The said video which has since found its way on to the YouTube is under the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac8wZIPlVu8

Section 13 of the Warrington Notes on STOOL DISPUTES states inter alia, The offering and taking of bribes to influence an election by candidates, elders and young men was declared in 1941 to be illegal. If a candidate does so he loses his right to election on that occasion (only); and if a stool holder does so it is a ground for destoolment. The nomination, installation or election of a person not entitled to the stool is also a ground for destooling the person who does any of these acts.

Again, the Chieftaincy Declaration form that was filled by Dr Yaw Sarfo, consequent upon which he was accepted and gazetted as the paramount chief of Kumawu traditional area was done fraudulently. He lied on the form if I should call a spade by its name, a spade.

There is a question on the form that asks about there being a court case pending against the requesters (in this case Dr Yaw Sarfo) enthronement at the time he/she is filling the form asking to be accepted for gazetting as a chief/queen  Yes/No. If one answers yes, the person will not be accepted for gazetting until the case has successfully been disposed of by a judge of competent court of jurisdiction. If the person answers No, he/she will be approved for gazetting in the capacity as requested.

In the situation of Dr Yaw Sarfo, there was at least one court case pending at the Judicial Committee of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs or at the Appeal Court against him in addition to an injunction slapped on him.

How could he have been accepted for gazetting unless he filled in NO which I believe 100% that he did. He did that with the probable connivance of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Kumawu Traditional Council, the registrars of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs (Kumasi) and the National House of Chiefs (Kumasi).

A search request made to the National House of Chiefs, Kumasi, confirms that Dr Yaw Sarfo was gazetted as Kumawu paramount chief long after the existence of pending court case(s) against him. The case(s) is still pending.

From the two instances cited above, how does Dr Yaw Sarfo conclude that he stands the chance of winning the court cases instituted against the legitimacy of his ascension to the Kumawu Kodua paramount stool as Kumawuhene?

His advocates are not being honest with him and he is himself not being honest with himself but living in denial. I hope the perpetrators and accomplices of the crimes mentioned above will not worsen their plight by further causation of perverting the course of justice.

His advocates are just swindling or fooling him with any assurances of winning the case(s) as they might have given him. There is no way they can win the cases for him according to solidly established precedents that I have seen, read or heard of.

Should any lawyer tell him they can help him win any of the court cases mounted against his illegal enstoolment and gazetting, boo such lawyers in derision. They have no firm legs, legal grounds etc. to stand on to successfully win the case(s) for him.

His advocates in attempts to fooling him may try to let him and others believe that the court cases so far brought against him are to do with causes or matters of chieftaincy that the ordinary courts ranging from the District/Magistrate Courts through to the High Court and the Appeal Court have no jurisdiction to hear. This is a complete lie.

The courts but not the Judicial Committees have the right to hear and rule on bribery and frauds that occur within chieftaincy cases. These are administrative aspects of bodies dealing with chieftaincy but not causes or matters of chieftaincy. Taking or giving a bribe is a prosecutable crime that the courts have jurisdiction to determine no matter where it occurs. Telling lies on a Chieftaincy Declaration form is fraud that the courts have absolute jurisdiction to decide regardless of where it took place and who did it.

Section 117(1) a-e of the Courts Act, Act 459 and Section 76 of the Chieftaincy Act, Act 759 define a cause or matter affecting chieftaincy as follows:

1. The nomination, election, selection or installation of a person as a chief or the claim of a person to be nominated, elected, selected or installed as a chief.

2. The destoolment or abdication of any chief.

3. The right of any person to take part in the nomination, election, selection, appointment of installation of any person as a chief or destoolment of any chief.

4. The recovery or delivery of stool property in connection with any such nomination, election, appointment, installation, destoolment or abdication.

5. The constitutional relations under customary law between chiefs

From the above, bribery that took place as witnessed at Manhyia as aforesaid, and the purposive lie told on the Chieftaincy Declaration form by Dr Yaw Sarfo do not fall under the strict definition of a cause or matter affecting chieftaincy hence the High Court has jurisdiction to hear and rule on the cases relating to Dr Yaw Sarfos enstoolment brought before it.

Do not let your lawyers deceive you into thinking you can win the cases to continue to rule as Kumawuhene until death does lay its icy hands on you, oh Dr Yaw Sarfo. This will be a complete lie aimed at milking you dry to abandon you later.

The evidential facts against Dr Yaw Sarfo are too strong to be bent by anyone. There is no more corrupt President Mahama to intervene on his buddy Asante Nanas behalf to have the judges twist the law to favour Dr Yaw Sarfo. We are now in the days where justice is allowed to take its natural truthful course.

No more delay tactics but speedy adjudication of the case is what I call for from the parasitic advocates for Dr Yaw Sarfo, the alleged Kumawuhene.

Rockson Adofo
I could not agree more with those who hold somewhat reasonable view that seven months into a four year mandate is a short period to persistently squall and censure the government over its performance.

So far, the vast majority of Akufo-Addo appointees are living up to the expectation, with only a handful of them allegedly backsliding according to the news coming from the vineyard.

We would thus be most grateful if President Akufo-Addo could as a matter of urgency, investigate, and if found any element of truth in the vineyard news,show any derelict appointee the exit, as he did graciously in the case of theDenkyira District Chief Executive.

Of course, it would be a worthwhile to throw Jonah overboard than to procrastinate and allow the boat to sink and perish precious and innocent lives.

Somehow, the disturbing news coming from the vineyard is similitude to the parable of the biblical Jonah.

According to the parable, Jonah was called upon by God to Go to Nineveh for evangelical assignment. But Jonah got up and fled from the LORD to Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, secured passage on a ship bound for Tarshish, paid the fare, and boarded, intending to go with the mariners to Tarshish to escape from the LORD.

Then the LORD sent a great wind over the sea, and a severe storm broke out. It seemed as if the ship were about to break up.

At this point the mariners became terrified, and each man cried out to his gods. They began to throw the cargo into the sea in order to lighten the vessel.

But Jonah had gone down into the vessels hold, had lain down, and was fast asleep.

So the captain approached him, and told him, What are you doing asleep? Get up! Call on your gods! Maybe your god will think about us so we wont die!

Meanwhile, each crewman told another, Come on! Lets cast lots to find out whose fault it is that were in this trouble. So they cast lots, and the lot indicated Jonah!

So they interrogated him: Tell us, why has this trouble come upon us? Whats your occupation? Whered you come from? Whats your home country? Whats your nationality?

Im a Hebrew, he replied, and Im afraid of the LORD God of heaven, who made the seaalong with the dry land!

In mounting terror, the men asked him, What have you done? The men were aware that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had admitted this to them.

Because the sea was growing more and more stormy, they asked him, What do we have to do to you so the sea will calm down for us?

Jonah told them, Pick me up and toss me into the sea. Then the sea will calm down for you, because I know that its my fault that this mighty storm has come upon you (ISV-Jonah1:1-15).

Interestingly, Jonah graciously volunteered to be taken out of the boat in order to save the lives of his fellow passengers.

I will venture to state that in todays Ghanaian political landscape, we wont find many Jonahs who would voluntarily leave their lucrative posts without a push.

Tell me, dearest reader, how can we develop as a nation with cant do, wont do and dont care mindsets?

The truth however is, we can only develop as a nation if we appoint suitable people to important positions and hold them into account at all times.

Truth be told, we are struggling to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of development, largely due to lack of accountability on the part of people we often appoint to important positions.

Let us face it, though, the word accountability is missing from the Ghanaian lexicon. Regrettably, more often than not, we fail to hold into account people holding down important positions, so to speak.

I would therefore like to believe that the right remedy for a possible attitudinal and behavioural change amongst public servants is to resort to dismissal upon poor performance and corrupt practices.

Why must a public servant hold on to his/her position despite an admissible evidence of dereliction of duty?

In all these, President Akufo-Addo and his appointees must bear in mind that they do not have an absolute right to remain in power. Suffice it to state that it is up to the NPP government to work towards their re-election.

The fact however is, discerning Ghanaians voted the NDC government out of power in the 2016 general election as they were not appreciative of the way President Mahama and his appointees were managing the affairs of the country.

Somehow, the good people of Ghana found in NPP, a redeemer, who they trusted to set them free from the NDC governments apparent economic bondage.

So, President Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP government must not and cannot disappoint the good people of Ghana, whose invaluable efforts brought about the needed change.

In sum, President Akufo-Addo and his government must bear in mind that when promises are broken, the bonds of trust are breached, thus the NPP government must not and cannot disappoint discerning Ghanaians.

K. Badu, UK.
The Member of Parliament for Evalue Ajomoro Gwira constituency of the Western Region who doubles as the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon Catherine Afeku has assured her constituents of more developmental projects under President Akufo-Addo led government.

Hon Catherine Afeku made this known on Tuesday, 8 August, 2017, during day 2 of President Nana Addo's 3-day tour of the Western Region, when the President interacted with Chiefs and people of Nzema East Municipality.

Speaking at the durbar, Hon Catherine Afeku expressed her profound appreciation to His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the honour done to Mr George Alfred Grant (Paa Grant) who was one of the leading members of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) whose efforts made Ghana to gain political independent from the British.

"Since 1972, Paa Grant's street has been in very deplorable state but thanks to President Nana Addo for tarring the street for us in Axim", she added.

Hon Catherine Afeku also used the occasion to thank the good people of Evalue Ajomoro Gwira constituency for voting massively for her and the NPP. "Evalue Ajomoro Gwira constituency is going to be NPP's stronghold in Western Region".

Hon Afeku said that Evalue Ajomoro Gwira constituency was going to have its fair share of the Asempa Budget.

"Asempa Budget is bringing more developments to our constituency so everybody should have confidence in the NPP government", she assured.

The Lawmaker advised the NPP members to involve themselves in any party's activities so that the NPP government will be attractive in Nzemaland.

"Let us all pray for President Nana Addo and support him because what is coming to the constituency will help this constituency to develop"

In his closing remarks, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nzema East Municipal, Hon Frank Okpeyen expressed his profound gratitude to President Nana Addo for being the first sitting president to have visited the Municipality within its first year of becoming president in Ghana.

Hon MCE also thanked the Chiefs and the people for devoting their precious time to welcome President Nana Addo and his entourage.

He also used the durbar to request for more developmental projects for the Municipality.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

The last 24 hours is one to forget for the regime. Setback after setback paints a picture of incompetence and imminent implosion. As the nation is still reeling in the knowledge of a successful triple suicide bombing attack in Konduga Borno State, news has filtered in of an even more deadly massacre in Kebbi State.

The Governor of Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, confirmed before a world press conference that 42 innocent Nigerians were beheaded by Boko Haram terrorists who left only one witness alive to tell the tale of woe.

Coupled with the 27 killed in Maiduguri and 30 killed in Adamawa where 60 homes were raised to the ground, the propaganda that Boko Haram has been technically defeated now sounds like a bad joke. There appears to be a total break down in the security situation in Nigeria. And coupled with the blatant attack on the EFCC headquarters early this morning in Abuja, the heart of the regime and the most secure city in the land protected by crack policemen, DSS, Special Forces and the Brigade of Guards, one wonders how gunmen could shoot up the EFCC headquarters, come out of their cars, smile and take selfies, then drop a threatening letter promising to come back and assassinate key EFCC investigators if the investigation into Politically Exposed Persons is not halted then make a clean getaway in broad daylight.

This sounds like a Nollywood movie staring Kanayo O Kanayo and Pete Edochie, only that this African Magic happened for real. This is really scary and one wonders who one should cry to for help. The Presidency in Aso Rock or the Presidency in London. The burden of responsibility is now obscured in murky waters and the proponents can claim sainthood since no one can really embrace responsibility for the carnage in the land.

Acting President can say he is only a custodian and is not the Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces while the Substantive President can confidently say he handed over hence such matters are not his problem instead the tragedy in Sierra Leone is more important for in less that 12-hours after the mass casualties following a Mudslide in Freetown the Presidency in London had called the President of Sierra Leone to pass across their condolences.

But scores of Nigerians are slaughtered by terrorists and it is the Russian Federation and the United Nations Secretary General calling for an emergency meeting to discuss the carnage in Nigeria while our own Government pretends as if nothing happened. God is watching this hypocrisy in 3D.

History will not be kind to this regime that abdicates its responsibility and makes a mockery of the lives of Nigerians. And the insults only gets worse as one hears of how Evans the Kidnapper has won the right for his case suing the Government to be heard. Listening to the rudiments of the case one is appalled at the shenanigans of the regime. Why has Evans not been charged to court: this remains a big question the conspiracy theorists are providing answers with dexterity.

Who are the big wigs who don't want Evans to sing like a canary in open court as he faces trial? The regime has a lot to explain to Nigerians but have no obligation to do so since thugs and miscreants say there shall be no accountability and can end a peaceful protest asking for justice and the elevation of morality, since they are ethno religious jingoists that see no wrong in the current state of affairs.

Even as the bodies of their kinsmen pile up they are still smiling and trolling seeking for who to accuse of hatred of their tin god. Indeed a people get the leadership they deserve. More bad days are certainly on the horizon at this rate and we can only blame ourselves for tolerating this nonsense. For this regime is indirectly responsible for every single Boko Haram suicide attack.

The United Nations latest report states the Nation has been hit by 484 Female suicide bombers from July 2011 to July 2017. And since this regime came on board it has made absolutely no effort to check the tide. Is it possible to say the process by which parents sell their female children to Boko Haram, that they maybe used as Suicide Bombers cannot be halted?

How many parents have been arrested, tried and convicted for this dastardly act. Not even one. How many recruitment agents who buy these children have been arrested and their source of funding exposed? None. One does not fight terrorism with only waving the hammer of the military but intelligence comes into play as well. So out of 484 female suicide bombers not one of thems identity has been unmasked up till the process of their recruitment and sanctioning.

This pales in comparison with the unmasking, trial and conviction of Farouk Abdulmuttalib the Pant bomber. Truth be told. This regime lacks the political will to stem the tide of female suicide bombers. Hence one can only sit back and expect more bombing to litter the news in days to come.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

Government says it will revamp the ailing post office business in the country to help create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.

The countrys post business which is in a very distressed state is said to hold the panacea to solving unemployment in the country. But years of neglect and starvation of funds have left it a pale shadow of itself giving rise to other alternative sources of receiving and exchanging correspondences.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Thursday, 17 August 2017, to answer queries raised in the Auditor-Generals report, Deputy Communications Minister, George Andah, stated that revamping post business is high on the agenda of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

Ghana Post has a lot in terms of assets. It has a lot in terms of network. But if you listen to the acting MD, there are two words he keeps saying and that is were looking at financial inclusion, we looking at technology. But we are just asking for time to turn Ghana Post around and well deliver on it. I mean its a national brand, its a brand that Ghanaians are proud of and well make sure that we turn it around. Just give us a bit of time, Mr Andah said.

The acting MD of Ghana Post, James Coffie, on his part, said, We have a four year plan. In 2017, we are fixing the fundamentals. 2018, we expect to grow by about 20 per cent, same for 2019 and then well see what happens in 2020. But we expect that by 2020, we should start paying dividends to the government of Ghana again.

As we speak now, the State Enterprise Commission has asked us for a plan for injection of capital into the business which we have submitted to them. We are providing jobs and at the moment, we have employed 1600 people and indeed if you look at the strategy of the Indian Government, it uses post office to generate employment So, in terms of governments promise to turn around unemployment, if we turn around Ghana Post, there will be a lot of opportunities for quality employment.

But ranking member of PAC, Kofi Okyere Agyekum, disagreed and wants the state to dispose of the troubled company.

He said: Sometimes we get very sentimental and attached to a product because it is a national brand. But if you look at all the indicators, probably we should let it go. These days people are getting letters on their phones, they are getting WhatsApp messages, money on their phones and parcels are now being carried by transport companies. If Ghana Post doesnt exist, what would Ghanaians have lost? We have to let it go.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

An eight-member reconstituted Governing Board of the Ghana National Service Scheme (GNSS) has been inaugurated in Accra.

This is in accordance with Section 10 (1) of the Ghana National Service Scheme Act, 1980, Act 426. The four-year tenure of office of the previous Board expired on the 6 January, 2017, in accordance with Section 12 (1) of the Act.

Inaugurating the Board, the Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said the challenges that Ghana currently faces demand a proactive, dynamic and active national service.

According to the Minister, the National Service Scheme symbolises national cohesion, unity, patriotism and self-sacrifice. These are the qualities needed as a nation in order to be able to translate our national objectives into reality. It is therefore unacceptable for national service personnel to refuse to accept postings to rural areas where their services are most needed, he stated.

The Minister therefore urged members of the Board to be very innovative and to suggest ways and means by which the Scheme could be improved. In particular, he charged the Board to concentrate on staff training, development and motivation; restructuring and rebranding of the Scheme; making the Scheme a resource and learning centre for further youth development beyond the education acquired from school.

He also urged the Board to ensure the urgent review of their governing legislation, (Act 426 of 1980), which is to enrich the functions, mission, vision, objectives and goals of the Scheme, getting the Scheme to be self-financing and aggressively embarking on revenue generation activities and services, getting the Scheme to aggressively pursue its agricultural projects agenda it embarked upon some time ago, and evolving policies and strategies that will instill the right moral, ethical and cultural values and attitudes in national service personnel.

The Minister further urged members of the Board to consider their appointment as a national calling which demands commitment, dedication and exemplary devotion to duty.

The new NSS Board has Professor Kofi Osei Akuoko as its Chairman. Other members are, Ussif Mustapha (Executive Director of the Scheme), Dr Jemima Nunoo (Nee Agyare), Mr Godfred Kwame Fosu Agyen, and Dr Kingsely Nyarko. The rest are Mr Dominic Kwesi Eduah, Dr Alhassan Sulemana Anamzoya, and Nana Bediako Kyeremeh Ken.

The Ghana National Service Scheme was established in 1973 with the aims to prepare young Ghanaian men and women for the challenges that lie ahead and to make them self-reliant; and to serve as a national training authority, regularly training the youth to suit the development needs of the time, and also induce employers to employ service personnel after national service by creating the opportunity and link with industry.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

Residents of Oshiyie, near Kokrobite in the Greater Accra Region, are fleeing the community following renewed chieftaincy disputes that have claimed one life.

The situation in the community is one of anxiety and uncertainty, as Class News sources reveal the area is gradually becoming a ghost town.

You will recall that in February this year, a similar incident occurred in that community with life grinding to a halt as children could not go to school after bloody clashes resulted in one death, and injured scores.

The situation this time round is no different as the residents have started fleeing the town to Kokrobite, Bortianor and other places.

An Assemblyman in the area, Rockson Saka Allotey, said he was called in the morning of Thursday, August 17, at 9am and was informed that it has happened again and one person has passed away.

He said the disputes have existed for more than 17 years between two factions who claim legitimacy to the stool.

He said the situation is worrying and threatens security in the area. The matter has been reported to the police who have deployed men to the area as investigation commence concerning the murder.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Women Organisers in the Ejuisu/Juaben Municipality of the Ashanti Region are up in arms with the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) , Hon. Serwaa Derchi accusing her of taking over total control of the School Feeding Program.

Over hundred polling station organisers in the constituency clad in black and red clothes besieged the office of the MCE to show their displeasure against her discretion to appoint non-NPP members as caterers for the School Feeding Programme.

According to the aggrieved woman organisers, Hon. Serwaa Derchi has failed to involve them as cooks and caterers of the feeding program in the municipality.

Despite our much contribution to the partys victory in the last general elections we are now being neglected by our own MCE, they cried out to mynewsgh.com.

We are not going to sit down because the party does not belong to her alone [the MCE], they fumed in an exclusive interview with reporter Kwabena Danso-Dapaah.

We will continue to insist what we deserve even if it will take us to the Flagstaff House, calling on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intervene.

The appointment and confirmation of Hon. Serwaa Derchi by the President was fiercely rejected by some NPP executives in the constituency until the intervention of regional and national executives of party to calm down tempers.

Meanwhile, some Women organizers in the three Northern Regions have also accused the Social and Gender Protection Minister, Hon. Otiko Afisa Djaba of extorting monies from them to secure them jobs as careers and cooks of the Ghana School Feeding Program.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

A 42-year old hunter, Naa Kwesi who mistaken his colleague for a grass cutter and shot him to death at Akyem Hweakwei in the Birem North District of the Eastern Region has been arrested by police in the area.

Odikro Kofi David a resident of the area told mynewsgh.com that the suspect and Acheampong Daniel alias Obolo 45, prior to his death, were seen heading into the forest for a hunting expedition.

In the evening the suspect returned home but Obolo never came back. When the family of the deceased asked of his whereabouts, he claimed they both parted ways when they entered the forest. A search party was constituted the next day when he failed to return home to look for the deceased but there was no trace of him. On the third day, a complaint was lodged with the police leading to the arrest of the suspect who confessed to killing him revealing that he mistook him for game. He led the police to retrieve the body, he disclosed.

He was arraigned before the Birem North Magistrate Court and provisionally charged for murder and remanded in police custody to reappear on August 26, 2017.

According to the prosecutor, the adjournment was to give them enough time to conduct further investigations into the matter.

Meanwhile, the decomposing body of the deceased has been deposited at the mortuary of the health facility in the area.
Fire on Thursday morning ravaged one of the of studios of Kumasi-based Royal Television (TV) destroying property estimated at several thousands of Ghana cedis.

Sources indicate that the fire was as a result of a faulty electrical connection from an air conditioner.

News Editor of the Station Okyeremaba revealed that it started at about 5am when the morning crew was set for the morning show prompting them to place an emergency call to fire firefighters who arrived an hour later to help put out the inferno.

No injuries have been recorded but fire service personnel say they are investigating the matter to determine the actual cause of fire.

Meanwhile, transmission has been suspended by management following some technical challenges with no indication of when it will resume.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

The woes of Menzgold Ghana has deepened after it has been exposed by Swiss Gold Global, Switzerland-based gold company that stated categorically that it has no affiliation with the Ghanaian firm.

Menzgold in an advertisement on its website claimed it has an affiliation with the Swiss-based company but according to a Joy Fm report, the company has described the claim as untrue, dissociating itself from its operations.

By our affiliation to Swiss gold global in Switzerland; sharing in the objectives of turning the fortunes of groups and individuals around by ensuring absolute financial freedom for people, has inspired or drive us to attain the unprecedented height and records weve set in Africa, the website of Menzgold, www.menzgold.com read.

But upon enquiries, the international Company in an email said: Please note that Swiss Gold Global and its associated companies have no association with Menzbanc regarding any of their investments, the email from the Swiss company said.

Swiss Gold Global said Menzgold has neither purchased any precious metal from any of its affiliated companies nor has it served as a safe house for its metals
18.08.2017 LISTEN

It appears the goodwill enjoyed by President Nana Akufo-Addo is gradually fading, as Civil Society Groups in the country have called into question his desire to fight corruption.

Prior to being elected president in 2016, the president, then in opposition, touted his anti-corruption credentials and promised to address it when elected into office. He even promised to appoint Special Prosecutor to deal with corruption related matters.

The bill was however withdrawn after some clauses were allegedly smuggled into the bill by unknown persons. It is yet to be brought before parliament for deliberations.

In a meeting with the president on Wednesday afternoon, a delegation of the CSOs expressed frustration at the tortoise approach to fighting corruption.

Professor Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadu of the Centre for Democratic Development who spoke on behalf of the group did not hide his frustration, as he told the president there is a considerable public frustration at the posture he has adopted to addressing the canker.

He said the president has a responsibility of redeeming his image before the people of Ghana because time is running out for him.

The government has come under enormous pressure for its poor handling of the l contaminated fuel saga at the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST), and there are fears nothing will be done to punish those culpable.

Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative Linda Ofori Kwafo out of frustration questioned the presidents commitment to fighting corruption, contrary to his bold campaign statements.

Most Ghanaians are not very much impressed with the way and manner these matters are being addressed. The swiftness I think we are not seeing it at all and we are not very happy with the manner in which government is approaching the anti-corruption fight, she said.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has since last year stopped registering body creams with bleaching agents.

The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Mrs Mimi Darko, made this known on Wednesday when she appeared before Parliaments Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Answering questions posed by the Chairman of the PAC, Mr James Avedzi, on what the FDA was doing about bleaching creams, Mrs Darko said the FDA was currently engaging in sensitisation programmes to educate market women and other groups on the negative effects of bleaching.

The committee commended the FDA for its performance so far and urged it to do more to protect consumers in the country.Pharmacy Council

It emerged during the committees sitting that an amount of GH61,448.00 was paid to a former staff of the Pharmacy Council while she was on study leave for three years.

Ms Marian Torgagbo now Mrs Marian Honu, who was an Inspecting Pharmacist, resigned from the council in November 2013 after returning from her studies abroad but the council declined her request.

According to the 2015 Auditor-Generals report, Mrs Honu was on study leave from July 2010 to September 2013 to pursue her Masters Degree in Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia in the United States of America (USA) but resigned immediately after the course.

According to the report, her action violates the terms of the bond on July 7, 2010, which required her to serve the Council for five years after completion or in breach refund the compensation paid her during the period of her study with five per cent interest.

Officials of the council told the committee that the council had sued Mrs Honu for recovery of the amount plus interest.
Bad behaviour in the workplace is contagious. But a new study suggests that pairing workers together can boost productivity and profits.

Your office seating chart may hold the key to how happy and productive you are at work.

Companies try to boost productivity by micromanaging seating arrangements. A two-year study of 2,452 help-desk and other client-service workers at a technology company showed that sitting next to high achievers at work increases your performance by 3% to 16%.

The study also found that high-quality employees raised the bar for everyone, increasing performance for underachievers by several percentage points  while in creative fields the number could be even higher.

Are you inspired by high-achieving colleagues? Rachel Feintzeig stated that the following shifting employees from desk to desk every few months, scattering those who do the same types of jobs and rethinking which departments to place side by side, companies say they can increase productivity and collaboration.

Proponents say such experiments not only come with a low price tag, but they can help a companys bottom line, even if they leave a few disgruntled workers in their wake.

In recent years, many companies have moved toward open floor plans and unassigned seating, ushering managers out of their offices and clustering workers at communal tables. But some companiesespecially small startups and technology businessesare taking the trend a step further, micromanaging who sits next to whom in an attempt to get more from their employees.

If I change the [organizational] chart and you stay in the same seat, it doesnt have very much of an effect, says Ben Waber, chief executive of Sociometric Solutions, a Boston company that uses sensors to analyze communication patterns in the workplace.

If I keep the org chart the same but change where you sit, it is going to massively change everything. Mr. Waber says a workers immediate neighbors account for 40% to 60% of every interaction that worker has during the workday, from face-to-face chats to email messages. There is only a 5% to 10% chance employees are interacting with someone two rows away, according to his data, which is culled from companies in the retail, pharmaceutical and finance industries, among others. Want to befriend someone on another floor? Forget it. You basically only talk to [those] people if you have meetings, Mr. Waber says.

Companies should think carefully about who they put where, according to experts who study office design and workplace psychology. Grouping workers by the department can foster focus and efficiency, says Christian Catalini, an assistant professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Sloan School of Management, but mixing them up can lead to innovation.

In his dissertation, Mr. Catalini examined the impact of proximity at an academic campus in Paris. When scientists were shuffled around to different buildings because of an asbestos problem, the result was more experimentation, he says. The shake-up produced some bad ideasbut also more breakthroughs.

MODCo Media, a New York advertising agency, has tested three different seating arrangements over the past few years. For about six months, the company intermingled its accountants and media buyers, hoping they would begin to absorb each others skills through osmosis and overhearing phone calls. The experiment ended up saving MODCo a couple hundred thousand dollars a year, says CEO Erik Dochtermann, but it turned out badly for the accountants. The media buyers began to understand the financial side of the business so well that MODCo no longer needed a full accounting department. Now, the media buyers do the accountancy on the fly and the companys chief financial officer checks their work, says Mr. Dochtermann.

Other seating configurations have helped inspire new products and expedited the training of new employees, he says.

At travel website Kayak.com, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Paul English has joked with his colleagues about developing an algorithm to capture all that goes into devising his seating plan for the engineering team.

He uses new hires as an excuse to alter the existing layout and thinks carefully about each workers immediate neighbors. He takes into account everything from his employees personalities to their political views to their propensity for arriving at work earlyor, more important, their propensity for judging colleagues who arrive late.

If I put someone next to you thats annoying or theres a total style clash, Im going to make your job depressing, he says.

Young Chun, a product designer at Kayak, is one of Mr. Englishs ambassadors in his pursuit of an office with a balance of energy. A self-professed member of the loud contingent of Kayak employees, she was recently dispatched to the mobile group, where she estimated 90% of the workers were quiet, to get them to be more vocal.

The first week that I was down there I was like, Oh my god, I could hear a pin drop here,  she says. It took a few weeks, but Ms. Chun says she was able to get the group to open up and start chatting. Her seating mission accomplished, she was soon switched to another section of the office.

Aspects of a workers disposition can, in fact, be contagious, according to SigalBarsade, a management professor at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School. People literally catch emotions from one another like a virus, she says. Her research has found that the least-contagious emotional state is one marked by low-energy and sluggishness. The most contagious is a calm, relaxed statewhich she nicknamed the California condition.

People with similar emotional temperaments work best together, Ms. Barsade says. But if a manager is trying to get a stressed-out worker to brighten up, the best strategy is to surround her with lots of cheerful, energetic people.

Constantly shuffling people around has its consequences, however. Ms. Barsade says that moving from desk to desk can make workers feel like they have little control over their environment. And some seating experiments can cause a backlash.

For about four years, employees at HubSpot Inc., a marketing-software company based in Cambridge, Mass., switched seats randomly every three months. The seating strategy was meant to reflect the lack of hierarchy at the company, which HubSpot says was especially helpful in recruiting Millennials. Eventually, the company added some structure to the arrangement, splitting workers into loud and quiet groups.

But when HubSpot decided to group its executives in one part of the office, the employee feedback was negative. The executives felt more efficient and liked being able to chat without having to arrange formal meetings, but the employees felt the higher-ups were too far removed. The setup was reversed after six months.

Employees now have the moving process down to a science, says HubSpot Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Dharmesh Shah, unplugging their phones and rolling file cabinets to their new spots swiftly. But having grown to more than 600 workers, the company is facing a new problem: no one can remember who sits where.

As expressed by Lydia Dishman in Fast Company on how where you sit in your office impacts your productivity shared the following vital information: Michael Housman, a workforce scientist in residence for HiQ Labs and one of the authors of the study, points out that positive performance seems to have a much stronger spillover than negative performance.

If you sit a strong and a weak performer next to each other, the weaker employee performs much better, and the stronger employees performance doesnt decline much at all, Housman tells Fast Company. He advises lower performers to try and sit next to strong performers.

Conversely, Housman notes, If you are a strong performer, you shouldnt avoid those that arent as good as you. Its not a zero sum game. The performance of both employees can be better when you put them together than if they were left alone.

We know that colds and the flu are contagious, but other research has shown that toxic behavior in the workplace can be just as virulent. Leaders can unwittingly create a culture that fails to reward honesty or ethical behavior. In some cases, stress can be absorbed the same way youd inhale secondhand smoke. And selfish behavior has likewise been shown to seed itself among groups of people.Where you sit at work can affect your temperament and productivity. Grouping workers by the department can foster focus and efficiency, but mixing them up can lead to innovation.

The power is yours.
The Deputy Defence Minister Retired Major Derek Oduro has warned that the Operation Vanguard Taskforce set up by the Akufo-Addos government and the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) will shoot at galamseyers if their lives are threatened.

According to him, the soldiers have been deployed to ensure that galamseyers do not visit mining sites to pollute water bodies saying they will not hesitate to fire bullets if their lives are in danger.

He further warned detractors to desist spreading falsehood about the soldiers on mining sites saying perpetrators will be made to face the full rigours of the law if caught.

Speaking with Kwame Adinkrah on Abusua FMs Abusua Nkommo, he described as unfortunate the crossfire which resulted in the death of one of the galamseyers at Anyimadukrom in the Ashanti Region weeks ago.

Its just unfortunate, because we didnt want any blood to spill. Some detractors are plotting to drag the name of the Taskforce into the mud by spewing falsehood that they have been killing some galamseyers and throwing them in rivers.

The soldiers are armed with guns, if its necessary for them to shoot, they will do so, they are not there to secretly break necks and ribs of galamseyers. But let me assure detractors that they will not succeed, Operation Vanguard will succeed. Every operation they will embark on will be in the open to serve as deterrent to others, he said.

He entreated illegal miners to liaise with the soldiers to pack their machines from the sites without engaging in any fight that will bring the untoward.

He called on the police to invite people who claim to have information about alleged soldiers brutalities in the assigned regions (Eastern, Western and Ashanti).

The Deputy Defence Minister said they will not allow galamseyers to destroy farmlands with their operations in the country.
The Public Relations Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Kwame Frimpong has assured that the facility is working feverishly with the Ministry of Finance to settle the arrears of the Junior Doctors.

He indicated that KATH is prepared to pay the arrears even if they have to fall on their Internally Generated Funds (IGF).

According to him, they are waiting for the official letter from the Ministry to confirm the verbal agreement they had with the doctors during a crunch meeting on Wednesday 16, 2017 that they will indeed be paid.

Mr Frimpong indicated that the Finance Ministry, Controller and Accountant Generals Department (CAGD) and KATH have all agreed to work out the money due the doctors.

The goodness is that there is the preparedness by the stakeholders involved to resolve the matter as soon as possible and we have verbal assurances to that effect. We are waiting for a formal letter to give to the doctors. KATH has taken it upon itself that even if we have to fall on management, we will do so. Management is prepared to go all out to pay them, we are prepared to do so, its their money, there is no contention about that, we will resolve it anyway, anyhow, either through the hospital or the Ministry, the solution will come, he assured.

KATH is owing the Junior Doctors of two months salaries from September/October 2016.

The doctors have threatened to go on strike next week if KATH management fails to pay their arrears. The doctors started work in September 2016, but when their financial clearance were given to them it started that it was not employing earlier than November, 2016.

Speaking on Ultimate Breakfast Show hosted by Lantam Papanko, Mr Frimpong described as an oversight the failure on the part of the Finance Ministry to back date the two months salaries.

What happened was that last year, we engaged the Ministry of Health and approval was given for us to allow the House Officers start work, unfortunately when the financial clearance came, we realised that the starting date has been shifted to November 2016, you know the financial clearance is issued by the Ministry of Finance and not the Health Ministry.

So the Finance Ministrys attention was drawn to that anomaly, and the assurance was that it will be rectified before they end their Housemanship. Unfortunately we couldnt get to that point until now. So its not KATH that caused the anomaly, he explained.

The KATH PRO assured that the CEO of KATH has travelled to the Finance Ministry to follow up the verbal agreement calling on the doctors to exercise restriant.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

A former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Prof. Stephen Adei has described as annoying, when people watch films on Televisions and play games during working hours.

He bemoaned the lackadaisical attitudes by Ghanaian workers especially public workers who neglect their work to watch movies on Televisions, WhatsApp and read Bibles.

Prof. Adei said this impedes productivity which in turn negatively affect the economy of the country observing that those in the corporate world work effectively.

Speaking with Lantam Papanko on Ultimate Breakfast Show, he observed that the situation is rampant in the public institutions.

He said its a mark of incompetence on the part of institutional heads to allow their subordinate watch films when they are supposed to be working.

Prof. Adei said some workers idle around their offices waiting for budget approval before they keep their offices in shape when they could have used the little resources they have to do so.

He questioned why some institutions wait for budget approval from the ministry of finance before they embark on clean up exercises or paint their offices.

The former Rector of GIMPA said people are subject to change when they are held accountable.

You dont need budget to clean your environment or paint your offices, because the amount of money required is so small and that there is no office which does not have money to paint it. You dont need money to make sure that people come to work on time or they are punctual. These days you go to an office, and they have a television at the reception and people will be watching, I get so angry, people are watching these South African films translated into English and other things, those ones are definitely marks of incompetence and the leaders or managers must be held accountable. If you are Christian read your Bible before you come to work, he said.

He observed that there is a serious challenge in the public service saying some people rise to the top and tend to pay homage to the institutional heads.

Prof. Adei advised politicians to allow institutional heads be in control and be accountable saying public leaders must be given managerial autonomy.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials who dared the New Patriotic Party government (NPP) to prosecute suspected corrupt officials will soon be put before court for their involvement in various scandals.

Deputy Attorney General, Joseph Kpemka who made this revelation on Point Blank segment of Eyewitness News however fell short of mentioning names of persons involved.

Some of these persons who have been daring us on TV or radio have questions to answer in court, Mr. Kpemka revealed.

The Mahama administration was rocked with a number of corruption cases including the GHC3.2 million bus branding, GYEEDA and the Subah scandals.

The then opposition NPP, promised the creation of the Special Prosecutor Office which would deal with the various corruption cases.

Gov't to to begin prosecution in October

Mr. Kpemka also indicated that government will begin the prosecution of officials in the Mahama administration found to have engaged in corruption in October.

By October when we start moving to court with some of the cases, Ghanaians will know that we are serious and we are ready to fight corruption as a canker in this country and uproot it once and for all.

He said his outfit had already began interrogating persons believed to have been involved in various corruption scandals in order to establish a very holistic investigation that will uncover the rot to the core.

Stating government's resolve to prosecute corrupt officials, he said: It is very clear that we will be proceeding to court. It is just that the date is not due.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @EfeAnsah
The prosecution in the case involving two persons allegedly involved in the murder of the late J. B. Danquah Adu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North, on Thursday told the court they have forwarded the docket to the Attorney General's (AG's) Office for advice.

Detective Inspector of Police Simon Apiorsornu, holding brief for Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) George Amega told the court that his outfit has submitted the docket to the AG's office for advice.

He said the office of the AG has assured them that they would work expeditiously to give their advice in order for them to be able to start with the committal proceedings as soon as possible.

He therefore prayed the court for a short adjournment pending the arrival of the AG's advice.

The court presided over by Madam Arit Nsemoh therefore adjourned the matter to August 31 to commence the committal proceedings.

At the previous sitting, the case was adjourned for the third time on the instance of the prosecution who had for some time now prayed for adjournment due to new developments.

They argued that the investigative team was still on their investigations and were still generating leads which they would like to pursue.

Daniel Asiedu and Vincent Bosso have been charged with abetment of crime to wit murder.

Asiedu is additionally charged with murder.

They were discharged from a High Court when the Attorney-General filed for discontinuation of the earlier trial but were later re-arrested and fresh charges preferred.

Earlier, Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) George Amega told the court that Aseidu resides at Agbogboloshie and Bosso was his friend.

He said the deceased Joseph Boakye Danqauh Adu was the MP for Abuakwa North constituency in the Eastern Region.

Aseidu had been talking to Bosso to plan some robbery expedition. On February 8, last year, at about 11:30 pm Aseidu and Bosso armed themselves with various implements such as a screw driver, a cutter, and knife left Agbogboloshie to East Legon on a robbery spree.

The accused persons walked around to see which house they were going to rob and eventually pointed at the house of the deceased as a potential house they were going to rob. Bosso however left after a disagreement on the choice of the MPs house.

He said Aseidu entered the house of the deceased and noticed that there was light in the MP's bedroom upstairs and that he could not easily access the room.

Aseidu took a ladder as aid and climbed onto the porch and entered the room through the window.

The deceased, who had arrived home earlier around 11.40pm, had gone to bed. Asiedu on seeing the lights on in the deceased's room entered and began to search the room. In the process, the MP woke up and attempted to stop Aseidu.

Asiedu who had a knife stabbed the deceased several times in the neck and chest. The MP bled and collapsed.

While Aseidu was stabbing the MP, he (Asiedu) also sustained various cuts in his palm and chest.

Asiedu found in the room three mobile phones and later escaped through the adjourning house and fled.

A security man in the deceased's house later found that the ladder was on the wall to the deceased room. The security man raised an alarm and he and other occupants in the house entered the MP's room and saw the deceased in a pool of blood.

Autopsy report indicated that the MP died of excessive bleeding as a result of multiple stabbing. Investigations led to the arrest of accused persons.

Aseidu had indicated that he only went there to steal.



Source:GNA
" The Gomoa East District Assembly in the Central Region of Ghana has large arable land for Agro- businesses, farm tourism, Agro-proccessing facilities and above all flexible tax/ levy payment system for potential investors who would like to invest in the District ", the DCE, Hon. Benjamin Kojo Otoo has disclosed.

At a business forum held at Gomoa Buduburam for the business community in the district, the DCE noted that the Assembly was ready to partner private businesses to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth to reduce poverty.

" The Gomoa East District Assembly recognizes local economic development as bthe key strategy to stimulate local economy for job creation, poverty reduction and business growth.

As a district, our major priority is to implement programs and policies of His Excellence Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo led NPP government.

We have all it takes to host all of them especially One District One Factory. In fact, the Assembly has received over four proposals from potential investors to established their businesses and to create jobs "

The Gomoa East DCE further stated " The Assembly is ready to facilitate acquisition of land for investors.

I therefore employ potential investors both home and abroad to come to Gomoa East District to establish their businesses and to improve the lives of the people.

It is not our wish to chase people for payment of fees and levies but to partner the private sector to create jobs towards poverty eradication "

The Member of Parliament for Gomoa East, Hon. Kojo Asomanyi told the business community that the forum was to create space for them to operate to enhance economic growth.

The Gomoa East District Co-ordinating Director, Mr. Emmanuel Baise said the forum

was to sensetize the participants to understand and appreciate business and investment opportunities in the GomoaEast District and policy direction of the Assembly on local anf foriegn sector development.

He further stated that the vision of the District Assembly was to become a first class and citizen focused local government authority in the country.

Mr. Emmanuel Baise announced that the Assembly has acquired a 50-acre land to be used as Technology/Artisan Village to host various businesses adding that electricity and water supply has been provided.

Participants were drawn from Agro businesses, manufacturing industries, agro processing companies, hoteliers and others.
It's welcoming a news that, the National Teachers Council (NTC) of the Ministry of Education is drumming about the Licencing of teachers.

.Research has proven that, teacher quality has a major impact on the performance of students and school as a whole, hence several countries including Sweden , Philippines, Hong Kong , Singapore , Finland etc are already at the height of ensuring competent teachers are recruited/ retained

.

The Teacher Licencing Policy under the Education Act 778 (2008) which according to the NTC, is to enforce discipline and eliminate non-performing isn't a cure for "teacher ineffectiveness but rather there should be comprehensive framework that factors in the elements of induction, mentoring, professional development, conditions of service, teacher performance, opportunities for career progression, infrastructure developments to the make the profession a more attractive option for talented graduates.

.

Though, "Licencing of teachers" could take forms devoid of 'examination' (as done by nurses and other professionals), it isn't an exercise that should be done in isolation. It should be subset of a holistic educational policy that measures the outputs of education with the inputs.

The current policy outlines for the new career levels to provide the basis for the mapping of salary levels linked to the job responsibilities.

Has negotiations has been be done to that effect?

Currently, more than 300, 000 teachers are working without conditions of service, and a deluge of issues on salary arrears, promotions and up- grading are yet to be given the needed audience by the Ministry.

For our educational system to be fertile, a more coordinated effort backed by evidence- based policies is required.

The NTC owes it as a responsibility to come clear with the modalities related to the examinations so as it shapes the debate on assessment areas, job security implications, job description and teacher working conditions etc

The current stance of NTC makes the licencing a mockery of the teaching profession as it seems to be an exercise pitched to milk money ( in the name of exams registration ) from the purse of teachers.

A review of the policy coupled with broader consultation with relevant stakeholders could help best address the flaws..

Desmond Allotey-Pappoe

Teacher/ Edu- blogger/ Research fellow

MED Educational Administration and Management.

desmondpappoe.wordpress.com

0207207200
18.08.2017 LISTEN

Wa, Aug. 17, GNA - The Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the Upper West Region has a revenue target of 4.25 million Ghana Cedis to collect for 2017.

This figure is an increase of 84 percent of the 2016 target of 2.31 million Ghana cedis and it is a task which requires the cooperation of all stakeholders.

Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Dokpoe, Deputy Upper West Regional Commander of Customs, said this at a day's tax education seminar held in Wa to educate and discuss some of the laws, procedures and applicable sanctions of the Customs Division of the GRA.

The forum was held under the theme: 'Taxation as a key to Ghana's Development'.

Mr Dokpoe said people using uncustomed vehicles and motorbikes have been given a one month window of opportunity to voluntarily go to the nearest Customs Office to pay the duties involved.

He said no monetary penalty would be imposed during the one month period but people who failed to take advantage of the dispensation would have their vehicles or motorbikes intercepted and a 300 percent penalty would be imposed on them in addition to the duty and taxes involved.

Mr Dokpoe said government's directive to all customs barriers in the region have been opened effective July 31st 2017 to allow the free flow vehicles, goods and services.

He said barrier posts have now become patrol bases for their anti-smuggling and customs law enforcement points.

Mr Ebenezer Mensah, Chief Revenue Officer, Customs Division of GRA, who chaired the forum, said taxation was government's main internal source of income for development and other pertinent needs.

He said taxation is the blood of any government and that no nation could do without taxes, hence the need to review the laws to address developments in the economy.

GNA
Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - The Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has applauded Ghana for creating a very attractive business environment for Indian businesses.

It said the nation had lived up to its accolade as the gateway to Africa and West Africa in particular.

Mr Susnato Sen, Head of the Africa Region and Senior Director of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), made the remarks when he led a group of FICCI members to meet the Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia at the Flagstaff House in Accra, ahead of an Indian expo to be organised in the country.

'Ghana is a very attractive destination for us, because of your long history of stability and the business climate here. Stability is crucial for us, and we are happy to hold this expo here to interact with our Ghanaian counterparts and explore business opportunities,' Mr Sen observed.

The delegation was accompanied by Ambassador Michael A. N. N. Oquaye, Ghana's High Commissioner to India.

The team is in the country as part of a three-day exposition dubbed: 'Namaskar 2007', which aims at branding India as a leading economic player and partner of the West African sub-region, to enhance a two-way trade relationship.

The event is being organised by the FICCI, in collaboration with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), which attracted more than 60 Indian companies.

The business expo has lined up other activities such as a two-day exhibition on agriculture and food processing, construction, power, technology and textiles, and education.

Mr Sen noted that the expo would help facilitate India investment drive in Ghana and neighbouring West African countries and create awareness about the best Indian technologies and products in the region as well as explore opportunities offered by the sub-region.

He said: 'Successful regional shows have already been held in the central and southern regions of Africa. 'Namaskar Africa' in Ghana focuses on the West Africa regional block'.

The Business Magnate noted that the expo targeted Ghana and thus, expected business delegations from neighbouring countries like Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra-Leone and Togo.

Vice President Bawumia recounted the historic relationship that existed between the two nations and urged the Indian delegation to take advantage of the pro-business agenda of the government.

He said: 'As we have stated from the very beginning, our government is pursuing an agenda of economic transformation based on strong private sector participation and anchored on sound economic fundamentals'.

According to the Vice President, there were space and opportunities for cooperation between the Ghanaian and Indian businesses and urged them to explore the many opportunities available in Ghana.

'I'm sure members of the AGI and GNCCI will be ready to sit down with you and agree on mutually beneficial arrangements,' he stated.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is an association of business organisations in India.

It was established in 1927 as a non-governmental organisation and draws its membership from the corporate sector, both private and public.

The Chamber has an indirect membership of more than 2,500,000 companies from various regional chambers of commerce.

GNA

By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
18.08.2017 LISTEN

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), Aug. 17, GNA - Two hundred and eighty teachers in the Dormaa Central Municipality are currently undergoing training in reading and writing of eleven local languages.

It is to equip the teachers with the skills to be able to impart to the pupils in Kindergarten Two, Primary One and Primary Two stages the right knowledge and ability to familiarise themselves with the local languages.

Mr Nicholas Asamoah, a facilitator of the programme, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Tuesday at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

He said research has shown that less than two per cent of children in public schools were able to read and write in familiar Ghanaian languages and become effective in communicating in oral English.

Mr Asamoah said through the training programme, the children would be positioned better to communicate effectively in their native languages which could easily be translated into a second language as claimed by experts.

He said 100 districts in the country were benefiting from the training programme sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Education with an amount of 170 million US Dollars.

Mr Asamoah said the two-week programme slated to end on Saturday August 19 was designed to train 140 participants including head teachers and curriculum leaders per week.

GNA

By Robert Tachie Menson, GNA
Kikam (W/R), Aug. 17, GNA - Three people have been burnt to death in a car crash at Kikam in the Ellembele District of the Western Region.

The gory crash which occurred on Wednesday evening at about 2000 hours involved one private and a commercial vehicle.

Micheal Adomako, an eye witness, told the Ghana News Agency that the private vehicle allegedly lost control and ran into the oncoming commercial vehicle which was moving from Takoradi towards Esiama.

Mr Kwesi Nkum said the driver and the only survivor in the commercial vehicle is said to be in a critical condition and have been transferred to the Effia Nkwanta Hospital from the Axim Government Hospital.

He said there were four in the car including his own younger brother.

Meanwhile, the mortal remains of the deceased have been deposited at the Axim Government Mortuary whilst the driver of the private vehicle was also rushed to the Ekwe Hospital.

GNA

By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA
A wide-ranging anti-terror operation was underway in Spain on Friday after police killed five men wearing fake suicide belts in a town south of Barcelona, hours after a van mowed down dozens of people in the heart of the city.

In the early hours of Friday morning, police intercepted a group of five attackers in Cambrils, 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Barcelona. All five were shot dead. A woman also died after being injured in the attack.

Hours earlier, at about 5 p.m. on Thursday, a white van careered into terrified crowds on Las Ramblas, Barcelona's feted thoroughfare, when the street was packed with locals and tourists. At least 13 people were killed and more than 100 injured. The driver of the van fled on foot and was believed to be still at large on Friday.

Joaquim Forn, the Catalan Interior Minister, said the two attacks were linked to another, previously unreported incident on Wednesday evening when one person was killed after an explosion at a house in Alcanar, south of Barcelona. Police said the victim was a Spanish national.

Speaking after a meeting of government and security officials, Catalan police chief Jose Lluis Trapero said explosives were present in the house in Alcanar. "We are working on the hypothesis that these attacks were being prepared in that house," he said.

The explosion meant the attackers were unable to use material they were planning to deploy in attacks in Barcelona, Cambrils and perhaps elsewhere, he said.

The attack in Barcelona "was more rudimentary than they originally planned," Trapero added.

He said police were investigating whether any of those shot in Cambrils was the fugitive driver from the Barcelona attack but that it was not yet clear.

Four people have been arrested, including one in Alcanar and three in Ripoll. It was unclear how many people were involved in the attacks and how many suspects were still on the run.

Sombre crowds gathered Friday morning for a moment's silence led by King Felipe, the Spanish head of state, at Barcelona's Placa de Catalunya -- near where the attack began. After the silence, those present joined together in lengthy applause. "We are not afraid, we won't forget," they chanted.

Key developments:

-- Police said three of those arrested were Moroccan citizens and another was Spanish. The suspects ranged in age from 21 to 34.

-- France is "reinforcing border controls" with Spain as police search for the Barcelona attack driver, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said.

-- People from at least 34 countries are among the injured, according to the Catalonia government.

-- Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy labeled the Barcelona attack "jihadi terrorism." Rajoy's government has declared three days of mourning across Spain.

-- Rajoy, the Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont and other officials have held a crisis cabinet meeting in Barcelona.

Shootout in Cambrils

Details of the incident in Cambrils were still sketchy on Friday morning. According to a spokeswoman for Catalonia's president, police engaged in a shootout with five attackers after they drove an Audi A3 into several pedestrians. A woman subsequently died from her injuries, Catalan emergency services said, taking the number of dead in both attacks to 14.

It was unclear how the incident began. Photos showed the black Audi, flipped upside down with its windows smashed out, being removed from the scene.

Alex Folch, 28, told CNN he saw the immediate aftermath of the shootout from his holiday apartment on the fifth floor of the Club Nautic Cambrils, on the Consulat de Mar.

He said he saw three people lying on the ground surrounded by police, one with what appeared to be "a metallic kind of belt" around the waist.

Folch said he could see snipers on the roof beside him and later heard controlled explosions conducted by police.

Carnage in Barcelona

The first attack began at about 5 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, in one of Barcelona's most popular tourist districts.

A white van with blue markings drove into a packed crowd of locals and visitors enjoying an afternoon along Las Ramblas, a predominantly pedestrian area full of cafes, bars and street performers.

"I saw people flying into the air and everyone was running into the shops on either side," witness Ali Shirazinia told CNN. He saw the van drive past him.

Shirazinia said the driver appeared to be driving "in a zig-zag motion" as fast as he could, trying to hit as many people as possible. "It was just a really, really horrific scene of immediate carnage," he said.

Thirteen people were killed, with the death toll expected to rise, while about 100 others were injured.

The ISIS media wing, Amaq, has said the Barcelona attackers were "soldiers of the Islamic State," but stopped short of explicitly claiming responsibility for the attacks or providing evidence for their claims.

A car later ran over police officers at a checkpoint in Barcelona. Trapero said Friday that one of the occupants of the car was found to have been stabbed. He added that there was no link to any of the other incidents.

Explosion in Alcanar

Catalan police said overnight they were "working under the hypothesis that the terrorists taken down in Cambrils were related to the events that took place in Barcelona and Alcanar."

The explosion in Alcanar on Wednesday night left seven people injured, one seriously, as well as causing the death of a Spanish national.

A house collapsed completely under the force of the blast, a Catalan fire department statement said. Authorities have not yet confirmed what caused the explosion.

One of the suspects arrested in connection with Thursday's Barcelona attack was detained in Alcanar, Catalan police chief Josep Lluis Trapero told reporters.

Shock, fear in Barcelona

Las Ramblas reopened Friday morning but reminders of the previous day's horror were all around.

In some outdoor cafes, full glasses of beer and sangria sat out on tables, left behind after people scattered. Overturned chairs and napkins were strewn on the street. Waiters were beginning to pick up the pieces as restaurants opened.

Flowers, candles and messages of solidarity began to pile up at a makeshift shrine.

Some shocked residents and tourists had come to the normally bustling avenue to pay their respects to the attack victims.

Resident Federico Colmenarejo, 32, walked along Las Ramblas in a daze. His apartment overlooks the street -- and he said a phone call from his grandmother at the time of the attack had saved his life because it had stopped him going out.

"Just to think how is it possible that I cross this street every day on my way to work. I can't believe it. In Barcelona this never happens," he told CNN.

The Catalan government said the Barcelona victims came from 34 countries. The first to be identified was an Italian, Bruno Gulotta, who worked in sales and marketing for Tom's Hardware Italia. He was a much-loved colleague with a partner and two young children, the company said. He had been on holiday in Barcelona with his family.

Belgium's Foreign Ministry spokesman Jose de Pierpont said one Belgian was among those killed in the attack.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that 26 French nationals were injured, at least 11 seriously.

CNN's Eliza Mackintosh reported from Barcelona, while Ben Westcott wrote from Hong Kong and Laura Smith-Spark from London. CNN's Vasco Cotovio, Isa Soares, Hilary McGann, Claudia Rebaza, Laura Goehler, Livia Borghese, Steve George and Nanlin Fang contributed to this report.
Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - Ms Linda Ayi, graduate of the University of Cape Coast and Mr Isaac Sarfo Boakye, a Mathematics teacher at the Agona Senior High Technical School have won two brand new Hyundai I10 in the ongoing MTN Spin the Wheel promotion in Accra.

The promotion was launched in July 2017 and would run till the end of June 2018 with a presentations and rewards to be won.

Mr Noel Kojo-Ganson, General Manager of Consumer Marketing of MTN, presenting the awards to the winners said the promotion was driven by their quest as the leading telecommunication brand to always look beyond the telecommunication services and add value to customer's experience.

He said the promotion was one of the several ways MTN intended to reward its royal subscribers.

Four of the winners won an all-expense paid trip to Dubai for two, pieces of 4G enabled handsets were also presented to some winners while some other winners received cash prizes ranging from GH1000.00 to GH2000.00 each.

He said by extension it demonstrates the company's commitment to making our customers' lives brighter while we promote our digital agenda.

He said 'For the monthly winners, the highest point earner takes home a brand new Hyundai I10, 2nd and 3rd highest point earners, trip to Dubai, 4th to the 10th highest receives GH2,000.00 Mobile Money e-cash, 11th to 20th highest GH1,000.00 Mobile Money, 21st to 50th highest takes 4G Smartphone, 5th to 80th highest points earners will receive GH200.00 Mobile Money and 81st to 100th will also receive GH100.00 Mobile Money'.

He said MTN was committed to leading the delivery of bold new digital world and they will continue to make meaningful investments to ensure their customers receive the best of services and remain loyal or connected to the brand.

He said customers, who recharges airtime of GH1.00 and above would receive an SMS indicating the number of Spin slots earned (based on amount recharged) after every recharge.

'When customer can clicks on the link to open the WAP portal to spin or URL to install the App permanently on their phones. Alternatively, customers can send 'SPIN' to MTN short Code 5040 to spin,' he added.

He said once the customer spins, the result was instant and confirmed by SMS message.

Ms Ayi thanked the management of MTN for introducing the promotion, which had made her a car owner, urging other customers to enter the promotion.

GNA

By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA
Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa said Friday it would oppose an online auction of rhino horns due to start next week, as outraged conservationists said the sale would undermine the global ban on rhino trade.

The three-day auction by South African John Hume, who runs the world's biggest rhino farm, comes after a ban on domestic trade in the country was lifted three months ago.

The government said it would fight Hume's court application to be granted sale permits.

"The Minister of Environmental Affairs is opposing the application," the government said in a statement on Friday, declining to comment further.

Hume's lawyer Izak du Toit claimed the permits had already been approved -- but not issued.

"We will go to the High Court on an urgent basis," du Toit told AFP, ahead of the auction due to start on Monday.

Hume and some other campaigners say poaching can only be halted by meeting the huge demand from Asia through legally "harvesting" horn from anaesthetised live rhinos.

He has stockpiles of six tonnes of horns and wants to place 500 kilogrammes under the hammer.

South Africa is home to around 20,000 rhinos, some 80 percent of the worldwide population, but in recent years has suffered record slaughter by poachers.

Rhino horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails.

It is sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases -- as well as an aphrodisiac -- in Vietnam and China.

While any auctioned horn could not exported from South Africa, conservationists fear the sale will stimulate black market demand and undermine the four-decade old international ban on rhino trading.

The auction website is in English, but also in Chinese and Vietnamese.

Currently a rhino horn is estimated to fetch up to $60,000 a kilo on the black market -- more than the price of gold or cocaine.

Joseph Okori, of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), described the auction as "deplorable".

"There is deliberate motive to target people in countries where people consume rhino horns," Okori told AFP.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has extended his warmest regards to President Uhuru Kenyatta on his hard-fought victory and emphatic re-election in Kenyas August 8 presidential election.

He also lauded the defeated Raila Odingas decision to head to Kenya's Supreme Court to contest the validity of the elections which Foreign observers had described as free and fair.

The election was seen as a key test of Kenyas stability given the ethnic tensions that manifested before in violent clashes after the 2007 elections, where some 1,200 people were killed and more than 500,000 displaced.

His main contender, former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, is also to be commended for the peaceful manner in which he conducted his campaign, and for indicating his decision to seek redress in Kenya's Supreme Court over the results of the election, he said in a statement.

Mr Odinga, who has said the poll was rigged, had previously refused to appeal to the Supreme Court.

President Kenyatta, who has been in office since 2013, took 54.3% of votes, ahead of Mr.Odinga, with 44.7%.

Redress in the Supreme Court is an avenue President Nana Akufo-Addo is well familiar with as he also resorted to the Supreme Court to contest the legitimacy of the 2012 election which he lost narrowly to John Mahama.

The election was not without some minor incidents after protesters and police in Kenya have clashed Odinga first claimed he was cheated of victory by a hacking attack that he said manipulated the election results.

Find below Nana Addos full message

This is to extend my warm congratulations to President Uhuru Kenyatta, on his hard-fought victory and emphatic re-election in the Kenyan presidential election of August 8, 2017.

His main contender, former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, is also to be commended for the peaceful manner in which he conducted his campaign, and for indicating his decision to seek redress in Kenya's Supreme Court over the results of the election.

The Kenyan people, by this vote, have moved to strengthen the frontiers of their democracy, and it is my hope that, regardless of the decision taken by Kenya's Supreme Court, the delivery of progress and prosperity to the Kenyan people will continue in a process of national reconciliation and in conditions of freedom and the rule of law to the benefit of the welfare and stability of the Kenyan nation.



Nana Akufo-Addo



By: citifmonline.com/Ghana
The Osu castle, once in an impregnable and invincible seat of power, is a pale shadow of itself.

The castle, famed for both the good, bad and ugly tales, earned both notoriety and awe during the heady days of former president Rawlings, then chairman Rawlings, whose reign of terror, caused many to shiver in fear at the mere mention of the castle.

An invitation to the castle on air was enough to Trigger a dirge.

The tales about the castle, built by Danes in 1661, are many and varied. They range from alleged torture of political detainees to church sermons, all surrounding the various presidents who once occupied it.

Osu Castle during visit of Former US President, Barack Obama

Almost every president starting from Kwame Nkrumah to Atta Mills, who died in office, operated from the former slave castle.

But barely five years after the demise of president Mills who last occupied it, the once fearsome edifice, now a presidential museum, is fast deteriorating.

Filth has taken the better part of sections of the building, while presidential limousines, which once carried the number of gentlemen of the country, have been left at the vagaries of the weather.

Limousines of General Acheampong, former presidential Rawlings, and Kufuor are just at mercy of nature.

The ravages of the sea are telling on rusty metals, and cracked structural work.

The cycle of deterioration is disturbing, giving that the edifice with its contents, if well preserved by the Authorities could earn the country millions of dollars in revenue annually.

And did you know that the room that Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the second occupied , in 1957 and 1960 is still being kept intact at the castle, complete with the WC bowl , et all?

Think of how many people would like to feel the bed on which the Queen of England once slept, and you will understand the paradox of poverty in the midst of wealth.



By: Aidoo Portia
Rome (AFP) - Defend Europe, the group which sent a ship to waters off Libya to protest and potentially block migrant flows to Europe, has ended its controversial and setback-plagued mission.

The multinational network of far-right activists said the chartering of the boat, the C-Star, had been an unqualified success, despite the boat spending less than a week patrolling the area off Libya where hundreds of thousands of migrants have been rescued in recent years.

Its crew never got the chance to act on their threats to take any distressed migrant boats they came upon back to Libya -- an intention humanitarian organisations had slammed as callous and, if acted upon, criminal.

Defend Europe said its main success had been in highlighting how NGOs involved in rescuing migrants allegedly encourage and facilitate illegal immigration into Europe.

"Only two months ago, many NGO ships were cruising near Libyan coasts like taxis waiting for their customers," it said in a statement. "Right now ... there's only one left."

NGO boats operating off Libya have scaled back their operations following moves by the Libyan and Italian authorities to restrict their activities and in response to a fall in the number of migrant boats leaving Libya.

The C-Star's brief presence in the area was regarded as no more than a minor irritant and occasionally a source of amusement.

Chartered after a crowd-funding campaign generated $228,000 (195,000 euros), the C-Star set off from Djibouti in early July.

The boat was held up for a week in the Suez Canal by Egyptian authorities then delayed further in Cyprus, where some of the Sri Lankan crew got off and claimed refugee status, embarrassingly adding to the list of asylum-seekers the mission was supposed to help cut.

Plans to refuel in Greece, Sicily and Tunisia were scuppered by local opposition and, at one point last week, it briefly looked as if one of the NGO boats would have to come to the aid of the C-Star as it encountered technical problems.
Johannesburg (AFP) - Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe is a "massive flight risk" and must be arrested over allegations that she attacked a model in Johannesburg, South Africa's main opposition party said Friday.

Grace Mugabe, who has not been seen since the alleged assault on Sunday, is due to attend a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in Pretoria this weekend along with her husband President Robert Mugabe.

South Africa police said Thursday they were on "red alert" to prevent Grace Mugabe from leaving the country.

The Mugabes will join other heads of state and their spouses at the two-day meeting in the South African capital.

The first lady is alleged to have hit Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel where her two sons were staying.

"No one is above the law and the DA will do everything possible to ensure that Ms Mugabe is not allowed to flee South Africa before she faces up to the charges against her," the Democratic Alliance party said.

Engels -- who has registered a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm -- appeared at a press conference on Thursday, wearing a large plaster on the left side of her forehead.

President Mugabe flew into South Africa late Wednesday, the day after his wife failed to report to police over the alleged assault.

Grace Mugabe has claimed diplomatic immunity over the allegations, according to South African police.
18.08.2017 LISTEN

Under the auspices of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Inspectorate Division of Minerals Commission and St. Johns Ambulance, Ghana, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited Ahafo mine will host this years Zone II Mine Safety and First Aid Competition on Saturday, August 19, 2017 at the Kenyasi No.2 Durbar Grounds from 7:00am to 1:30pm.

This competition forms part of efforts to create and deepen safety and first aid awareness among mining companies and their host communities.

The theme for this years competition is Safe & Responsible Mining, Our Heritage

The competition is a one-day event, and an industry tradition.

Competing teams are Asanko Gold Mine, Golden Star Bogoso Prestea Limited., Gold Fields Ghana, Tarkwa and their community teams.

Winners from the Zone will join winning teams from the other (2) zones to compete at the national level within the last quarter of this year.
The Attorney-General's Department has received a duplicate copy of the case in which two persons are standing trial over the murder of Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North in the Eastern Region.

According to Detective Inspector Simon Apiorsornu, the docket was receiving attention at the AG's office.

He said the Attorney-General had assured the prosecution that it was working expeditiously on the advice to enable the prosecution start the committal process.

The case was, however, adjourned until August 31 while the accused persons  Daniel Asiedu, 19 aka Sexy Don Don, a phone dealer and Vincent Bosso aka Junior Agogo, a phone repairer  were remanded into police custody.

It would be recalled that at the last adjourned date, state prosecutors asked for more time for further investigations into the case.

The state had argued that the nature of the case was such that the victim never survived to tell his side of the story.

The prosecution indicated that it had to get conclusive evidence in the matter.

This compelled the judge, Arit Nsemoh, to question the basis on which the accused persons were charged if the arguments of the police officer were anything to go by.

She pointed out that the prosecution ought to be prepared before preferring charges against the accused persons.

The trial magistrate, as a result, warned the prosecution not to come and ask for another adjournment but must come and tell the court something bright.

Detective Inspector Apiorsornu had previously also said further investigations into the matter were still ongoing.

On July 29, the prosecution told the court that the police had stumbled upon fresh leads in the case.

Although the prosecution did not disclose the nature of the leads to the court, the prosecutor emphasized that the police were working on them.

The accused persons were hauled before the court two days after an Accra High Court had discharged them over the murder of the legislator.

The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice had earlier entered Nolle Prosequi (NP) to drop the previous charges against the accused persons.

Sefakor Batse, a Senior State Attorney, had told the court, presided over by Justice Lawrence L. Mensah, that per Section 54 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, the AG had entered NP in respect of the case.

Daniel Asiedu and Bosso were subsequently rearrested minutes after their discharge and fresh charges preferred against them.

In the instant case, Sexy Don Don has been slapped with the charge of murder while Agogo faces abetment of murder.

In the case of Agogo, the prosecutor, DSP George Amegah, held that he at about 1:00 am on February 9, 2016 at Shiashie, East Legon, in Accra, abetted Sexy Don Don to commit murder.

Don Don, according to the prosecution, on the same day and time intentionally and unlawfully caused the death of Mr JB Danquah-Adu, fondly called JB.

The pleas of the two have not been taken.

[email protected]

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson
Effective Friday, August 18th 2017, all agencies at the country's ports will pilot the paperless clearing process ahead of official takeoff next month.

The exercise is among others to identify the potential shortfalls and address them for a seamless transaction on September 1, 2017.

According to officials, the pilot has become apparent considering the completion of the basic background work.

The Deputy Commissioner of Customs at the Tema Port, Richard Yawtse who confirmed the pilot to Citi Business News said it will help in improving the system.

The object of the pilot is to see how the preparations are going to go, the coordination between the institutions, the flow of documents and then to discover any challenges that probably we may not have considered already. And then to see how we will resolve them before the first of September when we go live.

On Friday we have selected a number of companies for the pilot on the side of the agents they have selected a number. On the side of terminal operators we have selected a number and we begin the pilot at Tema and possibly Takoradi; so this is what the pilot is about, he added.

The move to start a paperless regime at the ports follows a directive from the Vice President in May this year.

According to the Vice President, this will curb corruption and reduce the turnaround time for businesses.

Meanwhile the Deputy Commissioner says the outfit will continue with education to ensure all agencies are conversant with the systems.

The discussions have not ended. We are still in discussions with all our stake holders and we are continuing the education. But you can imagine that by 1st of September, you would have discovered serious challenges or issues that we have overlooked or haven't come to our attention yet.



By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
The Lands and Natural Resources Ministry has dismissed media reports which claimed that the sector minister, John Peter Amewu called for the dismissal of public sector workers who were appointed under the Mahama government.

A statement from the Public Relations unit of the ministry described the reports as untrue.

Mr. Amewu is reported to have said that if he had his way he would layoff all non-productive public sector workers under NDC administration to create room for new applicants under the Nana-Addo government.

But the insisted that Mr. Amewu only intimated that, politicians are made to account for their stewardship by the people, and if the citizens feel dissatisfied, the political regime is voted out.

This situation runs through since independence where governments come and go but non-performing public or civil servants who are supposed to support the political regime dont seem to do so. We thus find media reports misquoting our Minister very disturbing and unprofessional, the Ministry clarified.

Below is the full statement from the Lands Ministry:

In a statement, released by the Public Relations Department of the Lands Ministry, it described as reportage as untrue and a lazy reportage.

Below is the full statement:

Our attention has been drawn to reports in sections of the media stating that the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu, has said public servants under Manama should be sacked.

The Public Relations Department wishes to dismiss this claim.

This can best be described as lazy journalism.

Mr. Amewu only intimated that, politicians are made to account for their stewardship by the people, and if the citizens feel dissatisfied, the political regime is voted out. This situation runs through since independence where governments come and go but non-performing public or civil servants who are supposed to support the political regime dont seem to do so.

We thus find media reports misquoting our Minister very disturbing and unprofessional. We call on reporters who wish to seek clarification on any matter regarding the Ministrys activities to do so by contacting the Ministry since we operate an open door policy led by the sector Minister. This collaboration will prevent such unpardonable mistakes from being committed.



By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The Food and Drug Authority is investigating the poisonous fish incident in the Kpando Municipality in the Volta Region which led to the death of four persons.

The FDA said checks in some markets in that area showed that traders avoided the puffer fish which is believed to have caused the deaths. The affected communities include Alavanyo, Kpando and Tokor.

However, it is in talks with the Ministry of Fisheries and other agencies to intensify the education on the dangers of consuming the said fish.

Speaking to Citi News, James Lartey, the Public Relations Officer for the Authority said the FDA officers together with the fisheries department in the Volta Region and then the Municipal Assembly embarked on an exercise where the visited a number of markets and all the markets they went to did not have any sample of that fish.

According to our officer, the women at the market were saying they know it to be it's a poisonous fish so it is not a fish that is sold there.

There will also be a meeting between the FDA, the Municipal Assembly, and some stakeholders draw a plan to create awareness.

I was told they were already aware of that particular fish but there is the need for further education so I am sure when they meet, they will be able to trash all these things and strategize on communications so they will be able to better inform the people on that fish, Mr. Lartey said.

Four people died at the Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital at Kpando, where they had been rushed to after eating a type of freshwater fish commonly called puffer fish, also known as balloon fish.

Three deaths were recorded two weeks ago with the latest occurring yesterday [Thursday] when four more persons were rushed to the same facility.

One of them was successfully treated and discharged while two others, a man, and his wife are still on admission.

Even though it is still unclear how the fish may have caused or contributed to the said deaths, some residents have attributed it to the ill-preparation of the fish before consumption.

They say the fish contains some poisonous substance which required proper cooking.

The Puffer fish is characteristically said to swell up when it senses danger to scare its predators. It is known among fishing communities and the folks are often warned against eating it.



By: Felicia Osei/King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated four sets of Yamaha 125 Motorbikes, four Samsung Galaxy Tablets and a project vehicle valued at Gh154,950 to the Department of Social Welfare of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for the implementation of the National Child Care Reforms Initiatives (CRI).

The donation forms part of the 5year Government of Ghana and USAID Displaced Children and Orphaned Fund (DCOF) Care Reforms Initiative Rollout Program signed in July 2016 to be implemented by the Department of Social Welfare.

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisah Djaba said the key objectives of this initiative is to strengthen social welfare workforce capacities of the Department of Social Welfare and contribute to the professionalization of social work in Ghana.

She added that this will also support Government to develop gatekeeping structures to prevent the unnecessary admission and readmission of children into residential care popularly called Orphanages and Children's Homes.

The sector Minister indicated that the presentation is part government's and the development partner's commitments to improve upon the safety, well-being and development of vulnerable children who through no fault of theirs find themselves in Orphanages and Children's Homes.

According to her, the best place for a child is in the family, not an institution and when circumstances necessitate institutional care, it should be for a temporary period while the social welfare staff take urgent and professional steps in ensuring that the child is re-unified with the family.

Otiko Djaba said it is for this reason that the National Child Care Reforms Initiatives (CRI) was launched in 2017 by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government with the objectives of transforming the care sector by promoting family reintegration of children already in Residential Homes (Deinstitutionalization), de-emphasizing the over-reliance on institutional care and shifting towards a range of integrated family and community-based care services for children without appropriate parental care.

She stressed that the goal of the CRI is to establish a more consistent and stable approach to caring for vulnerable children in Ghana so that each child will be assured of a permanent home in a supportive and loving family.

The Technical Coordinator of the Child Care Reforms Roll Out Programme, USAID, Alex Dery said the four motorbikes are to be used in four selected districts in four regions in Greater Accra, Central, Volta and Eastern Region in which the 2010 Standards Operations Procedures (SOP) which is undergoing a revision will be piloted when completed.

He indicated that in addition to the motorbikes, the Department of Social Welfare will be supported with monthly fuel coupons in order to ensure that they perform their gatekeeping functions of monitoring, supervision and inspection of RHC in order to ensure compliance to the standards as contained in the 2010 Standards Operations Procedures Manual for RHC in Ghana.

Mr. Dery emphasised that social welfare staff are expected to play key roles in the SOP review processes by providing regular monitoring reports and lead roles in the piloting of the SOP.

He intimated that the staff must also play their professional backstopping functions to Homes/Orphanges that have been licensed as well as make prompt recommendations for the appropriate action on Homes that are not adhering to the required standards including closures.

According to him, the key components of the Care Reform Initiatives are prevention of family separation via the conditional cash transfer prgram (LEAP), reintegrating children back with their family or extended family (Kinship care), placement of the child within a foster family and adoption (preferably domestic).

The Technical Coordinator indicated that in 2010, with the support from UNICEF Ghana, a National Standards Operation Procedures (SOP) Manual for Residential Homes for Children (RHC) was developed and operationalised in collaboration with the key stakeholders involved in the Child Care sector.

The Acting Director of the Department of Social Welfare of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Benjamin Otoo expressed his gratitude to USAID and assured that this donation will deepen the oversight role of the department in monitoring and prevention of RHC.
MTN has donated a cheque of GH5,000, MTN airtime worth GH500 and a drink hamper to the Osu Traditional Council towards the celebration of this years Homowo festival.

The Customer Relations Executive of MTN, Mrs. Jemima Kotei-Walsh said in addition to the donation they will support the organisation of Soo Ntang (Home Coming) and some social activities throughout the festive period.

She noted that MTN will carry out data activation throughout the festive period at vantage points to give valued customers an experimental feel of the benefits of their 4G LTE internet and data services.

Mrs. Kotei-Walsh added that MTN will organise a community forum to educate members of the community and caution them against some social deviants and criminals who have been defrauding people of their money on the MTN Mobile Money platform.

According to her, the donation forms part of their continue support and demonstration of their commitment to promote the Homowo festival.

She indicated that MTN in commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of His Majesty Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI decided to congratulate the Chief for his achievement over the past 10years.

"MTN will like to salute his Majesty for promoting development, creating opportunities and projecting a positive image of the chieftaincy institution in Ghana," she stated.

MTN as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) made similar donations to Labadi and James Town traditional Council for the celebration of this year's Ga Festival.

The Paramount Chief of Osu, His Majesty DF Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI expressed his gratitude to the management of MTN for the kind gesture.

He urged the youth in the community to maintain discipline and engagae in activities that will not mar the peace and beauty of the celebration.
The Minority in Parliaments claims that Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia said a New Patriotic Party (NPP) government would not borrow if it won power are false, his office has said.

Dr. Bawumias office, in a statement, challenged the Deputy Minority Leader, James Klutse Avedzi, to prove his claims the Vice President had made such a statement.

The Office of the Vice President would like to state for the record that the above statement attributed to the Vice-President by the Deputy Minority Leader (and subsequently by many NDC communicators) is a complete and utter fabrication. The Vice President's speeches, lectures and statements on the economy over the years are a matter of public record.

We are therefore challenging the deputy Minority Leader (and the other NDC communicators) to immediately provide the evidence to back up their claim. They cannot provide any such evidence because the Vice-President has never made such a statement.

After Dr. Bawumia recently said the Akufo-Addo administration would continue to borrow to help grow the Ghanaian economy, but in a responsible fashion, Mr. Avedzi accused the Vice President making a U-turn on the issue of borrowing by government because he [Dr. Bawumia] had criticized the Mahama government for having an appetite for borrowing.

The Vice President assured that Akufo-Addo government would adopt fiscal discipline to ensure that the economy is not thrown off track by the borrowing.

A lot of people misunderstand when we say we are going to be responsible, it doesn't mean that we are not going to borrow money, it only means that we are going to borrow responsibly and not recklessly, Dr. Bawumia at the closing ceremony of the two-day National Policy Summit on August 16.

The Minority, however, still called Dr. Bawumias perceived U-Turn shameful.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Tuesday, Mr. Avedzi, said: it is shameful for Bawumia to say in the past that we don't need to borrow because we have all the resources here and now saying that we need to borrow and borrow responsibly, that is the problem I have with him.

The statement from Dr. Bawumias office urged the Minority to go back and take the time to read the Vice President's lectures as well as speeches and try to criticize based on the statements contained therein.

Dr. Bawumias office also criticized the Minority for deliberately fabricate statements in the name of politics.

Find the Statement below

Argue on Facts and Not Fabrications

The Office of the Vice President's attention has been drawn to a statement (on Citi FM on August 16, 2017) attributed to the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon James Klutse Avedzi, accusing the Vice President of doing a U-turn on the issue of borrowing by government. Specifically, the deputy minority leader is reported to have stated that:

The Vice President while he was the running mate for the NPP was emphatic on the issue about borrowing in Ghana saying that the country need not borrow and that we have the resources here in Ghana and that when they win power they will not borrow.

The Office of the Vice President would like to state for the record that the above statement attributed to the Vice-President by the deputy minority leader (and subsequently by many NDC communicators) is a complete and utter fabrication. The Vice President's speeches, lectures and statements on the economy over the years are a matter of public record.

We are therefore challenging the deputy minority leader (and the other NDC communicators) to immediately provide the evidence to back up their claim. They cannot provide any such evidence because the Vice-President has never made such a statement.

To deliberately fabricate statements in an attempt to attack your political opponent is an exercise in desperation and intellectual dishonesty. As politicians, it is important that we elevate the discourse and argue based on facts and not on fabrications and outright lies.

Our advice to them is to go back and take the time to READ the Vice President's lectures as well as speeches and try to criticize based on the statements contained therein. Ghana deserves much better.

..Signed

Frank Agyei-Twum

Director of Communications

Office of the Vice-President



By: citifmonline.com/Ghana
Instant Noodles brand Indomie is supporting 3,000 pupils from impoverished districts of Volta and Greater Accra as part of a one-month-long youth camp organised by Nneka Youth Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

At a recent ceremony, De United Foods Industries Ltd (DUFIL), the brand owners of Indomie made a donation towards this year's youth camp.

It included cartons of Indomie instant noodles, Indomie exercise books, Indomie T-shirts and other brand souvenirs.

And nutritious Indomie instant noodles were also fed to the participants.

Belo Cida Haruna, Marketing Manager of DUFIL said the company was proud to support the youth camp since its inception.

We decided to support it and have not looked back since. We urge Nneka Youth Foundation to monitor the progress of the children who benefit from the training to ensure that the ultimate objective of making them better adults is achieved, he added.

The pupils participating in the youth camp are from eight different districts like Afadzato South, Kpando, Hohoe, North and South Dayi, Ho East, as well as Nkwanta Districts in the Volta Region and Ningo Prampram in the Greater Accra region.

They are put in groups in four zones and each zone takes its turn at Nneka Youth Foundation Centre in Ve Agbome in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region.

The children are learning life skills through lessons in grooming, arts and crafts and many more.

Agnes Botchway, Events Manager at DUFIL, who visited the Nneka Foundation Centre said, We are motivated to continue to support the programme, because their work gave hope to the children who had no hope.

We are passionate about the development of children and there is nothing more rewarding than to support a cause that can turn the fortunes of children.

She encouraged the children to put to practice all that they learnt at the centre.

Cecilia Fiaka, founder of Nneka Youth Foundation, said the youth camp has become a major platform for children from deprived communities to become hopeful in life and strive to achieve dreams.

She noticed that conditions prevalent in those communities do not enable children to aspire for bigger heights which has been a challenge for the youth camp to find solutions over the years.

I am grateful to DUFIL for the consistent support towards the programme, said Ms Fiaka.
Over 200 local and foreign investors have expressed interest in investing in the railway project, Joe Ghartey, Minister of Railway Development, has said.

Mr Ghartey, who disclosed this at the 'Railway Sector Investment Opportunity meeting by the Ghana  Israel Business Chamber in Accra, said the project will serve the industrial sector and boost the implementation of'One District, One-Factory' policy by making transport of raw materials cheaper.

According to him, an estimated $10 billion would be needed by government to revamp Ghana's dilapidated rail system and also create an economic corridor along the rail lines, after considering the cost of track and associate infrastructure.

The Master Plan, he averred, was a five phased rail development which would cover all regions and pass through various trade districts across Ghana.

Some figures per a study I reviewed today stated that without rail transport by 2020, one may not be able to get around Accra.

Explaining the Master Plan to prospective investors at a dinner held at the Israeli Embassy, Joe Ghartey highlighted the benefits to be accrued to both investors and Ghanaians.

He said a project of this sort will enhance the activities of the agricultural, tourism and all other sectors that readily make use of long travels.

Mr. Ghartey said government was commissioning feasibility studies to advise on the mapping of routes for the various railway lines.

We are in the process of commissioning feasibility study for this plan. This is a proposal by engineers who did the master plan. It passes through Takyiman but the feasibility study can tell us for example that instead of teaching, we should divert so this is the proposal going onto the next stage.

He expressed concerns over the encroachment of the rail lines but was optimistic the projects would take off smoothly.

Myjoyonline




Hajia Alima Mahama (2nd left) and Osei Assibey Antwi inspecting some of the projects with others

Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region, will experience massive infrastructural development which will definitely improve the lives of millions of people in the city in the coming months.

The key infrastructural projects, being funded by the World Bank under the Urban Development Grant (UDG), are expected to be completed very soon.

The state-of-the-art UDG projects, most of which, are nearing completion, can be located in areas such as Sofoline, Anhwomaso, Subin Valley and other strategic parts of the boisterous city.

The UDG projects, especially the lorry parks, would help tackle congestion in the business district center of Kumasi.

Some of the projects are also intended to boost security and healthcare delivery in the city.

Minister Okays UDG Projects

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Haijia Alima Mahama, some few days ago, visited Kumasi to inspect all the ongoing UDG projects.

The minister, who used two days to tour the project sites, expressed satisfaction with the professional work being done by contractors executing all the UDG projects in the city.

Alima Mahama lauded the World Bank for continually transforming Kumasi via the UDG projects, and urged the contractors to sustain their good work to ensure efficient delivery.

UDG Projects Visited

The minister started her tour at the Anhwomaso Lorry Terminal, which is being constructed at the cost of over GH2 million.

The project, which is almost completed, boasts of a police station, offices, spacious car park and other amenities.

She also visited the Sofoline Lorry Terminal valued at over GH2 million, which has a car park, offices, police station and many others.

The minister also inspected the Kyirapatre Lorry Terminal, valued at about GH3 million.

The completion of the Anhwomaso, Sofoline and Kyirapatre Lorry Terminals would go a long way to tackle congestion in Kumasi for many years and make life comfortable for residents.

Aside ensuring free movement of people, the lorry terminals would also boost trade in the city.

The Sofoline Lorry Terminal, for instance, would be used by travellers, who visit Kumasi from the Brong-Ahafo Region.

The Local Government Minister also inspected the Prempeh Assembly Hall project, which is also being refurbished at the cost of a staggering GH2.677,000 to meet international standards.

She was also at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital at Pampaso in Kumasi, where a 20-bed capacity ward, which is being constructed through UDG to boost healthcare delivery, is nearing completion.

The minister, who was elated over the magnificent UDG projects, ended her tour at the Subin Valley, where a police station is being constructed.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


Four persons have reportedly lost their lives at the Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital at Kpando in the Volta Region where they were diagnosed of food poisoning after consuming fish suspected to be poisonous.

About 10 others are currently on admission at the same health facility receiving treatment after eating the said mysterious fish.

The hospital recorded three of the deaths two weeks ago when about 11 people were rushed there from one of the communities at Alavanyo, complaining of stomach upset.

The latest death occurred on Wednesday, after four family members from Gbefi were also rushed to the hospital, with one pronounced dead upon arrival.

The incident has since left residents of the affected communities in fear and distress.

The administrator of the Margaret Marquart Hospital, Hanson Torde, who confirmed the incident, claimed that preliminary investigations into the case revealed that the victims had suffered from food poisoning, which could be caused by the consumption of the said fish.

He said the hospital authorities had contacted the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) about the matter, while a sample of the said poisonous fish had been handed over to the police to conduct thorough investigations into the incident.

Mr. Torde added that the bodies of the deceased were to be sent to either the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital or 37 Military Hospital in Accra for a post-mortem to be conducted on them to ascertain the actual cause of death.

FDA Volta Regional Director, Eugene Addo, in an interview, said that his office received the sad news and that personnel had been sent to the affected communities.

He said the Authority currently has a sample of the smoked fish, but would speak to the families of the affected persons to ascertain the source of the fish to enable them carry out thorough investigations into the matter.

From Gibril Abdul Razak, Ho ( [email protected] )
The Ireland branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) says President Akufo-Addo is committed to creating jobs for Ghanaians.

Alfred Marshall Agyapong, Chairman of the Ireland branch of the NPP, in a statement, reiterated the commitment of government to fulfill its manifesto pledge with respect to job creation.

The people of Ghana gave the New Patriotic Party the mandate, because of the confidence they had in our leader, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and indeed he and his team will deliver, Mr. Agyapong added.

The statement was issued in Accra and signed by Daniel Pelu-Jones Branch Deputy Communication Director, who is in the country to attend the NPP delegates Conference to be held in Cape Coast in two weeks' time.

According to him, The President and government are putting things together to revive the economy, as the previous government left a total debt of GHC130 billion.

The chairman pointed out that Mr. Akufo-Addo's bold policy statement of creating one factory in every district in Ghana remains a key objective.

Mr. Agyapong is expected to arrive in Ghana soon to join other executives of the NPP-Ireland branch for the party's National Delegates Conference.

[email protected]

By Melvin Tarlue
Enoch Nsiah

18.08.2017 LISTEN

National officers of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been asked to show maturity, leadership and clear direction to end the current rumpus which generated schism between pro-Rawlings camp and pro-Mahama camp in the party.

Former Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Enoch Amoako-Nsiah believes the leadership of the NDC is firmly locked in the display of narcissistic tendencies and pettifogging, forsaking important things that require their attention.

In a message on his facebook wall dubbed: A Little Prompt to NDC Leadership, the security capo accused the party's executives of using the NDC as a cover-up to settle personal grudge and selfish interests.

You are only few individuals whining and bickering, making it appears as if the party is on fire. The grassroots, the comrades of the great party are more united than you think. We are not part of your childish pranks, he stated.

Mr. Amoako-Nsiah asserted that the leadership of the NDC appears to have lost focus on what is expected of them, after hoodwinking the party's faithful into thinking that they knew the job well.

Comrades, do not be hooked on to their attention seeking antics. After the painful defeat, we expect leadership to show maturity, clear direction, concrete road map to revamp the sleeping Eagle and not the unnecessary divisive statements, he charged. He continued: Are we not ashamed that we could not collate electoral results? Are we not ashamed that we are causing much pain to our teaming supporters? Leaders indeed!

The former security coordinator called on the national officers to quit, if they could not lead, indicating that committed leaders with vision and passion will emerge. His lamentations came after the frosty relationship between Martin Amidu and the NDC took a further dip, with the party leadership summoning the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice to face a disciplinary committee.

The latest twist, which is deemed to have widened further the schism between the pro-Rawlings camp to which Martin Amidu, the citizen vigilante belongs, and the pro-Mahama camp, has come about by Dr. Valarie Sawyer's satiric writing which was critical of the NDC founder and the former Attorney General.

From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi


After threatening fire and fury, how does a superpower de-escalate? By scrambling its secretary of State, secretary of Defense and military chief to reassure foreign leaders that President Trump should be taken seriously, not literally.

Thats what Rex Tillerson, James N. Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have been doing for the past week  and it seems to have worked.

Only eight days ago, Trump warned that if North Korea made any more threats against the United States, hed unleash fire and fury like the world has never seen. Mattis quickly clarified that the U.S. red line would be an actual military attack, not verbal assaults.

Only five days ago, Trump sounded ready for battle, tweeting that U.S. forces in Asia were locked and loaded. Dunford, on a visit to Korea, lowered the temperature. Were all looking to get out of this situation without a war, he said.

And perhaps there wont be one, after all. On Monday, North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un, backed down, announcing that he had decided to delay his plans for a missile strike on Pacific Ocean waters near the U.S. territory of Guam.

A win for the madman theory, the notion that a president can get his way simply by scaring the bejesus out of the rest of the world? Not necessarily. U.S. officials argue that the credit should go to Mattis blunt clarity, Dunfords reassuring steadiness and Tillersons patient diplomacy. To them, Trumps incendiary tweets actually got in the way.

Even some Democratic foreign policy experts are willing to give the Trump administration kudos for making headway on one of the worlds most intractable problems.

Theres a fairly considered policy running underneath all that noise, Ely Ratner, a former adviser to former Vice President Joe Biden, said. Theyre pursuing a maximum pressure strategy with a sanctions regime that is unprecedented. ... I think were heading down the right road.

The key to the strategy, aimed at stopping North Korea from building a nuclear weapon that can strike the United States, has been a persistent campaign to woo China, North Koreas powerful neighbor and trading partner, to Trumps side. Economic and military pressure on North Korea wont work unless the United States and China are working together. Thats why the most important U.S. success in the last few weeks wasnt Kims stand-down on Guam; it was Chinas decision to support and enforce new and tougher trading sanctions against North Korea.

Those decisions stemmed from Trumps success in convincing Chinas leader, Xi Jinping, that the Korean problem should be a top priority for both countries  and that China could reap rewards in trade negotiations with the United States if it cooperates.

The drive to enlist Xis help also included conciliatory signals from Mattis and Tillerson, who said the United States is willing to negotiate with North Korea, which China wants, without tough preconditions like a complete halt to the nuclear program.

The U.S. has no interest in regime change or accelerated reunification of Korea, Mattis and Tillerson wrote in the Wall Street Journal this week. If China wishes to play a more active role in securing regional peace and stability  from which all of us, especially China, derive such great benefit  it must make the decision to exercise its decisive diplomatic and economic leverage over North Korea.

The next big decisions may come this fall, when Trump is scheduled to meet Xi in Beijing. China experts believe Xi would like to show significant progress on the Korea problem then. And that will touch off new debates inside the Trump administration. What concessions is the United States willing to make to induce North Korea to consider ending, or at least freezing, its nuclear program?

And if Kim wont give up his weapons, as experts anticipate, is the United States ready to adopt a policy of containment, hoping to deter a nuclear North Korea from ever using them?

The administrations answer, so far, is no. But in the long run, even with Chinas help in imposing sanctions on North Korea, it may have no choice.

Deterrence is not desirable, said Jeffrey A. Bader, an Asia expert who worked on former President Obamas National Security Council staff. Its inadequate in the face of a regime like North Koreas. It sounds passive, and no administration wants to look passive. But its what youve got left if everything else fails. Come back in four years, and Ill bet thats where we are.

Still, containments better than a hot war, especially a hot nuclear war. Give the president and his aides some credit  especially Mattis, Tillerson and Dunford for building a ladder to help their boss down from the limb he climbed on.
A 27-year old teacher, who defiled his 13-year old student twice at Abokobi, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.

The teacher, Emmanuel Yeboah Emrys charged with defilement pleaded guilty.

The court presided over by Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku in sentencing Emrys said she had taken a serious view of the fact that the accused person was the victim's class teacher.

According to the trial judge, being a teacher put him in a position of trust and he assumes parental care of the victim.

On the accused, the court noted that he had not wasted the court's time and the fact that he has just begun life hence she would not hand down the maximum sentence.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant was also a teacher and the victim's mother. The complainant resides with the victim at Madina, Accra.

According to the prosecutor, the victim is a Junior High Student at a school in Abokobi where the convict teaches.

On July 27, this year, the complainant travelled to Atebubu, her hometown but before travelling she left her mobile phone with the victim and her sister so she could communicate with them.

According to Chief Inspector Atimbire anytime she tried calling the victim, the phone line was always engaged.

On August 1, when the complainant returned to Accra, the victim's younger sister informed their mother that while she was away, the victim made calls at night so she should question the victim.

Prosecution said while quizzing the victim, Emrys called the victim and the complainant put the phone on a loud speaker.

During the conversation, prosecution said the convict questioned the victim as to why she had refused to answer his phone calls, reply his messages and furnish him with her photographs.

The victim, prosecution said informed her mother that while she was away, the convict had sex with her on two occasions.

The prosecutor said on August 3, this year, a report was made to the Police and a medical form was issued so the victim could be examined and treated.

The convict was then picked up by the Police, Prosecution added.

GNA


About 136 road contracts awarded by the previous government are to be terminated because of the inability of contractors to execute the projects.

A total of 130 other projects have been billed for re-scoping so as to restructure the contracts to meet deadlines, the report by the Roads and Highways Project Rationalisation Committee (HPRC) recommended.

It sanctioned for continuation, 281 projects that are at various stages of completion. The report was presented to the sector Minister, Mr. Kwasi Amoako-Atta in Accra on Wednesday.

The committee was constituted when investigations conducted by the ministry revealed that the Ghana Road Fund owed contractors over GHc 10 billion for executed and non-executed projects.

It was set up in May to assess and rationalise outstanding road contracts and projects to enable the ministry to decide on the projects.

The committee was chaired by the Deputy Minister of Roads, Mr. Kwabena Owusu Aduomi was also tasked to identify modalities and criteria used in the award of each contract, the age of the project, the amount paid and the source of funding.

Presenting the report to the Minister, Mr Aduomi said that out of the total 547 projects, the Ghana Highway Authority awarded 240 out of which 79 have been penciled for termination, 37 for re-scoping and 124 for continuation.

The Department of Urban Roads, he said awarded for 182 contracts out of which 17 are to be terminated, 101 for continuation and 64 others for re-scoping.

In addition, Mr Aduomi indicated that the Department of Feeder Roads awarded 125 contracts of which 40 are to be terminated, 29 billed for re scoping and 56 are to continue.

Mr Aduomi said the total GoG commitments to the various contracts which stood at about GHc 10.38 billion was reduced to GHc 5.7 billion after the assessment by the committee.

He, however stated that the amount saved for the ministry does not include outstanding amounts for certified payments, while the total amounts for variations and interests due to delay in payments was also not known.

Mr Amoako- Atta commended the committee for the good work done and assured that the report would be analysed for appropriate actions.

He said the road fund was not established to rehabilitate roads but for periodic maintenance, a situation that he said had created serious financial crisis that could paralyse the fund.

Mr Amoako-Atta questioned the rationale behind the awarding of about 90 per cent of the contracts under sole sourcing which was against the procurement law.

The Minister said the recommendations would be implemented swiftly without fear or favour to serve as a guide to all those working under the ministry.


Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa's top court on Friday blocked the release from jail of Polish immigrant Janusz Walus who shot dead anti-apartheid hero Chris Hani in 1993.

Walus, 64, has served 24 years of a life sentence for the murder, which took South Africa to the brink of race war as negotiations to end apartheid entered their final phase.

The Supreme Court upheld an appeal by the government to overturn last year's High Court decision to free Walus on parole.

Walus killed Hani, a popular leader of the Communist Party, one year before South Africa's first multi-racial elections.

His accomplice, Clive Derby-Lewis, who supplied the gun, was released in 2015 on medical parole after serving 22 years in jail. He died of lung cancer last year, aged 80.

Walus immigrated to South Africa from then-communist Poland in 1981.

One of South Africa's most notorious apartheid murderers, Eugene de Kock, was granted parole in January 2015 after 20 years in jail.
More than 400 lives have been lost, 600 are missing, 3000 are left without homes. Sierra Leone is in distress and has been over the past few days when mudslide erupted and caused so much havoc. We commiserate with our African brothers and sisters in Sierra Leone.

At the same time, we condemn the deafening silence of African governments to the plight of our neighbours in Sierra Leone. So far, African countries have said nothing let alone sent anything to comfort our fellow Africans in Sierra Leone and to alleviate their suffering.

Why have we abandoned our brothers and sisters in their time of need? Where is the African spirit of Ubuntu which holds us together in joyous and in trying times? It is disappointing that African governments and people have chosen this path of no concern for others.

Or are we as usual waiting for foreigners to come to our aid? Have we become so individualistic that we no longer care what happens to our neighbours? We are very saddened by the neglect with which we have treated our own people in Sierra Leone and hereby call on all African governments in the name of Pan-African solidarity to mobilise resources to lend a helping hand.

On our part, the Economic Fighters League have reached out to a number of media organizations to partner with us in the collection of relief items to be presented to the Embassy of Sierra Leone.

We encourage all citizens to take advantage of this initiative by contributing their widows might once our media partners are announced. Forward to all Africans!

Revolutionary regards

Commander Hardi Yakubu - Fighter-General
Bamako (AFP) - The head of an Islamic police brigade deployed by jihadists controlling a northern Mali city in 2012 was jailed for 10 years Friday, after being convicted of crimes that included cutting off the hands of suspected thieves.

Aliou Mahamar Toure had denied a long list of offences, as he stood trial in Bamako, having been accused of endangering state security and aggravated assault.

"The court finds the accused guilty of all charges," said the verdict after the one-day trial. Rights groups had earlier said the charges -- among them he was said to have whipped women for not wearing sufficiently conservative clothing -- did not reflect the gravity of his offences.

Toure, the feared former "Islamic police chief" of the city of Gao, was arrested in December 2013 by the Malian army.

He had spread terror in Gao as one of the most high-profile faces of Al-Qaeda offshoot MUJAO (the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa).

Victims gave gruesome testimony in court to the jury, which Toure listened to with his head bowed.

"He didn't want to release them, he himself cut off their hands and feet. Afterwards he paraded around with the hands and feet," one witness said, describing the fate of his brother's four children.

One person recounted being arrested and drugged by Toure and his henchmen after being accused of stealing. "They cut off my right hand," the victim said.

Toure took the stand wearing a traditional white robe in the presence of at least eight of his victims, an AFP journalist at the court said.

He told the jury he had not cut the hands and feet himself. "It was the Mauritanian, Algerian and Sahrawi jihadists who were cutting hands," Toure, a Malian national, said.

At one point Toure said he was "very ill" and asked to be allowed to sit down.

Rights groups including the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its Malian equivalent said the charge sheet did not mention war crimes or torture, offences they believe Toure committed in his role.

Toure was also convicted of firearms offences and of criminal conspiracy.

Jihadists hijacked a rebellion led by Tuareg separatists in northern Mali to take over key cities until a French-led intervention removed them in early 2013, though they remain active in the area.

Toure was the most senior Malian among the ranks of jihadists in Gao, where many were foreigners.

His trial came the day after war crimes judges in The Hague found another Malian jihadist liable for 2.7 million euros ($3.2 million) in personal damages for destroying the northern city of Timbuktu's fabled shrines in 2012.
Members of the Eastern Regional Security Council at a meeting this week were divided over the location of a fuel station in the Regional capital, Koforidua.

The fuel station (Dukes Petroleum) which is located on the Koforidua Nkurakan main road at Ada close to the municipal office of the Ghana Water Company Limited is sandwiched between more than 22 residential properties serving as home to hundreds of residents.

At the 1st ordinary of the 2nd Session of the 7th Assembly of the New Juaben Municipal Assembly with the new Municipal Chief, Comfort Asante, the assembly members debated furiously on the construction of the filling station.

Some members questioned the competence of the directors at the assembly in the role they played in allowing the said construction of the filling station in the first place.

Iddrisu Abubakari Beewasa, a member of the Assembly called for an immediate revocation of the permit issued to the owner of the filling station, adding we are all in this country when a naked fire from a domestic user close to the circle filling station caused havoc and damage to properties and lost of lives, and like it happen in La. This will be a bad precedent, So I am calling on the assembly to revoke the permit or the property should be used for a different business like a super market or something else.

Other assembly members also argued for the owner of the filling station to start operation because he has already completed the project and has invested heavily in the project.

Another member, Kwaku Ankomah Asare however disagreed saying I was not a member of the assembly then when the project was approved by the statutory planning committee but I remember at one of the statutory planning meetings I questioned the procedural structures because the owners did most of the construction at night when residents were asleep. I am really against the sighting of that filling station I must say.

The Municipal Chief Executive of the New Juaben Municipal Assembly, Comfort Asante in an interview with Citi News said I must admit this issue has been a challenge ever since I took office, I wasnt here when the go ahead was given to the owner but the issue now is at REGSEC so we are all waiting from them.

Close sources within the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) say they are also equally divided on this same issue.

Meanwhile the Regional Environmental Protection Agency is yet to renew the licence of Dukes Petroleum while the Regional National Fire Service Command is strongly of the view that the area is not suitable for the filling station.

Citi News checks at the location of the filling station revealed that all is set for the owner Dukes Petroleum to start full operation as he has managed to secretly filled underground tanks with fuel, having fixed 4 fuel pumps already.



By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Kigali (AFP) - Rwandan President Paul Kagame was sworn in Friday for a third term in office after a crushing election win that rights groups criticised over irregularities and voter intimidation.

Nineteen African heads of state were present at the ceremony which took place in front of a packed crowd in the national stadium in Kigali, entertained by a military parade and drummers.

The 59-year-old Kagame, who was re-elected with nearly 99 percent of the vote, took a swipe at critics who regularly highlight repression and lack of freedoms in the tiny east African nation.

"Every African country has to contend with efforts to force us to live on someone else's terms," he said.

"They demand we replace systems that are working well for us with dogmas in which their own people are rapidly losing faith."

Among those attending the ceremony was Sudanese President Omar El Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide crimes committed against humanity.

Rwanda is however not a signatory to the ICC and is not obliged to enforce Bashir's arrest.

Notable absentees included Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza and Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who have endured a frosty relationship with Kagame -- who appeared to reach out to his adversaries both at home and abroad.

"Today, Rwanda defines no one as an enemy, whether domestic or foreign. Every Rwandan has a country and with every other country, we seek partnership and cooperation," Kagame said at the inauguration.

Kagame won the August 4 election with 98.79 percent of votes against two little-known candidates.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement Friday the victory followed a campaign in which Rwandans were forced to donate money to the ruling party and blocked from attending opposition rallies.

"Kagame's landslide win came as no surprise in a context in which Rwandans who have dared raise their voices or challenge the status quo have been arrested, forcibly disappeared, or killed, independent media have been muzzled, and intimidation has silenced groups working on civil rights or free speech," said Ida Sawyer, HRW's Central Africa director.

One voter, from Rutsiro in western Rwanda, told HRW he had been forced to vote in front of an election official.

"It was easy to see who I was voting for on the ballot, so it was impossible for me to vote for anyone besides Kagame," he was quoted as saying.

After the election, the United States said it was "disturbed by irregularities" observed during voting.

Kagame has ruled Rwanda with an iron fist since 2000 and will now be president until 2024, at which time he could seek two extra five year terms after a 2015 constitutional amendment.

He is credited with stabilising Rwanda after some 800,000 people -- mainly minority Tutsis -- were killed in the 1994 genocide at the hands of extremist Hutus.
Benghazi (Libya) (AFP) - The forces of Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar said Friday they had detained a senior commander two weeks before the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest over unlawful killings in the flashpoint city of Benghazi.

"We hereby inform you that the defendant... has been arrested and investigated by the military prosecutor on those charges" since August 2, as ordered by Haftar, said the general command of his armed forces.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced Tuesday that it had issued a war crimes arrest warrant for Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf al-Werfalli, "allegedly responsible for murder as a war crime in the context of the non-international armed conflict in Libya".

Werfalli commanded a unit battling alongside Haftar's forces in Libya's second largest city, from which jihadists were finally ousted in July following a three-year military campaign.

He is accused of involvement in at least seven incidents in 2016 and 2017 in which he allegedly personally shot or ordered the execution of either civilians or injured fighters, The Hague-based court said.

Haftar's general command, in a statement received by AFP, stressed its "respect for international conventions, international human law and the teachings of Islamic Sharia laws".

It had "stated on many occasions and in official statements" for members of Haftar's forces "to respect these rules" and to "hand over terrorists to the competent authorities".

"The ICC should rest assured that investigation procedures ensuring justice are ongoing under Libyan military law and the defendant has been suspended and detained," it said.

"We are ready to cooperate with ICC by sharing the trial proceedings."

The ICC announcement on Werfalli came with the court still in a legal tug-of-war with Libyan authorities to transfer Seif al-Islam, the son of the country's ousted leader Moamer Kadhafi, to The Hague.

The ICC and Libyan authorities have been in dispute over who has the right to judge him.

Seif faces crimes against humanity charges for his role in the Kadhafi regime's brutal attempts to put down the 2011 uprising which eventually toppled and killed his father.

Seif's exact whereabouts are unknown, following a claim in June by militia that it had freed him.

The ICC, set up to investigate and prosecute the world's worst crimes, opened its Libya probe in March 2011 to investigate atrocities committed during the uprising that erupted a month earlier.

The ICC aims to complement but not replace national courts and only prosecutes cases when countries are "unwilling or unable to do so genuinely".
18.08.2017 LISTEN

The office of Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has denied accusations that he; then running mate of the NPP, promised not to borrow when his government comes into office.

The Minority has described as shameful, Dr Bawumia's new position on borrowing.

Deputy Minority Leader, James Klutse Avedzi said: It is shameful for Bawumia to say in the past that we don't need to borrow because we have all the resources here and now saying that we need to borrow and borrow responsibly, that is the problem I have with him. He knows that what he said when he was in opposition as a running mate was meant to deceive the people of Ghana so that he can get the votes, he's got it now and he is now telling the people that he will borrow.

However, Dr. Bawumia's office, in a statement, challenged the Deputy Minority Leader, James Klutse Avedzi, to prove that the Vice President made such a statement.

Read full statement below

Argue on Facts and Not Fabrications

The Office of the Vice President's attention has been drawn to a statement (on Citi FM on August 16, 2017) attributed to the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon James Klutse Avedzi, accusing the Vice President of doing a U-turn on the issue of borrowing by government. Specifically, the deputy minority leader is reported to have stated that:

The Vice President . . . while he was the running mate for the NPP was emphatic on the issue about borrowing in Ghana saying that the country need not borrow and that we have the resources here in Ghana and that when they win power they will not borrow.

The Office of the Vice President would like to state for the record that the above statement attributed to the Vice-President by the deputy minority leader (and subsequently by many NDC communicators) is a complete and utter fabrication. The Vice President's speeches, lectures and statements on the economy over the years are a matter of public record.

We are therefore challenging the deputy minority leader (and the other NDC communicators) to immediately provide the evidence to back up their claim. They cannot provide any such evidence because the Vice-President has never made such a statement.

To deliberately fabricate statements in an attempt to attack your political opponent is an exercise in desperation and intellectual dishonesty. As politicians, it is important that we elevate the discourse and argue based on facts and not on fabrications and outright lies.

Our advice to them is to go back and take the time to READ the Vice President's lectures as well as speeches and try to criticize based on the statements contained therein. Ghana deserves much better.

..Signed

Frank Agyei-Twum

Director of Communications

Office of the Vice-President
The Director-General of Ghana Aids Commission (GAC), Dr. Mokowa Blay-Adu-Gyamfi has said that locally manufactured COA FS drug is not an immune booster, a claim that has been debunked by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) as untrue.

Speaking at a recent press conference organized by the GAC, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the National Aids Control Program (NACP), the D-G of GAC stated categorically that in a letter to the GAC, FDA stated that "COA FS is only a food supplement but not an immune booster."

But the Head of Herbal and Traditional Medicines at FDA, Emmanuel Yaw Kwarteng said that what the GAC D-G said was not true because COA FS is indeed a tried, tested and certified immune booster, and he personally believes the drug has promise as far as the fight against HIV is concerned.

Indeed, the approval letter FDA issued to COA, clearly states that COA FS has been certified as a food supplement and an immune support drug.

The Bare Facts

COA FS (COA Food Supplement) is a herbal medicine, which derives its name from the Ghanaian-based manufacturer called Centre of Awareness (COA). It is designed to be an efficient immune booster to help one's immune system fight diseases and disease-causing viruses, bacteria and others.

The drug has been duly tested and certified by the FDA as a food supplement that supports/boosts the immune system.

The position of the manufacturer of the drug, Dr. Samuel Ato Duncan has always been that to the extent that HIV is nothing more than a human immuno-deficiency virus, once COA FS boosts one's immune system, the system fights the virus on its own and eventually destroys it.

COA and GAC

Way back in 2007, COA wrote to GAC and informed them about their findings regarding the efficacy of COA drug, from which COA FS was derived, and GAC, in a letter dated January 23, 2007, referred them to the Ministry of Health to prepare the drug for further testing at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. COA obliged and eventually the drug got to Noguchi for testing.

On October 5, 2012, Noguchi released the report on their findings and stated categorically that in their in-vitro (test tube) test, the drug reduced the viral load in a subject by 70 - 80 per cent. One of the Noguchi researchers, Dr. Jacob Barnor then went on GTV and stated categorically that indeed, the COA drug reduced the viral load in subjects significantly and that was a positive sign that the drug could be a potential cure for HIV.

Dr. Barnor also stated that the drug showed a potential of completely destroying the virus in a subject if applied consistently. What was left after that was for the drug to go for a clinical test, which is when humans with HIV will be used for the experiment.

Clinical test in SA

The clinical test could have been ordered by the key stakeholders in the HIV management in Ghana, ie. GAC, GHS and NACP, because they had the mandate, per their mission statement to seek an eventual cure for the disease. But all of these institutions continued to remain aloof and indifferent for reasons only known to themselves. So South Africa became an option.

The University of Kwazulu Natal graciously agreed to host the clinical test. Eighteen HIV patients in South Africa agreed to be part of the test. The result of months of test showed that the patients put exclusively on the COA drug, became totally free of the virus. Two of them, Bandile Mdlalose and China Ngubane were in Ghana to tell their own stories. Interestingly, the two were researchers themselves so they understood what they were doing. Indeed, the South African pharmacist who led the research, Manimbulu Nlooto used the report for his doctorate thesis and was awarded the doctorate degree.

In simple language, the South African clinical showed that the injectable version of COA drug, which is the COA 72, is intramuscular and it smokes HIV from the tissues and organs into the blood stream, while the intravenous version destroys them and flushes them out of the body completely.

Ebola in Sierra-Leone

Remember that COA FS was all along being pushed as an immune booster and not specifically a cure for HIV. So in Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Health agreed to use it to fight Ebola, and per the Deputy Minister Fordi Sawi's own testimony, it worked effectively and several Ebola patients put on it recovered.

Back home in Ghana, several people have testified openly of being cured of terminal conditions like breast cancer, kidney failure and others. Popular Ghanaian Musician, OJ Black had stage four kidney failure and was set for dialysis when he was introduced to COA FS and today he is free from the disease and is walking healthy.

In spite of all these significant result, Dr. Samuel Ato Duncan has never said anywhere that the drug is a cure for HIV and AIDS. Indeed, as a professional scientist himself, who has worked at GAC before, he knows the several standardization protocols a drug needs to go through before being certified as a cure for particular disease. Dr. Duncan's claim has always been that COA FS is a potential cure for HIV. But there is no doubt that COA FS is a certified immune booster that has proven to be efficacious against several disease-causing micro organisms, including HIV. That is not a false statement as the South African test and several other users across Ghana would show.

Indeed, Dr. Duncan has always said the persons on the antiretroviral drugs should not give it up for COA FS, but if they so wished, they could use COA FS as a supplement because whereas antiretroviral drugs suppress the virus, COA FS actually destroys them, as the result from Noguchi, and Kwazulu Natal University showed.

Toxicity test

In addition to the test on humans in South Africa, the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine in Ghana also did a toxicity test on COA FS to determine its safety for human consumption. In their report, dubbed "Report of Safety Evaluation on COA", released June 20, 2013, they stated, among other things that there is no overt specific toxicity following chronic administration of COA FS at the dose prescribed.

They stated further that even when one consumes between 10 to 20 times the prescribed dose, one would need to be monitored even though there were still no obvious risks. The report pointed out that the only obvious side effect of drinking COA FS is weight loss.

Indeed, the side effects of COA FS, which is just weight loss and boosted appetite for food, is nothing to be compared with the numerous uncomfortable and sometimes life threatening side effects of antiretroviral drugs, which include vomiting, nausea, bone loss, liver, kidney and pancreas damage, depression, diarrhea, bleeding, diabetes, high blood sugar and many more that need close medical attention.

GAC propaganda

In spite of all the evidence, GAC and their collaborators, including even the persons living with HIV have decided never to pay attention to COA FS or commit any resources to look further into it and see if there is the slightest possibility of Ghana being the first to discover an effective cure for HIV ahead of others for once.

Meanwhile, the mission statement of the GAC clearly states that "The Ghana AIDS Commission, as the highest policy making body on HIV and AIDS, provides effective and efficient leadership in coordination of all programmes and activities of all stakeholders (MDAs, Private Sector, Development Partners and Civil Society) in the Fight against HIV and AIDS through advocacy, joint planning, monitoring and evaluation FOR THE EVENTUAL ELIMINATION OF THE DISEASE.

In effect, the sum total of all GAC does should culminate in the eventual elimination of the HIV and AIDS disease. Part of their mandate is to coordinate the activities of PRIVATE SECTOR organizations in Ghana, in the fight against HIV and AIDS. So it beats one's mind why the commission and its collaborators appear to be totally opposed to any suggestion of a potential cure for HIV and AIDS by a Ghanaian private sector organization. There is no evidence of anything the GAC itself is doing to find a cure, except to receive antiretroviral drugs recommended by the others, and then receive millions of dollars to go round distributing those drugs and doing fruitless monitoring and evaluation and awareness just to justify why they need more money to continue doing more of the same things.

If GAC is serious about fulfilling its mission and putting Ghana on the global map as the place where a cure for HIV was found, they would have been investing a fraction of the millions they use for monitoring and evaluation to fund further research into the local drugs that have showed promise in fighting HIV. Rather, they and their collaborators continue to make statements that betray their intention to suppress and destroy any and every attempt at getting a local solution to HIV.

Some of the statements they make are that those who claim the drugs found in Ghana can deal with the HIV should inject themselves with the virus and use those drugs to cure themselves, then they could be believed. One finds that kind of statement very unfortunate because the GAC and its collaborators are happily distributing antiretroviral drugs even though none of them has injected themselves with HIV and used those drugs to confirm their efficacy. They took it hook line and sinker from the white man. To their minds, once it is from abroad, it is from God.

They also claim, as stated earlier, that COA FS is not an immune booster, but that has been proven to be a lie from the pit of hell, because the FDA, to whom GAC falsely attributed that statement, has not only denied it, but also stated that COA FS is actually a certified immune booster. They have gone on further to state that COA FS shows promise as a potential cure for HIV.

GAC also claims antiretroviral drugs are free but COA FS cost money. It is very sad to hear this from an organization mandated to look for an eventual elimination for HIV. Research cost money. GAC has not even bothered to invest into the research into COA FS or any such local drug, and they pretend the pharmaceutical companies producing antiretroviral drugs abroad give them out for free. The truth is wealthy philanthropists and organizations abroad pay for the research into and manufacturing of antiretroviral drugs and that is how patients, rich and poor, get them for free. If the GAC or government is willing to invest into the local research and production, why would the manufacturer sell it to patients?

This African mentality that, as a people, we should always look for free alternatives from the abroad, even if that means we have to abandon the potential of we emerging with a global level breakthrough, is killing many dreams in Africa. The posture of GAC and its collaborators is typical of that.

One cannot fathom why GAC, for instance, recommended further test on COA FS by Noguchi and yet when the Noguchi report came out, their stance was indifference; and even after the clinical test in South Africa still GAC claims they are not aware; and after FDA passed COA FS as an immune booster, the first thing GAC did was to come out and spew out untruths that FDA said COA FS is not an immune booster.

Dejavu

It is not surprising to find GAC going on this pull-him-down path with COA drug. When Prof. Ayisi of Noguchi discovered the goat serum in 2005, the predecessors of the current GAC staff, including Pof. Fred Sai and Prof. Sakyi Amoa, then Director-General of GAC, kicked against it with two main excuses:

1. That the goat serum was only tested on goats and not on humans, even though they agreed that it was efficacious against HIV 2.

2. That the drug never went though a toxicology test so it could not be certified as safe for human consumption.

As we speak now, it is clear that the COA drug has been through lab test, clinical (tested on humans) and has also gone through a toxicology test and proven efficacious against HIV and safe for human consumption. Yet the descendants of the GAC mafia are quick to lie it is even not an immune booster and has not been certified.

Clearly, they are not interested is the evidence but just the propaganda just to kill the local initiative in favor of the antiretroviral drugs that come with millions of dollars of transport money for them to travel around in luxury cars and distribute drugs and to carry out needless evaluations and awareness.

It is appropriate to, once again, borrow the words of Lawyer Ace Ankomah and say this is pure ABAKS - abro, beyie, atrimuoden, krono ne sikadie. There is so much free money flowing the way of GAC and its collaborators just for them to keep distributing antiretroviral drugs. Once we find a potential cure, the guard will change hands and that money might go into further research instead of going into their usual monitoring and evaluation and related activities. Obviously, they need to mount a wall to protect the benefits they draw from that mundane activity at the expense of securing a potential cure for the patients.

Sadly though, the desperate infected persons have been so easily bought by the GAC such that they are also up in arms fighting against the claims of a potential cure. One of them was naive enough to reveal that the claims about COA FS is making their international sponsors uncomfortable. So obviously, it is all about pleasing the foreigners so that they will keep sending money to GAC for more of the same things.

Presidential intervention

It is time for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to stand on his feet and look into the COA drug beyond the claims of Dr. Duncan and the negative posturing of GAC and its collaborators. It is important for the president to at least look at what Noguchi has said and give direction on what the country must do with the information available so far. It is never too late to commission clinical tests in Ghana and have our own result, if we still don't believe in South Africa, even though most of the elite in Ghana, including politicians, run to South Africa for medical attention so very often.

Indeed, COA did submit reports about the drug to the former president, John Mahama and he initiated steps to look into it further. They have done same for the sitting president and it is now on him to act in the interest of the public and not the few pessimistic folks at GAC and their collaborators.

The money that will be spent in researching this drug further is probably a fraction of what GAC receives every year and dishes out to NGOs for monitoring, evaluation and awareness creation. The moneys they use in buying luxury cars just to drive around in the name of monitoring HIV status, could go into further research. If the so-called international financiers feels threatened by this discovery and because of that they want to stop funding GAC activities, then it is time for us to stand up for ourselves for once and put our name on the global health map.

Mr. President this is important because GAC and its collaborators have used this same posturing and negative comments to kill every potential that emerged in the past. We know of the famous Nana Drobo saga and the goat serum story. Nana Drobo eventually lost his life. Prof. Ayisi had to coil in his shells because his life was allegedly under threat. Dr. Ato Duncan now has a police escort because he knows what happened to people like him. Mr. President, please don't allow this local mafia and their pay masters abroad to kill yet another dream and potential cure for HIV.

I read that some report has been launched and they are asking for more of the District Assemblies Common Fund to do more monitoring, evaluation and awareness about HIV. Please, Mr. President, the narrative must change. If we have any money to invest, we should invest into research towards cure, not this mundane and fruitless activity.
For a few hours, the commanding topic on Donald Trumps Charlottesville remarks was why he couldnt have delivered Mondays thorough, tone-appropriate condemnations of racists on Saturday.

Then came Tuesday.

In wide-ranging remarks that sent some TV analysts into conniptions, the president took advantage of having checked the box for rebuking the right villains, and explored some substrata of the Charlottesville controversy that raised eyebrows nationwide.

He just equated Robert E. Lee and George Washington! gasped one talking head. He just defended the neo-Nazis! blurted another.

Except he did no such thing. Everyone is free to like or dislike what the president says; making stuff up is another matter.

His main themes:

The violent left was on hand in Charlottesville as well, with the clear intent to react to the hate groups with a variety of weapons. This is a fact.

Alongside a throng of admitted racists, decent people can be found at protests seeking to prevent the erasure of Confederate monuments (a fact Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings would do well to realize as he cobbles together a task force to plot the fate of Dallas monuments. Wonder how that will go).

If the confederate monuments are obliterated, activists will not stop there. Get ready for attacks on imagery featuring any of historys slaveholders, from Sam Houston to Thomas Jefferson to George Washington. Anyone doubting this has not been paying attention to the wanton fervor of the revisionist left.

On the day after hooligans in Durham, N.C., yanked down and defiled a Confederate monument, Trump said his favored policy on the fate of statues is to leave the matter to a local town, community or federal government, depending on where it is located.

Sounds reasonable to me. But then my radical position is to harbor neither affection nor revulsion for the statues, which are sure to be future flashpoints. Those will be interesting occasions, as people seeking to preserve those images with no racist intent find themselves aligned with execrable figures like David Duke and Richard Spencer.

Should that send good-hearted folks away from their cause? If David Duke likes Star Trek, do I have to stop watching it? This is all so very stupid, a fog machine billowing from one source: narrators hell-bent on affixing President Trump to the hate groups he has repeatedly berated.

In what now seems like ancient history, for the record, count me among those who would have liked to have heard the specific condemnations of neo-Nazis, Klansmen and white supremacists sooner rather than later. He could have done himself a great favor, sparing himself two days of criticism from enemies and supporters alike.

He attempted Tuesday to suggest that his broad Saturday rebukes were sufficient. They were not, especially for a president who knows he has a loud chorus of haters ready to suggest the redesigned Oval Office will feature a wall-mounted swastika flag.

But with specific scoldings now on the record, honest examination of the presidents actual words will reveal that his observations are worthy. They are also shared by millions who grow weary of the daily chore of being called racists by virtue of their votes for Trump.

That burden will not soon be lifted. There is no shortage of attackers eager to spread that slander, and no shortage of inattentive Americans who may choose to believe it.
The GIABA Journalists Network on Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing, Nigeria, has condemned the attack on the Abuja office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

A statement by the Country Coordinator of GIABA journalists network, Odan Agbese and Program Advisor Muhammad Nuruddeen, said.

The Wednesday mafia-styled dawn attack on the anti-graft facility has reinforced the reality that EFCC's anti-corruption war is bearing fruits hence the desperation by corrupt elements to stop it through violent means.

Said the Network: "The attack on the EFCC facility at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja by gunmen simply unveiled the truth that the corrupt elements who are bearing the brunt of the agency's well articulated onslaught on corruption, are losing and would leave no stone unturned to stop it," the statement said.

"By this, we are calling on all meaning Nigerians to stand by the EFCC at this crucial time where beneficiaries of corruption are deploying all their available arsenals to ridicule, sabotage and derail the anti-graft war," the network said.

The network is an inter-country network for tracking money laundering and financial terrorism of GIABA - an institution of the ECOWAS responsible for facilitating the adoption and implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism.

The network said the attack on EFCC facility and its operatives is a "total war on Nigerians, therefore, it shouldn't be allowed to happen again."

The country coordinator Agbese said "the EFCC leadership must not be cowed by the recent violent tactics," and urged it to "tighten security around its facilities across the country and operatives and should not allow the challenge deter it from ridding Nigeria of corruption,

The network said the anti-graft agency should brace up for "more subtle and violent attacks from people who are losing billions of their stolen funds to the EFCC's aggressive war on graft in the last two years."

Signed:

GIABA Journalists Network on Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing, Nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria

August 18, 2017
The issue of whether to have a police man as a friend or not has been debated amongst friends and even acquaintances in the country making the subject neither a secret nor a novel. From academias Lecture Halls through the corporate organizations customer cares suit to the Artisans workshop; from the politicians constituency to the farmer at Ejura exits a debate basically on reasons for chosen a police officer as a friend or not.

While others raise the issue teasingly in the presence of police officers they encounter, most of these arguments takes place behind the men whose duty it is to protect life and property and maintaining law and order in Ghana.

For me I think the essence of this continues debates about establishing the professionalism of fairness and firmness the police attaches to their law enforcement duties.

I prefer we have the police as our friends if we believe that providing needed security and fighting crime is a shared responsibility between police and the public.

Its therefore imperative that those who hold the opinion that a police friend will ask a colleague to effect his or her arrest when offence is committed to have confidence in that law enforcing officer who will be firm in his or her duties irrespective of relations with the offender .

Also, Those who believes that without a police as a friend means, always arrest with no one to help should have a change of their reason because the police will always be fair to it that the law of the land is obeyed. I think that as citizens we should not take the fairness of the police as their weakness expecting them to pat offenders back if he is suspected to be involved in a crime. We should be rather calling for police to be fair in handling all cases reported which i believe they are aware of.

In fact the argument points out to the fact that the police has remain fair, focus, and strict in enforcing the law irrespective of whom is at the wrong side of the law.

Let us therefore make them our friends for the sake of peaceful societies where the criminal is exposed, giving no room to operate and dealt with according to the law in case they are arrested.

Anyway, i also laughed over it whenever that discussion popped up but with an aim of trying to understand the purpose for which they would find a police as a friend or not.

I have learnt that its proper to have a police service with its personnel so friendly and professional that no matter the relations, when one offends the law will be arrested and deal with the accordingly.

What we must do therefore as citizens is to be guided by the rule of law which is necessary to ensure our human rights are respected and not violated. Its also necessary for us to have a police as a friend who will protect us not only because we are their relatives.

I must also say that one way to ensure that fundamental human rights of the citizenry are respected is to recognize the police officers role of enforcing the laws of the country.

Its for this reason that i appeal to fellow Ghanaian to establish a good relationship with the police so that together we can fight crime to the lowest level if not eliminate it completely.

This is because its proven that a community where the police officer is seen as a friend who provides security and safer environment has low crime rates. Such communities are even safer if citizens provide the police officers with helpful information leading to the arrest of criminals who terrorized that society and the police also ensure these criminals are dealt with according to the law.

Let us not impede the efforts of police by fallen into the criminals resolve to make the police unfriendly ,instead lets still have police as friends who we share information of criminals identities, activities , and hide outs with so we can help provide security in our country.

DAVID FIANKO-OKYERE

[email protected]
File Photo

18.08.2017 LISTEN

Rediscovering Ghanas Past by Professor James Anquandah points out at pages 126/127 that Ghana has a fairly long prehistory, probably going back to around 50,000 B.C. at the least, and the stone age bequeathed to Ghana a legacy of human population on which the future population of the country was to be built.

The book shows, using historical linguistics and archaeological distribution of sites and their cultural contents and development, that most of the indigenous languages evolved in Ghana and nowhere else in the world. It continues to state that there is no shred of evidence to support any external origin of the major social groups in Ghana. An example is, and I quote from page 115, Recent archaeological studies aided by the application of radiocarbon dating suggest that the Accra plains were inhabited during the first four millennia B.C. by Late Stone Age hunter-gatherers who were also given to fishing for fresh water molluscs.

Rediscovering Ghanas Past captures, in many ways, the essence and spirit which link together most of the people of present day Ghana to the past. The most intriguing link is the food of the second millennium before the birth of Jesus Christ. The major food items happened to include guinea corn, cowpeas, tubers, dawadawa, cola, shea, palm oil and palm kernel oil, which we are still eating.

Professor James Anquandah states at pages 58/59 Radiocarbon dates obtained from the sites of Kintampo and Mumunte in Brong Ahafo and Ntereso in Northern Ghana suggest that around the early-to-middle part of the second millennium B.C. food production was initiated in Ghana. The identification of faunal remains as being those of domesticates has been confirmed. Carbonised remains of food plants such as cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), hackberry (Celtis sp.), oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) have been found in the rock shelters of Kintampo where they were used as sources of food.

Botanists claim that the original natural habitat of the oil palm tree, Obaatan Dua, is West Africa. The oil palm tree has been part of the flora of Ghana for many thousands of years. It is reported that an Egyptian Pharaoh was buried with a pot of palm oil. The wide spread economic value of the palm tree has been examined by many people in different parts of the world with envy. Currently, there are highly economic plantations of the oil palm tree in the tropics of South America and the Far East.

The Europeans have carried out extensive scientific studies on the oil palm tree. Annually, the Europeans import millions of tons of palm oil and palm kernel oil. History reports that the British used dubious means to acquire Lagos port in 1861 in order to have control over the palm oil trade. During and after the 2nd World War, the British used child labour to take thousands of tons of palm kernel to the United Kingdom. The British also stole the germ-plasm of the oil palm and associated vectors from Ghana for economic benefits.

Dr Bruce Fife in his The Healing Miracles of Coconut oil states and I quote Africans in tropical areas will drink palm kernel oil whenever they get sick. Palm kernel oil, coconut oil and organic mammalian milk have substantial quantities of short and medium chain saturated fatty acids, which are anti-microbial. The three oils promote good health and are known as functional foods.

Many social groups have for many millennia used organic mammalian milk and derivatives for food and important health promoting activities. For more than seven millennia, the Indian sub-continent has been using coconut oil for food and as a major component of Ayurvedic medicine. We, in Ghana, used palm kernel oil in a similar manner for many millennia until the 1960s when we started to abandon palm kernel oil as a component of food and medical protocols. The result, it is surmised, is the cause of the current high increases in the many strange ailments including procreation difficulties and attention deficiency syndrome.

Now we use palm kernel oil mainly for soap and to fry fish, while we import large quantities of unhealthy trans-fat edible oils for food. Palm kernel oil, like its relative coconut oil, can serve as a functional food and medicine. This is illustrated by how modern medicine is using derivatives of milk, palm kernel oil and coconut oil to improve the quality of life and the health of many people.

 Palm kernel oil has about 50% of saturated lauric acid, which is the active ingredient of Lauricidin. The USFDA has approved Lauricidin for the treatment of genital herpes, hepatitis C and HIV. Lauricidin is also used for the management of epilepsy, autism and many other metabolic and neural ailments.

 Palm kernel oil has about 3.6% of saturated caprylic acid, which is the most potent natural yeast fighting substance. It is being used in drugs such as caprinex, capricin, mycostat, caprystatin, etc. Food items made from palm kernel, which contain saturated caprylic acid are known as very effective means to prevent and cure white (edepuu) and many viral, yeast and fungal infections such as mumps (tsii) and herpes (totortor). A traditionalist Ghanaian mother whose child gets infected with edepuu or totortor would use palm kernel oil to heal the ailment.

 Axona or Caprylidene (a saturated caprylic oil) is derived from palm kernel oil and coconut oil. Axona is a medical food for the prevention, management and treatment of Alzheimer disease, autism, etc.

Palm kernel oil has about 60% of medium chain saturated fatty acids, which are often used as intravenous (IV) infusion to improve extensively the health of premature babies and very young children with acute respiratory syndrome. It is also known that women and girls who eat meals containing palm kernel oil normal have painless and regular menses. Further, lactating mothers who eat meals with palm kernel oil tend to have rich breast milk. Eating palm kernel oil, like butter and coconut oil, as part of the daily meals and avoiding any food item with high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids has been known to prevent diseases and ailments such as piles, skin problems including pimples, eye problems, headaches, menstrual pains, still births, white, diabetes, hyper-tension, infertility, autism, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, cramps and many others. For many centuries palm kernel oil has been used to cure sores including male circumcision.

The adoption of Ghanas God-given palm oil and palm kernel oil for food and other health purposes would benefit Ghana in many ways. A few of the benefits include (a) reduction in the importation of disease bearing trans-fat poly-unsaturated vegetable fats including margarines and shortening resulting in savings in foreign exchange expenditure; (b) prevention and effective management of lifestyle diseases including headaches; (c) improvement in the overall health status of the whole population; and (d) potential increase in the export of tropical fats.

By Dr. Kaku Kyiamah,

Email: - [email protected] ; Mobile: - +233 - (0)243152053/ (0)208138025.
Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - Standard Chartered Bank Ghana has announced the appointment of Professor (Mrs) Akua Kuenyehia and Mr. Henry Baye as Independent Non-Executive Director and Executive Director respectively, to the Board of the Bank.

A statement from the Bank said the appointments took effect from July 27, 2017.

Professor (Mrs) Akua Kuenyehia was elected an inaugural Judge of the International Criminal Court at The Hague (the ICC) at the inception of the court in 2003 serving as a Judge and First Vice President from 2003 to 2009 and then as a Judge of the Appeals Division of the Court from 2009 to March 2015.

She retired in March 2015 after serving the maximum possible term of twelve years.

Prior to the ICC, Professor Kuenyehia was in academia. She joined the Law Faculty of University of Ghana in 1972 as the first female to be employed by the Faculty and rose to become a Professor of Law.

She has served on a number of local and international boards and committees. She has also published widely in leading academic journals, written and edited books and book chapters and delivered over a hundred research papers.

Mr. Henry Baye is currently the Head of Retail Banking Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited with oversight responsibilities for West Africa (Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire and Cameroon).

Prior to this appointment, he was Head of Retail Clients for Ghana with oversight responsibilities for Gambia and Sierra Leone.

Mr. Baye has 19 years of banking experience. He commenced his banking career in Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited in 1997. During his first eleven years in Standard Chartered he served in various roles including Branch Manager, General Manager, Unsecured Lending, General Manager, Distribution and Wealth and then General Manager, Wealth Management, West Africa.

He also worked for Barclays Bank Ghana Limited as Head of Distribution. Henry has also served as Head of Consumer Banking and doubled as Head of Corporate Banking at the Universal Merchant Bank.

Commenting on the appointments, Ishmael E. Yamson, Chairman of the Board of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited said: 'It is indeed a pleasure to have Prof. Kuenyehia and Mr. Baye join the Board. I am confident that the wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise they both bring to the Board will inure positively to the strategic agenda of Bank'.

Professor (Mrs) Akua Kuenyehia commenting on her appointment said, 'I am excited to have been invited to join the Board of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited. After so many years out of the country, this is an opportunity for me to make a contribution to the community through the Board. I pray that I would be able to contribute my best and help make the Bank even better than it is now.'

Incoming Executive Director, Mr. Henry Baye expressed his pleasure to be joining the Board. He said, 'I consider it a great pleasure to be joining the Board of our great brand. For 120 years the Bank has been a great partner in the nation's development and I am really excited to be getting on the Board at this very important time in the Bank's history. I am looking forward to playing my part and leaving footprints in the sand of what remains a great story of corporate excellence.'

GNA
18.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - Ghana needs to break the cycle of high level of fiscal deficit through institutionalisation of reforms that would make fiscal expansion more difficult.

Ms Razia Khan, Chief Economist for Africa Global Research Standard Chartered Bank, who made the call, said there was the need for consensus that fiscal deficit needed to be subject to some rules.

'The shape of that rule could be that the deficit never exceeds three to five per cent of GDP,' she said.

'Where Ghana needs to be is whether IMF or without IMF there is no longer going to be fiscal slippage and it is not going to happen because these are Public Financial Management reforms in place,' she told journalists at a news conference in Accra.

She said last year's fiscal slippage was such a disappointment because Ghana was under IMF programme and it became clear that something additional was needed like the tightening up of legislation and the broad-based willingness of all parties involve to agree there was never going to be a departure from fiscal discipline otherwise it becomes difficult to break the cycle of debt.

Ms Khan said the debt management so far had been good but warned that there had been times over the years when fiscal deficit seemed to be brought under control only for it to be blown out by uncontrolled expenditure.

On the issue of Ghana, quitting the IMF programme, Ms Khan said investors were going to look for external signal to have confidence or willing to buy Ghanaian government debt but said Ghana would have to show that it was doing enough own its own to institutionalise the reforms, to legislate them and keep them in place.

She said for Ghana to get the confidence of the investors, it was important that the gains so far achieved were consolidated through trust and transparency in the system.

'Debt management gains are for real. It is difficult to see what will move Ghana to be reliant on short-term debt instruments,' she said.

On the banking sector, Ms Khan said for the long term health of the country it was important for the public to have faith in the institutions that have been licensed.

She said they should be meeting capital adequacy requirements and that participants in the economy should have trust and that the regulators would always enforce the level of financial supervision and were in touch with what was going on in the economy.

The regulators must be comfortable with the soundness of the entire banking system so that if they identified institutions that were inadequately capitalised different actions to resolve capitalisation of the institutions should be seen as overwhelmingly positive thing.

GNA
Accra, Aug. 17, GNA  The U.S. government's Feed Initiative has hosted Agriculture research policy summit to share findings on evidenced-based policy recommendations with Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture, state agencies, development partners, research institutions and the private sector.

The summit explored how government could adopt proposed policies recommendations by researchers in formulating policies that would help eliminate constraints facing the private sector.

Adoption of the policies and recommendations is expected to help government create the enabling environment for increased investments in Ghana's agriculture sector to ensure long-term growth.

Mr William Quitoo, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, said at the opening session on Tuesday that 'research is a public good' that uses public funds to bring out the results and should not be allowed to go waste.

He said government would study the findings and recommendations and make the necessary stakeholder consultations to guide it to implement robust policies that would move the country from food dependency to self-sustainability.

'Research is a public good, taxpayers money are used to fund it, so there is no reason to allow research results to go waste, !' he said.

Mr Quitoo expressed worry that Ghana was once an exporter of food imported $600 million worth of rice in 2015/2016, describing the situation as 'unacceptable and dangerous' for the country.

The Summit was held under the theme: 'Supporting effective and efficient Agriculture policies through research' to strengthen Ghana's agricultural policymaking process.

USAID/Ghana Acting Mission Director, Steven E. Hendrix highlighted the importance of using research and data to inform policy making and expressed the agency's readiness to continue helping Ghana's Agriculture Ministry.

'USAID supports the Ministry of Food and Agriculture with research and policy analysis, and builds the capacity of public and private organizers to closely monitor and evaluate agriculture programmes,' he said.

'Where policymaking is concerned, we believe research is a critical component to creating the most effective agriculture policies,'' he added.

The conference organised sought to boost agricultural research and support policies based on relevant and quality data to foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Walter Nunez-Rodriguez, Chief of Part, APSP, said the research addressed four concerns in agriculture areas which were fundamental to the government and added that the research was in response to a holistic policy.

The researched areas included - production, productivity and food security; agricultural extension and knowledge sharing; agriculture marketing; and sustainable land management. GNA
18.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug. 18, GNA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has appealed for financial support and items including medical supplies, food and any other assistance for the victims of the mudslide and flood in Sierra Leone.

The appeal was made in a statement signed by Ms Vivian K.A. Asempapa, the Director of Information and Public Affairs of the Ministry and copied to the Ghana News Agency.

The disaster occurred on August 14, 2017 and resulted in the loss of many lives and left many more without shelter.

The statement said interested individuals and organisations were requested to deposit the items at the Information and Public Affairs Bureau of the Ministry.

Items could be donated up to Friday, August 18 between the hours of 0800 hours and 1700 hours.

The statement said cheques may be written to the Chief Director while donors could seek additional information by contacting 03032999604 and 0342290903.

GNA
The head of the Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory at the Department of Geography at the University of Ghana, Dr Alex Owusu Barimah has warned that Ghana might also experience a mudslide if preventive measures are not put in place.

His comment follows a mudslide in Sierra Leone last week that claimed about 400 lives and left three thousand others displaced.

Dr Alex Owusu Barimah in an interview with Citi News Caleb Kudah said a similar fate could befall Ghana if city authorities do not enforce laws.

This disaster is not too far from us. Infact just about two weeks ago , I was in Sekondi Takoradi and when we were driving through town, I realised it's a big issue within the town because Sekondi Takoradi is a hilly area . I really think it is about time we take a good look at this because it won't be too long to happen in Ghana and I think it falls right within the jurisdiction of EPA and Town and Country Planning.to look at these issues.

Experts say the magnitude of the disaster is the worst of its kind, leaving the country recovering from an Ebola outbreak a few years ago, devastated.

Meanwhile the West Africa Health Organisation, WAHO, the Health Institution of the regional bloc ECOWAS, is donating a sum of 300,000 dollars to the government of Sierra Leone in the wake of the disaster.

The West African Health Organization (WAHO) the health institution of ECOWAS has contacted Red Cross in Sierra Leone to deploy their first aid workers which WAHO is paying for.

Other interventions include:

A donation of 100,000 USD to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation,; a sum which could be used to support victims and also to help prevent any epidemic that could occur, as a result of the incident.

After consultation with WAHO, Cote d'Ivoire sent a plane full of drugs and medical equipment and the Minister of Health of Cote d'Ivoire is herself leading the delegation.

WAHO in collaboration with the Sierra Leone authorities put in requests for support.



By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Johannesburg (AFP) - South African officials were on Friday considering whether to grant diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe's first lady Grace Mugabe over her alleged assault on 20-year-old model in a Johannesburg hotel.

Mugabe, who has not been seen since the Sunday's incident, is due to attend a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in Pretoria this weekend along with her husband President Robert Mugabe.

The first lady claimed immunity after allegedly whipping Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel where Mugabe's two sons, both in their 20s, were staying.

"The correspondence from the government of Zimbabwe is being given consideration," Nelson Kgwete, spokesman for the foreign ministry, told AFP.

The Mugabes will join other heads of state and their spouses at the two-day meeting in the South African capital starting Saturday.

Engels -- who has registered a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm -- appeared at a press conference on Thursday, wearing a large plaster on her forehead.

Her lawyers told reporters she had been offered cash to make the incident "go away" but that she had refused and was determined to press charges against Mugabe.

Willie Spies, one of the lawyers, said that if diplomatic immunity was granted they "would consider bringing an urgent application to the high court to prevent the decision from being executed".

Grace expected on duty

Lawyers for South African model Gabriella Engels, the alleged victim of the assault, say they will challenge in the courts any move to grant Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity

Grace Mugabe, 52, was in South Africa reportedly to have her ankle treated following a minor accident last month.

President Mugabe, 93, flew into the country late Wednesday, the day after his wife failed to attend an agreed meeting with South African police over the hotel incident.

The SADC summit in Pretoria opens at 09:30 am (0730 GMT) on Saturday, with a "first spouses programme" starting at noon. A closing ceremony on Sunday afternoon is also scheduled to include partners of the heads of the states.

Zimbabwean officials have declined to comment either on the allegations against the first lady or her immunity claim.

South African police have said they are on high alert to prevent Grace Mugabe leaving the country.

Grace and Robert Mugabe's two sons Robert Jnr and Chatunga live in Johannesburg, where they have a reputation for partying. The couple also have an older daughter who lives in Zimbabwe.

Although South Africa and Zimbabwe have strong political and economic ties, this incident threatens to strain relations between the two neighbours.

Grace Mugabe regularly speaks at rallies in Zimbabwe and is seen as one potential successor to take over from her increasingly frail husband.

In 2009, she was granted diplomatic immunity in Hong Kong after she repeatedly punched a British photographer for taking pictures of her at a luxury hotel.
Freetown (AFP) - Aid workers in Sierra Leone warned of a humanitarian crisis on Friday as the official death toll passed 400, with more than a hundred children among the victims -- and a similar number orphaned.

Heavy rains that hit the capital Freetown on Monday triggered the partial collapse of a hillside that engulfed homes and caused massive destruction across the coastal capital.

By Friday, the rescue operation had evolved into a protracted search for 600 missing people, whom officials said were unlikely to be alive.

The uncollected corpses pose a serious risk to public health, Save the Children said on Friday.

"Two suspected cases of cholera have already been reported by rescue teams," Save the Children said in a statement.

"Dead bodies can still be found in water sources and outbreaks of diarrhoea, malaria and other deadly diseases remain a serious risk," it added.

The agency is distributing sanitary and hygiene products in Freetown.

For the first time Friday, the Red Cross confirmed an official death toll of more than 400.

According to Save The Children, 122 of the dead were children and it said that the disaster had also orphaned 123 children.

Earlier Friday the secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, Elhadj As Sy, warned that many of the estimated 3,000 displaced were still sleeping outside "because there are not enough shelters for everybody."

Sy said the government of the west African country was facing a crisis "way beyond (its) capacity" and appealed to the international community to significantly ramp up its support.

The organisation has warned that smaller mudslides have occurred since Monday in eastern Freetown and in Sierra Leone's second city of Bo, with the rainy season far from over.

More than 300 victims were buried on Thursday in a ceremony in the nearby town of Waterloo to clear the overwhelmed central morgue. They were laid to rest alongside victims of the country's last crisis, Ebola.

'Nothing can be enough'

Many people in the communities hit by the disaster said the emergency response had been too slow.

Updated close-up map of Freetown, hit by massive flooding which has left more than 400 people dead.

"On that very day, we were told to go and register. Up until now, we haven't gotten anything. No medication for my child, no food," Fatoumata Dumbuya said in the devastated hilltop community of Regent, where she shared a shack with six others.

AFP visited a school building in Regent where 350 people were living crammed together. Aid workers said survivors lacked basic necessities to stay warm.

"Nothing can be enough for now," said Rosemary Blake of the Living Water SL charity. "We need blankets, we need used clothing or even unused clothing. We need shoes on their feet."

Citizens and experts alike have questioned why the government has not done more to tackle illegal construction and deforestation on the outskirts of the overcrowded capital of Freetown.

In recent years, trees have been cut down from the Western peninsular forest on the city limits, with everything from shacks to mansions springing up haphazardly on the slopes.

The government has said that in the light of the catastrophe, relocation and a new settlement around the Freetown peninsula would be considered.

But similar measures have failed in the past as people seek to live close to the city centre for work.

'Step up to the plate'

Meanwhile Britain, the former colonial power in Sierra Leone, announced 5 million ($6.45 million) in funding for several charities working on the ground.

Their funding targeting children's bedding and clothing and clean water and sanitation for all survivors, as well as medical supplies.

"Our new support will provide basic life-saving supplies like food, water, shelter and clothing to people who have lost everything," said Britain's International Development Secretary Priti Patel.

"The international community must follow our lead and step up to the plate," she added.

The Red Cross was preparing to launch an emergency funding appeal later Friday, while China has pledged $1 million, Togo $500,000.

Israel and several west African nations have contributed food and cash.

So far evacuations have been voluntary from affected areas, and Sy said this would remain the policy for the foreseeable future.

"Coming by force in the middle of hardship may not be the best way," he added.
Abuja (AFP) - The 106 Nigerian schoolgirls no longer in captivity by Boko Haram jihadists fighting against western-style education will all go to university from September, the country's minister for women's affairs said Friday.

One of the girls required a prosthetic leg following her ordeal, several needed surgery for injuries and four babies have been born as a result of their detention, Aisha Alhassan said in a statement.

The Islamist militants seized 276 schoolgirls from the remote northeast Nigerian town of Chibok in April 2014, triggering global condemnation and drawing attention to the bloody Boko Haram insurgency.

Former US first lady Michelle Obama led a worldwide social media campaign under the banner #BringBackOurGirls to raise awareness of the group's plight.

All 106 girls who either escaped or were released or rescued from their captors "will be resuming school at the American University of Nigeria foundation school in September 2017," said Alhassan.

Twenty-four girls who had managed to escape were already studying courses at the institution and will be joined by the rest of their freed classmates in the new school year.

The freed girls, who are all in good health, have received extensive trauma counselling since regaining their freedom.

"Previously frequent incidents of flashbacks, insomnia and nightmares have now been successfully brought under control," said Alhassan.

"The girls have become survivors and heroes in their own right."

In their quest to create a hardline Islamist state, Boko Haram, whose name roughly translated from Hausa means "Western education is sin", has waged a relentless campaign against education in northeast Nigeria.

Along with attacks on schools, thousands of women and young girls have been abducted during the eight-year insurgency, which has left at least 20,000 people dead and displaced more than 2.6 million.
Rwandas President Paul Kagame has thanked the people for re-electing him for a third term and criticised attempts to interfere in the countrys politics.

He was speaking soon after taking the oath of office at the Amahoro National Stadium in the capital, Kigali.

The ceremony was attended by dozens of African leaders and dignitaries.

Mr Kagame took 98.8% of the vote in the 4 August election, which has been criticized by rights groups.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said the election took place in a context of very limited free speech or open political space.

But the African Union observer team said the vote was conducted in a peaceful, orderly and transparent manner.

President Kagame was sworn in for a third term

Speaking on Friday, Mr Kagame said that every attempt that was made whether from within and especially from outside to denigrate the process and glorify the old politics of division only made Rwandans more defiant and more determined to express ourselves through the vote.

Our experience is that we will be vilified anyway, no matter what. So, we might as well do what we know is right for our people because the results are much better and the costs are much lower.

The president also thanked his opponents saying they had created a positive environment where no vote was cast against anyone, but rather all were cast for Rwanda.

He was challenged by Frank Habineza, from the Democratic Green Party, and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent.

line break

Paul Kagame at a glance:

Supporters of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) carry a poster as they attend a campaign rally on August 4, 2010 in Kigali ahead of next weeks presidential election.

His rebel forces helped end 1994 genocide  he has been in power ever since

Twice invaded much larger neighbour, DR Congo

Accused of suppressing the opposition and ordering assassination of critics

Sees Singapore and South Korea as models  economy growing at 7% a year

Mr Kagame, 59, came to power in 1994, when his Tutsi rebel group took control of the capital, Kigali, ending the genocide in which some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered.

Rwandas constitution was amended in 2015, following a referendum, enabling Mr Kagame to run for a third term.

Beyond this, he could run again, potentially staying in power until 2034.

His two challengers have complained that their supporters have been intimidated, which they say explains the low turnout at their rallies.

The candidates have also accused some local authorities of undermining their campaigns.

The ruling party denies any accusations of wrongdoing.


Freight forwarders at the Tema Port have protested against the undue delays at the port in the wake of the pilot of the paperless transaction at the port.

According to them, the paperless regime which is expected to be officially rolled out in September would jeopardize their work if nothing is done to correct the problems and delays with some of the clearing agencies at the port.

The freight forwarders also argue that under the West Blue system it took up to about three weeks to clear goods at the ports and the situation will not differ when the paperless system commences fully.

Some of the freight forwarders who spoke to Citi Business News maintained that the Customs Clearance and Valuation Report (CCVR) which is the first step to clearing goods at the ports, used to take a maximum of three days to process a document now takes up to two weeks minimum and three weeks maximum.

Others also noted that education on the paperless regime has been poor hence the exercise be postponed until the education goes down well with the freight forwarders.

Government pilots paperless regime at ports

Government on Friday, August 18, began a pilot of the paperless clearing process at the country's ports ahead of the official takeoff next month.

The exercise is among others to identify the potential shortfalls and address them for a seamless transaction on September 1.

The move to start the paperless regime at the ports follows a directive from the Vice President to stop corruption and turnaround time for businesses.

Meanwhile some stakeholders are agitated at the new regime arguing that they will be kept out of business.

The clearing agents some of whom spoke to Citi News' Tema Correspondent, Elvis Washington the situation is creating undue delays at the port hence their agitation.

We are agitating because of the tax stamp. The paperless is a good system but when you look at the whole system, you will realize the number of people that will go home.

They further pleaded with government to ensure jobs are not lost in the process.

We are pleading with the government. We know it is trying to raise the revenue to develop the country, we are in support of that, the President and his team are doing their best but we are pleading with him. How are we going to even feed our families? they bemoaned.

Also, the President of the Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana, Kwabena Ofosu Appiah tells Citi Business News the situation if not handled properly will obliterate the paperless system.

The situation has just deteriorated. We now go beyond seven days. This is the problem that we have, we think that it has to be solved he added.



By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/Elvis Washington/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
Nollywood actress, Cossy Orjiakor, has not made headlines in some months now and that is because she has been very busy trying to put some things in place for herself.

The actress stepped out with a friend some days back just to have fun and trust Cossy, she does not ignore the presence of the Pole in any club she steps into because she loves showing her skills in handling it.

She was in company of her friend Angela in an Abuja club where they had fun and suddenly sighing the Pole she went over it to show her skills since she was on bum shot but her friend could not because she was even wearing pants.

According to Cossy, Hahaha... Fun night.. She dragged me out. Just me and Angela in Krystal champagne lounge on this rainy Sunday night. Hahaha. Well.... I can handle the pole because I had a bum short but Angela can't because she forgot her P... at home. Hahahahaha wow ! ! ! The perfect send off party from Mr stressful Abuja.
Rekt is a slang term for wrecked. It started out among gamers, but has quickly spread to many places online. Including cryptocurrency forums. Why is that relevant today? Because Commonwealth Bank may be about to get rekt. And they could drag others down with them.

More than 50,000 breaches of anti-money laundering (AML) regulations. That was the number thrown at Commonwealth Bank [ASX:CBA] by AUSTRAC. The reality is 50,000, 30,000, 1,000 or just 10 breaches, it would still indicate a big problem.

Even just one non-reporting of an AML breach is serious. And as we should expect the regulator has come down hard on the CBA.

We dont know yet exactly what the penalty will be for the bank. Theres a good chance it will run into the tens of millions or hundreds of millions in fines. It may even cross $1 billion.

And the bank itself? Well, executive bonuses have been slashed. Theres a possibility the board will spill. And CEO Ian Narev is retiring at the end of the next fiscal year.

Its hard times for the CBA. But they brought it on themselves really. And they will pay, in terms of both money and reputation.

But now we all pay too. And not in the way you might think.

Regulators gonna regulate

The inability to monitor AML laws is a problem. And its a problem the whole country faces.

Two years ago the Financial Action Taskforce found issues with Australias approach to anti-money laundering.

The report said that the banks and authorities had a good understanding of the risk. But the report also said theres too much focus on predicate crime (illicit drugs, fraud and tax evasion). There should be more focus on money laundering itself.

And while the awareness and compliance is there, clearly its not being put into practice. Somewhere along the line the system is failing  or the whole line itself is failing.

And now the regulators are on the case. Yesterday the Justice Minister, Michael Keenan, said a new Bill was coming to parliament.

This bill will strengthen money-laundering laws in Australia. And its thanks to serious and systemic breaches by the CBA.

Speaking about the upcoming changes to the law, Keenan said,

The threat of serious financial crime is constantly evolving, as new technologies emerge and criminals seek to nefariously exploit them. These measures ensure there is nowhere for criminals to hide.

Those are strong words from the government. But the devil is in the detail.

By new technologies they mean cryptocurrency. Good one, CBA, youve wrecked it for everyone.

Regulating the unregulatable

The government has been looking for a way to regulate cryptocurrency for a while. In June, opposition leader Bill Shorten said,

There are two things we simply do not know enough about to deal with properly  I refer to the use of the digital currency bitcoin and the use of the dark web, a network of untraceable online activities and hidden websites, allowing those who wish to stay in the shadows to remain hidden, we need to track and target terrorists as they seek to hide and obscure their financial dealings through electronic currencies like bitcoin.

And in yesterdays speech, Keenan also went on to say,

Stopping the movement of money to criminals and terrorists is a vital part of our national security defenses and we expect regulated businesses in Australia to comply with our comprehensive regime.

This tougher stance is not unexpected. But its not going to be as easy as they might think.

The government knows theyve got a problem. Theres an existential threat to their powerbase. And its coming from decentralised, distributed networks in the form of cryptocurrency and the blockchain.

Become a leader of the future

The power of cryptocurrency is huge. We should know. Weve been researching this area for over seven years now. We know the cryptocurrency world inside out like no other investment advisor in the country.

Thats why we put together our cryptocurrency investment service, Sam Volkerings Secret Crypto Network. Its to help everyday Aussies like you find your way through this new, exciting and often confusing and risky new investment opportunity.

Weve said for years that cryptocurrencies will create an entirely new financial system. They will steal power from central authority like the government. They will give this power back to the people. And thats exactly whats happening.

Even tech mogul John McAfee said recently,

Distributed, decentralized systems have an inherent power that literally obsoletes centralized systems. The reality if this new world [of cryptocurrency] is what it is. Those who understand will be the leaders of this new world.

The government wants to control it. But they cant. It has no borders. There is no central authority. Rule with an iron fist, and cryptocurrency communities will simply go elsewhere.

Trying to regulate cryptocurrency is like trying to catch a single bee in a swarmon a 40-degree daywith a pair of chopsticksmade of ice.

They will try, but they will fail. And the shift of power will continue through decentralised networks.

The world is changing. And its driven by blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Like McAfee said, if you can understand it youll be one of the leaders of the new world.

Let us ask you two final questions. Do you understand cryptocurrencies? If no, then do you want to? If your answer is yes, then join us at Secret Crypto Network and become a leader of the future.

Regards,

Sam Volkering,

Editor, Australian Small-Cap Investigator
'The big truck is still on ...
Wild West Days in Viroqua provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be transported to the boom-town era of the American West.

The Bad Axe Marshals add to the atmosphere with reenactments of gun fights and arrests of festival-goers.

John Schmit, of Viroqua, who heads the group, said marshals come from Milwaukee, Baldwin, De Soto, Viola, Westby and Viroqua. He has been with the marshals for eight or nine years.

We have regular jobs, but we still got out and play, Schmit said.

Loren Springborn, of Redmound, has been part of the marshals for 16 years. He plays the role of Old Drunken Joe, after portraying a marshal for a time.

I am the town drunk and enjoy entertaining and reenacting, Springborn said.

At one time, Schmit and Springborn said, there was a group of marshals who were in charge of arrests, and a different group of people who reenacted the gun fights.

Now we are all one group, Springborn said.

Springborn said one year the marshals had nothing to do, and the late Jack Olson said, We need a troublemaker of our own.

I said, Jack, Im your man, Springborn said. He looked at me and said, Can you do it? I said, Yes. Ive been doing it ever since.

Olson was head of the marshals for many years. He was one of the main wheels who started the marshals and kept it going, Springborn said.

When asked if the marshals plan their gun fights and skits ahead of time, Schmit smiled and laughed.

Yes, but no. They have a plan, but they are lucky if they get in on an eighth of it, he said. Loren gets out there, and things change. Thats what makes it fun and exciting. We have fun with everybody and put on a good show.

Sometimes the reenactments are based on actual events and people, such as Wyatt Earp, Schmit said. We have our own Doc Holliday.

The group also gets the younger set involved by having them enroll in Doc Hollidays School to look for the Ames Brothers (the bad guys), arrest them and escort them to jail. The young marshals receive badges.

Its fun, Schmit said.

The kids enjoy being involved, Springborn said.

When its time for the children to get involved in the search of the Ames Brothers, an announcement is made that help is needed to arrest the bad guys.

When the Bad Axe Marshals are ready to stage a gunfight, members rope off the area where it will be held; no formal announcement is made.

Between the guys in the group, we rope off an area and people say, Ooooo, somethings going down, lets watch, Schmit said.

Safety is at the forefront. All marshals wear special ribbons on their lapels indicating they are permitted to carry real firearms, which shoot blanks. When they work with the young marshals who arrest the Ames Brothers, they do not carry guns.

When they shoot, Schmit said, they aim at the ground and there is no concealed carry.

Marshals undergo a background check. We have zero tolerance, Schmit said. We dont want an accident. That was a step first established by Jack (Olson).

Springborn added that Olson was a Chicago police officer.

I am the first one in charge of the marshals without a police background, Schmit said.

Arrests benefit a good cause.

People who attend Wild West Days can pay $5 to have someone arrested and for $7, they can have their bad guy shackled. Shotgun weddings are available for $5.

We arrest the groom or bride, and they get hitched, so to speak, Schmit said.

Sometimes the marshals themselves get arrested.

Loren spends more time in jail than out, Schmit said with a laugh.

I play it the best I can, Springborn said with a smile. People like the hooting and hollering.

There is a tip jar, and those who are arrested can bribe the judge.

When people are arrested, the marshals announce the charges in a loud voice. Those who are arrested have their photos taken, and the charges are listed. Charges can range from flirting with cowboys to teasing saloon girls.

We all play it, Schmit said. It is family-orientated.

All of the money collected is donated to a family or individual in need. About six years ago Springborn was at the receiving end of the marshals generosity. Springborn fell out of his barn and sustained a brain injury.

The following summer the marshals donated that money to me, Springborn said. I was out of it for a while.

Schmit said he is impressed by the marshals.

These guys do such a wonderful job, its unbelievable, he said.

The marshals coexist with the saloon girls, who also get into the action. Springborn said his niece is a saloon girl and they play together and have an awful good time.

At first, Schmit was involved with the rodeo side of Wild West Days, building the buck-out shoots. He got involved with the marshals through Dave Cahoon, who at one time was head of the marshals. Cahoon mentioned they needed extra marshals, and asked Schmit if he would like to join.

Ive always liked Westerns and cowboys, Springborn said. We all like doing it. Were a good, tight group. We care about each other. We like to go out there to entertain and have fun. Im very happy I joined. You get that release and dont have to worry about real life.
North Tuolumne Road near Cherokee Road View Photos

Update at 5 p.m.: CAL Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff reports the forward rate of spread has been stopped and the fire is two acres in size. All aircraft have been called off the fire. Crews will continue working on full containment and mopping up into the evening.

Original post at 4:30 p.m.: Tuolumne, CA  Columbia aircraft and firefighters are battling a vegetation fire in the Tuolumne area.

The fire is burning in grass in the area of North Tuolumne between Cherokee and 1/2 mile roads. CAL Fire spokesperson Lindy Shoff reports it is one acre in size with a moderate rate of spread. No structures are threatened at this time. We will bring you more details as soon as they come into the news center.
Although she grew up singing gospel in her native Tennessee, Chastity Brown thought that when she moved to Minneapolis some 12 years ago she was going to be an indie rocker. Before the move she describes being obsessed with the rock bands she heard around Knoxville.

I think when you are first starting out you try to emulate the people youve heard, Brown said. That was no longer possible, however, when she found herself living in the Midwest.

I really like the MidwestI find it fascinating, she said, but I didnt know anyone so I didnt have any local influence. I think that helped me figure out what I really wanted to sound like. I realized I wasnt an indie rocker  even though some of my songs have rock in them.

Brown now considers herself a folk artist and if the critical reviews of her soulful debut album with the prestigious Red House label are any indication, shes become a very good one.

Silhouette of Sirens is the name of the album that NPR Music has called a work of brooding soul eloquence, alt-rock wiriness, atmospheric pop sweetening and folk-inflected naturalness. Other adjectives heard in critics responses to the album are powerful and thoughtful.

Brown, who is touring Europe and America this summer will be at Driftless Books and Music in Viroqua on Aug. 19. At that concert shell showcase many of the songs from Silhouette of Sirens, along with favorite songs from previous albums as well as covers of songs from artists like Nina Simone and Bob Dylan.

The albums opener  Drive Slow  is a bit of an anomaly. Its a plea to slow down and savor the moment. Unlike almost all the other songs, its not about heartbreak of one sort or another.

As a child, my heart was broken, and it has taken me so long to mend that and allow love in my life, Brown said.

The songs on Silhouette of Sirens were written at a particularly difficult time in her career. Halfway through the recording of an album, Brown scrapped the whole project, losing $6,000 in the process.

In essence, she didnt feel like the music was being true to herself or what her band could do. The focal point of that dissatisfaction was a song called Colorado, which in an amended form is on the new album. It had been made with the musicians recording their parts in different places and different times.

She said that the problem wasnt that the song was bad. It was just so perfect that it sucked the life out of it, she said. It wasnt representative of what youd get at a live show. I want listeners to experience the literal life of a song.

As a songwriter, honesty and being true to ones self are crucially important to Brown. She said thats one thing she took away from touring with Ani DiFranco for much of last year.

While the new album is her most personal yet, Brown didnt realize it until later. My focus, as far as this record, I guess its really been psychological, she said. Im really intrigued by the perseverance of the human spirit and the complexities and contradictions that we embody as human beings.

A multi-instrumentalist  piano, guitar, harmonica, saxophone and banjo  Brown will be bringing her guitar to the Viroqua show, along with at least one other musician (at the time of this interview she wasnt sure who that would be).

Although Brown has been touring for a decade, she said the degree of travel in support of this new album has jumped to another level. She doesnt mind, however, because she feels like shes doing what she loves.

Im kind of a nomad at heart, she said. Its a hard and difficult and beautiful thing to be a touring musician. The goal when you release a new album is to travel (in support of it). As a folk musician you have to earn peoples attention and time, but this is what I want and what Ive been working toward for the last 10 years.

Brown added that shed heard lots of good things about the Viroqua venue for the concert. Other songwriters and bands I know  like The Pines  have passed the word about what a great place it is to play, she said.
- The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) claimed that Nigerian government and her security operatives have continued to bring acts of terrorism to its people

- IPOB alleged that the government has decided to kill yet another innocent person in Anambra stat

- The group however said Nnamdi Kanu, its leader shall go and commiserate with the families of the victims

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) said Nnamdi Kanu will on Sunday, August 20, be at Ekwulobia, Anambra state to condole with the family of his member that lost his life on Wednesday, August 16.

Reports have it that IPOB made this known in a statement by signed Comrade Emma Powerful, media and publicity secretary.

Legit.ng gathered that Powerful alleged that the police officers in Anambra state were acting on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

READ ALSO: Nigerians must start thanking God for Buhari's safe return - Dogara

He said: ''The now seemingly regular deployment of a certain kind of Nigeria police in Biafranland especially in Anambra state since the announcement of election boycott in Biafranland starting from the gubernatorial election come 18th November this year is becoming alarming.

''IPOB intelligence unit discovered that those posted to Nigeria army and police formations all over Biafranland were ordered to kill as many civilians as possible in the hope of causing chaos in the country.

''We want to alert Biafrans, men and women of good conscience across the globe that federal government of Nigeria has decided to kill yet another innocent person in Anambra state, in the name of holy war against IPOB.

''It has been reliably gathered also that Hausa Fulani settlements in Biafraland are awash with police and army uniforms, which makes it possible for Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists to kill with impunity.

''There is a disproportionate number of Hausa Fulani police and army officers in Anambra state and other parts of Biafranland who were posted on a mission to kill innocent Biafrans.

''The order to shoot at innocent Biafrans in Ekwulobia today Wednesday 16th August 2017 came from authorities in Abuja because there is no justification for the barbaric savagery frequently exhibited by the army and police in Nigeria against the Ekwulobia incident.

''With IPOB they have failed woefully because our leader Nnamdi Kanu will be in Ekwulobia Aguata LGA of Anambra state on Sunday to commiserate with the families of the victims of the latest outrage carried out by the Nigerian police.

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''The frequency of wanton brutality and cold blooded murder in Anambra state in recent times is legitimized ethnic cleansing because these crimes are being sanctioned by the highest office holders in Abuja.

''We are holding the DPO of Ekwulobia police station directly responsible for the murder of IPOB family member by men under his command.

''Also responsible are those faceless individuals hiding behind nonexistent lawyers association in Anambra state that give the moral impetus to embark on this latest round of murder.

''The Nigerian government and her security operatives have continued to bring acts of terrorism to the people of Biafra which we are morally bound to resist. Humanity must stand up now in unison to stop this state sponsored terrorism before it is too late''.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that one person was reportedly died after members of the IPOB clashed with policemen and soldiers over the anti-election campaign in Anambra state.

The incident happened on Wednesday, August 16 in Ekwulobia, Aguata local government area of the state.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Kanu speaking about his Biafra agitation:

Source: Legit.ng
- Professor Yemi Osinbajo has departed Nigeria for the inauguration of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda

- He was accompanied by the minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama

- He is expected to return to the country later in the day

Acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has left Nigeria for Rwanda to attend the inauguration of President Paul Kagame.

In a statement released by Laolu Akande who is the senior special assistant to Osinbajo on media and publicity, he said the acting president left the country on Friday, August 18 for Kigali.

READ ALSO: Nigerians must start thanking God for Buhari's safe return - Dogara

Also accompanying the acting president was the minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.

Reda the statement below:

"Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is attending the presidential inauguration of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, taking place today in Kigali, the country's capital.

"The inauguration ceremony which is expected to be witnessed by several African Heads of State and Government, follows President Kagame's victory at the August 4 Rwandan presidential election.

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"Prof. Osinbajo who is accompanied by the Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama.

"He is expected back in Abuja later today."

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari met with the chairman of the National Assembly, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara in London.

Saraki, who is the president of the Senate, was pictured with Buhari and Dogara as they laughed while discussing.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Osinbajo speaking about the important of Nigeria's unity:

Source: Legit.ng
- The federal government has begun moves to send Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to prison

- The government accused the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of flouting his bail conditions

- The government urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to revoke the bail

A report by Daily Post indicates that the federal government has demanded that IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu be returned to prison.

According to the report, the government urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to revoke the bail it granted Kanu.

The government argued that the IPOB leader had not only breached the conditions attached to his bail but had conducted himself in manners that threaten public peace.

This was part of a counter-motion, filed by Magaji Labaran of the federal ministry of justice, urging the court to dismiss an application by Kanu, seeking a review of the bail conditions.

READ ALSO: Igbo groups warn against the re-arrest of Nnamdi Kanu

The offence for which he (Kanu) is standing trial is not ordinarily bailable; the court, not withstanding, granted bail to the 1st defendant/applicant (Kanu) on health grounds on 25th April 2017.

Among other conditions for the bail of the 1st defendant is that he should not be seen in a crowd exceeding 10 people; that he should not grant any interviews, hold or attend any rallies; that he should file, in court, medical updates of his health status every month. The bail conditions were perfected by the 1st defendant/applicant, which he is currently enjoying.

Rather than observing all the conditions listed above, the 1st defendant, in fragrant disobedience to the court order, flouted all conditions given by the court.

The 1st defendant equally incited his members to disrupt, disallow and boycott elections in South East states, starting with Anambra state gubernatorial election scheduled for November 18 if the federal government failed to hold referendum for the realisation of the state of Biafra, the counter-motion stated.

Kanu was granted bail on April 25, 2017 on health ground.

The IPOB leader and four others are being tried before the Federal High Court, Abuja on offences relating to conspiracy and treasonable felony.

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Meanwhile, a video has emerged of Kanu inspecting young men and women who volunteered to be members of the Biafra Security Service.

Watch the video of Kanu after he was granted bail earlier this year on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng
If you are a member of a cooperative in Wisconsin, you need to be aware of a bill that could significantly change our states cooperative organizing lawsand your rightsas a co-op member. Senate Bill 281/Assembly Bill 353 would permit co-ops to make certain changes to their bylaws that are currently prohibited under state law. These changes are permissive, not mandatory, meaning that they would only apply to your co-op if the co-op votes to adopt them.

If you are a member of any cooperative in Wisconsin:

-Up to 20 percent of your cooperatives board seats could be turned over to non-members, including outside investors.

You could lose the right to review cooperative records that are more than three years old.

Your co-op would be allowed to give greater than 8 percent returns to capital investors.

In addition to these changes, if you are a member of the cooperative holding company Cooperative Resources International (CRI) or its member co-ops Genex or AgSource:

Your co-op could choose to base voting power on patronage, rather than the principle of one member, one vote. If this change is adopted, average-sized farms would see their voting power in the co-op significantly diminished compared to the co-ops very largest farm members.

The co-op trade association Cooperative Network is taking the lead in advocating for these proposed changes. Proponents of the bill reason that we should allow our co-ops to change with the times; that other states have changed their cooperative laws to allow patronage-based voting in limited situations; that federally-chartered farm credit banks have had outside directors for some time; and that the changes in the bill are opt-in, rather than automatic, meaning each cooperative will decide for itself whether to adopt the changes or not.

WFU does support separate provisions of the bill that would allow electric co-ops to invest more in energy efficiency projects. However, we think the overall proposed changes are fundamental departures from cooperative principles, and the case has not been made for their necessity. In todays economy, we need our cooperatives more than ever. Lets build on what makes our cooperatives unique, rather than diluting the cooperative difference.

In any case, these decisions should not be taken lightly by co-op members. Consider reaching out to your legislators or cooperative board representatives to let them know what you think about this issue. Wisconsin Farmers Union urges all cooperative members to give careful consideration to any proposed bylaw changes put forward by your cooperative, and ask questionseven hard onesto ensure a full and open discussion of the issues.
- An Urhobo group has said that those who issued quit notice to the northerners and Yorubas are miscreants

- The group also said the ultimatum given by some Niger Delta Agitators to the regions is illegal

- The group also distanced itself from the quit notice and those who issued it

An Urhobo group has described those who issued quit notice to to Northerners and Yorubas as miscreants.

The Urhobo Youth Leaders Association (UYLA) on Thursday, August 18, said the notice issued to the Yorubas by the coalition of Niger Delta Agitator (CNDA) is illegal.

Speaking to journalists in Delta state, the association said it was distancing itself from all activities of those who issued the notice.

READ ALSO: Biafra: IPOB reveals what Nnamdi Kanu is to do about death of its member

The spokesperson of the association, Terryson Orhiunu, said the the Niger Delta group that issued the notice is faceless.

"Our area is open for everybody to do business and all we want is equity and justice in Nigerias affairs," he said.

Orhiunu, called on the federal government "to speedily implement the demands of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, by setting up a dialogue team to quickly resolve the Niger Delta problems.

We must be involved in the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas business in our land, not the situation where those who do not have a drop of oil in their domain are now the ones determining all that is happening in the oil and gas industry, Orhiunu said.

READ ALSO: Impeached Edo state deputy speaker vows not to return official cars

The group also frowned at a recent publication by an APC leader in the state who criticized PANDEF, saying the politician was seeking cheap popularity.

It said: We do not see PANDEF as a political organisation, it is a regional organisation genuinely advocating the well-being of Niger Deltans and all ethnic groups are carried along in its activities.

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We do not know the favour the self-acclaimed APC leader, who could not deliver his polling unit, is seeking from his sponsors, but he is known to be anti-Niger Delta and should leave PANDEF alone."

Legit.ng earlier reported that a coalition of Niger Delta agitators threatened to resume attacks on oil and gas installations across the region from September 10.

The coalition also urged the federal government to return all the oil wells given to non-indigenes of the region to them.

Watch this Legit.ng video and give your suggestion too:

Source: Legit.ng
On May 30, many people in southeastern Nigeria will remembered those who lost their lives in one of Africas most brutal wars.

More than one million people died during Nigerias 1967 to 1970 civil war known as the Biafra War The conflict erupted after leaders from southeastern Nigeria declared that the region would secede from Nigeria.

Memories of the war remain strong for those who lived through it.

The war gained widespread global attention once pictures of starving Biafran children were published in the international media.

The Nigerian government had formed a blockade, making it difficult for aid groups to reach Biafra. Many children starved and developed a severe condition that became known as kwashiorkor.

The war ended with the surrender of Biafra in January 1970. Biafrans returned to Nigeria and the country once known as Biafra, ceased to exist.

But in recent years, the pro-Biafra movement has resurged.

Supporters say the grievances that led to the war have still not been addressed.

Here are 4 major signs that the push for Biafra is beginning to gain grounds.

1. Survey reports

A recent survey released by a Nigerian research group revealed that the pro-Biafra movement is gaining support, particularly among young people who did not experience the war.

The rise could also be a reaction for a region that has received little infrastructural development from the federal government.

I am supporting it [Biafra] because that is who I am, says senior university student Sopuru Afam.

Nigeria is an artificial creation by the British. I am not a Nigerian and I have never been and I never will. Buhari hates our people, Afam added.

2. Sit home order compliance

IPOBs deputy, Uche Mefor, told VOA the Nigerian government cannot ignore the voice of Biafrans.

He said May 30 will be a day for the world to recognize because pro-Biafrans will unite in peaceful resistance.

Some pro-Biafrans will stay in their homes while others plan to join street rallies.

The compliance on that day will indeed convince the world that the people of Biafra are actually ready for their self-governance. We have our right to self-existence and it doesnt matter what anybody things about it, he told VOA.

READ ALSO: 90 day quit notice to Igbos: Acting president Osinbajo finally speaks 90 day quit notice to Igbos: Acting president Osinbajo finally speaks

Few years ago, the Biafra agitation would have been looked down upon, but now the youths have made it a serious business

Just like Mefor said, so many south-easterners stayed home on May 30, sending a very strong message to Nigeria and the world at large.

3. Kanu's widespread acceptance

Following the two years he spent in DSS custody, Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB has gained massive popularity, acceptance and support from his people.

To many he is already a hero in the likes of Ojukwu, Mandela and Martin Luther King Jnr.

He was made leader of the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) while in prison, and on regaining his freedom many now look up to as both spiritual and political leader.

There many who have come from far and nigh, just to speak to the radio Biafra director, they see him as the new voice of the Igbo people.

4. The push for referendum

There might have been a time when the issue of a referendum was not on the table, but that time is not now anymore. Nigerians of different ethnic backgrounds are beginning to ask for a referendum, if only to get a lasting solution to the agitation for Biafra.

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Many Nigerians both the masses and the elites are beginning to raise the issue of a referendum, in a bid to find a peaceful resolution to the agitations born from the marginalization of people from the southeast.

Some are of the opinion that the Biafra agitation is just, however, the issue of secession will be open to referendum as no one will be forced into it.

Below is a Legit.ng video in which Acting President Yemi Osinbajo delivers a speech on the Biafra war.

Source: Legit.ng
- Top immigration officers involved in job racketeering have been arrested

- One of them defrauded a lecturer and his family in Jos

- Members of the public were asked to be cautious and report suspected fraud to authorities

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has begun arrest of suspected recruitment fraudsters and senior officers in the service involved in job racketeering.

The NIS spokesperson, Sunday James, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, August 18, in Abuja.

READ ALSO: Buhari meets with Saraki, Speaker Dogara in London

He said that NIS had commenced investigations into the ugly trend and arrested some of the suspects, including senior officers involved in the racketeering.

According to him, an Assistant Comptroller is currently facing disciplinary action for allegedly defrauding innocent citizens, including lecturers and family members in Jos.

The Service has started swooping down on and arresting these dubious elements who unfortunately include an Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, ACI.

The ACI allegedly defrauded innocent citizens, including lecturers and family members in Jos. He is currently facing disciplinary action, Mr. James said. 

The spokesperson expressed concern that desperate members of the public still fall prey to fraudstersnefarious activities in spite several warnings from the NIS.

Mr. James further urged members of the public to disregard any request for payment for employment and report any such request to the NIS headquarters. 

He said they should report any case of extortion in the guise of securing employment in NIS to:nis.servicom@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng or call +234 (0)7080607900.

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NAN reports that the NIS is currently in the process of recruiting some Nigerians into the Service after the botched 2014 recruitment during which some Nigerians lost their lives and others injured.

The NIS Comptroller-General, Muhammad Babandede, had pledged that the ongoing recruitment process would be transparent, follow due process and in line with international best practices.

He said this was to avoid the repeat of the past mistakes..

Meanwhile, no fewer than 128 Nigerians deported from Libya arrived in Lagos on Thursday aboard a chartered Airbus A320 Afriqiyah aircraft with registration number 5A-ONA.

The aircraft landed at 5.35p.m at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The deportees, comprising 126 male, two female, were flown back into the waiting hands of officers of the NIS, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Nigerians speaking about the country's they would like to go to:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigeria Police (NPF) on Wednesday, August 15, denied being on top of the corruption index

- NPF said corruption is a personal thing and it can categorically say that it is not a corrupt institution

- Force urged Nigerian to disregard disregard such a report because allegation is not empirical and it cannot stand any test or proof

Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Wednesday, August 16, condemned a survey by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that police is on top of the corruption index.

According to Daily Trust, NBS revealed that bribes were paid 82.3 million times by Nigerians between 2015 and 2016, police officers were said to have asked directly for bribes most times.

Legit.ng gathered this in a statement released by Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood.

READ ALSO: What Nnamdi Kanu will do about death of our member - IPOB

Moshood described the corruption index report of the NBS as false, Pulse reports.

NTA also reports that the force said corruption is a personal thing and it is not a corrupt institution and it is not for anybody to have made such allegation.

He said: ''We have not seen such report and we cannot react to what we have not seen but what I know is that the Nigeria police force is not corrupt.

''Corruption is a personal thing and the Nigeria police force is not a corrupt institution and it is not for anybody to have made such allegation.

"The allegations are mischievous because it is not empirical and we distance ourselves from such and we want all Nigerians to condemn such.

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"In fact a lot of changes have been introduced into the Force to ensure that we are accountable to the people.

"Such a report is unacceptable by the Force and we want everybody to disregard such because the Nigeria Police is not corrupt.The allegation is not empirical and it cannot stand any test or proof. It is misleading''.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that tighter security ring had been thrown around Ibrahim Magu and key officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after a gun attack on its Abuja office.

Legit.ng TV Video of what many many parents are saying whether they would support their children to join the Nigeria Police Force:

Source: Legit.ng
It`s your opportunity to learn something interesting about NIIT Nigeria Scholarship 2017! What are the new details about this scholarship? Take a look at the latest news about NIIT in Nigeria!

Why NIIT Nigeria Scholarship 2017?

NIIT is defined as thr National Institute of Information Technology! It`s a new way for Nigerians to achieve their goals. This scholarship was created by NIIT to provide the most prominent students of Nigeria with resources to learn more interesting technologies today!

The 18th National Scholarship in Nigeria from NIIT provides such programmes as:

- DigiNxt MMS;

- Big Data;

- Java Enterprises Apps;

- Digital Marketing;

- Revolutionary MMS.

These NIIT programs are created to support reflect the changing market of the international IT industry. Therefore, NIIT specialists fully understand the needs of the digital market today. It`s one of the scholarships in Nigeria that provides real knowledge and job opportunities for the future!

Who can apply for NIIT Scholarship in Nigeria?

Everybody who wants to become an IT specialist can apply for the scholarship. If you have dreams to become one of the IT specialists in Nigeria, then you should follow the news from the official NIIT website. This website is the first to announce the beginning of any scholarship. In addition, according to the Opportunities for Africans website, the following categories of people can apply for the scholarship:

- Students;

- Individuals who have a desire to study IT;

- Unemployed;

- Under-Employed;

- Graduates;

- Under-Graduates;

- School Leavers.

Do not forget that only citizens of Nigeria are eligible for this scholarship!

NIIT Nigeria Scholarship Interview

READ ALSO: Cheap universities in South Africa for international students

The Annual test for NIIT scholarships started on July 15. A lot of people had an opportunity to take part in this test by visiting the NIIT`s website! This was not the first time that NIIT offered scholarship. This institution has been offering various scholarships for eighteen years now.

The Vanguard interviewed the specialists of the NIIT about their visions for the scholarship and we found out some interesting ideas!

Mr. Prakash Menon who is the President of Global Skills and Career Group of NIIT said that the institution has always provided opportunities for smart students to acquire IT knowledge! These opportunities are available around the world! The scholarship is one more way to recognize the skills and knowledge of intelligent students. It also encourages students to study the IT industry and become IT specialists.

Mr. Prakash Menon also stated that Nigeria is a country on the path of sustainable growth. Therefore, according to him, it`s necessary to provide the opportunities to the students in such a prominent country! He believes that NIIT can help Nigeria with its NIIT scholarship.

Mr. Sanjay Tickoo, Head of International Education Business Emerging Markets and Business Operations of the NIIT also supported these views. According to him, the NIIT is one of the Nigerian Scholarships that creates real professionals in Nigeria. Therefore, the students who finished any one of the NIIT Programmes will have much more job opportunities in the future!

Mrs. Onyedikachi Aruma also gave an interview to the Vanguard, where she entirely supported the ideas of the NIIT. She is the Head of Kaduna Centre of the NIIT. In the interview, she provides information that the organization has plans to subsidize its scholarship fees. This means the NIIT had plans to increase the amounts of prominent students who has a desire to study IT!

NIIT Nigeria Scholarship Result

If a candidate wants to check the results of NIIT scholarship, then he/she has to visit the nearest NIIT center. This center will give you all the necessary information on the further steps to take for the NIIT scholarship 2017!

Why should you choose this scholarship?

Information Technology has changed dramatically over the years. Every day, you hear about new and exciting discoveries on the IT sphere! Don`t you want to be a part of these innovations? NIIT scholarship is your ticket to the digital world, where you will be one of the digital creators! Do not miss this chance and learn more about future opportunities in NIIT!

READ ALSO: What is integrated science all about?

Source: Legit.ng
- The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) recently paralysed activities in tertiary institutions with industrial action

- ASUU said it was not happy the government reneged in its agreement with lecturers

- The federal government says it is releasing N23 billion to meet part of the demands

As the industrial action embarked upon by lecturers in Nigeria continues, the countrys education minister, Adamu Adamu, has announced that the government will release N23 billion to meet their demand.

Adamu said this before the Senate committee on tertiary institutions and TETFUND, chaired by Senator Jibrin Barau.

According to Adamu, the government is making serious move to meet the agreement upon which the lecuters, under the auspices of the Academic staff Union of Universities (ASUU), embarked on strike.

ASUU asked for N23billion to be paid, but we said the condition for getting the N23 billion was for them to account for the N30billion they had taken and they were not able to account for it.

READ ALSO: Nigerians must start thanking God for Buhari's safe return - Dogara

The Minister of Finance undertook to do the audit from the ministry and we agreed that the result will be known six months. During those six months, government undertook to be paying ASUU N1.5billion each month during the time they were waiting for this.

However, their grouse was that the forensic audit promised by the minister of finance had not been done and the money promised not paid.

So, at our meeting two days ago, the agreement was to pay them all and do forensic audit on the entire N53billion.

I wrote to the minister of finance and she has already approved and this money will be paid. Probably, by Monday, they will be able to receive the cheque.

We didnt agree with ASUU on their request that TSA should be taken out. I told them that it is not possible because it is a new policy and government is not going to change it for anyone.

Concerning their salary short fall, we said the reason springs from universities employing people without proper authority.

For instance, a university can just decide to go and recruit 50 people without notifying IPPIS.

So, what they are going to get is the money they got last month, which will not be sufficient for them. We have told them that institutions should, henceforth, stop doing that and they accepted, he said.

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Barau, while commending the minister, pleaded that the issue should be resolved urgently.

Legit.ng recently reported that Nigerian students were set for a lengthy stay at home as the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has embarked on an indefinite strike action.

The lecturers decided to go on strike after an extensive deliberation at its meeting held at the University of Abuja recently.

Meet the workaholic governor of a Nigerian state:

Source: Legit.ng
Editors note: The problems plaguing Nigeria as a country are believed to be surmountable and one of these problems is high rate of youth unemployment.

In an message sent to Legit.ng, a popular comedian, I go dye writes an open letter to Nigerians government, youth on how to make Nigeria great again.

First of all, I give God the honour for granting us this day and the hope for a brighter future.

I write this open letter with a profound wish, that our country Nigeria shall uphold her greatness and sustain the pride of the black race.

Today, many of our youths' have lost hope; patriotism has declined in our daily lives, due to hardship and the failure of Government to provide some of the basic amenities.

I bring a message of peace, fulfillment and progress to all Nigerians, as I appeal for national sacrifice.

I feel obliged to kindly request, that all Nigerians should take it upon themselves to act and make selfless sacrifices. The burden upon the federal government of Nigeria is so demanding, with the increased agitations across all regions. But I firmly believe that we shall wade through these moments, better and stronger.

To solve these problems, Government should advance its commitment to make life more meaningful to her citizens; this is the first priority towards restructuring the Nation and solving the immediate agitations.

READ ALSO: What Nnamdi Kanu will do about death of our member - IPOB

Every day, different groups and individuals keep seeking the line of division, which has kept us stagnant and retrogressive as a Nation.

Although the amnesty program in the Niger delta has been a temporary success, there is a great need to develop a more comprehensive plan that will guarantee the growth and self-resourcefulness of all the youths across Nigeria.

We cannot continue to expand the responsibilities on our military because of internal problems, considering the achievement recorded by the military in recent time, in the fight against terrorism which is highly commendable.

For how long shall the youths be the ones fighting themselves through different mediums, either as militants or insurgents fighting against the military, an institution that is also filled with youths who have pledged under oath to defend our sovereignty as a Nation.

All the youths in this country are one, by virtue of the hardship they face and they should not allow themselves to be used as instruments of violence.

I want to use this medium to suggest the following issues, which has been in the heart of most Nigerians:

First of all, the power issue should be addressed, without power nothing can be achieved. The cost of doing business in Nigeria is expensive and small scale business is grossly affected by low electricity output.

It is on record that majority Of Nigerians provide electricity by themselves, when you consider the eighteen thousand naira minimum wage and the cost effect, by buying just four liters of fuel on a daily basis, you will discover that nothing is left for them.

The tendency of acquiring more to meet their domestic needs will be nurtured, a burden that leads to corruption. Everything humanly possible should be done to provide energy and expand its supply, which has forced many small scale and multinational firms to neighbouring countries, which would have created employment for our youths.

The Federal government should invest on the human resources in each region, most especially the south east and north east, which are facing the highest conflicts of interest at the moment.

They should be reoriented and empowered, while the people in Niger Delta should also be educated to invest in other areas and see beyond oil. We fight over crude oil and forget a simple reality that four litres of palm oil is presently been sold at three thousand naira while four litres of fuel is sold at five hundred and eighty naira, which is almost six times lower than the value of palm oil.

So the people of Niger delta who are also blessed with palm oil should be informed that a time will come when crude will not be needed in larger proportions because of advancement in technology.

Federal government must advocate that every state and region in this country should produce one agricultural product in large quantity within its domain. We cannot be experiencing high cost of food items when we have fertile lands for farming.

The level of investment must be directed to the real farmers, while youths should be encouraged into farming by granting incentives and soft loans to aid mechanized farming. This will guarantee internal supply of food items, create job opportunities for the youths across the nation and subsequently lead to export of products.

Once there is food sufficiency, the life expectancy will be improved. Government must taking adequate steps to protect our growing population, this issue must be addressed.

I write today, on the part of patriotism, acknowledging the fact that I have walked through the bitterness of both lives, after experiencing the 1999, Ijaw and Itsekiri crises, which I lost three of my close friends to that ugly incident, such memories teaches one the need to promote peace at all times.

The fact remains that the Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ijaw and Igbo man or any other ethnic tribe is not our problem. Nigeria is a blessed country; our fundamental problem is instigated on us by our various leaders across the six geopolitical zones, whose actions are responsible for our present situation, who often promote hate speeches, tribalism, secession interest, terrorism, militancy and all forms of anti-social vices against the Nigeria state.

When these forms of negativity is allowed, one objective is achieved, we end up seeing ourselves as enemies, destroying one another while the instigators of these conflicts do not have their children involved in any form, their children are abroad schooling while they fuel these crisis. At the end of every conflict after killing ourselves, their children will come back to explore our children through the same devastating course.

The youths in Nigeria should also understand that when they pose as threats to development by their negative speeches, attacking investors in their region. The companies will leave their domain and that has increased the level of unemployment in Nigeria.

As regards to the restiveness in most part of the country, the youths and leaders in the North east should also understand that it will take a long time to rebuild what have been destroyed since the insurgence started, we must take all steps to protect all properties and lives across the nation.

Most importantly as we celebrate youths today, the Federal government should consider youths development as a major issue, once a nation's active population is under- productive than that nation cannot develop.

Today, many of our youths are still leaving the country, considering the fact, that Nigeria youths are included among the highest stranded citizens across many international borders, that reflects the desperation to survive against all odds and the low employment opportunities in Nigeria.

This situation calls for concern, because majority of these youths left their father land just to get credible means to work, that reflects the risk and sacrifices that the youths are undertaking just to live and survive within their personal resolutions because of governments failure.

I recommend that for us to reduce and solve the unemployment, militancy, insurgency, and guarantee peace in this nation, certain steps must be taken.

Each State in Nigeria must develop its own wealth. Idea rules a nation; State governments should engage consultants, Human resource experts and content developers to provide them with the right Initiatives to address youth restiveness and unemployment.

The average youth and citizens of this nation, have a wrong perception about the Federal government. Even when their State governors refused to function effectively, bulk of the blame still goes to Federal government. This is not supposed to be.

The federal government must adequately inform Nigerians on the various plans, projects and give insight on the financial commitment provided to each state government. The onus of fact on who is responsible for the failed projects across the nation must be established, so that the tension and resolve to take up agitations of neglect against the federal government and its properties should reduce.

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The information and budget allocated for specific projects must be made public; the ministry of information and National orientation must breakdown this information to the simple understanding of all Nigerians. So when these projects are not observed, then the people in that environment can now question the non-compliance.

Honestly, the reputation of the Federal government of Nigeria is not well protected by most state governors; this is part of the major reasons why the entity called Nigeria is attacked.

Indeed, Human and natural resources disposition are often the issue that leads to conflict, no matter the measures taken to balance the sharing formula, there will still be dissatisfaction. But if we can define as individuals or as a group of people living in any environment what we can do for our country, then half of our problems will be solved.

Conclusively, I kindly remind us that in the midst of any conflicts, the youths are the major victims; they are the first casualties, so we should not become instruments of self-destruction.

I am proud being a Nigerian; there are millions of others who believe in this country, wishing for our beloved nation to get better.

I appeal to the youths across Nigeria that they are the leaders of today and the future; they have the will and power to decide who governs them.

Lets unite and build that progressive country of our dreams. Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng.

Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@corp.legit.ng  drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors.

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- A Nigerian hacker has been jailed in the US for 51 months for getting involved in fraud

- Obinna Obioha swindled businesses in the US and elsewhere out of $6.5 million

- He pleaded guilty to the charge of working on wire fraud from Nigeria

A Nigerian hacker that defrauded businesses in the US and elsewhere of about $6.5 million has been jailed for 51 months by a New York federal judge.

The hacker, Obinna Obioha, was sentenced by US District Judge David N. Hurd for running a scheme in which he instructed hackers to hack into computers and email accounts of individuals around the world using malicious software.

The 31-year-old man as part of his guilty plea to wire fraud in April 2017, Obioha admitted that, while in Nigeria, he worked with and instructed others to hack into computers and email accounts used by dozens of victims in the United States and around the world.

Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith said:

Obioha, working from Nigeria, was a central figure in a fraud scheme using digital disguises and deceit to bilk businesses out of millions of dollars.

READ ALSO: 2 Nigerian men arrested for fraud in America

"We will continue to track down and bring to justice cyber criminals like Obioha no matter where they operate. I thank the FBI for its terrific work in this case identifying and apprehending Obioha."

FBI Special Agent in Charge Vadim D. Thomas said:These schemes can rob individuals and businesses of their livelihood. Cyber-crime is a serious threat and the FBI is prepared to go to any lengths to apprehend those like Obioha.

According to Law360, Obioha and his associates used those bogus email accounts to send fraudulent invoices to victims, instructing them to wire funds to bank accounts controlled by Obioha and his associates, under the pretense that the wires were payments for actual deals that had been previously negotiated by the victims.

READ ALSO: EFCC arrests 46-year old Chinese man for fraud

He also admitted that between January and September 2016, he was involved in at least 50 wire transfers, and that about $6.5 million was sent by wire to bank accounts that he and his associates controlled.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has begun arrest of suspected recruitment fraudsters and senior officers in the service involved in job racketeering.

The NIS spokesperson, Sunday James, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, August 18 in Abuja.

Watch this Legit.ng video as some other criminals were recently arrested in Lagos, Nigeria:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Edo state house of assembly speaker who was impeached has vowed not to return her official cars

- Mrs Elizabeth Ativie insists that the cars were gifts from former governor Adams Oshiomole

- Her lawyer also stated that since the cars were hers, she had already sold one

The deputy speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Elizabeth Ativie, has vowed not to return her official cars after she was removed.

Ativie representing Igueben constituency and Dr Justin Okonoboh, were impeached on Monday, August 14, by 19 out of the 24 members of the House. Also, majority leader, Foly Ogedengbe, was also removed for incompetence.

According to Ativie, the vehicles were given to her as gifts by a former governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

Kabiru Adjoto, the new speaker had directed the clerk of the House, James Omoataman, to retrieve the vehicles and other official items with the impeached principal officers before the close of work on Tuesday, August 15.

READ ALSO: Edo indigene slams APC chairman Oyegun, ministers for alleged neglect of the state

However, according to Punch, when the clerk sent her a letter of reminder, Ativie claimed the vehicles, comprising a 2016 Lexus jeep, one Prado jeep and two Hilux vans, were officially given to her for personal use by Oshiomhole.

The lawmaker, in a letter to the clerk dated August 16 signed by her lawyer, Olayiwola Afolabi, stated that Oshiomhole had in a letter he personally signed on June 19, 2016, given the vehicles to her in acknowledgement of the sacrifices she was expected to make for the peace, security and well-being of the state.

She stated that Adjoto, who was then the chief whip, led the delegation of the House to the executive arm of government where the decision to give her the vehicles was taken and implemented.

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Her lawyer said: After the vehicles were given, our client went to the licence office with the said letter and registered the vehicles in her name.

In the exercise of her bona fide right of ownership, our client has sold one of the vehicles (Lexus jeep, 2016 model)."

Legit.ng earlier reported that a video of Edo House of Assembly members beating each other after the speaker's impeachment went viral.

Watch this video of what politicians have to say about the state of the nation:

Source: Legit.ng
Editors note: President Muhammadu Buhari ill-health has continued to form the topic of discussion among Nigerians both locally and internationally.

In an article sent to Legit.ng, Okonkwo Dubem Val, writes about President Buharis one hundred days outside Nigeria and why people easily forget about history

Yakubu Gowon stayed in office from 1966 to 1975. A nine years period that encompassed the horrific civil war but when he was expected to hand over power to a civilian rule, he held onto power for too long prompting the top military Generals to depose him while he was away in Kampala.

Twenty-two years later in 1997, another military General made the same mistake of holding onto power for too long when he created five political parties and made himself the presidential flag bearer of those political parties. His end was more brutal as the Nigeria political terrain had become more deadly then.

The 8th of November 1993 was a funny day, the interim government of Nigeria headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan inexplicably removed fuel subsidy and shot up the pump price by 500% from a mere 70kobo to whopping 3.50 which ultimately led to the collapse of his regime.

READ ALSO: Ex-MEND leader Asari Dokubo reveals name of Buharis ailment (video)

Of course, another Nigerian president must have missed that plot when some eighteen years later on the 1st of January 2012, Nigerians woke up to a new year greeting of buying fuel for 150, the protests that followed that would need know reminding, but if you do Google Occupy Nigeria.

Just recently, a quiz session was held in the premier TV news channel CNN asking which president has not been in his country for over two months. The next day we used it to gist and laugh in our work places but the truth cannot be relegated, I was ashamed to see Nigeria among the options bearing fully in mind that it was the correct answer.

I like President Buhari, I was a strong adherent in his campaign given the gross mismanagement of the Jonathan era, many Nigerians I know will want to kill me for this utterance, least not for the great economic depression of 2016, but the truth must be told.

Since his assumption of office, this government has fought corruption headlong like never seen by any other administration. All the major government ministries; Federal civil service commission, Department of Petroleum Resources, Air Force, Navy, Army, Immigration, Nigerian Port Authority to name but a few have either employed massively or called for massive employments.

Let us not forget the N-Power programme that provided jobs for some 200,000 youths last year and would still provide for another 300,000 this year, and other major subsidiaries going on human investment.

That is honestly more than I can say for the previous regime where money was seriously circulating in the economy, not because of economic activities but because of wanton lootings being passed from hand to hand.

But another truth must be told, Mr. President in my humble opinion is not fit to lead, and I mean medically. Today marks the 229th day of this year and our dear President has spent just a meager 80 days in the shores of this country. The other 149 days have been spent receiving treatment in London.

He left for the second time this year on May 7th and in these 100 days, he has not for once thought it wise to address the nation, but he has constantly found time to host politicians who visit him to five star dinners in London.

We have had Governors, Senators, and Ministers visit him and they have all come back with encouraging stories as to how Mr. President is recovering and kicking like a baby but why do I not believe them; same reason you dont believe them, they are politicians and that nomenclature comes with the art of telling wonderful lies.

On the 23rd of November 2009, Umaru Musa Yaradua left this country for treatment without handing over power, in the 90 days he spent outside there was lacuna.

God bless the then minister of information Prof. Dora Akunyili who took it upon herself to campaign for the installment of the Vice President on an acting level, even then it can be argued that his wings were clubbed.

Though the times are different, and Mr. President might have shown regard for the rule of law by installing his vice while leaving the country; the same tenet of clubbed wings still applies as who is ruling this country has become a major subject of argument in most Nigerian pubs.

Now you begin to question the outrageous amount of money that was spent in caring for President Yaradua while he was away, or the wife of Obasanjo and Jonathan while on medical trips, or past Heads of State who frequent abroad on medical trips.

Present and past Governors and all other government officials who have made foreign medical trips a habit and you have a large chunk of Nigerias budget in your hand.

I have not mentioned President Buhari because I heard his doctors in London are the ones he has been using for the past thirty years, so he is excused, but as to why he is yet to import these doctors and their technologies down here to take care of him and train our own locals remains a mystery to me.

After all, we import everything so I see no reason to export our President to London. Even if he returns to Nigeria sound, I think Mr. President should put his priorities into perspective, I saw Goodluck Jonathan develop waves of grey hairs within two years of becoming President.

There is a lot of pressure in ruling a country like Nigeria and the president should recognize that. At 74, and with an unstable health, would he rather spend these later years of his life wobbling the affairs of this country or would he rather do it spending time with his grandchildren in the country side, close to his farm in Daura and feeding fat from fresh vegetables and water melon.

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Nigerians wake up; our major challenge is refusal to pay attention to history, which is the moral of the story.

Abacha and Jonathan did that and that was their undoing. In 2009 we did that but a Yaradua who could not pronounce his name was brought back to us amidst light being switched off in Abuja International Airport, an episode I am never quick to forget. We cannot let that happen again, for our sake and for the sake of our President.

As we celebrate the centenary day of our Presidents absence, Nigerians are filled with mixed feelings, some have called for Vice President Osibanjo to take over completely, others are solidly behind the president, a few celebrities like Charly Boy has taken it up a notch by beginning the Our Mumu Don Do protest; one thing is clear, the upper and lower chambers are clearly ignoring their jobs.

I wish President Buhari long life, good health and quick recovery. A lot of Nigerians around might wish him otherwise but that does not help us in anyway. And I pray him, to reconsider the seat of the Presidency when he returns in good health.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari told governors of the 36 states of the country to believe in the leadership of the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng.

Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@corp.legit.ng  drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors.

Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App.

Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Legit.ng Opinion page!

Watch this Legit.ng video as Governor Ortom speaks about a visit to Buhari in London:

Source: Legit.ng
- An investigative panel was set up to probe the two lawmakers

- The House of Assembly said one of the lawmakers apologised to the speaker

- The Assembly said it was yet to question the other lawmaker

Two members of the Ekiti state House of Assembly are reportedly under investigation for allegedly supporting a political enemy of Governor Ayo Fayose.

The Point reports that the two lawmakers, both in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are in trouble and are being probed by their colleagues for supporting the senator representing Ekiti South district, Mrs Biodun Olujimi ahead of the 2018 election in the state.

The names of the two lawmakers were given as Michael Adedeji, representing Ekiti Southwest constituency 2, and Adeojo Fajana, representing Ekiti east constituency 1.

READ ALSO: Nigerians must start thanking God for Buhari's safe return - Dogara

It was learnt that the House found the lawmakers guilty after setting up a panel to probe them.

The panel further found them guilty of alleged conversion of some public utilities like roads and boreholes into personal use.

At a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, August 17, the House reportedly described claims by Olujimi that 11 members of the Assembly were loyal to her.

The chairman of the House committee on information, Hon Samuel Omotoso, said the erring lawmaker Adedeji had been pardoned since he had written an apology letter to the speaker, Kola Oluwawole.

After investigation, it was discovered that truly, these honourable members have unholy alliances with Senator Olujimi.

"The alliance is not even the issue, but what it has brought to the people and the Assembly as an institution.

We found out that the alliance with the senator had made these lawmakers to consistently exhibit wrong signs and acted disrespectfully to the office of the speaker, thus bringing his (speakers) office and integrity of the house to disrepute.

We have seen in the social media how Senator Olujimi claimed that she was in control of this house; this is not so.

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The PDP organogram in Ekiti is very clear. Governor Fayose is our leader; no other leader, anywhere, he said.

We are not bothered about Senator Olujimi because these actions are not personal but directed at maintaining decent and honourable conducts among our members, he added.

Legit.ng earlier reported that some photographs just released by Lere Olayinka, the spokesperson to Governor Ayodele Fayose, shows that the latter had been engaging the grassroots for more than 13 years.

Fayose is currently observing a second term in office as the governor of Ekiti state after he was initially impeached years ago.

Will you vote for Ayodele Fayose if he truly comes out as a presidential candidate?

Source: Legit.ng
- The Africas richest man and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has revealed why he would not contest for Nigerian president in 2019

- The billionaire said he was not ready to give up his freedom for politics

- He, however, said that there is need for businessmen to cooperate with politicians

Africas richest man and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has ruled out possibility of him running for Nigerias presidency in 2019 general elections or in the near future.

New Telegraph reports that Dangote declared that he is not cut out for politics, stating that he is more comfortable with business.

Legit.ng gathered that there have been speculations that Dangote might take a shot at the presidency giving his net worth and influence.

READ ALSO: Ex-MEND leader Asari Dokubo reveals name of Buharis ailment (video)

But Dangote told Bloomberg Markets Magazine that he is not ready to give up his freedom for politics No, Im not interested".

Theres quite a lot we can do from the business side. I enjoy a lot of what I am doing and I also love my freedom and I dont have too much.

The little I have, politics would take away. I am not ready to give that up. There are businessmen who are interested in politics. Im not one of them, he said.

He, however, said there is need for cooperation with politicians.

He said: Well, in Africa, yes, I do think you need politicians. But at the same time, we cannot get things right unless there is good cooperation between politicians and businessmen. Its a win-win. When you look at it today, in Nigeria, over 85 per cent of the GDP is from the private sector.

On whether he is under pressure to make political donations, he said: Well, you know the political donation depends on who you are dealing with and who you are donating money to. But the issue is we dont go and give people in politics money for favours.

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Ive told presidents of countries, Im a contractor, Im running a business, I dont need any favours. And really, when you look at it today, in all our businesses, we dont need any favour. Weve done our numbers. We think this business will work and we dont need government support.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Africas richest man, Aliko Dangote revealed that he plans to invest $800 million in dairy production in Nigeria.

Watch this Legit.ng video and give your suggestion too:

Source: Legit.ng
- A group of Nigerians protesting that President Buhari return or Resume will protest outside his Abuja residence

- The protesters will be outside the Abuja House from 5:00pm Friday till 8:30am on Saturday

The #ResumeorResign protesters are to protest outside President Muhammadu Buhari London residence, popularly called the Abuja House, from Friday to Saturday, August 19.

The protesters claimed to have received a permit and safety barriers from the UK police to conduct their protest.

The protest will reportedly hold all night long and protesters are advised to dress warm as they sit all night outside the president's residence demanding that he resume office or resign immediately.

A Facebook user, Chidi Cali, who posted the information on his page wrote: "London Protest, #Buhari #Resume or #Resign. British Police and Kensington and Chelsea Council has provided safety barriers for our guys. The parking in that road has been suspended for car users. TODAY: 18/08/2017 (5pm) to 19/08/2017 (8:30) 2 Campden Hill, Kensington. W8 7AD. Please dress warm as Temperature will drop below 12 degrees."

READ ALSO: Dangote reveals why he will not contest for president in 2019

Recall that Legit.ng reported that President Buhari left Nigeria for UK on medical vacation on May 7, 2017 after handling over to his deputy.

The president has since spent over hundred days in London without speaking to Nigerians or giving a certain date he intends to return to power.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the conveners of the #ResumeOrResign protest, Charles Oputa, a.k.a Charly Boy and Deji Adeyanju respectively have threatened court actions against Buhari if he fails to resume or resign as Nigerias president within 21 days from August 16, 2017.

The group has equally moved their protests to Lagos state and also continued that in London while calling off their protest in Abuja over what they termed continued attacks on their members by the Nigerian police and alleged governments sponsored hoodlums.

Watch Legit.ng video of Charly Boy leading 'Our Mumu Don Do' protest:

Source: Legit.ng
- NiMets Weather Outlook predicted that the inland cities and coast of the South West are expected to be cloudy during the forecast period

- Central states would have day and night temperatures of 28 to 30 and 22 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively, except Jos with 23 to 17 degrees Celsius

- Northern states will experience localised thunderstorms over places like Nguru, Katsina, Sokoto, Kano and parts of Borno in the morning

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted morning and afternoon localised thunderstorms over the Central States of Abuja, Mambilla Plateau and Minna on Saturday.

NiMets Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Friday in Abuja also predicted localised thunderstorm activities over the entire region in the afternoon and evening hours.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Pastor Adeboye visits Buhari in London

It added that the central states would have day and night temperatures of 28 to 30 and 22 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively, except Jos with 23 to 17 degrees Celsius.

The agency predicted that the inland cities and coast of the South West are expected to be cloudy during the forecast period.

It also predicted that the South East coast would experience isolated cases of rain with day and night temperatures of 27 to 29 and 23 to 24 degree Celsius respectively.

According to NiMet, the northern states will experience localised thunderstorms over places like Nguru, Katsina, Sokoto, Kano and parts of Borno in the morning.

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Later, day and night temperatures of between 29 to 31 and 22 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively were also predicted by NiMet for the day.

Meanwhile, a Nigerian in the video below has urged Nigerians to take control of the own living conditions.

Source: Legit.ng
Yves here. It is enormously frustrating to read posts like this.

On the one hand, the author is correct to say that Paris Accord handwaving is far from enough to address climate change, that serious and coordinated action needs to take place. And that is an extremely tall order, since we already have attained dangerous CO2 levels as a result of advanced economies reaching their current level of development.

On the other hand, emerging economies want their citizens to have first world middle class lifestyleswhich would require the resources of a large integral multiple of what the Earth actually has. And the US has a big role in stoking these desires, since our exports of Hollywood movies showing supposedly middle class people typically better housed than even generally overhoused Americans actually are isnt helpful. Nothing like misplaced international status envy.

The idea that we can somehow have an environmentally responsible Silk Road, now called One Belt One Road, is barmy. China is seeking to construct a massive transportation system and new supply chains. A major objective is to secure the resources needed to move Chinese lifestyles closer to Western levels. That aim in and of itself is destructive. Theres no way to pretend otherwise.

The only hope of steering out of our climate change tailspin is radical energy conservation efforts, pursued with the intensity of war mobilization. Nothing even remotely like that is happening. Pundits like Wolff are part of the problem, not part of the solution.

By Guntram Wolff, the Director of Bruegel. His research focuses on the European economy and governance, on fiscal and monetary policy and global finance. Originally published at Bruegel

The G20 is just about holding together in difficult times, but the worlds leading economies need to make good on their climate promises. Major projects such as Chinas One Belt One Road initiative and the G20 Compact for Africa must incorporate sustainability criteria, or it will be impossible to meet the Paris goals.

After Hamburgs recent G20 meeting, what will remain beyond bitter memories of shameful rioting? There was a remarkable show of unity on trade, Africa, womens empowerment and many other issues. But the G20 was not united on climate change. The United States refused to sign a declaration re-confirming the commitment of the other 19 countries that they would continue to support the Paris agreement. Yet, the US did announce a desire to lower emissions while supporting energy security and helping other countries to use fossil fuels more cleanly and efficiently.

This division in the declaration marks a substantial divergence in declared policy approaches. But even more important than declarations will be actions. The US pledge to help other countries, mostly less-developed countries that are not part of the G20, to use fossil fuels more cleanly should not become a meaningless declaration.

All too often, countries that are in need of basic infrastructure investment, access to power, transport and clean water still turn to cheaper and more readily available 20th century technologies. This means fossil fuels. And every coal power plant built now will be in use for 40 years, contributing to climate change. As urbanisation progresses, it will be of fundamental importance to climate change whether the new cities will have a low or a high carbon footprint. Will their transport system be based on fossil fuel cars, and will they be built in a way requiring major air conditioning or relying on green cooling? These choices will be of central importance for whether the Paris climate agreement goals can be met.

If it wants to achieve the Paris climate goals, the G20 needs to show leadership in helping developing countries to build low carbon infrastructure as they develop. In particular, the role that China plays will be fundamental. Chinas One Belt One Road initiative is probably the largest infrastructure project in the world right now. Its aim is to connect countries across the Asian continent and also Africa and Europe. The infrastructure needs and urbanisation tendencies in the region will be substantial, so incorporating a sustainability element in the One Belt One Road initiative would be an important concrete step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The EU and China could usefully collaborate on this important sustainability dimension of One Belt One Road. Europe has advanced technology that can be easily deployed. European banks could also be interested in becoming co-financers of green investments. Joint leadership on climate change from China and the EU could be a game changer for this large Chinese investment initiative.

The G20 has also agreed on a Compact for Africa, and a sustainability element should also be built into the help that will be granted to private firms investing in African countries. Africa, with its fast growing population, is one of the continents where the future of climate change will be decided. Again, the primary goal should be to deploy renewable energies as infrastructure gets developed. And again, G20 countries need to put words into action. Yet, there may be countries preferring to largely deploy fossil fuels. Ideally, G20 members should encourage these countries to use the most efficient technologies and US support in this regard may be useful.

On the whole, the G20 faces the same challenge as all the party members to the Paris agreement: how to turn bold promises into concrete action. And the need to act is nowhere more urgent that on climate change. Prioritising sustainability in the massive infrastructure investments that the Chinese One Belt One Road and the Compact for Africa may trigger will be of utmost importance to achieve our climate goals.
I am taking advantage of the shutdown of the comments section to run this video. One of the reasons I have done so is the reprehensible amount of low-level and in some cases explicit support for the neo Nazis from some members of the commentariat. And they are neo Nazis. The reporter from Vice, who was embedded in their ranks, did a remarkable job of keeping a poker face and getting them to speak on camera.

What was planned for Charlottesville was not an exercise in free speech. It was an exercise in intimidation of Jews, blacks, and other minorities by men who were armed with guns, bludgeons, and other weapons and bragged about their ability to engage in violence. The headline quote is a boast from the leader of the white supremacists. They used Nazi imagery and Nazi chants. If you cant see the difference between this and the advocacy of views you have no powers of discernment.

As a US lawyer now living in France wrote:

Charlottesville was an incitement to riot. The Europeans I work with were blown away. Not only the neo-Nazis and KKK but also (and especially) the militia. They couldnt believe that ordinary people could buy weapons and walk around like that. One said here in France you might be warned but would more likely be shot on sight by the police or army carrying an assault rifle like that. Considering how many fewer people they shoot on a per-capita basis that says something. I just blasted off a comment, somewhere, that the slippery slope argument is bunk. 1) Germany and France have outlawed hate speech and there still exists lively debate, including hard-right and hard-left politicians; Marine LePen just came in second (she was clobbered in the final election, but even that had nothing to do with speech restrictions: she badly lost a debate), and 2) Inciting a riot is and remains a federal and state crime. I dont like prohibitions on speech but that wasnt speech  they were not trying to make a point. They were there to intimidate and incite violence.

This sort of thing has no business being tolerated in the US. At least 50 million people died in World War II in the war with the Third Reich and its allies, including over 400,000 US servicemen. One of my mothers friends is a Battle of the Bulge survivor. The Holocaust was not limited to Jews, although they were its main target. The Nazis also slaughtered at least 200,000 handicapped people, 1.9 million non-Jewish Poles, one million Slavs, 100,000 homosexuals, 130,000 Roma, and 1000 members of the Roman Catholic clergy.
More than 70 leading medical specialists, nurses, patient advocates, researchers, regulatory / Health Technology Assessment (HTA) experts and industry representatives gathered on 3 May 2017 in Valencia, Spain to discuss existing challenges and what is needed to improve the situation of patients affected by myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). More and better research data, additional and improved clinical trials and treatment options, better professional guidance and enhanced stakeholder collaboration are the keys to improving MDS patient management, the meeting found. It was hosted by MDS-RIGHT, a European Commission-funded international research consortium.

The prevalence of MDS keeps growing and MDS under- and overtreatment are an increasing financial burden on patients and healthcare systems across Europe, explained Prof. Theo de Witte of Radboud university medical center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, who co-ordinates the MDS-RIGHT project. Available treatments for MDS generally do not cure the disease and the average survival of MDS patients is just about 3-4 years, he added. Prof. Pierre Fenaux, hematology specialist at St. Louis Hospital in Paris, France, agreed:

The current treatment situation for MDS patients is unsatisfactory and we urgently need new and better treatment options and also drug combinations for managing MDS.

MDS are a complex group of blood cell disorders, often complicated by severe anemia, a shortage of red blood cells. MDS predominantly affect older people who may be frail or otherwise unable to participate in clinical trials. Because eligible MDS study populations are small and interventional study endpoints do not always fully reflect unmet patient needs, the meeting stressed the importance of conducting more and larger clinical trials and observational studies. MDS patients should be recruited into clinical trials from many countries and MDS research studies should be designed and conducted with greater flexibility and truly reflect the MDS patient perspective. Getting a potentially life-extending treatment is not always the highest priority for all MDS patients; especially when the chances of responding to such treatments are slim, some opt for quality over quantity of life said Sophie Wintrich, Chief Executive and Patient Liaison of the MDS UK Patient Support Group in London, speaking on behalf of the MDS Alliance, a global umbrella organization of national MDS patient groups. Non-response rates are hard to cope with for MDS patients, she added for consideration.

Even well designed MDS trials may not answer all relevant questions, however. The MDS stakeholders argued that clinical trial data should be complemented with additional and specific real-world data on all MDS subtypes, comorbidities, treatment outcomes, health-related quality of life and also health economics. This can be done with the help of robust and well-funded patient registries, such as the European MDS Registry (EUMDS), on which the MDS-RIGHT study is based. Prof. David Bowen, consultant hematologist at St. James's University Hospital in Leeds, United Kingdom and member of a Technology Appraisal Committee of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Health Technology Assessment body for the UK, confirmed:

Real-world data collected and analyzed by EUMDS and MDS-RIGHT constitute a unique resource for informing clinical, industry, regulatory and HTA decisions.

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Up to 50 percent of MDS patients with anemia depend on red blood cell transfusions early after diagnosis. Making the right treatment decisions upfront is therefore crucial to avoid MDS over- and undertreatment along the way. All stakeholders agreed that healthcare professionals treating MDS patients must have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic tools, for example, to carry out molecular analyses, but also to tools for upfront geriatric assessment and for assessing patient- and disease-specific health-related quality of life. These assessments may have a significant impact on treatment decisions and should be done right after diagnosis, rather than after the treatment decision is made, said Corien Eeltink, clinical nurse specialist at VU medical center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The meeting also confirmed the need for better professional guidance for clinical decision-making, based on state-of-the-art therapeutic recommendations on all possible aspects of MDS patient management. Introducing a corresponding new and comprehensive online support platform currently developed by MDS-RIGHT, Prof. Eva Hellstrom-Lindberg, hematology specialist at Karolinska Institute - Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, explained:

This new dynamic and interactive set of online tools will allow healthcare providers to obtain up-to-date and evidence-based clinical practice guidance for a variety of MDS treatment pathways in real time. It will shortly be launched on the MDS-Europe website and can be accessed and used on your personal computer, tablet or smartphone.

The stakeholders finally agreed that substantial progress can only be achieved through increased collaboration. This requires more willingness to jointly generate and share MDS-related evidence, provide cross-border patient support, for example, for participating in clinical studies in other countries, involve more MDS patients in study design and accelerate the development of new MDS treatment options by complementing clinical studies data with real-world data. The newly-established Community section of the MDS-Europe online platform can be used as a tool for stakeholders to keep each other abreast of planned and ongoing projects and to raise and discuss important MDS-related issues that need tackling. The platform will be continuously expanded and everybody interested in helping to improve the situation for MDS patients is welcome to join the online discussion at https://mds-europe.eu/communit y.
Low-Cost Cardiac Screening Advancement Integrates Wavelet Signal Processing Technology to Improve Early Detection of Heart Disease

HeartSciences today announced the European launch of MyoVista high sensitivity electrocardiograph (hsECG) Testing Device, developed in response to the global unmet need for effective, low-cost, front-line screening of cardiac disease in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. MyoVista measures the hearts energy during each heartbeat using a type of advanced signal processing known as Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). Advanced signal processing has revolutionized early detection and predictive accuracy in other applications like weather forecasting. Just as a Doppler radar color image shows the energy of a storm, MyoVista provides physicians a detailed visual image of the energy distribution during the cardiac cycle.

Electrical, structural, and coronary artery disease (CAD) comprise the three main categories of heart disease, but existing ECG technology, which functions essentially in the same way as when first introduced in 1903, has limited effectiveness in detecting structural and CAD. Even though it is the front-line screening tool used by physicians to detect heart disease, conventional resting ECG technology detects CAD less than 50 percent of the time, which leaves a large number of patients who have heart disease undiagnosed. As a result, current healthcare guidance does not recommend use of ECG testing on asymptomatic patients.

Currently, theres a significant diagnostic gap in detecting heart disease early, resulting in a burden on both patients and healthcare systems, said Andrew Simpson, chairman, HeartSciences. We believe MyoVista hsECG could play an important role in achieving the preventative treatment ambitions of many healthcare systems as well as help reduce unnecessary healthcare expenditures.

The application of advanced signal processing technology can assist in closing the diagnostic gap by providing a low-cost, front-line tool which can assist in the early detection of cardiac dysfunction. During the validation trial, MyoVista hsECG technology detected cardiac dysfunction in the resting (diastolic) phase of the cardiac cycle with 88 percent sensitivity and 87 percent specificity. The 200-patient trial assessed the presence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

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Innovation is needed to advance front-line testing of patients for heart disease, said Dr. Partho P. Sengupta, chief of Cardiology and chair of Cardiac Innovation at West Virginia University, and lead investigator on a MyoVista clinical trial. High sensitivity ECG technology holds significant promise for improving the detection of heart disease.

An estimated 17.7 million people died from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 2015, representing 31 percent of all global deaths and with heart disease accounting for the majority of CVD deaths. Costs associated with diagnosing and treating CVD represents the largest expenditure for most health authorities around the world, accounting for nearly 111 billion in direct costs and 99 billion in lost productivity in the European Union, as well as $300 billion in direct costs and $235 billion in lost productivity in the U.S.

It makes sense to use advanced signal processing to create a modern, low-cost, front-line tool to detect heart disease, said Mark Hilz, chief executive officer, HeartSciences. While MyoVista represents a first-of-its-kind application to electrocardiographic testing, advanced signal processing has already enabled key imaging technologies such as computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Doppler echocardiography and positron emission tomography (PET) scans.

MyoVista hsECG uses the same 12-lead, at-rest testing protocol as traditional ECG devices on the market today to help facilitate easy adoption for clinical staff. The difference is that MyoVista is a single test that provides healthcare practitioners with unique informatics, as well as conventional 12-lead resting ECG tracings and conventional ECG interpretive analysis. In combination, these assist identification of cardiac dysfunction related to CAD and structural disease, as well as identifying arrhythmias.

MyoVista hsECG is available across the European Union, where it received the CE (Conformite Europeenne) Mark approval for commercial sale. The company is also in the process of expanding distribution to Australia, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Canada. The device is not currently available for sale or use in the United States. HeartSciences expects to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for MyoVista in 2018.

Source: http://www.heartsciences.com/
A theory that has gained considerable attention in international media, including Newsweek and the CBS broadcast 60 minutes, suggest that antidepressant drugs, such as the SSRIs, do not exert any actual antidepressant effect. A research group at the Sahlgrenska Academy has now analyzed data from clinical trials and can rebut this theory.

According to the challenged hypothesis, the fact that many people medicating with antidepressants regard themselves as improved may be attributed to a placebo effect, i.e. that someone who expects to be improved by a medication often also feels improved, even if the medicine lacks actual effect.

However, if SSRIs had indeed acted merely by means of a placebo effect, these drugs should not outperform actual placebo in clinical trials where patients have been treated with a SSRI or with ineffective placebo pills, and where neither the physician nor the patient knows which treatment the patient has been given until the study is over.

To explain why antidepressants in such trials nevertheless often cause greater symptom relief than placebo, it has been suggested that SSRI-induced side effects will make the patient understand that he or she has not been given placebo, hence enhancing his or her belief of having been given an effective treatment.

The beneficial effect of SSRIs that has been shown in many studies should thus, according to this theory, not be due to the fact that these drugs exert a specific biochemical antidepressant action in the brain, but that the side effects of the drugs enhance a psychological placebo effect.

This theory has been widely disseminated despite the fact that there has never been any robust scientific support for it. Thus, so far, it has never been investigated whether individuals in clinical trials experiencing side effects from antidepressant medication, and for this reason may have guessed that they have not received placebo, also respond more favorably to treatment than those without side effects.

In order to examine the "placebo breaking the blind" theory, a research group at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Gothenburg, Sweden, has now analyzed data from the clinical trials that were once undertaken to establish the antidepressant efficacy of two of the most commonly used SSRIs, paroxetine and citalopram.

The analysis, which comprised a total of 3 344 patients, shows that the two studied drugs are clearly superior to placebo with respect to antidepressant efficacy also in patients who have not experienced any side effects. The theory that antidepressants outperform placebo merely by means of side effects making the patient realizing that he or she has not been given placebo, and hereby enhancing the expectancy of improvement, may hence be rejected.

The researchers conclude that this study, as well as other recent reports from the same group, provides strong support for the assumption that SSRIs exert a specific antidepressant effect. They suggest that the frequent questioning of these drugs in media is unjustified and may make depressed patients refrain from effective treatment.
This AI startup based in Belarus is behind Fabby, a mobile app for Android and iOS with more than 2 million downloads so far that uses artificial intelligence to detect and process images.

4 Reviews

Artificial intelligence might have a long road ahead, but some branches are more developed than the others. Such an area is computer vision, namely the ability of a program to "understand" and process images. AIMatter is a startup that was founded in Belarus and developed a neural network-based AI platform and SDK that can identify and process graphics content on mobile devices, as well as a proof-of-concept app called Fabby that has been downloaded more than 2 million times already.

According to the official AIMatter website, the team is excited to announce they are joining Google. They did not reveal any details, while Google told TechCrunch just that "We are excited to welcome the AIMatter team to Google." and nothing else.

AIMatter currently has offices in Minsk, Zurich, and the Bay Area. For now, it is not clear if the staff will continue working in the present locations or they would need to move around.
Donald J. Trump named as his new campaign chief on Wednesday a conservative media provocateur whose news organization regularly attacks the Republican Party establishment, savages Hillary Clinton and encourages Mr. Trumps most pugilistic instincts.

Mr. Trumps decision to make Stephen K. Bannon, chairman of the Breitbart News website, his campaigns chief executive was a defiant rejection of efforts by longtime Republican hands to wean him from the bombast and racially charged speech that helped propel him to the nomination but now threaten his candidacy by alienating the moderate voters who typically decide the presidency.

It also formally completed a merger between the most strident elements of the conservative news media and Mr. Trumps campaign, which was incubated and fostered in their boisterous coverage of his rise.

Mr. Bannon was appointed a day after the recently ousted Fox News chairman, Roger Ailes, emerged in an advisory role with Mr. Trump. It was not lost on Republicans in Washington that two news executives whose outlets had fueled the anti-establishment rebellion that bedeviled congressional leaders and set the stage for Mr. Trumps nomination were now directly guiding the partys presidential message and strategy.
There is talk of Breitbart bureaus opening in Paris, Berlin and Cairo, spots where the populist right is on the rise. A bigger newsroom is coming in Washington, the better to cover a president-elect whose candidacy it embraced.

Mainstream news outlets are soul-searching in the wake of being shocked by Donald J. Trumps election last week. But the team at Breitbart News, the right-wing opinion and news website that some critics have denounced as a hate site, is elated  and eager to expand on a victory that it views as a profound validation of its cause.

So much of the media mocked us, laughed at us, called us all sorts of names, Alexander Marlow, the sites editor in chief, said in an interview on Sunday. And then for us to be seen as integral to the election of a president, despite all of that hatred, is something that we certainly enjoy, and savor.

Breitbart not only championed Mr. Trump; its chairman, Stephen K. Bannon, helped run his campaign. On Sunday, Mr. Trump named Mr. Bannon as his chief White House strategist and senior counselor, further closing the distance between Breitbarts newsroom and the president-elect.
Even at an hour of grave calamity, Mr. Trump did not want to surrender the pedestal he had built on a racial lie.

More than 100 people had died; thousands of homes, along with hospitals, police and fire stations, water treatment plants, communication hubs and power generators had been wrecked or damaged. Among the places associated with his name (though not actually owned by Mr. Trump), The Trump SoHo New York hotel had no power for four days. Casinos in Atlantic City with the Trump name out front were shut down. Many people in three buildings called, at the time, Trump Place, part of the Riverside South development that was built above a filled-in lagoon, could not go to their jobs downtown.

He gloated about the building where he lived, which he does control and which escaped disruption from the storm, posting on Twitter that people are having a great time in Trump Tower atrium, as Mary Elizabeth Williams noted in Salon at the time.

Many public facilities ruined by the storm were originally built with federal tax money  and, in fact, had already been rebuilt with federal money after earlier disasters.

In Washington, rather than sticking with the same path that led to those mistakes, President Obama asked a group of state and local officials from both major political parties to suggest better plans. They came up with a thoughtful 55-page document, saying that when federal money was being spent, officials should take account of dangerous weather.
Representatives for Uber and Ubers board declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Benchmark declined to comment beyond a statement earlier this week on the litigation. Resorting to litigation was an extremely difficult step for Benchmark, the statement said. Failing to act now would mean endorsing behavior that is utterly unacceptable in any company.

Image Travis Kalanick was ousted as Ubers chief executive in June. Credit... Evan Agostini/Invision, via Evan Agostini, via Invision, via Associated Press

On Thursday, Mr. Kalanick filed his opposition to Benchmarks lawsuit in Delaware Chancery Court, saying in the filing that the case should be subject to arbitration and that there would be a pending motion to dismiss it.

Mr. Kalanick argued that Benchmarks suit stemmed from a public and personal attack on him. He said that Benchmark outwardly supported him through May before executing a secret plan to oust him at the most shameful of times, less than two weeks after the funeral of his mother, who had died in a boating accident. Benchmark could not demonstrate a threat of imminent irreparable harm to Uber if he stayed on the companys board, Mr. Kalanick said in the filing.

What we consider before using anonymous sources. Do the sources know the information? Whats their motivation for telling us? Have they proved reliable in the past? Can we corroborate the information? Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. Learn more about our process.

Benchmark, which was founded in 1995, has developed a reputation for prescient start-up investments. It rode the late 1990s dot-com boom by backing companies like eBay and Palm. The company is also known for its network of influential tech executives, including Meg Whitman, the chief executive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

But Benchmark has been involved in disputes with entrepreneurs, sometimes leading to legal trouble. In 2005, most of the founders of a start-up called Epinions, which Benchmark had invested in, sued the firm and one of its partners, Bill Gurley, among others, accusing them of withholding information in an ownership deal. The suit was eventually settled.

Silicon Valleys memory of such episodes was often short because of Benchmarks success. The firm, which invested $5 million in the e-commerce company eBay, reaped a 50,000 percent return when it went public in 1998. Twitter, Zillow and New Relic were also lucrative investments. More recently, a $21 million investment that Benchmark made in Snap became worth more than $2 billion when the social media company went public in March.
Antifa adherents  some armed with sticks and masked in bandannas  played a visible role in the running street battles in Charlottesville, but it is impossible to know how many people count themselves as members of the movement. Its followers acknowledge it is secretive, without official leaders and organized into autonomous local cells. It is also only one in a constellation of activist movements that have come together in the past several months to the fight the far right.

Driven by a range of political passions  including anticapitalism, environmentalism, and gay and indigenous rights  the diverse collection of anarchists, communists and socialists has found common cause in opposing right-wing extremists and white supremacists. In the fight against the far right, antifa has allied itself at times with local clergy, members of the Black Lives Matter movement and grass-roots social-justice activists. It has also supported niche groups like Black Bloc fighters, who scrapped with right-wing forces in Berkeley this year, and By Any Means Necessary, a coalition formed more than two decades ago to protest Californias ban on affirmative action for universities.

George Ciccariello-Maher, a professor at Drexel University in Philadelphia who counts himself as both an antifa follower and a scholar of the movement, said it did not have a single origin story. The group has antecedents in Europe, especially Germany and Italy, where its early followers traded shots with Nazis in the 1930s and fought against Benito Mussolinis Blackshirts. Its more recent history has roots in the straight-edge punk rock music scene, the anti-globalization protests of the 1990s and the Occupy Wall Street movement.

The closest thing antifa may have to a guiding principle is that ideologies it identifies as fascistic or based on a belief in genetic inferiority cannot be reasoned with and must be physically resisted. Its adherents express disdain for mainstream liberal politics, seeing it as inadequately muscular, and tend to fight the right through what they call direct actions rather than relying on government authorities.

When you look at this grave and dangerous threat  and the violence it has already caused  is it more dangerous to do nothing and tolerate it, or should we confront it? Frank Sabate said. Their existence itself is violent and dangerous, so I dont think using force or violence to oppose them is unethical.

Another antifa activist, Asha, 28, from Philadelphia, who also declined to give her full name, said that when people advocate for genocide and white supremacy, that is violence. She added, If we just stand back, we are allowing them to build a movement whose end goal is genocide.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  Tadrint R. Washington is not one to attend protests. So when she and her sister, heading home from a friends house in a 2005 Toyota Camry, neared the site of a white supremacy rally last Saturday, she was stunned. She saw a sea of white faces. But they were chanting, Black lives matter.

Stuck in traffic, Ms. Washington, who is African-American, pulled out her phone and began to snap photographs. It was something to look at, so many white people, more than our race, out there, trying to protest, fighting for us, she recalled.

It was in the midst of this moment of gleeful surprise that the reality of what they were fighting for hit home: a Dodge Challenger driven by an Ohio man slammed into the back of her car, sending her hard against the steering wheel  and catapulting her into a national debate on race relations in America.

Ms. Washingtons car was pushed into a van in front of her. A woman in a green shirt lay on her cars windshield. Another woman, Heather D. Heyer, was on the ground to the side of the Toyotas rear, dying. Strands of what was apparently Ms. Heyers red hair clung to the trunk of Ms. Washingtons car.
BRIDGEWATER, N.J.  James Murdoch, the chief executive of 21st Century Fox and the son of a frequent ally of President Trumps, condemned the presidents performance after the violence in Charlottesville, Va., and pledged to donate $1 million to the Anti-Defamation League.

In an email on Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times and confirmed as authentic by a spokesman for Mr. Murdochs company, the Fox scion gave an extraordinarily candid statement against the white supremacist sentiment that swept through Virginia last weekend. It was also the most outspoken that a member of the Murdoch family has been in response to the weeks events.

Mr. Murdochs father, Rupert Murdoch, is a conservative media mogul who has become an informal adviser to Mr. Trump, recently dining with the president in the White House residence. The younger Mr. Murdoch has been less outspoken about his political views, making the email even more surprising.
On Friday, Mr. Trump is convening his staff at Camp David to deliberate over the policy, which the defense secretary, Jim Mattis, once promised would be finished by the middle of last month.

Mr. Bannon pressed Mr. Mattis to consider the use of private contractors in a one-on-one meeting at the Pentagon last month. He sharply challenged proposals drawn up by the national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, for the United States to keep several thousand troops based in Afghanistan and to work closely with the Afghan central government.

Speaking to reporters this week, Mr. Mattis said the idea of using contractors  which was developed by two outside businessmen, Erik D. Prince and Stephen A. Feinberg, at the behest of Mr. Bannon  was part of the options being considered.

Mr. Mattis added, The presidents open to the advice of the secretary of state, and myself and the director of the C.I.A.  a peculiar assertion to make, given that those three officials are traditionally the top-ranking members of the presidents national security team.

General McMaster has become Mr. Bannons nemesis in the West Wing, the leader of what Mr. Bannon has described to colleagues as the globalist empire project  a bipartisan foreign policy consensus that emphasizes active American engagement around the world.

Mr. Bannon flatly rejects that philosophy. During the presidential transition, he was spotted in an airport by a New York Times reporter carrying a copy of The Best and the Brightest, David Halberstams book about Americas misadventure in Vietnam. Im having everyone in the transition read it, he said.

Once Mr. Trump was in office, Mr. Bannon opposed the missile strike on Syria after President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on his own people. He has expressed doubts about sending more troops to Syria or Iraq. He is skeptical of American military intervention in strife-torn Venezuela, a prospect raised last week by Mr. Trump, who surprised administration officials by speaking of a military option there.
Within hours of the rampage in Barcelona on Thursday, President Trump urged those who seek to combat terrorism to study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught.

There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years! he added in his Twitter post.

The White House did not respond to a request to clarify what should be studied. However, Mr. Trump has previously referred to a long-debunked fable about how Gen. John J. Black Jack Pershing crushed a rebellion in the predominantly Muslim Moro Province of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War.

During a February 2016 campaign stop in South Carolina, Mr. Trump claimed that Pershing captured 50 terrorists and shot all but one with bullets smeared in pigs blood.

The survivor was ordered to spread the tale of the episode, Mr. Trump said, And for 25 years, there wasnt a problem. (Mr. Trumps tweet on Thursday added 10 years to this alleged peace.)
NAIROBI, Kenya  The American ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki R. Haley, on Thursday urged the organization to go beyond its inquiry into the killings of two investigators in the Democratic Republic of Congo, saying that the U.N. report amounted to only a first step in tracking down those responsible.

The United Nations issued a report on Wednesday that largely absolved the organization from responsibility over the deaths, in March, of Michael J. Sharp, an American, and Zaida Catalan, a citizen of Sweden and Chile. The report concluded that the two had ignored security measures available to them while they conducted their investigations. It also implied that they lacked experience.

The murder of U.N. experts  especially like Michael and Zaida, who risked their own lives in order to help others  cannot end in a bureaucratic procedure, Ms. Haley said in a statement. She reiterated American demands for a full investigation.

There is simply no other appropriate course of action, she said.

The deaths of Mr. Sharp, 34, and Ms. Catalan, 36, raised questions about the United Nations and its work in the most dangerous places in the world. Almost two months passed before the United Nations even assembled a panel to look into what went wrong, and its members traveled to Congo only in early June.
WARSAW  Recent episodes of rage and bloodshed over the removal of Confederate statues in the United States have a familiar ring for Europeans, who have been battling over their historical narratives and tearing down statues of noxious former leaders since the Bronze Age  and probably before.

There are some similarities between what is happening in Poland and what is happening in the United States, said Antoni Dudek, a contemporary historian and board member at Polands Institute of National Remembrance, created after the fall of communism to document the totalitarian crimes of the past.

The argument about monuments, which should be resolved mostly between historians and citizens, has become a substitute for everyday political fights, he said. The same goes for the States now that President Trump has joined the debate. Suddenly, the argument got much more intense.

Under legislation passed in June, Polands right-wing government has given local officials and landowners just one year to remove all public monuments and memorials that pay tribute to persons, organizations, events or dates symbolizing communism or other totalitarian systems. About 500 have been identified, almost all from the Communist era as the Soviets had already removed Nazi ones.
BAGHDAD  The Pentagon is seeking to declassify strike targets in Mosul where American bombs did not explode, Defense Department officials say. That information would be used as part of a long and potentially dangerous effort to make the city, the site of eight months of fierce fighting between the Islamic State and an American-led coalition, livable again.

Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, the commander of the campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, said Thursday that he was looking for a way to lift longstanding rules that keep secret, for 25 years, the exact coordinates of unexploded ordnance.

Humanitarian groups and ordnance removal specialists on the ground in West Mosul have reported that the city is littered with booby traps and improvised explosive devices left by Islamic State fighters, in addition to dozens, and possibly hundreds, of so-called dud bombs that were dropped by United States warplanes but never exploded.

ISIS used the planting of I.E.D.s as literally a weapons system to make it as difficult as they could for Iraqis to return home, said David T. Johnson, vice president for strategic development and Washington operations with Janus Global Operations, which works with the United States on ordnance removal. Islamic State fighters booby-trapped West Mosul to a degree that people in our business have not seen before, Mr. Johnson said in an interview.
The title refers to a circular lake adjacent to the project site; the 1993 park was designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh and Stanley Saitowitz. The lake is a perfect mirror, but our circle is rough and diffuse, Mr. Aranda said.

Reactions have varied. I had one guy come by and say, May they rest in peace, Mr. Aranda said, laughing. Any time you work with stone, youll get these graveyard comparisons, and thats O.K. Stonehenge was another popular point of comparison.

Kelly Lazzell, a nursing student, came past the partly complete Another Circle as she walked her dogs. At first I thought, another construction project, she said, but she warmed to the concept when she was told that some of the stones were positioned as backrests so that people could sit on the grass and watch movies.

That people have vastly different interpretations of art and design was not lost on Mr. Aranda. One of the most interesting things about doing the project here is that its deeply divided politically  its purple, he said. You have to shoot for a universal message, and thats more challenging.

The atomization of the elements in Another Circle seemed to reflect the trajectory of design  and the rest of the culture  since the days of soaring, confident, Saarinen-style modernism.

As Mr. Aranda put it: The world is broken. What do we do with the pieces?
Observing him over the course of a jam-packed week here  with two opera premieres; a variety of high-level concerts; and a schedule loaded with meetings  offered a glimpse of what it takes to run one of classical musics most important festivals. Last Tuesday, the morning of the Wozzeck premiere, he sat down with festival staff members and discussed the week ahead

The premiere of Verdis Aida two nights earlier, starring Anna Netrebko singing the title role for the first time and Riccardo Muti conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, had gone smoothly. The new production of Shostakovichs Lady Macbeth of Mtensk, starring Nina Stemme and conducted by Mariss Jansons, had proved such a success that the festivals broadcasting partners were scrambling to add it to their lineups. And a few days earlier Peter Sellars had personally directed the telecast of his modern truth-and-reconciliation-themed production of Mozarts La Clemenza di Tito, apparently employing a somewhat improvisational style that kept the crew in the control booth on their toes.

When the meeting wrapped up, Mr. Hinterhauser briefly escaped to do what he seems to like best: hang out with the artists he has invited to Salzburg.

He set out in search of Patricia Kopatchinskaja, who was giving a talk about the Berg Violin Concerto she was to perform at the festival, and found her just as she was describing how difficult it is to play the violin. Its not the piano  you just press a key and get the sound, she explained.
Did your father work in a coal mine?

Actually, [he was] dynamiting the tunnels through some of the Smokies. They made it a coal mine to make it more dramatic, but it happened that daddy almost died, and we felt that it was a miracle that he survived.

And what about the Painted Lady?

This lady was the town tramp, and I thought she was the most beautiful person Id ever seen when we were little kids. Everybody would say, Oh, shes nothing but trash. And I thought, Well, thats what Im going to grow up to be. Shes the lady that I actually patterned myself after because she left an impression. It was only years later that I found out that she was the local prostitute, so to speak. We thought it would be some way that I could be in the movie myself as a grown-up. Who better looking like a town tramp than me? That wasnt a stretch.

Youve said that in high school you were voted least likely to succeed. Last spring the University of Tennessee offered a history honors course titled Dollys America. How did that feel?
Seth Meyers dug into the continuing fallout from Mr. Trumps comments on Charlottesville, and what they mean for his staff. But first, he got in one sucker punch.

Axios today published a list of groups that President Trump has alienated during his first seven months of office. And now the world is out of paper.  SETH MEYERS

And Now, Jokes That Have Nothing to Do With Trump

Youre not the only one whos grown desperate for more of these.

Hillary Clinton is coming out with a book called What Happened. Yeah, out of habit, Bill Clinton immediately came out with his own book: Baby, I Can Explain. Hes come out with that book 700 times.  CONAN OBRIEN A man in Texas accused of having sex with a chain-link fence failed to appear in court last week and is now on the run from police. Which is weird, because it sounds like he would have a great time in the prison yard.  SETH MEYERS

The Punchiest Punchlines (Well-Reasoned Edition)

A song which consists of nearly 10 minutes of silence has made it to the top 50 purchases on the iTunes charts. Said Mike Pence, This rocks!  SETH MEYERS President Trump said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns choice to not attack Guam was a wise and well-reasoned decision. Yeah, Trump said, Someday, Im going to make one of those.  CONAN OBRIEN

The Bits Worth Watching

From Brian to Brain to SoupyMcSoupFace.
There was a surreal decade, starting in 1994, when fans confused Matt LeBlanc with his Friends alter ego, Joey Tribbiani: a flailing actor with voracious appetites who was also kind of dumb.

So when David Crane, a creator of the show, and his partner, Jeffrey Klarik, pitched a new series, Episodes, to Mr. LeBlanc several years later, he was initially concerned: They wanted him to play a character named Matt LeBlanc  like himself, only a jerk.

I was like: Im playing myself? I dont know what that means. How close to the real me? he recalled. I wasnt sure just how damaged he was going to be. (Apparently not too damaged to earn four Emmy nominations and win a Golden Globe.)

Episodes, whose fifth and final season begins Sunday, Aug. 20, on Showtime, follows a couple of British television writers (played by Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan) whose award-winning sitcom about the headmaster of an elite boys school is given the Hollywood treatment  including a starring role for Mr. LeBlanc. And in no time their erudite comedy is as dumbed-down and tattered as an overused CliffsNotes guide.
Netflix brings some familiar superheroes together for a singular purpose in its latest Marvel series. And two news programs investigate white supremacists in the United States.

Whats Streaming

MARVELS THE DEFENDERS on Netflix. The franchise combines the main characters of four previous Netflix series  Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and Iron Fist (Finn Jones)  into a super crime-fighting team. But Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez, the shows creators, are not just juggling personalities and plot points, Mike Hale wrote in The New York Times. Theyre trying to mesh four different tones, styles, rhythms, color palettes, music philosophies and acting styles. And they do an impressive job about half the time. With the superheroes needing equal screen time and a reason to come together, theres a lot of getting-to-know-you and heres-what-were-doing talk in the early episodes, and not a lot of action or emotion. And it would help if the show had a better villain. But The Defenders perks up whenever Ms. Ritter is on screen, Mr. Hale added, and comes alive when Scott Glenn shows up as the no-nonsense sensei, Stick.
Six new paperbacks to check out this week.

THE FIRE THIS TIME: A New Generation Speaks About Race. Edited by Jesmyn Ward. (Scribner, $16.) With James Baldwins The Fire Next Time as a lodestar, this collection examines the past, present and future of blackness in the United States, including poems and essays from Claudia Rankine, Isabel Wilkerson, Natasha Trethewey and Edwidge Danticat, among other authors.

CAPITAL IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, by Thomas Piketty. Translated by Arthur Goldhammer. (Belknap/Harvard University, $19.95.) A French economist analyzes centuries of wealth distribution and social trends  particularly as money is concentrated in the hands of fewer and fewer elites  and predicts outcomes, with sobering results: destabilized democracies and ever-wider inequalities. Piketty offers solutions, including the imposition of a wealth tax.

LIFT: Fitness Culture, From Naked Greeks and Acrobats to Jazzercise and Ninja Warriors, by Daniel Kunitz. (Harper Wave/HarperCollins, $15.99.) In this cultural history, Kunitz covers nearly everything tied to evolving ideals of fitness and physique across the world, from a declining interest in physical training as Christianity spread to feminisms role in setting off a gym craze in the United States.

THE CHOSEN ONES, by Steve Sem-Sandberg. Translated by Anna Paterson. (Picador, $18.) A Swedish writer examines the horrors of a clinic in Vienna, Am Spiegelgrund, which during the 1940s killed nearly 800 children as part of a Nazi program. The children of Sem-Sandbergs novel were selected for death, and the narrative details the unspeakable horrors they endured; the central figure, Adrian Ziegler  a child based on a real person  survives this torture, and the story follows him decades after the war.
The Alexievich of The Unwomanly Face of War is not all that different from the hundreds of women she interviews. After decades of the war being remembered by men writing about men, she aims to give voice to an aging generation of women who found themselves dismissed not just as storytellers but also as veterans, mothers and even potential wives. There was no one I could tell that I had been wounded, that I had a concussion, a former antiaircraft artillery commander recalls of life after the war. Try telling it, and who will give you a job then, who will marry you? We were silent as fish. Two male veterans Alexievich meets on a train debate the merits of front-line women. Those were brave, extraordinary girls, one says. The other agrees: How could I have bad feelings about them? But could you marry your brother?

Alexievich gives the lie to any assumption that war need be an unwomanly business. Even as her subjects themselves tend to hold traditional views of femininity, they make the point that their beauty, their empathy and their ability to provoke compassion in others gave them special advantages in wartime. He told me that my smile brought him back to life, from the other world, as they say.  A womans smile, a surgeon says about a soldier she met again after the war. Maria Smirnova, one of the books many medics who managed to survive years of dragging the bodies of wounded troops from under fire, recalls how the German and Soviet guns both went silent while she entered a no-mans-land to rescue an artillerist.

Image Everyone to the Struggle Against Fascism! Credit... Universal History Archive/UIG, via Getty Images

Yet what ultimately felt to them like a mans world of war later forced Alexievichs women to struggle to recognize themselves. I had to learn to be tender. To be weak and fragile. But my feet were used to size 10 boots, a sniper recalls of resuming civilian life. Fitting in as Soviet women after the experience of conflict proved much more difficult than simply exchanging a uniform for a dress. The returning partisan Raissa Khosenevich remembers being unable to hold back when the son she had long been separated from told her his mother was dead. Why dont you recognize your mama? she asked the boy. He rushed to me. Papa!! I was wearing mens clothes and a hat. Then he hugged me and screamed, Mama!!!

Alexievich has described her lifelong project as a history of human feelings. But here it is her subjects who set the agenda by shading in the facts with their own kaleidoscope of emotions and sensations. One medic says that her war has three smells: blood, chloroform and iodine. War has a color, too, though if for a sapper it is the black, yellow, clayey color of earth, the consensus is more generally that war is blood-red. The color of blood remains so painfully resonant for another medic that she avoids it like the plague. I sewed a blouse from a piece of red cloth, and by the next day some sort of red spots had spread all over my hands, she says. Even now I have nothing red in my house.
THE LITTLE FRENCH BISTRO

By Nina George

311 pp. Crown. $26.

A FRENCH WEDDING

By Hannah Tunnicliffe

304 pp. Doubleday. $26.95.

Just as les grandes vacances are winding down, two romantic novels take readers on redemption romps along Frances briny Breton coast. The escapades in The Little French Bistro by Nina George and A French Wedding by Hannah Tunnicliffe track the reinventions of two very different protagonists: one an unhappily married German housewife whose stingy husband reproaches her for buying expensive Champagne on their anniversary; the other a faded rock star celebrating his 40th birthday and keen to finally marry his best friend. Both lonely hearts are looking for love when they land in their Breton versions of La France Profonde.

The Little French Bistro begins on Pariss Pont Neuf, seconds before Marianne Messmann hoists herself into the Seine in a desperate attempt to abandon 41 years of marital misery. Despite her resolve to give up, however, a blue-eyed, homeless Frenchman rescues her onto the quai and initiates her inward awakening. In the hospital, after her cruel and self-absorbed husband dismisses her as clinically depressed, Marianne stumbles upon a tile painted with a maritime scene of the French port of Kerdruc. The picture inspires her realization that her life has consisted mostly of unlived moments, and she musters the courage to flee her current entrapment and seek long-awaited fulfillment in the idyllic French town.

Image

Upon stepping off the moored boat onto its shores, Marianne encounters a village of characters who regularly convene at a bistro called the Ar Mor. Each local has his or her own cross to bear: Emile and his wife suffer from Parkinsons and dementia, respectively; Yann Game, the aforementioned tiles handsome artist, cowers from his own potential greatness, according to Colette, the middle-aged galleriste. Then there is Laurine, a naive and beautiful waitress who has captured the heart of Jean-Remy, the restaurants chef; Paul and Simon, two wise if washed-up old friends; and Madame Ecollier, the establishments bossy proprietor. Marianne doesnt speak French, but she manages to get a cooking job at the Ar Mor after saving Jean-Remy from oversalting his stew, applying skills from her decades-long domesticity.
The people who are circled are no longer at the White House.

White House staff members were sworn in on Jan. 22, 2017, in the East Room. Photo by Al Drago/The New York Times

This is just a fraction of the total departures. Visit this page to see all of the top Trump administration officials who have left, both from the White House and cabinet agencies.
From Paul Craig Roberts Website

The liberal/progressive/left are enjoying their drunkfest of denunciation. I can't say I have ever witnessed anything like it. These are the people who sat on their hands for 16 years while Washington destroyed in whole or part seven countries. Not being satisfied with this level of warmongering and crimes against humanity, Washington orchestrated a conflict situation with Russia. Americans elected a president who said he would defuse this dangerous conflict, and the liberal/progressive/left turned on him. In contrast, one person is killed after the hated Charlottesville protest event was over, and there is endless absurd outrage against the president of the US.

Three New York Times presstitutes yesterday blamed the crisis on Trump, declaring him "increasingly isolated in a racial crisis of his own making." Apparently, Trump is responsible for the crisis because he blamed both protest groups for the violence.

But isn't that what happened? Wasn't there violence on both sides? That was the impression I got from the news reporting. I'm not surprised that Trump got the same impression. Indeed, many readers have sent emails that they received the same impression of mutual violence.

So Trump is being damned for stating the truth.

Let's assume that the impression Trump and many others got from the news is wrong. That would make Trump guilty of arriving at a mistaken conclusion. Yet, he is accused of instigating and supporting Nazi violence. How is it possible to transform a mistake into evil intent? A mistaken impression gained from news reporting does not constitute a "defense of white nationalist protesters." An assertion by the New York Times cannot turn the absence of intent into intent. What the Establishment is trying to do is to push Trump into the arms of white supremacists, which is where they want him.

Clearly, there is no basis for this charge. It is a lie, an orchestration that is being used to delegitimize President Trump and those who elected him.

The question is: who is behind this orchestration?

The orchestration is causing people to run away from Trump or is being used as an excuse by them to further the plot to remove him from office.

Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum headed by Stephen A. Schwarzman ran away, just as members of the Carter Center's board deserted President Jimmy Carter when he criticized Israel for its apartheid policy toward the Palestinians. The New York Times says that the armed services chiefs are running away. And the entire Republican Party.

The hypocrisy is stunning. For 16 years the armed services chiefs, the New York Times and the rest of the presstitute media, both political parties and the liberal/progressive/left have participated actively or passively in massive crimes against humanity. There are millions of dead, maimed, and displaced people. Yet one death in Charlottesville has produced a greater outpouring of protest.

I don't believe it is sincere. I don't believe that people who are insensitive to the deaths of millions at the hands of their government can be so upset over the death of one person. Assume that Trump is responsible for the death of the woman. How much blood is it compared to the blood on the hands of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama? It seems clear enough that the outpouring of grief is an orchestration designed to deligitimize the president and the people who elected him. We are now experiencing at home what the Obama regime inflicted on Ukraine, with the support of course of the liberal/progressive/left just as John Wight said in CounterPunch.

Just as the majority of the Maiden protesters had no idea they were being used, the same is the case for the majority of those protesting the false charge against Trump. For most of the liberal/progressive/left, the hatred of Trump and white nationalists that they are expressing is a reflexive result of the Identity Politics with which they are imbued.

Any objective reading of the situation has to conclude that the hate with which Trump and the "deplorables" who elected him are being covered far exceeds in amount the hate expressed by the white nationalists.

Members of the liberal/progressive/left are proclaiming that despicable people such as white nationalists should not be allowed to protest and should not be given a permit to protest. They forget that protest is a right.

The US Supreme Court settled the issue 40 years ago in 1977 by overturning an Illinois court order that blocked an extremist protest in Skokie, a Jewish suburb of Chicago. The Supreme Court ruled that protest is not limited by the fact that some people will be offended or by the chance that there will be violent reactions. Otherwise, whatever faction happens to be in charge can suppress dissent by everyone else.

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From Palestine Chronicle



Israeli soldiers drive residents of Al-Araqeeb out of their village.

(Image by (Photo: Oren Ziv, ActiveStills file)) Details DMCA



On August 1, the Palestinian Bedouin village of Al-Araqeeb was destroyed for the 116th time. As soon as Israeli bulldozers finished their ugly deed and soldiers began evacuating the premises, the village resident immediately began rebuilding their homes.

Twenty-two families, or about 101 residents, are estimated to live here. By now, they are all familiar with the painful routine, considering the first round of destruction took place in July 2010.

It means that the village has been destroyed nearly 17 times per year, since then. And every single time, it was rebuilt, only to be destroyed again.

If the repeated destruction of the village is an indication of Israel's stubborn insistence to uproot Palestine's Bedouins, the rebuilding is indicative of the tenacity of the Bedouin community in Palestine.

But Al-Araqeeb is only symbolic of that historic fight.

It would be no exaggeration to state that there is a war waged by Israel against Palestinian Bedouins. The aim is to destroy their culture and to force them into townships similar to those of Apartheid South Africa.

The geographic space of that war extends from the Negev desert to the Southern Hebron Hills to Jerusalem.

The epicenter of the ongoing fight is the village of Al-Araqeeb. Not only has Israel destroyed Al-Araqeeb numerous times in violation of international law, it actually delivers a bill to the homeless residents expecting them to cover the cost of the very ruins wrought by the Israeli state.

According to latest estimates, the families that live in makeshift huts and rely on rudimentary means to survive, are expected to pay up a bill of 2 million shekels, around $600,000.

Israel dubs Al-Araqeeb, along with 35 villages in the Negev, as "unrecognized" by the Israeli government's master plan, thus they must be erased, and their population driven into townships made for the Bedouins.

However, these villages are older than Israel itself, and any such "master plan" could have easily considered this existing reality. However, what Israeli truly labors to achieve is to replace the Bedouins with its own Jewish population, as it has tirelessly done for seven decades.

Palestinian Bedouins are known for their tenacity. They fully fathom the history and plight of their ancestors, where generation after generation were ethnically cleansed and exiled to refugee camps outside Palestine, or forcibly removed to other areas. Today's Bedouin communities refuse to be subjected to that same fate again.

The Israeli plan to ethnically cleanse the Bedouins of the Negev is no different from the plan to colonize the West Bank, Judaize the Galilee and Palestinian East Jerusalem. All such efforts always culminate in the same routine -- of removing the Arabs and replacing them with Israeli Jews.

In 1965, Israel passed the Planning and Building Law which recognized some Palestinian Arab villages in the Galilee and southern Negev, but excluded others. Nearly 100,000 Bedouin were forcibly removed to "Planned Townships" to endure economic neglect and poverty. Many refused to be moved and, since then, have fought a protracted war to survive and maintain a semblance of their culture and way of life.

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From The Guardian

The Department of Justice wants 1.3 million IP addresses of people who visited distruptj20.org. Is reading about protest illegal now?

In an unprecedented and dangerous move, Donald Trump's justice department is threatening to violate the first and fourth amendment rights of over a million people by issuing an overboard surveillance request aimed at identifying alleged anti-Trump protesters.

The justice department is demanding that web hosting provider DreamHost hand over, among many other things, 1.3m IP addresses -- essentially everyone who has ever visited an anti-Trump protest site called disruptj20.org that was organizing protests surrounding Trump inauguration in January.

Dream Host revealed the surveillance demand on Monday on their blog, also saying they were going to court to challenge the order. Dream Host called it "a strong example of investigatory overreach and a clear abuse of government authority" and explained that the "information could be used to identify any individuals who used this site to exercise and express political speech protected under the Constitution."

As the Guardian noted on Monday, the justice department has already "aggressively prosecuted activists arrested during the 20 January protests in Washington DC," at one point in April indicting "more than 217 people with identical crimes, including felony rioting."

This includes many people who claim they were just in the vicinity of property damage and had nothing to do with it -- and even some journalists. There is also solid public evidence that Facebook received some extraordinary legal orders related to the events as well and are fighting them in court.

Here's how the website disruptj20.org described its mission:

"We're planning a series of massive direct actions that will shut down the Inauguration ceremonies and any related celebrations -- the Inaugural parade, the Inaugural balls, you name it. We're also planning to paralyze the city itself, using blockades and marches to stop traffic and even public transit. And hey, because we like fun, we're even going to throw some parties."

Now, it's possible the site's operators were suggesting they were planning on engaging in at least some civil disobedience that the government would consider illegal. But, as EFF's Mark Rumold said on Monday: "This [the website] is pure first amendment advocacy -- the type of advocacy the first amendment was designed to protect and promote."

Click Here to Read Whole Article
Readings for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time: IS 56:1, 6-7; PS 67: 2-3, 5, 6, 8; ROM 11: 13-15, 20-32; MT 15: 21-28.

"Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon." Those are the words addressed to Jesus in today's gospel reading. They come from a woman whom the evangelist, Matthew, remembers as "Syrophonecian".

An uncharacteristically narrow-minded Jesus has his own name for the woman and her daughter. He calls them "dogs" -- b_tches, really. That's the term for female dogs, isn't it?

We'll come back to that in a moment.

For now, note that "Syrophonecian" meant the woman was not a Jew. She was a native or inhabitant of Phoenicia when it was part of the Roman province of Syria. She was living near the twin cities of Tyre and Sidon -- a gentile or non-Jewish region of the Fertile Crescent where Matthew takes trouble to locate today's episode. That would have made Jesus' petitioner what we call a "Palestinian" today.

No doubt you're surprised at Jesus' rough and disrespectful language towards the woman and her child. I am.

As I said, at first he gives no reply at all; he ignores the two females completely. If Matthew's account is accurate, in his silence Jesus showed himself to be captive to his own cultural norms. It was inconceivable in Hellenistic antiquity for a strange woman to directly approach a man the way the woman in this story did. Above all, it was so for a non-Jewish woman to directly address a Jewish man. In other words, Jesus' silence shows him a captive to his patriarchal "honor culture."

But then, as I said, it gets worse. When the woman insists, Jesus implicitly at least uses that term that women find so offensive. He says, "I have been sent for the lost children of Israel ... it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to a pair of b_tches."

Is that a sneer I see on Jesus' face?

In any case, the reply seems out of character for Jesus. In fact, such dissonance has led many scholars to reject the saying as inauthentic -- or as though Jesus were only pretending to be hard to test the woman's faith. Whatever the case, Jesus' words only echo the rabbinic saying of the time, "He who eats with idolaters is like one who eats with a dog."

Can't get much more chauvinist than that, can you? Foreigners' religions are nothing but "idolatry." Foreigners themselves are filthy animals.

Do you know anybody that thinks like that? I mean, we still haven't outgrown such narrowness, and disrespect any more than this stony Jesus apparently had.

But then the woman disarms the Master completely, even as he turns his back on her. Listen to her words. Unfazed in her desperation before this peasant faith healer, she blurts out, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."

Silence.

We can almost see Jesus stop in his tracks. He shakes his head ruefully and turns back. We can almost hear him stifle a laugh as he exclaims, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."

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By now most observant Americans can see that Donald Trump simply can't carry out the functions of the office of the president; and that he has a very difficult time controlling his emotions, showing clear signs of instability. His behavior is quite unpredictable and he quickly reacts to situations that displease him with extreme anger.

He shows no ability or desire to work closely with Congress to create legislation necessary to deal with the many problems facing this country. His misguided attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare was a total disaster. It's apparent he has no idea on how to move forward on the issues of infrastructure, tax and trade reform, and job creation. .

Does anyone think that someone who is so consumed by anger, plus a great deal of hatred, could possibly function as president of a country burdened with such a stagnant economy and a vast, convoluted military establishment? Someone who could be creative, innovative and an effective problem solver?

His instability can best be illustrated by his constant tweets laced with insults, whereby he vents his extreme anger at those who question any of his policies and actions. He wastes a tremendous amount of time attacking the media, its reporters, and TV news hosts, time that he should be spending on, and it pains me to repeat this, "Making America great again."

Therefore, for the good of this country, the Congress must think very seriously about removing him from the White House. There are two ways by which the Constitution allows this to be done by Congress; first by initiating impeachment procedures and, secondly, by exercising the provisions of Article 4 of the 25th Amendment

Let's discuss impeachment:

The Constitution states, "The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office by Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery , or other H igh Crimes and Misdemeanors."

That's something that this country needs when the occasion calls for it but I don't think it goes far enough. I wonder why there is no similar provision and procedure to remove a president if that individual has proven to be entirely incapable of carrying out the duties of the presidency; in a situation in which a president is grossly incompetent or is mentally incapable of performing those duties.

If that were possible, removing a president in that way would not be easy to do because it is a judgment call; but by the use of close observations and accumulation of solid evidence, a special panel of U.S. senators and representatives could initiate impeachment proceedings based on incompetence or mental instability.

Let's explore the second way that exists to remove a president which is through Article 4 of the 25thAmendment. This time.com article states that "Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President."

It is not likely that a sitting Vice-President and the members of a president's cabinet would actually transmit such a request to Congress as the basis for a president's removal; that's never happened and likely never will; that is, unless some president gets completely out of control and poses a danger to the country. On second thought maybe, just maybe, that could happen in the case of Trump.

What often goes unnoticed in Article 4 is the part that states, "or of such other body as Congress may by law provide," This statement gives Congress itself the ability to create a panel of highly respected individuals, say from the medical field, to determine the overall health of the president, including a president's mental state.

The Congress could also create a panel, not necessarily with medical experts but, with other competent individuals, including members of Congress, who could determine if a president is or is not capable of carrying out the functions of his office; or if he has done something unlawful or unethical; for example, if he has allowed highly classified information to be leaked to the press.

The problem with using Article 4 for removal is that this Republican-controlled Congress would not be prone to do that to their president even though an increasing number of its members have little use for him; unless he had done something so egregious that they would have no choice but to take such appropriate action.

In reviewing these various options it would seem that the best one would be based on what Special Prosecutor Mueller's investigation brings to light; if he can produce concrete evidence indicating that this president colluded with the Russians, or that he is guilty of obstruction of justice. We will just have to let Mueller continue to probe deeply into this overall situation and then see what he determines.

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Burqa

(Image by Dr.Cialtron) Details DMCA



Perhaps taking cue from the Trump-fomented rising tide of ultra-rightists, Neo-Nazis and white supremacists, Australia's right-wing One Nation party leader Pauline Hanson Thursday staged a burqa stunt to stir anti-Muslim sentiments.

Pauline Hanson Thursday appeared in the Australian Senate clad in 'burqa' but drew rebuke from the Attorney General George Brandis, who said: "Senator Hanson, I'm not going to pretend to ignore the stunt that you have tried to pull today by arriving in the chamber dressed in a burqa when we all know you are not an adherent of the Islamic faith.

"I would caution you and counsel you, Senator Hanson, with respect, to be very very careful of the offence you may do to the religious sensibilities of other Australians," Brandis said, adding:

"We have about half a million Australians in this country of the Islamic faith, and the vast majority of them are law-abiding, good Australians, and Senator Hanson, it is absolutely consistent with being a good law abiding Australian and a strict, adherent, Muslim."

Brandis reminded Hanson that, as attorney general, he held pre-eminent portfolio responsibility for national security, and the advice from intelligence agencies was clear -- countering the risks of extremism required close cooperation with the Islamic community.

"To ridicule that community, to drive it into a corner, to mock its religious garments, is an appalling thing to do, and I would ask you to reflect on your behavior."

The One Nation leader appeared in burqa at the question-hour session of the Senate. Her question to Brandis was: "In light of our national security of this nation, will [the government] work with me to actually ban the burqa in Australia considering there have been 13 foiled national threats against us with terrorism, three that have been successful that Australians have lost their lives?

"Terrorism is a true threat to our country. Many Australians are in fear of it. What I would like to ask on behalf of the Australian people, considering there has been a large majority of Australians wish to see the banning of the burqa," Hanson asked.

"Senator Hanson, no, we will not be banning the burqa," Brandis told her.

Hanson wins on anti-Islam agenda

Pauline Hanson won Senate seat in July 2016 elections on an anti-Islam agenda. The Washington Post reported on August 26, 2016: (Paul Hanson's) resurgence after years in the political wilderness is a striking example of how the xenophobic populism that helped Donald Trump win the Republican presidential nomination in the United States is reshaping politics in other countries, too.

The Washington Post pointed out than Hanson policies and rhetoric echo those of Trump and the U.K. Independence Party, which successfully championed the recent vote to take Britain out of the European Union.

The party wants an inquiry into whether Islam is a religion or an ideology, an end to Muslim immigration, a ban on the burqa in public, surveillance in all mosques and Islamic schools, no new mosques and the end of halal certification of food.

"Australia for Australians," One Nation's website proclaims:

To stop the teaching and infiltration of Islam and its totalitarian ideology, that opposes our democracy, way of life and laws. To ban the Burqa in public places, government buildings and schools. To make genital mutilation of young girls a criminal offence, carrying heavy sentences. To stop Islamists and their families from receiving welfare benefits; we are a Christian country, only one marriage is recognized. Ban the building of any more Mosques. (Objective No. 21)

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From Our Future



Both parties are hobbled by infighting and incompetence. Only one keeps winning elections.

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As Donald Trump's demented presidency grows ever more isolated, calls for unified opposition grow louder. Political publications and Twitter are flooded with warnings about the Democratic Party's supposed massive circular firing squad, also known as the "Left's War of Mutually Assured Destruction."

Senator Bernie Sanders, according to some, is "sabotaging the Democratic Party," and has started a "foolish family feud."

Two apostles of convention, Dana Milbank and Mike Tomasky, have recently issued dire warnings about Democratic division. Milbank, known for bringing snark to the Washington Post political coverage, argues Democrats could fare well in 2018, unless Sanders supporters come "to the Republican's rescue" by "sowing division" and attempting to "enact a purge of the politically unpure."

Somehow in Milbank's overheated imagination, suggestions of primary challenges for candidates who don't support Medicare for All become "not just taking a stand but excommunicating all who disagree." This Milbank thunders is what Republican zealots did with guns and taxes, helping to make the Republican Party the "ungovernable mess it is today." Yeah, look where Republicans ended up after their bitter and passionate political struggles: in control of the White House, both houses of Congress, with full control in 26 states, having captured over 1,000 state legislative seats.

Tomasky gallantly comes to the defense of Senator Kamala Harris, newest star of the party's establishment, who was criticized for her decision as California Attorney General to let Steve Mnuchin, the "foreclosure king" who is now Trump's Treasury Secretary, walk, despite the recommendations of her staff and clear evidence of massive fraud.

Tomasky concedes that scrutiny is justified, and accepts that the issue is serious, but wrings his hands at a Democratic "purity Olympics." All serious candidates, he warns, are compromised by money, so we can't expect the purity Bernie Sanders enjoys, coming from Vermont. Democrats shouldn't have "litmus tests" like a $15 minimum wage that stifle debate.

Say what? Democrats are having a big debate about what the party stands for. Defining issues -- Medicare for All, $15 minimum wage, curbing Wall Street, money and politics, balanced trade etc. -- are central to that debate. Harris clearly wants to position herself has a potential presidential candidate. Where she stands and what her record reveals aren't going to get a pass just because she comes from a big state.

All this garment rending and hand wringing is excessive. Democrats need a major debate about values and policy. A bit of common sense is in order.

For all the fretting about division, activists from all wings of the party and from movements outside the party have joined in propelling the popular mobilization against Trump's horrors. Whether it is more left-wing groups like MoveOn, Democracy for America, People's Action, OurRevolution, or groups led by ex-Clinton and Obama activists like Indivisible, NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and others, all have been focused and engaged on countering Trump.

Single-payer supporters joined to help fend off the attack on Obamacare. Sanders sparked that effort with mass rallies in various Trump states, even choosing to postpone introduction of his bill to create universal Medicare. That mobilization helped forge the remarkable unity of Democratic legislators in the House and Senate against the effort to repeal Obamacare, against the Republican budget, and more.

That mobilization also contributes directly to Trump's continued decline in the polls, which now show record lows. Trump's demented behavior helps, of course, but it is remarkable that with unemployment at 4.3 percent, the stock market setting records, and the president's uncanny ability to dominate the news, he's losing ground even among his core voters.

Democrats would be brain dead and without a pulse if they didn't have a major debate about the way forward now.

Trump's stunning victory was, as Andrew Bacevich writes, invoking Thomas Jefferson, a "fire bell in the night." As he puts it, "It is a consequence, not the cause," of the "collapse of the post -- Cold War consensus." The core establishment consensus -- on corporate defined globalization, on policing the world, on neoliberal economic policies -- has failed most Americans.

In this century, we've had two "recoveries" under two presidents -- one Republican and one Democratic -- that haven't reached most Americans. Inequality is at obscene extremes.

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From Smirking Chimp



Populist Autocrat Dictator

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The recent "Unite the Right" march by a couple of hundred white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other right-wing extremists across the University of Virginia campus offered a glimpse of the growing danger of authoritarian movements both in the United States and across the globe, reeking of the 1930s. The image of hundreds of fascist bullies chanting anti-Semitic, racist and white nationalist slogans, such as "Heil Trump," and later attacking peaceful anti-racist counter-demonstrators makes clear that the radical right-wing groups that have been on the margins of American society are now more comfortable in public with their nihilistic and dangerous politics.

They appear especially emboldened to come out of the shadows because elements of their neo-fascist ideology have found a comfortable if not supportive place at the highest levels of the Trump administration, especially in the presence of Steve Bannon, Jeff Sessions and Stephen Miller, who espouse elements of the nefarious racist ideology that was on full display in Charlottesville. As is well known, Trump has embraced the presence and backing of white nationalists and white supremacists while refusing to denounce their Nazi slogans and violence in strong political and ethical terms, suggesting his own complicity with such movements.

It should surprise no one that David Duke, a former imperial wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, told reporters on Saturday that the Unite the Right followers were "going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump " to take our country back." Nor should it surprise anyone that Trump initially refused to condemn the fascist groups behind the horrifying, shocking images and violence that took place in Charlottesville.

Trump's silence made elements of the far right quite happy. For instance, the Daily Stormer, a white supremacist website, issued the following statement: "Refused to answer a question about White Nationalists supporting him. No condemnation at all. When asked to condemn, he just walked out of the room. Really, really good. God bless him."

It appears that the presence of Nazi and Confederate flags, along with the horrible history of millions lost to the Holocaust and slavery, lynchings, church bombings, and the assassination of Black leaders, such as Medgar Evans and Martin Luther King Jr., did little to move Trump to a serious understanding or repudiation of the poisonous historical forces that surfaced in Charlottesville. As New Yorker writer Jelani Cobb observes, this was a telling moment. He writes:

"When [Trump] did speak about the crisis, he denounced bigotry and violence 'on many sides,' in a statement that was bizarrely punctuated by references to efforts to reform trade relationships and better conditions for veterans. We have seen a great number of false equivalencies in the past two years, and the most recent Presidential election was defined by them. Yet it remains striking to hear Trump imply that Nazis and the interracial group of demonstrators who gathered to oppose them were, in essence, equally wrong."

While Trump finally gave way to overwhelming pressure on Monday and delivered a speech in which he asserted that "racism is evil" and described the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists as "repugnant," by Tuesday he had already reverted to his initial assertion of "blame on both sides," equating neo-Nazis with anti-racist counter-protesters (whom he labeled as the "alt-left") and speaking of "very fine people" among the crowd of right-wing extremists who chanted racist and anti-Semitic slogans on Friday night.

The authoritarian drama unfolding across the United States has many registers and includes state violence against immigrants, right-wing populist violence against mosques and synagogues, and attacks on Muslims, Black people and others who do not fit into the vile script of white nationalism. The violence in Charlottesville is but one register of a larger mirror of domestic terrorism and home-grown fascism that is growing in the United States.

Such demonstrations represent a historical moment that capture some of the elements of a past that led to some of the worse crimes in human history. At the risk of falling prey to historical amnesia, the crucial lesson to be learned is that the ideology, values and institutions of a liberal democracy are once again under assault by those who no longer believe in equality, justice and democracy. As the historian Timothy Snyder has observed, it is crucial to remember that the success of authoritarian regimes in Germany and other places succeeded, in part, because they were not stopped in the early stages of their development.

The growing call for illiberal democracies (code for authoritarian regimes) first begins with the popularization and normalization of hate and bigotry, which we have witnessed under the Trump regime, and then morphs into right-wing groups developing their own militias, organs of violence and paramilitary forces.

Charlottesville provides a glimpse of authoritarianism on the rise and speaks to the dark clouds that appear to be ushering in a new and dangerous historical moment. While it is problematic to assume that a US-style totalitarianism will soon become the norm in the United States, it is not unrealistic to recognize that the possibility for a return to authoritarianism is no longer the stuff of fantasy or paranoia, especially since its core elements of hatred, exclusion, racism and white supremacy have been incorporated into both the highest levels of state power and the mainstream right-wing media. The horrors of the past are real, and the fears they produce about the present are the necessary work of both historical memory and the power of civic courage and moral responsibility.

Liberal Democracy Is Losing Its Grip

In Selections from the Prison Notebooks, Antonio Gramsci, the great Italian Marxist philosopher, observed that one measure of a time of crisis is "that the great masses ... become detached from their traditional ideologies and no longer believe what they used to believe previously. The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum, a great variety of morbid symptoms appear."

While Gramsci was characterizing a different historical period, his words are as relevant today as they were when written in the 1930s. All over the globe, liberal democracy is losing its grip on the public imagination and in the midst of this loss a toxic form of illiberal democracy is taking its place. As institutions that once provided public visions and proactive spaces are stripped of their authority and decay under the scourge of casino capitalism, the foundation is being set for the rise of new modes of authoritarianism. What they all share is both a hatred for democracy and a willingness to feed off the anger and rage of those who have suffered under punishing austerity measures imposed by global capitalism. At a time in which the growing problems of inequality, terrorism, war, state violence, immigration, precarity, mass poverty and the elimination of the welfare state have accelerated, stable democracies have been shattered.

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From AlterNet

If you can't win on issues, you win on racism.



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Why is it that the president and the vast majority of Republican elected officials are refusing to refer to the white Christian neo-nazis who committed mayhem and murder and, yes, terrorism, as exactly what they are? Why the false equivalence suggesting that antifascists and peace protesters are the same as Nazis and Klan members?

As Holly Yan of CNN summarizes on their website, ISIS has a long history of using vehicles as weapons for terror attacks. London, Stockholm, Nice, Berlin, Jerusalem, and, in North America, St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and Columbus, Ohio.

All these terrorists intentionally used cars or trucks to kill people and inflict maximum terror. All were condemned by Republicans and "conservative" media as "radical Islamic terrorism," and any number of Republicans, including Trump, milked them for all they were worth.

Yet on August 12, members of the oldest terrorist organization in the United States -- the Klan -- along with devotees of one of Europe's most terrible terrorist cults -- Nazis -- showed up in Charlottesville, Virginia, to reprise the Nazi and Klan traditions of torchlight night-time parades specifically to create terror. And when asked about it, Trump waffled.

He'll threaten North Korea with nukes, but won't even name the terrorists who showed up in Virginia.

And it's very, very hard to find an elected Republican (who isn't a presidential wannabe) who will call this what it is: White Christian Racial Terrorism.

Why?

The answer is really simple: If you can't win on issues, you go for what used to be called "wedge issues."

The Republican Party has basically one goal and one reason for existence right now: to protect and promote the interests of the rich and powerful, be they billionaires or the big corporations that spawn them.

But no Republican will run a TV ad saying, "If elected, I promise to destroy the social safety net and give the money to the billionaires; I promise to increase the levels of pollution and cancer-causing chemicals in our food, air, and water; I promise to block renewable energy and increase your utility bills; I promise to cut the taxes of the fat-cats and record-profitable corporations, while throwing you a bone of a few hundred bucks."

So what do they do? They create a "coalition." They do, after all, need voters to put them into power (although it's getting so tough for them that they have to rely on massive voter suppression among woke communities, and rigged voting machines and tabulators like were used against Governor Don Siegelman).

There are a number of American constituencies that really don't care how big a tax cuts the billionaires get, whether health care and education are savaged, or how badly our environment is poisoned, because they consider their own issues to be so Far More Important.

These include the anti-abortion/misogynists, the white supremacists, the anti-Semites, small-penis gun-nuts, and a very large group of white formerly middle-class people whose livelihoods have been wiped out by Reaganism and the so-called "free trade" policies that have been pushed by Republicans since Nixon.

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Occasionally, an internecine debate erupts among those who understand the truly horrifying ramifications of climate change: is it better to scare the shit out of people or offer them hope? This argument broke out once again following David Wallace-Wells New York Magazine piece about worst-case climate scenarios. Exemplifying the angst at Grist, Eric Holthaus wrote, The problem with embracing a doomsday reality of climate science isnt that its unpopular The real problem is that time and time and time again, psychology researchers have found that trying to scare people into action usually backfires.

Meanwhile Voxs David Roberts asserts that, Envisioning the worst-case scenario is especially difficult because the worst-case scenario is treated by the very few people who understand it as a kind of forbidden occult knowledge to which ordinary people cannot survive exposure. Nobody can talk about it without getting scolded by the hope police.

Thus the climate argument careens between catastrophism versus hopetivisimwhich is a word I made up embodied by those tedious songs at the end of every environmental documentary film. Watch An Inconvenient Truth or Cowspiracy or that dreadful Josh Fox flick, and youll see this formula. Hopetivism is the earnest, condescending notion that if we all just join arms and feature the dance performance of an indigenous person in our self-indulgent movie we can Kumbaya our way out of the slow-rolling nightmare that is humanitys war on the biosphere.

Perhaps the question then is where do we stand? Give me the data: wheres the hope?

The new book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming tries to provide a realistic roadmap to that hope. Editor Paul Hawken and senior writer Katharine Wilkinson have assembled an epic, meticulously researched tome featuring a 120-person Advisory Board of scientists, economists, politicians, and activists. The book tours 100 ideas for reducing humanitys greenhouse gas addiction, solutions we can implement now with technology we have now. It then advances sober, realistic estimates of how many gigatons of carbon each plan could remove from the atmosphere, how much it will cost, and the net savings. Much of Drawdown will be familiar territory to anyone keeping abreast of the climate and energy debates, from the expansion of wind turbines (#2) to rooftop solar panels (#10) to green roofs (#73) to regenerative agriculture (#11), and many more esoteric ideas (multistrata agroforestry, anyone?).

There have been other books in this genre, including Daniel Yergens The Quest and Amory Lovinss Reinventing Fire. Drawdown distinguishes itself by expanding its scope beyond energy, transportation, and agriculture to womens education and family planning. According to the authors, these come in at the #6 and #7 most important climate solutions, respectively.

So heres your hope: climate change is no longer a technological problem. From the solar panel to the IUD, we have enough engineering know-how to avert the Mad Max scenarios. We can do this. Climate change, however, has morphed into a political and cultural problem, which actually makes it more frightening, not less.

Please forgive that much of my critique of Drawdown lies outside of the books actual scope. It is a gorgeous, intelligent encapsulation of the ideas and opportunities being put into motion by dedicated and occasionally courageous individuals all around the world. But dont start playing the saccharine song just yet.

Lets begin with the fact that its impossible to ignore that most of the solutions proffered would be unleashed, ramped up, and put on steroids if the United States would just put a price on carbon. Want cities to retrofit buildings (#80)? Want to encourage energy cogeneration (#50)? Want to find out if fourth generation nuclear plants are viable (#20)? Want to create a market for coming attractions like carbon air capture? Put a goddamn motherfucking steadily rising price on carbon. That the path forward could truly begin with just one robust piece of legislation is one of the most tragic parts of our predicament.

Simply put, many of Drawdowns solutions require government taking the lead. Biomass (#34), for instance, is imperfect, riddled with caveats, and probably necessary. It requires appropriate feedstocks such as waste products or sustainably grown energy crops to actually be carbon negative. Geothermal (#18) would be a great way to provide baseload power when the wind isnt blowing and the sun isnt shining, but it almost certainly needs public investment and agreements that guarantee power will be purchased from companies that develop it. The book details a host of ideas for better agricultural practices, from managed grazing (#19) to tree intercropping (#17), and these would best be encouraged by loans and subsidies.

Behind all these solutions are lobbies losing a lot of money, and those lobbies currently control, nearly lock, stock, and barrel, the two main political parties in the most powerful country in the world.

Writing the forward, billionaire and founder of NextGen Climate Tom Steyer calls climate change a global crisis with no place for partisan rhetoric. That is, at best, deeply naive. The most powerful constituency in the history of civilization is the industries that comprise the fossil fuel lobby. Big Agriculture, currently feeding the majority of the planets seven billion people, is not far behind. That money and power is not going to go quietly. These interests will fight like hell to maintain the status quo. Their current proxy is the Republican Party, many Democrats, and an armada of propaganda organizations whove convinced a good number of Americans, including the current president, that global warming is a hoax. The problem is not that we dont have enough ideas to solve climate change. The problem is that for a generation, certain interests have also been circulating internal documents that might as well be called PumpUp: 100 Ideas to Forestall Action on Global Warming and Profit from Inevitable Civilizational Chaos.

Drawdown notes that in 2015, subsidies for fossil fuels totaled a staggering $5.3 trillion worldwide, according to the International Monetary Fund. In other words, we are paying 6.5 percent of global GDP so these industries can burn our home to the ground.

Meanwhile, the solutions are held hostage. Take energy microgrids (#78), an excellent, no regrets idea that would save energy and make our lives more resilient to disruption from blackouts, natural disasters, or cyber attacks. Whats the obstacle?

Where utilities are resistant, write the authors, monopoly, not technology, is the biggest challenge.

Similarly, utility companies stifle the development of energy cogeneration while waging a fierce state-by-state war against rooftop solar because those panels are a huge threat to their profits. This year, the installation of rooftop solar has come to an abrupt halt thanks to furious lobbying by utility companies.

What about #53, the System of Rice Intensification (SRI)? According to Drawdown, this grows more food while doubling farm income while emitting less carbon. Yeah, why the hell not do this? Because SRI disrupts the mechanistic, chemically intensive approach to food production upon which so many companies depend for their income.

What about #52, saving and restoring coastal wetlands? Just take a look at Florida where these obvious, no-brainer plans are laid to waste by real estate developers.

Even the actual solutions are filled with neoliberal hazard. One need look no farther than corn ethanol or fracking natural gas to understand that bridge fuels (what Drawdown calls regrets solutions) develop momentum and entrenched political constituencies that later become impossible to uproot. There are several instances where the book recognizes corn ethanol as a boondoggle: Huge subsidies go to this annual crop, often for little or no benefit to the climate because energy inputs are so high. Producing corn ethanol can threaten water supplies and raise food prices without making any progress on cutting emissions.

Yet this industry is so entrenched, particularly in politically vital states like Iowa, that in 2014, when Steyers NextGen Climate volunteers scoured college campuses for voters, they were actually promoting corn ethanol as a solution (and had to endure my miserable rants in which I pulled up statistics on the climate impact of nitrogen fertilizers on my phone to wag in their faces). Climate ultra-denier Joni Ernst, ended up winning the senate campaign NextGen had hoped to sway.

So say we embark upon a massive program of afforestation (#15). There is every chance this could lead to a profit-fueled land rush potentially accompanied by forced relocation, cultural deracination, and violation of human rights.

The point being that we have a political system that operates first and foremost for the benefit of massive industries, which easily bend the policy-making process to their will. However, beyond the intractable political problemand possibly even more vexingare the cultural issues identified sub-audibly amongst Drawdowns solutions. These are the contradictions inherent to the movement itself.

For instance, we could improve a host of pernicious global issues if women simply had better access to education and family planning. These are such policy no-brainers, its hard to overstate their potential impact. Yet elsewhere in Drawdown, Hawken inadvertently points out one of the obstacles. Writing about indigenous farming and land management, he says, If we are to successfully address global warming, we should learn to trust the capacity of people everywhere to understand the consequences and imagine place-based solutions on a collaborative basis, and not force solutions upon them, however well intentioned.

In the countries where womens untapped potential would be most beneficial, girls are mutilated at birth, denied education, married off as teenagers, and generally treated as chattle. The West has a lot of issuesmaterialism, industrial agriculture, Ted Cruzbut theres no way around the fact that the push for womens rights is, in some cases, the Global North telling the Global South how to do things. Even if it is fair and right and just, its still a form cultural colonialism, the asymmetrical influence of one group of people with more economic, military, and communications power over another.

Even when women demand their rights in these countries, questions remain as to how those rights are best won. One of the few bright spots of the endless quagmire in Afghanistan is the educational benefits for women. The Central Asia Institute, a nonprofit trying to educate young girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, puts out reports on the horrifying violence girls and their families face

while trying to attend school. Americas colonial occupation is basically the only reason these gains have been possible. Increased funding for girls education is vital, and perhaps should become a centerpiece of foreign aid practices, and yet one sincerely doubts that even liberal interventionists are prepared to jaunt around the globe trying to educate women in dysfunctional or failed states at gunpoint.

Similarly, when it comes to overpopulation we dont need any cruel Malthusian one-child policies. All thats needed to reverse exploding demographics is to give women access to family planning. Yet within the pages of Drawdown, you will find a treatise from the head of one of the worlds greatest enemies of family planning, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, otherwise known as Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church. To some degree, we are all climate hypocrites, but as the head of one of the most anti-women organizations on Earth, Bergoglio surely must take first prize. Though he receives endless praise for his encyclical on the environment and his relative progressivism, he remains the head of a corporation dedicated to keeping birth control out of womens hands. This is not theoretical.

Look at the Philippines, the third largest Catholic country in the world, with a population that has exploded to over 100 million in the last three decades largely because the Catholic Church fought tooth and nail against contraception. Not only does the staggering increase in sheer numbers help create endemic poverty but when climate disaster strikes, as it did in 2013 when Typhoon Haiyan killed 6,300 people, the death toll and destruction are made significantly worse by overpopulation.

Though the Catholic Church and House Republicans (who recently tried to tell the Department of Defense to not study climate changes impacts on military preparedness) are worthy punching bags, there are few truly blameless political factions. Our objective corporate media rarely treats climate as anything more than a peculiarity while running hopeful multiracial ads from Exxon-Mobil. The vast majority of people are busy with their lives, apolitical, uninterested in these bizarre food fights with strange acronymsPPM, GHGs, or CH4. The slipshod attention span of leftist activists, the worlds most natural climate hawks, careens from health care to police abuse to abortion rights to #NoConfederate, and its not as though these things dont matterthey certainly dobut if we dont get this one very specific issue right, none of it matters.

In order to communicate to people how deadly serious this situation is you will naturally frighten them in the process. There is no way around it. Yet if I could engage in a piece of hack hopetivism to end this, let me say that in reading Drawdown you do get a glimpse of the world that could be. You read about the possibilities of restoring ocean ecosystems through marine permaculture or smart highways that soak up solar power and prevent traffic fatalities or living buildings that create more energy than they use, and you are awakened to all the possibilities inherent in the kind of technological, civic, and spiritual revolution necessary to actually overcome this moment. You become floored by the notion that the world you now know will vanish beneath a deluge of seemingly impossible achievements.
Yesterday I dreamt that Simpa Panyin was pushing a taxi up the McCathy Hill, with a number of enthusiastic crowd lined up, clapping in waiting for him, to touch the finished line. I was so pleased to see a 72 year old man defiling all biological odds, and pushing a whole taxi, alone, up the hill.



He pushed up, hard, and finally arrived to the crowd. As he arrived, he threw the taxi in the air, and as his patriotic friends began to run for their lives, they realized it was a kite!



Five years ago our then Vice President, John Dramani Mahama, went to work in the morning, as a Vice President, but came back home as the President of the Republic of Ghana. His wife, Lordina Mahama, went to work as the second lady, but came back home as the first lady of Ghana. The then first Lady, Naadu Mills, went to work, as the First Lady of Ghana, but came home as nothing.



A few days ago, some people went to work as staff of Capital Bank, and as staff of UT Bank, but came home dressed in GCB Bank wear. Just imagine the spectacle of seeing your husband transformed from one bank staff to another, without writing any application letter, and without any interview; is that not beautiful?



And the customers of the UT and Capital banks, were all transformed, mysteriously, into GCB Bank customers.



The Bank of Ghana had issued a statement, announcing that both the Capital Bank and UT Bank, have become a GCB Bank, and that the GCB Bank has taken over the ownership of the two banks.



I wanted to force myself, through the crowds that had gathered, into the banking hall, but I feared what I could be transformed into, a lizard, or maybe a fish, especially since I had made no effort at contacting Simpa Panyin, to inform him of how his actions are making customers stranded, anxious, and not knowing what had become of their investments.



Taking over a bank is not a day's activity, so I had wondered how the staff of the two banks did not know about this dream I had. The leaders of Simpa Panyin's Bank might have mastered the arts of secrecy, to such perfect heights.



With all the preying eyes, and the rumor-happy media roaming on the streets of Accra, I am still in shock as to how none of them was able to read the minds of Simpa Panyin's Addison; not even Kweku Baako, with all his flying documents, could intercept Simpa Panyin's intentions.



Let me stop here. I don't want to transform my readers back to satire, a genre I have suspended for a while; in the era of transformations, I could be accused of pushing a kite thinking it is a taxi.



I don't think the Bank of Ghana, and the top management of the Capital and UT banks have been fair to their staff, and their customers.



Last Monday was a very traumatizing experience; customers very anxious, having DKM in mind, staff distraught, thinking about possible jail sentences that could come their ways, and GCB bank officials smiling their way, annoyingly, in and out of the premises. Is that how bank takeovers are done?



When the Barclays Bank Group decided to take over Absa Bank in South Africa, the process was thorough. Absa is in South Africa, yet the Barclays Bank in Ghana was updated at every step in the process. The members of staff of Barclays Bank Ghana were regularly informed of what impact the takeover was going to have on employees, shareholders, customers, profitability, and so on, nearly throughout the cycle



But in this instance, even the branch managers of the two banks involved did not have any information. Everything seemed to have been kept with the top management of the two banks, and Simpa Panyin's boys.



Staff came to work in the morning of Monday, as they usually would do, only to meet officials from Bank of Ghana, officials from the security agencies, and officials from GCB Bank, informing them of the shutdown, escorting them, carefully, inside the branch, and shutting the doors behind them, as though they were under arrest, and thereafter revolutionarized the Capital Bank software into GCB Bank.



So you see, that is why I have failed to dream for several months now; because my dreams have ways of appearing in human lives. How can one person enter a bank as UT, and come out as GCB, something similar to Simpa Panyin's taxi transforming into a kite, not so?



I sat there watching the Bank of Ghana officials removed the Capital Bank signage, replacing them with those of the GCB Bank, and forcing the staff inside for immediate stock-taking of the assets of the collapsed bank, and that was the end, the Capital Bank was now dead, I am now a customer of GCB Bank, and thereafter we all clapped!!!!!! What a wow!



Simpa Panyin, please, tell Dr Addison, that the way the UT Bank, and the Capital Bank have been taken over is, in my view, a wrong audacity. Nowhere in the world could this happen, except in Ghana, where officials of institutions take their powers to insane levels.



Bank of Ghana is mandated to regulate financial institutions, that mandate does not include the regulations of the decisions of customers.



To tell me overnight that my relationship with the Capital Bank has ended, without a prior notice, and that you have transformed me into becoming the customer of GCB Bank, is to stretch your own failures beyond redemption.



In the last year since the Capital Bank became a universal bank, the staff have managed to convince my group to open accounts with them. We have done that, and gone on to lodge some investments with them.



Fidelity Bank is based in Accra. They do not have any branch in Winneba. Yet their staff have kept pounding my offices with their products and services, making every effort to sign my businesses on as customers.



They drive all the way from Accra to Winneba to prospect for business with my team. In the last couple of years, I have had the HFC relationship manager, and the branch manager, of their Obossey Okai branch, driving all the way from Accra, to visit my offices, at least, ten times!



The GCB Bank is right in Winneba, and they have been in Winneba before I was born. I have had offices and businesses in Winneba over a decade now. Yet there has never been an instance where the GCB Bank has come to us to explore any business relationship.



I twice went out of my way to attempt to open an account with them. The frustrations I met immediately put me off; I did not go back, and they did not follow up too. This is the bank that the Bank of Ghana has forced me to be a customer of, right?



The Bank of Ghana should not jubilate that they have been able to keep this transaction in utmost secrecy. At best the transaction smells of conspiracy, conspiracy between themselves and the owners of the two banks, this is a customer ambush, and somewhat deliberate, to traumatize us.



Such a thing should never happen in any civilized society, that a staff of Capital Bank goes to work as Capital Bank, and comes out as GCB Bank staff, that a customer of UT Bank, is UT Bank in the morning, and without any prior warning, comes out at noon as GCB Bank customer.



Remember I have not said that the UT and the Capital banks have done anything right, and I have not said that the Bank of Ghana is wrong in stepping in to save the investments of customers.



The Bank of Ghana is the regulator, and therefore has to ensure that the interest of the public is protected. So their intervention is a right thing done.



But I am against the abruptness of the takeover. The Bank of Ghana did not wake up one day to take the decision to withdraw the licenses of the two banks. This decision might have been contemplated several months back.



I am told these banks, and more, have been in distress situations since last year, and the processes of the withdrawal of licenses began several months back. So why do you keep this information away from us?



This is poor, traumatizing, irresponsible, and dangerously rude. It is reckless, unprofessional, intimidating, and bizarre, and this must not be left un-condemned. I would have sued them, for such a bizarre exercise of their mandate. No courtesy, for the staff and for the customers of the two banks. You used your authority rightly wrongly.

Source: James Kofi Annan/ email: [email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Ghana Psychological Association says employees who may lose their jobs following the collapse of two Ghanaian-owned banks, need psychological and unemployment insurance benefits.



In a statement to Adomonline.com, the Association said providing these insurance benefits to the displaced workers will help reduce the financial and psychological implications of the job loss.



Job insecurity among the staff of the two banks is growing following an admission by the central bank that retrenchment is a possibility after it supervised the acquisition of the two struggling banks by GCB Bank.



Head of Banking Supervision at Bank of Ghana, Raymond Amanfo could only guarantee, the staff could keep their jobs for the first three months up to six months.



He said from then on, the decision to retain or relieve, rests with GCB Bank.



The Ghana Psychological Association said it is concerned that too much attention is being paid to the assets and liabilities of the collapsed banks.



The Association wants to see greater attention paid the human resource implications of crashes.



GPA highlighted some of the rippling psycho-social effects of job losses saying it can lead to anger, depression, high blood pressure, sleep disorders, chronic diseases in the liver and respiratory systems.



It could also lead to severe loss of self-esteem.



The psychologists are urging GCB Bank to provide outplacement services such as stress management and skills training to those to be affected by the losses.



Read full statement



REVOCATION OF BANKING LICENSE OF UT AND CAPITAL BANK PSYCHOSOCIAL CONCERNS



The Ghana Psychological Association (GPA) has taken notice of the recent happenings in the banking sector particularly the action by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to withdraw the license of two indigenous commercial banks (UT and Capital Bank) in the country.



We wish to commend the BoG for that bold step taken to safeguard the life savings of customers of these two banks and also to build investor/international confidence.



According to reports that have come in thus far, we understand that the two banks are financially distressed and incapable to meet their financial obligations, and nearly bankruptcy, hence the action.



While we commend the BoG and all parties involved for their prompt intervention, the GPA has observed with dissatisfaction the processes leading to the Purchase and Assumption (P & A) of the two banks and the responses of the key actors in the takeover process.



The failure to adequately create change readiness for all principal stakeholders ahead of the takeover is indeed a worry.



In our view, people are the most important asset of organizations. This is however not the case as more than usual attention is given to assets and liabilities without recourse to other principal actors revolving around the affected banks.



The GPA would like to draw the attention of the key actors that this can be psychologically devastating.



What is most perturbing is the rapidity with which the takeover process was effected when the news broke without adequate communication to all principal stakeholders (staff, customers, competitors, and relatives of the affected individuals) of the affected banks.



Information available from the BoG indicates that GCB Bank will retain all staff for about six (6) months and may subsequently lay some off. Granted GCB Bank may not be obliged to cater for employment engagement of the affected employees, it is equally of prime importance that the psycho-social health and wellbeing of all principal stakeholders should have been calculatedly factored into the imminent takeover process.



Even though the promptitude of BoG to salvage the two banks has been necessary, the hiked announcement, rapidity in changing organizational artefacts of the affected banks, unstructured communication ahead of the takeover process, coupled with the less engagement with principal stakeholders have arguably led to anxiety, panic and uneasiness among some staff, customers and family members of individuals working in UT and Capital Banks.



It is lucid to say that it is unfortunate to have largely discussed plans on the intended takeover in corporate boardrooms among possibly managerial-cohorts which largely tend to focus more on the asset (liabilities) transfer to the neglect of rippling psycho-social effects on the human component.



This situation has the tendency to undermine the achievement of the short- and medium-term financial objectives.



The failure to engage employees on change readiness, its implications, and possible exit strategies could fuel general underperformance among the employees who would now not be in the right frame of mind to work as they will be preoccupied with concerns of job security.



Given the current circumstance, job loss is imminent and its important that steps are taken to mitigate the foreseeable negative outcomes. The volatility in the employment environment in the last 2 decades suggests that the frequency of job loss around the world is not to abate any time soon.



Thus, we understand that job loss has become a fact of life event and workers must understand that its unlikely that a person will spend a lifetime with one organization.



However, psychological research, over the years, has shown that job loss is a very stressful event that can impair a persons economic, psychological, physiological, and social lives.



The most apparent adverse impact of job loss is the loss of income which can significantly affect ones standard of living and wellbeing. Job loss is negatively associated with mental health and positively related to anxiety, hostility, anger, and largely depression.



In some cases, displaced workers are confronted with embarrassing experiences and tend to evaluate themselves in negative terms. Besides, employees who lose their jobs are likely to show signs of higher blood pressure, sleeping disorders, lack of appetite, chronic diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, chronic liver diseases, and respiratory diseases.



These reported symptoms are as a result of the high-risk health behaviours that displaced workers tend to engage themselves in their quest to cope with the stress of job loss.



Studies indicate that job loss leads to some behavioral responses such as increased alcohol use and abuse as well as smoking. Socially, job loss is not an individual issue, but a household and societal concern, affecting spouses and families leading to diminished social support, less relationship satisfaction and the deterioration of parent-child relationships.



In recognition of the plethora of negative effects of job loss, the GPA suggests that adequate measures must be provided to effectively facilitate the coping by employees of the affected banks in this difficult situation.



To this end, the GPA is calling on relevant actors (BoG, GCB, and PwC) in the takeover process to effectively manage the ongoing process and its outcomes to reduce uncertainty and to boost morale as well as the self-esteem of employees in the affected banks.



Decisions concerning workers who will survive and non-survivors out of the takeover action must be properly managed through psychological interventions and the criteria for reaching such determination must be transparent in order to minimize anxiety, fear, and uneasiness.



The GPA is also urging the management of GCB bank to provide outplacement services such as stress management and skill development training to employees who will eventually lose their jobs.



Besides, other forms of outplacement services must be provided to workers who will eventually survive the takeover process.



As a country, its about time we begin to think of providing unemployment insurance as well as psychological insurance benefits to displaced workers to reduce the financial and psychosocial burdens of losing ones job.



We trust that all stakeholders involved will take appropriate actions to ensure confidence and security of service in the banking industry and the economy as a whole.



A fair and balanced treatment of employees and customers of UT and Capital Bank will adequately offset the creation psycho-social problems while we work towards finding solutions to financial problems on hand.



To any affected person(s) who is/are presently experiencing crisis as a result of the takeover process, we advise that you seek support and help from qualified mental health practitioners such as licensed psychologists and counsellors.



Signed



Mr. Richmond Acquah-Coleman



Public Relations Officer

Source: adomonline









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Featured Video
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged Christian lawyers, in their work and advocacy, to be at the forefront of championing governments commitment to build a modern, developed, prosperous and progressive Ghana, and free her from a mindset of dependence, aid, charity and handouts.



President Akufo-Addo noted that with their help, we will build a new Ghanaian civilization, where there is fair opportunity for all in education and health, where hard work, enterprise and creativity are rewarded, where there is an abundance of decent jobs with good pay, where there is a dignified retirement for the elderly, and where there is a social safety net for the vulnerable and disadvantaged.



He made this known on Thursday, August 17, 2017, when he delivered the keynote speech at the Advocates Africa convocation on the theme Awake, awake, O Zion (Africa), put on your strength and beautiful garments.



President Akufo-Addo indicated that he was elected into office because the Ghanaian people were dissatisfied with their living conditions and the direction in which the economy, and, indeed, the country was headed.



I pledged to help build a prosperous society, which creates opportunities for all its citizens, a society where there is discipline and fairness, where people go about their lives in a free and responsible manner, a society where there are safety nets for the vulnerable and decent retirement for the elderly, an open society protected by well-resourced and motivated security services, and where the rule of law works, he said.



To this end, the President stated that his government has set about this task, firstly, by seeking to build a business-friendly economy that will enable the country get to the stage where the opportunities that are available will help it build an optimistic, self-confident and prosperous nation  A Ghana Beyond Aid.



Fundamental to this, he added, will be maintaining a stable macroeconomic environment in the context of a growing economy, and, thereby, attracting private sector investment.



Reiterating his commitment to enhancing accountability in the nations public life, President Akufo-Addo bemoaned that corruption has become the bane of Ghanas progress.



The Office of Special Prosecutor, which will be enacted in the next Session of Parliament, will work independently of the Executive, and will have the responsibility to investigate and prosecute acts of corruption, free from predictable claims of witch-hunting. Words can no longer defeat the canker of corruption. Concrete actions must, the President said.



He continued, Our industrial regeneration, through our policy of 1-District-1-Factory, our agricultural revival, through the programme for Planting for Food and Jobs, targeted infrastructural development, especially of our roads and railways, and promoting access to digital technology are going to be the main avenues for job creation.



In September, President Akufo-Addo noted that his government will redeem its pledge of providing free Senior High School Education in our public schools, stressing that it is an important tool for the development of our country.



We have begun to clear the arrears of debt that were strangling the National Health Insurance Scheme, Kufuors great legacy to our nation, so that we will have, again, a buoyant health delivery system to which even the poorest in our society can have ready access, he added.



The modern, prosperous society that his government aims to build, he said, however, is hinged on a foundation of good governance and the rule of law, and that is where you come in, firstly, as Christians, and, secondly, as Christian lawyers. Together, let us also promote a spirit of reconciliation amongst all of us for the sake of our beloved Ghana and Africa, her progress and prosperity.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Birman was the first longhair breed with Siamese-type points. It is a beautiful cat, with a colourful story of its origins as a temple cat in Burma to match. Much suspicion has always been attached to the official version of its origins, but...well, read on and see what you think...

Birman Legend

The legend of the Birman starts in a temple in Burma, now Myanmar. It is set in a temple to Tsun Kyan-Kse, a goddess of the Khmer people who presided over the passage of souls. The temple had a magnificent statue of her with sapphires for eyes. One hundred pure white cats lived here as companions and temple guardians. When a priest died, his soul entered the body of one of these sacred cats, to be reborn when it died. One particular golden-eyed cat, named Sinh, was the companion of the head priest, Mun-Ha.

One night, the temple was attacked by forces from Siam (now Thailand). That same night the head priest died, either being killed by the raiders, or from natural causes. But as he lay dying, Sinh leaped on to him, his eyes fixed on the statue of the goddess. Then his coat took on the golden colour of the statue and the brown shades of the earth, all except for his feet. These, which were touching the head of Mun-Ha, remained snow white. His eyes turned sapphire blue, reflecting those of the goddess. He had become the first seal-point Birman. Sinh then turned and stared at the south door of the temple, and the priests, inspired by what they saw as a sign from the goddess, rushed to secure it and managed to hold off the invaders.

Sinh remained on Mun-Ha's body for the next week, refusing all food, gazing at the statue. Then he died, carrying the soul of the dead priest to the goddess. Seven days later, when the priests assembled to decide who should succeed Mun-Ha, the remaining temple cats appeared, and all had been transformed just as Sinh had been. They surrounded the youngest of the priests, and he was declared Mun-Ha's successor. From then on they were regarded as Sacred Cats, and so the Birman breed was born.

Although many people dismiss this legend as just another pretty story to explain the existence of another manufactured cat, evidence from Birman Cat Club members suggests that cats similar to the Birman have been known in that area of the world for very many years. During the 1930s, Mr Len Sayer, whose wife bred Birmans for many years, was serving with the British army in Burma. Always a cat lover, he remembers seeing groups of seal-point Birmans living wild amongst temple ruins. These cats were fed and protected by the local people who believed that to injure a Sacred Cat was to put their immortal souls in danger. Other westerners on holiday in Burma have seen similar cats, both in pictures and in the flesh, and have had them described as traditional cats of that country. So there may be some truth in the legend.

Birmans Come West  More Legends

So far...well, perhaps. But the story of how Birman catsgot from the mountains of Burma to the show halls of Europe is just as romantic and far fetched...

In the most popular story, two Europeans were given two cats for saving a temple from being destroyed by Brahmins. The male cat died on the way to France, but the female was pregnant on arrival in Paris, and founded the Birman in Europe. The main problem with this story seems to be that the two men were in southeast Asia in 1898, but the cats were sent to France in 1919. This is possible, but seems implausible.

Another tale, recorded in 1926, says that a male and female cat were stolen and given to an American millionaire, and then passed on to a Mme Thadde Hadisch. Again the male died, but the female produced kittens after arriving in France, this time in Nice in 1920. A female kitten was supposedly mated to a Laotian lynx, an unheard of breed that seems identical to the Siamese. This produced a cat of perfect type, Manou de Madalpour. But when the purported owner of the Laotian lynx was contacted by those trying to find out the truth, he claimed to have no knowledge of Mme Hadisch, or the cat, or the Laotian breed. He did, however, own several Siamese! Manou de Madalpour was real, and her owner had been told this story of her origins.

The True Origins of the Birman

None of these fantastic stories can be verified. All that is known for certain is that a breed by the name of Sacre de Birmanie, the Sacred Cat of Burma, was registered in France in 1925. Interestingly, this is just when breeders in Europe were making the first crosses of Persians with Siamese to create the forerunners of the Colourpoint Persian. Another pointed longhair breed was also first recorded in France in the 1920s; this was called the Khmer, and the story is that a soldier returning from Indochina brought a breeding pair to Paris.

Whatever its origins, the breed almost died out in World War II. It is reported to have been reduced to just two cats before outcrossing to appropriate breeds was undertaken. The revived breed was accepted on both sides of the Atlantic by all the major registries during the 1960s. Today it is extremely popular, being in the top ten breeds in both the USA and the UK. The Birman and the legend of its origin are well established around the world, and it seems extremely unlikely that either will fade away any time soon.

Conclusion

So, ancient Sacred Cat of Burma with fantastic and colourful origins? Or lovely cat produced by the creative flair of twentieth century French breeders? You can take your pick. And while you may not want to own a hundred of these cats as the temple did, many people do find that one Birman is just not enough.
Charging on the Raiffeisen Club Pumptrack Challenge presented by RockShox in Innsbruck.

Competing in the Crankworx Les Gets Dual Speed and Style, 2017

What a year for you and for Caroline, and for the two of you as a couple. Hitting up all the Crankworx stops, competing in different disciplines and really pushing for those King and Queen titles, plus working on your Living the Ride project and really getting amongst it wherever youve been travelling. How are you managing? How do you keep on top of everything youre doing?

Mons Royale Dual Speed and Style in Innsbruck

Seems as though, even if professionally it hasnt all gone your way, personally it's been a pretty epic year.



And still, while you say it hasn't been your best competition year, you still managed to take home two bronzes...

We're into the home stretch of Crankworx now, with our last stop of the year. What's on the schedule for you?

Dual Slalom, 2014

Whistler is our only stop where we have a Dual Slalom competition. Its an event that so many athletes seem to love. What is it about Dual Slalom competition thats so unique?

I was looking at the roster of people who compete at Sea Otter this year, and you see such a huge range. Today we've got guys like yourself, Gutierrez, Ropelato, Strait, van Steenbergenall these riders from different disciplines. In a way, it's like this event is the great equalizer.

How big a factor is fatigue at Crankworx Whistler with practice, racing, sponsor obligations, parties, and for you, living the ride?

Caroline and Barry, Giant Dual Slalom podium finishers, 2014.

Plus, adding another layer to the mix, you are Caroline are like a two-person pit crew for yourselves.

2017 has been huge, with Living the Ride, competing in the full Crankworx World Tour, and everything else you guys have taken on. Have you had any thoughts or chats about what your 2018 is going to look like?

He's spent his year travelling the world, pushing his way onto podiums, and living the ride, all with his accomplished fiance by his side. But Barry Nobles, the consummate professional and competitor, is hungry for more.We talked to him ahead of the Giant Dual Slalom presented by 100% about his big year, The King of Crankworx, and what's next for mountain biking's most dynamic duo.We're both super competitive people, and weve done so much and it's been such a fun year, but it's also been one of the worst seasons I've had in a long time. Things haven't really gone my way. But it is what it is, and Caroline's been holding it down for the two of us. She's been absolutely killing it this year. It would have been cool to see her a little closer to the Queen of Crankworx title, but with her not having much downhill experience in the last couple years it definitely showed. So heading into Whistler she decided to put the downhill bike away and just focus on the events she knows she can do well at. So yeah, its been a good year, it's just the competition side has not been ideal. In everything else, we couldnt have asked for a better one. These Crankworx events are absolutely amazing.Yes, absolutely. A lot of experiences we don't normally get to do. We kind of caught ourselves going to these events and not getting to see things outside of two wheels, so it's been fun actually dedicating time to see the sights and really experience the places we get to visit and compete in and be a bit of a normal person when we're not racing.Yeah, I've taken two bronzes.Dual Slalom today, so it's the last competition for both of us, then Sunday morning we fly out to Italy for the Four-Cross World Champs. After Dual Slalom its time to recover and just kick back. Were actually jumping on a plane tomorrow and flying in a three-seater plane and doing a mountain tour around the area, so it'll be a good way to cap off Crankworx Whistler.I'd say its just that head-to-head racing format. Four-Cross has always had a good showing because everybody can see it. Downhill is massive, but you dont actually get to see the whole race, whereas Dual Slalom you see two dudes head-to-head all the way down the track. It's just like pumptrack racing but you have a whole other discipline of riders in there 'cause you have your pumptrack guys, then you have your downhill guys who can definitely hold their own on the dual slalom track. So I think thats what it is. You get a mix of different ridersAbsolutely.Crankworx Whistlers the hardest one by far. You get here and you want to get on the lift, you want to go do runs, you want to do A-Line the first day. There's just so much here. So I think actually for me this year, coming into this event nursing an injury it actually allowed me to rest a lot more. This is the first time I'm still feeling pretty fresh at this point, 'cause I havent been blowing myself out. This year I've had three or four days where I'm just sitting around hanging out which has actually been incredible because you get to spend time with good people and eat good food, and not get totally caught up in the two-wheeled world like normal. So you definitely have to try to keep things balanced. I'm getting older now and there are so many things I'm learning this year that I should've done years ago, whether in my BMX career or now in mountain biking. Just with kind of balancing competition and recovery. I just can't help myself. I always want to get there and ride. I'm such a kid at heart and I just want to be on my bike, any chance.Absolutely. The logistics behind the scenes are intense. I mean, we came to this event with seven bikes. I got back from pumptrack last night after Caroline won, and I wasn't super pumped because I didnt make it to the final four, so I had to take my sour attitude and sit down in the parking deck of the hotel and get two bikes ready for dual slalom today. We ended up having to borrow parts off our slalom bikes to go on our pumptrack bikes, so I had to get them off and put them back. Then there's our trail bikes for A-Line and whatnot, and tire selection... the list goes on. So yeah, were a two-man show. I have to play mechanic and make sure our bikes are good to go, and Caroline handles our emails and stuff behind the computer. It's really tough, especially when you go to Europe and have to travel. It's one thing to load up the van and drive from Southern California to Whistler, but when youre heading to an event like Crankworx in Europe and you need a pumptrack bike, a slalom bike, a trail bike... I mean thats six bikes between two people. There are teams and bike brands out here that have mechanics and a team manager that take care of all that. We dont have that. The perception of what a lot of people see is probably much different from what it's actually like behind closed doors. But we make it work.I'm not going anywhere while that King of Crankworx title is in my head. It's back to the drawing board in the off-season. Re-define a few things. I mean, I'd love to be out there on the slopestyle course, but thats so far ahead nowadays. I'd rather just focus on Speed and Style and maybe work on smaller combo tricks instead of trying to learn big tricks that dont score as much as you'd think. So yeah, I'll be here, and Carolines got a few BMX things. Plus, I havent stopped BMX, I still plan to do a couple races here and there. I think continuing to do BMX helps me to stay strong for Crankworx, whether it's getting a gate start or being strong on the pumptrack. So well be here.Watch Barry Nobles take on the Giant Dual Slalom presented by 100%on crankworx.com or right here on Pinkbike:Friday, August 18, 6:008:00pm PDTSaturday, August 19, 3:005:00am CESTSaturday, August 19, 1:003:00pm NZST
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-18 11:24:01

For the fifth time in a row, Moto-tyres.co.uk is asking bikers from 10 countries to share their summer 2017 touring plans.

Complete the short survey before 30 September 2017 and you could win great equipment worth a total of over 1,700 pounds!

Biker Summer 2017 campaign: Whats happening during Biker Summer 2017? Moto-tyres.co.uk is giving away exciting prizes!

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delticom@insignis.de

or

Delticom AG

Anne Lena Peters

Tel.: +49-511-93634-8909

Fax: +49-511-93634-8301

anne.lena.peters@delti.com

Whether its a short weekend break or a long-distance tour  once again this year Moto-tyres.co.uk is asking bikers from 10 countries about their dream destinations and longest journeys as part of its Biker Summer 2017 campaign. To ensure than nothing gets in the way of your next tour, the two-wheeler tyre store from Delticom, Europes leading online tyre dealer, is entering anyone who completes the survey before 30 September 2017 into a prize draw to win some great biking accessories. Simply answer three short questions about your plans for bike tours this year (dont forget to provide your name and email address), and with a bit of luck, you might win one of these great prizes. Up for grabs are a GARMIN motorbike GPS system, a GoPro camera with helmet bracket and five 200-Pound vouchers for new motorbike tyres from the online store  thanks to the product range at Moto-tyres.co.uk, every tour is a unique adventure.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201708180051

Whats happening during Biker Summer 2017? Moto-tyres.co.uk is giving away exciting prizes! (Photo: Business Wire)

Were excited to find out what the responses to our survey reveal this year. We are always extremely impressed by the imagination our bikers put into planning their tours. The variety of responses shows us that every biker has their own ideas and needs  and also the importance of having the right tyres for every occasion, says Oliver Pflaum of Moto-tyres.co.uk. In the online store, customers will find a wide range of high-performance tyres of all makes and models. Whether youre looking for chopper/cruiser, enduro, sports, or motocross tyres, the online store offers the perfect model for every use and all requirements. In addition to great prices and high stock availability, buyers also benefit from attractive delivery terms: tyres are sent free of charge to the address specified by the customer, whether its their home, a hotel on their tour, or one of the online stores countless fitting partners. So get your Biker Summer 2017 off to a well-equipped start!

For more information on the Biker Summer 2017 campaign and a link to the survey, go to: https://www.moto-tyres.co.uk/promotion-biker-summe.

About Moto-tyres.co.uk

Whether you're looking for chopper, sport-touring or scooter tyres: bikers will find everything their heart desires in this renowned online store's range. Accessories such as bike tubes and motor oil complete Delticom's bike range. The two-wheeler tyre specialist's portfolio includes all established premium bike tyre manufacturers such as Metzeler, Pirelli, Continental, Dunlop, Bridgestone and Michelin, as well as renowned quality brands such as Heidenau, Avon, Maxxis and Mitas.

Online store for end users: www.moto-tyres.co.uk

Further online stores in Europe: www.MotorradreifenDirekt.de (DE), www.MotorradreifenDirekt.at (AT), www.MotorradreifenDirekt.ch (CH), www.pneus-moto.fr (FR), www.motorbandenmarkt.nl (NL), www.moto-pneumatici.it (IT), www.neumaticosdemoto.es (ES) and more.

Online store for dealers: www.yourtyres.co.uk

About the company: www.delti.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201708180051
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-18 17:27:13

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FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Canyon Copper Corp--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Canyon Copper Corp (TSX Venture:CNC). has issued a press release with the following headline:Canyon Copper Closes Option Agreement to Acquire Munro Warden Copper Nickel Cobalt PropertyTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Canyon Copper Corp, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Canyon Copper CorpSource: Canyon Copper Corp (TSX Venture: CNC)Date: August 18, 2017Time: 11:27 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Canyon Copper Corp and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Cold, Cough and Sore Throat Remedies Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2016 - 2026" report to their offering.

Cold, Cough and Sore Throat Remedies Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-18 08:02:48

Press Information

Future Market Insights

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



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United States



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Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 550 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite :www.futuremarketinsights.comAbhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Seeking professional medical help for curing cold, cough or sore throat is become a rare practice, let alone getting admitted in a hospital. Prevalence of cold, cough & sore throat problems through the ages has made people more independent in terms of treating them. In the years to come, effective home remedies will continue to gain traction and people will be taking care of their cold or sore throat through such easy-to-treat remedies.Future Market Insights latest report delivers such discernments that are expected to leave a considerable imprint on the global market for cold, cough & sore throat remedies. Based on the report, the global cold, cough & sore throat remedies market is presently valued at US$ 32.4 Bn, and is anticipated to incur sluggish growth at 3.2% CAGR to bring in just over US$ 45.4 Bn by the end of 2026. The report distinctly indicates that rising adoption of self-medication practices and effective home remedies is restraining the markets overall growth.In the report, titled Cold, Cough and Sore Throat Remedies Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, affordability of OTC drugs, rising economic burden of respiratory diseases, availability of medications in variable dosages, and fast & instant relief delivered through such cold, cough & sore throat remedies are driving the markets growth. Nevertheless, the demand for cold, cough & sore throat remedies is less likely to soar at a healthy rate.Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1292 Product Recalls & Low Entry of New Players Impacting the Markets GrowthFirstly, the global cold, cough & sore throat remedies market is projected to witness umpteen product recalls. Global leaders in pharmaceuticals industry such as Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Bayer AG, GlaxoSmithKline plc., and Reckitt Benckiser Group plc are key players in the global market for cold, cough & sore throat remedies. Despite, there are several newly-launched products that have been recalled after FDAs censure. Besides, even consumer goods behemoths such as Procter & Gamble Co. and Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. are partaking in the markets growth. This has resulted in a lowering entry of emerging drugmakers, which has further distorted the markets growth. Other leading manufacturers of cold, cough & sore throat remedies include AstraZeneca plc, Prestige Brands Inc., and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.The report highlights how Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region will remain the largest market for cold, cough & sore throat remedies. The regions proximity to environmental pollution makes its residents more prone to respiratory diseases. With over 30% stake in global revenues, the APEJ cold, cough & sore throat remedies market will global dominate through 2026. North America and Europe will also remain at the forefront, by collectively accounting for nearly half of the global revenues throughout the forecast period.Send An Enquiry@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-1292 The report further reveals that in 2017 and beyond, the demand for antihistamine drugs, expectorants and decongestants will remain considerably high as these revenues from sales of these drugs will showcase growth at more than 3% CAGR. Tablets or pills and nasal drops will also dominate as dosage types, accounting for over 40% share of market value through 2026. The report also predicts retail pharmacies & drug stores as the largest distribution channels for cold, cough & sore throat remedies. Together, these channels will bring in nearly US$ 30 Bn by the end of 2026.
"Browse And Choose From Our World Class Research Reports"

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-18 09:19:28

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Market Data Forecast

USA



Abhishek

Manager (International Business Development)

+1-888-702-9626

email

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# 481 Words

USAManager (International Business Development)+1-888-702-9626

The Latin America Veterinary Healthcare Market is currently estimated at $2.97 billion market in 2016 and is expected to reach $4.38 billion by 2021 with a CAGR of 8.1% in the forecast period. Veterinary medicine can be defined as the science associated with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases in animals. The scope of Veterinary medicine is broad covering various animal species both domestic and wild. The increasing importance for the production of livestock animals is generating growth in the animal healthcare market. Ever increasing population, stable economy is expected to result in increased demand for protein rich foods, especially in the developing countries.Full report at: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-veterinary-healthcare-market-1017/ There is an upsurge in the number of animal ownerships as a result of increased love towards pets. Rising awareness among individuals regarding animal health and few requirements for drug approval of animals are the primary driving factors for Veterinary healthcare market. Rising number of foodborne diseases is also aiding the growth of animal healthcare market. However, there a few restraints the market has to overcome in order to prosper in the future which include rising regulations on antibiotics and high costs related to animal testing.Latin America Veterinary Healthcare market is segmented based on the animals type into companion and farm animal. Farm animals are again segmented into poultry, swine, fish, cattle and sheep.Companion animals are sub segmented into dogs and cats. On the basis of product, the market is segmented as vaccines, pharmaceuticals and additives. Feed additives are further categorized as nutrition and medical feed additives. Nutrition feed additives includes hormones, enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics and immune-modulator. Pharmaceutical products includes ectoparasiticides, antibiotics, endectocides, endoparasiticides, anti-inflammatories, and medicines for reproductive problems. Based on the geography, Latin America veterinary healthcare market is segmented into various regions of Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.Request sample: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-veterinary-healthcare-market-1017/request-sample The key players in the market are BoehringerIngelheim GmbH, Sanofi S.A., Merck & Co., Novasep, Ceva Sante Animale, Koninklijke DSM N.V, SeQuent Scientific Ltd., Zoetis Inc., Nutreco N.V., Vetoquinol S.A., Bayer AG, Cargill, Inc., Eli Lilly, Novartis AG and Virbac S.A.About Market Data Forecast:The publisher of this report is Market Data Forecast whose forte lies in Market research and Business Intelligence. Handling both individual and corporate clients across multiple business domains they offer syndicated/customized research to suit the clients research objective. Their research reports section offers a wide variety of market studies ranging from all-encompassing comprehensive market studies to product specific niche markets covering North America among other regions of the global market as well. For more info kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-18 13:08:02

Songa Offshore SE's Second Quarter 2017 report will be released prior to market opening on Friday 25 August 2017.



WEBCAST & CONFERENCE CALL



A webcast/conference call will be held at 12.30 PM CET on 25 August 2017. The presentation will be available for download on the Investor Relations section (go to "Presentations") at www.songaoffshore.com .



To listen, you may do one of the following:



a. WEBCAST



Go to the "Investor Relations" section on the Company's webpage and click on the link to "Webcast" located under "Reports and Financial Info".



b. CONFERENCE CALL



Dial-in details:



Live Participant Dial In (UK / International): + 44 333 30 00804

Live Participant Dial In, US: +1 (631) 913-1422

Live Participant Dial In, Norway: 23 50 02 43



Confirmation number: 61452282#



There will be a Q&A session after the presentation.



If you are not able to participate at the time of the call, you can listen to a replay of the conference call under the Webcast-section on the Company's webpage.



18 August 2017

Limassol, Cyprus



This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Songa Offshore SE via Globenewswire


Luxury lodge trek and walking holidays in the Himalayas are for those willing to explore the Himalayan culture and scenery with more relaxing time, convenience and slower pace. Hotels and resorts along the popular trails, airstrips at many Himalayan gateway towns and comfortable private transportation make it possible to do walking and trekking in the Himalayas with comfortable stay.

Everest Luxury lodge trek

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-18 10:32:43

Press Information

iTourNepal.com P Ltd.

Nasanh Dyah Marg, Thamel



Rabindra Adhikari

Tour Manager

14363643

email

http://www.itournepal.com





# 393 Words

Nasanh Dyah Marg, ThamelTour Manager14363643http://www.itournepal.com

Walking, you can see and learn more about the place. Especially Himalayan experience is about wilderness, sound and smell of the nature and the cultural emersion tours. Walking allows you to soak up in the native environment, observe the details and walk on beaten trails discovering new worlds.Most of the trekking in the Himalayas are about backpacking, rough and physically challenging with basic mountain inns or sometimes dormitory type accommodation. Some parties employ large no of porters to carry tents, food and other logistics.What if this is not your style as you are no more a young backpacker or want a comfortable stay at the end of the day or want to experience the Himalayas at your own pace ?iTourNepal.com P Ltd has designed a walking holiday in Nepal and luxury lodge trekking considering the people who want adventure with comfort. Extension of airstrips and road to different Himalayan towns and establishment of luxury lodges and resorts along the trail makes it possible to do a trekking based on luxury lodges. Tourists can spend more time in cities and town just relaxing, getting Ayurvedic massage or doing yoga and meditation. Walking distance and hours are custom made to adjust with their pace.Everest Luxury Lodge trekA short cultural trek in Everest national park could be planned based on luxury lodges. These lodges have warm, clean and comfortable rooms with en-suite bathroom. Scenic location, Local Sherpa architecture and hospitality and scrumptious food recharge trekkers for every days walk. The short luxury lodge trek visits Namche bazaar, Khumjung villages to their largest monastery Tengboche. Trekking further to Everest base camp is possible based on comfortable and warm lodges.https://www.itournepal.com/trek/shorteveresttrek.phpNepal gentle walking holidayThis walking holiday is more for senior citizens or those who dont want to do strenuous trekking but are looking for adventure with comfort. Excursion team will have more relaxing time in some of the exclusive hotels and resorts with ample activities to engage in base cities and town. Gentle guided walking is scheduled from every place to climb to the vantage point and see the local village life. Depending upon the clients available time, the tour visits Dhulikhel, Bandipur, Pokhara and Begnas Lake with cultural sightseeing and village tours as each place.http://www.itournepal.com/nepalwalkingtour.php
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




Randy Eckard ~ "Almost October" ~ Watercolor on Paper 15" x 21"

Contact

Richard Boyd Art Gallery

***@richardboydartgallery.com Richard Boyd Art Gallery

End

-- Richard Boyd Art Gallery opens "an annual exhibition of visual arts depicting imagery of Maine on October 1 at 10:00 a.m. with a reception to follow on the 7th.The exhibit showcases the diversity of subject matter in Maine which has long been a source of inspiration for artists. On display are paintings in a variety of mediums and styles depicting scenes from the interior, to the islands, coves, and working waterfronts in Maine. Each work is the artist's interpretation of a scene in Maine.features original paintings by- oil and mixed media;- watercolor;- acrylic; and works in oil byYou're invited to meet artists Patricia Chandler and Wilson Stewart at a reception aton Saturday, October 7 between the hours of 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. when they will be available to discuss their work.The exhibit is open free of charge between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily through October 31, 2017.career as a trained commercial and fine artist spans more than five decades. She received her BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI and MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY.Her portfolio of paintings includes works in a variety of mediums from oil to cold wax depicting iconic scenes in Maine. When asked about her creative process and style Pat replied, "My creative process and production inevitably refer to my geographic roots. Maine's more remote regions inspired many of my later paintings to the same degree that its landscape informed my early life. In all of may paintings there is a continuum that began in realism and over time evolved into more expressionistic works."Raised in North Carolina,studied at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida and the Haywood School of Craft in Clyde, North Carolina. A trained commercial and fine artist living in Blue Hill, ME his career as a fine artist working exclusively with watercolors spans more than three decades. Eckard is known for his use of light and shadow, with the subject of most of his paintings being light and how if defines and shapes the scene before him. His iconic architectural landscapes are expertly detailed and capture the essence of New England.Born and raised in Maine,responds to the ever changing landscape of Maine by creating representational landscape paintings in oil. Austin's paintings depict his interpretation of rural scenes in Maine untouched by modernization. He has the same vision as many landscape artists before him, to reawaken our love of nature and rural areas in Maine.is a visual artist and Licensed Land Surveyor living in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Influenced by his grandmother, a gifted sketch artist, Wilson has drawn on and off again since childhood. Mainly self-taught, Wilson began painting later in life. His current series of paintings, in acrylic on canvas panels, include landscapes, and scenes of daily life in Portland, ME and the Islands of Casco Bay.is located on Peaks Island in Portland, ME at the corner of Island Avenue and Epps Street. The gallery represents a diverse group of established and emerging artists with a connection to the state of Maine, creating original works of visual art in a broad range of styles.During the months of April through October the gallery is open between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily. From November through the end of March the gallery is open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Additional days and times can be scheduled by appointment.For more information about the exhibit please contact the gallery by phone at 207-712-1097, via email at info@richardboydartgallery.com or visit the gallery's website at http://www.richardboydartgallery.com . Like the gallery on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ RichardBoydArtGallery Copyright2017 Richard Boyd Art Gallery All Rights Reserved
Rock Hill's extended stay hotel is only second one built in country

By: Midas Hospitality

Legacy Suites in South Carolina

Contact

Kurt Furlong

***@midashospitality.com Kurt Furlong

End

-- Legacy Suites recently opened at 1835 Canterbury Glen Lane in Rock Hill, S.C. The $11 million 64,000-square-foot hotel is four stories and includes 115 all-suite rooms with fully-equipped kitchens. This is the second Legacy Suites hotel in the country. The first one is located in Donaldsonville, La. A third Legacy Suites, which will have 107 all-suite rooms and cost $11.5 million, will open in the summer of 2018 at 1011 Woodruff Rd. in Greenville, S.C.General Manager Michael Williams said Rock Hill was selected for Legacy Suites' second hotel location because "our company wants to support and be a part of the area's continuous business growth."Legacy Suites, which offers modern and spacious studio suites, features an all-inclusive extended stay experience complete with kitchen and full size appliances. Additional amenities include a gathering room, fitness center, laundry facilities, and a backyard seating area with barbecue grills and a picnic area."Legacy Suites are an excellent option for extended stay travelers who are looking for comfort and a wide array of amenities," said Williams. "We look forward to joining this community with our newest property, which is perfectly situated in order to accommodate the growing area."Midas Hospitality, a premier hotel management group, is managing the hotel. Sister company MC Hotel Construction, a general contractor specializing in new hotel construction and renovations, built the hotel.Founded in 2006, Midas Hospitality has developed, opened and currently manages numerous properties including 40hotels in 14 states. The company serves global brands including Hilton, IHG, Marriott, and Starwood. Midas Hospitality's headquarters are located at 1804 Borman Circle Dr. in Maryland Heights, Mo. For more information, call (314) 692-0100 or visit http://www.midashospitality.com MC Hotel Construction, which is also located at 1804 Borman Circle Dr., specializes in hotel construction and renovations with projects currently underway in six states. MC Hotel Construction builds for leading brands such as Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Starwood and Legacy Suites. For details, call (314) 339-6600 or visit http:// www.mchotelconstruction.com
If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity.

PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move.
In 1988, Maira Kalman made a propitious childrens book debut when Viking released Hey Willy, See the Pyramids, a picture book in which a girls bedtime stories for her sleepless brotherincluding one about a poet dog named Max Stravinskytransform the black pages of night into a vivid array of dreamscapes. On September 12, the New York Review Childrens Collection will reissue that title, along with Max Makes a Million (Viking, 1990), which gives Max his first title role. The creative canine will return in two February 2018 reissues, Max in Hollywood, Baby and Ooh-la-la (Max in Love), and again in September 2018 in Swami on Rye: Max in India, where he searches for the meaning of life.

Among the earliest of Kalmans 18 childrens titles, these five picture books represent but one facet of the authors eclectic output. She has also written or collaborated on 12 books for adults, among them The Principles of Uncertainty, a collection of her New York Times columns; and she created the art for illustrated editions of The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White; and Michael Pollans Food Rules: An Eaters Manual. A contributor to the New Yorker, in recent years Kalman has also served as a curator at New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art. And her work has been exhibited at a variety of venues, including the ICA Philadelphia, the Jewish Museum, and the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum.

Despite her subsequent endeavors, Kalmans soon-to-be reissued books starring Max (the Viking editions of which have gone out of print) are indisputably beloved by the author. These books are near and dear to my heart, especially Hey Willy, she said. This was my first book, and it allowed me to find my voice, and gave me a forum for my desire to write and paint for childrenas well as adults. Hey Willy is really a journey of life, a series of scattered incidents that have a sense of play and whimsy and inventiveness. This reflects the way I wanted to work from the start.

Kalmans early picture books also have deeply personal roots. These stories are collected from my life and imagination, she explained. I always just have to look around methats the way I work. Max the poet dog is basically me, and does what I do. I try to base stories on the most interesting incidents in my life, and many of my characters are friends and relations. Like Max, Ive traveled to Paris and India, and I wanted these stories to reflect that sense of curiosity, discovery, and humor that keep us going.

Finding New Life, New Readers

For New York Review Childrens Collection editor Edwin Frank, acquiring these five Kalman titles to reissue was a no-brainer when Kalmans literary agent, Charlotte Sheedy, contacted him with the news that the rights to the picture books had reverted to the author, and were available. Maira is an author and illustrator without equal, and these are wonderful books, he said. I remember getting them for my kids when they first came out, and I knew that this was a great opportunity to bring them back into print.

Asked what it is that makes these picture books stand out, and still relevant after almost three decades, Frank immediately ticked off a list of qualities. Mairas illustrations are sumptuous and funyou can pore over the pages endlessly and always find something new, he observed. At the same time, the stories play with the format in the same way the illustrations play with the format. These books have a dreaminess to them, and everything is all mixed upin Mairas way. They look and sound like no one elses books.

Frank explained that the New York Review Books production team reproduced the Kalman reissues as closely as possible to the original editions, and that the texts have not been altered. Unlike most of the Childrens Collection books, the five titles have dust jackets. A fittingly whimsical addition to Hey Willys flap copy is a message from Kalmans daughter, Lulu, who inspired the storytelling sibling of her mothers first book: Dear Friends, This is about Maira Kalman. She draws and writes books. She is a very good artist. She likes her home. She has wonderful kids and she has two kids. One of them is me. The other is my brother. The end.

In addition to emphasizing his personal affinity for Kalmans work, Frank noted that the five Kalman reissues will be right at home on the Childrens Collection list. One of our main goals is to bring books with real character back into print for another generation who can carry on the torch for these authors and illustrators, he said. That is very gratifying to me.

And for Kalman as well. I love New York Review Booksthey do such beautiful work, she said. Somehow having them publish these books places them in a classical mode, and Im delighted my books are in their capable hands.

Though recently she has been immersed in book projects for adults rather than children, Kalmans affection for the latter has not waned. Children are so willing to accept the surreal and embrace the absurdyou dont have to explain anything to them! she observed. It is such an honor to create childrens books, with the playfulness of the language, art, and typographythey all inform each other.

So might she venture back into the childrens realm? Characteristically, Kalman does not mince words: I shall.

Hey Willy, See the Pyramids by Maira Kalman. New York Review Childrens Collection, $18.95 Sept. ISBN 978-1-68137-168-9

Max Makes a Million by Maira Kalman. New York Review Childrens Collection, $18.95 Sept. ISBN 978-1-68137-170-2
Alex Gilvarry. Viking, $26 (356p) ISBN 978-1-101-98150-4

At the center of Gilvarrys excellent second novel (after From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant) is Alan Eastman, a fading author on a mission to reestablish his literary and personal reputations. Its 1973 when antihero Eastman is introduced. Hes in his 50s and in the middle of a crisis, having learned that his second wife, Penny, has left him, possibly for another man. Not quite a model, loyal husband, Eastman wastes no time before letting his suspicions and insecurities get the best of him. As part of a plan to win his wife back and keep his family intact, Eastmanthough apprehensiveaccepts an assignment to cover the tail end of the Vietnam war as a correspondent for the International Herald. The latter half of the book transports Eastman from his home in New York to Saigon, where he takes interest in Anne Channing, an ambitious reporter in her 30s whos researching for a book project that will collect the personal narratives of local subjects. Its in this relationship that the books greatest sources of tension reside; Channing attracts Eastman while challenging his ego, and one begins to root for her despite Eastmans acts of condescension and professional sabotage. Gilvarry is skilled at highlighting the humor of hypocrisy, jealousy, exaggeration, and foolishness through scenes that crackle with amusing dialogue. The supporting characters come alive and animate every page, and play well off of Eastman, who, though volatile, petulant, and infuriating, still somehow comes across as endearing. Gilvarry succeeds in drawing Eastman as a convincing and recognizable composite of the breed of male figureheads who dominated American letters in the middle of the 20th century, only to realize the tides were slowly but surely beginning to turn against them.
Sixty-four years ago the Korean War, which raged from 1950 to 1953 and killed more than 36,000 American soldiers, was suspended with a cease-fire agreement. A peace treaty, however, was never signed. The war never came to a formal end.

North Korean leaders have long attached importance to formally ending the war. Over the years they have repeatedly raised the prospect of a peace treaty to resolve the many issues that the 1953 armistice left unaddressed, most notably agreement on the permanent division of the Korean Peninsula.

At various times the North Koreans have proposed negotiating a treaty with the United States, at other times with South Korea. In recent years, China has also urged the opening of such negotiations.

The North Koreans want a definitive declaration of peace, not just a truce, as reassurance that they won't be attacked and as recognition by the United States, South Korea and the rest of the world that their country is a sovereign state and legitimate power.

Successive American presidents have insisted on a number of preconditions before any serious peace negotiations could start, including a commitment to denuclearization and the halting of further missile tests. But North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, is unlikely to agree to give up his country's nuclear and missile programs without receiving convincing assurances that he will not suffer the fate of Saddam Hussein of Iraq or Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya.

Kim Jong-un is unlikely to give up his nuclear and missile programs without convincing assurances.

Formally ending the Korean War, including American recognition of the government in Pyongyang and an opening of diplomatic relations, is an essential component of such assurance. How can we persuade the North Korean leadership that they have nothing to fear if we won't agree to definitively end the old conflict?

Back in the Cold War, the United States and its West German ally faced some similar challenges.

In 1974 the United States recognized the German Democratic Republic and opened an embassy in East Berlin, while continuing to regard the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) as the sole legitimate successor government of the historical German state and of a future reunified Germany, which actually occurred 16 years later. One can imagine using similarly creative ideas in a peace treaty to bridge some of the differences between the two Koreas.

The Trump administration is giving one more try to longstanding efforts to compel Pyongyang's denuclearization by employing intensified sanctions, cooperation with China and the threatened use of military force. Yet the new president in Seoul, Moon Jae-in, has promised a much softer stance toward North Korea and is likely to be open to direct talks with Pyongyang. President Trump himself has indicated a willingness to talk to Kim Jong-un.

One way or another, a peace agreement ending the Korean War is most likely a necessary element to any resolution of the North Korean nuclear challenge. American officials should be considering what would make an agreement work: What governments would participate? How would an agreement be verified and enforced?

Negotiations should not be pursued naively. The United States must not halt military exercises or take actions that would otherwise jeopardize its longstanding alliance with Seoul and give cause for other allies to question American commitment to regional security. At every step negotiators need to keep in mind that North Korea may not live up to its promises, as has been the case numerous times in the past.

The complete dismantling of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs should remain Washington's ultimate objective. Standing ready to formally end the old war may be the key to getting there without starting a new one.

James Dobbins, a former United States diplomat, is a senior fellow at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. Jeffrey Hornung is a political scientist at RAND.

This commentary originally appeared on New York Times on June 8, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Mark Weissert started Weissert Hardwood Flooring in January 2015 after working five years for Bills Floor Refinishing out of Hastings.

"I have always wanted to own my own business and that opportunity of a lifetime came up after the owner of Bills Floor Refinishing retired at the end of 2014 and I got the chance to take over the business," said Weissert.

In January 2015, he renamed the business Weissert Hardwood Flooring Inc. and relocated back to Elwood with his wife and daughter.

Weissert installs new hardwood flooring, either prefinished or unfinished which needs to be sanded and finished before use.

He also sands, stains and refinishes existing wood flooring and does repair work. Summertime is often devoted to gyms in need of patchwork and repairs, recoating or sanding, painting and finishing.

"I have worked all over the state from North Platte, York, Lexington, Kearney, Elwood, Cambridge, Red Cloud, Superior, Greeley, Palmer, Hastings, Sutton and everywhere in between. Also a couple houses in Kansas and multiple gym floors in Iowa," he said.

Memorable moments are the shocked look on many homeowners faces when they see the floor they thought was too ugly, or in too bad of shape to be worked on, now looking brand new, said Weissert. He also likes the excitement of high school kids  in their faces and their voices  when they peek in and see how the gym floor looks, that they now get to play on.

Weissert said he mostly recruits family members as workers in the summertime when he is sanding gym floors or when it is time to paint new lines and artwork on the floor. "My awesome wife is always willing, not always excited, to help me out when I need it. Other than that I run a one man show," he said.

More Photos of Weisserts work can be found on Facebook at Weissert Hardwood Flooring Inc. They are located at 803 Ontario Ave. in Elwood.
The phone rang just as Bruce Bennett sat down to dinner. He didn't recognize the number, which was a clue that something big had happened. He turned to his wife: I wonder if this is a North Korean missile test.

Bennett has spent his career at RAND becoming one of the leading experts on the world's most reclusive country. He has visited the Korean peninsula 107 times, talked strategy with top generals, and meets regularly with some of the most senior defectors to ever escape North Korea.

One radio host introduced him as someone who has forgotten more about North Korea than most people will ever know. When something alarming happens there, his phone rings. On that evening in July, it was a producer with CNN, looking for a quote on the intercontinental ballistic missilecapable of hitting Alaskathat North Korea had just fired into space.

The Stakes for Intervention Are Rising

Bennett has a story he likes to tell as a stage-setter in his briefings. Tensions were running high in the early 1990s. The leader of North Korea at the time, Kim Il Sung, called together his senior military officers and asked if they could win a war against the United States.

Now remember, Bennett says, these were North Korean military people. What would they say? 'We're gonna win, yeah!' But then he asked them: 'If we lost, what do we do?'

The North Korean military guys were all smart enough to know that was a really good time to keep your mouth shut. But his son, Kim Jong Il, the father of the current leader, spoke up and said, 'If we lose, I will be sure to destroy the earth. What good is the earth without North Korea?'

Bennett is a soft-spoken man, unfailingly polite; one colleague described him as Mr. Rogers-esque. He came up through the ranks at RAND as a specialist in nuclear deterrence and defense strategy; he's now a senior defense analyst. He's been studying the inner workings of North Korea since the closing days of the Cold War, when the Pentagon asked for an assessment of it as a potential hot spot in 1990.

Are we prepared to trade San Francisco for Seoul?

He recognizes North Korea's nuclear strategy as a Cold War throwback in part, a concept known as decoupling. If North Korea can threaten mainland America, then it can raise the stakes for any American intervention on behalf of South Korea. As Bennett puts it: Are we prepared to trade San Francisco for Seoul?

He also sees in North Korea's young dictator, Kim Jong Un, a weak leader consumed by paranoia. To Bennett, the assassination of Kim's older half-brother earlier this yearby two women who dabbed VX nerve agent on his cheekswas especially troubling. Kim had already murdered everyone who knew his half-brother and thrown their families into the gulags. The only threat the brother posed was in Kim's mind.

Photo by KCNA/Reuters

That's important for interpreting what's going on, Bennett says. Kim's subjects are taught that the earth revolves around North Korea, that the humanitarian aid they receive from other countries is really tribute paid to their great leader. For a guy who's got what might generously be called a third-world economy, he's got to do something that makes him look like he's succeeding, Bennett says. Nuclear weapons are one way he can demonstrate that he's a god.

What Are North Korean Defectors Saying?

Bennett's research has looked at what would happen if the Kim regime collapsed; he showed, for example, that the United States and South Korea might have to airlift 7,500 tons of food a day to avert a humanitarian catastrophe. He also has identified the North Korean elite as the real gatekeepers of their country's future, a powerful and privileged class that must be convinced it will not face ruinor summary executionwithout Kim there to protect them.

He likes to say that he has been inside North Korea twice, kinda, sorta. He once accompanied a U.S. colonel into a newly discovered tunnel the North had dug under the demilitarized zone, the rock walls scratched with graffiti extolling its wonderful leader. The second time was less exciting: A few steps across the border in the negotiations building at the peace village that straddles the two Koreas, past the armed guards grimacing at each other outside.

Bennett has had good access to senior leaders in South Korea, thanks in part to his father-in-law, who was a well-connected expert on Korea at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.

He can thank television for many of his contacts in the defector community from the North: In 2016, he delivered an hour-long lecture on what it would take to reunify South and North Korea, in primetime, on the biggest television station in Seoul. He got an email a few days later: I have someone that would really like to meet you. This guy is someone I think you will really want to talk to.

This guy was one of the most senior defectors to ever escape North Korea, a top official from its military-industrial complex. Over the course of a few hours in an out-of-the-way restaurant, and many subsequent conversations, the man filled Bennett in on the development of North Korea's nuclear programand told him the North had purchased many, many, many tons of chemical weapons from a part of the former Soviet Union. That came as news to me, Bennett says.

He now has regular contact with around a dozen elite North Korean defectorsscientists, diplomats, merchants, military officers. Those meetings sometimes require precautions that most RAND research does not. Bennett was once so unnerved by the thought of a set-up that he agreed to meet a defector only in a crowded restaurant, in a crowded mall; he brought a colleague with him, just in case, and parked far enough away that he could run if he had to.

Defectors tell Bennett that they think a regime collapse could happen in the coming years.

Those defectors tell Bennett that they think a regime collapse could happen in the coming yearsthat Kim Jong Un is a brutal and unpopular dictator, but one who will not go down without a fight. He has the words of his fatherWhat good is the earth without North Korea?posted at various places in the capital city of Pyongyang as a rallying cry.

That kind of insider insight has helped make Bennett a reliable source whenever news breaks of another nuclear test or missile launch. The phone call that interrupted his dinner in July, for example, was the start of a hectic two days of interviews and media appearances.

The question is almost always the same: How should the U.S. respond? His answer: With full appreciation for the stratospheric stakes involved in any confrontation with Kimand knowing that even the best military options could be cataclysmically bad. There is no such thing as a surgical strike against North Korea, he says.

We don't really know for sure where all their weapons are, he says. Almost all of their aircraft are stored underground, in caves. Even some of the runways are underground, so that just as you're taking off, you're leaving the underground facility.

Bennett has another idea, a nonmilitary option to convince Kim that the costs of his provocations outweigh any benefits: Let him know that the next time he tests a nuclear weapon, the United States will drop thousands of leaflets on his nuclear facilities, offering money and a good life to anyone who defects. Even one defection would damage Kim's credibility at home, weaken his claim to powerand expose whatever nuclear secrets he has. That would hit him where it hurts.

And if that doesn't work? Bennett would send another message to Kim: Oh, by the way, we know that at 2:30 in the afternoon on the day you did your nuclear test, you were exactly here.

We've tried strategic patience with North Korea, we've tried to wait it out, he says. They're pressing ahead with their tests, they're pushing. If we're going to get on top of this, we've got to get on top of it now.

 Doug Irving
Many wounded, ill, and injured U.S. military service members and veterans receive care and support from family members, friends, or acquaintances. The efforts of these military caregivers help those they care for live better-quality lives and can accelerate and improve their recovery and rehabilitation. But the toll on their own well-being can be high.

With little known about Americas military caregivers, RAND researchers set out to better understand how many military caregivers there are, their characteristics, the effect of caregiving on their own well-being, and how current supports designed to help caregivers areand are notmeeting their needs.
Some of the most valuable and productive areas of the United States are in low-lying coastal areas vulnerable to storm surges and flooding. The population in these areas continues to grow. Climate change is increasing sea levels, likely making dangerous storms more frequent and intensifying the effect of storm surges. These incidents have compounded the problem of coastal vulnerability in areas like the Atlantic Seaboard and the Gulf Coast.

Spurred by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the State of Louisiana, through its Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), decided to systematically address its coastal challenges by developing a Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast. The CPRA recognized it had hundreds of potential projects to consider, myriad stakeholders with competing interests and objectives, and significant uncertainties regarding climate change.
Escalation is a natural tendency in any form of human competition. When such competition entails military confrontation, the pressure to escalate can become intense, and the consequences of escalation can be severe. During the Cold War, thinking about escalation focused on strategies to control a two-sided confrontation between superpowers. Todays security environment demands that the United States be prepared for a host of escalatory threats from long-standing nuclear powers, regional nuclear states, insurgents, and terrorist groups. Moreover, the threat of escalation due to attacks on space capabilities has emerged as a critical issue.

From the beginning of the nuclear era, RAND has conducted innovative research on deterrence theory. In recent years, RAND analysts have examined escalation dynamics in the current security environment, the implications of alternative long-range strike systems for crisis management and crisis stability, and ways to strengthen first-strike stability in space.
Further beefing up its increasingly popular skinny bundle, Hulu has added three FOX affiliates to its live-streaming TV service.





Joining the companys stable of local offerings are Raycom's WVUE in New Orleans, and a pair of Tribune Media stations: WTIC in Hartford/New Haven, Conn.; and WJW in Cleveland-Akron, Ohio. That brings the list of live channels available via Hulu's service to 201. Hulu recently said that it selected Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its cloud provider, supporting the launch of the live TV service. The company turned to the global cloud provider to support the addition of more than 50 live channels for the Hulu with Live TV launch in May 2017.Hulu is redefining the television experience for viewers and we have set the technical bar much higher by bringing live TV into the mix, said Rafael Soltanovich, vice president of software development at Hulu
U.S. President Donald Trump is due to meet with his national security team at the Camp David presidential retreat north of Washington on August 18 to discuss U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia.



Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on August 17 that, after months of debate, the Trump administration has almost reached a decision on a new approach for fighting the 16-year-old war in Afghanistan, which is the longest in American history.

In remarks at the State Department, Mattis told reporters the talks "will move this toward a decision." He gave no hint of what the strategy would look like, but said it would take shape "in the very near future."

In June, Trump gave Mattis the authority to set U.S. troop levels.

Media reports say Mattis has recommended an increase of up to 4,000 troops to help strengthen the Afghan Army, but nothing has as yet been approved by Trump.



Mattis is reportedly urging Trump to address the Afghan war as part of a broader strategy for the region, particularly including Pakistan, where some Afghan militant groups have established bases near the border.

Western media outlets have reported that in July, Trump expressed frustration with progress in the war against Taliban militants and told Mattis and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford that they should consider firing General John Nicholson, the top U.S. Army commander in Afghanistan.

Citing officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, media reports also said Trump argued that the United States should demand a share of Afghanistans estimated $1 trillion in mineral wealth in exchange for U.S. assistance to the Afghan government.

Reports said that Trump complained that the Chinese are profiting from mining operations in Afghanistan while the United States bears the cost of the war.

After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, a U.S.-led invasion drove the Taliban from power in Afghanistan. But since the exit of most NATO troops in 2014, Afghanistan's U.S.-backed government has lost ground to the Taliban insurgency.

A U.S. report found earlier this year that the Taliban controls or contests control of about 40 percent of the country. Furthermore, Afghan security forces are facing the increasing presence of the extremist group Islamic State in the country.

Since peaking at about 100,000 troops in 2010-2011, the U.S. force has diminished. The United States currently maintains 8,400 troops in Afghanistan -- a cap set last year by then-President Barack Obama.

However, there are at least another 2,000 U.S. troops -- mostly special forces -- assigned to fight militant groups such as the Taliban and Islamic State.

About 5,000 non-U.S. NATO forces are still in the country.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP


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
This website is inclusive of tolerant people of all faiths, without exception. Neither anti-Semitism nor Islamophobia nor homophobia should ever be acceptable to anyone. We must all strive to live in peace and harmony with each other, regardless of religious affiliations, or none. Intolerance is the mother of strife and conflict.   Mark Alexander

We Britons are Europeans!Wir Briten sind Europaer! Nous, les Britanniques, sommes europeens !  Mark AlexanderEmail me at:markalexander.librabunda@gmail.com
Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter. To subscribe, click here.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari. Here's what I've been following during the past week and what I'm watching for in the days ahead.

The Big Issue

Iran has for the first time admitted that it sent "a small number" of drones to Russia, but it said they were supplied months before Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February. Kyiv and its Western allies have accused Russian forces of using Iranian-made combat drones to destroy civilian infrastructure in Ukraine in recent weeks.

Following Iran's admission, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Tehran was lying about the number of drones it had supplied Russia. He said Ukrainian air defenses shoot down at least 10 Iranian-made drones every day. The U.S. envoy to Iran, Rob Malley, said Iran had transferred dozens of drones to Russia in recent months and deployed military personnel to help Russia use the drones.

Why It Matters: Iran's decision to supply combat drones -- and potentially ballistic missiles -- to Russia is a sign of the deepening ties between Tehran and Moscow. Both countries, which have pledged to work together against the West, have been hit by international sanctions and isolation.

The move also reflects Tehran's policy of looking to the East -- turning to allies Russia and China -- after then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions in 2018.

Ali Vaez, the director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, told me Tehran has concluded that Russia's potential defeat in Ukraine would "weaken Iran." Raz Zimmt, a research associate at Tel Aviv University, said Tehran is looking to exploit Russia's "weakness in Ukraine in order to make their relations with Moscow more equal and beneficial toward Iran."

He added that Tehran can also "now show that it has the ability of using its military asymmetric capabilities even outside the Middle East."

What's Next: Britain and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Iran for supplying Iranian-made drones to Russia that are being used in attacks on Ukraine. Tehran could face further punitive measures from the West, but it is unlikely to change course.

Henry Rome, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told me that "Iran probably calculates that the strategic and security benefits outweigh greater opprobrium from the West." Rome also said Iran's decision to send drones to Russia allows Tehran to deepen its relationship with Moscow, "a country that the leadership likely considers essential to Iran's geopolitical and security interests, especially in a world in which the [nuclear deal] is not revived."

Stories You Might Have Missed

A new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, found that the Iranian combat drones Russia is deploying in its war against Ukraine use Western components, raising questions about how Tehran obtains this technology despite sanctions. Iran's Mohajer-6 drones contain components produced by companies from the United States and the European Union, both of which have sanctions restricting the export of such technology to Iran.

A resident of Iran's Kurdistan region, Yahya Rahimi, was allegedly shot dead by security forces for honking his car horn in support of the ongoing anti-government protests. His father, Ahmad Rahimi, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that the authorities had pressured him to declare his son was a member of the Basij paramilitary forces, a branch of Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), in an apparent attempt to blame his death on protesters.

What We're Watching

Iranian lawmakers urged the judiciary on November 6 to "deal decisively" with anti-government protesters as the authorities struggle to suppress the biggest show of dissent in years. A majority of 227 lawmakers from Iran's 290-seat, hard-line parliament made the request. The lawmakers called for the judiciary to enforce the Islamic "eye for an eye" retribution law. Separately, a judicial spokesman said sentences against "rioters" should create "regrets" and teach them a lesson.

Why It Matters: At least 300 people have been killed and several thousand arrested in the state's violent crackdown on nationwide protests since mid-September. Yet, the protests have continued. The call by lawmakers for harsher sentences appears to be an attempt by the establishment to stoke fear and pressure protesters to end the rallies.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have.

Until next time,



Golnaz Esfandiari



If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 18 visited the city of Sevastopol in Crimea, triggering an angry rebuke from Kyiv, which accused him of disregarding international law by traveling to the Ukrainian peninsula seized by Moscow three years ago.



Putin's visit included a trip to a memorial complex honoring a coastal battery that defended Sevastopol during World War II, where he and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev placed flowers and met with members of the Night Wolves, a pro-Kremlin biker movement.

The trip is at least the ninth visit by Putin to Crimea since it was annexed by Russia in March 2014. Both the United States and the European Union have hit Moscow with several waves of sanctions over the land grab and Russia's backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry denounced Putin's visit in an August 18 statement, condemning it as a "gross violation of Ukraine's state sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The ministry added that it had delivered a note of protest to the Russian Foreign Ministry over what it called Moscow's "cynical and demonstrative disregard" for "generally accepted norms of international law."

In March 2014, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution declaring that the Russian-orchestrated referendum on Crimea's secession from Ukraine was invalid and urging the international community "not to recognize any alteration of the status" of the peninsula.

The measure passed by a vote of 100-11 with 58 abstentions.

"Crimea and the city of Sevastopol are and will remain an integral part of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

The war between Russia-backed separatists and Kyiv's forces that followed the Crimea annexation has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014 and persisted despite a pact known as Minsk II, a February 2015 agreement on a cease-fire and steps to resolve the conflict.

With reporting by TASS
MOSCOW -- A Russian court has banned the Jehovah's Witnesses' translation of the Bible following a drawn-out legal battle, another blow to followers of the pacifist Christian sect who have been branded "extremists" and driven to practicing their faith underground, as in Soviet times.

The Jehovah's Witnesses' parent organization in Russia and 395 regional branches were formally placed on the Justice Ministry's list of "extremist" groups on August 17, a procedural move following the Supreme Court's decision to ban the group's activities and seize its property earlier this year.

In a separate case on August 17, a court in the northwestern border town of Vyborg banned the New World Translation Of The Holy Scriptures, the group's version of the Bible. Several other publications by the Jehovah's Witnesses -- including a brochure, The Bible -- What Is Its Message? -- were also labeled extremist.

The case against the religious group's Bible dates to July 2015, when a shipment of the books from Finland was stopped at the border and impounded by customs officials on suspicion of extremism.

The ban on the Bible used by the Jehovah's Witnesses has not come into legal force, as the group intends to challenge the ruling in a regional court.

"Soon it will be illegal not only to gather [to worship], but also to read," said Yaroslav Sivulsky, a member of the European Association of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses, adding that the court proceedings felt like "theater."

"Whatever our lawyers said, it was as if the ruling was already known," he said.

The Jehovah's Witnesses international headquarters in New York decried the ruling. "Just how far will Russia's resistance to religious freedom go? We certainly hope that respect for sacred texts will prevail when we pursue this case on appeal," said spokesman David Semonian in comments circulated by the group's press service.

The statement said the court ruling contradicts legislation signed by President Vladimir Putin in 2015 stipulating that sacred texts such as the Bible and Koran cannot be labeled extremist.

'Not A Bible'

The statement said the court relied on the findings of an expert panel that determined the book is not a Bible.

The Moscow-based Sova Center, which monitors the misuse of extremism legislation, criticized the "invalidity, helplessness, and glaring absurdity" of the panel's findings.

"It's just a typical translation," Aleksandr Verkhovsky, Sova's director, told RFE/RL. "It differs a little, of course, in language. There is always a variation between translations. It is not fundamentally different [from other versions of the Bible]."

He added: "It's written in more modern language, and there is a certain difference [in the translation] which reflects their religious beliefs. Some things are written, for instance, with a small letter, not with a big letter. Or where different names for God are used, [the Jehovah's Witnesses] write Jehovah everywhere. That's the level [of variation that] we're talking about."

Conservative Victory

The Jehovah's Witnesses, known universally for their door-to-door proselytizing, are viewed with suspicion in Russia for their rejection of military service and voting. Their refusal to take blood transfusions has seen them accused of being a threat to themselves, their children, and public safety.

The Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted in the Soviet Union, most severely under Josef Stalin. After the Soviet collapse, tight restrictions on religious groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses were suddenly relaxed, leading to a surge in popularity for the Orthodox Church and other religious and faith groups.

Russia's Jehovah's Witnesses are estimated to number 175,000 today.

The group was driven underground this year after the Supreme Court labeled them extremists, Sivulsky said. "When the ruling came into full force after July 17, then of course everyone without exception stopped gathering in big groups because it is a criminal offense. No one is consciously trying to be accused of criminal activity," he said.

The Supreme Court ruling stipulates that all property belonging to the Jehovah's Witnesses' organization should be seized by the state, although Sivulsky said this provision had not yet been implemented. "We haven't seen any action on this. [But] it's a question of time."

The banning of the group fits into a broader conservativism advocated by Moscow in a rejection of liberal Western values. It has also been seen as a victory for conservative factions of the Russian Orthodox Church, which view the Jehovah's Witnesses' rejection of elements of mainstream Christian doctrine as a threat.

However, Vsevolod Chaplin, the ultraconservative former church spokesman, disapproved of the banning of the group in comments to the NTV channel on August 17.

"Perhaps it would be better to keep them in the field of play to keep an eye on how they are developing so as to perhaps restrict it in its extreme activities," he said.
A former Russian intelligence officer who is serving a prison term for an alleged attempt to overthrow the government, has been handed an additional prison term for incitement to hatred.

The Volga Region Military Court in Samara on August 18 found Vladimir Kvachkov guilty of inciting hatred and sentenced him the same day.

Kvachkov, who still had to serve a remainder of 16 months from his previous eight-year prison conviction, will now have to spend 24 more months in custody. His lawyers say they will appeal the court's ruling.

Investigators say Kvachkov during his incarceration managed to smuggle a video recording outside the penitentiary, which was posted on the Internet in 2015. In the video, he called on "an unlimited number of people" to overthrow the government, the court said.

After the video appeared on the Internet, an investigation was launched, and Kvachkov was charged with publicly inciting to terrorism. During the trial, on August 4, the judge changed the charge to incitement to hatred.

Kvachkov was arrested in December 2010 and charged with forming a terrorist group that planned to overthrow the government. He denied the charges.

Kvachikov was convicted on those charges and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2013. The term was later cut to eight years.

Earlier in 2005, Kvachkov was arrested for alleged planning to murder former Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais. He was acquitted on that charge twice, in 2008 and 2010.


The director of and chief engineer of a Moscow printing house where 17 people were killed in a fire last year have been convicted and sentenced.

On August 18, a court in the Russian capital found Sergei Moskvin guilty of violating of fire-safety regulations and sentenced him to 2 1/2 years in a so-called colony settlement -- an open penitentiary in which convicts live close to an industrial facility or a farm where they work.

The chief engineer of the printing house, Anton Yatskov, was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in a colony settlement.

Fourteen Kyrgyz migrant workers and three Russian citizens were killed in the blaze on August 27, 2016.

The victims were all women or girls, and one of them was pregnant.

Russia has a poor fire safety record, with fire death rates substantially higher than in many Western countries.

According to figures from the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services, there were 10,068 fire deaths in Russia in 2014 and 3,275 in the United States, whose population is roughly twice that of Russia.

With reporting by TASS and Rapsinews
DUSHANBE -- Prosecutors in Tajikistan have asked a court to sentence a Russian woman to six years in prison for an alleged "attempt to smuggle" a tsarist-era copper coin out of the country.

The lead prosecutor in the case, however, was open to a suspended sentence instead of actual prison time for Tatyana Khuzhina, her lawyer told RFE/RL.

Khuzhina, 41, was arrested in June after customs officers found a Russian two-kopeck coin issued in 1823 in her wallet while she was checking in to her flight to Moscow from Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe.

Tajik officials have insisted that Khuzhina illegally tried to take the coin out of the Central Asian country without declaring it.

Khuzhina, who was born in Tajikistan and has lived in Russia since 2012, insists that she had the coin for years as a memento of her mother and was carrying it in her wallet when she entered the former Soviet republic from Russia.

Russian Embassy officials told reporters that the coin is of little value, estimating it to be worth at most $4.

The verdict and sentence in the case are expected on August 21, embassy officials said.
August is Russia's sleepy month -- except, of course, when it isn't.

It's supposed to be a month for dachas, vacations, and slow news cycles. But it's also been a month of coups, invasions, disasters, and financial meltdowns.

So much so, that it's become something of an annual ritual -- and annual cliche -- to talk about "Russia's August Curse."

Every year, almost as if on cue, we tend to recall all the tumultuous events of Augusts past -- events such as the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the financial meltdown of 1998, the Kursk submarine disaster of 2000, and many others -- and brace for what might be coming.

But at a deeper level, August isn't just a month of dramatic, tumultuous, and often tragic events.It has also often been a month of political watersheds -- a month when old eras die and new ones are born.

"Every August, Russians wait for history, and they are rarely disappointed," journalist and commentator Julia Ioffe wrote in The New Yorker back in 2011.

Twenty-six Augusts ago in 1991, of course, the Soviet era ended when a failed hard-line coup against Mikhail Gorbachev ended more than seven decades of communist rule and led to the breakup of the Soviet Union.

And just seven years after that milestone, in August 1998, the backlash began in earnest.

On August 17, 1998, the Russian government defaulted on its debt, devalued the ruble and set off a massive financial crisis.

In addition to wiping out the savings of ordinary Russians, the financial meltdown also sparked a political crisis, crippled Boris Yeltsin's presidency, and spelled the beginning of the end of Russia's clumsy, fleeting, halting, and tentative post-Soviet experiment with Western-style liberal democracy.

The Advent Of Putin

And it was one August later, when the age of Vladimir Putin would begin -- born out of the death agony of the Yeltsin era.

In fact, August 1999 may have been Russia's most dramatic -- and consequential -- August of all.

Russia still was reeling from an economic crisis. Prosecutors were investigating Yeltsin's cronies -- and even members of his immediate family -- for graft.

The air was thick with intrigue. Kremlin clans were at each other's throats. Regional leaders, led by Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov and former Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, were in open political rebellion against the Kremlin.

And on August 7, Chechen militant commander Shamil Basayev invaded neighboring Daghestan, reigniting conflict in the North Caucasus.

Russia looked like it was falling apart -- quite literally.

Such was the atmosphere when Yeltsin went on television on the morning of August 9, 1999, to tell the country that he was firing his government -- for the third time in less than a year.

Yeltsin replaced his prime minister, Sergei Stepashin, with Putin, then head of the Federal Security Service. The president then shocked Russians -- and much of the world -- by anointing the then-obscure former KGB officer as his chosen heir.

The Putin era formally commenced when he was confirmed as prime minister by the State Duma a week later on August 16.

And the rest, as they say, is history. If August 1998 marked the beginning of the end of Russia's liberal experiment, August 1999 heralded its complete demise.

After a series of mysterious and suspicious bombings of apartment blocks in Moscow and other cities terrified the country and killed more than 300 people the following month, Putin launched the second Chechen war.

And he easily won election as president following Yeltsin's surprise New Year's Eve resignation.

Ever since it didn't matter if Putin was the prime minister or the president, power resided with him.

Slowly but surely, power became personalized. Institutions were steadily eroded and replaced by the cult of Putin the leader.

Such was the legacy of August 1999. A child born during that dramatic month would now be entering adulthood and would know no other leader but Putin.

The Guns Of August

August has also proven to be a watershed month in foreign affairs.

It was in August 2008 when Russia invaded Georgia and signaled to the world that it was ready to play hardball with its post-Soviet neighbors.

Russia's invasion of Georgia followed months of tension between Moscow and Tbilisi and weeks of low-intensity conflict in breakaway South Ossetia, where pro-Moscow separatists began shelling Georgian villages in early August.

The war in Georgia established a template that would later be used in Ukraine, in which local pro-Moscow proxies stoke tensions and Russia then intervenes to "protect" ethnic Russians or Russian speakers.

Likewise, allegations in the Russian state media that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was guilty of "genocide" in South Ossetia foreshadowed the later information war against Ukraine's pro-Western leaders, in which the authorities in Kyiv were branded as "fascists."

So, in many ways, Russia's current foreign policy -- at least with regard to its neighbors -- was born in August 2008.

And in this sense, it is reminiscent of another foreign policy doctrine that was born four decades earlier -- also in August.

Following the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968 to crush the Prague Spring liberalization, Moscow announced the so-called "Brezhnev Doctrine" -- in which the Kremlin effectively claimed the right to intervene militarily in its Eastern European satellites if "forces that are hostile to socialism try to turn the development of some socialist country towards capitalism."

Every August, of course, does not produce history-making events -- or even dramatic events -- in Russia.

This August -- at least so far -- has been relatively quiet.

But this also has the feeling of a calm before the storm.

Russia is entering a potentially volatile political season with Putin all but certain to seek a fourth term in elections in March, amid rising discontent over corruption and falling living standards.

Moscow's war in eastern Ukraine simmers on with periodic and sinister hints that it could escalate at any time.

And tensions with the West remain high as Russia prepares to hold the Zapad 2017 joint military exercises with Belarus -- the largest war games since the end of the Cold War -- near NATO's borders in September.

And, of course, August only half over.


WASHINGTON -- U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will travel to Ukraine next week to meet with President Petro Poroshenko and Ukraine's defense chief, a visit Kyiv has said could involve the signing of new defense agreements.

The Pentagon said on August 18 that Mattis's visit will be the last leg of a three-country tour that will also include Jordan and NATO ally Turkey.

Officials said Mattis will leave for Jordan on August 21, arrive in Turkey on August 23, and conclude his trip with the stop in Ukraine on August 24.

In Kyiv, the Pentagon chief's talks with Poroshenko and Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak will likely center on the country's standoff with Russia, whose 2014 seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and backing of separatists in the east of the country have led to U.S. and EU sanctions targeting Moscow.

Russia denies backing the separatists despite substantial evidence of such support.

A Pentagon statement said Mattis will reassure Kyiv that the United States is "firmly committed to the goal of restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

U.S. media reported on August 6 that the Pentagon had recommended sending a package of lethal defensive military aid to Ukraine worth about $50 million.

The weapons package would reportedly include Javelin shoulder-launched antitank missiles, which Kyiv has long sought to defend against Russian-made armored vehicles operating in rebel-held areas.

U.S. President Donald Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, had resisted calls in the U.S. Congress and elsewhere to send such weapons over fears that the move would invite escalation from Russia.

A Pentagon official would not confirm the reports but told NBC television that "we haven't ruled anything out."

In addition, agreements were announced during Poroshenko's June 20 visit to Washington to allow Kyiv to buy additional military equipment from the United States and play a role in manufacturing such equipment, although the details had not been finalized.

At the time, Poroshenko said Mattis would likely visit Ukraine in the coming months to formally sign the agreements.

The new U.S. special envoy for efforts to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Kurt Volker, told Current Time TV last month that the Trump administration was considering sending Kyiv weapons to help government forces defend themselves against the Russia-backed separatists.

Volker told the Russian-language network, which is run by RFE/RL in cooperation with Voice of America, in a July 25 interview that he did not think arming Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons would "provoke Russia to do more than they are already doing."

Separately, Mattis told reporters the U.S. administration was near a decision on a new strategy for fighting the war in Afghanistan.

Mattis and his security team were scheduled to meet on August 18 at Camp David with Trump to discuss the 16-year-old war to drive the Taliban and other militants out of Afghanistan and stabilize the government in Kabul.

With reporting by AP and Reuters
It is often asserted that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 proved that HWA was right and he really did see the future.

This of course is nonsense. Herbert W. Armstrong said that Christ would return within twenty years in his book Mystery of the Ages. (PCG has since deleted those words so someone in there knows HWA spoke nonsense.) How convenient for them to forget this.

Also Herbert W. Armstrong never said the Soviet Union would collapse. He thought it would survive intact until a few years after Christ's return. It shows how biased some many in the COGs are that they never seem to notice this. This inconvenient truth is just tossed into the memory hole.

It is true that HWA said that some Eastern European states would break away from Moscow's orbit and join the European Empire he said would arise at any moment. But he never talked of the Soviet Union collapsing. He did not teach that. Also he portrayed the rise of the European Empire to be far quicker then what has actually happened. In Mystery of the Ages Christ was supposed to return by 2005 at the most.

So assertions that the fall of the Berlin Wall somehow prove that HWA was right is just complete nonsense spread by people who, for whatever reason, are still in denial that HWA was a false prophet who merely talked out of his own "human reasoning".
On June 22, The Mars Society launched the second phase of its ambitious Mars 160 Twin Desert-Arctic Analog simulation to study how seven crewmembers could live, work and perform science on a true mission to Mars. Mars 160 crewmember Paul Knightly is chronicling the mission, which will spend 60 days in the Canadian arctic at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) on Devon Island after completing a similar 80-day mission at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in southern Utah in 2016. Here's his fifth and final dispatch from the mission:

We officially ended the Mars 160 mission simulation on Aug. 14, capping off the two-month-long portion of the mission spent in the Canadian arctic on Devon Island. We're all a bit sad we couldn't have stayed on Devon for as long as we had originally planned, but we're grateful for the time we did spend here despite the poor weather conditions. The data and samples that we'll be bringing back home with us will hopefully shed new light on the geological and biological stories of the island and help expand the boundaries of Mars analog research a bit further.

Much like securing an actual research facility on Mars, getting our home for the past month, the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS), secured until the next crew arrives was a time-intensive endeavor. Despite keeping a hectic schedule during our final days, I was able to spend a few moments reflecting in my personal journal on what we've accomplished. I thought about rewording them, but I feel like the raw diary entries capture the feelings of our departure better than I could write them now. The following are some excerpts from our final two days at FMARS. [Inside Mars 160: The Mars Society's Red Planet Simulation in Pictures]

Aug. 14, 2017:

Today is officially the last day of the mission! We exited Sim this morning, and I collected some of my science gear that has been stationed outside of the Hab since just after we arrived. I'm looking out the middle window of the second deck right now. The late summer sunlight is coming in at a low angle, accentuated by smoke lingering from Yusuke's latest cooking experiment: Martian pizza. (It was delicious, by the way.) The sun is getting lower now, as evidenced by the decreasing light conditions over the past few weeks. That, tied with a shift in the wind this morning carrying freezing air. heralds the impending shift to winter. Our first sunset in months is tonight, which is a welcome sight for eyes accustomed to continuous daylight. So we will leave Devon Island as the weather is beginning to turn and just before our summer home turns into a frigid expanse. Getting back to the warm air down south will be a welcome change!

The crew of the Mars 160 missions second phase, based at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station in the Canadian arctic, saw its first sunset on Aug. 14, 2017. (Image credit: The Mars Society)

Aug. 15, 2017

Hoped to get off the island today. Our first flight arrived just before 2 in the afternoon and there was initially enough time to fit in two flights; however, fog in Resolute prevented the second one from getting off the ground. We didn't find out until after we had worked our tails off moving fuel drums and gear between the airstrip and FMARS. Thinking back on our hard work today, I've realized how grateful I am for the selfless and self-starting nature of the crew, and that has made serving with them a pleasure.

So we have one more bonus night here at FMARS. As the generator falls quiet and people start to turn in, the station is calm. The southern and western skies have a soft orange, almost salmon hue to them. Possibly smoke from wildfires down south, but also a function of decreasing daylight. Sunset colors are weird if you haven't seen them for a while. The sun will set tonight, and the rapid changes in daylight over the coming weeks are just another sign of the extreme nature of this place  where months of daylight on end can shift so rapidly to the other end of the spectrum. [Photos: Life in the Arctic]

Looking out across Devon Island and the crater this evening, long shadows are cast by comparatively diminutive rocks. The landing legs of our Hab stretch out cartoonishly far into the crater before meeting with a small shadow of FMARS nearly a kilometer away. They say sunsets on Mars are blue. With the burnt orange hues of the first clear sky I've seen in weeks, and some blue in the dome of the sky, perhaps this isn't too far from what the first astronauts on Mars will see.

Thinking about how I've felt on this adventure, I'm realizing that everything we've experienced will be multiplied nearly 12-fold when compared to a crewed mission to Mars lasting almost two years. The time en route, the time on the surface, the feelings of isolation, the hard time sleeping, grappling with everything being a single color (gray in our case, red in theirs), and even occasional boredom. Even if I never have anything to do with a crewed Mars mission (I hope that I do), I now understand a fraction of what they may experience on their adventure.

As Mars 160 comes to a close, I'm looking back on what we have learned and how this will impact Mars missions going forward. Even today, astronauts prepare for their flights through immersive training, and while it may not be necessary for Mars astronauts to conduct a year- or multi-year-long simulation before going to Mars, spending even just a season at a station like FMARS (modeled after their habitat) would be beneficial. But it is also important for mission planners and controllers to experience mission settings like this firsthand to understand what their crews are going through. Despite all I can say about our experience, for those with the deepest involvement in a humans-to-Mars mission, you really have to be there to understand it. [How Will a Human Mars Base Work? NASA's Vision in Images]

The otherworldly landscape near the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station, on Devon Island in the Canadian arctic. (Image credit: The Mars Society)

We were able to fly off Devon Island on Aug. 16, leaving us to conclude our mission where it began  in Resolute Bay on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Our flight over the now snow-free arctic revealed a truly Mars-like landscape as far as the eye can see. Despite how our journey to Mars on Earth began, our return to society will be quicker, with many of us returning home or to the United States by the early part of next week. The sight of multiple buildings and people beyond the six of us is a slight shock to the system that I'm sure will be repeated as we venture to ever more populated areas in the coming days. I think I can speak for the crew that we all enjoyed our simpler and more isolated way of life over the past month and being engaged in our research activities, but there are some things to be missed about life on Earth.

Chief among the things we've missed are washing machines and showers that are warm and last for longer than 3 minutes. Both of these tasks were high on our to-do list, followed shortly by fresh fruit and a cup of coffee made with water that we didn't need to fetch from a river. Fresh meat that doesn't come from a can is also a novelty that is being enjoyed by many of us, and I've got my sights set on my backyard smoker to cook up some ribs shortly after I return home to Arkansas.

We are decades, if not longer, from rapid transportation between the planets that will make a trip to Mars no different than the journey we just made to the arctic. So as exciting as a mission to Mars will be for the first explorers to go, all of them will surely look forward to going home as we are now. Seeing the pale blue dot of Earth against a sunset sky on Mars for the first time will surely be awe-inspiring, but it will also be reminder of the vast gulf of space that exists between the two worlds. At the end of any mission, including the first one to Mars, it will surely feel good to come home.

Editor's note: To follow The Mars Society's Mars 160 mission and see daily photos and updates, visit the mission's website here: http://mars160.marssociety.org/. You can also follow the mission on Twitter @MDRSUpdates.

Paul Knightly is a geologist and PhD student at the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He is a member of The Mars Society's Mars 160 Twin Desert-Arctic Analog simulation, where he is conducting geological field research to better understand the arctic environment and its implications for Mars. Follow The Mars Society on Twitter at @TheMarsSocietyand on Facebook. Original article on Space.com.
One of the biggest names in mathematical computing has built a new tool to help skywatchers prepare for the total solar eclipse of Aug. 21, and penned a deep dive into how eclipses have driven mathematics.

Stephen Wolfram is the founder and CEO of the computation company Wolfram Research, which created the math programming language Mathematica and the browser-based problem-solver Wolfram Alpha. (He also consulted on the alien language and more for 2016's "Arrival.") The company's latest project, Wolfram Precision Eclipse Computation, is a simple window that takes in a location and puts out a detailed guide of what to expect on Aug. 21  eclipse timing and what the sun will look like at every stage.

Wolfram's team put together the eclipse calculator in a matter of weeks, but it prompted an excursion into eclipse history that Wolfram explores in a new blog post, digging into "a multimillennium tale of computation." Luckily, Wolfram said, the primary documents of eclipse history happened to be in the three non-English languages he knows "at any decent level": Latin, ancient Greek and French. Moving diagrams throughout the post illustrate the mathematics of eclipse timing. [The 8 Most Famous Solar Eclipses in History]

Space.com talked with Wolfram about what he uncovered on his trek through eclipse history, how measuring the moon has driven science, and what to expect from the new eclipse website.

Space.com: So this eclipse project inspired a deep dive into the history of totality for you, right?

Stephen Wolfram: I had fun tracking down all this history. I knew a large fraction of this history, but I did not understand the thread of the whole progression of things. What I hadn't fully internalized is how central the problem of the moon was to science for a really long time. It was really through  after science woke up in the 1500s, the problem of the moon was almost a driving force for the developments in physics and mathematics and so on, right up through the end of the 1800s. For me, as a physicist, so to speak, coming of age in the 1970s, the problem of the moon seemed like it was solved. But it turned out it was really a dominant thing for such a long time.

It's interesting because it involves so many of the key figures in the development of mathematical physics. It's also interesting that, in a sense  the planets and the moon were almost the thing that got exact science started, because that was the first set of observations that the Babylonians made that could be synthesized into something one might call a scientific theory.

Space.com: And your blog post goes in detail through that history and how the mathematics and measurements evolved. One interesting point is that the ancient Antikythera mechanism  a calculating device well more than 2,000 years ago  actually had the capacity to predict eclipses.

Wolfram: It's such a bizarre piece of history, because we only have this one example of a computing device from antiquity. It seems hard to believe that there was only one of them. It's also an interesting cautionary tale, as we look at ideas and developments that happen today  will any of these be lost in the same way that the Antikythera device was lost? Maybe what happened at the time [was] there was some particular group of people that was building things like the Antikythera device, and other people just didn't understand what they were doing, and so the whole thing never really took off and then was lost for 1600 years.

It's a remarkably complex device that does a pretty creditable job of saying when the eclipses might be able to occur. It can't confirm that a particular solar eclipse will actually occur, but it gives one the candidate dates. [Ancient Greeks Built an Eclipse-Predicting 'Computer' 2,000 Years Ago]

A Wolfram Demonstration depicting the inner workings of the Antikythera device showing a possible eclipse when set to Aug. 21, 2017. (Image credit: Stephen Wolfram Blog

Space.com: You call it "unsettling" in the post that it just disappeared like that.

Wolfram: You would have expected that given that that level of advancement had been reached, that that tradition would somehow have survived. In the rest of this history, nothing goes backwards like that. Everything else just sort of sequentially builds. That's the one place where we really lost a lot of stuff.

Space.com: Jumping forward, Newton's equations could describe the moon's orbit  so why didn't that solve the problem?

Wolfram: When he tried to work out the theories of moon, he just couldn't do it, because the math is basically too hard. Newton had a very clunky way of doing calculus. He'd invented calculus, but he was still using these geometrical methods which were very inefficient  His theory, when correctly worked out, gets it right, but his actual calculation was not able to get it right.

Newton had this lovely booklet that he published in 1702, this theory of moon booklet which gave a little rule-of-thumb algorithm for computing the position of the moon. People got really interested in computing the position of the moon because they wanted to solve the longitude problem Given the formalism that Newton had defined, it was then basically 200 years of extremely serious work in mathematical physics aimed at solving the problem of the moon  to some extent, other planets as well, but the moon is much harder than the problems with other planets because the moon is truly a three-body problem. [In the] Earth-moon-sun system, there are significant gravitational effects between all those bodies.

People were filling these hundreds and hundreds of pages with algebraic computation. Personally, that was the kind of thing that I wanted to avoid spending my life doing back when I was a kid, and that's why I started developing things that led to things like Mathematica and Wolfram Alpha. I don't want to be filling hundreds of pages with calculations I'm doing, I just want computers to do that stuff. That wasn't an option in 1800.

Space.com: Eventually computers could do it, though, right?

Wolfram: Originally the Apollo missions were using [English mathematician Ernest] Brown's tables  they were basically using a computerized version of Brown's tables from like 1918, tweaked a bit, to work out where the moon was going to be. That was good enough for that purpose. But then, NASA started out doing direct integration for the planets, which is an easier case than for the moon. The moon is a particularly nasty three-body problem. And then by the '80s, it's possible to do direct integration also for the moon, although assisted with a bunch of algebraic methods to preprocess the equations to make things easier.

In this graphic, the Earth's movement around the sun over the course of a year is shown along with the moon's (exaggerated) movement around Earth. The moon appears red when it's close to the plane of the ecliptic, when it is in line with the sun and Earth. Eclipses can occur when the moon is in that plane and also on the innermost part of the diagram, between Earth and the sun. (Image credit: Stephen Wolfram Blog

Space.com: Which  skipping over a lot  brings us to your new eclipse calculation website.

Wolfram: A few weeks ago, we finally decided, let's do something interesting for this eclipse, and so we decided to actually build, using our technology stack, this website called precisioneclipse.com where you can basically type in a street address, and it should give you, to the second, when the eclipse will arrive.

Space.com: To do that you had to very precisely map out where the user was, exactly what time it is  harder than you'd think, from the sound of it  the user's elevation and how the light would pass by the moon's irregular contours, you've said. Was it hard to incorporate all of that?

Wolfram: Honestly, I think it's remarkable that the mathematical physics actually works. That it's possible to work out something like this that involves real lumps of rock, that it's possible to figure out with that precision what's going to happen. [How Scientists Predict the Path of the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse]

Space.com: What separates your website from other eclipse calculators out there?

Wolfram: The thing that will be really interesting, for the geek crowd, is what we are internally calling the "Geek Report," which is not quite ready. [It will] be a 20-page or more thing which gives information like the light curve predictions and all kinds of other details that come out of the calculation but are probably not of interest to the typical person, but since we're calculating them we might as well show them. I think that will be a lot of fun, and probably  certainly by Monday, that will be ready.

Space.com: And come Monday, we'll see how precise it really is, right?

Wolfram: I must admit, when you build software that has the feature that you're predicting something where you look out of the window and you see if the calculation is correct  I remember when we were first building things with Wolfram Alpha, you could do simple astronomy type stuff like position of the sun. I'm used to mostly building software where there's an internal computation that has some consistency or not. It's not something where you basically look out the window and see if it's correct.

For many years, I've been using as a piece of quality control  we have a sunburn calculation thing which comes from the UV index calculations from satellite data, but I made a point of, whenever I'm out in the sun, I always type in the sunburn thing, I'm skin type 2, it says how long I should be able to be in the sun without putting on sunscreen, and I really believe it. I've been doing personal QA [quality assurance] of this thing for seven years or so now, and I'm happy to say, I probably have increased my vitamin D by being out in the sun without putting on sunscreen when I didn't need to, and I haven't  touch wood  gotten sunburned. [Here's What Scientists Have Learned From Total Solar Eclipses]

Space.com: Are you planning a similar personal test case with this eclipse?

Wolfram: Of course. I'm going to Jackson, Wyoming.

Space.com: And your calculations will fold into all of those from the Babylonians, through the Greeks, Newton and so on.

Wolfram: I don't know of any other scientific epic that's been as long-running as the problem of the moon. It's a thread that goes through the whole history of exact science as it's developed  it's just invisible to us today because it was kind of solved 100 years ago. It's worth remembering. This was a driving force in a lot of what got done in exact science. We take it for granted now, but it's a heroic tale.

This interview was edited for length. Try Wolfram's eclipse computation website here.

Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy prepares to deploy a nanosatellite outside the International Space Station on Aug. 17, 2017. The satellite's outer cover, which was removed before the satellite was pitched, bears a logo in honor of the 60th anniversary of the first satellite, Sputnik.

Two cosmonauts stepped outside the International Space Station for a seven-hour spacewalk on Thursday (Aug. 17), in part to deploy three small satellites in tribute to the dawn of the space age 60 years ago.

Fyodor Yurchikhin, commander of the Expedition 52 crew, and Sergey Ryazanskiy, both of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, opened the hatch to the station's Pirs airlock at 10:36 a.m. EDT (1436 GMT), starting the extravehicular activity (EVA).

Yurchikhin, perched on a ladder just outside of the airlock, deployed the first nanosatellite  one of three created by Russian college students to honor the 60th anniversary of the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, on Oct. 4, 1957 by the Soviet Union. [Sputnik, Earth's First Artificial Satellite (Photos)]

Yurchikhin tossed the satellite below and to the rear of the space station to avoid it ever coming back in contact with the complex. The Tomsk-TPU 120 satellite will operate for about a year and a half, transmitting voice messages and telemetry on amateur radio. Created by students at Tomsk Polytechnic University, in collaboration with the aerospace corporation RSC Energia and with the Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science of the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, the Tomsk-TPU 120 is first cubesat to be built entirely from a 3D printed body.

Ryazanskiy, who is the grandson of an early Soviet rocket scientist and pioneer in radio control systems, next pitched Tanyusha-YuZGU 1 and 2, a pair of nanosatellites that will interact with each other and measure vacuum density while transmitting greetings in Russian, English, Spanish and Chinese.

The Tanyusha project, by Energia and Southwestern State University in Kursk, also commemorates 160 years since the birth of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, credited as the father of Russian astronautics and spaceflight.

The Tomsk and Tanyusha satellites will broadcast on the amateur radio frequencies 437.025 MHz and 437.05 MHz, respectively.

The spherical TS530-Zerkalo satellite is seen as it floats away from the space station after being deployed by Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryazanskiy on a spacewalk on Aug. 17, 2017. (Image credit: NASA TV via collectSPACE.com)

Ryazanskiy also deployed two additional nanosats: TNS-0, to test sensor equipment and an experimental navigation system over the next three to five months; and the TS530-Zerkalo satellite, which like the original Sputnik was built into a metal sphere. The latter will measure the density of Earth's atmosphere in order to better predict the motion of spacecraft in low-Earth orbit, like the space station.

"This one was the best," remarked Ryazanskiy, referring to the Zerkalo satellite.

"Because it is round," replied Yurchikhin, who joked that it looked like a face as it drifted away from the station.

In addition to deploying the five satellites, Yurchikhin and Ryazanskiy also inspected and collected residue samples from various locations outside the Russian segment of the space station and installed handrails and struts to facilitate future excursions.

The spacewalk also served as the first test of an upgraded version of Russia's EVA spacesuit. Yurchikhin donned the first of the modernized Orlan MKS suits, equipped with an advanced, automated thermal control system and a built-in computer. The new pressure suit is also designed to better protect against wear and tear.

Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, wearing the first of Russias new Orlan MKS spacesuits, works outside the International Space Station on Aug. 17, 2017. (Image credit: NASA TV via collectSPACE.com)

Thursday's spacewalk, which came to an end at 6:10 p.m. EDT (2210 GMT), 7 hours and 34 minutes after it began, marked Yurchikhin's ninth EVA. With a career total time of 59 hours and 28 minutes, Yurchikhin now ranks fourth on the list of worldwide spacewalkers by time.

Ryazanskiy has now spent 27 hours and 39 minutes on four spacewalks.

The EVA was the seventh excursion of the year and 202nd in support of space station assembly and maintenance.

Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2017 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved.
Slooh, an organization that connects skywatchers across the globe to a large telescopic network and airs live celestial events, will broadcast the entire 2017 total solar eclipse in a five-hour livestream. To broaden the audience, Slooh will stream a Spanish-language program on the channel Univision to pair with Slooh's English broadcast on Monday, Aug. 21.

The extensive broadcast will begin at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT), and the Spanish broadcast is intended to mirror the one in English, Michael Paolucci, Slooh's founder and CEO, told Space.com. Astronomer J.L. Galache will be anchoring the Spanish program and will be based in Idaho during the eclipse.

Galache told Space.com that he believes many people in South America will also be watching the Spanish broadcast, in addition to the 42.5 million Spanish speakers living in the United States. [Here Are the Best Live-Video Streams for the 2017 Solar Eclipse]

"Since the broadcast will also stream on Univision's Facebook page, and there is a whole continent that speaks Spanish, we hope that even if South Americans can't enjoy the total eclipse and see just a partial one, that they can enjoy a part of [the total eclipse]," he said.

Univision's special coverage, according to an Aug. 16 announcement, will feature special news segments on its morning show "Despierta America," and the channel has invited NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez as a special guest to participate in the network's reporting. Univision news anchors Ilia Calderon and Felix de Bedout will host the program "El Gran Eclipse" (The Great Eclipse), which airs across the country at 1 p.m. EDT/10 a.m. PDT.

In 2017, Univision beat out other national English-speaking networks for 10 consecutive weeks during prime time. This partnership with Univision is the third time Slooh has collaborated with the largest Spanish-language network in the United States; the first broadcast was from Chile in Feb. 2017, and later for a program on comets in March.

Slooh is a celestial-event streaming company that has partnered with a network of international telescopes, seen in this illustration. (Image credit: Slooh)

Paolucci told Space.com that Slooh's mission is to make space accessible to everyone, in every language. He felt it was only fair to make the parallel broadcast, since many of the telescopes in his network are based in locations where Spanish is most widely spoken. Most of Slooh's telescopes  and really, Slooh's base  is at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, which are part of the nation of Spain, and Slooh also has a telescopic partnership with the Catholic University in Santiago, Chile.

Slooh's goal, according to Paolucci, is to build a platform that "removes every barrier to look up and appreciate space, and cost is one barrier, language is another." The news of Slooh's partnership with Univision came a few weeks after Slooh announced it was going to be granting its online users free access to its telescope streaming feeds.

Following Slooh's livestream, which will be sponsored by Frontier Communications, the next step for Paolucci and his team is to create a Spanish-language version for the interactive Slooh website.

You can watch the Slooh broadcasts in Spanish on Sloohs website, as well as here on Space.com.

Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter @salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
B ritains tech sector got a major vote of confidence on Friday, after a satellite telecoms giant backed by Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Group chose to make a debut in London.

OneWeb, which wants to launch a constellation of satellites to provide worldwide broadband, has agreed a deal to open offices in White City.

It will relocate some work as early as November from the US to the UK, according to Property Week.

The company, valued at more than $2 billion, has offices in Virginia, California and Florida.

The London base will be 30,000 square feet at the WestWorks building, part of developer Stanhopes and Mitsui Fudosans White City Place business district, comprising one million square feet of office space.

Other businesses that will based at White City Place include luxury fashion online retailer Yoox Net-A-Porter.

OneWeb, which is backed by Japans SoftBank as well as Branson, could not be reached for comment.
A balmy summers evening once again disrupted by terrorism. Tourists mowed down as they enjoy their well-deserved holidays. The incidents in Las Ramblas, Barcelona, and later in the seaside resort of Cambrils  and the wider network that is being uncovered around it  reminds us once again of the threat from international terrorism that European cities face. It is only two months since London faced its last attack. It is unlikely that this will be the last.

Given that launching an IS-style attack is as easy as getting a knife or car and attacking random citizens, suddenly the group has sanctioned a vast range of potential activities. For the perpetrators this model is deeply appealing as it will elevate them from being individuals simply stabbing or driving people down to a holy warrior advancing a global cause. This is a classic win-win, with the organisation and individual benefiting from the atrocity without any particular demonstration of connection beyond the individual having possibly read the groups material online at some point.

But in this case, the other incidents that authorities have confirmed, including the deaths of five men in Cambrils who were reportedly wearing fake suicide vests and a number of other arrests, suggest something more substantial. This could be IS, which has claimed responsibility, though it could also be al Qaeda or some other network  Barcelona, it is worth remembering, was the focus of a plot in January 2008 when a cell connected to the Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was believed to be planning a suicide bomb attack on the citys metro using perpetrators sent from Pakistan.

Yet it is not clear that it really matters any more who is responsible for such acts. Jihadist groups may have some sectarian and leadership differences but seen from the victims perspective they are all the same. The point is that terrorist groups are substantial and consistent in their desire to launch attacks against us. There is no actual dichotomy within IS or any terrorist group about launching either small-scale or large-scale attacks. These groups are dedicated to their cause and will do whatever they can deliver their brutal message to us. For them, launching small-scale attacks does not mean stopping attempting larger ones. From the security perspective, the appearance of more lower level-style attacks suggests a degree of success by security agencies as it suggests it has become too difficult to get bigger plots through.

Second attack: Armed police in Cambrils following a second attack in Spain / EPA

Understanding attribution when it comes to the so-called Islamic State is not as easy as it sounds. The group has made an art out of spreading its extremist ideas and very basic attack methodologies as widely as possible. This means there are often terrorist attacks where individuals will launch an attack model emulating what is widely perceived as IS-style, without demonstrating any particular link to the group, and yet at the same time the group will claim them.

Al Qaeda first advocated the notion of using a car in mowing down the public in the October 2010 edition of its magazine Inspire. This methodology was in fact considered too much for the al Qaeda leadership, with Osama bin Laden reportedly reading the magazine in disgust and telling other acolytes that he did not consider this proper terrorism. Yet the methodology stuck in its simplicity, and while we saw a number of attempted or semi-attempted attacks deploying it, it was in Nice last year that its success was crystalised. The extremists leapt on this idea and issued repeated declarations in advance of this style of attack.

The difficulty for terrorist groups, however, is that as we see this patter of small-scale attacks become more regular, they will lose impact among the public. Clearly, individuals who have suffered directly in such incidents will never be the same after seeing such an incident close up. The sheer brutality of watching random fellow citizens mown down by a truck or stabbed in front of you will leave unspeakable psychological damage.

Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. / AP

But while the individual may suffer, society overall will move on. And over time, lose interest in such atrocities. This is not a reflection of a lack of humanity but rather of the fact that for terrorism to be effective it must be shocking so the low-level campaign being waged now will lose its impact, something that will make individuals question whether they are willing to sacrifice themselves for this cause. Undoubtedly some still will, but increasingly this will be confused and damaged individuals whose ideological purity will be limited, and therefore will prove to be poor carriers of the extremist message that groups such as al Qaeda or IS are seeking to deliver.

This suggests that there is an end in sight for this style of attack. While it is doubtful that it will ever completely disappear (its simplicity suggests it will always prove to be a last resort for desperate individuals), it is also likely that we will see groups pushing towards more targeted or sophisticated efforts to re-assert their authority and deliver their message in a coherent fashion.

Terror in Spain: What we know so far

None of this will, of course, change the misery wrought in Barcelona. Terrorism has been a feature of organised human society for a long time  in Spain, prior to the current wave of Islamist terrorism, the separatist group ETA murdered hundreds in a campaign that lasted decades. But it is not clear that this path is sustainable for the terrorist organisations. While it provides a useful way of distracting security services and raising a cause, with limited broader public effect it is not advancing a strategic goal.

This ultimately is what terrorist groups are seeking to do: change the world and persuade us all of their message. If they cannot do this, they will fade away as supporters lose interest in such a clearly losing cause.

Raffaello Pantucci is director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute
W hile you may assume her Royal Majesty the Queen enjoys fine dining every day, this isn't always the case.

According to The Telegraph, twice a week the head chef to the royal household, Mark Flanagan, provides the Queen with menu suggestion which she can approve by ticking off or crossing out.

However, Darren McGrady, a former chef in the royal kitchens, said that the Queen is "not a foodie. She eats to live, unlike Prince Philip who loves to eat and would stand and talk food all day."

When she dines on her own, he added, shes very disciplined. No starch is the rule."

We took a look at the Queen's typical day of eating and drinking, from the tea she drinks and biscuits she eats when she wakes up to her low-carb lunches, her nightly glass of Champagne, and penchant for chocolate.

Scroll down to see what Her Royal Majesty the Queen has for every meal  and in between.

We took a look at what Her Royal Majesty the Queen likes to eat and drink for every meal  and in between.

Deciding what to eat must be tough when you're a royal. Luckily, her Royal Majesty the Queen has a team on hand to help her pick her menu  even when she's shopping at Waitrose.

The Queen starts her day with tea and biscuits.

She has a freshly brewed pot of Earl Grey tea (no milk or sugar) in bone china cup, with a few biscuits.

(Shutterstock ) / Shutterstock

She then moves on to breakfast, which normally involves cereal and fruit.

She's partial to Special K, according to The Telegraph. Kellogg's, Quaker Oats, and Weetabix all hold royal warrants.

However, she likes her cereal to be served from Tupperware, which she believes keeps it fresh.

Janet Ramsden/Flickr

She occasionally opts for toast and marmalade...

Jam in the royal household comes from Wilkin & Sons.

Source: BT

...Or, on some occasions, enjoys scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and truffle.

Source: The Telegraph

However, she prefers brown eggs.

She thinks they taste better, according to The Guardian.

Before lunch, she enjoys a gin and Dubonnet (a sweet wine-based aperitif) with a slice of lemon and a lot of ice.

It's likely she uses Gordon's Gin, which has a royal warrant.

Source: The Independent

Queen Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee: 30 looks in blue 1 /40 Queen Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee: 30 looks in blue October 9, 1989 Visiting British Queen Elizabeth II (R) chats with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew when he pays a courtesy call on her at the Presidential Palace Toru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images June, 1993 A portrait of Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II in an open carriage during Royal Ascot Chris Cole/Allsport/Getty Images 19 February, 1994 An Anguillan resident points her camera at Queen Elizabeth II as she greets residents and tourist lined up at a downtown street Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images March 5, 1997 Queen Elizabeth with President Mugabe of Zimbabwe and his wife, pose for photographers after being the Queen's guest at Buckingham Palace Johnny Eggitt/AFP/Getty Images November 20, 1997 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in jovial mood after thanking the Dean of Westminster for a special service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary, leave the Westminster Abbey Gerry Penny/AFP/Getty Images May 13, 1998 Queen Elizabeth II and the Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien (2L) inspect the honor guard at Buckingham Palace Dylan Martinez/AFP/Getty Images November 7, 1999 Queen Elizabeth II and Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings walk together upon the Queen's arrival for a state visit to the former British colony Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images February 23, 2000 Queen Elizabeth talks with Princess Anne (right) and Dame Helen Reeves (left), Chief Executive of Victim Support, during a meeting with members of the voluntary sector in the London Marriott Hotel, County Hall Adrain Dennis/AFP/Getty Images July 14, 2000 Queen Elizabeth II arrives for the Service of the Order of St Michael and St George at St Paul's Cathedral in London Micahel Stephens/AFP/Getty Images October 8, 2001 Queen Elizabeth II holds a hi-tech baton, designed to relay the Queen's opening message to the Golden Jubilee Commonwealth Games in Manchester next year, which was presented to her at Buckingham Palace, London Fiona Hanson/AFP/Getty Images April 30, 2002 Queen Elizabeth II is escorted by Speaker of the House Michael Martin (right) through Central Lobby at The Houses of Parliament after making an historic address at the start of her Golden Jubilee celebrations in London Adrian Dennis /AFP/Getty Images June 4, 2002 Queen Elizabeth II waving to the crowd as she rides in the Gold State coach from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral for a service of Thanksgiving to celebrate to her Golden Jubilee PA July 6, 2004 Domenica Lawson (L), god daughter of the late Princess Diana presents a posy to Queen Elizabeth ll and the Duke of Edinburgh (R) after the unveiling ceremony for the Princess Diana memorial fountain in London's Hyde Park Arthur Edwards/AFP/Getty Images December 5, 2006 Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh leaving The Ritz in Londo PA October 21, 2008 Queen Elizabeth II inspects an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at Brdo castle, some 50 kilometers north of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana Hrvoje Polan/AFP/Getty Images October 11, 2010 Queen Elizabeth II looks at a newly commissioned portrait of herself in The Queen's Room as she is given a tour of the Cunard's new cruise-liner Queen Elizabeth II in Southampton Docks in Southampton Arthur Edwards/WPA Pool/Getty Images April 27, 2011 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrive to open the Sainsbury Laboratory for Plant Sciences in the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden in Cambridge Andrew Winning/WPA Pool/Getty Images July 28, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II visits the Aquatics Centre on day one of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Park in London Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images November 14, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II meets the crowd after her visit to the Royal Commonwealth Society on in London Ian Gavan/WPA Pool/Getty Images December 25, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II leaves St Mary Magdalene Church after attending the traditional Christmas Day church service in Sandringham, near King's Lynn Chris Jackson/Getty Images June 2, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrive at The Derby in Epsom Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images December 18, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II leaves Number 10 Downing Street after attending the Government's weekly Cabinet meetingon in London Chris Jackson/Getty Images April 29, 2014 Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the Chapel to view the restoration and meet local people involved with the project at the Royal Dockyard Chapel during an official visit in Pembroke Dock Bethany Clarke/Getty Images June 16, 2015 Queen Elizabeth arrives in the royal carriage for day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot Chris Jackson/Getty Images April 5, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II leaves the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, Neil Hall/WPA Pool/Getty Images March 26, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II smiles at schoolchildren as she leaves the National Memorial to the Few after opening a new wing in Folkestone Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images April 30, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II reacts after presenting New Colours to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Windsor Castle in London Cathal McNaughton/WPA Pool /Getty Images March 8, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she meets people being helped by the Prince's Trust at the Prince's Trust Centre in Kennington in London Chris Jackson/Getty Images December 24, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II sits at a desk in the Regency Room after recording her Christmas Day broadcast to the Commonwealth at Buckingham Palace in London Yui Mok/WPA Pool/Getty Images March 14, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she arrives at the annual Commonwealth Day service on Commonwealth Day in Westminster Abbey, London Geoff Pugh/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Lunch is something simple, like fish with vegetables.

She likes to eat grilled Dover sole with wilted spinach or courgettes, according to former royal chef Darren McGrady.

She's also partial to a simple grilled chicken with salad.

She has a "no starch" rule when she's eating along, meaning no potatoes, rice, or pasta, McGrady told The Daily Mail.

(Shutterstock ) / Shutterstock

Every day, she takes afternoon tea.

It's served with fingers sandwiches such as cucumber, smoked salmon, egg and mayonnaise, or ham and mustard with the crusts removed (to save calories, no doubt), as well as jam pennies tiny raspberry jam sandwiches cut into circles the size of an English Penny.

It also comes with McVitie's rich tea biscuits, scones, and cakes, her favourites being honey and cream sponge, ginger, fruit, and the chocolate biscuit cake what was served at Will and Kate's wedding, according to McGrady.

Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images

For dinner, fillets of beef or venison, pheasant, or salmon come from farms in Sandringham and Balmoral.

The meat is turned into Gaelic steak, and served with a sauce of mushroom, cream and whisky. She also loves a Sunday roast, when it's served well done.

While her former chefs didn't mention condiments, the likes of Lea & Perrins, HP Sauce, and Heinz ketchup all hold royal warrants.

PA

Dessert includes strawberries, also from Balmoral, or sweet, white peaches from the greenhouses at Windsor Castle.

Source: The Telegraph

PA

The Queen also adores chocolate, whether it's a luxury or grocery store brand.

Charbonnel et Walker, Bendicks, and Prestat all hold royal warrants, but supermarket brands like Cadbury and Nestle could also be found in the royal household.

Along with the chocolate biscuit cake that's one of her favourites, she also loves chocolate mousse and a traditional chocolate ganache sponge cake.

And, last but not least, she finishes her day with a glass of Champagne.

PA

She usually has a glass of Champagne in the evening, according to The Independent, likely chosen from the eight brands including Bollinger, Lanson, and Krug  that have been given royal warrants.

And, of course, warrants have been given to a number of fine wines, though she isn't a huge fan.

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Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2017. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
W eve been here before

With the first reports from Barcelona, at around 3.50pm, came an anguished familiarity. This was another vehicle attack by Islamist terrorists, targeting tourists. The fear, uncertainty and disorientation are amplified as we remember anew the trauma of earlier attacks: it is the psychological warfare that accompanies the physical carnage of terror.

Vehicles are weapons

The incidents in Barcelona and Cambrils are the latest instance of cars and vans being used to kill and maim, with 13 left dead and over 100 injured on Las Ramblas and five suspected terrorists were shot dead by Spanish police in the coastal town of Cambrils after they drove into pedestrians. It comes less than a week after a car drove into anti-racism protesters in Charlottesville, killing protester Heather Heyer. London has faced three vehicle attacks this year: in March, four were killed and 50 injured on Westminster Bridge; in Junes London Bridge attack eight people died and 48 were injured, and local worshipper Makram Ali was killed at a mosque in Finsbury Park in June. These attacks followed similar incidents in Berlin and Nice in 2016, and Stockholm and Paris in 2017.

Tourists are targets

Las Ramblas is the heart of tourism in Barcelona. So far, victims of the attack are confirmed to have come from 24 countries, including France, Greece, Australia and Belgium. Two of the recent attacks on London, on Westminster Bridge and in Borough Market, also targeted tourists, ensuring an international impact. In December last year 12 people died when a truck was driven into Berlins popular Breitscheidplatz Christmas market, while in 2015 38 people were killed in a mass shooting at the popular beach resort of Port El Kantaoui in Tunisia, including 30 British holidaymakers. When Brussels was targeted in 2016, three coordinated bombings hit the citys airport and a metro station, killing 32.

Armed police officers patrol a street in Las Ramblas, Barcelona / AP

Roads need inbuilt defences

There were no bollards in place to slow down the attack on Las Ramblas, despite warnings. According to Catalan newspaper El Periodico, the CIA had informed regional police that the Barcelona street might be a target for terrorists. Across other European cities, rising bollards are the new normal. In London, council officials had declined to install barriers on the capitals bridges only a day before the atrocity on London Bridge (fences on the bridge were removed in 2010 for being too ugly). 24 hours after the terror attack in June, heavy duty concrete barriers were installed overnight at Waterloo, Lambeth and Westminster bridges. That same week, authorities in Nice completed a 16.5 million project to defend the beach front with reinforced bollards and steel cables. Anti-terror barriers were put in place on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh ahead of this months Fringe festival.

World reacts: Barcelona terror attack

The Moroccan connection

The British Foreign Office advises that most visits to Morocco are trouble free for the 600,000 UK nationals who visit annually, and the US State Department recently praised the countrys role in countering terrorism, busting 46 terror cells since 2015. Yet some Moroccan nationals have been connected with attacks on Europe. One of the terrorists involved in the London Bridge attack, 30-year-old Rachid Redouane, was believed to have been born in Morocco but moved to Dublin, while another, Youssef Zaghba, grew up in Morocco. The IS sympathiser who attempted to bomb Brussels Central Station, Oussama Zariouh, was a 36-year-old Moroccan national. A Barcelona terrorism suspect was yesterday named as Morocco-born Driss Oukabir  although his brother Moussa is now believed to have been the driver. The country has been identified as a natural candidate for Islamic radicalisation, according to Dr Max Abrahms, an expert on terrorism and counter-terrorism, with a majority Sunni Muslim population and a rising youth unemployment rate.

Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 1 /18 Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images

Armed police everywhere

Across stations and airports in major European cities from Rome to Paris, and on street patrols, armed police are a new constant presence. In London, it took just eight minutes for armed officers to stop Junes terror attack in London Bridge. Earlier this month it was announced that an additional 600 armed officers would be deployed across the capital

Mayors are our moral centre

Barcelonas bright, firebrand mayor, Ada Colau, cut short her holiday to return to the city immediately after yesterdays attacks. In a statement last night, she was quietly furious. Barcelona has always been ...a city open to the world, a city thats proud of its diversity, she told assembled press. To the cowards who tried to spread terror, hatred and fear today: you wont get it, she said.

We have seen it in London: the capital looked to Sadiq Khan for guidance in the wake of attacks on our city. Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, was a reassuring and visible figure in the dark days after the Paris atrocities in November 2015, as was Andy Burnham, Greater Manchesters mayor, in May, and after the attack in Berlin, the citys mayor Michael Muller argued that the citys values and spirit would persevere.

13 dead and more than 100 injured as van driver brings terror to Barcelona

Social media connects us

Social media is the first recourse for many after terrorist attacks. We use it to learn about whats happened, and also to feel connected to, and express, solidarity.

Early witness reports and images give way to shows of unity. After Manchester, people shared images of Ariana Grandes trademark bunny ears, or pink balloons.

Yesterday Facebook activated its Safety Check function  as it did with Westminster, London Bridge, Manchester, Paris and Nice  so that those in the city could reassure family and friends they were safe. Indeed, the authorities advised people to use social networks to avoid flooding the citys phone network. Police also asked people not to share images of the dead or injured  instead, images of cats (gatos, in Spanish) were shared, attached to the #Barcelona hashtag. On Instagram, many shared pictures of the city, overlaid with a black ribbon.

Trumps inevitable tweets

Last night, Trump tweeted to express US support to the people of Barcelona, but followed this up by inviting followers to study a long-discredited fable about brutal methods supposedly used by General John Black Jack Pershing to crush a rebellion in a Muslim province of the Philippines following the Spanish-American War in the early 1900s..

In the wake of the London Bridge attack, he used the opportunity to revive an ongoing feud with Mayor Sadiq Khan, tweeting At least seven dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is no reason to be alarmed.

In fact the Mayor had said there was no reason to be alarmed by an increased and armed police presence in the city that day, and had condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms.

We will return to normality

Although a police presence and security tape was still visible in some places on Las Ramblas this morning, the thoroughfare was open to the public. As we have seen before, cities refuse to be cowed by terrorism. Nices promenade was reopened within three days; Borough Market reopened 11 days after the London Bridge attack in June; Brussels airport partially reopened 12 days after the terrorist attack last March.

Memorials, flowers, and cards of condolence outlast the physical damage to a landmark, and the emotional impact is harder to measure. Yet, as we have seen time and again, adversity draws us together even as terrorists try to prise us apart.

Phoebe Luckhurst, Ben Travis, Katie Strick, Samuel Fishwick
P hotographer James Popsys says his passion in life is to make people smile.

The conceptual artist has gained a cult following on Instagram for his playful photographs of London and other destination cities, using Photoshop to transform everyday scenes into playful optical illusions.

Included within his witty pictures are familiar scenes that many Londoners will recognise, each with an unexpected twist that will make you take a second and third look.

Theres a London Underground station entrance in the middle of the countryside, Big Ben wearing a sleep mask and headphones and a District Line carriage flying through the clouds.

When I first got myself a good camera, I would do my best to get out and find pictures that hadn't been taken before, Popsys told The Evening Standard.

Invariably though I would notice that several other people were aiming for the same shots as me.

After that happened a couple of times I knew I needed to find another way to create original stuff. That's about the time I found Photoshop.

The series started as a hobby for the London-based photographer, when he would spend his weekends walking around the streets of the capital and filling up memory card after memory card of pictures. Its since become a full-time career.

Normally the 27-year-old photographer uses a Nikon full-frame DSLR, but he says that some of his most popular images were created on his iPhone.

If you can match the perspective and light in all the photos you want to stitch together there's no reason why any camera can't do the job, he says.

Popsys says that Japan and China are next on his list of destinations to shoot, but admits that there are many places in London he's yet to aim his lens at.

Follow James Popsys on Instagram: @jamespopsys
N estled within a bustling harbour on Cornwalls stunning south coast, Falmouth is a vibrant seaside town waiting to be explored.

Where to stay

The Greenbank Hotel

Back in 1907, author Kenneth Grahame checked into the Greenbank Hotel and wrote letters to his son that would go on to become the stories that formed the classic tale of The Wind in the Willows. The idyllic setting which inspired Grahame remains today. With amazing views across the harbour and beyond, the hotel is a quiet haven located just a few minutes walk from the town centre.

Room interior at the Greenbank Hotel

Fully equipped with a bar, outdoor patio, on-site spa and super helpful staff at your beck and call, youll find the Greenbank Hotel a welcome respite from busy city life, packed with that famous Cornish charm and hospitality.

Rooms start from 109; greenbank-hotel.co.uk

Reasons to visit Cornwall - in pictures 1 /21 Reasons to visit Cornwall - in pictures Port Isaac Visit Cornwall Chapel House, Penzance Chapel House Penzance Harbour by night Mike Newman Porthcurno Beach David Pearson/REX The Cornish Barn at Artist Residence Anthony & Cleopatra on stage at Minack Theatre in South Cornwall Visit Cornwall Surfers at Polzeath Beach Visit Cornwall Porthcothan Beach Visit Cornwall The quaint harbour town of Charlestown, where much of Poldark is filmed Visit Cornwall Pinuccia, Hotel Tresanton's classic yacht Hotel Tresanton Hotel Tresanton and its terrace Hotel Tresanton The Lost Gardens of Heligan Visit Cornwall Seafood platter at Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant in Padstow Rick Stein A relaxing bath in The Scarlet's Spa The Scarlet The view from The Scarlet's natural pool The Scarlet The Camel Estuary Visit Cornwall

The Idle Rocks, St Mawes

Whilst not strictly in Falmouth, the heavenly Idle Rocks Hotel is only a 20-minute ferry ride across the bay to St Mawes and expertly captures the gentle pace of seaside life. Nineteen beautifully designed boutique bedrooms offer a comfortable stay, marrying traditional coastal style with a refreshing contemporary edge, whilst nautical niceties and luxury finishing touches complete your well deserved rest.

Home to an award winning restaurant with a menu that offers a delicious range of fresh fish and locally sourced ingredients, youll struggle to find a better place to get a real taste of Cornish cuisine. Expect to find a menu of lobster, scallops, crab, monkfish, cod and much more, ready to be cooked to perfection by the innovative kitchen. With gorgeous views over the bay, grab a drink on the sun terrace and watch the world sail by

idlerocks.com. To check out the ferry timetable (tickets cost 10 return), click here.

Where to eat and drink

Amanzi

South African gastronomy might not be the most obvious choice for dinner in a small Cornish town, but that shouldnt stop you from experiencing the delicious food on offer at Amanzi.

The perfect spot

Featuring a menu full of flavour and adventurous delicacies, including mouth-watering ostrich and home-cured biltong, this is the place to go for those looking to try something new. Be sure to enjoy one of the Amanzi cocktails.

amanzirestaurant.co.uk

Provedore

Another unexpected gem in amongst all the fish n chips and Cornish pasties is Provedore, an exceptional Spanish tapas restaurant. The small but perfectly cooked menu varies season to season and differs from lunch to dinner  but whenever you visit, Provedore is guaranteed to thrill you with its fresh ingredients and tasty Spanish dishes.

provedore.co.uk

Dolly's Tea Room & Wine Bar

With a gin menu of over 200 varieties, make sure youve got enough time to try a refreshing cocktail down at Dollys. G&Ts and cocktails for two are served in vintage tea pots ready for pouring into Dollys finest china cups, and if you fancy something a little less boozy, traditional afternoon tea is also available along with a tasty tapas-style menu.

dollysbar.co.uk

Star & Garter

A typical Star and Garter feast

Clocking in at the grand old age of 125 years old, the Star and Garter isnt quite the oldest joint in town but its not far off and is worth visiting for its freshly caught fish, a wide selection of rums and fantastic harbour views. Make sure you stop by on a Sunday for their scrumptious roast dinner  choose your meat (or veggie option) and then let the salivating commence as youre served mega Yorkshire puds, duck fat roasties, seasonal veg and delicious gravy.

starandgarter.co.uk

La Cave

Looking for a romantic escape with food fit for a Frenchman? Head to La Cave, with its intimate setting within a cosy cellar. Located just off Falmouths Old High Street, the quirky restaurant serves up a menu of French classics and nouveau cuisine for a dining experience that is tres magnifque.

lacavefalmouth.co.uk

Harbour Lights

Voted Independent Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year 2017, Harbour Lights crispy battered cod, chunky chips and marvellous mushy peas should not be missed. The freshest locally caught fish is served up right on the harbour front, just sit back, relax and take in that revitalising sea air.

harbourlights.co.uk

Warrens Bakery

Dating back to 1860, Warrens Bakery is the oldest Cornish pasty maker in the world and is still going strong after 150 years. By using the same baking methods as the founding family members did all those years ago and including only the finest local ingredients, their hand-crimped pasties are firm favourites with the locals and tourists alike.

warrensbakery.co.uk

Beerwolf Books

Beerwolf Books has taken two British institutions, the pub and the bookshop, and combined them together so you can get squiffy whilst reading the latest bestseller. If only every pub had a few hundred books to read bar fights would consist of arguing over the merits of Alice Through the Looking Glass, rather than glassing someone for looking at Alice

beerwolfbooks.com

Where to relax

St Michaels Hotel and Spa

The award winning spa at St Michaels Hotel is perfect for those wanting to retreat into relaxation and get some me time during your city break. Offering luxurious spa treatments, sensual massages and a pool with jets and Jacuzzi, the recently renovated spa will have you blissfully calm in no time.

stmichaelshotel.co.uk

What to do

Pendennis Castle

A walk through history at Pendennis Castle

Theres much to learn about Henry VIIIs beloved Pendennis Castle, from its battle-worn walls to its huge interior and its use as a secret Second World War base. Dating back 450 years, this brilliant piece of history is well worth exploring and is great for all ages  dont miss the Tudor Gun Room or the interactive Discovery Centre.

visitcornwall.com

National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Walk through stunning exhibitions showcasing nautical history throughout the ages at Falmouths very own Maritime Museum. The current Tattoo exhibit, with its interactive tattooed arms and detailed history of how tattooing came about in this country should not be missed. From religious pilgrimages to sailors and high society women, this often controversial and misunderstood art form has a rich and varied heritage thats brilliantly explored to give you a fun and informative history of tattooing.

The Tattoo exhibit runs until January 2018. nmmc.co.uk

Beaches

No trip to the seaside is complete without making use of your bucket and spade, and with beaches galore in Cornwall, youre never far from the sand and sea its a shame the sun isnt as reliable. For the closest to Falmouth, head to Gyllyngvase, for a large beach and a smattering of rock pools.

If youre up for some watersports, you will be well rewarded by taking a trip to Swanpool Beach where you can kayak, windsurf and sail. For stunning waters and beautiful sand, head a little further out to Maenporth Beach where the turquoise sea will have you feeling like youre in the Med.

For beach locations and more info, click here.

Relax and enjoy the sun and sea

Where to shop

If youre eager to splash some holiday cash then Falmouths vibrant town centre has a large array of independent boutiques, galleries, vintage stores and homeware shops to satisfy your cravings. For the best in luxury interiors, head to Willow and Stone or the stylish Cream Cornwall, whilst art lovers will love Beside The Wave gallery.

For those who like their wares a tad crafty, then theres always Folklore and plant lovers can get their fix in Toro where quirky terrariums hang beautifully.

How to get there

GWR run regular trains to Cornwall from London Paddington daily. Taking just over 5 hours with a change at Truro, the train is the easiest and most relaxing way to start your Cornish vacation.
T hirteen people have died and around 80 were injured after a van drove into a crowd of people in Las Ramblas, a popular tourist street in Barcelona.

Local police have said that they are treating the atrocity as a terror attack, which occurred at 5.05pm local time yesterday.

In the wake of another attack taking place in the nearby coastal town of Cambrils, just hours later, the Foreign Office has issued advice to tourists who are planning to travel to Barcelona.

Heres everything that travellers need to know.

Im currently in Barcelona - what is the advice?

The FCO has advised travellers to stay away from Las Ramblas.

Local authorities have advised people to stay inside and stay away from the Las Ramblas area of the city; if youre in the immediate area you should take care and follow the advice of the local security authorities, said the FCO.

Press reports suggest that some public transport, particularly the metro, has been affected.

ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, also advised tourists to avoid the central shopping street, and said it also applies to people imminently due to travel to Barcelona.

The FCO added: If youre caught up in an ongoing incident, turn any mobile phones or other devices to silent, and do not put your location on social media.

A helpline has been set up on 0034 93 214 21 24, although some callers have experienced problems with the line. The Spanish authorities are working to resolve this.

Im travelling to Barcelona- what is the advice?

Flights to Barcelona are still running from London, and will likely continue to do so unless otherwise instructed by the Spanish authorities.

Advice from many major airlines asks passengers to keep an eye on their flights ahead of travelling, in case of cancellations or disruptions.

EasyJet released a statement yesterday which said that while the company are still running their services are usual, passengers should check their flights for delays ahead of travel.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims of the incident in Barcelona on 17 August.

The safety and security of its passengers and crews is always EasyJet's highest priority.

Our schedule is operating as normal, however we would advise that all passengers due to fly with us to or from Barcelona today check the status of their flight on our Flight Tracker page.

EasyJet will continue to comply with all recommendations and guidance from the Spanish authorities.

13 dead and more than 100 injured as van driver brings terror to Barcelona

Monarch has also written on its website: "Our thoughts are with those affected by this incident.

"Monarchs flights are scheduled to operate as usual, subject to any recommendations or guidance from the Spanish authorities."

Spanish authorities have not advised holidaymakers to avoid travelling to the country, although they have warned tourists to avoid the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona.

While the attacks may be distressing, Spain is a popular destination with British holidaymakers, with more than 12 million British nationals visiting the country each year. The vast majority of holidays in Spain pass trouble-free.

What is the terror threat in Spain?

The terror threat in Spain is currently set at high, and the FCO has previously warned that terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Spain.

Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners, the advice adds.

The Spanish authorities take measures to protect visitors, but you should be vigilant and follow the instructions of the local authorities.

According to foreign travel advice, there is a heightened terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria.

Travellers are asked to be vigilant at this time.

However, prior to the attack in Las Ramblas, there had not been any attacks in the country since 2009 - carried out by the Basque separatist group ETA, which disarmed earlier this year. Spain still remains, by and large, a very safe holiday destination.

Can I cancel my trip and will get my money refunded?

You can cancel your trip, but travellers will likely not be refunded for their booking and may incur extra costs. Travel companies are not obliged to offer free cancellation or refunds unless the FCO advises against travel.

Travellers are advised to check the cancellation policy with the company you booked with.
R esults day is finally here, and as students celebrate or commiserate their grades, thoughts eventually shift towards their next move.

While many will be heading to university this coming September, some may opt to taking a gap year, and travel away from home.

Recent research by travel money specialist, No 1 Currency, revealed a huge difference in cost between some of the most popular gap year destinations. If the average 'gapper' had a budget of 5000, the analysis showed Colombia would offer the best value for money whilst Australia emerged as the most expensive country, with the budget estimated to last barely six weeks.

So, for those toying with the idea, here are the top ten destinations promising the best value for your money.

1. Cambodia

Here's the chance to visit Cambodia's untouched beaches. Many know of Thailands beautiful beaches, but visitors say islands like Koh Rong and Kon Rong Samloem are what Thailand used to be.

2. India

The Pink Palace (Shutterstock ) / Shutterstock

The food alone should be convincing enough as no other country can offer a range of cuisines like India and with some of the world's most famous buildings, like the Taj Mahal, are located there, its best to get going before its too late.

3. Mexico

Puerto Vallarta / Rex Features

The chance the gaze at the stunning Pacific coastline is something to be explored. Escape from all your troubles and visit the small towns and villages to help bring you to a calm and tranquil state of mind.

4. Vietnam

Celebration happening at Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam / Getty Images

Nothing can match the chance to Vietnam. Travel through this amazing country and experience its dramatic landscapes, epic food and fascinating history, whether by motorbike or bus .

5. Indonesia

The popular Nihiwatu Resort (Melissa Dive ) / Melissa Dive

There are plenty of hidden gems to be discovered. With more than 17,000 islands, you wont be short of things to do; the great dive sites, surfing waves, hiking routes and wildlife are ready to be explored.

6. Chile

In the middle of the Chilean Patagonian rainforest is the Montana Magica Lodge hotel, built inside of a man-made volcano

Being one of the leading nations in South America, experience the breath-taking scenery of its rainforests, endless sandy beaches, snow-capped volcanoes and the driest desert on Earth.

7. Peru

Travel to Peru / Richard James Taylor

If youre a lover of history, this is the place for you. Whether youre hiking through one of the hidden Inca ruins or just taking a wonder through the towns, you are sure to be surrounded by a strong presence of culture and history.

8. Thailand

Relax and enjoy the sun / AFP/Getty Images

Get blown away by the perfect tropical islands, the luscious jungles, the delicious food and the nicest people. If youre looking to escape, but still want the perfect exotic yet affordable journey, there is no greater place than Thailand.

9. China

Gapper activity: Join the local fun / AFP/Getty Images

When visiting China for the first time, Beijing, Shanghai and Xian are a must-see, lets not forget the famous Great Wall, Summer Palace and Forbidden City. The trip should be filled with a buzz load of activities and spectacular scenery.

10. Colombia

Las Lajas Cathedra; An usual location choice for a church

Explore the fastest growing tourist destination in South America; visit the lost city, stroll through their exceptional street arts, dance till you drop in their all-night salsa clubs and visit one of the worlds biggest carnivals.
A fourth person has been arrested amid a major manhunt for the suspected driver of a van that ploughed into terrified tourists and locals in Barcelona.

Police were scouring the country in their hunt for Morocco-born Moussa Oukabir, who was believed to be on the run following the attack.

Detectives initially released images of his brother, 28-year-old Driss Oukabir, whose documents are believed to have been used to rent the van that killed 13 people.

However, latest reports suggest Driss handed himself into police on Thursday, saying his younger brother had stolen his ID to hire the vehicle.

Suspect: Driss Oukabir's ID was used to rent the van but he has denied any involvement / Facebook

Eighteen-year-old Moussa, who reportedly called for the killing of "infidels" in a social media post, remained at large on Friday morning.

Two more people were arrested on Friday, but local Catalan police did not reveal the identity of suspects.

Officials did not confirm whether Oukabir, 18, has been detained.

Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 1 /18 Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images

It came as a friend of Moussa, speaking to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia anonymously, said she was "very surprised by all this" because Moussa was "a normal, nice boy".

The pair studied together and she recalled him being a "a joker who was never nasty, a little quiet and who never had problems.

She added: "He had a group of friends, all Moroccans and he spoke perfect Catalan.

Crowds on Las Ramblas after Thursday's attack / EPA

"I think he arrived here when he was three years old."

Families in the main tourist street Las Ramblas were left running for their lives as the Catalonia capital became the latest European city to fall victim terrorists.

Attack: 13 people were killed as the van mounted the pavement / AP

Witnesses described how a white van mounted the pavement, swerving among pedestrians in a crowded area, in an attack intended to kill as many people as possible.

Two suspects, a Spanish national from Melilla and a Moroccan, were arrested and taken into custody on Thursday night.

Thousands of people on Las Ramblas during a mass silence in honour of victims after the terror attack

Thirteen people were killed in the attack  the deadliest on Spanish soil since the Madrid train attacks in 2004  but officials warned the death toll may rise, with 15 more seriously injured.

13 dead and more than 100 injured as van driver brings terror to Barcelona

The two suspects arrested on Thursday were detained in Ripoll and in Alcanar where, on Wednesday, an explosion thought to have been linked to the attack killed one person.

Authorities believe the explosion was caused by people testing devices in the lead up to a planned attack.

Spain's PM Mariano Rajoy described the horror as a "jihadist attack", which so-called Islamic State said it had carried out.

Hours after the Barcelona atrocity, Spanish police shot and killed five suspected terrorists in the town of Cambrils.

The suspects were wearing explosive belts and were linked to the first attack in Barcelona.
D efence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has apologised personally to the mother of a British soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq while riding in a lightly armoured Snatch Land Rover.

Private Phillip Hewett, 21, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, died in July 2005.

A 12-year legal battle by his mother Sue Smith has resulted in a formal apology from Sir Michael, who said bringing alternative protected vehicles into service could have saved lives, according to the BBC.

Ms Smith said the apology from the Defence Secretary was bittersweet, adding: Id like it to be that his death made a difference. Hes not just a casualty of Iraq.

The familys lawyer, Jocelyn Cockburn, said today the strong apology was the end of a long journey but warned against Conservative plans to stop similar cases being brought through the courts.

British army soldier Private Phillip Hewett / Reuters

She said the Government want to change tack from a 2013 Supreme Court decision that established soldiers on the battlefield have a right to life under the Human Rights Act.

The ruling helped families bring legal action against the Ministry of Defence, but in future the department wants to run its own compensation scheme for complaints. Sending the letter to the Hewett family while persevering with plans to stop court cases doesnt add up, she said.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Defence to the BBC said: Our proposals would be more generous, with compensation paid at a rate a court would likely award if it paid in a claimants favour.

Last year, the Chilcot Inquiry found a string of Ministry of Defence failings in the preparation for the Iraq war, including a delay in replacing the Snatch Land Rovers. A number of families were given the go-ahead to bring compensation claims against the Government.

In a letter to Ms Smith seen by the BBC, the Defence Secretary wrote: I am fully aware of the struggle you have had to bring this matter to court over the last decade and I recognise that this has had a significant impact on you and your family.

I would like to express directly to you my deepest sympathies and apologise for the delay, resulting in decisions taken at the time in bringing into service alternative protected vehicles which could have saved lives.

An MoD spokeswoman said the army now has a number of highly capable and extremely well protected patrol vehicles, including Mastiff, Ridgback, Husky and Wolfhound,

A former head of the British Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, said the Snatch Land Rovers had been used in Northern Ireland and then transferred to Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. He said: Its a fair assumption that a more heavily armoured vehicle as we eventually received for use in Iraq and Afghanistan offered and does offer better protection.

However he cautioned against the notion that all risk can be eradicated from being in the army.

He said: We need to be careful when we need to talk about duty to protect. Commanders ... exercise their best judgment in the tactical circumstances to get the job done and at minimum risk. And risk cannot be eradicated from soldiering. It sometimes seems some people think it can be.
D iners at a billionaire-owned US seafood restaurant have been charged extra so owners can pay staff the minimum wage.

The Oceanaire in Washington D.C. sparked outrage when it slapped a surcharge of three per cent on customers bills because of rising costs.

A note on one diners receipt read: Due to the rising costs of doing business in this location, including costs associated with higher minimum wage rates, a 3% surcharge has been added to your total bill.

The practice came to light after the punter contacted blog Popville to complain about the new policy, which he suggested was deceptive.

This seems odd instead of raising the price of the food, they charge a hidden tax that shows up on bill, he told the website.

Others quickly piled in, with person commenting: I have no problem paying high prices to support better wages, but I do have a major problem with this sort of deceptive business practice.

Another wrote: Just raise prices if you need to, dont try to slip this in under the radar and then pretty much blame [it] on employees who need to make a living!

The Oceanaire is owned by a company called Landry's, whose chief executive Tilman Fertitta has been called "America's richest restauranteur" by Forbes.

The policy has now been discontinued at the company's restaurants.

A spokeswoman told the Washington Post: "Due to the restaurant industrys competitive market, we decided this was a temporary and nominal surcharge.

"The Oceanaire is committed to being transparent with our patrons and noted the surcharge on our menu, the customers bill and signage in the restaurant.

"In response to recent feedback, we have chosen to remove this surcharge effective immediately and will explore more traditional means to address the industrys rising costs, such as raising menu prices.
T he prime suspect in the Barcelona attack has been named as one of the five terrorists killed by police in Cambrils.

Police earlier said they were searching for Moussa Oukabir and three other men, but now only one remains unaccounted for.

Thirteen people were killed when a van, believed to be rented by the Oukabir, ploughed into crowds in Las Ramblas on Thursday afternoon.

Later that night, police shot five attackers including Oukabir, who is believed to be 17, in the nearby town of Cambrils after a car rammed pedestrians, killing one woman and injuring six people.

Police have said Aallaa and Mohamed Hychami, who they had earlier put on a wanted poster with Oukabir, were also dead.

Younes Abouyaaqoub, who has been named as the fourth suspect, remains unaccounted for.

Four others have been arrested, one in Alcanar after Wednesday's explosion and three in the Catalan town of Ripoll after the Barcelona attack.

Some 34 nationalities were among almost 130 people wounded in the attacks in Barcelona's popular Las Ramblas shopping area on Thursday and in Cambrils, a seaside town 70 miles to the south west, early on Friday.

Prime Minister Theresa May said a child with dual British nationality was believed to be among those unaccounted for, after a grandfather made a desperate online plea for information about his young grandson's whereabouts following the van attack in the Catalan capital.

Spain terror attacks: What we know so far

Catalan regional police official Josep Lluis Trapero told reporters on Friday that Wednesday's blast at a house in Alcanar, a further 55 miles down the coast, meant the attacks were more "rudimentary" than planned.

Reports from Spain had earlier suggested the terror cell may have been planning an attack using gas canisters.

He said: "We are working on the hypothesis that these attacks were being prepared for a while around this private home in Alcanar.

"We think they were preparing at least one or more attacks in Barcelona.

"The explosion in Alcanar at least avoided some of the material they were counting on to carry out even bigger attacks than the ones that happened.

"Because of that the attack in Barcelona and the one in Cambrils were carried out in a bit more rudimentary way than the one they had initially planned."

He added that one of the five terrorists killed by police during the terror attack in Cambrils may have been the driver of the van which killed 13 people in Barcelona.

Four men are in custody, aged 21, 27, 28 and 34. Three are Moroccan and one Spanish, and police said none of them were previously known to the security services for terror-related reasons.

Meanwhile, the grandfather of seven-year-old Julian Alessandro Cadman made a plea for information about the boy, who became separated from his mother during the attack in Barcelona.

Spain terror attacks - map locator

Tony Cadman, whose Facebook profile says he lives in Sydney and is from Gillingham, Dorset, posted a photograph of Julian, writing: "My grandson, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. Please like and share."

Speaking later from Chequers, Mrs May said: "The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Spain in confronting and dealing with the evil of terrorism, and I have offered any assistance we can provide.

"Sadly I must tell you that we do believe that a number of British nationals were caught up in the attack and we are urgently looking into reports of a child believed missing, who is a British dual national."

The attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, some 70 miles south-west of the city on the Mediterranean coast, took place around eight hours apart on Thursday afternoon and in the early hours of Friday.

In a chilling echo of the London Bridge attack in June, Catalonia president Carles Puigdemont said the five terrorists in the Cambrils car were wearing fake suicide belts when they were stopped.

Police revealed that an axe and knives were also found in the vehicle, with one of the latter used to wound one person in the face before the terrorists were gunned down.

Barcelona, a hugely popular tourist destination, came to a halt at noon on Friday (11am BST) as a minute's silence was observed in the Placa Catalunya, close to the scene of the attack.

Led by King Felipe and PM Mariano Rajoy, the silence was followed by applause for the victims.

Three days of mourning have been declared by the government of Catalonia.

The Queen sent a message of sympathy to King Filipe of Spain, saying: "It is deeply upsetting when innocent people are put at risk in this way when going about their daily lives."
T he driver of the van in the Barcelona terror atrocity could have been one of the five terrorists shot dead during a second attack in Cambrils, police have said.

A hero lone police officer is said to have shot four of the five terrorists dead as they tried to carry out the attack in the coastal town overnight hours after Thursday's van massacre at Las Ramblas in Barcelona.

Police said four of the five men have been identified and were aged 21, 27, 28 and 34.

Three were Moroccan and one was Spanish, and police said none of them were previously known to the security services for terror-related reasons.

But Catalan regional police official Josep Lluis Trapero told reporters the fifth man had not yet been identified.

Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 1 /24 Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images

He revealed that police had yet to identify the Barcelona driver and said: "It could be one of the people shot in Cambrils, but we don't know yet."

On the lone officer, Mr Trapero said: "To kill four people, even if you are a professional, is not easy to digest."

A woman injured in Friday's attack in the Catalan coastal town later died, bringing the dead toll from the twin attacks to 14, plus 130 injured.

Scotland Yard said officers are waiting at ports to speak to British holidaymakers returning from the Spanish city to take witness accounts.

Minute's silence held in Barcelona to honour terror attack victims

Prime Minister Theresa May said a child with dual British nationality was believed to be among those unaccounted for.

Mr Trapero said an explosion at a house in the town of Alcanar on Wednesday had meant the attacks were more "rudimentary" than planned.

"We are working on the hypothesis that these attacks were being prepared for a while around this private home in Alcanar," he said.

"We think they were preparing at least one or more attacks in Barcelona.

"The explosion in Alcanar at least avoided some of the material they were counting on to carry out even bigger attacks than the ones that happened.

"Because of that the attack in Barcelona and the one in Cambrils were carried out in a bit more rudimentary way than the one they had initially planned."

The grandfather of Julian Alessandro Cadman made a plea for information about the boy, who became separated from his mother during the attack in Barcelona.

Missing: Julian Alessandro Cadman / Handout

Tony Cadman, whose Facebook profile says he lives in Sydney and is from Gillingham, Dorset, posted a photograph of Julian.

Alongside with the photo, he wrote: "My grandson, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. Please like and share."

Speaking later from Chequers, Mrs May said: "The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Spain in confronting and dealing with the evil of terrorism, and I have offered any assistance we can provide.

Police are searching for Morocco-born Moussa Oukabir who is the main suspect in the Barcelona attack

"Sadly I must tell you that we do believe that a number of British nationals were caught up in the attack and we are urgently looking into reports of a child believed missing, who is a British dual national."

The Mets Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said in statement that officers were at UK ports on Friday taking witnesses accounts from Brits caught up in the attacks.

World reacts: Barcelona terror attack

"We have offered our support and assistance to the Spanish authorities who are continuing to respond to the terrorist incident, he added.

"The current threat is global and it is only by working together that it can be defeated.

Our network of counter-terrorism police liaison officers posted in locations around the world help us connect investigations internationally.

The current threat from international terrorism remains severe, which means an attack is highly likely, he said.
A seven-year-old boy with family from Britain was today feared to be among the victims of the Barcelona terror attack.

Julian Cadman, who was attending a wedding in Spain with his mother Jom, was named as missing by his family in a Facebook post appealing for his safe return.

They were separated when a white van was driven at speed into pedestrians in Las Ramblas yesterday afternoon, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 100.

A woman injured in Friday's attack in the Catalan coastal town later died, bringing the death toll from the twin attacks to 14, plus 130 injured.

Ms Cadman was found in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Julian, thought to live with his family in Sydney, is pictured wearing a jumper from a British nursery and has relatives who live in the UK.

World reacts: Barcelona terror attack

His father Andrew was flying from Australia to Spain today to join the search. A family friend told Australian radio: He is flying to Spain at the moment not knowing whether his son is dead or alive.

The boys grandfather, Tony Cadman, originally from Dorset but who now lives in Australia, wrote: My grandson, Julian Alessandro Cadman is missing. We have found Jom (my daughter in law) and she is serious but stable condition in hospital.

Another relative, George Cadman, wrote: Julian is 7 years old and was out with Jom when they were separated, due to the recent terrorist activity.

Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 1 /18 Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images

The Australian foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, said one Australian was missing and four others were injured.

An Italian father-of-two was also reportedly also among the dead. Bruno Gulotta, 35, was named as having died in the attack by his employer, tech site Toms Hardware Italia,

Bruno Gulotta, 35, is understood to be among the victims

He was reported to have left behind a partner, Martina Gullotta, and his two children.

The company wrote on Facebook: He was a friend, a father and a colleague.

Luca Russo, 25, an engineer from Padua, in Italy, was also confirmed among the dead. He was on holiday at the time of the attack alongside his girlfriend Marta Scomazzon.

Victim: Luca Russo, 25

Belgian officials confirmed the name of one victim, Elke Vanbockrijck from the town of Tongeren, who died in the van attack.

Spaniard Francisco Lopez Rodriguez was also named as one of the dead.

The 60-year-old, who lived in the Catalan city of Rubi, was identified as having lost his life by Jesus Villalba, the mayor of the village of Lanteira, where his family come from.

Victim: Francisco Lopez Rodriguez pictured shortly before the attack on Las Ramblas / Twitter

He is feared to have died alongside his niece and her three-year-old son. Their identities have not been confirmed.

An American man celebrating his wedding anniversary in Barcelona is also among the missing.

Heidi Nunes said she and her husband, Jared Tucker from San Francisco, were celebrating their first wedding anniversary shopping in the Las Ramblas district when the van veered into the crowd and they became separated.

Ms Nunes told NBC News: I got pushed inside the souvenir kiosk and stayed there hiding while everybody kept running by screaming, and then the police eventually made us evacuate.

She has appealed out to the United States Embassy and local hospitals to get more information after her husband went missing.

Brother-in-law Kalani Kalanui said: All hell broke loose and Heidi was swept up in the terrified crowd and she lost sight of Jared.

A three-year-old child is believed to be among the dead, according to Spanish media reports. The child was apparently taken to San Pau hospital but could not be saved.

The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene, before the occupants were shot dead / EPA

The dead included three Germans and one Belgian woman. She was from Tongeren and married three years ago.

Fifteen people are believed to be in a critical condition, including a six-year-old girl who reportedly suffered a brain haemorrhage.

Authorities have warned that the number of dead may rise.

Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. / AP

The casualties were from at least 24 countries and included 26 French citizens, 11 in a serious condition.

The injured included a five-year-old Irish boy, who suffered a broken leg.

His father, thought to be originally from the Philippines, was also injured. They were with the boys mother, also Filipino born, and sister and were said to be in Spain to celebrate his birthday.

Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils / EPA

Irelands foreign minister, Simon Coveney, said: They [the injuries] are not life-threatening, Im relieved to say.

But in a way its a miracle that more Irish people werent involved, given that there are so many Irish people in Spain, Barcelona and Cambrils at this time of year.

A third person was arrested this morning as the manhunt continued for the van driver, who fled on foot. Attention was focused on other two vehicles reportedly rented in the name of one of two people arrested yesterday, a Moroccan man named Driss Oukabar.

Terror attack: A van mowed down pedestrians in Barcelona / AP

A van that was believed to have been used as a getaway vehicle was found abandoned in Vic, 50 miles away.

Oukabar said he played no part in the attack and told police that his passport had been stolen. The man arrested this morning was held in Ripoll, north of Barcelona, the same town where Oukabar was arrested after he went to a police station to report the loss of his travel documents.

The other person arrested yesterday was a Spaniard from the Spanish territory of Melilla in Morocco.

The security cordon on Las Ramblas was lifted around 8am today, allowing shopkeepers to open. The area was quickly thronged with people. Security checks were in place and visitors were asked not to carry backpacks and suitcases.

Police carry an injured person away from the scene of the attack in Barcelona / AP

A Scottish lawyer Aamer Anwar, who was on Las Ramblas at the time, told the BBC: I heard a crash and screaming and turned around.

"There was a woman next to me. She was hysterical. She was screaming. She couldnt find her children. I stopped counting ambulances after 30 ambulances. It was terrifying. Im one of the lucky ones.

British survivors described scenes of bloodshed and panic as the Fiat van zig-zagged down Las Ramblas for 500 yards at 50mph before smashing into a souvenir kiosk.

Alex Baker, 29, who moved to Spain two years ago from Epping, told the Standard: There were people lying on the floor and people running and screaming.

I didnt know if there had been a bomb, there were people saying there had been gun shots... it was just mass confusion. I just saw lots of people covered in blood.

Gareth Thwaite, 34, was with his partner Charlotte Hare, and their sons, aged nine and five, when they heard a loud crash followed by horrific screams.

The family, from Basildon, were on a daytrip to Barcelona from their resort in Salou. Mr Thwaite, a plasterer, said: The screams were horrific, I just pulled my eldest boy while my partner grabbed the youngest and ran the few steps to the nearest shop front. The shopkeeper pulled down the shutters.

Jack Siddall, 25, who is on a city-break with his girlfriend Abbie Johnson, said: As we approached Las Ramblas suddenly saw the whole crowd sprinting towards us.

We turned around and just ran. We dived into the Zara Home shop, ran up the escalators and to the back of the shop to hide. It was absolutely frightening. The scariest thing I have ever experienced. It was just mass panic.

Additional reporting by Lauren Pilat, Natasha Salmon and Dave Speck
T his is the moment revellers fled in panic as gunfire rang out amid a second terror attack in Spain.

Video footage which appears to have been filmed inside a nightclub late on Thursday night shows people fleeing in panic as sirens and gunshots can be heard from outside the venue.

The clip is thought to be the moment police shot and killed five suspected attackers in coastal resort Cambrils, after a car rammed into pedestrians during Spains second terror attack in just hours.

Hours earlier, 13 people were killed and many more injured after a van tore through Barcelonas tourist street Las Ramblas. Three people have been arrested in connection with the first attack.

The footage was recorded during the second attack which rocked Spain in the same night.

In the clip, loud club music can be heard in a nightspot before the sound of sirens grows louder.

Six gun shots then ring out over the music and the camera becomes shaky as people begin to turn and run away.

Several people can be heard screaming and someone else swears in Spanish, while another person can be heard yelling run.

The country has declared three days of national mourning after the attacks, which began on Thursday evening at around 5pm, or 4pm UK time.

Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils / EPA

A white Fiat van sped through Las Ramblas, ploughing through pedestrians along a 500 metre stretch. At least 13 people were killed and more than 100 were injured

The driver of the van then got out of the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving a scene of widespread panic, with crowds running in waves away from the area.

Eight hours later terrorists struck in Cambrils, a coastal town and resort 68 miles down the coast from Barcelona, when a gang of five wearing suicide belts rammed into civilians with a car before being shot dead by police. Seven people including a police officer were injured in Cambrils.

Of the six civilians caught up in the Cambrils attack, two were said to be in a serious condition.

Terror attack: A van mowed down pedestrians in Barcelona / AP

Police initially arrested two people in connection with the Barcelona incident, including Driss Oukabir, a 28-year-old Moroccan who is believed to have rented the van. On Friday morning police said they had made another arrest.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack, the deadliest in Spain since more than 190 people died in the 2004 Madrid train bombs.

Authorities have warned that the death-toll may rise, with 15 people receiving treatment for serious injuries.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "sickened" by the incident and the Foreign Office was trying to determine if there were British victims.
F ive terrorists wearing fake suicide belts who were planning a second atrocity in Spain have been shot dead by police.

The men rammed civilians with a car in a Spanish seaside town before being gunned down in the small hours of this morning.

Footage from the scene showed the attackers' bodies strewn around the seafront. Bystanders fled for their lives, taking cover on the beach when gunshots rang out at around 1am local time.

Seven people including a police officer were injured during the carnage in Cambrils.

The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene, before the occupants were shot dead / EPA

In the attack in the coastal town, a car hit pedestrians near the port area, leaving the injured in its wake.

It flipped, and the attackers fled on foot wearing fake suicide vests.

The terrorists' attack vehicle is removed from the beach front in Cambrils

They were shot by police as they attempted to leave the scene. It was unclear whether they were armed.

Footage from the scene shows four bodies lying on and near a road, some way from the overturned vehicle.

The body of one of the Cambrils attackers strewn in the street after being shot deadt / Twitter

The fake suicide belts which the men were wearing can be seen around their waists. Police later carried out controlled explosions of the vests.

Catalonia president Carles Puigdemont confirmed the five terrorists shot by police in Cambrils were wearing fake suicide belts when they were stopped, and linked them to the earlier Barcelona attack.

There were also reports that investigators believe the eight-strong terror cell may have been planning an attack using gas canisters.

Forensic police officers at the scene where the men were shot dead / AFP

It came hours after a rampaging van driver left 13 people dead and over 100 wounded in Barcelona.

Bystanders ran for their lives as a gunfire broke out close to the coastal town's beachfront promenade early on Friday morning.

Five terrorists were shot dead while attempting to carry out a second atrocity in Spain

Residents of the popular tourist spot were ordered to take cover indoors as bullets tore through the air and footage later showed several lifeless bodies on the ground.

Footage emerged online which appears to show several terrorists lying dead in the streets of Cambrils

In the wake of the carnage several controlled blasts were carried out in the area, with police later saying the attackers had been wearing explosive belts.

Mossos, Catalonia's police force, said four of the attackers were shot dead at the scene and later confirmed a fifth had died of his injuries.

Heavily armed police patrol the streets of Cambrils / EPA

Of the six civilians caught up in the attack two were said to be in a serious condition.

Spanish Policemen inspect a car after the attempted attack in Cambrils / EPA

Investigators said they are working on the theory that the attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona, as well as an explosion in the town of Alancar on Wednesday, are linked.

A major manhunt for the suspected driver of the van that mowed down holidaymakers and locals in Barcelona, around 68 miles east of Cambrils, was continuing on Friday.

Terror attack: A van mowed down pedestrians in Barcelona / AP

So far four people have been arrested over the attack that saw the Catalonia capital become the latest European city to fall victim to a major terrorist outrage.

Shortly after 5pm local time on Thursday a white Fiat van tore through Las Ramblas, a major tourist attraction packed with families and holidaymakers, in a horror described as "jihad terrorism" by the country's prime minister Mariano Rajoy.

Distraught survivors at the scene of the attack in Barcelona / EPA

The van drove on to the pavement, swerving among pedestrians in a crowded area, and was "clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible", senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero said.

The Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest on Spanish soil since more than 190 people died in the Madrid train bombs in 2004.

Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona / EPA

According to the Catalan regional government citizens of some 24 countries were among those killed and injured, with one Belgian national confirmed to have died.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "sickened" by the incident and the Foreign Office was trying to determine if there were British victims.

Onlookers flee the scene of the crash in Barcelona / EPA

Authorities have warned that the death-toll may rise, with 15 people receiving treatment for serious injuries.

Two suspects, a Spanish national from Melilla and a Moroccan, were arrested and taken into custody in the wake of the attack.

Police cordon off one of the main streets in Barcelona near the attack on Las Ramblas / @martassole

The arrests were made in the northern Catalan town of Ripoll and in Alcanar, the site of an explosion on Wednesday night which killed one person and is thought to be linked to the van attack, authorities said.

Two others were arrested on Friday.

The whereabouts of the van driver were unclear after police said he made off unarmed.

There were also reports that detectives believe two vans were used, one for the attack and a second as a getaway vehicle.

13 dead and more than 100 injured as van driver brings terror to Barcelona

Hours after Thursday's attack, police shot and killed a man who was in a car that hit two officers at a traffic blockade on the outskirts of Barcelona. However, Mr Trapero said it was not linked to the van attack.

Witnesses to the attack described how the van hurtled through crowds without slowing down, sending scores of people scattering and many taking shelter in nearby shops.

Lawyer and University of Glasgow rector Aamer Anwar told the Press Association: "I could see a woman screaming with her kids. People started running and jumping into shops.

"I ran for about 50 or 100 metres and stopped to see what was happening.

"The police were very quickly on the scene and getting people to move back."

Will Ako, 26, from London, was eating in a restaurant called Taller De Tapas with his family when they heard a disturbance.

He told the Press Association: "I then saw people running to the east of the restaurant and I saw a couple of people, about 30 yards down the road, crouching around what looked like someone on the ground and they were calling for assistance.

"Within a couple of minutes, police started to arrive and they were running west of the restaurant and some were telling us to stay inside.

"Soon after, loads of cars, bikes and ambulances arrived and then the armed police."

Mrs May said the UK "stands with Spain against the evil of terrorism" in the wake of recent attacks in Manchester and London.

"I am sickened by the senseless loss of life in Barcelona today," she said.

"The Foreign Office is working to establish if any British nationals were involved in this appalling incident and we are in close contact with the authorities in Spain, who have our full support."
H undreds of unlucky birds have been butchered by lethal kite strings at Independence Day celebrations in India.

Pigeons, crows, eagles and parrots were among those injured by razor-sharp wires during the annual tradition of flying kites over New Delhi.

The Charity Birds Hospital admitted about 700 birds in three days, but workers say the mass maiming is to be expected every August.

Sadly, 15 per cent of those injured this year died.

A pigeon is treated at the Charity Bird Hospital, New Delhi

Kite flying is extremely popular and competitive in India, with some enthusiasts lining their kite strings with glass or metal in an effort to cut down the kites of their opponents.

The kite is a symbol of freedom, said local resident Mohammed Shamshuddin: "Once we got independence from the British, we began liberating kites. This is our expression of happiness and freedom."

But its not just animals suffering as a result: last year three people, including two children, were killed when kite strings cut their throats, prompting New Delhi to ban the coating of kite strings with glass.
T wo people have been killed and six others were injured in a stabbing incident in the western Finnish city of Turku, police said.

A suspect is in custody and being treated in hospital after officers shot him.

Shortly before 4pm, police said they were still hunting further potential suspects.

Broadcaster YLE said several people were thought to be injured after the incident happened in the Puutori-Market Square area of the south-west Finnish city.

Hunt: Officers are searching for other potential suspects after the attack in Turku's central market square / Reuters

The tabloid Ilta-Sanomat said six people were injured, one man and five women, and that a woman with a buggy was attacked by a man with a large knife.

The suspect is said to have been detained after being shot in the leg.

Around 4:40 pm, South-West Finland police said on Twitter: "Several people stabbed in central Turku. People are requested to avoid the city centre."

Police officers gather at the site of a multiple stabbing on the Market Square in Turku / EPA

Eyewitnesses have described seeing a suspect brandishing a knife and hearing a woman scream.

Laura Laine, who said she was about 20 metres away when the stabbing took place, told YLE: We heard that a young woman was screaming. We saw a man on the square and a knife glittered."

Finland Stabbings Map

She added: He was waving it in the air. I understood that he had stabbed someone.

Another witness, Jesse Brown, told the BBC: "I saw police shoot a person, a man I think. People were running and there was talk about a knife attack, possibly multiple perpetrators."

Paula Risikko, the interior minister in Finland, said she did not yet know whether the attack was related to terrorism.
T hese are the alleged terrorists being hunted by Spanish police after 14 innocent people were killed in twin terror attacks.

The pictures of the smiling, baby-faced boys  two of which are teenagers  have been circulated around the world in a bid to track them down.

They are suspected of being part of a 12-strong terror cell which carried out Europes latest atrocity in Barcelona on Thursday.

They have been named in Spanish media as Moussa Oukabir, 17, Mohamed Hychami, 24, Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22, all from Ripoll, and Said Aallaa, 18, from Ribes de Freser.

Moussa, reported to have been the driver of the vehicle in Barcelona, was confirmed dead on Friday evening. He was one of the five attackers shot dead in Cambril by police.

Mohamed Hychami (left) and Younes Abauyaaqoub / PA

Said Aallaa and Mohamed Hychami were also named locally as among the suspects killed by police.

Some 34 nationalities were among almost 130 people wounded in the attacks in Barcelona's popular Las Ramblas shopping area on Thursday and in Cambrils, a seaside town 70 miles to the south west, early on Friday.

Five terrorists were shot dead in Cambril by a lone police officer as they carried out the second attack, which police have said is linked to Las Ramblas.

Mossos, Catalonia's police force, said on Friday evening that it was continuing to work to identify the driver of the vehicle in Barcelona.

Spain terror attacks: What we know so far

Detectives initially released images of his brother, 28-year-old Driss Oukabir, whose documents are believed to have been used to rent the van that killed 13 people.

However, latest reports suggest Driss handed himself into police on Thursday, saying his younger brother had stolen his ID to hire the vehicle.

Four suspects have now been arrested, but local Catalan police did not reveal the identity of any of them.

Catalan regional police official Josep Lluis Trapero said that a blast at a house in Alcanar, a further 55 miles down the coast, meant the attacks were more "rudimentary" than planned.

Reports from Spain had earlier suggested the terror cell may have been planning an attack using gas canisters.

He said: "We are working on the hypothesis that these attacks were being prepared for a while around this private home in Alcanar.

"We think they were preparing at least one or more attacks in Barcelona.

"The explosion in Alcanar at least avoided some of the material they were counting on to carry out even bigger attacks than the ones that happened.

Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 1 /24 Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images

"Because of that the attack in Barcelona and the one in Cambrils were carried out in a bit more rudimentary way than the one they had initially planned."

He added that one of the five terrorists killed by police during the terror attack in Cambrils may have been the driver of the van which killed 13 people in Barcelona.

Four men are in custody, aged 21, 27, 28 and 34. Three are Moroccan and one Spanish, and police said none of them was previously known to the security services for terror-related reasons.
T he Queen has sent a message of condolence to the King of Spain over the terror attack in Barcelona.

Her Majesty issued a statement via Buckingham Palace in the aftermath of the ISIS-claimed atrocity.

In a statement signed Elizabeth R she said that she and Prince Philip sent their "sincere condolences" to those who lost loved ones and said the attack was "deeply upsetting."

She said she sent her "heartfelt sympathies" to those caught up in the attack.

Minute's silence held in Barcelona to honour terror attack victims

The message read: "Prince Philip and I send our sincere condolences to Your Majesty, and the people of Spain, following the terrible terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils which killed and seriously injured many.

"It is deeply upsetting when innocent people are put at risk in this way when going about their daily lives.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and the people who are recovering in hospital.

"Please convey our heartfelt sympathies to all who have been affected by these appalling incidents."

Spanish King and Queen visit victims of the Barcelona attack in hospital

The Queen only recently hosted a state visit to Britain by the King of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia.

The foreign monarch and his wife visited in mid-July when the King said, in a speech to parliamentarians, the UK and Spain had "frequently stood shoulder-to-shoulder" as friends, partners and allies, in the best interests of both nations.

Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 1 /24 Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images

Citizens of 34 countries were among the 13 killed and scores injured in the Barcelona attack on Thursday.

The Foreign Office said a "small number" of Britons were injured but the Prime Minister said a child with British nationality is believed to be among those unaccounted for after the attack in the capital of Catalonia.

In the early hours of Friday terrorists struck again, this time in Cambrils, a town 68 miles (109km) down the coast from Barcelona.

In the second attack, a gang of five men wearing fake suicide belts rammed civilians with a car before being shot dead by police.

A woman who was critically injured in the second attack later became the 14th fatality of the Spanish atrocity.

Barcelona, a hugely popular tourist destination, came to a halt at noon on Friday (11am BST) as a minute's silence was observed in the Placa Catalunya, close to the scene of the attack.

Led by King Felipe and Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, the silence was then followed by applause for the victims.

Three days of mourning have been declared by the government of Catalonia.
T errified witnesses ran for their lives and cowered on a beach in Cambrils as police opened fire on terrorists who launched a second attack in Spain.

Shocking footage posted on social media showed bystanders running towards a darkened beach as gunfire rang out across the holiday destination on Thursday night.

Police shot dead five attackers wearing suicide belts as they veered into tourists at the seaside resort injuring seven people, including a police officer.

One victim remains in a critical condition after being hit by the Audi A3, Catalonian police said.

The forces bomb squad carried out controlled explosions on the suicide belts.

Markel Artabe, a 20-year-old restaurant worker, said he initially thought the gunshots were fireworks.

He told the Telegraph that he saw someone lying on the ground "with a gunshot in the head".

Heavily armed police patrol the streets of Cambrils / EPA

The victim's friends were crying out "help", he added.

Joan Marc Serra Salinas, a 21-year-old waiter, described how he hid on the beach as shots rang out.

He told the newspaper: "And shouting. And more shouting. I jumped onto the beach and didn't move," he said.

Forensic police officers at the scene where the men were shot dead / AFP

The shoot-out came just hours after a white Ford Transit van rammed into crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona.

Thirteen people died and 100 people were injured in the atrocity, police said.

Detectives were working on the theory that the Cambrils and Barcelona attacks were connected, as well as an explosion at a house in Alcanar on Wednesday.

terrorists wearing suicide belts shot dead in second Spain attack

One person was killed in the blast and six were injured.

The body of a woman was discovered among rubble along with a man who was taken to hospital in a critical condition, police said.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the attack in Barcelona.

Police have launched a manhunt for a fourth man Driss Oukabir whose documents are believed to have been used to rent the van used the attack.
B ritish holidaymakers were today revealed to be among those injured in the Barcelona atrocity.

The number was thought to be less than five but the seriousness of their injuries is not yet known.

It came as the details of the terrorist's 13 victims began to emerge.

An Italian father of two, Bruno Gulotta, 35, who was walking down Las Ramblas hand-in-hand with his five-year-old son, was today named among the dead.

Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 1 /24 Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images

A seven-year-old boy from Australia with British relatives and an American celebrating his wedding anniversary were missing feared dead.

The dead and injured are said to be from at least 24 different countries.

Spain terror attacks: What we know so far

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible attacks and the people of Spain.

We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help.

Police are searching for Morocco-born Moussa Oukabir who is the main suspect in the Barcelona attack

We have deployed additional staff to Barcelona and have offered support to the Spanish authorities.

Last night a terrorist drove into crowds in Barcelona, leaving a trail of carnage on Las Ramblas, a street popular with tourists.

A woman lays tributes at the scene of the attack in Barcelona / AFP/Getty Images

Later, five terrorists wearing fake suicide belts were shot dead by police, in the second of two atrocities to strike the country.

Seven people, including a police officer, were hurt in the latest attack in Cambrils. One woman later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

Today police linked the attacks with an explosion on Wednesday evening at a house 120 miles south of Barcelona that left one person dead.

Police investigators at the scene in Barcelona / AFP/Getty Images

Dozens of gas cylinders were found at the property in the town of Alcanar. A police source said the residents had been preparing explosives.

Spanish officials said one possibility was that an Islamist terror cell had plotted to detonate a bomb made up of butane gas canisters among crowds on Las Ramblas.

Police believe the attacks in Cambrils and Barcelona involved a terror cell of eight people.

Tourists and locals on Las Ramblas in Barcelona today / EPA

Today a Spanish official said at least one terrorist was still at large  believed to be the driver of the van. He was named today as Moussa Oukabir, 18, a Spanish national of Moroccan heritage, who had previously written online about killing infidels.

The driver fled into the crowds after crashing into a kiosk. Alerts have been issued across Europe.

Missing: Julian Alessandro Cadman / Handout

The second atrocity came as police attempted to stop an Audi A3 at about 1am in Cambrils, a coastal town 75 miles south of Barcelona.

The car burst through the checkpoint and was pursued by officers before it careered into crowds and overturned.

Bruno Gulotta, 35, is understood to be among the victims

Five men wearing fake suicide vests and brandishing knives leapt out and began stabbing passers-by before they were shot dead by police. At least seven people were injured, one critically.

Fitzroy Davies, from Wolverhampton, described how police shot dead one of the attackers. Mr Davies, who was in Spain for a judo camp, said: When he took the first round of shots he fell on the floor, and then within two seconds, I thought I was watching a film, one of them horror films, the guy just stood up. Just stood up, got back up, walked over the fence and started laughing at the police. And as he started laughing at the police, he was walking to them and the police started to step backwards and then they shot him again. And thats when he went down.

The incident in Cambrils unfolded as police were engaged in a huge manhunt for the driver of the rented white Renault van which zig-zagged 500 yards through crowds on Las Ramblas at 5pm yesterday.

The van drove on to the pavement of the street packed with families and tourists, swerving to target pedestrians in what was clearly a terror attack intended to kill as many people as possible, according to senior police official Josep Lluis Trapero.

Officials warned the death toll was likely to rise. Fifteen people were described as seriously injured.

Among the dead was said to be a three-year-old child. The missing seven-year-old boy was named as Julian Cadman, an Australian whose grandfather is said to be from Britain.

Moussa Oukabir is thought to have stolen identity documents belonging to his older brother Driss Oukabir, 28, to rent the van. Driss Oukabir was initially named as a suspect but later handed himself at a police station in Ripoll, a town to the north of Barcelona, not far from the French border.

Spain terror attacks - map of key locations

The attacks are the latest in a line of Islamic State-inspired outrages involving vehicles in Nice, Berlin, Stockholm and London. There were marked similarities to the London Bridge atrocity, in which a gang of fanatics wearing fake suicide belts drove into crowds before attacking people with knives in June.

Among those confirmed to have died in the Barcelona attack were visitors from Belgium and Germany. The French foreign ministry said 26 French nationals were injured, including 11 seriously. An Irish family were reported to have suffered injuries, although they were not said to be life-threatening.

So far, none of those killed were reported to be British. The Foreign Office said: Our thoughts are with the victims of these terrible attacks and the people of Spain. We are currently assisting a small number of British people affected and are working to find out if any more need our help.

We have deployed additional staff to Barcelona and have offered support to the Spanish authorities.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, the deadliest on Spanish soil since more than 190 people died in the Madrid train bombs in 2004. There were reports that the CIA had warned police in Barcelona two months ago that Las Ramblas could be the target of a vehicle attack.

Today witnesses to the Barcelona attack described how tourists and locals laid flowers at the scene. Lawyer and University of Glasgow rector Aamer Anwar, who was caught up in the attack, tweeted: People back, laying flowers where there was carnage yesterday... hate cant win and wont win.
K ate Garraway has said she was left feeling ashamed to be white after watching new film, Detroit.

The Kathryn Bigelow directed crime drama is based on the Algiers Motel incident during Detroit's 1967 12th Street Riot.

Ahead of interviewing Will Poulter on Good Morning Britain, she said: I feel ashamed to be white. I feel like I can't apologise enough for the unfairness of that time.

The weird thing is the awful scenes we're seeing in America at the moment make us feel worried that it might not be just of that time either.

Detroit - Trailer 3

Poulter, who stars alongside John Boyega, has been tipped for an Oscar for his portrayal of a racist police officer.

Speaking about the films relevance in the wake of the Charlottesville protests he said: Thats the unfortunate thing about the relevance it has in whats going in todays society as far as race relations are concerned.

I think as far as the state of civil rights, specifically in America, it feels like were experiencing a bit of a regression.

He continued: Its truly terrifying and were never going to dismantle those systems of white supremacy for as long as people like Donald Trump are preaching this racist rhetoric.

It impresses the importance of the need to see films like this and for creatives to make these films.

Detroit - London film premiere 1 /12 Detroit - London film premiere Director Kathryn Bigelow and John Boyega on the red capret Dave Benett Londoner John Boyega poses for photos Dave Benett Kathryn Bigelow and Will Poulter Dave Benett Hannah Murray at the Curzon Mayfair Dave Benett Will Poulter signs autographs for fans Dave Benett John Boyega on the red carpet Dave Benett Kathryn Bigelow and Will Poulter share a joke Dave Benett Will Poulter attends the European Premiere of Detroit Dave Benett Hannah Murray ahead of the screening Dave Benett

Detroit is slated for UK cinema release on August 25.


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On August 12th Russia made a point of revealing another of their post-Cold War EW (electronic warfare) aircraft. This one was called the Il-22PP and described as an airborne electronic jammer that can detect and block all manner of signals but particularly the digital ones (like Link 16) used by Western warplanes and radars like those used by AWACS aircraft. The Il-22PP was also described as being able to protect itself from anti-radiation missiles, like the American AGM-88. The most obvious defense were numerous chaff dispensers but Russia implied that its electronic defenses were formidable. At the same time Russian officials said the Il-22PP was a test model of a more advanced aircraft that would be based on a modern transport like the An-140.

The Il-22PP was announced in late 2016 when the Russian Air Force said it had received three of them. The Il-22PP was based on the Il-18D, which was an airliner that was frequently converted to Il-20 maritime and ELINT (electronic) surveillance or Il-38 ASW (anti-submarine warfare) aircraft. An Il-20 was spotted in Syria during late 2015 but apparently didnt stay long. Most of the 700 Il-18s built between 1957 and 1985 served as airliners and transports and over a hundred are still in service. The basic aircraft was a 65 ton, four turboprop aircraft with a max speed of 675 kilometers an hour (625 for cruising). It could carry up to 125 passengers and crew or 12 tons of cargo. Max endurance was ten hours but in regular service average flight duration was under six hours.

The Il-18 based electronic warfare and surveillance aircraft were adequate at best and the Il-38 ASW aircraft (similar to the American P-3) never was able to match the P-3. This was known because India was a user and complained loudly and frequently of the Il-38s poor performance, even after they got a late 1990s update. India turned instead to the new American P-8 (the replacement for the P-3).

Since late 2015 Russia has revealed (to the public) the existence of other post-Cold War electronic warfare aircraft by using them in Syria or over Ukraine. The most prominent of these was the Tu-214R which showed up in Syria during early 2016. This is the Russian equivalent of the American RC-135 Rivet Joint. These aircraft can collect a wide variety of electronic signals in an area, and analyze them quickly and act (as in using onboard jammers). The analysis effort is looking for patterns. The enemy below leaves signs electronically (cell phones, walkie-talkies) or visually (images captured on surveillance cameras). Using the right math and analytical tools (software and computers) and you can quickly discover where the bad guys are coming from, and have the ground troops promptly shell, bomb or raid the location. This kind of work was popular with the RC-135 crews (about thirty aircrew and techies) in Iraq, Afghanistan (and elsewhere), because they were getting a chance to do, in a combat zone, what they have long trained for. Moreover, it's relatively risk free, as the aircraft fly beyond the range of machine-gun or shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles. In addition, the most productive work is done during night missions, when the bad guys can't even see the RC-135's (or Tu-214R) high above.

Russia and China both studied the use of RC-135s in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Russian response was two Tu-214Rs. These aircraft completed their testing during 2015 and the one in Syria was getting its first combat experience. This allowed the United States and Israel to monitor the Tu-214R in action. Apparently there was nothing particularly impressive about it. Russia has not mentioned sending the Il-22PP to Syria. Russia has sent post-Cold War ground based jamming systems to Syria. The most notable of these was the truck mounted Krasukha-4 ELINT/Jammer with capabilities similar to those cited for the Il-22PP. The Krasukha-4 passive monitoring systems were apparently used but the jammer, with a range of 250 kilometers, apparently was not.
Iraqi forces are closing in on the ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) occupied city of Tal Afar (65 kilometers west of Mosul and 150 kilometers east of the Syrian border). The city is the target of most Iraqi airstrikes and more Iraqi artillery units are moving close enough to fire at the city regularly. Iraqi and coalition aircraft and UAVs can be seen over the city constantly, many of them apparently seeking targets for the air strikes and artillery as well as mapping the defenses and location of the defenders. More civilians are risking death (from ISIL gunmen with orders to shoot on sight any such refugees) to get out of the city and are a source of firsthand information on what ISIL is up to in the area.

ISIL has occupied Tal Afar since June 2014 and it was a key transit point for anyone or anything moving to or from Mosul and Syria. Currently about 20,000 civilians, a fifth of the normal population, remain in Tal Afar. Until 2007 Tal Afar was mainly a Turkoman (Turkish) town with large Sunni and Shia Arab minorities. Between 2003 and 2007 al Qaeda terrorized the Sunni Turkomen (for not being Arab), murdered the Shia and used the town as a base for bringing in foreign recruits via Syria. Back then the Shia rulers of Syria (the Assad clan) were willing to tolerate Sunni Islamic terrorists as long as they were just passing through and behaving themselves as they did. Now Tal Afar is even more important to Sunni Islamic terrorists (ISIL) in Iraq because it is the only large urban area they still hold and it still controls the main road from Mosul to Raqqa (the ISIL capital in eastern Syria). The fighting around Tal Afar since 2016 has largely been handled by Iran-backed Shia militia although they were told that only Iraqi army troops would be allowed into Tal Afar itself. Thats why Tal Afar still has several hundred ISIL fighters in it, despite being largely cut off from Mosul and Syria. This isolation is the result of Shia militias spending the last few months shutting down road access between Syria and Mosul. With the main road from Tal Afar to Raqqa now blocked it is more difficult but not impossible to travel between Syria and Tal Afar. With all of Nineveh province free of ISIL the Islamic terrorists will have gone from controlling about 40 percent of Iraq, including Mosul and several smaller cities at its peak in mid-2014 to a few percent three years later. Mosul and Tal Afar are the largest cities in Nineveh province and to the south is Anbar province where nearly thousand or more armed ISIL supporters still operate, most of them near the Syrian and Jordanian borders. Anbar has always been a good source of local recruits for ISIL and a few of them continue fighting. Because of that the Iraqi government relented and allowed some Shia militias to take part in the final assault on the city.

The Mosul Muddle

Mosul is now largely free of ISIL fighters and those that remain now resort to terror attacks. That is facilitated by many still hidden stocks of ISIL weapons and explosives as well as a large amount of cash. Kurdish troops complain that many of the Iraqi soldiers and police guarding access to Mosul will take bribes. The Kurds test this by offering bribes to get someone without ID and in civilian clothes and notes that about a thousand dollars will get you through many checkpoints. A vehicle costs more (about $1,500). It was noted that even guards willing to take a bribe would not do so it if was too obvious that the ones offering it were probably Islamic terrorists. But still, it is a problem.

Journalists in Mosul, especially the foreign ones, are noticing and reporting (often with video) incidents of Iraqi security forces looting, demanding bribes and attacking civilians without apparent reason. A lot of this misbehavior is real, not just being misinterpreted. Cell phone tech has reached the point where it is easy for anyone to take a broadcast quality video with sound and email it around the world. Governments in general dont like this but it forces Iraqi officials to at least go through the motions of punishing the obviously (via videos) guilty.

This is particularly apt right now because Iraqi leaders are talking about post-war reforms and at the top of the list is the popular demand to curb corruption. Mosul needs a lot of that right now since all the government money spent on reconstruction means lots of opportunity for corruption and that generates short and long term problems because a lot of the repairs and new structures will be sub-standard in order to pay for the bribes and theft. While many of the usual offenders see this as a chance to play it straight others see it as a challenge with big financial rewards for those who can pull it off.

Most Iraqis now know there is a connection between corruption and the overall health of the economy, public safety and general welfare. Saddam Hussein and his predecessors were notoriously (and often shamelessly) corrupt and while Iraq is still one of the most corrupt nations on the planet there some local nations that are living examples of how less corruption means life gets better. Corruption can be measured and one of the more popular examples is the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index where national corruption is measured on a 1 (most corrupt) to 100 (not corrupt) scale. The most corrupt nations (usually North Korea, Somalia or, since 2011, South Sudan) have a rating of under fifteen while of the least corrupt (usually Denmark) is often 90 or higher. The current Iraq score is 17 compared to 13 for Syria, 41 for Turkey, 46 for Saudi Arabia, 48 for Jordan, 28 for Lebanon, 29 for Iran, 66 for the UAE (United Arab Emirates), 64 for Israel, 25 for Afghanistan, 32 for Pakistan, 40 for India, 29 for Russia, 40 for China, 11 for South Sudan, 12 for North Korea, 72 for Japan and 74 for the United States. These rankings demonstrate how a lower corruption score indicates a nation with economic (and many other) troubles. African nations are the most corrupt, followed by Middle Eastern ones. Fixing an existing culture of corruption has proved a most difficult challenge. But the UAE and a few other Middle Eastern nations have demonstrated that it can be done. Making it happen is difficult, but so is retaining the old ways. That means if you want to keep the problems with the Kurds, Sunni versus Shia, the threat from Iran, ineffective police and armed forces plus high unemployment and persistent poverty, then just ignore the corruption. It is now generally recognized that Mosul was lost of ISIL in mid-2014 largely because of corruption in the security forces. Iraqis want change and they have been increasingly open, loud and public about that. Leading the anti-corruption drive have been many Shia religious leaders. These Shia clerics have also noted that Shia run Iran is not doing so well dealing with corruption while the largely Sunni UAE has, even doing better than Israel.

Turning Against Iran

With ISIL no longer a major threat Iraq has surprised Iran (and many others outside the Arab world) by rebuilding relations with Sunni Arab neighbors and telling Iran to back off with any plans it had to dominate Iraqi politics. Senior Shia Arab religious and political leaders have been leaning this way for a long time and Iran thought the war against ISIL was an opportunity to weaken the traditional Shia Arab distrust of Iran. That did not work.

Since 2005, when accurate opinion polls and generally free elections were once again available it became obvious that both in Sunni Arab areas (where there used to be a lot of support for al Qaeda) and Shia areas (where there used to be a lot of support for the kind of religious dictatorship found in Shia Iran) that Iran was seen as the enemy. This was obvious to familiar with Iraqi history. Fear of Indo-European Iran has always been greater than the fact that most Iraqis share their Shia faith with Iranians. Blood is thicker than religion. This is why more there was always so much violence along the ethnic border between Kurds (who are ethnically related to the Iranians) and Arabs, especially in oil rich Kirkuk.

From 2005 on it became increasingly clear that the vast majority of Iraqis, including Kurds and most Shia Arabs, feared increasing Iranian influence. Although most Iraqis are Shia, they are also Arab, and do not want to be ruled by their fellow Shia in Iran. That's because the Iranians are Indo-European people and have long treated their Arab neighbors with disdain and cruelty. Iraqis could now see this happening regularly in western Iran, where the Iranian Arab minority (about two percent of the population) is constantly being persecuted by the Indo-European Iranians. The Iranian Arabs also get it from the Azeri Turk minority (25 percent of all Iranians). Iraqis have bitter memories of centuries of domination by the Ottoman Turks (who now control only Turkey), whose empire once stretched into North Africa and the Balkans.

One reason Saddam Hussein had some support from all groups in Iraq and from his Arab neighbors was his ability to keep the Iranians out. After Saddam was overthrown in 2003 many Iraqis (and most Arabs) feared that, without a badass like Saddam, there would be no one to motivate Iraqis into blocking Iranian moves to occupy Iraq, or control its rulers. But now the Shia Arab Iraqi leaders (political and religious) appear confident that they can stand up to the Iranian threats. The is one thing all Iraqis can unite behind and apparently one of many reasons why Iraq is openly demanding that Iran back off while just as publically establishing economic, political and military links with Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Arab states in the region to oppose Iranian plans for expansion and domination of Arabia.

The new alignment means more technical and economic aid from the Sunni Arab states to the south and more vigorous efforts by those Sunni Arab rulers to ensure their Shia Arab minorities (or, in the case of Bahrain, majority) are treated well and that there is little support for Sunni Arab Iraqis. The Saudi leaders had always tried to maintain good relationships with their Shia minority but that had become more difficult as radical Sunni Islam (as in al Qaeda and ISIL) became more popular. Now that form of religious zeal has become less popular in Arabia, at least for a while. But thats another problem that is less pressing hat the immediate ones posed by Iran.

August 17, 2017: The Iran backed Shia militias are accused of continuing to recruit, train and sent into combat teenagers 17 and under. Iraq has agreed not to do that but there is evidence that the militias have deliberately done so. Several hundred such child soldiers were apparently recruited this year. This makes it easier for Iraq to cut Iranian support for these militias.

August 16, 2017: In the northwest (Tal Afar) troops ambushed eight ISIL men trying to sneak out of the city at night. One of the dead was the ISIL mayor of Tal Afar and another was the police chief. Elsewhere in the area Kurdish forces report that in the last four days they have captured 30 ISIL men near Tal Afar. Most of these ISIL men were attempting to hide among nearly a thousand civilians who fled Tal Afar towards Kurdish territory in the north. Most of the several thousand civilians fleeing Tal Afar head east, towards Mosul and this Kurdish report motivated the Iraqi Arab troops to screen the refugees more carefully.

In the northeast (Erbil province) Iranian artillery fired several dozen shells at rural areas on the Iraqi side of the border. It is believed the Iranians were (for the second month in a row) firing on suspected Iranian Kurdish separatist group based in camps in Kurdish controlled northern Iraq. There were no casualties this time but the July shelling left three dead.

General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, commander of the Iranian armed forces, visited Turkey for the first time, met with senior Turkish political and military leaders and that was a bad sign for Iraq. Most of what was discussed was not disclosed, but Baqeri and Turkish leader Recep Erdogan met together for a press conference and agreed that the Iraqi Kurds holding a referendum on Kurdish independence was a bad thing. Iraqi Arabs agree with that.

August 15, 2017: In the northwest, 90 kilometers south of Mosul in Salahuddin province an Iraqi air strike killed an ISIL leader who had been in charge of finding wives for ISIL fighters. Further south, west if Ramadi in Anbar province, ISIL executed five of its own leaders for trying to desert.

August 14, 2017: Saudi Arabia announced it will open the Arar border crossing permanently after it had been closed since 1990. Arar is a major crossing between the two countries and the crossing was only opened once a year to allow Iraqis going on the annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca. Those pilgrims were carefully screened coming and going.

August 13, 2017: In northern Iraq two American soldiers were killed and five wounded when a 155mm artillery shell they were using went off prematurely. Such incidents are rare but they do still happen. The army is investigating the incident to see if it could have been prevented. The American troops were part of an artillery unit providing support for Iraqi troops.

August 11, 2017: In the south, Majid Al Nasrawi, the former governor of Basra Province illegally crossed the border into Iran. Nasrawi had resigned as governor the day before after being accused of corruption and told not to leave the country. Although Nasrawi insisted he was innocent he took advantage of corrupt security officials to get out of the country. This confirmed to Iraqi Shia Arabs that Iran was not a friend.

August 10, 2017: In the northwest ISIL was reported searching Tal Afar for the son of an ISIL leader who had killed his father and fled.

August 8, 2017: In the northwest troops outside Mosul encountered a group of ISIL men who were killed apparently defending a large hidden workshop for building explosive vests and rockets. Hundreds of these devices were found in the workshop, most of them apparently ready for use. Over the last month Iraqi troops have found six similar workshops hidden in areas ISIL had apparently retreated from.

August 4, 2017: Senior Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al Sadr called on the Iraqi government to dismantle the Iran backed Shia militias and incorporate loyal (to Iraq) members into the armed forces. For the moment the Iraqi government is allowing Iraqi Shia militias to take part in the battle for Tal Afar but generally agrees with Sadr. However Haidar al Abadi, the Iraqi prime minister, wants to dismantle these Iran backed Shia Arab militias with more care and take more time doing it.

August 2, 2017: UN observers report that 241 civilians were killed during July. This only included those Iraqis in government controlled areas. It will be a while before it is possible to get an accurate idea of how many Iraqis died in the battle for Mosul and other ISIL controlled areas. The military has been reluctant to disclose its loss summaries but the Kurdish intelligence analysts estimate (largely from interviews with refugees from the city) that about 10,000 civilians a month died during the last four months of fighting in Mosul. That was a combination of ISIL executions and murders plus the tremendous firepower the Iraqi forces used to keep their own losses down. While the use of human shields had some impact on non-Iraqi (especially American) air strikes, Iraqi air or artillery attacks generally ignored the use of human shields. This was done because all the fighting was being done by Iraqi, mostly those belonging to the elite army and police special operations units. This troops felt they had to keep their losses down any way they could.

Meanwhile the impact of terror attacks in government controlled has been steadily falling, indicating ISIL was weakening throughout the country. After rising in March civilian (and police) deaths declined 42 percent in April to 317. About half those casualties were in or near Mosul (Nineveh province). Baghdad suffered 17 percent of the dead while Salahaddin province (between Baghdad and Mosul) and western Iraq (Anbar province) accounted for most of the remaining fatalities. The pattern was similar in March when 543 civilians and five police were killed by Islamic terrorist related activities compared to 392 civilians and 26 police in February and 382 civilians and 21 police in January. The civilian deaths were up 42 percent in March compared to February and this is largely because of the fighting in and around Mosul. Two-thirds (67 percent) of the civilian deaths were in or near Mosul (Nineveh province). Baghdad suffered 15 percent of the dead while Salahaddin province (between Baghdad and Mosul) and western Iraq (Anbar province) accounted for most of the remaining 18 percent. Most of the deaths in Nineveh province were related to the effort to drive ISIL out of Mosul. Baghdad was usually where most civilian deaths took place and it still a major target for suicide bombing efforts, usually in Shia neighborhoods. Not surprisingly there have been fewer ISIL bombings in Baghdad and other usual targets because ISIL was in bad shape. Prisoners and deserters report low morale and panic among many of the less resolute ISIL members.

In July the government finally allowed the security forces commanders to discuss losses among the 100,000 soldiers, commandos (both army and police) involved in the eight months of fighting to regain control of Mosul. The military reported that it had killed about 25,000 ISIL members during the fighting. This included nearly 500 suicide bombers. The offensive destroyed 1,247 vehicles fitted with explosives to be used for suicide bomb attacks or roadside bombs. These vehicles were often spotted by aerial surveillance and destroyed by smart bombs or missiles. In addition another 1,500 ISIL vehicles were destroyed, mostly from the air or with artillery fire. The attackers shot down at least 130 ISIL UAVs (all of them commercial models). After the July 9th declaration of victory troops carefully searched for tunnels (many of them revealed by civilians or captured ISIL members or supporters), often using robots. This is something the Iraqis learned from the Americans. It is good for soldier morale and scares any hostile folk down there. That effort will continue for months.

The government is still reluctant to release full data on casualties among the security forces. The U.S. did confirm that the elite Iraqi Counter Terrorism Force of about 20,000 personnel suffered about 40 percent casualties (dead, wounded and missing) during the nine months they were fighting in Mosul. The Americans had this data because the U.S. offered to assist in training replacements and they had to know who and how many had to be replaced. On the plus side Iraqi civilian deaths from Islamic terrorist attacks are way down in June and that is largely attributed to the collapse of ISIL in Iraq. But there are still ISIL supporters in Iraq, and elsewhere, and its only a matter of time before the local ISIL gets organized and starts killing again. They are already doing that and the Iraqi government is under a lot of pressure to stop the ISIL attasks.

July 31, 2017: Over the last week Iraqi aircraft have dropped millions of leaflets in western Anbar province warning civilians that a major offensive against the remaining ISIL forces there was about to begin. Over a thousand ISIL gunmen (it could be a few thousand) control portions of western Anbar, mostly near a few key (on main roads) border crossings with Syria. There are also three towns (Annah, Qaim and Rawa) that ISIL still holds (and has led since 2014). These ISIL controlled areas still have about a quarter million civilians. Anbar comprises about a third of Iraq in terms of territory but less than ten percent of the population. Anbar is largely desert with most of the people living in the Euphrates River valley in the eastern part of Anbar. Many of those civilians are kin to pro-government Sunni tribal militias that will be part of the offensive. Once Tal Afar is taken the Iraqi armed forces will move as many troops as it can to Anbar.

July 30, 2017: American intel analysts report that attacks against key ISIL personnel in the last few months appear to have crippled the ISIL media (especially Internet distribution) network. The ISIL Amaq News Agency appears to be out of business because of these losses. ISIL is currently killing any of these civilians they catch trying to escape to government territory.

July 29, 2017: Outside Mosul Iraqi troops encountered and killed three ISIL leaders who were trying to get away via the Tigris River. Some apparently have made but most have not.
Illness, ill-feeling and protest  thats the fall-out from the bad water dumped into the reticulation system in the small western bay towns of Paengaroa and Pongakawa this week.

Its also left residents demanding answers and reassurances from the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, and the community Facebook page boiling over with complaints.

I am not going to pay my water bill, says Ross Phillips of Pongakawa. Fairs fair.

My son went upstairs for a shower one evening and next minute hes screaming my heads burning, my backs burning, says another affected resident Michelle Mohi of Paengaroa. And I am going whaaaaat? That was Monday night about 8.30pm and she had to rinse her son off with milk and juice. Anything out of the fridge.

It made me feel dizzy, queasy and tired the first time round says Gaylene Conroy. And I am feeling ill again.

This weeks bad water didnt affect Carrie Kidd this time. But its the councils approach; they dont tell anyone the water is bad, we have to find out the hard way. And the hard way was when she bathed five-month-old son Quinn a few months ago and he broke out in a full body rash.

He had sensitive skin anyway but the water just set his treatment back to square one.

According to the council what happened this week is believed to have been caused by a section of water line that had been out of commission being re-commissioned without adequate flushing.

This led to a body of water with higher than normal pH entering the main system, affecting some properties in Paengaroa and Pongakawa. On Tuesday morning the council advised residents it was aware of the issue.

It also advised consumers to test their water and if it felt slimy they should run their taps for several minutes. If left running most home systems would flush within 10 minutes. And then what people probably needed to hear most  Water with high pH is not unsafe, but can cause discomfort to people with sensitive skin, says the councils utilities manager, Kelvin Hill.

Thats because the water is amore alkaline than it should be.

And its not the first time. Carrie says high pH levels were present on March 24, again on April 4 and then again Monday night. There was stuff floating on the surface  like petrol floats on water. And all they tell us is if its oily, dont use it. Well, we are paying for our water and its really annoying. We are paying for something we cant use.

Out at Pukehina Gaylene says she was suffering another bout of queasiness, dizziness and tiredness for the second time this year. At first she thought it was a bug, now she blames the bad water. I didnt see a doctor because I thought I was being overly-dramatic. But now I learn a lot of people were feeling the same way.

An advisory from Toi Te Ora Public Health confirms the main concern with the pH level was a skin irritation in some people.

However Gaylenes disappointed because she says she trusted someone with her health. Who is responsible? Who can reassure us this wont happen again?

On Monday night on SH2 at Pongakawa Ross Phillips domestic water supply felt slimy. It feels like the surface layer of your skin has been worn off, like if you use oven cleaner without wearing protective gloves.

He says he was told that by the time the alarm went up about the pH levels, the water had been dumped into the system and there was no control over where it went or who got it.

People should be warned. Better still, turn the supply off. If no water comes out of the tap, no harm done.

But if the water that comes out of the tap looks like any other water, Ross says you fill a glass and drink it. You arent rubbing it on your hands to test the pH levels first.

Hes told council that until it comes back and explains the whole story, how it happened, why the levels were so high without any notification and what its doing about the problem, then he wont be paying his water bill. And theyre not going to do that!

On Monday night, as soon as the problem occurred, the council did arrive with supplies of bottled water. They were well-received.

Because I am certainly not drinking the water, says Michelle. Here in Paengaroa we have always been complaining about the crap water. She says their kettles corrode faster than anywhere and the water is so hard is stains baths, taps and toilets.

Then another council advisory Wednesday night. Residents unsure about their water quality are being advised to do a precautionary flush of their homes systems.

Thats after investigating reports of disparity in water quality in areas neighbouring Pongakawa and Paengaroa. There was flushing in Pukehina and Maketu on Wednesday to remove pockets of higher pH, and Maketu pH levels have remained within acceptable levels since Monday.

We want to reiterate that if you are unsure about the water in your home system, of if you think it feels slimy, flushing or emptying your water cylinder by running water for 10 minutes should resolve this problem, says the councils Kelvin Hill.
Arlo Go is a fantastic security camera, but its price tag and ongoing fees for 3G service make it a luxury for all but those with the most serious mobile surveillance needs.

Wi-Fi cameras have revolutionized home security, but they have one obvious limitationthey require a Wi-Fi connection to function. If you need to put a camera in a location your Wi-Fi network just cant reach, or if youd like to install a security camera in your RV, vacation home, or some other spot where you dont want to pay for full-time broadband access just to support a camera, youll want to take a look at Netgears Arlo Go.

The companys latest DIY security camera cosmetically resembles its predecessors, but it has one significant difference under the hood: a cellular modem that connects via 3G and 4G LTE networks. That means it will connect even out in the sticksas long as you have cellular coverage; specifically, a data plan with Verizon, the only provider Arlo Go currently supports. (Update: AT&T now also supports the Arlo Go, but with a different model number. A Verizon-provisioned Arlo Go wont work on AT&Ts network and vice versa.)

If youre not a Verizon subscriber, you can you can use the camera with Netgears Arlo Mobile service. Arlo Go comes pre-activated with 15 minutes worth of recording time so you can use the camera right out of the box. Once you reach that limit, you can sign up for one of Arlo Mobiles three service plans for uploading 30-second video clips: $3.99 per month for one 30-second clip per day (or 30 clips per month), $18.39 for eight clips per day (240 per month), or $26.39 for 15 clips (450 per month). Those are for service plans that are billed annually. Opt for pay-as-you-go and the three plans cost $4.99, $22.99, and $32.99 per month respectively.

Netgear You can purchase silicone skins to help conceal the Arlo Go outdoors.

Arlo Gos design is similar to the Arlo Pro, a white pod-like body with a flat black face, though its bigger and more than twice as heavy. Thats largely due to the hefty 3660mAh rechargeable battery that powers it. You can also plug the Arlo Go into electrical power with the supplied weatherproof cord if you have a convenient outdoor outlet. Netgear also sells a solar panel that will trickle-charge the battery.

The camera has a 130-degree field of view and streams 720p live video. An 8x digital zoom gets you up close to your subject, whether its a home intruder or a coyote prowling the edge of your property. Motion and sound detection use the same Mode-based control as the Arlo Pro with email alerts and push notifications. A built-in mic and speaker let you communicate with family members or scare off encroachers

Arlo Go is rated IP65meaning its completely protected from dust and has decent protection from waterand has an operating temperature of -4 degrees to 113 degrees F. The lens is flanked by 850nm LEDs that provide up to 25 feet of night vision. You can turn these off if youre using the camera for hunting or spying wildlife around your home, and Arlo even offers color, camouflage, and ghillie silicone skins ($20, $25, and $35 a pair respectively) to conceal the camera outdoors.

Michael Ansaldo/IDG The Arlo apps simple interface makes it easy to control the Arlo Go.

Video can be recorded locally to an optional microSD carda new feature for Arlo camerasbut you still get Arlos seven-day cloud storage free for up to five cameras. If you need more, you can upgrade to the Premier Plan (30 days for up to 10 cameras) for $10 per month or $100 per year, or the Elite Plan (60 days for up to 15 cameras) for $115 per month or $150 per year.

Setup and usage

Netgears cameras have typically been easy to install, and Arlo Go is no exception. You just pop in the battery and a microSD card (not included) if you want to record video locally, download and sign into the app, and follow the prompts to sync the camera. You can sit the camera on any flat surface or mount it to a wall, fence, tree, or other permanent spot with the included metal mount and screws.

The camera has fantastic image quality. Even on the optimized setting, which balances picture quality with battery life, Arlo Go displayed rich accurate colors and crisp detail. Bright areas like the light streaming in a side window of my living room were blown out with the out-of the-box settings, but I was able to tone them down with the brightness control. The lens produced only the slightest bit of fisheye distortion.

Night Vision provided excellent illumination and good contrast. It was plenty to light up my small yard, which is shrouded by an old acacia tree and faces a street with just one streetlight a couple houses down.

Arlo Gos live feed displays on the apps Device screen along with those of any other Arlo cameras you have installed. Tapping the feed takes you its dedicated screen. Along the top here are indicators for motion and sound detection, battery charge, and cell-signal strength. At the bottom are all the camera controls, including a record button, brightness settings, and mic and speaker toggles.

Arlo Go comes with four preset modes that should be familiar Arlo Pro users:

Armed : When motion is detected, Arlo Go will record 10 seconds of video and alert you via push notification and email.

: When motion is detected, Arlo Go will record 10 seconds of video and alert you via push notification and email. Disarmed :Motion and sound detection are deactivated.

:Motion and sound detection are deactivated. Schedule The camera automatically arms and disarms according to a schedule you set. You can set several active periods for each day and even bridge calendar days.

The camera automatically arms and disarms according to a schedule you set. You can set several active periods for each day and even bridge calendar days. Geofencing: The camera automatically arms and disarms according to your location.

You can modify the specific settings for each of these modesadd sound detection to Armed mode, extend the length of video clips, or adjust motion detection sensitivity, for exampleor create your own modes altogether. You can also choose who email alerts are sent to, a handy option when youre having a neighbor watch over your home while youre out of town. Motion and sound alerts were timely and accurate in our testing.

Michael Ansaldo/IDG Thanks to its cellular connections, the Arlo Go can be placed just about anywhere.

You can access all your event-triggered videos by tapping he Library icon on the Device page. The library defaults to the current day, displaying date- and time-stamped videos in reverse chronological order. Each entry is marked Motion or Sound depending on what triggered it. A three-dot menu adjacent to each video holds options for downloading, sharing, favoriting, or deleting the clip.

Like all Arlo Cameras, Arlo Go works with IFTTT. I tested it with a pair of applets, having it turn on Philips Hue lights and calling my phone whenever it detected motion, and it worked flawlessly.

Should you buy it?

Arlo Go is an excellent security camera with all the functionality and ease of use weve come to expect from the Arlo line. And Arlo Mobile, which uses AT&Ts nationwide 4G LTE network, worked without a hiccup in my testing.

But with a sticker price of $430 and the associated costs of a cellular data plan and any cloud storage upgrade you purchase, Arlo Go is not a small investment. The Canary Flex also offers a 4G LTE connectivity option and that camera only costs $199, though it didnt impress us nearly as much as the Arlo Go. Ultimately, youll need to decide what your peace of mind is worth.
Late last year, I reported on a new social network called Gab that was quickly gaining popularity. It was positioned as an alternative to the likes of Twitter and Facebook, focusing on free speech and less censorship. Now, the app has been kicked off Google's store for hate speech.

When it launched last year, Gab described itself as "an ad-free social network for creators who believe in free speech, individual liberty, and the free flow of information online."

Google says it banned the platform, which has proved popular among alt-right and far-right users, for violating its hate speech policy. The company follows in the footsteps of Apple, who has rejected the app from its store on numerous occasions for "user content."

Breaking news: Google has removed Gab's Android app from the Google Play Store for "hate speech." pic.twitter.com/jPqeEx1ID1 --- Gab (@getongab) August 17, 2017

After Google fired engineer James Damore over his controversial manifesto, and in the wake of the Charlottesville protests that led to tech firms cracking down on extremist sites, Gab received a huge boost to its crowdfunding campaign, which has now received over $1 million from over 1000 investors.

It's still unclear what led to Gab being removed from Google's store. Users note that Twitter, Facebook, and the other social media sites contain thousands of people spouting racial hatred, and they're still available on Play. But perhaps its booting is due to the sheer amount of these posts that regularly appear on Gab.

It's speculated that the move could be related to neo-Nazi site The Daily Stormer. Following its removal from GoDaddy, Google, and Russian domains, founder Andrew Anglin said he would post articles on Gab until he could find another solution.

Gab itself suggests the move could be related to the fact it recently offered a job to Damore. "Really interesting that shortly after Gab offered [Damore] a job and supported him in the media that our app gets pulled from Google," it tweeted.

Really interesting that shortly after Gab offered @Fired4Truth a job and supported him in the media that our app gets pulled from Google. --- Gab (@getongab) August 18, 2017

While Gab is no longer available on the Play Store, it can still be sideloaded, and users can access the website on mobile and desktop.

Expect Gab's removal to add more fuel to the free speech argument. As noted to by the Electronic Frontier Foundation: "All fair-minded people must stand against the hateful violence and aggression that seems to be growing across our country. But we must also recognize that on the Internet, any tactic used now to silence neo-Nazis will soon be used against others, including people whose opinions we agree with."
Google late last month released the fourth and final Android O developer preview, nudging the mobile operating system one step closer to its commercial release. We still don't know exactly when that'll happen but we should find out soon.

Google has launched an eclipse-themed countdown on its Android website. According to the site, Android O will be "touching down" at 2:40 p.m. Eastern on Monday - live from New York City. Why Google thinks people would prefer to watch an OS reveal instead of a rare solar eclipse is beyond me but eh, there you have it.

It's worth noting that Google isn't explicitly saying Android O will launch on Monday. "Touching down" could mean a launch or it could just mean a reveal. We will have to wait and see.

Google says livestream viewers will "meet the next release of Android and all of its super (sweet) new powers" on Monday. While it hasn't been confirmed, I suspect we will also learn the nickname of Android O on this date and probably get a launch date as well.

Then again, it's entirely possible that Google could push Android O to general availability on the same day. Looking back to last summer, we see that Google dropped Android Nougat on August 22.

As for that nickname, evidence continues to mount suggesting it'll indeed be called Android Oreo (Google set precedent for such commercial branding in 2013 with the launch of Android KitKat). The tie-in with the eclipse could also be intentional as some would argue that an Oreo could resemble the sun being blocked out by the moon (or maybe that's just wishful thinking).
CASPER, Wyo., Aug. 17, 2017 -- Secretary of Defense James Mattis and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) have selected Mesa Natural Gas Solutions, a generator service company founded and led by veterans, as a 2017 recipient of the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

Mesa, which specializes in natural gas or liquid propane powered mobile generators, was among 15 companies honored from 3,064 nominations the DoD received from Reserve Component troops across the country. The award was created to publicly recognize employers who provide exceptional support to their Guard and Reserve employees. It is the highest in a series of employer recognition awards given by the DoD.

Almost one-half of the U.S. military is comprised of the Guard and Reserve. The Department of Defense shares these citizen warriors with their civilian employers, many of whom provide significant support to their employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve.

Dallas-based BP Energy Partners, sponsored by industry icon T. Boone Pickens, acquired Mesa Natural Gas Solutions in 2014. The company provides clean, reliable power and other ancillary services primarily to the oil and gas industry by utilizing natural gas directly from the wellhead. In addition to Wyoming, the company's generators currently power oil and gas plays across North America  Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming  and some international basins.

Mesa provides turnkey energy solutions to its customers through services contracts that are inclusive of equipment, maintenance, service, setup, and transportation. Natural gas generators are money savers and easier on the environment. Most diesel-powered generators require site fuel delivery three times a week; the natural gas alternatives do not require fuel deliveries, as they receive their fuel directly from the well head. Natural gas generators, which have much lower emissions than comparable diesel units, also reduce the amount of gas wasted as flare gas at well sites. So the process is more economic, cleaner, and requires less truck traffic to the site.

U.S. military veterans founded the company and comprise more than 60 percent of its employees. The company has more than 200 years of combined military service and more than 30 overseas deployments in its ranks. It not only hires, employs, and promotes both veterans and active duty Service members, the company also supports them in whatever ways are needed.

"We are proud that the Department of Defense chose us for this honor," says Scott Gromer, president and chief executive officer of Mesa Natural Gas Solutions. "Providing opportunities for veterans is a key element of our mission. We are proud of the work we do with them and for them and, ultimately, using our generators to reduce America's dependence on OPEC fuels, a mission they have committed their lives to."

Gromer retired as a major from the Wyoming Army National Guard after a 23-year career that included two unit commands and three deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Employers who support their military employees' service make all the difference in the world. That support can include paying an employee the difference between their military and civilian pay during a deployment, or even offering a full salary for the duration. It can also be arranging for a U.S. senator to be on hand for a farewell ceremony. Some companies show their commitment by targeting military for hiring, while others set up military affinity groups to learn how to better serve their military employees. Still others pitch in and simply make life easier for the families of deployed service members.

Among the things Mesa does for its military employees: If an employee deploys, he or she receives full pay and benefits for the duration of the deployment. All Service Members currently serving in the National Guard or Reserves receive full pay while gone for military training/duties, and are guaranteed that his or her exact job will be available upon return. The company offers flexible scheduling to accommodate service and training obligations, even without notice. Full retirement, medical, dental, and vision benefits are provided during deployment. Employees accrue vacation and sick time during deployment. And the company's leadership team regularly attends  in full force  award and honor ceremonies for military members to show its support in its community.

"It is a privilege to work in a company that supports veterans and has excellent military leadership," says Chris Piasecki, project manager and retired Major in the Wyoming Army National Guard. "That is one of the things that keeps Mesa adaptable and relevant in our ever-changing conditions. Our employees know how to accomplish the mission at hand."

The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). ESGR is a Department of Defense office established in 1972 whose mission is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by advocating relevant initiatives, recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of applicable laws and resolving conflict between employers and service members.

The nomination process is open to all Guard and Reserve personnel or a family member acting on their behalf and applications are submitted online to ESGR. A national selection board comprised of senior Defense officials and business leaders select the award recipients.

For more information on Mesa Natural Gas Solutions, visit http://www.247mesamesangs.com/. To learn more about the Freedom Award and this year's recipients, visit www.FreedomAward.mil. To learn more about ESGR, visit www.ESGR.mil.

CONTACT:

Jay Rosser

214-265-4165

jay@bpcap.net

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mesa-natural-gas-solutions-receives-department-of-defense-freedom-award-300506292.html

SOURCE Mesa Natural Gas Solutions

RELATED LINKShttp://www.mesangs.com
Gabriella Engels. Photo: Foto24/Getty Images

Zimbabwes First Lady, Grace Mugabe, is accused of assaulting a young model in South Africa with an electrical extension cord last Sunday night  and likely will get out of the legal situation with diplomatic immunity.

Twenty-year-old model Gabriella Engels alleges that the incident occurred on Sunday night in the Capital 20 West hotel in Johannesburg, where she and friends were going to meet up with one of Mugabes sons. Per The Guardian, Engels told local media the following:

We were chilling in a hotel room, and [the sons] were in the room next door. She came in and started hitting us. She flipped and just kept beating me with the plug, over and over  I had to crawl out of the room before I could run away.

South African police initially said that they put up a red alert at the borders to prevent Mugabe  wife of 93-year-old Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe  from leaving the country. However, Mugabe has not turned herself into police and Zimbabwe authorities are seeking diplomatic immunity for the First Lady, claiming that she was in South Africa at the time for a regional summit. Reporter Peter Granitz told NPR that the victims lawyers said she was in the country for personal reasons, including shopping and medical treatment, and that means she would not qualify for the immunity.

According to what government sources told Reuters, Mugabe is expected to receive immunity in the case, in the interest of maintaining diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In 2009, a photographer in Hong Kong also claimed that Mugabe beat him.

Engels, meanwhile has hired Oscar Pistoriuss attorney, Gerrie Nel, and is prepared to fight this in the highest court.
African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) and its mining partner, Brazil's Vale, have extricated themselves from an expensive investment in the Lubambe copper mine in Zambia, fulfilling a commitment chairman Patrice Motsepe made in 2016.

Lubambe mine, Zambia. Photo: Murray & Roberts

The Lubambe mine, one of the key factors behind JSE-listed ARM's fall into a full-year loss of R757m, was identified as an asset for sale by Motsepe during a results presentation.

ARM said the mine would be sold to EMR Capital, a private-equity group, for $97.1m cash, marking the end of a venture that absorbed at least $400m and in 2016 produced 21,000 tonnes of copper.

ARM's copper division holds a 50% stake in the joint venture, which holds 80% of Lubambe, giving each partner 40% of the mine. Lubambe's costs were the highest in a suite of ARM's assets and efforts to rein them in proved difficult. State-owned Zambian Consolidated Copper Mines Investment Holdings holds 20% of Lubambe.

ARM impaired its investment in Lubambe by R1.4bn during 2016 and the partners considered ways to cut costs, including lowering production to lower cash funding requirements.

The conditional sale of Lubambe will be welcomed by shareholders and marks the end of their exposure to the unprofitable asset, where the headline loss deepened to R555m in 2016, from R430m the year before. ARM and Vale will continue providing funding to Lubambe until the transaction is finalised.

Motsepe said in September ARM was looking for other copper projects to remain exposed to the metal, but gave no details. Motsepe and CEO Mike Schmidt were clear that if assets could not be made profitable within three years, they would have no place in ARM. Lubambe fell squarely into this definition.

Lubambe struggled to ramp up production, running into geological problems such as a sand zone that needed specialised support at a time when copper prices fell, stopping work in the South Limb of the mine.

Among the cost-saving plans were for the partners to operate the mine and phase out contractors. This led to a small reduction in costs.

The mine had been planned to generate 45,000 tonnes of copper a year from 2019, but a host of difficulties meant the target remained out of reach.
Home >Police Enforcement > Tickets and Cash > Maine Supreme Court: Father Cannot Help Son Fight Traffic Ticket
NANTUCKET, MASS.Getting its name from an ancient Wampanoag word meaning away off shore, this glacier-formed, elbow-shaped island, situated 50 kilometres south of Cape Cod, certainly feels like a world unto its own.

Blessed with warm Gulf Stream currents, a mild oceanic climate and a continuous sandy coastline, Nantuckets shores have been a haven for visitors for thousands of years  first as a seasonal fishing ground for Native Americans, and then, in the mid-1600s, for English settlers whod turn the island into the worlds largest whaling centre.

Im getting this history lesson from Robert Captain Rob McMullen, a U.S. Coast Guard Certified captain, tour guide and Nantucket history buff at The Wauwinet, a charming boutique inn on the edge of Nantucket Bay, as we drive across the island in the inns beautifully restored cherry-red 1947 Chevy Woody.

Nantuckets transformation (into a whaling hub) was very fast, says McMullen. By the late 1700s, there were 19 candle factories in town, with ships coming and going.

A 199-ship fleet from Nantucket once hunted sperm whales around the world for their head oil, called spermaceti, which was used to make pure-white candles and long-lasting lamp oil. But the aromas from processing the spermaceti in the high summer heat werent pleasant.

It was a busy industrial port and it stunk in the summer, says McMullen of the main town, also called Nantucket. It still boasts many of its original 18th- and 19th-century buildings and narrow cobblestone streets, which now house high-end hotels, boutiques and bistros.

But back then, those who could leave town did. Many made the 13-kilometre trek to Sconset, a picturesque village on the southeast corner of Nantucket, which is where were headed on one of The Wauwinets many complementary, Capt. Rob-led tours.

It was basically the first resort town in America, says McMullen, motoring past cranberry bogs and rolling wooded hills. The fishermen began to bring their wives and children, just to get away and get some fresh air. Also, they were getting away from the vice that the sailors were bringing to town.

Nantuckets first English settlers originally hoped to make a life in Boston. But the strict Puritan government didnt sit well with them or their Quaker beliefs, so they decided to move to freer shores in 1659. Some of these first settlers surnames will sound familiar, such as Folger (yes, like Folgers Coffee) and Macy (yes, like the department store).

They modelled this simple fishing village on the ones they remembered from their upbringing in Englands West County, says McMullen, who grew up on Nantucket himself.

Even in its day, in the late 1600s, Sconset was a remarkable relic of an earlier era, as it looked and functioned just like a medieval village.

Nantucket, which was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1966, goes to great lengths to honour its past. For example, to help preserve the traditional esthetic of the islands architecture, homeowners can only choose from 12 historically accurate colours to paint their exterior (although most still go with traditional bare cedar shingles and white trim).

But rather than being stodgy, Nantucket is instead defined by a spirit of constant reinvention.

When the whaling industry suddenly collapsed in mid-1800s thanks to the discovery of oil in Texas, Nantucketers were in need of a new industry. Locals began advertising off-island about the delights of sea bathing and freshly cooked seafood, and opened their homes to summer boarders. The Wauwinet saw its first guests in 1875, first as a beachside dinner destination for day-trippers from town serving up clam chowder and boiled lobster, and later as an inn.

Getting back to the fully renovated, modern-day inn after our driving tour of Sconset, we find ourselves in the kitchen of the Wauwinetsaward-winning Toppers restaurant, which strives to continue the tradition of serving fresh, local sea-harvested specialties.

We all love being surrounded by the ocean, says Kyle Zachary, executive chef at Toppers restaurant, which hosts clambakes through the summer. Seafood brings people together, a lot of times in celebrations.

Zachary is showing a group of us how to shuck and prepare oysters that came from the choppy waters of Nantucket Bay just 100 metres from The Wauwinets front door.

That locality comes courtesy of the recently launched, family-run Retsyo Oyster farm, one of eight oyster beds that form part of the latest burgeoning industry on Nantucket.

Oysters are ocean filters, so its great for the water, says Zachary. This is the true terroir of Wauwinet, because oysters will take on the flavour of their surroundings, much like a grape would in a vineyard.

After a few minutes fighting with the sharp-edged shell, I hear a satisfying pop and pull back the top with my oyster knife to expose the meat inside. I throw it back with a dash of whipped mignonette Zachary had just prepared and am happily met with a soft, salty flavour.

Its a true taste of Nantucket, a place where the nautical history is honoured, but a pioneering spirit continues looking ahead to an ocean-fuelled future. Not to mention that its delicious.

Emma Yardley was hosted by Nantucket Island Resorts, which didnt review or approve this story.

When you go:

Get there: There are multiple flights per day going from Toronto to Bostons Edward L. Logan International Airport (BOS), which makes it easy to catch one of Cape Airs many daily 45-minute connector flights to Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK). Prices are in the US $140-$300-range one way. There are also a number of seasonal ferry routes, if you prefer to take a car. More info: capeair.com, hyannistonantucket.com

Do this trip: While The Wauwinet is nearly 15 kilometres from the main town, once youre at the hotel everything you need is right there: a gourmet restaurant, relaxing spa, beaches on either side, bikes to borrow, complementary island tours and a town shuttle. Room rates begin at US $275. More info: wauwinet.com

When to go: A lot of Nantucket businesses and accommodations are seasonal, including The Wauwinet, which is open from April until the end of October. The summertime highs hover in the 25-degrees-Celsius zone, with fresh breezes coming off the Atlantic, but the good weather brings big crowds. To get the island all to yourself (well, you and the 10,000 locals), consider visiting in the fall and spring shoulder seasons.

Do your research:nantucket-ma.gov, nantucketislandresorts.com

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NORTH ISLAND, N. Z.  If youre planning a trip to New Zealands North Island with the goal of hitting the most wineries you can in a short time frame, youre in the wrong place. More than 75 per cent of the countrys wine is produced in the Marlborough region of the South Island.

But quantity isnt everything. The North Island is home to six wine regions that turn out vintages as complex and heralded as anything produced farther south.

And many are just a short drive from cities that should be on your travel itinerary, anyway.

In the Matakana region, less than an hours drive north of Auckland, Richard Robson has seen tastes change in the decade he has been winemaker at Matakana Estate winery. Its the largest of the 18 wineries in the area.

Although he still makes a Burgundian-style lightly oaked chardonnay, customers now prefer easy-drinking whites over heavily oaked Chardonnays, he says.

Everyone seems to keep wanting more sauvignon blanc, Robson says, swirling some of the straw-coloured wine in a glass to bring out its full flavour. Its a very user-friendly style of wine.

Youll need to make an appointment to taste Robsons wines, but down the road, the tiny Brick Bay winery welcomes visitors year-round. Although it produces just three to five wines a year, its greenhouse-style restaurant and tasting room, and its Sculpture Trail  an outdoor gallery featuring more than 50 large-scale works of art  make it well worth a visit.

At close by Ransom Wines, youll taste offerings you cant buy back home  the small family-run winery doesnt export to Canada. But a bottle of Compleat PiG, a so-called orange wine made from barrel-fermented Pinot Gris grapes, somehow managed to find its way home in my suitcase.

Blink and youll miss it, but the Auckland wine region is even closer to New Zealands largest city. It makes up in quality what it lacks in geography.

Kumeu River Wines, just a half-hours drive outside Auckland, was founded in 1944 by Mick and Kate Brajkovich and is now run by their grandchildren  winemaker Michael, his sister Marijana, and brothers Milan and Paul. It produces several styles of wine but its Chardonnays have won a slew of awards and reverential praise from other New Zealand winemakers.

Michael Brajkovich says he experimented with a number of different grape varieties on the property before honing in on chardonnay. It became clear that the chardonnay grape variety is particularly well suited to the Kumeu climate and soil, he says.

But thats not what Kumeu River started out making. Like most of the half-dozen wineries in the region founded by Croatian immigrants who came to New Zealand in the 1930s and 1940s, it originally focused on fortified wines in the port and sherry styles, which proved popular in what was then primarily a beer-drinking country. But since the 1960s, New Zealand winemakers have gravitated toward varietals like chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and malbec.

The nearby Soljans Estate and West Brook wineries, also founded by Croatian immigrants, make everything from sparkling rose to tawny port. Visit this winemaking region while you can  Aucklands sky-high housing prices are driving many residents to look outside the city, and rural areas close to the city are targeted for development.

Farther south, the Hawkes Bay area turns out about 10 per cent of New Zealand wines, making it the largest wine-producing region on the North Island. Its within a 30-minute drive of Napier, whose downtown core is recognized as one of the best-preserved Art Deco enclaves in the world outside Miamis South Beach.

The gently rolling landscape and excellent bike paths of the Hawkes Bay area make it ideal for exploring on two wheels.

On a food and wine tour with Jenny Ryan of Takaro Trails, we made pit stops at the tiny Black Barn winery and the Chalk and Cheese cafe, where Joanie Williams is turning out spectacular artisan cheeses. Then we took a well-tended path that follows the Tukituki river to Elephant Hill winery, known for its cool-climate reds such as Syrah, merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Have lunch in its expansive dining room with a view and youll notice something unusual  the vines run all the way down to the South Pacific. I dont know anywhere in the world where vineyards are this close to the ocean, says CEO Andreas Weiss, who took over the winery his father founded in 2003.

You cant leave Hawkes Bay without a stop at Craggy Range, which occupies a spectacular piece of land in the shadow of the imposing Te Mata Peak. In its glass-walled tasting room looking out on the vineyards, sommelier Michael Bancks pours complex, aromatic wines from chardonnay and pinot Gris to Syrah and merlot.

Does wine taste better when youre in the midst of the vineyards or is that just an excuse to visit New Zealands wine country? Forget I asked that question. Who needs an excuse?

When you go

Get there: I flew Air New Zealand. The airline flies from Vancouver direct to Auckland (with connections to Toronto with partner airline Air Canada) and from Auckland to Napier.

Get around: The easiest and safest way to tour the wine country is with a guide (New Zealand has strict laws against drinking and driving).

John McFarlane of WinePro conducts tours of the Auckland and Matakana wine regions from Auckland.

Matakana Tours offers food and wine tours of the Matakana region and will pick you up from your hotel in Auckland.

In Hawkes Bay, Takaro Trails runs a range of guided and self-guided wine tours.

Stay:

Citylife Auckland offers spacious suites close to everything in the citys downtown core.

Craggy Range winery has luxurious one- and two-bedroom cottages and a four-bedroom lodge set right in its vineyard.

Do your research here.

Joanne Blain was hosted by Tourism New Zealand, which did not review or approve this story.

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When Western University graduate Heather Gingerich saw a news segment about an Ohio retirement home where music students lived alongside seniors, she was amazed at the electric atmosphere as the young residents conversed with and performed for their older neighbours.

That kind of environment is one she wants to recreate in Canada with a program offering free room and board for a small group of Western University music students at a London, Ont., retirement home.

The program currently plans to place three upper-year Western music students at Oakcrossing Retirement Living starting in October. In exchange for the free accommodation and meals, the students will be expected to spend a dozen hours a week with their elderly neighbours.

Gingerich, who works for the retirement home and graduated from Westerns music program herself, said the idea is an intergenerational opportunity for both young and old to learn from each other.

When we share the program details, (residents) are extremely excited to be a part of it and see it develop, Gingerich said. Theyre also intrigued by what it could mean for them, so its been nothing but positive.

Gingerich said the interaction with students and their music will enrich the lives of the homes senior residents. And she hopes the program can foster a grandparent-like relationship between the students and residents.

Betty Anne Younker, dean of Westerns music faculty, said she was excited about what the opportunity could bring for students. While she said shell need to see how successful the idea is before future expansion, she said the program could be broadened in the future.

Theres a sense of history that seniors will bring to the table in conversations and in engagement ... our generation can learn from that, Younker said.

I see it as a tremendous opportunity for community engagement and relationships that students can foster and in intergenerational living where people learn from each other and theres a sense of reciprocity.

According to the music programs student council leader, the idea has received a lot of interest among students on social media.

Students think that its an interesting opportunity and great for the faculty and community, said Kyle Tang, who said that he would have applied for the program if he didnt have housing already.

He said that itll be valuable for music students to get to play in front of an audience that isnt a part of their social circle.

While he says that free rent isnt the biggest draw for most of the retirement home program applicants, it definitely is a bonus that will help students.

Gingerich expects the dozen hours students will spend with seniors each week will involve recitals in common rooms and impromptu concerts among their neighbours, as well as simply practicing music that will ring throughout the facilitys hallways.

The gift of music in the home, that could never be a negative thing, she said.

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WINNIPEGA woman in Winnipeg tightly embraced her 12-year-old son for the first time in three years early Thursday morning when the child was reunited with his family after his liberation from Iraqi militants.

Cheers went up from a large crowd on hand when Emad Mishko Tamo arrived at James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, just weeks after he was freed from captivity.

He was separated from his mother after Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, displaced thousands of members of the Kurdish-minority Yazidis in 2014, but he was freed earlier this summer in the city of Mosul.

Read more:Yazidi refugees son, 12, found recovering from gunshot wounds at refugee camp

His mother, Nofa Mihlo Zaghla, has been living in Winnipeg as a refugee but it wasnt until a relative recognized his photo on social media that she knew her son was still alive.

Thank you Canada, said Emad while surrounded by a throng of relatives and supporters at the airport.

Speaking through an interpreter, Emad said there are a thousand other children like him who are still being held captive and he wants to share his story so that they can be helped.

A refugee co-ordinator said the boy, who is still recovering from gunshot wounds, will be closely monitored by doctors while he settles into his new life in Winnipeg.

Emad was brought to Winnipeg through the efforts of the Yazidi Association of Manitoba.

Hadji Hesso, the associations president, said Emad was accompanied by UNHCR representatives on his flight to Canada, and that they brought him to a private room at the airport to reconnect with his family prior to walking out to the waiting crowd in the arrivals area.

Hesso said Emads siblings, uncle, cousins and grandmother were also in the room.

As soon as he opened the door, he kind of (said) Wow! and he ran to his mother, with hugging and kissing and his mother started crying, said Hesso, who was present for the reunion.

It was emotional for everybody whether you know Emad (and) the mother or not, Hesso said.

The Yazidi Association of Manitoba, the Kurdish Initiative for Refugees and Winnipeg Friends of Israel went public with Emads story last month to try to get Canadian officials to act quickly to bring the boy to Canada.

According to a letter written by the association to members of Parliament, Zaghla lived peacefully with her husband and six children in Iraq until the summer of 2014 when her village was attacked.

They held captive for two years, during which time the association said Zaghla was forced to serve as a sex slave to the militants.

As they were moved from place to place, she became separated from her husband and her two oldest sons, and when she managed to escape with four of her children during an attack on their compound, she made her way to Canada with no expectation she would see them again.

Her husband  Emads father  as well as one of Emads brothers remain unaccounted for, Hesso said.

Hesso said Zaghla expressed how she wished they could have been on the flight to Canada with Emad.

But at the same time shes happy at least she has one of them back. So you cant put it in words how happy she is, Hesso said.

Federal Immigration spokeswoman Lisa Filipps said last month that the department was acting to expedite all Yazidi cases and that the government was working with partners in the region to identify vulnerable Yazidi women and children.

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MONTREALAn anti-fascist group is organizing a counter-protest against a demonstration in Quebec City on Sunday that is being planned by a far-right group.

Montreal Antifasciste says in a statement its calling on anti-fascist and anti-racist groups to head to the provincial capital to oppose La Meutes demonstration.

The call comes after at least two Quebecers were identified participating in a white supremacist rally last week in Charlottesville, Va.

Read more: What white supremacy looks like minus the Charlottesville paraphernalia: Paradkar

One of them, outed as a member of La Meute, was suspended from the right-wing group pending an investigation.

Quebec City police say they are aware of the possibility of dueling protests.

Police spokesman David Poitras says that while the right to protest is a constitutional right, authorities wont tolerate violence, vandalism or other criminal acts.

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Following Legal Aid Ontarios decision to defund the African Canadian Legal Clinic, members of the Black community are speaking out.

They include members of a panel consulting on the creation of a replacement clinic.

A committee of the Legal Aid Ontario board of directors decided to defund the clinic Wednesday because it failed to meet eight conditions imposed in 2014 to address financial mismanagement and poor governance.

Lawyer Roger Rowe called the turn of events disappointing.

Its real hard to get official funding for something that helps Black people, its real hard, he said. But it is what it is: Theres financial accountability that has to be addressed.

Rowe is one of six Black Canadians advising Legal Aid on developing the new organization and ensuring theres no disruption of legal services to the community. Other panel members include Black Lives Matter founder Sandy Hudson and Zanana Akande, the first Black woman elected to the Ontario legislature.

Theres no timeline for the new clinic, said Akande, who explained that new board members will be chosen by the community. In the meantime, clients can rely on the Human Rights Legal Support centre, members of the private bar and Legal Aids test case program.

Metro reported earlier this month that the African Canadian Legal Clinics funding was in jeopardy due to concerns dating back to 2009.

A 2013 audit by independent firm PwC found unusual purchases on a company credit card, including $754 for a diamond ring, charged by executive director Margaret Parsons, who provided no evidence to back up her claim she had paid it back.

Parsons rejected the audits finding that $120,000 set aside for vacant staff positions was instead used to give her bonuses over a four-year period.

Parsons did not respond to a request for comment on the decision.

In a previous interview with Metro, she denied any financial wrongdoing and said the clinic had been held to a double standard and treated unfairly by Legal Aid since it started in 1994.

Julian Falconer, who has represented Legal Aid in the matter, urged members of the community to look at the documents posted on the organizations website, including the PwC audit.

This is not a happy day, but I think its a necessary exercise, he said.

What we have to do is keep our eye on the ball, which is the needs or the unmet needs of very vulnerable people.

Tiffany Gooch, a strategist for government relations firm Enterprise, said much of the conversation boils down to Parsons being a lightning rod for the community.

A lot of the issues were coming back to her, and the institution couldnt seem to separate itself from her. I do believe mistakes were made. This is more a death-by-a-thousand cuts situation, rather than one anywhere, she said.

I think we, as a community, need to have a larger conversation about transitional leadership, she added.

Criminal defence lawyer Annamaria Enenajor was surprised by the decision.

Even though theres a promise to ensure that there will be no disruption in legal services to Black Ontarians, its troubling for me that you see the disbanding of an organization, rather than the leadership that was problematic, said Enenajor.

Why reinvent the wheel, unless its so rotten to the core?

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She carefully unfolds a foil wrapper, delicately removes the crumble of tar heroin within, places it in a spoon. Spits to moisten. Flicks a lighter to cook it, the substance dissolving into a viscous liquid. Rips open a clean needle and draws the solution into the barrel.

Hands it to the man she loves.

He leans over to look at himself in a small mirror. Plunges the needle into his neck.

His name, he says, is Oliver Smith and hes 34 years old, addicted to heroin since he was 21.

On this afternoon, with rolling IV  saline bag and monitor  still attached to one arm, Smith has trundled over from St. Michaels Hospital to the pop-up safe injection site at Moss Park for his fix. Even though hes on a methadone regimen. He makes this excursion at least twice a day.

Plodding back to the hospital, passersby offer him food: a burger from McDonalds, an apple, a doughnut. He is grateful. Especially so when a church volunteer presses a small Bible into his hand.

Can I have one, too? asks his long-time girlfriend, Angie Austin.

She had just injected herself as well, immediately nodding off, chin sinking into her breast bone.

They are nice people, well-known in the neighbourhood. Many stop to say hello. His sweetie, says Austin to a street friend. Several inquire about the IV. My foot got infected, Smith explains.

Unlike many of their acquaintances, Smith and Austin arent homeless. They live in a subsidized apartment.

But they are both deeply ashamed.

I grew up in Mississauga, says Smith. A Jamaican family living in a middle-class white community. I never felt accepted. Only when I got high with my friends, both white and Black. That gave me a kind of acceptance, you know? At first it was just dope, then I started snorting cocaine. But cocaine is really a nonsociable drug. When you come down, theres this burnt-out feeling, yucky feeling. So I moved on to opiates.

The fentanyl scares me. Ive overdosed 11, 12 times.

Austin: You never know what youre getting, what the heroin has been mixed with.

Thats why theyve been taking advantage of the Moss Park facility  an unsanctioned safe and hygienic facility operated by harm reduction volunteers, including a nurse who observes every injection. At least one OD has occurred at the site, last weekend, but workers  with naloxone kits (the nasal spray fentanyl antidote) holstered to their belts  were able to revive the individual before paramedics arrived.

Three permanent injection sites are planned for downtown, South Riverdale and Parkdale, but not scheduled to open until the fall. This pop-up and perhaps others are intended to fill that gap amidst an opioids crisis in the city.

Most of us work in harm reduction, explains Nick Boyce, whose full-time job is in that field. All these volunteers are highly experienced in harm reduction, how to respond to overdoses. Weve revived multiple people.

This is a tawdry area of Toronto, surrounded by missions and hostels, possibly the citys most crime-infested neighbourhood. But businesses line Queen St. and there are new condo buildings nearby. Few are amenable to an injection site added into the mix, fearful of even more crime and violence as a result.

I dont think were drawing more people into the area who are problematic, counters Boyce. These are people who were already here. Weve set up away from the park benches and the playground. And we clean up every day, remove needles that were discarded overnight.

The injection tents have been set up between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Over-the-counter naloxone kits are available free from pharmacies in Ontario  80,000 kits have been distributed by the Health Ministry this year  but Boyce points out that users seeking them have to show a health card. Many dont have them, dont have any ID, dont have a permanent address.

Not all heroin users fit the stereotype, nor are they all addicts. But clearly many have all sorts of related issues  mental health problems, poverty, the physical manifestations of living rough.

Theyre already highly stigmatized, Boyce continues. Is it better to deal with addiction as a health issue or a moral issue  bad people making bad choices? These are vulnerable people who often dont know where their next meal is coming from. Many have serious mental issues. What is there for them to attach to? For all kinds of reasons many attach to drugs.

Walking her boyfriend back to the hospital, Austin, 42, describes why she first turned to heroin nine years ago. Because of him, she says, referring to Smith. Because he was using and at first I didnt even know, he hid it from me. After I found out, I thought it would bring us closer, that it would help our relationship. It was the stupidest thing Ive ever done in my life.

Smith: I told her not to.

And now here they are, all these years later, leaning on each other, often trying  and failing  to get clean. Withdrawal is awful, says Smith. It makes you sicker than anything you can imagine. I want a normal life, a job, to be able to see my young son without upsetting him. I dont want him to see me like this.

Austin, who has no family: I would love to work with kids in some way. If I could help change just one childs life . . . 

Torontos Medical Officer of Health, and others, have called for a public discussion on decriminalizing all drugs, in the wake of the ongoing overdose epidemic; some 2,400 deaths in Canada last year believed attributable to opioid-related ODs.

A matter of health rather than criminality, they argue.

Which is facile to promote from a distance, from a harm-reduction posture, from even the outsider intimacy of front-line workers.

At ground zero of heroin addiction, the view is not necessarily what youd expect.

Smith: No, no, no, Im not in favour of that. We shouldnt make it easier to end up like me.

Austin: Being illegal, thats what scares a lot of people away from doing it. I wish it had scared me. I wish I could go back.

Rosie DiManno usually appears Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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Four years ago, a long-time Toronto justice of the peace was slapped with a seven-day suspension without pay for interfering with a health inspection of a close friends restaurant.

Now, Tom Foulds finds himself once again in the crosshairs of the Justices of the Peace Review Council, this time facing allegations of intervening in an assault case where the complainant was his friend-turned-partner.

The public discipline hearing is set for October, but Foulds, who presides at Old City Hall, is looking to put a halt to those proceedings.

Hes filed an application for judicial review in Divisional Court, where hes asking the judges to quash the decision of the councils complaints committee to send his case to a discipline hearing. He also wants the court to order that a new complaints committee reconsider the complaint against him.

His grievances with the complaints committee are numerous.

(The committee) exceeded its jurisdiction by making findings of fact and determinations of judicial misconduct, and did so prior to requesting a response from the applicant, Foulds, who is representing himself in Divisional Court, argues in a factum recently filed in court.

The complaint committee failed to fully assess the evidence or consider the applicants response in a meaningful way.

Foulds, appointed in 1999, declined to comment to the Star through a court spokeswoman, who said Foulds is not currently presiding over cases.

Foulds also argues there is an appearance of bias on the part of the committee, saying two of its members previously sat on a different complaints committee that investigated a complaint against him, which was ultimately dismissed. Foulds alleged that the previous committee did not follow certain mandatory procedures in its investigation.

A council spokeswoman said the oversight body will argue that Foulds judicial review application should be quashed because it is premature.

After conducting an investigation, which included interviews with a number of witnesses and hiring an external lawyer, the complaints committee decided to send Foulds case to discipline in 2016, ruling that his actions could be perceived as an attempt to abuse the office of justice of the peace.

The allegations contained in the complaints committee decision, outlined in this story, have not yet been tested before a discipline panel.

The complaint against Foulds dates back to 2014, when Mr. A was charged with assaulting Ms. X. Neither of their names are included in the councils notice of hearing. Mr. A, whose charges were eventually stayed by the Crown, complained to the review council that Foulds had intervened in his case because Ms. X was Foulds partner.

Foulds acknowledged in a response to the complaints committee that he erred in his approach to the case, but vigorously disputes much of the complaint against him.

The committee said theres evidence to support the allegation that Foulds signed the information charging Mr. A with assault, without informing the police officer that he was involved with Ms. X and without audio-recording the officers attendance before him.

Foulds disputes that every routine attendance must be recorded. He admits in his factum to mishandling a legal process by allowing the information to be sworn before him, but that he viewed it as a routine ministerial procedure, and he was simply a friend of (Ms. X) at that time.

The JP then went to the Crown attorneys office to talk about the case, but only near the end of his conversation with Crown attorney Michael Callaghan did he say that he knew the complainant and that the case should not be scheduled in front of him, according to the complaints committee.

The committee notes that Mr. Callaghans perception was that His Worship was vague with respect to how he knew the complainant, says the committee. The evidence indicates that as he was leaving, he asked, Oh, by the way, do you think its a problem that the information was sworn in front of me?

The committee said the Crown then had a new information sworn before a different JP. Callaghan, who became widely known for prosecuting ex-radio host Jian Ghomeshi on sexual assault charges last year, declined to comment to the Star.

Foulds says in his factum that he went to the Crowns office to address the fact that the information was sworn before him, and that by that time, the nature of (his) relationship with (Ms. X) had progressed beyond friendship.

The committee said theres evidence that Foulds reached out to Callaghan several other times, including to ask for an update on the case and seeking legal advice, but that Callaghan found the encounters inappropriate and declined to provide any information.

In his factum, Foulds also acknowledged his mistake in signing a subpoena to have Ms. X attend court and then discussing whether he could be present when she was served.

(Foulds) provided the context in which he made these decisions, regarding the desperate state of (Ms. Xs) mental health, and his concern about protecting her from self-harm, he said in his factum.

He argued he never sought to interfere in the case or direct Crown attorneys on what to do.

The evidence shows that His Worship did not distance himself from the (Mr. A) case and instead actively inserted himself into the criminal process, said the complaints committee.

Further, the evidence suggests that His Worships involvement in the criminal case was calculated and deceptive. Specifically, His Worship only shared limited information at different stages to make it appear as though he was being up front when, in fact, he was not being completely honest or forthcoming.

The committee said the Crown had to deal with a number of disclosure requests from Mr. As lawyer, who wanted Foulds personal emails in order to get to the true story of whether there was indeed a personal relationship between Foulds and Ms. X.

One Crown told the committee that Foulds was a hindrance to the carriage of the case, while Callaghan said that for a very simple case, this became very complicated.

The complaints committee said the evidence suggests that the costs of Mr. As defence escalated and the Crowns resources were overtaxed directly as a result of His Worships involvement in the proceedings.

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A truck crashed through the front windows of a salon spa in Hillcrest Mall, sending five people to a local hospital with minor injuries.

York Region police were called around 10:20 a.m. Friday when the vehicle went through NRG Salon Spa.

The truck driver, a man in his late 20s, is believed to have suffered a medical emergency causing the crash, Const. Laura Nicolle said. He had minor injuries from the crash.

I just heard pandemonium in the mall, said Raffi Anderian, who was on the floor above the salon in the Richmond Hill mall when the crash happened.

People were just running towards the exits.

Anderian, a former long-time illustrator for the Toronto Star, said the truck had driven completely into the salon and caused significant damage.

Four people had injuries assessed on scene and three were taken to local hospital by paramedics, said Kylie Doerner, communications supervisor for York Region.

Two others went to hospital on their own, Nicolle said later in an email.

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The Dieppe raid of Aug. 19, 1942  the Canadian armys first engagement in Europe in the Second World War  was a debacle that killed more than 900 Canadian soldiers.

Another 2,000 were injured and captured in the amphibious attack against German-led forces, who occupied most of Europe.

Read more: Bitterness lingers 75 years after Dieppe: My father always felt that they had been sacrificed

The goal of the nine-hour assault on Dieppe, a small coastal town northwest of Paris, was to take the port, demolish it and then leave by sea in an operation that included nearly 5,000 Canadian soldiers. To mark Saturdays 75th anniversary, we take a look at the meaning behind items relating to Dieppe, from the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and the Canadian Military Heritage Museum in Brantford, Ont.

Men of Valor poster

Popular at the time, propaganda posters were used in Canada to stoke public support of our soldiers efforts in the Second World War. This creation by artist Hubert Rogers of P.E.I. pays tribute to Lt.-Col. Charles Merritt of the South Saskatchewan Regiment. Wounded in the assault, Merritt led his unit through a barrage of gunfire from well-defended heights as the soldiers approached the village. He received the Victoria Cross for his bravery, in absentia, while a prisoner of war. After he was freed, he returned to Canada and served as a Vancouver-area MP from 1945 to 1949 and died in July 2000. Rogers created this poster for the Wartime Information Board.

Memorial Cross for Lt.-Col. John Gilby Andrews

Born in St. Thomas, Ont., in 1909, Andrews was keen to join the militia soon after he graduated from high school. In 1928, at age 19, he was made a provisional lieutenant in his local Elgin regiment. He joined the Royal Canadian Regiment, and soon became a member of Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry. Moving up through the ranks he specialized as an instructor in the use of tanks. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel in December 1941 and was commander of the 14th Army tank battalion (Calgary regiment) at Dieppe, where he died. According to reports the tank he was travelling in sank in water. A rescue vessel used by the survivors was later fired on from the shore and burst into flames. At the time the memorial cross went to a soldiers surviving mother and/or spouse.

The shackles

Beginning in October 1942 the Germans used cords to tie the wrists of Canadian prisoners. But a few months later, after complaints from soldiers were logged with the Red Cross that the cords cut into their wrists, the Germans introduced the use of shackles. The shackles lasted until December 1943, according to the Canadian War Museum. Sapper Larry Kennedy, a member of the 2nd field company of the Royal Canadian Engineers, was captured by the Germans at Dieppe, and he brought his shackles (pictured here) back to Canada after he was freed.

The helmet

Bombardier George Gow, of Ottawa, was a member of the 2nd field battery, 4th regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery. Part of the artillerys role was to capture German guns and use them against the enemy. But Gow was wounded and captured. A French nun, Sister Marie du Sacre-Coeur, later found Gows steel helmet and kept it, says Eric Fernberg, a collections manager with the Canadian War Museum. In 1972, Canadas veterans affairs department organized a pilgrimage to Dieppe and the nun gave the helmet to the group. The helmet was presented the following year to Gow by the veterans minister, Daniel J. MacDonald. Gow died in 1991, and his family donated the helmet to the museum.

Captured Canadian soldiers

Members of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division were captured by the Germans in Dieppe, including Pte. John Michael Machuk, of the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (pictured here in the front row, second from the right, hand at his stomach). Machuk, of Gretna, Man., was held in two German prison camps before escaping by jumping over a hedge into a ditch. While he was hiding there, a German stopped to urinate over the hedge, and onto Machuk, but didnt realize the presence of the 22-year-old Canadian. Machuk died in 1995.

Pebbles on the beach

These pebbles or chert on the beach at Dieppe (brought back by a soldier who fought in the battle) proved to be a major problem for Allied tanks in the 1942 raid. According to a 2012 paper by the University of Cambridges Hugh G. Henry, which looked at the role of tanks in the raid, a major intelligence blunder on the Allied side was the failure to identify in advance the composition of the beach. Henry noted the pebbles proved to be the main technical difficulty for the tanks, impeding their ability to manoeuvre. Henry noted the findings of an engineer who was at Dieppe, who found the tanks got bogged down in the pebbles. The Germans knew about the problem and prepared for it, according to historians.

Cap badge

This badge was worn on a beret or forage cap mostly by officers belonging to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) who fought at Dieppe, says Bob Ion, director of archives and displays at the Canadian Military Heritage Museum. The regiment was involved in the main assault against the Germans. The men faced a barrage of gunfire on the shore, but managed to get across the beach into town. They entered an intense street battle, despite having no tank support. Still, 197 of its soldiers were killed in the losing battle.

The Diepper magazine

The Diepper was a magazine published in Ontario after the battle by the Dieppe Veterans and Prisoners of War Association, and featured recollections, stories and photos about the raid. Many of the stories were from veterans who told their experiences of being captured. The cover of this 1981 edition featured a compelling photograph of Captain G.T. Valentine, a Canadian who was captured and held in a Bavarian prison camp for officers. According to the book Tragedy at Dieppe: Operation Jubilee, Aug. 19, Valentines tank was immobilized by a shell and later hit by mortar fire. The tank filled with smoke, but those inside were not injured.

Toronto Star article

By September 1942 newspapers such as the Star ran pages filled with lists of the names of those killed at Dieppe, missing or imprisoned. Often photos of the Canadians were also published, as on this day with the image of 72 missing or imprisoned Ontario soldiers. Bob Ion of the Canadian Military Heritage Museum in Brantford says a page like this with so many names of men well-known in their communities would have been devastating to readers. As well, Ion notes the Canadian military would have been loath at the time to admit the failure of Dieppe, yet pages like this would have laid bare that reality.

Medal for participation

This medal was issued to participants and PoWs on the 30th anniversary of the raid, by the Dieppe Veterans and Prisoners of War Association in 1972, says Ion of the Brantford museum. This medal was awarded to Pte. Reuben Harris, who fought at Dieppe with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. Harris was released from the army in July 1945, and his discharge certificate (which is in the Brantford museum) says he suffered a bullet wound to the neck  though its unclear if that occurred at Dieppe. Harris returned from the war and later lived in Brantford.

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DILUTING: The German language. This is the charge by politician Jens Spahn, the junior finance minister. He particularly targeted workers in Berlin who dont speak the lingo, the Guardian reports. It drives me up the wall the way waiters in Berlin restaurants only speak English, he told the paper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung. You would never find this kind of lunacy in Paris.

BLENDING IN: The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, in Chicago, if unintentionally. Serving him in a restaurant during his visit, student Emma Kelly made him wait for 20 minutes at the bar, and later asked if he was Irish and chatted. Kelly  who hails from Dublin  was mortified when she eventually figured out who he was. Its just when you are in Chicago working, you just dont expect someone like that to walk in.

SURPRISED: A Halifax weatherman. After a trip to Costco, Nathan Colemans 11-year-old daughter found a live scorpion in his bag of bananas. He drove it to the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, where zoologist Andrew Hebda said it was capable of delivering a nasty sting, but probably not a lethal one. The fruit came from Guatemala. The arachnid? Costco was investigating.

FORETOLD: Four murders, allegedly by a Chinese author. In a preface to a novel, Liu Yongbiao promised a book about a ravishing female author who commits a string of killing but avoids capture. But in recent days, he has been arrested for allegedly bludgeoning four people to death in 1995, the Guardian reported. The killings are tied to a robbery in the eastern city of Huzhou.

SPUTTERING: Arabian horse sales in Poland. After a political purge of managers by the ruling conservative party, a well-known Arabian horse breeding program held a disappointing auction. The annual Pride of Poland auction, which draws breeders from around the world, has done poorly under the party loyalists who now run it. Critics called it a fiasco.

BOOMING: Business at Syrias first international trade fair in five years. Strongman Bashar Assad could point to the fair, and the flags of 23 participating nations, as another sign that he has effectively won the countrys six-year civil war. However, much of the war-torn land remains beyond his control.

DEVELOPING: Nine eggs of an endangered crocodile species. Nineteen eggs from Siamese crocodiles were found in the wild in Cambodia in June, and retrieved to protect them from animal and human predators. Almost half hatched at a conservation centre. The animals estimated global population is 410, making it critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

SQUELCHING: A mouse infestation of the British Parliament, through a traditional manner. MPs have asked for a cat after a mouse problem cost taxpayers $210,000 (Canadian), the Daily Telegraph reports. One Conservative MP said: My biggest worry is that it was only the bongs of Big Ben that was scaring the mice off. But the clock is falling silent for repairs.

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Weve all grown up with the story of living alongside the worlds longest undefended border. Heres another chapter.

For the last few summers, weve vacationed on the Vermont side of the frontier with family friends from the U.S., perched a stones throw from the international boundary.

I get to jog past American border patrols, bicycle up to checkpoints (passport in hand), and hike alongside unguarded border markings. We browse for books at the Haskell Library that straddles the two countries, where a line along the floor marks the border (no fines for crossing over, just for late returns).

The stories of Stanstead (Canada) and Derby Line (U.S.A.)  twin towns whose intertwined sewer lines and bloodlines surmount the borderline  have always been too good to be true. For decades, their shared cross-border heritage withstood the transgressions of smugglers sneaking in booze, drugs and guns.

Read more: Almost 7,000 migrants have walked into Quebec since Canada Day

Fleeing to Canada, asylum seekers old lives revealed in the scraps found along New Yorks Roxham Rd.

Then came 9/11  and terrorist fears tightened up security while loosening interconnectedness. Today, a line of oversized flower pots has closed off the street alongside the historic library. A border patrol vehicle is a constant presence, with American agents reflexively reminding all bookworms not to worm their way into America.

Where once residents of the U.S.A. could casually cross the aptly named Canusa St. to use our sidewalk, they must now report to the border post. Homes that once offered the best of both worlds have plunged in price as prospective buyers feared double trouble.

Despite the strain, co-existence continued. This year, the frontier felt different.

Walking unchallenged through a wildlife sanctuary abutting the border  where the white markings of the International Boundary Commission dot the landscape  I couldnt help thinking of the recent surge in migrants, who take the extra step of crossing onto Canadian soil. It must be odd for the ever-vigilant American patrols on the borderline, now watching from the sidelines, mindful less of infiltration than exfiltration.

Initially, many Canadians reacted to the news reports with customary smugness and superiority about our humane treatment of downtrodden refugees. But it bears repeating that the sudden increase  Haitians make up an estimated 85 per cent  isnt as simple as a Donald Trump crackdown versus a Justin Trudeau haven.

In fact, the U.S. still gives sanctuary to Haitians in the wake of a 2010 earthquake, though it is under review. Ottawa quietly resumed deportations in 2014. That means they still have legal status in Trumps America, but not in Trudeaus Canada.

Thats not to say Ottawa was wrong to wrap up its program  the earthquake occurred seven years ago  just that its wrong-headed to view Canada as the good guy and America as the bad guy. Despite the obvious strains in U.S. immigration policy, its refugee system is still better than most, and Canada has been deporting Haitians while the U.S. hasnt.

Most have crossed into Quebec, and many will soon be sent to temporary housing in eastern Ontario. They are exploiting a little-understood loophole in our carefully regulated but largely undefended frontier: refugee claimants are turned back at official border points if they already have safe haven in the U.S., yet are allowed to file new claims in Canada if they walk over in between crossings.

It is an axiom of refugee policy that you shouldnt shuttle from one safe haven to another in search of a better outcome. And as difficult as Haiti can be, economic migrants arent bona fide refugees.

Unless you are being persecuted or fleeing terror or war, you would not qualify as a refugee, Transport Minister Marc Garneau noted Thursday after the RCMP announced nearly 4,000 crossings so far this month  double the rate for July and five times the pace in June.

The rising tide of refugee claims is a reminder of the sometimes irresistible impulse that drives so many migrants to take risks  and try their chances elsewhere. Easy as it is for us here in Canada to criticize others (notably Europeans and Australians) for trying to stem the tide of boat people, the relatively modest surge in arrivals here puts the problem in perspective.

The only consolation for those crossing the Canada-U.S. border is that they are not risking their lives on unseaworthy vessels in the hands of human smugglers. The death rate among migrants crossing the Mediterranean has nearly doubled, with more than 1,500 lives lost so far this year.

Haitian arrivals deserve to be treated with humanity and dignity  and due process. Yet the surge is a recipe for refugee chaos and dashed hopes if it continues unabated.

And a reminder that the fantasy of open borders  the cornerstone of which is compliance  is usually a story without a happy ending.

Martin Regg Cohn's political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn

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